WE the Subscribers of this our Apologeticall Declaration, who desire to approve our selves sincere Professors of the true Reformed Protestant Religion, Presbyterian Citizens and Inhabitants of the honourable, and, lately, famous and re­nowned City of London, who have cordially adhered unto the Parliament, in its first and second War against the Kings Forces, for the defence of the true Protestant Religion, His Majesties Person, Crown and Dignity, the Rights and Priviledges of both Houses of Parliament, and, in them, the Lawes and Liberties of the King­dome: Calling to minde our solemne engagements, not only by our Pro­testation, May, 5th, 1641. but especially our solemne League and Covenant, which was so religiously and unanimously sworn unto, with our hands lifted up to the high and holy God of Heaven, that we would really, sincerely and constantly, through the grace of God, in our severall Callings, and with our lives and estates, endevour the preservation of them all; Artic: 1: 2, 3. &c. And, being in our Consciences perswaded and assured of our indispen­sible obligation so to do, because most deeply engaged by our said Covenant, not to suffer our selves directly or indirectly, by whatsoever combination, perswasion, or terror, to be divided or withdrawn from that Cause which so much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the Kingdome, and hon­our of the King: But, all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly to continue therein against all opposition. Artic. 6. And, whereas, by wofull experience, we are made very sensible of the dangerous effects of the violation of all our Covenant-concernments, and of the disappointment of our hopes of reaping the expected fruits of this defensive war, for which, we the Subscribers, have, many of us, adventured our lives, and most of us, our estates, in a measure, beyond our abilities, besides the Common Taxes that have been imposed upon us. And, though wee cannot but with bleed­ing and trembling hearts complain that our Cause doth in these sad and perillous times in which we live, meet with such violent Opposition, such mighty Lets and Impediments as we are not able to suppresse and overcome, yet, considering with our selves, that what we cannot suppresse or over­come, we are obliged to reveal and make known. Artic. 6. Being also mo­ved with fear, lest in this time of imminent danger to all that is dear unto us, our Silence should be taken for Consent; and so contract upon our selves the guilt of betraying Religion, King, Parliament, the Lawes and Li­berties of this Nation; having also no other way left us to set our Consci­ences at liberty from the aforesaid guilt, we might contract by our sinfull silence, in this juncture of time. We do, therefore, with all sincerity, fide­lity, zeal, and humility, before the most just and righteous Lord of Heaven and earth, make known unto all the three Kingdomes of England, Scotland and Ireland, to all the Reformed Churches, and unto the whole Christian World, not onely the dis-satisfaction of our Spirits, at the late and present [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] Transactions of those who have forcibly assumed the Supreme-power unto their own hands: But also do make this our following most solemne and serious Apologeticall Declaration for our clearing and justification from allowing or assenting to the illegall actings of these present times. And that we may also publish unto the world the grounds of these our most just exceptions and necessitated complaints herein, we declare, That, not on­ly in generall, our righteous Cause before mentioned is perverted, deserted, apostatized, and fallen from: by those who most injuriously and falsly re­proach us with Apostacie for not associating with them, and bearing them companie in their unwarrantable wayes; But, also, in particular, that it is perverted, and abused in every part and branch thereof. As first, in point of our Religion, which we are most deeply engaged by Covenant to preserve and reforme in power and purity; Whereas in our own experience (con­firmed by the Parliaments, first Remonstrance, Exact Collect: pag. 4.) Religion, in its purity was greatly endangered, in the Prelates times in the Doctrinall part, by the errors of Popery and Arminianisme; and in worship, with superstitious Innovations: And, in our sad apprehension, the Do­ctrine of the Gospell is, now adayes, not onely more endangered through the increase of Popery and Arminianisme, but of most blasphemous Antiscrip­ [...]urisme, Antitrinirarianisme, Antinomianisme, Socinianisme, and many other such like heterodox opinions, and damnable Doctrines: But also in point of worship, which, instead of fear of corrupting, is, now, in great danger of absolute Nulling, by accursed opinions both against the very being of Ordinances, the set-times and dayes appointed by God for their Admini­stration, and even of the Officers and Ministers appointed by Jesus Christ, for their dispensation. Which doth the more sadly affect our hearts, and enforce this just Declaration and complaint, because of that so eagerly en­deavoured unwarrantable Tolerating of them all (except, in that subtill exception of theirs, of the open practise of Popery and Prelacie) as if it were that Liberty of Conscience which we have all this while engaged for; But, rather, against which, We doe not onely protest, but contrariwise professe and declare that it was, onely a Liberty of Conscience from sin and error, which wee propounded in our Freedome from our former Egyptian Taskmasters the Prelates.

