» Priefts and Monks of the feveral Religious Orders "walk'd all in their accuftom'd Habits. But befides » them arm'd openly with Corflets, Guns, Swords, » and all kind of Arms offenfive and defenfive: » making at once a double shew both of Devotion, ❞ and Conftancy of Heart to defend themselves. » Which Ceremony, tho it feem'd undecent and » ridiculous (fays d'Avila) yet was of great Ule to » augment and confirm the Courage of the common » People. And the Cardinal Legate fays in the De"claration he publish'd to the Leaguers; » acknowledge an Heretick for their King is the Dream » of a Mad-man, which proceeds from nothing else but » heretical Contagion. pag. 70. 71.

that to

L. Sr, the Ceremony defcribed by d'Avila was certainly undecent and ridiculous. But, as to the Cardinal's Declaration, do's it not express the prefent Sentiments of the Church of England in Relation to a Popish Succeffor? And where then is the Difference as to the Safety of Salvation?

» G. My Lord, the Leaguers shew'd, wherein they placed their Confidence, and fayd, they are "the moft holy Fathers (the Popes) and the moft holy "See, that have fent us Relief. And tho many have » been call'd to that holy Dignity fince the laft » troubles, yet has there not been one of them, who » has changed his Affection towards us. A moft cer»tain Teftimony, that our Caufe is juft. [D'Avila pag. 598.] pag. 71.

L. Sr, the French Leaguers were certainly very much influenced by the Authority of fome Popes, who fided with the League. But were not the People of Great Britain at a certain Time influenced in the fame Manner by their Spiritual Guides? I mean, the Bishops and Clergy? Remember but the Hiftory of the feven golden Candlesticks, and the Prince of Orange's

24.5 printed Declaration, that he was call'd in by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and there will be no Room left to doubt of it. I am forry, Sr, you oblige me to the odious Task of Recriminating. But fince you are so very tart upon the Church of Rome, because fome of that Communion teach, and fome have practifed the depofing Doctrine, and you even claim a mighty Advantage over her upon that Head, you lay a Neceffity upon me to put you in Mind of these ungrateful Truths, that you may not be fo warm in Condemning your Enemies abroad, for what practise yourselves at home without any Scruple.

you

G. To return to the French League, there were « fix Popes during that Time, viz. Gregory XIII. Six- « tus V. Urban VII. Gregory XIV. Innocent IX. and « Clement VIII. And they fupported that Rebellion « not only with their Bleffing it and the Authors of « it, and Curfing the King and all his loyal Sub- « jects, who adhered to him; but they fent more « fubftantial Relief, viz. 300000 Crowns for the « Service of the Cardinal of Bourbon, whom they had « chosen by the Name of Charles the tenth against the « next in Blood, only because he was a Protestant: « and 15000 Crowns a Month to carry on that Re- « bellion with an Army of 6000 Foot, and 1200 « Horse to affist thefe holy Leaguers, pag. 71. «

L. Juft fo, Sr, did Queen Elizabeth the Head and Foundreß of your Church affift the Dutch Leaguers with Men and Money against King Philip. And your Royal Martyr King Charles I. affifted the Rebels of Rochel against Lewis the 13th their undoubted Sovereign.

G. The Pope went Heart and Hand into the «e Work, which he accounted excellently good « (Lays d'Avila) and of wonderful Glory and Ad- « vantage to the Apoftolick See, And afterwards when

"the Succefs of the King's Arms had induced fe » veral of the Clergy, and others to come over to » him, the Pope fent his Monitory Letters to the Pre»lates and Catholicks commanding them under Pain of » Excommunication, and of being deprived of their Di. "gnities and Benefices, and of being used as Sectaries » and Hereticks, that they should withdraw themselves from thofe Places, that yielded Obedience to Henry of » Bourbon (fo he stiled the King) and from the Union » and Fellowship of his Faction. D'Avila L. 13. p. 613. » And the Authority of the Pope prevail'd fo far at laft, that thofe Catholicks, who had join'd with the King, form'd a Confpiracy against him upon » his delay of Changing his Religion; wherein the » Princes of the Blood were most violent, and told » him plainly to his Face, that if he did not perform » his Promife (to turn Roman Catholick) they would » defert him, and join with the League. Ibid. pag. » 611. 612. pag. 71. 72.

