not therefore to thinke it no sinne or that God cannot or will not punish it for although as the Poet saith Mars vltor galeam quoque perdidit Iuuen. Sat. 4. res Non potuit seruare suas Mars a false and counterfeit Idol might leese his helmet c. and could not help it yet our GOD by the strength of his arme can doe it with strange raine or with strange haile or with terrible tempest or with consuming fire Wis 16. or by scarsitie and famine or with plague and sicknes c. for he hath mille nocendi artes a thousand waies to punish you and as he said to Senacherib can put a hooke in your nostrils and a bridle in your lips and make you bring it backe againe the same way that you carried it out 4 Reg 19. as the Philistins did the Arke of God Or doe you not doubt of his power and abilitie to doe it but of his truth and because as you imagine hee doth not therefore will not returne this euill on your heades Adam might as well haue argued against Gods truth who sayd what day thou shalt eat of that apple thou shalt surely dye for he died not that day but became mortall and was sure to die and as I may say fell into a consumption which left him not vntill the houre of his death And I doubt not to affirme that Gods punishments are already begun vpon vs and although as yet they are but medicinae non poenae medicines not punishments and God like a good Phisition giueth vs sometimes sharpe potions to recouer our health that is suffereth vs to haue detrimentū in minori bono Thom. 22 q. 87. art 7. vt augeamur in maiori losse in a lesser good that wee may gaine in a greater suffereth vs to haue detrimentum pecuniae sanitatis propter bonum animae losse of money and health for the good of our soule yet if these medicines wil not cure vs he wil cut off that part of the Church or Common-wealth which is diseased and incurable though to the hazard and destruction of the whole body And I tell you true it is no good signe or argument of Gods loue to vs that hee suffereth such sinnes such capitall sinnes to raigne amongst vs without their due punishment 2. Mach 6. For those whom he loueth not as the Author of the Machabees saith hee forbeareth vntil they come to the fulnes of their sinne but it is a token of his goodnesse and loue saith hee to a nation not to suffer sins long to continue but straight way to punish them as we finde in the children of Israell his elect people who suffered more temporall punishments for their sinnes than the most Idolatrous nations whom hee reserued to a finall destruction And therefore triumph not in your sinnes nor comfort your selues in this impunity for it is an argument that you are out of Gods fauour and that when hee striketh hee will strike you home when his anger is lenta slowe thenit is magna Valer lib. 1. c. 1. great tarditatem supplicij grauitate compensat and requiteth the slacknesse of the punishment with the waight thereof And it is most true and very obseruable that Iulius Caesar said to the Embassadours of the Switzers That it is a common custome with God to suffer those whom hee loueth not but intendeth to punish to enioy peace and rest and wealth and pleasure and aboundance for a long time Quo grauius ex commutatione rerum doleant Commēt lib. 1. that the change when it commeth may grieue them the more Wherefore to conclude seeing this buying and selling of sheepe and oxen which were for sacrifice and was a farre lesse sinne then our buying and selling of spirituall things was so odious to our Sauiour Christ that first of all other things he reformed that and that diuers times and by force and violence and by miracle seeing by the opinion of the Fathers interpreters and schoolemen this Simonie is a sinne and an heresie in Christianitie intollerable seeing it cannot stand with a common-wealth but thereby one state will eate vp another learning and the Vniuersities will bee decayed the Church bee supplied with ignorant pastours hospitalitie remooued from the state of the Cleargie and to conclude it is a signe and fore-runner of some euill to insue to the common-wealth giue me leaue I beseech you honorable worshipfull c. who are called if not inplenitudinem potestatis vnto the fulnesse of power yet to some good measure of habilitie and power Peter Blesens Epist 151. vt auferantur scandala de regno Dei To remooue scandalls from the kingdome of God and from this Church from this kingdome and common-wealth giue mee leaue I say to exhort you to beseech you and euen to adiure you by this example of our Sauiour Christ that you would vse your best endeuours to remooue this euill to cut off this scandall this Simonie this buying and selling and reduce this disorder ad honestatis gloriam to the glory of this Church and common-wealth You honorable c. according to the power and wisedome that is giuen you from aboue may be a meanes to amend it non est meae humilitatis dictare vobis vel sic vel sic faciendum De cōsider l. 2. as Saint Bernard said to Eugenius Bishop of Rome it will not stand with the meannesse of my place and knowledge to say that thus or thus it may bee done but no doubt it would greatly bee eased if the rich patrones who are pares culpa nay superiores equall nay superiour in offending and sinne onely through couetousnesse might be pares poena with the poore Priest who is tempted to Simonie