THE INTEGRITY OF THE PARLIAMENTS ARMY JUSTIFIED.  
By a short, plain, and cordial Answer to the eight queries lately published to the Reproach thereof.  
LONDON: Printed by Matthew Symmons. 1647.   

The Integrity of the Parliaments army justified, by a short, plain, and cordial Answer to the 8. queries lately published to the Reproach thereof.  
TO the first I answer. That as all comparisons are odious, so of all others, this the more abominable; savouring of no small malice and unheard of ingratitude: to compare a pious Army( by whose indefatigable labours, and miraculous victories this Nation is become so happy) to a Pagan 
* Hazael.  Prince, through whose cruelty and out rages the Children of Israel were become to miserable. Again, to parallel them with the Anabaptists in Germany, who were a wicked Sect of heretics, men of private interests; so unlikely to put in execution a self-denying Ordinance, that they unjustly coveted the estates of other men. Whereas these are well known to be men of public spirits, who have denied themselves to the death, have subdued the Kingdoms Enemies, yet like the Jews in Hesthers time laid not their hands upon the spoil. So that in very truth, the Quaerist might as well have said, that because a Reprobate may finally fall from grace; a Saint may do so too.  
For the second: You may perceive the Gentleman to be of a forward spirit, presuming before he understand the matter, to censure the Actions of this glorious Army; and you know what a wiserman then he says of one in such a case. For no man will say that he was present at the transacting of that businesss, or knew the impulsive motives inducing that council to remove the Person of the King; and yet he assumes the boldness to aver, that it was done groundlessly, and prooflesly. A second presumption greater then the first, is, that the Army comes up( as he though falsely affirms) against the Parliament; a high crime indeed, if made good, no less then the highest Treason: but what does he deserve that cannot? that Ile leave to the Army in due time. But let him make it good, and we'll all arm in opposition to this Army; not doubting of success against them though formerly never so victorious. And now I must needs admire his temerity, who in his censure thus out-runs the Constable, for the Parliament says no such thing, but rather the contrary, by their own avowing this Army to be theirs, and that also since their deferring to disband; and their approach this way: whereby it appears, that some mens pens are like some mens feet, swift to  shed blood; for had the Parliament or City given credit to a lie so soon as this man, and some others of his Fathers Children, what mischief might have then ensued; by which you may perceive of what party he is. The like to this made Saul destroy the Priests of the Lord, and to persecute holy David, nay made David( otherwise a man after Gods own heart) to divide the land of Mephibosheth between him and lying Ziba: and this peradventure might have caused the raising of such an Army, which should it have proved victorious, would have( in all probability) more perplexed the Kingdom, then can be imagined: & had this Army an intention to destroy the City, or Parliament,( as malice mutters) they having sufficient power in their hands, and backed with Authority from Heaven, why would they deferred it half so long? why did they give such fair warning to provide, arm, and defend? thieves use no such fair play, when they intend desired booty.  
Therfore if to Petition in an humble way about matters of highest concernment to the Kingdoms good; if to approach near the place of negotiation, that affairs may receive speedier dispatch; and if to propound such wholesome things as make most for the public good for all conditions of men: be a means of confusion, and cause of delay, I have lost my Reason, let all honest men judge.  
The third Quaerie is more grossly absord, holding no parallel with this Armies proceedings; nor King nor Cade had half that power, nor one jot of that cause this bath: and you know opportunity makes the thief: Cades Army was without consent, nay against Authority, and was Rebellion indeed, and so censured, as that which would have been destructive to all goodness, this diametrically opposite: not in a tumultuous mutinous manner as he saucily asserts, but in an humble, meek, and quiet way, no man complaining but Malignants; nor fearing, but such as not innocent.  
