What the law states of God binds all men forever, whether in heaven or hell, Psalm cxi. 7, 8. No human law or self-engagement binds men, but only in this life, in which they remain imperfect, and are encompassed with temptations to seduce them from their duty. In heaven they've no need of such helps to duty, and in hell they can not be profited by them.
The obligation of lawful promises, oaths, vows and covenants, along with of human laws, respecting moral duties, however distinct is no longer separable from the obligation of God's law, than Christ's two distinct natures are separable, usually the one from one other, but closely connected in manifold respects. In binding ourselves to necessary duties, and to other items so long and in terms of is conducive thereto, God's law as the only rule to direct us how exactly to glorify and enjoy him, is manufactured the rule of our engagement. Our vow is not any new rule of duty, but a new bond to really make the law of God our rule.
Even Adam's engagement to perfect obedience in the covenant of works was nothing else. His fallibility in his estate of innocence, made it proper, he must be bound by his own consent or engagement, along with by the authority of God. Our imperfection in this life, and the temptations which surround us, allow it to be needful, that people, in like manner, must be bound to exactly the same rule, both by the authority of God, and our personal engagements. It is in the law of God, that all our deputed authority to command others, or to bind ourselves is allotted to us.
The requirement of moral duties by the law of God obliges us to make use of all lawful means to promote the performance of them; and hence requires human laws and self-engagements, and the observance of them as conducive to it. Nay they are also expressly required in his law, as his ordinances for helping and hedging us in to the duty. To make lawful vows, along with for making human laws we exert the deputed authority of God, the supreme Lawgiver, granted to us in his law, in the manner which his law prescribes, and in obedience to its prescription.
In forming our vows as an instituted ordinance of God's worship, which he hath required us for, observe, and keep pure and entire, Psalm lxxvi. 11. & cxix. 106. & lvi. 12. Isaiah xix. 18, 21. & xlv. 23, 24. & xliv. 5. Jeremiah l. 5, 2 Corinthians viii.5,--we act precisely according to the direction of his law, and in obedience to his authority in it, --binding ourselves with a relationship, binding our soul with a relationship, Numbers xxx. 2-11--binding ourselves by what we utter with our lips verses 2, 6, 12, --binding ourselves with a binding oath,--binding ourselves--binding our soul by our personal vow--our own bond, verses 4,7,14.
In forming our vow, we, according to the prescription of his own law, solemnly constitute God, who's the supreme Lawgiver and Lord of the conscience,--the witness of our self-engagement, and the Guarantee, graciously to reward our evangelical fulfillment of it, and justly to punish our perfidious violation of it. The more punctual and faithful observation of God's law, notwithstanding our manifold infirmities and temptations, and the more effectual promotion of his glory therein, is the finish of our self-engagements, along with of human laws of authority.
And by way of a due regard to their binding force, as above stated, is this end promoted,--as hereby the obligation of God's law is the deeper impressed on our minds, and we're shut up to obedience to it, and deterred from transgressing it.-- In consequence of our formation of our vow, with respect to its matter, manner, and end, as prescribed by God, He doth, and necessarily must ratify it in most its awful solemnities, requiring us by his law, to cover it as a relationship of debt,--to perform and fulfill it as an engagement to duties, and an obligation which stands upon or against us, Numbers xxx. 5, 7, 9, 11. with Deuteronomy xxiii. 21-23. Psalm lxxvi. 11. & 1. 14. Ecclesiastes v.4, 5. Matthew v. 33.
In obedience to this divine requirement, and considering our vow, because precise form, where God in his law, adopts and ratifies it, and requires it to be fulfilled, we pay, perform, and fulfill it as a relationship, wherewith we, in obedience to Him, have bound ourselves, to endeavor universal obedience to his law, as our only rule of faith and manners. Whoever doth not, in his attempts to obey human laws or to fulfill self-engagements, consider them as having that binding force that your law of God allows them; he pours contempt on them, as ordinances of God, and on the law of God for allowing them a binding force. Personal injury
Thus, through maintaining the super-added but subordinate obligation of human laws, and of self-engagements to moral duties, we don't make void, but establish the obligation of God's law. The obligation of a vow, where we engage ourselves to necessary duties commanded by the law of God, must therefore be inexpressibly solemn. Not only are we required by the law of God before our vow was created; but we're bound because performance, to fulfill our vow, as an engagement or obligation founded in the supreme authority of his law warranting us to produce it. We're bound to fulfill it as a mean of further impressing his authority manifested in his law, upon our personal consciences,-- as a relationship securing and promoting a faithful obedience to all or any his commandments. We're bound to fulfill it, in obedience to that particular divine authority, by derived power from which, we as governors of ourselves made it to market his honor. In those or like respects, our fulfillment of our vows is really a direct obedience to his whole law.
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