T. What had our Saviour foretold in the verses preceding the Epistle?

S. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Gentiles.

T. [Many of the signs mentioned here were seen before the destruction of the city; they may also be used figuratively to describe the distress, and perplexity, and revolutions among nations.] In what words did our Saviour describe the wickedness of Jerusalem? Matt. xxiii. 37.

S. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

T. Had not the Jews been forewarned of this judgment?

S. Yes, by the prophets.

T. What are the words of God in Jeremiah, v. 1517?

S. "Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. And they shall eat up thine harvest and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds; they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword."

T. What was the prophecy of Daniel, ix. 26 ?

S."And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood,

and unto the end of the war desolations are deter

mined."

T. Of what is the destruction of Jerusalem a type?

S. Of the great and terrible day of judgment.

T. What is Jerusalem often used to describe ?

S. The Church of Christ.

T. How does St. John speak of it in this sense? Rev. iii. 12; xxi. 2.

S. "The name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God;" and, " I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

T. Who will appear in the clouds at the last day?

S. The Son of Man; "and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him." Rev. i. 7.

T. But those who have watched for His coming, what may they do?

S. "Look up and lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth nigh."

T. How has St. Paul described the change which shall come upon the sons of God? Phil. iii. 21.

S. "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself."

T. "This generation" to whom Christ spoke, did not pass away before the destruction of Jerusalem. What should this fulfilment of His words teach us?

S. "Heaven and earth may pass away, but His words shall not pass away."

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

The Collect.

O LORD JESU CHRIST, Who at Thy first coming didst send Thy messenger to prepare Thy way before Thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of Thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready Thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at Thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in Thy sight, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

T. To whom do we address this Collect?

S. To our Lord Jesus Christ.

T. Who was the messenger sent to prepare His way before Him?

S. John the Baptist.

T. How was this prophesied in Malachi, iii. 1, and Isaiah, xl. 3?

S. "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me :" "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."

T. How did John perform his mission?

S. He preached "the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Luke, iii. 3.

T. How does St. Paul describe the work of the Apostles? 2 Cor. v. 20.

S." Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as

though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

T. What do we mean by minister and steward?

S. Minister is a servant; a steward, one entrusted with the property of another.

T. How did Christ speak of the office of the Son of Man? Matt. xx. 28.

S." The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." T. How was John the Baptist a minister and steward of Christ?

S. He was entrusted by God to minister His Gospel and unfold the mystery of Christ's coming in the flesh. T. Who are now the ministers and stewards of God's mysteries?

S. The Clergy.

T. How does the Bishop set forth their duties in the Ordination Service?

S. He says, they are called to be "messengers, and watchmen, and stewards of the Lord; to teach and to premonish, to feed and provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep that are dispersed abroad, and for His children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever." T. What holy mysteries are they stewards to minister unto us?

S. Christ's Sacraments.

T. What is this "turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just" to prepare?

S. The way for Christ's second coming to judge the world.

T. How did St. Paul desire the help of the Corinthians, ii. 1, 11, in his ministry?

S. "Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for

the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf."

T. What duty does he enjoin on the Galatians, vi. 6? S. "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things."

T. Show by St. Paul's words (2 Cor. ix. 12 to 15), that by ministering to Christ's Church of our substance we bring a blessing on ourselves.

S. "For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for His un

speakable gift."

T. If we obey the call of Christ's ministers, what may we hope to be found?

S. An acceptable people in His sight."

T. How will He prove this at His second coming?

S. "We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

The Epistle. 1 Cor. iv. 1.

LET a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment : yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing