14.03.2019 Views

Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

This first encroachnlent be<strong>in</strong>g permitted to pass<br />

unchallenged, the Roman clergy ventured on other<br />

<strong>and</strong> more violent attacks on the laws of the State,<br />

<strong>and</strong> the liberties of the people. The Synods of the<br />

diocese of Warmia prohibited mixed marriages;<br />

they forbade Romanists to be sponsors at the<br />

baptism of Protestant children; they <strong>in</strong>terdicted the<br />

use of books <strong>and</strong> hymns not sanctioned by<br />

ecclesiastical authority; <strong>and</strong> they declared heretics<br />

<strong>in</strong>capable of <strong>in</strong>herit<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>and</strong>ed property. All these<br />

enactments wore a spiritual guise, <strong>and</strong> they could<br />

be enforced only by spiritual sanctions; but they<br />

were <strong>in</strong> antagonism to the law of the l<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> by<br />

implication br<strong>and</strong>ed the laws with which they<br />

conflicted as immoral; they tended to widen the<br />

breach between the two great parties hi the nation,<br />

<strong>and</strong> they disturbed the consciences of Romanists,<br />

by subject<strong>in</strong>g them to the alternative of <strong>in</strong>curr<strong>in</strong>g<br />

certa<strong>in</strong> disagreeable consequences, or of do<strong>in</strong>g<br />

what they were taught was unlawful <strong>and</strong> s<strong>in</strong>ful.<br />

Stretch<strong>in</strong>g their powers <strong>and</strong> prerogatives still<br />

farther, the Roman bishops now claimed payment<br />

98

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

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!