old man, which serves him wherever, and _in whatever thing_ he who holds it in his hand pleases to use it.” It is perfectly true that there are exceptive clauses adroitly inserted, in which it is said, “When sin is not perceived;” and “where sin cannot be defined.” But these are wholly neutralized by the context; for how can the corpse or staff perceive the quality of an action? and how can the Jesuit judge of the course which he is pursuing, when it is expressly provided, in the very same sentence, that his obedience must be blind, “renouncing with a blind obedience every opinion and opposing judgment of our own?” Nay! more. If he does not obey, but attempts for one moment to hold back and plead his own conviction, it is in the power of the Superior to lay him in a moment under the heavy burden of mortal sin. The terrors of eternal wrath are placed in the hands of the Superior, and may be brought down with terrific weight to crush the least symptom of doubt or hesitation in the subordinate. There is a remarkable decree in the Constitutions which has been differently understood by different authors, and of which, in order to avoid the least possibility of contradiction, I give the translation as claimed by the advocates of the Society. “Although the Society desires that all its Constitutions, &c., should be undeviatingly observed, according to the Institute, it desires nevertheless, that all its members should be secured, or at least assisted against falling into the snare of any sin which may originate from the force of any such Constitutions or injunctions (‘Ne in laqueum ullius peccati, quod ex vi Constitutionum, &c., incidant’): therefore, it hath seemed good to us in the Lord, with the express exception of the vow of obedience to the Pope for the time being, and the other three fundamental vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, to declare that no Constitutions, declarations, or rule of life, can bind under pain of mortal or venial sin {32} (posse obligationem ad peccatum mortale vel veniale inducere). “_Unless the Superior may command them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ_, _or in virtue of the vow of obedience_; _and this he may do whenever_, _and to whomsoever_, _he may judge it conducive either to individual good_, _or to the universal well-being of the Society_. And in the place of the fear of offence, let the love and desire of all perfection succeed; that the greater glory and praise of Christ our Creator and Lord may follow.”