"fider'd all Things as under the Direction and "Government of Divine Providence! But to conclude, Matters being as above-stated, the Ignorance of the Common People has been bafely practis'd upon by Those whofe Duty it was to have made them wifer; and their Superftition has been rais'd to the utmoft. It is an Obfervation of my Lord Verulam, "That Super"ftition has been the Confufion of many States, " and brings in a new Primum Mobile that ra"vifheth all the Spheres of Government. The "Master of Superftition is the People, and in "all Superftition Wife Men follow Fools, and Arguments are fitted to Practice in a revers'd "Order: Thus has the Folly of a prefent Generation of Men been followed and fupported by crafty and interested Politicians. Heaven grant, that Thofe, who are now raised to a Power of healing this Disorder, may never fall in with the common Infection of the Tímes: For, if our Phyficians fhould catch the Diseases they are expected to Cure, what Hope can there be of a Recovery? FINI S THE OCCASIONAL PAPER. NUMBER VII. THE NATURE AND OBLIGATION O F OATHS. For the fake of my English Reader, I fhall content my felf to put the two following Quotations here in our own Tongue. Plutar. in Lyfand. He that deceiveth his Enemy by an Oath, doth confefs thereby, that he feareth his Enemy, and defpifeth GOD. 2. Curtius, Lib. 7. Perfidiousness is a Crime which no Merits can atone for. LONDON: Printed for R. BURLEIGH in Amen-Corner, J. HARRISON at the Royal Exchange, and A. DODD without Temple Bar. 1716. (Price 3 d.) THE NATURE AND OBLIGATION O F OATHS. A LL civilized Nations have ever thought it necessary to preferve the Reverence and Religion of Oaths. They always abhorr'd the foulness of Perjury, and dreaded the difmal Confequences of it; which indeed cannot in the End be less than the Subverfion of private Rights, and Confusion of publick Order. Yet there have fprung up frequently illminded and unpeaceable Men, who, to serve a bad Turn, have fet themselves to find out fome Legerdemain Trick of Reasoning, to debauch their own and others Confciences, and find a falvo for their Reputation; while in one Act A 2 they as they are breaking both Tables, by a Sin which is the highest Affront to God, and of moft injurious Confequence to Men. Our own Times furnish us with too flagrant Inftances of fuch Men, and fuch Practices, in the Cafe of Oaths to the present Government. 'Tis remarkable how their Doctrines have vary'd with their Defigns and Intereft. Time was at the Revolution, when many of the fame Men, in hopes of diftreffing King William's Government moft effectually by that Courfe, when it was yet unfettled, harangu'd mightily upon the facred Obligation of Oaths. They endeavour'd to poffefs the People, that no Affurance of Faith and Allegiance could be given to that Excellent Prince, without the Crime of Perjury in breaking their Oath to the Abdicated King. But now, while they retain the fame Principles, and are as hearty Friends to the Pretender as they were then to his fuppofed Father, they have chang'd their Note, accounting it more for his Intereft, and their own, to poffefs the Dígnity, Profits and Power of publick Places and Preferments; by a new Caft of Art they are for taking All Oaths, even that which is far ftronger than the Oath enjoin'd at the Revolution, on a Suppofition that they are not oblig'd to keep Any. I hope therefore, my Reader will not think it an unneceffary Atttempt in this Effay, to dif cover the Deceit, and wipe off the artful Colours of thefe wicked Men, and to fhow him how he ought to abhor the Patrons of Perjury, and Breach of Faith, I cannot have the Vanity to expect I fhould be able to do any Ser vice to fuch Men themselves; for no Reason is like to prevail upon People determin'd neither to |