55. The second Chapter. Of the receiuing and not receiuing of reward

The second Chapter. Of the receiuing and not receiuing of rewards, gifts, and offices. And also of goods Ecclesiasticall, and the immunitie of Ecclesiasticall persons.

¹ THat which is propounded cannot in one answere be determined, séeing it is a thing in it owne nature indifferent, as that which sometime is rightlie & sometime naughtilie done. ² But that it is lawfull for Prophets and Ministers of the word of God to receiue rewards and gifts, wherewith they maie maintaine their life, manie reasons doe confirme. For in a common prouerb it is saide, The labourer is worthy of his reward. ³ Which prouerb being true, Christ and his Apostles vsed the same. Further Paul saieth (which thing he gathereth out of the newe Testament) He that serueth at the Aultar, ⁴ liueth of the Aultar. And Christ did more largelie expound the same in saying: ⁵ He that laboureth in the Gospell, let him liue of the Gospell. Neither ought such an exchange séeme to bée vniust, ⁶ That they which sowe spirituall things, should reape carnall things: yea rather it may be called the change of Diomedes and Glaucus, séeing a great deale lesse is receiued than that which is giuen. Of this doeth the Apostle purposelie treate in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, where amog other things he expresselie writeth: ⁷ Who goeth a warfare at his owne charges. But it is no obscure thing, that the ministerie is a certaine holie kinde of warfare. Wherefore we ought not to defeate it of his wages. Furthermore he alleageth out of the Lawe: Thou shalt not moosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne. ⁸ And if so be that meate must be fréelie giuen vnto the Cattell which labour for our liuing, why shall not things necessarie for their liuing be also giuen vnto Ministers, that labour daie and night for the saluation of soules? Pastors also haue fruite & liuing of their flocke. Are not husbandmen & planters of vines maintained by their labours and fruites? So that the Prophets and ministers of the Church, whe they féede the children of God, and husband them as the spirituall husbandrie, they haue a right to be nourished and sustained thereby. Yea and Paule who receiued nothing of the Corinthians: ⁹ and among the Thessalonians laboured with his hands, And was oftentimes in hunger, thirst and nakednesse, ¹⁰ yet did he receiue those things which were sent from other Churches: and he so praised that sacrifice of theirs, ¹¹ as he called them a swéete fragrant smell. Christ also commanded his Disciples that they should eate such things as were set before them, ¹² asking no question for conscience sake. And Pharao, otherwise an Ethnick Prince, fedde Priests from his owne table. Wherfore in the time of a grieuous dearth, when as other men were constrained to sell their inheritance, they still retained those things vnto them. And in the first Epistle vnto Timothie we reade, ¹³ that The Elders should haue double honour done vnto them: especiallie they which labour in the word and doctrine. ¹⁴ The Lord himself also had purses of Almes, which he committed vnto Iudas, and he was maintained by the wealth of the holie women which accompanied him. And the Apostles receiued their liuing of the faithfull, not onelie for themselues, ¹⁵ but also for their wiues which they led about with them, as Paul vnto the Philippians testifieth. Ioseph as it is written in the Booke of Genesis, ¹⁶ receiued rewardes of Pharao: by the which he honorablie maintained not onelie his owne life, but had also for his father and brethren which went downe into Egypt vnto him. Moreouer Salomon when he gaue giftes, ¹⁷ did also receiue gifts of the Quéene of Saba. Neither did Abraham refuse oxen, shéepe, golde, and siluer, which were giuen vnto him by Pharao, when he had restored vnto him his wife Sara, ¹⁸ who neuerthelesse refused to receiue anie thing of the King of Sodom, least it should haue bin thought that he had bin inriched by him. Yea and let vs call to minde the historie of the holie Prophet, ¹⁹ namelie of Elizeus, who, when he would receiue nothing of Naaman, yet did he not reiect the gift of that man which came from Baasalizack: a gift I saie of the first fruites, that is, of xx. barlie loaues and of new wheate corne. Also Elias refused not to be fed by the widowe of Sarepta. ²⁰ Yea and the children of the Prophets which hid themselues in the dennes by fiftie and fiftie, ²¹ receiued dailie sustenance of that godlie man Abdias, which was the steward of Achab the King. Wherefore we haue examples and testimonies ynowe, in the holie Scriptures, whereby it is confirmed, that it is lawful for Prophets & Ministers of the worde of God, to take a liuing of them whom they bring vp and instruct in godlie doctrine. Hitherto also pertaineth the Law giuen by God as concerning the honoring of parents: ^{22 23} and the maintena~ce of the whole Tribe of Leuie by tythes. Lastlie, the reason that persuadeth this is verie plaine: all men know, that the ministerie of the Church is a thing verie laboursome, which exerciseth and requireth the whole man, if he will doe his duetie. So that he hath no leisure to exercise other Arts and functions, whereby he might get his liuing. For the which cause, vnlesse he should receiue a liuing of his flocke, he shoulde be constrained to die with hunger. Neither must he rashlie attempt so to doe, least while he séeke to liue by anie other meanes, the flocke of Christ should be defrauded of spirituall nourishment.

