Chapter IV. Ecclesiastical rank and dignity to be respected. The abuse of privileges and exemptions

i 4. There is something else — if it be something else, for it might perhaps be said to be part of the same subject — and let your consideration give good heed to it. He does not appear to be far from the truth who thought that what I am about to speak of should be classed as a variety of avarice. For my-

Churches. They cry aloud that they are being mutilated and dismembered. There are none, or very few, which are not either already smarting under the scourge, or dreading its approach. Do you ask how that is ? Abbots are exempted from their bishops, bishops from archbishops, archbishops from patriarchs or primates. Does this look well ? I should be surprised if any justification could be found for such doings. The constant practice shows that you have authority, but possibly not so keen a sense of justice. You do this because you have the power, but whether you have the right is open to question. You are where you are that you may uphold the gradations of honour and dignity, secure to every one his proper rank, and not grudge any one his due ; as one of your predecessors says. ' Honour to whom honour.' defenceless religion, when there is no one to defend it ? For where can men find a refuge ? Shall they go to the bishops complaining of injustice ? The bishops must have a merry twinkle in their eyes whether they look at the wrongs done, or the wrongs suffered. What profit is there in that blood ? The only gain, I fear, is that which God threatened in the prophet, ' He shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.' l For 2 if a man is not only exempted but puffed up, and he from whose jurisdiction he is exempted is inflamed with anger, how can the exemptor be innocent ? I have said too little ; we are smothering the fire ; let me speak more plainly. If he who complains is spiritually dead, how can he be alive who is the cause of his complaining ? Must he not, therefore, be guilty of the death of both these persons, and give sentence of death against his own soul as well, for it was he who supplied the sword which caused the death of both ? This is what I meant when I said, ' Thou hast slain and taken possession/ 3 And further, people who hear of these things are scandalized ; they are indignant, disparage, and blaspheme, that is to say, they are wounded even unto death. The tree is not good that bears such fruit as acts of arrogance, the breaking up of houses, rivalries, the squandering of resources, so many scandals, so much hatred ; and, what is more lamentable, bitter enmities and perpetuul discord between the churches. You see how true are the words, ' All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient.' 4 But suppose the thing is not even lawful. Pardon me ; 1 shall not readily allow that the source of so much lawlessness can be lawful.

fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, making the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love V And do not despise the mould on which you are to fashion yourself because it is the Church on earth ; the pattern is derived from heaven. For not even the Son can do anything except what He hath seen the Father do, as is obvious from what was said to Him under the name of Moses, ' See thou make everything after the pattern which was showed thee on the mount.' 3