for a man to put away his wife for every cause, replied "Have ye not read, that He, that made them at the beginning, made them male and female? or, as it would be better rendered, "one male and one female? and said, for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore, they are no more twain; but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." The inquirers very naturally ask, "Why then did Moses command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away?" He saith unto them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so." Here it is evident, that as in the beginning God made only one male and one female, it was the de sign of this constitution, that every man should have his own wife, and every woman her own husband, and that the marriage relation should be indissoluble. Yet this original law of our constitution was for a time dispensed with. Moses suffered the Jews to put away their wives. God permitted the patriarchs and prophets to have more wives than one. It appears, then, that what is in itself originally and absolutely best, was for a time dispensed with, from regard to the weakness of men. Such a dispensation, though permitted by God, came of evil. Christ accordingly restores the origiDal law of nature, which under the spiritual dispensation of the Gospel is to be considered invi olable. Now let us apply these reVOL. V. New Series. marks. Immediately after forbidding divorce, Christ says, "Again ye have heard, that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, swear not at all, &c. But let your communication be yea yea, nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil." As from the hardness of the Jews' hearts it became necessary, that they should have some indulgences with respect to matrimony, inconsistent with the original design of Providence, and the pure state of the Gospel church, so from the prevalence of falsehood in the world, and consequently of distrust, it became necessary, that men should in some important cases be laid under extraordinary and solemn obligations to speak the truth. Hence oaths were permitted, that those, who are not habitually under the influence of religious principles, might, by calling to mind the presence of God, the avenger of perjury, be awed to make a just representation; that others might repose confidence in their testimony; and that so an oath for confirmation might be the end of all strife. The permission of oaths by God no more proves their absolute propriety, or that they would have been proper in a state of innocency, where falsehood and consequently distrust were unknown, than the temporary permission of polygamy and divorce proves them to be agreeable to the original design of God and constitution of nature. The only difference is this. The indulgence with respect to marriage has ceased, being no longer necessary under the clear light of the Gospel. Oaths are still continued as necessary for man in his present imperfect state. But when that which is perfect is come, these will also be done away. The practical inferences from this representation are, 1. That all unnecessary oaths are improper and sinful. Especially must we condemn that profane swearing so often heard in our streets, and sometimes in shops, counting rooms, offices, and parlors. It appears to have no motive but wantonness; and no other tendency than to corrupt men and insult God. 2. We ought always as care. fully to speak truth, as if we were under oath. Every false. hood is in itself criminal, and is designed either to injure some one, or to hide guilt. This is equally true of evasive misrepresentation, and all insincerity; and these will increase to more ungodliness. 3 Whatever we may think of the propriety of multiplying oaths in courts, and before mag istrates, to the degree that they are by law multiplied among us, no person need scruple to swear, when required by legal authority. We are to "obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake." When any subject is, like this, left discretionary by God, we must submit our discretion to that of the government under which we live, and obey the powers that be. 4. If we uniformly and conscientiously regard truth, our reputation will be so established, that any kind of asseveration will be unnecessary. There are persons, whom it would be thought indecent to request even to repeat their yes or no. All may possess such reputations. Then it will never be necessary to take an oath, except on those judicial occasions, when, to avoid the appearance of partiality, they are uniformly administered. Then it will never be necessary to use any stronger affirmation or negation, than simply yes or no. How desirable is it, that swearing, which originates in evil, which comes from the father of lies, should with all its spurious train be excluded from society. With a sacred regard to truth, let our communication be yes yes, no no. CASSEDRO. MEMOIRS OF SALLY HEALY, AND To the Editor of the Panoplist. I send you brief memoirs of two young persons who belonged to my congregation, and whose deaths excited here a more than usual interest. If you think them worthy of a place in your publication, they are at your service. SAMUEL AUSTIN. SALLY HEALY. THIS young lady, pleasing in her person and manners, of an intelligent and discriminating mind, and much esteemed by her Christian acquaintance, died June 25, 1810, aged 24. She had severe trials of mind before she obtained a hope that she was a subject of that renovation of heart, without which no person can enter the kingdom of heaven. During the little time that she sustained the name and relation of a disciple of Christ, she was blameless in her walk, and a constant, and apparently devout, attendant upon the public exercises of religious worship. As she became feeble, and the disorder which proved fatal to her advanced, she was subject to great mental depression and despondency. The fol lowing extract from her diary, under date of March 20th, while it furnishes evidence of her pieity, will shew into what gloominess of mind she was sunk. "Last Sabbath was our communion. For several days before, I felt a distance from God; had no nearness to him in prayer, in reading, or in any duty whatever. There seemed to be a cloud before me; and a great unpreparedness of heart for this holy ordinance. Sabbath morning I arose early, in hopes to feel more alive in the service of God; but prayer was performed more as a burden than a delight. But I still hoped that, in the course of the service, or in communion time, I should be aroused from my slumbers, and warmed with love and repentance. But I remained, through the whole, spiritually dead, and I was led to make a most diligent and serious inquiry into the true state of my mind, and why it was that I did not experience any true and sensible delight in Christ at his table. I did at first think it might be a temptation of the great ad versary. But it does appear that I have been greatly deceived, and am still in the gall of bit terness, and bond of iniquity. All my present feelings seem to confirm this solemn truth. I have no heart to pray, no delight in reading the word, or in any means of grace, and there is a secret dread felt at the thought of going to the