In the next place, we further declare against the perverting of our Cause, in relation to the preservation of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament. For, although we were not able to preserve and defend them, when vio­lated by that unpattern'd and horrid force upon the House, Decemb: 6 and 7, last, 1648. Yet we conceive our selves obliged to Declare against it, and against the imprisoning and secluding so many of the faithfullest Patriots and assertors of the publick interest of the Kingdome; And also against the most insolent subversion and alteration of the constitution of the Su­preme judicatorie of the Kingdome, consisting of the Kings Personall or Virtuall Presence, Lords and Commons, without whom (as we have been alwayes taught and informed) no Law can be enacted or repealed; The confirmation and inviolable settlement of which happie Nationall consti­tution, with its preservation, were the grounds of our Engagements, and no change or alteration of the same: Whereas, now, to the unexpressible [Page 5] grief of our Soules, we see a most strong and fierce combination in the Ge­nerall and Armies Counsell of Warre, and others of their partie (set forth to the view of us all, in that Modell of theirs, called, The Agreement of the Pe [...]ple, and presented to that which they call the Parliament, Januarie, 20th, 1648.) utterly to subvert and overthrow the whole frame of our foresaid Legall Government, and to introduce and enforce upon us a most uncouth, strange, and headlesse confused Arbitrary and tyrannicall Government of their own devising, and by a new as headlesse Representative of their own compacting; and yet all this while, (even whiles they are most violently endeavouring to overthrow all our Nationall Fundamentall Government, the very traiterous act for which the Earle of Straford and Can [...] dyed, and which they now lay to the Kings charge to destroy him) most fallaciously and hypocritically they protest, and strugle to perswade us (as, in pag, 29. of their foresaid, Agreement of the People) that they are farre from any desire or thought, to assum or exercise a Law-giving (these are their own words) or judiciall power over the Kingdome, or to meddle in any thing, save the fundamentall settling of that power in the most equall or hopefull way (as they pretend) for common Right and Safety; and this, they say, they humbly tender to us, to consider, and accept of, if we please; Whereas, alas, we know, and ancient experience hath taught us to know, that a Tyrants or Conquerors, Pray, is an irresistible Command; And this also is it, we thus justly complain of and declare against.

