••• 
 
 A 
 
 
COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND 
 ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE 
 
 LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 
 
 scB 
 /075? 
 

 5n 
 
 lAPOLOGETICA 
 
 DECLARATION 
 
 OttheConkicntiom Tresbyterians of 
 
 § the Trovtnce of L ON d o N, and oimnytbettfanfo 
 
 of other faitbfull, and Covenant- keeping Citizen*, and 
 *► Inhabitants within the faid City and Suburbs thereof. 
 
 * Wherein their/fr»»^ and faithfutmffe to their firftg 
 
 ^ Principles, and to their So/ewfl Lm^«« and Covenant is Con- |fc 
 
 fcieBtioufly declared ; And the Cvenant-brtaking and Apoflaeie 
 * of 0/to7 h difclaimed and abhorred before God and § 
 
 •* the whole World. v 
 
 £ JanMarie, the 2 4 ,h > I £> 4 P • 
 
 I 
 
 % Ezckiel 9 i7» i*»\% 9 \9- 
 
 J§J Shall they profttr, fhall they efcape, that do fucb things? orjhall they break tbt 
 
 «?► Covenant, and be delivered? 
 
 S ^ they bays~deftfed the Oath, by breakmg the Covenant ( when # s U 9 <& 
 
 jfr f&cjl had given their band) and have done all tbefe things. ^J 
 
 «g» Therefore, thuffaqb the Lord God, As I live, furely, mine Oath wbhh they ♦ 
 
 J? kwc dijpifed, and my Covenant which they have broken 3 even it will I recent* § 
 
 <•> penfi upon their own beads. <g 
 
 JJob,22^o. 5 
 
 Tic innocent fball deliver the Hand ', and itfoall be prefervedby the pttreneff 
 of thy hands. 
 
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 LONDON: Printed in the Yeer, i 64 9. 
 
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 To the Reader. 
 
 Courteous Reader, It is prtijentially coirfidercd 
 and concluded on by the Subfcnbtrs hereof, that 
 (feeing their reverend Minivers ReprefenUti$n y 
 with fubfeription of their Names hath not taken that 
 happieeffeft which was defired, nor flayed the hands of 
 thole to whom it was direded) therefore the publifhing 
 of cheir names that have fubferibed to this apologetically 
 Declaration, will, in like manner, do but little good, in 
 that refpeft ; And, therefore, although they are upon re- 
 cord to the honour of the Gofpel> they are not, now, pub* 
 lifhed, in regard of the pre fent over- a wing Power of the 
 Sword; but may and fhallin due time appear in publick, 
 with more ample andfwehope)moft fatisia<5tory Demon- 
 ftration of the juft Reafons of this their prefent con- 
 cealment. Vale. 
 
(T) 
 
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 :EE the Subfcribers of this our Apologeticali Declaration^ 
 who deuVc to approve our fclvcs tincei e Pro, tj^rr of 
 the true Reformed F rote frant Religion Pns vynrian Ci* 
 tizens and Inhabitants of the honorable, and, lately, 
 famous and renowned City of London, who have cor- 
 dially adhered unto the P arliament,'m its firit and ieeond War 
 againft the Kings Forces, for the defence of the true Pr.ttfrttf 
 Religion, His JMjf fries Perfon^ Crown and Dignity, the Rights and 
 friviledges of Both Houfes of Parliament, and., in them, the Lams 
 and Liberties of the Kingdom : Calling to miodeourfofemn en- 
 gagements, not onely by our Proteflation, ASay, 1 }^ 1641, but 
 efpecially our Solemn League and Covenant, which was foreligi- 
 oufly and ynanimoufly fvvorn unto, with our hands lifted up to the 
 high and holy God of Heaven, that ive would really, fencerely and con- 
 fiant ly y through the grace of God, in our fever all Callings ; and with uur 
 lives and t fiat es, endevour the prefervation of them all; Artie: 1, 2, 3, 
 &c. And, being in our Conferences perfwaded and allured of 
 our indifpenfible obligation fo to do , becaufe moll deeply en> 
 gaged by our faid Covtnant, not tofuffer our felves , direQly or indv* 
 re&ly, by wh'atfoever combination, per Jtvafion, or terror, to be divided or 
 withdrawn from that Caufe which fomuch concerned the glory rfGid, 
 the good of the Kingdom, and honour of the King : But 9 all the dayes of 
 our lives zealoujly and confront ly to continue therein againft alloppofi- 
 tion.r\rt\6. And, whereas, by wofull experience, we are made 
 yeryfenfiblc of the dangerous effe&s of the violation of all our 
 Covenant- concernments, and of thedifappointment of our hopes 
 of reaping the expefted fruits of this defenlive war, for which, 
 we the Subfcribers>h*ve, many of us, adventured our lives, and 
 moft©fus,oureftates,ina meafurc, beyond our abilities,befide« 
 the Common Taxes that have been impofed upon us. And, 
 though we cannot but with bleeding and trembling hearts 
 complain that our Caufe doth in thefefad and perillous times in 
 which we live, meet with fuch violent oppofition, fuch mighty 
 lets and impediments as we are not able to fupprefle and over- 
 come: 
 
