ON HOSEA XIV.- VERSES 2, 3. 63 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 interpella- tion 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 v2
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