A CATECHISM.

Advent Sunday.

1. WHAT is the prayer of the Collect?" That God would give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light."

2. What are meant by the works of darkness?—All wicked deeds proceeding from the ignorance or darkness of the mind through sin.-Col. ix. 10; Eph. v. 11; 1 John, i. 6, 7.

3. What is meant by the armour of light?—That strength given us by the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and faith in Him. —John, iii. 19–21; xii. 46.

4. How does the Collect connect this subject with the season?—In the words, "Now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility."

5. To what does this refer?-To our Lord's first Advent in the flesh.-Philip. ii. 5-7.

6. Does the Gospel refer to any occasion when he proclaimed this Advent?—Yes; His public entry into Jerusalem, as the Prophet foretold.-Zech. ix. 9.

7. What was His first act on entering the Temple ?—To cleanse it, as the Temple of God and house of prayer.

8. What does the Gospel teach us also to look on as the Temple of God?-Our bodies.-1 Cor. iii. 16, 17; vi. 19; 2 Cor. vi. 16.

9. How, then, are we to apply personally this lesson taught us of our Lord?-By cleansing ourselves from sin, and all unrighteousness.—Col. iii. 9. 10.

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10. Does the Epistle exhort us to this ?—Yes, and in the words adopted in the Collect, "Let us cast off," &c.

11. What does the Epistle point out as the whole armour of light that we are to put on?-The Lord Jesus Christ.John, viii. 12.

12. What do you understand by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ?-Devoting ourselves to His service, becoming new men through faith in Him.-Eph. iv. 24; Col. iii. 10; Gal. iii. 26, 27.

13. Does the Collect make allusion to any other Advent of our Lord? Yes, when He shall come again in His glorious kingdom to judge both the quick and the dead.

14. Is this the Advent for which we are to prepare? Yes; that we may then rise to the life immortal through Him. -1 Cor. xv. 22; 1 Thess. iv. 16-18; John, xi. 23-26.

15. Is perseverance in a Christian course insisted on ?Yes; we are to cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, that at His second Advent we may rise to the life immortal through Him.

16. What does the repetition of this Collect throughout the season of Advent suggest to us?-That our preparation for His coming is to be carried on throughout the season.

17. What is to be so prepared?-His Temple— the first thing He cleansed. (See the Gospel.)

18. What is that Temple?-Collectively, the Church.— Eph. i. 22, 23; Rom. xii. 5. Individually, our own hearts. 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17.

Second Sunday in Advent.

1. On what truth does the Collect found its prayer?— That God "has caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning."-2 Tim. iii. 16; Rom. xv. 4.

2. What is the prayer?—That God would enable us to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.

3. What does our prayer that we may hear the Scriptures necessarily include?-That we may hear, and understand, and apply them.-Mark, iv. 23 and 33; Matt. xiii. 23.

4. May we then hear and yet not understand?—Yes.Luke, viii. 10; Mark, iv. 24; Matt. xiii. 19.

5. In what other way are we to use them?-By reading them.-John, v. 39; 1 Tim. iv. 13.

6. What are to be the fruits of hearing and reading?Our marking, giving earnest attention to them, learning and inwardly digesting them.-Deut. xxxii. 46, 47; Jos. i. 8; Acts, xvii. 11.

7. How is God's word to work in us?. "By patience and comfort."-John, xx. 31.

8. To what end is it to work?" That we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life.”Rev. i. 3; Rom. xv. 13.

9. In whom has God given this?—In our Saviour, Jesus Christ.-Heb. vi. 18-20.

10. What, then, is the general subject the Church brings before us?-The use and value of the Bible.

11. What is the general duty of Advent?-To prepare for the coming of our Lord.

12. What was insisted on last Sunday ?-The cleansing of the Church.

13. Does this point out to us a means of cleansing it?— Yes; in the Holy Scriptures.

14. What does the Gospel set forth ?—The second coming of our Lord to judgment.

15. How do you connect this with the subject?—It is the coming we are to prepare for.

16. What means has God vouchsafed us for preparation ? His Holy Word.

17. Does the Epistle point out this as the means?—Yes; they were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.

18. Does it further tell us in whom we are to have that hope?—Yes; it points us to Jesus Christ, the minister of the Circumcision, to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers.

Third Sunday in Advent.

1. To what event does this Collect allude?-To the sending of John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord. 2. Who does it speak of as preparing the way for His

second coming?-The ministers and stewards of His mysteries.

3. How are they to prepare?-By "turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just."

4. Does the Epistle refer to this as their office? Yes.

5. Had this been the office of the Baptist ?—Yes.-Matt. iv. 4-6; Luke, i. 17.

6. What does the Gospel relate?--The sending of John's disciples to Jesus.

7. What was his object in so sending them?—That they might be satisfied He was the Messiah.

8. To whom are the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God to send their disciples ?-To Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

9. To whom does the Epistle refer under these titles? To St. Paul and the Apostles of our Lord. "Let a man so

account of us."-2 Cor. vi. 4.

10. Did they provide that there should always be a succession of men to execute this office ?-Yes.-Acts, i. 8, 21, 22; xiv. 23; 2 Tim. ii. 2.

11. In whom has it been continued down to our day?— In the bishops, priests, and deacons of the Church.

12. What, then, does this Collect teach us is their office? —To make ready the way of the Lord, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.

13. What, then, is the general subject to which our attention is directed?—The office and duties, both on their parts and ours, of the Christian ministry.

14. What did the first Sunday in Advent insist on?— The necessity of purifying the Church.

15. What did the second point out ?-The Scriptures as the means of purifying it.

16. What further lesson may we consider this as teaching? — That God has appointed a ministry to preach and explain His word.-Rom. x. 14, 15.

17. Has our Church appointed particular seasons for the ordination of ministers ?-Yes; the Sundays following the Ember days. (Canon 31.)

18. Do any of these occur at this time?—Yes; the