A.B. 1192. LETTEK OF POPE CELESTLNUB. 283 of the Divine mercy, of reselling it from their power, the Apostolic See, remembering what was its bounden duty, sent its nuncios to different parts of the world, and letters of admonition, and, putting its trust in the Divine clemency, granted great indulgences to those proceeding thither; although, as your brotherhood may have perceived, to do this at its exhortations, very many manfully and duteously devoted themselves, and oftentimes, in parts beyond sea, so many of the faithful ones of Christ were for this purpose assembled together, that their multitude seemed in no slight degree to exceed the numbers of their antagonists, and also to be superior in resources and strength, they were still unable to effect much, or to make head against those who were fighting against them, because (as one may perceive from the result) the attempts and the actions of those who had set out for those parts were, in a great measure, displeasing unto the Lord. Wherefore, on the ground of their other offences, because they trusted not in God but in their own strength, and the fear of God was not before their eyes, by reason of their preconceived vanity, their heart was allowed to be darkened, that so they might do other things as well, which were by no means befitting, thus provoking against themselves, by their perversity, the Divine vengeance. But, inasmuch as the mercies of the Lord are manifold, although, in order to bend the refractoriness of the wicked, and to bow the necks of stiff-necked men, for the purposes of correction He makes heavy the weight of his hand in administering discipline, and depresses that He may raise, and smites or scourges that He may heal, if, with due humility we return' unto Him, fully chastened for our sins, and if we resolutely make it our purpose with more fervent zeal to observe for the future the commands of our Creator, we may then, without any hesitation, conceive hopes that He will more abundantly and more graciously assist us, and will, with His indulgence, grant us from heaven a full victory over the enemies of Christ ; so much so, that all the grievances which we have hitherto suffered may be committed to obUvion, all those being turned back, and falling with deserved confusion, who hate Zion, and have presumed to defile her with the pollutions of the heathen. When we consider, however, and examine the matter with diligence and earnestness, what was the nature of the threats which the Divine power pronounced against the people of Israel, when, according to promise, they