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lefs the Pope has Power to Depofe Princes at his Pleasure, and that there is no Sin in Rebellion, and all the Blood and Defolation that follow it, if his Holiness fo Command!

L. But the Church does not oblige us to profefs or fubfertbe the Depofing Doctrine, no, nor to believe it, fo that you may be a good Roman Catholick, notwithstanding all this. Nay you may oppofe the Depofing Doctrine, as the Clergy

of France do.

K

G. And may I not be as good a Roman Catholick if I do believe it, and defend it, and practice it too? And have I not all the Encou ragement the Church of Rome can give me, the frequent Practice of the Popes themselves, and here the Canon of a General Council for it? And have any of the Popes ever yet Renounced

it ?

L. But the Doctors do not agree about the Senfe of that Canon. You fee France takes it in a quite contrary Senfe from the Pope and Italian Doctors.

G. Then your Lordship fees that Canons are but a dead Letter," and that there may be Difputes about them. And where then is the Living Infallible Fudge always in being? You fee the Canons of former Councils cannot be this Judge. There must be another Judge to determine what the true Senfe of them is. And who fhould that Judge be but the Pope the Head of the Church? I am fure if I were a Roman Catholick I fhould be on that Side. I could thew Your Lordship feveral other Canons of

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Councils

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Councils that are in Difpute among your own Doctors; but that can be no Wonder, when I have already fhewed, they are in Difpute about the Council themfelves. So that there is no Certainty, what the Judgment of your Church is. Or rather it is certain that it is moft Erroneous, and in Matters that concern our Eternal Salvation, as well as the Peace of the World, that is, Rebellion (among other things) which is as Witchcraft and Idolatry. I have Inftanced in this Sin, because I know Your Lordship to be tenacious of your Loyalty.

And now, My Lord, fince the Saving of our Souls is the End for our being of any Church, I leave Your Lordship to Judge, whether the People are fafeft in the Communion of Rome, or of the Church of England, as to this Point?

(20.) L. They are fafe in the Church of France, where the Depofing Doctrine is difowned.

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G. My Lord, our Difpute is with the Church of Rome. And if the Church of France differs from the Church of Rome, in Matters whereon our Salvation depends, they cannot be faid to be one Church, or to have the fame Guides to Heaven.

But, My Lord, the Pope's Depofing Power has extended it felf even to France, of which you will find frequent Inftances in their Hiftories. And even fo late as the Holy League a

gainft

D'Avila. Hift. of the

gainst Hen. III. all the Popes in that time joi→ ned with the League against the King, and fupported that Rebellion by their Authority. And the Generality of the Bishops and Clergy of France, and their Universities took part with the League, and juftified it by Principle and in Print, the Book de jufta Abdicatione Henrici III. Of the juft Abdication of Hen.III. King of France, was then wrote upon the foot of the Depofing Power, not only of the Pope but also of the People. And D'Avila in his History of these Civil Wars in France tells, A great and Solemn Proceffion was made by Order from the Cardinal Legat, to implore God's Affiftance (for the Succefs of the League against the King) in which the Prelates, Priefts, and Monks of the feveral Religious Orders, walked all in their accustomed Habits; but befides them, Armed openly with Corflets, Guns, Swords, Partifans, and all kind of Arms Offenfive and Defenfive, making at once a double Shew, both of Devotion, and Conftancy of Heart to defend themfelves. Which Ceremony though to many it fee) med Undecent and Ridiculous, yet was of great, use to augment and confirm the Courage of the common People.)

CivilWars of France, Engli Tranflation. Printed in the Savoy, 1678. Lib. xi. Pag. 459.

And the Cardinal-Legat fays in the Declaration he Published to the Leaguers, Ibid. Lib.xiii. that to acknowledge an Heretick for their King, is the Dream af

p. 378.

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a Mad-man, which proceeds from nothing else bnt Heretical Contagion.

And the Leaguers fhew wherein they pla ced their Confidence, and fay, They Ibid. p. 598. are the most holy Fathers (the Popes) and the moft Holy See that have sent us Relief: And though many have been called to that fupreme Dignity (of the Popedom) fince thefe laft Troubles, yet hath there not been one of them who hath changed bis Affection towards us? A most certain Teftimony that our Caufe is Juft. And there had been Six Popes during the League, viz. Gregory XIII. Sixtus V. Urban VII. Gregory XIV. Innocent IX. and Cle ment VIII. And they fupported that Rebellion, not only with their Bleffing it and the Authors of it, and Curfing the King and all the Loyal Subjects who Adhered to him, but they fent more fubftantial Relief, viz. 300000 Crowns for the Service of the Cardinal of Bourbon, whom they had chofen King, by the Name of Charles the Tenth, against the next in Blood, only because he was a Proteftant; and 15000 Crowns a Month to carry on that Rebellion, with an Army of 6000 Foot, and 1200 Horse to Aflift thefe Holy Leaguers. The Pope went Heart and Hand into this Work,Which be accounted excellently Good (fay's D'Avila) and of wonderful Glory and Advancement to the Apoftolick See. And afterwards, when the Success of the King's Arms had induced feveral of the

Ibid, Lib. xii.

P. 493, 501, 503.

Lib. xi. p. 43.

Clergy

Clergy and others to come over to him, the Pope fent his Monitory Letters to Lib.xiii. the Prelates and Catbolicks, comp. 613.

manding them under Pain of Excommunication, and of being deprived of their Dignities and Benefices, and of being used as Sectaries and Hereticks, that they should withdraw themfelves from thofe Places that yeilded Obedience to Henry of Bourbon (fo he ftiled the King) and from the Union and Fellowship of his Faction. And the Authority of the Pope prevailed fo far at laft, That thofe Catholicks who had joined with the King formed a Confpiracy against him, upon his Delay of changing his Religion, wherein the Princes of the Blood were moft violent, and told him plainly to his Face, that if he did not perform his Promise (to turn Roman Cathölick) they would. Defert him, and join with the Leagues See D'Avila, p. 611, 612. as likewife, 555, 601, and 605.

After his Converfion, and being by that Eftablished upon the Throne, they feared his Power, and therefore the Pope (as now) inade lefs Noife with the Depofing Doctrine, which yet he would not difown, but keep it in Petto till a more fitting Opportunity. But yet it was not carried fo Covertly, but that, even in their Sermons, wife and willing Meh might know their Mean ing. Ravaillac

See King James I. his Defence of the Right of Kings against Cardinal Perron, p. 4.

upon

his

Examination, alledged.

Athe

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