Spernere quippe potestatem legitimam, quavis eam in persona constiterit, non magis licet, quam divinæ voluntati resistere: cui si qui resistant, in interitum ruunt voluntarium. Qui resistit potestati Dei ordinationi resistit; qui autem resistunt, ipsi sibi damnationem acquirunt. [342] Quapropter obedientiam
For to contemn lawful authority, in whatever person it is vested, is as unlawful as it is to resist the Divine will; and whoever resists that, rushes voluntarily to his destruction. "He who resists the power, resists the ordinance of God; and they who resist purchase to themselves judgment." [343] Wherefore
abjicere, et, per vim multitudinis rem ad seditionem vocare est crimen majestatis, neque humanæ tantum, sed etiam divinæ. to cast away obedience, and by popular violence to incite to sedition, is treason, not only against man, but against God.
Hac ratione constitutam civitatem, perspicuum est, omnino debere plurimis maximisque officiis, quæ ipsam jungunt Deo, religione publica satisfacere.--Natura et ratio, quæ jubet singulos sancte religioseque Deum colere, quod in ejus potestate sumus, et quod ab eo profecti ad eumdem reverti debemus, eadem lege adstringit civilem communitatem. Homines enim communi societate conjuncti nihilo sunt minus in Dei potestate, quam singuli; neque minorem quam singuli gratiam Deo societas debet, quo auctore coaluit, cujus nutu conservatur, cujus beneficio innumerabilem bonorum, quibus affluit, copiam accepit. Quapropter sicut nemini licet sua adversus Deum officia negligere, officiumque est maximum amplecti et animo et moribus religionem, nec quam quisque maluerit, sed quam Deus jusserit, quamque certis minimeque dubitandis indiciis unam ex omnibus veram esse constiterit: eodem modo civitates non possunt, citra scelus, gerere se tanquam si Deus omnino non esset, aut curam religionis velut alienam nihilque profuturam abjicere,
It is clear that a State constituted on this basis is altogether bound to satisfy, by the public profession of religion, the very many and great duties which bring it into relation with God. Nature and reason which commands every man individually to serve God holily and religiously, because we belong to him, and coming from him must return to him, binds by the same law the civil community. For men living together in society are no less under the power of God than are individuals; and society owes as much gratitude as individuals do to God, who is its author, its preserver, and the beneficent source of the innumerable blessings which it has received. And therefore as it is not lawful for anybody to neglect his duties towards God, and as it is the first duty to embrace religion in mind and in conduct--and that not the one that each may prefer, but that which God has enjoined, which he has proved to be the only true one by certain and indubitable evidence--in the same manner States cannot, without crime, act as though God did not exist, or cast off the
aut asciscere de pluribus generibus indifferenter quod libeat: omninoque debent eum in colendo numine morem usurpare modumque, quo coli se Deus ipse demonstravit velle. care of religion as alien to them or useless, or out of several kinds of religion adopt indifferently which they please; but they are absolutely bound, in the worship of the Deity, to adopt that use and manner in which God himself has shown that he wills to be adored.
Sanctum igitur oportet apud principes esse Dei nomen, ponendumque in præcipuis illorum officiis religionem gratia complecti, benevolentia tueri, auctoritate nutuque legum tegere, nec quippiam instituere aut decernere quod sit ejus incolumitati contrarium. Id et civibus debent, quibus præsunt. Nati enim susceptique omnes homines sumus ad summum quoddam et ultimum bonorum, quo sunt omnia consilia referenda extra hanc fragilitatem brevitatemque vitæ in cælis collocatum. Quoniam autem hinc pendet hominum undique expleta ac perfecta felicitas, idcirco assequi eum, qui commemoratus est, finem tanti interest singulorum ut pluris interesse non possit. Civilem igitur societatem, communi utilitati natam, in tuenda prosperitate reipublicæ necesse est sic consulere civibus, ut obtinendo adipiscendoque summo illi atque incommutabili bono quod sponte appetunt, non modo nihil importet
Therefore among rulers the name of God must be holy, and it must be reckoned among the first of their duties to favor religion, protect it, and cover it with the authority of the laws, and not to institute or decree anything which is incompatible with its security. They owe this also to the citizens over whom they rule. For all of us men are born and brought up for a certain supreme and final good in heaven, beyond this frail and short life, and to this end every aim is to be referred. And because upon it depends the full and perfect happiness of men, therefore, to attain this end which has been mentioned, is of as much interest as is conceivable to every individual man. Civil society, therefore, which came into existence only for the common good, must, in its defence of the State's well-being, so consult the good of its citizens as not only to offer no hindrance, but to afford every possible assistance to them in the winning and gaining of that
unquam incommodi, sed omnes quascumque possit, opportunitates afferat. Quarum præcipua est, ut detur opera religioni sancte inviolateque servandæ cujus officia hominem Deo conjungunt. chief good which they naturally desire, and for which nothing can be taken in exchange. The chief assistance is, that attention should be paid to the holy and inviolate preservation of religion, by the duties of which man is united to God.
Vera autem religio quæ sit, non difficulter videt qui judicium prudens sincerumque adhibuerit: argumentis enim permultis atque illustribus, veritate nimirum vaticiniorum, prodigiorum frequentia, celerrima fidei vel per medios hostes hac maxima impedimenta propagatione, martyrum testimonio, aliisque similibus liquet, eam esse unice veram, quam Jesus Christus et instituit ipsemet et Ecclesiæ suæ tuendam propagandamque demandavit.