for a

L. Sr, I must beg Leave to interrupt you Moment. You have named fix Popes, that fided with the French League. First, it is nothing to the Purpose whether they did or no. For if the depofing Doctrine be falfe, the Popes, that join'd with the League were to be blamed; and 'tis a convincing Proof, that they are not impeccable. But, whether, that Doctrine be true or falle (for 'tis not my Bufinefs to decide the Question) they did no more than the English Bishops and Clergy did at the Revolution, and have done ever fince upon Revolution principles. So that, whether Right or Wrong, they and the Popes have nothing to reproach one another. However you are fomewhat Mistaken in your Number of thofe Popes, that fided with the League. For Maimbourg, whom no Man can accuse of being too favourable to the Court of Rome, tells us in his Hiftory of the

247 French League tranflated by Mr Dryden pag. 67. that Pope Gregory XIII. conftantly perfifted in Refusing to approve the League: and Urban the 7th enjoy'd the Pontificat for fo short a Time that he could have no Part in their Counfels. Now, Sr, you may tell your whole Story out if you pleafe.

G. After the Converfion of Henry IV. and his «e being by that establish'd on the Throne, they « fear'd his Power, and therefore the Pope (as now) « made less Noife with the depofing Doctrine, which « yet he would not difown, but kept it in Petto till «e a fitter Opportunity. But yet it was not carried « fo covertly, but that even in their Sermons wife « and willing Men might know their Meaning. Ra- «e vaillac upon his Examination alledg'd the Lent- « Sermons before his Affafination of Henry IV. as «e the Ground and Encouragement to that execrable « Fact. But after that magnanimous Prince had thus « falna Sacrifice to their reftlefs furious Zeal, and « his Son fucceeded Young and fenceless to the « Government, then they fet up again the depofing Doctrine on High; because then they durft do it. « With which our King James do's justly upbraid «e them, particularly his Opponent the Cardinal of « Perron in his Preface to his Book entitled (a De- ce fence of the Right of Kings) for it was but five Years « after the Murder of Henry IV. viz. An. 1615. that «< Cardinal Perron in the Affembly of the three Eftates of France, and in the Name of the first EState, that is, of the Clergy, did reaffert the Power «< of the Pope to depofe Kings with this Reafon, that e otherwise there had not been any Church for many « Ages paft, and that indeed the Church (he meant the « Church of Rome) would be the very Synagogue of An- « tichrift. «

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But, to come to a fresh Inftance now on Foot,

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» Pere Jouvency a French Jefuit has lately printed a » Book at Rome in Defence of the Pope's Power to » depofe Princes: And the Unwillingness and Shifts

of the Jefuits at Paris to disown him in this, and » to disclaim that Doctrine fairly and above Board » shews, that it is not yet quite extinguish'd in » France, but kept up in the Embers as in the Reign » of Henry IV. For all, who understand that Order » of the Jefuits, know full well that none of them » dare print efpecially upon fuch a Subject without the Approbation of their Superiours, and that » France is not entirely free from the Infection. And, tho the Vigour of this King has deprefs'd it very » much, we cannot fay it is totally extinguish'd, or that there is no Danger of a Relapse, whilst the » Authority of the Pope is revered as Head of the Catholick Church, and the Council of Lateran is still »own'd as truly general and infallible, and the Bishops of France ftill take an Oath of Fidelity and 0. »bedience to the Pope. pag. 72. 73. 74.

L. Well, Sr, I prefume you have now finish'd your Satyr upon the Depofing Doctrine. But what is it you chiefly drive at ?

G. My Lord, I have told you that already. 'Tis to convince your Lordship, that the People are fafer in the Church of England, than in the Church of

Rome.

L. Truly, Sr, if Depofing be a godly Work, I own the People to be very fafe (as to that Article) in the Church of England. But if it be true what you fay, viz. that Depofing is the fame as Rebelling; then all you have faid, nay tho you could fay ten Times more against the Church of Rome upon that Head, fully anfwer'd by these two Verfes in St Mathew C. 7. Why beholdeft thou the Mote, that is in thy Brother's Eye, but confiderft not the Bearn, that is in thy

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