The first part .

THE exiled Poet in the sorrowfull distresse of his banishment ( gentle Reader , hauing penned the record of the same , and now readie to send it into the citie , Parue nec inuidio , sine me liber ibis in vrbem : My litle booke ( saith he ) I do not enuie thee , that thou shalt freelie passe thither , whither I cannot come . Sith the Poets shadowed stile , resembleth perfect truth oft richlie clothed in their golden verse , sith they had wit at will , and the Muses sounded at their call ; their pen did flow with droppes distilled from the fountaine of most pleasant inuention : their stile was high , their words were sweete ; their sentence true , their number perfect , their workes admired . So that nought but enuie , durst once deuise the least disgrace against the same . If my skill would yeeld me but a bare resemblance of their perfect stile , whereby I might reueale the truth vnto the world , with like delight , as did those Poets fine : or if this age were but halfe so much delighted , with the substance of truth it selfe , as they were with the portraiture of the shadow . I would hope for that good acceptance of this smal simple worke , ( which now I doubt ) & write with him : I am sorie for my selfe sith thou shalt be accepted . But sith that daie of darkenes hath alreadie dawned , in which if wee write the truth plainlie , wee are hated , if wee write obscurelie , we are suspected , if we write simplie , we are contemned , if we write not to please the itching eares of flesh and bloud , we are reiected . Sith men are so much bent to their owne selfe will , and so besotted with the loue of themselues , of their owne house , their owne goods , their owne landes , their owne wife , their owne children , their owne posteritie , & lastlie with the loue of this present world , of dignities , honors , scepters & kingdomes , that the kingdome of heauen to them is but a dreame , bred in a litle corner of their secret cogitation : and he which shall tell them , that the kingdome of this world passeth away , Iohn . 19 like a flower , a clowde , a smoke , a shadowe , that the kingdome of Christ is not of this world , that the further wee enter into worldlie possessions , and the higher wee climbe vnto honor , the further wee goe backe from the kingdome of heauen , and the greater is our fall into the graue , sith hee which shall write this plainlie , and more than that , that the whole regiment of a Christian common wealth , ought principally , aboue all things to serue for the setting forth of true religion , the true worship , the true honour of the name of God : sith the disgrace of worldlie pride now commonlie receiued , and on the contrarie , the extolling and magnifying of the beautie of the temple of God , is an odious thing amongest worldlinges at this day , and my skill verie simple , mine inuention slender , my treatise , rude , my words plaine , mine eloquence nothing at all : I begin with him though to another ende , Parue nec inuideo : My litle booke I do not enuie thee , nay , rather I pittie thine estate , sith thou art now to passe into the world , whose ysie wayes are opposite to God , and crauest attentiue eare of those , whose fowle deformities thou openlie displaiest . Nether would I thinke thy destinie so hard , or so much to be lamented , if they were simple at whose harts thou knockest ( willing them to reuerence the worshippe of God , more than the lawes of earthlie princes ) or easilie to bee recouered from the bewitched waies of this present world . But of them manie are high and honourable , manie wife and learned , manie politique , strong , and wealthie , hardlie bowing downe their eie to behold the low estate of the humble , and seldome opening their eare to the crie of poore fatherlesse lying in the streete , or to so plaine , so simple , so vnsauerie a speach , as thou seemest willing to vtter in their eares at this time .

In this dispair of thy good successe , I heare an other trumpet sownd , whose lowde alarum biddeth thee either retire , or else to chaunge thine habite , thy countenance , thy simple stile and cote , wherewith thou art now clothed . The solemne courtes of princes haue their Porters , to keepe such base coats out : who if they once presume to speake , beeing controlled , then the staffe , the rodde , the whippe , the stockes , do make the period of their stile .

