CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
THIRD POINT OF First ANSWER: THE CONDITIONS
OF EVANGELICAL PERFECTION ARE EXPLAINED,
AND ITs SUBLIME STATE AND MANY LEVELS Dis~
PLAYED RELIGIOUS writer should be conconcerned with the restoration of truth
rather than the reprobation of error, | for once the darkness of error has | been dispelled, the radiance of true "\'¢| light may then shine upon the inward Oram) eye of the reader. Now that false and erroneous ears concerning perfection have been refuted, we should consider in what the summit of evangelical perfection consists; how the state of perfection is affected by an imperfect act; and, finally, as regards the state of perfection itself, how one state of perfection may be higher than another.
2. We should realize, first of all, that the root, form, purpose, fulfillment, and bond of perfection is love, to which Christ, the Master of all, reduces the Law and the Prophets, and, consequently, God's whole teaching.
Col. 3:14 cf. Mt. 22:40
Now, this love may exist in a threefold state. The first and lower consists in the observance of the commandments of the Law; the second and intermediate, in the fulfillment of the spiritual counsels; the third and supreme in the enjoyment of eternal delights [through mystical contemplation].
Thus there is a threefold gradation of perfection, as the Scriptures show. One is of necessity.
It corresponds to
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
this passage of Deuteronomy. Thou shalt be perfect and without spot before the Lord thy God; and the gloss explains, "Without the spot of sin." Prosper, writing "On Diis:13* the Contemplative Life," says of this: "Those men are perfect who, by willing what God wills, never give their assent to sin, because sin offends Him.'? The second stage is a perfection of supererogation, and it is the object of this passage in Matthew: "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor." Commenting on the same passage, Jerome writes to Heliodore: "The perfect servant of Christ possesses nothing except Christ Himself, for if he possesses anything else, he is not perfect."* The third perfection achieves final plenitude, and it is the object of these words of the wise man in the Book of Proverbs:
Mt. 19:21
The path of the just is like shining light, that grows in brilliance till perfect day; that is, till one beholds the radiant brightness of the vision of God. And of this Augustine writes in the first book of his "'Soliloquy'': "In truth, perfect virtue is reason attaining its final end, which is followed by beatific life.'
Prv. 4:19
3. Thus, the first and second states of perfection differ from the third as merit differs from reward.? The intermediate state also differs from the first as counsel does from command. But these two, indeed, the counsels as well as the commands, tend toward the fulfillment and observance of that love which the Apostle describes to Timothy: Now the end of the commandment is charity, from a pure heart, and a good conscience and an unfeigned faith. This betokens in reality a threefold act of love: avoiding evil, pursuing good, and bearing with adversity. For as regards the avoidance of evil, charity is said to be from a pure heart; as Relinon regards the pursuit of good, from a good conscience; and
CHAPTER II
as regards the bearing of adversity, from a faith unfeigned.® And the gloss adds: "That is, not a pretended or fragile faith, but one that is strong against tribulation."
4. This threefold act of charity comes forth from the habit of virtue in two ways, either through the law of a commandment universally and necessarily compelling, or through the proposal of a counsel implying a spontaneous and special bond; and the second way, embracing the first, also adds to it as much as the wayfarer is able to give. It follows, then, that the second way, comprising also the first, is called perfect, but that the first without the second—although perfect in a qualified sense—is called imperfect in relation to the second. So Augustine declares in his book "On Offices" in the quotation given in the preceding chapter.
Since we are speaking of evangelical perfection in the commonly accepted sense, we understand it to mean the intermediate state of perfection [mentioned above]. And we may obtain a notion of this perfection from the words of the Apostle just cited: to wit, that it consists in conformity between the wayfarer and Christ through this habit of virtue by which evil is avoided, good pursued, and adversity borne, in a manner superior to that which is required by precept. Such are the things that make up the three parts of evangelical perfection.
5. All sin derives from a disorderly turning toward the threefold perishable good—outside of us, within us, and below us; that is, from the lust of the eyes, the pride of cf. 1 Jn. 2:16 life, and the lust of the flesh.* These three passions should be avoided not only in deed and consent, through the + CE 8.
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
practice of the opposite virtues, but also in their occasions.
