DEMOCRITƲS TURNED STATES-MAN: OR Twenty Queries between Iest and Earnest, &c.
I.
WHether it be not convenient that the doctrine of Copernicus, who held that the world turnes round, should be established by Act of Parliament, which our late changes, alterations, and revolutions, in part have verified; and that Tycho Brache, with the Gang of the contrary opinion be adjudged Heterodoxal, and that from henceforth it be enacted, that what persons soever do professe, publish, or hold forth any other Tenent contrary thereunto, be adjudged Anathema, Maranatha, and that publick thanks be given to Vrncent Wing, for the great pains he took in the composure of that excellent piece called Harmonicon Coeleste?
II.
Whereas it is humbly conceived fit by Machiavil and his Pupils, that all the Gangrened Members of the body Politick be cut off, lest putrifaction of the whole should ensue. It is therefore worthy the consideration, whether it be not expedient to imploy an Ambassadour to the [Page 4]man in the Moon, to procure habitations for our new Courtiers, (greater Antipodes to the present Government, than the old constant Cavaliers:) And for the better effecting thereof, it is deem'd necessary, that the great Clerk Doctor Wilkins, Warden of Wadham Colledge in Oxon, in regard he hath the greatest knowledge in that new Plantation, be desired with all speed, to provide his winged Chariot for their convenient carriage, and that he undertake the imployment of a Coachman to conduct them thither?
III.
But if that design fail, Whether it be not expedient to ship them all for Oceana, and that Mr. Harrington our famous modern Columbus discoverer of that floting Te [...]ra incognita, be desired to be the Pilot to conduct them thither, who for his paynes deserves to be made Knight of the Sunne, and that in a gratefull remembrance of his good service, it should alwayes be called after his name, (viz.) Harringtonia?
IV.
Whether it be not convenient, or rather necessary, to call all persons to an account that have any way contributed their assistance for the establishing of the late deceased Tyrant as chief Magistrate of this Commonwealth? and whether any person, or persons, who have any way abetted him, and endeavoured to confirm him in his Tyranny, or Acted under him in any places of trust, Power, or sate in any Parliament, or Convention summoned by his Writ; be fit to be intrusted with any office in the Commonwealth as 'tis now setled?
V.
Whether it be not a great contempt of the law enacted by this Parliament, that made it Treason for any one person to aim at the sole Government of this Commonwealth, to suffer such person to go unpunished, in despight of the said law; and whether it be not prudence to have such person brought to cond [...]gn punishment, that hath transgressed that law, to terrifie others for the future, for making the like attempt?
VI.
Whether those Apostate Officers of the Army, that were Active, and grand Instruments in suspending and disturbing this Session of Parliament, as well as secluding, imprisoning, and injustly detracting several members of the same Parliament before, that were eminent assertors of the peoples liberties, against Tyranny and oppression, conscientious propagators of the Gospel, and establishers of the fundamentall, municipal law of the Land, and Valiant Champions of the (true Old Cause;) And by their Declaration of Aug. 22. Anno Dom. 1653. as also [Page 5]by a pasquil call'd the true State of the Common-wealth, An. 1654. declared this session of Parliament to be actually and finally dissolved from being any more a Parliament, (by an extraordinary providence) but also branded the members thereof ignominiously for a corrupt party, carrying on their own ends, to perpetuate themselves as supreme Authority, never answering the ends which God and his People expected from them, exercising Arbitrary power, and swallowing up the antient liberties, and properties of the people, and to perpetuate their miseries, vexations, and oppressions through the multitude of unnecessary Laws, and Ordinances, concerning their own particular interest as they there at large remonstrated, be fit persons to have any imployment either Military or Civil within this Common-wealth?
VII.
Whether a Weather-cock, a King-fisher, a plyant Willow, a peice of Wax capable of all impressions, a time Server, A Persian still sacrificing to the rising Sun, a Lord President under the late Tyrant, of his High Court of Injustice, a man that hath made Iustice quick sighted, and redeemed it from blindnesse, be a fit Keeper of the Commonwealths conscience?
