Faults For we have all some secret Faults that we overlook Therefore I say be humbled for all past Breaches known and unknown Throw your selves at God's Feet and own your Forfeitures of his Favour and Desert of his Displeasure Abase your selves out of a fense of your Vileness that while you were engag'd and pretended to live to God and your Redeemer you should have liv'd so much to your selves so much to this present World and so much according to the Dictates of your Lusts And be peculiarly humbled for any particular Failures that may have had peculiarly aggravating Circumstances attending them Think not of being Accepted upon the Making of New Vows while you are Chargeable with manifest Breaches of your Old Ones that are Unrepented of This Humiliation and Self-Abasement with Sorrow and Shame for past Breaches is necessary by way of Preparation in order to our Acceptable Consecrating our selves to God afresh Direct III. Take heed of the Extreams of Levity and over-great Scrupulosity when you come to Renew your Vows at the Lords Table Take heed of Levity as if it were a common ordinary and customary thing you were setting your selves about when you went to give up your selves to God anew this were the way to pull down a Curse upon your Heads instead of a Blessing Beware therefore of rushing upon such sacred Work with a common and unhallowed Heart with an Heart full of the World with a Heart prevailingly addicted to any Lust. And on the other hand also Beware of too great Scrupulosity in running matters too high as if unindulg'd Infirmities and the want of Assurance were Bars to Acceptance or as if Perfection was necessary to the obtaining the Blessings of a Devoted State This were to pull thy self backward instead of advancing forward in the Divine Life Levity in this case is the effect either of habitual Profaneness than which nothing is more dreadful or of great Negligence in Preparatory Work or of gross Ignorance of the Nature Design Import and Solemnity of Repeated as well as Initial Self-Dedication Over-great Scrupulosity in this case is sometimes the effect of a very timerous Natural Temper heightened by a Bodily Indisposition which makes Persons the Objects of Compassion At other times it arises from a Mistake about the Method of God's Dealing with us under the New-Covenant-Dispensation from a Misunderstanding of the Terms of the Gospel and too hard sowr and severe thoughts of the blessed God unwarily imbib'd which Errors of theirs if they value their own Peace or Welfare are carefully to be corrected Tho' the former is generally the much more dangerous Extream of the two yet is the latter very troublesome by reason that it will fill the Soul with such Fears as will exceedingly damp and discompose it and unfit it for such Work as is the free solemn chearful Consecrating and Devoting it self to God Both therefore are as much as in us lies to be watch'd against Direct IV. WHENEVER we go to Renew our Vows to God we should carefully mind with whom we are to Transact who we are that Transact with Him and for what purposes we do so 1. WE should remember with Whom we Transact and to Whom our Vow is to be Renew'd and that is to God the Father Son and Spirit God the Father from whom we have Apostatiz'd who yet is the Fountain of Blessedness in whom only we can be Happy God the Son who is the only way to the Father our Mediator Priest Patron Advocate and Helper The Holy Spirit who must be the Actual Conveyor and Introducer of all that Light and Life and Love that shall capacitate us to enjoy the Father through the Son either in this or a better Life 'T is with the great God we in this Affair have to do 't is to Him whose Majesty Glory Power Greatness and Goodness are Inconceivable and Inexplicable that we are every time we come to the Communion anew to give up our selves 'T is with all that are called God we in this Affair are to Transact This one thought well imprest upon us would suffice to command the utmost Awe Reverence Seriousness and Devotion whenever we set our selves to this matter 2. WE should also remember who we are that are to Renew Vows to be the Lords Particularly we should remember that we are Creatures laden with Guilt which we can never expiare and owing an Obedience that we can never fully pay 1. We should well remember that we are Creatures laden with guilt which we can never expiate and therefore for whom God out of meer pity hath provided a Sacrifice which at his Table he sets before us over the Memorials whereof whenever we come to receive them we are to devote our selves afresh to the Lord. We should therefore every time as guilty condemned Criminals promise Obedience for the future with the deepest sense of our unworthiness of that Mercy that must be our only Plea for our Selves through the Merits of Another 2. We should also remember that we are Creatures that owe an Obedience that we can never fully pay That tho' we vow and vow never so often we cann't pay the least part of what we vow unless as acted and influenc'd by him to whom our Vows are made And that when we have done our best towards the paying our Vows and answering our innumerable Obligations there will be much wanting And when we have done all we can we are but unprofitable Servants God is not in reallity a whit the better for all the Service we can do him The thought of this well impress'd will keep us from pretending to any thing in our own strength it will lead us to a constant dependance on Superiour Aids it will prompt us whenever we renew our Vows to fly to the Holy Spirit for Assistance and Help to answer and keep them and 't will prevent our Boasting if any time by his Influence we have been kept in any measure sincere and faithful Both these Considerations taken from our selves will tend to make us deeply humble out of a sense of our Vileness Weakness and Helplesness whenever we go to give up our selves to God afresh 3. WE should also remember for what Ends and Purposes we are every time we come to the Lords Table anew to vow to be the Lords and they in short are these two the more firmly to secure to our selves his Favour and the more effectually to bind and quicken our selves to our Duty These are the Ends we ought to have in our Eye in this matter and the serious Consideration of them will help to make us in earnest at the time of Renewing our Vows and cause us often to think of them afterwards Direct V. OF the whole Sacramental Solemnity select that as the properest Instant for thee to give thy self up to Christ when thou art receiving him and all his Benefits into thy hands as I may say and into thy heart It may without all question be done
all these words They having first by a Solemn Vow bound themselves to God and to Obedience to him Moses by Gods command uses the External Sign of Sprinkling Blood to show that God lookt on his Promises as binding upon him Now under the New Testament there are two Foederal Transactions between God and us Instituted as Ordinances in the Christian Church to which we commonly give the Name of Sacraments in both which we may observe the same Procedure Both are on Gods part seals of the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace and on Man's part Engagements to all the Duties of that Covenant As Gods part lies in Promises and their Ratifications and Assuring Pledges so doth Man's in Vows and their Confirming Rites God engages to be our God and to carry it to us like a God We Vow to be his People and to carry it to him like his People God engages to make good his Promises not only in the general but to those Persons in Particular who seriously enter into Covenant with him Man is thereby bound and engag'd to all Prescribed Duty not only in general and in common with others but Particularly and by Name 2. The Christian Vow in both the Sacraments of the New Testament hath a particular Relation to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost according to their distinct Agency in the great Work of our Redemption and Salvation Each Person in the Sacred Trinity hath an hand in Saving Man The work of each is distinct and therefore the Duty to each is distinct and consequently the Christian Vow must besides what is owing to the Great God in common