allotted by God and due in iustice vnto them according to that which Christ sayth dignus est operarius mercede the laborer is worthy of his reward Philo do praem sacerd honoribus To which purpose Philo hath verie well obserued that the people of the Iewes were commanded to bring their oblations into the Temple that there the priests might receiue them as from the hands of God to whom they belonged least otherwise the people should vpbrayde the Priest as if hee were behoulding vnto them for a beneuolence For as the same authour sayth whosoeuer receiueth a gift froÌ„ God who bestoweth liberally vpon all he doth receiue it with lesse shamefastnesse then if hee should receiue it from men only Yea verily God in his wisedome did not see it fitte and meete that his ministers should liue of the almes and the beneuolence of the people but rather that they shoulde haue a sure and certaine maintenance which by lawe and right they might clayme and challenge as due vnto them and that for diuers waightie and important causes First to the ende that their mindes should not bee distracted nor troubled with worldly care for their necessary prouision to which they should be verie subiect if they liued vppon the voluntarie contributions of the people who happely at one time would giue verie liberally and at an other time vpon the least displeasure vtterly withdraw their beneuolence from them Secondly to maintaine the dignitie reputation of their ministerie that they might not bee forced either to begge and tell their want to euerie pezant and low prisde fellow and to receiue a great part of their benetiolence of scandalous notorious wicked persons which were not fitte for them to do or else thorow pietie and modestie to suffer extreame want and penutie which were lesse mâ—ete and seemely for the honour and credite of the profession Thirdly that they might not bee driuen either to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 2.17 that is to corrupt and to adulterate the worde of God as Vintners do their wine by mixing water with it for so the word signifyeth which sheweth the practise to be an olde mysterie of iniquitie or else to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Cor. 4 2. that is to handle the word of God deceitfully therby to please the fancies humours of men and to make a gaine and a benefit vnto themselues which perhaps some not very wel disposed would be glad to do if they liued only vpon the gratuities charitable deuotions of the people Fourthly that they might not lose their liberty boldnes in their ministry being glad to flatter to glose to claw euetie one by sowing pillowes vnder theâ—elbows dawbing with vnteÌ„pered morter but coÌ„trariwise to reproue and rebuke freely and boldly the sinnes of all sortâ— of people eueÌ„ of the richest and mightiest of all Which they shall bee better able to doo hauing a certaine and sure maintenance then hauing only a voluntarie allowance because such as depeÌ„d vpon beneuoleÌ„ce will fear least by vsing the libertie and boldnesse of their ministery in rebuking and reproouing sinne they should thereby lose both the fauour and the beneuolence of those that are perhaps the best benefactors vnto them Which I suppose to haue beene the chiefe cause that godly and religious Princes in former times wold not permit Bishops the rest of the clergie to receiue allowance and maintenance of euerie one of the people Euseb de vita ConstaÌ„t but first of all did giue them bountifull allowance out of their owne treasuries and excheckers and afterwards gaue diuers Lands demaynes and possessions vnto the Church which they did no doubt in great wisedom seeing it to bee more conuenient both in regard of the ministers for the performance of their dueties in regard of the people for their profit benefitte The second propositionis that the maintenance of ministers ought to be a liberall and a bountifull maintenance forasmuch as they had not only Cities and Suburbes allorted vnto them to dwell in Num. 35.4 but also the first fruites and the redemption of the first borne oblations vowes sacrifices and the tenth part of all the fruits and increase to maintaine and to keep them withall The truth of which doctrine is iustified not only by the iudiciall lawe of Moses but also by the lawe of Nations in Pharaoh his Priests Gen. 47. Gen. 47.22 who had lands and liuings belonging vnto them to maintaine them which lands they were not forced to sell when-as all the rest of the peosould their landes to buy them corne withall neither would Ioseph meddle with them but they had an ordidinarie allowance of Pharaoh to liue vppon Which is also further confirmed in the newe Testament where the Apostle speaking of ministers sayth That the elders that rule well are worthie of double honour 1. Tim. 5.17 especially those that labour in the word of God and in doctrine that is of an honest and a liberall stipend as the Apostle expoundeth it in the next words for it is written Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne as if hee should say the leane bare plight that ministers are in shewes plainely that their mouthes haue beene muzzled contrarie to the lawe therefore see that you muzzle them no more but let them eate their fill of the corne that they tread out for the labourer is worthy of his meate Wherin it is worthy the obseruation that the Apostle calleth the ministers maintenance by the name of an honour because as a base and a beggerly allowance maketh to the discredit of the ministerie as if the calling were base and contemptible and not worthy of regard so a liberall and a bountifull allowance maketh for the honour and countenance of the ministerie to shewe that the calling is honourable and worthie of an honourable rewarde The like wee reade afterwarde when