The Pope's denying to grant Bulls to all the Bishops nominated by the King, occasions a Disorder that daily augments, and which requires a speedy and efficacious Remedy. The Councils of Conftance and Bafil having endeavoured to contrive fome moderation to the Court of Rome's Ufurpations, and to the Confufion that was introduced in the distribution of Benefices, the pragmatick Sanction was after. wards compos'd of the Decrees of those Councils. But the Popes thereby perceiving their Authority to diminish, made use of all forts of Artifices to abolish it; and by the Concordate made between King Francis the 1ft. and by Pope Leo the 10th, they regulated the manner of difpofing of Bishopricks and Abbies: To the Pope was granted not only the devolution, but also the prevention and the power of admitting the Refignations in favour, and many other Articles that are very burdenfome to the ordinary Collaters, and absolutely contrary to the Ancient Canons.

And indeed our Fore fathers did for a long while complain against the Concordate. The Ordinance of Orleans did re-eftablish the Elections; and it would be very advantageous that all Ecclefiaftical Matters were tranfacted in the Kingdom, without ever being obliged to have recourfe to Rome. In the fequel neverthelefs the Concordate was fincerely executed on our part; and it is inconceiveable that the Pope fhould now, through an invincible Obftinacy, reduce us to deprive him of the profit,

which the Court of Rome derives from a Treaty, which is fo much to its advantage.

TheKing is moft Religious,in nominating to the Prelacies Ecclefiafticks of an exemplary Integrity, and of confpicuous merit; and becaufe that thefe Ecclefiafticks do not believe that the Pope is INFALLIBLE; that they do not like the Italian Doctors,attribute to him the Title of Univerfal Monarch; that they are perfua ded He has no power, either direct or indirect, over the Temporality of Kings, and that He is to all intents inferiour to the Councils,that have a right to Correct him, and to Reform His Decifions.The Pope upon this imaginary pretence, refuses them BULLS, and leaves the third part of the Churches of the Kingdom deftitute of Pastors. Is this imitating the Care and Lenity of the Apostles in the Government of the Church?

After all, before the Concordate, those that were Elected by the Clergy and the people, and afterwards by the Chapters, in prefence of one of the Kings Commiffioners: Were they not Ordained by the Metropolitan, affifted by the Bishops of the Province, after that the King had approved of their Election? The Right acquired to the King by the Concordate, being Authorized in this refpect by the Tacit confent of the whole Gallian Church, and confirmed by a poffeffion of near two Centuries, ought fo much the lefs to receive any Change and Invafion, that during the firft four Ages of the Monarchy, they went not to Rome to demand Inftitution and Induction of Benefi

ces:

ces: The Bishops Difpos'd of all those that were vacant in their Dioceffes; and our Kings did almost ever nominate to the Bishopricks; and as they fometimes granted the Clergy and the people the liberty of Electing a Paftor; they often referv'd the choice of him to them. felves; he they had chofen was immediately Confecrated, without the Popes intermedling in the Matter. Who hinders us from following thefe Examples, grounded upon this excel lent Reafon, That the Right, which all the Faithful had in the beginning of appointing themselves a Head; being no longer to be exercifed in common, ought to pass into the Power of the Soveraign, on whom the Subjects rely for the Government of the State; of which the Church is the noblest part.

But as to the Pope, fince He refuses to join the Concourfe of His Authority to the Kings Nomination: We may prefume, that He means to difcharge Himfelf of the painful burden which overwhelms Him; and that His Infirmities not permitting Him to extend His Paftoral Diligence over all the parts of the Uni verfal Church; the Devolution that is made in cafe of negligence, fometimes even from the Superiour to the Inferiour, may Authorize the Bilhops to lay their Hands on those that fhall be Nominated by the King to the Prelacies; His Nomination having as much, or more ef tect, than the Election of the people and the Clergy, which ought, without difficulty, to

be

be Confirmed by the Immediate Superiour; when an unworthy person was not chofen. And if the like refolution requires the being accompanied with fome temperament; If it requires the Bishops Concurrence: The King may be befought to convene the Provincial Councils, or if need be, a National Council; therein to take Refolutions fuitable to the Occafions of the Gallican Church.

And as the Evil fees urgent,and that there would be poffibly fome danger in venturing upon the delays that are infeparable to the holding of a National Council, His Majefty may affemble fuch as he pleases of the princi pal Officers, of the Bishops, and confiderable Perfons of all the Orders of his Realm, to take their advice in fo important an Affair.

But it is not juft, that while that the Pope refuses to Execute the Concordate in one of its principal Articles, he does, nevertheless, enjoy the Advantages that are granted him by that Treaty, which contains Conventions reciprocally obligatory; that people continue to go to Rome, and thither carry Money, for the obtaining either the Inftitutions of Benefices or Difpenfations, that may be eafily expediated in the Kingdom.

Now if we purpofe to break off this Traf fick, it is only because it ceases to be recipro cal; and Because that the Pope by his Obsti. nacy, interpofing an invincible impediment to the Expedition of the Bulls of a great num ber of Bishopricks. It would be a fhame to

fuffer

fuffer that the Gallican Church should remain burden'd with the Yoke of Prevention of Refignations in favour, and of all the other Servitudes whereunto France was content to fubmit by the Concordate.

And herein We do but faintly repel the Injury that is done Us: We oppose the Buckler of our Liberties against a New and Un-exampled Enterprize. Calamity and Anathema, to thofe that out of Intereft or Caprice, disturb the Correfpondence that ought to be between the Priesthood and the Royalty, Who feem to have no other Aim than to raife a Schifm in the Church, and by fatal Divifions disturb the Peace which all Europe enjoys, and which was procured It by the Valour and Wisdom of our Invincible Monarch.

But whatever endeavours thofe factious Spirits may use that poffefs the Pope and abuse the power which his great Age and Infirmities oblige him to give them in the Government of the Church, We fhall ever remain infperably united to the Holy See, We will acknowledge Saint Peter's Succeffor as the firft and the chief of the Bishops, We will moft Religiously maintain the Communion and Correfpondence with the Church of Rome, and we will defend our felves with as much moderation as vigour against the Infults, Invasions, and Innovations contrary to the King's Rights, to the Dignity of his Crown, to the Decrees of the Councils, to the General Policy of our Church and to our Liberties.

All