others, is warned not only to watch but even
to rouse his friend." Now he cannot do this if he withdraw his bodily
presence from his flock. Therefore it would seem that a bishop should
not on account of persecution withdraw his bodily presence from his
flock.

Obj. 3: Further, it belongs to the perfection of the bishop's state
that he devote himself to the care of his neighbor. Now it is
unlawful for one who has professed the state of perfection to forsake
altogether the things that pertain to perfection. Therefore it would
seem unlawful for a bishop to withdraw his bodily presence from the
execution of his office, except perhaps for the purpose of devoting
himself to works of perfection in a monastery.

_On the contrary,_ our Lord commanded the apostles, whose successors
bishops are (Matt. 10:23): "When they shall persecute you in this
city, flee into another."

_I answer that,_ In any obligation the chief thing to be considered
is the end of the obligation. Now bishops bind themselves to fulfil
the pastoral office for the sake of the salvation of their subjects.
Consequently when the salvation of his subjects demands the personal
presence of the pastor, the pastor should not withdraw his personal
presence from his flock, neither for the sake of some temporal
advantage, nor even on account of some impending danger to his
person, since the good shepherd is bound to lay down his life for his
sheep.

On the other hand, if the salvation of his subjects can be
sufficiently provided for by another person in the absence of the
pastor, it is lawful for the pastor to withdraw his bodily presence
from his flock, either for the sake of some advantage to the Church,
or on account of some danger to his person. Hence Augustine says (Ep.
ccxxviii ad Honorat.): "Christ's servants may flee from one city to
another, when one of them is specially sought out by persecutors: in
order that the Church be not abandoned by others who are not so
sought for. When, however, the same danger threatens all, those who
stand in need of others must not be abandoned by those whom they
need." For "if it is dangerous for the helmsman to leave the ship
when the sea is calm, how much more so when it is stormy," as Pope
Nicholas I says (cf. VII, qu. i, can. Sciscitaris).

Reply Obj. 1: To flee as a hireling is to prefer temporal advantage
or one's bodily welfare to the spiritual welfare of one's neighbor.
Hence Gregory says (Hom. xiv in Ev.): "A man