witnesses sainct Cyprian and sainct Hierome brought in by hymself for the proofe of his parte and that whiche is more I will prooue it by the verie same places of sainct Cyprian and sainct Hierome whiche are by Doctour Hardyng and maister Dorman here alleged that is to saie by the thirde epistle of the firste booke of the epistles of sainct Cyprian and by the epistle of sainct Hierome to Euagrius And I doubte not but as of his three witnesses brought for hym one is no witnesse but suche as if one would saie aske my self whether I bee a theefe or no so the other twoo witnesses who bee moste woorthie credite shall proue my cause true I truste and maister Dorman a verie liar Wherein I doo thus proceade First I will putte the reader in remembraunce yet once againe of Saincte Cyprians owne woordes before touched written in the same epistle by maister Dorman alleged whiche are these Cum statutum sit omnibus nobis c. whiche maie bee thus translated whereas an order is taken or statute made emongeste vs all and it is also reasonable and right that euery mannes cause be there hearde where the faulte was committed and whereas a portion of the flocke is assigned to euery bishoppe by himself whiche euery one ought to rule and gouerne and must geue an accompte of his doynges to the Lorde these whiche bee vnder our gouernaunce ought not therefore to runne about to witte from one Bishoppe to an other neither to breake the agreable concorde of Bishoppes by their guilefull temeritie or rashnesse but ought there to make answere in their causes where thei maie haue accusers witnesses of their crimes excepte it seeme to a fewe desperate and caste awaie persones that the authoritie of the bishoppes that bee in Afrike is lesse then the authoritie of others whiche Bishoppes haue alreadie geuen iudgement of them their cause is alreadie heard sentence is alreadie pronounced against them neither dooeth it agree to the graue iudgemente of Bishoppes to be blamed of the leuitie of a mouable and inconstant mynde whereas our Lorde dooeth saie Let your speache bee yea yea no no. Thus farre saincte Cyprian M. Dormans owne witnesse euen in the same epistle by hymself alleged And this sentence of saincte Cyprian touchyng the determinyng of controuersies in the places where thei dooe rise and that no appellations shal bee made to any bishop of an other Prouince yea and that namely not to the Bishop of Rome nor that he shall sende any Legates Laterall to heare or determine foraine matters dooeth the whole Carthaginense councell approue and allowe wherein was saincte Augustine Drosius and Prosper with 217. moe learned and godlie Bishoppes assembled as I haue before noted The same sainct Cyprian euer agreyng with hym self in this veritie of the equalitie of al bishops which is the ouerthrowe of the supremacie of one dooeth applie many suche places of the scriptures as are customarelie but moste falsely alleged now a daies by this authour and other aduersaries for the proufe of the popes supremacie ouer all Bishoppes to the declaration of the equall authoritie of euery Bishoppe in his own diocesse as the place of Deuteronomium concernyng the obedience due to the high Prieste out of Numerie of the disobedience of Chore Dathan and Abyron against Aaron out of the Actes of the Apostles touching Saincte Paules woordes I wiste not that he was the high Bishoppe for it is written thou shalt not speake euill to the prince of thy people All these places I saie doeth saincte Cyprian allege for the authoritie of Rogatian an Africane Bishop and againste the disobedience of the saied Rogatians oeacon against his bishop And the same places dooeth sainct Cyprian likewise againe in an other place allege for his owne authoritie beeyng Bishop of Carthage and against the stubbornesse of Pupianus towardes hymself So that saincte Cyprian doeth in all places maintaine the equalitie of bishops and withal ouerthrowe the supremacie of one ouer all directlie againste this place by you as out of Pope Leo alleged But in no place is sainct Cyprian more effectuous and piaine concernyng this matter then in his booke intituled De simplicitate praelatorū where he hath these woordes Dn̄sapostolis oībus post resurrectionem suam parem potestatē tribuit mox Hoc erant vtique caeteri apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis That is to saie The Lorde after his resurrectiō did geue like orequall power to al his Apostles The other Apostles were the veric same that Peter was beeyng indued with like felowship both of honour and power Thus farre saincte Cyprian who beyng in so many places so directlie againste this vsurped supremacie of one and for the equalitie of all Bishoppes it is to be wondered with what face M. Dorman hath been so bold and busie with S. Cyprian in this his treatie of the popes supremacie Now let vs heare S. Hierome M. Dorman his second witnesse and euen in the same epistle by M. Dorman alleged also Where Saincte Hierome speakyng of the authoritie of Churches and Bishops and makyng thē all equall and none aboue an