and truly execute the Office of a Church-warden, for the enfuing Year; and to the best of your Skill and Knowledge, prefent fuch Perfons and Things, as are prefentable, by the Ecclefiaftical Laws of the Realm.” I fhall fet down only a few of thefe.

"The Statute of King James I. obliges you to prefent once a Year, all monthly Abfenters from Church." "The 90th Canon enjoins you, first to admonish, and then, if they reform not, to prefent, all your Parifhioners who do not duly refort to Church on Sundays, and there continue the whole Time of Divine Service. On this Article obferve, 1. That a Perfon's being abfent from Church, is Ground fufficient for you to proceed 2. That you are not only to prefent, thofe who do no come to Church, but also thofe that behave irreverently or indecently there, either walking about, or talking; all who do not abide there orderly and foberly, the whole Time of Service and Sermon, and all that loiter away any Part of that Time, in the Church-yard of in the Fields.'

"The 12th Canon enjoins you, within 40 Days after Eafter, to exhibit to the Bishop or his Chancellor, the Names of all above the Age of fixteen, within your Parish, that did not receive the Communion.'

Other Statutes oblige you to prefent Drunkenness. Tippling, and Publick Houfes fuffering Perfons to tipple

in them.'

"And the 109th Canon binds you to prefent all manner of Vice, Profanenefs and Debauchery, requir ing you faithfully to prefent all and every the Offenders in Adultery, Whoredom, Drunkenness, Profane Swearing, or any other Uncleanness and Wickedness of Life.” It is therefore a Part of that Office to which you are folemnly fworn, to prefent not only all Drun kennefs and Tippling, but Profane Swearing, Lewdness, and whatfoever else is contrary to Chriftian Piety. So that if you know any of your Parishioners, be his Quality or Circumstances what they will, that is guilty of any of thefe, you are obliged to prefent him at the next Vifitation, or you are yourfelves guilty of Perjury. And the 26th Canon expreffes fuch an Abhorrence of a C

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Church warden's Neglect in this Matter, that it forbids the Minister, in any wife, to admit you to the Holy Communion, who (as the Words of the Canon are) having taken your Oaths to prefent all fuch Offences in your feveral Parishes, shall notwithstanding your faid Oaths, either in neglecting or refusing to prefent, wittingly and willingly, defperately and irreligiously incur, the Horrid Guilt of Perjury."

And who is clear? I appeal to every Minifter of a Parish, from one End of England to the other, How many Church wardens have you known, in twenty, thirty, forty Years, who did not thus defperately and irreligiously incur, the horrid Guilt of Perjury?

10. I proceed to Perjuries of another Kind. The Oath taken by all Captains of Ships, every Time they return from a Trading Voyage, runs in thefe Terms:

"I do fwear, That the Entry above written, now tender'd and fubfcribed by me, is a juft Report of the Name of my Ship, its Burthen, Built, Property, Number and Country of Mariners, the prefent Mafter and Voyage: And that it doth further contain a true Account of my Lading, with the particular Marks, Númbers, Quantity, Quality and Confignment, of all the Goods and Merchandizes in my faid Ship, to the best of my Knowledge; and that I have not broke Bulk, or delivered any Goods out of my faid Ship, fince her loading in." So help me God.

Thefe Words are fo clear, exprefs and unambiguous, that they require no Explanation. But who takes this plain Oath, without being knowingly and deliberately forfworn? Does one Captain in fifty? Does one in five Hundred May we not go farther yet? Are there five Captains of Veffels now in London, who have not at one Time or another, by this very Oath, which they knew to be falfe when they took it, incurred the Guilt of Wilful Perjury?

II. The Oath which all Officers of his Majesty's Customs, take at their Admiffion into their Office, runs thus:

"I do swear to be true and faithful in the Execution,. to the best of my Knowledge and Power, of the Trust

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committed to my Charge and Infpection, in the Service of his Majefty's Cuftoms: And that I will not take or receive, any Reward or Gratuity, directly or indirectly, other than my Salary, or what is or fhall be allowed me from the Crown, or the regular Fees eftablifh'd by Law, for any Service done or to be done in the Execution of my Employment in the Cuftoms, on any account whatsoever. So help me God."

On this it may obferved, 1. That there are Regular Fees, eftablish'd by Law, for fome of thefe Officers; 2. That the reit do hereby engage, not to take or receive any Reward or Gratuity, directly or indirectly, other than their Salary or Allowance from the Crown, on any account whatsoever.

How do the Former keep this folemn Engagement? They whofe Fees are establish'd by Law? Do they take those establish'd Fees, and no more? Do they not receive any farther Gratuity? Not, on any Account wbatfoever? If they do, they are undeniably guilty of Wilful Perjury.

