has brought with it. You cannot commit sin through ignorance of your duty; let me have the pleasure of seeing and hearing, that you endeavour to perform it.

The Sunday after Christmas Day.

From the Epistle, instead of the Gospel.

GALATIANS, IV. 1--5

"Now I say that the heir as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Teacher.

The Jewish law had many rules and ceremonies of outward observance, particularly suited to the situation in which God had placed the nation of the Jews. Their public laws kept them from mixing with the idolatrous and wicked nations around them; and God also gave them moral laws, to rule their lives and conduct towards each other; which are still to be observed by all good people.

Questions.

What had the Jewish law? Many rules and

ceremonies. What were their public and outward laws to keep them from? From mixing with the idolatrous and wicked nations around them. And what other laws did God give them? Moral laws to rule their lives and conduct towards each other. By whom are those laws still to be observed? By all good people.

Teacher.

For

Those laws and rules, God Almighty revealed from time to time to pious and good men. instance to Noah before and after the flood, and then to Abraham. Abraham was born in less than fifty years after the death of Noah, and to him God revealed (or made known) his will more perfectly than he had done before but his great revelation was to Moses from mount Sinai, at which time he gave the ten commandments, and also those particular laws contained in the book of Leviticus; which book relates to the Levites or Priests.

Questions.

Who revealed or made known these laws and rules? God Almighty. Were they revealed all at once, or from time to time? From time to time. After the flood to whom did he first make them known? To Noah, before and after the flood. In how many years was Abraham born,

after the death of Noah? In less than fifty. Did God make known his will to Abraham more perfectly or plainly than he had done before? Yes. But to whom was the great and more par. ticular revelation given at Mount Sinai? To Moses. What commandments did he there give? The ten commandments. Where are the laws relating to the Priests or Levites to be met with? In the book of Leviticus.

Teacher.

These are the laws to which the Jews were in bondage; and the verses you have been learning describe them as Tutors and Governors, to keep alive a knowledge of God in the world, until the fulness of time came, in which God had determined to send his Son Jesus Christ upon earth; to make known to all mankind, and not to the Jews only, the Gospel, or good tidings of life and happiness for ever and ever.

Questions.

To what were the Jews in bondage? To these laws. How do the verses you have been learning describe them? As Tutors and GovernorsWhat were they intended to keep alive? A knowledge of God in the world. Until what time? Until the fulness of time. And who did he then send upon earth? His Son Jesus Christ. What

was the gospel of good tidings he brought? Life and happiness for ever and ever.

Teacher.

Yes, by his birth, sufferings, and death, he has made atonement for all our repented-of sins, and given us an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. Through his merits we receive the adoption of sons. This is the reason why all good christians rejoice at this season. Christianity began at Christmas. Let each of you remember to behave in it as a Christian ought to do.

Questions.

How has Christ made an atonement for all our repented-of sins? By his birth, sufferings, and death. What adoption have we received, through his merits? Of sons. Does not this make all good Christians rejoice? Yes. What began at Christmas? Christianity. In whose birth did it begin? That of Christ. How have I desired that each of you will behave during this festival? As Christians ought to do.

The Circumcision;

Or The Second Sunday after Christmas.

ST. LUKE II. 15, 16.

"And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go

down unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass; which the Lord hath made known unto us." And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger.

Teacher.

We here learn that the first persons to whom our Saviour's birth was made known, were those in a lowly station, and not the rich and great. This among many other circumstances, makes a lowly station respectable; and shews that our Lord's kingdom is not of this world,-that its riches and honours are of no value in his sight.

Questions.

To what description of persons was our Lord's birth first made known; to the rich and great, or to the lowly? To the lowly. Does not this make a lowly station respectable? Yes. And what does it shew respecting our Lord's kingdom? That it is not of this world. Does he value its riches and honours? No.

Teacher.

But a lowly station is only respectable when those who are placed in it are honest and industrious; without this there is no merit in being poor. These shepherds, we have reason to suppose, were good-hearted, and honest men, and ready to obey any directions given to them by God Almighty. Therefore, after they had recovered