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fuch scarcity of faithful paftors) and fpoiled of their livelihood, to the undoing of them and their families. Prelates and their faction have laboured to raise the eflimation of it to fuch an height, as if there were no other worship, or way of worship of GOD, amongst us, but only the fervice-book; to the great hinderance of the preaching of the word, and in fome places, especially of late) to the juftling of it out, as unneceffary; or (at beft) as far inferior to the reading of common-prayer, which was made no better than an idol by many ignorant and fu perftitious people, who pleafing themselves in their prefence at that fervice, and their lip-labour as bearing a part in it, have thereby hardened themselves in their ignorance and careleffnefs of faving knowledge and true piety.

In the mean time, Papifts boafted that the book was a compliance with them in a great part of their fervice; and fo were not a little confirmed in their fuperftition and idolatry, expecting rather our return to them, than endeavouring the reformation of themlelves; in which expectation they were of late very much encouraged, when, upon the pretended warrantableness of impofing of the former ceremonies, new ones were daily obtruded upon the church.

Add hereunto (which was not foreseen, but fince hath come to pa) that the liturgy hath been a great means, as on the one hand to make and increafe an idle and unedifying miniftry, which contented itfelf with fet forms made to their hands by others, without putting forth themfelves to exercife the gift of prayer, with which our Lord Jefus Christ pleaseth to furnish all his fervants whom he calls to that office: fo, on the other fide, it hath been (and ever would be, if continued) a matter of endless ftrife and contention in the church, and a foare both to many godly and faithful minifters, who have been perfecuted and filenced upon that occafion, and to others of hopeful parts, many which have been, and more ftill would be, diverted from all thoughts of the miniftry to other studies; especially in thefe latter times, wherein God vouchlafeth to his people more and better means for the difcovery of error and fuperftition, and for attaining of knowledge in the myfteries of godlinefs, and gifts in preaching and prayer.

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Upon thefe, and many the like weighty confiderations in reference to the whole book in general, and becaufe of divers particulars contained in it; not from any love to novelty, or intention to difparage our first reformers (of whom we are perfuaded, that, were they now alive, they would join with us in this work, and whom we acknow Jedge as excellent inftruments, raised by God, to begin the purging and building of his houfe, and defire they may be had of us and pofte rity in everlasting remembrance, with thankfuloefs and honour;) but that we may, in fome meafure, anfwer the gracious providence of God, which at this time calleth upon us for further reformation, and may fatisfy our own confciences, and antwer the expectation of other reformed churches, and the defires of mary of the godly among our

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felves, and withal give fome public teftimony of our endeavours for uniformity in divine worship, which we have promifed in our Solemn League and Covenant: we have, after earnest and frequent calling upon the name of God, and after much confultation, not with flesh and blood, but with his holy word, refolved to lay afide the former liturgy, with the many rites and ceremonies formerly used in the worthip of God; and have agreed upon this following Directory for all the parts of public worship, at ordinary and extraordinary times.

Wherein our care hath been, to hold forth fuch things as are of divine inftitution in every ordinance; and other things we have endeavoured to fet forth according to the rules of Chriftian prudence, agreeable to the general rules of the word of God: our meaning therein being only, that the general heads, the fenfe and scope of the prayers, and other parts of public worship, being known to all, there may be a confent of all the churches in thofe things that contain the substance of the fervice and worship of God; and the minifters may be hereby directed, in their adminiftrations, to keep like foundness in doctrine.

prayer, and may, if need be, have fome help and furniture, and yet fo as they become not hereby flothful and negligent in ftirring up the gifts of Chrift in them; but that each one, by meditation, by taking heed to himself and the flock of God committed to him, and by wife obferving the ways of divine providence, may be careful to furnifh his heart and tongue with further or other materials of prayer and exhortation as fhall be needful upon all occafions.

of the Assembling of the Congregation, and their Behaviour in the public Worship of God.

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HEN the congregation is to meet for public worship, the people (having before prepared their hearts thereunto) ought ali to come, and join therein; not abfenting themfelves from the public ordinances through negligence, or upon pretence of private meetings.

