erat sancta quę apud impios non erat Nunc autē aut tales aut peiores facti sunt Christiani quales sūt hęretici aut gentiles adhuc autem maior continētia apud illos inuenitur quamuis in schismate sint quà m apud Christianos Qui ergo vult cognoscere quae sit vera ecclesia Christi vnde cognoscat nisi tantummodo per scripturas Sciens ergo Dominus tantam confusionem rerum in nouissimis diebus esse futuram ideo mandat vt Christiani qui sunt ī Christianitate volentes firmitatem accipere verae fidei ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad scripturas Alioqui si ad alia respexerint scandalizabūtur peribunt non intelligentes quae sit vera ecclesia That is to saie Let them that bee in Christianitie flie to the scriptures And wherfore ought al Christians at this time to flie to the scriptures Because in this time sith heresies possessed those Churches there can bee no proofe of true christianitie neither can there be any other refuge of Christians desiryng to knowe the true faithe but the diuine scriptures For before it was declared by many meanes whiche was the true churche and whiche was Gentilitie but now thei who would knowe whiche is the true churche can knowe it by no meanes but onelie by the scriptures Why so For all these thinges whiche are properly Christes in y e truth the same hath heresie also in schisme Heresie hath churches likewise and the diuine Scriptures likewise Bishops likewise and other orders of clearkes Baptisme likewise the sacramente of thankes geuyng likewise and all other thinges to conclude euen Christ himself He therefore that would knowe whiche is the true churche of Christ how can he knowe it in so greate cōfusion of likelihoode but onely by the scriptures Further the churche of Christ might be knowen before by the maners of it when the conuersation either of all or of the moste parte of Christians was holie whiche was not so emongest the wicked But now Christians are become either suche or woorse then be the heretikes or Gentiles yea there is greater continencie emongeste them though thei bee in schisme then is emongest the Christians He therefore that would knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe how can he knowe it but onelie by the scriptures The Lorde therefore knowyng that in the last daies there would be so greate confusion of thinges dooeth commaunde that Christians whiche be in Christianitie willyng to haue the suertie of true faithe dooe flie to no other thing but to the scriptures Els if thei haue respecte to other thynges thei shall stumble or faile of the truthe and perishe not vnderstāding whiche is the true churche Thus farre that aunciente author whose sentence and verie woordes though for auoidyng of prolixitie alittle intermitted I haue truely rehearsed You maie see that this auncient writer will not allowe that you beeyng the one partie should claime to your self the name of Christians the name of the churche the names of bishops and the names of the cleargie and so to take vpon you as iudges to condemne the other partie but that bothe you and wee must be iudged and tried whether we be in Christianitie and in the true church by the scriptures You see the names of the churche of Bishops and cleargie whiche are common to heretikes with Christians can not prooue you to bee catholikes for that heretikes vse the same names but that bothe you and wee muste knowe by the Scriptures whether wee bee in the true faithe or no for that as he saieth in this confusion of thinges bothe the true churche and the true faith must bee knowen by the Scriptures onelie and by no other thyng and that whosoeuer goeth aboute otherwise to knowe them shall stumble and perishe Wherein this author dooeth agree with S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome and with all the olde Doctours of the auncient churche Whereby al men maie well vnderstande that it is not our newe opinion as M. Dorman would haue it seme but the olde true perswasion of all the auncient doctors and godly fathers of the primitiue churche that the Scriptures as moste indifferent and certaine ought to be iudges in controuersies in religion rather then Doctours then Councelles then your Churche then dead menne then angelles yea that the scriptures should bee iudge and not thei And that the true sense of scriptures if doubte rise thereof maie bee and must be gathered by the conference of the scriptures who doo clearly expounde themselues For the declaration whereof the said doctors doo so often and largely write that the rehersall thereof would fil an huge volume but I did thinke that this much would suffice But you Papistes will neuer allowe the Scripture as iudge nor the sense thereof to be certaine vntill it come to the exposition of the Churche and you will bee that churche that must so expounde it your self that is you will graūt no sense to be true but your own sense But wee deny that you are the true Churche that hath this autoritie of determinyng of the sense of the scriptures And if you will saie still your are the churche neither will nor can proue it but onely by so saiyng we be not so voide of all sense and vnderstāding but that we perceiue you will haue no sense but your owne and that you will be still bothe parties and iudges in your own causes againste vs as the Iuishe high Prieste Phariseis and Scribes would needes be against Christ and his Apostles who did by your iudgemēt as it semeth allege the scriptures for themselues againste the saied high Prieste Scribes and Phariseis in vaine for that thei being the churche as you now be were the iudges of the sense of the saied scriptures by Christ and his Apostles alleged And I am sure that the high Prieste with his Iuishe churche was able to saie as muche for the ordinarie succession of the high Priestes his predecessours euen from Aaron vntil his time for antiquitie for consente and for vniuersalitie againste Christe and his Apostles so fewe in comparison and as it seemed latelie starte vp as you are able to saie for your churche or against vs. But yet we doo thinke that the woorde of God as it was alleged by Christe and his Apostles against the saied high priest and his churche so maie it and ought also to be alleged by vs against your high priest and your churche and that the same woords of God whiche shal iudge bothe you vs in the worlde to come as is saied ought also to be iudge betwéen you and vs here in this transitorie worlde for so dooeth our sauiour Christ teache so doo S. Chrysostome S. Augustine and S. Hierome with all the auncient doctors of the Churche teache also as hath been partely besore specified crie you neuer so muche to the contrarie and make you neuer so many exceptions to the scriptures and claime
so euer you be if you will bee saued Nowell Vrsatius or Vrsitius and Valens in their recantation make nothyng for the Bishop of Rome his supremacie but rather against it Thei write to hym as thei vse to write to any other bishoppe their inscription is Ad Iulium Episcopum Romanum to Iulius the Romaine bishop Thei vse these woordes Bonitatis tuae literis in hanc sententiam traducti Wée were brought into this minde or iudgemente by the letters of your goodnesse Apud humanitatem tuam profitemur We doo professe vnto your humanitie or gentlenesse And pietas tua your godlinesse and suche like whiche are no woordes of supremacie For that thei call hym once beatissimum dominum papam the moste blessed lorde Pope maketh nothyng for his supremacie vnlesse it make for sainct Augustine bishoppe of Hippo in Afrike his supremacie also who is not onely called venerabilis papa honourable Pope but also the highest of al bishops But M. Dorman hymself confesseth somwhere I trow this name PapaÌ„ pope to be coÌ„men in that time to all bishops and therefore vnmeete to proue the supremacie of any one But if he thinke the titles added Most blessed Lorde doo make the worde Papam Pope to bee singular and for the supremacie thereto I doo answere First it is euident that this worde dominus Lorde or sir is vsed not onely to all bishops but to all Popishe sir Ihons also who yet haue no supremacie at all And I am contente that this woorde Beatissimus moste blessed maie serue M. Dorman his purpose here so that he will admitte it likewise in other places as in this emongest other All the Priestes and Deacons of Rome call Cyprian Bishoppe of Carthage Beatissimum gloriosissimum Papam the moste blessed and moste glorious Pope Loe Maister Dorman here is a