Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	pope_n	venetian_n	2,475	5	12.4435	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

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

three Estates cannot be molested yet the instruments that he implies against Law may be tryed This Law is most agreeable to the Law of God and the Law of nature to the Law of God for Kings are the Representatives of God on earth and none can touch them we see this clear in two famous instances in Saul who could crimes have brought him under the censure of men had enough to dethrone him for he was a Tyrant a murtherer and a publick enemy to the Church and State yet David when he could have done justice upon him said God forbid for he is the Lords anointed the declared King of Israel And David that was guilty of murther and adultery both of them deserving death by the Law yet was not questioned by his Subjects because God only hath the power of punishing Kings and not man This is most agreeable to the Law of nature for if Kings should be subject to their Subjects then the order must needs be confounded and the Law of nature utterly rooted up which orders approves no further then the supreme Authority which if judged by any is not the supreme and so produceth confusion and infinition Therefore we conclude that the Laws of England are the best Laws in the World in every respect both for matter form and distribution And as for Laws so for pure Religion it is beyond all other Nations it received the Apostolick faith almost if not all out as soon as Rome that brags of its antiquity Gindas telleth us that England received the Gospel in the Apostles dayes Joseph at Armathea bringing it into the Kingdom and Origen and Turtullian tell us that it received the Gospel as soon as any Natian in Europe This we are sure that it hath retained it in its purity the longest of any Nation it had a great share in the Presevitians under the Heathen Emperours of Rome after that under the Arrian and Entichion Heresies and after that under Popus the bloudiest and cruellest enemy to the Church so that from the Apostles time till this day Christian Religion though sometimes obscured never was obliterate nor extinct in the Kingdom And as this Kingdom hath been famous for Laws and Religion above others so it hath been the famousest in the World for Religious and valiant Kings to protect it and eminent Ministers to divulge it Lucious the Son of Coilus who was King of England was the first Christian King Jesus Christ smiling upon this Nation above all others in blessing it with a righteous King which was a miracle in the World at that time Constantine the 8. King of England after Lucius who was the Son of beautiful Helea King Coil his Daughter of England whom she brought forth at York he becam Emperour of Rome conquering the Heathen Emperours with a Brittish Army and so converted Rome Heathen into Rome Christian the famousest Reformation that ever was wrought in the World so that England is famous for being the first Christian Kingdom and setting up Christian Empire English Kings having been the only great friends to true Religion in the time of Paganisme And as they were the greatest friends to Christs Church against Rome Pagan so they have been the greatest friends to the true Chucrch against Rome Antixfian for about the year 1070. when the Pope was in his full height of soverainty the Normons line succeeding the Saxons in England were the first Kings that contemned the Popes Authority William the Conqueror spit at him and Wilt Rufus who succeeded him openly spake against the Popes usurped power of binding and loosing withstanding and rejecting his intrapped fopperies declaring against the Pope the folly of invocating Saints he plucked proud Arch Bishop Anselmes nose under his Girdle in despight of the Pope and so did the royal Family of the Plantagenets The Tudors and the Stuarts got their several parts in greater degrees against the Pope as they succeeded each other So that the Normans may be said to resist the Pope the Plantagenets to grapple with the Pope the Tudors to unhorse the Pope and the Stuarts to stob the Pope King James being the first King that writ against him proved him to be Antichrist Against the Kings of England the Popes have born an old grudge and indeavoured to destroy those Kings or Queens which resisted their Authority at least 12. Treasons against Q. Elizabeth were discovered and prevented which so frustrated Pope Pius Quintus projects that it broke his heart for malice that he could not with his Bulls which with his own hands he sealed depose and dethrone the Protestant Queen for she took occasion from the Popes wickedness and the Papists treachery to extirpate Priests and Jesuites out of the Kingdom whereupon Pope Gregory 13. erected a Colledge on purpose for English Priests and Jesuites that fled from England to Rome and another at Doway which was much nearer England that they might there both frame their granadoes of Treason against the English Court and receive such persons as were succesless in their Treason and made escapes out of England Against King James besides that Treason of Warson and Clarke the prodigious Gunpowder-plot was contrived by the Papists to destroy the King the Prince the House of Lords and the House of Commons in the twinkling of an eye upon this ground because Pope Clement 8. by a Bull Commanded that the King should not be crowned without a toleration of Popery but God prevented that prodigious blowe Hereupon the King and the Parl framed the Oath of allegiance to be taken by every subject in the Kingdom 't is thus I. A. B do truly and sincerely