to 15. wordes I can not but thinke that his pleasure was by a young man suche as I am to shewe how little those greate pillers off their side were hable to doe I am not I confesse of that reading and studie in diuinitie that manie other be in oure countrie What so euer it be that is in me I vowe it to Christe and his catholike faithe against all heretikes and heresies during my life And suerlye that littell which I haue shal I trust I will saie with S. Cyprian dico prouocatus dico dolens dico compulsus I saie it being prouoked I saie it sorowfully I saie it compelled by yow thereto be sufficient at all times to matche with yow in anie of those foure questions that I haue handled in my boke For why should I doubte by the aide of God to be hable to saie in defence of the catholike faithe more then yow shall against it Yow saie that hetherto I haue proued nothing and that I Nowell fo 51. b. 1. haue gone about most lewdely to gather that because euerie seuerall countrie citie and companie haue their seuerall princes rulers and heades that all churches dispersed in all countries cities townes villages c. shoulde haue one onelie heade here in earthe I reasoned and yeat doe reason in this wise Euerie seuerall Dorman countrie because it is one bodie euerie seuerall citie and companie for the same cause must haue their seuerall rulers and heades Therefore all the churches in the worlde being but one misticall bodie must haue one chiefe heade to rule and gouerne the same I reasoned after the same māner Euerie particuler churche as hath S. Ciprian and S. Hierome must haue one bishop to rule the same and to be the heade thereof Therefore the whole churche of Christe where the daunger of schismes is greater and the mischiefe likelier to happen must haue in like case one heade I haue shewed yow nowe that youre reasons to the contrarie There is no one head ouer all the kingdoms in the world and it is impossible that there shoulde be one suche therfore in like maner it is impossible that there shoulde be one generall heade in earthe ouer the vniuersall church Fol. 32. b. 14. ar of no force forasmoche as the difference of these two states is suche as suffreth Supra cap. 11. fol. 49. b. 50. b fol. 50. a 61. a. not youre argument to holde As because the diuision off vnitie that is of faithe in the churche for the maintenaunce wherof this ordre was takē that there should be one heade in the whole church is merueilouse daungerouse to christian men forasmoch as without faith there is no saluatiō as hath our Sauiour him selfe Qui non crediderit condemnabitur Marci vlt. Heb. 11. he that beleueth not shall be damned And the Apostle Sine fide impossibile est placere deo To please God without faithe it is a thing impossibile Whereas it is not so touching the obseruation of anie other vnitie emongest Christian men in ciuile policie forasmuche as it is not necessarie that all agree in common gouernement but they maie well according to the diuersitie of countries tongues conditions of men haue diuerse maners of liuing and gouernement Yea it is necessarie the contrarie natures of men and countries so requiring that there be not onelie diuerse but contrarie positiue lawes in diuerse countries and prouinces When notwithstanding no diuersitie of natures no varietie of customes no circumstances what so euer they be can excuse them from the vniforme obseruing in all the whole worlde of godde◠commaundementes and ministring of his sacramentes without the which there is no entraunce to life To this maye be added that to gouerne the whole churche in spirituall thinges how harde and impossible a thing so euer it seme to you is yeat much more easie to be done then to gouerne the worlde in temporall gouernement bothe because the businesse and affaires of the worlde are more diuerse and contrarie then are those of the church and also because the sworde of excommunication wherewith the heade of the churche dothe punishe rebelles and suche as forsake the truthe passeth soner and easelier to the correction of suche offendours be they neuer so far of then doth the materiall sworde which the temporall magistrate vseth Againe that there shoulde be one head ouer the whole churche it is Christes institution who woulde so haue it when committing to Peter the charge of aswell his shepe as his lambes he made him generall shepherde and Homil. 87 in cap. 10. han 21. ruler as saith Chrisostome ouer the whole world Whereas in temporall gouernement it appeareth not by the scriptures that he planted euer anie suche ordre Naye the scripture Eccles 17. maketh mention of the contrarie if we will beleue yow It foloweth Nowell b. 17. You haue hearde also how ignorantly if he did not vnderstande how shamelesly if he did vnderstande he hathe alleaged S. Cyprian and S. Hieromo for him c. Men haue hearde M. Nowell doubt you not how like a Dorman propre mā you haue quit your selfe And yeat as though no man had sene you hetherto with a shamelesse repetition of a nombre of lies made before you turne you as it were about againe to be better considred Howe S. Ciprian and S. Hierome make not againste me but euidentlye with me how vaine or rather a balsphemouse lye it is to saie seing God hath so appointed it to be that it is impossible that there shoulde be one only heade ouer the whole churche How my witnesses agree with moste perfite consent it hathe bene to your shame before declared Yow see there was no suche opinion muche lesse knowledge Nowell of any suche heade emongest the Apostles or in the primitiue churche but that it is a newe diuelishe deuise of the late ambitiouse bishoppes of Rome who when they were neuer able yeat hitherto well to rule the churche of Rome one citie as by all histories and experience is euident woulde yeat of the worlde vsurpe the superioritie and supremacy And if S. Paule did thinke he was not meete to haue charge of one church who coulde not well gouern his own house of what mōstrouse ambitiō and presumption is he that being neuer yeat hable to gouern one peculier church doth claime the regiment of all churches thorough out the world whereas he is not hable to tell the onelie names of a small parte of the saide churches neither knoweth in what parte a greate many of them be Are yow not ashamed M. Nowell to call it a newe diuelishe Dorman deuise of the late bishoppes of Rome and to saye that there was no suche opinion of one heade emongest the Apostles or in the primitiue churche seing that S. Cyprian and Hierome who yow saye vntrulye are againste Epist ad Quint. fracrem Lib. 1. aduers Ioninian me doe make mention thereof as I shewed before
