a proude and slaunderous toungue Emongest other places he allegeth this texte He that saieth thou foole to his brother c. is guiltie of hell fire whereof he inferreth how can thei then escape the iudgemeÌ„t of God the aueÌ„ger who spake suche thinges not onelie to brethren but also to Priestes And so procedyng alledgeth out of the Scriptures againste those heretikes whiche had so railed on him as out of Deuteronomium the 17 chapiter and out of the first booke of Kinges out of the 8. of Mathewe and the 10. of Luke the 23. of the Actes of the obedieÌ„ce and reuerence due to the high priestes and to the Apostles And all this he writeth speciallie to confirme his owne autthoritie beyng so vnwoorthilie railed on behinde his backe as is moste euidente by the continuauÌ„ce of the processe After whiche foloweth the place by M. Dorman alledged of the priest of God who is not obeied and of one prieste and one iudge in the churche in Christes steede not regarded Whiche woordes he speaketh of hymself so abused by those heretikes so railyng on hym behinde his backe as by all that goeth before from the firste entrie of speakyng of hymself and his owne wronges and still continuyng the treatie of hymself and his owne matters and also by these woordes folowyng it doeth moste plainly appere Caeterum dico dico enim prouocatus c. But I saie saieth sainct Cyprian for I saie beyng prouoked to witte by suche railers vpon him as he began firste to speake of I saie beyng sorowfull I saie beyng coÌ„pelled when a bishop is placed in the roume of his predecessour beyng deade when he is chosen peaceably by the voice of all the people beyng in persecution defended by Gods helpe ioigned faithfullie to all his felowe bishops tried and allowed of his people in his bishoprike foure yeres sufferyng so many persecutions euen at this verie time in the whiche I doo write to you these letters cried for to be throwen to the Lions when such a brother is assaulted of certaine desperate and wicked persones it appeareth that thei whiche doo so assaulte him be the enemies of Christe Thus farre saincte Cyprian whereby it appeareth that he hath continued and doeth still continue to write of hymself by the verie woordes prouocatus dico I saie being prouoked c. and by the circumstances of his complaintes to Cornelius for suche vnworthie despisyng of him and railing vpon hym by suche his disobedient inferiours and by the circumstance of the matter time where he saieth that he who was of his people allowed foure yeres in his Bishoprike is the broother so assaulted beyng the Priest of God is so despised beyng the iudge in Christes steede for the tyme is not regarded as he saied before Whereby it is moste manifest that sainct CypriaÌ„ meaneth himself and not Cornelius who was bishop of Rome but thrée yeres or as Platina and others saie but twoo yeres So that these woordes of one priest one Iudge in the Churche for the tyme in steede of Christe whiche M. Dorman hath alledged for the supremacie of one heade of the vniuersall Churche can not possiblie be taken as spoken of Cornelius Bishop of Rome but are directlie spoken of S. Cyprian hymself Bishop of Carthage in Afrike as I doubt not but all learned and discreate men readyng the epistie will iudge Wherefore it falleth out by M. Dormans diligence that Carthage whiche is in Afrike and in the possession of the Infideles should bee the see of the supreme heade of the Churche and not Rome Now the truthe in deede is that as this place is here alledged by sainct Cyprian with a number of scriptures there like wise rehearsed for the mainteinaunce of his owne authoritie in his Bishoprike so doo thei likewise apperteine to the authoritie of euery other bishop in his own diocesse who is there th' one priest and the one iudge in the churche in Christes stéede for the tyme. And neither these nether any other suche places were euer alleged by S. Cyprian for the supremacie of any one Bishop ouer al the churche Let S. Cyprians woordes next before the very place by M. Dorman alleged proue this that I haue saied Cum haec tanta talia multa alia exempla praecedant c. That is to saie where as these suche and so greate examples with many other doâ—e goe before by the whiche the sacerdotal authoritie and power is by Goddes goodnesse established what maner of men thinke you bee thei whiche beyng the enemies of Priestes and rebelles againste the catholike Churche are feared neither by the threatnynges of the Lorde forewarnyng nor with the vengeaunce of the indgement to come For hereof rise heresies and schismes that the prieste of God is not obeied c. as maister Dorman hath alleged out of this place of S. Cyprian You maie see that where S. CypriaÌ„ saieth now The priest of God as speaking of one immediatly before he said The priestes as of many as it is all one to saie Obeie thy superiour and Obeie thy superiours Whiche also declareth that the woordes nexte folowyng of one Prieste and one Iudge in the Churche in Christes steede doo apperteine to all Bishops that is to euery one in his owne diocesse and not one to be ouer all the churche Concernyng the Apologie maister Dorman his owne example of ciuile gouernemente â— little before alledged plainlie declareth that he dooeth vniustlie finde fault with it For as the Apologie with vs denieth not but that euery king in his own realme euery meaner magistrate in his office is in Goddes steede or place a Iudge for the tyme so doeth it not denie but that euery Bishop in his diocesse is in Christes steede or place iudge for the time But as the Apologiâ— denieth that euery one Kyng is or can bee in Goddes place iudge ouer all the worlde to rule it but euery kyng is in Gods steede Iudge in his owne kyngdome or kingdomes as God doeth appoinct for he geueth to diuers kynges many kyngdomes but to none all so doeth it deny that any one bishop is or can be in Goddes place iudge in the vniuersall churche or in al churches throughout the worlde Wherefore the Apologie is herein vniustlie blamed of you M. Dorman neither dooeth S. Cyprian who died an holie martyr and is no doubt a sainct in heauen holde with you against the Apologie but with it against you most plainly in this and all other places whiche you haue vntruelie alleged and all reasons that you haue vnreasonablie gathered and violently wrested against it out of S. Cyprian And I trust that of this suche like vndiscreate allegations it will appeare to the wise reader how little cause M. Dorman had to triumphe as though S. Cyprian were of his side altogether and withall so insolentlie to raile vpon vs saiyng that it were better with S. Cyprian to liue and die in the obedieÌ„ce of this Priest