(3) 
 
 •ome:yet 9 eonfiderin£ with out* felves, that what we cannot 
 fuppreSe er overcome we are obliged to reveal and make 
 known. Artie: 6. Being alfo moved with fear, left in this time of 
 imminent danger to all that is dear unto us , our filence mould 
 -be taken for csnfent, and Co contract upon our fclves the guilt of 
 betraying Religion, King, Parliament, the Laws and L berties of 
 thi* Nation j having alfo no other way lefc us to fet our Confer- 
 ences at liberty from the aforefaid guilt we might contract by 
 our finfull filence* in this Juncture of time. Wedo,therefore,wnh 
 ihfincerity, fidelity, zeal, and humility, before the mod jult and 
 righteous Lord of heaven and earth, make known unto aU the 
 three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, to ail the £*- 
 fermed-C bur chef, and unto the who'e Cbriflian World , not oneiy 
 the diffatisfj&ion of oar Spirits, at the late and prejent tranfa&ions 
 of thofe who have forcibly aflumed the Supreme-power into their 
 own hands: But alfo do make this our following molt folemn 
 and ferious Apologeticall Declaration for our clearing and jufljica- 
 tion from allowing oraflinting to the illegall aUings of theie pre- 
 sent times. And that we may alfo publilh unto the world the 
 grounds of thefe our moft ju ft exceptions and neceflicated com- 
 plaints herein, we declare,That,notonc!y,ingf7/erj//, our righ- 
 teous Caufe before mentioned isperverted,deferted,apoftatiaed, 
 and fallen* from, by thofe who molt injur iot) fly and falfly re- 
 proach us with Afoftaciefor not affociating with :hem,and bea- 
 ring them companiein their unwarrantable wayes. But, alfo, 
 in/**rfic*/jr,that it is perverted, and abufed in evejjpart & branch 
 therof.As firft,in point of ourKe/igiac, which we are moft deeply 
 engaged by Cw/eraw* to prefer ve and reform in power and purity^ 
 Whereas in our own experience ( confirmed by the Parliaments 
 firit Remonftrance^ Exaft ColkB: pag.4.) Religion* in its purify, was 
 greatly endangered,inthe Prelates times in tntDMrinatt-part} 
 by the errors of Pop ery, and Arminianifme\ and in worfbip, with 
 fuperftitiou? Innovations : And, \n our f-.d apprehenfion, thelV 
 Urine of the Gojpel is, now adayes ? not oneSy more endangered 
 through the increafe of Pvpcry and Arminiamfine , but of moft 
 blafphemous Antifcripiunfmt , Antitrinitariamjme, Antinomia" 
 ?iijm() Socinianifme 9 and many other iuch like heterodox opni- 
 ens, and damnable d ftrines ;But alfo in point oiworfhip, which, 
 
 inftead 
 
(4) 
 £~<7T7 inftead of faar of corrupting, is, now, in great danger of abfo- 
 ^ lute NuBing, by accurfcd opinions both agafhfi the very W f 
 
