fpirit of prayer, which is given to all the children of God in fome measure: to which effect, they ought to be more fervent and frequent in fecret prayer to God, for enabling of their hearts to conceive, and their tongues to exprefs convenient defires to God for their family: And in the mean time, for their greater encouragement, let thefe materials of prayer be inedi tated upon, and made ufe of, as followeth. Let them confefs to God how unworthy they are to come in his prefence, and how unfit to worship his majesty: and 'therefore earnestly afk of God the fpirit of prayer. They are to confefs their fins, and the fins of the family; accufing, judging and condemning themfelves for them, till they bring their fouls to fome meafure of true humiliation. They are to pour out their fouls to God, in the name of Chrift, by the Spirit, for forgivenefs of fins; for grace to re'pent, to believe, and to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly; and that they may ferve God with joy and delight, walking ' before him. They are to give thanks to God for his many mercies to his people and to themfelves, and efpecially for his love in Christ, and for the light of the gofpel. They are to pray for fuch particular benefits, fpiritual and temporal, as they ftand in need of for the time (whether it be morning, or evening) as anent health or ficknefs, profperity ⚫ or adverfity. 6 They ought to pray for the kirk of Chrift in general, for all the reformed kirks, and for this kirk in particular, and for all that fuffer for the name of Chrift; for all our fuperiors, the king's majefty, the queen, and their children; for the ma"giftrates, minifters, and whole body of the congregation where' of they are members, as well for their neighbours abfent in their lawful affairs, as for those that are at home. C may The prayer may be clofed with an earnest defire that God be glorified in the coming of the kingdom of his Son, and in doing of his will, and with affurance that themfelves are ac 'cepted, and what they have afked according to his will fhall ' be done." X. Thefe exercises ought to be performed in great fincerity, without delay, laying afide all exercifes of worldly bufinefs or hinderances, notwithstanding the mockings of atheifts and pro fane fane men; in refpect of the great mercies of God to this land, and of his fevere corrections wherewith lately he hath exercised us. And, to this effect, perfons of eminency (and all elders of the kirk) not only ought to ftir up themfelves and families to di-: ligence herein; but alfo to concur effectually, that in all other families, where they have power and charge, the faid exercises be confcionably performed. XI. Befides the ordinary duties in families, which are abovementioned, extraordinary duties, both of humiliation and thanksgiving, are to be carefully performed in families, when the Lord by extraordinary occafions, (private or publick) calleth for them. XII. Seeing the word of God requireth, that we fhould confider one another to provoke unto love and good works; therefore, at all times, and fpecially in this time, wherein profanity abounds, and mockers, walking after their own lufts, think it ftrange that others run not with them to the fame excess of riot; every member of this kirk ought to ftir up themselves, and one another, to the duties of mutual edification, by inftruction, admonition, rebuke; exhorting one another to manifeft the grace of God, in denying ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and in living godly, foberly, and righteously in this prefent world; by comforting the feeble-minded, and praying with or for one another: which duties refpectively are to be performed upon fpecial occafions offered by divine providence; as namely, when under any calamity, crofs, or great difficulty, counfel or comfort is fought, or when an offender is to be reclaimed by private admonition, and, if that be not effectual, by joining one or two more in the admonition, according to the rule of Chrift: that in the mouth of two or three witneffes every word may be established. XIII. And, because it is not given to every one to speak a word in feafon to a wearied or diftreffed confcience, it is expe"dient, that a perfon (in that cafe) finding no eafe after the ufe of all ordinary means, private and publick, have their addrefs to their own paftor, or fome experienced chriftian: 'But if the perfon troubled in confcience, be of that condition, or of that fex, that discretion, modefty, or fear of fcandal requireth a godly, grave and fecret friend to be prefent with them in their faid addrefs, it is expedient that fuch a friend be prefent. XIV. When perfons of diverfe families are brought together by divine providence, being