and laid downe the prices at the Apostles feete and distribution was made according as euery one did need So did other so did Ioses a Leuite and for that cause was happily of the Apostles surnamed Barnabas or the sonne of consolation for comforting the hearts of the Church who as yet were but barely prouided for persecution being feared without and penurie felt within her doores But as he and other did beautifie the religion with their deuotion so there want not that blemish the same with their deep dissimulation Therefore S. Luke to illustrate the fact of the one opposeth ex diametro the fault of the other as Chrysostome obserueth to the ende the dissimulation of Ananias may giue a lustre to the sinceritie of Ioses and shewe the world that there is a consolation in Christ a comfort of loue a fellowship of the Spirit and bowels of mercie though profane men neither praise it nor practise it This the occasion Now here is set downe a wicked combination of a man and his wife in a matter of Dedication by themselues done to God and his Church how to delude and frustrate both which counterfeit carriage the great and holy Apostle doth both descrie and discouer first to their conuiction secondly to their confusion Where first we may reade the sinne and then the censure The sinne is Sacriledge that is compilation or cousenage of things now consecrated to God and holy vses The censure is Excommunication or distriction of the spiritual sword and that in the heauiest of all heauie curses The sinne is set downe first barely by Luke by way of historicall narration the censure inflicted by Peter by Apostolicall iurisdiction the historie is couched in the two first verses and comprise the efficients materiall and formall causes Ananias and his wife sold a possession and kept backe part of the price and brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certaine quillet or quidditie a thing of nothing in comparison of the maine a niggardly share whereas they had promised the whole as Barnabas had done before and they made shewe to imitate The censure followes first in reprehension secondly in castigation The reproofe containes 1. an accusation v. 3. 2. a confutation The accusation is in the appellation of the offender Ananias and enumeration of the parts of the offence which are three 1. The author by whose suggestion Why hath Sathan filled thine heart where is also touched part of the forme of the offence 2. The obiect against whom the sinne was committed including also the other part of the forme That thou shouldst lie to the holy Ghost 3. The subiect wherein the matter of the sinne consisted And keep backe part of the price of the possession The Confutation followes and that is of three secret obiections answerable to the heads of the accusation but inuerting the order as the manner of Scripture is to doe to the last first Obiect 1. A man may doe with his owne what he will but this was mine ergo To this the Apostle answereth by letting passe the maior as beeing impertinent and denying the minor with distinguishing vpon the time first for time of possession granting it when it remained vnsold remained it not to thee namely the land secondly and for time of alienation yeelding it and when it was sold was it not in thine owne power namely the price thirdly but for time of dedication denying it strongly by interrogation and passing it ouer by a crypsis of method as if all law and logicke all rule and reason did disavow it for thou hadst no more right to the monie now giuen then to the land now sold Obiect 2. As to the author he might say if it were an offence yet was it not mine but Satans as your selfe auouch To this he answers with a non sequitur though Sathans by temptation yet yours also by approbation he might haue as one noteth suadendi astuâ—iam not cogendi potentiam he might suggest hee could not enforce he was the founder the woer the father thy heart was the worker the spouse the mother why hast thou conceiued this thing in thy heart Obiect 3. Well then though a fault and in some sort my fault also yet no such great fault as needed so sharpe and publike reproofe at the worst being but to a few simple men that could challenge nothing of a free donation and might haue receiued other satisfaction Answ Yes your sinne is not so much to men who are but the Assignes to whom the benefit of your donation should haue acrued as vnto God who is the donor who by such fraud is frustrated and by your dodging dishonoured not onely the father that foundeth his Church in his Sonne and the Sonne that collecteth it by his Spirit but the holy Spirit that sequestreth it by his power sanctifieth it with his grace beautifieth it with his gifts combineth it with his loue preserueth it by his prouidence and honoureth it with his truth Thou hast not lied vnto man but vnto God euen God the holy Ghost This is the reprehension the Castigation follows when Ananias found himselfe first thus deprehended in the darkenesse of his owne deceit like the fish Sepia that misteth her selfe in her owne mud and reprehended for the blacknesse of his sinne by the wisedome of the Spirit and peircing words of the Apostle and lastly confuted in the simple Labyrinth of his owne Logicke it remaines that hee is confounded by the inward remorse of his couetous conscience and as at the hearing of his owne funerall sermon falls downe dead in the place by the fulmination of the fearfullest anathema anathema maran-atha a temporall consternation of the bodie cut off from the grace of life and eternall malediction of the soule depriued of the life of grace an exemplarie vengeance to other a fearfull iudgement to himselfe by a sad a sudden and vnrepentant death not so much in forme of words as in the effect of deeds When Ananias heard these words he fell downe and gaue vp the ghost Lastly the vse of this curse annexed what effect it should and did produce to other trepidation and feare illustrated by the extent or quantitie both of the affection and the subiect or auditors Great feare came vpon all them that heard these things And thus much for the Context and analysis or logicall resolution CHAP. II. The Theologicall tractation First of his sinne in generall how great it was and what COncerning his sinne that it should be proportionate to his punishment all do not agree the most auouch that it was Sacriledge none say it was lesse but some say more as namely that sinne vnto death the sinne against the holy Ghost I thinke it was both First that his sinne was Sacriledge it is too apparent to be gainesaid as I am of opinion although the learned Fulke vpon the Rhemish notes seemeth to denie it as I take in heate of dispute For the detaining or detracting
both formerly not without sore trauell and interruption and lastly for 60. yeeres together without stop or intermission to thinke you are not well sed with my milke except you drawe my blood also What meanes those old dismembrings these newe detractings enuyous pryings odious beggings sad disputings sauage incroachings vpon me and my small indowments What good will these small remainds of my dowry doe you what pleasure will my vndoing breed you if this little estate that is left make you rich and me poore you great and mee small what will be the end of such gaines Is hauing growne so toothsome to you that you make no care from whence it commeth is holy demeanes so wholesome a dish that you will contend who shall do most harme is temporall riches so necessary for you that you feare not to make it vp with the spoile of spirituall are your sonnes so deere vnto you that they must be raised with the ruine of your fathers Cannot you be indulgent parents except you bee vnnaturall impious sacrilegious children are you so smally beholden for meanes vnto your father that you must breake in and rob your mother or is it my conniuence at former wrongs that makes you presume to wrong me more Grow you wearie now of your mothers blessing do you enuie her beeing desire her cursing If it be so my sonnes that you wil either sell me at home or send me abroad yet giue me my dowry that I brought you with me my peace I haue procured you my plenty wherewith I haue crowned you my treasures that I haue caused you and the millions of good things wherewith I haue blessed you Woe is me that I am growne so vnfauourie to be hated so vgly to be abhorred so barren to be reiected