as the Church had Christian kings and princes who became nursing Fathers and nursing mothers thereof the Church was maruaylously inriched by the libe rall and bountifull donations of godly and zealous princes others who gaue houses and Lands Castles and Townes for the prouision and maintenance of the Clergie which continued a long time afterwarde in many ages following and doth yet still in all well ordered Churches and CommoÌ„weales For as Philo verse well noteth Philo de praem hon sacerd the large and plentifull prouision of liuing for Gods ministers is an euident argument both of publike pietie and of a diligent obseruation of lawes contrariwise want and penurie and scarsitie of maintenance doth vpbraid vs with contempt both of religion and of lawes of which if there were that regard that there ought to be the ministers of God should not only haue a necessary but a plentiful maintenance So then the prouision and the liuing of ministers by the lawe of God by the lawe
it shall bee done vnto you For as Bernard sayes that prayer which is full of distrust and diffidence measuring Gods power goodnesse either by the shallownesse of our capacitie or by the greatnesse of our own vnworthinesse is not able to ascende and to flie vp vnto those hils from whence our helpe commeth For as a colde or luke-warme prayer faileth and vanisheth in the ascent because it hath not strength and vigour in it and as a rash prayer dooth ascend but yet is driuen backe againe being altogether vnworthie to come into Gods presence so a timorous and a diffident prayer dooth not ascend at all nor come vp into heauen as the prayers and almes of Cornelius did Act. 10. being so restrained and helde back with feare and diffidence that it can neuer come neere the throne of grace to receiue mercy Heb. 4.16 and to finde grace at the hands of God In which regard wee reade that when the man in the Gospell came vnto Christ to make entreaty for his sonne that was possessed with a diuell Mar. 9.22 telling him in what sort he was taken and desiring him after a doubtfull manner to put to his hand and to helpe him if hee coulde saying Si quid potes adiuva nos if thou canst do anie thing helpe vs and haue compassion insteade of helping him he returnes him an aunswere much like vnto his demaund Mar. 9.23 Si potes credere omnia possibilia sunt if thou canst beleeeue all things are possible signifying that the way to finde helpe vvas not to doubt eyther of his goodnesse or of his povver but vndoubtedly to beleeue that hee is both able and ready also for to helpe vs. Therefore in that holy prayer which he hath commended vnto vs Mat. 6 Hee doth teach vs in the beginning of it to cal God our Father that wee should haue a certaine confidence of obtaining that which wee desire for what will not a Father giue vnto his Sonnes praying vnto him vvho hath giuen a farre greater gifte before they praie in vouchsafing to make them his Sonnes and in the ende thereof hee hath taught vs to saie Amen Amen in oratione dominica significat indubitanter a domino conferri quod petitur Aug. de Temp. ser 182 to testifie our faith that wee doe assuredlie beleeue to obtaine our desires and to haue our requestes graunted vnto vs for Amen in the Lords prayer as Saint Austen sayth signifieth that GOD dooth vndoubtedly bestowe and conferre that which wee desire of him But doth this Leper onely come vnto Christ no but he worships him too Venit adorauit eum he came worshipped him Like vnto those wise men sayth Origen that came out of the east Mat. 2.11 who first fel down worshipped Christ and afterwards presented their giftes vnto him Concerning which vvorshippe and reuerence the other Euangelists making relation do report it somwhat otherwise S. Marke 1.40 Marke cap. 1. ver 40. sayth that hee besought him kneeling downe vnto him Luke 5.12 S. Luke cap. 5. ve 12. saith that he fell vpon his face and besought him Saint Mathew saith heere that hee came and worshipped him all which together doe shew his wonderfull reuerence and humility in presenting himselfe in such submisse and lowely manner vnto him Whose religious modest behauiour is as it were a lecture of the like reuerence and humilitie vnto vs to teach vs when we present our selues and our prayers vnto God to adore and to worshippe him not only with an inward but also with an outwarde worship in prostrating our selues and in kneeling and falling down before him 1. Cor. 6.20 For seeing God hath created our soules and our bodies therefore we are to worship and to glorifie him not only inwardly with the one but also outwardly with the other A duty vsually practised by holy deuout Christians in former times til some fanaticall spirits of late pretending God to be a spirit and the seruice of God meerely spirituall deeming themselues also to bee wholly in the spirit and not in the flesh haue heereby made a very Anatomie or Sceleton of the seruice of God voide of all external rites and ceremonies and of all outward worship and reuerence notwithstanding they bee a singular meanes both to excite and stirre vp pietie and deuotion in vs as also to testifie our inwarde reuerence and obedience vnto God so as religion and the seruice of God which was wont to bee faire and beautifull and in good liking may now complaine as he doth in the comedie Plaut in Aulular Pellis ossa sum miser that she is leane and withered and nothing but skinne and bones being vtterly wasted and consumed I say a dutie commonly practised in the Church in former ages as may appeare by Dauids liturgie Psal 95.3 Psal 95.3 In which hee inuiteth the people to the seruice of God after this manner O come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker Which our Church also vppon good ground hath receiued into her liturgie prescribing vs not onely to lift vp our hearts vnto God but also to kneele and fal downe vpon our knees before his foorstoole Yea I ad further a duty not only practised by the prophets and the Apostles and other holy men who beeing but poore and meane persons in the eyes of the World maie perhaps bee thought to haue done it out of a kinde of pusillanimity and want of a generous spirit but also by Kings and Princes and great Monarches of the World Num. 16.22 2. Sā 12.16 2. Chron. 6 13 viz. by Moses and Aaron by Dauid and Solomon and by our blessed Sauiour Christ himselfe whose manner was to fall downe and to kneele and to stretch forth Luke 22 Prostratus in terra or at medicus non inclinatur aegrotus and to lift vp their hands when they prayed vnto God that men of lower ranke and condition should not disdayne nor thinke much to doe the like hauing such presidents and beeing compassed vvith a cloude of such vvorthie Witnesses Heb. 12.1 It is worthie our obseruation and verie agreeable to this purpose which is recorded of the Emperour CONSTANTINE of whom EVSEBIVS reporteth that it was his common custome euerie daye to shut vp himselfe close into some secret place of his Palace Euseb in vita Constant lib. 4. cap. 14 16 vvhere hee vsed to haue both his Soliloquia or priuate conferences vvith God and also to praie deuoutely vppon his knees with a submisse and an humble voyce vnto God which reuerence and humilitie in prayer he did so approoue both in himselfe and in others that in the coyne which passed through all the parts of his empire hee caused his image or picture to be grauen stamped vpon it after the fashion of an humble and deuout suppliant looking vp to heauen lifting vp his hands to God The which is so far
will not haue any mortall creature to obtain any thing without labour and industry to the end that therby we might acknowledge and commend the eminent greatnesse and excellencie of God aboue the creatures The labour of man is like vnto meate for as the life is preserued and maintayned by meat so both life and euery good thing is maintained by labour And therefore as those that desire to preserue this naturall life do not refuse to take nourishment so they that desire to haue meate to preserue the life withall or to haue anie good thing to preserue the soule withall ought not to refuse labour it beeing both to life and to vertue and to euery thing else as meate and nourishment is vnto the body There are others also that depende so much vpon Gods prouidence in preseruing them that in a time of danger and sicknesse as this is they will not vse those meanes which not only God but euen nature reason also doth direct them vnto for their defence preseruation running headlong and desperately into places that are infected without any care and regarde eyther of themselues or of others saying that in good earnest which the Physicion spake but by way of a taunt to Ludouicus the Italian God hath set downe the terme of my life and if my time bee come do what I can I can liue no longer then God hath appointed and if it bee not come let me goe whither I will I shall liue as long as God hath determined not considering withal that Gods prouidence doth not take away the means and second causes of our preseruation but rather setteth them in a decent order as certaine helpes and instruments to accomplish the same When God made the lawe of the leprosie a disease in regard of the contagion thereof Leuit. 13 not vnlike vnto the pestilence there was no question but that all shoulde liue out that time that God had appointed vnto them and yet God to accomplish this by a secondarie meanes hee prouideth withall that the Lepers should liue a part without the campe from the societie and company of others as a necessarie and subordinate meanes to effect the same Esay 38 So also when God promised Ezechias that he should recouer his sickness liue fifteene yeares more no question there was but hee must needes liue so long because God had decreede and promised it yet notwithstanding hee prescribes him certaine meanes that he must vse for his recouery viz. to take a bunch of dryed figs and to apply it vnto the byle as a subordinate meanes to accomplish his decree For to lay all vpon the shoulders of Gods prouidence and our selues not to stirre so much as the least of our fingers in working together with his prouidence what is this else but to tempt God Si periculum quantum canere possumus non cauemus magis tentamus Deum quam speramus in Deo Aug. de Ciu. dei lib. 16 cap. 19. Zanchius in cap. 2. ep ad Philip. as S. Austen sayes if we be in any danger and bee not carefull to decline and auoide it as much as we can we do rather tempt God then put our trust in him To this purpose it is worthy of obseruation which that worthy and learned Zanchius a singular ornament of Gods Church reporteth vpon occasion of the pestilence that was verie rife among them of a certaine conference or disputation between him and a Minister of Curia whether it were lawfull for a Minister to absent himselfe from those that were sicke of the plague and to flee from those places that were dangerously infected the Minister of Curia holding that it was not lawfull and Zanchius on the other side holding that it was not vnlawfull being done with such due regard as it ought to be without dishonour vnto God neglect of our duty or fraude and iniurie vnto the people committed vnto vs. Of which point they had reasoning so long both by word of mouth by Letters till at the length the Minister of Curia by resorting daily to those that were sicke of the plague was stricken himselfe and fell sick of it At which time seeing his error and ouersight and the daunger into which hee had brought himselfe and his family hee bewayled and cryed out to his wife and children and to his