r 546 Whether well compofed Religious Vows Serm. 24. full, which is in the iffue to leave us without any way of binding our felt/ :s to acknowledgements, fuited to extraordinary providences. In a word, Seeing the Law ofGod is the {landing rule of our daily obe- dience , and is the fame unchanged rule of our daily duties but withall the mercies and varieties of providences are a Law likewife to us Chritlians,and when great, require great and fuitable deportment in us. We mull have fotne way and that law full , to meafure out our refentments which can be no other but the laying bonds and voluntary obligations on ous felves unto God, which is the fame with this Vow. Either there mull be fome fuch las full way, or elfe great providentiall mercìc s which call for greater returns , and are a reali Law to us , cannot be duely obferved and ob;yed. Now I know riches of grace in the Gofpel have not fo intr_nched on , or done injury to providences. I know that as grace is no enemy to the {landing Law, nor patronizeth Iicentioufnefs ; fo neither is grace an enemy to providence , nor warranteth any one to overlook the greatnefs, and extraordinary mercy in any providences ; or to be carelefs and fleight in anfwering them with unfuitable return of thankfulnefs. But, 5. horns bell Fifthly, That is lawfull to us Chriflans, which cloth mo(1 certain- enfure dUty,and ly enfure our duty to God , yet dash not enfnare or in the enfuring of h. enfnare not us. That you or I may do lawfully, which will not enfnare us, but more ftrongly engage us to our duty, none will doubt this. In dealing with a man, you, or I, or any reafonable man would be ready to give any fecurity that we might give , without enfnaring our felvts. Now VOW' well compofed do more enfnare the duty, for we cannot go back, it is a Vow ; yet da not enfnare, for we can perform them, they are Vows Judg. t i.35. Well compofed. 7ephthah's Vow bound him fail, for it was the bond of AVOW ; but rhie bond enfnared him , for it was raf1', and ill compofed ; fuch was rsnlawfsal to hirrn,& is CO us. David's Vow here was an enfuring loins to God, and his duty, it unalterably bound him ; yet it was no fnare to him , for he had fo vowed , that he could fay , I will pay my Vows; fuch Vows were lawfull to him, fuch are lawfull to us. Now all well compofed Vows will be fuch ; they will very firmly bind us to duty , and they will never enfnare us in their binding us; which thing will be more plainly feen,upon difcovery offthe next Ge- nerall, viz. 3 . General. When Vows are wellcompofed,and fo confequently for the advan . it eaxii be, cage of Religion I, in exttsor- lira then , If you would duely and well- compofe your Vows, Binary cafes.
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