things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CHAPTER X.

SWEARING, OR BEING UNDER AN OATH.

THE subjects of Christ's kingdom must not swear or be under an oath. Hear the law of the King upon this subject: Mat. v 33-37, " Again ye have heard that it hath been said of them of old time, thou shalt not foreswear thyself, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you swear not at all, neither by Heaven for it is God's throne, nor by the earth for it is his footstool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black, but let your communications be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” And the apostle James writes thus in his epistle, v. 12. "But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath ; but let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay, lest ye fall into condemnation. This is so plain that it needs no comment. But it is astonishing that so many who profess to be subjects of Christ's kingdom, do overlook, or wilfully transgress this plain commandment; and furthermore, there is no necessity for the children of God to be under an oath. The Government, as far as I know, under which we live, is so kind as not to compel the conscientious to swear or be under an oath; an affirmation, yea, yea, or nay, nay, is all that the Government will require. Therefore, it is a violation of the

law of Christ, for his followers to be under oath.

The

followers of Christ ought to be men of truth, so that their word mav be received without an oath.

CHAPTER XI.

NON-CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD.

JESUS CHRIST declared in his high priestly prayer to his Father, that his discisples are not of the world. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." John xvii. 16. The true disciples of Christ, are of God. John says, "We are of God."

The people of God are a distinct and separate people, from the world-that is, they are of another character and party, engaged in a calling which is opposed to the sinful maxims, customs, and practices of the world; yea, in many things, which not only the unconverted, but lamentable to say, many of the professed disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus, do not discover any impropriety; and thus contend and plead for the unnecessary fashions of this sinful world. How often do we hear them say-there is no necessity to be so particular in our customs, dress, &c. Here I would remark that is a great pity, and is certainly a great injury to the cause of Christ-that there is so little uniformity in sentiment and more so in practice on the subject of self-denial in the brotherhood; oh! that the people of God, were of one mind and judgment. It is certainly their privilege, and bounden duty, to be in the unity of the spirit, as the apostle writes to the Ephesians. "I therefore the prisoner of the Lord' beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long

suffering, forbearing one another in love. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Eph. iv. 1, 3. And so Christ prayed to his Father "that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John xvii. 21. Thus it is very evident, that the people of God should be united, and be as uniform in their customs and habits as possible, that there be no difference of character among them. Now all those who plead for the foolish and giddy fashions of the world let them be professors of religion or not, must surely have a proud heart, and not willing to walk in the path of self-denial-and it would be well for them seriously to reflect upon what Christ declared, in Luke xvi. 15. "And he said unto them, ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world, are very tempting, and that the people of God be not overcome, let them be humble, keep down at the feet of Jesus, and they are safe. It is very dangerous and certainly unbecoming in the people of God to imitate the world in its costly and unnecessarily adorning of the body, such conduct is indicative of a high mind.

It would be well to bear in mind, that every thing that has a tendency or is calculated to keep alive and exalt the corrupt nature in man, should be abandoned. The people of God have a right to use the world, but not to abuse it as the apostle Paul writes in the first epistle to the Corinthians, vii. 29-31; "But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, es though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though

possessed not; and they that use the world, as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away." The world can be abused in many ways. If we spend our money, or the gift of Providence, for that which is of no real advantage to soul or body, it is an abusing of the world; and Oh! how much time and money are spent, merely to attract the notice of the eye-the gratification of the flesh; whereas it becometh sinners to be found at all times in an acceptable state to present our bodies as well as our souls, a living sacrifice unto God, as the apostle writes, Rom. xii. 1, 2; “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Again, the apostle tells us to "let our moderation be known unto all men." Phil. iv. 5. That it is our duty to observe plainnessHear what the apostles Paul and Peter say upon the subject-"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sebriety not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." 1 Tim. ii. 9. "Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel." It should always be borne in memory that our bodies were originally taken from the earth, and will return to the earth again. This solemn truth should teach us humility, and not pride in our bodies, but to bring them under subjection to the will of God. The church of Christ should be distinguished from the world in the inward and also the outward man. Christ tells us, that the tree is known by its fruits; Mat. vii. 16. When we can discover no difference in conduct between the world and those who

profess not to be of the world, we conclude that the difference is in the name only, which in this respect is worse than nothing. The most of the world's recreations are sinful—an abuse of time, and should be abandoned. We admonish our fellow pilgrims to the land of promise, to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (See Col. iii.) And as John the beloved disciple exhorts, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" 1 John, v. 21.