other hath these woordes Nec altera Romanae vrbis ecclesia altera totius orbis estimanda est c. Wée maie not thinke that the Churche of the citie of Rome is one and the Churche of the whole worlde an other Bothe Fraūce and Britaine now called Englāde Afrike and Persie lande the East countreis and Indie and al barbarous nations woorship one Christe and obserue one rule of truth If you seke for authoritie the worlde is greater then the citie of Rome wheresoeuer any bishoppe is whether he be at Rome or Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexādria or Tanis he is of the same merite of the same priesthoode The power of riches or basenesse of pouertie maketh not a bishope either higher or lower But thei be al the successors of the Apostles But thou wilte saie how dooe thei at Rome a◠the testimonie of the deacon ordein the priest What dooest thou allege to me the custome of one citie what dooest thou chalenge for the lawes of the Churche the vsage of a fewe whereof presumptiō hath risen Thus farre sainct Hierome Vpon the which place Erasmus in his Scholies noteth that Eugubium Rhegium and Tanis were base and little tounes and that sainct Hierome matcheth in paires and couples a poore simple little toune with a noble citie to she we therby that the dignitie of the Bishop is not estéemed by the greatnesse of his diocesse or citie but that all bishops bee equall in office Now let vs compare these twoo sainct Cyprian I saie and saincte Hierome bearyng witnesse with the truthe with Leo onely bearyng witnesse to hymself Leo saieth In the holie Apostles themselues there was a differēce of power and that it was geuen to one to be aboue all the reste On
after whiche sorte any meane man may bee counted learned This I am hable to prooue as true as I haue hithertoo I trust prooued you M. Dorman a lier in all you haue hitherto written and doubt nothing so to procéede with you to th ende of your leude lies laden in this your Lighter of false fables Wherfore Hosius deserueth the name of the Compilator rather than the author of that great booke wrytten against Brentius litle booke intitled Prolegomena for that he hath stolen all his authorities and reasons out of the sayde Pighius his Hierachie and Alphonsus de Haeresibus as all learned reading the sayde bookes shall most easely and plainly perceiue Yea and in compilyng them together it is iudged vpon probable coniectures by the style and poeticall phrases and verses vnmeete for Hosius age and vocation that as he hath borowed the mater of his bookes so hath he had the helpe of other in penning of the same and yet may he well call the bookes his owne as bought with his owne money and large rewardes bestowed vpon his style wrightes Concerninge his great vertue though I know not his life yet I iudge it a woorthie mattier for M. Dorman his commendation and him selfe woorthie of the court of Rome But I can saye litle herein onely this can I say that his neighbours dwelling néerer him than I dooe a good sorte of hundreth miles doo in printed bookes obiect to him that his Cardinalles hatte I would say head will be nowe and then ouerladen with Polonishe pottes I knowe not trulie or otherwise but as his neighbours doo say Dorman fol. 11. For gods sake good Christian readers for your ovvne soules sake and the loue that you beare therto geue eare to no suche sedicious voices hovve euer they be cloked vvith the name of Christ vvhiche the diuell then dooth most inculcat vvhen he vvould driue vs sonest frō him Novvell I trust that all good Christian readers for that loue that they beare to God who is the truthe will geue no eare to suche false fables as M. Dorman and other aduersaries of the truthe doo publishe in suche leude liynge bookes as this is and that vpon respect◠of the health of their soules they will flie farre from the blouddie Butcher of Rome who vsinge the cloke of Christes name onely denieth him in déede and placing in his place his piuishe pardons and other popishe pelfrie destroyeth as well Christian mens soules by his poysoned doctrine as he dooeth murder their bodies by the most cruell kinde of death that the Diuell his father and he can deuise And by the way note that to speake truely of a foraigne false Polonish Papiste is with M. Dorman accōpted sedition as though because he is a Cardinall he were therefore our laufull magistrate whiche wist I were true I would geue more reuerence to our Cardinalles in Paules churche then I hitherto haue done And sure I am they deserue for their Cardinalshippe as muche honour as dooeth Hosius yea and more too were false opiniō banished thinges truely as they are in déede weighed and estéemed For they yet according to their origine minister the sacraments visite the sicke as is the propre office of Curates to doo wherunto Christian princes once at the last I trust awaking will bring these personate visered Romaine parishe priestes from their vsurped worldly pompe and dominion and that the said Princes will reduce the Pope himselfe likewyse from his phantasied supremacie ouer the vniuersall