vnknowen to all the worlde and all menne to liue not onely without explication of doubtfull places of the scripture but without knowledge of any place of the scripture at all and in steede of Gods woorde to haue pampered vp Gods people with their poisoned pappe of Poperie But saieth M. Dorman God did not commaunde any suche conference of scriptures but onelie to resorte to the high Prieste yet I trust M. DormaÌ„ is not ignorant what it meaneth that God and our sauiour Christ dooe so earnestlie exhorte all men to the diligent readyng and studie of the scriptures and dooe condemne the ignoraunce or wante of knowledge thereof And where he saieth God hath not commaunded suche conference of the scriptures which yet in effecte he hath commaunded it is happie that he can not shewe where God hath forbidden it which if he could he would not haue failed to haue dooen But seyng M. Dorman setteth so muche by Gods commaundementes and would so faine haue vs leaue the conference of scriptures as not commaunded by God as he thinketh I would he should aduertise the Papistes his felowes that thei would once leaue their Idolatrie to Images with other their superstitions so ofte and expressedlie by God forbidden as to all godlie menne is well knowen Dorman fol. 12. For emongest so many as at all times haue disquieted the Churche what one heretike are thei able to recon ouerthrowen by the scriptures VVas Arrius vaÌ„quished by them Naie if you brought to coÌ„uince him this text Pater egovnum sumus my father I are one he would tell you againe that the same Christe that so saied saied also pater meus maior me est my father is greater then I. VVhat had you then wonne at his handes that would tell you that one place of Scripture muste expound an other and that therefore your place must bee expounded by his And if you would wade farder with hym he would interprete your place as he did with the catholikes to be vnderstande of vâ—itie in will and not in substaunce and bryng you scripture toe although wrested from the true sense that should seeme well to prooue his distinction As when our Sauiour praied vnto his father in this sorte pater sancte serua eos in nomine tuo quos dedisti mihi vt sint vnuÌ„ sicut et nos kepe theÌ„ ô holie father in thy name whom thou haste geuen to me that thei maie be one as we twoo are one Nowell First to M. Dormans demaunde whiche is the pith of all that he saieth in a leafe and more next folowyng I answere the Arrians Anabaptistes and all heretikes without exception were vanquished and ouerthrowen by the Scriptures and that if thei were not vaÌ„quished by the scriptures thei were not vanquished at all For what though thei saied thei were not vanquished were thei therefore not vanquished because thei would not coÌ„fesse it Did the Iuishe high priestes Scribes and Phariseis confesse themselues vanquished by Christe and his Apostles Were thei therefore not vanquished for that thei would not graunte it I would aske againe of M. Dorman what one heretike of so many can he recken ouerthrowen but by the scriptures But whereas M. Dorman hath been continually harpyng vpon this stryng against the scriptures labouryng to bryng vs from them to the Pope and his churche as he still holdeth on so to dooe leaste I should at euery occasion by him offered with tediousnesse repeate the same thynges againe I remitte the reader to the. 68. leafe of this booke before where and in the processe folowyng it is at large declared that if we doubt whether we be Christians or no we must be resolued by the scriptures if wee doubte whether we bee in the true faithe or no we muste resorte to the Scriptures if wee doubte whiche is the true Churche and whether we bee in the same or no we muste bee certified by the scriptures and that suche as seeke other meanes to bee resolued of these and suche like doubtes otherwise thaÌ„ by the scriptures shal be deceiued and perishe Where also is declared that neither the Pope nor Popishe Churche can be conuenient and competent iudges in controuersies now risen for that thei are both parties and parties accused therein no more then the Iewishe high priest with his churche of Scribes and Phariseis were conuenient and competent iudges in the controuersies betweene them and Christes Apostles for that the saied high Prieste Scribes and Phariseis were parties yea and parties accused and guiltie too of the death of Christ about whom was all the controuersie betwene them and therefore were thei moste vnméete to bee iudges thereof Touchyng the conference of the scriptures together I did so late before at large intreate thereof that I néede not now to repete the same again And thus muche to M. Dormans question Now if M. Dorman haue brought in this example of the Arrians to bryng vs in suspition with the simple people as fauouryng the Arrians all learned and godlie can cléerâ— vs who dooe knowe how muche wee dooe abhorre the Arrians heresies and how earnestlie in our sermons writynges wee dooe oppugne them yea Hosius your chief champion shall answere for vs who dooeth muche praise our writynges and dooynges too againste the Arrians Dorman Fol. 13. In the exposition and right vnderstandyng of these fewe woordes Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie how happeneth it that the Caluinistes and the Lutheranes agree not by conferryng one place of the Scripture with an other if that bee so readie a waie Dooeth not Caluine with all his teache vs that the sense and true interpretation of these woordes muste needes be atteined by the conference of one place of Scripture with an other And to that ende dooe thei not fondlie allege saincte Paule callyng Christe a rocke yea Christe callyng hymself a vine when he was in deede neither the one nor the other but by a similitude As though because th'Apostle or Christ hymself vseth a figure in one place wee muste thinke that in all other he neuer spake otherwise By whiche abominable doctrine what letteth if a manne would bee so wicked to affirme that Christe the sonne of God and seconde persone in Trinitie were not the true and naturall sonne of God but by adoptioÌ„ onely and for that wicked heresie to bryng this texte Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God VVhiche wordes wee knowe beyng spoken by vs menne muste bee vnderstande by grace and adoption and frowardlie to mainteine that all the places whiche any good manne can bryng for the defence of the contrarie should bee drawen to this texte alleged by them and expounded and vnderstanded thereby Nowell This is M. Dormans vsage when he can saie nothyng of the presente case to intermingle foraine matters thereby to auert the readers minde from his principall cause remainyng vnprooued