Such careful avoidance is truly productive of merit and fruitful for salvation. Hence Christ, the Master of perfection, counsels for the sake of perfect rejection of the lust of the eyes that all these temporal goods be given up, according to this passage from Matthew: "If thou wilt be perfect..."; for the perfect rejection of the pride of life,
He advises that self-will be denied, according to this pasMt. 19:21 sage from Matthew again: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself ...''; and for the perfect rejection of the lust of the flesh, He suggests that man refrain from the act of the generative power, according to this passage from the same: "There are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him accept it who can." ibid. 16:24 ibid. 19:12
Thus, the fact that the FIRST PART OF EVANGELICAL PERFECTION consists in this threefold and supererogative refusal of the threefold origin of all evil is indicated by the Holy Scriptures, deduced by truthful teachers, and asserted by the holy Fathers who were the founders of religious life.
6. Now, the SECOND PART OF [EVANGELICAL] PERFEC~-
TION consists in pursuing good more eagerly than is required by precept. And since there are two aspects of life, the active and the contemplative, this more eager pursuit consists in two things, that is, in caring for our neighbor, and in lifting up our mind to God. The supererogative caring for our neighbor consists in this, that in obedience to the law of justice and mercy, the signs and effects of love shall be imparted with generous beneficence not only to friends but also to enemies, as is said in this passage from Matthew: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you"; and later: "Be perfect, even as your heavenly ibid. 5:44 ibid. 48
CHAPTER II
Father is perfect." In this way also, the supererogative lifting up of the mind is effected in such a manner that, in obedience to the law of spiritual cleanliness and peace, the devout perceive what is sacred, and experience rapture by being carried away through the ecstasy of love into the splendors and ardors of God, as is said in these words of the Apostle to the Corinthians: For if we were out of our mind, it was for God; if we are sane, it is for you; and to 2 Cor. 5:13 the Hebrews: Strong meat is for the perfect.
Heb. 5:14* 7. Finally, the THIRD PART OF EVANGELICAL PERFECTION consists in bearing trials more perfectly than is required by precept. Now, this is not done through a mere patient supporting of trials as they occur, for by divine law they are unavoidable since all men are to suffer them.
The perfect bearing of trials is achieved when one desires them with great intensity, out of love for God, and accepts them with great joy, as shown in these passages from James: Esteem it all joy, my brethren, when you fall into various trials; and again: Let patience have its perfect work,
Jas. 1:2 ibid. 4 that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. Such is the consummation of perfection and love, as expressed in the First Epistle of John: Perfect love casts out fear.
1 Jn. 4:18
8. Accordingly, the spiritual ark of perfection, which is triple-vaulted on the lower level and double-vaulted in the middle, measures but a single cubit at its top.? It is clear cf. Gn. 6:16
(Sept.) that the Saviour revealed this secret of perfection through the example of His own person, by the symbol of a lofty mountain: for He is the splendor, mirror, and model of all perfection, as He Himself says in the Gospel of Luke:
"When perfected, everyone will be like his teacher.'"° In token of this, when Christ sought to teach such perfection
Lk. 6:40 to His apostles, He went up onto a mountain, not speaking cf. Mt. 5:1
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
to the imperfect crowd, but to those whom He had decided to exalt to the summit of this perfection, and there
He exposed the six points indicated above,} in the order in which we have explained them. For when He said first,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,' He suggested perfect renouncement of temporal possessions; when He continued, ibid. 3
"Blessed are the meek," He counseled denial of self-will and of that desire for personal gratification by which a man ibid. 4 is made harsh and violent. When He said, thirdly, "Blessed are they who mourn," He proposed the perfect avoidance of the delights of the flesh. When He continued, "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice," and "Blessed are the merciful," He called for a just, kind, and loving attiibid. 5 ibid. 6 ibid. 7 tude toward neighbors. When He added after this "Blessed are the clean of heart," and "Blessed are the peacemakers,"
He attracted men toward a limpid elevation of the intelligence, and a tranquil and peaceful lifting of the heart, by which the souls of the just are made to conform to Jerusalem, which is interpreted as "'a vision of peace.'"* Finally, when He concluded, "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,
He returned to the origin, as if completing a circle; for it is in this persecution for justice' sake that the sum of all things is accomplished. Thus, the sixfold perfection of the "small world''+f in the order of restoration and grace corresponds to the sixfold creation of the whole fabric of the universe in the order of nature. ibid. 8 ibid. 9 ibid. 10
9. Even as the first three works of creation pertain to t CE qq 5, 7.
{ An inacceptable interpretation.
