ch were, mine eye was satisfied with
seeing good, my heart with doing good; now the one is removed, the other
stopped. O where is he that engageth his heart to approach to his God!

III.--_The examining of the Duty._

This engagement being thus approved, and therefore to be entered on; let
us a little examine the duty, and mind two things. 1. What particulars
do engage us, by what acts or thoughts doth the heart become engaged?
And, 2. What hinders this engagement, and stops our entrance thereupon?

I. Several and many ways doth the heart become engaged to God: no
consideration can enter our hearts, no occurrent happen in our lives,
but it offers reasons enforcing this duty. We are engaged to God by our
being, by our receiving, by our doing: mind either, and acknowledge
thyself engaged.

1. Our being what we are, engageth us: _1st._ That we are creatures, and
so not forgotten in the everlasting night of a not-being: that we are
men, and not beasts; that we are Christians, and not heathens; all are
engagements. _2d._ But our being thus and thus; men of gifts and parts:
placed in such callings; qualified with such endowments: interested in
such privileges: these are engagements indeed.

2. What we have. _1st._ Every thing we have received binds us; all the
acts of God's providence over us; all the effects of God's goodness to
us: health, food, callings, trades, friends, families, clothes, the
service of the creatures; sun, rain, fruits of the earth: all, all these
are bonds. _2d._ But especially, our more peculiar favours; inward
experience of His love, and fruition of soul-communion with Him: Oh,
who would not be engaged for this!

3. What we do, even our own actions become our obligations; and that
which comes from us binds us. _1st._ Our feeling prayers. Who dare
practise what he prays against? A prayer against the power of sin,
obliges to walk in the power of that prayer; neither will any lightly
omit what but late as an evil he hath confessed to God. _2d._ But
especially (which is our present work) our solemn and serious vows,
protestations, promises; our covenant in baptism, our particular
covenants entered into, upon the apprehension of some approaching
calamity, upon a day of humiliation, at a piercing sermon, or
soul-searching prayer before a sacrament, or the like. If we have spoken
with our lips, we cannot go back, we are engaged.

II. As for such things that may hinder, we should both note and avoid.