Fourthly, Remember your Vows. 1When God, by the fire of affliction, showed you your folly, discovered to you the hidden corruption of your hearts, and brought your ways and doings to remembrance, which were not good; you were ashamed, yea, even confounded; and said, as it is in Job, Lord, wherein I have done wickedly, I will do so no more. But take heed it be not so with you, as it was with backsliding Israel, of ⟨p. 258⟩whom God thus complaineth; Of old time I have broken thy yoke, 2and burst thy bands, and thou saidst, I WILL NOT TRANSGRESS: q. d. I brought thee, hundreds of years since, out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, and then thou madest me fair promises, I remember the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, vers. 2. Thou saidst, I will do so no more: Lord, I'll be covetous no more, and idolatrous no more, adulterous no more; I will murmur no more, I will no more depart from thee, Thou art the Guide of my youth. Good words, had she been as good as her word: but Oh read what followeth, and tremble; when upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wanderest, playing the harlot: i. e. no sooner her old heart and her old temptations met, but presently they fell into mutual embraces: And this is the temper of out hearts, for all the world; *we are very good while we are in affliction, and promise fair; but no sooner ⟨p. 259⟩the trial over, but we forget Gods Teachings and our own Vows, and return into the same course and fashion of conversation as before. Now therefore, if you would preserve the Teachings of God upon your spirits, sit down, remember your vows; and spreading them before the Lord, say with David, 4I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. Lord, through grace assisting, I will be as ready to pay my vows, now I am well, as I was to make vows when I was sick, &c. 5THY VOWS are upon me, I will render praises unto thee. When you have made good Vows, be as careful to make good your Vows unto the Lord: Vow, 6and PAY unto the Lord your God.
Fourthly, Remember your Vows. 1When God, by the fire of affliction, shew'd you your folly, discovered to you the hidden corruption of your hearts, and brought your ways and doings to remembrance, which were not good; you were ashamed, yea, even confounded; and said, as it is in Job, Lord, wherein I have done wickedly, I will do so no more. But take heed it be not so with you, as it was with backsliding Israel, of ⟨p. 258⟩whom God thus complaineth; Of old time I have broken thy yoke, 2and burst thy bands, and thou saidst, I WILL NOT TRANSGRESS: q. d. I brought thee, hundreds of years since, out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, and then thou madest me fair promises, I remember the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, vers. 2. Thou saidst, I will do so no more: Lord, I'l be covetous no more, and idolatrous no more, adulterous no more; I will murmur no more, I will no more depart from thee, Thou art the Guide of my youth. Good words, had she been as good as her word: but Oh read what followeth, and tremble; when upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wandrest, playing the harlot: i. e. no sooner her old heart and her old temptations met, but presently they fell into mutual embraces: And this is the temper of out hearts, for all the world; *we are very good while we are in affliction, and promise fair; but no sooner ⟨p. 259⟩the tryal over, but we forget Gods Teachings and our own Vows, and return into the same course and fashion of conversation as before. Now therefore, if you would preserve the Teachings of God upon your spirits, sit down, remember your vows; and spreading them before the Lord, say with David, 4I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. Lord, through grace assisting, I will be as ready to pay my vows, now I am well, as I was to make vows when I was sick, &c. 5THY VOVVS are upon me, I will render praises unto thee. When you have made good Vows, be as careful to make good your Vows unto the Lord: Vow, 6and PAY unto the Lord your God.
- 14 Means, Remember your Vows.
- 2Jer. 2.20Ier. 2.20
- *Nuper me cujusdam amici lanquor a•monuit •p•imos esse nos dum infirmi sumus Plin. ep 26. l. 7 ad Max.
- 4Psal. 66 13, 14
- 5Psa. 56.12
- 6Psa. 76.11
