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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66470	Religion exprest by loyalty in a sermon preach'd before the right worshipful Samuel Swift Esq., Mayor of the ancient, honourable and loyal city of Worcester, the first Sunday after his inauguration or instalment, being the 19th day of October, in the year of our redemption 1684, at the parish church of St. Swithin, upon a text selected by William Swift, Esq. (his truly loyal father) being the 21st. & 22d. verses of the 24th chapter of Solomons Proverbs, in these following expressions / by Will. Williams ...	Williams, William, Inferior Brother to the venerable and orthodox clergy.; Swift, William.	1685 (1685)	Wing W2790; ESTC R12293	14,287	42

·DIEV · ET · MON · DROIT · God save the KING Published at the Request of the MAYOR ALDERMEN and other noted Persons of the City of WORCESTER RELIGION EXPREST BY LOYALTY IN A SERMON Preach'd before the RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Samuel Swift Esq MAYOR of the Antient Honourable and Loyal City of Worcester The first Sunday after his Inauguration or Instalment being the 19th day of October in the year of our Redemption 1684. At the Parish Church of St. Swithin upon a Tex Selected by William Swift Esq his truly Loyal Father being the 21st 22d Verses of the 24th Chapter of Solomons Proverbs in these following expressions My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their Calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruin of them both By Will Williams an inferior Brother to the venerable and Orthodox Clergy LONDON Printed for the Author by T. Braddyll and are to be sold by Walter Davies Publisher in Amen Corner and by most Book-sellers in London and Worcester 1685. To the Right Worshipful Samuel Swift Esq Mayor and also to the Worshipful Aldermen together with all other worthy Members of the Common-Council pertaining to the City of WORCESTER Loving and Loyal Gentlemen IT is very observable that most of you to whom this Epistle is Dedicated were personally present at the delivery of the following Sermon which discourse I found to be complyable with your Loyal dispositions otherwise I had not been solicited by so many of its Auditors to publish the same in Print And tho I was much importun'd thereunto yet I durst not presume upon such an enterprize until I had taken the wary advice of much more discreet and better judgments The Text was recommended to my management by a well-wisher and good benefactor both to the Church of England and the Common-weal namely Wi. Swift Esq and it is an undoubted Testimonial not only of his Religious Principles but also of his Loyal Practices whose longing desire is to see Uniformity flourishing both in Church and State the which happiness would much redound to the satisfaction of all such Persons as have true affection to the present Government for if we take a serious prospect of the Primitive times nothing more prejudic'd the Christian Religion than the irregular discords of disaffected People as appears in the Faction of the Church of Corinth where one said I am of Paul another I am of Apollo a third I am of Cephas and a fourth I am of Christ as if Paul Apollo Peter and Christ had various Professions of the same universal or Catholick Doctrine which was so far repugnant with the uniformal practice of the Apostles that St. Paul sharply reprehended such conceited Parties for their inordinate and self-will'd distinctions as if thereby they contracted the guilt of Saducaean error i. e. in denying the Resurrection of Christ from the dead as appears in his 1 Epist Cor. Chap. 15. Vers 12. This Capital default was attended with many other Criminous or Enormous mistakes by reason of their incongruous Practices and Contentious Customs which were the perfidious and unsufferable Causes that brought Faith into Faction and Religion into Rebellion like our giddy Dissenters from the Church of England who contrary to the course of the Learned and Holy-men have imagin'd and fram'd strange conclusions in Divinity as alledging the Choice of Ministers to stand upon the approbation of the People and that they are all of equal authority also they affirm the Church of Englands Government to be unlawful and Anti-Christian and that the Lords Prayer commanded by our Saviour must not be used no Holy-day observ'd but the Sabbath no Primitive Father scited in the Pulpit the Book of Common-Prayer or Divine Service must be abolished all Ceremonies of our Church swept away as Popish that the calling of Bishops is an Anti-christian Hierarchy that Reformation of Religion belongs to the Commonalty that the People are better than the King and of greater Authority that the Presbitery and not the Prince should bear the Supream Government in matters Ecclesiastical These and such like Novelties are their seditious and confused Tenets the reason of all which mistakes as St. Peter remarks in his 2d Epist the 2d Chap. Verse 10 is because they are presumptuous self-will'd despising Government and speaking evil of Dignities tho the same Apostle obliges them by the express Rule of Scripture To fear God and honour