THE CAUSES OF A PUBLIC FAST, AND HUMILIATION,  
To be kept with all convenient diligence:  
By all the Members of this KIRK & Kingdom OF SCOSLAND.  
Set down by the Commissioners of the General Assembly.  
ABERDENE, Imprinted by James Brown, ANNO 1650.   

CAUSES OF A FAST, After the defeat, Sept. 3. 1650.  
ALBEIT The Solemn Public Humiliations, hath been much slighted, and gone about in a formal way, by many in this LAND: So that it is not one of the least of our provocations, that we have drawn near to GOD with out mouths, and kept our hearts far away from Him. For which the LORD hath turned the Wisdom of the Wyse, into Folly; and the Strength of the Strong, into Weakness. Yet, seeing it is a duty, that hath often proven comfortable unto us; Unto which GOD now calleth us in a special way, by a singular dispensation, and knowing that all that are acquainted with GOD in the LAND, will make conscience of it; We conceive it expedient, the whole LAND be humbled, FOR THE CAUSES following:  
THE Continued ignorance and profanity of the Body of the Land: And the obstinacy and incorrigibleness of many; notwithstanding all the pains that GOD hath taken upon us, by His WORD, and by His Works, of Mercy and judgement, to teach us, in the knowledge of His Name and Way, and to reform us, from the evil of our ways.  
TWO THE Manifold Provocations of the King's Houss; Which we fear are not yet throughly repent of; nor forsaken of him, to this day: Together with the crooked and praecipitant ways, that were taken by sundry of our Statesmen, for carrying on the Treaty with the King.  
III THE Bringing home with the King a great many Malignants; and endeavouring to keep some of them about him, and many of them in the Kingdom yet; notwithstanding of Public Resolutions, to the contrary.  
IV THE Not purging of the King's Family, from Malignant and Profayn men; and constituting the same of Well-affected and Godly persons; Albeit it hath been often pressed upon the Parliament and Commissioners of Estates; and undertaken, and promised, to be performed by them.  
V THE Levying of a most Profane and Malignant Guard of Horses, to be about the King: Who being sent for, to be purged some two days, before the Defeat, were suffered to be, and fight in our Army.  
VI THE Exceeding great slackness of many, and averseness, & untowardness of some, in the chieff judicatories of the Kingdom; And in the Army, in good Motions, and Public Duties: Especially, in these things that concern the Purging of judicatories & the Army, from Malignant, and Scandalous persons: And not filling all Places of Power and Trust, with men of known integrity, and of Blameless and Christian Conversation: Together with greater inclinations, and endeavours, to bring & keep in Malignants, to the judicatories, and the Army; As though the Land could not be guided, nor defended, without these; And great repining, and crying out against all that is done, in the contrary; And studying to make the same uneffectuall.  
VII THE Exceeding great Diffidence of some of the chieff Leaders of our Army; And others amongst us: Who thought, That we could not be saved, but by a numerous Army: And who when we had gotten many thousands together; Would not hazard to act any thing; Notwithstanding that GOD offered sundry fair opportunities, and fitted the Spritis of the Soldiers, and for the carnal confidence, that was in many of the Army, unto the despising of the Enemy; and promised Victory to themselves, without eyeing GOD.  
VIII THE Looseness, Insolency, and Oppression, of many, in the Army; And the little, or no care, that was taken by any to preserve the Corns: By which it hath come to pass, that very much of the Food of the Poor people of the Land, hath been needlessly destroyed: And whilst we remember this, we wish, that the profanity and Oppression of sundry of our Officers, and Soldiers, in ENGLAND; Whilst we were fight, for the Assistance of the Parliament of that Kingdom, may not be forgotten, Because as it was matter of great Stumbling to many in the Land: So is it like, That it is one of the CAUSES of the LORDS Indignation, now manifested against us, by the hands of these men.  
IX OUR Great Unthankfulness, for former Mercies, & Delyverances: And, even for many Tokens of the LORDS Favour, and Goodness, towards our present Army; whilst they were together; and the great Impatience of Spirit, that was to be seen in many these weeks past; which made them to limit the LORD, and complayn; and weary of His Delay, to give Delyverance.  
X THE Owning and eyeing of the King's Quarrel, and Interest, by many, without Subordination to Religion, and the Liberties, and Safeties, of these Kingdoms.  
XI Next, the Carnal Self-seeking, and crooked-wayes; of sundry of our judicatories, and Army; Who make their places and employments, rather a matter of Interest, Gain, and Praeferment to themselves, than of advancing Religion, & Righteousness, in the Land.  
XII THE Not putting difference, betwixt those that serve GOD, and those that serve Him not, in our Services, our Company, and Employments; But accounting all men alike, many times praeferring those, who have nothing of GOD in them.  