churche to his peculiar cure of the churche of Rome And thus I lette this Hosius one of the greatest estates both for learnyng and vertue that this daye Christendome hath for so M. Dorman saieth for this time alone with his Cardinals scarlet hatte and his moile trapped according for his estate Dorman fol. 11. VVhat other thing did their forefathers Chore Dathan and Abyron in rebelling against Moses and Aaron the ministers of almightie God VVhat other persvvasion vsed they to the people vvhat other reason broughte they to allure from their obedience to rebellion from quiet rest to seditious vvandering vvithout a head the flocke of God then the very same that these miserable men of our time dooe Their apologie saieth that there nedeth here in the churche no head to gouerne it because Christe is alvvayes vvith it And did not those vvicked men in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron vse the same reason vvhen they tolde theim to their face Sufficiat vobis quia omnis multitudo sanctorum est in ipsis est dominus Let it suffice you that all the multitude is holy and they haue God present vvith them Cur eleuamini super populum domini And vvhy then take you vpon your selues the rule ouer the people of our lorde As vvho vvould saye hauyng no neede of any other ruler God being vvith them But as almyghty God vvas then emongest his people and vsed yet neuerthelesse the ministery of men so is Christe no doubt our sauiour novve present alvvayes vvith his churche and chiefe head and gouernour therof and yet gouerneth he the same by man And as Chore Dathan and Abiron be gone before svvalovved aliue by hell there to taste of those revvardes vvhiche for suche rebellious vvretches are prepared so must our Chore and his companions follovve their trace onlesse by their repentaunce they mollifie and assvvage the iust vvrath of God Novvell This historie is by many aduersaries alleaged against vs as vnlawfully rebellyng against the Pope specially by Cardinall Poole against kinge Henry the eight Concernyng the matter it selfe séeyng Chore Dathan and Abiron were so horribly punished for rebellion against Moses and Aaron and certein it is that of these twoo Aaron was the hyghe prieste and that yet Moses was his superiour it foloweth therefore that Moises to saye the prince of the people is aboue the bishop or highe priest whiche you can not abide or els to auoyde that mattier you must saye as you some where dooe that Moises was priest also whiche if it be true inforceth that there were two highe priestes at once ouer the people of God and so is your assertion of the supremacie of one onely high priest ouer the whole churche quite ouerthrowen For you say M. Dorman That you haue perceiued that God in that people in their lavve and priesthood shadovved out vnto vs like a cunning vvorkeman the vvhole forme and proportion of his churche Wherfore M. Dorman I praye you marre not gods proportion and forme of his churche but as you will néedes haue an Aaron or high priest in the saide churche so let vs also haue a Moises to be his superior in the same For which way soeuer you turne you sure I am that by the scriptures the title of priesthoode may as well apperteine to a christian Prince as it did to Moises so that there is no let nor lacke therin but that a christian Prince may as wel be superiour to
haue raigned but not by me thei haue been Princes and I haue not knowen them And if suche seueral testimonies of doctours maie not serus vs if we for further proufe bring a number of doctours ioinctly agreyng together forbiddyng bishops suche tyrannicall dominion ouer the churche of God as did saincte Cyprian in the Councell of Carthage with the allowance of the whole Councell then and with the approbation of saincte Augustine afterwarde and an other whole Councell also The woordes spoken by saincte Cyprian in the saied Councell and by so many Bishops and Doctours allowed are these Nemo nostrum episcopum se episcoporum constituit aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitateÌ„ collegas suos adigit quando habeat omnis episcopus pro licentia libeitatis potestatis suae arbitrium proprium tanquà m iudicari ab alio noÌ„ possit cum necipse possit alterum iudicare That is to say None of vs maketh hymself Bishop ouer Bishops or doeth by tyrannicall feare force his felowe Bishops to the necessitie of obeiyng seyng euery Bishop hath for his libertie power his free iudgement as he who can not be iudged of an other neither can himself iudge an other Bishop Thus farre saincte Cyprian and saincte Augustine Wee shall profite I saie no more by the allegations of Doctours yea or whole Councelles thaÌ„ by the allegation of the Scriptures themself againste the Popes saiynges or doynges what so euer thei bee Neither the texte of the scriptures nor the interpretation of Doctours nor iudgementes of Councelles can haue any credite againste hym For as Pighius the principall Doctour of the Popes part saieth In concilijs vniuersalibus vniuersis haud ferè aliud factum est quà m vt conuenientes ex