friends about him Oh vtinam Zanchij consilium secutus essem Oh that I had been ruled by Zanchius who gaue me counsell so to haue care of those that were sicke that withall I shoulde haue a care of those that are sound viz. of my selfe and of my family of the Church of God whose future good and profit I ought to haue regarded expecting a better opportunitie afterwarde Which is a matter right wisely and Christianlie ordered by those that are in authoritie for the safetie and preseruation both of Mininisters and of al sorts of people but that I know not how eyther wee thinke our selues wiser and more charitable then they or else as it should seeme not to stand bound in dutie to performe obedience to the lawes and orders of our superiours Thus doe you see why God vseth some meanes in his works that he doth now we will shew why he vseth so small and weake meanes in dooing of them which is not without as iust cause reason as the other First of all that wee should not ascribe that vnto the means and to the secondarie cause which is due to the power and goodness of God that worketh all in all For such is the corruption of our nature and the grosse conceit of our reason that wee looke more to the meanes then to God the Authour and finisher of all although alas what is all the means in the world vnlesse God worketh with them and giueth power and ability therunto What is bread the ordinarie meanes to preserue life able to doe vnlesse withall God giues the staffe of breade which is a secret blessing and power to norish vs withal what is all the labour and studie and paines we take able to doe vnlesse God laie his hand to the worke and helpe vs through with it If wee builde yet Psal 127 vnlesse the Lord builde the house they labour in vaine that builde it if wee watch yet except the Lord keepe the Citie the watchman watcheth but in vaine if wee labour and take paynes rising early and lying downe late and eating the bread of carefulnes yet vnless Gods blessing be with vs as it was with Iacob whither so euer he went all our labour is lost and to no purpose without this we may sowe much reap little we may eate and not be satisfied Agg. 1.16 wee may weare cloathes and not bee warme wee may earne wages and put them into a broken bagge and bee neuer the better nor the richer for it Habac. 1.16 Therefore we ought not to sacrifice vnto our net nor burne incense vnto our yarn as the Prophet speaketh
â—eed not to be verie sollicitous exemplified in two â—articular cases pag. 203 60 That of the scandall of weake ones wee ought â—o haue some care in condescending somthing vnto â—â—eir weakenes wherein is shewed how far and how â—ong pag. 206 61 The reason concerning the Priest to giue him his due and the honor that belonged vnto him whose office was to iudge of the Leprosie to pronounce sentence of the cleansing thereof pag. 212 62 The great honour that God hath vouchsafed to the Priests of the Law from time to time specified in foure particulars pag. 213 63 The honour that God hath vouchsafed to the ministers of the Gospell shewed in the honour of their office and of their person pag. 216. 64 The contempt of Gods ministers in these dayes and the haynousnes of the sin with the causes of this contempt pag. 221. 224 65 Reuerence and obedience to be yeelded vnto theÌ„ notwithstanding their vnworthines many times due in regard of the dignitie of their office though not in regard of the merit of their person pag. 230 66 The third charge to offer his gift with the reason thereof which was to testifie his thankfulnes vnto God pag. 232 67 That for the same cause God commanded the first fruits sacrifices tenthes oblations c. to be offred vnto him which he hath giuen from himself vnto the Priests for their seruice and maintenance pag. 233 68 That the law of tithes and oblations is not 〈◊〉 meere ceremoniall and iudiciall law but also moralâ— in the substance and proportion and equity thereof pag. 23â— 69 That although the law of tithes doe not binde Christians as they were due to the Leuitical priests yet the Church hath libertie to retaine the same and to ordaine it againe as it doth pag. 237 70 Foure propositions arising froÌ„ the right which God hath transferred from himselfe and hath made ouer vnto his ministers for their seruice pag. 241 71 The first that the maintenance of ministers is not a meere humane constitution but a diuine ordinance due vnto them iure diuino by a diuine right or by the law of God pag. 241. 242. 72 Also that it is not a voluntarie and beggerly almes giuen in charitie but an honourable tribute due in iustice and that God did not see it fitte that ministers should liue vpon meere beneuolence and the voluntarie contributions of the people with the reasons thereof pag. 242. 243 73 The second that the maintenance of ministers ought to bee a liberall and a bountifull maintenance proued by the law of nature of nations of Christ and of Christian Princes pag. 246 74 The third that tenthes and oblations and other reuenewes of the Church doe properly belong to Ecclesiasticall and not to any temporall persons pag. 254 75 That to alienate the goods of the Church either by diuerting them without iust cause to ciuill vses or by conuerting them fraudulently and vniustly to our owne vses cannot be without iniurie vnto God and to the Church pag. 256 76 Of the great daunger heereof and the greeuous punishments that haue followed after it with an exhortatioÌ„ a Caueatto beware of it p. 258. 