Trinity. Christian Responsibility and Self- COLLECT. 1. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. LUKE xix. 41-2. ST. 2. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. ST. LUKE xii. 48. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. REV. iii. 3. 4. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. 2 COR. xiii. 5. 5. Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God. HEB. xii. 15. 6. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. PSALM cxix. 59. TRINITY. The services for this day close the Christian year: what then ought we to do? (Gal. vi. 4.) Having had so much instruction, and so many Christian privileges, why ought we seriously to consider what improvement we have made? (Luke xii. 48.) Shew that if we neglect to improve our Christian privileges, they will add to our condemnation. (Matt. xi. 20-4. Luke xii. 47-8.) Seeing we are apt to become careless and slothful in Christian duties, what do we pray, in the Collect, that God will do for us? How are we admonished, and encouraged to self-examination and amendment? (Rev. iii. 3. Ezek. xviii. 27-8.) Shew the difficulty of self-examination. xvii. 9.) (Jer. From whom did Job and David seek help in this duty? (Job xxxiv. 31. Psalm cxxxix. 23-4.) Shew that we ought to examine ourselves with great seriousness of mind. (Psalm iv. 4.) What does the Catechism say of self-examination on coming to the Lord's supper ? To what should self-examination lead us? (Ps. cxix. 59.) If we are faithful and diligent in our Christian duties, what may we hope for? (Collect.2 John 8.) K Following the Lord fully. How did St. Andrew become acquainted with Christ, and what did his faith in Christ lead him to do? (John i. 35-49. Matt. iv. 18-20.) Who is said to have given him grace to act thus? (Collect.) In the Collect, how are we said to be called to follow Christ? Being so called, what do we pray for grace to do? (Collect.) What is every Christian required to do? (Mark viii. 3-4.) What must he be willing to give up for Christ? (Matt. x. 37-8.) What will be our punishment if we are afraid to follow the Lord fully? (Mark viii. 35.) What will be our punishment if we are ashamed to follow him fully? (Mark viii. 38.) Shew that if we do not follow the Lord fully, he will disown us at the last. (Matt. vii. 22-23.) The Doubting Mind. What important fact was it which St. Thomas doubted? (Collect.) What led him to doubt this fact which was believed by the other Apostles? (John xx. 25.) How did our Lord condescend to remove St. Thomas's doubts? (John xx. 26-7.) What confession of faith did he then make? (John xx. 28.) What reply did our Lord make to encourage us to believe in him more fully? (John xx. 29.) In the Collect, why is God said to have suffered St. Thomas to doubt? For what great blessing do we pray in the Collect? What does St. James say respecting the evils of a wavering faith, and a doubting mind? (James i. 6-8.) How does St. Paul shew the importance of an unwavering faith in the resurrection of Christ? (1 Cor. xv. 12-22.) On Conversion. How was St. Paul converted, and how was he admitted into the Christian Church? (Acts ix. 3-6, and 17-18.) How did he shew the sincerity of his conversion? (Acts xx. 18-24.) What does he say of his previous character? (1 Tim. i. 13.) For what cause does he say he obtained mercy? (1 Tim. i. 16.) What great blessing did his conversion lead to, and for what should the remembrance of it lead us to pray? (Collect.) Shew that the word of God is a means of conver sion. (Psalm xix, 7.) What is promised to those who repent and are converted? (Acts iii. 19.) From what does conversion lead us to turn away? (Acts iii. 26.) How are we encouraged to seek the conversion of sinners? (James v. 19-20.) |