IGNATIUS  LOYOLA  AS  GENERAL  OP  THE  ORDER. 67

I  have  already  spoken  of  the  privileges  which  the  Pope
granted  to  the  Order,  even  in  the  iirst  year  of  its  existence ;  but
•what  did  these  prerogatives  signify  compared  with  those  which
Paul  III. conceded  to  the  Society  of  Jesus  on  the  18th  October
1549. One  would,  indeed,  be  perfectly  correct  in  calling  the
Bull  which  refers  to  them  the  "  Magna  Charta  "  of  the  Jesuits ;
and  they  themselves  admitted  as  much  when  they  conceived
such  a  designation  for  this  decree  as  "  the  great  sea  of  their
privileges."

If  one  should  inquire  what  could  have  been  the  reasons  which
actuated  the  Pope  in  bestowing  such  conspicuous  favours  on  the
the  new  Order,  they  are  to  be  found  in  the  preamble  of  the  Bull,
which  terms  the  Society  a  fruitful  acre,  which,  effecting  much  for
the  increase  of  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  faith — that  is  to  say,
the  exaltation  of  the  Papacy  and  the  suppression  of  heresy —
through  instruction  and  example,  therefore  well  deserves  to  be
rewarded  with  special  favours ;  and,  in  fact,  favours  of  quite  a
peculiar  description  were  given  them,  as  the  reader  will  suffi-
ciently understand  from  the  following  extracts  : —

1. "  The  General  of  the  Order,  as  soon  as  he  is  nominated,
shall  have  complete  power  as  to  the  government  of  the  Society,
and  especially  also  over  the  whole  members  of  the  same,  where-
soever these  latter  may  reside,  and  with  whatsoever  office  or
dignity  they  may  be  endowed. His  power  shall  indeed  be  so
unlimited,  that  should  he  deem  it  necessary  for  the  honour  of
God,  he  shall  even  be  able  to  send  back,  or  in  other  directions,
those  who  have  come  direct  from  the  Popes."*

Thus,  from  this  paragraph,  his  own  power  is  placed  over  that
of  the  Pope. How  does  it  fare,  then,  with  the  four  vows  ?

2. 