THat flourishing Kingdomes have beene ruin'd by Impenitent going on in a course of Sinning, the sacred Story doth plainly tell us; and how neere to such a Ruine our sinfull Nation now is, the pre­sent lamentable Face of it doth too apparently shew. And though we should feele the heavy stroakes of God, yet seven times more, it is our duty to accept the punishment of our Iniquity, and to say, Righteous art thou O Lord, and just are thy judgements.

Yet because the Lord who is just, is also Mercifull, and in his infinite Mercy hath left the excellent and successefull re­medy of Repentance to Nations brought neere to the Gates of Destruction and despaire; O let not England be negligent in the application of it. Humble Addresses of a penitent People to a Mercifull God have prevailed with Him. They prevailed for Nineveh when the sentence seemed to be gone out against her, and may also prevaile for England.

It is therefore thought most necessary by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That all his Majesties Subjects in this Kingdome of England, be excited and stirred up, speedi­ly to lay hold upon this onely and unfailing remedy of Repen­tance; freely acknowledging, and heartily bewailing even with deepest humiliation, godly sorrow, and detestation, secretly & in Families, but especially publikely in Congregations, both their owne personall sins, and chiefly those sins that are and have beene the sins of this Nation: A confession of Nationall sins being most agreeable to the Nationall Iudgements, under which the Land Groanes, and most likely to be effectuall for the removing of them.

Neither ought this confession to be sleight or light, when there is so heavy a weight of sins, infinite in number, and hain­ous in nature, that lyes upon this Nation. Such are the high Contempt of Gods holy Ordinances, and of Holinesse it selfe, Grosse and affected Ignorance, under the glorious light of the Gospell cleerly shining among us, unfruitfulnesse under the precious meanes of Grace, Ingratitude for Mercies, Incorri­giblenesse under Iudgements, multitudes of Oathes, & Blas­phemies, wicked Prophanations of the Lords Day, by Sports and Gamings, formerly encouraged even by Authority, All sorts of uncleannesse, Luxury, and Excesse in Eating & Drink­ing, Vanity, Pride, and Prodigality in Apparell, Envy, Con­tention, and unnaturall Divisions, Oppression, Fraud, and Violence. From diverse of which sins, and many others, not one person throughout the whole Nation, can say that he is wholly free, but all must confesse that they have contributed towards the Great Stock of Nationall Sins; and so Have increased the Treasure of wrath, against these dayes of wrath; and therefore, since according to the Language of the Holy Ghost, we are a sinfull Nation, a People laden with Iniquity, and that from the soale of the Foot, to the Head, there is sound­nesse in Vs, we may justly expect the desolations that are de­nounced against so great and generall a corruption.

And as it is our duty to humble our selves, and to give glo­ry to God the searcher of all Hearts, by confessing all sins: so ought we to be affected and humbled with deepest sence of sor­row, for those most crying Sins, which now we find, by too sad experience, to have a more immediate influence upon the De­struction of a Kingdom; some of which are Idolatry & Bloodshed.

That of Idolatry, as it was the sin of our Ancestors, so it is the spreading sin of these latter times, while by a generall con­nivence, and almost Toleration, it hath beene severall wayes Fomented and encouraged: The grievous Effects whereof this Kingdome of England now begins to feele, from multitudes of Armed Papists and their Abettors, and the Kingdome of [Page 4] Ireland farre more heavily hath felt, being brought almost to utter Ruine, by the Intestine Warres of Romish Idolaters.

And for that other crying and cruell sin of Bloodshed, that calls aloud for Vengeance (besides many Murders not expia­ted, and the blood-guilty pardoned) did it not goe hand in hand with that abhominable Idoll of the Masse, in the dayes of Queene Mary and some of her Predecessors, when many hun­dreds of the deare Martyrs and Saints of God lost their pre­cious Lives in Flames and Prisons? And though several Acts by which that Innocent blood was shed, have beene repealed by Parliament: yet to this very day, was never ordained such a solemne Publique and Nationall acknowledgement of this sin, as might appease the wrath of that Iealous God, against whom, and against whose People, with, so high a hand it was committed.

Now that all the sin and Misery of this Polluted and Af­flicted Nation may be bitterly sorrowed for, with such griefe of heart, and preparednesse for a thorow Reformation, as God may be pleased graciously to accept: it is required and Ordai­ned by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That every Minster and Preacher of Gods Word, in the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales, in their severall Auditories and Congregations, especially upon the Fast dayes, shall most earnestly perswade and Inculcate the constant practice of this publike acknowledgement and deep humiliation, for these, & all our Nationall and crying sins, and likewise the necessity of a personall and Nationall Reformation, and shall publish this Ordinance concerning the same, that at length we may obtaine a firme and happy Peace both with God Man, that glory may dwell in our Land, and the prosperity of the Gospel with all the priviledges accompanying it, may Crowne this Nation unto all succeeding Ages.