double epitheton and title for your single Lette the bishop of Carthage then haue the supremacie with the bishoppe of Rome or let the bishoppe of Rome goâ— without it with the bishoppe of Carthage But if this make for Iulius bishoppe of Romes supremacie that Vrsatius and Valens offered vp their recantacion to hym as M. Dorman taketh it to doo lette it also make for Athanasius bishoppe of Alexandria his supremacie to whom in like maner thei offer vp their recantation also as is recorded in the same place The cause concernyng Vrsatius and Valens standyng thus M. Dorman abuseth the readers to muche to geue them a dor with a matter nothyng to the purpose saiyng So did Vrsatius and Valens and so to passe ouer without further declaration or as muche as once noting the place where the matter might bee founde Whiche M. Dormanne hath doen of set purpose and knowledge that it was nothing to the purpose that thei did and that him self alledged And yet herevpon as vpon good proues and declarations he concludeth thus By this meanes retourned thei to the Churche by this muste you retourne that haue straied if you will bee saued I tooke my Harpe into my hande and twange ê™ my stryng a. Dorman Fol. 3. Seyng now as I haue declared the goyng out of the Churche is by the conteÌ„pt of the head thereof and the returne home again by the acknowleging and reuereÌ„cyng of the same persuade your self that it hath not been for nothing that good men in all ages haue been and at this tyme are no lesse busied in defence thereof then heretikes missecreaÌ„tes and enemies to our faithe are readie with all their power to assault the same Nowell You haue declared nothyng at all your Doctours saie nothyng for you your allegations and examples are altogether impertinente Rogatians deacon beyng an African muste reconcile hymself to his owne bishop an African Pupianus ought to reconcile himself to sainct Cyprian bishop of Carthage For the first places alledged out of saincte Cyprian perteined onely to them twoo disobedient to their owne bishops beyng Africanes Saincte Basill speaketh of the Easte churche and bishops Nouatus sweareth men to sticke to his heresie and to take hym and not Cornelius for their bishop Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius Priestes of Rome reconcile themselues to Cornelius their owne Romaine bishop whom thei had vniustly forsaken Vrsatius and Valens offer their recantation and be reconciled to Iulius bishop of Rome thei doo in like wise to Athanasius Bishoppe of Alexandria For thei tooke Arrius the heretikes parte against them bothe had greatly vexed them bothe and therefore were thei reconciled to bothe as al christians are likewise bound to reconcile themselues not onely to Bishoppes but to all other whom thei haue offended or wronged What rime or reason is it therefore for M. Dorman togather hereof the Bishop of Rome his supremacie as he hath gone about in this his Introduction whiche he might better haue named a SeductioÌ„ as in y e whiche he hath proued nothyng railed muche lied more deceiued fielie soules abused the wise better occupied readers And as there is not one place hitherto by M. Dorman alledged apperteinyng to his purpose nor any one sentence of his voide of liyng so shall you in the sequele of this treatie finde hym no chaunÌ„gelyng Dorman Fol. 4. The consideration whereof hath caused also me in this enterprise of myne to beginne first with the fortifiyng of that whereunto our enemie â–ª as the verie foundacion of all true religion the comforte and staie of the Catholikes the terrour and vtter vndoyng of all heretikes doe moste directe their batterie Nowell You haue doon like a wise manne and vsed herein more discretion then did your maister D. Hardyng who hath made this matter of the Popes supremacie but as a common matter and as the Latines saie vnaÌ„ ex multis one of many Where in deede as you hauâ— well considered it is the chief foundation of all Poperie your Religion the comforte and staie of all Papistes vsurpyng falsely the name of Catholikes the terrour and worldlie vndooyng of all those whom it pleaseth you to call heretikes holde thei neuer so muche with Christ and his Gospel agree thei neuer so muche with his true catholike auncieÌ„t Apostolike churche For maie you once establishe the Popes aucthoritie not to bee denied his supremacie not to bee disobeiâ—d you haue wonne all you neede no Scriptures no interpretation of Doctours no assemble of Counceiles all is in the boxe of the Popes boosome as the Popes themselues Boniface the eight and Paule the second with others doo bragge he is all in all he saith it ego it must needes bee beleued for Fides Petri non deficit Peters faithe faileth not as Pighius out of Eckius Hosius out of Pighius and D. Harding out of Hosius haue alledged whiche yet apperteineth as muche to the Pope as doeth a Saddle to a Sowe Likewise the Pope commaundeth it ergo it must be obeied For be is the iudge and finall determiner of all matters as M. Dorman hath often alledged
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
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
Canterburie and the bishop of LoÌ„don what titles so euer your bishoppes when thei were in those roumes vsed or abused I am sure thei who bee now in place take it for their chief honour to bee and to bee called also Gods ministers in his churche And as you shall neuer prooue any one head in earth temporall or spirituall â—uâ—r all so dooe I affirme that I shall more easilie prooue the title of heades of particular churches to appertaine to kynges princes who haue by Gods lawe the offices of ruling by dominion appoincted theÌ„ then you shal be able to maintaine that any suche presumptuous title can appertaine to bishoppes who are forbidden dominioÌ„ and haue ministerie to their office as I doubte nothyng but it shall hereafter clearlie fall out betwéene you and me to the satisuÌ„yng of all godlie and discreate readers and withall as I truste to the confusion of all Romishe vsurpers of that false supremacie Yet denie I not but that Bishops maie be and haue been though improperlie named heades euen by good writers as the Scholemaister of a prince in that the prince is his scholer is his heade ruler and gouernour though otherwise in deede he be the princes subiecte by hym and his lawes where he offendeth to be punished Dorman fol. 10. But Christe hath no suche neede our aduersaries crie still to haue any man to be in his steede to succede him in the whole enheritaÌ„ce Nam Christum semper adesse ecclesiae fuae vicario homine qui ex asse in integrum succedat non egere these bee their verie woordes in their Apologie Nowell It is true the Apologie and wee all likewise saie that neither hath Christ neede of any suche one onelie head Vicar ouer all his churche whiche M. Dorman a little before dooeth confesse hymself Neither is it Christes will to haue any suche head vicar For though M. Dorman affirme that he so would yet shall he neuer by the holie Scripture wherein Christes will is declared be able to prooue it Thirdlie it is impossible for any earthlie man to haue and to execute any suche office of vicar generall vnder Christ And I am sure that M. Dorman with the aide of all Papistes in Christendome is nt able to prooue these three poinctes or one of them vntrue Whiche yet thei must doo els lieth all Romishe supremacie in the duste Dorman Fol. 10. Here would I like a friende aduertise them that for their poore honesties sake thei harpe not to muche on this stryng least by their so dooyng thei come as nere the heresie of Suenkfeldius as he whom in their Apologie thei falselie sclaunder there with is farre bothe froÌ„ that all other For Suenkfeldius emongest other his abhominable heresies hath also this in my opinioÌ„ the chiefest that we ought to banishe vtterly froÌ„ emoÌ„geste vs al scripture and as Hosius writeth of him this heresie of his to derogate froÌ„ the scriptures all autoritie he went also about to proue by scripture But how I praie you good readers By what reasoÌ„ thinck you would he haue proued this diuelishe moste absurde doctrine Beleue me or rather your owne iudgementes seyng perceiuing moste plainly that I lye not by the self same reasons that our aduersaries dooe vse to prooue that Christes Churche here in earth can haue vnder hym no head or chief gouernor to gouerne the same Thou must not be parfecte in the scriptures saieth this stinckyng heretike Swenckfield But why Because