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
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
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
the world condemned and burned to ashes bee an eternall witnesse Yea let their owne decree made in the saied Councell whiche was That no faithe nor promise is to bee kepte to any heretike nor that any manne by any promise standeth bound to an heretike for so thei call all those that dare speake against them bee a perpetuall testimonie of the same Thei saie wee are heretikes wee dooe deny it if our naie maie not defende vs why should their yea coÌ„demne vs Thei saie because thei bee the churche but wee deny the same shall here their yea secue for theÌ„ as it did before against vs and our naie neither touch theÌ„ nor helpe vs In some countreis if the partie accused pleade not guiltie and saie naie to the crime obiected if he by diuers tormentes enforced to confesse doo still maintaine his naie and passe through the appoincted tormentes constanly mainteinyng his naie he is discharged and let goe But it caÌ„ not healp vs accused as heretikes to denie the false accusation to mainteine our deniall in all tormentes and moste cruell deathes neither to bring good testimonie of our innocencie out of Gods woorde all these can helpe vs nothyng against their onelie bare saiyng that we bee heretikes for that is all their proofe In what case are we then How easily maie thei then bothe defende themselues coÌ„demne vs and maintaine what thei list be it right or wrong truthe or falshoode beyng accusers witnesses examiners and iudges theÌ„selues in the causes wherein thei bée parties and parties accused also Wherefore what can we dooe els but as did Christ our sauiour and his holie Apostles against the high Priestes against the Phariseis and Scribes appeale to God not absent not dumbe as M. Dorman deuiseth and saiyng nothyng at all for vs as he would haue it seme but to God yea and to our Sauiour Christe his soonne speakyng his minde moste largelie and plainly in the scriptures and beyng no partie but moste indifferent iudge betwéene them and vs. For if the controuersie be about true Religion and scruice of God what better triall can there be then Goddes woorde God hymself commaundyng vs that in his seruice we shall dooe that whiche he coÌ„maundeth vs that wee shall neither adde thereto nor take any thyng therefrom What better Iudge can there be in this worlde betwene vs then Gods woorde whiche as our sauiour Christ saieth shall iudge vs in the worlde to come If the controuersie bee aboute the true churche what better iudge can there bee then the Scripture writen by the Prophetes and the Apostles seyng it is testified to vs by the spirite of GOD moste plainelie that the true churche is builded and staied vpon the foundation of the Prophetes of the Apostles And though this dooe not like M. Dorman and suche as he is yet you shall heare that it did not misâ—â—ke the old and holie fathers of the auncient and true churche that suche controuersies should bee so quietted by the scriptures Sainct Augustine coÌ„tendyng against those who doo attribute Gods grace and giftes to the woorthinesse of mennes merites coÌ„cludeth thus Cedamus consentiamus autoritati scripturae sancte quae nescit falli nec fallere That is to say Let vs geue place and aagrée to th'autoritie of the holy scripture whiche caÌ„ not bee deceiued nor deceiue others The same S. Augustine contending with the Donatistes hath these woordes Nos nullam Cypriano facimus iniuriam cum eius quaslibet literas à canonica Diuinarum scripturaruÌ„ autoritate distinguimus neque sine causa tam salubri vigilantia Canon ecclesiasticus constitutus est ad queÌ„ certi prophetaruÌ„ ApostoloruÌ„ libri pertineÌ„t quos omnino iudicare noÌ„ audemus secundum quos de caeteris fideliuÌ„ infideliuÌ„ iudicamus mox ca. 32. Ego huius epistolÄ™ autoritate noÌ„ teneor quia literas Cypriani noÌ„ vt canonicas habeo sed eius ex canonicis considero quod iÌ„ eis diuinaruÌ„ scripturatuÌ„ autoritati coÌ„gruit cum laude eius accipio quod auteÌ„ noÌ„ congruit cuÌ„ pace eius respuo Whiche is to saie We doo Cyprian no wrong when we make a difference betweene euery letter and writing of his and the Canonicall autoritie of the holy scriptures Neither without cause thecclesiasticall Canon with so holsome care hath béen appoincted to the whiche the certain assured bookes of the Prophetes Apostles pertaine the which in no wise we presume to iudge and according to the which we iudge of all other bookes writinges both of the faithfull and of the infidels And straight waies after in the 32. chapiter I am not bound to the autoritie of this epistle because I hold not Cyprians letters and writynges for Canonicall but consider his writynges by the Canonicall what accordeth in them to the auctoritie of the diuine Scriptures I allowe with his praise and what disagreeth froÌ„ them by his leaue I refuse These are the woordes of S. Augustine You maie sée here how S. Augustine preferreth the scriptures before the doctours yea before S. Cyprian so often by you M. Dorman alleged who was in deede a blessed martyr is no doubt a