VVHereas the Kings most Excellent Majesty, upon the request of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, and by and with their advice and consent, considering the lamentable and distressed condition of his good Subjects in the Kingdome of Ireland; (that there might be a generall humiliation of all the estates of this Kingdome before Almighty God in Fasting and Prayer) was graciously pleased to command the keeping of a Monethly Fast; and to the end that all persons might the better take notice thereof (and to leave such with out excuse, as should not duly keepe and observe the same) did after wad, by his Proclamation of the 8. of January 1641. appoint that the same should bee generally, publikely, and solemnly holden, and kept, as well by abstinence from food, as by publike prayers, preaching, and hearing of the word of God, and other Religious and holy duties, in all Cathedrals, Collegiate, and parish Churches, and Chappels within the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, (without any exception) on the last Wednesday of every Moneth, to continue during the troubles in the said Kingdome of Ireland: All which His Majesty did straitly charge and com­mand, should be reverently and devoutly performed by all his Subjects, as they desire the blessing of Almighty God, and would avoyd his heavie indignation against this land and people; and upon paine of such punish­ments as may justly be inflicted upon all such as shall contemn or neglect so religious a worke and dutie.

And whereas the Lords and Commons in both Houses of Parliament▪ have received divers informations from severall parts of this Kingdom and Dominion of Wales, of the great neglect of the due observation and keeping of the said Fast upon the daies appointed, and of the profanations of the same by many irreligious, ill-affected, loose, and scandalous persons, as well of the Clergie as others, who are so farre from afflicting their soales and loosing the bands of wickednesse, as that they provoke the wrath of Almighty God, and make so pious a meanes to procure his blessings, the occasion of greater Iudgements.

For the prevention whereof for the time to come, the Lords and Com­mons doe Order, Declare, Ordaine, that in all and every the Cathedrals, Collegiate and Parish Churches, and Chappels within the Kingdome of England, and Dominion of Wales, (without any exception) upon every [Page 6] Lords day, next and immediately before any the daies appointed for the said publike Fast, the Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Minister, that upon that day shall Officate, or exercise in any of the said Cathedrals, Collegiate, Parish Churches, or Chappels, shall give publike notice in every of the said Cathedrals, Collegiate, Parish Churches or Chappels, respectively, of the Fast day next ensuing immediately after Sermon, or prayer ended in the forenoone before the Congregation be dismissed, earnestly exhor­ting and perswading all the people to the solemne due keeping and religi­ous observation of the whole day appointed for the said Fast, and that they would repaire to some Church or Chappell, there diligently and reverent­ly to attend all sucb holy duties as shall be used in the observance of the same; that they forbeare to use all manner of sports and pastimes whatso­ever▪ and their ordinary Trades and Callings upon the said day, as well Carriers, Waggoners, Carters, Waynmen, Drovers, Butchers, Hucksters, Shop-keepers, Labourers; or any others using any Art, Trade, Mystery, or manuall Occupation whatsoever, and that all Vint­ners, Taverners, Alehouse-keepers, and Keepers of Victualling-houses, doe forbeare to keep open their doores, Bulks, or Shops, or to sell or utter (except in cases of extreme necessity) any Wine, Beare, Ale, or Victuall, till the publike exercises and religious duties of that day in the respective Cathedrals, Collegiate Parish Churches and Chappels be past and over.

And lastly, all and every the Iustices of the Peace, Majors, Bayliffs, Constables, Church-Wardens, and other Officers inhabiting or residing within the limits or precincts of any such Cathedrall, Collegiate, Parish Church, or Chappell, are hereby required to take speciall notice as well of such Parson, Vicar, Curate, or other Minister that ought to officiate in any of the said Cathedrals, Collegiate, and Parish Churches, or Chap­pels; upon any such day appointed for the said Fast, that shall either re­fuse or neglect to do the same, or not do or cause the same to be done in that religious and solemn manner as it ought to be, or that shall refuse to give notice of the Fast day at the time and in manner as aforesaid, and forth­with to return their names, and the names of all such (from time to time (as shall wilfully offend herein, in contempt of the Lawes, His Ma­jesty, and both Houses of Parliament, unto some one or more of the Knights, Citizens, or Burgesses that serve for the County where such offence is or shalbe committed, that some speedy course may be taken for the severe punishing of such as shall offend herein, according to the Lawes.