agaynst the Prophetes Psalmes or the lawe for so Christe doth diuide the holy Scriptures of the olde Testament as here hath Hosius written he should according to the iudgement of the lawe haue like a wicked blasphemar be stoned to death But blasphemie against God and his holy scriptures is with our aduersaries a sporte Dayly and most horrible blasphemies against Christe are suffered in the Iues by the Pope and they neuerthelesse remaine the Popes friends specially in néede of money Onely a woorde against that false vsurpar of Rome and his leude traditions is auenged with swoorde fagot and fire moste cruelly vpon those that doo professe Christes name and all the articles of the Christian faith Whiche emongst many others is not the least proofe that y e Pope is Antichrist for that he doeth therby declare that he preferreth him selfe and his owne traditions before Christe his gospell auenging himself so extremely vpon the cōtemners of his said traditiōs and permitting blasphemers against God our sauiour Christ the holy scriptures to remayne not onely vnpunyshed but also his deare friendes But lette vs procéede with M. Dormans rehearsall of Suenkfeldius heresies The holy ghost vseth to come from aboue vvithout the help of meanes as hearing preaching or reading the scriptures VVe must looke to be taught from heauen not out of bookes saith Suenkfeldins Doo not you Papistes say the same haue not you geuē ouer preaching of gods woord your selues barred the people from reading hearing of it by your crueltie close keping of it in a language vnknowen to the people and burnyng the bookes of the scripture transiated for the peoples vnderstanding Are not you the right heyres of those Phariseis whom our sauiour speaketh of that haue taken away this key of knowledge of goddes woorde and neither will enter in your selfe nor suffer other that would to entre And thus laying aside preaching your selues and burnyng other that doo preache and barryng the people of God from reading and hearyng of his woorde you doe saye euen as did Suenkfeldius that the holy ghoste vseth to come from aboue into your Popishe churche without all helpe of meanes as hearyng preaching or readyng of the Scriptures whiche you will by no meanes suffer so to be vsed in the churche as it may be vnderstanded Are not you those who contrarie to goddes commaundement that the booke of the lawe should not departe out of the handes and from the eyes of his seruauntes haue either suche bookes as fewe can vnderstande either burne such bookes of gods law as all may vnderstand for that you will not haue them to learne of goddes booke but onely of suche traditions as are reuealed to your churche from heauen as you say Thus you sée good readers I truste euidently howe that M. Dorman hath moste vniustly charged vs and that we are as farre from Suenfeldius vile heresies as the Papistes in all poinctes by M. Dorman rehearsed agree and ioyne moste iustly with theim as I haue declared by the very woordes of Pighius D. Hardinges chiefe author and by Hosius M. Dorman his peereles pearle for learnyng and vertue as he sayeth Whiche Hosius gaue occasion to M. Dorman to make mention of Suenfeldius in this place as partly before and more plainely nowe hereafter doth appeare Dorman fol. 11. And thus vvhilest moste shamefully to the great dishonor of the vvhole realme vnder vvhose name as it vver that fardel of lies their apologie vvas sent abroade thei haue not ben ashamed to charge vvith this heresie of Suenkfeldius one of the greatest estates both for lerning and vertue that at this daie Christendom hath vve may se that thei haue not only shovved thē selues to be very vvicked and shameles men the truthe to their vtter and perpetuall infamie and shame had thei any plainly to the contrary in the vvorcks of him vvhome thei so sclaundred bearing vvitnesse against them but are also runne into the same groundes vvhereon Svvenkfilde builded his heresie their ovvne selues Novvell I trust that who so euer shall reade that conformitie betwene the papistes and Suenkfeldius and both their heresies before declared and specially by the woordes of Pighius and Hosius him selfe shall vnderstande that Hosius was not without cause charged with some affinitie to Suenkfeldius his heresie and with contempt blaspemie against God and his holy scripture wherewith Hosius writings doo abounde and beare witnesse most plenteously thereof and that therefore it is no shame at all to the author of the apologie to beare witnesse of the truthe the whiche apologie yet once again M. Dorman with one woorde after his manner confuteth calling it a fardel of lies But euery woorde that M. Dorman speaketh is not gospell Although he haue here in this his booke packed vs vp suche store of lies that he might more iustly haue intitled it a Lighter laden with lyes than a fardell of lies yet shall he and all his fellowes finde it more easie for them to sende vs ouer a Hulke or twayne full fraughted with suche lies as this and other their bookes swarme withall than to answere that litle apologie to any purpose terme he it neuer so contemptuously