persons have engaged they want sufficiency to finish and fulfil the
undertaking; and the Wise man assures us, it is better not to vow, than
to vow and not pay. The covenant may come to require the cost both of
doing and suffering to finish it: there must, therefore, be a resolving
upon both, before engaging.

5th, A right covenanter must be well resolved concerning the separating
nature, and the uniting tie and bond of the covenant, for as it
distinguished between friends and foes, so it unites covenanters amongst
themselves in duties, interests, and concerns. So that they become one
society, having an identity of common duties and privileges, common
crosses and rejoicings; and must rejoice together and weep together.

He closed the Sermon with a two-fold advice or exhortation, to two sorts
of persons.

1st, To those who had some good opinion of, and some love for the
covenant, but yet were not resolved to join in covenant with us, because
of many entanglements in a world; some estate, farm, or place of
employment would be forfeited thereby; and hence, though the covenant
be, in their opinion, a lawful and commendable engagement, yet not for
them; they are in a course inconsistent with it, and could not be
otherwise without foregoing some worldly accommodation. Those he advised
to consider the matter duly; not to engage without a resolution to
forsake all interests that might interfere with covenanted duties; for
to engage in the covenant, and yet to walk in a course opposite to it,
would be exceedingly sinful; but to labour rather after old Jacob's
spirit and disposition, who looked to and trusted in the God of the
covenant when he had nothing else to look to--no outward encouragement,
Gen. xxxii. 10--He had but his staff in his hand when he passed over