God, the king, and the church (to wit) government both civil and sacred together instituted ... and throughout all, the Church of England ... vindicated : being the subject of eight sermons, preached ... / and now published by George Seignior ...

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Author:	Seignior, George, d. 1678.
Title:	God, the king, and the church (to wit) government both civil and sacred together instituted ... and throughout all, the Church of England ... vindicated : being the subject of eight sermons, preached ... / and now published by George Seignior ...
Print source:	God, the king, and the church (to wit) government both civil and sacred together instituted ... and throughout all, the Church of England ... vindicated : being the subject of eight sermons, preached ... / and now published by George Seignior ... Seignior, George, d. 1678. London: Printed for Christopher Wilkinson ..., 1670.
Notes:	Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Errata: p. [1] at end.
Subject terms:	Church and state -- England. Sermons, English -- 17th century.
URL:	https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A59072.0001.001
How to cite:	For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

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title page

To the Right Honorable RICHARD BOYLE, Baron of Clifford, Youghall and Bandon; Viscount of Kynalmea∣kie and Dungarvan; Earle of Burlington and Corke; Lord High Treasurer, and a Privy Counseller of his Majesties King∣dome of Ireland.

MOSES and AARON: A SERMON Preached before the KING at Saxham in the County of Suffolk, April 17. 1670.

'Tis pity to divide the Text, when the words speak nothing but Ʋnion; I shall en∣deavour to keep my self close to the scope of them, whilst I confine my Discourse unto these Three Particulars.

From all which I might raise and prosecute this Observation;

And, all this not to Jacob and Israel onely; but, to Pharaoh and the Egyptians also:

They are called Gods upon several accounts; I briefly instance but in two; the Ʋbiquity of their Presence, the Omniscience of their Knowledge.

One inference more.

Shall I with all humility and due Reverence, speak the words of truth and soberness? it is in the Cause of God, of the King, and also of his Priests!

When once there be Divisions, many are the thoughts, many are the searchings of heart! I would not be mistaken as an evil-speaker, or a fore-boder of evil tidings, while I do thus mournfully, and with all lowly submission crave leave to make out the Parallel:

SOLOMONS PORCH frequented by the APOSTLES;

Of these in their order.

Second thing I observed to you; The place of their meeting; in a place consecrated and se∣parated for the Service of God; in Solomons Porch.

Third thing I observed unto you in this holy Convention; and that is, their Behaviour at their meeting with one accord.

The Second SERMON The Convention as it was Holy, so it was Regu∣lar: Brotherly Love continued, and yet a pro∣miscuous parity was avoided; there was a due Distance kept in this Solemn Assembly; of the rest; whither they were friends, or whi∣ther they were enemies; whether they were within, or without the pale of the Church; the Apostles having took their seats, no man durst to joyn himself to them.

1. By whom this distance was kept?Of the Rest. And these might be of three sorts.

Second thing observed in this second part of the Text, (to wit) what was the present frame and temper of their minds, by whom this due distance was kept; No one durst.

Third thing observed in this Second part of the Text; (to wit) the Distance which was observed at this Convention; and that more specially and particularly, what this Distance was? what was that Act which these three sorts of persons did not dare, or venture to ingage themselves upon, to be too familiar with, to joyn themselves unto them.

The Third SERMON

To be a little more close and particular

Second thing now to be considered in this Third part of the Text, the Persons by, and to whom, this respect was given; from the People to the Apostles, this the honour of these Saints, their Persons to be had in esteem amongst the Multitudes.

Third thing to be considered in this third part of the Text, (viz.) the Occasion of this awful Reverence and Respect; at the begin∣ing of the 12th verse;. Signes and wonders were wrought by the hands of the Apostles amongst the People;—and the Peo∣ple magnified them.

The Fourth SERMON The great Benefit which did accrue to the whole Community from the Reverence which was here exhibited, or rather from the whole Dis∣pensation at this present!

So that, already you may percieve, that this last Discourse is to be confined to these two particulars.

Second Part of this Discourse; in which I pro∣mise all possible Brevity; (to wit) what this Be∣nefit redounding so upon every account to the Church in a settled Community, is? as it may be examined by these Particulars!

A BAD AND A Good Zeal DESCRIBED and LIMITED.

To be a little more close and particular; The two Verses will be the Subject of two Discour∣ses: for the first, which is a Description of a bad or a wicked zeal; it is described to us to be, not as it should be in these particulars.

A zeal of Persons; and those may be of these three sorts; The Clergy; The Laity; or, Persons in a more mixed and refined Relation; neither one, nor the other particular so con∣sidered; but a certain juncto, or a knot of ac∣quaintance.

In which Zeal is reprehensible; and that is in relation to the Subject, when the affecta∣tors of this kind are not rightly qualified as to affection, or intention; They zea∣lously affect; but, not well.

Third Thing in which zeal is reprehensible; and that in relation to the Zeal it self, when it does in its direct consequence tend to a separa∣tion, and disunion. They would exclude either you, or us; that is, they would separate you from us, and us from you.

One Observation more upon this Third thing.

Fourth and Last Observable, wherein zeal is re∣prehensible; and that again, in relation to the zealots themselves, when they would set the Church on fire, to warm themselves by the flames of it, by gaining Disciples, not so much to their Cause, as to their Party; yea, chiefly in this, every private zealot may play a Game by himself alone, distinct from the rest of his Company; while they do many times supplant one another in gaining Prose∣lytes to themselves, being exceeding zealous, that the People might affect them.

Application.

The Second SERMON

Second part of the Text, Ratio Approbandi; The Reason of this Approbation: and that,

2. Reason of this Apostolical approbation; and that Taken from the habit;. It must be alwayes.

Third and Last Reason of this Apostollical ap∣probation, taken from the occasion of ex∣pressing it; not only when I, your Apo∣stle, am present with you.

MODERATION AS AN APOSTOLICAL COUNSEL Explained;

This is the Sum of the Text, and the Design of the ensuing Discourse from these words, Let your Moderation be known unto all Men: the Lord is at Hand.

First. What this Moderation, in its signification doth most properly import?

Second Thing proposed; how? and in what particular Circumstances this grace of Mo∣deration is to be manifested unto others? let it be known.

Third and Last thing propounded (to wit) How the Coming of Christ, either in the Flesh, or to Judgment, is an Argument to us, to improve this Grace of Moderation?

Our Saviour in the Flesh, God incarnate in his Birth, throughout his Life, but chiefly at his Death, was not only a most successful example, but a prevail∣ing argument for our Moderation.

The Sum, Conclusion, and Application of all, is briefly this: Let your Moderation be known unto all men; the Lord is at hand:

ERRATA.