speech, they may become. Swearing is not herd from the judge on the bench, nor from the lawyer at the bar. Female society has discarded it. And it has been pointedly remarked, that "He who uses oaths in writing, leaves the imaginations of his readers to fill up the blank, because he dares not write them down. He who utters them in conversation can aver but one excuse, a deficiency in brains and language. Fools may be pitied and forgiven, but the man who cannot open his mouth without shocking the moral feelings of his hearers, and breaking both the human and divine law, should be silent."

The professor of the religion of Jesus Christ has a special reason for avoiding this heinous sin. It is forbidden in the Scriptures. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Such was the commandment to Israel.

"Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; neither 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 communication be yea, yea, nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil." Such is the language of the Son of God: and the apostle James has followed the example of his Master in this injunction ; "But above all, my brethren, swear not." He knew that Christians were surrounded by this evil, and he bids them beware. It is the height of inconsistency for a believer in Gospel truth to swear. Is he to take in vain the sacred name of Him who is from everlasting to everlasting the Father and friend of all his children? How would this seem if illustrated by coming home to our affairs in life? What should we think of that son whom

we knew to have a kind, provident parent, should we perceive him, after professing to love that parent's character, and to respect his name, quietly listening while that name was abused, united with curses, and taken in vain, and even joining himself in this very abuse and blasphemy? We should at once pronounce him a hypocrite, and conclude, that we had rather have that man's example, than hear so much of his profession. And this conclusion would be just. Apply this supposition to the believer in that God, who is "good, unto all, and whose tender mercies are over all his works "; and ask how he appears when giving countenance by word or deed to the sin of profane swearing? Well, then, might the apostle say, "above all, my brethren, swear not."

To point out at length the pernicious influence of swearing would exceed our present limits. Besides, there is no need of any long array of arguments against swearing, when its evils are so palpable. It is ungrateful to God, disrespectful and debasing to man. And its tendency is to banish from the mind all hallowed thoughts of the great Creator; and thus sink the human mind to a level with the brute. It has a tendency also to weaken the importance of oaths in our courts of justice for if a man will not reverence his Maker's name in his common intercourse of life, is it to be supposed he will be more inclined to honor it, when called to give his testimony at a human tribunal ?

:

Archbishop Tillotson remarks, in one of his sermons, that "Some appear to be constitutionally avaricious; some are naturally gloomy and dejected; some sulky and revengeful, and others obstinate and violent. But no one was ever born with a swearing constitution." In short,

there can be no palliation for this sin; and it should meet the decided reproof and condemnation of all lovers of the Christian name. The power of speech is given us to glorify God. Let us thus employ it. The thousands of voices in the earth around us, are filled with thanksgiving and joy. Shall man be the only exception to this order? Shall his lips curse in bitterness; his tongue blaspheme? Forbid it heaven! Teach us to suppress all swearing in word or thought, and learn us to employ our speech in blessing and in praise!

There is another evil of the tongue on which I need not dwell at length; because, if those already noticed are avoided, it is quite evident, that this will not be practised. I allude to vulgarity. It is to be borne in mind, by every Christian, that purity of language is most generally the sure indication of a good heart. This is in agree. ment with the truth, that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." No special rules need be given on this subject. It is not required of us, that in our observance of the "yea, yea, and nay, nay" injunction, we measure every word and sentence of speech with exact precision. Thousands of things are, and may be said, in our daily rounds of life, which are not absolutely needful, but which do no harm, which aid in keeping alive, and in action, the social feelings, and teach us to prize them as blessings from God. But all corrupting communications are to be avoided. "For he that would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak no guile."

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CHAPTER V.

CULTURE OF THE MIND.

Ir any truth is taught with clearness, it is, that Christian believers must " grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Such is the instruction given in the New Testament; and we can conceive of no requirement more reasonable than this. The Christian, when he becomes converted from the error of his thoughts and ways to the belief of divine truth, and the humble desire to practise it, has just entered a school of instruction. He has learned the first elements from his Master, Christ, "the teacher come from God," and is now to sit at his feet and hear his words; to listen as he communicates the precepts of holiness, and guides the understanding and the heart into new and more glorious fields of heavenly truth. Merely to enter the school is not enough. True scholarship is required; and this can come only of diligent application to the sublime science. of religion.

The Scriptures abound in proof of the advancement and expansion of the Christian mind. Jesus himself is said to have "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." The apostles, after their conversion to Christ, needed much enlargement of faith. and hope, much growth in love. Paul, notwithstanding his sudden and thorough change in feeling and sentiment, continued to receive new light and new strength during his earthly pilgrimage. He wished to "perfect that

which was lacking in the faith" of his Thessalonian brethren; and desired, that all with whom he held intercourse should understand from him, that he could not consent to stand still; but that he would “ press onward toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"; that they might "grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." He would have them "rooted and grounded" in him, that they might be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fulness of God."

The apostle Peter, notwithstanding the zeal with which he entered the service of his Master, was comparatively ignorant and blind, until he became quickened and his mind enlarged, in consequence of the vision by the Sea of Joppa. Previous to this, Jesus had occasion to say to him, "Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou art an offence unto me. When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Thou shalt deny me." When he began to advance in the Christian course, he learned, that "God had granted unto the Gentiles repentance unto life." He saw, that his master's service was one of discipline and progress; and therefore exhorts his brethren, that they be not "led away by the error of the wicked, nor fall from their own steadfastness." He instructs and admonishes in the true spirit of a faithful brother and friend. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: