What is it that gives us a hope of being forgiven by God? -(His promises that He will forgive us). Now turn to Isa. xliii. 25; and xliv. 22.

" I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins," Isa. xliii. 25. "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins; return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee," Isa. xliv. 22.

Who speaks? What does
What will He not do?

What are these verses about?
God here say that He does?
For whose sake does God promise to do this ?-(For his
own sake.)

For whose sake does David ask forgiveness ?-("For thy name's sake.")

In what respects do these verses resemble David's prayer,

and that of Asaph? What is God's name ?—(His name means His attributes; which He made known to Moses, in Ex. xxxiv. 5, 6. Among these attributes are mercy and forgiveness.)

How did He show his mercy to us sinners? What did Jesus do by his death ?-(He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, Heb. ix. 26.)

What is there in these verses of Isaiah like putting away ? -("I have blotted out," "I am He that blotteth out.") If God thus promises forgiveness, and bestows it on us, through the sacrifice of Christ, what are we to do?— (Believe the promise and pray for its fulfilment.)

If you pray for it, in whom are you to trust in as having put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself? How must you ask for forgiveness ?-(With humble repentance and faith.)

You have turned David and Asaph's prayer into one for yourself-let us try to make a prayer out of these promises.

If God says, I have blotted out thy transgressions, what can you say?-(Blot out my transgressions.)

If God says, I will not remember thy sins, what should you say? (Remember not my sins.)

Where had you those words before? invite us to do in Isaiah xliv. 22 ?

Can

What does God

you, of yourself, return to God? Who must enable you to return? Could you turn those words into a prayer that He would do so ?-(Cause me to return to Thee.)

L

Can you find in Scripture any prayer like this ?-(Jerem.
xxxi. 18," Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned.")
What answer does He give us, why we should return to
Him?-("I have redeemed thee.")

What does redeemed mean ?-(Bought back out of slavery
or captivity.)

е

Whilst we are unforgiven, whose captives and slaves are we? Who redeems us from that state ?—(“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, Gal. iii. 13.”) How then should we acknowledge in our prayer that He has done so ?-(We can say, Thou hast redeemed us.) Can you now compose a prayer from these texts ?—(Blot out my transgressions, oh Lord, as a thick cloud, for thy name's sake, and remember not my sins. Make me to return unto Thee, for Thou hast given redemption unto men, by thy Son Jesus Christ); or (Thou, oh Lord, hast redeemed thy servants by Jesus Christ; blot out my transgressions for thy name's sake, and remember my sins no more. Turn me unto Thee, and I shall be turned.) The more intelligent scholars may now try to form one prayer from both those already composed, each child, in turn, suggesting a It may run thus :

sentence.

(For thy name's sake, oh Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great; remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; blot out, as a thick cloud, my sins. Make me to return unto Thee, for Thou wilt redeem me by the death of thy Son; according to thy mercies, remember Thou me for thy goodness' sake, oh Lord. Help me, oh God of my salvation, and let thy tender mercies speedily prevent me, and cause me to return unto Thee, through Jesus Christ.)

These sketches of prayers are merely given as a guide; they ought not to be dictated to the children, as the point intended is to lead them to arrange a prayer for themselves; and the attention and reflection called forth in that exercise are of more importance to be attained than an orderly form of the sentences. Nor need the questions be closely adhered to: they can be varied at the discretion of the teacher.

M. B.

THE PARABLE OF THE BARREN FIG TREE.

LUKE XIII. 6-9.

I. THE EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE.-To whom addressed. Refer to the first five verses of the chapter, and shew that the parable sets forth the same truth. Observe, the fig tree had everything done to it that could be done, in order to make it thrive; was old enough to bear fruit; yet it never had borne a single fig, though the master of the vineyard had sought for fruit for three years. He therefore thought it was a pity that the ground should be occupied with such a useless tree, and desired the gardener to cut it down. The gardener begged that it might be allowed to remain one year longer on trial. Let the children be impressed with the reason why the tree was to be cut down?-Because it bore no fruit. How does our Lord tell us we may judge of a tree? Matt. vii. 17, 18, 19, 20. What in Scripture language do fruits signify ?-Good works. What good works are, Galatians v. 22, 23. What characters may be compared to this fig tree?-Those who make a profession without practice. This is called hypocrisy. Who were accused of this sin? Luke li. 29.

The fig tree planted in the vineyard signified the nation of the Jews. The Lord's own people are compared to trees in Psalms i. 3; lxxx. 8; Isa. V.; lxi. 3; where the Church is spoken of under the similitude of a vine.

