Ver. 9. xxvth Chapter if St. MATTHEW. 1 I our own fpiritual Eftate, and frame of Heart :: Ta fetch. the grounds of sor.rejoycing from abroad, will not be fo comfortable and fafe to us. We are to look to our own felves. r. U S E, Ie to difprove the Conceit of works of Supererogation, or doing more than is required of us, to increafe: the Stock of good Works, to be put into the Treafury of the Church, as if others should fare the better :for their Over-godly- ing it. 2. To difprove the vain and foolifh Confidence by which. men pleafe themfelves in the Goodnefs of others about them, their Relations, and Societies in which they live, They have friendship with Much good People, are in relation to filch eminent and pious Perfons ; a godly Wife, or Husband; or Father : Matth. 3. 9. And think not to fay within your felves, we have Abraham to oar Father.. No, they cannct give us of their Oyl : Men will catch at any thing' rather thañ a right Ground of Con- fidence. 2. E, Is to Exhoit us to work out oar Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. I or to be more carefull of our own perfonal Qgalification, if we would be fa-, 'Tis not enough that Chrig end;aged Pr us as the publick Surety of the Church ; Heb. 7. 22. He did fOrne things for us, and in our Names, that we _might take a Bond upon our felves, that we may enter our felves Heirs tò the Benefits of his Un- dertaking. You muft give up your felves to the Lord : 2 Cor. 8. 5. All that are brought home to God, do perfonally Covenant for themfelves: Ezek. zo. 37.. / n;ill caufe you to page under th.- rod, and will 'bring you into the bond qf the Covenant one by one. God would not truft the 7,,,es with their own choice, but would take. the tenth that came out of the, Fold by. courfe. God will not covenant with us in the Lump and mafs, but man by man. 2. 'Tis not enough that the ChilYch af$ a vilible political Body, profeffing Faith in Chrift, doth engage for us, Ezek. 16. 7. 1. entree! into Covenant with thee, and thou becameg mine. There is a vifible Church-covenanting, which is made between God and whole Societies, as they do profefs -fubmiffion to Chrifts Gofpel. Alas ! in there Societies, there may be many perfons, whofe Souls have not particularly and perfonally each one for hinifelf, entred into Covenant with God ; therefore we can- not fatisfie our felves with this, but every one of us muft engage himfelf to the 3. 'Tis not enough .that our Parents did engage for as, and dedicate us to God in Baptifm, as they did. in their own names, and in the names of their little ones, Dear. 29. to, r, r 2. as we devote, and dedicate, and engage our Children to God in Baptifm ; but this is a work and bufinefs that no man can favingly tranfaa for another. The engaging of a Soul to Chrift, is a thing that a man cannot doe lay Proxy or Affignee, we mull perfonally enter into Covenant with God for our felves, or elfe our Parents Dedication will not profit us ; we fhall be Children of Ethiopians to God, though Children of the Covenant, Amos 9. 7. 4. 'Tis not enough that we belong to flria and reformed Societies unlefs .we come vifibly to ratifie the Covenant in our own Perfons, by that which tfle Apoftle calleth and real. fubjeaion, as well as a publick profeffed fubjeaion, our company will not fave us, nor our Church fave us. Many fall afleep in Chrifts .own Lap, that fhall awake in flamcs. He looked' to tingle Perfons, knoweth his Sheep by Name, and whether they obey and follow him, yea or no. He confidereth the frame of their Hearts, and how they ftand affeaed to him : My San give me thy heart, Prov.23. 26. 'Tis the Heart he feeketh for'. yer. 3o. 21. Who is he that bath engaged his Heart. to approach unto floe, faith the Lord. Laffly, Confider the dylinetion Chrift will make at the laft day, between Perfons of the fame Vicinity, Family, Religion : The one is taken; the other left'. Now to excite you to get Grace into your own hearts, confider, (i.) None is more near to you.than your fay. : God hath made you Guardians pf your own Souls. We read Epb. 5. zo. that no man ever yet hated lair own fiefh, hie nourifheth and cherifbeth it. -Oh that we could fay fb in this cafe ! that no man ever hated his own Soul. 'Tis no lefs monitions and unnatural not to take care of our
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