Serra. zq., do not exceedingly promote Religion 557 poffeflion of his hopes, and David thought fo when he profeffed he would love God dearly, becaufe he had delivered him out of the PC41.18.I. hand of all his enemies. 3. Eminent readinef c to hear prayer ; when God Both as to 7eph. thah fpeedily hear, or as to 74cob, continue f ill to hear for many years together. 4. More than ordinary obliging confaderations to draw forth our obedience too ;fuch providences have tongues to call for our faith, our love, our prayers, our obedience and our pralles ; What (hall I render to the Lord ? is the ferious well advifed votaries enquiry. 5. moth undoubted evidence appropriating this to the Lord, that the exped`fing Chriflian can truly fay, it was the Lord's doing and his onely, none bore part in the work, none Ihall bear away (hare of his trufl , love , prayer or obfervans obedience due to him from me. Now if thefe particulars be confidered,it cannot lure be doubted longer, whether well compofed vowesdo promote Religion, when they do fo engage , and quicken thofe who vow to fuch Ads of Duty, to fuch exercife of Grace, to fuch oppofìcion of finne, to fuch improvement of providence, for the increafe of Grace : And what is Religion bus all thefe in one word, and what is the promo- ting of Religion, but the facilitating, continuing, and perfe &ng of all thefe, which is not a little furthered by fuch Vowes. It yet remains to fhew, Whence there well cornpofed Vowes have so- Gourd. fucb influence on Religion, what have they in them more than ordinary thin to promote it ? To this I will an fwer as briefly as I may ; There is in fuch Vowesa moll notable awakening,and quickening power, which fers ah a mans care, wifedom, truth, and ilrength on work, to do the things whereby Religion is fo much promo red. I, A deep rooted naturali reverence and awe of a (trims Pow, which makes the man who hash fo much fenfe of Religi, n as CO make a Vow, to have as much care of performing is : Man is readier to call off the reverence he owes to Gods Law, than to cafi off the regard he bath to his own Vow, fo that many rimes it is very sir. pzdient to engage by Vow to do what is our duty by the Law of God : The bond of naturali confcience is very flung, and Vowes have much of their flrengrh from it, and thereby become great fup- porters of Religion. z. To this the Chriflian loath a r'uporaddrd 11451 command and prefcript of the Law of God indiffen (ably, requiring the performance of Bbbb z tbat
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