The Jesuits - James Aitken Wylie

Loyola died, and Lainez succeeded him as General,
one of his first acts was to assemble a
Congregation, and cause it to be decided that the
General only had the right to make rules.[4] This
crowned the autocracy of the General, for while he
has the power of legislating for all others, no one
may legislate for him. He acts without control,
without responsibility, without law. It is true that in
certain cases the society may depose the General.
But it cannot exercise its powers unless it be
assembled, and the General alone can assemble the
Congregation. The whole order, with all its
authority, is, in fact, comprised in him. In virtue of
his prerogative the General can command and
regulate everything in the society. He may make
special Constitutions for the advantage of the
society, and he may alter them, abrogate them, and
make new ones, dating them at any time he pleases.
These new rules must be regarded as confirmed by
apostolic authority, not merely from the time they
were made, but the time they are dated.
The General assigns to all provincials,
superiors, and members of the society, of whatever
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