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
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
vpon vs with the banishyng of that one Bishoppe and heade and onely saith so I doo saie the contrary is moste true and will also in place of this treatie coÌ„uenient not onely saie but proue that where the Pope hath had the greateste authoritie there hath he brought in with hym as well all miseries mischieues and destructions vpon the common wealthe as also all superstitions hypocristes errours and Idolatries into the Churche And for this present tyme it shall be sufficient to admonishe the reader that in all respectes wée bee now in farre better case without the Pope in more quietnesse peace securitie plentie of thynges c. then wee were of late vnder the Pope and that therefore M. Dorman doeth moste euideÌ„tly and falsly fable when he saieth that a thousande and more miseries haue rushed into this realme with the refusall of that one bishoppe and heade Dorman Fol. 3. And as this is confessed by the moste auncient fathers that haue written sence Christes tyme that by this meanes we firste reuolt from the churche by contemnyng and not acknowledgyng the heade so muste our retourne thither againe bee by the contrary that is by reuerencyng hym by acknowledgyng hym by humble submission of our self to hym Nowell It is none otherwise confessed by other moste auncient fathers then you haue alreadie heard it confessed by S. Cyprian and Basill whom he hath without all shame alledged for that purpose whereas thei speake not one woorde of that matter neither acknowledge any suche heade And as thei remained in the Churche of Christe neuer acknowledgyng the bishop of Rome as heade of the Churche so doo wee likewise reâ—ectyng his falsly vsurped supremacie nothyng doubt but wée remaine in the Churche of Christe whose sworne enemie we doo knowe that false vsurper to bée and therefore none of Christes Churche so farre of is it that he can be the heade of the same Dorman fol. 3. So did those that after their fall with Nouatus S. Cyprian receiued into the Churche againe apon their submission testified in these woordes Nos-Cornelium Episcopum sanctissimum Catholicae Ecclesiae erectum à Deo omnipotente Christo D. nostro scimus Nos errorem nostrum confitemur Circumuenti sumus perfidiae loquacitate factiosa amentes videbamur quasi quandam communicationem cum homine schismatico habuisse Syncera tameÌ„ mens nostra in ecclesia semper fuit Nec ignoramus vnum Deumesse vnum Christum esse dominum quem confessi sumus vnum Spiritum S. Vnum Episcopum in Ecclesia catholica esse debere VVe saie thei acknowledge Cornelius to bee erected by God almightie and Christe our Lorde to be the holy bishop of the catholike churche VVe confesse our errour we haue been circumuented ronnyng madde by the factious babblyng of treacherie wee seemed to haue communicated as it were with that schismaticall manne Nouatus yet was our sincere mynde alwaies in the Churche Nor wee are not ignoraunte that there is one onelie God and one Christe our lorde and that in the catholike churche there must be one holie ghost and one bishoppe Nowell Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius whom M. Dorman meaneth neither reuolted from the Churche by contemnyng and not acknowledgyng this heade he speaketh of nor retourned to the Churche againe by acknowledgyng of any suche heade For in those daies Cornelius bishoppe of Rome was not acknowledged to bee heade of the Churche by any man liuyng suche ambition and false vsurpation of the bishop of Rome to bée heade of the Churche beyng vnknowen to Cornelius then bishoppe of Rome and to all other bishoppes of Christendome also But to make the truthe in deede knowen to the reader how these menne reuolted from the Churche and how thei retourned I shall out of saincte Cyprian and histories Ecclesiasticall declare the veritie of the matter After the death of Fabâ—anus bishoppe of Rome Cornelius was lawfully chosen by the cleargie and people to be his successour there Nouatus who was of that opinion that suche as for feare of tormentes and death had renounced the Christian saithe though thei repented therefore were not to bee receiued into the Churche againe made a greate stirre against Cornelius who with saincte Cyprian and all catholike bishoppes helde the contrary that is to saie that the Penitentes ought to be receiued after due discipline executed vpon them But the faction of Nouatus waxyng greater Nouatus or as saincte Cyprian saieth Nouatianus would haue intruded hymself into the Bishoprike of Rome and tooke hymself and was taken of his faction to bee lawfull successour of Fabian and the true bishoppe of Rome and Cornelius to be an vsurper as one that did communicate with suche as had renounced their faith Wherevpon grew this question and controuersie whiche of them twoâ— was a catholike bishoppe holdyng the truthe and truly and lawfully chosen by God and whiche was the intruder and not of the Catholike churche but an heretike And amongest others Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius priestes of Rome ioigned themselues to Nouatus against Cornelius holdyng Nouatus opinion and takyng hym for their Bishoppe And thus thei reuolted by fallyng to heresie and refusyng Cornelius their bishoppe and by ioignyng themselues to Nouatus an vsurper and heretike and not by deniyng Cornelius as bishop of Rome to be the head of the churche â–ª as M. Dorman fableth But afterward Maximus and his felowes repeÌ„tyng their deede did forsake Nouatus as an heretike and vsurper and retourned to Cornelius againe as their true Bishoppe to ioigne in faithe and communion with him as with a catholike bishop or a Bishoppe of the catholike Churche whiche is all one And thei doo acknowledge that he was erected by God into that Bishoprike of Rome and so consequently Nouatus to be a false vsurper and heretike and so no bishoppe of the Catholike churche Wherefore it is euident that when M. Dorman saieth that those men retourned againe to the Churche by this waie that is to saie by acknowledgyng Cornelius to bee the heade of the vniuersall churche he saieth moste vntruly And hath corrupted and translated this place falsely remouyng the woorde sanctissimae from his place and in steede of Cornelium episcopum sanctissimae catholicae ecclesiae Cornelius a bishoppe of the moste holie catholike Churche as saincte Cyprian doeth write he hath Cornelium sanctissimum episcopum ecclesiÄ™ catholicÄ™ Cornelius the moste holie Bishoppe of the Catholike Churche to make a better shewe for his purpose as though Maximus Vrbanus Sidonius with others had acknowledged Cornelius to be erected by God almightie to bee the moste holy Bishoppe of the Catholike and vniuersall Churche and so to make for his supremacie ouer the whole Churche Whiche is neither written here nor els where neither euer was meante by Maximus or his felowes nor by saincte Cyprian hymself But this is the true sense of those woordes Nos Cornelium Episcopum sanctissimae Catholicae ecclesiae erectum à deo
omnipotente Christo Domino nostro scimus c. Wee acknowledge Cornelius to be a Bishoppe of the moste holie Catholike churche erected by God almightie and Christe our Lorde c. as if thei had said more at large where we before tooke Cornelius to be an vnlawfull vsurper and to communicate with those that had renounced their faithe and therefore to be no member of the moste holy Catholike churche now we acknowledge hym to be a Catholike Bishoppe by God erected and that we were deceiued before in ioignyng with Nouatus againste hym And that this is the true sense of that place saincte Cyprian hymself in his epistle to Stephanus sheweth writyng thus of that same matter Non potest à quoquam nostrum illi communicari qui episcopo Cornelio in Catholica ecclesia dei iudicio cleri ac plebis suffragio ordinato profanum altare erigere adulteram Cathedram collocare sacrilega contra verum sacerdotem sacrificia offerre tentauerit That is None of vs cā communicate with hym who hath attempted to erecte a profane altare and an vntrue chaire againste bishop Cornelius ordeined in the catholike churche by Gods iudgemente and by the election of the Cleargie and people and hath attempted to offer sacrilegious or wicked sacrifice against the true Prieste Thus farre sainct Cyprian Whereby you maie see that he calleth not Cornelius here the bishoppe of the Catholike churche but Bishoppe Cornelius ordeined in the Catholike churche by God his iudgemente and the election of the Cleargie and people And this is all one in sense and meanyng with the other For Episcopus Catholicę ecclesiae and Episcopus in catholica ecclesia be as muche to saie as Catholicus Episcopus a catholike bishoppe and not the Bishoppe of the Catholike or vniuersall Churche as M. Dorman would haue it For this beyng in controuersie whether Cornelius or Nouatus was the true and Catholike Bishoppe or Prieste and whiche was the vsurper and heretike here doo Maximus and Vrbanus with others confesse that Cornelius was the Catholike bishoppe Wherefore M. Dorman in translating the saied place so that it maie seme to make for the Popes supremacie and by the waie remouyng this woorde Sanctissimae from the Catholike churche to attribute it to Cornelius by like to make a shewe that the title of Sanctissimus was of olde appertsining to the bishoppe of Rome doeth herein like him self Now concernyng that whiche foloweth in their confession VVe bee not ignoraunte that there is one God one Christe our Lorde one holie Ghost and that there must be one bishoppe in the Catholike churche or more truely in this place in a Catholike Churche This M. Dorman did not doubte but that the simple sorte would take it to bee a moste plaine proofe not of Cornelius supremacie onely but ex abundāte that he alone was that one Bishoppe whiche ought to be onely in the whole Catholike Churche for so it semeth by his marginall note of one God one Bishoppe c. he meaneth But I trust that fewe will allowe M. Dorman euen of those that be of his own part if he would so wrest sainct Cypriā that as there is one onely God and none but he so there should bée but