Concerning Hosius so great an estate of Christendome I wist not of it before Sure I am that in Polonia his countrey he is of the meaner sort of bishoppes there and what should make him so great an estate besides I know nothing but his Cardinals hatte which how much so euer M. Dormā estemeth yet the truth is that originally a Cardinall is but a person or vicar of one of the parishe churches in Rome or there about in the countrey For after that the Popes had iniuriously and violētly put the people of Rome from the election of the sayde Popes beyng but byshoppes of Rome which election of right apperteined to them ioinctly with the cleargie and had geuen full authoritie to the persons and vicars of the parishes in Rome that they alone should elect the Pope Pope Paschall the first of that name to adourne these Papall electours with some solemne title named these single soled clerkes Cardinalles and Pope Nicolas the second of that name confirmed the same as is in y e Florentine historie declared But yet hitherto were these Papall electors footemen for that they were not as yet hable to paye for their horse meate in Rome where prouander is deare because they had chaunged their name and not mended their liuinges they went appareiled as yet like other commen curates no better than our Cardinalles in Paules cathedrall church yea many of them farre wourse This vncomlinesse pope Innocentius the fourth of that name wysely consideryng sayth Platina Statuitvt Cardinales equo in publicum vecti galero rubrovterentur honestandi ordinis causa That is to saye He made a statute or ordre that the Cardinalles should ryde on horsebacke when thei came abroade and should were a redde hatte for the honestie of the
matters most impertinent to his matter of one head borowed of his Maister D. Harding Pighius Hosius with others as is in their places noted he hath amplified at large and gaylie garnished with the ornamentes of his raylinge rethorike Whiche stuffe were it altogether had to the dunge hyll as it ought al his booke almost were cleane swept out of the doores litle or nothing should be left therof and yet nothing taken away from it that did belong of right vnto it Séeyng therefore this first and most principall poinct of one head of the churche the very foundation of al is not proued by M. Dorman or so leudly proued that it faileth and falleth of it selfe all the Popes supremacie commeth downe vpon their heades For if they can not proue as they neuer shal be hable that there ought to be one chiefe head of Christes whole church here in earth thei can not possibly proue that the Pope should be that one head Wherefore I doo aduise M. Dorman and all the packe of Papistes to recoyle from this their Thesis of one head of the churche to the Hypothesis of the Pope head of the churche and to proue first that the Pope of Rome ought of right to be the onely chiefe head and then after to induce thereof that there must of necessitie be one chiefe head For if they take not this waye I dooe geue them plaine warning they shall neuer thriue And further séeing this part of M. Dormans booke both for that it is the first and the chiefe parte also requireth good and substanciall proufes not onely for it selfe sake but also that the readers vpon the good likynge hereof might haue the better hope and expectation of all the rest of his booke according as M. Dorman hath no doubt out of the preceptes of Rethorike obserued and is yet not withstanding thus sclenderly vntruely falsely fondlye and dreamingly handled by M. Dorman it geueth the Readers to vnderstande what they shall fynde in the residue of his booke in the whiche as it were in the rerewarde he hath placed bag and baggage with suche pages drudges and slaues to attende vpon the same as are more ready to runne awaye than to abide any brunte of battayle The which I haue not as yet assayled for that I dooe sée the Byshop of Sarisburie his bande bent vpon them whose handes if any of that cowardly companie escape as eyther not espied or not regarded of him I dooe promise thée good reader that I God willinge will shortely haue them in chase vntill I haue lefte of all M. Dormans bragging but most cowardly armie of leude Popishe reasons and allegations not as muche as one souldiour vntaken or put to shamefull flight Dorman fol. 15. It folovveth novve that I shovve to you vvho is and of right ought to be that head if first I dooe you to vnderstand that it must necessarily be a priest and that so by iust cōsequence neither laye man vvomā nor child can be capable of that office Novvell M. Dorman by like hath readde or heard of Aristotle that he geueth counsaile that if one chaunce to fall into a matter very barren to reason vppon he shoulde by some sleight scape out to some other more plentifull matter And therefore finding his matter of the necessitie of one head of the churche whiche yet is most necessarie though it be impossible for the Papistes to proue or els to lose all so bare barren of all proufes as well out of the scriptures as doctours and good reasons he maketh a scape into a larger campe and taketh in hande to proue that no lay lay man vvoman nor childe can be capable of this office that he speaketh of to witte to be the only supreme head ouer Christs vniuersal church and that will he proue you both roundly plentifully by makyng declaration that princes be they men vvemen or children may not minister the Sacramentes as priestes may may not preach as priestes may may not excommunicate and absolue binde and loose as priests may can not haue so great knovvledge in the scriptures as priestes may For in prouing of these thinges which no man doth denie which being graunted dooe make nothing to his purpose or against vs he is as plentiful as he was before spare barren in prouing y e necessitie of one head of y e church in earth which we doo all denie and whiche not proued the Papistes haue lost