Saint Peter, in the name of the apostles, gave them the reason of this miracle; and, explaining to them the prophecies, told them that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was risen again, and had now sent the Holy Ghost according to his promise; that Jesus was both Lord and Christ, and that no one could be saved by any other name but his. There were three thousand people converted by Peter's preaching, who were all baptized, confessing their sins. The apostles and others who received the Holy Ghost, found themselves quite changed. They were enlightened to understand the Scriptures; they knew that all men were sinners, and have need of the grace of God, which is only obtained by faith in Jesus Chirst; and that his kingdom is not of this world. At the same time they were filled with the love of God, which made them delight in doing his will, and gave them an invincible boldness to bear witness to the truth.

Questions.--What was the feast of Pentecost kept in remembrance of by the Jews? [Ans. God's giving the law from Mount Sinai.] What came down on this day upon the apostles? [Ans. The Holy Ghost.] What did they all bear? [Ans. A noise like a rushing mighty wind.] What was that a sign of? [Ans. The coming of the Holy Ghost.] What was seen over the heads of all of them? [Ans. Clover tongues of fire.] What did they do directly? Ans. Preach in divers languages.] What did this gift of tongues signify? [Ans. That the apostles should preach to all nations.] Who began to preach immediately? [Ans. Saint Peter.] How many people were brought to believe the gospel by Peter's preaching that day? [Ans. Three thousand.] What did the apostles delight to do from that time? [Ans. Preach the gospel.] Was it not very remarkable that the law of Moses, as it is called, and the law of the gospel should both be given on the same day of the year? [Ans, Yes.] Was it not very wonderful to hear the apostles, who were unlearned men, preaching the gospel in all languages? [Ans. Yes.] Who made this change in them? [Ans. The Holy Ghost.]

Instruction. There were a great many Jews converted, but more who rejected the doctrine of the apostles, and even persecuted them cruelly, They put to death St. Stephen, one of the seven deacons whom the apostles had ordained for the service of the church. He was the first martyr, that is, the first who suffered death for bearing witness to the doctrine of Jesus Christ. The Gentiles began a little while after to

come into the church. The first of these was a Roman centurion or captain, named Cornelius, who already owned the true God, prayed to him without ceasing, and gave much alms. God commanded him by an angel to send for St. Peter, who was also warned from heaven to make no scruple of going to him: and when he was come, and began to speak, Cornelius and all that were assembled with him, received the Holy Ghost and the gift of tongues. St. Peter made them be baptized immediately; and then began to be accomplished the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles, who have taken the place of those Jews who refused the gospel. Our Saviour called a thirteenth apostle after his ascension, on purpose to labour at the conversion of the Gentiles, and that was the apostle St. Paul, who was once a great enemy to the Christian religion.

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Questions---Did not the Jews persecute the Christians? [Ans. Yes.] Did they put any of them to death? [Ans. Yes.] What are those called who have suffered for bearing witness to the truth of the gospel? [Ans, Martyrs.] Who was the first Christian martyr? [Ans. St. Stephen.] Who was the first Gentile that was received into the Christian church? Ans. Cornelius the centurion.] Who warned him to send for St. Peter to instruct him? [Ans. An angel.] What happened to Cornelius and those who were with him, while Peter was preaching to them? [Ans. The Holy Ghost fell upon them.] What did St Peter do then? [Ans. Baptized them.] What is meant by the calling of the Gentiles? [Ans. Calling upon the heatheus to believe in Christ.] Whose place have the Gentile nations filled up by becoming Christians? [Ans. The place of the unbelieving Jews.] Whom did God choose as an apostle for the Gentiles? [Ans. St. Paul.] What was he before? [Ans. A great enemy to the Christians.] Did our Lord call him before his ascension? [Ans No: afterwards.]

Instruction.---The apostles were dispersed throughout all the world, to teach all nations, according to the command which they had received of Christ. Though they went several ways into several countries to preach, yet, being guided by the same divine spirit, they all taught the same doctrine.

Our Saviour taught only by word of mouth, without committing any thing to writing. The apostles did the same at the first, and several of them left no writings at all. But they always took great care to instruct their disciples, and

render them capable of instructing others. But this method being not so certain, it pleased God by the Holy Ghost to inspire the sacred penmen to set down in writing all points necessary to our salvation, which are now to be found in the Holy Scriptures!TM

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Questions-Did the apostles keep always together? [Ans No. Where did they go to? [Ans. All countries.] What did they do there? Ans. Preach the gospel.] How did our Saviour teach? [Ans. By word of mouth.] Did the apostles do so at first? [Ans. Yes.] What did some of them set down in writing afterwards? [Ans. All points necessary for our salvation.] Where are they to be found? [Ans. In the Scriptures.] Who inspired the holy writers? [Ans. The Holy Ghost.]

In truction.---The city of Jerusalem and commonwealth of the Jews remained till some time after the preaching of the gospel, till the new church of the Gentiles was formed. At last the time came when Jerusalem was to be destroyed, according to our Saviour's prophecy. The Jews rebelled against the Romans, upon which followed a most bloody war. Jerusalem was besieged, and the famine was so great in it, that one mother eat her own child. In the siege alone there perished eleven hundred thousand people. The city was taken and ruined by Titus, son of the emperor Vespasian, and the temple was burnt. Thus God punished this wicked city, where the blood of so many prophets had been spilt, and especially that of Jesus Christ the king and saviour of it. The Jews, who would not own him for their deliverer, became slaves to the Romans, were driven out of their country, and reduced to that miserable condition in which they have now been above eighteen hundred years.

