same argument,MarginaliaThe second vntrueth of the argument aboue mentioned.which is, that because Peter was the head of the church: so therfore the Pope must also be the head of the church; and was, albeit he was not called vniuersal bishop a long time. But this we do deny, yea the matter denieth it selfe, by their owne position; for being graunted by them, that the title of vniuersall bishop was not receiued at Rome, but refused to the time of Gregory: then must it necessarily be graunted, that the Bishops of Rome before S Gregory, had not the charge of the whole church, neither could be admitted by that reason to be heads of the church. For so much as there can be no head, but which is vniuersall to the whole body, neither can any haue charge of the whole, but he must needes be vniuersal to all and singuler partes of that, whereof he hath the charge. As in sciences, whosoeuer hath knowledge & cunning in all the seuen liberal sciences, & all the partes therof pertaining to liberall knowledge, is said to be an vniuersall learned man: so in office, to whomsoeuer the publike charge of all Churches doth appertaine, how is he not to be called bishop vniuersall?MarginaliaWhat is an vniuersall Bishop.Now if before S Gregories time the name of vniuersall bishop, was repealed in Rome: how then can the name be refused, & the definition of the name be admitted? Or els let our aduersaries tell vs how they define an vniuersall Bishop, seing this word bishop is properly the name of office whereto is annexed charge. Wherefore, if a Bishop be he which hath the charge of all soules in his Dioces cōmitted to him, & must render account for thē all: then whose charge extendeth to all & singuler churches, & must render account for euery christian soule within the whole world, to him cā not be denied the name of an vniuersal bishop, hauing the office of an vniuersall bishop. Or if he be not an vniuersall bishop, he cannot then haue the charge of the whole; that is, of all and singular churches of Christ. For such is the rule of true definition.MarginaliaRegula definitionis.Cui cōuenit definitio, conuenit & definitum, & contra.MarginaliaCui conuenit definitio & definitum.Cui adimitur definitio, eidem & definitum adimitur.  

Although this word vniuersall , in the Greeke writers, signifieth that, which we in our vulgar English tongue call catholike: yet I suppose our aduersaries here wil not take vniuersall in that sense. For after that meaning, as we doe not deny that the bishops of Rome may be vniuersall Bishops, so neither can they deny but other bishops also may be as vniuersall; that is, as catholike as they. But such as more distinctly & schoolelike discusse this matter, define vniuersall or catholike by three things: to witte, by tyme, place, and person.MarginaliaVniuersall defined by three thinges, tyme, place, and persō.So that whatsoeuer extendeth it selfe to times, all places, & to all persons, that is properly vniuersal or catholike. And contrarywise, what thing is to be called vniuersal or catholike, reacheth to all those three aforesaid, cōprehending al places, times, & persons,MarginaliaThree thinges commonly called catholique or vniuersall.& extendeth it selfe of his owne nature to the same, or els it is not to be called properly vniuersal or catholike. And thus iij. things there be, which most commōly we cal catholike or vniuersal: that is, the church which is called the catholike church: Faith, which is called the catholike faith: A man, whome also we call a man catholike, because these iij. of their owne nature & disposition (no contrary obstacle letting) extend themselues so to all, that no time, place, nor persō is excluded. Which iij. conditions, if they altogither cōcurre in the charge of þ^e bishop of Rome, then is it an vniuersal charge, and he an vniuersal bishop:MarginaliaTo haue vniuersall charge to be head of the vniuersall Church, and to be vniuersall Bishop are all concident together.if not, then is his charge neither vniuersall, nor he the head of the Church, nor yet vniuersall bishop. For how these three can be separated, I can not see, except the aduersary part do proue it more euidently, then yet they haue done.

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And thus much to the obiection of our aduersaries, arguing thus: that as S. Peter being not called vniuersall Apostle, yet was the head of the vniuersal church: So the Pope although he was not first called vniuersall Bishop, had, and might haue the charge of the whole Church, and was the vniuersall head of the same. The which obiection conteining (as is said) a double vntruth, our aduersaries yet notwithstanding do busie themselues greatly to fortify by sundry testimonies and allegations, patched out of old and auncient Doctours, but specially out of Theodoritus, Irenæus, Ambrose, & Augustine,MarginaliaIrenæus. Lib. 3. Cap. 3. Amb. de doct. gent. lib. 2. ca. 6. August. Epict. 162.proouing by them, that the sea of Rome hauing the preeminence and principallitie, hath bene honoured aboue all other churches. Whereupon the said aduersarie before minded, groundeth this consequent.

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Irenæus, Ambrose, Augustine and Theodoritus affirme that the church of Rome is the chiefe of all other churches.

Ergo, the Bishop and head of that church is chiefe and head ouer all other bishops, & head of all other churches.MarginaliaAn argument of the Papistes.

