rehearsall of ensamples of extraordinary punishments execute by God against such aswell mentioned in the Scriptures as by profane writers and Histories And finallie to speake of the blessing of the Lorde bestowed vpon them who did advance his seruice and contribute liberallie of their substance for the vp-holding and furthering thereof So that our exhortation may tende if not to prouoke others to the like liberalitie at least to mooue them to absteine from such vngodly dealing as to abstract and greedely apply to their owne profite particular vses that which hes bene giuen of others of good zeale euen in the time of ignorance to vp-hold the seruice of God so fa◅ as the giuers thereof then vnderstoode The Lord graunt that our proceedings may be to his glorie and that his worde may fructifie in our hearts To begin then to explaine what wee cal Sacrilege I finde the worde taken diuerse waies by writers For because the crime properly called Sacrilege is odious commonly all haynous offences committed against publicke Lawes of God or man are named Sacrilegious As the Poet calles them Sacrilegious handes that murthered CA◅SAR The practises of Sorcerers and harlots are called Sacriligeous artes In like maner the violence done to Parents Magistrates or their lawes and generally all things that ingender publick infamy or slander may bee so denominate in detestation of the committers thereof But Sacrilege properly taken hath respect vnto God and offenses done against his divine majestie either by blaspheming or profanation of his holy name or by ascribing his glorie to creatures or by contempte of his seruice or religion or by abusing of thinges dedicate to the maintenance thereof or turning the same to profane vses And in summe it comprehendeth al robberie or stealing of holy things as the worde it selfe by interpretation beares Trueth it is that commonly among the Gentiles who ascribed all the Majestie and honour of their Gods vnto Idoles the name of Sacrilege was appropriate to that which was robbed from their Idols or taken from their Temples wherinto certaine vaine and superstitious ceremonie◅ they placed their whole Religion As the Papistes following the like superstition commonly count no other Sacrilege but the robbing of their relicques other rich apparrell of their Temples and Idols But indeed it is easie to prooue by the Scriptures and also by best approoued laws of men that which is properly to be counted Sacrilege to be more largely extended then to such a narrow compasse For besides things immediatly done against the honor majestie of God whereof I cease nowe to speake I finde Sacrilege may be defined to comprehend conteine vnder it also all robberie or vnlawfull intrometting bying or selling of holy things as by the ensamples and testimonies following may be euidently prouen For it is not to be doubted but ACHAN in the dayes of IOSVA thiefteously medling with the excommunicate spoile of Iericho committed thereby detestable Sacrilege as the punishment execute against him did declare Al-be-it these thinges were not taken out of any materiall Temple Likewise HOPHNI PHINEAS sonnes of HELI the Priest who spoyled and refte from the people the Ram-flesh of the sacrifices before the fat was offred vnto the Lorde according to the Law cannot be excused of haynous Sacrilege The like is to be esteemed of the people whome the Prophet MALACHIE rebuked for defrauding of the Lord and spoyling him of his teindes offrings for the which cause hee pronounceth them accursed And in the New Testament were not ANANIAS SAPPHIRA guilty of the sacrilege defrauding and stealing from the Apostolicall Kirk the just price of the fielde solde by them Their suddane exterminion to death by the mouth of PETER doth beare witnesse And would not SIMON the Sorcerer by bying the gifts of the holy Ghost haue committed execrable Sacrilege For the which PETER threatned him with vtter destruction So Sacrilege wee see may be committed many waies although no materiall Temples be robbed or spoyled In the ciuill lawes also set out by Christian Emperours it is not onely counted Sacrilege if any man do violence or injurie vnto Priestes or ministers of God which kinde of sacrilege is ouer-rife also in our daies or to diuine seruice or place wher it is ministred but also generally if any breake Gods holy law and in special whosoeuer of knowledge toucheth or taketh things destinat to religious vses and maketh no scruple to buy or sell or with-draw the same any way are said in these lawes to haue fallen in crimen laesae religionis which is Sacrilege Now if any man would demand what be those holy things or how far be they extended whereof we account the intrometting to be Sacrilegious I answer according to the Scriptures All things separate from the common vse of men whether it be man or beast or lande of inheritance together