2 But thou wilt saie: what if peraduenture he shall haue whereof to liue either by Patrimonie or by inheritance, ²⁴ or that he hath ynough wherewithall both by occupation to maintaine himselfe, and by ministerie to gouerne and féede well the Church? Which the Ecclesiasticall historie teacheth to haue happened vnto some. For they saie that Spiridion receiued litle or nothing of his Church: when as neuerthelesse he executed the office of a Bishop, and therewithall exercised the Art of a Pastor. Which also Paul and Barnabas sometime did. ²⁵ The matter is hard to be iudged, for daungers are not wanting of each side. For if he take a liuing of the Church, such a one perhaps shall offend his flocke, which will thinke him to be too much addicted vnto gain, for that he séeketh to liue by other meanes, when he can be maintained of his owne charges. But on the other part, if he receiue not the ordinarie profite, he shall grieue and cause to be enuied such as receiue stipend of the Church to liue by. And it will easilie come to passe, that men of his Parish, when they haue not yéelded vnto him the accustomed stipend, they being allured by such a custome, would afterward denie the same to the successour. So that such a man in my iudgement maie receiue the vsuall profits, but to bestowe the same among the poore, and conuert it into good vses, that it may be prouided as much as is possible that the weaker sort take no offence. Besides this I thinke it méete to consider that Christ himselfe séeing he was God, ²⁶ might easilie haue taken both offices vpon him: namelie to execute perfectlie the office of preaching, ²⁷ and therewithall also to haue gotten his liuing with his handes: which neuerthelesse he did not, but as we saide before, liued vpon the Almes of the godlie. ²⁸ Yea and the Apostles which were plentifully replenished with the holie Ghost, nor néeded great studie, might easilie haue taken both charges vpon them: yet they did it not. Which I suppose was therefore doone, because it should not bée thought that this custome ought to be required of ministers. Séeing therefore it hath bin shewed, that it is lawfull for them, ²⁹ both to inioy their right and to receiue foode and raiment, it is to be added, ³⁰ that they on the otherside with a good courage ought to doe their duetie, least they be iustlie accused of negligence. For Paul tooke his arguments from those dueties and artes which be verie laboursome: namelie from warfare, husbandrie, and from shepheards craft. No man is ignorant how manie and howe great be the labours of warfare. And the troubles which shepheards haue, ³¹ Iacob expressed when he was at variance with Laban his father in law. For there he made mention of the watchings, cold, heat, violence of Lions, Wolues and theeues. But as touching husbandrie, how hard that is, we haue no neede to declare, séeing we haue y e afflictions and vexations thereof continuallie before our eyes. So as Prophets and ministers are hereby admonished that they receiuing foode and sustenance, should not be daintie of their labours, but should diligentlie and with courage behaue themselues, while that they be able in respect of their age and health: which thing I therefore speake because that euen they which haue lost their strength, and who are vexed with grieuous diseases, ought to be excused, nourished and cherished as though they laboured.

