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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 strictly bind our felves to neceffary Duties; or to other Things, fo far and so 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 house 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 presents 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 with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, faying, We will furely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her ye will furely accomplish your vows, and furely perform your vows. v. 26. Therefore, hear ye the word of the Lord, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt, Behold, I have fworn by my great name, faith the Lord, that my name fhall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah, in all the land of Egypt, faying, The Lord God liveth.

P Deut. 23.21. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not flack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will furely require it of thee; and it would be fin in thee. v, 22. But if thoufhalt for

VII. No

V.22.

bear to vow, it fhall be no un 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 most high. Gen. 28. 20. And Jacob 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 put on; v. 21. So that I come again to my fathers house in peace: then fhall the Lord be my God. And this ftone, which I have fet for a pillar, fhall be Gods houfe: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will fùrely give the tenth unto thee. 1 Sam. 1.11. And the vowed a vow, and faid, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there fhall no razor come upon his head. Pfal. 66. 13, 14. [See letter a. ] Pfal. 132. 2. How he fware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. v. 3, Surely I will not come into the ta

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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 Promise or Ability from God. In which refpect, Popish Monastical Vows of perpetual fingle Life, profeffed Poverty, and regular Obedience, are fo far from being Degrees of higher Perfection, that they are fuperftitious and finful Snares, in which no Chriftian may intangle himself *.

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CHAP.

bernacle of my house, nor go up them yoid on the day he heard them; into my bed: v. 4. I will not give then whatsoever proceeded out of her fleep to my eyes, or flumber to lips, concerning her vows, or conmine eye-lids, s.. Until I find: cerning the bond of her foul, fhall out a place for the Lord, an habi- not ftand: her husband hath made tation forthe mighty God of Jacob, them void, and the Lord shall forVIL:9 Acts: 23.. 12. And when give her. v. 13. Every vow, and it was day, .certain of the Jews bans every binding oath to afflict the ded together, and bound themselves foul, her husband may establish it, under a curfe, faying, That they or her husband may make it void. would neither cat nor drink, till Matth. 19. 11. But he faid unto they had killed Paul. v. 14 And them, All men cannot receive this they came to the chief priests and el- faying, fave they to whom it is given. ders, and faid,. We have bound our . 12. For there are some eunuchs, felves under a great curfe, that we which were fo born from their mowill cat nothing until we have flain thers womb: and there are fome euPaul. Mark 6. 26. And the king, nuchs, which were made eunuchs of was exceeding forry, yet for his oaths men: and there be eunuchs, which fake, and for their fakes which fat have made themselves eunuchs for with him, he would not reject her. the kingdom of heavens fake: He Num. 1302 5. But if her father dif- that is able to receive it, let him reallow her in the day that he heareth; ceive it. I Cor. 7. 2. Nevertheless, not any of her vows or of her bonds to avoid fornication, let every man wherewith the hath bound her foul, have his own wife, and let every wofhall ftand; and the Lord fhall for man have her own husband. v. 9. give her, because her father difal But if they cannot contain, let them lowed her. v. 8. But if her husband marry: for it is better to marry than difallow her on the day that he to burn. Eph. 4. 28. Let him that heard it; then he shall make her vow ftole, fteal no more: but rather let which the vowed, andthat which he himlabour, working with his hands tittered with her lips, wherewith the the thing which is good,that he may hound her foul, of none effect: and have to give to him that needeth. the Lord fball forgive her, v. 12. But 1Pet. 4. 2. That he no longer should if her husband hath utterly made life se

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CHH P. XXIII.

Of the Civil Magiftrate.

NOD the Supreme Lord and King of all the 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 b : especially to maintain Piety, Justice, and Peace, according to the wholesome Laws of each Commonwealth; fo for that End they may lawfully, now

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your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords fake: whether it be to the king as supreme; 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.

I. Rom. 13. 1. Let every foul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: II. b Prov. 8. 15. By me kings the powers that be, are ordained of reign, and princes decree juftice. God. v. 2. Whofoever therefore v. 16. By me princes rule, and norefifteth the power, refifteth the or- bles, even all the judges of the earth. dinance of God: and they that re- Rom. 13. 1, 2, 4. [See in letter*.] fift,fhall receive to themfelves dam- Pfalm 2. 10. Bewife now therenation. v. 3. For rulers are not a fore, Oye kings: be inftructed, ye terror to good works, but to the e- judges of the earth. V. II. 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 praise of the he be angry, and ye perifh 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 truft in him.

1 Tim. 2. 2. For

for he beareth not the fword in vain: kings, and for all that are in autho for 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. Pet, 2.13. Submit honefty. Pfalm 82. 3. Defend the

under the New Teftament, wage War up on juft and neceffary Occations a.

III. The Civil Magiftrate may not affume to himfelf the Adminiftration of the Word and Sacraments, or the Power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: yet he hath Authority, and it is his Duty

poor and fatherlefs: do juftice to the afflicted and needy. v. 4. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. 2 Sam. 23.3. The God of Ifrael said, the Rock of Ifrael fpake to me; he that ruleth over men must be juft, ruling in the fear of God. 1 Pet. 2. 13. [See in letter 2.]

faweft upon the beaft, these shall hate the whore, and fhall make her defolate, and naked, and shall ear her flesh, and burn her with fire.

III. • 2 Chron. 26. 18. And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incenfe unto the Lord, but to the priests the fons of Aaron, that are confecrated to burn incenfe: go out of the fan&tuary, for thou_hast trespassed ; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God. With Mar. 18. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican. And Mat. 16. 19. And I will give unto thee, the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou fhalt bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven. I Cor. 12. 28. And God hath fet fome in the church, first apoftles, fecondarily prophets,thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diverfities of tongues. v. 29. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers are all workers of miracles? Eph. 4. 11. And he gave fome, apoftles: and fome, pro

d Luke 3. 14. And the foldiers likewife demanded of him, faying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accufe any fally, and be content with your wages. Rom. 13. 4. [See letter,] Matth, 8.9. For I am a man under authority, having foldiers under me: and I fay to this man, Go, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh and to my fervant, Do this, and he doth it. v, 10. When Jefus heard it, he marvelled, and faid to them that followed, Verily, I fay unto you, I have not found fo great faith no not in Ifrael. Acts 10.1. There was a certain man in Cefarea, called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, v. 2. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. Rev. 17. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of phets: and fome, evangelists: and kings; and they that are with him, fome, paftors, and teachers; v. 12. are called, and chofen, and faithful. For the perfecting of the faints, for v. 16. And the ten horns which thou

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Duty to take order, that Unity and Peace be preferved in the Church, that the Truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all Blafphemies and Herefies be fuppreffed, all Corruptions and Abuses in Worship and Difcipline prevented or reformed; and all the Ordinances of God duly fettled, adminiftred, and obferved. For the better effecting whereof,

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teach ye them that know them not. v. 26. And whosoever shall not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed fpeedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, orto confifcation of goods, or to impri

the work of the miniftery, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 1 Cor. 4.1. Let a man fo account ofus, as of the minifters of Chrift, and ftewards of the mysteries of God. v. 2. Moreover it is required in ftewards, that a man be found faithful. Rom. 10. 15. And how fhall they preach, sonment. v. 27. Blefled be the Lord except they be fent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gofpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Heb. s. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was

Aaron.

God of our fathers, which hath put fuch a thing as this in the kings heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerufalem: v. 28. And hath extended mercy unto me, before the king, and his counsellers, and before all the kings mighty princes: and I was ftrengthned as f Ifa. 49. 23. And kings fhall be the hand of the Lord my God was thy nursing fathers, and their queens upon me, and I gathered together thy nurfing mothers they fhall out of Ifrael chief men to go up bow down to thee with their face with me. Lev. 24. 16. And he that towards the earth, and lick up the blafphemeth the name of the Lord, duft of thy feet, and thou shalt know he shall furely be put to death, and that I am the Lord: for they fhall all the congregation fhall certainly not be ashamed that wait for me. ftone him: as well the stranger, as Pfal.122.9. Because of the house of he that is born in the land, when the Lord our God, I will feek thy he blafphemeth the name of the good. Ezra 7. 23. Whatsoever is Lord, fhall be put to death. Deut. commanded by the God of heaven, 13. 5. And that prophet, or that let it be diligently done, for the dreamer of dreams, fhall be put to houfe of the God of heaven: for death, (because he hath spoken to why fhould there be wrath againft turn you away from the Lord your the realm of the king and his fons? God, which brought you out of the v. 25. And thou, Ezra, after the land of Egypt, and redeemed you wisdom of thy God, that is in thine out of the house of bondage, to. hand, fet magiftrates and judges, thruft thee out of the way which which may judge all the people the Lord thy God commanded thee that are beyond the river, all fuch to walk in) fo fhalt thou put the as know the laws of thy God; and

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