dgment, and do not wish them to
be controlled by your will. For if, in what regards the order of public
discipline, the ministers of religion, recognising that empire has been
conferred on you by a disposition from above, obey your laws, lest they
should appear to oppose a sentence issued merely in worldly matters, with
what affection ought you to obey those who are appointed for the
distribution of venerable mysteries? Moreover, as no slight responsibility
lies upon pontiffs, if in the worship of God they are silent as to what is
fitting, so for rulers it is no slight danger if, when bound to obey, they
show contempt. And if the hearts of the faithful should submit as a general
rule to all bishops when rightly treating divine things, how much more is
consent to be given to the prelate of that see whom the will of God Himself
has made pre-eminent over all bishops, and the piety of the whole Church
continuously following it out has acknowledged?[65] Herein you evidently
perceive that no one by mere human counsel can ever raise himself to the
privilege or confession of him whom the voice of Christ set over all, whom
the Church we venerate has always confessed and devotedly holds to be her
Primate. Human presumption may attack the appointments of divine judgment;
but no power can succeed in overthrowing them. Do not, I entreat, be angry
with me if I love you so well as to wish you to possess for ever the
kingdom which has been given to you in time, and that, having empire in the
world, you should reign with Christ. You do not allow anything to perish in
your own laws, nor loss to be inflicted on the Roman name. With what face
will you ask of Him rewards _there_ whose losses _here_ you do not prevent?
One is my dove, my perfect is one; one is the Christian, which is the
Catholic faith. There is no cause why one should allow any contagion to
creep in; for 'he who offends in one is guilty of all,' and 'he who
despises small things perishes by little and little'. This is that against
which the Apostolic See provides with the utmost care. For since the
Apostle's glorious confession is the root of the world, it must not be
touched by any rift of pravity, nor suffer the least spot. For if--may God
avert a thing which we are sure is impossible--any such thing were to
happen, how could we resist any error?--how could we correct those who err?
If you declare that the people of one city cannot be composed to peace,
what should we make o