WE being conscious of the mercy of those Dispensations, which have come very thick upon Vs within the space of five moneths last past, cannot but think Our Self obli­ged to call for a Day of Thanksgiving in these Nations; which, that it might be the more seriously and spiritually performed, We have thought it meet to make a brief Remem­brance, and as it were in a Glass, to repre­sent the state of Our Affairs, as they stood much about the beginning of the time before mentioned, and summarily to rehearse those things, which GOD hath wrought for Vs within that time; that so all such as fear GOD, and are wise to observe these things, and thereby understanding the loving kindness of the LORD, may have their hearts and mouthes filled with His Praise.

It is well known that the last Parliament did, by Adjournment, meet the Twentieth day of January last past, and that these Nations had very good hopes, by those Preparations made in their former Sitting, that We should have gone on upon those Foundations, to an happy Settlement: But those hopes were soon [Page 2] dashed, through the intemperance of some mens spirits; Notwithstanding it was throughly represented, that the old Enemy had a design of an immediate Invasion, with an Army consisting of Papists and Atheists, upon the accompt of Charles Stuart, in conjunction with the King of Spain, in whose Councels it was agreed more adviseable to give Vs work in England, rather than that We should assist the French, to engage them in their own Country. It being also at the same time most visible, that divers of the inferiour sort of people (set on by men of the same-spirit with them before hinted at) and naturally fluctuating, were enclined to dangerous Commotions, seeing the Disputes were more readily taken up and im­proved, then the putting in execution, and prose­cuting the Agreements before made; and that the Army seemed to have some unsettlement in it self, partly arising from the before-menti­oned disappointment; partly, from the great wants which were upon them, and fears of being necessitated to take Free-Quarter upon the People (then which, nothing could be more abhorrent to them) the Trade of the Nation, and Our Honour at Sea ready to be hazarded and lost for want of due Supplies, We being forced to keep Our Men of War out at Sea, not having Money to pay Our Ma­riners when they came in. In the mean time Our Neighbours every where preparing grea­ter Fleets then usuall, and even they in Flan­ders themselves, having made ready a Fleet of above Twenty Men of War at Ostend, for the transporting of Charles Stuart, and his Spanish Forces to invade Vs. In order whereunto, [Page 3] divers of Our Garrisons were by Bribes endea­voured to be gained, for receiving the said invad­ing Army, and Insurrections designed and laid in several Counties by the Malignant Party, to rise in assistance of the said Invasion, accompa­nied also with that desperate design of firing the City of London, and seising upon the Treasure that could be found there; which wicked Plot was managed by many Colonels, and other chief Officers, who were to head this Tragical Action: All which hath been made evident, as well by clear proofs against, as by the confessi­ons of divers of the persons engaged therein: some of which have already suffered the pains of Death; and further Examinations touching others are still going on, that all the world may see that these things have not been matters of invention or surmise, but real and demonstrable truths, and things, that as they heighten great­ly the danger, so also the recital of them tends to Our end in making this Narrative, which is the magnifying of the good hand of God to­wards Vs in Our deliverance.

And lastly, (which did not the least afflict Vs) We had cause deeply to apprehend, that the Lords hand was upon Vs in that Epidemical sickness, which was so long continued upon the Nation, and lay sore upon the City of London, and in the marvellous unseasonablenesse of the Spring, threatning Vs even with a deprivation of the fruits of the earth, and consequently with a sore famine.

That this hath been the danger hanging over the head of these Nations, no honest or ingenu­ous man can deny. And therefore let Vs now consider in what State and Condition We are, [Page 4] and what the Lord by His own Arm and for His own Names sake, hath wrought for us.

It is very true, We are not yet setled, but it hath fared with Vs as with the burning Bush, though We have for these five Moneths last past, and longer too, been in a burning conditi­on, yet We are not consumed. We yet live in the enjoyment of a sweet Peace, to praise the Lord in hope of better things: We are not yet wel­tring in bloud. It appears, that as God was in the midst of the Bush, so He hath been in the midst of Vs, and therefore We are not consumed. He disappointeth the Invasion, by giving Vs timely notice of the Enemies Preparations, and of the place thereof; by means of which Our Ships were layed to break their design. He dis­covered to Vs their attempts to gain Our Sea-garrisons into their hands, and disappointed them. He revealed the Conspiracies in the Coun­ties in order to Insurrections, and prevented them. He brought to light also the bloudy and hellish Design for the destruction of the City of London by Fire and Sword, and hath brought the guilty persons under judgement for the same.

