815. This state of theirs has many effects, including the fact that they keep spiritual matters to do with the church engraved upon their memory, rarely raising them to the higher level of the understanding, but only admitting them to the lower level, from which they reason about them. In this they behave quite differently from other free nations. As regards spiritual matters to do with the church, what are called theological matters, free nations are like eagles which soar to any height; but unfree nations are like swans swimming on a river. Free nations are also like the larger deer with tall antlers running in perfect freedom through plains, woods and forests; but unfree nations are like deer kept in zoos for a prince's pleasure. Furthermore, free peoples are like the flying horses the ancients called Pegasuses, flying not only over seas but also over the hills called Parnassian, and over the temples of the Muses lying beneath them. But people not given their freedom are like horses of good stock with beautiful harness accoutrements in kings' stables. [2] All of these are likenesses of the differing judgments applied to the mysteries of theology.
The clergy there while under training write down what the teachers in their colleges dictate, and treasure these notes as proofs of their learning. When they are ordained into the priesthood or appointed lecturers in schools, they deliver their prescribed talks, one party from their pulpits, the other from their desks, drawing mainly on the dictation mentioned just before. Those of the priests who depart from orthodoxy in their teaching generally preach about the Holy Spirit and the wonders it works, arousing feelings of holiness in people's hearts. Those who follow the current orthodoxy in their teaching about faith appear to the angels to be garlanded with wreaths bound with oak-leaves. But those who draw their teachings about charity and the deeds it inspires from the Word appear to the angels to be crowned with wreaths woven from the fragrant leaves of the laurel. The Evangelicals in Germany in their arguments with those of the Reformed churches about truths seem to be tearing their clothes;' because clothes stand for truths.
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