CERTAINE QUERIES Propounded, to the standing ENGLISH ARMY; By an unfeigned Friend [...] Piety and Publique LIBERTY.
OH you standing Army of England! were you not raised and maintained for Defence of the Peoples priviledges in a free Representative, which ought to be as free from apprehension of force, as impulsion of Faction? But are you not now made use of for carrying on the contrary, to the very Abolition of Parliaments by unheard of Violations and unpresidented breaches, whereby is not Liberty (the Honour and Purchase of our Ancestors) the price of your own and Brethrens Blood, Time, Treasure, Prayers, Tears and Appeals, become an Eutopia to us and ours? Nay, are we not a Prey to those alone, who have taken to themselves the determining Power of the danger and necessity of three Nations, and under pretence of Cementing, have unsetled our security; over which have they not usurped a most unparrallel'd arbitrary Power ? Hereupon is not the hand of God gone out against you abroad, and a sentence of Death (as some of your own Party have confest). past upon you at home? Are not our Estates wasted, Trade by Land and Sea decayed? And after some thousands of lives lost; for your Hypocrisies, Apostacies, Perjuries, and Oppressions, are you not all the world over become a Callumny or Parrable of reproach? Yet can you enjoy your places and profits, (whilest others true unto their Trust are persecuted and oppressed by imprisonment, banishment, &c.) stand still and see the Free Representatives of the People (the very Bulwarks of our Liberties) laid aside or cut assunder with the same Sword, whzich were first drawn for their Defence?
II.
Yet would [...] of the Army be so honest after all your Interposings as to permit a true decision of the Question, whether the judging Power of the Nations necessity and safety more properly depends upon a Parliament or a Protector? Would it not soon be decided, whether it were more porper for the People to have good laws executed by a Religious Representative of their own without a Protector, set up of and by himself; or to be under a Protectors Will and Power, without a Representative, or any law, but what hoe's pleased to put upon us, without or against the consent of Representatives or People? Hereby is not your Protector (as is apparent by too many Presidents) sole judge and Advocate in his own and all other cases, courts and causes? But if the Peoples Representatives be the undoubted supreame Authority of the Nation, is it not easie to determine, who in this case should be the Judge of all Necessities &c. Or, is it not easie also by this means to understand what danger we are already in, of forfeiting the security of all our Estates, Laws, Liberties, Priviledges and Proprieties, by an unparrallel'd Arbitrary Power? Or, once more to be made a most miserable sacrifice to an unlimitted Royal Malignity, under the unequalled Power of a most perfidious and presumptuous single Person?
III.
When Justice was executed upon the late King, when Parliaments were purged, and dissolved, did not your General in yours and his own name, Promise and protest, to remove all oppressions and oppressors, to [...] on the work of Reformation in that much commended way of a Common-wealth, (in opposition to Monarchy) the very next step (as some understand it,) to that expected and approaching kingdome of Christ, so speciously by your intitled Protector pretended to at Pinckland-hils in Scotland? Oh have you forgotten how often with hands and eyes heaved up to Heaven, he hath Protested, that if God would be pleased to enable him there unto, he would endeavour to promote the Cause and Kingdome of Christ Jesus, if not in Power, yet in Justice and Righteousnesse? Might he not yet do it if he would? Or, if he will not, may, nay ought you not to endeavour to see it done (in [...]u [...]rsuance of your Oathes, Protestations and Declarations (especally that in Scotland 1650.) without him? Will not otherwaies all the Nations of the Earth in the present and after Ages say, that either you wanted Grace and [...] to endeavour it, or skill and courage to effect it?
IV.
But if you pretend ignorance of your cutie herein, will it not behove you to look back to what you have sworn to maintain, appealed, Covenanted, Protested and Engaged to make good? Are there not hands and hearts enough in England ready to promote and pursue the purchase of publique Liberty (the price of so many by-past bloody victories) and in order thereunto, to set up a Free Representative consisting of men fearing God, and hating Coveteousnesse, men of choice of light and life, who can content themselves to make the Scriptures the rule of all their actions and Ordinances? Will not such avid former Fractions and Divisions in the House, siding [...] &c. with the scruples of any other wayes, medling [...] matters of consciencious concernment? Would they not be [...] herein to be bound up or limitted by their Electors, for [...] making (upon any other grounds of humane invention) [...] which are either tyrannicall or Arbitrary? May not upon this [...] grond Publique Liberty, Fifth Monarchy, (so called) and all [...] honest intersts be united? The Cavaleerish and all [...] destructive Parties prevented and disappointed?
V
The Members of a Free [...] thus appointed and chosen by such as have from [...] encement of the War hither to continued faithfull [...] God and their Countrey (all Neuters, Apostates, [...] or open Opprestors, and under myners being there [...] might not the Lord our God (by enabling you [...] to make good your Engagements) rowle away the [...] Under and withall restore (together with the [...] and Priviledge of the Peoples Representatives) the [...] interest of these Nations? Nay hereby may you not [...] mercinaries to an arbitrary Power, become once [...]) the Saviours of your Country, the prosperous [...] those, who have set themselves over us? Who are [...] plotting to pack a juncto of Parrasites (under than [...] of a Parliament) to undergo the the odium they [...] polling and oppressing the People, by taking up [...] the most ungainfull and ungratefull promotion of the [...], or otherwayes the most ignominious conclusion of [...]?
VI
But will not you of the Arm [...] be honest? If but men you must: If Monsters, still [...] to your Conutry and kindred, and having fought us [...] to slavery, dare to be so degenerate as either to [...] to the Royall party, or to the Invasive power of [...] Enemy, or otherwise [...]o seal our miseries with the for [...] but Honour, Faith and Conscience. But may we not [...] have some remaining [...] of that ancient English [...] shined so eminent [...] you (seemingly) [...] hereof prompt [...]? Can you set Ho [...] so [...], as not [...] your du [...] to any [...]eherous [...] not a direfull execra [...] curse your dust [...] to God and your [...] to so noble an [...] deserved [...] Repairers