A Censure of Simony, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Of the Censures, and Penalties of Simonie and Simonists.
COme wee now to obserue the censures and penalties, which hauehave been generally imposed vponupon Simonie, and Simoniacks. Aquinas following his Ancients, calls Simonie, Haeresi… quaedam. Gregory calls it, The prime Heresie in the Primitiue Church. Altare vel Decimas, Greg. in Regist. 1▪ q. ca. 3.vel Spiritum Sanctum emere vel vendere, Simoniacam Haeresin esse nullus fidelium ignorat: To buy or sell the Altar (as the Sacrificer doth his Masse) or Tythes, or the Holy Ghost, there is none of all the faithfull, that knoweth not this to bee Simoniacall Heresie. Irenaeus calls Simon Magus, The Father of all Heretickes Yea,…. in prae…at. l. 2. aduers. Hereses. Sic. Aug. l. 2. con. adue…s. leg. & Proph. ca. 12. Yet Aug. in Psa. 54. s…ith, that the errour of the Capernaites, was the first Heresie in the P…imi…ue Church: but he c…lls it not a Mother…heresie, as not dream…ng then of succeeding times wherein hauehave been bred …uch a Masse of Romish Caper…ites: as Dan…us obserue…h vponupon his first Chapter of Heresies. saith Aquinas, The impious Heresie, of the Macedonians, and of those of his Sect, impugners of the Deitie of the Holy Ghost, is more tolerable, then that of the Simonists: For those in their dotage, yet confessed, that the Holy Ghost was a Creature, and seruant of the Father and the Sonne: But these doe make the same Holy Ghost to be their owne seruant. For hee that takes vponupon him to buy or sell any thing, takes vponupon him also to bee the master and proprietary of that, which hee so buyeth or selleth. Yea, so odious is the sinne of Simonie, that Pope Deodate said. *Greg. Decr. de Sim. tit. 3. S… Dominus.That no Catholike is to bee refused, but, for auouching the Truth, and to make knowne the madnesse of Simonie is to bee exhorted with most earnest intreatie. For, saith he, none is so vile or infamous, which may not be admitted for a competent witnesse against a Simoniacke, as being the most vile and infamous of all men. Therefore euen a bond-slaue, a whoore, a criminall person, may accuse a Simonist, yea, euen a seruant his master. And eueryevery sinfull man may sing a Masse, But a Simonist may not. So he.
But some will say, This is but the Brutum Fulmen of a Pope. Yea, it ought so much the more to make vsus, whom the condition of so many Popes hath made to abominate the very name of Pope, to bee afraide, and to startle at the very name of Simonie, more then at a cracke of Thunder. If Heathenish Abimelech so highly honour Marriage, and the sacred Lawes thereof, as hee sharpely reproues Abraham, for hazarding his faire wife: how shall not faithfull Abraham and Sara blush the more at such a Mans reproofe?*Gen. 20.
Gregory saith: Specialiter, &c. Let both the Clergie and people, Greg Epist 67. It w…s Grimaldu… his complaint in E…i. 6 his time, in hi… eloquent Oration to the Bishops, and the rest of the Conuocation at Pauls: Vt Distrabuntur opes Ecclesiastic…! Sacerdotiorum quam frequen… est nundinatio! … templa sun… venales Ecclesiae. Libet exclamare: Non est improbe, do…us non ager homo est, quem emisti Hominem voras, vel potius hominum multitudutem. Est ergo Simoniac… plagiarius.the Electors, specially and absolutely know, that that man is not onelyonly vnworthy of the Priesthood, but will bee found also obnox…us and culpable of other crimes, whosoeuer hee bee that p…sumeth to buy the gift of God with money. So that the like punishment and penaltie is equally due, both to the elected, and to the Electors, *Can. Apost. 30.if they shall ass…y to violate the sinceritie of Priesthood with a sacrilegious inten…. So hee.