acknowle●ge profess testifie and declare in my Conscience before God and the World that our Soveraign Lord K. James is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of all other His Maj. Dominions and Countries and that the Pope neither of himself nor by any Authority of the Church or See of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any power of Authority to depose the King or dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to authorize any forraign Prince to invade or anoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his subjects of the allegiance and obedience to His Majesty or to give license to any of them to bear Arms or offer any violence or hurt to His Maj. person State or Government or to any of His Maj. Subjects I do swear from my hear● that no withstanding any Declaration or excom. against the King his Heirs and Successours or any absolution of the said Subjects from their obedience I will bear faith and true Religion to His Maj. His Heirs and Successors and him and them will defend to the utmost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever and I do detest and abhorre as impious and heretical the damnable Doctrine of the Pope that Princes may be excommunicated and deprived of their Kingdoms deposed and murthered by their

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

open enemies in the field and were in great hopes of setling the Protestant Religion in purity and extirpating Popery out of the 3. Kingdoms at this time the Popes Politicians were got into the Parl Army under the name of Independents from which the King fled to the Scots The King being fallen into the Covenanters hands viz. the Scottish Army the Parl made speedy and seasonable applications to him at Newcastle offering to him Articles of agreement which news was forthwith carried to Rome whereupon the Pope and the Conclave of Rome were inforced to look about and change their designes projecting new wayes by contrary proceedings to effect one and the same end for whereas they had given order to the Catholiques in Ireland before to yield all assistance to the King against the Parl Seeing now the King was under the Parl power least he and his Parl should agree and so England and Ireland be lost the Pope played aforehand game sending his Army into Ireland commanding at this time all the Cathol quests renounce their allegiance to the King of England and from that day forward the Pope and all the Romish Politicians projected how to destroy both King and Parl and destroy the Reformation by the Covenanters so far carried on both in England and Scotland The task was hard at first view to destroy a Religious Parliament a victorious Army and an able pious and zealous Clergy was no small piece of work The Romish politicions therefore were inforced to fly to their last refuge of Hypocrisie and lies and like Euphrates Frog to change both shape and colour using the violent motion of Frogs from one extream to another from the extream of Tyranny to the extream of Anarchy from the extream of holy Orders to the extream of no ordination In plain tearms the Pope and his Counsel perceiving there was no probable way to get a Toleration for Catholicks in the Kingdom of England if the King Lords and Commons agreed consulted how to throw down King Lord and Commons and Assembly of Divines together with the Protestant Ministery That the chief Engines to effect this might be placed here in England and have sure footing free from the power of the Magistrates corrective and coercive power Independency was set up which five valiant Champions of the Popes had defended in the Assembly as long as they could and being there able to stand against truth no longer like Serpents hissed for all the viperous brood of Sectarious blasphemers or any Sect to creep into their bellies Hereby Independencie that bottomlesse pit and Independent congregations the very plot designed to destroy Religion in the Nethetlands by the Pope first enacted there by Hugh Peters the Popes hyerling became as so many nurceries of Jesuite and Popish Priests and so many dens of Theeves where they framed all their picklocks opinions and devilish destructive instruments to ruin the Magistracy and the Ministery For the propagating and facilitating of this design the chief of the Romish Politicians in Europe were sent to England where they all went under the name of dissenting brethren Independents tender consciens-men and great Enemies to Antichrist crying down with Antichrist calling the Pope Anti-Christ not that they thought so but that they might hereby carry an their design of throwing down the protestant Ministery undiscovered for this to this day is their great and chief argument The Pope is Anti-christ that 's true Antichrist making Bishops Bishops are Antichristian that in some sortis true also Antichristian Bishops making and ordaining Ministers Ministers of England are Antichristians Ergo down with the Ministery of England down with these black-coats down with Baals Priests down with them there is the design and there is the end of all They onely use the Argument to put in practice the conclusion they that presse the Argument and first framed it were far from thinking the Pope to be Antichrist or Prelatical Bishop eithe onely it was framed to destroy the Covenanteeres Ministery who abhor the Pope and long since renounced him and his adherents If it be well observed Indepency was but the wooden horse with a thousand Heresies in his belly brought into the Kingdom of England by the Romish Politicians and let forth as so many furies to sly in the face of the reformed Religion For he that views the Heresies