Andhencethepopes，whoholdnothingingreaterhorrorthanthesesurprisals，have，byaletterofAlexanderIII，enactedanecclesiasticalstatute，whichisinsertedinthecanonicallaw，topermitthesuspensionoftheexecutionoftheirbullsanddecretals，whenthereisgroundtosuspectthattheyhavebeenimposedupon。\"If，\"saysthatpopetotheArchbishopofRavenna，\"wesometimessenddecretalstoyourfraternitywhichareopposedtoyoursentiments，giveyourselvesnodistressonthataccount。Weshallexpectyoueithertocarrythemrespectfullyintoexecution，ortosendusthereasonwhyyouconceivetheyoughtnottobeexecuted；forwedeemitrightthatyoushouldnotexecuteadecreewhichmayhavebeenprocuredfromusbyartificeandsurprise。\"Suchhasbeenthecoursepursuedbythepopes，whosesoleobjectistosettlethedisputesofChristians，andnottofollowthepassionatecounselsofthosewhostrivetoinvolvethemintroubleandperplexity。FollowingtheadviceofSt。PeterandSt。Paul，whointhisfollowedthecommandmentofJesusChrist，theyavoiddomination。
Thespiritwhichappearsintheirwholeconductisthatofpeaceandtruth。
Inthisspirittheyordinarilyinsertintheirlettersthisclause，whichistacitlyunderstoodinthemall：\"Siitaest；siprecesveritatenitantur—
Ifitbesoaswehaveheardit；ifthefactsbetrue。\"Itisquiteclear，ifthepopesthemselvesgivenoforcetotheirbulls，exceptinsofarastheyarefoundedongenuinefacts，thatitisnotthebullsalonethatprovethetruthofthefacts，butthat，onthecontrary，evenaccordingtothecanonists，itisthetruthofthefactswhichrendersthebullslawfullyadmissible。Inwhatway，then，arewetolearnthetruthoffacts？
Itmustbebytheeyes，father，whicharethelegitimatejudgesofsuchmatters，asreasonistheproperjudgeofthingsnaturalandintelligible，andfaithofthingssupernaturalandrevealed。For，sinceyouwillforcemeintothisdiscussion，youmustallowmetotellyouthat，accordingtothesentimentsofthetwogreatestdoctorsoftheChurch，St。AugustineandSt。Thomas，thesethreeprinciplesofourknowledge，thesenses，reason，andfaith，haveeachtheirseparateobjectsandtheirowndegreesofcertainty。