one onely Bishoppe and no mo but he Whereas nothing lesse was meant by them that made this confession nor by sainct Cyprian who maketh reporte thereof For firste Maximus and his felowes whiche had before ioigned thē selues to Nouatus who chalenged to bée a true catholike bishoppe and bishoppe of Rome also doo now acknowledge Cornelius to be the true bishoppe and because there can be no moe bishoppes in any one catholike churche but one therefore now affirmyng Cornelius to be that one Bishoppe thei doo reiecte Nouatus as no bishoppe but an vsurper and thereby acknoweledge that there ought to bee but one bishoppe in that catholike churche And so nothyng lesse is meant here by one bishoppe then one head bishoppe ouer all other bishoppes muche lesse is meant one bishoppe alone of all the Churche as there is one onely God ouer all as it maie seme that M. Dorman would gather For the declaration whereof it is to be noted that when sainct Cypriā speaketh of one bishop of the catholike churche he meaneth no one speciall Bishoppe ouer all but indifferentlie all and euery catholike bishop throughout the vniuersall churche for that thei haue euery of them the full possessiō of one onely bishoprike Whiche as it is but one throughout all the worlde so hath euery bishop the same wholie and fullie So that when sainct Cyprian speaketh of one Bishoppe onely to rule the Churche he meaneth the Bishoppe of that Diocesse whiche he then entreateth of who so euer and of what countrey so euer he be as here in this epistle he meaneth Cornelius and in his epistle to Pupianus by the said one bishop appoincted by God to rule the churche he meaneth hymself beyng bishop of Carthage For in bothe places he hath the same woordes of one bishoppe appointed to rule the Churche by the contempte of the whiche Bishop heresies doo spryng or arise This remaineth yet more fully to be declared as well by Cornelius as by saincte Cyprian hymselfe in other places First Cornelius writyng to Fabius Bishoppe of Antioche as Eusebius testifieth hath these woordes concerning this verie matter Vindex ille euangelij de Nouato loquitur ignorauit vnum esse debere episcopum ī catholica ecclesia in qua nescit quomodo enim sciret presbyteros esse 46. diaconos 7. hypodiaconos 7. acoluthos 42. c. that is to saie this defendour of the Gospell he speaketh of Nouatus was ignoraunt that there ought to be one Bishop in a Catholike churche in y e whiche he knoweth not for how should he know that there be 46. Priestes 7. Deacons 7. subdeacons 42. inferiour ecclesiasticall ministers or seruiters c. Thus farre Cornelius By whiche woordes it is euident that the Catholike churche whereof Cornelius and Cyprian doo speake and wherein there muste bee but one bishop is not the vniuersall churche throughout the worlde as M. Dorman would haue it vnlesse he thinke that 46. Priestes and 7. Deacōs maie suffice the vniuersall Churche for ministers as well as one onely bishoppe is sufficiente for the heade of the whole Churche for the one is as reasonable as the other but the catholike churche that Cornelius speaketh of here is the particular churche of Rome in the which as one bishop so also 7. Deacons might suffice Whiche particular churche is by Cornelius here by S. Cyprian and other auncient doctors of the churche in their writynges called Catholike because it professed taught the catholike faithe and to notifie it from schismaticall or heretical churches And any other particular church teaching the catholike faithe may in like maner be called a catholike churche or y e catholike churche of suche a citie or countrey Now cōcernyng S. Cyprian
vnto your selues as beyng the churche the interpretatiō thereof yet suche are both your doctrine and dooynges and so contrarie to the woorde of God whervpon the true churche is builded that we muste needes thinke that you are not the true church of God And whether you so bee or no seeyng it is in question and a greater doubte and controuersie emongest men I am sure then can bee about the sense of any place of the scripture you shall neuer bee able to make any exception vnto the Scripture as no competent iudge in controuersies but we shall be able tenne tymes more to make exception to your Pope and his churche as no indifferent nor meete iudge Wherefore cease once to bragge of that as the vndoubted iudge of all doubtes whiche is it self emongest men of all other doubtes the greatest doubt that is whether you be the true church of God or no. Whiche is with vs in deede no doubte nor with any that hath any vnderstandyng in Goddes woorde and iudgemente in true religion For we certainlie knowe by the woorde of God vpon the whiche as the true churche is builded so is it by the same to be knowen that you bee not the churche of God for that you so swarue from the woorde of God As for vs that wee are at your handes though we bryng so euidente scriptures for vs so reiected and condemned wee take it the better for that wée vnderstande that our sauiour Christe and his holie Apostles likewise allegyng the scriptures yea and further by their woonderfull woorkes and moste godlie life confirmyng the same were by the high Priestes Phariseis and Scribes reiected condemned and siaine an eternall documente that in this worlde no persone nor doctrine can satisfie al men or shall be taken for a iudge of controuersies aboue all exception and quarellyng seyng that Christe hymself so teachyng so woorkyng so liuyng was excepted vnto as a Daemoniake or one possessed with the Deuill as a friende to sinners as a wine drinker and seeyng that heade corner stone was as vnprofitable to the buildyng of Gods churche and his holie woorde also as false doctrine reiected by the high priestes Scribes and Phariseis who would needes be the iudges of all themselues And wee conceiue good hope that as our sauiour himself with his holie Apostles teachyng the truthe though reiected and murdered by the said high Priestes Scribes and Phariseis haue wonne vnto them the iudgementes of all godlie men and wemen against suche vnrighteous iudges so we likewise teachyng the same truthe of our Sauiour reueiled in his holie Gospell though of this high priest and Romishe Caiphas with his adherentes Popishe Scribes and Phariseis reiected condemned and murthered shall against suche vniuste iudges winne vnto vs the iudgement of all godlie menne and wemen as to the greate decaie of their false superstition successe of the truthe is this daie thankes bee to God partlie come to passe in a greate parte of the Christian worlde Dorman fol. 8. But of this I will entreate more largelie hereafter In the meane season that theie will haue of Christes Churche here in earth no other head but Christ hymselfe therein thei fare me thincketh not muche vnlike to a certaine felon of whom I haue heard that beyng areigned at the barre for a felonie when he had pleadid to the indictement not guiltie and was after the manner demaunded how he would bee tried he would suspectyng his owne case and knowyng that if he satisfied the lawe in putting hymself apon the triall of the coūtrey there were no moe waies with hym but one make thereto no other answere but onely that he would put hymself apon God the righteous Iudge of all ▪ who although he said truely that God was the chief iudge of all as the protestantes do in calling Christ the head of the church yet was ther in his case an other iudge here in this world vnder god by whō he must haue byn tried as there is in theirs an other heade here in the churche to order them and kepe thē vnder in whō Christ the chiefe head of all vseth in all necessarie knowledge to giue answere And as the felon knewe well that there was an other iudge beside god appealed not to him as though before him he should haue byn acquitted proued not guiltie but onely to gaine a longer time of life and libertie so doe I doute not our aduersaries the protestantes And truely to bothe theise kinde of men beyng bothe theeues the one sorte doyng violence to the bodie the other to the soule if suche pleas mighte be allowed how soeuer thei be coloured with the name of Christe betwene them bothe thei would freely rob the bodie and murther the soule Nowell Now proceadeth he pleasantlie and by a parable of a certaine felone all to shaketh vs out of our cloutes as he praied he might be suffered to dooe In the handlyng whereof it maie seeme he hath dealte as he was wonte when some of his felowes had forgotten their partes in the plaie to holde men occupied for the time by suppliyng that defecte with some pretie conceites or tellyng of some merie tale thereby to make the auditours to laugh and the lesse to marke the mased memorie of his mates and so to saue the matter from vtter marryng as muche as in hym might lye In like wise dooeth maister Dorman here for where he hath to proue that of necessitie there must be one onely chief heade here in earth ouer the Churche whiche is in deede the firste and moste necessarie parte of the whole treatie of the Popes supremacie and the verie foundation of all whiche not proued or els leudly proued all the reste commeth doune vpon their heades For the whiche so greate a matter little beyng as yet saied by M. Dorman and nothyng in deede and lesse remainyng behinde to bee saied the man beyng destitute of all carnest matter piththie reason and good authoritie turneth himself to his accustomed arte and by a pretie tale of a certaine felone all to shaketh vs as he before threatned he would dooe out of our masking cloutes as he termeth them and this he dooeth to supplie other defectes thereby and to make this first parte moste necessarie of all to be piththily proued by suche patchyng of i◠vp at the leaste a quarter as bigge as his seconde part of this treatie to witte that no prince or lay man maie be the onely head of the whole Churche for that priestes haue more to doo in ecclesiastical matters thā thei haue Whiche so long an impertinente parte had M. Dorman put vp in his purse and passed ouer with silence he had spared a greate deale of paper ynke and labour and of other mennes tyme also a greate deale more and had hurte his cause no more thereby then if he had lefte his dagger sheathe behynde hym when he came out in haste to plaie his parte in the pagiaunte But
