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
ages testifie the same What nedeth muche repetitiō of antiquities As though it were vnknowen what contentions haue euer been emongest the Papistes themselues as betwene the Canonistes and schole doctours betwene Scotus and Thomas betwene Alliacensis and Occam and of late tyme betwene Catetanus and Pighius and as though at this presente tyme all Papistes agreed emongest themselues in the principall poinctes of their religion where thei as shal in place conueniente be declared dooe exceadingly not onely varie but repugne one againste an other And what bee these names Thomistes Scotistes Nominalles and Realles but names of schismes What be these Benedictines Cistertians Carmelites Chartusians Dominicans Franciscans with others like an huge number but names of Popishe schismes sectes Who all forsakyng the religion and name of Christe common to all true christians haue chosen to be called religious as by a speciall name of a seuerall religion and to bee named after men their fathers on earth forsakyng the heauenlie father and continuyng and accomplishyng the schisme firste begunne in S. Paules time after the exāple of those who said I am of Paule I of Cephas I of Apollo saiyng I am of Dominike I of Benedicte I of Francise who also maie directly answere S. Paule askyng was Paule or any other sauyng onely Christe crucified for you Yea maie the Franciscanes saie S. Francise was crucified for vs of his familie and beholde the woundes in his side handes and feete If S. Paule aske againe is Iesus Christ diuided Yea maie a false hypocrite one of the secte of the Iesuites say for we haue th' one part of Iesus therof called Iesuites and haue left the other part Christe to the seelie soules abroade to holde them selues contēted therewith and with the name of christians thereof deriued Why is Iesus one then and Christ an other Be there twoo Christes then or one diuided into twoo One of these must needes be els if Iesus Christ be not twoo but one as he is moste certainly one and beyng not diuided as he moste certainelie is whole then are you Iesuites were your religion good nothing els but Christians then are all Christians Iesuites also then do◠you in vaine bragge of a seuerall name of religiō if your and our religion bee one But if your religion be hypocrisie as it is in déede then haue you stirred vp an horrible schisme diuiding and cutting the glorious name of Iesus Christ in the whiche onely is saluatiō yea tearyng Christe hymself in pieces infinitely more wickedly and cruelly then euer did the wicked souldiars that crucified Christ who had a remorse to cut his coate asonder And leaste all these sectes of hypocrites should not bee knowen sufficiently by onely diuersitie of names thei haue by other infinite waies and meanes iraueiled to seuer their sectes asunder studiyng for diuisiō as for the beste and fliyng all shewe of vnitie as the worste of all thinges Wherefore to their diuersitie of names thei haue ioigned diuersitie of fashions and diuersitie of colours in their apparell diuersitie of girdles hose and shooes diuersitie of shauyng diuersitie of goyng beckyng and bowyng diuersitie of diete and meates diuersitie of readyng syngyng and tunyng diuersitie of Churche seruice and diuersitie of rules of life All tymes would faile me if I should or could rehearse all their diuersities whiche is the verie propertie of schismes and sectes These be those schismatikes and sectaries with an infinite multitude whereof of late Englande was repleanished of the whiche now thankes bee to God the realme is well ridde so that if you mete a thousande men and wemen one after an other seuerally and aske of them of what religion bee you Thei shall all and euery one answere you I am a christian we bée all christians there shall not one answere to you as was wonte vnder your head I am of the religion of S. Francisce a Franciscane an other I am a Dominicane the thirde I am a Carmelite Et sic de singulis One woman shal not answere you I am a Brigittine an other I am a Clarane the third I am a Beguine whiche are all names of abominable sectes and schismes not onely diuidyng but deniyng but forgettyng but reiectyng the religion and name of Iesus Christ and choosyng the names and religion of sinfull synners and counterfaite hypocrites moste wicked and so muche the more wicked for that thei cloked their wickednes vnder names of holinesse religion These so diuers sectes of false religion being well abandoned now out of Englande and the one true religion of our sauiour Iesus Christe onely here remainyng I marueill with what face you can charge vs with schismes and sectes which is your own speciall sore And where you warne the readers vpon experience of the multitude of schismes lately risen sithen the forsakyng of that one Popishe head to creadite the auncient fathers as witnessyng with