Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	according_a	appearance_n	judge_v	2,239	5	7.7140	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44503	The vvay tovvards the finding of a decision of the chiefe controversie now debated concerning church government	Hales, John, 1584-1656.	1641 (1641)	Wing H281; ESTC R17617	20,569	46

cleere by some observations taken from Ignatius his Epistle to the Church of Ephesus written but twelve yeeres after the writing of the Revelation of Saint John and from Tertullian who flourished about a hundred yeares after Ignatius and from Leontius of Magnesia who at the Generall Councell of Chalcedon testifieth that from Timothy until that time there had been at Ephesus a continued succession of seven and twenty Bishops which Bishops no doubt were none else but the Presidents of the Ephesine Presbytery These witnesses being next to the first times and worthy of credit seem to make the matter of primitive and for ought that I see can be excepted of Apostolicall practice also out of doubt And if this Prioritie and Superioritie was such and was in this manner received and deferred to one above others I conjecture that it was by imitation of Apostolicall practice thus deferred and received because I find nothing therein repugnant but every thing rather and every way consonant to Apostolicall Rules so that unto this Bishop as President of the Presbytery all the power belonging to the ordinary Rulers did primely belong which hee by consent of the rest did exercise or the rest by him did put to execution And this I conceiue was the practice of the Apostles themselves in their course of ordinary government as may be gathered from Acts 3. 15. 1 Cor. 5. This in my apprehension is also most answerable to the rules of perpetual government given unto Timothy and Titus and this is every way consonant to the distinction of officers in the Church to the means of building up the Church to the intention of Christ in uniting all believers into one body and therefore may without scruple be believed to have beene the practice of the first primitive and incorrupt times which being granted as I think it should then I ought not to make any more doubt of the matter chiefely if from that time to this day and now also at this time in all the Christian and protestant Churches except onely those that are in feare of danger by reason of the abuse of this authority or are under the crosse of a superstitious State-government either the undoubted footesteps or the manifest use of such a Priority and Superiority hath beene in all ages and places and still is in some measure to be found which if I perceive so to bee as truly I doe then I judge that my minde should fully bee at rest and trouble it selfe no more about this matter Thus I have satisfied most of mine owne doubts so farre as I conceive them to bee common both to the simple and more learned There be some other Scruples more proper to those that dive deeper into matters which I know not if it be fit to propose to every one least in stead of taking away ordinary wee may ordinary wee might raise extraordinary scruples therefore till I be better resolved what ought to bee done in this and perceive how farre this way of deciding matters doth give satisfaction unto divided Judgements I thinke it will not be amisse to surcease In the mean time such as are spirituall ought to exhort all sides not to censure one another with rigour nor to doe things with passion and rashly or to judge of persons according to the outward appearance but to judge righteous judgement which may bee done if they will study to seperate in these particular courses and different opinions of most men the precious from the vile and apply themselves rather to heale then to exasperate sores rather to build up then to pull downe The Lord give us all understanding that keeping the foundation aswell in knowledge as in practice we may through Charity build thereon not hay and stubble but Gold Silver and precious stones yet when wee shall be carefull first to keepe our selves without blame in the midst of this froward generation wee may then also be able to hold forth unto al the word of life making a difference have compassion of some and save others with feare as pulling them out of this fire of endlesse strife and contention Now the Lord enable us to doe this in the Spirit of lenity with godly Zeale to his Glory Amen FINIS