6 The HISTORY of tbe PuRITANS ~ VoL. II. K. Charles 1. "jufl are thy judgments. Yet becaufe the Lord who is ju!l: is al (o mer1642. " ciful, and in his infinite mercy has left the excellent and fuccefs ful ~ " remedy of repentance, to nations brought near to the gates of de{huc– ·" tion and defpair, 0! let not England be negligent in the application " of it. Humble addreffes of a penitent people to a merciful God have. " prevailed with him : they have prevailed for Nineveh when fen– " tence feemed to be gone out againfi her; and may alfo prevail for " England. " It is therefore thought neceffary, by the lords and commons in par– " liament affembled, that all his majefiy's fubjeB:s be {tirred up to lay hold " of this only, and unfailing remedy of repentance, freely acknowledging, '' and heartily bewailing, with deepefi humiliation, both their own per– " fonal fins, and thofe of the nation ; a confeilion of national fins being " mofi agreeable to the national judgments under which the land " groans, and mofi likely to be efl'eetual for the removing of " them. " Among the national fins are to be reckoned, the contempt qf God's '' ordinances, and qf holinejs itfl!f; grqfs ignorance, and unfruit– " fulnefs under the means of grace; multitudes qf oaths, bla.JPhemies, " prqfanation qf the j i:zbbath by )ports and games; luxury, pride, prodiga– " lity in apparel, opprdfion, fraud, violence, &c. a connivance, and al– ·" mqfl a toleration of the idolatry qf popery, the ma/Jacre if Ireland, and. " the bkodjhed of the martyrs in queen Mary's time, which having been •• a national fin, frill calls for a national confeiliof1, " Now, that all the fin and mifery of this polluted and affliCted na– " tion may be bitterly farrowed for, with fuch grief of heart, and pre– " parednefs for a thorough reformation, as God may be pleafed gracioufly ~· to accept, it is ordained that all preachers of Go~'s word do earnefi– •• ly inculcate thefe duties on their hearers, that at length we may ob– " tain a firm and happy peace, both with God and man, that glory " may dwell in our land; and the profperity of the gofpel, with all '' the privileges accompanying it, may crown this nation unto all fuc– " ceeding ages." The reverend prelate ahovementioned makes the following . remark -upon this ordinance. " When once the two houfes could defcend to " have fuch fulfome penitential forms put upon them, to adopt, and " to obtrude in their name upon the nation, it was a fure fign, that " all that was found and decent in faith and worfhip was now to " be commanded into enthufiafm and endlefs fchifms." I leave the reader to exam!,re, whether he can find any ground for fo fevere a cenfure. Though
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