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FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 SCC 
 
(2^warruan Uia^t 
 
DRAUGHT 
 
 67 T K3 
 
 FORM 
 
 OF THl 
 
 GOVERNMENT and DISCIPLINE 
 
 7 THE 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 IN THE 
 
 UNITED STATES of AMERICA. 
 
 Propofed, by the Svnod of New-York and 
 Philadelphia, for the confidrration of the 
 Prefbytsrics and Churches under their care. 
 
 N E W.Y O R K: 
 
 ftrimed by S. and J. LO UD'O N, No. c, 
 Water-StreeU 
 
 - ■/!. 
 
 m,dcc*lxxxvii. 
 
I 
 
 TH E Synod i d ;>hilaJeU 
 
 phi**-, *// //! h;g, Md in I 
 
 May, 1787, appointed the Rev. Dr. John Rod- 
 gcn, Dr. Alexander MacWhorter, Mr. Alex- 
 ander Milder and Mr. James Wilfoti, Mini/iers, 
 a Committee, t* print One TJwufand £opies of the 
 draught of the Form of Government aim Difcipline^ 
 as now amended by the Synod, to be dijlrtbx 
 among the PrefbyteAe* <2iht Churches under their 
 rare. 
 
 . 
 The Committee was alfo appointed to print ; 
 lafl -paragraph of tire ic>fi Chapter of the 11 
 tninfier Confejjion of Faith ; the yi paragraph 
 of the 2yl Chapter ; and the Ul paragraph of 
 the $\ft Chapter, as now propofed to be altered 
 
 by the Synod : Further^ the Committee was 
 
 appointed, to revije the Direclory for the Pub- 
 lie worjhip of God, and to print it, when rcvif 
 ed and amended by them, together with the draught 
 of the form of Government and Difcipline : And 
 the Synod agreed, that thefe he calla 
 vifed and adopted, the Confelhon of Faith, and 
 Directory for the Public Worfhip of God, of the 
 Prefbyterian Church in the United States of 
 America. 
 
 The Committee, confidering tliat a power of ma- 
 king verbal alterations, in the draught of the Form 
 of Government and Difcipline, was committed to 
 them by the Synod, and being fully fenfible that 
 they are liable to make mi/lakes in this particu- 
 lar, have thought proper to print, all the w$ 
 which they have changed, in Italics. 
 
I N TR D U C T ION, 
 
 TH E Synod of Nrw-YoRK and Phi- 
 ladelphia, judging it expedient to afcer- 
 tain and fix the fyftem of union, and the form of 
 the Government ^^/Difcipline ofthePrejbyterian 
 Church inthefe United States , under their care, have 
 thought proper to lay down, by way of intro- 
 duclion, a few of tks general principles ? by which 
 they have been hitherto governed, and which 
 are the ground work of iht following plan. This, 
 it h hoped, will, in fome meafure, prevent thofe 
 rafh mifconjlruflions and uncandid reflections, 
 which ufually proceed from an imperfeft view 
 of any fubject ; as well as make the feveral parts 
 of the fyfiem plain, and 'the whole plan perfpi* 
 tuous, and fully underftood. 
 
 The Synod are unanimoufly of opinion ; 
 
 I. That " God alone is Lord of the con- 
 '* fcience,, and hath left it free from the doc- 
 ** trines and commandments of men ; which are 
 " in any thing contrary to his word, or befide 
 " it in matters of faith or worihip :" There- 
 fore, they confider the rights of private judge- 
 ment, in all matters that refpeel religion, as uni- 
 verfal and unalienable : They do not even wifh 
 to fee any religious conftitution aided by the 
 civil power, further than may be -neceffary for 
 protection and fecurity, and, at the fame time, 
 may be equal and common to all others. 
 
 II. That, in perfect confiflency with the above 
 principle oi common right, every Chriftian 
 
 Church „ 
 
Church, or union and affoctattam of puii i lilfar 
 Churches, are entitled to declare the terras of 
 admiiuon into their communion^ and the quali- 
 fications of their miniftcrs and members, as well 
 as the whole fyitem of the internal government 
 %hich Chrift hath appointed : That, in the 
 excrcife of this ri^ht, they may, notwithftand- 
 iug, err, in making the terms of communion 
 tithe- too lax or too narrow : yet, even in this 
 G*Te, they do not infringe the liberty, or to* 
 ci each upon the rights of others, but only make 
 an improper ufe of their own. 
 
 III. That our breffed Saviour, for the cdi- 
 fcction of the viiible Church, which is Lis bo- 
 cry, hath appointed officers, not only to prea :h 
 the Gofpcl and admimjler the Saoamcnts ; but 
 a ; fo to exercrfe difcipline, for the preferyation 
 both of truth and duty : and, that it is incum- 
 bent upon theft officers, and upon the whole 
 Church, in whole name they act, to cenfure, or 
 call out, the erroneous and fcandalous ; obferv- 
 i/.; r , in all cafes, the rules contained in the word 
 of God. 
 
 IV. That truth is in order to goodnefs ; and 
 that no opinion can be either more pernicious 
 cr more abfurd, than that which brings truth 
 and falfehood upon a level, and reprefents it 
 of no confequence what a man's fen timerts are : 
 On the contrary, They are of opinion, that 
 fonndnefs in the faith lays a proper founda- 
 tion for holy practice; for, if it were other- 
 v? fe, it would be of no importance either to 
 d << over trut^ or to embrace it. 
 
 V. That while, under the conviction of the 
 3 r '»ve rnrrHr, The 1 , think itneceffary to make 
 t^L&Liil ^ruviiion, that all, who arc admitted 
 
 as 
 
L V 
 
 -as Teachers, be found in the faith ; They t\fo 
 believe, that there are truths and forms, with 
 refpect to which men of good characters and 
 principles may differ : And, in all thefe, Thef 
 think it the duty, both of private Chriftians and 
 Societies, to exei cife mutual forbearance toward* 
 each other. 
 
 VI. That though the character, qualifies? 
 t : ons, and authority of Church-officers, are laid 
 down in the holy Scriptures, as well as the pro* 
 per method of their inveiliture and inftitution - f 
 yet the election of the perfens, to the exer- 
 cife of this authority, in any particular fociety- 
 is in that fociety. 
 
 VII. That all Church power, whether exer- 
 cifed by the body in general, or, in the way of 
 reprefentation, by delegated authority, is only 
 ininifterial and declarative : That is to/ay, that 
 the Holy Scriptures are the only rule of faith and 
 manners ; that no Church judicatory ought to 
 pretend to make laws, to bind the confeience, 
 in virtue of their own authority ; and that all 
 their decifiem fnculd be founded upon the re* 
 vcaled will of God : Now though it will eafily be 
 admitted, that all Synods and Councils may err, 
 through the frailty infeparable from humanity ; 
 yet there is much greaterdanger,from the ufurp- 
 ed claim of making laws, than from the right 
 of judging upon laws already made, and com- 
 mon to all who profefs the Gofpel ; although this 
 right, as neccifity requires in the prefent ftate, 
 be lodged with fallible men. 
 
 VIII. Lajily r That, if the above Scriptural 
 and rational principles be ftedfauMy adhered to, 
 the vigour and ftrictnefs of their difcipline will 
 contribute to the glory and happinefs of any 
 
 Church 
 
[ VI ] 
 
 Church. Since difcipline mufl be purely moral 
 and fpiritual in its object, and not attended with 
 any civil effects, it can derive no force what- 
 ever, but from its' own juftice, the approba- 
 tion of an impartial public, and the cpuntcs 
 nance and blefling of the great Head of the 
 Church univerfal 
 
Tbe FORM, &c. 
 
 Of the Church. 
 
 JESUS CHRIST, who is now' exalted, 
 far above all principality and power, hath erect- 
 ed, in this world, a kingdom, which is his 
 Church. 
 
 The univerfal Church confifls of all thofe 
 perfons, in every nation, together with their 
 children, who make profeilion of the holy re- 
 ligion of Chrift, and fubmit to his laws. 
 
 As this immenfe multitude cannot meet to- 
 gether^ in one place, to hold communion, or : 
 to worftiip God, it is reafonable, and warranted 
 by Scripture example ', that they mould be di- 
 vided into many particular Churches. 
 
 A particular Church confifls of a number of 
 profefling Chriflians, with their offspring, vo- 
 luntarily afTociated together, for divine wor- 
 fhip and godly living, agreeably to the holy 
 Scriptures ; and fubmitting to a certain form of 
 government. 
 
 Of the Officer* of the Church. 
 
 rxtraordi- Q ur hlefTed Lord, at firft r collected his 
 nary of- Church,out of different nations, and for- 
 med it into one body, by the miflioa 
 of men endued with miraculous gifts, which 
 have, long fince, ceafed. The 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 Ferpetut! The ordinary and perpetual Officr 
 utaceri fa the Church, are, Bijhops or Pq/lors > 
 the reprefentatives of thsr People, ufuaily ltiled 
 Ruling Elders ; and Deacons. 
 
 Of Bifoops or Fuji on. 
 
 Namci, ace. Jh e p a Jloral office is the firft, in the 
 Church, both/ar dignity and ufefulnefs. The per for. 
 who fills this office, hath, in Scripture, obtained dif- 
 ferent names expreflive of his various duties : As 
 ifehas the overfight of theflock of Chrift, he is 
 called Bifhop * : As He feeds them with fpi. 
 ritual food, he is JUled Pallor : As He fcrves 
 Chrift in his church, he is termed Miniilcr : 
 As // is his duty to be grave, and prudent, and 
 an example of the flock, and to govern well in 
 the houfe and kingdom of Chrift, he is denomU 
 nated Prefbyter or Elder : As He is the m.f- 
 len^er of God, he is addreffed as the An^el 
 of the Chw-ch : \s He is fent to declare the will 
 of God to finners, and to befeech them to be 
 reconciled to God through Chrift, he is re- 
 p efented as Ambaffador : And, as He difpenfes 
 the manifold <*race of God, and the ordinances 
 inftituted by Chrift, he hfpoken of as Steward 
 of the myfteries of God. 
 
 Of Ruling Elders. 
 
 tfame, &c. R u lj n g Elders are properly the repre- 
 fentatives of the people, chofen by them, for the 
 purpofe of exerciiing government and discipline, 
 
 • As the officeand charter of the Gofpcl Mincer is particu- 
 larly and fully defaib -J, in the holy Scriptu;c«, under the title of 
 Bi.hop ; and as rhis term is peculiarly expreflive of ki: duty *e an 
 Ovruccr or the fleck, i: oaght not to 6s rcjcc?:d 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 in conjunction with Paftors or Minifters-. This 
 office has been underftood, by a great part of 
 the Proteftant reformed Churches, to be defo- 
 liated, in the Holy Scriptures, by the title of 
 Governments ; and of thofe who rule well, but 
 do not labour in word and doctrine. 
 
 Of Deacons. 
 
 Name, &c. Th c Scriptures clearly point out Dea* 
 cons as diflincl: officers in the Church, whofe bufi- 
 nefs it is, not to administer any of the ordinances 
 of the Gofpel, but to take care of the Poor, 
 and to diflribute among them the collections 
 which may be raifed for their ufe. To them 
 alfo may be properly committed the manage- 
 ment of the temporal affairs of the Church. 
 
 Of the Ordinances in a particular Church* 
 
 Ordinances of TheOrdinances,efl:ablifhedby Chrift 
 th„ church. t heHead,in aparticularChurch,^/VA) 
 is regularly conftituted with its proper officers, 
 are,Prayer; fmgingPraifes; reading, expounding, 
 and preaching the Word of God ; adminiftring 
 Baptifm and the Lord's Supper ; public folemn 
 Failing and Thankfgiving ; Catechifmg ; making 
 collections for thejPoor and other pious purpofes ; 
 exercifing Difcipline > and bleffing the People, 
 
 Of Church Government, and the fever al kinds 
 of Judicatories, 
 
 ju^StoTes. If is a ¥ olute b neceffary that the go- 
 vernment of the Church be cxercrfed 
 under fome certain and definite form : And we 
 hold it expedient, and agreeable to fcripture and 
 B the 
 
( *° ) 
 
 the practice of the primitive Chriflians, that the 
 Church be governed by Congregational, Pref- 
 byterial, and Synod ical AfTemblies. In full con- 
 Jijlency with this belief we embrace, in the fpirit 
 of charity, thofe Chriitians who differ from us, 
 in opinion or in practice, on tliefe fubjects. 
 
 Their Pow. Thefe AfTemblies ought not to pof- 
 Tefs any civil jurifdicTion, nor to in- 
 flict any civil penalties. Their power is whol- 
 ly moral or fpiritual, and that only miniflerial 
 and declarative; They pofTefs the right of re- 
 quiring obedience to the laws of Chrift ; and 
 of excluding the difobedient and diforderly 
 from the privileges of the Church. To give 
 efficiency, however, to this necefTary and fcrip- 
 tural authority, they pofTefs the powers requi- 
 fite for obtaining evidence and inflicting cen- 
 fure : They can call before them any offender 
 iiifl the order and government of the Church: 
 They can require members, of their own fo- 
 ciety, to appear and give teflimony on the caufe ; 
 but the highefl punifhment, to which their au- 
 thority extends, is to exclude, the contuma- 
 cious and impenitent, from the Congregation 
 of believers. 
 
 Of the Congregational Affembly or Judicatory^ 
 ufually Jlilcd the Church Seffton. 
 
 McmbS^ The Cnurch Scflion confifts of the 
 the church Minijler or Miniflcrs, and Elders of 
 Scflion. a p art j cu ] ar Congregation. 
 its pow- <f} K Church SeJJion is competent to the 
 fpiritual government of the congrega- 
 tion : For which purpofe, they have power to 
 inquire into the knowledge and Chriflian con- 
 duct 
 
( u ; 
 
 du<ft of all its members ; to call before then: 
 offenders and witneffes, who are of their own 
 denomination ; to admonifh ; to rebuke ; to fur 
 pend or exclude, from the Sacraments, thole 
 who are found to deferve the cenfures of the 
 Church ; to concert the belt meafures for pro- 
 moting the fpiritual interefls of the Congrega- 
 tion ; and to appoint Delegates to the higher 
 Judicatories of the Church. 
 How to be The M miller mall have a right to 
 
 convened. convene theSeffion when he may judge 
 itrequifite : And he ought, in all cafes, to con- 
 vene them, when requeued by any two or more 
 of the Elders. 
 
 Regifters We think it proper, that every 
 to be kept. Qjj Urc ]j Seflion keep a fair regifler, of 
 Births ; of Baptifms ; of Marriages ; of perfons 
 admitted to the Lord's table ; of Deaths in the 
 fociety ; and pother removals. 
 
 Of the Prejbyterial Affemhly. 
 
 Necefiity The Church bein^ divided into many 
 
 ofthcPref- r ~ °. , r < 
 
 bytery. ieparate Congregations, thefe need 
 mutual counfel and affiflance, in order 
 to preferve foundnefs of doctrine, and regula- 
 rity of difcipline \ and to enter into common 
 meafures, for the promoting of knowledge and 
 religion, and for the preventing of the encroach- 
 ments of infidelity and error. Hence arife the 
 importance and ufefulnefs of Prefbyterial and 
 Synodical Affemblies. 
 
 conftituent A Prefbytery confifts of all the Minify 
 
 Members ters, and one ruling Elder from each 
 
 Congregation, within a certain diflricr. 
 
 Every Congregation, which has a fettled Paf- 
 
( I* ) 
 
 tor, has a right to bereprefented,in Prefb] 
 by one Elder; and every Collegiate Church, by 
 two or more Elders, in proportion to its Minu- 
 ter*. Where there are two or more Congre- 
 gations, united under one Pallor, alt inch ( 
 gregations fhall have but one Elder to repr< 
 them. Every Congregation, which has no fet- 
 tled Mimficr^ and is able and willing, in the 
 judgment of Prefbytery, to fupport one, (hall be 
 entitled to be reprefented, by a ruling Eld< r, 
 in this 'Judicatory : and where there lire two or 
 more fuch Congregations, united for the ir 
 tenance of the Goipel, and, to their united ilate, 
 are of the description aforefaid, then fuch uni- 
 ted Congregations may be rcprefehted by one 
 Elder. Every Elder, not known to the Pref- 
 bytery, fhall produce a certificate of h 
 lar appointment, from the Church which he re- 
 prcfents. 
 Quorum Any three Minifters, and as many 
 
 Pref - Elders as may be prefent, belonging to 
 
 the Prefbytery. being met, at the time 
 
 and place appointed, fhall be a Judicatory, com. 
 
 ntto the difpatch of bufinefs ; notwithftand- 
 ing the abfence of the other Members. 
 
 rf liie p s -f r ^ lc Prefbytery have cognizance of 
 bytety. &c." all things, that regard the welfare of 
 the particular Churches within their 
 bounds, which are not cognizable by the Sef- 
 fiori : Thev have alfo a power of receiving and 
 iffuing appeals from the SefTions ; ami referen- 
 ces, brought before them in an orderly man* 
 ner ; of examining, and lieenfing Candidates 
 lie Gofpel miniftry ; of ordaining, fettling, 
 ving, or judging IVliniftcrs ; of examining, 
 £nd approving or ceofuring the records of the 
 
 Seflions ; 
 
( '3 ) 
 
 Seffions ; of refolving queftions of doclrine or- 
 difcipline, ferioufly and reafonably propofed ; 
 of condemning erroneous opinions, that injure 
 die purity or peace of the Church ; of viiiting 
 particular churches, to inquire into their flate, 
 and rcdrefs the evils that may have arifen with- 
 in them ; of uniting, or dividing Congregations, 
 at the requefl of the people ; and of ordering 
 whatever pertains to the fpiritual concerns of 
 the Churches under their care : and it (hall be 
 the duty of the Prefbyterics to report, to the 
 Synod, Hcenfures, ordinations, the difmiiling or 
 receiving of Members, and the removal of Mem- 
 bers by death. 
 
 How to b= Tbe Prejbyttry fliall meet on their 
 conrenej. own adjournments ; and, when any e- 
 mergency fliall require a meeting, fooner than 
 the time to which the judicatory Hands adjourn- 
 ed, the Moderator fhali, with the concurrence, 
 or at the requefl, of two Minifters and two El- 
 ders, the Elders being of different Congrega- 
 tions, call a meeting of the Preibytery, by a 
 circular letter fent to every Minifler, and to the 
 Seffion of every vacant Congregation having a 
 right to fend a Reprefentative to the Judicatory, 
 in due time previous to the meeting, which time 
 I be afcertained and recorded by each Pref- 
 bytery, and mall not be lefs than ten days : and 
 nothing ihall be tranfa&ed, at fiich fpecial meet- 
 ing, betides the particular bufmefs for which the 
 Judicatory has been thus convened. 
 Op«ainpofthe At each meeting of Prefbytery, 
 PreOmcry. a f ermon {} ia ]j DC delivered, if conve- 
 nient ; and every particular feffton mall be o- 
 pened and concluded with prayer : The roil mail 
 be called, and the meeting recorded by the Clerk, 
 
 who 
 
( '4 ) 
 
 who mall enter the names of the Members pre- 
 fent, and alfo of thofe Minilters who are abfent. 
 
 Of the Synodical AJfembly. 
 
 ConfWnt As a Prefbytery is the Convention 
 Membcrsof of the Bifhops and Elders, within a 
 certain diftricl ; fo a Synod is the Con- 
 vention of feveral Prefbyteries, within a larger 
 
 diftrift. 
 
 powers The Synod have power to admit and 
 thereof, judge of appeals, regularly brought up 
 from the Prefbyteries ; to give their judgment 
 on all references, in ccclefiaftical cafes, made to 
 them ; to review the Prefbytery books ; to re- 
 drefs whatever hath been done by Prefbyteries 
 contrary to order ; to take effectual care that 
 Prefbyteries obferve the Conftitutions of the 
 Church ; to make fuch regulations, for the be- 
 nefit of their whole body, and of the Prefbyte- 
 ries and Churches under their care, as mall be 
 agreeable to the word of God, and not contra- 
 dictory to'the decifions of the General Council ; 
 and to propofe, to the General Council, for their 
 adoption, fuch mcaiures as may be of common 
 advantage to the whole Church. 
 
 Of the General Council. 
 
 staeofthe The General Council is the hi 
 Ugheftju. Judicatorv of the Preibyterian Church; 
 
 the'preV- and ftal1 "P" 6 *! in olie b °^h a11 thc 
 
 ttrian particular Churches of this denomina- 
 Church * tion ; and fhall bear thc ftiie and title 
 of THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE LI- 
 MITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
 Thc 
 
( >5 ) 
 
 M° nfUt To t f ^ 1C General CounGil fliall confift 
 the General of an equal delegation of BiJJoops and 
 Council. Elders, from each Prefbytery, in the 
 following proportion : viz, each Prefbytery, 
 confiding of not more than fix Minifters, (hall 
 fend one Minifler and one Elder ; each Pref- 
 bytery, confiding of more than fix Miniflers and 
 not more than twelve, (hall fend two Miniflers 
 and two Elders ; and in like proportion, for e- 
 very fix Minifters, in any Prefbytery : And 
 thefe Delegates, io appointed, fliall bear the ti- 
 tle of COMMISSIONERS TO THE GENE- 
 RAL COUNCIL. 
 
 Quorum Any fourteen, or more, of thefe Com- 
 thrreof. m iflioners, one half of whom fliall be Mi- 
 nifters, being met, on the day, and at the place 
 appointed, fliall be competent to form a General 
 Council, and to proceed to bufinefs. 
 Powers ^^ e Council fliall receive and hTue all 
 of the appeals and references, which may be re- 
 count. g U j ar ]y brought before them from the 
 inferior Judicatories ; they fliall review the mi- 
 nutes and proceedings ©f every Synod, to ap- 
 prove or eenfare them ; they jha I 7 give their ad- 
 vice and inftruc'tions, in all other cafes fubmitted 
 to them ; and they /hall alfo conflitute the bond 
 of union, peace, correfpondence, and mutual 
 confidence, among all our Churches, 
 other cow. T° tne Council alfo belongs the pow- 
 ers of the er ofconfulting, reafoning, and judging, 
 in controverfies refpecting doctrine and 
 difcipline ; of reproving, warning, or bearing 
 teftimony againft error in doctrine, or immorali- 
 ty in practice, in any Church, Prefbytery, or Sy- 
 nod ; of correfponding with foreign Churches ; 
 of putting a flop to fchifmatical contentions and 
 
 difputations : 
 
( '6 ) 
 
 difputations : r. recommcn 
 
 and attempting reformation of manners ; and of 
 promoting charity, truth, and holinefs, throi 
 
 aii the Churches : and of erecting new Synods, 
 when they judge it neceflary. 
 RcV.aionof Before any overtures or regulath 
 the power of proofed by the Council to be 
 
 the Council. r n i n , p , 
 
 ed as Handing rules, J/oali b 
 on the Churches ■, it (hall be necenary to tr 
 mit them to all the Prefbyteries, and to receive 
 the returns of, at leaft, a majority of the P 
 byteries, in writing, approving thereof. 
 
 Of Electing and Ordaining Ruling Elders 
 Deacons. 
 
 Having defined the Officers of the Church, 
 and the Aflemblies by which it (hall be govern- 
 ed, it is proper here to prefcribe the modes in 
 which ecclefiaftical Rulers (hall be ordained to 
 their refpective offices. 
 
 Mode of eiec E very Congregation mall eleft per- 
 tin- Ruling fons, to the office of Ruling Elder, and 
 iuers,&c. iQ fhe office of Deacon, or either of 
 them, in the mode moil approved and in ufe in 
 that Congregation. 
 
 How to be When any perfon /ball have been e- 
 craned, j^^ tQ ^^ fthzfc offices, and fhall 
 have declared his willingnefs to accept thereof ) he 
 fhall be fet apart in the following manner. 
 
 Engagements After fermon, the Minifter fhall />r«?- 
 EUers and pefe to him, in the prefence of the Con- 
 Deacons. gregation, the following queilions : 
 viz. 
 
 I. 
 
( *7 ) 
 
 I. Do you believe the Scriptures, of the Old 
 «i New "f eftament, to be the word of God, the 
 
 only infallible rule of Faith and Pra£tice ? 
 
 II. Do you fincerely receive and adopt, the 
 ConfeiTion of Faith of this Church, as containing 
 the Syftcm of doctrine taught in the holy Scrip- 
 tures ? 
 
 III. Do you approve of the Government and 
 Difciplinc of the Prcibyterian Church, as exer- 
 cifed in theft United States ? 
 
 IV. Do you accept the office of Ruling El- 
 der for Deacon as the cafe may be J in this Con- 
 gregation, and promife faithfully to perform all 
 the duties thereof ? 
 
 To be fer. After having anfwered thefe queflions 
 apaa by in the affirmative, he mall be fe: apart, 
 by prayer, to the office of Elder [_or Dea- 
 con as the cafe may be \~\and the Minifier jhail 
 give him, and the Congregation, an exhortation 
 jfuiied to the occajion. 
 
 Of Licenfing Candidates, or Probationers, to 
 preach the Gofpeh 
 
 P iTht 'tol'* ^" ne k°ty" Scriptures require, that 
 ceafc Pro- fome trial be previously had, of thole 
 Wtfoners. w j 10 are t0 ^ e ordained to the tniniftry 
 of the Gofpel, that this facred office may not be 
 degraded, by being committed to weak and un- 
 worthy men ; and th r it the Churches may have 
 an opportunity of judging of the competency of 
 the talents of thole by whom they are to be in- 
 ftm&ed and governed. For this purpofe Pref 
 byteries (hall licenfe Probationers, to preach the 
 Gofpel } that, after a competent trial of their 
 
 C ufihts, 
 
(. 18 ) 
 
 talents, and receiving, from the Churches, a 
 good report ; They may, in due time, ordain 
 them to the paftoral office. 
 
 It is proper and requifite, that Can- 
 to oc produ- didatcs, applying to the Preibytery to 
 «d by Can- fe licexifed to preach the Gofpel, pro- 
 
 didJtes ap- r • 1 r V 
 
 to be duce fatisfa&ory tcitimonials or their 
 lKcnled ' good mora! character, and of their be- 
 ing regular members of fome particular Church : 
 And it is the duty of the Preibytery, for their 
 further fatisfaftion with regard to the real piety 
 of fuch Candidates, to examine them refpecYmg 
 their experimental acquaintance with religion, 
 and the motives which influence them to defire 
 the facred office. And it is recommended, that the 
 Candidate be alfo required to produce a diplo- 
 ma, of Bachelor or Mailer of Arts, from fome 
 College or Univerfity ; or at lead authentic tefti- 
 monials of his having gone through a regular 
 courfe of learning. 
 
 Trnl . in Becaufe it is highly reproachful to re- 
 order To ligion, and dangerous to the Church, to 
 Liccnfe. j ntru fl; ^ h Iy miniftry to weak and ig- 
 norant men, the Prcfbytcry (hall try each Can- 
 didate, as to his knowledge of the Latin lan- 
 guage, and of the Original languages in which 
 the "holy Scriptures were written : They fliall 
 examine Km, on the Arts and Sciences ; on 
 Theology, natural and revealed ; and on Eccle- 
 fiaftical hiftoryj And, in order to make trial of 
 his talents to explain and vindicate, and pra&i- 
 cally to enforce the do&rines of the Goipcl, the 
 Preibytery fliall require of him, an Excgcfis on 
 fome common head of divinity ) a Homily ; a 
 Prcfbyterial excrcife : a Leaure or explica- 
 tion of a portion of Scripture - f and a popular 
 
 Sermon : 
 
C '9 ) 
 
 Sermon : Or other fimilar exerciies, to be held ? 
 at feveral fucceflive feftions, till They fhall have 
 obtained fatisf action, as to his piety, literature,, 
 and aptnefs to teach in the Churches. 
 
 The ftudy of That the moil effectual meafures 
 Divinity muft may De ta ken, to guard againft the 
 
 continue at J . ' p &. 
 
 jeaft two years admijjton of lnmmcient men into the 
 before Hrenfe. f acred office? it is recommended, that 
 
 no Candidate, except in extraordinary cafes, be' 
 licenfed ; unlefs, after his having completed the 
 the ufual courfe of academical ftudies, he fhall 
 have ftudied divinity, at leaft two years, under 
 fome approved Divine, or ProfeiTor of Theo- 
 
 Engagements Before the Prefbytery proceed to 
 
 required or.. r . _^ i« i i \ n t 
 
 Probationers, hcenfe the Candidate, the Moderator 
 before iicenfe. fl^i re q Urc f \{ xm tne following en- 
 gagements : viz. 
 
 I. Do you believe the Scriptures, of the Old 
 and New Teftament, to be the word of God, 
 the only infallible rule of Faith and Practice ? 
 
 II. Do you fmcerely receive and adopt, the 
 Confeilion of Faith of this Church, as contain- 
 ing the fyftem of doctrine taught in the holy 
 Scriptures ? 
 
 III. Do you promife to ftudy the peace, uni- 
 ty, and purity of the Church ? 
 
 IV. Do you promife to fubmit yourfelf, in 
 the Lord, to the government of this Prefbytery, 
 or of any other Prefbytery in the bounds of 
 which you may be ? 
 