sainct in beauen and who also is mosse against you euen where he is alleged by you You see S. Augustine will haue sainct Cyprians writynges and all other doctours and mennes saiynges and writynges examined and Iudged by the scriptures whiche you yet reiecte as no coÌ„uenient iudges and that the scriptures maie be iudged by no man Yea S. Cyprian hymself agreyng hereto sheweth the causes why heresies schismes corruption of the truthe and breache of vnitie dooe come into the Churche and why so many are deceiued by the deuill transformyng hymself into an angell of light by these woordes Hoc eò fit fratres dilectissimi dum ad veritatis originem non reditur nec caput quaeritur nec magistri coelestis doctrina seruatur Quae si quis consideret examinet tractatu longo at que argumentis opus noÌ„ est That is to saie This coÌ„meth to passe hereof moste beloued brethren for that wée dooe not retourne to the origene â—â— beginnyng of the truthe neither is the head sought nor the doctrine of the heauenlie maistor kepte The whiche thynges if a man dooe consider and examine it shall not neede any long treatiâ— orargumentes Thus farre saincte Cyprian Who calleth Christe originem veritatis caput vnum caput originem vnam magistrum coelestem c. To saie The beginnyng of the truthe the head the onelie head the onely beginnyng the heaueÌ„lie schole maister whose doctrine if we would obserue we should not saith S. Cyprian neede any longe treatie or argumenâ—es But for that this beginnyng of the truthe is not returned vnto this heade is not soughte for the doctrine of this hâ—auenlie schoolemaister is not kepte he affirmeth it to bee the cause of all heresies schismes endlesse contentions illusions
of the deuill other mischieues in the churchâ— in his tyme as we likewise prooue it now to bee in our tyme. And therefore thei that seeke other beginnynges beside this onelie beginnyng other heades besides this onelie heade other doctrines besides this doctrine of this onelie heauenlie schoole maister are the verie authours of the saied schismes heresies endlesse contentions and all other mischieues whiche trouble the Churche of God Now lette vs heare S. Augustine concernyng the scriptures and Councelles who contendyng with the Artians allegyng the Ariminense concilium for them hath these woordes Sed nunc nec ego Nicenum nec tu debes Ariminense tanquam prÄ™iudicaturus proferre concilium nec ego huius autoritate nec tuillius detineris scripturarum autoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cum re causa cu causa ratio cum ratione coÌ„feratur c. That is to say But neither I ought to bring foorth the councell of Nice nor thou the Councell of Ariminum as one thereby to preiudice the othâ—r neither am I bounde to th' authoritie of the one nor thou of the other By the authoritie of the scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent to bothe let matter with matter cause with cause reason bee coÌ„pared with reason Thus farre S. Augustine You sée that your Councelles by S. Augustines iudgemeÌ„t ought not to preiudice vs beyng at controuersie with you you se how your councelles are partiall to you as was the Ariminense councell to the Arrians yea and muche more too you see that S. Augustine would not in this case vse the authoritie of the Nicene councell whiche yet of all other had and hath the greatest authoritie and that therefore the authoritie of the Scriptures partiall to none but common and indifferent to all is to bee vsed of all and aboue all as iudge Sainct Chrysostome coÌ„cernyng the same writeth thus Grauior est scripturarum ac prophetaruÌ„ doctrina quaÌ„ siquid à mortuis resuscitati renuÌ„cient quà m si angelus è coelo descendat quae illi dicunt serui sunt qui loquuntur quae verò scripture loquuntur loquutus est Dominus Docet ergo nos DnÌ„s vt scripturis potiùs credendum existimemus quà m caeteris omnibus Whiche is to saie More weightie is the doctrine of the Scripture and the Prophetes then if suche as bee raised from the dead dooe reporte any thyng or if an Angell dooe descende from heauen as for the thinges that thei talke thei bee but seruauntes that speake them but whatsoeuer the Scripture vttereth the Lorde hath spoken it The Lorde therefore dooeth teache vs that wee should thinke creadite should be rather geuen vnto the scriptures then to all other thynges These are the woordes of Chrysostome in that place And in an other he saith Nemo vult ad scripturas attendere si enim aduerteremus non solum noÌ„ incideremus in fallaciam sed etiam alios deceptos inde liberaremus periculo abstraheremus That is to saie No man will geue heede vnto the scriptures for if wee did consider them wee should not onelie not fall into errour our owne selues but also therof deliuer other that are deceiued and pull them from perill So muche affirmeth Chrysostome Sainct Hierome also agreeth to the same who speakyng of a matter conteined in the writynges called Apocrypha saieth Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur That is to saie This because it hath not the authoritie of scripture for it is as easely conteÌ„ned as proued The same saincte Hierome euen in an other place alleged also in the Popes owne Canonnes hath these woordes Non adferamus stateras dolosas vbi appendamus quod volumus pro arbitrio nostro dicentes hoc graue est hoc leue est sed adferamus diuinam stateram de scripturis sacris tanquam de thesauris dominicis in illa quid sit grauius appendamus Whiche is to saie Let vs not bryng deceiptfull balances wherein wee maie weigh whatsoeuer wee luste at our owne discreation saiyng this is heauie this is light but lette vs bryng the heauenlie balaunce of the holie Scriptures as from the treasure of the Lorde and therein lette vs weigh what is of more weight Thus muche concernyng the soueraintie of the Scripture I thought good to bryng out of the Doctours Nowe touchyng the expoundyng and sense of the Scriptures