Acknowledge God as your preserver, Acts xiv 17; Matt. v. 45; Psalm cxlvii. 8, 9; Matt. vi. 8-30. How blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of heaven, Luke xiv. 15. Yet, though God has provided a feast— despise it. Hymn and prayer. -men neglect and LECTURE X. Hymn. 66 Trespasses" mean sins, Ezra ix. 6, 15; 2 Chron. xix. 10; xxviii. 22; Ezek xvii. 20; Ephes. ii. 1; Col. ii. 13. What is sin, Prov. xxiv. 9; Matt. xii 36; 1 John iii. 4; v. 17; James iv. 17; Rom. xiv. 23. Whence does sin proceed? Matt. xv. 19. Are all sinners? Gen. vi. 5, 11, 12; Psalm xiv. 2, 3; liii. 2, 3; lviii. 3; Isa. liii. 6; Jer. xvii. 9; Rom. iii. 10-20; vii. 18; viii. 7; Gal. iii. 22; Eph. ii. 1-3; iv. 18; Titus i. 15. Are our sins many?—Yes, sins of omission-commission-in thought, word, and deed-in childhood-riper years-sins of ignorance-presumption-sins against God—our neighbour-and ourselves - against light-vows-promises-warnings of friends-ministers-parents-God's word, and Spirit-committed every day-every hour-sins known, and unknown. ; What are the consequences of sin? Psalm ix. 17; Ezek. xviii. 4, 20: Isa. lxvi. 24; Matt. viii 12; xxii. 13; xxiv. 51; xxv. 30; Luke xiii. 28; Mark ix. 44, 48; Rom. i. 18; ii. 5, 6, Who can "forgive' sin?-God only. How can God forgive sin? Has he not said, Eph. xviii. 4. Do not his law, justice, faithfulness, truth, demand our death? Gal. iii. 10; Rom. vi. 23; James ii. 10 True, but Jesus died for sinners, Isa. liii; John i. 29; Luke xix. 10; 1 John i. 7; Rom. v. 8-10. In him God can be just, and yet justify the ungodly, 1 John i. 8, 9. Jesus is able to pardon, Heb. vii. 25. Willing, Num. xiv. 18; Psalm lxxxvi. 5; cxxx. 4; Isa. i. 18; lv. 7; Dan. ix. 9; 2 Chron. vii. 14; Jer. xxxiii. 8; Micah vii. 18. Waiting, Exod. xxxiv. 4-7. Invites, Isa, lv. 1; Matt. xi. 28. Sends his ministers, 2 Cor. v. 19, &c ; Acts xiii. 38, 39. Teaches us to pray, Hosea xiv. Forgives, freely -fully-for ever, Matt. i. 21; xx. 28; Mark x. 45; John iii. 16; Gal i. 4; iii. 13; iv. 4, 5; Col. i. 20; Heb. ix. 22; 1 Pet. iii. 18; 1 John iv. 10; Rev. i. 5, 6; v. 9. Forgiveness of sin is called in Scripture, Neh. ix. 17; Isa. lxi. I; Luke iv. 18. Col. ii. 13. Not remembering, Jer. xxxi. our sins, Psalm xxxii. 1; lxxxv. 2. xliv. 22. Removing, Exod. xxxiv. 7; ciii. 10-12; Jer. 1. 20. Not imputing, 18, 19; Rom. iv. 8; 2 Cor. v. 19. remission, Acts xxvi. 18; Mercifulness, Heb. viii. 12; 34; Heb. viii. 12. Covering Blotting out, Isa. xlii. 25; Levit. xvi. 21, 22; Psalm Psalm xxxii. 2; Micah vii. Forgive "us" "our" sins-religion a personal thing must seek pardon first for ourselves - and secondly for others have you seen, felt, and acknowledged your sins? Have you sought mercy?- fled to Christ? Acts iv. 12. Repeat Watts' hymn, "Why should I say 'tis yet too soon," &c. Anecdote 1. Little boy and his tutor. It is reported of Ben Syra, that one day, when he was a little boy, he went to his tutor, and requested him to talk to him about the law of God. His tutor replied that it would be time enough to do that when he grew bigger, to which remark Ben Syra made answer, "O teacher, I have been into the burying ground, and measured the graves, and find that there are several for children much less than I. Now if I die What before I know the law of God, what will become of my soul?" a serious consideration! What a solemn question! God knows all our sins, "Almighty God thy piercing eye," &c, Watts. We must repent and believe, Acts x. 43; xiii. 38, 39; Rom. iii. 24, 25; To offer this prayer aright, we must have a deep sense of our own sinfulness, and of the guilt of sin, and its desertan earnest desire to be free from sin, and not from the punishment merely-an humble confession of our vileness-hearty prayer for deliverance, and pardonexpectation of forgiveness through Christ. fisau nd Herein we pray that God would discover to us our sinfulness-its horrid and aggravated nature would humble us under a sight and sense of our sin and give us his Holy Spirit to convince us of sin and grant us a clear knowledge of Christ's undertaking an ardent love to Jesus for dying for us a cordial reception of Christ as our Saviour. 