On this it may be observed, 1. That there are regular fees, _established by law_, for some of these officers; 2. That the rest 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 solemn engagement? They whose fees _are established by law_? Do they take those established fees and no more? Do they not _receive any farther gratuity_? Not _on any account whatsoever_? 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 also are flatly _forsworn._
Yet who scruples either the one or the other? Either the taking _a larger fee_ than the law appoints? Or the taking _any fee_, large or small, which is offered, even where the law appoints none at all?
What innumerable _perjuries_ then are here committed, over and over, day by day! And without any remorse; without any shame! without any fear either of God or man!
12. I will produce but one instance more. The oath of one who _votes_ for a member of parliament is this:
“I do swear, I have not received or had, by myself, or of any person whatsoever in trust for me, or for my use and benefit directly or indirectly, any sum or sums of money, office, place or employment, gift or reward, or any promise or security for any money, office, 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 observe here, 1. That this oath is taken, once in seven years (if ♦required) 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 swears, in words liable to no evasion, that he has not received, _directly or indirectly, any gift or reward_, or _promise_ of any.
♦ “requested” replaced with “required” per Errata
But (to pass over those godless and shameless wretches, who frequently vote twice at one election) how few are there, who can take this oath with a conscience void of offence? Who have not received, _directly_ or _indirectly_, _any gift_ or promise 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 received? If not, that was _a gift_; and consequently, you are as really _perjured_, as the man that has received an hundred pounds.
What melancholy prospect 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 falshood_!
13. I shall conclude this head in the weighty words of the author before cited.
“Most of these, I am afraid, look upon their oaths as _things of course_, and little to be regarded. But can there be any thing in the world more sacred than an _oath_? Is it not a solemn appeal to God for your sincerity? And is not that very appeal an acknowledgment, that he will surely punish falshood? Nay farther, Is it not _a calling down_ the vengeance of God upon yourselves if you are false? Do you not, by laying your hand upon the gospel, declare, that _you hope for no salvation by Christ_, if you perform not what you then promise, or, if what you then affirm, is not true? And do not the words, _So help me God_, sufficiently prove, that the intention of your oath is so? And that if you swear false, you are to expect no mercy from God, either in this world, or the next? And do you not _personally_ and expresly give your consent to this heavy curse, by _kissing the book_? How then dare any of you to venture to play with so 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 sacred 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_.”
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 excuse this? By adding blasphemy thereto? So indeed some have done; saying, like those of old, _Tush, thou_ God _carest not for it. The Lord seeth_ (i. e. regardeth) _us not. The Lord hath forsaken the earth._ He has left _second causes_ to take their course, and man _in the hand of his own counsel_.