Whence we may learne,Aqu. … q. 100. art. 6. that the sinne of Simonie neuer goeth alone, whether in the Buyer, or in the Seller: but as the Master Bee, it is attended with a swarme of other enormities.Greg. de…ret. de rerum tit. 9. In the Canons of the Apostles (so called) Si quis Episcopus, &c. If any Bishop or Priest, or Deacon shall obtaine this dignitie by money, Gra. Gloss cau. 1 q. 1. p. 2.let both him and his Ordainers bee degraded and quite cut off from the communion of Saints, as Simon Magus was by Peter. Aquinas saith; No man vponupon any respect ought to receiue Ordination by a Bishop, whom hee knoweth to hauehave beene Simoniacally promoted. And if hee be ordained by him, hee receiueth not the Execution of his Order, although hee wist not the Bishop to bee a Simoniacke, but hath need of a dispensation: Yea, saith another; Hee that is ae Simoniack in Order, albeit he be a Bishop, none can dispense with him, no not our Lord the Pope (vt ajunt) because such hath a crackt Character, which being notwithstanding indoleble, hee cannot renounce, and so the sinne cannot be purged. (Although Gratian say, that the Pope may as well dispense with i…, as with a Thiefe, though hee restore not the theft.) So that the case of Simonie in Ordination, may seeme not much vnlike the Popish Transubstantiation, which stands vponupon such tickle points, …ffs, and Ands, as if the *That which so much puzzled the Councel of Trent, that at last this Canon was charged, Si quis dixerit in Minist…is, dum sacramenta con…ficiunt, & conferunt, non requiri intentionem saltem faciendi, quod facit Ecclesia. Anathema sit. If any shal say that while the Ministers or Priests are about the consecrating of the Sacr…ments it is not required that they hauehave an intention at least of doing that, which the Church doth: (as much to say, as, Create their Creator or so) Let him be an Anathema. Concil. Trid. Sess. 7. Can. 11.intention of the Priest, iust at the word of their consecration, be wanting, or wandring some other way, as Baals Ghost was, while his prophets prayed vntounto him; or if the Bishop, that gaue that Priest Ordination, had not in the time thereof a right intention; or if the Bishop, that consecrated that Bishop, wanted in the very act a right intention, and so vpwards; If (as they say) any of these hauehave failed, there is like to bee no Creator created of the Creature, no Transubstantiation. So in Simonie: If a man obtaine a Bishopricke by Simonie, he receiueth not the power of the execution of his Order, and consequently hee can conferre no power vponupon any whom hee shall ordaine, because, Nihil Dat, quod non habet. And being so, it should follow, that all the Ministry ordained by him, & so successiuely downward becomes a meere nullitie. Whereupon Gregory in the Glosse saith: Can a man receiue Orders of him, whom hee knoweth to bee Simoniacally promoted to his Bishopricke? Dico, quòd non. Yea, although he knew it not: and by receiuing Orders of him, hee receiueth not withall the Execution, sith the Ordinator hath none himselfe. And a man (saith he) ought rather to suffer Excommunication, then receiue Ordination of such a one. If it bee so, then what a flaw and breach doth Simonie make in a Ministry? Yet Pope Vrban doth somewhat mitigate the matter. Si qui, &c. If any bee ordained of Simoniackes not *Greg. de Sim. tit. 3▪ l. 5.Simoniacally, and can proue, that when they were ordained, they knew not their Ordeiners to bee Simoniackes in Order; and that at that time, the Ordinations of such were holden in the Church for Canonicall, wee mercifully beare with them, so as they liue worthily. But they that wittingly suffer themselues to bee consecrated (or rather execrated) of Simoniackes, wee adiudge their Consecration to be altogether voyd. So hee. Also Nic. Iunior & Alex. 2. De caetero Statuimus, &c. Wee doe further enact, that if any hence forward shall suffer himselfe to bee consecrated of him, whom hee doubts not to be a Simoniacke (in Order) both the Consecrater, and the Consecrated shall vndergoe like damnation, and both of them being deposed, let them repent and doe penance, and so remaine depriued of their proper dignitie. And againe, Erga Simoniacos, &c. Towards Simoniackes wee hauehave decreed, that no merciemercy be extended for the retaining of their Dignitie, but according to Canonicall Sanctions and Decrees of Holy Fathers, Wee doe by Apostolicke Authoritie adiudge them to bee altogether condemned and deposed. What terrible thunder claps bee here. Now if the case bee so, as the Disciples said about Diuorce, Then it is not good to Marry: So some man might say, Then it is not good to bee a Minister. Matth. 