THE DIRECTORY FOR THE PUBLICK WORSHIP OF GOD, Agreed upon by the Assembly of DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER. With the affistance of COMMISSIONERS FROM THE Church of ScOTLAND, AS A part of the covenanted uniformity in religion betwixt the Churches of CHRIST in the kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland, WITH An act of the general assembly, and act of Parliament, both in Anno 1645. Approving and establishing the faid D IRECTORY. Cor. xiv. 40. Let all things be done decently, and in order. Charles. 1. Parl. 3. Seff. 5. مگ An Act of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland, approv ing and establishing the directory for public worship. At Edinburgh, February 6. 1645, PHE eftates of Parliament now conveened, in the second sfession of this first triennial parliament, by virtue of the last act of the lalt Parliament, holden by his majelty and the three estates, in Anno 1641; after public reading, and serious confideration of the act under written of the general affembly, approving the following directory; for the public worship of God in the three kingdoms, lately united by the folemn league and covenant, together with the ordinance of the Parliament of England establishing the said directory, and the directory itself do heartly and cheerfully agree to the said directory, according to the act of the general assembly approving the same. Which act, together with the directory itself, the estates of Parliament do, without a contrary voice, ratify and approve all the heads and articles thereof: and do interpone and add the authority of Parliament to the said act of the general assembly. And do ordain the same to have the strength and force of a law and act of Parliament, and excecution to pass thereupon, for observing the faid directory, according to the faid act of the general assembly in all points. Alex. Gibson Cler. Registri, Assembly at Edinburgh, February 3, 1635. Sef. 10. Acts of the general affembly of the kirk of Scotland, for the establishing and putting in execution of the directory for the public worship of God. WHereas Hereas an happy unity, and uniformity in religion amongst the kirks of Chrift, in these three kingdoms, united under one fovereign, having been long and earnestly wished for, by the Godly and well-affected amongst us, was propounded as a main article of the large treaty, without which band and bulwark, no safe, well-grounded and lafting pease could be expected and afterward, with greater ftrength and maturity, revived in the folemn league and covenant of the three kingdoms; whereby they stand straitly obliged to endeavour the nearest uniformity in one form of Church-government directory of worship, confeffion of faith, and form of catechising: which hath alfo before,and fince our entring into that covenant, been the matter of many fupplications and remonftrances, and sending commiffioners to the king's majesty, of declarations to the honourable houses of the Parliament of England, and of letters to the reverend affembly of divines, and others of the ministry of the kirk of England: being alfo the end of our fending commissioners, as was desired from this of kirk, with commission to treat of uniformity in the four particulars afore-mentioned, withsuch committees as should be appointed by both houses of Parliament of England, and by the affembly of divines fitting at Westminster; And besides all this, it being, in point confcience, the chief motive and end of our adventuring upon manifold and great hazards, for quenching the devouring flame of the present unatural and bloody war in England, tho' to the weakning of this kingdom within itself, and the advantage of the enemy which hath invaded it, accounting nothing too dear to us, fo that this our joy be fulfilled. And now this great work being so far advanced, that a directory for the public worship of Godin all the three kingdoms, being agreed upon by the honourable houses of the Parliament of England after confultation with the divines of both kingdoms there assembled, and sent to us for our approbation, that, being alfo agreed upon by this kirk and kingdom of Scotland, it d,it may be in the name of both kingdoms presented to the king, for his his royal confent and ratification; The general assembly having most seriously confidered, revifed, and examined the directory aforementioned, after several public readings of it, after much deliberation, both publicly and in private committees, after full liberty given to all to object against it, and earnest invitations ofall who have any fcruples about it, to make known the fame that they might be fatisfied, doth unanimously, and without a contrary voice, agree to, and approve the following directory, in all the heads thereof, together with the preface, set before it: And doth require, decern and ordain, That according to the plain tenor, and meaning thereof, and the intent of the preface, it be carefully ly and uniformly observed and practifed by all the minifters and others within this kingdom, whom it doth concern; which practice shall be begun, upon intimation given to the several prefbyteries, from the commiflioners of this general affembly, who shall also take fpecial care for the timeous printing of this directory, that a printed copy of it be provided and kept for the use of every kirk in this kingdom; Also, that each prefbytery have a printed copy thereof for their use, and take special notice of the obfervation or neglect thereof in every congregation within their bounds, and make known the fame to the provincial or general assembly, as there shall be cause. Provided always, that the clause in the directory, of the administration of the LORD's fupper, which mentioneth the communicants fitting about the table, or at it, be not interpreted, as if, in the judgment of this kirk, it were indifferent, and free for any of the communicants, not to come to, and receive at the table, or as if we did approve the distributing of the elements by the minifter to each communicant, and not by the communicants among themselves. It is also provided, That this shall be no prejudice to the order and practice of this kirk, in fuch particulars as are appointed by the books of difcipline, and acts of general assemblies, and are not otherwife ordered and appointed in the directory. Finally, The aflembly doth, with much joy and thankfulness, acknowledge the rich blessing and invaluable mercy of God, in bringing the so much wished-for uniformity in religion to such a happy period, that these kingdoms, once at fo great a distance in the form of worThip, are now by the blessing of Godbrought to a nearer uniformity then any other reformed kirks; which is unto us the return of our prayers, and a lightning of our eyes and reviving of our hearts in Gg4 the the midft of our many forrows and fufferings; a taking away, in a great measure, the reproach of the people of God, to the stopping of the mouths of malignant and disaffected persons; and an opening unto us adoor of hope, that God hath yet thoughts of peace towards us, and not of evil, to give us an expected end: in the expectation and confidence whereof we do rejoice; beseeching the Lord to preserve these kingdoms from herefies, Schisins, offences, profaneness, and whatsoever is contrary to found doctrine and the power of Godliness: and to continue with us and the generations following, these his pure and purged ordinances, together with an increase of the power and life thereof, to the glory of his great name, the enlargment of the kingdom of his Son, the corroboration of peace and love between the kingdoms, the unity and comfort of all his people, and our edifying one antoher in love. THE DIRECTORY FOR THE PUBLICK WORSHIPOF GOD. Agreed upon by the affembly of DIVINES at Westminifter; examined and approved, Anno 1645, by the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the CHURCH OF SCOTLAND; and ratified by ast of parliament the fame Year. I The PREFACE. N the begining of the blessed reformation, our wife and pious ancestors took care to set forth an order for redress of many things, which they then, by the word discovered to be vain, erroneous, superstitious, and idolatrous, and in the public worship of God. This occa sioned many Godly and learned men to rejoice much in the book of common prayer, at that time fet forth; because the mass and the rest of the Latin service being removed, the public worship was celebrated in our own tongue, many of the common people also received benefit by hearing the Scriptures read in their own language, which formerly were unto them as a book that is fealed. Howbeit, long and sad experience hath made it manifest that the liturgy used in the church of England (notwithstanding all the pains and religious intentions of the compilers of it,) hath proved an offence, not only to many of the Godly at home, but also to the reformed churches Abroad. For, not to fpeak of urging the reading of all the prayers, which very greatly increased the burden of it: the many unprofitable and burdensom ceremonies contained in it, have oc. casioned much mischief, as well by disquieting the confcience of |