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
Writing for the use of the Church in all Ages 'T was he that gave such convincing Evidence of the Truth of Christianity at first by Innumerable Open and Uncontroulable Miracles in order to the first Introducing it into the World and the confirming the Faith of it in all after times and 't is he that hath been giving his Testimony to the Truth thereof in all succeeding Ages even down to this very day in producing the Saving Effects thereof on Mens Hearts notwithstanding so much such united and such vigorous Opposition 'T is his office to Illuminate convince of Sin Righteousness and Judgement to Quicken Strengthen Comfort Succour Guard and Enliven and Seal unto the day of Redemption He is the Author of all saving Light and Grace and the first spring of every good Work the Beginner Maintainer and Encreaser of the Spiritual Life and Issuer of it in that that will be Eternal AND accordingly that part of a Christians Sacramental Vows that relates to God the Holy Ghost is a serious engagement to use him as our Saviours Deputy in all the parts of his Office to take the Holy Scriptures as of his Inspiration as the rule of our Faith and Life and to adhere to that Religion the Truth whereof he hath so many ways attested Earnestly to implore his help and assistance and carefully to use it when given to keep our Minds open to his Light to yield to his Convictions and comply with his Motions to hearken to his Voice and follow his Conduct to wait humbly for him in all ways of Divine Appointment to depend upon his Aids to receive his Comforts and by Strength derived from him to be continually walking in the way of Holiness towards Everlasting Happiness Thus are each of the Persons in the Trinity distinctly concern'd in our Sacramental Vows 3. OUR Sacramental Vows summarily comprehend the whole of our Religion A great Noise and Stir there hath been in the World about Fundamentals fierce and earnest have been the Disputes among the Learned about the number and nature of them and various have been the ways pitcht on to determine what points are absolutely Necessary and what not But when all 's done the Christian Covenant which in Baptism is Initiated and afterwards at the Lords Table renew'd confirm'd and ratifi'd would if rightly consider'd give us the clearest Notions of the great Essentials of our Holy Religion All the great Principles of our Faith are comprehended under the distinct Agency of God the Father Son and Spirit in bringing about our Salvation and Happiness to which our Sacramental Vows have a direct Reference as appears from the former head And as for the Practical part of our Religion no Essential of that can be wanting in them since they take in the whole compass of our Duty The whole Moral Law which always was is and will be the Rule of Duty is reducible to two Heads The Love of God and our Neighbour As for the Love of God that is to be exprest by a serious Acknowledgement of him and renouncing all that would rival it with him an hearty zeal for his Worship and his Name and a punctual Sanctifying of that Portion of time he hath consecrated for himself And if we heartily Love our Neighbours we shall be ready to do to them as we would have them in like Circumstances do to us to give all the respect to any that is due to their place and to be tender of the Life Chastity Goods and Name of all we have to do with and never envy their Prosperity To all which our Sacramental Vows are Solemn Engagements And so are they also to all those Duties which our Blessed Saviour hath in the Gospel peculiarly enforct as Self-denial Mortification the taking up of our Cross giving and forgiving Charity Relieving the Poor Succouring the Distressed and helping the Necessitous forgiving Injuries without Retalliating or giving way to Revenge Unity and Peace and the like Would we therefore have a compleat and full a distinct and clear and comprehensive Idea of our whole Religion would we take it in at one view that we may the better discern its Excellency Order and Beauty and be the more Enamoured with it let us turn our eyes to the Christian Covenant to our Sacramental Vows and there we may have it 4. THE Obligation and Binding Force of Sacramental Vows is Perpetual and can never cease The Acts themselves may be quickly perform'd and soon over But their Obligation will last as long as our lives Some sorts of Vows may cease to be binding when the reason of them ceases or a greater Duty would be hinder'd or a greater danger Incurr'd or the like But none of these things can happen as to those our Vows that are attended with Sacramental Solemnities Perseverance and Constancy in our Duty to the last is one part of the matter of those Vows For we do therein engage not