A replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare by perusinge whereof the discrete, and diligent reader may easily see, the weake, and vnstable groundes of the Romaine religion, whiche of late hath beene accompted Catholique. By Iohn Iewel Bishoppe of Sarisburie.

The B. of Sarisburie.

I•• M. Hardinges cause were true, he woulde not auouche it with suche vn∣trueth, and so often corruption of the holy fathers. If S. Cyprian writing this E∣pistle to Cornelius the Bishop of Rome, once name him either the Highe Pri••ste: Or Christes Vicar General in earth: Or Vniuersal Bishop: Or Head of the Vniuersal Churche: Or say, that the vvhole Brotherhoode of al Christian people ought to be obedient vnto him, As M. Hardinge vntruely, and contrary to his own•• knowledge expoundeth it: or if either his woordes, or his purpose of writinge, may seeme any way to leade to that ende, then may M. Hardinge séeme to haue some honest colour for his defence. Otherwise wée may iustly say, He rac∣keth the Doctours, and forceth them to speake, what him listeth, to s••rue his t••rne.

First, it is certaine, that in al that Epistle, S. Cyprian neuer gaue vnto C••r∣nelius any suche ambitious Title, but onely calleth him by the name of Brother. For thus he saluteth him.* 1.1 Cyprian vnto his Brother Cornelius sendeth greetinge: And maketh his entrie in this wise: Deere Brother, I haue readde your letters. Thus S. Cyprian beinge Bishop of Carthage claimeth brotherhoode, and equalitie with the Pope. One special occasion of his writinge vnto Cornelius, was this e∣mongst others: Cornelius being Bishop of Rome, and hauinge Excommunicate certaine notorious wicked men, and afterwarde beinge threatened, and il vsed at their handes, began to fainte, and to be weary of his office. S. Cyprian hearinge thereof, wrote comfortably vnto him, & willed him in any wise to procéede, and to deale boldly, & not to yéelde, consideringe it was Gods cause, and not his aw••e.

Amonge other woordes he saith thus: Christiani non vltrà aut durare, aut esse possu∣mus, si ad hoc ventum est, vt perditorum minas & insidias pertimescamus. Wee can no lenger continue, or be Christian men, if wee beinge Bishoppes, once beginne to shrinke at the threates, and fetches of the ••icked.

Upon occasion hereof he sheweth, what hurte and confusion of Sectes, & Schis∣mes, insueth in any Prouince, or Diocesse, w••ere as the Bishops Authoritie, and Ecclesiastical Discipline is despised. For euery Bishop (saith S. Cyprian) within his owne Diocese, is the Priest of God, and for his time, is a Iudge appointed in the place of Christe: and as the Churche is one, so ought he likewise to be but one. And thus he writeth generally of the authoritie of al Bishops, & not onely of the authoritie of the Bi∣shop of Rome. And notwithstandinge he directeth his Epistle onely to Cornelius, yet are al his reasons general, and touche bothe him selfe, beinge Bishop of Car∣thage, and also al other Bishoppes what so euer.

Now therefore to drawe that thinge by violence to one onely Bishop, that is generally spoken of al Bishops, it is a guileful fetche to mis••eade the Reader, and no simple, or plaine dealinge.

But M. Hardinge séemeth to grounde his errour, vpon the mistakinge of these woordes of S. Cyprian,* 1.2 Vnus Sacerdos, and Fraternitas vniuersa: That is, One Bi∣shop, and, The whole Brotherhoode. For where as S. Cyprian saith, There must be one Bishop in a Churche, he imagineth, there must be one Bishop to rule ouer the whole

vniuersal Church.* 1.3 And where as againe S. Cyprian saith, The whole Brotherhoode must obey one Bishop, He geathereth that al Christian people throughout the whole worlde, which he vntruely calleth The whole Brotherhoode, must be obedient vnto one vniuersal Bishop. And thus he buildeth one errour vpon an other. But mista∣kinge of the Doctour maketh no sufficient prou••e.

It maye soone appeare, S. Cyprian meante, that for the auoiding of Schismes, and diuisions, there ought to be onely one Bishop within one Diocese: and not one Bishop to rule ouer al the worlde.* 1.4 For thus he expoundeth his owne meaninge.

Cùm post primum esse non possit quisquam, qui post vnum, qui solus esse debet, factus est, iam non secundus ille, sed nullus est. Seeing that after the first Bishop is chosen, there can be none other, who so is made Bishop after that one, whiche must needes be alone, is nowe not the seconde Bishop, but in deede is no Bishop.

So likewise, when the Heretique Nouatus had by wicked practise diuided the people of Rome into Sectes, and had solemnely sworne them, that gaue eare vnto him, that they should no more returne vnto Cornelius the Bishop there, and so had rent one Bishoprike into twoo, and made twoo Bishoppes in one Citie: Cor∣nelius complaining thereof vnto Fabius the Bishop of Antioche,* 1.5 and informinge him of the same,* 1.6 writeth thus vnto him: Nouatus nescit, vnum Episcopum in Catho∣lica Ecclesia esse debere. Nouatus knoweth not, that there oughte to be but one Bishop in a Catholique Churche: not meaning thereby the whole vniuersal Churche throughout the worlde, but onely his owne particular Churche of Rome.