19.10.But as our Lord said vponupon another purpose in the s…id Chapter (Matth. 19.) when his Disciples said, Who then can bee saued? Hee answe…ed, With men it is vnpossible, but with God all things are possible. But eueryevery one shall beare his owne burthen. I will conclude with the Conclusion of the second Canon of the Councell of Calcedon: Concil. Chal. c. 4.Si quis, &c. If any should mediate by any filthy and wicked giuing or receiuing, if he be a Clerke, Let him be degraded: If a Layicke, anathematized. Also the second Councell of Orleance, Can. 4. Si quis Sacerdotium, &c. Concil. Aurel. c. 4If any shall through execrable ambition, by money-market seeke the Priesthood, Let him bee a reprobate cast-away; because the sentence of the Apostle teacheth, That the gift of God ought not to bee obtained by the ballance of Money. Not a Councell almost,Extrana. com. l. 3 but hath a Thunderbolt against this sinne. Mediatores etiam Simoniae eadem censura Ligantur; qui à solo Papa absoluentur: Paulus venetus. p. 2.The Mediators also of Simonie are liable to the same censure, and they cannot be absolued, but onelyonly of the Pope. A most inexpiable and hainous sinne, I wisse which onelyonly the Pope can absolue. Wee will shut vp this, with that which is fathered vponupon Saint Augustine, Ser. 37. ad Fratres in Eremo (though those Sermons be confessed …o be none of his) Qui Sacramentum emit vel Ecclesiam, vel Prebendas, vel Ecclesiarum introitus, vel seculari protentia hoc pro se procurarit, sciat quòd cum Gehezi & Iud… iam condemnatus est, iam Leprosus factus, iam de Templo Domini expellendu… est. Hee that buyeth the Sacrament, or a Church, or a Prebend, or his admission into the Church, or hath procured this for himselfe by secular power; let him know, that with Gehezi and Iudas hee is alreadie condemned, now become a Leper, and now to bee expelled out of the Lords Temple.
And if wee should goe about to collect the Exemplary pun…shments inflicted by diuine hand vponupon Simoniacall offenders, it would fill a whole Volume; yea, if wee could onelyonly obserue many of the iudgements of God, which hauehave remarkeably fallen vponupon Sacrilegious Vsurpers and Simoniacall Traders, euen in this our Church, how, not only Tythes improperly detained, but Patronages purchased, are posted off from man to man as Gods Arke among the Philistins (for what can rest out of the proper place?) from Citie to Citie, bringing a plague with it, whithersoeuer it c…me: How many Patrons hauehave beene driuen to sell away their owne Inheritance for abusing Gods Inheritance, and taking to themselues the houses of God in possession;Psal. 83.12. How many Ecclesiasticall Chapmen of all degrees liue and die beggars, leauing their beggarly families and friends behind them, themselues cut off by vntimely death, before they could recouer their Simoniacall debts, to consider those many examples, no maruaile if some hauehave beene of the minde to take the palnes, to make a Collection of them throughout the Land, and so compile them into one book, which would be a worthy worke. And as the plague ceassed not among the Philistims, vntill the Lords Arke was sent backe (and that not empti…, euen by the aduice of their own Priests and Soothsayers, but with a Sinne-offering) vntounto Bethshemesh: So neuer let any Simoniacal or Sacrilegious detayning Pa…on expect immunitie and freedome from Plagues and punishments, vntill the Lords Tithes belonging to the Lords Arke his Church, bee without any Simoniacall contract freely and faithfully rend…ed vntounto the Church, and that with a sinne-offering of repentance and restitution, they be brought home to *foreign Solis domus. Et Christi E… c…e…a est domus Christi, qui est Sol …ustitiae. Mal. 4.2.Bethshemesh, to the house of the Sunne of Righteousnesse, to the Church of Iesus Christ.
