of the particulars included in the vows of the Nazarite. There was no special virtue in abstaining from wine, vinegar, grapes moist or dry, or in letting " the locks of the hair of his head grow." (Num. vi. 3-5.) The Romish -doctrine on this subject is connected with the distinction which Papists make between precepts and counsels. The former bind the conscience, the others do not. There is special merit, according to their theory, in doing more than is commanded. No man is commanded to devote himself to a life of obedience, celibacy, and poverty, but if he does, so much the better ; he has the greater merit.
As usual, the Romanists connect so many subordinate rules with the general principles laid down that they are explained away, or rendered of little use. Thus the rule that the matter of a vow must be " bonum melius," is explained to mean better in itself considered, and not better in relation to the person mak- ing the vow. Thus it may be very injurious to a man's spiritual interests to be bound by monastic vows ; nevertheless, as the monastic life is in itself a " bonum melius," the vows once taken are obligatory. Then as to the condition of possibility ; if pos- sible as to the substance, but impossible as to the accidents, the vow is binding. Thus if a man vows to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on his knees,, although going on his knees be impos- sible, he is bound to go in some way.
Lawfulness of Vows.
On this subject there is little or no diversity of opinion. That they are lawful appears, —
1. From their nature. A vow is simply a promise made to God. It may be an expression of gratitude for some signal favour already given, or a pledge to manifest such gratitude for some blessing desirecnmould God see fit to grant it. Thus Jacob vowed that if God would bring him back in peace to his father's house, he would consecrate to Him the tenth of all that he pos- sessed. The Bible, and especially the Psalms, abound with examples of such vows of thank-offerings to God. Even Calvin, notwithstanding his deep sense of the evils entailed on the Church by the abuse of vows by the Romanists, says, " Ejusmodi vota hodie quoque nobis in usu esse possunt, quoties nos Dominus vel a clade aliqua, vel a morbo difiicili, vel ab alio quovis dis- crimine eripuit. Neque enim a pii hominis officio tunc abhorret, votivam oblationem, velut sollenne recognitionis symbolum, Deo consecrare : ne ingratus erga ejus benignitatem videatur." 1 He
i Itutitutio, iv. xiii. 4, edit. Berlin, 1834, par. ii. p. 338.
318 PART HI. Ch. XIX. — THE LAW.
also recognizes the propriety of vows of abstinence from indul- gences which we have found to be injurious ; and also of vows the end of which is to render us more mindful of duties which we may be inclined to neglect. In all such vows there is a de- vout recognition of God, and of our obligations to Him. They, therefore, as well as oaths, are acts of worship. They are regarded as such in the Symbols of the Reformed Churches. Thus, for example, the "Declaratio Thoruniensis " 2 includes, under acts of worship, " jusjurandum legitimum, quo Deum cor- dium inspectorem, ut veritatis testem, et falsitatis vindicem ap- pellamus. Denique votum sacrum, quo vel nos ipsos, vel res aut actiones nostras Deo, velut sacrificium quoddam spirituale, consecramus et devovemus."
2. The fact that the Scriptures contain so many examples of vows, and so many injunctions to their faithful observance, is a sufficient proof that in their place, and on proper occasions, they are acceptable in the sight of God.
3. This is further evident from the fact that the baptismal covenant is of the nature of a vow. In that ordinance we sol- emnly promise to take God the Father to be our Father, Jesus Christ his Son to be our Saviour, the Holy Ghost to be our Sanctifier, and his word to be the rule of our faith and practice. The same is true of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper ; in that ordinance we consecrate ourselves to Christ as the purchase of his blood, and vow to be faithful to Him to the end. The same thing is true also of the marriage covenant, because the promises therein made are not merely between the parties, but by both parties to the contract, to God.
But while the lawfulness of vows is to be admitted, they should not be unduly multiplied, or made^on slight occasions, or allowed to interfere with our Christian lroerty. Not only have the violation of these rules been productive of the greatest evils in the Church of Rome, but Protestant Christians also have often reduced themselves to a miserable state of bondage by the multiplication of vows. When such cases occur, it is healthful and right for the Christian to assert his liberty. As a believer cannot rightfully be brought into bondage to men, so neither can he rightfully make a slave of himself. He should remember that God prefers mercy to sacrifice ; that no service is accept- able to Him which is injurious to us ; that He does not require us to observe promises which we ought never to have made
1 De Cultu Dei, 5 ; Niemeyer, Colhctio Confessionum, Leipzig, 1840, p. 678.