x. 38.

xiii. 12.

which the Offerings were repofited, And Nehem. the Levites fhall bring up the tythe of the tythes, unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure-house. Then Nehem. brought all Judah the tithe of the corn, and the new wine, and the oyl unto the treasu ries. And I made treasurers over the treafuries,

And something of this kind had been 2 Chron. done, in the Time of the firft Temple, by xxxi. 11. order of King Hezekiah. As, no doubt but there were Conveniencies of this fort all along, even in the Time of the Tabernacle. We read that Mofes and Eleazar Numb. the priest took the gold of the offering, that xxxi. 54. the captains of thousands and captains of bundreds offered up to the LORD, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, &c. And Joshua fays, that all the Joh. vi. filver and gold, and veffels of brafs and iron (taken in the City of Jericho) are confecrated unto the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the Lo R D.

19.

The best Interpreters think that, this Taxation, was what they came to demand of our LORD in the Gofpel; what is Mat. there render'd Tribute-Money, being, in xvii. 24.

the

Lev.
xxiii. 38.

the Original, * fuch a Sum as is just equivalent to a Half-Shekel; and that which Peter was to find in the Fish's Mouth, and give for his Master and Himself, being likewise express'd by another Word, which fignifies a Sum equal to a whole Shekel. Of the Treasury, in the Temple, we also find mention, in feveral parts of the Gofpel.

SECT. XXIII.

Vows and Freewill-Offerings.

The Sacred Gifts, hitherto spoken of, were fuch as the Law appointed; there were others made, either by Vows, or out of mere Free-Will. Mofes, mentioning the feveral Festivals of the Year, fays, Thefe are the feafts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations; befide the Sabbaths of the LORD, and befide your gifts, and befide all your vows, and befide all your free-will-offerings, which ye give

unto the LORD.

T

Vows, were Refolutions folemnly made, in Times of Difficulty or Want, of Offering fuch and fuch Things to God, by way of Thanksgiving, in cafe their Wishes were crown'd with Succefs; and, to neglect the Performance of them, was look'd upon as a most impious profane Thing. The Law speaks of it, thus; When thou shalt vow a Deut. vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not xxiii. 21. flack to pay it; for the LORD thy God will furely require it of thee; and it would be fin in thee. That, which is gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep and perform; even a free-will-offering, according as thou haft vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou haft promifed with thy mouth.

&c.

Of the manner, in which thefe Vows were ufually made, we have an Inftance in that famous one of Jephthah. He vowed Judg. xi. a vow unto the LORD and faid; if thou 30. fhalt, without fail, deliver the children of Ammon into my hands, Then shall it be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, fhall furely be the LORD's; and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering.

Another

II.

Another Inftance is, in Hannah the Mo 1 Sam. i. ther of the Prophet Samuel; She vowed a vow, and faid; O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine bandmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the LORD, all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Abfalom fays to David; I pray thee let me go, and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD in Hebron. For thy fervant vowed a vow, while I abode at Gefhur in Syria, faying, If the LORD Shall bring me again indeed to Jerufalem, then I will ferve the LORD.

Swearing, is likewife mention'd in the Law, as a way by which they fometimes bound themselves, as well as by vowing: If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or fwear an oath to bind his foul with a bond; he fhall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. At the fame time, it is faid; That, if a fingle Woman, who lives with her Father, or a married Woman, who lives with her Husband, fhall either of them vow a vów, they

2 Sam. xv. 8.

Numb. XXX. 2, &c.

hey
shall not be bound by it, if either the
ather, or the Husband, difallow of it:
herwise they shall.

What they ufually vowed, was, either
emfelves, in Perfon; or their Houses,
r Eftates; or fome Beast, or other. If
'hemselves, their Houses, or Estates, they
ight pay the Vow in Money; to be va-
Jed at the Discretion of the Priest, under
ertain Restrictions; as alfo, in cafe it
vere an unclean Beaft that was vow'd. All
which may be feen in the Law; and is
ather too long to be tranfcrib'd from
hence. There was likewife a Vow rela-
ing to thofe that intended to be Naza-
rites. Of which we fhall treat in another
Place. The Things paid upon account of
Vows, like the other facred Gifts, were
brought to the Temple. Free-will-Offer-
ings, were fuch as every man gave willingly
with his heart. They were diftinguish'd
from Vows, as in others, fo in this Parti-
cular; Either a bullock, or a lamb, that
bath any thing fuperfluous, or lacking, in his
Tim parts, that thou mayeft offer a free-will-
offering; but, for a vow, it shall not be ac-
cepted.

J

1

SECT.

Lev.

xxvii.

Exod.

XXV. 2.

Lev. xxii. 23.