Father Rutland; Or, the Ban of St. Peter (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 Excerpt: ... the priest; "thou canst not accept the voice of the Church, the approved constitutions of its unerring councils " "Prithee, father," said Eugene, "St. Paul was surely as learned, and as great, and as brave as the Pope himself; and he speaketh never of the sword of the Church. And though it was said to blessed Peter, 'Put up thy sword into its sheath/ it was not meant that he should use a sword; but to forbid him: for was it not added that all they that take it shall perish with it? St. Paul once threateneth the rod, but the sword, never." "The sword, my son, is greater than the rod. 'What if the sword despise even the rod?' Know you of any Apostle who warneth those unto his care committed, that a ruler 'doth not bear the sword for naught?'" "St. Paul there speaketh with regard to such external offences as are ever punishable by the secular ruler. He ruleth all his Church censures and discipline with his own hand; as in the case of one at Corinth, where the spiritual authorityis all he doth summon to the case." "And what meaneth he when he doth affirm that 'they are God's ministers?'" "Certainly not, father, that the unbaptized Roman Emperor should slay on his behalf the heretics of the Roman Church." "You believe then, in the rod of the Church?" queried the priest, somewhat sternly. "It is all, father, that the Apostles recognized." "They had better feel it, my lord," he said, turning to the Bishop. "We give ycu," he added, turning to them again, "the chastisement you believe in, if haply you may hear the rod, and Who hath ordained it, and so come to believe in that further authority of the Church which now you refuse to recognize." &quot...