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
vnknowen to all the worlde and all menne to liue not onely without explication of doubtfull places of the scripture but without knowledge of any place of the scripture at all and in steede of Gods woorde to haue pampered vp Gods people with their poisoned pappe of Poperie But saieth M. Dorman God did not commaunde any suche conference of scriptures but onelie to resorte to the high Prieste yet I trust M. DormaÌ„ is not ignorant what it meaneth that God and our sauiour Christ dooe so earnestlie exhorte all men to the diligent readyng and studie of the scriptures and dooe condemne the ignoraunce or wante of knowledge thereof And where he saieth God hath not commaunded suche conference of the scriptures which yet in effecte he hath commaunded it is happie that he can not shewe where God hath forbidden it which if he could he would not haue failed to haue dooen But seyng M. Dorman setteth so muche by Gods commaundementes and would so faine haue vs leaue the conference of scriptures as not commaunded by God as he thinketh I would he should aduertise the Papistes his felowes that thei would once leaue their Idolatrie to Images with other their superstitions so ofte and expressedlie by God forbidden as to all godlie menne is well knowen Dorman fol. 12. For emongest so many as at all times haue disquieted the Churche what one heretike are thei able to recon ouerthrowen by the scriptures VVas Arrius vaÌ„quished by them Naie if you brought to coÌ„uince him this text Pater egovnum sumus my father I are one he would tell you againe that the same Christe that so saied saied also pater meus maior me est my father is greater then I. VVhat had you then wonne at his handes that would tell you that one place of Scripture muste expound an other and that therefore your place must bee expounded by his And if you would wade farder with hym he would interprete your place as he did with the catholikes to be vnderstande of vâ—itie in will and not in substaunce and bryng you scripture toe although wrested from the true sense that should seeme well to prooue his distinction As when our Sauiour praied vnto his father in this sorte pater sancte serua eos in nomine tuo quos dedisti mihi vt sint vnuÌ„ sicut et nos kepe theÌ„ ô holie father in thy name whom thou haste geuen to me that thei maie be one as we twoo are one Nowell First to M. Dormans demaunde whiche is the pith of all that he saieth in a leafe and more next folowyng I answere the Arrians Anabaptistes and all heretikes without exception were vanquished and ouerthrowen by the Scriptures and that if thei were not vaÌ„quished by the scriptures thei were not vanquished at all For what though thei saied thei were not vanquished were thei therefore not vanquished because thei would not coÌ„fesse it Did the Iuishe high priestes Scribes and Phariseis confesse themselues vanquished by Christe and his Apostles Were thei therefore not vanquished for that thei would not graunte it I would aske againe of M. Dorman what one heretike of so many can he recken ouerthrowen but by the scriptures But whereas M. Dorman hath been continually harpyng vpon this stryng against the scriptures labouryng to bryng vs from them to the Pope and his churche as he still holdeth on so to dooe leaste I should at euery occasion by him offered with tediousnesse repeate the same thynges againe I remitte the reader to the. 68. leafe of this booke before where and in the processe folowyng it is at large declared that if we doubt whether we be Christians or no we must be resolued by the scriptures if wee doubte whether we bee in the true faithe or no we muste resorte to the Scriptures if wee doubte whiche is the true Churche and whether we bee in the same or no we muste bee certified by the scriptures and that suche as seeke other meanes to bee resolued of these and suche like doubtes otherwise thaÌ„ by the scriptures shal be deceiued and perishe Where also is declared that neither the Pope nor Popishe Churche can be conuenient and competent iudges in controuersies now risen for that thei are both parties and parties accused therein no more then the Iewishe high priest with his churche of Scribes and Phariseis were conuenient and competent iudges in the controuersies betweene them and Christes Apostles for that the saied high Prieste Scribes and Phariseis were parties yea and parties accused and guiltie too of the death of Christ about whom was all the controuersie betwene them and therefore were thei moste vnméete to bee iudges thereof Touchyng the conference of the scriptures together I did so late before at large intreate thereof that I néede not now to repete the same again And thus muche to M. Dormans question Now if M. Dorman haue brought in this example of the Arrians to bryng vs in suspition with the simple people as fauouryng the Arrians all learned and godlie can cléerâ— vs who dooe knowe how muche wee dooe abhorre the Arrians heresies and how earnestlie in our sermons writynges wee dooe oppugne them yea Hosius your chief champion shall answere for vs who dooeth muche praise our writynges and dooynges too againste the Arrians Dorman Fol. 13. In the exposition and right vnderstandyng of these fewe woordes Hoc est corpus meum this is my bodie how happeneth it that the Caluinistes and the Lutheranes agree not by conferryng one place of the Scripture with an other if that bee so readie a waie Dooeth not Caluine with all his teache vs that the sense and true interpretation of these woordes muste needes be atteined by the conference of one place of Scripture with an other And to that ende dooe thei not fondlie allege saincte Paule callyng Christe a rocke yea Christe callyng hymself a vine when he was in deede neither the one nor the other but by a similitude As though because th'Apostle or Christ hymself vseth a figure in one place wee muste thinke that in all other he neuer spake otherwise By whiche abominable doctrine what letteth if a manne would bee so wicked to affirme that Christe the sonne of God and seconde persone in Trinitie were not the true and naturall sonne of God but by adoptioÌ„ onely and for that wicked heresie to bryng this texte Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God VVhiche wordes wee knowe beyng spoken by vs menne muste bee vnderstande by grace and adoption and frowardlie to mainteine that all the places whiche any good manne can bryng for the defence of the contrarie should bee drawen to this texte alleged by them and expounded and vnderstanded thereby Nowell This is M. Dormans vsage when he can saie nothyng of the presente case to intermingle foraine matters thereby to auert the readers minde from his principall cause remainyng vnprooued
