Eccl 8:9

“"All this have I seen; and I applied my mind to see every deed that is done under the sun: there is a time when one man rules over another to his detriment. And then I saw the wicked buried and newly come while those who had done right were gone from the Holy place and were forgotten in the city. This too is vanity! Because the sentence for wrong-doing is not executed quickly- that is why men are encouraged to do evil. "I have dedicated my heart, he says, that I should see all that is done under the sun, and this too, that man takes up arms against man, so that he afflicts and condemns those whom he wants. And so when I began to look upon those things I saw that the impious were dead by such belief and buried, and were deemed holy in the earth, but those who were living were thought to be worthy of the Church, and the temple of God, the bombastic walking above were praised for their wickedness. "For the sinner is praised for the laxity of his soul, and he who is wicked is blessed" [Ps. 9,24.]. But this happens moreover because no one dares to confront sinners and God does not immediately give punishment for crimes, but rather postpones, so that we must await our repentance. But since those who sin are not immediately arrested and accused, they think with little regard that their judgement will be in the future, and continue in their crime. We can see how this evidence pertains to certain bishops, who come to power in the Church, and speak ill of those, which had taught and had urged them to follow better pursuits. These men are very often praised after death in the Church, and blessed for those things, which they in all likelihood did not even do, or openly are warned by their successors or the congregation. And even this is vanity, since while they live they do not heed advice and are not immediately visited for their sins, (since none dares accuse his superior), besides they act as if holy and blessed, and as if they are walking in the precepts of the Lord, and they increase their sins one on top of another. Such an accusation of a bishop is difficult. For you see, if he has sinned, it is not believed, and if he is accused, he is not punished.”

“He treated above of the vanity of proneness; here he treats of the vanity of false security. And since this vanity is dangerous, because it impels a man to sin or detains him once impelled, therefore first the vanity is set forth; second, the remedy of the vanity, at: He who digs a pit will fall into it, below in chapter ten. First the vanity of false security is shown according to its twofold origin. False security arises in two ways: first, from the appearance of a lack of just retribution; second, from the appearance of a lack of providential governance, and this second is touched upon at: I turned to other things and saw that the race is not to the swift, etc., below in chapter nine. First, the first origin arises from the appearance of a lack of just retribution; which appearance is set forth by a threefold reason. The retribution of justice, however, appears to fail on account of the exaltation of the wicked, on account of the depression of the good, on account of the indistinction of both: there are therefore three parts here. First it is shown how the vanity of security arises from the promotion of the wicked: second, how from the depression of the good, at the place: There is also another vanity which is done upon the earth, etc.; third, how it arises from the indistinction of these and those, at the place: And I applied my heart to know wisdom, etc. First, concerning the exaltation of the wicked. The origin, therefore, of security from the exaltation of the wicked is described in this order. First, the sublimity of the wicked is intimated: second, how from this there arises for the impious the vanity of security: third, how from this is elicited the advantage of the good. First, therefore, the sublimity of the wicked is intimated, which Ecclesiastes considered with his diligent consideration. On account of which he says: All these things I considered, supply: which I said before. And I gave my heart to all the works that are done under the sun, that I might consider all things: above in chapter one, "I gave my heart to know prudence and learning, and errors and folly." And in this consideration he himself saw the elevation of the wicked both in power and in fame. As to the elevation in power, he says: Sometimes man rules over man to his own harm, namely when a wicked man presides, because a good man rules to his own good when he presides well: whence 1 Timothy 3: "If anyone desires the office of bishop, he desires a good work"; but a wicked man to his own harm: whence Sirach 7: "Do not bind upon yourself a double sin, for even in one you will not be free from guilt." A wicked prelate binds upon himself a double sin. The question is raised here concerning what he says: Sometimes man has dominion over man: whether a man can justly have dominion over another man. That he can, appears as follows: 1. Because in Romans 13: "There is no power except from God": and the Apostle says that masters are to be served not only on account of fear, but also on account of conscience: therefore if everything that is from God is just, then for a man to have power over another man is just. 2. Furthermore, if conscience dictates to a man nothing but what is just, when it is right, and it dictates this, as the Apostle says: therefore it is just for a man to be subject to another man. 3. Likewise the Apostle says in Ephesians 6: Servants, obey your earthly masters: but the Apostle neither exhorts nor commands anything except what is just: therefore etc. Against: 1. Men are equal by nature, therefore that one should be set over another is against nature: but everything that is against nature is sin: therefore etc. 2. Likewise, all men are free by nature, therefore when a man is made a slave, this is by usurpation; but everything usurped is sin: therefore it is sinful for one man to rule over another. I respond: it must be said that one man can justly rule over another, which is evident because Noah by divine authority made his son Canaan a servant of his brothers; similarly Isaac did so regarding Esau and Jacob. 1. 2. As to what is objected regarding this, that it is against nature, and that every man is free: it must be understood that there is a twofold state, namely of nature destitute and of nature instituted. With respect to the state of nature instituted, although all would be free and equal, and it would not have been said to men that they should rule over anything except brute animals alone: nevertheless with respect to the state of nature corrupted it is otherwise. For because some are worse than others and wicked, therefore by the just judgment of God they become servants both in themselves and in their posterity. There is also another reason for ruling, namely for the restraint of the wicked; for if there were no temporal power, everyone would do what seemed right in his own eyes, and thus there would be a rending by iniquity, and everyone would sin at will. And thus there can justly be dominion and servitude among men. Whether, however, the wicked can justly rule over the good will be inquired below.”