How Simony Is Practiced in the Administration of a Spiritual Office

THE Sin of Simony doth not conſine it ſelf within the compaſs of their Tranſactions, who practiſe the ſame for making way for their Entrance upon the Holy Calling in the Church; but extendeth it ſelf alſo, to the Exerciſes of that Calling in the hands of many who bear Charge: So that, as there may be Guilt by a mercenary Entrance into a Spiritual Office, ſo there may be much Guilt alſo, p. 74 by the mercenary Adminiſtration of Spiritual Things in that Office; as, when Merchandiſe is made of the Word and Sacraments, of the Sentences of the Church, and of the Exerciſe of any Acts and Duties which belong to the holy Miniſtery: For theſe Spiritual Things being the free Gifts of God, and ſo improper Matter of Merchandiſe; whoſoever, either in the internal Affection, or external Practice, makes them the ſubject of Buying and Selling, is a Diſciple of Simon Magus, who (as I have told before, in the Words of Gregory and Nicolaus de Lyra,) would have bought the Power of Giving the Holy Ghoſt, that afterwards by Exerciſing that Power, he might purchaſe Gain to himſelf. For, as he who doth but deſign, or deſire by the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, to gratifie his Covetouſneſs, p. 75 is guilty of Simony in the Will, and Affections of his Heart; ſo he, who in the Exerciſe of that Sacred Office, ſets the Miniſtery of Spiritual Things to Sale, and makes the ſame a Matter of Merchandiſe, and ſubſervient to his Gain, incurs the Guilt of Simony, in Effect and Deed. And, how dreadful a Guilt this is, may appear by that grievous Increpation uttered by the Prophet Micah, againſt the Houſe of Iſrael, ſaying,⁷² The Heads thereof judge for Reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for Hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for Money; — Therefore ſhall Zion for your ſake, be plowed as a Field, and Jeruſalem ſhall become Heaps, and the Mountain of the Houſe as the high Places of the Foreſt.

1. 72. Mic. 3.11, 12. [moved in the edition]

Now the Miniſters and Paſtors of the Church, may incur the guilt of this Sin two ways; p. 76 to wit, whilſt, either for their Advantage and Gain, they obtrude Falſhood and Errour for Truth, and miniſter to People corrupt, inſtead of wholſom, Food; ſo ſelling for Upright, what is but Sophiſticate and Counterfeit; or, whilſt they in their Adminiſtration, make the true and holy Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt vendible, by ſetting theſe Spiritual Things to Sale.