267 77 The fourth that tithes and oblations with other duties belonging to the Church are to be tendered willingly and cheerefully without grudging and murmuring and without contesting and cauilling about them against the wicked practise in these dayes pag. 271 78 The ground and reason of the charge which is the law and commandement of Moses and why Christ would haue the Leper to performe obedidience vnto it being shortly after to bee abolished which was to honour Moses and his law pag. 279 79 Of the honour dewe to the lawes and ceremonies of our Church in regard of the first authors and obseruers of them the which are cleared of the imputation of poperie and superstition pag. 284 80 Another speciall end of the Lepers oblation which besides the testification of his thankfulnesse was to be a testimony against the priests pag. 290 81 How God keepeth records and witnesses to leaue vs without excuse and therefore to seeke for the testimonie of Gods spirit and the testimonie of a good conscience to secure vs against all witnesses that come against vs. 291 82 The allegorie of the whole text applyed to the cleansing of sinne which is the leprosie of the soule wrought by Christ Iesus the PhysitioÌ„ that cleanseth and the high Priest that doth pronounce vs to bee cleane with the testifying of our thankfulnesse for it pag. 295 THE CLEANsing of the Leper Matth. 8. Verse 2.3.4 And lo there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And Iesus stretching forth his hand touched him saying I will be thou cleane and immediately his leprosie was cleansed Then Iesus sayd vnto him See thou tell no man but goe and shewe thy selfe vnto the Priest offer the gifte that Moses commanded for a witnesse to them IT is obseru'd by the fathers that the creation of the World was not performed vvith such labour difficultie as the redemption of it In the creation God vsed his word only for dixit facta sunt hee spake the word and they were made Psal 33.9 Psalm 33.9 But in the redemption of it Christ vsed both words and deeds too Bern. incant ser 20 for multa dixit multa fecit multa pertulit sayth S. Bernard hee spake many things hee did manie things and hee suffered manie things Which was the cause that in performing the office of his mediation hee did not onely preach the word but also wrought many workes and wonders with it ioyning vnto his sayings his doings to his words his deeds and to his doctrine his works miracles which he wrought And this not without most wise and iust consideration Partly 〈◊〉 winne credite authoritie vnto his preaching and to confirme his doctrine by signes and wonders that followed after Mark 16.20 that as his doctrine was supernaturall farre aboue the apprehension of reason so the confirmation thereof might bee supernaturall farre aboue the order and course of nature Cant. 2.12 It is the song of the Church in the booke of the Canticles The flowers appeare in the earth and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land that is sayth Bernard the truth is founde by hearing and by seeing the voice being heard and the flowers beeing seene Rom. 10.17 Et visu veritas coÌ„perta auditu Etsi fides ex auditu ex visâ— confirmatio est Audita visa confirmant Bern. in Cant. ser 59. Mat. 3.16 For though faith commeth by hearing as the Apostle sayth yet notwithstanding the confirmation of it is by seeing according to that which Christ saith Go shewe Iohn what things yee haue heard seene the things which we heare being confirmed by those things which we see Therfore is Christ not onely testified by a voice but also demonstrated by a Doue and is
vnderstanding and performance whereof we are to remember and call to minde an olde but yet a necessarie and a trewe distinction of scandalles with the different natures and qualities of sundrie distinct persons whom these scandals do concerne The first kinde of scandall is called by the Schoolemen scandalum actiuum an actiue scandall Scandalum malae rei exemplum aedificans ad delictum Tert. de Virg. velandis Scandalum ost dictum vel factum minus rectum praebens alteri occasionem ruinae Thom. 2. 2. quaest 43. art 1. or an offence giuen which is nothing else as Tertullian sayes but an euill example that maketh others to offende and to sinne by it or as Aquinas the great Schooleman dooth define it it is a word not rightly spoken or a thing not rightly done giuing others occasion to fall thereby or if it doth not preuaile so farre yet at the least it doth greatly offend grieue the mind of a godly and a zealous man The other is scandalum passiuum a passiue scandall or an offence not giuen but taken when as a thing being good or at the least not euill in it selfe yet notwithstanding a person not well disposed falleth into sin by it or at the least is offended and grieued For the former we ought to haue an especiall care that we giue no offence vnto anie according to the Apostles direction 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 32 Giue no offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God because the actiue scandall is most properly said to be the cause of sin and therefore hath a most fearefull woe against the authours of it Mat. 18. Woe vnto the world because of offences Necessarie it is that offences come but woe be vnto the man by whom the offence commeth Mat. 16 Of this kind was the offence that Peter gaue vnto Christ when as he went about to disswade him from his blessed passion the soueraigne salue and medicine to heale all our diseases withall which made him to reprooue and rebuke him so sharply as he did Get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me And such also is the offence of manie men now who do greatly offend and hurt others by such scandales as they giue vnto them The which doe commonly proceede from two especiall causes either from som hereticall doctrine erronious opinion which they doe disseminate and sowe in the hearts and minds of such as are ignorant and vnstable beeing not altogether setled nor rooted in the truth or else from an euill example of a wicked and vngodly conuersation whereby they infect