Eighteen QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED, TO Put the great QUESTION between the ARMY and their dissenting BRETHREN, out of Question, (Viz.) Whether the best way to secure the GOVERNMENT of these Nations, in the way of a FREE-STATE, without a Single Person, King, or House of Lords; Together with our Liberties, as Men and Christians; Be either to Choose a New and Free PARLIAMENT, or else to Restore the last Long PARLIAMENT. Published by JER▪ IVES. 9ber 21 LONDON, Printed by G. D. for Francis Smith, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Elephant and Castle near Temple-Bar, 1659. EIGHTEEN QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED, TO Put the great Question between the Army and their dissenting Brethren, out of Question, etc. READER, IT cannot but affect the hearts of all those that are Lovers of Civil and Religious Liberties, to see the great Assertors thereof fall out among themselves, some pretending, that we cannot secure our Rights, either as Men or Christians, but by a free and new Elected Parliament, and for this they are ready to Engage unto Blood; Others they think, that the last long Parliament, are the only Free Representatives of the People, and that no Force can dissolve them, till they dissolve themselves, and for the restoring them to the exercise of the Supreme Authority over these Nations, they are ready to Engage the Nation in another War. For the satisfying those that dissent by reason of the Persuasions, I shall offer these ensuing Questions. Quest. I. 1. Whether a Free Parliament, ought not by the Laws and Customs of this Nation, to be chosen by the general consent of the People? Quest. II. 2. Whether a Parliament so chosen, ought not to do what they think best for the Weal of the Nation that so chooseth them, without the Interruption of any party, upon any pretence whatsoever? Quest. III. 3. If any shall say, a Free Parliament ought not to be so Elected, and so Impowered; I demand then, How they are a Free Parliament, in the sense that the People of this Nation, according to Law and Custom, do understand a Free Parliament? Quest. iv 4. If it shall be Answered in the Affirmative, that a Free Parliament ought to be so chosen, and so impowered as aforesaid; I demand, (as the Nation is now influenced by Priests, Lawyers, and Cavileirs) How the ends of the good People can be answered, by a Parliament so Elected and Impowered? Quest. V 5. If ever any Parliament could have answered the ends of the good People of this Nation; I demand whether the last long Parliament were not once the most likely of any that went before them, or of any that in reason can be expected to succeed them? Quest. VI 6. Notwithstanding the great hopes we had of them, considering the good beginnings they made, and the fair opportunities the● had, to perfect what they had begun; I demand whether the most considerable of the good things they did, (viz.) the taking away King-ship, and Peerage, and declaring this Nation a Free-state, etc. were not rather the fruits and effects of that force, which was put upon them when the Army garbled them, than the Votes and Results of a Free Parliament? Quest. VII. 7. Whether that Parliament did not Act highest against the interest of the good people of this Nation, when there was no force at all upon them? Quest. VIII. 8. Whether there was not a time when the Army and divers others * Col. Rainsborough. Lieut. Col. Jo. Lylburn. Capt, Bray. Cornet joice. Cornet Thomson. Mr. Rich. Overton. Mr. Will. Walwin, Tho. Prince. etc. were accounted the great Assertors of their Country's Liberties, when they refused to comply with the Votes of the then Free and Uninterupted Parliament? Quest. IX. 9 Whether there was not as much of the hearts and Spirits of all people concurring to their Inte●ption in 1653. as ever was to their Election. Quest. X. 10. Whether those men that last Sat, were not rather admitted to serve the present Exigency (as the best expedient that then could be thought on) rather than out of consciousness to their Just Authority as a Free Parliament? Quest. XI. 11. Whether there did not remain a force upon them all the time of their last Session, in as much as the greatest part of their Members were Secluded? Quest. XII. 12. If all Force, Fetters and Shekles had been taken off, and they had enjoyed the free and accustomed power and privileges of the Parliament of England; I demand, if ever Sir. George Booth, and Major General Browne, etc. had been Voted Traitors? Quest. XIII. 13. And whereas it is objected, that by an Act made by King, Lords, and Commons, that 40. of them should make a Corum, and that they should not be dissolved till they dissolve themselves, and therefore there being yet a Corum, they are therefore a Free Parliament; I demand, whether by this Argument, those which the Army secluded when they came from Hounsloe Heath, may not as well call themselves a Parliament, seeing they were a Corum, and kept their places in the House when the rest went away to the Army, & were as truly forced out then, as these were afterward; & whether this very Argument would not make them a Parliament, if another interest should prevail to take off that interruption. Again, the intent of that Act was not, that any 40. whom, the Sword should separate from the rest should make a Corum, but rather if by degrees some should die, and others by the consent of the Major part should be voted out, as being uncapable to Sat, or that others should be absent by reason of any Emergencies, that then and in such cases 40 should make a Corum, and this is the reason why a fixed number are appointed a Corum in all State Conventions; therefore it remains, that the last Parliament were rather chosen and elected by the Army in the capacity they stood since they were first garbled, than the people's free Representatives, because the Army might have elected that number they forced out, as well as those they kept in, unto whom they might have subscribed obedience? Quest. XIV. 14. I demand then, how any can cry Hosanna, to the last Assembly, as to a just and free Parliamentory Authority, and endeavour to restore them to the exercise thereof, upon that foot of account, unless they also endeavour to take off the first as well as the last interruptions, which how safe that will be I leave others to Judge? Quest. XV. 15. If we should assay to restore them upon a prudential account; then I Query, what reason there is to believe such a thing will be effected unless they will reseed from their own Votes, or the Army subject unto them; which how they can do with safety to themselves, or the good people of this Land, I leave others to Judge? Quest. XVI. 16. If it should be effected, and that they should come to the Exerise of their Authority; I demand what reason there is to believe they will answer the ends of the good People of this Land? Quest. XVII. 17. If their restoring cannot in reason be thought practicable, and if practicable, not profitable; why should we labour in the fire of contention to effect it? Quest. XVIII. 18. If then this cannot be a free Parliament, upon their readmission, considering the force that remained upon them, and that most of the eminent good things they did were by force squezed from them, and therefore in law cannot be the free Representives of the People of England; I demand, whether some other number of honest men chosen out to serve the present Exigency, may not be as lawfulll an Authority as they, and sooner answer the desire of all good People? THE END.