Temporalls Or he who saith Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Gods Let mee but a little shake Aarons Rod and Christs many-corded Whip at our indisciplined Simon to make him at least attentiue to what the Scripture saith Tythes I am sure were once Sacred and what God hath once Sacred call not thou Common But when Sacred When Why not when Adam was first Created When hee was endued with the ten Moralls of the Law And is it not more then probable that among the ten the Lord allotted a Tythe for the maintenance of his seruice Seeing among the ten hee appointed a time for his seruice euen the Sabbath Day the Sanctification whereof Tythes were properly to attend vpon Tythes then no doubt were sacred from the beginning of Adams creation For else when did Abraham learne to pay tythe of All to Melchisedech the Priest of the most high God Or what moued Iacob to vow the paying of Tythes Was it onely from the Example of his grandfather Or were his Tythes onely voluntary and arbitrary till by vow made necessary Why not then his other seruice which he then vowed which he was bound to performe though hee had not vowed it at all His vow was but a stronger Bond to hold and helpe him to the better performance of that dutie which notwithstanding was due without a vow As our solemne vow in Baptisme is but a stronger Bond to tye vs to that obedience to God which wee ought most carefully to performe no lesse then if wee had not vowed at all But if as yet you deny Tythes to bee Consecrate and Sacred by diuine instinct or institution as wanting expresse precept yet at least you your selfe cannot but confesse they began then to be sacred when God said Leuit. 27.30 All the Tythe of the Land both of the Seed of the ground and the fruit of the Trees is the Lords it is holy to the Lord. Yea so holy so sacred that as in the next Verse If any man shall redeeme any of his Tythe he shall adde the fifth part thereto And euery Tythe of Bullocke and of Sheep and of all that goeth vnder the Rod The tenth shall be holy vnto the Lord v. 32. Yea so holy as v. 33. He shall not looke if it be good or bad neither shall he change it else if he change it both it and that it was changed with all shall be holy and it shall not be redeemed Loe then how sacred Tythes bee ratified by a double Tense They are holy and They shall bee holy to the Lord As Iacob confirmed his sonnes blessing I haue blessed him and hee shall bee blessed And where it is said That the Tenth Is holy to the Lord a Learned and Reuerend Prelate of our Church in his Booke of Tythes hath out of the Present Tense drawne this obseruation That the Tenth began not now to bee sacred or consecrated but onely to bee appropriathe for the time to the Leuites concluding the Ordinance to be morally perpetuall from the Creation CHAP. IIII. Tythes in the New Testament proued to be equally Sacred with those in the Old against the Simonists obiection and consequently the definition of Simony concluded according to the former definitions of it by the Schooles and Canons YEa saith our Simon I deny not but that the tenth was holy and sacred during the time of the Old Testament but it ceaseth to be so now in the New O Heresie worthy of Simon himselfe O Folly well beseeming the Aramites who being alreadie ouercome in the Mountaines promised to themselues the Victorie in the Vally Saying The Lord is the God of the Mountaines and not God of the Vallyes And is the Lord the God of the Old Testament and not God of the New Yes euen of the New also For Marke The Tythes were not said to bee holy to the Leuites but to the Lord Nor that they were the Leuites but the Lords The Tythes is the Lords it is holy to the Lord Leuit 27.30 Therefore the Lord rebuking the Iewes for neglecting the payment of their Tythes hee takes the wrong as done to himselfe saying Yee haue robbed Mee Mal. 3.8 Hee saith not Yee haue spoyled the Leuite and the Priest but yee haue spoyled Mee Yf then the Lord himselfe and not the Leuite bee intitled and interessed in the proper right of Tythes then certainely they are as sacred now in the New Testament as euer they were in the Old The Tythes are holy to the Lord. Leuit. 27.28 and they shall bee holy to the Lord v. 32. They are holy it was said then to the Lord of the Old Testament and they shall bee holy to the Lord of the New Testament And to vs there is but one Lord. And tell mee foolish selfe deceiuing Simonist whosoeuer thou art tell me when and where Tythes ceased to be sacred and if thou canst not tell how darest thou call them Temporalls But let me tell thee by the Word of the Lord that Tythes are perpetually sacred Search the Scriptures Goe learne what that meaneth Abraham gaue Melchisedech Tythe of all If thou vnderstandest it not aske the Apostle and it is worth the consideration For Consider saith hee how great this man was vnto whom euen the Patriark Abraham gaue Tythe of the Spoyles Abraham the Father of all the Faithfull not of the Iewes onely but of vs Gentiles also payd Tythe of All. To whom To Melchisedeck And what was this Melchisedeck Priest of the most high God King of Righteousnesse King of Salem in all a perfect Type of Christ our eternall high Priest the Lord our righteousnesse Prince of Peace Did Abraham then the Father of the Faithfull yea the Type of Gods fathfull Church in the Loynes of whose faith as I may say were all the faithfull giue the Tythe of all to Melchisedeck the true Type of Christ our eternall high Priest and the Minister of a better Testament and shall wee doubt to tread in the steps of faithfull Abraham except wee will be Bastards and not Sonnes And if the Apostle vse it as an Argument to proue Christs Priesthood more excellent then Aarons inasmuch as euen Leui in the Loynes of Abraham paid Tythes to Melchisedeck How doe wee then vphold and maintaine this Prerogatiue of Christs Priesthood while wee either deny or diminish his right of Tythes in the Ministry of the New Testament Sith Aaron who was farre inferiour receiued Tythes in the Old yea rather if the Leuiticall Priesthood being inferiour receiued Tythes then the Euangelicall being superiour much more And why is Leui said in the Loynes of Abraham to haue paid Tythes to Melchisedeck but plainely to giue vs to vnderstand that this payment implied an acknowledgement of Christ their Souereigne Lord and true high Priest as in whose onely title and right they also receiued Tythes Hence is it that all the Leuites paid the tenth of their Tenths to Aaron the high Priest and to his Successors Hee being
