Several reasons why some officers of the army with many other good people, did heretofore admit of and subject to Oliver Cromwel as the supreme magistrate of the common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging : as also, why they did admit of and subject to Richard, the eldest son of the said Oliver, as successor to his father in the government of the aforesaid common-wealth, &c. : likewise, why they have rejected the said government, and earnestly desire the Long Parliament to sit to exercise and discharge their trust in governing the said common-wealth without a single person, king-ship, or House of Lords.

Several Reasons why some of the Officers of the Army, with many other good people, did heretofore admit of, and subject to OLIVER CROMWEL as the Supreme Magistrate of the Common-wealth of England, Scot∣land, and Ireland, with the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging.

THE Reasons for admitting of, and subject∣ing to the said Oliver as supreme Magi∣strate, were these, viz.

First, The consideration that God had made him most eminently insrrumental in subduing the common Enemy of the publike peace, and of the Civil and Christian Liberties of all the good people in the three Nations, which many of the subdued (who have out-lived the late Wars) do ac∣knowledge.

Secondly, His appearing to assert and preserve the just liberties of all that made profession of Christ; (except as to some few particular p••rsons who denyed the God head of the holy Spirit, and the Petsonalty of the Son of God, and the Resurrection of the Body, &c.) although much differing amongst themselves in Church-government, in Doctrine, and Discipline, &c.

against all that would infringe the same by introdu∣cing and imposing a form for the whole by a law, with penalties to be inflicted on such as are not satisfied in judgement and conscience to conform thereunto.

Thirdly, Because the major part of the little Parlia∣ment, (who made sundry Acts or laws which the peo∣ple of the said Common-wealth did, and doth yeeld obedience unto, and thereby have allowed of their power, considering the exigency and straits the Nati∣ons were then in, although they were constituted in an extraordinary way, without the general consent of the people, who had an undoubted right to elect their representatives) did resign up their power unto him when they could not agree among themselves.

Fourthly, Because as the case then was, it did not appear safe to put the people as in old time, to chuse another Parliament so soon after the wars, the subdu∣ed common Enemy, who with their friends were ve∣ry many, if not the most, and many others being much disaffected to the aforesaid Christian liberty of good people, being not then by law debarred from electing or being elected; and therefore if a Parliament should then have been chosen, the peace so mercifully bestow∣ed, and dearly purchased with the loss of many mens lives, would again have been brought into much ha∣zard, for that God might thereby have been justly pro∣voked, if his people should have suffered those to have been exalted, which in love to his people and the Nations he had so justly brought down, and had made the chiefe Heads or Ring-leaders of them exemplary, by publike Justice executed on them.

Fifthly; Because by the wonderful victories and suc∣cesses which the Lord gave him in the three Nations,

he became much loved by the good, and feared by the bad both at home and abroad.

Sixthly, Because of the unwillingness which was in the Army to govern meerly by a Mi••itary Power, with∣out a civil form or order, a civil Government being most natural, safe, and desirable to the freeborn peo∣ple of these Nations.

Seventhly; Because of the hopes that they had (af∣ter the little Parliament had resigned their Power) that his Highness would not onely during his life, pre∣serve the Laws and Liberties of all good people, ci∣vil and Christian, (agreeing to his solemn Oath or Promise made at his Installment) and continue to be a terror to the implacable Enemies thereof both at home and abroad, but also witness to the world a sincere and fervent desire to have the same for following generati∣ons upheld and secured, by nominating a fit qualified person to succed in the Government, that might have continued faithful to the good old Cause of God and his people.