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
For if they had not beleeued that these their gifts were to be applyed to the seruice of God and godly vses they would never haue bestowed any of their substance rentes or lan◅es to any Kirk or religious place That this is true It is manifest by their euidents fundations and charters made vpon such donations in the words dispositiue euer bearing this clause Deo Ecclesiae to God and his Kirke before they make mention of any Saint place or other vse whereto the same was to be applyed Nowe seeing all these gifts are so giuen it is reason that God being first named in the Charters haue the firste place as beste and worthiest and as the principall receiuer of these donationes which are nothing else but a small portion of his owne which hee before hath giuen vnto them A◅d as a certaine zealous man was wonted to saye let God haue his life-rente as the first person expressed in the charters take thē the rest I adde to this answere giuing not granting that the principal final cause wher fore these giftes were bestowed should cease yet it is no reasō that the same shuld returne to the giuers or their aires being once simply disponed giuē to the kirks vse yea and mortifyed therto as they vse to speake which the laws call publick dedication to the Kirke But in the same in that case if the cause wherfore they were giuen be not a good cause these gifts are to be applyed to more godly vses not profane vses according to that common rule of the law quod semel Deo dicat est deo c. The things once dedicat to God may not therafter be applyed to profane vses without great necessity as for redemptiō of captiues or other like cases And for this purpose maketh that notable decisiō of Modestine an anciēt jurisconsult wher of the sum is That a certain leg◅cy being left to a citty for a spectable to be done in memorial of the dead which was not law full to be done in such a Citty It were wrong said he that this legacie should returne backe to the aires of him that left it but the same ought to bee bestowed vppon an other lawfull vse And as these lawes conteine great equitie so were they well practised in the dayes of AVGVTTINE For when the Magistrates did take from the Donatistes their possessiones which they had of the Kirke and they complayned and disputed that none should be depriued of their reuenues for dissention of religiones cause That holy Father answered that these goodes perteined to the Kirk and therefore being rightly taken from them who had made a separation from the Kirk the same should be applyed to other Godly vses of the Kirk As to the Princes part in these matters wee shall speake God willing hereafter But yet to aunswere further to these men who object that their predecessoures as they say gaue such landes and rentes vnto the Kirke in blinde zeale and so they haue reason to take the same againe The antecedent or assumption of this argumēt albeit it were admitted to them to proue I suppose it should remaine vnprouen by a great many of them who are most greedie to invade the Kirk-rentes nowe adayes For such as they be readier as the Proverbe saith to eate the Kirk-loafe then to giue it Yet supposing it were verified it is of no force to serue their turne neither doth the consequent follow thereupon For although they or their antecessors had giuen such thinges to the Kirk by what reason should they take the same againe at their pleasure For what is freer then gift or what is more vnhonest and against humanitie then to take the gift againe being once freely disponed supposing it were giuen to a priuate man whereof he had brooked long possession Howe much more shameles and vnhonest were it to the giuer to take it againe by force Then by stronger reason should this be thought vnlawfull concerning things giuen to God and his Kirk which as the Scripture sheweth cannot be redeemed again but is to be restored whatsoeuer is defrauded thereof although it were by ignorance or else the value with a fift part more To this purpose perteineth that solemne protestation which the people made when they brought in their teindes and offrings to the Lord. And although these be counted among the Mystical politick lawes yet the substance thereof as was proved before remaines to wit the lawe ought not to defraude God his Kirk of their duetie To the which purpose yet let vs heare what AMBROSE a godly father speaketh of such men as would cal back againe that which they haue giuē to the vse of the Kirk There be some saith he who after they haue giuē their goods to the kirk rashly think to revoke the same of whō nether the former gift deserueth thanks nor the latter doing is allowable For the former lacketh judgment the other hath with it Sacrilege There bee some whome it repenteth to haue distributed their goods to the poore but concerning them that so repent it is only to be feared ◅hat they shal not repent of this their rep◅ntance See how this anciēt father doubts not to cal them sacrilegious who take againe from the kirk any thing albeit they themselues haue giuen it To this agrees very wel the law of Iustiniane in this sentēc◅ Seeing it lieth in the hart of a man to do or not do any thing that he intendeth it becommeth him either not to proceede to the doinge thereof or else haste to performe it Not defrauding his purpose by any craftie colour of his irreligious minde so much the more this ought he to take heed to if the gift be depute to godly vses or persons of religiō least he be found not only void of religion but also vngodly And so be subject not onely to the penalty of the law but also to punishmente from heauen And notwithstanding not only he but also his successors in this case shal be compelled to restore that which they haue taken wit-holden with the rest that followes To the same purpose it is is said in another law written in the same title of Donationes speaking of things giuen by mens predecessors that it availeth nothing to say such things perteined to our progenitors after that the right and donation thereof is deuolved to others Yet to beamfill their first argument these men may alleage say that things dedicate to the kirk in Papistrie were dedicat to Idolatry which was not only vnholy but also abominable before God consequētly the lands rents so dedicat can no waies be called holy and so apparantly would infer they ought not to be applyed to the holy seruice of God but rather to profane vses This argumēt they see not how much it makes against themselues For if these things offred to idole seruice be abhominable why bring they abhomination into
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
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