so decrepite to be scorned and that of mine owne cradle Is a step-mother become so louely or an empty house so handsome that I am driuen away for an other to haue my roome Alas my sonnes I will say what I see the lickerish looke after my poore estate shewes too great to your greedie eies the deceitfull lustre of a painted beautie bewitcheth your lasciuious eies as you thinke to enioy as I know to indure her glorious beautie in glorious tyrannie who if she comes in will not onely fetch backe all that was mine but also fetch in all that is yours Remember this but whom you dishonour and whom you please did not the enemie triumph inough before while you vnripped the seamlesse coat but you must yeeld them more content by distressing me their hatefull opposite What meane you to doe remember but to whom you do it and doe your will to one that vpholdeth the scepter maintaineth you secureth all you haue they are my seruitours that stead you my Priests that blesse you my ministers that profit you who cause your God to be obeyed your gouernours honoured your people informed your country renowmed and your happinesse continued Who watch for your soules but they who wake for your safetie but they who avert your imminent iudgements but they who procures your eminent blessings but they Grieue nor O grieue not their soules by grudging them their lines if you once driue them from their station or discourage them in their function you shall be ingratefull in grieuing them impious in expelling them miserable in missing them If I haue not been barren or abortiue in my breeding nor defectiue in my fostering nor illiberall in my louing you be nor ingrate to them vnkind to me auerse from God If I haue interest in your loues or part in your liues or portion in your hopes by the father that begat you by the wombe that bare you by the breasts that sucled you by whatsoeuer of mine hath been deare vnto you I will and commaund you I intreat and beseech you I binde and adiure you not to suffer your mother any more to be dishonoured not to let your fathers any more be impouerished not to suffer your soules any more to be deceiued nor your hands with holy pillage to be defiled nor your hopes of euerlasting blisse to be euacuated so shall God euen your Father blesse you the Sonne receiue you the holy Spirit comfort you the holy Angels obserue you my armes imbrace you and all the companie of heauenly Saints serue you so shall the iudgements that hang ouer your head passe by you the euills that are gone out escape you the deuills that now smite not hurt you and hell that now gapeth not deuoure you so shall your pollitie stand vnconquered your families bee continued your candlesticke vnremooued your God appeased your soules saued and all your holy wishes most happily accomplished If the Church the mother of vs all could be heard or vnderstood thus to speake and thus to plead what could ye answear what Apologie would you make or excuse pretend to her as affectionate as iust complaint but now not onely shee but I am well assured God himselfe in the greiuances of his Ministers doth say the same with a more audible voice more reall effect that God I say whose houses ye haue suffered not to be robbed onely but ruined also his reuenews diminished his Churches demolished his donations alienated his holy things vsurped his portions interuerted and his worship dishallowed All the world till late daies thought the Church the safest sanctuarie to repose their treasures in their wealth their good works but now the poorest cottage is farre safer then the strongest Cathedrall Then it was thought as great an immunity to the deponent as honestie and honor to the recipient now the Orphan is iniured the widow wronged the father discouraged the Sanctuarie prophaned and the Priest of all other auoided I read what time the citie of Ephesus was beleaguered with a long and dangerous seige and the inhabitants with doubts of warre daunted the gouernour gaue this aduise to tie the walls and gates of the citie with ropes and cables to the Temple of their Goddesse to the ende that when all they had were so peculiarly surrendred vnto their Deities patronage it should not onely be impious but sacrilegious to the enemie to attempt that which was now sacred Oh what is become of auncient holines that haue now inuerted the method of true security when we do not annexe our chests to Churches but incorporate the holiest of Churches to our priuate chests and patrimonies Iustinian the second hauing a great desire to plucke downe a Church in the citie of Constantinople that stood in his light fast ioyning to the Pallace that in the roome thereof he might erect a Tarras for the people to see and receiue the Emperour intreated Callimacus then Patriarke to perswade the people that it was neither displeasing to God nor offensiue to any to conuert Churches to other vses as those had done that had ouerthrowne the heathen temples and disposed of them otherwise To whom the holy Archbishop made this replie Sir God forbid that
pageant hath acted the Poet to scandalize their profession by withdrawing their sustentation perswading the world that high pouertie is the way to high perfection and that a freeze gowne is habit enough for holy professors wherein I wonder so holy a father doth not goe before or at least accompany vs in the way to holinesse and to possesse nothing the onely way to happinesse Therefore let them that haue any portion of Gods spirit any sparke of grace any conscience of wel-doing any care of God-seruing stop their eares at this Syren of sinne the charmes of profit remember but whose brat it is out of what scullerie it came and let them if they can if they dare approoue it Mark but how he hath in all times wrought vpon this aduantage see whether he be not indeed of that woluish kind that first gaue Rome sucke Obserue what he hath done through Christendome by that he hath done by a few countries Clemangis saith that hee had out of France from Cathedrall Churches and Abbies not accounting Bishopricks or other inferiour callings 697. thousand 750. franks of yeerely reuenew Whereunto if other did proportion themselues his incomes were little lesse then 6. or 7. millions by the yeere Germanie paid him yeerely 300000. florens and Charles Duke of Aniow for the Kingdome of Sicilie 40000. ducats To leaue other Wallo Otho Steuen his legats here conueyed out of England mightie masses and banks of treasure when they had taxed all aboue ground they extorted a good summe also for the corne vnder ground Peter Rubeus at one time carried more monie out of the land then he left behind him Martin when there was no more monie to be had tooke the verie horses out of the stables and it was prooued in a Parliament that in the space of 44. yeeres that is from the beginning of Hen. 7. to the time that Hen. 8. did cleane expell him he receiued for Buls alone of Bishops ten hundred and 60. thousand pounds No maruell then though he grew rich and all the world poore for he rightly resembled Gedeons fleece who was wet and moist when all other were drie and shall againe be drie when all the world is wet For Iohn 22. left behind him 25. thousand thousand crownes or 250. tunnes of gold Calixtus 3. 150000. florens in a false bottom vnder his chamber Sixtus 5. 