they see them contending one against another And can the King thinke ye bee in a good case when the estate of the Kirke which was the first in Parliament is so wracked No for if he euer haue warre or other great enterprises ado as it is likely he is shortly to haue he shall lack that to speake worldly which was his principall reliefe and ayde to wit the Thesaurie of the kirk to advance such weightie affaires For as to theÌ„ vpon whom the same is vnworthely bestowed I meane the Kirk-lands and rents they shall fayle him in his greatest neede For it is not his weale nor standing that they haue sought but their owne particular with insatiable greede And now when they haue done the Lord shall so blowe vpon it that they or their aires shalbe no better of it but rather because it is procured with Gods curse it shall wrack the rest of their patrimonie and aunciente houses as experience hath prouen in some of them And as to the Kings Hienesse seeing that his estate euen from his Coronation hes bene so annexed and joyned with the estate of the Kirke and reformed Religion that it hath wel appeared hitherto by experience that the standing of the one hath made the other also to stande it is justly to be feared the Lord auerte it that the ruine and decay of Religion in this Realme if God of his just judgement suffer it may bring exceeding great daunger to his person and royal authoritie yea to the whole common-wealth And the authors of these new erectioÌ„s of the kirk lands inheritable titles to them selues and priuate vses shal be a chiefe cause thereof and that by with-drawing the blessing of God from the Lande and procuring his wrath against the same The Lord remeid these appearing euilles by time Now returning to our Text concluding with the Apostle in the verses following as he most justly rebukes the Iewes who gloryed in the law of God and yet by breaking of the Law by their Sacrilege and other odious crimes dishonored his holy Majestie declaring thereby the light regard they had to that Religion which they outwardly professed so it may be justly layd to the charge of this vnthankfull generation that our outward glorie in his religion shal turne to the vtter confusion of many in this Lande For if it be as it is most true that they who honour GOD hee shall honoure them and they who contemne his worshippe shall bee brought to ignominie and shame Howe can our feined profession worke otherwaies when the Doctrine of Christ his Evangell whereof men wil so babble in their idle talking is so profaned and abused in their daily life and conversation So that the name of that good God who hath so meruelously and mercifully in-lightned this nation aboue others with the knowledge of his vndoubted trueth by our licentious liuing being trod vnderfoot his name is euill spoken of by our occasion amongst the Papistes and other enemies of the trueth as it was amongst the Gentiles by occasion of the euil liues of the Iewes in their captiuitie as the Prophet EZECHIEL here cited by our Apostle doth testifie of them And is it not a most vnworthie thinge that they who haue receiued glorie and honour from God as our vnthankfull Nation haue in granting vs so great light denyed to other mightie Kingdomes of the earth to render againe such gracelesse payment as so to dishonour his holy name The Lord graunt that at least so many as are appoynted for his heauenly kingdome may speedily repent with ZACCHEVS the reste at least be not inferiour to IVDAS who restored that which hee had most sacrilegiously taken in betraying his Maister the Lord Iesus our Saviour To whome with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and prayse for euer FINIS Mal. 3. Iosu. 7. 1. Sam. â—… Malach 3. Act. 5. Act. â—… L. â—…iquis in hoc genus sacrilegij C. de Episcopis clericis L. Qui diuine C. de 〈◊〉 Sacrilegij C. de sepulchro 〈◊〉 L. 1. Leuit. 2â—… Zach. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17. Q. 4. Quisquiâ—… 2 King 4. â—… Mac. 3. Ioh. 12. Citatuâ—… qu. 2. aurum Ex. lib. de off 12. Q. 2. Aurum ex lib de offiâ—… â—…2 Q. 2. â—…loria Delegihâ—… lib. 1â—… 2. King 18. Esai 1. Psal. 50. Exod. 22. â—…d ad 〈◊〉 peeulatus l. 1. l. 4. C. de Sepul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. â—… Mal. â—… â—…d de vsâ—… et 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. le gatuâ—… Levit. 〈◊〉 C. de donationibus l si quis argentum § Sin autem Deut. 7. Deut. 13. â—… Cor. 10. â—…osua 6. 7. Iâ—…g 6. 1. King 21 â—… Cassamus L. deceruimuâ—… C. de Sacro s. Eccleijs Authent 〈◊〉 non aliâ—… 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasti â—…oll 2. Gen. 14. Gen. 28. â—…erit 27. Num. 18 Concil Matisc. 2 Can. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 li. 9. f. 192. Concil Carthag 5 cap. 6. Contradâ—… â—…d leg 〈◊〉 l pâ—…ecia Deut. 7. Mal. 3. Iosua â—… Act. 5. Carthag council 4 c 95. Council Agâ—…then c. 3. alibi Liâ—… â—… de â—…ogibus L. Sacrilegâ—… L. Sacrilegij dâ—… Leg. Iulian 〈◊〉 latuâ—… L. peculatus â—…d eâ—…d tit â—… Sâ—…m 1. 3. Dan. 1. Dan. 4. Dan â—… â—… Mac. â—… â—… Mac. 12. Exod. 36. Num. 7. Psal. 12â—… 2. Sam 7. 1. Châ—…o 22 2. Chro. 29 Mal. 3. Ezech. 36