A CENSVRE OF SIMONIE OR A most important case of Conscience concerning Simonie Briefly discussed not altogether perhaps vnparallel for the Meridian of these Times By H. BVRTON Rector of little Saint Matthewes in Friday-street London Caueat Mercator MAR. 8.36 For what shall it profit a man if he shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Edmund Weauer and Iohn Smethwicke 1624. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES DVKE of CORNWALL and YORKE Earle of Chester c. My gracious LORD and MASTER IF greatest vessels and the most storme proofe yet require the strongest guard when they carrie such a fraight as Pyrates seeke to make their Prey and Prize then let mee craue your HIGHNESSE pardon for putting this my small Barke vnder your Castle Wall as fearing both storme and shot such Merchandise being imbarkt therein as may prouoke the whole Fleete of Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Merchants Pirates rather floating euery where vpon the Catholicke yea Narrow Seas and not suffering any bound for the Holy-land to passe but such as will Trucke and Trade with them to surprise and prey vpon me I know the Cause is good though I acknowledge the Actor weake And although this be a kind of fruit naturally sharpe and tarte especially to aguish palates and queasie stomackes as also accidentally for want of a good season to giue it a competent ripenesse hauing since first it began to bud growne slowly by succisiue and intermissiue howers borrowed from my Court-seruice and my Church Cure and till now lyen close couered vnder the late Frostie barren Winter now reuiued as the Plants with the vernall Sunne it cannot chuse but receiue a great addition of ripenesse and rellish if besides the vniuersall influence of this comfortable season it inioy but a speciall reflection of your HIGHNESSE gracious Countenance vpon it The rather it being a Subiect not vnworthy the knowledge of godly Christian Princes who account the care of Religion as the richest gemme in all their Diademe A care which hath made the Diademe of your Noble Father his sacred MAIESTIE more glorious then all the Kings in Christendome and which J trust shall propagate his glorie to perpetuitie vnto the which eare also as vnto a Crowne Gods good grace and the myrrour of his MAIESTIES example wherein you dayly looke haue already intitled you as the most hopefull heire apparent And heere giue mee leaue most Gracious PRINCE to relate a pithie and pious exhortation of that learned and godly Bishop Iewell to Queene ELIZABETH of blessed memorie vpon the like occasion A speech which because it doth immediately and primarily reflect vpon his MAIESTIE her happie Successor I canot wish a worthier Iewell then your HIGHNESSE to recommend it O that your Grace did behold the miserable disorder of Gods Church or that you might foresee the calamities which will follow It is a part of your Kingdome and such a part as is the principall proppe and stay of the rest I will say to your Maiestie as Cyrillus sometimes said to the godly Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian Ab ea quae erga Deum est pietate reipublicae vestrae status pendet You are our Gouernour you are the Nurse of Gods Church We must open this griefe before you God knoweth if it may bee redressed it is run so farre But if it may be redressed there is no other besides your Highnesse that can redresse it God hath indued your Grace with many graces and fauours O turne and imploy these to the glorie of God that God may confirme in your Grace the thing which he hath begun To this end hath God placed Kings and Princes in their State as Dauid saith That they serue the Lord that they may see and cause others to see to the furniture of the Church The good Emperour Iustinian cared for this as much as for his life Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian and other godly Princes called themselues Vasallos the subiects and bond seruants of God They remembred that God furnished them in their houses and were not vnmindfull to furnish his house Thus and much more this good Bishop to the same purpose And turning himselfe to the Assembly hauing also reproued Sacriledge and Symonie immediately before he addeth those words Haue patience if any such bee here as I well know there are whom these things touch Suffer me to speake the truth it is Gods cause The liuings of such as are in the Ministerie are not in their hands to whom they are due All other Labourers and Artificers haue their hire increased double as much as it was wont to be onely the poore man that laboureth and sweateth in the Vinyard of the Lord of Hostes hath his hyre abridged and abated I speake not of the Curates but of the Parsonages and Vicaridges that is of the places which are the Castles and Towres of fence for the Lords Temple They seldome passe now a dayes from the Patron if he be no better then a Gentleman but either for the Lease or for present money Such merchants are broken into the Church of God a great deale more intollerable then were they whom Christ whipped and chased out of the Temple Thus they that should bee carefull for Gods Church that should be Patrons to prouide for the Consciences of the People and to place among them a learned Minister who might be able to Preach the word vnto them out of season and in season and to fulfill his ministerie seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs They serue not Iesus Christ but their belly And this is done not in one place nor in one Citie but throughout England A Gentleman cannot keepe his house vnlesse he haue a Parsonage or two in Farme for his prouision O mercifull God! whereto will this grow at last If the misery which this plague worketh would reach but to our age it were the more tollerable but it will be a plague to the posteritie it will bee the decay and desolation of Gods Church and it So this good Bishop It needes no application Onely let mee craue leaue to Petition your HIGHNESSE that you would be pleased to sollicite his sacred MAIESTIE for two things The first is that a competent proportion may bee allotted out of euerie Impropriation especially where the Vicaridge indowed is incompetent or none at all for the maintenance of a sufficient Minister The second is that some remedie may be vsed for the more exact preuention of Simonie These are two things well beseeming our great Defender of the Faith His wisedom can best giue direction and his authoritie life to Acts of such difficultie The great Ship of Good hope hauing those two goodly Deckes the Vpper and the Lower so well Man'd so well Rigg'd hauing such a wise experienced Pilot as his MAIESTIE to command such a Masters Mate as your HIGHNESSE to perswade such vnanimous Mariners to obey the becke of their Gouernour what
