The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

Io. Whitgifte.

M. Iewell Byshop of Sarisburie expounding the place of Cyprian in the fourth arti∣cle* 1.1 5. Diuision. 228. page of his first booke hath these wordes. Vpon occasion hereof he sheweth (meaning Cyprian) what hurte and confusion of sectes and scismes ensueth in any prouince or diocesse whereas the Byshops authoritie and ecclesiasticall discipline is despised. I pray you what call you that Byshop that hath gouernement of a prouince? Is he not a Metropolitane or Archbyshop? and doth not my L. of Sarisbury as well speake of a prouince, as he doth of a diocesse? I do not deny, but that Cyprians words may be fitly applyed to euery Byshop in his diocesse: but is the Archbyshop therefore secluded? seing he of whome, Cyprian did write was a Metropolitane, or Arch∣byshop. That whiche is the office of the Archbyshop in his prouince, is also the office of a Byshop in his diocesse, and therefore that whiche is spoken of the pro∣uince, in respecte of the Archbyshop, is also spoken of the Diocesse in respecte of the Byshop. And pag. 230. he saith that vniuersa fraternitas, is taken for one whole particu∣lar* 1.2 brotherhoode, within one prouince or diocesse: so that your firste witnesse testifieth with me, else would he not haue named a prouince.

M. Nowell fol. 22. 23. 24. doth expounde this place of the authoritie of euery Byshop* 1.3 in his owne Diocesse, which is sufficient for me, and is as much against you as can be, for you would haue no Byshops ouer Diocesses, but only pastors in seuerall townes. That whiche he speaketh of a Byshop in his Diocesse, he also meaneth of an Archby∣shop in his Prouince, whose both name and office he doth allow, as it is manyfest in these wordes of his in his thirde booke against Dorman, fol. 320 where he answering* 1.4 this question of Dormans, whether he will condemne the whole Church for making of Archbishops, saith thus. I answere I much commend the Churche for so doing, so farre of is it that I will condemne the whole Church therfore. But what shal I neede to vse any circumstances, seing he doth most euidently apply this place of Cyprian to that pur∣pose which you wil not acknowledge, yea euen vnto the office of an Archbyshop in his Prouince, for thus he writeth fol. 33. of his firste booke (speaking of this epistle of Cy∣prian to Cornelius, and confuting Dormans argument taken out of it for the Popes supremacie, whiche is grounded vpon this place, Non aliunde haereses obortae sunt. &c.) Concerning the auoyding and quieting of schismes and troubles in the Churche, VVe saye that as the seuerall Kings of euery kingdome, the seuerall gouernours of euery countree and cittie. &c. are able to ouersee their seuerall charges, and to keepe their people in ciuill order and peace, so are the seuerall Byshops of euery Diocesse, and the seuerall chiefe Pre∣lates of euery Prouince, able to auoide or to appease if they ryse al Schismes and trou∣bles ecclesiasticall, as S. Cyprian out of whome this reason is borowed, and falsely wrested by them to an other purpose, doth most plainely teach saying thus. Cum statutum sit omnibus no∣bis. &c. What call you chiefe prelates of euery Prouince? Be they not Archbyshops? Likewise fol. 60. &, 61. in the same booke, speaking of this and such like places he saith, And further whatsoeuer M. Dorman eyther out of Deutero▪ or any other place of Scripture doth vntruely apply to the proofe of the Supremacie of one head, to witte the Byshop of Rome, the same doth S. Cyprian, M. Dormans owne vsuall witnesse, euerie where alleage

for the proofe of the superiorite of euerie Byshop in his owne Diocesse, and for the obedi∣ence due vnto him there, he doth neuer apply it as doth M. Dorman to the Supremacie of one Byshop ouer all other, but rather against such supremacie of one: & it agreeth very well with the estate of the lewes, that as they beyng one nation had one chiefe Prieste, so is it good lykewise that euery Christian nation haue their chiefe Priest or Byshop: it a∣greeth not that bycause the Iewes (one nation) had one highe Prieste to gouerne them in doubtes, therefore all nations throughout the worlde shoulde haue one high Priest ouer all other, for not onely the vnlikelyhood betwene these two, but the impossiblitie of the latter is most euident.