5. millions of his owne corrading Wel fare their hearts all sacrilegers that euer were were but bunglers to the Popes For as a poor pirate sometime answeared Alexander the great I scoure the Aegean but you the Ocean I robbe a poore marchant or two but you make purchase of all the world so are other offenders in this kinde to their holines by which meanes he hath been the most bloodie persecutor that euer infested the Church For as it was said of Dioclesian that he was no body to Iulian for Dioclesian did but tollere presbyteros but Iulian sustulit presbyterium for the hand of the one was but against the professors but the other aimed at the profession taking away their saleries not medling with their safeties so that it was hard for Christianity when they had no meanes left to teach and instruct the commers on which while it was had sanguis martyrum was semen ChristianoruÌ„ the blood of Martyres caused more Christians But of the Pope enough and so much of the first sort of offenders in sacriledge CHAP. II. Against Puritans Cauillations at the meanes and matters sacred to Gods seruice I Come next to encounter another enemie of this doctrine cleane opposite to the Papists vpon the other hand The Puritan or Separatist who are according to their own definition refined protestants but to others Gospellers out of their wits men drunken with their owne wine but with difference some more soberly besotted other more frantickely intoxicated These misliked the maintenance of Ministers by Tithes as either Papall or at least Iudaicall but your stipends and contributions vnder the nature of pure almes that is iust for their tooth and I wish them the cold reuersion of a cast almes-house for their labour And no maruell for I haue knowne some that haue thriued better and haue been feathered warmer vpon brethrens beneuolence being able to purchase lands let out monie to vse by rayling at the State barking against Bishops and lying by the heeles in humour then many of their betters could euer doe vpon ordinarie prouisions or extraordinarie promotions No maruell then they mislike the maintenance their way is better and before they misliked the Church meanes they fell out of loue with the Church it selfe the edifices ornaments ceremonies sacraments and whatsoeuer is not purum putum These men I say are sacrilegers for first they haue defiled our holy sacraries with their Bedlam Rhetoricke more fowly then euer they were with Babylonish reliques tearming them Temples of Baal sties of Antichrist cages of vncleane birds c. Nay some haue commenced to such a degree of holy frenzie that they haue abhorred the very tongue wherein superstition hath talked as the language of the beast then happily true when themselues do speake it But I leaue the persons and come to the point onely adding thus much as Sampsons foxes were sundred in the head but combined by the taile so the Puritan and Papist though their deuises differ their ends are one to subuert religion not professedly as doe the Turkes yet by consequence and necessarie inference most subtily For as a learned Gentleman hath lately written Tithes haue been Gods ancient demeane and nobler part of his inheritance founded primarily on the law of nature as that principle which teacheth to honour God we beeing in iustice bountie and gratuitie bound to acknowledge his bountie and Soueraigntie But glebe land and houses howsoeuer now vsed in the nature of moueables are his fixed inheritance and seates of his mansion not so auncient yet now as proper giuen by deuout men grounded on the warrant of the Leuiticall cities as it were a holy portion of lanâ— for his Ministers to dwell on For Vrbanus the sixt Bishop of Rome in anno 222. did first alter that Communion of the Primitiue Church that we read of in the Acts who thought it expedient in those purest times for the perpetuall releife of the Church not to sell the lands as they did in the Apostles times as this fact of Anantas sheweth but to keep them themselues because of the casualtie in pecuniarie contributions And although Abbey lands were giuen to sâ—perstitious vses yet both Ciuilians Canonists agree that long custome may prescribe in this case though the beginning had been erroneous And as we shall see elsewhere in donations to superstitious vses their super may bee mended but their stitious continued As for Abbey lands I wish King Henry 8. had not taken away the subiect of the question there is an other reason and question of them But Bishops
of any thing dedicated to holy vse though dedicated but by mentall intention hath beene defined to be sacriledge by such as haue defined that sinne and so the streame of auncient and moderne Diuines doth run generally that way as thus S. Augustine Ideo cito mortuus est Ananias vt paterit quam magnum peccatum esset quod oblatum est iterum retrahere Ananias died suddenly to shew how hainous a sinne it is to reuoke anything that is offered or dedicated to God Chrysostome Vides quid hoc crimen imputatur eo quòd pecunias suas accepit quas consecrârat thou seest how he is charged with a crime for taking away his monies which he had consecrated or hallowed And a little after Sacrilegium enim valde graue magno contemptu plenum for sacriledge is a very grieuous sinne and full of great contempt S. Ambrose Dum ex co quod promiserat partem suâ—trahit sacrilegij simul accusatur fraudis for defaulting a moitie of that which he had promised to God he is charged with sacriledge and fraud So the old Calvin Sacrilega fraudatio quod partem eius subducit quod sacrum esse profitebatur it was sacrilegious iugling to diminish that which he professed holy Aretius Furtum fuisset in re propria fraude retinere quod simulat publicare it had beene stealth or ordinary theft in his proper and priuate goods fraudulently to hold backe what he made show to make common Ergo this was sacriledge Beza Cum totum pretium deo consecrasset post per sacrilegium partem separabat hauing vowed the whole he subtracts a part to his owne vse So the new Now to define Sacriledge historians vse the word diuersly for noting this siune to be both hainous and odious therefore they call all hainous and hatefull sinnes by the name as sorcerie murder violation of parents trucidation of Princes and whatsoeuer engendreth publique detestation and slaunder But indeed the word in proper signification hath respect to God whether by derogation of his glory or violation of his law or opposition of his truth or vsurpation of his titles or prophanation of his Temples or vilification of his seruice or diminution of his reuenewes and things dedicated to his honour The Etymologists of both Tongues deriue it from stealing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sacrilegus doe import Therefore 1. the heathen defined it from robbing of the heathen temples 2. the Christian Ciuilians from Christian Churches 3. our common lawyers set out the force of the word by the fellonious intent rather then the subdolous manner whether of secret lurching or open purloyning 4. Diuines both schoole and reformed quicquid fit ad irreverentiam sacrae rei as Th. Aquinas Zanchius Violatio sacrorum Vrsinus ablatio rei sacrae derogation of holinesse abuse or lurching things deputed to holy vses Therefore Innocentius more by way of allusion then true notation saies that sacrilegium is sacriledium any such abuse whereby God or his religion is preiudiced and depraued Whosoeuer therefore taketh away or alienateth to other persons or vses goods or things chattels our Lawyers call them of the Church that haue been giuen to maintaine Gods Church and seruice the Canonists say doth incurre ipso facto crimen laesae Maiestatis that is sacriledge or treason to the highest Maiesty and as high treason to the King is the highest degree of a subiects enormitie so in proportion is sacriledge to God but in Ananias this is ioyned with a higher whereby his sinne is out of measure sinfull This seemes to me also to be very plaine first by the literall oneration of S. Peter in the third verse lying to the holy Ghost where the verie nomination of that person of the Trinitie who guided and gouerned as present and president this whole businesse doth insinuate no lesse For who doth work the miracles but the holy Ghost who doth reueale the Donors most intimate intentions but the holy Ghost who doth kill with the word of his mouth the incorrigible sinner but the holy Ghost who doth so powerfully congregate so many thousands by the mouth of ideot-fishers but the holy Ghost who doth segregate this goat from the blessed flocke for infecting further but the holy Ghost therefore the holy Ghost particularly is and peremptorily affirmes himselfe to be aimed at in this businesse of holinesse therefore the sinne against that person is that sinne the sinne of the holy Ghost And hereunto the holy Fathers also accord as Hesychius quoted by Doct. Fulke vpon the place on the Rhemish Testament Dominus dicit omne pecâ—atâ—â—e hominibus dimittitur blasphemia auâ—em in spiritum sanctum non dimittetur hoc Petrus ipso opere ostendit quia Ananias Sapphyra spiritui sancto â—ecutiti sunt ait â—d eos quare c. The Lord saith Euery sinne shall be forgiuen vnto men but blasphemie against the holy Ghost shal not be forgiuen this did Peter really declare because Ananias and Sapphire lied to the holy Ghost he saith vnto them Why hath Sathan blinded or filled thine heart and thus he And Doct. Fulke himselfe is of the same