What did he take upon him? [Ans. Our nature.] How did he appear upon earth when he had taken our nature? [Ans. As Man.] Who bore witness to Christ as the Son of God? [Ans. John the Baptist.] Who wrote the gospel from which this Lesson is taken? [Ans. St. John the Evangelist. For what purpose was John the Baptist sent to bear witness that He was come who was to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel? 7. [Ans. That all men through him might believe.] Has his testimony come down to us? [Ans. Yes.] What should we do then? [Ans. Believe it.] What did God give those who received the Lord power to become? 12. [Ans. Sons of God.] \

LESSON XII.

Read the whole Lesson.

Instruction.--By the Lamb of God the Baptist meant the Redeemer, who was represented in the Jewish sacrifices by a lamb without blemish; for the Redeemer alone could take away sin, by giving up his life for the Redemption of mankind. All that the Baptist knew of Christ was revealed to him from heaven; for though Mary the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth the mother of John were cousins, John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah till he came to him to be baptized. John the Baptist took every opportunity of bearing testimony to Jesus. His disciples were persons who followed him to hear his doctrine. The word Messiah signifies, Christ, the anointed of God. The word Cephas has the same meaning as Peter; it signifies a stone, or rock. Our Lord gave this appellation to Simon, because he knew he would lay the foundation of his Church, by being the first to preach the gospel after him; and that he would do it with firmness, and suffer nothing to get the better of his constancy. He called Nathanael an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile; because he knew him to be a man of an upright character. Nathanael thought that the Messiah was not to come out of Galilee, because he could not recollect any prophecy which foretold that he would do so; but no sooner did he hear our Lord's discourse, than he gave up his prejudice. The Son of Man was one of the titles given by the prophets to the Messiah, particularly by Daniel.

Questions. What did John say when he saw Jesus coming to him? 29. [Ans. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.] Who did he mean by the Lamb of God?

[Ans. The Redeemer of the world.] What was used in the Jewish sacrifices to represent the Redeemer of the world before the coming of Christ? [Ans. A lamb without blemish.] How was the Redeemer to take away the sins of mankind? [Ans. By laying down his life for them.] Did the Baptist know before, that Jesus was the Messiah? [Ans. No.] What did John know concerning him? [Ans. That he would be made manifest to Israel.] What is being made manifest ? [Ans. Made known.] What other record did John bear? 32.. Ans. That he saw the Spirit of God descending upon him.] How did John know that this was a sign that Christ was the Messiah? 33. [zins. God revealed it to him.] What further record did John bear? 34. [Ans. That Jesus was the Son of God.] To whom did John, the next day, speak of Jesus? 37. [Ans. To two of his own disciples.] What were the names of the first men who followed Jesus? 40. [Ans. Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael.] What did Andrew say to his brother Simon? [Ans. We have found the Messiah.] What is the meaning of the words Messiah and Christ? [Ans. The anointed of God.] What did our Lord say Simon should be called? 42. [Ans. Cephas.] What is the meaning of this word? [Ans. A stone, or rock.] What did our Lord say of Nathanael? 47. [Ans. Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.] What did Nathanael acknowledge our Lord to be? 49. [Ans. The Son of God] What else did Nathanael acknowledge Jesus to be? [Ans. The king of Israel.] What did our Lord tell Nathanael he should see hereafter? 51. [Ans. The Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.] Who besides Nathanael will see this? [Ans. All mankind.] Who did our Lord mean by the Son of Man? [Ans. The Messiah.] Which of the prophets calls the Messiah the Son of Man? [Ans. Daniel.]

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Instruction. The disciples of John believed Jesus to be the Lamb of God, because the Baptist declared that it had been revealed to him from heaven that he was so. The testimony of John is come down to us, and we should follow the example of his disciples in believing it. Our Lord commended Nathanael for the sincerity of his heart. This should make us desirous of being like him. These good men, to whom our Lord was first made known as the Messiah, willingly acknowledged him as such; and our Saviour was pleased with them: He will be pleased with us if we do the same.

Questions. In what particular should we follow the example of John's two disciples? [Ans. In believing Jesus to be the Christ.] For what did our Lord commend Nathanael? [Ans. For the sincerity of his heart.] What should this make us desirous of? [Ans. Of being like Nathanael.] Was our Lord pleased with those who owned him to be the Messiah? [Ans. Yes.] Have not we reason to think he will be pleased with us for doing the same? [Ans. Yes.]

LESSON XIII.

Read the whole Lesson.

Instruction.-Synagogues were places of public worship among the Jews, like our churches, only that the service was Jewish instead of Christian. In order to prove himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God, our Lord wrought many miracles; the first of them was that which is recorded in this Lesson and it was such as proved him to be, according to his divine nature, the Word, by whom all things were made. Our Lord's words to his mother, Woman, what have I to do with thee? signified that she was not to direct him when to perform miracles. The wine was a liberal gift to the newmarried couple.