with all the teinds of the landes and other things destinate for holy vses are saide to bee most holy vnto the Lord as is expressely conteined in the last Chapter of Leuiticus And a little before it is said nothing that any man doth dedicate vnto the Lorde of ought that he hath be it man or beast or land of his possession may be sould or analyed And if a man would redeeme any thereof hee should adde a fift part thereunto So that he may not lawfully diminish any of that thing which hath bin dedicate to an holy vse As also by the sacred cōstitutiones of Emperours Princes such things cannot be annalied nor ingaged vnlesse it be in great necessitie as for the relief of the poore or captiues for al these holy things are said to be in no mans possession but to appertein to God his right So vnder the name of holy thinges are to be included first all thinges that bee holy of their owne nature as are the spirituall giftes of God bestowed vpon his Kirke which SIMON the sorcerer would haue bought And generallie whatsoeuer perteineth immediatly to the glory and honour of Gods holy Majestie Of the which sorte are the holy Scriptures and doctrine conteined therein the which to violate is most haynous Sacrilege so as IOHN testifieth in the end of the Revelation whosoeuer adde anie thing thereto God shall adde against him the plagues written in the booke whosoeuer taketh any thing there-fra God shal take rase out his name out of the book of life From the which kinde of Sacrilege the Papistes of our daies cannot bee excused who haue falsifyed the writings of the auncient Fathers exponing the Scriptures either by fathering vpō them such works as they neuer writ or by adding altering or diminishing their sayings to foster mainteine corrupt doctrine And namely by that Treatise lately come to light which they cal Index expurgatorius wherin they note all such places as make against their superstition and will haue all Imprenters of bookes whom they may commande to delete and
omitte all such sentences as they haue thought meete to be razed out of these workes Of this sorte are also they who apply the Scriptures to vngodly and profane vses as to diuilish sorcerie charmes or to Idolatrie or profane jesting and mockage In this firste ranke also are to be counted the Sacraments of Christ annexed to the worde which in like manner haue bene corrupted by the Papistes ministring them without doctrine and adding thereto many superstitious rites of their owne inuentions Nexte in the second order of Sacrilege wee place the violence done to the Ministers of God either in their bodies or in their office who are called holy in respect of their function For albeit al the faithful be called the Saints or holy ones of the Lord and who toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye as the Prophete speaketh yet of the Prophets and 〈◊〉 in special it is saide Touch not 〈◊〉 â—…ted and doe my Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they that invade or huit theÌ„ in theiâ—… persons especially for the holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are culpable of great sacrilege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they be worthy of the titles of 〈◊〉 and ministers and do the duâ—…y â—…ning to that charge For they are ane chiefe parte of the Holie Temple of God which may be highly violated if violence be done to them in their persons or in their office In the third roome are to be placed things dedicate to the holy seruice of GOD for maintenance thereof such as are the Teindes Landes and possessiones appoynted for that vse For although they of themselues in their owne nature may bee counted commoun and profane like to others earthlie possessiones yet in so farre as they are annexed to holy vses and can not bee separate with-out the decaye thereof they may well bee called and ought to bee repute holy So it may bee well concluded that who-so-euer invade or vsurpe vnlawfully any of such holy thinges therein committes Sacrilege Concerning the which Sacrilege because it is most common in this Land and yet holden by many no great sinne but rather a lawfull conquest to appropriate such thinges to mennes priuate vses I minde specially to inciste and make some large discourse not onelie in this dayes Sermon but if God graunte me hability the two Sabboth-daies hereafter following To enter then to speake more particularlie of this laste kinde of Sacrilege I finde it to bee diuided in the auncient Cannons in three sorts to witte when thinges called holie either are taken out of an holie place or holy thinges out of a profane place or thinges not holy out of an holy place Al-be-it some Ciuill Lawes call it not Sacrilege but thieft to take priuate mennes goodes out of a Sanctuarie or holie place Alwaies to speake according to the Scriptures wee may gather by examples thereof all these three