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Cyprianus Lib. 1. Epist. 3. ad Cornelium speaking of the office of an Archbyshop,* 1.1 sayth on this sort, Neque enim aliunde haereses obortae sunt, aut na ta schismata, quàm inde
quòd sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur, nec vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos, & ad tempus iudex vice Christi cogitatur, cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemperaret fraternitas vniuersa, nemo aduersus sacerdotum collegium quicquam moueret: Neyther haue heresies or schismes rysen of any other occasion, than of that, that the Priest of God is not o∣beyed, neyther one Priest for the tyme in the Churche, and one Iudge for the time in the steade of Christ thought vpon, to vvhom if the vvhole brotherhoode vvoulde be obedient, according to Gods teaching, no man vvould moue any thing agaynst the Colledge of Priests.
Cornelius beeing Bishop of Rome, and hauing excommunicated* 1.2 certayne notorious wicked men, and afterwarde beeing threatned and ill vsed at their handes, beganne to faynte and to be weerie of his office: Cyprian hearing thereof, wrote comfortably vnto him, and willed him in any wise to proceede, she wing further what sects and schismes ensueth in any Prouince or Diocesse, whereas the Bi∣shops authoritie is despised. For in these wordes he speaketh not of the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer all Churches, but agaynst the insolencie of some, whiche despising their Metro∣politane, or Archebishop, did with their factiousnesse trouble the Churche. For he woulde haue an Archebishop in euery Prouince, whiche shoulde beare the chiefe rule ouer the rest of the Cleargie, and so doe the godlyest and best learned expounde Cyprian.
The same Cyprian writing to one Florentius Pupianus, spea∣king* 1.3 in his owne behalfe beeing Bishop of Carthage, sayth on this sorte: Vnde schismata & haereses obortae sunt & oriuntur, nisi dum Episcopus qui vnus est, & ecclesiae praeest, superba quorundam praesumptione contemnitur, & homo dignatione Dei hono∣ratus, ab hominibus indignis iudicatur? From vvhence haue heresies and schismes sprong heeretofore, and vvhereof spring they novve, but that the Bishop vvhiche is one, and gouerneth the Churche, by the presumpiuous dis∣dayne of certayne is despised, and a man preferred by Gods allovvance, is examined and iudged by vnvvorthy men. For it is the chiefe and prin∣cipall office of an Archbishop to keepe vnitie in the Churche to com∣pounde contentions, to redresse heresies, schismes, factions, to see that Bishops, and all other of the Cleargie whiche be vnder him doe their duetie. &c.
Of the office of an Archbi∣shop.
Cyprian ex∣pounded.
Auhoritie of Archbishops.