want. Remember, that no one can covet without God's knowing it, for God sees all the thoughts of the heart; and one of his commandments says, Thou shalt not covet nor desire other men's goods.

By states of life, are meant the different ranks in life; high and low, rich and poor. It is for the good of mankind that there should be different ranks and stations, that all may learn to love their neighbours as themselves; and do unto others as they would have others do unto them. It is God that appoints the station that each person shall be in, therefore every one should be contented in his own, and think only how he is to do his duty in it; for every state of life has its particular duties.

Questions.---Who are we to love as ourselves? [Ans. Our neighbours.] Who are we to reckon as our neighbours ? [Ans. Every body we can shew kindness to.] What are we to do unto all men? [Ans. As we would they should do unto us.] Do you wish to live in prosperity, peace, and comfort? [Ans. Yes.] To whom should you wish the same? [Ans, My neighbours.] Do you wish any harm to happen to yourself? [Ans. No.] To whom should not you do harm? [Ans. Your neighbours.] Who are your first neighbours? [Ans. Your parents.] How are you to shew your love to them? [Ans. To love, honour, and succour my father and mother.] How are you to act towards the King and those who are in authority under him? [Ans. To honour and obey them.] How are you to behave to your governors, spiritual pastors, and masters? [Ans. Lowly and reverently. Who are your spiritual pastors? [Ans. God's ministers.] Who are they? [Ans, Clergymen.] How are you to behave to all your betters? [Ans. Lowly and reverently.] What are you not to do, either in word or deed? [Ans. To hurt nobody.] How can we hurt people in word? [Ans. By saying bad things of them.] In what other way may we hurt our neighbours in word? [Ans. By saying bad words to them.] How can we hurt them in deed? [Ans. by doing bad things to them.] What must we be in all our dealings? [ns. True and just.] If you are true and just in all your dealings, what will you never do? [Ans. A dishonest action.] What must you never bear in your heart? [Ans. Hatred and malice.] Can those love their neighbour as themselves, who bear hatred and malice in their hearts? [ns. No.] What are we to keep our hands from? [ns. Picking and stealing.] What is meant by ricking? [Ans. Taking little things that are not ours.] What

is meant by stealing? [Ans. Taking things of value.] What must we keep our tongues from? [Ans. Evil speaking, lying, and slandering.] What is meant by evil speaking? [Ans. Every thing that is contrary to God's commandments.] Is not telling lies a very wicked mean thing? Ans. Yes.] What is slandering? [Ans. Taking away other people's characters.] What may people lose by being robbed of their good name? [Ans. Their livelihood.] How should we keep our bodies? [Ans. In temperance, soberness, and chastity.] Is it not a sad thing to be a drunkard or a glutton? [Ans. Yes.] Is it not very shameful to be indecent and bold in any way? [Ans. Yes.] What are we not to covet? [Ans. Other men's goods.] Should you like other people to covet and desire what belongs to you? [Ans. No.] What may coveting lead you to do? [ins. Evil.] Who will know that you have covetous desires? [Ans. God.] What are you to do instead of coveting other men's goods? [ns. Learn and labour truly to get mine own living.] What do poor people often do instead of labouring truly, that is honestly, to get their own living: [ins. Beg, or steal.] Is it not better to work than to do this? [Ans. Yes.] In what state of life must you try to get your own living? [Ans. In that state of life in which it shall please God to place me.] What are meant by states or ranks of life? [Ans. High and low, rich and poor.] For whose good are these different ranks appointed? [Ans. For the good of all mankind.] If all were rich, would there be so much kindness amongst them as there now is? [Ans. No.] If all were poor, would there be so many comforts for them as there now are? [Ans. No.] What should every one be in his particular station? [Ans. Contented. Will people be rewarded in the next world, according to the rank they have filled in this? [Ans. No.] How will each be rewarded? [Ans. According as he has done his duty.]

Explanation.---I would advise you very frequently to examine yourselves by this explanation of your duty to God and your neighbour; that is, to ask yourself whether you really love God with all your heart, with all your mind, &c. for it is of great consequence for us to examine ourselves frequently, to see whether we be in the way of our duty or not, that we may repent, and amend what we find amiss.

LECTURE V.

Of the Lord's Prayer.

Explanation.---After the explanation of the summary of the Ten Commandments in the Church Catechism, is an Exhortation from the Catechist, that is, the person who asks the questions: attend to this exhortation, as I repeat it.

