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cause_n	king_n	law_n	lord_n	4,135	5	3.8427	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86729	Digitus testium, or A dreadful alarm to the vvhole kingdom, especially the Lord Major, the aldermen, and the Common-Councel of the City of London. Or a short discourse of the excellency of Englands lawes and religion. Together, with the antiquity of both, and the famous Kings that England hath had to defend both the religion and the laws against the heathen Romish emperours, and against the Romish power, under Popes. With the several plots the Popes of Rome have used against the Kings of England, to throwe them down, and how of late he hath prevailed against the magistracy and ministery of England, his new designes, and manner of progress: together, with a serious view of the new oath or ingagement, with 22. queries upon the same. And also objections made against the non-subscribers thereof answered. Let the ingenuous reader take so much pains, as to read that incomparable peece of vindication of a treatise of monarchy by way of discovery of three main points thereof.	Hall, Henry, d. 1680, attributed name.; Hall, Edmund, 1619 or 20-1687, attributed name.	1651 (1651)	Wing H339A; Thomason E621_13; ESTC R206419	34,005	37

all the World and their damnation sleepeth not be not found amongst the number of Hypocrites Apostates Atheists and Papists persecuting the poor Church the sword is put into your hand for the preservation not for the persecution of a godly zealous Ministery The God of all wisdom direct you for the Churches good and his glory for which ends we dedicate these our Papers to you A short Discourse of the excellency of Englands Laws and Religion c. IT is not unknown to us the Free-born Protestants of England that our Nation claimeth the priority of all other Nations in the World for ancient and famous Laws and Peace and Religion The Laws and Customs of England saith Learned Fortescus are ancienter then the Laws of the Romans yea of the Venetians which are esteemed the ancientest in the World they are more famous then others because better then the Laws of other Nations and that in a threefold respect in the subject matter in the form and 3. in the disposing of them The ras substrata of the statute Laws of England is reason which indeed is the totum compositum of the common Law Common Law is a vast mine of right reason out of which all other Laws are digged and fitly squared to the good of the Kingdom he therefore is esteemed the best Lawyer that spoke the best reason and herein the People of England excel all other Nations in that they are only subjected by the Law to reason and the purest reason which to be is doubtless perfect freedom yea it may truly be affirmed that by the Law they are subjects only to divine reason for we have such a standing Law upon record that whatsoever Custom maxim or Statute shall be faind directly contrary to the Law of God that Custom Maxim Statute or Case shall be ipso facto void and so adjudged And as for the matter for the form the Laws of England are the absolute and undoubted best in the World for as there is universal obedience required and injoyned to every Law inacted for there is a general assent in the acting and constitution of that Law There are 3. estates which concur as joynt causes of the same effect in making of a Law These 3. Conjunctions do make the supreme Authority of the Nation the Apax or Culmen potestatis being set upon the Kings head all Writs and procession issuing out in his name with him are joyned the House of Lords and the House of Commons these 3. divisions are limitted by Law but compunction they have power to repeal or make a Law and none can say unto them why do you so but either of these apart are limitted by Law Limitations of royal power have been made and acknowledged by Magna Charta and several other acts and no obedience acknowledged any otherwise then according to Law and King Charles acknowledged that the measure of his power was the Law and he desired no more then what he was invested with by Law And so of the other two estates of Lords and Commons these three have negative voices alike have freedom in their several places a like freedom to make motions and freedom to reject what they dislike This is the absolutest best Government in the World as is clear from God and Nature God himself who is the Almighty Monark of all Spirits hath pleased to reveal himself to Man in a Trinity of persons and governs the universe by himself Angels and Men Celestical Bodies by Sun Moon and Stars the little World Man by understanding will and affections and the Kingdom of England by King Lords and Commons The King of himself cannot make a Law of himself if he do t is tyranny nor the Lords in a part by themselves nor the Commons by themselves against the other two if they do it is usurpation exceeding presumption perjury and Treason for they are sworn to the contrary by their Oaths of allegiance and supremacy to act nothing against the Crown and Dignity of their Soveraign Lord the King besides they are sworn to maintain the Priviledges of Parliament The King makes the first of these three Estates by a right which is not by election nor by Conquest simply but by inheritance for the Saxon Kings laying the plat-form of good Government here in England continued it succesfully until the Danes drove them into Corners subduing them for a time the which they soon recovered again and so recovered their ancient Customs and Laws again and continued them Edward the Confessor who was of the Saxon line having