These be the stormes , & wilt thou shrink for showers of raine ? God it is which fashioned the globe of the golden tressed sun , he raiseth cloudes and discusseth them againe , he thundreth lowd , and sendeth quiet calme , he sendeth grieuous stinges of the bodie , oft times to his beloued , that he may reioyce his soule , with the beautie of his countenaunce . Ille meas errare boues vt cernes & ipsum : Ludere quae vellem , calamo permisit agresti : he first sent foorth the piersing beame of cleare light , he opened mine eye , hee bowed the fingers of mine hand , and bid me write , that in this age we seeme and are not , holie , learned , wise , charitable , louing and kinde one to an other . If this bee the generall course of the world , foreshewed long sithence by reuealed Prophesie : let no man thinke that trueth proceedes from any euill humor : or that this heauenlie darte ( which spareth none ) dooth aime at him , or her , or any one : but humblie requesting all in the bowels and mercies of Iesu Christ , specially to looke to the saluation of their owne soule , it toucheth all , that all therby leauing the loue of this present world , by his gratious crosse and passion , may be made the true children of eternal blisse . That auncient Poet Hesiod Hesiod . writte many hundreth yeeres agoe , that which our liues doe porfectly fulfill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . When the Gods & mortall men began to multiplie vppon earth , the first age was a goulden age , for they were simple , plaine wise , honest , religious , long liued , deuoide of iniury , crafte , and and subtilty . The second like to siluer , not so good as was the first : The third , brasse , more corrupt in minde , manners , and nature : O sineque ego quinto interessem hominum generi : O ( saith the Poet ) that I had not come in the fift age of the world , but either had beene dead long before , or else not yet borne , sith this is an iron age , replenished with malitious crimes and mischeefe . This was a deformed shadowe and the bodie of our age is like vnto the same , according to the exposition of Daniell Daniel . 2. vnto Nabuchodonozer , wherin he foreshewed that the images head of golde , and the breast siluer , the bellie of brasse , the legges and feete halfe iron , halfe earth , signified the nature and inclination of the whole world . Three of them be past , and seldome commeth the better . Sith this in which we liue is the ende of the fourth Monarch , whose euil workes and sinful inclination is resembled to the iron mixt with earth , in steede of long life yeelding shorte , sinfull , wretched daies : in steede of sweete peace , yeelding wars and rumours of wars in all places : in steede of simplicity , yeelding double dissembling : in steede of true deuotion to the church of Iesu Christ , yeelding pilling , and polling on euery side : in steede of loue to the common wealth and our posterity , with the vnsatiable greedy worme of couetousnes , prouiding oncly for our owne mouthes , our own bellies , our owne time : in all our dooinges fully expressing the sence and sentence of that auncient Poet Pindarus Pindarus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present commodity is euer most accepted , for the subtill age to come will alter all . Together with this iron earthly age , the seede of corruption is daily sowne , whose blossomes nowe already put foorth , though they shine cleere and bright , as dooth the cockle amiddest the wheate : yet if they once beginne to reape , to threshe , to grinde , to grinde , to bake , to eate , they shall soone perceiue , that there is cockle amongest the corne , and ofte times vnder the painted viserd of great knowledge , you shall se blind bayard wax so bold , that through many wordes and often speaking amongest the ignorant ( whose eyes dazell in beholding such painted sepulchers ) hee is reputed for wise and learned . According to that true saying of that lerned Dorne . Dorne . In hoc ferreo postremoque saeculo , non nisi faeces artium superesse videmus , etsi non nulli putent eas maxime vigere , propter sermonis ornatum . In this last iron age , we haue but the d●egges of artes and sciences , although manie thinke , that learning florisheth more nowe , then in times past , because we talke more then they did , and that more cunninglie , more smoothlie , more courtlie . Which great absurditie of this our age , throughly mixt with earth & iron , to the great perill and daunger of many thousand soules , mooued mee first , to penne this rudely written treatise , in the behalfe of the Church of Iesu Christ , and the soules health of all true Christians , vnto whose handes it shal come . Which secret cogitation taking effect by outward sence , and shewing to my bodilie eyes in sundrie places , and manie solemne foundations nowe made desolate ( whereby manie thousandes of learned pastours might haue beene maintained for the preaching of the Gospell of Christ and the dailie praysing of his name , Psal. 115. credidi & propterea loquutus sum , with the holie Prophet and Apostle , I beleeued and therefore I writte that which the holy scriptures , the holy counselles , the holy fathers haue plainelie affirmed . When I looked backe and considered , what wee are , and what wee ought to bee : what wee haue doone : and what we ought to haue doone : the truth piersed my spirite , my heart rent , and my ioyntes did cleaue in sunder : the passion of that sight beganne to worke , the fyer was kindled within , the sayinges of the holie fathers ministred oyle , wherewith the flame brake foorth at my mouth , crying alowde : for Sions sake I will not hold my peace . Here with returning to the mirrour of trueth , Esai , 62. the holie word of God , whereby all our thoughtes , wordes , and workes are to bee tried : and furthermore perusing the holie fathers ( by the assistaunce of the holie Ghost openers of the true vnderstanding thereof ; ) I meant to gather some store of testimonies out of them , to witnesse with mee , that this my affirmation in this matter , is a certaine and vndoubted trueth . Hauing behelde this radiant sunne of light the word of God , and the little starres the holie fathers illuminated with the cleare beames thereof , though the trueth appeared plainelie in them both , yet their testimonies concerning thinges once dedicated to holie vse , seemed to mee neither so manie as I expected , nor so plaine . Herein hauing made some spence of time in seeking that which was not so plainely figured in the fathers as I hoped , and as it was truely meant : at length the trueth of that conclusion offered it selfe , most plainelie to my cogitation , which was : that as that auncient Solon , Solon , hauing made many excellent lawes amongest the Athenians , hee made no lawe neither set hee downe any punishment , for him which should kil his own father , supposing that the earth would neuer nourishe so wicked a creature . Euen so it is truely supposed , that those holie fathers liuing in the siluer age of olde antiquitie , did neuer imagine that out of this earthlie yron age of ours , there should spring anie so barbarous , so cruell , so wicked , that would attempt to take awaie any thing from the true worshippe of almightie God . Which supposition least in some mens sight , it should seeme to want true position and sure ground , let vs turne our minds a litle from carnal cogitations of worldlie minded men : which thinke of necessitie the course of the world must bee mainteined , howsoeuer the seruice of God be neglected , and his holie temple , your mindes thus turned cleane away from wordlie vanities ( which in one minute shall all vanish and consume , like the paper cast into the fier ) turne your eies and behold the booke of life , therewith conferre the expositions of holie councels and ancient fathers , expounding the true sence of the same , and you shall see most plainlie , that things once dedicated to holie vse , Exception . are not in anie wise to bee altered , vnleast it be in extreame necessitie , the braunches whereof are plainlie laied open by that holie father Saint Ambrose S. Ambros lib. 2. offic. cap. 28. in these wordes : Vasa ecclesiae initiata , in his tribus confringere , conflare & vendere etiam licet , primum , vt extremae pauperum egestati succurratur &c. In these three cases it is lawfull to breake , to melt , to sel the vessels of the Church ; first for the relieuing of the poore ; secondlie , for the redeeming of the Christians beeing captiues to infidels . Thirdlie , for the preseruing of the Church , & christian buriall of the dead , these extremities make that irreligious fact sometimes lawfull , as appeareth , ( though verie seldome ) in the practise of the primatiue Church : according to that which Sozomene Sozomine writeth in the fourth booke of his ecclesiasticall storie , the 24. Chapter . Saith hee , when the people of Ierusalem wanted meat , and were all readie to perish through the great famine , which was amongest them , Cyrillus the Bishoppe of the citie , solde the treasure of the Church with all the costlie clothes belonging to the same , distributing to the poore , according to their necessitie . First of all the goods of the Church , being dulie and dutifullie bestowed on the worshippe of God , and diuine function , the true proper and principall vse and end of the same . Secondly in extreame necessitie : this is a good lawfull , and also a holie vse of them , and scarcelie to be called al●enating of the Church goods , sith the poore are belonging to the same : according to that generall sentence of all the councels and fathers , S. Gregorie Bona ecclesiae sunt bona pauperum : the goods of the church are the goods of the poore . But to take awaie the landes and goods of the Church , whereby the beautiful feete of those , which bring the glad tydings of the Gospel are shed , their sides clothed , their bodies fed , and numbers of those which dailie praie in his holy temple , are or ought to be mainteined , lifting vp pure hands with hartie prayers for the sinnes of the people : and those also which dailie sing praises to his holie name , for his wonderful mercies shewed to mankind : no scripture , no councel , no father , no writer , no religion whatsoeuer doth allow it .

