demned by the University of Louvain. They were assailed by the theologians of Liege. The professors of Douai at once petitioned the King that they might
'While Choiseul endeavoured to refute these arguments, Bossuet urged him sharply. He said, with a peremptory voice, Answer: can the Apostolic See become heretical or not? Whatever you say will be contrary to yourself. If you say that the Apostolic See can become heretical, and, in defending its heresy, schismatical, then by your doctrine it may come to pass, that the head of the Church may be torn from the body, and the truncated body become lifeless; and therefore the centre of unity in faith become the centre of corrupt belief and of heresy. But if you say, this See cannot fail in the faith, of which it is the centre and head, therefore the faith of this See is indefectible.
'After much direct controversy of the same kind, Choiseul added: Under this milder name of indefectibility you are insinuating that very infallibility of the Ultramontanes which you deny, and most dangerously delude yourself. Show therefore precisely and clearly in what this indefectibility of yours differs from that Ultramontane infallibility. The Bishop of Meaux answered, that it was promised to the Apostolic See that it should be for ever the foundation, centre, and head of the Catholic Church, and that therefore it could never become schismatical or heretical, like many Oriental Churches, which, once enjoying Catholic communion, had at length lapsed into schism and heresy. It is proved by the promises (these are Bossuet's words), that to the Apostolic See this can never happen.
'When this altercation between the two bishops ended, the Bishop of Tournai withdrew from the office of drawing up the Declaration. The Bishop of Meaux was substituted to fulfil this duty, and immediately drew up the Four Propositions as they exist at this day.
'These are the particulars which witnesses worthy of confidence, and still living, have with me very often heard narrated by the Bishop of Meaux.'Œuvres complètes de Fénélon. Vol. ii.
Paris, 1852.
