to come unto his Table when I am invited and call'd And to joyn in that Sacred Solemnity that I may thereby testifie my Union with the Church my Charity for all and my Thankfulness to Christ And will never forget his Unspeakable Love to my poor Soul manifested in his Sacrifice of Everlasting Vertue and will hope according to the Integrity of my Heart that tho' my Failings be many yet he will encrease my Graces and Heavenly Comforts upon my waiting upon him therein AND in the keeping of this my Vow and acting agreeably thereunto I Resolve by the Assistance of that Grace which God hath promis'd to Persevere and hold on to the end of my days Living in the constant expectation of Death Judgment and Eternity and my Lords Return THIS is the Nature and Purport of that Vow or Engagement which Christianity obliges all its Adult Votaries freely to come under And this is the substance of all our Religion I Appeal to all that will take the pains to read and review it Whether this Vow thus drawn up contains any thing unreasonable Whether there is not the highest Reason running thro' it Whether any Branch of it is liable to any just Exceptions Whether those who refuse to come under it or being under it to obey it are not Enemies to themselves as well as to God Whether it contains any thing impossible to a willing Mind And whether it would not be happy for the World and reflect a great Lustre upon Religion if it were faithfully and punctually kept by all that are under it HERE I desire it may be Observ'd 1. THAT it was much more usual for Persons first to come under this Vow in Baptism in an Adult State in the Primitive Church than in after times For when Christianity first made its entrance it found the World in possession of sundry Religions in which those of that Age were bred up and in the practice whereof they persisted till they were better inform'd by Gospel Light which spreading and diffusing it self far and wide insinuating it self into Mens minds and carrying its own convictive evidence along with it which was back'd by the Miraculous Power then resident in the Church brought in Proselites in abundance from Iudaism and Gentilism in all its Forms to Christianity in a full age till which time therefore they were incapable of being Baptiz'd and coming under the Vow foregoing But when Christianity having justled out its Rival Religions came to be fixt and setled Parents generally thought it their Duty to get their Childrens Names inscrib'd in the Christian Roll from their Infancy and to enter them into a Sacred Bond to be the Lords in Baptism and actually did so So that afterwards none remain'd to be Baptiz'd when Adult but either those whose Parents neglected to devote them to the Lord by that Sacred Rite in their Infant state or those who were themselves Proselyted to Christianity after they came to Maturity which after the three or four first Ages of the Church were all along comparatively few 2. THAT the more publickly this Vow is made by those who are Baptiz'd when Adult 't is so much the better In the Primitive Church 't was generally in the face of a Christian Assembly that this Affair was transacted and tho' it cannot be justly pretended that its validity at all depends upon the publickness of it yet is it unquestionable that its ends will be thereby the better answer'd It makes it much more Solemn there will be the more Witnesses who may be afterwards Monitors if there be occasion and the greater Force will it probably have and the greater is the Awe that is likely to be thereby imprest 3. THAT this Vow is by no means to be confin'd to the Adult But even those who are Baptiz'd when Infants areas much concern'd in it For 1. their Infant Dedication to God in Covenant obliges them to stand to and keep this Vow as much as if'twere Personally made in their first Consecration And 2. Their Infant Baptism obliges them actually to make a Vow of this Nature when they come to Age and so are capable of Personal Covenanting for themselves Which matters will receive no small light from the following Chapter CHAP. V. Of the Baptismal Vow as to those Baptiz'd in Infancy An Account of the distinct concern of Parents and Children in it and a distinct Address to each concerning the Duty thence resulting THO' the case of Persons Baptiz'd when Adult be more clear yet is that of those Baptiz'd in Infancy much more common in the days we live in and so it hath been in the Church now for several Ages Tho' the Obligation of the former by the Baptismal Vow be more immediate and therefore more obvious and sensibly discernable yet is that of the latter as fully and sufficiently evident if rightly stated I design not to run out into Disputes and shall therefore take that for granted which so many Eminent Persons of all Professions have so Laboriously and Clearly Prov'd viz. That it is the Duty of all Christian Parents to enter their Children while Infants into the Visible Church and the Christian Covenant by Baptism and so from the first to bring them under the Vow fore going I lay that down here as a Postulatum and take it to be but a reasonable one And supposing it evident shall set my self to show what Apprehensious we are to form of the Engagement which such Baptiz'd Infants come under and of the manner of their coming under it And here I think it undeniable That as 't is in the Parents right that Infants are admitted to Baptism so 't is by their engagement that they are brought under the Vow which that Solemnity carrys in it That we may be clear in this matter therefore it is needful distinctly to consider 1. THE part and work of Parents in Devoting their Children to God and bringing them under the Baptismal Vow 2. THE concern of Children in what upon that occasion is done by their Parents for them