A reproufe, written by Alexander Nowell, of a booke entituled, A proufe 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. Set foorth and allowed, according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions

Dorman. Fol. 15. ••••••

Thus I trust good readers you see sufficientlie pro∣ued, that Christes pleasure is for the repressyng of he∣resies, & calmyng of tempestuous schismes, that there be one head of his churche here in earth, suppliyng his corporall absence for the tyme: his honor in the meane season nothyng thereby the more diminished, then it is in other thynges wherein he also vseth the ministe∣rie and seruice of menne.

Nowell.

Thus I truste (good readers) you see the insuffici∣encie, or more truelie, the leudenesse of M. Dormans proufes, of the necessitie of one onelie heade ouer Chri∣stes whole churche here in earth: you sée where he saith, that he hath sufficientlie proued it to be Christes plea∣sure, that there should be such an one head, that he hath not, nor could not (for if he could, he would) allege out of the newe testamente (where Christes will and plea∣sure is written, and declared moste largelie and ma∣nifestlie) as muche as one woorde sounding to that pur∣pose: so farre of is it, that it is, as he saieth, sufficientlie proued. You see that Schismes and controuersies by * 1.1 saincte Cyprians iudgemente, and b 1.2 saincte Augusti∣nes also, with. 217. Bishoppes moe assembled in the African Councell with hym, and by good reason, and experience also, maie bee beste quieted and decided in the countries where thei arise, by the magistrates and Bishops of the same countreis. You see that it becom∣meth man, vnable well to gouerne a verie little thing, * 1.3 to humble hymself, and to yelde vp the honour & glorie of gouernyng the whole worlde and Churche to God, and to our sauiour Iesus Christe, who alone are able to suffice to suche a charge. For experiēce teacheth, that those menne are the woorste of all gouernours, whiche

desire to haue most. Also you sée, that in this treatie hi∣therto, as M. Dorman hath not one woorde out of the newe Testamente, so hath he alleged but onelie twoo textes out of the olde Testamente, one out of Deute∣ronomium, cap. 17. whiche is, as a speciall place often * 1.4 alleged, and repeated: an other out of Numeri. 16. whiche bothe make directlie againste hym: the one pro∣uyng that euery nation, countrey, diocesse, or churche ought to haue their seuerall head Bishoppe, as had the nation of the Iewes: and you haue seene that saincte Cyprian so taketh it: The other shewyng that Christi∣an * 1.5 princes are superiours to Bishoppes or high Prie∣stes (as was Moses to Aaron) or els if Moses were, as thei saie, a prieste also, that there were twoo high prie∣stes in the Iewishe churche at once, and so consequent∣ly ought to bée in our churches: whereby M. Dormans assertion of one head ouer the whole churche is quite o∣uerthrowen. And withal you see how the Papistes thē selues, disobedient to their owne soueraigne appoinc∣ted * 1.6 by God to bee their gouernour, are the successours of Chore, Dathan, and Abyron, rebellyng againste Moses and Aaron their gouernours by God appoinc∣ted. Wherefore you maie well vnderstande, that were it either profitable or necessarie, were it Goddes, and Christes pleasure (as maister Dorman saieth it is) to haue suche an one head in earth ouer his churche, God would haue certified vs of a thyng so profitable and necessarie for vs, and so pleasaunt to hym, in his scrip∣tures (where he hath declared his pleasure) more plain∣lie and expresselie, then by twoo olde shadowes of the Iewishe Churche: whiche also bee suche, that thei dooe teache vs cleane contrarie to that, whiche M. Dorman saith is so necessarie for vs, and Christes pleasure also. You se how blindly he goeth about to proue that there

ought to be one onely head ouer all the churche, brin∣geth in for proufe therof the regiment of seuerall coun∣treis, kingdomes, cities, &c. by seuerall princes, seueral magistrates and heades, whiche maketh moste directly with vs, that seueral churches should in like wise haue their seueral heades. And yet he thus dealing auanteth himselfe, askinge, who is so blinde that he can not sée, that he reasoneth effectuously? Like blinde bayard lai∣yng * 1.7 himselfe in the mire, and there walowing, neieth yet for wantōnesse, as though he were galoping in the gréene, and flinging in the plaine. You see how often S. Cyprian is by him alleaged for the Pope of Rome his * 1.8 supremacie, in those places where he speaketh of Roga∣tian, and of himselfe, beyng both bishops of other coun∣treis and places, & of the equalitie of al bishops, whiche is directly against the supremacie of one ouer all. You sée in likewise how he alleageth S. Basil, bewailing the * 1.9 state of the bishops of the Gréeke and east churche, and the decay of their authoritie, and of their sées, as though he had spoken of the Pope of Rome, and his estimation nowe decayed, and his see so sore ruined: and howe he hath either very ignorantly, or moste malitiously by false translation corrupted S. Basil. You sée how vn∣truly he would make Nouatus his othe exacted for the * 1.10 maintenaunce of his heresie, to séeme the same that is our othe of obedience to our prince, and renouncing of the Popes foraine vsurped tyrannie: And howe he * 1.11 would make Vrsitius and Valens, to séeme to acknowledge the Popes supremacie: onely for that, they, after long dissention reconciled them selues to Iulius bishop of Rome: as they did in likewise to Athanasius bishop of Alexandria in Egypt, who by the like reason, should be

