The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-12-06
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rectiva, depends on how much or how
little he understands it, and that l am
not able to determine. When he OPP
poses it to the indirect authority assert
ed by Ballarmine and SuaTez, he seems
10 make it simply directive, merely ad-
V1sory and monitOry; but when he has
to explain away the letters of st.
Gregory VII, the Imam Sanctam of
Boniface VIII and certain tough pas
sages from st. Bernard, Hugh of st.
Victor and other high authorities, lie
seems to mean by it almost, if not
quite, as much as l contend for. If
this directive power be merely advisory
and monitory, it would be no more than
might be exercised by any bishop.
priest, or even layman, any one of
whom has the right to advise, eXhort,
entreat or admonish the temporal au-
thority; and l have often done as much
myself, though without much effect, l
confess. The power, to be d real effec-
tive power, must be coercive as well as
directive, and every Catholic must con-
cede that the church has a coerciVe
power, and therefore with regard to
kings and princes, in Spirituals, or tenn
porals in the respect that they are re-
lated or are to be referred to spiritual
end. The denial of all coercive power
y
sy of Marsilius of Padua for he con-
ceded, it is said, that the church might
cOerce even princes with spiritual pains
and cenSures, but was declared a heret-
ic because he denied the right to her to
go further. Kings and princes are as
much subject to the authority of the
church as private persons, and, as
Cardinal Gousset maintains, in their
public as well as their private acts;
and she must have the same power of
coercing them that she has of coercing
others, in their public as we'll as in their
private capacity, unless, which cannot
be done, some rule be pleaded exempt
ing them.
Pope John XXI says in his con-
demnation of the third heretical asser-
ton of Marsilius of Padua and John of
Jandun, that Christian emperors ac-
knowledge that, instead of being judges
of the pontiff, they are judged by him..
These heretics maintain as their faith
assertion, that neither the pope nor
the whole church together can punish
any person, however wicked he may
be, with a coactive punishment without
the authorization of the emperor The
same pope condemns this as a heresy,
and says, that it is contrary to the
doctrine of the gospel, for our Lord
said to Peter, hatsoever thou shalt
bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven Now not merely those who
are willing are bound, but also and
chiefly those who are unwilling. More
over. the church has the power of con-
straining by accommodation, which
excludes not merely from the sacra-
ments, but also from the society of the
faithful. Peter did not wait for the
consent of the emperor to strike Ana
Mas and Sapi1ira with death. ror Paul
to smite Elymas with blindness. or to
deliver over the incestuous Corinthian
to satan. for the destruction of the
flesh and the salvation of the soul.
Hear also the same apostle saying to
the Corinthians: What will you? Shall
I come to you with a rod, or in charity,
and in the spirit of Kindness In which
he very expressly assumes that he has
a coactive power. He assumes the
same when he writes: For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but pow
erful through God Chat is to say, Civ
en- by Cod to the destruction of fort
resses. subverting counsels, and every
heighth that exa1teth itself against the
knowledge of God. We have in
readiness wherewith to punish all dis
obedience Whence it is evident that
Paul received a power, even coactive
power, not from the emperor, but from
God"
(To be continued.)