no Heir descending of his body intended to make Edgar Ethling Gran-child to Ironside his successor but Edward the Confessor dying Harrold-Earl Godwins Sonne being popular for his Victories usurped the Crown and dispossessed the right Heir deluding William of Normandy to whom he had promised by Oath the Government of the Kingdom after the death of Edward William Duke of Normandy hereupon pleads a right to the Crown of England by promise as he said from Edward the Confessor and hereupon brought an Army with him from Normandy and gave battel to Harold the Usurper at Hastings in Sussex where he overthrow'd him by whose overthrow there was way made for a Treaty betwixt Duke William and the Nobles and Citizens then at London Duke William pleaded his right by promise as having a grant of the Kingdom made to him by Edward the Confessor and confirmed by Harrold who forswore himself and usurped the Crown hereupon Duke William was received and acknowledged King by the Nobles and City of London after this Edgar Ethling who indeed was the right Heyr compounded with Duke William and for a royal allowance which Duke William granted him he reconciled himself to him and thus William came in as Successour to Edward the Saxon King and so it succeeded from the Normans to the Plantagenets Henry the 2. being the Sonne of Maud Henry the 1. his Daughter whom he married to Jeffery Plantagenet who begat Henry the 2. and so it passed from the Normans to the Plantaginets in whose unquestionable time eight Kings succeeded each other afterwards they divided Henry the 4 of the younger house usurped the Crown being of the house of Lancaster but Edward the 4. of the house of York coming in upon a better Title then those of Lancaster overthrew those that opposed his Title this Division continued and lived until Richard the 3. died who breathed the last of the Plantagenets The Tudors next succeeded the Plantagenets Henry the 7. matching with Elizabeth the eldest Daughter to Edward the 4. of the house of York united both houses of York and Lancaster laying the white Rose and the red together in the royal person of Henry the 7. the Scepter fell back into the Current of the old brittish blood together with the German Norman Burgandian Castalian and French atchievements with the intermarriages which 800 years had acquired incorporated and brought back into the old royal time

intended to be brought up against the Parl to force them to condescend to the lusts of a Popish party Hereupon the first Protestation was framed and sent throughout the Kingdom no body refusing to subscribe it except Jesuitish Separatists J. A. B. do in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintain and defend as far as lawfully I may c. Soon after this the breach between the King and the Parl. fell out the King giving too much ear to evil Councel and that Popish faction which was the ground of all the former persecution and the civil War the King raised an Army to defend himself and the Protestant Religion the Parl did the like upon the same grounds which at that time was doubtless real their end propounded was to defend Religion Law the Kings Maj. Person the Parl. priviledges and the Peoples Liberties The Parl cause seemed the best in most Protestants eyes at that time in regard the Courts designs were long before discovered to the Parl The Queens departure with the Crown-Jewels into Holland and the numerous flocks of Papists going to the King with all the corrupt part and guilty persons of the Kingdom which made haste to the King after his departure made the Protestants afraid what would become of Religion Parliament and the Kings person should that party about him have prevailed however they professed the Protestant Religion though many of them convicted Papists Hereupon the Lords and Commons made a second Vow and Covenant with this preamble Whereas the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parl have declared that there hath been and now is a Popish and Traiterus plot for the subversion of the true Protestant Reformed Religion and the liberty of the subject c. And after all this still perceiving the Popish party to increase grow great victorious bloudy and blasphemous the Lords and Commons professing to the World that they had nothing before their eyes but the glory of God the advancement of Christs Kingdom and the happiness of the King and his Posterity with the true publique liberty safety and peace of the Kingdom against the plots of the enemies they entred into the solemn League and Covenant containing 6. Articles which every Parl. man publickly and solemnly at the Chappel of St Margaret Westminster with his hand lifted up to Heaven in the sight of the Scots Commissioners and the whole Congregation did subscribe 1. That we will sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God indeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion of the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies the reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine c. 2. That we will in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophaneness c. 3. With the same reality sincerity and constancy in our several places and Callings indeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parl and the liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom that the World may bear witness with our Consciences of our loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatness 4. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be incendiaries or Malignants c. 5. And whereas the happiness of a blessed peace between the Kingdoms formerly denyedt our progenitors c. 6. We shall also according to our places c. This solemn League and Covenant being entred into by both Nations of England and Scotland made the deepest and strongest Politicians of the Roman faction to tremble yea as Mr. Hinderson the Reverend and Learned Minister of Scotland then Commissioner well foretold the news of this Covenant which was soon carried to Rome with the names of all the Subscribers made the Pope and his Conclave of Cardinals amazed and tremble insomuch that they doubled their diligence to work the destruction of the Covenanteers at this time The Duke of Lorane was solicited by Sir Kelem Digbies meanes who was then the Queens Agent for the English Affairs at Rome to help the King of England with an Army against the Covenanters in England Sir Kelenem Digby was the Popes right hand to promote and further all designs against the Covenanters party in England At the same time a Nuncio was forthwith sent from the Popes Court into Ireland there to make a Cessation with the Protestants and to further by all means possible the King of England against the Covenanters which was concluded with the Popes good liking as hath been confessed The old and sage Statesmen in Parl perceiving the designes of the Pope to drive furiously on towards the destruction of the Parl and Covenanters called in the Scots to their aid against the Popes designes The English A●my and Scots Army admitting no Officers or Souldiers in their Armies but such as took the Covenant the Covenanters through Gods providence beyond all expectation prospered in the field against their enemies and the Parl and Assembly of Divines prospered at Westminster and went on successively both of them being unanimous in the pulling down of Popery and Tyranny and establishing and maintaining the liberties of the Kingdom and Laws of the Realm and true Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Government for this purpose the Assembly of Divines first went over the Articles of faith drew them up after most deliberate serious and learned debates upon each of them and humbly presented them to the Parl under 33. heads 1. of the Scripture 2. of Gods Covenant and the holy Trinity 3. of Gods decrees 4. of Creation 5. of Providence 6. of mans fall and sin 7. of Gods Covenant with man 8. of Christ the Mediator 9. of free will 10. of effectual Calling 11. of Justification 12. Adoption 13. Sanctific●tion 14. saving faith 15. Repentance 16. good works 17. of perseverance 18. of assurance of grace 19. of the Law of God 20. Christian liberty liberty of Conscience 21. of religious worship and the Lords day 22. of lawful Oaths 23. of the civil Magistrate 24. of marriage and divorce 25. of the Church 26. of Communion of Saints 27. of the Sacraments 28. of Baptisme 29. of the Lords Supper 30. of Church-censures 31. of Synods and Councels 32. of the Resurrection 33. of the last judgement Then they regularly proceeded to settle Church-Government first proving Presbytery to be the Government which is most like to the primitive Government and coming nearest of all other Governments to Gods word next they drew up a Directory for Church-Government with an Orthodox learned and pious Catechisme and thus the Covenanters Magistracy and Ministry went on and prospered until they threw down their

Digitus Testium OR A DREADFUL ALARM TO THE VVHOLE KINGDOM ESPECIALLY The Lord Major the Aldermen and the Common-Councel of the City of LONDON OR A SHORT Discourse of the excellency of Englands LAWES and RELIGION TOGETHER With the antiquity of both and the famous Kings that England hath had to defend both the Religion and the Laws against the Heathen Romish Emperours and against the Romish Power under Popes WITH The several Plots the Popes of Rome have used against the Kings of England to throwe them down and how of late he hath prevailed against the Magistracy and Ministery of England his new designes and manner of Progress TOGETHER With a serious view of the new Oath or Ingagement with 22. Queries upon the same And also Objections made against the non-subscribers thereof answered Let the ingenuous Reader take so much pains as to read that incomparable peece of vindication of a Treatise of Monarchy by way of discovery of three main points thereof LONDON Printed in the Year MDCL To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London My LORD YOur eminency for the Profession of Religion and the lawfulness of your Office only invites us to dedicate these our papers to you not that they so much expect your protection as intend your instruction they only beg your serious perusal which may prove a happy corasive or otherwise leave you excuseless your Lordship certainly knowes that this day Michael and his Angels and the Devil and his Angels are in fight and the Dragon seemes to have got the better Now at such a time as it is a sin accursed with a bitter curse to stand a newter for 't is a seavenfold more accursed sin to fall from Michael and fight on the Dragons side if he that loves not the Lord Jesus shall be cursed with a bitter curse what shall befall that Professer who hateth the Lord Jesus and persecutes him in his Members Certainly that mans sin comes near to the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost The World may read his name written in Hell in great Characters the sin against the Holy Ghost may be committed in one Act it is a sin frequently committed in this age in England by Professors as there are certain straits in the narrow way to Heaven as repentance and self denial the which if a man passe he shall never