also a Type of Christ. Leâ— euen the spirit of contradiction it selfe but note how frequently and how effectually the Apostle presseth the right of Tythes resident in Christ as a notable proofe of the eternitie of his Priesthood For in the seuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes the Apostle mentioneth this argument of Tythes no lesse then six or seuen times as Verse 2.4.5 6 8 9. Hee therefore that denieth Tythes to bee due to Christ in the Ministery of the New Testament what doth he else but deny the eternitie of Christs Priesthood the ministration wherof must continue til time shall be no more Yea he must also deny that Melchisedeck was a true type of Christ by vertue of receiuing tythes if now Tythes bee not really due to Christ in the New Testament as they were typically prefigured in the Old Againe when began Tythes first to be paid Was it not so long before the Law was giuen or the Leuites borne Could the Leuiticall Law then disannull the nature of Tythes that they should not for euer continue sacred being before the Law consecrated in Act by our Father Abraham the Type of Christs Church vnto Melchisedech the Type of our eternall high Priest Christ Iesus Decimas Deo Sacerdotibus Dei dandas Abraham factis Iacob promissis insinuat omnes Sancti Doctores commemorant That Tythes are to bee giuen to God and to the Priests of God both Abraham by fact and Iacob by vow doth insinuate and all holy Doctors doe auouch it Admonemus vel praecipimus vt Decima de omnibus Dari non negligatur quia Deus ipse sibi Dari constituit c. Wee admonish and command that the tenth of all things be not neglected to bee paid because God himselfe hath ordained it to bee giuen to himselfe And the perpetuitie of Christs Ppiesthood is proued by Tything as Heb. 7.8 There hee receiueth Tythes of whom it is witnessed that hee liueth Or let the Simonist goe learne what that meaneth Euen so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel Who seeth not that the Apostle there doth paralell the Leuiticall maintenance and the Lords Ordinance the Altar and the Gospel together And doth not the Apostle there challenge to himselfe a power in such maintenance as well as others Marke a power And whence but from the Lords Ordinance And where appeareth the generall practise of this Ordinance but in the Leuiticall Maintenance And where hath this Maintenance the first foundation and institution besides the Creation but in Christ figured in Melchisedech who receiued Tythes of Abraham the father and figure of all the faithfull the Church of God And shall not Tythes then be for euer sacred And if sacred is not hee a prophane Simonist that offereth to buy them Yea moreouer are not the Ministers of the Gospel called the sonnes of Leui Mal. 3.3 The text is pregnant and plaine and Interpreters subscribe to the truth of it Christ was to fine the sonnes of Leui that they might offer to the Lord in righteousnesse that is his Apostles and Disciples of the Gospel These are called the sonnes of Leui because they succeed Leui in the Ministry And if we be Leuies sonnes who shall deny vs Leuies inheritance seeing wee are Leuites to the same Lord the perpetuitie of whose Priesthood the paiment of Tithes to his Leuites are a pregnant argument of And if yee deny him Tithes you must of necessity deny him the Priesthood too so with the Iewes conspire to kill him that the inheritance may be yours Yea we are Leuies sonnes fined and purged from the refuse of Legal Types and Ceremonies shal our Tythes be lesse sacred Obiect But some will say Wee haue no expresse Precept in the Gospel for paying of Tythes I answere There are demonstrations enow and those most strong But what needs any expresse Precept The Precept is expresse enough in the Law He that is more seene in the Law then in the Gospel and stands more vpon Antiquities then Verities If the God of this world had not blinded his eyes might acknowledge the antiquitie of this Precept in the Law to be so plaine as it needs no further explication or reestabliment in the Gospel The Tythe is the Lords saith the Law And doth not the Gospel ratifie the same saying Giue vnto God those things that are Gods Is not this an expresse Precept Indeed Christ and his Apostles being busie in founding a new Church suspended the practice of receiuing Tythes vntill the decrepite Synogogue of the Leuiticall Ordinance expired and the finall obsequies thereof were fully ended But they left abundant euidence in their Gospels to euict the right of Tithes to Christs Ministers in the succeeding ages of the Church To conclude this point That Tythes and all Church maintenance call it what you will benefit or Benefice profits or corporall goods they are holy and of a spirituall nature because they are consecrate to a holy vse I doe not say that Res decimarum the things whereof Tythes consist are in their owne nature spirituall but quà Decima as they are Tythes consecrate to a holy end and vse they put on a spirituall nature For euen as the bread in the Sacrament before it bee consecrate and sanctified by the Word it is common but after the consecration it becomes Sacramentall and spirituall bread which is that change the ancient Fathers so vsually speake of not that bastard substantiall change which the Pontificians would falsly father vpon them in which respect the Apostle calleth the Manna and the water of the Rocke in regard of their typicall signification spirituall meate and spirituall drinke So those things whereof Tythes and all Church maintenance consist in their owne nature are temporall and common but being dedicated to God to a holy vse and end they are not to be holden any longer for temporall but spirituall I say in regard of their spirituall end and vse for which they are consecrated And what is the end and vse of such consecrate things Is it not for the maintenance of Christs Ministers and are not they in their persons in their profession by calling spirituall and of what nature then can their maintenance be but Spirituall For Omne nutritur à Simili Spirituall men and spirituall â—eate both of a like nature both a like consecrated to God So then Tythes or Church liuings comming within the Verge of the definition of Simony as being not onely annexed vnto spirituall things but spirituall things themselues it followeth necessarily that to buy or sell such spirituall things is Simonie The definition then of the Schoole-men and Canonists formerly cited stands firme and good hauing all the termes and parts of a perfect definition accoding to the rules of Logicke which in briefe may be reduced to a syllogisme thus Emptio vel venditio rei spiritualis est simonia sed decimae sunt res spirituales â—rgâ—
