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Rh and a false self abasement, they should not hold to the Head, (v. 18). But does he depreciate their baptismal privileges? or, because they were tempted to lean on circumcision, does he disparage outward ordinances? or dread that the exaltation of the ordinance should lead to a depreciation of ? Rather, he shows them how every thing which they sought, or could need, was comprised, and already bestowed upon them in their gift, in His ordinance: that this ordinance was no mere significant rite, but contained within itself the stripping off of the body of sin, death, resurrection, new life, forgiveness, annulment of the hand-writing against us, despoiling of the strong one, triumph over the powers of darkness. We also have been thus circumcised, have been buried, raised, quickened, pardoned, filled with : all this has done for us, and are we not to prize it? not to thank for it, "stablished in the faith which we have been taught, and abounding therein with thanksgiving?" (v. 7.) and are we, for fear men should rest in outward privileges, to make the Sacrament a mere outward gift, deny His bounty, and empty His fulness? or rather ought we not, with the Apostle, to tell men of the greatness of what they have received, and repeat to them His bidding, "since then ye have been raised together with, seek what is above, where sitteth at the right hand of :" ye have died ; slay then your earthly members: ye have laid aside the old man, and have put on the new, and that, in its  image, again restored to you: "put ye on then, as having been chosen and loved of ," the ornaments befitting this new creation in you, mercy, gentleness, and the other graces; ye have been forgiven, forgive. Thus does St. Paul obviate the resting in outward ordinances, by showing namely that the Christian ordinances are not outward; that they are full of life and honor, and immortality, for that they are full of. Is there not danger of our losing our treasures also by a "voluntary humility?" Is