fasting: which is observed by a total abstinence, not only from all food, (unless bodily weakness do manifestly dis able from holding out till the fast be ended, in which case somewhat may be taken, yet very sparingly, to support nature when ready to faint,) but also from all worldly labour, discourses and thoughts, and from all bodily delights though at other times lawful, rich apparel, ornaments, and such like, during the fast; and much more from whatever is in its nature or use scandalous or offensive, as gadish attire, lascivious habits and gestures, and other vanities of either sex: which the composers of the Directory recommend to all ministers in their places diligently and zealously to reprove, as at other times, so especially at a fast.

4. The Sabbath before the fast, the causes thereof are publicly read from the pulpit, and the day of the week intimated upon which it is to be kept. The people are then to be earnestly exhorted to prepare themselves for afflicting their souls upon that day of extraordinary humiliation. So large a portion of that day, as conveniently may be, is to be spent in public reading, and preaching of the word, with singing of psalms, fit to quicken affections suitable to such a duty, but especially in prayer, to this or the like effect; giving glory to the great majesty of God, the Creator, Preserver, and Supreme Ruler of all the world, acknowledging his manifold great and tender mercies, especially to the church and nation, humbly confessing sins of all sorts, with their several aggravations, justifying God's righteous judgments, as being far less than our sins do deserve, yet humbly and earnestly imploring his mercy and grace for ourselves, the church and nation, the Queen, and all in authority, and for all others for whom we are bound to pray, (according as the present exigency requireth,) with more special importunity and enlargement than at other times; applying by faith the promises and goodness of God for pardon, help, and deliverance from the evils felt, feared, or deserved; and for obtaining the blessings which we need and expect, together with a giving up of ourselves wholly, and for ever unto the Lord.

5. Besides solemn and general fasts appointed by the Assemblies or their commissions, or by civil authority, upon application from some church-judicature unto them, provincial synods, presbyteries, and kirk-sessions may appoint fast-days to be kept within their respective bounds, as Divine Providence shall administer unto them special occasions. Likewise families and particular persons may do the same, providing their fasts be not on those days on which the congregation is to meet for public worship.

6. Our fasting days must be indicted for such causes as are both clear and just, and when it will be most for edifi cation; for that, as other positive duties, doth not always bind therefore the church is to take heed of appointing fasts through insinuations or solicitations from statesmen, lest they be branded as tools, to some who would fast for strife and debate, that others who differ from them about state-matters may be exposed to the odium of the people, as ill countrymen.

7. The causes of the fast enumerate in the act of Assembly 1690, November 12. were these and the like. 1. Perjury, dealing treacherously with the Lord, and being unstedfast in his covenant. 2. Unfruitfulness under the purity of doctrine, worship and government, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. 3. Abuse of God's great goodness and deliverance, evidenced by a course of manifest wickedness, and shameful debauchery, such as drunkenness, cursing, swearing, adultery, and uncleanness of all sorts. 4. The supre

macy, which was advanced in such a way, and to such a height, as never any Christian church acknowledged, and whereby the interest of our Lord Jesus Christ was entirely sacrificed to the lawless lusts and wills of men. 5. Abjured prelacy was introduced, and the government of the church was overturned, without the church's consent, and contrary to the standing acts of our national Assemblies. 6. Compliance with that defection, both in ministers and others, some from a principle of pride and covetousness, or man-pleasing, and others through infirmity and weakness, or fear of man, and want of courage