you against vs you might as iustly warne them to creadite the aunciente Phariseis rather then Christe and his Apostles bothe for that the first heresie as S. Augustine saieth sprange emongest the disciples of Christe many of them departyng from hym vpon the occasion of his preachyng seemyng to them to be heard and also for that in the Apostles time some vsed suche schismaticall saiynges as these Wee holde of Paule some other wee holde of Cephas the thirde sorte we holde of Apollo whereas there was no suche dissention emongest the high priestes and Phariseis but greate vnitie and concorde emongest them againste Christes Apostles and againe for that diuers greater schismes of the Nicolaites the Symoniās the Cerinthians the Menandrians the Saturninians the Carpocratians the Basilidians with an huge number moe did rise with and shortly after the firste preachyng of the Gospell as Darnell secreatlie sowen by the enemie springeth vp with the good corne sowen by the husbandeman and specially for that great schisme whiche Christe and his Apostles made from the highe Priestes and their Churche whiche S. Paule made against the Phariseis whō he beyng brought vp from his childhood emongest them did so schismatically forsake and cleaue vnto Christ their aduersarie Wherevpon in steede of greate quietnesse in one doctrine and traditions of their fathers of great looue emongest all Priestes and Phariseis throughout all Iurie and the whole Iewishe churche before did folowe greate diuisions trubles did arise not onely in Iurie but shortly after ouer al the worlde Wherof our sauour Christ himself was accused as appeareth in the historie of the Gospell and S. Paule with other the Apostles were likewise accused as is to be seen in the Acttes of the Apostles and in like maner the whole christian religion was in the primitiue Churche of all enemies bothe derided as diuided into many schismes and sectes as doeth by histories ecclesiasticall appeare and also charged as the cause of all mischieues and troubles that ouerwhelmed the worlde as by Origen saincte Augustine S.
deede our aduersaries bèe Thinke thei that if we list and had leasure as thei haue wee could not frame an arbor or tree twise as greate as thei haue deuised Would not the Popes with their triple crounes crosse keyes crosse swoordes whereof sundrie were heretikes the fatte fedde Monkes and leane faced Friers the nice Nunnes the seelie sir Ihons soule priestes and other with their diuersities of schismaticall names chosen to themselues Christ and his name beyng forsaken with the diuersities of apparell of coules colours meates Churche seruice rules of life and infinite moe diuersities with the Popes Bulles whereby suche sectes were either founded or confirmed displaied bannerlike vpon the seuerall armes and braunches of the tree where suche sectes shall seuerallie sitte would not thinke you this geare furnishe the saied tree farre more fullie and truelie too then is M. Stapletons Staphilus forged plante in the whiche he hath placed suche as are to vs moste straungers as nexte of our kinne and bloude whereas I am sure that the Pope can make no exception to any one of this shamfull rable that I speake of why he should not bee placed in the arbour of Popishe schismatikes Wherefore I conclude that your crime of schismes moste falsly laied to our charge may moste truely iustly and plentifully bee reuersed vpon your owne heades Dorman Fol. 7. But to procede For the estate of the Iues God by his seruaunt Moses did so prouide to take awaie schismes that apon the doubtfull wordes of the law might arise that he appoincted theÌ„ a place to resort vnto and a iudge to flie vnto in all suche ambiguities and doubtes For so is it written in the booke of Deuteronomium And shall wee not by good reason thinck that he hath prouided as well for his churche Excepte we will saie that he hath byn lesse carefull of it then he was of that VVhiche must necessarily folowe if he prouided for theÌ„ one chief iudge to haue recourse vnto in harde and doubtfull questions and to vs hauyng no lesse yea farre muche more neede then thei he lefte either at all none or many to make the matter more doubtfull Nowell Concernyng this place of Deuteronomium alleged by M. Dorman these circumstaunces are to bee noted First that the high priest must be in the place whiche God hath chosen whiche thei can neuer proue to bee Rome more then any other bishops see Secondarilie this prieste must be of the Leuiticall sorte whiche the Pope dooeth deny hymself to be Thirdlie the place is doubtful whether the whole determinatioÌ„ doo perteine to one or to many for it is writen thou shalt come to y e priestes of the Leuiticall sort and thou shalt doo whatsoeuer thei saie and thou shalte folowe their sentence And againe He that will not obeie the priest let hym die by the decree of the Iudge so that the Iudge of the nation