I. SOLEMN OATHS.

Swearing is an appeal to God as a witness to the truth of what we say. It is always accompanied with an expressed or implied imprecation of his curse, or renunciation of his favour, if we perform not our oath. It is therefore a very solemn act of worship. The form of the oath is different in different ages and countries. All forms are an appeal to God. Some are more decent or appropriate than others; but our laws properly leave every one to select that which in his own judgment is most becoming. The binding obligation of an oath is in no wise diminished by the form of its administration. Abraham's servant swore to his master by putting his own hand under his master's thigh. Gen. xxiv. 2. Another form mentioned in Scripture is that of lifting up the hand towards heaven. Rev. x. 5. But the word of God binds us to no particular form. Whatever be the mode of administration, let us not forget that the essence of an oath consists in a solemn appeal to God as the Searcher of hearts and the Judge of quick and dead. It either expresses or implies a declaration that we are willing God should subject us to his dreadful curse, if we swear falsely. The proper use of an oath is the termination of strife concerning matters which cannot otherwise be adjusted. Heb. vi. 16. Oaths are authorized by the example of God, who swears by himself as he can swear by none greater. Gen. xxii. 16. Isa. xlv. 23. Jer. xlix. 13. Amos vi. 8. Oaths are sinful when they are not necessary or called for by proper authority. It deserves the consideration of all, who have the control of the administration of

public justice, whether the great number and frequency of oaths do not seriously impair their sanctity in the public mind, and thus wound justice, morals and religion. The lax observance of oaths is a very painful subject. Still, the slight regard paid to them argues nothing against their lawfulness. Every wellinstructed Christian ought to be willing to worship God in this as well as in other appointed ways. Our Saviour himself allowed an oath to be administered to him by the High Priest. Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. Paul uses forms of expression which have the nature of an oath: "I call God for a record upon my soul," 2 Cor. i. 23; "God is my record," Phil. i. 8; "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not," Rom. ix. 1. We have at least one example of a holy angel swearing: "The angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth," &c. Rev. x. 5, 6. It is promised in the Old Testament that in the latter days this mode of worshipping God shall prevail. "To me every tongue shall swear," says God. Isa. xlv. 23. "He that sweareth shall swear by the God of truth." Isa. lxv. 16. "Thou shalt swear,

The Lord liveth in truth." Jer. iv. 2. Those Scriptures therefore which forbid swearing evidently refer to passionate, unnecessary, common or profane swearing.

Swearing is either lawful or unlawful. Unlawful swearing will be considered hereafter. Lawful swearing is always a solemn act. It is an acknowledgment of the omniscience, truth, and justice of the Most High. Commonly it is required by the laws of the

land. Yet there may be cases where one may receive from another the confirmation of a promise by an oath.

This subject is much spoken of in the Scriptures. The general law respecting swearing is that it be done by an appeal to the true God, and in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness. Jer. iv. 2. To appeal to any but the true God is an insult to the Heavenly Majesty. If the act is performed with any devoutness of feeling, it is idolatry; if with levity of mind, it is profaneness. God's word carefully enjoins that our appeal should be to Jehovah. Isa. lxv. 16; Jer. xii. 16; Zeph. i. 5. Then we must swear in truth. The ordinary form of a public oath requires "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." We may not ask God to witness to a lie, or to a thing that we do not know to be true. The lips and the conscience must agree. Let all reservations and equivocations be put far from us. Ps. xv. 2, 4. We must also swear in judgment; that is, we must understand the nature of an oath; we must have God's fear before us when we swear; and we must know that concerning which we testify. According to Scripture, every good man feareth an oath. Eccles. ix. 2. Then we must swear in righteousness. The cause in which we testify must be so far just. We may not give evidence to establish iniquity. In swearing we are not at liberty to show partiality to friends, or enmity to foes; but are to speak what truth requires.

No doubt it greatly tends to the honour of God and to the execution of public justice, when the officers of the law administer oaths with due solemnity. We ought to be careful that the matter of every oath is

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something possible. Abraham's servant showed a proper conscientiousness on this subject. Gen. xxiv. Of course the matter of every oath must be something lawful. A man can never lawfully or firmly bind himself to do an act of iniquity.

II. VOWS.

Vows belong to every dispensation of true religion. Gen. xxviii. 20; Isa. xix. 21; Acts xviii. 18. The word vow is used in three senses in our language. Sometimes, it is equivalent to worship or devotion, or a public profession of religion. Isa. xliv. 5; Jer. 1. 4, 5. Again, it signifies a promise to serve God in a way to which his word obliges us, even before we make the promise. But in the strict sense, a vow is a solemn promise made to God, that we will do something which we were not bound to do till we made the voluntary engagement. Like promises or oaths, vows are either lawful or unlawful according to circumstances. A vow to do a wicked thing is of course wicked. We ought to repent of it and of our sin in making it. God is more honoured in its breach than in its observance. It is a great mercy when God hinders men from fulfilling such vows. This, however, does not diminish the wickedness of making them. A man made a vow that he would never comb his hair till he could wreak his vengeance on an adversary. He never had the opportunity of gratifying his malice, and he never combed his head. But such promises are not properly vows. They are rather curses. Acts xxiii. 12.

Vows are commonly distinguished into conditional and unconditional. Unconditional vows are solemn

resolutions that we will do or abstain from doing certain things; as that we will practise certain acts of self-denial, or forego certain lawful indulgences, in order thereby to give to our character more firmness, or the more effectually to keep ourselves from habits of effeminacy. Conditional vows are such as according to their original form are not binding unless God shall perform or cause to be performed some condition annexed. One says to God, "If thou wilt do this or that, I will do thus and so." Thus "Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God, and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Gen. Xxviii. 20-22. God performed the condition, which the patriarch annexed, and Jacob kept his vow:-a pleasing instance of paternal love on the part of God; and consistent, steadfast piety on the part of his servant. From their very nature, conditional vows are voluntary. They are not required of us by any positive precept of God's word, but, like many things else, are left to the conscience, discretion, thankfulness, zeal, and general piety of each individual. They have a reference to the receipt of future good, in view of which one chooses to bring himself under the sanctions of a solemn promise to prove his gratitude, if the favour shall be granted. When we vow before a good is received, we express our judgment of its value, and the obligations under which the receipt of it will bring us. This helps us to resist the base in