opinion as it were denying Ananias sinne to be sacriledge because the Seminaries said it and avouching it to be this sinne The same also doth Aretius affirme alleadging another interpretation of those words why hast thou lied to the holy Ghost mentiens spiritum sanctum i. fingens se habere spiritum sanctum belying the holy Ghost that is saying that he had the holy Ghost but reiecting it and cleauing to that construction contra spiritum sanctum against the holy Ghost that it was the sinne of the holy Ghost And that which puts it out of question M. Calvin in saying Ananias sinne was sacriledge prooues it thus that we now speake of for as it hath been obserued by learnedst writers That sinne is no one single sinne but aggregativum quid a collection of many great sinnes 1. an aduised sinfulnes 2. a resolute wilfulnesse 3. an obstinate maliciousnesse 4. an vninersail wickednes or generall apostasie all which or the most with some addition Calvin obserues in this sinne and they are not hard to be found all have for Thomas saith there are sixe species or spices of it 2. against God 1. in forbidding 2. in remitting sinne against both which this sinner doth offend 1. against his iustice forbidding by presumption 2. against his mercie pardoning by desperation 2. Against himselfe 1. dolor de commisso 2. propositum de noli committendo griefe for that which is past and purpose for that which is to come against both these also is this sinne 1. obstinate and malitious persisting in sinne 2. finall impenitencie and purpose not to leaue sinne 2. Also vnto other 1. amor boni 2. agnitio veri the loue of all that is good and the embracing of all that is true in stead whereof
is well obserued of an heathen writer Soli sacrilegi pugnant contra Deum it is no other then your sacrileger that wars with God and make rampiers against his Maiestie Thus then Plato hath soundly concluded all sacrilegers to be verie Atheists for albeit they do not totidem verbis in direct termes denie there is a God with Dauids foole and those abiects of the forlorne hope yet doe they the same indirectly and by necessarie consequence when they deifie a false or idolize the true God which is by denying his essentiall attributes and diuine properties As 1. of holinesse with such as do thinke him like themselues that is a God that delighteth in wickednesse 2. of iustice saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the stubbornenesse of my owne heart 3. of power like the Aramites that said he was a God of the hills and not of the vallies 4. of prouidence saying he doth neither good nor euill But M. Zanchius saith that sacriledge is species irreligionis a spice of atheisme iumping with Aquinas that saith it is oppositum religioni crossing religion and S. Augustine that saith it is directè contra deum opposite to God in point blanke whose reasons are most reasonable because it can proceed from nothing but open contempt of holinesse and plaine impietie for els why doe men lay theeuish fingers vpon things consecrated to religion but because they care not for religion or whereto tends the spoile of holy things but to the ouerthrowe of holinesse for men knowe this God cannot be serued without men nor men bee maintained without meanes therefore the substracting such meanes is the disappointing such seruice therefore Zanchius reduceth Sacriledge to the second commaundement where Gods seruice is established and prouided Because it is here set out in his owne colours it is not amisse to take a tast of the fulsomenesse of it The donations of former times that were giuen to God were called anathemata either for their sequestration from profane vse or suspension on the walls and pillars of holy Temples Now what the Latines called anathemata from the Greeke the Hebrewes called cherem 1. for their consecration 2. for their execration the one in their vse and end the other in their nature and effect of all which the Lord to Moses gaue this caueat Let none of the cursed thing cleaue to thine hand because in that case the spoyle in warre or any such thing as the Lord reserued to himselfe did alwaies so prooue as is expressed in Iosuah Keepe your selues from the cursed thing least it make you accursed and trouble you as fel out to Achan in the valley of Achor or of trouble Therefore the censers of the rebellious Leuites beeing once consecrated when they perished were commaunded to bee preserued not for any or prophane vses but to make a couering of the Altar But to deuoure such holy vtensils or donation Salomon pronounceth to be a curse or snare or destruction as seuerall translations do read it that is to appropriate them to priuate vses The like Metaphor doth Ieremie vse to shew their nature Israel was as a hallowed thing vnto the Lord all that touch him shall offend euill shall come to them saith the Lord nothing the vengeance on their enemies to bee no lesse then Sacrilegers Paul compared it as wee saw with idolatry which destroyeth the whole lawe and Samuel with idolatrie and witchcraft as the contrary obedience with the holiest sacrifice God himselfe with other theft where the circumstances of the person augment the gradation Will any people robbe their idols which are their gods Salomon with the hainousest theft among men He that stealeth from his father and mother and saies it is no sinne the same is a compinion of the destroyer Wherefore to conclude 1. if in ordinarie theft he that steales to satisfie his soule when he is hungry if he be taken shall restore seuen fold or giue all the substance of his house 2. if the flying booke of Gods vengeance shall enter into the house of the theefe which booke was 20 cubites long and 10. broad that is a terrible curse though but to his substance 3. if he that steals from his father shall be destroyed 4. if idolaters and witches must not liue Or to gather the argument more narrow 5. if that man that sinnes against another is to be iudged of the iudge and make so large satisfaction what rule of proportion will serue sufficiently for our computation for a man that shal sinne against the Lord who shallplead for him what shall be done vnto him We may bee sure that if Caine bee reuenged seuen times and Lamec 77. how many millions how many myriads of millions shall he be reuenged that sinnes against God that tooke vengeance of Caine and Lamec both for finiti ad iâ—finitum nulla est proportio And so much shall serue for the aggrauation of this sinne CHAP. VI. The Censure or Excommunication HItherto we haue seene his sinne which we may truely pronounce to haue been a sinne of sins now followes his punishment and that well proportionate a curse of curses anathema euen maranatha the most high the most heauie the most horrible of all degrees of ecclesiasticall censure for that it was an ecclesiasticall censure the whole series or order of the causes doe euince 1. the efficients both principall and instrumentall 2. the forme of spirituall or ecclesiasticall iurisdiction 3. the matter execration or extirpation 4. the ende that other may feare Now then for our better vnderstanding both of his sinne and of his suffering the learned Drusius doth teach vs that among the Iewes where this fell out there were three sorts or seuerall degrees of Church censure apparant enough in both Testaments 1. Called niddui of nadah a word that signifies expellere or elongare to expell or driue far away this we haue in Esay Heare yee the word of the Lord all yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord bee glorified that was the forme as we see in Achans story but he will appeare to your glorie and they shall be ashamed And this is that which in the newe Testament is called casting out of the Synagogue as the Pharisies serued the blind man whom Christ had healed hauing made a Canon that whosoeuer should confesse Iesus to be Christ should be excommunicate or cast out of the Church 2. The second was Cherem of the roote that signifies occidere or excidere to kill or cut off this we finde in Moses where God speaking of the cursed nations whom his people were to exterminate and possesse their places saies thus as the vulgar translation doth well deliuer it anathematizando anathematizabis eos the English if not so significantly yet as effectually thou shalt vtterly destroy
