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<DATE>2007-11-05</DATE>
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<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B071013.apex.</ITEM>
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<STC T="W">C7078</STC>
<STC T="T">669.f.20[19]</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99897908</BIBNO>
<VID>171079</VID>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="declaration">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 17 -->
<HEAD TYPE="illustration"><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>blazon or coat of arms</FIGDESC>
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<HEAD>A DECLARATION Of His Highne&s;s, with the advice of His Council, inviting the people of this Commonwealth to a Day of Solemn Fa&s;ting and Humiliation.</HEAD>
<P>_WHen We call to mind, together with the repeated loving kindne&s;&s;es of God to his People in the&s;e Nations, the late rebukes We have received, the Tares of Divi&s;ion that have been &s;own by the envi|ous one, and the growth they have had, through his Subtilty, a|mong&s;t Vs, the abhominable bla&s;phemies vented, &amp; &s;preading of late, through the Apo&s;tacy of, and the abu&s;e of liberty by, many profe&s;sing Religion, the continued Series of Difficulties We have been, and are exerci&s;ed under, by the &s;ecret and open practi&s;es of tho&s;e, that, bearing evil will unto <HI>Sion,</HI> have <HI>Balaam</HI>-like attempted all waies to fru|&s;trate Our hopes and endeavours of &s;uch a Settlement and Reformation as hath been &s;o long contended for; as al&s;o the weight of the work of this Generation.</P>
<P>We have thought it a duty becoming Vs, not only Our Selves to lie low before the Lord, and to have recour&s;e to him by Prayer and Humiliation&punc; but al&s;o to call upon, and invite, all the People of God in the&s;e Nations to joyn with Vs in Solemn and Earne&s;t Supplications to the Throne of Grace (a way wherein We have often expe|rimented the good pre&s;ence of God) That the Lord will be plea&s;ed truly to humble Vs and the Nation under his righteous hand, that We may be every one &s;earching out the plague of his own heart, and turn unfeignedly from the evil of Our waies, that not|with&s;tanding all Our provocations, the Lord may be plea&s;ed to return &amp; &s;mile upon Vs.</P>
<P>That he will di&s;appoint the De&s;igns of tho&s;e that labour to lift them&s;elves up a|gain&s;t the intere&s;t of Chri&s;t and his People.</P>
<P>That he will rebuke the afore&s;aid evils, and give his people to know the things that belong to their Peace, that &s;o We may with one heart and &s;houlder &s;erve the Lord both Theirs and Ours.</P>
<P>That his pre&s;ence may be with tho&s;e that are more e&s;pecially engaged in, and entru|&s;ted with the great Affairs of the Nation, by a Spirit of Coun&s;el and Wi&s;dom to ena|ble them faithfully to di&s;charge their weighty Tru&s;t, and that they may bear &s;ome pro|portion of &s;erviceablene&s;s to the great Works, De&s;igns and Promi&s;es of God concern|ing the Kingdom of his Son, our ble&s;&s;ed Lord, in the&s;e later times, and may be u&s;ed as In&s;truments in his hand for the continuance and increa&s;e of the Reformation, and the Security and Settlement of the&s;e Nations.</P>
<P>Vpon the&s;e and &s;uch like grounds, We have appointed <HI>Thur&s;day</HI> the &s;ixth day of <HI>De|cember</HI> next, to be &s;et apart for a day of Publick Humiliation. And the Mini&s;ters of the &s;everal Congregations are to give notice hereof on the Lords day next before the &s;aid &s;ixth day of <HI>December.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>Given at <HI>Whitehall</HI> <DATE>this 21. day of <HI>November</HI> 1655.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
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<P><HI>Printed and Publi&s;hed by His Highne&s;s &s;pecial Commandment.</HI></P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed by <HI>Henry Hills</HI> and <HI>John Field,</HI> Printers to His Highne&s;s, 1655.</P>
</DIV1>
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