and in persecutioÌ„ of the true churche of Christ but who so wil read that 70. epistle of Basill shall finde it otherwise We neither worship our selues nor inforce any other to worship the Image that Basil treateth of in that 70 epistle wee are no Idolaters nor teache false doctrine we haue not many goddes lesse and greater we abate nothyng as did the Arrians but moste to our power set foorth the glorie and deitie of Christ Let the Papistes see that these poinctes touche not theÌ„selues rather We doo not sequester the holie ghost from the glorious Trinitie as did those Arrians in saincte Basils tyme whose mischief and their owne miserie he in this epistle doeth deplore and bewaile Wherefore his saiynges in that Epistle apperteâ—ne nethyng to vs who are nothyng guiltie of those crimes and heresies but they are brought in by dreaming M. Dorman without any cause and biside all purpose sauyng onely that in readyng Hosius he founde this place alledged thought good to folowe him therein and to translate it into his booke But now touchyng our verie case why did not these bishops of the Easte write their humble petition for helpe in their miseries seuerallie to the bishoppe of Rome as heade of all the churche but doo write to all the bishops of Fraunce and Italie indifferently without any mention of the bishop of Rome at al So farre of is it that thei made any speciall mention of hym as the chief or heade ouer all the churche yea placyng also the bishops of Fraunce before the Italian bishoppes though M. Dorman doo craftilie dissemble the same and callyng them altogether brethren and felowes in the ministerie whiche thei would neuer haue dooen had thei had this opinion of his supremacie that maister Dorman and other Papistes doo now defende and mainteine But in the saied 70. epistle the saied East Bishops whiche doo not once speake of the Pope doo praie the Frenche and Italian bishops to make huÌ„ble sute to the Emperour that he by his authoritie would represse their enemies the ArriaÌ„s and releue their miseries whiche maketh rather for the Emperour his supremacie in the churche then for the bishops of Rome Now where M. Dorman speaketh of persecution as he did a little before of our moste cruell practise I referre it to the iudgement of all the worlde whether our aduersaries or wee bee more cruell persecutours and whether haue suffered more persecution thei or wee and whether thei or we doo come more nere to that example of persecution by S. Basill in this 70. epistle described I praie thee good reader iudge indifferently First S. Basill sheweth that the persecutioÌ„ was moste horrible cruell and bloudie suche as was impossible to be expressed with woordes and that thieues murtherers and other offenders were more reasonablie and mercifullie dealte with then godlie men were in that persecution that thei were apprehended in the night and neither knowyng their accusers nor coÌ„uicted of any crime were banished or put to death And that there was continuall mournyng weepyng and sighyng euery where that because the persecutours had the name of Christians thei would not suffer suche as thei put to cruell death to haue the names of martyres and that neither age and a hoare white heade neither godlines and a life vertuouslie ledde had any reuerence with the persecutours He sheweth that the persecutors were riche wealthie but thei who were persecuted were poore menne and for their pouertie contemned not hauyng libertie to speake He calleth this horrible persecution fire by a figure but the persecution that wee suffer is by fire in deede by the whiche our aduersaries trie vs and sifte vs into ashes so that saincte Paules prophecie of many who in the laste daies should be tried by fire is in deede and without figure accoÌ„plished in vs. Consider I praie you good readers these circumstances of moste extreame crueltie in those persecutours whom S. Basill speaketh of and iudge whether we or our aduersaries doo the like and withall consider how reasonablie M. Dorman resembleth vs to the saied persecutours and themselues to them that were so persecuted Now where he goeth aboute to burthen vs with enuie of Churches either pulled doune or altered to other vse and of their altars destroied muche like as the rebelles did burthen Henrie the eight in the. 28. yere of his raigne we make this answere Truthe it is that the foundations of Abbeis and Chauntries Pro redemptione animarum fundatorum suorum progenitorum ipsorum c. For the redemption of the soules of their foundours and their progenitours soules c. as in the saied foundations appereth more at large were so vnsure and weake or rather wicked that thei could no longer beare suche huge superstructions and buildynges as were laied vpon them For the Idolatrie supersticion hypocrisic and wickednesse of the Monkes Nunnes and Priestes themselues were growen so greate and so heauie now that no foundacions though sure and good were hable any longer to beare and abide them Let the horrible historie of their darke dreadfull and moste diuellishe dooynges notified to kyng Henrie the eight and after to the Parliament house by the reporte of the visitours retournyng from their visitacion of Abbaies and the Monkes Nunnes themselues in their owne confessions subscribed with their owne handes bee a proofe thereof whiche beyng regestered in a blacke booke might more iustlie bee called doumes daie then any recorde this daie remainyng in Englande reuealyng suche matter as thei had thought should haue remained hidde vnto the greate daie of reuelation of all secreates if euer thei looked for it Now truly the monstrous liues of Monkes Friers and Nunnes haue destroied their Monasteries and Churches and not wée Concernyng their foundations so contrarie to the merites of Christ our sauiour that is come to passe of theÌ„ that our sauiour hymself foreshewed Omnis plantatatio c. Euery plantacion not planted by my heaueÌ„ly father shal be plucked vp by the rootes Touchyng their impietie towardes God and wickednesse of life that is fulfilled that was foreshewed by the Prophetes Esaie and Ieremie vpon Babilon and Hierusalem and consequently vpon all wicked cities and places where Gods lawe shall likewise bée transgressed where like Idolatrie like fornication bodily and ghostlie shalbée committed where shalbée founde like foolishenesse ignoraunce and blindnesse of the Pastours heades and rulers that is to saie that their busldynges shalbée made heapes of stones that brambles briers shall growe where their pleasaunte lodgynges were that Oules night scritches and Dragons shall make their neastes and houle and seritche where the voyce of bankettyng and ioye was wonte to bee heard and that their houses shall neuer bee builded againe And that when menne shall passe by and saie why hath the Lorde thus dooen to this greate Citie to these goodlie Abbeies Nunries and Fratries Answere shal bee made for that
hundred yeres after Christes departure taken Nowell And I folowyng your order M. Dorman doo affirme and will proue the contrarie to all and euery pointe of your diuision that is to witte Firste that it is not profitable muche lesse necessarie that the Churche of Christe here in earth should haue one chief heade and ruler vnder Christe to gouerne the same and that for diuers and sundrie vrgent and moste weightie causes Secondarilie that no prieste can bee any suche one heade of the Churche here in earth Thirdly that of all priestes the bishop of Rome can not be that heade for that he is no Bishop but rather a temporall vsurper and tyraunte contrary to Gods expresse woorde and that all suche places as are by you M. Dorman and others alledged out of the scriptures and doctours for the said bishop of Rome his supremacie apperteine nothyng at all to that purpose Dorman fol. 4. That Christes Churche here in earth must of necessitie haue one chief heade and gouernoure vnder Christe to rule the same Nowell M. Dorman doeth well begin with this part firste to proue that there must of necessitie be one chief heade and gouernour of the whole Churche vnder Christ for if there ought not to be suche an one heade and gouernour at all he did well perceiue that consequently the bishop of Rome could not be that head and gouernour Wherefore it being throughly proued and manifestly declared that M. Dorman faileth in the proufe of this first pointe as I doubt not but it shal bée so proued and declared I truste that all wise men shall vnderstande that this first and principall part and staie of the whole beyng ouerthrowen his whole treatie of the bishop of Rome his supremacie shall altogether fall to grounde with it without any further batetrie to y e same or vnderminyng thereof to be made Dorman Fol. 4. The truthe of this proposition good christian readers is not onely by the whole order and forme of the estate of Gods people in the olde lawe whiche was also the true churche of God long before the comming of our sauiour into this worlde but by the daiely experience also of câ—uile and politike gouernement most manifestly confirmed Nowell Of the estate of Gods people in the olde lawe who as thei were one seuerall people so had thei one highe prieste what can you gather further but that likewise in euery Diocesse or countrey it were good to haue one chief prelate or bishop to rule in the cleargie Whiche we denie not nor euer did deny But of this matter M. Dorman geueth vs occasion to saâ—e more hereafter Dorman Fol. 4. For who is there so blinde that he seeth not that in the whole frame of this worlde there is no kyngdome so mightie no realme so puissant no citie so populous no toune so wealthie yea on the contrary parte also no village so little no family so small finally no so cietie of men no not of those that haue wrapped them selues in league to robbe and spoile that can any while continue without a heade to gouerne them If therefore to liue vnder the gouernment of a heade be a matter of suche importaunce as without the whiche neither great nor little riche nor â–ª poore good nor badde can stande how muche more necessarie shall wee thinke it in Christes Churche here militant in earth where the diuell in his members is coÌ„tinually occupied in raising of schismes in stirryng vp discorde to vexe and molest the people of God to haue this wholesome prouision for the appeasyng thereof and the restoryng of the same beyng troubled to quietnesse againe Nowell This reason he had in D. Hardyng his booke who borowed it of Pighius whiche beyng taken out of S. Cyprian his epistle to one Pupianus thei haue violeÌ„tly wrested to a wrong sense For S. Cyprian maketh this reason directlie againste them for the proufe of his owne authoritie being bishop of Carthage and for the authoritie of euery Bishop in his owne diocesse Now to the matter VVho is so blinde ê™ M. Dorman now surely I truste no man is so blinde but he can see that M. Dorman reasoneth blindlie and without all reason gatheryng thus that because euery kyngdome hath his seueral kyng euery people citie toun village house yea euery companie of the eues robbers haue their seuerall gouernour or heade put to and you will also as dooeth saincte Cyprian out of whom D. Hardyng and M. Dorman vndiscreatly tooke the occasion of this argument euery hiue of Bees hath his capitain Bee therefore should it folowe that all Churches or the whole churche dispersed throughout the whole world muste haue one heade You should M. Dorman if you would haue reasoned reasonably haue taken aswell saincte Cyprian his conclusion as you haue taken his antecedent and haue concluded with him Ergo in like wise euery diocesse and euery Churche ought to haue their seuerall heade prelate or bishop who is to bee obeyed by all their owne cleargie and wee would haue graunted the coÌ„sequencie and consequent as thei saie For by this meanes saincte Cyprian concludeth that Pupianus did wickedlie in disobeiyng sainct Cyprian hymself who was his bishop But neither saincte Cyprian nor any other learned man doth vse these examples or similitudes any where to proue that there ought to be one head or gouernour ouer all churches or the vniuersall churche but hath the cleane contrary saiyng thus Singulis pastoribus portio gregis ascripta est quam regat vnusquisque gubernet rationem sui actus domino redditurus That is to saie A portion of the Lordes flocke is appointed to euery pastour by himself the which euery one ought to rule gouerne who shall geue accompte of his doyng to the Lorde And so foorth moste plainlie againste the supremacie of one and for that due gouernmente of euery bishop ouer his owne ture This is saincte Cyprian his reason this is his conclusion M. Dorman But if you like your conclusion so well that you will nedes coÌ„clude that there ought to bee one generall heade of all Churches you must thus begin As there is one generall gouernour or kyng ouer all the worlde one generall head ouer all people all cities tounes villages and houses one capitaine thief and robber ouer all thieues and robbers one kyng Bee ouer all hiues of Bees throughout the whole worlde so muste there bee one onely heade in earth ouer all Churches throughout the worlde But as no man is so blinde but he seeth the falsehood of this antecedent so is I trust no man so blinde but he séeth the absurditie and inconsequencie of your former conclusion of one generall heade ouer all Churches gathered out of an antecedent and vnlikely similitude of the seuerall gouernours that euery kyngdome countrey people citie and toune and euery companie of menne seuerally haue I merueile he alledged not Homer the Poete and Aristotle the Philosopher also for the
Popes supremacie as dooeth his maister D. Hardyng who hath these woordes It is not good saieth Homere to haue many rulers lette one bee ruler It is true that Homere saieth it is not good to haue many equal rulers ouer one countrey or nation but this maketh nothyng to proue that there should bee one heade ouer all the Churche throughout the worlde excepte D. Hardyng can proue that Agamemnon was kyng of all the worlde or at the least that Homere meant he should so bee but he meante nothyng lesse for he speaketh of the gouernemente of the armie of the Greekes onely And so I graunt it is good likewise that one bishop doo gouerne one diocesse as it was good in Homers iudgemente that one graunde capitaine should gouerne the Greeke armie And thus muche by the waie to D. Hardyng his Poeticall argumente for the Popes supremacie Now seyng it pleased doctor Hardyng to make mention of Aristotle who misliketh not Aristocratie that is to saie the gouernyng of the beste and wisest men beyng a competente number and seyng further that many cities haue been and bee farre better gouerned in Democratie by many rulers chosen of the people then euer was the whole churche by one Pope It is presumptuouslie doen by M. Dorman bothe against his maister doctor Hardyng and against Aristotle so noble a philosopher and to zelously for one Pope to safe thei be all blinde that can not see the necessitie of one onely head gouernour euery where And it maie seme to some that suche kinde of speache doeth not so muche spryng out of absurditie of the matter as out of the disposition of M. Dormans drousie head and dimme sight Let vs in Englande bee in that poincte of the best iudgement and in the beste case as we be in déede vnder so moderate a Monarchie and yet let them withall who haue of long tyme been vnder the quiete gouernemente of many reasonable rulers neither bee starke blind neither though not in so happie a state as are we yet in no vnhappy case as it semeth M. DormaÌ„ would place them But let euery nation citie thinke it self moste happie in that state of regiment that God hath placed it in And concernyng the gouernement of the vniuersall Churche seyng it standeth of so many or rather innumerable thousandes of menne and women of al countries nations and languages throughout the whole worlde so that it can not possiblie be ruled and gouerned by one neither was it by God appoincted to bee by one gouerned no more then the whole worlde it self the seuerall kyngdomes countries thereof being appoincted by God to seuerall kynges and gouernours Yet if it must nedes be gouerned by popes seyng it nedeth many gouernours I would we had many Popes were thei good gouernours but beyng as thei are false vsurpers and cruell tyrauntes one Pope is to many by one Concernyng the auoydyng and quietyng of Schismes and troubles in the Churche we saie that as the seuerall kynges of euery kyngdome the seuerall gouernours of euery countrie and citie c. are able to ouersee their seuerall charges and to kepe their people in ciuill order and peace so are the seuerall Bishoppes of euery diocesse and the seuerall chief prelates of euery prouince able to auoide or to appeace if thei rise all schismes and troubles ecclesiasticall as saincte Cyprian out of whom this reason is borowed and falslie wrested by theÌ„ to an other purpose dooeth moste plainlie teache saiyng thus Cum statutum sit omnibus nobis c. Whereas an order saieth saincte Cyprian is taken emongest vs all and it is right and reasonable that euery mannes cause be there heard where the fault was coÌ„mitted and wheras euery Bishoppe hath a part of the flocke assigned to hym whiche he ought to rule and gouerne and for the whiche he muste gâ—ue an accompte vnto the Lorde it is not conuenient that suche as bee vnder their gouernaunce should runne from one Bishoppe to an other but there to make answere in their causes where thei maie haue accusers and witnesses of their crimes Excepte suche desperate persones thinke the authoritie of Bishoppes in Afrike to bée lesse then is the authoritie of other Bishoppes Thus farre saincte Cyprian with muche more in the same place expresly affirmyng that it is right and reason that seuerall Bishoppes haue the gouernemente of seuâ—rall diocesses euen for the same cause for the whiche you doo vntruely alledge the necessitie of one heade and declaryng the commoditie of pacifiyng of heresies Schismes and dissentions for of them he speaketh in that place and of correctioÌ„ of vices by euery suche seuerall Bishoppe in his owne charge mosie directlie against D. Hardyng and M. Dormans doctrine of pacifiyng of schismes by one onelie head of the vniuersall Churche affirming all suche appellations from a Bishoppe of one countrey to a Bishoppe of an other countrey to be vnlawfull for that all Bishoppes of all countries be of like authoritie and that none but naughtie and desperate menne doo thinke the authoritie of some bishoppes to be inferiour to the authoritie of other And further folowyng D. Hardyng and M. Dormans owne groundes wee saie that as God is the one heauenlie kyng ouer all the worlde and yet hath not appoincted any one man to bee his onelie deputie in earth ouer all the Kyngdomes of the worlde but that the whole worlde is gouerned by his prouidence as the onelie kyng thereof and by the ministerie of many seuerall kynges and rulers whom he hath seuerally appoincted ouer euery nation as his deputies as is expreslie declared in the scripture so in like wise is Christe the onelie heauenlie heade of his Churche and neither neadeth nor hath appoincted any one persone in earth to bee his deputie or vicar generall ouer all the churche throughout the worlde but by his prouidence and the ministerie of many Bishoppes his seuerall vicars in euery diocesse bothe hath and dooth well gouerne his Churche and that as it is impossible that there should bee one onelie earthlie kyng ouer all the worlde as by the state of the worlde from the beginnyng hitherto is moste manifest and in case there were one yet were it impossible for that one to ouersée his charge and to keepe all the worlde in Ciuill order seyng the wisest kinges that be haue of one particular kyngdome their handfull as thei saie so in like maner is it impossible that there should be one generall head in earth ouer the vniuersall Churche or all Churches dispersed throughout all the world conteinyng so many nations so diuerse languages and natures of men or that suche an head could ouersee his charge keepe all Churches from Schismes and troubles and pacifie them when thei were risen This as a thyng tried by the state of the worlde at this daie and euer sith the first beginnyng thereof I leaue to thy reasonable consideration good reader to determine betwixte vs. Dorman Fol. 5. And because good
