The moderation of their authoritie in the aunciēt times may appeare first, by a canon which is falsely giuen to the Apostles, being as it is like a canon of the councell of Antioch (*) 1.1 whe〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 in al∣though* 1.2 it ordeyneth one Primate in euery nation ouer the rest, and will not suffer any great matter to be done without him, as also will not suffer him to do any thing without the rest, yet euery By∣shop might do that which apperteyned vnto his owne parrish, without him, (a) 1.3 and he nothing to do with him in it. But as it seemeth the meaning of the canon was, that if there were any waigh∣tie matter to be cōcluded for all the Churches in the nation, then the byshops of euery parish should not enterprise any thing without calling him to councell. Now we see that the Archbyshop med∣leth with that which euery Byshop doth in his owne dioces, and hath his visitations for that pur∣pose, and will take any matter out of their hands, concludeth also of diuers matters, neuer making the Byshops once priuie to his doings.
If it be a false canon or falsely gyuen to the Apostles, why do you vse it as a proofe? I might 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉ay vnto you, as you said before vnto me: haue you such penurie of proofes, that you are constrayned to alleadge false canons? if it be a canon of the Councell of Antioch, shew what canon it is: if it be within that Councel, vndoutedly it is the. 9. canon before by you alledged, and how muche that proues your cause the very igno∣rant reader may iudge.
But let vs heare this canon be it true or false, and consider your collections of it:* 1.4 the wordes I haue recited before, but I will set them downe againe, that your py∣thy reasons (reasoning altogyther against your selfe) may appeare. The Byshops of e∣uery nation or countrie must know who amongst them is chiefe, whome they ought to e∣steeme* 1.5 as their head, and do nothing without his councell, besides those things only, which belong vnto their owne parish, and the places which are vnder it: neyther ought he to do a∣ny thing without the aduise of them all: for so shal there be concord, and God shall be glo∣rifyed by Christ Iesus in the holy Ghost. &c. Here first ther must be a Primate or chiefe Byshop (that is Archbyshop) of euery nation or countrie, whome the rest of the by∣shops must acknowledge as it were for their head. Secondly, the Byshops must do nothing vnaccustomed without him. Thirdly, that the other Byshops may do those things only quae ad parochiam eius, & regiones ei subditas pertinent: VVhich perteine vnto his parish, and places subiect vnto it which last words you leaue out. Last of all, that thys Primate must do nothing without their consents: what hath the Archbishop lost by this canon? surely not one iote: I think verily he doth not require so much▪ Euery by∣shop may do as much in his owne dioces now, (the authoritie of the Prince and hir lawes reserued) as he might do by that canon, for the Archbyshop dothe not rule by will, but by law, not of himselfe, but vnder the Prince, to whome both he and all o∣ther byshops be subiect.
You hit nothing lesse than the meaning of the canon: nay vndoutedly you imagine a sense contrary to the expresse words of the canon.
When the Archbyshop dothe visite, it is not to make newe lawes, or appointe newe orders (excepte he be commaunded so to doe by greater authoritie) but to see those orders and lawes kepte, that all Bishoppes and other are bounde vnto, and therefore he doth nothing in their diocesse contrary to that which they are bound to do, neyther doth he cōclude any thing without them, which by their consent and au∣thoritie of the law and Prince is not giuen vnto him.