ouldest vow and not pay."[202] The declaration does not
bear, that if one were not inclined to pay, it would not be sinful to
omit vowing; but means that it is sinful to make a vow falsely, and omit
the performance of what should have been sincerely vowed. It is the
paying of the vow--the performance of some duty, that the language is
employed to inculcate. When the heart of any one is opposed to duty, he
cannot vow sincerely. That he is not disposed to vow when the duty
presents itself is his sin. And to vow falsely--else than which he could
not do in his circumstances, would also be sin in him. He is, therefore,
called upon, not to do a sinful act, but, in the use of means, to
endeavour to obtain a disposition to vow with cordiality, and then to
perform the duty. It is better for him to supplicate God to change his
heart, than to insult him by promising to do what he is unwilling to
perform. It is better for him not to attempt to change his own
heart--for that he cannot do--but to pray to God to carry on a good work
within him, and along with that, to yield himself to Him. Duties should
be performed in a certain order; and those who transgress the
arrangement for these laid down in the Scriptures, act culpably, as well
as those who do not perform them at all. The statement refers to the
order in which the duties, among which stands the exercise of vowing,
should be performed. The observance is incumbent on an individual in a
certain condition; but his heart is against it. Two duties at least are,
therefore, obligatory on him then;--to seek a disposition willingly to
vow, and then to make the vow. He would sin were he to do the latter
without the former, or before it. Both are obligatory at the same
instant of time, and both might possibly be performed in one moment. But
the order of first acquiescing in the call to vow and then vowing, must
be observed, and cannot be inverted without transgression.

Commands inculcating the swearing of the oath. These are of two classes.
First, those which in general terms explicitly enjoin it.--"Thou shalt
fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name."[203]
"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him
shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name."[204] And next, that which, in
addition, thus enjoins the manner of swearing.--"Thou shalt swear, The
Lord liveth in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness."[205] Since the
oath is never disconnected