Where the premisses be nought, howe shoulde the conclusion be good? I would to God your argument were in his right forme, that we mighte sée vpon what sub∣stantiall postes your conclusion dothe stande. But let the Reader consider your grounds which I haue opened before.
I might heere tell you agayne that Cyprian in playne and manifest words, Lib. 4. Epist. 1. dothe make a Bishop superior in degrée to him that you call pastor: his words I haue repeated before. I might also put you in minde of Cyprians iurisdiction ouer the churches of Carthage, Numidia, and Mauritanie, according to his owne testimo∣nie. lib. 4. Epi. 8. in which respecte Illyricus dothe call him Metropolitane: Likewise I might tell you that the most writers of that age, as Tertullian de Coro. militis, & de Fuga in pers. Origen hom. 2. in Numer. &. 11. in Hierem. doe make thrée degrées of Ministers: Deacons, Priests, & Bishops. To be short, I could bid you looke Eusebius. lib. 6. cap. 1. and you should sinde that Demetrius, who liued Anno. 191. was Bishop Paroeciarū Alex∣andriae & Aegypti, of the parishes of Alexandria and Egypt, and referre you to many suche examples vsed before, which vtterly ouerthrowe this conclusion, and euen hisse it out of the doores.