Affembly at Edinburgh, August 24. 1647. Seff. 19.

Act for obferving the Directions of the General Affembly, for fecret and private Worship, and mutual Edification, and cenfuring fuch as neglect Family Worship.

T

HE General Affembly, after mature Deliberation, doth approve the following Rules and Directions, for cherishing Piety, and preventing Divifion and Schifm; and doth appoint Minifters and Ruling Elders, in each Congregation, to take fpecial 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 prove or cenfure (according to the Quality of the Offence) fuch as fhall be found to be reproveable, or cenfurable therein. And to the End that these Directions may not be rendered ineffectual and unprofitable among fome, through the ufual Neglect of the very Subftance of the Duty of Family-Worship; the Affembly doth further require and appoint Ministers and Ruling Elders to make diligent Search and Enquiry in the Congregations committed to their Charge refpectively, whether there be among them any Family or Families, which use to neglect this neceffary Duty; and if any fuch Family be found, the Head of the Family is to be firft admonished privately to amend this Fault; and in cafe of his continuing therein, he is to be gravely and fadly reproved by the Seffion: After which Reproof, if he be found ftill to neglect Family-Worship, let him be for his Obftinacy, in fuch an Offence, fufpended and debarred from the Lord's Supper, as being justly esteemed unworthy to communicate therein, till

he amend.

THE

The Directions of the General Affembly for Secret and Private Worship, and mutual Edification, for cheribing Piety, for maintaining Unity, and avoiding Schifm and Divifion.

B

Efides the publick Worship in Congregations, mer. cifully established in this Land, in great Purity; it is expedient and neceffary, that fecret Worship of each Perfon alone, and private Worship of Families, be pref fed and fet up: That with National Reformation, the Profeffion and Power of Godliness, both Perfonal and Domestick, be advanced.

I. And firft, for fecret Worship, it is moft neceffary, that every one apart, and by themselves, be given to Prayer and Meditation, the unspeakable Benefit whereof it 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 Preparati on for all other Duties obtained: And therefore it becometh not only Paftors, within their feveral Charges, to prefs Perfons of all Sorts to perform this Duty, Morning and Evening, and at other Occafions; but allo it is incumbent to the Head of every Family, to have a Care that both themfelves, and all within their Charge be daily diligent herein.

II. The ordinary Duties comprehended under the Exercife of Piety, which fhould be in Families, when they are conveened to that Effect, are these, First, Prayer, and Praises performed, with a fpecial Reverence, as well to the publick Condition of the Kirk of God, and this Kingdom, as to the prefent Cafe of the Family, and every Member thereof. Next, Reading of the Scrip

tures,

tures, with Catechifing in a plain way, that the Under ftandings of the Simpler may be the better enabled to profit under the publick Ordinances, and they made more capable to understand the Scriptures, when they are read: Together with godly Conferences, tending to the Edification of all the Members in the most holy Faith: As alfo Admonition and Rebuke, upon juft Realons, 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 (howfoever otherwife qualified) fhould 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 fhould be read ordinarily to the Family; and it is commendable that thereafter they confer, and by way of Conference make fome good Use of what hath been read and heard: As for Example, If any Sin be reproved in the Word read, Ufe may be made thereof, to make all the Family circumfpect, and watchful against the fame; Or if any Judgment be threatned, or mentioned to have been inAlicted in that Portion of Scripture which is read, Ufe may be made to make all the Family fear, left the fame, or a worfe Judgment befal them, unless they beware of the Sin that procured it. And finally, it any Duty be required, or Comfort held forth in a Promife, Ufe may be made to ftir up themfelves to employ Chrift for Strength to enable them for doing the commanded Duty, and to apply the offered Comfort: In all which, the Mafter of the Family is to have the chief Hand; and any Member of the Family may propone a Question or Doubt for Refolution.

IV. The Head of the Family is to take Care that nonė 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 Family, the Minifter is to ftir up fuch as are lazy, and train up fuch as are weak, to a Fitnefs for thefe Exercifes; It being always free to Perfons of Quality, to entertain one approved by the

Pref

Prefbytery for performing Family Exercife: And in other Families where the Head of the Family is unfit, that another constantly refiding in the Family, approved by the Minifter and Seffion, may be imployed in that Service; Wherein the Minifter and Seffion are to be countable to the Prefbytery. And if a Minifter 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 reft, except in fingular Cafes, fpecially concerning thefe 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 suffered to perform Worship in Families, to, or for the fame; Seeing Perfons tainted with Errors, or aiming at Divifion, may be ready (after the manner) to creep into Houses, and lead captive filly and unftable Souls.

VI. At Family Worship, a fpecial Care is to be had, that each Family keep by themfelves; Neither requir ing, inviting, nor admitting Perfons from divers Families, unless it be thofe who are lodged with them, or at Meal, or otherwise with them upon fome lawful Occafion.

VII. Whatfoever hath been the Effects and Fruits of Meetings of Perfons of divers Families, in the Times of Corruption or Trouble (in which Cafes many Things are commendable, which otherwife are not tolerable) Yet, when God hath blessed us with Peace and Purity of the Gospel, fuch Meetings of Perfons of divers Families, except in Cafes mentioned in thefe Directions, are to be difapproved, as tending to the Hindrance of the religious Exercife of each Family by itself, to the Prejudice of the publick Ministry, to the renting of the Families of particular Congregations, and (in Progrefs of Time) of the whole Kirk: Befides many Offences which may come thereby, to the hardning 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

the Lord (in whofe Hands the Preparation of Metts Hearts are) to fit them for the publick Worship, and to bless to them the publick Ordinances; the Master of the Family ought to take Care, that all within his Charge repair to the publick Worship, that he and they may join with the rest of the Congregation: And the publick Worship being finished, after Prayer, he fhould take an Account what they have heard: And thereafter, to spend the rest of the Time, which they may fpare, in Catechifing, and in fpiritual Confe rences upon the Word of God: Or elfe (going apart) they ought to apply themselves to Reading, Meditation, and fecret Prayer, that they may confirm and increase their Communion with God: That fo the Profit which they found in the publick 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 thofe who are rude and weaker may begin at a Set-form of Prayer, but fo as they be not fluggish in ftirring up in themselves (according to their daily Neceffities) the Spirit of Prayer, which is given to all the Children of God in fome Measure: To which Effect, they ought to be r more fervent and frequent in fecret Prayer to God, for enabling of their Hearts to conceive, and their Tongues to exprefs, convenient Defires to God, for their Family. And in the mean Time, for their greater Encouragement, let thefe Materials of Prayer be meditated upon, made Ufe of, as followeth.

and

"Let them confefs to God how unworthy they are to come in His Prefence, and how unfit to worship "His Majefty; and therefore earnestly ask of God the "Spirit of Prayer.

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They are to confefs their Sins and the Sins of the "Family, accufing, judging and condemning them"felves for them, till they bring their Souls to fome "Measure of true Humiliation.

"They are to pour out their Souls to God, in the "Name of Chrift, by the Spirit, for Forgiveness of