and poison the soules of others drawing thē on by their euill example to the like excesse of wickednesse Of the first sort are not only our Iesuits and popish recusants and the rest of that rabble who lie lurking secretly in corners like foxes in their holes or like Lions in their dennes teaching most impious blasphemous doctrine and disswading subiects from their loyalty and allegeance vnto their Soueraigne but also diuers Schismatickes the seeds-men of sedition and dissension in our Church 2. Tim. 3 who creepe priuily into houses and hold priuate conuenticles seducing and mis-leading them with strange fancies and idle conceits withdrawing them frō performance of that dewty and obedience which they ought to yeeld vnto the Church Of the other sort are all sorts of persons whatsoeuer that giue anie kinde of scandall by the sinnes and offences which they commit whether it bee whoredom or drunkenness swearing and blaspheming fraude and oppression or any other sin whatsoeuer wherby they cause others to cōmit the like or at the least do greatly grieue vexe their righteous soules as the wicked Sodomites vexed the righteous soule of that iust man Lot 2. Pet. 2.7 by their vncleane conuersation but especially rich and mighty men that are in high place and authoritie and are more eminent then others who by their euill example and wicked practises doe cause a great manie to sinne as Ieroboam did 1. King 12 by setting vp his golden calues because that men of lower ranke are readie to imitate without any dew examination the dealings and practises of those that are of higher degree thinking that they may lawefully doe whatsoeuer they see them to doe like as wee see in the heauens where the heauenlie bodies which are contayned within the first sphere are mooued according to the motion of the first moouer Our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 6.22 that the light of the bodie is the eye and if the eye be single the whole bodie will be light and if the eye be wicked the whole bodie wil be darke so surely if great men be good others will learne to be good also but if they be euill others will learne to bee euill by them for wheresoeuer there is darknesse vpon the mountaines there is darknesse vpon the vallies also 1. King 12 If Ieroboam makes golden calues the people will quickly fall to idolatrie and worship them Dan. 3.7 If Nabuchadnezzar sets vp a golden image all the people will forthwith at the sound of the trumpet and other instruments of musicke fall downe and worship it Iudg. 16.30 Sampson cannot pull downe the house vpon himself but many thousands of the people will be slaine with it Therfore for the conclusion of both let all sorts of persons take heede how they giue any offence either by erronious doctrine and wicked perswasions or by an euill example of a lewde life because as Saint Austen saies August de Temp. ser 104. So many as a man shall edifie by a good example for so many hee shall receiue a reward of a blessed life and contrariwise so many as he shall hurt by example of an euill life hee shall giue an account vnto God and receiue a iust recompence and a punishment of a wretched and a damnable life this being a sinne that is not permanent and residing in a mans person onely but transient and passing from our selues vnto others like vnto a leprosie that infecteth others with the contagion of it that as our sauiour Christ sayth of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23 who deuoured widdowes houses vnder a colour of long prayer that they should receiue the greater damnation so the like also may be said of these men that doe not onely sinne themselues but also cause others to sin that they shall receiue a double damnation one for the sin which they committed in themselues the other for the sins which they caused others to commit So as Arrius and Iulian and all such miscreants and monsters shall not only be punished for their owne impieties and blasphemies but also for the impietie and wickednesse wherewith they haue caused others to blaspheme the holy name of God Now for the second kinde of scandall Scandalum Pharisaeorū pusillorum which is the passiue scandall or the offence taken not giuen that is to be
of Nations by the lawe of Christ and by the lawe of Christian Princes is not a bare and beggerly allowance like vnto the Leuites wages Iudg. Iudg. 17.10 17. which was 10 shekels of siluer a suite of apparrell and his meate and drinke the allowance which many knights and gentlemen vse to make who hauing gotten an Impropriation in their hands will hire some one or other for fiue poundes or twentie nobles a yeare to serue the cure and if hee were able to teach their children too and may I not truely say the allowance of some rich Citizens also who being possessed not only of wealth but also of store and plentie in great abundance doo out of this their rich treasure make that allowance vnto their minister yeerely for his maintenance which for verie shame they will not offer to one of their seruants for his hire nor to a poore schoolemafter for his wages to teach their children their Abce and to learn their letters of him And yet forsooth some of these will looke to rule and sway and to bee great masters and commanders in a parish though their duties and allowance vnto their ministers bee iust the same with them that take the charitie and the almes of the parish This I say is not that allowance that is due vnto Gods ministers by the law of God and of Christian Princes whose godly lawes are wrested and peruerted by the fraude and cunning of these kind of men but a bountifull and an honorable maintenance hauing not only sufficiencie for necessarie vse but also plentie for delight and comfort too In regard whereof the law prouided that the first fruites