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

Yea, their very Writings show, that still there are such as God doth qualify to do his work, even among the Papists, he that readeth the pious ⟨p. 20⟩Writings of such men as Gerson, and Gerhardus Zutphaniensis, and Thaulerus, Thomas a Kempis, Ferus, and many such others, will see that Gods spirit was still illuminating and sanctifying souls. And he that readeth such Lives as Philip Nerius, persecuted by the Bishop as an ambitious Hypocrite, for setting up more serious Exercises of Religion than had been ordinarily used among the Formalists, (to say nothing of such privater men as M. de Ren•y and many others) will see that it is not all Church-tyranny and corruption, though very heinous, that will prove that Christ hath not a Holy Generation whom he will save.

Yea, their very Writings shew, that still there are such as God doth qualifie to do his work, even among the Papists, he that readeth the pious ⟨p. 20⟩Writings of such men as Gerson, and Gerhardus Zutphaniensis, and Thaulerus, Thomas a Kempis, Ferus, and many such others, will see that Gods spirit was still illuminating and sanctifying souls. And he that readeth such Lives as Philip Nerius, persecuted by the Bishop as an ambitious Hypocrite, for setting up more serious Exercises of Religion than had been ordinarily used among the Formalists, (to say nothing of such privater men as M. de Ren•y and many others) will see that it is not all Church-tyranny and corruption, though very heinous, that will prove that Christ hath not a Holy Generation whom he will save.

§. 46. Yea among the very corrupted sort of the Clergy, many that are overcome with temptations in that point, and take usurpation and tyranny, and worldly pomp and violence for Order, Government, and the interest of the Church, have yet much good in other respects: Even among the Cardinals there have been such men as Charles Boromaus, Baronius (Nerius's companion) Bellarmine, and others, that would Preach and practise the common Doctrines of serious piety: Yea, among the Jesuits there have been divers that have Preached, Written, and lived very strictly; much more among their Friars: and such Bishops as Sales: And though their times and corruptions blemished their piety, I dare not think they nullified it.