their houses so procure a curse against themselues For the Scripture sayeth Couet not the siluer nor golde that is vppon their Idoles nor take it vnto thy selfe least thou be snard therewith Bring not therefore abomination into thine house least thou be accursed like vnto it but vtterly abhor it Againe in an other place it is saide There shall nothing of the damned things cleaue vnto thine hand That the Lord may turne from thee the fearcenesse of his wrath and shew thee mercie when thou shalt obey the voice of the Lord. Nowe although this bee written in the Olde Testament it astricketh and bindeth aswell vs as the Iewes Not to couet after euill and vnlawfull things as they did For these things are written for ensamples to vs as the Apostle sheweth So albeit the law of Deuteronomy is not to be vrged precisely in al things yet as lusting after euil thinges is ay couetousnes so thieft is euer thieft and Sacrilege is euer Sacrilege But yet they whome we accuse as sacrilegious may make instance and saye how can ye call alwaies things dedicate to Idolatrie holy things And againe if these things cannot be handled or intrometted with in any sorte how can ye applye the same to the vse of the reformed Kirke and true seruice of God seeing ye abhorre Idolatrie and hold such thinges abhominable For aunswere first I denie that these thinges were dedicate only to Idolatrie for I haue prouen the contrary of before And as to that allegeance that thinges dedicate to Idolatrous seruice if they be abhominable how can they bee applyed to the seruice of God in his reformed Kirke being abhominable in themselues I say Sirres wee lack not examples of the Scripture that such things may and should be employed to the true seruice of God In the spoyle of Iericho The Lord commanded that all the siluer and Gold and other mettle that was found in the Citty should be put in the treasure of the house of the Lord. In the which no doubt many thinges were that had bene dedicate to Idoles service And yet in the meane time expresse inhibition was made that no particular man shoulde meddle with any thereof least he make himselfe execrable thereby And the punishmente that was executed against ACHAN declared how far God was offended with that transgression of that his commandement The like may be spoken of things taken in warre by the Isralites of their enemies as of Madianites and others And of Gedeon who made sacrifice to the Lord of his fathers bullocke and trees of the grâ—…ue dedicate vnto Baal And vnder the Law of the Gospell the Prophet sheweth that the Gentiles shall bring al their riches to serue the Lord and to beautifie the house of his glorie Now because in this there is no great question wee come to more pithy apparante argumentes that our Kirk-robbers alleage for thâ—…mselues The Kirk-rentes say they namely the first kirk-kirk-lands for the most parte were giuen by Kinges his majesties predecessors mooved of blind zeale to the Kirk in time of Papistrie for such abuses ar now abolished to abbaies principally other places called religious to pray for the dead sing say Messes to vse other their superstitious service The which landes rents so giuen haue greatly hurte diminished the patrimony of the crown Therfore the king with advise of his estates in Parliament hes called in revoked these donations namely of lands taken them againe to his Hienes own patrimonie disposition And we againe haue obteined some of these lands erected to vs our aires by liberality of the Prince in temporal livings or lordships And so we possesse the same justly by our lawful titles therfore we ought not to be rayled on nor called Sacrilegious possessors I answere simply not for offence of any but to vtter the trueth that I judge these kinde of erectiones or whatsoeuer new required titles by such meanes that the possessours can pretende to bee altogether vnlawfull But this question requires greater consideration which standeth in two heads The one is what entereste the Prince hes or may justly pretend in Ecclesiastical liuings The other what right or title thereof he may dispone vnto others As to the former of these two heads without offence of the Prince I speake who is prejudged by this kinde of dealing aswell as the Kirke I say that Kinges in so farre as they be called nurishing Fathers of the Kirke they ought to see sufficient prouision bee made for vp-holding the seruice thereof And the Kirk againe to bestow al dutie for furthering the Prince in the publick affaires of the common wealth But the Prince to suffer the Kirke to be spoyled not hauing first prouided sufficient meanes how they that serue in the Kirk may be honestly interteined according to their estate with the other affaires thereof And the schooles and the poore who ought not to bee neglected well seene to it cannot stande with good conscience law divine nor humane Therefore I saye albeit these men alleage the Kirke-rents to be ouer-great to begin at the spoyle of the Kirke the other not being done is a very preposterous order When AHAB being but a very wicked king would haue taken NABOTHS vine-yarde he offred first to giue him a better vine-yard then it was or the worth thereof if it pleased him he being a priuate man in money And so he would haue done indeed if NABOTH had accepted the condition Now to take from the Kirk of God which is more then to take from any particular person a greate parte of the rente thereof and giue nothing in the place of it nether to make sufficient prouision for the necessarie affaires thereof I thinke the like example hes not bene practised in any Christian Countrie or common weill heretofore If they will giue instance of our neighbour cuntrie there is no comparison for they that serue in the Kirks there at least are all wel provided of liuings But they will reply The Parliament estates agreed to take these Kirk-landes Therefore it ought to stande as a law and it is not now time to dispute nor reason thereupon But howe many acts of Parliament I pray you are oftentimes againe called annulled by contrarie actes And how can they bee annalyed or bought vake vnles they be first reasoned vpon Yea this were a very hard rigorous dealing in a Princes minoritie to make a lawe not onely prejudiciall to God and his Kirke but also to the Prince himselfe if it be rightly considered and yet no man to haue place to speake against it or to sute any reformation The Civill law sayes that things done in prejudice of the Kirk albeit confirmed by laws are to be rescinded And al such statuts sayth the Emperour FREDERICK should be raysed out of the act bookes Moreouer the lawes made after this maner in prejudice of the Kirk may well be
declared null in themselues Because the most part of them were made in the Princes minoritie as also because that represented the third estate for the kirk had no commission nor power from the reformed Kirk being Bishoppes and Abbottes the most parte of them of the papistical promotion protestation being made also publicklie for nullitie of their proceedings But leauing nowe the Princes parte who is indeede nothing helped nor inriched by these annexations assumptions as they cal them of the kirk-kirk-lands rentes for if they were it should be more tolerable I come to the second head cōcerning them to whom the Prince hath disponed in heritable titles the lands and rents of the kirk by new erectiōs as they tearme thē in temporal liuings or lordships These kinde of dispositiōs I affirme to be more vnlawfull a great deale nor if the Prince should haue holden the same in his own hands yea moreouer I say sik gifts dispositions may not stand lawful ly neither by the law of God ciuil laws nor municipal laws of the cuntry For as to Gods law I think they wil acclaime to no warrante of it because it maketh directly against them involving them in the estate of Achan Ananias Sapphira procureth rather a curse againste them without they repente amende Which the Prophete MALACHIE pronounceth against such persons as defraud the Lord of his teinds offrings And as to the civill Lawes Ecclesiasticall cannons we may easely finde an infinite number against them forbidding all alienation and distraction of Kirke-goodes to the vse of any particular