rotten chaire or ruinous Rome were the rocke whereon the churche of our sauior Christ is builded And to make the purposed wickednesse of these aduersaries of the verie rocke Christe and his truthe who care not what thei allege for the maintenaunce of their desperate cause of the Popes supremacie though theÌ„selues dooe knowe it serueth nothing for their purpose at all more manifeste to all the worlde I lette the reader vnderstande that Erasmus in his scholies or annotations vpon this epistle whiche M. Dorman were he not asleape muste needes see did warne him that he should not after this sorte so falsifie S. Hierome in this place For though he coÌ„fesse that S. Hierome might seeme by this place to thinke that all churches ought to be vnder the Romaine see or at the leaste not straungers from it yet when he noteth vpon these woordes I knowe the churche is builded vpoÌ„ that rocke he saieth Super illam PetraÌ„ c. Non super Romam vt arbitror nam fieri potest vt Roma quoque degeneret sed super eam fidem quam Petrus professus est quam hactenus Romana seruauit ecclesia qua non alia minus laborauit haeresibus That is to saie Vpon this rocke not vpon Rome I trow for it maie come to passe that Rome also goe out of kinde but vpon the faith whiche Peter professed and the whiche hither to the Romain churche hath kept then the whiche church no other hath been lesse infected with heresies Thus farre Erasmus cleane contrary to M. Dorman and all Papistes who would haue the Romaine see to bee the rocke wheron Christes churche is builded and that the said see can not possibly erre Yea and further the same Erasmus in the beginnyng of his argument vpon his treatie againste the Luciferians whiche is nexte to his twoo epistles to Damasus hath these woordes Nulla haeresis grauius afflixit totius orbis ecclesias quà m Arrianorum adeò vt Romanum quoque pontificem ipsos inuoluerit imperatores That is to say No heresie hath more greuouslie afflicted the Churches of all the worlde then the Arrians in so muche that it hath wrapped in the Bishop of Rome and the Emperours themselues Thus farre Erasmus It pleaseth M. Dorman sometyme to allege Erasmus against vs whose authoritie if it bee good doune goeth the Pope and all Poperie for if the bishoppes of Rome haue been infected with heresie their Chaire is not that vnmoueable rocke as M. Dorman would haue it Now if M. Dorman did not see these notes of Erasmus vpon the place by hym alleged out of S. Hierome I praise his diligence he maie of Dorman bee called Dormitantius as sainct Hierome whom he falsely allegeth called Vigilantius and more iustlie bothe by nature and sounde of name maie M. DormaÌ„ be so called then euer was Vigilantius by sainct Hierome But if M. Dorman did see Erasmus note and dissembled it as he did see these S. Hieromes woordes I folowyng no heade but Christe nexte and moste necessarilie ioigned to the sentence by hym alleged and yet of purpose cutte them of by the necke then is M. Dormans candor and sinceritie vsuall to hym throughout all his booke moste woorthie of plentifull Popishe praise But if Erasmus iudgemente and authoritie be nothyng woorthe but onelie when he seemeth to speake againste vs then I will yet in Christes quarell that he is the Rocke not Peters rotten chaire bring foorth one witnesse not onely greater then Erasmus but also equall with S. Hierome and aboue all Papistes in creadite and authoritie S. Augustine in his 13. Sermon vpon the Gospell of Mathewe hath these woordes Quia tu dixisti mihi inquit Christus Petro Tu es Christus filius Dei viui ego tibi tu es Petrus Simon quippe antè vocabatur hoc autem nomen vt Petrus appellaretur ei à domino impositum est hoc vt ea figura significaret Ecclesiam Quia enim Christus Petra Petrus populus christianus Petra enim principale nomen est ideo Petrus à Petra non Petra à Petro quomodo non à christiano Christê° sed à Christo christianus vocatur Tu es ergouÌ„quit Petrus super hanc Petram quam confessus es super haÌ„c Petram quaÌ„ cognouisti dicens tu es Chrstus filius dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam id est super meipsum filium dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam Super me aedificabo te non me super te NaÌ„ volentes homines Ä™dificari super homines dicebant ego quidem sum Pauli ego autem Apollo ego verò Cephae ipse est Petrus Et alij qui nolebant aedificari super Petrum sed super Petram ego autem sum Christi Apostolus autem Paulus vbi cognouit se eligi Christum coÌ„temni diuisus est inquit Christus Nunquid Paulus pro vobis crucifixus est aut in nomine Pauli baptizati estis Quomodo noÌ„ in Pauli sic nec in Petri sed iÌ„ nomine Christi vt Petrus edificaretur super PetraÌ„ non Petra supra PetruÌ„ c. That is to saie Because thou haste saied to me saieth Christe to Peter Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng God I dooe also saie to thee thou art Peter for before he was called Simon but this name that he should be called Peter was geuen him of the Lorde to th' ende that by that figure he might signifie y e churche For because Christe is Petra the Rocke Petrus is the Christian people For Petra is the principal name and therefore Petrus cometh of Petra and not Petra of Petrus as Christus Christe is not named à Christiano of a Christian but Christianus a Christian is named of Christus Christ Therefore saith Christ Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpoÌ„ this rocke whiche thou hast knowen saiyng Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng God I will builde my churche that is vpon my self beyng the sonne of the liuyng God will I builde my churche I will builde thée vpon me not me vpon thee For men y e would be builded vpoÌ„ men did saie I am of Paule I of Apollo and I of Cephas that is of Peter And other who would not bee builded vpon Petrum Peter but vpon Petram the rocke did saie I am of Christe And the Apostle Paule wheÌ„ he did knowe that he was chosen or preferred and Christ despised by some men saied is Christe diuided Was Paule crucified for you Or were you Baptized in the name of Paule And as not in Paules name no more were ye baptized in the name of Peter but in the name of Christ that Peter might be builded vpon the rocke not the rocke vpon Peter and so foorthe Thus farre S. Augustine And the same interpretation and defence that Christ is the rocke and not Peter doeth sainct Augustine againe in his Retractations repete and maintaine Wherefore you see maister Dorman
an introduction to the proufe of his first proposicion whiche is of the Popes supremacie and by the processe of this his preface also it doeth plainly appere that he meaneth he abuseth shamefully the authoritie of S. Cyprian and thinketh all the worlde sauyng hymself alone asleape and blinde on bothe sides too Consideryng that that in all this Epistle there is not one woorde of the bishop of Rome or his supremacie nor he as muche as once named therein Dorman fol. I. And againe in an other place he writeth thus Vndè enim schismata haereses obortae sunt nisi dum episcopus qui vnus est ecclesiae praeest superba quorundam praesumptione contemnitur homo dignatione dei honoratus ab indignis hominibus indicatur Wherof saith he doo heresies and schismes spryng but of this that the bishop whiche is one and gouerneth the churche is through the proude and arrogant presumption of certaine contemned and set at nought and beyng the man by Gods approbacion allowed and honoured is of vnworthie men iudged Nowell M. Dorman trusted that as sone as these woordes The bishop vvhich is one and gouerneth the churche is despised the man by gods approbacion alowed is of vnvvorthie meÌ„ iudged should be redde or heard of the simple thei would nothyng doubte but that y e Pope of Rome despised by suche as we be was meant thereby But this epistle as it is written by S. Cyprian to one Pupianus so doeth it entreate of them twoo and their matters and nothyng concerneth the bishop of Rome For as before by the head and gouernour appoincted Rogatian was meante and not the Pope so in this place by the bishop vvhiche is one and gouerneth the churche by the man by Gods approbacion allovved and honoured and of vnvvorthie men iudged Sainct Cyprian hymself bishop of Carthage is meante who was abused by the saied Pupianus and to whom he did write this epistle reprouyng hym for his disobedience to his bishoppe S. Cyprian who was the onely manne allowed by Gods approbacion to gouerne the Churche of Carthage and so by the saied Pupian as his inferiour to be obeyed Wherefore this place is as impertinente to M. Dorman his purpose as was the former place For neither in this long Epistle is there as muche as one woorde of the bishop of Rome I conclude therefore that these places are by M. Dorman falsly and shamelesly alledged to make a shewe or as he calleth it an introduction to the bishop of Rome his authoritie wherevnto thei apperteine nothyng at all but onely to the euersion thereof And that M. Dorman hath thereby declared what credite he deserueth in the reste of his booke continued with like impudente lies Touchyng S. Cyprian his phrase of one bishop of the churche whiche M. Dorman taketh as signifiyng one bishop ouer the whole churche for that the falsenesse of that collection is at large explicated after in a more peâ—uliar place I pretermitte here to speake of it Onely this is moste euident in what sense so euer S. Cyprian taketh these woordes one bishoppe that ruleth the churche the bishop of Carthage is that one bishop and not the bishop of Rome and therefore that phrase of one bishop rulyng the churche can make nothyng for the bishop of Rome his supremacie but rather dooeth vtterly ouerthrowe it as apperteinyng specially to the bishoppe of Carthage in Aâ—rike not to the bishoppe of Rome in Italie and declaryng in deede the bishops of all places to be equall in authoritie and consequently ouerthrowyng the supremacie of one ouer all Dorman fol. â— The verie same thyng although in other woordes doeth S. Basile in an epistle written by hym to the bishoppes of Italie and Fraunce bewailyng therein the estate of his tyme moste plainely declare Whose wordes because thei doe liuely represent vnto vs the most miserable face of this our age I haue thoughte good to allege set before your eyes Ambitiones eorum qui dominuÌ„ non timent * praesidentias inuadunt et in propatulo de caetero impietatis praemiuÌ„ proposita est prima sedes Quare qui grauiores blasphemias protulit * ad populi episcopuÌ„potior habetur Perijt authoritas sacerdotalâ—s populi admoneri nolunt praesides dicendi libertatem non habent Silent piorumora permissumest autem dicere omni blasphemae linguae Prophanata sunt sacra That is to saie The pride â–ª and ambition of them whiche feare not our lorde doeth inuade and set apon their heades and openly the chiefeste place is proposed as a rewarde for wickednes And therfore he that can vtter against the bishop of the people moste greuous and slaunderous blasphemies is accompted of greatest price and had in moste estimation Th' authoritie of priesthood is lost The laite wil not be admonished The rulers be restreined of libertie to speake The mouthes of good menne kepe silence Euery blasphemous toÌ„gue is set at libertie Al holy thinges are made prophane Hetherto S. Basil Nowell M. Dorman dooeth not as he saied he would sette Sainct Basilles woordes before your eyes but dooeth goe aboute as muche as he can to bleare your eyes that you should not see the truthe For he is so desirous to make some shewe for the Popes supremacie that he would by false translation wrest places of the doctours moste impertinente to make them seme to sounde that waie and therefore in this place in stéede of these woordes praesidentias inuadunt thei dooe inuade the chiefe roumes he hath translated thei doe inuade and set vpon their heades And againe in stede of these woordes He that can vtter most greuous blasphemies to witte against Christ and the holie ghoste is accompted more worthy to be the bishop of the pople he hath thus translated he that can vtter against the bishop of the people moste greuous and slaunderous blasphemies is accompted of greatest price and had in moste estimatioÌ„ Thus hath M. Dorman translated this place whether negligently as halfe a sleape according to his name or ignorauÌ„tly as he that could not see though broad wakyng or maliciouslie wittyng and willyng did he falsifie it to make it seme as spokeÌ„ of the bishop of Rome whom he would haue to be taken for the head and the bishop of the people And vs he would haue to be taken for the inuaders of the said head and the blasphemours of that bishop as it were of God hymself against whoÌ„ properlie is blasphemie But let S. Basill hymself bee iudge betweene M. Dorman and me whose woordes in th'epistle folowing where he entreateth of the same matter and the whiche also M. Dorman hereafter allegeth are these Vnigenitus blasphematur non est qui contradicat Spiritus sanctus ignominia afficitur qui potest redarguere fugatur c. To saie The onelie sonne of God Christ is blasphemed and there is none to gaine saie it the holie ghost is reproched and he that is able to reproue it is
chased awaie Thus farre sainct Basill Loe M. Dorman who is blasphemed not the bishop of the people as you dooe dreame but our sauiour Christe and the holie ghoste are blasphemed and suche blasphemers are iudged moste worthie to bee bishoppes of the people This is the truthe this is sainct Basilles minde that the blasphemer is made bishoppe of the people and not the bishop of the people blasphemed It is easie to perceiue therefore good readers that this is moste farre from all purpose that he allegeth by patching here and there out of Basilius Magnus his 69 epistle to the Bishoppes of Italie and Fraunce and ouerpassing purposely sentences directly touching the aduersaries them selues where saincte Basill declareth the miserable state of all the Easte Churches euen from Illyrike to Thebaida as he there saieth by reason of the disturbaunce that all good and godlie bishoppes of the saied Easte Churches whiche were of the Greekes for the moste parte suffered by the Arrians whose heresies all the world dooeth knowe how muche wee dooe abhorre And therefore euen the chief of the Papistes can not but therefore muche commende vs. What abuse therefore is this of the readers and of his own and other mennes tyme that M. Dorman should charge vs with the crimes of those menne whose heresies and wickednesse it is well knowen we doo moste detest But as before he abused certaine woordes of S. Cyprian so here because mention is made by S. Basill of these woordes Praesidentias inuadunt prima sedes populi episcopus That is to saie Thei inuade the highest roumes the chief see and the bishop of the people he trusted that the ignoraunte would take the saied woordes as meant of the bishoppe of Rome and his authoritie and of our contempte of the same But bothe this 69. epistle and the epistle folowing by maister Dorman also hereafter alleged dooe manifestlie declare all these woordes to appertaine to the Easte churches and to the Bishoppes of the Easte churches and not to the Bishoppe of Rome and that the chiefe roumes so inuaded bee the Bishoprikes of the Easte churches and not the Bishoprike of Rome and the set of euery of them is that chief see or place proposed for a rewarde of wickednesse and not Rome and that the blasphemous Arrian is that bishop of the people whooÌ„ if maister Dorman will haue to bee the Bishoppe of Rome I will not muche labour to let hym And so all this is altogether impertinent to his purpose to make any shewe for the Popes authoritie or any reseÌ„blaunce of our doinges against the Pope For if he would haue it to perteine to vs as doing the like now as was dooen in sainct Basilles tyme by the Arrians For he saieth it dooeth liuelie represente our tymes why maie not we with as good and more reason affirme it rather to apperteine to the Papistes them selues and moste liuelie to represent their doynges It is their passyng pride and ambition whiche sheweth that thei feare not the Lorde Thei haue inuaded presidences not onelie ecclesiasticall but temporall also hauyng the titles of bishoppes leadyng the liues of temporall Lordes and Princes The more wicked that any of them is the more blasphemous the more likelie is he to clime to the highest place as his due reward Whiche hath been obserued for a rule in the election to the Papacâ—e the higheste place of all this many hundreth yeres What speake I of election For the obteinyng of the whiche highest place among them so many fraudes simonies poisonynges bloudie fightes and murders haue been committed as maie to suche who will read their owne stories well appeare Yea the verse Pope that now is Pius the fowerth dooeth pitifullie complaine that not onelie Simonie and corruption by largition of huge summes of money but also force and armes haue been attempted to depriue hym yet liuyng of his Papacie and to place an other To proceede the authoritie of Priestes is loste emongest the Papistes and turned into temporall lordship The rulers of the clergie among the Papistes can not teache the people thei are so ignoraunt and their liues be suche that thei haue lost their libertie to speake againste vices where of them selues are moste guiltie and the laitie doeth disdaine to bee by suche admonished Where y e Papistes doo beare swaie there are all godlie mennes mouthes stopped by their exceadyng crueltie onely blasphemous Friers haue their tongues at libertie The holie Sacramentes are prophaned by their superstitions the holie woorde of God is corrupted by their gloses and Traditions In summe all holie thynges are by their vnholie dooynges polluted and defiled And thus farre touchyng as muche as is by M. Dorman alledged out of S. Basill and howe it doeth right well agree with our aduersaries Now S. Basill hath more matter whiche maister Dorman hath of purpose ouerpassed as in his owne eares somewhat soundyng of Popishe properties to witte that the authoritie of Priestes was loste for that there lacked in the cleargie suche as could with knowledge féede the Lordes foulde for that thei of the cleargie conuerted the prouisioÌ„ made in the churche for the poore to their owne pleasures kepte not the Canons and rules ecclesiasticall vsed all libertie in sinnyng came to dignities Ecclesiasticall by mennes fauoure more then their owne worthines and so became their bonde men who bestowed vpon suche benefite or benefice This hath also S. Basill in that Epistle Now what ignoraunce of Goddes lawe was in the Popishe cleargie vntill we stirred theÌ„ vp to their bookes what riotous wasting of ecclesiasticall possessions vpon their owne pleasure before we did finde faulte with it what breache bothe of Goddes lawe and of the old Canons Ecclesiasticall yea euen of their owne Popishe decrées also what libertie and impunitie of moste wicked life vntill all the worlde cried out vpon theim what suite simonie and ambition for Ecclesiasticall promocions was emongest the Popishe cleargie how many of theÌ„ for bribes or worldlie fauour were promoted how few for their owne worthinesse was well knowen ouer all Christendome and can not yet be forgotten I am sure therefore that this whole place of S. Basill maie more iustlie be applied to the Papistes then to vs. And it is not vnknowen to M. Dorman that it is in reasonyng the greatest faulte that can bee to bryng that for hym whiche maie bee either common to his aduersaries or returned backe against hymself Wherefore I beseche thee good reader consider the sinceritie of M. Dorman who vpon suche places as are these taken out of sainct Cyprian and S. Basill as it were vpon good and substantiall groundes concluded thus Dorman Fol. I. To be shorte there was neuer yet any heretike emoÌ„gest so many as from tyme to tyme haue continually troubled the Churche of God that made not his firste entrie into his heresies by the proclaimyng as it were of opeÌ„ warre against the beautifull order
