Regulations 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 have no need of such really helps to duty, and in hell they can not be profited by them.
The obligation of lawful promises, oaths, vows and covenants, in addition to of human laws, respecting moral duties, however distinct is forget about separable from the obligation of God's law, than Christ's two distinct natures are separable, the main one from another, but closely connected in manifold respects. In binding ourselves to necessary duties, and to other items such a long time and in terms of is conducive thereto, God's law as the only real rule to direct us just how to glorify and enjoy him, is made the rule of our engagement. Our vow is not any new rule of duty, but a new bond to help 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, caused it to be proper, that he should really be bound by their own consent or engagement, in addition to by the authority of God. Our imperfection in this life, and the temptations which surround us, allow it to be needful, that we, in like manner, should really be bound to the exact same rule, both by the authority of God, and our own engagements. It is in regulations of God, that all our deputed authority to command others, or to bind ourselves is allotted to us. Real estate law
The requirement of moral duties by regulations of God obliges us to use all lawful way to promote the performance of these; and hence requires human laws and self-engagements, and the observance of these as conducive to it. Nay they are also expressly required in his law, as his ordinances for helping and hedging us in to your duty. In making lawful vows, in addition to to make 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 being an instituted ordinance of God's worship, which he hath required us to get, 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 in line with the direction of his law, and in obedience to his authority in it, --binding ourselves with a bond, binding our soul with a bond, Numbers xxx. 2-11--binding ourselves by whatever we utter with our lips verses 2, 6, 12, --binding ourselves with a binding oath,--binding ourselves--binding our soul by our own vow--our own bond, verses 4,7,14.
In forming our vow, we, in line with the prescription of their 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 conclusion of our self-engagements, in addition to of human laws of authority.
And by a due regard to their binding force, as above stated, is this end promoted,--as hereby the obligation of God's law is the more deeply impressed on our minds, and we are shut up to obedience to it, and deterred from transgressing it.-- In consequence of our formation of our vow, regarding 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 pay it as a bond of debt,--to perform and fulfill it being 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 the divine requirement, and considering our vow, for the reason that 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 bond, 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 the law of God allows them; he pours contempt on them, as ordinances of God, and on regulations of God for allowing them a binding force.
Thus, through maintaining the super-added but subordinate obligation of human laws, and of self-engagements to moral duties, we do not make void, but establish the obligation of God's law. The obligation of a vow, through which we engage ourselves to necessary duties commanded by regulations of God, must therefore be inexpressibly solemn. Not just are we required by regulations of God before our vow was created; but we are bound for the reason that performance, to fulfill our vow, being an engagement or obligation founded in the supreme authority of his law warranting us to create it. We are bound to fulfill it as a mean of further impressing his authority manifested in his law, upon our own consciences,-- as a bond securing and promoting a faithful obedience to all his commandments. We are bound to fulfill it, in obedience to that particular divine authority, by derived power from which, we as governors of ourselves caused it to be to market his honor. In those or like respects, our fulfillment of our vows is really a direct obedience to his whole law.