person Reade the first booke of Iustinian his lawes in the volume called Codex in the title de Sacrosanctis Ecclesiis and others titles following wherein all alienation of Kirk goods is decerned null and of no force and the things alienated are commanded to bee restored To the same purpose agree the lawes of the newe constitutiones called Authentickes in so far that it is not permitted to the Prince himselfe to permit or change with any of the goodes of the Kirk called vnmoveable vnlesse he giue the better in steede thereof And LEO the Emperour sayet◅ that they who dispone these goodes haue Sacrilegious mindes Therefore they who haue perswaded our Prince whom God preserue to annaly or dispone to themselues or to others these Kirk-landes haue done that they might to haue him counted Sacrilegious as they are The lawe also ordeineth the byers of these goods to lose the price and to restore the goods againe The Notars of such contractes to be banished the Iudges that ratifie the actes of such alienationes to bee deposed from their dignities Howe much more are they to be judged gyltie and punished that take and vsurpe those goods without alienation to their owne commoditie I omit here to cite many ancient Cānons of Councels to this effect which would occupy long time For who list to reade the volumes of Councels Cannon-law may finde them very frequent in many places Comming then to the lawes of the Countrie and naturall reason the foundation of all good lawes I saye the corrupted dealing of our time concerning Kirk-robberie is such as can not stand neither with the one nor with the other For as to our municipal laws which are either the lawes of the Majestie or actes of Parliament The lawes of the Majesty altogether disallow alienation of Kirk-goodes in so far as if the Prelate himselfe Abbote or Bishoppe make any alienation or disposition thereof from the Kirke vse The byer thereof should lose the price and the landes may be taken againe by the King but not disponed to others if they were giuen by him or his Predecessors And in the acts of Parliament both ancient and recent commonly the first acte is that the liberties and freedomes of the Kirke be keiped And how can these liberties be but hurte when the Patrimonie of the kirk is taken awaie and giuen to profane men profane vses Now to come in particular to these new erectiones and new found infeftmentes of Kirk-Lands they are as I vnderstande of two sortes For some are giuen before the annexation of them to the Crowne and some thereafter As to the former I woulde know by what law or reason they could be giuen by a simple gifte of the Prince they being not yet come in his handes and the consent of the true Kirke neuer had thereto For as to the consent of Abbots and Bishoppes being the moste parte of the Papisticall promotion and chiefe wrackers of the Kirke no◅ hauing any commission from the true reformed Kirke it cannot bee of any force in this case to defraude the Kirke of her Patrimonie And albeit the whole Kirke had consented their consente could not bee sufficient to dilapidat or annaly the Kirk Lands in propertie to any person they being themseues onely vsufructuares and not proprietares thereof And as to the Princes parte can he take any priuate mans heritage from him and giue it to whome hee pleaseth without consent of partie or fore faltrie I think all men will say no. Much lesse then may he dispone these lands from God and his Kirk by sik simple donationes As to the other sorte of infeftmentes or erectiones giuen after the annexation they can be no better in effect for giuing only for arguments cause that these lands were lawfullie annexed to the Crown whereuppon I wil not now farther dispute I say the King cannot by the Lawes of his Realme dispone the same againe from the crowne they being once annexed therto Reade the 43. acte of King IAMES the seconde the 86. of King IAMES the Thirde the 24. of King IAMES the Fourth and likewise his Revocation acte 83. As also the 4. and 54. of King IAMES the Fifth with others tending to the like purpose Yea they would make our Kinges Majestie that now is bee involved in periurie by these dispositiones it being expresse against his oath made at his Hienes coronation and inacted amongst the acts of Parliamente The time straites me that I cannot insist longer vpon this head Before I speake of the teindes I come to the finall reason or rather excuse that robbers of the Kirk pretend for them to colour their Sacrilege The landes with the other rents of the kirk say they giuē to it in time of Papistrie ar ouer-large more then sufficient for the necessary vses of the Kirk that now is For as to the Ministers what should they haue but their necessary sustentation with an gray gowne to go vpon their feete Preaching from place to place as the Apostles did They are as ◅eedie as the Papistes with many other like tearms of their reprochfull Rethoricke And why may not the King say they giue these landes to Noble-men Gentle-men and others able to serue his Majestie the teindes being more then sufficiente to susteine all the charges of the Kirke As to the estate of the Ministers it is
more honorably handled then the house of his God And when NATHAN finally resolued by the Oracle of God declared that it should not be he but his Sonne that should buyld an house vnto the Lord He ceased not to prepare all thinges necessarie for that worke in his dayes And to exhort grauely his Son SOLOMON to accomplish the same Declaring how he according to his habilitie had separated for the performing of that buylding an hundreth thousand talents of Gold 1000000. of siluer brasse iron without weight besides wood stone To the which great preparation not thinking it yuough he desired SOLOMON his Nobles to adde more as they did in very deed liberally and magnificently As the holy History beareth record Besides this K. DAVID left of his own money besides that which he had cōquished of his enemies to the ornament of the walles of the Temple and other such vses three thousand talents of gold of Ophir and seuen thousand talents of fined siluer Exhorting the Princes of Israell according to their faculties to follow his ensample Who being instigate by him far vnlike our degenerate Nobilitie gaue freely to the worke of the Lorde 5000. talents of golde and 10000. talents of siluer Of brasse 18000 and of Iron 100000 talents which will amounte to exceeding summes of our money And it may be iudged that King SALOMON doubled more Now if so much was bestowed vppon a materiall Temple building what sūmes thinke yee were employed yeerly for interteinemēt of the Priests Levits who had not onely the teindes of the whole Lande but also the great offrings and first fruits of the increase But if any wil alleage that this Cuntry which we inhabit is poore in respecte of the Lande of Canaan that flowed with milke and hony and therefore may not spare so large provision vpon the Kirkes affaires I would answere and demaund who makes it poore so much as you insatiable pullers away of the rent already giuen to the Kirk to your particular vses provoking thereby the Lorde to withdraw his blessing from the Land which otherwise were able to yeeld sufficient provision both for the Kirk King and common wealth Doth not God say by his Prophet Bring all the teinds in my Thesaurie that there may be meate in my house and proue me now in this sayth the Lorde of Hostes if I shall not make open the Windowes of Heauen and poure downe a blessing vnto you And SOLOMON sayeth Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the firste fruites of all thy increase so shall thy Barnes be filled with abundance and thy presses prest with new wine Is it not a miserable thing and vnworthie to bee heard tell of in anie forrayne Countrie that the Levites of Israell who were in number 38000. aboue twentie yeares of age with their wiues and children and the whole poore of the Lande were so liberallie provided for and interteined sufficiently And nowe amongst vs albeit it were but 600. Ministers to serue the whole Countrie of Scotland sufficiente liues cannot be provided for them yea of them that are planted a greate number were left little better then begging and some