Distinction LXXXVI

GRATIAN. Part I. A bishop ought to be a teacher, lest the faults of his inferiors be poured back upon him who has received the office of teaching, which he does not know how to execute or neglects to execute. Hence Bishop Leo writes to the Bishop of Aquileia, [epistle III and LXXXIV, or LXVI]:

The faults of the inferior orders are to be referred to no persons more than to idle and negligent rulers, who often nurture much pestilence while they dissemble from applying a more severe medicine.

Likewise Bishop Leo to Rusticus, Bishop of Narbonne, [epistle XC, or XCII, at the beginning]. Let sins, not men, be held in hatred; let the swollen with pride be corrected, and the weak tolerated; and what it is necessary to chastise more severely is not to be punished with the mind of one raging, but of one healing.

Likewise John VIII. Without doubt, he who neglects to amend what he can correct has the guilt of the doer. For it is written: “Not only those who do them, but also those who consent,” are judged to be participants. § 1. And he offers prosperous things to the Lord who drives adverse things from the afflicted. And to neglect to cast down the perverse when one can is nothing other than to foster them. Nor is he free from the scruple of hidden consent who ceases to oppose a manifest crime. And he proves that he hates vices who condemns those who err. Nor does he leave himself a place for straying who has not spared one who transgresses. And the first grade of innocence is to hate wicked things. And he opens wide an entrance to delinquents who joins consent with depravity. And it profits no one not to be punished for his own sin when he is to be punished for another’s sin. Part II. GRATIAN. But if anyone exceeds the measure in correcting, let him ask pardon not from his subjects but from the Lord. Hence Augustine, On the Life of Clerics:

When the necessity of discipline compels you to speak harsh words for restraining conduct, even if you yourselves perceive that you have exceeded the measure, it is not required of you that you ask pardon for yourselves from your subjects, lest, while humility is observed too greatly among those who ought to be subject, the authority of governing be broken. And yet pardon is to be sought from the Lord of all, who knows with what benevolence you love those whom perhaps you correct beyond what is just. Part III. GRATIAN. In the teaching of sacred Scripture, however, he ought to set authority before all else, not to make a display of skill in secular letters. For it is not the office of a bishop to expound grammar, lest the praises of Jupiter resound in the mouth of a pontiff.

Hence Gregory writes to Bishop Desiderius, [book IX, epistle 48]:

When many things had been reported to us concerning your studies, such gladness arose in our heart that we were quite unable to deny those things which your fraternity requests to be granted to it. But after these things it came to us—which we cannot recall without shame—that your fraternity expounds grammar to certain persons. We received this matter so grievously and rejected it so vehemently that we turned those things which had been said before into groaning and sorrow, because the praises of Christ do not fit in one mouth together with the praises of Jupiter. And consider how grave and wicked it is for bishops to sing what is not fitting even for a religious man. Part IV. GRATIAN. A priest also ought to be generous to those suffering need; otherwise he will bear the empty name of bishop. Hence Gregory writes, [book V, epistle 29], to Secundus, servant of God, among other things:

Stir our brother Bishop Marianus with whatever words you can, because I suspect that he has fallen asleep. Tell him, therefore, that with his place he is to change his mind. Let him not believe that reading and prayer alone suffice for him, so that in seclusion he strives to make nothing fruitful from his hand; rather, let him have an open hand, come to the aid of those suffering need, and reckon another’s poverty as his own, because, if he does not have this, he holds the empty name of bishop. Part V. GRATIAN. But in generosity itself a measure of things and persons is to be applied: of things, so that not all things are bestowed upon one person, but certain things upon each, so that we may be able to profit more persons, according to that saying of the Prophet: “He dispersed, he gave to the poor”; of persons, so that first to the just, and then to sinners—to whom, nevertheless, we are prohibited from giving, not because they are men, but because they are sinners. Hence Augustine, On John, Part II:

To give one’s property to actors is a monstrous vice, not a virtue. And you know how frequent among such persons is fame accompanied by praise, because “the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul, and he who does unjust things is blessed.”

The same, on Psalm CII, [at the verse, “Who works mercies”]. Why do those who give to hunters give? Let them tell me: why do they give to a hunter? They love this in him, wherein he is most wicked; they feed this in him and clothe this in him—wickedness itself, made public by spectacles before all. Why do those who give to actors and those who give to prostitutes give? Do they not also give to human beings? Yet there they regard not the nature that is God’s work, but the wickedness that is man’s work.

