Judicial Proceeding, 10 December 1700, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh The Twenty day of February J^aj vii^c years

A1700/2/19

A1700/2/19¹

Act

Act of the Generall assembly for a solemn nationall Fast

Act of the Generall Assembly for a solemn nationall Fast Read, And a Proclamation of Councill appointing The Twenty Eight day of March next to be observed for the said fast, Read Approven and Signed. Follows the act of the Generall assembly.
Att Edniburgh The Fourth day of February J^aj vii^c years. Post meridiem.
The Generall assembly of this Church, Taking unto their serious Consideration, The many dreadfull Tokens of the Lords anger Evidenced, particularly in the Continued pinching dearth; notwithstanding of a favourable Harvest, and Releif therby in some measure wherby The number of the poor and their necessities have been and are greatly Increased, The great and unusuall Sickness and mortality which hath gone over all the land and doth yett in pairt Continue; The Rebuckes from God on the nation in disappointing severall undertakings To advance the Trade and wealth therof, and particularly in the severall Cross providences That The African and Indian Companys Colony in America hath mett with notwithstanding of the Many fervent prayers made in their behalf and by a Stupendious Burning within these Few days of so considerable a pairt of Edinburgh The Capitall city of the Kingdom. And Lastly under all these by the woefull heart plagues of Impenitency and Security, and Considering That all the Judgements That we groan under are the sad Effects and bitter fruits of our heinous Sins against God Such as the fearfull Backslidings and persecutions of the late tymes mentioned in our Former Causes of Humiliation and not yett sufficiently mourned for, our continued unfaithfulness to God, notwithstanding of our Solemn covenants and Engadgements and many professed Resolutions To the Contrary, The Atheisticall and Execrable principles subversive of all Religion so much vented and Spread amongst us. The Gross Immoralities of uncleanness of all Sorts, Drunkness, Swearing, Sabbath-Breaking and unrighteous dealing among men, and That amongst persones of all Ranks and qualities, and these abounding and Continued, notwithstanding of many Endeavours used To Reclaim and Reform Transgressors, The Excessive prodigality and Profuseness of Some, when others are afflicted with so much want and poverty, The great Slighting of Christ offered in the Gospell, and not Receaving of him in our hearts, and walking worthy of him in our Lives and Conversationes, The great Contempt and despiseing of Church Discipline, The forward oppositiones in many places to the planting of Churches and the progress of the Gospell our ungrate forgettfulness of the mercifull and Signall deliverances That God hath Wrought for us, and our Repining att Gods afflicting providences, In stead of Submitting to his Mighty hand lifted up against us. And The Assembly likeways considering The deplorable state of the Reformed Churches in France, Peidmount, The Palatinate and other places where our Bretheren and the Reformation among them are Either Brought to desolation and Ruine, or are in Extream danger by Cruell and long Continued anti-Christian, persecution, which in Stead of abating upon the late peace of Europe, The great Benefite of which we Enjoy, hath on the contrary greatly Encreased. Therfore The Generall assembly under the serious and deep sense of the above mentioned Sins and Judgements hath Thought fitt to sett a pairt a day for Solemn Fasting and Humiliation, and the Exercise of Repentance and unfeigned purposes of amendment, which they appoint To be Kept upon the […] day of March next to come being The […] Thursday of the said Moneth, over this whole Church and Kingdom, Beseeching and obtesting all the Lords people, sincerely and seriously to prepaire themselves thereto as in the sigh of the Holy and Jealous God, Least Either Carelessness, formality or sinistrous Ends, Turn our Solemn performances into Sin, and by adding to the Provocation, draw upon us yett more dread full Stroaks, all that they may make more particular Confession of the forementioned Sins and all others, with a deep sorrowing for, and hearty detestation of the same. As also with humble Submission To, and acceptance of the punishment of our Iniquities in the Judgements abovementioned or any others that may be peculiar to Congregations or particular persones, and That Every one in the most Sincere and unfeigned manner, Resolve and vow amendment both of themselves and others as may be Incumbent upon them, whither as Magistrats or ministers or otherways in their respective Stations And That all and Every one doe in like manner, Resolve and vow the Bringing Furth fruits meet for Repentance in their after Lives Carriadges and administrationes. That fervent Application be made and Continued in, To the Throne of Grace, Through our Lord Jesus Christ for the pardon of Sin to Each particular person and to the whole land. That Earnest prayers and Supplicationes be made, That the Lord would graciously Return to us in Gospell ordinances and by the breathings of his Spirit, Render them more Savingly Successful, That our Rulers and ministers and all others may be directed and animated, To more Effectuall and vigorous Endeavours, for discouradging Suppressing and punishing all ungodliness and for Reforming both themselves and the Land without Exception; That our King may be long Continued a happy Instrument of Gods Glory and for the Benefite and Comfort of this Nation, That he may be blessed and preserved in his person and Government, and all wicked designes and Contrivances against Either may be discovered prevented and Confounded, That all Dissention Jealousie and discord may cease, and we all became one of the Lord, That Bowells of Compassion may be drawn forth for Releif of the poor and needy, and propper Effectually used, for Recovering Them from Idleness and want, and Reduceing them to Labour and order That the Spring and Seed tyme may be blessed, That he would Countenance and Bless, and Bring to a happy Issue, all Just and laufull designs and Endeavours for advancing the Trade of the Nation, and be graciously pleased to preserve protect and prosper these who are lately gone from us, upon the great Nationall Concern of a plantation abroad and That the Same may Through the divine Blessing and Favour, prove a happy and Successful mean for prorogating the Gospell and converting the heathens in these pairts, And That the ministers sent from this Church, may be supported and Strenthned for their Work, and Ever Incouraged in the Lord against all difficulties, and we Refreshed with a Confortable account of them, and all with them, That our Bretheren in Captivity any where may be Comforted and Releived, That Losses both att Home and abroad may be Sanctified, and also made up into these who Immediatly Suffer by them And Lastly That our Protestant Bretheren of the neighbouring Churches under persecution may be Supported and Refined in the furnace, preserved faithfull in adhering To the Truth, and in the Lords good tyme delivered. Signed in name of the Generall assembly By D. Blair. Moderator John Bannatyne Cls. Syn. National.