are now at last by their experience, and by their repentance, taught to abandon, as things which indeed cannot, and therefore they are resolved shall not save them.

By the Assyrian is here intimated all human succour procured by sinful correspondence, by a synecdoche,* of the part for the whole. But he is particularly mentioned, 1. Because he was the chief monarch of the world, to show, that the greatest worldly succours are vain, when they are relied upon without, or against God; 2. Because the scripture takes notice often of it as their particular sin, the sending unto, relying upon, and paying tribute unto him for aid and assistance, Hos. v. 13. vii. 11, 12. 2 Kings. xv. 19, 20; 3. Because, instead of helping, he did greatly afflict them. Their flying to him was like a bird's flying into a snare, or a fish's avoiding the pole wherewith the water is troubled by swimming into the net, 2 Kings xv. 29. Hos. xiii. 4.

By horses we are to understand the military preparations and provisions which they made for themselves, both at home, and from Egypt, 2 Chron. i. 16. Isa. xxxi. 1.

By the works of their hands are meant their idols, which were beholden to their hands for any shape or beauty that was in them. The same hands which formed them, were afterwards lifted up in worship unto them, Isa. xliv, 10. 17. xlvi. 6—8. Jer. x. 3. 15. vi. 20. Acts xix. 26. Time was when we said, “These are our gods which brought us up out of Egypt," Exod. xxxii. 4. 1 Kings xii. 28. but now we will not say so any more; for how can a man be the maker of his Maker.

"For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy." This is *A figure by which part is taken for the whole.

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the ground of their petition for pardon and grace, and of their promise of praises and amendment; God's mercy in hearing the prayers, and in enabling the performances of his people. It is a metaphor drawn from orphans in their minority, who are, i. Destitute of wisdom and abilities to help themselves; 2. Exposed to violence and injuries; 3. Committed for that reason to the care of tutors and guardians to govern and protect them. The church here acknowledgeth herself an outcast, destitute of all wisdom and strength within, of all succour and support from without, and therefore betaketh herself solely unto God's tuition, whose mercy can and useth to help when all other help fails.

This is the last link of that golden chain of repentance made up of these gradations: 1. A humble address unto God; 2. A penitent confession of sin; 3. An earnest petition against it; 4. An imploring of grace and favour; 5. Thanksgiving for such great benefits; 6. A covenant of new obedience; 7. A confidence and quiet repose in God.

Let us now consider what useful observations the words thus opened will afford unto us. And one main point may be collected from the general scope of the place. We see after they have petitioned for pardon and grace, they then stipulate and undertake to perform duties of thankfulness and obedience.

True penitents in their conversion from sin, and humiliation for it, do not only pray unto God for mercy, but do further covenant to express the fruits of those mercies in a thankful and obedient conversation. When first we are admitted into the family and household of God, we enter into a covenant. There fore circumcision, whereby the children of the Jews were first sealed and separated for God, is called his

covenant, Gen. xvii. 13. because therein God did covenant to own them, and they did in the figure covenant to mortify lust, and to serve him, without which they were in his sight but uncircumcised still. “I will punish," saith the Lord, "all those that are circumcised in uncircumcision," (so the original runs, Jer. ix. 25.) and the nations there mentioned with Judah, who are said to be uncircumcised, did yet use circumcision as the learned have observed, but being out of covenant with God, it is accounted to them as uncircumcision, and so was that of the Jews too when they did break covenant with God, Rom. ii. 28, 29. Acts vii. 51. And as the Gentiles being converted are called Jews, and said to "be born in Sion," Gal. vi. 16. 1 Cor. xii. 2. Psa. lxxxvii. 4, 5. so the Jews living impenitently are called Gentiles, Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Ethiopians, Sodomites; Ezek. xvi. 3. Hos. xii. 7. Amos ix. 7. Isa. i. 10. In like manner baptism among christians is called by the apostle the answer, or covenant of keeping a good conscience towards God, 1 Pet. iii. 21. the word signifieth a question or interrogation, which some would have to be the conscience's making interpellation for itself to God; others to be as much as the examining of a man's self, like that before the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. xi. 28. I rather take it as an allusion to the manner of John's baptism, wherein the people first confessed, and consequently renounced sin, and being taken into Christ's service, or into that kingdom of God which was at hand, did inquire after the work which they were to do. And we find the same word in Luke iii. 10. which the apostle Peter useth, "The people asked him, saying, What shall we do?" whereby is intimated an engaging of themselves by a solemn promise and undertaking, to the practice of that

repentance unto which John baptized them. Whence arose the grave form of the ancient churches, wherein questions were proposed to the person baptized touching his faith and repentance, renouncing the world, the flesh, and the devil, with a solemn answer and stipulation obliging thereunto. Which custom seems to have been derived from the practice used in the apostle's time, wherein profession of faith,unfeigned and sincere repentance was made before baptism, Acts ii. 38. viii. 37. xvi. 3. xix. 4. This is the first dedicating of ourselves, and entering into a covenant with God, which we may call in the prophet's expression, the subscribing, or giving man's name to God, Isa. xliv. 5.

Now the covenant between us and God being perpetual, a covenant of salt, Jer. xxxii. 40. 2 Chron. xiii. 5. as we are to begin it in our baptism, so we are to continue it to our life's end, and upon all fit occasions to repeat and renew it for our further quickening and remembrancing unto duties. So did David, Psa. cxix. 106. so Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 20—22. so Asa, and the people in his time, 2 Chron. xv. 12.15. so Hezekiah, 2 Chron. xxix. 10. xxx. 5. 23. Josiah, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 31, 32. so Ezra, and Nehemiah, Ezra x. 3. Nehem. ix. 38.

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The reasons enforcing this duty may be drawn from several considerations.

I. From God in Christ, where two strong obligations occur, namely, the consideration of his dealing with us, and of our relation unto him. For the former, he is pleased not only to enter into covenant with us, but to bind himself to the performance of what he promiseth. Though whatever he bestows upon us is all matter of mere and most free grace, wherein he is no debtor to us at

all, yet he is pleased to bind himself unto acts of grace. Men love to have all their works of favour free, and to reserve to themselves a power of alteration or revocation, as themselves shall please. But God is pleased that his gifts should take upon them in some sense the condition of debts, and although he can owe nothing to the creature, Rom. xi. 35. Job xxii. 3. xxxv. 7, 8. yet he is contented to be a debtor to his own promise; and having at first in mercy made it, his truth is after engaged to the performance of it, Mic. vii. 20.

Again, his word is established in heaven, with him there is no variableness, nor shadow of change, his promises are not yea and nay, but in Christ, Amen, 2 Cor. i. 20. If he speak a thing, "it shall not fail,” Josh. xxi. 45. He spake, and the world was made; his word alone is a foundation and bottom to the being of all his creatures; and yet, notwithstanding the immutable certainty of his promises when they are first uttered, for our sakes he is pleased to bind himself by further ties. Free mercy secured by a covenant, and a firm covenant secured by an oath, Deut. vii. 12. Luke i. 72, 73. Heb. vi. 17, 18. that we, who, like Gideon, are apt to call for sign upon sign, and to stagger and be disheartened, if we have not double security from God; we whose doubting calls for promise upon promise, as our ignorance doth for precept upon precept, may by two immutable things, wherein it is impossible for God to lie, have strong consolation. Now if God, whose gifts are free, bind himself to bestow them by his promise; if God, whose promises are sure, bind himself to perform them by his oath; how much more are we bound to tie ourselves by covenant unto God, to do those things which are our duty to do, unto the doing