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

He flattered our King William the Conqueror more than other Kings; but ep. 2. l. 11. He complaineth of his punishing a Bishop, telling him that God taketh them as the apple of his eye, and saith, Touch not mine anointed; and though they are naught and very unworthy they must be honoured, and being called Gods, men must not meddle with them.

Ep. 1. Append. (Bin. p. 1278) he tells Lanfranc Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, how far the Church was from purity in his days; viz. that [The Bishops and such as should be Pastors of Souls, do with insatiable desire hunt after the Glory of the World, and the pleasures of the flesh. And do not only themselves confound all things that are holy and religious, but by their example draw their Subjects to all wickedness; And that to let them alone is unlawful, and to resist them how difficult!

Ep. 1. Append. (Bin. p. 1278) he tells Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, how far the Church was from purity in his days; viz. that [The Bishops and such as should be Pastors of Souls, do with insatiable desire hunt after the Glory of the World, and the pleasures of the flesh. And do not only themselves confound all things that are holy and religious, but by their example draw their Subjects to all wickedness; And that to let them alone is unlawful, and to resist them how difficult!

So much of the Epistles of Greg. 7th. who seemeth to be much more against vice than his predecessors for many ages, but more for tyrannical usurpation and rebellion than ever any that was before him: And if the better sort of them be such, what may be expected from them?