THere hath been of late, a Rebellion, ſo Impious, and Prodigiouſly daring, Acted upon ſo open and great a Stage, as this Famous and Populous City; and before the Sun of Goſpel light ſhining round about us: as that the Noiſe thereof cannot but make its own report, not only throughout all Chriſtendom, but even to the Ends of the Earth; and fill the moſt Barbarous and Inhumane of Nations that ſhall hear of it, with aſtoniſhment to the higheſt Scandal of Chriſtian Religion; Yea, and let down the hateful Memory thereof to all Ages to come; As that which perhaps cannot be Paralelled, except by thoſe at Munſter of the ſame principle in the former Age.

And this Grand iniquity having, through the Artifice of Satan, been falſely and moſt uncharitably charged on thoſe (at leaſt as the favorers of it) whom ſome will needs ſtile the Independent Party.

We, therefore hold our ſelves Neceſſitated to make this true, and ſincere Renuntiation of, and Proteſtation againſt ſo horrid a Fact, and Principle they were Acted by, as both highly Derogatory to Chriſt and moſt Pernitious to his Saints.

To Chriſt,

In that his Kingdom, the Coming of which is by Him ſo cloſely annexed to the Hallowing of Gods Name, is on the contrary perverted to the greateſt Diſhonor to him, and the Prophaning of his Name; and a perfect Contradiction to all thoſe Principles, which he left behind him. And that divine and Heavenly ſeed (the Image of Chriſt) laid by God in the Souls of all his Children, the eminent fruits whereof are lowlineſs of Heart, Selfdenial, Peaceableneſs, with the like, is hereby turned into a Root of ſuch Bitterneſs, and unto ſo ſwollen a Self-Aſſuming, As under the Title of Saints, as ſuch; and in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, to take to themſelves, the Titles of all the Kingdoms of the World, and in the Face of the full exerciſe of the Dominion thereof, to Pronounce the Titles of all Earthly Potentates, actually, and abſolutely void; Whom from the Apoſtles times, and at this day, he hath continued, as his own Ordinance; and unto whom, he hath commanded Saints, as Saints, and by ſo much the more becauſe Saints, for Conſcience ſake, to be Subject. And who, we are ſure, according to the Ordination of God ſhall continue TO the Deſtruction of the true Babylon; Rev. 17. And yet to make all the Reformed Churches to be Spiritual Babilon, and all Governments of the World to be Civil Babilon, and all alike from hence forth to be deſtroy'd.

And to turn Meetings for Religious Worſhip (which ought only to Aſſemble in the Name of Chriſt, (and as to ſuch ends only have the promiſe of his preſence) into Conſultations and Deſignments for the diuſtrbance and deſtruction of thoſe States which yet by Chriſt do Reign; and under whoſe Indulgence and Protection they live. And then to render Faith (by which Believers overcome the World) and abſolute Folly (which this hath done) yea and a daring Madneſs, Manifeſt to all Men. And,

For Vain and Sorry Man, or any company of the Sons of Men, To riſe up and Deſignedly to ſay within themſelves, we will go to ſuch and ſuch a City, and from ſuch or ſuch a time erect a new Throne for Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, from thence to Reign over all the world; And then to think to invite him from Heaven, and in the Clouds to bring him to the Ancient of daies, Dan. 7. and ſo to give him poſſeſſion of that Kingdom. All which are the ſole ſoveraign Prerogatives of God the Father to give; (Thine is the Kingdom) and of Chriſt the Son, Rev. 11. to take to himſelf that great Power and Reign. And again to under take that, which can be no other then the Immediate Act and Work of Chriſt himſelf, to Create new Heavens and new Earth, and to fill the world, with Righteouſneſs. (which I create ſaith the Lord) And muſt needs be judged a far greater work then the firſt creating of the old World, and never to be ſet up by outward Violence.

To make all this a Cauſe, And the cauſe of Religion, by the power of force and Blood, thus to obtain a worldly Dominion and Power over all means Eſtates and Lives: What an high Preſumption is all this, and Derogation to the Glory of Chriſt?

Nor can there be any principle more Pernitious to the Saints themſelves diſperſed throughout the Nations of the World.

Seeing the Wrath of Princes, and Governors in all Dominions might, thereby, be enflamed, and Their Sword whetted againſt them. And it ingageth alſo theſe men themſelves, or any others, with whom this wicked perſwaſion ſhal prevail, to Deſtroy the whol Body of Saints, and others Promiſcuouſly, as enemies to the Kingdom of Chriſt, if not of this Opinion. As if that Jeſus Chriſt who is Lord over all, and Rich unto all, having ſo long expected the accompliſhment of His Kingdom, were ſo impatiently deſirous of a Kingdom of Saints to be ſet up in the World, that to advance it, though but in a few, he regarded not the thouſands of thouſands of the People of God that are in the World, and who in their Conſciences ſtand ingaged to oppoſe it.

Neither is this Proteſtation now made againſt ſuch principles and proceedings, other, in the Tendency and Drift thereof, then what ſome years ſince, ſuch of us, as had opportunity thereunto, did, by letters, declare unto divers in this Kingdom, whoſe principles then were comparatively modeſt; for which we have ever ſince been openly reproached perſonally by Name in writings and otherwiſe: as is well known. And again, in a Meeting, at the Savoy, above two years ſince, of Perſons ſent from one hundred and twenty Churches of our way, in the Confeſſion of Faith, there, by them agreed upon, It was, as concerning Magiſtrates in the general, Unanimouſly declared as followeth.

And accordingly we ceaſe not to pour out hearty Prayers for all ſorts of Bleſſings ſpiritual and temporal upon the Perſon and Government of his Majeſty both in our Congregations, Families and Retirements, and through Gods Grace, according to our Duties ſhall continue ſo to do, our ſelves, and to perſwade others thereunto; and to live quietly and peaceably in all Godlineſs and Honeſty

To conclude all, We have a far greater and ſadder occaſion to utter of theſe late attempts, and Reſolutions, what Jacob did of that fatal Execution, by Simeon and Levi, upon a whol City (the order of the words being only inverted.) Gen. 49. The Inſtruments of cruelty are in their Habitations (which ver. 6. is termed Aſſembly) Curſed be their Anger, for it was feirce, and their Wrath, for it was cruel. And we each one ſay, O my Soul come not thou into their ſecret, unto their Aſſembly, mine Honor, be not thou united; but let God divide them in Jacob and ſcatter them in Iſrael.