nite, as when we promise upon oath to discharge, to the best of our ability, a particular office. Thus, the parties may have very different views of what is meant, by discharging an office according to the best of our ability; or this obligation may conflict with others, such as domestic or personal obligations; and the incumbent may not know, even with the best intentions, which obligation ought to take the precedence, that is, what is the best of his ability. Such being the case, who, that is aware of the frailty of human nature, will dare to peril his eternal salvation upon the performance, to the best of his ability, of any official duty? And, if these allowances be understood by both parties, how are they to be limited; and, if they be not limited, what is the value of an oath? Such being the case, it is, at best, doubtful, whether promissory oaths of office ought ever to be required. Much less ought they to be required, as is frequently the case, in the most petty details of official life. They must be a snare to the conscience of a thoughtful man; and must tend to obliterate moral distinctions from the mind of him who is, as is too frequently the case, unfortunately thoughtless. Why should one man, who is called upon to discharge the duties of a constable, or of an overseer of common schools, or even of a counsellor or a judge, be placed under the pains and perils of perjury, or under peril of his eternal salvation, any more than his neighbor, who discharges the duty of a merchant, of an instructor of youth, a physician, or a clergyman? It seems to me that no man can take such an oath of office, upon reflection, without such mental reservation as must immediately convince him that the requirement is nugatory; and, if so, that it must be injurious.

CLASS SECOND.

DUTIES WHICH ARISE FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SEXES.

It has already been remarked, that the very fact, that our Creator has constituted us with a capacity for a particular form of happiness, and has provided means for the gratification of that desire, is, in itself, an intimation that he intended that this desire should be gratified. But, as our happiness is the design of this constitution, it is equally evident, that he intended this desire to be gratified only in such manner as would conduce to this result; and that, in estimating that result, we must take into view the whole nature of man, as a rational and accountable being, and not only man as an individual, but man also as a society.

1. The subject upon which we now enter, presents a striking illustration of the truth of these remarks. On the one hand, it is evident that the principle of sexual desire, is a part of the constitution of man. That it was intended to be gratified, is evident from the fact, that, without such gratification, the race of man would immediately cease to exist. Again, if it were not placed under restrictions, that is, were promiscuous intercourse permitted, the race would perish from neglect of offspring, and universal sterility. Thus, universal celibacy and unlimited indulgence, would both equally defeat the end of the Creator. It is, therefore, as evident that our Creator has imposed a limit to this desire, as a part of our constitution, as that he has implanted within us the desire itself. It is the object of the law of chastity to explain and enforce this limit.

2. As it is manifestly the object of the Creator, that the sexes should live together, and form a society with each other, in many respects dissimilar to every other society, producing new relations, and imposing new obligations, the

laws of this society need to be particularly explained. This is the law of marriage.

3. As the result of marriage is children, a new relation arises out of this connection, namely, the relation of parent and child. This imposes special obligations upon both parties, namely, the duties and rights of parents, and the duties and rights of children.

This class of duties will, therefore, be treated of in the following order:

Chapter 1. The general duty of chastity.

2. The law of marriage.

3. The rights and duties of parents.

4. The rights and duties of children.

CHAPTER FIRST.

THE GENERAL DUTY OF CHASTITY.

THE sexual appetite being a part of our constitution, and a limit to the indulgence of it being fixed by the Creator, the business of moral philosophy is to ascertain this limit.

The moral law on this subject is as follows:

The duty of chastity limits the indulgence of this desire, to individuals who are exclusively united to each other for life.

Hence it forbids,

1. Adultery, or intercourse between a married person and every other person except that person to whom he or she is united for life.

2. Polygamy, or a plurality of wives or of husbands.

3. Concubinage, or the temporary cohabitation of individuals with each other.

4. Fornication, or intercourse with prostitutes, or with any individual under any other condition than that of the marriage covenant.

5. Inasmuch as unchaste desire is strongly excited by the imagination, the law of chastity forbids all impure thoughts and actions; all unchaste conversation, looks, or gestures; the reading of obscene or lascivious books, and every thing which would naturally produce in us a disposition of mind to violate this precept.

That the above is the law of God on this subject, is manifest, both from natural and from revealed religion.

The law, as above recited, contains two restrictions: 1. That the individuals be exclusively united to each other; and,

2. That this exclusive union be for life.

Let us examine the indications of natural religion upon both of these points.

I. The indulgence of the desire referred to, is, by the law of God, restricted to individuals exclusively united to each other. This may be shown from several considerations.

1. The number of births, of both sexes, under all circumstances, and in all ages, has been substantially equal. Now, if single individuals be not exclusively united to each other, there must arise an inequality of distribution, unless we adopt the law of promiscuous concubinage. But as the desire is universal, it cannot be intended that the distribution should be unequal; for thus, many would, from necessity, be left single. And the other alternative, promiscuous concubinage, would very soon lead, as we have already remarked, to the extinction of society.

2. The manifest design of nature is to increase the human species, in the most rapid ratio consistent with the conditions of our being. That is always the most happy condition of a nation, and that nation is most accurately obeying the laws of our constitution, in which the number of the human race is most rapidly increasing. Now it is certain, that, under the law of chastity, as it has been explained, that is, where individuals are exclusively united to each other, the increase of population will be more rapid, than under any other circumstances.

3. That must be the true law of the domestic relations which will have the most beneficial effect upon the maintenance and education of children. Under the influence of such a law as I have described, it is manifest, that children will be incomparably better provided for than under that of any other. The number of children produced by a single pair thus united, will ordinarily be as great as can be supported and instructed by two individuals. And, besides, the care of children, under these circumstances, becomes a matter, not merely of duty, but of pleasure. On the contrary, just in so far as this law is violated, the love of offspring diminishes. The care of a family, instead of a pleasure, becomes an insupportable burden; and, in the worst states of society, children either perish by multitudes