their King but they by the Magick of their Seperation divide that Text of Scripture asunder which Christ and his Apostle have joyned together yea it visibly appears that though they pretended to fear God yet they so far dishonored their King as to occasion the death of the Lord 's Anointed to wit our late Royal Martyr and it is too apparent that the like mischief was lately hatcht in order to depose the Regal Person of our present Soveraign had not God preserved him by a miracle of unparalelled Mercy but to prevent such Schism Treason and Rebellion I shall conclude this Epistle with St. Paul's rule of Conformity in his 1 Epist Cor. Chap. 1 Verse 10. where he speaks these expressions to the Seditious Corinthians Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment Which Loyal Gentlemen Shall be the constant Prayer of your faithful Friend and Humble Servant whilst WILLIAM WILLIAMS Prov. 24. Chap. 21 22. Vers My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their Calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both THIS Portion of Scripture is so elegantly Emphatical in its important expressions that without controversie Soveraign Kings and Princes are the true Types or resemblances of Gods Supreme Majesty and such a one was the most Majestick and Magnificent Solomon who in reference to his abundant Wisdom did more represent his Heavenly Maker than any other Terrestrial Monarch whether preceding or succeeding his Regal dignity for he was so highly in favour with the Highest as to be called Lemuel a King belonging to the Lord also Jedidiah a King beloved of the Lord and likewise Shelemo which implies a peaceable and a quiet King These signal appellations are the sacred stamps wherewith God Almighty imprints his own Image upon the Persons of pious Princes that he may ranck them in the first and most principal Hierarchy of Magistratical Men where by a Deifi'd dignity his Holiness stiles them Gods and Children of the most high as appears in the 82d Psal at the 1st and the 6th Verses Also Moses saith in the 22d of Exod. at the 28th Vers Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of they People By which supernal Prerogative they are priviledg'd to exercise the greater

the whole Land was infested with Sects and Tumults in so much that the State was troubled the King disobeyed good Laws neglected violence and villany offered to all that were possessed with Loyalty and Allegiance towards their Soveraign this brought the Kingdom into such a confused Distraction that much People grew obstinate and disloyal some pleading for Liberty of Conscience and under that Nicety forsaking Communion with the Church Catholick to flock with seditious Multitudes either to Mountains Woods Barns or Stables any where rather than the Place of Holy Convocation though consecrated for the Worship and Honour of God in allusion unto the Temple of Solomon whereof David said In his Temple shall every Man speak of his honor But wilfully forsaking their Mother Church they suddenly fell to Sedition from Sedition to privy Conspiracy against the Government from Conspiracy to Rebellion from Rebellion to false Doctrine from false Doctrine to Heresie from Heresie to Schism from Schism to hardness of heart and from hardness of heart to contempt of Gods Word and Commandment like unto those filthy Dreamers who despise Regal Dominion and speak evil of secular and civil Dignities as St. Jude remarks in the 8. vers of his Epistle These are the Gradations of a profest Schismatick and Schism is as antient as the Devil himself for he was the first Inventer of it as appears by the Dissention which he made amongst the Caelestial Angels until he and they became Apostates for which presumption he was cast under the Name of Lucifer into the depth of Hell as appears in the 14. Chap. of the Prophesie of Isaiah at the 14 and 15. verses In the second Place after he had put the Angels at variance one with another and both himself and them in opposition to God he proceeds to set man at difference with his Maker and that in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve consenting to his Serpentine Temptation became guilty of sin and eternal death Thirdly assoon as this diabolical Schismatick had set man at odds with his Maker he did set one man to destroy another as appears in the 4. Chap. of Genesis v. 8. where by his evil means Cain rose up against Abel his Brother and slew him From hence it may be observed that where-ever Satan sows his seeds of sedition there others may reap the fruit of Murder and Confusion This Truth might be witnessed in the Kingdom of England by an inhumane and unparallel'd Experience namely the Assassination or Murder of our late King being the odium of all Christendom occasioned by the disturbance of our home-bred divisions which created contention and debate amongst us being the malignant Marks of Satans Synagogue and directly opposite to the badges of Christs Church which are Unity Peace and Concord for as St. Paul saith in his 1st Epistle to the Corinths the 11. Chap. ver 16. If any man seemeth to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God Seing therefore that the Church of God