|
The Lights of the World Reduced to a mere Wallet
Nor are princes by themselves in their manner of life, since popes,
cardinals, and bishops have so diligently followed their steps that
they've almost got the start of them. For if any of them would
consider what their alb should put them in mind of, to wit, a
blameless life; what is meant by their forked miters, whose each point
is held in by the same knot, we'll suppose it a perfect knowledge of
the Old and New Testaments; what those gloves on their hands, but a
sincere administration of the Sacraments, and free from all touch of
worldly business; what their crosier, but a careful looking after
the flock committed to their charge; what the cross born before
them, but victory over all earthly affections- these, I say, and
many of the like kind should anyone truly consider, would he not
live a sad and troublesome life? Whereas now they do well enough while
they feed themselves only, and for the care of their flock either
put it over to Christ or lay it all on their suffragans, as they
call them, or some poor vicars. Nor do they so much as remember
their name, or what the word bishop signifies, to wit, labor, care,
and trouble. But in racking to gather money they truly act the part of
bishops, and herein acquit themselves to be no blind seers.
In like manner cardinals, if they thought themselves the successors
of the apostles, they would likewise imagine that the same things
the other did are required of them, and that they are not lords but
dispensers of spiritual things of which they must shortly give an
exact account. But if they also would a little philosophize on their
habit and think with themselves what's the meaning of their linen
rochet, is it not a remarkable and singular integrity of life? What
that inner purple; is it not an earnest and fervent love of God? Or
what that outward, whose loose plaits and long train fall round his
Reverence's mule and are large enough to cover a camel; is it not
charity that spreads itself so wide to the succor of all men? that is,
to instruct, exhort, comfort, reprehend, admonish, compose wars,
resist wicked princes, and willingly expend not only their wealth
but their very lives for the flock of Christ: though yet what need
at all of wealth to them that supply the room of the poor apostles?
These things, I say, did they but duly consider, they would not be
so ambitious of that dignity; or, if they were, they would willingly
leave it and live a laborious, careful life, such as was that of the
ancient apostles.
And for popes, that supply the place of Christ, if they should
endeavor to imitate His life, to wit His poverty, labor, doctrine,
cross, and contempt of life, or should they consider what the name
pope, that is father, or holiness, imports, who would live more
disconsolate than themselves? or who would purchase that chair with
all his substance? or defend it, so purchased, with swords, poisons,
and all force imaginable? so great a profit would the access of wisdom
deprive him of- wisdom did I say? nay, the least corn of that salt
which Christ speaks of: so much wealth, so much honor, so much riches,
so many victories, so many offices, so many dispensations, so much
tribute, so many pardons; such horses, such mules, such guards, and so
much pleasure would it lose them.
You see how much I have comprehended in a little: instead of
which it would bring in watchings, fastings, tears, prayers,
sermons, good endeavors, sighs, and a thousand the like troublesome
exercises. Nor is this least considerable: so many scribes, so many
copying clerks, so many notaries, so many advocates, so many
promoters, so many secretaries, so many muleteers, so many grooms,
so many bankers: in short, that vast multitude of men that
overcharge the Roman See- I mistook, I meant honor- might beg their
bread.
A most inhuman and abominable thing, and more to be execrated, that
those great princes of the Church and true lights of the world
should be reduced to a staff and a wallet. Whereas now, if there be
anything that requires their pains, they leave that to Peter and
Paul that have leisure enough; but if there be anything of honor or
pleasure, they take that to themselves. By which means it is, yet by
my courtesy, that scarce any kind of men live more voluptuously or
with less trouble; as believing that Christ will be well enough
pleased if in their mystical and almost mimical pontificality,
ceremonies, titles of holiness and the like, and blessing and cursing,
they play the parts of bishops. To work miracles is old and
antiquated, and not in fashion now; to instruct the people,
troublesome; to interpret the Scripture, pedantic; to pray, a sign one
has little else to do; to shed tears, silly and womanish; to be
poor, base; to be vanquished, dishonorable and little becoming him
that scarce admits even kings to kiss his slipper; and lastly, to die,
uncouth; and to be stretched on a cross, infamous.
