A26898:186
Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…
Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part of the government of Christian princes and popes, and a true account of the most troubling controversies and heresies till the Reformation ... / by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by B. Griffin for Thomas Simmons, 1680
Church-History OF BISHOPS And their COUNCILS ABRIDGED, &c. › Chapter 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 41. I. Let it be still remembered, that as the Chronicles of Kingdoms mention only the public Actions of Princes and great Men, but name not the poor and private sort, so also our Church-History of Councils and public things, say little of godly private Christians, but of Patriarchs and great Prelates, who yet are themselves but a very small part of the Christian World.
§. 41. I. Let it be still remembred, that as the Chronicles of Kingdoms mention only the publick Actions of Princes and great Men, but name not the poor and private sort, so also our Church-History of Councils and publick things, say little of godly private Christians, but of Patriarchs and great Prelates, who yet are themselves but a very small part of the Christian World.
II. Note also that every Bishop had many Presbyters; whose work was not to strive for superiority, nor trouble the world in Councils (where usually they came not) and so had not a quarter of the temptations that the Bishops had: And though we find mention sometimes of the Presbyters also that were naught, yet the number so reproved and proved bad, is not proportionable to the number of Prelates compared among themselves, that miscarried in Councils. The Presbyters that staid at home and followed their work in private with the Flock, and came not on the Stage in public affairs, kept up the substance and practice of Religion.
II. Note also that every Bishop had many Presbyters; whose work was not to strive for superiority, nor trouble the world in Councils (where usually they came not) and so had not a quarter of the temptations that the Bishops had: And though we find mention sometimes of the Presbyters also that were naught, yet the number so reproved and proved bad, is not proportionable to the number of Prelates compared among themselves, that miscarried in Councils. The Presbyters that staid at home and followed their work in private with the Flock, and came not on the Stage in publick affairs, kept up the substance and practice of Religion.