A REPROVFE written by Alexander Nowell of a booke entituled A PROVFE OF CERtayne Articles in Religion denied by M. Iuell set furth by Thomas Dorman Bachiler of Diuinitie and Imprinted at Antvverpe by Iohn Latius Anno. 1564 Prouerb 19. 4. Teflis falsus non erit impunitus qui loquitur mendacia non effugiet A false witnesse shall not remaine vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape Set foorth and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions Imprinted at London in Fléetestréete by Henry Wykes Anno Domini 1565. 13. die Iuly Cum Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum M. Dormans preface to D. Harding to whom he dedicated his booke and to the Reader are onely omitted for that nothing materiall was conteined in them Of all the rest so farre as I haue proceded not one woorde of M. Dormans either in the treatie it selfe or in his marginall notes is pretermitted There is nothing in this Impression altered from the first sauing onely that M. Dormans euyll handlyng of the auncient Doctours is in some places more at large explicated and that some part of M. Dormans treatie somewhere before diuided is now for more perspicuitie and plainenesse ioyned togeather THE PREFACE to the Reader THOVGH many simple soules may muche meruell at suche plentie of Englishe bookes as are of late so sodeinly sente vs from beyonde the seas by our countrey men there and bothe the authors themselues doo muche bragge therein and their fautors doo magnifie the same exceedingly yet the learned and discrete Readers accustomed rather to vveigh and iudge then to counte and numbre vvill easely consider that it is no harde mater for our aduersaries abouÌ„ding vvith leasure and multitude by common conference of many to patche vp a sorte of suche bookes in Englishe vvherein there is nothing to any purpose vvritten but that vvhiche vvas longe before vvritten in sundry latine bookes and readie to their handes to translate thereout into their Englishe bookes as they thought meete for their purpose so that they be but seely translators or borovvers of those bookes vvhose first authors they vvoulde appeare to be In the vvhiche poincte yet M. Stapleton translating Staphilus his longe Latin booke so longe before vvritten vvorde for vvoorde into Englishe and not dissembling the matter hath dealt therin more simplie theÌ„ the rest of his felovves haue doone By vvhose example the meanest men in learninge and vvitte amongst them all haue they onely a litle vnderâ—â—â—nding in the Latin tongue may lode vs vvith hauocke of bookes vvhen they list For it is vvell kuovven to all that be learned that nothing of vveight or to any purpose can novv nevvly be vvritten for the mainteinance of the Popes vsurped supremacy or any other their matters vvhiche they novv treate of but suche as hath been alreadie both vvritten and printed many yeres agoe in bookes as vvell of the Latin tongue as other languages and the same to be fully ansvvered vnto also to the satisfiynge of the Readers and daily vvinning of greate numbres of men and vvemen of all sortes and degrees from their popishe superstition vnto the truth of the Gospell such bookes as vvell of the one sorte as of th' other beinge rise in the handes of such as vnderstande to such decay of their saide superstition and successe of the truthe as to the vvorlde at this day cannot be vnknovven VVherefore our aduersaries mistrustinge that such kinde of vvriting or rather translating should not appeare vvoorthie to be accoÌ„pted the earnest dooing of any learned or vvise man haue doone vvittely ether to pretende that to be vvriten but lightly for a priuate friende or tvvaine and not mente to be printed but by persvvasion of friendes against their ovvne purpose suffered to come abroade vvhiche yet they in deede haue of longe by common conference elaborated at conuenient oportunitie to be put in printe to the publike patrocinie of their decaied and almost desperate cause or els to appoincte suche to beare the name as the authors of their bookes as may seeme moste meete therefore beinge accompted of all that knovv them for learninge and discretion the simplest men amongst them The same distrust of their ovvne dooinges or rather other mens dooinges set foorth for their ovvne may seeme a cause vvhy they directe their vvritinges either onely or chiefely against the Bishoppe of Sarisburie thinkinge that though they shall absolutely of the matters they take in hande be hable to say nothinge but that is alreadie saide and is likevvise or easely may be ansvvered yet may they seeme abundantly to say to him vvho chalengeth them that they can say nothinge at all and vvho also doth not tie them streightly to the triall of the scriptures the certaine and onely iudges in controuersies of ReligioÌ„ and vvherin in deede they can say nothing at all as shall