and they that saw day at a little hole haue said more then enough which yet was nothing to that which followed S. Hierome in his 2. Epist ad Nepotianum saith thus Nonnulli sunt ditiores monachi quam fuerant saeculares clerici possident opes sub Christo paupere quas locuplete diabolo non habuerant c. Bern. ad Cler. in Synod Remmensi How should not men follow the vanities and fooleries of this world be proud and haughtie idle and apish when they see such pride and surquedry in the very Church-men De patrimonio crucis Christi non paratis codices in ecclesijs sedpascitis pellices in thalamis with the patrimonie of the crosse of Christ you doe not purchase books in the Church but pamper baggages in your chambers Hence is your brauerie of curtezans gesture of stage plaiers apparell like Princes plus nitent calcaria quà m altaria your spurres shine brighter then your altars hence are your tables so neat your presses so full so goes on hoc non est ornare sponsam sed spoliare instituere sedprostituere pascere gregem sed mactare this is not to adorne the spouse but to vndo her to instruct her with holy but infect her with whoorish conditions nor to feed the flocke but to kill it More did that good man speake to Eugenius himselfe of their pompe and pride to Gulielmus Abbas of their luxurious and lauish diet and not onely he but other also Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara Cynedis Seruit honorate divum Ganymedibus aedes but I leaue this kennell 2. To the ende the spring might neuer be drie that fed their prodigalitie they deuised the gulfe of incorporations and cesternes of additions driuing away the oxen that laboured and eating vp the while their fodder by keeping the fattest both tithes and glebe in their owne hands and staruing vp the poore masse-priests and impouerishing the Churches to maintaine but fowre or fiue where so many decads should be maintained By which deuise the silly staruelings to get some husks to stanch their hungry stomachs taught obseruation of daies pompaticall funerals costly commemorations to build Churches set vp chappels erect altars keep wakes mumble masses say collects make offrings heare confessions purchase redemptions and a number more of like superstitions for liue they must and meanes they had none left but such as they could raise by making themselues necessarie As for their compilations where shall I begin or where shall I make an ende Boniface the 7. beeing driuen out of Rome for his symoniacall intrusion robbed S. Peters of all the wealth and iewels it had and went to Constantinople where so soon as he could stampe his purchase a mightie masse he returnes to Rome and bribes the cheife men oppresses his opposites and puts out the eies of Iohn the Decan Card. and recouers his chaire againe Behold saith Platina a high Priest a holy father a Vicar of Christ robs the holy Church and he that should haue punished other sacrilegers is himselfe the greatest Gregorie the 7. to appease the Romanes for setting vp Rodulfus against Henry the fourth diuided among them 100000. pound in gold which he had corraded out of diuerse Churches Clemens the 6. residing at Auinion gaue leaue to them that kept Naples against the Duke of Aniou to sell the Church plate to pay the souldiers Vrbanus the 6. to assist Charles King of Hungarie whom he had crowned King of Sicil robbed all the Churches of Rome of their Chalices images and mettall to turne into monie for the armie For the expedition of Charles 5. against the Turke it was graunted in the Conclaue at Rome that all the Clergie should pay fiue tenths whereby many religious houses were hardly driuen many beneficed men forsooke their liuings many Churches sold their plate and many Colledges pawned their lands yet went the L. Cardinals free that had many fat benefices as those that were to support the glorie of the sea of Rome What heapes what masses of money haue gone to the Popes chamber by Annales vacations preuentions commendations dispensations for age for order for irregularitie for deformitie Expectatiue graces deuolutions future vacations priuiledges exemptions not to visit at all or to visit by proxie transactions permutations mandates expeditions creations new foundations immutations permutations reductions of religious into secular reductions of secular into religious procurations perceptions of profits in absence legittimations non obstantes indulgences reuocations restitutions tollerations for keeping concubines persolutions for not keeping concubines rescripts and a thousand other Chimeraes of names without moment of nature and all to be meere nets to catch money deuised in the kitchin Which I would haue all those well to consider which thinke all the geese of Rome to be swans and whatsoeuer beares the Popes stamp to be perfit siluer perswading vs backe againe to the Babylonian bondage not knowing God wot what they desire not a Saul but a Sisera with nine hundred chariots of iron to bruise and crush both bodie and soule in sunder 4. Lastly the appropriating the Tithes and church reuennews to vpstart orders of superstitious or more truely sacrilegious hypocrites vntill all was taken away from the true owners and a miserable pittance left to such as performed diuine seruice hardly able to hold life and soule together as if all religion had beene wearie of the Church and taken vp her lodging in a cloister as my learned and worthie Master hath shewed in his view of both lawes most learnedly For at what time that learning was almost cleane extinguished partly by the inundation of barbarous Colonies who plucked downe churches faster then euer their fathers built them partly by the distraction of vpstart heresies amazing the eies of most men with the flourish of formall hypocrisie then came Friar Benedict the founder of regulars with his discontented deuotion like a new Saint lately dropt out of heauen enuying himselfe and his followers not onely the delights of life but the necessaries of meate drinke apparell proprietie of any thing and flie-blow'd the world with the heards of hornets Praemonstratensis Cluniacenses Templariās Hospitallers Cystertians Ioannites and the rest So that all the world especially Popes and Princes were wholly rauished with the wonderment of their singularitie and vied each with other who should most demerit their deuotions some enriching them with lands other enfranchizing them with priuiledges all zealing them to the vttermost of their power Among many other ill aduised prerogatiues there were two superlatiues very pernicious to the Church of God 1. The appropriation of presentatiue benefices 2. The exemptions of Abbey lands from paying tythes I will but touch the first When that hedge of appropriating was once by these wild boars broke downe then all the beasts of the forrest ranne thorough and made it wider Then Charles Martell father to King Pepin of Fraunce vnder
Christ or his Apostles name Tithes and put the matter out of controuersie let me first retort this argument as he did who when his aduersarie had said Si satis est negare quis erit nocens replied Si satis est accusare quis erit innocens but I will shew why First verie many matters that touch the foundation passe vnmentioned but not vnmeant the consubstantialitie of the Sonne which the Arrians did oppose particular faith which the Papists pedobaptisme which the Anabaptists and the Sabbath which the Antisabbatarians do obiect are not named of which it is heresie to doubt or deny therfore the reason is rotten to say they are not named therfore are not Secondly the Synagogue was yet standing wherto by diuine prescriptions Tithes were tied which though by the death of Christ she receiued her deaths wound yet then was not dead when dead not presently buried but with reuerence and honour as the Fathers say to be put into the graue so that till after her funerals there was no paying of legacies Thirdly the state of the new Church was such as yet had neither peace nor prince so that this was no time to put in her claime but to expect till God should stirre her vp some foster Fathers to order her right Fourthly and lastly for feare of scandall for as Christ did forbeare a time to tell of his passion and at his death I haue many other things to say vnto you quae non potestis portare modò which you are not able to beare as now so did the Apostles somewhile conceale the point of the resurrection till the world was better acquainted with their doctrine The like reason was of this least they might be thought as out of couetousnesse to prouide for themselues which modestie as it was in them commendable so it hath beene in vs preiudiciall the world seruing their own turn vpon our ingenuitie thinking we need nothing because we say nothing And this may be sufficient for the silence of the new Scriptures What a cloud of witnesses both of the Fathers Councels heathen schoolemen late writers all writers D. Carlton and other haue collected I omit to touch least I should actum agere or put my sicle in others haruest I will adde a few reasons that ioyned to their authorities may make it plaine after I haue named the writers that are direct in this point 1. For Fathers 1. Origen in Numb 11. 