The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

172 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.My sight ? Therefore the sword shall never departfrom thy house, because thou hast despised Me.Behold, I will raise up evil againstown house."Jthee out ofthyWhile the patrimony of the Pope was largeenough to secure his independence,it was toosmall to provoke the fear and jealousy of foreignpowers. The authority of the Roman Pontiffs inthe Middle Ages was almost unbounded. Had theywished then, they could easily have increased theirterritory ; yet they were content with what Providence placed originally in their hands. 2The sole end of the temporal power has been tosecure for the Pbpe independence nnd freedom inthe government of the Church. The Holy Fathermust be either a Sovereign or a subject. There i*no medium. If a subject, he might become eitherthe pliant creature if God would so permit, of his1 II. Kings xii.2 1 dare say you could have found, a few years since, somepersons m the United States who entertained a holy fear lestthe Pope should one morning land upon our shores, and takeforcihle possession of our country. A venerable clergymanonce informed me that when he went to pay his respects toPresident Pierce, who then occupied the White House, his"Excellency remarked to him : I had a visit from a nervousgentleman, who asked me whether I was making any preparations to resist the approach of the Pope. I replied that sofar I had taken no steps, but that no doubt I would be prepared to meet the enemy when he arrived. The man retiredmore composed, but not fully satisfied,"