AGAINST Sacrilege Three sermons Preached by Maister ROBERT PONT an Aged Pastqur in the Kirk of God Augustine Let God heare if they be 〈◊〉 Angelles heare if they 〈◊〉 EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY RObert Walde graue Prenter to the Kings Majestie 1599. Cum Priuilegio Regio TO HIS SOVERAINE THE KINGS MAIESTIE SIR I would think it an vnworthie thing to presente your Highnesse with such a meane Pamphlet as this taken out of my 〈◊〉 Ser mones vnlesse the argument thereof craued a powerfull Protector and patrone For besides it speaketh the truth â—…ly without coloured Rethoricke of wordes the matter therein entreated is odious in the eyes eares of many who find themselues tuitched as guilty of Sacrilege Herefore I could seâ—…ke no other retreate but vnder your highnes wings who besides ye would gladly heare the trueth simply spoken haue also your parte in this turne For your Highnesse is no lesse interest then the Kirk in the wrongfull abusing of the Kirk-rents And as to me the Lord knoweth how far it is from my heart to procure willingly the hatred of any person great or smal Yet in respect of the charge I beare and that it is very vncomely for my gray-haires my one foote being alreadie in the graue to play the hypocrite or flatterers parte But to discharge a good conscience in this and all other behalfes belonging vnto my calling Herefore reposing vppon your Maiesties good minde and countenance against all calumniators of mee for this my plaine dealing and humbly submitting this and all other my laboures to your hienesse censure and correction in any thing I shalbe found to haue failed or spoken amisse I humbly take my leaue Beseeching the Lorde of Heauen to further and aduance all your Hienesse good and godly intentions to thereformation of all abuses within your Land Your Hienesse subject with obedience and Prayer ROBERT PONT AGAINST SACRILEGE The first Sermon Rom. 2. 22. Thou that detestest Idols doest thou commit Sacrilege IT Is of truthe that a certaine Poet sai 〈◊〉 when fooles esâ—…hew one vice they 〈◊〉 an other So may it be seene by the discourse that the Apostle maketh in the second part of this Chapter Wee haue heard of before how he begouth to inuey against the hypocrisie of the Iewes who albeit they had the law of God and gloryed therein yet were they as greate transgressoures as the Gentiles who had but the law of Nature written obscurely in their harts and so were highlier to be accused then the other To prooue this he bringeth in the euident examples of their liues being polluted with most grosse sinnes contrarie the doctrine of the law which they taught vnto others namely of adulterie thieft c. And as to thieft not being content to accuse them in general he laieth to their charge in the wordes now to be intreated the most hainous kinde thereof commonlie called Sacrilege And with that sharply he discoueres their hypocrisie where as they would appeare outwardly to keepe some poyntes of the lawe in the meane time transgressing against as great heads of the same For they professed themselues To abhorre Idols and Idole seruice and yet fostred a great Idole in their hearts by committing Sacrilege thereby robbing God of his due honour and thinges belonging to the maintenance of his true seruice And so albeit they worshipped not Idols outwardly yet they offended in the like kinde of sinne and thereby profaned Gods holy name which was blasphemed amongst the Gentiles by their occasion as will hereafter follow And this they did in deede in the daies of PAVLL not onelie by stealing of God his honour from him by preferring their owne traditions aboue his holy commandements and by casting off his due reuerence and feare which is an high kinde of Sacrilege but also by their wicked and detestable auarice which is a kinde of Idolatrie also they abused Gods true worshipping esteeming more of the golde of the Temple nor of the Temple it selfe And as our Sauiour reprocheth them preferring the gift of the Altar aboue the Altar and offring thereon yea this Idole of sacrilegious auarice was so highlie honored