hereafter be plainly proued but geueth them a moste large scope of all Doctours of the Churche vvho haue vvritten for the space of sixe hundreth yeres after our Sauiour Christes beinge here in earth and of all Councelles kept in the saide continuance of time Out of the vvhiche Doctors and Councelles for that the said Bishop hath aduouched that the best learned of all the aduersaries or all the aduersaries togeather are hable to bring nothing to any purpose for them he hath set all the aduersaries learned and vnlearned a vvoorke by coÌ„mon conference to deuise to say somthing for themselues and against him vvho affirmeth they can say nothing at all And yet fearing least that somthinge vvhiche they all are hable to say â–ª vvill fall out at the lengthe to proue nothinge to purpose they haue all like vvise men agreed that some fevv shall take vpon them to be the onely authors of that something vvhich they all can say least if that somethinge as it is deuised by them all so it should passe abroade in all their names and in time proue nothing at all all their estimation vvere lost at once And for more cautell suche some also to be named for the saide authors as haue not all learninge vvit nor discretion but men of a diuers profession vvho haue yet some fight in Diuinitie as studientes of the same for so they professe them selues VVherin they seeme to me to deale vvith vs as did the Phariseis vvith Christe vvho vvould not come them selues to dispute vvith him but sent their Disciples vvell instructed and furnished vvith all that themselues coulde possibly say to oppose him to th' ende that if their Disciples should obtaine the victorie the glory of their maisters vvho had suche excellent scholers might mount aboue the Moone But in case the scholers should be blanked it might for excuse yet be saide vvhat maruell if yonge men and yet but studientes in the Scriptures tooke a litle foyle But if the olde Doctors come themselues I vvarrant you this nue Prophet shal be othervvise handled And yet like vvise men they
innocent sheepe of Christes folde men and wâ—men yea yonge striplinges and maydes those little lambes shead by these rauening and bloudthristie woulfes testifie the same moste aboundantly in our Phariseis Scribes and high priestes the successours and children of those their olde Iuish forefathers of whoÌ„ with their saide forefathers as this sentence was spoken so dooth it moste expressely represent and depainte them moste liuely in their naturall colours that ye maye well know them by their fruictes For that they spoile poore wydowes houses vnder y t pretence of their longe prayers their diriges Masses of Requiem Trentalles c. is but a trifle with them but the greatter shal be their damnation as our Sauiour saith Now concerning the schisme which M. DormaÌ„ shooteth at chieflie We answere we haue made none other schisme from you than did S. Paule make from the saide high priestes Scribes and Phariseis your predecessours from whom though he were from his childehood brought vp emongst theÌ„ he did wel vpon good grounde departe for that they had before departed made a schisme from God and his most holy lawe to the traditions of the mother churche of their Pharisaicall fathers as haue likewise you Papistes departed made a schisme from Christe and his Apostles doctrine and from the auncient churches founded by the Apostles labour to your mother the Romishe Sinagoge and haue by your poysoned Popishe traditions slayne moe soules than you haue by your crueltie murdred bodies of Christian men and wemen as we haue prooued and wyll dayly prooue more and more most euidently vnto the world vntill all godly in the worlde knowyng you by your fruictes dooe forsake you as did the godly before forsake the olde Phariseis Scribes and highe Priestes and folowed Christe and his holy Apostles as we haue partely already brought to a good forwardnesse Thus you may sée why we haue departed from you and returned to Christe and his holy Apostles and the churches by them founded from whom you haue departed Returne you to them and we will not swarue from you take away the schisme that you haue made from Christ our sauiour his holy Apostles and the churches founded vpon their doctrine and we wyll ioygne with you Otherwise as long as you shall thus swarue from Christe and his Apostles and their doctrine cry you out against schismatikes neuer so much we will neuer ioygne with you beinge the very schismatikes in déede And thus muche I thought to saye to the sentence of S. Augustine against Petilian by M. Dorman alleaged in the fyrst front of his booke as against vs but in déede moste directlie detectinge the schismaticall secte of all Papistes our aduersaries that I might leaue no one sentence of any olde doctour by M. Dorman though colourably and falsely alleaged vnanswered To the Reader