The Saints Sacrifice, Section 91
§. 91. Of paying vowes to God.
III. *§. 89.VOwes made muſt be paid. This is true of all manner of lawfull vowes: even ſuch as are made to mortall men; much more of ſuch as are made to the living God. Where in Scripture a charge is given for making a vow, there for the moſt part a charge alſo for paying it, is annexed. Vow and pay (Pſal. 76. 11.) Pay that which thou haſt vowed, (Eccleſ. 5. 4.) They ſhall vow a vow and performe it, (Iſa. 29. 21.) Yea there are more ſtrict Quia iam voviſ…e, iam le. obſtrinxiſti Aug. Epiſt. 45▪ ad Arment. Deut. 23. 21. Eccl. 5. 4, 5.charges for paying then for making vowes. So as, when thou voweſt, thou bindeſt thy ſelfe, namely to performance. We read not of any penalty threatned for not making vowes. But for not paying vowes it is ſaid, The Lord thy God will ſurely require it of thee: and it would be ſinne in thee. They who vow and pay not, are counted ſuch fooles, as God hath no pleaſure in. It is therefore better that thou ſhouldeſt not vow, then that thou ſhouldeſt vow and not pay. Frequent are the profeſſions which the Pſalmiſt maketh of paying his Pſal. 22. 25.—66. 13.—…6. 12.—61. 8.vowes, in theſe and ſuch like proteſtations, I will pay my vowes. Thy vowes are upon me O God, I will render praiſes unto thee. I will ſing praiſe unto thy name for ever, that I may daily performe my vowes. Among other inſtances take notice of the ſolemne vow he made for bringing the Arke of the Lord into a ſetled place, (Pſal. 132. 2, 3, 4, 5.) and withall take notice of his care to performe it (1 Chro. 13. 2, &c. and 15. 1, &c. & 17. 1, &c.) Annah having vowed to give her ſonne unto the Lord when ſhe had wained him, ſhe brought him and gave him to the Lord, 1 Sam. 1. 11, 24, &c.
1 Sacred vowes have immediate reſpect to God: they are or ought to be made to him, as we ſhewed in the former §. But 1Gal. 6. 7.God is not mocked. His Soveraignty, his Dignity, his Majeſty, his Omnipotency, his Integrity, his Iealouſie, and other like infinite Excellencies in him, are forceable motives to preſſe performance of promiſes to him. The Wiſeman, where he is earneſt in urging this point, rendreth this reaſon, God is in heaven and thou art upon earth, Eccl. 5. 2.
2 Solemne vowes conſiſt of many bonds. There is in them, 1 The bond of a good intention, yea and motion of the Holy Ghoſt. Such intentions and motions muſt not be ſuffered to vaniſh away in vaine. 2 The bond of a ſingle Melius ſuerat to non voviſſe & ſacere, quam vovere & non ſacere Amb. lib ad virg. de vot. … …. Humiliation for breach of vowes.promiſe, which bindeth the conſcience to performance. 3 The bond of an obteſtation, and taking God to witneſſe. Now a three fold cord is not quickly broken, (Eccleſ. 4. 1….) Better were it not to vow what thou doeſt, then not to doe what thou voweſt.