5 Alas! how little attention many pay to these things! How soon they forget what they hear ! Anecdote 2. The woman who burnt her bushel. A poor woman in the country went to hear a sermon, wherein, among other evil practices, the one of short weights and measures was exposed. With this discourse she was much affected. In the course of the week, when the minister, according to his custom, went among his hearers, and called upon the woman, he took occasion to ask her what she remembered of the sermon? The poor woman complained much of her bad memory, and said that she had almost forgotten all he had said. "But one thing," said she, "I remembered. I remembered to burn bushel." A doer of the word will never be a forgetful hearer. James i. 22, 23.-Buck's Anecdotes. my This is what I wish you to remember when you go home, to pray fervently to God, to "forgive you your trespasses." Hymn and prayer. LECTURE XI. "As we forgive them that trespass against us." Hymn. Heard them part of the broken catechism. What is meant by trespass against us ?-Hurt us, offend us. It implies that some probably will-every day we meet with something to try us in our family-world. This we must forgive. How often?-Seventy and seven times. How?-As God forgave us freely-fully-remembering no more-not as some say, "but I shall never forget." A poor little African negro, only ten years of age, went to hear the preaching of one of the missionaries, and became, through God's blessing on his ministry, a real Christian. His master, who hated missionaries, hearing of it, commanded him never to go again, and declared that he would have him flogged to death if he did. The poor little boy, in consequence of this order, was very miserable. He felt disposed to obey his master; but then, his soul, what must become of that? He could scarcely refrain from going, yet knew his death was inevitable if he did. In this painful situation he prayed to God for direction and assistance, and having done so, felt convinced that it was his duty to attend, but to be very careful that he never interfered with his master's time or work, and, for the rest, to leave himself in the hands of God. He went therefore, and on his return was summoned to his master's presence; and after much violent and abusive language, received five and twenty lashes. His master then, in a tone of blasphemous ridicule, exclaimed, "What can Jesus Christ do for you now?" "He enables me to bear it patiently," said the poor child. "Give him five and twenty lashes more," said his cruel master. He was obeyed, "And what can Jesus Christ do for you now?" said the unfeeling man. "He helps me to look forward to a future world,” replied the little sufferer. five and twenty more," shouted the cruel tyrant in a transport of rage, They complied, and while he listened with savage delight to the groans of the dying child, he again asked him, "What can Jesus Christ do for you now?" The youthful martyr, with the last effort of expiring nature, meekly answered, "He enables me to pray for and forgive you, massa,” and instantly breathed his last.—(Whitecross 185.) “Give him Repeat the hymn of Dr. Watts, "Whatever brawls disturb the street," &c. What will be the consequence if we do not forgive others?-God will Forgive "us" "our" sins-religion a personal thing-must seek pardon first for ourselves and secondly for others have you seen, felt, and acknowledged your sins? Have you sought mercy?