and on their hehalf And 3. THE Parents Power to bring them and the Childrens Capacity of being brought under such an Obligation as the Baptismal Vow 1. AS for the part and work of Parents in Devoting their Children to God and bringing them under the Baptismal Vow that is compriz'd under the following Particulars 1. THEY disclaim all Right to their Children that is inconsistent with Gods Absolute Propriety and Resign them as a part of themselves entirely to his Management and Disposal From him they receiv'd them and to him they return them begging his acceptance of them for his own 2. THEY bring them to God for his Blessing and hold them up before him with earnest desires that these little parts of themselves may be not only under his Providential Care but under the entail of his Covenant Love As they embrace that Covenant which the Gospel offers for themselves so is it also their earnest request
thy Bonds we brought them with the Instituted Solemnity even in their very Infancy and we did all that in us lay to bring them under as strong and firm engagements as was possible and often did we as they grew up endeavour to make them sensible how much they were oblig'd to live to thee to whom they were Devoted their Blood therefore be upon themselves If they have wickedly and obstinately Revolted from thee their Ruin will lye at their own doors whereof we are Witnesses All others also who were present at the Solemnity of their Baptism will be ready to bear Witness that they came early under Gods Gracious Covenant and were enter'd in a Bond to be faithful in all the Duties of it which if they have wickedly neglected and liv'd to themselves instead of living to God they can attest they have broken a Divine Vow that was upon them which implies an highly aggravated Guilt And Oh! How sad a thing will it be for Persons to have Ministers Parents and Christian Friends Rising up in Judgment against them at last for their Revolting from that God to whom they in their Infancy were Consecrated and breaking those Bands that should have fastned them to him BUT after all because there are some to be met with that Question Parents power to bring their Children while Infants under such an Obligation as that of the Baptismal Vow and make their Incapacity Personally to consent a Grand Objection against this Practice I shall now 5thly A little distinctly consider the Power of Parents to bring them and the Childrens Capacity of being brought under such an Obligation as the Baptismal Vow 1. AS for the Parental Power it s the greatest that Nature gives The Interest of Parents in their Children is great and such also must their Power over them needs consequently be Children have no use of their Understandings to deliberate or wills to choose they have no Power to act Nature invests Parents therefore with a right of Deliberating Choosing and Acting for them during their own Incapacity Children are the product even of their own Bowels and therefore it may be well suppos'd they 'll do their best for them And they can never make their Parents a return for what they have receiv'd from them can never pay them the Debt that is naturally owing them and therefore may well be suppos'd ready to hearken to them and comply with them in any thing that is reasonable Nature puts Parents in the place of God to Children During their Infant State they have as great a power of Command over them even as over their own Hands or Feet or any other Members of their Body where provided they keep within the limits and inclinations of Nature i. e. Love and Cherish and are tender of them they can't overdo All Civil Laws have allow'd great scope to the Parental Power because it s presum'd 't would be us'd for their Childrens Good In no Countreys hath it been so straitned by any particular Laws as that Parents have not had a free liberty of disposing of their Children and entring into Contracts for them which shall be binding upon them and of laying Charges and Commands on them which shall be Obligatory We have a known instance of this latter sort in the case of the Rechabites who were char'd by Ionadab their Fore-father that none of them their Wives their Sons or their Daughters should Drink any Wine that they should neither Build House nor Sow Seed nor Plant Vineyard nor have any but all their days dwell in Tents Which charge they punctually Obey'd And there is a Solemn Blessing given them by God for this their Obedience And can it be suppos'd Parents should have great Power over their Children in Natural Matters and Civil Affairs and none in Religious Concerns God takes care of the Infant Seed of Pious Parents hath made great Promises and extends his Covenant to them and offers to entail the Blessings of it on them And have Parents no Power to give up their Children to him and enter them into his Covenant and bind them to the Duties of it Children are bound to stand to any Engagements their Parents come under for them unless in any thing Sinful and of dangerous consequence And can they safely reject the force of the Vow they bring them under in Baptism to be the Lords and plead that it was a stretch of the Parental Power Why if Parents have power to choose a Physician for their Bodies an Instructor for their Minds a Master for their Calling c. What should hinder their Power from exteâ—…ing to the choosing of God for the Portion of their Souls and binding them to discharge the Duties owing to him It may perhaps be pleaded That Parents would not want Power in the case were but their Children capable of such an obligation in their Infant State but they are unmeet subjects for the exercise of such a Power and therefore it is Insignificant Le ts therefore 2. A little consider Childrens Capacity of coming under such a Bond as the Baptismal