CHAPTER XVI.
THE PRIEST'S OBEDIENCE.
We have seen what is the priest's liberty. So long as he does not violate the obligations of his priesthood and the discipline of the Church, he has as much liberty as any other man. But if he use his liberty like other men, he will not be able to say to his flock, "Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ."[1] A priest who lives up to the limits of his liberty is a lax priest, and a lax priest is an unhappy man. He is fenced all round with restrictions, and they gall him because he does not love them. He has upon him the yoke of the priesthood, which frets him because it is not his joy. The happiest of men is a strict priest, to whom the yoke of the priesthood is sweet, and its restrictions far less than the limitations he has of his own free will imposed upon his liberty. Now what is it that makes a difference even among good men between priest and priest? They have equally the three characters of sons,
- ↑ 1 Cor. iv. 16.
