POPERY THE ENEMY OF CIVIL SOCIETY. 187 It fights with tongues and pens; which are the most perilous weapons. It can never be disarmed, fighting withweapons that cannot be taken away or deprived of their edge and vigour. It works bymost powerful considerations upon the consciences and affections of men,upon pain of damnation, promising heaven and threatening hell, which upon some men have an infinite sway, upon all men a considerable influence; and thereby will be too hard for those who only can grant temporal rewards or inflict temporal punishments. It is surely a notable advantage that the pope has above all princes, that he commands not only as a prince but as a guide; so that whereas we are not otherwise bound to obey the com- mands of princes than as they appear concordant with God's law, we must observe his commands absolutely, as being therefore lawful, because he commands them, that involvinghis assertion oftheir law- fulness,to which, without farther inquiry or scruple, we must sub- mit our understanding, his words sufficiently authorizing his com- mands for just. We are not only obliged to obey his commands, but to embrace his doctrines. It has continual opportunities of conversing with men, and there- by, can insinuate and suggest the obligation to obey it with greatest advantage, in secrecy, in the tenderest seasons. It claims a power to have its instruction admittedwith assent; and will it not instruct them for its own advantage? All its asser- tions must be believed; is not this an infinite advantage? By such advantages the spiritual power, if admitted for such as it pretends, will swallow and devour the temporal; which will be an extreme mischief to the world. The very pretence immediately crops and curtails the natural right of princes, by exempting great numbers of persons, the participants and dependants of this hierarchy, from subjection to them, by with- drawing causes from their jurisdiction, by commanding in their terri- tories, and drawing people out of them to their judicatories, by hav- ing influence on their opinion, by draining them of wealth, &c.1 To this discourse experience abundantly yields its attestation; for how often have the popes thwarted princes in the exercise of their power, challenging their laws and administrations as prejudicial to religion, as contrary to ecclesiastical liberty 12 ' Non enim volumus aut propter principum potentiam ecclesiasticam minui digni- tatem, aut pro ecclesiastica dignitate principum potentiam mutilari. P. Pasch. Il., Pp. xxviii., xxix. " For we will not that either the ecclesiastical dignity should be diminished by reason of the prince's power, or that the prince's power should be cur- tailed for the ecclesiastical dignity.", 2 In vain did St Bernard (De Consid. i.), cry, Quid fines alienos invadites? quid fal- cem vestram in alienam messamextenditis? "Why do you invade other men's terri- tories? why thrust you your sickle into other men's harvest ?"
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