forsooth we must be taught at Gods mouthe because his worde teacheth truely the Scripture is not his woorde but dead letters and no more accompt to be made of theÌ„ then of other creatures amongeste the whiche thei are to bee reconed VVee muste looke to bee taught from heauen not out of bookes The holie ghoste vseth to come from aboue without the helpe of meanes as hearyng preachyng or readyng the scriptures Theise bee that wicked heretike his foolishe and vnsauery persuasions And what other thing is it I praie you good readers iudge indifferentlie to saie as the Huguenotes heretikes dooe then to leaue and reste apon the same groundes for the banishyng of the head of Christes Churche on whiche the Swenckfeldians dooe for the abolishyng of the scripture For the one saith we must haue no scripture because God can teache vs without the other we muste haue no heade of Christes churche because he is the head hymself and can rule vs without any other to be his vicair The one saieth the scriptures are but dead letters and no more accompte to be made of them then of other creatures the other saieth that the Pope is but a synfull manne as other are and that therefore there is no more accompte to bee made of hym then of other synfull men Finallie the Swenckfeldians barre God of all meanes to worke his will by and so doe the protestantes while thei alowe hym not a minister to gouerne his churche in external gouernment but tell hym 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 Nowell A friendlie man at neede and a trustie counsailer and as good and piththie a reasoner for the Pope as trustie friend to vs Who hath little regard to his own poore honestie and lesse to the cause whiche he maintaineth when of blinde malice harping vpon a wrong stryng woorse then euer did yet any blinde harper before hym he would haue vs séeme like to Suenkfeldius from whose vile heresies we be as farre as the Papistes be nere vnto them whiche shall I trust appeare euidentlie euen by M. Dorman his own harpyng vpoÌ„ this string Whiche string yet he confesseth here in his marginall note y t he learned of Harper Hosius to strike after this sorte no doubt but vpon respecte of his poore honestie he thought it meete once to confesse that he alwaies dooeth boldlie borowyng of other and braggyng thereof as of his owne whiche thyng is moste vsuall as well to his maister D. Hardyng as to al other the aduersaries now writyng But to the matter first that wee are moste contrarie to Swenkefcilde and his heresies by the bookes of our men written largely againste them is moste manifest and the same shall bee made more euident and manifest by M. Dorman hymself in this place Suenkfeldius saieth M. Dorman holdeth this abhominable heresie that wee ought to banishe vtterly from emongeste vs all scriptures Wee saie that wee ought aboue all thynges to reteine the holie Scriptures and that besides them there is nothyng but errour and darkenesse Thou muste not bee perfecte in Scriptures saieth this stinckyng heretike Swenckfield These be M. Dormans woordes of hym Wee saie euery Christian ought to bee studious of the holie Scriptures and to labour to attaine to as greate perfection therein as mortall menne possiblie maie
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
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
Popes supremacie as dooeth his maister D. Hardyng who hath these woordes It is not good saieth Homere to haue many rulers lette one bee ruler It is true that Homere saieth it is not good to haue many equal rulers ouer one countrey or nation but this maketh nothyng to proue that there should bee one heade ouer all the Churche throughout the worlde excepte D. Hardyng can proue that Agamemnon was kyng of all the worlde or at the least that Homere meant he should so bee but he meante nothyng lesse for he speaketh of the gouernemente of the armie of the Greekes onely And so I graunt it is good likewise that one bishop doo gouerne one diocesse as it was good in Homers iudgemente that one graunde capitaine should gouerne the Greeke armie And thus muche by the waie to D. Hardyng his Poeticall argumente for the Popes supremacie Now seyng it pleased doctor Hardyng to make mention of Aristotle who misliketh not Aristocratie that is to saie the gouernyng of the beste and wisest men beyng a competente number and seyng further that many cities haue been and bee farre better gouerned in Democratie by many rulers chosen of the people then euer was the whole churche by one Pope It is presumptuouslie doen by M. Dorman bothe against his maister doctor Hardyng and against Aristotle so noble a philosopher and to zelously for one Pope to safe thei be all blinde that can not see the necessitie of one onely head gouernour euery where And it maie seme to some that suche kinde of speache doeth not so muche spryng out of absurditie of the matter as out of the disposition of M. Dormans drousie head and dimme sight Let vs in Englande bee in that poincte of the best iudgement and in the beste case as we be in déede vnder so moderate a Monarchie and yet let them withall who haue of long tyme been vnder the quiete gouernemente of many reasonable rulers neither bee starke blind neither though not in so happie a state as are we yet in no vnhappy case as it semeth M. DormaÌ„ would place them But let euery nation citie thinke it self moste happie in that state of regiment that God hath placed it in And concernyng the gouernement of the vniuersall Churche seyng it standeth of so many or rather innumerable thousandes of menne and women of al countries nations and languages throughout the whole worlde so that it can not possiblie be ruled and gouerned by one neither was it by God appoincted to bee by one gouerned no more then the whole worlde it self the seuerall kyngdomes countries thereof being appoincted by God to seuerall kynges and gouernours Yet if it must nedes be gouerned by popes seyng it nedeth many gouernours I would we had many Popes were thei good gouernours but beyng as thei are false vsurpers and cruell tyrauntes one Pope is to many by one Concernyng the auoydyng and quietyng of Schismes and troubles in the Churche we saie that as the seuerall kynges of euery kyngdome the seuerall gouernours of euery countrie and citie c. are able to ouersee their seuerall charges and to kepe their people in ciuill order and peace so are the seuerall Bishoppes of euery diocesse and the seuerall chief prelates of euery prouince able to auoide or to appeace if thei rise all schismes and troubles ecclesiasticall as saincte Cyprian out of whom this reason is borowed and falslie wrested by theÌ„ to an other purpose dooeth moste plainlie teache saiyng thus Cum statutum sit omnibus nobis c. Whereas an order saieth saincte Cyprian is taken emongest vs all and it is right and reasonable that euery mannes cause be there heard where the fault was coÌ„mitted and wheras euery Bishoppe hath a part of the flocke assigned to hym whiche he ought to rule and gouerne and for the whiche he muste gâ—ue an accompte vnto the Lorde it is not conuenient that suche as bee vnder their gouernaunce should runne from one Bishoppe to an other but there to make answere in their causes where thei maie haue accusers and witnesses of their crimes Excepte suche desperate persones thinke the authoritie of Bishoppes in Afrike to bée lesse then is the authoritie of other Bishoppes Thus farre saincte Cyprian with muche more in the same place expresly affirmyng that it is right and reason that seuerall Bishoppes haue the gouernemente of seuâ—rall diocesses euen for the same cause for the whiche you doo vntruely alledge the necessitie of one heade and declaryng the commoditie of pacifiyng of heresies Schismes and dissentions for of them he speaketh in that place and of correctioÌ„ of vices by euery suche seuerall Bishoppe in his owne charge mosie directlie against D. Hardyng and M. Dormans doctrine of pacifiyng of schismes by one onelie head of the vniuersall Churche affirming all suche appellations from a Bishoppe of one countrey to a Bishoppe of an other countrey to be vnlawfull for that all Bishoppes of all countries be of like authoritie and that none but naughtie and desperate menne doo thinke the authoritie of some bishoppes to be inferiour to the authoritie of other And further folowyng D. Hardyng and M. Dormans owne groundes wee saie that as God is the one heauenlie kyng ouer all the worlde and yet hath not appoincted any