only that we 'll be Faithful and Dutiful and Obedient in the general but that we 'll persist and hold on in our Duty whatsoever it costs us and whatever troubles or difficulties we meet withal That by the strength of God we won't flinch nor give way that if we fail we 'll be Sorry and Repent and Divine Grace assisting us to our work again and so doing hold out to the last till in fighting the good fight of Faith we have finisht our course and so come to lay hold on Eternal Life CHAP. IV. Of the BAPTISMAL VOW The Sum of it in Form as made by Persons Baptiz'd when ADULT BAPTISM was Instituted by our Blessed Lord as a Sacred Rite whereby Persons were to be first Initiated into the Christian Covenant And be it sooner or later Administred it carries in it an Obligation to all the duties of that Covenant on which its Blessings are suspended In Baptism there is always either exprest or imply'd a Vow of hearty complyance with all the demands of our Holy Religion without which suppos'd the pouring on of Water in the name of the Father Son and Spirit by the Minister as Gods Representative would be utterly Unavailable either to seal or convey those Inestimable Gospel Blessings of Pardon and Peace Adoption and a Right to Life But this Vow must be differently consider'd by all that would avoid Confusion according to the Different state of the Subjects of Baptism which are either Persons Adult that are come to years of Understanding and so are capable of transacting Personally for themselves or the Children of Christian Parents in their Infant State The case of the former is the subject of this and that of the latter of the following Chapter ADULT Persons before they are Baptiz'd ought seriously to consider what Christianity will oblige them to and to reckon their costs before hand that they may come under so Solemn an Engagement as Baptism carries in it understandingly deliberately and with full consent of Heart that there may be no danger of after
'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
Sun that such Persons are unfit for such an Ordinance as the Lords Supper for they are incapable of reaching the ends of its Institution Since therefore none but Baptiz'd Persons may approach the Lords Table but all Baptiz'd Persons may not the Question is Where the discrimina tion of some from others of them proper to this case lies And what it is that is necessary as a pre-requisite Qualification I answer the difference lies here That some stand to their Baptismal Engagement and others don 't and the qualification pre-requir'd is an owning of it For if Persons don't own the Vow they once came under 't is to no purpose to think of Repeating it again NOW the owning of this Vow is pre-requir'd to Persons Right Receiving of the Lords Supper in a double respect either with Reference to God or the Church 1. WITH Reference to God and so the Hearty owning the Obligation of this Vow is necessary without which we cannot approve our selves to him or so transact with him as to reap those Benefits which he designs for us by that Ordinance whereto we are suppos'd to pretend Our Hearts must be really Consecrated and our Lives Devoted to him according to the tenour of our Engagement in Baptism before we can justly pretend anew to strike Covenant with him who searcheth Hearts and trieth Reins as we are to do at his Table 2. OUR owning our Baptismal Vow is also requisite with reference to the Church to our admission to the Lords Table We must make a Credible Profession of adhering to it of which kind is every such Profession as is not contradicted by an Unsuitable Life and Conversation This Credible Profession of an Adherance to the Baptismal Vow is necessary that it may appear there is a difference between those that are admitted to Church Communion and those that are debarr'd it and for the same reason it would be well if it were Publick It would be very becoming and Advantageous did Persons every where before they first Communicated freely profess their Sincerity and Constancy in their Baptismal Covenant or Vow and openly declare themselves in the face of a Christian Congregation Enemies to the Devil the World and the Flesh And this is the most considerable part of that which hath been wont to be call'd Confirmation A thing much practic'd and insisted on in the Primitive Church tho' of later times much neglected and by some quite laid aside as useless the more 's the pity IT much Rejoyces me therefore and I cann't forbear mentioning it on this Occasion to know and hear of several even of the Dissenting Congregations in the Nation wherein this Practice is still kept up Among whom 't is usual for the Pastors after their private Transactions with those who are to be Admitted to the Lords Table either on some day in the