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Whoso doth engage himself by a well-ordered vow, doth set his religion in the whole, or in some particular part of it, in very good forwardness. Religion is a gainer by this bargain well made; the bond is to God, but religion receives the interest at least: well-composed vows are religion's engines, able to move the weightier burdens and loads, and fit to be only employed in them.

I. WHAT A VOW IS.

1. A promise.

2. Voluntary.

3. Made to God alone.

II. WHETHER IT BE LAWFUL, IN ANY CASE, FOR US NOW TO MAKE A VOW.

1. What is not evil in itself, nor evil by accident, unless made evil by the undue ordering of it through our fault, may lawfully be done by us.

2. Vows may be lawfully made now by us Christians, because what was lawful to the Jew on moral considerations, and not on any ceremonial considerations, that is also lawful now unto us Christians.

3. Vows may lawfully be made by us Christians; for it is a kind of thankfulness and acknowledgment made to God, with the universal approbation and consent of men.

4. Unless such vows may be accounted lawful to us, I cannot see how we have any way of making free, voluntary, and extraordinary acknowledgments unto God.

5. But that is lawful to us Christians which doth most certainly ensure our duty to God, yet doth not ensnare us in the ensuring of it.

III. WHEN VOWS ARE WELL-COMPOSED, AND SO CONSEQUENTLY FOR THE ADVANTAGE ON RELIGION.

1. If you would duly and well compose your vows, you must wait a fit season; not vow on every occasion.

2. When the extraordinary case warrants thee to this extraordinary obliging of thyself, then be sure to proceed deliberately, and with advice. Consider what thou doest: every one condemns rash vows; and, I am sure, inconsiderate vows are rash ones. Here Jephthah failed. Consider —

(1)  Whether that thou vowest to do be lawful.

(2)  Whether acceptable to God.

(3)  Whether that thing which thou vowest bear a proportion to that thou didst expect and pray for when thou vowedst, or to that thou hadst received, for which thou dost now make thy vow.

3. Thou must vow cheerfully, and with a ready mind.

4. Vow sincerely and uprightly.

IV. HOW WELL-COMPOSED VOWS PROMOTE RELIGION.

1. Religion hath its concernment in the credit and reputation which it hath in the world. Religion hath a name to look after, so well as you or I; and it loseth or gaineth, as it is either honoured or reproached by the professors of it. Now, when times of extraordinary danger drive us to our prayers and vows to the true God, and we resolve to have mercy from Him, or to choose to fall into His hand, this sets the credit and honour of religion, that it can have recourse to God, who, we know, can deliver us. This is somewhat; but the making a vow doth not so much honour religion as the performing of it doth, when it is hereby declared to the world, — that religion is the thing that makes men the same in their mercies which they were in their distresses; that the God whom they worship is the true God, able to require their vows, if they should neglect to pay them.

2. By setting forward the growth of religions in the midst of those who profess it.

3. Vows well made, and kept well, very much improve And promote religion in the heart and life of him who so voweth and keepeth his vow.

V. WHENCE THESE WELL-COMPOSED VOWS HAVE SUCH INFLUENCE ON RELIGION, WHAT HAVE THEY IN THEM MORE THAN ORDINARY THUS TO PROMOTE IT? To this I will answer as briefly as I may: There is in such vows a most notable awakening and quickening power, which sets all a man's care, wisdom, truth, and strength on work, to do the things whereby religion is so much promoted.

VI. APPLICATION.

1. If well-composed vows do indeed much promote religion, it will teach us how careful we should be in making our vows to the greatest advantage of religion.

2. Do well advised and composed vows so much promote religion when well and faithfully kept? Are they also such sacred and inviolable bonds? Then look what vows you are under, look how you have performed them.

(H. Hurst, M.A.)

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KJV: I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

WEB: I will pay my vows to Yahweh, yes, in the presence of all his people.