through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."

T. Was not this promise of forgiveness also for those that are yet for to come?

S. Yes. "The promise is unto you and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts, ii. 39.

T. Give St. Paul's words, to show Christ must rise again to complete our salvation. Rom. iv. 25; 1 Cor. xv. 14, 17.

S."He was raised again for our justification." Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain ye are yet in your sins."

T. What does our justification mean?

S. Our being accounted righteous before God.

T. What do we pray in this Collect?

S." Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may alway serve thee in pureness of living and truth."

T. Why should malice and wickedness be likened to leaven?

S. Because, as a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, so sin corrupts our whole heart.

T. How is God only to be served?

"God is a spirit,

S. In pureness of living and truth. and they who worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John, iv. 24. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Heb. xii. 14.

T. What should the remembrance of His promises move us to do?

S." Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." 2 Cor. vii. 1.

T. How can we alone hope to obtain grace to do this? S. Through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord, "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Tit. ii. 14.

The Epistle. 1 St. John, v. 4.

WHATSOEVER is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God, which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life.

T. How did our Saviour teach Nicodemus the necessity of a new birth?

S." Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John, iii. 3.

T. What is the victory that overcometh the world?

S. Faith.

"He that believeth that Jesus is the Son of

God, overcometh the world." 1 John, v. 5.

T. How did Jesus encourage His disciples in this warfare?

S." In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

xvi. 33.

John,

T. What words do we find in St. John's Epistle to the same effect?

S." Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 John, iv. 4.

:

T. What miraculous circumstance do we last notice at our Lord's crucifixion ?

S. When "one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water." John, xix. 34.

T. Of what was this a proof?

S. Of the reality of His death, which some denied in very early times.

T. Were the water and blood likewise a mystical sign? S. Yes; of the washing away of sin.

T. Are they thus referred to in the Baptismal Service? S. Yes; in the prayer immediately before the child is baptized.

T. Why is it added, after the mention of these mystical signs," that it is the Spirit that beareth witness?"

S. Because the signs were ineffectual witnesses without the Spirit. "The Spirit is truth." "What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?

Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." 1 Cor. ii. 11.

T. How do the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, bear record in heaven?

S. By their Eternal Being and Unity there.

T. Who are the Three that bear witness on earth?

S. The Spirit, and the water, and the blood.

T. How does the Spirit bear witness?

S. In the heart of each individual Christian, indwelling therein.

T. How do the water and blood bear witness to Christ?

S. The washing of water in baptism bears witness to Christ cleansing from sin. The blood of Christ, verily and indeed taken by the faithful in the Lord's Supper, bears witness to His blood being shed for many for the remission of sins.

T. How doth three agree in one?

S. Ever testifying the same thing, viz. that we are Christ's; and that He is the Son of God, our Redeemer.

66

T. How had God the Father testified to His Son?

Matt. iii. 17; 2 Pet. i. 17.

S. When He was baptized. 'By the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began." Luke, i. 70. By the works which the Father hath given Him to finish; "The same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." John, v. 36. And by the miracles, and signs, and wonders, wrought by the Apostles, "by the power of the Spirit of God." Rom. xv. 19.

T. How has God given us eternal life through His Son? S. "God sent His only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." 1 John, iv. 9; Rom. i7. 25; v. 1, 2.

The Gospel. St. John, xx. 19.

THE same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when He had said this He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

T. What had happened the same day, the first day of the week?

S. Jesus had risen from the dead.

T. How did our Lord greet His disciples?

S." Peace be unto you."

T. What did Isaiah prophesy concerning Jesus? ix. 6. S."His name shall be called the Prince of Peace."

T. How would His hands and side prove to the disciples that He was their risen Lord?

S. They showed the print of the nails, and the wound of the spear.

T. How did God speak prophetically of His love to the Church? Is. xlix. 16.

S." Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."

T. What follows after His greeting?

S. His divine commission to them: "As my Father hath sent me, so send I you."