is likely inough to tell you that I maie iustlier saie to you that suche talke procedeth not so muche from the absurditie of the matter as b. 12. Nowell Fo. 32. a. 6. it dothe from the disposition of youre noddies nowle M. Nowell and sight not dimme but altogether blinde then you doe to me affirming the contrarie that it maye seme to some that suche kinde of speache springeth not so muche out of the absurditie of the matter as out of the disposition off my drowsy head * Note that M. Nowel aloweth to bishoppes the ordre of religion to kinges and other gouernours the procuring of ciuile ordre and peace Dorman It foloweth that schismes and troubles rising in the church maye by the seuerall bishoppes of euerie diocesse and seueral chiefe prelates of euerie prouince aswell be auoided and appeased as the seuerall kinges of euerie kingdome the seuerall gouernours of euerie countrie and citie c. are able to ouersee their seuerall charges and to kepe their people in ciuile ordre and peace Not so M. Nowell the reason of difference betwe these two states of ecclesiasticall and temporall gouernement is greate For in the one that is in that which perteineth to the The difference betwene the two states off the world and the church worlde euery kingdom euery nation euery people haue their propre and seuerall lawes yea often times not diuerse onely but cōtrarie the one to the other This bredeth no disordre because they be diuerse bodies But to come to the church which as it is one so hath it by Christ one faith the same lawes the same sacramentes deliuered to be cōmon to all that wil be membres thereof without varietie in matters of substāce here what nede is thereof one head that this one faith may be of all mē and euery where inuiolably holden Seing that euen in kingdomes and common wealthes daily experience telleth vs that how well and quietly so euer such kinges and rulers gouerne their subiectes them selues they be not yeat hable so to gouerne while I proude and thou proude eche one thinketh him selfe as good as the other that they can absteine from mortal and cruel battaile wherby their innocent people perishe ful oftē on both sides most miserably If this be so emōgest worldly kinges where the dissenting of their lawes and ordonaūces the one from the other is no breach of amitie how much more is it to be feared emongest bishoppes where one faith must be common in all where vnitie maye be so lightely broken Which if it happen howe shoulde it be suppressed The debates and quarelles of princes are tried for moste parte by battaile Will you that in this case eache bishop make his frēdes and trie the matter by most voices The chiefe prelates you saie of euery prouince are able to take ordre in the matter What M. Nowell is the winde in that dore Haue yow so soddenly founde a superioritie in bishoppes that so lately before pronounced that as no man hathe anye Superioritie in baptisme or in faithe aboue other truly faithefull and baptised so no one bisshop hathe any Superioritie ouer other bishoppes Is it nowe at the length founde out that you mistooke S. Cyprian M. Nowel contrary to him selfe in one leafe when in the 22. leafe of youre boke a. you grounded vpon him that there was no difference of dignitie emongest bishoppes Maye yow not be ashamed in this verie leafe firste to saie that there be chiefe prelates in euery prouince and yeat after in the seconde side of the same leafe to affirme by the auctoritie of S. Ciprian wrongly construed that none but naughty and desperate men doe thinke the auctoritie off some bisshoppes to be inferiour to other Will you nedes be of the nombre of those naughty and desperate men Well M. Nowell as verye necessitie forced yow to go from that principle of youres that all bisshoppes be of equall auctoritie because otherwise you sawe that schismes coulde not possibly be kepte oute of particuler churches so shall I trust the same before yow and I haue ended force you to acknowledge a chiefe prelate ouer the whole and vniuersall churche for the appeasing of schismes therein In this pointe because the verye necessitie of one heade to gouerne Christes churche dothe specially consist I shall desire the learned reader to vse good circumspection and with aduised deliberation to waye with him selfe the reasons brought on bothe sides I obiect therefore to M. Nowell that for the appeasing of schismes and restoring the church being troubled to quietnes it is necessary that there be one chiefe heade He maketh me answere as you heard before that the seuerall chiefe prelates of euery prouince are aswell able An absurde doctrine that schismes may as wel be appeased by manie heades as by one to take ordre therfore as the seuerall gouernours of euery countrie for their seuerall charges The absurditie of this answere shall appeare by a demonstration There is nowe a controuersie in their newe churche of Englande about no small matter but concerning the reall presence of Christes blessed bodie in the sacrament M. Gest preaching at Rochester for the reall presence M. Grindall at London for the contrary Shall these two prelates be tried by M. D. Parkar of Cauntorbury suspected to be a Lutheran Although that I thinke M. Nowel would be lothe to graunte being him selfe a Caluinist yeat if he did and the matter were thoroughly decided on the one side might not the like schisme arise in the prouince of Yorke and bachiler Yong there calling his brethern together determine the cōtrouersy on the other side If this shoulde happen as it easely might in this equalitie of power betwene these two in these seuerall prouinces how should the schisme be appeased They wolde perhappes procure a parliament to be called that by auctoritie thereof the matter might be determined Were the bishoppes that coulde not agree before like the sooner to forsake their cōtentiouse mindes by this meanes Or should the matter be put only to the debating of the laitie Or howe euer it were the matter being brought thither and then the ordre of the house being suche that it must passe as wel through the lower house as the higher might not the house be equally diuided or the thinge brought to so narowe a pointe that the conclusion of this weightie controuersie might depende vpon the mouthe of some simple burgoise and meane artificer who might easely by lacke of iudgement choose the worse part Or if they all agreed vpon the truthe might not the like controuersie arise in Fraunce Germanie Spaine or in some other countrie and euery one determine either in this article or any lyke contrary to the other If they did as by the confesion of Augspurg and their communion boke allowed by the parliament of Englande the one so muche disagreing with the other it appeareth they doe shoulde not the churche in this case be