semeth in this case to haue to doo â—oinctlie with the priestes Fourthly it is requisite that the saied priestes or priest doo teache or iudge according to the lawe of God and not at his owne pleasure as the old translation hath in that place againste the whiche though Pighius and Hosius dooe quarell yet it is certaine if the high priest doo against the lawe of God bothe dooth saincte Paule threaten vnto hym Gods vengeaunce and saincte Peter also and saincte Ihon the Apostles called before the high prieste and commaunded not to preache any more in the name of Iesus for that this laste condition of commaundyng after Goddes lawe was here lackyng did saie An iustum sit in conspectu dei vos potius audire quam deum iudicate c. That is to saie Iudge you whether it bée right in the sight of God to heare you rather then God for wée can not but speake the thynges whiche wee haue seen and hearde Thus answered the Apostles And neither did y e highâ— priest hymself nor any of the Scribes or Phariseis present for that disobedince charge theÌ„ as guiltie of death But M. Dorman as it appereth doeth thinke that neither Aaron for that he was high Prieste and therefore could not erre belike did not amisse in commaundyng the people to deliuer their goldeÌ„ earynges and in makyng the golden Calffe thereof and in buildyng an altare for it and woâ—rshippyng it and that if any of the people had disobeyed hym commaundyng them to deliuer their saied earynges to the makyng thereof thei had offended for so disobeiyng the voice and commauÌ„dement of the high priest Neither that Vrias the high Prieste in committyng Idolatrie did offende but was therein as high Priest to be folowed And for the same respecte peraduenture M. Dorman will preferre Caiphas for that he was high Prieste before Christe and Ananias before saincte Paule and with Hosius will holde that the veritie or truthe of iudgement was with Caiphas and the other wicked iudges against Christ and that Ananias commaundyng Paule to be striken did well and was not in his commaundemente to bee disobeied and that the commaundemente of the highe Priest forbiddyng Peter and Ihon to preache Christe was to be obeied And generallie that all the accusations testimonies Iudgementes and doynges of the high Priestes againste Christe and his Apostles were true and right For thus muste M. Dorman iudge of these thynges or els make his high Priest of necessitie subiecte to the obedience of Gods lawe before he dooe make all men of necessitie subiecte to his commaundement as an inuiolable lawe These thynges well considered maie easely informe the reader that the Popes tyrannie to saie and doe what he liste can not be grouÌ„ded vpon this place of Deuteronomium and that if the Pope or any creature dooe commaunde against Gods woorde he maie and ought to be disobeied therein And that therefore bothe Pighius and M. Dorman haue in vain alleged this place for any suche supremacie as the Pope claimeth And further whatsoeuer M. Dorman either out of Deuteronomium or any other place of scripture dooeth vntruely applie to the proofe of the supremacie of one head to witte the bishop of Rome the same dooeth S. Cyprian M. Dormans owne vsuall witnesse euery where allege for the proofe of the superioritie of euery bishop in his owne diocesse and for the obedience due vnto hym there He dooeth neuer applie it as dooeth M. Dorman to the supremacie of one bishop ouer all other but rather against suche supremacie of one And it agreeth verie well with the estate of the Iues that as thei beyng one nation had one chiefe priest so is it good likewise that euery christian nation haue their chief prieste or Bishop It agreeth not that because the Iues one nation had one high priest to gouerne theÌ„ in doubtes therefore all nations throughout the worlde should haue one high Priest ouer all other For not onely the vnlikelihoode betweene these twoo but the impossibilitie of the later
is most euident But now let vs heare S. Cyprian in his epistle to Rogatianus Habes inquit Cyprianus circa huiusmodi homines praecepta diuina cùm Dominus deus in Deuteronomio dicat â–ª Et homo quicunque c. Thou hast saith saincte Cyprian to Rogatianus his felowe bishoppe in Afrike concernyng suche men to witte disobediente as was his Deacon the commaundementes of God whereas the Lorde God in Deuteronomie dooeth saie And what man so euer shall bee so proude that he will not heare the priest or iudge who so euer he be in those daies that man shall die and all the people shall feare and shall doo wickedlie no more And we maie knowe that this voice of God proceaded with true and greate maiestie to honour and to auenge his Priestes by the horible destruction of Chore Dathan and Abyron who rebelled against Aaron Thus farre S. Cyprian Where you maie sée that bothe this lawe of Deuteronomium the example of Aaron the estate of the Iuishe Churche and all