I Doo vnderstande sith the first printinge of this booke that muche mutteringe and whisperinge is made by certaine Papistes about certaine places of my booke as false or faultie and namely that place of S. Cyprian De simplicitate Praelatorum as by me guilefully alleaged by omittinge that whiche maketh as they say for them and their Popes Supremacie This Popishe practise by mutteringe whisperinge poinctinge quarellinge and liynge to attempte the defacinge of the simple and plaine truthe and to the maintenaunce of their owne vntruthe is no new practise neither happeneth it to me vnloosed for at this time whiche they faile not to doo to al men and in all matters at all times But as I can not certainely answearevncertaine corner mutteringes so as soone as I shall see any certaine thinge set foorth in Printe to the worlde againste my booke I will God willinge not leaue it longevnanswered as well to the aduouchinge of my true dealinge as to the declaration of theirvniustquarellinge and consequently as I trust to the more full satisfaction of all reasonable Readers that doo looue truthe and sinceritie A. Nowell Dorman Fol. 1. A PRAEFACE OR INTRODVCtion to the first Proposition THE blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian writyng to one Rogatianus a Bishop of his prouince hath thiese woordes Initia haereticorum ortus atque conatus schismaticorum malè cogitant ium haec sunt vt sibi placeant vt praepositum supèrbo tumore contemnant Sic de occlesia receditur sic alâ—are prophanum for is collocatur sic contra pacem Christi ordinationem atque vnitatem Dei rebellatur VVhiche is in Englishe thus muche to say The beginning of heretikes the first springyng vp and enterprise of schismatikes thinkyng a misse in matters of faithe groweth of pleasure that thei take in themselues of that that beyng puffed vp with pride thei contemne their head and gouernour appointed ouer theÌ„ By this meanes straie thei from the Churche Thus is a prophane altar placed without the doores and thus rebell thei against Christes peace gods ordinauÌ„ce and vnitie Nowell Saincte Cyprian writyng this Epistle to Rogatian one of his felowe bishoppes in Afrike who had a disobedieÌ„t deacon hath in the beginnyng of his letter these woordes Grauiter dolenter c. I and my felowe bishoppes here present were sore moued moste deare brother saieth saincte Cyprian when wee had redde your letters wherein you complaine of your deacon that he forgettyng your priestly place and his owne ministerie hath greeued you with his reproches and wronges Thus farre S. Cyprian By whiche wordes it appereth that the mattier was betwene Rogatian a bishop in Afrike and his deacon disobediente to hym and therefore nothing apperteinyng to the bishoppe of Romes supremacie at all Whiche might well haue appeared to the reader had maister Dorman written but the iiij lines next before the place by him alledged whiche are these Ideo oportet diaconum c. That is to saie Therefore it is mete that the Deacon of whom you doe write doe penaunce for his boldenesse that he acknowledge the honour of the priest and doo satisfie the bishop his superiour with full humilitie For the beginnyng of heretikes the springyng vp enterprise of schismatikes beyng euill minded are these that thei doo stand in their owne coÌ„ceite that thei despise their gouernour through swellyng pride c. As Maister Dorman hath out of saincte Cyprian alledged This declareth moste euidently that the sentence of S. Cyprian alledged by M. Dorman apperteineth to Rogatian and his deacon beyng Africanes and so generally to all other bishoppes their inferiours of what countrey soeuer thei bee and maketh nothyng for the Bishoppe of Romes supremacie at all If M. Dorman would proue hereby y t euery inferiour minister ought to be obedient to his owne bishop as his superiour or that the disobedience of suche is cause of schismes and heresies for so doeth S. Cyprian meane wee graunte the same But if he would haue it apperteine to the bishop of Rome or to make any thyng for the Popes supremacie as by that M. Dorman calleth this
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
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