house of God, and joining in his service. For all these things seem to be adding sin to sin, when the heart is not right with God. For without love we can never please God, or do any thing acceptable in his sight. I have ever felt a want of this love towards God and man, and have prayed more to be made perfect in love than for any thing else. But, alas! What are selfish prayers! They are an abomination in the sight of God, and must be repented of without any delay. My case is very distressing, and alarming. I feel a complaint on my lungs, which I fear will terminate with my life. But, O! how unprepared to die in such a state of hardness and impenitence! I have almost begun several times to tell my mother my unhappy state of mind: but she, kindest, best, most indulgent of parents, shall never be pained by knowing it while it can be concealed. My groans shall disturb no one's peace. They shall be revealed to my pillow alone, and God will dispose of me as in his wisdom he shall see fit. I rest under his care. I awake under his protection, am surrounded with his mercies, and am sustained every moment by him. And, O that I might hereafter record, that my heart is sincerely devoted to him in love!" In a state of depression like this, with some mitigation of the distress of it, she continued even till the day of her decease. No derangement appeared, but her powers of mind were evidently enfeebled as the powers of ani mal nature were exhausted by disease. Very early in the morning of the day in which she died, I was sent for. When I came to her I asked her respecting the state of her mind, her views and feelings in prospect of eternity. She said, "I am willing to be in God's hands. I am willing he should do with me just as he has a mind to do. I hope I love Christ. Will you lift up a prayer for me?" Does it seem desirable to you to go and be with Christ? "Yes." After prayer, perhaps twenty minutes intervening, she had a very remarkable excitement of mind. I was in another chamber when it began. Perceiving something unusual in the chamber where she was, I entered, and observed she was kissing her mother, and saying some very affectionate things to her. I spoke to her of Christ She smiled. I spoke again. She smiled with a stronger expression of confidence and joy, and soon said, with a strength of utterance and apparent clearness of intellect, as if she had been in perfect health, "He has restored me to life, he has restored me to life." I asked her if she meant that she was to get well and live in this world. "no," she said, "He is a precious Savior, He is a secret Savior. Don't you see how he has restored me? Don't you see he gives me an angel's countenance?" She called her sisters and recommended Christ to them. She asked them if they would not seek him. She called her father to the bedside, and expressed her tender regard for him and his eternal welfare in the same manner. She told him what a glorious Savior Christ is. She assured him that he would receive him, and forgive all his sins. She begged him to seek him, and asked him if he would not. She asked her mother if she was not willing to have her die; and said she was herself willing. She hoped she should meet them all in heaven. She was much spent by this exertion and said, "I now wish all to retire. She remained a few hours in a state of calmness and apparent resignation and expired. This extraordinary revival, which seemed to be very spiritual and heavenly, I could not but consider as supernatural, and a present pledge of her acceptance in the Beloved, and that she was about to enter into glory. "Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord, from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." JOSIAH MOORE, The other subject of these memoirs, had been favored with a religious education, was a young man who had maintained a greater decorum of manners, and shewed a more respectful regard to religion than is common to young persons, and who was certainly at times under considerable convictions of sin, and anxiety for his soul. But these convictions were transient, and nothing appeared like a humble acceptation of the mercy of the Gospel, till a little time before his death. His disease was a consumption, which was rapid in its progress, and terminated his life, Jan. 22, 1812. When I was first called to visit him, he was confined to his bed, and was so Some things which fell from him about this time have been preserved by the family, and are as follows. To one of the family he said, "I shall leave you soon, and am unprepared to die." Being questioned respecting the state of his mind, he replied, “I am a stupid, hard-hearted sinner. My heart is wholly opposed to God, to his character, and to his government. Hard as it may seem to you, I am a stranger to the love of God in Christ Jesus. Impressions are lost upon me. I have sinned and still continue to sin against light and conviction. I was considerably affected at my mother's death; [his mother died about two years before] but my impressions were like the morning cloud and early dew, which soon pass away. I have now a conviction of my lost and undone state, of the truth of the Gospel, of the excellency of the plan of salvation, and of the justice, as well as of the infinite condescending mercy of God. Yet I Yet I have not that feeling sense of these things which alone can humble me at the feet of Jesus. I know that I am in infinite danger, and that now is the only time. Yet I hesitate and put off. I know what I must do. I must fall at the feet of Jesus, a beggar indeed. But I cannot. My will is unsubdued, and my heart tells me to defer it. O, why cannot I feel myself to be miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked? When eternal happiness depends upon the present moment, and I know it, why can I not realize it? Alas, my wicked heart! Why cannot I come to the foot of sovereign mercy? Why can I not pray? What shall I do?" He then entreated his parents to pray for him. He said, he must soon go to hell, unless he experienced a change of heart. He appeared, and continued to be, in much anxiety of mind till the evening of the 27th of December, 1811. There was then an evident alteration in his views and feelings of heart, and in his manner of expressing himself on these subjects. Addressing himself to his sister, he said, "O sister, I have found relief. I am happy, happy indeed. I am going to Jesus. I shall go soon. sister, don't live in sin one moment, but come to Christ. Only come to him and he will save you. Tell all the young people, tell every body, to come to Christ without a moment's delay." His sister asked him whether he ever was so happy before. He replied, "No, never, notwithstanding I feel this bodily distress." He was then asked respecting the nature and source of his joy. He replied that it was because he had found Christ, and seen the glory of God. He said that God and Christ appeared to him altogether glorious. He was asked why God was so glorious in his view. He replied, "Because he is holy and just." Upon being told that God hated sin with infinite hatred, and that he hated sinners because they were rebellious, he answered, “Yes, and I detest and loathe myself because I am a sinner. But God pardons |