one man to bee his onelie deputie in earth ouer all the Kyngdomes of the worlde but that the whole worlde is gouerned by his prouidence as the onelie kyng thereof and by the ministerie of many seuerall kynges and rulers whom he hath seuerally appoincted ouer euery nation as his deputies as is expreslie declared in the scripture so in like wise is Christe the onelie heauenlie heade of his Churche and neither neadeth nor hath appoincted any one persone in earth to bee his deputie or vicar generall ouer all the churche throughout the worlde but by his prouidence and the ministerie of many Bishoppes his seuerall vicars in euery diocesse bothe hath and dooth well gouerne his Churche and that as it is impossible that there should bee one onelie earthlie kyng ouer all the worlde as by the state of the worlde from the beginnyng hitherto is moste manifest and in case there were one yet were it impossible for that one to ouersée his charge and to keepe all the worlde in Ciuill order seyng the wisest kinges that be haue of one particular kyngdome their handfull as thei saie so in like maner is it impossible that there should be one generall head in earth ouer the vniuersall Churche or all Churches dispersed throughout all the world conteinyng so many nations so diuerse languages and natures of men or that suche an head could ouersee his charge keepe all Churches from Schismes and troubles and pacifie them when thei were risen This as a thyng tried by the state of the worlde at this daie and euer sith the first beginnyng thereof I leaue to thy reasonable consideration good reader to determine betwixte vs. Dorman Fol. 5. And because good
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
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
is most euident But now let vs heare S. Cyprian in his epistle to Rogatianus Habes inquit Cyprianus circa huiusmodi homines praecepta diuina cùm Dominus deus in Deuteronomio dicat â–ª Et homo quicunque c. Thou hast saith saincte Cyprian to Rogatianus his felowe bishoppe in Afrike concernyng suche men to witte disobediente as was his Deacon the commaundementes of God whereas the Lorde God in Deuteronomie dooeth saie And what man so euer shall bee so proude that he will not heare the priest or iudge who so euer he be in those daies that man shall die and all the people shall feare and shall doo wickedlie no more And we maie knowe that this voice of God proceaded with true and greate maiestie to honour and to auenge his Priestes by the horible destruction of Chore Dathan and Abyron who rebelled against Aaron Thus farre S. Cyprian Where you maie sée that bothe this lawe of Deuteronomium the example of Aaron the estate of the Iuishe Churche and all other places of scripture falsely wrested by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman to the proofe of the supremacie of one to witte the bishoppe of Rome are by S. Cyprian who died an holie martyr and is no doubt a sainct in heauen applied to the maintenaunce of euery Bishops authoritie in his owne diocesse and the obedience there due vnto hym And note withall that S. Cyprian saieth that this and like places of the scriptures apperteine to the honour of Gods Prtestes he saieth not to the honour of one high prieste head ouer all other Naie he confesseth in the beginnyng of this epistle that Rogatianus did but of curtesie not of duetie referre this matter of his disobedient deacon by complainte to S. Cyprian though he were the Metropolitane of Afrike beyng bishoppe of Carthage the chiefe citie thereof and graunteth that Rogatianus by the vigore of his bishoprike authoritie of his Chaire had power to order the matter hymself and for the vigore of this Rogatianus bishoprike and authoritie of his chaire and consequently of all other Bishoprikes and bishops chaires doeth S. Cyprian allege these and all other places of scripture falslie detorted by the Papistes to these of Rome and sainct Peters chaire there as thei call it Sainct Cyprian allegeth the same place of Deutero cap. 17. and all suche like for his owne authoritie against Pupianus despisyng hym beyng Bishop of Carthage whom saincte Cyprian chargeth to transgresse this law of God of obeiyng the high priest for that he maketh hymself Episcopum episcopi iudicem iudicis ad tempus à Deo dati a bishop ouer the Bishop and a iudge ouer the iudge appoincted of God for the tyme. Which is the verie propertie of that false vsurper of Rome who maketh hymself head bishop ouer al bishops and head iudge ouer all iudges by God in euery their iurisdictions appoincted to bee obeied of all their owne flocke and not to be vnder a foraigne vsurper And as he dooeth by saincte Cyprian his iudgemente transgresse this Gods lawe in makyng hymself iudge of the iudge by God appoincted so doubte I not but the iudgemente of the saied lawe He shall dye the death will light vpon hym for his pride arrogancie and tyrannie ouer his brethren and equalles by Gods lawe And though suche horrible Luciferian pride anâ— other wickednesse vnspeakeable as is in the Pope seeme to bee reserued to Gods euerlastyng iudgementes for that no worldly penaltie can bee sufficiente for suche desertes yet dooeth God in our daies not longe before the commyng of his sonne to iudgemente denounce the same moste manifestly and as it were peremptorilie to hym and his Dorman Fol. 7. For I remember a saiyng of Cregorius Nazianzenus Vbi nullum est imperium nullus ordo vbi multorum ibi seditio vt sic nullum imperium nullus ordo existat Vtrumque enim eôdem absâ—rditatis perducit VVhere is none to rule there is no order VVhere many rule there is sedition so that after that maner of gouernemente also there is no gouernement there is no order For bothe to haue none to rule to haue many leade vs to like inconuenieÌ„ce How shal we then saie Diligit dominus Syon super omnia tabernaculae Iacob Our lorde loueth Syon aboue all the tabernacles of Iacob Nowell You maie note that M. Dorman hath a good memorie who can and dare without the booke rehearse to vs sentences out of doctours for his proofes and publishe the same to the worlde and boldely in the steede of one God gouernyng all for of hym speaketh Nazianzene in that place to dashe vs in the teethe with one Pope to gouerne all the churche I would M. Dorman had enlarged his memorie somewhat to a fewe woordes of Nazianzene goyng next before and makyng all the matter moste plaine whiche M. Dorman therefore of purpose to blinde the reader hath omitted suche a shreude memorie hath the man The woordes of Nazianzene confutyng twoo false opinions that men had of God are these Prima opinio nullum Deum nullum Dei imperium alia Deos multos cuique suum imperium statuit c. Sed vbi nullum est imperium ibi nullus ordo c. That is to saie The firste false opinion of God is that there is no God no gouernaunce of God the seconde that there are many Goddes and that euery of them hath his gouernauÌ„ce by hymself But where no rule is there is no order where many rule there is sedition These are Nazianzene his woordes againste those that thinke that either there is no God or many goddes whiche M. Dorman out of his memorie reporteth as spoken against those who would haue no pope or many Popes But you sée it is not good trustyng to M. Dormans memorie who dooeth so readily without booke allege thynges neither against vs nor with himself but altogether impertinent to the purpose Now if M. Dorman list transferre the sentence from God gouernyng all the worlde to men vnder hym rulyng in the worlde and would thereof frame vs this argumente Nazianzene saieth there is one onely God who gouerneth all Ergo there muste bee one onely Pope or head bishop to gouerne all the Churche I deny the argumente and affirme that it foloweth no more then that there must be one onely Emperour to gouerne al the worlde And to bragge somewhat of memorie too as M. Dorman dooeth I remember that M. Dorman hymself hath alleged that for auoidyng of confusion in the worlde euery kyngdome euery countrey euery citie euery companie of menne muste haue an head to rule them Whereof I inferre that for auoydyng of schismes and explication of doubles euery churche of euery countrey and diocesse ought to haue an head and a iudge to resorte vnto And as there is no confusion in the worlde nor discorde for that sundrie partes of the worlde haue sundrie ciuill gouernours as is moste necessarie that thei haue and is
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
