The sixt Chapter. Of vowes in generall; also of the vow of the Nazarites, of Ieptha, and of the Rechabits.
AFter these things, let vs saie somwhat concerning a vow. The Gréeke word ⟨…⟩, 1 & the Latine Votum, doo not signifie one thing but two, 2 namelie, The praiers and desire, wherwith we be inflamed, when we praie for anie thing; or vse the verie things that be desired. Further, it betokeneth a promise of offering something vnto GOD. And this ambiguitie of these words, in ech toong, hath not happened by chance, or without consideration, as soone after shall be shewed. The Hebrues call a vow Neder. 3 But hereof grew the custome of making a vow, that this was setled almost in the minds of all men; that if at anie time they did praie earnestlie vnto God, for anie thing to be giuen them, they in like maner promise to offer something vnto him againe. For by such maner of meanes, their minds doo séeme to be woonne one to another; namelie, by gifts: bicause those things, not onelie helpe them, to whom they are giuen; but doo also honour them. For they be giuen as a testimonie of vertue and excellencie, in which second respects sake, they maie be offered vnto God, that he maie thereby be honoured of vs.
Aristotle, in his Rhethoriks said; that Gifts doo no lesse satisfie the ambitious, than they doo the couetous: for they desire them, thereby to be enriched; and these to be honoured. Wherefore, euen the Lord (who speciallie requireth of vs to be worshipped) said in the lawe, that men should not come emptie handed vnto him: forsomuch as he iudged it vnwoorthie, if his people should appeare emptie before him. This selfe-same was a custome among the Romans; so that it is read almost euerie where, what the Curtij and the Decij vowed, for obteinement of victorie. Among the Gréeks also, there were vowes oftentimes vsed. Yea, and we read in Platoes booke, intituled Phaedon, that as yet in the time of Socrates, they vsed to performe a vow, of sending a ship well rigged, euerie yéere vnto Delos with gifts and sacrifices; and that by a vow, which Theseus had bound himselfe vnto, when he went into the isle of Candie, to slaie the monster Minotaurus. How vsuall this also was among the Hebrues, it is no néed to recite. So that, in praieng and desiring anie-thing of God, men were woont to vow some thing vnto God, least they might séeme to be vndutifull towards him.
2 Now then we define a vow, to be a holie promise, whereby we bind our selues to offer some thing vnto God. 4 And a vow (as we haue said) hath alwaies some praiers ioined therewith; for obteining at the leastwise of somewhat at the hands of God. Wherefore, that ambiguitie of the word happened not without cause in the Hebrue and Latine toongs: for séeing these things be so ioined togither, it might easilie come to passe, that the word which signifieth one thing, maie sometime be referred to another. And hereby we maie perceiue, that the knowledge of both these, as well of offering, as also of demanding anie thing of God, is necessarie for vs which professe godlinesse. But let vs returne vnto the definition, wherein the generall word is, Holie; for it is called A holie promise. Wherof it coms, that as touching the calling of it holie, we are in few words to saie, that it belongeth vnto iustice. For whatsoeuer is holie, is also iust; but not contrarie: for iustice is that, 5 whereby we yéeld to euerie man his owne; and they, to whom these things be yéelded, are either God, or men. That facultie then, whereby we yéeld vnto all men their owne, is called iustice, and kéepeth the name of the generall word: but when we yéeld vnto God due obedience, now is this after the iudgement of Plato, in his booke called Euthyphron, to be referred vnto holinesse.
And a man may plainlie sée, that euen in the holie scriptures, those things which be offred & dedicated vnto God, are called holie; and that, which ought to be yéelded vnto God by vs, is obedience: and that is of two sorts. One is profitable vnto him, to whom it is offered: 6 but after this maner we can giue God nothing; séeing by these things he is made nothing the greater, nor dooth increase in anie respect; 7 Thou art my God (saith the prophet) for thou hast no need of my goods. And in the Gospell of Luke; 8 When we haue doone all vnto him, we are vnprofitable seruants. Another kind of obedience there is. which apperteineth vnto reuerence; euen as seruants honour their maisters. But this seruice and obedience towards God, herein consisteth; that we shew our selues readie and diligent towards GOD, in the executing of that worke and function, which God both vouchsafeth and desireth to worke by vs. And this is the sanctifieng of his name; the which God can sufficientlie performe by himselfe: but he vseth vs to our owne commoditie, and singular profit.