Vow i. e. their Passive not their Active Capacity which is not pretended or pleaded for And here I desire it may be consider'd 1. That they are capable of being bound in Civils Why not in Spirituals To Man Why not to God An Infant may have an Estate made over and secur'd to him by Law he is capable of becoming a Tennant and being oblig'd to pay a certain Rent and Homage when he comes to Age and in the mean time of having Provisions from the Estate he hath a Title to In such a case none will deny but a Parent or even a Guardian may act for him and that so as that he shall stand Engag'd If so Why is he not as capable of being oblig'd by a Sacred Vow whereby his Parents would bind him to God in order to the securing the Everlasting Inheritance which He by Gospel-grant hath setled on all his Children Let it therefore here be observ'd That whatever is pleaded in proof of the Incapacity of Infants to come under a Vow to God in Baptism by vertue of their Parents transacting on their behalf proves them equally incapable of coming under any obligation whatsoever till they are able to transact for themselves Which is contrary to the sense of all the Wise and Prudent that have liv'd in all Ages of the World 2. LET it be further observ'd That Infants even while such are capable of sharing in the Blessings of Gods Covenant And if so Why not of coming under an Obligation to the Duties of it They are capable of sharing in the Merits of Christs Blood and the Influences of his Spirit and other marks of Divine Favour and of being treated by God as his Children and that by their Parents means whose Covenant Interest is Available for their Good in their Infant State Why may they not then by their means also come under an Engagement and
that their Children may partake of the Inestimable Blessings of it in order whereto they bring them to receive the Instituted Seal of the Covenant that so that Promise of Pardon Favour Grace and Mercy which is to their Children as well as them may actually reach them 3. THEY consent for their Children to all Gods claims and demands and bind them if they live to all the Duties of the Covenant as ever they expect or desire they should share in the Blessings of it That their Children shall eventually live in Gods Fear and walk in his ways and carry it as his Devoted Servants is not in the power of the best of Parents to promise that can only be brought about by the aid of Divine Grace which is not at their dispose But having a natural power and right to judge for them and act for them till they become capable of judging and acting for themselves they consent on their behalf to the Justness and Equity of the Covenant's demands and engage for them to a compliance therewith and so bring them under a Vow of the same nature with that before recited with reference to the Adult its Personality only excepted 4. THESE Children being born in Christ's Family to which their Parents belong they bring them to his Authoriz'd Representative that they may be Enroll'd in the list of his Servants and receive his Badge and put on his Livery in order to their sharing in all the blessed Priviledges of his Domesticks It was ordain'd in the Levitical Law That if any one had Children during his Servitude they should be his Masters for they were Born in his Family So all the Children of Christians may be said to be born in Christs Family and to be a part of his peculiar Propriety which Propriety of his is own'd in their Infant Dedication For Parents in that Solemnity acknowlege our Blessed Redeemer to be the Rightful Lord and Master both of them and theirs to the Rules and Orders of whose Family they bind both themselves and their Children to keep close And he on the other side is Graciously pleas'd to testify his acceptance of theirs as well as them by certain Solemn Rites he hath appointed to be us'd by his Ministers 5. Christian Parents do as it were enter a Protest against the fruit of their own Bowels and Solemnly lay them under the Curse of God if they live to cast off his Yoke and lay aside his Fear and revolt from his Covenant I believe this is but rarely so much as the matter of an actual thought of a Parent upon such an occasion But it is the language of the Solemnity it self A Vow can't be made without a Penalty either suppos'd or exprest And all Sacramental Vows in their own nature carry Imprecations in them The Baptismal Vow made personally by any one hath this Imprecation imply'd in it if not expresly intimated The Lord do so to me â—…nd more also if I â—…erfidiously break it the Lord shut me for ever out of the number of the Blessed and verify all his Threatnings in my Exemplary Punishment if I wickedly revolt from him So also when Parents come to devote a little one of theirs to God in Baptism such is the nature of their Transaction on its behalf that they do as 't were say The Lord renounce thee my Child if ever thou livest to renounce this Vow I am entring thee under to be his the Curse of God be upon thee if thou breakest his Bonds and irreclaimably persistest in Rebellion against him 6. PARENTS Solemnly Vow and Promise to do all that in them lies as their Children grow up to make them sensible of their engagement and obligation to be the Lords to whom they were so early Consecrated and Devoted They oblige themselves if they and their Children live to Instruct them in the great Principles of Religion to help them to understand what their Baptism obliges them to and to engage them to live answerably to that Sacred Vow they then enter'd them under and to bring them understandingly seriously and personally to renew it themselves that so its binding and obliging force may be the stronger upon them and the entail of Covenant Blessings may be the more firmly secur'd to them