explaining how they can be so. Teaching our pupils to receive them with submission and regard them with reverence, but preserving a further silence on the difficulties themselves; impressing upon each the great practical use of all these revelations, to "make us wise unto salvation," but discouraging all speculations into that which is hidden and mysterious. But difficulties which are connected with other doctrines, which are not so necessary to be believed, we should be careful to leave, with the doctrines themselves, untouched. Let your classes be well grounded in the grand principles of the Gospel, and let these doctrines be reserved for their own contemplation when they are become more advanced in grace. Even in Bible classes—except under peculiar circumstances—I should consider the time ill-employed which was occupied with the discussion of other than these fundamental principles, and those chapters illselected which were taken up with points inviting to the curious and speculative, but unedifying to the young and enquiring Christian.

LESSONS FROM SCRIPTURE.

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

GENESIS xix. 1-29.-Sodom destroyed, and Lot delivered. QUESTIONS.-Verse 1. How many angels came to Sodom? How many had come to Abraham? (xviii. 2.) Where was the third then gone? What time of the day did they reach the city? How came Lot to see them so soon?-V. 2. What request did he make of them? Did they agree to come in?-V. 3. Did they promise after that Lot pressed them? Does St. Paul command us to be kind to others? (Rom. xii. 13.) But if wicked persons come to us, are we then to receive them? (See 2 John x. 11.)-V. 4. Were there many that came from the city round the house with evil intent?-V. 11. What judgment did the angels inflict upon them?-V. 12. Was Lot to bring out any beside himself? and his goods?-V. 13. Why were they all to leave it? Why was Sodom to be destroyed?— V. 14. Whom did Lot speak to? Did they heed him? Why not? What does Solomon call such in Prov. i. 22? What will God do to those who mock at warnings? (Prov: i. 26-28.)—V. 15. Did

the angels again hasten Lot?-V. 16. Why did he linger?-He was probably anxious to persuade his sons-in-law, and get all his goods together. Who went with him?-V. 17. What direction did the angels give him? Whither was he to escape ?-V. 18. Did Lot try to change God's purpose ?-V. 19. Why could he not go to the mountain ?-V. 20. Whither does he pray God to let him go? What reason does he give for wishing to go to this city?-V. 21. Does God accept his prayer? Does he promise not to destroy the city? -V. 22. Does he delay his vengeance until Lot had reached it? What was its name? Why so called?-V. 23. What time of the day did Lot enter Zoar? Does it not shew God's great mercy to listen to Lot's prayer, when that city was condemned? Should this encourage us to ask God many things in our prayers ?-V. 24. What did God rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah?-V. 25. Was any thing belonging to them left? Had such a thing as this ever happened before? Why was this judgment poured out on them ?— V. 26. What happened to Lot's wife? Why was this? Had she been commanded not to look back? (See verse 17.) What did her looking back and lingering shew?-V. 27. Where did Abraham stand before the Lord? (xviii. 23.)-V. 28. What did he see on looking toward Sodom? Did not this prove to him the truth of God's prophecy? (xviii. 20, 21.)-V. 29. Can you shew from this verse that God makes a distinction between the righteous and the wicked?

GLOSSARY.-V. 3. Unleavened bread. That it might be ready the sooner. (Comp. Ex. xii. 39.)—V. 4. Both old and young. This shews the universal depravity of the place.-V. 14. Which married his daughters. As there are only two unmarried daughters of Lot mentioned in Sodom, we must consider them betrothed, and not actually married. The Septuagint has, who had taken, that is, in betrothment, his daughters.-V. 22. Zoar, little; called so from this circumstance. Its name was Bela before.

GENERAL REMARK.-The punishment of sinners, when inflicted by God's hand, is awful. And yet this was only temporal; and what must the torments of hell be, which are eternal! But God is faithful to rescue those who trust in and serve him. What pains the angels took to get Lot safe from the destruction of Sodom! Hastening his departure, yet waiting till he had collected all. Giving him express directions to escape to the mountains, and yet, in compassion, allowing him to remain in Zoar. Denouncing vengeance on all the cities of the plain, and yet sparing this one when entreated for by him. How blessed must His service be who deals thus justly with the wicked, and mercifully with his servants.

AFTERNOON LESSON.

JOHN xvi. 5-15.-Christ's promise of the Comforter. QUESTIONS.-Verse 5. Who was speaking these words? To whom was he speaking? What did he mean by saying, “I go my way to Him that sent me"? Who had sent Jesus into the world? Did the disciples know whither he went? (xiv. 5.) Why did they not ask him?—They were too sorrowful at the thought of his leaving them, to think of any thing else. Had they a clear knowledge of his character as the Son of God?-V. 6. Were they sorrowful at his going? Ought they to have been sorry? (xiv. 28.)-V. 7. Why was it expedient for them that Christ went away? Who was the Comforter? (xiv. 26.)—V. 8. What would he do when he came, with regard to the world? What do you mean by "reprove"? -Plead Christ's cause against, charge the world, on account of these things. V. 9. Why should he charge it on account of sin? -V. 10. Why on account of righteousness?-V. 11. Why on account of judgment?-V. 13. What would the Comforter do when he came for the disciples? What do you mean by "all truth"?All things necessary for their own salvation, and for their instruction of others in the doctrines of Christianity. Was he to reveal things future to them? Is there any book in the New Testament which shews that he did so?-V. 14. Whom was he to glorify? How was he to glorify Christ? Had Christ himself told them any of these truths? (xvii. 7, 8.) How may we glorify Christ?-By

receiving these truths; loving and obeying them.