all And as he had very much adoo to patche vp a fewe leaues by alleaging of two poore places out of the scriptures and thrée or foure trifling testimonies of the olde doctoures which I so terme for that they make nothinge to his purpose but cleane against him with impertinēt pelfrie to supply y e rest so in y e second part to witte that no prince mā vvomā nor child can be supreme head of Christs church in earth for that they cā not minister the Sacramēts may not preache can not binde loose c. he doothe laye on lode out of the scriptures Doctors reasons and plaieth ▪ Rex reueling and ruffling roially so that he hath much enlarged his booke with this part For this accessarie and suborned treatie and counterfeite controuersie without any aduersarie for the most part of it as it were a sixt finger vpon one hande longer and bigger then all his felowes is alone larger thā are bothe his firste and thirde moste necessary partes or rather the whole summe of all Poperie that is to saye that Christes churche here in earth must of necessitie haue one chiefe head And that the bishop of Rome is that heade of Christes churche In whiche twoo partes so necessarie that without them all partes of Poperie must of necessitie playnely perishe the man is contente to bee sobre and of a competente length more for lacke of store or stuffe than for want of wil you may be sure But when he commeth to his Schiomachia and skirmishing with his owne shadowe Lord howe he playeth the man in that vnblouddy battayle and triumpheth not before the victorie as they saye but of a conquest made without duste raysinge or bloude sheadinge without enemie slayne hurte or put to flighte yea no enemie at all séen hearde of or knowen For M. Dorman can not be ignorant that wée in all our Sermons and writinges of suche mattiers dooe make a moste cleare and euident difference between the functions and offices of princes ciuill magistrates and Priestes Ecclesiasticall ministers And neither did we euer teache that Princes ought neither did they euer desire to execute the offices Ecclesiasticall of ministring the Sacramentes preachinge excommunicatinge absoluinge and suche like Wherfore you doo lewdly and impudently abuse your self M. Dorman and al others too so largely to confute that which no man holdeth and so busily to proue that which no man denieth For whan all this is graunted you what haue you obteined or what
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
he declareth in many places that euery Bishop in his owne diocesse hath the full possession of y e bishoprike whiche is one throughout all the worlde therfore is the onely bishop and head of that his owne Catholike church as namely in his epistle to Antonianus where he hath these woordes Vna est Ecclesia à Christo per totum mundum in multa membra diuisa item episcopatus vnus episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate diffusus c. That is to saie there is one churche from Christ throughout the whole worlde diuided likewise one bishoprike spread abroade in the agreable multitude of many Bishops But S. Cyprian declareth his minde moste plainly of this one bishoprike wholy and equally possessed of all and euery bishop in his booke De simplicitate praelatorum not farre from the beginnyng writyng thus Vnum corpus vnus spiritus vna spes vocationis vestrÄ™ vnus dominus vna fides vnum Baptisma vnus deus Quam vnitatem firmiter tenere vindicare debemus maximè episcopi qui iÌ„ ecclesia praesidemus vt episcopatum quoque ipsum vnum atque indiuisum probemus Nemo fraternitatem mendacio fallat nemo fidei veritateÌ„ perfida preuaricatione corrumpat Episcopatus vnus est cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur Ecclesia vna est quae in multitudineÌ„ latiùs incremento foecunditatis extenditur quomodo solis multi radij sed lumen vnum rami arboris multi sed robur vnum tenaci radice fundatuÌ„ c. Whiche is to saie There is one bodie and one spirit one hope of your vocation one Lorde one Faithe one Baptisme one God The whiche vnitie we must firmely hold and mainteine speciallie wee Bishoppes whiche doo gouerne in the Churche that we maie proue the bishoprike it self also to bee one and vndeuided Let no man by liyng deceiue the brotherhodde let no man corrupte the veritie of faith by false preuarication There is one Bishoprike parte whereof euery man hath wholie or more plainely there is one Bishoprike whiche euery bishop hath wholie for his part There is one churche whiche is spread abroade by increase of fruictefulnesse into a multitude as there be many beames of the suÌ„ne but one light many braunches of the tree but one bodie of it staied vpon a sure roote c. Thus farre saincte Cyprian with muche more processe to proue the vnitie of the churche and the vnitie of one bishoprike whiche euery Bishop wholie hath for his parte and so consequentlie all Bishops to be equall Wherefore maister Dorman hath in vain noted in the margeÌ„t of his booke in this place One God one Christe one holie Ghost one Bishoppe as though the Bishoppe of Rome were that one Bishop and none but he as there is one onely God and none but he Where as that place of sainct Cyprian as by conference with this place appeareth proueth that though there be one bishoprike throughout all the worlde yet are there many bishops and that euery one in his owne Diocesse hath the whole possession of that one Bishoprike and that therefore there is an equalitie of all Bishops and so consequently no superioritie of any one ouer all as M. Dorman would haue it For if euery Bishop haue in solidum that is to saie fullie and wholie that one Bishoprike or bishoplie function and office as S. Cyprian saieth no one caÌ„ haue more then the whole and therefore no one can be aboue all other Whiche maie appeare more plainlie by the comparisons of one faithe and one Baptisme whiche saincte Cyprian in the same place vseth For as there is but one faithe