on to keep thy Vow But however what I aim at is plain any Promise or Engagement of weight and moment by how much the more deliberate it is so much the more Binding and Obliging is it Deliberation being a guard against our being deceiv'd or impos'd on against our being surpriz'd or ensuar'd And a security that we are well satisfi'd in what we do That our grounds are firm and our way safe Now no Promise or Engagement that can be mention'd is more deliberate than is the Vow which those who frequent the Holy Communion are often Repeating None therefore can be more binding and obliging than that I add further 3. THAT no actions can have greater Solemnities attending them than those Vows have we often come under to be the Lords and to Live to him Altho ' there hath been very great variation discernable in the Solemn Rites that have attended Faederal Transactions according to the different Inclinations of several People and Nations yet have they all agreed in their design and tendency which is to encrease their awfulness and bind the parties concern'd the more effectually to the performance of what they engage to waving other instances that might be produc'd let 's a little consider the Solemnity that attends our Christian Covenanting In Baptism Parents give up their Children to God as his God by his Ministers who are his Representatives accepts them He orders them to pour Water on them in token of his readiness to pour on them his Grace and Favour The poor Infants are washt to betoken their need of Divine Grace to purge away their Defilements and this Water is also the Representative of Blood the Blood of Atonement Which Blood will be upon them in order to their Acceptance if when they come to years they live to him to whom they were Devoted but 't will be upon them to their confusion if they revolt and rebel lead dissolute carnal wicked and ungodly Lives In the Lords Supper the visible Memorials of a Crucifi'd Christ a Christ Crucify'd for Sin are set before all the Communicants and distributed amongst them There is a Beholding and a Receiving and a Feasting and an admission to the utmost Familiarity and nearest Communion which our embody'd Spirits are at present capable of withâ—… our Glorifi'd and Exalted Saviour And what can awe us if not the sight of the Blood of our Dearest Saviour which was shed to Expiate Sin But we not only see it but we drink it intimating our firm Resolution to Revenge it on our Sins which were the cause of its Effusion We swear over our Lords Body and Blood that we will be true to him as ever we hope for any Interest in his Death and Sufferings we engage to be subject to him we Vow with his Blood in our hands with his Blood in our mouths that we will be true to him to the death who shed his Blood for us and that we will be the death of those Sins and Lusts by indulging which we should Crucify him afresh Withal we do this not under a covert or in a corner but openly before Men and Angels we do it in the face of the Church which much adds to its Solemnity by reason that so many Spectators as are present at our Vows and Engagements so many Witnesses should we have of our horrid Perfidiousness should we falsify and break them The very Solemnity of these our Vows and Engagements adds to their awe and encreases their Sacredness and Force And then further 4. Direful Imprecations attend and accompany our Repeated Vows which much adds to their awfulness Direful Imprecations I say if we should not be faithful and true to our Engagements When we from time to time Solemnly Profess our selves to be Christs Disciples at his Holy Supper and promise to live in Obedience to the Laws he hath given us and the Pattern he hath set us in hope of the Blessings he hath purchas'd for us and is at his Table ready to make over to us we call for all the Curses of God upon our Heads if we don't take care to pay our Vows It was a Custom in old times which we find often mention'd and hinted at in Holy Writ To hew a Beast in pieces and divide the pieces into 2 parts and then walk between them the Language whereof was this That the Parties concern'd wisht they might have the like treatment if they were not Faithful and True So while we at the Communion are striking Covenant with God over the mangled and broken Body of our Dearest Lord we wish as 't were for the like treatment if we are not faithful in Service and true to his Honour and Interest The Natural Language of such a Rite according to the Jewish manner of Imprecating at the time of their making Compacts is this God do so to us and more also if we forget or perfidiously break our Vows When we take the Blood of our Lord into our Hands we do as 't were wish it may be upon our Heads if we live not to him who dy'd for us This is the natural language of Actions tho' it ben't express'd in words The chief Priests and Seribes that were the Murderers of our Saviour cry'd out His Blood be upon us when Pilate convinc'd of his Innocency would have Released him and all succeeding Ages have cry'd out against them for their horrid Impiety and Audaciousness But they and their Progeny have felt the fruit of that Curse they brought on themselves with a witness to this day And so will they also sooner or later do who from time to time joyn in a Sacred Action that hath such an imprecation attending it or imply'd in it to which by their wilful and allow'd Breaches of their Vows they openly expose themselves over and over Withal the Communicants