kindes to bee counted as Sacrilege For al-be-it the name of Sacrilege be rarely founde in the Bible and peraduenture not expressed in all the Olde Testamente yet it is alike if we finde the equivalente thereof as when medling with Holie or Excommunicate thinges is called in Hebrew Hherem or spoyling of GOD for the which hee pronounceth a curse vpon the dooers thereof As when NEBVCHADNETZAR spoyled the holy vessels and other plenishing out of the Temple of God in Ierusalem al-be-it that plague come of the Lord yet no doubte he committed a great sacrilege by taking of these holy things out of an holy place Which made CYRVS although he was an Heathen King hauing some sponke of Religion to send these vesselles againe to the house of God Also to prooue it to be Sacrilege to take away holy things al-be-it not out of an holy place or Sanctuarie the ensamples before adduced sufficiently prooue As to the thirde the treasures layde vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by priuate persons and taken away first by IOAS King of Israell and thereafter invaded by HELIODORVS at commandement of king SELEVCVS no man can say but both the on and the other were mooued with a sacrilegeous greede to apply the same to their owne commoditie The plague wherewith HELIODORVS was smitten may well ratifie it to be trueth But as to these two sortes of sacrilege to wit to robbe take away holy things out of an holy place or vnholy things out of an holy place we need not in this corruptage to vexe our selfs much therwith For who wil now commit any treasures to be kept in Kirkes seeing the most part of them be as open as the Kirk-stile as wee vse to speake And to robbe any thing out of them it will not in-rich the sacrilegious vnlesse it bee some poore thiefe for necessitie to rob a peece of a benke or window-bands or such trifles Therefore it is the second kinde of Sacrilege that we haue to intreate of concerning the rich sacrilegious thieues who meddle not with small matters but with landes teindes and great possessions not regarding in what place things dedicate to the holy seruice of God be founde so they may catch apprehend them And first this I gather for a good ground vpoÌ„ that which hath bin already spoken that al they who appropriat to their own priuate vses the patrimonie and rents of the Kirk defrauding thereby disappointing the Ministrie the schooles and the poore of that which should justlye perteine to them are to be holden sacrilegious And consequently that there be mo sacrilegious in Scotland considering the quantitie and reuenues thereof then in any other countrie that hath embraced the true light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Whereof almost all men amongst vs will bee called professours but in that poynte not a fewe number are become transgressoures Then to compare time with time our estate with the estate of the people of the Iewes wee may vnderstande and perceiue as in the daies of PAVLL when he wrote this Epistle the Iewish people were ridde of externall Idolatrie hauing their Temple purged froÌ„ the pollution of the Gentiles hauing liberty graunted vnto them to vse and exercise their Religion So hes the Lord deliuered vs of his mercie from the Papisticall Idolatrie our Temples from their superstition yea and freede vs from the tyranny of them that helde vs in the thraldome of conscience Yea I say our estate hath bene far better in this behalfe then that of the Iewes For as to them although they had an outward face of Religion purged from externall Idolatrie yet the doctrine of God his law was in many chief points corrupted by false and wrong wresting and exponing thereof by the Scribes Pharisees and others pretending themselues to be Doctors thereof Whereas praise be to God since the first reformaof religion amongst vs the poore doctrine of the Gospel hath bene continued in ane estate without anye substantiall poynte of errour with discipline agreeing thereunto And whatsoeuer hath bin cast in by Satan to disturbe the same the Lorde hath not suffred
that by the juste judgement of God they are were all destroyed I answer that the cause wherfore the true God of heauen brought such punishments vpon them who spoiled their own false gods was because of the Sacrilegious contempt which these men did to them whome they helde for their gods and so were enemies to their own relicques which they professed that may serue to teach the Sacrilegious of our daies how more seuerely they deserue to be punished either here or hēce who professing the knowledg of the true God vse such profane attempts contrary to their Religion For as to such rake-hell houndes as was Dionysius the tyranne of Sicilia who can but abhor the Sacrilegious spewing out their abhominable taunts Who after his Sacrilege committed in spoyling of his gods hauing a favorable winde in his navigation saide