OATHS.

Most of the following pieces, many of which consist of short unconnected fragments, were found in his portfolio after his death. Of many of them, the periods when they were written cannot be ascertained. Under these circumstances, the arrangement will unavoidably be, in some measure, promiscuous.

The Atheist acknowledges no God but Nature. That there is a Divine being that presides over the events of life; or that there is a state of future rewards and punishments, he does not believe; this leads many to think that the testimony of an Atheist should not be admitted as good evidence before a court of justice; because, (believing as he does,) he would as freely and fearlessly lie, as speak the truth.

But how is the matter to be managed? He comes to the stand before the court, and is asked, "Do you believe there is a God, and a state of future rewards and punishments? He will answer yes or no, as best suits him; but who will believe a word he says? If a hundred of his acquaintance appear and solemnly declare that they have often heard him say that there was no God, and no state of future rewards and punishments, perhaps at every time he lied; not one of the hundred knows that he ever spoke the truth. It is from him, and him alone, that the court must get the information, and get it from him, they cannot, for they cannot tell whether he speaks true or false.

Must then the testimony of an Atheist be rejected in every case, and be himself consigned to social oblivion; or is there any remedy to be found! Proscriptions, fines, or corporeal punishments, might make him play the hypocrite, but would not cure him of his infidelity, or make him a better

man.

Men are found with the natural right to use means to supply their own wants, and to defend themselves from the abuse of others. Hence the established saying, "self-preservation is natures first law." From this natural right, an association may invest their agents with power to provide and compel. In political association, each individual becomes bound to contribute as much of himself as is necessary for the good of the whole. The agents of the whole body, therefore, can require each individual to co-operate and compel him to disclose conspiracies against the whole, and

what he knows of any ill design of one citizen against the life, liberty, or property of another. Oaths, at first, were solemn promises, made by one, or between two individuals or parties, without any magistrate to administer them.

All nations have entertained a belief in a Supreme Deity, and that he would punish them, if they were perfidious. Having a consciousness of themselves, and evidence of others, that a great part of the conversation and promises was idle, deceptive, and false, whenever they made promises, treaties, or covenants, or gave testimony, in weighty concerns, they appealed to their God, believing that he would punish them if they were perfidious or false witnesses.

The Deist, the Unitarian, the Anti-Trinitarian, the Arian, and Socinian, notwithstanding their difference of opinion in other things, all agree in this, that Jesus Christ was not Jehovah. The Deist forms his conclusion from reason and the fitness of things, to the jeopardy of the scripture. The others draw their opinion from the inspired volume, explained according to their views of reason and the fitness of things. These last I address.

Sirs, you cannot believe that one is three and that three are but one; which you must do, if you believe in a trinity of persons in the divine essence; to escape which absurdity, you deny that Christ is God essential. Is it not equally absurd to believe that one is two, and that two are but one? And yet you believe the last without hesitancy. "And God called their names Adam—they two shall be one—they are no more twain, but one flesh."

You cannot believe that Jesus is Jehovah, because the union of two natures in one person, is inconceivable, inexplicable, and unreasonable; you nevertheless believe that he was born of a woman who knew no man, which is equally inconceivable, inexplicable, and unreasonable, with the first.

You believe all the book of nature, but can you read the folded leaves? How can men hear, see, speak, or think? Why does the water run down hill? Whence cometh, or whither goeth, the wind? What occasions the involuntary motions of man? Should Mount Vesuvius leave its station, and leap to Etna, and settle upon its fiery top, you could account for it as well as you could for the voluntary motion of your hand from one knee to the other. Ten thousand times ten thousand things you believe, on rational evidence, which you can no more account for, than you can for the hypostatical union of Jesus Jehovah. Who doubts the complexity of man? and yet, who can draw the line with precision, that separates

the rational and animal empires? Or who can describe the cord that binds spirit and matter together?

In an age like the present, when great exertions are made to meliorate the condition, and improve the mind of the human family, we feel it an imperious duty to contribute our aid for the promotion of the piety, peace, and happiness of mankind. And as it appears to us that there are a number of vices, that none of the societies have undertaken to withstand, we hereby enter our protest against those vices, and pledge ourselves to show and avoid them, and use our best endeavors to eradicate them from among men.

1st. We enter our solemn protest against falsehood, and every species of deception. The tongue, which is the glory of man, is often used, with the aid of the press, for the vilest of purposes. Our avocations are va rious, our standing in society diverse. As sellers, we will not extol our articles for sale, beyond our best judgment, nor hide their defects for the sake of advantage, nor in any way seek to deceive the ignorant, nor extort from the needy.

As purchasers, we will not, for the sake of our own interest, run down the articles of sale below the common price, or deceive the seller, by telling him how much cheaper the articles can be obtained in another place; but every one of us will speak the truth to his neighbor. We, moreover, will not purchase on credit, without a reasonable prospect that we can meet our engagements; and when we have engaged, we will be punctual and honest, that we may owe no man any thing.