still But how soeuer Caluin and Luther agree in the exposition of these fewe woordes Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodie thei agree bothe in this that the Papistes expound them falsely For to vse the places by M. Dorman noted out of Hosius he nor all Papistes with hym shall neuer be able to showe cause why these woordes Ego sum vitis vera I am the true vine dooe not prooue as well a transubstantiation as Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodie Is not this as plainlie spoken and as piththilie I am a true or a verie vine as This is my bodie Naie if Christe had saied likewise this is my true and verie bodie as he saied I am a true or verie dine what a rule had we then had Christe saieth Ego sum panis I am breade and yet no transubstantiation of his bodie into breade Why should these woordes Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodie more transubstantiate bread into his bodie This is fondlie alleged saieth M. Dorman If wee saie likewise that all that he hath here said of the controuersie of the Sacramente out of place leauyng his purposed matter vnproued is verie fonde what hath he then wonne that I maie vse his owne phrase Dorman Fol. 13. The Anabaptistes who denie the Baptisme of infantes leane thei not thinke you to this grounde of yours Yea truelie and good reason it is that beyng all heretikes as you are although in some poinctes dissentyng yet all ioignyng and agreeing in one cancred hatred againste the Churche you should all vse the same rules principles For that I maie here passe ouer that reason of the Anabaptistes which belongeth to an other place that therefore infantes must not bee Baptized because it is not expressed in Scripture a principle also of your religion but deliuered vnto vs by tradition saie thei not also that thei haue the scripture plaine for them againste vs VVhere it hath Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit He that beleueth and is baptized shal bee saued and againe in an other place vna fides vnum baptisma one faithe one baptisme By whiche places saie thei it appeareth that faithe must go before and baptisme folowe after And when the Catholikes to represse and vtterlie ouerthrowe this brutishe and beastlie opinion answere that for infantes thus baptized the faithe of the churche is sufficient and accounted for theirs crie thei not as you doe that in this controuersie one place of scripture muste expounde an other And that therefore where as the scripture requireth in him that is baptized faithe that thei must haue it of their owne accordyng to the Apostles saiyng fides ex auditu faithe commeth by hearyng whiche infantes can not haue and according to the saiyng of the Prophete Iustus ex fide sua victurus est the iuste manne shall liue by his owne faithe Nowell First to M. Dormans false sclaunder we answere we bee no heretikes no Arrians no Anabaptistes we teache of Christes diuinitie and of Baptisme and all other thynges accordyng to Gods woorde Where he saieth the Catholikes doo represse and ouerthrowe the brutishe opinions of the Anabaptistes we aunswere that it is moste certaine well knowen to the worlde that our menne haue saied and written more againste them then euer did the Papistes Wherefore wee bee therein as in all other thynges in deede the Catholikes and not thei Dorman Fol. 13. I am sorie that in answeryng to this fonde reason I haue been compelled to make any mention of suche horrible heresies as these are whiche I had muche rather were with their firste authours buried in helle from whence thei came where neither thei nor their name mighte euer hereafter offende the conscience of any good Christian manne But as I haue necessarilie laied before your eyes theise that by a parte you maie iudge of the whole so haue I willinglie staied my selfe from rehearsyng whole swarmes of suche opinions as beyng of all menne taken for confessed heresies onelie depende vpon this one false grounde that wee neede here in earth no other iudge to decide and determine doubtes arisyng vpon the scripture then the scripture it self whiche beyng thei saie laied and conferred together one texte with an other will not faile to bryng vs to the right vnderstandyng thereof Nowell What other necessitie I praie you put the man to this sorowe he speaketh of or compelled hym to suche mention but onelie the defecte of proofes for his purposed matter of the necessitie of one heade ouer all the churche whiche lacke he is driuen to supplie with such digressions of the Swenkfeldians Arrians and Anabaptistes altogether impertinente to his purpose and with declaimyng against the scriptures and woorde of God Whiche distresse also droue him destitute of matter so often to repeate that one séelie similitude and euell likelihood betwene the Iuishe high Priest and the Pope And yet M. Dorman thus digressyng and swaruyng hymself is not ashamed to speake to the Bishop of Sarum after this sorte I moste hartelie praie you keepe you without straiyng from the matter or allegyng of prooues impertinente as close as you can c. This is M. Dormans requeste whereof hymself hath geuen an example as you here maie see Now if al heretikes and heresies were as M. Dorman wisheth buried in hell then should the Pope with all his Papistes be buried together with them and we might liue still and with quietnesse praise Gods holie name preache his blessed woorde whiche maister Dorman dooeth set so light by To the reste we saie that as for resoluyng of doubtes wee dooe with saincte Augustine as is before rehersed thinke the conference of scriptures to bée moste necessarie so dooe we not refuse any other helpe of learned bishops as our guides and directours by the same Scriptures to all truthe But suche a one onelie supreme heade or Iudge ouer all the Churche as M. Dorman would haue to bee consulted of all men of all countries and languages vpon all doubtes arisyng neither dooe we acknowlege neither is it possible any suche to be And we saie that suche as haue chalenged or pretended so to be are moste presumptuous moste false vsurpers Now where M. Dorman would proue the conference of Scriptures a vaine or euill thing bicause the Arrians and Anabaptistes vsed it and vs to be heretikes as thei be because we vse the same groūdes to witte cōferring of scriptures together he might aswell reiecte all allegyng of scripture because the deuill vsed it and conclude that we bee of the deuill because we vse the same grounde that he dooeth that is to saie the allegyng of Scriptures Yea and he maie by the same reason finde faulte with Christe our sauiour and his holie Apostles who dooe so muche vse the saied allegyng of scriptures And M. Dorman in so dooyng should bee as reasonable as he is in callyng vs heretikes and blamyng vs vsyng
