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
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—
will plant my Seat vpon the North Pole What is this that the Deuil will pitch his Seat vpon the North But that euery proud and impious man doth either aspire or vsurpe principalitie ouer such as bee like him such as are remote from the heate of charity and from the light of wisedome This and much more this deuout man Now to draw all that hath beene said in this Chapter by those holy and ancient men of the Church to a corollary or conclusion If such be the Office of a Bishop if as Origen saith it makes the ambitious drunke with vaine-glory If as Saint Cyril to bee punished with fearefull flames if hee must render a strict account for himselfe and for all vnder his iurisdiction If as Saint Augustine nothing be more easie pleasant contentfull to men if perfunctorily and carelesly performed but nothing more vnhappy miserable damnadle with God for which that holy man wept at his Ordination If a Bishop bee a name rather of labour then honour and of dutie rather then dominion If not to be sought nor vndertaken but for meere charitie sake when necessitie compelleth If as Saint Chrysostome hee beare the burthen of all bee most inexcusable exposed to all tongues distracted with daily and nightly cares subiect to all censures liable to all iudgements if others sins bee imputed to his misgouernment if the losse of each soule so precious shall bee required of him if to affect it be to cast him out of Gods fauour if a priuate life be much more sweet more secure and safe if it be not a bed of rest but of break-sleepe if their preaching be most solicitous most assiduous if he be like a ship continually tossed with waues and driuen with contrary windes if not many Ministers bee saued but much more doe perish if subiect euen in despight oftentimes to bee diuerted and driuen from his owne disposition if onely pride in such be enough to cause an vniuersall decay and corruption if their account be most seuere both for their doctrine what and how with what diligence with what deuotion performed and for their life how answerable to their doctrine how holy how religious how euery way exemplary to their flocke how carefull in relieuing the poore how circumspect in electing good Ministers in reiecting the vnworthy if this Office make men rather greater then better hoysing vp the sayles of each passion to all winds of temptation especially when it findes pride auarice ambition and the like If as Erasmus a Bishop put on the person of a Father a Mother a Nurse all importing manifold Offices If as Aaron with his Bells hee must be euer sounding forth the word of Truth if for the multiplicitie and difficultie of the duties of this calling aâ— chained one within another many wise and graue men of God haue shrunke their shoulders from it if as Contarenus a Bishop must bee aboue a man of an Angelicall spirit if the very desire and seeking of it imply arrogancie auarice and ambition if it bee not enough to serue his Cure by a deputie if it giue him no dispensation to bee a Courtier and Negotiatour if thus hee bee vnlike Christ and his Apostles If as Poole it be so dangerous to be Non-resident if a Bishoppricke be rather to bee feared then desired If as Bernard it be vsually made rather a secular merchandize then a spirituall meanes to gaine soules vnto God if such be to bee abandoned as betrayers not shepheards hauing the seat not the zeale being successors not imitators if any ambitious Bishop be a Iudas a Deuill an Apostate Angel that would haue all like himselfe to domineere ouer if thus hee be excluded from inioying of Christ if this Office be a Ministration not a domination then to say no more but what so many holy graue learned Fathers haue said alreadie What reason can any reasonable man pretend to excuse not onely the purchase but the least pursuite of such a preferment from the imputation of extreame vnreasonablenesse CHAP. XIIII Of the Censures and Penalties of Simonie and Simonists COme wee now to obserue the censures and penalties which haue been generally imposed vpon Simonie and Simoniacks Aquinas following his Ancients calls Simonie Haeresiâ— quaedam Gregory calls it The prime Heresie in the Primitiue Church Altare vel Decimas vel Spiritum Sanctum emere vel vendere Simoniacam Haeresin esse nullus fidelium ignorat To buy or sell the Altar as the Sacrificer doth his Masse or Tythes or the Holy Ghost there is none of all the faithfull that knoweth not this to bee Simoniacall Heresie Irenaeus calls Simon Magus The Father of all Heretickes Yea saith Aquinas The impious Heresie of the Macedonians and of those of his Sect impugners of the Deitie of the Holy Ghost is more tolerable then that of the Simonists For those in their dotage yet confessed that the Holy Ghost was a Creature and seruant of the Father and the Sonne But these doe make the same Holy Ghost to be their owne seruant For hee that takes vpon him to buy or sell any thing takes vpon him also to bee the master and proprietary of that which hee so buyeth or selleth Yea so odious is the sinne of Simonie that Pope Deodate said That no Catholike is to bee refused but for auouching the Truth and to make knowne the madnesse of Simonie is to bee exhorted with most earnest intreatie For saith he none is so vile or infamous which may not be admitted for a competent witnesse against a Simoniacke as being the most vile and infamous of all men Therefore euen a bond-slaue a whoore a criminall person may accuse a Simonist yea euen a seruant his master And euery sinfull man may sing a Masse But a Simonist may not So he But some will say This is but the Brutum Fulmen of a Pope Yea it ought so much the more to make vs whom the condition of so many Popes hath made to abominate the very name of Pope to bee afraide and to startle at the very name of Simonie more then at a cracke of Thunder If Heathenish Abimelech so highly honour Marriage and the sacred Lawes thereof as hee sharpely reproues Abraham for hazarding his faire wife how shall not faithfull Abraham and Sara blush the more at such a Mans reproofe Gregory saith Specialiter c. Let both the Clergie and people the Electors specially and absolutely know that that man is not onely vnworthy of the Priesthood but will bee found also obnoxâ—us and culpable of other crimes whosoeuer hee bee that pâ—â—sumeth to buy the gift of God with money So that the like punishment and penaltie is equally due both to the elected and to the Electors if they shall assâ—y to violate the sinceritie of Priesthood with a sacrilegious intenâ— So hee Whence we may learne that the sinne of Simonie neuer goeth alone whether in the Buyer or in the Seller but as the Master Bee