admits of no contentious Customs let all of us that own our selves profest Members thereof joyn together in one harmonious consent to hold the Faith in Unity of Spirit in the Bond of Peace and in righteousness of life Acknowledging the Truth of my second Proposition That he who fears God ought in such a manner to honour his King as not to side with those that would alter or change his Government and this also is answerable to these words of the latter Clause in my first Verse And meddle not with them that are given to change Which ushers me to the management of the Third Proposition Namely to prove by express Testimonies of Scripture That sudden Calamities have ensued upon the Rebellion of Schismatical and Factious People Which also is agreable with the first branch of the second ver in my Text where Solomon affirms That their Calamity shall rise suddenly My first Evidence in this respect shall be alledged from the 16. Chap. of Numbers at the 31 32 33 34. verses where it is recorded That Korah Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses and refused to obey him whereupon fire came from the Lord and consumed Korah and his Company And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Dathan and Abiram with their Houses and all the men that appertained to them and all their goods and they perished from among the Congregation And again when the Congregation of Israel murmured against Moses the Lord sent a Plague amongst them whereof there suddenly dyed Fourteen thousand and seven hundred besides them that dyed about the matter of Korah as appears in the 49. v. of the same Chap. Another Instance we have in the 21. Chap. of Numbers at the 5 6. v. where it is said That the Lord sent fiery Serpents amongst the Israelites and they bit the people and much People of Israel dyed for their murmuring against Moses who in those days was their chief Magistrate Likewise Absolom rebelled against King David Lord and Father but his great Army was overthrown and Twenty Thousand af them were slain and himself hanged by the head forsaken by his Mule and with three Darts thrust through the heart by Joab and Ten young men that bare Joab's Armour compassed him about and slew him as you may read in the 18. Chap. of the second Book of Samuel at the 7.14 15. ver Also Sheba the Son of Bichri rebelled against King David and blew a Trumpet and said we have no part in David neither have we Inheritance in the Son of Jesse and every man of Israel went up from after David and followed Sheba but shortly after Sheba being besieged by Joab in Abel had his head stricken off and thrown over the Wall to Joab as it is recorded in the 20. Chap. of the second of Samuel at the 1 2 21 22. verses Baasha the Son of Ahijah conspired against Nadab his Lord and King and slew him as appears in the 15. Ch. of the first Book of Reg. ver the 27. But in the 16. Chap. of the same Book at the 1 2 3. v. Jehu the Son of Hanani prophesy'd against him saying from God I will take away the Posterity of Baasha and will make thy House like the House of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat him that dieth of Baasha in the City shall the Dogs eat and him that dyeth of his in the fields shall the Fowls of the air eat Zimri a servant to Elah King of Israel conspired against his Master and slew him but within seven days Omri whom the People made King came and besieged him in Tirzah and it came to pass when Zimri saw the City was taken that he went into the Palace of the King and burnt the Kings house over his head and dyed as it is apparent in the 16th Chapter of the First Book of the Kings from the 9th to the 19th Verse The Servants of Joash King of Juda conspired against him and slew the

King in the House of Millo as appears in the Twelfth Chapter of the second Book of the Kings Verse 20. But in the 14. Chapter of the same Book Verse 5. It is said That as soon as Amaziah his Son had the Kingdom Confirmed in his hand he slew his Servants who had slain the King his Father There is also a very remarkable passage in the 21. Chapter of the 2d Book of the Kings at the 23 and 24 Verses where it is said That the Servants of Ammon Conspired against him and slew the King in his own House and the People of the Land slew all them that had Conspir'd against King Ammon And the People of the Land made Josiah his Son King in his stead A Parrallel of this example we had in the Martyrdom of our Late King and the Restauration of our present Soveraign for his own Subjects conspired against him and slew the King at his own House and the People of the Land by putting the Laws in Execution did cut off some of those that Conspired the death of their Royal Master And again Josiah-like the people of this Land by the wonderful Providence of God did place his Princely Son to rule the Realm in his Fathers stead To whose gracious Person may God grant a long and a prosperous Reign over us I shall cite Two or Three Examples from the New Testament and so put a Period to this noted Point Joseph and Mary the Parents or our Lord and Saviour willing to shew their Loyalty and Obedience upon the command of Augustus Caesar went up unto their own City to be taxed as appears