AS the notion is not more common then true, that nothing ought to be dearer to a man then his reputation, and he, who hath out-lived his credit, and honour, amongst sober and ju­dicious men, may seem to have out-lived himself, and hath little or nothing of any va­lue more to lose: And because nothing can be of worse resentment and reception amidst the publick en­deavours, to restore the peace and unity of the Nation, then discords, animosities, tumults, and insurrections, we finding our innocency in the late disorders, nor to be our full security and just protection in this kind, are constrained to give an account of our selves, in relation to those high misdemeanours, and to make this our Declaration to the world.

We cannot but wonder what should bring us so much as into suspicion of being countenancing, favouring, abetting, or any way accessary to the late extravagant and bloody attempt, [Page 2]unlesse it were, that meeting sometimes under the same roof, we come meerly upon this account, to be entitled to the same transgression, wherewith notwithstanding in reason, we can no more be charged, then a man of one family might be with murder committed by a person of another, only for that, both of them were lodged under the same roof.

We have a record within us, how zealous we have been from time to time against all such destructive principles, as tending to the very ruine of the essence and being of all rule and Magistracy, which we have alwayes looked upon, and sought to uphold, as the useful and necessary Ordinance of God; and have endeavoured what in us lies to abate that unnatural heat, and regulate that ill-nurtured zeal, which in some men, like Nebuchadnezzars furnace, continually evapo­rated smoak and fire; and this we did, as became us, out of the sence of our duty, for their sake, and for our own, and for the sake of Religion, and the peace of the Kingdom.

As for that strange and unparalleld act, of turning their oratory into a Magazine, and their prayers and tears, the spiri­tual armour of a Christian, into swords and helmets, and under the pretence of Religion, and the advancement of the honour and kingdome of Jesus, after an hostile manner to enter the City, force the guards, and kill his Majesties good subjects doing their duty, in keeping the peace, we cannot sufficiently declare our utter dislike and deep detestation of such things; neither will posterity believe that attempts of this nature could ever be made by true English men, by fellow Citizens, least of all by Christians professing the fear of God, and faith of the Gospel.

For the Principles leading the late Actors to this sad Tra­gedy.

1. We concurre with them in the common faith, and ge­neral expectation of Christs coming again to the earth, he is not removed from us for ever, he is gone cum animo reverten­di, with a purpose to return to us again at his appointed time. He is that Noble man mentioned in the Gospel, Luke 19.12. [Page 3] Who is gone into a far Country, to receive for himself a King­dome; and to return. But to think to accelerate and hasten his coming by force and violence, or precisely to limit his time, and fix him a day, either in his person, or in his power, for the erecting for himself a Throne here, is the insolency and im­modest presumption of some mens spirits; yea, and is not only irrational, impious, and absurd, but (as very many learned and sober men conceive) contrary to the very letter of the Scriptures, and expresse words of our Saviour, Matth. 24.36. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels of hea­ven, but my father only. And we wonder the rather at those, who being Predestinarians in their opinions, and holding all things to succeed by the secret force of an irresistable Decree, should thus, immaturo fato, preposterously anticipate the hea­venly determination, which in due time of absolute necessity must have taken effect, unlesse they thought themselves par­ticularly decreed and designed ab eternò to this miserable en­terprise.

2. We enter our just protestation against their unchristi­an and unman-like principle, after the custome of Maho­met, to propagate Religion by the sword: The Gospel we own and profess, is not Evangelium armatum, an armed Gospel; the weapons of that warfare, wherein we serve as Christians, are not carnal, but spiritual: The Scriptures, Rea­sons, and Arguments, are those offensive and defensive armes that we have taken up, in the quarrel of Religion, and with which, and no other, we seek to defend, propagate and main­tain it. If it were their principle to reduce men to the obe­dience of Christ, in a way lesse mild, rational and convictive, we assure the world it is none of ours.

And though we have made our selves enemies to them, and many of our brethren in the Nation, by our denying all exter­nal force and compulsion in matters of Religion, as judging it eccentrick and disagreeable, both to the divine Wisdom and the rationall creature man, yet we cannot but be still of that o­pinion, and are the more fixt and settled therein, by the late [Page 4]violent and irregulat attempts amongst us.

