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.

If this reason may stande for good, and who so euer hath the allowinge of the Election, or Consecration of Bishoppes, muste therefore be taken as Heade of the Churche, then must the Church of necessitie haue many Heades. For it is certaine, the allowance hereof perteineth to many.a 1.1 S. Ambrose saithe, that al the Bishoppes bothe of the East, and of the Weast, gaue their Consent, and Allowance to his Election. Theodosius the Emperour standinge in the defence of Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople, saith,b 1.2 That al the Bishops of the East, of Asia, Pontus, Thracia, and Illy∣ricum, had allowed his Election.c 1.3 Eudoxius entred into the Bishoprike of Antioche, without the allowance, and Consent of Georgius the Bishop of Laodicea, and of Marcus the Bishop of Arethusa, and of other Bishoppes, that had interest there∣in: and is reproued for the same.d 1.4 Gregorius Presbyter saithe, for that the E∣lection, and Installation of Gregorie Nazianzene was paste, before the Bishoppes of Egipte, and Macedonia were come, and so made without their consent, that therefore they vtterly refused to allowe him, or to admitte him as Bishop there, not for any mislikinge in the partie, but for that they thought them selues defrau∣ded of their voices.

Anacletus* 1.5 decreeth thus, Episcopus non minus, quam à tribus Episcopis, reliquis∣que omnibus assensum praebentibus, vllatenus ordinetur. Let a Bishop in no wise be or∣dred of lesse then three Bishoppes, al the rest geuinge their assent to the same.

Hereby it appeareth, that to the ratifieinge of the Election of any one Bishop, the consent of al other Bishoppes within that Prouince was thought necessary. Whiche Consent they testified emonge them selues, by writinge letters of confe∣rence one to an other. And therefore, when Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople had intitled him selfe the Uniuersal Bishop,* 1.6 Gregorie counselled Eulogius the Bishop of Alexandria,* 1.7 and other Bishoppes of the East, neither to write to him, nor to receiue letters from him by that title. Likewise the Bishoppes of the East, when they had Excommunicate Iulius the Bishop of Rome,* 1.8 gaue commaunde∣ment, that no man shoulde either receiue his letters, or write vnto him, in token they helde him for no Bishop.

Neither did onely Bishoppes allowe such Elections, but also bothe the Prince, and the people.* 1.9 When S. Ambrose beinge once chosen, and appointed Bishop of Millane, beganne roughly to deale with the nobles of the Courte, and to rebuke their faultes, the Emperour Ualentinian saide, Al this I knew before: and therefore I not onely saide not naie, but also gave my Voice, and Assent to his Election.

Touchinge the Election of N••ctarius, Sozomenus writeth in this wise: The Bishoppes that were present at the Election, gaue vnto the Emperour in writinge sundrie names of suche,* 1.10 as they thought meete for that roome: The Emperour weighinge the persons, set his seale vpon Nectarius name, and elected him.

Gratianus the Emperour at his comminge to Constantinople embraced Gre∣gorie Nazianzene, and after some conference with him had,* 1.11 saide vnto him, O Fa∣ther, vnto thee, and vnto thy labours, God through vs, committeth this Churche. Beholde I geue vnto thee this Holy House, and the Stal. And the people besought the Emperour, to set the Bishop in his Chaire.* 1.12 The like might be saide of the Consent, and Allowance of the people. Anacletus, as he is commonly alleged, writeth thus: Sacerdotes à pro∣prio ordinentur Episcopo: ita vt Ciues, & alij Sacerdotes assensum praebeant. Let Prie∣stes be ordred by their owne seueral Bishoppes:* 1.13 so that the people, and other Priestes geue their assent thereunto. S. Cyprian saithe likewise, The people beinge obedient vnto Goddes commaundementes, hath power specially, either to choose woorthy Priestes, or to refuse the vnwoorthy.