Let all enter the affembly, not irreverently, but in a grave and feemly manner, taking their feats or places without adoration, or bowing themfeives towards one place or other.

The congregation being affembled, the minifter, after folemn calling on them to the worshipping of the great name of God, is to begin with prayer.

In all reverence and humility acknowledging the incomprehenfible "greatness and majefty of the Lord, (in whofe prefence they do then ' in a fpecial manner appear) and their own vilenels and unworthinel's to approach fo near him, with their utter inability of themfelves to fo great a work; and humbly beleeching him for paadon, affift'ance, and acceptance in the whole fervice then to be performed and

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for a bleffing on that particular portion of his word then to be read f and all in the name and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ.'

The public worship being begun, the people are wholly to attend upon it, forbearing to read any thing, except what the minifter is then reading or citing; and abstaining much more from all private whis perings, conferences, falutations, or doing reverence to any perfon prefent, or coming in; as alfo from all gazing, fleeping, and other indecent behaviour, which may disturb the minifter or people, or hinder themselves or others in the service of God.

If any, through neceffity, be hindered from being present at the be ginning, they ought not, when they come into the congregation, to betake themselves to their private devotions, but reverently to compose themselves to join with the affembly, in that ordinance of God which is then in hand.

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Of Public Reading of the Holy Scriptures.

EADING of the word in the congregation, being part of the public worship of God, (wherein we acknowledge our dependence upon him, and fubjection to him) and one means fanctified by him for the edifying of his people, is to be performed by the pastors and teachers.

Howbeit, fuch as intend the miniftry, may occafionally both read the word, and exercise their gift in preaching in the congregation, if allowed by the presbytery thereunto.

All the canonical books of the Old and New Teftament (but none of thofe which commonly are called apocrypha) shall be publicly read in the vulgar tongue, out of the beft allowed tranflation, diftinctly, that all may hear and understand.

How large a portion fhall be read at once, is left to the wisdom of the minifter; but it is convenient, that ordinarily one chapter of each Teftament be read at every meeting: and fometimes more, where the chapters be short, or the coherence of matter requireth it.

It is requifite that all the canonical books be read over in order, that the people may be better acquainted with the whole body of the fcriptures; ordinarily, where the reading in either Teftament endeth on one Lord's day, it is to begin the next.

We commend alfo the more frequent reading of such scriptures, as he that readeth fhall think beft for edification of his hearers, as the book of Pfalms, and fuch like.

When the minifter, who readeth, fhall judge it neceffary to expound any part of what is read, let it not be done, until the whole chapter or pfalm be ended: and regard is always to be bad unto the time, that neither preaching, nor other ordinance, be ftraitened, or rendered te dious. Which rule is to be obferved in all other public performances. Befide public reading of the holy fcriptures, every perfon that can

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read, is to be exhorted to read the fcriptures privately, (and all others that cannot read, if not difabled by age, or otherwife, are likewife to be exhorted to learn to read) and to have a Bible.

Of public Prayer before the Sermon.

FTER reading of the Word, (and finging of the Pfalm) the minifter who is to preach, is to endeavour to get his own and his hearers hearts to be rightly affected with their fins that they may all mourn in fenfe thereof before the Lord, and hunger and thirst after the grace of God in Jefus Chrift, by proceeding to a more full confeffion of fin, with shame and holy confusion of face, and to call upon the Lord to this effect.