Ambrose Aurelius Prudentius and other Christian writers answeryng that false sclaunder is moste euidente to bee seen And as iustlie might you charge the Apostles and their doctrine with those schismes sectes and troubles as you dooe charge vs with these that haue risen in our daies Where it is well knowen to the worlde that our learned men haue by their writynges more oppugned and repressed the said sectes then all the Papistes haue dooen In deede wee must needes confesse a truth that whiles we al remained vnder the quiet obedience of your Romishe heade in one doctrine of his traditions there was a coloured kinde of quietnesse concorde and loue emongest all the members of that one heade the subiectes of that one gouernour and ruler and specially emōgest the cleargie of that one churche who had in possessiō the riches and rule of the worlde with not onely quietnesse but thankes also of thē that were bothe oppressed and robbed So blinded were thei with ignorance the mother of suche deuotiō brought in by the said Popishe cleargie by hidyng in vnknowen tongues and withdrawyng of the light of Gods woorde whiche should haue shined and guided our steppes better But when that Christ the authour of that light as he hymself and by his Apostles bewraied the errours of the Iuishe traditions by the saied light first springyng withall troubled their vnitie concorde in the doctrine of suche traditions and their quietnesse in their Synagoge so settled before so now the same our sauiour in the tyme by his wisedome appoincted who of his goodnesse would not suffer vs seelie straiyng shéepe to wander in darkenesse of suche errors nor of his iustice could suffer your head the Pope with his adherentes to deceiue his people any longer by the same light of his holy woorde againe springyng shinyng to vs sittyng in suche palpable darkenesse and in the shadowe of death hath disclosed that your head and you for the mainteinaunce of his and your fathers false traditions haue obscured hidden broken and forbiddē the lawe of God our heauenlie father and shinyng before vs hath exhorted vs to folowe and walke in the saied light and hath warned vs to forsake bothe your doctrine and woorkes of darkenesse By this occasiō is there risen a like schisme betweene you and vs as was betweene S. Paule and the Phariseis with whom he was broughte vp from his childhoode before By this occasiō of the light your greate gaine and riches mainteined by the darkenesse of ignoraunce and deuotion of seelie soules deceiued sufferyng themselues to bée robbed is decaied as was the gaine of Image makers shrine makers and other artificers of superstition in Ephesus by the preachyng of S. Paule By this meanes is your quietnesse troubled your reste interrupted your good cheare marred your pompe abated your estimation decaied and the yoke of your tyrannie shaken of our neckes This maketh your Romishe head and you crie as you doo and barke againste vs as heretikes and schismatikes as did the high priest and other Iuishe priestes and Phariseis crie out againste Christe and his Apostles This maketh your head and you to persecute vs moste cruellie and to adiudge vs to death as did your aunciente fathers persecute and iudge Christe and his Apostles If this bee to make schismes wee confesse our selues schismatikes from you who haue firste made your selues schismatikes from Christe and his Apostles To whō as wée doubt not but wée haue ioigned our selues in the truth of his Gospell so haue you in déede in persecuting of vs for professyng Christes Gospell and the doctrine of his Apostles ioigned your selues with the old Synagoge of Satan and the Iuishe Priestes and Phariseis who for the same cause persecuted Christe and his Apostles to death moste cruellie But if that you could with vs embrace the truthe of Christes Gospell walke with vs ioinctly in the light of his woorde there should bee more true quietnesse as well of consciences as of bodies more sincere loue more godlie vnitie peace ioy then euer there was wordlie quietnesse loue ioye in the darkenesse of Poperie Which because you refuse to doo despisyng the peaceable wayes of the Lorde you are guiltie of all these schismes and troubles and not we And so finallie for this part of purgation of our selues againste your sclaunders of schismes and troubles as by vs raised dooe we allege the effecte of the same Parable of the strong manne so quiet in his house vntill a stronger then he came and disturbed him whiche Christ our sauiour in like sclaūder rehearsed for defense of hymself If the reader shall thinke that I haue been to tedious in answeryng this matter here but touched by M. Dorman as it were by the waie I truste he will beare with me therein for that M. Dorman as he beganne and floorished the first face of his booke with blotting vs by this sclaunder of schismes so hath he hetherto cōtinued in the same and applied all his allegations out of S. Cyprian Basill Hierome Nicephorus and others chieflie to that purpose and omitteth not in euery other leafe hereafter importunately to repeate the same folowyng therein Eckius Pighius Hosius and generally all the aduersaries that speake or write againste vs who doo moste vehementlie and continuallie burthen vs with the crimes of schismes and fectes and of the disturbaunce of the quiet state of the churche and worlde at their pleasure termyng vs Heretikes Schismatikes Huguenotes Caluiniās Lutherans and Zuinglians Neither are thei contented herewith but doo also play