VIII.
Whether a hot brain'd Parrot, that multiplies words without matter, a new Courtier, an Apostate from his first principles, and the Good Old Cause, as appears by a Speech he made in the last Parliament in the behalf of R. C. be fit to be restored to his place of Attorney general for South Wales.
IX.
Whether Pride and arrogancy, one who is of yeasterday and knows nothing, a Clark, or Barrister of nine years standing, in his heart a Quaker, yesterday a Protectorian, this day a Republican, to morrow what you please, a favourer of levelisme, and one that is not constant in any thing but inconstancy (save only in the opinion that there are no witches, nor can deserve death, though an Act of Parliament be made to that end) be fit to be a Judge in Wales.
X.
Whether a Debaucher of both the Protectors, an oppresser of his Country, a persecutor of the Godly, one that sacreligiously robbed Gods house, to build himself sumptuous Pallaces, and hath purchased 5000 l. per annum, who never fought nor drew a sword in anger, be [Page 6]fit to sit in that venerable assembly of the Common-wealths representatives; or whether it be not fitter for him to be rejected and his estate fold to pay just publique debts?
XI.
Whether it be lawfull for an ignorant Scribler to vent his pettish humor, malice, and reproaches against those persons, who in the Seat of Judicature have behaved themselves upright, just, and honest, and done the Common wealth singular good service during both the late Protectors Government?
XII.
Whether, Levellers, Dippers, Independants, Presbyterians, Jesuits, Donatists, Manaches, Pelagians, Enthusiasts, Schismaticks, Hereticks, Hypocrits, Devils incarnate, yea what ever the present power will have them to be, of any Religion, of all Religions, of none at all; the true Orthodox and learned D [...]vines Ordaels; Knaves, Fools, yea favoure [...]s of their brethren learned in the same faculties; and Telenus house of Correction in a Mercurial new found Land; Be fit persons to be entrusted with the power over the Consciences of honest and religious men; And whether some of them, that are so well acquainted with [...] sterious Art of Bribery and Symony; And such Simon M [...]gus as by [...] [...]nack of Registry hath encreased his estate from a Parsonage of 100 [...] per annum, to 1200 l. per annum land of inheritance, ought not in Justice and prudence be called to an account, and their Estates acquired by the ruins of the Church and several poor Ministers, be sold towards the payment of arrears due to the poor banckrupted common Souldiers, that suffer hunger, and want, while such enjoy the streams of Tagus in their coffers?
XIII.
Whether it be not a matter of dangerous consequence to permit, a crop-Eard Pettifogger, a reviler of the Saints, a constant opposer of powers, an unwearied Scribler, a Demoniack, possess'd with a legion of hellish Fiends, the Spirit of contradiction to publish a scandalous libel against the Good Old Cause, and the defenders thereof in such a juncture of time, wherein most Spirits are factious and apt to take fire? like tinder at the least spark of encouragement dropping from a fiery pen.
XIIII.
Whether a Plagiarius, a Demetrius, a Gaoler of our liberties, and one who in the last assembly was in a probability to suffer for his unparallell'd crimes, be fit to be trusted with the command of the most important [Page 7]place of the Nation, and whether it be not necessary to expose him to he sword of Iustice, who hath so much abused the sword of the Commonwealth?
XV.
Whether it will not be wisdom to look back to the occasion of the late bloudy and unhappy warr, and gradually to the prosecutions thereof; and the end that was proposed at the beginning: and when the continuance of the medium conducing to that end was everted; And then to return to the place where passion captivated reason, and there to build a happy Government upon the Basis of the True Old Cause, according to the first principles that were owned by all good people?
XVI.
