Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

What do we mean by " affections?"

What by "corrupt affections?"

What by "mortifying" our corrupt affections?

What is the grave here called?

Why is it called the "gate of death?"

To what is the grave a door of entrance?

What kind of a resurrection do we hope to arrive at ?
Through Whom do we hope for this?

And why?

No. XXXII.

The Anthems for Easter Day.

No. XXXIII.

Callert for Easter Day.

A PRAYER FOR HELP TO BRING GOOD DESIRES TO GOOD EFFECT.

The Invocation is:

[ocr errors]

Almighty God, who, through thine onlybegotten Son, Jesus Christ, hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life;"

Here God is invoked as 66 Almighty," and beyond what that title implies it is stated,

1. That He has opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; which, therefore, must once have been closed against us. Heb. ii. 14, 15; 1 Pet. i. 3, 4; Heb.

v. 9; John, xi. 25; Eph. i. 7; Heb. ix. 11–15; Rom. v. 10; Col. i. 12-14, 20, 21.

2. That, to do this, death had to be overcome, and has been overcome. 1 Cor. xv. 55-57; Gen. iii. 15;

Eph. iv. 8; Heb. ii. 14, 15; 2 Tim. i. 10; 1 Pet. i. 3; John, xix. 30.

3. That God has done this through His Son Jesus Christ.

4. That this Son Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son. 1 John, iv. 9; Rom. viii. 32; John, i. 14, 18. The Petition is:

"We humbly beseech thee, that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect;"

Here it is stated,

1. That God puts into our minds good desires. 1 Kings, viii. 57, 58; Jam. i. 17; Phil. ii. 13; 1 Cor.

xii. 3.

2. That this He does by His special preventing grace.

1 Cor. xv. 10; Matt. x. 20; Rom. xii. 3-6; Cant. i. 4; 1 John, iv. 19; Eph. ii. 1; Acts, xvi. 14. 3. That these good desires require to be brought to good effect. Gal. ii. 21; 1 Cor. xii. 7; Matt. vii. 21; xiii. 20-22; Hos. vi. 4; Rev. ii. 10.

4. That to do this we further need God's continual help. Heb. iv. 15, 16; John, xv. 5; 2 Cor. iii. 5; iv. 7; Zech. iv. 6.

For which, therefore, our prayer is here offered.

The Conclusion is:

66

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.” As before.

Supplementary Questions.

What gate is God here said to have opened unto us? How was it that that was previously closed against us? What had to be done before this gate could be opened? By Whom was this obstacle removed?

And when?

Who is said in the Scripture to have had "the power of death?"

What do we say God puts into our minds?

On what authority do we say this?

How do we say this is done?

What do we mean by "special grace?"

What by "preventing?"

If good desires proceed no further will they do us any good?

What then is necessary?

What do we require to enable us to do this?

No. XXXIV.

First Sunday after Easter.

A PRAYER FOR GRACE TO SERVE GOD IN PURENESS OF LIVING AND TRUTH.

The Invocation is:

"Almighty Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification,"

Here we invoke God as a "Father," and that an "Almighty Father," and we say respecting Him,

That He has given His only Son

(a) To die for our sins. Rom. v. 8; 1 Cor. xv. 3; Dan. ix. 24-26; Isa. liii. 4-6; 1 Pet. ii. 21-24; iii. 18.

(b) To rise again for our justification. Rom. iv. 25; 1 Cor. xv. 17; Rom. viii. 34; 1 Pet. i. 3, 21.

The Petition is:

"Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth;"

In this are involved the following points:

1. That God requires of us a continual service. Heb. vi. 11, 12; Gal. vi. 9; Luke, ix. 61, 62; Heb. iii. 14; Rev. ii. 2–5; Gal. v. 7.

2. That this service requires two things:

(a) Pureness of living, i.e. correct practice. Isa. i. 4, 15-17; 1 Tim. i. 5; Jam. i. 27.

(b) Pureness of truth, i.e. correct faith. Jude, 3; 2 John, 9, 10; 3 John, 3, 4; 2 Tim. i. 13.

Or, it must be,

(a) Purely. Tit. ii. 12; Heb. xii. 14; 2 Cor. vii. 1.

(b) Truly. Ps. xvii. 1; Matt. xv. 8 ; 2 Tim. iii. 5.

3. That the great hindrance to this service is the leaven of malice and wickedness yet remaining in our hearts. Rom. vii. 17; Gal. v. 17; 1 Cor. v. 7, 8; Jam. i. 14, 15.

4. That this leaven, therefore, needs to be put away. Rom. xiii. 12-14; Eph. iv. 22; Col. iii. 8; Gal. vi. 8; 2 Cor. v. 17.

And for grace to do that we here offer our prayer.

The Conclusion is:

"through the merits of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

As before.

Supplementary Questions.

For what purposes do we here say that God has given

His Son ?

What is "sin ?"

Wherein have we sinned?

What is the meaning of "justification ?"

How does Christ's rising again affect our justification?

Why do we need justification?

How do we procure it?

How do we ask to serve God?

What do we mean by "pureness of living?'

What by "pureness of truth?"

[ocr errors]

What is the great hindrance to such a service?

What do we mean by "leaven?"

What must be done with this leaven that is yet in our hearts?

By Whose help alone are we able to do this?

No. XXXV.

Second Sunday after Easter.

A PRAYER FOR THANKFUL HEARTS AND HOLY LIVES.

The Invocation is:

66

Almighty God, who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life;'

Here in our Invocation we state,

[ocr errors]

That God has given His only Son to be unto us

(a) A sacrifice for sin. Heb. ix. 26; x. 12; John, i. 29; 2 Cor. v. 21; 1 Cor. v. 7.

« ElőzőTovább »