³² 3 These things thus concluded, it is requisite to sée how gréeuously they sinne, which either denie or vnwillinglie yéeld sustenance vnto the Prophetes and ministers of God. Which not onelie some of the Anabaptistes doe, but also verie manie of them which would séeme Gospellers. And of the causes of this enuie (I will not saie vngratiousnes) towardes ministers of the Church, I sée that there be manie rootes. For some be mooued with couetousnesse, and thinke it to be lost whatsoeuer is giuen to the ministers of the Church. Others séeme to be moued of an vnskilfull zeale: ³³ for they hearing that Paul and Barnabas laboured and receiued no reliefe of the faithfull, are of the opinion, that all the ministers of the Church should doe the same. But the argument is naught: for of a particular and priuate fact, they bring in an vniuersall lawe, when as rather it should bée concluded on the contrarie, neither should all ministers be charged by one example. So it is said to be done at this daie in that part of Polonia where the Waldensian brethren do gouerne the Churches: ³⁴ for they put y e people to no charges for their liuing, but they liue of their owne labours, and those things that remaine they bestowe vpon the poore. Hereof it commeth that the noble men of that prouince, which triumph ouer others, haue Euangelicall Pastors, and (as méete it is) doe maintaine them, saying, that they haue true Pastors, and that others be rather bellie gods than ministers of the Church. The third roote is, that certaine hypocrites crept into the Churches, and the more to allure the mindes of the people, they faine that they would yéelde of their owne right, and that neither they would haue yéerelie rentes nor certaine reuenues. Which doubtlesse at the first shew abused simple men: for they were persuaded that they would liue of their own. But the craftie men began afterward to beg from doore to doore. Wherefore when they had gotten large liuing, they were by wise men called not beggers but bellie gods. Another occasion was giuen vnto this disease, in that they liued idlie: neither tooke they care of the Lordes flocke, by whom they were maintained in steade of ministers: as at this daie there doe an innumerable sort of Monks and Abbots, Carthusians, Benedictines, and such like. Against whom all things agrée by rule and squire, which Augustine hath written in a little booke of y e institution of Monks whom he would haue altogether be constrained to labour with their hands. ³⁵ Lastlie the incredible abuse of Ecclesiasticall goods, and the vnmeasurable greatnesse of them is an offence vnto men. For there is no equal particion made of them. There be of them which haue a thousand, ten thousand, a hundreth thousand, & two hundreth thousand crowns, which they lauish, waste and spend vppon most wicked vses. And thus for the most part, we sée it come to passe that they which haue most, doe labour least, nay rather they vexe the Church of Christ, and in miserable wise afflict the same, when as notwithstanding by y e office of Iustice distributiue much reward should not be giuen, vnlesse it be to them that deserue wel of the common weale: and that Iustice, which is called commutatiue, forbiddeth anie thing to be receiued, vnlesse altogether so much bée rendered againe.

4 There remaineth that we declare when it shall not be lawfull to receiue. ³⁶ First if they that giue and receiue giftes and stipendes of this kinde, thinke them to be an hire and reward of spirituall giftes, as though it should be lawfull to buie and sell them: such marchandize is vniust. For Christ saide, ³⁷ That which ye haue freelie receiued, giue you freelie. Further in planting of Churches and in spreading of the Gospell, if men shoulde be burdened with this kinde of charges, and so burthened, as they will not imbrace the heauenlie doctrine: it must not be taken of them, but Paul must be followed, who preached fréelie vnto the Corinthians: ³⁸ and iudged that all things ought to be suffered, least the worke of God should be dissolued. Also y e liuing of the minister must not be extorted fro~ the~ which are pressed with extréeme pouertie. Which I therefore speake, because in Poperie there were manie Testaments made, by which simple men (I will not saie foolish, fond and superstitious men) bequeathed such and so manie of their goods vnto Moonks, vnto the builded buildings of Temples, vnto the ornaments of Altars, vnto Masses, and foundations, as they brought their Children or right heires vnto extreme pouertie. Such Testaments were against duetie, and without controuersie should haue bin cut off. There were also manie Tyrants, who, when they had most vniustly taken awaie by violence the goods of the poore, would inrich the Ministerie of the Church with some part of that praie. Briefely they must not be taken, when as the glorie of Christ is obscured, or else where manifest offence doth hinder the course of the Gospell. Howbeit when such daungers are to be feared or not to be feared, if mans reason doe not attaine vnto it, the spirit of Christ doeth readilie suggest. As touching the greatnesse of charges, let there be vsed a certaine and iust measure, that there be no more taken than is méete. And these cautions must be vsed, in certaine cases, and not onelie in these cases which I haue rehearsed, but also in the like. But by an ordinarie and vsuall custome, and where the Gospell is receiued, and the Churches are rightly ordered it is a iust lawe, and the commandement of God requireth it that wée should prouide liuing for Ministers, and that no base liuing, but such as thereby they may honestly maintaine themselues and theirs. But there can be no generall rule without exception determined of: for as we saide at the beginning, sometime it is rightlie receiued and sometime wrongfullie. The Pope prescribed to himselfe a generall rule without all exception: namely that he may take alwaies and of all men, and that he may wring from whomsoeuer he can, that he may draw all manor of goods vnto him: so as he may iustlie be called the shipwracke of Patrimonies, and the vnsatiable gulfe of possessions.