 Manner of The Candidate having anfwered thefe 
 
 ir,s * queftions in the affirmative, and the 
 
 Moderator having offered up a prayer fuitable 
 
 to the occafion, He lhall addrefs himfelf to the 
 
 Candidate- 
 
^ 20 ) 
 
 tidate, toth. 
 , ; of the Lord Jefus Chnft, 
 
 Dt0hl3'< 
 
 : tse( ..wcdolicenfcyou, to 
 
 Gofoel wherever God in his prp\ 
 
 call you thereto : aad,f< 
 
 blcflme of God reft upos lto » 
 
 Chriit fill your heart. 
 
 fta'i -of the licenfure, in 
 
 form ; r 
 
 rm , of At the 
 
 fc - the Prefbytery of 
 cd fofficient teflimoiiials, in favour of 
 his having gone through a regular courie ot li- 
 terature ; of his good mora! charafter ; at. I 
 his being in the communion of tne < 
 proceeded to take the ufual parts of trial for his 
 Lcofure : And he hav 'en fetisfeftto 
 
 to his accomplifliments in literature j as to his 
 experimental acquaintance with r 
 as to his proficiency in Divinity, and other ib> 
 dies ; the Prefbytery did, and hereby dp 
 prefc their approbation of al! thefe parts or . 
 and he having adopted the Confer. -anti 
 
 of this Church, and fatisfafvorily a ■ the 
 
 oueftions, appointed to be pnt to Candida, 
 be licenfed, the Prefbytery did, and hereby do 
 hcenfe him, the laid , to preacu the 
 
 Gofpcl of Chrift, as a Probationer for the 
 m'imftry, within the bounds of this Preftj 
 pr wherever he Avail be orderly called 
 
 "When any Candidate null, l>) the 
 2f?fti* permiffion at bit Pufbytery. remove 
 ,-,cm Cr . without its limits, an cxtraft ot 
 
 record, accompanied with a Prei^yunal rc- 
 
 itnmendati 
 
:e Clerk, (hall be his 
 . to the i . - .„ry under whofe care 
 
 Of the EUl. it ion, of B 'flops or 
 
 ac When any Probationer j/W/ / 
 
 preached a to the fatisfa&ion 
 
 on as tnat the pco- 
 Ipleappe-c:. ;d to receive him as 
 
 the SeiHon fhajl folicit 
 th^ couafel of Tome 
 
 iuifter, ;; q/fift them in prepar- 
 ing a Gail for him ; unlefs highly inconvenient 
 .ccount of diftance : in which cafe they may 
 proc ce. 
 
 On a Lord's day, immediately af- 
 
 , it flia.il be intima- 
 
 it, that all themem^ 
 
 - bers c I eeation are requeft* 
 
 . .. en emuing, at 
 
 the Church, or ufual fhec for holding public 
 
 and there, if it be agreeable to 
 
 i, to prepare a C*ii to be 
 
 their Paftor. 
 
 On the cay appointed, the Minifler, 
 
 of whofe afTiitance has been obtained, 
 
 *!ur but m" ^ la ^ P reacn a fermcn,atthe ufual fea- 
 
 ters,and who fon for public worfliip ; and, after 
 
 fention, He fhall announce to the Peo- 
 
 thefuoportof pie, that he will immediately proceed 
 
 the Church. tQ takc thc vorcs of the Eieaors of that 
 
 Congregation, in the cafe of 
 whether or not he fhall be chofen to be their 
 Mini/ler, In this election, no perfon fhall be 
 
 entitled 
 
( M ) 
 
 entitled to vote, who refufes to fubmit to the 
 cenfures of the Church, regularly adminiitf* 
 or who does not contribute his juft proportion, 
 according to his own engagements, or the rules 
 of that Church, to all its neceffary expencee. 
 
 when the When the votes are taken, if it ap- 
 
 Peopie are - . - ' 
 
 roc unani pear that a great proportion of the 
 
 mous the Mi- p eop ] e are averfe from the Candidate, 
 
 certify the and cannot be induced to concur in 
 
 -"'J the caliche mmgMwi/ler (hall en- 
 
 of the Diika- deavour to dilfuade the C tion 
 
 from profecuting it further. But if 
 the People be nearly, cr entirely, unanimous ; 
 or if the majority ihall infill upon their right to 
 call a Minifler ; then in that cafe, the Miniiter, 
 after ufing his utmoit endeavours to perfuadc 
 the Congregation to unanimity, mail proceed to 
 draw a call in due form, and to have it fubferi- 
 bed by the Electors ; certifying, at the fame 
 time, the number and circumdances of thofe 
 who do not concur in the Call : all ivbich'pro- 
 c; e dings fli ail ht laid before the Prefbyten ; - to- 
 gether with the call. 
 
 The form of The Call mall be in the following. - 
 or like form : 'viz. 
 The Congregation of . being. 
 
 on fufficient grounds, well fatisfied of the minif- 
 terial qualifications of you 
 and having good hopes, from our pail: experi- 
 ence of your labours, that your miniftratioBS in 
 the Gofpel will be profitable to our fpiritual in- 
 terefts, doearneftly call, and defire you, to un- 
 dertake the Paftoral office in faid Congregation ; 
 promifmgyou, in the dij of your duty, all 
 
 p.oper fupport, encouragement, and obedience, 
 
 in 
 
( 2 3 ) 
 
 in th*e Lord : And, that you may be free from 
 worldly cares and avocations, we hereby pro- 
 mife, and oblige ourfelves, to pay to you, the 
 fum of in regular * payments, 
 
 during the time of your being, and continuing, 
 the regular Pallor of this Church. In teftimo- 
 ny whereof, we have refpe&ively fubfcribed our 
 names, this day of A. D. 
 
 /Atejhd by A. B. Moderator of the meeting. 
 
 a can may Butif any Congregation fhall choofc 
 ia-certain ca. to fubfcribe their Caii, by their El- 
 fflibedkyEi- ders an< ^ Deacons, or either, they fhall 
 iers or bea- be at liberty fo to do : but it fhall, in 
 fuch cafe, be fully certified, to the 
 Prefbytery, by the Minifter who prefided, that 
 they have been appointed, for this purpofe, by 
 a public vote of the Congregation ; and that 
 the Call has been, in all other refpe&s, prepar- 
 ed as above directed. 
 
 a caii Tbffi- when a Call fhall be prefented to 
 ordination & any Minuter or Candidate, it mail aU 
 Maimcnt. wa ^ s ^ e viewed as a fufficient petition 
 from the people for his inftalment. The accep- 
 tance of a Call, by a Minifter or Candidate, fhall 
 always be confiderd as a requeft, on his part, to 
 be inflalled at the fame time. And when a Can- 
 didate fhall be ordained, in confequence of a 
 Call from any Congregation, the Prefbytery fhall 
 always, at the fame time, ordain and inftal him 
 Paftor of that Congregation. 
 
 The 
 
 * This blank to be filleJ up with the words, quarterly, half year- 
 ly, or yearly, as may beft fuit the Cor>giegiti«n. 
 
( *< 
 
 The Call, thus 
 left - prci< ni ta tc 
 
 tery. 
 
 t, if the Prefl 
 
 the C all to hi 
 ed: And no Miniftc. ididatefli 
 
 Gall, but through the hand 
 
 If the Gall be to t 1 - 
 anoth. >ytcry, i 
 
 * Commiilioners, deputed from 
 .-.i^tei- Congregation to profecute the ( 
 
 (hall produce, to that Judicatory, a 
 certificate from their own Preft 
 atte!ted by the ? 
 
 are in order. If that the 
 
 Call to their Licenr. he be djfpofed to 
 
 "accept it, they (hall then difnifs him fro . 
 -jurifdi&ion, and require him to repair to 
 Prefbytery, into the bounds of which he is 
 ed, and there to fubmk himfeli'to the uk: 
 preparatory to oraigatipn. 
 
 Tri»i« forOr- 1 rials fot ordination, efpecially 
 ■dmacion. ^ different Prefbytery from that in 
 
 which 
 
 "pc nds, on the eaf 
 
 ftoutd A spoilt, in the a 
 
 tfes pre 
 
 1 
 - 
 
 . 
 toral r« 
 gage t!l 
 
 their families of* the t 
 video that fuch depofed, fufpended, 01 - 
 
 M 
 iy. 
 
'( 25 ) 
 
 which the Candidate was licenfed, (hall confift 
 
 of a careful examination, as to bis acquaintance 
 
 with experimental religion ; as to his knowledge 
 
 of Philofophy, Theology, Ecclefiaftical hiftory, 
 
 the Greek and Hebrew languages, and fuch o- 
 
 ther branches of learning as to the Prefbytery 
 
 may appear requifite ; and as to bis knowledge 
 
 of the Conflitution, the rules and principles of 
 
 the Government and Difcipiine of the Church ; 
 
 together with fuch written difcourfes, founded 
 
 on the word of God, as to the Prefbytery (hall 
 
 feem proper. The Prefbytery, being fully fatis- 
 
 fied with his qualifications for the facred office, 
 
 fiiall appoints convenient day for his ordination, 
 
 which ought to be, if convenient, in that Church 
 
 of which he is to be the Minifter. 
 
 Prefbytery be- The day appointed for ordination 
 
 led .fom^a being come, and the Prefbytery con- 
 
 ihaii be vened, a member of the Prefbytery, 
 
 preached, ic. p rev i ou fly appointed to that duty* 
 
 fhall preach a fermon adapted to the occafion. 
 The fame, or another member appointed to pre*, 
 fide in this bufinefs, fhall afterwards briefly re-* 
 cite from the pulpit, in the audience of the peo- 
 ple, the proceedings of the Prefbytery prepara- 
 tory to this tranfa&ion : He (hall point out the 
 nature and importance of the Ordinance ; and 
 endeavour to imprefs the audience with a pro« 
 per fenfe of the folemnity of the tranfac"tion„ 
 
 SSSTrf Then addreffin g himfclf to the Can- 
 thefe'whoare didate, he (hall propofe to him the fol« 
 ordained. i ow j n g queftions : viz. 
 
 I. Do you believe the Scriptures, of the Old 
 and New Teftament, to be the word of God, 
 the only infallible rule of Faith and Practice ? 
 D IL 
 
( 26 )' 
 
 adopt, the 
 ConfeiLon o this Church, as contain- 
 
 the fyftem of doctrine taught in the holy 
 r 
 
 III. Do you approve of the Government and 
 difcipline of the Preibyttrian Church, as exer- 
 Cned in thefe Uaitejd btates ? 
 
 IV. Do you promhe fubjection to your Bre- 
 n in the Lord ? 
 
 V. Have you been induced, as far as you 
 know your own heart, to feek the office of the 
 holy rninidry, from love to God, and a fmccre 
 defire to promote his glory in the Gofpel of his 
 Son ? 
 
 VI. Do you promife to be zealous and faith- 
 in maintaining the truths of the Gofpel, and 
 
 urity and peace of the Church ; whatever 
 cuti on, or oppofuion, may ariie unto you 
 on that account ? 
 
 VII. Do you engage to be faithful and dili- 
 gent, in the exercife of all private and perfonal 
 duties, which become you as a Chriftian and a 
 Minifter of the Gofpel ; as well as in all relative 
 duties, and the public duties of your office, en- 
 
 ouring to adorn the profeffion of the Gof- 
 pel by your converfation \ and walking, with ex- 
 emplary piety, before the flock, ever which 
 God ihall make you Overfeer ? 
 
 landidate having anfwered 
 f thefe queftions in the affirmative, 
 lle * the Moderator mail demand of the 
 People : 
 
 I. Do yon. the People of this Congregation, 
 continue to profefs your readinefs to receive 
 , whom you have called, to be your 
 Min'ifler ? 
 
 J II. 
 

 *7 J. 
 
 IF. Do you promife to receive the word of 
 1 from his mouth, with meeknefs and love g 
 and to fubmitto him, with humility, in the due 
 cxercife of Difcipiine ? 
 
 III. Do you promife to encourage him, in his 
 arduous labour, and to aiiifl his endeavours for 
 your inflruelion and fpiritual edification ? 
 
 IV. And do you engage to continue to him P 
 while he is your Paftor, that competent worldly 
 maintenance which you have promifed; and what- 
 ever elfe you may fee needful, for the honour of 
 religion, and his comfort among, you ? 
 
 Mode of or- The People having anfwered thefe 
 queftions, in the affirmative, by hold- 
 ing up their right hands, the Candidate {hail kneel 
 down, in the moil convenient part of the 
 Church : Then the prefiding Bifhop (hall, by 
 prayer, and with the laying on of the hands of 
 the Prefbytery, according to the Apoflolic ex- 
 ample, folemnly ordain him to the holy office of 
 the uofpel miniftry. Prayer being ended, he 
 fhall rife from his knees ; and the Minifler who 
 prefides (hall firfl, and afterwards all the mem- 
 bers of the Prefbytery in their order, take him 
 by the right hand, faying, in words to this 
 purpofe, " We give you the right hand of Fel- 
 lowfhip, to take part of this miniftry with us. *' 
 After which the Minifler prefiding, or fome o- 
 ther appointed for the purpofe, fhall give a fo- 
 lemn charge, in the name of God 3 to the new- 
 ly ordained Bifhop, and to the people, to perfe- 
 vere in the difcharge of their mutual duties ; and 
 fhall then, by prayer, recommend them both to 
 the grace of God", and his holy keeping : and 
 finally, after finging of a pfalm, Jhall difmifs the 
 Congregation with the ufual blefling. And the 
 Prefbytery fhall duly record the tranfa&ion. 
 
 Of 
 
( *8 ) 
 
 Of Tra»/!atiffn 9 or removing a Miritficr from one 
 Charge to another. 
 
 *"b?ma?e No Bifll0 P &a]1 bc "anflated from 
 bythcPrcf- one Church to another, €ior {hall he 
 byury. receive any Call for that purpofc, but 
 by the pcrmifiion of the Prefbytery. 
 
 Mode of pro. Any Church, defiring to call a fet-, 
 cedur« in tied Minifler from his prefent charge, 
 tr an 0ac>on 5 . &a n 9 by Commiffioners properly au- 
 thorized, reprefent to the Prefbytery the ground 
 on which they plead his removal. The Pref- 
 bytery, having maturely confidered their plea, 
 may, according as it appears more or lefs rea- 
 fonable, either recommend to them to debft irora 
 profecuting the Call ; or may order it to be de- 
 fWred, to the. Minifter to whom it is directed, 
 together with a written citation, to him and his 
 Congregation, to. appear before the Prefbytery 
 at their next meeting. This citation {hall, be 
 read from the pulpit, in that Church, by a mem- 
 ber of the Prefbytery appointed for that pur- 
 pofe, immediately after public worfhip ; fo that., 
 at leaft, two. fabbaths (hall intervene, betwixt 
 the citatipn, and the meeting of the Prefbyt«ry 
 at which, the caufe of translation is to be cenfi- 
 dered. The Prefbytery, being met, and having 
 heard the parties, (hall, upon the whole view of 
 the cafe, either continue him in his former 
 charge, or translate him, as they (hall deem to bc 
 jmoft for the peace and edification of the^ Church; 
 or refer the whole affair to the Synod', at their 
 next meeting, for their advice and direction. 
 
 When 
 
.( »9 ) 
 
 Mode of pro. When the Congregation, calling 
 crourc : when a faded Miniiter, is within the ' i n 
 
 the Minifler / ^ ^ 
 
 is rtnother mns or another Preibytery, that Con- 
 fre(by«ry. g rc g ar j on (half obtain leave, from the 
 Prefbytery to which they belong, to apply to the 
 Prefoytery of which he is a member : And that 
 Prefbytery, having cited him and his Congrega- 
 tion as before directed, ftiall proceed to hear anil 
 iiTue the caufe. If they agree to the tranflatioa, 
 they (hall reieafe him from his prefent charge ; 
 and having given him proper teftimonials, fhail 
 require him to repair to that Prefbytery, widiin 
 the bounds of which the Congregation calling 
 him lies, that the proper fteps may be taken for 
 his regular fe- dement in that Congregation : 
 And the Prefbytery, to which the Congregation 
 belongs, having received an authenticated cer- 
 tificate of his reieafe, under the hand of i he 
 Clerk of that Prefb) tcry, fiiall proceed to in- 
 ftal him, in the Congregation, as foon as conve- 
 nient. Provided always* that no Bifliop or Paf. 
 tor (hall be tranflated, without his own con cut 
 previoully obtained. 
 
 indaiment When any Minifter is to be fettled in a 
 conftitutes Congregation, the inftalment.which con- 
 kufioa&c. ^ s in conftitutin^ a paftoral relation be- 
 tween him and the people oF that parti- 
 cular Church, may be performed, either by the 
 Prefbytery, or by a Committee appointed ;for 
 that purpofe ; as may appear moll expedient : 
 and the following order (hall be obferyed 
 therein. 
 
 Notice of the m A day (hall be appointed for the 
 day tiuft be inftalment, at fuch time as may appear 
 moft convenient, and due notice there- 
 of given to tfac Congregation. 
 
 When 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 a se-mon When I f^ytery, or Coir- 
 
 * i«- tee, fhall be convened and confticu- 
 ' " c ' ted, on the day appointed, a ferx.on 
 fliall be delivered, by fotne one of tl oers 
 
 prtvi .uily appointed thereto ; immediately after 
 which, the Bifhop, who is to prefide, fliall Hate 
 to the Congregation die defign i meeting 
 
 and briefly recite the proceedings of the Pref- 
 bytery relative thereto. And then, addrefliag 
 himielf to the Mmijlcr to be inftalied, (hall pro- 
 pcfeto him the following or fimilar queflions: 
 
 men* *' Are y ou noW V 
 
 s in charge of this Congregation, as their 
 ent ™ f Paftor, agreeably to your declaration 
 Mmifter and at accepting their Call ? 
 
 t?t II. Do you confeientioufly believe 
 
 and declare, as far as you know your own heart, 
 that, in taking upon you this charge, you are 
 influenced by a lincere defire to promote the 
 glory of God, and the good of his Church r 
 
 III. Do you folemnly promife, that, by the' 
 cjfijtance of the grace of God, you will endea- 
 vour faithfully to difcharge all the duties of a 
 Paftor to this Congrega; ion, and will be careful, 
 to maintain a deportment in all refpefts becom- 
 ing a JViinifter of the Gofpel of Chrift, agreea- 
 bly to your Ordination engagements ? 'I o all 
 thefe having received fatisfactory anfwers, He 
 propofe to the People the fame, or like 
 queflions, as thofe directed under the head of 
 ordination ; which having been alfo fatisfac*to- 
 rily anfwered, by holding up th (it hand, 
 
 in tefiimony of affent. He fhall folemnly pro- 
 nounce and declare the faid Minifler to be regu- 
 larly conflicted the Paftor of that Congrega- 
 
 tion. 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 ,. A charge fhall then be given to both par- 
 ties, as directed in the affair of ordination ; and, 
 after prayer, and finging a pfalm adapted to the 
 transaction, the Congregation fhall be difmifTcd 
 with the ufual benediction. 
 
 oHa- ^ * s hi&hty becoming, that, after the 
 ftaii folcmnity of the inftalment, the heads 
 ;' of Families of that Congregation who 
 rhcir Minif are then prefent, or at lead the Elders, 
 and thoft appointed to take care of the 
 temporal concerns of that Church, fhould come 
 forward to their Paftor, and give him their right 
 hand, in token of cordial reception and affec- 
 tionate regard. 
 
 Of refigning a Pajloral Charge, 
 
 The ccngre. When any Minifter fhall labour 
 be cited and under fuch grievances, m his Congre- 
 gation, as that he fhall defire leave to 
 refign his paftoral charge, the Prefbytery fhall 
 cite the Congregation to appear, by their Com- 
 mifficners, at their next meeting, to fliew caufe, 
 if any they have, why the Prefbytery fhouid not 
 accept the reilgnation. If the Congregation fail 
 to appear, or if their reafons for retaining their 
 Paflor be deemed by the Prefbytery infufBcient, 
 he fhall have leave granted to refign his padoral 
 charge ; of which due record fhall be made, 
 and that Church fhall be held to be vacant, till 
 fupplied again, in an orderly manner, with ano- 
 ther Minifter ; Audi if any Congregation fhall 
 defire to be releafed from their Paftor, a fimilar 
 procefs, mutatis mutandis, ihall be obferved. 
 
 Of 
 
( 3* ) 
 Of MiJJions. 
 
 When vacancies become fo numerous, In any 
 Prefbytery, that they cannot be fupplied with 
 the frequent adminiflration of the Word and or- 
 dinances, it (hall be proper for fuch Prefbytery, 
 or any vacan. Congregation within their bounds, 
 v.'ith the leave of the Prefbytery, to apply to a- 
 ry other Prefbytery, or to any Synod, or to the 
 < eneral Council, for fuch afiiftance as they can 
 i ford. And, when any Prefbytery fhali fend 
 any of their Minifters or Probationers to difhmt 
 vacancies, the MuTionary (hall be ready to pro- 
 duce his credentials to the Prefbytery or Pref- 
 byteries, through the bounds of which he may 
 pafs, or at lead to a Committee thereof, and ob- 
 tain their approbation. And the General Coun- 
 cil may, of their own knowledge, fend millions, 
 to any part, to plant Churches, or to fupply va- 
 cancies : And, for this purpofe, may diie& any 
 Prefbytery to ordain Evangclifts, or Minifters 
 without relation to particular Churches : Pro- 
 vided always, that fuch miffions be made with 
 the confent of the parties appointed ; and that 
 the Judicatory fending them make the neceiTary 
 proviiion for their fupport and reward m the 
 performance of this fervice. 
 
 Of Moderators. 
 
 a Moderator It is equally neceiTary in the Judi- 
 aeceifcry. cator j cs f t hc Church, as in other 
 afemblies, that there fhould be a Moderator or 
 Prefident ; that the bufmefs may be conducled 
 with order and difpatch. 
 
 The 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 The authori . ^he Moderator is to be confidered 
 of the Mode- as poffefTing, by delegation from the 
 rator. whole body, all authority neceflary 
 
 for the prefervation of order 5 for convening 
 and adjourning the Judicatory ; and directing 
 its operations according to the rules of the 
 Church. He is to propofe to the judicatory 
 every fubjecT: of deliberation that comes before 
 them. He may propofe what appears to him 
 the mod regular and fpeedy way of bringing a- 
 ny bufinefs to ifiiie. He (hall prevent the mem- 
 bers from interrupting each other ; and require 
 them, in fpeaking, always to addrefs the Chair. 
 He (hall prevent a fpeaker from deviating from 
 the fubject ; and from ufing perfonal reflections. 
 He mall filence thofe who refufe to obey order, 
 He (hall prevent members who attempt to leave 
 the Judicatory without leave obtained from him. 
 He fhall, at a proper feafon, when the delibera- 
 tions are ended, put the queftion and call the 
 votes. If the Judicatory be equally divided he 
 fhall pofTefs the carting vote.. If he be not will- 
 ing to decide, he mail put the queftion a fecond, 
 time : and if the Judicatory be again equally 
 divided, and he decline to give his vote, the 
 queftion (hall be loft., In all queftions he (hall 
 give a cencife and clear (late of the objecl: of 
 the vote ; and the vote being taken, (hall then de- 
 clare how the queftion is decided. And be (hall 
 likewife, when properly advifed, convene the Ju- 
 dicatory, by his circular letter, before the ordi- . 
 nary time of meeting. 
 The Minifter The Paftor of the Congregation 
 
 Orator offhe Ml ahva y s be the Moderator of the 
 
 church Sef- Church Seflion ; except when, for 
 
 prudential reafons, it may appear ad~ 
 
 E vifeable 
 
C 34 ) 
 
 vifcable that fom ' other Minifler fliould be invi- 
 ted to prefide : in which cafe the Pail or : 
 with the concurrence of the Seflion, invite 
 other Minifler as they may fee meet, belonging 
 to the fame Prefbytery, to prefide in that affair. 
 In this Judicatory, therefore, the Moderator is 
 continual : bur, in the vacancy of any Church, 
 the Moderator fliall be the Minifter fent to them 
 by the Prefbytery ; or invited by the SciLon to 
 prefide on a particular occasion. In Congrega- 
 tions, where there are Collea *ucs, they mail, 
 when prefent, alternately prefide in the Seffion. 
 
 TheModera- The Moderator of the Prefbytery 
 
 !her "jw'cl: fr a11 be chofcn from y ear to y^> or 
 
 tyrie«, how to at every meeting of the Prefbytery, 
 bc ch Kn - as the Prefbytery may think beft. 
 The Moderator, of the Synod, and of the Gen- 
 eral Council, fliall be chofen at each meeting 
 of rhofc Judicatories : and the lad Moderator 
 prefent fliall open the meeting with a ftrmon, 
 and (hall hold the chair till a new Moderator be 
 chofen. 
 
 Of Privilege. 
 
 It fliall be the privilege of any member of a 
 Judicatory to fpeak, in his proper order, to any 
 qucition, with leave from the Moderator. The 
 Moderator (hall give leave to the perfon who 
 firit rifes : but if two, or more members, are 
 judged to have rifen at the fame time, the Mo- 
 derator fliall determine which fhall fpeak firft. 
 Any member (hall have a right to propofc any 
 queflion, relative to the bufmefs of the Church, 
 or to the intends of religion, and to have it put 
 to vote j provided only, that his motion be fe- 
 
 conded 
 
{ 35 ) 
 
 conded by another member. If any 
 conceive his privelcges to be unjuftly controuled 
 by the Moderator, he may appeal to the Judica- 
 tory, v/ho lhall determine the point of privilege 
 by a vote ; and the Moderator and member 
 muft fubmit to the fuffrage of the Judicatory. 
 
 Of Clerks. 
 
 Every Judicatory (hall choofe a Clerk, to re- 
 cord their tranfa&ions, whofe continuance {hall 
 be during pleafure. It fhall be the duty of the 
 Clerk, befides recording the tranfa&ions, to pre- 
 ferve them carefully ; and to grant extracts from 
 them, whenever properly required : and fuch 
 extracts, under the hand of the Clerk, yfttf// be 
 confidered as authentic vouchers, of the fa& 
 which they declare, in any ecclefiaflical Judica- 
 tory, and to every part of the Church. 
 
 Of vacant Congregations affembling for Public 
 Worfiip. 
 
 Confidering that the number of our Congre- 
 gations is fo greatly fuperior to the number of 
 Minifiers who are to fupply them, and that this 
 tiifproportion is daily increafmg, in the extend- 
 -cd and growing fettlements on the frontiers ; 
 and confidering the great importance of weekly 
 affembling the people, for the public worfhip of 
 God ; in order thereby to improve their know- 
 ledge ; to confirm their habits of worftiip, and 
 their defire of the public ordinances ; to aug- 
 ment their reverence/tfr the moft high God ; and 
 to promote the charitable aifecTions which unuc 
 men moft firmly in fociety : It is recommended, 
 that every vacant Congregation meet together, 
 
 w 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 on the Lord's day, at one or more places, for 
 the purpofe of prayct^Jsnging praifes, and read- 
 ing the holy Scriptures, together with the works 
 of fuch approved Divines, as the Prefbytery, 
 Within whole bounds they are, may recommend, 
 and they may be able to procure ; and that the 
 Elders or Deacons be the perfons who (hall pre- 
 side, and feledt the portions of Scripture, and of 
 the other books, to be read ; and to fee that 
 the whole be conducted in a becoming and or- 
 derly manner. 
 
 Of Commi/fioners to the General Council* 
 
 mi dinners The Commiffioners to the Gene- 
 ihaii be ap- ral Council mall always be appoint- 
 ed, by the Prefbytery from which 
 nifflit rrcibj- t hey come, at irs laft rlated meeting 
 immediately preceding the meeting 
 of the General Council \ provided, that there 
 be a fufficient interval, between that time ?sA 
 the meeting of the Council, for the CommiiS- 
 oncrs to attend their duty in due feafon : other- 
 wife, the Prefbytery may make the appointment 
 at any flated meeting, not more than feven 
 months preceding the meeting of the Council. 
 And as much as pofTible to prevent all failure 
 in the reprefentation of the Prefbyteries, ariTmg 
 from unforefeen accidents to thofelirfl appoint- 
 ed, it may be expedient for each Prefbytery, m 
 the room of each Commiflioner, to appoint alfo 
 an alternate Commiflioner, to fupply his place, 
 in cafe of necefTary abfence. 
 Fnrm of a Each Commiflioner, before his 
 
 Commiffion. name jj^jj ^ enro lj ed ^ a mcm ber of 
 
 the Council, fhall produce, from hi9 Prefbytery, 
 
37 ) 
 
 , million hand of the Moderator 
 
 and Clerk, in the following or like form : viz. 
 
 " The Prefhytery of being met at 
 
 or. day of dorh 
 
 hereby appoint Bilhop of the 
 
 Congregation of |~or ruling 
 
 Eider in the Congregation of as 
 
 the cafe may be ;]" (to which the Prefhytery 
 .-. if they think proper, make afubftitution in 
 the following form, " or in cafe of his abfence, 
 then Bifhop of the Congre- 
 
 gation of [or ruling Elder 
 
 in the Congregation of as the cafe may 
 
 be : j") to be a Commiffioner, en behalf of this 
 Prefhytery, to the next General Council of the 
 Prefbyterian Church in the United States of A- 
 merica, to meet at on the ; 
 
 day of A. D. cr wherever, and 
 
 "Whenever the faid Council may happen to fit ; 
 to confult, vote, and determine, on all things 
 that may come before that body, according to 
 the principles and constitutions of this Church, 
 and the Word of God. And of his diligence 
 herein, he is to render an account at his return. 
 Signed, by order of the Prefhytery, 
 
 Moderator. 
 Clerk/' 
 And the Prefhytery fhall make record of the 
 appointment. 
 
 CommiiTiors Thefe commiffions fhall, if poffible s 
 ^ered b to d th; be delivered to the Clerk of the 
 cierk at the Council, in proper feafon, that he may 
 f!lon ' have the rolls of the Council com- 
 pleted before the firfl feffion, CommuTions, not 
 produced at the opening of the Council ^ fiiall after- 
 wards 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 wards he delivered only in the intervals 1 
 
 the fcflions. Every CommiJJioner (hall have a 
 
 right to deliberate in the Council ; but none 
 
 fhall be entitled to vote, until their names have 
 
 been enrolled by the Clerk, and their commif- 
 
 fions publicly read, and filed among ihe papers 
 
 of the Council. 
 
