A Censure of Simony, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Reasons shewing the vnreasonablenesse of Simonie. Objections answered.
AS eueryevery sinne is in its owne nature vnreasonable, as being repugnant euen to the Dictate of naturall reason: So Simonie, for this reason, may challenge a place and ranke among other sinnes.
First, Simonie is vnreasonable, because it is sacriledge, it robs God of his right. Will a man rob his gods,Mal. 3.…. to vsurpe vponupon Tithes, by buying and selling (for buying and selling Tithes is an vsurping vponupon Tithes) is to robbe God. For to buy of the Patron, is to subscribe that the right of Tithes is interessed in him, and not in God, and so to ascribe the power and propertie of tithes to the Patron that sels them, not to God, who gaue them, still retayning the proprietie of them in himselfe. Whence wee may conclude, all those to bee either Simonists, or Fauourers of them, that denie Tithes to be due Iure Diuino. For why denie they this, but flattering themselues, that thus they may the more licentiously buy and sell them, and so hold the poore Ministers nose to the grindstone; whereas although they had beene dedicate onelyonly by Man, yet ought they not so to bee profaned.
Secondly, Simonie is vnreasonable, because it debaseth and vilifieth that which is honorable, as is the gift of God. And Tithes are the gift of God; therefore honorably to be esteemed. Peter said to Simon, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thinkest the gift of God may bee obtayned with money. Hee vilified Gods gift, and therefore hee was set light by the Apostle. Wherefore, and what was Belshazzars punishment? Hee set light by the holy Vessels of Gods Temple, when prophanely hee presumed to drinke in them, He and his Concubines: and was he not well requited, when while hee was drinking, hee saw that hand-writing vponupon the wall, Thou art weighed in the ballance and found too light? Dan. 5.27. He set light by Gods consecrate things, and God sets light by him, hee findes him too light. Let all spirituall merchants both Patrons and Parsons, bee strucke with terror of this example, as Belshazzar was with the hand-writing. And hee must needes bee culpable of this sinne, that setteth any terrene price vponupon a spirituall thing.
A third reason, why Simonie is vnreasonable, is because it makes the Simonist besides himselfe. For hee comes as a Minister to buy: but buying, hee professeth and prooueth himselfe to bee no Minister of God. For as God gaue the Tithes anciently to the Leuites, he gaue them freely, and a free gift ought not to bee bought: So hee hath giuen the same to his Ministers of the new Testament as freely; whatsoeuer Minister therefore shall offer to buy these Tithes, must either confesse that they are not the free gift of God, or that he himselfe hath no interest in them, as the Minister of God, and so no Minister of God. If therefore holy Tithes belong properly and of right to Ministers, why doe they buy them? And if they buy them, what right had they vntounto them?
Fourthly, it is against reason to commit treason; but Simonie is treason. For as Iudas conspiring with the Iewes by buying and selling, betraied the person of Christ: So Simonists conspiring together through buying and selling, betray the Church of Christ, yea betray the body of Christ, the members of Christ; as shall appeare more at large, when we come to shew the effects of Simonie.