But, in the third place, in relation to our Engagement by the Sword, and Covenant to defend and preserve our Liberties and Freedoms (in this our late, most famous and honourable City of London) according to Law; we are most heartily sorie for the too just occasion that we have to publish, and reveal the most evident Perversion of our Cause under this considera­tion also. For, whereas, to enjoy a Propriety in our estates, with a Free­dome from Pattentes, Monopolies, Ship-money, and other illegall Imposi­tions and Taxes, the Liberty of our Persons from unlawfull Arrests and Im­prisonments, contrary unto Magna Charta, our freeborn English Spirits were raised (for their Preservation and defence) most freely and even pro­digally to lay out our persons and purses: We are, now, not onely in dan­ger of intolerable slavery instead of Freedom and liberty, according to Law But, to have our Franchises and Priviledges, as Freemen of this City votes and rent from us. The deep wounding thoughts whereof do so affect and peirce our hearts, that we cannot any longer forbear mournfully to com­plain, and Declare, That, since the 7th of December last, we are not onely de­prived of our Freedome and liberty to make choice of such Common Counsell-men, who have all along approved themselves, to God, the Par­liament, and City, men faithfull in their trust; they being, now, made unca­pable of being chosen thereunto, because of their honest Activity for the Personall Treaty; And that, by an Ordinance made after this supposed crime was acted. And now, as a sad fruit of it, through many Common-Counsell-men most illegally and forcibly chosen, in part of a Common-Counsell, is passed a Petition, which at best, shews the framers and promo­ters thereof, onely to minde Earthly things, not a word of any Religious [Page 6] or Heavenly concernment, being once mentioned in it; And, it is intitu­led, The petition of the Commons of the City of London: Which is not on­ly a foule injurie and blemish unto the truly religious and cordiall Com­mons thereof; but fills us also with fear of future sore breaches of our Fran­chises, and City-liberties, if not to the totall subversion of the whole Frame of the well-constituted and long experienced good Government of one of the most glorious and renowned Cities in the Christian world. All which most injurious irregularities we cannot chose, as Citizens, but with ineffable greif of heart, here, Declare and complain of, being in conscience obliged hereunto, even by the Oath of Freemen; viz: The Franchises and customes of this City you shall maintain. So that, whereas, we fought for the defence of our Liberties by Law, that our English Spirits might not be intimidated or beslaved by the Kings designe of bringing in of Germane-horse: We are, now, so farre from seeing any sure Foundations, for our Liberties and Freedome, according to Law, that we look upon our selves in exceeding great danger (upon that Common plea of the Army, Necessity) to be miserably subjected to Martiall Law, instead of being ruled by the Municipall-Law of the Kingdom.

And yet, as if nothing should be wanting to make us completely miser­able and exquisitely to pervert our Cause throughout; When both King and Parliament were in an hopfull way not onely of being reconciled, but of settling the Kingdome in a way that would have answered, (in some competent measure, for the present) the expense of our blood and treasure, and our Covenant-engagement also; we are now not, onely disappointed in our hopes thereof: But, his Majesties Royall Person (the defence and preservation whereof, though so carefully provided for, by the many De­clarations of the Parliament, the frequent Proclamations in our streets by the beat of the Drum, at the beginning of these Wars, by our Protestation May 5th, 1641, and by our Solemn League and Covenant; yet as if the end of our engaging with the Parliament had been for the ruine of the Kings person and regall Authority) His Majesties Person, we say, is not onely in extreme danger, by being exposed unto a Tryall without warrant either from the Word of God, or the Laws of the Land: But also is thereby plun­ged into such a nature and condition, as is altogether derogatorie to and inconsistent with the Kings Honour, which we professe in our Covenant, is the 3d part of our Cause, for which we engaged. Artic: 6 That the world, therefore, (to whom we appealed, when we entred into Covenant to pre­serve and defend the Kings Majesties Person, and authority, in the preser­vation and defence of the true Protestant-Religion, and Liberties of the Kingdom) yea the Lord God himselfe, Angels and Men, may bear witnesse with our Consciences, that we have no thoughts or intentions (nor ever had) to diminish His Majesties just power and greatnesse, and that we the Subscribers hereof are not Covenant-breakers, but do utterly dislike and disavow the present proceedings against him, either to the taking away of His Majesties Crown, much lesse his life, the very thought whereof we from our souls detest and abhor; We do, hereby, most freely faithfully and plain­ly discharge our consciences, and do testifie our loyaltie unto the Kings [Page 7] Majestie according to the duty of our allegiance, expressed in the foresaid Protestation, May, 5th, 1641, and the Solemn League and Covenant. And we do, hereby, further declare, that when we so cordially concurred with the Parliament at first, in the opposition of the Forces raised by the King (seduced by evill Counsellors) as we propouned the preservation and de­fence of our Religion, Parliament, Laws and Liberties: so, also, to preserve, and not to ruine the Kings Person; but, mainly to remove the wicked from his throne, that so it might be established in Righteousnesse to Him and his roy­all Posterity; But, we say not to pluck Him out of it, and to bring him to an Arbitrary-tryall for his life, both in respect of his Judges and their Law