5 As touching the receiuing of gifts and stipendes by Ministers of the Church, I think it hath beene sufficiently spoken. ³⁹ Now is it meete to speake of rewards and giftes in Ciuill affaires. And I thinke it needelesse to dispute whether it be lawfull for priuate me~ to giue giftes one to another, neither is it doubtfull, whether it be lawfull for priuate men to giue any thing vnto their Magistrates, so it be not done for corrupting of iustice. Nor doe we contend, whether o⟨…⟩ the other side a Magistrate maie giue any thing vnto priuate men and their subiectes, for these things be lawefull, and perpetuallie haue beene lawfull, so it be doone with reason and honestie. ⁴⁰ But this commeth now into controuersie, whether the subiects of any Magistrate maie lawfullie take pensions and gifts of straunge Princes, and whether that be for the common weale. Vnto this I answere, that it is a daungerous and verie hurtful thing to the commonweale. For such maner of men serue not one but two Maisters: ⁴¹ and those oftentimes requiring things contrary, which they ca~not do both together. And wheras men owe more vnto their own Magistrates than vnto straungers, yet they being ouercome with the sweetenes of gain, and hauing more care vnto priuate commoditie than vnto publike, forsake their alleageance which they owe vnto their owne Prince, and do more diligentlie obeie strange Magistrates: and thus both Kingdomes and the common weale, falles to decaie. This happened at Athens, when the Rhetoricians, who by their eloquence gouerned the commonweale were corrupted with the liberall giftes of the Kinges of the Macedonians or Persians, wherby y e Athenian affaires went to wracke. And so the Romane common wealth perished, when y e dignities & offices were not committed vnto the more excellent men, but vnto them which bestowed most rewardes vppon the people. But why bring we olde examples, séeing if néede be, we maie vse present examples? No safetie can Magistrates and Kinges looke for, which haue Counsellours, hiered with the money of strange princes: they that so receiue money, haue alreadie lost the libertie of frank speech i⟨…⟩ those things which séeme good vnto them. And such now and then is the couetousnesse of those kinde of men, as they feare not to receiue giftes on both sides, yea and those of princes at variance one with another: namelie to the ende they maie betraie them both. Wherefore I affirme, that these princes and publike weal⟨…⟩s are well aduised, which by lawes, and those most penall, forbid these stipendes and giftes: and that subiectes which obey those lawes be well aduised. And let this much suffice for the question propounded.