rather flatterers then teachers who teach that the Pope is Lord of all Benefices and therefore seeing as Lord bee doth by right sell that which is his owne it necessarily followeth that Simonie cannot be imputed to him Belike the Holy Ghost with his gifts are also his owne were they not as well Peters Yet if he had sold he had beene a Simonist Sed nemo potest retinere quod vendidit vt Iudas Christum But no man can retaine that which hee hath retaild as Iudas selling Christ lost Christ Greg. Naz. Grat. We will conclude this with that of Saint Ambrose Sunt quidem Decimae Depositum seruorum Dei in Ecclesia seruatae Tithes are kept in the Church in trust for Gods seruants Now for a man to take vpon him to bee a disposer of that to his owne benefit which as a pledge is committed to him of trust to bee deliuered to the true owner when it should be required what this is let any reasonable man iudge In the Canon Law all Aduousons as being contained vnder Ius Patronatus The right of Patronage were forbidden to be bought and sold as Gregory saith Dâ—cret lib. 3. De Iure Patronatus tit 38. cap. 6. calling Aduowsons Aduocatias Ius Patronatus or Aduocationes or Vice-dominatus or Custodias or Guardias Quia Clerici quidam Aduocatias Ecclesiarum comparant vel quocunque modo possunt acquirunt vt postmodum corum filij vel nepotes ad easdem Ecclesias presententur praecipimus vt id arctius inhibeatur eosdem aduocationibus taliter acquifitis appellatione postposita spoliando So that the Canon Law forbiddes merchandizing of Adnowsons Now let vs see in a word vpon what reason that which hath beene deliuered by the Canonists and Schoole-men and learned Diuines concerning this point is grounded The right of Patronage say they may not be sold. Why Not onely in regard of the nature and condition of such dedicate things which are spirituall and therefore incompetent matter of Sale but also of the necessarie effects and inconueniences which must needes follow vpon such Sale For grant a libertie that it be lawfull to sell a Patronage then it followeth that it will be as lawfull to sell a Presentation and then an Aduowson And then I would faine know why it should not bee as lawfull to sell the Benefice when it is vacant But because men make no great question about the lawfulnesse of selling either in the Vacancie or much lesse before it consider we the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of buying To buy an Aduowson passeth currant for lawfull and yet to buy the Vacancie is iudged Simonie both by our Statute Lawes and Church Canons Well I thus infer and so conclude if it be Simoniacall to buy a Benefice when it is vacant why then should it not be equally Simoniacall to buy the Aduowson and so of the Presentation and so of the Patronage Or if it bee lawfull to buy the Aduowson why should it not bee as lawfull euerie whit to buy the Benefice yea of the two I should thinke it rather lawfull to buy in the Vacancie then before Because it may seeme an iniurious thing as to take another mans Lease so another mans Liuing ouer his head And it is vnlawfull to contract for anothers mans wife before her husband bee dead But it is an infallible rule Quod est secundum se malum ex genere nullo modo potest esse bonum licitum It is Aquinas speech which he applies to disproue the lawfulnesse of a lie for any respect That which in its owne nature and kinde is euill can by no meanes bee good and lawfull or that which is substantially euill cannot bee made good by any circumstance To buy things of a spirituall nature is naturally euill as was said before Any act is naturally euill when it falleth vpon an vndue subiect if therefore it be euill to buy a Benefice in the Vacancie then it is euill to buy the same either in the Aduowson or in the Presentation or in the Patronage And if it bee euill to buy then by the Law of Correlation it is euill to sell in all these respects And if the buyer bee Simoniacall the seller must be so too Again as it is vnlawfull so to buy and sell in regard of the nature of such things being spirituall so also in regard of the common effects and fruits of such merchandize For tell me when yee buy an Aduowson or Patronage of an Ecclesiasticall Liuing to what end is it To bestow it freely and faithfully vpon some worthy able Minister for the good of Gods Church without any Temporall respect It were to bee wished this were your end But doe you not intend to gaine by such a bargaine either by placing some of your kin or by selling it in the Vacancie to him that will be your best Chap-man Is not this the generall practise Nor doe I hereby condemne our Law for allowing such things as Aduowsons and Patronages to bee bought and sold Seeing it also disalloweth Simoniacall or by respects which being taken away either few or none would meddle with such merchandise or else they should not so iustly incurre the Censure of Simonie as so commonly they doe Yet here I put a difference betweene the purchase of an Aduowson and of the intire Patronage And againe I put a difference betweene the purchasing of a Patronage by a priuate man and by a Colledge in the Vniuersitie For the purchase of a single Aduowson doth too commonly aime at some temporall or carnall respect or commoditie wheras some may happily purchase the perpetuall Patronage to leaue it as an honour to his House or posteritie while hee and his heires according to his intention and will become the instruments of Gods glorie in the judicious and ingenuous bestowing the Benefice franke and free at euerie Vacancie But this being verie rare although I neither denie nor enuie the right of Patronage to bee resident in priuate men so it bee rightly vsed yet I confesse I could wish for the auoiding of that generall corruption and abuse in the collation of Benefices that Colledges in each Vniuersitie were possessed of as many Patronages in this Land as possibly they could procure or purchase redeeming them out of many hucksters hands which would be an excellent meanes to increase Learned Diuines to represse Simoniacall Pedanticks to refresh the Colledges by continuall interchange of Students to prouide for manie able men to be exercised in the Church whose gifts for want of such meanes often lie buried in a Colledge life Yet I denie not but sometimes corruption may creepe in at the Colledge gates but the strict Lawes of Colledges well executed may as a carefull Porter either whip or keepe it out This were in my opinion the likeliest way to preuent Simonie and to prouide a good Ministrie And some Colledges I know are carefull this way both in Cambridge and Oxford whose example I could wish all