of the church whiche thei haue alwaies forseen to be to theim terribilis vt castrorum acies ordinata terrible as is the froonte of a battell well set in ordre and against the bishop of Rome appointed of God to be here in earthe the lawfull gouernour and head thereof not lackyng also therin greate policie that by strikyng the shepherde they might the easelier scatter the flocke Nowell You see here the conclusion gathered out of that whiche hetherto by hym hath been alledged out of S. Cyprian and sainct Basill And how the verie wordes written by sainct Cyprian in the places before mentioned for the maintenaunce of bishoppe Rogatian his authoritie and for his owne authoritie also thei being bothe Bishoppes of Afrike he is not ashamed here in his conclusion to place out of place and to apply them to the proofe of the bishoppe of Rome his supremacie whervnto thei apperteine nothyng at all and to frame thereof this leude argument The entrie into all heresies is to make open warres against the bishop appointed by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and heade of the churche This is the maior and is proued by S. Cyprian now foloweth his minor but the bishop of Rome is the bishop appointed by God to bee here in earth the lawfull gouernour and heade of the churche the conclusion ergo The entrie into all heresies is to make open warre againste the bishop of Rome I saiâ— the minor is false and a false conclusion doeth folowe of the same For the bishop of whom S. Cyprian speaketh appointed by God to be lawfull gouernour and heade of the churche is in Carthage S. Cyprian hymself and Rogatian in his owne Diocesse and not the Bishop of Rome otherwise then in his owne Diocesse onely And therefore open warre to bee made againste them in their owne Diocesse whereof thei be lawfull bishoppes is the beginnyng of heresies and not to resiste the bishop of Rome vsurpyng to be head of the vniuersall Churche ouer the whiche of right he hath no authoritie For these woordes the bishop appointed by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and head of the churche if thei make for any supremacie at all thei make for the supremacie of Rogatian and Cyprian bishops of Afrike of whoÌ„ S. Cyprian speaketh theim and not of the bishop of Rome of whom in those Epistles he speaketh not one woorde And if thei make not for the supremacie of Cyprian Rogatian thei make for none at all and if thei make for no supremacie at al they were here without all cause alledged by M. Dorman but onely to deceiue the simple by suche a guilefull and vntrue introduction to his firste false proposition of the Pope his supremacie Now if he thinke yet that he might make suche a simple collection of S. Cyprian and S. Basill his woordes as this That as the beginnyng of heresies in their time was the contempt of the inferiours towardes their owne Bishops for so S. Cyprian teacheth so in likewise is the contempte of the Pope as the highest of all bishops the beginnyng of heresies now First I denie the argument for that it foloweth not though it be euill for the inferiour to disobeie his owne bishop to whose obedience in all godlinesse he is bounden Therfore it is euill for a straunger not to obeie a straunge foraine vsurpar to whom he oweth no duetie of obedieÌ„ce Againe I saie though it be the beginnyng of heresie to disobey Cyprian Rogatian yea or Cornelius beyng godlie and catholike bishops yet is it not likewise the beginnyng of heresies to disobey any the late Popes of Rome who were not onely no godlie bishops as were Cyprian Rogatian and Cornelius but bothe moste wicked and in deede no Bishops at all but false vsurpers of worldlie tyrannie Whom for the subiectes of an other christiaÌ„ and lawfull soueraigne to obeie and not to disobeie is the beginning of heresies treasons and all other euils and mischiefes In the conclusion it is to be noted wheÌ„ Basill speaketh of all the Bishops of the Easte as the shepeherdes sufferyng persecution maister Dorman alteryng the number speaketh it of the Pope as the onely shephearde Remouyng the matter from many Greke pastours persecuted to one Romane depastor dispersyng the flocke and persecutyng not sufferyng persecution Dorman Fol. 2. Thus did in the tyme of S. Cyprian Nouatus that greate heretyke who as Nicephorus reporteth of hym holdyng betwene his handes the handes of suche as minded to receiue of hym the blessed Sacramente of th' altar vsed to theim these woordes A diura mihi per corpus et sanguinem domini Iesu Christi nunquam te a me discessurum et ad Cornelium Romanus is Episcopus fuit reredituruinesse Sweare to me ê™ he by the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe that thou wilt neuer forsake me nor retourne to Cornelius vvho vvas then bishop of Rome So did in our tyme the scholers and folovvers of Martin Luther So did Ihon Caluin vvith his congregacion at Geneua So doe euen at this time in our infortunate country those vvicked men apon vvhom I beseche almightie God to extende his mercie vvho occupiyng the places and roomes of catholike bishoppes beyng themselues indurate heretikes ceasse not daiely moste cruelly to practise that lesson learned of their auncestor Nouatus For vvhat manne admit thei to any liuyng of vvhom thei exact not first this othe VVhom suffer thei to coÌ„tinue in his liuing if he giue not this othe For the onely refusall hereof hovv many notable men of the clergie bothe for life and learnyng suffer they to pyne avvaie in prison I remembre not heare the greate nomber of gentlemen and other mere laye men not included in the statute of pooer young Scholers of bothe th'vniuersites vvho vvitheout all face of lavve for for the other theie pretended a colour beyng not so muche themselues spoiled of ther colleages as ther colleages vniuersities yea ther countrey self vvhiche had of the moste parte of them byn likely to haue receiued bothe help and comfort spoiled and robbed of theÌ„ vvander novv abroade in dispersion lamentyng th' estate of their miserable countrie Nowell As it is euident that we are moste farre from Nonatus heresie so is Nouatus his othe not onely vnlike but cleane contrary to our othes The controuersie betwixt Cornelius and Nouatus was not whether the bishop of Rome was the supreme head of the churche as it is now betwene vs and the Papistes but whether Cornelius or he was by right y e Bishop of Rome And Nouatus exacted of the Romaines or Italians an othe that thei should cleaue to hym as their bishop againste Cornelius who was their true Bishoppe in déede whiche was vnlawfull to require Our othes be of obedience to our naturall Prince due by Goddes lawe and of renouncyng of foraine vsurped power or authoritie ouer our Prince and countrey without the whiche we caÌ„ not be faithful to our owne
soueraigne But let vs consider his woordes Thus did Nouatus saieth M. Dorman as though Nouatus had made his first entrie to his heresies by makyng open warre againste the bishop of Rome appoincted by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and head of the churche and as though he made them renounce the said bishop of Romes supremacie For his woordes thus did Nouatus c. Whiche muste needes haue relation to that whiche goeth before doo importe no lesse And his appliyng of this othe of Nouatus to our othes inforceth the same But Nouatus made neither the beginnyng nor endyng of his heresies about any deniyng of Cornelius supremacie as bishop of Rome nor exacted any othe for that purpose For suche vsurped authoritie of the bishop of Rome was then vnknowen and vnheard of as shall hereafter moste plainly appeare But the othe whiche Nouatus required was that thei should acknowledge hym for their bishop and not Cornelius who was their Bishop in deede And further the saied othe concerned the maintenaunce of Nouatus his heresie whiche was that suche as for feare of tormentes had renounced the Christian faithe or had offered Incense to the Idoles of the Gentiles though thei repented therefore were not to bée receiued into the churche againe whiche cruell opinion as well S. Cyprian bishop of Carthage as Cornelius bishop of Rome with all other godlie bishops condemned and taught the cōtrary true doctrine that suche also vpon due repentaunce might bée receiued againe into the churche accordyng as wee this daie doo also moste earnestly beleue and teache Now as Nouatus beyng in Italie required an othe that their adherentes Romaines or Italiās should not turne to Cornelius bishop of Rome to acknowledge him for their bishop to be of his faith and to communicate with hym so did the professors of the same heresies trauell in Afrike with their disciples there beyng Africanes that thei should not returne to Cyprian Bishop of Carthage to communicate with hym Whiche as it maketh nothyng for any supremacie of S. Cyprian bishop of Carthage no more maketh the other for any supremacie of Cornelius bishoppe of Rome For though it be vnlawfull to exacte an othe of any to disobeie their owne godlie bishops what proueth that that one maie not sweare to refuse the obedience of an aliene and wicked vsurpar and to keepe hym in the obedience of his owne soueraine And where Nouatus began first his heresie in Afrik by striuyng against S. Cyprian as S. Cyprian hymself doeth witnesse and not by striuyng firste againste Cornelius bishop of Rome as M. Dorman vntrulie reporteth the beginnyng of heresies is rather to make warre and strief against the bishop of Carthage then against the bishoppe of Rome as M. Dorman would haue it But there was then neither striuyng nor any othe required concerning the bishop of Rome as head of the churche as by that whole processe in S. Cypriā Eusebius and Nicephorus it dooeth plainly appeare Wherefore M. Dorman maie bee ashamed to forge so manifest a lie as that Nouatus exacted an othe against the Popes supremacie or that we folowe Nouatus in exactyng like othe as he did And seyng that wee doo moste deteste that cruell heresie of Nouatus and doo firmelie beleue and earnestlie teache as did S. Cyprian and Cornelius it is as maliciouslie as vntrulie doen of M. Dormā not onely to applie to vs the example of Nouatus othe exacted for the maintenaunce of his heresies but also to call Nouatus our auncestor and our Bishops as his disciples indurate heretikes who doo moste abhorre bothe Nouatus and his heresie and moste earnestly and pithilie in all their writynges and Sermons doo impugne the same by settyng foorth to their power the vnspeakeable mercie of God towardes all sinners truely penitent Wherby it maie appeare to the discreate readers that M. Dorman and suche other malitious aduersaries passe not muche whether they lie or saie truthe so they maie bryng vs by hooke or crooke out of credite and into the hatred of the worlde I beleue also that M. Dorman in the alleagation of Nouatus his othe had a further respecte to that he maketh mention of the bodie bloud of Christ by the whiche because Nouatus caused thē to sweare M. Dormā thought belike thereby to proue or at least to make an insinuation to the simple that the bodie and bloud of Christe should bee corporallie presente in the Sacramente but the daiely othes of blasphemous men swearyng likewise in his corporall absence doo confute that collection And to the ende that M. Dorman should gaine nothyng in that matter of the Sacramente by this place I haue thought good to admonishe the reader that the said place of Nicephorus and Eusebius of whom Nicephorus had it is directlie against their transubstantiation and for our vsage now in the churche The woordes of Nicephorus a little before the place by M. Dorman alledged are these Quum enim oblationes offerret qui mos sacerdotibus est iam ad distributionem panis peruenisset data cuilibet parte sua pro eo quòd cum gratiarum eam actione percipere debebant iurare miseros coegit Vtranque enim percipientium manum comprimens non prius eas remisit quà m iuratū ab eis esset vtar autem verbis eius conceptis Adiura mihi per sanguinem corpus domini nostri Iesu Christi nunquam te à me discessurum ad Cornelium Romanus hic fuit episcopus rediturum esse Miseri autem illi non prius quod acceperant degustarunt quà m se illi deuouerunt That is to saie When Nouatus made his offerynges as the maner of Priestes is and nowe was come to the distribution of the breade he deliueryng euery one his parte in the steede of due thankes geuyng in the receiuyng of the same compelled the wretched menne to sweare for he laiyng holde on bothe the handes of the receiuers did not let them goe vntill thei had sworne for I will vse his owne verie woordes Sweare to me by the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe that thou wilte neuer forsake me nor retourne to Cornelius who was then bishop of Rome And those wretched mē did not taste that whiche they had receiued afore they had by othe assured themselues to hym c. Thus farre Nicephorus Eusebius who hath the verie same woordes calleth it bread also And so if M. Dormā thought this place by the waie might serue for their purpose in the matter of the lordes supper whiche he here calleth the sacrament of th' altar he was farre deceiued For both Nicephorus and Eusebius callyng it after the consecration as thei terme it bread and Nicephorus saiyng that thei tasted that whiche thei receiued that is to say bread and by the circumstances it appearyng that the vse of the primitiue churche than was agreable to our vse now in geuyng the Sacrament into the receiuers handes bothe is their transubstantiation
Lordes table accordyng to his owne institution Hoc facite in memoriam mei doo this in remembraunce of mée with spirituall feadyng by faithe also vpon that his moste precious bodie and bloud so by him for vs offered Touching the pullyng doune of your altares I answere thei are iustlie destroied as were those wicked altares by Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias godlie kinges of Iuda destroied For as abominable Idolatrie was committed on and before your altares as euer was vpoÌ„ and before those If you require proufes hereof you shall haue them in their due places of the Masse and of Idolatrie to Images In the meane season if you thinke it enough onelie to call vs heretikes and to affirme that wee pollute suche Churches as yet remaine with schismaticall seruice and diuelishe doctrine and that we doo accompt hymnes in the night and holie daies to be superstitioÌ„ If you M. DormaÌ„ thinke it enough onely to saie thus to proue nothyng to raile muche seyng all is not Gospell that Dauus or Syrus dooe speake in plaiyng their partes lette it serue me at this presente also to saie the contrary that wee teache no doctrine but suche as is agreable to God his woorde and therefore be no â—eretikes that wée haue and keepe our Sabboth daies and holie daies too aswell as euer did the Papistes and doo sing as good and godlie himnes in the daie as euer did thei your Nightyngalâ—es in the darke and better too And when wee haue bothe thus saied to leaus the iudgemente of bothe our saiynges to the discreate reader for this tyme rather then continuallie at euery occasion by you catched to make a confusion of diuers matters which it seemeth you haue purposely sought And thus farre to that whiche M. Dorman hath alledged out of S. Basill as againste vs. And I doo muche maruell that he did not rehearâ—e these woordes of sainct Basill in the same place also Vnum est crimen c. to saie There is one faulte whiche is now vehementlie condemned and punished to witte the diligente obseruation of the tradicions of the fathers These are sainct Basilles woordes in effecte whiche omitted by maister Dorman doo signifie that either he redde not the place hymself or was more then halfe a sleape when he did reade it els would he neuer haue let it so escape hym But wee answere to suche as haue alledged it The traditions of suche fathers as wer S. Basilles fathers and liued in the primitiue Churche wée esteme as wee ought to doo The traditions of our later stepfathers vnborne long after S. Basilles death who be the children of that stepdame the Popishe Synagoge wée coÌ„temne and condemne for that thei haue preferred their saide traditions before the lawe of God and the institution of our sauiour Christe And thus muche for our agréement with S. Basill Now wheÌ„ M. Dorman beside S. Basill besides the booke too as thei saie affirmeth that learned meÌ„ are depriued of their liuinges Shomakers weauers Tinkers Ruffians Felons c. put in their places it is but a floorish of his Rhetorike he is not able to name any one suche in a learned Papistes roome or any of suche dishonestie as ruffians or felons in our ministerie though it be not vnknoweÌ„ that there hath been great plentie of popishe priestes bothe feloÌ„s and traitours too But if M. Dorman will make a reasonable coÌ„parison he must compare the learned of our side with the learned of their sorte or their vnlearned sir Ihons with our poore ministers And I doubte not though our Bishoppes bee not so well learned in Canon Lawe in matters of contention aboute worldlie controuersies in bearyng of temporall office and authoritie and in comelie courtlie behauiour and worldly pompe as are their Bishoppes yet in all kindes of learnyng maners and qualities by S. Paule in the office of a Bishoppe required there shall bée founde as many learned bishoppes and as able and willyng to doo the dueties of good and godlie bishoppes per se noÌ„ per alium emongest vs euen at this daie as euer were emongeste the Papistes or in Englande fith the firste Bishoppe was created in it And I trust likewise that our Cleargie nexte vnder our bishoppes shall not bée founde any whit inferiour in learnyng nor honestie of life to theirs Therfore M. Dorman wheÌ„ it pleased you to saie that Cowheardes and Broume men are placed in learned mennes roumes you doo but fable as you are wonte to doo And that wée lacke a greate many of learned men to furnishe all ecclesiasticall offices wée maie thanke you Papistes who haue mouÌ„e crnellie consumed so many of them to ashes and therby driuen vs to supplie small cures with some honeste artificers exercised in the scriptures whom neither sainct Peter the Fisher nor saincte Paule the Tente maker who bothe vsed their artes after their calling to the Apostleship would so despise as doo you M. Dorman And I doo muche meruaile of your iudgement who doo place Peter the Fisher in the higheste roume aboue all Bishoppes and can not suffer other honest artificers sufficiently exercised in the Scriptures to haue any place at all in the inferiour ministerie Whiche honest poore men if thei haue succeded in the places not of learned men as you doo vntrulie saie but in the steede of your Popishe sir Ihons lacke latin all good learnyng and honestie too who tooke the chaunge of our Churche Seruice from Latine into Englishe so greuouslie for none other cause but for that thei could reade no Englishe a greate many of them wheÌ„ thei were put to it suche greate clerkes thei were and were otherwise by triall founde in all qualities farre more meete to be Tinkers Cobblers Cowheardes yea Swineheardes and Bearewardes too then ministers of Christes Churche no good and godlie man can therefore iustlie bee offended with suche chaunge though M. Dorman storme neuer so muche thereat Dorman Fol. 3. Now as we felte none of all these miseries besides a thousande moe so long as wee keapt ourselues within the vnitie of one head so is euery manne able to beare me witnesse that as soone as the diuell the authour of all heresies had once obteined and brought about the banishemente in our countrey of that one bishoppe with the whiche as you haue heard out of S. Cyprian before he vseth alwaies to begin all these russhed in apon vs as the dore that should haue kepte them out beyng set wide open Nowell M. Dorman faieth you haue heard out of saincte Cyprian that with the banishing of that one bishop meanyng the bishoppe of Rome the diuell beginneth bringeth in all miseries afterwarde but you haue séen it plainlie declared that in al those places alledged by M. Dorman out of S. Cyprian there is not one worde written or meant of the bishoppe of Rome but of Rogatian and of S. Cyprian hymself beyng bothe Bishoppes of Afrike And where he saith that all miseries haue russhed in
