telling them that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was not the God of the dead, but of the living The verses you have been learning proceed to say that after the Pharisees had heard that the Sadducees had been put to silence, they sent one of their own party to question Him: in the hope of His saying something, whereby they might accuse and bring Him to punishment.

Questions.

After your Saviour had proved to the Sadducees that there would be a resurrection, and a great change in our bodies and state of existence, what did He tell them? That God was not the God of the dead, but of the living. When the Pharisees had heard that the Sadducees had been put to silence, what did they then do? They sent one of their own party to question Him. What was their hope and expectation in doing so? That He might be tempted so say something, whereof they might accuse, and then punish Him.

Teacher.

Many of the Pharisees believed, or pretended to believe, that if they kept any one commandment they might break others. Your Saviour goes to the foundation of all steadfast obedience, the love of God. If you love Him in heart, and soul, and mind, it will be your delight to keep His

commandments, and not one commandment, but all. You will love the commandment, because it is given by God.

Questions.

What did many of these Pharisees believe, or pretend to believe? That if they kept one commandment, they might break others. In what does your Saviour lay the foundation of all obedience? The love of God. If you love Him in heart, and soul, and mind, in what will be your delight? His commandments. Why will you love any one of His commandments? Because it has been given by Him.

Teacher.

If you worship Him in spirit and in truth you will never abuse His holy name, by profaneness. You will observe and love His Sabbath, not only because He has ordered you to do so, but because you can attend His public worship, and after that is over, have leisure to improve your knowledge of the Scriptures, and of your duties to your fellow

creatures.

Questions.

If you worship Him in spirit and in truth, what will you never abuse? His holy name by profaneness. Why will you love and observe His Sabbath? Because He has ordered us to do so.

And for what other reason? Because after attending public worship, I can have time to improve my knowledge in the Scriptures, and of my duties towards my fellow creatures.

Teacher.

The performance of these duties as naturally springs from the sincere love of God, as does good fruit from a good tree. You cannot love Him and injure any one by stealing;-you cannot love the God of truth, and deceive by lying (which is the same as bearing false witness);-you cannot love God truly, and be finding fault with what He has given you, and coveting what He hath bestowed upon others. The love of God therefore is the first and great commandment; and the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.

ST. MATTHEW ix 1, 2, 3, 4.

"Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city. And behold, they brought unto Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed. And Jesus seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee. And behold, certain of the Scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts."

Teacher.

The lake your Saviour passed over was the lake of Galilee, and the city He came into, was Nazareth. His fellow citizens brought unto Him a man sick of the palsy, and so very helpless that they were obliged to carry him on a bed.

Questions.

What was the name of the lake your Saviour passed over? The lake of Galilee. And the name of your Saviour's own city? Nazareth. Who did His fellow citizens bring to Him? A man sick of the palsy.

Teacher.

The divine nature of your Saviour gave him power to know, that those who brought him, as well as the sick man himself, had a firm belief, or faith, that He could restore health and the use of limbs to whomsoever He judged worthy of those blessings. The palsy seems to have been sent by God Almighty, as a judgment upon this man for the sins of his former life; but God gave him grace to make a good use of his affliction. In the course of his sickness he was brought to a sense of his sins, and sincerely repented of them; and by so doing became an object of our Saviour's mercy. Questions.

Did your Saviour by His divine power know

that the poor man had faith to be healed?

Yes.

For what purpose did God Almighty seem to send

this palsy upon the man? sins of his former life. of his affliction ? Yes. a sense of? His sins. Yes. And by so doing, what did he become the object of? Our Saviour's mercy.

As a judgment for the Did he make a good use What was he brought to And repented of them?

Teacher.

It is only from our Saviour having said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee" that we are justified in supposing that the palsy was sent upon the man, as a judgment. Many of the best people that ever lived have been, and still are afflicted with great pains and sickness; therefore it does not become you, or I, to guess why they are afflicted. You are not to judge others, but to pity and relieve their wants and necessities, by every kindness in your power, which may often be done by children as well as by grown up persons.

Questions.

What is the only reason we have for supposing that this man's palsy was sent upon him as a judgment? Because our Saviour said, " Thy sins are forgiven thee." Who have been, and still are, afflicted with great pain and sickness? Some of the best people that ever lived. Knowing so little