PART V.-OUR BELIEF. SECTION XXIV.-THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 1. WHAT is the oneness of the Church called? A. Communion. 2. Who share this Communion? 3. Who are meant by Saints? A. Those who have been made holy. 4. Who are those who have been made holy? A. The baptized. 5. Do all remain holy? 6. What is the consequence of falling away? [7. If there is but one Church, how is it that we hear of different churches? A. The Church invisible is one; but the Church visible is in branches. 8. What are the chief branches of the visible Church? 4. English, American, Scotish, Roman, and Greek. 9. Are these outwardly united? A. Only the English, Scotch, and American, are so visibly.] 10. What should we do? A. Hold the unity of love. 11. What should we believe? A. The one faith. 12. Who belong to the Church visible? 13. Who belong to the Church invisible? 14. Where are these to be found? 15. What do those on earth form? 16. What do you mean by militant? A. At war. 17. What is the Church at war with? 18. To what part of the Church do the departed Saints belong? 19. Why is it called triumphant? [20. With Whom, then, have we communion? Heb. xii. 22, 23. 21. Why is the Church called Jerusalem? A. Because it is the dwelling of God with His chosen. 22. What is His promise? St. Luke, xii. 32. 23. What is the Church also called? 24. Why is she called the Bride? A. Because she is joined with Christ. 25. How does St. Paul teach this? Eph. v. 23. 26. How will He present it to Himself? Eph. v. 27. 27. How did David speak of this? Psalm xlv. 14. 28. How did St. John see the fulfilment of this in vision? Rev. xxi. 10. 29. What did the voice say? Rev. xix. 7, 8.] 30. With Whom do we have communion besides our brethren? 31. How do we have commu nion with God? 4. In prayer. 32. What are we all to God the Father? 33. What are we to God the Son? 34. Who is in us all? 35. What does the Blessing call this communion? 36. What is the great Feast that draws us close to God and each other? A. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 37. What is it therefore called? A. The Holy Communion. SEC. XXV.-THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 1. REPEAT the Tenth Article. 2. Repeat it in the Nicene Creed. 3. What is sin? 4. Who brought sin into the world? 5. What was the first sin? 6. What was the effect of that disobedience? 7. Who inherited the same punishment? 8. What does every man deserve? 9. What was done to save us from everlasting death? must we do? 34. To Whom 35. How are 10. How did He bear our punishment? 11. What did He gain for us? 12. When are we first brought to receive the forgiveness that He gained for us? 13. What is then washed away? [14. What did St. Peter say to his converts about Baptism on the day of Pentecost? Acts, ii. 38.] 15. What is the word used in the Nicene Creed which means forgiveness? 16. What is the meaning of remission? 17. Why do you say you believe in one Baptism? 18. Is there any other reason? 19. What is forgiven to an infant when it is baptized? 20. What is its original sin? 21. What is forgiven to a grown-up person in Baptism? 22. What is the condition of this forgiveness? 23. We can only be baptized once. Can sins committed after Baptism be forgiven? 24. How is this promised in the Book of Zechariah? Zech. xiii. 1. 25. What is that fountain? A. The Blood of Christ. 26. Can it wash away sin completely? Isaiah, i. 18. 27. Whose sins are thus washed away? 28. What is it to repent? 29. What have we to believe? 30. How must we ask for forgiveness? 31. What do you mean by saying for His sake? 32. When we pray for forgiveness, what 33. What is it to confess? must we confess our sins? we taught to confess our sins? 36. What do we say about our sins? 37. When should we confess our own sins more particularly? 38. Will God be ready to forgive? 39. By whom does God send His message of forgiveness? [40. When did He give His priests the power to give us this message of forgiveness? St. John, xx. 23.] 41. What is the message called? 4. Absolution. 42. What is the meaning of Absolution? A. Setting free. 43. What are we set free from? 44. Who pronounces the Absolution? 45. Who is it that pardons? 46. Who are those that are pardoned? 47. When do we hear the Absolution? 48. What must we do when we say the Confession? 49. How must we prove our repentance? 50. Will hearing the Absolution do us good if we do not repent? [51. What other forms of Absolution are there? 52. What confession precedes the Absolution in the Communion Service? 53. What confession precedes that in the Visitation of the Sick? 54. Is there any other time when the Church invites to a special confession? 55. What should we then do? 56. How do we know that God is ready to receive those who repent? 1 John, i. 9.] 57. How did the father receive his prodigal son? 58. What are we told of the angels' rejoicing? 