abroad upon their particular vocations, or any neceffary occafions; as they would have the Lord their God with them whitherfoever they go, they ought to walk with God, and not neglect the duties of prayer and thankfgiving, but take care that the fame be performed by fuch as the company fhall judge fitteft. And that they likewife take heed that no corrupt communication proceed out of their mouths, but that which is good, to the ufe of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. The drift and fcope of all thefe directions is no other, but that upon the one part, the power and practice of godliness amongst all the minifters, and members of this kirk, according to their feveral places and vocations, may be cherished and advanced, and all impiety and mocking of religious exercifes fuppreffed: And, upon the other part, that under the name and pretext of religious exercises, no fuch meetings or practices be allowed, as are apt to breed error, fcandal, fchifm, contempt, or mifregard of the publick ordinances and minifters, or neglect of the duties of particular callings, or fuch other evils as are the works not of the Spirit, but of the flesh, and are contrary to truth and peace. A. KER. FINI S. A TABLE of the chief Matters contained in the Con con. Signifies the Confeffion of Faith. The firft figure denotes Α CCEPTANCE. The perfons of the actions of his creatures, by his Admonition of the church, con. 30.4. Adultery, a juft ground of divorce, con. 24. 5. 6. Anxiety about the things of this life, finful, cat. 105, 136, 142. Immodeft Apparel, forbiddeh, cat. Afcenfion of Chrift, con. 8. 4. cat. 53. tainable in this life, con. 18. I, 2. velation, con. 18. 3. cat. 80. Upon what it is founded, con. 3. 8. 18. 2. cat. 80. It is ftrengthened by good works, con, 16. 2. Believers may want it, con. 18. 3. cat. 80. 172. They may have it diminished and intermitted: and be deprived of comfort and the light of God's countenance, con. 11. 5. 17.3.18. 4. cat. 81. But they are never utterly deftitute of that feed of God, ́ ́and life of faith and love, &c. out of which affurance may, by the fpirit,be in due time revived; con. 18. 4.cat. 81. And by which in the mean time they are fupported from utter defpair, ibid. It is the duty of all to endeavour after affurance, con. 18. 3. And to pray for it, cat. 194. The fruits of it, it inclines not to loofenefs, con. 18. 3. Atheism, the denying or not having a God, con. 105. Attributes of God, con. 2. 1, 2. cat. 7, 8, 101. B APTISM, What, con 28. 1, 2. BAP cat. 165. To continue to the end of the world, con. 28. 1. cat. 176. But once to be adminiftred to any perfon, con. 28. 7. cat. 177. By whom, con. 27. 4. 28. 2. cat. 176. To whom, con, 28. 4. cat. 166. Dipping not neceffary in baptifm, But it may be rightly adminiftred by fprinkling, con. 28. 3. Baptifm not neceffary to falvation, yet it is a fin to neglect it, con. 28. 3. The efficacy of it, con 28. 6. How to be improved, cat. 167. Wherein it agrees with the Lord's Supper, cat. 176. And wherein they differ, cat. 177. Believers, See faith, juftification, acceptance, adoption, fanctification, union, communion, liberty, works, perfeverance, affurance. Benefits which the members of the invisible church enjoy by Chrift, cat. 65. The benefits of Chrift's mediation, cat. 57, 58. The Body of Chrift, how prefent in the facrament, con. 29. 7. cat. 170. The Myftical Body of Chrift. True believers are members of Chrift's myftical body, con. 29. 1. cat. 168. Which is the whole number of the elect that have been, are or fhall be united to Chrift as their head, con. 25. 1. What that union is, cat. 66. See communion. The Bodies of the elect after death, and at the refurrection. con. 32. 2, 3. cat. 86, 87. Of the wicked, ibid.. Lafcivious Books not to be read, cat. 139. CAL C YALLING, See effectual calling, To have a lawful Calling, and to be diligent in it, is a duty, cat. 141. Vows of Celebacy unlawful, con. 22. 7. cat. 139. Cenfures of the church, what, con. 30. 2, 4. Their ufe, con. 30. 3. Who are to be proceeded against by the cenfures of the church, con. 20. 4. 29. 8. 30. 2. They are to be managed according to the nature of the crime and the demerit of the perfon, con. 30. 4. Penitent finners are to be abfolved from cenfures, con. 30. 2. Cenfuring, rafh, harsh, and partial cenfuring, finful, cat. 145. Ceremonial Law. See law. Charity towards our neighbour, wherein it confifts, cat. 135, 141, 144, 147. What contrary to it, cat. 136, 142, 145, 148. Giving and lending freely according to our ability and the neceflities of others, is a duty, con. 26. 2. cat. 141. Charms, unlawful, cat. 113. Chastity, cat. 137. Children that die in infancy, how fave ed, con. 10. 3. The children of fuch |