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• To acknowledge our great finfulness, Firft, by reafon of original fin, which (befide the guilt that makes us liable to everlasting damnation) is the feed of all other fins, hath depraved and poisoned all the faculties and powers of foul and body, doth defile our best actions, (and were it not reftrained, or our hearts renewed by grace) would break forth into innumerable tranfgreffions, and greateft re⚫bellions againft the Lord that ever were committed by the vileft of the fons of men. And, next, by reason of actual fins, our own fins, the fins of magiftrates, of ministers, and of the whole nation, unto which we are many ways acceffory: Which fins of ours receive ⚫ many fearful. aggravations, we having broken all the commandments of the holy, juft and good law of God, doing that which is forbid⚫den, and leaving undone what is injoined; and that not only out of • ignorance and infirmity, but also more prefumptuously, against the light of our minds, checks of our confciences, and motions of his ⚫ own holy Spirit to the contrary, fo that we have no cloke for our fins; yea, not only defpifing the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and long-fuffering, but ftanding out againft many invitations and offers of grace in the gofpel; not endeavouring, as we ought, to receive Chrift into our hearts by faith, or to walk worthy of him in our lives.

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To bewail our blindness of mind, hardness of heart, unbelief, im ⚫ penitency, fecurity, lukewarmnefs, barrennefs; our not endeavouring after mortification and newnefs of life; nor after the exercise of god⚫linefs in the power thereof, and that the best of us have not fo ftedfaftly walked with God, kept our garments fo unfpotted, nor been fo zealous of his glory, and the good of others, as we ought: And ⚫ to mourn over fuch other fins as the congregation is particularly guilty of notwithstanding the manifold and great mercies of our God, the love of Chrift, the light of the golpel, and reformation of religion, our own purposes, promises, vows, folemn covenant, and other special obligations to the contrary.

To acknowledge and confefs, that, as we are convinced of our

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guilt, fo, out of a deep fense thereof, we judge ourselves unworthy of the fmalleft benefits, moft worthy of God's fierceft wrath, and of all the curfes of the law, and heaviest judgments inflicted upon the ⚫ most rebellious finners; and that he might moft juftly take his king. dom and gofpel from us, plague us with all forts of fpiritual and tem 'poral judgments in this life, and after caft us into utter darkness, in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, where is weeping and gnafhing of teeth for evermore.

Notwithstanding all which, to draw near to the throne of grace, ⚫ encouraging ourselves with hope of a gracious answer of our prayers, in the riches and all-fufficiency of that only one oblation, the fatisfac tion and interceffion of the Lord Jefus Chrift, at the right-hand of his Father, and our Father, and in confidence of the exceeding great ' and precious promifes of mercy and grace in the new covenant, thro' the fame Mediator thereof, to deprecate the heavy wrath and curse of "God, which we are not able to avoid, or bear; and humbly and earneftly to fupplicate for mercy in the free and full remiffion of all our fins, and that only for the bitter fufferings and precious merits of that our only Saviour Jefus Chrift.

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" That the Lord would vouchfafe to shed abroad his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft; feal unto us, by the fame fpirit of adoption, the 'full affurance of our pardon and reconciliation; comfort all that moura in Zion, speak peace to the wounded and troubled spirit, and bind up the broken hearted: and as for fecure and prefumptuous finners, that 'he would open their eyes, convince their confciences, and turn them ⚫ from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they also may receive forgivenefs of fin, and an inheritance among them that are fanctified by faith in Chrift Jefus.

With remiffion of fins through the blood of Chrift, to pray for fanctification by his Spirit; the mortification of fin dwelling in and many times tyrannizing over us; the quickning of our dead fpirits, with the life of God in Chrift; grace to fit and enable us for all duties of converfation and callings towards God and men, strength a gainft temptations, the fanctified ufe of bleffings and croffes, and per⚫ feverance in faith and obedience unto the end.

To pray for the propagation of the gospel and kingdom of Christ to all nations; for the converfion of the Jews, the fulness of the Gentiles, the fall of Anti-chrift, and the haftening of the fecond coming of our Lord; for the deliverance of the diftreffed churches abroad from the tyranny of the anti-chriftian faction, and from the cruel op preffions and blafphemies of the Turk; for the bleffing of God upon all the reformed churches, efpecially upon the churches and king ⚫doms of Scotland. England, and Ireland, now more strictly and religiously united in the Solemn National League and Covenant; and for our plantations in the remote parts of the world; more particu larly for that church and kingdom whereof we are members, that

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⚫ therein

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