Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

These Publicans were such as lived upon the public toll and customs which they had farmed at the Romans hands for a certain sum of ready many. Now he had not these Publicans to leave off their ⟨p. 277⟩toll gathering, but willed them to be content with their appointed duty. In like manner I urge the same sentence and say to all usurers and occupiers: Exact no more then is appointed for you. But if ye want a certain constitution and ordinance set down by the Magistrate for the gain of your money in every several trade, then let equity, humanity, and charity, prevail in your minds, and let the common law sink into your hearts, which saith: what soever ye would that men should do to you, the same do ye to them. If thine eye, saith the Lord, be single, all thy body is lightsome: but if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great then is that darkness?

These Publicans were such as liued vppon the publique toll and customes which they had farmed at the Romans hands for a certeine summe of readie menye. Nowe he had not these Publicans to leaue off their ⟨p. 277⟩toll gatheringe, but willed them to be content with their appointed duetie. In like manner I vrge the same sentence and saye to all vsurers and occupyers: Exact no more then is appointed for you. But if ye want a certeine constitution and ordinaunce set downe by the Magistrate for the gaine of your money in euery seuerall trade, then let equitie, humanitie, and charitie, preuaile in your mindes, and let the common lawe sinck into your heartes, which saith: what soeuer ye woulde that men shoulde do to you, the same do ye to them. If thine eye, saith the Lord, be single, all thy bodie is lightsome: but if the light that is in thee be dark nesse, howe great then is that darkenesse?

Sacrilege is the spoiling of holy things which are consecrated to ¹God and the use of the Church. For the Church of God hath hallowed goods and richesse, wherewith it doth partly maintain sincere doctrine, and the holy ministry of the church, & partly relieve the needy Saints and impotent brethren. The church also hath goods and possessions to keep the places of prayer, spiritual houses, and hospitals in due reparations: and lastly, for the public help of all people in common calamities and grievous afflictions. They therefore are churcherobbers which do convert the church goods from the lawful and holy purpose, for which they were ordained, into a profane and godless use, spending them prodigally in hunting, gay clothing, superstition, whoorehaunting, dicing, drinking, and excessive banqueting. In which things Bishops and Magistrates of these days do greatly offend. And it cannot otherwise be, but that some great misfortune, and more calamities than one must needs follow that foul abuse of ecclesiastical richesse and spiritual goods. For as Christ our Lord, the very son of God, is spoiled and defrauded in the poor and needy: so doctrine and godliness come to an end, honest studies do utterly decay, the sheep of Christ are altogether destitute of good and faithful shepherds, and are left for a pray to ravening wolves and merciless robbers. But yet we must have a regard not to account in the number of churcherobbers such heads and overseers of holy religion, as some Kings of Judah were, but Hezekiah especially, and many other Bishops and pastors of the primitive church, who in many troublesome broils, when either wars did waste their countries and common weals, or else, when hunger or some other public calamity did oppress and pinch their silly countrymen, did not stick to bestow the church goods liberally, and to empty the treasure of the hallowed money, that thereby they might do the oppressed some good. But they had undoubtedly been wrongful churcherobbers, if they to spare money & others vessels which are without life, would not have redeemed living creatures, their countrymen from death and penury.