amongst them that the verie office of the chiefe Priestes was bought and sould for money And with this there lacked not amongst them such Sacrilegious impietie as is rebuked by the Prophet MALACHIE in defrauding the Lorde and his Ministerie of his teindes and dewe offrings appoynted for the intertainment of his seruice So the Apostle concludeth most justly the Iewes aswell as the Gentiles to be vnder the wrath of God and that they cannot be justified by the workes of the lawe more then the Gentiles and therefore must needes seeke to the justification of faith in Christ. Now before we proceede further in the matter of justification because mention is here made especially of sacrilege seeing the same was neuer more abundant at any time then in this corrupt age and namelie in this Realme notwithstanding the cleare light of the Gospell shining amongst vs I thinke it both expedient necessarie to make some large discourse thereupon as a common place most meete to be teached in our daies For it is marvaile to consider and hard to be beleued of the godly in other cuntries seeing the doctrine of saluation is daily so cleerely beaten in the eares of all estates of this land with what impudent faces all sortes of men and namely they of the greater ranke being intangled in this crime advowe their doings and stande for no admonitions to their accompte to acknowledge let bee to amende that filthy fault whereby the holie worde of God is slandered in their persones and they giue ouer-good occasion to Papistes to raile against the word of truth who cry out and affirme that many Princes Noble-men Earles and Barronnes for that cause haue casten off the yoke of the Romane Kirk that they may the more freely invade and possesse at their pleasure the Kirk goods Doubtles they who giue occasion to so greate a slander shall render a very seuere count vnto God and the very Heathen that haue decored and in ignorance bestowed largely vpon their Idole seruice shall stand vp to condemne the sacrilegeous impietie of these men in the latter day Then to enter in the deduction of this matter I minde first as the Lord wil assist mee to declare how diuerslie the name of Sacrilege is taken by writers and how many kindes thereof there be Then to take the proper definition of Sacrilege and applie it to the purpose and matter whereupon I am to intreate And to these whome I account to be sacrilegious amongst vs which shalbe the subject of this present Sermon In the nexte place or Sermon I am purposed to answere meete the objections that such men as we call Sacrilegious may vse and commonly vse for their excuse And thirdly in the laste sermon to declare what punishment the law of God and also the lawes of men haue appoynted for Sacrilegious persons with
him hitherto to preuaile But as the byers sellers were not cast out of the Temple of Ierusalem albeit Christ with his whippe preassed diuerse times to expel them So for al the crying out and preaching of the faithful messengers of God with threatnings vsed against such persones yet they cease not bur adde daylie more and more aswell they of the nobilitie as others following their ensample to robbe spoyle buye conquest occupy the kirk-rents Herefore if the Iewes might justly be accused by the Apostle who being contented to haue a bare knowledge of the Law of God liued no better then they that lacked a law How much more we who bragge of a sincere knowledge of the Gospell as being needfull to order our liues thereby not onely liue otherwise licenciously but also many amongst vs so far as in vs lyeth stoppe and hinder the propagation of the kingdome of Christ In so farre that they holde him a man of no accounte hauing any power in these corrupted dayes who hath not polluted his handes with some spoyle of the Kirk-goods And as to the doctrine of the worde it is so become loathsome to these men that if they heare it they heare it with deafe eares are no more mooued at the rebuke of this their sacrilegious dealing nor if they were stupide blockes or Idols without al sense of hearing For they cease not still to maintaine and advance this detestable sinne And daylie inuente new practises and coloured titles of the law to augment and foster the same both in hearte and deede Notwithstanding that such deuourers of Christ his patrimonie are reckoned by the godly Fathers to be murtherers of the poore for it is a certaine kinde of murther indeed And to this purpose I will here cite certaine of the authorities of the auncientes that it may bee knowne how odious this sinne of Sacrilege was in their eies AVGVSTINE vppon IOHN speaking of IVDAS