Thus many voices were then thought necessary to the Admission of any Bi∣shop.* 1.14 Therefore,* 1.15 this seemeth no sufficient grounde, to prooue that the Bishop of Rome is Heade of the Churche.* 1.16 For M. Hardinge might soone haue seene, that the Bishop of Rome him selfe, touchinge his owne Election, was wonte to be allowed by other Bishoppes. Uerily S. Cyprian writeth thus of the Allowance of Corne∣lius Bishop there:* 1.17 Vt Cornelium noueris Coepiscoporum testimonio, quorum nume∣rus vniuersus per mundum concordi vnanimitate consensit.* 1.18 That thou maiste know Cor∣nelius by the testimonie of his Felowbishoppes, the whole number of whome throughout the worlde hath agreed (to the allowinge of his election) with one consent. Afterwarde in an Epistle vnto Cornelius himselfe,* 1.19 he writeth thereof more at large: Ad compro∣bandam ordinationem tuam,* 1.20 facta authoritate maiore, placuit vt per Episcopos omnes omninò in ista Prouincia positos, literae fierent, vt te vniuersi Collegae nostri, & Commu∣nicationem tuam, id est, Ecclesiae Catholicae vnitatem, pariter, & charitatem probarent pa∣riter, & tenerent. To allowe thy Consecration, more authoritie beinge geathered, I thought it good, that letters shoulde be sente vnto al the Bishops of this Prouince, that al our bretherne might bothe allowe, and holde, bothe thee, and thy Communion, that is to say, the Vnitie of the Catholique Churche. If M. Hardinge wil say, This was not the Confirmation of the Election of Cornelius, it foloweth immediatly: Sic Episcopatus tui veritas,

pariter & dignitas, apertissima luce, & manifestissima, & firmissima confirmatione, fun∣data est. Thus is the trueth, and dignitie of thy Bishoprike founded in the open light, and with moste manifest, and most certaine Confirmation. Thus when so euer any Bishop was eyther installed, or deposed, knowledge thereof was geuen vnto the other Bishops, and the same either allowed, or disallowed by his brethren.

But that the Bishop of Rome ordered, and admitted al the Bishops through∣out the worlde, bysides that it hath no possibilitie, or coloure of trueth in it selfe, it is also easie by good recorde, and authoritie to be reproued. Agapetus Bishop of Rome, about the yeere of our Lorde. 540. after he had vpon occasion Consecrate Menna, the Bishop of Constantinople, he vttered these woordes in commendation of the partie,* 1.21 Et hoc dignitati eius (Mennae) accedere credimus, quòd à temporibus Pe∣tri Apostoli. nullum alium vnquam Orientalis Ecclesia suscepit Episcopum manibus no∣strae Sedis ordinatum. And this is an augmentation of Mennaes dignitie, that fithens the time of Peter the Apostle, the East Churche neuer receiued any other Bishop Consecrate by the handes of our See. Nowe aduise thée selfe (good Reader) whether thou wilt beleue Pope Agapetus, or M. Hardinge.

And let not M. Hardinge finde faulte, for that I place the Orderinge of Bi∣shops, in stéede of their Confirmation. For he him selfe séemeth to make Confir∣mation, and Ordering bothe one thinge: or, at least, to ioine them bothe togeather. These be his woordes, Leo woulde not in any wise order, and Confirme Anatolius.