He hath given our Souldiery a spirit of uni­on, of honesty and integrity, so that, notwith­standing the great temptations of want upon them, and the contrivements to divide them, to the praise of God We speak it, they retain that good old Spirit that hath carried them through all their difficulties. Those that have had too much distemper upon them, through murmur­ing and discontents, are We hope (at least some of them) sensible of the evil thereof, and instead thereof doth Counties and Cities have [Page 5] testified a very contrary spirit, a spirit own­ing mercies, blessing the Lord for them, and thirsting after the continuance of them, and for a just settlement. As for that sore Visitation, how hath the Lord, upon the prayers of His poor People, ceased that? and tis not without remark, that the two weeks Bills of Mortali­ty, immediately after the Fast upon that occa­sion, were brought to the half of what they were the week before, and did amount not to more discernably then in the healthiest times. And as to the evils threatned by the unseaso­nablenesse of the Spring, the Lord hath so con­tradicted our fears, that We are all of us to be convinced by sence, that the hopes of greater plenty hath been seldom seen upon the face of the Earth.

And lastly, in that place where the Enemy layd all his designs from whence to invade Vs, and to give Vs trouble, and had brought it to that passe for the heightning of their confidence both there and here, that they were ready even to triumph, as having as good as obtained their wishes, even there hath the great God abased them, and brought them low in a signal victory gained by the French and Vs over them: In which successe the French themselves have owned much to the honour of the English Nation, not without admiration, observing that the English on Our part should behave themselves with so much valour and undaunted resolution, and the English on Charls Stuarts part more cowardly then any in the Spanish Army. The Lord also hath in the same place given Vs a Port-Town, not the worst in Flanders, which We beg we may make use of to the glory of God, and the good [Page 6] of the Christian cause. These things being thus, how could We forbear, for the honour of God, to give you a remembrance of them? And how can you and We forbear the returning of our humblest and heartiest thanks to the Lord? How can We refrain any longer from breaking forth into the high praises of Our God, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever? Let the redeemed of the Lord say so; Let Is­rael now say so, Let them now that fear the Lord say, that His mercy endureth for ever. And when We have with our mouths and with our hearts thus blessed God, let Vs like a People blessed by Him, keep in our hearts a thankfull remembrance of these, and all other Our mer­cies, giving glory to God and Christ through the Spirit, seeking the Peace and the Truth for evermore.

We have therefore thought fit to appoint Wed­nesday the one and twentieth day of July instant to be a day of Publique Thanksgiving unto the Lord for these great and eminent mercies, to be observed in all places within England, Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and do Com­mand and require all Ministers and Pastors to give notice thereof in their Congregations on the Lords-day next before the said Day of Thanksgiving, and that upon the said Day of Thanksgiving they do read this Declaration in their respective Congregations: And we do hereby prohibit the keeping of all Fairs and Markets upon the day aforesaid.

Given at White-hall this third day of July, 1658.

HIs Highnesse Council here having received the fore-going Declara­tion of His Highnesse the Lord Protector, for a Day of Publick Thanksgiving, with a Letter from his High­nesse and the Council, recommending it to his Highnesse Council here to do the like in Scotland, upon such a convenient day as they should think fit; And his Highnesse Coun­cill here being very sensible of the Lord's Mercies towards these Nations, divers of which are expressed in the said Declaration; and considering that the whole Common­wealth being concerned in the Mercies the LORD hath vouchsafed, are therefore obliged to joyn in the return of Praises.

They have therefore thought fit to appoint Thursday the Twenty ninth of July instant, to be observed in the Burgh of Edinburgh, [Page 8] and Shire thereof, as a Day of Publique Thanksgiving; And that throughout all the other Shires and Burghs in Scotland, Thurs­day the Nineteenth day of August next, be observed as a Day of Thanksgiving unto the Lord, for these great and eminent Mercies: And the said Council do hereby recommend it to the Presbyteries, and Ministers and Pa­stors within the Burgh of Edinburgh, and Shire thereof, to give notice of the said Day of Thanksgiving appointed for those Places, in their Congregations, on the next Lord's-day: And, in like manner, do recommend it to the other Presbyteries, Ministers and Pa­stors, to give notice of the said Day of Thanks­giving appointed for those places, in their re­spective Congregations, on the Lord's-day next before the said Nineteenth of August; And that all the said Ministers and Pastors do on those Dayes of their respective Publick Thanksgivings, reade the said Declaration of His Highnesse, together with this Order, in their respective Congregations. And the said Council do hereby prohibit the keeping of all Fairs and Markets within the Burgh of Edinburgh and Shire thereof, As likewise all Traders and VVork-men from trading or labouring on the said Day of Thanksgiving [Page 9] for those places; And also they do hereby prohibit the keeping of all Fairs and Mar­kets in the other Shires and Burghs, and all trading and bodily labour there on the said Nineteenth of August next; And do require the Sheriffes and Justices of his Highnesse Peace in the respective Shires, and the Ma­gistrates of the Burghs respectively to cause this Prohibition of Fairs and Markets, Trade and bodily Labour on the Publick Thanks­giving Day to be duely observed.