}t The "'small world," or "microcosm," meaning man, is opposed here to the "large world," or '"'macrocosm,"" meaning the universe.
CHAPTER III
division, and the next three to adornment,'*f so also, in the first three beatitudes, there is in a sense a division when the powers of the soul are separated from every evil in order that their existence may be pure and distinct; and, in the next three, there is a kind of adornment when these same powers are returned to God in order that their existence may become beautiful and perfect. Thus, if we may continue to compare the small with the great, there is so marked and singular a correspondence between the two worlds, and such a high degree of similitude between their symbols, that the words uttered after the labor of the Six Days, Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all their array, may be considered accomplished in the soul of a perfect man.
Therefore, parallel to the first three works that are the foundation of the world, and to the next three that Gn. 2:1 are its adornment, the first three beatitudes are a matter of vow and the next three a matter of free choice.
10. As a confirmation of this truth, blessed Francis, the Father of the Mendicants, proposed in the beginning of his
Rule the first three points as requiring a vow because of their fundamental character. For he said: "The Rule and life of the Friars Minor is this, namely, to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without property, and in chastity.'"'"'* Later, he recommended the other three as desirable complements when he said: "I also admonish . . . the Friars. . . to strive above all things to have the spirit of the Lord and His holy operation,
+ The Latin word ornatus used at this point does not properly mean adornment, embellishment, but rather equipment, furnishing.
It could be translated as ''populating'' or "'peopling" if it did not apply, as in the present case, to objects both personal (men) and impersonal (animals and heavenly bodies). There seems to be no exact equivalent in English.
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
to pray always to Him with a pure heart, and to have humility, patience in persecution and in infirmity, and to love those who persecute, reprehend, and blame us.''** Here he is touching upon the other three points. He first recommends elevation to God and he ends with love toward neighbor. Between these he places charity toward enemies.
In the first three instances, the perfect man is crucified cf. Gal. 6:14 to the world; in the next three, he is made to conform to God: like a six-winged seraph, he is elevated above the things of the world and carried aloft to the divine. How cf iss0-2 fittingly, then, in the seraphic apparition,'® did Christ impress His stigmata in appro- | |
bation upon the holy little poor man! For Francis perfectly served and_ perfectly taught the perfection of the Gospel, and [by the mark of His wounds] Christ gave us a clear sign of the way of perfection as opposed to the dangerous darkness of these later times; a sign through which we may return to Him, the Exemplar and End of perfect virtue; a sign of how to attain perfection if we learn not to set our minds on high things, but condescend to the lowly.
Rom. 12:16
11. We have demonstrated earlier} that evangelical perfection, which is the object of this discussion, consists in things supererogative.
It follows that these things are related not only to the charismatic gifts, but truly also to t CE. 49 4, ff.
CHAPTER I
the practice of the virtues; for unless the habits of the virtues have been developed, no degree of perfection is possible. Now, this supererogative practice of virtue may either be satisfied through the simple will, without any obligation, and this is said in one sense to be perfection of action and merit; or it may be satisfied through the will backed by a certain obligation, whether derived from a professed vow or from the duty of some office, and this is said to be perfection of state and order. In the latter instance, a man is not only dedicated to the performance of acts of perfection; he is in fact obligated to perform them. Such obligation, far from decreasing perfection, on the contrary adds to it a further height. It makes eternal something that was temporal, since a vow may not be broken, and it gives to God something that was ours, since a man who dedicates to God not only his actions but even his will is mak~ ing a total offering and submitting himself wholly to the divine law. Because he sacrifices his own will—a priceless good, the most beloved and personal —his offering is full
Ps) 65315" of marrow, and therefore perfect, complete, and supremely acceptable to Him who is all excellence.