But this consequent is to be denied,MarginaliaAunswere.for that the excellencie of the church or place doth not always argue the excellencie of the minister or bishop, nor yet necessarilie doth cause the same. For in matters of the church which are spirituall, all preeminence standeth vpon spirituall & inwardgifts,MarginaliaPreheminence of a Church esteemed after a double consideration. (spiritualia enim spiritualibus comparantur) as fayth, pietie, learning and godly knowledge, zeale and feruencie in the holy ghost, vnitie of doctrine, &c. which giftes many tymes may excel in a church, where the minister or bishop is inferiour to bishops or ministers of other churches. As the most famous schoole in a realme hath not alway þ^e most famous schoolemaister, neither doth make him therby most excellent in learning aboue of all other: So if our aduersaries do meane by this preeminēce of the church of Rome, such inward gifts of doctrine, faith, vnitie and peace of religion: then say I, the excellencie hereof doth not inferre or argue the excellencie of the Bishop. And thus concerning the principallitie of the Church of Rome, commended at that time of the Doctors, it may be true, & so well expounded one way. And thus do I graunt the antecedent of this argument, and deny the consequent. But here will our aduersaries peraduenture reply againe and say,MarginaliaObiection. Outward preheminence belongeth to outwarde kingdomes not to the Church of Christ.that þ^e principallitie of the church of Rome which is commended by the Doctours, is not ment here so much by inward gifts and induments belonging to a christian church, as by outwarde authoritie and domination ouer other churches, whereto is to be aunswered. First,MarginaliaThe 1. aunswere to the obiection.what necessitie is there, or where did our Papists learne, to bring into the spiritual church of Christ, this outward forme of ciuile regimēt and pollicie? that as the Romaine Emperours in tyme past gouerned ouer all the world, so the Romaine bishop must haue his monarchie vpon the vniuersall Clergy, to make all other churches to stoupe vnder his subiection. And where then be the wordes of our Sauiour: Vos autem non sic,MarginaliaNon sic, sayth Christ.If they hold their affirmatiue, quòd sicMarginaliaQuod sic. sayth the Pope. Obiection.where then is Christes negatiue, non sic? if they say, there must needes be distinction of degrees in the church, and in this distinction of degrees, superioritie must necessarily be graunted for the outward discipline of the church, for directing matters, for quieting of schismes, for setting orders, for commensing of Conuocations and Councels, as neede shall require, &c. Against this superioritie we stand not, & therefore we yeld to our superior power, kings, and princes, our due obedience, and to our lawfull gouernours vnder God of both regiments, Ecclesiasticall and Temporall. Also in the Ecclesiasticall state, we take not away the distinction of ordinarie degrees, such as by the Scripture be appointed, or by the primatiue church allowed.MarginaliaAunswere. Snperioritie in the Church. Distinction of degrees in the church.As Patriarchs, or Archbishops, Bishops, Ministers and Deacons; for of these foure we especially read as chiefe. In which foure degrees as we graunt diuersitie of office, so we admitte in the same also, diuersitie of dignitie:MarginaliaDiuersitie of dignityes in degrees. neither deying that which is due to ech degree, neither yet maintaining the ambition of any singuler person. For as we geue to the minister place aboue the Deacon, to the bishop aboue the minister, to the Archbishop aboue the Bishop: so we see no cause of inequalitie, why one minister should be aboue an other minister: One bishop in his degree aboue an other bishop to deale in his Diocesse: or one Archbishop aboue another Archbishop. And this is to keepe an order duely & truly in the church,MarginaliaOrder kept in the Church, and what true order is. according to the true nature and definitiō of order by the authoritie of August. lib. De ciuit. Dei.MarginaliaAug. de Ciuit. Dei. lib. 91, cap. Order defined.Where he thus defineth that which we call order: Ordo, est parium dispariumq; rerum sua cuiq; loca tribuens dispositio  

Order saith he) is a discretion or disposition giuen to all things, according as they are matches, or not matches, proportionally to euery one his owne right and proper place.

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This definition of S. Augustine, standing with the things before premised, now here ioyneth the questiō betwene vs and the Papistes, whether the Metropolitane Church of Rome, with þ^e Archbishop of the same, ought to be preferred before other Metropolitane churches & Archbishyps, through vniuersall Christendome or not? To the answer wherof, if thevoyce of order might here be heard, it would say: geue to things that be matches & like, like honour; to things vnlike, vnlike honour, &c. Wherefore, seyng the sea of Rome is a Patriarchall sea appointed by the Primitiue Church, and the Bishop thereof an Archbishop limited within his owne bordering churches, which the Councel of Nice calleth suburbicas Ecclesias, as other Archbishops be: he ought therfore orderly to haue the honor of an Archbishop (ordering himselfe thereafter) & such outward preeminence as to other Archbishops is due. More if he do require, he breaketh the rule of right order, he falleth into presumption, and doth wrong vnto his fellows: and they also do wrong vnto themselues, whosoeuer they be, which feeding his humour of ambition, geue more vnto him thē the foresaid rule of order doth require. For so much as they yeld to him more thē is his right, so much they take frō thē selues, which is due to thē. And the same is the cause, why both Gregory and Pelagius his predecessour reprehendeth them, which gaue to the Archbishop of Constantinople,

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