now to helpe the poore surmised felone somwhat if he appealyng for the triall of his innocencie to God can bryng for hym so many testimonies of Gods owne mouthe as wee are able for our innocencie to brynge testimonies of woordes proceadyng from the mouthe of God and of our sauiour Iesus Christ and yet it will not serue the seelie felowe nor healpe hym any thyng in his plea of not guiltie then I thinke there can not bee a fitter lawe whereby to proceade againste hym then the Popes Canons whiche you knowe well M. Dorman for you haue therein spente more tyme then in the studie of the Scriptures neither can he haue a meeter iudge to condemne hym then the Pope hymself and an handsomer man emongest all men to bee I will not saie his hangman but the foreman of a Popishe quest to passe against the seelie soule shall not any manne I beleue easilie finde nor a fitter then is M. Dorman And thus I lette this his parable passe For that he by the waie saith that there is in our case beside the scriptures an other heade to order vs and kéepe vs vnder meanyng the Pope it is true there is suche a one in deede that hath too longe kepte vs and all the worlde too vnder by his false hypocrisie and horrible tyrannie and he maie also bee called an heade of the churche by the same phrase as Sardanapalus Nero Heliogabalus and suche like monsters were named heades of the coÌ„mon wealthe whiche thei vtterly subuerted and he is in deede the head and husbande too of that cruell stepdame the Popishe Synagoge beeyng a moste horrible murtherer of those whose mother she would be accompted to be That he saieth Christe the thief heade of all vseth in all necessarie knowledge to geue answere by this head to witte the Pope it is M. Dormans position and a false fable The filthie spirites that are called Ventriloqui are more méete to geue answere by suche a polluted mouth Now that it pleaseth M. Dorman to ioigne vs with felons and to conclude that wee as well as thei bee theeues and that as felons would without controlment robbe the bodie so would we doo murther mennes soules he fareth herein with vs as did an hastie scholde once with an honest woman callyng her whoore at the first woorde for feare leaste the other should haue happened firste vpon her name whiche was the same For it is well knowen to the worlde that the Papistes themselues be rather theues and murtherers who by their pardons and Masses and other suche their pedlar pilfrey set a sale haue picked all mennes purses and of the temple of God by suche buiyng and selling haue made a deÌ„ne of theeues and vnder the colour of long praiers of Diriges soule Masses and Trentalles haue spoiled poore widowes houses often tymes takyng awaie by the name of a Mortuarie the onely Cowe whiche with her Milke should haue fedde the sorowfull poore widowe and a seelie sorte of fatherlesse children Whiche Papistes also as thei haue with all crueltie murthered infinite numbers of Christian mennes bodies so haue thei by their poysoned doctrine slaine infinitelie moe thousandes of mennes soules then thei haue murdered bodies and so haue plaied all partes and fulfilled all poinctes of perfecte theeues and murderers too So that a Popishe prieste might moste iustlie bee termed by a Plautine periphrasis trifur trifurcifer Dorman Fol. 9. But let vs examine this reason of theirs wherof thei are wont so muche to triumphe Christe is head of the Churche Ergo the Pope is not Ergo it can haue no other head That Christ is the head of the Churche wee grauÌ„ted before and none of our side did euer yet denie it But as it is moste manifest that Christ himself is the worker of all his sacramentes for he baptizeth he forgeueth sinnes he coÌ„secrateth his blessed body bloud he ioigneth together in Matrimonie the man and his wife yet forasmuche as he should needes depart out of this worlde and could not alwaies dwell with vs after a corporall maner he hath chosen ministers to dispense those giftes by and we saie and no faulte founde therewith that the prieste his minister baptizeth that he forgeueth sinnes that he consecrateth his most pretious body and bloud So after the same maner and for the same cause that is to saie because he could not bee alwaies presente with vs in suche sorte as we might see hym and speake with hym face to face to bee resolued at his mouth of suche doutes and questions as should arise amongst vs he left vs also one that in his absence should gouerne and rule his whole churche He remaineth neuerthelesse head thereof he ruleth he reigneth he exerciseth his power and authoritie in the same but yet by maÌ„ his minister whoÌ„ for that cause moste aptly the Scholasticall writers haue termed caput ministeriale that is to saie a heade but yet by the reason of his seruice and ministerie vnder an other that is Christ who is onely absolutely simplie and without all relation to any other the head therof Not as though he were not able to rule the same without any suche help or instrument whiche he could haue dooen also in the old law where his pleasure was that the people should resort to the chief priest to be resolued in all doutes arisyng apoÌ„ the lawe and had no more nede of helpe then then he hath now but for that this waie it hath pleased hym to showe his exceding greate loue towardes mankind by choosing out of emongest men suche as he wil execute his will by in this worlde suche as he wil vse as his mouthe to interprete the secretes of his holie pleasure to vs and finallie suche as should represente to vs his owne parsone Nowell Now that M. Dorman hath refreshed his readers with his pleasaunte pastyme folowyng the preceptes of his Rhetorike he retourneth to earnest againe and falleth to examination of this reason Christe is head of the Churche Ergo the Pope is not Ergo it can haue none other heade The antecedente he graunteth confessyng that none of their sorte euer denied it though a little before he made a greate wonderyng at it inquiryng by a musing interrogatorie what head thinke you good readers appoincte thei to gouerne Christes church c. And the argumeÌ„t also is good the churche beyng taken as it is there in the Apologie for the vniuersall churche which hath not nor can possiblie haue any one earthly head ouer it to gouerne it as hath béen often at large heretofore declared Maister Dormans examples of Christes ministers of his holie SacrameÌ„tes here in earth make rather against hym then with hym for one chief heade hath many vnderministers in diuers seruices and places vsuallie but what perteineth that to proue that there muste bee one â—eade ouer all places and seruices ecclesiasticall throughout the whole worlde Whiche is vnpossible to bee Neither can your
one man no lesse truely then pleasantlie saied are like a nose of Waxe whiche will suffer it self easilie to bee drawen countredrawen and framed whiche waie ye liste and as a certaine rule of leade of the Lesbian building the which it is not harde to apply wherto ye will And againe the same Pighius in an other place saith We haue shewed before that the scriptures maie easilie be drawen euery waie and like a certaine Leaden rule maie without difficultie be applied to euery wicked sentence Thus farre Pighius speakyng it twise or thrise as thei saie as is meete for so woorthie a matter Now compare me the estimation and saiyng of the Scripture vsed by this Papiste with Suenkfeldius his speakyng of it The scripture saith Suenkfeldius is not Gods worde but dead letters Pighius saith the scripture is like a nose of Waxe like a rule of Leade Is Swenkfielde callyng the scriptures dead letters more wicked then is Pighius blasphemous in termyng it a nose of waxe and withall saiyng that it is so called as truelie as pleasauntlie Suche a pleasure hath this piuishe Papist in deridyng of Gods woorde Is it more to be abhorred that Swenkfielde saieth the scripture is but deade letters then that Pighius calleth it a rule of Leade Is there any thyng more dull and deade then is Leade Is there moreouer any thyng more vncertaine then a long latthe or rule of Leade readie to bend and boow euery waie Swenkfielde saieth the Scripture is but dead letters Hosius your great estate for learnyng and vertue beyng verie busie in the ende of his fourth booke againste Brentius in comparyng the Gospell written in paper and ynke with the churche whiche he calleth the liuelie Gospell as though the other should bee called the deade Gospell goeth as nere to Swenkfield as .iiij. pence doo to a grote