Wesley Corpus

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.” 158 a rarTHER APPEAL TO MEN 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. 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, conse quently, you are as really perjured as the man that has received an hundred pounds. What a 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 falsehood | 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 anything 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 falsehood? Nay, farther, is it not a calling down the vengeance of God upon yourselves, if you are false?