2. Cypr. Epist 66. 3. Chrys hom 4â— in Mat. 4. Ambr. serm 40. 5. Hierom. in Mat. 3. 8. 6. August hom 48. 1. Malisconens cap. 5. 2. Cabitonens cap. 18. 3. Mognatin cap. 38. 4. Rotomag cap. 10. 5. Triburtin cap. 13. 6. Anglican cap. 17. 1. Hug. de san vie par 12. c. 4. 2. Aqu. 2. â— q. 87. ar â— 3. Carthus in Mat. 22. 4. Rabanus in Mat. 23. 5. Bed in scintille 6. Pererius in Gen. 14. 1. Brent in Leuit. 27. 30. 2. Iunius in parall 3. 7. 3. Gual in Matth. 23. Luc. hom â—8â— 4. Nansea hom 75. de temp 5. Zanch. de oper redemp lib. 5. c. 18. 6. Hospinian de orig decimar 1. Plutarch in Lucul 2. Diodor. Siâ—ulus 5. 2. 3. Pausanias lib. 5. 4. Herodotus in Clio. 5. Plin. de Sabae Ethiop 6. Purchas of the Turks and Alarbes in Affrica beside Zenophon Festus c. And now to the reasons 1. To the ende that neither the giuer may brag nor the receiuer blush saith one that is the people should not vpbraid the Minister with their bountie nor the Minister bee ashamed to take his dutie therefore in old time they were to doe both in the Temple therefore where tithes are not paid in kind the Minister must sooth his Masters or hee shall be sure to sigh for his means So Philo and Thephylact 2. The Apostle commands and the world expecteth that the Minister bee giuen to hospitalitie although S. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differs much from that keeping good houses which men expect of their Minister which cannot be done by them that liue vpon a drie stipend and therefore tithes in kind are the most conuenient for the Minister 3. Tithes of all other kind of maintenance as our men are enforced to confesse that thinke they are but of humane constitution are the most naturall conuenient wise safe indifferent of all other therefore rightest way to maintaine the Minister except we will say that God hath not prouided so meetely for those that preach the Gospel as might be done 4. The first intendments of appointing Tithes in all the iudgements of reuerent antiquitie by God to the old Priesthood was to serue for an acknowledgement of his Vniuersall power and right of the creatures graunted to their comfort In which regard the learned Calvin calls tythes proprium Dei ius regium vectigal his peculiar right and regall tribute now the equitie of this remaines in the Church no lesse then in the Synagogue Ergo. 5. The Ministers as they are in their callings the meanes of Gods blessing subordinate to Christ and types of his dealing to all the people so it is equall they haue equal share in the mercies and iudgments of God that they may both wayes sympathize with their people and serue their turne with their sensible praiers which is not done in a set stipend neither singing at the haruest nor weeping in times of dearth neither winning nor loosing how euer the world goeth 6. And lastly for the parishioners owne particular he cannot haue so comfortable a fruition of the creatures of God nor satisfie his conscience any way so soundly as by sacrificing a portion of his corne and increase vnto his God and communicating with his Minister in all his goods These I take it may serue in this matter to prooue that Tithes are due I meddle not exprofesso with that question my purpose is onely to shew that these things beeing holy whether by diuine ordination or humane constitution they should be inuiolable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and should not haue been prostituted by the vnholy fathers as they haue been In which case I can say no other but that the deuill hath done like Anytus one of the 30. tyrants that vsurped vpon the State at Athens who finding Socrates to stand in his way and hinder his conclusions deuised this meanes to be rid of him he hires the idle-headed Poet Aristophanes to traduce the good man openly vpon the stage both to worke him that way some open disgrace and to sound the peoples liking of his worse intreating The matter sorted so well to the tyrants minde that the Poet for gaine and the people for game gaue way to the cup of hemlocke and Socrates death The enemie of our saluation doth beare the like splene to the ministers of the Gospel thorough whose sides he seekes to wound and worke out true religion as men that indeed do marre his markets The Pope in the deuils
turned to other prophane purposes Which equall dealing might also in this case haue been practised if men had equally propounded to themselues their aime the glorie of God and not their owne gaine But there are many things slanderously deuised and iniuriously enforced against vs to legittimate their owne sacrilegious dealing and iustifie our deserued suffering their high deserts our great vnworthinesse the disproportion of the things themselues and the incongruity in other countries Of all which in generall I may say as sometime Hierome did Ingemui fateor minus nobis inesse voluntatis ad propugnandam veritatem quà m inest illis inuidentiae ad inculcandum mendacium it grieued me I confesse to see that we haue lesse will to auerre our true propositions then our enemies haue malice to enforce their false conclusions 1. First therefore as to their deserts let me say as Alexander did to silence Ephestion contending against Craterus At quantae opes aut quod tuum facinus si quis tibi demat Alexandrum tuum and I pray sir what may your mightie meanes or merits be if wee except your Soueraignes fauour To be cloathed in scarlet and fare deliciously euery day is cause inough to ery heu quanta patimur oh our paines oh our seruices But supposing that the seruices were as bigge as their ambitions can faine them and as many as their parasites could straine them yet not like the merits of Zopyrus to his Master that to win him Babylon did endure the ampulation of his eares and mutilation of his members But though they had wonne their King another Monarchie yet must they stil fall short of the Clergie and howsoeuer yet not to be rewarded out of the Church but the Exchequer But alas that men cannot raise the walls of their owne worthinesse but vpon the rubbish of others ruines We enuie not their honours nor seeke to supplant their fortunes let them despise vs as supercisiously as they please yet when they haue done our calling shall be both honourable with God and noble in it selfe and meritorious to the world howsoeuer our persons shall bee esteemed both for birth breeding not inferiour to many of our maligners But to omit these titles not ours why should not Pallas and Apollo haue as faire charters to invest their clients with earnests of honour as any of the other dieties Why should not the arts and learned studies priuiledge as much as the Hall or Burse why should not the Queen of learning Diuinitie raise her followers as high as an other pettie Lady about the towne Therefore let no man that hath nothing to alleadge but his fathers conueiances vpbraid our callings and degrees of schooles with superannated cauillations for euen our inferiour Graduates haue paid more and deserued better for those their titles of approbation then they that mocke them and only know thus much in themselues that they know nothing worth knowledge Chrysostome as is wel known writeth a tract of set purpose beside many other places of his workes to prooue that a Bishop is not onely equall but superiour vnto a King which if it be a straine too high yet it is cleare that the most eminent Princes that euer were thought it their glorie to annexe the illumination of Priests to the sublimations of their Soueraignties And those greatest Prophets Esay and Daniel that were of the blood royall thought it no disparagement to serue the Church Bartholmew among the Apostles Ambrose Chrysostome Petronius