vpon vs with the banishyng of that one Bishoppe and heade and onely saith so I doo saie the contrary is moste true and will also in place of this treatie coÌ„uenient not onely saie but proue that where the Pope hath had the greateste authoritie there hath he brought in with hym as well all miseries mischieues and destructions vpon the common wealthe as also all superstitions hypocristes errours and Idolatries into the Churche And for this present tyme it shall be sufficient to admonishe the reader that in all respectes wée bee now in farre better case without the Pope in more quietnesse peace securitie plentie of thynges c. then wee were of late vnder the Pope and that therefore M. Dorman doeth moste euideÌ„tly and falsly fable when he saieth that a thousande and more miseries haue rushed into this realme with the refusall of that one bishoppe and heade Dorman Fol. 3. And as this is confessed by the moste auncient fathers that haue written sence Christes tyme that by this meanes we firste reuolt from the churche by contemnyng and not acknowledgyng the heade so muste our retourne thither againe bee by the contrary that is by reuerencyng hym by acknowledgyng hym by humble submission of our self to hym Nowell It is none otherwise confessed by other moste auncient fathers then you haue alreadie heard it confessed by S. Cyprian and Basill whom he hath without all shame alledged for that purpose whereas thei speake not one woorde of that matter neither acknowledge any suche heade And as thei remained in the Churche of Christe neuer acknowledgyng the bishop of Rome as heade of the Churche so doo wee likewise reâ—ectyng his falsly vsurped supremacie nothyng doubt but wée remaine in the Churche of Christe whose sworne enemie we doo knowe that false vsurper to bée and therefore none of Christes Churche so farre of is it that he can be the heade of the same Dorman fol. 3. So did those that after their fall with Nouatus S. Cyprian receiued into the Churche againe apon their submission testified in these woordes Nos-Cornelium Episcopum sanctissimum Catholicae Ecclesiae erectum à Deo omnipotente Christo D. nostro scimus Nos errorem nostrum confitemur Circumuenti sumus perfidiae loquacitate factiosa amentes videbamur quasi quandam communicationem cum homine schismatico habuisse Syncera tameÌ„ mens nostra in ecclesia semper fuit Nec ignoramus vnum Deumesse vnum Christum esse dominum quem confessi sumus vnum Spiritum S. Vnum Episcopum in Ecclesia catholica esse debere VVe saie thei acknowledge Cornelius to bee erected by God almightie and Christe our Lorde to be the holy bishop of the catholike churche VVe confesse our errour we haue been circumuented ronnyng madde by the factious babblyng of treacherie wee seemed to haue communicated as it were with that schismaticall manne Nouatus yet was our sincere mynde alwaies in the Churche Nor wee are not ignoraunte that there is one onelie God and one Christe our lorde and that in the catholike churche there must be one holie ghost and one bishoppe Nowell Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius whom M. Dorman meaneth neither reuolted from the Churche by contemnyng and not acknowledgyng this heade he speaketh of nor retourned to the Churche againe by acknowledgyng of any suche heade For in those daies Cornelius bishoppe of Rome was not acknowledged to bee heade of the Churche by any man liuyng suche ambition and false vsurpation of the bishop of Rome to bée heade of the Churche beyng vnknowen to Cornelius then bishoppe of Rome and to all other bishoppes of Christendome also But to make the truthe in deede knowen to the reader how these menne reuolted from the Churche and how thei retourned I shall out of saincte Cyprian and histories Ecclesiasticall declare the veritie of the matter After the death of Fabâ—anus bishoppe of Rome Cornelius was lawfully chosen by the cleargie and people to be his successour there Nouatus who was of that opinion that suche as for feare of tormentes and death had renounced the Christian saithe though thei repented therefore were not to bee receiued into the Churche againe made a greate stirre against Cornelius who with saincte Cyprian and all catholike bishoppes helde the contrary that is to saie that the Penitentes ought to be receiued after due discipline executed vpon them But the faction of Nouatus waxyng greater Nouatus or as saincte Cyprian saieth Nouatianus would haue intruded hymself into the Bishoprike of Rome and tooke hymself and was taken of his faction to bee lawfull successour of Fabian and the true bishoppe of Rome and Cornelius to be an vsurper as one that did communicate with suche as had renounced their faith Wherevpon grew this question and controuersie whiche of them twoâ— was a catholike bishoppe holdyng the truthe and truly and lawfully chosen by God and whiche was the intruder and not of the Catholike churche but an heretike And amongest others Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius priestes of Rome ioigned themselues to Nouatus against Cornelius holdyng Nouatus opinion and takyng hym for their Bishoppe And thus thei reuolted by fallyng to heresie and refusyng Cornelius their bishoppe and by ioignyng themselues to Nouatus an vsurper and heretike and not by deniyng Cornelius as bishop of Rome to be the head of the churche â–ª as M. Dorman fableth But afterward Maximus and his felowes repeÌ„tyng their deede did forsake Nouatus as an heretike and vsurper and retourned to Cornelius againe as their true Bishoppe to ioigne in faithe and communion with him as with a catholike bishop or a Bishoppe of the catholike Churche whiche is all one And thei doo acknowledge that he was erected by God into that Bishoprike of Rome and so consequently Nouatus to be a false vsurper and heretike and so no bishoppe of the Catholike churche Wherefore it is euident that when M. Dorman saieth that those men retourned againe to the Churche by this waie that is to saie by acknowledgyng Cornelius to bee the heade of the vniuersall churche he saieth moste vntruly And hath corrupted and translated this place falsely remouyng the woorde sanctissimae from his place and in steede of Cornelium episcopum sanctissimae catholicae ecclesiae Cornelius a bishoppe of the moste holie catholike Churche as saincte Cyprian doeth write he hath Cornelium sanctissimum episcopum ecclesiÄ™ catholicÄ™ Cornelius the moste holie Bishoppe of the Catholike Churche to make a better shewe for his purpose as though Maximus Vrbanus Sidonius with others had acknowledged Cornelius to be erected by God almightie to bee the moste holy Bishoppe of the Catholike and vniuersall Churche and so to make for his supremacie ouer the whole Churche Whiche is neither written here nor els where neither euer was meante by Maximus or his felowes nor by saincte Cyprian hymself But this is the true sense of those woordes Nos Cornelium Episcopum sanctissimae Catholicae ecclesiae erectum à deo
he declareth in many places that euery Bishop in his owne diocesse hath the full possession of y e bishoprike whiche is one throughout all the worlde therfore is the onely bishop and head of that his owne Catholike church as namely in his epistle to Antonianus where he hath these woordes Vna est Ecclesia à Christo per totum mundum in multa membra diuisa item episcopatus vnus episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate diffusus c. That is to saie there is one churche from Christ throughout the whole worlde diuided likewise one bishoprike spread abroade in the agreable multitude of many Bishops But S. Cyprian declareth his minde moste plainly of this one bishoprike wholy and equally possessed of all and euery bishop in his booke De simplicitate praelatorum not farre from the beginnyng writyng thus Vnum corpus vnus spiritus vna spes vocationis vestrÄ™ vnus dominus vna fides vnum Baptisma vnus deus Quam vnitatem firmiter tenere vindicare debemus maximè episcopi qui iÌ„ ecclesia praesidemus vt episcopatum quoque ipsum vnum atque indiuisum probemus Nemo fraternitatem mendacio fallat nemo fidei veritateÌ„ perfida preuaricatione corrumpat Episcopatus vnus est cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur Ecclesia vna est quae in multitudineÌ„ latiùs incremento foecunditatis extenditur quomodo solis multi radij sed lumen vnum rami arboris multi sed robur vnum tenaci radice fundatuÌ„ c. Whiche is to saie There is one bodie and one spirit one hope of your vocation one Lorde one Faithe one Baptisme one God The whiche vnitie we must firmely hold and mainteine speciallie wee Bishoppes whiche doo gouerne in the Churche that we maie proue the bishoprike it self also to bee one and vndeuided Let no man by liyng deceiue the brotherhodde let no man corrupte the veritie of faith by false preuarication There is one Bishoprike parte whereof euery man hath wholie or more plainely there is one Bishoprike whiche euery bishop hath wholie for his part There is one churche whiche is spread abroade by increase of fruictefulnesse into a multitude as there be many beames of the suÌ„ne but one light many braunches of the tree but one bodie of it staied vpon a sure roote c. Thus farre saincte Cyprian with muche more processe to proue the vnitie of the churche and the vnitie of one bishoprike whiche euery Bishop wholie hath for his parte and so consequentlie all Bishops to be equall Wherefore maister Dorman hath in vain noted in the margeÌ„t of his booke in this place One God one Christe one holie Ghost one Bishoppe as though the Bishoppe of Rome were that one Bishop and none but he as there is one onely God and none but he Where as that place of sainct Cyprian as by conference with this place appeareth proueth that though there be one bishoprike throughout all the worlde yet are there many bishops and that euery one in his owne Diocesse hath the whole possession of that one Bishoprike and that therefore there is an equalitie of all Bishops and so consequently no superioritie of any one ouer all as M. Dorman would haue it For if euery Bishop haue in solidum that is to saie fullie and wholie that one Bishoprike or bishoplie function and office as S. Cyprian saieth no one caÌ„ haue more then the whole and therefore no one can be aboue all other Whiche maie appeare more plainlie by the comparisons of one faithe and one Baptisme whiche saincte Cyprian in the same place vseth For as there is but one faithe though there be many faithfull persones one Baptisme though many Baptised so there is by sainct Cyprian his iudgement but one Bishoprike yet be there many Bishops whiche one Bishoprike is equallie and wholie diuided emongeste all the said Bishops as faithe and Baptisme are equally and wholie diuided emongeste the faithfull Baptised and yet remaineth still but one Bishoprike as there doeth but one faithe and one Baptisme for that euery bishoppe hath that one bishoprike wholie as euery true faithfull hath the one christian faithe wholie and euery one that is duely Baptised hath that one Baptisme wholie And consequently it foloweth that as no one man hath any superioritie in Baptisme or faithe aboue other truely faithfull and Baptised so hath no one bishoppe any superioritie ouer other bishoppes for that euery bishop hath that one bishoprike wholie and therfore none hath it more then other but be all equall in office and authoritie This is S. Cyprian his minde of one Bishopricke whiche euery bishop hath wholie and equallie and is therfore in his owne Diocesse the one onely bishop in the catholike Churche to gouerne the same Whereby any manne but of meane vnderstandyng maie well perceiue that this saiyng of one bishoppe vsed by sainct Cyprian maketh nothyng for the bishoppe of Rome his supremacie but directlie againste it makyng all other bishops equall with hym as thei whiche haue in solidum wholie that one Bishoprike as well as he And therefore when sainct Cyprian nameth one bishop in the catholike church or of a catholike churche he meaneth the bishop of that speciall diocesse which he entreateth of of what countrey so euer it be as here he meaneth Cornelius and by the like wordes in other places he meaneth other bishops and of other diocesses Whiche is moste euident by the like wordes of one Bishop who gouerneth the church vsed by the same saincte Cyprian in this epistle to Pupianus His woordes be these Episcopus qui vnus eâ—â— ecclesiae praeest coÌ„temnitur c. The Bishop which is one and gouerneth the Churche is contemned and sette at nought c. Where it is moste euident that by that one Bishop who gouerneth the Churche and is contemned he meaneth himself beyng bishop of Carthage and by the saied Pupian despised as is at large alreadie declared Whiche place yet M. Dorman alittle before alledged for the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome as leudelie as he doeth this place here To conclude Maximus and his felowes had a controuersie with Cornelius altogether diuers from our coÌ„trouersies with the Popes of Rome and therefore their exaÌ„ple apperteineth nothyng to this case of the Popes supremacie then neither mooued nor knowen And it is no meruaile if that Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius beyng priestes of Rome there hauyng with Nouatus beyng hymself Priest of Rome also made so great stirre and businesse against Cornelius recoÌ„ciled themselues to Cornelius the Romaine bishop beyng their own bishop whiche apperteineth nothyng at all to vs who haue nothing to doo with the bishop of Rome Dorman fol. 3. So did Vrsatius and Valens forsakyng the heresie of Arius offer vp their recantation to Iulius then Bishoppe of Rome By this meaneâ— good Christian readers retourned thei to the Churche by this muste you retourne that haue straied what
Christian readers you shall wel perceiue that this is no newe deuise or fantasie imagined by me I will here laie before your eyes the iudgemente of certaine notable menne whom God gaue to his churche to serue for a wall for the same against the incursions of the wicked Phylistines his enemies In whom you shall moste plainlie perceiue this order in Christes Churche to bee so necessarie that the onelie breach and lacke thereof hath been by theÌ„ taken to be the high waie verie path that leadeth to all heresies Nowell M. Dorman maie bee carelesse no man taketh the Popes supremacie to be his deuise and inuention it is knowen to bee the inuention of the ambitious Popes themselues whom the diuell hath set a woorke to trouble the quiete state of Christendome and to bryng all errours into Christ his Churche and to laie the foundation of the kyngdome of Antichrist Dorman Fol. 5. And firste to beginne with that blessed martyre of God sainct Cyprian hath he not concerning thiâ— matter in an epistle by hym written to Cornelius then bishop of Rome thiese woordes Neque enim aliunde obortae sunt haereses aut nata sunt schismata quà m indâ— quèd sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus tudex vice Christi cogitatur That is neither yet truely doo heresies arise or schismes growe of any other cause then thereof that menne obeye not the Prieste of God neither doo thinke that there is in the Churche in the steede and place of Christe one Priest and one iudge for the tyme. Nowell Either M. Dorman had not with sufficient diligeÌ„ce reade and noted that long epistle written by sainct Cyprian to Cornelius Bishop of Rome or els he deepely dissembleth that which he there perceiued For though the epistle be written to Cornelius yet it is for a great parte writteÌ„ of Cyprian hymself and many of the sentences in that epistle yea this verie sentence whiche M. Dorman here alledgeth for Cornelius his supremacie as Bishop of Rome by the tenure of the epistle appeareth to bee written speciallie of saincte Cyprian hymself Bishop of Carthage in Afrike rather then of Cornelius as afterward at large shal be declared And further it appeareth that this sentence and all other sentences of the authoritie of the Prieste or Priestes Bishoppe or Bishoppes for saincte Cyprian in that epistle doeth ofte chaunge the number and sometyme speaketh as of one sometyme as of many or all Priestes and Bishoppes doo indifferentlie appertaine as well to euery and all Bishoppes of all cities and diocesses as to either Cornelius or Cyprian For that he here saith Sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur The priest of God is not obeied is asmuche as Sacerdotibus dei the Priestes of God are not obeied As when the scripture saieth Regem honora honoure the Kyng is as muche as though it had saied Let subiectes of all places honour their kynges Touchyng these woordes Neque vnus in ecclesia ad tempus Sacerdos ad tempus index vice Christi cogitatur that is to saie Neither is one Prieste in the Churche for the tyme and iudge for the tyme in Christes steede thought vpon I haue declared at large before how that saincte Cyprian taketh all Bishoprikes to be but one Bishoprike as the faithes of all men are but one faithe Vnafides saieth sainct Cyprian vnum baptisma vnus episcopus cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur There is one faith one Baptisme there is one Bishoprike the whiche euery Bishoppe hath wholie for his parte So that wheÌ„ he speaketh of one Bishoppe one iudge in the churche for the tyme or of the bishop whiche is one and ruleth the Churche absolutelie he meaneth euery Bishop in his owne diâ—cesse without exception if he speake speciallie he doeth meane the Bishop of that citie or diocesse wherof he entreateth whether it be y e bishop of Rome Carthage or any other place For the moste manifest proufe whereof note these woordes of saincte Cyprian to Pupianus who was stubborne againste the saied Cyprian whereof it hath been before entreated Vnde enim schismata c. Whereof saieth sainct Cyprian doo heresies and Schismes spryng but of this that the Bishoppe whiche is one and ruleth the Churche is through the proude arrâ—gant presumption of certain contemned and set at nought and beyng the man by Goddes approbation allowed and honoured is of vnwoorthy men iudged And a little before this place Tâ— te episcopum episcopi iudicem iudicis ad tempus à deo dati coÌ„stituis Thou doest make thy self a Bishop ouer the Bishop and a Iudge ouer the Iudge by God for the tyme appoincted Thus muche saincte Cyprian to Pupianus who despised the saied Cyprian so appoincted by God to be the Bishoppe and Iudge for the tyme as he there saieth Now in his epistle to Cornelius he saieth thus Neque enim aliunde c. Neither doo heresies arise or schismes grow of any other cause but hereof that menne obeie not the Prieste of God neither dooe thinke that there is in the Churche in the steede and place of Christe one Prieste one Iudge for the tyme. Compare now these twoo places together and you shall finde them all one in effecte And that S. CypriaÌ„ nor any other could haue vttred in diuers places one sense more nearelie vnlesse he would haue vsed the same woordes altogether But it is moste manifeste to all men that will reade these epistles that in the first place by the bishoppe whiche is one and ruleth the Churche by the man by Goddes approbation allowed by the coÌ„temnyng of whom heresies and schismes doo spryng and arise by the Bishoppe or Prieste and by the Iudge for the tyme by God appoincted S. Cyprian hymself beyng Bishop of Carthage is ment and by hym that despiseth the saied Bishop is Pupian meant who did despise the saied S. Cyprian Wherefore either it muste folowe that saincte Cyprian is the heade of the vniuersall Churche seyng those woordes whiche by M. Dormans iudgemente appoincted that head apperteine to him orels as the truthe is in déede that any Bishop is called by saincte Cyprian the Bishoppe whiche is one and ruleth the Churche or the iudge for the tyme in the Churche in Christes steede or place for all is one and that then the speciall bishop of that place whiche is intreated of whether it be Rome Carthage or any other is meant and so consequentlie euery Bishop in his owne diocesse is that one Bishop that ruleth in the churche and that iudge for the time in the steede of Christe And that in this place saincte Cyprian meaneth no supremacie of any one Bishop but the equalitie of all Bishops it maie bee moste euident to them that will read the whole epistle and note how ofte he speaketh of all Priestes and Bishops As Sacerdotibus tantus honor conceditur so great honor is geuen to
