their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

T. Christ's soul may have held communion with these spirits in prison or safe-keeping; or the words in the Epistle may mean, that by the same Spirit it was that God preached to the disobedient in the days of Noah. How were the righteous then saved?

S. By water.

T. Are we saved by the like figure?

S. Yes, in baptism.

T. How must we distinguish between the outward sign and inward grace?

S. We are saved, not by the washing of the flesh, but by the renewing and cleansing Spirit.

T. What proofs have we still of God's long-suffering? S. We are still alive, and have time to repent and amend our lives; and He still preaches to us by His holy Gospel.

T. Who are made subject to Christ?

S. "Angels, and authorities, and all powers."

T. How must we pray for submission to His will?
S. "Thy will be done in earth as in heaven."

The Gospel. St. Matt. xxvii. 57.

WHEN the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there

was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command, therefore, that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as you can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

T. (It was not lawful for criminals to hang all night on the tree. Deut. xxi. 23.) What was this evening? S. The preparation, i. e. the day before the Sabbath. Mark, xv. 42.

T. Who was Joseph of Arimathæa?

S. A rich man, "an honourable counsellor" (Mark, xv. 43); "he was a good man and a just (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them); who also waited for the kingdom of God" (Luke, xxiii. 50); "being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews" (John, xix. 38).

T. What did Pilate do on his application?

S. He took care to ascertain if Jesus was indeed dead, thereby adding his witness to the truth of our Lord's resurrection.

T. Who came with Joseph to take the body of Jesus? S. Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night. John, xix. 39.

T. What do we notice in these two?

S. They who were formerly timid disciples were now the boldest; we read that Joseph "went in boldly unto Pilate." Mark, xv. 43.

T. What preparations did they make according to the custom of the Jews?

S. They brought myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pounds weight, and fine linen (John, xix. 39); and the women returned and prepared spices and ointments." Luke, xxiii. 56.

T. How was the prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled, liii. 8, "He made His grave with the rich ?"

S. They laid Him in Joseph's own new tomb: hewn out of the rock, "wherein was never man yet laid." John, xix. 41.

T. How did the disciples secure the sepulchre ?

S. They rolled a great stone to the door of it.

T. What was the fear of Christ's enemies?

S. That the disciples should come and steal Him by night.

T. What did this caution effect?

S. It proved more fully the truth of Christ's resurrection; His enemies even were His witnesses.

T. How may we profit by the example of the women who sat over against the sepulchre ?

S. By watching this day by His grave, and contemplating the fulfilment of prophecy.

EASTER DAY.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who through thine Only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened

unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee, that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

T. What do we commemorate this day?

S. Our Saviour's resurrection.

T. ("Christ is risen," was the salutation of the early Christians to each other on this day.) How did Jes Christ overcome death?

S. By rising again the third day, showing thereby tha it was not possible that death could hold Him.

T. Was not this prophesied even from the beginning? S. Yes, as our Saviour Himself declared unto His disciples after His resurrection. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? i.e. was it not so foretold in the Scripture? Among the things He then declared to them, doubtless the Resurrection was the chief. Luke, xxiv. 26.

T. Give the prophetic words of David, which St. Paul referred to our Saviour. Acts, ii. 27.

S. "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption." Ps. xvi. 10 T. What has this victory procured for us?

S. It has opened unto us the gate of everlasting life. "When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Ephes. iv. 8.

T. What was our Saviour's promise to His disciples? John, xiv. 3.

S. "I go to prepare a place for you; that where I am, there ye may be also."

T. How have we "good desires ?"

S. By God's special grace.

T. Where must we look for special grace in time of need?

S. To God's word and prayer, diligently doing all things which He has commanded.

T. How may this holy season be a means of grace to us ?

S. If it lead us to remember Christ's resurrection, not only with good desires, but by bringing the same to good effect.

T. Whose work are we taught to consider this? Phil, ii. 13; 2 Cor. ix. 8.

S. "It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure;" and "God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." T. May we receive this grace once for all?

S. No; we need " continual help."

T. What is our comfort in this ceaseless struggle to abound in the work of the Lord? 1 Cor. xv. 58.

8. "That our labour is not in vain in the Lord."

The Epistle. Coloss. iii. 1.

IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth: for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetous