The saints sacrifice

• What matter of humiliation is here ministered unto us for breaking this strong cord, for mocking God by our too much carelessness in keeping our vows, yea and impious profaneness in breaking them? Who hath not cause to be much humbled in this respect? Some (it may be) will say, we never made any vows: and therefore cannot be guilty of breaking vows. Let such consider that most sacred vow which every of us made in Baptism. Let them consider the like sacred vows made and renewed so oft as we have celebrated the Lords Supper. Let them consider the solemn vows that we have made in days of humiliation and fast. Let them also consider the public vows which in the assembly of Saints have week after week been made. And as for ¹others which are more conscionable in their duty, let us consider the private vows which in our daily prayers we make, especially those which upon some heinous sins lying heavy upon our conscience, in sickness or any other distress, in earnest desire of some special blessing, we have vowed. Consider these and other vows whereby we have fast bound our selves to the Lord, and we shall see that the ²Lord hath cause enough to account us all sons of Belial, refractary children, that will be kept under no yoke, no not under those yokes that we have voluntarily put upon our own necks. We come in this respect too near to them, who say, against the Lord and against his Anointed, Let us break ³their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Thus do we justly deserve that God should disannul his promise and covenant of mercy and grace with us. Let these things ⟨p. 192⟩be laid close to our consciences, that the wounds thereof may humble us, and being penitently humbled, we may earnestly crave mercy and pardon for this sin especially. Sins against the third commandment, as blasphemy, perjury, and breach of vows, pierce deep into a sensible conscience. But though they make deep wounds, yet is there sufficient virtue in the blood of Christ to heal them: The ⁴blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. Apply that precious blood to the wounds of thy soul. Seeing that which is past and done, cannot be recalled and undone, it is not meet that the wounds of thy conscience should continually be kept open, till all the life thereof be clean wasted. Therefore in craving pardon for this sin, believe that it is pardoned: