The helps and furtherances of the true worship, are two; Vows and Fasting: and they are not to be taken, as the worship of God it self. For we may not obtrude any thing to God, as good service, and as though it did bind the conscience, except he have ordained it for that end and purpose.
A vow, in the New Testament, is a promise to God, with a full intent to observe some corporal and external duties, which a Christian hath on his ⟨p. 53⟩own accord, without injunction, imposed upon himself, that he may thereby the better be excited unto repentance, meditation, sobriety, abstinence, patience, and thankfulness towards God. Gen. 28.20. Then Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this journey, which I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothes to put on, so that I come again to my fathers house in safety: then shall the Lord be my God, and this stone which I have set up as a pillar, shall be Gods house, and of all that thou shalt give me, I will give the tenth to thee.
In vowing, we have these things to observe: 1. We must not vow that which is unlawful. 2. We ought not to vow the performance of that, which is contrary to our vocation. 3. Vows must be of that which we can do. 4. They must be far from so much as a conceit of merit, or worship of God. 5. We must so perform our vows, as that they encroach not upon Christian liberty, given us in Christ: for we are bounden to pay our vows, no longer then the causes thereof either remain, or are taken away. Deut. 23.18. Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God, for any vow. v. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God; thou shalt not be slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee: but when thou abstainest from vowing, it shall be no sin unto thee, &c. v. 23. Psal. 66.14. I will pay thee my vows which my lips have promised.
Fasting, is when a man perceiving the want of some blessing, or suspecting and seeing some imminent calamity upon himself, or other, abstaineth not only from flesh for a season, but also from all delights and sustenance, that he thereby may make a more diligent search into his own sins, or offer most humble prayers unto God, that he would withhold that, which his anger threatened: or bestow upon us some such good things as we want.
The helps and furtherances of the true worship, are two; Vowes and Fasting: and they are not to be takē, as the worship of God it selfe. For we may not obtrude any thing to God, as good seruice, and as though it did binde the conscience, except he haue ordained it for that end and purpose.
A vow, in the New Testament, is a promise to God, with a full intent to obserue some corporall and externall duties, which a Christian hath on his ⟨p. 53⟩owne accord, without iniunction, imposed vpon himself, that he may thereby the better be excited vnto repentance, meditation, sobrietie, abstinence, patience, and thankfulnes towards God. Gen. 28.20. Then Iaakob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keepe me in this iourney, which I goe, and will giue me bread to eate, and cloathes to put on, so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie: then shall the Lord be my God, and this stone which I haue set vp as a pillar, shall be Gods house, and of all that thou shalt giue me, I will giue the tenth to thee.
In vowing, we haue these things to obserue: 1. We must not vow that which is vnlawfull. 2. We ought not to vowe the performance of that, which is contrarie to our vocation. 3. Vowes must be of that which we can doe. 4. They must be farre from so much as a conceit of merit, or worship of God. 5. We must so performe our vowes, as that they encroch not vpon Christian libertie, giuen vs in Christ: for we are bounden to pay our vowes, no longer then the causes thereof either remaine, or are taken away. Deut. 23.18. Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dogge, into the house of the Lord thy God, for any vow. v. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God; thou shalt not be slacke to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee: but when thou abstainest from vowing, it shalbe no sinne vnto thee, &c. v. 23. Psal. 66.14. I will pay thee my vowes which my lips haue promised.
Fasting, is when a man perceiuing the want of some blessing, or suspecting and seeing some imminent calamitie vpon himselfe, or other, abstaineth not onely from flesh for a season, but also from all delights and sustenance, that he thereby may make a more diligent search into his owne sinnes, or offer most hūble praiers vnto God, that he would withhold that, which his anger threatned: or bestow vpon vs some such good things as we want.