Priestes and immediatlie before the place by M. Dorman alledged are these woordes Sacerdotalis authoritas Sacerdotum hostes That is to saie the Priestlie authoritie and the enemies of Priestes Also these woordes nexte folowing the same place Sacerdotum collegium mox Sacerdotes i. dispensatores dei the Colledge or companie of Priestes and the Priestes that is to saie Gods dispensers or stewardes If thei will in readyng the epistle note these and many like phrases thei shall easelie perceiue this also whiche M. Dorman alledgeth to be spoken of the authoritie of many and not of one onelie And if it bee to tedious to peruse the whole epistle if the readers will but caste their eye vpon the shorte argument of the epistle written by Erasmus who was no vnskilfull or negligent vewer of the writynges of the olde fathers and whose authoritie M. Dorman vseth in this booke against vs thei shall easilie vnderstande the same Erasmus his woordes in the argument or summe of this epistle are these Ostendit praetereà qualiter sacerdotalis authoritas potestas diuina dignatione firmetur inde abortas haereses nata esse schismata ê™ dei sacerdotibus obtemperare noluerint Saincte Cyprian doeth shewe saieth Erasmus how the Priestlie authoritie and power is by Gods goodnesse established and that heresies and schismes dooe arise hereof that thei will not obey the Priestes of God Thus farre Erasmus who speaketh as you see of the verie place here by M. Dorman alleged And if M. Dorman had read and marked but this shorte argumente of that epistle thereby might he haue vnderstaÌ„ded that this place by hym alleged for the supremacie of one to witte Cornelius as Bishop of Rome perteineth to the authoritie of all the Priestes of God aswell as to hym And that sainct Cyprian meaneth that euery one Bishop should bee ruler onelie in his owne diocesse and that no one Bishop or other manne should bee ruler and iudge ouer all other Bishoppes appeareth by his woordes wherewith he blameth Pupianus for that presumption Tu te episcopum episcopi c. Thou doest make thy self a bishop ouer the Bishop and a iudge of the iudge by God for the tyme appoincted These are sainct Cyprians woordes with whom in this case sainct Augustine doeth agree who as is before noted reporteth and alloweth these woordes of sainct Cyprian Neque quisquam nostrum episcopum se esse episcoporum constituit c. That is to saie none of vs maketh hymself Bishop ouer Bishoppes or doeth by tyrannicall feare force his felowe Bishoppes to the necessitie of obeiyng Seyng euery Bishop hath of his libertie and power his owne free iudgemente as he who can not be iudged of an other neither can hymself iudge an other lette vs then looke all for the iudgement of our Lorde Iesus Christ who alone hath power bothe to place vs in the gouernaunce of the churche and to iudge of our actes Thus farre saincte Cyprian and faincte Augustine by whose iudgemente you see M. Dorman how the Pope hath vsurped a tyrannie ouer other Bishops in takyng vpon hym to be Bishop ouer all Bishops and iudge ouer the Iudges appoincted for the tyme in Christes steede and that you mainteine the saied tyrannie Dorman Fol. 5. Hetherto saincte Cyprian By the whiche woordes good Christian readers it is so euident that there must bee one Prieste in the Churche whom all other muste obeie that the same muste bee taken of vs for iudge here in earth in the steede of Christ that you see I nothyng doubt greate cause to condeÌ„ne the grosse ignoraunce of our late apologie wherein the authors contrary to this doctrine of saincte Cyprian moste impudently pronouÌ„ce that in his Churche Christ our lorde vseth not the helpe of any one man alone to gouerne the same in his absence as he that standeth in neede of no suche help and that if he did no mortall man could be found hable alone to doe the same and finally with the same S. Cyprian who died a holie martyr and is no doubt a sainct in heauen to whom the belief of bothe these twoo articles seemed not onely not impossible but also verie necessarie to liue and dye in the obedience of this Priest and vnder suche a iudge then with a sorte of leude losels in whose Churche beyng a certain secrete scattred congregation vnknowen to all the worlde beside and to their own felowes too is nother heade order obedience neither yet certaine rules or groundes where on to staie to runne hedlong ye wote no more then your guides whither Nowell I trust it is sufficientlie and moste euidently declared that euery Bishop in his owne diocesse is that one Priest whom all must obeie and that this place apperteineth to any Bishop of any place as well as the Bishoppe of Rome But whereas M. Dorman would so â—aine haue these woordes of saincte Cyprian Vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos c. whiche is to saie one Prieste and one Iudge in the Churche for the tyme in the steede of Christ to proue that there ought to be one heade Bishop ouer all the Churche if that to gratifie M. Dorman were grauÌ„ted hym where vpon he would gather consequentlie that Cornelius as Bishoppe of Rome should bee that one heade as to whom and of whoÌ„ this place is written as M. Dorman thinketh if it be declared by the verie place it self that these wordes bée spoken and meant of saincte Cyprian hymself and not of Cornelius and so consequentlie the supremacie of the Churche by their owne reason to bee remoued from Rome to Carthage in Afrike where no Christian Churche now is maie not M. Dorman D. Hardyng and Hosius who doo al so confidentlie allege this place for the Bishop of Rome his supremacie bee either ashamed of their greate folie or els declare their shamelesse impudencie For declaration whereof I saie that as this thirde epistle of the first booke is written to Cornelius then Bishop of Rome so is a greate parte of the saied epistle written of saincte Cyprian his owne affaires and of the iniuries doen to hymself by the heretikes bothe present in Afrike and of their railinges against him in his abseÌ„ce as appeareth by these woordes about a side of a leafe in folio from the beginnyng of the epistle Quae autem sui elatio quae comminantium tumens inflata ac vana iactatio illic absenti minari cùm hic me habeaÌ„t in potestate praesentem What a presumption of themselues iâ— this what a swelling and puffed and vaine braggerie is this there to mannesse me beyng absente when as thei haue me here presente in their handes By these woordes of S. Cyprian it appeareth euidentlie that here he speaketh of hymself beyng despised and in his absence railed vpon by certaine of his owne inferiours and so goeth on with a longe processe and with many allegations out of the scriptures and reproueth that damnable vice of
and vnder suche a iudge meanyng the Pope of whose supremacie sainct Cyprian neuer dreamed then with a sorte of leude losels in whose Churche beyng a certaine secrete scattered congregation vnknowen to all the worlde beside and to their owne felowes too is neither head order obedience neither yet certaine rules or groundes wheron to staie to runne headlong ye â—ote no more then your guides whither And withall to note in the margent of his booke this to be the definition of the protestantes churche To the which outragious railynges in this and all other places I saie as S. Cyprian in this verie epistle saieth to suche like railers againste hym Multa turpia probrosa ore tuo digna te proferre That thou vttereste many vile and shamefull woordes mete for thine owne mouthe And as S. Augustine euen in the place by M. DormaÌ„ in the first face of his booke alledged doeth saie to Petilian beeyng a weake reasoner but a mightie railer suche as M. Dorman is Tu es maledicus conuiciator non veridicus disputator Thou art an euill tongued railer not a true and pithie reasoner The firste parte whereof M. Dorman hymself doeth in this place and in all the reste of his booke prooue aboundauntlie the weakenesse of his reasonyng partly I haue alreadie and shall hereafter more and as I truste sufficientlie declare Now to the matter I saie our congregation is not so scattered nor so secreate and vnknowen to the worlde as M. Dorman dooeth make it the Pope and his haue bothe more knowledge and feelyng also then likyng thereof And wee take this obiection as no reproche beeyng common to our congregation with the primitiue churche of our sauiour Christ his holie Apostles speciallie in the time of persecutioÌ„ We are not headlesse as you make vs we haue Christ in heauen our Prince in earth vnder hym wee haue orders bothe ciuile and ecclesiasticall and liue as men maie thereafter We doo obeie our naturall Prince and the magistrates and ecclesiasticall prelates vnder our Prince with better conscience then you doo obeie your foraine head the Pope of Rome Wée haue the rules groundes of Goddes woorde and therefore we knowe whither to goe and whervpon to staie whatsoeuer you M. Dorman saie Dorman Fol. 5. But sainct Cyprian was he trowe you of this mind alone No verilie for saincte Hierom is of the same as by thiese his woordes it is moste euident Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis pendet dignitate cuisi non exors ab omnibus eminens detur potestas â—ot in Ecclesia efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes The healthe saieth he and welfare of the Churche dependeth vpon the estimation of the chief Priest who if he haue not authoritie pearelesse and aboue all other ye shall haue in the Churche so many schismes as there be Priestes Nowell It is true that S. Hierome is of the same minde that S. Cyprian was of but neither of them bothe were of that minde that D. Hardyng and M. Dorman bee of that is to witte that either there should be one head ouer all the churche or that the Bishop of Rome should be that head but that euery bishop in his own diocesse is summus sacerdos the high priest ouer his owne cleargie and that one bishop is not superiour to an other Neither hath sainct Hierome in the whole dialogue against the Luciferians asmuche as one woorde that is speciall to the Bishop of Rome onelie but common to all bishops of all places as the learned that will reade the dialogue shall easilie vnderstaÌ„de and as Erasmus in the argumente of the saied Dialogue hath well noted saiyng Liber est in primis lectu dignus quippe qui multa salutaria praecepta complectatur de vita Episcoporum The booke is verie woorthie to be reade saieth Erasmus as the whiche doeth conteine many holsome preceptes concernyng the life of Bishops Thus farre Erasmus For whereas the Luciferians thought that laie menne which had fallen into heresie beyng penitent might be receiued into the churche again but that bishops ought not to bee receiued againe vpoÌ„ their penauÌ„ce except thei were vnbishopped S. Hierome proueth that the bishops also vpoÌ„ conuersion penaunce might be receiued and remaine still bishops And here about is the disputation in the first part of the said dialogue coÌ„teining the one half of the same in the whiche part also is this sentence by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman alleged for the authoritie of one Bishop ouer the whole Churche whiche is by S. Hierome there moste plainly spoken for the authoritie of euery bishop in his owne diocesse But it is expedieÌ„t that I doo note certain of the places out of the said dialogue whiche euidently doo proue that which I saie of euery bishops authoritie doo reproue y e wresting of this place by D. Hardyng M. Dorman to the authoritie of one bishop ouer al the churche Orthodoxus dixit Nescis laicos clericos vnuÌ„ habere christuÌ„ nec alium neophytis aliuÌ„ Episcopis esse deuÌ„ cur ergo noÌ„ recipiat clericos qui recipit laicos peniteÌ„tes That is to saie He of y e right faith said thus Dooest thou not knowe y t aswel thei of the laitie as thei of the cleargie haue both one Christ that suche as be but nouices in christian religioÌ„ haue not one God and bishops an other but that bothe haue one God why should not he therefore receiue theÌ„ of the cleargie who doeth receiue suche of the laitie as bée penitent And again not muche after Luciferianus oro te noÌ„ne legisti de episcopis dictuÌ„ vos estis sal teâ—rÄ™ c. which is to say The LuciferiaÌ„ said I pray thae hast y u not read y t which is spokeÌ„ of bishops you are the salt of the earth but if y e salt haue lost his saltnesse what caÌ„ be salted therwith and so foorth at large Vnto whoÌ„ Orthodoxus aunswereth thus Sit ita vt vis Arrianorum Episcopus hostis Christi sit sal infatuatuÌ„ c. That is to saie Be it so as thou wouldst haue it that an ArriaÌ„ bishop is the enemie of Christ bee it y e he is infatuate or vnsauery salte c. Hitherto out of S. Hierome against the LuciferiaÌ„s Wherby you maie sée y t he speaketh of many bishops or of one heretike bishop as of al of y e same sort Now to come nerer the place by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman alleged wheras the Luciferian thinketh the dignitie of a bishop to be so great that it maie not be reteined by one that hath once been in heresie S. Hierome coÌ„sesseth in déede that bishops be in authoritie aboue al priestes deacons in their owne diocesse but that yet thei maie neuerthelesse after peniteÌ„ce reteine their bishoprikes These be S. Hieromes woordes alitile before the place by M. Dorman alleged Orthodoxus NoÌ„ equideÌ„ abnuo hanc
ecclesiaruÌ„ esse coÌ„suetudineÌ„ vt ad eos qui longè iÌ„ minoribus vrbibê° per presbyteros diaconos baptizati sunt episcopus ad inuocationeÌ„ sanctispuÌ„s manuÌ„ impositurus excurrat c. That is I doo not denie this to bée the custome of churches that y e bishop doeth come to those that be Baptised in lesser tounes by Priestes deacons to laie his hand vpon them with the inuocatioÌ„ of the holy ghost And shortly after he saieth Quòd si hoc loco quaeris quare in ecclesia baptizatus nisi ê‘ manus episcopi noÌ„ accipiat spirituÌ„ sanctuÌ„ queÌ„ oeÌ„s asserimus iÌ„ vero baptismate tribui disce haÌ„c obseruationeÌ„ ex ea autoritate descendere ê™ post ascensum dnÌ„i spuÌ„s sanctê° ad apostolos desceÌ„dit Et multis iÌ„ locis idem factitatuÌ„ reperimus ad honoreÌ„ potius sacerdotij quam legis necessitateÌ„ Alioqui si ad episcopi taÌ„tùm imprecationeÌ„ spuÌ„s sanctê° defluit lugeÌ„di sunt qui in viculis aut in castellis aut iÌ„ remotioribus locis per praesbyteros diaconos baptizati antè dormierunt quà m ab Episcopis inuiserentur Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in ecclesiis effictentur schismata quot sacerdotes That is to saie If you aske in this place wherefore he that is Baptised in the Churche doeth not receiue the holie ghost but by the handes of the bishop the whiche holie ghost we all doo affirme to bee geuen in true Baptisme Learne this obseruation to come of that authoritie that after the ascension of our Lorde the holie ghost came doune vnto the Apostles And we finde that the same is dooen in many places rather for the honour of Priesthoode then of the necessitie of the lawe Els if the holie Ghoste come doune onelie at the praier of the bishop thei are to be lamented who being baptised by Priestes and deacons in little tounes and villages or places further of doo dye before thei be visited by the bishops The healthe of the church dependeth vpon the estimation of the chief Priest who if he haue not authoritie pearelesse and aboue all other ye shall haue in the churche so many schismes as there be Priestes Thus farre S. Hierome whose woordes I haue repeated at large and in the last place without any intermission haue ioigned the verie woordes by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman alledged to S. Hieromes woordes nexte before Whereby it is moste euidente that S. Hierome speaketh of euery bishop in his owne diocesse and of the priestes and deacons that bée vnder hym in his said diocesse And that the authoritie which S. Hierome saieth the Bishop hath is the authoritie of laiyng his handes vpon children or other lately baptised by inferiour ministers and curates in villages of the said diocesse whiche authoritie is apperteinyng to all bishops in their owne diocesse that bishops haue that authoritie geueÌ„ them aboue other priestes or deacons beyng curates of smaller tounes and villages in their diocesse not by the necessitie of Gods lawe but for the honour of their bishoprike For if euery priest of the diocesse should in all poinctes bée of equall authoritie with the bishop there would arise so many Schismes by the arrogancie of the priestes as there bée priestes And for this cause hath euery bishop an authoritie pearelesse as M. Dorman dooth translate it and aboue all other priestes in his diocesse For it is euident by the places before alledged that comparison is made betwene priestes deacons and cuvates in smal tounes and villages who haue authoritie to baptise beeyng many and betwene the Bishop of the diocesse who is one and the high prieste in the saied diocesse and hath authoritie pearelesse ouer all other priestes and deacoÌ„s in the same diocesse And that there is no comparison here made betwene the bishoppe of Rome as the high prieste or bishop ouer all other priestes and bishops as D. Hardyng and M. DormaÌ„ without all shame would wrest it whereas there is not one woorde from the beginnyng of that longe dialogue of S. Hieromes vnto this place by them alleged nor to the ende of the same either written or meante of the bishop of Rome but of euery Bishop in his owne diocesse And therefore this whole matter is altogether impertinente to D. Hardyng and M. Dormans purpose of one onely heade ouer the whole Churche vnlesse M. Dorman would frame vs therof this leude argument Sainct Hierome saith that euery bishop ought to haue authoritie aboue all other priestes of his owne diocesse ergo the Bishop of Rome ought to haue a preemineÌ„ce pearelesse aboue all bishops of all diocesses and ouer the whole churche throughout the whole worlde Whiche maie well bee M. DormaÌ„s reason but fure I am that no reasonable man beyng awake will so reason To conclude you see it is not without great cause that D. Hardyng in his booke calleth this place of S. Hierome a notable place and saieth that it maie not be lette passe whiche his maisters woordes M. Dorman well noting â–ª would not suffer it to passe vntill he had by the handelyng thereof declared his notable foolishenesse Wherein as I doo little merueil of M. Dorman whom the leudeâ— the writyng is the better it dooeth become hym so can I not but muche muse how it should come to passe that doctor Hardyng or any of any honestie and learnyng should so abuse hymself and the readers with the allegation of suche impertinente places and with what conscience and shamefastnesse thei can doo it Vnlesse thei thinke that this excuse maie serue in matters of religion also Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat which is to saie What matter maketh it whether you vse fine force plaine truthe or guile with an enemie And therefore thei deale with vs rather as enemies then as doeth become themselues beyng Christians or as apperteineth to the treatie of religion woorthie of al truthe sinceritie Dorman fol. 5. And againe in an other place speakyng of the apostles he writeth thus Quòd vnus posteà electus est qui caeteris praeponeretur in schismatis remâ—dium factum est ne vnusquisque ad se traâ—ens ecclesiam rumperet That is That one was afterwarde chosen to rule the reste that was dooen for a remedie against schismes least while euery man would chalenge to hymself the churche by suche halyng and pullyng thei might breake the same No well S. Hierâ—me in his epistle to Euagrius she weth that praesbyter and episcopus a Priest and a bishop bee all one by the firste institution and by the Lawe of God whiche he proueth by many testimonies of the scâ—ipâ—ures and withall he declareth that the Apostles themselues were called praesbyteri that is to saie elders or priestes So that all bishops whiche be the successours of the Apostles bee also praesbyteri that is to saie
impudente that he cared not whom he brought or what he saied so he mighte seeme to saie and bryng somethyng were it neuer so farre from or so muche against his purpose Dorman Fol. 5. 6. Leo of whom the whole Councell of Calcedon as one of the greatest for nomber so of all men accoÌ„pted emongeste the fower generall for authoritie reported so honourably that thei did not onely with one voice all openly professe themselues to beleue as he did but called him also by the name of Sanctissimus et beatissimus that is moste holie and blessed of all other speakyng of the misticall bodie of Christes Churche writeth after this sort Haec connâ—xio totius quidem corporis vnanimitatem requirit c This combination and ioignyng together he speaketh of the bodie of Christes Churche requireth an vnitie of the whole bodie but especially of the priestes emongest whom although there be one dignitie common to them all yet is there not one generall order emongest them all For euen emongest the blessed Apostles in that similitude of honor was there yet a difference of power and whereas in their election thei were all like yet was it geuen to one to bee aboue all the rest Out of whiche forme is taken our difference of Bishoppes and by merueilous order and disposition is it prouided that euery one should not chalenge to hymself euery thyng but that in euery Prouince there should bee one whose iudgement emongest the reste of his brethren should bee chief and of moste authoritie And againe certain appoincted in greater cities whose care should be greater by whom to the only seate of Peter the charge of the vniuersall Churche might haue recourse that nothyng might at any tyme dissent from the head Nowell The Councell of Calcedon professed that thei beleued as did Leo concerning the moste blessed Trinitie condemned Eutyches heresie but what is that to the purpose We professe that we doo therein beleue as did Leo and we doo like wise condemne the heresie of Eutyches For that the saied Councell calleth hym Sanctissimum beatissimum the moste holie and blessed what maketh that for his supremacie All the Priestes and deacons of Rome doo call S. Cyprian bishoppe of Carthage Beatissimum gloriosissimum papam the moste blessed and moste glorious Pope as I haue before noted and yet I thinke that M. Dorman will not therefore graunt sainct Cyprian the supremacie But what the Councell of Calcedon graunted to Leo Bishop of Rome or is feigned to haue graunted to hym or what thei graunted equallie with hym to Anatholius bishop of Constantinople and what Leo did like or mislike allowe or reiect of the said Councell I shall haue more conueniente place to declare afterwardes where M. Dorman dooeth more speciallie entreate of the saied councell Now concernyng this epistle by M. Dorman alleged this is first moste euident that the epistles caried about in the names of the firste auncient Popes are either forged or at the leaste corrupted by their ambitious successours of later tyme to make a shewe of the antiquitie of their chalenge of the supremacie and this to bée true is easie to perceiue by many circumstances as shall hereafter at large bee declared But be it that these be Leos owne woordes and were this Leo accompted neuer so holie yet I trust he beyng bishop of Rome maie netther bee his owne witnesse nor iudge in his owne cause of the Popes supremacie The holiest and the beste men that bee are lightly partiall in their owne matters Wherefore Christ our sauiour moste woorthie of all credite saieth Si testimonium perhibeam de meipso testimonium meum non est verum If I beare witnesse of my self my testimonie is not true whiche he saieth for that were his testimonie neuer so true as it was euer moste true yet beyng of hymself it would not be taken of men as true as it appeareth by the woordes of the Phariseis to our sauiour Tu de teâ—pso testimonium perhibes c. Thou say the Phariseis beareth witnesse of thy self thy witnesse is not true If Christes woordes maie not here take place let the Pope then cause this note to be blotted out of his own canon lawe also Papa iudex esse noÌ„ debet in causa propria The Pope maie not bee iudge in his owne cause For it standeth there in vaine as it seemeth To the whiche yet it appeareth that Pighius in the fifte booke of his Hierarchie had a respece for he allegyng a Clementine that is to saie a Popes decree for his purpose hath these woordes Quum Clementinam audis nolo imagineris audire te vnius hominis Romani pontificis in sua ipsius causa sententiam sed cogita te sententiam audire Viennensis concilij in quo ex vniuersa ecclesia conueneruÌ„t plusquaÌ„ 300 episcopi That is to saie When thou hearest the name of a Clementine I would not haue thee to imagine that thou hearest the iudgemente of one man to witte the bishop of Rome in his own cause but consider that thou doest heare the Sentence of the Councell of Vienne in the whiche moe then 300. Bishops were assembled out of the vniuersall Churche Thus farre Pighius Wherby it maie seeme that he dooeth not thinke the Popes onely testimonie in his owne cause to be sufficient D. Hardyng who dooeth folowe Pighius verie muche saieth that he will not allege the testimonies of many Popes for the proofe of the supremacie for that wee doo make though without all cause saieth he exception against the popes as vnlawfull witnesses in their own cause And therefore he is somewhat more shamefaste then M. Dorman and hath onely noted this epistle of Pope Leo whiche M. Dorman thus largely rehearseth and with marginall notes so beautifieth as some speciall place to prooue the Popes supremacie As he laith on loade coÌ„tinually not of popishe witnesses but Popes theÌ„selues witnesses in their owne false claime though he can not dissemble hymself in an other place but that wee maie make exception vnto them as not indifferent witnesses in their owne quarelles Well if these causes of exception to Popes in their own cause whiche I haue alleged shall not seeme to D. Harding and M. Dorman sufficiente I trust yet that all reasonable indifferent men shall iudge them sufficient And for more reasonable cause of exceptioÌ„ to this Leo here and all other Popes too in this matter wee saie that Zozimus or Sosimus bishop of Rome about a. 24. yeres before this Leo moued with an ambitious desire of this supremacie which the bishops of Rome his successours now striue for as it were pro aris focis for life and death as one might saie did corrupte and falsifie the decrees of the Nicene Councell pretendyng that it was decreed in that Councell that the bishop of Rome should be the chief iudge aboue all other bishops that it should