toto orbe episcopi praeiudicatam iam Apostolicae sedis vnanimi consensu amplexarentur sequerentur sententiam nec in eis definitum aliquid quod non iam praeiudicatum antè definitumque esset à sede Apostolica That is to saie In all generall Councelles for the moste parte nothyng els is doen but that Bishops comyng together out of all partes of the worlde should embrace and folowe with agreable consent the foreiudged and afore determined sentence of the Apostolike see and that nothyng was defined in suche generall Councelles the whiche was not before defined and foreiudged by the Apostolike see Thus farre Pighius who also affirmeth in the same place that the onely iudgement of this one see is more sure then the iudgement of an vniuersall CouÌ„cell of the whole worlde Wherby it maie well be vnderstaÌ„ded what labour and coste euen by the Papistes themselues is loste and how in vaine their Bishoppes take suche paine to come to Councelles out of all partes of Christendome leauyng their cures vncared for and vnlooked tos and that sometyme a sorte of yeres together as of late thei haue doen in the laste Tridentine councell onelie to determine thynges alreadie determined and that therefore thei should like wise men keepe themselues at hâ—me and spare suche trauell and coste and onely herken what is pronounced out of that sacred mouth of the Pope at Rome and it to obeye absolutely And the same Pighius afterward in an other place saieth expresly Huic sedi authoritas componendi definiendi exortas i domo ecclesiastica vniuersas questiones controuersias ab eodem Christo est data tibi verò illius definitionibus iudicijs absque vlla discussione est imposita obsequendi necessitas That is to saie The authoritie of orderyng definyng and determinyng of all questions and controuersies risen in the Churche is geuen by Christe to this see of Rome and vpon thee is laied a necessitie of obeiyng all definitions and determinations of the saied see without any examinyng or discussing of y e same These be Pighius woordes also No meruaile therefore if you doo well coÌ„sider the premisses that M. Dorman calleth the Popes supremacie the fundation of al. Naie it is the fundation superstruction batilmentes garnishinges and all together it is all and all in all For were this one article of the Popes supremacie with the appurtenauÌ„ces as I haue said once obteined you neede not to trauell in writyng any more you neede not to bryng any proufes out of the scriptures Doctours or Councelles for you or againste vs any more for it were concluded at once that you be the Catholikes who doo acknowledge the necessitie of obeiyng the voice the determinations and definitions of that high Prieste without whattes or whies without discussyng or examinyng of them by your selues or with others and that we bee the heretikes who doo not obeye his voice beyng against Goddes voice but are so bolde to examine how his voices doo agree with Gods voice And therefore are we worthie to dye moste cruell death due to suche false heretiques Graunte this one proposition of the Popes supremacie with the appurtenaunces I saie and by and by all that M. Dorman hath hitherto most leudlie alledged or shall alledge hereafter for the Popes supremacie is to the purpose all lies he hath alreadie made and shall hereafter make for that purpose are truthes And whatsoeuer we saie to the contrarie what scriptures what Doctours what Councelles so euer we bryng all is to no purpose nor of any credite for he alone is iudge whose the cause is he alone as your greate Doctour Pighius saieth is more to be beleued then a generall Councell of the whole worlde assembled And therefore hath M. Dorman doen like a wise manne to entreate first of the Popes supremacie and in the treatie thereof to spende more paper ynke more oile and labour as thei saie yea twise as muche as he hath doen in the other three principall matters though otherwise the greatest of all other as touching euen the verie Masse it self whiche as it hath hitherto susteined the Pope and all his Cleargie so if the Pope doo not now by his supremacie and irrefragable authoritie susteined by maister Dorman like a friende at néede susteine the Masse againe it maie come to passe that bathe Pope and Masse will come to nought shortly Now foloweth the diuision of M. DormaÌ„s treatie Dorman fol. 4. In the handlyng whereof I purpose God willyng to take this order Firste before I come to the principall poincte that lieth in question betwene vs whiche is of the bishop of Romes supremacie to proue to you by moste plain and euident reasons that the Churche of Christe here militante in earth muste of necessitie for diuerse and sondrie vrgent causes haue one chief heade and ruler vnder Christe to rule and gouerne the same Secondarily that that one heade muste needes bee a Prieste Thirdlie so last of al that of all priestes the bishop of Rome is he whiche must supplie that place and that for so that is head ruler of the churche he hath byn of the auncient couÌ„cels olde fathers within the first sixe
