If we constantly looked for the coming of Christ, what should we do? We should purify ourselves, "even as He is pure" (1 John iii. 2, 3). How does St. Peter express this? "Seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (2 Peter ìii. 14). § 2. Christ our Judge. For what purpose will Christ come again? Who are the quick? Those whom He will find alive when He comes. What will happen to the quick? They will be "changed" (1 Cor. xv. 51, 52). What will happen to the dead? They shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, "and shall come forth" (John v. 28, 29). Whom will Christ judge? All men. "Before Him will be gathered all nations" (Matt. xxv. 32). What one thing do we learn from every mention of the Judgment in the Scriptures? That all men will be judged according to their works. What is the first testimony to this? That of the Judge Himself, in His own account of what He will do at the Judgment (Matt. xxv. 31-45). Will our outward actions only be judged? No: "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing" (Eccles. xii. 14). What other evidence is there of this? The declaration of the Apostle, "God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ " (Rom. ii. 16; also 1 Cor. iv. 5). Will account be taken of words? Yes (Matt. xii. 36). Will then the sins which we have sincerely repented of be remembered against us? No (Ezekiel xxxiii. 16). What does an Apostle say respecting this? "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts iii. 19). " Is it a consolation to us that our Lord Jesus will be our Judge! Yes: we shall be judged by Him Who knows our nature, for He has experienced its temptations. What will the Judgment of Christ be? Most just and yet most merciful (Acts xvii. 31; What should be our prayer in prospect of such a Judgment? "We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge; we therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood." (Also Psalm xix. 12, 13, 14, 15.) Third Sunday in Advent. THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 2 Scripture illustration Matt. i. 18 to end Gen. xvii. 1-15 John x. 3 Prov. xxii. 1 3 Luke i, 5-18 Rev. iii. 5 PORTION OF CHURCH CATECHISM. From What dost thou chiefly learn to "please God to call me." § 1. The Christian Name. How many names has each child? Two: a Christian name and a surname. Which name was given to you when you were baptized? Can a child have more than one Christian name? No: all his Christian names are reckoned as one. What name do you receive from your parents? My surname, i. e., the name of my family. Why do you say that you received it from the Church? Because the minister of the Church first named me by it when I was christened or made a Christian. §2. Why given in Baptism. Why should you receive a new name in Baptism? Because I was then made partaker of a new nature. ["Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious prom. ises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pet. 1. 4.) "Partakers, etc., by the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, and by your filial Adoption and baptismal Incorporation in Him" (Bp. Wordsworth, of Lincoln, in loco).] What nature and name alone did you have before you were baptized? I had only the nature of the first and sinful Adam, and the name of my earthly parents. What nature and name, did you receive at your baptism? I was "born again" into the family of Jesus "the new man or Second Adam, and received His name "of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named " (Col. iii. 10; Eph. iii. 15). Is there any other reason why a person's name should be given at Baptism? Yes; because we then enter into covenant with Can you give any reason from Scripture for this? Yes; the Jews, the ancient people of God, received their names at their circumcision. What was circumcision? The rite or ceremony by which they entered into covenant with God. (See Gen. xvii. 5, 6, 7.) Give two remarkable instances of persons receiving their names at their circumcision. John the Baptist and our blessed Lord (Luke i. 59– 63; ii. 21). What amongst us answers to circumcision? Holy Baptism. § 3. Sponsors "in My Name." What is a covenant? An agreement between two or more persons. What was agreed upon between you and God at your Baptism? God agreed to give me certain benefits, and I agreed to do certain duties. By whom did God make the agreement? By the minister who baptized me. Through whom did you make the agreement? Through my god-parents. Why are they called godfathers and godmothers? Because they present us to be made children of God; and, as our natural parents have brought us into our earthly family, so our god-parents have brought us into the heavenly family. What family is that? The family of God. What are they called besides? Sponsors and sureties. What is a sponsor? One who answers in behalf of another. What is a surety? One who undertakes that another shall do a thing. What is the duty of a god-parent or sponsor? To see that the infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow and promise has been made in his name. Can you give any reason why we should have godparents in addition to our natural parents? Yes, by this holy custom five persons, rather than two only (the parents), are pledged to pray for, and instruct each child. Can you give another reason? Yes: it is a custom which can be traced back almost to the times of the Apostles. [Tertullian,' who flourished in the year 200, mentions it as if it were universally prevalent in his day.] But may not an old custom be a wrong one? Yes; but it is more probable that it is a right one. A custom which can be traced to so early a date is far more likely to be right than wrong. 8 4. Why asked in Catechizing. Why should you be asked your name in church? Why besides? To remind me of my responsibility. How does it remind you of this? Because when I received my name in baptism, certain promises and vows were then made in my name. What then does it remind you of? It reminds me that I, who am called by this name, must for myself renounce all the works of the devil: that I, who am called by this name, must for myself believe in God: that I, who am called by this name, must for myself do God's will. Cannot any of these things be done for you? No. I myself have been bought with the blood of be judged at last for the deeds done in this my Of Whom then should your Christian name always remind you? It should remind me of my Master, Jesus Christ (Matt. xxiii. 8). What does St. Paul say concerning Christians? He says that their "names are written in Heaven " (Heb. xii. 23). What, then, should be our anxiety about our Christian name? We should be, above all things, anxious that Christ should never "blot it out of the book of life " (Rev. iii. 5). PORTION OF CHURCH CATECHISM. From "My good child, know this " to "Amen, so be it." § 1. Christ's Body and Members. When you were baptized, of Whom were you made a member? I was made a member of Christ. Were you born a member of Christ ? No. What is a member? A limb: a part of the body. |