386 Direllions a~~ut blige, the hufband to confult his wife beforehand, as to the fixing of the time to be fet apart in the family for that extraordinary piece of devotion. Secondly, In the morning, let each member of the family go apart by himfelf into fome fecret place, and there fpend fome time in reviving, conjeffing' cove– nanting, praying, andfopplit:ating, as directed in.the cafe of perfonal falling ; fo far as he - can overtake them. The more confcientioufly this fecret work is ma~aged, it will readily fare the better with the fa– mily, when met together. 'Thirdly, Let the head of the fami ty, having taken to himfelf, and allowed to them, a competent time for .their extfaordinary fecret devotions, thereafter call . them together. And the family being conveened, he · may again, if need be, Jay before them the caufc:s of their fafi, with fuitable exhortat~Ol'l·S and encourage• ments, for exciting them unto the duty. 1 And, afrer ·caHing on God for .the aid of his holy Spirit, let him fing with them fome Pfalm, or par t of a Pfalm, fu~t- · able to fuch an pccafion, fuch as Pfalm lxxx. ·1 . and downwards, ' Pf~Im xxxix. 6. to the end, Pfalm li. I. and downwards; read before them fome pertinent paf .. fage of Scripture, fuch as thefe mentioned in the VI. · direllion of the preceding chapter ; and then pray with them. i\fter prayer made by the head of the fa– mily, let the mifirefs of the family, and fuch others as he judgeth fit, pray, one after another. 'Tis very de– firable, that each member of the family, being, thro' grace fit to be employ'd, do take a part in that work . In the intervals of prayer, there may be tinging, read· ing, or conference, as may be found mofr 'expedient. Fourthly, 'Tis fit that, in thete prayers,there be ex,· traordinary confe.ffion of fin, as particular as may be expedient; together with profeffion of repentance, and ·hearty f0rrow for fin, and ofunfeigned defire to return untoG'od, and unto the duties ofa Chrifiian life: & then fervent and earnefi fupplications,upon the matter,th?.t ar~ t-he particular caufes of the £1fi. fifth ly, '
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