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in to refufe an Oath touching any thing that is pod and juft, being impofed by lawful Authority. IV. An Oath is to be taken in the plain and ommon Senfe of the Words, without Equivocaon or mental Reservation. It cannot oblige to in, but in any Thing not finful, being taken, it binds

to his eldeft fervant of his houfe, at ruled over all that he had, Put, pray thee, thy hand under my igh; v. 3. And I will make thee ear by the Lord, the God of heaen and the God of the earth, that you fhalt not take a wife unto my on, of the daughters of the Cananites, amongst whom I dwell. v.s. ind the fervant faid unto him, Perdventure the woman will not be filling to follow me unto this land: nuft I needs bring thy fon again unthe land from whence thou camtv. 6. And Abraham faid unto him,Beware thou, that thou bring not my fon thither again. v. 8. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath only bring not my fon thither again. v. 9. And the fervant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and fware to him concerning that mat

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fwell. Neh. 5. 12. Then faid they, We will reftore them, and will require nothing of them; fo will we do as thou fayeft. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promife. Exod. 22. 7. If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the mans houfe; if the thief be found, let him pay double. v. 8. If the thief be not found, then the mafter of the house fhall be brought unto the judges, to fee whether he have put his hand unto his neighbours goods. v. 9. For all manner of trefpafs, whether it be for ox, for afs, for fleep, for rayment, or for any manner of loft thing, which another challengeth to be his:the cause of both parties fhall come before the judges; and whom the judges fhall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.v.10.If a man deliver unto his neighbour an afs, or an ox, or a fheep, or any beaft to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man feeing it, v. 11. Then fhall the oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbours goods; and the owner of it fhall accept there of, and he fhall not make it good.

i Num. 5. 19. And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and fay unto the woman, If no man have lien with thee, and if thou haft not gone afide to uncleannefs, with another inftead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curfe, v. 21. Then the priest fhall charge the woman with an oath of curfing, and the priest shall fay unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curfe and an oath among the people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to

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IV. Jer. 4. 2. [ See letter B] Pfalm 24. 4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lift up his foul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

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11 Sam.

binds to Performance, although to a Man's own Hurt'. Nor is it to be violated, although made to Hereticks or Infidels ".

V. A Vow is of the like Nature with a promiffory Oath, and ought to be made with the like religious Care, and to be performed with the like Faithfulness ".

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11 Sam. 25. 22. So and more alfo do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light, any that piffeth against the wall. . 32. And David faid unto Abigail, Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, which fent thee this day to meet me ; v. 33. And bleffed be thy advice, and bleffed be thou, which haft kept me this day from coming to bed blood, and from avenging my felf with mine own hand. V. 34. For in very deed, as the Lord God of Ifrael liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hafted and come to meet me, furely there had not been left unto Nabal, by the morning light, any that pisfeth against the wall. Pfalm 15.4. In whofe eyes, a vile perfon is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord: he that fweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Ezek. 17. 16. As I live, faith the Lord God, Surely in this place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whofe oath he defpifed, and whofe covenant he brake, even with him, in the midst of Babylon he fhall die. v. 18. Seeing he defpifed the oath, by breaking of the covenant (when lo he had given his hand) and hath done all thefe things, he fhall not escape. v. 19, Therefore thus faith the Lord God, As I live, furely mine oath that he hath defpifed,and my covenant that

VI. It

he hath broken,even it will I recompense upon his own head. Joh. 9. 18. And the children of Ifrael fmote them not, becaufe the princes of the congregation had fworn unto them, by the Lord God of Ifrael; and all the congregation murmured againft the princes. v. 19. But all the prin ces faid unto all the congregation, We have fworn unto them by the Lord God of Ifrael: now therefore, we may not touch them. With 2 Sam.' 21. 1. Then there was a famine in the days of David, three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he flew the Gibeonites.

V. Ifai. 19. 21. And the Lord fhall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians fhall know the Lord in that day, and fhall do facrifice and oblation, yea, they fhall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it. Eccl. 5.4. When thou voweft a vow unto God, defer not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou haft vowed. v. 5. Better is it that thou fhouldeft not vow, than that thou shouldeft vow, and not pay. v. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to caufe thy flesh to fin, neither fay thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore fhould God be angry at thy voice, and deftroy the work of thine hands? Pfal. 61.8. So will I fing praife unto thy

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VI. It is not to be made to any Creature but to God alone and that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of Faith, and Confcience of Duty, in way of Thankfulness for Mercy received, or for the obtaining of what we want: whereby we more ftrictly bind our felves to necessary Duties; or to other Things, fo far and fo long as they may fitly conduce thereunto P,

name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. Pfal., 66. 13. I will go into thy houfe with burnt-offerings: I will pay thee my vows, v. 14. Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble.