the traitour writeth this IVDAS is amongst the Sain◅es IVDAS is a thiefe yea a sacrilegeous thiefe not a thiefe of the common sorte A thiefe of purses if criminall persones of all kinde of thieft be damned in judgement more of that thieft which is called peculatus For peculatus is the thieft of publick things And thieft of priuate thinges is not so judged as publick thieft How much more detestablie is a sacrilegious thiefe to be judged Who dare be bolde to steale euen from the Kirk of God Who stealeth any thing from the Kirke from that foorth is compared to one that is lost This farre AVGVSTINE In an other place calleth the teindes the tribute of needy soules And that so manye poore as dye in default of paymente thereof by famine they that with-holde the same and apply them to their owne particular vses are to bee holden guyltie before the justice seate of God of so many murthers AMEROSE likewise willeth that the goods of the Kirke be giuen to the vse of the poore rather then the sacrilegious enemie to spoyle and carry the same away And HIEROME writeth thus To bereaue any thing from a friend is thieft but to defraude the Kirk is sacrilege To reserue that which is to be bestowed vpon the poore and hungrie is ether craftines or fearefulnes but to with-draw any thing from it is a most manifest impiety and passeth the crueltie of all robbers I might cite many auncient Cannons of councelles to this effect besides the cannons authorities of Bishops of Rome which are innumerable others mentioned in the decrees collected by GRATIAN but for shortnes I remit them that list to reade of this matter to the seuen eight Cannons of the councell called Gangrense holden about the yeare of Christ. 324. Item the Councel of Carthage-4 cap. 31. 32. And of Antioche cap. 25. Item the Councell called Agatheuse holden about the 440. in diuerse Cānons thereof with many other to the like purpose Yea the Ethnike PLATO writeth in his lawes that of all haynous doings it is to be counted on of the greatest that is done against holy things And further he saieth the sacrilegious holde one of three thinges either that God is not or that he regardeth not the thinges done by men or at leaste wilbe easily reconciled when such impietie is committed with sacrifices and such ceremonies as were vsed amongst the Gentiles But now to take vp this matter for the presente it is expedient to declare howe this Idole of sacrilegious avarice first begouth to take roote amongst vs and by what meanes it was increased and nurished And finally what great and hydeous branches it hath spred through the whole cuntrie The beginning indeede was small in respect of the increase For at the first reformation of Religion amongst vs they who tooke the worke in hand which were an few part mooued of a pure zeale to Gods glorie and advancemēt of the Gospel of Iesus Christ stood not to hazard life lands and whatsoeuer they had to promoate the good cause and according to their zeales the Lord granted them a good issue of their enterprise Yet a great many not onely of the raskall sorte but sundry men of name and worldly reputation joyned themselues with the congregation of the reformers not so much for zeale of religion as to reape some earthly commoditie and to be inriched by spoyle of the Kirkes and Abbey places And when the Preachers told them that such places of Idolatrie should be pulled downe they accepted gladly the enterprise rudely passing to worke pulled down all both Idoles places where they were found Not making difference betweene these places of Idolatrie and many Parish-Kirks where Gods word shuld haue bin preached in many parts where they resorted as in such tumultes and suddainties vseth to come to passe namelye among such a nation as we are So their persones I meane so manye of them that had more respecte to the spoyle of Kirks no◅ to religion I count to haue bene the first sacrilegious amongst vs. With these I joyne an other sorte both of Gentlemen and labourers of the grounde that were put in hope to haue their ◅eindes al-to-gether discharged And in that respect rather then any zeale of religion did assiste the reformation Nowe albeit they were frustrate of their expectation yet their intention being to appropriate the Kirk rentes to their own vse they cannot be excused at leaste of a sacrilegious meaning An other thing fell out at that time which may be excused by reason of necessitie when as the Lordes and some of the Nobilitie principall enterprysers of the reformation hauing to doe with the French men and many their assisters of our owne Nation enemies to these proceedings were forced not onely to ingage their owne landes and bestowe whatsoeuer they were able to furnish of their owne patrimonie for maintenance of men of warre and other charges but also to take the Lead Belles with other Iewelles and ornaments of