 Ordinances, the fit-times- and ^/appointed by Cod for their 
 admwi$ratio7i\ and even of the Officers and Mwijhy appointed 
 by Jefhs Chrill 3 for their dfanjation. Which doth the more Cdd- 
 lyafftftour hearts, and enforce this juft Declaration and Com- 
 />/*/«*, becauie of that fo eagerly endeavoured unwarrantable 
 Tolerating of them a!l(excepc,in that fubtil exception of theinf 
 of the open pra&ife o>i Popery and Prelacie) as if it wereThat Li- 
 berty oj Confidence which wc have all this while engaged forjBuc 
 rather, againil which* We do not onely proteit, but conirari- 
 wife profefle and declare that it was,onely,* Liberty of Confidence 
 from fin and em>r,which we propounded in our fieeeLme from our 
 former Egyptian 'faskrnafterj the Prelates. 
 
 In the next place,we further declare again!! the perverting of 
 ourCaufi, in relation to the prefervationof the rights and Privi- 
 ledges of Parliament. For, although we were not able to preferve 
 and defend them, when violated by that unpattem'd and horrid 
 force upon the Houfe, Decemk 6,and 7,laft, 16483 yct we conceive 
 our (elves obliged to Declare againit it, and againll the impri- 
 foiling and fecludingfo many of the faithfulled Patriots and 
 affertors of the publick intereft of the Kingdom; And alfo againft 
 the moftinfolentfubverlionand alteration of the constitution of 
 the Supreme judicatory of the Kingdom, confining of the Kings. 
 PerfonaU or Virtual Pre fence, Lords and Commons, without whom 
 (as we have been alwayes taught and informed ) no Law can 
 be enatted or repealed* The confirmation and inviolable fittlemmt 
 ot which happie National! confiitution, with its prefirvation, were 
 the grounds of our engagements, and no change or alteration of the 
 fame: Whereas, now,to the unexpreffible grief of our Souls we 
 fee a molt ftrong and feirce combination in the General! and Armies 
 CounceVofWane, and others of their partie ( fet forth to the view 
 of us ail, in that Model! of theirs, called, The Agreement of the Peo- 
 ple, and prcfented to that which they call the Parliament, Janu* 
 ary, 20th, 1648.) utterly to fubvert and overthrow the whole 
 jrameot Our forelaid Legal! Government, and to introduce and 
 enforce upon us a moft uncough,itrange,and headlcffe confu- 
 led Arbitrary and tjrannicall Government of their own deviling, 
 
 and 
 
< 5) 
 
 ft I 
 
 and by a new as headleiTe Ktpre/bitatht oFtlrcir 6#n crmpaUing, 
 and yet all this while, (even whiles they are moil violently 
 endevouring to overthrow all our National Fundamental! Go- 
 vernment, the very traiterous aft for which the En! bf Sitafgrd 
 and Ca?n\' dyed, and which they now lay to the Kings charge 
 todeitroy him) molt fallacioijfly and hypocritically they pro- 
 Eeft,anditxugle to perfwade usfas ; .in pagi 29th, of their laid 
 Agreement of the People*) that they are fare from any defire or thought to 
 ajjume or exercife a Law-giving ( thelc are their own words)w ju" 
 diciall power cv^r the Kingdom, er to meddle in any thing^fuve tbtfun- 
 damentall fettling ( f that power in the rnrft equal I or hopeful I way ("as 
 they pretend) for Common- Right and Safety, And this ', they fay, they 
 humbfy tender to w, to cmfider , and accept <f y if we ple.i)e -, WhcraS, 
 alas,we know, and ancient experience hath taught us to know, 
 *£bat a tyrants or Conquerors, Pray, it an irrefifiibU , Command \ And 
 this alfoisn, we thus juftly complain of and declare againft. 
 