Firſt, The Guilt of Simony is incurr’d in the Adminiſtration of the Spiritual Calling, and that in an high meaſure; when thoſe who exerciſe that Calling, do, for ſome Temporal Advantage, corrupt the Spiritual Ordinances of the Goſpel, ſetting forth things Counterfeit for Upright, and Falſhood and Errour for Truth and ſound Doctrine. And this Men do, either whilſt by preſent Profit, or expectation of ſome future Gain, or by fear of p. 77 Diſpleaſure, or for conciliating of Favour, or by hope of Preferment, their Tongues are bribed to teach Complacencies, to ſooth and flatter Men in their Sins, to forbear Reproofs and Cenſures, to ſmother the Truth and Counſel of God, to adapt their Doctrine to humane Humours and Inclinations, and to comply with Men in their Errours or ſinful Courſes; or, whilſt out of a ſecret Deſire of Vain-Glory, or an ambitious Deſign of ſetting themſelves up as the Heads of Sects, and drawing Diſciples after them, they forge new and falſe Doctrines, broach and vent Errours and Hereſies, and diſſeminate their own wild Fancies, filling the Heads of People with corrupt Principles, which when they have made them to drink in, by impoſing upon their weak and unwary Underſtandings, they eaſily p. 78 betray their Affections, and Proſelyte them to their Party. All which Practices are nothing elſe but groſs Simony, whilſt they ſell the Truth, and make Merchandiſe of Souls; whether the Price be the preſent Profit, or the hope of future Gain, or humane Favour, or Fear, or Ambitious Deſigns, or Vain-Glory; for all theſe are the current Money of Simon Magus. And of ſuch cheating Merchants in the Church, the Apoſtles have ſufficiently warned us, giving them their proper Characters. The Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking of ſuch, calls them unruly and vain Talkers,⁷³ and Deceivers, — teaching things which they ought not, for filthy Lucre’s ſake. And he warns the Overſeers of the Church to watch againſt ſuch,⁷⁴ ſaying, Of your own ſelves, ſhall Men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things, to draw away Diſciples after them: therefore p. 79 watch. And he gives a Caveat to all, to avoid ſuch, as Men that ſerve not our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but their own Belly;⁷⁵ and by good Words, and fair Speeches, deceive the Hearts of the Simple. And ſo doth alſo the Apoſtle Peter, warn againſt ſuch, ſaying,⁷⁶ There ſhall be falſe Teachers among you, who privily ſhall bring in damnable Hereſies, &c. And through covetouſneſs, ſhall they with feigned Words make Merchandiſe of you; whoſe Judgment of a long time lingereth not, and their Damnation ſlumbereth not. And what Character the Apoſtle Jude gives of ſuch, may be read in his Epiſtle at length. And ſuch Paſtors under the Goſpel, may be well ranked in the Predicament with thoſe Prophets under the Law, of whom the Lord complains, that they did pollute him amongſt his People,⁷⁷ for handfuls of Barley, p. 80 and for pieces of Bread, — by Lying, and ſtrengthning the Hands of the Wicked; and they made his People to Err, pleaſing the Wicked,⁷⁸ in crying Peace to them, and preparing War againſt thoſe that put not into their Mouths; and with thoſe Prieſts that corrupted the Covenant of Levi,⁷⁹ — and were partial in the Law. They may well (I ſay) be ranked in the Predicament with theſe, ſince the likeneſs of their ways declare them to be Animalia ejuſdem ſpeciei, Creatures of the ſame kind. But it becomes all who would wiſh to approve themſelves the faithful Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, to entertain an abhorrency of all ſuch corrupt Dealing, which either humane Favour, or Gain, or Glory, bribes Men to; that ſo, with the Teſtimony of a good Conſcience, they may be able to ſay, both in the ſight of p. 81 God and Man, with the Bleſſed Apoſtle Paul,⁸⁰ We are not as many, which corrupt the Word of God; but as of Sincerity, but as of God, in the ſight of God ſpeak we in Chriſt.⁸¹ And our Exhortation was not of Deceit, nor of Ʋncleanneſs, nor in Guile; But as we were allowed of God to be put in truſt with the Goſpel, even ſo we ſpeak; not as pleaſing Men; but God, which tryeth our Hearts: For neither at any time uſed we flattering Words, as ye know, nor a Cloak of Covetouſneſs, God is witneſs: Nor of Men ſought we Glory.

1. 73. Tit. 1.10, 11. [moved in the edition]
2. 74. Act. 20.30, 31. [moved in the edition]
3. 75. Rom. 16.17, 18. [moved in the edition]
4. 76. 2 Pet. 2.1, 3. [moved in the edition]
5. 77. Ezek. 13.19, 22. [moved in the edition]
6. 78. Mic. 3.5. [moved in the edition]
7. 79. Mal. 2.8, 9. [moved in the edition]
8. 80. 2 Cor. 2.17. [moved in the edition]
9. 81. 1 Theſſ. 2.3, 4, 5, 6. [moved in the edition]

