nether fuch as trewlie profeffe the Lord Jefus, can be in Securitie, fo long als that Babylonian Whore hath Power to enchant the Princes of the Earth. Let us, therefore, understanding that the being droncken with the Blude of the Sainctes, can never repent of Crueltie and Murder, ufe againes her the fpirituall Weaponis, to wit, earneft Invocation of Godis Name, by the which we find the proud Tyrants of the Earth, in Tymes paft, to have bene owirthrowen. Above all thir Caufes aforefaid, we have yit One that aucht not to be omitted, to wit, the Bodie of this Realme hes long enjoyed Quyetnes, while that other Nations about us have bene feverelie plagued. What Thoufandes died in the Eaft Countreys, and in England of the Peftilence, Anno 1564. Their owen Confeffions beir Record: What Crueltie hath bene executed in Fraunce: What Townis fpoiled, and Murder committed, fumewhat befoir we have declared, and moir we might, if that we had not Respect to Brevitie and Time: And what Trouble is prefentlie and long hath bene betwix Denmarke and Sweden, the Pofteritie of that Countrey will after understand.

And in all this Tyme, now fax Yeires and moir, hath God fpared us, fo that the publik Eftate hath alwayes remained quyet, except within these few Moneths. Aucht not the deip Confideration of this move us now to ftoupe before our God? For have we bene fpared because that our Rebellion to God is leffe, then is the Rebellion of thofe Nations that we have feene punished? If we thinke fo, we ar far deceaved.

For

For in fo great Light of the Gospell, we think that greater Inobedience was never fhawen unto God, nor greater Ingratitude unto his Meffengars, fince the Dayis of the Apoftiles, than of late Yeirs hath bene ( and yit is) within this Realme. Idolatrie is obftinatelie manteined, Whoredome and Adulterie ar bot Paftymes of the Flefh, Slaughter and Murder is efteimed fmall Sin, if onie Man have Freind in Court: Craftie Dealing with the Sempil, Deceipt and Oppreffion is compted gud Conqueft, yea, alas, almost uni- . verfallie, Partialitie in Judgement is bot Interpretation of Lawes, yea, delaying of Justice, what Matter it that? What Reverence is had to Godis Meffengars? And what Respect unto the Puir, that now fo multiplie within this Realme (that the lyke hath feldome bene feene) Though we will ceife, the Stones will crie, and condemne us: And yet what Superfluitie, what Vanitie, what Feafting, riotous Banquetting hath bene, and yet is uled in Court, Countrey and Townes, although the Tongues of Men dare not speake, yit we think the Purfes of fome do feil, and in their Maner complein. If thir be not Sinnes that crave Plagues from God, we humblie defyre Men to confidder what are the Sinnes that war layde to the Charge of Sodome and Gomorrha, by the Prophet Ezechiel.

Now fay we, God before our Eyes hath punifhed uthers, and can he spare us, being more finfull then they war? Nay, he cannot. And therefore there refts nothing unto us bot utter Deftruction, if we unfeanedlie turn not unto our God, before that his Wrath be farther kindled

́againes

againes us. Judgement is begun in his owen House, for if within Scotland amonges Men of there Eftate, there was to be found Equitie, Juftice, Temperance, Compaffion upon the Puir, and upright Confcience, they did moft cleirlie fhyne in them, whom God before our Eyis hath firft dejected. Therefore, yit again, we fay, that onlie Repentance can fave us from Plagues more grevous then they have felt, or that we have fene of many Yeires within this Realme.