If wee looke into the law of nature , or the rules of humanitie , not much dissonant from the conclusions , of morall philosophie , we shall see plainly , that those creatures which receaue the greatest portion of blessing , they render the most againe , not once retracting the former yeilde . The fields for one pore graine receaued , send forth manie scores againe . The fishes multiplie in all the coastes of the wide Ocean seas : Hessiod . the beastes their young , the Bees their honey , the sheepe their lambe , their wool , their skin : the litle poore larke , shee mounteth vp into the clowds with a sweet song ▪ which solaceth thee , either riding by the waie , or plowing in the field , or sitting in thine howse at home . All creatures by kinde yeeld giftes of thankefull grace vnto the Lorde , not once retracting anie thing againe . And shall onely sinfull man bee founde vnthankfull vnto his maker ?

The Lord of his meere mercie , without al merite hath giuen him all the beastes of the field , the fowles of the aier , Psalm. 8. the fishes of the sea vnder his dominion , he hath giuen him an vnderstanding soule , & made him steward of his housholde . Nay when through disobedience to his maker , hee had cast himselfe cleane out of dores : our sauiour Christ hee came downe from heauen for his sake , hee appeared in the habite of a man , hee was counted vile , dispited , and hated , threatned , betraied , martired , euen to the sheading of his most pretious bloud on the crosse for sinful man . Neither did his louing kindnes cease with the time , Act. 1. for hee left his houshold behinde him e●en his catholique Church and his holie spirite to gouerne and guide it , to comfort man , to instruct him , to support him against all his enemies ; dailie & hourelie holding the strings of his heart in his hand , and preseruing the breath in his nostrelles , least he should vanish from the face of the earth . These bee the manifold mercies of the Lord towardes man , more than to all other creatures : and shal sinful man be more vnthankfull to his maker than the rest ? shal man onelie of al other creatures take away from the Lord that which is once giuen ? shal the hart of man waxe hard against bis creator , that hee should once thinke ther may be too much giuen to God ? Math. 19. or forbid any man against the commaundement of Christ to giue al that he hath to the poore distressed members of his church ? Naie shall not sinfull man rather inuent in his hart , write with his pen , pronounce with his vocie , statutes , lawes , and commissions , to the ende that the whole frame of the common wealth , especiallie & before all other matters whatsoeuer be directed and wholie bent to the glorie of God , & the worshippe of his holie name , the highest point whereof consisteth in mainteining of his holie Temple , the house and place of his true worshippe here on earth ? Reg. 4. Naie , shall the beastlie hart of that prowde Nabuchodonozer bee placed in the bodie of anie Christian , that hee should lay wast the Temples of the Lord ? or that dronken minde of king Balthasar , that he should take to his owne vse the goods of the Church ? that hee should dissolue the Quire of sweete voices praising the Lord in the Citie , and bestowe the foundation thereof on a kennell of houndes crying in the woods .

If the king call shal we not all runne ? and if the kinglie prophet Dauid bid vs bring vnto the Lorde , Psalm. 22. shall we waxe hardharted in taking away that which wee neuer gaue ? If the heathen people through the instinct of heauenlie light , secretlie written by the finger of God in the centre of their heart , trembled at the entrance of the temples of the Christians , and were afraid to touch any thing therein ( as we reade in sundry histories ) shall not the true Christian vtterly abhorre from the same , if not for loue ( in regard of the tender mercies of Iesu Christ bestowed on him ) yet for feare of those extreame and extraordinarie punishments , that hee speedilie powreth vppon all those which spoile his temples ? Psalm. 2. O ye kinges and rulers of the earth , be wise ; count not of this crowne of molten mettall , which weieth heauy on your heade , and presseth you downe to the earth : but cast down your crownes before the lambe of God , S. Iohn 1. which taketh away the sins of the worlde : despise your kingdomes and glorious roialties , learne to serue him with a perfect loue of eternall blisle , and perfect loathing of these tedious earthly kingdomes : striue to finde the narrow gate , cast away your iewels & heauie ornaments , runne , runne : runne on a pace , run swiftly , that ye may attaine that crowne , which will lift you vp both body and soule aboue all the kingdomes of the world , nay farre aboue all heauens , euen vnto eternall life . That you may more readilie enter , this race of a true Christian , and more happilie attaine the true perfection of the same , first forsake the worlde and all the loue thereof , cast away your worldlie delightes , and secret inclination , denie your selues , count not of that flattering constancie , whose ende is dolefull miserie . Hauing reiected this worldlie habite , Luke 9. together with thy fleshlie delightes , let the troubled waie of fickle fancie goe , and there with entering further , the first degree of heauenly meditation , weigh wisely with thy selfe and consider , what God is , and what thou art , and thou shalt see plainely , that who so is without him , or out of his fauour , hee is nothing , or at the most a verie vile and an euill thing . The great desire of the kinges of the earth is long and prosperous reigne . Which who so hath enioied long in the court , let him but walke out a little into the pleasant woodes , and hee shall heare the auncient Poet Symonides , Simonides sounding that truth in his sweete songe : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. a thousand and tenne thousand yeares in respect of eternitie are but a minute , or rather the least portion of a minute . Sith all is nothing vnto him , and hee is one in one eternitie , from which vnitie all creatures haue their integritie , let vs learne as little children doe by 1. 2. 3. the eternall , the incomprehensible , the first and simple vnitie in trinitie , from which all thinges haue their rising by proportion of number : knowing that , as hee is the ● and ● : Apocalyps so the first and the last loue of our heart , the first and the last honour which wee can deuise , the first and the last fruites of the labours of our bodie , must bee giuen vnto him : and in such maner , that beeing once giuen vnto him , it is the first and the last , neuer to bee reuoked againe , no not to bee desired in minde and secrete cogitation , but there to rest and remaine as in the first and last conclusion , for which it was ordained . If anie worldly minded man seeme to doubt the truth hereof , I will not produce this course begun , from the misticall principles of secret philosophie , least with the clowdes of reason , I should obscure the cleare light of heauenlie truth , and hide it from the simple , whose good successe in the schoole of Christ I most of all desire . The expresse rule of Iustice , right and equitie , is the will of God ; by which , what is right or wrong is to bee examined . Who then is of the councell of the Lorde , or to whome is his will knowne ? Aristotle Aristotle . that excellent philosopher saith , that the cogitations of the hart be plainlie knowne by the woordes of the mouth , sith the voice is the interpretour of the minde , and ( as our sauiour Christ saith ) out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh : Math. 12. by which inferiour rule of reasonable philosophie , wee may climbe vp to that true conclusion in diuinitie , that the Lordes will is reuealed in his worde . And is there anie mention thereof in holie scriptures ? Come and see ; turne the booke and read the twentie seuenth chapter of Leuiticus , Leuiticus . where it is thus written , plainelie , shortlie , and truelie ; Omne quod domino consecratur &c. what thing soeuer is consecrated vnto the Lord , bee it man , beast , or field , it cannot bee solde or reuoked againe , because whatsoeuer is once dedicato God , is holie of holiest vnto the Lorde . Man is not like vnto the meere vegitable creatures , the flowers of the garden , or the lillies of the fielde , that hee shoulde growe and goe forward , vntill hee come to such a degree of ripenesse , and then to wither and decaie : neither is the Lordes temple , or his holie worshippe , as the earthlie fielde , whose seede dooth growe and straight decaieth againe : but to man it is appointed , that from the beginning of his daies vnto the ende thereof , he shoulde first and last seeke the kingdome of heauen , Math. 6. and the righteoufnesse thereof .