witnesses sainct Cyprian and sainct Hierome brought in by hymself for the proofe of his parte and that whiche is more I will prooue it by the verie same places of sainct Cyprian and sainct Hierome whiche are by Doctour Hardyng and maister Dorman here alleged that is to saie by the thirde epistle of the firste booke of the epistles of sainct Cyprian and by the epistle of sainct Hierome to Euagrius And I doubte not but as of his three witnesses brought for hym one is no witnesse but suche as if one would saie aske my self whether I bee a theefe or no so the other twoo witnesses who bee moste woorthie credite shall proue my cause true I truste and maister Dorman a verie liar Wherein I doo thus proceade First I will putte the reader in remembraunce yet once againe of Saincte Cyprians owne woordes before touched written in the same epistle by maister Dorman alleged whiche are these Cum statutum sit omnibus nobis c. whiche maie bee thus translated whereas an order is taken or statute made emongeste vs all and it is also reasonable and right that euery mannes cause be there hearde where the faulte was committed and whereas a portion of the flocke is assigned to euery bishoppe by himself whiche euery one ought to rule and gouerne and must geue an accompte of his doynges to the Lorde these whiche bee vnder our gouernaunce ought not therefore to runne about to witte from one Bishoppe to an other neither to breake the agreable concorde of Bishoppes by their guilefull temeritie or rashnesse but ought there to make answere in their causes where thei maie haue accusers witnesses of their crimes excepte it seeme to a fewe desperate and caste awaie persones that the authoritie of the bishoppes that bee in Afrike is lesse then the authoritie of others whiche Bishoppes haue alreadie geuen iudgement of them their cause is alreadie heard sentence is alreadie pronounced against them neither dooeth it agree to the graue iudgemente of Bishoppes to be blamed of the leuitie of a mouable and inconstant mynde whereas our Lorde dooeth saie Let your speache bee yea yea no no. Thus farre saincte Cyprian M. Dormans owne witnesse euen in the same epistle by hymself alleged And this sentence of saincte Cyprian touchyng the determinyng of controuersies in the places where thei dooe rise and that no appellations shal bee made to any bishop of an other Prouince yea and that namely not to the Bishop of Rome nor that he shall sende any Legates Laterall to heare or determine foraine matters dooeth the whole Carthaginense councell approue and allowe wherein was saincte Augustine Drosius and Prosper with 217. moe learned and godlie Bishoppes assembled as I haue before noted The same sainct Cyprian euer agreyng with hym self in this veritie of the equalitie of al bishops which is the ouerthrowe of the supremacie of one dooeth applie many suche places of the scriptures as are customarelie but moste falsely alleged now a daies by this authour and other aduersaries for the proufe of the popes supremacie ouer all Bishoppes to the declaration of the equall authoritie of euery Bishoppe in his own diocesse as the place of Deuteronomium concernyng the obedience due to the high Prieste out of Numerie of the disobedience of Chore Dathan and Abyron against Aaron out of the Actes of the Apostles touching Saincte Paules woordes I wiste not that he was the high Bishoppe for it is written thou shalt not speake euill to the prince of thy people All these places I saie doeth saincte Cyprian allege for the authoritie of Rogatian an Africane Bishop and againste the disobedience of the saied Rogatians oeacon against his bishop And the same places dooeth sainct Cyprian likewise againe in an other place allege for his owne authoritie beeyng Bishop of Carthage and against the stubbornesse of Pupianus towardes hymself So that saincte Cyprian doeth in all places maintaine the equalitie of bishops and withal ouerthrowe the supremacie of one ouer all directlie againste this place by you as out of Pope Leo alleged But in no place is sainct Cyprian more effectuous and piaine concernyng this matter then in his booke intituled De simplicitate praelatorū where he hath these woordes Dn̄sapostolis oībus post resurrectionem suam parem potestatē tribuit mox Hoc erant vtique caeteri apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis That is to saie The Lorde after his resurrectiō did geue like orequall power to al his Apostles The other Apostles were the veric same that Peter was beeyng indued with like felowship both of honour and power Thus farre saincte Cyprian who beyng in so many places so directlie againste this vsurped supremacie of one and for the equalitie of all Bishoppes it is to be wondered with what face M. Dorman hath been so bold and busie with S. Cyprian in this his treatie of the popes supremacie Now let vs heare S. Hierome M. Dorman his second witnesse and euen in the same epistle by M. Dorman alleged also Where Saincte Hierome speakyng of the authoritie of Churches and Bishops and makyng thē all equall and none aboue an other hath these woordes Nec altera Romanae vrbis ecclesia altera totius orbis estimanda est c. Wée maie not thinke that the Churche of the citie of Rome is one and the Churche of the whole worlde an other Bothe Fraūce and Britaine now called Englāde Afrike and Persie lande the East countreis and Indie and al barbarous nations woorship one Christe and obserue one rule of truth If you seke for authoritie the worlde is greater then the citie of Rome wheresoeuer any bishoppe is whether he be at Rome or Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexādria or Tanis he is of the same merite of the same priesthoode The power of riches or basenesse of pouertie maketh not a bishope either higher or lower But thei be al the successors of the Apostles But thou wilte saie how dooe thei at Rome a◠the testimonie of the deacon ordein the priest What dooest thou allege to me the custome of one citie what dooest thou chalenge for the lawes of the Churche the vsage of a fewe whereof presumptiō hath risen Thus farre sainct Hierome Vpon the which place Erasmus in his Scholies noteth that Eugubium Rhegium and Tanis were base and little tounes and that sainct Hierome matcheth in paires and couples a poore simple little toune with a noble citie to she we therby that the dignitie of the Bishop is not estéemed by the greatnesse of his diocesse or citie but that all bishops bee equall in office Now let vs compare these twoo sainct Cyprian I saie and saincte Hierome bearyng witnesse with the truthe with Leo onely bearyng witnesse to hymself Leo saieth In the holie Apostles themselues there was a differēce of power and that it was geuen to one to be aboue all the reste On
the contrary parte S. Cyprian saith The Lorde gaue like and equall authoritie to all his Apostles all the Apostles bee indued with like felowship bothe of honour and power Thus saieth S. Cyprian in his booke intitled De simplicitate praelatorum Of the simplicitis of priestes noting them as double faced prelates that teache or attempt the coÌ„trary Againe Leo saieth Out of this forme is taken our difference of Bishoppes that in euery Prouince one bee chief and of moste authoritie and the bishop of greater cities to haue greater care and consequeÌ„tly that he who sitteth in Peters chaire should haue charge be heade of the vniuersall Churche Thus saieth Leo and thus he saieth because he hymself would be Lorde and head ouer all the churche S. Cyprian saieth Euery bishop hath his seuerall portioÌ„ of Christes flocke to rule and gouerne for the which he must geue an accoÌ„pt vnto the Lorde And that those who are vnder the charge of the bishop of one countrey maie not appeale to a bishop of an other nor the cause determined by one Bishop maie be called in question before an other for that the authoritie of one Bishop is not inferiour to an other nor the authoritie of the bishop of Afrike is lesse then the authoritie of the bishops of Italie or Rome it self for his woordes haue euidentlie that relation and that none thinke the authoritie of one bishop to be lesse then the authoritie of an other bishop but a fewe wicked and desperate men Thus you see how your owne witnesses are at square and there is yea and naie betwéene this your Leo and S. CypriaÌ„ in these matters S Hierome agreing with S. Cyprian saith All churches worshippyng one Christ and obseruyng one rule of truthe are equall with the churche of Rome all bishoppes bee the successours of the Apostles and of one priesthoode and of the same merite and dignitie Thus saieth S. Hierome But Leo saith contrary that it was geuen to one to be aboue all the rest that thei who be appoincted in greater diocesses or cities haue more care and authoritie and that th' onely see of Peter hath charge of the vniuersall Churche is heade therof Thus saith Leo. S. Hierome saith The lesse diocesse or toune or the poorer estate maketh not the bishop lower or lesse in authoritie the greater prouince the greater citie the greater riches make not a Bishop greater in authoritie And though Leo doo make neuer so muche of Rome and set it aboue the vniuersall Churche S. Hierome saith Th' authoritie of the vniuersall churche is greater then the authoritie of the churche of Rome as the worlde is greater then the citie of Rome And he saith further What dooest thou allege me the vse of the one citie of Rome for a lawe of the churche wherof riseth presumption of a fewe against all men I thinke y e fire and water are not of more contrary nature then are S. Cyprian and S. Hierome contrarie to that epistle alleged by M. Dorman as Leo the Popes epistle nor that any witnesses brought againste a man by his aduersarie euer haue more directlie testified againste him then these twoo witnesses S. Cyprian and sainct Hierome brought in by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman for them dooe testifie againste them euen in the verie places by themselues alleged besides their consonancie with themselues in al other places and the consent of S. Augustine and twoo hundreth and moe Bishops agrecyng with them againste this Leo. What should one iudge of these meÌ„ bringyng in together three witnesses of the whiche twoo are moste directlie againste them and againste the thirde also who alone seemeth to make with them that thirde as in his owne cause to bee suspected and further to bee doubted also whether it bee he in deede or an other vnder his name and suche as he is the woordes of his testimonie either manifestlie falsified or els at the least in diuers copies beyng not onely diuers but cleane contrarie as hauyng in one copie it is so in an other if M. Dorman slepte not it is not so And yet bothe these impossible bothe to bee true bee one mannes testimonie of one and the same matter and in one and the same place also Were these menne so blinde that thei did not see this or so shamelesse that seyng and knowyng thei durst yet allege suche witnesses for them So blind bussardes thei tooke all menne in the worlde sauyng themselues to bee Surelie me thinketh it to bee an harde case and a silie shamelesse shifte for menne to bee driuen to allege those authours and to bring those witnesses for them whose testimonies dooe thus conuicte them and quite ouerthrowe their cause and withall shame them vtterlie And verie miserable is the Pope and Poperie being driuen now at the laste to the patrocinie of suche proctours who openyng and bewraiyng the weakenesse of the groundes and foundations thereof so long tyme heretofore by ignoraunce of the worlde iudged sure will themselues bryng all Poperie beyng alreadie of it self ruinous to speedie and vtter destruction For the whiche also all godlie and suche as loue the truthe haue greate cause to geue God greate and hartie thankes for that these causes as desperate beyng forsaken of almoste all learned graue men M. Dorman with suche other as he is haue thus taken them in hande and that suche leude matters haue founde at the proctours and patrons moste méete for them Dorman Fol. 6. Hetherto haue you harde good readers beside the experience that we haue of ciuile policie and worldlie gouernemente the opinions also of saincte Cyprian sainct Hierome and holie Leo all three agreing in one that there must nedes be one iudge in Christes church in his steede that the health of the churche dependeth vpon the authoritie of the chief Prieste that if his authoritie bee not aboue all the reste there will so many Schismes breake in vpon vs as there bee Priestes that for the auoidyng of that mischiefe there was one chosen euen amongest the Apostles to gouerne the reste Last of all that that vsage in Chrisâ—es churche to haue one head is no newe inuention as some men falslie report but taken from the example of the Apostles theÌ„selues Nowell Hetherto haue you heard good readers how of the experience of ciuile policie and worldlie gouernment wherein euery seuerall countrey citie and companie haue their seuerall Princes rulers and heades maister Dorman would moste lâ—udely gather that al churches dispersed in all countries cities tounes villages nations peoples and laÌ„guages impossible to be knoweÌ„ and more impossible to be gouerned but of Christ onely the onely head of that vniuersalitie should haue one onely heade here in earth You haue hearde also how ignorantlie if he did not vnderstand how shamelesly if he did vnderstande he hath alleged S. Cyprian and S. Hierome for him beyng bothe in all other places vniuersallie and in the verie speciall places also by
is most euident But now let vs heare S. Cyprian in his epistle to Rogatianus Habes inquit Cyprianus circa huiusmodi homines praecepta diuina cùm Dominus deus in Deuteronomio dicat â–ª Et homo quicunque c. Thou hast saith saincte Cyprian to Rogatianus his felowe bishoppe in Afrike concernyng suche men to witte disobediente as was his Deacon the commaundementes of God whereas the Lorde God in Deuteronomie dooeth saie And what man so euer shall bee so proude that he will not heare the priest or iudge who so euer he be in those daies that man shall die and all the people shall feare and shall doo wickedlie no more And we maie knowe that this voice of God proceaded with true and greate maiestie to honour and to auenge his Priestes by the horible destruction of Chore Dathan and Abyron who rebelled against Aaron Thus farre S. Cyprian Where you maie sée that bothe this lawe of Deuteronomium the example of Aaron the estate of the Iuishe Churche and all other places of scripture falsely wrested by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman to the proofe of the supremacie of one to witte the bishoppe of Rome are by S. Cyprian who died an holie martyr and is no doubt a sainct in heauen applied to the maintenaunce of euery Bishops authoritie in his owne diocesse and the obedience there due vnto hym And note withall that S. Cyprian saieth that this and like places of the scriptures apperteine to the honour of Gods Prtestes he saieth not to the honour of one high prieste head ouer all other Naie he confesseth in the beginnyng of this epistle that Rogatianus did but of curtesie not of duetie referre this matter of his disobedient deacon by complainte to S. Cyprian though he were the Metropolitane of Afrike beyng bishoppe of Carthage the chiefe citie thereof and graunteth that Rogatianus by the vigore of his bishoprike authoritie of his Chaire had power to order the matter hymself and for the vigore of this Rogatianus bishoprike and authoritie of his chaire and consequently of all other Bishoprikes and bishops chaires doeth S. Cyprian allege these and all other places of scripture falslie detorted by the Papistes to these of Rome and sainct Peters chaire there as thei call it Sainct Cyprian allegeth the same place of Deutero cap. 17. and all suche like for his owne authoritie against Pupianus despisyng hym beyng Bishop of Carthage whom saincte Cyprian chargeth to transgresse this law of God of obeiyng the high priest for that he maketh hymself Episcopum episcopi iudicem iudicis ad tempus à Deo dati a bishop ouer the Bishop and a iudge ouer the iudge appoincted of God for the tyme. Which is the verie propertie of that false vsurper of Rome who maketh hymself head bishop ouer al bishops and head iudge ouer all iudges by God in euery their iurisdictions appoincted to bee obeied of all their owne flocke and not to be vnder a foraigne vsurper And as he dooeth by saincte Cyprian his iudgemente transgresse this Gods lawe in makyng hymself iudge of the iudge by God appoincted so doubte I not but the iudgemente of the saied lawe He shall dye the death will light vpon hym for his pride arrogancie and tyrannie ouer his brethren and equalles by Gods lawe And though suche horrible Luciferian pride anâ— other wickednesse vnspeakeable as is in the Pope seeme to bee reserued to Gods euerlastyng iudgementes for that no worldly penaltie can bee sufficiente for suche desertes yet dooeth God in our daies not longe before the commyng of his sonne to iudgemente denounce the same moste manifestly and as it were peremptorilie to hym and his Dorman Fol. 7. For I remember a saiyng of Cregorius Nazianzenus Vbi nullum est imperium nullus ordo vbi multorum ibi seditio vt sic nullum imperium nullus ordo existat Vtrumque enim eôdem absâ—rditatis perducit VVhere is none to rule there is no order VVhere many rule there is sedition so that after that maner of gouernemente also there is no gouernement there is no order For bothe to haue none to rule to haue many leade vs to like inconuenieÌ„ce How shal we then saie Diligit dominus Syon super omnia tabernaculae Iacob Our lorde loueth Syon aboue all the tabernacles of Iacob Nowell You maie note that M. Dorman hath a good memorie who can and dare without the booke rehearse to vs sentences out of doctours for his proofes and publishe the same to the worlde and boldely in the steede of one God gouernyng all for of hym speaketh Nazianzene in that place to dashe vs in the teethe with one Pope to gouerne all the churche I would M. Dorman had enlarged his memorie somewhat to a fewe woordes of Nazianzene goyng next before and makyng all the matter moste plaine whiche M. Dorman therefore of purpose to blinde the reader hath omitted suche a shreude memorie hath the man The woordes of Nazianzene confutyng twoo false opinions that men had of God are these Prima opinio nullum Deum nullum Dei imperium alia Deos multos cuique suum imperium statuit c. Sed vbi nullum est imperium ibi nullus ordo c. That is to saie The firste false opinion of God is that there is no God no gouernaunce of God the seconde that there are many Goddes and that euery of them hath his gouernauÌ„ce by hymself But where no rule is there is no order where many rule there is sedition These are Nazianzene his woordes againste those that thinke that either there is no God or many goddes whiche M. Dorman out of his memorie reporteth as spoken against those who would haue no pope or many Popes But you sée it is not good trustyng to M. Dormans memorie who dooeth so readily without booke allege thynges neither against vs nor with himself but altogether impertinent to the purpose Now if M. Dorman list transferre the sentence from God gouernyng all the worlde to men vnder hym rulyng in the worlde and would thereof frame vs this argumente Nazianzene saieth there is one onely God who gouerneth all Ergo there muste bee one onely Pope or head bishop to gouerne all the Churche I deny the argumente and affirme that it foloweth no more then that there must be one onely Emperour to gouerne al the worlde And to bragge somewhat of memorie too as M. Dorman dooeth I remember that M. Dorman hymself hath alleged that for auoidyng of confusion in the worlde euery kyngdome euery countrey euery citie euery companie of menne muste haue an head to rule them Whereof I inferre that for auoydyng of schismes and explication of doubles euery churche of euery countrey and diocesse ought to haue an head and a iudge to resorte vnto And as there is no confusion in the worlde nor discorde for that sundrie partes of the worlde haue sundrie ciuill gouernours as is moste necessarie that thei haue and is