contain an Engagement to the special Duties owing to each Person TO the Father we find in Scripture the Honour is peculiarly Ascrib'd of being the Contriver of the Method of our Salvation 'T was He whose Love to us was such as to move him to send his Son to Redeem us and his Spirit to Sanctify us 'T was He that sent his Son in our Nature to Dye a Sacrifice and make Expiation for Sin and 't is He that sends his Spirit to apply and convey the Benefits Merited by the Oblation of that Sacrifice 'T was the Father that Invested Christ the Mediator with his Authority and Power 'T is on the Father as maintaining the Rights of the whole Deity Man's Apostacy is Represented as peculiarly Reflecting And 't is He who thro' his Son offers to be Reconcil'd to a Rebellious World He is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in and thro' him Ready to be our Father 'T is back again to him that Christ Dy'd to bring us He is therefore to be regarded as our Ultimate End ACCORDINGLY that part of the Christian Vow which relates to God the Father is this Admiring his Matehless Wisdom and Adoring his Unfathomable Love to give up our selves to him anew with hearty Sorrow that ever we should have Revolted from him To take him for our Father thro' Christ engaging to carry it like Children to him with a Child-like Love to him Reverential Fear and Worship of him Delight Trust and Confidence in him Hearty Dâ—…dence on him and Obedience to â—…im to make his Glory our utmost Aim and expect our Final Happiness in him alone AS for the Son He is represented as the Worker out of our Redemption 'T was he who Purchas'd our Pardon and paid the price of our Peace He is the Fathers Prime Messenger to this Lower World the Great Prophet of the Church sent on purpose to Reveal Gods Mind and Will to Men and instruct them in the way to Heaven He was constituted the Great High Priest to make Atonement Satisfie Offended Justice and Salve the Injur'd Rights of the Divine Government to Expiate Sin by Offering an Acceptable Sacrifice and to Interceed with the Blood of it within the Veil in the Holy of Holies in the Heavenly Tabernacle Him hath God set as his King on Zion and to him is every knee to Bow and him are all to Honour even as they do the Father For he hath put all Power in Heaven and Earth into his Hands 'T is on his Shoulders the Divine Government lies and to him it belongs to give Laws to his Church He was a walking Mirrour of Divinity in this Lower World being Emanuel God with us a compleat Pattern of the Perfection of Holyness He is the Captain of our Salvation the Skilful Physician of Souls the Light of the World the way to the Father and the Lord of Life And he will come again at last to raise us from Death and Judge the World and Justifie his Saints and bring them to Eternal Glory and cast the Wicked into utter Misery AND accordingly that part of the Christians Sacramental Vows that relates to God the Son is this Admiring his Amazing Condescention and Matchless Love in taking our Nature upon him with its many Infirmities and therein doing undergoing and Suffering so much for our sakes to Consecrate our selves to him firmly Resolving with Divine Assistance that we will not live unto our selves but to him who Dy'd for us and Rose again 'T is an hearty taking him for our Saviour closing in with all the parts of his Saving Office An engagement readily to hearken to his Voice by whom God who in times past spake to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken to us To Credit all his Reports and Trust in all his Promises to depend solely on his Atonement for Pardon and Divine Acceptance Justification and Life to use him upon all occasions as our Advocate who sits in our Nature at the Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty on high It is a swearing Fealty to him as our Soveraign engaging to yield Submission to his Authority and Governing Power to stand in awe of all his Threatnings and sincerely obey all his Commands To Immitate his Example and endeavour to copy out in ours the Excellencies and Perfections of his Temper and of his Life To follow him as our Captain whither soever he shall lead us To Fight under his Banner against all his Enemies and to bear all his Discipline To use him as our Physician Trusting in his Skill following all his Prescriptions and chearfully taking all his Saving Medicines how bitter and distastful soever to Flesh and Blood To wait in expectation of his return in Glory and live in the comfortable hope of his coming to Judgment and owning us before his Father and all his Holy Angels and taking us to himself to be for ever with him beholding his Glory AS for the Holy Ghost his work is to supply our Saviours Place here on Earth to be the Guide and the Inmate the Helper and Asistant the Comforter and Support of all the Faithful To apply all the Benefits that our Lord hath Purchas'd 'T was he that Inspir'd all the Penmen of Holy Writ and 't was under his peculiar conduct that they committed the Sacred Records to
Writing for the use of the Church in all Ages 'T was he that gave such convincing Evidence of the Truth of Christianity at first by Innumerable Open and Uncontroulable Miracles in order to the first Introducing it into the World and the confirming the Faith of it in all after times and 't is he that hath been giving his Testimony to the Truth thereof in all succeeding Ages even down to this very day in producing the Saving Effects thereof on Mens Hearts notwithstanding so much such united and such vigorous Opposition 'T is his office to Illuminate convince of Sin Righteousness and Judgement to Quicken Strengthen Comfort Succour Guard and Enliven and Seal unto the day of Redemption He is the Author of all saving Light and Grace and the first spring of every good Work the Beginner Maintainer and Encreaser of the Spiritual Life and Issuer of it in that that will be Eternal AND accordingly that part of a Christians Sacramental Vows that relates to God the Holy Ghost is a serious engagement to use him as our Saviours Deputy in all the parts of his Office to take the Holy Scriptures as of his Inspiration as the rule of our Faith and Life and to adhere to that Religion the Truth whereof he hath so many ways attested Earnestly to implore his help and assistance and carefully to use it when given to keep our Minds open to his Light to yield to his Convictions and comply with his Motions to hearken to his Voice and follow his Conduct to wait humbly for him in all ways of Divine Appointment to depend upon his Aids to receive his Comforts and by Strength derived from him to be continually walking in the way of Holiness towards Everlasting Happiness Thus are each of the Persons in the Trinity distinctly concern'd in our Sacramental Vows 3. OUR Sacramental Vows summarily comprehend the whole of our Religion A great Noise and Stir there hath been in the World about Fundamentals fierce and earnest have been the Disputes among the Learned about the number and nature of them and various have been the ways pitcht on to determine what points are absolutely Necessary and what not But when all 's done the Christian Covenant which in Baptism is Initiated and afterwards at the Lords Table renew'd confirm'd and ratifi'd would if rightly consider'd give us the clearest Notions of the great Essentials of our Holy Religion All the great Principles of our Faith are comprehended under the distinct Agency of God the Father Son and Spirit in bringing about our Salvation and Happiness to which our Sacramental Vows have a direct Reference as appears from the former head And as for the Practical part of our Religion no Essential of that can be wanting in them since they take in the whole compass of our Duty The whole Moral Law which always was is and will be the Rule of Duty is reducible to two Heads The Love of God and our Neighbour As for the Love of God that is to be exprest by a serious Acknowledgement of him and renouncing all that would rival it with him an hearty zeal for his Worship and his Name and a punctual Sanctifying of that Portion of time he hath consecrated for himself And if we heartily Love our Neighbours we shall be ready to do to them as we would have them in like Circumstances