And do the latter take no Fees at all? Do they receive no Reward or Gratuity, for any Service done, or to be done, in the Execution of their Employment? Do they not take any Money, directly or indirectly, on any Account whatsoever? Every time they do receive either more or less, they alfo are flatly forfworn.

Yet, who fcruples either the one or the other? Either the taking a larger Fee than the Law appoints? Or the taking any Fee, large or fmall, which is offer'd, even where the Law appoints none at all?

What innumerable Perjuries then are here committed, over and over, day by day! And without any Remorfe; without any Shame! Without any Fear either of God or Man!

12. I will produce but one Inftance more. The Oath of one who votes for a Member of Parliament is this:

"I do fwear, I have not received or had, by my felf, or of any Perfon whatsoever in truft for me, or for my Ufe and Benefit, directly or indirectly, any Sum or Sums of Money, Office, Place or Employment,

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Gift or Reward, or any Promife or Security for any Money, Cfice, Employment or Gift, in order to give my Vote at this Election, and that I have not before been polled at this Election. So help me God." We may obferve here, 1. That this Oath is taken, ence in feven Years (if not oftner) by all the Freeholders, in every County throughout England and Wales, as well as by all the Freemen in every City and Borough-Town; and 2. That hereby every Voter fwears, in Words liable to no Evafion, That he has not received, directly or indirectly, any Gift or Reward, or Promife of any.

But (to pafs over thofe godless and fhameless Wretches, who frequently vote twice at one Election) How few are there, who can take this Oath with a Confcience void of Offence? Who have not receiv'd, directly or indirectly, any Gift or Promife of any? No! have not you? If you have received nothing else, have not you received Meat or Drink? And did you pay for the Meat or Drink you receiv'd? If not, that was a Gift; and confequently, you are as really perjured, as the Man that has received an hundred Pounds.

What a melancholy Profpect is then before us! Here are almost all the common People of any Substance throughout the Land, both in the City and Country, calling GOD to record to a known, wilful Falfhood!

13. I fhall conclude this Head in the weighty Words of the Author before cited.

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their

"Most of these, I am afraid, look upon "Oaths as Things of courfe, and little to be regard"ed. But can there be any thing in the World more facred than an Oath? Is it not a folemn Appeal to God for your Sincerity? And is not that "very Appeal an Acknowledgment, that he will furely punish Falfhood? Nay further, Is it not a calling down the Vengeance of GoD upon your. "felves if you are falfe? Do you not, by laying your "Hand upon the Gospel, declare, That you hope

for no Salvation by Chrift, if you perform_not "what you then promife, or, if what you then affirm,

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"is not true? And do not the Words, So help me GOD, fufficiently prove, that the Intention of your Oath is fo? And that if you fwear falfe, you are to expect no Mercy from GoD, either in this World or the next? And do you not perfonally and exprefly give your Confent to this heavy Curfe, by "kiffing the Book? How then dare any of you ven "ture to play with fo awful an Engagement? Is it "that you think the Oath of a Grand Jury-man, or Parish-Officer", (of a Captain, an Officer of the Customs, or a Voter in Elections) is not as facred "and binding as that of an Evidence at the Bar? "What is it can make the Difference? Both of them are equally Appeals to GoD, and Imprecations of "his Vengeance upon wilful Perjury."

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14. If there be then a God that is not mocked, what a Weight of Sin lies on this Nation? And Sin of no common Dye; for Perjury has always been accounted one of the deepest Stain. And how will any one attempt to excufe this? By adding Blafphemy thereto? So indeed fome have done; faying, like thofe of old, Tufb, thou GOD careft not for it. The Lord feeth (i. e. regardeth) us not. The Lord hath forfaken the Earth. He has left fecond Caujes to take their Courfe, and Man in the Hand of his own Counfel

How many are they who now speak thus ? According to whofe Minute Philofophy, the Particular Providence of Goo is utterly exploded, the Hairs of our Head are no longer numbred: And not only a Sparrow, but a City, an Empire may fall to the Ground, without the Will or Care of our heavenly Father. You allow then only a General Providence. I do not understand the Term. Be fo kind as to let me know, what you mean by a "a General Providence, contradiftinguifb'd "from a Particular one?" I doubt you are at a Lofs for an Anfwer; unless you mean fome huge, unwieldy thing, ( fuppofe, refembling the Primum Mobile in the Ptolemaick System) which continually, whirls the whole Univerfe round, without affecting one thing more than another. I doubt this Hypo thefis will demand more Proof, than you are at pre

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