of all increase as of corne wine oyle and the pleasant fruites of trees should bee offred vnto the Priests Philo de praem hon sacerd as Philo doth obserue to the ende that they might not liue hardly hauing only so much as is necessarie to holde the body and soule together but that they might liue cheerfully and comfortably in hauing wherewith to solace to delite themselues withall insomuch that this ancient author casting vp an account of all kinde of oblations which were offred vnto the Priests sayth that by the lawe of God they were not much inferiour vnto Princes hauing a continuall tribute as he calles it payd vnto them as Princes haue Therefore let no man grudge nor repine at the liuinges of ministers as if euerie thing were too much that the minister hath when as themselues canne bee content to possesse tenne times as much and yet for all this thinke that they haue not halfe inough seeing that this their murmuring is not against Gods ministers but against God himselfe Exod. 16. who hath giuen the tenth part of their goods from himselfe vnto them for their maintenance and for other holy and charitable vses that so they might not liue hardly but liberally not to take an almes but to bee able to giue almes and to relieue others Now shall men enuie and repine against them for this GOD forbid What were this else but to impeach Gods wisedome and to murmure at his goodnesse and bountie towardes them Mat. 20. Those laborers that murmured against the housholder for giuing as much vnto the last as vnto the first what aunswere did they receiue for it Friend sayth hee to one of them I doo thee no wrong did I not agree with thee for a penny tolle quod tuum est vade take that which is thine owne and go thy way I will giue as much to this last as vnto thee is it not lawfull for mee to doo with mine own what I wil is thine eye euill because I am good So verily God will say to these enuious and malitious men My friende why doest thou grudge and repine against my seruants for my bountie and large allowance that I haue giuen vnto them Is it any wrong to thee to see mee liberall and beneficiall vnto others what if I would to shewe my loue and bountie to my Apostles and ministers giue vnto them mine owne part which is due vnto my selfe what is this to thee Is it not lawfull for mee to doe with mine owne what I will wilt thou bee euill because I am good Goe to tolle quod tuum est vade take that which is thine own and go thy way I haue dealt wel and bountifully with thee in giuing nine parts vnto thee and in giuing but one part viz. the tenth vnto them content thy selfe with it and doo not enuie nor murmure anie more least I take away the nine parts from thee and giue the tenth vnto thee The third proposition is that the tenths and oblations with other profittes and emoluments doo belong to the ministers of God not to any others forasmuch as God gaue his part to the Priests and Leuites for their maintenance and therefore ought not to bee diuerted or conuerted to the vse of lay men who haue no right nor interest either in Gods tenth or in any other goods of the Church For seeing that in the matter of tithes and oblatiōs of all other ecclesiasticall profits there is a mutuall giuing and receiuing as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 4. Phil. 4.15 the minister giuing spirituall things and the people giuing carnall and temporall things for them what reason or equitie canne there bee that those that may not nor doo not performe the one should bee partakers of the other or that they should liue vpon the Altar that doo not serue at the Altar The dignities and reuenewes of the Church do belong to such as are intitled vnto thē by a lawful power authority receiued frō God to manage discharge the duties and offices therof according to that which Philo reporteth of the law among the Iewes Philo Iud. lib. 2. de Monarch that it doth not permitte any to reape those fruites and profits which are holy vnto God but only those that are of the order of the Priesthood though otherwise hee be of the same Country nobly descended adorned with rare and excellent vertues whereof hee giueth this reason because it is not meete that sacrifices and other ceremonies of the Altar should bee committed to the Priests the honours and profits to bee communicated to lay persons nor is it seemely that the Priests should take care and labour day and night and the rewarde to bee bestowed vpon those that are idle and take no paines for it Therefore to alienate or detaine the goods and reuenewes of the Church which are originally due vnto God and by a deede of gift due vnto his ministers cannot bee without manifest wrong and iniurie to God and to the Church which maketh God to complaine as he doth Mal. 3.8 Mal. 3. Will any man sayth hee spoile his gods yet haue ye spoiled me but yee say wherein haue we spoiled thee in tithes offerings c. How in tithes and offerings partly by conuerting them to temporall and
