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NOne may preach the word with us but Pastors and the sons of the Prophets, and such of their sort who aime at the holy ministery, and that authority Ecclesi∣asticall must warrant them is cleare by our Law and pra∣ctise, as it was in the Jewish Church, 1 Sam. 10. 5. 2 King. 2. 7. 2 King. 4▪ 1. 1 King. 20. 35. The worship of God is commanded by our Assemblies to be in private families,
as chatechizing by the Master of the Family, or some other better gifted in every Family, Deut. 6. 6. 7, 8. Gen. 18. 19. Ephes. 6. 1, 2, 3. 2 Tim. 3. 15. praying, Zach. 12. 10. None by any act of our Church, whether Pastor or any other, in office, or out of office, is obliged to a stinted or read pray∣er, as the word of God alloweth, Rom. 8. 26, 27. yea here it is free to all, having the spirit of adoption to expresse their particular necessities, which cannot well be booked, to God according to the present case of the Church, and person praying, as the Saints have done, Psal. 88▪ 9. Psal. 5. 7. Psal. 28. 2. Psal. 1▪ 21. 1. Psal. 123. 1. Ioh. 17. 1. Luk. 18. 13. and Psal. 3. Psal. 5. Psal. 25. Psal. 30. Psal. 34. Psal. 54. Psal. 57. Psal. 63. &c. yet did our Church never condemne, but constantly practise the praying of that divine and Ca∣nonicall prayer of our Saviour, called the Lords prayer, as being commanded, Mat 6. 9 Luk. 11. 2. in matter and manner, though affirmative precepts oblige not ad semper. Also singing of Psalmes is commanded by our Church in Families, as Exod. 29. 39. Psal. 55. 17. Eph. 5. 18, 19, 20. and house-discipline, as Job 1▪ 3. Deut. 21. 18. Psal. 101. 7. and private fasting in Families, Nehem 1. 4. Esth. 4. 16. Zach. 12. 11.
Our Assembly also commandeth godly conference at all occasionall meetings, or as Gods providence shall dispose, as the word of God commandeth, Heb. 3. 13. 1 Thes. 5. 11, 12. Levit. 19▪ 17. Zach. 8▪ 21. Mal. 3. 16. Col. 3. 16. provi∣ding none invade the Pastors office to preach the word who are not called thereunto by God and his Church, Heb. 5. 4, 5. Rom. 10. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 12. 28, 29. and by that same warrant the grieved in conscience is to confesse his sins, which troubleth and presseth downe his soule, to ei∣ther an experienced Christian or Pastor, as Jam 5. 16. but this confession is free to the grieved party, I meane free from being canonically commanded in our Assemblies, and far from Sacramentall confession, or Auricular confes∣sion to a Priest.
Assembly at Glask
Assembly at Edinburg.
Act at Edinburg Assembly, an. 641