A DECLARATION Of the Faithful SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY, To all the honest people of the Nation, showing their Resolution to stand by the Good old Cause, And maintain the Liberties and Privileges of the SUBJECT;  
Formerly Printed in Canting Language, and now reprinted with Explanations in the Margin, for the better information of all such as desire to look to the bottom of their DECEITS.  Numb. 16.13. 
And Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, gathered themselves together against Moses, and against Aaron, and said unto them, You take too much upon you, seeing all the Congregation is holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them, wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the Congregation of the Lord?  1 Sam. 10.27. 
But the Children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? and they despised him, and brought him no presents, but he held his peace.  
To rant and mouth is not so near a way,  
To cheat your Brother, as by yea and nay.  
LONDON, Printed Anno Dom. 1659. May 5.   

A Declaration of the Faithful Soldiers of the Army, to all the honest people of the Nation, showing their Resolution to stand by the Good Old Cause, and maintain the Liberties and Privileges of the Subject.  
WHereas it hath pleased God, out of his gracious Providence, to manifest to the good people of this distracted Commonwealth, 
a From which the Authors of this Declaration have revolted.  his Rule and Government amongst us; we do now appeal to the great God, 
b And who holds them in a chain, that they can go no farther than he pleases to suffer them.  whom we must own as the great Commander of our Armies, and General of our Forces, acknowledging him to be the first Worker amongst us.  
By many signal tokens it hath been made apparent, 
c Whilst they stood to their first principles, and were obedient to their Governor.  that God hath owned in a most especial manner the poor Soldiery of this Nation, which must needs strike real reflections upon the Consciences of all sober and honest men, 
d That is, till they rebelled, and no farther.  who have adventured thus far, and have found Jehovah-Jireh, God in the Mount among us all.  
As God hath made and appointed us for the general 
e That is, either as a King makes use of his Armies to destroy his Enemies, or as a Schoolmaster his rods, to scourge his Scholars to make them more obedient.  good of the Nation, so we do most seriously, with real hearts own the 
f As they style them, that is, the Quakers and Anabaptists.  Godly of this Nation, and will be a Covert to them, although to the destruction of our lives and fortunes, if God so pleases for the general good of them all.  
As for the breaches that are amongst us, we 
g As the Authors of them.  claim an interest in them; for the Great God, for our sinful deserts, in our backsliding from him 
h And in violating the many engagements and protestations, which they themselves have at sundry times made to their Governor. , hath laid this visitation upon us; and so we must own his most just deal with us. The consideration of which, does cause reflections upon our hearts 
i Which are very good, if they were in sincerity, which (their actions considered) are much to be doubted.  humbly to own these his chastisements, and to consider these remarkable tokens of his love: For if we consider the 
k Both to God and the whole Nation in these disturbances which they have lately made, whereupon (if God be not very merciful) the inevitable ruin of Religion and all civil Government will ensue.  unworthiness of our deal, and the 
l Which they have (to their great disgrace) too often made, and as often broken.  specious pretences which have gone along with us under fair glosses, we must confess, that what distractions are amongst us 
m Are occasioned by their unnatural rebellion. , are not answerable to our just deserts; But we know that the deal of the Almighty are not to be found out; therefore we confess that we have found God 
n Far beyond their deserts.  merciful, although we have transgressed, for with him is mercy, that he may be feared; and he hath thus dealt with us, that we might 
o But as yet there is but little probability that they do ever intent it.  take notice of his long suffering, and goodness to us; to his glory 
p And their shame and disgrace.  let us ascribe it, and with thankful hearts 
q And with renewed lives, and serious resolutions of better obedience for the future.  return hearty praise for these great mercies received by us,  
And now to come to a further 
r With as much dissimulation as ever.  serious considetation of God's good dealing with us, we do desire to praise 
s They endeavour to persuade the people, that the Lord is the Author of their Rebellions, who are no otherwise united, than as a Company of riotous persons, who combine together to do some outrageous Act.  the Lord for his uniting of the Army with such unanimity and courage, to stand for, and maintain the 
t That is, their own private interest and advantage.  Good old Cause so long contended for, and which the Lord 
u That is, when they kept close to their first principles, which by their rebellion they are now far wide of.  hath formerly so much owned, 
w Nothing more true.  although our backslidings might have given cause of a far greater judgement than hath yet befallen us, which we hope will be prevented by our 
x Which must be after another manner than they now do.  return, and owning our first Principles, with so much cordial affection as is at this time declared amongst us, although 
y And is very probable will be far beyond their expectations.  great opposition might be expected: But that God that can throw down at a blast the loftiest Cedars, can also raise out of the earth small 
z And after make fuel of them, as he did Nabuchadnezzar, to punish the disobedience of the Children of Israel, and after punished him for so doing.  shrubs to glorify him, and to do his work; 
a Hereby doth plainly appear what the ends and aims of these fellows are (which is) that all that are higher than themselves may be thrown down, that so themselves may the better be exalted.  which with heart and mind is so much desired by the faithful Members of the Army, as is at this day experienced amongst us.  
Therefore we pray and hoped it will stir up the faithful of this Nation to 
b That are bound in Conscience both to God and man to oppose them in their present undertake.  this consideration, that although objections may be raised against, and 
c Not so much as they do deserve.  aspersions cast upon the 
d That is, of Low and base birth.  poor despised instruments of this 
e In English, Rebellion.  Work; yet are we 
f As thiefs when they join in a Confederacy to rob; for, saevis inter se convenit Vrsis.  unanimously resolved to maintain our 
g Which they never intent.  first good principles, and to own the Good old 
h That is self exaltation.  Cause, as we have already testified; first, by our Addresses for the rooting out of all 
i That is, such as stood faithful to their first Principles and refused to join with them in their desperate designs.  superfluous and ill affected Members of the Army: and secondly, by our real desires and concordance with the 
k That is, Hasehigge, Vane, and others of the same metal.  faithful, known so to be, 
l The only naming of them is Declaration enough to satisfy any sober person, what their crimes were for which they were turned out.  which were turned out without any just, or lawful account given therefore.  