of late sprung up amongst us cannot but see that against every one of the Assemblies 33. Articles they raised contrary Heresies and could the silly English Sectarians of their own heads without the help of Jesuits and Romish Casuists do all this 't is folly to think it The late Heretical Arguments are taken out of Cas●sts how subtilly did they devise liberty of conscience meerly to get free from the Magistrate and how vehemently did they preach peace for love and meeknesse and admonishing on e another in love and being tender of giving offence to tender cousciences whereas we plainly see they had war and murther and malice in their hearts onely thereby they Iull'd asleep secure and bleer-eyed Protestants who suffered these cheates to pick their pockets while they heard them cry Gentlemen look to your purses they cried out beware of Antichrist who brough him in be good to tender consciences while they carried under their sheeps cloathing the wolves teeth to wound tender consciences withall To tell how these subtilly crept into the Army who nourished and upheld them there would be too tedious Our end i● to shew that the setting up of Indepency was the Popes design to throw down the Covenanting party in England and those that opposed the Popish Religion Out of this bottomlesse pit came all that party which first taught Rebellion against the higher powers from the dens of Independensie arose that party that lest off the Covenant professed open hatred to it and them that took it with an intent to keep it That party that raised those Heresies against the true Religion having now got power put them in practice against true Religion They that held the opinion of being free from Magistracie under the Gospel now made themselves free They that held Magistrates Tyran's ●ow having got power used them as Tyrants these guifted brethren wete now high in the Army The chief men that were aimed at were those that stood most stoutly to their Covena●t The chief Protestants both in the House of Lords the House of Common and in the C●●● of London were the men shot at impeached imprisoned persecuted banished and some 't is to be feared poisoned This party laid hold of the King imprisoned him and when the two Houses of Lords and Commons sate freely and voted a Treaty with the King and when the King had agreed to extirpate Popery and establish the Protestant Religion in his three Kingdoms and to fettle Church-Government according to the primitive constitution and when upon a free and serious debate the Lords and Commons voted the concessions of the King to be a ground

Nauntons fegmenta Regalia p. 2. Sec. 1. So that the Stuarts have an unquestionable Title to the Crown of England from the old Christian brittish Kings whose antiquity is beyond all the Kings in the World The Tudors expiring in Queen Elizabeth the mighty Family of the Stuarts succeeded by an unquestionable Title as lineally descended from Margaret the eldest Daughter of Henry the 7. of whom descended James the 1. of England and sixth of Scotland he reigning 22. years died and left the possession of England Scotland and Ireland to Charles the 1. who after he had raigned 24. years was cut off by a violent death Jan. 30. 1648. at his own door So that by this it may appear by what right the Kings of England have for above these 100. years made the first and chief estate in Parliament t is by a right of succession and inheritance always acknowledged and granted by the King The House of Lords make the second Estate because the Nobility of a Kingdom are the main pillers of those political Thea●ors where they live and as they are Clarior et illustri●r pars populi they do claim that priviledge jure geutium in this Kingdom they claim it as their Birth-right never in any age denied them their house being far more ancient then the House of Commons for Henry the 1. was the first that established the House of Commons and the House of Commons make the third estate who are called by the Kings Writ and chosen by the people to be their Trustees in Parl these being chosen and come up to Westminster or the place where the King appoints they are called over in the Kings presence and there they answer for what Shire or Town they are which done by the Kings Commandment they choose them a Speaker who maketh requests to the King that he would be content that they may injoy their liberties to speak their minds freely that they may punish any of their House offending that they may in doubts have the liberty to consult with His Majesty and the House of Lords promising in the Commons names not to abuse but to improve their priviledges as faithful true and loving subjects ought to do for their Princes Honour and advantage The House of Commons have power to impeach any person of Treason except the King for the King is one of their Estates and the Head now neither of these 3. Estates can impeach an other the King Lords cannot impeach the House of Commons because it is the third estate and the King and Commons cannot impeach the House of Lords because it makes the second Estate hereby the community must necessarily dissolve it self if either of the Estates could impeach each other therefore the Lords and Commons be they never so intire and full have no power de jure to impeach the King because he makes the first estate in Parl indeed they have power to curb the exorbitances of each other and for this end their two Estates of Lords and Commons were devised to curb the excess of Monarchs but in no wise to dethrone them The House of Commons never was a Court of Judicature it had a regative voice in the making of new Lawes and the chiefest hand in granting