PIETY and UNIFORMITY in Secret and Private WORSHIP, and mutual EDIFICATION:

WITH

An Act of the General Assembly, Anno 1648, for observing the Same.

Printed in the Year, M,DCC, LV.

Affembly at Edinburgh. Aug. 24, 1647, Seff. 10. ACT for obierving the Directions of the General Affembly, for secret and private Worship, and mutual Edification and centuring fuch as neglect Family Worthip.

THE General Assembly, after mature deliberation, doth approve the

following rules and directions, for cherisbing piety and preventing division and scrifm; and doth appoint minifters and ruling elders, in each congregation, to take special care that these directions be obferved and followed; as likewise, that prefbyteries and provincial Synods enquire and make trial, whether the faid directions be duly obferved in their bounds; and to reprove or cenfure (according to the quality of the offence) fuch as should be found to be reproveable or cenfureable therein. And, to the end that these directions may not be rendered ineffectual and unprofitable among fome, through the usual neglect of the very substance of the duty of family worship; the affembly doth further require and appoint minifters and ruling elders to make diligent search and enquiry, in the congregations committed to their charge respectively, whether there be among them any family or families, which use to neglect this necessary duty; and, if any fuch family be found. the head of the family is to be first admonisbed privately to amend his fault; and, in case of his continuing therein, he is to be gravely and fadly reproved by the feffion: after which reproot, if he be found still to neglect family worship let him be, for bis obstinacy in such an offence, fufpended and debarred from the Lord's fupper, as being justly esteemed unworthy to communicate therein, till he amend.

DIRECTIONS of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY, concerning Secret and Private Worship, and mutual Edification; for cherishing Piety, for maintaining Unity, and avoiding Schifm and Division.

ESIDES the public worthip in congregations, mercifully estaB blished in this land, in great purity; it is expedient and neceffary, that fecret worship of each perton alone, and private worthip of families, be pressfed and fet up: That, with national reformation, the profession and power of godliness, both personal and domeftic, be

advanced.

I. And First, For secret worship, it is most necessary, that every one apart, and by themselves, be given to prayer, and meditation, the unspeakable benefit whereof is best known to them who are most exercised therein; this being the mean whereby, in a special way, communion with God is entertained, and right preparation for all other duties obtained: and therefore it becometh not only paftors, within their several charges, to press persons of all forts to perform this duty, morning and evening, and at other occafions; but alfo it is incum

bent to the heads of every family to have a care that both themselves, and all within their charge, be daily diligent herein.

II. The ordinary duties comprehended under the exercise of piety, which should be in families, when they are conveened to that effect, are these; First, Prayer and praises performed, with a special reference, as well to the public condition of the kirk of God, and this kingdom, as to the present cafe of the family, and every member thereof. Next, reading of the scriptores, with catechising in a plain way, that the understandings of the simpler may be the better enabled to profit under the public ordinances, and they made more capable to understand the scriptures, when they are read; together with godly conterences tending to the edification of all the members in the most holy faith: As also, admonition and rebuke, upon just reasons, from those who have authority in the family.

III. As the charge and office of interpreting the holy scriptures, is a part of the minifterial calling, which none (however otherwise qualified) should take upon him in any place, but he that is duly called thereunto by God and his kirk; so in every family, where there is any that can read, the holy scriptures should be read ordinarily to the family; and it is commendable, that thereafter they confer, and by way of conference make some good use of what hath been read and heard : as for example, if any fin be reproved in the word read, ufe may be made thereof to make all the family circumspect and watchful against the fame: or if any judgment be threatened, or mentioned to have been in icted in that portion of scriptúre which is read, use may be made to make all the family fear, left the same or a worse judgment befal them, unless they beware of the fin that procured it. And finally, if any duty be required, or comfort held forth in a promise, use may be made to stir up themselves to employ Christ for strength to enable them for doing the comunanded duty, and to apply the offered comfort. all which, the master of the family is to have the chief hand; and any member of the family may propone a question or doubt for refolution.

In

IV. The head of the family is to take care that none of the family withdraw himself from any part of family-worship, and, feeing the ordinary performance of all the parts of family worship belongeth properly to the head of the faraily, the minifter is to stir up such as are lazy, and train up such as are weak, to a firness to these exercifes; it being always free to perfons of quality, to entertain one approved by the prefbytery for performing family exercise And in other families where the head of the family is unfir, that another conftantly residing in the family, approved by the minifter and fession, may be employed in that service; wherein the minifter and session are to be countable to the presbytery. And, if a minister by divine providence be brought to any family, it is requifite, that at no time he conveen a part of the family for worship, fecluding the rest, except in fingular cafes, especi

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ally concerning thele parties, which (in Christian prudence) need not, or ought not, to be imparted to others.

