of Gregory the
Seventh and of Sixtus the Fifth. The dispute became serious. Agents of
the King were excommunicated. Adherents of the Pope were banished. The
King made the champions of his authority Bishops. The Pope refused them
institution. They took possession of the Episcopal palaces and revenues:
but they were incompetent to perform the Episcopal functions. Before the
struggle terminated, there were in France thirty prelates who could not
confirm or ordain. [247]

Had any prince then living, except Lewis, been engaged in such a dispute
with the Vatican, he would have had all Protestant governments on his
side. But the fear and resentment which the ambition and insolence of
the French King had inspired were such that whoever had the courage
manfully to oppose him was sure of public sympathy. Even Lutherans and
Calvinists, who had always detested the Pope, could not refrain from
wishing him success against a tyrant who aimed at universal monarchy.
It was thus that, in the present century, many who regarded Pius the
Seventh as Antichrist were well pleased to see Antichrist confront the
gigantic power of Napoleon.

The resentment which Innocent felt towards France disposed him to take
a mild and liberal view of the affairs of England. The return of
the English people to the fold of which he was the shepherd would
undoubtedly have rejoiced his soul. But he was too wise a man to believe
that a nation so bold and stubborn, could be brought back to the Church
of Rome by the violent and unconstitutional exercise of royal authority.
It was not difficult to foresee that, if James attempted to promote the
interests of his religion by illegal and unpopular means, the attempt
would fail; the hatred with which the heretical islanders regarded
the true faith would become fiercer and stronger than ever; and an
indissoluble association would be created in their minds between
Protestantism and civil freedom, between Popery and arbitrary power. In
the meantime the King would be an object of aversion and suspicion to
his people. England would still be, as she had been under James the
First, under Charles the First, and under Charles the Second, a power of
the third rank; and France would domineer unchecked beyond the Alps and
the Rhine. On the other hand, it was probable that James, by acting with
prudence and moderation, by strictly observing the laws and by exerting
himself to win the confidence of his Parliament, might be able to
o