A Rife, O Lord, and let thy Enemies be con founded: Let them fie from thy Prefence that hate thy godlie Name: Let the Grones of thy afflicted enter in before thee, and preferve thou by thy owen Power, fuch as be appointed to Death: Let not thy Enemies thus triumph to the End Bot let them understand that againes thee they feght. Preferve the Vine which thy right Hand hath planted. Oppone thy Power to the Power of that Roman, Antichrift, and let the Glory of thy anointed Jefus Chrift our Lord fhyne before all Nations, So be it. * Haften Lord, and tarie not. Certaine Chapters, and Parts of the Scriptures, ufed by the Minifters of Edinburgh and Haly-rud-houfe, in the Tyme of God's Vifitation be the Pest, in the Tyme when in the Court rang all Impietie, as Murther, Hurdome, and Contempt of God's Word, bot especially when the Queen was ftricken by God's Hand in Jedburgh: Alfa in the Tyme of Famine and Dearth, and at uther Such Tymes as God gave Occafion, and according to the Maner of the Scourge. In Tyme of Peft, the 21 of Numeri, the 34 of the fecond Buke of Samuel, Chapter of Ezech. the 91 Palme, with uther fuch Places proper for the lame. Whit follows was added after the first compofing of this Book. In In the Time when Impietie aboundeth, Ezechiel the 3. Numeri 25. I. of Samuell the 4&7. i. Efaias the 58, Efaias the 3. Jeremias the 34. In Time of Famine. And uthers fuch like Parts of the Scriptures, according as the Correction was laid of God: For even as the Lord our God hes divers and fundrie Wandes wherewith he fcourgeth the World, bot mercifullie correð his owen Children for their Profite, fo hes he left divers Examples in holie Scripture, how his chofen hes used themselves under everie fort of Correction, by him fatherly laid upon them, as in the Chapters before expreffed, was firft noted, to steir Men to prevent God's Judgements, by trew and unfeaned Repentance before the Plague came. So So thir Chapters now noted, war chosen be the Minifters of Edinburgh, and Haly-rud-hous, and uthers godlie there about, at fuch Time as God did vifite them, as is abufe expreffed. To teftifie also, that the Church of God, nor the faithfull and difcrete Minifters are not bound at every Humiliation to fticke fcrupuloustic to the former, as no uther may be chofen, bot as God changeth his Wandes, fo may our Prayers with the Examples of the Sainas fo afflicted, be chang→ ed and ordoured. Neither can the Wicked juftlic accufe us, in fo doing, of Inconftancie: Bot ras ther aucht the chofen to glorifie God, that our publik Fafting and Humiliation is not bound to Man's Commandement precifelie, nor to old Caftomes, as the Papifts ufe their Ceremonies; but as God vifiteth us, fo in that Maner feke we bim as he teacheth us and geveth us Examples in bis moft holic Word, according to his fatherlic Correction. Three Caufes of this publique Faft. A S in thir Dayes we call unto God for Mercy for our Unthankfulnes, being so often and divers Times delivered, and yit his Benefites fo fuddanlie forgot; in that that we fee Sin fo to abounde in all Eftates, Godis feireful Threatenings not feired, bot the Pronuncers thereof mocked and difdained be the most Part of the World. Secondlie, the great Hunger, Famine, and Oppreffion of the puir, although the rich and weal wealthie that kepes their Corne whil the wilde Beaftes eat it, feil not the Famine, whofe Plague fuddanlie followes, if haftilie they prevent not God's Judgements by unfened Repentance, Thridlie and cheiflie we humble our felfes, and call upon our God for the Confort and Deliverance of our afflicted Brethren in France, Flaunders, and uther Partes: For although the Plague and cruell Decree of Trent is begun at Sufan, or rather into filthie Sodome in Paris that Boucherhoufe of Sathan, by those men-fworne and cruelf Murtherars, yit their Mynd is no leffe cruellie bent towardes us: For if they had not Pitic to drinke their owen Bludes, and to fe the famin rin in the Streites with Manaffes, much leffe will they be moved with Compaffion when they fhall onlie heire Crueltie ufed againes Strangers, except God drown Pharaoh, chafe and flay Senache→ rib, confound and beat down with Shame Herod, which must be through the Prayers of the Sainctes of God humbled under his Hand. Thofe, and uthers manifold Causes, as Sine unpunished in monie Places, the Craftines of the Worldlings, with the apparant Deceiptfulnes of fals Brethren, moveth us this Day to ftoupe un der his mightie Hand, whilk we befeech him for his owen Names fake, we may do without Hy pocrifie; then not doubting bot that the Fruite and Profite thereof fhall be found and fene, as at divers Tymes we have felt, to his owen Glorie, and Confort of his Kirk, to whom be Praise, Glorie, and Honour for ever. Amen. This Order was observed in all the Fafts appointed by the General Affembly: The Caufes were fometimes particularly expreffed in the Pro Proclamation, and sometimes they were left to be laid out by the Paffors according to the Grounds they fue and perceive. Two of the Proclamations are as follows. Affembly March 156, Seff. 5: IT was concludit be the haill Brethren affemblit, that an general Fafting be proclaimit throughout all Scotland, and to begin in Lautičan, Fife, and fic uther Places as may receive Advertisement the 13 Day of this inftant; thereafter the Superintendants and Commiffioners of Provinces, to advertise and beginne at fic Times as they think expedient: And to continew from the firft Day to that Day aucht Days inclufive, And in the mein Tyme to use the Exercife accuftomit in the Kirk of the first Institution, and als to use Sobriety in eiting and drinking in Tyme of the Exercife. Affembly April 1577. Seff. 9. THe He General Affembly of the Kitk of this Realm, confidering the grit Abundance of Iniquity owirflowing uni verfallie the haill Face of this Commun-weill, now, in fa grit Light and Revelation of the trew and Chriftian Religion, justlie provocking and steiring up the Juftice and Equity of God, totak Judgment and Vengeance on this unwordie Nation. Sie, ing alfo the monie and perilous Stryfes and Rages of Perfecution dailie invading the Kirk and Spouse of Jefus Chrift; the fair and extreme Troubles of the trew and zealous Members thairof in the Pairts of France and els whair profeffing with them an Saviour, Lord and Meffias; the Wark also of establishing a perfect Ordor and Policie in the Kirk being presentlie in hands. Hes thocht it gude for the fame Reasons and gude Caufes, that earnest and fpeidie Recourfe fall be had to God with common Supplications and Prayers, and to that Effect an general Faft be obferved univerfallic throwout all the Kirks of this Realme, with Doctrine and Instruction to the People to begin the fecond Sanday of July nixt to cum, quhilk is the Nynth Day thairof, and to continew to the nixt Sunday thairafter: Ufing in the mein Tyme the Exercife of Doctrine according to the accuftomir Ordor. And to that Effect that Intimation be made be the Commiffioners of Countries to the Ministers within thair Bounds as apperteins. Gine in the Generall Assemblie. Affemblie April 78, Seff. ult. WHat fal be the Punishment of Communicants that violat the ge neral Fast? Anfwer. They fall mak Repentance twa feveral Sundays; and according to the Contempt in the Violation, the Pain to be aggravate.. FINIS |