Dressing, pruning, and watering of the fig tree signified all the religious advantages which the Jewish nation enjoyed. No other nation had God's word, or his worship set up, or the servants of God living amongst them. God had done for no other nation what He had done for them, therefore it was but reasonable to expect that they should love God, and do as He commanded them. But it was not so. God often threatened to cast them off, but was unwilling to do so. He had waited many years to spare them space to repent; and when this parable was spoken they were to be spared yet a little longer; and the parable was meant as a warning to them that God's judgments were very near at hand, if they did not soon shew works meet for repentance. The fig tree failed in bearing fruit. In what did the Jews fail ?-In bringing forth fruits of righteousness. How does St. Paul speak of such characters ? Tim. iii. 5. What expostulation did God make with them by Isaiah? Isa. v. 1-4.-From this passage we see that God had done all that was necessary to make a fruitful vine; but the grapes were wildsour, not good. How the Jewish people were like this vine.

II. APPLICATION.-Those who live in Britain may be said to be planted in a vineyard, where they have many privileges, many opportunities of learning the will of God. Godly parents, teachers, Sunday school, the worship of God-these and many other privileges which we enjoy may be likened to the dressing and pruning of the fig tree. What has God therefore a right to expect? The Church of Christ is compared to a vine in John xv. Into this Church we have been admitted by baptism. All the branches of the vine were not fruitful. What is expected of every branch ?--what happens to those that do not bear fruit ?—what becomes of those that are cast forth and separated from the vine-what is necessary in order to produce fruit? verse 4. There is no power in the branch of itself to produce fruit. How does this apply to us?

Observe, it was not for producing bad fruit that the fig tree was to be cut down, but because it was BARREN. What do we learn from this ?-That we shall be

condemned for omissions of duty.

In what other parables does our Lord teach this truth ?—In the parables of the "Unprofitable Servant," the "Foolish Virgins," the "Talents," the "Sheep and Groats."

Kind of fruit required of us.-Spiritual fruit-"the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God." He looks for

1. Holy thoughts.-Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh at the heart. How important that our thoughts should be spiritual before the eyes of Him who "searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men." How appropriate the prayer of our Church, "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name."

2. Holy tempers and dispositions. In this we must strive to imitate the Saviour, who was "meek and lowly in heart ;" "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners."

3. Holy words.-"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good," &c.

4. Holy actions." If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Every tree of his planting is expected by the Lord of the vineyard to bring forth fruit in his season.

AFTER the Lord's prayer, which sums up the petitions of the first part of the service, we have a few sentences, alternately from the minister and the congregation; preparatory to the song of praise, the 95th Psalm.

The Confession is followed by the Absolution, and that fitly by praise; but we find throughout, that prayer is closely mingled with praise; for our necessities are numberless, and our very praise imperfect, and needing to be pardoned for those imperfections.

SENTENCES.

I.-" O Lord, open Thou our lips."

II.- "And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise."

Why this prayer? Will not our lips open of our own will to praise God?

No! we can neither love God, nor praise God without his help. He alone can make us feel what we owe to Him, and put the feeling of thankfulness in our hearts, and the words of it on our lips.

It is almost word for word a prayer of David's-read Ps. li. 15.

And we find it said, that God had put a song in the mouth of his people, Ps. xl. 3; cxliv. 9; Is. xxvi. 1.

How sad to feel that we are backward to praise God, when his mercies to us are so numberless! How it shews the natural unthankfulness of the human heart. Read Rom. i. 21. We shall not be so

cold and backward in heaven. See, in Rev. v. 8, 9; vii. 9, 10, what songs of praise are uttered there.

Now let us look at the two next sentences.

III.-" O God, make speed to save us!"

IV.- “O Lord, make haste to help us !

These two mean just the same thing; it is common in Scripture to express the same truth twice over in language the same in sense, but in different words.

Why should we ask God to help us quickly?

1st. Because our wants are great. If He were to leave us without help we must perish.

2nd. Because our danger is pressing. Our enemies are always on the watch for us-our own hearts are always prone to wander, and we do not know whether this may not be our last opportunity for seeking help. Read David's prayer, Ps. cxliii. 7.

After these sentences, which are prayers, the whole congregation stand up, and together praise God; first, in what is called the Gloria Patri, (two Latin words, meaning glory to the Father;) and then in two sentences.

"Praise ye the Lord."

"The Lord's name," (that is-God Himself) "be praised."

The Gloria Patri comes over again very often in the service; let us try and understand it.

But first-Why should we all just at that moment praise God? Because we have just had the gracious promise and declaration of his forgiving (absolving) mercy through Christ Jesus. Could there be anything more deserving the thankfulness of poor, sinful man, than that? See what St. Paul thought of God's mercy to himself, and to all men, Ephes. ii. 4; iii. 19; and also St. John's words, 1 John iv. 10. Now for the Gloria Patri, (all of you stand up and repeat it slowly and distinctly).

What is glory? Think what you mean by a glorious throne-a glorious sun-set. You mean that it is both beautiful and grand; something to make you feel pleasure mingled with awe.

Earthly glory is not to be compared with God's heavenly glory, Ex. xxxiii. 20; Isa. xl. 18; xlvi. 5; 1 Tim. vi. 16. None of us could look on that glory and live. You remember the hymn

“How glorious is our Heavenly King."