the Romans.] Why did God suffer Jerusalem, to be destroyed? [Ans. Because the Jews put our Saviour to death.] What became of the Jews who were not killed when Jerusalem was burnt to the ground? [Ans. They were driven out of their country.] Where are the Jews that remain in the world at this time? [Ans, Scattered throughout all nations.] Who are the people of God at this time? [dus. Christians.] Were not the first Christians very cruelly persecuted } [Ans. Yes.] What made them keep to their religion in spite of the severest torments? [Ans. The hope of the reward laid up in heaven. for them.] Did the persecution put a stop to the Christian religion? [Ans. No.] How long will this religion continue in the world? [Ans, As long as the world lasts.] Who will preserve it? [Ans. Christ.] Is it not a happy thing to be a Christian? [Ans. Yes.] Are you a Christian? [das. Yes.] Whose doctrine should you learn? [dus Christ's.] Whose examples should you follow? [Ans. Christ's] What sort of a life should you lead? Ans. A holy life.] What is a holy life? Ans. A life of faith and obedience.] What is faith? [Ans. Believing in Christ, and trusting in him for salvation.] What is obedience? [Ans. Keeping God's commandments, as Christ has taught us.] How

ow can we obtain a true faith? [Ans. By praying for God's grace, and studying the Gospel.]. How can we be able to keep God's commandments? [Ans. By praying for the help of his Holy Spirit, and trying to do our duty to God, our neighbour, and ourselves.]*

When you read the New Testament you will be taught a great deal more about our Lord Jesus Christ and his glorious Gospel.

here.

The fifteenth number of the Miscellaneous Questions to be asked

LECTURES

ON THE

PRACTICE OF RELIGIOUS AND MORAL DUTIES,

FOUNDED ON THE EXPLANATION OF OUR DUTY TO GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOURS, IN THE CHURCH CATECHISM.

LECTURE 1.

Instruction. By duties are meant those things which we are bound to perform, because God, who is our great Lord and Governor, has commanded them. Our duties are divided into two principal parts, called our duty to God and our duty to our neighbour. What these duties are we learn from the scriptures, which contain all the commandments God has given to mankind. In order to incline us to keep these commandments, those who can read and understand should study the scriptures diligently; those who cannot read, or are too young to understand, should attend to the instruction of their teachers. You have already been taught your duty in a general way; the lectures which you are going to hear will explain it more fully but before we begin upon them, let me see whether you have right notions of God your creator; and whether you know who you are to consider as your neighbour.

:

Questions. How many Gods are there? [Ans. One.] What is God [Ans. A spirit. Why is God called Almighty [Ans. Because he can do all things.]. How long has there been a God? [ins, Always.] Will there ever come a time when there will be no God? [Ans. No.] Has God bodily parts as we have? [Ans, No.] Is not God full of goodness? [Ans. Yes.] Who does God provide for? [Ans. All his creatures.] Does pot God love the creatures he has made? Ans. Yes.] To whom do the world and all things in it belong? [Ans. To God.] Why do all things, belong to God? [ins. Because God created them.] Who is the great Lord and Governor of all things? [Ans. God.] Should not all his creatures who are endued with sense and understanding serva and obey him? [Ans. Yes.] Has God

given any commandments to mankind? [Ans. Yes.] Where are they to be found? [Ans. In the scriptures.] What book contains the scriptures? [Ans. The Bible.] What are meant by duties? [Ans. Those things we are bound to do as God's creatures. Why are we bound to keep God's commandments? Ans. Because he is our great Lord and Governor.] Has God given commandments to beasts, birds, fishes, and insects? Ans. No.] Why not? [Ans. Because they could not understand them.] Who are the only creatures in this world that understand God's commandments? [Ans. Mankind.] What will God do in respect to those who keep his commandments? [Ans. Reward thein.] What will he do to those who break them? [Ans. Punish them.] Who is our neighbour? [Ans. All mankind.]

Instruction.-You have been taught that it is your duty to believe in God. If we lock about us in the world,. and take notice what a number of different things it contains, and observe how wonderfully they are made and preserved, we shall surely be ready to believe that there is a God, and that be is almighty.

