The blessings on Mount Gerizzim, and the curses on Movnt Ebal. Or, The happie estate of Protestants compared with the miserable estate of papists vnder the Popes tyrannie. By M.S. Doctor of Diuinitie.

CHAP. IX. Of the deliuerance of the Realme and Church of England from the yoke of the Popes lawes and vniust cenfures.

ALbeit the Cardinals of Rome, and the priests of Baal, and their adherents do not willingly complaine of the

Pope, being diuers of them his creatures, and the rest his sworne seruants and marked slaues; yet such is the grie∣uance and wrong that many haue sustained by his lawes and censures, that diuers of them haue bene forced to open their mouths, and to talke against their holy Father.

Petrus de Alliaco in his Treatise de reformat. Ecclesiae, saith, that the multitude of statutes, canons, and decretals, e∣specially those that bind to mortal sinne are grieuous and bur∣densome.

Budaeus in his annotations vpon the Pandects saith, that the Popes lawes serue not so well for correcting of man∣ners, as making of money. His words are these: Sanctiones pontificiae non moribus regendis vsui sunt. sed propemodum dixerim, argentariae faciendae authoritatem videntur accommodare.

In France as Duarenus saith, it was wont to be a com∣mon * 1.1 prouerbe, that all things went euill since the decrées had ales adioyned to them, that is, since the decretals were published. Malè cum rebus humanis actum dicebant, ex quo decretis alae accesserunt.

The Princes of Germanie complaine, that the rules of the Popes Chancerie, were nothing but snares laid to bring * 1.2 benefices to the Popes collation, and deuised for matter of gaine. They say also, that the Popes constitutions were * 1.3 nothing but clogges for mens consciences.

Neither may we thinke, but that they had great reason thus to speake, considering both the iniquitie of most of these constitutions, and the strictnesse of the obliga∣tion by which men are bound to obserue them. For what reason haue they either to prohibite mariage to any order, or state of men, not prohibited by the law of God to mar∣rie, or else to restraine the libertie graunted by the lawe of God, or to forbid flesh, egges, or milke vpon certain daies? Againe, why haue they brought in, not onely their carnall presence of Christs bodie in the Sacrament, transsubstan∣tiation, the idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse, but their pur∣gatorie, their indulgences, and infinite such trash? Why haue they abrogated Christs institution in the celebration

of the Lords supper, not onely taking away the cuppe from the communicants, but making a priuate action of that, which should be a communion? Is not this as much as the Pharisies did, that transgressed Gods commaundement for * 1.4 their owne tradition? And do not the Papists ordaine, that vnwritten traditions should be receiued with equall affe∣ction, to the holy Scriptures?

Againe, what reason haue they to curse and anathema∣tise, nay to put to cruell death, such as obey not their ordi∣nances, and vniust decrees? S. Iames saith: We haue but * 1.5 one Law giuer, that is able to saue and destroy. And no where do we reade, that the Church of Christ did persecute Chri∣stians, and put them death for matters of their conscience and religion, much lesse for matter of ceremonies, or such obseruances. Neither can the aduersarie shew, that bishops excommunicated Christians, that would not rebell, and take armes against their Liege Soueraignes. Which of vs (saith Optatus, lib. 2. contra Parmenian.) did persecute any man? The Apostle he commaundeth euery soule to be sub∣iect to higher powers, and not to rebell. How vntolerable then are the Romish decretals and rescripts, that not onely bind mens consciences in things free otherwise, but also in things, that may not be done without impietie?

Likewise haue diuers complained of the abuse of popish excommunications. That which our Sauior Christ saith: If he heare not the Church, let him be to thee, as a heathen man or Publican, that the popish faction translateth to the rediculous censure of the Pope, And therefore excommuni∣cateth al that place not the Churches vnwritten traditions in equall rancke with diuine Scriptures; or that beléeue not, that Christians can performe the lawe perfectly, and are iustified before God by the workes of the law: or that hold not the doctrine of the Romish Church concerning their se∣uen Sacraments: or that do not worship Images, or that receiue not their doctrine of indulgences, and purgatorie, and all the heresies and abhominations of the Pope: or that submit not themselues to his tyrannie: or that refuse to pay

