Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

(I39Ì 7. There arewo;fer reafons of the change too vifible : And therefore -it is not to be imputed to a fecret unproved mental intention of the Apofiles. In Chrifts own time, even the Apo[tles themfelves firove , , who fhould be the greateft. Falfe Apoilles afterward troubled Paul by firiving for a fuperiority of reputation. Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. Seel-mailers rofe up in the Apofiles days : /leis zo. 3o. Of your own filers (hall menarifi, fpeakingperverfe things, to draw awayd:fciples after them. Some caufed Divifions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which they had learned, Rom. 16. 17. In Clem. Rom. time the Church of Corinth was con tending about Epifcopacy and fuperiority, even Lay-men afpiring to the chair. Peter feemeth to forefee what Parlors would do, when he forewarn - eth them not to Lord it over Gods heritage, r Pet. g. 1, 2, 3. Villor quickly pradtifed the contrary when he Excommunicated the Afian Bithops. See Grains his complaint of the early and ancient pride, contention, and tyranny oftheBifhops, De Imper. film. Pot. p. 360, 361. Novatian withNo- vatus quickly (hewed this fpirit (if they be not wronged) at Rome and Carthage s and fo did Felicijimus and his partners againft Cyprian. What flirrs were there for many ages between the Cecilians and the Donatiffs ? What horrid work was there at the Concil. Ephef, 1. And Coned Chalcedon.- err Coned. Eph. 2. between the contendingBithops on each fide? The reading of the Aswould make a Chriftians face tobluth. What ftrifebetween An- thymius and Bafil for a larger Diocefe ? What work againft Nazianzen to call him out of Conflantinople ? What fad exclamations maketh he againft Synods, and againft.thefe Names and Titles ofpreeminence and higher feats, wifhing the Churchhad never known them ? And yet he was angry with his friend Bafil for placing him in fo fmall a Bifhoprick as Sofimis. What abundance of Epifiles Both If:dore Pelufiota write to Eufebius the Bithop and Sofimus and the other wicked Priefts, deteáting and reproving their malignity, drunkennefs, and horrid wickednefs? And how sharply doth he lament that a faithful Minifiry is degenerate into carnal formal Tyranny , and that the Bithops adorned the Temples under the name of the Church, while they maligned and perfecuted the Godly who are the Church indeed ? How la- mentable a defcription Both. Sulpit. Severas give of the whole Synods of Bithops that followed Ithacius and Idacius ? And in particular of Ithacius himfelf, as a fellow that made no confcience of what he faid: And what did Martin think of them who avoided all their Communions to the death, and would nevercome to anyoftheir Synods? Efpecially becauteby furring up the Magiftrate againft the Prifcillianitts, they had taught the vulgar fury to abufe and reproach any man that did but read, and pray, and fail, and live aridly, as ifhewere to he fufpe&ed of Prifcillianifm(whichHooker himfelf complaíneth of, Pref.) And Ambrofe alto did avoid them. What bloody workdid Cyril and his party make at Alexandria? What a man was Theophilus after him ? What workmade he againft Chrlfoffom ? What a CharaEter doth Socrates give ofhim ? What infolence and furious zeal did Epiphanies thew in the fame S a caufe,

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