 The courrii ^ ne General Council fhall meet, 
 
 fcaii me t at kail, once in every year, on the 
 
 • nee a year. r r /-, c i 
 
 luefday or and 
 
 afterwards on their own adjournments. If there 
 be not a iuirlcient number, for the tranfaet 
 ofbufincfs, convened before 12 o'clock, on that 
 day, thofe who are prefent fhall have power to 
 adjourn, from day to day, till a fufficient num. 
 ber lhall have met to conftitute a Council. 
 
 A-.d Oiaii be ^ n tne ^ a ) r > t0 wn i c h the General 
 ■■ wth Council {lands adjourned, and be- 
 tween the hours of eleven and twelve, 
 the Moderator of the lad General Council, if 
 prefent ; or, in cafe of his abfence, the fenior 
 Minijhr prefent, (hall open the meeting with a 
 fermon. After fermon, the Members being 
 in the houfe where the Council is to hold its 
 fefiions, the fame Miritfter who preached fhall, 
 by prayer, publicly implore the blefling and di- 
 rection of Almighty God ; and fhall continue to 
 prefide till a new moderator be chofen. For 
 this purpofe he (hall call for the commifuons of 
 thofe prefent ; w r hich being read, and the names 
 of the Members enrolled in order, if there be a 
 £>uorum, they (ball chufe a Moderator. 
 Modtofdif. Each fefiion of the Council, as of 
 fohring the all the other Judicatories of the 
 Church, fhall be introduced and con- 
 cluded with prayer. And the whole bufinefs of 
 
 tbe 
 
^ 39 ) 
 
 the Council being finifljed^ and the vote being 
 takcd for diTolving the prefent Council, the 
 Moderator (hall lay from the Chair : " By vir- 
 tue of the authority delegated to me by the 
 Church, let this General Council be diffolved ; 
 and I do hereby diifolve it, and require another 
 Council, chofen in the fame manner, to meet at 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. ." After which he fliall pray, 
 
 and return thanks to God for his great mercy 
 and goodnefs, and pronounce, on thofe prefenr, 
 the /jpojioiic benediction. 
 
 lances of In order > as far as Pebble, to pro. 
 Senates ro cure a refpe&abte and full delegation 
 be decayed. tQ a jj our judicatories, it is proper, 
 that the expences of Minifters and Elders* in 
 their attendance on thefe Judicatories, be de> 
 frayed, by the bodies which they refpe&itejjf 
 
 Farad of Procefs in the Judicatories of this Church. 
 
 With regard to Scandals, or oiTences that 
 may arife in our Churches, we agree to obferve 
 the following rules of proceeding. 
 
 I. Inafmuch as all baptized perfons are 
 Members of the Church, they are under its 
 care, and fubjee'r. to its government and difci- 
 pline ; and, when they have arrived at the years 
 of difcretion, they are bound to perform all the 
 duties of Church-members. 
 
 II. No accufation fliall be admitted, a: the 
 fouudation of a procefs before an ecclefiaftical 
 Judicatory, but where fuch offences are aliedg- 
 ed, as appear, from the Word of God, to merit 
 the public notice and ctnfuie of the Church : 
 
 and, 
 
( 4° ; 
 
 and, in the accufation, the rimes, places, and 
 <. ire urn fiances, mould be afcertained, if poilible ; 
 that the accufed may have an opportunity to 
 prove an alibi - } or to extenuate, or alleviate his 
 crime. 
 
 III. No complaint or information, on the 
 fuhjecT: of perfonal and private injuries, {hall be 
 admitted ; unlefs thofe means, of reconciliation, 
 and of privately reclaiming the offender, have 
 been ufed, which are required by Chrift, Mat. 
 XVIII. 15, 16. And, in all cafes, the ecclelia- 
 ilical Judicatories, in receiving accufations, in 
 conducting proceiTec, cr inflicting cenfv 
 ought to avoid, as far as pofiible, the divulging 
 of offences, to the fcandal of the Church : be- 
 caufe the unneceffary fpreading of fcandal har- 
 dens and enrages the guilty, grieves the godly y 
 and dishonours religion. And if any private 
 Chriftian mall induilrioufly fpread the know- 
 ledge of an offence, unlefs in profecuting it be- 
 fore the proper Judicatories . of the Church, he 
 fhall be liable to cenfare, as an uncandid flan* 
 derer of his brother. 
 
 IV. When complaint is made of a crime, 
 cognizable before any Judicatory, no more (hall 
 be done at the fifft meeting; unlefs by confent 
 of parties, than to give the accufed a copy of 
 each charge with the names of the witneffes to 
 fuppoft it ; and a citation of all concerned, to 
 appear at the next meeting of the Judicatory, 
 to have the matter fully heard and decided. 
 Notice dial! be given to the parties concerned, 
 at Icafl ten days, prcvioufly to the meeting of 
 the Judicatory. 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 V. The Judicatory, in many cafes, may find 
 it more for edification, to fend fome Members to* 
 converfe, in a private manner, with the accufed 
 perfon ; and, if he confefs guilt, to endeavour 
 to bring him to repentance ; than to proceed 
 immediately to citation. 
 
 VI. When an accufed perfon, or a witnefs, 
 refufes to obey the citation, he mail be cited a 
 fecond and a third time ; and if he {till continue 
 to refufe, he mall be excluded from the com- 
 munion of the Church, for his contumacy ; un- 
 til he repent. 
 
 VII. No crime {hall be confidered as eftablifli- 
 ed by a fmgle witnefs. 
 
 VIII. The oath, or affirmation, to be taken 
 by a witnefs, mail be in the following, or like 
 terms : " I folemnly promife, in the prefence 
 of the omnifcient and heart-fearching God, that 
 /will declare the truth, the whole truth, and 
 nothing but the truth, according to the bed: of 
 my knowledge, in the matter in which / am call- 
 ed to witnefs, as / {hall anfwer it to the great 
 Judge of quick and dead." 
 
 IX. The trial mail be open, fair, and impar- 
 tial : ' the witnefles fliall be examined in the 
 prefence of the accufed, or at lead after he mail 
 have received due citation to attend ; and he 
 (hall be permitted to aflc any queflions tending 
 to his own exculpation. 
 
 X. No witnefs, afterwards to be examined, 
 fliall be prefent, during the examination of ano- 
 ther witnefs, on the fame caufe. 
 
 XI. The teftimony, given by witnefles, muft 
 be faithfully recorded, and read to them, for 
 their approbation or fubfeription, 
 
 f in. 
 
C 4* ) 
 
 III. The judgment (hall be regularly enter- 
 ed on the records of the Judicatory ; and the 
 parties (hall be allowed copies of the whole pro- 
 ceedings, if they demand them : And, in cafe of 
 references or appeals, the Judicatory appealed 
 from fliall fend authentic copies of the whole 
 procefs to the higher Judicatories. 
 
 XIII. The perfon found guilty (hall be ad- 
 monifhed, or rebuked, or excluded from Church 
 privileges, as the cafe fhall appear to deferve ; 
 and this only till he give fatisfa&ory evidence of 
 repentance. 
 
 XIV. The fentence fhall be publifhed, only 
 in the Church or Churches which have been of- 
 fended : or, if it be a matter of fmall import- 
 ance, and it fhall appear mod for edification 
 not to publifh it, it may pafs only in the Ju- 
 dicatory. 
 
 XV. Suchgrofs offenders, as will not be re- 
 claimed by the private or public admonitions of 
 the Church, are to be cut off from its commu- 
 nion, agreeably to our Lord's direction, Mat. 
 XVIJL 17. and the Apoflolic injunction refpect- 
 
 ing the incefluous perfon, / Cor. V. 1 5. 
 
 But as this is the higheft cenfure of the Church, 
 and of the mofl folemn nature, it is not to be 
 injlided^ without the advice and confent of, at 
 leaft, the Prefbytery under whofe care the par- 
 ticular Church is, to which the otfender belongs ; 
 or the advice of a higher Judicatory, as the cafe 
 may. appear to require. 
 
 XVI. All procefTes, in cafes of fcandal fhall 
 commence, within the fpace of one year, after 
 the crime fhall have been committed j unlefs 
 it fliall have become recently flagrant, 
 
 XVIL 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 XVII. When any Member mall remove from 
 one Congregation to another, he mall produce 
 proper teftimoiiials of his Church-memberfhip, 
 before he be admitted to Church-privileges ; 
 unlefs the Church, to which he removes, has o- 
 ther fatisfactory means of information. 
 
 Of Procefs againji a Bi/hop or Mini/ler. 
 
 As the fuccefs of the Gofpel, in a great mea- 
 fure, depends upon the credit and good report of 
 its Minifters, each Prefbytery ought, "with the 
 greateft attention, to watch over all their Mem- 
 bers ; and to be careful to cenfure them, when 
 neceflary, with impartiality ; cither for perfonal 
 crimes, which they may commit in common with 
 other men : or thofe that are vocational, arifing 
 from the manner in which they may difcharge 
 their important office. 
 
 I. Procefs, againft a Gofpel Minifter, mail 
 always be entered before the Prefbytery of 
 which he is a member : But^ in cafe of crimes 
 committed without the limits of that Prefbytery, 
 evidence fliall be taken, at the inftance of the 
 Prefbytery within which the offence has been 
 committed ; and the whole proof, authentica- 
 ted under the hand of the Moderator and 
 Clerk, (hall be tranfmitted to the Judicatory be* 
 fore which he is to be tried. 
 
 II. Procefs, againft a Gofpel Minifter, fhall 
 Hot be entered upon ; unlefs fome perfon or 
 perfons undertake to make out the charge ; or 
 when common fame fo loudly proclaims the fcan- 
 dal, that the Prefbytery find it ncceifary to pro- 
 fecute, and ftarch into the matter, for the ho- 
 
 nour of religion. 
 
 IIL 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 III. The fuccefs of the Gofpel greatly de- 
 pends on the anblemified character of its Mini- 
 ni/lers, their foundnefs in the Faith, and holy, 
 and exemplary converfation. It is the duty of 
 all Cbriflians to be very cautious in taking up an 
 ill report of any man, but efpecially of a Mini- 
 fter of the Gofpel. If, therefore, any man 
 know a Minifter guilty of a private cenfurable 
 fault, he fhould warn him in private ; but if 
 he perfift in it, or it become public, he fhould 
 apply, to fome other Bifhop of the Prefbytery, 
 for his advice in the matter. 
 
 IV. When complaint is laid before the Pref- 
 bytery, it muft be reduced to writing, and no- 
 thing farther be done at the firft meeting, unlefs 
 by confent of parties, than giving the Minifter 
 a full copy of the charges, with the names of 
 the witneifes annexed thereto ; and citing all 
 parties, and their witnefles, to appear and be 
 heard at the next meeting ; which meeting 
 fhall not be fooner than ten days after fuch 
 citation. 
 
 V. At the next meeting of the Prefbytery, 
 the charges mud be read to him, and his an- 
 fwers heard and recorded. If it appear neceffa- 
 ry to proceed farther, the Prefbytery ought to 
 labour to bring him to confeflion ; and if h« 
 confefs, and the matter be bafe and flagitious ; 
 fuch as drunkennefs, uncleannefs, or crimes of a 
 higher nature ; however penitent he may ap- 
 pear, to the fatisfa&ion of all, the Prefbytery 
 inu ft, without delay, fufpend him from the ex- 
 crcife of his office, or depofe him from the mi- 
 ni dry ; and appoint him a due time to confefs 
 publicly before the Congregation offended, and 
 t9 profefs his repentance. 
 
 VI 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 VI. The profecutor fhall be previoufly Warn- 
 ed, that, if he fail to prove the charges, he mull 
 himfelf be cenfured, as a flanderer of the Got- 
 pel miniftry. 
 
 VII. If a Minifler, accufed of atrocious 
 crimes, being three times duly cited, mall refufs 
 to attend the Prefbytery, he mud be immediate- 
 ly fufpended : and if, after another citation, he 
 (till refufe to attend, he ihall be depofed as con- 
 tumacious. 
 
 VIII. If the Minifler, when he appears, will 
 not confefs, but denies the fa£h alledged againft 
 him ; if, on hearing the witneffes, the charges 
 appear important and well fupported, the Pref-^ 
 bytery mud, neverthelefs, cenfure him ; and 
 fufpend or depofe him, according to the nature 
 of the offence. 
 
 IX. Herefy and fchifm may be of fuch a na- 
 ture as to infer depofition : but errors ought to 
 be carefully confidered j whether they fbrike at 
 the vitals of religion, and are induftriouily 
 fpread ; or whether they arife from the weak- 
 ness of the human understanding, and are not 
 likely to do much hurt. 
 
 X. A Minifter, under procefs for herefy or 
 fchifm, fhould be treated with chriftian and bro- 
 therly tendernefs ; frequent conferences ought 
 to be held with him, and proper admonitions 
 adminiftred : yet, in fome more dangerous cafes, 
 iufpenfion becomes neceffary; but a Synod fhould 
 be confulted in fuch cafes. 
 
 XI. If the Prefbytery find, on trial, that the 
 matter complained of amounts to no more than 
 fuch a&s of infirmity, as may be amended and the 
 People fatisfied, fo as little or nothing remains to 
 hinder his ufefulnefs ; they ihall take all pru- 
 dent meai r ufcs to remove the offence. 
 
 XIL 
 
( 4-6 
 
 XII. A Minifter, depofed for fcandalous 
 conduct, may not be reilored, on his deeped 
 forrow for tin, without fome time of eminent and 
 exemplary, humble and edifying converfation, 
 to heal the wound made by his fcandal. 
 
 XIII. As foon as a Minifter is depofed, his 
 Congregation fhall be declared vacant. 
 
CONFESSION OF FAITH. 
 
 Chap. XX. 
 
 IV. And becaufe the powers which God 
 hath ordained, and the liberty which Chrift 
 hath purchafcd, are not intended by God to de- 
 flroy, but mutually to uphold and preferve one 
 another; they who, upon pretence of Chrif- 
 tian liberty, fhall oppofe any lawful power, or 
 the lawful exercife of it, whether it be civil or 
 ecclefiadical, rend the ordinance of God. And 
 for their publifhing of fuch opinions, or main- 
 taining of fuch practices, as are contrary to the 
 light of nature, or to the known principles of 
 Chridianity, whether concerning faith, worfhip, 
 or converfation ; or to the power of godlinefs ; 
 or fuch erroneous opinions or practices, as either, 
 in their own nature, or in the manner of pub- 
 lifhing or maintaining them, are dedru&ive to 
 the external peace and order which Chrid hath 
 edablifhed in the Church ; rhey may lawfully 
 be called to account, and proceeded againft by 
 the cenfures of the Church. 
 
 Chap. XXIIL 
 
 III. Civil Magifl rates may not affume to 
 themfelves the ad mini drat ion of the Word and 
 Sacraments ; or the power of the keys of the 
 kingdom of Heaven ; or, in the lead, interfere 
 in matters of Faith. Yet, as nurfmg Fathers, 
 it is the duty of Civil Magidrates to protect the 
 Church of our common Lord, without giving 
 the preference to any denomination of Chrif- 
 tians above the red, in fuch a manner, that all 
 ecclefiadical perfons whatever (hall enjoy the 
 
 full, 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 full, free, and unqueftioned liberty of difchj 
 ing, every part of their iacred fun&ion, without 
 violence or danger. And, as Jefus Chrift hath 
 appointed a regular Government and Difcipline 
 in his Church, no Law, of any Commonwealth, 
 fliould interfere with, let, or hinder, the due 
 exercife thereof, among the voluntary members 
 of any denomination of Chriftians, accor 
 to their own profeffion and belief. It is the du- 
 ty of Civil Magiftrates to protect the perfon 
 and good name of all their people, in fuch an 
 effectual manner as that no perfon be fuffered, 
 either upon pretence of religion or of infidelity, 
 to offer any indignity, violence, abufe, or injury 
 to any other perfon whatsoever : and to take 
 order, that all religious and eccleiiadical Af- 
 femblies be held, without moleftation or dif^ 
 turbance. 
 
 Chap. XXXI. 
 
 I. * For the better government and further 
 edification of the Church, there ought to be 
 fuch AlTemblies as are commonly called Synods 
 or Councils : and it belongeth to the Overfeert 
 and other Rulers of the particular Churches, 
 by virtue of their office, and the power which 
 Chrift hath given them for edification and not 
 for dcftrucYion, to appoint fuch AlTemblies ; and 
 to convene together in them, as often as they 
 fhall judge it expedient for the good of the 
 Church. 
 
 • This u propofed to befubjiituted in 'ream tfthef*rj and 
 .iondjcRion* of this Cbapttr. 
 
C 49 ) 
 
 T H' E 
 
 DIRECTORY, 
 
 .FOR THE 
 
 Public Worshiip of God 5 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 
 
 IN THE 
 
 United States of AMERICA ; 
 
 As revifcd by the Committee of Synod appointed 
 for that Purpofe 
 
 Let all things be done decently , and in order* 
 
 i Cor, XIV, 4C0 
 
So ) 
 
 O Isf T E N T S, 
 
 Preface, 
 
 Of the S a notification of the Lord's Day. 
 
 Of the Affcmbling of the Congregation^ &c. 
 
 Of the public reading of the holy Scriptures. 
 
 Of the fin gin g of Pfahns. 
 
 Of public Prayer before Sermon. 
 
 Of the Preaching of the Wq; d. 
 
 Of Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 Of the Adminifl* at ion of Baptifm. 
 
 Of the A dminijl ration of the Lord's Sapper. 
 
 Of the Admiffion of'Perfons to Scaihg-Ordinances. 
 
 Of the Mode of injlicling Church -Cenfures. 
 
 if the Solemnization of Marriage. 
 
 Of the Vifttation of the Sick, 
 
 Of the Bu ial o the Dead. 
 
 Of Fafling ; and of the Obfervatien of Bays of 
 
 lhankf giving. 
 Of the Ordination of Miniflers of the Gofpel. 
 The Directory j or Secret and Family Worfhip. 
 
( S' > 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE Preibyterian Church in America, from 
 fmall beginnings, through the great good- 
 nefs of God, hath rifen to be a numerous and 
 refpe&able body. It is of the lad importance, 
 that great care be taken to prefcrve, in this ex- 
 teniive community, not only foundnefs of doc- 
 trine, but alfo purity of manners, and regularity 
 of worihip. 
 
 This Church firmly believes, that her doc- 
 trines, and modes ofworfhip. are moll agreeable 
 to the Word of God ; to the Practice of the 
 Primitive Church in the three fird Centuries ; 
 and to the bed reformed Churches. She thinks 
 it the indsfpenfible duty of all her people, to ufe 
 their, utmoft endeavours, to have regular fettled 
 Miniders of their own perfuafion ; and dated 
 worfhip, in their own way, every Lord's day. 
 
 At the fame time, the Pr?foyterian Church 
 maintains a high refpeft for the other Protectant 
 Churches of this Country ; though feveral of 
 them diifer- from her in fome forms of govern- 
 ment and Modes ofworfhip: particularly for the 
 regular Congregational Churches to the eadward; 
 for the AiTociate, Low Dutch, and German, re- 
 formed Churches ; and for the Lutheran and 
 Epifcopal Churches. 
 
 In places where there are only a few Prefby- 
 terians, and they are not able to have worftvp 
 ufually in their own way ; it is recommended to 
 them, to attend with the Chridim brethren, of 
 any of the above denominations, which may be 
 mod convenient, rather than fpend their Sab- 
 baths without public worfhip. But this Church 
 Warns all her People againd illiterate, vagrant, 
 
 and 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 and defigning perfbns, who, under pretence of 
 ^ca' and (Irictnefs than orhers, only go a- 
 bout to make a party. It is much better for 
 them, to ft ly at home on the Lord's day with 
 their families, than to encourage thofe men, who, 
 by condemning regular, known and pious Church- 
 ive too much reafon to fufpect that their uwn 
 views are dangerous and wrong. 
 
 Al hough the Prefoyterian Church believes 
 her Government and worfhip, as well as hrr 
 Faith, to be the pureft and bed ; yet thefe are 
 far from being perfect. This imperfection, 
 however, is not fo much in her conflitution, as 
 in carrying her government, and modes of wor- 
 fhip into effect. r J he Form of government and 
 difcipline is intended to obviate the imperfection, 
 in the one cafe ; and the following directory for 
 W or (hip, in the other. 
 
 One great and apparent imperfection, attend- 
 ing the public worfhip of this Church, as well as 
 that of other denominations (for which we have 
 great reafon to be deeply humbled before God) 
 is the manifeft deficiency of folemn gravity, holy' 
 reverence, and a devotional fpirit, in the time of 
 performing divine fervice. It is abfolutely ne- 
 ceiTary that fomething be done to revive the fpi- 
 rit and appearance of devotion. Where there 
 is real devotion ; there the appearance of it will 
 be. This, we doubt nor, is the cafe with a num- 
 ber, through divine grace, in all our Congrega- 
 tions. It is readily granted, that there may be 
 the appearance, without the fpirit of devotion ; 
 but there cannot be the fpirit, without the ap- 
 pearance : and, did we attend more to the ap- 
 pearance, it might have a happy tendency to a- 
 waken and revive a devotional fpirit. 
 
 Many 
 
t 53 ) 
 
 Many things feem to contribute to banifh the 
 appearance of devotion from our worfhipping 
 Aifemblies. 
 
 I. Perfons going out and in, during divine ft r- 
 vice, is an odious practice. It is hi^h'y offcnfiyc 
 to God, difturbs the Congregation, and man 
 their worfhip ; and is never to be a!!< v>ed, but 
 in cafes ofabfolatc neccfiity. '1 he Rulers <f 
 every Church ought to be careful to cprrttt this 
 diforder. 
 
 II. Another evil, increafing in our public wor- 
 fhip, and tending to deftroy the fpirit and appear- 
 ance of devotion, is, that many, in fome oi our 
 Congregations, do nut join in fmging the praiies 
 of God. Every perfon ought to keep his eyes 
 fixed upon his hook, his heart en ;aged, and his 
 voice employed in this delightful fervice ; and 
 to fing, with folemn reverence and compofure, 
 as in the prefence of the mod: High. None 
 can juftly pretend, as an excufe, their want of 
 voice, or their want of an ear for mufie ; for 
 there is no perfon who cannot, at leaft in a low 
 voice, follow the tune : And, if the Officers of 
 the Church be careful, that all have booKs and 
 do fing, there is reafon to hope, that, with the 
 divine bleffing, the fpirit and appearance of de- 
 votion will be reflored to this branch of our 
 worfliip. 
 
 III. There is a want of devotion, awfully ap- 
 parent in our Congregations, during the time cf 
 public prayer. Some are gazing about, fomc 
 turning their back to the Minifter, and others 
 putting themfelves into different attitudes of eafe ; 
 and but few, either are in the poflure, or have 
 the appearance of devotion. It is the indifpenfi- 
 ble duty of the whole Congregation, ferioufly 
 
 and 
 
C 54 ) 
 
 and devoutly, to join with the Minifter in offer- 
 ing up the defires of their hearts unto God, 
 liiere ought not to be a wandering heart, a ga- 
 zing eye, a cartlefs or indevout pofture. in any 
 part of divine fervice. The fcriptural pofturea, 
 in prayer, are, in general, (landing or kneeling ; 
 the former of which is in ufe, with us, in the 
 Church ; and the latter, in the Family. In this 
 duty, All ought to put themfelves into the mod 
 devout attitude, as in the prefence of the holy 
 God, having their eyes fixed, covered orclofed ; 
 and fo continue throughout the whole of the 
 fervice : and we doubt not but a due attention 
 to the pofture in prayer would have a happy 
 tendency to bring on a praying frame of mind, 
 and to revive a devotional fpirit. 
 
 IV. As the reading of the holy Scriptures is 
 a very important part of divine worfhip, it is 
 much to be lamented, that this mould be negle£h 
 ed in any of our Congregations. It is provided 
 for, in die Directory, that, where it has not been 
 ufed, it fhould be introduced and faithful'? 
 pra&ifed. In order to give folcmnity to this part 
 of worfhip, and to teftify our reverence for the 
 Word of God, it would be decent, and not im- 
 proper, for the whole Congregation to ftand up, 
 during the reading of the Scriptures ; is was the 
 ufi^e under the Old Teftamentdifpenfation, and 
 among the primitive Chriftians. It is alfo re- 
 commended, that all have their Bibles ; and 
 that they, fiiently and devoutly, follow the Mini- 
 fter while he is reading. Thus the fpirit of de- 
 votion will be promoted and cheriihed. 
 
 V. There are alfo fome things amifs, while 
 the Minifter is preaching, which fliould be cor- 
 pc&ecL None ought to Hand up ; much lefs to 
 
 turn 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 turn their back upon the Minifter ; to place 
 thcmfelvcs in fluggifli or carelefs poflurcs ; or 
 to indulge to fkep, whifpering or laughing. .All 
 ought, ferioufly and gravely, to attend to the 
 whole of the inftru£tion or exhortation ; and to 
 receive it with faith and love. Were thefe 
 thiLgs duly obfcrved, during the preaching of the 
 Word, there would probably be fewer com- 
 plaints among us of its want of fuccefs. 
 
 Now may God, of his infinite mercy, grant, 
 that folemn reverence, and a devotional fpirit, 
 may be revived and flourifh, in all our Churches^ 
 through Jefus Chrilt our Lord. Arftsn* 
 
 THE 
 
( 5<* ) 
 T II E 
 
 DIRECTORY, &c. 
 
 Of the Sanaificatlon ef the Lord's Day. 
 
 IT is the duty of every perfon to remember 
 the Lord's Day, and to prepare for it, before 
 its apnroach. All worldly bufmefs, mould be fo 
 ordered, and feaibnably laid afide, as that we may 
 not be hindered thereby from fan&ifying the Sab- 
 bath, as the holy Scriptures require- 
 
 The whole day is to be kept holy to the Lord, 
 and to be employed in the public and private 
 exercifes of religion. Therefore, it is requifite, 
 that there be an holy retting, all the day, from 
 unneceiTary labours; and an abftaining from thofe 
 recreations, which may be lawful on other days ; 
 and alfo, as much as poilible, from worldly 
 thoughts and convevfanon. 
 
 Let the provifions, for the fupport of the fami- 
 ly on that day, be fo ordered, that fervants or 
 others be not improperly detained from the pub- 
 lic worfhip of God; nor hindered from faucli tying 
 the Sabbath. 
 
 Let every perfon and family, in the morning, 
 bv fecret and private prayer, for themfelves and 
 others, efptcially for i he affifhnce of God to 
 their Miniftcr, and for a blcffing upon h s mim- 
 ftry ; bv reading the fcriptures ; and by holy 
 meditation ; prepare for communion with God 
 in his public ordinances. 
 
 The 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 Let the people be careful to affemble at the 
 appointed time, that, being all prefent at the be* 
 ginning, they may unite, with one heart, in all the 
 parts ©f public worfhip : and let none unnecefTa- 
 rily depart, till after the bfefling be pronounced. 
 
 Let the time, after the folemn fervices of the 
 congregation in public are over, be fpent in read- 
 ing ; meditation ; repeating of fermons ; cate- 
 chifing ; religious converfation ; prayer for a 
 blefling upon the public ordinances ; the finging 
 of pfalms, hymns, or fpiritual fongs ; viliting the 
 fick ; relieving the poor ; and in performing 
 fuch like duties of piety, charity and mercy. 
 
 Of the affembling of the Congregation^ and their 
 behaviour during Divine Service, 
 
 When the time appointed for public worfhip 
 is come, let the people enter theChurch, and take 
 their feats, in a decent, grave, and reverent man- 
 ner. And, after the Congregation is aflembled, 
 the Miniftcr fhall begin the fervice with prayer, 
 to the following purpofe : 
 
 i Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who 
 
 * art, and waft, and art to come ; We, who are 
 ' unworthy of the leafl: of all thy mercres, humbly 
 ' prefent ourfelves in thy courts, to offer homage, 
 
 * adoration, and praife,to Thee, our Creator, our 
 
 * Redeemer, and our God. Enable us, O Lord, 
 i by thy good Spirit, to attend to the holy duties 
 
 * to which thou art calling us at this time, without 
 
 * diftra&ion of mind,and with reverence and godly 
 
 * fear. Admit us, we befeech thee, with humble 
 
 * boldnefs, to enter into the holieft, by the blood 
 
 * of Jefus, by the new and living way, which he 
 
 * hath confecrated for us, through the, vail.— — 
 
 H Inftruft 
 
c Inilruet us from thy holy word. May we read 
 fc it wiih wife and understanding hearts. Prepare 
 c us for tinging thy praiics,that we may make me- 
 ? lody In pur hearts unto the Lord, and oiler 
 c up an acceptable fervice to our God. Teach 
 
 * us to pray, infpire us with a fpirit of devotion, 
 
 * enable us to exercife faith in all the parts of 
 c divine worfhip. And let all be done to the 
 
 * glory of the Father* of the Son, and of the 
 ' Holy Ghoft; and graciouily accept us, through 
 c Jefus Chriit our Lord. Amen? 
 
 This, and all the other prayers in the Direc- 
 tory, may and ought to be varied, according to 
 the variety of circumftances which may occur ; 
 agreeably to the views and judgment of every 
 miniilcr. Thus the fpirit of prayer will be en* 
 couraged ; and the undue rcftraint of this fpirit, 
 which is the too frequent effect, of Forms of pray- 
 er, will be guarded againft. 
 