notable men left altogether destitute O miserable age and vnhappy dayes that we be fallen into Shall not the Papistes in their blinde zeale ryse vp in judgemente against this vnthankful generation who susteined thousands in their Kirkes Abbaies and Cloisters besides that which they delt to the poore vppon the Kirke-rentes And nowe there be not so much lefte as to susteine a fewe Ministers Colleges and Schooles albeit the poore should be vtterly neglected May it not greatly ashame Christian Princes and others that spoyle and suffer the Kirk of God to be spoyled When as Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes heathen Princes did bestow liberally to buylde vp the temple again in Ierusalem which NEBVCHADNETZAR had destroyed as the books of Esra and Nehemias beare record And the same Cyrus reverencing the God of heauen of whom he had but little knowledge did sende againe the vessels of golde and silver which NEBVCHADNETZAR had taken to be restored to the temple of God vnder the hand of Zerubbabel Whereto should I insist to recite other examples as of Asa Iehoshaphat Ioas Ezechias and Iosias Kinges of Iuda whose diligēce was very careful in reparaling the house of the Lorde and providing for the Priests Levits in such sort that great heapes were left after that all were fully satisfyed wheranent because shortnes of time cuteth of amplificatiō I remit you to the histories of the books of the kings chronicls wherein also may be found how because these Kings were zealous mainteiners of the true religion holy ministerie God prospered them inal their affairs so long as they perseuered thereinto I might also recite a greate Catalogue of christian Princes who following the example of such anciēt kings doted the Kirk with sufficient patrimonie As the zeale of Constantine others godly Emperours and Kings yea euen of the Kings of our owne Nation who haue bene as our Chronicles and auncient monuments beare record very liberall in this behalfe But I may not rehearse euery particular Onely this I conclude seeing that without Religion and justice no common wealth can stande for these are the two pillers whereby the estate of all well governed cōmon wealths is vp-holden it is greatly to be feared least this our cōmon wealth shal come to great desolatiō decay vnles speedy remedie be found out to stay the inconvenientes and dangers that be at hande For as to Iustice where is it when wrong partiall dealing in judgement and oppression yea not onely Sacrilege but Sorcerie bloodshed adulterie falshood and all other abhominable enormities reigne at such libertie without punishment And as to Religion how can it but decay vnlesse God speedely put to his extraordinarie hande when all ordinary meanes are taken away whereby it should be interteined and Idolatrie and Atheisme already entred in place thereof in many parts of this Land and like to enter further dayly For albeit many Kirks of the Realme lack the Ministrie of the worde there is no meanes left to provide them for all the Kirk rent is exhausted vpon greedie gormandes carelesse of Religion and that would with IVDAS sell Christ or with the godlesse souldiars of PILATE crucifie him for his garments who haue never left off gaping and shamelesly vrging ouer-liberal a Prince till they haue gotten all in their handes Example wee see this day when as the poore Ministers come to that woeful platte or send their Commissioners thinking to haue the Kirkes planted with sufficient Ministers and stipendes they are sent home emptie when they haue wayted long on without all comfort For there is nothing to augment or advance any man to any vacant roome vnlesse one Minister take from another and so be exponed to the mockage of these who haue spoyled the rentes wehereupon they should be susteined when
omitte all such sentences as they haue thought meete to be razed out of these workes Of this sorte are also they who apply the Scriptures to vngodly and profane vses as to diuilish sorcerie charmes or to Idolatrie or profane jesting and mockage In this firste ranke also are to be counted the Sacraments of Christ annexed to the worde which in like manner haue bene corrupted by the Papistes ministring them without doctrine and adding thereto many superstitious rites of their owne inuentions Nexte in the second order of Sacrilege wee place the violence done to the Ministers of God either in their bodies or in their office who are called holy in respect of their function For albeit al the faithful be called the Saints or holy ones of the Lord and who toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye as the Prophete speaketh yet of the Prophets and 〈◊〉 in special it is saide Touch not 〈◊〉 â—…ted and doe my Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they that invade or huit theÌ„ in theiâ—… persons especially for the holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are culpable of great sacrilege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they be worthy of the titles of 〈◊〉 and ministers and do the duâ—…y â—…ning to that charge For they are ane chiefe parte of the Holie Temple of God which may be highly violated if violence be done to them in their persons or in their office In the third roome are to be placed things dedicate to the holy seruice of GOD for maintenance thereof such as are the Teindes Landes and possessiones appoynted for that vse For although they of themselues in their owne nature may bee counted commoun and profane like to others earthlie possessiones yet in so farre as they are annexed to holy vses and can not bee separate with-out the decaye thereof they may well bee called and ought to bee repute holy So it may bee well concluded that who-so-euer invade or vsurpe vnlawfully any of such holy thinges therein committes Sacrilege Concerning the which Sacrilege because it is most common in this Land and yet holden by many no great sinne but rather a lawfull conquest to appropriate such thinges to mennes priuate vses I minde specially to inciste and make some large discourse not onelie in this dayes Sermon but if God graunte me hability the two Sabboth-daies hereafter following To enter then to speake more particularlie of this laste kinde of Sacrilege I finde it to bee diuided in the auncient Cannons in three sorts to witte when thinges called holie either are taken out of an holie place or holy thinges out of a profane place or thinges not holy out of an holy place Al-be-it some Ciuill Lawes call it not Sacrilege but thieft to take priuate mennes goodes out of a Sanctuarie or holie place Alwaies to speake according to the Scriptures wee may gather by examples thereof all these three kindes to bee counted as Sacrilege For al-be-it the name of Sacrilege be rarely founde in the Bible and peraduenture not expressed in all the Olde Testamente yet it is alike if we finde the equivalente thereof as when medling with Holie or Excommunicate thinges is called in Hebrew Hherem or spoyling of GOD for the which hee pronounceth a curse vpon the dooers thereof As when NEBVCHADNETZAR spoyled the holy vessels and other plenishing out of the Temple of God in Ierusalem al-be-it that plague come of the Lord yet no doubte he committed a great sacrilege by taking of these holy things out of an holy place Which made CYRVS although he was an Heathen King hauing some sponke of Religion to send these vesselles againe to the house of God Also to prooue it to be Sacrilege to take away holy things al-be-it not out of an holy place or Sanctuarie the ensamples before adduced sufficiently prooue As to the thirde the treasures layde vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by priuate persons and taken away first by IOAS King of Israell and thereafter invaded by HELIODORVS at commandement of king SELEVCVS no man can say but both the on and the other were mooued with a sacrilegeous greede to apply the same to their owne commoditie The plague wherewith HELIODORVS was smitten may well ratifie it to be trueth But as to these two sortes of sacrilege to wit to robbe take away holy things out of an holy place or vnholy things out of an holy place we need not in this corruptage to vexe our selfs much therwith For who wil now commit any