Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/355

 company us  all  through  life,  encouraging  us  in  tHe practice of  virtue  and  again  going  down  after  us into  the  abyss  of  sin  and  dragging  us  back  even  from the brink  of  hell. In the  ups  and  downs  of  life  He  is with  us  through  it  all,  even  to  our  last  breath,  for Christ promised  to  send  the  Paraclete,  who  would abide with  us  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation  of the  world.

Brethren, we  believe  there  are  three  persons  in God  and  that  the  favors  each  has  conferred  on  us  are inestimable, but  is  that  enough? The devils  in  hell believe, but  what  doth  it  profit  them? Ah! what will it profit  us  to  have  known  the  Father,  if  we  prove  rebellious sons? To have  known  the  Son,  if,  like  another Cain,  we  murder  by  our  vices,  Christ,  our Brother? To have  known  the  Holy  Ghost,  if,  like ingrates, we  turn  from  Him  to  follow  the  demon  of sin? Oh, it  were  ten  thousand  times  better  for  us never  to  have  known  this  truth,  than  after  we  have known it  to  neglect  to  conform  our  lives  to  the  faith that is  in  us. Faith without  good  works  is  dead,  aye, worse than  dead,  for  it  makes  the  sinner  more responsible and  consequently  more  guilty  in  the sight of  God. Of him  to  whom  much  is  given  much shall be  expected. " Have  faith  and  fear  not,"  is  the cry of  the  whole  Christian  world  outside  the  Catholic Church, but  that  is  not  the  way  of  the  Catholic Church. No, nor  of  Christ  her  Founder,  for  from Him she  has  received  her  commission  not  only  to teach  all  nations  the  mystery  of  one  God  in  three persons; not  only  to  make  known  to  them  the  merci-