Grade IV. PRAYER BOOK. Church Catechism. Second Year. Third Quarter. LESSON IX. What is thy duty towards thy neighbour? (Ans. continued.) Not to covet nor desire other men's goods; but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living, and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me. Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What is covetousness ?-It is a wicked wish to have what is not mine. How does our Lord represent the Father and himself to us?-He says, “My For what did Jesus work?-For the glory of the Father in the salvation of man. John ix. 4. 5. What is the general lot of mankind in this world ?-To earn their bread by labour. Gen. iii. 19. Did St. Paul work for his own support ?-Yes. 1 Cor. iv. 12; Acts xviii. 3. Is work a Christian duty ?-Yes; Christians must work for their own living and for the assistance of others. 2 Thess. iii. 10; Eph. iv. 28. How are they to regard their position in life?-With contentment. Luke iii. 14; 1 Tim. vi. 6, 8. LESSON X. My good child, etc.-Ans. Our Father, etc. Explanatory Questions and Exercises. Why is this prayer called the Lord's Prayer?-Because our Lord himself taught it to his disciples. Matt. vi. 9. Why did our Lord teach it to them ?-St. John had given his disciples a form of prayer, and the disciples of Jesus said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." Luke xi. 1. Are forms of prayer and praise of very ancient date?—Yes; we read of the Song which Moses and the Israelites sang on their deliverance from Egypt, Ex. xv. 1; and the Song of Deborah, Judges v. 1; the Psalms of David also are forms both of prayer and praise. This is the case too with the hymns now used in public worship. Is the Lord's Prayer often used in church ?—Yes; it is used in every separate service, because our Lord tells us to do so when we pray. Luke xi. 2. Into how many petitions is it divided ?—It is divided into six petitions, three of which refer to the glory of God and three to the needs of man. Has it always been in use ?--Yes; in all ages and in all countries. Is it a form on which all our prayers should be moulded ?—It is, because our Lord said, "After this manner therefore pray ye." Matt. vi. 9. Is often using the same words using a vain repetition ?---No; for if we use a prayer but once in our lives, and do not pray with the spirit and with the understanding also that is a vain repetition; while we may repeat the same words again and again in most earnest supplication, as our Lord himself did. Matt. xxvi. 44. Grade IV. PRAYER Book. Explan. Questions. Second Year. Third Quarter. LESSON XI. THE LORD'S PRAYER.-"Our Father, which art in heaven." Explanatory Questions and Exercises. Why do we call God Father?-Because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. iii. 14; and our Father in him, John xx. 17. Why do we pray to him as Father ?-Because we reverence him as his children, Mal. i. 6; and we believe he will have pity on us as his children, Ps. ciii. 13. Where is God ?-God is everywhere. Then why do you pray to him in heaven?-Because heaven is God's throne, and we there seek for heavenly favours. Ps. xi. 4. Is there any other reason ?-Yes; when we pray we should always raise our thoughts above the things of earth. Col. iii. 2. LESSON XII. The Church Catechism to be repeated word for word. Q. What is thy duty towards God? Q. What is thy duty towards thy neighbour? Catechist. My good child, etc., let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lord's Prayer? Q. What desirest thou of God in this prayer? (For answers see page 4.) Grade IV. PRAYER BOOK. Church Catechism. Second Year. Fourth Quarter. LESSON I THE LORD'S PRAYER.-" Hallowed be Thy Name. Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What do we understand by the "Name" of God?-First, we understand God himself, 1 Kings v. 5; Second, his Titles, Ex. vi. 3; iii. 14; and Third, his properties or attributes, Ex. xxxiv. 5, 6. Why is this petition placed first ?-Because we are now addressing God by the name which most endears him to his children, and yet we must never forget that he is the great and glorious God as well as "Our Father." Ex. xv. 11. What feeling, as well as love, is becoming in us towards this Holy Name?— Reverential, filial fear. Psa. lxi. 5. LESSON II. THE LORD'S PRAYER.-"Thy Kingdom come." Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What do we understand by "Thy Kingdom" ?-We understand by this the kingdom of Grace here on earth. What do we desire when we use this petition ?-We pray that God will rule in our hearts, and in the hearts of all who profess and call themselves Christians; and further that he will extend his dominion throughout the world. What is this kingdom called ?-Our Lord called it the kingdom of God. Matt. vi. 33; and the kingdom of heaven, Matt. xiii. 31; and St. Paul called it "the kingdom of God's dear Son." Col. i. 13. What is our duty as loyal citizens of this kingdom ?—While living as Christians here, Eph. iv. 1-3, we must set our affections on the Kingdom of God's Glory. Col. iii. 2. LESSON III. THE LORD'S PRAYER.-"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Explanatory Questions and Exercises. How does God make known his will ?-By the Bible and by conscience. Do the inferior creatures observe God's will ?—Yes; according to their several natures. Psa. cxlviii. 8-10. What is included in this prayer ?-There is included in it a strong desire that our natural aversion to do God's will may be overcome and removed, Rom. vii. 23; Jer. xvii. 9; Psa. cxix. 36; and a delight to do it created in us. Psa. 'cxix. 35, 92. What is the special point of this petition ?-It is a prayer that God himself may work his own holy will here on earth, as he does in heaven; and that all on earth may seek to do his will here as perfectly as it is done in heaven by the angels. Psa. ciii. 20. Grade IV. PRAYER BOOK. Explan. Questions. Second Year. Fourth Quarter. LESSON IV. THE LORD'S PRAYER.-"Give us this day our daily bread." Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What do we mean by our daily bread ?—All things that are needed by us in our several conditions. Psa. xxx. 8. Why must we pray daily ?-Because we are always dependent on God, Acts xvii. 28; and what we receive from him is his free gift. Jas. i. 17. If we have enough for all our needs, must we still pray daily for daily bread ?— Yes; for it is God's, Deut. x. 14; Psa. cxlv. 15; and he can take it from us. How does God take it from us?-He withholds his blessing from the use of food so that it will not support us, Hag. i. 6; or he takes us from it, Luke xii. 20; or he withdraws rain and sunshine, and the earth will not yield her increase, Lev. xxvi. 20. Is not this a petition for the soul as well as for the body?—Yes. Did God ever threaten to send a spiritual famine ?-He did so by one of his prophets. Amus viii. 11. THE LORD'S PRAYER. LESSON V. -"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” Explanatory Questions and Exercises. How is forgiveness of sins described in Holy Scripture ?-It is called Remission, Acts x. 43. Not remembering them, Jer. xxxi. 34. Blotting them out, Isa. xliii. 25. Not imputing them, Rom. iv. 8. What conditions does our Lord require from us if we would be forgiven ?— That we from our heart should forgive every one his brother their trespasses, Matt. xviii. 35. By what parable did he illustrate this truth ?—The parable of the wicked servant. Matt. xviii. 23-34. Will our sins be forgiven if we forgive others ?-This is one of the conditions on which we may hope for forgiveness and is necessary as a sign of true repentance, but is not of itself a ground of forgiveness. Can man forgive sins ?-Man must forgive sins against himself or he will not be forgiven by God. Matt. vi. 15. But our Lord gave to his apostles special powers in this respect. Matt. xvi. 19; xviii. 18; John xx. 23. LESSON VI. THE LORD'S PRAYER,-" Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What is temptation ?-It is an attempt to induce us to sin, or, it is a trial of our faith? Who tempted Job ?---Satan, but he could only do so with God's permission. Job i. 11; ii. 5. Who tempted or tried Abraham ?-God. Gen. xxii. 1. Can God tempt to evil? No. Jas. i. 13, 14. Is it good for Christians to have their faith tried ?—Yes, for it worketh patience in them, and may lead them on to perfection. Jas. i. 2-4. What does St. Peter say concerning this trial?—St. Peter says it is much more precious than gold. 1 Pet. i. 7. What is the prayer of this petition ?-We here pray that if a temptation comes in our way it may not be beyond our power to bear, but that we may be preserved from the sin to which we are tempted. 1 Cor. x. 13. Was our Lord himself tempted ?-When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, at the commencement of his ministry, he was tempted of the devil. Matt. iv. 1; Heb. iv. 15. Grade IV. PRAYER BOOK. Church Catechism. Second Year. Fourth Quarter. LESSON VII. THE LORD'S PRAYER." For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen." Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What are these words called ?-They are called the Doxology, and are the ending of the Lord's Prayer, as recorded in St. Matthew. What is peculiar about them ?-They are a threefold ascription of praise to God after a threefold prayer for the glory of his Name, and a threefold petition for benefits temporal and spiritual for ourselves. Is there anything worthy of notice in the way in which they are employed in Divine Service ?-Yes. The Prayer without the Doxology, as recorded by St. Luke, is used before other prayers, and the prayer with the Doxology, as recorded by St. Matthew, is used before the Psalms and other acts of praise. LESSON VIII. THE LORD'S PRAYER.-What desirest thou of God in this Prayer ?-Ans. I desire my Lord God, our Heavenly Father, who is the Giver of all goodness, to send his grace unto me and to all people; that we may worship him, serve him, and obey him as we ought to do. Explanatory Questions and Exercises. What is it to desire ?-It is to seek and pray for earnestly. To whom are we bound to pray ?-To God our Heavenly Father. Is he willing to hear us ?-Even as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Psa. ciii. 13. Is he able to give us all we need?—He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. Eph. iii. 20. What is God here called ?—The Giver of all goodness, which means that all good things come from him as the fountain of all goodness. Jas. i. 17. What is grace ?-Grace is the free favour of God which worketh in his children both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. ii. 13. For what do we seek the grace of God in the Lord's Prayer ?-We seek it to enable us to worship God as his creatures, to serve him as his redeemed people, and to obey him as his faithful and loving children. LESSON IX. THE LORD'S PRAYER.-What desirest thou of God in this prayer?—(Ans. cont.) And I pray unto God that he will send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies, and that he will be merciful unto us and forgive us our sins. Explanatory Questions and Exercises. Does the petition for daily bread refer only to the body ?-No; it refers to the whole man, body and soul. What do we pray for under the term bread?-We ask for all things that our souls and bodies have need of. Matt. iv. 4; John vi. 48. What is the distinction between the life of the body and the life of the soul ?— The life of the body is here only temporal, and will hereafter be eternal. The life of the soul is eternal. Should we be anxious about the things of this life ?-Wo are to take no thought, that is, no anxious thought, about them. Matt. vi. 25; x. 28. What ought we to be anxious about in respect to our bodies ?-We should be fearful lest we defile the body which is the temple of God. 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. What do we daily need in order that soul and body may be kept pure and holy? -The forgiveness of daily sins and imperfections. |