excuse and pretended reason that I thinke these men may alleage who esteeme this kinde of alleaged sacrilege to be no sin at all it being so vniuersall amongst a greate multitude or at leaste not such a kinde of sinne nor so odious as I would aggrege it to be they will say therefore that giuing their intromission with such thinges as sometimes perteined to the Kirk were vnlawfull as they would not graunt it to be yet the name of sacrilege in the proper signification cannot be extended thereto For euen in the lawes which I would alleage to prooue it and by the writers there-upon we finde it is not properly called sacrilege but quasi sacrilegium or instar sacrilegij that is like vnto Sacrilege to take away any of that money or other things giuen to that immortall God for vp-hold of his Religion and seruice I aunswere this is a poore shift for the lawes giueth it as odious a name calling it crimen peculatus and crimen laesae religionis that is to say a crime and guiltinesse of stealing the publick money and a criminall offense against religion But as I said before we take sacrilege according to the meaning of the Scriptures good laws of Christiā Princes aggreable thereunto As indeede the very nature of thinges in themselues leade vs vnto this taking the argument from the lesse to the more that we must needes confesse it to bee a greater sacrilege to take from the Kirk a barrony of lande or the teinde of a whole Parish Kirk being of the valure of many chalders of victuall nor a little thing as a Silver cuppe or chalice out of a Sanctuarie or materiall Kirk For the greater the thieft or spoyle of the holy thing bee it is the greater Sacrilege And as to the place out of the which the holy thing is taken it makes not much to the matter in the law of conscience But to put it out of doubt that this kinde of spoyling the Kirk and defrauding of her right by the worde of God is properly to be called sacrilege No man can deny but to spoyle God is sacrilege Now the Prophet MALACHIE prooueth against the Iewes of his dayes that they spoyled God Because they defrauded him of his teindes and offrings and therefore were al ac◅ursed with a curse Which is the iust punishment of a Sacrilege And very nature it selfe teacheth vs here-unto For men vnderstande naturally and will confesse that to spoyle or steale any thing from a priuate man is a great offense how can they then deny that to spoyle or steale from God things dedicate to his seruice is a more high and haynous transgression and cannot be more properlie tearmed by any name then Sacrilege But yet these men will alleage that the authorities cited out of the Olde Testament to prooue our purpose serue not sufficiently to that effect For albeit in the Leviticall or Ceremoniall law of MOYSES not onely the teindes but also the landes given to the sustentation of the Priestes and Levites were separate from the common vse of men and called Holy yet that law being abrogate or at the least ceasing and taking end the substance thereof being accomplished in Christ wee are no further bounde to the obseruation thereof Therfore the argument taken frō that law concerning holy things ought not now to haue place neither concerning the teindes which are not nowe add◅tted to be payed iure diuino that is of Gods Law as the Cannonistes speake and much lesse concerning Temporall landes giuen to the Kirke in time of Papistrie the which nowe cease to bee of that nature to bee esteemed holy First before I aunswere I am well contented there be a distinction made betweene the ◅andes and Teindes leauing off to speake of the teindes till afterwardes Then I aunswere concerning these Landes or annuall rentes out of Landes delated and giuen to the Kirke that although the Leviticall Lawe with the Ceremonies thereof concerning the outwarde obseruation hath taken an ende and is fulfilled in Christ yet the substance of the policie concerning interteinement of the seruice of God and vp-hold of religion still remaines And it is no lesse necessarie that the ministerie of God amongst vs be mainteined and that sufficient prouision be made to serue other Godlie vses where-unto the Kirke-rentes ought to be applyed nor it was that the Priestes and Leuites shoulde bene vp-holden in the time of the Olde law And as to the holinesse or vnholines of these landes and reuenues albeit in their owne nature as I saide in the former sermon they be like other earthly possessiones yet in so far as they were applyed to an holy vse they may wel be called holy possessions and rents as the Kirk is holy to whose vse they are appoynted Then I say the end and firste cause wherefore these landes and rentes were giuen being therewith to vp-hold the holy seruice of God a like thing in substance aswell in the Euangelical as in the Leviticall Lawe and the same being separate dedicate and mortified as the Law speaketh to that holy vse it can no more be lawful to abstract the same from godly vses then it was in time of the Olde law the Ministers of the word not being otherwaies sufficiently provided nor other godly vses for maintenance of religion and of the poore members of Christ being duely considered and serued But yet they may make instance and say that the gift of thinges bestowed to to the Kirk of old by our fore-fathers in superstition was for a certaine cause to wit to pray for the Dead say Messe and do other superstitious Idolatrous service which nowe is not to be vsed And therefore the cause ceasing the effect should also cease And consequently things giuen for such abuses should returne to the giuers or their aires or at least to the Prince to be otherwaies employed As to that theorike of the Law the cause ceasing the effect ceases giuing it to be true I aunswere with a distinction which the Lawiers themselues make that thereby two kind of causes ar to be considered in thinges to wit the impulsiue cause as they call it and the finall cause Now albeit it be true that the final cause ceasing the effect cōmonly ceases also Yet it is not so in the impulsiue cause which al though it ceasis it makes not the effect of the finall cause which is the principall intention to cease But so it is in this case For albeit it may stand that one of the causes that mooued zealous men in time of blindnes to giue diuerse things to the Kirk and to places then called religious was to pray for the dead and to do other superstitious seruie◅ being perswaded by Monkes Friers and others of their opinion that such praiers were valiable to deliuer soules out of Purgatorie which may be called the impulsiue or moouing cause Yet the principall finall cause was no doubt that they minded to serue God thereby
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