XIII AND last: The Exceeding Great Neglect, That is in Great Ones, & others; in performing of Duties, in their Families; Notwithstanding of our former acknowledgement of this Sin: As also, The Neglect of Duties, of Mutual Edification, & great Fruitlessness, and Barrenness, that is to be seen in all sorts of persons; together with the following of Duties, with a great deal of mixture, of Carnal Affections, and Fleshly Wisdom; Which grieveth the Spirit of GOD; And taketh away much of the LORDS Image, from our judicatories; As we would be humbled for these things: So would we also entreat the LORD; That He would sanctify this sad Affliction, to His People, That they neither despise His Chastisements; nor faint, when they are rebuked of Him: But that they may bear His Indignation patiently; And cleave steadfastly, to the TRUTH, & the COVENANT, & the CAUSE of GOD: Without yielding to the Fury of the Enemy; Or receiving their Errors; or complying either with them on the one Hand; or Malignants on the other Hand: And, That the LORD would power out His Spirit, upon His People; That their Spirit may be raised unto their Duty: And that they may be fitted, and furnished of GOD, with Wisdom, and Resolution, to act against their Enemies; For the Honour of GOD, and their own Preservation: And, That the LORD will not suffer them to be tempted, above that they are able to bear: But that He would break the Yoke of their Oppressors from off their Necks; And give them Salvation, and Delyverance: AMEN.  
FJNJS.   

A LETTER, TO THE PRESBYTERIES, From the Commissioners Of the General Assembly.  
Right Reverend and dear Brethren,  
WE persuade ourselves, that ere this come to your hands, you are deeply affected with the sad report of the Lords displeasure, declared against the Land by the Defeat of our Army, instant September 3. And by the woeful consequences & desolation which is like to ensue thereupon, if the tender Mercies of the Lord do not speedily prevent us, and move Him, for His Names sake, to lift up a Standart against that Enemy, which is now come in as a flood upon us, and is prevailing and raging in our bosoms. And we doubt not, but you are seriously bethinking yourselves about your duty, and what the Lord is calling you to as the watchmen of His people in so dark a tyme. We believe you have gotten the Letters sent to you from such Members of the Commission, and other Ministers who had been with the Army bearing their advyce for keeping of a Solemn public Humiliation with your several flocks, according to the CAUSES which were sent you. The Commission being now met, thought good to write unto you, and require you in the Lord, as we do also confidently expect of you, that you will be careful and diligent, to make your people sensible of the Lords Hand, that they do not despise & slight so great a wrath; so to stir up, & encowrage them to she duties, which this time and the Lords dispensation calleth for at their hand; that men be not found now with their hands upon their loins, as women in travail, fainting under the chastising and rebukes of the Lord: for though it be the day of jacobs' trouble, he shall be saved out of it, for we are not to doubt, but if we shall return and seek the Lord with all our heart, after all this that is come upon us, that there is hope in Israel, concerning His work and people which are in the dust for the tyme. In a special way, we do recommend to you, that you do carefully and instantly warn your people, against the snares, which they for their trial may meet with, to draw them to compliance with the present Enemy, their errors and way: and that they patiently wait on the Lord, until the indignation passover, and not fear their fear, neither be dismayed, but would sanctify the Lord God in their hearts, that He may be their fear and their dread, so that they do not for their safety & preservation choice the courses of flesh and blood, tending either to compliance with Sectaries on the one hand, or Malignants on the other. But that the work of God may be carried on, and His people may, follow & adhere unto it in their stations & places according to the Covenants & former grounds, & principles. We conceive, that these who fear the Lord and make conscience of duty, & desyr to be faithful, will be so far from slacking their hands in their duty, & in a strait way of persueance thereof for any thing chat hath befallen now, that they will rather look upon themselves, as called & obliedged to their duties, in a more special way of strictness and watchfulness than formerly, and that the present difficulties and dangers of the time, be not abused for flattering of men in any way, that may tend to turning aside to crooked courses. And because the Lord is trying us, how far we will follow our duty, in the faith of His strength, in a weak & low condition; & there being some endeavours at this time for making up the Army, We expect that you will not be wanting in your stations, according to your power, for furthering of the levies apppointed by the Committee of Estates, & for the speedy returning of such Officers & Soldiers, who are come home, since the Army was broken, also such of your own number, who were apppointed to wait upon Regiments of horses, & are now at home, yourselves would appoint to repair with all diligence to Sterling, where the Randivouss is appointed: for there is of every Regiment a considerable number remaineing, and are together here, and about, without Ministers, though this be a time wherein they have most need of them. Thus praying the Lord to pour out upon His people and servants throughout the land, such a measure of the life and consolation of His Spirit, as may furnish them, for their duties & trials, at such a time as this, We remain  
Sterling, 12. Sept. 1650. Your affectionate Brethren in the LORD, The Commissioners of the General Assembly. M. Robert Dowglas, Moderator.   