at a Sacrament do all profess to believe the whole Gospel and to submit themselves to it Now the Threatnings of Christ are a part of his Gospel which therefore they choose to fall under if they don't obey his Commands if they lead Ungodly and Unchristian Lives they consign themselves over to Eternal Death and bind themselves to endure the Torments of Hell Fire What besotted Creatures then must they be who live in the wilful and allow'd Breach of many and often repeated Vows to be the Lords and to live like Devoted ones as securely as if all were well Whose case is the subject of the Chapter next ensuing From these four considerations taken conjunctly which so fully lay opon the Sacredness and Strength of our Christian Vows viz. Their Voluntariness Deliberateness Solemnity and Attending Imprecations I might I think warrantably draw this Conclusion That no Ties can bind those fast to God no Bonds can be strong enough for such Persons as can cvade the force of such Vows as these But this will more properly come to be consider'd in another place CHAP. X. Of the dreadful case which all those are in who heap
temptations that prevail on such in the degree of their prevalence and the time of their continuance which makes a great difference in the state of a Soul in such a case But this is not to be sure a state for such an one to continue in he 's uneasie under it he often blames and chides and expostulates with himself and looks upwards for help And therefore you won't find him in this case long but in a little time you may 4. OBSERVE him rising again by Repentance and Renewing his Resolutions of a Conscientious Fidelity His Merciful Saviour pities him and tho' he falls yet raises him with his hand and sets him on his Legs again for which he thinks he can never be duly thankful And then as the Apostle Paul observes in a particular Case with reference to his Corinthians What Carefuless it wrought in him yea what Indignation yea what fear yea what vehement Desire yea what Zeal yea what Revenge Altho' he fell into the mire yet he wallow'd not in it he took no delight in it And being recover'd he doubles his Diligence Watchfulness and Care With a Renew'd Vigour he resolves to pay his Vows the force whereof he owns and his Breaches whereof he laments with unfeigned Sorrow He repeats his Addresses to Heaven for fresh strength which being afforded he sets himself to his Duty without satisfying himself with any Delays or Excuses 5. ANOTHER Posture wherein you 'll often find him is bemoaning his unhappiness by reason of his manifold imperfections O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Is his frequent complaint Often will his Soul be sending forth its sorrowful moans in secret on the account of his sickleness and instability his Hearts deceitfulness and treachery the power of Sin and pravity of his Flesh and the weakness of his Grace and his great proneness to be led aside from his God and Saviour notwithstanding the many strong Bonds he is under and the many powerful Motives and quickning Considerations he hath to engage him to keep close to him Oh who hath so dead and cold and dull and listless and slipery an heart as I will he often say Certainly I am more sensless than any Man Sure God hath few such careless Servants that are in any measure true to him Christ hath few such followers that are at all sincere Sure it is not with others as it is with me Oh the Levity and Blindness of my Mind The Hardness and Stupidity of my Heart The Carnallity of my Affections The Unevenness of my Temper The many Irregularities of my Life So many Vows not strong enough to hold me fast to my Saviour and engage me to my Duty O Unhappy Creature to be so changeable so unmanageable so inconstant so in love with vanity so little enamourd with thy Saviour so soon to forget what he hath done for thee and to thee which naturally leads 6. and lastly TO a longing for that state where he will ever keep close to God without any Failures or Breaches which is another Posture wherein you 'll often find him O will he often say that I had but the Wings of a Dove that I might fly into the Coelestial Regions and be at rest This that I now inhabit is at best a Region of Sorrow and Darkness Sin and Misery Now I often break with my Saviour and lose the sight of him and fâ—…ll into sin notwithstanding all my Resolutions against it My prâ—…sent Vows I find at best too weak to hold me so close as I would be to my dearest Saviour But had I once laid aside my Fleshly Vail then I hope I should have another-guess sight of him than I can now attain unto Which sight would kindle another sort of a Love to Him than any thing now can raise me to Then I should see him as he is continually behold his Glory be over-power'd with his Love and perpetually enjoy him without any danger of stumbles or falls without any mixtures of frowns and without being ever parted from him Lord let me stay no longer in this distant imperfect state than I may serve the Purposes of thy Glory smile on me and assist me in all my present Conflicts and when they are finish'd take me unto thy self into thy most desirable Everlasting Embraces AND now I 'll leave it to any to judge whether the state and temper before describ'd Falls and Breaches only being bated to which nevertheless the Best are incident and the Spirit that runs thro' the several Periods and Postures mention'd be not very desirable very fitting very lovely very becoming very