But the Simonist obiecteth. I am faine to buy, because All, or Most are set a buying; So that if I buy not I am like to hauehave nothing. This is as good a reason, as if hee said, I must sinne, because it is the fashion of All, or Most, so to doe. This man will goe to the Deuill for companie. But let mee tell thee, if it were not for such as thou art, wee should shortly hauehave no Simonists at all. For thou buyest, because others buy; Well: Doe but thou, and all such as thou art, who thus sinne by others example, hold your hand a while, and in short time defluet … ▪ the Brooke at last of such examples will be quite dried vp, when it ceaseth to be fed and supplied with such headie Currents. For else, by following such examples, thou, and such as thou art, become examples to draw others after thee, and so each for his part both maintayneth and increaseth that wicked Trade, each striuing who can runne fastest to the Deuill. Another saith, he buyeth of force, that he may hauehave a place in the Church to exercise those gifts God hath bestowed vponupon him, for the good of his Church. And if he buy not, those gifts shall lie buried in the earth. That were great pitie. But what gifts? I doubt whether any sanctified and true Priestly gifts, that will so easily be corrupted with Simonie. But as the King of Gath said to Dauid, counterfaiting madnesse;1. Sam. 21.15. HaueHave wee neede of mad men? So, hauehave wee neede of Simonists in the Church? Or as Philip King of Macedon, seeing his sonne Alexander by large gifts to wooe the good will of the Macedonians, writ vntounto him in an Epistle:Cic. offic. lib. 2. Quae te malùm inquit, ratio in istam spem induxit, vt eos tibi fideles putares fore, quos pecunia corrupisses? An id agis, vt Macedones non te Regem suum, sed Ministrum & praebitorem put…nt, quo quid Sordidius Regi? So we may inuert it vponupon our Simonist thus: Quae te malùm ratio in istam spem induxit, vt populo te fidelem putares fore Pastorem, cum tuam ipse conscientiam pecunia tua corrupisses? An id agis, vt populus Dei non te Pastorem suum, sed Depastorem, non Concionatorem sed Corruptorem putent, quo quid Sordidius Rectori? But if thou hast such a desire to exercise thy gifts, audiamus disertum: bestow them there, where is most neede, where the people perish for want of prophecie, and prophecie faileth there, because the Tithes are impropriate. Sed nullus ad amissas, ibit Amicus opes. But thou wilt say: Dignus est operarius Mercede sua. True: But either bewray not thy Hypocrisie, by seeking the richest and most eminent places & preferments in the Church (for scarce any else please thee) to exercise thy gifts in: or else make proofe of thy sinceritie, by desiring so to imploy thy gifts in Gods Church, as for that end thou wilt rather content thy selfe with a meane Liuing honestly attained, then to aspire to a greater by corrupt meanes. For it is a question, which is the worst of the two, for the Church to want a Minister, or to be serued with a Simonist.
Another obiecteth: I see the Church of God in great danger, the chiefe places are intruded into by such as will make no conscience of their dutie, as is manifest by those lesser charges and places, wherein they hauehave beene most negligent and vnfaithfull; and so the ship of the Church shall be in danger of casting away, being gouerned by carelesse Pilots: Therefore for the louelove and care I beare to the Church, being conscious of my good conscience, that I ayme chiefly at the good thereof: why may I not redeeme the danger of it with my money? A plausible reason, I confesse; for our very liues are not too deare, much lesse our liuings, to bee spent and sacrificed for the Church of God. It was the Apostles ioy and reioycing, To bee offered vp vponupon the sacrifice and seruice of the Philippians faith. And this ought to bee the ioy of euerie faithfull Minister of Christ,Phil. 2.17. lawfully called, and canonically placed in this or that place in the Church. But in this the case is otherwise. A man as yet is not called lawfully and orderly to this or that charge in the Church. Well, the Church wants a good Pastor; Wolues seeke to enter. Shall I to preuent them, climbe vp another way into the Sheep-fold, and not by the Doore? What benefit will this be to the Flocke, when the Thiefe and the Robber comes to preuent the Wolfe? Yea, Caueat Emptor. Why was *2. Sam. 6 7.Vzza, being no Priest, smitten? was it not for laying his *1. Chro. 13.10.hand vponupon the A…ke? contrary to Gods Commandement, Numb. 4.15. They shall not touch any holy thing, least they dye? But the Arke was shaken with the Oxen, and he did but stay it; well, hee had his payment for his offic…ousnesse. So thou seest (at least in thy apprehension) in stead of the true Leuites, the Arke to be drawne by Oxen, the Church to bee swayed by whom it ought not, and so the state of it to be shaken, and to bee in ieopardie. Yet take heed thou put not forth thy hand, thy Simoniacall hand to the end to saue the Church from ruine. So, to touch holy things, is death; Thy money perish with thee. If Simonie be vnlawfull, and so condemned of all: if it be a sinne, commit it not, yea, though thou couldest thereby procure the safetie of the whole Church of God. For men to say, Let vsus doe euill, that good may come thereof: their damnation is iust. Rom. 3.8.Shall I destroy mine owne soule (for eueryevery sinne slayeth the soule) to saue others soules? Yea, saith Iob, Iob. 13.7.Will yee speake wickedly for Gods defence? and talke deceitfully for his cause? Whereupon Mercerus noteth, saying,Mercerus in …unc locum. Deus hac vestra Defensione non indiget, neque ita se defends postulat cum alterius Detrimento, vt interim proximo fiat Iniuria. If God then will not hauehave his cause defended to any mans wrong: neither will he hauehave his Church saued by any mans destruction. It is against the order of charitie, to lose my owne soule for the sauing of others. Let such a man rather resolue thus; If God will hauehave mee to helpe to preserue his Church, hee will offer meanes lawfull for mee to attaine this charge. Yea, in such a case the meanes for vsus to vse is, Pray the Lord of the Haruest, Matth. 9.38.that hee would send forth Laborers into his Haruest.
