5y Chap. 4. Of Vows. Cols. 3 Vahurn 21' 15 people of God fhalllperform their and untoltheSL rd; rwhich places foretold that pplyed Rom. ,o. r3. by the Apoftle to the times of the Gpfpel. Romans JO. i g. We find likewife that in . theApoltles times, the confecratingOf their pofl'efí ons to common ufes, and laying themoney in common at the Apodles feet, which was nothing but the performing of a common vow. Thus far for the neceflity of vows. HavingTeen the ufe of a vow, let us likewife fee what things God belt accepts in a vow. And here we find by the examples of Gods fervants recorded in Scripture, that a man may vow, r.fs, himfelf, 2. poi., his children, 3.fua, his fubfrance, or things in his power. And firft the fervants of God did vow themfelves to God in two cafes. r. For humiliationafter fin committed, we make a vow and a binding oath to Numb, 30 13. aftlift the foul. it is called humbling of the foul, by vowing fume temporal af- pfai. 3 g. ry flitlion or penance for fin committed. I humbled my foul with fatting, and I cha- 69, ,o, fined my foul with fatting, faith David, and fo for weeping. Every night ( faith he ) 6 6. walk I my bed, and water my couch with tears, andI mingled my drink with weep- 102. 9 2. For preparation, and fitting the foul for Gods fervice; or to enter upon a fpe- cialcalling orbufinefs, as the Nazarires did keep themfelves to amore flrift rule of life, before theydevoted themfelves to Gods fervice, whence diverfe fathers con- N`¢n. 6 chide,' that it grew to beafterwarda holy and a folemn thing for any one, before he gave himfelf to fludy,and to enter into the Schools of theProphets,to feparate hittr felt by the vow of a Nazar,:e. 2. We find that a man may vow, not only fe, but furs, not hirnfelf only, as in the s Sam. S. 28, former inftances,but his childrento Godalfo, as Wannah vowed Sa,mel to God ; filch fpecial vows for perfonsto the Lord, we read what Laws were made, Levit. Lavic, 27.2. of 27.2. Thefe are perfonal vows. 3. There is reale, when a manvowsfsaa, his goods or eftate, or what is his, fo:we may vow things real, which are either. t . Fruilud labiorum the fruit of the Plat 61. Ti. lips;as 'David did, when he fung-praifes to the name of God, that he might daily perform his vows. He faith thevows`of Godwere upon him, that is, he had enjoyned himfelf a task concerningprayer and thankfgiving, which he was daily to perform by venue of his vow. Or 2. SubJlantsalïa, things out of our fubttance z as King Plat. t32: 2. D474 made a vow thbuild a Temple to God out of his means. yacob ( that made Get, 28.22. the firftvow we read of) vowed tithes to Godof his goods. Wemay vow houfes, Levis. 27. 'Æ' lands, and offerings, either for the- ereftin ormaintenance of Colledges, or Hof i r6 g, g s p. Exod. 36.3 Ws;;for Seminariesof Religion. So we read of offerings, and free gifts, Axed36.3. And a$Wemay vow our fubflance, fo apart of our time, fomany hours or dayes to Gods fervice: fo the Jews, befides their Sabbaths commanded, they had alto dies votivos, dayes confecrated to the ferviceof God. Thefe are the chief heads, unto Lavin. 3. 38 Wtltë;of which áll or molt vows may be referred. Thus v/e fee what it istovow; but how aswe vow, fo we mutt redehre, perform ourVows. Nothing is more eafie thantovow, but its not fo eale to perform ; if a 8 P' mats be riot matter of his tongue, yet he will be of his purfe, asthe proverb is; and n'" thereforethough men vow readily, yet they perform at leifure. Saint Augufline c:V vmrof. . pra1.16. tellslris'hearers gala reddite, non vas vovere, modo voltaifli vovere, all the while we talkedof promifing, you would vow, but now we fpeak of performing, youwill not vow. 13út as it is no fin not tovow, but only diminurio perfeïlionis, a lets degree of perfection; fo on the other fide, if one vow and perform it not, he fins grievoufly : and therefore thewifeman faith, it were better never to vow, than to vow and not to perform. It isa grofl'e deluding and fcoffrng at the Divine Majefty; notto keeppromife with him. Therefore he tells us, that to devour holy things, is Ecelel g. . detirpR¡on, and after vows to make enquiry. Solomon fpeaks;of'thofe Courtiers abouthim, who Would have had-him toconvert to other ufes thofe great Treafures, wbich,David had vowedand laid up for the building of the Temple. Therefore for á rïí n tovow any thing to God, and not to perform his promife, but to convert to ti1thdrMees what was vowed to God will prove a fnare to him, to choke and ftrangle hiS fbul. To our vows then muff be addedperformances, and becaufe the purpofe of per-
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