the contrary parte S. Cyprian saith The Lorde gaue like and equall authoritie to all his Apostles all the Apostles bee indued with like felowship bothe of honour and power Thus saieth S. Cyprian in his booke intitled De simplicitate praelatorum Of the simplicitis of priestes noting them as double faced prelates that teache or attempt the coÌ„trary Againe Leo saieth Out of this forme is taken our difference of Bishoppes that in euery Prouince one bee chief and of moste authoritie and the bishop of greater cities to haue greater care and consequeÌ„tly that he who sitteth in Peters chaire should haue charge be heade of the vniuersall Churche Thus saieth Leo and thus he saieth because he hymself would be Lorde and head ouer all the churche S. Cyprian saieth Euery bishop hath his seuerall portioÌ„ of Christes flocke to rule and gouerne for the which he must geue an accoÌ„pt vnto the Lorde And that those who are vnder the charge of the bishop of one countrey maie not appeale to a bishop of an other nor the cause determined by one Bishop maie be called in question before an other for that the authoritie of one Bishop is not inferiour to an other nor the authoritie of the bishop of Afrike is lesse then the authoritie of the bishops of Italie or Rome it self for his woordes haue euidentlie that relation and that none thinke the authoritie of one bishop to be lesse then the authoritie of an other bishop but a fewe wicked and desperate men Thus you see how your owne witnesses are at square and there is yea and naie betwéene this your Leo and S. CypriaÌ„ in these matters S Hierome agreing with S. Cyprian saith All churches worshippyng one Christ and obseruyng one rule of truthe are equall with the churche of Rome all bishoppes bee the successours of the Apostles and of one priesthoode and of the same merite and dignitie Thus saieth S. Hierome But Leo saith contrary that it was geuen to one to be aboue all the rest that thei who be appoincted in greater diocesses or cities haue more care and authoritie and that th' onely see of Peter hath charge of the vniuersall Churche is heade therof Thus saith Leo. S. Hierome saith The lesse diocesse or toune or the poorer estate maketh not the bishop lower or lesse in authoritie the greater prouince the greater citie the greater riches make not a Bishop greater in authoritie And though Leo doo make neuer so muche of Rome and set it aboue the vniuersall Churche S. Hierome saith Th' authoritie of the vniuersall churche is greater then the authoritie of the churche of Rome as the worlde is greater then the citie of Rome And he saith further What dooest thou allege me the vse of the one citie of Rome for a lawe of the churche wherof riseth presumption of a fewe against all men I thinke y e fire and water are not of more contrary nature then are S. Cyprian and S. Hierome contrarie to that epistle alleged by M. Dorman as Leo the Popes epistle nor that any witnesses brought againste a man by his aduersarie euer haue more directlie testified againste him then these twoo witnesses S. Cyprian and sainct Hierome brought in by D. Hardyng and M. Dorman for them dooe testifie againste them euen in the verie places by themselues alleged besides their consonancie with themselues in al other places and the consent of S. Augustine and twoo hundreth and moe Bishops agrecyng with them againste this Leo. What should one iudge of these meÌ„ bringyng in together three witnesses of the whiche twoo are moste directlie againste them and againste the thirde also who alone seemeth to make with them that thirde as in his owne cause to bee suspected and further to bee doubted also whether it bee he in deede or an other vnder his name and suche as he is the woordes of his testimonie either manifestlie falsified or els at the least in diuers copies beyng not onely diuers but cleane contrarie as hauyng in one copie it is so in an other if M. Dorman slepte not it is not so And yet bothe these impossible bothe to bee true bee one mannes testimonie of one and the same matter and in one and the same place also Were these menne so blinde that thei did not see this or so shamelesse that seyng and knowyng thei durst yet allege suche witnesses for them So blind bussardes thei tooke all menne in the worlde sauyng themselues to bee Surelie me thinketh it to bee an harde case and a silie shamelesse shifte for menne to bee driuen to allege those authours and to bring those witnesses for them whose testimonies dooe thus conuicte them and quite ouerthrowe their cause and withall shame them vtterlie And verie miserable is the Pope and Poperie being driuen now at the laste to the patrocinie of suche proctours who openyng and bewraiyng the weakenesse of the groundes and foundations thereof so long tyme heretofore by ignoraunce of the worlde iudged sure will themselues bryng all Poperie beyng alreadie of it self ruinous to speedie and vtter destruction For the whiche also all godlie and suche as loue the truthe haue greate cause to geue God greate and hartie thankes for that these causes as desperate beyng