But to leaue the common examples of Diuine reuenge in this kinde to some others diligent collection, and in the meane time to the sad consideration of those that feele them, and to the rest, that may as iustly feare them: (for God is no respect…r of persons) and it is the Apostles admonition immediatly inferred vponupon his exhortation to the paying of Tithes, Gal. 6.7. Be not deceiued, God is not mocked, for whatsoeuer a man soweth, that shall he reap… ; suffise it to keepe within the V…rg… of Scr…pture examples. Wherein, when I shall name Sacriledge for Simonie, let no man maruaile, or impute impertinencie to this Discourse; sith all *Simoniaci dicuntur sacrilegi, Can. 1. q 1 p. 1. Sunt quidem Gloss.Simonie is a kinde of sacriledge, and they are so inuolued one within another, as they may easily be taken one for another, yet without any great mistaking, at least in those examples, which I shall alleage. And so it shall not bee improper to begin with the example of Cain (whom Saint Ambrose ranketh among such sacrilegious persons) who because he offered sparingly, Ambros. de Paradiso, cap. 14.de fructu, of the fruit, not fruit… in the plurall, as Abel offered, de primoge…itis, of the firstlings: Secondly, contemptuously, of the meanest, opposite to Abels fatlings. Thirdly, with an auerse or impious mind: for Cain brought, not Cain ipse, as it is said of Abel, Abel ipse, Abel himselfe brought, that is, with all his heart; for animus cuins que ▪ is est quis que ; A mans soule is himselfe: Fourthly, proudly, as scorning himselfe to carry his Offering, therefore Cain ipse, is not expressed (as the learned note) as Abel ipse attulit: For this (I say) for offering sparingly, contemptuously, impiously, proudly, Cain was reiected, the Lord had no respect to him, and his offering. So that this impious minde of his towards God, begetting other sinnes, did quite cast him out from the presence of Gods grace and fauour, the greatest punishment in the world, as he himselfe confessed and complained of. Gehezi and his whole posteritie, how fearefully were they branded with an hereditarie leprosie, for the fathers only sinne of selling his Masters gift of healing. A stupendious example, and the more, if we doe but weigh the circumstances. For Gehezi receiued his two talents of Naaman onelyonly after the cure, and not by any pre-contract, or fore-condition: also hee was not so couetous, as to take or demand All, that Naaman brought to present his Master withall; yea, more was forced vponupon him, then he required. Againe, Naaman was a Syrian, a stranger, one whom perhaps hee should neuer fee more, and one rich enough to spare such a small reward, as Gehezi thought hee might aswell take, as let him goe away free: Behold (saith he to himselfe) my Master hath spared this Aramite Naaman: as the Lord liueth, I will runne after him, and take something of him. But indeed he lyed to Naaman, and returning lyed againe to his Master (and perhaps he would hauehave most couragiously taken the Oath of Simonie vponupon it: For the sinne of Simonie neuer goes alone) yet his taking, it was, that was expresly obiected vntounto him, and for which hee was smitten with an inexpiable leprosie, that smitted and smote his whole Race. Now, if so direfull were his doome, but for so doing: what shall become of all those Patrons, who stand not vponupon a bare promise or intimation of gratuitie, but make their bargaine sure vponupon the Naile, or vponupon the Seale; as Iudas would not sell and betray Christ, before he saw and felt the money: that take all that comme…h, and more too, if they can compasse it, and suffer their seruants also to make their best aduantage, so it be not to their owne hindrance? That respect not whether the Chapman be rich or poore, Syrian or Christian, good or bad, All is fish that commeth to his Net? Or this example of Gehezi may terrifie all such seruants of the Prophet, or of any Patron, who, howsoeuer their Master make a conscience of receiuing ought at the hands of Ministers, yet these, forsooth, must hauehave a feeling in the businesse, else it shall goe but slowly forward. To omit Achans example, as being onelyonly sacrilegious, not Simoniacall, but his punishment was fearefull. What a generall iudgement of dearth was vponupon all the Land of the Iewes, for onelyonly defrauding God of his Tithes? And is not selling a Benefice, or Ecclesiasticall preferment equiualent to sacrilegious detayning of Tithes, and so a defrauding of God? For it is a snare to deuoure that which is sanctified, Pro. 20.25. Mal. 3.and after the vowes to enquire. Ye… are cursed with a curse, euen this whole Nation. Why? Yee hauehave spoyled me, saith the Lord. Wherein? In Tithes and Offerings: therefore I hauehave cursed your blessings. O fearefull curse! But bring yee all the Tithes into the store-house: Marke, all the