CHAPTER XXI

OTHER ARGUMENTS USED TO OVERTHROW THE CONCLUSION AT WHICH WE HAVE ARRIVED

AFTER I had finished writing that upon which I have just been engaged, certain objections to my arguments came to my ears made by men who are too fond of disputing, to bestow much reflection either upon what they say or what they hear. In order to confute their arguments, I must return to what has already been said.

             First, these objectors endeavour to prove, by divers arguments, that archdeacons and parish priests are in a higher and more perfect state than are religious. For, if a priest fall into sin, he is ordered by the Canons to be deposed from his state (cf. LXXXI. distinctione: "Si quis amodo episcopus" et XIV. quaest. IV.: "Si quis oblitus"). Hence he must have been in a certain state, or he could not be deposed from it. Now a state can be used in a threefold signification. First, it implies uprightness of life; the elect are spoken of as "standing in justice." St. Gregory says (VII. Moral), "They who sin by mischievous words, fall from the state of rectitude." Again, a state conveys an idea of permanence and stability, as we see from the words of St. Gregory (VIII. Moral), "It is the care and protection of our Creator that keeps us in a state of being." Again, in the ninth Homily (2 part) on Ezechiel, "A stone is square; and, by means of each of its four sides, it is kept in such a state, that it will not fall, howsoever its position may be altered." State (derived from stare and stando) also signifies greatness or length. Now archdeacons and parish priests have a certain spiritual greatness, since, on account of their zeal, they undertake the cure of souls. They, likewise, give proofs of stability, for they remain firm and constant in the midst of dangers. They are further upright in intention, and just in their dealings. Why, then, should we deny that they are in a state of perfection?

             Moreover, the institution of the religious life could not be detrimental to archdeacons and priests entrusted with the care of souls. Yet, before the existence of religious orders, the clergy were considered to be living in a state of perfection. Thus, St. Paul writes to Timothy (1 Ep. v. 17), "Let the priests who rule well," to wit by good life and doctrine, "be esteemed worthy of a double honour"; let them, that is to say, be obeyed in spiritual matters, and be provided for in their temporal wants. If, then, before the existence of religious orders, priests were in a state of perfection, the same must also be the case since the religious life has been established.

             It is further said, that in the days of St. Jerome, the titles bishops and priests were synonymous. The following words of this Saint (super Epist. ad Titum) are quoted in proof of this assertion: "Formerly bishop and priest were one and the same, but now, it is decreed throughout the whole world, that one man should be set over priests, in order that the seeds of schism may be extirpated." If, then, the episcopate be a state of greater perfection than the religious life, why is not the priesthood, likewise, a state of greater perfection?

             Again, the more sublime and important the ecclesiastical office to which a man is appointed, the higher his state is accounted. Now, archdeacons and parish priests exercise a more exalted office than do religious. For, although the contemplative life be the safer, the active life is by far the more fruitful of the two (cf. Extra de renuntiatione: Nisi cum pridem). It follows, therefore, that parish priests are in a state of greater perfection than is the case with religious.

             Further, Our Lord says, "Greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friend" (John xv. 13). Now, good parish priests do sacrifice their lives for their flocks, and make themselves the servants of their people. In this they imitate St. Paul, who says (1 Cor. ix. 19), "For, whereas I was free as to all, I made myself the servant of all." It would seem, then, that theirs must be the greater merit, since theirs is the severer toil. "I have laboured more abundantly than all they," says St. Paul (1 Cor. xv. 15). And again he writes, "Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour" (1 Cor. iii. 8). Hence, parish priests should be regarded as in a more perfect state than religious. The same must be said of archdeacons; for the seven deacons elected by the Apostles were in a state of eminent perfection. We are told (Acts vi. 3), "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good repute, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." On which words Venerable Bede says in his Gloss, "The Apostles designed that the Churches should establish seven deacons, who should be in a superior position to others, and who should stand round the altar, like columns." If they were to be superior to others, and if they were to be set apart as columns round the altar, they must have been in a state of perfection. Now, according to the Gloss of Ven. Bede, their representatives are the archdeacons, who themselves minister, and who also superintend the ministry of others. Hence, it would appear that archdeacons are in a state of higher perfection than are the parish priests, over whom they are set; and that they are, consequently, in a more perfect state than are religious.