As mechanics, we will be faithful in materials, and workmanship, not covering either of them to deceive, by paint, putty, or lavish applause; taking no advantage of the ignorant.

As day-laborers, we will be trusty and industrious, that the employer may have full tale of profit for the wages he gives.

As employers, we will not require an over rate of labor, keep back the wages, pay with offal, nor in any way grind the poor, but pay them full measure, running over.

The want of truth in communication, and the want of punctuality in promises, are religious and national evils, which bring great calamities on church and state. What is the reason, when so many societies are formed to effect a moral reform, that truth and punctuality should be neglected? Is the answer given in sacred style, "Being convicted, by their own conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the

last," or what is the cause? If the forming of societies to effect a reform, in word and deed, is not acceded to,* let individuals, each for himself, bend their necks to the yoke. In the pulpit, in the hall of legislation, in the range of commerce, in the public prints, at the fireside, and at all other places, truth, without addition or diminution, should be regarded more than wealth, rank, or any thing that can be named. In this day of boasted benevolent institutions, which cost hard labor, and millions of dollars to support, (called the morning of the Millennium,) but little reliance can be placed on the words of the seller, and less on the promise of the buyer. My brethren, these things ought not to be. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, and pay your vows. man any thing.

A short comment on 2 Corinthians, i. 17, 20.

Whe no

WHEN I therefore, was thus minded, that you should have a second benefit, and had sent on appointments to be with you, did I use lightness, as if it was a trifling matter whether I came or not? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh? as some do, making their ministerial engagements subservient to their own ease and gain; failing in their promises, when a punctual compliance would be contrary to their fleshy schemes. That with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay? That I should promise again and again, and fail as often, having no sacred regard for my appointments and promises. But as God is true, and cannot lie, and never fails in his promises, so our word toward you was not yea and nay. Our promises we punctually performed—our conversation was true, and our preaching simple, without contradiction. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me, Silvanus and Timotheous, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. However others may have preached among you, that the Son of God failed in his promises, and from that view of Christ, were led to imitate him, with a yea for a promise, and a nay for accomplishment; yet with us it was the reFor all the promises of God in him, are yea, and in him amen. God made many promises to the nation of Israel, to individuals, and Gentile nations, (see Jer. 18,) on conditions. If those conditions were not performed, the promises, on God's part, failed; but the promises of the

verse.

* If, as many think, the principle of forming societies of mixed characters, distinct from churches, for the ostensible design of the suppression of vice and the spread of the gospel, has no scriptural support; but if the natural tendency of it is to unite the church with the world—make striped-pig moralists—lucrative preachers, and pharesaical proselytes to Christianity; yet the self-dedication of individuals to God, to worship him in spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, is essential to salvation.

new covenant, made to Christ, and to men in Christ, all of them will be accomplished; not to the support of licentiousness, but to the glory of God.

ambitious, braga

THE kingdom of me, is occupied partly by ignorant, docios, and partly by wise, prudent, and humble men. The first are lavish in telling what they know, what they have done, and what they can do. The last know their own ignorance, feel their weakness, see errors in what they have done, and find veritas in puteo, (truth lies in a well,) and is difficult to acquire. And when any popular or profitable act results, they will be more ready to give the praise to others, than to themselves.

To fill a discourse with "I said," and "I did," is considered pedantic among the fashionable. But this rule has undeniable exceptions. The character of David is given in glowing language :—"David is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him." Yet this very man who was raised to high degrees, and was a man after God's own heart, was full of I-otism. In the book of Psalms, the pronominal I, is found almost eight hundred times.

Paul, the chief apostle of the Gentiles, who had much wisdom given him, like David, speaks in his epistles, abundantly in the first person. In two chapters only, Rom. vii., and 1 Cor. ix., the I is found more than sixty times; yet neither David nor Paul can be justly reproached as coxcombs, or superanuated egotists. Neither of them speak in the first person to aggrandize me.

Logical and metaphysical reasoning often lead the mind (through its weakness) astray. Time and close observation on the tendency and result of opinions and measures, will correct those hasty mistakes: the man therefore, whose mind has grown mellow, by seeing, hearing, and observ. ing, will express himself, "What I have seen, what I have heard, wherein I have been deceived, how I was delivered, and what I now believe," without any desire of vain glory.

While I am writing, my thoughts are running. I have been preaching sixty-five years, and upon the closest examination, I find that I have studied more to be acceptable unto men, than to be approved unto God, (lamentable truth!) The ears and thoughts of others have governed me too much, and pressed me unto the kingdom of me. Often, when I am preaching, the question will rise in my mind, How does my preaching sound in the ears of the hearers? What thoughts have they of me? Do they esteem me a man of talents or not? Do they think me a great divine, and very pious, or what do they think of me? (Proofs of moral pollution !)

I was once in company with a brother preacher, whose claim to holi