Tithes; abate none, either by way of Fine, or of Rent, either by manuall payment in grosse, or by annuall deduction. Else the curse will not away. Yea I will curse your blessings, saith God. What is this to vsus? Surely when I consider, how like Tantalus we are perplexed amidst prosperitie, how pinched in the middest of plentie; How our Farmers (the staffes of State) neuer complayned more of want and penurie, then now, when their Barnes bee most full, and their Fields most fruitfull; Yea more, when in such abundance of that celestiall Bread, that bread of Life, the blessed Word of God, yet the soules of men in generall are so hunger-starued, so ill thriuen, like Pharaohs leane Kine; when in such plentie of preaching and teaching I see so little, little or no practice: May we not see, and may wee not say, that this curse is befallen VsUs, I hauehave cursed your blessings? What might be the cause? Is there any other cause, but one? No other cause, but one, can wee reade of, for which, the Lord saith, I hauehave cursed your blessings; or, I hauehave cursed you with a curse. If Sacriledge and Simonie on all sides may be the cause: Hath not God cause enough to deale thus with vsus? The Lord amend vsus, that so hee may both lighten his heauie hand vponupon vsus, which wee cannot but feele for the present, and stay his heaued-vp hand, which we cannot but see threatning vsus with greater iudgements (if greater iudgements can be, then the cursing of our blessings) except wee repent. And repent wee doe not, vnlesse wee obey the Lords voyce, who saith there, Bring yee all the Tithes into the store-house, that there may bee meat in my house and proue me now herewith, saith the Lord, if I will not open the windowes of Heauen, and powre you out a blessing without measure. A Blessing without a Cursing. This the good King Hezechias and his whole Kingdome proued, when vponupon the bringing in of al their Tithes and Offerings faithfully, they found such abundance,2. Chron. 13.10. as Hezechias maruailed at the heapes: And Azarias the Priest answered him, that since the People brought their Tithes and Offerings, the Lord hath blessed his people, and this abundance is left. What should I here insert Baltasars profane drinking in the sacred Bowles, who in the midst of his jollitie saw that fearefull hand-writing vponupon the wall? Dan. 5. And shall our Sacrilegists, or Simonists so securely carowse not onelyonly in sacred bowles, but euen the bloud of mens soules, by either their Sacrilegious detayning in grosse, or their Simoniacall purloyning by peece-meale the maintenance of the Ministerie, which God hath ordayned for the saluation of the soules of his people?
Come we to the examples of the New Testament. With what a diuine zeale and fierie indignation was that meeke Lambe of God inflamed, when hee whipped those Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple, calling them Theeues, and cutting them off from partaking with his Temple? For as Nazianzen saith: Quos Christus eiecit de Templo, nunqu…m Spiritus Christi sibi faciet Templ…. Those whom Christ cast out of the Temple the Spirit of Christ wil neuer make his Temple; as being destitute and void of the grace of the holy Ghost. As Saint Ierome saith: In Simoniacis nulla spiritualis gratia operatur: In Simonists no spirituall grace hath any operation. Non enim operatur Spiritus Sanctus spiritualiter in perfidis morcimonijs a…aritiae: For the holy Spirit doth not spiritually worke in the perfidious merchandise of couetousnesse. And Innocentius hath a sentence no lesse fearefull:Can. 1. p. 2. q. 1. Simoniaci etsi fidem tenere videantur, infidelitatis tamen perditioni subijciuntur: Simoniacks, although they seeme to be of the true Faith, yet they lye vnderunder the perdition of Infidelitie. And Saint Ambrose: Simoniaci integritatem, Ambr. lib. 1. de Poenit ad Nouat.& conscientiam puram fidei non habent: Simonists hauehave not the integritie, and pure conscience of Faith.
What shall I speake of Ananias and Saphira? How scarfully and dreadfully were they struck,Act. 5. for detayning part of that, which they had dedicated and deuoted to God, and to his Congregation, yea to the maintenance of the Apostles? …. 8.And what should I speake of Simons curse, exemplarie indeede, but such as rather the Conscience, then the Sense apprehendeth, as being rather spirituall, then temporall; and yet both: For such Ecclesiasticall Chapmen pull vponupon themselues an vniuersall curse, vponupon their soules, by a depriuation euen of common grace, and ministeriall abilities: vponupon their bodies and goods, by a diminution of strength and stay, health and wealth, life and liuelihood; nothing thriueth with them, all contayned in this, Thy money perish with thee, Thou hast foreign, neither part, nor lot in this matter. A Simonist is no Min…ster, by Saint Peters Doctrine.