THIS in short is Parents work in the Baptismal Consecration of their little Ones Whence it appears That they in that Solemnity not only bring their Children under a Sacred Vow but also come under one themselves YOU may take the Sum of their Vow in Form briefly thus BEHOLD O Lord we who have devoted our selves and all that we are and have to thee do according to thine injunction and expectation particularly now Consecrate a little one of ours to thee from whom we have receiv'd it We own it to be more thine than ours by Right and we desire that thy Right may take place It was born in thy Family we therefore bring it to be enroll'd in the List of thy Servants and to receive thy Badge and put on thy Livery in order to its sharing in all the Blessed Priviledges of thy Domesticks We have handed it into a Miserable World and been instrumental to convey a a corrupt nature to it but thou alone by giving it thy Grace canst make it Happy We present it to thee for thy Blessing We now enter it into thy Covenant the Blessings whereof thou hast in thy word been Graciously pleas'd to declare do descend from Believers to their Infant Seed We offer it to receive the outward Seal and beg that thou wouldst convey and assure the great things thereby betoken'd and intimated We humbly lay hold of thy Covenant for our selves and this little one on whose behalf we freely consent to all thy claims and demands Hoping that if it shall please thee to to remove it out of this sinful and troublesome World before it shall become capable of Transacting with thee Personally for it self thou wilt take it to thy self and make it happy in thy self and firmly binding and engaging it if thou shalt please to spare its life to live in thy Fear and walk in thy Ways and sincerely keep all thy Holy Commandments as ever we desire or expect it should share in the Invaluable Blessings which thou hast promis'd to thy Servants And if which we humbly beseech thee Mercifully to prevent it should live perfidiously to break thy Bonds and wickedly to Revolt from thee and persist so doing without being reclaim'd we can desire no other than that it may be treated as an Insolent contemner of thy Covenant and a perfidious Revolter from it To prevent which nevertheless we Solemnly Promise as in thine especial presence to do all that lies in our power by Wholsome Instructions and Serious Admonitions Parental Counsels Seasonable Reproofs and Suitable Corrections as we can discern occasion Which endeavours of ours we humbly and earnestly beseech thee to accompany with thy Heavenly Blessing that they may be Effectual LET
's now consider the concern of Children in this Transaction of their Parents on their behalf of which you may take an Account in the following Particulars 1. THEY are hereby bound to lead a life of Holy Devotedness to God the Father Son and Spirit To this they henceforth stand bound not only by that DivineLaw that requires it of them but also by their Parents Engagement and Stipulation which in matters of plain Duty to be sure is binding whatever it may be in things that are indifferent We find Samuel under the Law thought himself oblig'd by his Mothers Vow and therefore gives himself freely to serve the Lord in his Tabernacle according to the dedication she had made of him Yea Iepthath's Daughter complies with her Fathers Vow tho' as most think it was to be offer'd up in Sacrifice My Father saith she if thou hast open'd thy mouth to the Lord do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy Mouth How much more then must those Children who were in Infancy enter'd into the Christian Covenant by their Parents be oblig'd to stand to it when it engages them to nothing but what was of it self antecedently their Duty It 's a part of the Honour Nature hath made due to Parents from their Children that they own themselves bound by their engagements for them and interest in this case falls in with Duty the advantages of a compliance with their Parental Dedication being very great and the mischiefs of a Refusal evident and notorious Withal they are bound to conform to the Rules of that Family in which they were born and to the Master whereof their Parents brought them to pay so early an Homage And to continue in the service of that Lord whose Badge they so soon receiv'd till they can find a better and if they stay till then without all question they 'll never quit him The Obligation Infants by vertue of their Baptism come under to an Holy Devotedness is of a mixt Nature 'T is partly Natural and partly Positive 'T is Natural so far as it is an effect of the Parental power duly exercis'd 'T is Positive so far as there is any force in the Rites then us'd which are of Divine Institution and the case was in this respect the same as to Circumcision of old St. Paul observes That every man that is Circumcis'd is a debtor to do the whole Law Circumcision oblig'd all that receiv'd it to a subjection to the whole Mosaick Law and that altho' t' was administred to all of Jewish Extraction in their Infancy and on their Parents Account and at their desire they were bound by it without staying for their consent So also are all Baptiz'd Persons tho' Infants bound to asubjection to the whole Gospel And the denial hereof by any so Baptiz'd is a spitting in their Parents face nay a pouring contempt on God's Sacred Institutions 2. THEY are bound to own their Baptismal Obligation as soon as capable If they are bound to stand to it there 's certainly all the reason in the World they should own they do so They are bound to own it in Duty to their Parents who by giving them up to God more effectully consulted their Happiness and Welfare than they could have done any other way They are bound also to do it in Gratitude to God for so Inestimable a