A Censure of Simony, Preface – Table of contents
THE PREFACE TO the Reader.
CHristian Reader, as this small Treatise is generally intended for the good of Gods Church: so in particular there is no man of what degree or estate soeuer, whom it may not in some sort or other neerely concerne, to entertaine it into his most serious consideration. There is nothing amongst men more common, then to to buy and sell. And lightly sinne is the Stickler or Broker betweene both. It is naught, saith the buyer; It îs pure good, saith the seller: when both the simulation of the one, and the dissimulation of the other, is the worst part of the commoditie. Yet I speake of such commodities, as are a lawfull Mart, and Market-able, as we say; I speake not of stollen goods, whereof the very actuall buying and selling is vniust; and proues euen dangerous to the Parties, often Fellonious. If therefore eueryevery man should bee carefull not onelyonly (in regard of Gods law) how, but (also of mans Law) what he buy or sell in the open Markets or elsewhere, though it bee a thing of common prise: How much more then in such things, as are not of a common nature, and the very act of buying and selling thereof is questionable for the lawfulnesse of it, or rather out of question vnlawfull? Of such things onelyonly I would heere warne all buyers and sellers; no lesse then if a man proscribing his house to sale, should cause to be proclaimed,Cic. Offic. lib. 3. Domum pestilentem vendo, I would sell a house infected with the Plague. Yet such a house may come to bee purged again. But if a man should proclaime▪ I sell a House or Land, hauing a crackt Title, the sale whereof I cannot warrant to bee good (which too many can make sale of, without proclaiming any such thing) where would he finde a Chapman to giuegive him his prise, vnlesse such, whose braines were as crackt, as his Title is. Or if a man wittingly sell, and another ignorantly buy a crackt Title, it is but so much dammage to the one, but how great damnation to the other! But loe I warne you here of a House, the condition and title whereof is worth the inquiring after, before wee goe about to buy it. This house is Gods house. Which, if it be infected with the Pestilence, consider; if the Title of it, and of the Demaines be crackt, for matter of sale, consult. It is a speciall case of conscience; for resolution wherof, I intreate thy paines and patience in the perusing of this small Treatise. Reade it, as I hauehave writ it, for conscience, and not for curiositie. Wherin I take not vponupon me to determine, but onelyonly hauehave impanelled a graund Iurie of ancient and learned Doctors, whose ioynt Verdict is here deliuered. Nor hauehave I hookt in all the out branches, that the Learned hauehave obserued to grow from the same Tree of Simonie; I hauehave gathered onelyonly the maine, leauing the remaines for Gleanings.
Ob. But many one will say, what is this to me? This is a subiect out of the common Road-way of my Reading. I am no Minister, saith one: I am no Patron, saith another; &c. and therefore what is Simonie to me?
I answere (as I said before) I know no man of what condition soeuer, whether hee be high or low, rich, yea or yet poore, whom this Treatise doth not either directly and immediately, or else indirectly and by way of necessarie consequence concerne. As for all Patrons, it concernes them directly: it concernes all Ministers directly, whither actually Ministers, or such as deuote their minds that way. It concernes all other persons, such as are neither Patrons, nor yet capable of the Ministerie, if any hauehave but children and portions to bestow on them; that he would consult with this little Booke, whither it be Lawfull for him, or no (as the too common fashion of the world is) to lay out his money for a Benefice for his Sonne. Yea, it may concerne all such Courtiers, or Noblemens Stewards, or great Officers Clerkes or Secretaries, who though they be no Patrons themselues, yet perhaps hauehave some facultie to deale as Patrons. If any Reade, and reape any profit hereby, either by preuenting what may bee misdone, or by repenting of what is done, I hauehave my desire and reward. And for this Censure of Simonie, if it must needes procure the Simonists censure, let him turne the edge the right way, vponupon himselfe, not vponupon me; except he had rather in malice cut me, then in merciemercy cure himselfe.
Farewell.
The Contents of the seuerall Chapters of this Treatise.
CHAP. I. SImonie defined, first, generally and largely, then more strictly. pag. 1.
CHAP. II. The definitions cleered from certaine obiections, and nice distinctions. pag. 4.
CHAP. III. Other shifts and euasions met withall. pag. 6.
CHAP. IIII. Tithes in the New Testament proued to bee equally sacred with those in the Old: against the Simonists obiection; and consequently the definition of Simonie concluded according to the former, by the Schooles and Canons. pag. 9.
CHAP. V. Other starting holes stopped. Obiections answered. pag. 14.
CHAP. VI. Simonists conuicted by the vniuersall voice of common fame. pag. 16.
CHAP. VII. A demonstration of Simonie by our Positiue Lawes, and by Ecclesiasticall Canons, and … by the … and confession of the Simonist himselfe. pag. 20.
CHAP. VIII. Of sixe euasions of the Simonist, whereby hee thinkes to elude the Oath. pag. 26.
CHAP. IX. Of the kindes of the Simonists in generall. pag. 29.
CHAP. X. Of the sundrie wayes and wiles of committing Simonie. pag. 37.
CHAP. XI. Of the highest degree of Simonie committed in Ordination. pag. 47.
CHAP. XII. Reasons shewing the vnreasonablenesse of Simonie, in generall. pag. 59.
CHAP. XIII. Of the vnreasonablenesse of Simonie, particularly in regard of the Office and Function of a Bishop, or Minister of the Gospell. pag. 66.
CHAP. XIIII. Of the Censures and Penalties of Simonie and Simonists. pag. 79.
CHAP. XV. Of the miserable fruits and effects of Simonie. p. 93.
CHAP. XVI. Of the cutting off, or curing of Simonie. pag. 107.
The Corollarie, directed especially to all Lay-Patrons, and Lay purchasers of the sacred Portion. Pag. 114.
To the high and honorable Court of Parliament now ass…bled. pag. 125.
The humble Petition of the Author, in behalfe of many poore Soules, that perish for want of foode. ibid.
The Authors Conclusion containing his ingenuous Protestation, and zealous Gratulation.
A CENSVRE OF SIMONIE.
HEre first I may seeme to vsurpe the Mathematicians priuiledge, in begging a Suppositum, that such a thing there is, a… Simony. For in the opinion of many, Simony hath lost its being, in rerum natura, as being long agoe antiquated, and out of date, dead and buried with Simon himselfe. And if (as Chrysostome saith) the gift of giuing the Holy Ghost, was peculiar to the Apostles, so that not euen Philip baptizing,Coel. Rhod. le…t. antiq l. 8. c. 3. Chrys. in Act. Apost. cap. 8. hom. 18. foreign. gaue the Holy Ghost withall; For this gift was proper onelyonly to the twelue: and if Simony be sirnamed of Simon the Sire, and Simons Sinne was about the buying of the Holy Ghost: then that gift ceasing, and Simon being deceased, where is there left so much as the name of Simony, to lend a title to our intended Treatise? The Germanes hauehave very good Lawes to punish drunkennesse, but they find it very hard to define what drunkennesse is. So in England, we hauehave good Lawes to punish adultery, but wee find a great difficultie in conuincing any of committing the act of adultery. So it may bee said of Simony. First therefore let vsus see what Simony is.