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was hungry, drank when He was thirsty, and slept when He was weary; but He also shed tears when He was sorrowful, and rejoiced when He was made glad. Yet, all the while He was GOD, and He ever will continue, true GOD and true Man, One with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, as to His Godhead, and also one with us as to His Human Nature.

THE ATONEMENT.

BY the word " ATONEMENT," we mean that blessed peace which JESUS CHRIST (Who is Himself both GOD and Man) has made between us and His Father through the Blood which He shed upon the Cross. All we, have sinned, in thought, in word, and in deed; and without the shedding of Blood there could have been no forgiveness, no escape from Hell, and no admission to Heaven. But the Blood of JESUS (because He is God as well as Man) can make atonement for us, and can cleanse our souls from all sin. That Blood He shed from His Hands and Feet and Side when He was crucified. Therefore we can be forgiven ONLY through JESUS CHRIST our GOD and SAVIOUR, who died for us upon the Cross that we might not die eternally.

He was condemned by Pontius Pilate, though He was innocent, that we might be forgiven though we are guilty.

He bore the heavy burden of the Cross on His shoulder that we might be delivered from the burden of our many sins.

He was crucified between two thieves, that we might have our portion among Saints and Angels.

He wore a Crown of thorns, that we might wear a Crown of glory. He died a death of suffering and shame on the Cross, that we might live a life of joy and glory with Him in Heaven.

Thus, when He had overcome the sharpness of death,

He opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers; and having risen from the dead, and having ascended into Heaven, He ever lives to make intercession for us as our Great High Priest within the veil. Thus we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous, and He is the Propitiation for our sins.

THE CHURCH, &c.

ALL persons who have been rightly baptized, whether in infancy or in later years, have been thereby made members of CHRIST'S One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. But unless a person knows that he has been duly baptized with water, in the Name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST, he has no right to claim membership in CHRIST's Church, which is the Kingdom of GOD on earth. For CHRIST Himself has declared, "Except a man be born of water and of the SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of GOD" (St. John iii. 5). This new birth into the Church of CHRIST, which is the Kingdom of GOD, is called Regeneration. Great is the privilege thus confered upon us. Yet even Regeneration is not enough. We must not rest content with having been born again of water and of the HOLY GHOST. We must, through that same HOLY SPIRIT, go on to know the LORD JESUS. Our hearts which, in spite of the Grace of Baptism, are still inclined to evil, must be changed and sanctified. We must seek from JESUS the pardon of all our sins, and pray that we may be made like unto Him through that HOLY SPIRIT Whose constant help He has promised to them who ask.

Alas, that there should be so many baptized members of CHRIST'S Church who are not true to their LORD, and who show no tokens of their new birth. Each baptized Christian, in such a case, should cry out with the Prodigal, “FATHER, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son." And

he should say with the Psalmist, "Make me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy HOLY SPIRIT from me."

THE SACRED MINISTRY.

THERE are three kinds of Ministers in the Church of CHRIST Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. No person can be a Bishop, a Priest, or a Deacon, unless he has been ordained as such, by one possessed of Apostolic Authority, —that is, by a Bishop, whose power to ordain or consecrate has been handed down to him from the Blessed Apostles of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

Bishops can consecrate other men to be Bishops after them; they can also ordain Priests and Deacons ; and they can administer Confirmation.

Priests can baptize; they can bless; they can pronounce Absolution in the Name, and by the authority of JESUS CHRIST; they can consecrate the Holy Sacrament of His Body and Blood, and offer the Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist.

Deacons are ordained to serve under the Priests, and to baptize in cases of necessity. We know from Holy Scripture that Baptisms administered by Deacons are valid and sufficient.

HOLY BAPTISM.

BAPTISM is the Sacrament by means of which persons are born again, "of water and of the Spirit," into the Church of CHRIST, which is the Kingdom of GOD.

No baptism is of any use unless it be administered according to the Holy Institution of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and with water, in the Name of the FATHER,. and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST.

Little children should be baptized, because the LORD JESUS, Who said, "Suffer the little children to come

unto Me, and forbid them not," is able and willing to receive them into His Church, even before they can choose between good and evil.

And grown persons who were not baptized in infancy should seek to be baptized as a matter of necessity. Those also with regard to whose Baptism there is a doubt, or who are uncertain about their Baptism, should be baptized conditionally.*

CONFIRMATION.

CONFIRMATION is the Laying on of Hands with prayer for the HOLY GHOST.

The first Confirmation recorded in Holy Scripture took place at Samaria, and was administered by the Apostles Peter and John, who "laid their hands" on the newly baptized Samaritans, that they might "receive the HOLY GHOST" (Acts viii. 5-17).

The Apostles were the first Bishops of CHRIST's Church; and their successors, the Bishops of the present day, administer Confirmation in the same manner as they did.

All who have been baptized, and who feel their own spiritual weakness, should seek, through this Holy Ordinance, the confirming or strengthening grace of the HOLY SPIRIT, without Whose Divine Help they can never overcome the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, or run the race that is set before them, looking unto JESUS.

THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

THE Holy Eucharist is both a Sacrifice and a Feast. It is (as we call it in the Altar Service) "our Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving," which the Church offers up continually to God the FATHER, in remembrance of the Death of His Dear SON JESUS CHRIST upon the Cross. When

* See Pages 24 and 32.

the Holy Eucharist is thus offered up, the Priest (in the name of the whole Congregation) pleads earnestly that he, and they, and all the whole Church of GOD, may obtain the remission of their sins, and all other benefits of CHRIST's Passion. Thus the Christian Sacrifice effectually commemorates and pleads that Precious Death, which the Jewish Burnt Offerings only feebly and imperfectly foreshadowed.

But the Holy Eucharist is also a Feast, "that Sacred Feast which JESUS makes, rich Banquet of His Flesh and Blood." For, as we have been taught, "the Body and Blood of CHRIST are verily and indeed taken and received by the Faithful," in His Holy Supper.

This is a great mystery, past man's understanding. Yet we believe and worship where we cannot comprehend or explain. For we know that with GOD all things are possible, and that JESUS has said, "Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you" (St. John vi. 53). Let us therefore be very thankful that He is graciously pleased to give us His Blessed Body and Precious Blood under the forms of Bread and Wine, in His Blessed Sacrament.

DEATH.

DEATH takes place at the awful moment when the soul of man departs from his body. After death our bodies decay and turn to dust, but our souls return to GOD Who gave them.

The disembodied spirits both of the good and of the evil remain waiting till the great Day of Judgment. Some, like the soul of the Penitent Thief, go to Paradise; and some, like the soul of the Rich Man in the Parable, go into a state of spiritual torment in Hades.

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