perceiue this agrement at home in youre owne chapitre where being all equall in the dignitie of canons or prebendaries yeat one deane him selfe also a canon and in that respecte equall to the rest is aboue the other in power nor in youre prouince of Cauntorburie where all the bisshoppes equall in that dignitie are yeat inferiour to the Archebishop in power as youre selfe some times graunte namelie before fol. 32. a. where you vse the worde chiefe prelates of euerie prouince yeat take the paines to make a step to westminstre hall where when yow beholde the honorable iudges sitting in their places although they beequall in this dignitie that they be all the Quenes iudges yeat is there you can not denie difference of power emongest them And so haue they all one dignitie common to them allthough some of them be in superioritie aboue the other I showed yow before but it pleaseth yow that it be repeated here againe where with I am also not offendid that so the reader maie the better vnderstande youre vanitie how S. Austen Contra duas epist 〈…〉 ea 1. Tom. ◠writing to Bonifacius then pope confesseth that he and other bishoppes haue all one bishoprike common with him beholde the dignitie common but that yeat altius praesidet he sitteth higher preaeminet celsiore fastigio speculae pastoralis he is aboue the rest in the higher top of the pastorall watche tower And what is this but in one dignitie difference of power whilest other bishoppes sit beneathe and loke onely euerie one to his owne flocke and he that sitteth aboue hathe power to ouerloke all This Iarre as yow call it is framed M. Nowell Yow maie now when it shall please yow doe this greate acte that you speake of that is proue Leo vntrue by two witnesses against one Although this M. Nowell calleth Leo thiefe by crafte I can not passe ouer in silence that where yow call Leo suche a witnesse as if a man shoulde aske youre felowe whether yow be a thiefe or no you liken and resemble him in those wordes to a thiefe whome the whole councell of Calcedon B. 24. as youre selfe confesse called moste holye and moste blessed yow sclaunder him whome they reioised that God had Allocutione Calcedon Concil ad Martianum Imp. prouided for his churche an impregnable defendour against all errours whome they called their heade and the kepar of oure Lordes vineyarde Youre venimouse and virulent tongue hath not spared him being deade whome Attila that cruell In Relatio Synod ad Leon. barbarouse tyrant he whome the worlde called flagellum dei the scourge of God durst not touche being a liue Paulus Diaconus an approued historiographer maketh mention Lib. 5. de Gestis Rom. that when hauing now spoiled Thracia Illiricum Macedonio Moesia Achaia Graecia Hungarie Germanie he was entred with like furie into Italie and had taken euen the high waie to Rome to sacke and destroie that this holye bishop and vertuouse olde man Leo accompanied as some saie with one Consul and parte of the Senate met him in the waye To whome after he had made a verie shorte but pithy oration to this effect to shewe mercy to the citie off Rome the cruell monstre without anie furder hurte doing reculed backe graunted to the bishop euen as he had wished before and confessed after to those that were nearest aboute him merueiling at and demaunding the cause of this sodeine chaunge of his minde that it was not for the feare of his persone who came vnto him but of an other reuerent olde man standing by him in priestly habite who threatened him terribly with a sworde ready drawen vnlesse he accorded to all thinges that he shoulde require Now considre you good readers what maner of man he is that raileth thus vpon suche a father as Leo was and thinke what it is that he will take conscience in the doing or saing who is not ashamed to diffame the chiefe man in his time of all the worlde But nowe let vs see how yow proue Leo to be vntrue Yow saye that he dissentith first from S. Cyprian and next Nowell fo 49. a. 23 from S Hierome From S. Cyprian because he is of the minde that controuersies shoulde be determined in the place where they doe arise and that this sentence of his and that no appellations shoulde be made to anie B. of an other prouince yea and that namelie not to the B. of Rome nor that he shoulde sende anie legates Laterall to heare or determine forraine matters doth the whole councell of Carthage where in was S. Augustine Orosius and Prosper confirme Youre allegation out of S. Cyprian is of no effect Dorman because yow belye him He speaketh not there against laufull appellations but onelie that criminall causes shoulde be iudged at home And so the pope allwaies obserueth He calleth not the witnesses to Rome from farre countries but delegateth a legat to the prouince where the cōtrouersie is The thing that specially grieued here S. Ciprian was that these desperate men of whome he speaketh ran to certeine Numidian bishoppes to be reconciled of them Of the B. of Rome that he neuer ment to diminish his auctoritie his sending a messenger to Rome to purge him selfe and prosecute the matter against those naughty mē with other diuerse arguments and cōiectures mētioned before in the 11. chap. doe well witnesse Of the 6. African councell because it dependeth vpon the matter of Zosimus I shall in the nexte chapitre entreate S. Ciprian you saye applieth manie suche places of the scriptures Nowell 49. b. 3. as are customably alleaged for the popes supremacie ouer all bishoppes to the declaration of the equall auctoritie of euerie bisshop in his owne diocesse The places brought by S. Cyprian are alleaged to persuade Dormen obedience to those that be heades and gouernours The graunting of one chiefe heade ouer all diminisheth not the auctoritie of inferiour bishoppes who in respecte of the priestes and people vnder them are in their diocesses the high priestes and princes of the people And thus muche doth Leo graunte in this epistle him selfe Therfore hetherto there is no Iarre betwene S. Cyprian and him You bring the place of S. Cyprian in his boke De simplicitate praelatorum or as the truer copies reade De vnitate ecclesiae to ouerthrowe Leo. The which place because youre selfe haue pitefully mangled as one that was not ignorant how euell it woulde haue serued youre turne without some helpe of youre accustomed squaring I will take the paines to alleage it trulie for you The wordes are these Et quamuis Apostolis omnibus post resurrectionem suam parem potestatem tribuat dicat Sicut misit me pater ego mitto vos accipite spiritum sanctum Si cui remiseritis peccata remittentur illi si cui tenueritis tenebuntur tamen vt vnitatem manifestaret vnitatis eiusdem originem ab vno incipientem sua auctoritate
