Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	abraham_n	lord_n	way_n	1,660	5	5.7908	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86660	The happiness of a people in the wisdome of their rulers directing and in the obedience of their brethren attending unto what Israel ougho [sic] to do recommended in a sermon before the Honourable Governour and Council, and the respected Deputies of Mattachusets [sic] colony in New-England. : Preached at Boston, May 3d, 1676, being the day of election there. / By William Hubbard ...	Hubbard, William, 1621 or 2-1704.	1676 (1676)	Wing H3209; ESTC W12661	72,888	77

one mind judgment will all both joyntly and severally exert your most strennous endeavours for the promoting the honour and Glory of God and the good of those under your charge In which endeavours if you shall persist it may be hoped that as hitherto God hath owned your selves as well as your Predecessors to become as a wall and defence to his vineyard here planted so there may be still found of you that shall help to build the waste places and raise up the foundations of many Generations and that you notwithstanding the present Combustions shall be called the Repairers of the Breach and the restorers of pathes to dwell in It is possible you may be importunately molested with the clamours of these or those to make this or that change in your course to gratifie particular mens humours of which you need take no more notice then the skilfull Pilot at the helme uses to doe of the cryes of the unskilfull fearfull Passengers that think that course will ruine the vessel which is the only way to preserve it There is an old Fable that when there hapned a great contention about the weather those of the high Countryes complained that they were almost burnt up with drought for want of rain and those of the valleys said they were almost drowned for want of Sun-shining dayes Jupiter sent them word by Mercury the weather should be as it had been Possibly some under your Goverment are as ready to complain of too much restraint as others are of too much liberty I humbly conceive you cannot doe better then to let things be as they have been heretofore so to countenance and encourage those that fear God and work rightiousness but sharply to rebuke and timely to repress whatever is contrary to sound doctrine or apparently tends to hinder the power of Godliness and progress of true Religion with all other profaness or unrighteousness that under the shadow of your Government we may lead quiet lives in all godliness and honesty yet keeping in mind the wise caveate of our Saviour that in gathering up the tares you root not up the wheat also It is one great part of the unhappiness of this life that neither wise nor good men are all of one mind but yet all due care had need be taken that differences be made neither more nor greater then they are or carried on with such Animosity or bitterness as should prejudice the interest of Religion or welfare of the Commonwealth Yea possibly the differences in our minds that occasion most disturbance arise only from that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as if things were not strained at both ends further then the equity of the Rule will allow all might well hold together when the overstraining of things is oft times ready to break all to pieces If God in whose hand our times are and who sets the bounds of our habitations shall as he hath begun goe on to perform his whole work upon his people and send such rest unto his Churches here that the Answer to be returned to the Messengers of the Nations shall be The Lord hath founded our Sion and that the poor of the people shall trust in it How can it better be improved then by taking care that the Churches under your care in this Jurisdiction may be edified walking in the fear of God that the Lord our God may be with us as he was with our Fathers that he may not leave us nor forsake us nor our Posterity after us Which to effect I humbly conceive there is no way more probable then by interesting them as much and as soon as may be in all the priviledges that Christian Religion allows as they grow up to engage them throughly and seriously in all the dutyes it requires to take care that it be done by those whom it more immediately concerns is certainly a duty in special incumbent on your selves To this end I may commend to your Consideration the Political Fathers of the Country the example of Abraham whom we find both approved rewarded of God for commanding his children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord and to doe Justice and Judgment that the Lord might bring upon him that which he had spoken of him If he were not much mistaken who said it was morally impossible to rivet Christian Religion into the body of a nation without Infant Baptisme by proportion it will as necessarily follow that the neglect or disuse thereof will as directly tend to root it out How far the Command given to Joshuah by God himself to circumcise the Children of Israel i. e. to take order that Circumcision should be used again among the people by