time a publick necessity should seem to challenge the vse of them to take them with a condicion and a purpose of restoring them again as Iouianus did who took a great part of the goods of the church to relieue the people beeing pinched with famine promising to restore all that hee tooke and to adde more vnto it Wherfore to conclude this point if either the exampls of godly Princes or the iudgements of God vpon sacrilegious people wil moue and perswade vs beware of this horrible sinne of sacriledge and take heed how you possess hold the goods of the Church for so long as Achans wedge of golde the execrable thing is among vs Ios 7.13 it is to bee feared that Gods iudgements and his seuere punishments will not bee farre from vs. The fourth Proposition is that the tenths and oblations with other dewties belonging vnto God are to bee offred willingly and gladlie forasmuch as they are offered in token of our gratitude and thankefulnesse to GOD which implyeth both alacritie and cheerefulnesse if it bee true thankefulnesse And verely great reason there is of it for seeing God dooth liberallie and bountifullie bestowe all that we haue vpon vs therefore we ought to testifie our thankfulnesse by offering somthing most willingly chearefully to him again Wherof we shall finde a dew and most deuout practice of holy and godly men in former times Wee read that when as God commaunded Moses to builde a Tabernacle for his seruice Exod. 36.5 the people were so willing and forwarde to offer euen the best things that they had towardes the building of it that the workemen came to Moses and tolde him that the people brought too much and more then enough for the vse of the worke in regarde wherof he was faine to make a Proclamatition among them that neither man nor woman should prepare any more work for the oblation of the sanctuarie Exo. 36.5 So likewise when the Temple was to be builded 1. Chron. 29 9.14 Dauid his people did offer so willingly and so bountifully towardes the building of it that as the text sayth they reioyced greatly when they did it and did thank God for their offring which they offered vnto him acknowledging that that which they gaue they did first receiue and that of his owne hand they did giue vnto him Of which their willingnesse both in their voluntarie oblatiōs as also those which the lawe imposed vpon them Philo a man of the same nation reporteth that they brought their tribute Philo de pram hon sacerd as he calleth it more willingly vnto the Priests then in other places they did vnto Princes For when as they payd their dueties vnto them they would grudge and complaine of great impositions and exactions and would cauill and quarrell with the publicans towle gatherers hating them as a common plague that was sent among thē but when as they payd theirtithes and oblations vnto the Priests euerie man did it willingly and ioyfully as if hee did not giue but receiue giuing thankes vnto GOD in the offring of their oblations Yea since that time Christians in the beginning of the primitiue Church were so forward and willing to honor God with their goods Act. 4.34 that as many as were possessors of lands houses sold them and brought the price therof layd it downe at the Apostles feete which was distributed to euerie one according as he had need And after that also in the declining state of the Church many deuout people were so ready forward to giue vnto the Church that they gaue more then was thought fit in policie to bee giuen whereupon the statute of Mortmaine was made that they should not exceede certaine bounds which were limited vnto thē Which practise how different it is from the practise of this age wherein wee liue euerie one that is purblind may see wherein the complaint and grudging of most men is that they are at too much cost and charge for the seruice of God as if euerie thing were too much that is bestowed vpon it dealing thus worse with God then the Israelites did with the golden calf who plucked of their earings their iewels to make an Idoll these contrariwise thinking much to doo the like for the seruice and worshippe of the true God Whereof none can tell so well as the ministers of God who are as it were his stewards and collectors to receiue his rents When we come to demand them in our masters name to whom they are due a world it is to see what grudging and complayning what quarrelling and contesting what cauilling and disputing there is about them some pretending priuiledges and prescriptions others pleading customes and compositions a third sort studying and inuenting meere trickes and deuises thereby to defeate and to defraud God of his right that it would grieue any well disposed minde to see euen a very meane person so iniuriously and so fraudulently dealt withall If hereupon in the defence of our maisters right and in zeale to the Church and in an honest care of our selues and ours wee craue the benefit of the law and the helpe of the magistrate Publicans and towle gatherers were not more odious nor counted more couetous and more extortioners then wee are although indeede it is not couetousnes and oppression to maintaine the right of the Church but theft and sacriledge to witholde it from it Socr. hist eccl lib. 3. cap. 12. It is reported of Iulian that when as the Christians came and complayned vnto him of the intolerable wronges and iniuries offered vnto them by the Pagans hee made them this aunswere that it was their duetie when they are wronged to suffer it patiently because their maister had willed commanded them to do so And doth not the world deale thus with Gods ministers also in these dayes Yes verily If they be forced at any time to sue for the right of God the church men are readie to say to them as Iulian did to the Christians that they ought to be patient and to suffer wrong and not to go to lawe but to liue quietly and peaceably with all men Which I confesse they ought to do but ought not these men also to deale iustly and truely and honestly with them O impietie and ingratitude of men Is this our thankefulnesse vnto God for the bountie and plentie that hee bestowes vppon vs to pinch and to spare and to deale niggardly and deceitfully with him Doth God voutsafe to aske thy tenthes and oblations and doest thou like a miserable and a couetous wretch deny thē vnto him what wouldest thou do if he should haue taken nine parts vnto himselfe and haue giuē the tenth only vnto thee Which also he doth many times if thou could see it Quid auidē supputas nouem tibi partes subtractae sune quia decimā dare noluisti Haec enim est Domini iustissima consuetudo vt si tu illi