Semi. 24. do not exceedingly promote Religion f vancing of Religion, and what you have faithfully performed for its real advantage. Chriftian confider with thy fhf, waft thou ever in more than ordinary diftrefs ? dideit thou hoc then Vow largely ? tell me what were thy Vowes? how haft thou p_.id them? waft thou ever in a poor,needy condition ? dìd{t thou not then Vow to honour God with thy increaff, to inrich the poore , to relieve thine indi- gent brethren and Gods poore Cht;dren ? Now what haft thou done ? who are cloathed out of thy flock ? who are fed at thy ta- ble ? who are lodg,d at thy charge ? where's thy paying thy Vow ? was it ever thy lot to be toffed at Sea ? to be mounted up to the Hea- vens ? to be call down again into the depths ? to be at thy wits end ? didft thou not, then Vow, if ever God thould command, and make it a calme, and bring thee to thy defzred Haven, thou would'ft be more circumfpect in all manner of converfation, more vigilant to thy particular duty? more fevere agai.nfl thy particular Gane ? Dideft thou not Vow that an Anniverfary Sermon, with an allowance to the Poore, or a con, }ant Lecture, or an Alines- houle, or forme fuch great aanding Monument thould commenorace Gods goodnefs to thee, and perfwáde others to trult and leek unto that goodnefs? or at leaft if thy Eilace would not do fo much, haft thou not Vowed to do according to thy power ? where now is thy paying thefe Vowes? But I was never poore, never at Sea ; may be fo, yet art thou not under fome Vowes for fome other mercies ? waft thou never in danger of lofing thy Eflate, thy Relations, thy life? Dideft thou never lye dangeroufly and (men thought) defperately lick ? haft thou no fick -bed Vowes upon thee? flay here who ever thou art that readeft thefe lines, and read not a word more, untill thou haft duelyconf dered whether ever thou haft been dangeroufly fick ? and what thou then Vowedlt ? and how thou hall performed ? The proud contemner of Religion learns by his dangerous ficknefs to promife to be religious, waft thou ever filch ? dideft thou ever fo Vow ? and art thou now what thou dideft then promife ? The pro- phane fwearer and blafphemer is brought by a ficknefs to fear his Oath, and to Vow to learn to fear and abfteine. Oh then, if God will not deltroy, and damn, but give life ! he wi;l, that he will repent, and amend ; he will beefs, but not blafpheme his Name ; he will never more prophanely fwear, and- curie, waft thou ever such a one? fo finnefull ? fo engaged ? what performance now ? The Drunkard Vowes fobriety when he is lick; the Adulterer Vows chafticy ; the worldling Vowes to triad Heaven the Tradefman who bath fo of- ten 56t
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