S. Augustine hath these woordes Vbi apertius ponuntur in scripturis sacris ibi discenduÌ„ est quomodo iÌ„ locis intelligantur obscuris c. Where thynges are more plainlie vttered in the scriptures there must we learne how thei are to bee vnderstanded in darke places These bee saincte Augustines woordes who dooth often in sundrie places of his woorkes inculcate and repeate the same Saincte Chrysostome agreeyng with saincte Augustine concernyng the same hath these woordes Ad ipsum diuinae scripturae scopum accedamus quae seipsam interpretatur mox Sacra scriptura seipsam exponit auditorem errare non sinit Whiche is to saie Let vs come to the leuell and marke of the holie scripture whiche dooeth expounde it self And by and by after The sacred scripture expoundeth it self and suffereth not the hearer for to erre Hitherto Chrysostome Now concernyng the authoritie of the scriptures and the Churche there is a moste notable and true declaration thereof in the auncient authour printed with Chrysostome and of long tyme taken for hym who vpon these woordes of our sauiour in the Gospell of sainct Mathewe Qui sunt in IudÄ™a fugiant ad montes That is to saie Thei that be in Iewrie let them flie to the mountaines saith thus Id est qui sunt in Christianitate conferant se ad scripturas Et quare in hoc tempore omnes Christiani conferre se ad scripturas debent Quia in tempore hoc ex quo obtinuit haeresis illas ecclesias nulla probatio potest esse verae Christianitatis neque refugium potest esse Christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fidei veritatem nisi scripturae diuinae Antea enim multis modis ostendebatur quae esset ecclesia Christi quae gentilitas nunc autem nullo modo cognoscitur volentibus cognoscere quae sit vera ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo per scripturas Quare Quia omnia hÄ™c quae sunt propriè Christi in veritate habet heresis illa in schismate Similiter ecclesias similiter ipsas scripturas diuinas similiter episcopos caeterosque ordines clericorum similiter baptismum similiter Eucharistiam cÄ™tera omnia denique ipsum ChristuÌ„ Volens ergo cognoscere quÄ™ sit vera ecclesia Christi vnde cognoscat iÌ„ taÌ„ta coÌ„fusione similitudinis nisi tantuÌ„modo per scripturas IteÌ„ ex moribus ipsis priùs iÌ„telligebatur ecclesia Christi quando coÌ„uersatio ChristianoruÌ„ aut omniuÌ„ aut multorum
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
aduentured not to come aftervvard theÌ„ selues assuredly knovving that all that they coulde say vvas already vttered by their scholers mouthes but yet trustinge that all men did not so knovv the same but that they might still mainteine vvith some their olde opinion and doctoral estimation And though one Doctor came and vvas handled as vvere the disciples yet vvas the rebuke but one mans but had he gotten the victorie the prayse had been coÌ„moÌ„ to them al. This is the effecte of S. Chrysostome his exposition vpon the sendinge of the disciples and the comminge of one Doctor vnto our Sauiour Christe VVhiche our aduersaries like men of muche discretion haue politikely folovved But all men that haue any vnderstanding at all may easely vnderstande that thei all vvoulde not commit the handlinge of matters of suche vveight and for the vvhiche they all as it vvere Pro aris focis for life and death as one might terme it doo fight to those fevv beinge very yonge men and of meane learninge and small experience in comparison and of a diuers studie and professing themselues vvhich they can not hide to be yonge studientes in diuinitie all men I say may vvell knovve that they vvoulde not committe suche matters to such men vvithout their common aduise and helpe ioyned vvith â—hem Seeinge that D. Hardinge himselfe do the plainely confesse that he in the vevv of his vvorke vsed the aduise of his learned friendes and that it is not credible that M. Rastell vvould let his booke lie by him foure yeres in a readinesse vvithout a suruey therof made by some of so many remayning with him at Louane VVherfore it is not harde for any of any vnderstandinge to vnderstande that this publishinge of their common deuise vnto the worlde in the names of a few of the simplest sorte among them is but a practise of policie For they perciuinge that they cannot write nor set abroade bookes worthy to be compted learned mens doynges doo prouide authors meete for suche bookes as they can set foorth VVhereby they shall not onely keepe their owne autoritie and cause without all daunger what so euer be iudged of these authors or their bookes but shall also mainteinâ—â—n the mindes of men a great opinion and expectatioÌ„ of themselues as Veteranes and olde Souldiours whose brunt when they shall come to the matter wil be as may seeme of greater force and violence than that it can possibly be resisted seing these yonge souldiours haue geuen such a fresh onset But I dare assure you that either these matters shal thus stil be handled by scholers and yonge studientes as they call theÌ„selues or if th' olde doctors dare adueÌ„ture which yet many doctors doubt of they shal handle the saide matters but scholerlike as hath that one Doctor already doone and I doubt not but it shall to the worlde be made most manifest that he hath so doone And to speake more particularly as it was no greate matter for D. Harding out of Pighius Gropperus Hosius and certaine others who haue intreated of the same matters in common places before him to haue translated into English what he thought meete for his purpose whiche he hath lately put abroade as his owne dooinges so might M. Dorman with farre lesse labour and better right also a greate deale out of his maister D. Hardinges booke so lately before written borow of authorities and reasons ready framed to his haÌ„des as much as liked him and so of a peece of his maisters booke conteining onely .iiij. articles of .xxvi. with greate ease make vs an other new booke as