id	author	title	date	pages	extension	mime	words	sentence	flesch	summary	cache	txt
B05595	Scotland. Privy Council.	A proclamation, for a general fast. At Edinburgh, the twenty fourth day of August, one thousand six hundred eighty nine years.	1689.0		.xml	application/xml	1951	75	59	FOrasmuch as the great and long abounding of Sins of all sorts amongst all Ranks of Persons , with the continued Impenitency under them , and not Reforming therefrom ; The falling from their first Love ; and great Faintings and Failings of Ministers , and others of all Ranks , in the hour of Temptation , in their Zeal for God and his Work ; and that although there be much cause to Bless God for the Comfortable Unity and Harmony amongst the Ministers , and Body of Christian Professors in this Church ; Yet that there are such Sad , and Continuing Divisions amongst some , is also matter of Lamentation before God ; The great Ingratitude for his begun Deliverance of this Nation from Popery and Slavery , and unsuitable Walking thereunto ; The Contempt of the Gospel , not Mourning for former , and present Iniquities , nor turning to the Lord by such Reformation and Holiness , as so great Work calls for ; The many Sad and long continued Tokens of Gods Wrath , in the hiding of his Face , and more especially in his Restraining the Power and Presence of his Spirit , with the Preached Gospel , in the Conversion of Souls , and Edifying the Converted ; and the Lord 's Threatning the Sword of a Cruel and Barbarous Enemy , in the present great Distress of Ireland , by the prevailing of an Anti-Christian Party there ; and Threatning the Sword of the same Enemy at home , and the great and imminent Danger of the Reformed Protestant Religion , not only from an open Declared Party of Papists , Enemies to the same , but from many other professed Protestants , who joyn Issue with them in the same Design , befides the Sad Sufferings , and Scatterings of Reformed Churches Abroad ; Having Seriously , and Religiously moved the Presbyterian Ministers , Elders and Professors of the Church of Scotland , Humbly to Address themselves to the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council , for a General Fast and Day of Humiliation , to be kept throughout the whole Kingdom , The saids Lords , Do out of a Pious and Religious Disposition , approve of the said Motion , as Dutiful and Necessary at the time ; and therefore in His Majesties Name and Authority , Do Command a Solemn and Publick Fast , and Day of Humiliation , to be Religiously and Sincerely Observed throughout this Kingdom , both in Churches and Meeting-Houses , as they would avert Wrath , and procure and continue Blessings to this Kingdom ; and that all persons whatsomever may send up their Fervent Prayers and Supplications to Almighty God , that he would pour out upon all Ranks , a Spirit of Grace and Supplication , that they may Mourn for all their Iniquities , and more especially , that God would pour forth upon King WILLIAM , and Queen MARY , and upon all inferior Magistrats , and Counsellors , a Spirit of Wisdom for Government , and Zeal for God , his Church , and Work in this Land , as the present case of both do Call for , and that God may preserve Them for Carrying on that great Work , which he hath so Gloriously and Seasonably begun by them ; and that God would Countenance , and Bless with Success , the Armies by Sea and Land , raised for the Defence of the Protestant Religion ; and more especially , that God would pour forth a Spirit of Holiness upon them , lest their Sins , and ours may provock God against them in the Day of Battel ; and that he would Bless all Means for the Settlement of Church and State : That God would Bless the Season of the Year , and give Seasonable Weather for Cutting Down , and Gathering in the Fruits of the Earth , that the Stroke of Famine , which God hath frequently Threatned the Nation with , may be averted . And to the End that this part of Divine Worship , so pious and necessary , may be punctually kept upon the respective Dayes above-mentioned , They Ordain Sir William Lockhart Sollicitor , in the most convenient and proper way , to Dispatch , and send Copies hereof to the Sheriffs , their Deputs , and Clerks of the several Shires of this Kingdom , to be by them Published at the Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs , upon Receipt thereof , and immediatly sent to the several Ministers , both of Churches and Meeting-Houses , that upon the Lords Day immediatly preceeding the Fast , and upon the respective Dayes of the publick Fast , and Humiliation , the Ministers may Read , and Intimat this Proclamation from the Pulpit , in every Paroch-Church , and Meeting-House ; and that they exhort all Persons to a Serious and Devout Performance of the saids Prayers , Fasting and Humiliation , as they regard the Favour of Almighty God , and the Safety and Preservation of the Protestant Religion , and expect a blessed success to the Carrying on of that Great and Glorious Work of this Nations being Delivered from Popery and Slavery , so seasonably begun , and as they would avoid the Wrath and Indignation of God against this Kingdom , and procure , and continue manifold Blessings to the same : Certifying all these who shall contemn , or neglect such a religious and necessary Duty , they shall be proceeded against , and punished as Contemners of his Majesties Authority , Neglecters of Religious services , and as persons disaffected to the Protestant Religion , as well as to their Majesties Royal Persons and Government . And Ordains these Presents to be Printed , and Published by Macers , or Messengers at Arms , at the Mercat-Cross of Edinburgh , and other places above-mentioned , that none may pretend ignorance .	cache/B05595.xml	txt/B05595.txt