other places of scripture falsely wrested by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman to the proofe of the supremacie of one to witte the bishoppe of Rome are by S. Cyprian who died an holie martyr and is no doubt a sainct in heauen applied to the maintenaunce of euery Bishops authoritie in his owne diocesse and the obedience there due vnto hym And note withall that S. Cyprian saieth that this and like places of the scriptures apperteine to the honour of Gods Prtestes he saieth not to the honour of one high prieste head ouer all other Naie he confesseth in the beginnyng of this epistle that Rogatianus did but of curtesie not of duetie referre this matter of his disobedient deacon by complainte to S. Cyprian though he were the Metropolitane of Afrike beyng bishoppe of Carthage the chiefe citie thereof and graunteth that Rogatianus by the vigore of his bishoprike authoritie of his Chaire had power to order the matter hymself and for the vigore of this Rogatianus bishoprike and authoritie of his chaire and consequently of all other Bishoprikes and bishops chaires doeth S. Cyprian allege these and all other places of scripture falslie detorted by the Papistes to these of Rome and sainct Peters chaire there as thei call it Sainct Cyprian allegeth the same place of Deutero cap. 17. and all suche like for his owne authoritie against Pupianus despisyng hym beyng Bishop of Carthage whom saincte Cyprian chargeth to transgresse this law of God of obeiyng the high priest for that he maketh hymself Episcopum episcopi iudicem iudicis ad tempus à Deo dati a bishop ouer the Bishop and a iudge ouer the iudge appoincted of God for the tyme. Which is the verie propertie of that false vsurper of Rome who maketh hymself head bishop ouer al bishops and head iudge ouer all iudges by God in euery their iurisdictions appoincted to bee obeied of all their owne flocke and not to be vnder a foraigne vsurper And as he dooeth by saincte Cyprian his iudgemente transgresse this Gods lawe in makyng hymself iudge of the iudge by God appoincted so doubte I not but the iudgemente of the saied lawe He shall dye the death will light vpon hym for his pride arrogancie and tyrannie ouer his brethren and equalles by Gods lawe And though suche horrible Luciferian pride anâ— other wickednesse vnspeakeable as is in the Pope seeme to bee reserued to Gods euerlastyng iudgementes for that no worldly penaltie can bee sufficiente for suche desertes yet dooeth God in our daies not longe before the commyng of his sonne to iudgemente denounce the same moste manifestly and as it were peremptorilie to hym and his Dorman Fol. 7. For I remember a saiyng of Cregorius Nazianzenus Vbi nullum est imperium nullus ordo vbi multorum ibi seditio vt sic nullum imperium nullus ordo existat Vtrumque enim eôdem absâ—rditatis perducit VVhere is none to rule there is no order VVhere many rule there is sedition so that after that maner of gouernemente also there is no gouernement there is no order For bothe to haue none to rule to haue many leade vs to like inconuenieÌ„ce How shal we then saie Diligit dominus Syon super omnia tabernaculae Iacob Our lorde loueth Syon aboue all the tabernacles of Iacob Nowell You maie note that M. Dorman hath a good memorie who can and dare without the booke rehearse to vs sentences out of doctours for his proofes and publishe the same to the worlde and boldely in the steede of one God gouernyng all for of hym speaketh Nazianzene in that place to dashe vs in the teethe with one Pope to gouerne all the churche I would M. Dorman had enlarged his memorie somewhat to a fewe woordes of Nazianzene goyng next before and makyng all the matter moste plaine whiche M. Dorman therefore of purpose to blinde the reader hath omitted suche a shreude memorie hath the man The woordes of Nazianzene confutyng twoo false opinions that men had of God are these Prima opinio nullum Deum nullum Dei imperium alia Deos multos cuique suum imperium statuit c. Sed vbi nullum est imperium ibi nullus ordo c. That is to saie The firste false opinion of God is that there is no God no gouernaunce of God the seconde that there are many Goddes and that euery of them hath his gouernauÌ„ce by hymself But where no rule is there is no order where many rule there is sedition These are Nazianzene his woordes againste those that thinke that either there is no God or many goddes whiche M. Dorman out of his memorie reporteth as spoken against those who would haue no pope or many Popes But you sée it is not good trustyng to M. Dormans memorie who dooeth so readily without booke allege thynges neither against vs nor with himself but altogether impertinent to the purpose Now if M. Dorman list transferre the sentence from God gouernyng all the worlde to men vnder hym rulyng in the worlde and would thereof frame vs this argumente Nazianzene saieth there is one onely God who