… What matter of humiliation is here miniſtred unto us for breaking this ſtrong cord, for mocking God by our too much careleſneſſe in keeping our vowes, yea and impious profaneſſe in breaking them? Who hath not cauſe to bee much humbled in this reſpect? Some (it may bee) will ſay, we never made any vowes: and therefore cannot be guilty of breaking vowes. Let ſuch conſider that moſt ſacred vow which every of us made in Baptiſme. Let them conſider the like ſacred vowes made and renewed ſo oft as we have celebrated the Lords Supper. Let them conſider the ſolemne vows that we have made in daies of humiliation and faſt. Let them alſo conſider the publike vowes which in the aſſembly of Saints have weeke after weeke beene made. And as for Surrexi, reditis… Deo quotidianis votis ire caper amus, &c. Aug. de Ord. l. 1. c. ….others which are more conſcionable in their duty, let us conſider the private vowes which in our daily prayers we make, eſpecially thoſe which upon ſome hainous ſinnes lying heavy upon our conſcience, in ſickneſſe or any other diſtreſſe, in earneſt deſire of ſome ſpeciall bleſſing, we have vowed. Conſider theſe and other vowes whereby we have faſt bound our ſelves to the Lord, and we ſhall ſee that the foreign abſq, …ugo.Lord hath cauſe enough to account vsus all ſonnes of Beliall, refractary children, that wilbe kept under no yoke, no not under thoſe yokes that we have voluntarily put upon our own neckes. We come in this reſpect too neare to them, who ſay, against the Lord and againſt his Annointed, Let us breake Pſal. 2. 2, 3.their bonds aſunder, and cast away their cords from us. Thus doe we juſtly deſerve that God ſhould diſanull his promiſe and covenant of mercy and grace with us. Let theſe things be laid cloſe to our conſciences, that the wounds thereof may humble us, and being penitently humbled, we may earneſtly crave mercy and pardon for this ſin eſpecially. Sinnes againſt the third commandement, as blaſphemy, perjury, and breach of vowes, pierce deepe into a ſenſible conſcience. But though they make deepe wounds, yet is there ſufficient vertue in the bloud of Chriſt to heale them: The 1 Ioh. 1. 7.bloud of Christ cleanſeth from all ſinne. Apply that precious bloud to the wounds of thy ſoule. Seeing that which is paſt and done, cannot be recalled and undone, it is not meet that the wounds of thy conſcience ſhould continually be kept open, till all the life thereof be cleane waſted. Therefore in craving pardon for this ſinne, beleeve that it is pardoned: and then be more watchfull over thy ſelfe, that thou fall not againe and againe into that ſin.
Direction for keeping vowes2 To redreſſe for the time to come, what hath beene heretofore amiſſe, let theſe following rules be carefully obſerved.
1 On thoſe vowes whereunto by vertue of thy Chriſtian profeſſion thou art bound, being ſolemnly made at thy Baptiſme, at receiving the Lords Supper, and in publike prayer, oft and ſeriouſly meditate, day and night, when thou lieſt downe, and when thou riſeſt up, when thou tarieſt at home, and when thou goeſt abroad, eſpecially when thou undertakeſt any duty of piety, and art about in prayer to preſent thy ſelfe before God; but moſt of all when thou art preſent at others Baptiſme, and heareſt the very vow which thou thy ſelfe mad'ſt before God. Frequent meditation on vowes, is an eſpeciall meanes to keep them freſh in memory: a freſh remembrance of them putteth life into the conſcience, and maketh it ſenſible: a quick and ſenſible conſcience is afraid of wounds. Feare of wounds makes carefull in avoiding the things which make wounds: as breach of vowes doth. This therefore muſt needes bee a good helpe for keeping vowes, and performing them.
2 Oft renew thy vowes, and ſo bind thy ſelfe againe and againe thereto. A vow renewed is as new made. Men uſe to be very tender of their vowes, when they are new made, or while they remaine freſh: as they are of a new ſute of apparell, or of their linnen while it is cleane and neate.
This direction of renewing vowes is to be applied to vowes of neceſſary and bounden duties. But if vowes made be of ſuch circumſtances as are not neceſſary, yet very difficult, and cannot eaſily be performed, and much trouble and Si praeproperè ſa ct… fuerit, magis eſt corrigenda …emeritus, quam perſolvenda promiſſio. Aug. Epiſt. 45. ad Arment.entangle the conſcience, then, they being thorow weakeneſſe broken, the wiſeſt and ſafeſt courſe is earneſtly to crave pardon (as we heard before) for that which is paſt, and to take heed of the like folly, in enſnaring our ſelves for the time to come. If a thing be prepoſterouſly done, raſhneſſe is rather to be redreſſed then the promiſe performed.
3 When thou art tempted to a ſinne, bring that ſinne to the touchſtone of thy vowes, and try whether it be not againſt them. This triall wilbe a meanes to make thee think of thy vowes, and to be more carefull in keeping them, and in reſiſting temptations againſt them. When the Rechabites Ier. 3. 56. &c.were tempted to drinke wine, they conſidered that it was againſt an ancient vow, and thereupon were reſtrained from doing it. They were not ignorant of the damage of breaking vowes.