Bor now we knaw,, that fuch as nether love God, nor trewlie feir his Judgementes, for monie Atheiftes we have, and ranke Papiftes within this Realme, fhall grudge and cry, what newe Ceremonie is this that now we heire of? Wherefore fhall we faft? And who hath Power to command us fo to do? A Figge of their Fafting, we will fill and ftuffe our Bellies after the olde Fashion, &c. Let not the godlie be offended at the Taunts and Reproches of fuch godles People, but let us tremble before our God, and confidder that fuch hath bene the proud Contempt of the Wicked in all Ages before us, as in the Prophets we may read: For Efay complaineth, faying, When the Lord calleth to Sack-cloth and Afhes, there is nothing hard, but let us eat and drink, kill the fatte Beafts, and make Banquets, let us bring Wine in Aboundance, and more if we muft die, let us depart in Joye, for fo they meant when that they faid, Let us eate and drink, to morrow we shall die (n) But let us confider what Anfwer they receave, As I live, fayth the Lord, this your Iniquitie fhall not be forgiven unto the Death,

(n) Efay 22. 12, 13, 14.

2

I fhall

11

I fball take from you the Mirth of Wine and Oyle, your young Men fhall fall by the Swords, your aged Men fhall be led Captives, your delicate Dames fhall trot upon their Feete over the River (meaning Euphrates ) their Buttockes fhall be naked, and their Shame hall not be hidde, &c. Jeremie the Prophet preached and cryed even to the King and to the Queene, and commanded them to walke in Lowlinefle, to doc Juftice, to repreffe Impietie, and fo he promised that they fhuld fit ftill upon their Throne in Joye and Quyetneffe: But if they wald not, he baldlie pronunced, that their Carkaffes fhuld be Caft to [ the Heat of the Sunne, and to the Froft and Cold of the Night. Ezechiel in his Age ufeth the fame Ordor, and in his owen Bodie fhaweth unto them Signes of Humiliation, and of the Plagues, that shuld apprehend them for there Rebellion. (°).

All thir Admonitions were defpyfed, we confeffe, bot thereto we fhuld not look, but unto that which ensued fuch proud Contempt.

If we wald that our Places fhuld be so destroyed, that they fhuld remane defolate, and be Dennes to Dragons, if we wald that our Land fhuld be layde wafte, and be a Prey to our Enemies, and if we wald that the reft of the Plagues, threatned by the Prophets, and which have apprehended the inobedient before us, fhuld cum upon us in full Perfection: Then we nede nether to faft nor pray, repent nor turn to God. Bot if we defyre either to find Mercie in this Lyfe, or Joy and Confort in the Lyfe to cum, we man fhaw our felfes unfeanedlie forie for the Abhomi

(•) Ezek. 4 and 5 Chapters.

nations

nations that now univerfallic reigne, we man_be lyke Lot in Sodome, and Noah in that Catholik Defection from God, which was in the firft Age: And by their Examples and notable Deliverance, aucht we to be encouraged, to fhaw our felfes forie for this prefent Corruption, and to let our felfes againes it, to the uttermoft of our Powers, unieffe that we wald have Portion with the Wicked.

Nether aucht we to be difcouraged, because that the Contemners, godles People, and Mockers of all Godlines fhall excede us in Number. Their Number, deire Brethren, fhall not hurt our Innocencie, if that we with unfeaned Harts turn unto our God, for the Promife of his Mercie is not bound unto the Multitude, fo that he will not hear, but where the greatest Part is godlie. No, deir Brethren, wherefoever Two or Three be gathered in his Name, there is he in the middes of them: (P) and again, whofoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord, he fhall be faved, (q) Yea, even when in God's Difpleifure the hole World fhall be plagued. And therefore, let us not follow the Multitude in evill doing: But let us declyne from the wayes of their Vanitie, and by unfeaned Humiliation of our felfes, let us purchase Favour before Godis Vengeance burst out lyke Fyre.

He Power that we have to proclaim this Fafting, is not of Man, but of God, who by the Mouth of his Prophet Ezechiel pronunceth this Sentence, (r) If the Watch-man fee the Sword or anie Plague comming upon the Land, if he

(P) Matth. 18. 20. (9) Rom. 10, 13, (†) Ezck. 33. Gi

blow