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

ECCLESIASTICAL SUPREMACY CONSOLIDATED. 37It was this which enabled her to phint or to pkick up itskingdoms, to bind monarchs to her chariot-wheel, to throwreason and intellect into chains, and to restore once morethe dominion of the pagan night. In so subtle a device wecan discover a deeper policy and a more consummate craftthan that of man. It was Rome's invisible director thatcounselled so bold a step. This step was as successful asbold. It opened a new career to the ambition of Rome, andrevealed to her, though yet at a great distance, and withmany an intervening change and struggle, that seat of godlikepower to which she was ultimately to attain, and towardswhich she now began, with slow and painful steps, toclimb. Most marvellous and astonishing it truly was, thatat a time when Rome was placed in most imminent jeopardy,and society itselfwas perishing around her, she shouhl laythe foundations of her power, and by her prompt interpositionsave herself and the world from the dissolution to whichboth appeared to be tending. Her adherents in all ageshave seen in this nothing less than a proof, alike incontrovertibleand marvellous, of her Divinity. The CardinalEaronius speaks the sentiments of all Roman Catholicswhen he breaks out in the following impassioned strain, inreference to a supposed grant of the kingdom of Hungary,by Stephen, to the Roman see :— " It fell out, by a wonderfulprovidence of God, that at the very time when theRomish Church might appear ready to fall and perish, eventhen distant kings approach the apostolic see, which theyacknowledge and venerate as the only temple of theuniverse,—thesanctuary of piety, the pillar of truth, the immoveablerock. Behold kings, not from the east, as of oldthey came to the cradle of Christ, but from the north : ledby faith, they humbly approach the cottage of the fisher, theChurch of Rome herself offering not only gifts out of theirtreasures, but bringing even kingdoms to her, and askingkingdoms from her."** Baroniusj anuo 1000.