An INVITATION to a Solemn Day of HUMILIATION (viz. the third day of the seventh Month, 57) to the Lords People in the three Nations who are sensible of the great dishonour of God; and desire to approve themselves Faithful to God and his Work in this day of Division and Apostasy. THe Lord God by a series of remarkable and extraordinary providences, hath for several years, given occasion to his People throughout these three Nations; as to remember and praise him for his wonderful gracious deal, so to make inquiry into his wise and good ends; with the external causes of the late strange and sad transactions among us; and of the lamentable and miserable effects already appearing, and which must further unavoidably follow; if the Lords rich grace even beyond our apprehensions doth not prevent: We also observing both in ourselves and others, too too little sense of the great dishonour of our good God, the burden of reproach and rebuke of Christ, his Cause, Kingdom, People, Ways, and most glorious works lie under, (by reason of the great sins of all sorts of Professors, and of the grievous Apostasy of those who make themselves transgressors by building the things they had destroyed, that God had heretofore made useful for the recovery of his People and these Nations, out of the hands of their Persecutors and Oppressors;) we say upon these considerations being met together to seek the face of God, desirous to prove what is that good and acceptable will of his, it came into our hearts to set a part one or more solemn days, to humble our souls for our own, and the sins of all God's People, which may provoke the eyes of his glory; as also for the abominations of this day, and likewise to wrestle with the Lord, for the great things of his Name, his Son and Zion: for which purpose, we have agreed upon the 3. day of the next Month being the 7. commonly called September, (being the fifth day of the week called Thursday) which we are encouraged to recommend to all that fear the Lord, who desire to be preserved from and to mourn under the evils of this Generation, that we might with one accord, as one man call upon the name of the Lord: Whereunto we are the more induced from the consideration of the commendable practice of the Lords People formerly, as of Esther & Mordecai, Ezra, Nehemia; etc. as also the Lords People of latter times, the good old Puritans, in the days of the Prelates; and many of the Army, and others in the late Wars; Moreover, it is commanded * Esth 4.5. Ez. 8.213 Est. 9.3.5 Neh. 9 ●. Zeph. 3.7. ●ach. 8.21, ●2. Heb. 10.14, ●5. and promised by the Lord, that his People shall pray and seek unto him together, and serve him with one consent; and it is their duty by how much the more the day of the Lord approacheth, to assemble themselves together and be provoking each other thereunto: Further, God seems to call upon us by his many signs, which may presage the approaching of special mercies, or signal judgements, With all, many or most of God's People complain of a decay, and declining, (especially of late) in this spiritual duty, by means whereof, their hearts grow harder and straighter, and wickedness and worldliness abounds; this also might be added, that there is no other door open, wherein we may hope at this juncture, more to serve the will of God and our Generation, than by a diligent and more than ordinary attending the throne of grace, until the Lord have mercy, and reign righteousness upon us: And as a farther Provocation to that duty of Prayer in general, we add the following Motives. Because this is a day of trouble and rebuke, Psalm 50.15. Neh. 1.3, 4 Esay 37.3, 4. This is an hour of Temptation, Mat. 26.41. Luke 21.35, 36. And a day of Apostasy, Judas 20. And prayer is a choice piece of the spiritual Armour, Ephes. 6.18. Prayer is God's delight, Prov. 15. v. 18. Cant. 2.14. It is of great power and prevalency with God, Gen. 32.26, 28. Exo. 32.10, 11, 14. Jam. 5.16. and hath effected strange and marvellous things, Jam. 5.17, 18. 1 King. 18.36, 38. 2 King. 6.17, 18. Esay 37.15 21, 22. and 36. 2 Chron. 14.11, 12. Acts 12.5, 6, etc. Though God will deal graciously with his people, yet he waits to hear their cry; Esa. 30.14. And as he hath bound himself to give, so his People to ask, 1 King. 3.5. 2 Sam. 7.27. Psal. 2.8. Psal. 72. v. 8.15. Esa. 62.5, 6, 7. Ezek. 36.36, 37. The People and Work of God want reviving, Ezra 9.8. Hab. 3.2. They are destitute, Psal. 102.17, 18. And are waiting as Daniel for Israel's Redemption, Dan. 9.2, 3, 4. And as Jehosaphat not knowing what to do save to have their eyes to the Lord. This is a Command with special promises annexed, Jer. 33.3. Luke 11.9, 10. Psalm 18.10. more particular: first, They that seek the Lord may be hid and spared, in the day of his anger: Zeph. 2.3. Ezek. 9.4.6. Mal. 3.16, 17. Esa. 65.10. Secondly, They shall understand all things. Prov. 28.5. Jam. 1.5. Luk. 11.13. Thirdly, Their hearts shall live, Ps. 69.32. and 22.26. And they grow stronger whilst others faint and fail, Esa. 40.31. Forthly, They shall be saved from their enemies. Psalm. 18.3. & 56.9. Fifthly, They shall glorify God: Psal. 22.26. and 50.15. Sixthly, They shall lack no good thing, Psal. 34.10. & 24.5, 6. Seventhly, They shall be delivered out of their distresses, and led in a right way. Ps. 107.6, 7. Jer. 31.9. Never any sought God in vain, Esa. 45.19. Psal. 9.10.145.18, 19 Having thus signified the thoughts and desires of our hearts, we shall leave all to the Leading of God's gracious Spirit: Not judging it convenient to point out unto others, the particulars to be Prayed for. Though we find not only ourselves, but the generality of Saints, agreeing a Mat. 18.19. Act. 2.1 2, etc. to ask; the more full performance of the great b Luke 24.49. Act. 1.4 Promise of the Father: even, c Joel 2.28. Isa. 32.15. the pouring out of the Spirit. That he would d Isa. 25.7. Ha. 2.13, 14 destroy the face of the covering cast over all people; and the veil that is cast over all Nations. In particular e 2 Cor. 3.14 15, 16 Rom 11, 12. the veil upon the hearts of the Jews, that they might turn to the Lord. So f Ps. 90.13 14, 15, 16, 17, and 80.14, 15.18. the raising up of the hearts of the Lords People in his Work and Ways. And the g Hab. 3.2. Ezr. 9.8. reviving of his great work which he had begun in these Nations. The h Josh. 7. Psal. 125.4 5 & 140.11 1 King. 18, 17, 18, etc. discovering and removing all the achan's and Troublers. The i Rev. 18.4 Zach. 3.2. 2 Tim 3.1, 2 5. plucking all Zions' Children out of Babylon. With the k Isa. 57.14. removing of all stumbling blocks out of their way. The l Ps. 94.15. Isa. 61.11. returning of judgement unto righteousness. The m Ps. 133.1 Zep. 3.9. n 2 Tim. 2.24. Mat. 25.4.10. uniting of all the upright in heart, And making them meet for the master's use. Briefly, the o 2 Thes. 2.8 Rev. 18.21. utter ruin of the whole Kingdom of the man of Sin. In order to Christ's p Isa. 32.1. Reigning in Righteousness over q Rev. 15.3. Saints and all r Jer. 10.7. Dan. 7.14. Ps. 2.8. & 72.8. Nations. Clem. Ireton. H. Jessey. Va. powel. H. Courtney. T. Harrison. J. Danvers. John Can. John Rogers. Subscribed the seventh of the sixth Month August, 1657. LONDON, Printed for Livewell Chapman, and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-head-alley, 1657.