And where he would faine haue vttered his stomacke plainely againste the scripture whiche hath so shreudlie vexed the Pope and Papistes and durst not yet he saieth thus muche Scriptura quomodo profertur à catholicis est verbum dei quomodo profertur ab haereticis est verbum diaboli The scripture as it is alleged or vttered by the Catholikes to witte Papistes is the woorde of God but as it is vttered of heretikes meaning vs it is the woorde of the Deuill Thus would Hosius by a leude imitation of saincte Hieromes woordes vsed in his vehemencie perswade the people to thinke that the Scripture vttered by any but Papistes onelie is the woorde of the deuill But the Scripture of it self is euer Gods woorde in deede though the abuse thereof bee Deuilishe and therefore Hosius by hatred of the Scripture ouerreaching hymself dooeth in deede speake thus of it vntrulie And as the Scripture is neither nose of waxe nor Leaden rule nor the woorde of the deuill for that it pleaseth Pighius or Hosius so to name it no more are wee heretikes for that it pleaseth them and other aduersaries maliciouslie so to terme vs neither bee thei themselues by and by Catholikes because thei falselie so misname themselues It is not their onelie saiyng and proouyng of nothyng that can make either vs to bee that we bee not or them not to bee that whiche in deede thei are the verie Synagoge of Satan whiche is by the light of Goddes woorde made manifeste and prooued in suche sorte now in our daies that a good parte of the Christian worlde perswaded thereby hath forsaken their Satanicall secte of Papistrie and ioygned themselues to the sincere doctrine of the Gospell whereof riseth all this their deadlie hatred and blasphemous misnamyng of the Scripture To proceade Suenkfeldius saith No more accompt is to be made of the scripture then of any other creatures emongst the whiche thei are to be rekened What saith the hoggish Papiste Pighius The scriptures maie be framed drawen and redrawen this waie that waie euery waie and applied to euery wicked sense or sentence and therefore as it seemeth by his iudgemente the Scriptures are not onely not profitable as be all Gods creatures to the whiche Suenkfeldius dooeth compare them but are hurtfull and deceitfull also appliable to euery wicked sense like as is a longe lithie Latthe or rule of Leade to euery crooked wall suche a rule as hetherto neuer did yet good Carpenter vse I trowe and like a nose of ware suche a creature as was neuer by God made Wherefore the Papistes are not onely in blasphemous woordes against the scriptures like to Suenkfeldius who compareth it to other Goddes creatures but in scoffing against the woorde of God in suche abominable sort and comparyng it to suche leude instrumentes and madde members as are leaden rules and warē noses are more horriblie blasphemous then euer was Suenkfeldius And whereas Pighius had a naturall nose and other mēbers of his bodie by the vertue of Gods woorde and yet in mockage dooeth compare Gods woorde so beneficiall to him to a nose of waxe by his swinishe tongue vttring suche blasphemous woordes it is greate pitie that he had not had accordyng to his Pighishe name an hoggishe groine in steede of his nose a swinish body accordingly that he might altogether as he was hoggish in minde so likewise in outwarde shape of bodie also haue answered fullie to his swynish name No lesse contemptuously and contumeliously also speaketh Hosius of the Scriptures who answearyng Brentius alleadgyng that kynges also had to doo with gods woorde and prouyng the same by the example of Dauid and Salomon kynges of Israel who by the motion of gods holy spirite put in writing those godly psalmes and heauenly instructions whiche haue béen of all ages and times accompted in the body of the Canonicall scriptures hath these woordes Scripsit Dauid psalmos aliquot si quid Athanasio credimus quinque tantùm Qui ni scriberet ne nunc quidem regi prohibetur aut principi quo minus aut rythmos aut Psalmos aut carmina scribat quibus Dei laudes celebret Scribimus indocti doctique poëmata passim Whiche in english is thus much to saye Dauid did write a few Psalmes if we geue any creadit to Athanasius but fiue onely Why should he not so write neither is a kyng or prince forbidden at this tyme but he may write rimes or Psalmes or verses to prayse God therby Learned and vnlearned write poetries euery where Thus farre Hosius who is not content to the derogation of the authoritie of kynges and the Scriptures ioinctly to compare Dauid his psalmes beyng of vndoubted authoritie as writen by the inspiration of the holy ghost and of the body of the canonicall scripture and approued alleged by our Sauiour Christe with rimes onely written by Princes in our daies but also by a blasphemous derision to matche them with fabulouse poesies writen by learned vnlearned it maketh no matter with him I am sure had any writen or sayd so muche in goddes churche vnder the olde lawe
agaynst the Prophetes Psalmes or the lawe for so Christe doth diuide the holy Scriptures of the olde Testament as here hath Hosius written he should according to the iudgement of the lawe haue like a wicked blasphemar be stoned to death But blasphemie against God and his holy scriptures is with our aduersaries a sporte Dayly and most horrible blasphemies against Christe are suffered in the Iues by the Pope and they neuerthelesse remaine the Popes friends specially in néede of money Onely a woorde against that false vsurpar of Rome and his leude traditions is auenged with swoorde fagot and fire moste cruelly vpon those that doo professe Christes name and all the articles of the Christian faith Whiche emongst many others is not the least proofe that y e Pope is Antichrist for that he doeth therby declare that he preferreth him selfe and his owne traditions before Christe his gospell auenging himself so extremely vpon the cōtemners of his said traditiōs and permitting blasphemers against God our sauiour Christ the holy scriptures to remayne not onely vnpunyshed but also his deare friendes But lette vs procéede with M. Dormans rehearsall of Suenkfeldius heresies The holy ghost vseth to come from aboue vvithout the help of meanes as hearing preaching or reading the scriptures VVe must looke to be taught from heauen not out of bookes saith Suenkfeldins Doo not you Papistes say the same haue not you geuē ouer preaching of gods woord your selues barred the people from reading hearing of it by your crueltie close keping of it in a language vnknowen to the people and burnyng the bookes of the scripture transiated for the peoples vnderstanding Are not you the right heyres of those Phariseis whom our sauiour speaketh of that haue taken away this key of knowledge of goddes woorde and neither will enter in your selfe nor suffer other that would to entre And thus laying aside preaching your selues and burnyng other that doo preache and barryng the people of God from reading and hearyng of his woorde you doe saye euen as did Suenkfeldius that the holy ghoste vseth to come from aboue into your Popishe churche without all helpe of meanes as hearyng preaching or readyng of the Scriptures whiche you will by no meanes suffer so to be vsed in the churche as it may be vnderstanded Are not you those who contrarie to goddes commaundement that the booke of the lawe should not departe out of the handes and from the eyes of his seruauntes haue either suche bookes as fewe can vnderstande either burne such bookes of gods law as all may vnderstand for that you will not haue them to learne of goddes booke but onely of suche traditions as are reuealed to your churche from heauen as you say Thus you sée good readers I truste euidently howe that M. Dorman hath moste vniustly charged vs and that we are as farre from Suenfeldius vile heresies as the Papistes in all poinctes by M. Dorman rehearsed agree and ioyne moste iustly with theim as I haue declared by the very woordes of Pighius D. Hardinges chiefe author and by Hosius M. Dorman his peereles pearle for learnyng and vertue as he sayeth Whiche Hosius gaue occasion to M. Dorman to make mention of Suenfeldius in this place as partly before and more plainely nowe hereafter doth appeare Dorman fol. 11. And thus vvhilest moste shamefully to the great dishonor of the vvhole realme vnder vvhose name as it vver that fardel of lies their apologie vvas sent abroade thei haue not ben ashamed to charge vvith this heresie of Suenkfeldius one of the