 In the time of public w T orihip, let all the peo- 
 ple attend with gravity and reverence ; forbear- 
 ing to read any thing, except what the minifler 
 is then reading or citing ; abflaining from all 
 whifperings, from falutations of perfons prefent 
 or coming in ; and from gazing about, fleeping^ 
 fmiling, and all other indecent behaviour. 
 
 W any one be prevented from being prefent at 
 the beginning of fervice, he ought not, when he 
 enters the Church, to betake himfelf to his pri- 
 vate devotion ; but to compofe his mind, and 
 reverently join in the public worlhip, with the 
 Congregation. 
 
 f l be public rending ef the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 The reading o r the holy Scriptures, in the Con* 
 gregation, is a part of the public worihip of God; 
 
 ui4 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 and ought to be performed by the Minlflers and 
 Teachers. 
 
 All the canonical books, of the old and new 
 Teftament, (ha!! be publicly read, from the moft 
 approved tranflation, in the vulgar tongue, that 
 all may hear and underfland. 
 
 How large a portion (hall be read at once is 
 left to the difcretion of every Minifter : howe- 
 ver, in each fervice, he ought to read, at lead, 
 one chapter ; and more, when the chapters are 
 fliort, or the connection requires it. He may, 
 when he thinks it expedient, expound any part 
 of what is read ; always having regard to the 
 time, that neither reading, finging, praying, 
 preaching, or any other ordinance, be difpropor- 
 tionate the one to the other ; nor the whole 
 rendered too fhort or too tedious. 
 
 Of the finging of Pfalms. 
 
 It is the duty of Chrrftians to praife God, by 
 finging pfalms and hymns, publicly intheChurch, 
 as alfo privately in the family. 
 
 In finging the praifes of God, we are to fing 
 with the fpirit, and with the underftanding alfo ; 
 making melody, in our hearts, unto the Lord. It 
 is alfo proper, that we cultivate fome knowledge 
 of the rules of mufic ; that we may praife God 
 with our voices, as well as with our hearts. 
 
 The whole congregation mould be furnifhed 
 with books, and ought to join intlvspart ofwor- 
 ftiip. It is proper to fing without parceling out the 
 pfalm, line by line. The practice of reading the 
 pfalm, line by line, was introduced in times of 
 ignorance, when many in the Congregation 
 could not read : therefore, it is recommended, 
 that it be laid afide, aifar as convenient. 
 
 The 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 The proportion, of the time of public worfliip 
 10 be fpent in finging, is left to the prudence of 
 every Minifter : but it is recommended, that 
 more time be allowed, for this excellent part of 
 divine fervice, than has been ufual in moll of our 
 Churches. 
 
 Of public Prayer before Sermon. 
 
 After the introductory prayer, reading the 
 Word, and finging praife ; the Minifter is to pro- 
 ceed to a more extenfive adoration of God, con- 
 fefHon of fin, thank/giving for mercies, fupplica- 
 tion for bleflings, and interceiTion for others ; in 
 a longer prayer, to this effect : 
 
 * O God, thou art our God, early will we 
 ' feek thee ; our God, and we will praife thee; 
 
 * our father's God, and we will exalt thee. 
 
 * Thou art very great, cloathed with honor and 
 
 * majefty. Thou covered thyfelf with light as 
 
 * with a garment ; and in thee is no dark- 
 4 nefs at all. 
 
 4 Thou art God thyfelf alone; and,befides thee, 
 
 * there is none elfe. The heavens declare thy 
 
 * glory, and the firmament fheweth forth thy 
 
 * handy work. The inviiible things of God, 
 
 * from the creation of the world, are clearly 
 
 * feen, being understood by the things that are 
 
 * made, even thine eternal power and Godhead. 
 
 * Thou art tranfeendently great in all thy 
 
 * perfections. Thou art glorious in holinefs, 
 
 * fearful in praifes, doing wonders. Who, in 
 
 * the heavens, can be compared unto the Lord ? 
 
 * Who, among the fons of the mighty, can be 
 j likened unto thee, O Lord God of holts I As 
 
 « the 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 f the heavens are high above the earth, (o arc 
 
 * thy thoughts above oar thoughts, and thy ways 
 6 above our ways. All nations, before thee, are 
 4 as the drop of a bucket, or the final] dud of the 
 6 balance ; and thou takeft up the illes as a very 
 
 * little thing : They are as nothing, and counted 
 c to thee lefs than nothing and vanity. 
 
 ' Thou art the eternal, immortal and un- 
 c changeable God. Before the mountains were 
 6 brought forth, or ever thou badft formed the 
 
 * earth and the world, from everlading to ever* 
 
 * lading thou art God; the fame,yedcrday,to day, 
 f and forever. 
 
 6 Thou art the omniprefent God. None can 
 
 * hide himfelf in fecret places, that thou caoft not 
 f fee him, for thou filled heaven and earth with 
 
 * thy prefence. 
 
 ' Thou art the omnifcient Jehovah. All 
 
 * things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him 
 
 * with whom we have to do. Thou underilanucft 
 '■ our thoughts afar off : There is not a word in 
 ' our tongue, but, lo ! O Lord, thou knoweft it 
 { altogether. 
 
 * Thy wifdom is unfearchable. Thine under-. 
 $ danding, O Lord, is infinite. Thou telled the 
 ? number of the dars,and called them all by their 
 c names, Thou art wonderful in counfel, excel- 
 6 lent in working, wife in heart, and mighty in 
 1 drength. O the depth of the wifdom and know- 
 1 ledge of God ! how unfearchable are his judg- 
 \ ments, and his ways pad finding out ? 
 
 4 Thy fovereignty is incontedable. Thon 
 1 dod according to thy will, in the armies of hea- 
 '■ ven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, 
 ; and none can day thy hand, or fay unto thee* 
 ; what doeft thou. 
 
 ■ Thy 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 * Thy power is irrefidible Wc know, O 
 c God, that thou cand do every thing. All pow- 
 
 * cr is thine, both in heaven and in earth : Thou 
 c killed, and thou makeit alive : 1 hou wound- 
 c ed, and thou healed : And there is none that 
 c can deliver ont of thy hand. 
 
 c Thou art a God of unfpotted purity, and 
 
 ( perfect rectitude. Thou art holy, O thou 
 
 4 that inhabited the praifes qf Ifrael.' Holy and 
 
 *. nd reverent is thy name ; and we give thanks 
 
 < at .he remembrance of thy holincfs. Thou 
 
 * art .:: purer eyes than to behold iniquity j 
 1 neither Qiall evil dwell with thee. 
 
 c Thy judice is inflexible, thy truth inviola- 
 
 * ble, and the treafures of thy goodnefs inex- 
 c liaudible. Thou art righteous, O Lord, in 
 c all thy ways, and holy in all thy works. Thy 
 
 * righteoufnefs is as the great mountains : All 
 c thy ways are truth and judgment. Thou art 
 c God, and thy mercy en dure th forever. Thy 
 
 * loving kindnefs is great towards us, and thy 
 
 * truth endureth to all generations. Thou had 
 c proclaimed thy name, the Lord, the Lord God, 
 c merciful and gracious, flow to anger, abundant 
 
 * in goodnefs and truth, keeping mercy for thou- 
 
 * fands, forgiving iniquity, tranfgrelTion and fin. 
 
 * Thefe, O Lord, are but part of thy ways ; 
 « for who by fearching can find out God ? who 
 « can find out the Almighty to perfection ? 
 
 * We praife thee as a God of ineffable glory. 
 
 * Thou had prepared thy throne in the heavens; 
 
 * and the Seraphim vail their faces before thee. 
 1 Thou maked thine Angels fpirits, and thy mi- 
 
 * niders a flame of fire : Thoufand thoufands 
 
 * minidcr unto thee, and ten thoufand times ten 
 
 ' thoufaiid 
 
( <>3 ) 
 
 thoufand (land before thee. Thou art worthy 
 O Lord, ro reeeive bl tiling and honor and glo- 
 ry and power; for thou hail created all things* 
 and for thy pleaiure, they are and were crea- 
 ted. The earth is full of thy riches : thy 
 kingdom ruleth over all : a iparrow falls not 
 to the ground without our father ; and the 
 hairs of our head are all numbered. 
 6 Thou made ft man at firft of the dud of the 
 ground, and didft breathe into him the breath 
 of life, and he became a living foul. Thou 
 haft made, of one blood, all the nations of men, 
 for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and 
 haft determined the times before appointed, 
 and the bounds of their habitation. 
 
 * We adore thee, as the one, living, and true 
 God, the Father, the Word, and the holy 
 Ghoft. We give honor to the Son as to the 
 Father ; and to the comforter the holy Spirit* 
 who is fent to teach us all things, and to bring 
 all things to our remembrance* We praife 
 thee, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, the Cre- 
 ator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier. Thou haft 
 made us, and not we ourfelves ; and therefore 
 we are not our own but thine, thy people, 
 and the flieep of thy pafture* In thee we live* 
 and move, and have our being. Thou haft re- 
 deemed us from evil. We are bought with a 
 price. It is of thy mercy that we are not con- 
 fumed, even becaufe thy compaffions fail not. 
 Thou haft appointed us a high prieft, in whofe 
 name we may come boldly to the throne of 
 grace. We make mention of the righteouf. 
 nefs of Chrift, and of his only. 
 
 * Moft merciful God, we come unto thee, 
 in humble dependence upon his atonement 
 and interceflion, and confefs our fins, which 
 
 - are 
 
(' k ) 
 
 many and great. Againfl thee, thee only 
 havewt TirnedjOGodjandtousbelongethfhamc 
 and confufion of face-. Behold we are vile, 
 what ftial) we anfwer thee? We will lay our hand 
 upon our mouth. Thou putted no truft in 
 thy faints ; yea the heavens are not clean in thy 
 fight* How much more abominable and fil- 
 thy is man, who drinketh iniquity like water? 
 We have ruined ourfelves ; but in thee is our 
 help. If thou Lord fhoiildft mark iniquities, 
 
 Lord, who (hall ftand ? But there is for- 
 gfaeileft with thee that thou mayeft be feared : 
 with thee there is mercy 5 yea, with our God, 
 there is plemteous redemption* 
 
 1 O Lord, thou madcfl man upright, but he 
 hath fought out many inventions. Our firft 
 parents rebelled againft thee ; and we are tranf- 
 greffors from the womb. We are a feed of 
 evil doers. We have dealt very treacheroufly. 
 By one man's difobedience, many were made 
 finners. By one man fin entered into the 
 world, and death by fin ; and fo death paffed 
 upon all men, for that all have finned. Behold, 
 we are fhapen in iniquity. We are by nature 
 children of Wrath, even as others. All fleili 
 have corrupted their way ; we are all gone a- 
 fide; we are altogether become filthy : there is 
 none righteous; there is none that doth good f 
 no not one. 
 
 ' Our understandings are darkened by feafori 
 of fin ; our wills are ftubborn and perverfe ; 
 and our affections are alienated from thee. We 
 arc wife to do evil, but to do good we have 
 no knowledge* Our neck hath been an iron 
 fmew ; and we have made our heart as the 
 adamant. Wc have followed after vanities, 
 
 • and 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 forfaken our mercies. u'c have fee 
 our affections on things beneath ; and our 
 hearts have departed from the living God. 
 We are prone to evil as the fparks fly upward. 
 Our hearts are deceitful above all things, and 
 defperately wicked. O Lord, we lament our 
 irregular appetites, and inordinate paifions. 
 We bewail oar pride, cur carnality, and world- 
 ly mindednefs. Our fins are attended with ex- 
 ceedingly great aggravations. We have fin- 
 ned againit the cleared: light, the tendereft 
 love, and the mod: faithful warnings of God, 
 of parents, of minifters, and of our own con- 
 ferences. And now, O Lord, what (hall we 
 fay, for we have forfaken thy commandments: 
 we have finned, what ftiall we do unto thee, 
 O thou prcferver of men ? 
 c Glory, glory to thy name in the higheft, 
 
 acre is any hope for the lofl and ! 
 children of men ; that thou haft entertained 
 parpofes of mercy towards any of the guilty 
 race ; that the joyful found of peace and re- 
 conciliation with God hath reached our ears. 
 We thank thee, that thou hail fo loved the 
 world as to give thine only begotten Son, that 
 whofoever beiieveth in him mould not perifb, 
 but have everlafting life. 
 ' In the all prevailing name of Jefus of Naza- 
 reth, a name with which thou art ever well 
 pleafed, we prefent our prayers and fupplica- 
 tions to thee. And now, Lord, what wait we 
 for ? Our eyes are unto thee, and our hope is 
 in thee, through Chrilt Jefus our Redeemer. 
 < Deliver us from all our tranfgrefTions ; and, O 
 '• God, be merciful to us finners. Wa(h us 
 c thoroughly from our iniquity ', .anfe us 
 
 I • from 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 from our fins : For we acknowledge our tranf- 
 greifion » ; and our fm is ever before us. Juf- 
 tify us freely by thy grace, through the re- 
 demption that is in Chrift Jefus our Lord. 
 1 Create in us a clean heart, O God, and re- 
 new a right fpirit within us. Work in us the 
 work of faith with power. Difpofe us to a 
 godly forrowforour fms, and give us repentance 
 unto life. Shed abroad thy love in our hearts 
 by the holy Ghoft given unto us. Teach us 
 thy flatutes, and give us understanding that we 
 may know thy teftl monies. May we know 
 God and Jefus Chriil, whom to know is eter- 
 nal life. Put thy fear, O Lord, into our 
 hearts, that we may never depart from thy law. 
 Hide pride from our eyes ; and cloath us with 
 humility. Enable us to put on the ornament 
 of a meek and quiet fpirit. O God of peace, 
 let not anoer reft in our bofoms. Fill us with 
 charity and brotherly love, that we may keep 
 the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace. 
 May our confcienccs be always tender. May we 
 abilain from all appearance of evil. Difpofe us 
 to contentment with the allotments of thy pro- 
 vidence ; and form us to fubmiffion and resig- 
 nation to thy will. May we ever pofTefs our 
 fouls in patience, and feel an holy indifference 
 to all the objects of time and fenfe. O Lord, fur- 
 nifli us with hope, which maketh not afhamed ; 
 that living hope which is, as an anchor to the 
 4 foul, both fure and ftedfafL 
 
 ■ Enable us, O Lord, to be ciroamfpec't in all 
 * our converfation, watching over our thoughts, 
 ' our lips, and our lives. May the grace of 
 ' God teach us, that denying ungodlinefs and 
 ■ worldly lufts, we mav live foberJy, righteouf- 
 
( 6; ) 
 
 ly and godly in this prcfent world ; looking for 
 that bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing 
 of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus 
 Chrift, who gave himfejf for us, that he might 
 redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto 
 himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good 
 works. Lord, quicken us in the ways of right- 
 eoufnefs. Let us ever practife the things which 
 are honeft in the fight of all men. May we 
 be diligent in every duty, performing it with 
 a ready mind, and with joy and gladnefs of 
 heart. May we have grace always to live in 
 the exercife of devotion and piety towardsGod; 
 of truth, charity and righteoufnefs towards 
 men ; and to maintain chaftity, temperance 
 and fobriety towards ourfclves. Grant that 
 we may increafe in all godlinefs ; that wc 
 may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of 
 our lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. 
 c O Lord, who art the confidence of all the 
 ends of the earth, preferve us from temptation; 
 fupport us under afflictions ; comfort us in for- 
 rows ; make us ufeful in life, and prepare us 
 for death : And when we have done ferving 
 thee here below, admit us, we befeech thee, to 
 that ftate of reft and perfection, which thou 
 haft referved for thy people in the heavenly 
 world. 
 
 1 And now, O Lord our God, we defire to 
 lift up our hearts to thee, in a grateful ac- 
 knowledgment of all thy mercies and benefits 
 to us. We praifethee, as the King of Kings, 
 and Lord of Lords, full of compaftion and 
 goodnefs to the children of men. We thank 
 thee, that thou haft formed us reafonable crea- 
 tures, capable of knowing, ferving, and enjoy- 
 
 « ing 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 ing thee. Wc blefs thee for thy nrefcryujg 
 
 care ; for our lives, our health, our food and 
 raiment ; ibr our friends, our comforts, and all 
 our temporal enjoyments. Above all we praife 
 thee, O moil merciful Father, forfpiritual blef- 
 fmgs in heavenly places in Chrift Jcfus. 
 * We thank thee, O Lord, ior the early intima- 
 tions of good will :o fallen man; that the feed of 
 the woman fhouid bruife the ferpent's head. 
 We adore thee for the wonderful and myftcrious 
 incarnation of thine only begotten Son. Wc 
 praife thee, rhaj when the fulnefs of time was 
 come, thou didft fend forth thy Son made of a 
 woman, made under the law, to redeem them 
 that were under the law, that we might receive 
 c the adoption of fons. We thank thee for his 
 c gracious undertaking ; for his exemplary life ; 
 c his foul faving doctrines ; for the (tv. 
 c dous miracles whereby he confirmed his divine 
 ' million ; and, in a fpecial manner, for his me- 
 ' rkprious death and iuiferings. We blefs thee 
 c that he was delivered for our offences, and rofe 
 6 again for our juftification ; that he hath af- 
 \ cended to his father and our father, to his God 
 c and our God ; and that he ever liverh to make 
 y interceilion for us. 
 
 c We thank thee, O Lord God of grace, for 
 c the holy Spirit, and for his fanctifying and com- 
 c forting influences upon the fouls of men ; for 
 * the covenant cf grace and all the precious pro- 
 c miles thereof ; for thy Word ; for the gofpel 
 c miniftry, and the inftitution of all thine ordinan- 
 c ccs ; for Sabbaths ; and for fan<ftuary blciTings, 
 c We praife thee for the drivings of thy Spirit, 
 c and for the rcmonftrances and admonitions c; 
 i qur confeiences ; for enlightening, renewing, 
 
 i juftifying, 
 t 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 juftifying, adopting and fan&ifying grace ; 
 fweet communion with thee in thine ordinan- 
 ces ; for gracious anfwers to our prayers ; 
 for fuccour in temptations ; for iupport un- 
 der troubles ; and for the joyful hopes of a 
 glorious immortality. 
 
 6 Now, O thou molt High,whenwepray unto 
 thee, we would remember and make fupplica- 
 tion for all the children of men. Extend, we 
 befeech thee, thy mercy to a guilty world ; 
 and let all the ends of the earth fee the falva- 
 tion of our God. Let thy gofpel be preached 
 unto every creature ; and add, unto thy church 
 daily, fuch as {hall be laved. Give unto thy 
 Son the Heathen for his inheritance,and the ut- 
 termoft parts of the earth for his poiTefTion. O 
 Lord, gather, into the gofpel Church, rhine 
 ancient people the Jews ; haflen the latter day 
 glory j accomplifli all the purpofes of thy grace; 
 remove every thing which is a let or hin- 
 drance to the advancement of the Redeemer's 
 kingdom ; take away all error and idolatry, 
 Antichriflian fuperiHtion, and Mahometan 
 deluiion. 
 
 4 We pray for thy bleiling upon thy Church 
 univerfal, and upon every branch of it in par- 
 ticular. O Lord, pity any part of thy Church 
 which may be fufFering affliction or perfec- 
 tion. Let not the rod of the wicked reft upon 
 the lot of the righteous ; ftrengthen the faith 
 and patience of thy fufFering faints , that they 
 may hope and quietly wait for the falvation of 
 the Lord. Pour out thy Spirit upon all thy 
 Churches ; revive thy work in the midft of the 
 years ; caufe pure and undefiled religon uni- 
 versally to prevail ; arife, have mercy upon 
 
 1 Zion, 
 
( 7° ) 
 
 c Zion, and let the time to favour her, yea, the 
 
 * fet time, come. 
 
 6 Heavenly Father, do thou blefs all the Mi- 
 c Qifters of thy Gufpci ; purify me fons of Levi, 
 
 * and make thofe holy who bear the veffels of the 
 
 * Lord ; make them burning and fhining li 
 
 c in thy golden candlciticks ; and may thry turn 
 
 * many to righteoulhefs, and (hinc as ftars in the 
 c firmament of glory forever and ever. 
 
 * O Lord, we pray for thy fpecial favour to 
 ' thy Churches in this land. Be very gracious 
 6 to all the Congregations and Mi miters of this 
 
 * Church. Blefs our Prefbyteries, our Synods, 
 ' and ourGeneralCouncil. May their deliberations 
 c at all times have a happy tendency to promote true 
 
 * religion, and to advance, more and more, the 
 
 * intereft of the Redeemer's kingdom. Make 
 
 * all our people holy in their lives, and godly in 
 
 * their converfation. May they bean ornament 
 
 * to their profeflion ; and may our Church be 
 
 * a pmife in the land. 
 
 c O thou, who art King among the nations, 
 4 vifit all the nations and kingdoms of the earth 
 
 * with thy goodnefs, thy mercy, and thy fal- 
 
 * vation. 
 
 4 Deal favorably, O Lord, with the land in 
 
 * which we live. O the hope of Ifrael, the Sa- 
 
 * viour thereof in time of trouble, be not as a 
 
 * ftranger in our land, and as a way-faring man, 
 
 * that turneth afide to tarry for a night. Make 
 c this Emmanuel's land. May it be a valley of 
 4 vifion, a land wherein truth, peace and right- 
 
 * eoufnefs fhall always dwell. 
 
 4 Give, O Lord, we intreat thee, profperity 
 
 * to the Inhabitants of this country, in their huf- 
 
 * bandry, their trades and their merchandize. 
 
 * Make not our heaven brafs, nor our earth iron ; 
 
 4 but 
 
( -I ) 
 
 but grant us, we pray thee, rain in due feafon ; 
 and referve unco us the appointed weeks of 
 harved. Let our land yield her increafe, and 
 our trees their fruit. Abundantly blefs our 
 proviiion, and fatisfy our poor with bread. 
 1 O Lord, blefs all in authority over us, fu- 
 preme and fubordinate. Counfcl our Counfcl- 
 lors, and teach our Senators wifdom. Make 
 our Officers peace, and our Exactors righteouf- 
 nefs. [It is proper, that fpecial petitions be 
 here offered up ; for the Congrefs of the Unu 
 ted States ; for the particular States, their Go- 
 vernors and other Rulers ; for the State, in 
 which the Congregation may be, its Govern- 
 or, Legiflature, and other Rulers, Judges and 
 Magistrates ; as well as for the whole body of 
 the people.] May all our Magiftrates and Ru- 
 lers rule in the fear of God ; be able men, 
 men of truth, fearing God, and hating covet- 
 oufnefs. May judgment run down as waters, 
 and rightcoufnefs as a mighty dream. 
 
 * O Lord, we pray for all Schools, Colleges, 
 and other Seminaries of leaning. From thefe 
 fountains may dreams iime^ which (hall make 
 glad the city of our God. Blefs all Teachers in 
 them ; and may the youth be trained up in 
 the fear of the Lord. 
 
 * Mod gracious God, we befeech thee to ex- 
 tend compaflion to the fons and daughters of 
 affliction. Heal the fick ; cafe the pained ; 
 fupport the didrefTed ; fuccour the tempted ; 
 comfort mourners ; redore, to their right mind, 
 thofe who are deprived of the ufe of their rea- 
 fon : be the God of the widow, the father of 
 the fatherlefs, and the orphan's day. [It is 
 proper here, if any have defired the prayers 
 of the Church, that fpecial petitions b6 offered 
 up for them.] J And 
 
' And now, O Lord our God, we commit 
 c ourfclves unto thee ; we hope in thy mercies ; 
 c and we wait for thy falvation. Pardon the ini- 
 * quity of our holy things. We afk and offer 
 c all, in the name of our once crucified but now 
 c exalted Redeemer, the Lord Jefus Chrift ; to 
 c whom, with the Father, and the Spirit of all 
 ' grace, be afcribed glory, honor, dominion and 
 c praife, for ever and ever. Arneru* 
 
 Wc judge this to be a convenient order in the 
 the public prayers of the Church ; yet the Mi- 
 nifter, as in prudence he mall think meet, is to 
 alter and chauge tins order ; to leave out any peti- 
 tions or parts of it ; to add to or vary it, accord- 
 ing to the numerous patterns of prayer in the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 We recommend it to all Miniilers ordinarily 
 to ufe fcriptural language in their public prayers, 
 and that they be careful not to be tedious in this 
 part of the fervice. We think that the prayer 
 before fermon ought not ufually to be fhorter 
 than twelve, nor longer than eighteen or twenty 
 minutes. 
 
 As the prayer, wliich Chrift taught his difci- 
 ples, is both a pattern for prayer, and itielf a 
 mod comprchcnfive prayer, we recommend it to 
 be ufed in the prayers of the Church : and we 
 think the mod proper place for this purpofe is, 
 either at the conclulion of the introductory pray- 
 er, or at the end of this prayer. 
 
 Let a Pfalm be alfo fung here, before the mi* 
 nifter proceed to his Sermon. 
 
 Of the preaching of the Word. 
 
 The Fi caching of the Word, being an inftitu- 
 tion of God for the falvation of men, mould be 
 to performed, that the workman need not be a- 
 
 fliamed, 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 fhamed, but may fave himfelf and thofe that 
 hear him. 
 
 Every man, who undertakes this facred 
 Work, fhould be careful that he be called of 
 God, and regularly called and introduced by 
 the Church, according to the order of the Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 The fubjeet. of his Sermon is to be fome verfe 
 or verfes of fcripture, holding forth fome princi- 
 ple of religion, inculcating fome duty, or reprov- 
 ing fome fin. Let him not ufe a text mere- 
 ly as a motto, but be careful that the doc- 
 trine propofed be fairly contained in it. It is 
 proper alfo, that large portions of Scripture be 
 fometimes expounded, and particularly unprov- 
 ed, for the inflruclion ofthe People in the meu: 
 and ufe of the facred Oracles. 
 
 Let the introduction of his difcourfe be brief 
 and perfpicuous, and ordinarily drawn from the 
 text or context ; that, by a natural and 
 tranfition, it may lead him to the fabject, which 
 he intends to confider. Let not the divifions be 
 too numerous. Let the doctrines be plain, the ex- 
 plications eafy, the illuitrations clear, the ar- 
 guments convincing, the inferences natural ; 
 and the application folemn, affectionate, power- 
 ful and pcrfualive. 
 
 - This method of preaching requires much (tu- 
 dy, meditation and prayer. Miniflers ought, in 
 general, to write their fermons, and not to indulge 
 themfelves in loofe extempore harangues, but to 
 carry beaten oil into the fancluary of the Lord. 
 They ought fo to digeft their fermons, and com- 
 mit them to memory, as not, ordinarily, to ufe 
 
 K 
 
 their 
 
C 74 ) 
 
 r notes in public. But if any choolc to have 
 their notes before them, let them ufe them with 
 the glance of the eye, but not read their fcrmons 
 from the pulpit; 
 
 The fervant of Chrift is to prepare for the 
 fanctuary, and to conduct the fervices thereof, 
 in fuch a manner, that his hearers may be edi- 
 fied ; and may feel the word of God to be quick 
 and powerful, and a difcerner of the thoughts 
 and intents of the heart. Whatever the pecu- 
 liarities of a Minider's method may be, he is to 
 perform his whole minifhy \ 
 
 I. Faithfully, having a fmgle eye to the honor 
 of Chrifl, and fincerely feeking the falvation of 
 the people. . 
 
 II. Painfully ; not doing the work of the Lord 
 negligently. 
 
 III. Plainly; that the feebleft mind may under- 
 ftand ; delivering' the truth, not in the enticing- 
 words of man's wifdom, but in demonltration of 
 the Spirit and of power. 
 
 IV. Wifely; adapting all his doctrines, exhor- 
 tations and reproofs, in fuch a manner as may be 
 mod likely to be fuceefsful ; neither neglect- 
 ing the meaneil, nof fparing the greatefl in their 
 fins. 
 
 V. Gravely and decently, as becometh theO- 
 racles of God ; avoiding all fuch improper gefc 
 tures and phrafes as may caufe fenfible men to 
 defpife him and his miniftry. 
 
 VI. With meeknefs and tender affection ; that 
 the people may fee the whole of his miniltra- 
 tions proceed from love, holy zeal, and a hearty 
 defire to do them good. 
 
 VII. As taught of God, and fully perfuaded 
 jn his own mind, that what he delivers is the 
 
 truth 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 ti"ucli of Chriit ; expreiling himfelf in language 
 eable to Scripture, avoiding terms of an, 
 and the phraies of Philoiophers. He is al- 
 io to live the doctrine which he teaches, be- 
 ing an example to the flock, in humility, cir- 
 cumfpection and godly . converfation ; that he 
 may have comfort in this life, many feals to his 
 miniftry, and, when he has finiihed his, labours of 
 love, a crown of glory in the world to come. 
 
 VIII. As one primary defign, of the public 
 ordinances of the Sabbath, fs, to pay acts of fa- 
 cial homage to the mod high God, the. Minifter 
 is to be careful not to make his fermons too 
 long, fo as to interfere therewith. He is parti- 
 cularly to guard againlt ihortening the devotion- 
 al, and more important parts of the fervice, to 
 mike way for long difcourfes. But, when there is 
 only one public fervice in the day, as- is the cafe, in 
 the winter,in many of our country Churches,the(er- 
 Lion, with all the other parts, may be fomewhar. 
 longer, than where there are two or. more fervices. 
 And, when there are two or more public fervices, 
 ftatediy every Lord's day, we think the fermons, 
 in general, ought not to be fhorter than thirty, 
 nor longer than forty or forty-five minutes. 
 
