The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. An Act for a publick National Faſt.
16. THE Wrath of God having been kindled againſt his People, and broken out upon them in divers Places, for many Years laſt paſt, ſo that he hath viſited their Iniquities with ſundry and very terrible Judgments, ſuch as the Plague, unſeaſonable Weather, the devouring Sword, the Deſolations of War, all which have brought upon us and upon the Provinces deep Poverty, woful Miſeries and Calamities, which ſhould have quickned us and them unto a moſt ſerious Repentance and Reformation of Life: Yet notwithſtanding the Generality of Men do perſiſt in their Sins, and abound in their Tranſgreſſions, ſo that the great Lawgiver, who alone can ſave and deſtroy, hath not called in his Wrath, but his Hand is ſtretched out ſtill, and a Multitude of our poor Churches in divers Places are ſorely afflicted by the Enemies of the Goſpel, who turn every Stone, and uſe all ſort of means, be they never ſo unjuſt and violent, to deprive us of his Majeſties Protection, and the Benefits of that Peace, which his Majeſty was graciouſly pleaſed to grant equally and indifferently unto all his Subjects: And foraſmuch as the common ſenſe of the moſt ſtupid Perſons might have learn'd them, that thoſe many dreadful Judgments, with which the Lord hath ſcourged his Churches, have been drawn down upon them by their great Impenitency, Stubbornneſs; and Hardneſs of Heart, and that God hath called upon them to lie low at to his Footſtool in deep Abaſement, Humiliation and Contrition of Spirit, and by their Patience and Chriſtian Moderation, to have uſed and improved theſe Chaſtiſements as divine Remedies againſt thoſe diſmal and eternal Torments he had threatned them, and which they have moſt juſtly deſerved; and that in their deplorable Condition they ſhould with Tears and Prayers, with a moſt ſincere Converſion and thorough Reformation have fled for Sanctuary unto the Arms of Soveraign Mercy; that ſo that great God who createth Good, and formeth Evil, who giveth Peace, and ſendeth Adverſity at his ſole Will and Pleaſure, might have found them ſeeking thoſe Bleſſings at his Hands only, and not depended, as they have done too frequently, raſhly and inconſiderately, upon an Arm of Fleſh: Wherefore this National Synod, repreſenting the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, injoineth all Paſtors to preſs home vigorouſly and zealouſly upon the Conſciences of their People, true Piety and Devotion towards God, due Obedience unto the higher Powers, ſound and perpetual Repentance from dead Works; the Want and Neglect of which have cauſed ignorant Perſons to blaſpheme the holy and fearful Name of God, and to deſpiſe and vilify the good Ways of his Truth and Reformation. And it doth further decree, that a ſolemn Day of Faſting and Supplications ſhall be kept and obſerved in all the Churches of this Kingdom, the firſt Thurſday in March next coming; becauſe the Neceſſity of humbling our ſelves before God, is abſolute and indiſpenſable; there being none other way left us to turn away his Wrath from us, and to haſten the time of our Deliverance, than by a Reformation of our former Sinfulneſs, and a better and exacter ordering of our Actions and Converſations for the future.
17. The Council exhorteth all the Provinces, and the richer Churches in them to erect publick Libraries for the Eaſe and Benefit of their Paſtors; and the Deputies of Burgundy, as they return home-ward through the Lower Languedoc, are charged to give particular Notice hereof unto the Conſiſtory of Montpellier; and the Church of Paris, and Univerſities of Montauban and Niſmes, ſhall be acquainted alſo with this our Requeſt.
18. The Council enjoined all Perſons who may hereafter audit their Accompts in the National Synods, to bring with them their laſt Accompt; and all Commiſſioners deputed to examine and cloſe up ſuch Accompts, ſhall not proceed about the ſaid Audit, till ſuch time as they have duly and accurately peruſed the Acts of the laſt Synod, concerning both theſe and their laſt tendred Accompts, becauſe there be Remarks in them, which look forward and backward, both to the Years by-gone and paſt, and thoſe that are to come.
19. His Majeſty having graciouſly permitted a general Collection to be made throughout all the Churches of this Kingdom, for the impoveriſhed Cities of Rochel, Montauban, and Caſtres, their Deputies came into the Council, and petitioned that there might be a Dividend made of the ſaid collected Charities, proteſting withal that they would chearfully acquieſce in its judicious Aſſignation of them. Whereupon the Council decreed, that one quarter of thoſe Moneys ſhould be given unto this Town of Caſtres, and the three other Parts ſhould be equally divided between the Cities of Rochel and Montauban.