out of the world, than permit me to commit one mortal sin.

II. Point. The second description of relapsing sinners, are those who communicate regularly, yet continue to commit venial sins deliberately, and persevere in a course of tepidity and negligence. Those are persons whose example you should most carefully guard against, because you would be more likely to imitate them than notorious sinners. The danger of persevering in ordinary faults and habitual negligence, requires even more serious reflection on your part, than the misfortune of falling into grievous sin; be cause, as yet the fear and love of God must have sufficient influence over your mind, to make you trem ble at the idea of committing mortal sin after communion; but it is too common at your age, for relapses into venial sin to appear much less criminal and dangerous than they really are. That you may

conceive how important it is to profit of each of your communions, reflect seriously on the parable of the slothful servant in the gospel, who buried the talent he received from his master. Take particular notice, that he is not accused of having made bad use of it· his only crime is, not having made any use of so fa vourable a means for promoting his own interests On his master's return, he is not found richer than before, though he could have become so; he frus trates the benevolent designs of his Lord, and on that account alone he is treated with the utmost severity, and deprived of the talent bestowed on him, which is transferred to another. This is a clear and striking figure of those who receive the adorable Eucharist, yet bury that precious talent; that is make no use of it for advancing the business of their salvation; who, after years spent in regularly fiequenting the sacraments, are not perceived o have corrected one single fault, or acquired one single virtue. This dangerous and disedifying system is chiefly attributed to your sex, and perhaps with tou

much justice; for how many women, to the disgrace of religion and scandal of their neighbour, continue from one communion to another as proud and vain, as negligent in their spiritual exercises, and thoughtless of their domestic duties; as attached to the vanities of the world and to their own will; as impatient and peevish, talkative and uncharitable, slothful and idle, as if they never communicated. O! how much have those to fear, who thus destroy with one hand what they build up with the other! Such persons injure the cause of religion much more than declared sinners. One young person, who frequents the sacraments without becoming more faithful to God, more useful and amiable in her family, more edifying to her neighbour, gives more scandal than twenty others, whose heads, it is true, appear turned with the vanities and pleasures of the world, but whose example has no weight, because they never received the benefit of instruction, the help of the sacraments, or perhaps even the light of faith. Consider these truths seriously: beg of God most earnestly to penetrate your heart with a holy fear of the account you will have to render for the very Communion you have just made. Resolve to make every effort necessary on your part for profiting of so great a grace; be on your guard against your accustomed faults; endeavour at least to lessen their number, that when you next communicate, your divine Lord may have no cause to reproach and punish you like the slothful servant of the gospel. O my God! by that infinite mercy which caused thee to die for my salvation, and that infinite love which induced thee to visit me in thy adorable Sacrament, deign to preserve me from exposing myself by negligence or sloth to the loss of the blessing I have received.

III. Point.-After having seriously considered the ingratitude and misfortune of relapsing sinners, you must already have firmly resolved never to become one of their unhappy number. This firm, determin

ed resolution, should be the happy effect of the union you have so lately contracted with Jesus Christ, and of all the graces you have received this last week. But perhaps you have already often determined to serve God, and made the same resolution after each of your Communions, which is now recommended to you; whence came it then that you have been so negligent Why have you fallen away from your first fervour? Why are you now the very same as you were when you first received your Saviour in this adorable mystery? It is because your resolutions hitherto have been only vague and verbal resolutions, such as relapsing sinners themselves seldom fail to make, such as many of the damned frequently have made. But if you sincerely intend to avoid being ranked among relapsing sinners, which you are as yet too young to merit altogether, you would do well to dwell on the following reasons or motives for perseverance.—First, Consider that your divine Redeemer, whom you have received in the Sacrament of his Love, will at all times be as great, as good, as amiable, as merciful, as worthy of your whole heart, as he now appears; consequently, though you may change, though your fervour and desire to advance in virtue may lessen in a month hence, perhaps in less, you should nevertheless persevere in your good resolutions, for the same reasons which caused you to make them. You should say to yourself; is not God the same now as when I felt that he deserved any exertion I could make for his sake? None of the truths of religion have changed-death is just as uncertain-judgment as terrifying-hell as formidableeternity as long, as when they made such deep impression on my mind.-Secondly, Reflect on the difficulty you will certainly find in returning to God, if once you completely fall off from your present good purposes. How much did it perhaps cost you to enter into yourself--to examine your conscienceto prepare for your late Confession and Communion.

Would you then, by relapsing, furnish as much, or rather ten times more uneasiness, remorse, and difficulty for a future occasion, and at length for the bed of death-Thirdly, Consider the uncertainty of your having a wish, or even an opportunity to approach the sacraments, if the grace you have just received be abused. A desire to be reconciled to God depends on a peculiar grace, of which those who relapse deserve to be deprived; and as to time, how do you know whether you may not die in a week or a month ?-Whether your late Communion may not be your last? These, and many other good reasons for continuing to act as you are now determined to do. will strengthen your resolution, if you seriously reflect on them, whenever you feel tempted to relapse. Remember, however, that your best resolutions will be vain, if you were not also resolved to adopt the best means calculated to ensure perseverance. Those are many, but the chief are, first, such a horror of sin, as will dispose you to suffer all that could be endured in this world, rather than offend God morally. Secondly, great care in avoiding the commission of venial sins deliberately, and with a clear, distinct view that vou are going to offend God. This point is of so much consequence, that you should take care not to pass it over lightly, because those multiplied venial faults, though slight in themselves, are most dangerous in their consequences. would not consent to swallow a small quantity of poison frequently, though you were sure it would not kill you; why, then, should you, on any occasion, consent, by a deliberate venial fault, to swallow even a small portion of the deadly poison of sin? Alas! it is by doing so frequently, that many who began well, became so weak in virtue, that they were evercome by the first temptation, and miserably fell into mortal sin; because, as your catechism tells you, venial sin, (particular y of habit and deliberation) leaves the soul feeble and drowsy, and exposes her

You

to fall into mortal sin. The other means of perse vering are, attention to the presence of God, exactness in the discharge of your duties, but chiefly, and above all, fervent prayer. Perseverance is the most difficult, the most rare, and the most necessary of virtues; you should therefore earnestly and daily im plore it of Him who is the giver of all good gifts.

Conclude your meditation, by begging that peculiar assistance from God, without which you can do nothing, and placing your resolutions in the adorable Heart of Jesus, and in the sacred hands of your blessed and glorious Patroness, the Mother of God.

PREPARATION for CONFIRMATION.

It is not necessary to say much here in the way of Instruction for Confirmation. You already know from your Catechism, that the Sacrament you are about to receive was instituted to make you a strong and perfect Christian ;" that it derives its name from its chief effect, which is to confirm and fortify in the path of virtue-that its minister is a Bishop only-its matter chrism, solemnly blessed on Holy Thursday-its form, "I sign thee with the sign of the Cross; Iconfirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." That it imprints an indelible character on the soul-that the heavenly Spirit it imparts is the Holy Ghost, the third Person of the adorable Trinity

-and lastly, that its effects are to produce in the soul such strength, fortitude, and courage, as to enable Christians to persevere steadily in virtue, ard to profess their faith in all circumstances, even before tyrants and persecutors, if called upon to do so. All those points, and every thing else necessary to be known concerning your holy religion, have been fully explained to you; so that, as far as regards instruc tion, you are already prepared for Confirmation · but