greate as is his maisters the ordre here and there being a litle transposed to obscure the matter and to make a show of new inuention and the stile somewhat floorished with M. Dormans railing rhetorike For they that doo know M. Dorman better than I doo marueiling of his dooinges in Diuinitie matters doo thinke that he hath all his learninge not of inheritance but by lâ—gacie supposinge that he hath mette with Doctor Smith his written bookes who of late deceasinge did as they say put M. DormaÌ„ in some trust Els they thinke he coulde not so shortly and sodenly before he was knowen to be a student in Diuinitie become a Bacheler of the same Vnlesse perhappes he sometime stoode vpon the bridge with others whiles the creator saide Omnes vos qui statis in ponte estote Bacchalaurei dixit fatui suÌ„t But the same his acqueintance so marueiling of his new degree in schoole of Diâ—initie affirme that in iesting scoffing mockinge and railinge he is suche a Veterane and so olde a practicioner that he doth plainely raigne yea and triuÌ„phe too in the schoole of scolding and though they helde their peace his dooynges in this booke doo wel declare the same And it is not vnlikely but that M. Dorman with others vpon vew of D. Hardinges booke iudgeing that he as a graue and learned man had sufficiently reasoned against vs but had otherwise dealte to coldely with vs as of purpose auoidynge glikes nippes scoffes bittes cuttes and girdes for so himselfe saithe thought it good by common aduise that M. Dorman takinge D. Hardinges reasons and so eased of that greatest parte of the labour should set foorth the matter and amplifie it specially that of the Popes supremacie in the whiche he saw his Maister had professed breuitie after his and certaine others deuise and not only with nippes and girdes pinche and wringe vs but also with whole cartlodes of railynges in the whiche facultie M. Dorman excelleth should ouerwhelme vs that wee might seeme to all their fauourers not only borne downe and cleane ouerthrowen by D. Hardinge but also by M. Dorman torne all to peeces according as M. Dorman hath in this booke for his parte well endeuoured himselfe to accomplishe Novv if any doo maruell that I not prouoked as may seeme doo purchase to my selfe so great and grecuous an aduersarie as is M. Dorman by ansvvering his booke vvritten as he professeth against the bishop of Sarisburie I make them this ansvvere Though this and other like bookes appeare in name and vvoorde to be vvritten againste the saide bishop onely yet be they in deede and meaninge vvriten againste vs all as vvell as him for that they doo oppugne and assaulte the cause vvhiche is common to vs all vvith him vnder his name onely goeinge about through his sides as it vvere to thrust vs all through the hartes Further seeinge suche a number of bookes as it vvere dartes directed at his head vvhereof the moste parte are suche that had he leysure enough therto yet vvould he neuer ansvvere them but by contempte of them vvhiche yet not ansvvered might seeme therfore to be let alone for that thei vvere not ansvverable suche is either the sclender discretion of some sielie soules either the bolde braggerie of many malaperte aduersaries I thought for the satisfiynge of the symple and
repressinge of the insolente to say somevvhat to some one of those bookes and therfore to M. Dormās rather than any others for that it came abroade nexte in ordre after D. Hardinge his booke Of vvhiche booke yet had I before I did beginne vnderstanded that I novve in processe doo that it had bene in substance so agreable vvith D. Hardinge his booke that the Bishoppe of Sarum should in ansvveringe the one in effect haue ansvvered bothe as he must needes doo it should for me haue bene let alone vntill the bishoppes ansvvere had come abroade in printe and than the conclusion onely excepted vvhiche is somevvhat seuerall to M. Dorman should it by me haue none othervvise bene ansvvered but onely by notinge in the margent in vvhat places of the bishoppes ansvvere to D. Hardinge euery place of M. Dormans booke is ansvvered vvhiche order I vvill hereafter folovve and vvhere M. Dorman shall haue any thinge peculiar that vvill I directly ansvvere my selfe Novv as the ignoraunce of the affinitie betvvene the Maisters and the scholers bookes caused me to beginne vvith M. Dormans booke as an other nevve vvoorke vntouched before intending verefy to goe through vvith the same so in the processe of the booke the knovvledge therof did grovv more and more and so much at the laste that I did not onely by the style as did Tullie Theophrastes Disciple but by the matter it selfe also knovv D. Harding his scholar so like to him that he might seeme his sonne also and spitte out of his mouth as they say so that in deede he may professe D. Hardinge to be his mayster of very good righte as of vvhome he hath the learninge that he shevveth in this booke And had he not dedicate the booke to D. Hardinge as to vvhome of right it apperteineth beyng as a man learned in the lavve not ignorant of the chiefe propertie of iustice suum cuique he mighte haue bene iustly accused of some vniuste compilation of his maisters almeries seeyng he is not yet his exequutor as vvell as D. Smithes This matter I say perceiued inforced me to stay least I might seeme of sette purpose though colorably to haue hasted to preuent the bishoppe of Sarisburie in ansvveringe D. Hardinge by ansvveringe M. Dorman and so to haue seemed vvillinge to goe before him one vvay in hastie dooynge vvhome I must needes folovv a great vvay behinde in all vvell dooinge And vvere not this cause vvhich yet is a great and a iuste cause I haue not suche leasure vvhiche is the common case of vs all as to ansvvere that vvhiche I doo heare say is already ansvvered and ready to printe as M. Dorman had leasure to vvrite againe that vvhiche vvas before vvriten by his Maister neither had I such