5. That Jesus Christ is now living and reigning in the heavens with the Father and the Holy Ghost, as one God, world without end. (See preceding Collects.)

Supplementary Questions.

What do we state of Jesus Christ in this Collect?
What do we profess to believe respecting Him?
When did this Ascension take place?

Where is it recorded?

What do we here express a desire for ?

What is the nature of that ascension for which we here

express a desire ?

What do we mean by an "ascension in heart and mind?" Why should we seek for this?

What is Jesus Christ now engaged in, and with Whom is He united therein ?

On what authority are all these assertions and declarations made and set forth?

No. XL.

Sunday after Ascension Day.

A PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COMFORT

US, AND EXALT US TO HEAVEN.

The Invocation is:

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"O God, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven,"

Here God is invoked as "the King of glory," i. e. "the glorious King" (see Ps. xxiv. 7-10), and it is stated,— 1. That Jesus Christ is His only Son (as before frequently).

2. That this Son He has exalted unto His kingdom. Acts, v. 31; Phil. ii. 9-11; Heb. i. 3; 1 Cor. xv. 24. 3. That this He has done with great triumph. Ps. lxviii. 18; Eph. iv. 8; Ps. xxiv. 9.

4. That the kingdom to which He has exalted Him is in heaven. Eph. i. 20; Phil. iii. 20; Acts, i. 11; 1 Pet. iii. 22.

The Petition is (reaching to the end):

"We beseech thee leave us not comfortless; but send to us thy Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen."

In this Petition is set forth or implied,―

1. That if we are forsaken by Christ, and left to ourselves at any time, we shall be comfortless. Ps. xxii. 1; lxxvii. 1, 2, 6-9; John, xiv. 1, 27; xvi. 19, 20; xiv. 18.

2. That, under such circumstances, the Holy Spirit is able by His presence to comfort us, and also to exalt us to the place whither our Saviour is gone before. John, xiv. 16, 26; xv. 26; xvi. 7; Acts, ix. 31; John, xiv. 3; 1 Thess. i. 5, 6; Acts, xiii. 52; Rom. viii. 11.

3. That this Comforter we desire to have sent unto us by God. Ps. iv. 6; xxvii. 9; Luke, xi. 13; Isa. xliv. 3; Joel, ii. 28, 29.

Supplementary Questions.

Where is it here stated that God has exalted His Son?

What do we mean by "exalted?"

How is this said to have been done?

Where is this kingdom to which Jesus Christ has been

exalted?

If we are left by Christ, what will be our state?

Who is able to comfort us at such times ?

What do we, therefore, ask God to do for us?

For what other purpose do we wish God to send us His Holy Ghost?

What place is that whither our Saviour Christ is gone? How are we to be exalted to that place?

No. XLI.

Whit-Sundag.

A PRAYER FOR THE GUIDANCE OF, AND JOY IN, THE HOLY GHOST.

The Invocation is:

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God, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit,"

Here God is invoked, without ascribing to Him any attribute; but it is stated, as a foundation for the prayer about to be offered,

1. That He taught the hearts of His faithful people as at this time, i. e. at a time to which this corresponds; and,

2. That this He did by sending to them the Holy Spirit. John, xiv. 26; xv. 26; Acts, ii. 1-4; 1 Cor. ii. 12, 13.

3. That the Holy Spirit is as light poured into the soul. 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11; Eph. v. 8, 13; Zeph. i. 12; 2 Pet. i. 21. Compared with Ps. cxix. 130.

The Petition is:

"Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort:"

Herein we have involved the following:

1. That by the same Spirit may now be had two things,

(a) A right judgment, and that in all things. John, xiv. 26; Prov. ii. 6, 7; 2 Tim. i. 7; Col. i. 9; ii. 3.

(b) Holy comfort, wherein we may rejoice evermore. Ps. xxxi. 19; 1 Thess. i. 5, 6; Rom. xiv. 17; Ps. li. 11, 12; Gal. v. 22.

2. That these two things it is

our desire to obtain. 2 Cor. i. 3, 4; Isa. liv. 13; Job, xxxiv. 32; Phil. i. 9, 10.

And so for them we here offer a prayer.

The Conclusion is:

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through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen."

A Conclusion which, though slightly different in words, is in substance the same as we have frequently examined before. See Nos. I., III., V., XVII., XVIII.

Supplementary Questions.

Whose hearts is God here said to have taught?

When is He said to have done it ?

To what time does this refer?

In what way did He do this, i.e. "teach the hearts of His

faithful people?"

What is God's Holy Spirit here said to be?

What proof have we of the truth of these assertions?
For what two things do we here make a petition?
Through what agency are these to be realised?

Is it the will of God that His people should realise this comfort, and possess this judgment?

Produce passages of Scripture which illustrate and explain this.

No. XLII.

Trinity Sunday.

A PRAYER TO BE KEPT IN THE TRUE FAITH, AND TO BE DEFENDED FROM ALL ADVERSITIES.

The Invocation is:

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Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity;"

In this Invocation, which is to God as an "Almighty" and "Everlasting" God, many very important statements are involved: thus,

1. That there is a Trinity in the Godhead. Gen. i. 26; iii. 22 (note the use of "us" in these verses as betokening plurality); Numb. vi. 24; Isa. vi. 3 (the repetition of the words "Lord" and " 'holy" thrice in these passages seems to betoken the Trinity); Matt. xxviii. 19; 2 Cor. xiii. 14; 1 John,

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