to men yee see friends how favorable the gods be to the Sacrilegious And comming to the Temple of Iupiter Olympius drew from him his goldē cloak skoffing that it was too heauy to him for sūmer too cold for winter taking frō AEsculapius his golden beard saide it seemed not the same to haue a beard the father Apollo to be beardles As also when he took of al the gifts that wer offred to the idols holden vp by their handes pretended that they were willingly holden out and presented to him by the good gods Brennus also of whom I spak before as Trogus Pompeius reports spoyling the temples of Macedonia in skoffing maner said that the gods who were rich ought to bestow on mortall men of their liberall gifts But finally this man in despaire killed himself and the other Dionysius as is reported of him vrged by an evill conscience after that he had sold by publick voice Proclamation that which hee had spoyled from the Temples compelled them to whom such things were sold to restore them to the Temples from the which they were taken But how-so-euer this godles tyrant behaued himself we read how he was casten out of his kingdome being brought to great necessitie was compelled to teach a Grammer Schoole at Corinthus And shall wee think the punishment of such men to be included only within the short time of this life albeit for the most parte such men escaped not the Temporal punishments as the historie of their liues beares record But let vs come to the nearer examples when the Wandals came with a puissante armie against Duke Gabinius as is recited out of Eutropius the Duke sente some of his Captaines disguised to see whither the Wandals reverenced the Temples of the Christians or spoyled them If they spoyle or violate them saith he the God whom the Christians worship whom I know not if he be so powerfull as they saye will not spare them that spoyle his houses and so it come to passe For the Wandals marching forwarde inriched with the spoyle and goodes of the Kirke were vanquished in battell slaine put to diverse torments But Alaricus king of the Gotthes by the contrary hauing won Rome would not suffer his men to spoile the Temple of S. PETER nor touch any person being therein for the reverence he did bere to the place Clotharius King of France likewise as Turonenss writeth presuming most irrelegiously as certaine other Kinges to take the goodes of the kirk into his Thesaurie made an Edicte that all the Kirkes of his Realme should pay to him the third parte of their fruits But being rebuked of a certaine Bishop did retreat his ordinance a rare example indeed For there is a pestiferous maladie whereof few amend by repentance To come yet nearer wee reade of King WILLIAM of England called Rufus who for his pleasure pastime to inlarge his Forrest demolished 17. Parish Kirks and all the Townes about them But in the same forrest being at his game in the very place as some say where one of the Kirks stood was slaine by an arrow shot at a Deere by a certaine Knight there fell down dead immediatly For pleasure procured with the displeasure of the Almightie cannot well profite As for domesticall examples of Kinges of this Cuntrie that were spoylers of the Kirk or Kirk-goods they are very rare to bee found Indeede wee reade of Feredethus who arrogate vnto himself the kingdom of Pictes after the death of Hungus that he toke againe from the Kirk ministers thereof such as then were the possessions which Hungus being a godly king had giuen them Which is reported to haue bin one of the causes wherfore the kingdome of the Pictes thereafter was destroyed But amongst the Scottes Kinges I neuer read of any that tooke from the kirk any possessions So did they abhor Sacrilege howsoeuer otherwaies some of thē were wicked and of licencious life But it is easie to reade of very many that bestowed liberally vppon the seruice of God And more liberally in some respectes then become them yet alwaies godly as they supposed in their zeale And albeit I allowe no superfluitie in the Kirke-rentes but all may serue the king in time of necessitie Yet this may bee esteemed as one of the causes that GOD hes continued his Kingdome to stand so long vncōquished or translated to Forrayne power aboue the continual successe of an hundreth generationes Which is rare to be founde in any other kingdome The Lorde graunt that the corruption of our dayes bring not such an alteration as wee haue not seene nor yet haue heard of before Let vs therefore rather prayse others who by their godly zeale haue advanced the service of God and bestowed liberally of their substance for maintenance of the same In the booke of Exodus wee haue a notable example of the people of Israell Who offered so liberally to the wooke of the Tabernacle that MOYSES vvas forced to cause proclayme throughout the hoste that no man or vvoman should offer any further for the