59. What must we take care not to do? CO. Why not? 61. For what other reason? [62. What should be our prayer against sin? Psalm xix. 12, 13.] OF SUNDAY TEACHING. No. 13.] UNDER THE SAME EDITORSHIP AS 'THE MONTHLY PACKET.' LONDON: J. AND C. MOZLEY, 6, PATERNOSTER ROW. READINGS ON THE SIMILITUDES. ADVENT SUNDAY. THE ARMY. THE Preacher has said that "all things are double one against another;" (Ecclus. xlii. 24.) and it is certain that God has so created the things of this outer world, that even while we look on the visible things, they may be a pattern to us of the invisible ones; and the common concerns of this life may be a likeness of the inward spiritual matters, and show us how to deal with them. Let us try, during the year that is beginning, to trace out some of these resemblances, first in the similitudes, or the common things always going on round us, which are similar (or like) to holy things; and afterwards in the types, or foreshadowings of the full truth, as shown in the history of God's people of old. It is not guess work; for God's own teaching in the Holy Scripture is often from these similitudes-and not only from the pure things in nature, created by His own Hand, but from what might seem only to rise out of man's sin and wickedness. Thus it is with war. War is one of the most fearful troubles that can befall a country; and a soldier may be a cruel man, loving bloodshed and plunder. And yet war is a great lesson in the real struggle to which we are all bound; we are sworn soldiers as soon as we are brought to Christ; the very term, Sacrament, means the soldier's oath; Symbol, the old name for the Creed, means the soldier's watchword; and from the Song of Moses, (Exod. XV.) to the victory-songs of the Lamb, in the Book of Revelation, the Holy Scripture rings with war cries. Nay, the angels themselves have fought before us, (Rev. xii. 7) and have by the same might overcome the same enemy; and as long as sin shall last, the Lord will show Himself strong and mighty in battle. (Psalm xxiv. 8.) Look at an army, or even a regiment, and see how they are the representation of Christ's soldiers. Every man in one division wears the same dress; every man is bound to perfect obedience to his officer, as is his officer to the superior authority; and thus all move as if directed by one will. See the many weapons all in one position, the [Price 1d. many feet that take the same step as by one motion, the instant halt, or the march, quick or slow at the officer's voice or the bugle sound. Or when in camp, the tents are spread in fixed order, ready to be instantly moved; and while some take rest, the sentries stand vigilant at their post, weapon in hand; so that day and night an unsleeping watch is kept at every place entrusted to their defence, and the army can never be taken by surprise. And when the time of war comes, the soldier does not choose where he will fight or what he will do. He is always ready; he does what he is commanded, that is all. Sometimes he stands on the watch through the long night; and if the enemies attack him he yields not, he keeps them at bay till help comes, or he dies at his post. Or one body of men hold their appointed place, not stepping back an inch, though death is striking down man after man, the lines growing thinner, but not unsteady--no one moving till the word be given. Or all dash forward, never heeding the dangers in front, ready to do or die, to scale the walls of a besieged city, to drive the enemy before them; or it may be, to fall unnoticed, or be turned back and crushed by the force before them. But they have obeyed, and kept their oath to follow the colours, by which they see which way their officers would lead them. Danger, pain, hardship, death, are better to them than cowardice or disobedience. They have sworn an oath, and they keep it. A camp is set in battle array, "militant here on earth." Every soldier in it has had the oath administered to him, and been clad in armour and weapons all alike, (Eph. vi. 10-17; 1 Thess. v. 8.) and in their manner like to those of the Captain of our Host. (Isaiah, lix. 17; Wisdom, v. 17-20.) They have His banners over them, (Isaiah, lix. 19, last part of verse.) and are bound in perfect obedience to move as one Body, led by one Spirit, (Eph. iv. 4.) so that what is done by many, is as if done by one. They have trumpet sounds of stirring and warning; (1 Cor. xiv. 8.) they are bound to endure whatever hardships may fall in their way, (2 Tim. ii. 3.) and to make all their concerns give way to those of their Captain. (2 Tim. ii. 4.) St. John saw them each young one putting forth spiral tendrils in vision led on by their Captain, (Rev. xix. to lay hold of something to afford it sup11-16.) the same of whom David had sung; port, and every shoot bearing beauteously (Psalm xlv. 4-6.) the Captain who hath formed leaves, clusters of small green bloswon the victory, apportions to them all their soms, and by and by noble bunches of places, and enables them to fight, (Psalm | purple or white fruit, filled with delicious exliv. 