6 But passing ouer these things, ⁴² two things come now to minde to be examined which serue to our purpose. For there be two things, which pertaine not to our right and power, and yet are they sometime required of princes: therefore we must sée whether it be in our hand to giue them. There be certaine goods which be called Ecclesiasticall goods: of the which the Bishops and Ministers of the Church be disposers and haue the charge; but are not frée and absolute lords. For they be assigned for the liuing of y e Ministers, and for sustenance of the poore. Neuerthelesse, this doeth Princes oftentimes require, that they should be giuen to them and to their nobilitie. There is also a Catholike & sound faith, which is not ours, but must onelie be agréeable to the doctrine of the holie Scriptures, and oftentimes notwithstanding, it is required by Monarches and Tyrants, that we should bend and apply the same to their will and pleasure. Wherefore it is demanded, whether in those things we should alwaies follow the constancie of Nabaoth, whereof there is mention made in the xxj. ⁴³ Chapter of the first booke of Kings. As touching the first, to wit, Ecclesiastical goods, the opinion of all men is not one, & reasons are foud for both parts. They y t wil not haue those things to be giuen, say y t these goods be not y e goods of the ministers, but of y e Church, so as it is not lawfull for them to plucke away those things y t be none of their own. Leo the first of that name, writing vnto a Bishop néere Sicilia said: these goods are not ours, but are committed vnto vs. Further they saie, that those things being giuen vnto kings & princes, are not conuerted vnto good vses, but serue vnto riot and courtlie pompe: and they thinke it rather the part of a Magistrate to prouide that those be well distributed and bestowed. And that if he shall perceiue that Ecclesiasticall men performe not the same, both they maie and ought to driue them to doe their office. ⁴⁴ Verilie Ambrose would not deliuer the Church vnto Valence the Emperour when he required the same. ⁴⁵ Laurence also would not deliuer the Treasures of the Church vnto the most cruell Emperour Decius, but bestowed them vppon the poore: Further hee shewed vnto the Tyrant the lame, the blinde, the afflicted and néedie, and those he said are the treasures of the Church. On the other side Augustine being a man of a gentle and méeke nature, ⁴⁶ was not austere and strait in defending of those things: Naie rather as Possidonius the Bishop of Calamensis reporteth in his life the 33. Chapter, when some of his Clergie were enuied by reason of certaine Farmes and possessions which they had, said openlie vnto his people, that he had rather liue of those things which should be giuen by the people, than to take vpon him the charge of possessions & landes, of the which he with his might be maintained, and that he was readie to giue place that they themselues and the Ministers should be maintained by the oblations of the Aultar, as they were in the olde Testament. And this he not onely spake in wordes, but performed it by a certaine déede, which differeth not from this his saying. For vppon a time a certaine noble man of Hippo, who notwithstanding liued at Carthage, franckly and of his owne accorde gaue to the Church of Hippo, (wherof Augustine had the charge) a possession by writings made and sealed, which writings he deliuered to Augustine and his clergiemen, onely reseruing vnto himselfe the profite of the land during his life. But after a certaine time, when he had repented him of his graunt, he sent his sonne vnto Augustine to require the writings of the graunt, and in the meane time he would giue a hundreth shillings to be bestowed vpon the poore. These things being heard, Augustine lameted and sorrowed, not for the possession demanded againe, but for the inconstancie of men. For he reprooued him by letters, but he restored the writings of the gift, neither woulde he receiue those hundreth shillings. And yet neuerthelesse he feared not to alienate from the Church that right of Donation which he then possessed. The question is difficulte; ⁴⁷ in the resoluing whereof, I was first of this opinion, that if the Magistrate and Prince woulde take awaie those goods, they should not be resisted by force. Howbeit if they would compell me to deliuer those things, I should not easilie yéelde vnto it.

7 But oftentimes it commeth to passe that Princes and Magistrates will not take awaie those goods by force, but they would haue them deliuered by writings of exchage or alienation made and sealed. And vnlesse this be doone, there is a danger least their mindes should be alienated from the Church and from the reformation thereof. And whereas they maie séeme after a sort to fauour religion and if they be reiected, they will hinder the same, and through them the Church shall want good Ministers, and Papistes shall be called in, the people shall be destitute of syncere and pure doctrine, neither shall the same haue a due administration of Sacraments. ⁴⁸ When the cause then cometh into so great daunger; then if that any goods of the Church be deliuered, to the end that the Church maie be redéemed from such vexations, they which so doe; must not in my iudgement be thought to sinne. For if it be lawfull to sell the goods of the Church for redéeming of the beléeuing captiues, why should it not also be as lawfull for the redemption of the Church it self? That the goods of the Church maie be solde to that vse, Ambrose declareth, ⁴⁹ who in his second Booke of Offices Chapter 28. saieth, ⁵⁰ that he sometimes for this cause incurred the enuie of the Arrians, for that he melted y e Challices of gold & the holy vessels, whereof he might make a benefit, for the redéeming of captiues: further, that he defended that the soules of the Captiues which were redéemed bée more acceptable vnto God, than vessels of golde, and other ornaments of Temples. Beside this, he rehearsed the example of Laurence of whom we spake a little before, ⁵¹ adding that the Church hath gold, not to kéepe it, but to bestowe it. That the verie same is lawfull, Gratian in the decrées 12. Quaest. 2. Can. Apost. And it is out of y e sixt Synod. And y e same thing is in the same place in the Canon: Et Sacrorum Can. Therfore if it be lawfull to redéeme captiues with the Church goods alienated awaie, it shall be much more lawfull to redéeme the Church it selfe being captiue. Another argument also maie be drawen from the ciuil lawes, which graunt vnto a guiltie man in perill of his life, and that should fall into extreme punishment, to redéeme for a price, euen his owne bloud, namelie by making agréement with the accuser that he should surcease his action. And this is in y e Code De Transact. in the law Transigere. And in the Digestes De eorum bonis, qui ante sententiam latam mortem sibi consciuerunt, in the first law. And if it be lawfull for a man through the abandoning of goods and possessions, to redéeme his owne bloud, why maie it not be lawfull for Churches which belong vnto eternall life, to redéeme by their outward goods, séeing these things are more of value than corporall life.

