[several lines lost] in his [ ] immoderate [ ] were followed [ by ] infernal [ ] other diseases, of which [ ] more, yes, entire families were laid up and still are laid up ill and sick for weeks and months, which not only frustrated and made futile the very good prospects of the bringing in of a good harvest, but to which, in addition, the continuous sicknesses and rain obstructed and prevented many, if not the majority, from getting winter feed for the cattle. [ These are ] certain signs and omens of God’s just wrath and severe ordeals such as pestilence, war, floods, periods of high prices, and famines, unless we turn to the Lord our God in time with sincere remorse and regret over previous sins that clearly are in vogue among us, such as the deterioration of his His Holy Word, the desecration of His Name and the Sabbath, changing the day of Reconciliation-day, Son-day, or Sun-day into a Sin-day[i] by ungratefully abusing His gifts by drunkenness, splendor, and abundance, and other similar sins. Upon the increase of these a doubling, yes a seven-fold doubling of God’s just threats, judgments, and punishments can be feared, yes expected, unless we [ ] ourselves, in humility [several lines lost] [ ] place not only [ but ] thought it our duty to determine and [ prescribe ] a general day of fasting and praying that will be held everywhere in this province on the 16th of this month October. And second, to order all inhabitants of this province on the aforesaid day to appear in church, or wherever it is customary to preach God’s Word, in order, after listening to God’s Holy Word together, to call upon the name of the Lord with humble and meek hearts, to pray and beg Him that His Godly Majesty please stop and cease the diseases and illnesses among us and ours, and to bless the fruits of the earth with early and late rain, timely weather, and fruitful growth, and to let grow and increase among us the fear and knowledge of His name, the hatred of our own sins, keeping away from us all well-deserved punishments and plagues, that our people, calling and crying, would endure. In order that this be realized and observed the better, the director general and councilors prohibit on the aforesaid day of fasting and praying during the religious service all exercise and activity of caetsen, balslaen, hunting, fishing, boating, plowing, sowing, mowing, and other illicit [
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