Metrophanes Eusebius Emissenus Victorinus Cassianus and a number more of the famous Bishops were very nobly descended But what speake I of such or of yesterday are not the sons of Dauid the most noble Princes of the blood yet elsewhere tearmed sacerdotes priests not that they were so in proprietie of speech but because that title deciphered the truest honour and best nobility among the auncient Worthies And what is that title and embleme of not onely honour but also vse of that calling which not a Prophet of Israel to magnifie his owne calling but a King of Israel styleth Elisha by My father my father the Chariots of Israel and horsemen of the same a predication incompetent to the greatest Monarch But whether doe I digresse in my iust complaint which I end with the Princely Prophet Haue mercie on vs O Lord for we are vtterly contemned our soule is euen filled in her selfe with the scornefull reproofe of the mighty and with the deceitfulnesse of the proud To returne then to the point men must not rob Peter to pay Paul or more truely rob both Peter and Paul to pay a Centurion or gratifie a minion The Church and common-wealth are two distinct bodies hauing each their offices their charges their pensions concerning which our Sauiour hath set downe date Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Deo quae Dei sunt As to the validitie of Princes gift in this case who am I to decide such questions and yet learned men haue been of this minde that howsoeuer in their owne indiuiduall persons they may by their Vnction be inabled to possesse such lands yet may they not transferre the same from themselues to any other not in like sort qualified as things that are alterius fori eminentioris sceptri matters belonging to a higher Court and subiect to a greater cognisance Therefore the learned Kickerman is so bold as to binde the hands of Princes in this case saying they may not transferre things sacred and dedicate to holy vses no not in case they had been abused to superstition and profanation And therfore holy Bishops as Ambrose and Bernardus of Halbertade in Germanie chose rather to die then to part with their Churches and Church liuings We read how stoutly that Father did contest with a mightie Emperour We yeeld saith he vnto the Emperour all that is his due is it his tribute that he doth demaund his tribute we denie not is it the Church he doth require we may not betray the Church vnto him Gods Church is none of Caesars charge he may not haue to doe therewith c. But God of heauen be blessed we neede no such Apologie for the Kings person who are most bound to God for his Maiesties most Roiall and religious heart that hath been so farre from taking away that he hath laboured earnestly and zealously to restore backe againe whatsoeuer is essentiall to the Church but as for other we say no other but those words of a homely author Paul we know and Iesus we know and Caesar we know vos autem qui estis but who are you that so defraud Iesus and Paul and Caesar also And so much to them that plead their deserts to Church-liuings 2. I come to a second Church-mens vnworthines Bishops do not preach and dignified men do no good conclude therefore lay-men may nay must haue their lands Zenophon did whip young Cyrus for a better argument because he gaue
the greater coate to the greater boy not because hee had right vnto it but because it fitted him better and the lesser coate to the lesser boy the Prince therein offending in distributiue iustice a point of Ethicks only But were Zenophon now aliue to iudge of this fact he would I feare me hang vp them that should commit such solecismes against Ethicks politicks logicke and diuinitie Bishops doe not preach therefore Barons must haue their Bishopricks why do Barons preach church men do no good therfore churles must haue the Tithes why do church robbers so much good Blush impietie doth he care for preaching that plucks downe the Church or he minde goodnes that is enemie to godlines what is this but to straine at a gnat and swallowe a cammel to deuoure the Church and cough at the chaire although I rest assured it is not the dew of heauen preaching that you looke after but the fat of the earth the pottage and portion of Esau Moses gaue a dispensation to quinquagenarians to cease from the ordinarie seruices of the Temple to commence to places of regiment and will you tie the graie haires of age and reuerence to an euerlasting apprentiship of study and speech like your mill-horse at home to his wonted taske shall your seruitour and horse of seruice and the verie mill-horse which I named haue immunitie and cessation of yeeres and labour and must your spirituall Pastor and Father your Priest and Prophet runne rownde in an euerlasting circle damned to this destinie by your inequall doome and clime vp into the pulpit till he can no longer come downe but tumble downe with age and feeblenes to be the miserable laughing stocke of the prophane frie nay are there not more and more honorable and no lesse necessarie seruices for old men then are of young Oh teach not thy sonne thy seruant so euill a lesson to curse thee in thy age The youngest infant in the chimney corner is often made the rod of Gods wrath to reuenge the vnreuerend carriage of a wicked Cham to an aged Noah But Bishops doe preach witnes the most commendable and indefatigable paines of many of those prelats that are most eminent in the land whom neither this my answer can honour nor your imputation slander I say no more Non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis Tempus eget The rest doe no good you say they keepe no houses is all goodnes in house-keeping then much of the nobiltie and gentrie of this land doe verie little good yet Church-men keep houses not for you perhaps that would liue at free cost yet for their poore neigbours howbeit perchance neither all nor for all nor alwaies for quis ad haec sufficiens but those that doe not what they may aetatem habent I leaue to their owne apologies Wherefore this eauill of our vnworthines I hold but the idle euaporation of godles braines that hold other men especially our calling worthy of nothing themselues worthie of all but they are not our iudges neither is it reasonable that our enemies should be both our accusers and witnesses and iudges and excutioners also God did neuer licence any Lay-men so farre when the Priests were at the verie worst dumbe Dogges idol Shepheards drowsie watchmen blinde guides to withhold their dues and good Kings haue ordained that no man vnder colour omitted by the Minister shall detaine his Tithes c. and so did the old Canons Nonnulli vitam clericorum quasi abominabilem detestantes decimas subtrahere non verentur c. But as thou shalt answer for thy fraud so shall they for their faults To conclude their vnworthines is questionable but this is out of question that many worthie men are vnworthilie wronged while enuie and auarice sit as iudges of their worth 3. An other obiection is the muchnes or measure of such demeanes the lands too great the Tithes too large and all that fall beside their mouth too much But in the meane time their apish vanities epicure like superfluities fuliginous fooleries sacrilegious robberies Fimbrian-like iniuries Tarquinian like surquedries Esauish profanities and Iulianish apostasies are not too much But to the point which aimes at some reason but lined with much malice Some of the Popes clawbacks to daube vp the faults of those holy Fathers as I haue shewed elswhere maintained that Tithes were grounded vpon all the 3. Lawes of Moses morall for the equitie ceremoniall for the affinitie Iudiciall for the pollicie because the Iewes were 10. Tribes whereunto 2. other were added to make amends for some mens bad payment all vntrue But if the Priests were then the tenth part of the people where was that proportion before that Law But it hath been further prooued that the Leuits were not the 10. nor 12. nor 20. part of that people nor the 40. but at least the sixtieth yet let vs obserue their portion and proportion The learned D. Downeham hath collected that the Priests income being brought home to them without labour or charge with their 48. cities was more to them being as the honourable Sir Water Raleigh hath prooued not much bigger then Wales then all the Bishopricks benefices Colledge lands and all other Ecclesiasticall endowments and