D. Sarauia. 1. Of the diuerse degrees of the ministers of the gospell. 2. Of the honor vvhich is due vnto the priestes and prelates of the church. 3. Of sacrilege, and the punishment thereof. The particular contents of the afore saide Treatises to be seene in the next pages.

Chap. VIII. How gracious and in••••••••ble the sin of sacrilege is.

PLato, being to set downe a law against Church-rob∣bers, beginneth the matter with a large preface, and first concludeth, that the sin of Sacrilege is vncure∣able, and that he which is infected with any such wretched couetise, is not moued thereunto eyther for Gods euill, or for mans, so much as for his owne, and that by rea∣son of some other old and odious sinne, not yet punished, nor euer to be expiat. And therefore he exhorteth those, vppon whome this deadly desire groweth, that they would vse to sa∣crifice for the same, and humbly to fly to the Temple of the Gods; to frequent the company of good men, to heare theyr godly conference, and to endeuour themselues to doe and to speake those things which are honest and iust. But if so be, that infirmity wil not so depart, death for such a wretch were better then life. Wherefore he enacteth this Law. VVhosoeuer is aprehended for Sacrilege, (if hee be a seruant, or a foreyner) his fault being written in his forehead, and his handes, and being well whipped with so many stripes as the Iudge shall award, let him bee thrust naked out of the borders of the land: For happely by this punish∣ment, being brought to shame, he may amend his manners. For no pu∣nishment is appointed for any mans hurt; but of two thinges it com∣monly effecteth the one, it maketh him eyther much better, or not so bad, that sustaineth the punishment. But if it be a Cittizen which shall be found to haue commited any such thing against the Gods, or to haue done some great and gracelesse wrong to his parentes, or his countrey, let the iudge so censure of him, as of one which is incurable, considering this with himselfe, what honest instruction and education he hath had of a childe, and yet hath not absteyned from the most hey∣nous sinnes. VVherefore let this mans punishment be death, the least of all euils. So shall he profite others by his example, while he is made infamous among all, and is put to death beyond the borders of his own countrey.

The lawes of the twelue tables prouide thus against the same sinne. VVho so stealeth or pilfereth any holy thing, or committed to the holy place, let him be held and handled as a murtherer of his Fa∣ther.

But what neede I recite the seuerity of Lawes in this be∣halfe? it is a thing well enough knowen, if it were but halfe so much feared. But euen they also which escape the lawes and iudgements of men, because they are eyther too mighty, or too crafty, yet can they not escape the vengeance of God. For it is one of the most detested sins, after the which the wrath of God yearneth, till it be reuenged. The examples whereof are to be seene in Histories both sacred and prophane.

Notes

• De legib. Dialog. 9.