fall away so there are certain precipices in the broad way to Hell the which if a man passe he shall never be able to return again though he heartily desire it Cain passed this precipice and Judas in betraying his Master and Esau in selling his Birth-right for pottage we are far from charging your Lordship as we are free from acquitting the men of these times of these damnable sins let God and your Conscience condemn or acquit you before whom ere long you must appear our design is only to unbowel that little bigbellied Viper of the Romish Conclaves hatching the Ingagement which like the Trojan Horse hath concealed in the belly of it the ruine of lawful Magistracy lawful Ministery and the lawful reformed Religion your Lordship knowes full well that these are three precious Jewels and your Lordship cannot but know as well if you please that this Ingagement is the designed ruine of them all How sad a progress it hath made already the sincere Protestants of the three Kingdoms to their sorrow know long since it hath been the design and endeavour of our inveterate enemy the Pope to extirpate Protestant Magistracy and Ministery but they never could effect it until this day and that principally by this Ingagement is not the Protestant race of Kings utterly banished this Kingdom by this Ingagement and are not all the Protestant Ministers now about to be turned with their Wives and Children out of their Estates and dwelling-Houses and banished at the pleasure of their tormenters and all by this Ingagement My Lord We beseech you to consider what Ministers they are that are persecuted for what and by whom they are persecuted your Conscience tells you my Lord that they are the Orthodox grave learned sincere zealous Ministery of England that by this Ingagement are persecuted and for what but only because they will not forsake a good Conscience and a just cause that Covenant Cause which they ingaged in which they must do in taking the Ingagement and that the contrivers of the Ingagement knew full well and for that end contrived it And who are they that put this in execution but they that entred into the same Covenant with us that pretended the same cause those whom we have with the hazard of our lives Estates and all we have preserved from ruine and been the cause of their promotion even those who make Lawes for our ruine these men out-law us these men sequestrate and imprison us these take away our Birth-rights from us and which is worst of all these are now about to banish our Ministery who have alwayes been our comfort and incouragement in times of affliction Woe unto us were ever poor Protestants so miserably deluded or were there ever such notorious grosse Hypocrites Apostate Pasters in the world are these the Saints that cryed out against persecution of tender Consciences is this the year of our liberty so much boasted of by many is this the removing of the yoak of oppression and Tyranny is this the year of throwing down Antichrist and propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ when our chief Protestants both of the Parliament and City are inforced to look through prison Gates and the archest incendiaries of the Romish party are imbraced and consulted with and when our constant real zealous Covenant-keeping Ministery are they that must be banished with their Wives and Children as in the Irish Rebellion and Malignants and Sectarians Jesuites and prophane Fellows suffered to enjoy their liberties we appeal to your Conscience my Lord whether this year be the year of Jubilee with the Protestants or Papists are not all Oaths penalties Lawes and Statutes taken clearly off from the Papists and is not the Ingagement only designed as a snare to catch the sincere Protestant and to bring him under sequestration banishment out-lawry and what not The righteous Lord look upon our afflictions our unheard of afflictions that our Brethren are risen up against us and hate us and persecute us with a far more hatred then our open enemies and that without a cause The Lord judge betwixt us and our enemies this day if we have dealt deceitfully in the Covenant of our God then let God search it out and bring us to ruine but if we are persecuted for holding fast to our Covenant the Lord plead our cause we can with comfort and boldness say this in the midst of our afflictions Lord thou knowest our integrity this appeal our enemies cannot make Come forth my Lord from amongst the tents of these ungodly men lest you perish with them for their folly is made known to

of an immediate call to the contrary by revelation from God As Abraham was call'd to kill his son Isaac which was against a naturall precept yet having an immediate call from God had not God stayed his hand he might have lawfully done it because he that commanded Abraham so to do was the Lord and maker of the Law which he can dispense with But this case cannot be ours under the Gospel because God hath given us his revealed will in writing since which immediate revelations have ceased in the Gospel Churches there being no need of them at all Now as for the Providentiall acts of God or his revealed decrees these are no rules for us to walk by nor follow any otherwise then they concur with the revealed will of God in his precepts We bring a case shall make good this assertion and stop the mouthes of all rationall antagonists In the 1 King 11. 