do to us to give all the respect to any that is due to their place and to be tender of the Life Chastity Goods and Name of all we have to do with and never envy their Prosperity To all which our Sacramental Vows are Solemn Engagements And so are they also to all those Duties which our Blessed Saviour hath in the Gospel peculiarly enforct as Self-denial Mortification the taking up of our Cross giving and forgiving Charity Relieving the Poor Succouring the Distressed and helping the Necessitous forgiving Injuries without Retalliating or giving way to Revenge Unity and Peace and the like Would we therefore have a compleat and full a distinct and clear and comprehensive Idea of our whole Religion would we take it in at one view that we may the better discern its Excellency Order and Beauty and be the more Enamoured with it let us turn our eyes to the Christian Covenant to our Sacramental Vows and there we may have it 4. THE Obligation and Binding Force of Sacramental Vows is Perpetual and can never cease The Acts themselves may be quickly perform'd and soon over But their Obligation will last as long as our lives Some sorts of Vows may cease to be binding when the reason of them ceases or a greater Duty would be hinder'd or a greater danger Incurr'd or the like But none of these things can happen as to those our Vows that are attended with Sacramental Solemnities Perseverance and Constancy in our Duty to the last is one part of the matter of those Vows For we do therein engage not only that we 'll be Faithful and Dutiful and Obedient in the general but that we 'll persist and hold on in our Duty whatsoever it costs us and whatever troubles or difficulties we meet withal That by the strength of God we won't flinch nor give way that if we fail we 'll be Sorry and Repent and Divine Grace assisting us to our work again and so doing hold out to the last till in fighting the good fight of Faith we have finisht our course and so come to lay hold on Eternal Life CHAP. IV. Of the BAPTISMAL VOW The Sum of it in Form as made by Persons Baptiz'd when ADULT BAPTISM was Instituted by our Blessed Lord as a Sacred Rite whereby Persons were to be first Initiated into the Christian Covenant And be it sooner or later Administred it carries in it an Obligation to all the duties of that Covenant on which its Blessings are suspended In Baptism there is always either exprest or imply'd a Vow of hearty complyance with all the demands of our Holy Religion without which suppos'd the pouring on of Water in the name of the Father Son and Spirit by the Minister as Gods Representative would be utterly Unavailable either to seal or convey those Inestimable Gospel Blessings of Pardon and Peace Adoption and a Right to Life But this Vow must be differently consider'd by all that would avoid Confusion according to the Different state of the Subjects of Baptism which are either Persons Adult that are come to years of Understanding and so are capable of transacting Personally for themselves or the Children of Christian Parents in their Infant State The case of the former is the subject of this and that of the latter of the following Chapter ADULT Persons before they are Baptiz'd ought seriously to consider what Christianity will oblige them to and to reckon their costs before hand that they may come under so Solemn an Engagement as Baptism carries in it understandingly deliberately and with full consent of Heart that there may be no danger of after
's now consider the concern of Children in this Transaction of their Parents on their behalf of which you may take an Account in the following Particulars 1. THEY are hereby bound to lead a life of Holy Devotedness to God the Father Son and Spirit To this they henceforth stand bound not only by that DivineLaw that requires it of them but also by their Parents Engagement and Stipulation which in matters of plain Duty to be sure is binding whatever it may be in things that are indifferent We find Samuel under the Law thought himself oblig'd by his Mothers Vow and therefore gives himself freely to serve the Lord in his Tabernacle according to the dedication she had made of him Yea Iepthath's Daughter complies with her Fathers Vow tho' as most think it was to be offer'd up in Sacrifice My Father saith she if thou hast open'd thy mouth to the Lord do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy Mouth How much more then must those Children who were in Infancy enter'd into the Christian Covenant by their Parents be oblig'd to stand to it when it engages them to nothing but what was of it self antecedently their Duty It 's a part of the Honour Nature hath made due to Parents from their Children that they own themselves bound by their engagements for them and interest in this case falls in with Duty the advantages of a compliance with their Parental Dedication being very great and the mischiefs of a Refusal evident and notorious Withal they are bound to conform to the Rules of that Family in which they were born and to the Master whereof their Parents brought them to pay so early an Homage And to continue in the service of that Lord whose Badge they so soon receiv'd till they can find a better and if they stay till then without all question they 'll never quit him The Obligation Infants by vertue of their Baptism come under to an Holy Devotedness is of a mixt Nature 'T is partly Natural and partly Positive 'T is Natural so far as it is an effect of the Parental power duly exercis'd 'T is Positive so far as there is any force in the Rites then us'd which are of Divine Institution and the case was in this respect the same as to Circumcision of old St. Paul observes That every man that is Circumcis'd is a debtor to do the whole Law Circumcision oblig'd all that receiv'd it to a subjection to the whole Mosaick Law and that altho' t' was administred to all of Jewish Extraction in their Infancy and on their Parents Account and at their desire they were bound by it without staying for their consent So also are all Baptiz'd Persons tho' Infants bound to asubjection to the whole Gospel And the denial hereof by any so Baptiz'd is a spitting in their Parents face nay a pouring contempt on God's Sacred Institutions 2. THEY are bound to own their Baptismal Obligation as soon as capable If they are bound to stand to it there 's certainly all the reason in the World they should own they do so They are bound to own it in Duty to their Parents who by giving them up to God more effectully consulted their Happiness and Welfare than they could have done any other way They are bound also to do it in Gratitude to God for so Inestimable a Priviledge as is so early an admission into his Family and coming under his Covenant It 's necessary they should do it in order to the securing the entail of Covenant Blessings to which their own personal taking upon them that Vow which they first came under in Baptism is necessary For they are no longer to be consider'd as part of their Parents than till they arrive at a Capacity of acting for themselves at which time God expects both that they should own their Baptismal Dedication to have been a signal Mercy declare their readiness to stand to the Vow they were then enter'd under and personally make it for themselves and in their own Names as ever they expect to reap the Blessed Benefits that depend thereon And tho' this Vow was really binding when it was meerly Parental yet is it more firmly binding when it thus becomes Personal And those must look upon the power of Parents over Children to be very small that question whether they may rightfully exert their Authority in bringing their Children under a Bond to do that when they come to Age which is their unquestionable Duty then to do whether there be such a Prior Engagement or not But however we may hence observe another notion of the Baptismal Vow that is proper enough viz. That it is that Vow which we by vertue of Infant Baptism are oblig'd to make explicitly when we come to Age in which case the Form drawn up in the foregoing Chapter is as suitable as 't is with reference to those who are not Baptiz'd till they are Adult 3. THOSE who stand not to their Infant Baptismal Obligation when they grow up are liable to be treated