soueraigne But let vs consider his woordes Thus did Nouatus saieth M. Dorman as though Nouatus had made his first entrie to his heresies by makyng open warre againste the bishop of Rome appoincted by God to bee the lawfull gouernour and head of the churche and as though he made them renounce the said bishop of Romes supremacie For his woordes thus did Nouatus c. Whiche muste needes haue relation to that whiche goeth before doo importe no lesse And his appliyng of this othe of Nouatus to our othes inforceth the same But Nouatus made neither the beginnyng nor endyng of his heresies about any deniyng of Cornelius supremacie as bishop of Rome nor exacted any othe for that purpose For suche vsurped authoritie of the bishop of Rome was then vnknowen and vnheard of as shall hereafter moste plainly appeare But the othe whiche Nouatus required was that thei should acknowledge hym for their bishop and not Cornelius who was their Bishop in deede And further the saied othe concerned the maintenaunce of Nouatus his heresie whiche was that suche as for feare of tormentes had renounced the Christian faithe or had offered Incense to the Idoles of the Gentiles though thei repented therefore were not to bée receiued into the churche againe whiche cruell opinion as well S. Cyprian bishop of Carthage as Cornelius bishop of Rome with all other godlie bishops condemned and taught the cōtrary true doctrine that suche also vpon due repentaunce might bée receiued againe into the churche accordyng as wee this daie doo also moste earnestly beleue and teache Now as Nouatus beyng in Italie required an othe that their adherentes Romaines or Italiās should not turne to Cornelius bishop of Rome to acknowledge him for their bishop to be of his faith and to communicate with hym so did the professors of the same heresies trauell in Afrike with their disciples there beyng Africanes that thei should not returne to Cyprian Bishop of Carthage to communicate with hym Whiche as it maketh nothyng for any supremacie of S. Cyprian bishop of Carthage no more maketh the other for any supremacie of Cornelius bishoppe of Rome For though it be vnlawfull to exacte an othe of any to disobeie their owne godlie bishops what proueth that that one maie not sweare to refuse the obedience of an aliene and wicked vsurpar and to keepe hym in the obedience of his owne soueraine And where Nouatus began first his heresie in Afrik by striuyng against S. Cyprian as S. Cyprian hymself doeth witnesse and not by striuyng firste againste Cornelius bishop of Rome as M. Dorman vntrulie reporteth the beginnyng of heresies is rather to make warre and strief against the bishop of Carthage then against the bishoppe of Rome as M. Dorman would haue it But there was then neither striuyng nor any othe required concerning the bishop of Rome as head of the churche as by that whole processe in S. Cypriā Eusebius and Nicephorus it dooeth plainly appeare Wherefore M. Dorman maie bee ashamed to forge so manifest a lie as that Nouatus exacted an othe against the Popes supremacie or that we folowe Nouatus in exactyng like othe as he did And seyng that wee doo moste deteste that cruell heresie of Nouatus and doo firmelie beleue and earnestlie teache as did S. Cyprian and Cornelius it is as maliciouslie as vntrulie doen of M. Dormā not onely to applie to vs the example of Nouatus othe exacted for the maintenaunce of his heresies but also to call Nouatus our auncestor and our Bishops as his disciples indurate heretikes who doo moste abhorre bothe Nouatus and his heresie and moste earnestly and pithilie in all their writynges and Sermons doo impugne the same by settyng foorth to their power the vnspeakeable mercie of God towardes all sinners truely penitent Wherby it maie appeare to the discreate readers that M. Dorman and suche other malitious aduersaries passe not muche whether they lie or saie truthe so they maie bryng vs by hooke or crooke out of credite and into the hatred of the worlde I beleue also that M. Dorman in the alleagation of Nouatus his othe had a further respecte to that he maketh mention of the bodie bloud of Christ by the whiche because Nouatus caused thē to sweare M. Dormā thought belike thereby to proue or at least to make an insinuation to the simple that the bodie and bloud of Christe should bee corporallie presente in the Sacramente but the daiely othes of blasphemous men swearyng likewise in his corporall absence doo confute that collection And to the ende that M. Dorman should gaine nothyng in that matter of the Sacramente by this place I haue thought good to admonishe the reader that the said place of Nicephorus and Eusebius of whom Nicephorus had it is directlie against their transubstantiation and for our vsage now in the churche The woordes of Nicephorus a little before the place by M. Dorman alledged are these Quum enim oblationes offerret qui mos sacerdotibus est iam ad distributionem panis peruenisset data cuilibet parte sua pro eo quòd cum gratiarum eam actione percipere debebant iurare miseros coegit Vtranque enim percipientium manum comprimens non prius eas remisit quà m iuratū ab eis esset vtar autem verbis eius conceptis Adiura mihi per sanguinem corpus domini nostri Iesu Christi nunquam te à me discessurum ad Cornelium Romanus hic fuit episcopus rediturum esse Miseri autem illi non prius quod acceperant degustarunt quà m se illi deuouerunt That is to saie When Nouatus made his offerynges as the maner of Priestes is and nowe was come to the distribution of the breade he deliueryng euery one his parte in the steede of due thankes geuyng in the receiuyng of the same compelled the wretched menne to sweare for he laiyng holde on bothe the handes of the receiuers did not let them goe vntill thei had sworne for I will vse his owne verie woordes Sweare to me by the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe that thou wilte neuer forsake me nor retourne to Cornelius who was then bishop of Rome And those wretched mē did not taste that whiche they had receiued afore they had by othe assured themselues to hym c. Thus farre Nicephorus Eusebius who hath the verie same woordes calleth it bread also And so if M. Dormā thought this place by the waie might serue for their purpose in the matter of the lordes supper whiche he here calleth the sacrament of th' altar he was farre deceiued For both Nicephorus and Eusebius callyng it after the consecration as thei terme it bread and Nicephorus saiyng that thei tasted that whiche thei receiued that is to say bread and by the circumstances it appearyng that the vse of the primitiue churche than was agreable to our vse now in geuyng the Sacrament into the receiuers handes bothe is their transubstantiation