leasure liste I as he dothe blotte paper vvith other mens dooinges These are the very causes vvhy I haue staied and as yet haue proceeded no further in the ansvveringeof M. Dormans booke But vvhen I had passed thus farre and the bishoppes ansvvere ▪ as the reporte than vvent vvas not fully finished and many good mèn muche desired somme ansvvere and as many aduersaries as much bragged that their bookes vvoulde neuer be ansvvered the councell of some friendes and suche continuall bragge of so many aduersaries caused me to suffer this little taste as vntimely fruite the sooner to come abroade that suche as finde double faulte vvith vs for not ansvveryng speedely or fully might in parte be satisfied And the rather haue I consented to suche aduise of my friendes for that by this taste that I haue giuen the readers of M. Dorman they shall knovv him throughly not a lyon as they say by his longe nayles but a lyar by his leude tales For by the vevve hereof they may not onely iudge of his vvhole treatie but also this principall parte and firste fronte in the vvhiche M. Dorman as a skilfull man hath placed the chiefe strength and force or rather this the very fundation of the vvhole beynge cleane ouerthrovven as I doubt not but it is all the reste muste needes come to ruine vvith all At the least I trust I haue so farre satisfied the discrete reader concerninge M. Dorman that it shall suffice hereafter to passe ouer the residue of his booke by briefe notes And I doo truste also that suche as shall blame me moste for not ansvvering the vvhole shal be greued moste that I haue ansvvered so much and that those that shall finde moste faulte i◠vvoordes vvith our slacke ansvveringe shall be moste vexed in minde vvith our speedy ansvvering For as their bookes vvere not therfore sodenly vvriten for that they came sodenly abroade so shal they I doubt not be ansvvered spedely that is in shorter space then they vvere vvriten in And yet all speede is not alvvay in most haste For it may so fall out that M. Dorman vvith the vvhole company of his adhaerentes the Papistes shall more easily write tenne such bookes more at randon as this is written then be hable to mainteine and to defende directlie this little parcel of his booke as eyther trulie or learnedly written And thus muche I thought good to saie concerning our not speedie answeringe as some men thinke and my parcel answering which some men wil blame for the satisfiyng of some for all looke not to satisfie though al Dormans and al other Papists were altogether already so answered as they al might be ashamed of their dooinges as I doubt nothinge god willinge but it shall shortely so come to passe though peraduenture not one emongst them all will euer confesse the same Now that I haue so diligently and largely and as it may seeme carefully also answered M. Dorman whose owne dooynges I affirme to be more woorthy of laughter than of any earnest answere which shall I am sure be layde also to my charge I doo certifie the reader that I doo not answere the reasons alleaged in this booke as M. Dormans but as the reasons of D. Hardinge of whom M Dorman hath borowed them and not onely Doctor Hardinges but Eckrus Pighius and Hosius reasons also yea and of all those that haue written in Latine for the Popes vsurped power and supremacie in whose writinges the like reasons are to be found and out of whom D. Hardinge as out of him M. Dorman hath translated adverbum almost such places as he thought for his purpose wherfore I haue vsed the more diligēce as vnder the name of one answeringe so many An other and most weightie cause why I haue vsed such diligence and prolixitie is this M. Dorman though he be a weake assaylant and sclender reasoner yet is he a great lyar and a venemous sclaunderer and therefore hath he sette abroade a lewde booke in deede but not so lewde as sclaunderous and sclaunderous not to seueral persons onely but to our whole countrey to our lawes and to our gratious soueraigne whom he chargeth as vsurping vndue authoritie sclaunderous I say not here at home
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
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
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
the dominion of all the worlde it self also to apperteine to hym â–ª whiche neuer yet did any besides hym but the Deuill himself of whom whether the Pope holde it by inheritaunce as his eldest soonne and heire or by ferme as his tenaunte geuerall or as his deputie and Bailiffe errande I knowe not but sure I am that what right so euer he hath therto and by what tenure so euer he holdeth it he holdeth it of the Deuill who chalengeth the same as chief Lorde and hath made offer thereof to suche as would wholie serue hym But GOD I am sure or our Sauiour Christ neuer made any suche offer or promise to any mortall man naie our Sauiour Christe as he hymself refused suche offer made to hym so he specially forbiddeth the affectatioÌ„ of suche worldly dominion to all his Apostles consequentlie by them to all the Cleargie Where as M. Dorman proceadeth saiyng that wee tell Christe that he is of age and able to dooe it hymself and that therefore there is no remedie but he muste needes come doune and geue answere to all our wise demaundes in his owne persone I truste all men doo knowe that M. Dorman did know that he lied leudelie wheÌ„ he did write this For he knoweth right well as shortly hereafter hymself coÌ„fesseth the same that wee thinke it enough that Christe hath once come doune to teache vs and that wee looke for none other answere of Christe then he hath alreadie geuen in his holie Gospell whiche he preached once for all in his corporall presence and confirmed the truthe of the same by visible and corporall miracles and that therefore he speakyng and answeryng vs in his holie woorde to all demaundes necessarie for our saluation needeth not any corporall presence his