pleasing to God and comfortable to Persons themselves and therefore earnestly to be pray'd and labour'd for and aspir'd after CHAP. XVI Of PARTICULAR VOWS How they must be limited that they may be warrantable And how far and in what Cases they may be dispens'd with HAving thus largely handled and improv'd the Sacred Vows which both the Sacraments of our Holy Religion naturally carry in them which was the main Intent and Aim of this Discourse I shall now subjoin a brief Account of Vows made on Particular Occasions and especially in an Hour of Distress Trouble or Danger and make those Remarks on them that may be most helpful to a plain serious Christian to enable him to discern his Duty and put it in practice Particular Vows are those whereby we seriously engage our selves to God either to give or withhold to do or forbear any thing mention'd for ends either directly specify'd or plain to be understood Concerning which we may observe 1. That the Mosaick Law allow'd them and gave special Directions about them The Mosaical Oeconomy had indeed something peculiar in it with reference to Vows there was a Vow in use under it that was in a special manner of Divine Ordination That is God himself appointed the Manner and Rites of it leaving it free to any who were so inclin'd and dispos'd to bind themselves to it without any sorce and that was the Vow of the Nazarites Which Vow of Nazaritism was properly a Vow of Humiliation that a Man would chastize himself and deny himself in his ordinary delight of Liberty and Neatness the Particular Rules and Laws of which Vow may be seen at large Numb 6. And some of the Rules of it are easily intelligible but others of them are very difficultly accounted for by us as to their design But besides this peculiar Institution it was at that time lawful for either Men or Women that were in their own Power and not under Controul by a Vow upon any particular Occasion to consecrate to God what part of their Goods or Possessions or any thing wherein they had a Propriety that they thought meet Concerning which sort of Vows we have this Law upon Record When thou shalt Vow a Vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require
he that hath Peace with the Blessed God And who can be so likely to reach this Happiness as he that is rightly sensible of and that in the main lives up to those Vows of his that he is under 'T is true all Peace with God is the effect of Christ's Death the Merit of his Blood and the Fruit of his Purchase and whereever 't is bestow'd 't is his Gift who is the Prince of Peace But we may be well assur'd he 'll bestow it on none who carry on Hostility against his Father which is the case of all habitually wilful and allow'd Breakers of Sacramental Vows we may be satisfy'd he 'll deny it to none that are stedfast in his Covenant and who earnestly study and faithfully endeavour to answer the Demands of it which is the case of those I am speaking of On them he 'll freely bestow it to them he 'll take care to continue it and the Blessed Consequences of it so that nothing shall intervene considerably to interrupt it 2. THEY also take the most effectual course to maintain Peace of Conscience For what is Peace of Conscience but an inward quiet and composure arising from a well-grounded sense and hope that things are as they should be between God and us Whatever therefore hath any tendency to promote or maintain our Peace with God doth naturally tend to make and keep us at Peace with our selves by preventing or allaying those disquieting Fears that naturally arise from an apprehension of the Divine Displeasure That these Persons therefore take the best course to secure Peace within is a genuine Consequence of the foregoing Consideration There 's no better ground for Peace of Conscience in the World than they enjoy who devoutly renew their Vows to be the Lord's time after time at his Table and live correspondently to them Tho' they have a Body of Sin and Death sticking fast to them under which they groan and from which they never expect to be fully freed so long as they are surrounded with a Vail of Flesh and till Mortality comes to be swallow'd up of Life yet may they sensibly discern that things in the main are well with them by their Hearts approv'd Integrity It could not methinks but be a great comfort to Peter who had so shamefully deny'd his Master to find himself able to make so solemn an Appeal to him as that Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I Love thee So must it needs be a great quieting to serious Persons to find themselves able in His Most Sacred Presence who is the Searcher of Hearts notwithstanding their sense of their own Infirmities which nothing can make them lose to stand to it that they will be the Lord's and his alone and to resolve and vow that nothing shall ever be discover'd to them to be his Will how difficult soever it be but his Grace enabling them they will do it and then afterwards to find that notwithstanding their many Frailtys the scope of their Lives answers the Resolution of their Hearts their Vows in the main are kept and not faithlesly broken Peace may for some time be suspended but it can't long be a Stranger to such Persons And I think I need not intimate how happy this bespeaks them Further 3. SUCH Persons are out of the danger of many Temptations that others meet with and are fortify'd against those whereby they are most likely to be assaulted which is no small Happiness What a