In which course , who so hath begunne , let him knowe , that not to goe forward , is to goe backewarde , and what is that ? Hee which is the waie , the truth , and the life , hee hath shewed it vs , saying : Peter 1. 1. Estote sancti , quoniam ego sanctus sum , bee ye holy , because I am holie . In what manner ? not in hearing , but in dooing the will of God ; not in talking , but in walking ; as it is written : not the speakers but the dooers of the lawe shall bee iustified : as also another scripture : Regnum Dei , non est in sermone , sed in virtute : the kingdome of God is not in woordes , but in vertuous and holie life : not in criyng Lord , Corinth. 1. Lord , but in doing the wil of God which is in heauen : not in looking for a mansion place , or building pompous pallaces heere on earth ( whose greatest ioyes be a shining miserie ) but in hastening forwards towards the kingdom of heauen , in giuing our goods , our lands , our bodies and soules vnto the Lorde . Our goodes to feede the poore , to cloth the naked , to confort the sick , &c. Our lands to the maintaining of his temple , Math. 25. wherin his word is daily preached , his name praised , the poore commonly harbored . Our bodies to the prison , the lyon , the sworde , the fire , for his names sake : all which is the true christian , and acceptable yeelding our soules into the handes of our almightie creatour , our merciful redeemer , our heauenlie comforter . This is the olde christian way to the kingdome of heauen through the armies of pleasures , of temptations , of dangers of punishments , of the spiritual powers of this world : which who so refuseth , hoping to saue his life , he shall loose it , and who so looseth it , shall finde that place , vbi vere vi●itur , the true life of eternall blisse for euer . Who so grudgeth to giue a peece of vile pelting , earthlie land , to the Church of God , or taketh ought therefro , or esteemeth more of goods , lands , friends , rumors , fame , credit , kindred , bretheren , sisters , father or mother , or his owne life , than of the glorie of God , & of the welfare of his beloued spowse the holie Church , hee is not worthie of the kingdome of heauen , neither hath his foot troden the first step of the way of life .

If this be thus , then what manner of men ought we to be in holines of life , & in studying daylie by all meanes possible , how to gratify the Lord of life : If he reward the charitable bestowing of a cuppe of could water on his disciples , when they thirst : how highlie is he displeased with those , who ether diminish or take away the maintenance of his holie Temples , where his name dwelleth ? In this respect ( gentle Reader ) consider that as Dauid said concerning his sonne now dead : Reg. 2. I shall goe to him , but he shall not come againe to mee ; so wee must thinke of goods once giuen to the holie worshippe of the Lord , for so it is : wee must goe to them , and that often , euen to the holie Temple , but they must not bee brought backe againe to vs .

This is one true plaine christian way , leading to one perfect ende , according to that saying of Bachilides Bachilides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. there is but one waie for mortall men to attaine happinesse , and one ende thereof : to this agreeth our due and dutifull consideration of the Lords worshippe and his holie will , which is that his glorie should be onely , and wholy to himselfe , as it is written : gloriam meam alteri non dabo , I will not giue my glorie to an other . The truth of this conclusion telleth vs , that we must serue him onely , Esaie , 42. not onely first , but him onelie . Which if we did ponder wisely with our selues , and thereunto frame our liues and daily dooinges , wee would not take the squared stones of the temple , to builde our pompous pallaces withall , but we would rather remember that olde saying : accursed is that house , which hath any stone in it , belonging to the church . We would not chang the names of church landes , and call them by our owne names , our lordships , our lands our mannours . We would not eate the bread of the poore , nor drinke the teares which trickle downe the cheekes of the widdow , nor contemne the simple estate of the ministers , Ecclesi. 35. by whose landes and liuinges we are now fatted like the buls of Basan . If we would but once enter into our owne conscience , plainly and truelie remembring , whose goods they are that we possesse , and lift vp our eye to the heauens , to the which both we and they are dedicated , wee would soone loath that which wee haue looued , our hart would quake thorow the bitter sting of conscience , and sinne would cleane couer our faces with the mantle of darke and deadlie despaire , sith wee haue spoiled , robbed , contemned him , whose loouing countenaunce is our eternall Saluation . S. Bernard

Herewith remembring the bitter sequele , and deadlie sting of sinnes committed against God himselfe , losse of goods & landes , contrarie to all expectation , sodaine fiers in one hower , destroying house , goods , and all the treasure which thou hast wickedlie heaped together many yeeres : barrennesse of wombe , sith thou hast trauelled all thy life long for goodly lands , and hast no children to enioy them , or if thou haue , theyr sodaine death before thine eyes : and lastlie , the restlesse paine , and eternall miserie of hell fire , purchased with so manie cares and troubles , with so much wealth of this world : wee ought to wash our handes with Pylate , and not onely to saie as hee said , I am free from this innocent bloud : Math , 27. but both in woord and deede , to keepe our prophane handes , from the violating of holie thinges . That holie father Saint Augustine hee affirmeth , that God is a cleere eye , and seeth euerie where , much more hee beholdeth all the corners of his owne house , and the footsteppes of those which spoyle his temple before his face . Which who so , rudelie , rashly , and irreligiously presumeth at any time to attempt , let him consider , that he doth it against the Lord openlie before his own face , and therwith let him know , that he is a ielous God , visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children , to the third and fourth generation of all which hate him , sith he is God , yesterday , to day , and for euer : as also all thinges are which are once consecrated to his holie worship . I vnderstand that by the course of lawe , inheritaunce descendeth to the next of the bloud , Heb , 15. and for want of heirs in the second , third , or fourth generation of the eldest , it commeth backe to the younger brothers issue and posterity : of which if all fayle , and at length by intailement or otherwise by lawe , if it commeth into the possession of the King , it neuer goeth backe . If this bee the prerogatiue of goods , giuen to earthly Princes , which are here to daye and to morrowe lye rotting in the graue , Common Lawe . let vs not denie the same to the Lord of Lordes , the King of Kinges , the creatour of heauen and earth , into whose house whatsoeuer is incorporated , though conscience and religion dare not speake therein , yet let the heathen Poet open his mouth and make the period 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that which is once doone , cannot bee vndoone againe . If this constancie was alwaies kept betwixt man and man : how much more betwixt God & man ? betwixt his Church , his Prests , his spirituall Pastours , and the men of this world , whose parentes and instructurs they are , according to that saying of Micha vnto the Leuit: remaine with me and be my father and my Priest , and the tribe of Dan also to the same Leuit: houlde thy peace and come with vs , for thou shalt be our father and our Priest . Iudges . 17 Sithe then by the secreet instinct of nature , and also by the expresse commaundement of God , wee are commaunded to honour our father and mother , to obey and cherishe them in all wee canne : by the same lawe wee are vtterlie forbidden , to to detract or take any thing away from them . And if any hard harted christian vnder the colour of dissembled zeale , seeme to open away herein , to his sacrilegious couetous minde , saying that these commaundements of our Lord , are meant concerning our naturall father and mother : let him and all men knowe , that the holie fathers expounding this commaundement , affirme first that it concerneth our honour to our spirituall father , and the Church our spirituall mother : Patres . secondly it commaundeth vs to nourish and obey al superiours , magistrates , and ministers , amongest whom are contained our naturall parentes . But suppose that were obscure and doubtfull , which is as plaine and cleare as the noone daie , yet canst thou doubt what the will of God and the rule of right is in this case , wherein the Lord hath spoken plainely as it is shewed before in these wordes , Leuilic , 〈◊〉 . whatsoeuer is once dedicated to God shall neuer be sould or redeemed ? As is the fountaine , so are all the little brookes running from the same . This is the lawe of the Lord concerning thinges dedicated to his holy worshippe : and the liues of the holy Patriaches , the Prophets , the Apostles , the Ma●tirs , the fathers , doo cleerely expresse the same . Ioseph the true figure , of our Lord and sauiour Iesu Christ , Ioseph . in that great famine of Aegipt , when hee had bought almost the whole land , and brought it into the Kings hand , he would not once offer any money for the priestes landes , but in that their great want , gaue them nourishment of the Kings store , Math , 6. according to that rule of the Lord : the suburbes of the Priests shall not be sould , for the possession of them is eternall without redemption .