though there be many faithfull persones one Baptisme though many Baptised so there is by sainct Cyprian his iudgement but one Bishoprike yet be there many Bishops whiche one Bishoprike is equallie and wholie diuided emongeste all the said Bishops as faithe and Baptisme are equally and wholie diuided emongeste the faithfull Baptised and yet remaineth still but one Bishoprike as there doeth but one faithe and one Baptisme for that euery bishoppe hath that one bishoprike wholie as euery true faithfull hath the one christian faithe wholie and euery one that is duely Baptised hath that one Baptisme wholie And consequently it foloweth that as no one man hath any superioritie in Baptisme or faithe aboue other truely faithfull and Baptised so hath no one bishoppe any superioritie ouer other bishoppes for that euery bishop hath that one bishoprike wholie and therfore none hath it more then other but be all equall in office and authoritie This is S. Cyprian his minde of one Bishopricke whiche euery bishop hath wholie and equallie and is therfore in his owne Diocesse the one onely bishop in the catholike Churche to gouerne the same Whereby any manne but of meane vnderstandyng maie well perceiue that this saiyng of one bishoppe vsed by sainct Cyprian maketh nothyng for the bishoppe of Rome his supremacie but directlie againste it makyng all other bishops equall with hym as thei whiche haue in solidum wholie that one Bishoprike as well as he And therefore when sainct Cyprian nameth one bishop in the catholike church or of a catholike churche he meaneth the bishop of that speciall diocesse which he entreateth of of what countrey so euer it be as here he meaneth Cornelius and by the like wordes in other places he meaneth other bishops and of other diocesses Whiche is moste euident by the like wordes of one Bishop who gouerneth the church vsed by the same saincte Cyprian in this epistle to Pupianus His woordes be these Episcopus qui vnus eâ—â— ecclesiae praeest coÌ„temnitur c. The Bishop which is one and gouerneth the Churche is contemned and sette at nought c. Where it is moste euident that by that one Bishop who gouerneth the Churche and is contemned he meaneth himself beyng bishop of Carthage and by the saied Pupian despised as is at large alreadie declared Whiche place yet M. Dorman alittle before alledged for the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome as leudelie as he doeth this place here To conclude Maximus and his felowes had a controuersie with Cornelius altogether diuers from our coÌ„trouersies with the Popes of Rome and therefore their exaÌ„ple apperteineth nothyng to this case of the Popes supremacie then neither mooued nor knowen And it is no meruaile if that Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius beyng priestes of Rome there hauyng with Nouatus beyng hymself Priest of Rome also made so great stirre and businesse against Cornelius recoÌ„ciled themselues to Cornelius the Romaine bishop beyng their own bishop whiche apperteineth nothyng at all to vs who haue nothing to doo with the bishop of Rome Dorman fol. 3. So did Vrsatius and Valens forsakyng the heresie of Arius offer vp their recantation to Iulius then Bishoppe of Rome By this meaneâ— good Christian readers retourned thei to the Churche by this muste you retourne that haue straied what
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
in Gods wisedome conteined in the same Suenckfeldius saieth as M. Dorman reporteth The scripture is not Gods woorde but dead letters and no more accompte to bee made thereof then of other creatures We saie the Scriptures are the verie woordes of GOD the woorde of life in the whiche life euerlastyng is to bée soughte and founde and that the Scriptures are the moste diuine gifte of God and aboue all other giftes creatures and thynges excepte onelie his onely sonne incarnate of whom thei testifie and whose blessed woorde thei be Swenkfeild saieth wee must looke to bee taughte from heauen not out of bookes and that the holy ghost vseth to come from aboue without the helpe of meanes as hearyng preachyng and readyng the scriptures We saie we maie not looke for vaine reuelations from heauen but must marke what Christ◠the heauenlie doctor and schoolemaister speaketh to vs in his holie woorde in that diuine booke of his blessed testamente as we haue receiued commaundement fró his father ipsum audite heare hym wee saie what reuelation so euer bee made contrarie or not agreeyng with Christes blessed Gospell bee it by an angell from heauen it is not of the holie ghaste but from that angell of darkenesse trāsforming hymself into an angell of light and that therefore we must come to knowlege of Gods will and to our saluation by hearyng preathyng or readyng of the Scriptures Now concludeth M. Dorman after the rehearsall of these Swenkfildes heresies saiyng thus these bee that wicked heretike his foolishe and vnsauerie persuasions We saie and these bee our true and to vs moste sweete perswasions not onelie of the profitablenesse but also the necessitie of the Scriptures that truthe healthe light life and saluation is to bee saught and to bee had in them and by them and without them can not be had and these perswasions haue wee gathered not of vaine reuelations but of the verie same holie Scriptures themselues as of the fountaine of al infallible veritie Wherefore M. Dorman you haue dooen nothyng els but bewraied your moste malicious blindenesse in saiyng that it is no other thing that the Huguenotes heretikes doo and that vve doo leane reste vpon the self same reasons and groundes as did Suenkfeldius and vvithall as in a credible matter to praie the good readers to iudge indifferently herein to beleue rather their ovvne iudgementes then you and to tell them that thei shall see and perceiue moste plainely that you lye not Wherevnto we saie we trust that not onelie indifferente readers but all other