by saincte Augustine that Christe is that rocke whereon the Churche is builded and not Peter nor Peters chaire vnlesse you take Peters confession made before be came at Rome to be his Chaire and then ye make with S. Augustine and vs against the Pope for Rome was not his chaire before he was bishop there You see that Peter is here the figure of the whole Churche in makyng his confessiō not of the churche of Rome onely you see that as Christe is the rocke so representeth Peter the christian people and not the people of Rome onely muche lesse the Pope onely you see that Petrus to saie the Churche is builded vpon Petra Christ and not Petra Christe builded vpon Petrus Peter you see that suche as will haue Peter beyng a man to be their rocke to builde vpon bee sectaries and heretikes diuidyng them selues from Christe despisyng hym and choosyng men and that thei onely be true Christians whiche wil not builde vpon Peter nor vpon any other man but vpon the rocke onely whiche is Christ hymself you see thei that builde vpon Peter maie saie I holde of Cephas whiche is Peter but thei that builde vpon the rocke maie saie I holde or I am of Christe Wherefore I conclude that all that builde vpon the Pope or his chaire as it were vpon the rocke as thei bée called so bee thei in deede Papistes not Christians as were all those false orders of hypocrites who forsakyng to builde vpon the rocke Christ and buildyng vpon men woorse then Peter Paule or Apollo a thousande tymes forsooke to saie Ego sum Christi I am of Christ I am a Christian and saied Ego Franciscanus ego Dominicanus c. I am of Francisce I am of Dominike a Franciscane a Dominicane a Bernardine yea an Augustinian cōtrary to this doctrine of S. Augustine whiche argueth that those hypocrites were neuer of his institution as thei falsely feigned thē selues to be And as S. Augustine witnesseth with Erasmus that Christe is Petra and not Peter nor Rome Peters chaire or see so hath Erasmus felowe witnesses enough of the auncient doctours of the churche yea and generall Councelles too that Popes were heretikes and therefore their chaire was not the rocke but waueryng and vncertaine sande the buildyng whereon did runne to the ruine of heresie Nowe you maie see good readers the cause why M. Dorman hath thus alleged vnto you sainct Hieromes sentence headlesse leauyng out the mention of Christ whom onely S. Hierome acknowledgeth for the head that the wordes of the rocke nexte folowyng might seme to be spoken of Peters rotten chaire or of ruinous Rome and not of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who liueth and reigneth for euer With like fraude did M. Dormā leaue also that whiche nexte foloweth in S. Hierome of the house without the whiche he that eateth the Pascall lambe is a prophane or vnholie man and the arke of Noe without the whiche all that bee perishe by the floudde For though that place might seeme to make for M. Dormans purpose concernyng the supremacie of the bishop of Rome as Erasmus hath noted yet he knowyng or some manne warnyng hym that it is in deede nothyng to his purpose for that the house without the whiche the Pascall lambe maie not bee eaten the Arke without the whiche no man can bée saued frō the floude by all olde doctours is interpreted to bee the one vniuersall churche of Christ and by none to be the churche of Rome and therefore like a wise man orels a false Fore hath he let that folowyng alone also as he cutte of Christe the head goyng and ioigned nexte before and so he hath tolde you a tale bothe without head and taile thereby to proue the Pope who is Antichriste to be the head of Christes churche Dorman Fol. 14. Saie vnto them as saincte Hierome saied vnto the Ibidem heretikes Vitalis and Miletus because thei are aduersaries to this seate that you knowe them not that thei scatter are schismatikes altogether out of the churche that gather not with Peters successour Nowell By your leaue sir you saie vntruelie that saincte Hierome saieth he knoweth not Vitalis and Meletius whom you call Miletus because thei were aduersaries to the seate of Rome but because thei were aduersaries to the true doctrine of the moste blessed Trinitie which Damasus did defende Saincte Hieromes woordes are these Non noui Vitalem Meletium respuo ignoro Paulinum Quicunque tecum non colligit spargit hoc est qui Christi non est est Antichristi That is to saie I knowe not Vitalis I refuse Meletius Paulinus I knowe not Whosoeuer dooeth not gather with thee he scattereth that is he that is not of Christe is of Antichriste Thus farre sainct Hierome I praie you maister Dorman what is in these woordes but thei maie as well bee spoken to saincte Augustine bishoppe of Hippo in Afrike or to saincte Ambrose Bishoppe of Milane or to any other godlie Bishoppe holdyng the truthe of the blessed Trinitie againste Vitalis Meletius and Paulinuus teachyng erronious doctrine and vsyng vnfitte termes thereof Here is neither mention made of this seate or that or the aduersaries thereto as causes why sainct Hierome should not knowe these menne but because thei taught false doctrine and Damasus taught true and therefore gathered not with hym but scattered and were not of Christe but of Antichriste therefore did saincte Hierome not knowe thē he beeyng a Romaine would not acknowledge their errours cloked vnder a straunge and newe inuented Greeke ternie But beeyng a Romaine prieste he well knewe Damasus the Romaine Bishoppe and so consequentlie his owne bishoppe as euery man is bounde to knowe his owne godlie Bishop he knewe his true doctrine and plaine Latine termes whereby he vttered the plaine truthe plainelie and therefore so knowyng hym and his doctrine he ioigned with hym in communion not for the seates sake or for that he was Peters successour therein but for the truthes sake whiche he beeyng Peters successour in truthe of doctrine more then in seate or Chaire did professe Againe the cause why saincte Hierome did not knowe but reiected Vitalis Meletius and Paulinus was not for that thei did not submitte them selues to Damasus as to the supreme head of the Churche or for that cause tooke them to bee enemies as maister Dorman would haue it seeme for there was no suche matter then in question but because thei did not agree with Damasus in the truthe but taughte falselie of the greateste poinctes of our religion and would haue wrapped the same in obscure and strange termes therby to deceiue the more therefore did sainct Hierome not knowe thē This is the true sense of this place good readers as al learned that wil reade it shall easily perceiue Wherfore maister Dorman thus corruptyng and falsifiyng Saincte Hierome by takyng awaie from hym and addyng to hym what he liste and drawyng the woordes of sainct Hierome concernyng the doctrine of
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
innocent sheepe of Christes folde men and wâ—men yea yonge striplinges and maydes those little lambes shead by these rauening and bloudthristie woulfes testifie the same moste aboundantly in our Phariseis Scribes and high priestes the successours and children of those their olde Iuish forefathers of whoÌ„ with their saide forefathers as this sentence was spoken so dooth it moste expressely represent and depainte them moste liuely in their naturall colours that ye maye well know them by their fruictes For that they spoile poore wydowes houses vnder y t pretence of their longe prayers their diriges Masses of Requiem Trentalles c. is but a trifle with them but the greatter shal be their damnation as our Sauiour saith Now concerning the schisme which M. DormaÌ„ shooteth at chieflie We answere we haue made none other schisme from you than did S. Paule make from the saide high priestes Scribes and Phariseis your predecessours from whom though he were from his childehood brought vp emongst theÌ„ he did wel vpon good grounde departe for that they had before departed made a schisme from God and his most holy lawe to the traditions of the mother churche of their Pharisaicall fathers as haue likewise you Papistes departed made a schisme from Christe and his Apostles doctrine and from the auncient churches founded by the Apostles labour to your mother the Romishe Sinagoge and haue by your poysoned Popishe traditions slayne moe soules than you haue by your crueltie murdred bodies of Christian men and wemen as we haue prooued and wyll dayly prooue more and more most euidently vnto the world vntill all godly in the worlde knowyng you by your fruictes dooe forsake you as did the godly before forsake the olde Phariseis Scribes and highe Priestes and folowed Christe and his holy Apostles as we haue partely already brought to a good forwardnesse Thus you may sée why we haue departed from you and returned to Christe and his holy Apostles and the churches by them founded from whom you haue departed Returne you to them and we will not swarue from you take away the schisme that you haue made from Christ our sauiour his holy Apostles and the churches founded vpon their doctrine and we wyll ioygne with you Otherwise as long as you shall thus swarue from Christe and his Apostles and their doctrine cry you out against schismatikes neuer so much we will neuer ioygne with you beinge the very schismatikes in déede And thus muche I thought to saye to the sentence of S. Augustine against Petilian by M. Dorman alleaged in the fyrst front of his booke as against vs but in déede moste directlie detectinge the schismaticall secte of all Papistes our aduersaries that I might leaue no one sentence of any olde doctour by M. Dorman though colourably and falsely alleaged vnanswered To the Reader I Doo vnderstande sith the first printinge of this booke that muche mutteringe and whisperinge is made by certaine Papistes about certaine places of my booke as false or faultie and namely that place of S. Cyprian De simplicitate Praelatorum as by me guilefully alleaged by omittinge that whiche maketh as they say for them and their Popes Supremacie This Popishe practise by mutteringe whisperinge poinctinge