 Of Prayer after Sermon, 
 
 The fermon being ended, ,the Minifter ii to 
 pray, turning fome of the principal parts of his 
 fermon into confefhon, humiliation, petition, 
 thankfgiving and praife, as the nature of the fub- 
 jeft. may direct. In a fpecial manner he is, 
 
 ' To give thanks, for the great love of God 
 i in fending his only begotten Son to be the Sa- 
 * Tiour of the world ; for the communications of 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 * the Holy GBoft ; tor the light, liberty, privi- 
 
 and rich bk of the gofpel ; for e- 
 
 4 letting love, redeeming mercy, fanttifying 
 
 race, and the joyful hopes of glory. 
 
 k To pray for the continuance of the gofpel, 
 
 c with all its ordinances, in their purity, fpiritu- 
 
 c aiity and power ; for a blcfTmg to accompany 
 
 6 the word of his grace, with which they have 
 
 ** been now favoured ; for preparation for death 
 
 ' and judgment ; for the forgivenefs of the ini- 
 
 c quitics of our mod holy fervices ; and for the 
 
 c acceptance of our perfons and ofTerings,through 
 
 \ the merits and mediation of our great High 
 
 4 Prieii and Saviour* the Lord Jefus Chrift.' 
 
 After this prayer, let a pfalm be fung. Then 
 let there be a collection for the poor, or other 
 of the Church ; and let every one lay bv ? 
 upon the firft day of the week, as God hath 
 profpered him, agreeably to the Apoflolic direc- 
 tion. Then let the Minifler difmifs the Con- 
 gregation with a folemn blefling, to the follow- 
 ing or like purport : 
 
 4 The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the 
 c love of God, and the communion of the holy 
 
 5 Ghoft, be with you all. Amen, 7 
 
 Of the Aclmi nifty ation of Baptifm. 
 
 Baptifm is not to be unnecefTarily delayed, nor 
 to be adminiflrcd, in any cafe, by any private 
 perfoti ; but by a Minifler of Chrift, called to be 
 the Steward of the myitcries of God. 
 
 It is uiually to be adminiflred in the Church, 
 -; prefettce of the Congregation ; and it is 
 convenient that it be performed immediately af- 
 ter fermon- 
 
 After 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 After previous notice is given to the Miniilei, 
 the child to be baptized is to be prefented, by- 
 one or both the parents, fignifying their deiire 
 that the child may be baptized. 
 
 Before baptifm, theMinifter may, occafionally, 
 life fome words of inftru&ion, refpecling the in- 
 flitution, nature, ufe and ends of this ordinance: 
 Shewing ; 
 
 c That it is inftituted by Chrift ; that it is a 
 
 feal of the righteoufnefs of faith ; that the 
 
 feed of the faithful have no lefs a right to this 
 
 1 ordinance, under the gofpel, than the feed of 
 
 c Abraham to circumcifion, under the Old Tef- 
 
 * tament ; that Chrifl commanded all nations 
 
 * to be baptized ; that he bleffed little children, 
 
 * declaring that of fuch is the kingdom of hca- 
 
 * ven ; that children are federally holy, and 
 
 * therefore ought to be baptized ; that we are, 
 6 by nature, finful, guilty and polluted, and have 
 
 * need of cleanfing by the blood of Chriit, and 
 ■ by the fanctifying influences of the Spirit of 
 
 * God.' 
 
 The Minifter is alfo to exhort the parents to 
 the careful performance of their duty : re* 
 quiring ; 
 
 ' That they teach the child to read the word 
 
 * of God ; that they inftrucl it in the principles 
 c of cur holy religion, as contained in the Scrip- 
 c tures of the old and new Teftameht, and ex- 
 
 * cellently fummed up in the Confeflion and Ca~ 
 t techifm of this Church ; that they pray with and 
 
 * for it ; that they fet an example of piety and 
 
 * godlinefs before it ; and endeavour, by all the 
 
 * means of God's appointment, to bring up their 
 
 * child in the nurture and admonition of the 
 
 * Lord.' 
 
 Then 
 
Then the Minifler is tf)r.«pray for a blcfling to 
 attend this ordinance, in the following or like 
 manner : 
 
 ' Moil merciful, holy, and eternal God, we. 
 
 * pray for thy bioflittg upon thefe parents and 
 c - their child. The fouis of parents and the 
 
 * foul, of children are thine. Knable thefe pa- 
 
 * rents, in faith and love, to offer up their child 
 
 * to thee, at this time, in this holy ordinance of 
 € baptif.n. , Safl&fy this child by thy grace. 
 c May irs original guilt be done away, through 
 ! the blood of the Lamb, that was flain. Wafh 
 6 this child in the laver of regeneration. In- 
 
 * graft it into Chriif ;. and make it an heir of 
 I glory. Join the inward baptifm of the Spirit 
 c with the outward baptifm of waters Graciouf- 
 ' ly biefs and fanctify this holy ordinance to the 
 c fjjiritual benefit of this child. Ratify in hea- 
 c ven what we now do upon earth. Hear us, 
 6 O our God, accept and anfwer us, only for 
 
 * the fake of our divine Redeemer. Amen? 
 Then the Miniftcr, cither taking the Child 
 
 in his arms, or leaving it in the arms of the pa- 
 rent, fhali call the child by its name, and fay ; 
 
 c I baptize thee, in the name of the Father, 
 c and of the Son, and of the Holy GhoftV 
 
 As he pronounces thefe words, he is to bap- 
 tize the Child with water, by pouring or fprink- 
 ling it on the face of the Child, without adding 
 any other ceremony. 
 
 'J his being performed he fhall pray to this or 
 the like j.urpofe,: 
 
 * O thou moll; glorious, condefcending, and 
 c graJous God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ; 
 f jve give thee hearty thanks, for the covenant of 
 ■ grac e, and for all the inftitutions of thy mercy. 
 
 1 Follow 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 * Follow with thy blcffing this holy ordinance 
 ' of baptifm, which has now been adminftred in 
 
 * thy name. O Lord, enable rhefe parents to 
 
 * live in the faithful discharge of every chrifrian 
 
 * duty, towards this Child. Receive it into thy 
 ' fatherly care and protection. May ir live and 
 .' grow up before thee, and do worthily in its 
 f day and generation. Sanctify it by thy Scirir; 
 4 uphold it by thy power. May it be a nfeful 
 ' member of thy Church here ; and be kept, by 
 f faith, unto falvation, through Jeius Chrift our 
 "* Lord. Amen' 
 
 This will form a part of the concluding prayer 
 of public worftiip. 
 
 It is proper, that baptifm be adminiflrcd in 
 the prefence of the Congregation: yet there may 
 be cafes, when it will be expedient to aid ^inifler 
 ihis ordinance in private houics ; or which the 
 Minifter is to be the Judge. 
 
 Of the Adminijiration of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 The Communion, or Supper of the Lord, is to 
 be celebrated frequently ; but how often may- 
 be determined by the Minifter and Elderfhip 
 of each Congregation, as they may judge moft 
 for edification : but, we think it ought to be 
 adminiftered, at lead, once in every quarter of 
 the year. The time for the celebration of 
 this ordinance, we judge convenient after the 
 morning fermon : But if any choofeto celebrate 
 it in the afternoon, they arc at their liberty. 
 
 The ignorant and fcandalous are not to be ad- 
 mitted to the Lord's fupper. 
 
 It is proper that public notice mould be give* 
 to the Congregation, at leaf!:, the fabbath before 
 the adminiftration of this ordinance, and that, on 
 
 fome 
 
( *° ) 
 
 iomc day of the week, iomcthing be taught con- 
 ccrning its nature, and a due preparation for ir, 
 that all may come in a fuitable manner to this 
 holv fait 
 
 When the fermon is ended, the Miniftcr fball 
 fhcw ; 
 
 ' Thatthis is an ordinance ofChrift,by reading 
 c the words of inflitution, either from one of the 
 
 * Evangel ids, or from i Cor. XI chapter, which, 
 ' as to him may appear expedient, he may ex- 
 f plain and apply ; that it is to be obferved in 
 c remembrance of Chrift, to (hew forth his death 
 
 * till he come ; that it is of ineffimable benefit, 
 
 * to ftrengthen his people againft fin ; to lup- 
 
 * port them under troubles ; to encourage and 
 4 quicken them in duty ; to infpire them with 
 f love and zeal ; to increafe their faith, and ho- 
 
 * ly refolution, and to beget peace of confcience 3 
 
 * and comfortable hopes of glory.' 
 
 He is to warn the profane, the ignorant, and 
 fcandalous, and thofe that fecretly indulge them- 
 felves in any known fin, not to approach the 
 holy Table. 
 
 On the other hand, he (hall invite to this ho- 
 ly Table, fuch as, fenlible of their loft and help- 
 lefs ftate by fin, depend upon the atonement o£ 
 Chrift for pardon and acceptance with God ; 
 fuch as, being inftrucled in the Gofpel doctrine, 
 have a competent knowledge to difcern the 
 Lord's body ; and fuch as defire to forfakc the 
 ways of fin, and are determined to lead a life of 
 practical godlincft. 
 
 The table, on which the elements are placed* 
 •being decently covered, the bread in convenient 
 difhes, and the wine in large cups ; and the Com- 
 municants orderly and gravely fitting around it, 
 
 (or 
 

 Pre 
 
 ■ of the : : L«1 i 
 
 oftlicb. 
 
 ,n the :•' tora b ' cU;: ^> io 
 
 this or the like effect : 
 
 hou eternal God, Father, Son, and holy 
 re adore thee as the fountain ot be- 
 « ;,!-,. and . We praite thee, that 
 
 « thou haft err;:,', a Church in tins fallen world; 
 « that wo are called to nbers of it ; and 
 
 ' that thou hale appoii. : ° 
 
 « be observed therein.. 
 
 « No"" O Lord, we are invited to come and 
 < eat of Wifdom's br ttd to drink of the 
 
 , hath mhrded. Cauie us fo to 
 « foWr : t after righteoulnefs, mat we 
 
 « maybe tilled. Dra .:i rim after 
 
 i t i, ce . Bring us into thy chambers, that we 
 ' may'be glad and rejoice in thee, and remem- 
 « ber thv love mere than wine. 
 
 clous Cod, we give thee glorv for 
 ' all the purpofes of thv love ; for the million, 
 « fafferjnes and death of Jefus Chrift, in whofc 
 ■ name.atoncwc have accefs to the nirone of 
 t thv grace, and hope for ev: lifer We 
 
 * thank theater this holv ordinance. We de- 
 « vourly pray for thy divin* blefhng upon us, 
 '■ in our attendance upon this feaft or love. 
 
 ' Blefs,() Lord, thefe elements of bread and 
 
 * vine May we receive them as the Symbols 
 ' of the broken body, and (lied blood, or our 
 « Lord and Saviour jefus Chrift. May vc, by 
 < faith, eat the ftefh, and drink the blood, of the 
 
 * Son of God. O Jet this cup ot bleiong, which 
 1 we blefs,be to us the communion ot the blood ot 
 « Chrift ; let this bread, which we break.be to v.i 
 t the communion of the body of Chrift. 
 
 L, . Moit 
 
(. N ) 
 
 c Moft merciful Father, keep our hearts and 
 ' minds in the whole of this dutv ; and pre- 
 1 ferve us from the fuggeftions of the evil one. 
 1 May our fouls feel the lively exercifes of every 
 ' grace. Suit thy mercy to our various circum- 
 
 * ilances. May we be joined to the Lord in a 
 
 * new and everlafting covenant, and made one 
 
 * fpirit with him. May thy continual grace 
 8 and aid further, and ailifl us, in the perform - 
 
 * ance of every duty of the Chriuian life. Seal 
 
 * unto us,webefeech thee, the remifnon of all our 
 
 * fins, the gift of the Holy Ghoft, and the pro - 
 
 * mife of eternal life. 
 
 1 Now unto him who is able to keep us 
 ' from falling, and to prefeqt us faultlefs before 
 
 * the prefencc of his glory with exceeding joy, 
 
 * to the only wife God our Saviour be glory 
 
 * and majeity, dominion and power, both no\* 
 
 * and ever. A men/ 
 
 The elements being now fet apart by pr, 
 er, the Minifter is to take the bread, and break 
 it, into fmall portions, in the view of the peo- 
 ple. While he is performing this facramental 
 action, let him make fuch obfervations, upon 
 the body of Chrift Jcfus, which was broken 
 for us, as to him may appear proper. 
 
 Then he is to fay in exprcfiions of this fort : 
 1 Our Lord Jcfus Chrifl, on the fame night 
 
 * in which he was betrayed, having taken bread, 
 
 * and 1 ' nd broken ii, gave it to his Difci- 
 c pies ; as I, miniitring in his name, give this 
 4 bread unto you ; faying, f lure the Bread is 
 c to be diftribuied] Ta!:e, eat ; this is my Body, 
 
 * which is broken for you : this do in remem- 
 
 * brance of me.' 
 
 After having given the Bread, he fhall take 
 the Cup, and fay ; • After 
 
( §3 ) 
 
 * After the fame manner, our Saviour alio 
 
 < Took the Cup, and, having given thanks, as 
 c hath been done in his name, lie gave it to the 
 
 * Difciples ; faying, [while the Minifler is re- 
 
 * peating thefe words let him give the Cup] This 
 
 * Cup is the New Teflament in my blood, which 
 ' is flied for many, for the rcmiflion of fins : Drink 
 ' ye all of it.' 
 
 The Minifler himfelf is to communicate, at 
 fuch time as may appear to him mod convenient. 
 The Minifler may 5 in a few words, put the Com- 
 municants in mind ; 
 
 *. Of the grace of God, in Jefus Chrift, held 
 forth in this facrament, and of their obligation 
 to be the Lord's ; and may exhort them, to 
 walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are 
 called j and, as they have profefledly received 
 4 Chrift Jefus the Lord, that they be care- 
 ful lb to walk in him ; and to maintain good 
 I works/ 
 
 It may not be improper for the Minifler to 
 give a word of exhortation alfo to thofe who 
 have been only fpectators, reminding them ; 
 
 ' Of their duty ; ftating their fin and danger, 
 ' by living in difobedience to Chrift, in negle<ft> 
 4 ing this holy ordinance ; and calling upon them 
 1 to be earned in making preparation for at- 
 
 * tending upon it, at the next time of its cele- 
 t brat ion.' 
 
 Then the Minifler rs to pray and give thanks 
 to God ; 
 
 4 For his rich mercy, and invaluable good- 
 c nefs, vouchsafed to them in that facred com- 
 
 < munion ; to implore pardon for the defe&s 
 
 * of the whole fervice ; and to pray for the ac- 
 4 ceptance of their perfons and performances ; 
 
 < ton 
 
i for the gracious an of the I Wt, 
 
 f to c n, as they have received Chrifl 
 
 < Jefusthc Lordv fo to walk in him ; that t 
 
 1<J foil thifl they have re t no 
 
 « man take their crown'; tl 
 
 ! 
 
 * ma- 
 
 that the 
 
 ' |c. 
 
 <i thai ; .(ht DHL? io ihme before men, I 
 
 works, n 
 heaven. 4 
 
 'XI and to 
 
 the expcr.ee i 
 
 or at icch other time as may iccm nca to 
 
 rfllip. 
 
 mm be hm-,anc the Com 
 h the folJ or ibme 
 
 r« ;••. t bright agjufll 
 
 eep- 
 # the W the 
 
 ■ 
 
 * r :c; ,)ii, working in you that 
 
 ingil his fight^ throi 
 , . p be ffbny ioicver and ever. 
 I? 
 It has been cuftoroary, in fome parts of our 
 ; ro obferve a ore the Lord's Sup- 
 
 to have Sermon on Saturday and Mon- 
 day ; and to micmbie two op three .Miniiiers, 
 with rheir Gj " ns - 
 
 Whereas did have been bidfcd to 
 
 and may tend ro keep up a ftrifter 
 nnion of Minifies and Googregatiottf [ WC think 
 it not improper, that thcy,Vho chufe to conti- 
 nue 
 
Jn this prajfticc, froulcj the Sac'nu 
 
 nicer, i i 
 
 ] 
 
 Of. jfoncfPctfonsi' 
 
 Children, fthih Hid 
 
 Church, n and dedicated to Cod ia 
 
 < are under the itifpt&joi 
 
 n'ent of the Church-' 
 be taught t< bepeat rfi 
 
 jApbftfes Creed, and the Lord' 
 
 to be taught to t Jin, to 
 
 God, andtq obey the Lord Jdus C, .. : 
 when they come ro years of diicretion, if they* 
 be free from {<:■ ;>pear fo'ber ano iready^ 
 
 and to have fufficiifcilt hnowkdsre to decern the 
 Lord's 1 ey ought to be i: is 
 
 their duty, aid rivilege, to come to the 
 
 Lord', Supper^ 
 
 'The years of difcretion, in young Chr ; ~ ; m: 7 
 cannot be precifely fixed. This mull be le 
 
 rudence of the Elderfhip. The Officers of 
 the Church are the fole Judges of the qualifica- 
 tions of thofe to be admitted to S -rdinan- 
 ces ; and of : when it is proper to admit 
 young Curia ians to -them. 
 
 Thofe, who are to be admitted to Sealing-Or- 
 dinances.. fliaJJ be examined, as to their know- 
 ledge and beiief of the fol things : viz. 
 
 1 That the Scriptures, of the Old- and New 
 c Teflamen . are the Word of God, the only in- 
 * fallible rui- of [ pra&ice ;. that theia 
 
 j contain, plainly and iuiiicientiy, every doc- 
 
 1 trine 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 ? trine needful for Salvation ; that there is g 
 
 * only, living, and true, God, poffefled of every 
 4 perfection and excellency, the Creator, the 
 ' Preierver, and the Governor of the umreHe ; 
 
 * that there are three PerSons in the Godhead, 
 € the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and 
 
 * that thefe three are one ; that all men are in a 
 c loft eftate, and, as Sinners, (land jnftiy condemu- 
 c ed by the law of God, and are liable to \a% 
 
 * wrath and curfe ; that Jefus Chriit, the on- 
 c ly begotten Son of God, who is God and 
 
 * man in one perlon, came into thu world, to 
 
 * feek and to lave them that are loft ; that he 
 
 * Suffered, and made atonement, in their room 
 
 * and ftead ; that he died for their offences, and 
 
 * rofe again for their juftifeatioa ; that b* rit- 
 4 teth at the right hand of God in heaven, ma- 
 
 * king continual interceihon for them ; that the 
 
 * enlightening and Sanctifying influences of the 
 c Holy Ghoft are abfolutely neceSfary, to lead 
 
 * us into the faving underftanding of the Sacred 
 
 * Scriptures, to renew the heart, and to enable 
 c a Chriftian to live Godlily in the world ; and 
 
 * that watchfuinefs over the life, holy meditation, 
 c a conscientious attendance upon public, pri- 
 c vate, and Secret worfhip ; together with the 
 ' fteady practice of righteoufnefs, truth, Smceri- 
 
 * ty, and charity, towards men ; and of Sobriety, 
 c chaftity, and temperance, towards ourfelves - f 
 ' are the indifpenfible duties of every Chriftian.' 
 
 When the knowledge, of thofe who are to 
 be admitted to Sealing-ordinanccs, is judged to 
 be Satisfactory ;; and nothing appears in their 
 life and conversation to hinder their admiffion ; 
 the Minifter fhiill, either in private, or in the 
 
 prefcncG 
 
( s 7 3 
 
 prefence of the Seflion, or in the prefence of 
 the Con-gregatioa, as (hall be mod expedient, 
 aik the profeifion of their faith, iti the following 
 or like manner : 
 
 4 Do you belfeve Jefns Chriir. to be the Son of 
 
 * God? Do you affent to the Covenant of grace, 
 
 * and acknov, ledge' the obligation of your bap- 
 ' lifmal engagement? ? Do you take God, the 
 
 * Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, to be your God? 
 
 * Do you renounce your former fins? And do you 
 
 * promifc, through grace, to live in the diligent 
 4 practice of all the duties required hx the 
 
 * Gofpel P 
 
 It is not imp roper that this be accompanied 
 with fuitablc exhortation and prayer. And the 
 perfons, fo pffrfefling their Faith, are> immedi- 
 ately thereupon, entitled to fealing-ordinariees. 
 
 Unbaptized perfons are not members of the vi- 
 able Church ; they are not Chriftians : There- 
 fore, when they offer themfeives, they are to be 
 eonfidered as candidates' for admiffion into the 
 Church, and to be taught the doctrines of the 
 Gofpel as above directed. 
 
 When their knowledge {nail be deemed fatis^ 
 factory, and nothing appears in their life againiE 
 their admiffion, it is mod expedient, in ordinary 
 cafes, that they fhould publicly profefs their 
 Faith, in the prefence of the Congregation ; [in 
 the fame, or like manner, as directed above in 
 the admiffion of young Chriftians to Sealing-Or- 
 dinances:] After which they ought to be immedi- 
 ately baptized, and admitted to all the privileges 
 ♦f the Church-. ' . 
 
 •/ 
 
 
( B8 ) 
 
 Of the mode of inflicting Churcb-Cenfures* 
 
 The power, 'which thrift hath given the Ru- 
 lers bf his Cfiunch, is for edification, and not for 
 deftrufri ;n. As, in the pre b'fthe Word, 
 
 the v. ick:-d 'arc, minified ly, le- 
 
 bod ; To, 1 ihi, the 
 
 irch autl ke£ a diflin&ion be- 
 
 in rhe holy and the profane. In this fhe ac~ts 
 the part of a tender Mother^ cd her' 
 
 Children only for their good : And that every 
 one of them' may be preferred faultleis, in the 
 day ofihe Lord Jefus. 
 
 When any perfon, belonging to the Congrega- 
 tion is reported of, as being guilty of a fcanda- 
 lou a id cenifuftble offence ; the Church SefTiori 
 fball confider it as their duty, tc . into the 
 
 matter; to cali the perfon before them, and to 
 deal with him, according to the rules of the 
 Church. 
 
 When any member (hall have been guilty of 
 a fault, deferving cenfure, dicaiory ill a 1 1 
 
 proceed "with all tender; ir of- 
 
 fending brother in the fpirit of meeknefs ; con- 
 fidering themfelves, left rhey alfo be temp 
 Cenfure oupht to be ini ith the tfeateft 
 
 poflible folcmnity ; that it may be the mean 
 imprefling the mind of the delinquent With a pro- 
 
 'per fenfc of his danger, while he (lands excluded 
 from the privileges of the Church of the 1: 
 God : and that, with the divine bleiling, it may 
 
 'lead him to repentance ; and earneftly to d 
 robe reconciled to the Loi I he hath of- 
 
 fended, and to his Church, which he hath, by 
 his lin, fcandalized and grieved. 
 
 When 
 
( $9 ) 
 
 i-n anv peribti fhail voluntarily confe/s hirri- 
 felf guilty of an offence ; and thy of a 
 
 imiller nature j and lie fhall appear peni .cut. 
 Judicatory may gpve him an admonition, to bd 
 more watchful for the future, without proceed- 
 ing to fufpend or exclude him from privileges. 
 
 When the Judicatory ha* relolvedto p 
 tence, fufpendin g a member from Church-privi- 
 , the Moderator lhall addrefs him, to the 
 following or like purpofe : 
 
 ' Wuereas you are guilty [by your own con- 
 c femon, or convicted by fullicient proof as the 
 c cafe may be] of the 1m of [here mention the 
 c particular offence] we declare you fufpended 
 
 * from the privileges of the Church ; till you give 
 4 f.ttisfaccory evidence of the fmcerity of your 
 
 * repentance.' 
 
 We now folemnly rebuke you for your fin; 
 Confider, that this is one of thofe works of the 
 flefh, which exclude from the kingdom cf Hea- 
 ven. You muil have been far left of God, thus 
 to crucify afreill the Son of God, and pur 
 him to open ihame. Serioufly refteft, that the 
 wrath of God is revealed, from Heaven, againit 
 all unrighteoufnefs ; and that you {hall have hi* 
 wrath poured out upon you to the uttermoft ; 
 unlefs you repent. Out ofChriii, there is no 
 fafety : for our God is a confuming fire. But, 
 while faithfulnefs to your foul obliges us to warn 
 you of your danger, we call upon you to repent ^ 
 to turn unto the Lord, who will have mercy up- 
 on you ; and to our God, who will abund. 
 pardon. O be perfuaded to flee to the blood of 
 fprinkling. Apply anew to Chriil Jefoj the 
 Lord : for he is able to lave them to the utter- 
 mod, that come unto God by him, feeing he e- 
 irer liveth to make interceflion for them. 
 
 M Ther* 
 
( 9° ) 
 
 Then let the Miniftcr pray, in the following or 
 like manner : 
 
 ' O Lord, do thou, who haft given author!- 
 
 * ty to thy fervahts to bind and to looic upon 
 4 earth, blefs thine own ordinance. May this 
 € perfon be recovered from the fnare of the Dc- 
 
 * ftroyer. None are able to pluck the people 
 6 of Chrift out of his hand. Do thou, O com- 
 c paffionate Redeemer, who didft pray for Pe- 
 c ter, in the hour of temptation, that his Faith 
 ' might not fail, and who didft reltore him after 
 ■ he had fallen, grant repentance unto this Of- 
 6 fender. May his heart be filled with godly 
 c forrow, which worketh repentance not to be 
 ' repented of. O Lord, deal not with him, a'c- 
 
 * cording to the demerit of his fin ; but do thou 
 
 * magnify thy grace, by the forgivenefs of all his 
 
 * iniquities. Blefs thy Church, O thou King of 
 
 * Saints, and preferve thy fervants from fuch 
 
 * heinous offences. Let the time to favour Zi- 
 c on come, when the people fhall be fubdued 
 
 * under the anointed of the Lord. Enable us, 
 
 * () Lord, to watch and pray, that we enter not 
 1 into temptation. Let not the Adverlary tri- 
 
 * umph over thy chofen. Hear us, moft gra- 
 ' cious God, for the fake of Jefus Chrift, theon- 
 
 * Jy Mediator between God and man. Amen* 
 
 it is moft expedient, that all this fliould pafs 
 only before the Judicatory. But, if any Church 
 think it moft expedient to rebuke the Offender 
 publicly, this folemn exclulion, from the privile- 
 ufthe Church, may be in the prcfence of the 
 Congregation. 
 
 After a perfon has been excluded from Church 
 privileges, it is not fit, that he be given over as 
 loft. The Miniftcr, and Elders, and other Chrif- 
 
 tiani, 
 
( 9' ) 
 
 tians, fhould take occafion ro converfe with him; 
 as well as pray frequently in private, that it would 
 pleafe God to give him repentance. And it may 
 not be improper, at times, particularly on days 
 preparatory to the difpqpfing of the lord's 
 Supper, that the prayers of the Church be of- 
 fered up, for thofe unhappy perfons, who by 
 their wickednefs, have fiiut themfelves out from, 
 this holy communion. 
 
 When the Judicatory dial I be fatisfied, as to 
 the reality of the repentance of any Offender, he 
 mail, on his earned importunity, be admitted to 
 profefs his repeinance ; and be reftored to the 
 privileges of the Church. 
 
 It is mod proper, that Penitents, appointed by 
 the SeiTion to be reftored to Church -privileges, 
 fhould be reconciled in the prefence of the Con- 
 gregation : [yet this is not fo indifpenfible, but 
 that a Judicatory may, on good grounds, do it 
 by themfelves]; and it (hall be done in the follow- 
 ing or Lke manner r 
 
 The Minifter, having called the Penitent, in- 
 the prefence of the Congregation, (hall fay : 
 
 ' Do you now profefs your repentance for 
 c your iin ; your fincere defire to be reilored to 
 
 * the privileges of the Church ;. and your pur- 
 c pofe, through the aftiftance of the grace of 
 
 * God, to live as it becometh the Gofpel V 
 Upon his anfwering in the affirmative, the Mi- 
 nifter (hall addrefs him thus z 
 
 Dear Brother, it gives us fincere pleafure to 
 be allowed to entertain a hope, that you have 
 feen your folly, your fin, and your danger, and 
 have been led to flee for refuge to the only hope 
 fet before us in the Gofpel. Permit me to re- 
 mind you, that you have now to do with the- 
 
 hear fa 
 
I 9* ) 
 
 heart-fear clung God. It is eafy to impofe upon 
 : 'hurrh ; you may deceive man, but God 
 cannot be deceived, and may not be mod 
 Oh ! that your heart may be right with him. If 
 you, in this folcmn maimer, profefs repentance, 
 while you feel no true repentance, but are (fill 
 drawn with the Cords of iin, be afraid : for the 
 bands of mockers (hall be made ftrong. But, 
 Brother, we hope better things of you ; and 
 ;s which accompany falvation, though we 
 thus fpeak. Suiter me to remind you, that much 
 -etionis nccclTary; and that a humble, ho- 
 ; od is your fpecial duty. Youhave 
 grieved the people of God, and given occaiion to 
 •the Advcrfciry to blaipheme. Ibefeech you, endea-. 
 vour.by your model!: unaffected piety, to edify the 
 afcid to Hop the mouth of the other. V our late 
 fall lias, no doubt, convinced you of the great need 
 save of the grace and Spirit of God. lave 
 in conflant dependance thereon : and may you 
 be enabled, for the future, to adorn the doctrine 
 pf God our Saviour in all things. 
 
