+I. Acquired by a spiritual union with Christ.+--"Baptised into
Christ."
+II. Is a complete investiture with Christ.+--"Have put on Christ."
+III. Is a union with Christ that absorbs all conventional
distinctions+ (ver. 28).
Ver. 27. _Profession without Hypocrisy._--Hypocrisy is professing
without practising. Men profess without feeling and doing or are
hypocrites in nothing so much as in their prayers. Let a man set his
heart upon learning to pray and strive to learn, and no failures he
may continue to make in his manner of praying are sufficient to cast
him from God's favour. Let him but be in earnest, striving to master
his thoughts and to be serious, and all the guilt of his incidental
failings will be washed away in his Lord's blood. We profess to be
saints, to be guided by the highest principles, and to be ruled by
the Spirit of God. We have long ago promised to believe and obey. It
is true we cannot do these things aright--nay, even with God's help
we fall short of duty. Nevertheless, we must not cease to profess.
There is nothing so distressing to a true Christian as to have to
prove himself such to others, both as being conscious of his own
numberless failings and from his dislike of display. Christ has
anticipated the difficulties of his modesty. He does not allow such a
one to speak for himself; He speaks for him. Let us endeavour to
enter more and more fully into the meaning of our own prayers and
professions; let us humble ourselves for the very little we do and
the poor advance we make; let us avoid unnecessary display of
religion. Thus we shall, through God's grace, form within us the
glorious mind of Christ.--_Newman._
_Teachings of Baptism_--
I. +Our baptism must put us in mind that we are admitted and received
into the family of God.+
II. +Our baptism in the name of the Trinity must teach us to know and
acknowledge God aright.+
III. +Our baptism must be unto us a storehouse of comfort in time of
need.+
IV. +Baptism is a putting on of Christ.+--Alluding to the custom of
those who were baptised in the apostle's days putting off their
garments when they were baptised, and putting on new garments after
baptism. 1. In that we are to put on Christ we are reminded of our
moral nakedness. 2. To have a special care of the trimming and
garnishing of our souls. 3. Though we be clothed with Christ in
baptism, we must further desire to be clothed upon--clad with
immortality.--_Perkins._