preceeding Week or just before the Administration of the Holy Communion Publickly to demand of them whether they don't stand to their Baptismal Vow and take it on themselves Whether they don't cordially give up themselves to God the Father Son and Spirit according to the tenour of it And whether they don't engage to walk agreeably to all the Laws of the Gospel Or to that purpose Which is really a thing of great weight and moment and I could wish 't were more universally minded This as I was saying is the most considerable part of that which the Antients us'd to call Confirmation And such a Declaration as this made by Persons in the face of a Christian Congregation is really an Act of Confirmation for they do thereby further ratify and establish the Contract which is between God and them and by confessing it to be valid and good and openly owning that the Vow of God is upon them bind themselves still faster to him whose they were before Some may perhaps think this to be more ado then needs by reason the very coming to the Lords Table with antecedent Preparation and siting down there among the Faithful who are bound to God by Covenant is a Tacit or Virtual owning of the Baptismal Vow And at most they may apprehend that the doing this in private before the Pastor of the Church might be sufficient To whom I can without any difficulty grant that what I aim at is indeed virtually imply'd in such a case and that the private performance of it may suffice to render Persons worthy Communicants But yet it follows not but that the Publick Transacting of this matter may be much more Eligible Many Instances may be produc'd where very near as much depends on the manner of doing a thing as on the thing it self and this I take to be one For I pray observe Persons upon their first coming to the Lords Table pass out of the state of Infant into that of Adult Members of the Church The faster therefore they are bound to GOD the more likely will they be to credit Religion of which the generality of the World are apt to pass a Judgement from the Demeanor and Conversations of such Persons Now the more publickly such a Profession is made the more likely it is to influence them since they will have so many as Witnesses against them ready to admonish them upon occasion of their open Engagement which cann't but strike an awe And but that it would be too great a Digression I could make it appear that the Scripture favours such a publick Recognition of the Baptismal Vow and it is agreeable to the Practice of the Church in several Successive Ages True it is in process of time the Romanists in a shameful manner abus'd it but that 's no just Reason for our slighting or rejecting it who may have it pure and free from their Abuses However this I think is plain and clear That a Recognition of the Baptismal Vow is necessary to Persons Regular Admission to the Lords Table I add further 5. THAT the more Solemn this Recognition of the Baptismal Vow is 't is so much the better where I mean not Ceremonicus by Solemn as if this matter would be ever the better the more Ceremonious it was No that is far from my Intention The Papists indeed have made it a Sacrament and turn'd it all into Ceremony for they use Oil in the Administring it and Balsam and sign with the Sign of the Cross c. But of these things we can safely say They were not from the beginning for the time when they first began to be us'd in the Church can be mark'd out But my meaning in the word Solemn is this that the more Seriously and Gravely it is manag'd on the part of the Persons coming to Confirmation and the more Authoritatively on the part of the Minister as Christ's Officer the more likely is it to Answer its End The Establish'd Church of England hath taken care enough in this latter point as to the Authoritativeness of this Transaction but 't is the Desire and Wish of all sober
Faults For we have all some secret Faults that we overlook Therefore I say be humbled for all past Breaches known and unknown Throw your selves at God's Feet and own your Forfeitures of his Favour and Desert of his Displeasure Abase your selves out of a fense of your Vileness that while you were engag'd and pretended to live to God and your Redeemer you should have liv'd so much to your selves so much to this present World and so much according to the Dictates of your Lusts And be peculiarly humbled for any particular Failures that may have had peculiarly aggravating Circumstances attending them Think not of being Accepted upon the Making of New Vows while you are Chargeable with manifest Breaches of your Old Ones that are Unrepented of This Humiliation and Self-Abasement with Sorrow and Shame for past Breaches is necessary by way of Preparation in order to our Acceptable Consecrating our selves