greatest estates both for lerning and vertue that at this daie Christendom hath vve may se that thei haue not only shovved thē selues to be very vvicked and shameles men the truthe to their vtter and perpetuall infamie and shame had thei any plainly to the contrary in the vvorcks of him vvhome thei so sclaundred bearing vvitnesse against them but are also runne into the same groundes vvhereon Svvenkfilde builded his heresie their ovvne selues Novvell I trust that who so euer shall reade that conformitie betwene the papistes and Suenkfeldius and both their heresies before declared and specially by the woordes of Pighius and Hosius him selfe shall vnderstande that Hosius was not without cause charged with some affinitie to Suenkfeldius his heresie and with contempt blaspemie against God and his holy scripture wherewith Hosius writings doo abounde and beare witnesse most plenteously thereof and that therefore it is no shame at all to the author of the apologie to beare witnesse of the truthe the whiche apologie yet once again M. Dorman with one woorde after his manner confuteth calling it a fardel of lies But euery woorde that M. Dorman speaketh is not gospell Although he haue here in this his booke packed vs vp suche store of lies that he might more iustly haue intitled it a Lighter laden with lyes than a fardell of lies yet shall he and all his fellowes finde it more easie for them to sende vs ouer a Hulke or twayne full fraughted with suche lies as this and other their bookes swarme withall than to answere that litle apologie to any purpose terme he it neuer so contemptuously Concerning Hosius so great an estate of Christendome I wist not of it before Sure I am that in Polonia his countrey he is of the meaner sort of bishoppes there and what should make him so great an estate besides I know nothing but his Cardinals hatte which how much so euer M. Dormā estemeth yet the truth is that originally a Cardinall is but a person or vicar of one of the parishe churches in Rome or there about in the countrey For after that the Popes had iniuriously and violētly put the people of Rome from the election of the sayde Popes beyng but byshoppes of Rome which election of right apperteined to them ioinctly with the cleargie and had geuen full authoritie to the persons and vicars of the parishes in Rome that they alone should elect the Pope Pope Paschall the first of that name to adourne these Papall electours with some solemne title named these single soled clerkes Cardinalles and Pope Nicolas the second of that name confirmed the same as is in y e Florentine historie declared But yet hitherto were these Papall electors footemen for that they were not as yet hable to paye for their horse meate in Rome where prouander is deare because they had chaunged their name and not mended their liuinges they went appareiled as yet like other commen curates no better than our Cardinalles in Paules cathedrall church yea many of them farre wourse This vncomlinesse pope Innocentius the fourth of that name wysely consideryng sayth Platina Statuitvt Cardinales equo in publicum vecti galero rubrovterentur honestandi ordinis causa That is to saye He made a statute or ordre that the Cardinalles should ryde on horsebacke when thei came abroade and should were a redde hatte for the honestie of the
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
ecclesiastical thinges and causes ouer the same vvhiche hovv so euer they please themselues vvith fine fetches and coloured deuises is vvith the other title in effect al one if this reason of theirs vvere good Christ is head of the churche therefore there is no other head therof vnder him And hovve vvas king Henry then If they saye that their meaning is that no man can because Christ is head of the vniuersall churche be vnder him head of the vvhole but may vvell be of some particuler churche as king Henry vvas and the Quenes maiestie novve is Then demaunde of them vvhat reason they haue to leade them to say that a particuler membre of the churche as the churche of Englande can bee no more maie haue an other head beside Christe and the whole bodie maie not and whye one member maie haue twoo heades more then one bodie Nowell Now after his long digressions and declamations against the Suenkfeldians against the Arrians and Anabaptistes and against the confereÌ„ce of scriptures the manne remembryng hymself retourneth sodainlie to his matter by a question And in deede he taketh on with his Herotemata and other rollyng Rhetoricall figures exceadynglie now that he draweth towarde a conclusion Flie those sticke to those saieth M. Dorman Shrinke not from those Tell those you are at a poincte with them Saie to them as saincte Hierome saied Tell them bouldlie with sainct Augustine Aske of them with what face then demaunde of them againe with what reason with many other Rhetoricall floures wherewith he hath geuen a faire floorishe to his finall conclusion Magno conatu magnas nugas agens as thei saie makyng greate adooe aboute greate trifles as I doubte not but all wise menne will iudge Aske of them saieth maister Dorman with what face thei could call Kyng Henrie the eight so many yeres supreame heade of the Churche of Englande c. As though the man had so proued the contrarie that none durste shewe his face to gainesaie hym whereas all he hath saied is not woorthe one rushe Aske of them ê™ he with what face Naie aske of your forsworne fathers the old Papistes for some of them are yet liuyng who gaue hym that title firste with what face thei did geue it hym did sweare it to hym and so long tyme coÌ„tinued so callyng hym if thei did not so thinke as thei saied and had sworne but dissembled deepelie aske of them with what face thei plaied so false dissemblyng hypocrites to saie but soberlie with so noble a prince their soueraigne Lorde Aske of them what maner of subiectes thei were all that while feignyng in face in countenaunce in woorde and writyng also yea and takyng a solemne othe to be with their prince therein and beyng in harte and déede on the Pope his sworne enemie his side Whiche passeth hauyng of twoo faces vnder one hoode But if thei thought in deede as thei pretended in woordes then aske of theÌ„ with what face thei did chaunge their copie forsweare the same and themselues with all so easilie afterwarde yea and compelled al other to be forsworne with them for companie If it will please you to resorte to the recordes of the .xxij. and .xxiiij. yeres of king Henry the eight there shall you finde who thei were that first offered this title to the saied kyng there shall you finde that all Abbottes and other religious all the Bishops Deanes Archedeacons and Cleargie of bothe the houses of the Conuocation then liuyng gaue hym that title EmoÌ„gest whom if you finde one protestante I can for hym finde one score of papistes to speake with the least and peraduenture one hundreth too And those protestantes who gaue hym that title dealed simplie and plainly with their Prince as becomed true subiectes as the sequele declared But there shall you finde an huge number of Papistes who by their writyng not onelie saiyng by their othe not woorde onely reiected all that false vsurped supremacie of the Pope whiche you and thei as many of them as yet bee liuyng without all face or with a shamelesse face dooe now maintaine there shall you finde who gaue to Kyng Henrie the supremacie ouer the cleargie as well as the laitie within his owne dominions there shall you finde who thei were that so falsely dissembled and that so many yeres together with their soueraigne lorde There shall you finde who thei were that chaunged their copie and turned with the wind as the wethercocke there shall you finde who thei were that so falsely sware resware triesware forsware themselues and not content therewith did so cruelly by all moste terrible tormentes and dreadfull deathes compell others to periurie with theÌ„ Sâ—ing therefore thus standeth the case with what face soeuer M. Dorman moueth suche demaundes and vexeth vs with suche leude questions to bee enquired otherwhere surelie he dooeth it without all forehead or shamefastnesse Now to the matter by what right wée geue the Quéenes maiestie the title of the supreme gouernour in Ecclesiasticall matters as well as temporall and with what face we so call her is to be answered in the second parte of M. Dormans diuision where he affirmeth that priestes onely and not princes ought to haue the gouernemeÌ„t of