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

§. 15. And yet Error is such a blinding thing, that it's very usual even for grossly erroneous men, to cry out most fiercely against Error: For they know not themselves, and they are proud and self conceited, and oft by malignity apt to suspect and condemn others. What did the Jews persecute the Christians for? For supposed Heresy and Error: What did the Heathens cast them to wild Beasts and Torments for? For supposed Impiety and Error: because they would not err in their Idolatry as they did. What hath disquieted and torn in pieces the Christian World, but erroneous and worldly Popes, Patriarchs, and Prelates inordinate out-cries against supposed Errors? For what have they silenced hundreds and thousands of faithful Ministers of Christ? for Error. For what have they racked, tormented, burnt to ashes, and slain by the Sword so many thousand, and hundred thousands? O, it was for Heresy or Error. And are not these men perfectly free from Error themselves, that have so great a zeal against it? No, so grossly erroneous are they, that they deny credit to all mens Senses, and know not Bread and Wine when they see, and touch, and taste it; and would have all those destroyed that will not deny belief to sense as well as they: So erroneous are they, that they pretend a mortal man to be the Church Governor of all the Earth; so erroneous, that they think God well Worshipped by praying in words not understood; and dare deny half the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People, which they confess that he instituted, and all the Church did use; so erroneous, that they think the flames of Purgatory will help them the better to love that God that doth torment them. How foul and many are their Errors that kill, and burn, and damn others as erroneous? But S. James hath told us, Jam. 3. That the Wisdom is not ⟨p. 32⟩from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish, which hath an envious striving zeal; and that if it work not by weakness of wisdom, and be not pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy, sowing the fruit of righteousness in peace, by peacemaking, but hath bitter contention, it is not of God, but bringeth confusion and every evil work.

§. 15. And yet Errour is such a blinding thing, that it's very usual even for grosly erroneous men, to cry out most fiercely against Errour: For they know not themselves, and they are proud and self conceited, and oft by malignity apt to suspect and condemn others. What did the Jews persecute the Christians for? For supposed Heresie and Errour: What did the Heathens cast them to wild Beasts and Torments for? For supposed Impiety and Errour: because they would not erre in their Idolatry as they did. What hath disquieted and torn in pieces the Christian World, but erroneous and worldly Popes, Patriarcks, and Prelates inordinate out-crys against supposed Errours? For what have they silenced hundreds and thousands of faithful Ministers of Christ? for Errour. For what have they racked, tormented, burnt to ashes, and slain by the Sword so many thousand, and hundred thousands? O, it was for Heresie or Errour. And are not these men perfectly free from Errour themselves, that have so great a zeal against it? No, so grosly erroneous are they, that they deny credit to all mens Senses, and know not Bread and Wine when they see, and touch, and taste it; and would have all those destroyed that will not deny belief to sense as well as they: So erroneous are they, that they pretend a mortal man to be the Church Governour of all the Earth; so erroneous, that they think God well Worshipped by praying in words not understood; and dare deny half the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People, which they confess that he instituted, and all the Church did use; so erroneous, that they think the flames of Purgatory will help them the better to love that God that doth torment them. How foul and many are their Errours that kill, and burn, and damn others as erroneous? But S. Iames hath told us,