The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

Thus you see what unhappiness even this National Government of Bishops in those good times was liable to. It was by Bishops striving who should be chief that the Donatists set up against the Catholics, and the very Novat•ans were not free; much less the Appolinarians, and most others that caused the Schisms of those times, in which the Bishops were almost ever the chief cause. Even such worthy men as Theophilus, Alex and Epiphanius could not endure Chrysostom; such men ejected him once and again, as Th•odoret saith he purposely forbeareth t• name for reverence of their virtues. And if you come to the fourth Great General Council at Calcedon you will find the same cause of lamentation, ⟨p. 277⟩and that even worthy men in such temptations are frail, when a new Emperor Martian was on the other side, (the right;) when Dioscorus had professed that he was neither for transmutation, division, nor confusion of Christs natures (and therefore was for distinction;) when the Egyptian Bishops professed their consent with the Synod, only craving that they might not be put to Anathematize Dioscorus till they had another Patriarch, but so long to delay; when they professed that if they did, they were sure to be killed when they came home, and falling on the Earth cried to their brethren miseremini miseremini spare us or kill us here; yet they cry out heretics, heretics, away with them, till the civil Judges rescued them: and how many of these had but lately subscribed against Flavianus at Ephesus, (& here were in one point for Leo, and in another against him?) Leo's Epistle which was for their cause against Dioscorus they cried up; and condemned Dioscorus for excommunicating the Pope; but the Canon for exalting Constantinople, they maintained against Leo's will, and contemptuously cryed out Qui aliter sentiunt Roman ambulent; he that readeth the clamours at this Council, and how the same Bishops that had lately subscribed the condemnation of Flavianus with Dioscorus were zealous here on the other side, and cryed out omnes peccavimus, excusing it by their fear of threatenings and Soldiers, when a poor Christian woman could have suffered Martyrdom rather than sin;

Thus you see what unhappiness even this National Government of Bishops in those good times was lyable to. It was by Bishops striving who should be chief that the Donatists set up against the Catholicks, and the very Novatans were not free; much less the Appolinarians, and most others that caused the Schisms of those times, in which the Bishops were almost ever the chief cause. Even such worthy men as Theophilus, Alex and Epiphanius could not endure Chrysostom; such men ejected him once and again, as Thodoret saith he purposely forbeareth t name for reverence of their virtues. And if you come to the fourth Great General Council at Calcedon you will find the same cause of lamentation,