gouerneth all Ergo there muste bee one onely Pope or head bishop to gouerne all the Churche I deny the argumente and affirme that it foloweth no more then that there must be one onely Emperour to gouerne al the worlde And to bragge somewhat of memorie too as M. Dorman dooeth I remember that M. Dorman hymself hath alleged that for auoidyng of confusion in the worlde euery kyngdome euery countrey euery citie euery companie of menne muste haue an head to rule them Whereof I inferre that for auoydyng of schismes and explication of doubles euery churche of euery countrey and diocesse ought to haue an head and a iudge to resorte vnto And as there is no confusion in the worlde nor discorde for that sundrie partes of the worlde haue sundrie ciuill gouernours as is moste necessarie that thei haue and is
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
the highe priest or bishop as was Moises to Aaron To procéede Chore Dathan and Abyron rebelled against Moises and Aaron who were specially by God appointed to be their gouernours and his ministers but what apperteineth that to vs who doo obey our natural Prince appoincted by God to be our gouernour all as well ciuil magistrates as ecclesiastical ministers of god vnder our Prince And therfore dooe we as we must néedes renouÌ„ce the authoritie of y t foraigne vsurper of Rome sworne enemy to our prince and couÌ„trey who is not our gouernour nor the lawfull minister of almighty God but a foraigne false vsurper and the Diuels bailie generall chalenging suche a superioritie as none can holde by any tenure but from the Diuell him selfe It is you Papistes that are the successours of the rebelles Chore Dathan and Abyron who leauing the obedience due to your own natural Princes for the seruing of a foraigne false vsurper of Rome doo rebeli not onely against Moises that is to saie your gouernour by God appointed but against God himselfe also You rebell against God and his seruaunt Moises alwaies you set vp and mainteine Idolles and Idolatrie contrary to the manifest woorde of God geuen by his minister Moises You doo charge the Apologie vniustly For it saieth truely that Christe néedeth no suche one onely head ouer all his churche as the Pope would séeme to be neither can there be any suche but Christe him selfe onely as hath at large bene before declared But when M. Dorman so speaketh as though we would haue no gouernours at all in Christes churche for that we refuse that one vsurpar he dooeth deale deceiptfully with the simple and impudently with vs. For we acknowledge that as Moyses and Aaron were gods ministers by him appointed to gouerne his peculiar people Israel so hath God likewyse appoincted to euery seuerall countrey their Moyses and Aaron their owne Princes and pastoures or bishops whiche ought likewyse to be obeied as Moises and AaroÌ„ were to be obeied of the Israelites And that those who doo disobeye them doo sinne by rebellion as did Chore Dathan and Abiron This appeareth to be true by S. Cyprian who dooeth alleage this example of the rebellion of Chore Dathan and Abiron against suche as be stubborne and disobedient to their owne seuerall bishoppes as was one Pupianus to himselfe and as was the African Deacon against Rogatian his African byshop In the whiche epistle also S. Cyprian alleageth manie other places of the scripture falsely applied nowe adayes to the proufe of the Popes supremacie for the authoritie of euery bishop in his owne diocesse But this place of Douteronomium is neither by S. Cyprian nor any other but onely Papistes alleaged for proufe that the byshop of Rome is to be obeied by any sauynge onely Romaines or Italians his inferiours Concerninge the reason made by Chore Dathan Abiron that the people ought not to obey their gouernours because thei be al holy that therfore the magistrates ought not to lifte them selues aboue the Lordes people it is not our reason as M. DormaÌ„ saith it is the reason of the popish swarmes of their counterfeite hypocrites falsely called religious yea of the whole popish clergie who haue procured of their father of Rome immunities from all obedience to their naturall Princes appointed by God ouer them as was Moises ouer the Israelites It is therfore Chanon Chore Dathan Dane Monke and Abbot Abiron with their complices of false Friers and other hypocrites that were so holy shauelinges that they might not for any crime were it neuer so hainous bee tried by the lawes of their countrey nor aunswere before their naturall prince They cried as did Chore Dathan and Abiron they were the holy people of the great lorde of Rome and that no temporall lorde might lifte vp him selfe aboue them And thus they shewed themselues to be the very children of their forefathers Chore Dathan AbiroÌ„ as truely as M. Dorman dooth falsely obiect it to vs. Now whereas M. Dorman alleageth the apologie as thus reasoning that the churche hath no