to God afresh Direct III. Take heed of the Extreams of Levity and over-great Scrupulosity when you come to Renew your Vows at the Lords Table Take heed of Levity as if it were a common ordinary and customary thing you were setting your selves about when you went to give up your selves to God anew this were the way to pull down a Curse upon your Heads instead of a Blessing Beware therefore of rushing upon such sacred Work with a common and unhallowed Heart with an Heart full of the World with a Heart prevailingly addicted to any Lust. And on the other hand also Beware of too great Scrupulosity in running matters too high as if unindulg'd Infirmities and the want of Assurance were Bars to Acceptance or as if Perfection was necessary to the obtaining the Blessings of a Devoted State This were to pull thy self backward instead of advancing forward in the Divine Life Levity in this case is the effect either of habitual Profaneness than which nothing is more dreadful or of great Negligence in Preparatory Work or of gross Ignorance of the Nature Design Import and Solemnity of Repeated as well as Initial Self-Dedication Over-great Scrupulosity in this case is sometimes the effect of a very timerous Natural Temper heightened by a Bodily Indisposition which makes Persons the Objects of Compassion At other times it arises from a Mistake about the Method of God's Dealing with us under the New-Covenant-Dispensation from a Misunderstanding of the Terms of the Gospel and too hard sowr and severe thoughts of the blessed God unwarily imbib'd which Errors of theirs if they value their own Peace or Welfare are carefully to be corrected Tho' the former is generally the much more dangerous Extream of the two yet is the latter very troublesome by reason that it will fill the Soul with such Fears as will exceedingly damp and discompose it and unfit it for such Work as is the free solemn chearful Consecrating and Devoting it self to God Both therefore are as much as in us lies to be watch'd against Direct IV. WHENEVER we go to Renew our Vows to God we should carefully mind with whom we are to Transact who we are that Transact with Him and for what purposes we do so 1. WE should remember with Whom we Transact and to Whom our Vow is to be Renew'd and that is to God the Father Son and Spirit God the Father from whom we have Apostatiz'd who yet is the Fountain of Blessedness in whom only we can be Happy God the Son who is the only way to the Father our Mediator Priest Patron Advocate and Helper The Holy Spirit who must be the Actual Conveyor and Introducer of all that Light and Life and Love that shall capacitate us to enjoy the Father through the Son either in this or a better Life 'T is with the great God we in this Affair have to do 't is to Him whose Majesty Glory Power Greatness and Goodness are Inconceivable and Inexplicable that we are every time we come to the Communion anew to give up our selves 'T is with all that are called God we in this Affair are to Transact This one thought well imprest upon us would suffice to command the utmost Awe Reverence Seriousness and Devotion whenever we set our selves to this matter 2. WE should also remember who we are that are to Renew Vows to be the Lords Particularly we should remember that we are Creatures laden with Guilt which we can never expiare and owing an Obedience that we can never fully pay 1. We should well remember that we are Creatures laden with guilt which we can never expiate and therefore for whom God out of meer pity hath provided a Sacrifice which at his Table he sets before us over the Memorials whereof whenever we come to receive them we are to devote our selves afresh to the Lord. We should therefore every time as guilty condemned Criminals promise Obedience for the future with the deepest sense of our unworthiness of that Mercy that must be our only Plea for our Selves through the Merits of Another 2. We should also remember that we are Creatures that owe an Obedience that we can never fully pay That tho' we vow and vow never so often we cann't pay the least part of what we vow unless as acted and influenc'd by him to whom our Vows are made And that when we have done our best towards the paying our Vows and answering our innumerable Obligations there will be much wanting And when we have done all we can we are but unprofitable Servants God is not in reallity a whit the better for all the Service we can do him The thought of this well impress'd will keep us from pretending to any thing in our own strength it will lead us to a constant dependance on Superiour Aids it will prompt us whenever we renew our Vows to fly to the Holy Spirit for Assistance and Help to answer and keep them and 't will prevent our Boasting if any time by his Influence we have been