Italie or Rome it selfe for his wordes haue euidentlie that relation and that none thinke the auctoritie of one bishop to be lesse then the auctoritie an other but a few wicked and desperate men You were driuē to the wall M. Nowell when you were forced Dorman for a pore shift to say that Leo said as he did because he wolde haue bene lord and heade ouer the church S. Cipriā saith that euerie bishop hath his seuerall portion The same saieth Leo. Leo saieth that the charge of the vniuersall church must Lib. 1. ep 3 haue recourse to Peters chaire S. Ciprian saieth not the cōtrarie Yea so saieth S. Ciprian toe calling Rome matricem the mother church And whither should children I pray you haue recourse for succour but to their mother He saith not that the subiecte of one bishop may not appeale to an other Lyes that is one lie He saieth not that the cause determined by one bishop may be called before no other that is an other lie He maketh no comparison as you say he doth betwene the bishoppes of Afrike Italie and Rome behold the third lye He saieth not that none but a fewe wicked and desperate men thinke the auctoritie of one bishop to be lesse then the auctoritie of an other which if he shoulde youre selfe were like by that meanes to be of the nombre of such desperate and wicked men who before acknowledged chiefe prelates a worde that presupposeth other that be inferiour and fol. 32. 2. be cōtrarie to him selfe as I proued before by his writing to Steuen the pope wherby he required him to take ordre by his lettres for the remouing from his bishoprike Martianus the B. of Arles and by that that him selfe sent to Rome to Cornelius to trie the matter before him with those euill mē that complained vpon him there by his excepting againste the sentence giuen by the pope for the restitution of Basilides for no other cause but because it was obteined by false information All which exāples doe not only proue that he was not of the minde that no one bishop was aboue an other but this also that the B. of Rome was of greater auctoritie then the bishoppes of Fraunce Spaine or Afrike Hetherto of the disagrement betwene S. Ciprian and Leo which by this time all men I trust perceiue to be no suche as you vaunted it was yea to be none at all but suche consent rather as in diuerse wordes there can not be greater It foloweth that we examine how Hierome and Leo agree S Hierome yow saye hath that all churches worshipping one Nowell fo 51. a. 10 Borowed out of Caluin Inst. lib. 4 cap. 7. Sect. 3. Christe and obseruing one rule of truthe are equall with the churche of Rome that all bishoppes be the successours of the Apostles and of one priestehod and of the same merite and dignitie But Leo saieth contrarie that it was giuen to one to be aboue all the rest and that they who be in greater diocesses or cities haue more care and auctoritie and that the onelie see of Peter hath charge of the vniuersall churche and is heade thereof Yow belye S. Hierome He saieth not that all the churches Dorman A lye 38. in the worlde be equall If he did he shoulde saie contrarie to Irinaeus who saieth that the churche of Rome hath potentiorem principalitatem greater souereintie then other churches haue contrary to S. Cipriā who calleth Rome the Li. 1. cap. 3 Lib. 1. ep 3. mother churche the roote and principall churche and contrarie to S. Austen who calleth it the churche in the which the principalitie of the apostolicall see hath allwaies florished Epist 162. He saieth that Christes church is not diuided * Nec altera Romanae vrbis ecclesia altera totius orbis existimanda as thoghe Rome were one and the whole worlde an other As for that that he saieth that all bishoppes be the successours off the apostles those wordes make merueilously for the opinion of Leo against you For vpon that proposition of S. Hierome I reason thus All bishoppes be the successours of the Apostles but the Apostles were not all equal because as S Hierom saith Peter was their head Ergo by S. Hieromes minde all bishoppes who be their successours be not equall but haue the successour of Peter their heade Againe Peter was heade of the Apostles and made because there shoulde arise no schisme emongest them Ergo the B. off Rome who is Peters successour must be heade of his felowe bishoppes for the same cause These two propositions that there was emongest the Apostles one heade and that that was Peter be S. Hieromes owne in his first boke against Iouinian The wordes although I rehersed before yeat because they perteine not onelie to this matter but to shewe also how these thre Ciprian Hierome and Leo mete and knit as it were together in this sentence that Christ appointed ouer his church one generall heade I will recite once againe The wordes therfore of S. Hierō to Iouiniā be these At dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licet idipsum in alio loco super omnes apostolos fiat cuncti claues regni coelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur tamen propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio That is to saie But thou saiest The churche is builded vpon Peter although the same in an other place be done vpon all the Apostles and all of them receiue the keyes of heauen and equallye is the strength of the churche grounded vpon them yeat for all that is there one chosen emongest the twelue that by making a heade emongest them occasion of schisme maye be taken awaye See yow not nowe by this place of S. Hierome M. Nowell howe the equalitie of power that S. Cyprian speaketh of the similitude of honour and equalitie of calling that Leo remembreth the building of the churche in one place vpon all the Apostles indifferentlie that S. Hierome mentioneth notwithstanding they all three conclude in one maner with this worde tamen notwithstanding that the churche was builded vpon one that there was one heade that there was one preferred before the reste This place of S. Hierome as it vtterly stoppeth their mouthes who reason that the Apostles were absolutely in all pointes equall so confirmeth it moste strongly the answere made before to the place of S. Ciprian that the Apostles were all of equall power and auctority that that was true at the first but Ioan. 20. that after oure Lorde last before his ascension gaue the Ioan. 21. chiefe auctoritie to one in respecte as one was chosen from the rest vpon whome the churche shoulde be builded S. Hierome saieth that al bishoppes are of one priesthode and of the same merite you plaie the falsefier and adde of youre owne and of the same dignitie The gentlewoman