by extreame necessitie I haue beene somewhat earnest and zealous against this sinne but maruell not at it Gregor for I haue read that partem habebit cum Simone qui contra Simoniacos pro officij sui loco vehementer non exarserit 1. q. 1. quisqis Hee shall haue his portion with Simon Magus who according to the place he beareth is not very earnest against the committers of Simony All that wee can doe is to speake vnto you out of these places and that will be the lesse regarded because we shall be thought to speake for our selues but I haue giuen you reasons why it cannot stand with a common-wealth and protest I speake it not so much in commiseration of our owne selues who by our couetousnesse and ambition haue brought this euill vpon vs and hauing guiltie consciences haue blusht to reprooue it as in compassion of our successors who shall suffer for our sinnes and liue in an age when the finger of the sonnes will be heauier on them then the loynes of the fathers are now vpon vs because commonly wicked parents bring forth progeniem vitiosiorem An off spring or progeny worse then themselues when if the ministers shall bee liberally bred as we haue beene nescient fodere They will haue no skill to digge for their liuings and if they know themselues and the worth and dignities of their calling erubescent egere They will blush and be ashamed to liue in misery and yet of necessitie will be compelled turpiter mendicare Iudge 17. To go vp and down as the Leuit did to find them places to dwel in and be houshold Leuites to some meane Micha for a sute of apparrel and meat and drinke But the time is past so that I cannot stand vppon the second part of my text which is the reason why our Sauiour vseth this chastisement vppon the prophaners of the Temple which containeth matter of very great and necessary obseruation and offereth a larger discourse then this former this that hath beene spoken is sufficient to trie maisteries both with my strength and your patience wherefore because in this one speech I cannot performe that which I first intended as S. Bernard said in the like case facio finem vbi non est finis Serm. 36. I make an end where there is no ende and end my Sermon but end not my text beseeching God in the merits of our Sauiour Christ Iesus who at the feast of the Passeouer entred into the Temple of Ierusalem and cast out the buyers and the sellers there to purifie this Church of England and all the Prelates Ministers and members of it from all Simonie Coueteousnes Sacriledge and impious merchandizing to giue grace to the Shepheards which care to feede their flockes and to the people with all humanity to entertaine their Pastors c. FINIS
and wasted his country 2. Sam. 24. Dauid sinned by numbring his people and hee sent an Angell and smote them with pestilence Dan. 13. The Elders sinned against Susanna and God sent the Child Daniel to doe iudgement on them Onely this sinne of prophaning and abusing his Temple he correcteth and chasteneth with his owne hands he sendeth not his Angels hee sendeth not fire hee sendeth not water hee sendeth not his Prophets but hee commeth himselfe and taketh punishment of them But you will say How could this bee that our Sauiour Christ being one man and vnarmed without a guard or souldiers after him without any humane authority or externall calling in the presence of the Priests and the Scribes who hated him with deadly hatred and at that present time sought after his life who made profit of those buiers and sellers who also were many in number and most attentiue and greedy after their gaine and had as I said before an honest pretence out of the law for this their marchandizing notwithstanding all these circumstances without tumult without noise without contradiction or resistance hee should bee able to cast them all together out of the Temple Hierom super 21. Math But the answere is plaine That it was done by a miracle as the ancient Fathers do iointly testifie S. Ierome saith that this was the greatest of all his miracles Some thinke saith he that the greatest miracle he wrought was the raising of Lazarus frō the dead some thinke that the giuing of sight to the blind was the greatest miracle some the voice that was heard at Iordane when he was baptized some his transfiguration in the mountaine where he shewed his triumphant glory maiesty but saith he of al the signes that euer he wrought this seemeth most miraculous in mine eie that one man at that time contemptible so far foorth vile base in their eies that he was afterwards crucified in despight of Scribes Priests could cast out with whips such a multitude of men and cattle which a pretty army of men could haue hardly performed but saith he Igneum quiddam sidereum radiabat in oculis eius There was some fiery and starry brightnes that glistered in his eies and the maiesty of his Diuinity did shine in his face so that neither Scribes nor Pharisies nor Priests nor buiers nor sellers Ori. supe 2 Iob. durst resist withstand him And S. Origen saith that this was a greater miracle then the turning of water into wine because their inanimata materia subsistit a matter without life soule doth yeeld vnto him but in this tot millium hominum domantur ingenia hee daunteth the hearts and courages of thousands of men For you shall vnderstand that