Sometimes these threats were of great benefit. It was good for the kings
to be forced to think of what was right, to be stopped from making cruel
wars, from misusing their people, or living in sinful pleasure; but the
Popes did not always use their power rightly; they would become angry,
and excommunicate people for opposing them, and not for doing what was
wrong, and they did not bethink them of our Lord's saying, that His
Kingdom is not of this world. Still the Church was working great good.
Holy people were bred up, some in convents, some in the world: St.
Margaret, Queen of Scotland, who taught her people to say grace at their
meals; St. Richard, the good humble Bishop of Chichester; and that
glorious French monk, St. Bernard, whose holy life and beautiful
preaching made him everywhere honoured.
Great alms were given to the poor, and almost all our most beautiful
churches and cathedrals were built by devout kings, nobles, or bishops,
who gave their wealth for God's glory. These were built so as to be
almost as symbolical as the Temple had been. They were usually in the
shape of a cross, in honour of the token of our Salvation; the body was
called the nave, or ship, because of the Ark of Christ's Church; the
doors stood for repentance, as the entrance; the Font, just within,
showed that none could enter save by the Laver of Regeneration; the
holiest part was to the east, as looking for the Sun of Righteousness.
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