06.03.2019 Views

In Germany from the Leipsic Disputation to the Diet at Worms - James Aitken Wylie

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

By her dogma of spiritual supremacy Rome had<br />

vanquished Councils. The Bishop of Rome claimed<br />

<strong>to</strong> be chief and ruler over all bishops. <strong>In</strong> him was<br />

centered <strong>the</strong> whole authority of <strong>the</strong> Church, so th<strong>at</strong><br />

let him promulg<strong>at</strong>e <strong>the</strong> most manifestly erroneous<br />

dogma, or commit <strong>the</strong> most flagrant wickedness,<br />

no Council had <strong>the</strong> power <strong>to</strong> reprove or depose<br />

him. Councils were nothing, <strong>the</strong> Pope was all. The<br />

Spiritual supremacy made him <strong>the</strong> Church: <strong>the</strong><br />

Temporal, <strong>the</strong> World.<br />

By her assumed sole and infallible right of<br />

interpreting Holy Scripture, Rome had enslaved <strong>the</strong><br />

people. She had put out <strong>the</strong>ir eyes; she had bound<br />

<strong>the</strong>m in chains of darkness, th<strong>at</strong> she might make<br />

<strong>the</strong>m bow down <strong>to</strong> any god she was pleased <strong>to</strong> set<br />

up, and compel <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> follow whi<strong>the</strong>r she was<br />

pleased <strong>to</strong> lead–in<strong>to</strong> temporal bondage, in<strong>to</strong> eternal<br />

perdition.<br />

Behold <strong>the</strong> vic<strong>to</strong>ry which Rome has achieved!<br />

She stands with her foot upon kings, upon bishops,<br />

upon peoples! All has she trodden in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> dust.<br />

20

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!