A Censure of Simony, Title page – Dedication
A CENSVRE OF SIMONIE, OR A most important case of Conscience concerning Simonie Briefly discussed, not altogether perhaps vnparallel for the Meridian of these Times.
By H. BVRTON, Rector of little Saint Matthewes in Friday-street London.
Caueat Mercator.
MAR. 8.36.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gaine the whole world, and lose his owne soule?
LONDON Printed by William Stansby, for Edmund Weauer and Iohn Smethwicke. 1624.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE, CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES, DVKE of CORNWALL and YORKE, Earle of Chester, &c.
My gracious LORD and MASTER.
IF greatest vessels, and the most storme proofe, yet require the strongest guard, when they carrie such a fraight, as Pyrates seeke to make their Prey and Prize: then let mee craue your HIGHNESSE pardon, for putting this my small Barke vnderunder your Castle Wall, as fearing both storme and shot; such Merchandise being imbarkt therein, as may prouoke the whole Fleete of Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Merchants (Pirates rather, floating eueryevery where vponupon the Catholicke, yea Narrow Seas, and not suffering any, bound for the Holy-land, to passe, but such as will Trucke and Trade with them) to surprise and prey vponupon me. I know the Cause is good, though I acknowledge the Actor weake. And although this be a kind of fruit, naturally sharpe and tarte (especially to aguish palates, and queasie stomackes) as also accidentally, for want of a good season to giuegive it a competent ripenesse; hauing, since first it began to bud, growne slowly by succisiue and intermissiue howers, borrowed from my Court-seruice, and my Church Cure; and, till now, lyen close couered vnderunder the late Frostie barren Winter, now reuiued, as the Plants with the vernall Sunne: it cannot chuse but receiue a great addition of ripenesse and rellish, if (besides the vniuersall influence of this comfortable season) it inioy but a speciall reflection of your HIGHNESSE gracious Countenance vponupon it. The rather, it being a Subiect, not vnworthy the knowledge of godly Christian Princes, who account the care of Religion as the richest gemme in all their Diademe. A care, which hath made the Diademe of your Noble Father, his sacred MAIESTIE more glorious, then all the Kings in Christendome, and which (J trust) shall propagate his glorie to perpetuitie; vntounto the which eare also (as vntounto a Crowne) Gods good grace, and the myrrour of his MAIESTIES example, wherein you dayly looke, hauehave already intitled you, as the most hopefull heire apparent.
And heere giuegive mee leaue, most Gracious PRINCE, to relate a pithie, and pious exhortation of that learned and godly Bishop Iewell, to Queene ELIZABETH of blessed memorie, vponupon the like occasion. A speech, which because it doth immediately and primarily reflect vponupon his MAIESTIE her happie Successor, I canot wish a worthier Iewell, then your HIGHNESSE, to recommend it.
O that your Grace did behold the miserable disorder of Gods Church, or that you might foresee the calamities, which will follow! It is a part of your Kingdome, and such a part, as is the principall proppe and stay of the rest. I will say to your Maiestie, as Cyrillus sometimes said to the godly Emperors, Theodosius and Valentinian: Ab ea, quae erga Deum est, pietate, reipublicae vestrae status pendet. You are our Gouernour, you are the Nurse of Gods Church▪ We must open this griefe before you. God knoweth if it may bee redressed, it is run so farre. But if it may be redressed, there is no other besides your Highnesse, that can redresse it. God hath indued your Grace with many graces and fauours: O turne and imploy these to the glorie of God, that God may confirme in your Grace the thing, which he hath begun. To this end hath God placed Kings and Princes in their State, as Dauid saith, That they serue the Lord, that they may see, and cause others to see to the furniture of the Church. The good Emperour Iustinian cared for this, as much as for his life. Constantine, Theodosius, and Valentinian, and other godly Princes, called themselues Vasallos, the subiects and bond seruants of God. They remembred that God furnished them in their houses, and were not vnmindfull to furnish his house. Thus and much more this good Bishop, to the same purpose. And turning himselfe to the Assembly, hauing also reproued Sacriledge and Symonie immediately before, he addeth those words: HaueHave patience, if any such bee here, as I well know there are, whom these things touch. Suffer me to speake the truth, it is Gods cause▪ The liuings of such as are in the Ministerie, are not in their hands, to whom they are due, All other Labourers and Artificers, hauehave their hire increased double as much as it was wont to be: onelyonly the poore man that laboureth and sweateth in the Vinyard of the Lord of Hostes, hath his hyre abridged and abated. I speake not of the Curates, but of the Parsonages and Vicaridges, that is, of the places which are the Castles and Towres of fence for the Lords Temple. They seldome passe now a dayes from the Patron, if he be no better then a Gentleman, but either for the Lease, or for present money. Such merchants are broken into the Church of God, a great deale more intollerable then were they, whom Christ whipped and chased out of the Temple. Thus they that should bee carefull for Gods Church, that should be Patrons to prouide for the Consciences of the People, and to place among them a learned Minister. who might be able to Preach the word vntounto them, out of season and in season, and to fulfill his ministerie, seeke their owne, and not that which is Iesus Christs: They serue not Iesus Christ, but their belly. And this is done not in one place, nor in one Citie, but throughout England. A Gentleman cannot keepe his house, vnlesse he hauehave a Parsonage or two in Farme for his prouision. O mercifull God! whereto will this grow at last? If the misery, which this plague worketh, would reach but to our age, it were the more tollerable; but it will be a plague to the posteritie, it will bee the decay and desolation of Gods Church, and it. So this good Bishop.
It needes no application. OnelyOnly let mee craue leaue to Petition your HIGHNESSE, that you would be pleased to sollicite his sacred MAIESTIE for two things. The first is: that a competent proportion may bee allotted out of euerie Impropriation (especially where the Vicaridge indowed is incompetent or none at all) for the maintenance of a sufficient Minister. The second is, that some remedie may be vsed, for the more exact preuention of Simonie. These are two things well beseeming our great Defender of the Faith. His wisedom can best giuegive direction, and his authoritie life, to Acts of such difficultie. The great Ship of Good hope, hauing those two goodly Deckes, the Vpper and the Lower, so well Man'd, so well Rigg'd, hauing such a wise experienced Pilot, as his MAIESTIE, to command; such a Masters Mate as your HIGHNESSE, to perswade; such vnanimous Mariners to obey the becke of their Gouernour, what Fort of vice shall withstand her ba…terie? What force or fraude of foes shall dare to affront her, or be able to board her? What Port of friends will not open its amplissimum sinum, to intertaine free Trafficke with her? What Impropriator will not freely come in, and returne a liberall share into Gods Sanctuarie? What Simonist shall dare to shew his head, much lesse his golden hands, where once his MAIESTIE, and that Honourable Court of Parliament, hauehave concluded the contrarie? Yea, what not? What so happie, that we may not hope? Or what so iust, which the grand Aduersarie, euen Satan himselfe may not feare? if these hopefull beginnings may but attaine to a faire conclusion. And Satans malice shall neuer be able to preuent it, if our sinnes doe not. The Lord blesse his MAIESTIE with many happie halcyon-dayes, & blesse your HIGHNES in a daily growth of Grace, and louelove of the Truth, that the estate of this Church & Commonwealth may flourish vnderunder the King, and his Royall off-spring in all peace and truth, vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. AMEN.
Your Highnesse most humble seruant Henry Burton.