CHAPTER XV Another kind of conflict which is fraught with peril
CHAPTER XV
Another kind of conflict which is fraught with peril
271. Do you wish me to show you another aspect of this conflict, and one fraught with ten thousand dangers? Go and contemplate the public festivals, at which especially it is the custom for elections to ecclesiastical offices to be made; and you will see the priest lying under as many accusations as is the number of those who are subject to him.
272. For all who have influence upon the bestowment of the honour, are divided into many parties; and you will not see the council of presbyters of one accord, either with each other or with him that has been chosen bishop; but every one stands by himself, one selecting this man and another that.
273. Now the reason is, they do not all look to the one thing to which alone they ought to look—excellence of spirit. But there are other considerations which favour an appointment to this honour. Thus, one says, ‘Let him be appointed, because he is of an excellent family;’ and another, ‘Because he is possessed of great wealth, and would not need to be supported out of the revenues of the Church;’ and another, ‘Because he has ventured among us from our enemies’ One is zealous to promote in honour before others, the man that is intimately acquainted with him; another, him that is related to him by family ties; and another, the man that flatters him. Nobody will look out for the man that is qualified, nor make any trial of soul.
274. Now I am so far from thinking these to be trustworthy means for testing any priest, that even if one manifested great piety, which contributes not a little in regard to that office, I should not venture at once to judge him by that, unless in addition to his piety he was a man of much understanding.
275. For I have known many who have always exercised restraint upon themselves, and have been consumed by fastings, who while they could be alone, and attend to their own affairs, were well-pleasing to God, and every day made no small addition to their wisdom; but when they came into the crowd, and were compelled to correct the ignorance of the multitude, some of them were from the outset unequal to so great a business, and others, while forced to persevere, yet, renouncing their former strictness, injured themselves to the utmost, and benefited others not in the least.
276. But again, even if one had passed all his time in the lowest order of the ministry, and had reached the furthest limit of old age, I should not elevate him to a higher office simply because I reverenced his old age. What, if even at that time of life, he should continue still unqualified?
277. I say not this now, because I wish to dishonour the grey head, nor as laying down a law that those who come from the monastic circle should be altogether excluded from this dignity, (for it has happened that many who have come from that body have been illustrious in this office); but because I was anxious to show, that if neither piety by itself, nor advanced age, would suffice to prove worthy of the priesthood a man who had entered it, the previous considerations would hardly do so.
278. But other reasons are added, and yet more absurd. For some are enrolled with the clerical order, that they may not range themselves among opponents; and others on account of their malice, and that they may not do great mischief through being overlooked.
279. Could anything be more lawless than this? Men who are bad and full of innumerable evils, have services done them for the very things for which they ought to be punished; and ascend to the priestly dignity for things because whereof they should not be allowed to cross the threshold of the church!
280. Tell me then, shall we still inquire the reason of the wrath of God, when we expose things so holy and venerable to be defiled by bad men and men who deserve nothing? For when some are entrusted with control over what is not at all adapted to them, and others with what is far beyond their proper ability, they make the church to differ in nowise from the Euripus.
281. Formerly, indeed, I ridiculed worldly princes, because they conferred their honours not out of regard to virtue in men’s souls, but from regard to wealth, and number of years, and human pre-eminence; but when I heard that this unreasonableness had intruded upon our practices, I no longer made the matter of so much account.
282. For what wonder is it that men of the world, who desire the praise of the multitude, and do everything for money, should sin in this way, when such as profess to be delivered from all these things do no better than they do, but if they have a dispute about heavenly things, after consulting as though about acres of land or some other such matter, rashly take common men and appoint them over affairs like those for which the only-begotten Son of God refused not to vacate his own glory, and to become a man, and to take the form of a servant, and to be spit upon, and to be buffeted, and to die in the flesh a most ignominious death?
283. And they stop not even at these things, but they add others still more absurd; for they not only decide in favour of the unworthy, they reject those who are qualified. For, as though the security of the Church must needs be injured both ways, or as if the former cause did not suffice to inflame the wrath of God, they join on to it a second not less pernicious. For I think both the excluding of the useful, and the thrusting in of the useless, are equally to be dreaded. And this is the result,—the flock of Christ can no where find either consolation or refreshment.
284. Do not these things deserve innumerable thunderbolts, and a more vehement Gehenna than that with which we are menaced? But yet, He who willeth not the death of the sinner, that he may be converted and live, endures and bears such evils. How we ought to admire his love to man, and be astounded at his mercy! They who are Christ’s, ruin that which is Christ’s, more than enemies and foes: but He that is good still shows them kindness, and calls them to repentance.
285. Glory be to thee, O Lord, glory be to thee! What an abyss of love to man is with thee! What wealth of long-suffering! They who, for thy own Name’s sake, from being abject and unhonoured, become honoured and respected, have used their honour against him that has honoured them: they dare what should not be ventured upon, and outrage the things which are holy, thrusting out and rejecting those who are in earnest, in order that in great quiet and with absolute security, the wicked may subvert everything they choose.
286. And if you desire to learn the causes of so shocking an affair, you will find them to be like the former. For they have one root, and (so to speak) one mother, which is envy. They are not of one species however, but are different.
287. For it is said, ‘Let one be rejected because he is young;’ and another, ‘Because he does not know how to flatter;’ and another, ‘Because he has affronted such a one;’ and another, ‘That such a one may not be grieved when he sees the one he has proposed, not accepted, and this one appointed;’ and another, ‘Because he is kind and devout;’ and another, ‘Because he is terrible to evil doers;’ and another for some like reason: for they do not lack pretences, however many they want. Even the abundance of aspirants is alleged by them as a reason, when they have nothing else; and that a man ought not to be rashly promoted to this honour, but gradually and little by little: and they would be able to find as many other reasons as they might wish.
288. I may readily ask you here; What then ought the bishop to do who contends with such winds? How shall he withstand so many waves? How shall he repel all these assaults?
289. For if the matter is managed by right reason, all become enemies and hostile both to him (the bishop) and to those who are appointed; and they do everything with him contentiously, raising seditions daily, and heaping countless insults upon those who are appointed, until they either expel them, or bring in their own friends. And it happens almost as when a sea-captain has sailing with him in the ship pirates who constantly and every moment plot against him, the sailors, and the passengers.
290. And if he prefers their favour to his own salvation by receiving whom he ought not, he will have as his enemy God instead of them, than which what can be worse? And as for them, it will be more difficult for him than before; since they will co-operate with one another, and so become the stronger. For as when fierce opposing winds beat hard, the sea which before was calm, suddenly rages and foams, and destroys those that sail upon it, so also the tranquillity of the Church, when she admits base men, is overspread with tempest and many wrecks.