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…

The council of Antioch ordained / that if the voices of the bishops were ¹even / and that if half did condemn him / and half clear him / that then the metropolitan bishop should call of the next province some other bishops / which should make an end of the controversy. Whereby appeareth that the Metropolitan had so small authority and power over and above the rest / that he had not so much as the casting voice / when both sides were even / and therefore it appeareth / that besides the names of metropolitan / there was little or no resemblance between those that were then / and those which be now.

The councell of Antioche ordained / that if the voyces of the byshops were ¹euen / and that if halfe did condemne hym / and halfe cleare hym / that then the metropolitane byshop shoulde call of the nexte prouince some other byshops / whych should make an end of the controuersy. Wherby appeareth that the Metropolitane had so small authority and power ouer and aboue the rest / that he had not so much as the casting voyce / when bothe sides were euen / and therefore it appeareth / that besides the names of metropolitane / there was little or no resemblance betweene those that were then / and those whych be now.

1. 1Canon. 17.

Now / to consider how the bishops which are now / differ from the bishops which were in times past / I must call to thy remembrance (gentle reader) that which I have spoken before / which was that then there was / as appeareth out of Cyprian and Jerome / and others / one bishop in every parish or congregation: now one is over a thousand / then every bishop had a several church where he preached and ministered the sacraments: now he hath none / then he ruled that one church (as I showed out of Jerome) in common with the Elders of the same: now he ruleth a thousand by him self / shutting out the ministers / to whom the rule and government belongeth / then he ordained not any minister of the church / except he were first chosen by the presbytery, and approved by the people of that place whereunto he was ordained: now he ordaineth where there is no place void / and of his private authority / without either choice or approbation of presbytery or people: then he excommunicated not / nor received the excommunicated / but by sentences of the eldership / and consent of the people / as shall appear afterward: now he doth both.