077) CHAP. XIX. ThePine Impobiltyproved by Experience, Hey fay Experience is the teacher of fools : But O how well were It for the Churchesof Chrift, if their ReverendBifhops(who think thLmfelves only meet to govern them) had but learnt by it, theft 1300 years, at least. The Experience which I offer you is, i. That of the ancient Churches : what -work the enlargement of. their Diocc1fes, and growing great by the greatnefso£ their charge made quickly by the deftruétion of true difcipline, abundance of torecited te- ftimonies !hew. To which what fad complaints might I add out of So- er..tes Cbrjfoffome,IfidorePelufata. and manyothers: which madeGregory Na- zia:;z.0rat. r. Say fo mtich-of the d;fhculty of a Bifhops work, and to de- pofe himfèlf when,contentious men were ready to depofe him, and to with foearnefll that there had never been greatnefsand Priority and difference of Seats as Upper and Lower among the Paffors of the Churches, being tired with their contentions, pride and envy, even of the Orthodox them- selves : who instead -of .doing the work, contended for power and pre- eminence. I cited fomeof Chryfoffomes fayings before, defacerdot.l.3. c. i 6. i 7. where ie iheweth thegreatnefsof aBifhops work, and p.57. Sop.58. Nifi quo- tidie Epifcopusomnium domos circumierit, in bac parte vet ear fuperans, quibtos nullumaliud (indium efi, quam in foro verfandi deambulandique,bine ontnino of- fenfiones infinite emergent : Neque enim ij foli qui egretant, fed es. qui rani fient, invifr re valant : Idquod non religionis -ac,pietatis,fed honoris dignitatifque potiusnomine. plurimi fibi vendicant. Ac fi quern forte contigerit ex diti/ribus potentioribufque Cbrifiianis, eccicftr ufu lucroque communi ita urgenti, ab E- pifeopo frequentius invifi, hic protinus Epifcopus palpasteis atqueadulatori: no- tam fibi inane. Chryfollome;fpeaketh like a man that knew by experi- ence what a Pallors work is: And if our B (hops muff go to every houfe, howmarl years pilgrimage would it be togo but once through. all their Diocefes ? Bernard, faithEpif1. 82. Cum prerdeant urbibus va/depopuloftc, & sattes, ut itadicam, patrias, proprie Diocefer ambitu circatntcludant, occáfrone-inventâ+ex quacunqw veten privilegio, fatagunt ut "vicinas fibi fubdant civitates, quatenus due, quibm-ai x duo PreAlesfirfftciebant,firb un-a redigantur antsflite.. " And the doleful lüpfe of difcpline bereupgn all Htthtry witneffèth. Which made Erafmus.fay, Ecchf. li b.i. *fantails negoti, credimus ere, cam pester vicar & pa2os, viginti frequintes & ample- ci iitates (loch as our big Market Towns) uni parent antiffiti -- E ina!torum peefrtlum ditio tam latepa, tet,ut fi painmaxime forént expedtti orna» so mu;sdenit negotiis sumraffia tarnen A-a
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