A DECLARATION Of divers Elders and Brethren of Congregationall Societies, in and about the City of LONDON.

Decrying and Disclaiming two Bookes; the one called A CRY; and the other Book called A MODEL OF A NEW REPRESENTATIVE.

Wherein their Judgements touching the Qualifications of Electors, and Eligible Persons, are tendred to Consideration, in way of Vindica­tion of themselves from unjust Aspersi [...]s.

IN the yeare 1647. Wee being Accused by many, as if we were Patrons of Liberty to sin, and as if we denied Magistracy and Propriety in ones Estate; and as if we ow­ned Polygamy: We were enforced to Vin­dicate our selves in our Declaration then Agreed unto by our joynt Consent, Printed for H. Overton neare the Exchange. and Published then in our Names, concern­ing those foure Particulars charged upon us. Wherein we not onely Asserted the Contrary: but have also Declared, from the Holy Scriptures, The Rule and Standard for Faith and Obedience, what Liberty, and what Community is owned, and Disclaimed therein. Which accordingly we still owne, or Disclaime: and what Necessity there is of Magistracy, and what Obedience is due unto them in their places, as to an Ordinance of God. And howsoever Polygamy was practised in the Old Testament; that yet it is clearly Evinced in the New Testament, to be un­lawfull.

Our Stating the beforesaid Cases, and our Evidencing of what is the Truth therein, by clear Scriptures, and by Grounds deduced thence, we doe still fully Adhere unto: Howsoever some or other of the Scandals beforesaid, some formerly, and some of late, have slanderously laid to our charge.

And now whereas of late yeares, the wise Providence of our God hath so Ordered it, that such readinesse and chearfulnesse of many Christians, that are Tearmed Independents, in their Ad­hering to the Parliament, even from the beginning of the late warres unto this day: and such faithfulnesse and diligence hath been expressed by many of them, in the State; and in the Armie, as well under the Earle of Essex, and the Lord Fairfax, as under the Present Captaine Generall, the Lord Cromwell; that hereby many of them have been judged worthy of Offi­ces and Places of Trust and Preferment, as well in England, as in Wales & Ireland. And whereas this hath occasioned (though caus­lesly,) the Envy of many against them: and many have falsly said, That they seek to get all such places into their own hands, and to exclude all others from them. (Which expres­sions, though grievous to us, we did beare, as part of the Re­proaches for Christ, and his Truth.)

And whereas now of late, when some have Objected against us a Booke or two, lately Published, The one called, A Modell of a New Representative: The other called, A Cry—With some Cautions touching the Election of a New Representative; as if those Bookes were Published by us: So that we are Charged to pro­fesse therein, that which we had disowned.

We are hereby Againe enforced, thus to come forth in Pub­licke in our just and necessary Vindication; least if now wee should be altogether silent, we should indeed seeme to be deeply guilty therein. A Crime that we doe utterly detest and abhorre, as injurious to many: And with one Consent wee doe thus Declare, as in the Presence of the Almighty, who is the Searcher of all hearts, before whom the Wicked and De­ceitfull shall be confounded at the Day of Judgement.

First, That none of us did so much as know of the making of any such Bookes, untill they were Printed and Published.

Secondly, That as thus we were farre from appointing or approving of, or Consenting unto the said Bookes before the Publishing of them; So neither did we, nor doe we Consent to, [Page 3]or approve of such Ʋnjust Limitations, as appeare to be implyed in the CRY pag. 9. (Though that Cryers good intent towards all that feare God, be well set forth therein, pag. 5, 6, 7.) But are more fully expressed by Quere's in the MODEL'S Xth, XI, XII, and XIIIth Quere's, Namely, That the Persons to be Chosen, and the Persons to be Choosers of the New Representative, should be li­mitted to the Gathered-Congregationall-Churches; [Here-in that MODEL is more like a Jesuiticall Device, to bring an Odium upon us all; then to be any Act of ours.]

Now that we may not be wanting (what in us is,) to cleare the Truth from Scripture Grounds, and to manifest our sense thereof, Touching Civill Governors, and the Choice of them, We must premise Two Propositions, from the Holy Scriptures.

I. The Former Proposition is this.

That all People in Every Nation as well Members of Chur­ches, as others, ought for Conscience sake, to Honor such, as by the wise Disposing Providence of God, are their Present Ru­lers; and are to submit to the Civill Commands, not onely of such Rulers as are faithfull, but even to Infidels.

