DECLARATION OF Several Baptised Believers, walking in all the Foundation Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, mentioned in Heb. 6.1, 2.  
WHereas there hath been a Paper lately Printed, end published, in the name of those the World falsely calls Anabaptists, wherein they conceived themselves concerned, to declare and publish something to the view of all men, by way of vindication of themselves, from those false Accusations, and calumnies raised against them, as by their Declaration, is manifested. Yet there being somethings owned by them, (as appears unto us) much disagreeing to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have thought it our duty to witness against them therein, as being not according to a Gospel Spirit, nor the mind of God, neither the consciences of all those whose names were set unto that Declaration.  
And our Reasons for our thus declaring are; 

1. For the satissaction of those, who are much troubled at those things, as well as ourselves, and do not Affect unto them therein.  
2. Lest by that their Declaration, they may be a means to harden any in their way of falsehood, and weaken the hearts and hands of such as are coming out of confusion, which might be done by their seeming too much to approve of a false Ministry, and their atributing of the word Baptism to the Sprinkling of Infants.  
3. Because we are upon the account of truth engaged to bear our Testimonies, (which we hope we shall do to the suffering of death) against that Babylonish Antichristian Worship still on foot, and endeavoured to be more exaltod in these Nations; It standing directly against the true worship of God and truth itself, whereunto once we were inflaved, and from which the Lord through his grace hath diliveredus, and which we do believe, God will in Justice, and with Judgement, bring down and destroy.  
4. Because to our grief and trouble, some especially of those persons, who put forth that declaration, are too much leavened through their adherence to that Antichristian Ministry, and therefore are looked upon by us; as Persons much corrupted both in Doctrine and Practice.    
Therefore though we do Assent in some things with them, in their Declaration, we do notwithstanding, judge it a duty incumbent up on us, to manifest wherein we do Dissent from them.  
And those particulars wherein we Dissent from them are, 

1. Their owning the National Ministry, so as to stand by it and preserve it.  
2. Their abridgement of Liberty of conscience to all sorts of Persons in these Nations, only Episcapacy, Presbytery, or any other slinted form; which is, as we understand, any form of worship the Magistrate shall set up in these Nations.    
Now in the first place, as to their owning the National Ministry, to stand by it and to preserveit.  
We do Judge as God hath abundantly made it manifest in these Nations according to his word; and that to the consciences of most Persons, who truly fear God. So do we look upon it to be Antichristian, having received its being, and maintenence from the Beast, and also because we are forced against our consciences to maintain it, while we Judge it Babylonish; therefore we do in the presence of God, Angels, and Men, declare against it. But as for the Persous who are exercised in this Ministry, we do desire and shall endeavour their peace and well-being as our own.  
2. We do declare, That we would have a full and equal Liberty to be granted, (and that as the Scope of the Gospel) to all Persons whatsoever, without Exception of one or other, in the matters of there conscience in the worshipping of God; For why should we not give unto another, that we would (in this case) enjoy ourselves, or who is he that will Judge another man's conscience: to his own Master, let him stand or fall, if any corrupt, or unsound Doctrine, come into the Church, there is the law of Christ to deal with them by. But what have the nembers theroos to do to Judge them that are without, surely when peace will be upon the Earth, every man shall serve his God, and the Saints shall walk in the name of the Lord their God, therefore our desire is, that God may have that glorious prerogative of Judging men's hearts, according to the Gospel of his Son.  
3. We do declare, that we own Magistracy, to be an Ordinance of God, and it is our desire to manifest our subjection, and obedience, in all things civil and lawful, to all Magistrates, whom God doth appoint, and set over us in these Nations, whose work is to be a terror to evil doers, and a praise unto them that do well, this we do declare, before the Lord, who will judge both quick and dead, at which time the ungodly. Teachers, and leaders of the People, who make it nothing now to speak lies of us, and render us odious to the people, shall them answer for all their ungodly deeds, and hard Speeches against us.  
4. We do declare, that although we would have a Toleration of men in their several worships; Yet we would not have the least. Toleration of any miscarriages in any persons in Civil things, much less of ourselves, but we do earnestly desire that all unjust, dishonest, und evil behaviour against men, may be punished, by those who are Magistrates, who ought not to bear the sword in vain, and that according to the demerit of the fact, of the offending persons.  
This we have thought good to declare, to all the world, whereby they may see our desire is, according to our prayers, for all that are in Authority▪ that under them, we may live, a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness, and honesty, for we know the law is not made, for the righteous, but for the lawless and disobedient, We hope by this Declaration, we have given no just offence, to jew or Gentile, or the Church of God.  


〈…〉 ●nd Skipp.  
Henry Grigg.  
Thomas Helmes.  
Thomas Leader.  
William Rider.   〈…〉  
POSTSCRIPT.  
That all men may know wherefore we have declared against the National Ministry, above others in this Nation, is from that sad experience we have of their cruel deal with us in respect thereof, forcing of us against our consciences (as we have declared) to maintain them, which hath been often discovered, and is plain throughout the whole Nation; & one instance instead of many which we at this time shall give you, is the case of William Lance, and Nathaniel Allen, both Baptised persons, being prosecuted well nigh these two years for Tithes, by William Whittaker Priest of Maudlin's Parish in Southwork, the suit having cost about threescore pounds, for 〈…〉 two and forty shillings; und the or her of fourteen, and now after all this charge and trouble, both the persons are liable of being cast into prison, the latter, them being a very poor man.