forsaken of almoste all learned graue men M. Dorman with suche other as he is haue thus taken them in hande and that suche leude matters haue founde at the proctours and patrons moste méete for them Dorman Fol. 6. Hetherto haue you harde good readers beside the experience that we haue of ciuile policie and worldlie gouernemente the opinions also of saincte Cyprian sainct Hierome and holie Leo all three agreing in one that there must nedes be one iudge in Christes church in his steede that the health of the churche dependeth vpon the authoritie of the chief Prieste that if his authoritie bee not aboue all the reste there will so many Schismes breake in vpon vs as there bee Priestes that for the auoidyng of that mischiefe there was one chosen euen amongest the Apostles to gouerne the reste Last of all that that vsage in Chrisâ—es churche to haue one head is no newe inuention as some men falslie report but taken from the example of the Apostles theÌ„selues Nowell Hetherto haue you heard good readers how of the experience of ciuile policie and worldlie gouernment wherein euery seuerall countrey citie and companie haue their seuerall Princes rulers and heades maister Dorman would moste lâ—udely gather that al churches dispersed in all countries cities tounes villages nations peoples and laÌ„guages impossible to be knoweÌ„ and more impossible to be gouerned but of Christ onely the onely head of that vniuersalitie should haue one onely heade here in earth You haue hearde also how ignorantlie if he did not vnderstand how shamelesly if he did vnderstande he hath alleged S. Cyprian and S. Hierome for him beyng bothe in all other places vniuersallie and in the verie speciall places also by
vnto your selues as beyng the churche the interpretatiō thereof yet suche are both your doctrine and dooynges and so contrarie to the woorde of God whervpon the true churche is builded that we muste needes thinke that you are not the true church of God And whether you so bee or no seeyng it is in question and a greater doubte and controuersie emongest men I am sure then can bee about the sense of any place of the scripture you shall neuer bee able to make any exception vnto the Scripture as no competent iudge in controuersies but we shall be able tenne tymes more to make exception to your Pope and his churche as no indifferent nor meete iudge Wherefore cease once to bragge of that as the vndoubted iudge of all doubtes whiche is it self emongest men of all other doubtes the greatest doubt that is whether you be the true church of God or no. Whiche is with vs in deede no doubte nor with any that hath any vnderstandyng in Goddes woorde and iudgemente in true religion For we certainlie knowe by the woorde of God vpon the whiche as the true churche is builded so is it by the same to be knowen that you bee not the churche of God for that you so swarue from the woorde of God As for vs that wee are at your handes though we bryng so euidente scriptures for vs so reiected and condemned wee take it the better for that wée vnderstande that our sauiour Christe and his holie Apostles likewise allegyng the scriptures yea and further by their woonderfull woorkes and moste godlie life confirmyng the same were by the high Priestes Phariseis and Scribes reiected condemned and siaine an eternall documente that in this worlde no persone nor doctrine can satisfie al men or shall be taken for a iudge of controuersies aboue all exception and quarellyng seyng that Christe hymself so teachyng so woorkyng so liuyng was excepted vnto as a Daemoniake or one possessed with the Deuill as a friende to sinners as a wine drinker and seeyng that heade corner stone was as vnprofitable to the buildyng of Gods churche and his holie woorde also as false doctrine reiected by the high priestes Scribes and Phariseis who would needes be the iudges of all themselues And wee conceiue good hope that as our sauiour himself with his holie Apostles teachyng the truthe though reiected and murdered by the said high Priestes Scribes and Phariseis haue wonne vnto them the iudgementes of all godlie men and wemen against suche vnrighteous iudges so we likewise teachyng the same truthe of our Sauiour reueiled in his holie Gospell though of this high priest and Romishe Caiphas with his adherentes Popishe Scribes and Phariseis reiected condemned and murthered shall against suche vniuste iudges winne vnto vs the iudgement of all godlie menne and wemen as to the greate decaie of their false superstition successe of the truthe is this daie thankes bee to God partlie come to passe in a greate parte of the Christian worlde Dorman fol. 8. But of this I will entreate more largelie hereafter In the meane season that theie will haue of Christes Churche here in earth no other head but Christ hymselfe therein thei fare me thincketh not muche vnlike to a certaine felon of whom I haue heard that beyng areigned at the barre for a felonie when he had pleadid to the indictement not guiltie and was after the manner demaunded how he would bee tried he would suspectyng