safeguard had Ioseph against a strong Temptation wherewith he was assaulted altho' 't was both insinuating because of its suitableness to his Carnal Inclination the means of privacy in it and prospect of advancement upon his Compliance with it and at the same time shaking because of the Disgrace which thro' his Mistresses Malice would attend his refusal what a safeguard I say had he by this one thought strongly imprest upon him How can I do this wickedness and sin against God So what a safeguard are frequently repeated Vows seriously made and strongly imprest against most Temptations Let such Persons be tempted to Sin and they have this soon occurs to them How can I run into this and break my Vows to my God and Saviour Whenever the Devil doth any thing to entice them to himself the sense of their solemn Engagements strongly imprest will put them upon lifting up their Hearts in a strain much like that of my Text Thy Vows are upon me O God This in many cases is such a Preservative that where the Devil finds the sense thereof strong he wont so much as assault But suppose him by some or other of his subtle Artifices to have insinuated himself and to have got any footing he is no sooner discover'd than resisted by those who retain a fixed sense of the Vows of God they are under and he can't long be resisted by any but he 'll be put to flight For that 's a standing Truth Resist the Devil and â—…e will flee from you If those then are happy that have a Preservative from the hurt of Temptation and who can question it they are very happy that have a riveted sense of the Sacredness ofâ—…eir Sacramental Vows and that set themselves to square their Lives by them For none have a better a more general a more effectual and safe Preservative than they 4. THEY have many excellent Promises upon record which they upon just grounds may apply to themselves and take comfort from and live upon I 'll mention two or three All the Paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him to such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandments to do them Who can express the Comfort which such Persons may derive from such Promises as these As also from all those that are made to the Upright and in general to the Doers of God's Commandments Come to the New Testament Promises and you 'll find few but what such Persons may justly apply to themselves All the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace are promis'd to them and they may safely depend upon them There 's one Promise of which so much notice is not taken as it deserves which might methinks dwell in the thoughts of such He that hath my Commmandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Such an one hath Christs Commandments not only in his hand but in his heart and he keeps them i. e. Faithfully obeys them and thereby shews the sincerity of his Love to his dear Saviour both the Father and Son therefore shall love him and Christ will manifest himself to them i. e. He will open and unfold to such those Gospel Mysteries whereto others notwithstanding all their light
his Death and wistfully viewing him from first to last as an exact Mirror of Divinity peculiarly fixing on his Death when his Body was broken and his Blood pour'd forth being pierc'd with grief at the remembrance of those Sins which help'd to pierce his sacred Body and full of Astonishment that it should be apt to have such light thoughts of that which was so full of Malignity that it needed his precious Blood to make Atonement It views the appointed Emblems but it looks beyond them and with sorrow considers the share it had in that doleful Tragedy which is thereby pointted at It concernedly reflects on the need it stands in of a share in the Benefit of that Sacrifice which they represent it rejoyces in its own Capacity of being interested in it it takes the sacred Emblems when offer'd with a mixture of Joy and Sorrow Fear and Love and embraces a crucified Saviour in the Arms of Faith yielding up the Heart to him as a part of the Victory and Conquest of his Love resigning up it self and its all entirely to his Disposal Management and Government not as a free Gift but as his just Right which to with-hold from him would be the highest Sacriledge and as an Offering infinitely beneath the desert of his Matchless Obligations It contentedly quits all other things whatever as but Dung and Dross without a Christ being perfectly asham'd to think that any Creature should be his Rival It declares it self satisfy'd with him as a Portion by reason that in him and with him it will have all that is needful and cares not what it wants nor how it fares nor what it parts with so it may but share in his Merits and his Spirit his Grace and his Glory It not only throws it self into its Saviour's Arms for an instant but with a design to abide there detesting whatever tends to with-draw it from him with whom it is so enamour'd It renounces Sin Satan and the World as his known Enemies fetching strength from his Cross to resist and oppose them It disclaims Self as an Usurping Tyrant renouncing it so far as 't is opposite and firmly resolving to subject it so far as 't is capable to his Scepter and Government In humble Dependance on his promised Aids it takes a New Oath of Fealty to him it engages to a thorow Discipleship solemnly swearing over his sacred Emblems heartily to be subject to him to study to resemble him to carry it as one of his Followers to stick to his