Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…

§ 21. The 8th Epistle of this Pope Nicolas to the Emperor Michael, doth ⟨p. 268⟩show that he had now shaken off the Imperial Power; and therefore chargeth his Letters as full of Blasphemy,¹ Injury, Madness, &c. partly for being so saucy as to bid the Pope, [Send some to him.] which he saith was far from the godly Emperors. Partly for blaming the deeds of the Prelates, when he saith, Their words must be regarded, and their authority, and not their deeds. Partly for calling the Latin Tongue barbarous and Scythian, in comparison of the Greek, which he saith is to reproach God that made it. Partly for saying, that the Council that deposed Ignatius, and set up Photius, was of the same number of Bishops as the first Council of Nice; where this high Pope's answer is worth the notice of our Papists, Bin. p. 689. [The small number hurteth not, ²where Piety aboundeth: Nor doth multitude profit, where Impiety reigneth. Yea, by how much the more numerous is the Congregation of the malignant, by so much the stronger are they to do mischief: Nor must men glory in numbers, when they fight not against the Rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness.—Glory not therefore in multitude, because it is not the multitude but the cause, that justifieth or damneth.—Fear not little Flocks, &c.] This Doctrine was then fittest for the Pope in his Minority: But the Letter is a Book pleading for the Roman Grandeur, and striving to bring the Emperor with others under his power.

§ 21. The 8th Epistle of this Pope Nicolas to the Emperor Michael, doth ⟨p. 268⟩shew that he had now shaken off the Imperial Power; and therefore chargeth his Letters as full of Blasphemy,¹ Injury, Madness, &c. partly for being so sawcy as to bid the Pope, [Send some to him.] which he saith was far from the godly Emperors. Partly for blaming the deeds of the Prelates, when he saith, Their words must be regarded, and their authority, and not their deeds. Partly for calling the Latine Tongue barbarous and Scythian, in comparison of the Greek, which he saith is to reproach God that made it. Partly for saying, that the Council that deposed Ignatius, and set up Photius, was of the same number of Bishops as the first Council of Nice; where this high Pope's answer is worth the notice of our Papists, Bin. p. 689. [The small number hurteth not,