oaths, vows, and covenants, as things which are to be performed, paid, or fulfilled, and which may poffibly be tranfgreffed and broken, Mat. v. 33. Deut. xxviii. 21, 22, 23. Eccl. v. 4. Plal. xxii. 25. & l. 14. & lxi. 8. & lxvi. 13. & lxxvi. 11. & cxvi. 1318. & cxix. 106. Ifa. xix. 21. Judges xi. 35. Ifa. xxiv. 5. Jer. xxxiv. 18.-which represents an oath as a strong and decifive confirmation, putting an end to all doubt or ftrife, Heb. vi. 16--18.and which in one of the plainest and least figurative chapters of it, repeatedly represents a vow, as constituted by our binding ourselves, binding our own fouls with a bond, and reprefents a vow as a bond or obligation, Heb. ISSAR, a very fast and ftrait binding bond or obligation, as our own bond, that ftands upon or against us, Num. xxx. 2—12.- Self-binding, felf-engagements, is so much the effential form of vows, and of all covenants, promifes, or promiffory oaths, whe-ther of God or man, that they cannot exist at all, or even be conceived of without it, any more than a man without a foul, or an angel without underftanding and will. To reprefent vowing as a pla-· sing of ourselves more directly under the law of God, or any command of it; or, as a placing of ourselves in fome new relation to the law, is but an attempt to render unintelligiable that which the Holy Ghoft hath, in the above-mentioned chapter, laboured to make plain, if it doth not also import, that we can place ourfelves more directly under the moral law than God hath or can place us, or, more directly than Christ was placed. To pretend, that men's commands or engagements derive their whole obligation from the law of God's requiring us to obey the one,--and pay, or fulfil or perform the other, is no lefs abfurd. Thefe divine commands, requiring us to obey, pay, perform or fufil human laws and engage-> ments, plainly fuppofe an intrinfic obligation, in thefe laws and engagements, and powerfully enforce it. But no law of God can require me to OBEY a human law, or fulfil an engagement which hath no obligation in itself, any more than the laws of Britain can oblige me to PAY a Bill, or FULFIL a Bond confifting of nothing but mere cyphers.. The intrinfic obligation of promifes, oaths, vows, and covenants which conftitutes their very effence or effential form, is totally and manifeftly distinct from the obligation of the law of God in many refpects. 1. In his law, God, by the declaration of his will as our fupreme Ruler, binds us, Deut. xii. 32. In promises, vows, covenants, and promiffory oaths, we, as his deputy-governors over ourselves, by a declaration of our will, bind ourselves with a bond, bind our fouls with our own bond, our own vow, Num. xxx. Pfalm lxvi. 13. 15. & cxix. 106. &c. 2. The obligation of our promifes, oaths and covenants is always fubject to examination by the ftandard, of God's law, as to both its matter and manner, 1 Theff. v. 12. But it would be prefumption, blafphemous prefumption, to examine, Whe ther, what we know to be the law God be right and obligatory, or not, James iv. 11, 12. Ifa. viii. 20. Deut. v. 32. 3. The law of God neceffarily binds all men to the most abfolute perfection in holiness, be they as incapable of it as they will, Matth. v. 48. 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. No man can, without mocking and tempting of God, bind himself by vow or oath to any thing, but what he is able to perform. No man may vow to do any thing which is not in his own power, and for the performance of which he hath no promife of ability from God. But, no mere man since the fall: is able, in this life either in himself or by any grace received from God, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, Eccl. vii. 23. James iii. 2. While God remains God, his law can demand no lefs than abfolute perfection in holinefs. While his word remains true, no mere man fince the fall, in this life, can possibly attain to it; and therefore ought never to promife or vow it. The least imperfection in holiness, however involuntary, breaks the law of God, and is even contrary to the duty of our relative ftations of husbands, parents, mafters, magiftrates, ministers, wives, children, fervants or people, 1 John iii. 4. Rom. vii. 14, 23, 24. But it is only by that which is, in fome respect, voluntary finfulness, that we break our lawful vows, Pfal. xliv. 47. Nothing can more clearly mark the diftinction of the two obligations, than this particular. There is no evading the force of it, but either by adopting the Arminian new law of fincere obedience, or by adopting the Popish perfection of faints in this life. 4. The