Interest to fight against his Enemies to follow his Conduct to submit to his Discipline to be content with his Allotments and patiently to wait for his Rewards It embraces that Covenant which his Death so firmly ratify'd stands amaz'd at the inestimable Blessings made over in it and firmly engages strenuously to apply it self to answer the Demands of it And out of a sense of its own weakness which time past hath but too much discover'd it sends up the most Pathetical Supplications to its once crucify'd but now glorify'd Redeemer for fixing stablishing confirming preserving persevering Grace and constant Supplies of it that so the sense of such Obligations as he hath laid upon it and such Bonds as it is voluntarily enter'd into to him may by nothing ever be defac'd or worn out In hope whereof it triumphs and rejoyces magnifying adoring blessing and praising all the three Persons in the sacred Trinity the Father the Son and the holy Spirit on the Account of their distinct Concern and Agency in the Redeeming and Saving of lost Sinners 3. LET 's view the same Soul immediately after the Renewal of such Sacramental Vows and we shall find its first Work to be the Recollecting what past in the foregoing Transaction How did I burn and glow says such a Soul when I found my self under the Direct Beams of my Saviour's Love at his Table And what shall I do to retain my Warreth Or How little was I affected suitably to such a Solemnity And what can fire my frozen Heart Such a Soul cann't rest in the Work done or think all 's at an end when the solemnity's over It cann't forbear either commending or chiding it self according as the posture and carriage hath been it cann't forbear endeavouring to drive things home Follow it close and you 'll find it upon the first convenient Opportunity running all over again in its thoughts and endeavouring to rivet good Impressions and fix pious Resolutions and establish and confirm holy Purposes and back Renew'd Vows with strong enforcing Considerations and doing what it can to engage it self to answer it's Engagements and Obligations to its God and Saviour Shall I go and undo what I have been doing by a lazy Indifferency a negligent and careless course of Life Shall I forget whose I am and who I am to serve and what are my Engagements and to whom and how I am bound Will not my Guilt be much encreas'd my dear Saviour more offended the blessed Spirit more griev'd and my Heart more deaden'd than ever if I return again to Folly Was not what I did in Renewing my Vows the Effect of Consideration Is not every thing that I have vow'd antecedently my Duty Hath not every part of my Duty Benefit attending it Is not He with whom I have been Transacting able to assist me And hath he not given me his Promise in his Word and seal'd it at his Table He will never change or draw back Why then should I No I have vow'd and I 'll stand to it Christ is mine and I 'll be his Him I 'll love Him I 'll serve and follow He shall have my Heart and my Life And alas That little All I am able to give him is not the thousandth part of what I owe Him These and such as these are the Retir'd Thoughts and Reasonings of a sincere Soul presently after Renewing Sacramental Vows 4. THE former Exercise is no sooner over but if you 'll persist in your suit you 'll find the same Soul wrestling with God in Prayer and sending its most earnest Petitions and Supplications upwards for Grace and Strength to pay the Vows Renew'd I have vow'd indeed O Lord says such a Soul to God that I 'll be thine I have anew Consecrated my self to my Blessed Redeemer and I desire not to draw back But I have of my self no strength to perform all my sufficiency is of thee Lord keep a sense of my Renew'd Engagements ever fresh and warm upon my heart Thou know ' st my Weakness and my Treachery I beseech thee to aid me constantly by thy powerful Spirit that how numerous soever my Infirmities and Imperfections be I may in no case wickedly depart from thee O that I who have been viewing a crucify'd Iesus and engag'd to be his constant follower might be crucify'd unto the World and have that crucify'd unto me O that I who have been commemorating my de Lords Dying for Sin may by vertue
deriv'd from his Death be enabled to die unto Sin daily That I who have vow'd to live to him in a course of holy Obedience may have the Grace to be faithful that so he may own me at last for his before his Father and all his holy Angels These are much like the strains of a sincere Soul after Renewed Vows at the holy Communion But as for the Spirit that breathes in them at such a time the Fervour and Ardour wherewith they are vented which is that that is most considerable it is out of my reach to describe it 5. ONE can hardly suppose a Soul thus affected to have long given over sending its Supplications upwards before it will be apt to lay a strict Charge on its self suitably to these premises I have little reason will such a Soul be apt to say to its self to fear the want of aid from on high little reason to call my Dear Saviours readiness to help me into question 't is my self I have most cause to suspect and my own Carelessness and Treachery that I have most cause to fear I charge you therefore says Conscience in the name of God to take care lest you break your Vows and frustrate your Prayers by your Negligence Sloth and Remissness Often therefore think to whom you are devoted whose badge you wear how observant an Eye is always upon you