xviii. 18. "having shorn his head in Cenchrea; for he had a vow." xxi. 23. "we have four men which have a vow on them."

We must be careful, however, not to interdict ourselves or others from those things which God intended for our use, as meat or drink; except in cases where the exercise of our liberty may be a stumbling-block to any of the brethren. Matt. xv. 17, 18. "do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?" Mark vii. 15, 16. "there is nothing from without a man that entering into him can defile him,' &c. The reason is given v. 19. "because it entereth not into his heart, but into his belly," &c. Rom. xiv. 14. “I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself." v. 17. "for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink-." 1 Cor. vi. 13. "meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both it and them." viii. 8. "meat commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat, are we the better, neither if we eat not, are we the worse." Coloss. ii. 20, &c. "if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances? touch not, taste not, handle not; which all are to perish with the using-." 1 Tim. iv. 3, 4. "forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth; for every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused." Heb. xiii. 9. "not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." Acts x. 13. " 'rise, Peter, kill and eat." v. 15. "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." The same rule applies to marriage: Matt. xix. 11. "all men cannot receive this saying, save them to whom it is given." 1 Cor. vii. 9. "but if they cannot contain, let them marry." v. 26. “I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress." v. 36, 37. "if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely towards his virgin," &c. 1 Tim. iv. 3. "forbidding to marry;" and to other subjects of a similar nature. 1 Tim. iv. 8. "bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things."

Vows of voluntary poverty are also to be accounted superstitious; Prov. xxx. 8. "give me neither poverty nor riches;"

inasmuch as poverty is enumerated among the greatest evils; Deut. xxviii. 48. "in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things." Acts xx. 35. “it is more blessed to give than to receive." Eph. iv. 28. "rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

No one can make a special vow who is not his own master, and exempt from subjection to any other authority; as a son or a daughter to a parent, a wife to her husband, a male or female servant to their lord. See Num. vi. and xxx. 13. "every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void." Neither can a general or special vow be made by one who has not yet arrived at the full use of his judgement. Considering how generally this rule is received among divines, it is strange that they should so far forget their own doctrine, as to require the special vow of baptism from infants.

Any one, who is in these respects qualified, may bind himself by a special vow; when once made, however, he is not at liberty to recal it, but must fulfil it at all hazards. Deut. xxiii. 20. "when thou shalt vow a vow unto Jehovah thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it; for Jehovah thy God will surely require it of thee, and it would be sin in thee." Num. xxx. 2. "if a man vow a vow unto Jehovah.... he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." Eccles. v. 4, 5. "when thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed: better it is that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay."

An impious vow, however, is not binding, any more than an unjust oath. Matt. xv. 5. "ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free." Here that which ought to have been applied to the support of the parents, had been vowed as a gift to God, so that either the vow could not be fulfilled, or the support of the parents must be withdrawn. Christ therefore decides that the parents are to be supported, and that the impious vow is of no force.

The opposite of a vow is sacrilege; which consists in the non-performance of a vow, or in the appropriation to private

uses of things dedicated to God. Josh. vii. 11. "they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also." Prov. xx. 25. "it is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry." Mal. iii. 8, &c. "will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me but ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? in tithes and offerings ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." i. 8. "if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?"

Thus far of prayer and its auxiliaries.

Thanksgiving consists in returning thanks with gladness for the divine benefits. Job i. 21. "Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah." Eph. v. 20. "giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Addresses to God, and particularly thanksgivings, are frequently accompanied by singing, and hymns in honour of the divine name." Mark xiv. 26. "when they had sung an hymn-." Eph. v. 19, 20. "speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always." Col. iii. 16. "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." James v. 13. "is any merry? let him sing psalms."

CHAP. V.-OF OATHS AND THE LOT.

ANOTHER species of Invocation consists in OATHS, and in THE CASTING OF THE LOT,

AN OATH is that whereby WE CALL GOD TO WITNESS THE TRUTH OF WHAT WE SAY, WITH A CURSE UPON OURSELVES, EITHER IMPLIED OR EXPRESSED, SHOULD IT PROVE FALSE. Ruth i. 17. "Jehovah do so to me and more also." See also 2 Yet, sacrilegious, to himself would take That which to God alone of right belongs.