-fled to Christ? Acts iv. 12. Repeat Watts' hymn, "Why should I say 'tis yet too soon," &c. Anecdote 1. Little boy and his tutor, It is reported of Ben Syra, that one day, when he was a little boy, he went to his tutor, and requested him to talk to him about the law of God. His tutor replied that it would be time enough to do that when he grew bigger, to which remark Ben Syra made answer, "O teacher, I have been into the burying ground, and measured the graves, and find that there are several for children much less than I. Now if I die before I know the law of God, what will become of my soul?" What a serious consideration! What a solemn question! God knows all our sins, "Almighty God thy piercing eye," &c, Watts. We must repent and believe, Acts x. 43; xiii. 38, 39; Rom. iii. 24, 25 ; To offer this prayer aright, we must have a deep sense of our own sinfulness, and of the guilt of sin, and its desertan earnest desire to be free from sin, and not from the punishment merely an humble confession of our vileness-hearty prayer for deliverance, and pardon— expectation of forgiveness through Christ. Mishi Ind : Herein we pray that God would discover to us our sinfulness its horrid and aggravated nature would humble us under a sight and sense of our sin and give us his Holy Spirit to convince us of sin and grant us a clear knowledge of Christ's undertaking—an ardent love to Jesus for dying for us a cordial reception of Christ as our Saviour. Alas! how little attention many pay to these things! How soon they forget what they hear ! Anecdote 2. The woman who burnt her bushel. A poor woman in the country went to hear a sermon, wherein, among other evil practices, the one of short weights and measures was exposed. With this discourse she was much affected. In the course of the week, when the minister, according to his custom, went among his hearers, and called upon the woman, he took occasion to ask her what she remembered of the sermon? The poor woman complained much of her bad memory, and said that she had almost forgotten all he had said. "But one thing," said she, "I remembered. I remembered to burn my bushel." A doer of the word will never be a forgetful hearer. James i. 22, 23.-Buck's Anecdotes. This is what I wish you to remember when you go home, to pray fervently to God, to "forgive you your trespasses." Hymn and prayer. Hymn. LECTURE XI. "As we forgive them that trespass against us." Heard them part of the broken catechism. What is meant by trespass against us ?-Hurt us, offend us. It implies that some probably will-every day we meet with something to try us-in our family-world. This we must forgive. How often?-Seventy and seven times. How?-As God forgave us-freely-fully-remembering no more-not as some say, "but I shall never forget." A poor little African negro, only ten years of age, went to hear the preaching of one of the missionaries, and became, through God's blessing on his ministry, a real Christian. His master, who hated missionaries, hearing of it, commanded him never to go again, and declared that he would have him flogged to death if he did. The poor little boy, in consequence of this order, was very miserable. He felt disposed to obey his master; but then, his soul, what must become of that? He could scarcely refrain from going, yet knew his death was inevitable if he did. In this painful situation he prayed to God for direction and assistance, and having done so, felt convinced that it was his duty to attend, but to be very careful that he never interfered with his master's time or work, and, for the rest, to leave himself in the hands of God. He went therefore, and on his return was summoned to his master's presence; and after much violent and abusive language, received five and twenty lashes. His master then, in a tone of blasphemous ridicule, exclaimed, "What can Jesus Christ do for you now ?" "He enables me to bear it patiently," said the poor child. "Give him five and twenty lashes more," said his cruel master. He was obeyed, "And what can Jesus Christ do for you now?" said the unfeeling man. "He helps me to look forward to a future world,” replied the little sufferer. "Give him five and twenty more," shouted the cruel tyrant in a transport of rage, They complied, and while he listened with savage delight to the groans of the dying child, he again asked him, "What can Jesus Christ do for you now?" The youthful martyr, with the last effort of expiring nature, meekly answered, "He enables me to pray for and forgive you, massa," and instantly breathed his last.-(Whitecross 185.) Repeat the hymn of Dr. Watts, "Whatever brawls disturb the street," &c. What will be the consequence if we do not forgive others?-God will |