treasures to be kept in Kirkes seeing the most part of them be as open as the Kirk-stile as wee vse to speake And to robbe any thing out of them it will not in-rich the sacrilegious vnlesse it bee some poore thiefe for necessitie to rob a peece of a benke or window-bands or such trifles Therefore it is the second kinde of Sacrilege that we haue to intreate of concerning the rich sacrilegious thieues who meddle not with small matters but with landes teindes and great possessions not regarding in what place things dedicate to the holy seruice of God be founde so they may catch apprehend them And first this I gather for a good ground vpoÌ„ that which hath bin already spoken that al they who appropriat to their own priuate vses the patrimonie and rents of the Kirk defrauding thereby disappointing the Ministrie the schooles and the poore of that which should justlye perteine to them are to be holden sacrilegious And consequently that there be mo sacrilegious in Scotland considering the quantitie and reuenues thereof then in any other countrie that hath embraced the true light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Whereof almost all men amongst vs will bee called professours but in that poynte not a fewe number are become transgressoures Then to compare time with time our estate with the estate of the people of the Iewes wee may vnderstande and perceiue as in the daies of PAVLL when he wrote this Epistle the Iewish people were ridde of externall Idolatrie hauing their Temple purged froÌ„ the pollution of the Gentiles hauing liberty graunted vnto them to vse and exercise their Religion So hes the Lord deliuered vs of his mercie from the Papisticall Idolatrie our Temples from their superstition yea and freede vs from the tyranny of them that helde vs in the thraldome of conscience Yea I say our estate hath bene far better in this behalfe then that of the Iewes For as to them although they had an outward face of Religion purged from externall Idolatrie yet the doctrine of God his law was in many chief points corrupted by false and wrong wresting and exponing thereof by the Scribes Pharisees and others pretending themselues to be Doctors thereof Whereas praise be to God since the first reformaof religion amongst vs the poore doctrine of the Gospel hath bene continued in ane estate without anye substantiall poynte of errour with discipline agreeing thereunto And whatsoeuer hath bin cast in by Satan to disturbe the same the Lorde hath not suffred
him hitherto to preuaile But as the byers sellers were not cast out of the Temple of Ierusalem albeit Christ with his whippe preassed diuerse times to expel them So for al the crying out and preaching of the faithful messengers of God with threatnings vsed against such persones yet they cease not bur adde daylie more and more aswell they of the nobilitie as others following their ensample to robbe spoyle buye conquest occupy the kirk-rents Herefore if the Iewes might justly be accused by the Apostle who being contented to haue a bare knowledge of the Law of God liued no better then they that lacked a law How much more we who bragge of a sincere knowledge of the Gospell as being needfull to order our liues thereby not onely liue otherwise licenciously but also many amongst vs so far as in vs lyeth stoppe and hinder the propagation of the kingdome of Christ In so farre that they holde him a man of no accounte hauing any power in these corrupted dayes who hath not polluted his handes with some spoyle of the Kirk-goods And as to the doctrine of the worde it is so become loathsome to these men that if they heare it they heare it with deafe eares are no more mooued at the rebuke of this their sacrilegious dealing nor if they were stupide blockes or Idols without al sense of hearing For they cease not still to maintaine and advance this detestable sinne And daylie inuente new practises and coloured titles of the law to augment and foster the same both in hearte and deede Notwithstanding that such deuourers of Christ his patrimonie are reckoned by the godly Fathers to be murtherers of the poore for it is a certaine kinde of murther indeed And to this purpose I will here cite certaine of the authorities of the auncientes that it may bee knowne how odious this sinne of Sacrilege was in their eies AVGVSTINE vppon IOHN speaking of IVDAS the traitour writeth this IVDAS is amongst the Sain◅es IVDAS is a thiefe yea a sacrilegeous thiefe not a thiefe of the common sorte A thiefe of purses if criminall persones of all kinde of thieft be damned in judgement more of that thieft which is called peculatus For peculatus is the thieft of publick things And thieft of priuate thinges is not so judged as publick thieft How much more detestablie is a sacrilegious thiefe to be judged Who dare be bolde to steale euen from the Kirk of God Who stealeth any thing from the Kirke from that foorth is compared to one that is lost This farre AVGVSTINE In an other place calleth the teindes the tribute of needy soules And that so manye poore as dye in default of paymente thereof by famine they that with-holde the same and apply them to their owne particular vses are to bee holden guyltie before the justice seate of God of so many murthers AMEROSE likewise willeth that the goods of the Kirke be giuen to the vse of the poore rather then the sacrilegious enemie to spoyle and carry the same away And HIEROME writeth thus To bereaue any thing from a friend is thieft but to defraude the Kirk is sacrilege To reserue that which is to be bestowed vpon the poore and hungrie is ether craftines or fearefulnes but to with-draw any thing from it is a most manifest impiety and passeth the crueltie of all robbers I might cite many auncient Cannons of councelles to this effect besides the cannons authorities of Bishops of Rome which are innumerable others mentioned in the decrees collected by GRATIAN but for shortnes I remit them that list to reade of this matter to the seuen eight Cannons of the councell called Gangrense holden about the yeare of Christ. 324. Item the Councel of Carthage-4 cap. 31. 32. And of Antioche cap. 25. Item the Councell called Agatheuse holden about the 440. in diuerse Cānons thereof with many other to the like purpose Yea the Ethnike PLATO writeth in his lawes that of all haynous doings it is to be counted on of the greatest that is done against holy things And further he saieth the sacrilegious holde one of three thinges either that God is not or that he regardeth not the thinges done by men or at leaste wilbe easily reconciled when such impietie is committed with sacrifices and such ceremonies as were vsed amongst the Gentiles But now to take vp this matter for the presente it is expedient to declare howe this Idole of sacrilegious avarice first begouth to take roote amongst vs and by what meanes it was increased and nurished And finally what great and hydeous branches it hath spred through the whole cuntrie The beginning indeede was small in respect of the increase For at the first reformation of Religion amongst vs they who tooke the worke in hand which were an few part mooued of a pure zeale to Gods glorie and advancemēt of the Gospel of Iesus Christ stood not to hazard life lands and whatsoeuer they had to promoate the good cause and according to their zeales the Lord granted them a good issue of their enterprise Yet a great many not onely of the raskall sorte but sundry men of name and worldly reputation joyned themselues with the congregation of the reformers not so much for zeale of religion as to reape some earthly commoditie and to be inriched by spoyle of the Kirkes and Abbey places And when the Preachers told them that such places of Idolatrie should be pulled downe they accepted gladly the enterprise rudely passing to worke pulled down all both Idoles places where they were found Not making difference betweene these places of Idolatrie and many Parish-Kirks where Gods word shuld haue bin preached in many parts where they resorted as in such tumultes and suddainties vseth to come to passe namelye among such a nation as we are So their persones I meane so manye of them that had more respecte to the spoyle of Kirks no◅ to religion I count to haue bene the first sacrilegious amongst vs. With these I joyne an other sorte both of Gentlemen and labourers of the grounde that were put in hope to haue their ◅eindes al-to-gether discharged And in that respect rather then any zeale of religion did assiste the reformation Nowe albeit they were frustrate of their expectation yet their intention being to appropriate the Kirk rentes to their own vse they cannot be excused at leaste of a sacrilegious meaning An other thing fell out at that time which may be excused by reason of necessitie when as the Lordes and some of the Nobilitie principall enterprysers of the reformation hauing to doe with the French men and many their assisters of our owne Nation enemies to these proceedings were forced not onely to ingage their owne landes and bestowe whatsoeuer they were able to furnish of their owne patrimonie for maintenance of men of warre and other charges but also to take the Lead Belles with other Iewelles and ornaments of