with pictures verie pleasantlie as thei thinke in the whiche thei painte out a multitude of suche heretikes or rebelles as our confederates or alies whose opinions wee doo moste abhorre and against whom we continuallie bothe preache and write And all this doo thei for that thei are not ignoraunte that suche though moste false sclaunders beyng yet so importunelie and continuallie laied to our charge are of muche effecte to offende the mindes of the weake and simple to stirre vp their hatred against vs. And therefore thei vse suche constant asseuerations for argumentes as in their schooles thei are taught to doo when thei are destitute of due proufes whiche hath also caused me for the simplear sortes sake once at large to answere and earnestlie to repell that false vsuall sclaunder of schismes troubles laied vpon vs by those who are themselues moste guiltie thereof For I truste that no reasonable reader will thinke vs to bee suche onelie for that it pleaseth them maliciouslie so to misname vs and onelie to saie we be suche seyng their tongues and pennes are their owne to vse as thei liste and not in our power For as wee haue no religion but onelie Christes so desire we to be called after the names of none but his as we bee so to be named christians and beyng Christians we care not to bee called heretikes of heretiques or schismatikes of schismatiques suche as in
in the scriptures declared to be so by God appoincted so is there no disorder that seuerall churches haue seuerall bishoppes to their heades but is moste necessarie for all good order so to bee And so is that sentence of Nazianzene generally takeÌ„ nothyng against the gouernance of seuerall bishops in seuerall diocesses no more then it is againste the ciuill regiment of seuerall gouernours in seueral countreis For as it is apperteinyng to God onely to our sauior Christ his sonne by their almightie power wisedome to gouerne all y e world all the church so is it enough and to muche for any one man well to gouerne a little parcell therof And so to returne to Nazianzene his saiyng VVhere is no rule there is no order Truthe it is but where one Bishop as one head is in euery diocesse there is some rule therefore there is some order VVhere many rule there is seditioÌ„ It is true if many magistrates haue equall rule in one coÌ„mon wealth or if many ecclesiasticall persones haue equall authoritie in one seuerall Churche wee confesse it is like to their phantasie who would haue many equall Goddes to rule the worlde But one seuerall ruler in one seuerall dominion one seuerall bishop in one seuerall diocesse dooe resemble one God rulyng one whole worlde and one Christ ruling one whole churche so well as earthly creatures maie resemble the heaueÌ„lie creatour But one earthlic man by gouernyng all the whole worlde or the whole churche throughout the worlde to resemble God or Christe is a presumption vnhearde of but onelie in the Pope of Rome Let therefore seuerall rulers and Bishoppes holde themselues contented with seuerall dominions and diocesses accordyng to Gods ordinaunce For it is false that suche seuerall rulers in seuerall places doo cause sedition and it is prooued false by the ciuile gouernemente of diuers rulers in diuers couÌ„treis for so it staÌ„deth for the moste part throughout the worlde at this daie Wherefore M. Dorman and D. Hardyng maie as well saie that the worlde is seditiously gouerned by diuers princes as the Churche by seuerall Bishoppes But as Nazianzene euer dreamed of one Emperour ouer all the worlde to auoide seditioÌ„ though he teacheth there is one God no more did he though he teache one Christe yet euer dreame of one onely head bishoppe or Pope ouer the whole Churche throughout the worlde to auoide schismes as dreamyng M. Dorman phantasieth and thinketh all men that bee awake to dreame too as he dooeth He speaketh further in his sleape and saâ—eth Howe shall wee then saie Our Lorde loueth Syon aboue all the tabernacles of Iacob What this dooeth meane or to what purpose it is I knowe not And I beléeue M. Dorman when he waketh if euer he wake can not tell hymself For Pighius out of whoÌ„ he borowed it is a sleape and neuer will wake to tell his dreame Dorman fol. 7. There is no doubt therefore but that Christe hath prouided for his churche whiche he redemed so dearely as with the expence of his owne moste precious bloud a iudge and chiefe ruler to ende and determine so many controuersies as he knewe should molest and infest the same Thei caÌ„ not saie that are aduersaries kicke againste this truthe that this whiche I allege was in the olde lawe and in a shadowe that these daies and this tyme requier other maners For that argumente hath their Englishe apologie soluted and pronounced that so to saie were Plusquam ridiculum seeyng there was then idem deus idem spiritus idem Christus eadem