the scriptures, which are a deep mine of hidden treasure to those who thus seek for it: wherein fresh stores of Divine wisdom continually open themselves to the pious and honest enquirer, furnishing him with clearer and more extensive knowledge of the will of God and of his duty, and new and powerful motives to the practice of it.

For

By being baptized, you do not declare yourself of any religious sect or party; but a Christian. you are baptized into the name of Jesus only: not of Paul, or of Peter, for the Apostles themselves were not lords of our faith; not of Luther, Calvin, or Socinus,* in later times: all of whom, though faithful servants of God, and eminent reformers and teachers in the Christian Church, were fallible mortals, and mistaken in many things; and therefore are to be followed by us no farther than as they followed Christ, our common master, and taught the truth which he taught.

It is our Lord's charge to his Apostles, which belongs also to all his followers, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before

The Editor cannot allow the name of Socinus to pass, in conjunction with those of Luther and Calvin, without protesting against that profane Heresiarch being acknowledged as "a faithful servant of God," or "an eminent reformer and teacher in the Christian Church."-P. H.

my Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. Matt. x. 32, 33.

You are, therefore, to make open confession and acknowledgment of the divine truth of the Gospel, so far as you have attained, or shall attain, to it; and at no time, through indolence, or the fear of man, or for any worldly consideration whatsoever, are you to dissemble and shrink from it.

If by the blessing of the heavenly Father, you have escaped from darkness and grievous errors, in which others may be involved, you are to beware and guard against the being elated thereby, so as to think worse of their final state before God, and better of your own, merely on that account. For this will generate an unworthy pride and self-preference, and contempt of those who possess not these advantages. Whereas you ought rather to be the more humble, reflecting that all things are of God; that whatever you enjoy is from his bounty, and no desert of your own; and that it is not the splendour and abundance of his gifts, but the faithful use and application of them for your own personal purification and improvement, and the edification of others, that will make them of any real value to you, or

recommend you to the favour of God in the

end.

And you will always bear in mind, that we cannot be Christ's true disciples, nor is our religion that of the Gospel, if in any respect, and especially if on account of any difference of religious sentiments, it lead us to undervalue, despise, or evilintreat any of our fellow-Christians. For he hath expressly told us: A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another. John xii. 34, 35.

Finally, forget not the teaching of the Apostle, that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature ; that, as Christians, all our knowledge and endowments are only to be esteemed in proportion as they make us wiser and better in our different relations in life, more pious and dutiful to God, more just and kind to others, more strict in the virtuous government of ourselves, our appetites, passions, and affections, and more extensively serviceable to others in their present and future interests.

And may the supreme Father and Governor of

all things direct and bless you in all your ways, that you may be finally approved by him, and be made a partaker of his heavenly and eternal kingdom, which he hath promised by Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE FORM

OF

SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY.

The form of publication of the banns of Marriage.

I PUBLISH the banns of marriage between M. of

If any of

you

know

and N. of cause or just impediment, why these two persons should not be joined together in holy matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first [second, or third] time of publication.

When the persons to be married and their friends are assembled, the Minister shall say:

DEARLY beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency : which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee; and it is commended of Saint