in his house of praier or take his name in their mouth whose harts are polluted Doutles as the Psalmes testifie GOD shall set himselfe a seuere judge against them set their offenses before their faces to their just condemnation without they amende their doings whereof there is ouer-little appearance in many of them What better are these men with their â—…eined profession then the souldiers that crucified Christ our Sauiour to haue his garments to parte amongst them yet in some case they are worse for they will not be contented with vsuall partage nor to cast lottes for Christes coate but euerie one would pull from another some the Landes some the teindes some the patronages some the Prelacies some the other benefices Ay the mightier prevailing against them of lesse power such as they may hinder And albeit there be many vngodly contentiones and controversies in the lande namely amongst great men yet for no cause arise there so many pleadings in the lawe as for the teinds Ecclesiastical goods how many braulings and debates how many convocations of the Kings lieges yea how much shedding of bloud in diuerse parts is committed for such causes In the meane time the poore labourers of the grounde who should haue had an ease and moderation of the seuere payment of their teindes to relieue their necessities they being so hardly handled by their maisters and ouer lordes in other cases not only get no commoditie there of but suffer great damnage being compelled to leede the whole teindes both corne and straye to the vse of their gredye maisters or others vn-juste possessoures of the same to their vine-yairds yea often-times the stocke and remanent of their cornes is wâ—…acked and put in poynte of tinsell for lacke of tymous teinding I cannot tel if any man oâ—… good conscience that truely feareth GOD should studie or labour to stay or compone these controversies that rise in the land for the Kirk goodes amongst such greedie and vnlawfull possessours of the same The Ministers of the word in the meanetime not being sufficiently prouided nor the other affairés of the Kirk furnished with the necessities of the poore wherefore the teindes in speciall were appoynted who are altogether neglected â—…nd idle bellies with such as are rather enemies then friendes to the true Kirk of Iesus Christ fostred and vpholden thereupon For the which cause amongst many others the wrath of God is threatned continually from time to time may most justly fal vpon this vnthankfull land and inhabitants thereof who hauing the Gospel of the Sonne of God so liberally purely peaceably offred vnto them that no cuntrie hath or hes had the like not onely disdaines and abuses it by their wicked liues but also stayes taks away by such Sacrilegious dealing the ordinary means wherby the same shal be interteined without the which it cannot coÌ„tinue laboring so far as in them lieth to banish Christ and his gospel from amongst vs regarding more his pelfe nor himself are to be counted double murtherâ—…rs both of bodies and soules of men as hath bin told before Herefore to conclude for the preseÌ„t I would earnestly exhort al them that fear God truely specially you of this congregation committed vnto my charge albeit I suppose there bee not many amongst you defiled with this filthy crime of Sacrilege that yee bee not partakers with them who are involued in this sinne but rather abhorre and reprooue it And if they will not heare your admonition condemne their doeinges at leaste in your conscience And this I speake the more earnestly because I feare there be some amongst you that will rather pay your teindes and duties to such idle bellies as deuoure vp the sweat of your browes your seruantes for nothing doing to your commodity nor to them that labour in the vine-yaird of the Lord others to whom the same ought justly to perteine And thinke it not sufficient excuse to say this is a common fault through the whole Country which we cannot mend for an euil thing the more common it bee is the worse And the Wise-man saieth Follow not the multitude in euil doing Therefore suppose the committers of this crime amongst vs like senseles blockes passe ouer and shrinke not for any admonitions exhorting them to repentance skarsely one amongst the whole multitude labour to take vp him selfe and amend the fault or to restore any thing wrongfully withholden by them from the Kirkes vse and therefore the greater damnation abideth them for ought we can see yet thinke not with your selues we may do as other men doe or at least behold their doings and be nothing mooued there-with For they that will not lament for the contrition of IOSEPH that is for the estate of the Kirk of God being ready to decay and come to ruine by the doings of such vngodly Kirk-robbers are not worthy to be counted amongst the true members of Gods holy Kirk The Lorde for his mercie graunt that all our hearts may be effectually mooued to know our dutie in this and all other behalfes and that he will make vs obedient for our partes to his wil and commandements and put remedie to the desolations of his Kirk by such meanes as he thinketh best To him be prayse and glorie for euer and euer AGAINST SACRILEGE The second Sermon Rom. 2. 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacrilege LOnger discourse vppon this texte besides the thinges alreadie spoken of being required at my handes according to my promise to meete the objectiones and shifting excuses of men of this age who cloke their avaricious and greâ—…die appetites to appropriate to them selues the Kirk-rentes I am nowe as the Lord wil assist me to enter in to answere to such thinges as they may alleage and commonly alleages for themselues to colour their corrupted sacrilege I intend therefore without more processe to gather the same in such order as I thinke the beste advised amongst them might propone the same and to giue particular aunswers thereto with resolution according to Gods word good reasons and laws of men And so to take away al vaine excuses whereby they would flatter theÌ„selues in their sin fyle the eies of the ignoraÌ„t simple soules that perceiues not their driftes Protesting alwaies that if carryed with the zeale of trueth in progresse of this mater I vse some vehemencie of speeches I do it not for offence of any particular person the Lorde knoweth but against the vice it self to labour so farre as in me lyeth to conuerte at the least some of them that haue passed ouer-farre and ouer seene themselues in this matter to amendement by considering with themselues better then they haue done of before their duty by such advertisement as I am heare to giue you that heare and all others that will inquire of me coÌ„cerning my judgement in this argument things depending therupon To come then to the first generall