Now which is the true religion may be easily discovered by any one who will view the matter with a careful and unbiassed judgment; for there are proofs of great number and splendor, as, for example, the truth of prophecy, the abundance of miracles, the extremely rapid spread of the faith, even in the midst of its enemies and in spite of the greatest hindrances, the testimony of the martyrs, and the like, from which it is evident that that is the only true religion which Jesus Christ instituted himself and then intrusted to his Church to defend and to spread.
Nam unigenitus Dei filius societatem in terris constituit, quæ Ecclesia dicitur, cui excelsum divinumque munus in omnes sæculorum ætates continuandum transmisit, quod ipse a Patre acceperat. Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos. [344] Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem sæculi. [345] Igitur, sicut Jesus Christies in terras venit
For the only-begotten Son of God set up a society on earth which is called the Church, and to it he transferred that most glorious and divine office, which he had received from his Father, to be perpetuated forever. "As the Father hath sent me, even so I send you." [346] "Behold I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world." [347] Therefore as Jesus Christ
ut homines vitam habeant et abundantius habeant, [348] eodem modo Ecclesia propositum habet, tanquam finem, salutem animarum sempiternam: ob eamque rem talis est natura sua, ut porrigat sese ad totius complexum gentis humanæ, nullis nec locorum nec temporum limitibus circumscripta. Prædicate Evangelium omni creaturæ. [349] came into the world "that men might have life and have it more abundantly," [350] so also the Church has for its aim and end the eternal salvation of souls: and for this cause it is so constituted as to embrace the whole human race without any limit or circumscription either of time or place. "Preach ye the Gospel to every creature." [351]
Tam ingenti hominum multitudini Deus ipse magistratus assignavit qui cum potestate præessent: unumque omnium principem, et maximum certissimumque veritatis magistrum esse voluit, cui claves regni cælorum commisit. Tibi dabo claves regni cælorum. [352] --Pasce agnos ... pasce oves: [353] --ego rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua. [354] Hæc societas, quamvis ex hominibus constet non secus ac civilis communitas, tamen propter finem sibi constitutum, atque instrumenta quibus ad finem contendii, supernaturalis est et spiritualis; atque idcirco distinguitur ac differt a societate civili: et, quod plurimum interest, societas est genere et jure perfecta, cum adjumenta ad incolumitatem actionemque suam necessaria, voluntate beneficioque conditoris sui, omnia in se et per se ipsa possideat. Sicut
Over this immense multitude of men God himself has set rulers with power to govern them; and he has willed that one should be head of them all, and the chief and unerring teacher of truth, and to him he has given the keys of the kingdom of heaven. "To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven." [355] "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep." [356] "I have prayed for thee that thy faith may not fail." [357] This society, though it be composed of men just as civil society is, yet because of the end that it has in view, and the means by which it tends to it, it is supernatural and spiritual; and, therefore, is distinguished from civil society and differs from it; and--a fact of the highest moment--is a society perfect in its kind and in its rights, possessing in and by itself, by the will and beneficence of its founder, all the appliances
finis, quo tendit Ecclesia, longe nobilissimus est, ita ejus potestas est omnium præstantissima, neque imperio civili potest haberi inferior, aut eidem esse ullo modo obnoxia. that are necessary for its preservation and action. Just as the end at which the Church aims is by far the noblest of ends, so its power is the most exalted of all powers, and cannot be held to be either inferior to the civil power or in any way subject to it.
Revera Jesus Christus Apostolis suis libera mandata dedit in sacra, adjuncta tum ferendarum legum veri nominis facultate, tum gemina, quæ hinc consequitur, judicandi puniendique potestate: Data est mihi omnis potestas in cælo et in terra: euntes ergo docete omnes gentes ... docentes eos servare omnia quæcumque mandavi vobis. [358] Et alibi: Si non audierit eos, dic Ecclesiæ. [359] Atque iterum: In promptis habentes ulcisci omnem inobedientiam. [360] Rursus: Durius agam secundum potestatem, quam Dominus dedit mihi in ædificationem et non in destructionem. [361]
In truth Jesus Christ gave his Apostles unfettered commissions over all sacred things, with the power of establishing laws properly so-called, and the double right of judging and punishing which follows from it: "All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth; going therefore teach all nations ... teaching them to keep whatsoever I have commanded you." [362] And in another place he says: "If he will not hear, tell it to the Church;" [363] and again: "Ready to punish all disobedience;" [364] and once more: "I shall act with more severity, according to the powers which our Lord has given me unto edification and not unto destruction." [365]
Itaque dux hominibus esse ad cælestia, non civitas, sed Ecclesia debet: eidemque hoc est munus assignatum a Deo, ut de iis, quæ religionem attingunt, videat ipsa et statuat: ut doceat omnes gentes: ut christiani nominis fines, quoad potest, late proferat; brevi ut rem
So then it is not the State but the Church that ought to be men's guide to heaven; and it is to her that God has assigned the office of watching and legislating for all that concerns religion, of teaching all nations; of extending, as far as may be, the borders of Christianity;
christianam libere expediteque judicio suo administret. and, in a word, of administering its affairs without let or hindrance according to her own judgment.
Hanc vero auctoritatem in se ipsa absolutam planeque sui juris, quæ ab assentatrice principum philosophia jamdiu oppugnatur, Ecclesia sibi asserere itemque publice exercere numquam desiit, primis omnium pro ea propugnantibus Apostolis, qui cum disseminare Evangelium a principibus synagogæ prohiberentur, constanter respondebant; Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus. [366] Eamdem sancti Ecclesiæ Patres rationum momentis tueri pro opportunitate studuerunt: romanique pontificis invicta animi constantia adversus oppugnatores indicare nunquam prætermiserunt.