Qualiter ergo de quolibet alio prælato possit intelligi, satis apparet; sed
qualiter intelligi debeat de Romano pontifice, non est adeo manifestum. Servus
enim, secundum Apostolum, suo domino stat aut cadit (Rom. xiv). Propter quod
idem Apostolus ait: Quis es, qui judicas alienum servum? (Ibid.) Unde cum
Romanus pontifex non habeat hominem nisi Deum, quantumlibet evanescat, quis
potest eum foras mittere, aut pedibus conculcare? cum illi dicatur: Collige
causam tuam in sinum tuum. Verum non frustra sibi blanditur de potestate, neque
de sublimitate vel honore temere gloriatur; quia quanto minus judicabitur ab
homine, tanto magis judicatur a Deo. Minus dico; quia potius est ab hominibus
judicari, vel potius judicatus offendi, si videlicet evanescat in hæresim;
quoniam qui non credit, jam judicatus est (Joan. iii). In hoc siquidem casu
debet intelligi de illo, quod si sal evanuerit, ad nihilum valet ultra, nisi ut
mittatur foras, et conculcetur ab hominibus. (Sermon IV: On the Consecration of
a Bishop, Migne, PL 217:665-72)
How this can be understood of any other prelate is
sufficiently clear; but how it ought to be understood of the Roman Pontiff is
not so obvious. For a servant, according to the Apostle, stands or falls to his
own master (Rom. 14). Hence the same Apostle says: "Who are you to judge
another's servant?" Therefore, since the Roman Pontiff has no superior but
God, however much he may lose his savor (quantumlibet evanescat), who
can cast him out or trample him under foot? For to him it is said, "Keep
your case within your own bosom." Nevertheless, he should not flatter
himself vainly because of his power, nor boast rashly of his exalted dignity or
honor; for the less he is judged by men, the more he is judged by God—indeed,
rather, I should say that it is better to be judged by men than by God. If,
however, he should lose his savor by falling into heresy, then in this case the
saying is to be understood of him: "If the salt loses its savor, it is
good for nothing any longer except to be cast out and trampled under foot by
men."