Likewise. One who gives to a hunter gives not to a man but to a most wicked art. For if he were only a man and were not a hunter, you would not give to him: in him you honor vice, not nature.

The same, on Psalm CXLVII. Men see hunters and are delighted: woe to the wretched, if they do not correct themselves. For those who see a hunter and are delighted will see the Savior and be grieved.

Likewise Jerome, on Psalm XC, [at the verse, “I will hope in the Lord”]. Esau was a hunter because he was a sinner. And we do not find at all in the holy Scriptures any holy hunter; we find holy fishermen.

Likewise Ambrose, in a homily, [XXXIII, On Lent]. What does it profit to fast in one’s entrails and to luxuriate in hunts? To abstain from foods, but to wander in sins?

Likewise. Do you think, brothers, that he fasts who at first dawn does not keep vigil at the church, does not seek out the holy places of the blessed martyrs, but rises, gathers his servants, arranges nets, brings forth dogs, and traverses glades and forests? He drags his servants with him, I say, who perhaps are hastening rather to church, and by his pleasures he heaps up the sins of others, not knowing that he will be guilty both for his own transgression and for the destruction of his servants.

Likewise Ambrose, in the book On Duties. It is not enough to will well, but also to do well. Nor, again, is it enough to do well unless it proceeds from a good source, that is, from a good will. Likewise: § 1. Perfect generosity is commended by faith, cause, place, and time, so that first you act toward the household of faith. It is a great fault if, with your knowledge, a believer is in need; if you know him to be without means, to endure hunger, to suffer distress—especially one who is ashamed to be in need—if he has fallen into a case involving either the captivity of his own people or calumny, and you do not help; if he is in prison and is tortured by pains and punishments and, being just, on account of some debt—for although mercy is owed to all, more is owed to the just; if in the time of his affliction he obtains nothing from you; if, in the time of danger when he is being dragged to death, your money has more value with you than the life of one about to die: it is no light sin.

Likewise. The Lord does not will resources to be poured out all at once, but to be dispensed—unless perhaps as Elisha, who killed his oxen and fed the poor from what he had, so that he might be held by no domestic care, but, all things having been left behind, might give himself to prophetic instruction.

Likewise. That generosity is also to be approved whereby you do not despise those near to you by kinship, if you know them to be in need. For it is better that you yourself come to the aid of your own, who are ashamed to request expense from others or to ask anyone for relief of their need. Yet they ought not to wish to become richer from that which you are able to confer upon the needy; for nature furnishes a cause, not favor. For you did not dedicate yourself to God for this purpose, that you make your own people rich, but that you acquire eternal life for yourself by the fruit of good work and redeem your sins by the price of compassion. Do they think that they ask little? They seek your price; they strive to take away the fruit of your life, and they accuse you because you have not made them rich, when they wish to defraud you of the reward of eternal life.

Likewise. Age and weakness must also be considered in giving, and sometimes modesty as well, which reveals freeborn birth, so that you give more to the aged, who can no longer seek a livelihood for themselves. Weakness of body is likewise to be assisted more readily; so too if anyone has fallen from riches into want, especially without fault of his own, but has lost what he had either through robberies, proscription, or calumnies.

Likewise. It is also beautiful generosity to keep measure even in the gift to a poor person, so that you may abound for more persons, and not flow beyond measure for the sake of procuring favor. For whatever is brought forth from a pure and sincere affection is becoming: not to undertake superfluous buildings, nor to omit necessary ones. And this is especially fitting for priests: to adorn the temple of God with fitting honor, so that the hall of the Lord may shine also in its worship; to make expenditures of mercy frequent; to bestow upon strangers as much as is fitting—not superfluous things but suitable ones. Likewise: § 1. Let us therefore suffer together with the calamities of others; let us assist the necessities of others as much as we can, and sometimes more than we can. For it is better to furnish grounds for mercy and suffer ill will than to put forward inclemency. We ourselves once incurred ill will because we broke the mystic vessels in order to redeem captives.

