2. Without some application there can be no interest or benefit to us ; for general grace must some way be made particular, or else it cannot profit us ; else why are not all justified, all adopted, all saved ? There is the same merciful God, and the same sufficient Saviour, the same gracious covenant. Some apply this grace, others do not. Blood shed will not avail, unless it be blood sprinkled : Heb. xii. 24, ' And to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel.' The making atonement is not effectual to salvation unless the atonement be received, owned and applied: Kom. v. 11, 'We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.' Christ doth not save at a distance, but as received into our hearts ; as a plaster doth not heal at a distance till it be ap- plied to the sore. It is our souls that were wounded, and our souls must have the cure. The light that illuminateth must shine into the understanding; the life that quickeneth must be in the substance which is quickened by it. If the bare discovery of grace, without the applying of grace, were enough, the gospel would save all alike, the haters and despisers of it as well as those that submit to it. Therefore we ourselves must be informed, convinced, and converted by it.
3.. The scripture insisteth much upon a personal entering into cove- nant with God ; that every one of us should choose God for our sove- reign Lord and portion, and Christ Jesus for our Kedeemer and Saviour, and the Holy Ghost for our guide, sanctifier, and comforter. Every one must personally engage for himself. As, for instance, it is not enough that Christ engage for us as the common surety of all the elect : Heb. vii. 22, ' By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testa- ment.' Something he did for us and in our name ; but every one must take a bond upon himself before he can have the benefit of it. You
VER. 8.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 35
must ' yield up yourselves to the Lord,' 2 Chron. xxx. 8. It is not enough that the church engage for us as a visible political body, or a community and society of men that are in visible covenant 'with God and Christ : Ezek. xvi. 8, ' Thou enteredst into covenant with me, and becamest mine.' They profess in common Christ to be their Lord, and so are a people who are subjects of his kingdom, and have his protection and blessing : but every man must covenant for himself : Ezek. xx. 37, ' I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.' It is an allusion to the sheep passing out of the fold when they were tithed for God : Lev. xxvii. 32, ' Whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the Lord.' God will not covenant with us in the lump and body, but even- one must particularly be minded of his duty. It is not enough that our parents did engage for us in baptism : Deut. xxix. 9-12, 'Keep there- fore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God ; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers with all the men of Israel : your little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is in the camp, from the hewer of thy wood, unto the drawer of thy water : that thou shouldst enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day.' 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. No man savingly transacts this work for another. "We must ratify the covenant in our own persons, and make our own 'professed subjection to the gospel of Christ/ 2 Cor. ix. 13. This is a work cannot be done by proxy and assignees. Our parents' dedication will not profit us without it. Once more, this must not only be done in words, or some visible external rites that may signify so much ; as, for instance, when we publicly make profession in the church of Christ's being our Lord ; it is not enough, but a man must engage his heart to God : Jer. xxx. 21, 'Who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord ? ' Tea, this is a business that must be done between God and our own souls, where no outward witnesses are conscious to it. God speaketh to the soul in this transaction : Ps. xxxv. 3, ' Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.' And the soul speaketh to God : Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; therefore I will hope in him.' This covenant is carried on in soul-language : Ps. xvi. 2, ' 0 my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord ! ' Upon this personal inward covenanting all the privileges of the covenant do depend.