service and building thereof Because there were yuough and more bestowed already to that effect Oh what contrarietie is betweene them and their doings and our men who cannot cease nor leaue off without any hoe to takaway that which hath bin offred by others til almost now there is no thing left behind The like zeal of the Princes of Israel in their offring at the dedicatiō of the tabernacle as is writtē of thē wherto I remit you for shortnes This zeal is commended by DAVID in the Psalme 122. whereas he reioyced at the readines of the people to serue God in his Tabernacle And because I haue begun to make mention of King DAVID and the zeale of the people in his daies Let vs heare what vehement zeale was in himself in this behalfe to provoke others by his example First hee called for the Prophete NATHAN saying vnto him behold I dwell in an house of Ceder trees and the Arke of the Lord is vnder courtaines thinking it an vnmeete thing that his Royall Palace should be
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
thousand yeares by paste since the payment of teinds vnder the Gospell was called an auncient custome which the Christians had obserued by common consente by ayplying the same to the vse of the holy Ministery the poore redeeming of captiues and other godly vses as we may finde in some ancient caÌ„nons of councels So that I can not marvaile ynough of a certaine man who held himself very wel beseen in the laws customs of the cuntry who was not ashamed to affirm that the paimeÌ„t of teindes to the Kirke was not olde but of late brought vp If this man had red diligently the Scottes Chronicles only he might haue found how CONVAL King of Scottes who reigned about the yeare of our Lorde fiue hundreth three score and eight yeares Did statute by lawe that the teindes of all that grew vpon the grounde should be brought in vnto the Priests and service of God vsed in these daies which from that time by long prescription hath bene obserued amongst this our Scottish Nation So that the question cannot nowe haue place whether the teindes perteine to the Kirke or not I will not deny but the teinds might be possibly changed in other meanes of sufficient provision for the Kirke if such godly zeale were nowe amongst men as was of olde time But in so farre as we see the plain coÌ„trarie that men are now readier to take away theÌ„ euer our predecessors were to giue it were a foolish thing to loose the certaine for the vncertaine and that which is neuer likely to come to passe And the wisedome of the fathers hes done better in this behalfe then any thing that wee can nowe deuise or performe Therefore whosoeuer now doe abstracte the teindes from that vse for the which they haue bene of so auncient time appoynted amongst Christians they are to be repute as violaters of that godly and publick order and good estate of Christian common-wealths and cannot be excused from Sacrilege Because time hasteth me to an ende I am compelled for the present to cut many thinges Therefore I come shortly to the laste refuge of these Kirk-robbers whereas they alleage for themselues their titles tacks and assedations with oother evidentes rights whereby they possesse and brooke the teindes And many wil say also that their predecessors haue had kindnesse thereto of long time by-past And others moreouer will alleage and say wee haue payed great gressomes and sums of entresse silver therefore besides our yearely dutie hauing these teindes disponed to vs by them who had power to set the same To aunswere shortly to all this first I say to the takes-men that all their tackes and titles for the moste parte are set contrarie to the common Lawe and so are null in themselues And if wee shall examine them by the Lawe of Conscience which is the chiefe Lawe that Christistians ought to liue by it will be harde to purge the taker and also the setter of Sacrilege The first cause that mooued them of the Kirke to let teindes in tackes was to defende them from the invasion and violence of such mightie robbers as spoyled them of their possessions For otherwise it was not lawfull in any case by their Cannones that any of them whome they called the Laick sorte should haue any medling therewith But now it falles out plain contrariwise that none doe greater hurte to the Kirk then those tackesmen to make their own greedie gaine of the Kirk-goods And they may wel be compared to manchpresents as we speake taking to themselues the best parte leauing the least portion to the Kirks vse So I say that none of them that take the teindes in assedation with euident diminution of the olde rentals can pretende but they greatly hurte the Kirke contrary to good lawes conscience Yea many of their tacks are not only within the halfe of the just availe but oftentimes within the tent part as victuals now are solde For colouring of the which there is a