2dly, Not only are thoſe guilty of Simony in their Adminiſtration, who cheat People with corrupt and counterfeit Ware; but thoſe alſo, who, pretending to be the Paſtors of Chriſt’s Flock, ſet to Sale upright and true Spiritual Things, and Ordinances of the Lord Jeſus, committed p. 82 unto their Diſpenſation, making the free Gifts of God vendible. And thus are they guilty, who make uſe of the Word of God, of the Sacraments, of their Preaching, Exhortations, Admonitions, Conſolations, Prayers, Benedictions, and of the Acts of Diſcipline Cenſures of the Church, or any Matter of the Paſtoral Office, as the gainful Commodities of their Shop; ſetting them forth, or ſhutting them up, according as they may beſt contribute, either for their Proſit, or for their Praiſe: For not only doth he play the Simoniack, who ſells the Goſpel for Money or real Bribes; but he alſo, who preacheth to purchaſe to himſelf Applauſe, and the praiſe of Men: For thus, his Praiſe is the price of his Preaching; at which, whilſt he aims, he preacheth not Chriſt, p. 83 but himſelf; and it may be, he hath his Reward; but he ſhall come ſhort of that Reward which he now enjoys, who ſaid, We preach not our ſelves,⁸² but Chriſt Jeſus the Lord: Nor can thoſe Paſtors, who for their Gain, baſely make Merchandiſe of thoſe Spiritual Things committed to their Diſpenſation, expect that Reward of the Crown of Glory, from the Hands of the chief Shepherd, whilſt, in order to the obtaining thereof, they diſcharge not their Duty upon the right Principle, nor according to that Rule preſcribed by the holy Apoſtle Peter, ſaying,⁸³ Feed the Flock of God which is among you, taking the overſight thereof, not by conſtraint, but willingly; not for filthy Lucre, but of a ready mind. Wherefore, whoſoever have their Lucre in their Eye, in the Adminiſtration of the Miniſterial Office, p. 84 and limit their Labours to the expectation of their worldly Gain, are juſtly to be reputed Mercenary, and Simoniacal Perſons. And therefore, many Councils have ſtrictly inhibited and condemn’d ſuch Merchandiſe: That Council holden in Trullus of Conſtantinople, called Quini-ſextum, hath a particular Canon to this purpoſe; wherein (beſides other Words,) it is ſaid,⁸⁴ Si quis eorum, &c. If any of the Clergy be found to exact any kind of Price from him to whom he imparts the Holy Communion, let him be Depoſed, as an imitator of the Errour and Wickedneſs of Simon.

1. 82. 2 Cor. 4.5. [moved in the edition]
2. 83. 1 Pet. 5.• [moved in the edition]
3. 84. Can. 23. [moved in the edition]

And that Council of Rhemes, under Leo the Ninth, forbids, under the pain of an Anathema,⁸⁵ Ne quis pro Sepultura vel, &c. That none ſhould exact any thing for Burial, or for Baptiſm, or for the Euchariſt, p. 85 or for viſiting of the Sick.

1. 85. Can. 5. [moved in the edition]

And not only by theſe, but by ſeveral other Councils, and Sentences of the Canon Law, the ſame is condemn’d, which likewiſe decrees it as Simony, Pretio,⁸⁶ vel Favore, &c. For Price or Favour, to conceal what ſhould be brought to publick Penance; or, to reconcile to the Church (or Abſolve) an impenitent Perſon; or, to remove from Reconciliation (or Abſolution) a Perſon truly penitent.

1. 86. Decretal. Greg. 9. De Sim. Cap. 14. [moved in the edition]

And, againſt ſuch Merchandiſe in the Adminiſtration of Spiritual Things, (beſides Canoniſts and School-men,) the whole Stream of all the Antients, which ever I did read, where they fall upon this Subject, do clearly run; condemning ſuch Paſtors, and comparing them to Gehazi and Simon Magus; becauſe, for theſe free Spiritual Gifts of God, they ſurreptitiouſly take a Price, as p. 86 Gehazi did, and account them Matters which may be bought and ſold for Money, as did Simon; and therefore againſt ſuch, have commonly made uſe of thoſe Words of our Saviour to his Diſciples, when he ſent them forth upon the Work of the Miniſtery, Gratis accepiſtis, gratis date;⁸⁷ Freely ye have received, freely give.

1. 87. Matth. 10.8. [moved in the edition]

Which Words are notwithſtanding cautiouſly and rightly to be underſtood, and not as ſome Sacrilegious Tongues and Pens of perverſe Men (to whom, what is allotted for the Maintainance of the Goſpel, is an eye-ſore;) have perverted the ſenſe thereof, to the prejudice of all Eccleſiaſtical Benefices, and with a deſign (ſo far as in them lyes,) to rob the Church and Paſtors of what the Charity of devout Perſons hath mortified, or what the Munificence p. 87 of pious Princes hath by their Laws allowed, or what in juſtice is due, for the accommodation and livelihood of the Labourers in the Vineyard of the Lord. Which, whilſt their covetous Hearts are panting after, that they may flatter their own Conſciences into a liberty to invade the ſame, and caſt ſome cloak upon their Sin, they impudently cry out againſt the Paſtors, reproaching them as mercenary Prieſts and Hirelings, who preach the Goſpel for Money, and ſell the Gifts of God, which they ſhould freely give, according as Chriſt gave Command to his Diſciples. So do they reproach every one who enjoys any Stipend for his Service in the Miniſtery.

