In the. 116. page, for the authoritie of the Archbishop, is alleaged the. 9. Canon of the councell of Antioche, which I haue before alleaged to proue how farre different the authoritie of the Me∣tropolitane in those tymes, was from that which is now. For there the Coūcel sheweth that euery Bishop in his diocesse hath the ordering of all the matters within the circuite thereof, & therefore the meaning of the Councell to be, that if there be any affayres that touch the whole Church in any lande, that the Bishops should do nothing without making the Metropolitane priuie, as also the Metropolitane might do nothing without making the other Bishops a Counsell of that, which he attempted, which M. Doctor doth cleane leaue out.
And if this authoritie which the Councell giueth to the Metropolitane being nothing so ex∣cessiue, as the authoritie of our Metropolitanes now, had not bene ouer much, or had bene iustifia∣ble, what needed men father this Canon (which was ordeyned in this Councell) of the Apostles, for the seeking falsely of the name of the Apostles, to giue credite vnto this Canon, doth carie with it a note of euill and of shame, which they would haue couered as it were with the garment of the Apostles authoritie.
There is no Canon that maketh more directly against you than this doth, all the shifts that you haue to auoyde it, I haue answered before. There is as great authoritie giuen to the Metropolitane in that Canon, as now he eyther vseth or requireth. For euery Bishop obseruing the lawes of the realme, and of the Church, hath the ordering of al matters within his diocesse: and the Metropolitane in this Church may attempt no newe thing, or any matter of great importance, not already by lawe established, though he haue the consent of all the Bishops, so farre is he from hauing authoritie to do any such thing without theyr consent.
That Canon of the Apostles is repeated & confirmed in this Councell, as diuerse Canons of the Councell of Nice are in like maner repeated and confirmed by diuerse Councels following. This is so farre from discrediting that Canon with wise men, that it rather addeth great authoritie vnto it: but you kéepe your olde wonte, in dis∣crediting the authoritie, which you cannot answere.