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

;THE COMPLETE CODE OF THE CHURCH. 129but of innumerable minds, all working intently and laboriouslythrough successive ages on this one object. Thecanon law is made up of the constitutions or canons ofcouncils, the decrees of popes, and the traditions whichhave at any time received the pontifical sanction. As questionsarose they were adjudicated upon ; new emergenciesproduced new decisions ; at last it came to pass that therewas scarcea point of possible occurrence on which infallibilityhad not pronounced. The machinery of the canonlaw, then, as may be easily imagined, has reached its highestpossible perfection and its widest possible application. Thestatute-book of Rome, combining amazing flexibility withenormous power, like the most wonderful of all modern inventions,can regulate with equal ease the affairs of a kingdomand of a family. Like the elephant's trunk, it cancrush an empire in its folds, or conduct the course of a pettyintrigue,—fling a monarch from his throne, or plant the stakefor the heretic.Like a net of steel forged by the Vulcan ofthe Vatican and his cunning artificers, the canon law enclosesthe whole of Catholic Christendom. A short discussion ofthis subject may not be without its interest at present,seeinofDr Wiseman had the candour to tell us, that it is hisintention to enclose Great Britain in this net, provided hemeets with no obstruction, which he scarce thinks we willbe so unreasonable as to offer. Seeing, then, it will not beDr Wiseman's fault if we have not a nearer acquaintancewith canon law than we can boast at present, it may boworth while examining its structure, and endeavouring toascertain our probable condition, once within this enclosure.Not that we intend to hold up to view all its monstrositiesthe canon law is the entire Papacy viewed as a system ofgovernment : we can refer to but the more prominent pointswhich, boar upon the subject we are now discussing,—thosupremacy ; and these are precisely the points which havethe closest connection with our own condition, should theagent of the pontiff in London be able to carry his intentinto effect, and introduce the canon law, " the real and com-K