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

;ULTRAMONTANISM LOGICAL. 105the temporal as the spiritual chief of Europe ; and in dethroningheretical kings, and laying rebellious kingdomsunder interdict, he is simply exercising a power which Christhas lodged in his hands ; he is doing what he is not onlyentitled, but bound to do. Nothing could display greaterignorance of the essential principles of the Papacy, orgreater incompetence to deduce legitimate inferences fromthese principles, than to hold, as some do, that the supremacywas an accident, or had its origin in the ambition ofGregory, or in the superstitious and slavish character of thetimes. True, it was only at times that the Papacy daredto assert or to act upon this arrogant claim. In itself theclaim is so monstrous, and so destructive of both the naturalrights of men and the just prerogatives of princes,thatthe instinct of self-preservation overcame at times the slavishdictates of superstition, and princes and people united tooppose a despotism that threatened to crush both. Whenthe state was strong the Papacy held its claims in abeyancebut when the sceptre came into feeble hands, that momentRome advanced her lordly pretensions, and summoned bothher ffhostlv terrors and her material resources to enforcethem. She trampled with inexorable pride upon the dignityof princes ;she violated without scruple the sanctity ofoaths ; she repaid former favours with insult ; and treatedwith equal disdain the rights and the supplications of nations.Nothing, however exalted, nothing, however venerable,nothing, however sacred, was permitted to stand inher way to universal and supreme dominion. She becamethe lady of kingdoms.She was God"'s vicegerent, and couldbind or loose, build up or pull down, as seemed good untoher.In disposing of the crowns of monarchs, she was disposingof but her own ; and in assuming the supremeauthority in their kingdoms, she was exercising a right inherentin her, and with which she could no more part thanshe could cease to be Rome.Such is the principle viewed logically. The most arrogantacts of Gregory and Innocent did not exceed by a