[2.] Helps to obedience. Such things as we shall find to be helps, and do conduce to the removal of impediments, such should come under a vow and solemn promise to God: Job xxxi, 1, ' I made a covenant with my eyes ; ' that was a help to the preserving of his chastity, that he would not allow himself to gaze, to take a view of the beauty of others. And the apostle, when it was for the glory of God, makes a vow or kind of solemn promise tliat he would take no maintenance in Achaia, 2 Cor. xi. 10 ; he solemnly binds himself, that he might not liinder the progress of the gospel. So when we find our heart ready to betray us by this or that evil occasion, we may in this case inter- pose a vow and promise, but then with this caution, that we do not unreasonably destroy our Christian liberty, and so occasion a snare to our souls, and that we do not think this to be a perfect cure of these distempers, while we neglect the main things ; as many will make a vow to play no more at such a game, or drink no moi-e at such a house, or use such a creature, or come into such a particular com})any, and so place all their religion in these things ; this is but like cutting off the branches when the root remains, or stopping one hole in a leaky or ruinous ship and vessel, when eveiy where it is ready to let in water upon us, and to be broken in pieces*. Therefoi'e when you rest in those by-matters, without resolving to cleave to God in a course of obedience, it but like mending a hole in the wall of a house when the whole building is on fire, or troubling ourselves with a sore finger when we are languishing of a consumption ; it is but stopping this or that particular sin when the whole soul lies under the power and slavery of the kingdom of Satan.
Object. But here is a doubt may arise, How can I promise to keep God's law, since it is not in my power to do it exactly? it is impossible.
Ans. 1. When David saith, ' I have sworn,' &c., he speaks not from a presumption of his own strength, but only declareth the sense of his duty, and useth his oath as a sanctified means to bind his heart
SG SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [Srr. CXIV.
to God ; and therefore it is not to exclude the power of God's grace, or to presume of his own strength : God's assistance is best expected in God's way.
2. Such vows and promises tliey are always to he interpreted to be made in the sense of the covenant of grace, for no particular voluntary or accessory covenant of ours can take away the general covenant wherein we stand engaged to God, but rather it must be included in it. Therefore when David saith, ' I will keep thy righteous judgments,' he means according to the sense of the covenant of grace, that is, ex- pecting help for duties and pardon for failings.
[1.] As expecting help from God, for so the new covenant gives strength to observe what it requires. Lex juhet, evangelium juvat — the law enforceth duty, the covenant of grace helps us to perform the duty required of us. " The gospel it is a ' ministration of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. iii. 8, and therefore promissory oaths, according to the sense of the new covenant, are made with a confidence upon the Lord's strength and assistance.
[2.] Seeking pardon for his failings. Infirmities may stand with the covenant of grace, provided we crave mercy and recover ourselves by repentance, and so make no final breach with God ; therefore this is a keeping according to the measure of grace received, and as human frailty will permit.
Briefly, then, when are sins to be looked upon as infirmities, and not as perjuries and breach of covenant ?
Ans. When we would not voluntarily yield to the least sin ; but in case of great sin, Ave grow more watchful, more humble, more holy ; when our falls are such as David's when he had fallen foully : Ps. Ivi. G, 'Now thou slialt make me to know wisdom.' When upon our failings we are more ashamed of ourselves, more afraid of our weak- ness, more earnest to renew our former resolutions, more careful to wait upon God for grace to perform what he hath required of us, more watchful, more circumspect ; when we begin to grow wise by our own smarting, in such cases an oath is not broken. Look, as every failing of the wife doth not dissolve the marriage covenant, so every failing on our part doth not dissolve the covenant between God and us ; and therefore, though there will be some infirmities, but yet when we are careful to sue out our pardon in the name of Christ Jesus, and you shall by your failings be more watchful, circumspect, then we keep the covenant in a gospel sense.
Doct. 3. That when we have sworn obedience to God, we must religiously perform and observe what we have sworn to God.
So Ps. Ixxvi. 11, 'Vow and pay unto the Lord.' When we come under the bond of a vow, we must be careful to make i)ayment ; it is a binding upon the heart. See how it is expressed, Num. xxx. 2, ' If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word.' When we have bound ourselves with a bond, that is, when we have increased our bonds (for the ingeminating words in the Hebrew doth exceedingly increase the sense). When a man is bound upon a bond he should not play fast and loose with God, but be very carefid to perform what he hath sworn. God, on his part, hath sworn to the covenant, and he is con-