8 But they saie: no man can giue these things, because they appertaine vnto the Church, and are not in the power of any particular men. I answere. Neither woulde I that a Bishop or Minister of the Church doe this by his owne onelie counsell and will, but that the Church shoulde be priuie and consenting to the same. Ouer this let vs imagine that there is some stewarde which gouerneth the goods and possessions of his maister. If it happen that he commeth into the daunger of his life or be taken prisoner, who will blame the good steward if by selling some of his maisters goods he redéeme him and deliuer him from calamitie? If it be lawfull to giue skinne for skinne, ⁵² & all that we haue for y e soule, that is, for the life: doubtles it is much rather to be done y t we may haue y e pure Gospel, and maie obtaine eternal life. Let vs put the case y t there is some Pope created (which neuerthelesse is not to be looked for) but for example sake let one be imagined, ⁵³ that will saie vnto our men: permit ye me that I maie possesse these Cities and Castels: and I will suffer that ye shall haue the Gospell frée, ⁵⁴ that ye shall reforme the Churches as ye will, I will not trouble you: nay rather, I will be fauourable to your indeuours. Who woulde not giue these things vnto him? Wherefore if anie being put in such or in the like danger, doe deliuer anie goods of the Churches vnto Princes, they are not straight waies to be accused as though they haue sinned: nay rather if they obstinatelie delaie to doe it, they maie incurre the suspition of couetousnesse. Yet this must they take héede of, namelie that they being mooued through Ambition to attaine vnto dignities or Bishoprickes or other spirituall promotions, shew not themselues readie either to giue or alienate such goods. This also must be foreséene, that they giue not vnto their néere kinsfolke and friends those things which they faine that they would not graunt vnto Magistrates and Princes. But as things now are in Popish religion, I cannot tell what profit it maie be to the Church, that so manie and so great riches are possessed by Ecclesiasticall men (as they will be called) séeing they abuse those goods, especiallie against the Gospell and profession of true religion. The effect is, that in this difficult & hard cause, I would allow that if it might possiblie be, they which haue the gouernment of Churches should not resist Magistrates which pluck awaie such things by force, and yet y t they should not by their owne proper assent deliuer the~. Howbeit if y e same be done at anie time in maner & forme as it is now described, in my iudgmet it canot be blamed.

9 But as to the other kinde of good, that is to wit, the true and right faith: because the same is the vine of God, ⁵⁵ it is lawfull for no man to yéeld that vnto anie. For nothing must be added or diminished at princes pleasures. In this matter verie manie at sundry times departed from the constancie of Nabaoth. Verilie there were some weake men in the time of Dioclesian and Maximinianus, which deliuered euen the verie holie bookes to be burned. Of which offence Coecilianus Bishop of Carthage was greatlie accused by Donatus, ⁵⁶ whereupon arose the heresie of the Donatistes. Moreouer vnder Constantius some which otherwise were good Bishops, being forced by feare, ⁵⁷ subscribed to the opinions of the Arrians, among whom was the father of Gregorius Nazianzenus. Also manie reuolted what time as Iulianus the Apostata obtained the Empire: neither did they faithfullie kéepe the vine of the Lorde: I meane the inheritance of their parentes.