new fraud of the law devised by converting victuall into money vnknowne to our Fore-bearers because say they vâ—…ctuall was sometime sold for such prices But where finde they that argumente à posse ad esse valiable in the Law or why preferre they not at least the option to the receiuer rather to choose then to the giuer or els why will they not paye Sterling money or the auaile thereof as good as it was when victualles were so solde Who will go to the market now with our money to buy victuall of such prices and not be mocked Whereto should I insiste longer vppon the newe mainteined corruptiones of this age to defraude the Kirke of her due right It shoulde weary both mee to rehearse and you to heare it When as tackes was not set in times by-paste but for the space of ninetene years the farthest Now three nintene years with three life-rents all in one tacke is thought nothing Yea many make heritage of the teindes as they haue done of the landes I omitte to speake of the oppression of the poore laborers of the grounde whereof I made mention before As to the kindnesse which these men alleage because it is of no force in the Lawe I cease likewise to speake thereof And as to the power of them that set these tackes being for the most parte titulars of Prelacies I counte them no lesse Sacrilegious then the takers as if I had time and space I might easely prooue With them also I joyne a sort of false brethren called beneficed Ministers who make as little conscience to dilapidate the kirk-rents as others do So that there is no estate free of Sacrilege in theâ—…e vnhappie daies Lorde arise and caste out all byers and sellers with thieues and robbers and corrupted Sacrilegious dealers out of the Kirke and stirre vppe some zealous reformers of these manifolde deformities that the Kingdome of Christ maye continue amongst vs and his Gospell not be removed and taken from vs for our great ingratitude and sinnes in abusing the name and profession of the same To whome with thee O Father and holie Ghost be all honour and glorie Aâ—…en AGAINST SACRILEGE The third Sermon Rom. 2. vers 22. 23. 24. 22 Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacrilege 23 Thou that gloriest in the Law through breaking of the Lawe dishonorest thou God 24 For the name of God is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles through you as it is written MAny shiftes and excuses can the corrupt nature of man finde out to cloake their euill doings and impieties how justly soeuer they bee challenged for their faultes if so be they bee not willing to redresse the wronge committed by them As in this matter whereof we intreate ye haue hard what pretended excuses and coloured reasons they whome wee blame as gyltie of Sacrilege oppone and alleage for themselues Which I suppose haue bene sufficiently aunswered and refuted in the former Sermon Nowe it resteth
to bee declared what daungers such Sacrilegious persones stande into and what punishment they be worthie of who are gyltie of that crime Aswell by the Lawe of God as by humane and Civill Lawes And if they will not amend for feare of these punishmentes appoynted by good Lawes because Magistrates in that parte doe not their office and the law lacks execution in this corrupted estate Yet at leaste they may be terrified in their Consciences if they haue anie feeling with the examples of the extraordinarie judgements of God execute against the sacrilegious before our daies when the world was not so male-part in rebellion as nowe it is For the which purpose I shall God-willing bring forth ensamples both of the divine historie and of profane writers declaring howe the wrath of God fell vpon such kinde of men from time to time And how by the contrarie the blessing of the Lorde hath continually bene with them who travelled carefully to buyld Gods house and to bestowe liberally of the goodes which hee gaue them vpon his seruice and servants Firste then to beginne with the punishmentes appoynted and threatned by Gods Lawe againste the Sacrilegious In Deuteronomie wee finde it written that all they who meddle with thinges dedicate to Religion albeit it bee Idoles service and applie the same to their private commoditie are to bee counted Anathema that is accursed of GOD both they and the thinges which they by such meanes appropriate vnto themselues Bring not sayeth the Lawe the abhominable thinge into thine House neither couet the Golde or Silver which is on them to take it to thy selfe leaste thou be snared therevvith For it is abh◅mination vnto the Lorde thy GOD Therefore thou shall abhorre it because it is accursed leaste thou bringing the abhominable thing in thine house be accursed as it is Nowe that the like curse falleth vpon them that take or with-holde the holy thinges dedicate to the seruice of the Lorde it is manifest in the Prophet MALACHIE a good interpreter