And whereas it is sayd for the preseruation of vnitie, one must be ouer al, S. Cyprian sheweth* 1.1 that the vnitie of the Church is conserued not by hauing one Bishop ouer all, but by the agreement of the Bishops one with another. For so he writeth, that the church is knit and coupled togither (as it were with the giue) of the Bishops consenting one with an other. And as for the compoun∣ding of controuersies, it is manyfest, that it was not done by one Byshop in a prouince, but those byshops whych were neere the place where the schisme or heresie sprang.
For speaking of the appeasing of controuersies & schismes, and shewing how dyuers Bishops* 1.2 were drawen into the heresy of Nouatus, he sayth that the vertue and strength of the Christians, was not so decayed or 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉anguished, but that there was a portion of Priests which did not giue place vnto those rumes and shipwrackes of fayth.
And in another place he sayth: therfore (most deare brother) the plentyfull body or company* 1.3 of the pr〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ests, are as it were with the g〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ue of mutuall concorde and bande of vnitie ioyned togither, that if any of our company be author of an heresy, and goe about to destroy and rent the flocke of Christ, the rest should helpe, and as profitable and mercyfull shepheards, gather togither the sheepe of the Lorde. Whereby it is many fest, that the appeasing and composing of controuersies and he∣resies, was not then thought to be most fitte to be in one bishops hande: but in as many as coulde conuemently assemble togither, according to the daunger of the heresie which sprang, or depe roote which it had taken, or was like to take.
The Bishops agrée not one whit the worse, when they haue a superior, by whom they may be called togither, and put in minde of their office and duetie. Neyther doth Cyprian deny this when he affirmeth the other. For thoughe the chiefe cause of vni∣tie is the consente and agreement of the Bishops one with another: yet to haue one that shall haue the chiefe care thereof, must néedes be a great helpe thervnto, euen as it is in other societies. For if the Bishops were deuided among themselues, & at variance, and had no superiour, who should compounde the controuersies?
Our Archbishops doe not take vpon them (neyther can they) to decide any contro∣uersie* 1.4 in doctrine and religion of their owne authoritie, but therein doe they deale ey∣ther according to the lawes of the Churche prouided for that purpose, or else expecte a newe Parliament or Synode. Neyther doth any Bishop in his Dioces, otherwise meddle in suche matters, than by the common consent of the Churche is appoynted vnto him: and yet it was neuer otherwise taught by any, but that a Bishop in hys owne Diocesse, or an Archebishop in his Prouince, mighte vse persuasions to ende controuersies, and execute the lawes prouided for the same: other kinde of deciding controuersies, by any priuate authoritie I knowe none in this Church of Englande. Wherfore al these allegations be but in vayne, for surely not in Cyprians time, was the determining of suche controuersies committed to the Pastor and Seigniorie of euery Parishe, neyther doth Cyprian make mention of any suche matter, if he did, yet for gouernment the diuersitie of the time, and state of the Church is to be considered,* 1.5 as I haue before noted.