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tivity by the Assyrians: to comfort them under this calamity, Isaiah assures them, that in recompence of the misery they suffered above the rest of their brethren, they should have the first and chief share of the presence and conversation of the Messiah who was to come.

Q. How came St. Andrew acquainted with our Saviour? A. Being with John the Baptist one day as Jesus passed by, and hearing him say, that he was the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, St. Andrew follows our Saviour, upon this testimony, to the place of his abode; hearing his instructions, and improving his faith by conversing with him.

Q. What was the first effect of his faith in the Messiah? A. St. Andrew went to his brother Simon, and imparted to him the joyful news, that he had found the desire of the world, the Christ who was promised by the prophets, and carried him immediately to Jesus, where, after a short stay, they returned again to their own houses, and exercised their calling.

Q. When did St. Andrew become our Saviour's disciple and constant attendant?

A. St. Andrew became our Saviour's disciple and constant attendant about a year afterwards, when, being fully convinced of the greatness and divinity of our Saviour's person by the miraculous draught of fishes, our Saviour commanded him, with his brother Peter, to follow him, promising to make them fishers of men. They accordingly left all, and constantly attended our Saviour's person, and were afterwards called by him to the office and honour of the apostolate.

Q. How and where did St. Andrew suffer martyrdom? A. After this blessed apostle had planted the Gospel in Scythia and the neighbouring countries, and by his indefatigable labours had converted many to the faith, he came at last to Patræ, in Achaia. By his boldness and zeal in proclaiming the Gospel, he enraged the proconsul of Achaia against him, who commanded him to be scourged, and then to be crucified; and that his death might be the more lingering, he was fastened to the cross,* not with nails, but with cords. He endured martyrdom with the greatest cheerful

p 2 Kings xv. 29. q John i. 36, 37. ↑ John 41. J. Matt. iv. 19. The cross was in the form of the letter X; and this cross is hence known by the name of St. Andrew's cross.

ness and triumph, joyfully saluting the cross on which he was to suffer as soon as he came in sight of it, and continuing to instruct and exhort the people, even under the agonies of a lingering death.

Q. What may we learn from the observation of this festival?

A. The readiness with which St. Andrew forsook all to follow Christ, should excite us to forsake all sinful pursuits and pleasures, and to follow that blessed Saviour, whose service leads to present peace and everlasting enjoyment. The zeal which St. Andrew discovered in imparting to his brother Simon the joyful news that he had found the Messiah, and the boldness and activity with which he proclaimed the Gospel, should teach us earnestly to endeavour to make all our relations, friends, and dependents, followers of the blessed Jesus, and to embrace every opportunity of inculcating the necessity and importance of religion, and the happiness which attends it. The patience and cheerfulness which he discovered under his sufferings and persecutions, should teach us to bear affliction and persecution with a patient and resolute mind, entirely resigned to the will of God, and even rejoicing when we are accounted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus.

Q. With what temper of mind ought good men to suffer for the cause of religion?

A. When good men are called to suffer for the cause of religion, they should sustain their sufferings with firmness, that they may not grow faint and weary; with meekness, that they may not grow angry and bitter against their persecutors; with charity, that they may overcome evil with good; with trust in God's providence, that they may be supported under their sufferings by his grace, and delivered in his good time; with joy and thankfulness, inasmuch as, by suffering, they are conformed to Christ their Maker, and when his glory shall be revealed, they shall be made glad with exceeding joy!

t1 Pet. iv. 13.

Q.

CHAPTER IV.

ST. THOMAS, DECEMBER 21.

A FESTIVAL.

WHY does the Church celebrate the festival of St.

Thomas immediately before the Nativity?

A. St. Thomas, though at first unbelieving, was at length convinced of our Lord's resurrection by the greatest possible evidence; and this evidence the Church recommends as a fit preparative to our Lord's nativity, to incline us to believe with St. Thomas, that the Jesus whose birth we are to commemorate, is the very Christ, or, in the words of St. Thomas, our Lord and our God.

Q. Of what country and kindred was the apostle St.

Thomas?

A. St. Thomas, whose sirname was Didymus, was a Jew, and probably a Galilean; and it is very likely he was brought up a fisherman."