quarellinge and liynge to attempte the defacinge of the simple and plaine truthe and to the maintenaunce of their owne vntruthe is no new practise neither happeneth it to me vnloosed for at this time whiche they faile not to doo to al men and in all matters at all times But as I can not certainely answearevncertaine corner mutteringes so as soone as I shall see any certaine thinge set foorth in Printe to the worlde againste my booke I will God willinge not leaue it longevnanswered as well to the aduouchinge of my true dealinge as to the declaration of theirvniustquarellinge and consequently as I trust to the more full satisfaction of all reasonable Readers that doo looue truthe and sinceritie A. Nowell Dorman Fol. 1. A PRAEFACE OR INTRODVCtion to the first Proposition THE blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian writyng to one Rogatianus a Bishop of his prouince hath thiese woordes Initia haereticorum ortus atque conatus schismaticorum malè cogitant ium haec sunt vt sibi placeant vt praepositum supèrbo tumore contemnant Sic de occlesia receditur sic alâ—are prophanum for is collocatur sic contra pacem Christi ordinationem atque vnitatem Dei rebellatur VVhiche is in Englishe thus muche to say The beginning of heretikes the first springyng vp and enterprise of schismatikes thinkyng a misse in matters of faithe groweth of pleasure that thei take in themselues of that that beyng puffed vp with pride thei contemne their head and gouernour appointed ouer theÌ„ By this meanes straie thei from the Churche Thus is a prophane altar placed without the doores and thus rebell thei against Christes peace gods ordinauÌ„ce and vnitie Nowell Saincte Cyprian writyng this Epistle to Rogatian one of his felowe bishoppes in Afrike who had a disobedieÌ„t deacon hath in the beginnyng of his letter these woordes Grauiter dolenter c. I and my felowe bishoppes here present were sore moued moste deare brother saieth saincte Cyprian when wee had redde your letters wherein you complaine of your deacon that he forgettyng your priestly place and his owne ministerie hath greeued you with his reproches and wronges Thus farre S. Cyprian By whiche wordes it appereth that the mattier was betwene Rogatian a bishop in Afrike and his deacon disobediente to hym and therefore nothing apperteinyng to the bishoppe of Romes supremacie at all Whiche might well haue appeared to the reader had maister Dorman written but the iiij lines next before the place by him alledged whiche are these Ideo oportet diaconum c. That is to saie Therefore it is mete that the Deacon of whom you doe write doe penaunce for his boldenesse that he acknowledge the honour of the priest and doo satisfie the bishop his superiour with full humilitie For the beginnyng of heretikes the springyng vp enterprise of schismatikes beyng euill minded are these that thei doo stand in their owne coÌ„ceite that thei despise their gouernour through swellyng pride c. As Maister Dorman hath out of saincte Cyprian alledged This declareth moste euidently that the sentence of S. Cyprian alledged by M. Dorman apperteineth to Rogatian and his deacon beyng Africanes and so generally to all other bishoppes their inferiours of what countrey soeuer thei bee and maketh nothyng for the Bishoppe of Romes supremacie at all If M. Dorman would proue hereby y t euery inferiour minister ought to be obedient to his owne bishop as his superiour or that the disobedience of suche is cause of schismes and heresies for so doeth S. Cyprian meane wee graunte the same But if he would haue it apperteine to the bishop of Rome or to make any thyng for the Popes supremacie as by that M. Dorman calleth this
of the church whiche thei haue alwaies forseen to be to theim terribilis vt castrorum acies ordinata terrible as is the froonte of a battell well set in ordre and against the bishop of Rome appointed of God to be here in earthe the lawfull gouernour and head thereof not lackyng also therin greate policie that by strikyng the shepherde they might the easelier scatter the flocke Nowell You see here the conclusion gathered out of that whiche hetherto by hym hath been alledged out of S. Cyprian and sainct Basill And how the verie wordes written by sainct Cyprian in the places before mentioned for the maintenaunce of bishoppe Rogatian his authoritie and for his owne authoritie also thei being bothe Bishoppes of Afrike he is not ashamed here in his conclusion to place out of place and to apply them to the proofe of the bishoppe of Rome his supremacie whervnto thei apperteine nothyng at all and to frame thereof this leude argument The entrie into all heresies is to make open warres against the bishop appointed by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and heade of the churche This is the maior and is proued by S. Cyprian now foloweth his minor but the bishop of Rome is the bishop appointed by God to bee here in earth the lawfull gouernour and heade of the churche the conclusion ergo The entrie into all heresies is to make open warre againste the bishop of Rome I saiâ— the minor is false and a false conclusion doeth folowe of the same For the bishop of whom S. Cyprian speaketh appointed by God to be lawfull gouernour and heade of the churche is in Carthage S. Cyprian hymself and Rogatian in his owne Diocesse and not the Bishop of Rome otherwise then in his owne Diocesse onely And therefore open warre to bee made againste them in their owne Diocesse whereof thei be lawfull bishoppes is the beginnyng of heresies and not to resiste the bishop of Rome vsurpyng to be head of the vniuersall Churche ouer the whiche of right he hath no authoritie For these woordes the bishop appointed by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and head of the churche if thei make for any supremacie at all thei make for the supremacie of Rogatian and Cyprian bishops of Afrike of whoÌ„ S. Cyprian speaketh theim and not of the bishop of Rome of whom in those Epistles he speaketh not one woorde And if thei make not for the supremacie of Cyprian Rogatian thei make for none at all and if thei make for no supremacie at al they were here without all cause alledged by M. Dorman but onely to deceiue the simple by suche a guilefull and vntrue introduction to his firste false proposition of the Pope his supremacie Now if he thinke yet that he might make suche a simple collection of S. Cyprian and S. Basill his woordes as this That as the beginnyng of heresies in their time was the contempt of the inferiours towardes their owne Bishops for so S. Cyprian teacheth so in likewise is the contempte of the Pope as the highest of all bishops the beginnyng of heresies now First I denie the argument for that it foloweth not though it be euill for the inferiour to disobeie his owne bishop to whose obedience in all godlinesse he is bounden Therfore it is euill for a straunger not to obeie a straunge foraine vsurpar to whom he oweth no duetie of obedieÌ„ce Againe I saie though it be the beginnyng of heresie to disobey Cyprian Rogatian yea or Cornelius beyng godlie and catholike bishops yet is it not likewise the beginnyng of heresies to disobey any the late Popes of Rome who were not onely no godlie bishops as were Cyprian Rogatian and Cornelius but bothe moste wicked and in deede no Bishops at all but false vsurpers of worldlie tyrannie Whom for the subiectes of an other christiaÌ„ and lawfull soueraigne to obeie and not to disobeie is the beginning of heresies treasons and all other euils and mischiefes In the conclusion it is to be noted wheÌ„ Basill speaketh of all the Bishops of the Easte as the shepeherdes sufferyng persecution maister Dorman alteryng the number speaketh it of the Pope as the onely shephearde Remouyng the matter from many Greke pastours persecuted to one Romane depastor dispersyng the flocke and persecutyng not sufferyng persecution Dorman Fol. 2. Thus did in the tyme of S. Cyprian Nouatus that greate heretyke who as Nicephorus reporteth of hym holdyng betwene his handes the handes of suche as minded to receiue of hym the blessed Sacramente of th' altar vsed to theim these woordes A diura mihi per corpus et sanguinem domini Iesu Christi nunquam te a me discessurum et ad Cornelium Romanus is Episcopus fuit reredituruinesse Sweare to me ê™ he by the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe that thou wilt neuer forsake me nor retourne to Cornelius vvho vvas then bishop of Rome So did in our tyme the scholers and folovvers of Martin Luther So did Ihon Caluin vvith his congregacion at Geneua So doe euen at this time in our infortunate country those vvicked men apon vvhom I beseche almightie God to extende his mercie vvho occupiyng the places and roomes of catholike bishoppes beyng themselues indurate heretikes ceasse not daiely moste cruelly to practise that lesson learned of their auncestor Nouatus For vvhat manne admit thei to any liuyng of vvhom thei exact not first this othe VVhom suffer thei to coÌ„tinue in his liuing if he giue not this othe For the onely refusall hereof hovv many notable men of the clergie bothe for life and learnyng suffer they to pyne avvaie in prison I remembre not heare the greate nomber of gentlemen and other mere laye men not included in the statute of pooer young Scholers of bothe th'vniuersites vvho vvitheout all face of lavve for for the other theie pretended a colour beyng not so muche themselues spoiled of ther colleages as ther colleages vniuersities yea ther countrey self vvhiche had of the moste parte of them byn likely to haue receiued bothe help and comfort spoiled and robbed of theÌ„ vvander novv abroade in dispersion lamentyng th' estate of their miserable countrie Nowell As it is euident that we are moste farre from Nonatus heresie so is Nouatus his othe not onely vnlike but cleane contrary to our othes The controuersie betwixt Cornelius and Nouatus was not whether the bishop of Rome was the supreme head of the churche as it is now betwene vs and the Papistes but whether Cornelius or he was by right y e Bishop of Rome And Nouatus exacted of the Romaines or Italians an othe that thei should cleaue to hym as their bishop againste Cornelius who was their true Bishoppe in déede whiche was vnlawfull to require Our othes be of obedience to our naturall Prince due by Goddes lawe and of renouncyng of foraine vsurped power or authoritie ouer our Prince and countrey without the whiche we caÌ„ not be faithful to our owne