VI. Pfal. 76. 11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God;let all that be round about him bring prefents unto him that ought to be feared. Jer. 44.25. Thus faith the Lord of hofts the God of Ifrael, faying, Ye and your wives have both spoken

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VII. No

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bear to vow, it shall be no fin in thee. v. 23. That which is gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep and perform; even a free-will offering, according as thou haft vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou haft 'promised with thy mouth. Pfal. so. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the moft high. Gen. 28. 20. And Ja cob vowed a vow, faying, If God' will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to your mouths, and fulfilled put on; v. 21. So that I come again with your hand, faying, We will to my fathers house in peace: then furely perform our vows that we fhall the Lord be my God. have vowed, to burn incenfe to the And this stone, which I have fet for queen of heaven, and to pour out a pillar, fhall be Gods houfe: and drink-offerings unto her ye will of all that thou shalt give me, I will furely accomplish your vows, and fùrely give the tenth unto thee. furely perform your vows. v. 26. I Sam. I. II. And the vowed a vow, Therefore, hear ye the word of the and faid, O Lord of hofts, if thou Lord, all Judah that dwell in the wilt indeed look on the affliction land of Egypt, Behold, I have fworn of thine handmaid, and remember by my great name, faith the Lord, me, and not forget thine handthat my name fhall no more be maid, but will give unto thine handnamed in the mouth of any man maid a man-child, then will I give of Judah, in all the land of Egypt, him unto the Lord all the days of faying, The Lord God liveth. his life, and there fhall no razor Deut. 23.21. When thou fhalt come upon his head. Pfal. 66. 13, Vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, 14. [See letter a.] Pfal. 132. 2. How thou shalt not flack to pay it: for he fware unto the Lord, and vowed the Lord thy God will furely require unto the mighty God of Jacob. it of thee; and it would be fin in Surely I will not come into the taV, 22. But if thou shalt for

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VII. No Man may vow to do any Thing forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any Duty therein commanded, or which is not in his own Power, and for the Performance whereof he hath no Promife or Ability from God. In which refpect, Popish Monaftical Vows of perpetual fingle Life, profeffed Poverty, and regular Obe dience, are fo far from being Degrees of higher Per fection, that they are fuperftitious and finful Snares, in which no Christian may intangle himself *.

bernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed: v.4. I will not give fleep to my eyes, or flumber to mine eye-lids, v. 5. Until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. VII. 9 Acts 23. 12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying, That they would neither eat nor drink, till they had killed Paul. v. 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and faid, We have bound our felves under a great curfe, that we will eat nothing until we have flain Paul. Mark 6. 26, And the king was exceeding forry, yet for his oaths fake, and for their fakes which fat with him, he would not reject her, Num. 30. s. But if her father difallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows or of her bonds wherewith the hath bound her foul, fhall ftand: and the Lord fhall forgive her, because her father difallowed her. v. 8. But if her husband difallow her on the day that he heard it; then he fhall make her vow which the yowed, and that which the uttered with her lips, wherewith fhe bound her foul, of none effect: and the Lord fhall forgive her. v. 12. But if her husband hath utterly made

CHAP

them void on the day he heard them then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips, concerning her vows, or con cerning the bond of her foul, shall not ftand: her husband hath made them void, and the Lord fhall for give her. v. 13. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the foul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

* Matth. 19. 11. But he faid unto them, All men cannot receive this faying, fave they to whom it is given. v. 12. For there are fome eunuchs, which were so born from their mo thers womb: and there are fome eu nuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heavens fake: He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. I Cor. 7.2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every wo. man have her own husband. v. 9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. Eph. 4. 28. Let him that ftole, fteal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good,that he may have to give to him that needeth. 1 Pet. 4. 2. That he no longer should

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CHHP. XXIII.

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Of the Civil Magiftrate.

TOD the Supreme Lord and King of all the I World, hath ordained Civil Magiftrates to be under him over the People, for his own Glory, and the publick Good; and to this End hath armed them with the Power of the Sword, for the Defence and Encouragement of them that are good, and for the Punishment of Evil-doers 2.

II. It is lawful for Chriftians to accept and execute the Office of a Magiftrate when called thereunto in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain Piety, Juftice, and Peace, according to the wholesome Laws of each Commonwealth fo for that End they may lawfully, now

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your felves to every ordinance of man for the Lords fake: whether it be to the king as fupreme; v. 14. Or unto governours, as unto them that are fent by him, for the punishment of evil-doers, and forthe praife of them that do well.

II. b Prov. 8. 15. By me kings reign, and princes decree juftice. v. 16. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. Rom. 13. 1, 2, 4. [See in letter.]

1. Rom. 13. 1. Let every foul be fubject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God. v. z. Whofoever therefore refifteth the power, refifteth the ordinance of God: and they that refift,fhall receive to themselves dam- Pfalm 2. 10. Be wife now therenation. v. 3. For rulers are not a fore, Oye kings: be instructed, ye terror to good works, but to the e- judges of the earth. v. 11. Serve vil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Lord with fear, and rejoice with the power? do that which is good, trembling. v. 12. Kifs the Son, left and thou shalt have praife of the he be angry, and ye perish from the fame: v. 4. For he is the minifter way, when his wrath is kindled but of God to thee for good. But if a little bleffed are all they that put thou do that which is evil, be afraid; their trust in him. 1 Tim. 2. 2. For for he beareth not the fword in vain: kings, and for all that are in authofor he is the minifter of God, a re- rity, that we may lead a quiet and venger to execute wrath upon him peaceable life in all godliness and that doth evil. I Per. 2. 13. Submit honefty. Pfalm 82. 3. Defend the

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