as we ought, and to mourn over such other sins as the congregation is particularly guilty of, notwithstanding the manifold and great mercies of our God, the love of Christ, the light of the gospel, and reformation of religion, our own purposes, promises, vows, solemn covenants, and other obligations to the contrary. To acknowledge and confess, that as we are convinced of our guilt, so, out of a deep sense thereof, we judge ourselves unworthy of the smallest benefits, most worthy of God's fiercest wrath inflicted upon the most rebellious sinners, and that he might justly take his kingdom and gospel from us, plague us with all sorts of spiritual and temporal judgments in this life; and after cast us into utter darkness. Notwithstanding all which, to draw near to the throne of grace, encouraging ourselves with hopes of a gracious answer of our prayers in the riches and all-sufficiency of that only one oblation, the satisfaction and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the right hand of his Father and our Father, and in confidence of the exceeding great and precious promises of mercy and grace in the new covenant, through the same Mediator thereof, to deprecate the heavy wrath and curse of God, which we are not able to avoid or bear, and humbly and earnestly to supplicate for mercy in the free and full remission of our sins, and that only for the bitter sufferings and precious merits of that of our only Saviour Jesus Christ. That the Lord would vouchsafe to shed abroad his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; seal unto us by the same spirit of adoption, the full assurance of our pardon and reconciliation; comfort all that mourn in Zion, speak peace to the wounded and troubled in spirit, and bind up the broken-hearted: And as for secure and presumptuous sinners, that he would open their eyes, convince their consciences, and turn them from darkness unto light. To pray for sanctification by his Spirit, the mortification of sin dwelling in, and many times tyrannizing over us, the quickening of our dead spirits, with the life of God in Christ, grace to enable us for all duties of our conversation and callings towards God and men, strength against temptations, the sanctified use of blessings and crosses,

and perseverance in faith and obedience unto the end. To pray for the propagation of the gospel and kingdom of Christ to all nations, for the conversion of the Jews, and the fulness of the Gentiles, the fall of Antichrist, and the hastening of the second coming of our Lord; for the deliverance of the distressed churches abroad, from the tyranny of the Antichristian faction, and from the cruel oppressions and blasphemies of the Turk; for the blessing of God upon all the reformed churches, especially upon the churches and kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland, more particularly for that church and kingdom whereof we are members, that therein God would establish peace and truth, the purity of all his ordinances, and the power of godliness, prevent and remove heresy, schism, profaneness, superstition, security and unfruitfulness under the means of grace, heal all our rents and divisions, and preserve us from breach of our solemn covenant. Prayers are to be put up for all in supreme authority, and those in subordinate authority to them, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, 4. Which prayers are to be directed by their circumstances. We are to pray for all pastors and teachers, that God would fill them with his Spirit, and make them powerful in their ministry, and give unto all his people pastors according to his own heart; for the universities and schools, and religious seminaries for church and commonwealth, that they may flourish more in learning and piety; for the particular city or congregation, that God would pour out a blessing upon the ministry of the word, sacraments, and discipline, upon the civil government, and all the families and persons therein; for mercy to the afflicted in any inward or outward distress; for seasonable weather, and fruitful seasons, as time may require, for averting judgments that we either feel or fear, or are liable unto, as famine, sword, pestilence, and such like. To pray earnestly for his grace and effectual assistance to the sanctification of his holy Sabbath, the Lord's day, in all the duties thereof, that the Lord, who teacheth to profit, would graciously please to pour out the spirit of grace, together with the outward means thereof, causing us to

attain such a measure of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, that we may account all things but as dross, in comparison of him; and that we, tasting the first fruits of the glory to come, may long for a more full and perfect communion with him. That God would in a special manner furnish his servant now called to dispense the bread of life unto his household, with wisdom, fidelity, zeal, and utterance, that he may divide the word of God aright, to every one his portion, in evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power, and that the Lord would circumcise the ears and hearts of the hearers to hear in love, and receive with meekness, the ingrafted word, strengthen them against the temptations of Satan, the cares of the world, the hardness of their own hearts, and whatsoever else may hinder their profitable and saving hearing.

