A Declaration of His Highneſs the Lord Protector and the Parliament of the Com­monwealth of England, Scotland and Ire­land, for a day of ſolemn Faſting and Hu­miliation in the three Nations.

SVch have been the out-go­ings of our God for his people in this our generati­on, that none as men, but muſt ſay, It is Marvellous in our eyes: And none as Chriſtians, but muſt cry out; It is the Lords doing, he hath alwaies been a ready help in time of need, and never did his poor ſervants ſeek his face in vain, neither did he ever lend a deaf ear to the voice of their weepings. Who can utter the migh­ty Acts of the Lord? who can ſhew forth all his praiſ­es? But Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider, for in the midſt of ſuch unequalled and ſignal mercies, how great hath been, and is our ingratitude and unfruitfulneſs? Verily ſuch, that nothing can be greater, but that inexhauſt­ed mercy, which hitherto hath not conſumed us. Should the Lord ſay unto us, as once he did unto Ephraim, Ephraim is joined unto Idols, let him alone. That heavy ſentence would be but our deſert. As inſenſibility is our crime, ſo it might be too juſtly made our puniſhment; for who has been melted by mercies, who has2 been broken by judgement? Ah ſinful Nation! a people laden with iniquity, a ſeed of evill doers, chil­dren that are corrupters, they have forſaken the Lord, they have provoked the holy one of Iſrael to anger, they are gone away backward: why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. As theſe ſad words do Characterize us as fully as they did thoſe of Juda to whom they were firſt ſpoken; ſo if that ſad Denuntiation ſhould alſo be our Doom, we could not yet but acknow­ledge; the Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works. How deeply have we grieved our good God, in not mourning as we ought, even as one that mourneth for his firſt-born, for that ignorance, profaneneſs and barrenneſs that is ſo ripe amongſt us, even under ſuch rich means of knowledge, reformation and grace, in not being ſenſible under, nor making a ſan­ctified uſe of, thoſe Rebukes we have of late received; But rather charging ſuch miſcar­riages upon Inſtruments, chiefly, if not only, when every Individual hath helped to fill up the meaſure of thoſe ſins after which ſuch Iudgements were to follow.

In not improving mercies ſo fully as might have been, to his glory, from whom alone they were received.

In the ſad neglect and want of Activity, Reſolution and Integrity, in Magiſtrates and others impowred therein, for the puniſh­ment and ſuppreſſion of vice and crying Enor­mities.

In the abominable Blaſphemies vented and ſpread of late through the apoſtaſie of, and the abuſe of liberty by, many profeſſing Religion.

In that little love and tenderneſs which is3 even amongſt profeſſors themſelves towards one another, who whilſt they contend for things diſputable, loſe that which is certain, even Charity, which is the bond of perfectneſs, and with­out which they become as ſounding Braſs, or a tinckling Cimball: To love one another is Chriſts new Commandement, nay, the very Badge of his Diſciples. By this ſhall all men know that you are my Diſciples, if you have love one to another, in al­lowing difference in forms, more power to divide Chriſtians, then Agreements in fundamentals has to unite them, one of the dangerouſeſt and fruitfulleſt ſeed that hath been ſown by the en­vious one.

In not being truly ſenſible, that though the Lord in the depths of his wiſedome and righteous Iudgement, hath for ſome years laſt paſt been overturning ſeveral Authorities in theſe Nations, and hath as it were been pou­ring them out from veſſel to veſſel: He hath yet been pleaſed ever ſince his people publickly con­tended for his Truths, ſtill to ſet up Rulers, who have allowed them the free exerciſe & pro­feſſion of them.

In that Atheiſtical and Luke-warm Spirit, too commonly amongſt us, whereby not only the form but power of godlineſs is reproached, and accounted as a vile thing, but alſo too many have fallen from their firſt love, and others La­odicean like, eſteem themſelves rich and to have need of nothing, whileſt indeed they are wretch­ed, and miſerable, and poor, and blind, and naked, ſins which are the highlier aggravated, by being committed in Countreys where the Glorious light of the Goſpel ſhines cleareſt.

In being more diſſatisfied that we have not obtained all we aymed at, then thankfull that4 we have obtained ſo much, as through mercy we now enjoy.

All which, with other the grievous ſins of theſe three Nations, call aloud upon all the good people in them, to lye Low in the ſight of our offended God, and by prayer and humiliation; (a way which in our deepeſt diſtreſſes, we have found both our duty and comfort to tread in) to ſeek to appeaſe his wrath; And that he will for his own Names ſake be pleaſed, to remove whatever accurſed thing there is amongſt us, and that as he is our God, ſo we may be his people.

That he will infatuate the Counſels, and defeat the Deſigns, of all thoſe that labour to exalt themſelves, againſt the intereſt of his Son and his People.

That he will be pleaſed in a moſt eſpeciall manner to vouchſafe his preſence to thoſe who are intruſted with the mannagement of the affaires of theſe Nations:

That as he is the mighty Councellor in him­ſelf, ſo alſo that he would appear ſuch expe­rimentally unto them.

That he would in all things ſpirit them to the work unto which they are called, And give them unitie amongſt themſelves, even the beſt Unitie, That of the Spirit, In the beſt Bond, That of Peace; That as they are a people abounding in Mercies, ſo they may abound in Returns.

And that at laſt through the unwearied goodneſs of our God, theſe three Nations, after ſuch memorable revolutions, may be ſetled upon the ſure foundations of Truth, Mercy & Peace, and his people henceforth, being delivered from their Enemies, may ſerve him without fear, in Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs, before him all the dayes of their lives.

It is therefore declared by his Highneſs the Lord Protector, and the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, That for the end and purpoſes aforeſaid, They do appoint Thurſday being the thirtieth day of October next, for a day of ſolemn humiliation and ſeeking the face of God, through the Me­diation of Chriſt, in all places within England, Scotland and Ireland, And do therefore hereby incite, and encourage all ſuch whoſe hearts God ſhall perſwade and make ſenſible of their duty, and of the Commonwealths preſent con­dition; that the day aforeſaid be ſet apart by them for the purpoſes aforeſaid. And all per­ſons whatſoever, are hereby enjoyned and re­quired, to abſtain from the works of their ordi­nary calling, and from any recreations, or other things againſt the fitting and due obſervation of that day. And all Faires and Markets are hereby prohibited to be kept upon that day, but may be proclaimed to be kept upon the day next enſuing. And all Officers of Iuſtice are hereby required to cauſe due obſervation to be had hereof, And the Miniſters and Preachers of the reſpective Pariſhes and Congregations, are to take notice hereof: For which end, It is Order­ed, That Copies of this Declaration be Print­ed, and ſent into the ſeveral parts of the three Nations, that the ſame may be publiſhed accor­dingly.