1, 2.) never giving to one of His juice; the grandest fruit to the eye and to soldiers a place that cannot be held. To the taste that there is in the world. It was watch, to obey, to die, are the great rules of soon after the Flood (Genesis, ix. 20.) that that army; and in that army death is the it was found that this juice, when pressed, most perfect victory. Death was our Cap- strained, and fermented, became the most tain's victory; (Heb. ii. 10.) death is the refreshing and strengthening of drink, completion of our victory. Till it comes, "wine that maketh glad the heart of the fight does not end; and the armour of man;" (Psalm civ. 15.) and thenceforth, in light, our uniform, must always be ready, for all the lands that are warm enough to the enemy is always on the watch, (1 Pet. bring grapes to perfection, vineyards have v. 8.) and is of fearful power and numbers; been formed-sometimes by keeping the (Eph. vi. 12.) so that our heart would fail vines trimmed low into little bushes; someus did we not know that we have stronger times by planting tall poles, and letting them aid than they, (2 Kings, vi. 16.) and that climb from one to the other; sometimes by we can prevail, if we will only be brave a trellice work from tree to tree, or on the enough, and use our one weapon, (Heb. steep hill side. In autumn after harvest, iv. 12.) the sword of the Word of God. in these countries, comes the vintage, when And that battle and watch are constant. the clusters of grapes are cut down, and Every word or deed is a stroke on our carried in baskets to the wine press, where Captain's side, or against it. We cannot they are placed in tubs and are trodden on stand between and belong to neither; (St. by the feet, to crush out the juice, till the Luke, ix. 50.) and if we are not strong limbs of the wine treaders are red with the and of good courage in Christ's camp, we rosy blood of the grape. Afterwards this must be in Satan's. Our great Captain is juice is set to ferment, and becomes wine out of sight; but there is a great Review of different qualities, so various that the Day coming. Then His trumpet will vineyard it came from can often be detected sound, and whether we wake or sleep, we by one learned in its taste. shall be called, and our armour of light inspected, our muster roll called, our obedience to our officers searched into, and whether each has held the post committed to him, and watched and beaten back such foes as have come to him. Then the battle will be over. Then war will be over, and peace will come; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, (Micah, iv. 3.) neither shall war be learnt any more; for all enemies shall be put under our Captain's feet. (1 Cor. xv. 25.) But whether we sing the glorious song of the triumph of our Captain, (Rev. xii. 10, 11.) or are among the foes beneath His feet, depends on how we are found at that last Review. And if we have fought the good fight of faith, (2 Tim. iv. 7.) we may be able to say, "Thanks be to God Who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor. xv. 57.) Y. SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. THE VINE. THE goodliest ornament of our cottage walls, the choicest growth of our hothouses, is the Grape Vinc. Though the trailing stems need support, they are of great strength, and live for many ages, sometimes even six hundred years. They stretch their branches to a great extent, Syrian grapes are especially noble in size and quality; (Num. xiii. 23.) and from the very first, the vine, so enduring, yet so clinging, and needing other support than her own, and requiring grafting and cultivation from her master, has been the similitude of God's people. "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall," (Genesis, xlix. 22.) was Jacob's word of prophecy, and byand-by that Vine was brought out of Egypt. (Psalm 1xxx. 8.) He who, as an Eagle watches over her young, watched over Israel, and transplanted the tender spray. (Ezekiel, xvii. 3–6.) The well-beloved Son of the Most High placed His Vineyard in a very fruitful hill. He made room for it, gathered out the stones, or, that is, cast out the heathen, built a tower therein, and made it flourish so that it filled the land, and all rejoiced under its shadow. (Isaiah, v. Psalm 1xxx.) He let it out to keepers, (Cant. viii. 11; St. Matt. xxi. 33.) the kings and rulers, and from time to time He came, saying, "Let us see if the Vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear." (Cant. vii. 12.) For the fruit He looked for was holiness unto the Lord. But alas! there was another great eagle, a tempter, and towards him and his false idols did this Vine spread her tendrils, seeking nourishment from him. (Ezekiel, xvii. 7.) And thus when her well-beloved Lord |