subsidies levying Taxes and imposing Customs on this Kingdom without whom the King and Lords could not proceed The original of the Subjects liberty came first out of Germany where saith Tacitus nec Regibus libera aut infinita potestas erat Kings had not unlimitted power but the weighty matters of the Realm were dispatched by general meetings of all Estates but it can never be found that the House of Commons was a Court of Judicature they are but the Peoples Trustees and this power they have that they have a negative voice in the making of a Law or imposing of any Taxes and herein is the great and vast liberty of the English Subject included that there can be no Law imposed on them but what their Representatives or Trustees in Parl shall agree unto and if after they have agreed unto a Law which proves inconvenient or not so effectual as was intended for the good of the People The next Session saith Fortescue Cancito reformari potest And thus the Laws of England in their framing are the best Laws in the World 3. And as the best in their frame and constitution so they are the best Laws in distribution for as all Estates have a hand in framing a Law so no Estate is exempted from observing of those Laws so that English Laws may truly be called Justice in the abstract for they do suum cuique tribu●re They give the King his due the Nobles their due and the Commons their due to each man from him that welds the Scepter to him that holds the Plough it gives him his right The Law sets the King above imprisonment or attainture by his Subjects by this Rule in Law nemo imprisonetur aut disvisietur nisi per judicium Legale parium Now all other men in the Kingdom may be tryed because there are to be found his Fellow-Subjects equal in all the priviledges of a Subject with him but a King take him either in his personal capacity or publick capacity he is no Subject of the Law indeed he is sworn to maintain and defend the Law The King is bound to maintain the Law by his Oath the form of which Oath runs thus You shall keep the Church of God the Clergy and People intirely in peace and concord in God according to your power The King answers I will keep them you shall cause equal and right justice in all your judgements and discretion in mercy and truth according to your power The King answers I will do it you shall grant just Laws and Customs to be kept and you shall promise that those shall be protected by you and to the lover of God to be strengthened which the common People shall choose according to their power To which the King answers I give and promise it This Oath the King takes at his Coronation viz. Parl. Rol. 1. Hen. 4. but in case he doth not so fully execute the Laws as is meete there can be no Judge legal of the King because he is a Monark and there cannot be Judges of the accesse of Monarchy for none can be found his equals and to judge him otherwise were to deny the Monarch what is granted to the meaner Subject which is to be judged by his equalls But though the Monark cannot be judged yet the instruments of that Monark may for a Commission from the King cannot bear out a Subject beyond Law the exorbitant Commands of such a Monak as our English Monark being politically powerless and if Authority fail in the supreme Power the instrument can have none from thence derived to him but must necessarily fall under the censure of the Law so that though the King is head of the

Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe that neither the Pope nor any other can absolve me from this Oath and all these things I do plainly swear according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evation or secret reservation This Oath with the Oath of supremacy the supreme Authority of the Nation thought fit to impose upon all the Protestants and other subjects in the Kings Dominions The Protestants rejoyced that there were such Oaths whereby they might manifest their loyalty to their Soveraign Lord the King only the Papists refused it having and using no other plea but tenderness of Conscience and fear to offend the Church of Rome these Oaths distinguished Protestants from Papists a long time in England during which time the Kingdom indured much peace and prosperity but after the death of K. James K Charles succeeding him in the Throne and matching with one of the Popish Religion a gap was opened for Priests and Jesuites to enter into the Kingdom and Romish designs were set on foot for the setling of Jesuites in the Kingdom under the name of protestants the Pope granting dispensations and Jesuites writing books as Ortwinus and several others of the Church of Rome that it was lawful for a Roman-Catholique to make profession of the ●rotestant Religion to go to their Churches and outwardly comply with Protestants and yet be a sacred Catholique and that it was lawful vulpirare cum vulpibus to play the knave with a knave they are their own words Hereupon subtil Jesuites under the name of Protestants seated themselves in England undiscovered held correspondence with the Conclave of Rome and carried on the Popes design professing all obedience to the King but keeping their poysonous treason against him in their brests ready to spit in the Kings and his Posterities face when they had fit opportunity for they had learned their lesson within book that it is lawful to spoil an Heretique King of his Goods melius tamen est quod Authoritate judicis fiat but 't is better to do it by a Court of Justice this is not a new opinion of the Popes nor of the Jesuites though newly acted And this is another opinion of theirs that uxor Catholica viro haeretico bene volentiam reddere non tenetur that a