which all our christian advantages should terminate. Let us, therefore, as many as are here assembled, by the present administration of baptism, take occasion to establish in our minds a lively sense of our obligations to serve God, according to the gospel of his Son, in holiness and righteousness all our days.

Then shall the Minister say to the Person desiring to be baptized,

OUR Lord Jesus commanded, that all persons baptized should be instructed in his holy gospel. You, in the profession of the christian faith, present yourself to be baptized according to his institution. Do you now promise, that you will receive the instructions of the christian religion, and govern your faith and practice by its doctrines and laws?

Answ. This I now promise, and by the help of God, will endeavour to perform.

The Minister shall then baptize the Person, saying,

I BAPTIZE thee in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Min. Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, regard in mercy the prayers of thy people; and bless thy servant, who hath now been acknowledged as a member of the christian church, by baptism. Incline his heart to receive with all readiness the doctrines and instructions of Christ, and to submit faithfully to the authority of his laws. Give him strength to triumph over the temptations of vice, and to be steadfast in the practice of that holiness which baptism is designed to represent; that, living as becometh a good and faithful member of the christian church here on earth, he may at length partake in heaven of that eternal kingdom which thou hast revealed to us by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

WE give thee humble thanks, O heavenly Father. that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in

thee; increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore, that we may be enabled to mortify all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily to proceed in all virtue and godliness of living, till we come to that eternal kingdom, which thou hast promised by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

NOW unto him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE EXHORTATION.

Christian Brother,

IN obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all persons baptized be instructed in his holy religion; you have now engaged, by a solemn promise before God and this assembly, that you will receive the instructions of the christian religion, and

govern your faith and practice by its doctrines and laws. laws. May you carefully keep in mind this promise, and perform it faithfully. To this end, you are diligently and honestly to search the scriptures. These contain every thing necessary to eternal salvation; and from these you may obtain all that information which is requisite to improve your understanding and confirm ing and confirm your faith. Above all, you are carefully to obey the precepts of the gospel, and to cultivate that purity of heart and affections, which all its laws, ordinances, and doctrines are designed to promote.

Having the fear of God before your eyes, be you now exhorted to discharge, with fidelity and exactness the duty you have now acknowledged. To the due observance of it may God incline your heart; and may he bless you with success, for your improvement in christian knowledge, and holiness of life, for the honour of religion, and the glory of his holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I PUBLISH the Banns of marriage between M. of and N. of. If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first [second or third] time of asking.

When the Persons to be married are assembled with their Friends, 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 matrimony; which is an honourable estate, institut

t

ed of God in the time of man's innocency; which estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of St Paul to be honourable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, or taken in hand, lightly or unadvisedly; but reverently, discreetly, soberly, and in the fear of God.

And also, speaking to the Persons who are to be married he shall say,

IREQUIRE and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment, when the se

crets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully united in matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured, that so many as are joined together otherwise than God's word doth allow, are not joined together by God, neither is their matrimony lawful.

If no impediment be alleged, then shall the Minister say unto the Man,

M. WILT thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance, in the estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?

The Man shall answer,

I will.

Then shall the Minister say unto the Woman;

N. WILT thou have this man to thy wedded

husband, to live together after God's ordinance, in the estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?

The Woman shall answer,

I will.

Then shall the Minister say,

Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?

Then the Minister, receiving the Woman, at her Father's or Friend's hands, shall cause the Man with his right hand, to take the Woman by her right hand, and to say after him as followeth;

I, M. take thee, N. to my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance, and the laws of the land.

Then shall the Woman likewise say after the Minister;

I, N. take thee, M. to my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance and the laws of the land.

Then shall they loose their hands, and the Man shall give unto the Woman a Ring, putting it upon the fourth finger of her left hand. And the Man holding the Ring there, and taught by the Minister, shall say,

WITH this ring I thee wed; with all my worldly goods I thee endow; and to thee only do I promise to keep myself, so long as we both shall live. Amen.

Then the minister shall say,

Let us pray.

O ETERNAL God, creator and preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author

of everlasting life; send thy blessing upon these thy servants, whom we bless in thy name. Enable them to perform the covenant which they have now made in thy presence. May they seriously attend to the duties of the new relation in which they stand to each other; that it may not be to them a state of temptation and sorrow, but of holiness and comfort; may they live together in peace and love; and wilt thou, the God of peace and love, be always with them, and lead them in the paths of innocence

and virtue to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

;

Then shall the Minister speak unto the People.

FORASMUCH as M. and N. have consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have engaged and pledged themselves to each other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife; and those