Thus the Apostle Paul Commands us from the Lord, Rom. 13.1. to 8. vers. (with 1 Cor. 14.37.) Let every soule be subject to higher Powers. For there is no Power, but of God, &c. And thus the Apostle Peter also, in 1 Pet. 2.13. Submit your selves to every Ordi­nance of Man for the Lords sake: Whether it be unto King as supream; or unto Governours. Thus they wrote, when all the Rulers Gene­rally were Infidels. And Note; The Chiefe in Rule or Govern­ment, in what Political State soever, are stiled King in the Scrip­ture phrase; though he were not a King, according to our Vulgar expression. Thus Moses, that Judged Israel, is called King in Jesu­run, in Deut. 33.5. And when its said, There was then no King in Israel, it intends, there was then no Judge in Israel; Thus Jud. 17.6. & Jud. 18.1. & 19.1. & 21.25. And thus in Rev. 17.9, 10. The 7 Heads are 7 Mountaines;-And they are 7 Kings: Five are fallen, (-&) one is, & the other is yet to come.-11 And the Beast-is the Eighth, and is of the seven; and goeth into Perdition. 12 And the ten Hornes­are ten Kings. 16 They shall hate the Whore, and make her Desolate. Here speaking first of the great Citie, that reigned over the Kings of the Earth, ver. 18. that is Rome, which stands on seven hills; He saith, They are 7 Kings, five are fallen, &c. The meaning seems [Page 4]to be this; That City, which before Johns time, had had five sorts of chiefe Rulers fallen, and had another sort, the sixt, then, viz. Caesars. The seventh, the Pope, was to come; who also is the Eight, (by his Exercising of so great power; first Ecclesiastically, and then Civilly also;) That same City is the City spoken of in Rev. 17. Now that Rome had then had 5 sorts of chiefe Rulers fal­len, and that Caesars ruled in Johns time, is Evident by Historians: So that Cornelius Tacitus, a Heathen, (that lived in Johns time,) in the very beginning of his Annales, thus reckons them up; In the City Rome at first were Kings; then (2) Libertie & (two) Consuls. 3. (one) Dictator (added to them.) (4) Decemviri. (5) Tribuni [plebis; [that is, the Government by Ten. And then by Three.] (6) the Power fell to Caesar. And as for the Ten Kings that should hate the Whore, be it generally expounded to include England, and the Netherlands, as well as others that forsake Rome. Thus by Kings, in Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. Rev. 17. We are to understand such, as are Chiefe in Rule, in any Nation.

Rulers, and Laws, are for the Nations good. This Salus Populi is the End, and to be most aymed at, and sought after. When those of the Netherlands, by the Spanish King, were Tyrannized over, the States cast off the Tyrant, and have Governed since. And when King Charles left the Parliament, and prepared warre against it; the best Ministers in London, and elsewhere stirred up the People to Contribute and Act to their utmost, to raise and maintaine an Army against his Proceeds. And by the Army, (which was empowred by the Authority of the Nation to their utmost to seek for the End beforesaid) there hath been such sub­duing of Enemies and Obstacles, as that by the wise Providence of God, we are now reduced to a Common-wealth, wherein the Rulers, are now to be Honoured. For if Caesar, and Pagan Ru­lers under him in Judaea, and elsewhere, were to be honoured and submitted unto; as both Christ taught, and his Apostles, (Matth. 22.21. Mark. 12.27.) (And yet they came in by the Sword, and kept Gods Church in Bondage;) How much more should our Governours be Honoured by all people in our Na­tion?

II. The Second Proposition is this;

That all that professe themselves Christians, or Gods peo­ple, ought to endeavour, so far as their place and power rea­cheth, [Page 5]that all Rulers amongst them, should be men truely fearing God.

Our Ground is, the Expresse Charge of the Almighty. 2 Sam. 23.3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake unto me; HE THAT RƲLETH OVER MEN, Must be JƲST, RƲLING IN THE FEAR OF GOD.

Secondly, Suitable thereto, is that in Exod. 18.21. Provide out of all the People, Men of ability (or Courage,) such as FEAR GOD; Men of Truth; hating Covetousnesse. These should be pre­ferr'd, before all other Qualifications, of Birth, Riches, or Parts; as we will Answer it before the Great JEHOVAH.

Thirdly, The feare of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisedome, Psal. 111.10. Prov. 1.7. These will Pray, and God will give them Wisedome, Jam. 1.5, 6. Prov. 2.1.-4.

Fourthly, Because when men Feare not God, they are more obnoxious and liable to all wickednesse, Injury, Tyranny, Op­pression, Rom. 3.11. They-seek not after God-Their Throat is an open Sepulcher. Their feet are swift to shed bloud-Destruction and mi­sery are in their wayes, and the way of Peace they have not knowne. And what's the Root of all this? There is no feare of God before their Eyes. Hence when Abimelech asked, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? Abraham said; Because I thought, surely the feare of God is not in this place; therefore they will slay me, for my Wives sake, Gen. 20.10, 11.

These two being premised:

III. Our Third Proposition is this;

That in our dayes, wherein Persons truely fearing God are of divers Forms, dissenting in Church-Government, &c. Some that are termed Presbyterians, some Independents, some Anabaptists, and some that are not so resolved with any of these: the Power of Choosing Rulers, or of being Chosen, should not be limitted to any one of those Formes or Perswasions, to the Excluding of others: [excepting such, See p. 1. lin. 3.who either deny Propriety, or Magistracy, See the first Declaration. or who assert carnal Liberty, or Polygamy: whom wee have witnessed against in our former Declaration.] Or such as have oppo­sed, or doe not owne this present Government.

