lder people give a good example and
Christendom be filled and adorned with fine young people. So St. Paul
teaches his disciple Titus, that he should rightly instruct and govern
all classes, young and old, men and women. But now he goes to school
who wishes; he is taught who governs and teaches himself; nay, it has,
alas! come to such a pass that the places where good should be taught
have become schools of knavery, and no one at all takes thought for the
wild youth.

VIII. If the above order prevailed, one could say how honor and
obedience should be given to the spiritual authority. But now the case
is like that of the natural parents who let their children do as they
please; at present the spiritual authority threatens, dispenses, takes
money, and pardons more than it has power to pardon. I will here
refrain from saying more; we see more of it than is good; greed holds
the reins, and just what should be forbidden is taught; and it is
clearly seen that the spiritual estate is in all things more worldly
than the worldly estate itself. Meanwhile Christendom must be ruined,
and this Commandment perish.

If there were a bishop who would zealously provide for all these
classes, supervise, make visitations and be faithful as he ought,
truly, one city would be too much for him. For in the time of the
Apostles, when Christendom was at its best estate, each city had a
bishop, although the smallest part of the inhabitants were Christians.
How may things go when one bishop wants to have so much, another so
much, this one the whole world, that one the fourth of it.

It is time that we pray God for mercy. Of spiritual power we have much;
but of spiritual government nothing or little. Meanwhile may he help
who can, that endowments, monastic houses, parishes and schools be well
established and managed; and it would also be one of the works of the
spiritual authority that it lessen the number of endowments, monastic
houses and schools, where they cannot be cared for. It is much better
that there be no monastic house or endowment than that there be evil
government in them, whereby God is the more provoked to anger.

IX. Since, then, the authorities so entirely neglect their work, and
are perverted, it must assuredly follow that they misuse their power,
and undertake other and evil works, just as parents do when they give
some command contrary to God. Here we must be wise; for the Apostle has
said, that those times shall be perilous