The Epistle. Gal. iv. 1.

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. And because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

T. What is the comparison drawn by St. Paul in this epistle?

S. He compares the state of the world under the bondage of the law to a child under tutors and governors till the time appointed by the father.

T. What does the heir under such control resemble? S. A servant.

T. What was man's first rule of conduct after the fall? S. His natural reason leading him to faith.

T. Did that light preserve him holy to God?

S. No, it became darkened by his sins and disobedience.

T. What was then "added because of transgressions ?" S. The law of Moses, "our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ."

T. What was the state of men under the law?

S. A state of bondage or servitude.

T. Could the law make men perfect?

S. No. "The law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect." Heb.x.1. T. When the weakness of sacrifices was proved, how did Christ offer Himself? Heb. x. 5-7.

S. "Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared me: In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do Thy will, O God." Ps. xl. 6.

T. Did Christ come to destroy the law?

S. No. He says of Himself, Matt. v. 17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets : I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

T. How did His birth of a woman fulfil the law and the prophets?

S. He was born of a woman according to the promise to Eve, Gen. iii. 15. "Of the house of His servant David, as he spake by the mouth of the holy prophets, which have been since the world began." Luke, i. 70. "Of the seed of Abraham, to whom the promises were made."

T. What do we read of His earliest conformity to the law?

S. His circumcision; His parents performing all things according to the law of the Lord. Luke, ii. 39.

T. How did He, finally at His death, bear the curse of the law?

S. "Being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Deut. xxi. 23; Gal. iii. 13.

T. What has the redemption procured for us?
S. The adoption of sons.

T. What gift do we receive as sons?

S. The Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

T. How must the sons of God appear "in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation?" Phil. ii. 15.

S. Blameless and harmless, "shining as lights in the world."

T. What are we finally to remember?

S. If sons, we are heirs of God, through Christ.

T. What should the thought of the blessings we enjoy under the Gospel dispensation work in us?

S. Love and gratitude to God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

T. How can we best show this feeling?

S. "If we glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. vi. 20.

The Gospel. St. Matt. i. 18.

But

THE birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost: And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS; for He shall save His people from their sins. (Now all this was

done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a Virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.) Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son : and he called his name JESUS.

T. What are we still commemorating?

S. The birth of Christ, the festival of Christmas being a festival of eight days.

T. What is here described?

S. The manner of the birth of Jesus Christ.

T. How had this been revealed to the Blessed Virgin ? S. The angel said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." Luke, i. 35.

T. By whom was it prophesied ?

S. By Isaiah, vii. 14: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." T. What is the meaning of Immanuel?

S. God with us.

T. How does St. Paul teach us that it was necessary He should be of the same nature as those He came to save? Rom. viii. 3.

S. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."

T. Did He therefore give up his Divine Nature?

S. No. He united the two, being "God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds: and man of the substance of His mother born in the world. Perfect God and perfect man: of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting." (Athanasian Creed.)

T. How did He differ from man?

S. He was without sin. 1 Peter, ii. 22; 1 John, iii. 5.

T. How were the doubts of Joseph removed?

S. An angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream. T. Of what lineage was Joseph?

S. Of the line of David, of the tribe of Judah.

T. What do we learn of Joseph's character?

S." He was a just man;" that is, merciful, kind. This was shown by his thinking on these things, desiring to save the blessed Virgin from all evil report.

T. What was to be the name of the Holy Child?

S. Jesus; which means Saviour in Hebrew; for He was to save His people from their sins.

T. Who was sometimes called Jesus?

S. Joshua, the son of Nun, who led the children of Israel into the promised land. Stephen, speaking of the tabernacle, says (Acts, vii. 45), " Which also our fathers, that came after, brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David." Joshua, iii. 14.

THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who madest Thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man; Grant us the true Circumcision of the Spirit; that