It is a common manner of this Defender, what he must needs grant, to make a show in words, as though it were free gift. So many times beggars will seem gentlemen, and payers of debt will seem givers. Let the Bishop of Rome, (saith he) alone be above all councils.‡ Sir, he is so: no thake to you. Yet speak you like a liberal gentleman: That is to say, let some one part be greater then the whole. ⟨p. 610⟩No sir,2 maugre your scoffing head, part shall not be greater then the whole, but part shall be greater then part.* In a right sense is not the head greater then the body, the Bishop then his clergy, the * master of a house more then his family? Neither is the Council the whole pardie, except your merry wit can devise us a whole body without a head. Let him be of greater power, say you. And so he is. Let him be of more wisdom, then all his. We say not so. It may be, that his Council hath more learning,‡ more knowledge and more wisdom, then his only person. Albeit, when we speak of that wisdom of the See Apostolic, which is sure, infallible, and cannot err: we mean not only the Popes singular person, but the head Pastor and Bishop, as he doth those things, which pertain to that chair: that is to say, in as much as he proceedeth not upon his own private judgement,* but by the instinct of the Holy Ghost, promised by Christ to his vicar. Where you say, And in spite of Hieromes head, let the Authority of one City be greater them the Authority of the whole world: we tell you, that this you speak more spitefully, then learnedly. For S. Hierome in his epistle to Evagrius speaketh‡ only of a particular matter, blaming the custom of Rome, where contrary to the custom of the whole world, deacons in certain cases were preferred before Priests, whereof we have spoken before.
It is a common manner of this Defender, what he must needes graunt, to make a shewe in wordes, as though it were free gifte. So many times beggers wil seme gentilmen, and paiers of debte wil seme geuers. Let the Bishop of Rome, (saithe he) alone be aboue al coūcels.‡ Sir, he is so: no thake to you. Yet speake you like a liberal gentilman: That is to saie, let some one parte be greater then the whole. ⟨p. 610⟩No sir,2 maugre your scoffinge heade, parte shal not be greater then the whole, but parte shal be greater then parte.* In a right sense is not the heade greater then the body, the Bishop then his cleregy, the * maister of a house more then his familie? Neither is the Councel the whole pardy, excepte your mery witte can deuise vs a whole body without a heade. Let him be of greater power, saie you. And so he is. Let him be of more wisedome, then al his. VVe saie not so. It maie be, that his Councel hath more learninge,‡ more knowledge and more wisedome, then his onely person. Albeit, when we speake of that wisdome of the See Apostolike, whiche is sure, infallible, and cannot erre: we meane not onely the Popes singular person, but the heade Pastoure and Bishop, as he doth those thinges, whiche perteine to that chaire: that is to saie, in asmutche as he procedeth not vpon his owne priuate iudgemente,* but by the instincte of the Holy Ghoste, promised by Christe to his vicare. VVhere you saie, And in spite of Hieromes heade, let the Authoritie of one Citie be greater them the Authoritie of the whole world: we tel you, that this you speake more spitefully, then learnedly. For S. Hierome in his epistle to Euagrius speaketh‡ onely of a particular matter, blaminge the custome of Rome, where contrary to the custome of the whole world, deacons in certaine cases were preferred before Priestes, whereof we haue spoken before.
- ‡Untruth. Otherwise show us, by what Authority he is so.Vntruthe. Othervvise shevve vs, by vvhat Authoritie he is so.
- 2The Pope above General coū cells.The Pope aboue General coū celles.
- *Full wisely. As if the Pope were the Head, & the whole Church were his Body: Or, As if the Pope were the Master, & the Church his Family.Ful vvisely. As if the Pope vvere the Heade, & the vvhole Churche vvere his Body: Or, As if the Pope vvere the Maister, & the Churche his Familie.
- ‡The Councel hath more Wisdom, and Learning, then the Pope: yet the Pope is in Wisdom, and Learning above the Councel.The Councel hathe more VVisedome, and Learninge, then the Pope: yet the Pope is in VVisedome, and Learning aboue the Councel.
- *O fond folly. For so any simple creature, so long as he is lead by the Holy Ghost, can never err.O fonde folie. For so any simple creature, so longe as he is leadde by the Holy Ghost, can neuer erre.
- ‡Untruth, vain, and childish. For S. Hierome speaketh plainly of Authority: Si Authoritas quaeritur, Maior est Orbis Urbe.Vntruthe, vaine, and childish. For S. Hierome speaketh plainely of Authoritie: Si Authoritas quaeritur, Maior est Orbis Vrbe.