neede of any other ruler because Christ is vvith it Truthe it is if M. Dorman dooe meane one onely head of the vniuersall churche For Christ néedeth no such generall gouernour seyng he is both present himselfe continually by his spirite as he promised also for that he hath in euery peculiar countrey church his Moises Aaron that is to faie his seuerall deputies in his stéede euery where here in earth for that no one mortall man can possibly suffice to the gouernaunce of the whole worlde or churche whiche woordes followyng in the Apologie M. Dorman of his accustomed sinceritie omitteth vtterly For it is the especiall woorke of Gods omnipotent wysedome as first to haue created the whole worlde and instituted the whole churche so vniuersally to gouerne the fame reachynge mightily from ende to ende ouer all and swéetely disposing or gouerning all thinges where as séely man ouercharged with the goueruaunce of a little percell is euer founde guiltie when it shal be said vnto hym Redde rationem villicationis tuae ReÌ„der an accompt of thy Stewardship At the lasâ—e he concludeth with a terrible denuntiation as it were thunderyng in a kinderkinne and lightnyng out of a brighte Basen moste terribly that we must folowe Chore and his fellowes swallowed quicke by hell as rebellious wretches againste the Popes Monarchie vnlesse we repent But wee feare no necessitie of suche horrible damnation vpon M. Dormans Muste For as wee are moste farre from rebellyng againste our naturall soueraigne and other Goddes ministers appoincted to gouerne vs and therefore no partakers of Chore and his fellowes rebellion so trust we in God to be moste farre from their moste horrible destruction And wee geue warnyng to M. Dorman with his maister doctour Harding and all suche as thei bee who for maintenaunce of a forraine Pharao against their conscience as is to be feared doo disobeie their owne naturall prince and that vpon the pretence of holinesse and spiritualitie and are therein moste like to Chore Dathan and Abyron rebellyng againste their owne speciall gouernours by God appoincted as thei did that thei make speede by vnfeined repentaunce to mollifie Gods moste iuste wrathe that thei folowe not Chore Dathan and Abyron in horrible damnation as thei haue folowed them in damnable rebellion Dorman Fol. II. But yet let vs good readers that nothyng maie remaine that might in any wise seeme to blemis he this truthe goe one steppe farder For as yet will our aduersaries I know wel saie that I neuer came where it grew For our case saie thei is farre otherwise then you take it seyng that we vtterlie denie not that Christe woorketh by meanes but onely swarue from you in that we take those instrumentes and meanes to be other then you doe For the scripture wee saie whiche Christ hath lefte to vs is the
the conference of scriptures for that heretikes haue vsed the like And what if Arrians Anabaptistes or other heretikes will not bee satisfied with conference of places and textes of scripture Is it not well that all true Christians be satisfied thereby Dooe not thei allege Doctours and Councelles for them aswell as scriptures As though M. Dorman could deuise vs a waie that should satisfie all heretikes without all contradiction or exception on their parte whiche shall neuer in this worlde be brought to passe For our Sauiour Christe hymself the soonne of God neither by the authoritie of his diuine persone nor by the truthe of his heauenlie doctrine nor by the confirmation of the same by his wonderfull miracles neither by his example of moste vertuous life neither by al these together did satisfie al men but that many yea those who of reason leaste should the Priestes Scribes and Phariseis made exception to his persone and life and were not satisfied by his doctrine It M. Dorman therefore dooe mislike the Scriptures or the conference of textes for that all men will not be thereby satisfied sure I am that he shall neuer bee satisfied in this worlde as one that might by that reason mislike also of our sauiour Christ hymself as no-sufficient iudge And thinketh he that Popes of Rome menne of suche life suche partialitie suche ignorance suche vntruthe suche falsehoode suche briberie Simoniakes poisoneâ—â— murtherers shall satisfie all menne in all their iudgementes of all causes and controuersies yea in their own verie causes wherein thei be parties and that without all exception The deuill thei shall and that maie I saie truely Wherefore I dooe coÌ„clude though our sauiour Christ were to the high Priestes Scribes Phariseis and other wicked a stone to stuÌ„ble at and a rocke of ruine his Gospell either an offence or a mockage so farre of was it that he did satisfie theÌ„ yet is he and his holie woord whiche is the vertue the wisedome of God the true iudge in all controuersies doubtes of religion whatsoeuer the high prieste or his adherentes the Scribes and