Questions.---Did the city of Jerusalem continue after the preaching of the gospel? [Ans. Yes.] Who had prophesied it should be destroyed? [Ans. Our Saviour. Did not the people suffer dreadful miseries before Jerusalem was destroyed? [Ans. Yes.] Why were the Jews so severely punished? [Ans. Because they had killed our Saviour and the prophets.] What became of those Jews that remained alive after their temple was burnt? [Ans: They were made slaves and scattered all over the world.] Are they scattered about in all nations at the present time? [Ans. Yes.] How long have they been so [Ans. Above eighteen hundred years

Instruction. -All the apostles suffered martyrdom, and all

[Ans. The ark.] What token did God give of the promise he made never to drown the earth again by a flood of waters? [Ans! The rainbow] Why did God drown all the people who were not in the ark? [Ans. Because they were so wicked. Why did God preserve Noah and bis family? [Ans. Because they were good.] How many of the creatures that Noah took into the ark died there? [Ans. Not one.] How came they to live shut up all together for so long a time? [Ans. God preserved them.] How long did it rain upon the earth when the flood came? [Ans. Forty days and forty nights.] How many people were there in the world when the flood ceased? [Ans. Eight.] Who were they? [Ans. Noah and his wife, and his three sons and their wives.] What did God shew his hatred of by drowning the world? Ans. Wickedness.] What did God shew by saving Noah? [Ans. That he loves good people.] When will God drown the world' again? [Ans. Never.] How do we know that? [dns. God has promised that he will not.] Has not God kept this promise? [Ans. Yes.] What is that which is often seen in rainy weather, that should put us in mind of the truth of God's promise? [Ans. The rainbow.]

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III. How came there to be a great many people in the world in a few years after the flood? [Ans. Noah's sons had children and grand-children.] What did a number of them resolve to do when they were grown wicked? [Ans. To build a city and tower.] How high was that to be? [Ans. To reach to heaven.] What is it called? [Ans. The tower of Babel.] What did God do to punish their presumption? [Ans. Confounded their language.] How came there to be different nations in the world, speaking different languages, and living in different parts? [Ans. Those that spoke the same words went to the same place.] Could those who did not understand one another speak, work, or converse comfortably together? [Ans. No.] Can any scheme succeed which God sees fit to confound? [Ans. No.]

IV. What was the name of a good man whom the Lord called out of his own country, and from his family? [Ans. Abraham.] What were all nations become in the days of Abraham? [Ans. Idolaters.] What was the name of Abraham's wife? Ans. Sarah.] What was the name of his nephew who went with him? [Ans. Lot.] Where did Lot

live [Ans. In Sodom.] How were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed? Ans. By fire from heaven.] Why did: God send this dreadful judgment upon them. [Ans. Becauses the people were so wicked.] Was Lot wicked[Ans. No.] Was he destroyed? [Ans No.] What did God promise Abraham when he called him out of his own country 3 { Ans. To make of him a great nation, and to bless all the nations of the earth in him.] What great nations came afterwards from Abraham? [Ans. The Israelites.] Who was Israel? [Ans. Jacob.] Whose son was Jacob [Ans. Isaac's.] Who was Isaac ? [Ans. Abraham's son.] What did God command Abraham to do to shew his faith, when Isaac was grown up? [Ans. Offer him up for a burnt offering.] How was Abraham kept from slaying his son when he had lifted up the knife to do it? [Ans. God called to him out of heaven.] What country did God promise to give to the nation that was to proceed from Abraham ? [Ans, The land of Canaan.] Was Abraham a rich or a poor man? Ans. A rich man.] What was he rich in Ans, Silver, and gold, and cattle.] Had he many servants ? [Ans. Yes.] What did he buy in order to have a piece of land of his own in Canaan for a burial ground? [Ans. The field and cave of Mach pelah.] Who was the first person that was buried there? [Ans. Sarah.] What country was Machpelah in? [Ans. Canaan ] Who was Isaac's wife? [Ans. Rebekah.] Was she a woman of Canaan? [Ans. No.] Who was she? [Ans. The daughter of Bethuel.] What relation was Bethuel to Abraham ? [Ans. His brother's son.] Where did he live? [Ans. In Mesopotamia.] Was that near to Canaan? [Ans. No.] Why would not Abraham suffer his son to marry a Canaanitish woman? [Ans. Because they worshipped idols.] Where was Abraham buried when he died? Ans. In the cave of Machpelah.] What is Abraham called on account of his being faithful to God, while all the nations worshipped idols? [Ans. The father of the faithful.] Who are the faithful? [Ans. Those who serve God truly.]

V. How many sons had Isaac and Rebekah? [Ans. Two.] What were their names? {Ans. Jacob and Esau.] What did Esau sell to his brother for a mess of pottage? [ns. His birthright.] What did Jacob obtain of his father Isaac, by deceiving him? [Ans. His blessing.] Who persuaded Jacob to do this thing? Ans. His mother.] Should children obey