Questions-Where did our Lord return to after he left John the Baptist? [Ans. Into Galilee.] What did he do there? [Ans. He taught in their synagogues.] What were synagogues? Ans. Places of public worship among the Jews] How was our Lord received in Galilee? [ns. He was glorified of all.] What did our Lord do to prove himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God? [Ans. He wrought miracles ] What was the first miracle he wrought? 1. Ans. He turned water into wine.] Where did he perform it? [Ans. At a marriage-feast in Cana of Galilee.] Who alone can change the nature of any thing? Ans. The Creator.] What did our Saviour prove himself to be, by turning water into wine? [ns. The Word, by whom God inade all things.] What did our Lord say to his mother when she told him there was no wine? 3. Ans. Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.] What did this mean? [Ans. That she was not to direct him when to perform miracles.] Does not this prove that it is very wrong to worship the Virgin Mary? [Ans. Yes.]

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Instruction.-From our Lord's going to a marriage-feast, we may learn that Christians may, on proper occasions, indulge

in innocent cheerfulness. We find that, in the beginning of his ministry, our Saviour was glorified of all; and when we read an account of his wonderful works, we should glorify him in our hearts.

Questions-What do you believe our Saviour to be, from changing water into wine? [Ans. The Son of God.] What should you do in your heart? [Ans. Glorify him.]

LESSON XIV.

Read the whole Lesson.

Instruction.--There were seven readers in each synagogue on the sabbath day, one a priest, another a Levite, the rest Israelites of that congregation. Our Lord, taking the office of one of these readers, read the Lesson for the day, which was part of the 61st chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah. When our Lord had read it, he sat down, as the custom was, to expound it, and applied it to himself; which was, in fact, proclaiming himself to be the Messiah. But his countrymen would not receive him as such, because they supposed him to be like themselves, a mere man, though he had given proofs, by miracles, an account of which must have reached Nazareth, `that he was possessed of divine power. What our Lord said concerning the widow of Sarepta, and Naaman the Syrian, signified that these strangers were preferred to the Israelites, because they had more faith in the power of the Lord than the Israelites had. The prediction alluded to, verse 15, is in the 9th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah; it signified that the Messiah should dwell among the people of Zebulon and Naphtali, and instruct them himself in the truths of the Gospel. Our Lord preached the doctrine of repentance, and gave notice that the kingdom of heaven was about to be established, as John the Baptist had done before him.

Questions-What portion of Scripture did our Lord read in the synagogue? 16. [Ans. Part of the prophecy of Isaiah.] What did our Lord say when he sat down to expound this portion of Scripture? 18. [Ans. This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.] In whom was it fulfilled? [Ans. In Christ.] Was the Spirit of the Lord upon him? [Ans. Yes.] When was he anointed with the Holy Spirit? [Ans. After he was baptized.] Did the people of Nazareth acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah? [Ans. No.] Why not? 21. [Ans. Because they thought him the son of Joseph.] Where do we read of Elijah and the widow of Sarepta, or, as the name is in

the Bible, Zarephath? [Ans. 1st Book of Kings, chap. xvii.] Why were the widow of Sarepta, and Naaman the Syrian, in the days of Elijah and Elisha, preferred to the distressed widows and lepers of Israel? [Ans. Because they had more faith in the power of the Lord.] How did the widow of Sarepta shew her faith in the Lord? [Ans. By making a cake for Elijah when she had only a little meal and oil left.] How did the Lord reward her? [Ans. By multiplying her oil and meal.] How did Naaman the Syrian shew his faith? [Ans. By washing in the river Jordan.] How was his faith rewarded? [Ans. He was cured of his leprosy.] Where do we read about Naaman the Syrian? [Ans. 2d Book of Kings, chap. v.] Were not the people of Nazareth very angry at our Lord's intimating that he should prefer strangers to such of his own countrymen as had no faith in him? [Ans. Yes.] What did they try to do? [Ans. To kill him.] Where did he go to live after this? [Ans. In Capernaum.] What did he fulfil by doing so? [Ans. A prophecy of Isaiah.] What was meant, verse 16, by the words darkness, and the shadow of death? [Ans. Ignorance of the truth.] What was meant by light? [Ans. The knowledge of the Gospel.] What did our Lord say when he began to preach? [Ans. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.] 17. Who preached this doctrine before him? [Ans. John the Baptist.]

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Instruction.--We should learn, from this portion of Scripture, to pay due honour to our Saviour. The way to honour our Saviour, is to believe him to be the Messiah, the Son of God: to be willing to learn his doctrine, and thankful to him for the Gospel.

Questions--What should we learn from this Lesson? [Ans. To pay due honour to our Saviour.] Suppose we were to dishonour him as the people of Nazareth did, what might we expect? [Ans. That he would withdraw his grace from us.]

LESSON XV.

Read to the end of verse 44.

Instruction.---Before the coming of Christ, the devil and his angels had greater power than they have had since; they used then to enter into the bodies of people, and torment them in a dreadful manner; but the Son of God had power to cast them out: and we find, by this Lesson, that the devils knew Jesus to be the Messiah, and were sensible that they