THE COMPOSITION OF THE CATECHISM.

Q. What may be a good order for setting forth a Catechetical instruction in religion?

A. For this we may follow the book of the Orthodox Confession, approved by the Eastern Patriarchs, and take as our basis the saying of the Apostle Paul, that the whole energies of a Christian during this present life, consist in these three; faith, hope, charity. And now abideth faith, hope, charity; these three. 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

And so the Christian needs; First, Doctrine on faith in God, and on the Sacraments which He reveals; Secondly, Doctrine on hope towards God, and on the means of being grounded in it; Thirdly, Doctrine on love to God, and all that He commands us to love.

Q. What does the Church use as her instrument to introduce us to the doctrine of faith?

A. The Creed 4.

Q. What may we take as a guide for the doctrine of hope?
A. Our Lord's Beatitudes, and the Lord's Prayer.

Q. Where may we find the elements of the doctrine of charity?

A. In the ten Commandments of the Law of God.

INTROD.

FIRST
PART.

THE FIRST PART

OF THE

ORTHODOX CATECHISM.

ON FAITH.

ON THE CREED GENERALLY, AND ON ITS ORIGIN.
Q. What is the Creed?

A. The Creed is an exposition, in few but precise words,
of that doctrine which all Christians are bound to believe.
Q. What are the words of this exposition?

A. They are as follows:

1. I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible :

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the onlybegotten, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made;

3. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Ghost, and of the Virgin Mary, and was made man ;

4. And was crucified also for us, under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried ;

5. And rose again the third day according to the Scrip

ture;

6. And ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;

7. And He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

8. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets. 9. I believe one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. 10. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. 11. I look for the resurrection of the dead;

12. And the life of the world to come. Amen.

Q. From whom have we this exposition of the faith?
A. From the Fathers of the first and second Ecumenical
Councils.

Q. What is an Ecumenical Council?

A. An assembly of the Pastors and Doctors of the Catholic Church of Christ, as far as possible, from the whole world, for the confirmation of true doctrine and holy discipline among Christians.

Q. How many Ecumenical Councils have there been?

A. Seven: 1, Of Nice; 2, Of Constantinople; 3, Of Ephesus; 4, Of Chalcedon; 5, The second of Constantinople; 6, The third of Constantinople; 7, The second of Nice.

Q. Whence is the rule for assembling Councils?

A. From the example of the Apostles, who held a Council in Jerusalem. Acts xv. This is grounded also upon the words of Jesus Christ Himself, which give to the decisions of the Church such weight, that whosoever disobeys them is left deprived of grace as a heathen. But the mean, by which the Ecumenical Church utters her decisions, is an Ecumenical Council.

Tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man, and a publican. Mat. xviii. 17.

Q. What were the particular occasions for assembling the first and second Ecumenical Councils, at which the Creed was defined?

A. The first was held for the confirmation of the true doctrine respecting the Son of God, against the error of

ON

FAITH.

PART.

FIRST Arius, who thought unworthily of the Son of God: the second for the confirmation of the true doctrine respecting the Holy Ghost, against Macedonius, who thought unworthily of the Holy Ghost.

Q. Is it long ago that these Councils were held?

A. The first was held in the year 325 from the birth of Christ, the second in 381.

ON THE ARTICLES OF THE CREED.

Q. What method shall we follow in order the better to understand the Ecumenical Creed?

A. We must notice its division into twelve articles or parts, and consider each article separately.

Q. What is spoken of in each several article of the Creed? A. The first article of the Creed speaks of God as the prime origin, more particularly of the first Person of the Holy Trinity, God the Father, and of God as the Creator of the world;

The second article, of the second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

The third article, of the incarnation of the Son of God; The fourth article, of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ;

The fifth article, of the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

The sixth article, of the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven;

The seventh article, of the second coming of Jesus Christ upon earth;

The eighth article, of the third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Ghost;

The ninth article, of the Church;

The tenth article, of Baptism, under which are implied the other Sacraments also;

The eleventh article, of the future resurrection of the dead;
The twelfth article, of the life everlasting.

ON FAITH.

ON THE FIRST ARTICLE.

Q. What is it to believe in God?

A. To believe in God is to have a lively belief of His being, His attributes, and works; and to receive with all the heart His revealed word respecting the salvation of men.

Q. Can you shew from holy Scripture that faith in God must consist in this?

A. The Apostle Paul writes: Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Heb. xi. 6.

The same Apostle expresses the effect of faith on Christians in the following prayer for them to God: That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may Eph. iii. 16, 17.

dwell in your hearts by faith.

Q. What must be the immediate and constant effect of a hearty faith in God?

A. The confession of this same faith.

Q. What is the confession of the faith?

A. It is openly to avow that we hold the Orthodox faith, and this with such sincerity and firmness, that neither seductions, nor threats, nor tortures, nor death itself, may be able to make us deny our faith in the true God and in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Q. For what is the confession of the faith necessary?

A. The Apostle Paul witnesses that it is necessary for salvation. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 10.

Q. Why is it necessary to salvation not only to believe, but also to confess the Orthodox faith?

A. Because if any one, to preserve his temporal life, or earthly goods, shrink from confessing the Orthodox faith, he shews thereby that he has not a true faith in God the Saviour, and the life of happiness to come.