also moste partiall of your side M. Dorman shall sée and will iudge that fire is not more contrarie in nature to water nor lighte to darkenesse then are we to Suenkfeldius and our true perswasions of the Scriptures grounded vpon the sure rocke of the same Scriptures contrarie and repugnaunte to his abominable heresies waueryng vpon the vncertaine sandes of false phantasticall reuelations And therefore we doubt nothing but al wise indifferent readers will plainly perceiue that ye lie moste shamefully and will abhorre and detest your malice an deride and hisse out your blindenesse who thought them so blinde that thei could iudge no colours and your partiall readers will blushe I doubte not at your doultishe dooynges and peraduenture beshrowe your harte or rather your foolishe heade that hath handled their parte in suche slender sorte And I for our parte where you deale with vs thus not vnfriendlie onelie but moste falslie maliciouslie and pestilenilie also and dooe yet make a preface of a friendlie aduertiser of vs dooe saie to you as our sauiour saied to a like friend of his Amice ad quid venisti For as you like as did D. Hardyng your maister haue with Iudas forsaken Christ the truth whose true doctrine you call Caluins religion and ioigned against hym with the high Priestes Scribes and Phariseis in hope of worldly gaine so geue you vs as friēdlie aduertisemente as Iudas offered Christ a friendly kisse Well now we haue truelie prooued and clearly declared that we are not onelie vnlike but moste cōtrarie to Suenkfeldius and his vile heresies by you rehearsed let vs yet sée how M. Dorman would make vs to seme like vnto hym Svvenkfield saith M. Dorman dooeth saie vve must haue no Scripture c. The Huguenotes and heretikes saie vve must haue no Pope of Rome to bee head of Christes vniuersall churche Loe sir you see a greate likenesse betweene them Tarie you shall heare more matter of likelihoode yet Suenkfeldius saieth the Scriptures are but deade letters The heretikes saie the Pope is but a sinfull man as other be Hath he not trowe you shewed a verie greate similitude betwene Suenkfeldius and vs But yet he concludeth at the laste bothe earnestly and effectuously as you shall heare Finallie saieth M. Dorman the Swenkfeldians barre God of all meanes to worke by and therefore thei dooe reiecte the Scriptures to teache by for that God is the teacher himself likewise dooe the protestantes saith M. Dorman whiles thei alowe him not one heade minister to gouerne his vniuersall Churche in externall gouernement because that Christe gouerneth it hymself Whiche reason wée are contented that M. Dorman goe awaie withall when he hath prooued as clearelie that it is Gods will to gouerne the whole Churche by suche a Romishe head as we can clearelie prooue that it is his wil to teache vs by the scriptures And further M. Dorman maie bee ashamed to saie so doe the Huguenotes for so it pleaseth him to terme vs so dooe thei in likewise barre Christe of all meanes to woorke by as dooeth Swenkfield Dooe we so M. Dorman Dooe wee not allowe hym a minister to gouerne his Churche who doo allowe hym as he hymself hath ordeined in euery Churche one at the leaste to preache his holie will and to minister his holie Sacramentes accordyng to his owne holie institution But M. Dorman is not content that we allowe Christ euery where one minister except we also allowed him one al where ouer all But good M. Dorman it belongeth to one onelie Christe to gouerne his Churche all where and one onelie man shall haue enough to dooe and more then he can dooe to performe the office of a good minister of Christ some where in one onelie Parishe or diocesse Wherefore as we muche mislike the vndiscreate ambition of some worldlie Princes who when thei cānot well gouerne one kyngdome doo yet desire many so dooe wee vtterlie abhorre and condemne to the Deuill the authour hereof the excessiue and vnsatiable ambition of the bishop of Rome who neuer being able yet well to gouerne the Churche of the citie of Rome as is well knowen to the worlde nor to rule his Colledge of Cardinalles yet desireth the gouernment and supremacie ouer all churches throughout the worlde and is named in the booke of his owne Canon lawe the bishoppe of the whole worlde Yea and not content with that spirituall Monarchie chalengeth
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
ordre Loo sir a merueilous estate in the Christen world that Hosius hath attained too to ride on horsebacke whiche by like he might not doo before by vertue of his Varmiense bishoprike in Polonia and to weare a redde hatte I thinke the seruyng men of Englande of late yeres vsyng scarlet cappes as broade as hattes and when they went abroade any thyng farre ryding also haue well left that vsage though not of riding yet of wearyng redde vpon their heades els might they haue perhaps runne in daunger of the Popes curse by such presumption so to ride and to weare redde as doo his Cardinalles And lest ye thinke I doo but ieste Pope Paule the seconde about an 100. yeres agoe as saieth the same Platine Publico decreto mandauit proposita poena ne quispiam bireta coccinea ita appellant capitis tegmen praeter Cardinales ferret quibus etiam primo pontificatus sui anno pannum eiusdem coloris dono dâ—dit quo equos vel mulas sternerent dum equitant Voluit praeterea in decretum referre vt galeri Cardinalium ex serico coccineo fierent sed id quo minus c. That is to saye Pope Paule the seconde by publique decrée commaunded and that vpon a payne appoineted that no man should weare a scarlet birret cappe or hatte so they call the coueryng of the head sauing onely the Cardinals to whom also the firste yere of his Papacie he gaue clothe of the same colour to couer their horses or mules withall whyles they ryde Yea and further he woulde haue made a decrée that the hattes of the Cardinalles should be made of silke sâ—arlet But that this