And whereas a man may pretend, yea and promise to himselfe, if hee were promoted to such a place, to become a profitable member in the Church: let such a one examine himselfe by that which Gregory saith: Perhaps (saith he) he that desireth Prelacie in the Church, hath a purpose to doe good. Greg. Mag. Past. curae. pars 1. c. 9.Sed cum percepti Principatus officio perfrui seculariter coepit, libenter obliuiscitur, quicquid religiosè cogitauit. Quia nequaquam valet in culmine humilitatem discere, qui in imis positus non desinit superbire. Nam plerunque in occupatione regiminis, ipse quoque boni operis vsus perditur, qui in tranquillitate tenebatur: quia quieto mari recte nauem & imperitus se nauta dirigit: turbato autem tempestatis fluctibus, etiam peritus se nau…a confundit. Quid namque est potestas culminis, nisi tempestas mentis? Inter haec ita que quid sequendum est, quid tenendum, nisi vt virtutibus pollens, coactus ad regimen veniat, virtutibus va…us ne coactus accedat? But when he hath begun, worldly to inioy the office of his receiued principalitie, he willingly forgets, whatsoeuer …ee religiously purposed. Because hee cannot learne humilitie when hee is aloft, who while hee was below ceased not to bee proud. For commonly in the negotiation of Gouernment, the very vse of good workes is also lost, which in the tranquillitie of a priuate life was preserued. Sith in a calme sea, euen at vnexpert Mariner can direct and guide his ship, and himselfe: but in a tempestuous sea, euen a skilfull Pilot confounds himselfe. For what else is the power of regiment, but the tempest of the minde? Therefore in these cases, what is to be followed, what to be obserued, but that hee which excelleth in vertues, should come to place of gouernment by compulsion, but he that is destitute of vertue…, should vponupon no termes, no not by compulsion be drawne vntounto …. And hee concludes: Considerandum est ei, qui curam populi electu… Praesul suscipit, quia quasi ad aegrum medicus accedit. Si ergo in eius opere passiones viuunt, qua presumptione percussum mederi properat, qui in facie vulnus portat? Therefore (saith he) the elect Prelate, which takes vponupon him the care of the people, must consider, that hee comes as a Physician to a sicke Patient. If therefore passions doe yet liue in his practise, with what presumption doth hee hasten to heale the diseased, when hee carrieth his wound in his owne face?
