AS it is the Duty, so it hath been the constant practise of the People of God in all ages, not onely to take special notice of the Providential dispensations of God towards them, whe­ther they concerned them as a Nation, or as particular persons, but also to meet the Lord in the way, both of his Iudgements, and of his Mercies, in a solemn maner, suitable to such Dispensations, to which the Lord hath been pleased to give such visible testimonies of his gracious acceptance, as hath been and still is a great encouragement to his people to make their addresses to him under the like providences. And as no Nation under heaven hath been exercised with more various and wonderful Providences then these Nations of England, Scotland and Ireland, so none have had more eminent experiences of the goodness of the Lord in the speedy and merci­ful returns he hath made to the prayers of his people; And therefore of all others, it becomes them to let no Providence of God go unobserved or unregarded, especially such as seem to carry upon them Characters of the displeasure of that God, from whom alone We have professed to all the world, We have received all Our mercies past, and that We depend on him alone for greater things, which are yet in his peoples expecta­tion. Vpon these grounds, His Highness the Lord Protector and the Council, sadly reflecting on the late dispensation of Divine Providence, in removing from Vs His Highness the late Lord Protector, whom the Lord hath used as a choice Instrument for carrying on his Work, and under him to be both a Sun and a Shield unto those that fear the Lord abroad and at home (which they cannot but be deeply sensible of as a sore stroak of his mighty hand) as also in the general visitation of Sickness and great Mortality, which is now upon many parts of this Nation, hold it their duty to invite the people of these Nations to humble themselves greatly under the mighty hand of God, in the sence of the many great and crying sins of this Nation, which have deserved his sore displeasure, and to accept the punishment of their sins. And likewise to seek the Lord for a blessing upon His Highness and his Government and Counsels for the good of these Nations, that thereby the breach which he hath made upon Vs may be healed, and the present tokens of his displeasure removed, and that he will be pleased yet to continue his gracious presence among Vs, and de­light in Vs as his people, that his own Work may by his assistance be carried on, and peace and truth may be established in the midst of Vs. For which purpose His Highness the Lord Protector, with the advice of his Privy Council, hath thought fit to set apart Wednesday the Thirteenth day of October One thousand six hun­dred fifty and eight, to be observed as a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation in all places within Eng­land and Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, earnestly exhorting all the people of God in this Nati­on to cry mightily unto the Lord, and to wrestle with him by prayer and supplication for the ends aforesaid. And that the Ministers of the several Churches and Congregations, do diligently and conscientiously at­tend their duties on that day, as is suitable unto so solemn a work, and that they give notice hereof on the Lords day next before the said Thirteenth day of October in their Publique Meeting-place, and read this Declaration on the said day. And His Highness doth hereby prohibit all Fairs, Markets, and all bodily la­bour in the works of mens callings, which may interrupt or hinder the Religious observation of the day aforesaid.

Given at White-Hall this Twenty fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred fifty and eight.