Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	author_n	great_a	time_n	2,069	5	3.0647	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52993	Palæmon, or, The grand reconciler composing the great difference and disputes about church-government and discovering the primitive government of churches, built upon the Word of God, and the practice of the apostles / compiled by one who labours for the peace of the church.	T. N.	1646 (1646)	Wing N77; ESTC R30734	20,310	32

Mr. Th. is most observable and waighty He advises in the first place that with all circumspection and providence great care be used in ordering the choice of them His meaning is that if the people in the primitive Church had an interesse or share in giving consent to those who were to be ordained Presbyters much more must we think it very just and fit that the votes of the Presbyters and consent of the people should now precede and concur in the designing of such persons under whom and with whom they are to guide and be guided in spirituall affaires such persons are Bishops who should be men most holy in their life and most eminent for learning Most happy would this Nation be if all our Prelates were such and if that prescribed method were duly observed in the choice such would there alwayes or for the most part be who should fit at the Helme of this poore distracted Church now like to that Ship in which Peter was tossed and ready to sink for want of good Pilots SECT X. LAst of all because this Apostolicall government by Bishops and Presbyters is chiefly exercised in Ordination Penance a question may arise Whether it belongs to the Bishop alone without his Presbyters to censure the offences whether in doctrine or manners of those persons who have received holy orders Mr. Th. clearing first that place in 1 Tim. 5.19 20. answers the question Against an Elder receive not an accusation but under 2. or 3. witnesses c. That without all doubt it was the practice of the primitive times for the Bishop with his Presbyters to take the examination of offending Ministers whom being convicted of their offence by the mouth i. e. the asseveration of 2. or 3. witnesses he in the presence of his Presbyters did rebuke before all in the sight and hearing of the congregation that others thereby might be strucken with feare to offend God and his people by their scandalous conversation If this course had been taken formerly with Ministers and Deacons it might have so pleased God that the Church should not now have layen bleeding and gasping in this fatall ruine Neither would there have beene given to our enemies so just an occasion of relating sad truths in Gath and Askelon Thus following the method of that most learned Gentleman I have cast his larger Modell into a lesser frame that the cmmon people may hereby be better instructed and advised not to thinke of destroying Bishops but rather labour and wish for the restoring of their Presbyteries which forme of government being set downe and delivered in the holy Scriptures is commended and countenanced by the agreement of historicall Truth and primitive practice as of the Apostles and other succeeding ages And seeing that the Bishops succeeded the Apostles in place and function I cannot but wonder that those should endeavour to destroy them those who are Sons of the Apostles Faith and Doctrine S. Hierom of all Church Writers least favorable to the Order of Bishops is neverthelesse most large in acknowledging that without it the peace of particular Churches could not be preserved In witnesse whereof we may appeale to those many and happy dayes which our Church since the Reformation by means of it hath enjoyed without such ruptures and factions which have happened in a neighbouring Church whose people were alwayes observed to be of all others most daring in matters of Religion to innovate opinions and break the bonds of peace by which the good and welfare of Church and State is promoted To re-establish which blessed peace after which we groane in our prayers with panting desires it could be wished that wee might see the Heads of our Church the Bishops stand as Mr. Th. expresses it well in their right places being set over Bodies or Colledges of Presbyteries which should consist of men conforme to the Church both in Doctrine and Discipline To the want of which government although some have attributed those many inconvenciences wherewith the Church is cumbred yet most of the Clergy-men that are versed in the affaires of the Church wishing its prosperity and peace doe acknowledge and confesse with a protestation against it That there is one in conveniency now setled in the Church which has done much mischiefe and cannot be redressed without a publique Act of Parliament It is the committing of Jurisdiction at large even that which by the power of the Keyes received from Christ is proper and essentiall to the Church to Lay persons as Chancellors and Commissaries c. who may still retaine that office and ranke they hold in regard of those other points of Jurisdiction in charitable causes annexed by the favour of Princes and Lawes of Commonwealths to the Church As the probat of Wils c. which is fittest to judge and determine in such cases yet may be nonplust sometimes for want of knowledge in the Civill Law and therefore may and must have need of such assistants who if they moved onely in the lower Sphere of the Law and medled not with that Primum mobile the great wheele of the Church the discipline of penance but did leave the execution of this to the Bishop and Presbyters If this were once amended and officers duly censured by the B ps their Presbyters openly in the Church or in any publike place of Justice And besides the exercise of this discipline if they enjoined their joint pains parts in the tryall examination of persons who come for Ordination providing that none be ordained but those who are either Assistants of and are presented to Cures according to our Lawes if this were faithfully done and Ministers without connivence censured who should offend either in life or doctrine then should we see Righteousnesse run downe like a streame in our streets and Peace would flourish within our wals and Plenty in our palaces This is my daily prayer and it is the desire of all good Christians Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris Give peace in our time O Lord. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem FINIS Kinde Reader The Authors of this Book being by multiplicity of imployments detained from meeting together to revise the whole before the impression was finished the Errata swell to a greater number then may stand with the credit of the Book but if thou pleasest before the reading of it with thy pen to correct these ensuing we hope it will tend the more to thy satisfaction PAge 1. line 5. 1 Joh. 5.22 read Joh. 5.22 p. 5. l. 26. blot out is p. 6. l. 22. in some Copies comparing r. conforming p. 52. l. 19. three r. two and l. 20. blot out these words 3. It is an exercised power p. 73. l. 6. in margin potentissima r. potissima p. 75. l. 7. serve r. swear p. 82. l. 3. conventies r. conventions and l. 34. essentiall r. severall p. 84. l. 14. subject r. directly and properly subordinate p. 85. l. 33. essentiall r. severall p. 87. l 4. seeing r. preaching p. 95. l. 36 37. blot out those words God hath not given us the spirit of feare but of power Tit. 1.7 p. 96. l. 25. 1 Cor. 19. r. 1 Cor. 14. p. 103. l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 111. l. 1. to 5. blot out the sentence from supposing to the period and l. 10. perfect r. profest p. 111. l. 7. because in no. r. but a. p. 115. l. 5. blot out joyntly p. 118. l. 3. blot out these words 3. He that sheweth mercy i. e. such as were to entertain strangers relieve the sick c. ver 8. p. 121. l. 10. blot out yet p. 123. l. 34. blot out well p. 169. l. 11. 1 Cor. 4.21 r. 1 Cor. 4.20 p. 172. l. 17. blot out of the Church p. 195. l. 5. a multitude r. multitudes p. 214. l. 28. blot out greater and l. 29. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Other literall faults will be pardoned of course