excuse and pretended reason that I thinke these men may alleage who esteeme this kinde of alleaged sacrilege to be no sin at all it being so vniuersall amongst a greate multitude or at leaste not such a kinde of sinne nor so odious as I would aggrege it to be they will say therefore that giuing their intromission with such thinges as sometimes perteined to the Kirk were vnlawfull as they would not graunt it to be yet the name of sacrilege in the proper signification cannot be extended thereto For euen in the lawes which I would alleage to prooue it and by the writers there-upon we finde it is not properly called sacrilege but quasi sacrilegium or instar sacrilegij that is like vnto Sacrilege to take away any of that money or other things giuen to that immortall God for vp-hold of his Religion and seruice I aunswere this is a poore shift for the lawes giueth it as odious a name calling it crimen peculatus and crimen laesae religionis that is to say a crime and guiltinesse of stealing the publick money and a criminall offense against religion But as I said before we take sacrilege according to the meaning of the Scriptures good laws of Christiā Princes aggreable thereunto As indeede the very nature of thinges in themselues leade vs vnto this taking the argument from the lesse to the more that we must needes confesse it to bee a greater sacrilege to take from the Kirk a barrony of lande or the teinde of a whole Parish Kirk being of the valure of many chalders of victuall nor a little thing as a Silver cuppe or chalice out of a Sanctuarie or materiall Kirk For the greater the thieft or spoyle of the holy thing bee it is the greater Sacrilege And as to the place out of the which the holy thing is taken it makes not much to the matter in the law of conscience But to put it out of doubt that this kinde of spoyling the Kirk and defrauding of her right by the worde of God is properly to be called sacrilege No man can deny but to spoyle God is sacrilege Now the Prophet MALACHIE prooueth against the Iewes of his dayes that they spoyled God Because they defrauded him of his teindes and offrings and therefore were al ac◅ursed with a curse Which is the iust punishment of a Sacrilege And very nature it selfe teacheth vs here-unto For men vnderstande naturally and will confesse that to spoyle or steale any thing from a priuate man is a great offense how can they then deny that to spoyle or steale from God things dedicate to his seruice is a more high and haynous transgression and cannot be more properlie tearmed by any name then Sacrilege But yet these men will alleage that the authorities cited out of the Olde Testament to prooue our purpose serue not sufficiently to that effect For albeit in the Leviticall or Ceremoniall law of MOYSES not onely the teindes but also the landes given to the sustentation of the Priestes and Levites were separate from the common vse of men and called Holy yet that law being abrogate or at the least ceasing and taking end the substance thereof being accomplished in Christ wee are no further bounde to the obseruation thereof Therfore the argument taken frō that law concerning holy things ought not now to haue place neither concerning the teindes which are not nowe add◅tted to be payed iure diuino that is of Gods Law as the Cannonistes speake and much lesse concerning Temporall landes giuen to the Kirke in time of Papistrie the which nowe cease to bee of that nature to bee esteemed holy First before I aunswere I am well contented there be a distinction made betweene the ◅andes and Teindes leauing off to speake of the teindes till afterwardes Then I aunswere concerning these Landes or annuall rentes out of Landes delated and giuen to the Kirke that although the Leviticall Lawe with the Ceremonies thereof concerning the outwarde obseruation hath taken an ende and is fulfilled in Christ yet the substance of the policie concerning interteinement of the seruice of God and vp-hold of religion still remaines And it is no lesse necessarie that the ministerie of God amongst vs be mainteined and that sufficient prouision be made to serue other Godlie vses where-unto the Kirke-rentes ought to be applyed nor it was that the Priestes and Leuites shoulde bene vp-holden in the time of the Olde law And as to the holinesse or vnholines of these landes and reuenues albeit in their owne nature as I saide in the former sermon they be like other earthly possessiones yet in so far as they were applyed to an holy vse they may wel be called holy possessions and rents as the Kirk is holy to whose vse they are appoynted Then I say the end and firste cause wherefore these landes and rentes were giuen being therewith to vp-hold the holy seruice of God a like thing in substance aswell in the Euangelical as in the Leviticall Lawe and the same being separate dedicate and mortified as the Law speaketh to that holy vse it can no more be lawful to abstract the same from godly vses then it was in time of the Olde law the Ministers of the word not being otherwaies sufficiently provided nor other godly vses for maintenance of religion and of the poore members of Christ being duely considered and serued But yet they may make instance and say that the gift of thinges bestowed to to the Kirk of old by our fore-fathers in superstition was for a certaine cause to wit to pray for the Dead say Messe and do other superstitious Idolatrous service which nowe is not to be vsed And therefore the cause ceasing the effect should also cease And consequently things giuen for such abuses should returne to the giuers or their aires or at least to the Prince to be otherwaies employed As to that theorike of the Law the cause ceasing the effect ceases giuing it to be true I aunswere with a distinction which the Lawiers themselues make that thereby two kind of causes ar to be considered in thinges to wit the impulsiue cause as they call it and the finall cause Now albeit it be true that the final cause ceasing the effect cōmonly ceases also Yet it is not so in the impulsiue cause which al though it ceasis it makes not the effect of the finall cause which is the principall intention to cease But so it is in this case For albeit it may stand that one of the causes that mooued zealous men in time of blindnes to giue diuerse things to the Kirk and to places then called religious was to pray for the dead and to do other superstitious seruie◅ being perswaded by Monkes Friers and others of their opinion that such praiers were valiable to deliuer soules out of Purgatorie which may be called the impulsiue or moouing cause Yet the principall finall cause was no doubt that they minded to serue God thereby
For if they had not beleeued that these their gifts were to be applyed to the seruice of God and godly vses they would never haue bestowed any of their substance rentes or lan◅es to any Kirk or religious place That this is true It is manifest by their euidents fundations and charters made vpon such donations in the words dispositiue euer bearing this clause Deo Ecclesiae to God and his Kirke before they make mention of any Saint place or other vse whereto the same was to be applyed Nowe seeing all these gifts are so giuen it is reason that God being first named in the Charters haue the firste place as beste and worthiest and as the principall receiuer of these donationes which are nothing else but a small portion of his owne which hee before hath giuen vnto them A◅d as a certaine zealous man was wonted to saye let God haue his life-rente as the first person expressed in the charters take thē the rest I adde to this answere giuing not granting that the principal final cause wher fore these giftes were bestowed should cease yet it is no reasō that the same shuld returne to the giuers or their aires being once simply disponed giuē to the kirks vse yea and mortifyed therto as they vse to speake which the laws call publick dedication to the Kirke But in the same in that case if the cause wherfore they were giuen be not a good cause these gifts are to be applyed to more godly vses not profane vses according to that common rule of the law quod semel Deo dicat est deo c. The things once dedicat to God may not therafter be applyed to profane vses without great necessity as for redemptiō of captiues or other like cases And for this purpose maketh that notable decisiō of Modestine an anciēt jurisconsult wher of the sum is That a certain leg◅cy being left to a citty for a spectable to be done in memorial of the dead which was not law full to be done in such a Citty It were wrong said he that this legacie should returne backe to the aires of him that left it but the same ought