It is not thy interpreters, O God, who are now to instruct me; it is thy only Son; it is his word I am about to hear. I most gratefully embrace this heavenly doctrine. I stand up to declare in the face of heaven and earth, that I will walk faithfully in that way which he hath marked out for me. He tells me here, that "it will avail a man nothing to gain the whole world, if he lose his own soul; that the sensual, the covetous, the worldling, the libertine, the detractor, and such as are insensible to the miseries of the poor, shall have no share in his heavenly kingdom; and that, in order to become his disciple, I must take up my cross and follow him." I receive with my whole heart all these sacred maxims. Grant me the grace to put them in practice; for to what purpose should I declare myself thy disciple, if I were not to live according to the maxims of thy gospel. {62} At The Creed. Renew your faith in all those articles which the church proposes to your belief, because they are founded on God's own word, revealed in the scriptures, announced by the prophets, supported by miracles, confirmed by the blood of the martyrs, verified by the establishment of our faith, and obvious by the sanctity of our religion. I return thee infinite thanks, O Lord, for having given me birth in the bosom of the holy Catholic Church. The precious gift of faith is much more dear to me than any advantage of birth or fortune. Grant me a perfect docility for all it teaches, as well for what I understand, as for what is above my conception. It is neither just nor possible that I should fully comprehend an infinite God, who cannot even comprehend myself. By thy grace I am firmly convinced of the wisdom and sincerity of thy apostles, by whom thou hast announced these mysteries to the world. By them the world was converted; it submitted, and believed them; which, if done without a miracle, must be in itself the greatest of all miracles. What more then can I desire? What surer grounds can I have? {63} On these principles I rest my belief. Here is the faith which to my last breath I shall profess:--I firmly believe that thou art one God in three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who of nothing hast created all things. I believe, O heavenly Father, that thy only Son, who is perfectly equal to thee, holy, powerful, and eternal, as thou art, became man for love of us; suffered, died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven; from whence he shall come at the last day to judge the world; and that of his blessed kingdom there shall be no end. I believe in the Holy Ghost, who is also true God as thou art, proceeding from thee and thy Son: I believe that he spoke by the prophets, and that by him we are sanctified, I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I expect the resurrection of the body, and the life of the world to come, where I firmly hope to possess thee, Lord, for ever and ever. Amen. {64}