A Censure of Simony, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Wherein Simony is defined, first, generally and largely, then more strictly and exactly.
FOr the Definition of Simony, briefly, we may reduce it to the Authoritie and Testimony of two especially: to wit, the Canonists and Schoolemen; who hauehave beene the most exact obseruers and Collectors of what hath been deliuered by the most learned Doctors of the Church from time to time touching the nature of this matter. For the C…nonists, let Gratian speake, who saith, Simonia est studiosa cupiditas, Can. 1. p. 2. qu. 1. gloss.vel volunta… emendi vel vendendi aliquid Spirituale: Simony, is an intentiue desire, or purpose to buy or sell some spirituall thing. And in another place hee addeth,Can. 1. p. 2. qu. 3. gloss. Simonia est, emere vel v…ndere res Corporales Ecclesia. It is Simony to buy or sell the Corporall goods of the Church. For Schoole-men, let Thomas Aquinas speake, who succeeded about one hundred yeeres after Gratian, hee saith in effect the same:Aqu. 21. q. 100.1. Simonia est studiosa voluntas emendi vel vendendi aliquid Spirituale, vel Spiritual… annexum. Simony is an earnest desire of buying or selling any spirituall thing, or that which is annexed to that which is spirituall. On these two Definitions (in effect One) depends the whole Law of Simony, hauing the testimony of the whole Church from the Primitiue age thereof, till this present. Zanchie vsing the very same Definition concludeth.Zanch. de …. Sic definierunt Theologi. All Diuines and Doctors hauehave so defined it. And not without good reason: For in these two Definitions is concluded whatsoeuer may be said of Simony, whither wee respect the Obiect, or the Subiect of it; in the Obiect, whether wee vnderstand the Spirituall gifts, or Corporall goods of the Church▪ in the Subiect (I meane not the Subiect of Predication, as Logitians speake, but of Inherence) whither wee vnderdend the Affection onelyonly, or the Action also; Be it Actuall, or bee it onelyonly Intentionall. All is Simony. As Gratian also saith, Simonia committitur & circa ordinem, & circa Beneficium; Simony is committed both in respect of Orders, Ibid. Qui studet. Concil. Const Sess. 43. D…retum contra Simoniam. Can. 1. qu. 6.and in respect of the Benefice it self. The Councel of Constance hath decreed the same, That Simony is as well committed in the Title, as in the Order. But hereunto Gratian puts an obiection: Non videntur Spiritus Sancti donum emere, qui non pro consecratione, sed pro electione munera larg…tur: cum nullius spiritualis gratia aliquos faciat electio participes: that is▪ They seeme not to buy the gift of the Holy Ghost, who bestow their rewards, not for the Consecration, but for the Election. But he addeth the answer: Sed ficut Ecclesiasticarum rerum …ptores simoniaci iudicantur, quia Ecclesiasticis officijs … adiunctae sunt, vt alter… … aliero ali…ui non proueniat: ita quia per electionem peruenit…r ad consecrationem, perinde simoniacus habetur, qui pro Electione praemia largitur, ac si pro consecratione munera dedisset; But (saith he) as buyers of Ecclesiasticall things, are iudged simonicall, because those things are so annexed to Ecclesiasticall duties, as one cannot hauehave the one without the other: so because by election a man comes to his consecration, hee is accounted no lesse a Simonist, who bestoweth gifts for the Election, then if hee had gi-his money for Consecration.
Now if the former Definitions seeme too large; especially to such, as would faine packe vp all Simony in the same fardell, with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, as Commodities of one and the same kinde: to gratifie these, we might reduce All to the same termes, and say, Simony is a Desire or Act of buying or selling the gifts of the Holy Ghost. So Master Caluin (in Act. 8.) approues this to be the most proper Definition of Simony. OnelyOnly the Question is,Caluin. in Act. 8. what kindes of gifts of the holy Ghost may bee here implied, the Merchandizing and Chafering whereof, either is, or may well be called either Simony, or at least a branch of it.Lyra. in Act. 8. Lyra (in Act. 8.) saith, Simon volebat emere potestatem dandi Spiritum Sanctum, intentione Lucri inde recipiendi: propter quod ab ipso nominatur vitium Simoniae, quo aliquis vendit aut … Spiritualia; Simon would buy the power of giuing the Holy Ghost, with intention of gaining thereby: as Saint Augustine saith:Aug. in Iob. Tract. 10. Quod venderet, emere volebat. He would buy that, which he purposed to sell againe.
For which respect from him is named the sinne of Simony; when any man buyeth or selleth Spirituall things. Now wee may reduce all those gifts of the Holy Ghost concerning his Ministers (for these onelyonly are pertinent to our purpose in hand) to these two heads: either those gifts giuen by imposition of hands in Ordination, whereby Ministers receiue a ministeriall power to preach the Word, to administer the Sacraments, to remit and retaine sins, which is the dispensation of the Keyes: Or else those, whereby a Minister receiueth a particular Charge ouer this or that flocke, which being done by canonicall and orderly calling, it is a gift no lesse ascribed to the Holy Ghost, then that other of Ordination. So the Apostle expresseth in his charge to the Clergie of Ephesus (Act. 20.28.) Take heed to your selues, and to the whole flocke of God, Whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you Episcopos, or Ouerseers. See here, to be an Ouerseer, whether Episcopus, by a note of Excellencie, as the Superior Ouerseer, or Superintendent ouer all particular both flockes and Pastors in his peculiar Diocesse: Or else eueryevery inferiour and subordinate Minister in his seuerall Parish,Sub nomine Episcoparum intelliguntur alij Ecclesiae Ministri. Lyra. placed as an Ouerseer or Watch-man ouer his flocke, as Lyra also vnderstandeth. This is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now then to buy this gift, to be made a Bishop ouer such a See, or a Pastor, or Rector of such a flocke, doth it not iumpe with this definition of Simony? For Simony is a trucking of the gifts of the holy Ghost: but such an Ouerseership is a gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore to buy this gift, is Simony.