 Then let the Miniiter pray to the following 
 purpofe : 
 
 c Mofl gracious God, thou art the Father of 
 
 * mercies ; thou art the God of all grace, and 
 
 * of all confolation. Judgment is thy ft range 
 
 * work. There is forgivencis with thee, that 
 
 * thou mayeft be feared. With the Lord there 
 c is mercy, and with him is plenteous rcdemp- 
 ' tion. We defire, () God, to join with this 
 6 pcrion in confefling liis iniquity. O may his 
 
 * fia be ever before him. May he be waihed in 
 ' the fountain opened for fin. Lord thou hail 
 ' laid, there is joy in heaven over one (inner that 
 J repenteth, more than over ninety and nim 
 
 * perfons a 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 * pcrfcms, who need no repentance. O Lord, 
 
 * we befecch thee to magnify thy grace by fa* 
 
 * ving this precious foul. Do thou loofe in hea- 
 
 * ven, as we now, in thy name, loofe him on 
 
 * earth. O Lord, hide thy face from his fins ; 
 
 * and blot out all his iniquities. Create in him 
 
 * a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right 
 
 * fpirit within him. Reftore unto him the joy of 
 
 * thy falvation ; and uphold him with thy free 
 
 * Spirit. Blefs all thy Church. Keep us from 
 
 * falling. Sanctify us wholly in body and fpirit ; 
 
 * And may we all, atlalt, be prefented faultlefs, 
 
 * before the prefence of thy glory, with exceed- 
 
 * ing joy : for the fake of Jefus Chrift, for whom 
 4 we thank thee; and may, Bleffinp, and hencur, 
 ( and glory, and power, be unto him that ftteth 
 
 * upon *he throne, and unto the Lamb, forever 
 
 * and ever. Amen.' 
 
 Then the Minilter (hall fay to the Penitent : 
 • By virtue of the authority which On lit hath 
 
 * left in the Church, for its edification, I pro- 
 ' nounce you loofed from the fentence of exclu- 
 ' fion, and received again to all the privileges 
 
 * of the Gofpel. Go and fin no more, left a 
 
 * worfe thing bcfil you.' 
 
 When any perfon has been, with the advice 
 of the Prefbytery, (as directed in the Form of 
 government &:c.) adjudged to be cut oif from 
 the communion of the Church, it is proper that 
 the fentence be pronounced againlt. him ; even 
 although, as is to be expected in fiich cafes of 
 contumacy and wickednefs, he ihould pretend 
 to defpife the cenfures of the Church, and cither 
 cad: off all profeffion of religion, or go ro ano- 
 ther denomination. The deiign of excommuni- 
 cation is, both to operate upon die Offender as 
 
 the 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 the mear? s of reclaim ing him,*and alfo to purge 
 the old leaven from the Church, that others 
 may not be reproached for his vilenefs, or con- 
 taminated with his example. 
 
 The Minifler Shall, after the ai&vice of the 
 Prefhytery has been obtained, at leail two Lev 
 days before the excommunication, give the Con- 
 gregation a fhort narrative of the feveral fl 
 which have been taken with their fcandalotts, 
 and obflinate brother, and inform them, that it 
 has been found neceffary to refolve to cut him. 
 off from their communion. 
 
 On the forenoon of the Lord's day appointed 
 for the purpofe, after all the other parts of v. 
 Thip are over, before pronouncing the blefiing, 
 the Minifler fhali denounce this awful fentence,, 
 in the following or like manner : 
 
 He ihall begin by fhewing the authority of 
 the Church to call out unworthy members, from 
 Mat. XVIII. 15, 16, 17, 18; iCor. V. .1, 2, 3, 
 4, 5; and Ihall briefly explain the nature, life, and 
 coniequences ofthis tremendous cenfurc ; warning 
 the people, to avoid all unneceilary intercourse 
 with him who is call out, and to let him be unto 
 them as an Heathen man and a Publican. 
 
 Then he Ihall fay : (for it is not to be expect- 
 ed the perfon will be prefent) 
 
 ' Whereas A. B. hath been, by fuflicient 
 
 * proof, convicted of [here infert the iiu,] and, 
 c after much admonition and prayer, obflinately 
 
 * refufcth to hear the Church, and hath manifeil- 
 c ed no evidence of repentance : Therefore, in 
 c the name and by the authority of the Lord Je- 
 8 fus Chrift, I pronounce him ihut out from the 
 c Church of God, and delivered unto Satan, that 
 
 * his fpirk may be faved in the day o( the Lord 
 t jc: Thea 
 
( Is ) 
 
 Then the Miniftcr fhall pray, to the following 
 purpofe : 
 
 ' Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, thou 
 art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, or 
 to look upon fin. Evil (hall not dwell with 
 thee, nor fools ftand in thy fight. O Lord, 
 do thou blefs this ordinance which thou haft 
 inftituted. As wc have, by thy appointment, 
 ihut out this obitinate finner from the Church 
 of the living God ; do thou bind in hea- 
 ven, whom we now, in thy name, bind upon 
 earth. Let not thy Church or people be con- 
 taminated with this unworthy member, whom, 
 as old leaven, we have now purged out. Let: 
 not his fins prove a reproach to our molt holy 
 profeffion. ■ But, O mod merciful God, thoit' 
 feekefl not the deftrucHon of the finner. Take 
 not, we befeech thee, thy holy Spirit wholly- 
 from this unhappy Perfon. O caufe him to 
 feel the tremendous danger of being without 
 God, and without hope in the world. Con- 
 vince him, by thy Spirit, of fin, of righteouf- 
 nefs, and of judgment. O Lord, from a deep* 
 fenfe of guilt, may he, in due time, be laid 
 under the happy neceiiity, of feeking the 
 peace of God and of his Church ; that fo he, 
 who hath been bound with much grief and re- 
 luctance, may be loofed with the joy of all 
 Saints. And, O Lord, may thy people, warn- 
 ed by this dreadful example, fear and do na 
 more prefumptuouily. O Lord, hear, anfwer, 
 and do, for the fake of Jefus Chrift : and to 
 thy name be afcribed glory, dominion, and 
 praife, world without end. AmenS 
 
 h 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 It may perhaps happen, that fome, whora 
 Go;l hath given up to a ("eared conlcience and 
 to hardnefs of heart, will aitecr. to deipife this 
 fentence, and to be highly offended with the 
 Church. But in general excommunicated per- 
 f jns, when they coolly reilcc~t on their fin, and re- 
 member that this is the ordinance of Chrift, will it 
 is hoped be wounded in their hearts and pricked in 
 their reins. Like Cain, when God pronounced 
 fentence upon him for the murder of his brother, 
 they will find their punifhment greater than they 
 are able to bear. Knowing themfelves to be 
 an execration and a curie in the earth, they 
 will, for the moil part, be deiirous of being 
 delivered from this unhappy condition. As the 
 Father ran to meet the prodigal Ion, when he 
 was yet a great way off ; fo the Church mould 
 cherilh every fymptom of humility and re- 
 pentance* 
 
 When the Church-Scflicn (hall have obtained 
 fatisfaction, as to the fincerity of his penitence, 
 and have confulted the Prefbytery, the Miniiter 
 fhall, at lead two Lord's days before, inform the 
 Congregation of the Heps which have been taken 
 with the excommunicated perfon ; and that it is 
 refolved to reftore him to Church-privileges. 
 
 On the day appointed for his absolution, when 
 all the other parts of divine fervice are over, be- 
 fore pronouncing the bleiling in the forenoon, the 
 Minifter (hall call upon the excommunicated per- 
 fon, and propofe to him, in the prefence of the 
 Congregation, the following queftions : 
 
 6 Do you, from a deep fenie of your great 
 c wickednefs, freely confefs your fin, obltina- 
 ■ cy and prefumption, in thus rebelling againfl 
 J God, and in refufing to hear his Church ; 
 
 * and 
 
V 97 J 
 
 * and do you acknowledge that you have been; 
 c in juftice and mercy, cut off from the commit- 
 
 * nion of the Saints ? Anfwer, I do. Do you 
 
 * now voluntarily profefs your iincere rcpent- 
 ' ance, and deep contrition, for your fin and ob- 
 4 ftiriacy ; and do you humbly aik the forgive- 
 
 * nefs of God and of his Church ? Anfwer, I 
 i do. Do you fincerely promife, through di- 
 
 * vine grace, to live in all humblenefs of mind 
 c And circumfpection ; and to endeavour to a- 
 
 * dorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, by 
 t having your converfuion as becometh the Gof- 
 
 * pel ? Anfwer I do.' t ._ 
 
 Here the Mini'fter fhall give the Penitent a fuit- 
 able exhortation ; addreffing him in the bowels of 
 brotherly love, encouraging and comforting him. 
 Then he fhall pronounce the fentence of abfolu- 
 tion, in the following words i 
 
 4 Whereas you ? A. B; for your fin and obfti- 
 6 nacy, have been fhut out from the communion 
 ' of the Faithful, but have now mani felted fuch 
 c repentance as fatisfies the Church: In the name 
 
 * of the Lord Jefus Chrift and by his authority^ 
 c I declare you abfolved, from the fentence of ex- 
 4 communication' formerly denounced againft 
 c you ; and I do, with pleafure, receive you in* 
 c to the communion of the phurch, that you 
 
 * may be a partaker of all the benefits of the 
 4 Lord Jefus to your eternal falvation.' 
 
 Here the Minilter fhall pray to the following 
 effeft : 
 
 c Almighty God, and mod merciful Father $ 
 
 * thou wilt not execute the fiercenefs of thine 
 
 * anger, thou wilt not return to deflroy ; for thou 
 
 * art God, and not man, the holy One in the 
 
 * midft of us. Thy thoughts are not as our 
 
 N 4 thoughts j 
 
( 9 s )' 
 
 thoughts ; therefore the fons of men are not 
 confuted. Thou art a faithful God, keeping, 
 mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity, tranf- 
 greffion, and fins, and that will by no means 
 clear the guilty. We humbly adore and yield 
 thee hearty thanks, for the exceeding gr 
 riches of thy grace in Chrrft Jefus. In him 
 thou art reconciling the world unto thyfelf; 
 not imputing unto them their trefpaiTcs or their 
 fins. Encouraged by the numberlefs intima- 
 tions of thy mercy and grace, O Lord, we prc- 
 fent this Penitent unto thee. Againli thee, 
 thee only, has he finned, and in thy fight done 
 this evil. O Lord, he hath hardened himfelf 
 againft reproof. Like profane Efau,he hath de- 
 fpifed his birth-right. He hath counted it a 
 fmall thing to be cut off from the Church of 
 the living God. Wc mufl confefs before thee, 
 O thou moll High, that he hath trodden un- 
 der foot the fon of God, and hath counted the 
 blood of the covenant wherewith he was lane- 
 tified, an unholy thing. () Lord, let him not 
 be like Efau, who found no place for repent- 
 ance, though he fought it carefully with tears. 
 We befecch thee, O our God, to fill his heart, 
 more and more, with godly forrow. May he 
 receive, from the Prince and Saviour exalted, 
 true repentance, and remillion of fins. May 
 his heart be fprinkled from an evil confeience, 
 and his body waihed with pure water. Re- 
 ceive him, O Lord, into thy fold, as we now, 
 in thy name, receive him again into the Church. 
 May his foul be bound in the bundle of life. 
 Preferve him from temptation ; and may he 
 henceforth live in thy fear. O God, blefs all 
 thy people. May their love be confirmed to 
 
 < this 
 
t 99 ) 
 
 is penitent. Let him that thinketh he fland- 
 
 * eth take heed lcit he fall. Let no evil furmi- 
 
 * fing, againfl their brother, find place in their 
 
 * hearts : but may love, which covereth a mul- 
 
 * tit ude of fins, poifefs every foul. Forgive, we 
 
 * befeech thee, all our fins, and preferve us un- 
 
 * to thy heavenly kingdom and glory : for the 
 
 * fake of Jefus Chriit, who is our Advocate in 
 
 * heaven ; and who, with the Father, and the 
 
 * Holy Spirit, ever liveth and reigneth, in one 
 c undivided Godhead. Amen.* 
 
 Of the Solemnization of Marriage. 
 
 Marriage is not a facrament, nor peculiar to 
 the Church of Chrift. It is proper that every 
 Commonwealth, for the good of fociety, make 
 laws to regulate Marriage, which all Citizens are 
 bound to obey. 
 
 Chriftians ought to marry in the Lord ; there- 
 fore it is fit, that their marriage be fofemhized 
 by a lawful Minifter, that fpecial infl.ruct.ion may 
 be given them, and fuitable prayers made, when 
 they enter into this relation. 
 
 Marriage is to be between one man and one 
 woman only ; and they are not to be within the 
 degrees of confanguinity or affinity prohibited 
 by the word of God. 
 
 The parties ought to be of fuch years of dis- 
 cretion as to be capable of making their own 
 choice ; and if they be under age, or live with 
 their parents, the confent of the parents, or o- 
 thers under whofe care they are, ought to be pre- 
 viouily obtained, and well certified to the Mi- 
 nilter, before he proceeds to folemnize the mar- 
 riage. 
 
 Parents 
 
C 100 ) 
 
 Parents ought neither to compel their children 
 to marry contrary to their own inclinations, nof 
 deny their confent without juit and important 
 ireafons. 
 
 Marriage is of a public nature. The welfare 
 of civil fociety, the happinefs of families, and 
 the credit of religion are deeply intereftcd in i f . 
 Therefore the pfrrpbfe of marriage plight to he 
 fiifficiently ; I a proper time, previoufly to 
 
 ffoe foienraization of it. It is enjoined on all 
 Miniftert to be careful that, in this matter, they 
 neither trap fgrefs the laws of God, nor the laws 
 of the community : And that they may not de- 
 stroy the peace and comfort of families, they inuit 
 be properly certified, with refpecT: to the parties 
 applying to them, that no juif objections lie a- 
 gainft their marriage. 
 
 Marriage mult always be performed before 
 a com} etent number of witneiles ; and the Min- 
 jfter is to give a certificate of the marriage, when 
 required. 
 
 When the parties prefent thcmfclvcs for marri- 
 age, the Miniilcr is to defire, if there is any per- 
 fon prefent who knows any lawful reafon why 
 thefe perfons may not be joined together in thp 
 marriage relation, t]rat they will now make it 
 known, or ever after hold their peace. 
 
 No objections being made, lie is then feveral- 
 Jy to addrefs himfelf to the parties to be mar- 
 ried, in the following or like words : 
 
 ' You, fir, declare, in the prefence of God,, 
 ' that\ou do not ktiQW any reafon, by precon- 
 * tract or otherwife, why you may not lawfully 
 I marry this woman.* 
 
 Upon his declaring he docs not, the Minifter 
 fhall addrefs himfelf to the Bride, in the fame or 
 iimilar terms : 
 
 « You 
 
( »oi ) 
 
 * You, Madam, declare, in theprefenceofCod, 
 t that you do not know any reafon, by prec' u- 
 f tra<ft or otherwife, why you may not lawfuily 
 f marry this man.' 
 
 Upon her declaring flic does not, he is to praj 
 to the following import : 
 
 4 Moil holy, and moft gracious God, we a- 
 
 * dore thee as the Maker of our bodies, and [he 
 
 * father of oar fpirits. Be pleafed to a< 
 
 ? our grateful acknowledgments, thar thou haft 
 
 f made us rational creatures ; and that thou haft 
 
 f made us capable of the various blcflmgs of the 
 
 ' fecial life. We adore thee for the initiation 
 
 c of marriage ; and that thou hafl raadt it ho- 
 
 * nourable in all. Be plea led to blefs thtfc per- 
 
 DS who are about to be joined to each other 
 f in this intimate and tender relation. While 
 f they join hands may they join hearts ; and be- 
 
 * ing united to each other in the marriage cove* 
 f nam, may they be united to the Lord Jems in 
 i that covenant, which is ordered in all things 
 
 * and fure. May they enter upon this impor- 
 
 * tant relation in the fear of the Lord ; and have 
 
 * abundant caufc to adore and rejoice in that 
 
 * providence that hath formed it between them. 
 
 * We devoutly pray for thy gracious prefence 
 ' with us j for the pardon of our fins ; and 
 c for the acceptance both of our perfons and 
 f fervices ; for the fake of Jefus Chrift, thy Son, 
 
 * our only Lord and Saviour. Amcri 
 
 The Minider (hall then proceed to give them 
 fome inftruc'tion, from the Scriptures, refpecling 
 the inftitution and duties of this ftate, {hewing ; 
 
 ' That God has inilituted marriage for the 
 S comfort and happinefs of mankind, in declaring 
 t a man fhali forfake his father and mother and 
 \ cleave unto his wife, and that marriage is ho- 
 
 4 nourable 
 
{ io$ ) 
 
 i noimiWe in all ; that he hath appointed van, 
 oils duties, which arc incumbent upon l- 
 Who enter mto this relation ; fuch as, a high e- 
 ftccm and mutual love for another ; bear. 
 
 * rag; with each other's infirmities and weak- 
 Defies, to which human nature isfubjefl in its 
 prefent lapfed ilate; to encourage < ach other un„ 
 der the various ills of life ; to comfort on 
 
 ^ nother m hcknefs ; in hbnefty and induftry to 
 
 ^ provide for each others temporal fupport ; to 
 pray for and encourage one another, in the 
 
 ; things which pertain to God, and to their im, 
 mortal fouls ; and to live together as the heirs 
 of trie grace of life. 1 
 
 Then the Miniffier mall caufe the bridegroom 
 and bride to join their right hands, and mall pro- 
 pounce the marriage covenant, firlt to the man, in 
 thefe wore: 
 
 You, fir, take this woman, whom you hold 
 ; b}^ the hand, to be your lawful and' married 
 • f wire ; and you promife, and covenant, in th^ 
 ' prefence of God and thefe win 
 w will be unto her a loving and faithful hufband, 
 * until you fhallbe feparatod by death.' 
 
 The Bridegroom mall exprefs his confent, bs 
 laying, ' Yes I do.' 
 
 Then the Minifter mall addrefs himfelf to the 
 nan in thefe words : 
 
 You, Madam, take this man, whom you 
 5 hold by the hand, to be your lawful and mar- 
 d huihand ; and you promife, and cove- 
 ' nam, in the prefence of God and thefe wit- 
 ^ neflfa*, that you will be unto him a loving 
 faithful, and obedient wife, until you fliall be 
 4 Separated by death.' 
 
 « Bride fliall exprefs her confent, by faying 
 ■ Ye,, I do.' . ) f Jg 
 
( W3 ) 
 
 Then the miniflef is to fay ; 
 
 ' I pronounce you, Hulband and Wife, i 
 
 * cording to the ordinance of God ; what th< 
 
 c fore God hath joined together, let not man put 
 c air 
 
 After this the Miniftcr may exhort them, in a 
 few words, to the mutual difcharge pf their duty. 
 
 xn let him conclude with a prayer to i 
 cffe&. 
 
 ' Mod merciful and gracious God, in whom 
 
 * all the families of the earth are blefTed, we pray 
 
 * for thy blefliug to defcend upon thefe perfons, 
 
 * whom now, in thy holy providence, thou haft 
 6 brought into the marriage relation. May they 
 c enter upon a family (late in thy fear, and live 
 
 ■ in thy favour. Blefs them with all fpirimal 
 
 * and temporal blcffirigs ; Blefs them in their 
 
 * bafket, and in their ftore. May they dwell to- 
 
 * gether in love, as joint heirs of the grace of 
 
 * life, that their prayers may not be hindered. 
 c We commit them, O Lord, to thy indulgent 
 c providence, praying, that goodnels and mercy 
 
 * may attend them all the days of their appoint- 
 
 * ed time. We thank thee, for the prefent 
 
 * joyful occafion ; and that the voice of the 
 1 bridegroom and of the bride is full heard 
 4 among us. May we rejoice in thy fear. 
 c Keep us back from fin. Pardon all our tranf- 
 c greffions. Kelp us all to live in the faithful 
 
 * difcharge of the duties which are incumbent 
 
 ■ upon us, in our various relations. Guide us 
 ( by thy counfel through this world, and after- 
 ' wards admit us to that flate of perfection, 
 c where there will be neither marrying nor giv- 
 c ing in marriage, but where we mall be as the 
 c angels of thy prefence : And now to the Fa- 
 
 * ther,the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, be afcribed 
 
 * everlafling praifes. J/nen.' Let 1 
 
( 104 ) 
 
 Let the Miniftcr keep a proper regiftcr, of tnc 
 names of all" perfons whom he marries, and of the 
 time of their marriage, for the peruial of all 
 whom it may concern. 
 
 Of the Yifitation nj the Sick. 
 
 When perfons are fick, it is their duty, before 
 their flrength arid unci enland rug fail them, to 
 fend for their Miniiter, and to. make known to' 
 him, with prudence, their fpirituai ftate ; or to 
 confult him on the concerns of their precious 
 fouls :. And it is his duty to v'iiit them, at their 
 requeft, and to apply himfelf, with all tendernefs 
 and love, to adminiiler fpirituai good to their 
 immortal fouls. 
 
 He mall inuruct the fick, otit of the Scrip- 
 tures, that difeafes arife not out of the ground, 
 nor do they come by chance ; but that they are 
 directed and lent by a wife and holy God, either 
 for correction of lift-, for the trial of grace, for 
 improvement in religion, ( f for other important 
 ends : and that they (half work together for 
 good to all thofe who make a wife improvement 
 of God's vilitation, neither defpifing his chalten- 
 ing hand, nor waxing weary of his rebukes. 
 
 If the Minifier apprehend him to be groily ig- 
 norant, he (hall examine him upon the molt pkiir\ 
 and important principles of religion ; and inllrucl: 
 him, in the nature of repentance and faith, and 
 the way of acceptance with God, through the 
 mediation and atonement of Jefus Chriif. 
 
 He mail exhort the fick to examine hirtifelf ; to 
 iearch his heart, and try his former ways, by the 
 word of God ; and ailift him, by mentioning 
 fome of the obvious marks &nd evidences of fin- 
 cere piety. If 
 
( lc S ) 
 
 if the fick fhall fignify any fcruplc, doubt or 
 temptation, under which he labours, the Minifler, 
 m'uft endeavour to refolve li is doubts, and admit 
 nifler inflruction and direction, as the caie may 
 fcem ro require. 
 
 he Tick appear to be a flupid, thoughtlefs 
 and hardened (inner, he lliall endeavour to awa- 
 ken his mind ; to aroufe his confeience ; to con- 
 vince him of the evil and danger of fin ; of the 
 curie of the law, and the wrath of God due to 
 finners ; to bring him to a humble and peniten- 
 tial fenfe of his iniquities ; and to {fate before 
 him the fulnefs of the grace -and mercy of God, 
 in and through the glorious Redeemer ; the 
 abfolute neceflity of faith and repentance, in or- 
 der to his being interefted in the favour of God, 
 or his obtaining everlafting happinefs. 
 
 If the fick .perfon Avail appear to have know- 
 ledge, ro be of a tender confeience, and to have 
 been endeavouring to ferve God in uprightnefs, 
 though not without many failings and fmful in- 
 firmities ; or if his fpirit be broken with a fenfe 
 of fin, or through apprehenfions of the want of 
 the divine favour ; then it will be proper to ad* 
 minifler confolation and encouragement to him, 
 by fetting before him tlv- freenefs and riches of 
 the grace of God. the all-fufHciency of the right- 
 eoufnefs of Chiift, and the fupporting promifes 
 of the gofpel. 
 
 The Minifler muft endeavour to guard the 
 fick perfon againfl: ill-grounded perfuafions of the 
 mercy of God, without a vital union to Chrift ; 
 and againft unreafonable fears of death and de- 
 fponding difcouragements ; againfl prefumption 
 upon his own goodnefs and merit, upon the one 
 hand ; and againfl defpair of the mercy and 
 grace of God in Chrift. Jefus, on the other. 
 
 O In 
 
( >c6 ) 
 
 In one word, it is the Minifter's duty to admi- 
 nifter to the lick perfon indruction, conviction, 
 fupport, confolation or encouragement, as his 
 cafe may fecra to require. 
 
 At a proper time, when he is moft compofed, 
 the Minider, if dcfired, flbaU pray with and for 
 him, in the following or like manner. 
 
 ' O thou, fovereign, great and glorious Jeho- 
 ' yah, we bow down before thee, and acknowledge 
 c our abfolute dependance upon thee. Thou 
 ' haft made it our duty to pray with and for the 
 6 fick and the afflicted. Enable us, at this time, 
 c to pray in faith, to confefs our fins with peni- 
 
 * tentiai fentiments of heart, and to draw near 
 < to thee, in humble dependance upon the a- 
 
 * tonement of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. 
 c We acknowledge, that we are guilty tinners, 
 ' finners by nature and tinners by practice. Sin is 
 ' the procuring caufe of all the calamities which 
 c come upon us. Sin has introduced ficknefs, 
 c pain, mifery and death into our apoftatc world. 
 c Affliction cometh not forth of the dull, neither 
 
 * doth trouble fpring out of the ground. O 
 6 Lord, thou killed and thou makeit alive, thou 
 ' wounded and thou hea.lcft, thou layed on beds 
 c of ficknefs, and thou raifed up again. Thou 
 ' had brought us into this world, thou eontinu- 
 ' ed us in it, and taked us out of it according to 
 c thy holy pleafure. We know and are aflured, 
 ' that the God of all the earth always does that 
 
 * which is right. 
 
 6 O mod merciful Father, extend compafTion 
 c to this perfon on a bed of ficknefs, languidi- 
 1 ment and didrefs. Shew unto him why thou 
 ' contended with him, and why thou afflicted 
 c him very fore. Rebuke him not in thine an- 
 
 ' ger, 
 
( io 7 ) 
 
 ger, nor chaften him in thy hot difpieafure. 
 When thou with rebukes doft chaften man for 
 fin, thou makcft his beauty to coniume away 
 like a moth. Let him neither defpife the chai- 
 ning of the Lord, nor faint when he is rebu- 
 ked of him. Remove thy ftroke, we pray thee. 
 O fpare a little, that he may recover (Irength, 
 before he go hence, and be here no more. 
 Sanctify to him this vifitation of thy provi- 
 dence. Enable him to make a fuitable improve- 
 ment of it, for his foul's good. Prepare him 
 for all the events of thy will. If thou art pleaf- 
 ed to recover him from this affliction, and to 
 add unto his days, we pray that he may rife to 
 health and ftrength, with a faithful remem- 
 brance of thy correcting hand, and with full 
 purpofes of holinefs and new obedience. 
 When thou haft tried him, O Lord, let him 
 come forth as gold which has been tried. 
 Speak the word and hefhall be healed. Deal 
 bountifully with him and he Dial! live and 
 praife thee. But if this ficknefs be unto den 
 and thou haft determined to fmifh his days by 
 the prefent vifitation, O Lord, have me: 
 upon his precious foul. Pardon all his fi . 
 Give him clear evidences of an intereft in thy 
 favour. May he find, by fweet experience, 
 his foul united to Jefus by a new and liv 
 faith. Save him from the temptations of v 
 tan. Take away the fting of death, and raufe 
 him to triumph over the grave ; and. when 
 his flefh and his heart faileth, be thou the 
 ftrength of his heart, and his portion forev r. 
 O Lord, we wait for thy falvation. We com- 
 mit him unto thee, praying, that if he liv-% f ^e 
 may live to thee, and if he die, that he mWf 
 
 ' ft? 
 
1*8 ) 
 
 c die to thee, that whether he liverh or i 
 
 c nay be thine Hear us, O our G 
 
 c fwer us, only for the fake of our divine Re- 
 
 6 deemer ; to whom, with the Father, and Spr- 
 
 c rit of all grace, be given glory, and honour, 
 
 c and dominion, and power, forever and ever. 
 
 6 Amen/ 
 
 The Minifter fliall admonifti him to fettle his 
 worldly affairs ; to make rcftitution or fati$fac% 
 t-ion where he hath done any wrong ; to be re- 
 conciled to thofe with whom lie may have hern 
 at variance ; to forgive all men their trefp 
 againft him, as he expects f< >rgivenefs from God ; 
 and, if he be rich, to dilpofe of fome part of hrs 
 worldly fubftance for charitable purpofes, or for 
 the Church of Chrift. 
 
 Laftly, the Minifter may improve the prefem 
 occafion to exhort thofe about the fick, to conir- 
 der their mortality ; to turn to the Lord and make 
 their peace with him ; in health to. prepare for 
 ficknefs, death and judgment. 
 
 Of the Burial of the Dead. 
 
 When any Chriftian departs this life, let the 
 corpfe be taken care of in a decent manner, and 
 be kept a proper and fufficient time before inter- 
 ment. 
 
 When the feafon for the funeral comes, let 
 all who are prefent, conduct themfelves with gra- 
 vity. We highly difapprove of the ufe of fpiri- 
 tuous liquors at the funeral of any perfons ol 
 our communion ; and we recommend die utter 
 abolition of a cuftom fo oftcnfive and improper. 
 It is decent and proper, that perfons be interred, 
 in a manner fuitable to their rank and condition 
 while living. 
 
 Lev 
 
( >°9 J 
 
 t the CUriftian friends, who attend a' 
 iioufe of the funeral, apply themfclves to krriuus 
 meditation and difcourfc; and the Minifter, it ; 
 lent, may exhort them to confide* the frailty of 
 hfe, and the importance of being prepared for 
 death and eternity. 
 
 Then let the dead body be decently attended 
 to the grave, and there immediately interred 
 \\ itliout any ceremony. 
 
 Of Fafhig ; and of the obfer-jation of days of 
 Tbankjgi-ving. 
 
 There is no day under the Gofpel command- 
 ed to be kept holy, except the Lord's day, which 
 is the chrifttan fabbath. 
 
 Thole feafons, vulgarly called holidays, not 
 being appointed in the word of God, but having 
 been introduced in times of fuperftition, and a- 
 bufed to much fin, are not to b^ obferved by the 
 people of our communion. 
 
 Neverthelefs to obferve days of and 
 
 thankfgiving, as the extraordinary difpenfattoas 
 of divine providence may direct, we judge both 
 fcriptural and rational. 
 
