CHAPTER II The dignity of the Priesthood greater than that of other offices
CHAPTER II
The dignity of the Priesthood greater than that of other offices
90. Will you then still dispute with me about not being rightly deceived, when you are going to be set over all that is God’s, and to do that which when Peter did, (the Lord) said he should he enabled to excel the rest of the Apostles? For he said, “Peter, lovest thou me more than these?”
91. And although He could have said to him, ‘If thou lovest me, practise fasting, sleeping on the ground, and constant vigils; look after those who are injured; be a father to the fatherless, and instead of a husband to their mother;’ yet, setting aside all these things, what does He say? “Feed my sheep.”
92. For many, even of such as are under authority, and not merely men but women, would be able easily to perform what is afore-mentioned; but when it is needful to preside over churches, and to be entrusted with the care of so many souls, let the entire womanly sex give way before the magnitude of the task, and the majority of men as well.
93. Let those be introduced to the arena, who far excel all others, and are as much above others in eminence of spirit, as Saul was above the whole Hebrew nation in bodily stature.
94. For here, let me not merely require elevated shoulders; but let the distance between the pastor and his charge be as great as the difference between rational men and irrational creatures, that I say not even greater; because the danger affects much greater interests.
95. He who loved his sheep, would perhaps obtain forgiveness from the owner of the flock, whether wolves seized them, or robbers made a raid upon them, or any pestilence or other calamity befell them; and even if he suffered punishment, his loss would extend only to property. But he that has had confided to him the rational flock of Christ is first of all subject to loss, not of money, but of his own soul, through the perishing of the sheep.
96. And then, he has a far greater and more difficult conflict; for his contest is not with wolves, and he has no fear of robbers, nor is his concern to drive away a pestilence from the flock.
97. But against whom is his war? With whom is his battle? Hear the blessed Paul, who says, “For we wrestle, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual evils, in heavenly places.” Do you see the terrible host of enemies, and the fierce phalanxes, not armed with swords, but naturally supplied with the substitute for a whole panoply?
98. Would you also see another army, stern and cruel, which lies in wait for this flock? You will see this too from the same watch-tower. For he who has spoken about the others, also indicates these enemies to us, speaking in this wise: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, adultery, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, poisoning, enmities, contentions, jealousies, altercations, slanderings, whisperings, arrogance, and seditions;” and others besides these, for he did not enumerate them all, but left us to understand the rest from these.
99. In regard to the pastor of irrational creatures, when those who wish to destroy the flock, see him that is over it fleeing away, they cease from contention with him, and are satisfied with the plunder of the cattle. But here, even if they capture all the flock, they do not then refrain from the shepherd, but the rather endeavour, and dare the more, and cease not until they either smite him down or are themselves overcome.
100. And in addition to this, the afflictions of cattle are apparent, whether famine, or pestilence, or wounds, or anything else which distresses them; and this would assist not a little in the relief of such as are troubled.
101. And there is also something else which more than this facilitates deliverance from such affliction. And what is that? Shepherds, with great authority compel the sheep to receive the remedy when they do not willingly submit; for it is easy to bind them when incision or cautery is necessary, and to keep them in for a long time when this is beneficial, and to give them one kind of food instead of another, and to restrain them from their supplies of water; and they very easily bring to bear anything else which they may think conducive to their health.