in the 2d Chap. of St. Luke's Gospel Ver. the 4th Christ himself paid Tribute to Caesar and submitted to the judgment of Pilate tho he could easily have delivered himself from the same As appears in the 17 Chapter of St. Matthew at the 27. Verse We read in the 5. Chapter of the Acts Verse 37. That one Judas of Galilee councelled the Jews that by no means they should pay Tribute unto Caesar but to maintain their ancient Priviledges and Customs and so drew away much People after him but he perished and all as many as obeyed him were dispersed St. Paul submitted to and pleaded his cause before Felix the Roman Governour as appears Acts the 24th at the 10th Verse The like he did before Festus who came in the room of Felix and afterwards he appealed unto Caesar's Judgment-seat as it is very observable in the 25. Chap. of the Acts at the 8. 11. ver Now it plainly appears that Joseph and Mary and Jesus and Paul were obedient to civil Magistrates and Governors But such as were disobedient and rebellious they were rewarded according to their due deserts as I have sufficiently demonstrated from the third Proposition Whence I proved by express Testimonies of Scripture that sudden Calamities have ensued upon the Rebellion of Schismatical and Factious People as agreeable with the first Branch of the 2d ver in my Text Where Solomon affirms That their Calamity shall rise suddenly From which I pass to the Fourth Proposition Namely to maintain That in whatever Nation the People are arbitrarily divided in opposition to the Government such Enterprizes portend those Parties ruine which also is correspondent with the last Branch of my Text where Solomon propounds this ominous Interrogatory And who knoweth th ruine of them both It is to be observed in the course of all Ages that the most flourishing Kingdoms of the World never received such fearful downfalls from open and forreign Enemies as they have done by secret Innovations and Domestick conspiracies The destruction of Jerusalem that Metropolis of earthly Cities began by the civil or rather uncivil discords of Simon and Eleazar but when Vespatian the Emperor and his Son Titus came against it with an Army they found the whole Nation of the Jews divided into three factions each or them ready to undo the other Whereupon followed the overthrow of that Kingdom and rasing of Jerusalem even level with the ground for then there were slain of the Jews being Men Women and Children as the learned Josephus writes who at that time was Captain in the field no less than Eleven hundred Thousand It is apparently demonstrable that every Schism proceeds from it's first Point to the full Period of a plain Heresie of one small spark is kindled a great fire Arrius's Heresie was but a spark at the beginning yet this spark did set all Affrica and Europe on the furious fire of Contention that hitherto the Church militant recover'd not its former esteem and purity Also Mahomet that Antichristian Infidel began with a very few of his Sect but in a short time he over-ran Asia and did so deface the beauty of the Eastern Churches that to this day he continues a Scourge to all Christendom And it is observ'd by woful experience That the Anabaptists of late years kindled such a Spark of Error in Germany as grew into such a combustible flame that many Cities Towns and Temples were set on fire whereupon issued a bloody Massacre of many thousand People But we need not go so far as Jerusalem Turky or Germany for Examples This Kingdom of ours could never be invaded nor conquered till such time as the people were at variance within themselves then was Julius Caesar with a small Army the Saxons Danes and Normans able to possess and suppress our Country The like Surprizal happened in the time of our late Rebellion when England was deposed of its Princely Patron-ship to be in subjection to an Usurping Protector-ship It is the opinion of Herodian an old Writer that as much as War is worse than peace so much civil Sedition is worse than war And Titus Livius saith that it is dissention which causeth the ruine of great Empire I am sure this our Kingdom has sufficiently shared in such Calamities and had not God interven'd his good Providence the horrible designs which were contriv'd not long since might have brought it to utter ruine For as our Saviour saith in the 12. Chap. of St. Matthew Verse 25 Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it self shall not stand And thus much briefly must suffice in reference to the ruine of that Kingdom and its Subjects which is undermined by seditious People for these might in a tumultuous way be so destructive to each other and also to the Nation as to weaken the power of their Prince to wage War with a Forreign enemy so that this point complies with my fourth and last proposition From which I briefly maintained That in whatever Nation the People are arbitrarily divided in opposition to the Government such Enterprizes portend those Parties ruine which fitly corresponds with the last branch in my Text where Solomon propounds this ominous Interrogatory And who knoweth the ruine of them both Which guides me to the Fifth and last Point relating to my present