"gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile, for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

T. How do the other Evangelists describe the eagerness of the people?

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S. They followed him on foot out of the cities" (Matt. xiv. 13); "and they ran a-foot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him." Mark, vi. 33.

T. How is our Saviour's loving-kindness shown?

S. "He was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick." Matt. xiv. 14. And St. Mark says, "He was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things." vi. 34.

T. How may we apply their conduct and Christ's mercy to ourselves?

S. If we now show our anxiety to know more of Christ, by retiring apart to meditate upon Him and study His word; He will also heal our infirmities and teach us all things.

T. What do we observe in the answers of the disciples? S. Even they considered such a miracle impossible. T. What miracle in the Old Testament does it remind us of?

S. That wrought by Elisha at Gilgal, when there was a great dearth in the land, where he fed a hundred men with twenty loaves of barley, and "they did eat and left thereof." 2 Kings, iv. 42–44.

T. What did our Saviour do before feeding the people? S. "He took the loaves, and gave thanks." Matthew,

Mark, and Luke, say, "He looked up to heaven and blessed them, and brake them."

T. What does this teach us?

S. We must give thanks and ask God's blessing on all His gifts, though we think them small and insufficient for us.

T. How did He give the loaves to the multitude?

S. He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down.

T. How does He now feed us in a miraculous manner? S. In the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. "For his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed." John, vi. 55. And "we are all partakers of that one bread." 1 Cor. x. 17.

7. By whom does He dispense this spiritual food? S. By His ministers.

T. What do we finally observe?

S. He said, "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost."

T. How does this apply to us?

S. He will not permit us to waste or lose His spiritual gifts; we must give account even of the crumbs, and show some fruit of all He has given us.

T. What did the Jews acknowledge ?

S. "This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world."

T. Yet what do we notice in some of them afterwards? John, vi. 26.

S. They sought Him, not because of His miracles, but because they did eat of the loaves and were filled, T. How must ours be a more saving faith?

S. We must seek first, "not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." John, vi. 27.

THE FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT.

The Collect.

WE beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people: that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

T. What is this Sunday called?

S. Passion Sunday, because from this day till Good Friday the Church directs our thoughts to the events of our Lord's death and Passion.

T. What do we beseech God to do in this Collect?

S. Mercifully to look upon His people.

T. Does He not always look upon us?

S. Yes; "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." Prov. xv. 3.

T. In what sense do we mean His looking upon us? S. In mercy and compassion. "God be merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us." Ps. lxvii. 1.

T. How is God's mercy thus described (Deut. xxvi. 7) by the children of Israel?

S. "When we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression."

T. How are we now His people?

S. Through Jesus Christ, "who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus, ii. 14.

T. What are the two mercies which we ask of God for

His people?

S. Government and preservation.

T. When we ask of Him to govern us, what do we mean?

S. That He will direct us aright, and correct us when we go astray.

T. What do we likewise ask Him to do?

"He

"Thou

S. To preserve us, as it is written, "The Lord preserveth all them that love him." Ps. cxlv. 20. preserveth the souls of his saints." xcvii. 10. wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee." Is. xxvi. 3.

The Epistle. Heb. ix. 11.

CHRIST being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves ; but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

T. What do we learn of the office of a high-priest? Heb. v. 1.

S. "Every high-priest, taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins."

T. What was the tabernacle? Ex. xxv. xxvi. xxvii. S. The place of worship and abode of God's presence during the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness. T. What was Aaron commanded to offer upon the altar of incense within the holy place? Ex. xxx. 10.

S. "And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year, with the blood of the sin-offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it, throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord."

T. What was the sin-offering? Lev. xvi. 11, 15.

S. The blood of a bullock for the priest himself and his household, and a goat for the people.

T. Where did he on this occasion enter alone?

S. Through the vail into the holy of holies. Lev. xvi. 17; Heb. ix. 7.

T. What is the tabernacle a shadow of ?

S. That more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, Christ's body.

T. What is the holy of holies into which He entered? S. Heaven.

T. How did He make an entrance there?

S. By His blood, "having obtained eternal redemption for us."

T. Is this sacrifice once offered sufficient for us?

S. "By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Heb. x. 14.

T. What was the purpose of the sacrifices under the law?

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