woorde and Gospell written satisfiyng vs as well as though wee did se hym and heare hym speake with our corporall eyes and eares And maister Dorman and all the aduersaries to the truthe maie bee ashamed to charge vs as not allowyng Christe meanes to woorke his spiritual grace by but vexyng hym by callyng for his corporall presence wheras thei themselues as those that thinke he can dooe nothing excepte he bee corporallie present would turmoile hym euery howre and minute also from place to place yea and would imprison hym also in narrowe and streight roumes passyng little ease in the towre of London manifolde And so thei allowyng hym no meanes to woorke by but that he muste needes come doune in his owne persone dooe as iustlie ioigne in this poincte with Suenkfeldius as thei falslie charge vs therewith whereas wee dooe acknowledge that Christe though corporallie absente by his diuine power is able and dooeth dailie and howerly woorke his manifolde graces in vs by sundrie ordinarie meanes suche as hymself hath appoincted and instituted and that by his moste holie woorde he dooeth teache vs as effectuallie as though he were corporallie presente And by his blessed Sacramentes of Baptisme and of his supper he deriueth as it were his graces vnto vs by the one regeneratyng and reuiuyng vs in hymself who were before vnhappilie borne and deade borne in Adam by the other nourishyng refreshyng our hungrie and thristie soules with the foode of his blessed bodie and bloude as effectuallie as though he were with vs corporally present This dooeth M. Dorman and the aduersaries knowe therfore when M. Dorman saith that we barre Christe of all meanes to woorke by M. Dorman and all the worlde muste also needes knowe that M. DormaÌ„ lieth bothe shamefullie and wittyngly too Now that you vnderstande how M. Dorman hath moste vntruelie charged vs as allies to Suenkfeldius who doo moste abhorre and are moste farre from hym his vile heresies let me sée whether as I haue shewed a verie great likenesse conformitie to be betwene SueÌ„kfeldius the Papistes in this laste poincte of allowyng Christ no meane to woorke by and therefore requiring his corporall presence so I can prooue the like coÌ„formitie betwéen them him likewise in al other pointes by M. Dorman here specified Suenkfeldius emoÌ„gst others holdeth this most abominable heresie That we ought to banishe vtterlie from emongeste vs all Scriptures Dooe not the Papistes themselues forbiddyng the scriptures to be readde of the Laitie kéepyng the scriptures hid in an vnknowen tongue burnyng the scriptures written in knowen language go as nere to this abominable heresie of Suenkfeldius as wee are moste farre from the same Who dooe iudge and teache that all men of all sortes ought with diligence to reade or heare the scriptures Thou must not be perfecte in the Scriptures saieth this stinkyng heretike Suenkfeldius the scripture is not his worde but dead letters and no more accompte to be made of them then of any other creatures emongest the whiche thei are to be rekened Thou must not bee perfecte in the scriptures saie these false Papistes to all laie men it is ignoraunce that is the mother of deuotion it sufficeth a laie man to haue fidem implicitam an implicate faithe yea so implicate that the moste parte of seelie men vnder Poperie caÌ„ no more explicate what thei beleue then can a Popiniay yea and Popiniaye like bothe rehearsyng that their implicate faithe and praiyng in a straunge language thei can no more tell what thei saie then dooth the Popiniay whiche biddeth her dame good night maistres at midde daie And the Papistes speake of the holy scriptures not onelie as vnreuerentlie and abominablie as euer did Swenkfield but dooe farre passe hym in al outrage calling the Scriptures moste contumeliously and blasphemousâ—ie a nose of waxe and affirmyng it to be but an vncertaine thyng and like a rule of Lead appliable to euery wicked sentence and to all purposes excepte it haue the Popes direction as a moste certaine infallible rule I will rehearse the verie wordes of that blasphemous beaste and as Popishe a swine as euer was Swenkfielde a stinkyng heretike I meane Pighius in his Hierarchie or defence of the Popes supremacie written in our time of whom Hosius hath béen as bold to borowe his reasons and authorities as your maister doctor Hardyng hath been bolde to borowe of Hosius and as you M. Dorman haue been bolde with D. Hardyng hymself your maister to whom you owe a greate part of this your booke suche as it is Pighius woordes are these Sunt scripturae vt non minus verè quà m festiuè dixit quidaÌ„ velut nasus cereus qui se horsum illorsum in quam volueris partem trahi retrahi fingique facilè permittit tanquam plumbea quedam Lesbiae aedificationis regula quam non sit difficile accoÌ„modare ad quiduis volueris Et rursum Suprà indicauimus scripturas facilè trahi quocunque velut pluÌ„beam quandam regulam haud difficulter applicari impiae cuiuis sententiae c. These are his verie woordes whiche in English are thus muche The scriptures as
