Chapter XXIX. A Complaint against the Incontinent, for not Revering Holy Orders

I Do not accuse all, but neither can I excuse all. Our Lord has left to himself many thousands. Otherwise, if their Justice did not excuse us, and the Lord of Sabbath had not left us that holy Seed, we had now long ago been destroyed, as was Sodom; and had perished, as Gomorrah. Indeed the Church seems to have been dilated, and even the most Sacred Order of the Clergy, their number is beyond number multiplied. But though, O Lord, thou hast made our number more, yet thou hast not made our joy greater: whilst there appears as great a decrease of merit, as increase of number. Every-where they run to Holy Orders, and men without reverence, without consideration, meddle with Mysteries revered by the very Angelical Spirits. For they are not afraid to seize upon the sign of the Heavenly Kingdom, to wear the Crown of that Empire; even they in whom Avarice reigns, Ambition rules, Pride domineers, and even abominable Luxury has its principality. Amongst whom also perhaps the worst of abominations appears within their Walls, if (according to the Prophecy of Ezekiel) we would pierce the Wall, so that even in the House of God we live most horridly ill. For that after Fornications, after Adulteries, after Incests, amongst some, even ignominious passions and filthinesses are not wanting. Would to God things which are not fitting to be done, were so not done, that it neither was needful for the Apostle to write these things, nor for us to speak of them, or that he should not be thought worthy to be believed, who should say, that so abominable an affection did at any time occupy the heart of man. Were not of old those Cities the Mothers of this filthiness, condemned beforehand by the Divine Justice, and destroyed by fire? Did not the fire of Hell, impatient of delay, by prevention, devour that execrable people, because their sins were specially manifest, going before to judgment? Gen. 19. Did not stormy showers of Fire and Brimstone absume the very earth, as conscious of so great a confusion? Was not the whole Country converted into an horrible lake? Five heads of that Hydra were cut off, but alas, innumerable rose up in their place. Who has built again the Cities of wickedness, who has dilated the Walls of turpitude, who has extended the poisonous seed? Wo, wo, wo, the enemy of mankind has scattered about the World the unhappy relicks of that sulphureous fire, with those execrable ashes he has bestrewed the body of the Church, and with a foul and fetid filth has besprinkled some of her Ministers. Ah elect Race, royal Priesthood, holy Nation, acquired People! Who, amidst thy so Divine beginnings, and the first birth of Christian Religion, abounding with all spiritual Graces, could have believed that such things as these should ever have been found in thee? With these spots they enter the Tabernacle of the Living God, they inhabit the holy Temple of the Lord, polluting of it, having hereafter to receive a manifold Judgment, for that they have such grievous Consciences, and yet notwithstanding intrude themselves into the Sanctuary of God. For such do not only not appease God, but more incense him, whilst they seem to say in their hearts; He will not punish us. They do indeed provoke him, and make him angry with them I fear, by those very things by which they ought to liave made an atonement. Would to God, rather than thinking to begin a Tower, they would sit down and compute the cost, lest perhaps they should not have a sufficient stock to perfect it. Would to God they who are not able to contain, would be afraid rashly to profess perfection, or to promise a single life. For it is truly a costly Tower, and a great Word, which all cannot take. But without all peradventure, it were better to marry than to burn, and to be saved in the low degree of the faithful people, than in the sublime state of the Clergy, both to live worse, and to be more severely judged. For many, not indeed all, but yet many, it is certain; neither can they lie hid, such is their multitude; nor do they seek to lie hid, such is their impudence: many, I say, seem to have made use of the liberty in which they are called, as an occasion of carnality, abstaining from the remedy of Marriage, and afterwards pouring themselves forth on all manner of wickedness.