Conflict between Gregory VII and Henry IV 289 render account to God for as many as they had under their dominion, and if it be no slight task for any devout person in a private station to guard his single soul, how much labor devolves upon them who rule over many thousands of souls ? Moreover if the judgment of the hely Church severely punishes a sinner for the slaying of one man, what will become of them who, for the sake of worldly renown, send many thousands of souls to death ? Such men, though after a great slaughter they may say with their lips, "We have sinned," nevertheless inwardly rejoice that they have ex- tended their so-called fame. They would not undo what they have done, nor do they grieve that they have sent their brethren down to Tartarus. And so long as they do not repent with their whole heart, and refuse to let go what they have gained or kept through the shedding of human blood, their repentance fails in the sight of God to bring forth the true fruit of repentance. They should, therefore, be in constant apprehension and should frequently recall to mind that, as we have already said, from the beginning of the world very few of the mul- titude of kings in the various realms of the earth are known to have been holy, whereas in one see alone, the Roman, where bishops have succeeded one another in an unbroken line, almost a hundred, since the time of St. Peter the apostle, are reckoned among the most holy. Why is this, except that kings and princes of the earth, seduced by vain glory, prefer, as has been said, the things that are their own to the things that are spiritual, whereas the bishops of the Church, despising vain glory, prefer to carnal things the things that are of God? The former punish promptly offenders against themselves and are indifferent to sinners against God. The latter pardon readily those who sin against themselves, but do not spare those who are remiss toward God. The former, too much bent on earthly achieve' ments, think slightingly of spiritual ones ; the latter, sedu- lously meditating upon heavenly things, despise the things of earth.
