every one in love, bears the holy cross,
which is the true badge, ornament, jewel and honor of the Christian
Church;--but these have, in place of the cross, lust and luxury;
instead of love to their neighbor, they seek their own interest,
snatch all to themselves, and let nothing go from themselves to
another for his advantage. Thus they know of faith just nothing at
all. For they are nothing but the spots and stains which Christianity
must have as its shame and derision. That is chiding enough,
certainly, for our spiritual lords.

_They lead an effeminate life through your charity, feast richly on
your goods._ What was given at first out of christian love, to
procure a common fund for widows and worthy persons, and also for the
poor, so that no one among the Christians need suffer want or
beg,--property of this kind is now all devoted to monasteries and
cloisters, from which our ecclesiastics fill their bellies, living
upon it most luxuriously, and revelling in it; and to this end they
say it belongs to them, and no one shall restrain them for it. The
Holy Spirit will not permit that the servants of the church should
lead an effeminate life from other people's labor; but to the
laboring class, and to man, woman and child generally, was it
properly devoted of old.

V. 14. _They have eyes full of adultery._ Such must always follow
when the body is crammed with food and drink, and loiters indolent,
as was said above. Wherefore does St. Peter say,--not, they are
adulterers,--but, _they have eyes full of adultery_? It is as much as
though he should say, They think ever on nothing but fornication, and
can never restrain their roguery, nor be satisfied and quiet. This is
the cause of their continual gluttony and revel, so far as they can
push it, and thus they are suffered to live at large and unpunished,
just as they like,--as follows:

_Their sin is not to be interfered with._ The Pope has forbidden any
prince or secular magistrate to punish ecclesiastics, and where they
maintain their own authority he puts them under bann. But this matter
is committed to the bishops; yet, since they are knaves themselves,
they look through their fingers. Thus they have excepted themselves
from subjection to civil government and the sword, so that no one
shall dare to restrain them in their caprice, and they all live
according to their own lusts, like those of old before the deluge.

_They allure to themselves light-minded soul