12. Augustine, therefore, writing on this passage from the Psalms, How he swore to the Lord, vowed to the mighty one of Jacob, says: ""What do we vow to the Lord, except ibid. 131:2* to be the temple of God? Indeed, we have nothing to offer
Him that would be more acceptable than to say to Him what is suggested in Isaias: 'Possess us!' ''' And so if a man who has both the use and the ownership of a thing possesses it more perfectly than another who has only its
Is. 26:13
(Sept.) use, a man dedicates himself to God more perfectly when he offers himself to God as regards not only the use of his labor but also the determination of his will.
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
In this same manner, Anselm, in his book "On Similitudes" uses a material example to compare two men. One of them offers to God the fruits of a tree while retaining its ownership, while the other gives both fruit and owner~ ship; and Anselm says that the gift and offering of the latter is justly to be preferred as coming from a more gen~ erous giver. Pursuing the same comparison, he stresses the fact that the work of a man who has taken the vows is more acceptable to God than that of another who has not, because a bond introduced into the will by pure generosity does not decrease the gratuity of the service, but actually completes it.'* The same Doctor, writing to the Bishop of Parist concerning the removal of a certain cleric from the Monastery of St. Martin de Fécamp, has this to say: "If all things must be done according to counsel, by whose counsel better than of the one who is called Wonderful,
Counselor, God the Mighty? He Himself, indeed, advises Is. 9:6* those who strain toward perfection to abandon everything and to follow Him. The holy Fathers understood that this counsel could be followed more easily in the circumstances of monastic life than in any other.''?
13. Gregory, writing in the "Register'' to Bishop Desiderius, says the same thing of a cleric who wished to enter the religious life: "Let your brotherly love be the least obstacle, to him; inflame him instead with your pastoral advice, lest the fervor of this desire become lukewarm within him, and lest this man, who is cutting himself away from the tumultuous upheavals of the worldly crowds and longs in his heart to reach the haven of monastic peace, be forced to become involved anew in the tumult of t Goffridus.
CHAPTER Il
ecclesiastical charges. Permit him, as he requests, to be free of all such things, safely to dwell in the praise of God."
}?° Bernard also, in the book "On Dispensation and Pre-~ cepts," gives his opinion that "'of all the forms of penance, monastic discipline has deserved the prerogative of being called a second Baptism.'"' This is because of "the perfect withdrawal from the world and the singular excellence of the spiritual life whereby this state, superior to any other mode of human existence, brings those who follow it and love it close to the angels and far from men, and even reforms in man the divine image, making him to conform ef. Col. 3:5 to Christ as in Baptism; so that, by these means, through the mortification of our earthly members, we may again put on Christ and be planted together in the likeness of His cf, Gal, 3:27 cf. Rom. 6:5 death."'"* The same conclusion is deducible from the gloss on the thirtietht chapter of Numbers: "Some promise to offer calves, others rams or buildings, but the Nazirite promises to offer himself; thus the vow of the Nazirite is superior to any other. A son, indeed, or a daughter, or an estate are external to us; the vow to offer ourselves to God to please
Him, not through someone else's action, but through our own, is more eminent and perfect than any other.'
14. Clearly, then, the religious vow places a man in the state of perfection, for it is an assistance toward the practice,
} This quotation from St. Gregory, and the following from St.
Bernard, reveal angelism and scorn for the world.
It is all well and good to excuse them by saying that "the world" means the kingdom of satan: the fact remains that in the mind of both authors everyone except cloistered religious is living in it. A true religious vocation is not one of flight and spiritual comfort, but one of engagement and spiritual dedication to the neighbor.
+ Reference seems to be, not to Nm. 30, but to Nm. 6:1-21.
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
preservation, and increase of perfect virtue. Because they knew this well, the Fathers of the Fourth Council of Toledo decreed that a cleric would be free to enter the religious life:
"Tt seems right that in the matter of entering monasteries, priests who desire the monastic state because they wish to lead a better life should be independent of their bishops."
This view of monastic life is supported, not only by the writings, but also by the example, of countless saints who passed from the clerical to the religious state. The doctrine is so absolutely certain, in fact, that to contradict it would be rather folly than mistake.