Priviledge as is so early an admission into his Family and coming under his Covenant It 's necessary they should do it in order to the securing the entail of Covenant Blessings to which their own personal taking upon them that Vow which they first came under in Baptism is necessary For they are no longer to be consider'd as part of their Parents than till they arrive at a Capacity of acting for themselves at which time God expects both that they should own their Baptismal Dedication to have been a signal Mercy declare their readiness to stand to the Vow they were then enter'd under and personally make it for themselves and in their own Names as ever they expect to reap the Blessed Benefits that depend thereon And tho' this Vow was really binding when it was meerly Parental yet is it more firmly binding when it thus becomes Personal And those must look upon the power of Parents over Children to be very small that question whether they may rightfully exert their Authority in bringing their Children under a Bond to do that when they come to Age which is their unquestionable Duty then to do whether there be such a Prior Engagement or not But however we may hence observe another notion of the Baptismal Vow that is proper enough viz. That it is that Vow which we by vertue of Infant Baptism are oblig'd to make explicitly when we come to Age in which case the Form drawn up in the foregoing Chapter is as suitable as 't is with reference to those who are not Baptiz'd till they are Adult 3. THOSE who stand not to their Infant Baptismal Obligation when they grow up are liable to be treated as obstinate contemners of the Divine Favour as Sacrilegious Alienators of what was peculiarly devoted and as perjur'd Violators of Gods Covenant Their case is not the same with that of the rest of the World who remain Undedicated and Unconsecrated to God But as their Advantages would be great if they were Faithful so will their Miseries be great if they are false to the Vow they came under in their Baptism That very Bond that should have kept them close to God will consign them over to the more aggravated Woes when put in suit against them For tho' Parents were the main Agents yet are they mainly concern'd and bound and on them therefore will the Penalty annex'd take place 4. THE Minister that Baptiz'd them their Parents that Devoted them and as many as were Spectators of their Infant Consecration are so many Witnesses for God against them if in their after Life they break Gods bands in sunder and cast away his cords from them They are Witnesses I say for God against them and as such will be ready to appear at the last day Ministers will then be ready to say Lord here are such and such that we Baptiz'd in thy Name and introduc'd into the visible Church in the method which thou Institutedst and thine Apostles practis'd But before we did so we thought we bound them fast unto thee we exacted of their Parents on their behalf a Renunciation of the Flesh the World and the Devil and a free consent to all thy claims and demands that they were engag'd to this we are Witnesses If they have broken therefore the Vow they then came under and persisted so doing we can testify they are perfidious Traytors and Faithless Rebels and deserve the Severest Treatment Pious Parents will also be ready to say Behold O Lord we gave these Children of ours to thee from whom we receiv'd them in thy Service we Listed them and under
A Practical Discourse CONCERNING VOWS WITH A Special Reference to BAPTISM AND THE LORD's SUPPER By EDMUND CALAMY LONDON Printed by Geo. Larkin Jun. and are to be Sold by Iohn Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey 1697. To THOSE Who are under the PASTORAL CARE Of the Reverend Mr. DANIEL WILLIAMS Hoxton May 24. 1697. My Dear Friends WHAT I here put into your Hands is your Own already To you was the Substance of the ensuing Discourse Deliver'd from the Pulpit and 't was your Request that put me upon Preparing it for the Press I am glad to understand that I did not wholly lose my Labour while I so many Sacrament Days successively entertain'd you on this Subject And am not without hope that what you have found Beneficial may be Profitable to some others also I expect to pass under a variety of Censures but so the great End of my Ministry be but furthered I can easily over-look them IT hath been my Earnest Endeavour ever since I have been with you to promote Serious Practical Christianity among you without attempting to draw you to or fix you in any Particular Sect Party or Interest whatever I heartily rejoyce to find a Catholick Spirit prevail so much among you the general want whereof all who are truly concern'd for the Honour of Religion find so much cause to lament I HIGHLY Esteem and Honour you on the Account of your Inviolable Respect and firm Adherence to your Reverend Pastor in the midst of all those Storms the great Enemy of Souls hath rais'd against him in order to the diminishing his Usefulness Your Steadiness in so violent a Tempest as he not long since past through which plainly had its Rise from beneath was God's great Mercy the Devil's Disappointment your Pastors Support and your Glory I HEARTILY thank you for all the Testimonies of Respect and Kindness I have receiv'd from you since I have been spending my pains amongst you I bless the Lord that he hath made any use of me to promote your Knowledge Faith of Holiness And I desire he may have all the Glory of any Good wherein I may have been Instrumental I BESEECH you my Dear Friends to go on more and more to adorn your Christian Profession Let your Tempers and Lives shew to whom you belong This will be the way to honour God to strengthen the Hands and chear the Hearts of your Ministers and you 'll reap the Fruit in due time Go