to bee bestowed vppon an other lawfull vse And as these lawes conteine great equitie so were they well practised in the dayes of AVGVTTINE For when the Magistrates did take from the Donatistes their possessiones which they had of the Kirke and they complayned and disputed that none should be depriued of their reuenues for dissention of religiones cause That holy Father answered that these goodes perteined to the Kirk and therefore being rightly taken from them who had made a separation from the Kirk the same should be applyed to other Godly vses of the Kirk As to the Princes part in these matters wee shall speake God willing hereafter But yet to aunswere further to these men who object that their predecessoures as they say gaue such landes and rentes vnto the Kirke in blinde zeale and so they haue reason to take the same againe The antecedent or assumption of this argumēt albeit it were admitted to them to proue I suppose it should remaine vnprouen by a great many of them who are most greedie to invade the Kirk-rentes nowe adayes For such as they be readier as the Proverbe saith to eate the Kirk-loafe then to giue it Yet supposing it were verified it is of no force to serue their turne neither doth the consequent follow thereupon For although they or their antecessors had giuen such thinges to the Kirk by what reason should they take the same againe at their pleasure For what is freer then gift or what is more vnhonest and against humanitie then to take the gift againe being once freely disponed supposing it were giuen to a priuate man whereof he had brooked long possession Howe much more shameles and vnhonest were it to the giuer to take it againe by force Then by stronger reason should this be thought vnlawfull concerning things giuen to God and his Kirk which as the Scripture sheweth cannot be redeemed again but is to be restored whatsoeuer is defrauded thereof although it were by ignorance or else the value with a fift part more To this purpose perteineth that solemne protestation which the people made when they brought in their teindes and offrings to the Lord. And although these be counted among the Mystical politick lawes yet the substance thereof as was proved before remaines to wit the lawe ought not to defraude God his Kirk of their duetie To the which purpose yet let vs heare what AMBROSE a godly father speaketh of such men as would cal back againe that which they haue giuē to the vse of the Kirk There be some saith he who after they haue giuē their goods to the kirk rashly think to revoke the same of whō nether the former gift deserueth thanks nor the latter doing is allowable For the former lacketh judgment the other hath with it Sacrilege There bee some whome it repenteth to haue distributed their goods to the poore but concerning them that so repent it is only to be feared ◅hat they shal not repent of this their rep◅ntance See how this anciēt father doubts not to cal them sacrilegious who take againe from the kirk any thing albeit they themselues haue giuen it To this agrees very wel the law of Iustiniane in this sentēc◅ Seeing it lieth in the hart of a man to do or not do any thing that he intendeth it becommeth him either not to proceede to the doinge thereof or else haste to performe it Not defrauding his purpose by any craftie colour of his irreligious minde so much the more this ought he to take heed to if the gift be depute to godly vses or persons of religiō least he be found not only void of religion but also vngodly And so be subject not onely to the penalty of the law but also to punishmente from heauen And notwithstanding not only he but also his successors in this case shal be compelled to restore that which they haue taken wit-holden with the rest that followes To the same purpose it is is said in another law written in the same title of Donationes speaking of things giuen by mens predecessors that it availeth nothing to say such things perteined to our progenitors after that the right and donation thereof is deuolved to others Yet to beamfill their first argument these men may alleage say that things dedicate to the kirk in Papistrie were dedicat to Idolatry which was not only vnholy but also abominable before God consequētly the lands rents so dedicat can no waies be called holy and so apparantly would infer they ought not to be applyed to the holy seruice of God but rather to profane vses This argumēt they see not how much it makes against themselues For if these things offred to idole seruice be abhominable why bring they abhomination into
threatning the judgementes of God to the terrour of all Sacrilegious persones calling them murtherers of the indigent and poore Yea they may be called murtherers both of the bodies and soules of men as was declared in an other place And I cannot see how we who nowe beare office in the Kirke can bee excused vnles we proceed after this manner as the auncient Kirke did against the Sacrilegious of our time who increase and multiplie daylie In such sort that without seuere discipline they may not bee possibly suppressed Yea I feare me the medicine be too late and ouer-long delayed which should haue bene applyed to this kinde of disease And as to the ciuill magistrates punishmente wee haue little appearance to looke for it seeing the most parte of these who should remeid this euill are infected themselues with the same sicknes Notwithstāding that all kinde of Lawes both natural and written diuine and humane damne this haynous cryme For it is euen againste nature to the Children to robbe and spoyle their Mother or Parents as the Kirk of God is to euery one that professe themselues to bee members and haue bene brought vppe in the bosome thereof And let vs see what punishment the naturall Philosopher PLATO in his bookes of Lawes judges the Sacrilegious worthie of If any man sayth hee be found so bolde to commit such a haynous offence as Sacrilege which wee would not can sharpely beleeue to fal in any wel brought-vp-persō if it be an slaue seruant or stranger or strangers seruant let an mark be imprinted in his face and hande and let him be scourged with so many stripes as pleaseth the Iudge and then casten out of the Cuntrie naked that peradventure he may become thereafter wise and of a better minde But if hee be a Citiner meaning a man of free condition who committeth at any time such an offence notwithstandinge his good education from his youth-heade yet the Iudge may vnderstande such ◅ne one to bee incurable Therefore death is the leaste evill hee should susteine But it may profite for ensample to all others if hee be deprived of all honoures and banished the Cuntrie Yee see what equitie is in the Naturall man concerning the punishmente of this crime Now as to the Civil lawes beginning at the lawes of the twelue Tables which were moste aunciente amongst the Romanes we finde the same to be most seuere against the Sacrilegious bearing that they who did robbe by violence or steale holy things or things committed in custodie to holy places should be holden as Parricides that is slayers of their Parentes The Civill Lawes collected by commandement of IVSTINIANI for the moste parte holde the punishmente of Sacrilege to bee capitall that is worthie of death But they varie in the manner of execution For some condemne the Sacrilegious vnto the beastes some to be burned some to be hanged Alwaies the punishmentes are ordeyned to be weyed according to the circumstaunce and qualitie of the persones time age place and estate of thinges to be execute more seuerelie or meekly as the same rēquired For the punishment of them who were condemned to the beastes is restrayned to such onely as break Temples made by hands and take from them by night things dedicate to God But if any in day-light should spoyle any Temple he is decerned to be condemned vnto the Mines or if he were of honest parentage to bee banished in some Ilande and to loose all his goods There be some lawes also that make the punishment of Sacrilege to be extraordinarie All agree in this that is requireth a seuere punishmente as the highest kynde of thieft And extends it as was saide before to all things dedicate to the service of the immortal God so that whosoeuer