that translated a. 24. S. Hierom falsefied by adding the word dignitie whiche is not in him the Apologie hath preeminence whiche maketh me to thinke that you borowed this patche of her as liking better to be a folower of her falsehoode then of his simplicitie that translating Caluins institutions translated the place truly Nowe for further answere to this place of S. Hierome it is to be vnderstande that he speaketh here of the custome which was in Rome that at the testimonie off deacons priestes were promoted to ordres The whiche when he saieth he speaketh not of the B. of Rome him selfe and his auctoritie but of the vse and custome of that one citie Nowe is this a thing moste certeine that neither dothe the pope requier nor euer did that all churches shoulde folowe the priuate customes of his churche And therefore saieth S. Hierome that the custome of the citie of Rome is not the custome of the worlde Yea in suche a case if the custome came to be tried the pope him selfe woulde saie Si auctoritas quaeritur orbis est maior vrbe If you seke to mainteine this custome by auctoritie the worlde is greater then is a citie Againe where as you woulde persuade men that all bishoppes be equall because S. Hierome saieth that they be of equall merite and priesthode So were the Apostles toe yeat was one aboue the reste for all that as Hierome him selfe confesseth calling Peter the heade appointed by Christe You haue hearde good readers and I trust in parte vnderstode what shamefull shiftes M. Nowell hathe made howe busilie the man hathe bestirred him selfe with false additions wrong translations hacking hewing and dismembring of sentences howe he hath spared no vilanouse wordes or impudent lies to deface this vertuouse and learned father Leo. To shewe him selfe no changling he concludeth with a conclusion lyke to his premisses that he thinketh that fier and water are not of a more contrarie nature then are S. Nowell a. 31. b. 13. Cyprian and S. Hierome contrarie to this epistle alleaged as Leo the popes epistle beside S. Augustine and 200. and mo bishoppes agreing with them against this Leo. He repeteth againe his exceptions that Leo in his owne cause is to be suspected that it is to be doubted whether it be Leo his epistle in dede or an others vnder his name that the wordes of his testimonie be eather manifestly falsefied or at the least in diuerse copies not onelye diuerse but cleane contrarie And here his tendre harte coulde not suffer him anie longer to refreine him selfe but needes he fol. 52. a. 2. must burst oute and lament as it were the case off the pope and poperie that is brought nowe to suche miserie as that being forsaken of all men almoste learned and graue it coulde finde no other patrones but suche as I am Allthoughe for that he confesseth that all suche as are godly and loue the truthe haue cause to thanke almightie God Howe contrarie Leo is to S. Cyprian and S. Hierome Dorman let the learned iudge how S. Augustine and the other bisshoppes make for you the next chapitre because it dependeth vpon the historie of Zozimus shall make euident To the being witnes in his owne cawse to the doubte of the worcke whether it be Leo his or no hathe bene answered before Allthough to certifie yow further in the last point albeit reason woulde yow shoulde haue showed some better cause of youre doubte then yow haue lest by that meanes euerie auctoritie brought against yow maie be called in to controuersie if it please yow to doubte therof I doe note to yow here in the margent other places out of the same Sermon 1. 2. 3. In die Aniuers assumpt suae ad Pontificat Leo his worckes no epistles but certeine sermons of his where yow shall finde that Peter into whose place he saieth that he vnworthily succeded had the same right ouer the vniuersall churche that here in this epistle he chalengeth For the wordes that they be not falsified in this epistle I alleaged before a copie printed at Coleine which readeth as I doe But then you saie that the wordes be cleane contrarie and so that it is impossible that bothe shoulde be true Nowell B. 22. I am content M. Nowell to yow that yow take the Dorman place of Leo how yow will and reade either as some copies haue without non or as other haue with non and when yow haue done all shall come to one sense For allthough non being but a little sillable be notwithstanding of greate importaunce generallie yeat here by reason of the worde ordo which is ambiguouse and signifieth either a corporation and bodie as we vse to saie the honorable knightes off the ordre or proportiō in aray as when the herauld telleth euerie Lord what ordre he shall kepe in their solēne processions or other assemblies where this word is taken in an other significatiō and also of the word dignitas which being in like manner ambiguouse signifieth either the dignitie of the state of bishoppes or superioritie in that state it maketh no diuersitie at all When we reade thus Quibus etsi dignitas non sit communisest tamen ordo generalis To whome all though there be not one dignitie common yeat is there one ordre generall we vnderstande by this worde order the whole order of bishoppes emongest whome allthough there be diuersitie of dignities yeat because bishoppes archebishoppes primates patriarches popes be all bishoppes we saie that that order of being bishop is common to them all Likewise in this reading we take dignitas for superioritie in that ordre As contrariewise in the other reading Quibus etsi dignitas sit communis non est tamen ordo generalis we vnderstand that dignitas dothe signifie that whiche ordo did before and ordo signifieth that which dignitas did that is superioritie and preeminence in that vocation We were not blinde you see M. Nowell and I trust will beare vs witnes I thinke we sawe more then yow woulde we shoulde haue done As for my parte by whose taking this cawse in hande yow iudge that the matter shoulde be brought to greate extremitie I confesse God is my witnes that had I knowen that he had minded to haue written therein who dyd that I thinke I shoulde neuer haue taken pen in hande to haue written nor when I had done and ended my laboure and knewe howe muche how learnedlye had bene sayde for the defence thereof should euer haue suffered the same to goe in to the knowleadge off men had I not folowed the iudgement off my betters therein To which good meaning of myne at the firste and readie obedience to my superiours at the last seing that it hath pleased almightie God to giue suche successe as that M. Nowell hauing vttred all his eloquence and spent all his other store in awnswering of 143. leaues to onelye 15. hathe not yeat answered trulye