Which Proposition,

1. We Explaine thus,

Such Persons doe Feare the Lord, that endeavour to keep a good Conscience before God, and before men: Such as through grace Deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World, Tit. 2.12. Now among such whose Fathers had all been drunk with the Babylonish Cup, and the dreggs and darknesses thence, are not quite dispelled from us. And but by Degrees doe we attaine to further know­ledge of the Mystery of Christ and of Antichrist) there are no doubt many such persons, so fearing God as is beforesaid, that have not all attained to the same degree: and they must all be fully perswaded in their owne minds, in what they practise. Now if meerly for Conscience sake, & for their so practising or not daring to practise, if any such should therefore be Excluded from being Chosen, or from being Choosers: or if the Chosen, and the Choosers should be so limited that all of them should be onely of one sort and size, excluding all the rest; This might be a great wrong, both to God and to Men.

2. We Confirme this Proposition thus.

First, This course is a wrong to God, when his Children, whom he loves so dearly, and who are so accepted of him, are for his sake so rejected by men: As in Isa. 66.5. Your brethren that cast you out for my Names sake, &c. And this is a wrong to Jesus Christ, who is in all his: and will say to such as so reject them, at the great Day, on this wise, In as much as yee did it to the least of these that beleeve in me, you did it to me, Mat. 25.45, 46.

Secondly, Repl. This Course were also a wrong to Men.

First, To the Persons so rejected, that upon the like Ground and Principle are liable to be Persecuted by them, and worne out, so as to occasion the Exile of many out of our Nation, as it fared with many of our Brethren here under the Prelacy.

Secondly, It were a Wrong, or Damage, to the Persons that so alone are fully Empowered to Choose, and to be Chosen: Whereby they are most lyable to such a Temptation, as is to be Pray­ed against by Tender Souls, as Wise Agur did against being Enriched, Least I be full and deny [or bely] thee, Prov. 30.9. The Coveting of such a Monopoly, were a Coveting an evill Cove­tousnesse to himselfe, when it is to the wronging of others of their due, that have equall right, Habak. 2.9.

Thirdly, Thereby it may be a Wrong to that City or Nation: where,

1. Many being partakers of the Sin, are like to partake also of the Punishment due thereunto; even the Sin and Punish­ment of Babylon and Antichristians, Rev. 18.4. One of their Sins being this, Persecuting of Saints for not Conforming to them; rigorously pressing to Ʋniformity.

2. Hereby many others are the More hardened against all Professors and Profession, when they see Professors so opposing Each other.

Thirdly, How little cause there is for any of these to seek the Excluding of the other, may further appeare by these Consi­derations.

1. All those that feare the Lord amongst us, are all the Children of one God and Father.

2. They are the Redeemed of one Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath loved them, and given himselfe for them.

3. They have the Holy Spirit their Sanctifyer and Com­forter.

4. They have One Faith, and hope of their Calling, Ephes. 4.4, 5.

5. They have all of them one and the same Inheritance, which is immortall, undefiled, uncorruptible, which fadeth not away, which is reserved in Heaven for them, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4.

6. They have the same Common Enemies to them all; the Flesh, the Devill, and the World: and in the World not onely Pagans, Turks, and Papists abroad, but generally all persons that are in their Naturall, Carnall, and Corrupt estate at home.

7. All these have also the very same Weapons and Argu­ments, wherein they all generally with one minde agree toge­ther against all those their Common Enemies, &c. These have More with them then are against them, 2 Kings 6.

8. The Time is comming, and we hope is neer at hand, when all that feare the Lord shall be of one minde and of one heart, and shall worship him with one consent. Zeph. 3.9. Then they shall have such externall Visible Union and Communion that shall Convince the World (that are not convinced by inter­nalls) that the Father hath loved them all, as he hath loved his Son; as our Lord Jesus prayed: and therefore it shall certainely be [Page 8]effected, because the Father alwayes heard him, John 17.21, 23. John 11.41. Therefore should all these be far from excluding each other, eyther from being Choosers or from being Chosen unto places of Power or Authority.

Thus have We with one Consent Declared our selves touch­ing the Books aforesaid, being such as we never consented un­to, nor owned: and also our Grounds and Reasons why Wee are far from approving of them. And the sincerity of our Hearts in what We have Declared herein, We take the Almigh­ty God to Record upon our Souls.

The IX. Month called Novemb. the Tenth Day. 1651.
  • William Greenhill.
  • Richard Shute.
  • John Simpson.
  • Thomas Hutton.
  • Robert Turpin.
  • Thomas Brooks.
  • Christopher Feake.
  • Richard Woollaston.
  • Thomas Sherman.
  • Henry Jessey.
  • Emanuel Middelton.
  • Samuel Nash.
  • John Foche.
  • Hanserd Knolly's.
  • William Kiffin.
  • William Consett.
  • T: Harrison.
  • Thomas Whalley.

LONDON, Printed by M. Simmons for L. Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-head Alley. 1651.

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