if they shall commit the gouernment of the Citie to a Proctor while themselues inioy the reuenues and they accompanie the pompe and traine of some great one in the Court of Rome and doe manage the affaires of States and of the Warres but of the people ouer whom they beare rule whither they goe forward or backward in Christian Religion they doe not so much as heare one message and for the poore of their flocke they are altogether negligent and ignorant of them Is this to be a Bishop Is this to imitate the Disciples of Christ and to obserue the Euangelicall precepts Therefore a good Bishop shall labour not to commit his flocke to anothers Cure but to bee absent from the Fold as little space as may bee vnlesse for some reason he be called away by the Pope for some speciall seruice for the good of the Christian common-wealth But let him not wish or desire this occasion to be giuen him nor let him make suite for any such thing but let him very hardly and in a manner vnwillingly vndertake this taske which being dispatched let him not procure another but with all speede let him returne to his flocke so he As Cardinall Poole being intreated by a Bishop for one moneths absence from his flocke notwithstanding hee had admonished him formerly not to leaue his flocke answered giuing him leaue but for no longer time I shall take this comfort by your departure that you shall bee beaten the lesse This Cardinall also being in election and nomination for the Pope dome and being charged with ambition in ouer-hastie aspiring to that Dignitie answered That hee thought not the burthen of that great office to be so light but that he was of the minde that it was rather to be feared then desired As for them which vnderstood not and thought more basely of so great a place he lamented their case and was sorry for them Deuout Bernard complaining also of the course of his times saith among many other things in his Ser. ad Cler. Quem dabis mihi de numero Episcoporum qui non plus inuigilet subditorum euacuandis marsupijs quà m viâ—ijs extirpandis Vbi est qui flect at iram Vbi est qui pradicet annum plâ—cabilem Domino Propterea relinquamus istos quia non sunt Pastores sed traditores imitemur illos qui viuentes in carne plantauerunt Ecclesiam sanguine suo Et quidem isti sortiti sunt Ministerij locum sed non zelum Successores omnes cupiunt esse imitatores panci Vtinam tam vigiles reperirentur ad curam quà m alacres currunt ad Cathedram c. Whom wilt thou shew meâ— among all the row of Bishops who is not more vigilant in emptying his peoples purses then in rooting out their vices Where is one that pacifieth wrath Where is he that preacheth the acceptable yeere of the Lord Therefore relinquish we these because they are no Tutors but Traytors and imitate we those who while they liued in the flesh planted the Church with their bloud These indeed haue chosen the place of the Ministerie but not the zeale All affect to bee Successors few Imitators I would to God they were found as watchfull ouer their Cure as hastie to runne to the Chaire c. And againe in the same Sermon he saith Quatuor his qui praesunt in Ecclesia Dei necessaria esse pra omnibus reor videlicet vt per ostium intrent vt in humilitate se contineant anaritiam declinent munditiam tam corde quà m corpore seruare studeant Sed quid prodest si Canonicè eligantur quod est per ostium intrare non Canonicè viuant Dixit Dâ—minus ad duodecim Nonne ego vos duodecim elegi vnus ex vobis diabolus est Domine Iesu cum esset electio illa in manu tua non haberes aliquem contradicentem reclamantâ—â— tibi quare elegisti diabolum Episcopum Cur bone Iesu non elegisti bonum instum sanctum sicut Petrus bonus instus sanctus fuit Vel si elegisti diabolum cur te iâ—ctas elegisse Fratres sic facit Iesus bodiè eligens sibi multos diabâ—â—â—s Episcopos Vbi proh dolor reperiemus Episcopos qui post adeptam dignitatem in humilitate se contineant Nempe superbia eis occasio est vt ad tantam dignitatem aspirent vt in Ouile Christi impudenter irrumpant cum tamen per Psalmistam Dominus dicat Non habitabit in medio domus mea qui facit superbiam Vae mihi Domine Iesu si tecum ere in dâ—mo tua non in medio domus tua nan tu semper in medio os At isti non sic Sunt quidem cum Iesu sed non in medio domus eius quia amant faciunt superbiam parentes suos extollentes pauperes antem negligentes deprimentes Malè vinunt subiectos male vinere volunt Et idcirco comparantur Apostata Angelo qui dixit in corde suo Pâ—nam sedem meam ad Aquilonem c. Quid est Diabolum ad Aquilonem sedem velle ponere nisi superbum quempiam impium super suos similes à charitatis calore vel sapientiae luco alienos principatum appetere vel adeptum tenere c. For those saith he that beare rule in the Church foure things are principally necessarie to wit That they enter in by the doore that they containe themselues in humilitie that they eschew auarice that they studie to keepe cleannesse as well in heart as in bodie But what doth it auayle to bee canonically chosen which is to enter in by the doore and not to liue canonically The Lord said to the twelue Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill Lord Iesus seeing the election was in thine owne power and thou hadst none to contradict or controle thee why didst thou chuse a Deuill Why good Iesus didst thou not chuse a good a iust and a holy man such as Peter was Or if thou â—busest a Deuill why dost thou boast of it Brethren so doth Iesus now chusing many Deuil-bishops Where alas shall we find Bishops who after they haue got the dignitie containe themselues in humilitie For pride prouokes them to aspire to so great a dignitie to make an impudent irruption into Christs sheepefold though notwithstanding the Lord saith by the Psalmist The proud man shall not dwell in the midst of my house Wâ—e is 〈◊〉 O Lord Iesus if I shall be in thy house and not in the midst of thy house for thou art alwayes in the midst But those not so They are with Iesus but not in the midst of his house because they loue and liue in pride extolling their Parents that promoted them but despising and depressing the poore They liue a naughtie life and would haue their people to liue so too And therefore they are compared to the Apostate Angel which said in his heart I