Phariseis dooe faie to the contrary or be M. Dorman neuer so angrie therewith Dorman Fol. 13. If your hartes good readers bee moued vvith these heresies in the readyng as truelie God I take to vvitnesse myne vvas in the vvrityng abhorre those that teache them shonne and auoide suche principles and groundes as haue been the foundation not of these onelie but of all that novve reigne in the vvorlde and maie bee of any other hereafter that any desperate heretike listeth to inuente Sticke to those by vvhiche all heretikes haue been and these shal be to ther vtter coÌ„fusion vanquished Shrinke not rashelie from that fundation vvhereon your elders and forefathers fastenyng theÌ„selues haue passed ouer so many hundred yeres in the true confession of one God one faithe one truthe to them that hauyng yet scarse fourtie on their backes haue notvvithstandyng emongest them creapyng all out of the filthie neast of one Martin Luther so many faithes and yet no faith so many truthes and yet no truthe neuer a one agreyng vvith the other as there be madde frantike heades emongest them Geue no eare to that subtill generatioÌ„ vvalkyng in the darck like blinde Battes vvithout a head vvithout a Iudge and all to the ende their iuggeling might not be espied Nowell O pitifull harted manne but yet farre better Oratour then tender harted who when he drawyng towardes an ende of this his first parte that is to witte That the vvhole churche must needes haue one onelie heade and thinkyng that he ought to haue some matter of weighte to mooue affections vpon and findyng none in his purposed matter bringeth in the rehearsall of the Arrians and Anabaptistes heresies whiche it is knowen to the worlde that we dooe moste abhorre and vpon them as it were vpon our heresies dooeth this Rhetorician russhe into these vehemente affections whiche he mooueth here but as I thinke stirreth no wise manne excepte it be to laugh at his foolishenesse Where he speaketh of desperate heretikes sainct Cyprian so calleth all suche as thinke one Bishoppe inferiour to an other as dooeth maister Dorman and suche other Papistes as hath been before declared Maister Dorman adourneth the Popes chaire or see of Rome with many glorious titles but nameth it not as yet neither a greate while after partly for that a periphrasis or circumscription was here more meete for amplifications sake and partelie for that when he had reiected the scriptures he thought it not good by and by to saie that all heretikes whiche by no meanes can be vanquished by the scriptures muste bee vanquished by the see of Rome or Peters chaire or Popes theron sittyng but to auoide all shewe of absurditie he compasseth the matter and at the laste stealeth vnto the see of Rome vnder S. Hieromes name That he exhorteth you to sticke to those by whom all heretikes haue been and these shal be to their vtter confusion vanquished meaning the Popes of Rome as is afterward euideÌ„t I aunswere If force fire and fagoties faile them not for other meanes to vanquishe haue not the Popes nor knowe thei any thei will no doubte vse their cruell furie againste vs as thei haue dooen and yet haue thei as I thinke neither gotten any greate gaine nor made any greate conqueste but if Gods woorde maie bee heard I doubte not but the Popes chaire of pestilence shal be shortly ouerthrowen and he with all Papistes vanquished to their vtter confusion Where he calleth the Popes chaire for it he meaneth as after he dooeth declare the foundation whereon our elders forefathers staâ—ed them selues many hundreth yeres in the confession of one faithe and truthe c. the contrarie is moste true that the Pope hath as muche as in him hath lien subuerted the faithe and truth of Christ and destroyed Christian menne and Christendome moste horribly sith his false forged supremacie in these our latter daies hath gotten creadite Our faithe and doctrine haue as many yeres on their backes as haue the scriptures whereon thei are grounded as hath the Primitiue Churche and olde aunciente Doctours wherewith in all necessarie pâ—inctes of religion thei agrée throughly It is the Pope and his supremacie and other Poperie that is builded vpon a late and sandie foundation and therefore shortlie to bée subuerted and â—ooted vp Concernyng diuersities of faithes disagréeynges and Schismes whiche M. Dorman so often repeateth he dooeth nothyng els but caste their owne dounge at our heades laiyng the peculiar and proper faultes of the Papistes to our charges accordyng as I haue at large before declared and as I truste sullie satisfied the discreate reader therein That whiche maister Dorman speaketh of franlike heades hath allusion to his maisters case when he forsooke the truthe and reuolted to Poperie â–ª The worlde knoweth wee bee not subtile but are sore encombred with the craftie generatioÌ„ of Papistes The
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