 But 3 in the third place , in reia ion to our engagement by the 
 Spoord, and Covenant to defend and preferve our Liberties and 
 fretdomsQn this our, late, mod famous and honourable City of 
 London) according to Law;we are moil heartily foriefor the too 
 J lit occation that wehave to publifh^an i reveal the molt evident 
 Perverfim ofourCaufeunderMs confederation alfo. For, v.heie- 
 as, to enjoy a Propriety in our eitates, with a feedome from Pat' 
 tents, Monopolies) Ship money, and Other illegal! lin^cfitions and 
 Taxes, the Hi erty of our per fins from unlawfuil amps and impri- 
 fintmnts, contrary unto Al.igna Chart a, our Freeborn FrgHfc Spi- 
 rits were raifed( 'or their prejbvxtion and defence*) moil f eely 
 and even prodigally to hy out ourpeifons and purfes ; Wc are, 
 now, not onely in da nger of intolerable flavery inttead of fteedpme 
 and liberty, according to Law 5 But, 10 have our Franchifis and 
 Priviledgesi a? Freemen of this City voted and rent from us. The 
 deep wounding thoughts whereof do fo arTeft and r/eirce our 
 hearts,that we cannot any longer forbear mournfully to com- 
 plain, and Declare, That, firce the 7th of "December laff, i'd are 
 not onely deprived of our Friedamc and liberty to make choice of 
 fitch Ccmmon Councefl-men, who have all along approved them- 
 felves 3 toGod,the Parliament, and City, men faithfuli in their 
 truft 3 they being, now 3 made uncapableof being chofen there- 
 
 u»to 3 
 
7 unto, bccaufe of their honS AOivity for the Ptrfwati-Treaty; And 
 
 that, by an Ordinance made after this fuppofed crime was aft- 
 ed. And j now, as a fad fruit of it, through many Common-Cmn- 
 ceU-men moft illegally and forcibly chofen, in part of .a Common- 
 Counceti, is paflcd a Petition, which, at heft, (hews the framers and 
 promoters thereof, onely to minde E arthly things , not a word of 
 any religious or heavenly concernment , being once mentioned in 
 it 5 And; it is intituled. The Petition of the Commons of the City of 
 London ; Which is not onely a foule injurie and blemish unto the 
 truly religious and cordiall Commons thereof 5 but fills us alfo 
 with fear of future fore breaches of our Franchises , and Chy*i 
 liberties, if not to the totall fubverfion of the whole frame of the 
 well-constituted and long experienced good Gouemment of one of 
 the molt glorious and renowned Cities in the Chriftian world. 
 All which moft injurious irregularities we cannot choofe, as 
 Citizens, but with ineffable greif of heart, here 4 Declare and 
 complain of, being in conference obliged hereunto, even by the 
 Oath of Freemen^ viz: The Franchifes and cuftemes ofthU City you fhall 
 maintain. So that, wherea s, we fought for the defence of our /i- 
 Ex*& Collet, hertiesby Law, that our Englifk Spirits might not be intirnida- 
 p * 5 ' ted or beflaved by the Kings defigne of bringing in of Germane 
 
 horfe : We are, now, fo farre from feeing any fare Foundations, for 
 our liberties and freedome, according to Law, that we look upoa 
 ourfelves in exceeding great danger ("upon that Common plea 
 of the ArmyiNecfffny^to be miferably fubje&ed to MartiaU-Law, 
 inftead of being ruled by the Municipal!- Law of the Kingdom. 
 
 And yet, as if nothing (hould be wanting to make us com' 
 fletely mijerabk, and exquifitely to pervert cur Caufe throughout^ 
 When both King and Parliament were in an hopefull way not 
 onely ofbeing reconciled, but of fettling the Kingdome in a 
 way that would have anfwered,(in fome competent meafure, 
 for the prefent) the cxpenfe of our blood and treafure, and our Ce- 
 z en ant-engagement alfo 5 we are now, not onely dif appointed in 
 our hopes thereof: But, His Ma jetties Royall PerfinQ the defence 
 and preservation whereof, though fo carefully provided for, by 
 the many Declarations of the Parliament , the frequent Proclamtr 
 tions in our ftreets by the beat of the Drum, at rhe beginning of 
 thefe Wars, by our Protefiation May^th, 1641*, and by our 
 
