350 THE SEVENTH SUPPOSITION. archbishop of Poland, " What shall I say of the translations of bishops, which among you are presumed to bemade, not by apostolic authority, but the king's command? "' XIX. It is a great prerogative of sovereignty to impose taxes on the clergy or people. Wherefore the pope assumes this; as, for instance, that decree of Pope Innocent IV. in the first synod of Lyons: " By the common consent of the council, we ordain that all the clergy, as well those who are under authority as the prelates, pay for three years a twen- tieth part of their ecclesiastical revenues, towards the assistance of the Holy Land, into the hands of those who shall be thereto ap- pointed by the prudenceof the apostolic see. And let all know that this theyare bound faithfully to do, under pain of excommunication."' But antiquity knew no such impositions, when the church, the clergy, thepoor, were maintained and relieved byvoluntary offerings, or obventions [incidental revenues.] Even the invidious splendour of the Roman bishop was supported by the " oblations of matrons," as Marcellinus observes.' This is an encroachment upon the right of princes, unto whom clergymen are subjects, and bound "to render tribute to whom tri- bute belongs," Rom. xiii. 7. SUPPOSITION VII. A FARTHER grand assertion of the Roman party is this, That the papal supremacy is indefectible and unalterable. But good reasons may be assigned why, even supposing that the pope had an universal sovereignty in virtue of his succession to St Peter conferred on him, it is not assuredly consequent that it must al- ways, or now belongs to him; for it might be settled on him, not abso- lutely, but upon conditions, which failing, his authority may expire. It might be God's will that it should onlycontinue for a time. And there are divers ways whereby, according to common rules ofjustice, he might be disseized [dispossessed] thereof: ' Quid super episcoporum translationibus loquar, qun apud vos non auctoritate apostolica, sed nutu regis prmsumuntur ? P. Pasch. II., Ep. vi. Printer authoritatem nostram episcoporum translationes preesumitis, &c.Eadm., p. 115. 2 Cæterum ex communi concilii approbatione statuimus, ut omnes omnino clerici, tam subditi quam praslati, vigesimam ecclesiarumproventuum usque ad triennium con- ferant in subsidium terns sanctm, per manuseorum qui ad hoc apostolica fuerint pro- videntia ordinati. sciantque se omnes ad hoc fideliter observandum per excom- municationis sententiam obligatos.Zugdun. Conc. I., anno 1245. 8 Ut ditentur oblationibus matronarum.Marcel. xxvii.; Vid. Const. Apost. ii. 25. Nam qui constituerunt vel fundarunt sanctissimas ecclesias pro sua salute et communis reipublicm, reliquerunt illis substantias, ut per eas debeant same liturgitu fieri, et ut illis a ministrantibus piis clericis Deus colatur. Cod., lib. i., tit. 3, § 42.
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