the plenary power of feeding, ruling, and governing the Universal Church.'[1]
The Council of Lateran, in 1520, condemned as heretical the proposition ' the Roman Pontiff, the Successor of Peter, is not the Yicar of Christ constituted by Christ Himself in Blessed Peter over all the Churches of the whole world.'[2]
The Council of Trent in four places describes the Roman Church as 'Ecclesiarum omnium Mater et Magistra.'[3] But the word 'Magistra' signifies the authority of teacher and guide.
Lastly. The Council of Constance itself gives an evidence of the Pontifical authority of the most decisive kind, In the last session of the Council, the Poles, because the Pope would not condemn a certain book, appealed to a future General Council. Martin V., therefore, in a public Consistory on March 10, 1418, condemned all such appeals. Gerson wrote against this condemnation, which runs in these words: 'It is lawful to no one to appeal from the Supreme Judge, namely, the Apostolic See, or the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, or to reverse his judgment in causes of faith, which, as causæ majores, are to be referred to him and the Apostolic See.'[4] It cannot be unlawful to appeal from a fallible to an infallible Judge. But a General Council is infallible. The Pope, therefore, is not fallible. This proves two things: the one, what was the claim of