 Solemn 
 
(7) c-ol^ 
 
 Solemn League andCovenant 5 yec, as if the end of our engaging ^ jT 
 with the Parliament had been for the mint of the Rings perfn ^^ 
 
 and regaB Authority) His Majefties Perfin,wc fay, is not onely in 
 extreme danger, by being expofed unto a Try all without war- 
 rant either from the Word of God ,ov the Laws of the Lsnd: But al- 
 fo is thereby plunged into fuch a nature and condition^ as is alto- 
 gether derogatorie to and inconfiftent with the Kings Honour % 
 which we profeflc in qmi Covenant ^\% the 3d part of our Caufe 9 
 for which we engaged. Artie: 6. That the world) therefore, ( to 
 whom we appealed , when we entred into Covenant to preferve 
 and defend the Kings MajejliesPerfon^ and authority, in the prefer- 
 vation and defence of the true Proteftant-Relighn, and Liberties of 
 the Kingdom) yea the Lord God himfelf, Angels and Men, may 
 bear witneffe with our Confcienccs, that we have no thoughts 
 or intentions ("nor ever had) to diminifh His Maffiies jujl power 
 and greatnejje, and that we the Subfcrihers hereof are not Cwe- 
 nant- breakers^ but do utterly diflike and difavow the prefent 
 proceedings againft him, either to the taking away of His Ma- 
 Jefties Crown, much lefle his life, the very thought whereof we 
 from our (ou!s deteft and abhor ; We do, hereby, raoft freely, 
 faithfully and plainly difcharge our confeiences, and do teftite 
 our loyaltie unto the Kings Majeftie according to the duty of our 
 allegiance,exprcfled intheforefaidPntfJ!^i0« A%,5th, 1-641, 
 and the Solemn League andCovenant. And we do,hereby,fnrther 
 declare, that when we fo cordially concurred with the Parlia- 
 ment at firft, in the oppofitionotthe Forces raifed by rhc King ( fe- 
 duced by evill Counfellors) as we propounded the prefervat ion and 
 defence of our Religion, Tarliament, Laws and Liberties :fo, alfo, 
 to preferve,and not to mine the Kings Perfon ; but, mainly to re* 
 move the wic\ed from his throne, that jo it might be eji ablijhed in Rlgb- 
 tewfneffe to Him and his royall Pofierity $ Bu t, we fay, not to pi uck 
 Him out of it, and to bring him to an Arbitrary- try all to* his life, 
 both in refpeft of his Judges and their Law. 
 
 Jnfum me, therefore, wehave(inallthefe moft weighty re- 
 fpe&sjtoo great and juftcaufe to be extraordinarie fennble, 
 that the bringing of the King ( the Headof the Common- wealth) 
 to a try all for his life, before an arbitrary and illtgall power, war- 
 ranted b/ no Law of God or Mankind theniort ftrange,irregular 
 
 B and 
 
/*- ancf unparallel'd proceedings , and contemptuous carriages to- 
 / ward His Majeftie,The putting down of the Houfe of Lords, nnd 9 
 