Kirkes abbayes other places of superstition to employ the same and the prises thereof to resist the enemies The most parte of the Realme beand in their contrarie This I say cannot be altogether blamed For in like cases wee finde examples in the Scriptures how things dedicated euen to the true seruice of God for necessities cause were distracted and employed to stay the fury of enemies not onely by such Kinges as had made defection from the puritie of Religion but also by one of the most godly Kings of Iuda EZECHIAS by name who gaue to the king of Ashur to pacifie his inuasion not onely all the money that was founde in the house of the Lorde a◅d in the Kings treasurie but also pulled off the plates that couered the doores of the Temple and the Pillers which he himselfe had couered with golde And by the Ciuill Lawes and Cannons of councelles it is permitted for necessities cause as for ransoming of Captaines to annaly such things as be dedicat to the seruice of God But this is no excuse to them who in that time of tumult for their owne particular gaines cause medled either with gold siluer or other thing that mainteined the Idolatrie superstitiō of Papists For they could not vsurp it with good conscience Although for eschewing of great inconueniences there was a law and act of parliamēt made to absolue thē before men called the acte of Obliuion Albeit I can not see how these men not being constrained for maintenance of the publick actiō may be sufficiētly excused in good cōscience before God that meddle with either bels lead relicques Iewels stones timber or such like things of any effectual valure taken by thē of the demolishing of abbeies cathedral-kirks Frieries nunries or any such like places which ought rather to haue bin bestowed vpō the kirks affaires or vpō the poor And in tokē that God was offended with thē making the spoile of the kirk to cleaue to their hands it was shortly sene that the Lorde blew so vpon it that it vanished away from the most part of them And they that thinke now to make profit by spoyling the kirk shall feele a judgment of God following them as many of them already confesse by experience that their houses are nothing enriched but rather damnified therby For there followeth such a curse secret mishap vpō that kinde of graith that when euen for necessarye causes it is applyed to profane vses oftentimes it neither profiteth them that giue it nor that receue it EZECHIAS was not delivered from SENNACHERIB for al that he gaue him For he immediatly brake his promise And the Lead that was taken off our Kirkes and Monasteries a greate parte perished by Sea and an other was little advantage to them who medled therewith But all this was of small accounte in respect of that which after hath followed and dayly falleth out in this vnruly common-wealth For from the yeare of our Lorde 1560. vnto this present time the greatest study of all men of power of this land hes bene by all kinde of inventions to spoyle the Kirk of Christ of her patrimonie by chopping and changing diminishing of rentals cōuerting of victual in small sumes of money setting of fewes within the availe ◅ong tackes vppon tackes with two or three life-rentes with many twentie yeares in an tack annexationes erectiones of Kirk rents in temporall liuings and heritage pensiones simple donationes erecting of new patronages vnion of teindes making of new Abbattes Commendatares Priors with other Papistical titles which ought to haue no place in a reformed Kirk and cuntrie with an infinite of other corrupt and fraudfull waies to the detriment and hurte of the Kirke the schooles and the poore without any stay or gaine-calling till all the reuenues of the Kirke are so wracked that the posteritie may looke for a playne decay of Religion which cannot stande vnlesse it be holden vp by preaching and preaching cannot be had without prouision vnlesse God by some meanes put to his mercifull hand and remeid these euils For this deceitfull Idole of auarice in spoyling the Kirke goodes hath so seased the selfe in mens heartes that amongst vs the meanes are already taken away in many parts where by the ordinarie ministerie should be susteined Yea a great part of the Realme lacke Pastours and Ministers The Kirks are reviued and manye of them made Sheepe-coates or applyed to more filthy vses O what barbarous crueltie is it to beholde