Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/533

162* (The profession of government) is a heavy burden; not only does it weigh one down with its own burdens of sin, but even with the sins of the subjects; the sins which they committed by his orders or the sins which they committed (not by his orders) but which he could have prevented, they all fall upon his head. It becomes evident that only they can enjoy with good conscience offices with pagan lordship who do not care about truth and who have no compassion; authority becomes in their hand the law of injustice, enabling them to do what they want, not allowing their conscience to interfere with their wilfullness. (:The only precaution they take is that all iniquities and every violence be done according to the letter of the law.:)

implicatus, ut et modestia utriusque ordinis curaretur, ne extoleretur utroque suffultus, et competens qualitatibus actionum specialiter professio aptaretur. Quibus omnibus rite collectis, satis evidenter ostenditur a saeculari potestate nec ligari prorsus nec solvi posse pontificem." Concerning Gelasius see also Thoenes,, Wiesbaden, 1873; Richard F. Littledale, , London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1889, pp.256–259.

"Sovereignty is a supreme power over citizens and subjects, itself unrestrained by law." This is the definition of sovereignty made in 1576 by Jean Bodin, one of the founders of political philosophy. (Cf. Coker,, 1938, p.374). "Jean Bodin's unique contribution to political thought was the doctrine of sovereignty." (C.C. Maxey,, 1938, p.164). In this chapter Chelc̄icky̍ anticipates Bodin by 161 years.