corresponding
change in the claims they made upon the submission of the rest of
Christendom, and these altered claims first assumed a definite form in
the eleventh century.

Section 1. _The Supremacy of the Popes._

[Sidenote: Papal claims to spiritual supremacy.]

The Bishops of Rome had at first limited their ideas of universal
supremacy to spiritual things: it was as Universal Bishop that they
desired to be honoured and obeyed, and we have seen in the preceding
chapter that a certain priority seemed to accrue to them by force of
{101} circumstances. Rome had come to be regarded as the Mother of the
Churches, much as Jerusalem was in the first ages of Christianity, and
appeals for advice and help were at first voluntarily made to the
learning and piety of the Bishops of Rome. [Sidenote: Further claims
to temporal authority.] Later, instead of advisers they claimed to be
absolute judges in ecclesiastical matters, and when the temporal
possessions of the Popedom made the chair of St. Peter an object of
ambition to covetous, designing men, the character of Bishop was too
often merged in that of Prince, and spiritual power ceased to satisfy
those who thought it their duty or their interest to enforce what was
in fact an Universal Sovereignty.

[Sidenote: Plausibleness and actual advantages of Papal supremacy.]

It is not difficult to understand that the idea of one Visible Head and
Centre of Christendom would appear to have much to recommend it; nor
even that the power of the Popes was in reality the source of many
blessings in the lawless state in which European society found itself
for many centuries after the fall of the Roman empire. An authority
which could reduce rebellious subjects to obedience, overawe refractory
nobles, or check the tyranny of an irresponsible sovereign, could
hardly fail to be productive of some good effects when wielded by
disinterested men, and with singleness of purpose. [Sidenote: Its
corruptions and dangers.] But in the hands of worldly-minded and
ambitious prelates, such as too many of the Popes undoubtedly were,
this usurped prerogative of interference in the affairs of foreign
states became an engine of mighty evil, and in the course of time it
was felt to be such an intolerable yoke by the people of Europe that
continued submission to it became impossible.

{102}

[Sidenote: What the Reformation really was.]

The Reformation was in fact a casting off of an unjustifiabl