Such art is used to persuade the people, that they need see nothing they are to do, further than their Leaders would have them; if they doubt, or if they believe; if their eyes be opening, or if they be opened; they must shut them close, and obey men blindly, without discerning what God forbids or requires. And it is not for nothing that they deprive them of their eyes, for thus they can make them grind. Such Ignorance is the way to have them in more subjection, and that they account the most perfect obedience, which is next to brutish, without knowledge, and without judgment; that they need not have, and this they must not use: a judgment of discretion must by no means be left the people, that is a point they would maintain against us: but as to their own followers, they put it out of question before-hand; for by keeping them without knowledge, they leave them no judgement, ⟨p. 76⟩but such as one may pass on colours in the dark. Ribera expresseth their sense significantly. (t)All who are to obey, especially Religious persons, ought to have no head of their own, (i. e.) they are to obey as if they were without eyes or brains. So he explains this worthy expression, non suo sed rectoris sui consilio duci. Let me but add the pregnant words of Cardinal Cusanus, which comprise all that I charge them with in this particular, (u)No man (saith he) can be deceived by an ill Pastor; if thou say, Lord, I have obeyed thee in him, whom thou hast set over me, this will be sufficient for thy Salvation; for thou by obedience paid to a Teacher whom the Church tolerates, cannot be deceived, although he command what is unlawful: wherefore the opinion of the Pastor binds thee upon thy Salvation for the good of obedience, although it be unjust; for it belongs not to thee to take notice whether it be unlawful or not, neither hast thou leave not to obey, if it seem unlawful to thee; for that obedience which is irrational is the most complete, and most perfect obedience, to wit, when one obeys, without the use of Reason, as a beast obeys his owner. A speech fit only for the mouth of the Beast and the false Prophet.
Such art is used to perswade the people, that they need see nothing they are to do, further than their Leaders would have them; if they doubt, or if they believe; if their eyes be opening, or if they be opened; they must shut them close, and obey men blindly, without discerning what God forbids or requires. And it is not for nothing that they deprive them of their eyes, for thus they can make them grinde. Such Ignorance is the way to have them in more subjection, and that they account the most perfect obedience, which is next to bruitish, without knowledge, and without judgment; that they need not have, and this they must not use: a judgment of discretion must by no means be left the people, that is a point they would maintain against us: but as to their own followers, they put it out of question before-hand; for by keeping them without knowledge, they leave them no judgement, ⟨p. 76⟩but such as one may pass on colours in the dark. Ribera expresseth their sense significantly. (t)All who are to obey, especially Religious persons, ought to have no head of their own, (i. e.) they are to obey as if they were without eyes or brains. So he explains this worthy expression, non suo sed rectoris sui consilio duci. Let me but add the pregnant words of Cardinal Cusanus, which comprise all that I charge them with in this particular, (u)No man (saith he) can be deceived by an ill Pastor; if thou say, Lord, I have obeyed thee in him, whom thou hast set over me, this will be sufficient for thy Salvation; for thou by obedience paid to a Teacher whom the Church tolerates, cannot be deceived, although he command what is unlawful: wherefore the opinion of the Pastor binds thee upon thy Salvation for the good of obedience, although it be unjust; for it belongs not to thee to take notice whether it be unlawful or not, neither hast thou leave not to obey, if it seem unlawful to thee; for that obedience which is irrational is the most compleat, and most perfect obedience, to wit, when one obeys, without the use of Reason, as a beast obeys his owner. A speech fit only for the mouth of the Beast and the false Prophet.
- (t)Omnes qui parent & praesertim religiosi homines debent esse sine capite, Comment in Amos, p. •69.
- (u)Nemo decipi potest etiam per malum praesidentem: si dixeris, Domine, obedivi tibi in praeposito, hos tibi sufficiet ad salutem: tu enim per obedientiam quam facis praeposito quem Ecclesia tolerat, decipi nequis, etiamsi praeceperit injusta: quare sententia pastoris ligat te pro tua salute propter bonum obedientiae, etiamsi injusta fuerit: nam ad te non attinet cognoscere quod sententia sit injusta, nec conceditur tibi ut non obedias, si tibi injusta videatur: obedientia irrationalis est consummata obedientia & perfectissima, scilicet quando obeditur, sicut jumentum obedit Domino suo. Epist. 2. ad Bohemos & Excitat. l. 2. & 6.
