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members of it, a mutual caution not to do harm to each other, and amutual desire of each other's benefit. "If one member suffer, all the other members "should by a compassionate temper suffer with it; "and if one member be honoured, all the rest "should sincerely rejoice with it." Think, then, do you feel in your heart this good disposition, as a mark of being members of Christ? If not, study to form yourselves to it without delay.

2. The second privilege of Baptism is, that by it, we are made the children of God, in a sense and manner in which, by nature, we are not so.

Our blessed Saviour indeed is called in Scripture "the only begotten Son of God." Nor can the highest of creatures claim God for his Father by the same right that he doth. But in a lower sense, God is the Father of angels and men; whom he hath created in their several degrees of likeness to his own image. Adam, our first parent, was the Son of God by a strong resemblance to his heavenly Father in original uprightness. But as this similitude was greatly obscured both in him and in his descendants by the fall, though preserved by the covenant of the promised seed from being utterly effaced; so in time it was almost entirely lost amongst men, by the prevalence of sin; and they became in general" enemies of God, and chil "dren of the Devil."8

But our gracious Maker, pitying us notwithstanding, and treating us like children, even when thus degenerated, hath mercifully appointed a method for adopting us into his family again, after we have cast ourselves out of it; and for restoring and raising us gradually to the same and greater likeness to him, and favour with him, than even our first parents ever enjoyed. Now this inestimable blessing was procured for mankind through the

(6) 1 Cor. xii. 26. (7) Rom. v. 10. Col. i. 21. (8) 1 John ii. 10.

means of Jesus Christ, and we become entitled to it by taking him for our head, and becoming his members, in such manner as you have heard briefly explained. For "to as many as receive him, "to them he gives power to become the sons of "God, even to them that believe in his Name." Being therefore thus united to him, who is in the highest sense the Son of God; and claiming not in our own name, but under him; we are admitted again into such a degree of sonship as we are capable of, and made "the children of God by faith in "Jesus Christ." 1

2

Indeed not only Christians, but the Jews, are called in Scripture" the children of God;" and such they really were; being first, as Christians were afterwards, the "children of the Covenant."3 But still, as theirs was a state of less knowledge, more burdensome precepts and stricter government; the Apostle speaks of them, compared with us, only as servants in his family. "Now I say that the heir, "as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all. Even so we, (speaking of the Jewish Nation,) when we were "children, (unqualified for any great degree of liberty,) were in bondage under the elements of "the world. But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son to redeem them, "that were under the Law. Wherefore we are no

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934 more servants but sons." "Behold then, (as "St. John expresses it,) what manner of love the "Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be "called, (in this distinguished sense,) the Sons of "God;" especially considering the consequences drawn by St. Paul," if children, then heirs; heirs "of God, and joint-heirs with Christ:"6 which is the

(9) John i. 12. (3) Acts iii. 25.

(1) Gal. iii. 96,
(4) Gal. iv. 1, 3, 4, 7.
(6) Rom. viii. 17.

(2) Deut. xiv. 1. (5) 1 John iii. 1.

8. Third and last privilege of Baptism, and completes the value of it, that by entering into the Christian covenant, weare "made in heritors of the "kingdom of heaven;" that is, entitled to perfect and endless happiness in body and soul. Had we continued in the primitive uprightness of our first parents, and never sinned at all, we could have had no claim, but from God's free promise, to any thing more, than that our Being should not be worse to us than not Being. But as we are originally depraved, and have actually sinned, far from having any claim to happiness, we are liable to just punishment forever. And least of all could we have any claim to such happiness, as eternal life and glory. But "blessed be the God and Father of our Lord "Jesus Christ; who of his abundant mercy hath "begotten us again unto a lively hope; to an in"heritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that "fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us.”7

These then are the privileges of the Christian covenant. As for those who have no knowledge of that covenant; the Apostle hath told us indeed, that " as many as have sinned without law, shall perish without law:"8 but he hath told us also, that "when the Gentiles, which have not the law, "do by nature the things contained in the law, "they are a law unto themselves."9 And whether none of them shall attain to any degree of a better life, is no concern of ours; who may well be contented with the assurance, that our own lot will bea happy one beyond comparison, if we please. who hath shown the abundance of his love to us, will undoubtedly show, not only his justice, but his mercy, to all the works of his hands, as far, and in such manner, as is fit. There is, indeed, "none "other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved, but that of Jesus

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(7) 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, (8) Rom. ii. 12. (9) Rom. ii. 14.

"Christ." But, whether they who have not had in this life the means of calling upon it, shall receive any benefit from him, or, if any, what and how; as neither Scripture hath told us, nor reason can tell us, it is presumptuous to determine, and useless to inquire.

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The points, to which we must attend, are those which relate to ourselves; that we give due "thanks "to the Father, who hath made us meet to be par"takers of the inheritance of the Saints in light:" and be duly careful to "walk worthy of God, who "hath called us to his kingdom and glory."3 For we have a right to the privileges of the covenant, only on the supposition and presumption of our performing the obligations of it. Children indeed of believers, who are taken out of the world before they become capable of faith and obedience, we doubt not, are happy. For the general declarations of Holy Writ plainly comprehend their case: and our Saviour hath particularly declared, " that of "such is the kingdom of God."4 But all, who live to maturer years, as, on the one hand, they may entitle themselves, through God's bountiful promise, though not their own merit, to higher degrees of future felicity, in proportion as their service hath been considerable; so on the other, they are entitled to no degree at all, any longer than they practice that holiness, in which they have engaged to live, and "without which no man shall see the "Lord." We shall be acknowledged as children, only whilst we obey our heavenly Father: and "the Baptism, which saveth us, is not the (outward) "putting away the filth of the flesh, but the (inward) answer of a good conscience towards God." Which therefore that we may all of us be able

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(1) Acts iv. 10, 12.

(4) Mark x. 14.

(2) Col. i. 12.
Luke xviii. 16.
(6) 1 Pet. iii. 21.

(3) 1 Thess. ii. 12. (5) Heb. xii. 14.

always to make, may he of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LECTURE III.

Renunciation in Baptism.

AFTER the privileges, to which Baptism gives us a claim, our Catechism proceeds to set forth the duties, to which it binds us: those things" which "our Godfathers and Godmothers promised and "vowed in our names." For, without the performance of these conditions, neither hath God engaged, nor is it consistent with the holiness of his nature and the honour of his government, to bestow such benefits upon us; nor, indeed, shall we be capable of receiving them. For a virtuous and religious temper and behaviour here is absolutely requisite, not only to entitle, but to qualify and prepare us for a virtuous and religious blessedness hereafter, such as that of heaven is.

Now, these conditions or obligations on our part, are three that we renounce what God forbids; that we believe what he teaches, and do what he commands; or, in other words, repentance, faith, and obedience. These things are plainly necessary; and they are plainly all that is necessary: for, as through the grace of God, we have them in our power; so we have nothing more. And, therefore, they have been constantly, and without any material variation, expressed in Baptism from the earliest ages of the Church to the present.

The first thing, and the only one which can be explained at this time, is, that we renounce what God forbids, every sin of every kind. And this

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