Theirs are only those weapons and sweet blessings which Paul
mentions, and of these truly they are bountiful enough: as
interdictions, hangings, heavy burdens, reproofs anathemas, executions
in effigy, and that terrible thunderbolt of excommunication, with
the very sight of which they sink men's souls beneath the bottom of
hell: which yet these most holy fathers in Christ and His vicars
hurl with more fierceness against none than against such as, by the
instigation of the devil, attempt to lessen or rob them of Peter's
patrimony. When, though those words in the Gospel, "We have left
all, and followed Thee," were his, yet they call his patrimony
lands, cities, tribute, imposts, riches; for which, being enflamed
with the love of Christ, they contend with fire and sword, and not
without loss of much Christian blood, and believe they have then
most apostolically defended the Church, the spouse of Christ, when the
enemy, as they call them, are valiantly routed. As if the Church had
any deadlier enemies than wicked prelates, who not only suffer
Christ to run out of request for want of preaching him, but hinder his
spreading by their multitudes of laws merely contrived for their own
profit, corrupt him by their forced expositions, and murder him by the
evil example of their pestilent life.
Nay, further, whereas the Church of Christ was founded in blood,
confirmed by blood, and augmented by blood, now, as if Christ, who
after his wonted manner defends his people, were lost, they govern all
by the word. And whereas war is so savage a thing that it rather befit
beasts than men, so outrageous that the very poets feigned it came
from the Furies, so pestilent that it corrupts all men's manners, so
unjust that it is best executed by the worst of men, so wicked that it
has no agreement with Christ; and yet, omitting all the other, they
make this their only business.
Here you'll see decrepit old fellows acting the parts of young men,
neither troubled at their costs, nor wearied with their labors, nor
discouraged at anything, so they may have the liberty of turning laws,
religion, peace, and all things else quite topsy-turvy. Nor are they
destitute of their learned flatterers that call that palpable
madness zeal, piety, and valor, having found out a new way by which
man may kill his brother without the least breach of that charity
which, by the command of Christ, one Christian owes another.
And here, in troth, I'm a little at a stand whether the
ecclesiastical German electors gave them this example, or rather
took it from them; who, laying aside their habit, benedictions, and
all the like ceremonies, so act the part of commanders that they think
it a mean thing, and least beseeming a bishop, to show the least
courage to Godward unless it be in a battle.
And as to the common herd of priests, they account it a crime to
degenerate from the sanctity of their prelates. Heidah! How
soldier-like they bustle about the jus divinum of titles, and how
quick-sighted they are to pick the least thing out of the writings
of the ancients wherewith they may fright the common people and
convince them, if possible, that more than a tenth is due! Yet in
the meantime it least comes in their heads how many things are
everywhere extant concerning that duty which they owe the people.
Nor does their shorn crown in the least admonish them that a priest
should be free from all worldly desires and think of nothing but
heavenly things. Whereas on the contrary, these jolly fellows say they
have sufficiently discharged their offices if they but anyhow mumble
over a few odd prayers, which, so help me, Hercules! I wonder if any
god either bear or understand, since they do neither themselves,
especially when they thunder them out in that manner they are wont.
But this they have in common with those of the heathens, that
they are vigilant enough to the harvest of their profit, nor is
there any of them that is not better read in those laws than the
Scripture. Whereas if there be anything burdensome, they prudently lay
that on other men's shoulders and shift it from one to the other, as
men toss a ball from hand to hand, following herein the example of lay
princes who commit the government of their kingdoms to their grand
ministers, and they again to others, and leave all study of piety to
the common people. In like manner the common people put it over to
those they call ecclesiastics, as if themselves were no part of the
Church, or that their vow in baptism had lost its obligation.
Again, the priests that call themselves secular, as if they were
initiated to the world, not to Christ, lay the burden on the regulars;
the regulars on the monks; the monks that have more liberty on those
that have less; and all of them on the mendicants; the mendicants on
the Carthusians, among whom, if anywhere, this piety lies buried,
but yet so close that scarce anyone can perceive it. In like manner
the popes, the most diligent of all others in gathering in the harvest
of money, refer all their apostolical work to the bishops, the bishops
to the parsons, the parsons to the vicars, the vicars to their brother
mendicants, and they again throw back the care of the flock on those
that take the wool.
But it is not my business to sift too narrowly the lives of
prelates and priests for fear I seem to have intended rather a
satire than an oration, and be thought to tax good princes while I
praise the bad. And therefore, what I slightly taught before has
been to no other end but that it might appear that there's no man
can live pleasantly unless he be initiated to my rites and have me
propitious to him.
|