certain QUERIES concerning the danger of taking the late forced Engagement: Sent from the general Assembly of Divines of the Kirk of Scotland, to their Presbyterian Brethren the Mnisters of LONDON.  
IT was ordered by the Parliament October 11 1649. that many men of quality, especially such as are employed in any Office of Trust or eminency in the Land, should take this following Engagement.  
I do declare and promise, that I will be true and faithful to the Common-wealth of England, as the same as now established without a King, and House of Lords.  
It is thought that this Engagement ought not to be taken as being neither profitable, honourable nor honest, as appears by these following Reasons. 

1. The Parliament since it had power oppressed the People with unheard of Assessments, and unsupportable Excise.  
2. There can be no expectation of any end thereof, as themselves intimate in their late Declaration against the Levellers; for they say what is gotten by the Sword, must be kept thereby.  
3. Under an endless Parliament we are all Slaves, and it is impossible to be otherwise, sitting the Legislative power; for all mens lives, and estates depends on their Votes; so that the Arbitrary power which they blamed the King for, they usurp themselves.  
4. To make our slavery more absolute, we are over-awed with the power of an Army, which we maintain at our own charges to tyramnize all the kingdom over.  
5. The settling of our new Common-wealth, engages us in war with foreign Nations.  
6. It hindereth Commerce and Trading with them, and is like to do so more, and more.  
7. It exposes our Seamen and Merchants to the danger of pirates, who under pertence of having Commissions from the King, they rob all they meet with, to the undoing of many Families.  
8. The Parliament all this time hath not, and doth intimate not obscurely that they will not settle any Church-Government, whereby a great gap is openned to licentious profaneness, illegal marriages, and many other mischiefs and disorders.  
9. They do apparently connive at, or rather countenance all Opinions, whereby Blasphemies, schism, errors, and Heresies abound, and the true Religion is in great danger to be lost.  
10. None of all these inconveniences were under Monarchy, at least, not in such an height.  
11. The King and Lords have as just right to their places, as general cronwell hath to his Doublet,( that was his own expression) and therefore it were unjust to deprive them thereof, now to assist such Injustice, and usurpation, and to engage for the maintenance of Usurpers is to render a mans self accessary to others mens sins.  
12. This Engagement is contrary to our former oaths of allegiance, supremacy, Obedience, Protestation, Covenant, &c.  
13. It exposes us( without Repentance) to Gods Wrath, and fearful Judgements, and to everlasting Damnation of Body and soul.  
14. To reject this Engagement, and re-establish the King, would be beneficial. For 

First, It would put us into our former Condition, and freedom.  
Secondly, It would take away our Oppressions, Assessments, and Excise.  
Thirdly, Wee should be freed from the slavery of the Army.  
Forthly, Peace would be settled at home, and abroad, which otherwise is never like to be.  
Fifthly, By that means Trading would be secured, and piracy would cease.  
Sixthly, The Church would be settled, and Religion preserved.  
Seventhly, errors, and damnable Heresies, profaneness, and irreligious courses would be either avoided, or punished  
Eightly, Men might thereby please God, and do their duties to their King, keep a good Conscience, love one another, observe their former oaths, and escape Gods Wrath and Vengeance.    
15. To take this Engagement would encourage the Parliament, in their present proceedings, which otherwise peradventure would comply with the King, whereby our( otherwise everlasting) miseries might be redressed.  
16. To sign this Engagement( for such as are contrary minded) through hope, or fear, or any by-end is to wrong their King, betray their country, beguile the Parmiament, damn their own souls, and Bodies, mock GOD, and the World.  
17. It is not lawful to take any Oath, or Engagement without the Authority of Parliament. That was the ground this Parliament so insisted on against the Oath that was composed by the last Convocation, to be imposed upon the Clergy; but this Epitome of the Commons House is no Parliament, which is thus proved by these six following Reasons, viz. 

First, A part of a part is not the whole.  
Secondly, No Parliament can last( by Law,) after the death of the King that called it.  
Thirdly, The King and the two Houses of Parliament makes one Body politic, which is therefore actually dissolved upon want of any of those three; as King, Lords, and Commons.  
Fourthly, There can be no Parliament but in reference to parleying with the King: but that cannot be now there is no King.  
Fifthly, The Parliament sits onely by virtue of the Writ of Summons, but that is voided at the Kings decease, as experience confirms.  
sixthly, The House of Lords is an essential part of the Parliament, and now that being taken away, the Parliament cannot remain.      
By these; and many such like Reasons it appears, that this is no Parliament; and therefore it cannot authorize any to take this Engagement: where upon it follows that no man ought to engage; and that this Engagement cannot by any Conscientious man be subscribed thereunto.   
FINIS.