as obstinate contemners of the Divine Favour as Sacrilegious Alienators of what was peculiarly devoted and as perjur'd Violators of Gods Covenant Their case is not the same with that of the rest of the World who remain Undedicated and Unconsecrated to God But as their Advantages would be great if they were Faithful so will their Miseries be great if they are false to the Vow they came under in their Baptism That very Bond that should have kept them close to God will consign them over to the more aggravated Woes when put in suit against them For tho' Parents were the main Agents yet are they mainly concern'd and bound and on them therefore will the Penalty annex'd take place 4. THE Minister that Baptiz'd them their Parents that Devoted them and as many as were Spectators of their Infant Consecration are so many Witnesses for God against them if in their after Life they break Gods bands in sunder and cast away his cords from them They are Witnesses I say for God against them and as such will be ready to appear at the last day Ministers will then be ready to say Lord here are such and such that we Baptiz'd in thy Name and introduc'd into the visible Church in the method which thou Institutedst and thine Apostles practis'd But before we did so we thought we bound them fast unto thee we exacted of their Parents on their behalf a Renunciation of the Flesh the World and the Devil and a free consent to all thy claims and demands that they were engag'd to this we are Witnesses If they have broken therefore the Vow they then came under and persisted so doing we can testify they are perfidious Traytors and Faithless Rebels and deserve the Severest Treatment Pious Parents will also be ready to say Behold O Lord we gave these Children of ours to thee from whom we receiv'd them in thy Service we Listed them and under
Sun that such Persons are unfit for such an Ordinance as the Lords Supper for they are incapable of reaching the ends of its Institution Since therefore none but Baptiz'd Persons may approach the Lords Table but all Baptiz'd Persons may not the Question is Where the discrimina tion of some from others of them proper to this case lies And what it is that is necessary as a pre-requisite Qualification I answer the difference lies here That some stand to their Baptismal Engagement and others don 't and the qualification pre-requir'd is an owning of it For if Persons don't own the Vow they once came under 't is to no purpose to think of Repeating it again NOW the owning of this Vow is pre-requir'd to Persons Right Receiving of the Lords Supper in a double respect either with Reference to God or the Church 1. WITH Reference to God and so the Hearty owning the Obligation of this Vow is necessary without which we cannot approve our selves to him or so transact with him as to reap those Benefits which he designs for us by that Ordinance whereto we are suppos'd to pretend Our Hearts must be really Consecrated and our Lives Devoted to him according to the tenour of our Engagement in Baptism before we can justly pretend anew to strike Covenant with him who searcheth Hearts and trieth Reins as we are to do at his Table 2. OUR owning our Baptismal Vow is also requisite with reference to the Church to our admission to the Lords Table We must make a Credible Profession of adhering to it of which kind is every such Profession as is not contradicted by an Unsuitable Life and Conversation This Credible Profession of an Adherance to the Baptismal Vow is necessary that it may appear there is a difference between those that are admitted to Church Communion and those that are debarr'd it and for the same reason it would be well if it were Publick It would be very becoming and Advantageous did Persons every where before they first Communicated freely profess their Sincerity and Constancy in their Baptismal Covenant or Vow and openly declare themselves in the face of a Christian Congregation Enemies to the Devil the World and the Flesh And this is the most considerable part of that which hath been wont to be call'd Confirmation A thing much practic'd and insisted on in the Primitive Church tho' of later times much neglected and by some quite laid aside as useless the more 's the pity IT much Rejoyces me therefore and I cann't forbear mentioning it on this Occasion to know and hear of several even of the Dissenting Congregations in the Nation wherein this Practice is still kept up Among whom 't is usual for the Pastors after their private Transactions with those who are to be Admitted to the Lords Table either on some day in the preceeding Week or just before the Administration of the Holy Communion Publickly to demand of them whether they don't stand to their Baptismal Vow and take it on themselves Whether they don't cordially give up themselves to God the Father Son and Spirit according to the tenour of it And whether they don't engage to walk agreeably to all the Laws of the Gospel Or to that purpose Which is really a thing of great weight and moment and I could wish 't were more universally minded This as I was saying is the most considerable part of that which the Antients us'd to call Confirmation And such a Declaration as this made by Persons in the face of a Christian Congregation is really an Act of Confirmation for they do thereby further ratify and establish the Contract which is between God and them and by confessing it to be valid and good and openly owning that the Vow of God is upon them bind themselves still faster to him whose they were before Some may perhaps think this to be more ado then needs by reason the very coming to the Lords Table with antecedent Preparation and siting down there among the Faithful who are bound to God by Covenant is a Tacit or Virtual owning of the Baptismal Vow And at most they may apprehend that the doing this in private before the Pastor of the Church might be sufficient To whom I can without any difficulty grant that what I aim at is indeed virtually imply'd in such a case and that the private performance of it may suffice to render Persons worthy Communicants But yet it follows not but that the Publick Transacting of this matter may be much more Eligible Many Instances may be produc'd where very near as much depends on the manner of doing a thing as on the thing it self and this I take to be one For I pray observe Persons upon their first coming to the Lords Table pass out of the state of Infant into that of Adult Members of the Church The faster therefore they are bound to GOD the more likely will they be to credit Religion of which the generality of the World are apt to pass a Judgement from the Demeanor and Conversations of such Persons Now the more publickly such a Profession is made the more likely it is to influence them since they will have so many as Witnesses against them ready to admonish them upon occasion of their open Engagement which cann't but strike an awe And but that it would be too great a Digression I could make it appear that the Scripture favours such a publick Recognition of the Baptismal Vow and it is agreeable to the Practice of the Church in several Successive Ages True it is in process of time the Romanists in a shameful manner abus'd it but that 's no just Reason for our slighting or rejecting it who may have it pure and free from their Abuses However this I think is plain and clear That a Recognition of the Baptismal Vow is necessary to Persons Regular Admission to the Lords Table I add further 5. THAT the more Solemn this Recognition of the Baptismal Vow is 't is so much the better where I mean not Ceremonicus by Solemn as if this matter would be ever the better the more Ceremonious it was No that is far from my Intention The Papists indeed have made it a Sacrament and turn'd it all into Ceremony for they use Oil in the Administring it and Balsam and sign with the Sign of the Cross c. But of these things we can safely say They were not from the beginning for the time when they first began to be us'd in the Church can be mark'd out But my meaning in the word Solemn is this that the more Seriously and Gravely it is manag'd on the part of the Persons coming to Confirmation and the more Authoritatively on the part of the Minister as Christ's Officer the more likely is it to Answer its End The Establish'd Church of England hath taken care enough in this latter point as to the Authoritativeness of this Transaction but 't is the Desire and Wish of all sober
