They adhere strictly to all their engagements. — No Believer will think lightly of his word, and still less of his oath. If he have promised any thing, he will on no account go back, even though the perfonnance of the promise should involve him in consider- able difficulty. In all pecuniary or commercial transactions, his word will be his bond : no subterfuges \\\\\ be resorted to, no equivocations, no falsehoods invented, to invalidate his engagement : if he have " sworn to his own hurt," he will sub- mit to the consequences, and discharge his conscience with fidelity. With respect to engagements of a yet more sacred nature, he will exercise the utmost scrupulosity ; and not because of any change in his own mind, think himself at liberty to repudiate a betrothed object. If a great moral or religious change have taken place in the one party so as to change the character of that person, and to render him in fact a different person from the one that was betrothed, then the other party may justify a renunciation of the alliance (a man may justly rescind his engagements with a woman who shall depart from the paths of honour and wtue); but it is in the party who remains the same, and not in the party that is changed, that this right resides. Where there are no circumstances of this kind to absolve the Christian, " his yea must be yea, and his nay, nay."
They abhor every thing that is sordid and unjust. — Usury was forbidden under the Mosaic Law ; and that prohibition, as to the spirit of it, obtains equally under the Gospel. There is a legal interest of money which may fitly and properly be made : but every kind of extortion is worthy of the utmost abhorrence. To take advantage of the ignorance or the neces- sities of our fellow-creatures, to deceive them in relation to the quality or quantity of the commodities sold to them, to lean unduly to our own interests, and thereby to injure in any respect the interests of others; all this is contrary to the law of love, the law of honesty : and the man who for filthy lucre sake will condescend to such meanness, is unworthy of the Christian name. It matters not what profession of religion he may make, nor how high he may stand in the estimation of those who are unacquainted with his character ; he has " the mark of the beast upon him," and wiU assuredly take his " portion amongst the hj'pocrites."
We are aware that many religionists will call this statement legal: but let them remember that Paul himself has given this very description of the Christian's conduct, and has declared, that " those who are children of the light will walk in all good- ness, and righteousness, and truths." By these fruits must they be judged of, and " by these fruits must they be known."]
s Eph. v. 8 — 10.