that meanes to nowl the reproach of Egypt from off the Children of Israel may be looked upon as obliging to your selves I shall not now say ye doubtless if what was written or hapned to them was intended as matter of example and admonition to us upon whom the ends of the world are come some use may and ought to be made of such Declarations of Gods will Whatever Indulgence may be judged needfull to be used to some that may be of different apprehensions I have adventured to say something in the following Discourse for cleering the duty of Rulers in matters of Religion from mistakes and stating the bounds of moderate Toleration so far as the time allotted for such an exercise would allow not so much for direction to your selves as for the information of others who by their too much rigidness on the one hand or laxness on the other may be ready to obstruct the Churches peace but not promote the purity of Gospel Worship placidè contra sentientem ferre is no small piece of Christian prudence the want of which I fear hath done much hurt in this poor Country as well as in other reformed Churches Dissenters in Religion being not much unlike the Seditious in the State who by fair meanes may be gained but by too much severity are apt to run into uncurable opposition and obstinacy It must be owned for your future Honour that much hath been done by you to carry on the work of God in this Generation yet may it be feared that his words will be found too true a man much employed and approved by your selves while he was conversant in this world that unless many things were done for the further setling of the matters of Religion amongst us before this Generation went off the Stage they that came after would have cause to say that their Predecessors had left much of their work undone Thus craving your acceptance of this my small mite which I am willing to cast into the Churches Treasury under the countenance of your Authority I shall no further trouble you this way I have made no materiall alteration in any expression nor addition of any thing but what was intended to have been spoken if time would then have

to pass that this Tribe should answer this honourable character given of them whereby they may well be thought to have at this time had the precedency of all the rest of the Tribes both for their civil prudence and military Discipline as well as care of Religion The reason given by some Interpreters seems not sufficient to salve the knot viz. of those who say that being given to Husbandry that occasioned them to be more curious observers of times and seasons but nothing appears why that may not as well be alleadged of most of the other tribes whose fruitfull hills fertile vales required alike prudent observation of times seasons for their c●lture God in nature having appointed a time a season for every work purpose that is to be done under the sun wherfore if it may be lawfull to make conjectures in things of this nature it may more probably be conceived that this Tribe by its natural scituation bordering upon the enemies countrey or upon the account of its fertillity being more desirable might thereby become more obnoxious to the invasions of their neighbour enemies the Philistines and so might either become the very seat of warr or a through-fare of military expeditions and so by long experience of the Calamityes and service of Warr they might become as well expert in managing the affairs of Warr as serious in the pursuit of the meanes tending to promote a setled and lasting peace It is commonly said that experience is the Mistriss of fooles yet without any diminution of their praise be it spoken who attain wisdom at an easier rate● It is oft observed that they are or prove the wisest of all other men who have been trained up in her School those impressions last the longest that have been made by the deepest incision Hystorians say of this Tribe that it was a land thirsty of bloud a place where many fatal battles had before this time as well as after hapned to have been fought as that of Gideon in the valley of Jezreel the late slaughter of Saul and the Israelites on the mountains of Gilboa the victory over Benhadad and the Syrians neer Aphek with some others all hapning within the confines or neer the Borders of the tribe of Issachar Possibly many bloudy Skirmishes had also been fought during the reign of the former King within their precincts whereby the People of this Tribe had been experimentally taught the miseries and calamities of war that are usually produced or prolonged for want of wisdome and skilful conduct in them that have the chief command They being conjoyned in one common misery they might the more easily be united in one common remedy viz. the advancement of a more meet person to the chief place of Rule and Government in the Nation one approved by their own experience for his skilful successful managing the affairs of War as well as warranted by the call of God and therefore more likely to promote the welfare and tranquility of their own together with that of the rest of the Tribes of Israel For before this time David was known to have behaved himself wisely among the Servants of Saul as one that knew how to go out and to go in before the People The Heads of them there was amongst the People of Israel as it were a threefold Common-wealth as the learned Sigonius speaks in his Treatise of the Commonwealth of the Hebrews one was that of the whole People of whom first the Judges afterward the Kings were the chief Heads and Rulers The other was of every City which had its Head or chief Ruler as we read in several places of the Scripture as Judg. 9.30 1 King 22.36 2 Chron. 