kept in any measure sincere and faithful Both these Considerations taken from our selves will tend to make us deeply humble out of a sense of our Vileness Weakness and Helplesness whenever we go to give up our selves to God afresh 3. WE should also remember for what Ends and Purposes we are every time we come to the Lords Table anew to vow to be the Lords and they in short are these two the more firmly to secure to our selves his Favour and the more effectually to bind and quicken our selves to our Duty These are the Ends we ought to have in our Eye in this matter and the serious Consideration of them will help to make us in earnest at the time of Renewing our Vows and cause us often to think of them afterwards Direct V. OF the whole Sacramental Solemnity select that as the properest Instant for thee to give thy self up to Christ when thou art receiving him and all his Benefits into thy hands as I may say and into thy heart It may without all question be done
Gratitude A further Office of the same Grace is To behold the Fathers Mind and Heart in that Amazing Mirror of his Love that there is set before us and to behold the Divine Spirit in all his Sanctifying Gifts and Graces pourd forth on all truly Covenanting Believers as the Fruit of Christ's Purchase and to yield up the Soul to be transformed into the same Image by the same Spirit NO where hath Faith such an Advantage for this Work as at the Holy Communion and never is this Advantage so well improv'd there as when our Vows are seriously and expresly Renew'd For thereby do we shew that the Discoveries that are made by Faith at that Ordinance do truly Affect us and rightly Work upon us thereby is our Faith approv'd of the right stamp and thereby is it made a Governing Principle of our Tempers and Lives Withal 't is observable how express God is at his Table as to all the several Marks of his Favour and Love which he makes over to us and bestows on us These are receiv'd by Faith certainly therefore it becomes us to be as express in our Returns to him And hereby will our Faith be strengthened by reason of the Correspondence of our Carriage in this respect towards God to his dealing vvith us and also by reason of that Riveted Sense of Faith's Transactions at this Ordinance that vvill be hereby occasioned OUR Hope also will hereby be strengthened Our Hope of the Acceptance of what we do and of Assistance in what we need Our Hope of Grace here and Glory hereafter The more express if serious any one is in giving himself up to God at his Table every time he comes there the more Reason hath he to hope that God Accepts him who never Rejects a Self-Resigning Soul the more Reason to hope for all the blessed Fruits of the Sacrifice and Death of Christ to whom he consecrates himself the more Reason to hope for all needed Guidance and Assistance from the blessed Spirit of Grace under whose Conduct he freely puts himself the more reason to hope for all he can need either in this World or another since he so intirely commits himself to and reposes his Trust in him that is a suitable Portion for him in either Further 3. WHICH follows upon the former This Practice will encrease our comfort which it is one great Design of the Sacrament to promote 'T is indeed much to our comfort to be treated at so Noble and costly a Feast as God prepares for us when he spreads his Table before us 't is comfortable to see what is there to be beheld to Receive what is Offer'd and to stand and take so delightful a Prospect as we have there Opportunity for But the serious express Renewal of our Vows to be the Lords and Solemn Engagement to live like Persons devoted to him is as great a Spring of spiritual Comfort as any in all that Ordinance For this according to the Gospel-Constitution lays a just Foundation for a Claim of all Gospel-Blessings by vertue of the Promises made through the Blood we there Commemorate The Holy Communion implies an Investiture in Pardon and Peace Reconciliation Adoption and a Right to Eternal Life to all truly Devout Participants to all who heartily devote themselves to their Lord Redeemer Renewed Vows therefore confirm our Title to all both present and future Blessings and consequently lay a firm Foundation for the highest Comfort For what can be more comfortable than for me upon a Review of what past in that Ordinance to find that I am Entitled to all those peculiar Marks of Divine Favour which God in that Ordinance makes over to his Children of which nothing can give greater Assurance than our Repeated Devoting our Selves with all the Seriousness and Solemnity we are able to be his Servants and Subjects to our Lives End All which things taken together are methinks abundantly sufficient to recommend this Practice IT yet remains That I give some