Serum. 24. do not rxceedirgly promote Religion ? 553 bits his bond and fecurity for his debt, upon fome extraordinary fa- your which his Creditor fhewed him This double bond dìreetly looks to that prticular debt, but it works on the debtor's ingenuity and gratitude, to be more carefull in the difcharge of all his debts; fo thy Vow looks on a particular , but engageth thee to better dif- charge of all thy debts to God. Thus it with David, Pfal. 56. r z, 13. Thy Vowes are upon me, O God. Now thofe Vowes were made when l e was in danger of his life, as it feemeth from the 13 tb Verfe. For when God heard him, he delivered his foul from death ;for this he Vowed hraifes in particular, and he will render them, but with - all, he takes himfelf to be hereby engaged to a more exaâ and cir- cumfpe& walk before God in all duties; fo he expreffeth himfelf, Verf. 13. latter part, Vowes are too broad and general!, which are not fixed more of ecially to force ose thing. And, They are too narrow which are f$ fixed to one, that they exclude all other things which might convenintly be taken in. ?acob mentions Tithes as the parti- cular objeft of his Vow, but 7acob withal! intended a more exac`f and circumfpetk care over himfelf and Family in matters of Religion, as appeareth by thofe paffagts, Genefis 35. 2, 3. 7acab faid 'unto h15 houfbold, and to all that were with him, pat away the (!range Gods that are among you. Here is the reforming of his houfhold. And obferve this was in con federation of Gods anfwering his prayers, when he Vowed unto God, who anfwered him in his diflrefs, and w.0 with him in the way which be went. So then like a fiream it rifeth from one fpring -head , and runs in one main current, but it dif perfetti it felf through many other fmaller branches, and waters every part. But, Secondly, Well competed Vowes do very much promote Grace and a. Vows dif Holinefs in he heart of the bower, in that it Both bring the man to a cover former . ferions vi ve and furvey of his former defefls and negletïs ; when defefts he comes to look over his fireits, what likely brought them on hits, and fo put him on this extraordinary way of feeking God, and fuing for mercy , when he reads over the bond he bath . vo`.unrarily entred into, and obferves what put him thus in debt to God ; when he views thefe, and fuck like particulars, be comes to knowledge of his former aberrations and deeds. Now as a good and carefull tradelman accounts he is in a good forwardneis to a thriving way when he hath found out what did hinder and endasrtmage his trade for removatl of which he bath fet himfelf in a hopefull and likely way fo when a Chriiiian comes to.
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