ELEVENTH ASSUMPTION OF THE POPE IRRESPONSIBILITY. 339 The pope observing what authority and reverence the archbishops of Canterbury had in this nation, whereby they might be able to check his attempts, thought good to constitute those archbishops his Legates, of course [honorary legates,] (legatos natos); that so they mightseem to exercisetheirjurisdictionbyauthorityderived fromhim, and, owing to him that mark of favour or honour, with enlargement of power, might pay himmore devotion, and serve his interests. Bellarmine1 from this practiceproves the popes' sovereign power; but he might from thence better have demonstrated their great cun- ning. It might, from such extraordinary designation of vicegerents, with far more reason, be inferred that ordinarily bishops are not his ministers. XI. It is the privilege of a sovereign that he cannot be called to account, or judged, or deposed, or debarred communion, or any wise censured and punished; for this implies a contradiction or confusion in degrees, subjecting the superior to inferiors. This were making a river run backwards; this were to dam up the fountain of justice, to behead the state, to expose majesty to contempt. Wherefore, the pope pretends to this privilege, according to those maxims in the canon law, drawn from the sayings of popes (either forged or genuine, but all alike), obtaining authority in their court.' And according to what Pope Adrian let the eighth synod know : " Because," says he, "theapostolic church of Rome stoops not to the judgment of lesser churches."3 They cite, also, three old synods (of Sinuessa, of Rome under Pope Sylvester, of Rome underSixtus III.), but they are palpably spurious, and the learned amongst them con- fess it. But antiquitywas not of this mind; for it supposed him no less obnoxious to judgment and correction thanother bishops, if he should notoriously deviate from the faith or violate canonical discipline. The canons generally oblige bishops, without exception, to duty; and, upon defailance, to correction. Why is not he excepted, if to be excused or exempted? It was not questioned of old but that a pope, in case he should notoriously depart from the faith or notably infringe discipline, might be excommunicated. The attempting it upon divers occasions shows their opinion, although it often had not effect, because the cause was not just and plausible, the truth and equity of the case appearing to be on the pope's side. 1 Bell. ii. 10. 2 Bell. ii. 26, de Conc. ii. 17; Grat. Dist. xl. cap. 6, xxi. 7; Caus. ix. qu. 3, cap. 10; Extray. comm. lib. i. tit. 8, cap. 1; P. Leo IX., Ep. i. cap. 10, 17 ; P. Nich. I., Ep. viii: p. 504; P. Joh. VIII., Ep. lxxv. p. 81; P. Gelas., Ep. iv. p. 625, 626, Ep. xiii. p. 640; P. Greg. VII., Ep. viii. 21. 3 Arm ßrá 941v á71.0070 lIalY ixxxnviav ., `Pe:/on ten" ;, iamvróvan. ¡cñ ii,r,*í,r,rnry zei nr. Y. Adrian. in Syn. VIII, Act. vii. p. 963.
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