This short Declaration herewith sent, we desire, That at your first opportunity, you read publicly in your several Congregations: And we desire seriously, That you will be instant in your prayers unto GOD, in private and public: That He would preserve with us the Ordinances of JESUS CHRIST, the Kingdom, the King's Majesty's person, & Ministry, from the Fury of this Enemy: Who is seeking the Overthrow of all.   

Sterling, 12 Sept. Postmerid. 1650.  
A short Declaration and Warning, to all the Congregations of the Kirk of Scotland; From the Commiss. of the General Assembly.  
ALBEIT The LORD whose judgements are unsearchable; And whose ways past finding out, hath brought the Land very low, under the hand of a prevailing Enemy: Yet must not we be silent; Nor forbear to declare the Mind of GOD; Nor others refuse to hearken thereunto. It were superflous, to give answer to the many Calumnies and Reproaches, that are blazed abroad: For, albeit in every thing, we can not justify the Conduct of the Army: Yet we hold it our Duty, to desire every one not to believe groundless Reports: But rather to Eye the LORD, and to look up to the Hand that smiteth them.  
1. AND therefore, in the first place, we exhort & warn all the Inhabitants of the Land, to search out their iniquities, & to be deeply humbled before the Lord; that He may turn away His Wrath from us: The Lord hath wounded, and chastised us sore, which sayeth, that our iniquities are many, and that our sins are increased: It concerneth the King to mourn for all these grievous Provocations of his Father's Houss, & for all His own guiltiness, & to consider, that if he have come in to the Covenant, & joined Himself to the Land, upon politic interests, rather for gaining a Crown to himself, than to advance Religion, & Righteousness; that it is an iniquity which GOD will not forget, unless it be speedily repent of. It concerneth also our Nobles and judges to consider, whether their carriage in public matters, be straight & equal, or rather savouring of seekeing themselves, & the things of this world, & how they walk in their Families, & in their private conversations: There is in many a great deal of Perverseness & incorrigibleness, in regard of forsakeing some sins, & performing some Duties, notwishstanding of public confessions, & engagements; and this can not but highly provoke the Lord: And it concerneth the Officers of the Army, especially these who are Chief amongst them, to weigh well what the Lord hath against them, & to repent of their Diffidence, & Carnal way of acting, & undervalueing God's people: And Ministers have also need to search themselves concerning their faythfulness & diligence, doubtless even amongst these is much Negligence & Unfayhfulness to be found, for which GOD is angry.  
2. Albeit the Lord hath suffered that Army of Perfidious & Blasphemous Sectaries to prevayll, yet GOD forbid that the Land should comply with them, what ever may be the plausible & fair carriage of some in their Army: yet doubtless there is a Leaven of Error & Hypocrisy amongst them, which all the Lovers of Truth & Sincerity, would discern & avoid. As the Lord hath tried the stability & integrity of His People in the Land heretofore, by the prevailing of Malignants, so doth He now try them, by the prevailing of Sectaries; and we trust, that they will think it their duty & commendation, to prove steadfast against the one, as well as against the other.  
3. Neither would men be less careful & active in opposing this Enemy, than in opposing of Malignants. Our Religion, lyves, Liberties, & Estates are as much in hazard now as ever: All the Ordinances of jesus Christ, in this Land, are in danger, and the foundations like to be overturned, by these men, who are obliged by the Band of the Covenant, to maintain all these; & it were a great guiltiness to lie down, & crouch under the burden of the strange impositions, that they will lay upon us, & as men without heart to suffer our Land, to be brought in Bondage, & ourselves to be rob off all these things which are most precious & dear to us,: If we should do so, the Lord would be angry with us, and our Posterity, could not but curse us.  
4. We would not think, that all Danger from the Malignants is now gone; seeing there are a great many such in the Land; who yet maintain their former Principles. And therefore, we would with as much watchfulness & tenderness, now as ever, avoid their snares, & beware of compliance, & conjunctions with them, & take heed that under a pretence of doing for the Cause, & for the Kingdom, they get not Power & Strength into their hands, for advancing & promoting their old malignant Designs: Douhtless our Safety is in holding fast our former Principles, & keeping a Straight Path, without declining to the right hand, or to the left.  
5. IT Concerneth all the Inhabitants of the Land, to beware of murmuring, & complaining against GOD, His Dispensations, & questioning the truth & goodness of their Cause, or quarrelling with GOD, or blameing, or casting off the COVENANT, because of any thing hath befallen them; That were a great iniquity not to be pardoned; Let us bear the Indignation of the LORD patiently, because we have sinned against Him, until He plead our Cause, & execute judgement for us: He will bring us forth to the Light, & we shall behold His Righteousness.  
A. Ker.