ss the world by their tyranny, and no one must ask of them why
they play the fool. Whomsoever they will they take for wife or
daughter, in spite of any one's complaining; for if any one finds
fault with it they are themselves judges, and there is no one who can
win their cause of them. Therefore whatever they can devise to bring
into their hands by oppression or fines, that also they execute. And
if any one should seize upon it, they then say, "it is the spiritual
possession of the churches; it is exempt, and no one must lay hands
on it." And as to those who preach God's word, they punish them to
the taking away their life, and declare God's sentence on those that
laugh at them; they will not hear the word, and they persecute the
very preachers of righteousness, and, remaining great and mighty
lords, would retain their title, so that they may be called
spiritual, like those that are God's children, yet rule with full
power in all obstinacy; but they must at last be subdued and
destroyed. But the others who preach God's word shall be kept and
sustained.

Thirdly: as the land where the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were was
a mine of fat, and all had enough of what the earth could bear,
thereby the people became indolent, glutted themselves with food and
drink, and to none of the poor did they reach out the hand. Such is
the case also with our Spiritual Estate, who possess generally the
best land, the best castles and cities, and the greatest rents and
tribute, while they have enough also to eat and drink. Besides, there
is not a more indolent class of people on earth, that lives without
anything of care or labor, and is fed by the sweat of the poor. But
what indolence brings along we may see before our eyes. The Pope
forbids them to take a married wife, so that if they then keep their
concubines and have children they must give gold to the bishop for
every child, whereby they will smooth the thing over and cancel the
sin. I will not here speak of other secret sins which one dare not
lightly stir up.

Finally, you here see that St. Peter accounts of the Spiritual Estate
no otherwise than as of Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are all such
people as no one can be benefited by who lend none a helping hand,
but seize to themselves all they can, under the pretence, which they
put forth, that what is given to them is given to God, and they let
no one be helped though he suffer want. Wherefore just as those were
overthrown and tu