Whether it be not the purest and safest kind of free State, to have a free Parliament elected annually, or twice a year as it was before the Conquest, and after many years; without restraint on the wills of the free People of the Nation; which Parliament may constitute and elect a Senate that shall act according, and subject to the Law of the Land, in the interval of Parliament, and so to be elected from year to year by each Parliament; which Parliaments being the free people of Englands representatives, ought not to be restrained, or curb'd, by any sort of Court Convention, or Coun [...]el enjoying Coordinate power, for that will be, to abolish the grand inconvenience of one negative voice so much braid against, and to set up a monstrous Hydra of Negatives, (for great care ought to be taken to preserve unity in a Republick, which lieth most obnoxious to popular commotions, and factions) [the Epidemical disease of this Schismatical age;] And further that such men may be elected for representatives in Parliament Councils and Senats as be wise, honest, prudent, and religious; and not factious sectaries, or such as wear both Law, Equity, Reason, and Religion in their Scabards, and Father all their prodigious wilful and exorbitant actions on providence?
XVII.
Whether the Armies Declaration, and Seclusion of the Parliament in 1653 were an absolute dissolution of that Session, and whether the people making new Elections by virtue of O. P. his writ, and also most of the Members of the said Parliament owning the said elections to be legal by their endeavours to be elected, and sitting by virtue of such Election, was a confirmation thereof; And moreover whether they can be remitted to their antient right, by getting possession without the concurrence of an antient remediable right, which is absolutely necessary to work a remitter.
XVIII.
Whether it consists with policy & national prudence to keep such a lawless Army on foot, who are carryed away with a whirl wind or tempest of ambition, and walk Antipodes to all setled and peaceable Government, and are ready [Page 8]instruments for any insolent Apostate, or tyrannical Dictator, that will equal them in pretences of Religion (yet denying the power thereof) and like Pompey, will make it his design by secret engines, to cast the State into an absolute Anarchy and confusion, that the State might cast it self into his Armies, in necessity for a protection, and so the sovereign power be ca [...] on him, who probably hath neither reason nor law on his side, save only to make good the saying of S [...]lon, who when Croesus shewed him his treasury of Gold, said to him, (that if another came that had better Iron, he would be quickly master of his Gold?
XIX.
Whether it be not safer and more agreeable to the present Government of this Commonwealth, and all other free States, where due course of Law is admitted for recovery of rights, or deciding of meum and tuum, and liberty of Subjects favoured, which we have with great expence of blood so long fought for, to raise the Militia in each County, under the command of prudent and religious men, that have interest in their Country, and are concern'd in the welfare of the Commonwealth, and not meer hirelings, that will be apt to take any impression, to the disturbance of the publick peace, for their own private ends, and will make their swords Patronize intolerable rapine?
XX.
Since the Apostles call Religion (our reasonable service to God) insomuch as the very ceremonies, and figures of the old Law were full of reason and signification, but more especially the Christian Faith under the Gospel; as in all things, so in this, deserveth to be highly magnified; holding forth the Golden Mediocrity in this point, between the law of the heathen, and the law of M [...]humet, which have embraced the two extremes, (for the first had no constant belief or confession, but left altogether to the liberty of professours; and the last on the other side interdicteth all arguments about the matter, and enjoyneth unity in the manner of the profession of Religion, the one having the very face of errour, the other of imposture, whereas the faith doth both admit, and reject disputations and professions with difference;) Whether then it be not requisite to sertle such a Religion in this Nation, as may consist with the Apostles words, and such a mediocrity that we be neither tied on the one hand to a Mahumetan unity of accidental discipline, and manner of worship, nor on the other hand be left to a Heathenish libertie both in the Articles and Principles of Religion, and also in the substantial matter of belief, and decent manner of discipline and confession, since such boundlesse liberty is the mother of all Sects, Heresies, and Atheism (which this age abounds with, though vail'd under the specious garment of tender conscience, who are enemies to all setled Government, whether Monarchy or Oligarchy) except their heretical opinions be favoured, and themselves mounted to the Zenith of preferment, and Stern of Government, which is hop'd will never be, though highly at present endeavoured?