Serra. 24. do not exceedingly promote Religion ? 53J I could¡{ do , is this the reafon thou didit not all, becaufe force of it was out of thy power ; thou mutt be humbled for thy rafh Vow , and if ever it come within thy power do it. 2. See whether thy (loth and negligence did not hinder when thou mightrft hive performed , but now it is out of thy power and thou canfl not, this is a high breach of thy Vows , and I know no way for thee but due and feafonable repentance, and confeffing that God may pardon thee, and be thou better in what thou cant}, fince thou canít not be fo good in this thou fhouldef}. 3. See whether it continue yet in thy power to do , though as yet thou haft net done it and if fo, be affected with the fight of thy unthank- fulnefs, but remove this fin by performing thy Vows , for God will not r :leafe the promife, nor cancelI the Bond , untill the debt be paid by him who bath power in his hand and may do it. But, what if it were in ray power when I Vowed, but fence that time `Dub. providence bath put it out of my power. I was rich when I Vowed to relieve the poor, but when I was recovered , God fuffered me to be fpoiled as 7o6 was, what {hall I do then ? z. Thy vow well compofed engaged thee fo far as it was in thy power. Sol, r. Remember a well - advifed Vow hath this exprefs condition or this implyed, fo far and fo long as it is in my power to do , until! I have done all. The tenth of all I have of all that God (hall give me, faith laeob , I will give to God ; now if the Lord exercife his bounty to 7acob, ?acob is ingsged, then he bath power and can do it : if God make 3acob poor, the limitation his Vow implyed in it doth quit Secondly, So far as God puts it out of thy power, fo far be releafeth Sol. 2.' thee from the debt. When God by his providence overruling all, doth tifarle thee co the payment; then he difchargeth thee from the bond , this is Gods reali difcharge and cancelling of the Obli- gation. Are well compofed Vows fuch promoters of Religion ? and are v f-e they CO be made fo warily ? and do they bind fo ftri&ly ? Then be fure to wait untill God give you jMft and fit feafons for Vowing, be not over -haf1y to Vow , it is an inconfiderateand toofifh balk of Chrifti- ans to make more occafions of Vowing than God doth make for them ; Make your Vows and fpare not fo often as God bids jots, but do not do it ofrner; you would wonder I fhould diffwade from Vowing often , when you have fuch confiant mercies and wonder well you might , if God did expet your extraordinary bond and fe- Gccc curity
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