whereof are left to our Discretion which being made the subject of a Vow becomes plain Duty To make a Vow about such a thing is Arbitrary but to keep it when made Necessary For such Vows bind out Consciences and the keeping of them cannot be neglected without Sin For instance I reckon it indifferent i. e. left to the discretion of an honest Heart how often we shall keep private Religious Fasts But if I make a Vow that I 'll keep one every Month or once every Quarter it ceases to be Indifferent to me and becomes my plain Duty from which nothing but Necessity can afford a Dispensation It was Indifferent for Ananias to have sold or held his Possession But when once by a Solemn Vow he had devoted it unto God the keeping back any part of the Price in his own hands was no less than Sacriledge Some I know are too strait lac'd to assent to this Position but they 'd find themselves hard put to it to assign any just Reason why a Man may not bind himself in Sacred as well as in Civil Matters where the Divine Law lays no Curb or Restraint As for the Limitations that should attend Vows of this kind they may be seen in the Sixteenth Chapter of this Discourse 5. A Solemn Vow may and doth super-add a Force to the Obligation we might before be under to any thing as an unquestionable Duty This the Romanists generally deny and Bellarmine particularly warmly opposes it It is their common Doctrine That a thing due and necessary cannot be the matter of a proper Vow to God But it must always be something Indifferent and Arbitrary But herein they are needlesly litigious For was Iacobs Vow about a thing Indifferent when he Vowed The Lord should be his God Was it not his Duty to own and honour God before he made that Vow How then can their Doctrine hold And why may not we be several ways bound and obliged to the same thing A double is stronger than a single Cord and a double Obligation more strongly binds A Vow is no more an intimation that the matter of it was not before a Duty but when it was so implies a sense of it and is design'd to be a spur to it When I Vow any thing that is Commanded besides my Obligation to that which is the subject of my Vow and the matter of my Duty I am also under another Divine Obligation to keeep my Vow And I who was before oblig'd by God do by my Vow oblige my self and therefore a greater Penalty will be my due if I now offend than before Which is so consonant both to Reason and Scripture that it can't be contested by any who love not to strive about Words 6. DIVINE Vows are of several sorts and so are capable of different Consideration they may be much diversify'd by the different consideration either of him to whom they are made or of Us who come under them or of their matter or of the Circumstances that attend them 1. As for the Blessed God to whom Vows are made they may refer to him under several Notions Either First As our Absolute Owner and Ruler and Chief Benefactor Or Secondly As our Gracious Redeemer and Saviour from that Universal Ruin that was the deserved fruit and effect of Mans Revolt and Apostacy Or Thirdly As either desir'd to be or actually being our Temporal Deliverer and Preserver Or Fourthly As the great Searcher of Hearts Inspector of our Actions and Universal Judge of the World Which Notions of him to whom our Vows are addrest are so very different that according as either of them is principally regarded they must needs much alter them in their Nature Intent Purport and Consequences 2. As for us who come under Vows to God we may be considered either as Rational Creatures or as Christians which makes a considerable difference For tho' no Vows can become us under the latter that are any way inconsistent with the former Notion yet do those whereto the former obliges fall far short of what the latter engages to Nay further as Christians we may in this case be considered in our several different Relations Capacities Stations and Circumstances which may create no small difference in the Vows that respectively suit them Nay we may be consider'd either as Acting for our selves or as being bound by what 's done by others Which makes it necessary for us to allow of a Distinction between Personal and Parental Vows the Vows of Parents having in some cases as real a binding force on their Children as those wherein they actually engage themselves As will appear in the Process of this Discourse 3. THE Matter of our Vows may be different Not to multiply Distinctions that about which we go to make a Vow may be either Necessary or Arbitrary We may either be oblig'd to it before or left to our Liberty which Liberty of ours we for our own Security and that we may be at a fixed point set Limits and Restraints to which in many cases may be expedient lest we err either by excess on the one hand or neglect on the other Again Vows of either kind may be either Positive or Negative according as we bind our selves either to the doing or forbearance of any thing 4. THE Circumstances that may attend our Vows may be very different by which they may be much diversify'd 'T would be to little purpose to mention the many Divisions into which they might be sorted on that Account Among others they may make them either Absolute or Conditional Private or Solemn Stated or Occasional Temporary or Perpetual the difference whereof I need not explain But there is one Division arising hence which is into Virtual and Explicit that needs a Remark For a Vow may be impli'd where 't is not positively exprest it may be intimated by attendant Actions where 't is not expresly specifi'd It was so heretofore in Circumcision That Rite contained in it a Virtual Vow of keeping the whole Mosaick Law and it may be so in other cases But generally Speaking the more express and particular we are in matters of this Nature the clearer is our procedure and the less danger is there of Mistakes or Failures and the greater is the Awe that is likely to be thereby imprest BUT waving the many sortments into which Divine Vows may be rank'd 'T is my design in the ensuing Discourse First Lightly to touch on the General Vow whereby we devote our Selves and our All to the Great God as our Absolute Owner and Proprietor which all Rational Creatures as such are obliged to do And then to proceed to the Consideration of the Sacramental Vows of Christians which I principally had in my Eye in this Undertaking whereby they are engag'd to an Hearty Constant Devotedness to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which Vows with their attendant Solemnities I shall distinctly open and endeavour to inforce doing my utmost to
drawing back THE Vow which they in their Baptism actually and voluntarily make and come under is of this Tenour and may be drawn up in Form thus I Believe in an Eternal Infinitely Glorious God who made Heaven and Earth and in Iesus Christ his only Son who Redeem'd Mankind from Misery and Wrath And in the Ever Blessed Spirit the Fountain of all Grace and Peace TO this God the Father Son and Spirit I willingly freely and chearfully consecrate my self For I am sensible God is my Owner and Proprietor to him therefore I make an Absolute Resignation of my self and all that is or ever shall be mine as his own engaging to use my self and all that I have as his and contentedly to rest in all his Disposals And it being my Rectitude and Happinefs to Obey and Please Him I 'll labour to bring both my Soul and Body into the most Absolute Subjection to him and to make it my Delight and Business sincerely and exactly to Obey Him I 'll Love Him with my whole Heart and Soul and Mind and Might and quiet my self in his Love and Faithfulness whatever shall befall me in the World I 'll lead a Life of Thankfulness to him for his Innumerable Benefits and endeavour to Glorify him with the estimation of my Mind the Praises of my Mouth and the Holiness of my Life and Conversation WITH Humble Thankfulness I Adore my Dearest Saviour for his Redeeming Love and on his Merits I 'll bottom all my hopes of Pardon Justification and Eternal