3. And further, we declare to all the world by this pub­lick paper, what yet we presume hath been enough evinced al­ready in our manners and deportment; that we are far from disowning the present Powers and Dominions of the earth, and inparticular that of his Majesty, utterly renouncing that principle, whether appropriately Papal, or by whomsoever owned or professed, That all temporal power is founded in grace; since the present Kingdome of Christ is not of this world, and that the Rulers and Governours that be, hold not in capite of Christ, as head of the Church, but (as we humbly conceive) of God the Father, whose Deputies and Vicegerents they are: He it is that pulleth down one, and setteth up another; as it is said, He removeth Kings, and setteth up Kings, Dan. 2.21. For by the same reason, they might null and make void the titles of the present Kings and Princes of the earth, to their respective Crowns and dignities, they might destroy the right, interest, and title of all wicked men, quatenus wicked men, to all their earthly inheritances and estates, lawfully pur­chased, or descended upon them from their Ancestors; then which nothing could be more subversive of weal-publick, per­nicious to humane society, and destructive of all right and property in the world. The Kingdome of Christ that now is, being spiritual, seeketh not to intermeddle by outward force or violence with the Kingdomes of the earth that are worldly and external; neither indeed, being duely and orderly manna­ged and promoted, can it; so different are they in their na­tures and qualities one from another: Besides we look upon and follow, both in our principles and practice, Christ and his Disciples, as our best teaching examples, who in the administra­tion of this Kingdome did not detract from, or deny obedi­ence to those in power and authority, our Saviour himself in­joyning tribute to be paid unto Cesar; and the Apostles pleading subjection to Nero, notwithstanding they were such as yielded no obedience or subjection unto Christ in his King­dome.

[Page 5] There is no reason then we should either in whole, or in part, suffer under a crime, we never knew of, much less consen­ted unto; or that we should in the least, be thought concern­ed in the guilt of those persons, since they themselves upon their strict examination, did fully acquit us, as knowing right well how averse, and contrary, both in our principles and pra­ctises we have alwayes been to them in all their violent pro­cedures.

And though our own testimony concerning our selves, go­eth not farre, either in Law or reason, towards our full justi­fication, yet the credit and authority of our known Principles, diametrically repugnant to practises of this nature, in conjun­ction with our loyalty, never yet stained with any impeaceable or tumultuous deportment, under the civill government of these Kingdomes, but constantly testified, by our ready sub­jection, to all its just demands, promoting the interest, honour and safety thereof, according to our power, and opportunity, will (we hope) upon serious reflection, and calme delibera­tion, be our sufficient vindication. For we are sure, we are so far from being enemies to government (the usuall charge brought in against the people of God) that if we have fallen it hath rather been on the other hand, by a constant and uninter­rupted submission to all that are, or have been set over us, for conscience sake; we little question, but our moderation in this respect, is knowne unto all those, whose eyes have not been ei­ther coloured with prejudice, or weakened by looking on us, in our Christian fellowship, at too great a distance.

And thus we justly seek to vindicate, and clear our selves from the fears, jealousies, and suspitions of the late tumults without further censuring, or stigmatizing those, who have al­ready satisfied the Law, and are gone to give an account of their actions, and to receive their finall, and more definitive sentence. To close up all

We doe not much complain of that restraint that was laid upon our Christian liberties, in the heat of action, and per­plexity of affairs, whilst a perfect discrimination twixt the no­cent [Page 6]and the innocent, could not easily be made; but now that time which discovers all things, hath mace apparent who those offenders were, and brought them to examplary punish­ment, we hope the Kings Majesty will heare and distinguish, twixt the good, and the bad, and restore us to our pristine li­berty, purchased by the blood of Christ, and confirmed by his Majesties voluntary promise, and unextorred Declaration, imi­tating the Judge of all the World, who mingleth not the inno­cent, with the guilty; neither punisheth the righteous, with the wicked, shall not the Judge and Ruler of the Nation doe right?

And though we have intermitted our weekly course of joynt prayers, and supplications to the God of Heaven, for our selves for the King, and for all that are in Authority, and for our Country, and for the whole people of God, untill we have made this our just vindication, we hope to answer it the better another day, to the father of spirits, and the God of our com­munion, since we have not forfeited our liberty, by abusing it in any unworthy or unchristian deportment, no not (to the best of our knowledge) so much as by a careless syllable, or undue expression.