the churche wherin I doubt nothyng to aduouche and that shortly the princes due authoritie in the churche of God within their own dominions with better face authoritie reason and conscience then you haue dooen or shalbée able to dooe in the mainteinaunce of the Popes foraine false vsurped supremacie Where M. Dorman requireth a reason why a particuler church maie haue one head gouernor vnder Christ in earth and the whole church maie not why one member maie and the whole bodie maie not haue any head I truste the reason is not to seeke in the good readers memorie seyng it hath been so ofte declared before Yet will I answere M. DormaÌ„ his question by an other questioÌ„ Why maie one kingdom haue one head in earth vnder God as daily experieÌ„ce teacheth the whole worlde can not haue one onely head in earth vnder God that Monarchie being reserued to himself alone and why in this case the member maie haue an earthly heade besides God and the whole bodie maie not If M. Dorman saie the questions bee not like I aske with what face he can so saie seing that in the beginnyng of this his treatie he brought the example of ciuill gouernemente in the whiche euery kyngdome hath his Kyng euery countrey citie and companie haue their seuerall gouernours c. to prooue that the churche ought likewise to haue one head But I wotte what maister Dorman and other Papistes would saie to my question if the tymes serued them Thei would quickelie aunswere that the whole worlde hath and ought to haue one onely head in earth vnder God and therefore the Churche in like wise oughte to haue one onely head in earth vnder Christe And if thei were demaunded who is or should be that
and you haue seene that saincte Cyprian so taketh it The other shewyng that Christian princes are superiours to Bishoppes or high Priestes as was Moses to Aaron or els if Moses were as thei saie a prieste also that there were twoo high priestes in the Iewishe churche at once and so consequently ought to bée in our churches whereby M. Dormans assertion of one head ouer the whole churche is quite ouerthrowen And withal you see how the Papistes theÌ„ selues disobedient to their owne soueraigne appoincted by God to bee their gouernour are the successours of Chore Dathan and Abyron rebellyng againste Moses and Aaron their gouernours by God appoincted Wherefore you maie well vnderstande that were it either profitable or necessarie were it Goddes and Christes pleasure as maister Dorman saieth it is to haue suche an one head in earth ouer his churche God would haue certified vs of a thyng so profitable and necessarie for vs and so pleasaunt to hym in his scriptures where he hath declared his pleasure more plainlie and expresselie then by twoo olde shadowes of the Iewishe Churche whiche also bee suche that thei dooe teache vs cleane contrarie to that whiche M. Dorman saith is so necessarie for vs and Christes pleasure also You se how blindly he goeth about to proue that there ought to be one onely head ouer all the churche bringeth in for proufe therof the regiment of seuerall countreis kingdomes cities c. by seuerall princes seueral magistrates and heades whiche maketh moste directly with vs that seueral churches should in like wise haue their seueral heades And yet he thus dealing auanteth himselfe askinge who is so blinde that he can not sée that he reasoneth effectuously Like blinde bayard laiyng himselfe in the mire and there walowing neieth yet for wantoÌ„nesse as though he were galoping in the gréene and flinging in the plaine You see how often S. Cyprian is by him alleaged for the Pope of Rome his supremacie in those places where he speaketh of Rogatian and of himselfe beyng both bishops of other countreis and places of the equalitie of al bishops whiche is directly against the supremacie of one ouer all You sée in likewise how he alleageth S. Basil bewailing the state of the bishops of the Gréeke and east churche and the decay of their authoritie and of their sées as though he had spoken of the Pope of Rome and his estimation nowe decayed and his see so sore ruined and howe he hath either very ignorantly or moste malitiously by false translation corrupted S. Basil You sée how vntruly he would make Nouatus his othe exacted for the maintenaunce of his heresie to séeme the same that is our othe of obedience to our prince and renouncing of the Popes foraine vsurped tyrannie And howe he would make Vrsitius and Valens to séeme to acknowledge the Popes supremacie onely for that they after long dissention reconciled them selues to Iulius bishop of Rome as they did in likewise to Athanasius bishop of Alexandria in Egypt who by the like reason should be the head of the whole churche as well as Iulius You sée howe he hath alleaged S. Hierome speaking of the authoritie that euery bishop hath ouer the priestes and clergie of his owne diocesse as though he had spoken of the supremacie of the bishop of Rome ouer all byshops and the whole thurche throughout the world Yea and thus hath he not been ashamed to alleage out of suche treaties of S. Hierome as either haue not as muche as one woorde spoken nor meant of the bishop of Rome though the saide treaties be very longe either if any mention be made of him other Bishoppes are expressely made equall in authoritie with hym and therefore his supremacie ouer other Bishoppes cleane ouerthrowen You sée Pope Leo his witnesse in his owne cause can not helpe hym specially the witnesse being corrupted and the copies of his testimonie not onely diuers but cleane contrarie one to an other whiche taketh awaye all creadite from them all And were they as they are surmised Pope Leo his woordes yet they are as you haue séene by S. Cyprian and S. Hicrome euen in the same places by M. Dorman alleaged clearely and fâ—lly confuted You sée howe shamefully he alleageth Nazianzene his sayinges of one God as though they had beene spoken of one Pope of whome Nazianzene neuer dreamed You see the woordes of an vncertaine and vnwoorthie authour boldely without blushyng alleaged for S. Augustines woordes whiche woordes yet were they S. Augustines make nothing against vs. And vniuersally you sée his falshoode in translating or fraude in corruptinge manglinge or addynge to such authors as he doth alleage Neither is his deceite and guile comparable to his impudencie and vnshamefastnesse beinge not abashed to alleage those authours for him who aboue all others moste make agaynste him As namely S. Cyprian and S. Hierome beynge both most plaine and earnest for the equalitie of all byshops and so directly against the supremacie of one ouer all And thus you sée good Readers that such an one head of the whole churche in earth to be neither appeareth to be Gods and our sauiour Christes will or pleasure by any thinge hitherto by M. Dorman alleaged out of the scriptures neither to be the wil of any godly auncient doctour by any thing hitherto brought by M. Dorman out of their writinges neither appéereth it by any good or probable reason by him made to be profitable muche lesse necessarie to Christes church that any such head should be Nay the cleane contrary to witte that it is not Gods nor our sauiour Christes pleasure that it was not the will of the godly auncient doctours that it is neither necessarie nor profitable to Christes churche to haue any suche one head in earth appéereth euidently by the Scriptures doctours and reasons yea and by the same scriptures doctours reasons which are by M. DormaÌ„ for his purpose alleaged And these good reader be those most plaine and euident reasons these be those vrgent causes whiche M. Dorman promysed in the beginninge of this treatie he woulde alleage for the necessitie of one head ouer the whole churche Neyther séemeth it that M. DormaÌ„ him selfe was ignorant of this infirmitie weakenes of his sclender proufes and therfore hath he to call away the readers mynde from this consideration intermingled many matters impertinent as complaintes and lamentations for the great persecutions that they innocent laÌ„bes God wot doo suffer as trifling tales of surmised felons as the defence of Cardinal Hosius one of the greatest estates for learning and vertue as saith M Dorman that this day Christendome hath as long treaties of the Suenkfeldianss Arrians Anabaptistes as declamations against the scripture and conference of tertes of the scripture together whiche he is very oft in hande with declaringe a speciall offence and stomake against the same Al which