In wl1at Cafes we may not Vow. ------- m'n in the world : And therefore that being none of the Apollles meaning, it followeth that his meaning is as aforefaid. , 9: I 3· Obj~d:. 5· But there arl. many thingr i1z~ijferent in tbemfelvtJ, though nol at clof!tbed with Objell. 5• oV their accidwtr and circumftancu: And tbcfe al1ion1 being Gooel in their accidth'tl, m•y be tht matter of a Vn;,. . Anf-a·. True : but thofc ad:ions are cammand~d duties, and nor things indilfc[crit as fQ circurn~ ftanciatcd. It is very few afrions in the world thac are made fimply Ju:ict or jin1, in their fimpl~ nature withent their circumlhncesand accidents: The commonell matter ofall Gods Laws, is Actions or difpofitions which arc Good or Evil in their circurnfianccs and accidents. Therefore I cenclude, Things wholly Indift(rcntarc not to be Vowed. , ~· 14• DinCl. 5· It Unot every Duty tiNt i; the matter nf a lJJ:wful Vow. Elfc you might have as Dirttl. 5• manyVo""J as DutiCJ: Every good thought, and word, and dud m1ghr have a Vow, And then every fin which you commit would be accompanied and aggravated with the guile of Pe~jury. And no wifeman will run his foul into fuch a fnnc. Object. But do we not in Baptifm V1Jw Obedience to God l And do1b not Obedience coJttrJitr t'-'tr} partidtlar Dmy? Anfrr. We Vow fincere Obedience, but nor per~ feU Obtdienct. W t do nor Vow char we will never fin, nor neglect a duty ( nor ought we to do fc, ). So that as finerre ubedience rcfptd-~th evtry ~nown duty as that which we fhall practife in the bent of our lives) bur nor in perf.'U co»ftancy er degree, ·fa far OUI Vow in Baptifm hath refpefr to aU k;toll-·n dutie;) but no further. §· 1 5· Dir<ct· 6. To mal;f a V•w Lawful, bejidu the GoodncfJ of tht thing wbich "'' V,w, 1here Dire/1. 6. mujl bt a rationJl difccrna~/e probability that tbc A[i ofVowing ir, wiU de morr good than hurt : an4 thif ro a wife foref(!(ing judgement. For this Vowi11g is not an ordiltary worjhip to be offered to God (except the gaptilfnal Vvw rcnew<'d in the Lords Supper and at other feafons )· But it is left as an (Xtr.rordinary Mc.zn;, for certain ends which cannot by ordinarymcanJ be attained; And therefore we mull d;kern the fr•f n, by difcerning the nmfllly or ufrfulnr[r of it: Swearing is a put of the frr· z:ict of God , but nor of his d.Jily worp,ip, nor frequently and rafhly to be ufed, by any that would not be held guilty of taking rhe NJmc of God in v.1in: And {0 it is in the ctfe of Vowing. There~ fore he that will-make a Lawful Vow, mufl fee before hand, what is the probable Benefit of it, and whit is the probable hurt or danf!.tl': And without this fordight it mull be rajh, :1nd cannot, b= lawful. And therefore no one can Jtlake a lawful Vow, but wife fore[teiug perfons, and· thofe that ad· Pblr.uch. vijt wilh fuch, and are guided by thnu; if 1hey be not iUch thernfelves : unlefs in a ca[l! where ~eft. Rom4Jf. God hath prefc1ibed by his own determining commands ( as in the Covenant ofChrifiianicy ). 44· Therefore to one man the fame Vow m2y be a fin) [hat to another may be a duty ; becaufe one may ~?YftJ(Y no)t have more reafim for it, or nece!Ticy of ir, and lcfs danger by it than another. One man may fore:. R~{;. Is\i~b~~ fee that Vowing (in cafe where there is no Neccffity) may enfmre him eithtr inperplexiHg doubu, c:.ufc an - or terrorJ, which will make all his life after more irregular· or uncomfortable. Another man may Oath put to difcern that he is lyable to no fuch danger. :=~~~~as it were the racl: ~nd t'lrture oR~red them ? For certain it is rhlt rhe foul ~5 well as the body of the PrieR ; ought to continue free, and not be t.orceJ by any wm.trc. Or .th.n we mull: nor .d1llruU them m f'inatl m:mers, who ar~,. to ~e bdJtVtd in gre.1t and divine. things? Cr becaufe rhe p~nl of per;ury would rcarh 111 common to the whole Commonwe:~hh, 1t aWicked, 2nd ungodly, :md forfworn per• fon (hou~d hare thech;u-gc and fu;·erinc:n~cncy of tht Prayers, Vows 2nd Sacrifices rnade in beb2l! uf the City ? pC:,. $66, ~ §. 16. Dirca. 7· No nta11 jl>ou/J pr<tend danger or fcruple againjl b~ rm•wing th• Vow ofChrift.ia· Dire/:1. 7• r.ity) or aJry ()1ft c(Jcntial part of it ; viz. To ta~e God the Father, Son and Holy Ghojf for my God, and Savirmr, a;od San8if~.tr~ my Owner, GovemJUr and Fatber; renouncing tbe Devil) tbe TPorld and tbefiefli. Bccau(C there is ~n ahf.lutt ;:taffity ( pHfC{pti & medii) of performing thU, and he that doth it nor, !hall certainly be damned : And thtrefore no wmfe matter can Hand up againU it : He that de. nyeth ir:, giveth up himfclf defpairingly to damnation. Yet I have heard many fay, I dare nor pro'-· mifc ro mrn to God) and live a holy life, leH I break this promife, and be worfe than ~efore: But dolt thou not knov.·, that it mu;t be both made and ~cpt, if thou wilt be faved? Wilt thou choo[t tO be damned, for fear ot worfr ? There is but one Remedy for thy foul, and all the hope ofthy falvacirn lyeth uport that alone: And wile thou rcfufe that one, for fear JeO: th,ou cafi it up and dye? When thou Chalt cert~inly dye unltfs thou both ta~ it, and keep it, and digefi ir. 9· I'}· n ·;red. S. About p.'lrti:ular fins anddmiu, deliberate refolutionJ are the ordinary meanJ of Dirtl1. 8. governing QHr liveJ; and VowJ muft not be ufed rrber( theft wiU dothe worJt »:itbout them. For extra~ ordi,tary means mufi not be ufc·d, when ordinary wl!l h:rve turn. Nor mutl yOu ncedlefly draw a double guilt upon your ftlvcs in cafe of finning. Ar:.d in mutable or doub~f•d cafes, a Rtfulution may be chailg<:d, when a Vur'l' cannot : Try therefore what dc:liberate RefolutionSwill do, with the help of othrr ord1nary means, before you go any further. §. 18. Di~e~. 9· lPhen urdinary Jtifolutionra1:d otbcr help1 wiV not fcrve tke tur11, to tngage the wiU Dirca. 9· to lbt• fo:bcarance of a }Qtown fin, or tht ptrform!mce of a knorrn duty, b~et ttmptationl art {o ftnmg as to~tar domf all, then it i1 fcafonabl~ to bind our{eh.1rJ by a folqnn Vow) fu it be c:mteloJtjly and deJibe.. r.4rtly done, and no grratcr d'~nJ;rr !J/;,.c to folluw. In fuch :1 cafe ot nccelftty, r. You muft delibera{e on the. benefit; and need: 2· You rnult forefcc all the affaulrs that you are like to have to tempt you ~o peqmy, that they tome not unexpected~ 3. You mufi joyn the ufe Of all oth·cr mran 1 fOr the keep. mg of yo~r Vows~
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