So when Chrysostome the Bishop of Constantinople,* 1.7 sawe Sisinius beare him self as Bishop within the same Citie,* 1.8 he saide vnto him, One Citie may not haue twoo Bishoppes.

So likewise S. Hierome saithe,* 1.9 that notwithstanding the power of al priestes by the authoritie of Goddes woorde be one, and equal, yet menne by policie to auoide contention, appointed one prieste in euery Citie, to order and to directe his brethren.

Thus was the vnitie of the whole Churche preserued: Thus were al Churches as one Churche: And all Bishoppes as one Bishop. For who so dissented from one,* 1.10 dissented from al. So saithe S. Cyprian: Ecclesia cohaerentium sibi inuicem Sa∣cerdotum glutino copulatur.* 1.11 The churche is coupled, and ioined in one, by consent of Bishops agreeing togeather.

Likewise againe he saithe,* 1.12 Hanc vnitatem firmiter tenere, & vendicare debemus, maximè Episcopi,* 1.13 qui in Ecclesia praesidemus: vt Episcopatum quoque ipsum vnum, & in∣diuisum probemus. This vnitie must we keepe and defende, specially that be Bishoppes, and beare rule in the Churche: that we may declare in deede, that our Bishoprike is one, and not diuided. And therefore S. Hierome saithe, Episcopi nouerint in commune debere se Ec∣clesiam regere. Let Bishoppes vnderstande, that they ought to gouerne the Church in common▪ or, as al in one.

In this sense is euery Bishop for his time, as S. Cyprian saithe, in the steede of Christe: & to euery suche Christe saithe,* 1.14 He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you,* 1.15 despiseth me. And therefore Ignatius saithe, The Bishop in his Churche, is the forme of God the Father of al: And so muche as is possible, resembleth (in his office) Christe our God.* 1.16 For this cause S. Cyprian saithe: Hereof spring Schismes, and Heresies, for tha•• the priest of God (in euery seueral Diocese) is not obeied.* 1.17 As likewise againe he saithe to like purpose, Qui cum Episcopo non sunt, in Ecclesia non sunt. They that be not with the Bishop,* 1.18 be not in the Churche. So likewise Ignatius, They that be of Christe, are with the Bishop.* 1.19

Thus S. Cyprian spake these woordes generally of the authoritie of al Bishops in their seueral dioceses: and not of any special authoritie of the Bishop of Rome: as ••t is here vntruely affirmed by M. Hardinge.

But he wil replie,* 1.20 S. Cyprian saith, Vniuersa fraterni••as, That is, The whole Brotherhoode ought to be obedient to that one Bishop. And that whole brotherhoode must needes be the whole companie of al Christian people. Notwithstanding this expo∣sition seeme very large, yet if S. Cyprian him selfe had not opened his owne mea∣ninge otherwise,* 1.21 perhaps some man either of simplicitie, or of ignorance might so take it. But S. Cyprian, that doubtles best knewe his owne minde, vnderstan∣deth these woordes, Fraternitas vniuersa, not of al the vniuersal companie of al Christian people, throughtout al the world, as M. Harding doothe, but of the vvhole brotherhoode within euery Seueral, and Particular Diocese. For thus he wri∣teth in the nexte Epistle folowinge.* 1.22 Ferè per prouincias vniuersas tenetur, vt ad ordi∣nationes ritè celebrandas, ad eam plebem cui praepositus ordinatur, Episcopi* 1.23 ••iusdem pro∣uinciae proximi quique conueniant, & Episcopus deligatur plebe praesente, &c. Quod & apud nos factum vidimus in Sabini Collegae nostri ordinatione: vt de vniuersae fraterni∣••atis suffragio Episcopatus ei deferretur. This order is in māner keapte in al Prouinces, that vnto the dewe orderinge, or installinge of a Bishop, the Bishoppes of the same prouince that dwel nearest come togeather to the people of that Citie, vnto whiche a newe Bishop is appoin∣ted: and that the Bishop be chosen in the presence of the people. Whiche thinge we sawe donne in the Election and orderinge of our felow Bishop Sabinus, that the Bishoprike was be∣stowed vpon him by the consent, and voices of the vvhole brotherhoode. Here, vni∣uersa fraternitas, vndoubtedly is vsed for the whole faithful companie of one Ci∣tie. In like manner he writeth vnto Cornelius of certaine, that were returned from Schismes,* 1.24 and Errours vnto the vnitie of the Churche. Meritò illos reuer∣••entes, summo gaudio & Clerus,* 1.25 & plebis fraternitas omnis excepit. When they came againe, bothe the Clergie, and the vvhole brotherhoode of the people, woorthily recei∣ued them with great ioye.* 1.26 So likewise the Emperour Honorius writeth vnto Bo∣nifacius, If twoo Bishoppes through ambition and contention happen to be chosen,* 1.27 we wil, that neither of them be allowed as Bishop. But that he onely remaine in the Apostolique See, whome out of the number of the Clergie, godly discretion, and the consent of the vvhole brotherhoode shal choose by a newe Election.

