Q. How prove you that? A. Out of 1 John iii. 1. "See what manner of charity the Father hath given us, that we should be named, and be the sons of God." Q. Why do you say, our Father, and not my Father? A. Because God is the common Father of all, and all good Christians must pray for one another, according to that article in the Creed, "I believe in the communion of saints." Q. What understand you by the words, Who art in heaven? A. I understand that God who fills heaven and earth, and is in all things, times, and places, is in heaven in a peculiar manner, declaring and manifesting his glory to the blessed; and therefore when we pray, we must lift up our minds to him, and keep them fixed upon heavenly things. Q. How prove you that? A. Out of Jer. xlviii. 10. "Cursed be he that doth the word of God negligently." The First Petition. Q. WHAT is the first petition? A. That God may be known by the whole world, and that he may be worthily praised, served, and honoured by all his creatures, which cannot be effected but by his grace. Q. Who are those that say this petition ill? A. Such as dishonour the name of God by blaspheming, swearing, lying, cursing, and scurrilous discourses. The Second Petition. Q. WHAT is the second petition ? A. Thy kingdom come. Q. What do we beg of God by this petition? A. We beg, that our miseries and afflictions in this may be such, as that we may be made partakers of his joyful and heavenly kingdom hereafter. life Q. What else do we beg? A. That Christ may reign in us in this life by grace, and in the next by glory, presenting us a kingdom to his Fa ther. Q. Who say this petition ill? A. Such as are willing slaves to sin, and to the devil. The Third Petition. Q. WHAT is the third petition? A. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. A. That God would enable us by his holy grace to keep his commandments, and obey his will in all things. Q. What mean you by the words, on earth as it is in heaven? A. We beg by those, that we may be as ready and willing to do the will of God on earth, as the blessed saints and angels are in heaven. The Fourth Petition. Q. WHAT is the fourth petition? A. All food and nourishment for our souls and bodies. A. The word of God, the holy sacraments, especially the blessed Eucharist, and divine grace. Q. How prove you, that by this petition Christ intended the blessed bread of the Eucharist? A. Because in Matt. vi. 11, we read "our supersubstantial bread." Q. Why is the Eucharist called our daily bread? A. Because it is daily offered for our sins on the altar, and we ought daily to receive it, at least in spirit and desire. Q. Who say this petition ill? A. Such as are cold and careless in coming to the sacraments, and in hearing divine service, or exhortations; and such as ascribe their temporal goods and blessings to their own industry and providence, and not to any special bounty or gift of God. The Fifth Petition. Q. WHAT is the fifth petition? A. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Q. What do we beg by this petition? A. That God would pardon us the sins of our life past, as also the punishments which are due unto them. Q. Why are sins, and the penalties of sin, called debts? A. Because they make us debtors to the justice of God, whom by sin we rob of his due honour. Q. Why is it added, As we forgive our debtors? A. To signify that God will not forgive us, unless we also forgive our brethren; "If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences." Matt. vi. 15. Q. Who say this petition ill? A. Such as bear malice against their neighbour, and seek revenge. The Sixth Petition. Q. WHAT is the sixth petition? A. And lead us not into temptation. Q. What do we beg by this? A. That God would not permit us to be tempted above our strength. Q. Doth God tempt any man to sin? A. No, "God is not a tempter of evils, he tempts no man." James i. 13. Q. What other proof have you? "Thou art not a God willing A. Out of Ps. v. 7. iniquity." And out of Rom. ix. 14. ty with God? No, God forbid." Q. By whom then are we tempted? "Is there iniqui A. By the devil, and our own concupiscence. Q. Can a man live in this world, and be free from all temptations? A. Morally speaking he cannot: "for the whole life of man on earth is a warfare." Job vii. 1. Q. Why then do we pray to be delivered from temptations? A. That we may not be overcome, or vanquished by them, Q. Is temptation of itself a sin? A. No, not without consent on our part; nay, it is a great occasion of merit, if we resist it as we ought. Q. How prove you that? A. First, out of Apoc. ii. 10, 11. "Be thou faithful unto death (saith our Lord) and I will give thee the crown of life he that overcometh, shall not be hurt by the second death." Secondly, because Christ himself, who never sinned, would be tempted, "and the tempter came unto him," &c. Matt. iv. 3. Q. Are we never overcome but by our own default? A. Never, according to that answer which was given to St. Paul, desiring to be freed from a temptation. "My grace is sufficient for thee." Q. What other proof have you? A. Out of James iv. 7. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Q. Who are they that say this petition ill? A. Such as seek after occasion of sin, and wilfully expose themselves unto temptations. Q. What are the best remedies against temptations? A. To have recourse by humble prayer to God and to his saints, and to such especially as have undergone temptations of the same kind; to resist them valiantly at the first entrance, and to remember often the four last things, death, judgment, hell, and heaven. The Seventh Petition. Q. WHAT is the seventh petition? Q. What do we beg by this petition? A. That God would deliver us from all our evils both spiritual and temporal, especially from the evils of sin past, present, and to come. Q. Who is the author of the evil of sin? A. The devil; for "Sin in God there is none." John iii. 5. Q. What other proof have you? A. Out of Wisdom xiv. 9. impious man and his impiety." "Hateful to God is the Q. Who say this petition ill? A. They who commit their evils before God, and multiply their sins without remorse. CHAP. VI. The Hail Mary, or Angelical Salutation. Q. What is the Hail Mary? A. It is a most honourable salutation to the blessed Virgin Mary, and prayer to her. Q. How do you prove it lawful to honour her? A. Out of Luke i. 48, where (by inspirations from God) she prophesied, saying, "All generations shall call me blessed." Q. How many parts hath the Hail Mary? A. It hath three parts. Q. What is the first part? A. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Q. Who made this part? A. The Holy Ghost, though it was delivered by the angel Gabriel, Luke i. 28. Q. What signifies the word Hail? A. It signifies, Rejoice or be glad, O Mother of God. Q. Why do we invite her by this prayer to rejoice? A. Because it renews the memory of her blessed Son's conception, which is an infinite cause of joy to her and the whole court of heaven. Q. What signifies the word Mary? A. It signifies star of the sea. Q. Why is she properly called the star of the sea? A. Because she shines on us by her exemplary virtue in this sea of miseries, like a most glorious star. Q. What mean you by the words, full of grace? A. I mean that the Blessed Virgin hath a special fulness and prerogative of grace for the conception of her Son. Q. What means, The Lord is with thee? A. It means that the whole Trinity was with her at the time in a particular manner, |