on to shun Extreams and you 'll avoid the Dangers that attend them Place as little of your Religion as is possible in Separation Be always ready to receive Light in Divine Things and never think your selves past Improvements Love all that love God and Goodness how much soever they differ from you As far as you are able speak Well of those who speak Ill of you and return not Railing for Railing But do what in you lies to live Peaceably with all Men. Beware of more Serpentine Subtilty than a Dove-like Innocence can temper Be strictly Just in all your Dealings Circumspect in your Walk Temperate in all things and let your Moderation be known unto all Men For the Lord is at hand Let it be your Endeavour to get well surnish'd Minds warm Hearts Governable Spirits tender Consciences and heavenly Affections and your Stability and Fruitfulness will be signal OFTEN Reflect on the Strength and Sacredness of the Divine VOWS you are under which the Ensuing Treatise is design'd to help you rightly to Understand and Improve And take care to live Faithfully up to them if you have any Regard to the Favour of God the Honour of Christ your own Present Peace or Future Happiness AND now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace I leave the Success of my Endeavours to Him who led me into these Meditations And make it my Request to you That when you are most Serious and Fervent at the Throne of Grace you would not be Unmindful of Your Affectionate Soul-Servant Edm. Calamy THE Reader is desired before he proceeds to the Perusal of the ensuing Treatise to correct the following Errata with his Pen. Pag. 9. lin 12. blot out more an and read no intimation P. 13. last line for a put the Sense P. 147. l. 5. in without dele out P. 149. l. 2. between in and Service add his P. 165. l. 22. change to into so P. 198. l. 2. change curbs into rubs P. 213. l. 27. for decreases r. encreases P. 216. l. 24 25. put God into the place of stop and stop into the place of God There are some few other literal Mistakes and Faults in Pointing which must be charged on the haste of the Press which need not be particularly mentioned because the Sense and Connexion sufficiently corrects them THE CONTENTS THE Introduction Page 1. CHAP. I. Certain Preliminary Observations concerning the Nature and Kinds of Divine Vows p. 4. CHAP. II. Of the General Vow whereby all that we are and have is sincerely devoted to God as our Absolute Owner and Proprietor p. 14. CHAP. III. Of Sacramental Vows p. 20. CHAP. IV. Of the Baptismal Vow The sum of it in Form as made by Persons Baptiz'd when Adult p. 36. CHAP. V. Of the Baptismal Vow as to those Baptiz'd in Infancy An Account of the different concern of Parents and Children in it and a distinct Address to each concerning the Duty resulting from it p. 48. CHAP. VI. Certain Useful Observations about the Consequence of Keeping or Breaking the Baptismal Vow And of the Recognition of it as necessary to a Regular Admission to the Lords Table p. 73. CHAP. VII Of the Lords Supper That it is a Faederal Ordinance implying a Covenant Transaction between God and Us and supposing a Renewal of Solemn Vows to be the Lords p. 94. CHAP. VIII Of an express Renewal of our Christian Vows every time we go to the Holy Communion And Directions about the right management of it p. 190. CHAP. IX Of the Nature Sacredness and Strength of the Obligation which lies on all those to lead an Holy Life who often Repeat Sacramental Vows p. 137. CHAP. X. Of the dreadful Case which all those are in who heap vows upon vows without any serious sense of their force and without any real hearty endeavours to answer and pay them p. 151. CHAP. XI Of the great Happiness of all those who are Serious in Making and Renewing their Sacramental Vows and sincere in Keeping them p. 174. CHAP. XII Of the difficulty of living up to our Sacred Vows with that exactness that we ought With the Solution of some common cases relating thereto p. 192. CHAP. XIII Directions that may help us to live more Correspondently to our many Solemn Sacramental vows p. 214. CHAP. XIV Sundry Serious Considerations to enforce the sense of our vows upon us and engage us to pay them p. 233. CHAP. XV. The Temper and Carriage of a Soul that is rightly sensible of the Force and
other cases that need not be Specifi'd when we find our Faith weakned our Patience almost tir'd and our Hope sinking which hath been the case of many of Gods Dearest and most Faithful Servants we should do well to renew this Vow and that with all the Seriousness and Solemnity we are able which would be as likely a means as any to Excite our Languishing Vigour Confirm our Faith Support our Hope and help us to that Comfort which none can have such just grounds to expect as those who are the Faithful Devoted Ones of the Lord most High CHAP. III. Of Sacramental VOWS VOWS of all sorts are Sacred and Awful Things but none so Tremenduous as those which are attended with Sacramental Solemnities in which both Gods Promises and Mans Purposes are by sensible signs and external actions Represented Ratified and Establisht We had need therefore take care rightly to understand them because our Lives are to be constantly Govern'd by them THE Christian Vow i. e. The Vow which our Holy Profession as such engages us in is of all others the most Weighty and Important the most Sacred and Inviolable 'T is that wherein all both Young and Old that name the Name of Christ are most nearly concern'd no less a matter than the Life or Death of their Immortal Souls depending on the faithful keeping or perfidious breaking of it Which consideration should methinks command a Serious Regard to what is laid down in order to its Explication from all that are not utterly Stupid and Sensless THAT I may be as Clear and Distinct