15. But if anyone, deceived by error, attempts to oppose what has been said above by asserting that it is more perfect to remain in the world under the pretexts: that "virtue is concerned with the more difficult'';?4 that it is more difficult to avoid sin among the many different occa~ sions of sin; that it is more remarkable for a man not to burn when he is surrounded with flames; and that it is a great victory to triumph over enemies when faced by a more numerous host, more frequent assaults, and a greater variety of implements of war —we shall answer: that a state is not more virtuous because less safe; nor does one state enjoy a more perfect righteousness because it comes closer to ruin; nor again is a state more perfect because a man who lives within it finds the avoidance of sin to be more difficult.
But in fact the state of the professed religious imposes three major difficulties.
The first comes from THE EXACTING AND LOFTY CHAR~ ACTER OF THE STATE ITSELF, involving as it does the t Cf. Foreword, pp. VIII, IX.
CHAPTER Il
renunciation of sexual commerce, the foregoing of any kind of possession, and submission for the sake of God to the will of another. Such difficulty necessarily increases merit, as indicated by the passage from Matthew, "Enter by the narrow gate." The gloss says here: "It is very hard [narrow] to love one single thing, to seek one single object, to knock every day at one single door, without seeking worldly success or fearing adversity.""' Now, this difficulty founded on the nature of the state itself, in that it comes to the Mt. 7:13 few by divine counsel, is enhanced beyond the measure of the difficulty of following the divine precepts, as all must do. This is why Jerome writes to the monk Rusticus:
"If you wish to follow perfect ways, go out with Abraham, leave your country and your kinsfolk, and go whither you know not. If you have any property, sell it and give to the Gn. 12:1 cf. Mt. 19.21 poor; if you have none, you are relieved of a great burden.
In your nakedness, follow the naked Christ. It is painful, heavy, and difficult; but great are the rewards.'°
16. The second difficulty comes from IMPERFECTION IN
THE ACTING SUBJECT.
For instance, it is harder for the avaricious man to give a little than for the generous to give much; it is harder for the proud man than for the humble to submit himself to another; for the greedy man than for the abstemious to fast; for a man of sensual habits to abstain from the pleasures of the flesh. In all such cases, what is increased is not the merit, but the misery, as Jerome writes to Eustochius [concerning the latter instance]:
"Your sister Blesilla, greater in age than in wisdom, has become a widow seven months after taking a husband!
Oh, unhappy condition! Unable to foresee the future, she has lost both the crown of virginity and the delight of marriage. Although she may be able to remain on the
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
second level of chastity, what crosses do you not think she will have to bear when she sees every day that her sister possesses what she herself has lost! How much less will she enjoy the reward of continency, since it will be harder for her to have lost a pleasure she had known!'"'
17. The third difficulty is due to THE CONJUNCTION OF
EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
For instance, it is harder to fast when delicate foods are offered; to renounce the advantages of the world when great and beautiful things are in question; to be continent when in frequent contact with women.
This difficulty [due to external circumstances] somewhat increases the merit, by accident and indirectly, if in the course of temptation virtue triumphs without being offended; but, directly and in itself, it is a major road to ruin, and thus it must be avoided. Hence, in commenting on this passage from Matthew, With difficulty
Mt. 19:23 will a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven, Rabanus says: "It is not impossible, but difficult
— that is, it implies a greater effort—for those who possess money, and rely on their wealth, to escape from the snares of the love of money and enter the court of the heavenly kingdom.""*
The inference is not that the rich [because they have greater temptations to overcome] are more perfect than the poor; for the Lord advised the rich young man to become poor if he wanted to be perfect. Hence, for virtue and merit to be complete, it is better to flee from this kind of difficulty [due to external circumstances] than to embrace it. Augustine, writing "On the Special State of the Clerics" utters this warning: "In the midst of temptations, faint is the hope of salvation; in the midst of armed enemies, uncertain the victory; in the midst of raging fires, remote the expectation of not being consumed."'??