For the ſtopping of the Mouths of theſe croking Vultures, (who would rapaciouſly devour the Food of the Altar, and ſtrip the p. 88 Church of her Patrimony;) I ſhall not ſay with ſome, That theſe Words of our Saviour do relate, not to the preaching of the Goſpel, but to thoſe Gifts of working Miracles, wherewith he ſent forth his Diſciples endued, for the Confirmation of their Preaching; nor that theſe Words were intended only for the Apoſtles, and not for the ordinary Miniſters of the Church. (Although indeed, the difference be conſiderable betwixt extraordinary Perſons, who have by an immediate Act of Divine Inſpiration, received a ſupernatural Faculty of diſpenſing the Spiritual Things of the Holy Calling, and thoſe ordinary Perſons, who by Study and Induſtry, have acquir’d Abilities to fit them, and muſt be at aſſiduous pains to furniſh themſelves for the Diſpenſation thereof.) But, that our Saviour never intended by theſe p. 89 Words, to ſtrip either the extraordinary or ordinary Paſtors of his Church, of the expectation of due Maintainance for their Labours, is evident to any Eye, in which there is not ſome Beam of Prejudice: For, as at the giving of their Commiſſion for the Diſpenſation of theſe Divine Gifts, he ſaid, Freely ye have received, freely give; ſo immediately (diſſuading them from care to provide for themſelves,) he ſays,⁸⁸ The Workman is worthy of his Meat. And ſo ſaid he to the ſeventy Diſciples alſo,⁸⁹ The Labourer is worthy of his Hire. So that the Lord Jeſus would not have them ſuppoſe, that he had ſpoken to debar them from due Maintainance at their hands, to whom they were to Preach the Goſpel, but rather allowed them to expect the ſame. And ſo affirmeth the Apoſtle Paul, (who much better underſtood p. 90 his meaning, than all theſe prejudicate Gloſſers:) For, 1 Cor. 9. pleading in behalf of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, after he hath ſhewed, that they have as good a right to their Maintainance, as a Soldier in the War hath to his Wages, as the Planter of a Vineyard hath to the Fruits thereof, and as he that feeds a Flock, to eat of the Milk; declaring it to be no great matter, to reap carnal Things at their hands, to whom they ſow ſpiritual Things; and having urged, that by as good right the Miniſters of the Goſpel ſhould have their Maintainance thereby, as thoſe under the Law, who miniſtred about Holy Things, did live by the Things of the Temple and Altar; (and how liberal a Maintainance that was, he underſtands little of the Jewiſh Law, who knows not:) He then pleadeth our Saviour’s Authority, p. 91 for confirmation thereof, ſaying,⁹⁰ Even ſo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Goſpel, ſhould live of the Goſpel. And therefore alſo doth the ſame Apoſtle ſay,⁹¹ Let him that is taught in the Word, communicate unto him that teacheth him, in all good things. And again,⁹² Let the Elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double Honour, eſpecially, they who labour in the Word and Doctrine: For the Scripture ſaith, Thou ſhalt not muzzle the Ox that treadeth out the Corn; and, The Labourer is worthy of his Reward. So that, when our Saviour ſaid, Freely ye have received, freely give; it was nothing of his Intention to debar the Labourers in the Goſpel, to whom he had committed the Diſpenſation of Spiritual Things, from their Maintainance; but, that they ſhould not make Merchandiſe of theſe Spiritual p. 92 Things, nor ſet them to Sale, as Matters that might be bought or ſold; but ſhould diſpenſe them as the free Gifts of God, to which no Money nor Temporal Thing can be a Price proportionable; which is nothing inconſiſtent with their receiving, and enjoying a ſufficient Maintainance and Livelihood by their Labours; and which to require, is neither Simony nor Sin. For it is received, (as it is ſaid in the Schools,) Non tanquam merces operis, ſed ut ſtipendium laborantis; non tanquam pretium Spiritualium, ſed ut ſuſtentationis ſtipendium neceſſarium: Not as the Reward of the Work, but as the wages of the Worker; not as the Price of Spiritual Things, but as the neceſſary Stipend for his Suſtentation that diſpenſeth them.

