of sill, to make covenants with God ; like the Israelites who said, " All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obe- dient **." But when we make them in our own strength, we shall violate them exactly as they did. Let not any then be hasty in making vows, or think that they can execute them by any power of their own. To give up ourselves to God is certainly right ; but in order to do it effectually, we must be strong, not in ourselves, but " in the Lord, and in the power of his might'."]
3. Of consolation —
[If we were to be saved by our own faithfulness, who amongst us would be able to stand before God ? Alas ! " our own goodness has often been as the morning dew, and as the early cloud that passeth away." But, thanks be to God ! there is a covenant made by our great Head and Surety "^ ; a covenant in which we all are interested ; " a covenant ordered in all things and sm'e'." Let this then be the real ground of our hope : let us lay hold on it, and cleave unto it. Let not, how- ever, our affiance in this tempt us to violate our own engage- ments ; for negligence in performing our vows to God will infallibly prove us to be strangers to the Gospel-covenant. Let us rather " give ourselves wholly to the Lord ;" that while we trust in " the blood of the everlasting covenant," we may ap- prove ourselves to him as " good and faithful servants."]
i» Exod. xxiv. 7. ' Eph. vi. 10.
k Ps. Ixxxix. 3, 28, 34, 35, 36.-
* 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. with Jer. xxxi. 31 — 34. and xxxii. 38 — 41.