 The reftraining of fo many eminent Members of Parliament, by the 
 G.neraB C ounceB of Officers in Arn\s,againft all Laws of God and 
 Man j the known priviledges of Parliament, the liberties of the Sub* 
 Jt#, and their jufification of all thefe exorbitances, in print,initead 
 of Repentance and deep humiliation for the fame, is but a fad 
 prologue to theenfuing fiavery and mine of all the Free-bern Sub- 
 jBs of this Realm: For, if the Head and moft eminent Members 
 of the Commcn wealth* legally to be prote&ed fromviolence and 
 tyranny, by fo many Oatbs,'Cevenants« priviledges, Laws and E«- 
 gagtments, be thus tyrannically and barbarsufly, already, infuked 
 over, and trampled under feet, like duft in the greets, by an im- 
 perious Military power 5 We, who are inferior to them in all re- 
 fpe&s, and not invironed with fo many priviledges and protefti- 
 tfff/jcannot but molt iuftly fear and expeft far greater infolencits 
 and intolerable prefjures to be unmercifully ejtcrcifed on us by 
 them, when thefepi//^v and foundations are not onely thus par 
 %*,buc even quite removed and fet-by; According to our Saviours 
 own word s . Mattb. 1 o. 2 5 . If they have called the mafier of the houfe 
 Beelzebub .fafe much more rvil they call them fo, that are of b^ hottjhold? 
 In fad and ferious confederation hereof, therfore,we fay, agai a 
 and again, we cannot poflibly keep illence, though it bean evi]£ 
 nay, becaufe it is fo evill a time: But, *s, pnfeffors ohhe true re- 
 formed Trotefiant Religion, which teachcth no fuch T>o&rines 9 as 
 thefe fore-mentioned, and as are , now adayes fo unbluftungly 
 pra&tfed, in relation to the Kings Mayfly, and to the reft of his 
 free-born Suhje&s, without any refpeft, or leaft dhtin&ion co their 
 places or qualities. That we may, as much as in us lyes, wipe-off 
 that foul blot and fcandalous ftabt that will (otherwift) inevi- 
 tably fall upon Religion, by this moft horrid breach of our Cove* 
 !)<*»*, efpecially in relation to our King 5 that prof ejjlrs of the Go- 
 fpel in other Kingdoms may not alfo fuffer by being cait out of 
 ToyaU protection, for the fin of fome (pretended J profeff>rs among 
 us 5 And, that we our felves (when the approaching Earthquake, 
 which is like to be in the three Kingdoms by fearfull commo- 
 tions and endles wars, & inevitably like to attend the intended 
 depofwt) or violent death of ©ur Soveraign King, fadly falls upon 
 
 us) 
 
as) may not have outward mifery, and inward guilt to meet toge- J s 
 thev y witbout and within us, even our Conferences 6ying in our 
 faces, for our (at leatt feeming) confint unro it, by our finfull fi- 
 lence •> But that we may ( in the finglenejfe and finctrity of our 
 hearts) wafh our hands and clear our innocencie in the fight of 
 God and the whole Chriitian world: We do not one!y 3 in gene- 
 ral!, make this our jult ApoUgie that we are far from the appro- 
 ving ofthebreatb of our Covenant is any part or branch of it; But, 
 in particular jn reference to that of the Kings ?erfon 9 Co clear and 
 innocent, that we do declare our Deflation and Souls abborrency 
 of that moft d fly all aBi»n \ conceiving it to be Jucb afin y as Men 
 muft create a New Name, for, and God a New Hell or punifbment 
 for it. 
 
 And,thus,now 3 having(in the unfeined fincerity of our hearts) 
 wicnetTed a good Confeffion, as in the fight of God,and Men; not 
 from a faeYiouMeditious, vain-glorious^or peevifh Spirit of con* 
 tradition, or in the lea ft tinftured vile malignity , or apofiacie from ^ 
 
 the com mon caufe of Religion^ Liberty and peace of th Kingdom; 
 Though we fear not perfection ( for righteoufneffe fake in being 
 true to our principles) from thofe who have power, ngw, in 
 their hands : yet, not knowing whether by Gods permiffive pro* 
 vidence, Satan may not caflfome of us intoprifon for, thus,fetting our 
 Conferences at liberty - 9 We therefore coronet our Souls, in this 
 our well-doing, unto God 3 as unto afaitbfull Creator, hyding oar 
 felves under the fbadow of bit wings ^ till thefe calamities be over 
 paft, and looking unco Jefus, who hath allured us, That wkofe- 
 ever pall forfa^e boufis,or brethren^ fifters, or father or mother , or wife 
 or children , or lands for hit Name an d truths fa^ be (ball receive an 
 hundutb fold) and fh all inherit everlafting life. We have therefore 
 hereunto fubferibed our Names with our he'art* and hand*. 
 
 FJ^CIS. 
 
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