A27058:149
The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended…
The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended vindicator of the primitive church, but indeed of the tympanite & tyranny of some prelates many hundred years after Christ, with a detection of the false history of Edward Lord Bishop of Cork and Ross in Ireland ... and a preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassta : written to show their dangerous error, who think that a general council, or college of bishops, is a supreme governor of all the Christian world ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; to which is added by another hand, a defence of a book, entitled, No evidence for diocesan churches ...The true history of councils enlarged and defended against the deceits of a pretended vindicator of the primitive church, but indeed of the tympanite & tyranny of some prelates many hundred years after Christ, with a detection of the false history of Edward Lord Bishop of Corke and Rosse in Ireland ... and a preface abbreviating much of Ludolphus's History of Habassta : written to shew their dangerous errour, who think that a general council, or colledge of bishops, is a supream governour of all the Christian world ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; to which is added by another hand, a defence of a book, entituled, No evidence for diocesan churches ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1682
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.
But especially the Temptation was strongest to the Bishops, whose baits were the most alluring: And ever since then they that most loved Wealth, Power and Honour (that is, the worst, most ⟨p. 15⟩worldly men) have been the most eager desirers and seekers of Bishoprics: And while humble holy men must rather be sought to, such earnest seekers are like to be the ordinary finders and possessors.
But especially the Temptation was strongest to the Bishops, whose baits were the most alluring: And ever since then they that most loved Wealth, Power and Honour (that is, the worst, most ⟨p. 15⟩worldly men) have been the most eager desirers and seekers of Bishopricks: And while humble holy men must rather be sought to, such earnest seekers are like to be the ordinary finders and possessors.
11. But yet three things kept up for some time a considerable number of godly Bishops in the Churches, which with the humble Presbyters, kept up the Interest of sound and practical Religion.
1. Those that had been tried worthy men before Constantine's conversion, and the Bishop's exaltation, kept their Integrity in the main; though in the Nicene Council their contentious Libels showed that we are more beholden to Constantine than to them, that they fell not into such strife as their Successors did. Good men may be carried too far in Pride and Strife, but they will not be mastered by them, and turn against the Power of Godliness.
1. Those that had been tryed worthy men before Constantines conversion, and the Bishop's exaltation, kept their Integrity in the main; though in the Nicene Council their contentious Libels shewed that we are more beholden to Constantine than to them, that they fell not into such strife as their Successors did. Good men may be carryed too far in Pride and Strife, but they will not be mastered by them, and turn against the Power of Godliness.