his annates or taxes, or whatsoeuer he and his suppostes require. Nay, they excommunicate the subiects, that rebell not against their lawfull Kings. After that Pius the fifth, that wicked and cruell hypocrite had commanded, that nei∣ther the Lords nor people of England should obey Quéene Elizabeths commandements, or lawes: it followeth, Qui * 1.6 secus egerint eos anathematis sententia innodamus. That is: Those which shall do otherwise, we pronounce accursed, or anathema. Neither did the Pope onely in time past thunder out these curses, but also gaue leaue to euery base compa∣nion, and for euery small trifling cause to inflict most grie∣uous censures. Petrus de Alliaco speaking of the Pope and his excommunications, complaineth, that he gaue leaue to his Collectors to thunder out excommunications, to the of∣fence of many, and that other Prelates for debts and light causes, did cruelly excommunicate poore men. Saepè (saith he) * 1.7 per suos Collectores in multorum scandalum fulminauit, & aly Praelati leuiter, & pro leuibus causis, vt pro debitis & huiusmodi, pauperes excommunicatione crudeliter percutiunt.

The Germaines complaine, that many Christians were excommunicated at Rome for prophane causes and for gaine, * 1.8 to the trouble of diuers mens consciences. Romae (say they) caeteris{que} in locis per Archiepiscopos, ac Episcopos, aut saltem co∣rum ecclesiasticos iudices multi Christianorum ob causas prophanas, ob pecuniae denique ac turpis quaestus amorem excommunicantur, multorum{que} sedeorum in fide infirmorum conscientiae per hoc ag∣grauantur, & in desperationens pertrahuntur.

Scotus in 4. sent. dist. 19. complaineth, that the Church did too often strike with this sword: and Petrus de Alliaco saith, * 1.9 that by this abuse the sword of the Church was in his time growne into great contempt.

Oflate time the Popes of Rome haue excommunicated Emperours and kings, if they would not depart with their townes, countries and crownes, and yéeid to their legats what they demaunded.

How intolerable this abuse was, we may perceiue, if we consider the heauinesse of this censure, being rightly

inflicted by the true Church. Our Sauiour sheweth, that the partie excommunicate is to be holden for a heathen man, and a Publican. Tertullian. Apolo. 39. doth call it, the highest fore-iudgement of the future iudgement. Summum futuri iudi∣cy praeiudicium. Cyprian doth esteeme them as killed with the * 1.10 spirituall sword. Superbi & contumaeces (saith he) spirituali gla∣dio necantur, dum de Ecclesia eijciuntur. Commonly excommu∣nication is called Anathema: and Chrysostome homil. 70. ad populum Antioch. calleth it the bond of the Church.

We are therefore no lesse to be thankfull for our deliue∣rance from the Popes vniust lawes, then the auncient Christians for their exemption from the yoke of the Phari∣sies, and from humans traditions, from which by the prea∣ching of the Gospell they were freed. Neither may we think it a simple fauour, that we are made to vnderstand, that the crackes of the Popes thundring excemmunications, are no more to be feared, then the ratling of Salmoneus that impi∣ous fellow, that with certaine engines went about to counterfeit the noise of thunder. We knew alwaies that a man vniussly excommunicated, and by a Iudge vnlawfull, was no way preiudiced. Origen in Leuit. homil. 48. spea∣king of a person excommunicate, saith, that he is not hurt at all, being by wrongfull iudgement expelled out of the con∣gregation. Nihillaeditur in eo, quod non recto iudicio ab bomini∣bus videtur expulsus. And the aduersaries confesse, that ex∣communication pronounced vniustly, and by him that is not our Iudge, bindeth not. C. nullus 9. q. 2. and C. nullus primus. 9. q. 3. and C. sententia, 11. q. 3. But few vnderstood the in∣iustice, and nullitie of the Popes lawes, and that he nei∣ther was nor is a competent iudge, vntill such time, as by true preaching of the Gospell, which by Queene Elizabeth was restored vnto vs, the man of sinne beganne to be re∣uealed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In Praefat. in lib. de Eccles. minist.
• * 1.2

  Grauam. 20.
• * 1.3

  Ibid. 8.
• * 1.4

  Mat 15.
• * 1.5

  Iam. 4.
• * 1.6

  In Bulla con∣tra Elizabe∣tham.
• * 1.7

  De reform. Eccles.
• * 1.8

  Grauam. 34.
• * 1.9

  De reform, Eccles.
• * 1.10

  Lib. 1. Epist. 11. ad Pomp.