soueraigne But let vs consider his woordes Thus did Nouatus saieth M. Dorman as though Nouatus had made his first entrie to his heresies by makyng open warre againste the bishop of Rome appoincted by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and head of the churche and as though he made them renounce the said bishop of Romes supremacie For his woordes thus did Nouatus c. Whiche muste needes haue relation to that whiche goeth before doo importe no lesse And his appliyng of this othe of Nouatus to our othes inforceth the same But Nouatus made neither the beginnyng nor endyng of his heresies about any deniyng of Cornelius supremacie as bishop of Rome nor exacted any othe for that purpose For suche vsurped authoritie of the bishop of Rome was then vnknowen and vnheard of as shall hereafter moste plainly appeare But the othe whiche Nouatus required was that thei should acknowledge hym for their bishop and not Cornelius who was their Bishop in deede And further the saied othe concerned the maintenaunce of Nouatus his heresie whiche was that suche as for feare of tormentes had renounced the Christian faithe or had offered Incense to the Idoles of the Gentiles though thei repented therefore were not to bée receiued into the churche againe whiche cruell opinion as well S. Cyprian bishop of Carthage as Cornelius bishop of Rome with all other godlie bishops condemned and taught the cōtrary true doctrine that suche also vpon due repentaunce might bée receiued againe into the churche accordyng as wee this daie doo also moste earnestly beleue and teache Now as Nouatus beyng in Italie required an othe that their adherentes Romaines or Italiās should not turne to Cornelius bishop of Rome to acknowledge him for their bishop to be of his faith and to communicate with hym so did the professors of the same heresies trauell in Afrike with their disciples there beyng Africanes that thei should not returne to Cyprian Bishop of Carthage to communicate with hym Whiche as it maketh nothyng for any supremacie of S. Cyprian bishop of Carthage no more maketh the other for any supremacie of Cornelius bishoppe of Rome For though it be vnlawfull to exacte an othe of any to disobeie their owne godlie bishops what proueth that that one maie not sweare to refuse the obedience of an aliene and wicked vsurpar and to keepe hym in the obedience of his owne soueraine And where Nouatus began first his heresie in Afrik by striuyng against S. Cyprian as S. Cyprian hymself doeth witnesse and not by striuyng firste againste Cornelius bishop of Rome as M. Dorman vntrulie reporteth the beginnyng of heresies is rather to make warre and strief against the bishop of Carthage then against the bishoppe of Rome as M. Dorman would haue it But there was then neither striuyng nor any othe required concerning the bishop of Rome as head of the churche as by that whole processe in S. Cypriā Eusebius and Nicephorus it dooeth plainly appeare Wherefore M. Dorman maie bee ashamed to forge so manifest a lie as that Nouatus exacted an othe against the Popes supremacie or that we folowe Nouatus in exactyng like othe as he did And seyng that wee doo moste deteste that cruell heresie of Nouatus and doo firmelie beleue and earnestlie teache as did S. Cyprian and Cornelius it is as maliciouslie as vntrulie doen of M. Dormā not onely to applie to vs the example of Nouatus othe exacted for the maintenaunce of his heresies but also to call Nouatus our auncestor and our Bishops as his disciples indurate heretikes who doo moste abhorre bothe Nouatus and his heresie and moste earnestly and pithilie in all their writynges and Sermons doo impugne the same by settyng foorth to their power the vnspeakeable mercie of God towardes all sinners truely penitent Wherby it maie appeare to the discreate readers that M. Dorman and suche other malitious aduersaries passe not muche whether they lie or saie truthe so they maie bryng vs by hooke or crooke out of credite and into the hatred of the worlde I beleue also that M. Dorman in the alleagation of Nouatus his othe had a further respecte to that he maketh mention of the bodie bloud of Christ by the whiche because Nouatus caused thē to sweare M. Dormā thought belike thereby to proue or at least to make an insinuation to the simple that the bodie and bloud of Christe should bee corporallie presente in the Sacramente but the daiely othes of blasphemous men swearyng likewise in his corporall absence doo confute that collection And to the ende that M. Dorman should gaine nothyng in that matter of the Sacramente by this place I haue thought good to admonishe the reader that the said place of Nicephorus and Eusebius of whom Nicephorus had it is directlie against their transubstantiation and for our vsage now in the churche The woordes of Nicephorus a little before the place by M. Dorman alledged are these Quum enim oblationes offerret qui mos sacerdotibus est iam ad distributionem panis peruenisset data cuilibet parte sua pro eo quòd cum gratiarum eam actione percipere debebant iurare miseros coegit Vtranque enim percipientium manum comprimens non prius eas remisit quà m iuratū ab eis esset vtar autem verbis eius conceptis Adiura mihi per sanguinem corpus domini nostri Iesu Christi nunquam te à me discessurum ad Cornelium Romanus hic fuit episcopus rediturum esse Miseri autem illi non prius quod acceperant degustarunt quà m se illi deuouerunt That is to saie When Nouatus made his offerynges as the maner of Priestes is and nowe was come to the distribution of the breade he deliueryng euery one his parte in the steede of due thankes geuyng in the receiuyng of the same compelled the wretched menne to sweare for he laiyng holde on bothe the handes of the receiuers did not let them goe vntill thei had sworne for I will vse his owne verie woordes Sweare to me by the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe that thou wilte neuer forsake me nor retourne to Cornelius who was then bishop of Rome And those wretched mē did not taste that whiche they had receiued afore they had by othe assured themselues to hym c. Thus farre Nicephorus Eusebius who hath the verie same woordes calleth it bread also And so if M. Dormā thought this place by the waie might serue for their purpose in the matter of the lordes supper whiche he here calleth the sacrament of th' altar he was farre deceiued For both Nicephorus and Eusebius callyng it after the consecration as thei terme it bread and Nicephorus saiyng that thei tasted that whiche thei receiued that is to say bread and by the circumstances it appearyng that the vse of the primitiue churche than was agreable to our vse now in geuyng the Sacrament into the receiuers handes bothe is their transubstantiation
thei haue forsaken the couenaunt of the Lorde their God and haue worshipped straunge Goddes and haue serued theim These M. Dorman be the true causes of suche horrible destructions and desolacions as haue in our time come vpon Monasteries and other houses churches Well it maie be that the Gospel of Christ whiche M. Dorman calleth heresie was occasion of their ruine as Christ is the ruine of all infidels or that the coâ—etousnesse of men seekyng their owne gaine maie be iudged of many the cause therof But the very true causes in déede of this their subuersion were their wicked foundations laied by their first founders and the superstructions of Idolatrie superstition hypocrisie and abominable life whiche they falsely named religious men and Priestes heaped so hugely vpon the saied foundations Had their foundations béen good and sure had their workes been honest and godlie thei should by the light of the Gospel haue gotten praise and honour and their woorkes had not to their shame been discouered by the light and by the heate of the triyng fire vtterly consumed But beyng as thei were thei loued darkenesse thei hated and fled the light leaste their woorkes should bee seen and because thei could no longer hide so huge wickednesse in so cleare lighte whiche discouereth euen small blemishes it came to passe that God by his officers stirred thereto through their counterfeite holinesse so double wickednesse reueiled by the saied light executyng his iustice by the fire of his dreadfull and terrible indignation coÌ„sumed all together so that the houses were destroied and thei dispersed Touchyng the name of altares whiche M. Dorman so gladlie catcheth holde of here in sainct Basil as he did before in S. Cyprian where we call it the Lordes table we haue for vs good authoritie First that Christ instituted the Sacrament at a table and not at an altar is moste manifest except M. Dorman would haue vs thinke that men had altares in steede of tables in their priuate houses in those daies but our sauiour expresselie saiyng that the handes of hym who should betraie him were vpon the table taketh awaie all doubtyng And S. Paule also calleth it Mensam dominicaÌ„ the Lorde his table Sure I am that M. Dorman and all the Papistes with hym can not saie so muche out of the scriptures of the newe Testamente for their altares as I haue alledged for the Lordes table thei maie therefore go and ioyne theÌ„selues to the Iewes as in multitude of Iewishe ceremonies so in altares also as it seemeth in déede thei would bothe become themselues and make vs too Iewes rather then christiaÌ„s If S. Basill and some other old writers cal it an altar that is no proper but a figuratiue name for that as in the old lawe their brent offeringes and sacrifices were offered vpon the altare so are our sacrifices of praier and thankes geuing c. offred vp to God at the Lordes table as it were at an altar But suche kind of figuratiue speache caÌ„ be no iust cause to set vp altares rather then tables vnlesse thei thinke that their crosses also should bée turned into altares for that like phrase is vsed of them where it is saied Christe offered