 Fads and thanksgivings may be obferved by 
 individual Chriilians, or families, in private, by 
 particular Congregations, by a number of Con- 
 gregations contiguous to each other, by the Con- 
 gregations under the care of a Prefbytery, or 
 of a Synod, or by all the Congregations of our 
 Church. 
 
 It muft be left to the judgment and difcretion 
 of every Chriflian and family to determine, when 
 it is proper to obferve a private faft or thankf- 
 giving ; and to the Church-feilion to determine 
 
( »o ) 
 
 for particular Congregations ; and to the Pref- 
 byteries or Synods to determine for larger dif- 
 tricls. When it is deemed expedient that a fad 
 or thankfgiving mould be general, the call for 
 them mult be judged of by the Synod or Gene- 
 ral Council. And if at any time the civil power 
 fhould think it proper to appoint a fail or thankf- 
 giving, it is the duty of the Minilters and people 
 of our communion, as we live under a chriftian 
 government, to pay all due refpeel: to the fame. 
 Public notice is to be °iven a convenient time 
 
 o 
 
 before the day of fafting or thankfgiving comes, 
 that perfons may fo order their temporal affairs, 
 that they may properly attend to the duties thereof. 
 
 There mall be public worfhip upon all fuch 
 days ; and let the prayers, pfalms, portions of 
 fcripture to be read, and fermons, be all, in a 
 fpecial manner adapted to theoccafion. 
 
 On fad days, let the Minilter point out the 
 authority and providences calling to the obferva- 
 tion thereof ; and let him fpend a more than u- 
 fual portion of time in folemn prayer, particular 
 confeflion of fin, efpecially of the fins of the day 
 and place, with their aggravations, which have 
 brought down the judgments of heaven. And 
 let the whole day be fpent in deep humiliation 
 and mourning before God. 
 
 On days of thankfgiving, he is to give the like 
 information, respecting the authority and provi- 
 dences which call to the obfervance of them ; 
 and to fpend a more than ufual part of the time 
 in the giving of thanks, agreeably to the occa- 
 fion,and in fmging pfalms or hymns ofpraife. 
 
 It is the duty of people, on thefe days, to re- 
 joice with holy gladnefs of heart ; and to maiii- 
 
 feit 
 
( "I ) 
 
 fell the liberality, which is their great duty up* 
 on fuch occafions, by fending portions and giv- 
 ing gifts. But let trembling be fo joined with 
 our mirth, as that no excefs or unbecoming levi- 
 ty be indulged. 
 
 Of ihe Ordination of Minifters of the Gofpel. 
 
 The Ordination of a Pcrfon, to the Work of 
 the Gofpel Miniftry, is the fetting Him apart 
 to this holy Office, agreeably to the Inftitution 
 of Chrift, the great Head of the Church. This 
 is the Bufinefs of the Prefbytery. 
 
 When the Perfon to be ordained has paffed 
 through the Trials prefcribed in the Form of Go- 
 vernment and Difcipline", or fuch others as fhall 
 be deemed fatisfactory ; the Prefbytery being 
 met for his ordination, the Sermon being ended, 
 and the Engagements, directed in the Form of 
 Government, &c. being taken, the Perfon, who 
 is to be ordained, fhall kneel down in the moft 
 convenient part of the Church, and the Minifter, 
 who has been appointed to prefide, fhall lay his 
 Right Hand upon his Head, and then all the 
 other Minifters of the Prefbytery prefent, fhall 
 alfo lay their Right Hands upon his Head ; and 
 the prefiding Minifter fhall pray in the following 
 or like manner : 
 
 i Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, We 
 c adore Thee, as the one, living, and true God, 
 ' the Creator and the Preferver of all things. 
 ' We adore Thee as the God and Father of our 
 * Lord Jefus Chrift, and in him reconciling the 
 c world unto Thyfelf, not imputing their trefpaf- 
 '■ fes unto them. We moft devoutly praife Thee 
 c for the unfpeakable Gift of a Saviour, and for 
 
 * the 
 
Plan of favirie Idft: Men throi 
 Incarnation, his Atonemetit, his Refun 
 
 to Glory. We praife r l I 
 hen He afcehded up on high*, He led 
 Captivity captive, and pave Gifts unto Men : 
 t hat lie gave fomc, Apoftles ; and fome, 1 
 prices; and forhl igeHfts ; and fome, Paf- 
 
 lurs and Teachers ; for the perfe&ing of the 
 Saints, for the Work of the Mmiurv, lor the 
 of the Body of ChrifL 
 
 we thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou art 
 railing up and. qualifying Men for thi 
 Work, from age to are, and throughout the 
 federal Parts of thy Church. We thank 
 Thee, that thou halt inclined the heart of this 
 thy Servant to devote HimfelJ to the Lord, iu 
 the Work of the \iiniflry. We pray that 
 Thou wouidlt graeiouily accept of the Dedi- 
 cation which He now makes of Hirafclf to 
 I hce, in the Gofpel of thy Son. 
 c W^e do, in the name of the Father, and of 
 the Son and of the lloiy Ghoft, ordain him 
 Bifhop of this Church ; and fet him apart to the 
 Office of the holy Miniflry. We mod humbly 
 pray, that thou v.ouldell graeiouily appr 
 and ratify in heaven, what we now do in thy 
 name, upon earth. 
 
 ' O moft merciful God, grant this thy fervant a 
 double portion of thy Spirit. Enable him to 
 be diligent and faithful in the difcharge of ilk 
 great duties of his miniflry. May lie be wife 
 in winning fouls to Chrift, Make him an c- 
 mincnt blcfTmg to thy Church in general, and 
 to thefe thy People, over whom thou art fet- 
 ting him, in particular. Enable him, O Lord, 
 to take heed unto hirrifelf, and to his doctrine, 
 and to continue in them, that he may both favc 
 himfelf,and them that hear him. c Gra- 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 c Gracious God, pardon all our fins, and hear 
 ' us, for the fake of Jefos Chrifl: our Lord : 
 
 * And let the Glory be to the Father, and to 
 1 the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for 
 c ever. Jim en.' 
 
 Prayer being ended, and the Perfon ordained 
 having ri fen from his knees, the Minifter, who 
 prefides, fliall give him the Bible, addreiling him 
 in words to the following import : 
 
 ' You have now received authority to preach 
 6 the Gcfpel, and to adminifler all the Ordinances 
 f inftituted by Chrifl. In token whereof, take this 
 ' holybook,which contains your commiflion; ftu- 
 6 dy it carefully ; and conduft yourfelf, in every 
 \ part of your ofnce, in conformity to it. 3 
 
 Then he fhall take him by the Right Hand ; 
 faying, in words to this purpofe ; ' We give 
 c You the Right Hand of Fellowfhio. to take 
 
 O J. 
 
 ' part of this Miniftry with us." Or thus : 
 ' In token of our acceptance of you, to take 
 
 * part with us in this facred Miniftry, to which 
 ' we have now fet you apart, we do, agreeably 
 
 * to the Apojftolic example, give you the Right 
 ' Hand of Fellowship.' Then the Minifter's who 
 laid hands upon him, fliall, in their order, take 
 him by the right hand. 
 
 The Minifter who prefided, or fome other ap- 
 pointed to the buiinefs. fliall then addrefs him on 
 the Nature and Importance of the Office to which 
 he has been fet apart : charging him, 
 
 c To take heed unto himfelf, and to all 
 ' flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made 
 
 * him Overfeer ; to feed the Church of God, 
 ' which he hath pnrchafed with his own blood ; 
 f to love Chrift, and to feed his fheep : fhewing 
 1 him, that a Biihop muft take the overfight of 
 
 P ' them. 
 
- ) 
 
 at willingly ; nc 
 f A'md ; neither as 
 i< ritage, but as an 
 Word, in Com 
 tion, in Chari in Faith, in Purity : 
 
 Exhorting him, i. not the Gift 
 
 that is in him, but that he ite upon thefe 
 
 . and give himfelf wholly to them, that 
 into all ; that h< 
 heed, not onto to fiimfelf, hut alfoto his Doc- 
 trine ; and that he continue fled fail therein ; 
 that he bear patiently all the Trials to which 
 the faithful difcharge Juries of his office 
 
 may at any time fubjeft him, in humble depcr.- 
 dance upon the grace and faithfulnels of his 
 Lord, who has promifed to be with his Mini- 
 flers even to the end of the world ; that he 
 preach the wore;, be inftant, in feafon and out 
 offeafon, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all 
 long-fuffering and doctrine ; and that he rule 
 well his own boufe ; encouraging him to hope 
 and expert, that, when the chief Shepherd 
 {hall appear, he (hall receive a Crown of Glory 
 that fadeth not away.' 
 After this, the fame Minifter, or another as 
 may be raoft convenient, (hall addreis the Con- 
 gregation (if the perfon has been ordained to a 
 particular charge) on the ineilimable bleffing of 
 a judicious and faithful adminiftration of the 
 Word and the ordinances of the Gofpel in a da- 
 ted way. He {hall lav before them the duties, 
 which a People owe their Minifter, with the oh- 
 ms to a coplcientious difcharge thereof : 
 mg tli em ; 
 8 That they are bound to eileem and honour 
 6 him for his works fake ; to attend upon his 
 
 ' miniftn 
 
( ll S ) 
 
 c miniftry with diligence and lleadinefs, and to 
 
 c fludy to profit thereby ; to receive, with meek- 
 
 ' nefsjhis.idmonitions and reproofs, and to fubmit 
 
 6 to the difcipline of Chri/l's hotife, aJminiftrcd 
 
 * by him, in conjunction with the other officers 
 c of the Church ; to be much in prayer to God 
 
 * for him, as one who watches for their fouls, 
 c and mult give an account of his flewardfhip ; 
 6 to afford, with punctuality and cheerfittireft, 
 
 * the w 7 orldly fupport, which, m this folefnn 
 
 * manner, they have promifed him, before God, 
 c and the holy Angels, and his Church ; aflur- 
 
 * ing them, that the great Judge of quick and 
 
 * dead will, at the lafl day, acknowledge what is 
 
 * done unto his fervants, as done unto himfelf : 
 
 * And finally, exhorting them to fludy the things 
 4 that make for peace, both with their Minifler, 
 c and among themfelves, that he and they may 
 ' appear with joy in the great day of CKHff;' 
 
 The Minifler having finifhed this addrefs,fhall 
 pray, arid give thanks* in the following- or like 
 manner : 
 
 c Mofl merciful Father, we thank Thee for 
 
 * die miniflry of reconciliation ; that Thou hafl 
 c committed this treafure to earthen vefTels, that 
 < the excellency of the power may be of God and 
 
 * not of man. We thank Thee, that Thou hafl 
 
 * provided thy Church in this place with one 
 6 to take the overfi^ht of them in the Lord. 
 
 * We befeech Thee to qualify thy Servant, 
 
 * more and more, for the. faithful, the honoura- 
 4 ble, and the fuccefsful difcharge of his high 
 4 trufl. Encourage his heart, and flrerigthen 
 
 * his hands therein, from day to day. Grant 
 4 him, O Lord, a deep and an abiding fenfe of 
 
 * his dependance upon the influences of the 
 
 c Spirit 
 
( 1*6 ) 
 
 - Spirit of Chriit for the fuccefs of his labours, 
 ' May he have many feals of his- mi n if try in this 
 c place ; many as his crown of rejoicing in the 
 c preience of cur Lord Jcfus Chriil at his com- 
 ' ing. Render him, we pray Thee, happily in- 
 * ftrumental in promoting true and undcfiled 
 c Religion, before the Father, and the Lord 
 4 Jefus Chriil, throughout the Church in general, 
 6 as well as in this place. May this Congrega- 
 c tion be properly fenfible of the rich blefTmg 
 c Thou haft this day conferred upon them ; and 
 4 may they be enabled to receive and improve 
 1 it in a fuitable manner. May they grow and 
 4 increafe, under the miniftry of thy Servant, 
 c with the increafe of God. May many be 
 4 added to them daily, of fucti as mail be Saved 
 4 in the day of Chriil. We pray that thy Ser- 
 4 vant and this People may be mutual comforts 
 ' and bleflings to each other, for a long time to 
 4 come ; and may their appearance, in the day 
 4 of the Lord,be to their eternal joy, through Je- 
 4 fus Chrift, our Lord. Amen.' 
 
 A Pfalm mail then be lung, and the Congre- 
 gation difmifTed with the ufual BlefTing. 
 
 The fubje&s of the Charges, to the Minifter 
 and People, in the cafe of Ordination, will furnifh 
 proper matter for the addrefTes of the like nature, 
 in the cafe of the inflalment of a Minifter for- 
 merly ordained. 
 
 Every Prefbytery will be beh 1 able to judge of 
 the age at which it is proper to ordain any per- 
 fon to the work of the Gofpel Miniftry ; but 
 we think that, in ordinary cafes, the Candidate 
 fhould be, at kail, twenty-four years of age. 
 
 The 
 
C "7 ) 
 
 The Directory for Secret a:. 
 
 Bcfides the public worfhip in Gotfgjegatiort&j it 
 is the indifpenfoble duty of each pcrfon alone, In 
 :, and of every family by itielf in private, to 
 pray to and worfhip God. 
 
 Secret worfhip is moil plainly enjoined by our 
 Lord. In this duty every one, apart by himfelf, 
 is to fpend fome time in prayer, reading the fcrip- 
 turcs, holy meditation, and ferious ielf examina- 
 tion. The many advantages, arifing from a con- 
 fcicntious attendance upon thefe duties, are bell 
 known to thofe who are found in the faithful 
 difcharge of them. 
 
 Family worfhip, which ought to be perform- 
 ed by every family, ordinarily morning and e- 
 vening, confifls in prayer, reading the fcripturcs, 
 and ringing praifes. 
 
 The Head of the family, who is :o lead in this ■ 
 fervice, ought to be careful that till the members 
 of his houfholcf duly attend, and tfrat none with- 
 draw themfelves unneceffarily k&h any part of 
 family worfhip ; and that all refrain from their 
 common buiinefs, while the fcriprures are read, 
 gravely attend to the fame, no lefs than when 
 or praile is offered up. 
 
 Let no idler, or vagrant perfon,perfcrm worfhip 
 in families ; feeing perfons tainted with errors, or 
 aiming at diviiions, may be ready to creep into 
 houfes and lead captive unliable fouls. But this-ps. 
 not to be underftood, as prohibiting the Head of 
 a family from inviting a chrifiian friend to pray 
 in his family who may be occafionally prefent, and 
 whofe character, for ftedfaftnefs and piety, is efta- 
 blilhed. 
 
 Ac 
 
( ii8 ) 
 
 At family worftiip, let each family keep by 
 themfelvcs, without iuviting perfons of other fa- 
 milies to join with them. 
 
 Let not any fociety or conference meetings, 
 under pretence of more fpiritual advantage, ever 
 interfere with or fet afide the due order and re- 
 gular worfhip of families ; for the latter is a di- 
 vine inflitution, and of much greater utility and 
 importance. 
 
 Let every Head of a family be careful to ca- 
 techife and inftrucl: his family, at lead once every 
 week ; and we think the molt proper time for 
 thefe exereifes is on Sabbath evenings. And we 
 judge it would be much more for the edification 
 of Chriflian families, and for the advancement of 
 true religion, for families, apart by themfelves, to 
 fpend their Sabbath evenings in catechifing, 
 holy conference, repetition of the fermons they 
 heard through the day, in prayer, praife, and 
 other religious duties, than in running about to 
 attend fociety or other meetings, as the practice 
 of too many is, even to the neglect, we fear, of 
 common family duties. 
 
 As many as can conceive prayer ought care- 
 fully to improve this gift of God ; yet for the 
 fake of the young and more bafhful Heads of 
 families, we have fubjoined a few forms of Fa- 
 mily Prayer, earnestly recommencing it to all 
 fuch, not to be negligent in cultivating a fpirit of 
 prayer, and to ufe thefe forms no longer than till 
 they fhall have learned to exprefs the defires of 
 their hearts to God for their families, with fome 
 degree of propriety. 
 
( H9 ) 
 
 4 PRATER jor aF A MILT, on the morning of the 
 Lord's Da y. 
 
 c O Thou blcffed, glorious, and highly exalted 
 6 Lord, our God, we defire, with all humility 
 4 and reverence, to bow down and offer homage 
 4 and worfhip to Thee, this morning of thy 
 4 holy day. We adore Thee as the King eter- 
 c nal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God. 
 4 Thou art worthy of all honour, love, worfhip 
 * and praiie ; from all thy intelligent creatures. 
 4 Angels and Arch-angels proftrate themfelves 
 4 before thy throne, and they ceafe not, day or 
 4 night, to afcribe glory, honour, dominion and 
 4 power, to him that fitteth on the throne, and to 
 4 the Lamb forever and ever. We, who are 
 c worms of iheduif, and have our habitation in 
 c hotifes of clay, defire to unite with this celeftiai 
 ' company, in praifing, magnifying, and adoring 
 f thy name. We worihip Thee, as our Creator, 
 j Preferver, Benefactor, and Redeemer. In 
 P Thee we live, and move, and have our being. 
 
 6 We acknowledge, before Thee, that we are 
 ' fallen creatures, miferable finners. We have 
 c forfaken Thee, the fountain of living waters ; 
 c and have hewn out for ourfelves citterns, bro- 
 6 ken cifterns, which can hold no water. Behold 
 c we are vile, we are altogether as an unclean 
 c thing in thy fight. But glory to thy name in 
 ' the higheft, that thou haft opened a door of 
 1 hope for finners ; that 'thou hall: revealed a 
 4 glorious falvation in the gofpel ; that thou hail 
 c fet forth Chrifh Jefus, to be the propitiation 
 ' for fin, and caufed us to hear the glad tidings 
 ' of peace and reconciliation through faith in his 
 : name. In his name, we come unto thee, con- 
 
 ' feiling 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 fefling our fins, and making fupplication for 
 all the mercies which we need. 
 c O Lord, moll holy, pardon our fins ; blot 
 out all our tranfgrefTions. Juftify us freely by 
 thy grace, through the redemption that is in 
 Jeius Clirill. Receive us into thy favour, 
 which, is life, and make us the fubjech of thy 
 tog kindnefs, which is better than life. A- 
 dopt us into thy family, and fanclify us by the 
 powerful influences of thy Holy Spirit. Ena- 
 ble us to fanclify this thy Sabbath, and to keep 
 it holy. Prepare our hearts for all the holy 
 duties and fervices of this day. Let the day- 
 Ipring from on high vilit us, and the Sun of 
 Rightcouihefs fhine upon us, with healing in 
 his win os. 
 
 ' We praife thee, O God, that thou had a- 
 dorned thy weeks with iabbaths ; that ihou 
 hall fancliiied one day in feven, to be kept ho- 
 ly to thyfelf ; and that thou haft brought u* 
 to fee another of the days of the Son of man. 
 O that we may be in the fpirit on this thy day. 
 Let God, who, on the firfl day of the world, 
 commanded the light to (hi - if darknefs, 
 
 on this firfl day of the week, fhine in our hearts, 
 to give us the light of the knowledge of the 
 glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chriil. This 
 is the day, which the Lord hath made, we will 
 be glad and rejoice in it. O that we may this 
 day experience the power of Chrifl's rcfurrcc- 
 tion. As he was raifed from the dead by the 
 glory of the Father, fo let us be raifed from 
 a ftate of death in fin, to walk with him in new- 
 nefs of life, and be prepared to fit with him in 
 heavenly places, 
 
 * Prepare 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 1 Prepare us- O our God, for the public 
 ordinances of thy houfe this day. May we, 
 with our whole hearts, join in the prayers and 
 praifesofthy church. Enable ns to hear thy 
 word with attention, to receive it in faith and 
 love; to lay it up in our hearts- and to pra&ife 
 it in our lives. Give thy prefence, O Lord 
 our God to thy miniftcring iervant, who may 
 lead our worfhjp, and fpeak to us in thy name 
 to-day. Give him the tongue of the learned, 
 that he may fpeak a word in feafon to weary 
 fouls. May thy faints be refrefhed and com- 
 forted ; may fmners be awakened and con- 
 verted* May this be a glorious day in thf 
 Zion. 
 
 c Accomplish, O Lord, we befeech thee, aft 
 thy defigns of mercy. Let thy gofpcl be pro- 
 pagated from the riling to the fetting fun. Let 
 it run,, have free courfe and be glorified Be 
 in all the worshipping affcmblies of thy peo- 
 ple this dav. "Fill thy Churches with thy glo- 
 ry. • Clothe thy Miniflers with falvation, that 
 thy people may fliout aloud for joy. Keep our 
 hearts, and keep our minds this day. Prr- 
 ferve us from evil and worldly thoughts. Let 
 no vain converfation proceed out of our lips. 
 Save us from the temptations of Satan. Hand 
 us in peace and fafety through all the chang- 
 ing fcenes of ti me. Be the flay and flaff of our 
 fouls in the folemn hour of death ; and finally 
 bring us to glory ; only for the fake of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who taught us, when 
 we pray, to fay ; 
 
 c Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed 
 
 be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will 
 
 be done m earth as it is in heaven. Give us 
 
 O « this 
 
this day our daily bread ; and forgive us our 
 trefpaffes as we forgive them that trefpafs 
 againit us. And lead us not into temptation > 
 but deliver us from evil : for thine is the king- 
 dom, and the power, and the glory, forever. 
 Amen* 
 
 r PRATER for a FAMILY, on the evening 
 of the Lord's Day. 
 
 c O Thou holy, ever blefYed, and ever glori- 
 ous Lord our God : Thou art God ovef 
 all, and rich in mercy to all that call upon thy 
 name. Thou art molt wife and powerful, the 
 King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Thy 
 kingdom is an cverlafting kingdom ; and thy 
 dominion from generation to generation. This 
 evening of thy holy day, O Lord, we prefeni 
 ourfelves before thee, to offer up our evening 
 facriftce of prayer and of praife. Thou halt: 
 given us to enjoy another Sabbath. Thy days 
 are fweet to our fouls ; thy Sabbaths are our 
 delight. We blefs and praife, Thee, with our 
 whole hearts, for another of thy holy days. A 
 day fpent in thy courts, is better than a thou- 
 fand elfewhere. How amiable are thy tn-er- 
 nacles, O Lord of hofts ! Thou hall carried 
 us to thy houfe of prayer ; thou haft caufed 
 us to hear thy word, and we have had the 
 privilege of joining in the prayers and praifes 
 of thy people, in thy church. 
 * Glory to God in the higheft, for all his 
 mercies and benefits to us. How great are 
 the privileges we enjoy, above thoufivnds of 
 our fellow creatures, who are as good by na- 
 ture as wc are. What multitudes arc bowing 
 
 4 down 
 
( i*5 ) 
 
 down to Hocks and ilones, are groping in 
 more than midnight darknefs, and know not 
 Thee, the true God.* nor Jcfus Chriit, whom 
 thou haft lent ; while we are favoured with thy 
 Sabbaths and thine ordinances, and enjoy the 
 glorious light of thy gofpeh 
 4 O Lord, we confers we are unworthy of 
 the lead of all thy mercies \ and that thou art 
 diftinguiftiing us above others, is owing to thy 
 mere, free, holy, and lbvercign pleafure. With 
 propriety may we afcribe all to the glory of thy 
 name, and lay? even fo. Father, for fo it feemeth 
 good in. thy fight. We call upon our fouls, 
 and all within us, to blefs and magnify thy 
 name, for thy diftinguiftiing favours to us, thine 
 undeferving creatures. We praife thee for 
 the gift of thine only begotten Son ; for the 
 redemption of Chrift Jefus our Lord ; for the 
 covenant of mercy ; for the means of grace, 
 and the hopes of eternal life, 
 ' O thou Father of mercies, forgive what thy 
 pure eyes have (cen amifs in us this day. For. 
 give us, that we have not ferved thee with more 
 love, zeal, and godly fmcerity. In all things 
 we have finned, and come fliort of thy glory. 
 Pardon, O Lord, our innumerable failings and 
 imperfections. Forgive the iniquities of our 
 moft holy things. After we have done all, we 
 have juft reafon to acknowledge ourfelves un- 
 profitable fervants. But thou haft declared, O 
 God, that they who confefs and forfake their 
 fins, fhall find mercy. Thou art faithful to 
 forgive us our fins. We pray, moft merciful 
 Father, that thou wouldft forgive us, and ac* 
 cept of us in the beloved. Accept of us, and 
 of our poor and imperfect fervices. Give 
 
 1 u« 
 
I &4 ) 
 
 < D 4 grace, O God, that we may never for- 
 
 c fake ■ ;\ ways, nor turn from foHowin ; af- 
 c ter thee ; but that, with purpofe of hi 
 f may always clrave unto the Lord. Lei us not 
 c count our lives dear unto ourfclves fo that we 
 c may finifh our conrfe; with comfort and joy, 
 c ro the glory or thy .ame. 
 
 « () Lord our God we pray that thou would ft 
 « follow thy word and ordinances with a bit f- 
 c fing wherever they have been difpenfed on this 
 c thy holy fabbath. Bltfs all the Minifters of 
 c thy gofrel. Make them faithful to Chriit, and 
 c to the fouls of men. Pity the poor, the af- 
 f flicted, forrowful and diftreffed. Enlarge the 
 c borders of the Redeemer's kingdom. I et all 
 c the nations flow unto ir. flatten the down fal 
 c of the man of ltn ; and let pure and undefined 
 c religion before God, and the Father, be revi- 
 c ved, and made to flourifh in all places. 
 
 ' Take us, O Lord, under thy protefHon 
 c tin's night. Enable us to clofe the day with 
 c rhec. May we lie down in peace, and our 
 deep be fweet and refreshing to us. Bring us 
 to the light of to-morrow ; and may our fouls 
 rejoice and praife thee, in the out -goings of 
 6 the morning. Enable us to carry much of the 
 Sabbath with us through the week. May we 
 
 < fet the Lord always before us. Prepare us for 
 
 * all that is before us in ti-me. Be our guide 
 ' through life, our fupport in death, and our 
 c everlafiing portion. Now to the king eternal, 
 
 * immortal, invifible the only wife God ; to the 
 
 * Father, the Son. and the Holy Ghoft, be ho- 
 
 * nonr and glory, dominion and praife, through 
 
 * Jcfus Chriit our Lord. Amen. 3 
 
( » 5 > 
 A MORNING PRATER for a FA MIL V. 
 
 6 O thou God of all confolation i O thou 
 ' preferver of men 1 We adore thee as the foun- 
 fc tain of all being, perfection, and blefTed:. 
 c We have lain down, flept, and awaked in 
 i mercy ; for the Lord hath (attained us. Thou 
 ■ hafl heard ov.r evening prayer, watched over 
 1 us in our unguarded moments; and brought us, 
 
 * in circumftances of comfort; to the light of 
 ' this morning. Day unto day uttereth fpcech, 
 1 and night unto night flieweth knowledge. 
 5 Thou drawee over us the fliadows of the 
 c evening; and thou caufeft the outgoings of the 
 
 * morning. Thou art good to all, and thy ten* 
 c der mercies are over all thy works. We give 
 ; thee mod fmcere thanks for the prefervation of 
 
 * the night paft, and the favours of the mornin/. 
 
 * No plague has come nigh our dwelling ; we 
 c live, are in health* and afe brought in fafcty 
 
 * to the light and comforts of another day. We 
 
 * thank thee, O Lord, that our fleep has not 
 ( been death, nor our beds our graves ; but that 
 < thou haft refreshed and ftrengthened us, and 
 c we rejoice before thee. 
 
 c Thou, O Lord, art the God of the families 
 
 * of Ifrael ; thotl art the God of our family. 
 c O caufe thy bleHing- to reft upon our houfe, 
 c and fill our fouls with joy and gladnefs. Wc 
 1 acknowledge before thee, O God that we 
 ' are guilty finners. We have finned againft 
 
 * thee, as individuals ; we have finned againft 
 c thee, as a family. Parents, and children, and 
 1 all of us, are finners in thy fight. We were 
 1 fhapen in fin, and brought forth in iniquity : 
 1 We are altogether as an unclean thing before 
 
 < thee^ 
 
( 1=6 ) 
 
 thee. Yet, gjory to thy name in the high . 
 notwithstanding our unvvorthinefs, thou an 
 good, and doing us good continually. 
 ' We praife thee for the gofpel, for Jefus 
 Chrift, and the method of falvation through 
 faith in him. It is an unfpeakable privilege, 
 that we have accefs to the throne of thy grace, 
 through the Lord Jefus, thine only begotten 
 and eternal Son. O look in companion upon 
 us, and, for ChriiVs fake, pardon all our of- 
 fences. Call our iniquities into the depths of 
 the fea, and remember our tnmfgreilions no 
 more ; but be merciful unto us, as thou art 
 unto thofe that love thy name. Sanftify us 
 thoroughly by the power of thy grace ; fubdue 
 all our luffs and corruptions, and make us holy 
 as thou, the Lord our God, art holy. Let thy 
 peace rule in our hearts, and thy law govern in 
 our minds ; and let the confolations of our God 
 he our ftrength and our fong, in the houfe of 
 our pilgrimage. O thou Father of Mercies.. 
 be thou the portion of our fouls ; lift upon 
 the light of thy countenance ; put gladnefs into 
 our hearts, more than they have, whofe corn 
 and wine and oil are increafed. 
 c We commit ourfelves, O Lord, to thy care 
 and keeping this day ; watch -over us for good ^ 
 compafs us about with thy favour as with a 
 fhield. Prcferve us from evil ; yea, the Lord 
 prefer ve and keep our fouls ; prcferve our go- 
 ing out and coming in ; keep us in health and 
 fafety ; blefs our employments ; profper us in 
 all our lawful undertakings ; give us comfort 
 and fuccefs in our bufmefs ; let us eat of the 
 labour of our hands ; and may it be well with 
 us. Prepare iu for all the events of this day ; 
 
 * for 
 
( '" ) 
 
 ( fot we know not v. hat a day may bring forth. 
 f Give us grate :o do the work of this day, ac- 
 1 cording as the dirties of it may require. Give 
 : us the rule over our fpirits, and the govern- 
 ment of our paffions. Keep us from fin ; and 
 may we not fpeak unadvifedly with our lips. 
 Make us confeiemious in all our dealings. 
 Arm us agattift temptation ; uphold us in our 
 integrity ; and may we be in thy fear all the 
 day long. 
 
 c Lord, plead thy cauie in the world ; and 
 build up thy Church, in its beauty, glory, and 
 purity. Blefs minifters and people, rulers and 
 ruled. Be gracious to our relatives and friends. 
 Dwell in the families that call upon thy name. 
 Forgive our enemies ; and grant unto us a right 
 and charitable frame of fpirit, towards all men, 
 and all that is theirs. Vifit thofe that are in 
 affliction. Heal the fick ; eafe the pained ; 
 iuccour the tempted ; relieve the opprcfTed ; 
 and give joy to thofe that mourn in Zion. 
 Deal with us and our family, according to the 
 tenor of the everlafling covenant, which is well 
 ordered in all things and fure. This is all our 
 falvation, and all our defire. We afk and of- 
 fer all in the name of our once crucified, but 
 now glorified and exalted Redeemer, in whom 
 we deiire ever to be found, and to whom, 
 with thee, O Father, and the co-equal Spirit 
 of grace, be afcribed all blefling, glory, and 
 praife, both now and forever. Amen? 
 