Papists wife may refuse to submit to her Husband she may plot and conspire his death by the Popes Law and this is another Cardinals opinion whose Books are licensed Pater qui filium habet haereticum exh●reditare talem filium tenetur that the Father may disinherit his Son being a Protestant Simancha episcopus saith propter tonne haeresin patris filii non sunt sui juris by reason of the Fathers Heresie the same freed from his allegiance Nay they hold that Subjects may lawfully refuse to obey Protestant Princes saith Beliarmine Non licet Christianis tolerare regem haereticum That Christian Subjects ought not to tolerate a Protestant King to live for in the Papists sense they are the Hereticks With these poisonous opinions did many subtil Jesuites and Priests lie about the Court get into Vniversities and other places in the Kingdom under the name of Protestants many of them These with the Popes Nuncio having won the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to their party as States-men conceived drove on a subtil design to overthrow the Government of the Kingdom by a Parl and so to pull down the Protestant Magistracy and all their wholsome Laws and by insinuating Altars Crucifixes Images and Image-worship with several other popish Ceremonies and imposing them on the Ministery of England thereby they intended at once to root out the Protestant Ministery and Protestant Religion This took effect according to the Popes desires so fully and raised the hopes of the Popish party so high that they resolved like Haman to destroy the Church in every of the Kings Dominions Scotland they intended to new-mould to the Popes model which Nation though poor and weak intemporals proved to the world that they were rich and strong in spirituals for they discovered the Popes designes and the English Jesuites the plots of the Spanish faction insomuch that the Protestant Nobility of England petitioned the King for a ●arl which was granted and the etcaetera Oath a Popish new Engagement on purpose devised to supplant the Protestant Ministery was utterly broken The Parl was by the gracious consent of the King established to sit until by their own Act they dissolved themselves This as it was great joy to the Protestants so it was exceeding terror to the Papists and Popish faction many of which fled beyond the Seas to Rome and other places Several others like subtil Foxes got on Sheeps-Cloathing and walked amongst the Separatists who during the Prelates tyranny were counted the most religious and zealous Protestants with these did they joyn and quickly learned their language fitting them in all things to a hair crying out against Antichrist the Pope of Rome Common Prayer or Antichrists Bible and Bishops as Antichrists brats this pleased the Separatists and no whit displeased the most of Protestants who too far lost their discretion through the violence of their blind passions who thought to much could not be said against Episcopal Government it had been so exceeding tyrannical hereby the subtil Jesuites under the name of zealous Protestants pluckt the Protestant Ministery and the Protestant Religion and the Protestant Magistracy as much into danger on the other hand as it had been before by the Popish Prelatick party for upon a true bottom did the Romish Sophists build a false Argument thus The Pope is Antichrist that 's true the Pope made Bishops say they and the Bishops made Ministers therefore the Ministers now were set down for Antichristian Ministers here the Devils Cloven foot appeared and mark what progress and advantage they made of this The next consequence was If Ministers be Antichristian then the Ordinances they administer are Antich Baptisme is Antich singing Psalms observing the Lords day meeting in Churches all this was Antichristian so that the Pope set up two designes for the miscarriage of that of Scotland for what with the Parl just and strict proceedings against the Popish party about the Court and what with their prevalency at Court with the Queen and the King designes by the Court factions were on foot to bring the Northern Army against the Parl to over-awe them as appears in the preamble of their Protestation made May 5. 1641. Thus whereas the designes of Priests Jesuites and other adherents to the See of Rome have of late been more frequently and boldly put in practice then formerly to the undermining and danger of the ruine of the true reformed Protestant Religion and the subversion of the fundamental Laws of England and Ireland by wicked plots and conspiracies and breach of Parliaments whereby the Kings Maj. person is indangered and an Army

men without remedie must our estates our livelihoods be taken away our wives ravished our children dis-inherited our goods rifled and must we have no remedy and all because we will not ●ump with men in their opinion Let all Europe judge between our enemies and us this day what have we done against them thus to provoke them who of us have lifted up our hands against them where are these of us that in any taxes are behind but we have payed it double and yet a thousand of our families are ruined by them they have taken away our offices and livelihoods they have suspended and imprisoned sundry of our Orthodox and Presbyterian Ministers and now have layed a snare to pluck them out of their Benefices and at last to drive them the kingdome as men unworthy to be protected Where is that liberty of conscience they so much pleaded for before they got to be supreme is not that forgot now Are not Mr. Edwards his words fulfilled who fore-warned the kingdom of that party which pleaded for Liberty of Conscience saying If ever they got