A MISERY TO BE LAMENTED.

            Pastor Robinson in his farewell charge to his congregation at Leyden, before they set sail from Holland, in the Mayflower for New England, says to them—“I charge you before God and his holy angels, that you follow me no further than you have seen me to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has more truth yet to break forth out of his holy word. For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, which are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no further than the instruments of their first reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they were burning and shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God; but were they now living, they would be as willing to embrace further light as that which first they received. I beseech you to remember, that you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known unto you from the written word of God.”

            If all who rejoice in Puritanism would give heed to this candid exhortation of their father, it would do more to advance them Zionward from that full stop to which they have long arrived like the “reform churches” of the pastor’s day, than any Blue laws, Sabbath-consecrations, or State-thanksgivings, &c., they can invent for the promotion of popular sanctity. We would especially commend pastor Robinson’s charge to our friends, the adherents of the Bethanian gospel of sacred history, who like the Lutherans and Calvinists, “are come to a period in religion,” as if there were no promises for faith and fulfilment in the word of God! —

EDITOR.