(?a?P. I?r.] INI?LIBILITY. 14? received by the great body of Catholic bishops, is sEerag rao? ERaOR. " Many other authors might be quoted to show the discord- ant sentiments of the members of the Church of Rome respecting her asstuned infallibility. The church herself has never yet spoken out respecting the seat of this high prerogative, and thus leaves her chil- dren contending on this single point to an extent that sometimes has endangered her existence. 3. From the above quotations we collect four principal systems respecting the ?eat of infallibility, and these four contain a considerable number of subdivisions, the chief of which are expressed in the follow- ing analysis. First rgstem. This embraces the infallibility of the whole church, and includes two cases: 1. T!? elmteA di?u.?ive, that is, all her clergy', as a body, for the people, whenever infallibility is concerned, compose no part of the church. 2. The bishops as the reFre?.ntat/ves of the church, though not assembled in council. ' Second rgstem. A council composed of all the bishops; and this also is divided into two cases: 1. The decision of a council when approved by the whole church. 2. The decision of a council though not approved by the whole church. Third s?/st?n. A council and pope united. There are four cases of this: 1. A council convened by the pope. 2. A council confirmed by the pope. 3. A council convened by the pope, and whose decisions are received by the whole church, or the body of her pastors. 4. A council confirmed by the pope, and received subsequently by the church. FourtA z'tjstegn--Respects the infallibility of the pope himself. This h? the four following cases: 1. The pope himself deciding officially. 2. The pope and a few bishops. 3. The pope when his decisions are received by the whole church. 4. The pope and a few bishops, whose deei?ion? are received by the whole church. Any per,on who will inspect the quotations already given from Ro- man Catholic ?nthors will perceive these four distinct systems, together with the several cases under each. If we also consider their diflrer- ween in regard to th, &?tent of infallibility, some confining it to articles of faith and precepts of morality, and others making distinctions be- tween matters of rigAt ?focts, and then of facts connected with faith; if it will be also considerei.that their church has not precisely deftned where this infallibility is to ? found, then we may safely say that the bare recital of their endless dizens ?respecting the ? of infallibility proves that the thing is not in ex?t?nce. All Protestants are in placing infallibility in the Bitie; but Romanists are endlessly ,n?mso as to its place. We might here safely rest our cause, and barely request a perusal of the conflicting opinions of those who claim it: we shall, nevertheless, examine each system separately. IV. Infallibility/of tAe pope ess,nine. The Jesuits, Canonists, Italians, and others maintain the infalli- bility of the pope personally, when aided by a few hishops, or when his decisions are received by the church. In opposition to ? we will draw forth the arguments which Roman Catholic? d?mselves
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