substract the same being once publickly dedicated committeth Sacrilege and if it were taken priuatly to bee holden as the highest kinde of thieft and like vnto Sacrilege Now if we esteeme it a greater fault to take some little thing out of a material Temple nor to bereaue and take great lands and possessiones from the Kirke is not that to straine out a Gnatte and to swallow vp a Camell Would to God I were able to walken these men out of the deadly sleepe of security wherein they lye blinded by their corrupt affectiones forgetfull of the vnhappie ende whereto men are led by insatiable avarice But seeing neither admonitiones nor sharpe rebukes can serue in this declining age to remeid this euill yet to make them more inexcusable if they will not amende I will produce certaine ensamples of punishments of Sacrilegious persones partely taken out of the Scriptures and partly out of humane histories of the which persons diverse peradventure may be found lesse gyltie of this crime then these with whome we haue to do to the ende that our sacrilegious if they haue any feling may feare the like judgements to fall vpon them if not in this life yet as great or rather greater thereafter when they shal haue no purse nor penny power nor meanes to make restitution of that which they haue with so euill conscience conquised And first we haue two examples which I haue diuerse times heretofore cited of ACHAN in the Olde Testament of ANANIAS and SAPPHIRA in the Newe who were terribly punished for their Sacrilege as it is at length set foorth in the Holie Histories bearing their doings and Tragicall ende of their liues Wee haue further the Historie of OPHNI and PHINEAS the Sonnes of HELI who were both slayne of the Philistimes in one day the Arke of God was taken HELI their Father brake his necke for the sleuthfull correcting of them The chiefe cause of their punishmente is evidently set downe to haue bene For the Sacrilegious abusing of the Sacrifices of the Lorde and making the people to loath the same in bereaving the raw fleshe before it vvas offered besides their other abuses Wee haue likewise the Historie of NEBVCHADNETZAR the greate who spoyled the Temple of GOD in Ierusalem taking from thence ane parte of the Golden and Silver Vesselles appoynted for the service of the Lorde and carryed the same to the Lande of SHINAR to the House of his GOD putting the same in his Gods Thesaurie Which not-with-standing it was the Lordes worke and appoyntmente to witte that Ierusalem and the Temple shoulde bee destroyed for the sinnes of the people Yet the Tyraunte thought not thereof but did execute the pryde of his hearte in that ouerthrow Albeit there were some thinges in him that may condemne the Sacrilegious of our Age for hee tooke but one parte of the Vesselles of Gods House and not all and brought them not into his owne House but into the House of his GOD Wherein albeit ignorantly hee placed his Religion So hee declared some good Conscience in his blinde zeale Yet the Lorde did seuerely correcte and punishe him in his greatest pryde deposing him from his Royall
they see them contending one against another And can the King thinke ye bee in a good case when the estate of the Kirke which was the first in Parliament is so wracked No for if he euer haue warre or other great enterprises ado as it is likely he is shortly to haue he shall lack that to speake worldly which was his principall reliefe and ayde to wit the Thesaurie of the kirk to advance such weightie affaires For as to theÌ„ vpon whom the same is vnworthely bestowed I meane the Kirk-lands and rents they shall fayle him in his greatest neede For it is not his weale nor standing that they haue sought but their owne particular with insatiable greede And now when they haue done the Lord shall so blowe vpon it that they or their aires shalbe no better of it but rather because it is procured with Gods curse it shall wrack the rest of their patrimonie and aunciente houses as experience hath prouen in some of them And as to the Kings Hienesse seeing that his estate euen from his Coronation hes bene so annexed and joyned with the estate of the Kirke and reformed Religion that it hath wel appeared hitherto by experience that the standing of the one hath made the other also to stande it is justly to be feared the Lord auerte it that the ruine and decay of Religion in this Realme if God of his just judgement suffer it may bring exceeding great daunger to his person and royal authoritie yea to the whole common-wealth And the authors of these new erectioÌ„s of the kirk lands inheritable titles to them selues and priuate vses shal be a chiefe cause thereof and that by with-drawing the blessing of God from the Lande and procuring his wrath against the same The Lord remeid these appearing euilles by time Now returning to our Text concluding with the Apostle in the verses following as he most justly rebukes the Iewes who gloryed in the law of God and yet by breaking of the Law by their Sacrilege and other odious crimes dishonored his holy Majestie declaring thereby the light regard they had to that Religion which they outwardly professed so it may be justly layd to the charge of this vnthankfull generation that our outward glorie in his religion shal turne to the vtter confusion of many in this Lande For if it be as it is most true that they who honour GOD hee shall honoure them and they who contemne his worshippe shall bee brought to ignominie and shame Howe can our feined profession worke otherwaies when the Doctrine of Christ his Evangell whereof men wil so babble in their idle talking is so profaned and abused in their daily life and conversation So that the name of that good God who hath so meruelously and mercifully in-lightned this nation aboue others with the knowledge of his vndoubted trueth by our licentious liuing being trod vnderfoot his name is euill spoken of by our occasion amongst the Papistes and other enemies of the trueth as it was amongst the Gentiles by occasion of the euil liues of the Iewes in their captiuitie as the Prophet EZECHIEL here cited by our Apostle doth testifie of them And is it not a most vnworthie thinge that they who haue receiued glorie and honour from God as our vnthankfull Nation haue in granting vs so great light denyed to other mightie Kingdomes of the earth to render againe such gracelesse payment as so to dishonour his holy name The Lord graunt that at least so many as are appoynted for his heauenly kingdome may speedily repent with ZACCHEVS the reste at least be not inferiour to IVDAS who restored that which hee had most sacrilegiously taken in betraying his Maister the Lord Iesus our Saviour To whome with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and prayse for euer FINIS Mal. 3. Iosu. 7. 1. Sam. â—… Malach 3. Act. 5. Act. â—… L. â—…iquis in hoc genus sacrilegij C. de Episcopis clericis L. Qui diuine C. de 〈◊〉 Sacrilegij C. de sepulchro 〈◊〉 L. 1. Leuit. 2â—… Zach. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17. Q. 4. Quisquiâ—… 2 King 4. â—… Mac. 3. Ioh. 12. Citatuâ—… qu. 2. aurum Ex. lib. de off 12. Q. 2. Aurum ex lib de offiâ—… â—…2 Q. 2. â—…loria Delegihâ—… lib. 1â—… 2. King 18. Esai 1. Psal. 50. Exod. 22. â—…d ad 〈◊〉 peeulatus l. 1. l. 4. C. de Sepul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. â—… Mal. â—… â—…d de vsâ—… et 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. le gatuâ—… Levit. 〈◊〉 C. de donationibus l si quis argentum § Sin autem Deut. 7. Deut. 13. â—… Cor. 10. â—…osua 6. 7. Iâ—…g 6. 1. King 21 â—… Cassamus L. deceruimuâ—… C. de Sacro s. Eccleijs Authent 〈◊〉 non aliâ—… 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasti â—…oll 2. Gen. 14. Gen. 28. â—…erit 27. Num. 18 Concil Matisc. 2 Can. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 li. 9. f. 192. Concil Carthag 5 cap. 6. Contradâ—… â—…d leg 〈◊〉 l pâ—…ecia Deut. 7. Mal. 3. Iosua â—… Act. 5. Carthag council 4 c 95. Council Agâ—…then c. 3. alibi Liâ—… â—… de â—…ogibus L. Sacrilegâ—… L. Sacrilegij dâ—… Leg. Iulian 〈◊〉 latuâ—… L. peculatus â—…d eâ—…d tit â—… Sâ—…m 1. 3. Dan. 1. Dan. 4. Dan â—… â—… Mac. â—… â—… Mac. 12. Exod. 36. Num. 7. Psal. 12â—… 2. Sam 7. 1. Châ—…o 22 2. Chro. 29 Mal. 3. Ezech. 36