Rome as it is manifest by these wordes as though the truthe coulde not saile after them c seing that this whole epistle was chiefely written to Cornelius to exhorte him to giue no credite to those schismatikes as by this amongest other may appeare that he saith to Cornelius Non attendas numerum c. Cōsider not their nombre seing that the wordes rei certae probatione conuincere to ouercome by euident proufe againe Ita enim scelera festinant quasi contra innocentiam festinatione praeualeant for so do wicked deedes hasten as though they shoulde by haste preuaile against innocency be wordes of iudgement for where be prouffes offred where doe men preuaile in sutes but in iudgement finallie seing men that thinke them selues wronged neuer vse to complaine but to such as they are persuaded haue auctorite to helpe them of al these thinges it foloweth that in Africa where S. Cypriā gouerned the Pope was taken to be no foriner Nowe from Africa to Fraunce Of Arles a towne in Fraunce was bishop in S. Cyprians Fraunce time one Martianus a folower and professour of the heresie of Nouatus Of him S. Cyprian writeth to Stephanus the Pope in this wise Dirigantur in prouinciam ad plebem Lib. 3. epist 13. Arelate consistentem a te literae quibus abstento Martiano alius in locum eius substituatur grex Christi qui in hodiernum ab illo dissipatus vulneratus contemnitur colligatur that is to saye Addresse youre lettres to the prouince and people of Arles by the which Martianus being excommunicate an other maie be put in his place and the flocke of Christe which to this daye being scattred and wounded is contemned may be gathered together Now cōsidre I pray yow that haue learning and wisdome to iudge whether it be likely that S. Cyprian if he had taken the B. of Rome to be a forriner in other countries woulde haue euer willed him to haue sent suche lettres as whereby he shoulde excōmunicate and depriue of his bishoprike a stubborne or wilful heretike when with as good right as M Nowell dother here the heretike bishop might haue bidden him go shake his eares foreine vsurper as he was and meddle in his owne diocesse with excommunicating depriuing and placing of his owne subiectes and let Arles in Fraunce where he had nothing to doe alone Considre whether these wordes and the flocke of Christe scattred c. maye be gathered together doe not argue as muche as that when peculier pastours doe not their duties recourse ought to be had to the bishop of Rome the heade and chiefe shepherd of all Finally Let M. Nowell considre whether he would him selfe hauing that opinion that the B. of Orleance for example in Fraunce were as he is a forriner in England write vnto him to sende his lettres to the citie and people of London to excommunicate and depriue M. Grindal because he is an heretike If he woulde not as that is to be iudged trulie he shoulde doe S. Cyprian wrong to make men beleue that he woulde playe suche a foolishe parte as he woulde not him selfe It foloweth therfore that in Fraunce by the iudgment of S. Cyprian the B. off Rome was taken for no foriner Spaine Of Spaine whether there the B. of Rome were a foriner let the restoring of Basilides by Stephanus the Pope to his bishoprike be a witnesse Against which sentence when S. Cyprian with the other bishoppes of Africa gathered to gather defendid Sabinus the newe made bishop they had no other thing to obiect but that Basilides the heretike had Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 4. deceiued Steuin the bishop of Rome longè positum rei gestae ac veritatis ignarum dwelling far of and being ignorant of the case and truthe by wrong information If Steuin the Pope had bene taken by S. Cyprian to be a forriner in Spaine woulde he not rather haue taken against his sentence that peremptory exception then haue vsed that which confirmeth his auctoritie in Spaine For seing the sentence was vniust for no other cause but because the suggestion was vntrue it foloweth that if it had bene true the sentence had bene good and the iudge not forreine but laufull Otherwise shoulde S. Cyprian neuer haue saide Neque enim tam culpandus est ille cui negligēter obreptū quám hic execrandus qui fraudulenter obrepsit For he is not so muche to be blamed that was stollen vpon by negligence as he is to be abhorred that guilefully did steale vpon him But he shoulde contrary wise haue saide rather He is not so much to be blamed that to helpe his own matter tolde a false tale as he is to be abhorred that would presume being a forriner to meddle in strange countries where he had nothing to doe But S. Cyprian saide not so and therefore vppon this place and also the vertue and holines of Steuin considered who dieng after for Christes faithe a blessed and constant martyr woulde not it is like doe willingly suche wrong as to inuade an other mannes iurisdiction I maye be bolde to conclude that as in Africa and Fraunce so in Spaine also the B. of Rome was by S ▪ Cyprian taken for no foriner To come nowe to S. Basil Let his epistle written to Epist. 52. How the Pope was estemed of S. Basill Athanasius wherein he sheweth his aduise to be that the bishop of Rome be written vnto to sende his legates in to the Easte where they were to condemne the false councell of Ariminū be a sufficient testimony whether at that time his power were coūted forrain or vsurped For if they had iudged his auctoritie there to be none neuer woulde they haue vsed this word vt ipse auctoritatem rei conciliet that he may get auctoritie to the matter or deuised betwene thē selues to haue suche men sent frō Rome as might be meete to gouerne and admonishe those that shoulde be founde frowarde and peruerse emongest them to vndoe and ouerthrow the actes of the heretical councell holden at Ariminum before If S. Basile had taken the bishop of Rome for a foriner neuer woulde he haue sent to Rome for visitours Epist 57. to be sent from Italy to visite thē in the Easte parte of the worlde Finally if the B. of Rome had bene a foriner neuer durst he haue bene so bolde as to haue sent to Caesaria so farre from Rome his legates Lucifer and Eusebius to appease the strife that was there betwene S. Basil and Eusebius Grego Nazianz in Monodia By this that hath bene alleaged yowe haue hearde M. Nowel inough and more perhappes then you woulde toe to showe that S. Cyprian and S. Basile toke not the B. of Rome his auctoritie for forreine or vsurped So that I maie nowe be bolde to conclude that this first answere of youres being proued to be false there is no let in that but that my simple collection as you
