Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A09838
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Against sacrilege three sermons / preached by Maister Robert Pont ...
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Pont, Robert, 1524-1606.
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1599
(1599)
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STC 20100; ESTC S4419
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43,712
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129
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in his house of praier or take his name in their mouth whose harts are polluted Doutles as the Psalmes testifie GOD shall set himselfe a seuere judge against them set their offenses before their faces to their just condemnation without they amende their doings whereof there is ouer-little appearance in many of them What better are these men with their â—…eined profession then the souldiers that crucified Christ our Sauiour to haue his garments to parte amongst them yet in some case they are worse for they will not be contented with vsuall partage nor to cast lottes for Christes coate but euerie one would pull from another some the Landes some the teindes some the patronages some the Prelacies some the other benefices Ay the mightier prevailing against them of lesse power such as they may hinder And albeit there be many vngodly contentiones and controversies in the lande namely amongst great men yet for no cause arise there so many pleadings in the lawe as for the teinds Ecclesiastical goods how many braulings and debates how many convocations of the Kings lieges yea how much shedding of bloud in diuerse parts is committed for such causes In the meane time the poore labourers of the grounde who should haue had an ease and moderation of the seuere payment of their teindes to relieue their necessities they being so hardly handled by their maisters and ouer lordes in other cases not only get no commoditie there of but suffer great damnage being compelled to leede the whole teindes both corne and straye to the vse of their gredye maisters or others vn-juste possessoures of the same to their vine-yairds yea often-times the stocke and remanent of their cornes is wâ—…acked and put in poynte of tinsell for lacke of tymous teinding I cannot tel if any man oâ—… good conscience that truely feareth GOD should studie or labour to stay or compone these controversies that rise in the land for the Kirk goodes amongst such greedie and vnlawfull possessours of the same The Ministers of the word in the meanetime not being sufficiently prouided nor the other affairés of the Kirk furnished with the necessities of the poore wherefore the teindes in speciall were appoynted who are altogether neglected â—…nd idle bellies with such as are rather enemies then friendes to the true Kirk of Iesus Christ fostred and vpholden thereupon For the which cause amongst many others the wrath of God is threatned continually from time to time may most justly fal vpon this vnthankfull land and inhabitants thereof who hauing the Gospel of the Sonne of God so liberally purely peaceably offred vnto them that no cuntrie hath or hes had the like not onely disdaines and abuses it by their wicked liues but also stayes taks away by such Sacrilegious dealing the ordinary means wherby the same shal be interteined without the which it cannot coÌ„tinue laboring so far as in them lieth to banish Christ and his gospel from amongst vs regarding more his pelfe nor himself are to be counted double murtherâ—…rs both of bodies and soules of men as hath bin told before Herefore to conclude for the preseÌ„t I would earnestly exhort al them that fear God truely specially you of this congregation committed vnto my charge albeit I suppose there bee not many amongst you defiled with this filthy crime of Sacrilege that yee bee not partakers with them who are involued in this sinne but rather abhorre and reprooue it And if they will not heare your admonition condemne their doeinges at leaste in your conscience And this I speake the more earnestly because I feare there be some amongst you that will rather pay your teindes and duties to such idle bellies as deuoure vp the sweat of your browes your seruantes for nothing doing to your commodity nor to them that labour in the vine-yaird of the Lord others to whom the same ought justly to perteine And thinke it not sufficient excuse to say this is a common fault through the whole Country which we cannot mend for an euil thing the more common it bee is the worse And the Wise-man saieth Follow not the multitude in euil doing Therefore suppose the committers of this crime amongst vs like senseles blockes passe ouer and shrinke not for any admonitions exhorting them to repentance skarsely one amongst the whole multitude labour to take vp him selfe and amend the fault or to restore any thing wrongfully withholden by them from the Kirkes vse and therefore the greater damnation abideth them for ought we can see yet thinke not with your selues we may do as other men doe or at least behold their doings and be nothing mooued there-with For they that will not lament for the contrition of IOSEPH that is for the estate of the Kirk of God being ready to decay and come to ruine by the doings of such vngodly Kirk-robbers are not worthy to be counted amongst the true members of Gods holy Kirk The Lorde for his mercie graunt that all our hearts may be effectually mooued to know our dutie in this and all other behalfes and that he will make vs obedient for our partes to his wil and commandements and put remedie to the desolations of his Kirk by such meanes as he thinketh best To him be prayse and glorie for euer and euer AGAINST SACRILEGE The second Sermon Rom. 2. 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacrilege LOnger discourse vppon this texte besides the thinges alreadie spoken of being required at my handes according to my promise to meete the objectiones and shifting excuses of men of this age who cloke their avaricious and greâ—…die appetites to appropriate to them selues the Kirk-rentes I am nowe as the Lord wil assist me to enter in to answere to such thinges as they may alleage and commonly alleages for themselues to colour their corrupted sacrilege I intend therefore without more processe to gather the same in such order as I thinke the beste advised amongst them might propone the same and to giue particular aunswers thereto with resolution according to Gods word good reasons and laws of men And so to take away al vaine excuses whereby they would flatter theÌ„selues in their sin fyle the eies of the ignoraÌ„t simple soules that perceiues not their driftes Protesting alwaies that if carryed with the zeale of trueth in progresse of this mater I vse some vehemencie of speeches I do it not for offence of any particular person the Lorde knoweth but against the vice it self to labour so farre as in me lyeth to conuerte at the least some of them that haue passed ouer-farre and ouer seene themselues in this matter to amendement by considering with themselues better then they haue done of before their duty by such advertisement as I am heare to giue you that heare and all others that will inquire of me coÌ„cerning my judgement in this argument things depending therupon To come then to the first generall
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