Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 4 · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
Verſ. 1. ANd Moſes ſpake unto the heads] Becauſe they were in place of judicature; and had power, either to bind… men to their vowes, or ſet them at liberty.
Verſ. 2. If a man vow a vow unto the Lord] God is the proper object of a vow, Pſal. 76.11. Papiſts vow to ſaints, Relation of Weſt. relig. ſect. 4.both themſelves (as to Francis, Auſtin, Dominick, &c.) and other things, as pilgrimages, oblations, &c. Our Lady (as they call her) of Loretto, hath her Churches ſo ſtuffed with vowed preſents and memories, as they are fain to hang their cloyſters and church-yards with them. This is ſacriledg, yea it is idolatry.
To hind his ſoul with a bond] Which none ought to do, but ſuch as. 1. Are free, or have the conſent of their governours. 2. Such as have knowledg and judgment, to diſcerne of a vow, or oath, Eccleſ. 5.3, 5. 3. Are conſcientious, as Iacob, Hannah, &c. Not ſuch votaries as Herod, Mat. 14.7. thoſe Aſſaſſines, Act. 23.14. thoſe Idolaters, Ier. 44.27. [He ſhall not break his word] If he do, he will make a great breach in his conſcience, and crack his comfort exceedingly: better not vow, then not pay, Eccleſ. 5.4. It is a ſin, as bad or worſe then perjury: and God takes it heavily at mens hands, Ier. 34.10, 11.
Verſ. 4. And her father ſhall hold his peace] Qui tacet, conſentire videtur; a rule in civill law, ſilence is a kinde of conſent.
Then all her vows ſhall ſtand] Provided, that ſhe vow. 1. Such things as are lawfull, and warrantable by the word; for to vow to doe evill, is an utter abomination, as Act. 23.14. Deut. 23.18. 2. Such things as are poſſible, and in her power, either naturally, or by the aſſiſtance of Gods grace, promiſed to her: Such is not the popiſh vowing of virginity, ſith, omnes non capiant hoc, all men cannot contain. Their vowes of continency, breed all manner of incontinency in their Clergy.
Verſ. 5. But if her father diſallow her] Thoſe that vow Monaſticall obedience, renounce all duty to their parents, and ſervice to their country. Parents are our foreign, as a heathen ſaid, our houſhold gods, as it were; and have power to diſannull, or ratifie the vowes of their children: but the …apiſts are true heires to the Phariſees, who taught not to honour father or mother, Mat. 15.6. and ſo do make the Commandement of God, of none effect, by their tradition. Full well have they done it, Mark 7.9. But what cannot they do? The Pope, ſaith Cardinall Bellarmine; Lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom.poteſt de injuſtitia facere juſtitiam, ex nihilo aliquid, ex virtute vitium: he can make righteouſneſs of unrighteouſneſs, Sleidan. Com.ſomething of nothing, vice of vertue; And it ſeems ſo indeed by his practice. For when the Cardinals meet to chuſe a Pope, they make a vow, whoſoever is choſen, he ſhall ſweare to ſuch articles as they make. And Sleidan ſaith, the Pope is no ſooner choſen, but he breaks them all; and checks their inſolencies, as if they went about to limit his power, to whom all power is given, both in heaven and earth.
Verſ. 6. And if ſhe had at all an husband] Hannah's vow, 1 Sam. 1.11. was made, either by the conſent of her husband, or elſe by peculiar inſtinct from God.
Verſ. 13. To afflict her ſoul▪ This is one inſtance of what ſhe may vow. She may curbe wanton fleſh, from the uſe of things lawfull in themſelves, but hurtfull to her; and that by a vow, as did the Rechabites, Ier. 35.8, 9.10. which the devill ſeeing, will deſpaire; for vows are as exorciſmes, to allay our rebellious ſpirits, and as cords to hamper our treacherous hearts, when they would ſlip the collar, and detrect the yoak. In ſhort, a man may lawfully vow a thing that is either a part of Gods worſhip, (as to faſt once a monethmonth before the Sacrament, to pray ſo many times a day, &c.) or a furtherance thereof; as to found a lecture, build a colledge, ſchool, almeſ-houſe, give ſo much weekly to the poor, &c.