In these places M. Hardinge cannot denie, but these woordes Vniuersa fraterni∣tas, Omnis fraternitas, and Vniuersitatis consensus, muste néedes be taken for one whole particular Brotherhoode within one Prouince, or Diocese. In the same sense Origen saithe,* 1.28 Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum, vocatur ad seruitutem Totius Ec∣clesiae. He that is called vnto a Bishoprike,* 1.29 is called vnto the seruice of the VVhole Churche. Likewise againe he saithe: Plus à me exigitur, quàm à Diacono: plus à Diacono, quàm à Laico: Qui verò Totius Ecclesiae arcem obtiner, pro Omni Eccle∣sia reddet rationem. There is more required of me (beinge a Priest) then of a Deacon: more of a Deacon, then of one of the people: But he, that keepeth the watche, or Castel of the vvhole Churche (whiche is euery Bishop in his Diocese) shal yeelde a reckeninge for the whole.

In these places, euery particular Churche is called the vvhole Churche. And therefore Ignatius saithe,* 1.30 Quid aliud est Episcopus, quàm quidam obtinens principa∣••um, & potestatem suprà omnes?* 1.31 What is a Bishop, but one hauinge al rule, and power ouer al?

These thinges wel weighed, bisides the manifest corruption and falsifieinge of S. Cyprians bothe woordes, and minde, I doubte not, but the weakenes also of M. Hardinges reason may soone appeare. For vpon this place of S. Cyprian vntruely reported, he woulde seeme to reason thus: There must be one Bishop in one Churche, or Diocese: Ergo, there must be one Bishop ouer al the worlde. Or thus, The whole Bro∣therhoode in euery Diocese ought to herken onely to one Bishop: Ergo, al Christian people through∣••ut the worlde, ought to be in subiection to the Bishop of Rome.

These argumentes bewraie themselues, and therefore néede no further openinge.

Al this notwithstandinge, if M. Hardinge wil saie, S. Cyprians woordes must néedes importe one Uniuersal Bishop, & the same of necessitie muste be the Bishop of Rome, let him then voutchesafe to reade the Epistle, that the same S. Cyprian wrote vnto Florentius Pupianus: There shal he finde, that S. Cyprian euen in like forme and order, speaketh these selfe same woordes of him selfe, beinge, as M. Hardinge knoweth, the Bishop of Carthage in Aphrica, and not the Bishop of Rome.* 1.32 His woordes be these: Vnde Schisma••a, & haereses obortae sunt, & oriuntur, nisi dum Episcopus,* 1.33 qui vnus est, & Ecclesiae praeest, superba quorundam praesump∣tione contemnitur, & homo dignatione Dei honora••us, ab hominibus indignis iudicatur? Wherehence haue Schismes and Heresies spronge heretofore, and whereof springe they nowe, but that the Bishop, vvhiche is one, and gouerneth the Churche, by the presump∣tuous disdaine of certaine, is despised, and a man prefe••red by Goddes allowance, is examined, and iudged by vnwoorthy menne. Al this S. Cyprian speaketh plainely, and namely of him selfe, beinge B. of Carthage. Therefore it is greate ouersight, to force the same onely to the B. of Rome, and stoutely to say, It can be applied vnto none other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cyprian. li ••▪ epist. 3.
• * 1.2

  The occasion of M. Hardinges errour.
• * 1.3

  One Bi∣shoppe.
• * 1.4

  7. quae. 1. Factus ••••t.
• * 1.5

  ••usebius li. 6.
• * 1.6

  Ca. 43.
• * 1.7

  Socrates li. 6.
• * 1.8

  Ca. 22.
• * 1.9

  Hieronym. in Epist. ad Titum. Ca. 1.
• * 1.10

  Cyprian. li. 4.
• * 1.11

  Epist. 9.
• * 1.12

  Cyprian. De simplicitate praelatorum.
• * 1.13

  Hierony. ad Ti∣tum. Ca. 1.
• * 1.14

  Luke. 10. Ignati. ad Tral∣lianos.
• * 1.15

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.16

  Cypr. li. 1. epist. 3.
• * 1.17

  Cyprian. li. 4. epist. 9.
• * 1.18

  Ignat ad Phi∣ladelphien.
• * 1.19

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.20

  The vni∣uersal Brother∣hoode.
• * 1.21

  Fraternitas v∣niuers••••.
• * 1.22

  Cyprian. lib. 1.
• * 1.23

  Episc. 4.
• * 1.24

  Cyprian. lib. 2.
• * 1.25

  Epis. 12.
• * 1.26

  Rescriptum Honorij ad Bo∣nifacium.
• * 1.27

  Quem vniuer∣sitatis consensus elegerit.
• * 1.28

  Origenes in Esaiam hom. 6.
• * 1.29

  Origen. in Hie∣remi. homi. 7.
• * 1.30

  Ignatius ad Trallianos.
• * 1.31

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.32

  Cyprian. lib. 4.
• * 1.33

  Epist. 9.