vpon vs with the banishyng of that one Bishoppe and heade and onely saith so I doo saie the contrary is moste true and will also in place of this treatie coÌ„uenient not onely saie but proue that where the Pope hath had the greateste authoritie there hath he brought in with hym as well all miseries mischieues and destructions vpon the common wealthe as also all superstitions hypocristes errours and Idolatries into the Churche And for this present tyme it shall be sufficient to admonishe the reader that in all respectes wée bee now in farre better case without the Pope in more quietnesse peace securitie plentie of thynges c. then wee were of late vnder the Pope and that therefore M. Dorman doeth moste euideÌ„tly and falsly fable when he saieth that a thousande and more miseries haue rushed into this realme with the refusall of that one bishoppe and heade Dorman Fol. 3. And as this is confessed by the moste auncient fathers that haue written sence Christes tyme that by this meanes we firste reuolt from the churche by contemnyng and not acknowledgyng the heade so muste our retourne thither againe bee by the contrary that is by reuerencyng hym by acknowledgyng hym by humble submission of our self to hym Nowell It is none otherwise confessed by other moste auncient fathers then you haue alreadie heard it confessed by S. Cyprian and Basill whom he hath without all shame alledged for that purpose whereas thei speake not one woorde of that matter neither acknowledge any suche heade And as thei remained in the Churche of Christe neuer acknowledgyng the bishop of Rome as heade of the Churche so doo wee likewise reâ—ectyng his falsly vsurped supremacie nothyng doubt but wée remaine in the Churche of Christe whose sworne enemie we doo knowe that false vsurper to bée and therefore none of Christes Churche so farre of is it that he can be the heade of the same Dorman fol. 3. So did those that after their fall with Nouatus S. Cyprian receiued into the Churche againe apon their submission testified in these woordes Nos-Cornelium Episcopum sanctissimum Catholicae Ecclesiae erectum à Deo omnipotente Christo D. nostro scimus Nos errorem nostrum confitemur Circumuenti sumus perfidiae loquacitate factiosa amentes videbamur quasi quandam communicationem cum homine schismatico habuisse Syncera tameÌ„ mens nostra in ecclesia semper fuit Nec ignoramus vnum Deumesse vnum Christum esse dominum quem confessi sumus vnum Spiritum S. Vnum Episcopum in Ecclesia catholica esse debere VVe saie thei acknowledge Cornelius to bee erected by God almightie and Christe our Lorde to be the holy bishop of the catholike churche VVe confesse our errour we haue been circumuented ronnyng madde by the factious babblyng of treacherie wee seemed to haue communicated as it were with that schismaticall manne Nouatus yet was our sincere mynde alwaies in the Churche Nor wee are not ignoraunte that there is one onelie God and one Christe our lorde and that in the catholike churche there must be one holie ghost and one bishoppe Nowell Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius whom M. Dorman meaneth neither reuolted from the Churche by contemnyng and not acknowledgyng this heade he speaketh of nor retourned to the Churche againe by acknowledgyng of any suche heade For in those daies Cornelius bishoppe of Rome was not acknowledged to bee heade of the Churche by any man liuyng suche ambition and false vsurpation of the bishop of Rome to bée heade of the Churche beyng vnknowen to Cornelius then bishoppe of Rome and to all other bishoppes of Christendome also But to make the truthe in deede knowen to the reader how these menne reuolted from the Churche and how thei retourned I shall out of saincte Cyprian and histories Ecclesiasticall declare the veritie of the matter After the death of Fabâ—anus bishoppe of Rome Cornelius was lawfully chosen by the cleargie and people to be his successour there Nouatus who was of that opinion that suche as for feare of tormentes and death had renounced the Christian saithe though thei repented therefore were not to bee receiued into the Churche againe made a greate stirre against Cornelius who with saincte Cyprian and all catholike bishoppes helde the contrary that is to saie that the Penitentes ought to be receiued after due discipline executed vpon them But the faction of Nouatus waxyng greater Nouatus or as saincte Cyprian saieth Nouatianus would haue intruded hymself into the Bishoprike of Rome and tooke hymself and was taken of his faction to bee lawfull successour of Fabian and the true bishoppe of Rome and Cornelius to be an vsurper as one that did communicate with suche as had renounced their faith Wherevpon grew this question and controuersie whiche of them twoâ— was a catholike bishoppe holdyng the truthe and truly and lawfully chosen by God and whiche was the intruder and not of the Catholike churche but an heretike And amongest others Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius priestes of Rome ioigned themselues to Nouatus against Cornelius holdyng Nouatus opinion and takyng hym for their Bishoppe And thus thei reuolted by fallyng to heresie and refusyng Cornelius their bishoppe and by ioignyng themselues to Nouatus an vsurper and heretike and not by deniyng Cornelius as bishop of Rome to be the head of the churche â–ª as M. Dorman fableth But afterward Maximus and his felowes repeÌ„tyng their deede did forsake Nouatus as an heretike and vsurper and retourned to Cornelius againe as their true Bishoppe to ioigne in faithe and communion with him as with a catholike bishop or a Bishoppe of the catholike Churche whiche is all one And thei doo acknowledge that he was erected by God into that Bishoprike of Rome and so consequently Nouatus to be a false vsurper and heretike and so no bishoppe of the Catholike churche Wherefore it is euident that when M. Dorman saieth that those men retourned againe to the Churche by this waie that is to saie by acknowledgyng Cornelius to bee the heade of the vniuersall churche he saieth moste vntruly And hath corrupted and translated this place falsely remouyng the woorde sanctissimae from his place and in steede of Cornelium episcopum sanctissimae catholicae ecclesiae Cornelius a bishoppe of the moste holie catholike Churche as saincte Cyprian doeth write he hath Cornelium sanctissimum episcopum ecclesiÄ™ catholicÄ™ Cornelius the moste holie Bishoppe of the Catholike Churche to make a better shewe for his purpose as though Maximus Vrbanus Sidonius with others had acknowledged Cornelius to be erected by God almightie to bee the moste holy Bishoppe of the Catholike and vniuersall Churche and so to make for his supremacie ouer the whole Churche Whiche is neither written here nor els where neither euer was meante by Maximus or his felowes nor by saincte Cyprian hymself But this is the true sense of those woordes Nos Cornelium Episcopum sanctissimae Catholicae ecclesiae erectum à deo
