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, 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. 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 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.

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 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.