Life I am heartily griev'd for all my Sins and sensible they would undo me without his help and interposition to him therefore I flye as my City of Refuge Him I resolve constantly to use as the means of my Souls access to God acceptance with him and help and comfort from him and I 'll entertain no thoughts of coming to the Father but by him And he being the great Prophet and Teacher of his Church I 'll humbly wait as a Scholar in his School to learn of him by his Spirit Word and Ministers the further knowledge of God and of the things that tend to my Salvation and this with an honest willing and teacheable Mind in Faith Dilligence Obedience Patience and Peace I now swear â—…ealty to him as my Lord and King and Vow sincere Obedience to all his Holy Laws and Commandments I 'll Imitate him as my Pattern and write after the Copy that he hath set me both as to my Temper and my Life I 'll use him as the Great Physician of Souls and take all his saving Medicines how unpleasing and distastful soever I 'll follow him as the Captain of my Salvation whithersoever he shall lead me and spend my days in a Vigilant Resolute and Constant War against the Flesh the World and the Devil FOR I renounce the Flesh that is Naturally pleas'd with Sin and impatient of Necessary Confinements I renounce Self as my end I also renounce the World which is so apt to administer Food and Fuel to my Lusts I renounce all that in it wherewith the Carnal part is gratifi'd as Matters of Pleasure Profit or Honour not regarding them as means to my Happiness I renounce the Devil and all subjection to him 't is Christ the Lord of Life to whom I 'll look 't is his Subject I resolve to be I 'll Humbly Earnestly Daily Implore the help and assistance of the Blessed Spirit of Grace that he may reside in me and be the Life of my Soul and by the help of God I wont Resist or Quench him but thankfully Obey him The Scriptures by him Inspir'd I take for the Rule of my Faith and Life and engage to keep close to And Christianity to the Truth whereof he so many ways hath set his Seal is the Religion I 'll profess thereto I 'll adhere and therein alone expect Salvation On the assistance of this Blessed Spirit alone shall be all my dependence in the Christian Life and his Conduct I 'll follow thro' all Difficulties and Temptations in the way of Holiness towards Everlasting Happiness FOR it shall be my constant endeavour to adorn the Doctrine of God my Saviour in all things by living Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World I 'll do my Gracious God all the service and others all the good I can in works of Piety Justice and Charity with Prudence Fidelity Industry Zeal and Delight like one that knows 't is God that intrusts me with all my Talents of the Improvement whereof I must give a strict Account I 'll be careful to render unto all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear and Honour to whom Honour and to owe no Man any thing but Love And that is a Debt which I 'll be continually paying by all suitable expressions of Affection and Tenderness to all I have to do with especially those to whom Nature or Providence hath peculiarly link'd me I 'll Love all that have the same Nature with my self but more especially who are Children with me of the same Heavenly Father Members of the same Body and Heirs of the same Inheritance And in general I 'll make this my Rule to do to others as I would my self be done unto I 'll carefully put a way from me all Wrath Anger and Clamour and beware of all Violent Passion I 'll keep at the greatest distance from any sort of Lewdness or Wantonness I 'll hate and abhor all Lying and Slandering Backbiting and Detracting and by the Grace of God never suffer my self to envy my Neighbours Prosperity or Rejoyce in his Adversity But I will be Pittiful and Courteous Tender-hearted and Compassionate I 'll Relieve the Necessitous Feed the Hungry Cloath the Naked Entertain Strangers and visit the Sick and the Imprison'd as I have ability and oportunity which are things my Blessed Lord hath testifi'd are very acceptable and pleasing to him I 'll faithfully endeavour to fill up all my places and Relations with suitable prescribed Duty and to employ all my Trusts for God I 'll be orderly in in his Church and therein submit to all his Discipline and endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace I 'll maintain no Grudges against any but when injur'd will be ready to forgive as God I hope for Christs sake will forgive me I 'll take up my Cross whenever call'd to it and rather forsake all things than desert my God and Saviour And since my Weakness is such as that let me do my best I shall often stumble and fall whenever I do so I 'll renew my Repentance and Divine Grace enabling me return again to my Obedience AND since it hath pleas'd my Dearest Saviour to Institute a standing Memorial in his Church of his Death and Passion to be Solemnized by all who pretend to be his Followers I do therefore Solemnly Vow and Promise with an Humble Penitent and Believing Heart
he that hath Peace with the Blessed God And who can be so likely to reach this Happiness as he that is rightly sensible of and that in the main lives up to those Vows of his that he is under 'T is true all Peace with God is the effect of Christ's Death the Merit of his Blood and the Fruit of his Purchase and whereever 't is bestow'd 't is his Gift who is the Prince of Peace But we may be well assur'd he 'll bestow it on none who carry on Hostility against his Father which is the case of all habitually wilful and allow'd Breakers of Sacramental Vows we may be satisfy'd he 'll deny it to none that are stedfast in his Covenant and who earnestly study and faithfully endeavour to answer the Demands of it which is the case of those I am speaking of On them he 'll freely bestow it to them he 'll take care to continue it and the Blessed Consequences of it so that nothing shall intervene considerably to interrupt it 2. THEY also take the most effectual course to maintain Peace of Conscience For what is Peace of Conscience but an inward quiet and composure arising from a well-grounded sense and hope that things are as they should be between God and us Whatever therefore hath any tendency to promote or maintain our Peace with God doth naturally tend to make and keep us at Peace with our selves by preventing or allaying those disquieting Fears that naturally arise from an apprehension of the Divine Displeasure That these Persons therefore take the best course to secure Peace within is a genuine Consequence of the foregoing Consideration There 's no better ground for Peace of Conscience in the World than they enjoy who devoutly renew their Vows to be the Lord's time after time at his Table and live correspondently to them Tho' they have a Body of Sin and Death sticking fast to them under which they groan and from which they never expect to be fully freed so long as they are surrounded with a Vail of Flesh and till Mortality comes to be swallow'd up of Life yet may they sensibly discern that things in the main are well with them by their Hearts approv'd Integrity It could not methinks but be a great comfort to Peter who had so shamefully deny'd his Master to find himself able to make so solemn an Appeal to him as that Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I Love thee So must it needs be a great quieting to serious Persons to find themselves able in His Most Sacred Presence who is the Searcher of Hearts notwithstanding their sense of their own Infirmities which nothing can make them lose to stand to it that they will be the Lord's and his alone and to resolve and vow that nothing shall ever be discover'd to them to be his Will how difficult soever it be but his Grace enabling them they will do it and then afterwards to find that notwithstanding their many Frailtys the scope of their Lives answers the Resolution of their Hearts their Vows in the main are kept and not faithlesly broken Peace may for some time be suspended but it can't long be a Stranger to such Persons And I think I need not intimate how happy this bespeaks them Further 3. SUCH Persons are out of the danger of many Temptations that others meet with and are fortify'd against