The King, seduced by a Popish, prelatical, wicked party, came without a 
* The King in Person can accuse none.  Charge, and that into the House itself( an high breach we all confess) these with a Charge promised to be made good) and waiting at humble distance lest they should offend. So that you see the rashness of this giddy youth, as youth most commonly is precipitate; but if he be more ancient, why this is the age of dreaming to old men, and so is he, or else in a delicium: but be he young, or old, doubtless he is a man of the Law, for I perceive not one jot of Gospel mercy in him to the poor Saints. He looks with a direct eye upon human Authority, but with a squint eye on that which is divine: who knows not but that the Laws of men may be defective, needing supply from Principles of Right Reason? But he maintains the Law,( because as Demetrius said of Diana's shrines) that maintains him, but really all good men ought to maintain Truth; covetousness is the root of all evil: this made the corrupt Scribes say to a new cured Saint, this people that know not the Law are accursed; though had they had but so much Gospel wisdom as he, they had been blessed. This man will not allow this glorious Army, the liberty of Se defendendo, which a Virgin has against a lustful deflowering Prince though her sovereign; or a single person assaulted by his King: but under pretence of Law, imagines mischief as a Law. If he can find out any means under Heaven for Englands preservation, but this which the Army now does, we'll submit: but if none, then for shane let him be for ever silent: and let all brave English Spirits, that will not be enslaved by Arbitrary Power, join, to assist the good Party in Parliament, and this Army, that comes to this very purpose; and follow their steps, who have made many a weary one for you. Otherwise you had been long ago miserable: I believe you hear every day the railing of those Rabsbekaes, who dare defy the Army of the living God, fear them not, God will cut them off shortly: be not you failing in your duty to help the Lord against the mighty, each man according to his talent to give aid; and, if need be, to be ready to lay down your lives for the Brethren; and bring Incendiaries, &c. to deserved punishment. To this the Covenant obliges the Army, and all honest men, red but the 3. 4. 5. Articles, and see your duties, and remember how dangerous and base a thing it is to be a Covenant-breaker: and how shall you but break your Covenant with our Brethren of Scotland, if you should permit wicked men to engage them against that good Party, on whose fide at first they fought, and had a share in our Victories against the sons of Belial?  
As for Goring, Percy, and Germins bringing up the Northern Army, suits no way with this: That being for the ruin, this for the preservation of Parliaments. But surely if the Quaerist be not a Jermin, nor a Goring, he's very like a Percy, an hot-spur, one that would fain bring up another Northern Army: or, rather then fail, 
If I cannot bend the gods, Ile raise the divels.  would do as one lately said in a public place, Hectore si nequeo superos Acheronti movebo? speaking in opposition to this Army.  
Now for the fourth, the Gentleman is clean beside the cushion, affirming( though very scandalously) that the Army refuses to disband, and so are guilty of disobedience. Which I deny: For, 1. who can justly say they ever gave a positive refusal to disband, let that appear either in word or writing. 2. Who will say that the deferring of a thing required, in such a manner, and at such a time, is a denial; when as the same thing may be done at another season more opportune, and better both for the Commanders, and the commanded. Gospel charity extended to that Son which at first refused, but afterwards did his Fathers will; condemns this mans uncharitableness: stay a while, and you shall see cause enough why this brave Army should have as much favour from you, as that servant who, though inferior, refused to put in execution the Stewards command though his superior; because he knew it would prove prejudicial to his Lords affairs, and then a pious Parliament will not repent, that it hath played the part of a patient Job, not to refuse his servant that contended with him. And had our furious men but well observed this heavenly maxim, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, they would not so rashly have condemned the righteous, as some of them have done, with nothing but the mutiny of Rebels and Traytors in their mouths, to the reproach of this blessed innocent Army, and to the grief of some souls who have heard them; which indeed is one cause why I have thus put pen to paper, a thing which I shall not trouble the world with often: and I think 'twere happy there were less writing. But if I should not now upon so necessary an occasion, the stones would.  
Now for Irelands obstruction: indeed I confess 'tis a matter of high consideration, and let him perish that pities not the Saints in that Nation, and that would not relieve them with more then ordinary contribution: But let the saddle be placed on the right horse, and if any among the Army hinder so pious a work, he is under the doom we spake of before: but I am sure that sin cannot be laid on the Army; you will shortly hear who are the obstructers; which is fitter for an Army to discover than a private Pen. Irelands felicity consists in Englands ability; and when England shall be fit, we shall do more good in one month, then now in twenty: then sand the Army over with its own Officers, and make a perfect establishment for their subsistence; and 'tis not to be doubted, but those limbs of Antichrist in Ireland, and their Adherents in England( who have cruelly oppressed the Saints) shall be but as to or stubble before the fire.  
The fifth is most ridiculous: for who should we trust, but those that have been trusty? And surely, who should a man venture his life withall, but with him that hath saved it once already? And whom should we distrust, but those that from the beginning have acted in the ways of ruin? onely wanted votes till now of late to play the Kngs Game, though he sate still? He might as well have said, Children fear your indulgent parents will destroy you; wives do not confided in your most faithful husbands, so all relations; and so let the world be turned topsy turvy, as this man would bring all to confusion. Wise men follow the best mens experience; but fools do otherwise.  