 An EVENING PRATER for a FAMILT. 
 
 * O thou bleffed, ever glorious, and eternal 
 Jehovah ; we adore thee, as our maker, as 
 
 c our 
 
' cur prcfervcr, and as our God. Thou art the 
 1 benefactor of the univerfe ; thou giveft life, 
 c and breath, and being, unto all. Thou had 
 £ carried us through the toils and bufinefs of 
 f another day ; thou had ftrengthened us, fed 
 c and clothed us all our life long. Having ob- 
 c tained help of God, we continue to this time. 
 c We are the monuments of thy fparing mercy ; 
 f and witneffes for thee, that thou art gracious; 
 c Thou art God, and not man ; therefore we are 
 c not confumed. Day unto day, and night unto 
 1 night, do teftify, that thou art good, and doing 
 c good continually. None who feck, and put 
 f their truft in thee, flvall ever be put to ilrame. 
 
 < Thou makeft the outgoings of the morning, 
 c and of the evening to rejoice over us. By thy 
 c indulgent goodaefs, and merciful loving kind- 
 F nefs, we are brought to the clofe of another 
 ' day. Blcffed be the Lord, who daily loadeth 
 c us with his benefits. We have received the 
 c mercies of the day, though we have come far 
 c fhort in the duties thereof* 
 
 ( We thank thee, with our whole hearts, for 
 c the favours and. bleflangs of another day, for 
 c the comfortable ufe of thy good creatures 
 c our bodily health, our friends and all our 
 e enjoyments, We blcfs thee, that thou haft 
 c fuccccded us, in the labours of our hands, 
 
 < this day ; that no evil accident hath befallen 
 c us ; that thou haft not made the w ; Vc refe 
 1 our habitation and a barren land ourdxwl 
 
 < Wepraifc thee for our public tranquillity ; and 
 ' that thou haft given us a good land in which 
 1 we dwell fafcly. Above all we blefs thee for 
 1 Jefus Chrifti and the glorious plan of reconci- 
 * liation through faith in his name. Glory to 
 
 ! &J 
 
12Q ) 
 
 * thy ilame, O thou eternal God, that thou had 
 v caufed us to hear the joyful found of falva- 
 ' tion through a Redeemer. 
 
 * We confefs, O Lord, that we are fmncrs, and 
 c that we are lefs than the lead of all thy mercies. 
 4 This day hath added to the fins of our lives. Alas! 
 
 * we mifpend our timc,fail in our duty, follow after 
 
 * vanities,and for fake our oWri mercies. We offend 
 c with our tongues. Who can underfland his 
 
 * errors ? cleanfe us from our fecret faults. We 
 f pray thee to grant us repentance for all our 
 
 * iins ; forgive us all our trefpaues ; pardon the 
 c tranfgreiTions of the day pail. O that the 
 
 * blood of Chrift may cleanfe us from all iniquity. 
 c May we lie down this night in peace with 
 c God ; may our fouls return unto thee, and 
 c comfortably repofe in thee as our red. May 
 c we live penitential, believing, humble, and 
 x thankful lives. Accept us graciouily, and love 
 " us freely. Make us holy for thy name's fake ; 
 c and may we live in thy love, in rhy favour and 
 c friendihip, all the days of our appointed time. 
 
 c We commit ourfelves to thee, O Lord our- 
 
 : God, and defire to dwell in the fecret place 
 
 c of the Mod High, and to abide under the 
 
 c fhadow of the Almighty* Let the Lord be 
 
 : our habitation and our heritage forever. Make 
 
 : a hedge of protection around us this night, 
 
 ar >und our houfe, and all that we have, that 
 
 rvi! nay befal us, that no plague may come 
 
 our dwelling. May the God of Ifrael, 
 
 Jicrilumbers nor fkeps,be our keeper. 
 
 - f'icllj our bodies with quiet and comforta- 
 
 hl - red, Lnd bring us to the light of another 
 
 day, and in us for all thy will therein. And 
 
 as we are brought one day nearer to our latter 
 
 R * end 
 
( ■;= ) 
 
 | end, Lord, help us fo to number , 
 to apply ol ,r hearts to true wifdotH. \ „ 
 we put oft our clothes for r e ' be 
 
 nrn dtul, thatweinuft foon put offthefc mortal 
 bodies , and make our bed in the land of dark- 
 
 . nefs O prepare us for the fieep of death. 
 *at,wTien we come to relignthis mortal breath, 
 
 f J eternal ml with God. ]; 
 , ali t';e Jam.hcs of the eari red, blefs 
 
 t ourfamdy v,ith all fplrituall in Chrifl 
 
 Jehu j and grant us all thbfe temporal bid 
 
 thou feeft convenient for 
 
 < l!"i c T p f ' - ,,; °, Lr ' n '' l00k D P° n a '^ 
 
 <m aleiifi" " d /; ! ^orpel whereitis'not, and 
 make ,t fuccefsfu Iwhere it is. I.. , ;rch 
 
 01 Chrift every wher^ilourift and . and 
 
 , f not T ^y ^apon form; i6h p rofl 
 
 P". Blefs our land, th.at, in the peace there- 
 of we may have peace. Own thy minifters in 
 . he,,- WGr £ ; and rule in the hearts of our 
 » nt 2' , th ? , r ' fi "" Potation he bl 
 
 « Horv eC T, a ? d f '" AC NVi " )le tarth *** 
 
 glory. Do for us, we pray thec, abundantly 
 above what£e can a;k or think. for tl 
 
 • wi lrt'T- tjefus Chrift; to whom, 
 
 t Wh the Father, and the eternal Spirit, be all 
 
 ' S2' ^ and p0Wer ' forev< *and c 
 
 -* MO/vWA-G Pfc«*M for a i? Am 
 
 oJ all flefh, all are t i line thc . fo , ,. » 
 I "« theh,„ !s of children are thine :;,,!( thou 
 It mercy grace, andgoodmfs, fufficient For 
 JUl * We bow befoft! thee this morning, ; :1 , 
 
 1 family 
 
( tfl ) 
 
 :o ackm our family iins, 
 
 and to 
 ". unto thee,forfamil 
 O I built uv our family by : 
 
 d providence. Tliou I us chil- 
 
 thcy ma;. Bogs to 
 
 ; iat we may never have reaibn to wiih 
 had been written childk 
 1 O Lord, i our children, are Tinners 
 
 before thee. We lament die original pollution 
 of our nature. We are all guilty, parents 
 Iren, before thee. - .erewith, O 
 
 thou MoftHigb, ftiall we come into thy light ? 
 Should we bring thoufands of rams, or ten 
 thoufands of rivers of oil ; ihould we oiler the 
 fruit of our body for the fin of our fouls ; all 
 :id be to no purpofc ; all would be in vain. 
 But glory, glory to thy name, O thou m'oft 
 merciful God, that thou haft provided a Lamb 
 for a iacrirlce, even thine only begotten Son, 
 who hath made atonement for fin. We thank 
 thee, that we have heard of the name of Je- 
 fus ; that there is a ion opened 
 
 h him ; are fav . ith the 
 
 it of the gofpel, with thy word and ordi- 
 nances, with the means oi n, and the 
 hope of eternal life. We blefs thee, that we, 
 and our children, have been baptized into thy 
 name : that we have had libertv to dedicate 
 our little Ones to God ; that they have been 
 admitted to the feals, and are under the blef- 
 fings of the covenant : they are born in thy 
 houfe, and made members of thy family on 
 earth. O thou, who art the God of Abra- 
 ham, oi and of Jacob, the God and Fa- 
 ther of the faitl mbly befeech thee, 
 
 ' t* 
 
( *3 2 ) 
 
 ' to form us, and our children, for : 
 
 * plcafure. Sanctify our fouls ; fanctiiy our 
 
 * children. May this be a family in whi 
 c wile delight to dwell : and may we ail I 
 ' the fervants of the living God, * 
 
 c O Lord, grant unto our children a good 
 s capacity ; open their minds to receive inuruc- 
 c tion ; may they be fitted for ufefuinefs in the 
 
 * world, made pious towards God, and meet for 
 everlafling happinefs. Enable us to teach 
 them, and to fet holy examples before tl 
 to train them up in the way wherein they 
 fliould go ; to bring them up in thy fear, in the 
 
 ' nurture and admonition of the Lord. Mod 
 
 c gracious God, pardon ali our offences ; may 
 
 c our fins be forgiven, and our i: remem- 
 
 * bered no more. May each of us be united to 
 c Chrift Jefus in fai;h, clotl obes, 
 c of his rightcoufnds, and jufMed ffeelj 
 
 * grace. 
 
 ' We thank thee, O Lord, for the mercies 
 
 c of the lad night ; that we h; 
 
 c been refreflied with reft, are in health 
 morning, and have this opportunity jring 
 
 our grateful acknowledgments to thee. N* 
 O bountiful preferver of men, v re of us 
 
 this day; keep us in thy fear; prefervc us from 
 every hurtful danger ; may we walk with th 
 and be enabled to fet the Lord always before 
 Whether we cat or drink, or whatfoever we do, 
 may we do all to the glory of thy name. M 
 we glorify thee in our fouls, and in our bo/ 
 
 c which are thine. 
 
 * Mod merciful father, extend thy mercy to 
 
 c a guilty world ; pour out thy Spirit upon all 
 
 c flefn ; revive thine own work in I ift of 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 . Blcfc our friends and relatives, 
 /e our enemies. and reward our benefac- 
 
 5 tors. Look, in mercy, upon us worshipping 
 
 lorning. May we follow our 
 
 c dai a fcntc of thine all-feeing 
 
 Help us to live in an habitual rcadinefs 
 
 r our laft day. O that we may live, as wc 
 
 * (hall wifh we had lived, when we come to 
 
 fc Be our friend in life ; our hope in death ; and 
 ; our everlafting portion. All we all; is in 
 L nan the fake of our Saviour Jefus 
 
 * Ch j is the Lord our Righteoufnefs ; to 
 
 * him, with the eternal Father, and the evc-r 
 
 * bielfed Spirit of grace, be given ail wifil 
 
 L (hankfgivingj and dominion, and might, world 
 ; without end. Amen,'' 
 
 An EVENING PRATER for a FAMILY. 
 
 6 O thou eternal God, in the morning we 
 
 6 feek thee, and in r ling we W< u : d c .-- 
 
 ■ate thy praifes, We, and our children by 
 
 v good hand upon us, have lived another 
 e are in health, and have enjoyed many 
 
 ' comforts. We praiie and magnify thy name. 
 hou art calling us from our labour, and giving 
 
 ' as an opportunity to reft a while, and refrefh. 
 
 c thefe weary bodies. Thou haft dealt bounri- 
 
 c fully with us this dd.y. Blefted be the Lord, 
 
 * who loadcth us with hla benefits. We have 
 4 received from thee our daily bread, and now 
 1 we lie down, and deep ; for thou, O Lord, 
 ' make ft us to dwell in fafet 
 
 1 Vifit us, () God of cur falvation, in the 
 ■ht, and enable us to commune with our 
 arts upon our beds.. Let the Angels of God 
 
 c encamp 
 
'34 ) 
 
 encamp gtroi I r our protection. Let i 
 
 Heavenly I . uscounfel ; and let i 
 
 ht ieafon. May we 
 reflfteml smjd meditate: upon 
 
 lies. We praife thee, 
 
 Lor, thy bleffings to 
 u?. ' to loo) 
 'thine anointed Son, and, in him, be our recon- 
 ciled I, Forgive us . 
 
 Jins ; put u thy children ; {peak peace 
 
 to our foul 3, and may we ever g\ ce. 
 
 Sanctify us more and more. Enable us to . 
 daily to fin, and Bq live unto righteoufoefs. 
 
 1 Pardon, Q Lord, tiie iins of which v 
 have been guilty the day palt, May our hej 
 be lefs attached to the world ; and may 
 ferve thee better than v. e have heretofore done. 
 Thou art pur Ufa Hitherto our bread hi 
 been given us, and our water hath be< 
 Thou :; ; vcil us all things richly to enjoy. 
 Merciful Father, accept of our humble thanks, 
 for all thefe thine undeferved mercies. Take 
 care of us this night : may we lie down in thy 
 
 r, and deep in thy favour ; and In the morn- 
 whenwe awake, may. our hearts be flill 
 with God. 
 
 4 Have mercy upon all we thou Id remember, 
 when we bow before thee. Supply thi 
 of the poor and needy ; reftore a found judg- 
 
 l)e a low, ar 
 
 ufeful !: ; . vt th^!o v, hu mourn ; 
 
 . - 1 i t true and 
 
 til, more and more, in 
 
 . the dew 
 
 ■ of 
 
( us "> 
 
 < of; ice. Blefs all die r/iinifters 
 
 '* of thy g*ofpel ; dwell hi our land ; order the 
 
 c feafons in mercy. May our rulers be a ter- 
 
 1 ror to evil doers, and a praife to them that 
 
 * do well. 
 
 1 And now, O Lord, we commit ourfelves unto 
 
 * thee ; we hope in thy mercy, and we traft in 
 c thy name. Prepare us for all the difpenfations 
 c of thy providence towards US. Preferve us 
 
 * from all the dangers and fnares to which we 
 c may be expofed. Let neither the fear of mau, 
 x which worketh a fnare, nor cruel mockings, 
 c nor sven the fears of fuifering death, tempt us 
 c to make fliipwreck of 'faith and a good confei- 
 x ence, or to be afhamed of the gofpel of Chrift. 
 c Enable us to fight the good fight of faith, and 
 } to finifli our courfe ; that we may receive the 
 1 crown of righteoufnefs, which the Lord ; ifcc 
 c righteous Judge, fhall give unto all them that 
 i love his appearing. And now, to the Father, 
 1 the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, three Perfons, 
 1 but one God, be afcribed all glory, honour, 
 
 * and praife, forever and ever. Ametii* 
 
 A MORNING PRATER for aFAMILT. 
 
 ? O Lord, thou art the God of the fpirits of 
 1 all flefli, the Creator and Preferver of all 
 c things. We, thine unworthy Creatures, bow 
 5 in thy prefnee, to offer up unto thee, in whom 
 we live, move and have our being, our morn- 
 ing facrifice of prayer and praife. We count 
 it our higheft honour, that we are permitted to 
 worlhip thee. It is our ineflimahle privilege 
 to know the only true God ; and to have 
 boldnefs to enter into the holiefl by the blood 
 of Jcfus. « We 
 
( '3<5 ) 
 
 * We acknowledge, before thee, we have I 
 
 * fcired ;i!l title to thy favour ; we have render* 
 c ed ourfelves unworthy of thy regard. Thou 
 4 madeft man at firfl: upright, but he fougjit out 
 c many inventions. In one man ail liaveTmncd j 
 1 and in the fame Adam ail die. To us bel< 
 
 * eth fliame and confuiion of face. O Lord 
 c mod holy, we are not only by nature unci< 
 
 but we have broken thy commandments, and 
 have dared to refill the ordinances of h;:n who 
 is higher than the higheft. When the awful 
 denunciations of thy wrath were founding in 
 our ears, we have hardened our hearts againft 
 
 ' fear. We have remained unmoved, amidil 
 the fulled declarations of thy mercy, and the 
 
 ' warmeft invitations of thy love. Juftlyraight- 
 
 * eft thou have given us up, to purine our own 
 c devices, without reftraint or poflibility of being 
 
 * recovered. But, glory to thy great name, the 
 ' thoughts of Jehovah are not as our thoughts ; 
 
 * the ways of the Lord are not like the ways of 
 c man. When we were caft out, as to the loath- 
 ing of our own foul, without eye to pity, and 
 without hand to help, thine own eye pitied, 
 thine own arm brought us falvatioO. 
 ' Ave thank thee, mod gracious God, that we 
 are not left to fay, Will the Lord be pleafed 
 with thousands of rams, or with ten thoufands 
 of rivers of oil ? fhall we give our firft-born for 
 
 f our tranigreffion, the fruit of our body for the 
 s fin of our foul ? Thou, O Lord, hail ihewed 
 c us what is Good. Thou haft fet forth thine 
 own Son, to be the Propitiation, through faith 
 in his blood. Glory to God in the higheft, 
 that peace is now proclaimed on earth, and 
 good-will is publifhcd U) the ions of men.' Now 
 
 1 there 
 
( *37 J 
 
 , no condemnation to them who arc in 
 ' Chi , who walk not after the flefh but 
 
 the Spirit. He is able to five them to 
 < the uttermdft that come unto God by him, 
 c feeing he ever liveth to make interceflion for 
 4 them. 
 
 c O Lord, let none of us reject the counfel of 
 
 * God againil our own fouls. Leave us not in 
 
 * unbelief. Give us not up to hardnefs of heart. 
 c We pray for the gift of thy Holy Spirit. O 
 c may we be adorned with his fruits. Grant us 
 
 * fo to feel his quickening grace, and his fyrength- 
 
 * enin^ influence, that we may be enabled to 
 6 perfect holmef^ in the fear of the Lord ; to 
 K work out our own falvation, with Fearand trem- 
 
 * bling : for it is God who worketh in us both 
 
 * to will and to do of his good \ leafure. 
 
 c A • God, keen us from every tempta- 
 
 c tion. O let not the allurements of the world, 
 1 the deceitfulnefs of riches, the cares of this 
 
 * life, or the enfnaring pJeafures of fin. draw < F 
 
 * our hearts from rhee. May we feel the pdw- 
 
 * ers of the world to come. May we fet thee, 
 c the Lor J, always before us ; and walk by 
 6 faith, not by r ^ght. 
 
 1 We befeech thee, O Lord, to blefs all our 
 
 * friends and relatives, wherever they may be. 
 
 * Make them partakers of thy grace, and heirs 
 c of thy glory. Blefs our enemies. Enable us 
 g to forgive them, and to overcome evil with 
 c good. 
 
 6 Accept, O Lord, of our hearty thanks for 
 c thy preserving care of us through the filent 
 
 * watches of the night. We have liept, and are 
 ' refrefhed. Thou haft raifed iw up in health, 
 c and haft girded us with flrength for labour. 
 
 S « Enable 
 
( i3» ) 
 
 Enable us, O our God, to perform the duties of* 
 the day aright. Let us not be flothfulorneglig< nt 
 in builnefs. Whatever our hands find to do, 
 
 ■ may we do it with our might, as unto the Lord. 
 
 - May we ever remember, that we are only pil- 
 grims andflrangers ; and that every return, of 
 night and of day, is bringing us nearer our 
 eternal home. 
 
 1 Forgive, we befeech thee, all our fins. En- 
 able us to clean fe ourfelves from all filthinefs, 
 both of the flefh and fpirit, perfecting holinefs 
 in the fear of God. Hear us, O Lord, in Hea- 
 ven, the habitation of thy holinefs, and graci- 
 oufly anfwer our prayers ; for the fake of Jefus 
 Chrift, our glorious Redeemer and Advocate- 
 Amen.* 
 
 An EVENING PRATER for a FA MILT. 
 
 * Our Father who art in Heaven, thou art the 
 hearer of prayer. The gods of the nations 
 were idols, filver and gold, the work of men's 
 hands ; they faw not ; they heard not ; nor 
 could they relieve their deluded worlhippers. 
 But thou, O our God, art he who ftretched 
 out the heavens, and who laid the foundations 
 of the earth, and formed the fpirit of man with- 
 in him. Thou upholdeft all things by the 
 word of thy power. Thine eyes run to and 
 fro, throughout the whole earth ; beholding the 
 evil and the good ; and thine ears are ever 
 open to the cries of thy people. We humbly 
 prefent unto thee our evening devotion. 
 1 Thou, O Lord, haft preferved us this day; 
 thou had fed us ; thou haft clothed us ; thou 
 hall enabled us to labour j and thou haft blef- 
 
 • fed 
 
C 'jy ) 
 
 fed the work of our hands. It is becaufc of 
 our rebellion again (1 God, that \ve mud eat 
 our bread in the fweat of our brow. But we 
 give thee mod hearty thanks, that, amidft all 
 the toils and burdens of the day, we can refreih 
 our fouls, by meditating on that reft which 
 thou haft prepared for all thy people. 
 * Enable us all, O Lord, to difcharge every 
 duty of our ftation, in fuch a manner, that each 
 of us may receive that moft enlivening com^ 
 mendation, Well done, good and faithful fer- 
 vant ; thou haft been faithful over a few 
 things, I will make thee ruler over many 
 things : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, 
 It will avail us nothing to attain to riches or ta 
 honour here, if we are ftiil the enemies of God* 
 O give us grace to feek firft the kingdom of 
 God, and his righteoufnefs, and all needful 
 things (hall be added unto us, 
 4 O God of grace, let thy bleffing reft upon 
 us at all times. May this houfe be a houfc for 
 God. May we be blefTcd in him in whom all the 
 families of the earth are blefied. Blcfs us in our 
 baiket and in our ftore. Biefs us in our out- 
 going, and in our incoming : but, above all, 
 may our fouls be in health and profper. 
 4 May the good Lord pardon whatever we 
 have done amifs this day. Blot out the fins of 
 our whole lives. We confers, that in all things 
 we offend, and come far fnort of thy glory. 
 O Lord; we are unprofitable fervants. Know- 
 ing that a man is not juftified by the works of 
 the law, but by the faith of Jefus Chrift, we. 
 defire to believe in Jefus Chrift ; that we may 
 be juftified by the faith of Chrift, and not by 
 the works of the law. O grant us grace to 
 
 4 adorn 
 
l.i 
 
 adorn the do&rine of God our Saviour in 
 things. Eill us with thy Spirit. Enable 
 thr ugh the Spirit, to mortify the deeds of the 
 body, that we may live. Let the. fame mind 
 1 e i'n' us, which was alio in ( . ;fus ; that, 
 
 learning of him, who was meek and lowly fl we 
 may find rdt unro our fouls. Hide pride iroin 
 our eyes. Cloche uswitih humility, 
 * We pray- O Lprdj, that thou wouldcd 
 keep us from all danger. Frcierve us from 
 fear in the nijit. Let our rcf: be fweet ; and 
 in the morning, when we awake, may we be 
 ft ill with thee. We pray for all who are in 
 fcknefs and difbefs. Provide for the poor and 
 needy. Make them ftuf.ole of their i 
 wants ; and may thev be directed to him in 
 whom all iuliu lis. Lbfs tby church 
 
 thtpuglioujt the world. Encourage, alibi, and 
 profperall the minilters -of the cveriairing g.J- 
 pel. Biefs our rulers, and enahie then- 
 rule in thy fear. Grant us whatever i; 
 fee P. to be good for us : and Jet our pray 
 come up before thy throne, and bad u> 
 anfwer of peace ; for the fake o\ jefus Ch: 
 thy well beloved Sen. Anient 
 
 APRATERjora FAMILY in AYl'LICT % 
 
 < Almjghty and eternal God, the heaven is 
 thy throne, and. the earth is thy footfiooi. 
 Thoufands of angels furround thy throne ; I 
 thoufand limes ten thoufand of thefe blee 
 fprrits miniflcr unto ihee. The heav 
 not clean in thy fight. Behold, God put 
 truft in his fervants; and his angels he charged 
 with folly. The moft exalted of th.e celeilial 
 
 ' hofts 
 
C 141 ) 
 
 I boils vJ.l their faces in thy prefence, and reft 
 not, day and night, faying, Holy, holy, holy 
 Lord v od Almighty ! Jaft and true art thou 
 in all thy ways,, and holy in all thy works. 
 Day unto day uttereth fpeech, and night unto 
 night iheweth knowledge of thee. 
 
 ' O Lord, although thou had not left thyfclf 
 without a wimefs, in that thou dofl: good, and 
 igiyeft us rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons, 
 tilling our hearts with food and gladncfs ; yet 
 we have forgotten thee. O Lord, we have 
 often mifimproved the bounties of thy provi- 
 dence, and have abided thy goodnefs, and have 
 not remembered or acknowledged thee, the 
 bountiful giver of all good things. - Whatfhall 
 we fay unto thee ; O moil righteous God ? for 
 we have forfakcn thy commandments. Juftly 
 mayeit thou fay unto us, In the day of your 
 profpcrity, your hearts waxed fat, and ye 
 kicked againlt the heavens ; now in your dif- 
 ftrefs ye come unto me. 
 
 c Lord, we confefs, with fhame and confufion 
 of face, our thoughdcilhefs, our fin, our flupi- 
 dity, and our folly. Thou mighteft juftly hide 
 thy face from us, and turn our prayer into fin. 
 But, be not wroth very fore, O Lord, neither 
 remember iniquity forever : Behold, fee, we 
 befeech thee, we are all thy people. Our 
 fathers trufted in thee, and were not put to 
 fhame. Thou art ftill the fame merciful God ; 
 forgiving iniquity, tranfgreftion and fin. Thine 
 ear is not heavy, that thou canft not hear ; 
 thine arm is not fhortened, that thou canfl not 
 fave. O Lord, hide thy face from our fins j 
 and hear us for thine own name's fake. Should- 
 efl thou lay judgment to the line, and righte- 
 
 * oufnefs 
 
( 14~~ ) 
 
 oufnefs to the plummet, none could Hand be r ore 
 thee. But thou had given thine own Son, to 
 be a ficriflce for fin ; and art in Ghrift recon- 
 ciling the world unto thyfelf, not imputing their 
 trefpkffes unto them. Encouraged by the grace 
 and promifes of the gofpel, we have felt in our 
 hears to pray unto thee this prayer. 
 * O Lord, we do not, afk thofc things which 
 the world calls good. Our heart's defire, our 
 nioft fervent prayer unto thee is, that we maybe 
 found in Chrilt Jtfus, not having our own right- 
 eoufnefs, which is of the law, but that which is 
 through the faith of Chrift, the righteoufnefs 
 which is of God by faith. O may we pafs from 
 death unto life; and have reafon to fay, it is good 
 for us that we have been aflMed ;'for before 
 we were afflicted we went aftray ; but now 
 have we learnt to keep thy holy law. 
 ' Q Lord, we befeech thee, of thine infinite 
 mercy, to bids, unto each of us, this afflictive 
 difpenfation of thy providence. In this day of 
 adverfity may we confider. Let us not defpife 
 the chaftening of the Lord ; nor faint when 
 we are rebuked of him. Enable us to poflefs 
 our fouls in patience, -and to fay, whatever thou 
 art pleafed to order in our lot, the will of the : 
 Lord be done. 
 
 1 But, O Lord, contend not with us forever.. 
 Remember that we are but dttft. Deliver us, 
 we humbly intreatthee, in thy good time, and 
 in thine own way, that we may yet praife thee 
 in the land of the living. Grant, O grant unto 
 us, the pardon of all our fins. May we be 
 waffled in the fountain opened for fin and for 
 uncleannefs. May we receive, from the Prince 
 and Saviour exalted, true and unfeigned re- 
 
 1 pentauce 
 
( '43 ) 
 
 pentance. Beautify our fouls with thy falva- 
 tion ; and let the confolations of thy Spirit 
 abound in us. O teach us fo to number our 
 days, as to apply our hearts unto wifdom. 
 May we daily die unto fin, and live unto righ- 
 tcoufnefs. 
 
 ' O Lord God of Hods, let none of us (o 
 far deceive our own fouls, as to put off prepa- 
 ration for eternity to a dying hour. In this 
 our day, enable us to attend to the things 
 which belong to our peace, before they are 
 forever hid from our eyes. For us to live, 
 may it be Chrift ; for us to die, may it be gain - r 
 that fo, when our flefli and our heart faileth, 
 God may be the ftrength of our heart, and 
 our portion forever. Now, O Lord, what 
 wait we for ? Our hope is in thy word : all 
 our defires are before thee. O Lord, hear ; 
 O Lord, forgive ; O Lord, hearken and do : 
 defer not, for thine own fake, O our God. We 
 offer all our fupplications unto thee, in the 
 name of Jefus Chrift, the High Priefi: of our 
 profeffion, who is God over all bleffed forever* 
 
 M 
 
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