in the scriptures declared to be so by God appoincted so is there no disorder that seuerall churches haue seuerall bishoppes to their heades but is moste necessarie for all good order so to bee And so is that sentence of Nazianzene generally takeÌ„ nothyng against the gouernance of seuerall bishops in seuerall diocesses no more then it is againste the ciuill regiment of seuerall gouernours in seueral countreis For as it is apperteinyng to God onely to our sauior Christ his sonne by their almightie power wisedome to gouerne all y e world all the church so is it enough and to muche for any one man well to gouerne a little parcell therof And so to returne to Nazianzene his saiyng VVhere is no rule there is no order Truthe it is but where one Bishop as one head is in euery diocesse there is some rule therefore there is some order VVhere many rule there is seditioÌ„ It is true if many magistrates haue equall rule in one coÌ„mon wealth or if many ecclesiasticall persones haue equall authoritie in one seuerall Churche wee confesse it is like to their phantasie who would haue many equall Goddes to rule the worlde But one seuerall ruler in one seuerall dominion one seuerall bishop in one seuerall diocesse dooe resemble one God rulyng one whole worlde and one Christ ruling one whole churche so well as earthly creatures maie resemble the heaueÌ„lie creatour But one earthlic man by gouernyng all the whole worlde or the whole churche throughout the worlde to resemble God or Christe is a presumption vnhearde of but onelie in the Pope of Rome Let therefore seuerall rulers and Bishoppes holde themselues contented with seuerall dominions and diocesses accordyng to Gods ordinaunce For it is false that suche seuerall rulers in seuerall places doo cause sedition and it is prooued false by the ciuile gouernemente of diuers rulers in diuers couÌ„treis for so it staÌ„deth for the moste part throughout the worlde at this daie Wherefore M. Dorman and D. Hardyng maie as well saie that the worlde is seditiously gouerned by diuers princes as the Churche by seuerall Bishoppes But as Nazianzene euer dreamed of one Emperour ouer all the worlde to auoide seditioÌ„ though he teacheth there is one God no more did he though he teache one Christe yet euer dreame of one onely head bishoppe or Pope ouer the whole Churche throughout the worlde to auoide schismes as dreamyng M. Dorman phantasieth and thinketh all men that bee awake to dreame too as he dooeth He speaketh further in his sleape and saâ—eth Howe shall wee then saie Our Lorde loueth Syon aboue all the tabernacles of Iacob What this dooeth meane or to what purpose it is I knowe not And I beléeue M. Dorman when he waketh if euer he wake can not tell hymself For Pighius out of whoÌ„ he borowed it is a sleape and neuer will wake to tell his dreame Dorman fol. 7. There is no doubt therefore but that Christe hath prouided for his churche whiche he redemed so dearely as with the expence of his owne moste precious bloud a iudge and chiefe ruler to ende and determine so many controuersies as he knewe should molest and infest the same Thei caÌ„ not saie that are aduersaries kicke againste this truthe that this whiche I allege was in the olde lawe and in a shadowe that these daies and this tyme requier other maners For that argumente hath their Englishe apologie soluted and pronounced that so to saie were Plusquam ridiculum seeyng there was then idem deus idem spiritus idem Christus eadem fides eadem doctrina eadem spes eadem haeredit as ideÌ„ foedus cadem vis verbi dei the same God the same holy ghost the same Christ the same faithe the same doctrine the same hope the same heritage the same couenaunte the same strength of Goddes woorde Nowell M. Dorman is so mightie in reasonyng and hath so many and so good groundes that he is full of conclusions as you sée We graunt Christe hath prouided for his churche so dearely bought and beloued of hym as well as he did for the Iues better too For wheras thei had but one chief bishop for their whole nation he hath by the ministerie of his Apostles prouided euery greate citie euery Diocesse of suche a one that thei maie bee the better gouerned and lesse pained to traueill farre for the decision of their doubtes and controuersies Wherefore in these poinctes wee make no exception to your olde shadowe nor require no new maners But as thei and we haue one God one spirite one Christe one faithe one doctrine one inheritaunce and so foorthe that so in like maner there bee one like ecclesiasticall â—egâ—ment that euery one diocesse countrey or nation haue in like wise one bishop to bee their iudge and determiner of doubtes as had the nation of the Iewes But M. Dorman dealeth not truely with the Apologie The Apologie declareth that the church of God was muche obscured and broughte to a small number emongeste the Iewes and it shâ—weth thaâ— it hath in like wise also been obscured and broughte to a small number emongest Christians The aduersaries of the Gospell who are the corrupters thereof and would haue no corruption nor decaie of the Churche now noted or knowen saie although the Churche of God was obscured and brought to a little number in the old lawe and in the shadowe and figure when nothing was perfite yet can it not be so in the time of the Gospell the tyme of grace and perfection c. The Apologie replieth That defence can not serue for there was the same God the same spirit the same Christ c. then as is now and therefore as the Churche decaied then so maie it and hath it decaied now M. Dorman handleth the matter as though he could prooue by the Apologie that because there was the same God the same Christ the same holy ghost c. in y e Iuishe church as is now therfore must there be one head bishop ouer all the christian churche dispersed throughout y e world as there was one head bishop ouer all y t Iues. Whiche foloweth no more then that we must haue circumcision now for that the Iues had it then Vnlesse M. Dorman thinke he may mingle In lente vnguentum thinges moste impertinent together and prooue quidlibet ex quolibet all thinges of euery thing at his pleasure Dorman Fol. 7. But yet this I proteste that apon the auctoritie of ther Apologie whiche with me is in that conceit that it is with all honest and learned men that is to saie taken as in deede it is for a fardle of lies I am no whitte the bolder to reason thus Nowell Here is at once a protestation and also a confutation of the Apologie For other confutation or answere to it then this and suche like as you shall heare hereafter haue thei not hetherto made Wherefore as iustlie might we chaleÌ„ge all the
one man no lesse truely then pleasantlie saied are like a nose of Waxe whiche will suffer it self easilie to bee drawen countredrawen and framed whiche waie ye liste and as a certaine rule of leade of the Lesbian building the which it is not harde to apply wherto ye will And againe the same Pighius in an other place saith We haue shewed before that the scriptures maie easilie be drawen euery waie and like a certaine Leaden rule maie without difficultie be applied to euery wicked sentence Thus farre Pighius speakyng it twise or thrise as thei saie as is meete for so woorthie a matter Now compare me the estimation and saiyng of the Scripture vsed by this Papiste with Suenkfeldius his speakyng of it The scripture saith Suenkfeldius is not Gods worde but dead letters Pighius saith the scripture is like a nose of Waxe like a rule of Leade Is Swenkfielde callyng the scriptures dead letters more wicked then is Pighius blasphemous in termyng it a nose of waxe and withall saiyng that it is so called as truelie as pleasauntlie Suche a pleasure hath this piuishe Papist in deridyng of Gods woorde Is it more to be abhorred that Swenkfielde saieth the scripture is but deade letters then that Pighius calleth it a rule of Leade Is there any thyng more dull and deade then is Leade Is there moreouer any thyng more vncertaine then a long latthe or rule of Leade readie to bend and boow euery waie Swenkfielde saieth the Scripture is but dead letters Hosius your great estate for learnyng and vertue beyng verie busie in the ende of his fourth booke againste Brentius in comparyng the Gospell written in paper and ynke with the churche whiche he calleth the liuelie Gospell as though the other should bee called the deade Gospell goeth as nere to Swenkfield as .iiij. pence doo to a grote And where he would faine haue vttered his stomacke plainely againste the scripture whiche hath so shreudlie vexed the Pope and Papistes and durst not yet he saieth thus muche Scriptura quomodo profertur à catholicis est verbum dei quomodo profertur ab haereticis est verbum diaboli The scripture as it is alleged or vttered by the Catholikes to witte Papistes is the woorde of God but as it is vttered of heretikes meaning vs it is the woorde of the Deuill Thus would Hosius by a leude imitation of saincte Hieromes woordes vsed in his vehemencie perswade the people to thinke that the Scripture vttered by any but Papistes onelie is the woorde of the deuill But the Scripture of it self is euer Gods woorde in deede though the abuse thereof bee Deuilishe and therefore Hosius by hatred of the Scripture ouerreaching hymself dooeth in deede speake thus of it vntrulie And as the Scripture is neither nose of waxe nor Leaden rule nor the woorde of the deuill for that it pleaseth Pighius or Hosius so to name it no more are wee heretikes for that it pleaseth them and other aduersaries maliciouslie so to terme vs neither bee thei themselues by and by Catholikes because thei falselie so misname themselues It is not their onelie saiyng and proouyng of nothyng that can make either vs to bee that we bee not or them not to bee that whiche in deede thei are the verie Synagoge of Satan whiche is by the light of Goddes woorde made manifeste and prooued in suche sorte now in our daies that a good parte of the Christian worlde perswaded thereby hath forsaken their Satanicall secte of Papistrie and ioygned themselues to the sincere doctrine of the Gospell whereof riseth all this their deadlie hatred and blasphemous misnamyng of the Scripture To proceade Suenkfeldius saith No more accompt is to be made of the scripture then of any other creatures emongst the whiche thei are to be rekened What saith the hoggish Papiste Pighius The scriptures maie be framed drawen and redrawen this waie that waie euery waie and applied to euery wicked sense or sentence and therefore as it seemeth by his iudgemente the Scriptures are not onely not profitable as be all Gods creatures to the whiche Suenkfeldius dooeth compare them but are hurtfull and deceitfull also appliable to euery wicked sense like as is a longe lithie Latthe or rule of Leade to euery crooked wall suche a rule as hetherto neuer did yet good Carpenter vse I trowe and like a nose of ware suche a creature as was neuer by God made Wherefore the Papistes are not onely in blasphemous woordes against the scriptures like to Suenkfeldius who compareth it to other Goddes creatures but in scoffing against the woorde of God in suche abominable sort and comparyng it to suche leude instrumentes and madde members as are leaden rules and warē noses are more horriblie blasphemous then euer was Suenkfeldius And whereas Pighius had a naturall nose and other mēbers of his bodie by the vertue of Gods woorde and yet in mockage dooeth compare Gods woorde so beneficiall to him to a nose of waxe by his swinishe tongue vttring suche blasphemous woordes it is greate pitie that he had not had accordyng to his Pighishe name an hoggishe groine in steede of his nose a swinish body accordingly that he might altogether as he was hoggish in minde so likewise in outwarde shape of bodie also haue answered fullie to his swynish name No lesse contemptuously and contumeliously also speaketh Hosius of the Scriptures who answearyng Brentius alleadgyng that kynges also had to doo with gods woorde and prouyng the same by the example of Dauid and Salomon kynges of Israel who by the motion of gods holy spirite put in writing those godly psalmes and heauenly instructions whiche haue béen of all ages and times accompted in the body of the Canonicall scriptures hath these woordes Scripsit Dauid psalmos aliquot si quid Athanasio credimus quinque tantùm Qui ni scriberet ne nunc quidem regi prohibetur aut principi quo minus aut rythmos aut Psalmos aut carmina scribat quibus Dei laudes celebret Scribimus indocti doctique poëmata passim Whiche in english is thus much to saye Dauid did write a few Psalmes if we geue any creadit to Athanasius but fiue onely Why should he not so write neither is a kyng or prince forbidden at this tyme but he may write rimes or Psalmes or verses to prayse God therby Learned and vnlearned write poetries euery where Thus farre Hosius who is not content to the derogation of the authoritie of kynges and the Scriptures ioinctly to compare Dauid his psalmes beyng of vndoubted authoritie as writen by the inspiration of the holy ghost and of the body of the canonicall scripture and approued alleged by our Sauiour Christe with rimes onely written by Princes in our daies but also by a blasphemous derision to matche them with fabulouse poesies writen by learned vnlearned it maketh no matter with him I am sure had any writen or sayd so muche in goddes churche vnder the olde lawe
the highe priest or bishop as was Moises to Aaron To procéede Chore Dathan and Abyron rebelled against Moises and Aaron who were specially by God appointed to be their gouernours and his ministers but what apperteineth that to vs who doo obey our natural Prince appoincted by God to be our gouernour all as well ciuil magistrates as ecclesiastical ministers of god vnder our Prince And therfore dooe we as we must néedes renouÌ„ce the authoritie of y t foraigne vsurper of Rome sworne enemy to our prince and couÌ„trey who is not our gouernour nor the lawfull minister of almighty God but a foraigne false vsurper and the Diuels bailie generall chalenging suche a superioritie as none can holde by any tenure but from the Diuell him selfe It is you Papistes that are the successours of the rebelles Chore Dathan and Abyron who leauing the obedience due to your own natural Princes for the seruing of a foraigne false vsurper of Rome doo rebeli not onely against Moises that is to saie your gouernour by God appointed but against God himselfe also You rebell against God and his seruaunt Moises alwaies you set vp and mainteine Idolles and Idolatrie contrary to the manifest woorde of God geuen by his minister Moises You doo charge the Apologie vniustly For it saieth truely that Christe néedeth no suche one onely head ouer all his churche as the Pope would séeme to be neither can there be any suche but Christe him selfe onely as hath at large bene before declared But when M. Dorman so speaketh as though we would haue no gouernours at all in Christes churche for that we refuse that one vsurpar he dooeth deale deceiptfully with the simple and impudently with vs. For we acknowledge that as Moyses and Aaron were gods ministers by him appointed to gouerne his peculiar people Israel so hath God likewyse appoincted to euery seuerall countrey their Moyses and Aaron their owne Princes and pastoures or bishops whiche ought likewyse to be obeied as Moises and AaroÌ„ were to be obeied of the Israelites And that those who doo disobeye them doo sinne by rebellion as did Chore Dathan and Abiron This appeareth to be true by S. Cyprian who dooeth alleage this example of the rebellion of Chore Dathan and Abiron against suche as be stubborne and disobedient to their owne seuerall bishoppes as was one Pupianus to himselfe and as was the African Deacon against Rogatian his African byshop In the whiche epistle also S. Cyprian alleageth manie other places of the scripture falsely applied nowe adayes to the proufe of the Popes supremacie for the authoritie of euery bishop in his owne diocesse But this place of Douteronomium is neither by S. Cyprian nor any other but onely Papistes alleaged for proufe that the byshop of Rome is to be obeied by any sauynge onely Romaines or Italians his inferiours Concerninge the reason made by Chore Dathan Abiron that the people ought not to obey their gouernours because thei be al holy that therfore the magistrates ought not to lifte them selues aboue the Lordes people it is not our reason as M. DormaÌ„ saith it is the reason of the popish swarmes of their counterfeite hypocrites falsely called religious yea of the whole popish clergie who haue procured of their father of Rome immunities from all obedience to their naturall Princes appointed by God ouer them as was Moises ouer the Israelites It is therfore Chanon Chore Dathan Dane Monke and Abbot Abiron with their complices of false Friers and other hypocrites that were so holy shauelinges that they might not for any crime were it neuer so hainous bee tried by the lawes of their countrey nor aunswere before their naturall prince They cried as did Chore Dathan and Abiron they were the holy people of the great lorde of Rome and that no temporall lorde might lifte vp him selfe aboue them And thus they shewed themselues to be the very children of their forefathers Chore Dathan AbiroÌ„ as truely as M. Dorman dooth falsely obiect it to vs. Now whereas M. Dorman alleageth the apologie as thus reasoning that the churche hath no neede of any other ruler because Christ is vvith it Truthe it is if M. Dorman dooe meane one onely head of the vniuersall churche For Christ néedeth no such generall gouernour seyng he is both present himselfe continually by his spirite as he promised also for that he hath in euery peculiar countrey church his Moises Aaron that is to faie his seuerall deputies in his stéede euery where here in earth for that no one mortall man can possibly suffice to the gouernaunce of the whole worlde or churche whiche woordes followyng in the Apologie M. Dorman of his accustomed sinceritie omitteth vtterly For it is the especiall woorke of Gods omnipotent wysedome as first to haue created the whole worlde and instituted the whole churche so vniuersally to gouerne the fame reachynge mightily from ende to ende ouer all and swéetely disposing or gouerning all thinges where as séely man ouercharged with the goueruaunce of a little percell is euer founde guiltie when it shal be said vnto hym Redde rationem villicationis tuae ReÌ„der an accompt of thy Stewardship At the lasâ—e he concludeth with a terrible denuntiation as it were thunderyng in a kinderkinne and lightnyng out of a brighte Basen moste terribly that we must folowe Chore and his fellowes swallowed quicke by hell as rebellious wretches againste the Popes Monarchie vnlesse we repent But wee feare no necessitie of suche horrible damnation vpon M. Dormans Muste For as wee are moste farre from rebellyng againste our naturall soueraigne and other Goddes ministers appoincted to gouerne vs and therefore no partakers of Chore and his fellowes rebellion so trust we in God to be moste farre from their moste horrible destruction And wee geue warnyng to M. Dorman with his maister doctour Harding and all suche as thei bee who for maintenaunce of a forraine Pharao against their conscience as is to be feared doo disobeie their owne naturall prince and that vpon the pretence of holinesse and spiritualitie and are therein moste like to Chore Dathan and Abyron rebellyng againste their owne speciall gouernours by God appoincted as thei did that thei make speede by vnfeined repentaunce to mollifie Gods moste iuste wrathe that thei folowe not Chore Dathan and Abyron in horrible damnation as thei haue folowed them in damnable rebellion Dorman Fol. II. But yet let vs good readers that nothyng maie remaine that might in any wise seeme to blemis he this truthe goe one steppe farder For as yet will our aduersaries I know wel saie that I neuer came where it grew For our case saie thei is farre otherwise then you take it seyng that we vtterlie denie not that Christe woorketh by meanes but onely swarue from you in that we take those instrumentes and meanes to be other then you doe For the scripture wee saie whiche Christ hath lefte to vs is the