worke And as the plague ceassed not among the Philistims vntill the Lords Arke was sent backe and that not emptiâ— euen by the aduice of their own Priests and Soothsayers but with a Sinne-offering vnto Bethshemesh So neuer let any Simoniacal or Sacrilegious detayning Paâ—â—on expect immunitie and freedome from Plagues and punishments vntill the Lords Tithes belonging to the Lords Arke his Church bee without any Simoniacall contract freely and faithfully rendâ—ed vnto the Church and that with a sinne-offering of repentance and restitution they be brought home to Bethshemesh to the house of the Sunne of Righteousnesse to the Church of Iesus Christ. But to leaue the common examples of Diuine reuenge in this kinde to some others diligent collection and in the meane time to the sad consideration of those that feele them and to the rest that may as iustly feare them for God is no respectâ—r of persons and it is the Apostles admonition immediatly inferred vpon his exhortation to the paying of Tithes Gal. 6.7 Be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reapâ— suffise it to keepe within the Vâ—rgâ— of Scrâ—pture examples Wherein when I shall name Sacriledge for Simonie let no man maruaile or impute impertinencie to this Discourse sith all Simonie is a kinde of sacriledge and they are so inuolued one within another as they may easily be taken one for another yet without any great mistaking at least in those examples which I shall alleage And so it shall not bee improper to begin with the example of Cain whom Saint Ambrose ranketh among such sacrilegious persons who because he offered sparingly de fructu of the fruit not fruitâ— in the plurall as Abel offered de primogeâ—itis of the firstlings Secondly contemptuously of the meanest opposite to Abels fatlings Thirdly with an auerse or impious mind for Cain brought not Cain ipse as it is said of Abel Abel ipse Abel himselfe brought that is with all his heart for animus cuinsque is est quisque A mans soule is himselfe Fourthly proudly as scorning himselfe to carry his Offering therefore Cain ipse is not expressed as the learned note as Abel ipse attulit For this I say for offering sparingly contemptuously impiously proudly Cain was reiected the Lord had no respect to him and his offering So that this impious minde of his towards God begetting other sinnes did quite cast him out from the presence of Gods grace and fauour the greatest punishment in the world as he himselfe confessed and complained of Gehezi and his whole posteritie how fearefully were they branded with an hereditarie leprosie for the fathers only sinne of selling his Masters gift of healing A stupendious example and the more if we doe but weigh the circumstances For Gehezi receiued his two talents of Naaman onely after the cure and not by any pre-contract or fore-condition also hee was not so couetous as to take or demand All that Naaman brought to present his Master withall yea more was forced vpon him then he required Againe Naaman was a Syrian a stranger one whom perhaps hee should neuer fee more and one rich enough to spare such a small reward as Gehezi thought hee might aswell take as let him goe away free Behold saith he to himselfe my Master hath spared this Aramite Naaman as the Lord liueth I will runne after him and take something of him But indeed he lyed to Naaman and returning lyed againe to his Master and perhaps he would haue most couragiously taken the Oath of Simonie vpon it For the sinne of Simonie neuer goes alone yet his taking it was that was expresly obiected vnto him and for which hee was smitten with an inexpiable leprosie that smitted and smote his whole Race Now if so direfull were his doome but for so doing what shall become of all those Patrons who stand not vpon a bare promise or intimation of gratuitie but make their bargaine sure vpon the Naile or vpon the Seale as Iudas would not sell and betray Christ before he saw and felt the money that take all that commeâ—h and more too if they can compasse it and suffer their seruants also to make their best aduantage so it be not to their owne hindrance That respect not whether the Chapman be rich or poore Syrian or Christian good or bad All is fish that commeth to his Net Or this example of Gehezi may terrifie all such seruants of the Prophet or of any Patron who howsoeuer their Master make a conscience of receiuing ought at the hands of Ministers yet these forsooth must haue a feeling in the businesse else it shall goe but slowly forward To omit Achans example as being onely sacrilegious not Simoniacall but his punishment was fearefull What a generall iudgement of dearth was vpon all the Land of the Iewes for onely defrauding God of his Tithes And is not selling a Benefice or Ecclesiasticall preferment equiualent to sacrilegious detayning of Tithes and so a defrauding of God For it is a snare to deuoure that which is sanctified and after the vowes to enquire Yeâ— are cursed with a curse euen this whole Nation Why Yee haue spoyled me saith the Lord. Wherein In Tithes and Offerings therefore I haue cursed your blessings O fearefull curse But bring yee all the Tithes into the store-house Marke all the Tithes abate none either by way of Fine or of Rent either by manuall payment in grosse or by annuall deduction Else the curse will not away Yea I will curse your blessings saith God What is this to vs Surely when I consider how like Tantalus we are perplexed amidst prosperitie how pinched in the middest of plentie How our Farmers the staffes of State neuer complayned more of want and penurie then now when their Barnes bee most full and their Fields most fruitfull Yea more when in such abundance of that celestiall Bread that bread of Life the blessed Word of God yet the soules of men in generall are so hunger-starued so ill thriuen like Pharaohs leane Kine when in such plentie of preaching and teaching I see so little little or no practice May we not see and may wee not say that this curse is befallen Vs I haue cursed your blessings What might be the cause Is there any other cause but one No other cause but one can wee reade of for which the Lord saith I haue cursed your blessings or I haue cursed you with a curse If Sacriledge and Simonie on all sides may be the cause Hath not God cause enough to deale thus with vs The Lord amend vs that so hee may both lighten his heauie hand vpon vs which wee cannot but feele for the present and stay his heaued-vp hand which we cannot but see threatning vs with greater iudgements if greater iudgements can be then the cursing of our blessings except wee repent And repent wee doe not vnlesse wee obey the Lords voyce who saith there Bring yee all the Tithes into the store-house