Truely Liberatus* 1.22 saithe, the manner was in Alexandria, that who so euer was chosen Bishop there, shoulde come to the Beare, and laye his Predecessours hande vpon his heade, and put on S. Markes Cloke: and then was he sufficiently Con∣firmed Bishop, without any mention made of Rome. And S. Cyprian writeth vnto the Bishops of Spaine,* 1.23 that Sabinus, whom they had lawfully chosen Bi∣shop, shoulde so continue stil,* 1.24 yea notwithstandinge Cornelius, beinge then Bi∣shop of Rome, misliked him, and woulde not Confirme him. And that very Counterfeite Decrée of Anacletus▪ that requireth al Bishops once in y^e yéere to pre∣sent them selues in Rome, extendeth not his commaundement throughout al the world, but onely to the Bishops of the Prouince of Rome. Thus stāde the woordes, Omnes Episcopi,* 1.25 qui huius Apostolicae Sedis ordinationi subiacent &c. Al Bishops, that be bounde to haue their Orders Confirmed by this Apostolique See &c. Whereby it maye be geathered, y^e other Bishops were not subiecte to the Ordinaunce of that See. And this was y^e faulte, that Gregorie founde in the Bishop of Salonae, that being with∣in y^e Iurisdiction of his Prouince, he was Consecrate without his knowledge. And that Gregorie meant it not of al Bishops, but onely of y^• Bishop within his owne charge, it is euident by his woordes. For thus he writeth, Episcopi mei: Episcopi mihi commissi.* 1.26 My Bishops: Bishops beinge within my Cure. And that the Citie of Salonae standinge in Illyricum,* 1.27 was sometime within the Prouince of Rome, it is plaine by the Epistle, that Damasus the Bishop of Rome sent vnto the Bishops of Illyricum.* 1.28 These be his woordes, Par est, omnes, qui sunt in orbe Romano magi∣stros, consentire. It is meete, that al the teachers, that be within the precinctes of the Ro∣maine Iurisdiction, agree togeather.* 1.29

Where as it is alleged, that the Bishop of Rome was required to ratifie the Election of Flauianus, Anatolius, and of the Arrian Bishops, that was meante of a General allowance, suche as was common to al Bishops, specially to the foure Principal Patriarkes, and not onely to the Bishop of Rome. Neither was the Bishop of Romes Admission thought so necessarie, as if he onely had a Uoice Ne∣gatiue, to take in, and to put out whom he listed: but onely of Congruitie, and Con∣sent, that it might appeare, there was no Bishop in the Churche, but was liked, and allowed of al his Brethren. For otherwise the Bishoppes of the East wrote

thus vnto Iulius,* 1.30 Si ordinatos à nobis Episcopos &c. If you wil allowe the Bishoppes, that we haue ordred, we wilbe at peace, and Communicate with you: If not, we wil proclaime the contrary.* 1.31 And the Emperour Gratian made Nectarius Bishop of Constantino∣ple, contrarie to the mindes of the most parte of the Bishoppes. Therefor M. Har∣dinges argument might better haue benne framed thus: The Bishop of Rome Confirmed the Bishoppes withein his owne Prouince: and had no other special authoritie to cō∣firme al other Bishoppes in the worlde, no more then others had to Confirme him: Therefor he was not then taken for the Heade of the Churche, nor was thought to haue this Vniuersal Power.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Ambros. li. 10. Episi. 82.
• b 1.2

  Theodoret. li. 5. ca. 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c 1.3

  Sozomen. li. 4. ca. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.4

  Gregor. Presb. in vita Nazian. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  Anaclet. Epist. 2.
• * 1.6

  Gregor. li. 4.
• * 1.7

  Epis. 36.
• * 1.8

  Sozomen. li. 3. Ca. 11.
• * 1.9

  Theodoret. li. 4. ca. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.10

  Sozomen. li. 7. Ca. 8.
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.12

  Gregorius pre∣sbyter in vitae Nazianzeni.
• * 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.14

  Anaclet. Epist. 2.
• * 1.15

  Cyprian. li. 1.
• * 1.16

  Epist. 4.
• * 1.17

  Cyprian. li. 4.
• * 1.18

  Epist. 2.
• * 1.19

  Cyprian. li. 4.
• * 1.20

  Epist. 8.
• * 1.21

  Concil. Constan∣tinopol. 5. Actio. 2.
• * 1.22

  Liberatus. c. 20.
• * 1.23

  Cyprian. lib. 1
• * 1.24

  Epist. 4.
• * 1.25

  Anaclet. Epist. 3. Dist. 93. Iuxta Sanctorum.
• * 1.26

  Gregor. li. 4.
• * 1.27

  Epist. 34.
• * 1.28

  Sozomen. lib. 6. Ca. 23.
• * 1.29

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.30

  Sozomen. li. 3. Ca. 8.
• * 1.31

  Sozomen. li. 7. Ca. 8.