THat flouriſhing Kingdoms have bin 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 ſinful 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 gon out againſt her, and may alſo prevaile for England.

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

Neither ought this confeſſion to ſleight or light, when there is ſo heavy a weight of Sins, infinite in number, and hainous in nature, that lies 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 cleerely ſhining among us; unfruitfulneſſe under the precious meanes of Grace, Ingratitude for Mercies, Incorrigiblenes under Iudgments, multitudes of Oathes, and 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 and Drinking; Vanity, Pride, and Prodigality in Apparell; Envy, Contention, & unnaturall Diviſions, Oppreſſion, Fraud, and Violence; From diverſe of which Sins, & many other, not one Perſon throughout the whole Nation, can ſay that he is wholy free; but all muſt confeſſe that they have contributed toward the great Stock of Nationall Sins; And ſo have increaſed the Treaſure of Wrath, againſt theſe daies 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 ſole of the Foot, to the Head, there is no 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 Kingdome; ſome of which are Idolatry and 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 Tolleration, 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 Ireland far 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 cals 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 deere Martirs and Saints of God loſt their precious Lives in flames and priſons? And though ſeverall Acts by which that Innocent blood was ſhed, have beene repealed by Parliament: yet to this very day, was never ordeined ſuch a ſolemn Publique and Nationall acknowledgment 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 Afficted 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 Ordeined by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That every Miniſter and Preacher of Gods Word, in the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales, in their ſeverall Auditories and Congregations, eſpecially upon the Faſt daies, ſhall moſt earneſtly perſwade and Inculcate the conſtant practice of this publique acknowledgement and deepe humiliation, for theſe, and all our Nationall and crying ſinnes, and likewiſe the neceſſity of a Perſonall and Nationall Reformation, and ſhall publiſh this Ordinance concerning the ſame: That ſo at length we may obtaine a firme and happy Peace both with God and man, That Glory may dwell in our Land, and the proſperity of the Goſpell, with all the priviledges accompanying it, may Crown this Nation unto all ſucceeding Ages.