those whereby they are most likely to be assaulted which is no small Happiness What a safeguard had Ioseph against a strong Temptation wherewith he was assaulted altho' 't was both insinuating because of its suitableness to his Carnal Inclination the means of privacy in it and prospect of advancement upon his Compliance with it and at the same time shaking because of the Disgrace which thro' his Mistresses Malice would attend his refusal what a safeguard I say had he by this one thought strongly imprest upon him How can I do this wickedness and sin against God So what a safeguard are frequently repeated Vows seriously made and strongly imprest against most Temptations Let such Persons be tempted to Sin and they have this soon occurs to them How can I run into this and break my Vows to my God and Saviour Whenever the Devil doth any thing to entice them to himself the sense of their solemn Engagements strongly imprest will put them upon lifting up their Hearts in a strain much like that of my Text Thy Vows are upon me O God This in many cases is such a Preservative that where the Devil finds the sense thereof strong he wont so much as assault But suppose him by some or other of his subtle Artifices to have insinuated himself and to have got any footing he is no sooner discover'd than resisted by those who retain a fixed sense of the Vows of God they are under and he can't long be resisted by any but he 'll be put to flight For that 's a standing Truth Resist the Devil and â—…e will flee from you If those then are happy that have a Preservative from the hurt of Temptation and who can question it they are very happy that have a riveted sense of the Sacredness ofâ—…eir Sacramental Vows and that set themselves to square their Lives by them For none have a better a more general a more effectual and safe Preservative than they 4. THEY have many excellent Promises upon record which they upon just grounds may apply to themselves and take comfort from and live upon I 'll mention two or three All the Paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him to such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandments to do them Who can express the Comfort which such Persons may derive from such Promises as these As also from all those that are made to the Upright and in general to the Doers of God's Commandments Come to the New Testament Promises and you 'll find few but what such Persons may justly apply to themselves All the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace are promis'd to them and they may safely depend upon them There 's one Promise of which so much notice is not taken as it deserves which might methinks dwell in the thoughts of such He that hath my Commmandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Such an one hath Christs Commandments not only in his hand but in his heart and he keeps them i. e. Faithfully obeys them and thereby shews the sincerity of his Love to his dear Saviour both the Father and Son therefore shall love him and Christ will manifest himself to them i. e. He will open and unfold to such those Gospel Mysteries whereto others notwithstanding all their light
his Death and wistfully viewing him from first to last as an exact Mirror of Divinity peculiarly fixing on his Death when his Body was broken and his Blood pour'd forth being pierc'd with grief at the remembrance of those Sins which help'd to pierce his sacred Body and full of Astonishment that it should be apt to have such light thoughts of that which was so full of Malignity that it needed his precious Blood to make Atonement It views the appointed Emblems but it looks beyond them and with sorrow considers the share it had in that doleful Tragedy which is thereby pointted at It concernedly reflects on the need it stands in of a share in the Benefit of that Sacrifice which they represent it rejoyces in its own Capacity of being interested in it it takes the sacred Emblems when offer'd with a mixture of Joy and Sorrow Fear and Love and embraces a crucified Saviour in the Arms of Faith yielding up the Heart to him as a part of the Victory and Conquest of his Love resigning up it self and its all entirely to his Disposal Management and Government not as a free Gift but as his just Right which to with-hold from him would be the highest Sacriledge and as an Offering infinitely beneath the desert of his Matchless Obligations It contentedly quits all other things whatever as but Dung and Dross without a Christ being perfectly asham'd to think that any Creature should be his Rival It declares it self satisfy'd with him as a Portion by reason that in him and with him it will have all that is needful and cares not what it wants nor how it fares nor what it parts with so it may but share in his Merits and his Spirit his Grace and his Glory It not only throws it self into its Saviour's Arms for an instant but with a design to abide there detesting whatever tends to with-draw it from him with whom it is so enamour'd It renounces Sin Satan and the World as his known Enemies fetching strength from his Cross to resist and oppose them It disclaims Self as an Usurping Tyrant renouncing it so far as 't is opposite and firmly resolving to subject it so far as 't is capable to his Scepter and Government In humble Dependance on his promised Aids it takes a New Oath of Fealty to him it engages to a thorow Discipleship solemnly swearing over his sacred Emblems heartily to be subject to him to study to resemble him to carry it as one of his Followers to stick to his Interest to fight against his Enemies to follow his Conduct to submit to his Discipline to be content with his Allotments and patiently to wait for his Rewards It embraces that Covenant which his Death so firmly ratify'd stands amaz'd at the inestimable Blessings made over in it and firmly engages strenuously to apply it self to answer the Demands of it And out of a sense of its own weakness which time past hath but too much discover'd it sends up the most Pathetical Supplications to its once crucify'd but now glorify'd Redeemer for fixing stablishing confirming preserving persevering Grace and constant Supplies of it that so the sense of such Obligations as he hath laid upon it and such Bonds as it is voluntarily enter'd into to him may by nothing ever be defac'd or worn out In hope whereof it triumphs and rejoyces magnifying adoring blessing and praising all the three Persons in the sacred Trinity the Father the Son and the holy Spirit on the Account of their distinct Concern and Agency in the Redeeming and Saving of lost Sinners 3. LET 's view the same Soul immediately after the Renewal of such Sacramental Vows and we shall find its first Work to be the Recollecting what past in the foregoing Transaction How did I burn and glow says such a Soul when I found my self under the Direct Beams of my Saviour's Love at his Table And what shall I do to retain my Warreth Or How little was I affected suitably to such a Solemnity And what can fire my frozen Heart Such a Soul cann't rest in the Work done or think all 's at an end when the solemnity's over It cann't forbear either commending or chiding it self according as the posture and carriage hath been it cann't forbear endeavouring to drive things home Follow it close and you 'll find it upon the first convenient Opportunity running all over again in its thoughts and endeavouring to rivet good Impressions and fix pious Resolutions and establish and confirm holy Purposes and back Renew'd Vows with strong enforcing Considerations and doing what it can to engage it self to answer it's Engagements and Obligations to its God and Saviour Shall I go and undo what I have been doing by a lazy Indifferency a negligent and careless course of Life Shall I forget whose I am and who I am to serve and what are my Engagements and to whom and how I am bound Will not my Guilt be much encreas'd my dear Saviour more offended the blessed Spirit more griev'd and my Heart more deaden'd than ever if I return again to Folly Was not what I did in Renewing my Vows the Effect of Consideration Is not every thing that I have vow'd antecedently my Duty Hath not every part of my Duty Benefit attending it Is not He with whom I have