The numbers of good things that are provided for all living creatures, and for mankind in particular, nay, life itself, shew that God must certainly be not only very powerful, but very good. The preserving and taking care of all these things farther prove that God must be very good. The wonderful manner in which the world and all things in it are made and preserved, shews that God must be all-wise. Questions. Do you think seriously and truly in your heart that there is a God? [Ans. Yes.] Do you think that without a Creator there could have been any creatures? [dns. No.] Do you believe that God is almighty? [Ans. Yes.] Could any but an almighty and all-wise being create what the world contains? [Ans. No.] Could any but an almighty and all-wise being provide for, and preserve all things? [dus. No.] Where do you believe God to be present? [Ans. Every where.] What do you believe God knows? Lins. All things. Who do you think can equal him? [Ans. None.] Who alone is worthy to be the Lord and Governor of all things? [ns. God.]

Instruction. It is our duty also to fear God. To fear God signifies to be afraid of offending him, lest we lose his favour and expose ourselves to punishment, as a dutiful child is fearful of losing the love of a tender parent. It is the

want of this fear that occasions so many people to commit bad actions, which at last bring them to a miserable end. So far from making our lives unhappy, it will increase our happiness very much to have the fear of God always before us, because it will keep us from doing those things which usually bring uneasiness and misery upon those who commit them. Whatever is our duty agrees with our happiness. God has made it our duty to fear him for that very reason.

Questions-Is it a duty to fear God [Ans, Yes.] What kind of a fear should we bave of God? [Ans. Such as a good child has of a tender father.] Is not God the best of fathers to us? [Ans. Yes.] What should we obey then? [Ans. His commandments.] What should we be afraid of? [Ans. Offending God.] What is it that causes many people to do bad things? Ans. Not fearing God.] Will the fear of God make our lives unhappy if we keep his commandments? [An No.]

*།

Instruction.It is also our duty to love God, and to love him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength; that is, as much as we possibly can. To desire his favour above all things; to wish to draw near to him, and dwell in his glorious presence for ever. To be pleased with doing what we know will please God, to be heartily sorry when we know we have offended him, to be ready to suffer any thing rather than displease him; to endeavour to be as like him as possible, by doing all the good we can to every creature we know, for his sake. If we love God in this manner, we shall pass happily through this mortal life, and shall hereafter be admitted to his glorious presence in heaven. God has promised great blessings to those who love him.

Questions.How should we love God? [Ans. With all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength.] Whom should we love above all things? [Ans. God.] What will those who love God delight in doing? [Ans. What will please God.] What will they take care not to do? [Ans. What will offend God,] How will they be when they know they have offended God? Ans. Very sorry.] What will they beg of God to do? [Ans. To forgive them.] How will those who love God be in this life? Ans. Happy.] Where will they be admitted to hereafter ? [Ans. Heaven.] What has God promised to those who love him? [Ans. All manner of good things.] Do you wish to go to heaven, to LoD sang ol lat 54 1.7015 [gu

see God, and dwell in his glorious presence?[ns. Yes] Do you think God will receive you into heaven if you do hot love him? [ins. No.] AVEL FOR

Instruction. It is our duty to worship God, that is, to honour him as the Lord; to praise him as the greatest and best of beings; to pray to him for what we stand in need of; to thank him for what he bestows upon us. This wor ship must be paid both in private and public. Private worship is that which we pay by ourselves'; public worship is that in which we join with a congregation of people at church.

Questions-What is meant by worshipping God? [Ails. Honouring him as the Lord.] If we consider God as the greatest and best of beings, what shall we be ready to do? [Ans. To praise him.] If we consider that all things come from God, and that we stand in constant need of his gifts, what shall we be ready to do? [Ans. To pray to him.1 When we consider the many good things God has bestowed upon us, and the care he takes of us, what shall we be ready to do? [Ans. To thank him.] Where must we worship Ged? Ans. In private and in public.] What is private worship? [Ans. Worshippiing God by ourselves.] What is public worship? [Ans. Worshipping God with other people. at church.]

Instruction.-In order to worship God in private, we should retire by ourselves, and kneeling down upon our knees, we should put all worldly thoughts out of our heads, and addressing ourselves to God, we should praise him, pray to him, and thank him. Few people are capable of addressing God properly in their own words, therefore our Lord Jesus Christ taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer, which is in the Scriptures; and there are many good prayers which have been written by learned and pious persons, so that no one need be at a loss for words to make rse of in worshipping God; but in order to make these prayers our own, our hearts must go along with our lips when we use them. We should worship God in private, morning and evening at the least. ta

Questions-What must we do when we would worship God in private? [Ans. Retire by ourselves.] In what posture should we worship God? Ans. Kneeling J What should we put out of our heads? [As. All wordly thoughts.] To whom then should we lift our hearts (Ans. To God.] How often at the least should we worship God in private? [Ans. Morning and evening.] Should we fail to praise God