FIrst, If you Accept a Free Parliament, as the Case now standeth, you Conclude the Army to be Supream; than which nothing is more dangerous: for that the first Question that would be moved in a Free Parliament, will be, How the Nation shall be Go­verned? It is easily to be Resolved, what would be the Resolution in a Free Parliament, that is to say, A King. This will be the way and means to keep the Nation in perpetuall Slavery; for that the difference between the Honest part of the Army now under Monck in Scotland, and elsewhere; and the Disobedient Officers of the Army, who Usurp the Erecting a Government, and the giving their Military Sanction: The Honest part of the Army, they desire that the Settlement of the Nation may be from a Civil Power; therefore they Endeavour, That the Parliament lately Interrupted, may again Return to the Exercise of their Authority: For severall Reasons; The Chief of which are, This Parliament, although they are under the Evill Aspect of a great part of the Nation; yet, let it be duly considered, and it will be found, that the Reasons for which the Nation doth so much disrespect them, is, for that they were for the most part over-ruled, and their Councels were Influenced by the Factious and Disobedient part of the Army; so that they never could accom­plish the good they Declared for, or Intended to the Publique. But now the Case is far different, of which they have given ample Testimony, in their Endeavouring to bring the Army to their Duty and Obedience (in their last Sitting); So that as formerly they did adhere to the Army against the Publique Interest out of Necessity; Now they must adhere to the Interest of the Publique, against the Interest of the Factious and Disobedient part of the Army, that have been the Cause of All the Unquiet, Unsettlement, and Changes that have been of late years produced, to the Detriment of the Publick: and unlesse the Army be purged of them, they will be the Authors and Abettors of more Changes, to the Ruine of All.

Therefore it is the Interest of the Nation to expect Settlement by Succession of Parliaments, conveyed to Posterity by their Authority: A Free Parliament, 'tis true, will please most of People; yet if they shall receive a Free Parliament from the Army, or by their permissi­on, the Authority of the Army is then, and thereby, granted and concluded to be Supream. If so, Then how will Posterity be bound to curse Us, if We do submit to such a Snare and Bait as that will prove in the Issue?

Likewise, If the Nation doth submit to any kind of Government, that shall be instituted by the Army, let it be a Free Parliament or a Parliament under Qualifications, still the Case is the same; you receive your Laws from the Sword, and make the Army the Legisla­tors, for which Power no Ballance can be found: So that they will run into all Extreams of Tyranny and Uncertainty, which are equally dangerous with the worst of Mischiefs.

If they permit a free Parliament, then they will quarrel with them, and turn Them out of Doors for adhearing to a King or Single Person: If they give You a Parliament under qualifications, then they will be the Interpreters of those qualifications, and so often as the Parliaments so qualified, shall not keep tune to their Lusts, Pride, and Ambition; so often shall the Nation be bereaved of Parliaments: So that if that the Parliament now in beeing, by Vertue of that Act that maketh Them no less then a Parliament, untill They shall disolve Themselves: Do not settle your Government, and establish a Law for succession of Parliaments. The Army will be your Supream Autho­rity and Standerd to your Liberties, to measure out to you what Liberty or Slavery they please: as the Case standeth, it appeareth to be nothing less then madness, That People should be contented to submit to a proud Insolent Army, rather then to this Parliament, if they cannot have a free Parliament; But some may say, That the Sheriffs may Elect a Parliament, by Vertue of the Act for Tryenial Parlia­ments, To that I answer, then you make the Sheriffs to be the Supream Authority, or else Him or Them, That shall appoint the Time for their Convention, That proviso was made in respect to an orderly Convening and Determination, which is discomposed by the many and various Events of affairs that hath happened amongst Us; the which, must be set right by the again sitting of the Parliament, the which, is the Interest of every Individual English-man; without which, every Interest in the Nation will be destroyed by an Ignorant and Unskilful, Proud Malicious, and Insolent pack of Giddy Fellows; Who will adventure to Change the Government of three Nations upon half an hours Consideration: the Effect of their Ambition, and then say God led them to it. If these Persons be fit to fit at the Helm of Affair? Let the World Judge.

If it were so, That the Insignificant General Council of Legislating Corporals and Landsprizadoes could hitt upon the best Form of Government under Heaven, (a thing impossible for them, to do any thing else then what shall be nonsence it self, above which their Capacities cannot reach,) It would be dangerous to receive it from them, for that those that have absolute Power to do Good, have also absolute Power to do Evil; and the Nation can expect no assurance to the contrary from them, but from such a Power as are limited by time, or otherwise they may.

This Parliament is already limited to May the 6th. as to Time, and are more especially limited by Interest, which will not, nor can­not support them in Power beyond that time: So that by this means, whatever the Nation can expect by Succession of Parliaments, will be convayed to them, without running the hazard of trusting a perfidious Army.