29. to v. 39. there was that decree revealed to Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah who exactly revealed Gods intentions to give to him ten of the twelve Tribes and the house of David but two Judah and sickly Benjamin scarce worth the mentioning as a Tribe it was so small God reveals the reason to him why he did it viz for idolatry and forsaking the true God This v. 37. donation of Gods to Jereboam is repeated again to him that God would choose him and give him a vast power over the people to do and reign as his heart could desire Here if ever a man might have pleaded Providence and have urged the revealed decree of God for attempting treason against Solomon certainly if in any case or person it had not been rebellion in him to attempt that which Providence had decreed him Nor rebellion in Israel to have subjected to him whom God had declared to be their king But Jereboam in following the revealed decree of God contrary to a moral precept of God viz the fifth Commandment which injoyneth Subjects and inferiors to submit to their lawfull superiors for this very cause he is set down in the word of God as a Rebell against Solomon 1 King 11. 26. there he is put in the rear of the worst of the enemies of the Crown and royall family of Israel and stigmatized with this infamous mark of a Rebell for v 26. Jereboam the son of Nebat an Ephrathite of Zereda Sauls servant even he lift up his hand against the King and the cause of this his rebellion is set forth in the rest of the following Chapter because God had revealed his decree concerning the punishing of the Royall Family for their sin in giving him ten of the Tribes This revealed will of God was so far from justifying his acting against a morall precept that his actions are set forth hanging as it were on Hamans gallows expressed in the terms of the highest treason twice together He lift up his hand against the King he lift up his hand against the king Nor are the ten Tribes lesse excusable who subjected to Jereboam for though they might have pleaded self preservation and if they had not revolted they had all been undone and the providence of God who would have it so who had decreed it so and revealed those decrees to them by a Prophet these might not be resisted yet these ten Tribes notwithstanding for their rejecting of the visible and lawfull Authority and supremacie of the kingdome are twice branded in holy Chronicles for Rebels 1 King 12. 19. Israel rebelled against the house of David And 2 Chron. 10. 19. Israel rebelled against the house of David So that it is manifest that following of Providence is so far from being a Christians duty that many times it is a desperate sin and therefore it was that holy David when he might have cut off Sauls head and when Providence had cast him into his hands he durst not walk by acts of Providence but by divine precepts which commanded him to do no murther He might have pleaded self-preservation and in killing him he had killed a publick Enemie and a murtherer But David had a better guide then Providence to direct him Witty and true was that expression of a pious and learned Divine If Joseph in Aegypt had followed Providence he had without doubt committed folly with his Mistris and have said Providence put him upon it We therefore conclude that acts of Providence are no rules for Christians to follow and it is so far from resisting of God the not being governed by them that many times it becomes a great sin as is evident by what hath been declared and the ten Tribes have this sin written in bloody characters upon their back untill this day for from Rebellion they turned to Idolatry and from that day forward they sank deeper and deeper into misery untill they lost their Religion Laws liberties and Nation which judgement remains upon them untill this day God having hanged them in Gibbets to teach Posterities after them to take heed of their sins viz of following Providence against a Precept Ob. But how comes it to passe that they that make a scruple of subscribing this Ingagement yet make no scruple of paying taxes Is not such a subjection an acknowledgement of their Authority and do they not condemne themselves in doing one and not the other A. We will not undertake to give the fullest Answer hereunto yet we hope a satisfactory Answer we shall be able to give 1. We therfore say that we that do pay taxes do make scruples of paying them and were we not inslaved should much more expresse our selves 2. Paying of taxes doth not imply a not scrupling of the authority that demands and exacts them A man may pay his money to a thief yet not acknowledge that authority to be just 3. Taxes that are now imposed are extorted and not voluntarily payed and as to that a power is usurped over mens estates as if the Nation were compleatly conquered Now in such a case we conceive our selves meerly passive and no way active at least free from any spontaneous act Now this is far from acknowledging the iustness and lawfulness of the supremacie of such a Power t is one thing to be inforced to a subjection in person and estate and quite another thing to acknowledge that power which usurps this authority to be supreme and legall which the Ingagement absolutely inforceth upon the Subscribers But let the world judge from this Objection how cruel and tyrannical that Government is that when the poore Protestants shall be content to submit to most grievous taxes for quietnesse sake yet this is not sufficient unlesse they will subject their souls and insnare them also in unreasonable and cruell bondage Is it not sufficient for the paying of taxes bearing of Free-quarter and suffering many afflictions to purchase that which in no age was ever denyed our freedom but we must be cut-lawed accounted the off-scouring of the world and exposed to the cruelty of merciles