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…

Again / the cause why the metropolitan differed from the rest / and why ¹the calling of the Synod was given to him / as it appeareth in the same council / was for that the greatest concourse was to that place / and most assembly of men / whereunto also may be added / for that there was the best commodity of lodging & of victualling / and for that / as it appeareth in other councils / it was the place and seat of the Empire. But with us neither the greatest concourse nor assembly of men / nor the greatest commodity of lodging and victualling / neither yet the seat of the kingdom is in the metropolitan city / therefore with us there is no such cause of a metropolitan or archbishop.

Againe / the cause whye the metropolitane differed from the rest / and whye ¹the calling of the Synode was geuen to hym / as it appeareth in the same coūcel / was for that the greatest concourse was to that place / and most assembly of men / whervnto also may be added / for that there was the best commodity of lodging & of vitailing / and for that / as it appeareth in other councels / it was the place and seate of the Empire. But wyth vs neyther the greatest concourse nor assemblye of men / nor the greatest commodity of lodging and vitailing / neyther yet the seate of the kingdome is in the metropolitane city / therefore wyth vs there is no suche cause of a metropolitane or archbyshop.

1. 1Chap. 9.

In the council of Carthage / holden in Cyprian's time / it appeareth that no bishop had authority over an other / to compel an other / or to condemn an other / but every bishop was left at his own liberty to answer unto God / and to make his account unto Christ: and if any thing were done against any bishop / it was done by the consent of all the bishops in the province / or as many as could conveniently assemble. Therefore Cyprian / which was the metropolitan bishop / had then no authority over the rest / and yet then (there being no christian magistrate / which would punish the disorders which were committed of the christian bishops) there was greatest need / that there should have been some one / which might have had the correction of the rest. If therefore when there was most need of this absolute authority / there neither was / nor might be any such / it followeth that now we have a Christian magistrate / which may and ought to punish the disorders of all Ecclesiastical persons / and may and ought to call them to account for their faults / that there should be no such need of an archbishop.