CHAPTER II
Jerome strikes the same note when writing against Vigilantius, who attempted to place the secular state above the religious: " 'Why,' you may ask, 'do you go to the desert?' — 'Perhaps to avoid hearing you, or seeing you, or being disturbed by your anger, or having to suffer from your assaults. Perhaps so as not to be captivated by the eye of the prostitute, or enticed to some unlawful embrace by her entrancingly beautiful form.' — 'This is not fighting,' you may answer, 'but running away. Remain in the ranks, resist the enemies with your weapons so as to win the crown of victory.'—'I confess my weakness; I refuse to fight when victory is but a hope, lest some day I be defeated.
If I flee, I have avoided the sword; if I remain, I must either win or fall. Why should I give up certainty in exchange for such a risk? It is dangerous to sleep near a snake. Perhaps it will not bite me, but again, perhaps some day it will.' What we have said of lust we may apply also to covetousness and to all the vices avoided in the state of solitude. We shun city crowds lest we be brought to do some things that might be forced upon us, not so much by natural necessity as by the passion for pleasure.'"°
Such is Jerome's refutation of the error of Vigilantius and his followers: those who attempt to place the perfection of the secular state on a level higher than the religious, or on the same level. Against such men, Jerome had also written a little earlier: "When Vigilantius teaches that there is greater virtue in those who use their wealth by distributing their possessions to the poor little by little than in those who, after selling all they have, give all away at once, he receives his answer, not from me, but from the Lord:
Mi. 19:21
'If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give cf. ibid. 4:27 to the poor.' Christ is appealing here to anyone who
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
desires to be perfect and who, like the apostles, leaves his cf. Mk. 1:18,20 father, his boat, and his nets. The level [of perfection] you are praising is the second or third; we accept it, provided preference is granted to the first.'""**
18. Finally, upon comparing perfections from the viewpoint of pre-eminence, we clearly see that the manner and state of one are higher than those of another. Since, indeed, perfect continence consists in renouncing the marital act for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, and this by means of a vow, it is certainly better to possess this state through virginal purity, represented in the parable by a hundred, than through widowhood, which is designated by sixty.f It is assuredly not opposed to the nature of perfection that, of two things properly called perfect in this present life, one may be said to be higher than another.
The apostle teaches that in heaven, where the blessed reach Mt. 19:12 cf. Mt. 13:8, 23 their ultimate perfection, one has a higher place than the other, as star differs from star in glory.
1 Cor. 15:41
19. Perfections being compared may exist not only in the same order but in different orders; a certain perfection of supererogation pertains to the practice of virtue, another to the religious vow, and yet another to the function of prelacy. When a comparison is made between two perfections of the same order, that perfection is higher from the viewpoint of perfect virtue in which the root of love is stronger, the quality of the deed more elevated, and the fruit of fraternal edification more plentiful. While the origin of all such perfection is love, the nature of the deed adds much to it, as Gregory asserts: "In order to love the Creator, speech, thought, and life are needed. Love for + A clear case of fanciful exegesis.
CHAPTER III
Les, God is never idle, for if it exists at all, it gives rise to great things: in truth, if there is no deed, neither is there any love."*? The nature and height of the deed have much to do [with perfection] since it is clear that the reward of the crown of glory is due, not to the habit of the virtue in itself, but to a privileged accomplishment, such as preaching, martyrdom, or virginity.** Proper edification of the neighbor also has a great part to play, for the Lord says to the perfect: "You are the light of the world... . Even so,
Mt. 5:14, 16 let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works."
20. In the same way, the vow of religion is all the greater in merit as there is in it a promise of greater poverty, of a more universal obedience, and of a more becoming manner of chastity. These three, as is manifest, have their degrees.
They admit quantitative differences and establish a man in a relative state of perfection accordingly as they are promised in a more or less sublime way—higher when [the vow] is accompanied by the practice of regular observances by which the body is more severely chastised, the neighbor more fruitfully edified, and God more reverently honored.
CHASTISING OF THE BODY consists in austerity in matters of clothing, food, and words, together with arduous works, vigils, and other such bodily efforts; EDIFICATION OF THE NEIGHBOR consists in displaying examples of virtue, teaching the Scriptures, offering the remedies of the Sacraments, assisting in the government of souls, making judgments according to justice, and performing corporal works of mercy; and the WORSHIP OF GOD consists in a reverent and watchful attention to the psalms, hymns, spiritual canticles, adorations, Masses and other exercises of devotion. Now,
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
for one who carefully considers the question, to find all of these things more excellently fulfilled together in any one religious state than in any other may seem very difficult, perhaps even impossible.
