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

§. 52. I thought all this premonition necessary that you make not an ill use of the following History, and become not guilty of diabolism or false accusing of the Brethren, or dishonouring the Church: And that as God hath in Scripture recorded the Sins of the ungodly, and the effects of Pride and of malignity, and Christ hath foretold us that Wolves shall enter and devour the Flock, and by their Fruits (of devouring, and pricking as Thorns and Thistles) we shall know them, and the Apostles prophesied of them; I take it to be my duty to give you an Abstract of the History of Papal and aspiring Prelacy, usurping, and schismatical, and tyrannical Councils, as knowing of how great use it is to all to know the true History of the Church, both as to good and evil.

§. 52. I thought all this premonition necessary that you make not an ill use of the following History, and become not guilty of diabolism or false accusing of the Brethren, or dishonouring the Church: And that as God hath in Scripture recorded the Sins of the ungodly, and the effects of Pride and of malignity, and Christ hath foretold us that Wolves shall enter and devour the Flock, and by their Fruits (of devouring, and pricking as Thorns and Thistles) we shall know them, and the Apostles prophecied of them; I take it to be my duty to give you an Abstract of the History of Papal and aspiring Prelacy, usurping, and schismatical, and tyrannical Councils, as knowing of how great use it is to all to know the true History of the Church, both as to good and evil.

§. 53. Yea Bishops and Councils must not be worse thought of than they deserve, no more than Presbyters, because of such abuses as I recite; The best things are abused, even Preaching, Writing, Scripture, and Reason it self, and yet are not to be rejected or dishonoured. There is an Episcopacy whose very Constitution is a Crime, and there is another sort which seemeth to me a thing convenient, lawful, and indifferent, and there is a sort which I cannot deny to be of Divine Right.