the head of the whole churche, as well as Iulius. * 1.12

You sée howe he hath alleaged S. Hierome speaking of the authoritie that euery bishop hath ouer the prie∣stes and clergie of his owne diocesse, as though he had spoken of the supremacie of the bishop of Rome ouer all byshops, and the whole thurche throughout the world. Yea and thus hath he not been ashamed to alleage out of suche treaties of S. Hierome, as either haue not as muche as one woorde spoken, nor meant of the bishop of Rome (though the saide treaties be very longe) ei∣ther if any mention be made of him, other Bishoppes are expressely made equall in authoritie with hym, and therefore his supremacie ouer other Bishoppes cleane ouerthrowen.

You sée Pope a 1.13 Leo his witnesse in his owne cause can not helpe hym, specially the witnesse being corrupted, and the copies of his testimonie not onely diuers, but cleane contrarie one to an other: whiche taketh awaye all creadite from them all. And were they, as they are surmised, Pope Leo his woordes, yet they are, as you haue séene, b 1.14 by S. Cyprian, and S. Hicrome euen in the same places by M. Dorman alleaged, clearely and f••lly confuted.

You sée howe shamefully he alleageth c 1.15 Nazianzene his sayinges of one God, as though they had beene spoken of one Pope, of whome Nazianzene neuer dreamed. You see the woordes of an vncertaine and vnwoorthie authour boldely without blushyng alleaged for S. Au∣gustines woordes, whiche woordes yet, were they S. Augustines, make nothing against vs.

And vniuersally, you sée his d 1.16 falshoode in translating, or fraude in corruptinge, manglinge, or addynge to

such authors, as he doth alleage. Neither is his deceite and guile comparable to his impudencie and vnshame∣fastnesse, beinge not abashed to alleage those authours for him, who aboue all others moste make agaynste him. As namely S. Cyprian, and S. Hierome, beynge * 1.17 both most plaine and earnest for the equalitie of all by∣shops, and so directly against the supremacie of one o∣uer all. And thus you sée good Readers, that such an one head of the whole churche in earth to be, neither appeareth to be Gods, and our sauiour Christes will or pleasure, by any thinge hitherto by M. Dorman al∣leaged out of the scriptures: neither to be the wil of any godly auncient doctour, by any thing hitherto brought by M. Dorman out of their writinges: neither appée∣reth it by any good or probable reason by him made, to be profitable, muche lesse necessarie to Christes church, that any such head should be. Nay the cleane contrary, to witte, that it is not Gods, nor our sauiour Christes pleasure, that it was not the will of the godly auncient doctours, that it is neither necessarie nor profitable to Christes churche, to haue any suche one head in earth, appéereth euidently by the Scriptures, doctours, and reasons, yea and by the same scriptures, doctours & rea∣sons which are by M. Dormā for his purpose alleaged. And these, good reader, be those most plaine and euident * 1.18 reasons, these be those vrgent causes, whiche M. Dor∣man * 1.19 promysed in the beginninge of this treatie, he woulde alleage for the necessitie of one head ouer the whole churche. Neyther séemeth it that M. Dormā him selfe was ignorant of this infirmitie & weakenes of his sclender proufes: and therfore hath he (to call away the

readers mynde from this consideration (intermingled many matters impertinent, as a 1.20 complaintes, and la∣mentations for the great persecutions that they, inno∣cent lābes, God wot, doo suffer: as trifling tales of b 1.21 sur∣mised felons: as the defence of Cardinal c 1.22 Hosius, one of the greatest estates for learning and vertue (as saith M Dorman) that this day Christendome hath: as long treaties of the d 1.23 Suenkfeldianss, e 1.24 Arrians, f 1.25 Anaba∣ptistes: as g 1.26 declamations against the scripture, and conference of tertes of the scripture together, whiche he is very oft in hande with, declaringe a speciall offence and stomake against the same. Al which matters, most impertinent to his matter of one head (borowed of his Maister D. Harding, Pighius, Hosius, with others as is in their places noted) he hath amplified at large, and gaylie garnished with the ornamentes of his raylinge rethorike. Whiche stuffe were it altogether had to the dunge hyll, as it ought, al his booke almost were cleane swept out of the doores, & litle or nothing should be left therof, and yet nothing taken away from it, that did belong of right vnto it. Séeyng therefore this first, and most principall poinct, of one head of the churche, the very foundation of al is not proued by M. Dorman, or so leudly proued, that it faileth, and falleth of it selfe, all the Popes supremacie commeth downe vpon their heades. For if they can not proue (as they neuer shalbe hable) that there ought to be one chiefe head of Christes whole church here in earth, thei can not possibly proue, that the Pope should be that one head. Wherefore I doo aduise M. Dorman, and all the packe of Papistes to re∣coyle from this their Thesis of one head of the churche, to the Hypothesis of the Pope head of the churche: and to