profits in this land though the Popes of Rome nor any other had neuer alienated any as now they haue done one halfe And this was not only among the Iewes but from the first preaching of the Gospel so soone as the scepter turned Christian all Tithes were instantly restored all lands and donations that vnder the persecutions had beene taken away all Images treasure and furniture of heathen temples yeerely summes amounting to a great quantitie out of the Exchequer it selfe all the goods of such as died intestate all new erections of wel disposed people and to knit vp all in one word the same to be hereditarie as vnder Moses And thus stood the affaires of the Church till Antichrist confounded things sacred and prophane and Cymmeriall darkenes dispossest the world as of illumination so of true deuotion onely some small good meaning did sometimes vndoe themselues to endow the Church wherein it became so superlatiuely prodigall that it hath been hide-bound euer since And now are we arriued at those times where the children carrie it out much faster then euer their Fathers brought it in where our insatiable churchhownds do not as Cerberus did with Sybillas inchaunted sop tria guttera pandens Corripuit rursusque immania terga resoluit Fusus himi snatch it greedily swallow it hungerly and lay him downe againe to sleepe quietly but like Erisicthon another whelp of the same litter who for sacrilegious famine was fained to be inspired of hunger as Hor. saies Ingluvies tempestas barathrumque not macelli but sacelli quodque nubibus esse quodque satis poterat populo non sufficit vni Like Salomons horseleach that euer cries giue giue Omniscient in espying omnipotent in consuming
extirpation as hath been noted The last I will name not the least in this catalogue shall be D. Voisie Bishop of this citie of Excester who from a pettie Canon in the Church rose to the Bishops mytre but there sell to that wicked resolution that the wicked Nero somtime had done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I die I care not though all the world die with me for this high Priest forgetting that euer he had been clarke or not caring whether there should be any after like politicians newly risen pluckt vp the ladder after him that no more should ascend for of 13. goodly mannors that belonged to the sea he made so good riddance that he scarce reserued one for them that should follow This Bishop at one time relating vnto Steuen Gardiner then Bishop of Winchester what prouision hee had made in the Church for his graue receiued this answer My Lord what talke you of a Church a dunghill is fitter for your deserts then a Church which haue so shamefully mangled that goodly sea you haue plaied the beast and deserue no better place then a beast so I haue heard indeed was serued But this I haue been verie credibly informed of that with his holy pillage hee purchased many priuiledges to his natiue soile of Sutton Colfield in Warwickeshire and inriched many of his kinred which now they are but little the better for many of them or as they say the most hauing bin weeded out by dishonourable ends These haue been the successes of sacriledgers for the most part God hauing set a marke vpon them as he did vpon Cain that all the world may take notice of them and as Dauid saith that the righteous may reioyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the vngodly and men shall say verily there is fruit for the sacrilegious doubtles there is a God that iudgeth the earth I will end this chapter with an example of another kinde that is of mercie for the rarenes of it and that of Dagobertus a King of France who newly comming to his Crowne liued a most dissolute and deboshed life a long time yet in the end by a great and gracious visitation sent from God he had a faire comming off againe as had euer any This man first maried two wiues at once besides Mistresses sans â—ombre some whereof he carried about with him whersoeuer he went other he maintained very sumptuously as queens in many places of the Kingdome it is not possible to comprise the lest part of his lewdnes in any mediocritie of words which when his Bishop Amandus reprooued him for he very vniustly sent him into banishment whom hee had no sooner rid his hands of but he fell to fowler matters robbing of Churches and pulling downe religious houses and turning out the Ecclesiasticall persons into the open world to take aire At length when God saw his good time he sent a very heauie visitation vpon him I finde not what was the particular that thorough the good grace of God wrought so holy and wholesome contrition in him that he vowed to God if he did recouer to make some amends which he faithfully performed according to the deuotion of those times erecting churches building Colledges founding monasteries alwaies and openly confessing that the iudgements of God had been sent vnto him principally for his outrages commited that way Among other monuments of his repentance and humiliation he founded the monasterie of Wissenburg in Germanie where he left for a monument of his true conuersion a confession penned with his owne hand to this effect In what manner almightie God hath plagued and restored me againe I haue thought good to publish by these presents to all the world to the end that all men may take notice of my fall and folly and likewise of my restauration restitution but cheifly that so many as shall heare of my doings may be afraid to make hauocke of Gods holy Temples and learne to performe such reuerence thereto as best beseemeth Be it therefore knowne that after my Father Lotharius was dead I tooke vpon me as next heire the gouernement of the kingdome but being transported with errors and lightnes of youth I neglected the duty of a good Prince discharging neither iustice nor conscience but as I was carried by humour and fauour Among many other my excesses I became a ruiner of Gods inheritance and a demolisher of his worship which I ought to haue set vp and maintained till at last that God in mercie to chasten my rebellion did dash my pride and cast me downe and when he had brused me sufficiently he receiued me againe to mercie and this confession I leaue against my selfe here in record that none may dare in like presumption to violate this holy place at this present by me deuoted to God Thus far Dagobert which I haue set downe the more fully because there are so few examples of reuersion in this kinde as it is in the fable of the Fox replying to the Lyon for not visiting him quia me vestigia terrent Omnia te aduorsum spectantia nulla retrorsum And so much shall serue for disswasion CHAP. IV. An humble Obtestation to the Hon. and Wor. Knights and Burgesses of the Parliaament when time may serue to remedie this mischeife ANd now most worthie Patriots let me addresse my speech to you that manage the greatest affaires of this kingdome and that not by way of oneration but most lowly summission May it please you seriously to consider this matter with me and see wherein your seruice may be honourable to God glorious to your selues comfortable to the Church and profitable to your countrie It is no new thing for vs to complaine or for you to heare of the mischeifes of church-wormes for sacriledge doth deserue to heare of his doings hauing been often delated bound ouer scourged branded for incorrigible and condemned for felonie against God and man but yet he findeth such friends among those of the bench that he is still repriued and either pardoned his fault or kept vnexecuted by which meanes he still breaks out againe and I know not whether more efferated by former attatchings or animated by his often dischargings he euer rampeth more feircely then before and threatneth his accusers to ruine all that is holy To you therefore doth the poore mangled and menaced Church of this renowned Island in suppliant manner hold vp her hands from you she looketh shee chalengeth shee deserueth supportance Among you shee is assured she hath very manie in whom she is more then ordinarily interessed as who are risen by her fostering growne great by her fauours and euen slie with her feathers therefore to you she sues and if she could be vnderstood she would thus complain and thus intreat Alas my sonnes and are these the rewards you render your mother for her paines in bearing and her patience in rearing so noble spirits and worthie wits