2. Because nothing strikes upon the heart with such an efficacy, as what nearly concerns us affects us most. The love of Christ to sinners in general doth not affect us so much as when it is shed
Col. I, 19.] true man in one person. 403
abroad in our own hearts by the Spirit : Gal. ii. 20, * He loved me, and gave himself for me ; ' that draws out our hearts to God again, and is a quickening motive to stir us up to the life of love and faith. So Eph. i. 13, ' In whom ye trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.' It is not sufficient to know that the gospel is a doctrine of salvation to others only, but to find it a doctrine of salvation to themselves in particular, that they may apply the promises to their own heart. A Christian is affected most with things according as he is concerned in them himself. It bindeth our obedience the more firmly when we know that we are particularly engaged to God, and have chosen him for our God and our Lord.
3. Because without a real personal entering into covenant, the covenant doth us no good ; unless every one of us do choose God for our God and Lord, and particularly own him. Every man must give his hand to the Lord, and personally engage for himself. It is not enough that Christ engage for us in being our surety, but we must take a bond upon ourselves. Something Christ did for us and in our name, he interposed as the surety of a better testament, Heb. vii. 22. Something must be done personally by us before we can have benefit by it. You must give up yourselves to the Lord. It is not enough that the church engage for us, but every man must engage his own heart to draw nigh to God : Jer. xxx. 21, ' "Who is he that engageth his heart to draw nigh to me ? ' It is not enough that our parents did engage for us, Deut. xxix. 10-12. They did in the name of their little ones avouch God to be their God, as we devote, dedicate, and engage our children to God in baptism ; but no man can savingly transact this work for another, ^Ye ratify the covenant in our own persons, 2 Cor. ix. 13, by a professed subjection to the gospel of Christ. This is a w-ork cannot be done by a proxy, or assignees ; unless we personally enter into covenant with God for ourselves, our dedica- tion by our parents will not profit us, we shall be as children of the Ethiopians unto God, Amos ix. 7; though children of the covenant, all this will not serve — these are visible external privileges. But there is something required of our persons, every one must say for himself, ' My Lord, and my God.' And this must not only be done in words, and by some visible external rites that may signify so much. As for instance, coming to the Lord's Supper, that is the new testament in Christ's blood, Luke xxii. 20. It is interpretative — a sealing the new covenant between Christ and us. God giveth, and you take the elements as a pledge and token that God and you are agreed. That he will give you himself, his Christ, and all his benefits ; and you will walk before him in newness of life. Now to rest in the ceremony, and neglect the substance, is but a mockery of God. As many rend the bond yet prize the seal, care much for the sacrament, that never care for the duty it bindeth them unto. If your hearts be hearty and well with God, you come now personally to enter into covenant with him ; but this business must not be done only externally, but inter- nally also. It is a business done between God and our souls, though no outward witnesses be conscious to it. God cometh speaking to us by his Spirit in this transaction : Ps. xxxv. 3, ' Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation,' And we speak to God, Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord
494 RECONCILIATION WITH GOD [SeR. VIII.
is my portion, saith my soul.' There is verbum mentis, as well as ver- bum oris. This covenant is carried on in soul language : Ps. xvi. 21, ' 0 my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord.' So Ps. xxvii. 8, ' When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said. Thy face. Lord, will I seek.' The Lord offereth or representeth himself as our Lord, and we profess ourselves to be the Lord's. No eye seeth, or ear heareth what passeth between God and the soul. Now, without this personal inward covenanting, all the privileges of the covenant will do us no good. And this personal inward covenanting amounts to full as much as 'My Lord, my God.' Therefore it concernetli every one of us to see whether we have thus particularly owned Christ ; if there have been any treaty between God and our souls ; and whether it came to any conclusion, and particular soul engagement ; that you could thus own Christ, not only as God and Lord, but as yom' God and your Lord.