omnipotente Christo Domino nostro scimus c. Wee acknowledge Cornelius to be a Bishoppe of the moste holie Catholike churche erected by God almightie and Christe our Lorde c. as if thei had said more at large where we before tooke Cornelius to be an vnlawfull vsurper and to communicate with those that had renounced their faithe and therefore to be no member of the moste holy Catholike churche now we acknowledge hym to be a Catholike Bishoppe by God erected and that we were deceiued before in ioignyng with Nouatus againste hym And that this is the true sense of that place saincte Cyprian hymself in his epistle to Stephanus sheweth writyng thus of that same matter Non potest à quoquam nostrum illi communicari qui episcopo Cornelio in Catholica ecclesia dei iudicio cleri ac plebis suffragio ordinato profanum altare erigere adulteram Cathedram collocare sacrilega contra verum sacerdotem sacrificia offerre tentauerit That is None of vs cā communicate with hym who hath attempted to erecte a profane altare and an vntrue chaire againste bishop Cornelius ordeined in the catholike churche by Gods iudgemente and by the election of the Cleargie and people and hath attempted to offer sacrilegious or wicked sacrifice against the true Prieste Thus farre sainct Cyprian Whereby you maie see that he calleth not Cornelius here the bishoppe of the Catholike churche but Bishoppe Cornelius ordeined in the Catholike churche by God his iudgemente and the election of the Cleargie and people And this is all one in sense and meanyng with the other For Episcopus Catholicę ecclesiae and Episcopus in catholica ecclesia be as muche to saie as Catholicus Episcopus a catholike bishoppe and not the Bishoppe of the Catholike or vniuersall Churche as M. Dorman would haue it For this beyng in controuersie whether Cornelius or Nouatus was the true and Catholike Bishoppe or Prieste and whiche was the vsurper and heretike here doo Maximus and Vrbanus with others confesse that Cornelius was the Catholike bishoppe Wherefore M. Dorman in translating the saied place so that it maie seme to make for the Popes supremacie and by the waie remouyng this woorde Sanctissimae from the Catholike churche to attribute it to Cornelius by like to make a shewe that the title of Sanctissimus was of olde appertsining to the bishoppe of Rome doeth herein like him self Now concernyng that whiche foloweth in their confession VVe bee not ignoraunte that there is one God one Christe our Lorde one holie Ghost and that there must be one bishoppe in the Catholike churche or more truely in this place in a Catholike Churche This M. Dorman did not doubte but that the simple sorte would take it to bee a moste plaine proofe not of Cornelius supremacie onely but ex abundāte that he alone was that one Bishoppe whiche ought to be onely in the whole Catholike Churche for so it semeth by his marginall note of one God one Bishoppe c. he meaneth But I trust that fewe will allowe M. Dorman euen of those that be of his own part if he would so wrest sainct Cypriā that as there is one onely God and none but he so there should bée but one onely Bishoppe and no mo but he Whereas nothing lesse was meant by them that made this confession nor by sainct Cyprian who maketh reporte thereof For firste Maximus and his felowes whiche had before ioigned thē selues to Nouatus who chalenged to bée a true catholike bishoppe and bishoppe of Rome also doo now acknowledge Cornelius to be the true bishoppe and because there can be no moe bishoppes in any one catholike churche but one therefore now affirmyng Cornelius to be that one Bishoppe thei doo reiecte Nouatus as no bishoppe but an vsurper and thereby acknoweledge that there ought to bee but one bishoppe in that catholike churche And so nothyng lesse is meant here by one bishoppe then one head bishoppe ouer all other bishoppes muche lesse is meant one bishoppe alone of all the Churche as there is one onely God ouer all as it maie seme that M. Dorman would gather For the declaration whereof it is to be noted that when sainct Cypriā speaketh of one bishop of the catholike churche he meaneth no one speciall Bishoppe ouer all but indifferentlie all and euery catholike bishop throughout the vniuersall churche for that thei haue euery of them the full possessiō of one onely bishoprike Whiche as it is but one throughout all the worlde so hath euery bishop the same wholie and fullie So that when sainct Cyprian speaketh of one Bishoppe onely to rule the Churche he meaneth the Bishoppe of that Diocesse whiche he then entreateth of who so euer and of what countrey so euer he be as here in this epistle he meaneth Cornelius and in his epistle to Pupianus by the said one bishop appoincted by God to rule the churche he meaneth hymself beyng bishop of Carthage For in bothe places he hath the same woordes of one bishoppe appointed to rule the Churche by the contempte of the whiche Bishop heresies doo spryng or arise This remaineth yet more fully to be declared as well by Cornelius as by saincte Cyprian hymselfe in other places First Cornelius writyng to Fabius Bishoppe of Antioche as Eusebius testifieth hath these woordes concerning this verie matter Vindex ille euangelij de Nouato loquitur ignorauit vnum esse debere episcopum ī catholica ecclesia in qua nescit quomodo enim sciret presbyteros esse 46. diaconos 7. hypodiaconos 7. acoluthos 42. c. that is to saie this defendour of the Gospell he speaketh of Nouatus was ignoraunt that there ought to be one Bishop in a Catholike churche in y e whiche he knoweth not for how should he know that there be 46. Priestes 7. Deacons 7. subdeacons 42. inferiour ecclesiasticall ministers or seruiters c. Thus farre Cornelius By whiche woordes it is euident that the Catholike churche whereof Cornelius and Cyprian doo speake and wherein there muste bee but one bishop is not the vniuersall churche throughout the worlde as M. Dorman would haue it vnlesse he thinke that 46. Priestes and 7. Deacōs maie suffice the vniuersall Churche for ministers as well as one onely bishoppe is sufficiente for the heade of the whole Churche for the one is as reasonable as the other but the catholike churche that Cornelius speaketh of here is the particular churche of Rome in the which as one bishop so also 7. Deacons might suffice Whiche particular churche is by Cornelius here by S. Cyprian and other auncient doctors of the churche in their writynges called Catholike because it professed taught the catholike faithe and to notifie it from schismaticall or heretical churches And any other particular church teaching the catholike faithe may in like maner be called a catholike churche or y e catholike churche of suche a citie or countrey Now cōcernyng S. Cyprian
