17. How does the Epistle combine these?- "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another."

18. What does this prove to us is to be the effect of light, or the true doctrine of the Gospel?-Love and charitable feelings towards all our brethren.

19. What did St. Stephen's day teach every Christian to do in the outset ? -- To count the cost of his profession.

20. What does this teach us? To walk in the light of the truth, that we may attain to the light of everlasting life.

Innocent's Day.

1. In what is the example of the Innocents proposed to us?-The innocency of their lives.

2. How were they permitted to glorify God?—In their deaths.

3. How are we to imitate this?-By the constancy of our faith unto death.

4. How do we pray God to prepare us for this? "By mortifying and killing all vices in us, and strengthening us by His grace."

5. Had this massacre been foretold ?—Yes; by Jeremiah, xxxi. 15.

6. What reference has the Gospel to it ?-It tells us how God defeated Herod's wicked intentions.

7. Was not Herod's jealousy thus made to testify to Jesus?—Yes.-Psalm ii. 2, 6.

8. Of what does the Epistle assure us?—That these Innocents were blessed in their death.

9. How does the Collect refer to this?"Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast ordained strength, and made even infants to glorify Thee by their deaths."

10. What passage teaches us that their state of innocency was one acceptable to God?—Mark, x. 14, 15.

11. How does the Epistle coincide with this?"In their mouth was no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God."

12. What comfortable assurance does this give us of the

state of those who die in innocency?-That they are accepted as those of whom our Saviour says, "Of such is the kingdom of God."

13. What is our first Christian state?-A state of in

nocency.

14. Are we born such ?—No, the children of wrath.Eph. ii. 3.

15. How do we become such? -By baptism.

16. What are we to continue through life? — Christ's soldiers and servants.

17. How does the Collect express this? "By the innocency of our lives and constancy of our faith unto death glorifying God."

Sunday after Christmas.

1. Has this Collect been used before?—Yes; on Christmas day.

2. Does not this shew that the same subject is continued? -Yes.

3. What is that subject?—The birth of the Incarnate Son of God into the world.

4. Are the Epistle and Gospel the same?—No.

5. What, then, does this intimate ?—That a different view of the same subject is taken.

6. What portion of the Collect does the Gospel support? -The Son of God taking our nature upon Him and being born of a pure Virgin.

7. How does it attest His divinity, -that He liveth and reigneth with God and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end?-By His name Emmanuel.

8. What part of the Collect more particularly does the Epistle refer to?" Grant that we, being regenerate, and made Thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Thy Holy Spirit."

9. By what were we made heirs?-By baptism, when we were regenerate and made His children by adoption and grace.—John, i. 12, 13; Gal. iv. 5, 6; Epistle; Rom. viii.

17.

10. But although heirs, what is the heir when yet a

child? -"Differing nothing from a servant, under tutors and governors.

11. How does the Collect intimate this ?must daily be renewed by God's Holy Spirit."

"That we

12. What, then, must follow our baptism?-A Christian life, growing daily in grace and knowledge.-Col. ii. 11, 12; Tit. iii. 5; Eph. iv. 23.

13. Through whose assistance is this daily renewal to take place? That of the Holy Spirit.-Eph. iii. 16.

14. To what period of our Lord's life does the Epistle call our attention ?—To that in which He was under tutors and governors.

15. For what was this distinguished?-For obedience and growth in grace.—Luke, ii. 51, 52.

16. What, then, does the Church propose to us?—To imitate His great example, that, being sons by baptism, we may become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.2 Pet. iii. 18.

Circumcision, or Second Sunday after Christmas.

1. What do we commemorate in this Collect?-The circumcision and obedience to the law of the Son of God.— Luke ii. 21; the Gospel.

2. When, and for what purpose, was circumcision instituted? When the promise was made to Abrahaın, and as a sign of the covenant into which God entered.— Gen. xvii. 9, 10.

