THE DECLARATION AND PROCLAMATION OF THE ARMY of GOD, Owned by the Lord of Hosts in many Victories. To all the good People of GOD thtoughout ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, and IRELAND, &c. Whereunto is annexed 17 necessary Proposals for the Enthro- of God's Laws, settling of good Judges in every City, taking off the Excise, and assessments, and payment of the soldiers, with the advancement of a free Trade and manufacture, for the good of the Poor in the three Nations, without injury to any man's Propriety; with security proffered of 500000 l. if the Premises be accepted of by the Parliament and Army. The second Edition enlarged with new Additions. LONDON, Printed by J. Clowes for the author, 1659. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber THE DECLARATION AND Proclamation OF THF ARMY of GOD. whosoever doth righteousness is Righteous, (1 Jo. 2. 29. 3. 7. 10.) Wherefore having the Sword of the Lord put into our hands by His All-Wise Providence, councelling the Godly party in the great Parliament, & stirring up the honest People thereto; as also the several Appeals and Declarations of the late King and Parliament, pressing upon us the Necessity of the Sword, even by Protestations, Covenants, & several engagements imposed on us and others, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well, (Rom. 13, 3, 4. 1 Pet. 2. 14.) Which Work the Lord so prospered in our hands, that by us he wrought Peace throughout the three Nations, in so much that supposing our work done we slumbered till we saw men in high places Drunk with the Cup of Fornication (Rom. 17. 2. 18. 3.) and ourselves already hurried amongst the Worshippers of the Beast, and his Image. (Rev. 14) At last the Terrors of the Lord (2 Cor. 5. 10.) have awakened us, and we now behold all three Nations, as in the Parable (Mat. 12. 44. 45.) swept and garnished, and the unclean Spirit bringing with him seven other Spirits, more wicked than himself; so that the Treasure is exhausted, Merchants and seamen discouraged, Trade de●●yed, Prisons filled, Westminster-hall thronged with Lawyers and clients, and complaints, and Fees innumerable, whilst Injustice, Poverty and Oppression increase and Triumph; And ourselves made use of, but to raise and exact Taxes though left without pay, or Honourable employment, and many poor soldier's Families wholly Famished. We Declare and Proclaim, That we have obtained now strength of the Lord, and do as One Nan resolve (by his Almighty Help) one these Particulars. 1. Liberty of conscience; but not of Sin. 2. God's laws to be Enthroned; but not the Jews. 3. Judges to be chosen in every City; but not imposed. 4. Taxes and Excise to be taken off, and never more laid on. 5. Free Trade for all Victuals, Ammunition and materials inported, & for all Manufactures exported. 6. To endeavour a maintenance for soldiers that have been for the Good Old Cause, without Taxes or Oppression of the People. 7. To endeavour all the Poor may be employed and maintained, without injury to any man's Propriety. 8. Prison Doors to be set open, to let out Debtors to labour toward the payment of their Debts. 9 And for preventing Royalists and Malignants from sitting in Parliament to dispose of the Estates, Lives and Liberties of those whose vassals they ought to be by Conquest, and so revenge by Councils what they lost in war, the qualifications were thought fit for the Election of either new supplies, or new Parliaments. 10. A Parliament or supply to be called from all Parts of the three Nations for the better settling of this intended Good. 11. Elections not to be by a confused Rabble, nor yet returned by a more Corrupt Sheriff; but to be chosen, or at least approved by the several Congregations for places aforesaid. 12. Such Parliament men to be maintained by the several respective places they are chosen for, and to bring with them the Attestation of the said Election, under the Hands and Seals of the respective Congregations at large, certifying also their employment, Conversation, and time of abode amongst them. 13. That each Congregation have liberty to demand an Account of the several Representatives; And upon their not discharging the Trust, to redemand them, and to choose others. 14. That neither the Army, nor any Officer of the Army shall have to do with Judicature, after the settling of the Laws of God throughout the Nations, so long as they continue Members of the Army. 15. Because that Mercy is better than Sacrifice; and to save Life more than to destroy it: Therefore an Act of Oblivion for all men that may be pardoned, without leaving the Guilt of Sin upon the Nation, or doing injury to any difference between man and man. 16. That there may be sufficient Provision for a godly ministry throughout all three Nations, upon such Establishment as may satisfy each Religious Conscience without wounding the Liberty of any. 17. That there may be an honourable entertainment for above 1000 Lawyers or Judges, if so many honest may be found, with sufficient Clarks and Registers under them. Since this was gathered, as the intent & meaning of some old soldiers and Officers, together with the mind of some godly people of the Nation; It hath pleased God to hasten the Resurrection of that Parliament, that first modelized these Kingdoms into a commonwealth: to whose grave consultations, as to all others that desire the good of this republic, and the establishment thereof, upon solid and unalterable foundation; this lies open without interrupting either public Councils, or private affairs; wherein these 3 difficulties chiefly appear. 1. To pay the soldier. 2. To take off Taxes. 3. To quicken Trade; For it were great Ingratitude to let the good old soldier perish for want of pay, who hath stood in the breach, and born the heat of the day. It were tyranny and Oppression still to burden the suffering People with assessments, Taxes, and Excise, who have spent themselves to Poverty and ruin for the Good Old Cause. It were destructive to the Nation, & would expose us naked to the mercy of foreigners, not to encourage Merchants and seamen. All which, having been the long meditations of some able and well-meaning men, and God having answered their frequent desires, and Petitions in this behalf: so as to show them a very probable way, not only for the maintaining of the Good Old Officers and soldiers, but of their Families also without assessments, Excise, or other Taxes on the people, Together with the maintenance of the navy, without customs on Ammunition, Victual, on materials imported, or any Manufactures, exported, or without invading any man's propriety. They look upon this juncture of time as the Voice of God calling upon them, and giving them opportunity to endeavour so good a work. Nevertheless desirous to be assisted in so great an enterprise, by as many persons of note & ability as God hath made willing and able, together with themselves to put in sufficient security for performance hereof; they are entreated to send in their names to Livewell Chapman, bookseller in Popes-head-Ally by the Exchange, who hath promised to keep them secret, till by sober and frequent meetings the matter may be digested, fit to be presented to the Parliament and chief Officers of the Army. Where if the Propositions prove acceptable, there will be a sum of 500000 l. ready towards performance of the same. This Paper having found favour in the eyes of some worthies of the Parliament, Army, and the City. It is the desire of those in London (who are willing to engage their Estates in the undertakings, when all difficulties are removed) That they likewise in the Countries, whom God hath made able men of Estates, and of a willing mind thereto, might also send in their Names, that so there may be a full meeting to advise, both how to perform these great Services to the Nation, and how to obtain the favour and Assistance of the Parliament and Army herein. There being very great encouragements and Probabilities to answer all Objections, and overcome all Difficulties that may seem at first sight to appear therein, FINIS.