some miracles were wrought vpon the bodies of men which we most admire because they are subiect to the sight of our eies some vpon the mindes of men quantùm ad immutandas inferiores vires concerning the change of their inferiour faculties as the Schoolemen say which though they were more miraculous yet to vs they seeme not so And this distinction may bee gathered out of the Hebrews where he saith Heb. 2. that God bare witnes to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by signes and wonders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diuers powers which wrought vpon the mindes and soules of men The miracles which he wrought vpon bodies are obserued by you al but the miracle which he wrought vpon their minds soules were these the like first the informing of his Disciples with knowledge vnderstanding Luk. 21. I wil giue you a mouth wisdome where against all your aduersaries shall not be able to speake or resist And therfore it is said in the Actes Act 4. that when the Iewes saw the constancie of Peter and Iohn vnderstood that they were vnlearned men and without knowledge admirabanter they thought it a miracle Math 9. The second is the calling of Mathew for as soone as he said follow me though he sate at the receipt of costome yet presently he rose vp and followed him Fulgur diuinae Maiestatis videntem ad se traxit The lightning of his diuine Maiesty drew him vnto him so soone as he did but see him The 3. is in the Gospel of Iohn Ioh. 18. wher as soone as he said to the band of men officers that came with Iudas to apprehend him I am he they went backward fel to the ground S. Austin writing vpon that place saith it was a miracle The forth is in S. Lukes Gospel Trae 112. supe Iob. Luk. 4. where they of the Sinagogue led him to the edge of an hill to thrust him downe headlong but Iesus passed through the midst of them and went his way where S. Chrisostom saith Stare in medio insidiantium non apprehendi To stand in the midst of those that way-laid him not to be taken shewed his Diuinity and was a miracle Finally as I haue shewed you before with this facility to cast out the buiers and sellers c. and not to be resisted argued the power of his Diuinity and was a miracle And this of the fifth circumstance I amplifie this poynt and vrge all these circumstances of our Sauiours force and extraordinary violence vsed in this place and the miraculous perfourming of it to shew vnto you how odious this sinne is of prophaning the Church of GOD with buying and selling And no question if this merchandizing which had so faire a pretence for it as the letter of the law the ease and benifit of the whole nation was so odious to our Sauiour Christ our merchandizing and buying selling in the Church of God cannot be lesse odious and offensiue to him For our buying and selling in the Church of GOD our Symonie as wee call it hath no pretence for it in the lawe of Moyses nor in the lawe of the Gospell nor in Ecclesiasticall or Canon lawes nor in the Ciuill and Nationall lawes of any Countrey The law of Moyses prouided so liberally for the Priests and the whole family of the Leuites by the free citties and the demaines which were allowed them in euery Tribe that there was neither vse nor abuse of buying and selling till Ieroboams time 3. Reg. 13. who erected an altar against the altar of GOD and made of the lowest of the people that would fill his hand idolatrous priests In the new law of the new Testament there was gratis accepistis gratis date the Apostles receiued their gifts freely and gaue them freely the people receiued the word freely and freely of their owne accord they laid downe the price of their land at the Apostles feete The Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill lawes forbid nothing with greater regard since the Church was endowed with peculiar maintenance than the buying and selling of Spirituall offices and Ecclesiasticall perferments and I know none either ancient Father or Schoole-man or
late Writer which applieth not this Scripture and this Action of our Sauiour Christ to our Simoniacall buying and selling of orders and offices in Christian Churches So that if all councels and ancient reuerend Bishoppes which had the constituting or confirming of Ecclesiasticall lawes be not deceiued this Simonie is a wrong to the state of the Church if all good Princes and Statesmen and Parliaments bee not deceiued who haue the making and establishing of Statute Lawes this Simonie is preiudiciall to a Common-weale if all interpreters be not deceiued it is a sinne against the law of God and seuerely chastised in this place by our Sauiour Christ either mistically and figuratiuely or by necessary consequence For if those things which by nature were vendible as sheepe and oxen and to that purpose to offer them in sacrifice to God might not be bought and sould in the house of GOD or the precincts of it much lesse may offices Ecclesiasticall or Tythes or the maintenance of Gods Ministers which by nature are not saleable be bought or sold in the Church of God For what If the sinne of Simon Magus of whom this fault hath denomination consisted in buying onely and not in selling of that which was spiritual seeing buying and selling are both in a predicament for nothing is bought but that which is sold contrà and