power they would not grant liberty of conscience to others who now so much plead for it for themselves This is our comfort in our distresse that though on all hands we are hated and persecuted and repreached by our enemies yet for all this we have not dealt falsly in our Covenant and we can say more in our distresse to uphold our hearts then all our enemies Lord thov knowest our integrity We will onely adde one thing which indeed is no addition but a vehement reiteration that this new Ingagement may be explained according to our Queries or any other way to satisfie the rationall and sober minded part of the Kingdom and if possible the drawer of it up and first framer of it may be known This would give wonderfull satisfaction not onely to private men but Parliament men who know the framer of it and stop the mouthes of such who say that Sir Kelenem Digby and that patty that came with him from Rome into England about the time of the throwing down of the Lords and cutting off of the King framed this Ingagement against the Protestants and Covenanteers party as also to ruine the Parliament and Army This by many rationall men is much credited upon this ground because that the chief head-peeces of Rome were at the cutting off of the King here in England freely in oying their liberty such as Sir Kelenem Digby with his concealed Comrades besides Sir Iohn Winter Endimion Porter Esquire Walter Montague Esquire Sir Edw Ford all professed Papists and the most of them proclaimed Traytors some of them being of the blood of the gunpowder-traytors these had all their liberties to flant it in the City of London and Westminster Hall and were courted and gallantly entertained whiles above 40. of the notorious Hereticks in the Popes black book we mean stout Protestants whose names many of them were at the Covenant in Print were inforced to look through the grates of Prisons Sir William Waller Major Generall Brown Coll Coply and others being to this day deteined and not the least cause shown for it but only because they are Protestants many were inforced to make escapes and flye beyond Sea as Coll. Hollis Col Massy and severall Citizens of London so that all men that had observed the Popes designes since the Covenant was made against him in England concluded that now the designe of the Popes had taken effect and he had taken full revenge upon the Parliament of England for all their Injuries done unto him and his party Since which there onely remaineth of the Covenant keeping Presby●erian Ministery against which many Petitions have been made and put up to the House at Westminster some to take them down and some to take their means from them But now the last and grand designe is to put upon them the new Ingagement this hath scattered the Assembly of Divines in the first place hath shaken and cast out the Heads of Houses in both Universities and daily creepeth more and more upon the Protestant Ministers both in the City and Countrey clipping their estates and keeping them out of Livings and Benefices whereby very many of the godly Ministers with their Families are like to starve already these things make many Protestants imagine that the design is to pluck up all the sound Protestants in the Kingdom both of Magistrates and Ministers and so by degrees to eradicate the Protestant Religion and all to make way for Popery which hath already got stronger footing in the Kingdome then the Protestant Religion for all the oaths that were against their consciences are taken away and a new one set up well pleasing to the Papists onely offensive to the Protestants nay all Laws against the Papists are repealed and they restored to their ancient liberties in Q. Maries daies and worse Laws against the Protestants then in her daies Nor is this inconsistent with State policy for if it be true as it is beleeved and reported to be true that the designe is to set up Monarchy in another family they cannot do it without the alteration of Religion for the Protestants they are resolved to keep their Covenant and the Sectarians they are in no wise to be leaned upon by reason of their instability they are like Jackdaws that flye from Church to Church sometimes here sometimes there Heterogenious parts in an intire body are fit to throw down a government But unfit to erect another But the Jesuite he is both a Statesman and a staid man upon the Romish bottome and that party viz the Romish party are all allies in the Catholick cause so that he that will usurp a Monarchy his onely pollitique way is to joyn with that party who can befriend him in every Countrey For all Catholick Princes are bound by an Oath as much as in them lies to promote the Catholique cause and what Prince that is a Papist dares be assistant to a Protestant Prince against an usurper that hath promised the Pope to set up the Catholique cause and root out Protestants that Prince that should do so should be sure to be cursed whith bell book and candle at Rome nay what King durst refuse upon the Popes command to be assistant to the usurper against the true head being a Protestant we will say no more what others say either to tell of Sir Kenelem Digby his being sent to Rome or of Quarter-master Generall Watsons going after him or of his instructions what to agitate at the Popes Court or of the Popes designs in Ireland against the Protestants But we will desire the Author who ever he be or the power that put it forth that they will tell us what is the meaning of his new Ingagement and make it cleer to us that they can lawfully impose it and when the justnesse thereof in each particular shall be made out that it is for the glory of God the advancement of