But will some say, *1. Tim. 3.1. Greg. ibid. cap. 8.Qui Episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desiderat. Ergo licet mihi Episcopatum desiderare. He that desireth a Bishopricke, desireth a worthy worke. Therefore it is lawfull for mee to desire a Bishopricke. Let the same Gregory make answere, vponupon the very same words, in his eight Chapter of the foresaid Booke, which hee intituleth thus: De ijs, qui praeesse concupiscunt, & ad vsum suae libidinis instrumentum Apostolici sermonis arripiunt: Ti. 3.1. Notandum (saith hee) quod illo in tempore hoc dicitur▪ quo quisquis praeerat, primus ad martyrij tormenta ducebatur. Tunc ergo laudabile fuit Episcopatum quaerere, quando per hunc, quemquam dubium non erat ad supplicia grauiora per…enisse. Vnde ipsum quoque Episcopatus Officium boni operis expressione definitur, cum d…citur, si quis Episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desiderat. Ipse ergo sibi testis est, quia Episcopatum non appetit, qui non per hunc, boni operis Ministerium, sed honoris, gloriam quaerit. Qui… repente subiungit Apostolus: Opertet autem Episcopum irreprehensibilem esse. Et fauet ergo ex desiderio, & terret ex praecepto, acsi apertè dicat, laudo quod quaeritis, sed prius discite, quid quaeratis: ne dum vosmet ipsos metiri negligitis, tantò foedior vestra reprehensibilitas appareat quanto, & à cunctis conspici in honoris arce festimatis. Sacrum quippe Officium non solum, non diligit omnino, sed nescit, qui ad culmen regiminus anhelans in occulta meditatione cogitationis coeterorum subiectione pascitur: laude propria laetatur: ad honorem coreleuat: rerum affluentium abundantia exultat. Mundi ergo lucrum quaeritur, sub eius honoris specie, quo mundi destrui lucra debuerant. Cum que mens humilitatis culmen arripere ad elationem cogitat: quod foris appetit, intus immutat. It is to be noted (saith hee) that this was spoken at that time, when eueryevery Prelate was the first that was drawne to the torments of martyrdome. Then it was commendable to desire a Bishopricke, when by it a man was sure to come to more grieuous torments, &c. But that man doth not onelyonly not louelove, but not vnderstand the sacred Function at all, who breathing to climbe to the top of gouernment, doth in his priuate thoughts feed vponupon the subiection of others, flatter himselfe in his owne prayse, exalt his heart vntounto honour, and exult in the abundandance of his wealth. Therefore the lucre of the world is sought vnderunder the shew of that Honor, by which the emoluments and gainers of the world should hauehave beene destroyed.
Another obiection doth here crosse my way on the Patrons behalfe, Sir, you need not bee so rigid against giuing and receiuing for a Spirituall preferment: For, for my part, I hauehave a good intent to conuert such money to some charitable vse, as to bestow it in Almes, &c.Can. 1. q. 1. p. 2. Indeed this hath beene an old shift in the Court of Rome. But Gratian saith, Non potest fieri Eleemosyna ex pecunia Simoniacè acquisita. Almes may not bee giuen of money Simoniacally gotten. And Gregor. Epist. 110. to certaine BB. doth condemne this sinne thus. Nimis Declinandem est, dilectissimi fratres, sub obtentu Eleemosynae peccata Simoniacae haereseos perpetrare. Nam aliud est propter peccata Eleemosynas facere, aliud propter Eleemosynas peccata committere. Wee are to bee exceeding carefull, beloued brethren, not to commit the sinnes of Simoniacall h…resie, vnderunder pretence of almes. For it is one thing to doe almes for sinne sake, another thing to commit sinne for almes sake. This is like Sauls sacrifice; reproued and reiected by Samuel. 1. Sam. 15. Or like the high Priests Charitie, who with Iudas treason-money, by some called Simonie, bought, forsooth, a field to bury Strangers in. But for all this charitable worke, by diuine Ordination (as Lyrae saith) the field got such a Name, as could neuer bee washed off. For it is called, the field of bloud to this day. Matth. 27.8. And mought such charitable workes, as they are done by Simonie, so for euer beare the brand of Simonie. As a famous Curtizan in Rome, hauing built a faire house, caused this Motto to bee set ouer the front of the gate, well beseeming her owne shamelesse front, Aedificauerunt Peccatrices: Curtizans built this house.