cut away, by which not one limb only is affected, but the. whole body of the Church is wounded,[1] and by the aid of the divine goodness care must be taken, that all dissensions being cut off, the Catholic faith be kept inviolate, and those who defend that which is perverse, being reclaimed from error, those whose faith has been approved may be secured by our authority.[2]
Wherefore the light of the Holy Ghost being implored with the continual prayers both of ourselves and of the pious followers of Christ, all things being fully and maturely considered, we have given it as our opinion that several propositions, doctrines, sentences, whether given expressly, or insinuated ambiguously, from the acts and decrees of the above-mentioned synod, with their marks and censures, as has been premised, affixed to each, are to be condemned and reprobated, as by this our constitution, which is to hold good for ever, we condemn and reprobate them.
They are as follows:—
ON THE OBSCURATION OF TRUTHS IN THE CHURCH.
Ex decr, de grat, § 1.
I. Ihe proposition, which asserts, "that in these latter ages a general obscuration has been spread over truths of graver moment, regarding religion, and which are the basis of faith, and of the moral doctrine of Jesus Christ:" is heretical,
ON THE POWER ATTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE CHURCH TO BE COMMUNICATED THROUGH THIS TO THE PASTORS.
Epist. convoc.
II. The proposition, which lays down, "that the power given by God to the Church, to be communicated to the pastors, who are his ministers, for the salvation of souls, so understood that the power of the ecclesiastical ministry and government is derived from the community of the faithful to the pastors: heretical.
