which St. Bernard calls divine counsels. For Peter says: "We must obey God rather than men," Acts 5:29. Hence, as we are commanded to obey our superiors in things lawful and honorable, with the circumstances taken into consideration, so we are commanded to resist them to the face when they walk contrary to the divine counsels or commandments. For Paul, teaching that we should be his imitators, I Cor. 4:16, withstood Peter to the face for a light offence, Gal. 2:11. But much more are we bound to obey Paul and every writer of divine Scripture rather than the Roman pontiff, when it comes to matters indifferent or neutral. And as we are not bound to follow any apostle, except in so far as he follows Jesus Christ, so it is evident by the limitation laid down by the apostle that we are bound to obey no prelate who has lived since the apostles, except as he commands or counsels Christ's counsels or commands. And so the holy apostle, I Cor. 4, 11, when he counsels that they be his imitators immediately announces the manner of such imitation, when he says, "even as I also am a follower of Christ." Therefore, the wise inferior ought to examine into the commands of a superior when he seems to deviate from Christ's law, or his rule. For no superior is above correction. Hence, Christ often commanded us to be watchful in our works: "I say unto you all, watch," Mark 13:36. And the apostle said: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be of God, for many false prophets are gone out into the world," I John 4:1. The Saviour also said: "Many false prophets shall arise[1] and lead many astray," Matt. 24:5.
And in this connection, St. Bernard speaks very finely in his Letter to Adam the Monk [Migne, 182: 100 sq.],[2] when he rebukes him because he had unwisely obeyed his abbot