that there may bee meat in my house and proue me now herewith saith the Lord if I will not open the windowes of Heauen and powre you out a blessing without measure A Blessing without a Cursing This the good King Hezechias and his whole Kingdome proued when vpon the bringing in of al their Tithes and Offerings faithfully they found such abundance as Hezechias maruailed at the heapes And Azarias the Priest answered him that since the People brought their Tithes and Offerings the Lord hath blessed his people and this abundance is left What should I here insert Baltasars profane drinking in the sacred Bowles who in the midst of his jollitie saw that fearefull hand-writing vpon the wall Dan. 5. And shall our Sacrilegists or Simonists so securely carowse not onely in sacred bowles but euen the bloud of mens soules by either their Sacrilegious detayning in grosse or their Simoniacall purloyning by peece-meale the maintenance of the Ministerie which God hath ordayned for the saluation of the soules of his people Come we to the examples of the New Testament With what a diuine zeale and fierie indignation was that meeke Lambe of God inflamed when hee whipped those Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple calling them Theeues and cutting them off from partaking with his Temple For as Nazianzen saith Quos Christus eiecit de Templo nunquâ—m Spiritus Christi sibi faciet Templâ—â— Those whom Christ cast out of the Temple the Spirit of Christ wil neuer make his Temple as being destitute and void of the grace of the holy Ghost As Saint Ierome saith In Simoniacis nulla spiritualis gratia operatur In Simonists no spirituall grace hath any operation Non enim operatur Spiritus Sanctus spiritualiter in perfidis morcimonijs aâ—aritiae For the holy Spirit doth not spiritually worke in the perfidious merchandise of couetousnesse And Innocentius hath a sentence no lesse fearefull Simoniaci etsi fidem tenere videantur infidelitatis tamen perditioni subijciuntur Simoniacks although they seeme to be of the true Faith yet they lye vnder the perdition of Infidelitie And Saint Ambrose Simoniaci integritatem conscientiam puram fidei non habent Simonists haue not the integritie and pure conscience of Faith What shall I speake of Ananias and Saphira How scarfully and dreadfully were they struck for detayning part of that which they had dedicated and deuoted to God and to his Congregation yea to the maintenance of the Apostles And what should I speake of Simons curse exemplarie indeede but such as rather the Conscience then the Sense apprehendeth as being rather spirituall then temporall and yet both For such Ecclesiasticall Chapmen pull vpon themselues an vniuersall curse vpon their soules by a depriuation euen of common grace and ministeriall abilities vpon their bodies and goods by a diminution of strength and stay health and wealth life and liuelihood nothing thriueth with them all contayned in this Thy money perish with thee Thou hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither part nor lot in this matter A Simonist is no Minâ—ster by Saint Peters Doctrine And if wee adde hereunto the example of Heliadorus in the third Chapter of the second of Macchabees let none blame it because it is Apocryphall For as Saint Ierome instructing the Lady Leâ—a about the education of her daughter Paula saith Caueat omnia Apocrypha quae non ad dogmatum veritatem sed ad signorum reâ—erentiam legat Let her beware of all Apocryphall bookes which yet shee may reade not for truth of Doctrines but for the reuerence of the examples in the storie So of the truth of this example let no man doubt Saint Ambrose also mentioneth it vpon the like occasion This Heliodorus being sent by King Soleucus to robbe the Temple when no humble intreaties of the Priests people would disswade him from his impious enterprise hee was miraculously assaulted by a man on horse-backe in gilt armour yea moreouer he was fiercely set vpon whipt and scourged by two in shew young men So that with much difficultie recouering from a deadly stound at the Priests prayers escaping with his life He returnes home with this answere to his King that if the King had any Enemies or Traitors whom he would haue well punished hee should but send them thither where he had beene Iosephus reports how Marcus Crassus hauing spoiled the Temple at Hierusalem of all that masse of treasure which pious Pompey had forborne once to touch was therefore himselfe and his whole Armie vtterly ouerthrowne at the passage of Euphrates And in his sixt booke of the same and sixteenth Chapter he sheweth in the example of Iohn one of the Seditions that sacriledge committed by him in robbing the Temple of the Priests maintenance was one of those fore-running sinnes which hastened the finall and fatall ruine of the holy Citie I might adde to these many examples in profane stories religiously obserued of Heathens themselues inflicted by Diuine reuenge vpon their sacrilegious persons But Esop may serue to summe them all vp in his Apologue of the Eagle which snatching away the Sacrifice from off the Altar catched withall a coale which carried with the Sacrifice to her Nest set both her Nest and selfe on fire The morall applies it selfe And I pray God all sacrilegious Simonists may so apply it and lay it to their hearts that they may preuent hell fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels for Simon and all his Angels Now all thâ—se exemplarie punishments and iudgements that wee may preuent in our selues let vs hearken to that which Saint Augustine saith Decima tributa sunt egentium animaruâ— Quod si Decimam dederis he saith not Si vendideris non solum abundantiam fructuum recipies sed etiam sanitatem corporis animae consequeris Non igitur Dominus Deus pramium postulat sed honorem Deus enim noster qui dignatus est totum dare Decimam à nobis dignatus est recipere non sibi sed nobis sine dubio profuturam Sed si tardiùs dare peccatum est quanto magis peius est peccatum non dedisse De militia de negotâ—o de artificio reddâ— Decimas Cum enim Decimas dando terrena coelestia possis praemia promereri quare pro auaritia duplice benedictione fraudaris Haec est enim Dei iustissima consuetudo vt si tu ills Decimam non dederis tu ad Decimam reuoceris dabis impio militi quod non vis dare Sacerdoti Benefacere Deus semper paratus est sed hominum malitis prohibetur Decimae enim ex debito requiruntur qui eas dare noluerint res alienas inuadunt Et quot pauperes in lociâ— suis vbi ipse habitat illo Decimas non dante same mortui fuerint tot homicidiorum reus ante aeternum Iudicis Tribunal apparebit quia rem à Deo pauperibus delegatam suis vsibus reseruauit Qui igitur sibi
