A declaration of divers elders and brethren of congregationall societies, in and about the city of London. Decrying and disclaiming two bookes; 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 tendered to consideration, in way of vindication of themselves from unjust aspersions. 1651 Approx. 20 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2014-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A85665 Wing G1850 Thomason E644_7 ESTC R206049 99865241 99865241 165975

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 Early English books online text creation partnership. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A85665) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 165975) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 99:E644[7]) A declaration of divers elders and brethren of congregationall societies, in and about the city of London. Decrying and disclaiming two bookes; 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 tendered to consideration, in way of vindication of themselves from unjust aspersions. 8 p. printed by M. Simmons for L. Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-head Alley, London : 1651. Caption title. Imprint from colophon. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Nou. 1st". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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 eng A cry for a right improvement of all our mercies, and all those vvorks of wonder that God hath wrought among us: With some cautions touching the election of the (Expected) new representative. A model of a new representative, now under consideration. Congregationalism -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2012-07 Assigned for keying and markup 2012-07 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2013-05 Sampled and proofread 2013-05 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2014-03 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

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, 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 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, 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 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.