Directions about this matter and shew how we should manage the Renewal of our Vows to be the Lords at the Return of every Sacrament Which having been Excellently done already by so many I shall be but brief in it However these Eight following Directions I can dare to recommend to any serious Christians Direct I. BEFORE you go to Renew your Vows to be the Lords Recollect your past Breaches especially those since your last Solemn Engagement Look not on this as an indifferent or inconsiderable matter but as a thing needful in order to your Dedicating your selves anew to God with any Advantage Take a convenient Opportunity for Rering from the World and when alone set your selves down seriously to consider what strong Tyes and Bonds you are already under to be the Lords and how little you Answer them Review your Lives rip up your Miscarriages canvass all the Secrets of your Hearts endeavour to know the worst For since God knows all 't is every way best that you should do so too that so what is amiss may be rectified and his deserved Displeasure averted Consider your prevailing Temper and stated Tenour and recollect your Demeanor upon particular Occasions when you may find Reason to conclude the Eye of God was most upon you Think how you have carried it to the blessed God how you have behav'd your selves towards your Redeemer and what hath past between you and the holy Spirit Think how you have manag'd your selves in Secret in your Families and in your several Relations in your Callings and Business and in your Retirements How you have carry'd it towards your Selves and to Others Observe what Corruptions you have most indulg'd what Temptations you have given way to what Neglects you have fallen into and what positive Guilt you have contracted When Time will allow it the running as far back in our Lives as our Memories will help us to do will be very Proper and Useful And this should be done with more than ordinary Carefulness at Persons first Approach to the Lords Table But when our Confinements are strait the Recollecting what hath past since the last Sacrament may suffice in which the more strict we are the better Our Eyes should particularly be on our Dalilahs whereby our Affections are most entangled and it should be a particuly Subject of Enquiry What Breaches of our last Vows they have drawn us into In General Let 's lay our Rule before us and compare our Selves and our Carriage with it and that will soon discover our Defects I need not tell a serious and considerate Person the Benefit of this Practice Direct II. HUMBLE your selves seriously before God for all past Breaches with Him whether known or unknown before you offer to come under New Vows to Him The more pains we take according to the foregoing Direction in searching and viewing our selves the more reason shall we find to cry out with the Psalmist Who can unstand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secret
bring it to him he will soon afford thee help Do but hold on and persevere and thou wilt find according to Philip. II. 12. that in time God will work in thee to do as well as to will of his own good pleasure CHAP. XIII DIRECTIONS that may help us to live more Correspendently to our many Solemn Sacramental Vows WHERE a thing appears difficult help is generally acceptable I shall therefore do what I can to afford it in the Case of Living up to our many sacred Vows The foregoing Chapter will from most be apt to draw forth this further Enquiry How may we come to live correspondently to our many solemn Tyes What course must we take that the sense of our Christian Vows may not wear off What should we particularly do after we have Renew'd our Vows to our God and Saviour at his Table in order to the fastening of our Hearts and engaging our selves effectually to answer and pay them For whose satisfaction I lay down the following Directions and Cautions 1. BEWARE of Imagining that so weighty an Action as that of Renew'd Vowing and Covenanting terminates in it self and that all 's done when the Ordinance of the Supper is over Take not a Sacrament for a Charm that is to work Magically and to make you better by an unperceivable sort of a Physical Operation for that were to turn it into an Useless and Unprofitable Ceremony Don't think that your joyning in it altho' you were it may be in a serious frame during its Celebration is enough for you But reckon upon it that God minds your Carriage as much after wards as at that instant if not more For the great design of that Ordinance is to be an Engagement to and help for Holiness of Life God was there attempting to bind you fast to himself and his Son and you profest and pretended to bind your selves What can shew that you in this were sincere and hearty but your future holy and exact