3. Was it necessary that every part of the law should be fulfilled?—Yes.-Matt. v. 17, 18.

4. Did our Lord Himself intimate this on any occasion? Yes; when He was baptized.-Matt. iii. 13–15.

5. What is the prayer of the Collect ?—"Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit."

6. Had circumcision a spiritual signification ?—Yes.

7. What does the Epistle shew that spiritual signification to be? -Faith in the promises of God.-Rom. iv. 11; Epistle.

8. Did the Gospel do away with or enlarge this spiritual meaning in substituting baptism?-Enlarged it.--Rom. iv. 12; Epistle.

9. Does this explain what is meant in the Collect by the circumcision of the Spirit?—Yes.-Col. ii. 10, 11; Rom. ii.

29.

10. What is essential to this circumcision ?-Mortification of our hearts and members from all worldly and carnal lusts. Col. ii. 10, 11.

11. What will this circumcision of the Spirit enable us to do?" In all things to obey God's blessed will."—Gal. v. 24, 25; Rom. vi. 12, 13.

Epiphany.

1. What event does the Collect allude to?-The visit of the wise men of the East.

2. Is this what is called the Epiphany?—Yes.

3. What explanation of the word Epiphany is afforded us?" A manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles."

4. Does the Gospel give us the history of this manifestation ?-Yes.

5. What are we told these wise men had seen?-A star. 6. Had any prophet alluded to the Messiah under the figure of a star?-Yes, Balaam.-Numb. xxiv. 17.

7. Was Balaam also a Gentile ?—Yes.

8. To whom was our Lord first manifested?-To the Jews-the Shepherds.

9. Was this to the Gentiles His next manifestation ?Yes.

10. What may this intimate to us ?-That He should first be made known to His own people and then to all nations.— John, i. 11, 12; Gen. xxii. 18.

11. Does the Epistle refer to this as the course that was taken ?—Yes; the Gospel was first preached to the Jews, and then, principally through St. Paul, to the Gentiles.John, x. 16.

12. Where had this been foretold by the prophets?— Isa. lx. 3; xlix. 6, 23.

13. What other manifestation does the second morning lesson allude to ?-The voice at baptism proclaiming Him God's beloved Son.-Luke, iii. 21, 22.

14. Is the second evening lesson chosen for the same

purpose?—Yes, as relating His first miracles at Cana.John, ii. 11.

15. How are we deeply interested in this ?-As having been ourselves Gentiles.

16. What is the prayer of the Collect? "Grant that we, which know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead."

17. How then has He been manifested to us?—By faith. 18. What has been manifested to us by faith ?— The glorious Godhead, the mystery of the ever-blessed Trinity. —1 Tim. iii. 16; John, xiv. 7–9, 11.

19. What is the substance of our prayer?-That we may hereafter in heaven have that perfect fruition of the glorious Godhead which faith leads to here.-Gal. ii. 20; 2 Cor. v. 7; John, xvii. 3.

20. Has our Lord promised to manifest Himself to us?— Yes.-John, xiv. 21-23.

21. Is this manifestation connected with our fruition in a future world?—Yes.-1 John, iii. 2.

First Sunday after Epiphany.

1. What do we first ask in this Collect?-That God in His mercy would receive the prayers of His people.

2. What more do we ask?-That God "would grant that we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do."

3. To a right perception of knowledge, what is necessary? That our minds should be enlightened by truth.Ps. cxix. 18; John, iii. 19, 20.

4. How does this connect itself with our Lord's manifestation ?—He came to give light to the world.—John, i. 4, 5, 9; viii. 12; xii. 36, 46.

5. Was it in giving light to the world that He manifested Himself? Yes.

6. Does the Gospel afford us an instance of this ?—Yes; in His hearing and answering the questions of the doctors in the Temple.

7. What effect is this light to have on us?-To enable us to follow in the steps of our Lord.--Col. i. 9, 10.

8. Is this what we further pray for in the Collect?—Yes;