and zeal for God. 7. Persecution of the godly for noncompliance with that sinful course: Many faithful ministers were cast out, and many insufficient and scandalous men thrust in on their charges, and many families ruined because they would not own them as their pastors. 8. Decay of piety under the late Prelacy, so that it was enough to make a man be nick-named a Fanatic, if he did not run to the same excess of riot with others. 9. Atheism, which discovered itself in some by their dreadful boldness against God, in disputing his being, and providence, the divine authority of the Scriptures, the life to come, and immortality of the soul; yea, and scoffed at those things. 10. Imposing and taking unlawful oaths and bonds: lawful oaths have been broken, and ungodly and conscience-polluting oaths have been imposed and taken, whereby the consciences of many through the land are become so debauched that they scruple at no oath, though many have been oppressed and ruined for refusing them. 11. Neglect of the worship of God, both in public, in private families, and in secret. 12. Profanation of the Lord's day, succeeded in place of that wonted care of strict and religious sanctifying of it. 13. The shedding of innocent blood. 14. Pride and vanity; yea, Sodom's sins have abounded among us, idleness, fulness of bread, vanity of apparel, and shameful sensuality filled the land. 15. As also great perverting of justice, by making and executing unrighteous statutes. 16. Silence of ministers in the time of such a great defection, as well as too general a fainting among professors: And as some shewed no zeal in giving seasonable and necessary testimony against the defections and evils of the time, nor keeped a due distance from them; so, on the other hand, some managed their zeal with too little discretion and meekness. 17. The abominable idolatry of the mass was set up in many places, and Popish schools erected, whereby shameful advances were made towards Popery. 18. Great ignorance of the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus. Christ. Though we profess to acknowledge there can be no pardon of sins, no peace and reconciliation with

God but by his blood, yet few know him, or see the necessity and excellency of him, and few esteem, desire, or receive him as he is offered in the gospel: And as few are acquainted with faith in him, and living by faith on him, so few walk as becometh the gospel, and imitate our holy Lord in humility, meekness, self-denial, heavenly mindedness, zeal for God, and charity towards men. 19. Great contempt of the gospel, barrenness under it, and a deep security under our sin and danger. 20. Though the Lord, by casting us into the furnace of affliction, hath been giving us a sight of the vanity of all things beside himself; yet, to this day, there is a woeful selfishness among us, every one seeking his own things, few or none the things of Jesus Christ, the public good, or one another's welfare. 21. A bitter spirit of censoriousness, whereby the most part are more ready to carp at the sins and defections of others, than to repent and mourn for their own. These and the like were the causes of the fast in the year 1690, and to them the fasts appointed since, do ordinarily refer. See also how the land expressed the sense it had of the guilt of all ranks in the solemn acknowledgment of public sins, and breaches of the covenant; and a solemn engagement to all the duties contained therein; namely, those which did in a more special way relate unto the dangers of that time. Act of the commission of Assembly, October 6. 1648, for renewing the solemn league and covenant, ratified by the Assembly thereafter.

8. Albeit by the treatise of fasting, emitted by the Assembly 25th Decem. 1565, the Sundays were appointed for some fasts, as being for the greater ease of the people; and since, by the last act of Assembly 1646, a fast is appointed on the Sabbath next except one, preceding the then following General Assembly: Yet seeing the work to be performed on the first day of the week is by divine institution already determined, we ought to set about it exactly, which we all acknowledge to be a thanksgiving and not a fast. Extraordinary duties are not to interfere with the ordinary, nor is one duty to shuffle out another. If either should be allowed, it would look somewhat like the reverse of redeeming the time, for

Р

thereby diligence is rather diminished, than doubled in the service of God.

9. Days of thanksgiving being intimate on the preceding Sabbath, for some deliverance obtained, or mercy received, are wholly to be spent in the public and private exercises of divine worship and praises; the people are to rejoice with trembling, and to beware of all excess in eating or drinking. And demonstrations of civil mirth, such as ringing of bells, firing of guns, bonfires, and illuminating of windows, should not be intermixed with the religious duties of that day; but as upon fasts, so upon those days, there should be liberal collections for the poor, that their bowels may bless us, and rejoice the more with us. In the 6th section, the church was cautioned against appointing fasts for strife and debate, so I hope they shall be directed to avoid injoining of thanksgiving days from any false or unjust ends.

TITLE X.

Of Collections and Recommendations for the Poor.

1. By the act of Assembly 11th August 1648, collections for the poor in time of divine service, (which is practised in some churches abroad,) are discharged, as being a very great and unseemly disturbance thereof. And kirk-sessions are ordained to appoint some other way for receiving these collections. The method now ordinarily taken is this; the elders or deacons do collect at the church door from the people as they enter in, or else from them when within the church, immediately before pronouncing the blessing, and after divine service is ended.

2. Beside these ordinary collections for the poor, there are frequently extraordinary collections made for charitable and pious uses; particularly by session 10, Assembly 1704, there is an act for a voluntary contribution by way of subscription in each presbytery, for gathering from noblemen, gentlemen, and other charitably dispose d people, for erecting English schools, and educating youth in the Highlands and Isles.