10 But in verie déede the Clergie and Ecclesiasticall men contend, ⁵⁸ that they by the benefite of Princes are exempted from tributes and customes. Doubtlesse Christ vsed not this priuiledge, for he prouided to paie tribute both for himselfe and for Peter. ⁵⁹ Againe if we looke vpon the Ciuill lawes, they are not exempted from all burthen of tributes. Iustinianus in déede willed that they should be frée from personall offices, as it is in the Code de Ecclesijs & episcopes. And those are called personall offices, which we execute giuing hereunto industrie and labour onely. For if the ministers should be bounde to them, it coulde not be chosen but that they should be hindred from their function. And the same Iustinian séemeth also to haue exempted them from extraordinarie, and not from ordinary exactions. Yea they are bound to the mending of common high waies and to repairing of bridges. Neither doeth the lawe of charitie suffer, that when as they possesse landes and manie other things, they should withdraw themselues from ciuil burthens, and laie the whole weight vpon others, ⁶⁰ that there should be a burden vpon all others and they onelie discharged. Bonifacius the 8. ⁶¹ a man (as the Papistes themselues confesse) ouer proude and arrogant in his decrées, as we haue De Immunitate ecclesiarum, made a decrée, wherein he ordained, that Ecclesiasticall men be altogether frée from all payment of tributes: yea rather he straitly forbiddeth the~ that without the commandement of the Romane Bishop none should be so hardie as to paie anie thing to prophane Princes. A most grieuous constitution of a most outragious man: from whence haue sprong welnéere infinite garboyles and endlesse quarels. Howbeit, some haue patched it vp with a goodlie interpretation: namelie, that somewhat notwithstanding maie be exacted of them, if Church matters, or Religion, or common weale, be in any extreme danger. As though (for sooth) these men ought not to succour the comon weale except when it is in extreme necessitie. ⁶² I remeber a verie wittie saying of Dioclesian to a certein Philosopher that desired immunitie. Thy profession (saide he) much differeth from thy petition. For thy Philosophie teacheth that affections ought to be ouercome: but thou plainlie declarest thy selfe to bée ouercome with gréedie desire and couetousnesse. So the clergie when as aboue all other they professe Religion & charitie, do yet neuertheles desire not to be compelled to obey Magistrates, or to succour the commonweale.

⁶³ 11 Thomas Aquinas thinketh that this exemption of the clergie came by the priuiledge of Princes: Howbeit he saith that it is agréeable with the lawe of nature: and he cyteth a place out of the booke of Genesis, where it is written, that the landes of the Priestes were frée from the pension of the fifth part: but if a man diligentlie consider the whole matter, he shall easilie finde, why their lands were frée from that fifth part. Namelie bicause they were not solde to the King when the famine was verie great. For the priests had corne of the King, so that they were not compelled to buie corne. Wherefore the possession of their lands abode whole vnto them: which neuerthelesse might at the pleasure of the king be charged with other customes and tributes, although they were not comprehended in that general pension of y e fifth part. Others obiect that it is written in Esdras, ⁶⁴ that King Artaxerxes commanded that no tributes should be laid vppon the Priestes. ⁶⁵ But this was no maruell, séeing they possessed not lands among the children of Israel, but onelie liued of oblations and sacrifices. Caesar also writeth that the Druides among the Frenchmen paide neither tributes nor customes as other did, but that they were altogether francke and frée. But Plinie in his 16. booke and 44. Chapter writeth that those Druides had nothing: wherfore it is no maruell if they paide no tribute. I speake not these things bicause I thinke that Princes may not remit some of their tributes to ecclesiasticall men, which diligentlie execute their office, and kéepe hospitalitie, and succour the necessities of others, so that a regard be had that this turne not to the harme of others, and that such indulgence doe nothing else but maintaine their pompe. I graunt in déede that princes maie not doe this, howbeit I affirme that Ecclesiasticall men cannot by anie lawe of God claime vnto themselues anie such immunitie, and that they cannot in conscience denie tribute vnto princes if it be demanded. Neither ought Pope Boniface by anie meanes to haue challenged vnto himselfe a right to make that mad decrée. It is alreadie concluded by Paul, that all people doe owe obedience and subiection to publike gouernours. Neither ought the godlie (saieth Chrysostome ) to take it in ill part to be subiect vnto Magistrats, although they themselues are the children of God, and appointed to the kingdome of heauen. But their glory is not in the state of this life: they waite vntill Christ appeare, ⁶⁶ in whom their life is as yet hidden. In the meane time, they ought not to count it a thing grieuous, if they rise vp, if they vncouer the head, if they giue the vpper hand, if they obey Magistrates. Here is nothing vnméete or vncomelie, nay rather whatsoeuer is done by them according to the prescript of the word of God, is a full decent and worthie thing.

