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cially for that which at the prefent calls them together to give thanks: with humble petition for the continuance and renewing of God's wonted mercies, as need fhall be, and for fanctifying grace to make a right ufe thereof. And fo, hav-ing fung another pfalm suitable to the mercy, let him dismiss the congregation with a bleffing, that they may have some convenient time for their repaft and refreshing.,

But the minifter (before their difmiffion) is folemnly to admonish them, to beware of all excefs and riot, tending to gluttony or drunkenness, and much more of these fins themfelves, in their eating and refreshing, and to take care that their mirth and rejoicing be not carnal, but fpiritual, which may make God's praife to be glorious, and themfelves humble and fober; and that both their feeding and rejoicing may render them more cheerful and enlarged, further to celebrate his praises in the midst of the congregation, when they return unto it, in the remaining part of that day.

When the congregation fhall be again affembled, the like course in praying, reading, preaching, finging of pfalms, and -offering up of more praife and thanksgiving that is before directed for the morning, is to be renewed and continued fo -far as the time will give leave.

At one or both of the publick meetings that day, a collection is to be made for the poor (and in the like manner up-on the day of publick humiliation) that their loins may bless us, and rejoice the more with us. And the people are to be exhorted, at the end of the latter meeting, to spend the refidue of that day in holy duties, and teftifications of Chriftian love and charity one towards another, and of rejoicing more and more in the Lord; as becometh those who make the joy of the Lord their strength.

IT

Of Singing of Pfalms.

T is the duty of Chriftians to praife God publickly, by finging of pfalms together in the congregation, and alfo privately in the family.

In

552 The Directory for the Publick Worship of God.

In finging of pfalms, the voice is to be tunable and grave. ly ordered; but the chief care must be, to fing with understanding, and with grace in the heart, making melody unta the Lord.

That the whole congregation may join herein, every one that can read is to have a pfalm book; and all others, not difabled by age or otherwise, are to be exhorted to learn to read. But for the prefent, where many in the congregation cannot read, it is convenient that the minifter, or some other fit perfon appointed by him and the other ruling officers, do read the pfalm, line by line, before the singing thereof.

An Appendix touching Days and Places for pu blick Worship.

THERE is no day commanded in scripture to be kept holy under the gospel, but the Lord's day, which is the Chriftian fabbath.

Festival days, vulgarly called holy-days, having no war. rant in the word of God, are not to be continued.

Nevertheless, it is lawful and necessary, upon special emergent occafions to feparate a day or days for publick fafting thanksgiving, as the feveral eminent and extraordinary difpenfations of God's providence hall administer cause and opportu nity to his people.

As no place is capable of any holiness, under pretence of whatfoever dedication or confecration; fo neither is it fubject to fuch pollution by any fuperftition formerly ufed and now laid afide, as may render it unlawful or inconvenient for Chrifti ans to meet together therein for the publick worship of God. And therefore we hold it requifite, that the places of publick affembling for worship among us, should be continued and em ployed to that ufe.

FINI S.

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A Part of the Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of CHRIST in the Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland.

WITH

An Act of the General Affembly, Anno 1645, Approving the fame.

Ezek. xliii. 11. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the Form

of the House, and the Fashion thereof, and the Goings out thereof, and the Comings in thereof, and all the Forms thereof, and all the Laws thereof; and write it in their Sight, that they may keep the whole Form thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and do them.

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Affembly at Edinburgh, February 10. 1645. Seff. 16.

Act of the General Affembly of the Kirk of Scotland, approving the Propofitions concerning Kirk-Government, and Ordination of Minifters.

TH

HE general affembly being most defirous and folicitous not only of the establishment and preservation of the form of kirk-g <-government in this kingdom, according to the word of God, books of difcipline, acts of general affemblies, and national covenant, but also of an uniformity in kirk-government betwixt these kingdoms, now more straitly and strongly united by the late folemn league and covenant: and confidering, that as in former times there did, fo hereafter there may arife, through the nearness of contagion, manifold mischiefs to this kirk from a corrupt form of government in the kirk of England: like as, the precious opportunity of bringing the kirks of Christ in all the three kingdoms to an uniformity in kirk-government, being the happinefs of the prefent times above the former; which may alfo, by the blefling of God, prove an effectual mean, and a good foundation to prepare for a fafe and well-grounded pacification, by removing the caufe from which the prefent preffures and bloody wars did originally proceed: And now the affembly having thrice read, and diligently examined the propofitions (hereunto annexed) concerning the officers, affemblies and government of the kirk, and concerning the ordination of minifters, brought unto us, as the refults of the long and learned debates of the affembly of divines fitting at Weftminster, and of the treaty of uniformity with the commifioners of this kirk there refiding; after mature deliberation, and after timeous calling upon and warning of all, who have any exceptions against the fame, to make them known, that they might receive fatisfaction; doth agree to and approve the propofitions aforementioned, touching kirk-government, and ordination; and doth hereby authorize the commiffioners of this affembly, who are to meet at Edinburgh, to agree to, and conclude in the name of this affembly, an uniformity betwixt the kirks in both kingdoms, in the aforementioned particulars, fo foon as the fame fhall be ratified, without any substantial alteration, by an ordinance of the honourable houfes of the parliament of England; which ratification fhall be timely intimate and made known by the commiffioners of this kirk refiding at London. Provided always that this act be no ways prejudicial to the further difcuffion and examination of that article which holds forth, that the doctor or teacher hath power of the administration of the facraments as well as the paftor: as alfo of the diftinct rights and interests of prefbyteries and people, in the calling of ministers: but that it fhall be free to debate and difcufs thefe points, as God fhall be pleased to give further light.

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