he declareth in many places that euery Bishop in his owne diocesse hath the full possession of y e bishoprike whiche is one throughout all the worlde therfore is the onely bishop and head of that his owne Catholike church as namely in his epistle to Antonianus where he hath these woordes Vna est Ecclesia à Christo per totum mundum in multa membra diuisa item episcopatus vnus episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate diffusus c. That is to saie there is one churche from Christ throughout the whole worlde diuided likewise one bishoprike spread abroade in the agreable multitude of many Bishops But S. Cyprian declareth his minde moste plainly of this one bishoprike wholy and equally possessed of all and euery bishop in his booke De simplicitate praelatorum not farre from the beginnyng writyng thus Vnum corpus vnus spiritus vna spes vocationis vestrÄ™ vnus dominus vna fides vnum Baptisma vnus deus Quam vnitatem firmiter tenere vindicare debemus maximè episcopi qui iÌ„ ecclesia praesidemus vt episcopatum quoque ipsum vnum atque indiuisum probemus Nemo fraternitatem mendacio fallat nemo fidei veritateÌ„ perfida preuaricatione corrumpat Episcopatus vnus est cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur Ecclesia vna est quae in multitudineÌ„ latiùs incremento foecunditatis extenditur quomodo solis multi radij sed lumen vnum rami arboris multi sed robur vnum tenaci radice fundatuÌ„ c. Whiche is to saie There is one bodie and one spirit one hope of your vocation one Lorde one Faithe one Baptisme one God The whiche vnitie we must firmely hold and mainteine speciallie wee Bishoppes whiche doo gouerne in the Churche that we maie proue the bishoprike it self also to bee one and vndeuided Let no man by liyng deceiue the brotherhodde let no man corrupte the veritie of faith by false preuarication There is one Bishoprike parte whereof euery man hath wholie or more plainely there is one Bishoprike whiche euery bishop hath wholie for his part There is one churche whiche is spread abroade by increase of fruictefulnesse into a multitude as there be many beames of the suÌ„ne but one light many braunches of the tree but one bodie of it staied vpon a sure roote c. Thus farre saincte Cyprian with muche more processe to proue the vnitie of the churche and the vnitie of one bishoprike whiche euery Bishop wholie hath for his parte and so consequentlie all Bishops to be equall Wherefore maister Dorman hath in vain noted in the margeÌ„t of his booke in this place One God one Christe one holie Ghost one Bishoppe as though the Bishoppe of Rome were that one Bishop and none but he as there is one onely God and none but he Where as that place of sainct Cyprian as by conference with this place appeareth proueth that though there be one bishoprike throughout all the worlde yet are there many bishops and that euery one in his owne Diocesse hath the whole possession of that one Bishoprike and that therefore there is an equalitie of all Bishops and so consequently no superioritie of any one ouer all as M. Dorman would haue it For if euery Bishop haue in solidum that is to saie fullie and wholie that one Bishoprike or bishoplie function and office as S. Cyprian saieth no one caÌ„ haue more then the whole and therefore no one can be aboue all other Whiche maie appeare more plainlie by the comparisons of one faithe and one Baptisme whiche saincte Cyprian in the same place vseth For as there is but one faithe though there be many faithfull persones one Baptisme though many Baptised so there is by sainct Cyprian his iudgement but one Bishoprike yet be there many Bishops whiche one Bishoprike is equallie and wholie diuided emongeste all the said Bishops as faithe and Baptisme are equally and wholie diuided emongeste the faithfull Baptised and yet remaineth still but one Bishoprike as there doeth but one faithe and one Baptisme for that euery bishoppe hath that one bishoprike wholie as euery true faithfull hath the one christian faithe wholie and euery one that is duely Baptised hath that one Baptisme wholie And consequently it foloweth that as no one man hath any superioritie in Baptisme or faithe aboue other truely faithfull and Baptised so hath no one bishoppe any superioritie ouer other bishoppes for that euery bishop hath that one bishoprike wholie and therfore none hath it more then other but be all equall in office and authoritie This is S. Cyprian his minde of one Bishopricke whiche euery bishop hath wholie and equallie and is therfore in his owne Diocesse the one onely bishop in the catholike Churche to gouerne the same Whereby any manne but of meane vnderstandyng maie well perceiue that this saiyng of one bishoppe vsed by sainct Cyprian maketh nothyng for the bishoppe of Rome his supremacie but directlie againste it makyng all other bishops equall with hym as thei whiche haue in solidum wholie that one Bishoprike as well as he And therefore when sainct Cyprian nameth one bishop in the catholike church or of a catholike churche he meaneth the bishop of that speciall diocesse which he entreateth of of what countrey so euer it be as here he meaneth Cornelius and by the like wordes in other places he meaneth other bishops and of other diocesses Whiche is moste euident by the like wordes of one Bishop who gouerneth the church vsed by the same saincte Cyprian in this epistle to Pupianus His woordes be these Episcopus qui vnus eâ—â— ecclesiae praeest coÌ„temnitur c. The Bishop which is one and gouerneth the Churche is contemned and sette at nought c. Where it is moste euident that by that one Bishop who gouerneth the Churche and is contemned he meaneth himself beyng bishop of Carthage and by the saied Pupian despised as is at large alreadie declared Whiche place yet M. Dorman alittle before alledged for the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome as leudelie as he doeth this place here To conclude Maximus and his felowes had a controuersie with Cornelius altogether diuers from our coÌ„trouersies with the Popes of Rome and therefore their exaÌ„ple apperteineth nothyng to this case of the Popes supremacie then neither mooued nor knowen And it is no meruaile if that Maximus Vrbanus and Sidonius beyng priestes of Rome there hauyng with Nouatus beyng hymself Priest of Rome also made so great stirre and businesse against Cornelius recoÌ„ciled themselues to Cornelius the Romaine bishop beyng their own bishop whiche apperteineth nothyng at all to vs who haue nothing to doo with the bishop of Rome Dorman fol. 3. So did Vrsatius and Valens forsakyng the heresie of Arius offer vp their recantation to Iulius then Bishoppe of Rome By this meaneâ— good Christian readers retourned thei to the Churche by this muste you retourne that haue straied what