a plainer place then this M. Nowell to proue that which you denie and which you woulde drawe to so greate an absurdite as that because the Iewes had altars b. 25. therefore it were vnlaufull for vs to haue them Whereas you here may learne that Christes owne disciples without pulling downe without anie other changing or altering then by dedicating it in the name of god and S. Steuin vsed a material altar to worship God vpon Can you cal this a figuratiue altar Chrysostome in a certaine homely or sermon that he Homil. 53. made to the people of Antioche asketh this question Si quis hanc destrueret domum hoc suffoderet altare nonne quiâ—◠〈…〉 prophanum impium 〈…〉 woulde not euery man caste stones at him as a prophane or wicked man How thinke you M. Nowell when to ouerthrowe altars they must be digged vp ment Chrysostome of figuratiue altars or reall tables There nedeth you wote wel neither matock nor pykeax to remoue youre tables If there did they woulde not I trow walke their stations so often in the churche from place to place as they doe especially if the clarcke or ministre shoulde be in daunger to be stoned to deathe to be taken for a prophane and wicked man so often as he shoulde doe it For altars this maye suffice especially the testimonie of Chrisostome who liuing in the same age ought to persuade all reasonable men what maner of altars they were that S. Basile ment of rather then M. Nowels simple reason because it is saide that Fol. 15. a. â— Christ offred him selfe vpoÌ„ the altar of the crosse therfore no altars maie be set vp vnlesse we will turne all crosses in to altars Wheras although it were true that he imagineth that the crosse whereon Christ suffred was called an altar by a figure as in dede to him that considereth the greke worde it is not true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but false for a true altar was it yeat had it not folowed that because there was a figure in those wordes where so euer in anie place elles there shoulde be mention made of an altar there it shoulde be vnderstand by a figure For the sacrifice offered vpon oure altars which we saye to be the verie bodye and bloude of Christe Yow phantasye to be a spirituall thankes giuing onely and drawe to the sacrifice of praier how muche might here be saied to the contrarye if it were not impertinent to the matter Omitting therefore Irinaeus Cyprian Ambrose Austen Chrisostome Cirillus Athanasius with the rest I shall here be contented to haue alleaged one onely testimonie oute 〈…〉 councell of Calcedon so euident to the purpose that bothe the distinction of the bloudy and vnbloudy offering of Christes body and bloude which yow M. Nowell thought you might here vpon the credite of youre bare honestie without farder proufe affirme to be abused is proued thereby to be good and youre onely spirituall sacrifice vtterly condeÌ„ned The place is taken out of the libell which one Isâ—hyrion a deacoÌ„ of the church of Alexandria offered vp to Leo the pope and the whole councell against Dioscorus the bishop there and is this Tanta autem contra omnes Act. 3. non sicut decebat episcopum maximè tantae ciuitatis euangelicae illius sedis praesulem constitutum perpetrare ausus est vt etiam frumentum quod a piâ—ssimis nostris imperatoribus ecclesijs Libiae propter ariditatem illius prouinciae quia ibi omnino triticum non nascitur praestitum est inprimis quidem vt ex ipso hostia offeratur deinde vt peregrini nec non etiaÌ„ prouinciales pauperes ali quod mereantur solatium non permitâ—eret suscipere sanctissimos episcopos illius prouinciae sed aestimaret memoratum frumentum largissimis praetijs ipsum verò in tempore famis amarissimis estimationibus venundaret Et ex hoc neque terribile incruentum sacrificium celebratum est neque sic vt dixi peregrini aut prouinciales hoc solatio fruiti sunt That is to saye He hath bene so hardy to commit so greate thinges against all men not as it became a bishop and especially of so greate a citie and of that euangelicall seate that euen the verie corne which was giuen by oure godlye emperours to the churches of Libya for the bareÌ„nesse of that prouince and because there groweth no wheate there chiefelie * Vt ex ipso hoâ—liâ— offâ—ratur that the sacrifice might be offred of that and next that strangiers and suche pore nedy men also as be of the same prouince might receiue some reliefe therby he suffreth not the holy bishoppes of that prouince to receiue but prysing the saide corne at excessiue prices in time of famine he selleth it most rigorously And thereby neither is the dreadefull and vnbloudy sacrifice celebrate neither doe either strangers or those of the prouince enioye this comforte Hetherto the wordes of this godly deacons supplication whereby all men maye see that the beliefe of the churche at that tyme was that the vnbloudy sacrifice which was offred on the altar stoode not in the onely offering vp of praiers and praises vnto god Which kinde of sacrifice might and may be offred at al times were there neuer so great lacke of corne and can be by no meanes called dreadefull For it is not dreadefull M. Nowell to prayse god inwardly it is the onely comfort to oure consciences so far is it from all terrour But terrible is it to come to goddes table where we shall receiue either to oure damnation or saluation the very bodie and bloud of Christ Go nowe and saye that the wheate here mentioned was figuratiue that this naughtie bishop solde and toke monie for it by a figure For excepte yow saie thus yow can neuer auoide this place Now whereas yow call it a false phantasie that the bodye Fo. 15. b. 13 and bloud of Christ are offred for the quicke and the deade c. therein surely yow note not so muche me of dreaming as if it were true that yow saye yow shoulde note all the fathers of Christes churche of sleping For to begin with S. Iames the apostle of oure sauiour praieth he not in his masse extant in the greke tongue to be sene that this oblation sanctified by the holy ghost maye be acceptable to purchase rest for their soules which slepe before vs Doe not Chrisostome and S. Basile the like in their masses Doth not Athanasius expressely affirme that by the vnbloudy oblation the soules of sinners Lib. de Varijs quest q. 34. In cap. 11. prouerb departed this worlde receiue comfort Doth not S. Hierome holde that veniall sinnes maye be purged after this life by the praiers or almoise dedes of their frindes or by the celebrating off masses As for S. Austen who calleth it a tradition of the fathers De verb. apost serm 52. an obseruation of the whole and
