For if some of these men, who, by an extraordinary vocation, have made profession of withdrawing from the world and adopting the monks' dress, in order to live in a more perfect state than ordinary Christians, have fallen into excesses which horrify ordinary Christians, and have become to us what the false prophets were among the Jews; this is a private and personal misfortune, which must indeed be deplored, but from which nothing can be inferred against the care which God takes of His Church; since all these things are so clearly foretold, and it has been so long since announced that these temptations would arise from people of this kind; so that when we are well instructed, we see in this rather evidence of the care of God than of His forgetfulness in regard to us.
Tertullian: _Nunquam Ecclesia reformabitur._
Heretics, who take advantage of the doctrine of the Jesuits, must be made to know that it is not that of the Church [_the doctrine of the Church_], and that our divisions do not separate us from the altar.
If in differing we condemned, you would be right. Uniformity without diversity is useless to others; diversity without uniformity is ruinous for us. The one is harmful outwardly; the other inwardly.
By showing the truth, we cause it to be believed; but by showing the injustice of ministers, we do not correct it. Our mind is assured by a proof of falsehood; our purse is not made secure by proof of injustice.
Those who love the Church lament to see the corruption of morals; but laws at least exist. But these corrupt the laws. The model is damaged.
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.
It is in vain that the Church has established these words, anathemas, heresies, etc. They are used against her.
The servant knoweth not what his lord doeth, for the master tells him only the act and not the intention.[368] And this is why he often obeys slavishly, and defeats the intention. But Jesus Christ has told us the object. And you defeat that object.
They cannot have perpetuity, and they seek universality; and therefore they make the whole Church corrupt, that they may be saints.
_Against those who misuse passages of Scripture, and who pride themselves in finding one which seems to favour their error._--The chapter for Vespers, Passion Sunday, the prayer for the king.