of the Law By whom God complayning vpon the Sacrilegious people of Israel in his daies saith Ye are accursed with a curse because ye haue spoyled me And they demanded as such men are euer quarrelous wherein they had spoyled him he answereth in his teindes and offrings And before a little he had saide Will any man spoyle his gods Whereby he declared that it was a rare thing which is moste frequent in our dayes euen among Idolaters to commit Sacrilege So we see the curse is common both vppon them that defraude the Lorde of holy things dedicate to his seruice and them that appropriate to themselues thinges dedicate to Idols Moreouer we finde Sacrilege punished with death in the person of A◅HAN according to the Lawe For it is written in IOSVA He with whom the Excommunicate thing beis deprehended let him be burned with fire euen he and all that hee hath Because he hath transgressed the couenant of the Lorde and committed a haynous offence in Israel And the children of Israell saith he moreouer cannot stande before their enemies for they are gyltie of a curse and I will not be with you till ye haue destroyed the accursed c. Here we may see it was not an extraordinary punishment that was vsed against ACHAN but required the like executiō in like case for the transgression of the couenant of the Lord to wit first to be stoned according to the Lawe and thereafter burned with all his substance Yet men may say this was a politicke Law giuen for a time vnto the people of Israell onely But giuing it so be yet it serueth to our purpose to proue what punishment hath bene statute in the law of God against Sacrilegious persones who so highlie provoked the wrath of God not onely against themselues but against the whole people if they suffred such impietie amongste them vn-punished as this example of ACHAN declared And let vs come to the New Testament we shal perceiue the Lords wrath not yet to be quenched against such per sons Consider our text doth not the Apostle here comparing Sacrilege with Idolatrie declare that the Iewes aswel as the Gentiles were vnder the wrath of God for this crime in special And if we thinke the punishmente greate that fell vpon ACHAN and his familie What lesse was that which PETER executed vppon ANANIAS SAPPHIRA for the like or rather les offēce wer they not both severely dung dead at an instāt And albeit that was an extraordinary punishment if respect be had to the person of PETER yet non can deny but it was justly deserved Otherwise PETER had bene to blame in the execution thereof whom the Spirit of God doth alwaies allow Herefore it avayleth not to extenuate this crime and the punishment thereof as that it were not so to be agreged nor so seuerly damned vnder the lawe of the Gospell as it was in the Lawe of MOYSES For although Christian Magistrates be not astricted to followe the pollicie of that Law in all poynts yet Sacrilege is ay Sacrilege And very sharp lawes hath bene made for punishment thereof not onely by Christian Princes and Magistrates but also by the Heathen Princes and law-giuers in their natural zeale and light But let vs first come to Ecclesiasticall Cannons lawes I meane not the decrees of the Popes of Rome whereof it is easie to alleage an innumerable multitude but the ancient Cānons of Councelles and the writes of godlie Fathers of the Kirke agreeable to the Scriptures The greatest punishment the Kirke hath to vse ordinarily against all disobedient persones according to Ecclesiasticall discipline is Excommunication For wee haue not to followe the Papistes in exceeding the boundes of Ecclesistical jurisdiction by imposing corporall punishment and pecuniall paines to the offenders such as belong to the Civill Magistr◅t So I say Excōmunication but excommunication in the highest and most seuere sorte was appoynted by the Cannons and Discipline of the Kirke against the Sacrilegious For we know there were two kindes of Excommunication the one called the lesse which was debarring from the Sacraments of the Kirke the other the greater which was a cutting off from the whole society of Christes bodie which by the ancient Fathers is ofte◅times called Anathema Alwaies it is not to be vnderstood of that Anathema whereof the Apostle PAVLL speaketh taking it for Extreme Exterminion from Christe But in the other sense as the Fathers vsed it It is taken in the eight Cannon of the Councel called Gangrense which was a very auncient and godly Councell holden about the 324. yeare of Christ wherein it was statute that if any man presume to tak or dispone things offred to the Kirk except the Bishoppe or they who are depute to ministrat mercy vnto the poore let him bee Anathema that is accursed with a greater Excommunication To this agree many other Cannons of Councelles and auncient Fathers with more seuere wordes
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