and suffer so many poore soules perishing for lacke of their ordinarie foode which is the word of God not onely in the out-Iles Hie-landes and Bordoures of Scotland but also in many partes of the Law-lande so that either Papistr◅e and Idolatrie must needes enter in againe or either plaine Athiesme take place with all contempt of Religion amongst these miserable destitute people And what a count shall they giue vnto God that are the cause not onely of murthering the poore by withdrawing from them the foode of their bodies but by causing so many soules lacke the Spirituall foode whereby they should be nourished vnto euerlasting life in Christ by their insatiable auarice Trueth it is Parliamentes haue bene conveened and actes haue bene made for providing Ministers of competent liuinges for reparaling of Parish-Kirkes for trayning vp the youth in schooles of Theologie It hath bene also promised and subscribed in writte by a greate parte of the Nobilitie that the poore labourers of the grounde should haue an ease and reliefe of the rigorous exacting of their teindes and many other good thinges haue bene devised tending to the advancement of the glorie of GOD and establishing of Christ his Kingdome Amongst vs namely in time of the gouernemente of that good Regente whome for honoures cause I name who although he could not doe all that hee woould haue done hauing so manie hinderances and enemies yet his dooings might haue bin a perfite paterne of Godlinesse to the reste of the Nobilitie to make them bene content to liue vppon their owne rentes and to cease from robbing and spoyling the Patrimonie of the Kirke But experience hath declared and dayly doth declare the moste parte of such professoures vnder-takers of Religion and for-faking of Idolatrie to haue fought and yet seeke none other thing but to pull to them-selues the Kirke-goodes possest by Papistes And to foster as a Serpente in their bosome that venemous Idole of auarice For all insatiable auaricious persones are Idolaters indeed and it cannot be but by making a God of vnlawful gaine they deny the liuing God dishonoring him most ignominiously by setting in their hearts that Mammon of iniquitie which they loue better then him in his place And if all avariceous men generally after this maner may be called Idolaters how much more they who spare not to fil their houses with the spoile of the Lord his house and of the poore How dare they either call vpon his Maiestie or come
threatning the judgementes of God to the terrour of all Sacrilegious persones calling them murtherers of the indigent and poore Yea they may be called murtherers both of the bodies and soules of men as was declared in an other place And I cannot see how we who nowe beare office in the Kirke can bee excused vnles we proceed after this manner as the auncient Kirke did against the Sacrilegious of our time who increase and multiplie daylie In such sort that without seuere discipline they may not bee possibly suppressed Yea I feare me the medicine be too late and ouer-long delayed which should haue bene applyed to this kinde of disease And as to the ciuill magistrates punishmente wee haue little appearance to looke for it seeing the most parte of these who should remeid this euill are infected themselues with the same sicknes Notwithstāding that all kinde of Lawes both natural and written diuine and humane damne this haynous cryme For it is euen againste nature to the Children to robbe and spoyle their Mother or Parents as the Kirk of God is to euery one that professe themselues to bee members and haue bene brought vppe in the bosome thereof And let vs see what punishment the naturall Philosopher PLATO in his bookes of Lawes judges the Sacrilegious worthie of If any man sayth hee be found so bolde to commit such a haynous offence as Sacrilege which wee would not can sharpely beleeue to fal in any wel brought-vp-persō if it be an slaue seruant or stranger or strangers seruant let an mark be imprinted in his face and hande and let him be scourged with so many stripes as pleaseth the Iudge and then casten out of the Cuntrie naked that peradventure he may become thereafter wise and of a better minde But if hee be a Citiner meaning a man of free condition who committeth at any time such an offence notwithstandinge his good education from his youth-heade yet the Iudge may vnderstande such ◅ne one to bee incurable Therefore death is the leaste evill hee should susteine But it may profite for ensample to all others if hee be deprived of all honoures and banished the Cuntrie Yee see what equitie is in the Naturall man concerning