2. That the creature is insufiicient and unable to yield us this prop to uphold our confidence.
3. That God's people, when they are endowed with light supernatural to discern and be convinced hereof, are of that mind to say, ' Asshm' shall not save us.'
But, to make way to these things, we must first observe two things for a preparative.
Doct. First, That reformation of life must be joined with prayer and praise. There was praj'er before, and a promise of praise ; but, as here, there must be joined reformation of their sin. That it must be so, it appears, first, for prayer. It is said, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer,' Ps. Ixvi. 18. And {or praise, ' The very sacrifice of the wicked (who reforms not his ways) is abominable,' Prov. xv. 8. So that, without reformation, prayer and praise is to no purpose. Therefore it is brought here after a promise of praise. Lord, as we mean to praise thee, so we intend a thorough reformation of former sins, whereof we were guilty. We will renounce Asshur, and confidence in horses, idols, and the like. Therefore let us, when we come to God with prayer and praise, think also of reforming what is amiss. Out with Achan, Josh. vii. 19. If there be any dead fly, Eccles. x. 1, or Achan uncast out, prayer and praise is in vain. ' Will you steal, he, commit adultery, swear falsely, and come and stand before me,' saith the Lord, by the prophet Jeremiah, Jer. vii. 9. Will you offer to pray to me, and praise me, li-\dngin these and these sins ? No ; God will abhor both that prayer and praise, where there is no reformation. ' What hast thou to do to take my name in thy mouth, since thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behind thee, saith God,' Ps. 1. 16, ■where he pleads with the hypocrite for this audacious boldness in severing things conjoined by God. Therefore, as we would not have our prayers turned back from heaven, which should bring a blessing upon all other things else : as we would not have our sacrifices abominable to God, labour to reform what is amiss, amend all, or else never think our lip-labour will prove anything but a lost labour without this reformation.
A second thing, which I observe in general, before I come to the particu- lars, is,
Doct. That true repentance is, of the particular sin which we are most ad- dicted to, and most (juilttj of.
The particular sin of this people, whom God so instructs here, was their confidence in Assyria, horses, and idols. Now therefore repenting, they repent of the particular, main sins they were most guilty of ; which being stricken down, all the lesser will be easy to conquer. As when Goliath himself was stricken down, all the host of the Philistines ran away, 1 Sam. xvii. 51. So when GoHath shall be slain in us, the reigning, ruhng, domineering sin, the rest will easily be conquered.
Use. Therefore let us make an use of examination and trial of our repent- ance. If it be sound, it draws with it a reformation ; as in general, so especially of our particular sins. As those confess and say, ' Above all
278 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON III.
other things we have sinned in this, in asking a king,' 1 Sam. xii. 8. We were naught, and had oifended God many ways before ; but herein we have been exceeding sinful, in seeking another governor, being weary of God's gracious government over us. So a gracious heart will say, I have been a wretch in all other things, but in this and that sin above all other. Thus it was with the woman of Samaria, when she was put in mind by Christ of her particular grand sin, that she had been a light woman, and had had many husbands, he whom she lived with now not being her husband, John iv. 18. This discovery, when Christ touched the galled part, did so work upon her conscience that it occasioned a general repentance of all her other sins whatsoever. And, indeed, sound repentance of one main sin will draw with it all the rest. And, for the most part, when God brings any man home to him, he so carries our repentance, that, discovering unto us our sinfulness, he especially shews us our Delilah, Isaac, Herodias, our particular sin ; which being cast out, we prevail easily against the rest. As the charge was given by the king of Aram against Ahab, * Fight neither against great nor small, but only against the king of Israel,' 2 Chron. xviii. 30 ; kill him, and then there will be an end of the battle. So let us not stand striking at this and that sin (which we are not so much tempted to), if we will indeed prove our repentance to be sound ; but at that main sin which by nature, calling, or custom we are most prone unto. Repentance for this causes repentance for all the rest ; as here the church saith, ' Asshur shall not save us ; we will not ride upon horses,' &c.
It is a grand imposture, which carries many to hell ; they will cherish themselves in some gross main sin, which pleases corrupt nature, and is advantageous to them ; and by way of compensation with God, they will do many other things well, but leave a dead fly to mar all ; whereas they should begin here especially. Thus much in general, which things pre- mised, I come to the forenamed particulars. First,