was not decreed those letted which iudgeyng rightly sayde that the pompe of the churche was to be diminished not to bee encreased with the hurt of Christian religion Thus farre Platine Nowe you sée the parishe priestes of Rome who from Peters time vntill Paschalis the first whiche was about eight hundreth yeres were not able to paye for their horse bread mounted nowe vpon Mules and not only them selues but their Mules also ouerspredde with scarlet that they may be worthy chapleines of that purpled strumpet that S. Iohn in his reuelation speaketh of beyng clothed in redde scarlet and dronken with redde wyne and more dronken with the redde bloude of the sainetes of God This is that great estate whiche M. Dorman braggeth that Hosius is come to of a Bishop in his countrey become a parysh prieste in Rome For that is the office of a Cardinall in déede as to this daye the very titles of their Cardinallike dignities doo testifie Cardinalis tit Sanctae Priscae as was this Pope Pius the fourth that nowe is before his Papacie And Pope Paulus the thirde and Pope Paulus the fourthe were before Cardinales Ostienses either of Ostia a towne not farre from Rome or of Ostiensis porta a gate in Rome of the parish next to the which gate they wer by like persons Pope Marcellus 2. Cardinalis tit S. Crucis in Hierusalem which is a parish church in Rome Pope Iulius 3. before Cardinalis Praenestînus of Praeneste a town neare to Rome Pope Clemens 7. Cardinalis tit S. Laurentij in Damaso a parish church in Rome Pope Hadrianus 6. antè Cardinalis tit PaÌ„machij a parish churche in Rome Pope Leo. 10. antè Cardinalis S. Mariae in Dominico a parish churche in Rome And our twoo countrey men Cardinall Poole Cardinall Wolsey the one Cardinalis tit S. Mariae in Cosmedin y e other tit S. Ceciliae two parish churches in Rome Pope Pius 3. antè Cardinalis tit S. Eustachij Pope Innocentius 8. antè Cardinalis tit S. Lucinae Pope Xistus 4. tit S. Eudoxiae Pope Paulus 2. tit S. Marci foure parishe churches in Rome with many suche like extant in Platinae and Onuphrius but I thought it sufficient to note the Cardinalities whiche these last popes possessed before their papacie Finally Hosius himselfe is Cardinalis tit S. Laurentij of a byshoppe in his countrey by a notable promotion become curate of S. Laurence parish I meruell that M. Dorman doth not bragge of the ease as well as of the honour that Hosius hath gotten by his Cardinals hatte that he shall not be compelled in his owne proper person to méete great estates on the way but by the priuilege and after the manner and custome of the courte of Rome may sende his moyle with a lackie to méete them so that his Cardinals hatte hange vpon the pommell of his sadle for honours sake by the figure Synecdoche continens pro contento a Cardinalles hatte for a Cardinalles head suche is the guise of the courte of Rome deridyng princes and great estates yea and all the worlde too This ease with this honourable hatte hath Hosius atteined other greate gaine I thinke he hath none For the greatest pension that the Popes holinesse geueth yearly to his Cardinals is a 1000. crownes that pensioÌ„ he geueth to such poore chapleines as haue not yet two or thrée byshop rikes or abbacies to finde them Cardinallyke Neither geueth he it frèely but they pay swéetly for it to the holy father who selleth sacra ac prophana omnia iuxta regulam Omnia venalia Romae accordynge to the lore of his first predecessour whose knowen sentence is Quid vultis mihi dare Unlesse Hosius for his paynes taken in writing for the defence of the Papacie now in daunger of vtter ruine be more lubberally dealth with than others hitherto vsually haue béen Though I haue been longe about this great estate good reader yet I thinke it neither vnpleasant nor vnprofitable to thee to vnderstande the origine progresse and fine of this greate estate of Cardinalles who being originally poore parish priestes leauinge their cures and vsurpinge all worldly dignitie are become méete chapleines to that false vppermoste vsurper who beinge in déede the bishoppe of one onely cite a litle parcell of the vniuersall worlde chalengeth the supremacie not onely ouer all the churche of Christe dispersed throughout the world but also the dominion ouer all the worlde it selfe and all the kingdomes therein and therfore hath he made his pelting parish pries tes princes péeres nay their superiours that he myght haue Chapleines méete for so great a Lorde as he is Nowe concerninge Hosius his great learninge it is not without cause that M. Dorman dooeth so excéedingly auance it For as M. Dorman hath borowed this his booke of D. Harding so hath D. Harding borowed all this his and your treatie of the Popes supremacie of Hosius And Hosius hath borowed it of Pighius Hierarchie and Pighius hath borowed it of dronken Eckius the founder of all these mattiers in our dayes And most true it is that there is not one reason nor authoritie almost in all that great volume of Hosius against Brentius conteining fiue seuerall bookes but that he hath had out of Pighius Hierarchie and Alphonsus de haeresibus