34.8 The third was that of every Tribe which had its Head or chief Ruler 1 Chron. 27.16 2 Chron. 19.11 called the Prince or Head of the Tribe under whom were the chief Heads or Rulers of every Family in that Tribe For as every Tribe consisted of several Families unto one of of which might all the descendants of that Tribe be reduced so was some one person either by the eminency of his Gifts or dignity of his Birth-right usually advanced to be the chief Ruler or decades of that Family according to the distribution of the People into so many Heads according to Jethro's advice Exod. 18.21 At this time it seems there were two hundred Heads of the chief Families of the Tribe of Issachar in whose wisdome and integrity the rest of the Tribe had such confidence that they were willing to refer the managing of all their civil Affairs and great concernments to their prudence and discretion engaging themselves to be ready to put in execution whatever should by their joynt consent be determined and agreed upon So sweet was the accord between those Heads and their Brethren that they seemed like one intire body animated and directed by one and the same Spirit and Principle of life and Wisdome That had understanding of the times Noting all that Wisdome that belongs to Rulers Divine and Humane For by times we are to understand things done in those times by a metonimy of the adjunct And for the word understanding it is expressed by two words in the Hebrew yet not unfitly translated by one according to the use of our Language the one seems to note the act of the mind in way of simple apprehension the other the act of the judgement in way of accurate consideration dijudicating of the time and season with other circumstances discerning when all things are laid together in the ballances what doth preponderate so most needful to be attended this expression Esther 1.12 is interpreted by knowing law and judgement and such are there called wise men according to which notion Solomon tells us that a wise mans heart discerneth time and judgement Eccl. 8.5 both the thing which and the time when it is to be done The Hebrew word here and elsewhere translated understanding means the same with that which in Latine is called Prudentia or recta ratio agibilium s● knowing the right reason of things that are to be done it cometh from hath a near cognation with a word that signifies to build A wise man that hath any designe to bring about is like an Architect who first frameth in his minde an Idea of that which he purposeth to erect whereby he may foresee how one peice must depend upon another and accordingly provide such materials as will bear suit together for the carrying on his fabrick for as one saith well they are not the wisest men that know most but they that know what is most useful and proper to bring about the designe they have in hand nor can a man be thought rightly to understand a business that doth not see through the circumstances it is cloathed with for many times the circumstances may much alter a case oft times it cometh to pass that those things which considered in themselves and of their

It is not safe to give false Alarms because it may occasion true ones to be the less regarded nor yet to give an uncertain sound for who then can be prepared for the Battel yet in such cases a godly jealousie should not be complained of if a Watch-man shall cry an Enemy when a Friend cometh he ought more to be commended for his care then blamed for his errour as some have said They are nursing Fathers to Israel and Physitians to Gilead it is the office of the head not only to prevent the evill that may befall the other members of the body but also to heal it And therefore they must be endued with much patience to bear with the frowardness of those to whom they stand so related Neither must they heal the wound slightly for fear of the smart for sometimes it will fall out that impatiens aegrotans crudelem facit medicum They are Law-givers to prescribe wholsome Lawes and Rules of Living the Fountains of Justice whence flow the streames that refresh and make fruitfull the heritage of Israel Yea Magistratus est animata Lex a Ruler is a living Law The Law sayes one is an heart without affection a mind without passion a treasurer to keep what we have and a steward to distribute what we ought to have But it had need be considered that the life and virtue of Lawes lyes in their execution therefore the making of more Lawes then need or can be executed may weaken the authority of them that are in force and necessary to be attended Yea it is found by expeience that lenity in the executing of Lawes is more hurtfull then severity The best way to keep an instrument in good tune is to leave the strings upon a sharp they being naturally apt to fall of themselves And mankind is continually bent to declining And Politicians use to account violation of Lawes not so hurtfull as non-execution In this sence he that is slothfull in his work is brother to him that is a great Waster Prov. 18 9. They are Lords as well as Law-givers Nothing more truly denoting Lordship then a power to give Lawes No debt is more justly due then Homage tribute to the Lords of a people which if it were freely paid need not be exacted where we are required to render to God the things that are Gods in the same clause it is added likewise to Cesar the things that be Cesars Yet the less of the dead fly of covetousness that is found in the oyntment the more precious will the savour thereof be found A wise citizen of Genoa once told an Agent of the Duke of Millayn to whom at that time they of Genoa were Subjects that they should deal with their Tributaries as men use to doe with the herb Bazil which being gently stroked yields a pleasant savour but being pressed sends forth an unsavoury smell In fine they are Gods whose wisdome and goodness they ought to imitate as well as his power He by his wise providence maintains a sweet harmony in the whole world though made up of contrary Elements all which notwithstanding peace and concord is maintained in the universe by a wise and equal temperament of those several qualities There need be no exact enquiry into the crotchets of this or that persons particular fancy so they be ordered to keep in tune with their companions There is a Town in Germany called Mindin which the Hystory of that Country tells us it received its name from an agreement in that place betwixt the Emperour and some of the neighbour Princes the name signifying mine and thine It were well for the Christian world if there had been an occasion to build more such like Cities but this iron age hath been more successful or rather fatal in pulling down the old then in building up new Cities It were the presage of happy times at hand if once there were a good agreement established between the power of the Rulers and liberty of their Subjects that neither might encrease upon the others rites and liberties Thus much of the civil affairs relating to the Heads of Israel 2. In the second place the Military concernments of Israel call for no little prudence and skill sometimes as much stress and difficulty is found here as in the former Intricasies may be so interwoven that it may prove very difficult to know what Israel ought to do The Church is sometimes compared to a Lilly among Thorns there will need Gloves of iron to handle such thorns and pricking Bryars These may want also as well courage to know how as wisdome to know what to do Dolus an virtus yea sometimes God may be provoked to vex a people with all adversity He may raise such a tempest in a Nation as both head and Members may be at their wits end not knowing what to do Hence it hath been found in former times that no manner of persons ever gained more interest in the hearts of People then those that have manfully undertook and successfully accomplished their warrs Gideon is a Judge by Gods Election and might have been a King by the peoples but David must be a King by the call and consent of both In former times none were Kings but such as had been Captains they being accounted the fittest to govern a People in time of peace that had led them or saved them in time of War That valiant atchievement of Saul against the Amonites reconciled him to all his People with the highest degree of acceptance and stopped the mouthes of all the Sons of Belial that were opened against him at his first call to the Kingdome Yet will it be found a truth what that warlike people of Rome were wont to say Parvi sunt foris arma nisi est consilium domi I shall only therefore here crave leave to commend some considerations to your acceptance on this account as are obvious to them that have had the least acquaintance with the sacred Hystory 1. It is never safe to take a Dog by the ears so Solomon tells us Prov. 26.17 that is to meddle with an unnecessary strife or begin a War without just ground This is one part of the power of the Sword which as the Magistrate beareth not in vain so neither must he take it in vain for he that so taketh the Sword as our Saviour speaks Mat. 26.52 may expect to perish by the Sword there is nothing more necessary then self preservation and our friends as our Country are part of our selves Noc is actual confederation alwayes necessary for taking up Arms in the behalf of our friends as appears by the Instance of Abraham and Lot yet had there need be great care had that an unnecessary war be not undertaken for the War is on one side an hainous evil or Murder on both it is a Judgement 2. War ought not to be made without good advice Prov. 20.18 24.6 which is to be understood as well of the managing as