Danger in breaking vowes no ſufficient cauſe to keepe from making vowes Pro. 28. 9.Object. If there bee ſuch danger in breaking vowes, it wilbe a mans ſafeſt courſe not to vow at all.
An. This is no good conſequence: For, a good thing is not therefore to be wholly omitted, becauſe there is danger in an ill performing of it, or in a careleſſe neglect of proſecuting that which is begun. He that turneth away his care from hearing the law, even his prayer ſhalbe abomination. Is it therefore the ſafeſt not to pray at all? Fie upon ſuch a conſequence. The juſt conſequence to be thereupon inferred is this, Therefore turne thine care to the law and ſo pray. Such a conſequence from ſuch a ground doth the Apoſtle make: for where hee had ſaid, Whoſoever, ſhall eate the bread, and 1 Cor. 11. 27, 28.drinke the cup of the Lord unworthily, ſhalbe guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord, Hee addeth as a juſt conſequence following thereupon, Let a man examine himſelfe, and ſo let him eat of that bread, and drinke of that cup. He ſaith not, let him forbeare to come to the Lords Table. In like manner the danger and dammage of breaking vowes ought not to reſtraine us from making needfull and uſefull vowes: but it ought to make us carefull and conſcionable in performing them.
4 Concerning voluntary vowes, that thou maiſt with comfort, confidence, and good conſcience performe them; be very warie and▪ well adviſed in making them. Be not raſh Eccl. 5. 2.with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be haſty to utter any thing before God. In nothing doth raſhneſſe ſooner cauſe repentance then in this. Wherefore for an adviſed making of vowes,
Direction for making vowes1 Conſider what moveth thee to vow: what is the ground and occaſion thereof. As an oath muſt not be taken without a juſt and weighty cauſe: ſo nor a vow made. A vow is a matter of much moment.
Quae poſſunt & de…ent voveri docet. Aug. Enar. in Pſal. 75.2 Take a view of thy condition, whether thou art in place, and haſt power to make the vow which thou inte… deſt: and whether thou art not under ſuch authority as may keepe thee from performing it: If thou be in ſuch ſubjection, how canſt thou ſay, I will pay my vowes.
3 Examine the matter which thou art about to vow, and be ſure that it be ſuch a thing as thou maiſt lawfully, and can… comfortably performe. Otherwiſe thou bringeſt thy ſelfe into a laborinth. For, the making of a vow bindeth a ma… to performance: performance of an evill vow bindeth a man to judgement. Thus he that voweth an evill thing, is as he that holdeth a dog by the eares. He knoweth not whether to turne.
4 Search thy heart, and ſee how that ſtands affected: whether there be in thee a ſingle, ſimple, full, reſolved purpoſe to performe what thou voweſt. An invincible reſolution is an eſpeciall meanes to make good what is vowed.
5 Make thy vow with confidence on the aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit to enable thee to keepe it▪ ſuſpecting thine own Mat. 26. 33, 35.weakeneſſe. Peters purpoſe was queſtionleſſe ſincere: and his reſolution was good. But ſelfe-confidence was his fault. Viribus veſtris non implebitis: deficietis ſi de vobis praeſumitis. Si autem de illo cui vovetis, vovete: ſecuri reddeti…. Aug loc. citat.He preſumed too much upon his owne ability: which that he might the better diſcerne, he was left to himſelfe. Ye cannot accompliſh ſuch matters by your owne ſtrength. Ye will faile if ye preſume of your ſelves. But if ye reſt on him to whom you vow, vow in the name of God, and ye ſhall aſſuredly performe it.
6 In making thy vow, pray for ability to keepe it. Yea time after time, till it be performed, pray for this grace. So oft as thou makeſt a ſolemne prayer betwixt God and thy ſelfe, let one petition be for keeping thy vow. And if thy vow be of ſome duty to be in performing all thy life▪long, all thy life long pray for this in particular.
On theſe grounds goe on in doing thy uttermoſt for making good thy vowes; and that as thou deſireſt to have the covenant of grace in Chriſt made good to thee. Performe what thou haſt vowed: performe it to the full. Of all ſacrifices that which was brought for accompliſhment of a vow Lev. 22. 21, 23.muſt be moſt perfect. Such defective ſacrifices as might be offered for a free-will offering, would not be accepted for a vow.