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…

For / speaking of the appeasing of controversies / and schisms / and showing ¹how divers bishops were drawn into the heresy of Novatus / he saith / that the virtue and strength of the Christians was not so decayed or languished / but that there was a portion of priests / which did not give place unto those ruins / and shipwrecks of faith.

For / speaking of the appeasing of controuersies / and schismes / and shewing ¹how dyuers byshops were drawne into the heresie of Nouatus / he sayth / that the vertue and strength of the Christians was not so decayed or languished / but that there was a portion of priestes / which dyd not geue place vnto those ruines / and shipwrackes of fayth.

1. 1Lib. 1. 4. ep.

And in an other place he saith: therefore most dear brother / the plentiful ¹body or company of the priests / are as it were with the glue of mutual concord & band of unity joined together / that if any of our company be author of an heresy / and go about to destroy and rent the flock of Christ / the rest should help / and as profitable & merciful shepherds / gather together the sheep of the Lord: whereby it is manifest / that the appeasing & composing of controversies / & heresies was not then thought to be most fit to be in one bishops hand / but in as many as could conveniently assemble together / according to the danger of the heresy which sprang / or deep root which it had taken / or was like to take. And that there was in his time no such authority given / as that any one might remove the causes or controversies which rose / as now we see there is / when the bishop of the diocese / taketh the matters in controversy / which rise in any church within his diocese / from the minister and elders / to whom the decision pertaineth / and as when the archbishop taketh it away from the bishop / it may appear in the same third Epistle of the first book / where he saith after this sort. It is ordained / & it is equal and right / that every mans cause should be there heard / where the fault was committed. And a little after he saith: It is meet to handle the matter there / where they may have both accusers / and witnesses of the fault / which although it be spoken of them / which fled out of Africa unto Rome / yet the reason is general / and doth as well serve against these Ecclesiastical persons / which will take unto them the deciding of those controversies that were done a hundred mile of them.