V. Let no idler who hath no particular calling, or vagrant perfon under pretence of a calling, be fuffered to perform worship in families, to, or from the fame; feeing perfons tainted with errors, or aiming at division, may be ready (arter that manner) to creep into houses, and lead captive filly and unstable fouls.

VI. At tamily worship, a focial care is to be had that each family keep by themselves. Neither requiring inviting, nor admitting perfons from diverse families, unless it be those who are lodged with them, or at meals or otherwise with them upon some lawrul occafion

VII. Whatsoever have been the effets and fruits of meetings of persons of diverte families, in the times of corruption or trouble (in which cafes many things are commendable, which otherwile are not tolerable) yet, when God hath blessed us with peace and purity of the gofpel, such meetings of perfons of divers families (except in cates men. tioned in thefe directions) are to be disapproved, as tending to the hinderance of the religious exercife of each family by itfelt, to the prejudice of the public ministry, to the renting of the families of particular congregations, and (in progress of time) of the whole kirk. Befides many offences which may come thereby, to the hardening of the hearts of carnal men, and grief of the godly.

VIII. On the Lord's day, after every one of the family apart, and the whole family together, have fought the Lord (in whose hands the preparation of mens hearts are) to fit them for the public worship, and to bless to them the public ordinances; the master of the family ought to take care, that all within his charge repair to the public worship, that he and they may join with the rest of the congregation; and the public worship being finished, after prayer, he should take an account what they have heard; and thereafter, to spend the rest of the time, which they may spare, in catechising, and in fpiritual conferences upon the word of God: or elfe (going apart) they ought to apply themselves to reading, meditation, and lecret prayer, that they may confirm and increase their communion with God, that so the profit which they found in the public ordinances may be cherished and promoved, and they more edified unto eternal life.

IX. So many as can conceive prayer, ought to make use of that gift of God; albeit those who are rude and weaker may begin at a set form of prayer, but so as they be not fluggith in thirring up in themselves (according to their daily necessities the spirit of prayer, which is given to all the children of God in some meature: to which effect, they ought to be more fervent and frequent in secret prayer to God, for enabling of their hearts to conceive. and their tongues to express convenient defires to God for their family: and in the mean time, for their greater encouragement, let these materials of prayer be meditated upon, and made use of, as followeth.

Let

Let them confess to God how unworthy they are to come in his pretence, and how unfit to worship his majesty and therefore earnestly afk of God the spirit of prayer

They are to confess their sins, and the sins of the family; accuf• ing, judging and condemning themselves or them, till they bring their fouls to some measure of true humiliation.

They are to pour out their fouls to God, in the name of Christ, ⚫ by the Spirit, for forgiveness of fins; for grace to repent, to believe, ⚫ and to live soberly, righteously, and godly; and that they may ferve • God with joy and delight, walking before him.

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They are to give thanks to God for his many mercies to his peo• ple and to themselves, and especially for his love in Christ, and for "the light of the gospel.

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They are to pray for fuch particular benefits spiritual and temporal, as they stand in need for the time (whether it be morning, or evening) as anent health or fickness profperity or adversity

• They ought to pray for the kitk of Christ in general, for all the • reformed kirks, and for this kirk in particular, and tor al that fuffer • for the name of Chrift; for all our tuperiors, the king's majesty, the • queen, and their children; for the magistrates, ministers, and whole

body of the congregation whereor they are members, as well for • their neighbours ablen: in hit lawtul affairs, as for thote that are at home.

• The prayer may be closed with an earnest defire that God may be 'glorified in the coming of the kingdom of his Son, and in doing of ⚫ his will, and with affurance that themtelves are accepted, and what they have afked according to his will hul be Jone.'

X These exercites ought to be performed in great fincerity, without delay, laying afide all exercises of worldly busine's or hinderances, notwithstanding the mockings of atheists and profane men; in respect of the great mercies of God to this land, and of his fevere corrections wherewith lately he hath exercised us. And, to this effect, persons of eminency (and all elders of the kirk) not only ought to stir up theinfelves and families to diligence herein; but alfo to concur effectually, that in all other families, where they have power and charge, the laid exercises be conscionably performed.

XI. Besides the ordinary duties in families, which are above-mentioned, extraordinary duties, both of humiliation and thanksgiving, are to be carefully performed in families, when the Lord by extraordinary occafions (private or public) calleth for them.

XII. Seeing the word of God requireth, that we should confider one another to provoke unto love and good works; therefore, at all times, and specially in this time, wherein profanity abounds, and mockers, walking after their own lufts, think it strange that others run not with them to the fame excess of riot; every member of this kirk ought to itir up themselves, and one another, to the duties of mutual ed fication,

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