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In this Petition the following points are involved,

1. That there has been an Incarnation of God's Son, Jesus Christ. Matt. i. 18-25; Luke, ii. 4–7; John, i. 14; Rom. viii. 3; 1 Tim. iii. 16; Heb. i. 1-3; 1 John, i. 1, 2.

2. That we have had this made known by the message of an angel. Luke, i. 26-35; ii. 8-15; Heb. i. 14; 1 John, v. 20.

3. That there has also been a resurrection of this Son of God; and that a glorious resurrection. Matt. xxviii. 1-8; Rom. i. 4; iv. 24, 25; vi. 4; 1 Cor. xv. 4; Phil. iii. 21; 1 Cor. xv. 43; Phil. ii. 8-11; Heb. ii. 9.

4. That to be brought to the glory of this resurrection, i.e. to be sharers in the glory thereof, is the object of our desire. Phil. i. 23; iii. 8-11; Col. iii. 1-4; Heb. xii. 1, 2; 1 Thess. iv. 14-18; 2 Pet. iii. 13.

5. That if brought thereunto it must be by His cross and passion; i.e. as the result of, or through the agency of, that cross and passion, which, in His Incarnate state, He has also endured and passed through. 1 Cor. xv. 55–57; Isa. liii. 4-6; Eph. i. 7; ii. 16; Gal. iii. 13; Acts, x. 36, 40-42; xiii. 38; xx. 28; Heb. ii. 14, 15; John, i. 29; 1 Pet. iii. 18; 2 Cor. v. 21; Col. i. 13, 14, 19-22; Rom. viii. 32–34; Rev. xii. 11.

Hence our prayer for grace to be poured into our hearts to that end.

The Conclusion is:

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through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

As before.

Supplementary Questions.

What do we here state we have had made known to us?

What is the meaning of "Incarnation ?"

How was the Incarnation of God's Son made known?

Who was that angel, and where do we find the account of his visit?

To what is it that we manifest a desire to be brought?

When did this Son of God rise from the dead?

What was the character of His resurrection? (See Petition in the Litany.)

How only can we be brought unto this glorious resurrection?

What do we mean by "His cross and passion?"

In what way has that an influence unto our resurrection? What do we ask to have poured into our hearts in order that this end may be attained?

No. LXXIV.

Saint Mark's Day.

A PRAYER FOR GRACE TO BECOME ESTABLISHED IN THE TRUTH.

The Invocation is:

"O Almighty God, who hast instructed thy Holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of thy Evangelist Saint Mark ;"

Here, after invoking God as "Almighty," we declare,— 1. That Saint Mark was one of His Evangelists. Acts, xii. 25; xv. 37, 40; 2 Tim. iv. 11; Eph. iv. 11, 12. 2. That the doctrine of this Evangelist was heavenly doctrine. 2 Pet. i. 21; 1 Cor. ii. 12, 13.

3. That with that doctrine God has instructed His Church. Eph. iv. 12-14; 1 Cor. iii. 9; 1 Tim. iv. 6; 2 Tim. iii. 15-17.

4. That God's Church is a holy Church. Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 2; 1 Pet. ii. 5-9; 2 Tim. i. 9; Eph. v. 25-27; Cant. vi. 10.

The Petition, therefore, is:

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Give us grace, that, being not like children carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, we may be established in the truth of thy holy Gospel ;"—

Here we have the following truths involved:

1. That God's holy Gospel is truth. John, xiv. 6; xvii. 17; Eph. i. 13; Gal. ii. 14; i. 6–8.

2. That in that truth we should seek to become established. Heb. xiii. 9; Col. i. 23; Acts, xvi. 5; Col. ii. 6, 7; 2 Tim. i. 13; 1 Pet. iii. 15; 1 Cor. xvi. 13; Heb. vi. 1, 2.

3. That we shall not be so, so long as we are carried

away with every blast of vain doctrine. 1 Tim. vi. 20, 21; iv. 1, 2; Eph. iv. 14–16; 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4; 1 John, iv. 1; 2 John, 7-11.

4. That those who are so carried away are like children rather than men. Eph. iv. 14; 1 Cor. xiv. 20; Heb. v. 12-14; 1 Cor. xiii. 11.

Whence our prayer that from such childish courses we may be preserved.

The Conclusion is:

66

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

As before.

Supplementary Questions.

What is Saint Mark here called?

What is an "Evangelist ?"

What kind of doctrine did this Evangelist teach?

What do we mean by "heavenly doctrine?"

What did Saint Mark instruct with this his heavenly doc

trine?

What is this Church of God here called?

In what respect is it "holy?"

In what do we desire to be established?

What prevents persons from being established in this truth?

When persons are carried away with every "blast of vain doctrine," to whom may they be said to be like?

What is the meaning of "blast?"

What do we want to preserve us from such childish courses?

No. LXXV.

Saint Philip and Saint James's Day.

A PRAYER FOR A STEADFAST WALKING IN THE WAY OF LIFE.

The Invocation is:

"O Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life;"

Here invoking God as " Almighty," we declare further,That everlasting life depends upon, yea consists in, a true knowledge of Him. John, xvii. 3; Jer. ix. 23, 24; 1 Cor. xv. 34; 1 John, iv. 8; 2 Pet. iii. 18; Job, xxii. 21; xi. 7, 8; 2 Cor. iv. 6; John, viii. 19; x. 38; Heb. i. 1–4; Jer. xxxi. 34; Isa. xi. 9. Hence the entreaty which follows in

The Petition, viz. :

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Grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life;

that, following the steps of thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and Saint James, we may steadfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life;"

In this Petition the following points are set forth:

1. That there is a way leading to eternal life. Isa. XXXV. 8, 9; Jer. vi. 16; Matt. vii. 14; Prov. iv. 18; Rom. iii. 17.

2. That in that way we ought steadfastly to walk, as did Saint Philip and Saint James, God's holy Apostles. Prov. iv. 26, 27; 2 Pet. ii. 21; Acts, ii. 42; 1 John, ii. 3-6; Eph. v. 8-11; Phil. iii. 17, 18; Heb. vi. 12; xiii. 7, 8.

3. That the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is the way, and also the truth, and the life. John, xiv. 6; Heb. x. 19, 20; Eph. ii. 13-18; 2 Cor. v. 18-21.

4. That to walk in this way requires a perfect knowledge thereof, i. e. we need a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ to enable us to realise that life eter

nal of which He is the procuring cause. Isa. XXX. 21; xlii. 16; liii. 11; Eph. i. 17; Phil. iii. 8; Col. ii. 3; Gal. i. 15, 16; 2 Pet. i. 2-4.

For the gift of this knowledge, therefore, we here put forth our prayer.

The Conclusion is:

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

As before.

Supplementary Questions.

In what is everlasting life here said to consist?

What do we mean by "know" here?

In what way does our prayer state that we have a desire

to walk?

In what manner ought we to walk along that way?

In whose steps shall we then be following?

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