his owne case and knowyng that if he satisfied the lawe in putting hymself apon the triall of the coūtrey there were no moe waies with hym but one make thereto no other answere but onely that he would put hymself apon God the righteous Iudge of all ▪ who although he said truely that God was the chief iudge of all as the protestantes do in calling Christ the head of the church yet was ther in his case an other iudge here in this world vnder god by whō he must haue byn tried as there is in theirs an other heade here in the churche to order them and kepe thē vnder in whō Christ the chiefe head of all vseth in all necessarie knowledge to giue answere And as the felon knewe well that there was an other iudge beside god appealed not to him as though before him he should haue byn acquitted proued not guiltie but onely to gaine a longer time of life and libertie so doe I doute not our aduersaries the protestantes And truely to bothe theise kinde of men beyng bothe theeues the one sorte doyng violence to the bodie the other to the soule if suche pleas mighte be allowed how soeuer thei be coloured with the name of Christe betwene them bothe thei would freely rob the bodie and murther the soule Nowell Now proceadeth he pleasantlie and by a parable of a certaine felone all to shaketh vs out of our cloutes as he praied he might be suffered to dooe In the handlyng whereof it maie seeme he hath dealte as he was wonte when some of his felowes had forgotten their partes in the plaie to holde men occupied for the time by suppliyng that defecte with some pretie conceites or tellyng of some merie tale thereby to make the auditours to laugh and the lesse to marke the mased memorie of his mates and so to saue the matter from vtter marryng as muche as in hym might lye In like wise dooeth maister Dorman here for where he hath to proue that of necessitie there must be one onely chief heade here in earth ouer the Churche whiche is in deede the firste and moste necessarie parte of the whole treatie of the Popes supremacie and the verie foundation of all whiche not proued or els leudly proued all the reste commeth doune vpon their heades For the whiche so greate a matter little beyng as yet saied by M. Dorman and nothyng in deede and lesse remainyng behinde to bee saied the man beyng destitute of all carnest matter piththie reason and good authoritie turneth himself to his accustomed arte and by a pretie tale of a certaine felone all to shaketh vs as he before threatned he would dooe out of our masking cloutes as he termeth them and this he dooeth to supplie other defectes thereby and to make this first parte moste necessarie of all to be piththily proued by suche patchyng of i◠vp at the leaste a quarter as bigge as his seconde part of this treatie to witte that no prince or lay man maie be the onely head of the whole Churche for that priestes haue more to doo in ecclesiastical matters thā thei haue Whiche so long an impertinente parte had M. Dorman put vp in his purse and passed ouer with silence he had spared a greate deale of paper ynke and labour and of other mennes tyme also a greate deale more and had hurte his cause no more thereby then if he had lefte his dagger sheathe behynde hym when he came out in haste to plaie his parte in the pagiaunte But
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
by saincte Augustine that Christe is that rocke whereon the Churche is builded and not Peter nor Peters chaire vnlesse you take Peters confession made before be came at Rome to be his Chaire and then ye make with S. Augustine and vs against the Pope for Rome was not his chaire before he was bishop there You see that Peter is here the figure of the whole Churche in makyng his confessiō not of the churche of Rome onely you see that as Christe is the rocke so representeth Peter the christian people and not the people of Rome onely muche lesse the Pope onely you see that Petrus to saie the Churche is builded vpon Petra Christ and not Petra Christe builded vpon Petrus Peter you see that suche as will haue Peter beyng a man to be their rocke to builde vpon bee sectaries and heretikes diuidyng them selues from Christe despisyng hym and choosyng men and that thei onely be true Christians whiche wil not builde vpon Peter nor vpon any other man but vpon the rocke onely whiche is Christ hymself you see thei that builde vpon Peter maie saie I holde of Cephas whiche is Peter but thei that builde vpon the rocke maie saie I holde or I am of Christe Wherefore I conclude that all that builde vpon the Pope or his chaire as it were vpon the rocke as thei bée called so bee thei in deede Papistes not Christians as were all those false orders of hypocrites who forsakyng to builde vpon the rocke Christ and buildyng vpon men woorse then Peter Paule or Apollo a thousande tymes forsooke to saie Ego sum Christi I am of Christ I am a Christian and saied Ego Franciscanus ego Dominicanus c. I am of Francisce I am of Dominike a Franciscane a Dominicane a Bernardine yea an Augustinian cōtrary to this doctrine of S. Augustine