What do we mean by“ temptation ?”
How does the world tempt us ?
What do we mean by the “flesh ?”
Who is the devil ?
What is the devil also called ?
Mention some of his names, and their meanings.
Why do these tempt God's people ?
How are their temptations to be resisted ?
Need we be afraid of them ?
What promise on this subject do we find in the Scripture?
What have we to incite us when labouring under such

temptations ?

No. LXI.

Fineteenth Sunday after Trinity.

A PRAYER FOR THE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE OF

THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Invocation is :

"O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee ;"— Herein it is implied, — 1. That to please God should be our great aim. 1 Thess.

iv. 1 ; Col. i. 10; Ps. li. 17-19; lxix, 30, 31; Mic. vi. 6-8; Heb. xiii. 16; Prov. xvi. 7 ; 1 John, iii.

22. 2. That still, try as we may, we cannot do it without

His aid. Rom. viii. 8; Heb. xi. 6; Phil. i. 29; 1 Cor. xii. 3; Heb. xiii. 20, 21; 1 Cor. ii. 14; Prov. xvi. 1.

Hence the prayer which follows.

The Petition is :

“Mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts;"In this Petition, taken in connexion with the Invocation,

the following points are involved :1. That, in order to please God, our hearts need direc

tion and ruling, and that in all things. Jer. x. 23;

Ps. cxliii. 8; Prov. xvi. 9 ; iii. 5–16. 2. That the direction and ruling thus required is that

of God's Holy Spirit. Ps. cxliii. 10; li. 12; John,

xvi. 13; Job, xxxii. 8. 3. That, if so directed and ruled, we shall then be able

to do as we desire. Isa. xxx. 18-21; Prov. ii. 3-5;

Ps. xxv. 8, 9; 2 Thess. iii. 5; Prov. iii. 21-26. The Conclusion is :

“ through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” As before.

Supplementary Questions. What do we learn from this Collect that we should all

try to do? Can we do this of ourselves ? Whose aid do we stand in need of? What does a sense of this lead to ? What is that which our hearts particularly require in order

to our pleasing God ? Whose direction and ruling do they require ? Is there no case in which this can be dispensed with ? If this direction and ruling be vouchsafed, will it then

enable us to do what is required of us ? What, then, should a conviction of that lead us to do ?

No. LXII.

Twentieth Zunday after Trinity.

A PRAYER FOR ABILITY CHEERFULLY TO DO GOD's

WILL.

The Invocation is :

“O Almighty and most merciful God,”— Here God is invoked as “ Almighty and most merci

ful,” and then we pass tom The Petition, viz. :

“Of thy bountiful goodness, keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us ; that we being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that thou

wouldest have done;”— Herein are set forth the following: 1. That there are certain things which God wills to

have done. Matt. vi. 10; vii. 21; Mark, ïïi. 35 ; John, iv. 34; Col. iv. 12; 1 Thess. iv. 3; v. 18; i

Pet. ii. 13-15; iv. 2. 2. That all these things are to be done cheerfully.

Eph. vi. 6, 7; 1 Chron. xxviii. 9 ; xxix. 5; 2 Chron. xvii. 16 ; 2 Cor. viii. 3; Ps. cxvi. 1, 12-14; Neh.

iv. 6. 3. That to accomplish these things cheerfully there

needs a twofold readiness,-
(a) A readiness of body. 2 Sam. ix. 13; xix.

24-26; John, v. 3-9; Acts, iii. 2, 8; Matt. viii.
14, 15; 1 Cor. ix. 27; Matt. xxvi. 36-43;
Heb. xii. 12; Isa. xxxv. 3, t.

(b) A readiness of soul. 2 Cor. viii. 12; Ex.

iv. 1, 10–14; Matt. xix. 22; Luke, v. 27, 28; Gen. xxii. 1-12; Ps. xl. 6–8; Prov. xxiii. 26;

2 Chron. xxx. 8. 4. That to be thus ready it is necessary that we be

kept from all hurtful things. Ps. xi. 1, 2; Acts,

xviii. 9-11; Ps. cxl. 1-5; cxlii. 4–6. 5. That this keeping we trust God of His bountiful

goodness will be pleased to vouchsafe. 1 Chron.

iv. 10; Isa. liv. 17; Ps. cxlv. 18, 19; 2 Tim. iv. 18. The Conclusion is :

“ through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” As before.

Supplementary Questions. From what do we here pray to be kept ? What things are these ? Mention some of them. Why do we ask this? What things do we wish to be ready to accomplish ? What do we mean by “ accomplish ?” Where are we instructed as to the things which God de

sires to have done ? In what spirit are we always to work for God ? What is necessary that we may thus “cheerfully accom

plish” the duties required of us ?
In what two respects is a readiness required ?
Wherein does readiness of body consist ?
And wherein readiness of soul ?
What is there to hinder this readiness ?
What, then, do we stand in need of?
What attribute of God gives us encouragement in seeking

His aid?
How is His goodness spoken of here ?
Prove it from Scripture.

No. LXIII.

Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.

A PRAYER FOR CLEANSING FROM SIN AND A QUIET

MIND, The Invocation is :

“We beseech thee, merciful Lord ;"— Containing nothing beyond what these titles import. The Petition is :

“ Grant . . . to thy faithful people, pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all

their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind ;”— Herein we have involved the following, 1. That God's people require especially these two

things,
(a) Pardon, or a cleansing from all sin. Ps.

li. 6, 7, 10; Isa. i. 16–18; 1 John, i. 7; Zech.
xiii. 1; Heb. ix. 13, 14; x. 22; 1 Cor. vi.

9-11; Rev. vii. 14.
(6) Peace, or a quiet mind wherewith to serve

God. John, xiv. 27; Rom. v. 1; 1 Tim. ii. 2;
Eph. ii. 13, 14, 17; Rom. xiv. 17; Isa. xxvi.

3, 12; xxxii. 1, 2, 17, 18; Jam. ii. 14-18. 2. That to obtain these God must be sought, as alone

able to bestow them. Neh, ix. 17; Ps. cxxx. 4, 7;

ciii. 8; Isa. xliii. 25; lv. 7. The Conclusion is :

“through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." As before.