after whiche sorte any meane man may bee counted learned This I am hable to prooue as true as I haue hithertoo I trust prooued you M. Dorman a lier in all you haue hitherto written and doubt nothing so to procéede with you to th ende of your leude lies laden in this your Lighter of false fables Wherfore Hosius deserueth the name of the Compilator rather than the author of that great booke wrytten against Brentius litle booke intitled Prolegomena for that he hath stolen all his authorities and reasons out of the sayde Pighius his Hierachie and Alphonsus de Haeresibus as all learned reading the sayde bookes shall most easely and plainly perceiue Yea and in compilyng them together it is iudged vpon probable coniectures by the style and poeticall phrases and verses vnmeete for Hosius age and vocation that as he hath borowed the mater of his bookes so hath he had the helpe of other in penning of the same and yet may he well call the bookes his owne as bought with his owne money and large rewardes bestowed vpon his style wrightes Concerninge his great vertue though I know not his life yet I iudge it a woorthie mattier for M. Dorman his commendation and him selfe woorthie of the court of Rome But I can saye litle herein onely this can I say that his neighbours dwelling néerer him than I dooe a good sorte of hundreth miles doo in printed bookes obiect to him that his Cardinalles hatte I would say head will be nowe and then ouerladen with Polonishe pottes I knowe not trulie or otherwise but as his neighbours doo say Dorman fol. 11. For gods sake good Christian readers for your ovvne soules sake and the loue that you beare therto geue eare to no suche sedicious voices hovve euer they be cloked vvith the name of Christ vvhiche the diuell then dooth most inculcat vvhen he vvould driue vs sonest frō him Novvell I trust that all good Christian readers for that loue that they beare to God who is the truthe will geue no eare to suche false fables as M. Dorman and other aduersaries of the truthe doo publishe in suche leude liynge bookes as this is and that vpon respect◠of the health of their soules they will flie farre from the blouddie Butcher of Rome who vsinge the cloke of Christes name onely denieth him in déede and placing in his place his piuishe pardons and other popishe pelfrie destroyeth as well Christian mens soules by his poysoned doctrine as he dooeth murder their bodies by the most cruell kinde of death that the Diuell his father and he can deuise And by the way note that to speake truely of a foraigne false Polonish Papiste is with M. Dorman accōpted sedition as though because he is a Cardinall he were therefore our laufull magistrate whiche wist I were true I would geue more reuerence to our Cardinalles in Paules churche then I hitherto haue done And sure I am they deserue for their Cardinalshippe as muche honour as dooeth Hosius yea and more too were false opiniō banished thinges truely as they are in déede weighed and estéemed For they yet according to their origine minister the sacraments visite the sicke as is the propre office of Curates to doo wherunto Christian princes once at the last I trust awaking will bring these personate visered Romaine parishe priestes from their vsurped worldly pompe and dominion and that the said Princes will reduce the Pope himselfe likewyse from his phantasied supremacie ouer the vniuersall churche to his peculiar cure of the churche of Rome And thus I lette this Hosius one of the greatest estates both for learnyng and vertue that this daye Christendome hath for so M. Dorman saieth for this time alone with his Cardinals scarlet hatte and his moile trapped according for his estate Dorman fol. 11. VVhat other thing did their forefathers Chore Dathan and Abyron in rebelling against Moses and Aaron the ministers of almightie God VVhat other persvvasion vsed they to the people vvhat other reason broughte they to allure from their obedience to rebellion from quiet rest to seditious vvandering vvithout a head the flocke of God then the very same that these miserable men of our time dooe Their apologie saieth that there nedeth here in the churche no head to gouerne it because Christe is alvvayes vvith it And did not those vvicked men in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron vse the same reason vvhen they tolde theim to their face Sufficiat vobis quia omnis multitudo sanctorum est in ipsis est dominus Let it suffice you that all the multitude is holy and they haue God present vvith them Cur eleuamini super populum domini And vvhy then take you vpon your selues the rule ouer the people of our lorde As vvho vvould saye hauyng no neede of any other ruler God being vvith them But as almyghty God vvas then emongest his people and vsed yet neuerthelesse the ministery of men so is Christe no doubt our sauiour novve present alvvayes vvith his churche and chiefe head and gouernour therof and yet gouerneth he the same by man And as Chore Dathan and Abiron be gone before svvalovved aliue by hell there to taste of those revvardes vvhiche for suche rebellious vvretches are prepared so must our Chore and his companions follovve their trace onlesse by their repentaunce they mollifie and assvvage the iust vvrath of God Novvell This historie is by many aduersaries alleaged against vs as vnlawfully rebellyng against the Pope specially by Cardinall Poole against kinge Henry the eight Concernyng the matter it selfe séeyng Chore Dathan and Abiron were so horribly punished for rebellion against Moses and Aaron and certein it is that of these twoo Aaron was the hyghe prieste and that yet Moses was his superiour it foloweth therefore that Moises to saye the prince of the people is aboue the bishop or highe priest whiche you can not abide or els to auoyde that mattier you must saye as you some where dooe that Moises was priest also whiche if it be true inforceth that there were two highe priestes at once ouer the people of God and so is your assertion of the supremacie of one onely high priest ouer the whole churche quite ouerthrowen For you say M. Dorman That you haue perceiued that God in that people in their lavve and priesthood shadovved out vnto vs like a cunning vvorkeman the vvhole forme and proportion of his churche Wherfore M. Dorman I praye you marre not gods proportion and forme of his churche but as you will néedes haue an Aaron or high priest in the saide churche so let vs also haue a Moises to be his superior in the same For which way soeuer you turne you sure I am that by the scriptures the title of priesthoode may as well apperteine to a christian Prince as it did to Moises so that there is no let nor lacke therin but that a christian Prince may as wel be superiour to