I T having pleased the HOLY GOD ( all whose works are Truth, and his wayes judgement) for our sins whereby he hath been provoked, in special by the undervaluation of our pleasant things; great unthankfulness for, and manifold abuses of our wonderfull peace, and the blessings of it in this good Land which the Lord hath Given us; Ill enter­tainment of the Ministry of the precious Gospel of Peace: leaving our first Love, dealing falsly in the Co­venant of the Lord our God: the Apostacy of many from the Truth unto Heresies, and pernicious Errours. Great Formality, Inordinate Affection, and sinful Conformity to this present evil vain World: and (beside many horrid and Scandalous Sins breaking forth among us, for which we have Cause to be greatly humbled before the Lord), our great unsensibleness of the displeasure of the Lord in suffer­ing these abominations to be perpetrated, together with our Carnal Security, and unquietness under the Iudgements of God upon us, our abiding very much unreformed, notwithstanding all warnings, and Chastisements, whereby the Lord hath been, and is still debating with us; we having greatly Incensed him to stir up many Adversaries against us, not only abroad, but also at our own doors, (Causing the Heathen in this wilderness to be as thorns in our sides, who have formerly been, and might still be a wall unto us therein; and others also to become a Scourge unto us) the Lord himself also more Immediately afflicting us by diseases whereof so many Children in some of our Towns have di­ed this Summer. His not going forth with our Armies as in former times, but giving up many of our Brethren to the mouth of the devouring Sword, yea, shewing himself angry with the Prayers of his people: threatning us also with Scarcity of Provision and other Calamities, Especially if this present Warr with the barbarous Heathen should continue; And that the Lord of Hosts himselfe withdraw not the Commission he hath given to the Sword and other Judgements to prevaile against us;

The GOVERNOUR and COUNCIL of this Jurisdiction therefore ( being under the Sense of these evils; and also of the distressed state of the rest of the Colonies Confederate with our selves, and of the Churches of Christ in other parts of the Christian World; in this day of trouble, rebukes, and blas­phemy: and fearing the sad Issue thereof, unless the Lord help us with our whole heart, and not feignedly, to turn unto himself) Do Appoint an Order the seventh day of the new Moneth; to be a day of publick Humiliation, with Fasting, and Prayer; throughout this whole Colony; that we may set our selves sincerely to seek the Lord, rending our hearts, [...] our Garments before him, and pursue the same with a thorough Reformation of [...], or is an Image of Jea­lousie before the Lord to offend the eyes of his [...] Lord may turn from his fierce anger, that we perish not: We do therefore [...] this Jurisdiction to so bear Servile Labour upon that day, and [...] respectively to [...] the same, as is Appointed.