GLOSSARY.-V. 5. Whither goest thou? Either to whom or for what end he went.-V. 8. It seems probable that this passage has a reference to the Jewish courts of law, where cases were tried concerning these three things. The Holy Spirit, then, would be the pleader; not comforter, or advocate of Christ's cause, in these three points, against the world of the wicked, who had rejected the Saviour. He would bring in a charge against them, of sin, and make it good, by proving that Christ was the true Messiah. 2nd. Of righteousness. Of Christ's innocence and sinlessness, by proving that he was taken to be with the Father in heaven. 3rd. Of judgment, by proving that Satan's kingdom and power were destroyed by Christ.

General RemARK.-God's Holy Spirit was commissioned to plead Christ's cause against the world. The unbelieving among Jews and Gentiles were to be convinced by him of the truth of Christ's mission, by the wonders he exhibited after his accession, and the arguments of the apostles. They might oppose and blas

pheme, but they could only do so against their conscience, and against light. This same Holy Spirit was commissioned to lead the disciples into all truth. How awful to be one of that number whom he reproves of sin and judgment! How blessed to be of them whom he leads into all truth!

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

GENESIS xxi. 1-21.-The Birth of Isaac.

QUESTIONS.-Verse 1. Did God visit Sarah, as he had said? When had he said that she should have a son? (See xvii. 21.)—V. 3. What was the name of the child called? Why was he called Isaac ? (xvii. 19.)-V. 4. What rite did Abraham perform on him the eighth day. Why did he circumcise him? Does it not shew that we love God, when we do what he bids us?-V. 5. How old was Abraham when Isaac was born? How old was Sarah? (See xvii. 17.) Had the promise been long delayed? (Comp. xii. 2, 4.)— V. 6. What did Sarah mean by "laughing" ?—That God had made her rejoice.-V. 7. Did she think it improbable that she should have a son?-V. 9. Was there any thing now which distinguished the happiness of the family? What was Ishmael doing? Was he older than Isaac? Was it right that he should mock his younger brother?-V. 10. What did Sarah wish Abraham to do? Who was the "bondwoman" ?-V. 11. Was Abraham distressed at this?V. 12. What does God command him to do? Why was Ishmael to be sent away?—V. 13. Did God promise any thing to Ishmael? Why was he to be thus blessed?-V. 14. Where did Hagar go when she was dismissed? Where was Beer-sheba? (See vv. 33, 34. comp. verse 31 with xx. 1.) What did Abraham's providing her with bread and water shew? In what kind of a country was Beersheba?-V. 15. What happened in the wilderness? What did she do with the child?-V. 16. Why did she go away from the child? About how old was Ishmael at this time? (xvi. 16. and xxi. 5.)— V. 17. Did God hear the weeping? Did he comfort her? Had not Ishmael's own misconduct brought this distress upon him? Could he and his mother, then, expect that God would thus have pity on them? What does David say about God's compassion? (Is. ciii. 13.) And is he not kind even to the evil? (Luke vi. 35.) -V. 18. What promise did God make to Hagar?-V. 19. What did he shew her for her present need?-V. 20. What did Ishmael become when he grew up?-V. 21. Where did he live? Where did his wife come from? Why did his mother fetch his wife from Egypt? (xvi. 1.)

GLOSSARY.-V. 9. Mocking. St. Paul (Gal. iv. 29.) says that

he persecuted him. Perhaps beat him, jeering and deriding him.~ V. 15. The wilderness was a thirsty place, where no water could be obtained. This wilderness was called that of Beer-sheba, from the cause below mentioned. (verse 31.)

GENERAL REMARK.-God's promise gradually ripens to its fulfilment. The promised child is at last born, and an event soon happens which confirms his heirship. Ishmael persecutes his younger brother, and because of that he is justly sent away. And this opens the way to Isaac being made Abraham's sole heir. God makes use at one time of extraordinary, at another of natural means, to accomplish his end. Is it likely that God's spiritual promises should fail, when he thus both can and does make use of every means for their accomplishment, unless we fail ourselves.

AFTERNOON LESSON.

JOHN xvi. 23-33.—Christ speaks of his departure. QUESTIONS.-Verse 23. What did Christ mean by "that day"? -The time after his resurrection and ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them. What did he mean by "asking"?— Enquiring to have doubts removed. Why would they not ask any thing then? (xiv. 26.) Would they have then what they prayed the Father for? In whose name were they to pray for ?-V. 24. Why had they not yet prayed in his name?—They did not probably rightly understand his character as Mediator.-V. 25. How had Christ spoken these things to them? What do you mean by "proverbs"? -Dark sayings, which contained many things they could not understand. Was this mode of speaking always to continue? When did Christ instruct them plainly ?-After the Holy Spirit had descended to teach them.-V. 26. Should we not pray to God in Christ's name? Can you tell me why we are to pray in his name? -V. 27. Did the Father love Christ's disciples? What does Solomon say about God's love? (Prov. viii. 17.)-V. 28. What does Christ say about his departure?-V. 29. Did his disciples understand him?-V. 30. Of what did they feel sure? How had this shewn them that he knew all things?—He knew all that was about to happen to him. What did they particularly believe?—Vv. 31, 32. Would this belief keep them faithful to him? When did this scattering happen? (Matt. xxvi. 56.) Ought we not to be fearful, rather than confident, of ourselves?-V. 33. Why had Christ said these things of them? What were they to expect in the world? What was to give them comfort? Should not the same reason make us joyful in believing on Christ?