1Hath God spared you in time of Plague, that you live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy, carefully endeavour to live up to the purposes, and resolutions and vows which you made to God in time of danger and distress. Good purposes and holy resolutions, when observed and put in practice, are great helps to an answerable return to God for his mercies conferred upon us; but holy, Religious vows, being something more than single purposes and resolutions (being a promise made to God with due deliberation, of something lawful in it self, and in our power to perform, as a ⟨p. 103⟩testimony of our thankfulness unto God for some extraordinary mercy received, or expected, or deliverance from some great evil in extraordinary danger and distress) do much promote a holy life, whereby we may the better be enabled to walk in some measure worthy of what the Lord in mercy hath done for us, or given to us. In time of extraordinary danger, or when we are in expectation of some extraordinary Mercy, we have the example of the holy men of God in Scripture, to bind our selves to endeavour to walk more close with God. So Jacob, Gen. 28.20. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, if God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on. Vers. 21. So that I come again to my fathers house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And this he was careful to perform, Gen. 35.2. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, put away the strange gods, and be clean, and change your garments. Vers. 3. And let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. Thus David made a vow to God when he was in danger of his life, Psal. 56.12. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. Vers. 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death —And in the like danger, Psal. 116.3. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gate hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Vers. 4. Then called I upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee deliver ⟨p. 104⟩my soul. Vers. 6. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Vers. 8. Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Vers. 12.
1HAth God spared you in time of Plague, that you live in some measure answerably to so great a mercy, carefully endeavour to live up to the purposes, and resolutions and vows which you made to God in time of danger and distress. Good purposes and holy resolutions, when observed and put in practice, are great helps to an answerable return to God for his mercies conferred upon us; but holy, Religious vows, being something more than single purposes and resolutions (being a promise made to God with due deliberation, of something lawful in it self, and in our power to perform, as a ⟨p. 103⟩testimony of our thankefulness unto God for some extraordinary mercy received, or expected, or deliverance from some great evil in extraordinary danger and distress) do much promote a holy life, whereby we may the better be inabled to walk in some measure worthy of what the Lord in mercy hath done for us, or given to us. In time of extraordinary danger, or when we are in expectation of some extraordinary Mercy, we have the example of the holy men of God in Scripture, to binde our selves to endeavour to walk more close with God. So Jacob, Gen. 28.20. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, if God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on. Vers. 21. So that I come again to my fathers house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And this he was careful to perform, Gen. 35.2. Then Jacob said unto his houshold, and to all that were with him, put away the strange gods, and be clean, and change your garments. Vers. 3. And let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. Thus David made a vow to God when he was in danger of his life, Psal. 56.12. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. Vers. 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death —And in the like danger, Psal. 116.3. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gate hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Vers. 4. Then called I upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee deliver ⟨p. 104⟩my soul. Vers. 6. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Vers. 8. Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Vers. 12.
- 1Perform your purpose, pay your vows.