In the hymn of our first parents, when

Paradise Regained, III. 140.

prompt eloquence

Flow'd from their lips, in prose or numerous verse,

Milton says of the angels extolling their Maker,

ye behold him, and with songs

And choral symphonies, day without night,
Circle his throne rejoicing.

Paradise Lost, V. 161.

1 Kings ii. 23, 24. 2 Cor. i. 23. "I call God for a record upon my soul." See also Philipp. i. 8.

The lawfulness of oaths is evident from the express commandment, as well as example of God. Deut. vi. 13. “thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name." See also x. 20. Isai. lxv. 16. "he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth." Jer. xii. 16. "if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name." Gen. xxii. 16. " by myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah." Exod. vi. 8. " concerning the which I did swear to give it." Deut. xxxii. 40. “I lift up my hand to heaven and say, I live for ever." Psal. xcv. 11. " unto whom I sware in my wrath-." cx. 4. "Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent." Heb. vi. 13. "because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself."

Agreeable to this is the practice of angels and holy men. Dan. xii. 7. " he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever." Rev. x. 5, 6. "the angel sware by him that liveth for ever and ever." Gen. xiv. 22, 23. "I have lift up mine hand unto Jehovah. . . . . that I will not take from a thread," &c. xxxi. 53. "Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac;" that is, by God.

.....

It is only in important matters, however, that recourse should be had to the solemnity of an oath. Exod. xx. 7. "thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain." Heb. vi. 16. " men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them the end of all strife."

An oath involving a promise is to be observed, even contrary to our interest, provided the promise itself be not unlawful. Josh. ix. 19. " we have sworn unto them by Jehovah God of Israel; now therefore we may not touch them." Judges xxi. 7. "how shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?" Psal. xv. 4. "he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not."

In connexion with this subject, it has been made matter of discussion whether an oath sworn to a robber for the observance of secrecy, or for the payment of a stipulated ransom, is binding. Some answer, that the oath only which relates to

See Paley's Moral Philosophy, B. iii. Part 1. Sect. 5. Taylor's Ductor Dubitantium, Book iii. Chap. 2. Rule 5. Works, vol. xiii. 350--388.

ransom is to be observed, not that which relates to secrecy; inasmuch as every man is bound by a prior obligation to the civil magistrate to denounce any known robber, and that this obligation is of more force than the subsequent one of secrecy can possibly be. They conclude, therefore, that it is the duty of such person to give information to the magistrate, and to consider his compulsory oath as annulled by his prior engagement, the weaker obligation yielding to the stronger. If however this be just, why does it not apply equally to the oath respecting ransom? seeing that it is the positive duty of every good man not to support robbers with his substance, and that no one can be compelled to do a dishonourable action, even though bound by oath to its performance. This seems to be implied in the word jusjurandum itself, which is derived from jus. Considering the robber, therefore, as one with whom (at least while in the act of robbery) we can be under no engagement either of religious obligation, or civil right or private duty, it is clear that no agreement can be lawfully entered into with one thus circumstanced. If then under the influence of compulsion we have sworn to perform any such act as that above described, we have only committed a single offence; but if from religious scruples we observe an oath extorted under such circumstances, the sin is doubled, and instead of giving honour to God, and acquitting ourselves of an obligation which we ought never to have incurred, we are only entangling ourselves more deeply in the bonds of iniquity. Hence, if we fail to perform such agreement, it ought not to be imputed to

.Thou know'st the magistrates

And princes of my country came in person,
Solicited, commanded, threaten'd, urg'd,
Adjur'd by all the bonds of civil duty
And of religion, press'd how just it was,
How honourable, how glorious to intrap
A common enemy, who had destroy'd
Such numbers of our nation

At length that grounded maxim
So ripe and celebrated in the mouths

Of wisest men, that to the public good

Private respects must yield, with grave authority
Took full possession of me, and prevail'd;

Virtue, as I thought, truth, duty so enjoin'd.

Samson Agonistes, 850.