the punishmente of this crime Now as to the Civil lawes beginning at the lawes of the twelue Tables which were moste aunciente amongst the Romanes we finde the same to be most seuere against the Sacrilegious bearing that they who did robbe by violence or steale holy things or things committed in custodie to holy places should be holden as Parricides that is slayers of their Parentes The Civill Lawes collected by commandement of IVSTINIANI for the moste parte holde the punishmente of Sacrilege to bee capitall that is worthie of death But they varie in the manner of execution For some condemne the Sacrilegious vnto the beastes some to be burned some to be hanged Alwaies the punishmentes are ordeyned to be weyed according to the circumstaunce and qualitie of the persones time age place and estate of thinges to be execute more seuerelie or meekly as the same rēquired For the punishment of them who were condemned to the beastes is restrayned to such onely as break Temples made by hands and take from them by night things dedicate to God But if any in day-light should spoyle any Temple he is decerned to be condemned vnto the Mines or if he were of honest parentage to bee banished in some Ilande and to loose all his goods There be some lawes also that make the punishment of Sacrilege to be extraordinarie All agree in this that is requireth a seuere punishmente as the highest kynde of thieft And extends it as was saide before to all things dedicate to the service of the immortal God so that whosoeuer substract the same being once publickly dedicated committeth Sacrilege and if it were taken priuatly to bee holden as the highest kinde of thieft and like vnto Sacrilege Now if we esteeme it a greater fault to take some little thing out of a material Temple nor to bereaue and take great lands and possessiones from the Kirke is not that to straine out a Gnatte and to swallow vp a Camell Would to God I were able to walken these men out of the deadly sleepe of security wherein they lye blinded by their corrupt affectiones forgetfull of the vnhappie ende whereto men are led by insatiable avarice But seeing neither admonitiones nor sharpe rebukes can serue in this declining age to remeid this euill yet to make them more inexcusable if they will not amende I will produce certaine ensamples of punishments of Sacrilegious persones partely taken out of the Scriptures and partly out of humane histories of the which persons diverse peradventure may be found lesse gyltie of this crime then these with whome we haue to do to the ende that our sacrilegious if they haue any feling may feare the like judgements to fall vpon them if not in this life yet as great or rather greater thereafter when they shal haue no purse nor penny power nor meanes to make restitution of that which they haue with so euill conscience conquised And first we haue two examples which I haue diuerse times heretofore cited of ACHAN in the Olde Testament of ANANIAS and SAPPHIRA in the Newe who were terribly punished for their Sacrilege as it is at length set foorth in the Holie Histories bearing their doings and Tragicall ende of their liues Wee haue further the Historie of OPHNI and PHINEAS the Sonnes of HELI who were both slayne of the Philistimes in one day the Arke of God was taken HELI their Father brake his necke for the sleuthfull correcting of them The chiefe cause of their punishmente is evidently set downe to haue bene For the Sacrilegious abusing of the Sacrifices of the Lorde and making the people to loath the same in bereaving the raw fleshe before it vvas offered besides their other abuses Wee haue likewise the Historie of NEBVCHADNETZAR the greate who spoyled the Temple of GOD in Ierusalem taking from thence ane parte of the Golden and Silver Vesselles appoynted for the service of the Lorde and carryed the same to the Lande of SHINAR to the House of his GOD putting the same in his Gods Thesaurie Which not-with-standing it was the Lordes worke and appoyntmente to witte that Ierusalem and the Temple shoulde bee destroyed for the sinnes of the people Yet the Tyraunte thought not thereof but did execute the pryde of his hearte in that ouerthrow Albeit there were some thinges in him that may condemne the Sacrilegious of our Age for hee tooke but one parte of the Vesselles of Gods House and not all and brought them not into his owne House but into the House of his GOD Wherein albeit ignorantly hee placed his Religion So hee declared some good Conscience in his blinde zeale Yet the Lorde did seuerely correcte and punishe him in his greatest pryde deposing him from his Royall