Q. But water cannot do this of itself?

A. No, it is an outward and visible sign of the Spirit of God.

Q. What did that brazen sea signify, which contained water for the purification of those who washed in the temple?

A. It shewed that baptism fhould be carried out from Judea to the four quarters of the world, that all nations might be baptised.

Q. What is the duty of those whom God hath washed from sin?

A. To keep themselves pure and unspotted. Q. What would the swine do if it were washed?

A. It would turn again to wallow in the mire.

THE TEXTS.

Psal. li. 7. Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

2 Kings v. 10. Wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again unto thee, and

thou shalt be clean.

1 Tim. v. 22. Keep thyself pure.

Jude 23. Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

LESSON

LESSON XI.

GOD AND THE JUDGE.

He

THE eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. There is no secret place in which the sinner can hide himself; for God, who is present every where, seeth in the dark as well as in the light. heareth us when we do not speak; because he heareth our thoughts. As the light of the sun reaches to the ends of the world, and to the bottom of the sea; so doth the presence of God reach to all places and all times, though we see him not. If his power were not constantly upon us, we should be nothing; for in him we live and move, and have our being.

The judge who punisheth sins in a court of justice, receiveth his information from others, and can know only that which the witnesses tell him. But God is both judge and witness, and knoweth all things. When the judge hath condemned a man, and he is put to death, he hath no more that he can do: but the power of God reaches beyond the grave; for he can destroy

destroy both the soul and body in hell. His hand shall find out those whom the grave hath hidden from our sight, and they shall be brought forth and placed before his judgmentseat, to be judged for their past lives. Thefts, murders, and other sins, which were committed in the dark, and were hidden from men so long as the offenders lived, shall then be all discovered and made known. Withthe fear of this, the guilty shall tremble when they rise from their graves: then shall they call out upon the mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of their Judge.

That I may not be afraid to meet my God in that great day, let me now set him before me in all my thoughts, words, and actions. Let me live every day as in his sight; then will he be my friend to save me, and my father to reward me, not my Judge to condemn and punish me. It is his will, that all should repent and be saved. The fire of hell was not made for me; it was made for the devil and his angels. If I come there at last, it will be my own fault, for God hath sent his Son to seek me, and deliver me from the wrath to

come.

VOL. XI.

D

THE

THE QUESTIONS.

Q. Is God every where present?
A. His eyes are in every place.

Q. How can the presence of God extend to every place?

A. As the light which issues from the sun penetrates all things, and goeth out to the ends of the world.

Q. What would the soul of man be without God?

A. As his body would be without the sun,, lifeless and motionless: for God is necessary to our being.

Q. How doth the power of God extend to sinners after this life?

A. He can destroy the soul as well as the body.

Q. What is the grave to wicked men? A. A prison from which they shall be dragged to be condemned at the last day.

Q. Who shall bear witness against them? A. God seeth all their actions now; but then, the devil, and their own consciences shall accuse and expose them.

Q. How are we to avoid this dreadful condemnation?

A. By

A. By judging ourselves, and setting the Lord always before us.

Q. For whom is the fire of hell prepared? A. Not for me, but for the devil and his angels.

THE TEXTS.

Psal. cxxxix. 2. Thou art about my path, and about my bed, and spiest out all my ways. ver. 11. The darkness and light to thee are both alike.

Acts xvii. 22. In him we live and move, and have our being.

Psal. xix. 6. There is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Heb. iv. 13. All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him, with whom we have to do.

Luke xii. 5. Fear him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell.

Eccles. xii. 14. God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Matth. xxv. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.