as I can I 'll First Consider Sacramental Vows more generally and then Secondly Consider the Christian Vow as made in each of the Instituted Sacraments more particularly WHAT is most needful in order to the opening the general nature of Sacramental Vows is comprehended in the following Propositions 1. VOWS have ever been an Essentlal part of Covenant Transactions between God and Man It hath pleas'd the Great God whose Right to Command us is Absolute and Uncontroulable so far to Condescend as to Treat with Man in a Covenant Way That is to say He doth not meerly exert his Authority in Commanding but hath pitcht on a way of Mutual Agreement His Language to us might have been of this Nature Do this and that and whatever I think fit to enjoyn upon pain of my utmost Displeasure Do it or I 'll severely punish you Do it or I 'll come forth in an Hostile manner and Fight against you till I have quite Consum'd you Do what I require or expect the Severest Treatment that 's possible from an Angry God and so he might have exacted Duty of us upon a Terrible Penalty Threatned without any Promise annexed But he delights not in acting upon meer Prerogative and hath therefore tempered his Authority and Soveraignty with great Sweetness and Beneficence still treating with us upon Gracious Terms Do you says he to us thus and thus and such and such shall be my Carriage be you careful of your Duty and I 'll afford you my Favour and give you this and that and the other mark of it Behold says God to us I am ready to Bless you But as ever you expect I should do it I expect you should do what I command you This is a Covenant Form of Dealing in which there are suppos'd to be Blessings Promis'd on Gods part and Duties required on ours which Duties are pre-requir'd to the actual Enjoyment of the Blessings promis'd When a Covenant therefore is enter'd into between God and Man as there is a Stipulation on Gods part of the Blessings promis'd so is there suppos'd to be a Vow on Mans part of the Duty requir'd And this Vowing is an Essential part of every such Covenant 'T is the end of every Covenant to bring us nearer to God 't is in order to it that he makes us such Promises Now a Serious and Sincere Vow on our part is the Band. T is that properly that binds us to God and consequently engages him to make good his general Promises to us in Particular WE may observe therefore a Vow in all Covenants between God and Man Thus we find God entring into Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. I will make my Covenant between me and thee says God to him verse 2. The particular Promises of this Covenant on Gods part you have verse 6 7 8. I will make thee exceeding fruitful and I will esta lish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an Everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee And I will give unto thee and to thy Seed after thee the Land of Canaan This was it that God engag'd to Now there must further be something requir'd by God to be engag'd to on Abraham's part or else 't would be a meer Promise and not a Covenant What that was we see verse 10. This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee every Man-Child among you shall be Circumcised This God makes Abrams Duty as ever he expected he should make good his Word and fulfil his Promises This therefore Abraham in entring into Covenant with God Solemnly Vow'd and he kept his Vow for that very day he Circumcis'd all the Males in his Family and he left it as as his Command to his Posterity in all Successive Generations to Circumcise their Children when they were Eight Days old which they punctually obey'd So also afterwards when God enter'd into a National Covenant with the wholeBody of the Israelites as he did at Mount Sinai He First Lays before them their duty with reference to Morals Exod. 20. And as to Judicial and Ceremonial Matters Chap. 21 22. and part of the 23. And so gives them a full and particular account of what he expected from them And then he proceeds to tell them what he would do for them and makes them a great many Promises of Peculiar Kindness from verse 23 of Chap. 23 to the end He engages if they would be Obedient to guide them in their Way to drive out their Enemies before them to bring them safe into the Land promis'd to their Fathers and there Preserve and Bless them This being done the actual Covenanting follows Chap. 24. 7 8. Consisting of a Solemn Vow on the part of all the People and a confirming Rite on Moses's part as Gods Representative And he took says the Text the Book of the Covenant i. e. the Law forementioned the matter of of the Covenant they were entring into and read in the Audience of the People And they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be Obedient Here we see all the People as one Man expresly Vowing Obedience to the whole Law And then it follows Moses took the Blood and Sprinkled it on the People and said Behold the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning
