Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of vowes, by raſh making whereof euerie man hath miſerablie intangled himſelfe.
1 SVRELIE it is a lamentable thing, that the church, for which libertie was bought with the price of Chriſtes blood,Eccleſiaſticall tirannie. was ſo oppreſſed with cruel tyrannie, and almoſt ouerwhelmed with an huge heape of traditions: but the priuate madneſſe of euerie man did ſhewe that Sathan and his miniſters had ſo great libertie graunted thē by God not without moſt iuſt cauſe. Hereby it came to paſſe, that neglecting Chriſte, and hauing greeuous burdens laid vponupon them, by digging ditches and pits for thē ſelues, they drowned themſelues more deeplie:A ſimilitude. that wee ſee in vowes, wherwith they binde themſelues as with moſt ſtraight bonds.
Lawfull vowes.2 Furthermore if wee will not erre in iudging what vowes be lawfull, and what otherwiſe: we muſt conſider three things: firſt, who it is to whom wee make our vowe. Secondlie, who we be which make our vowes: Laſtlie with what minde we vowe. The firſt tendeth to this end,1 To whom the vowe is made. that we think that we hauehave to deale with God: whom our obedience doth ſo delight, that he pronounceth that all wil worſhippings though they be beautiful,Col. 2.23. are accurſed*. That which is doone without faith, whiche reſteth in the word, is ſinne. Therefore let this be the firſt caution or prouiſion that wee attempt nothi…g vnleſſe wee hauehave God to goe before vsus,The firſt caution in vowes and to tell vsus as it were out of his word, what is good to be done, or vnprofitable.
2 Who we be.3 In the other let vsus meaſure our ſtrength, & behold our vocation, that we neglect not the benefite of the libertie which God hath giuen vsus. For hee which voweth either that which is not in his power or which is cōtrary to his calling, is raſh: & he which deſpiſeth the bountifulnes of God,Act 23.12. Iud. 11.30 Iephthaes vowe is ignorant. Such was the vow of the cutthrotes* of Iephthe*, and at this day of the ſacrificing Prieſtes, Monks, Nunnes, who forgetting their owne infirmitie, thinke that they are able to lead a ſingle life.
3 With what mind.4 Thirdly it skilleth much with what mind thou makeſt thy vow if thou wilt hauehave it to be alowed of God.4 Endes of vowes Therfore let vsus direct our vowes to four ends: wherof we refer two to the time paſt, and two to the time to come. To the time paſt appertain the vowes of thankſgiuing,Of thankes giuing. Gen. 28.20 & the vowes of repentance. Of the former we hauehave an example in the tithes which Iacob vowed*Pſal. …2.16 & 55.13. & 116 14.. In the old ſacrifices of the peace makers. Thus muſt we vnderſtand the Pſalmes wherin mention is made of vowes*. The ſecond kind ſhalbe lawfully obſerued if vſing a vowe,The vowe of Repentance. that we may bind ourſelues with a ſtraiter bonde, we renounce that wickedneſſe into which we were fallen.
5 The vows which are made for the time to come to tēd to this end,The vowes of the time to come. partly that we may be made more warie: partly that we may be pricked forwarde as it were with pricks to do our dutie.
6 Such is the vowe made in Baptiſme, confirmed by catechizing and the receauing of the Supper: whereby, renouncing Sathan, we binde our ſelues to ſerue God, that we may obey his holie commaundements, and not obey the wicked luſts of our fleſh.
Obiect. No man doth perfectly obey the Law.
An The promiſe which we there make, is ioyned both with crauing of pardon, and alſo with crauing of the help of the holy Ghoſt.Let particular vowes be onlie for a time. In particular vowes the three former rules muſt be obſerued. Let them be ſober & but for a time: leſt if they be continuall, thou either pay them with great tediouſneſſe, or being wearied with the long continuance thereof, thou be enforced to breake them.
7 Therfore we cōdemne all ſuperſtitious vowes:Superſtitious vowes ſuch as are abſtaining from wine and fleſh: faſting for certaine dayes: gadding on pilgrimage to holie places and ſuch like.
8 Yea we ſee how farre Munkiſh vowes are frō the true rule of vowing.Vowes of Monkes.
Obiect. They were allowed by the publike iudgement of the Church.
An. Colledges of Munkes were in times paſt as it were ſeminaries of the Eccleſiaſticall order,Colleges of Monkes. that being brought vp there with great hardneſſe and patience they might be called to the office of Biſhops.A ſimilitude.
De moribus ecclec. Cath. cap 31. The old munks9 Auguſtine doth thus depaint out vntounto vsus the forme of the old Munkerie. Contēning, ſaith he, the enticements of the world being gathered together into a moſt holy common life, they ſpend their time together, liuing in prayers, readinges, diſputations, ſwelling with no pride, being troubleſome through no ſtifneckednes, waxing pale with no enuy, no man poſſeſſeth anie thing of his owne: none is burdenous to another. They worke with their owne handes thoſe things wherwith both the bodie may be fed, & the minde may not be kept backe from God. They deliuer their worke to the Deanes, which make an account to one whom they call Father, &c.
10 Such was the Munkiſh profeſſion in times paſt. Our men at this day place the greateſt part of their holineſſe in idleneſſe, which if you take away, where ſhall that contemplatiue life be,Idlenes of munkes. wherin they boaſt they excell all other men, and draw neare to the Angels?
The order of the perfection of munkerye11 And yet they vouchſafe their order alone of the title of perfection, & they exempt the ſame from all callings of God.
Obiect. It is not ſo called therefore, becauſe it containeth perfection in it ſelfe, but becauſe it is the beſt of all to attaine to perfection.