Christian readers you shall wel perceiue that this is no newe deuise or fantasie imagined by me I will here laie before your eyes the iudgemente of certaine notable menne whom God gaue to his churche to serue for a wall for the same against the incursions of the wicked Phylistines his enemies In whom you shall moste plainlie perceiue this order in Christes Churche to bee so necessarie that the onelie breach and lacke thereof hath been by theÌ„ taken to be the high waie verie path that leadeth to all heresies Nowell M. Dorman maie bee carelesse no man taketh the Popes supremacie to be his deuise and inuention it is knowen to bee the inuention of the ambitious Popes themselues whom the diuell hath set a woorke to trouble the quiete state of Christendome and to bryng all errours into Christ his Churche and to laie the foundation of the kyngdome of Antichrist Dorman Fol. 5. And firste to beginne with that blessed martyre of God sainct Cyprian hath he not concerning thiâ— matter in an epistle by hym written to Cornelius then bishop of Rome thiese woordes Neque enim aliunde obortae sunt haereses aut nata sunt schismata quà m indâ— quèd sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus tudex vice Christi cogitatur That is neither yet truely doo heresies arise or schismes growe of any other cause then thereof that menne obeye not the Prieste of God neither doo thinke that there is in the Churche in the steede and place of Christe one Priest and one iudge for the tyme. Nowell Either M. Dorman had not with sufficient diligeÌ„ce reade and noted that long epistle written by sainct Cyprian to Cornelius Bishop of Rome or els he deepely dissembleth that which he there perceiued For though the epistle be written to Cornelius yet it is for a great parte writteÌ„ of Cyprian hymself and many of the sentences in that epistle yea this verie sentence whiche M. Dorman here alledgeth for Cornelius his supremacie as Bishop of Rome by the tenure of the epistle appeareth to bee written speciallie of saincte Cyprian hymself Bishop of Carthage in Afrike rather then of Cornelius as afterward at large shal be declared And further it appeareth that this sentence and all other sentences of the authoritie of the Prieste or Priestes Bishoppe or Bishoppes for saincte Cyprian in that epistle doeth ofte chaunge the number and sometyme speaketh as of one sometyme as of many or all Priestes and Bishoppes doo indifferentlie appertaine as well to euery and all Bishoppes of all cities and diocesses as to either Cornelius or Cyprian For that he here saith Sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur The priest of God is not obeied is asmuche as Sacerdotibus dei the Priestes of God are not obeied As when the scripture saieth Regem honora honoure the Kyng is as muche as though it had saied Let subiectes of all places honour their kynges Touchyng these woordes Neque vnus in ecclesia ad tempus Sacerdos ad tempus index vice Christi cogitatur that is to saie Neither is one Prieste in the Churche for the tyme and iudge for the tyme in Christes steede thought vpon I haue declared at large before how that saincte Cyprian taketh all Bishoprikes to be but one Bishoprike as the faithes of all men are but one faithe Vnafides saieth sainct Cyprian vnum baptisma vnus episcopus cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur There is one faith one Baptisme there is one Bishoprike the whiche euery Bishoppe hath wholie for his parte So that wheÌ„ he speaketh of one Bishoppe one iudge in the churche for the tyme or of the bishop whiche is one and ruleth the Churche absolutelie he meaneth euery Bishop in his owne diâ—cesse without exception if he speake speciallie he doeth meane the Bishop of that citie or diocesse wherof he entreateth whether it be y e bishop of Rome Carthage or any other place For the moste manifest proufe whereof note these woordes of saincte Cyprian to Pupianus who was stubborne againste the saied Cyprian whereof it hath been before entreated Vnde enim schismata c. Whereof saieth sainct Cyprian doo heresies and Schismes spryng but of this that the Bishoppe whiche is one and ruleth the Churche is through the proude arrâ—gant presumption of certain contemned and set at nought and beyng the man by Goddes approbation allowed and honoured is of vnwoorthy men iudged And a little before this place Tâ— te episcopum episcopi iudicem iudicis ad tempus à deo dati coÌ„stituis Thou doest make thy self a Bishop ouer the Bishop and a Iudge ouer the Iudge by God for the tyme appoincted Thus muche saincte Cyprian to Pupianus who despised the saied Cyprian so appoincted by God to be the Bishoppe and Iudge for the tyme as he there saieth Now in his epistle to Cornelius he saieth thus Neque enim aliunde c. Neither doo heresies arise or schismes grow of any other cause but hereof that menne obeie not the Prieste of God neither dooe thinke that there is in the Churche in the steede and place of Christe one Prieste one Iudge for the tyme. Compare now these twoo places together and you shall finde them all one in effecte And that S. CypriaÌ„ nor any other could haue vttred in diuers places one sense more nearelie vnlesse he would haue vsed the same woordes altogether But it is moste manifeste to all men that will reade these epistles that in the first place by the bishoppe whiche is one and ruleth the Churche by the man by Goddes approbation allowed by the coÌ„temnyng of whom heresies and schismes doo spryng and arise by the Bishoppe or Prieste and by the Iudge for the tyme by God appoincted S. Cyprian hymself beyng Bishop of Carthage is ment and by hym that despiseth the saied Bishop is Pupian meant who did despise the saied S. Cyprian Wherefore either it muste folowe that saincte Cyprian is the heade of the vniuersall Churche seyng those woordes whiche by M. Dormans iudgemente appoincted that head apperteine to him orels as the truthe is in déede that any Bishop is called by saincte Cyprian the Bishoppe whiche is one and ruleth the Churche or the iudge for the tyme in the Churche in Christes steede or place for all is one and that then the speciall bishop of that place whiche is intreated of whether it be Rome Carthage or any other is meant and so consequentlie euery Bishop in his owne diocesse is that one Bishop that ruleth in the churche and that iudge for the time in the steede of Christe And that in this place saincte Cyprian meaneth no supremacie of any one Bishop but the equalitie of all Bishops it maie bee moste euident to them that will read the whole epistle and note how ofte he speaketh of all Priestes and Bishops As Sacerdotibus tantus honor conceditur so great honor is geuen to