For, while one religious state may be higher than another as regards essential vows, it cannot be considered absolutely the first in all matters, since every religious state has some specific prerogative by which the Church, our holy Mother and the Bride of Christ, is adorned and made to conform to God as in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety.
Ps. 44:10"
21. Thus, a perfection may be more excellent because of the function of prelacy, for here the loftiness of order is more eminently conferred, that is, for the purpose of cleansing, illuminating, and perfecting;** a heavier burden of labor is imposed through the necessity of proffering example, word, and temporal assistance to the flock for whom the prelate is responsible; and a more abundant fruitfulness of salvation is granted to the one who presides, to those who are under him, and to those to whom his leading example reaches out. There is need, therefore, in this type of perfection, of a more eminent sublimity, so that a prelate of the Church may lead a life proportionately holy, guard his flock more sedulously, and feed them more fruitfully because of his elevated office.
22. WHEN A COMPARISON IS MADE BETWEEN TWO
PERFECTIONS OF DIFFERENT ORDERS, distinct in their qualifications and achievements, two ways of understanding are possible: apposing them, or analyzing them in detail. If perfections are compared by means of a general apposition, undoubtedly that which is sought through the practice of virtue, the religious vows, and the office of prelacy is greater than another which is pursued by one of these
CHAPTER II
means alone. But if an independent analysis is made of the perfections of religious life, of prelacy, and of virtue, no comparison within the true essence of perfection is pos~ sible. For without the practice of perfect virtue, the religious vows are not perfection, but perversion, so remote from the summit of perfection as to be but a simulation of sanctity. Again, without the highest virtue and merit, the function of the prelate is not true elevation, but degradation; not a glorious exaltation, but a damaging fall, because the mighty shall be mightily put to test, ..
. for the powerWis. 6:6, & ful a rigorous scrutiny impends.
Since perfection of state deriving from either a vow or an office is of little worth without the perfection of merit; since perfection of merit cannot be obtained without love, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit; since no one knows whether one man is more highly favored than another — for even the favored one is unaware of any particular gift— no one should esteem himself more perfect than another. cf. Eccl. 9:1
Instead, according to the teaching of the Apostle, if a comparison is to be made between two persons as regards their perfection, every man, however perfect he may be, should deem the other superior to himself. Thus, in his book "On cf. Phil: 2:3 the Good of Matrimony," Augustine writes: "It is unfair to compare men to one another on the basis of any single good. For one man may perhaps lack a certain good that another possesses, and yet have a different good of greater worth."*? And a little later: "It is better to possess nothing but good things, even though they be of lesser value, than to be the owner of both a great good and a great evil.
In terms of bodily welfare, it is better to have the stature of Zacchaeus together with good health than that of Goliath with a fever." cf. Lk. 19:3 cf. 1 Kgs. 17:4f.
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
23. Speaking, then, of the state of prelacy and of that of religion, we may say that, to the best of our judgment, they cannot be compared as regards either their essential elements or what is fitting for each.
If we consider them in their essential elements, they are in the same relationship as that between a state of becom~ ing and a state of achievement, because renouncement of ownership is necessarily required for the perfection of the religious state, while prelates of the Church are hardly bound to it, as appears from the first question of the twelfth cause defined by the Council of Agde: "Bishops, if they wish to do so, may bequeath their possessions, or what they have acquired, or anything they own.'*' A prelate is held by the very function of his prelacy to care not only for his own salvation but also for the salvation of every member of his flock, for so are we to understand him to be instructed by these words of the Lord's prophet: "Keep
3 Kgs. 20:39* this man; and if he shall slip away, thy life shall be for his life." A religious vow as such never holds to this.
If, now, we consider these states as regards what is fitting for each, we must say unconditionally that the state of prelacy and its perfection are higher, as Dionysius says in his book "On the Hierarchy of the Church': "Tn the same manner as one saying 'hierarchy' eminently refers to the adornment of all holy honors, so also one saying 'hierarch' indicates a man who is godly and remains in God, in whom all hierarchy is achieved."** Jerome confirms the same to Fabiola: "Such must be. the science and erudition of the prelate of God that his steps and his movements and all his actions must be proclamations. He must con~ ceive the truth in his mind, and this same truth must appear fully in his way of life and in his array, so that
CHAPTER II
whatever he does and whatever he says may be a lesson to the people."??
