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