i6 Church-Hifiory of Bithops and . Chrift'sownname, andthe pretence of Piety, as an Angel of Light and Righteoufnefs and Unity, and to fetup Paltors over the Churchof Chrift, that hatethe Doarine and Life, and Crofs ofChrift, that bypleading for Godlinefs and Concord, may be the effectual Enemies of both, and may fight againft Chrift in his own Livery, under his Colours, and with his own Arms. Whofe God is their Belly, whoglory in theirflume, whomind earth- ly things, being Enemies to the Crofs of Chrifl : The Hiftory of whom you will find in the followingpart of this Treatife. g. 40. But here I mutt above all remember the Reader, that he is not for this Corruption of the Clergy, and Government of the Church, to thinkthat theChurchhere ceafed tobe a true Church, or that theMiniftry was loft, or that itbecame unlawful to hold Communion with any fuch Churches ; much lefs to thinkhardly of Chriftianity it felt, as if it were nobetter than falfe Religions, becaufefo manyofits Paftors were fobad. None of God's Counfels were fruftrate by mans fin: None of his Pro. mifes tohisChurch have failed. For all this Chrift is the Saviour of the World, the Princeof Righteoufnefs andPeace, that came to deftroy the Works of the Devil, and to fave his people from their Sins; and allthat are given himof the Father fhall come to him, and he will cait none of themout, nor (hall any take them out of hishands ? §. 41. I. Let it be Rill remembred, that as the Chroniclesof Kingdoms mentiononly the publickAcîionsof Princes andgreat Men, but name not the poor and private fort, fo alto our Church-Hiftory of Councils and publick things, fay little of godly private Chriftians, but of Patriarchs arid great Prelates, whoyet are themfelves bqt a very fmall part of the Chriftian World. II. Note alto that every Bifhophad manyPresbyters ; whofe workwas not to ftrive for fuperiority, nor trouble the world in Councils (where ufually they came not) and fohadnot a quarter ofthe temptations that the Bifhops had: And though we find mention fometimes of the Presbyters alfo that were naught, yet the number fo reproved and proved bad, is not proportionableto the number ofPrelates compared among themfelves, that mifcarried in Councils. ThePresbyters that Raid at home and fol- lowed their work in private with the Flock, and came not on the Stage inpublick affairs, kept up the fubftance and praCticeofReligion. Ill. And the private Chriftians had yet lefs temptation, and were not fo overwhelmed with worldly things, nor carryed away by pride and ambi- tionand covetoufnefs, as the ruling partywere. IV. And the Monks, and otherretired Chriftians, that faw the Prelates fin and fnares; (though many of thcm had their failings too, yet) no doubt kept upmuch ferions piety, and a holy life. V. And no doubt but verymany of the Bifhops themfelves were hum- ble holy faithfulmen, that grieved for the mifcarriagesof refl. Though Inch excellent perfons as Gregory Neocefareæ, Gregory. Nazianz.en, Gregory 1Vffee, Bap , Chryfoflome, Augufline, Hillary, Profpér, Fulgentius, th. were
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