walking Whereby only you can rightly Answer the end of this Institution To sit down then contented with the bare promising over the sacred Symbols at the holy Supper that we will be the Lords as thinking that we thereby sufficiently acquit our selves would be all one as if in a matter of vast consequence between Man and Man and on which much depends we should satisfie our selves with signing a Contract and thereby obliging our selves under large Penalties thinking our selves thereupon presently discharg'd without taking any care to fulfil Articles Alas who would care a rush for such a Contract if he knew the engag'd Party would look no further So how can God at all regard those Vows of ours that stop even in the making and that Sacramental Seriousness that ends with the Ordinance If we rest in the Work done and think that enough 't is no wonder at all if any good impressions made are as the Morning Cloud and as the Early Dew which quickly passeth away 2. ENDEAVOUR by after serious and warm Meditation to rivet and strengthen your renew'd Resolutions Vows and Promises Think seriously with whom you have been transacting and what you have been doing Take pains with your own Hearts in your Retirements to drive things home Endeavour to fix the impressions you were under when you had the emblems of your Crucifi'd Lord before your Eyes so firmly on your Hearts as that nothing may be able to deface them Think how odious sin in general then appear'd to you how loathsome your own iniquities seem'd to be when you anew resolv'd against them And how necessary aimiable and lovely a Christ appear'd to you when you anew Consecrated your selves to his Service and how firmly then you seem'd bent against your Lusts and for your Saviour How Resolute to shake of every weight especially the sin that most easily besets you and to run with Patience and Perseverance the Holy Race that is set before you Think how you blam'd and condemn'd your selves for your past sin and folly and how asham'd you were to reflect on your own vileness and with what seeming warmth and vigour you Vow'd thro' the Assistance of Divine Grace to lead an Holy and a Pious Life Say each one to your selves Behold O my Soul I have enter'd into a new League of Friendship with God a League Firm and Strong and Solemn and Perpetual I must not I cannot I dare not I will not draw back I am come under new Bonds to my God and Saviour Bonds that will never be cancell'd Bonds that can never be discharg'd and therefore I 'll endeavour to be always paying the Debt I owe. My Saviour hath made himself and all his Benefits over to me in an Everlasting Covenant what could I then do less then return my self back to him Was not this Reasonable Just and Fit His I ought to be his I have engag'd to be and his I will be Drive things thus home to a peremptory Conclusion and you 'll find the Benefit of it This will be a satis-fying Evidence to you that your Vows were not the effect of a meer Passionate Transport which is flitting and transient and soon worn off but of a firm bent of Heart which is vastly better Think then seriously of what hath past between God and you and leave not off ruminating on the matter till you are brought to a fixed point Resolving to stand to what you have done Till you can cry out with David Psal. 119. 106. I have sworn and I will perform it to keep thy Righteous Iudgments Some time in the Evening after we have been at the Communion spent with this design might be very useful We should then find this work easier than afterwards And as bad as we are we are not so chilly but if we were at all serious we should find some sense of what we have been about remaining on our Hearts which would be an advantage to us in our setting our selves seriously to drive things home If we did the like the next morning after nay if we did something of the same kind every day almost tho' it should be but short 't would turn to a good account and we should have no cause to repent our pains 3. OFTEN recollect and think on the Mischiefs you your selves have found by your so frequent Breaches of your past Solemn Vows How sadly your peace hath been thereby interrupted your Consciences wounded your Graces weakned your Enemies gratify'd the Holy Spirit griev'd and your motions Heaven-ward retarded Have you not found tasted it to be a bitter thing to play fast and loose with God to falsify your Engagements and break his Bonds whence is it that he frowns upon you and withdraws his presence and his aids in any measure from you Whence is it that you go on so heavily still mourning and complaining that you are backward unto Duties cold and lifeless in them and little if at all the better for them Whence is it that the Devil
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