Perfection of munkes.An. Yet that admiration remaineth in the common people, as if the Munkiſh life alone were the Angelicall life, perfect, & cleane from all vice. VnderUnder this colour they make moſt gainefull markets.Gaynefull markets.
12 Obiect. The Munkiſh life is the way to perfection, becauſe they promiſe that they will keepe the Councels of the Goſpell touching louelove of enemies,Mat. 5.44. A cōmandement concerning the louing of our enimies. touching not deſiring of reuenge*, &c. wherto Chriſtians are not commonly bound.
An. Such Counſels are verie commandements, which all Chriſtians muſt obey.
13 Obiect The Lord ſayd to the yong man, If thou wilt be perfect, ſell all that thou haſt, and giuegive to the poore*. We do that.Mat. 19.21.
An. If the ſumme of perfection be placed in this, what meaneth that which Paule teacheth, that he which ſhall geue all that he hath to the poore, is nothing vnleſſe he hauehave louelove*?1 Cor. 13.3.
Obiect. This is the principall worke of perfectiō, but not the onelyonly worke thereof.
An. Paule maketh louelove the onelyonly bond of perfection*, without anie renouncing of goods.Coll. 3.13.
14 Obiect. The Munkiſh profeſſion is a forme of a ſeconde baptiſme, becauſe they renounce the world, to liue holilie.
An. As manie Monaſteries as there be at this day I ſay there be as many conuenticles of ſchiſmatiks,Conuenticles of ſchiſmatikes who troubling the order of the Church, are cut of from the fellowſhip of the faithfull,Franciſcanes. that they may more freely geue them ſelues to pleaſure. Such are at this day the Benedictines, Franciſcanes, Dominicanes, &c.
15 By this compariſon of the old and new Munkerie it appeareth ſufficientlie,Munkes. that our could Munkes falſlie pretende the example of the primatiue Church, for defence of their profeſſion:A ſimilitude. for as much as they differ no leſſe from them then apes from men.
16 It is an excellent thing to play the Philoſophers in ſecret: but it is not a point of chriſtiā meekneſſe to flie as it were into a wilderneſſe, through hatred of mankinde, and alſo to forſake their offices which the Lord hath eſpecially commanded.
17 Nowe therefore we ſee of what ſort the vowes be,Vowes of Munkes. whereby Munks are admitted and entred at this day into this excellent order. Firſt becauſe they inſtitute a new worſhip to deſerue withall, I conclude vponupon that which goeth before, that whatſoeuer they vowe it is an abhomination before God. Secondlie becauſe they inuent to them ſelues a newe kinde of life, without anie beholding of the calling of God, I ſay that it is raſhly done & therfore vnlawfull. Furthermore foraſmuch as they tie themſelues to wicked worſhippings, I auouch that they are not conſecrate to God,Deut. 32.17. Pſal. 116.37. but to the deuill*. The ſame muſt we ſay of perpetuall virginitie, which they promiſe to God, whereas it is not in our power.
The vowe of virginitie. Mat. 19.11.Obiect. We make this vowe truſting onelyonly to the grace of God.
An. Whereas it is not giuen to all*: & thoſe are with open voyce cited to marrie, to whom power to containe is denyed: it is not for vsus to cōceaue hope of an eſpeciall gift.
1 Cor. 7.9.Obiect. It hath bene obſerued time out of minde, that thoſe ſhould tye them ſelues with the vowe of continencie,The vowe of continencie. which would wholie dedicate them ſelues to the Lord.
An This cuſtome was auncient: it is not therefore blameleſſe: moreouer it was lawfull for thoſe to marrie which could not continue. Which thing is not permitted at this day.
18 Obiect. Vowing was vſed in the Apoſtles time: becauſe Paule ſaith that the widowes which being once receaued into the publike miniſterie did marrie, did denie their firſt faith*.Vowe of widowes. 1 Tim. 5.12
An. The widows which were at that time receaued to the publike miniſterie were about threeſcore yeares of age, they layd vponupon them ſelues the condition of perpetuall ſingle life: if they ſhould afterwardes marrie, that did eaſily come to paſſe which Paule ſaith, that caſting from them ſhame, they became more inſolent, then became Chriſtian womē. Therfore firſt they profeſſed ſingle life, ſo farre as the neceſſitie of their function did beare. Secondly it was euen then better for them to marrie then to burne. Thirdly they had already ſhewed a token of their aged continencie.
19 And Deaconeſſes were made not to delight God with ſinging & with mumbling not vnderſtood,The office of Deaconeſſes. and to leade the reſt of their life in idleneſſe which Popiſh Nonnes do: but that they might do to the pore the publike miniſterie of the Church, that they might wholy apply themſelues to the duties of louelove. Thereupon I conclude with Paule, that it is wickedneſſe that women ſhould be receaued to vowe continencie before they be threeſcore yeares of age.
20 Therefore let vsus conclude that as vnlawfull vowes & not rightly made,Vowes raſhlie made muſt be reuerſed. are of no reputatiō with God, ſo ought they to be void with vsus. For it is an abſurd thing that we ſhold be driuen to performe thoſe things, which God doth not require at our hands. Therfore vowes raſhly made do not only not binde, but they muſt neceſſarily be reuerſed & diſanulled.
21 Therfore when they forſake the Munkiſh life, and take in hand ſome honeſt kind of life, they are vnworthely accuſed of breach of faith & periurie, becauſe they hauehave broken the knot which could not be looſed (as it is commonly beleeued) wherby they were bound to God & the Church. But it is no bond when God doth abrogat & diſanull that which man confirmeth.Note.