by hymself vpon the altar of the crosse Now th' olde doctors doe call it the Lordes table vsuallie truelie without figure and agreablie to the scriptures Concernyng the spirituall worship or seruice of God or sacrifice if you will seyng it is also meÌ„tioned in S. Basill due to be doen at the Lordes table whiche as afore is noted he calleth an altare it is not lackyng in our Churches at the Lordes table that is to saie true repentaunce of harte whiche is as the Prophete calleth it a seruice and a sacrifice pleasaunte vnto God the offeryng vp of our praiers and praises vnto God whiche seruice and sacrifice of praise as the Psalme witnesseth doeth honour God and specialie that sacrifice of thankes geuing moste peculiar to this altare or Lordes table and to that holie Sacramente hauing thereof a peculiar name beyng called with the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to saie thankes geuyng for the gratefull remembraunce of that one Sacrifice offered by our sauiour once for all whiche sacrifice of thankes geuyng wée ioynctly with other present doo offer vp to Christe our sauiour in the memoriall by hym lefte and by faithe in our hertes doo communicate his precious bodie and bloude a sacrifice by hymself offered for vs. Neither are our oblations or offerynges to the poore lackyng when we come to this altare which S. Paule also calleth a sacrifice acceptable pleasaunte to God whereas you Papistes haue no suche thyng but onely the bare woorde Offertorium without any offeryng for the poore sauyng that you did not forget to receiue the offerynges for your selues at the vsuall offering daies and when any Dirige or Monethes mynde did fall Thus you se maister Dorman that we haue euen that same spirituall worship seruice and sacrifice too if you so will due to be done at this altare that is to wit the Lordes Table whiche S. Bafill speaketh of here and any other altare or seruice he meaneth not nor knewe none And were you not altogether to grosse S. Basil so oiÌ„te speakyng of spirituall worshipping and spirituall seruice might somewhat reforme your carnall and sensuall vnderstandyng You see wee doo not sticke to graunt you not onely a spirituall worship and seruice but a sacrifice too whiche yet hath no neede of your altares framed to your selues vpon this false phantasie that the bodie and bloud of Christe are there offered by the Priestes for the quicke and deade with the abuse of that distinction of the bloudie and vnbloudie offeryng of Christes bodie applied to the same whiche is altogether a false fable and a vaine dreame moste mete for M. Dorman The scriptures doo thus teache vs that Christ our sauiour once for all offered vp his body and bloud vpon the altar of the crosse the one and onely sacrifice of swéete sauour to his father by the whiche one oblatioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ a sacrifice for our sinnes once for euer offered and no more to bee offered by any man we be sanctified and made perfite Wherfore the popishe Priestes whiche doo repeate often the sacrifice of Christes death as thei doo teache thereby as muche as in theÌ„ lieth doo take awaie the efficacie and vertue of the Sacrifice of Christes death makyng it like to the sacrifices of the old lawe the imperfection of which sacrifices S. Paule doeth proue by the often repetitioÌ„ of the same For the continuance wherof their priestes also needed succession but Christe is a Priest for euer without succession and his sacrifice perpetuall without repetition as the Apostle plainly teacheth Our seruice and sacrifice now is the often and thankful remembraunce of that onely sacrifice in the receiuyng of the holie Sacrament at the
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
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
hym alleged moste euidentlie againste hym and that moste falsly vsurped supremacie of the pope You haue heard how contrary his witnesses be twoo against one and that one either not so writyng as is alleged by M. Dorman but falsified or forged as so writyng by the Popes commen corrupters and falsaries of al writers and writynges or if so writyng yet vnworthie credite euen by his owne lawe as partiall in his owne cause and otherwise to be suspected for that his testimonie is in diuers copies found not onely diuers but cleane coÌ„trarie vnlesse M. DormaÌ„ thought he might put in and out this woorde non not as a little sillable and nothyng materiall at his pleasure And further the saied witnesse who so euer he be beyng but one is confuted as you haue hearde by the veredicte of twoo witnesses moste worthie of creadite brought in with hym for testimonie of the same matter You se therfore not onely no necessitie but an impossibilitie of such an one onely head aswell of the churche dispersed throughout all the worlde as of one onely king or prince of all the worlde it self You sée there was no suche opinion muche lesse knowledge of any suche head emoÌ„gest the Apostles or in the primitiue churche but that it is a newe deuilishe deuise of the late ambitious Bishoppes of Rome who when thei were neuer able yet hitherto well to rule the churche of Rome one citie as by all histories and experience is euidente would yet of the worlde vsurpe the superioritie supremacie And if S. Paule didthinke he was not méete to haue charge of one Churche who could not well gouerne his owne house of what monstrous ambitioÌ„ and presumption is he trowe you who neuer yet able to gouerne one peculiar churche dooeth claime and would take vpon him the regiment of all churches throughout the whole worlde Wheras he is not able were he thereto required to tell the onely names of a small parte of the saied churches neither knoweth in what part of the world a great many of theÌ„ be Dorman fol. 6. I can not heare staie to examine curioussie euery worde in these auncient fathers but leauing that good readers to your discreatioÌ„ and not doubtyng but that in these graue witnesses in a matter of suche weight importaunce as wherevpon dependeth the healthe of the whole Churche you will be no lesse diligente then you would bee in examinyng the depositions of your owne witnesses or your aduersaries in a triall of landes or other temporall commoditie Nowell M. Dorman is in haste and lacketh leisure for the examination of these matters there is some plaie belike towardes and his parâ—e therein the busieste of all other and therefore you must examine these witnesses your selues and that with more diligence then you would dooe in controuersies about landes or worldie matters Now surely M. Dorman a little examinatioÌ„ will serue to trie out that you and all your felowe collectours and ouersears of this booke were either of hast shamefully ouerséene or so ignoraunte that you could not sée though you had had good leisure or moste impudeÌ„t and shamelesse so that you cared nothyng what or how you did write so it were some thyng or els all three together And had you doen well you should all haue bestowed your leisure and cunnyng together in some one piththie booke if any thyng can be piththilie written of suche leude and trifelyng matters as you take in hande to maintaine rather then by launcyng out suche hauocke of bookes like to this yours and moste méete for you in poste pase as though all speede were in the haste onelie to gette for the tyme the commendation of celeritie and readinesse either of your fanourers altogether blinded with partialitie or of such vndiscreate readers as delite moste in moste trifles and withall to obteine a perpetuall note and blotte of greate ignoraunce mixed with more shamelessenesse and impudencie in the opinions of all wise and learned men For it will fall out M. Dorman that you alone shall bee more able to write and sende vs ouer a doosen suche bookes at this is by the leisure and facultie that you haue sufficiente enough thereto then D. Hardyng and you with all your adherentes shall bee able to maintaine one little paâ—cell of this your or his booke as truelie and sincerely written So mucke harder it is either to write a little well and truelie or to defende a little of muche written lightlie and falselie then to write neuer so many and so greate bookes bothe lightly leudely and falsely too suche as I trust it shall appeare to the worlde this booke named woorthily yours is in deede M. Dorman Dorman fol. 6. I shall procede to the consideration of the seconde reason whiche before I touched of the people of Isâ—ael if I firste warne you to consider but this by the waie that ye maie truste those aunciente fathers by their woorde the better an other tyme how many schismes bee burste in apon vs in our countrey of Englande for one common receiued truth in the daies of our fathers when we remained in the obedieÌ„ce of one chief priest and iudge whiche shake nowe so miserablie the same how quietlie in one loue in one truth in one doctrine in one Churche in one heade thereof God almightie and his minister vnder hym appoincted ouer the same weliued then and other in other places dooe now Nowell Yet for all the haste M. Dorman hath he will by the waie warne you to credite the aunciente fathers by hym alleged The same dooe wee also desire of the discreate readers that thei will creadit those auncient fathers who though alleged by M. Dorman beyng directlie against hym doo declare that he is woorthy of no creadite at all And he doeth vniustlie charge England specially with so many schismes where it is well knowen that there is as muche consente in true doctrine in the churche of Englande at this tyme as euer was in any realme at any time And though there were not a perfecte consent of all men in all poinctes what marueile yet were it if that should happen emongeste vs whiche was not altogether lackyng emongeste the Apostles themselues Let the conteÌ„tion betwéene Paule and Peter and betwéene Paule againe Barnabas be a proofe thereof What woonder if that were emongest vs touching some poinctes that was not wanting in the primitiue churche emoÌ„gest the olde fathers Let the variaunce emongeste the bishops assembled at Nicene councell let the contention betwene the bishops of the Easte and of the Weste churche aboute the keepyng of Easter daie a matter not woorthie of suche variaunce bée a witnesse thereof Let the sharpe conteÌ„tion betwéene S. Chrysostome and Theophilus bishop of AlexaÌ„dria and Epiphanius bishop of Cyprus the bitter strief betwéene S. Hierome and S. Augugustine and betwéene the saied S. Hierome againe and Rufine and like contentions betweene the beste men of all