And whereas he insists so much on privileges not to be violated, I am as much as he for their preservation; but yet I must not be so fillily wedded to an old fashion, but that I'll follow a new one which is more commodious, and decent. What man of sound sense can be ignorant, that in cases of necessity, Laws, Prerogatives, privileges, mast give place to the Law of Nature, 
* The good of the People.  Salus Populi then rules: Joab must be slain at a privileged place, though sacred. The privilege of a member is to be in the body; but if defective endangering the rest, Ense residendum, privilege is not of the essence of life, but an excressence, which may be waved without prejudice, 'tis an upper garment to be laid aside upon occasion, so these old forms and customs will be less in fashion as the world grows wiser. Tis the privilege of a Member not to be arrested during the Parliament, that he might not be interrupted in the Service of the Common-wealth. But if the Parliament becomes perpetual, whereby many Members greatly indebted, paying neither principal, nor interest, but giving opprobrious language, to the wounding the souls of those, without whose help they had lived poorly, may not been at all, this forfeits privilege, and makes it null, ipso facto, and as the Parliament grows better, th s will be amended also.  
For Law, we know the Law is good, if lawfully used: many times Summum jus is summa injuria; extremes are always to be avoided: All Laws have their letter that kills, as well as their spirit that gives life. He that extracts this spirit, leaves the dead letter to the prejudice of him that shall have occasion to use it. The Law commands that every man that sheds blood, by man shall his blood be  shed yet the supreme Law-giver permits that Law to be infringed in many cases. Theft in some places is punished by a seven-sold restitution, in others by death; yet as wise a Law-giver as some of us, expects we should not despise a thief that steals for his necessity. I know indeed no limits to that Law, so the ends be right in order to the whole.  
And now for blustering Prerogative that like a torrent would fain carry all befo e it: Why all men know, or would know,( but that they have mens persons in admiration because of advantage) that the chief flowers thereof are for the benefit of the Subject: as conferring of Honours, coinage of Money, granting of Pardons, &c. in some cases yet in others the King may not, without forfeit of his own: Thy life shall go for his, says he that can make this good, even upon Kings, when he pleaseth; The efore 'tis plain, that when Prerogative looseth its end, it forfeits its birth-right.  
The sixth and seventh queries are not worth the answering, as being but matter of Recrimination, an old trick of guilty persons, who fearing the justness of the own cause, labour to blemish that of the adversaries: but this man is so much the more unworthy in that he abuses his best friends, without whose valour and fidelity he had been miserable, if he have any honesty in him. An Heathen King shewed more mercy to Hector( though against the unalterable Law of Medes and Persians) then this hath for the Saints of these dayes. The Jew Gamaliel had more justice in him, then this, he would not judge before he heard: according to the rule, Qui statuit aliquid parte inaudita alter, &c. Who does decree before both parties heard, may make a just sentence, but himself not just. Herein he plays Satans part exactly, and becomes he Accuser of the Brethren: For is it reason the good Angels should be condemned for doing good, because the evil are so, for doing bad? for none of the Members then elected had been in Array with the King, nor contributed to his assistance, as some have done who were lately chosen; who since their coming in, have joined, to undo all that the good had done before, and have endeavoured to carry us back into egypt, and to bring us all into a miserab e confusion. And for his Quaere, whether the new Recrutes in the Army will expect old Arrears; 'tis probable they will not: and as 'tis charity so to believe; so is it the contrary, to suspect them.  
The 8. may be answered altogether with the negative, as I have made clear in my Answers to his former queries. This being by tautology but the result of those, and that upon supposition that his premises are granted, before he hath made them good. And though the successses should prove contrary to our expectation, the Lord do what seemeth him good, his Saints have put their lives into their hands( as they have done often before for this Kingdoms good) and if they perish, they perish; they will not die like fools; for all the Saints in England will die with them, and though ungrateful men should so ill reward them: they know their reward is with their God in the Heavens.  
And thus having, as I humbly conceive, given a full Answer to the queries, because I see he did expect one: I make bold to address myself to the true and wise hearted Commons in Englands Parliament assembled, with all humility and earnestness of spirit, beseeching them to look about them, as finding by experience that a mans greatest Enemies are those of his own house; and therefore that they would thoroughly purge that House, and do one thing more,( without which do what they can) the Kingdom never will have Peace, viz. to make inquisition for blood, and washing it from that one door, where at it hath been laid, to place it rightly on whomsoever it ought; not fearing any foreign Forces, but fearing the God of Justice; who, unless Justice be done, will be your greatest enemy. The God of Peace direct Parliament, City, and Army: which is the Prayer of him that so much honours Law, Prerogative, and privilege not abused, that he would be content to sacrifice his life in that just Vindication.  
FINIS.