how strict an account of your Carriage you must one day give to him to whom you have profest to give up your selves Consider how much Religion will be disparag'd and discredited if you that are under the strongest Ties that it is capable of bringing you under to an unspotted Holiness of Life have no discernable difference in your Carriage from the rest of the World that pretend to no such strictness as you do Think what advantage you give the Devil against your selves by your heedlessness rashness and folly Think what grief and sorrow you have pretended your past breaches and trifling so much with God occasion'd you and now take care and stand on your guard Where you are weakest there let your Watch be the closest and your Guard the strongest Be not a stranger at home but often call thy self to an Account and whenever you do so think what the matchless Love of your Redeemer requires at your hands and how little you answer its Demands Of this nature is Conscience's Charge which if seriously solemnly and authoritatively given cannot but strike an Awe AND being come thus far let 's now take the other part of the Prospect and consider the After Life The after state and carriage of one thus seriously renewing Sacramental Vows and thus endeavouring to rivet the sense of them We may view such a Person in six several Instants or Periods 1. AS setting out and first attempting to answer Renew'd Vows and Engagements To begin well is in many cases a great matter tho' in others it signifies little because of the difficulty of persisting However in this case it argues the sense of Sacramental Transactions to be very small and weak if Persons set not out well of this therefore those who are sincere will be generally Careful They 'll look before them anew and round about them and consider their work and their way their Friends and their Enemies their Encouragements and their Difficulties their Helps and their Hindrances their Dangers and their Remedies and Preservatives and will endeavour to fortify themselves and make provision accordingly Such a Soul as hath been before describ'd will therefore at first setting out summon all its powers to act their parts in the payment of its Vows to stand on their guard for fear of a surprize Will revive in it self the sense of its own weakness to prevent Security will again call in aid from Heaven will be jealous of every thing that is grateful to Flesh and Sense will take heed of runing to the utmost bounds of what is lawful whence it s so easie to to step into excess will watch against first motions to Sin and endeavour presently to eject them with abhorrence will often consider his Character and what becomes it will prepare for opposition and expect to be various ways assaulted will endeavour to keep himself open to the Spirits Influences and to follow his Conduct will set himselfto discharge his duty in every different Relation and Capacity wherein he may be consider'd will peculiarly guard against his own Iniquity whereby he is most likely to be betray'd and baffled and endeavour to arm himself with an Holy Resolution and Undauntedness without which nothing is to be done to purpose in the Christian Life 2. THE next posture wherein you 'll find him will be assaulted by a variety of Temptations with which he is struggling and grappling He hath scarce begun in earnest to set himself to Answer his Vows before the Devil attempts to divert discourage or hamper him The World presently steps in its Affairs are apt to hurry him its cares to fill him and its disappointments to perplex him The Flesh that rebels and is impatient of such close confinement as is laid upon it and tumultuously rejects the yoke of Christ as too severe and galling The Mans Dalilah displays it self in all its charms again before him to entice his Affections it discovers where his Strength lies which is in his Union with his God and by its wiles endeavours to rob him of it A variety of Examples of those who call themselves Christians present themselves who allow themselves in a greater Latitude than their Religion can warrant Who being Dead and Cold and Careless Remiss and Formal their Conversation is Infectious and apt to cast a chilling damp Thus is the Man on all hands beset both within and without He cann't be safe a minute if he intermits his guard He must be continually strugling and that particularly with himself and his own heart which will be apt to be deadned when so many ways assaulted For a while therefore which is sometimes longer sometimes shorter he however mostly keeps his ground He spurs his backward Heart and by frequent plying keeps it warm And by often interspers'd Ejaculatory Addresses Heaven-wards obtains many a kind list from thence He maintains his Resolution Reâ—…ists Temptations keeps his heart for God and tho' with great difficulty and much imperfection he yet faithfully pays his Vows But 3. KEEP your Eye still fixt upon him and in a little time you 'll be likely to find him in another posture you 'll see him stumbling and falling through Temptations prevailing Being so many ways assaulted and somewhere or other unguarded Sin creeps in upon him the World entangles him or the Flesh prevails over him he breaks his Vows he 's again ensnar'd his Redeemer is dishonour'd his Conscience is wounded his Peace is interrupted he in part loses his hold he 's clogg'd and hamper'd and the vivacity of his Spirit much abated There 's a great deal of difference in the