And if wee adde hereunto the example of Heliadorus in the third Chapter of the second of Macchabees, let none blame it, because it is Apocryphall. For as Saint Ierome instructing the Lady Le…a about the education of her daughter Paula, Hieron. Epist. 7. … Let…m.saith, Caueat omnia Apocrypha, quae non ad dogmatum veritatem, sed ad signorum re…erentiam legat: Let her beware of all Apocryphall bookes, which yet shee may reade, not for truth of Doctrines, but for the reuerence of the examples in the storie: So of the truth of this example, let no man doubt. Saint Ambrose also mentioneth it vponupon the like occasion. This Heliodorus being sent by King Soleucus to robbe the Temple, when no humble intreaties of the Priests & people would disswade him from his impious enterprise, hee was miraculously assaulted by a man on horse-backe in gilt armour; yea moreouer, he was fiercely set vponupon, whipt, and scourged by two (in shew) young men; So that with much difficultie recouering from a deadly stound, & at the Priests prayers escaping with his life, He returnes home with this answere to his King, that if the King had any Enemies or Traitors, whom he would hauehave well punished, hee should but send them thither where he had beene. Iosephus reports,Ioseph. de bello Iud. lib. 2. cap. 6. how Marcus Crassus hauing spoiled the Temple at Hierusalem of all that masse of treasure, which pious Pompey had forborne once to touch, was therefore himselfe and his whole Armie vtterly ouerthrowne at the passage of Euphrates. And in his sixt booke of the same, and sixteenth Chapter, he sheweth in the example of Iohn, one of the Seditions, that sacriledge committed by him in robbing the Temple of the Priests maintenance, was one of those forerunning sinnes, which hastened the finall and fatall ruine of the holy Citie. I might adde to these, many examples in profane stories, religiously obserued of Heathens themselues, inflicted by Diuine reuenge vponupon their sacrilegious persons. But Esop may serue to summe them all vp in his Apologue of the Eagle, which snatching away the Sacrifice from off the Altar, catched withall a coale, which, carried with the Sacrifice to her Nest, set both her Nest and selfe on fire. The morall applies it selfe. And I pray God all sacrilegious Simonists may so apply it, and lay it to their hearts, that they may preuent hell fire prepared for the Deuill, and his angels, for Simon and all his Angels.
Now all th…se exemplarie punishments and iudgements that wee may preuent in our selues, let vsus hearken to that which Saint Augustine saith:Aug. de Tempor… ser. 219. Decima tributa sunt egentium animaru…. Quod si Decimam dederis (he saith not, Si vendideris) non solum abundantiam fructuum recipies, sed etiam sanitatem corporis & animae consequeris. Non igitur Dominus Deus pramium postulat, sed honorem. Deus enim noster, qui dignatus est totum dare, Decimam à nobis dignatus est recipere, non sibi, sed nobis sine dubio profuturam. Sed si tardiùs dare peccatum est, quanto magis peius est peccatum non dedisse? De militia, de negot…o, & de artificio redd… Decimas. Cum enim Decimas dando, & terrena, & coelestia possis praemia promereri: quare pro auaritia duplice benedictione fraudaris? Haec est enim Dei iustissima consuetudo, vt si tu ills Decimam non dederis, tu ad Decimam reuoceris: dabis impio militi, quod non vis dare Sacerdoti. Benefacere Deus semper paratus est, sed hominum malitis prohibetur. Decimae enim ex debito requiruntur, & qui eas dare noluerint, res alienas inuadunt. Et quot pauperes in loci… suis, vbi ipse habitat, illo Decimas non dante, same mortui fuerint, tot homicidiorum reus ante aeternum Iudicis Tribunal apparebit, quia rem à Deo pauperibus delegatam suis vsibus reseruauit. Qui igitur sibi, aut pramium comparare, aut peccatorum desiderat indulgentiam promereri, reddat Decimam; etiam de nouem partibus studeat eleemozynam dare pauperibus. Tithes (saith hee) are the tributes of poore soules: If thou giuest thy Tithe (hee saith not, if thou sellest it) thou shalt not onelyonly receiue abundance of fruits, but also shalt obtaine health of body and soule. Nor doth the Lord God require a reward, but honor. For our God who hath vouchsafed to giuegive vsus the whole, hath also vouchsafed to receiue of vsus a Tenth, not for his owne profit, but without question for ours. But if it be a sinne to giuegive slowly, how much more grieuous a sinne is it not to giuegive at all, or not to giuegive all the Tithes of thy warfare, of thy trade, of thy craft. For when as thou mayest by paying thy Tithes obtaine both earthly and heauenly rewards, why art thou defrauded of this double blessing through thy couetousnesse? For this is a most iust and common Law with God, that if thou bringest not thy Tenths, thou shouldest be brought to a Tenth; thou shalt giuegive to the impious Souldier, that which thou wilt not giuegive to the Priest. God is alwayes readie to blesse, but hee is hindered by the malice of men. For Tithes are required of du…: and they who will not pay them, doe inuade others goods. And looke how many poore soules in that Parish, where he dwelleth that payeth not his Tithes, shall perish for hunger, of so many murthers shall be stand guiltie, before the Tribunall of the eternall Iudge: because that which God hath allotted for the poore, he hath reserued to his owne vses. He therefore who desireth either to purchase to himselfe a reward, or to procure the pardon of his sinnes, let him pay his Tithes: Also let him not be negligent to giuegive almes of the Nine parts to the poore. Thus this holy Father.