m They take it for granted, that because God doth permit them a while, to go on in their pernicious Courses, therefore (of necessity) he must countenance and allow them as good.  As God hath been pleased to instruct us so far as to begin the work, so we hope the Lord in his time will perfect the same, for the 
n Which must be either by their conversion or destruction.  general good and comfort of this Nation; not doubting, but the honest people of this Commonwealth will take notice that we are not 
o The contrary doth very clearly appear to all that have but one eye to see (except Hewson) but Hypocrita cupit videri justus.  self-seekers, nor desire to be selfended, but conscientious in these things; 
p Which if they did in reality but half so seriously consider, as they do here seemingly pretend, I doubt not but they would soon give off the course which they have now undertaken.  assuredly knowing that the Lord judgeth the mo●t secret thoughts, and that no practice nor thing form against God shall prosper, who is able to do his own work without any instruments at all.  

q If these fellows had any sparks of Conscience left in them, or did in the least understand what they say, they would not dare to make such protestations and invocations of the a●d of God, their actions being so odious; but I fear I wrong them to speak of Conscience, to which they have bid farewel many years since.  Therefore with serious reflections upon Lord to bless these our honest desires, and to our consciences▪ we do most humbly implore the 
r It hath been the practice of Rebels in all ages, to cloak their wicked designs with the names of Religion, and the Glory of God, whose footsteps these men now follow.  go along with us in our hearty endeavours to glorify him: And truly, since the Lord hath been pleased to stir up our hearts in this great work, to the glory of God be it spoken, we have likewise from the 
s That is, Quakers and Anabaptists.  Faithful of the Nation 
t Like will to like, as the Devil said to the Collier.  received so great encouragement & concurrence in our desires, 
u That is, in doing mischief.  in one and the same thing, that it doth greatly encourage us. And we hope we shall with an unanimous courage show ourselves for 
w Or in English, for the throwing down and destroying of Religion.  our good God, 
x For their own private interests.  for the Good old Cause, and 
y Their fellow Traitors.  for the good people of this Nation; to whom we do most 
z As unfeignedly as they have made all the rest of their protestations.  unfeignedly present these just 
a They are still fixed in their resolutions to do mischief.  intendments we are fixed upon.  
And we likewise return most 
b That is, full of insincerity.  sincere thanks to the 
c The Abetters in their w●●ked designs.  honest people of this Nation, especially to our 
d That is, Cobbling Friends, as Hewson and others.  Cordial Friends in this City, and the places adjacent, for their many 
e Whoever yet did any action how desperate or pernicious soever it was, that were without exhortations and encouragements from those of their own opinions.  good exhortations, and the great encouragement we have had from them in these our proceed.  
And truly we hope the Lord will 
f That is, so far as he intends to use them is instruments to punish this Nation for their sins.  bless our 
g To do mischief.  real endeavours in these our 
h In English, unhonest.  honest principles; for we are not only desirous to 
i In English, to rebel ag●●●●● their Lawful superior, who (they fear) will bring them to condign punishment for their offences.  destroy any Arbitrary power that shall oppose us herein, but likewise to be 
k That is, faithful Brethren in Iniquity.  unanimous for a present applying of ourselves to the performance of that we do declare. And we desire to make these our 
l Which is their shame, and in the end will prove their confusion.  purposes apparent, hoping that the good people of this Nation will with serious hearts 
m That is, join together against them.  join with us, as they have begun; and do not question but those to whom we have access will faithfully own us, and give us encouragement in the same.  
These 
n Pharisaical-like applaud their own ways, how repugnant soever they be to the word of God.  honest Resolutions of ours we thought fit to 
o That the World may see their knavery.  declare to the good people of this Nation, not doubting but that they will own, and stand by us, as long as we stand for the Good old Cause▪ (
p Which if they do expect, and seriously desire, as they do here pretend, let them speedily forsake their wicked designs, and unfeignedly turn to the Lord with their whole hearts, and obey the word of God which sayeth, Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers, for their is no power but of God, and the powers that be, are ordained of God: whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  desiring the Lord to own us all, and to bring us to the wished effects of our Spiritual and Temporal desires, for the public good of the Commonwealth; and in the end to eternallize us in the blessed union and fellowship of himself in glory, is the hearty prayer and desire of all the Honest and Faithful Soldiers in the Army.  
The Devil oft for his servants does his best;  
But now since Mortals have the Fiends possessed,  
Seek Hell no more, but with worse men compact,  
Wouldst thou to life unheardof mischief act.   
FINIS.