God is our heauenly father he hath sowed the eternall seede of his exceeding looue in our hearts to the ende he might receiue from vs the same , Gala● , 4. euen looue for looue , because such as hee soweth , such will he reape . Can we say that we loue our spirituall father , and therewith spoile his louing spouse our spirituall mother the holie Church ? castinge downe her walles , banishing her eldest children ? possessing her landes , goods , and treasure , which is an odious crime in the sight of God and man ? according to that saying of Saint Ambrose : si quis in sua : if any man presume to take the treasures of the Church to his priuate vse , it is a great crime . Wherin , Ambrose . least he should seeme to abridge the spirituall pastours of the Church , for whose sustenaunce they were first giuen , hee expoundeth himselfe in these wordes : Templum domini laicis tradi non debet : the temple of the Lord ought not to be giuen into lay mens handes : sign●fying that wee must giue vnto Caesar , those thinges which bee Caesars , and vnto God those thinges that bee Gods . Amongest the heathen Philosophers it was counted the first point of iustice , Math , 22. to giue to euerie man his owne : and least amongst christians anie in time should prooue so barbarous , and vtterly voide of grace , that hee should laie violent handes , on the goods of poore innocents which cannot speake , euen the temples of the Lord , dedicated to the worshippe of his holie name , besides the expresse commaundement of the Lord in holy scriptures , the holy fathers and councels haue pronounced it a cursed thing , as the cleare bage of him , which hath renounced heauen , and taken himselfe wholy to serue this wicked world and the vanities thereof . The councell of Gangrene Consil. Grangren celebrated the yeere of our Lord 324. or there about , according to the Cannons of the Apostles , decreed in this manner : If any man shall presume to take any thing once offered to God , vnleast it bee the Bishop or his deputie appointed for the distributing of the Church goods to the poore , let him be accursed . In like manner also the third councell of Rome : If any man couet or take away any reuenews belonging to the Church , or if any of the Priestes consent there to : Consil. Rom. let them be accursed . The reason followeth in the fift councel alleadged in this manner : for it is a great iniurie and an vntollerable sacriledge , that what so euer any man bestoweth on the church of Christ , should be altered or translated to any other vse , especially by those men , who of all other ought to maintaine the Church , as be christian Kings , Princes , and Prelates . Furthermore , that it might be manifest to all those , which dutifully embrace and reuerence the spouse of Iesu Christ , howe wicked an enterprise it is , and what manifest daunger to the soules of all them , which shall presume heerein , the same Councell hath foreseene the daunger and set downe the sentence of eternall trueth in these wordes . Hee which shall not wiselie foresee this euident daunger of eternall damnarion to his owne soule , and contrarie to this sentence , take awaie the goods and possessions once giuen to the Church , or vniustlye deteyne the same , vnlesse hee make present restitution to the church so soone as he can , let him be strucken with the curse , which the wrathfull iudge of all the world , shall inflict on all the soules of the wicked at the day of doome , and let these goods bee a curse to him which gaue them from the Church , which receaued them , and which possessed them .

Neither let him finde anye protection for his crime , before the tribunall seate of Iesu Christ , because without all feare of God , and regard of his holie worshippe , against lawe and right , hee hath taken awaie the goods of the Church giuen to maintaine the holie worship of the Lord , and to feede the hungrie bodies and soules of the poore innocent people . Generallie saith the same Councell , whosoeuer , shall presume to confiscate , to spoyle , or to take anie thing consecrated , to holie vse , or belonging to the Church , vnlesse hee truelie repenting correct and amend his wicked facte , so soone as hee can , and that by restitution to the same Church , let him bee subiect to the greeuous curse and censure of the Church . Likewise those which enter on the goods of the Church , and detaine them through the gifte , the authoritie , the commission of Kinges , and Princes , obtaining them by tirannicall force from the Church , leauing them to theyr heyres and posteritie as though they were theyr owne inheritaunce , vnlesse with speedie repentaunce they restore the Lords possession vnto his Church being first admonished by the holy Bishop , let him be accursed for euer , and accounted as an infidell , according to that commandement of our sauiour Christ : if he will not heare the Church , Math , 18 let him be to thee as an heathen , or as an infidell , therefore ( saith the councell ) it is not lawfull for the Emperour or anie true christian , to attempt anie thing contrarie to the commaundementes of God , neither to doe anie thing repugnant to the rules of the holy Prophets , the Apostles and Euangelists . Iohn , 10.

Those which bee my sheepe , saith our Sauiour Christ they heare my voice , and those which be naturall children of the Church , their hart will melte when they heare the voice of their mother , crying in the streetes . Our heauenly father he hath begotten vs in the spirite , and our spirituall mother , shee nourisheth vs , with the sweete milke of the word of life . Shee vttereth her voyce often , and cryeth alowde in many places of the world , but neuer so manifestly as when shee sheweth her countenaunce openlie to all the world , in open generall councell , gathered together in the holie Ghost . You haue heard her voyce whileare , and the sound thereof hath gone into all landes saying : touch not mine annointed , neither anie thing once dedicated to my holie worship . Sponsus sponsam amat : the bridegroome doth loue his spouse intirely . Hee sheweth her his brest , and reuealeth to her the secrets of his hart , his wil is apparant vnto her , & she hath reuealed it at sundry times vnto her children . Which times though they were diuers yet veritatis simplex est oratio : her voice was & is alwaies the same , as appeareth by the councell of Aurialens , Consit . Aurial . whose wordes though they differre from the former , yet the sence and sentence is the same : first forewarning her eldest children of this grieuous sinne , and then the other in their order , after this manner : Let no Clarke or spirituall pastour , alienate any goodes belonging to the Church : and least it should seeme true which some obiect , that those which giue to the Church , may also take away : the same councel doth meete with that obiection in the 19. chapter in these wordes : It is not lawfull for him which giueth anie thing to the Church , or for his heires , once for to require it backe again . In like maner the second councell ☜ of Spale : Consil. Spalens , Those Churches which by tumultes and warres haue beene disturbed , shal altogether retaine the selfe same liberties , which they had before , with all the possessions , whether they bee possessed by any other Church , or any others whatsoeuer . The first councell of Paris hath giuen this resolute iudgement concerning Bishops goodes , and therein the goods of the Church , because the goods and possessions of Bishops , are knowne to be the goods and possessions of the Church . Consil. Paris . If any man shall violently intrude himselfe into them , or by violence peruert them , let him bee stroken with the curse of the holie Canon , that he which would not followe the motion of his owne conscience , at the least maye bee reclaimed by the holie constitutions of the Church . Which offence least it shold seeme a smal sinne in the eyes of worldlye men , or that the gaine gotten thereby , might seeme to counteruaile the losse ; no man is so simple which seeth not plainely , that this is a pleasaunt sinnefull thought , leading to a bitter end , as appeareth by the sentence of the same councell following . Let no man be so farre from the seeking of his owne soules health , or so willing to seeke eternall death , that he should once desire , enter , or possesse any goods , landes or commodities belonging to the church . Though the councell of Magnutium Consil. Magunt . seeme in the beginning by gentle words to mittigate the haynousnesse of the fact , yet indeede the meaning is the same , and in conclusion of the same weight , as appeareth by their style in this manner : If anie man doe presume to retaine , diminish or take anie goodes , landes , or profites , belonging to anie Church , Colledge , or any holie place , let him bee excommunicated as a spoyler of the Church , not once allowed to come neere the Church doore .