there neadeth no other heade then Christe which is in heauen Whiche if it had bene so what nede was there that Christe shoulde appointe a mortall man to that office as here it appeareth he did Peter To this moste shamelesse mangling and mutilating of this and other lyke places of the fathers vsed by you and youre fellowes I saye as S. Cyprian in this verie place saieth to such like craftes men that vsed so to alleage thinges to their vauntage in his tyme. Corruptores euangelij atque interpretes falsi extrema ponunt superiora praetereunt partim memores partim subdole corrumpentes Vt ipsi ab ecclesia scissi sunt ita capituli vnius sententiam scindunt That is to saie The corrupters of the ghospell and false interpretours take that which commeth behinde and leaue out that which goeth before partly mindefull partly craftely corrupting As they are them selues cut from the churche so deuide they the meaning The answere to the place of S. Cyprian of one sentence Thus muche of youre falsehode in alleaging this place Nowe to the place I answere that S. Cyprian sayeth not that Christe gaue like power to his Apostles in all respectes absolutely but determineth particulerly wherein this equalitie dothe consist as in being sent to preache thorough out all the worlde as Christ was sent by his Father in power of forgiuing sinnes Which power being giuen to them streight vpon Christes resurrection and being common to them as they were all the generall legates of Christe thorough out the worlde derogateth nothing by S. Cyprians minde from that speciall auctoritie that Christe departing out of this worlde gaue to Peter to continue And therefore to shewe that this was his meaning euen as before S. Hierome after the like equalitie mētioned Cap. 13. in the Apostles concludeth that notwithstanding that Peter was chosen to be the heade emongest them so dothe here S. Cyprian after the generall rule that they had all like power adde as an exception from the rule the same that S. Hierome hath in other wordes Tamen vt vnitatem c. yeat to make vnitie manifeste he disposed the beginning thereof by his auctoritie to begin of one Thus much maye suffice to satisfie youre wondring M. Nowell with what face I haue bene so boulde and busye with S. Cyprian To the place of S. Hierome which you bring also to fol. 50. a. 9. b. 6. proue that the dignitie of a bishop is not estemed by the greatnesse of his diocesse or citie and that all be equall in office I saie that it is true that the dignitie of a bishop dependeth not vpon the greatnesse of his diocesse but it is false that there be no degrees in the office of a bishop That yow bring Erasmus to proue it it forceth not For he is with Catholikes of no more auctoritie thē Pighius is with yow That betwene S. Cyprian Hierome and Leo there is no disagrement The 15. chapiter Yow are now come to the comparing of the sainges of S. Cyprian and S. Hierome with the testimonie of Leo bearing witnesse yow saye to him selfe The which you compare firste after this sorte Leo saieth In the holie Apostles them selues there was a difference Nowell b. 8. of power and that it was geuen to one to be aboue all the rest On the contrarie parte S. Cyprian saieth the Lorde gaue like and equall auctoritie to all his apostles all the Apostles be indewed with like felowship both of honour and power Neither are Leo his wordes trulie alleaged neither yeat Dorman S. Cyprians Leo sayeth that inter beatissimos Apostolos False dealing in alleaging the wordes of Cyprian and Leo. in similitudine honoris fuit quaedam discretio potestatis emongest the blessed Apostles in likenesse of honour there was a certeine difference of power quum omnium par esset electio vni tamen datum est vt coeteris praeemineret And whereas they had all one calling yeat it was giuen to one to be aboue the rest S. Cyprians wordes are that although oure Lorde after his resurrection gaue all his Apostles like power behold the likenesse of honour that Leo speaketh of c. yeat to make vnitie knowen he disposed by his auctoritie that it should begin of one Lo here quaedā discretio potestatis that certeine difference of power acknowledged by S. Cyprian that Leo mentioneth What iarring is there here M. Nowell their wordes being trulie alleaged Naie what swete consent is there betwene these two learned fathers Leo saieth there was emongest the Apostles a likenes of honour but yeat a certeine difference of power he saieth their calling or election was like but yeat giuen to one to be aboue the rest Doth not S. Cyprian saie the same when first in their election to be sent into all the worlde to preache then in the power of remitting sinnes he maketh them equall and yeat in adding afterwarde this particle tamen but yeat he noted a certeine difference of power this forsoth that vpon one of them the beginning and verie fundation of vnitie should be laied notwithstanding all the equalitie otherwise Is this true dealing M. Nowell thus to bring in M. Nowell mangleth the wordes of Leo and S. Cypriā to make them disagree mangled at youre pleasure the sainges of the fathers to deface them to the worlde as here yow doe by taking from the wordes of Leo this particle quaedam making him to seme the more to differ from S. Cyprian and cutting from S. Cyprian those wordes that vnitie should begin of one conteining that certeine difference in likenes of honour that Leo speaketh of Yow saie that S. Cyprian hath this in his boke De simplicitate praelatorum noting them as double faced prelates that teache or attēpt to make one bishop aboue an other The true title of the boke is De vnitate ecelesiae of the vnitie of the churche as to him that shall reade it maie easly by the contentes thereof appeare Yow are therefore a double faced or manie headed prelate that for one chiefe heade giue vs so manie You procede in youre cōparison and saie that Leo hathe out of this fourme is taken oure difference of bishops that in euerie prouince one be Dorman chiefe and of most auctoritie and the bishop of greter cities to haue greater care and consequētly that he that sitteth in Peters chaire should haue charge and be head of the vniuersal church Thus you say Leo saieth because he him selfe wold be Lord and head ouer all the church wheras S. Cyprian on the other side saieth Euerie bishop hath his seuerall portion of Christes flock to rule and gouern c. that those who are vnder the charge of the B. of one coūtrie may not appeale to a bishop of an other for that the auctoritie of one bishop is not inferiour to an other nor the auctorite of the B. of Afrike is lesse then the auctoritie of the bishopps of