The True History of Councils, Part 3 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of his confident Accuſation, that I mention all the faults of the Biſhops, and none of their Goodneſs, or Good Deeds.
§ 1. THis alſo is a chief part of the Warp or Stamen of his Book. In his Preface he ſaith, [This Hiſtory of Biſhops is nothing elſe but an Account of all the faults that Biſhops have committed in the ſeveral Ages of the Church, without Any Mention of their Good Actions, of their Piety and Severity of their Lives; of their Zeal for the Faith, &c.]
Anſw. 1. Whether this Fundamental Accuſation be true or falſe, let the Reader who loveth Truth ſee 1. In the very firſt Chapt. from § 41. to the end. 2. Through all the Book where I oft praiſe good Biſhops, good Councels, and good Canons, and good Books and Deeds. 3. In the two laſt Chapters of the Book, written purpoſely to hinder an ill uſe of the Biſhops faults.
In the firſt Chapter [Very many of the Biſhops themſelves were humble, hol…, faithful men, that grieved for the miſcarriages of the reſt: Though ſuch excellent perſons as Gregory of Neocaeſarea, Greg. Nazianz. Greg. Nyſſen, Baſil, Chryſoſtom, Auguſtine, Hillary, Proſper, Fulgentius, &c. were not very common, no doubt but there were many that wrote not Books, nor came ſo much into the notice of the World, but avoided contentions and factious ſtirs, that quietly and honeſtly conducted the Flocks in the waies of Piety, Love, and Juſtice. And ſome of them (as St. Martin) ſeparated from the Councils and Communion of the prevailing turbulent ſort of the Prelates; to ſignifie the diſowning of their ſins.]
Of the Antients before the world crowded into the Church, I never made queſtion: Such as Clemens, Polycarp, Ignatius, Irenaeus, and the reſt.
How oft I have praiſed holy Cyprian, and the African Biſhops and Councils, he ſometime confeſſeth.
What I ſay of Atticus, Proclus, and other peaceable Biſhops, you may ſee p. 17. and very oft. Yea of the Biſhops of many Sects, much of the Albigenſes, &c. p. 17, 18.
Yea of the good that was done by the very worldly ſort p. 18, 19, 20. Yea of the Papiſts Biſhops that were pious p. 20. § 46.
And § 47. I vindicate the excellency of the Sacred Office. And § 53, 58, 59, 60. I plead for Epiſcopacy it ſelf in the juſtifiable ſpecies of it.
§ 2. But perhaps he will ſay, that at leaſt I ſay more of their faults than their …: I anſwer, of ſuch good Biſhops as Cyprian, Baſil, Greg. Nazianzen, Chryſoſtom, Auguſtin, Hillary, Martin, &c. I ſpeak of their virtues and nothing at all (that I remember) of their faults. Of ſuch as Theophilus, and Cyril Alexandri. and Epiphanius, &c. I ſpeak of their virtues and ſome of their faults (as the ſcripture doth of many good mens.) Of the more ambitious, turbulent ſort, I ſpeak only or moſtly of their faults: For I profeſs not to write a Hiſtory of their lives, but to inform the ignorant what Spirit it is that brought in Church tyranny and diviſions. I denyed none of their virtues, though it was not my work to record them.
While I am confuting the Errours of your book, do I wrong you unleſs I write a Catalogue of your good works. Morney, Illyricus, and many others have gathered a Catalogue of old witneſſes for Proteſtant Verities. And Biſhop Morton hath cited multitudes of Papiſts againſt their party: Have they wronged them becauſe they have not alſo cited all that the ſame ſaid for the Roman cauſe? I have mentioned the virtues of ſome of the Popes, even of Greg. 7. but of many others I have only mentioned their vices: This is not to deny any good that is in them: Nor do you accuſe your ſelves of any injuſtice when you tell the world how bad men the Parliaments have bin, and how bad Cromwell and the Armies, and how bad the Nonconformiſts are, and I in particular, without naming any of their good deeds or virtues: Becauſe it is not your buſineſs.