These milde wordes , least they should animate the wicked , they drawe a more fearefull iudgement after them , as appeareth afterward in the same councell , concluding thus ; If anie man diminish any thing belonging to the Church : as a cruell murtherer of the poore , let him bee accursed for euer . This was the voice of the mother , and her children haue learned to pronounce the same . Saint Ambrose S. Ambros. ( as it is written before ) affirmeth it vnlawfull , for temporall men to possesse ecclesiasticall goods .

Saint Augustine S. August . writing on the Psalmes saith , that when the last dedication of the house of God shall come , then shall that safetie also bee giuen vnto it : which was spoken in the seuenteenth chapter of the second booke of the Kinges , after this manner : I will appoint my place of worship with my people Israell , and they shall dwell alone seperated from others : and the sonne of iniquitie shall not presume to destroy it . The scripture calleth the spoilers of the church the sonnes of iniquitie , Reg. 2. bicause the sonne of heauen hath not beheld a more vngodlie fact , then the iniurie of the sonne done to the mother ; of the infantes to the nurse , of Christians to the Church , which is the spirituall mother of all Christians , as well rich , as poore , the mightie , as the simple , the king , as the begger , according vnto the saying of Saint Chrisostome , S. Chrisost writing on the Gospell of Saint Mathew : Ecclesia , primorum regum est mater , The Church is the mother of the highest Princes . Not many pages after , giuing his iudgement concerning the goodes of the Church in this sorte , those which builde tombes for the Martyrs of Christ , and adorne his temples , they do a good worke . Thereby signifiyng , that they which deface the temples of God , and pull them downe , they commit a great and greeuous sinne in the sight of the almightie .

Paulus Diaconus , Paulus Diac. in the fourth booke de gestis longo Bardorum , recordeth , that Theodelinda that vertuous Queene built a faire Cathedrall Church , dedicating it to the name of Saint Iohn Baptist , adorning it with manye pretious iewells , ornamentes and goodlie landes , which the aforesaid Authour sayth , oughte not to bee alienated . According vnto the sentence of Iustinian Iustinian . in his booke Authent . Columna secunda , of constitutions , intituled , of not alienating or chaunging ecclesiasticall goods whatsoeuer . All good Emperours in their lawes and constitutions , had a special care of preseruing , increasing , and safekeeping the goods of the Church : And sith Iustinians lawes were their direction , he not onelie made General statutes for the preseruation thereof , but also in his law , he affirmeth that the holie vessels and garments of the temples , ought not to be pawned , except it bee for the redeeming of captiues out of the seruitude and tirannie of infidels , nay in another place hee chargeth the Bishops , that they take not to themselues the treasure of the Church : which holesome lawes so mooued the harts of all Christian Emperours , that they bestowed verie deuoutlie and bountifully on the church commaunding straightly , that all men should restore vnto the same whatsoeuer had bid taken therefrom by wicked tyrantes , robbers of the Church , and spoilers of the dead , which Saint Chrisostome in his booke Defato , counteth litle lesse than manslaughter .

Hereupon Theodoricus Theodoricus . commaunded Duke Ibba , that he should restore vnto the Church of Marb●na , the possessions therof , taken awaie & detained from the Church by Alaricus . And in an other epistle to Gelericus , hee commaundeth him to restore a fielde , which was alienated from the Church of Constance , and to punish the possessor thereof , in that hee presumed to take to his owne priuate vse , the possessions of the Church .

This censure was giuen without exception of anie person according to that which Turonensis Turoneus . writeth in the fourth booke of his Historie : certaine kinges ( saith hee ) haue presumed most irreligiouslie to take the goods of the church into their treasure : as did Clotharius , which made an edict , that all the Churches of his realme , should paie the third part of their fruits into his treasurie : but beeing rebuked by that holie Bishop Iniuriosus , he retracted his irreligious opinion , and that wicked fact . Let no man beare so irreligious a minde , or so hard a hart within his breast , to thinke otherwise , than that it is a most grieuous sinne to take any thing from the holie Church , sith first it is giuen to maintaine the holie worshippe of God there . Secondlie to feed the poore , and to bee bestowed on such like holie and vrgent necessitie , according to the which our ancient Beda S. Beda . writeth in the first booke of his historie , concerning this Iland , Bonorum ecclesiasticorum ( saith hee ) of church goods , the first part is due to the Bishop for the maintenance of hospitality : the second to the inferiour clergie , the third to the poore , the fourth to the repairing of the church : but to other , or to those which haue sufficient of themselues , the goods of the church are not to be imployed ; as that learned Prosper Prosper in his treatie De vita contemplatiua witnesseth in these wordes : ecclesia nihil eis erogare debet , &c. The church ought not to bestow any thing on those which haue sufficient of their owne .

Otherwise , though some of the Church giue it , yet it is plaine sacriledge for them which take it , as saint Ierom S. Ierom. in his epistle to Damasus sheweth in these wordes : qui autem parentum bonis &c. Those which haue sufficient left them by their parents to maintaine them , if they take anie of those goods which are giuen to maintaine the poore , it is sacriledge . Caluin Caluin . writing on the seuenth of Amos , calleth the diminishing of the immunities or commodities of the church , sacriledge : sounding the same with good Saint Barnard S. Barnard writing on the Canticles , according to this tenor : Proditores dei & ecclesiae , &c. They which take from the temples , they are betraiers of God and his church .

These learned fathers , they expresse the true sentence of their mother , the holye church , pronouncing the true fauour of God and his louing countenance , turned clerely vnto them , which fauour & nourish his holie church , with his poore belonging to the same : and the seuere wrath of the Lord God , kindled against all those , which spoile his louing spouse here on earth , bereauing her of her beautiful children , her costlie garmentes made of needle worke , all glorious within , concerning whom the Lord hath sayd , hee which harmeth you , he toucheth the apple of mine eie . Bullinger Bullinger . on the fift of the first epistle of saint Paul to Tymothie , concerning the reformation of Church goods , writeth thus : the goods of the Church are the gold of Tolossan , which breedeth his distruction that possesseth it .