24. We should not conclude that the state of the prelate must excel any other state in every possible way, otherwise no man could ever become a prelate unless he were a virgin. It is fitting, however, that a candidate to the prelacy excel in such things as are related to the function of leading the flock, as Jerome writes to Oceanus: "A man chosen to be a future shepherd of the Church should be such that the people under him may rightfully be called a flock.'"° And Gregory, in his "Pastoral Rule': 'The action of the leader should be as high above the action of the people as the life of the shepherd is above that of his flock.'* Therefore, it is not fitting that anyone have access to the state of prelacy unless he is perfect, as Gregory says in the same work: "Let a man who is great in virtue accept power if he is pressed to do so; but if a man is devoid of virtue, let him not accept it, even under pressure."
25. Yet the religious state is open to sinners and to the imperfect, so that they may become just and be led to perfection. Thus, even though the state of prelacy is higher in perfection, the state of religion is safer and more practical for the healing of our ailments because it protects against many of the dangers to which the state of prelacy exposes a man—mostly as regards the honors that come with it, as Augustine points out in commenting on the Psalms: "The more we are honored, the greater is our danger.""? Gregory, demonstrating an instance of such peril in reference to this passage of Job, [he] saith to the king,
Jb. 34:18"
"Thou art an apostate," has this to observe: "Every time a leader is elated by the fact that he rules over others, he is being damaged through the sin of pride for the supreme
DEFENSE OF THE MENDICANTS
role of leadership.""4 And the same Doctor, writing in the "Register": "I myself, following my own judgment, had decided with firmest resolve to be the scorn of men, despised by the people, so that I might ascend interiorly all the more as I should be exteriorly humbled and abased.""
And to this danger inherent in prelacy from the honor of Ps, 21:7 the state is added another that comes from its burdens and activities. Gregory writes of this also, in the second book of "Ethics": "Everyone who presides over the administra~ tion of earthly goods suffers by that fact from the darts of a hidden foe: for while his mind is striving to organize external matters, he is distracted from the consideration of himself.''"° Thus it seems that the state of prelacy is at the same time the highest and the most dangerous, and that the desire for it is both presumptuous and foolish. Hence
Augustine says, in the nineteenth book of "The City of God": "The higher office, without which the people cannot be ruled, is never rightfully desired, even with the intention of fulfilling it well.'*" And Gregory writes to the same effect in the eighteenth book of "Ethics": "Holy men never seek external activities, but secretly deplore those imposed upon them.
Yet, though desiring better things, they accept in a spirit of obedience those tasks from which they would flee if they could. In their reverence for the hidden plans of God, they bear with what they would abandon, and carry out what they would avoid.'
26. These conclusions are clear: Prelacy, because of the loftiness of its dignity and the number of its dangers, may be accepted only under compulsion, and with fear, by a man whose virtue has been proved. The sinful and the weak must abstain from it absolutely. None may desire it,
CHAPTER III
but all must respect it. As for the religious state, all may desire it—just and sinner, perfect and imperfect, learned and ignorant. None should despise it. And those divinely called must accept it steadfastly and keep it carefully.
These matters concerning perfection have been treated at length because they are the prime defense against the succession of errors into which the man we have begun to answer has allowed himself to fall. Plainly he has fallen either through ignorance, by failing to consider the prem~ ises, or through brashness, by disdaining to do so.
_ er '
=-§ oe oo — Se i 2% oped a itt poe > gi ¥
ty' ~ ae eae ont core at SS ct ade sales littraste eg Shiau it er bis: 'Yhealboate si : ae ee ape Fri 'holinaliog gt SIS "bly s8ttkage? sefpsib Rs 'Silt ttm oe EP tng vied ow treet fit 4 ii 2 ' satiat as d wil' eine! if of 'Woemil ae "tna; 'tty wohienmm 6) nicitig yd Satiz ys
ie) V4 ae
a OW of grifnd shel ano teat