law of God binds all men for ever, whether in heaven or hell, Pfal. cxi. 7, 8. No human law or felf-engagement binds men, but only in this life, in which they remain imperfect, and are encompaffed with temptations to feduce them from their duty. In heaven they have no need of fuch helps to duty, and in hell they cannot be profited by them. The obligation of lawful promifes, oaths, vows and covenants, as well as of human laws, refpecting moral duties, however diftinet, is no more fepar able from the obligation of God's law, than Chrift's two diftinct natures are separable, the one from the other, but clofely connected in manifold refpects, In binding ourselves to neceffary duties, and to other things fo long and fo far as is conducive thereto, God,s law as the ouly rule to direct us how to glorify and enjoy him, is made the rule of our engage ment. Our vow is no new rule of duty, but a new bond to make the law of God our rule. Even M Adam's engagement to perfect obedince in the covenant of works was nothing elfe. His fallibility in his eftate of innocence, made it proper, that he fhould be bound by his own confent or engagement, as well as by the authority of God. Our imperfection in this life, and the temptations which furround us, make it needful, that we, in like manner, fhould be bound to the fame rule, both by the authority of God, and our own engagements. It is in the law of God, that all our deputed authority to command others, or to bind ourselves is allotted to us. The requirement of moral duties by the law of God obligeth us to ufe all lawful means to promote the performance of them; and hence requires human laws and self-engagements, and the obfervance of them as conducive to it. Nay they are alfo exprefsly required in his law, as his ordinances for helping and hedging us in to our duty. In making lawful vows, as well as in making human laws, we exert the deputed authority of God, the fupreme Lawgiver, granted to us in his law, in the manner which his law prescribes, and in obedience to its prescription. In forming our vows as an inftituted ordinance of God's worship, which he hath required us to receive, observe, and keep pure and entire, Pfal. Ixxvi. 11. & cxix. 106. & lvi. 12. Ifa. xix. 18, 21. & xlv. 23, 24. & xliv. 5. Jer. 1. 5. 2 Cor. viii. 5we act precifely according to the direction of his law, and in obedience to his authority in it,-bind- · ing ourselves with a bond, binding our foul with a bond, Num. xxx. 2-11.-binding ourselves by that which we utter with our lips ver. 2, 6, 12.-binding ourselves with a binding oath,-binding ourselves-binding our foul by our own vow-our own bond, ver. 4, 7, 14. In forming our vow, we, according to the prefcription of his own law, folemnly conftitute God, who is the fupreme Lawgiver and Lord of the conscience, -- -the witness of our felf-engagement, and the Guarantee, graciously to reward our evangelical fulfilment of it, and justly to punish our perfidious violation of it. The more punctual and faithful ob fervation of God's law, notwithstanding our mani fold infirmities and temptations, and the more ef fectual promoting of his glory therein, is the END of our felf-engagements, as well as of human laws of authority. And by a due regard to their binding force, as above ftated, is this end promoted, as hereby the obligation of God's law is the more deeply impreffed on our minds, and we are shut up to obedience to it, and deterred from tranfgreffing it.In confequence of our formation of our vow, with refpect to its matter, manner, and end, as prefcribed by God, He doth, and neceffari ly muft ratify it in all its awful folemnities, requir ing us by his law, to pay it as a bond of debt,-to perform and fulfil it as an engagement to duties, and an obligation which ftands upon or against us, Num, XXX. 5, 7, 9, 11. with Deut. xxiii. 21-23. Pfalm lxxvi. 11. & l. 14. Eccl. v. 4, 5. Mat. v. 33. In obedience to this divine requirement, and confider ing our vow, in that precife form, in which God in his law, adopts and ratifies it, and requires it to be fulfilled, We pay, perform, and fulfil it as a bond, wherewith we, in obedience to Him, have bound ourfelves, to endeavour univerfal obedience to his law, as our only rule of faith and manners. Whoever doth not, in his attempts to obey human laws or to fulfil felf-engagements, confider them as having that binding force which the law of God allows them, he pours contempt on them, as ordinances of God, and on the law of God for allowing them a binding force. Thus, through maintaining the fupperadded but fubordinate oligation of human laws, and of self |