been Transacting able to assist me And hath he not given me his Promise in his Word and seal'd it at his Table He will never change or draw back Why then should I No I have vow'd and I 'll stand to it Christ is mine and I 'll be his Him I 'll love Him I 'll serve and follow He shall have my Heart and my Life And alas That little All I am able to give him is not the thousandth part of what I owe Him These and such as these are the Retir'd Thoughts and Reasonings of a sincere Soul presently after Renewing Sacramental Vows 4. THE former Exercise is no sooner over but if you 'll persist in your suit you 'll find the same Soul wrestling with God in Prayer and sending its most earnest Petitions and Supplications upwards for Grace and Strength to pay the Vows Renew'd I have vow'd indeed O Lord says such a Soul to God that I 'll be thine I have anew Consecrated my self to my Blessed Redeemer and I desire not to draw back But I have of my self no strength to perform all my sufficiency is of thee Lord keep a sense of my Renew'd Engagements ever fresh and warm upon my heart Thou know ' st my Weakness and my Treachery I beseech thee to aid me constantly by thy powerful Spirit that how numerous soever my Infirmities and Imperfections be I may in no case wickedly depart from thee O that I who have been viewing a crucify'd Iesus and engag'd to be his constant follower might be crucify'd unto the World and have that crucify'd unto me O that I who have been commemorating my de Lords Dying for Sin may by vertue
deriv'd from his Death be enabled to die unto Sin daily That I who have vow'd to live to him in a course of holy Obedience may have the Grace to be faithful that so he may own me at last for his before his Father and all his holy Angels These are much like the strains of a sincere Soul after Renewed Vows at the holy Communion But as for the Spirit that breathes in them at such a time the Fervour and Ardour wherewith they are vented which is that that is most considerable it is out of my reach to describe it 5. ONE can hardly suppose a Soul thus affected to have long given over sending its Supplications upwards before it will be apt to lay a strict Charge on its self suitably to these premises I have little reason will such a Soul be apt to say to its self to fear the want of aid from on high little reason to call my Dear Saviours readiness to help me into question 't is my self I have most cause to suspect and my own Carelessness and Treachery that I have most cause to fear I charge you therefore says Conscience in the name of God to take care lest you break your Vows and frustrate your Prayers by your Negligence Sloth and Remissness Often therefore think to whom you are devoted whose badge you wear how observant an Eye is always upon you how strict an account of your Carriage you must one day give to him to whom you have profest to give up your selves Consider how much Religion will be disparag'd and discredited if you that are under the strongest Ties that it is capable of bringing you under to an unspotted Holiness of Life have no discernable difference in your Carriage from the rest of the World that pretend to no such strictness as you do Think what advantage you give the Devil against your selves by your heedlessness rashness and folly Think what grief and sorrow you have pretended your past breaches and trifling so much with God occasion'd you and now take care and stand on your guard Where you are weakest there let your Watch be the closest and your Guard the strongest Be not a stranger at home but often call thy self to an Account and whenever you do so think what the matchless Love of your Redeemer requires at your hands and how little you answer its Demands Of this nature is Conscience's Charge which if seriously solemnly and authoritatively given cannot but strike an Awe AND being come thus far let 's now take the other part of the Prospect and consider the After Life The after state and carriage of one thus seriously renewing Sacramental Vows and thus endeavouring to rivet the sense of them We may view such a Person in six several Instants or Periods 1. AS setting out and first attempting to answer Renew'd Vows and Engagements To begin well is in many cases a great matter tho' in others it signifies little because of the difficulty of persisting However in this case it argues the sense of Sacramental Transactions to be very small and weak if Persons set not out well of this therefore those who are sincere will be generally Careful They 'll look before them anew and round about them and consider their work and their way their Friends and their Enemies their Encouragements and their Difficulties their Helps and their Hindrances their Dangers and their Remedies and Preservatives and will endeavour to fortify themselves and make provision accordingly Such a Soul as hath been before describ'd will therefore at first setting out summon all its powers to act their parts in the payment of its Vows to stand on their guard for fear of a surprize Will revive in it self the sense of its own weakness to prevent Security will again call in aid from Heaven will be jealous of every thing that is grateful to Flesh and Sense will take heed of runing to the utmost bounds of what is lawful whence it s so easie to to step into excess will watch against first motions to Sin and endeavour presently to eject them with abhorrence will often consider his Character and what becomes it will prepare for opposition and expect to be various ways assaulted will endeavour to keep himself open to the Spirits Influences and to follow his Conduct will set himselfto discharge his duty in every different Relation and Capacity wherein he may be consider'd will peculiarly guard against his own Iniquity whereby he is most likely to be betray'd and baffled and endeavour to arm himself with an Holy Resolution and Undauntedness without which nothing is to be done to purpose in the Christian Life 2. THE next posture wherein you 'll find him will be assaulted by a variety of Temptations with which he is struggling and grappling He hath scarce begun in earnest to set himself to Answer his Vows before the Devil attempts to divert discourage or hamper him The World presently steps in its Affairs are apt to hurry him its cares to fill him and its disappointments to perplex him The Flesh that rebels and is impatient of such close confinement as is laid upon it and tumultuously rejects the yoke of Christ as too severe and galling The Mans Dalilah displays it self in all its charms again before him to entice his Affections it discovers where his Strength lies which is in his Union with his God and by its wiles endeavours to rob him of it A variety of Examples of those who call themselves Christians present themselves who allow themselves in a greater Latitude than their Religion can warrant Who being Dead and Cold and Careless Remiss and Formal their Conversation is Infectious and apt to cast a chilling damp Thus is the Man on all hands beset both within and without He cann't be safe a minute if he intermits his guard He must be continually strugling and that particularly with himself and his own heart which will be apt to be deadned when so many ways assaulted For a while therefore which is sometimes longer sometimes shorter he however mostly keeps his ground He spurs his backward Heart and by frequent plying keeps it warm And by often interspers'd Ejaculatory Addresses Heaven-wards obtains many a kind list from thence He maintains his Resolution Reâ—…ists Temptations keeps his heart for God and tho' with great difficulty and much imperfection he yet faithfully pays his Vows But 3. KEEP your Eye still fixt upon him and in a little time you 'll be likely to find him in another posture you 'll see him stumbling and falling through Temptations prevailing Being so many ways assaulted and somewhere or other unguarded Sin creeps in upon him the World entangles him or the Flesh prevails over him he breaks his Vows he 's again ensnar'd his Redeemer is dishonour'd his Conscience is wounded his Peace is interrupted he in part loses his hold he 's clogg'd and hamper'd and the vivacity of his Spirit much abated There 's a great deal of difference in the