1. 88. Matth. 10.10. [moved in the edition]
2. 89. Luke 10.7. [moved in the edition]
3. 90. 1 Cor. 9.14. [moved in the edition]
4. 91. Gal. 6.6. [moved in the edition]
5. 92. 1 Tim. 5.17, 18. [moved in the edition]

And therefore ſays Auguſtine,⁹³ Accipient ſuſtentationem neceſſitatis à p. 93 populo, mercedem Diſpenſationis à Domino: They ſhall receive their neceſſary Suſtentation from the People, but the Reward of their Diſpenſation from the Lord.

1. 93. Lib. De paſt. cap. 2. [moved in the edition]

Thus it is evident, that the Paſtors of the Church are not to be reputed Hirelings, or Simoniacal Merchants of Spiritual Things, upon the account of the requiring and exacting of their Stipends, and the Fruits of their Benefices due from the People for their Maintainance; if ſo be the Benefice be not the end they aim at, and their Temporal Commodity the deſign of their Labours; but that they feed the Flock for love to Chriſt, and not for filthy Lucre, not making the Matters of their Calling, the ſubject of Tranſactions for worldly Gain; which, whoſo doth, deals as an Hireling indeed: For the Paſtoral Office, p. 94 is called, A Warfare; and as it is in the ſecular Warfare, ſo is it in the caſe of the Church Militant: There be many Soldiers in the War; all have their Wages: But, in ſome, the deſign of their Service is, the Safety of their Country; in others, the deſign is, only their own Gain; and upon this account, they liſt themſelves in the War: They both require, they both exact, they both receive their Wages; yet, he who deſigns his Service for the preſervation of his Countrey, is not to be reputed a mercenary Soldier, becauſe he hazards himſelf, not for his Wages, but for his Countrey, howſoever he do require his Wages as well as the other, that thereby he may be ſuſtain’d to attend his Duty: But the other is to be accounted Mercenary, becauſe the deſign of his Service, is not the Countrey’s good, but his own p. 95 gain; and he hazards his Life only for his Money: So in the Church, the Miniſters of the Goſpel do all require, and receive Wages and Maintainance; but it may be, all deſign not the ſame thing: He, whoſe deſign is the Glory of God, and the feeding of the Flock, may lawfully require his Stipend, and the due Fruits of his Benefice; nay, (as Aquinas ſays rightly,) he may exact the ſame,⁹⁴ A nolentibus, & valentibus ſolvere; from thoſe who are able to pay, even though they be unwilling:

1. 94. Thom. 22ae. qu. 100. Art. 3. [moved in the edition]

For he exacts but what is his own, and what others have neither juſt Title to, nor can lawfully poſſeſs; yet is he not to be reputed mercenary for all that, becauſe the end of his Labours is not theſe things, but the Edification of the Church; and only he requires his Wages, or Stipend, as the matter of his p. 96 Maintainance, that he may attend without Diſtraction, to the Duties of his Calling. But he, whoſe deſign is Gain, and not the Glory of God, nor Edification of Souls; but only exerciſeth the Office, that he may have the Benefice, is the mercenary Man that makes Merchandiſe of his Office.⁹⁵ Mercenarius quippe eſt (ſays Gregory,) qui locum quidem Paſtoris tenet, lucra autem animarum non quaerit, ſed terrenis commodis inhiat: He truly is the mercenary Man, who holds indeed the place of a Paſtor, yet ſeeks not the benefit of Souls, but gapes after earthly Commodities. And ſo much the more mercenary is he, if, beſides the Allowance of that Maintainance, which is ſet apart for him, as a Steward in God’s Houſe, he make alſo his Advantage of thoſe Spiritual Things which are committed to his Diſpenſation, p. 97 and gives not to every one their Portion in due ſeaſon, but limits it to the ſeaſons and meaſure of his Gain; nor doth diſpenſe the Bread and Water of Life indifferently to all, but keeps back, or lays out, impairs, or augments the Portion of the Children, according to the expectation of either the Benefit or Favour he may reap thereby: Such a one, is indeed but a baſe Simoniacal Pedler, making Merchandiſe of the Gifts of God. But ſuch is not he, who requires but his Allowance of theſe due Accommodations which the diligent Attendance to his Duties call for, wherein he exerciſeth himſelf without any baſe deſign, giving unto every one their portion in due ſeaſon; nay, this is the faithful and wiſe Steward;⁹⁶ and bleſſed ſhall he be, when at the coming of his Lord, he ſhall be found ſo doing.

1. 95. Homil. 14. in Evang. [moved in the edition]
2. 96. Luke 12.42, 43.