agaynst the Prophetes Psalmes or the lawe for so Christe doth diuide the holy Scriptures of the olde Testament as here hath Hosius written he should according to the iudgement of the lawe haue like a wicked blasphemar be stoned to death But blasphemie against God and his holy scriptures is with our aduersaries a sporte Dayly and most horrible blasphemies against Christe are suffered in the Iues by the Pope and they neuerthelesse remaine the Popes friends specially in néede of money Onely a woorde against that false vsurpar of Rome and his leude traditions is auenged with swoorde fagot and fire moste cruelly vpon those that doo professe Christes name and all the articles of the Christian faith Whiche emongst many others is not the least proofe that y e Pope is Antichrist for that he doeth therby declare that he preferreth him selfe and his owne traditions before Christe his gospell auenging himself so extremely vpon the cōtemners of his said traditiōs and permitting blasphemers against God our sauiour Christ the holy scriptures to remayne not onely vnpunyshed but also his deare friendes But lette vs procéede with M. Dormans rehearsall of Suenkfeldius heresies The holy ghost vseth to come from aboue vvithout the help of meanes as hearing preaching or reading the scriptures VVe must looke to be taught from heauen not out of bookes saith Suenkfeldins Doo not you Papistes say the same haue not you geuē ouer preaching of gods woord your selues barred the people from reading hearing of it by your crueltie close keping of it in a language vnknowen to the people and burnyng the bookes of the scripture transiated for the peoples vnderstanding Are not you the right heyres of those Phariseis whom our sauiour speaketh of that haue taken away this key of knowledge of goddes woorde and neither will enter in your selfe nor suffer other that would to entre And thus laying aside preaching your selues and burnyng other that doo preache and barryng the people of God from reading and hearyng of his woorde you doe saye euen as did Suenkfeldius that the holy ghoste vseth to come from aboue into your Popishe churche without all helpe of meanes as hearyng preaching or readyng of the Scriptures whiche you will by no meanes suffer so to be vsed in the churche as it may be vnderstanded Are not you those who contrarie to goddes commaundement that the booke of the lawe should not departe out of the handes and from the eyes of his seruauntes haue either suche bookes as fewe can vnderstande either burne such bookes of gods law as all may vnderstand for that you will not haue them to learne of goddes booke but onely of suche traditions as are reuealed to your churche from heauen as you say Thus you sée good readers I truste euidently howe that M. Dorman hath moste vniustly charged vs and that we are as farre from Suenfeldius vile heresies as the Papistes in all poinctes by M. Dorman rehearsed agree and ioyne moste iustly with theim as I haue declared by the very woordes of Pighius D. Hardinges chiefe author and by Hosius M. Dorman his peereles pearle for learnyng and vertue as he sayeth Whiche Hosius gaue occasion to M. Dorman to make mention of Suenfeldius in this place as partly before and more plainely nowe hereafter doth appeare Dorman fol. 11. And thus vvhilest moste shamefully to the great dishonor of the vvhole realme vnder vvhose name as it vver that fardel of lies their apologie vvas sent abroade thei haue not ben ashamed to charge vvith this heresie of Suenkfeldius one of the greatest estates both for lerning and vertue that at this daie Christendom hath vve may se that thei haue not only shovved thē selues to be very vvicked and shameles men the truthe to their vtter and perpetuall infamie and shame had thei any plainly to the contrary in the vvorcks of him vvhome thei so sclaundred bearing vvitnesse against them but are also runne into the same groundes vvhereon Svvenkfilde builded his heresie their ovvne selues Novvell I trust that who so euer shall reade that conformitie betwene the papistes and Suenkfeldius and both their heresies before declared and specially by the woordes of Pighius and Hosius him selfe shall vnderstande that Hosius was not without cause charged with some affinitie to Suenkfeldius his heresie and with contempt blaspemie against God and his holy scripture wherewith Hosius writings doo abounde and beare witnesse most plenteously thereof and that therefore it is no shame at all to the author of the apologie to beare witnesse of the truthe the whiche apologie yet once again M. Dorman with one woorde after his manner confuteth calling it a fardel of lies But euery woorde that M. Dorman speaketh is not gospell Although he haue here in this his booke packed vs vp suche store of lies that he might more iustly haue intitled it a Lighter laden with lyes than a fardell of lies yet shall he and all his fellowes finde it more easie for them to sende vs ouer a Hulke or twayne full fraughted with suche lies as this and other their bookes swarme withall than to answere that litle apologie to any purpose terme he it neuer so contemptuously Concerning Hosius so great an estate of Christendome I wist not of it before Sure I am that in Polonia his countrey he is of the meaner sort of bishoppes there and what should make him so great an estate besides I know nothing but his Cardinals hatte which how much so euer M. Dormā estemeth yet the truth is that originally a Cardinall is but a person or vicar of one of the parishe churches in Rome or there about in the countrey For after that the Popes had iniuriously and violētly put the people of Rome from the election of the sayde Popes beyng but byshoppes of Rome which election of right apperteined to them ioinctly with the cleargie and had geuen full authoritie to the persons and vicars of the parishes in Rome that they alone should elect the Pope Pope Paschall the first of that name to adourne these Papall electours with some solemne title named these single soled clerkes Cardinalles and Pope Nicolas the second of that name confirmed the same as is in y e Florentine historie declared But yet hitherto were these Papall electors footemen for that they were not as yet hable to paye for their horse meate in Rome where prouander is deare because they had chaunged their name and not mended their liuinges they went appareiled as yet like other commen curates no better than our Cardinalles in Paules cathedrall church yea many of them farre wourse This vncomlinesse pope Innocentius the fourth of that name wysely consideryng sayth Platina Statuitvt Cardinales equo in publicum vecti galero rubrovterentur honestandi ordinis causa That is to saye He made a statute or ordre that the Cardinalles should ryde on horsebacke when thei came abroade and should were a redde hatte for the honestie of the
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