You see, therefore, that mockery is sometimes designed to turn men from their follies, and is then an act of righteousness.  Thus Jeremiah says that the deeds of the foolish are worthy of laughter because of their vanity.  And, again, St. Augustine says that the wise laugh at the foolish because they are wise, but in virtue not of their own wisdom, but of the divine wisdom which will mock at the death of the wicked.

What?  Must we call in Scripture and tradition to prove that cutting down one’s enemy from behind, and in an ambush is a treacherous murder?  Or that giving a present of money to secure an ecclesiastical benefice is to purchase it?  Of course, there are teachings which deserve our contempt, and can only be dealt with by mockery.  Are you, fathers, to be permitted to teach that it is lawful to slay in order to avoid a blow and an affront, yet are we to be forbidden to refute publicly so grave an error?  Are you to be at liberty to say that a judge may conscientiously retain a bribe given him to purchase injustice, yet may we never contradict you?  Are you formally to pronounce that a man may be saved without ever having loved God, and yet close the mouths of those who would defend the truth of the faith, on the ground that their defence must wound fraternal charity by attacking you, and must grieve Christian modesty by laughing at your maxims?

IV.—­THE SIN OF SIMONY

Reverend Fathers,—­I was about to write to you concerning the accusations which you have so long brought against me, wherein you call me impious, buffoon, rogue, impostor, calumniator, swindler, heretic, disguised Calvinist, one possessed of a legion of devils.  I wish the world to know why you speak thus, for I should be sorry that anyone should think thus of me; and I had already made up my mind to complain publicly of your calumnies and impostures when I saw your replies, wherein you bring the same charges against me.  You have thus forced me to change my purpose.  Yet I shall still carry it out in some degree, inasmuch as I hope that my defence will convict you of more real impostures which you have imputed to me.  Truly, fathers, your position is more open to suspicion than mine, for it is very unlikely that I, being alone as I am, and without strength or human support against so powerful a society as yours, and being sustained only by truth and sincerity, should have exposed myself to the risk of losing all, by exposing myself to a conviction of imposture.  But your position, fathers, is different; you can say of me what you please, and I can find no one to whom I may complain.  Well, you have chosen your ground, and the war shall be made in your country and at your expense.  Do not fear that I shall be tedious; there is something so diverting about your maxims that they never fail to rejoice the world.

Let me closely explain, for instance, your doctrine with regard to simony.  Finding yourself in a dilemma between the canons of the church, which forbid with the severest penalties any trade in ecclesiastical benefices, and the avarice of so many people who promote this infamous traffic, you have followed your ordinary method, which is to give to men what they desire, and to offer to God nothing but words and appearances.  For what do simonfacal persons demand, if not that they shall receive money in return for their benefices?