whiche argueth that those hypocrites were neuer of his institution as thei falsely feigned thē selues to be And as S. Augustine witnesseth with Erasmus that Christe is Petra and not Peter nor Rome Peters chaire or see so hath Erasmus felowe witnesses enough of the auncient doctours of the churche yea and generall Councelles too that Popes were heretikes and therefore their chaire was not the rocke but waueryng and vncertaine sande the buildyng whereon did runne to the ruine of heresie Nowe you maie see good readers the cause why M. Dorman hath thus alleged vnto you sainct Hieromes sentence headlesse leauyng out the mention of Christ whom onely S. Hierome acknowledgeth for the head that the wordes of the rocke nexte folowyng might seme to be spoken of Peters rotten chaire or of ruinous Rome and not of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who liueth and reigneth for euer With like fraude did M. Dormā leaue also that whiche nexte foloweth in S. Hierome of the house without the whiche he that eateth the Pascall lambe is a prophane or vnholie man and the arke of Noe without the whiche all that bee perishe by the floudde For though that place might seeme to make for M. Dormans purpose concernyng the supremacie of the bishop of Rome as Erasmus hath noted yet he knowyng or some manne warnyng hym that it is in deede nothyng to his purpose for that the house without the whiche the Pascall lambe maie not bee eaten the Arke without the whiche no man can bée saued frō the floude by all olde doctours is interpreted to bee the one vniuersall churche of Christ and by none to be the churche of Rome and therefore like a wise man orels a false Fore hath he let that folowyng alone also as he cutte of Christe the head goyng and ioigned nexte before and so he hath tolde you a tale bothe without head and taile thereby to proue the Pope who is Antichriste to be the head of Christes churche Dorman Fol. 14. Saie vnto them as saincte Hierome saied vnto the Ibidem heretikes Vitalis and Miletus because thei are aduersaries to this seate that you knowe them not that thei scatter are schismatikes altogether out of the churche that gather not with Peters successour Nowell By your leaue sir you saie vntruelie that saincte Hierome saieth he knoweth not Vitalis and Meletius whom you call Miletus because thei were aduersaries to the seate of Rome but because thei were aduersaries to the true doctrine of the moste blessed Trinitie which Damasus did defende Saincte Hieromes woordes are these Non noui Vitalem Meletium respuo ignoro Paulinum Quicunque tecum non colligit spargit hoc est qui Christi non est est Antichristi That is to saie I knowe not Vitalis I refuse Meletius Paulinus I knowe not Whosoeuer dooeth not gather with thee he scattereth that is he that is not of Christe is of Antichriste Thus farre sainct Hierome I praie you maister Dorman what is in these woordes but thei maie as well bee spoken to saincte Augustine bishoppe of Hippo in Afrike or to saincte Ambrose Bishoppe of Milane or to any other godlie Bishoppe holdyng the truthe of the blessed Trinitie againste Vitalis Meletius and Paulinuus teachyng erronious doctrine and vsyng vnfitte termes thereof Here is neither mention made of this seate or that or the aduersaries thereto as causes why sainct Hierome should not knowe these menne but because thei taught false doctrine and Damasus taught true and therefore gathered not with hym but scattered and were not of Christe but of Antichriste therefore did saincte Hierome not knowe thē he beeyng a Romaine would not acknowledge their errours cloked vnder a straunge and newe inuented Greeke ternie But beeyng a Romaine prieste he well knewe Damasus the Romaine Bishoppe and so consequentlie his owne bishoppe as euery man is bounde to knowe his owne godlie Bishop he knewe his true doctrine and plaine Latine termes whereby he vttered the plaine truthe plainelie and therefore so knowyng hym and his doctrine he ioigned with hym in communion not for the seates sake or for that he was Peters successour therein but for the truthes sake whiche he beeyng Peters successour in truthe of doctrine more then in seate or Chaire did professe Againe the cause why saincte Hierome did not knowe but reiected Vitalis Meletius and Paulinus was not for that thei did not submitte them selues to Damasus as to the supreme head of the Churche or for that cause tooke them to bee enemies as maister Dorman would haue it seeme for there was no suche matter then in question but because thei did not agree with Damasus in the truthe but taughte falselie of the greateste poinctes of our religion and would haue wrapped the same in obscure and strange termes therby to deceiue the more therefore did sainct Hierome not knowe thē This is the true sense of this place good readers as al learned that wil reade it shall easily perceiue Wherfore maister Dorman thus corruptyng and falsifiyng Saincte Hierome by takyng awaie from hym and addyng to hym what he liste and drawyng the woordes of sainct Hierome concernyng the doctrine of