infinite and insupportable discouragements which both learning and honestie ioyntly suffer by reason of Simonie when as an honest Schollar seeth before his eyes an impossibilitie of comming to any place in the Church his honestie being in this respect so lame as it cannot stirre either hand or foot to climbe or clamber to any such place by by-paths That reuerend and learned Bishop Iewell in one of his Sermons before the late Queene Elizabeth of famous memory among many other excellent obseruations to the like purpose saith thus Loth I am to speake quoth hee yet the case so requireth Maintenance of Learning whereby an able and sufficient Ministry may grow and bee established in all the Churches of this Realme is to bee wished for The good estate of this noble Kingdome the comfort of posteritie the stay of religion the continuing of the Gospel the remouing of darkenesse hangeth vpon it One asked sometimes how it was that in Athens so goodly and great a Citie there were no Physitians To whom this answere was made because there are no rewards appointed for them that practice physicke The same answere may be made for our times the cause why the Church of God is so forsaken is the want of zeale to them that should either for their courtesie or for their habilitie bee fosterers of learning and increase the liuings where occasion is and giue hope and comfort to learned men What said I Increase Nay the liuings and prouision which heretofore were giuen to this vse are taken away Haue patience if any such bee here as I well know there are whom these things touch Suffer me to speake the truth it is Gods cause The liuings of such as are in the Ministry are not in their hands to whom they are due All other Laborers and Artificers haue their hyer increased double as much as it was wont to bee onely the poore man that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord of hosts hath his hire abridged and abated I speake not of the Curates but of the Parsonages and Vicarages that is of the places which are the Castles and Towers of fence for the Lords Temple They seldome passe now adayes from the Patron if hee bee no better then a Gentleman but either for the Lease or for present money Such Merchants are broken into the Church of God a great deale more intollerable then were they whom Christ whipped and chased out of the Temple Thus they that should be carefull for Gods Church that should be Patrons to prouide for the consciences of the people and to place among them a learned Minister who might bee able to preach the Word vnto them out of season and in season and to fulfill his Ministry seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs They serue not Iesus Christ but their belly And this is done not in one place or in one Countrey but throughout England A Gentleman cannot keepe his house vnlesse he haue a Parsonage or two in farme for his prouision O mercifull God whereto will this grow at last If the miserie which this plague worketh would reach but to one age it were the more tolerable But it will be a plague to the posteritie it will be the decay and desolation of Gods Church Young men which are toward and learned se◠this They see that hee which feedeth the flocke hath least part of the milke hee which goeth a warfare hath not halfe his wages Therefore they are wearie and discouraged they change their studies some become Prentises some turne to Physicke some to Law all shun and flee the Ministerie And besides the hinderance that thus groweth by wicked dealing of Patrons by reason of the Impropriations the Vicarages in many places and in the properest Market townes are so simple that no man can liue vpon them and therefore no man will take them They were wont to say Beneficia sine Cura Benefices without charge but now may bee said Cura sine Beneficio Charge or Cure without Benefice Thus and much more to this purpose said that peerlesse Iewell And he concludes with a graue Exhortation to her Maiestie as followeth O that your Grace did behold the miserable disorder of Gods Church or that you might foresee the calamities which will follow It is a part of your Kingdome and such a part as is the principall prop and stay of the rest I will say to your Maiestie as Cyrillus sometimes said to the godly Emperours Theodosius and Valentinian Ab ea quae erga Deum est pietate reipub vestrae status pendet The good estate and welfare of your Common-weale hangeth vpon true godlinesse You are our Gouernour you are the Nurse of Gods Church We must open this griefe before you God knoweth if it may bee redressed it is runne so farre But if it may bee redressed there is no other besides your Highnesse that can redresse it I hope I speake truly that which I speake without flatterie that God hath indued your Grace with such measure of learning and knowledge as no other Christian Prince He hath giuen you peace happinesse the loue and the hearts of your Subiects Oh turne and imploy these to the glorie of God that God may confirme in your Grace the thing which he hath begun To this end hath God placed Kings and Princes in their state as Dauid saith that they serue the Lord that they may see and cause others to see to the furniture of the Church The good Emperour Iustinian cared for this as much as for his life Constantine Theodosius and Valentinian and other godly Princes called themselues Vassallos the Subiects and Bond-seruants of God They remembred that God furnished them in their houses and were not vnmindfull to furnish his House To this purpose also a graue and learned now Prelate of this Church in his sermon at Paules Crosse thus said Wee that are bred vp in learning and destinated by our Parents to this end We suffer our child-hood in the Grammar Schoole which Augustine calls Magnam tyrannidem graue malum and compares it to the torments of Martyrdome when wee come to the Vniuersitie if we liue of the Colledge allowance as Phalaris obiected to the Leontines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 needy of all things but hunger and feare or if wee bee maintayned but partly by our Parents cost doe expend in Vniuersitie maintenance books and degrees before wee come to any perfection fiue hundred pounds or a thousand markes if by this price of the expence of our time our bodies and spirits our substance and patrimonies wee cannot purchase those small rewards which are ours by Law and the right of inheritance a poore Parsonage or a Vicarage of fiftie pounds per annum but we must pay to the Patron for the lease of a life a spent and out-worne life either in annuall pension or aboue the rate of a Copy-hold and that with the hazard and losse of our soules by Simonie and