masterful ruler found the pope’s right to set up and depose kings authorized in the Old Testament, quoting with peculiar delight the words of the prophet Jeremiah, 1: 10: “See, I have this day set thee over the nation and over the kingdom, to pluck up and to break down, and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” In his conflict with the emperor Henry IV, he not only deposed that monarch, the heir of Charlemagne, but released his subjects from allegiance and had a rival emperor elected to take his place. Gregory died in exile, not defeated and not a victor.
Innocent III, 1198–1216, who died in the full possession of his power, declared that, as Peter alone went to Jesus on the water, so the pope has the unique privilege of ruling over the nations of the earth. As the moon gets its light from the superior orb, the sun, so the emperor and princes get their authority from Christ’s vicegerent on earth. The pope judges all and is judged by no man. To the tribunal of God alone is he responsible. Innocent’s bull, per Venerabilem,[1] claiming for the pope the plenitude of power—plenitudo potestatis—was quoted in later times as the authoritative statement of papal rule over both realms. This principle was well expressed by Thomas à Becket addressing the clergy of England: “Who presumes to doubt that the priests of God are the fathers and masters of kings, princes, and all the faithful?” About the same time the monk Cæsar of Heisterbach gave voice to the popular opinion when he compared the church to the firmament, the pope to the sun, the emperor to the moon, the clergy to the day, bishops and abbots to the stars and the laity to the night. Innocent’s favorite figure for illustrating the relation of church and state was taken from the head and the body. As the head contains all the faculties that control the body so the papacy possesses all prerogatives necessary to rule the church.
The supremacy over both realms, which the papacy cov-
- ↑ Mirbt, 138 sq.