Therefore though the churches , their goods & landes , were abused by Monkes and Friers : yet there is no cause why Christian Princes should thinke that reformation good and religious , which pulleth down the churches , and turneth the church goods to the vse and possessions of laie men , for they were not first giuen to this end , kinges , and princes , and magistrates haue their reuenewes , their tributes , their fines , their customes , their publique treasures appointed for their vses : but as for the goods of the church , they were first giuen for the maintenance of students in humanitie , and diuinitie , for the maintaining of Bishops and hospitalitie , for the relieuing of the poore widowes , stangers and captiues , and those which are in necessitie : and a certaine portion was appointed for the repairing of Churches .

Let them restore such sufficiencie of goods to the Church , as will fullie suffice for the maintaining of all the premisses , before they take one halfe pennie from the Church , or else let them surelie looke for the grieuous vengeance of God on them and their house .

That learned Peter Martir P. Martir . concerning the goods of the church vniustlie required by Magistrates writeth thus : in eo quaesto difficilis est & in qua dissoluenda &c.

In that case it is a doubtfull question , in answering , the which I had rather incline to that point , that if the prince or magistrate should take awaie the goods of the church , no man ought violentlie to resist them . But if the magistrate would counsell mee to giue vp the goods of the Church into his handes , I would not willinglie do it .

Concluding , that vnlesse it be in cases set down before by the holie Father saint Ambrose . It is not lawful any waie to alienate the goods of the church .

To this generall consent of scriptures , counsels , & Fathers ( as the conclusion of the rest ) succeedeth the great and dangerous punishments which the Lorde sendeth on all them , that take any thing from his holie temple , of which who so mindeth but to sippe , and take a bare tast , let him marke these examples , plainely propounded in these fewe lines following : but if hee will haue more store , and is minded to wade further , let him enter the dissuasiue it selfe , consisting more of example then rule , and Celsus Celsus . of Verona his dissuasiue thereunto adioyned . There he shall finde it true by record of sundry histories , which is written in holie scriptures , concerning those which either take or deteine anie thing once vowed and giuen to the holy Church . And what is that ? wee reade in the Actes of the Apostles , that Ananias & Saphira his wife consented to keepe backe some of the money which they had once giuen to the Lord. Act. 5. Which how haynous a crime it was , let all men note . Sith for the same Saint Peter opened his mouth and strooke them both with present death , reasoning with them and saying on this maner : was it not your owne to haue doone with what you list ? why then doe you tempt the holy Ghost , sith the offence is not against man but against God ? signifiyng that after it is once giuen or appointed to holie vse , no man ought to retract any parte thereof backe againe . The like punishment succeeded to all those which spoyled the Church at any time .

Euagrius Euagrius . in the fourth booke of his historie sheweth , that the Duke Gabaones , hearing tell that the Vandalls came against him with a puissant army , called some of his Captaines to him , willing them to put on poore simple apparell , and so to passe ouer to the host of the Vandalls , marking diligently whether the Vandalls , honoured the temples of the christians , or spoiled and violated them . If they spoyle or violat them ( saith he ) then see , that in what you can , you reedifie and adorne them : for the God which the Christians worship I know not , but if he be so mightie as they say he is , he wil spoile them which spoile his house . Gabaones The Vandals went forward as they had begun , they spoiled the christian temples , as they passed with their army , they did eat , they dranke , they sported & triumphed , enriched with the spoils & goods of the church , they marched forward . And at length ioined battell with Gabaones : but moste of them were slain , many greeuously wounded in the battell , some taken & put to diuers torments . Quanto rectius ille , how much more wisely did that heathen Emperour Alaricus Alaricus . the captaine of the Gotes , which besieging that famous Citie of Rome , at last conquered it , & gaue the spoile therof to his soldiers , only excepting the faire & solemn temple built ouer the tombe of S. Peter , for the reuerence which they bare to him , commaunding & charging most straightly , that no man should once touch it or violate any person , any goodes , or any thing whatsoeuer belonging to the same , which was the cause , why the whole Citie of Rome , was not then clean defaced & destroied . Let no man in this place obiect on the contrary , saying , Moses tooke the calfe & burnt it to ashes , casting them into the running brooke ; the Israelits destroied the temples of the heathen . Iosias pulled down the temples of the groues : Elias the temple of Baall : Dauid eate the shew-bread being lawfull onely for the Priestes , & Phinehas slew the adulterers , being a priuate man : of which some were mooued by speciall zeale , proceeding from the holy Ghost , wherby they were warranted : and some were commanded ( as the Israelits ) to slay man , woman and children , which thinges at this day wee must not onely not doe , but if we doe them ( as Bullinger Bullinger . & manie learned writers affirme ) it is sin in the sight of God . Sith the son of man ( as saith our sauiour ) came not to destroye , but to saue . He hath broken downe the wall of separation , & hath made one shepheard , one sheepefold both of Iewes & Gentles , Acts 10. euen the holy Catholike Church , the walles whereof who so diminisheth or casteth downe , the Lord shall inflict the tormentes of this world on him and his posteritie , vnlesse with hartie repentance , he restore that which he hath taken away , and in the world to come , he shall cast him out into vtter darkenes , where the worme of wicked conscience stingeth day and night , where the fire is neuer quenched , Math. 25. the crie neuer ceased , the paine neuer mittigated , the miserie neuer ended . But to those which loue the Lord , and beautifie his holy temple , with the finest of their gold , the first of their fruites , the most hartie goodwill that they can , the Lord of his mercie shall redouble their gratious charitie many thousand time , into their bosome , granting them their heartes desire heere in this worlde , and in the world to come , the eternall saluation of their soules , euen the life euerlasting : which God graunt vs all thorough Iesu Christ our only Lord and sauiour .

Amen .