In summe, therefore, we have (in all these most weighty respects) too great and just cause to be extraordinarie sensible, that the bringing of the King (the Head of the Common-wealth) to a tryall for his life, before an arbitrary and illegall power, warranted by no Law of God or Man, and the most strange, irregular and unparallel'd proceedings, and contemptuous carriages toward His Majestie, The puting down of the House of Lords, and, The restraining of so many eminent Members of Parliament, by the Gene­rall Councell of Officers in Arms, against all Laws of God and Man, the known priviledges of Parliament, the liberties of the Subject, and their justification of all these exorbitances, in print, instead of Repen­tance and deep humiliation for the same, is but a sad prologue to the ensuing slavery and ruine of all the free borne Subjects of this Re­alm: For, if the Head and most eminent Members of the Common wealth, legally to be protected from violence and tyranny, by so many Oaths, Co­venants priviledges, Laws and Engagements, be thus tyrannically and bar­barously, already, insulted over, and trampled under feet, like dust in the streets, by an imperious Military-power; We, who are inferior to them in all respects, and not invironed with so many priviledges and protections, cannot but most justly fear and expect far greater insolencies and intoler­able pressours to be unmercifully exercised on us by them, when these pil­lars and foundations are not onely thus shaken, but even quite removed and set by; According to our Saviours own words. Matth 10.25. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more wil they call them so, that are of his houshold? In sad and serious consideration hereof, therefore, we say, again and again, we cannot possibly keep silence, though it be an evill; nay, because it is so evill a time: But as professors of the true reformed Protestant Religion, which teacheth no such Doctrines, as these fore-mentioned, and as are, now adayes so unblushingly practised, in rela­tion to the Kings Majesty, and to the rest of his free-borne Subjects, without any respect, or least distinction to their places or qualities; That we may, as much as in us lyes, wipe-off that foul blot and scandalous stain that will (otherwise) inevitably fall upon Religion, by this most horrid breach of our Covenant, especially in relation to our King; that professors of the Go­spell in other Kingdoms may not also suffer by being cast out of royall pro­tection, for the sin of some (pretended) professors among us; And that we our selves (when the approaching Earthquake, which is like to be in the three Kingdoms by fearfull commotions and endles wars, and inevitably [Page 8] like to attend the intended deposure, or violent death of our Soveraign King, sadly falls upon us) may not have outward misery, and inward guilt to meet together without and within us, even our Consciences flying in our faces, for our (at least seeming) consent unto it, by our sinfull silence, But what we may in the singlenesse and sincerity of our hearts) wash our hands and clear our innocencie in the sight of God and the whole Christian world: We do not onely, in generall, make this our just Apologie that we are far from the approving of the breath of our Covenant in any part or branch of it; But, in particular, in reference to that of the Kings Person; so clear and innocent that we declare our Detestation and Souls abhor­rency of that most disloyall action; conceiving it to be such a sin, as Men must create a New Name, for, and God a New Hell or punishment for it.

And, thus now, having (in the unfeined sincerity of our hearts) witnes­sed a good Confession, as in the sight of God, and Men; not from a facti­ous, seditious, vain-glorious, or peevish Spirit of contradiction, or in the least tinctured vile malignity, or apostacie from the common cause of Reli­gion, Liberty and peace of the Kingdome; Though we fear not persecution (for righteosnesse sake in being true to our principles) from those who have power, now, in their hands: yet, not knowing whether by Gods per­missive providence, Satan may not [...]ast some of us into prison for, thus, setting our Consciences at liberty; We therefore commit our Souls, in this our Well-doing unto God, as unto a faithfull Creator, hyding our selves under the shadow of his wings, till these calamities be over past, and looking unto Jesus, who hath assured us, That whosoever shall forsake houses or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands for his Name and Truths sake, he shall receive an hundreth fold, and shall inherit ever­lasting life. We have therefore hereunto subscribed our Names with our hearts and hands;