Q. After he was called to be an apostle, what proof did he give of his willingness to adhere to our Saviour?

A. When the rest of the apostles dissuaded our Saviour from returning into Judea (whither he was resolved to go, to raise Lazarus from the dead,) lest the Jews should stone him, as they had before attempted, St. Thomas desires the apostles not to hinder Christ's journey hither;" Let us also go, that we may die with him, saith he; probably concluding, that, instead of raising Lazarus from the dead, they themselves should be sent with him to their own graves.

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Q. How did our Saviour treat the slowness of understanding which St. Thomas on a certain occasion evidenced?

A. When our Saviour, a little before his cruel sufferings, was speaking to his disciples of the joys of heaven, and of his going to prepare a place for them, St. Thomas professed that he knew not whither he went, much less the way that led to it.* Jesus, with the greatest mildness and gentleness, gave him the short but satisfactory answer, that he was the true living way," the person whom the Father had sent into the world to show men, by his doctrine and by his example,

John xxi. 2, 3,
John xiv. 5

John xi. 8, &c. y John xiv. 6.

zv John xi. 16.

the paths of eternal life; and that they could not fail to reach heaven, if they did but keep to that way which he had prescribed

Q. What may we learn from this conduct of our Saviour? A. From this behaviour of our Saviour to Thomas we may learn, that where the mind is rightly disposed, we ought to bear with the heaviness of the understanding, and to endeavour, with gentleness and patience, to instruct and convince the ignorant and doubtful.

Q. What proof did St. Thomas require of our Saviour's resurrection?

A. St. Thomas would not believe the resurrection of

Christ but on the testimony of his own senses ; for though the rest of the apostles assured him they had really seen their Master alive again, yet he professed, except he should see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side, he would not believe.

Q. How did our Saviour remove this infidelity of St. Thomas?

A. Compassionating the weakness of St. Thomas, and willing to satisfy the doubts and scruples of a sincere though unbelieving man, our Saviour appeared to his disciples again, when St. Thomas was with them, and gave him the satisfaction which he desired." Being quickly convinced of his error, he acknowledged Christ to be his very Lord and Master, a God omnipotent, thus able to rescue himself from the powers of death.

Q. What reply did our Saviour make to this profession of St. Thomas's faith?

A. To this profession which St. Thomas made of his faith, our Saviour replied, that he did well to believe upon this testimony of his senses; but that it was a more noble and commendable act of faith, to acquiesce in a rational evidence, and to receive the doctrines and revelations of the Gospel upon such moral evidence of their truth, as should always satisfy every wise and reasonable man.

Q. What benefit resulted from this instance of unbelief in St. Thomas ?

A. This unbelief of St. Thomas serves to confirm our faith in our Saviour's resurrection, by proving, beyond all doubt or scruple, that the very same body of our Lord was raised, in which he suffered.

John xx. 25.

a John xx. 26, 27.

4 John xx. 20.

Q. Where did St. Thomas preach the Gospel?

A. The province allotted to St. Thomas for the exercise of his apostolical office, was Parthia; he published the glad tidings of salvation to the Medes, Persians, &c. and at last came to the Indies, in which country he suffered martyrdom. Q. What may we learn from the observation of this fes

tival?

A. From the gentleness with which our Saviour treated the dulness of understanding which St. Thomas on a certain occasion displayed, we may learn, that, provided our minds sincerely intend God's service, and our affections are fixed upon him as our chief good, he will compassionate the weakness of our understandings, and either pardon our errors, or deliver us from them. From the readiness which St. Thomas expressed to follow Christ even to death, we may learn, that no dangers should discourage us from adhering to our blessed Master, and that even death itself should not be able to separate us from him; and from the declaration of Christ to St. Thomas, who was convinced only by the evidence of his senses, we may learn that faith ought to be the prevailing principle of a Christian, under all events, and in every condition of human life; and that a faith founded upon sufficient testimony, is in fact more praiseworthy and exalted than that which is founded on the evidence of the senses : Blessed are they which have not seen, and yet believe.

Q. What is meant by faith in Christ?

A. Faith in Christ means, in general, a sincere belief of every thing which is declared to us concerning him in his Gospel; but more particularly, it means a sincere and supreme reliance on his merits and grace, as the cnly means of restoration to the favour of God: and when this faith is made the governing principle of our lives, when it works by love, and brings forth the fruits of holiness, it is then imputed unto us for righteousness.

Q. What are those properties that fit faith to produce the fruits of holiness?

A. To produce these effects, faith must be real and unfeigned; it must be hearty and affectionate; it must be sincere and resolute.

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