washing with water, about holy times and holy pla

ces

47. Q. What was the chief design of these ceremonies? A. Partly to keep them from the idolatry and evil customs of other nations, and partly to figure out the blessings of Christ and the gospel.

48. Q. What were their peculiar laws, considered as a nation?

A. Such as related to their peace and wars, to their houses and lands, to their wives and servants, to their lives and limbs.

49. Q. Why did God himself give them such particular rules about these common things?

A. To distinguish them from all other nations as God's own people, and to show that he was their King as well as their God.

50. Q. Were the people of Israel obedient to God in their travels through the wilderness?

A. No, they sinned grievously against him, and they were often punished by the hand of God, but he would not utterly destroy them..

51. Q. Who brought them into the land of Canaan after their forty years wandering in the wilderness?

A. Moses being dead, Joshua (whose name is the same with Jesus) brought them into the promised land. 52. Q, Did the Israelites behave themselves better when they were come to Canaan?

A. No, they frequently fell into idolatry and worshipped the false gods of the nations round about them.

53. Q. In what manner did God show his displeasure for this sin?

A. He gave them up sometimes into the hands of their enemies, who plundered them and made slaves of them.

54. Q. How did God deliver them from the hands of their enemies?

A. When they cried to the Lord, he raised up judges, who subdued their enemies, and delivered the people.

55. Q. What were the names of some of the chief of these judges?

A. Gideon and Jephthah, Sampson, Eli and Samuel. 56. Q. Who governed the people of Israel after the judges?

A. They desired a king like other nations, and God bade Samuel anoint Saul to be the first of their kings. 57. Q. How did Saul behave himself?

A. He governed well for a little time, but afterwards he rebelled against God, and God removed him. 58. Q. What became of Saul at last?

A. Being forsaken of God, and being wounded in battle by the Philistines, he fell on his own sword, and died.

59. Q. Who was the second king of Israel?

A. David, who was raised to the kingdom from keeping sheep.

60. Q. What was David's character?

A. He was a prophet, and a man after God's own heart; who delivered Israel from their enemies, and ruled them well.

61. Q. But was not David guilty of some great sins? A. Yes, and God punished him for them in the great troubles he met with in his family.

62. Q. Who was the third king of Israel?

A. Solomon, the son of David, who was the wisest of

men.

63. Q. What did Solomon do for God, and for the people?

A. He built a very glorious temple for the worship of God at Jerusalem, and he raised the nation of Israel to their highest glory.

64 Q. What became of the people of Israel in following ages?

A. They were divided into two kingdoms, which were called the kingdom of Judah, and the kingdom of Israel.

65. Q. How did they behave themselves toward God, after this division?

A. Most of their kings, as well as the people, provoked God by their idols, and their great wickedness.

66, Q. How did God punish them for these crimes?

A. When they would not hearken to the prophets which God sent among them, they were carried away captive by their enemies, into the land of Assyria.

67. Q. Did they never return again to their own land? A. Yes, after seventy years' captivity, the tribes of Judah returned, with many of Benjamin and Levi, and they were all called Jews.

68. Q. What did they do at their return?

A. They built the city Jerusalem and the temple again, and they set up the worship of the true God. 69. Q. Did they continue afterward to obey God, and dwell in their own land?

A Though they were guilty of many sins, yet they never fell to the worship of idols again: nor were they ever wholly driven again out of their own land till after the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour.

MORNING PRAYER.

ALMIGHTY GOD, Thou art the greatest and the best of Beings. I bless Thee, that Thou hast made me, that Thou constantly preservest me, and that Thou hast sent thy Son into the world, to redeem and save me. I thank Thee, gracious God, for thy kind care over me the last night, and for the pleasant light of this morning. I now humbly look up to Thee for thy blessing. Take the charge of me, I beseech Thee, this day. Save me from all harm, especially from sin; and keep me in thy fear all the day long. I desire to be a child of God. O make me one of thy own children. Guide me with thy counsel while I am in this world, and afterward receive me to glory, for the sake of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer. Amen.

EVENING PRAYER.

O LORD, my God, Thou art good and dost good continually. I thank and praise Thee for thy goodness to me the day past. I confess before Thee, with sorrow and shame, the sins and follies of the past day, and of my whole life, and earnestly implore thy forgiveness. Be pleased, heavenly Father, who never slumberest nor sleepest, to take charge of me this night, and bring me in safety to the light of another morning. While I sleep I am under thine eye; and when I awake, I am still with Thee. O grant, that whether I go out, or come in, whether I lie down, or rise up, I may remember Thee, and fear Thee, and be favour ed with thy divine blessing, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

HISTORY OF THE

NEW TESTAMENT.

1. Quest. WHO is the Messiah, the Saviour of mankind?*

Ans. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was sent down from heaven to save sinners.

2. Q. How did he come into the world?

A. God prepared a body for him, and he took flesh and blood and was born of a woman.

3. Q. What notices were given of the coming of Christ the Saviour?

A. Many promises had been given of him in former ages, by the prophets, and more lately by an angel. 4. Q. What did the prophets foretell concerning the coming of Christ?

A. Among many other things, they declared, that a Saviour should be born of the stock of Abraham, of the house of David, and in the town of Bethlehem.

5. Q. How did an angel give notice of his coming? A, The angel Gabriel foretold the birth of John the Baptist, to prepare the way for Christ, and he told the mother of Jesus that she should bring forth the Son of God.

6. Q. Who was the mother of Christ?

A. Mary, a virgin of the house of David.

7. Q. Who was the supposed father of Christ? A. Joseph, the carpenter, was supposed to be his father, because he married his mother Mary.

8. Q. What further witness was given to Christ in his infancy?

A. By angels from heaven, by wise men from the East, and by Simeon in the temple.

* As the historical part of the Old Testament begins with this question, Who is the Maker of the world? so the historical part of the New Testament may properly begin, Who is the Șayiour?

6*

eternal life in heaven, to them that repent and believe in him.

4. He threatened the eternal punishment of hell to all wilful and obstinate sinners, particularly to hypocrites and unbelievers.

5. He sometimes declared and maintained his own commission, that he was sent from God to be the Saviour of men.

6. He foretold the destruction of the Jews, and his own second coming in glory, to raise the dead, and to judge the world.

22. What were the chief miracles that he wrought to prove that he was sent from God?

A. Such as these:

1. He fed many thousand persons twice, with a very few loaves and fishes.

2. He gave sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf, he made the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, and healed all manner of diseases by a word.

3. He commanded evil spirits to depart out of the bodies of many, whom they had possessed.

4. He raised several persons from the dead, and one (namely Lazarus) out of the grave.

23. Q. How did he train up his apostles, for their public service?

A. These four ways:

1. He explained to them in private, what he taught the people by parables and similitudes in public.

2. He told them more plainly, that he was the Messiah, the Saviour of the world; and that he should die as a ransom for sinners, and rise again the third day.

3. He prayed with them often, and taught them to pray, first without his name, and then in his name.

4. He promised them to send the Spirit of God, after his departure, to fit them for their public service.

24. Q. What were the two ordinances, which Christ appointed in his church?

A. He appointed baptism and the Lord's supper, to continue to the end of the world.

25. Q. Thus we have heard how Jesus lived; let us hear now, in what manner did he die?