Obligation to carry it as becomes the Members of Gods Family as soon as they become capable But these things deserve a more accurate handling than I can at least at present pretend to give them FOR a close of this Chapter I shall Annex a brief Admonition both to Christian Parents that have brought their Children under the Baptismal Vow in their Infant State And to their Children that so early came under an Obligation to be the Lords and to live to him with reference to Duty consequent thereupon AS for you that have Devoted your Children to God in Baptism remember I beseech you and take care to breed them up for him to whom you have Consecrated them expecting to be call'd to an account about your carriage towards them and management of them another day Take care to season their tender minds well Instruct them diligently in the knowledge of God and of their Duty to him and in the Nature and Import of that Divine Vow you brought them under Shew them what will be the Benefits of keeping it the danger of breaking it and the Duties they are oblig'd to by it and do what you can to bring them to take it upon themselves and renew their Covenant with God in their own Persons as soon as they are capable Preserve them as much as may be from the Infections of an Evil Age Set them Good Examples your selves and get them among as many other lively Patterns of Serious Godliness as you can That you may thereby provoke them to Imitation Inure them to Holy Exerercises from their Youth up Possess them with as great a Reverence of the Holy Scriptures as you can Narrowly watch their Tongues from the first that they begin to use them and do what in you lies betimes to learn them to govern their Appetites Teach them the worth of Time and spur them on to make a diligent Improvement of it Encourage them when they do well and Reprove and Correct them when they do amiss Whatever Neglects or Miscarriages you over-look or pass by be sure you allow them in nothing that in Sinful This will be the way for you to have Peace and Comfort whatever be the Consequences Remember how many ways you are oblig'd hereto how solemnly you have promis'd it how certainly God expects it and how severely he 'll punish the neglect of it How sad a thing will it be to have the Blood of your Childrens Souls lying atyour door on the account of your Carelessness in this matter where your utmost Diligence was required Should they hereafter prove Crosses and Heart-breaking Afflictions thro' their Undutifulness What a Sad Aggravation will it be of your Trouble to think that all this hath arisen from your want of Care in their Education How will they cry out upon you hereafter if ever they come to be Sensible and Awaken'd for your Unnatural Cruelty who tho' you might be tender enough of them and kind enough to them in other respects yet minded not their Souls took not any suitable care to Breed them up for him to whom you Devoted them Nay How will they in another World if they finally persist in Wickedness exclaim against you who were the Instruments of conveying their Being to them as their Soul Murderers and the first Occasions of their endless Ruin by your neglect to take that care of them which you engag'd to when you Baptiz'd them I beseech you therefore if you have any regard to God any desire to see True Religion Serious Piety and Godliness flourish if you have any Love to the fruit of your own Bowels and any regard to your own Peace now or hereafter that you would make Conscience of this matter Pay the Vow you made when you Devoted your Children to God in Baptism AND as for you who thro' Gods great Goodness and your Parents Care had the happy Priviledge of an Early Baptism Oh be not so foolish as to â—…avil your selves out of the Benefit of it Your Parents brought you under Vows to God Oh desire not to be released Had there been a considerable Temporal Estate of some Hundreds a year settled on your Family before you were Born upon some certain easie Conditions to be perform'd not only by your Parents but by you after them to the performance whereof they should have oblig'd not only themselves but you their Children Would you not in such a case where the Profit on the one hand and Hazard on the other is so sensible and apparent own the binding force of their Obligation upon your selves in order to your keeping the Inheritance And will you be more unjust to God than you would to Man Will you own your Parents power to engage you for a Trifle and not in order to an Everlasting Crown But however if you think your Parents did you wrong and that you are hardly dealt with you may be out of Covenant when you will But at the same time be it known to you if you disown it you forfeit the Benefits of it if you renounce your Vow you cast off God and reject his Favour and must never expect an Admission into the Kingdom of Heaven BUT if you have any concern for your Souls any sense of the Wretchedness of your Natural State and of the desireableness of the favour of God thro' a Christ you cannot but prize your early Dedication to God as an Invaluable Mercy Oh Prize it Improve it Heartily Bless God for it and stand to the Vow you then came under and let it be the business of your Lives to Discharge and Pay it Don't pretend its Hard and Strict For there 's nothing in it but what 's Necessary Ben't impatient of its Confinements for they are all for your Good Think often and Seriously of the Unsuitableness of your Carriage and Behaviour to the Vow that is upon you and that with Sorrow and Lamentation Think what would become of you should God take your Forfeitures of the Blessings of his Covenant And if you have any regard to God any Love to your own Souls any desire to be happy here or hereafter lay aside all Excuses and without delay Freely and Solemnly own and acknowledge this Vow of God that is upon you and set your selves with all your might to Live answerably to it CHAP VI. Certain Useful Observations about the Consequence of KEEPING or BREAKING the Baptismal Vow And of the RECOGNITION of it as Necessary to a Regular Admission to the Lords Table FROM the Baptismal Vow I should now pass to the Consideration of the Solemn Stated Renewal of it at the Lords Table whereto our Holy Religion straitly obliges us But that some Intermediate Observations offer themselves which may be of no small use which I shall therefore first lay down You may take them in the following order 1. OBSERVE that by the Serious Keeping and Adhering to the Baptismal Vow all Church Priviledges and Special Covenant Blessings are effectually secur'd 'T was