             It would be absurd to say that the holy martyrs and deacons Lawrence and Vincent were not in a state of perfection. Parish priests, then, and archdeacons resemble bishops, rather than monks and religious, who are in the lowest rank of subjection. Hence, priests are sometimes called by the name of bishops as appears from Acts xx., "Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God." These words are considered by the Gloss to have been addressed to the priests of Ephesus. This is, consequently, a still further proof that parish priests are in a state of perfection.

             Again, as we know from XII. quaest. I., cap. Expedit, that the administration of the goods of the Church is not detrimental to the state of perfection, since these goods are common property; it is clear that neither parish priests nor archdeacons fail in perfection, because they have the management of ecclesiastical revenues. Furthermore, both parish priests and archdeacons are bound to exercise hospitality (cf. XLII. distinct. cap. I.), which a monk cannot do, as he possesses nothing of his own. Therefore, a parish priest gains more merit than does a monk. St. Gregory says that, "there is no sacrifice so agreeable to God as zeal for souls." St. Bernard, likewise, in his book De amore Dei, says that, "the love of God is strongest in him who draws most souls to God." This saying applies to an archdeacon, or parish priest, but not to a monk, who has no duty of leading souls to God.

             Further, a patriarch rules in his patriarchate, and a bishop in his see. In the same manner, an archdeacon governs in his archidiaconate; and a parish priest in his parish. But what (with the exception of ordinations) does a bishop do that a parish priest does not likewise do? (cf. dist. XCIII. cap. Legimus). All that is said, according to the fourteen Apostolic rules, about bishops or bishops elect, is equally applicable to parish priests and archdeacons (LXXXI. dist. cap. I.). If, then, a bishop be in a state of greater perfection than a monk, the same fact must be true of a parish priest, and also of an archdeacon. Again, it is appointed (LXXXI. dist. cap. Dictum est, et cap. Si quis clericus), that a lapsed priest or deacon is to be banished from his office, and imprisoned in a monastery, to do penance. Hence, it would appear as though the condition of an archdeacon or parish priest is truly to be called a state; whereas entrance into religion is not a state but rather a degradation or downfall.

             These are the chief objections, though placed in a somewhat different order, which I have been able to gather from the writings of those who argue against me.

             As we have already shown that archdeacons and parish priests are not in a state of perfection, we must now examine what answer has been made to the proofs which we have brought forward in support of our proposition. It has been said that entrance into any state of perfection, is accompanied by some solemn rite or blessing; and that this is not the case with the election of a parish priest or archdeacon. Now this is, by our adversaries, denied on several grounds. First, they say that the same words are used in the ordination of a priest as in the consecration of a bishop, to wit, "May these hands, O Lord, be consecrated and sanctified," etc. When we point out that the head of a bishop is anointed with oil, but that priests do not receive this unction, they reply that this fact does not touch the matter in hand; for kings, who lay no claim to a state of perfection, are anointed. Again, they say that merit lies not in consecration, but in good works; and that, when a bad man is raised to the episcopate, he, by his consecration, incurs a greater chastisement. For it is not they who receive the greatest honour who are the most righteous, but they are the greatest whose justice is greatest (cf. dist. cap. Multi). And in the same distinction it is remarked, that, "it is not places nor offices which give us access to our Creator, but that virtue unites us to Him; whereas sin separates us from Him. Neither are they to be considered the children of the Saints who occupy the places of the Saints, but they, rather, who do the work of the Saints." Bishops, then, because their consecration is greater, are not, therefore, in a more perfect state than priests who have cure of souls.

             Again, it is urged, that the anointing of the head is a sign of a certain rank in the priesthood. For the episcopate is not a new order but a grade of Orders; otherwise there would be more orders than seven. Now the perfection of charity is a question not of rank, but of holiness. Hence bishops, who, by the unction of the head are raised to a superior grade of the priesthood, are not thereby placed in a more perfect state. Again, a bishop appoints an archdeacon, a parish priest or a curate by giving him a ring or a book, as is laid down in "de sententia et re judicata," just as when the pope sends anyone to be attached to any church as a canon or brother, he desires him to be appointed with complete honours, as we learn in De concessione ecclesiae, cap. Proposuit. Thus, the state of parish priests or archdeacons appears to be a true state from which a man can be ejected.