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← 54. The first Chapter. Of the Church, and · Contents · 56. The third Chapter. Whether two heads →

Footnotes

1. In 2. Kings 5. verse. 16. Ministers of the word haue licence to receiue gifts and rewards. ↩

2. Looke in 1. Sam. 9. 7 ↩

3. Mat. 10. 10 1. Tim. 5. 8 ↩

4. 2. Cor. 9. 1⟨…⟩
   ↩

5. Ibid. v. 1. In 1. Sa. 9.⟨…⟩ ↩

6. 2. Cor. 10. 6
   ↩
7. 1. Cor. 9. 7.
   ↩

8. Ibid. v. 9. Deut. 25. 4. ↩

9. 1. Cor. 9. 15 1. Thes. 2. 9
   ↩
10. 2. Cor. 11. 27. &c. 2. Cor. 11. 8.
    ↩

11. Phil. 4. 18. ↩

12. Luk. 10. 17. ↩

13. 1. Tim. 5. 17
    ↩

14. Ioh. 13. 29. ↩

15. 1. Cor. 9. 5. Phil. 4. 10.
    ↩

16. Gen. 41. 40 ↩

17. 1. King. 10. verse. 10. & 13. Gen. 20. 14
    ↩

18. Gen. 14. 22. ↩

19. 2. king. 5. 16 2. king. 4. 42
    ↩
20. 1. kin. 17. 10
    ↩
21. 1. king. 18. 4
    ↩

22. Exo. 20. 12. ↩

23. Num. 18. 24 ↩

24. Whether ministers hauing wherewithall, otherwise may take stipends. ↩

25. 1. Cor. 9. 6.
    ↩

26. Luke. 8. 3. ↩

27. Christ and y e Apostles liued at the charges of the godly. ↩

28. 1. Cor. 9. 6.
    ↩
29. 1. Cor. 9. 7.
    ↩

30. Pastors must doe their duetie with a good courage. ↩

31. Gen. 31. 40 ↩

32. The ministers may not without great offence be denied their stipends. ↩

33. 1. Cor. 9. 6. Ibid. 15.
    ↩

34. The brethren of Waldensis. ↩

35. Augustines booke of the instruction of Monks ↩

36. When it shall not be lawfull to receiue giftes & stipends. ↩

37. Matt. 10. 8. ↩

38. 2. Cor. 11. 9
    ↩

39. Of ciuill rewards. ↩

40. Whether it be méete for subiects to receiue pensions of strange Princes. ↩

41. Matt. 6. 24. ↩

42. In 1. kin. 21. at the beginning. ↩

43. Whether goods ecclesiastical are to be deliuered vnto Princes. ↩

44. Ambrose. ↩

45. Laurence. ↩

46. Augustine was a man of méeke nature. ↩

47. Note. ↩

48. For what vses the goods of the Church may be deliuered ↩

49. Ambrose. ↩

50. That Ambrose tooke the goods of the Church and imployed them to godly vses. ↩

51. The example of Laurence. ↩

52. Iob. 2. 4. ↩

53. Note. ↩

54. The libertie of y e Church is to be redeemed. ↩

55. Whether the true and right beliefe is to be yeelded to y e persecuters of the Church. ↩

56. Whence arose the heresie of the Donatists. ↩

57. The father of Gregorie Nazianzene. ↩

58. In Rom 13 verse. 9. ↩

59. Mat. 17. 27 Why the Clergie be exempted fro~ tributes & customes. Looke after in pl. 13. Art. 23. ↩

60. 2. Cor. 8. 13
    ↩

61. A most vniust decrée of Boniface the 8. ↩

62. A Philosopher wittily quipped by Dioclesian. ↩

63. In what sort the Priests of Egypt were exempted. Gen. 47. 22 ↩

64. Esdras. 7. verse. 23. ↩

65. The Priests of Israell were iustly exempted because they possessed nothing. ↩

66. Col. 3. 4. ↩