true meane whereby in all doutes and controuersies we maie sufficiently content and satisfie our selues This is that Iudge whiche can not deceiue this is that touchestone that can not lye Thus saie our aduersaries with whom in that that thei appeale to the scriptures no man is offended yea we praise thē therefore and doe the like our selues But in that that thei holde the Scripture to bee of it self alone to ende and determine all controuersies risyng apon the doutefull meanyng of the letter able and sufficiente therein wee vtterly dissent from them and as wee thinke not without greate cause Nowell Concernyng the discussyng of doubtes and controuersies by the Scriptures it hath been before sufficientlie intreated of But M. Dorman abuseth all men to muche for as wee dooe saie that the Scripture beeyng the woorde of GOD is a lanterne to our feete a light to our steppes a touche stone of triall the loade-starre in the darke nights the waie to walke in to life euerlasting c. so dooe we acknowledge that we muste haue bishoppes and pastours well learned in the same Scripture or woorde of God to expounde the same vnto vs to rebuke our vices by the same to exhorte vs to all vertues by the same and finally by the same as a salue for all sores to cure all our diseases as becommeth suche heauenlie Phisitions by the same woords of God as the foode of our soules like our Spirituall pastours to feede vs vnto life euerlastyng And soe wee refuse no lawfull healpes with the scriptures for the determining of doubtes and controuersies and the atteinyng of other benefites though wee refuse one vnlawfull vsurpar but dooe agree moste directly with Gods ordinaunce expressed in Deuter. 17. in resortyng to our owne bishoppes and pastours as did the Israelites to theirs in all doubtes or other necessarie cases Dorman Fol. 12. For omittyng here that almightie God commaunded in the olde lawe as before you haue heard that his people the Iewes in doutefull questions arisyng apon the law should resorte to the priestes and to hym that was the chiefe iudge for the tyme to be resolued therein and bad them not for the trial thereof whiche sense were moste true to laie and conferre one texte with an other whiche without doubte had he knowen it to be the beste and surest as it is the readiest and easiest waie he would not haue let to haue dooen experience also hath taught vs the contrarie thereof Nowell It is true M. Dorman we haue heard this your onelie place of Scripture whiche yet is moste impertinent to your purpose before yea and that foure tymes in fiue leaues space too whiche argueth your miserable distres who in this so necessarie a parte of your treatie of the Popes supremacie and the foundation of all hauyng but one onelie place of the Scripture whiche in your opinion made a showe for you though the same in deede is not onelie impertinente to your cause but directlie against it also as hath been before at large declared are driuen to your arte by oft repeatyng of that one to make a showe to the simple readers as of many places And here bilike M. Dorman remembryng the prouerbe Crambe bis muche more ter quater ampliùs that to muche of one thyng is nought speciallie if it bee vnsauerie mollifieth the matter by a pretie figure saiyng that he will omitte it and yet dooeth largelie prosecute the same and will néedes stil wrest this place to the proofe of one onelie heade Prieste ouer all churches of all nations and languages whereto it serueth no more then dooeth Butter to stoppe an Ouen For how can all natiōs resort to one onely man How can all nations vnderstande one man had he moe languages then euer had Mithrydates How can one mā neuer yet able to suffice to the regiment of one chuche bee able to sustaine the charge of all Churches How can he that is not faithfull ouer a little be founde woorthie to haue the whole worlde committed vnto hym seeyng the diligente and faithfull seruaunte was made ruler ouer tenne cities onelie Salomon indued with all wisedome saied of one nation beeyng vnder hym Quis potest hunc populum tuum digne qui tam grandis est iudicare That is to saie Who can be able well to iudge gouerne this thy people whiche is so great But who is so bolde as blinde Baiarde the Pope who thinketh hymself of abilitie to iudge gouerne al people Showyng hymself moste vnlike vnto vnto Salomon who hauyng but one nation to gouerne asked wisedome of God as moste necessarie thereto rather then riches The Pope hauyng one Churche of Rome to gouerne and lackyng wisedome thereto as by the dissolute disorder and detestable enormities of that Churche aboue all other appeareth would yet haue the regimente of all Churches not well to gouerne all whiche is impossible but to scrape to hymself theriches of them all as the experience of his practise hath well prooued But as the Pope herein is moste vnlike to wise and humble Salomon so is he moste like to subtill and proude Satan ascendyng with him in presumption and desiryng to bee like in the gouernaunce of the whole Churche and worlde with the higheste God whose onelie and proper office this vniuersall regimente of all is vnpossible to any manne though the Pope neuer so muche with his graundfather Sathan dooe claime all to be his owne and therefore with hym troubleth all countreis kyngdomes and nations but accordyng to his presumption with Sathan shall his ruine with hym bee Saincte Cyprian and after hym sainct Augustine with 217. Bishoppes moe in the Africane councell seeyng the inconuenience of foraigne farre Iudges and gouernours and the commoditie of seuerall iudges and gouernours in seuerall countries and Cities decreed that no manne of their Countrey should saile ouer the sea to goe to Rome or other places there to be resolued of their doubtes but that euery seuerall bishoppe should haue the people of their seuerall Bishoprikes or Diocesses obedient vnto them selues and all controuersies emongest them arisyng to be determined at home And Sainct Cyprian and other aunciente doctours allege this place of Deuteron constantlie for the seuerall gouernemente of euery bishoppe in his owne diocesse but none of the old doctors euer alleged it for the vniuersall regiment of one ouer all Bishops and in all diocesses as hath been at large before declared Wherefore the appliyng of this place to that vse and purpose beyng a newe deuise and inuētion of the Popes proctours in these latter daies as it lacketh all antiquitie so is it voide of all authoritie But seyng M. Dorman hath so oftē alleged this place for that he had none other and I in euery place haue saied somewhat to the same For auoidyng of tediousnesse I will omitte to rehearse at large thynges before saied and will remitte thee good reader to the. 59.
the moste blessed Trinitie to the Popes vsurped supremacie minglyng vs in lente vnguentum to witte matters moste impertinente together might moste iustlie bee blamed in this place therefore sauyng that he dooeth so in all places Finallie I would haue thee good reader to note that as S. Hierome would not knowe Vitalis and Meletius for that thei were forainers and not his owne bishops for that they taught false doctrine and therefore were not of Christ but of Antichrist and for that they were of a straunge language so haue we the same causes altogether not to knowe but to refuse the bishop of Rome and moe too as this specially that he being a forainer would vsurpe suche a supreame authoritie or rather cruell tyranny ouer vs with whom of right he hath nothing to doo Dorman fol. 14. Tell them boldely vvith S. Austen that yovv vvill ovve neither sute nor seruice to their chaire of pestilēce nor be a member of that body that either lacketh a head and is a dead tronke or hath many and is a liue monstre Novvell Be bolde and blushe not M. Dormā as boldly to belie S. Augustine as ye streight before haue dealt with S. Hierome For neither be the woords you doo reherse S. Augustines neither are the greatest part of them to be found in the place by you noted nor y e woordes which be in that place whiche you haue noted whose so euer they bee make ought for your purpose or against vs. You should haue done more simply had you alleaged a proufe for your headles trunke or liue monstre out of Pighius Hosius Pope Boniface his Extrauagants there shall you in déede finde for your purpose for much adoo is made there to saue the Popishe churche as hauing two heades one in heauen an other in earth as they say from being a liue monstre Erasmus being no simple iudge of the true and counterfeite writinges of the olde doctours in his preface before the booke De quaestionibus veteris noui testamēti intitled vntruly to S. Augustine doth by diuersitie of S. Augustines phrase and the phrase of that book probably and by very barbarous and false Latine vsuall in that booke vnaccustomed to S. Augustine certainly and by sundry doctrines in that booke most contrary to S. Augustines doctrine in his bookes vndoubtedly prooue that it is not S. Augustines worke so that it were to muche impudencie for any man but onely Hosius and M. Dorman to alleage it for S. Augustines The woordes of that authour who so euer he was a little more largely rehearsed by Hosius than by you M. Dorman leaste it myght appeare you had followed him to neere are these Eorum qui extra ecclesiam vel contra ecclesiam sedes suas instituerunt Cathedram pestilentiae dicimus Qui enim inconcessa praesumit c. We saye that the chaire of them whiche haue made them sees without or against the churche is the chaire of Pestilence He that presumeth vpon vnlawfull thinges is guiltie howe muche more if he also corrupte the tradition of him whose seate he vsurpeth For they trouble the order begunne of Peter the Apostle and kept to this tyme by the continuance of Bishoppes succeedyng chalenginge to themselues ordre without origine that is to saye professinge a bodye without an head Wherefore it is agreable their seate also to appeere to be the chayre of Pestilence Thus farre that incerteine author alleged by Hosius and nowe by M. Dorman for S. Augustine First if you woulde haue this place to make for you against vs you must proue your selues to be the true churche of Christe which you shall neuer be hable to dooe being in deede the Synagoge of Antichriste Further it appeareth by these woordes vvhose seate he vsurpeth meaninge Peters seate that this was writen in later times against some Antipope wrongfully chosen and intruding himselfe into the Bishoprike of Rome For it hath been no noueltie for these .iii. or .iiii. hundreth yeres to haue .ii. or .iii. Popes at once one chosen at Rome by some Cardinalles an other at Auinion by other some Cardinalles the thirde in a thirde place appointed by the Emperour and one to keepe his Papal see at Rome an other at Auinion in Fraunce the third at Rauenna in Italie or some where els And so some writer in fauour of him by like that was chosen and kept residence at Rome hath written this against some other that vsurped Peters seate and so they beynge many at one time troubled the order of the succession of one after an other begunne at Peter and so continued till such discorde came in by those who settinge vp an other chaire and so not sitting in Peters chaire sate as he saieth in the chaire of pestilence Howsoeuer it be the mater can not be applied to vs who doo not vsurpe Peters chaire Further what woord is there here to proue y e chayre of Rome to be the head of y e vniuersall church but rather to be the head of that peculiar church of Rome onely where Peters successours haue cōtinued Such kinde of head gouernour as we doo not denie euery bishop to be in his own diocesse so yet subiect to his prince as y e bishop of Rome ought to be to y e Emperour his lord To proceede we hauing Christ to be our head our church is no dead trunke as lacking an head and hauing him our head onely other his ministers our gouernours vnder him our churche is no liue monster as hauing many heades no more than our cōmon wealth hauing God the only head in heauen our prince his seruant our head gouernour in earth is therefore a liue monstre or the whole worlde hauing God to his head is therefore a dead truncke because it hath no one onely earthly head nor can haue any such no more can the vniuersall churche throughout the whole worlde haue any suche one earthly head Wherefore as M. Dormā would gather our church to be a dead truncke for that we will not graunt one onely head in earth ouer all the churche though we graunt Christe to be the onely head therof as in déede he is so let him gather in like wise that the whole world is a dead trūcke for that it hath no one onely head in earth though it haue God for his head in heauen and so he may cōclude that god and Christ the authours of life be no heades or no such heades as can saue the bodies whereof they be heades from being dead trunckes except the saide bodies haue a false vsurper from Rome to be their head besides and to geue them life And had M. Dorman had so muche leasure from his diuinitie matters as to haue looked better vpon his notes of the Canon lawe his peculiar studie he would haue bene better aduised than to haue called vs Acephalos headles and therfore dead trunckes who doo obey our owne Prelates seing Acephali as is there
and you haue seene that saincte Cyprian so taketh it The other shewyng that Christian princes are superiours to Bishoppes or high Priestes as was Moses to Aaron or els if Moses were as thei saie a prieste also that there were twoo high priestes in the Iewishe churche at once and so consequently ought to bée in our churches whereby M. Dormans assertion of one head ouer the whole churche is quite ouerthrowen And withal you see how the Papistes theÌ„ selues disobedient to their owne soueraigne appoincted by God to bee their gouernour are the successours of Chore Dathan and Abyron rebellyng againste Moses and Aaron their gouernours by God appoincted Wherefore you maie well vnderstande that were it either profitable or necessarie were it Goddes and Christes pleasure as maister Dorman saieth it is to haue suche an one head in earth ouer his churche God would haue certified vs of a thyng so profitable and necessarie for vs and so pleasaunt to hym in his scriptures where he hath declared his pleasure more plainlie and expresselie then by twoo olde shadowes of the Iewishe Churche whiche also bee suche that thei dooe teache vs cleane contrarie to that whiche M. Dorman saith is so necessarie for vs and Christes pleasure also You se how blindly he goeth about to proue that there ought to be one onely head ouer all the churche bringeth in for proufe therof the regiment of seuerall countreis kingdomes cities c. by seuerall princes seueral magistrates and heades whiche maketh moste directly with vs that seueral churches should in like wise haue their seueral heades And yet he thus dealing auanteth himselfe askinge who is so blinde that he can not sée that he reasoneth effectuously Like blinde bayard laiyng himselfe in the mire and there walowing neieth yet for wantoÌ„nesse as though he were galoping in the gréene and flinging in the plaine You see how often S. Cyprian is by him alleaged for the Pope of Rome his supremacie in those places where he speaketh of Rogatian and of himselfe beyng both bishops of other countreis and places of the equalitie of al bishops whiche is directly against the supremacie of one ouer all You sée in likewise how he alleageth S. Basil bewailing the state of the bishops of the Gréeke and east churche and the decay of their authoritie and of their sées as though he had spoken of the Pope of Rome and his estimation nowe decayed and his see so sore ruined and howe he hath either very ignorantly or moste malitiously by false translation corrupted S. Basil You sée how vntruly he would make Nouatus his othe exacted for the maintenaunce of his heresie to séeme the same that is our othe of obedience to our prince and renouncing of the Popes foraine vsurped tyrannie And howe he would make Vrsitius and Valens to séeme to acknowledge the Popes supremacie onely for that they after long dissention reconciled them selues to Iulius bishop of Rome as they did in likewise to Athanasius bishop of Alexandria in Egypt who by the like reason should be the head of the whole churche as well as Iulius You sée howe he hath alleaged S. Hierome speaking of the authoritie that euery bishop hath ouer the priestes and clergie of his owne diocesse as though he had spoken of the supremacie of the bishop of Rome ouer all byshops and the whole thurche throughout the world Yea and thus hath he not been ashamed to alleage out of suche treaties of S. Hierome as either haue not as muche as one woorde spoken nor meant of the bishop of Rome though the saide treaties be very longe either if any mention be made of him other Bishoppes are expressely made equall in authoritie with hym and therefore his supremacie ouer other Bishoppes cleane ouerthrowen You sée Pope Leo his witnesse in his owne cause can not helpe hym specially the witnesse being corrupted and the copies of his testimonie not onely diuers but cleane contrarie one to an other whiche taketh awaye all creadite from them all And were they as they are surmised Pope Leo his woordes yet they are as you haue séene by S. Cyprian and S. Hicrome euen in the same places by M. Dorman alleaged clearely and fâ—lly confuted You sée howe shamefully he alleageth Nazianzene his sayinges of one God as though they had beene spoken of one Pope of whome Nazianzene neuer dreamed You see the woordes of an vncertaine and vnwoorthie authour boldely without blushyng alleaged for S. Augustines woordes whiche woordes yet were they S. Augustines make nothing against vs. And vniuersally you sée his falshoode in translating or fraude in corruptinge manglinge or addynge to such authors as he doth alleage Neither is his deceite and guile comparable to his impudencie and vnshamefastnesse beinge not abashed to alleage those authours for him who aboue all others moste make agaynste him As namely S. Cyprian and S. Hierome beynge both most plaine and earnest for the equalitie of all byshops and so directly against the supremacie of one ouer all And thus you sée good Readers that such an one head of the whole churche in earth to be neither appeareth to be Gods and our sauiour Christes will or pleasure by any thinge hitherto by M. Dorman alleaged out of the scriptures neither to be the wil of any godly auncient doctour by any thing hitherto brought by M. Dorman out of their writinges neither appéereth it by any good or probable reason by him made to be profitable muche lesse necessarie to Christes church that any such head should be Nay the cleane contrary to witte that it is not Gods nor our sauiour Christes pleasure that it was not the will of the godly auncient doctours that it is neither necessarie nor profitable to Christes churche to haue any suche one head in earth appéereth euidently by the Scriptures doctours and reasons yea and by the same scriptures doctours reasons which are by M. DormaÌ„ for his purpose alleaged And these good reader be those most plaine and euident reasons these be those vrgent causes whiche M. Dorman promysed in the beginninge of this treatie he woulde alleage for the necessitie of one head ouer the whole churche Neyther séemeth it that M. DormaÌ„ him selfe was ignorant of this infirmitie weakenes of his sclender proufes and therfore hath he to call away the readers mynde from this consideration intermingled many matters impertinent as complaintes and lamentations for the great persecutions that they innocent laÌ„bes God wot doo suffer as trifling tales of surmised felons as the defence of Cardinal Hosius one of the greatest estates for learning and vertue as saith M Dorman that this day Christendome hath as long treaties of the Suenkfeldianss Arrians Anabaptistes as declamations against the scripture and conference of tertes of the scripture together whiche he is very oft in hande with declaringe a speciall offence and stomake against the same Al which