A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

First, We must personally and solemnly own the Covenant made with God in Infancy; every one of us should choose the Lord for our Sovereign Lord and Portion; and Christ Jesus for our Redeemer and Saviour; and the Holy Ghost for our Guide, Sanctifier, and Comforter. Every one must personally thus engage himself to God; 'tis not enough that Christ engage for us as the common surety of all the Elect, Heb. 7.22. Something he did for us, and in our Names, but every one must take a Bond upon himself, before he can have the benefit of it; You must yield up your selves to the Lord, 2 Chron. 30.8. 'Tis not enough that the Church engage for us, as a visible Political Body, or a Community and Society of men, who are in visible Covenant with God and Christ, Ezek. 16.8. Thou enteredst into Covenant with me, and becamest mine, meaning it of the Body of the Church; but every individual person must also enter into Covenant with God, and become his, Ezek. 20.37. I will cause you to pass under the Rod, and I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant: Where there is an Allusion to the Sheeps passing out of the Fold, when they were to be Tithed for God, Levit. 27.32. they were to be told with a Rod, one, two, three, &c. and the Tenth was the Lords. God will not covenant with us in the lump and body, but every one was to be particularly minded of his Duty: 'tis not enough that our Parents did engage for us in Baptism, as the Israelites in the Name of their little ones did avouch God to be their God, Dent. 29.10, 11, 12. No man can savingly transact 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. 9.13. This Work cannot be done by a Proxy or Assigns; our Parents Dedication will not profit us, without some personal Act of our own, if we live to years of discretion: Once more, this must be done not only in words, or visible external Rites, which may signify so much as personal Covenanting with God, but a Man must engage his heart to God,