Likewise, on Luke. To each class of men Saint John the Baptist also gave a fitting response, one to all in this manner: to publicans, that they exact nothing beyond what was prescribed; to soldiers, that they commit no calumny and seek no plunder—teaching that stipends were established for military service for this reason, lest, while expenses are sought, the robber range abroad. But these and the other precepts of duties are proper to individuals; the practice of mercy is common. Therefore the precept is common to all duties, necessary to all ages, and to be rendered by all. Neither publican nor soldier is excepted, neither countryman nor townsman, rich nor poor; all in common are admonished to confer upon one who does not have. For mercy is the fullness of virtues, and therefore the form of perfect virtue has been set forth for all, that they not spare their garments and food. Nevertheless, in mercy itself a measure is to be observed according to the possibility of the human condition, so that each person does not take everything away from himself but shares what he has with the poor person.

The same. Moreover, it is God’s tradition that you feed your parents first. For if, according to the divine oracle, an insult to a parent is expiated by death, how much more hunger, which is much graver? In this place the Lord checks insolent boasting.

The same, in the book On Duties. Feed one dying of hunger. For whoever is able to preserve a man by feeding him, if you have not fed him, you have killed him.

Likewise Jerome. One who does not have clemency and is not clothed with the inward parts of mercy and tears, although he be spiritual, has not fulfilled the law of Christ. Part VI. GRATIAN. Likewise, a bishop also ought not to be a striker, that is, one quick to vengeance. Hence Gregory writes to John, Bishop of the Corinthians, [book XI, epistle 49]:

But if anything concerning any cleric comes to your ears that could justly offend you, do not readily believe it, nor let an unknown matter inflame you to vengeance; rather, in the presence of the elders of your church, the truth is to be diligently investigated, and then, if the character of the matter demands it, let canonical strictness strike the fault of the delinquent.

The same to Bishop Januarius, [book VII, indiction 2, epistle 1]. Such wickedness concerning your old age has come to my ears that, unless we took account of it humanely, we would strike it with a curse now fixed. For it was told to me that on the Lord’s day, before celebrating the solemnities of the masses, you went to plough up the harvest of the bearer of the present letter, and after ploughing it up you celebrated the solemnities of the masses; and after the solemnities of the masses you also did not in the least fear to uproot the boundary markers of his possession. All who hear know what penalty ought to follow this deed. We had doubts concerning so great a perversity, but our son Abbot Cyriacus, when questioned by us, declared that he had learned it to be so. And because we still spare your gray hairs, we exhort you: come to your senses at last, wretched old man, and restrain yourself from such levity of conduct and perversity of works. And the nearer you are brought to death, the more solicitous and fearful you ought to be. Indeed, a sentence of penalty ought to have been hurled at you; but because we know your simplicity together with your old age, for the present we are silent. Those, however, by whose counsel you did this, we have decreed to be excommunicated for two months, in such a way that, if any human contingency befalls them within the space of two months, they are to be deprived of the blessing of the viaticum. Henceforth, however, be cautious of their counsels. Part VII. GRATIAN. Or he is prohibited from being a striker, so that he not, namely, strike anyone with his own hands.

Hence it reads in the Council of Agde:

A bishop is not permitted to strike anyone with his own hands. For this ought to be foreign to a priest. Part VIII. GRATIAN. A bishop is also prohibited from being desirous of shameful gain, lest by any dishonorable business he seek a livelihood or other necessities for himself. This ought to be understood generally concerning all persons bound to divine worship, that is, clerics and monks. Hence it reads in the Council of Chalcedon, [c. 3]:

It has come to the holy synod that, among those numbered among the clergy, certain persons, for the sake of shameful gain, undertake leases of the possessions of others and the causes of secular persons, and through idleness separate themselves from sacred offices, but run to the houses of secular persons and undertake the administration of their property for the sake of avarice. Therefore the holy and great synod has decreed that henceforth none of these—that is, bishop, cleric, or monk—may lease possessions or become involved in secular administrations, except perhaps those who by the laws are drawn into inexcusable guardianships or curatorships of minors, or one to whom the bishop of the city itself has committed the government of ecclesiastical property, and of orphans and widows who are without defense, or of those persons who especially need ecclesiastical aid, for the fear of God. But if anyone transgresses these precepts, let him be subject to ecclesiastical correction.