Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

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.

Sacrilege is the spoyling of holye thinges whiche are consecrated to ¹God and the vse of the Churche. For the Churche of God hath hallowed goodes and richesse, wherwith it doth partely mainteine sincere dectrine, and the holy ministerie of the church, & partely reléeue the néedie Sainetes and impotent brethren. The churche also hath goodes and possessions to kéepe the places of prayer, spirituall houses, and hospitalles in due reparations: and lastly, for the publique healpe of all people in common calamities and gréenous afflictions. They therefore are churcherobbers whiche do conuert the churche goods from the lawfull and holie purpose, for which they were ordeyned, into a prophane and godlesse vse, spending them prodigally in hunting, gaye cloathing, superstition, whoorehaunting, diceing, drinking, and excessiue banqueting. In whiche thinges Bishops and Magistrates of these dayes doe greately offende. And it cannot otherwise bee, but that some greate misfortune, and more calamities than one must néeds followe that foule abuse of ecclesiasticall richesse and spirituall goodes. For as Christe our Lord, the verye sonne of God, is spoyled and defrauded in the poore and néedie: so doctrine and godlynesse come to an ende, honest studies doe vtterly decaye, the shéepe of Christe are altogeather destitute of good and faithfull shéepeheardes, and are leaft for a praye to rauening wolues and mercilesse robbers. But yet wée must haue a regarde not to accompt in the number of churcherobbers suche heades and ouerséers of holye religion, as some Kinges of Iuda were, but Ezechias especially, and manye other Bishops and pastours of the primitiue church, who in many troublesome broyles, when either warres did waste theire countries and common weales, or else, when hunger or some other publique calamitie did oppresse and pinch their sillie countriemen, did not stick to bestowe the churche goods liberally, and to emptie the treasure of the hallowed money, that thereby they might do the oppressed some good. But they had vndoubtedlye béene wrongfull churcherobbers, if they to spare money & others vessels whiche are without life, would not haue redéemed liuing creatures, their countriemen from death and penurie.