Part 539

lt themselves in their hearts over all others, thinking themselves better than everybody else. This you can abundantly see in the people and the ministers; how they, beyond measure; shamelessly say and boast of themselves, that the spiritual station is better than the temporal, although Christians are in the latter; but the fact is that the Christian relation alone is good, which will either not suffer such a distinction or it will perish. Yes, this spiritual pride is the foundation upon which their entire kingdom stands; for if it were not respectable and better, all its affairs and government must be destroyed. * 149 * These two great, low and horrible vices are so artful and so entirely spiritual that they do not see a glimpse of them; yes, they hold them as the very truth and as established righteousness. They go right on also in their satanical would-be holy life, allowing themselves, in their frightful vices, to be called and honored as holy, spiritual and blessed people. * 150 * Thirdly, they are arrogant. This follows from the former, namely their haughtiness. For haughtiness is not satisfied with honoring one’s self, but it breaks forth and soars so high, esteems itself so highly, hovers entirely in the regions above, sits on the very highest seat and acts outwardly according to its internal sentiment. The difference between haughtiness and arrogance is that haughtiness possesses the heart, while arrogance consists in the external lofty bearing and demeanor. Who cannot see this in the pope and the entire spiritual order? Do they not veritably carry themselves above emperors, kings and princes, and everything both great and small on earth? They have set themselves over man’s possessions, and with free and malicious strength govern both body and soul, as though they had the best right and cause. And if they are told that Christ forbids such arrogance, when he says to his disciples, Luke 22:26, “But he that is the greater among you let him become as the youn