The words of M. Foxe in that place speaking against the Papisticall interpretati∣on* 1.5 of Cyprians wordes be these, when their meaning is otherwyse, howe that euery one catholike Church or Diocesse, ought to haue one Byshop ouer it: whyche also iustifyeth my interpretation. For if it be vnderstanded of one Byshop ouer one Diocesse, then is it in lyke maner of one Archbyshop ouer one Prouince: For the reason is all one, and you denie them both alike: For you would haue no Bishops but in seueral Parishes. Nowe therefore you sée that euen these authors whom you would abuse against me, doe make wholy and fully against you, and with me. For they confesse the two pla∣ces of Cyprian to be ment of Cornelius, and of himselfe, who were both Archbyshops and Metropolitanes, and had ample iurisdiction, especially Cyprian as I haue decla∣red. And M. Fexe hymselfe Tom. 1. Fol 21. sayth that the sea of Rome was a Patriarchall* 1.6 sea appoynted by the primitiue Church, and the Bishop therof, an Archbishop, limited with∣in his owne bordering Churches: so that the one place beyng ment of Cornelius Arch∣byshop of Rome, the other of Cyprian Archbyshop of Carthage (for so they were in déede though they were not in those places so called), S. Cyprian may well be sayde in both places to speake of an Archbyshop, though he expresse not his name. And that which is there spoken of Cornelius or Cyprian within their Prouinces, may most apt∣ly also be vnderstoode of euery Byshop within his Diocesse, and therefore my L. of Sarum expounding this place speaketh of them both vnder these names of Prouince and Diocesse: and so doth M. Nowell vnder the name of chiefe Prelate and Prouince, and M. Foxe also vnder the worde Diocesse, beyng plaine and euident, that they allow of the office.

That learned man and godly Martyr M. Philpot, as it is recorded in the booke of* 1.7 Actes and Monumentes in his fifte examination answering this place of Cyprian ob∣iected vnto him by D. Sauerson, answereth most plainely in these wordes: And nowe for the vnderstanding of that place, you doe misconstrue it, to take the high Priest onely for the Byshop of Rome, and otherwyse than it was in his tyme. For there were by Nicene Councell foure Patriarches appoynted, the Patriarche of Ierusalem, the Patriarche of Con∣stantinople, the Patriarche of Alexandria, and the Patriarche of Rome, of which foure the Patriarche of Rome was placed lowest in the Councell, and so continued many yeares, for the time of seuen or eight generall Councels as I am able to shewe. Therefore S. Cyprian writing to Cornelius Patriarch of Rome, whome he calleth fellowe Byshop, findeth hym∣selfe offended that certaine heretikes being iustly excommunicated by him (as the Noua∣tian, were) did flie from his Diocesse which was their chiefe Byshop (refusing to be obedi∣ent vnto him & to be reformed) to the Bishop of Rome & to the Patriarch of Constantino∣ple, and there were receiued in communion of congregation in derogation of good order, & discipline in the Churche, & to the mainteining of heresies and schismes. And that here∣sies did spring vp & schismes dayly arise hereof, that obedience was not giuē to the Priest of God, nor once considered him to be in the Church for the time the Priest, and for the time the iudge in Christes steade (as in decree of Nicene Councell was appointed) not meaning* 1.8 the Bishop of Rome only, but euery Patriarch in his precinct, who had euery one of them a colledge or a Cathedrall Church of learned priests in hearing of whom, by a conuocation of all his fellow Byshops, with the consente of the people, all heresies were determined by the word of God, & this is the meaning of S. Cyprian, hetherto M. Philpot. Thus the reader may easily perceiue how you haue dalied about this place of Cyprian, and that this in∣terpretation is not mine alone.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. Iewell.
• * 1.2

  Idem.
• * 1.3

  M. Nowell.
• * 1.4

  Idem.
• * 1.5

  M Foxe. Tom. 1. fol. 93.
• * 1.6

  Idem.
• * 1.7

  M. Philpot exam. 5.
• * 1.8

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