after whiche sorte any meane man may bee counted learned This I am hable to prooue as true as I haue hithertoo I trust prooued you M. Dorman a lier in all you haue hitherto written and doubt nothing so to procéede with you to th ende of your leude lies laden in this your Lighter of false fables Wherfore Hosius deserueth the name of the Compilator rather than the author of that great booke wrytten against Brentius litle booke intitled Prolegomena for that he hath stolen all his authorities and reasons out of the sayde Pighius his Hierachie and Alphonsus de Haeresibus as all learned reading the sayde bookes shall most easely and plainly perceiue Yea and in compilyng them together it is iudged vpon probable coniectures by the style and poeticall phrases and verses vnmeete for Hosius age and vocation that as he hath borowed the mater of his bookes so hath he had the helpe of other in penning of the same and yet may he well call the bookes his owne as bought with his owne money and large rewardes bestowed vpon his style wrightes Concerninge his great vertue though I know not his life yet I iudge it a woorthie mattier for M. Dorman his commendation and him selfe woorthie of the court of Rome But I can saye litle herein onely this can I say that his neighbours dwelling néerer him than I dooe a good sorte of hundreth miles doo in printed bookes obiect to him that his Cardinalles hatte I would say head will be nowe and then ouerladen with Polonishe pottes I knowe not trulie or otherwise but as his neighbours doo say Dorman fol. 11. For gods sake good Christian readers for your ovvne soules sake and the loue that you beare therto geue eare to no suche sedicious voices hovve euer they be cloked vvith the name of Christ vvhiche the diuell then dooth most inculcat vvhen he vvould driue vs sonest frō him Novvell I trust that all good Christian readers for that loue that they beare to God who is the truthe will geue no eare to suche false fables as M. Dorman and other aduersaries of the truthe doo publishe in suche leude liynge bookes as this is and that vpon respect◠of the health of their soules they will flie farre from the blouddie Butcher of Rome who vsinge the cloke of Christes name onely denieth him in déede and placing in his place his piuishe pardons and other popishe pelfrie destroyeth as well Christian mens soules by his poysoned doctrine as he dooeth murder their bodies by the most cruell kinde of death that the Diuell his father and he can deuise And by the way note that to speake truely of a foraigne false Polonish Papiste is with M. Dorman accōpted sedition as though because he is a Cardinall he were therefore our laufull magistrate whiche wist I were true I would geue more reuerence to our Cardinalles in Paules churche then I hitherto haue done And sure I am they deserue for their Cardinalshippe as muche honour as dooeth Hosius yea and more too were false opiniō banished thinges truely as they are in déede weighed and estéemed For they yet according to their origine minister the sacraments visite the sicke as is the propre office of Curates to doo wherunto Christian princes once at the last I trust awaking will bring these personate visered Romaine parishe priestes from their vsurped worldly pompe and dominion and that the said Princes will reduce the Pope himselfe likewyse from his phantasied supremacie ouer the vniuersall churche to his peculiar cure of the churche of Rome And thus I lette this Hosius one of the greatest estates both for learnyng and vertue that this daye Christendome hath for so M. Dorman saieth for this time alone with his Cardinals scarlet hatte and his moile trapped according for his estate Dorman fol. 11. VVhat other thing did their forefathers Chore Dathan and Abyron in rebelling against Moses and Aaron the ministers of almightie God VVhat other persvvasion vsed they to the people vvhat other reason broughte they to allure from their obedience to rebellion from quiet rest to seditious vvandering vvithout a head the flocke of God then the very same that these miserable men of our time dooe Their apologie saieth that there nedeth here in the churche no head to gouerne it because Christe is alvvayes vvith it And did not those vvicked men in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron vse the same reason vvhen they tolde theim to their face Sufficiat vobis quia omnis multitudo sanctorum est in ipsis est dominus Let it suffice you that all the multitude is holy and they haue God present vvith them Cur eleuamini super populum domini And vvhy then take you vpon your selues the rule ouer the people of our lorde As vvho vvould saye hauyng no neede of any other ruler God being vvith them But as almyghty God vvas then emongest his people and vsed yet neuerthelesse the ministery of men so is Christe no doubt our sauiour novve present alvvayes vvith his churche and chiefe head and gouernour therof and yet gouerneth he the same by man And as Chore Dathan and Abiron be gone before svvalovved aliue by hell there to taste of those revvardes vvhiche for suche rebellious vvretches are prepared so must our Chore and his companions follovve their trace onlesse by their repentaunce they mollifie and assvvage the iust vvrath of God Novvell This historie is by many aduersaries alleaged against vs as vnlawfully rebellyng against the Pope specially by Cardinall Poole against kinge Henry the eight Concernyng the matter it selfe séeyng Chore Dathan and Abiron were so horribly punished for rebellion against Moses and Aaron and certein it is that of these twoo Aaron was the hyghe prieste and that yet Moses was his superiour it foloweth therefore that Moises to saye the prince of the people is aboue the bishop or highe priest whiche you can not abide or els to auoyde that mattier you must saye as you some where dooe that Moises was priest also whiche if it be true inforceth that there were two highe priestes at once ouer the people of God and so is your assertion of the supremacie of one onely high priest ouer the whole churche quite ouerthrowen For you say M. Dorman That you haue perceiued that God in that people in their lavve and priesthood shadovved out vnto vs like a cunning vvorkeman the vvhole forme and proportion of his churche Wherfore M. Dorman I praye you marre not gods proportion and forme of his churche but as you will néedes haue an Aaron or high priest in the saide churche so let vs also haue a Moises to be his superior in the same For which way soeuer you turne you sure I am that by the scriptures the title of priesthoode may as well apperteine to a christian Prince as it did to Moises so that there is no let nor lacke therin but that a christian Prince may as wel be superiour to
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