_:. z..Booke. Cafes ofConfcience. 97 flandinf<>rcebyGodsLawro vs. Tbus the A Palfeouer was a cercmome, or fcru1ce ap· pointed by God to be.obferued of the Ifrae– htesand their pollerltle,Exod. 1 z.z4,25.and therefore llood as apart of Gods worlhippe to them for aperpetual! ordinance, But to vs in thene1v Tetlament, both it and other Le• gall ceremonies are abrogated, and wee haue oncly two Sacraments to bo admim£\red and receined,asfeales ofthe promifes ofGod,and P"'" ofhis worOlip,B•prifine,and the Supper oftheLord. . Secondly, that which is not commendcd vnro vs by God, in the nameof wor(hip, is no ••orlhippetovs, Now,thccercmoniesof the B Ic~ves, arc nowhere commended vnto vs in that name; and therefore it is a vaincthin& for any man to vow theoCferuation thereof. Thirdly,vowes of ceremonial! duties, did, in apeculiar manner,&vpon fpecial refpeCls, pertaine to the !ewes. Hereupon, when they vowed houfc: 1 lands, goods, &c. ro che vfe of the T emple,this they did, as being theLords Tenanrs,o( whomealone they held theirpof. fellions: and hereby they acknowledged, and alfo rellificd their Homages and SerUiccs due vntohim.And this particular refpcclconcer– ncthnotthe Church and people of the new Terlament:whence it follolileth,that they arc nottied by the fame bond, to performe wor– OlipvntoGod by the vowcs ot ceremonies, gifis,oblations,and facnfices. C Thethitd and lallpattoftheAnfwcr. If avowebe taken for a promifeof fame bodi– ly and outward worke, or cxcrcife; as fafling, g1uing of almcs, abilaming from ccnaine mcares and drinkes, &c. then it is not any part of Gods worOiip, but onely an helpe, llay,and furtherance of the fame. F<>r firll,we haue libcttie ofcon(cience in Chril!,to vfc,or' not rovfe all indifferent things. Now Gods worllup is nor a thing of that nature, butab– folutcly nccelfary. Sccon<lly,Paul,t,Tim+ 8. aflirme1h, that bodrly exmi{cpro(lteth litrle, butgodlinefJe i1 profir•blefor all thing1: In which words,he oppofeth godline!Te to bodily exer– ci(c; and therefore godlinetfe, or the worlhip ofGod,conGilcth not in them. D But the words of Dauid arcalleadgcd to the contrarie,Pfalm.76.1 1. Powe,andperJormt vnrorheLordyour q.d. Wherewe haue a dou– blecomrnQund, oneto make vowes, another to pay thc;m. To which I anfwer: firll,if Da– uld Cpeaketh of the vow ofall morall duties, tl\en the commaundemcntconc~rn~th euc:ry man 1 becaufcthe thingcommanded, is aparr ofGods wor01ip.For it i• as much as1fhehad faid,Vowthankfull obedienccvnto God,and performc it. Againc:, ifthe place bee meant of the vow of ccrcmoniall duties, then it is a commaundement peculiar to the oldeT e£\a. mcnt, and fo bindesrhe Iewes o!!ly: howbeit nor al ofthcm,bntonly fuch as had iullcaufe to make a vow:for otlmwifc they had liberrie toabUaincfrom vowing,Deur,z3. zz. fVhm thtm~tbjtamejlfrom vcnPmg,srfbaiJbeno(inn~t,nra thee. Of oneofthefe two kindes, mu£\ the placeallcadgcd nccelfariIybe vnder!lnod,and nor of thetlmd, which IS of bodily cxcrc1fc: for thw it flJOu!d reucdC: ChrifhanliLeny m thev(e of thmgs inditferenr, wh~eh no com– mandcmenr can doe. By light of thJS Anfwcr, wee may difcernc rheerrourofthcPoplOlChurch, which ma– kerhvowcsaparr ofreligion,aod rhewor01ip of God, Nay further,"·reacheththacfon;c vowes, as namelyrhofc of Poucrrie, Conti· ncncie, Regular Obedience to this or that Ordcr,are workes ofmerir& fupererogat10n, tending to a llateof perti:clJon, euen m thiS hti:;and deferuing a turcher degree ofglory in heauen,rhcn the worke ofthe MorallLaw. II I. ~e£\ion. If/hen a Vowe made, doth 6inde,andwhen not? Before I giuc anfwer to the ~e£\ion,Iwil lay downe rhis Ground. In making of a lawfullVow,fourc Condi. tions arc to be obferued. The firflconcernes the perfon ofhim that vowerh; rharhebca fit pcrfon. Hisfitne!l, may be difcerned by 1\vo things.F~t£l,,fhe be at his owne libcrric, (as touchmg the thing~ whereof he makes h1s \"Owe,);and not vnder rhc gouernerncntof afuperiour. Thus in rhc oJd Tdlamenr,ifadaughter had made a vow, wirhout rhe conft:nt or a!Jow~nce tl her fa. ther, it might nor fland in eflect, Numb. jo. 4.S· Seconuly, •f the parrie keepe him!ellc Within rhecompatfe of his callinggenerall & particular. Hence it followes, rhatvowes ot gomgaP•lgrimagc, to worlhip this or rh.r i– dol, mthis orthat place: (forexamplc,Samr lames ofCompof/clfA,and the Lauic ofLa•ret– to,&c. arevtterlyvnlawfull; b<eaufe fuch per– Cons, by'this praClife doe Jcaue their calltng and condition of life, and takevpon them a calling not warranted by the Lord. · · Thefecond Condition is concerning the matter ofa Vow.Irmu(! beLawfui,Potlible, &Acceptable to God. Hereupon it follow<s, rhat there bee foure thmgs,which cannot bee the matter ofa Vow.Thcfirfl islinne.Thus thelewes bound rhemfelues with aVow,rhat thtJwoPIId ntith(r (tttenordriNke,titlthq httdkjJ~ /edPaul,ACl.z3. u.14. Thistheirvowwas nothingelfe,buea thrcarning ofGod bimfelf: and therefore vtterly vnlawfull. Secondly, triAes,and light matters;as when a man vow– cth not to takevp a £\raw, or fuchlike, .M>~ this is a plaine mocking of God. Ttmdly. thingsirnpoffible :as ro tlie,ortogoeon foot I rolerufalem,Fourrhiy,t.hmgsmeerelynecef· rlnc:as to die,whtch cannotbeauoidcd, The third is touchmg ihc Forme of a Vowe. ltmullbcvolunttfri(, andftee. A nd 1 -----~--------------------------------·----------~1~-~--------~t~ll~at~----~
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