Now for a Corollarie or Conclusion of this point touching the Censures of sacrilegious Simonists, I will make a briefe relation of those obseruations which Rebuffus hath collected in his last question of his Tract of Tithes. I omit to set downe his Authors quoted by him, referring that to the Reader at his pleasure, or leasure. Hee that payeth not his Tithes, but either selleth them or detayneth any part of them, hee fighteth against God. Secondly, He shall be alwayes poore. In times past when foure kindes of Tithes were duely paid, men grew rich; Now when one is not well paid, men are brought to a Tenth, And the Lord doth not remoue their plagues. Thirdly, They are cursed of God with penurie, with pestilence, with sudden death, and with a perishing name. Fourthly, They shall want necessaries, that denie God their duties. Fiftly, They are the heires of eternall death. Sixtly, They shall bee subiect to bodily infirmities and diseases. Seuenthly, They shall be associated with the Deuils, which (as some say) are the Tenth part of the Angels. Eightly, Hee that will not giuegive his due to God, shall giuegive that to the profane Souldier, which he will not giuegive to the Priest. Ninthly, Such is a Thiefe, and infamous person. Tenthly, Such shall be guiltie before Gods Tribunall, of murthering so many poore soules, as hauehave perished for want of not paying the Minister maintenance. Eleuenthly, Such are sacrilegious persons, & consequently lyable to eternall damnation, and ought eueryevery Lords day to be denounced by the Minister, excommunicate. Twelfthly, defrauders of Tithes ought to want Christian buriall. Thirteene, If such cannot bee compelled by Ecclesiasticall Censures, the Secular sword is to bee implored. Fourteene, Hee that oweth his Tithes, cannot denie them vponupon pretext of any debt due vntounto Him; because Tithes admit no such compensation, nor any appeale. In a word, all Detayners or Defrauders of Tithes, in what manner soeuer, whether it be Sacrilegious, Andr. Hisp. in regula plu Dec.or Ser…oniacall, are the sonnes of perdition, notwithstanding any custome, vsurpation, or violent occupation; They are in the state of damnation, and all that partake with them, either by counsell, aide, consent, or defence, directly or indirectly; They are all of them theeues, and robbers of Gods goods, Pillers and Pollers of the Saints, Church-robbers, and excommunicate persons, excluded from the benefit of Prayer, remission of sinnes, and all benefit of the Church: and without restitution before death, no receiuing of the Sacrament, no Confession of sinnes, no absolution of the Priest, will doe them any good: But with Iudas they are traytors and robbers of Gods treasure. They are Infidels, and vngracious vngratefull persons, and shall bee eternally damned in hell. And as the Philistins were punished with Mico and Locusts, with Emrods and manifold miseries, so long as they detayned the Lords Arke: So shall the Defrauders of Tithes bee continually exercised with punishments, and wax old in miseries, vntill they make a full restitution. For such are well worthy to bee smitten with Diuine reuenge, to be punished with Gods own iudgeing hands, as either to be punished with wicked children, or to die a sudden death, or to bee slaine, or to hauehave their house and goods consumed with fire from heauen. Such is the reward of sacrilegious Simonie, or simoniacall Sacriledge. But he that shall vse no fraude or couen in his Tithes, shall be rewarded of God with eternall life, which the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost vouchsafe to grant vntounto vsus. Amen. So hee. Whence wee may obserue how detestable the sinne of Sacriledge and Simonie is; although otherwise, I doe not approue of eueryevery particular passage cited by my Author, as some of them smelling of the Romish Caske. But let it suffice to make such sinnes the more odious to all louers of the Truth.