fides eadem doctrina eadem spes eadem haeredit as ideÌ„ foedus cadem vis verbi dei the same God the same holy ghost the same Christ the same faithe the same doctrine the same hope the same heritage the same couenaunte the same strength of Goddes woorde Nowell M. Dorman is so mightie in reasonyng and hath so many and so good groundes that he is full of conclusions as you sée We graunt Christe hath prouided for his churche so dearely bought and beloued of hym as well as he did for the Iues better too For wheras thei had but one chief bishop for their whole nation he hath by the ministerie of his Apostles prouided euery greate citie euery Diocesse of suche a one that thei maie bee the better gouerned and lesse pained to traueill farre for the decision of their doubtes and controuersies Wherefore in these poinctes wee make no exception to your olde shadowe nor require no new maners But as thei and we haue one God one spirite one Christe one faithe one doctrine one inheritaunce and so foorthe that so in like maner there bee one like ecclesiasticall â—egâ—ment that euery one diocesse countrey or nation haue in like wise one bishop to bee their iudge and determiner of doubtes as had the nation of the Iewes But M. Dorman dealeth not truely with the Apologie The Apologie declareth that the church of God was muche obscured and broughte to a small number emongeste the Iewes and it shâ—weth thaâ— it hath in like wise also been obscured and broughte to a small number emongest Christians The aduersaries of the Gospell who are the corrupters thereof and would haue no corruption nor decaie of the Churche now noted or knowen saie although the Churche of God was obscured and brought to a little number in the old lawe and in the shadowe and figure when nothing was perfite yet can it not be so in the time of the Gospell the tyme of grace and perfection c. The Apologie replieth That defence can not serue for there was the same God the same spirit the same Christ c. then as is now and therefore as the Churche decaied then so maie it and hath it decaied now M. Dorman handleth the matter as though he could prooue by the Apologie that because there was the same God the same Christ the same holy ghost c. in y e Iuishe church as is now therfore must there be one head bishop ouer all the christian churche dispersed throughout y e world as there was one head bishop ouer all y t Iues. Whiche foloweth no more then that we must haue circumcision now for that the Iues had it then Vnlesse M. Dorman thinke he may mingle In lente vnguentum thinges moste impertinent together and prooue quidlibet ex quolibet all thinges of euery thing at his pleasure Dorman Fol. 7. But yet this I proteste that apon the auctoritie of ther Apologie whiche with me is in that conceit that it is with all honest and learned men that is to saie taken as in deede it is for a fardle of lies I am no whitte the bolder to reason thus Nowell Here is at once a protestation and also a confutation of the Apologie For other confutation or answere to it then this and suche like as you shall heare hereafter haue thei not hetherto made Wherefore as iustlie might we chaleÌ„ge all the
whole companie of Papistâ—s beeyng at so good leisure as thei are that thei haue not hitherto answered the Apologie so loÌ„g abroade in their handes as we are blamed of many for that your bookes lately set foorth are not foorthwith answered It is a pleasure for M. Dorman to shoote at rouers to range as he liste in railyng here and there and to call the Apologie a fardle of lies But it is not so easy for maister Dorman nor D. Hardyng to answere it piththilie to the satisfiyng of the learned readers Whiche neither thei bothe nor their whole Romishe cleargie shal euer be able to answere to any purpose But I maie iustlie replie to M. Dorman as the truth is that this his booke is nothing els but a fardell of lies ragyng railinges packed together as I truste I haue in deede notified to the discreate reader for that is passed ouer of it hetherto doubte not of like successe in the rest And I thinke that all honest and learned men in déede will so muche more like the saied Apologie when thei shall vnderstande that it so muche mistiketh M. Dorman and other of like honestie and learnyng as he is Dorman fol. 7. But because I haue perceiued that God in that people in their lawe and priesthoode shadowed out vnto vs like a cunning workeman the whole forme and proportion of his churche as witnesseth saincte Paule Lex vmbram habet futuroruÌ„ bonoâ—â— non ipsam imag inem rerum The lawe conteineth a shadowe of the good thynges to come but expresseth not manifestly the truth of thinges therefore I thought I might well reason from the shadow to the bodie from the resemblaunce image to the truthe thereto answering FroÌ„ the whiche kinde of reasonyng saincte Paule sometymes