stroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (ver. 6.) And not only so, but moreover we walk in newness of life." And

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this also is explained in what follows of our living with Christ, living a life in conformity to his, (see ver. 8,) and of our yielding ourselves unto God, and our members as instruments of righteousness. (See ver. 13.)

Thus we see that St. Paul, when he would repel most forcibly and indignantly the practical abuse of the doctrines of grace, founds his argument for the necessity of holiness on this fact, that at the ordinance of baptism we are pledged to live the life of Christ, as well as privileged to profit by his death. Let us think of this, if ever we are tempted to say in our hearts, we may safely continue a little longer in sin, the grace of God being so abundant : let us think of this, that at the same moment, when we were admitted to be partakers of God's grace, we were bound to renounce our sins. Yes; if when we became Christians we were entitled to plead for pardon through the blood of Christ, we were at the same time engaged by the very same sacrament, obliged by the

very same covenant, to follow after holiness, and to glorify Him who redeemed us, by abounding in those fruits of the Spirit which it is his will that we should bring forth abundantly. And this is one chief use of tracing back our hopes and our obligations to our baptism, as we are taught in the Catechism by the Church, and as we are taught in the text by St. Paul; it keeps us in remembrance, that our privileges and our duties are inseparable, and that when we cease to live as we are pledged to do, we lose our claim to the blessings which we are authorized to expect.

Having taken this connected view of the first four questions and answers in the Church Catechism, we shall the more readily see the object of each separately, and may more profitably apply each to our own improvement. Even the first, besides its use in introducing the second, shews, that the mere mention of our Christian name, each time we hear it, or at least often when we are addressed by it, might well suggest to us the thought of the occasion when it was given us. We have all heard of names and titles bestowed on men of

eminence, by reason of signal services rendered, or supposed to be rendered, to their fellow creatures. We cannot doubt that when such an one is spoken to by his new name and honourable title, a pleasing recollection often crosses his mind, of the time, and place, and action, whence his title is derived. Let our Christian names remind us of an occasion, when we were buried with Christ by baptism into death. And let the recollection be often present to our minds, that in that ordinance, without any deed of merit done on our part, God freely gave us the inestimable blessing of being adopted for his sons, born again to newness of life. Oh that this may ever be a pleasing recollection! Oh that it may never assume a form like unto this which follows: I was adopted for a son, but I have rejected the kindness of my heavenly Father; I was born again to holiness, but I have become twice dead in trespasses and sins; I have thrown away my heavenly inheritance; and I stand exposed to the dreadful sentence of those, who "neglect so great salvation!" (Heb. 2. 3.)

The chief use however of the first

And the

question and answer in the Catechism is to lead the way to the second. object of the second is to set forth the great privileges of the Gospel, into which we are admitted by our baptism: "wherein I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven." All these three expressions are of the nature of a figure. That is to say, they speak of things spiritual, by the names of things which we are familiar with, as objects of sense on earth, in order to help us in understanding the things which are seen by the means of those which are invisible. First, "a member of Christ." As a member of the body is to the head, so is a Christian to Christ. Christ is as the head of the body, and we are as the several members, limbs, or parts of it. This is a figure

often used in Scripture. Thus St. Paul writes to the Ephesians, that God gave his Son Jesus Christ, "to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1. 22, 23.) And again, "We are

members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." (Eph. 5. 30.) And the same apostle writes thus to the Corinthians : "Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Cor. 12. 27.)

This second expression, "the child of God," is also a scriptural figure. Out of a multitude of instances, take this one, from the first Epistle of St. John: "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." (1 John 3. 1.) As a son is to a father, so are we to God; not only beholden to Him for existence, but now also entitled, such is our privilege in the Gospel, to look to Him for help, strength, and comfort, for pardon, peace, and joy. "Inheritor of the kingdom of heaven" is another figure taken from Scripture, and closely connected with the last. Hear, for instance, how the apostle connects them in the Epistle to the Romans: “If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." (Rom. 8. 17.) Or again, hear how our Lord Himself encourages us to hope for heaven: "Fear