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

——:136 THE CANON LAW.once there, there for ever. It is useless henceforth, unlessto feed " holy men,"—the term by which Rome designatesher consociated bands of idle, ignorant, sorning monks, andvagabondising friars and priests. No wonder that Dr Wisemanis so anxious toM'ith it so many sweets to the clergy.introduce the canon law, which bringsThere is but one other point on which we shall touchWhat says the canon law respecting heresy? In the judgmentof Rome we are heretics ; and therefore it cannotbut be interestingto enquire how we are likely to be dealtwith should the canon law ever be established in Britain,and what means the agents of the Vatican wouldadopt topurge our realm from the taint of our heresy. There is nomistaking the means, whatever may beThe Church has two swords ;thought of them.and, in the case of heresy, thevigorous use of both, but especially the temporal, isenjoined.strictlyIn the decretals of Gregory IX., a heretic is defined tobe a man " who, in whatever way, or by whatever vain argument,is led away and dissents from the orthodox faithand Catholic religion which is professed by the Church ofRome."* The circumstance of baptism and initiation intothe Christian faith distinguishes the heretic from the infideland the Jew. The fitting remedies for the cure of this evilare, according to the canon law, the following :It is commanded that archbishops and bishops, either personally,or by their archdeacons or other fit persons, gothrough and visit their dioceses once or twice every year,and inquire for heretics, and persons suspected of heres3\Princes, or other supreme power in the commonwealth, areto be admonished and required to purge their dominionsfrom the filth of heresy.This goodly work of purgation isfollowing manner :to be conducted in theI. Excommunication. This sentence is to be pronounced* Dccrct. Grcgorii IX. lib. v. tit. vii. De Ilercticis.