556 Whether weN compofed Religious rows Serm. 24. them : And (3.) Be fure to do your utmofl, and then though the finne may be too strong for you, yet are you not falfe to your vow. But next, 4. Vows en- Fourthly, Well compofed vowes do much promote Religion in the creafe out care heart and life of a Chrifliau, in!omuch as they engage the Chriflian to of articular a more intent care of force particular duty and Grace to be more,than y ordinarily attended and exercifed : A vow binds the votary to a more than ordinary care of duty, and to a more than ordinary diligence in the exercife of grace ; now where filch a vow is fo weil compofed that the duty may be more than ordinarily well performed, and the grace may be (more thin ufu illy bath been) exercifed, there filch a vow doth as much p- omote_ Religion, as its care do.h exceed our ordinary care : Who bellows moil on a duty, or on the confiant ex- ercife of a grace, doth do molt to the promoting of Religion ; and Iam lure, who fo doth advifedly and duely vow, and doth punc`ru- ally and duely perform his vow, is th, man whofe care is greaten in that duty and grace which his vow and the particular occafìon of it did commend to his thoughts. But may we vow to perform a duty or exercife a grace ? Can we fay 'cis in our power? Sol.' To this in one word ; Vow fo farre as it is and fha11 be in your power, and you may warrantably and acceptably do it before God; the per- formance of duty, and exercife of grace are debts we owe to God and we may bind our felves doubly to pay them fo farre as our frock will reach, and wishout this limitation every vow is rafh and ill compofed. 5,l'ows, &c, Fifthly, Well compofed Vowes do much promote Religion, in that by olferv:ng they engage uo to a more diligent obferving of Providence,, and to a and improving due improving them to the bell advantage of grace : When thou haft vowed thou haft fealed on thy part, if God doe anfwer thy hopes his providence, he performs the condition on his part, and now it mull be thy care to obferve Gods providence, and to improve it ; fo 7acob vowed, then obferveth how God will perform with him, and afterwards makes the improvement : Now providence anfwering the expectation of one who voweth, hath in it, I. Remarkable power and faithfullnefs to be the ground of faith this was feen in that Providence which gave 7cphtbah that vi Cory which was his hope and expeetatìon when he vowed. 2. Eminent goodnefs and tendernefs to be the loadf#one and attra- RiEe of love ; fo in that Providence which brought .David to the poffetlon
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