for the Thirtieth or Thirty-firft of January, would be a likely Means to remove the Judgments of God from us, and might help to procure many and great Bleffings to this Nation. And why should they any longer withstand so defirable an End, fo bleffed an Union? Their paft Neglect might be owing to Ignorance, or Prejudice, or Want of Confideration. Their future Compliance will fhew that this Neglect of theirs did not proceed from a Spirit of Obftinacy, Oppofition, or Contempt; or if it did in any Measure, that they have fince laid it afide. And as they now occafionally attend upon the Service of our Church on other Days, it were much to be wifhed, that for the future they would conftantly attend upon this. And may God in his Mercy incline them to fo wife and pious a Refolution, that makes so much for their own Peace, and the Peace and Profperity of this fuffering Nation.

In the mean while, let none of our Communion, that have Opportunity and are able to attend, abfent themfelves from this anniversary Solemnity, for which a moft pious and pathetick Office is provided, fuited to the mournful Occafion, and full of the Doctrine contained in the Text; in which the Language is fo moving and inftructive, and the feveral devotional Parts fo folemn and edifying, that no Man who has any true Sense of Piety, would willingly deprive himself of the Benefit of fo useful and religious a Service. It is indeed both a Service and a Sermon, and sufficient to supply the Defects of

all

4

all the Sermons that have been, or shall be, delivered on the Occafion.

Since then our Church has taken fuch abundant Care to inftruct her Children in the Duty, and to obtain the Mercy and Pardon of God, for the crying Provocation of this Day: And fince we know not how far our Forefathers proceeded, or what Degree of Guilt they might contract in this Cafe, it will become us to comply with the pious Orders of the one, and to humble ourselves for the Iniquities of the other, that so we may not be involved in the Guilt of Royal Blood, nor partake of the Punishment, which may otherwise (in a publick and national Way) be justly inflicted on us for the Sins of thofe Times. By this Means we shall have a well-grounded Hope and Confidence, that the Violence and Outrage committed against the facred Perfon of the bleffed King Charles the First, will not be required of us or our Pofterity, and that our Land will at last be freed from the Vengeance of his righteous Blood, and God be glorified in the Forgiveness of our Sins, through the Merits and Interceffion of his only Son Jefus Christ our Lord;

To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, be afcribed, as is moft due, all Honour and Glory, Might, Majefty, Obedience, and Thanksgiving, now and for ever. Amen,

FINI S.