absteined not as when he laboured to proue that the lawe of the gospell would beare that thei whiche preached the gospell should liue thereby he reasoned after this sort Nunquid secundum hominem haec dico â–ª Speake I this as a man That is to saie proue I this by worldly reasons An lex haec non dicit Saieth not the lawe so toe And so goeth he forewarde and proueth yet by this texte of the olde lawe Thou shalt not moosell or binde vp the mouth of the labouryng Oxe as though he should haue saied it was so in the shadowe therefore it must be so in the bodie and in the truth signified by that shadowe Thus ye se good readers that I maie saie with saincte Paule haue I proued onely by reasons fetched from the dooynges of men by examples of all common wealthes and societies well gouerned that in Christes common weale there must be also one to rule Haue I affirmed this because sainct Cyprian saincte Hierom blessed and holy Leo so saied VVho yet were while thei liued here but men although now sainctes in heauen Nunquid non lex haec dicit Saieth not the lawe so toe Nowell You take to muche pain M. Dorman to prooue y t you may lawfully with S. Paule allege out of th' old testament for the proofe of good causes as he did We blame you not for that you allege out of th' old testament but for your guilefull vntrue application of places of the old testament of the doctors to suche purposes as thei apperteine nothyng vnto at all naie are moste contrary to the same I would you and all other aduersaries of the truth would as you saie with sainct Paule reason from the shadowes of the olde lawe to the truthe therby figured but you haue dooen otherwise For you dooe not with sainct Paule but with Pighius and Hosius vse this place not bringing vs by shadowes to the truthe as did S. Paule but by your shadowes of Ceremonies you haue darkened the truthe brought vs quite awaie from it You haue by this your reason so was it in the shadowe therfore it must be so in the bodie in the truthe signified by that shadowe not onely placed your Romishe head ouer the whóle Christian Churche but also of Christians you haue made vs Iewes and your selues of ministers of the Gospell haue you made Iewishe Aaronicall Leuites You haue on Aarons robes you vse his gestures you haue brought in his incense his censers his altars his candelles his candlestickes his belles and his banners his gold and his siluer into the seruice and Temple of God Of the whiche then beginning S. Hierome in his time muche coÌ„plained And would to God you had doen no woorse then thus made vs and your selues altogether Iuishe by your shadowes imitatyng and counterfaityng the olde lawe I would ye had not also by bringyng in of Idols by inuocations of dead menne by your charmes and witchecraftes contrary to all Gods lawe both old and newe made vs altogether moste wicked Ethnishe Idolaters and withall made a marte and set a sale all this your religion thereby to robbe séelie Christians both of their witte and money yea and of their soules health too whiche is moste of all as it is euidente to all the worlde you haue dooen But now to proceede with M. Dormans reason from the shadowe to the bodie from the figure to the truthe from the Iuishe churche to ours In the Iuishe churche all the people menne wemen and children had the Scripture in a language that thei did well vnderstande the Leuites and priestes in the Iuishe churche had wiues and children in the Iuishe churche there were no Images ergo it must be so now in our churche For God like a cunnyng workeman in that people in their lawe and priesthoode shadowed out vnto vs the whole forme and proportion of his churche now it was so in the shadowe therefore it must be so in the bodie and in the truthe These bee your owne woordes M. Dorman To proceede Maie it be proued by reason onely that thei who are bounden to obeie Goddes lawe oughte to vnderstande and knowe Goddes lawe Dooeth not the lawe saie so too Maie it bee proued by reason onely that ministers of the Churche maie haue wiues Maie not one reason with S. Paule Vnusquisque propter vitandam fornieationem habeat vxorem suam Et qui se non continent nubant Nam melius est nubere quà mvri That is to saie Let euery man for the auoiding of fornication haue his wife And suche as caÌ„not conteine let theÌ„ marie for it is better to marie then to burne Dooeth not the lawe saie so too Maie it bee proued by reason onely that Images ought not to bee in the temples and that men whiche haue life and reason ought not to boow and scoupe to insensible blockes or stones Dooeth not the lawe forbidde it to If you will denie my argumentes and thinke these reasons vnreasonable as I thinke you will yet I trust you doo against your own woords and forme of reasoning And good M. Dorman asâ—oile me of
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