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
Scholasticall distinction of caput absolutum and ministeriale healpe the matter nor yet Hosius declaration tendyng to the same ende how Bishops bee both seruauntes and lordes can in this case any thyng further you For there can not possiblie bee one onelie head minister in earth ouer all the churche throughout the whole worlde more then there can bee one vniuersall ciuill heade in earth ouer all the worlde it self But note the intollerable ambition of the Pope who when he saw he could not defeÌ„de the name of the Head of the vniuersall church rather then he would loose that onely sounde of this name Head of the church he qualiâ—ieth it with ministeriale to saie a seruing head of the church he might as good cheape haue been contente with the single title of a minister of y e churche And so he semeth sometyme colourablie in shewe to be contente callyng hymself seruum seruorum Dei the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God But he plaieth in deede Rex Regum dominus dominantium I knowe M. Dorman dooth so qualifie this the Popes supremacie terming him caput ministeriale the ministeriall head for that Christe is the absolute heade of all But yet in respecte of the whole churche as beyng vnder the Pope he will haue hym called caput the heade But I would haue hym to make that relation of caput and these woordes Seruus seruuorum to agree and to bee bothe caput and seruus or minister respectu eiusdem the head and the seruauÌ„t in one respecte specially claimyng suche a kinde of capitalitie as dooeth the Pope whiche can not agrée with the humble ecclesiasticall ministerie And I thinke he shall finde some difficultie and muche hypocrisie and more crueltie of suche a headie seruaunte and seruile head who if he be head he is a cruel and frantike head mangling his owne members as did Lyrurgus in his furious phrensie if he be a seruaunt he plaieth the false traitour murdering his felowe seruantes whose part at the commyng of the Lorde shal bee with hypocrites and homicides You might therefore as good cheape graunt the Pope simplie to bee minister ecclesiae a minister of the churche and therefore no head but an inferior to the Churche vniuersall But the truthe is in deede that the Pope is neither heade nor minister of Christes churche but a sworne enemie to bothe which he well declareth by his ragyng furie againste the true churche and members of Christ our head M. Dorman harpeth to muche vpon this one stryng out of tune for his purpose I meane the example of the Iewishe high prieste whiche as it declareth that it were good that euery seueral churche of euery seuerall nation had their seuerall head Bishop so dooeth it prooue nothyng that all churches of all nations must haue one onely heade in earth whiche is not possible to be That he saith as dooeth Hosius God would by this one earthly head the Pope shewe his exceadyng greate loue towardes maÌ„kinde is a manifest lie for it is euidente by experience that the Deuill the homicide the head of helle hath by this his principall minister the Pope shewed his murderyng malice againste mankinde more then euer he did by any Nerons Domitians Maximines or suche like bloudie tyrauntes And as the deuill hath vsed the Pope his ministers handes to al murders so hath that prince of darkenesse and father of lies by the Popes meanes moste darkened the light of Christes Gospell and hath vsed his polluted mouthe and tongue thereby to vtter all lies and blasphemies againste God and the truthe of his woorde Dorman Fol. 9. Because Christ is kyng of all kynges and lorde of all lordes because if it so pleased hym he could rule al this worlde muche better then it is ruled without the help of any other whereof he hath his absolute power coÌ„sidered no neede shall we therefore saie that there bee not nor neede to be any kynges here in earth VVhen sainct S. Paule called the man the head of the woman denied he therefore Christ to bee her head Kyng Saule when he was called by the Prophete Samuel caput in tribubus Israel the head of the tribues of Israel was God thinck you excluded that he should not be their head To vse examples more familier the archbishop of Cauntorburie is the heade of the Bishopricke and diocesse of London as he is of al the bishoprickes within his prouince and yet can not a man infer apon this that therfore the B. of LoÌ„doÌ„ is not the head of that his diocesse Nowell We dooe not sticke with you nor with Hosius your author about this name Head but that it maie be attributed to men as to the kynges and Iudges of Israel Saule Dauid and suche like But I praie you coÌ„sider by the waie when the scripture saieth that Saule was by God made head ouer the tribes of Israel whiche place Hosius and you dooe allege whether he wer appoincted heade ouer the tribe of Leui also that is ouer the Cleargie as well as ouer other tribes for that is to be considered We knowe that Christ is the onely heade ouer all and that he vseth kynges to bee seuerall heades vnder him vpon earth in their seuerall dominions as sigismunde in Polonia for Hosius vseth that example but we knowe aswell againe that God vseth no one kyng to be the onelie earthlie heade vnder hym ouer all the worlde whiche yet bothe Hosius and you should conclude M. Dorman if you would bryng in these examples to gather thereby that there oughte to bee one head in earth vnder Christe ouer all churches throughout the whole worlde dispersed for so should you haue prooued the saiyng of the Apologie vntrue and our argumente faultie But where the Apologie and we dooe thus reason Christe is the onelie head ouer the vniuersall churche Ergo he needeth not any other generall head in earth vnder hym neither can any mortall man be any suche head You like a good Logician stickyng to the matter dooe prooue that there bee diuers seuerall heades in the Churche vnder Christe whiche wée neuer denied no more then wée denie that there bée seuerall kynges rulers in earth vnder God though we denie that there is one onelie kyng or Emperour of all the worlde But neither by your Logike shall you euer prooue nor by your Rhetorike perswade to any reasonable men by suche vnreasonable reasonyng and examples impertinente that there is or can be any one head in earth vnder Christ either of all the worlde or of all the Churche dispersed thrâ—ughout the worlde For to gouerne the whole world or the whole Churche is the peculiar and onelie office of God and Christ and a thyng vnpossible to any earthlie manne who hath muche and to muche a dooe well to gouerns one little parcell thereof as I haue saied before And where you mingle kynges Bishops together whose offices are distincte and vse the examples of the Archebishop of
the moste blessed Trinitie to the Popes vsurped supremacie minglyng vs in lente vnguentum to witte matters moste impertinente together might moste iustlie bee blamed in this place therefore sauyng that he dooeth so in all places Finallie I would haue thee good reader to note that as S. Hierome would not knowe Vitalis and Meletius for that thei were forainers and not his owne bishops for that they taught false doctrine and therefore were not of Christ but of Antichrist and for that they were of a straunge language so haue we the same causes altogether not to knowe but to refuse the bishop of Rome and moe too as this specially that he being a forainer would vsurpe suche a supreame authoritie or rather cruell tyranny ouer vs with whom of right he hath nothing to doo Dorman fol. 14. Tell them boldely vvith S. Austen that yovv vvill ovve neither sute nor seruice to their chaire of pestilēce nor be a member of that body that either lacketh a head and is a dead tronke or hath many and is a liue monstre Novvell Be bolde and blushe not M. Dormā as boldly to belie S. Augustine as ye streight before haue dealt with S. Hierome For neither be the woords you doo reherse S. Augustines neither are the greatest part of them to be found in the place by you noted nor y e woordes which be in that place whiche you haue noted whose so euer they bee make ought for your purpose or against vs. You should haue done more simply had you alleaged a proufe for your headles trunke or liue monstre out of Pighius Hosius Pope Boniface his Extrauagants there shall you in déede finde for your purpose for much adoo is made there to saue the Popishe churche as hauing two heades one in heauen an other in earth as they say from being a liue monstre Erasmus being no simple iudge of the true and counterfeite writinges of the olde doctours in his preface before the booke De quaestionibus veteris noui testamēti intitled vntruly to S. Augustine doth by diuersitie of S. Augustines phrase and the phrase of that book probably and by very barbarous and false Latine vsuall in that booke vnaccustomed to S. Augustine certainly and by sundry doctrines in that booke most contrary to S. Augustines doctrine in his bookes vndoubtedly prooue that it is not S. Augustines worke so that it were to muche impudencie for any man but onely Hosius and M. Dorman to alleage it for S. Augustines The woordes of that authour who so euer he was a little more largely rehearsed by Hosius than by you M. Dorman leaste it myght appeare you had followed him to neere are these Eorum qui extra ecclesiam vel contra ecclesiam sedes suas instituerunt Cathedram pestilentiae dicimus Qui enim inconcessa praesumit c. We saye that the chaire of them whiche haue made them sees without or against the churche is the chaire of Pestilence He that presumeth vpon vnlawfull thinges is guiltie howe muche more if he also corrupte the tradition of him whose seate he vsurpeth For they trouble the order begunne of Peter the Apostle and kept to this tyme by the