The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

102 FOUNDATION AND EXTENT OF THE SUPREMACY.iron manacles of censures ; for to thee is given all power inheaven and in earth."*So speak the popes and councils of Rome. Here is notonly the principle out of which the supremacy springsenunciated, but the claim itself advanced. Not in wordsonly have they held this high tone ; their deeds have beenequally lofty. The supremacy was not permitted to remaina theory ; it became a fact. For several centuries togetherwe see the popes reigning over Europe, and demeaningthemselves in every way as not only its spiritual, butalso its temporal lords. We see them freely distributingimmunities, titles, revenues, territories, as if all belonged tothem ; we see them sustaining themselves arbiters in alldisputes, umpires in all quarrels, and judges in all causes;we see them giving provinces and crowns to their favourites,and constituting emperors ; we see them imposing oaths offidelity and vassalage on monarchs ; and, in token of the dependenceof the one and the supremacy of the other, we seethem exacting tribute for their kingdoms in the shape ofPeter''s pence ; we see them raising wars and crusades,summoning princes and kings into the field, attiring themin their livery, the cross, and holding them but as lieutenantsunder them. In fine, how often have they deposedmonarchs, and laid their kingdoms under interdict ?Historypresents us with a list of not less than sixty-four emperorsand kings deposed by the popes.-f But it is improper todespatch in a single sentence what occupies so large a spacein history, and has been the cauge of so much suff'ering,bloodshed, and war to Europe.Nothing can convey a betteror truer picture of the insufferable arrogance and prideof the pontiffs than their own language on these occasions.* Concil. Lateran. sess. x. p. 132.+ See a list of these sovereigns in Free Thoughts on the Toleration ofPopery, pp. 50, 51 ; Edin. 1780. This Avork is from the pen of the lateProfessor Bruce of Whitburn. It displays immense research, sound learning,and great eloquence.