the Apostles had sinned as greeuously in selling as Simon did in buying and the Schoole-men say well Th. 22. quest 100. art 1. that Vendentes conformantur Simoni in intentione si non in actu Sellers are conformed to Simon Magus in purpose though not in action because he would haue bought the holy Ghost to sell his miracles May not the Church impose one name to both these sinnes which are cousin germaines nay brother germanes as well as buying and selling should bee comprehended vnder the word of merchandizing or that seruus vas ager arbor pecus should be contained vnder the name of pecunia as S. Austin noteth in his Bookes of Christian Learning Againe If the sinne of Simon Magus properly consisted in the buying of a spirituall thing of the working of miracles which is meerely spirituall as the gift of preaching or the gift of prophecying and the gift of preaching and the maintenance allotted for it by what name or title so-euer you call it concurre to the making of a perfect Preacher as the soule and body to the making of a perfect man so that as the soule seperated from the body though it liueth 1 q. 3. Si quis obiecerit yet it liueth not corporaliter bodily so Preaching separated from the maintenance though it liueth yet it liueth not ciuiliter or humaniter as ciuilitie and humanitie would it should as GOD hath appointed it to liue in this world may not the buying and selling of a Bishopricke or Benefice which is annexum quiddam spiritualibus somewhat annexed to spirituall affaires bee accompted Simonie when not onely the soule of man is said to liue but the bodie also which is annexum quiddam is said to liue ex vnione animae by the vnion of the soule when not hee onely that killeth the soule is said to doo murther but hee also that killeth the body which hath no life but by meanes of the soule when not hee onely is said to sinne against the Maiestie of a Prince who offereth iniurie to his person or crowne but hee also that doth violence to those things which are annexed to his crowne and dignitie This selling and buying in the Church of God which by the generall consent of interpreters Fathers and Schoolmen is here punished by our Sauiour Christ and is iustly called Simonie and a true branch of the sinne of Simon Magus is so common and vsuall in the Church of England that I must needs say that either you esteeme it not as a sinne or if you take it for a sinne since our Sauiour is ascended into Heauen you thinke there is no GOD to punish you for it To hold it no sinne is to hold the heresie of Simon Magus for so it is called that is Caiet in 8. Act. to thinke that the holy Ghost may be bought and sould for when Officium curae animarū praecipuum ac spiritualissimum Dei donum sit The office of the charge of soules is an especiall and most spirituall gift of God to buy or to sell the office of the charge of soules in generall that is to buy or sell Orders or to buy and sell the office of the charge of these or those soules that is to buy or sell a Presentation is Simonie and that in his owne nature and not because it is forbidden by Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill Law And it is not onely vulnus cancrosum as Saint Ambrose calleth it a wound that hath a canker in it and therefore will creepe along through euery ioynt of the body of a Common-wealth as wee finde by our miserable experience 1. q 1. reperiuntur and so requireth ignitum ferrum a hot coulter or sharpe sword that is the extremity of ciuill punishment nor execrabile flagitium onely a detestable sinne and therefore anathematis opprobrio condemnandum to be condemned cursed with Excommunication the highest censure of the Church Act. 8. but it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wickednesse or sinfulnesse that Saint Peter speaketh of and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that bond or bundle of iniquity that containeth many sinnes fast chained together which argue that the hart is not right and from which wee may pray to bee deliuered not simply as from other sinnes but if it be possible as Saint Peter counselled Simon Magus pray vnto God that if it bee possible this thought of thy hart may be forgiuen thee But forasmuch as since the time that good Christians are degenerated into cunning politicians it is not so much regarded what is good for the state of the Church as what is fitting and behoofefull for a Common-wealth nor such reckoning made of eternall reward or eternall punishment as of present pleasure of punishment inflicted on our body or goods and we say with the Policitians Aug. de ciuit Dei li. 2 cap. 2. Pace secura sit resp floreat copijs referta victorijs gloriosa quid ad nos If there be peace plenty and prosperity what care we for the state of the Church I will giue you some reasons amongst many why this selling and buying in the Church which is the vtter vndooing of the state of the Clergy as it is not lawfull by the word of God so not tolerable in regard of the policy of a Christian Common-wealth First as much as in it lyeth it taketh away the society and fellowshippe of mankinde wherein consisteth a Commen-wealth For if wee shall bee so affected that euery man for his owne commodity will rob and spoyle another man the society of mankind which of all things is most naturall must needes