continuance of Bishoppes succeedyng chalenginge to themselues ordre without origine that is to saye professinge a bodye without an head Wherefore it is agreable their seate also to appeere to be the chayre of Pestilence Thus farre that incerteine author alleged by Hosius and nowe by M. Dorman for S. Augustine First if you woulde haue this place to make for you against vs you must proue your selues to be the true churche of Christe which you shall neuer be hable to dooe being in deede the Synagoge of Antichriste Further it appeareth by these woordes vvhose seate he vsurpeth meaninge Peters seate that this was writen in later times against some Antipope wrongfully chosen and intruding himselfe into the Bishoprike of Rome For it hath been no noueltie for these .iii. or .iiii. hundreth yeres to haue .ii. or .iii. Popes at once one chosen at Rome by some Cardinalles an other at Auinion by other some Cardinalles the thirde in a thirde place appointed by the Emperour and one to keepe his Papal see at Rome an other at Auinion in Fraunce the third at Rauenna in Italie or some where els And so some writer in fauour of him by like that was chosen and kept residence at Rome hath written this against some other that vsurped Peters seate and so they beynge many at one time troubled the order of the succession of one after an other begunne at Peter and so continued till such discorde came in by those who settinge vp an other chaire and so not sitting in Peters chaire sate as he saieth in the chaire of pestilence Howsoeuer it be the mater can not be applied to vs who doo not vsurpe Peters chaire Further what woord is there here to proue y e chayre of Rome to be the head of y e vniuersall church but rather to be the head of that peculiar church of Rome onely where Peters successours haue cōtinued Such kinde of head gouernour as we doo not denie euery bishop to be in his own diocesse so yet subiect to his prince as y e bishop of Rome ought to be to y e Emperour his lord To proceede we hauing Christ to be our head our church is no dead trunke as lacking an head and hauing him our head onely other his ministers our gouernours vnder him our churche is no liue monster as hauing many heades no more than our cōmon wealth hauing God the only head in heauen our prince his seruant our head gouernour in earth is therefore a liue monstre or the whole worlde hauing God to his head is therefore a dead truncke because it hath no one onely earthly head nor can haue any such no more can the vniuersall churche throughout the whole worlde haue any suche one earthly head Wherefore as M. Dormā would gather our church to be a dead truncke for that we will not graunt one onely head in earth ouer all the churche though we graunt Christe to be the onely head therof as in déede he is so let him gather in like wise that the whole world is a dead trūcke for that it hath no one onely head in earth though it haue God for his head in heauen and so he may cōclude that god and Christ the authours of life be no heades or no such heades as can saue the bodies whereof they be heades from being dead trunckes except the saide bodies haue a false vsurper from Rome to be their head besides and to geue them life And had M. Dorman had so muche leasure from his diuinitie matters as to haue looked better vpon his notes of the Canon lawe his peculiar studie he would haue bene better aduised than to haue called vs Acephalos headles and therfore dead trunckes who doo obey our owne Prelates seing Acephali as is there
head If the tyme I saie were for it thei would plainelie saie the Pope is Lorde and Monarche of the whole worlde and head of the whole Churche too For so it is recorded in the booke of his Canon lawe and that he hath as muche righte to all the Kyngdomes of the worlde as onelie Monarche as he hath to the whole Churche dispersed throughout all the worlde as the onelie head and in so saiyng maister Dorman might saie more truely then he is ware of For he hath like righte to bothe that is none at all to any of bothe But in all his behauiour riches pompe power Castelles souldiours armour gunnes and other artillarie of warre he shewith hym self more like a worldlie prince then in any one poincte like a godlie bishop or a bishop at all whereof he hath no token nor signe at all Wherefore he mighte with better reason plead for his Monarchie of the worlde as partlie in possession thereof then for his bishoprike of the world beyng cleane out of al possessioÌ„ of any bishoprike and without all showe of any bishop And as when the tyme serued hym in Kyng Ihons daies he made as greate title to the croune as to the Churche of Englande and named the prince his vassall aswell as the Priestes his subiectes so hath this Foxe chaunged his heare but not his maners And I praie God that he beeyng in deede but a false Romishe Foxe neuer haue oportunitie nor power so to plaie the Lyon or Beare rather againe in our countrey Dorman Fol. 14. Finallie if at that tyme thei flattered the kyng and gaue hym that whiche neither thei coulde geue nor he receiue and abused his good nature to the destruction of so many notable men as for the onely refusall to saie as thei saied by moste exquisite painfull tormentes lost their liues saie vnto them that thei yet at length acknowledge their faulte and admonishe that good Ladie our maistres that she consente not to vse that title whiche because it belongeth to Christe she maie not haue or if thei thinke and wil stande in it that she maie without offence that thei doe yet at the least confesse that reason of theirs to be verie weake and of no strength Christ is head of the churche therefore it maie haue none other Excepte thei will perhaps saie that he is heade of all other Churches and hath onelie left oures headlesse so that because he is not head therof wee are out of the feare of fallyng into that inconuenience of hauyng many and maie therefore choose some one emongest our selues whom we liste Nowell Who thei were that flattered kyng Henrie and abused his good nature I haue touched before who as thei moste deceipfullie dissembled with hym so did thei after moste cruelly by all exquisite and painfull tormeÌ„tes put to death such as did not slatter their prince but dealed sincerely with him and would not therfore geue his enemie a foraign false vsurper the title due to their said prince And in bothe these poinctes the false flattering of their soueraigne abusyng of his good nature and in murthering moste cruelly their felow subiectes thei did shewe the naughtinesse of their owne nature The Queenes maiestie vseth no title but suche as of good right she maie vse as shall in place conuenient be dâ—ely proued The reason of th'Apologie Christ is the onely head of the vniuersall churche therefore there is nor can bee no one earthly head ouer it is not weake but as good as is this reason God is the onely head ouer the whole worlde therefore there is nor can bee no one onely earthly head ouer it which as I thinke is no weake but a good and strong reason and well confirmed by perpetuall experience And againe this reason Though Christ be the onely head ouer y e whole church yet maie he haue and hath his ministers vnder hym head gouernours of seuerall churches is as good as is this Though God be head ouer all the world yet hath he seuerall kinges head gouernours vnder him in euery countrey whiche I thinke bothe reason experience will allowe as bothe reasonable true But that one man should haue the gouernaunce of al will trouble M. Dormans braine to make it seeme reasonable but onely to suche as is himsef as the Pope atteÌ„pting to put it in experience hath by his ambition crueltie auarice troubled oppressed and robbed all the worlde whiche M. Dorman suche as he is doo maintaine as reasonably and well doen Non quia honestuÌ„ aut probabile sed quia vtile not for that it is honest reasonable or probable but bicause it is profitable to Popishe prelates partakers of suche polling spoile of the worlde Dorman Fol. 15. â—â—â— Thus I trust good readers you see sufficientlie proued that Christes pleasure is for the repressyng of heresies calmyng of tempestuous schismes that there be one head of his churche here in earth suppliyng his corporall absence for the tyme his honor in the meane season nothyng thereby the more diminished then it is in other thynges wherein he also vseth the ministerie and seruice of menne Nowell Thus I truste good readers you see the insufficiencie or more truelie the leudenesse of M. Dormans proufes of the necessitie of one onelie heade ouer Christes whole churche here in earth you sée where he saith that he hath sufficientlie proued it to be Christes pleasure that there should be such an one head that he hath not nor could not for if he could he would allege out of the newe testamente where Christes will and pleasure is written and declared moste largelie and manifestlie as muche as one woorde sounding to that purpose so farre of is it that it is as he saieth sufficientlie proued You see that Schismes and controuersies by saincte Cyprians iudgemente and saincte Augustines also with 217. Bishoppes moe assembled in the African Councell with hym and by good reason and experience also maie bee beste quieted and decided in the countries where thei arise by the magistrates and Bishops of the same countreis You see that it becommeth man vnable well to gouerne a verie little thing to humble hymself and to yelde vp the honour glorie of gouernyng the whole worlde and Churche to God and to our sauiour Iesus Christe who alone are able to suffice to suche a charge For experieÌ„ce teacheth that those menne are the woorste of all gouernours whiche desire to haue most Also you sée that in this treatie hitherto as M. Dorman hath not one woorde out of the newe Testamente so hath he alleged but onelie twoo textes out of the olde Testamente one out of Deuteronomium cap. 17. whiche is as a speciall place often alleged and repeated an other out of Numeri 16. whiche bothe make directlie againste hym the one prouyng that euery nation countrey diocesse or churche ought to haue their seuerall head Bishoppe as had the nation of the Iewes