proue first that the Pope of Rome ought of right to be the onely chiefe head, and then after to induce thereof, that there must of necessitie be one chiefe head. For if they take not this waye, I dooe geue them plaine war∣ning, they shall neuer thriue.

And further séeing this part of M. Dormans booke, both for that it is the first, and the chiefe parte also, re∣quireth good, and substanciall proufes, not onely for it selfe sake, but also that the readers vpon the good li∣kynge hereof, might haue the better hope and expecta∣tion of all the rest of his booke (according as M. Dor∣man hath, no doubt, out of the preceptes of Rethorike obserued) and is yet not withstanding thus sclenderly, vntruely, falsely, fondlye, and dreamingly handled by M. Dorman, it geueth the Readers to vnderstande, what they shall fynde in the residue of his booke: in the whiche, as it were in the rerewarde, he hath placed bag and baggage, with suche pages, drudges, and slaues to attende vpon the same, as are more ready to runne a∣waye, than to abide any brunte of battayle. The which I haue not as yet assayled, for that I dooe sée the By∣shop of Sarisburie his bande bent vpon them, whose handes if any of that cowardly companie escape, as ey∣ther not espied, or not regarded of him, I dooe promise thée (good reader) that I, God willinge, will shortely haue them in chase, vntill I haue lefte of all M. Dor∣mans bragging, but most cowardly armie of leude Po∣pishe reasons, and allegations, not as muche as one souldiour vntaken, or put to shamefull flight.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Supra. so. 33. b. &. 49. b. &c.
• b 1.2

  Suprà, folio 48. &. 50.
• * 1.3

  Suprà, folio. 96. &. 97.
• * 1.4

  D. foli. 4. 7. 9. &. 12. D. fol. 11.
• * 1.5

  Suprà, fol. 60. &. 61. Suprà, fol. 95. &c.
• * 1.6

  Suprà, folio. 95. &c.
• * 1.7

  D fol. 4. &. suprà, fo. 31 b. &c.
• * 1.8

  D. fo. 1. 3. & 5. & suprà. fol. 1. 2. 20. &. 35. &c.
• * 1.9

  D. fo. 1. & 2. & suprà, fo. 3. &. 13.
• * 1.10

  D. fo. 2. & suprà fo. 7. &c.
• * 1.11

  D. fol. 3 & suprà, fo. 25
• * 1.12

  Dor. fo. 5. b & fol. 14. a. & suprà fo. 41. 42. &c. &. 43. b. &c 107. &c. Hieron. cō∣tra Lucife∣rianos. Suprà, fol. 41. &c. Hieron. ad Euagrium. Suprà, fol. 43. &. 51.
• a 1.13

  Dor. fol. 5. b. &. 6. a. & Suprà, fol. 46. &. 47.
• b 1.14

  Suprà, fol. 49. 50. 51. 52
• c 1.15

  Dor. fol. 7. a. & Suprà, fol. 62.
• d 1.16

  Suprà, fo. 3 a. &. 9. b. & 19. b, &. 62▪ &. 107. &. 111 & multis l••cis.
• * 1.17

  Suprà, fol. 49. 50. 51. &c.
• * 1.18

  Thra••o: Mu nus nostrū ornato ver∣bis, quod poteris. &c.
• * 1.19

  Dor. fo. 4. ••
• a 1.20

  Dor. fol. 2. &. 3. suprà. fo. 7. 13. &c.
• b 1.21

  Dor. fol. 8. & 9. suprà fo. 77. &c.
• c 1.22

  Dor. fol. 10. 11. Supra, fol. 82. 90. &c.
• d 1.23

  D. fol 10. Suprà. 82. 83. &c.
• e 1.24

  Dor. fol. 12. Suprà. 101. 102. &c.
• f 1.25

  Dor. fol. 13. Suprà. 103.
• g 1.26

  Dor. fol. 8. 10. 12. 13. suprà fol. ••••. &c.