at the next meeting: which meeting fall not be fooner than ten days after fuch citation.

'confeflion.

6. At the next meeting of the presbytery, the charges must be read to him, and his aufwers heard. If it appear neceffary to proceed farther, the presbytery ought to labour to bring him to And if he confefs, and the matter be bafe and flagitious; fuch as drunkennefs, uncleannefs, or crimes of a higher nature, however penitent he may appear, to the fatisfaction of all, the presbytery muft, without delay, fufpend him from the exercife of his office, or depofe him from the miniftry; and appoint him a due time to confefs publicly before the congregation offended, and to profefs his repentance.

7. The profecutor fhall be previoufly warned, that, if he fail to prove the charges, he must himfelf be cenfured, as a flanderer of the gofpel miniflry, in proportion to the malignity, or rafhnefs, that fhall appear in the profecution.

8. If a minifter, accufed of atrocious crimes, being twice duly cited, fall refufe to attend the presbytery, he must be immediately fuf. pended And if, after another citation, he ftill refufe to attend, he fhall be depofed as contumacious.

9. If the minifter, when he appears, will not confefs; but denies the facts alledged against him; if, on hearing the witnefles, the charges appear important and well fupported, the presbytery

muft, nevertheless, cenfure him; and fufpend or depofe him, according to the nature of the offence.

10. Herefy and fchifm may be of fuch a nature as to infer depofition: but errors ought to be carefully confidered; whether they strike at the vitals of religion, and are induftriously spread; or whether they arife from the weakness of the human understanding, and are not likely to do

much hurt.

11. A minifter, under process for herefy or fchifm, fhould be treated with chriftian and brotherly tenderness. Frequent conferences ought to be held with him, and proper admonitions administered. Yet, for fome more dangerous errors, fufpenfion becomes neceffary. But a fynod should be confulted in fuch cafes.

12. If the presbytery find, on trial, that the matter complained of amounts to no more than fuch acts of infirmity as may be amended, and the people fatisfied; fo as little or nothing remains to hinder his usefulness; they fhall take all prudent measures to remove the offence.

13. A minifter, depofed for fcandalous conduct, may not be restored, even on his deepest forrow for fin, without fome time of eminent and exemplary, humble, and edifying converfation, to heal the wound made by his fcandal.

14. Asfoon as a minifter is depofed, his congregation fhall be declared vacant.

THE

DIRECTORY

FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD IN THE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN

THE UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA.*

CHA P. L

Of the Sanctification of the Lord's Day.

Sect. I.

I

T is the duty of every perfon to remember the Lord's day; and to prepare for it, before its approach. All worldly bufinefs fhould be fo ordered, and feafonably laid afide, as that we may not be hindered thereby from fanctifying the fabbath, as the holy fcriptures require."

Sect. II. 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

The fcripture-warrant for what is fpecified in the various articles of this directory, will be found at large in the Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms, in the places where the fame fubjects are treated in a doctrinal form.

•

is requifite, that there be an holy refting, all the day, from unneceffary labours; and an abftaining from thofe recreations, which may be lawful on other days; and alfo, as much as poffible,. much as from worldly thoughts and converfation.

Sect. III. Let the provifions, for the support of the family on that day, be so ordered, that fervants or others be not improperly detained: from the public worship of God; nor hindered. from fanctifying the fabbath..

Sect. IV. Let every person and family, in the morning, by fecret and private prayer, for themselves and others, efpecially for the affiance of God to their minifter, and for a bleffing upon his ministry, by reading the scriptures, and by holy, meditation, prepare for communion with God in his public ordinances.

Sect. V. Let the people be careful to affemble at the appointed time; that, being all present at the beginning, they may unite, with one heart,, in all the parts of public worship and let none unneceffarily depart, till after. the blefling be pronounced.

:

Sect. VI. Let the time after the folemn fervices of the congregation in public are over, be spent in reading; meditation; repeating of fermons catechifing; religious converfation; prayer for as bleffing upon the public ordinances; the finging of pfalms, hymns, or spiritual songs; visiting the :

fick; relieving the or; and in performing fuch

like duties of piety, charity and mercy.

CHA P. II.

Of the Affembling of the Congregation, and their Behaviour during Divine Service.

Sect. I.

HEN the time appointed for

W public worthip is come, let

he people enter the church, and take their feats, in adecent, grave, and reverent manner.

Sect. II. In time of public worship, let all the people attend with gravity and reverence; forbearing to read any thing, except what the minifter is then reading or citing; abftaining from all whisperings; from falutations of perfons prefent, or coming in; and from gazing about, fleeping, fmiling, and all other indecent beha

viour.

CHA P. III.

Of the public Reading of the Holy Scriptures.

Sect. I.

THE

THE reading of the holy fcriptures, in the congregation, is a part of the public worship of God, and ought to be performed by the minifters and teachers.

Sect. II. The holy fcriptures, of the Old and New Teftament, fhall be publicly read, from