A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

Seeing therefore / the bishop which Cyprian speaketh of / is nothing else but such as we call pastor / or as the common name with us is parson / and his church whereof he is bishop / is neither diocese nor province / but a congregation which mete together in one place / & to be taught of one man / what should M. doctor mean to put on this great name of archbishop / upon so small a bishopric? as it were Sauls great harness / upon David his little body / or as if a man should set a wide huge porch / before a little house.

Seeing therefore / the byshop whych Cyprian speaketh of / is nothing else but such as we call pastor / or as the common name wt vs is parson / and his church wherof he is bishop / is neither diocese nor prouince / but a congregation whych mete togither in one place / & to be taught of one man / what should M. doctor meane to put on this great name of archbyshop / vpon so small a byshoppricke? as it were Saules great harnes / vpon Dauid hys little body / or as if a man should set a wide huge porche / before a little house.

And least that M. doctor should say / that notwithstanding the bishops had but several churches / yet one of them might have either a title more excellent then the rest / or authority and government over the rest / that shall be likewise considered out of Cyprian. And first for the title and honour of archbishop / it appeareth how Cyprian held that as a proud name / for that he objecteth to Florentius as a ¹presumptuous thing / for that in believing certain evil reports of him / and misjudging of him / he did appoint him self bishop of a bishop / and judge over him / which was for the time / appointed of God to be judge. And herein also / I may use the same reasons which the godly writers of our times use against the pope / to prove that he had no superiority in those days over other bishops / for that the other bishops called him brother / and he them / called him fellow bishop / & he them. For so doth Cyprian call the bishops of that province in his epistle / his fellow bishops / and in divers places his brethren. And in the sentence which he spake in the coū cel of Carthage / he saith / none of us doth take him self to be bishop of bishops.