And least that M. Doctor shoulde saye, that notwithstanding the Bishops had but seuerall churches: yet one of them might haue eyther a title more excellent than the rest, or authoritie and gouernmēt ouer the rest: that shal likewise be considered out of Cyprian. And first for the title and honor of archebishop, it appeareth howe Cyprian helde that as a proude name, for he obiecteth to Florentius as a presumptuous thing: for that in beleeuing certayne euill reportes of him, and mis∣iudging* 1.1 of him, he did appoynt himselfe Bishop of a Bishop, and iudge ouer him whiche was for the time appoynted of God to be iudge.
Pupianus to whome Cyprian wrote that Epistle, had greatly misused Cyprian, in beléeuing certayne false rumors & reports of him, & vpon the same giuing sentence against him: for this cause Cyprian reproueth Pupianus, saying: Quis autem nostrum Iongè est ab bumilitate, vt〈1 line〉〈1 line〉úmne ego, qui quotidie fratribus seruio, & venientes ad ecclesiam singulos benignè, & cū voto & gaudio suscipio: an tu qui te Episcopū Episcopi, & iudicē iudicis ad tēpus à Deo dati constituis, &c. VVhether of vs is further from humilitie, I which serue my brethren dayly, & receyue euery one that cōmeth vnto the Church gētly, & with desire & ioy, or thou which makest thy selfe the Bishop of the Bishop, and the iudge of the iudge, giuen of God for the time. It appeareth rather in these words, that Florentius is reproued for taking vpon him to iudge Cyprian, to whō he ought obedience: so that this place doth not de∣regate any thing frō any lawful authoritie, that one Bishop hath ouer another, but it condemneth the rash & presumptuous iudgement of those, that will take vpon them rashly to giue sentēce of their superiours & betters, as Pupianus did. For in that he fin∣deth fault with him, for making himselfe (as it were) Bishop of the Bishop, and iudge of the iudge, he playnly declareth, that he himself was both Bshop and iudge of Pupianus: neyther dothe he obiect this to Pupianus as a proude name, but as a proude deede.