My good child, know this, that thou art not able to do these things of thyself, nor to walk in the Commandments of God, and to serve him, without his especial grace, which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent prayer. Let me hear, therefore, if thou canst say the Lord's Prayer."

Before you say the Lord's Prayer, I must tell you, that the use of what has been just repeated to you, is to teachyou the necessity of God's especial grace, by which is meant the help of God's Holy Spirit, given to you from God himself through Jesus Christ.

Questions.---What things do you suppose to be meant by those which you are not able to do of yourself? [Ans. My duty towards God, and my duty towards my neighbour.] What do you understand by walking in the commandments of God? [Ans. Living according to them.] What must you have to enable you to do your duty, and keep God's commandments? Ans. God's special Grace.] What do you understand by this? [Ans. The help of God's Spirit, given you by God himself through Christ.] What must you do. at all times, in order to obtain this most excellent gift? [Ans. Call upon God by diligent prayer.] Now let me hear you say the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, which art in heaven,-hallowed be thy name.-Thy kingdom come.-Thy will be done in earth,—as it is in heaven.-Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,—as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation ;-but deliver us from evil:- for thine is the kingdom,-the power, and the glory,— for ever and ever. Amen.

Explanation.---The Lord's Prayer may be divided into the Preface or Beginning of it, six Petitions, and the Conclusion. The Preface is, Our Father which art in heaven.---First petition, Hallowed be thy name.---Second, Thy kingdom

come.--- -This!, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.---Fourth, Give us this day our daily bread.---Fifth, And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.---Sixth, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.---The conclusion is, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Questions.---What is this prayer called? [Ans The Lord's Prayer.] Why is it called so? [Ans. Because it was taught by our Lord Jesus Christ.] How may the Lord's Prayer be divided? [Ans. Into the preface, six petitions, and the conclusion.] These have already been explained to you, but the Catechism gives a further explanation of this most excellent prayer.

Question.-What desirest thou of God in this

prayer?

Answer-I desire my Lord God, our Heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodness,-to send his grace unto me,-and to all people;-that we may worship him,-serve him,-and obey him, as we ought to do. And I pray unto God,-that he will send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies;—and that he will be merciful unto us,— and forgive us our sins; and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily; and that he will keep us from all sin aud wickedness, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death.-And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness,-through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore I say Amen-So be it.

Explanation.---What you have just repeated is a short exposition of the Lord's Prayer.

In the preface, and the three first petitions, we desire our Lord God, our heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodness, to send his grace to us and all people. In the fourth petition, we beg of God to send us all things that are needful both for our souls and bodies. In the fifth, that he will be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins. In the sixth, that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers, ghostly and bodily, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death. In the conclusion, where we say, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever, we ascribe glory to God as the Supreme Being; and when we

Vol. I. Lecture IV. Part I.

say Amen, which signifies so be it, we give glory to God, and express our trust and confidence that God of his mercy and goodness will do all this through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ghostly dangers signify those to which our souls are exposed; bodily dangers those which may happen to our bodies. Our ghostly enemy is the devil.

Questions.---To whom is the Lord's Prayer addressed? [Ans. To God.] What do we call God? [Ans. Our Father which art in heaven.] What is God the giver of? [Ans. Allgoodness.] What do we pray God to send when we say, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven? [Ans. His grace.] For what purpose do we pray to God to give us his grace? [Ans. That all people may worship him, serve him, and obey him, as they ought to do.] What do we pray for when we say, Give us this day our daily bread? [Ans. All things that be needful both for our souls and bodies.] What do we pray for when we say, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.] [Ans. That God will be merciful to us, and forgive us our sins.] What do we pray for when we say, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil? [Ans. That it will please God to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death.] What is the meaning of the word ghostly? [Ans. Spiritual.] Who is our ghostly enemy, that is, the enemy of our souls? [Ans. The devil.] What is everlasting death? [Ans. Everlasting torment in hell.] What do we do when we say, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever? [Ans. Give glory to God.] What do we express cur trust and confidence in when we say Amen? [Ans. His mercy and goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord.] What is the meaning of the word Amen? [Ans. So be it.] What should we wish and trust will be so when we say Amen at the end of the Lord's Prayer and other prayers? [Ans. What we have prayed for.] Through whom should we hope and. trust they will be granted? [Ans. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.] Why may not we hope they will be granted for our own sakes? [Ans. Because we are sinners.]

LECTURE VI.

On the Sacrament of Baptism.

Explanation.---That part of the Church Catechism which follows the Explanation of the Lord's Prayer relates to the.