our (e.nd wherever practicnble in lnw too) to keep his promise to his brother man; if nn honest man (even nmong savuges), having given his word to his neighbour, may not disappoint him, though it were to his own hindrance (Ps. xv. 4); if God himself have vouchsafed to make promises to man (and with an oath too-Heh. vi. 17, 18), which promises he for his part will most surely keep and perform, how much more is man bound to keep his promise me.de to God I II. THAT A PROMISE MADE TO GOD IN SICKNESS on DISTRESS MAY NOT BE DEPARTED FROM IN HEALTH AND PROSPERITY, No doubt most vows were made under stress of some calamity or need, as Jo.cob's (Gen. xxviii. 20), Hannah's (1 Sam. i. 11 ), and others (cf. Ps. )xvi. 13; lxxvi. 11). Yet how often do men treat their God with such indignity I (1 Cor. x. 22). III, THAT A RESOLUTION DELIBERATELY FORMED AllD OFFERED UNTO GOD IS QUITE AS SACRED AS THOUGH MADE WITH AN OATH. For an oath is on the part of God a. condescension which has no meaning for him (Heb. vi. 17), on the part of man a device to overawe his own sinful weakness, but it adds nothing to the real sacred- ness of the vow. How many vows have we taken upon ourselves, either openly or secretly I They are all as binding on us as though we had imprecated the most frightful penalties upon our failure to observe them, The punishment of Ananias and Sapphira was intended to mark the extreme malediction of such as secretly withhold from God what of themselves or of their own they have deliberately dedicated to hie service. IV. THAT NO PROMISE CAN BE MADE TO GOD IN DEROGATION OF THE JUST RIGHTS OF ANOTHER ovrn us. God can never be served with that upon which another has a rightful claim, nor honoured by anything which involves dishonour of another. Only that which is really ours to give cnn we give unto God. If it be unworthy to offer unto the Lord of that which doth cost us nothing (2 Sam. xxiv. 24), it i~ unjust to offer unto the Lord of thut which doth cost another something. V. THAT IN PARTICULAR A DAUGHTER'S PRIMARY DUTY IS TO HER PARENT, A WIFE'S TO HER HUSBAND. Only what lies beyond the sphere of their legitimate c!e.ims cau she sacrifice in the name of religion. , VI. THAT THE "RASH UTTERANCE OF THE LIPS" IS NOT HELD BINDING BY THE Lonn. Since he utterly rejects any service which is not truly willing, and since he is infinitely nbove taking advantage of the folly of man, it is mere obstinacy, not re- ligion, which leads a man to abide by what he has ignorantly and rashly said that he will do. VII, THAT A FATHER OR A HUSBAND MAY NOT PLAY FAST AND LOOSE WITH TIIE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES OF THOSE DEPENDENT UPON HIM, NEITHER DISALLOW ONE DAY WHAT HE ALLOWED THE DAY BEFORE. It is given to them to exercise control even in religious matters, but not to exercise it capriciously. It is a fearful responsibility to cross the devout purposes of God's servants from any but the purest motives, and for any but the weightiest reasons. VIII. THAT IF WE, THROUGH NEGLIGENCE on CAPRICE, DISTURB THE SPIRITUAL LIFE, AND HINDER THE HEAVENLY DESIRES OF THOSE DEPENDENT ON US, WE MUST BEAR THEIII INIQUITY, We do not know indeed how such responsibility will be npportioned at the day of judgment, but we do know that God will exRct vengeance for every injury done to souls, and especially for injury done to such as nre committed to our care (Matt. xviii. 6).
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2.-The solemn obligati011, of the vow. I. NOTICE THI!: ABSENCE OIi' ANY REFERENCE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE vow. Moses does not say nnything as to certain vows being right nnd certain others being wrong. This was not needed, nnd would only have taken away from the sharp nnd clear announcement that a vow once made was not to be lightly esteemed. Even the exemptions from obligation wliich Moses mentions in the remainder of the chapter nre those caused not by nny- thing unlawful in the subject matter of the vow, but by tho fa.et thnt it proceeded from one who was not a sufficiently free agent to make a vow. It was quite evident that a vow must not contradict any commandment of God, nor infringe any right of 996 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [OH. tXX, 1-16,