23. The sermon being ended, the minister is to give thanks for the great love of God in sending of his Son Jesus Christ unto us, for the communication of his Holy Spirit, for the light and liberty of the glorious gospel, for the admirable goodness of God, in freeing the land from Anti-christian darkness and tyranny, for the reformation of religion, and many temporal blessings: and to pray for the continuance of the gospel, and all ordinances thereof in their purity, power and liberty and to turn some of the most useful heads of the sermon into some few petitions, and to pray that it may abide in the heart, and bring forth fruit in the life and conversation. To pray for preparation for death and judgment, and a watching for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; to intreat of God the forgiveness of the iniquity of our holy things, and the acceptation of our spiritual sacrifice, through the merit and mediation of our great High Priest and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

24. Notwithstanding of the above Directory for public prayers, the minister may (as in prudence he shall see meet) make use of some part of these petitions after the sermon, or he may offer up to God some of the thanksgivings in his prayer before sermon.

25. By the act of Assembly, Aug. 6. 1649, their com

mission being empowered to emit the Paraphrase of the Psalms, and establish the same for public use, they did accordingly conclude and establish the Paraphrase of the Psalms in metre, now used in this church, after the presbyteries had sent their animadversions thereupon.

26. It was the ancient practice of the church, as it is yet of some reformed churches abroad, for the minister or precentor to read over as much of the Psalm in metre together, as was intended to be sung at once, and then the harmony and melody followed without interruption, and people did either learn to read, or get most of the Psalms by heart; but afterwards it being found, that when a new Paraphrase of the Psalms was appointed, it could not at first be so easy for the people to follow, then it became customary that each line was read by itself, and then sung. But now, having for so long time made use of this Paraphrase, and the number of those who can read being increased, it is but reasonable that the ancient custom should be revived, according to what is insinuated by the Directory on this subject. And that such who cannot read may know what Psalms to get by heart, let such be affixed on some conspicuous part of the pulpit as are to be sung in public at next meeting of the congregation. It were to be wished that masters of families would path the way for the more easy introducing of our former practice, by reviving and observing the same in their family worship.

27. In the 38th Sess. of Assembly 1648, there is an act for examining the labours of Mr Zachary Boyd, upon the other scripture songs. And by Assembly 1706, sess. 4, the scripture songs by Mr Patrick Sympson, minister at Renfrew, are recommended to be used in private families: and in order to prepare them for the public use of the church, this was renewed in Assembly 1707; and by the 15th act of Assembly 1708, their commission is instructed and appointed to consider the printed version of the scripture songs, with the remarks of presbyteries thereupon; and after examination thereof, they are authorised and empowered to conclude and emit the same, for the public use of the church: the present

version of the Psalms having been ordered in the same manner, in the year 1649.

28. Though a believer be afflicted, yet he is to sing since it is such a duty as prayer is, tendeth to cheer the soul's disposition, and to sweeten and mitigate the cross unto it. Complaints of our sin and failings may be mournful songs; and because God hath redeemed, pardoned, and comforted others, therefore we are to rejoice in the hope and desires of the same to ourselves. Though the subject of a song doth not always quadrate with our case, yet unto a judicious attentive person there is always some attribute of God, some providence or word of his, in that very subject to be praised. In the imprecatory Psalms, we sing to the praise of divine justice, against the malicious enemies of his church, like unto these that the Psalmist did aim against.

29. The minister useth to dismiss the congregation with a solemn blessing or prayer to God for them, which ordinarily is in these or the like words, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all, Amen :" But when probationers for the ministry are preaching, they use to pronounce the blessing with this variation: Instead of " be with you," they say, "be with us." And the moderators of General Assemblies observe the same stile in pronouncing of the blessing at their dissolution. Yet seeing no minister of a congre gation doth put up that public prayer alone, it would therefore seem, it should always run in the ordinary stile of other congregational petitions, viz. " be with us."

30. Ministers their bowing in the pulpit, though a lawful custom, is hereafter to be laid aside, for satisfaction of the desires of the synod of England, February 7. 1645.

TITLE II.

Of Family Worship.

1. By act of Assembly, August 24. 1647, revived Assembly 1694, they approve of the following rules and