第20章
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  andtoreferyoutomyletters,inwhichIhavedeclaredthat\"Iamaprivateindividual\";andagaininsomanywords,that\"IamnotofPort—Royal,asIsaidinmySixteenthLetter,whichprecededyourpublication。Youmustfallonsomeotherway,then,toprovemeheretic,otherwisethewholeworldwillbeconvincedthatitisbeyondyourpowertomakegoodyouraccusation。ProvefrommywritingsthatIdonotreceivetheconstitution。

  Mylettersarenotveryvoluminous—therearebutsixteenofthem—andIdefyyouoranybodyelsetodetectinthemtheslightestfoundationforsuchacharge。Ishall,however,withyourpermission,producesomethingoutofthemtoprovethereverse。When,forexample,IsayintheFourteenththat,\"bykillingourbrethreninmortalsin,accordingtoyourmaxims,wearedamningthoseforwhomJesusChristdied,doInotplainlyacknowledgethatJesusChristdiedforthosewhomaybedamned,and,consequently,declareittobefalse\"thathediedonlyforthepredestinated,\"whichistheerrorcondemnedinthefifthproposition?Certainitis,father,thatIhavenotsaidawordinbehalfoftheseimpiouspropositions,whichIdetestwithallmyheart。AndeventhoughPort—Royalshouldholdthem,Iprotestagainstyourdrawinganyconclusionfromthisagainstme,as,thankGod,IhavenosortofconnectionwithanycommunityexcepttheCatholic,ApostolicandRomanChurch,inthebosomofwhichIdesiretoliveanddie,incommunionwiththePope,theheadoftheChurch,andbeyondthepaleofwhichIampersuadedthereisnosalvation。Howareyoutogetatapersonwhotalksinthisway,father?Onwhatquarterwillyouassailme,sinceneithermywordsnormywritingsaffordtheslightesthandletoyouraccusations,andtheobscurityinwhichmypersonisenvelopedformsmyprotectionagainstyourthreatenings?Youfeelyourselvessmittenbyaninvisiblehand—ahand,however,whichmakesyourdelinquenciesvisibletoalltheearth;andinvaindoyouendeavourtoattackmeinthepersonofthosewithwhomyousupposemetobeassociated。Ifearyounot,eitheronmyownaccountoronthatofanyother,beingboundbynotieeithertoacommunityortoanyindividualwhatsoever。AlltheinfluencewhichyourSocietypossessescanbeofnoavailinmycase。FromthisworldI

  havenothingtohope,nothingtodread,nothingtodesire。ThroughthegoodnessofGod,Ihavenoneedofanyman’smoneyoranyman’spatronage。

  Thus,myfather,Ieludeallyourattemptstolayholdofme。YoumaytouchPort—Royal,ifyouchoose,butyoushallnottouchme。YoumayturnpeopleoutoftheSorbonne,butthatwillnotturnmeoutofmydomicile。Youmaycontriveplotsagainstpriestsanddoctors,butnotagainstme,forIamneithertheonenortheother。Andthus,father,youneverperhapshadtodo,inthewholecourseofyourexperience,withapersonsocompletelybeyondyourreach,andthereforesoadmirablyqualifiedfordealingwithyourerrors—oneperfectlyfree—onewithoutengagement,entanglement,relationship,orbusinessofanykind—one,too,whoisprettywellversedinyourmaxims,anddetermined,asGodshallgivehimlight,todiscussthem,withoutpermittinganyearthlyconsiderationtoarrestorslackenhisendeavours。Since,then,youcandonothingagainstme,whatgoodpurposecanitservetopublishsomanycalumnies,asyouandyourbrethrenaredoing,againstaclassofpersonswhoareinnowayimplicatedinourdisputes?

  Youshallnotescapeunderthesesubterfuges:youshallbemadetofeeltheforceofthetruthinspiteofthem。Howdoesthecasestand?ItellyouthatyouareruiningChristianmoralitybydivorcingitfromtheloveofGod,anddispensingwithitsobligation;andyoutalkabout\"thedeathofFatherMester\"—apersonwhomIneversawinmylife。Itellyouthatyourauthorspermitamantokillanotherforthesakeofanapple,whenitwouldbedishonourabletoloseit;andyoureplybyinformingmethatsomebody\"hasbrokenintothepoor—boxatSt。Merri!\"Again,whatcanyoupossiblymeanbymixingmeupperpetuallywiththebookOntheHolyVirginity,writtenbysomefatheroftheOratory,whomIneversawanymorethanhisbook?Itisratherextraordinary,father,thatyoushouldthusregardallthatareopposedtoyouasiftheywereoneperson。Yourhatredwouldgraspthemallatonce,andwouldholdthemasabodyofreprobates,everyoneofwhomisresponsibleforalltherest。ThereisavastdifferencebetweenJesuitsandalltheiropponents。Therecanbenodoubtthatyoucomposeonebody,unitedunderonehead;andyourregulations,asIhaveshown,prohibityoufromprintinganythingwithouttheapprobationofyoursuperiors,whoareresponsibleforalltheerrorsofindividualwriters,andwho\"cannotexcusethemselvesbysayingthattheydidnotobservetheerrorsinanypublication,fortheyoughttohaveobservedthem。\"Sosayyourordinances,andsosaythelettersofyourgenerals,Aquaviva,Vitelleschi,&c。

  Wehavegoodreason,therefore,forcharginguponyoutheerrorsofyourassociates,whenwefindtheyaresanctionedbyyoursuperiorsandthedivinesofyourSociety。Withme,however,father,thecasestandsotherwise。

  IhavenotsubscribedtothebookoftheHolyVirginity。Allthealms—boxesinParismaybebrokeninto,andyetIamnotthelessagoodCatholicforallthat。Inshort,Ibegtoinformyou,intheplainestterms,thatnobodyisresponsibleformylettersbutmyself,andthatIamresponsiblefornothingbutmyletters。Here,father,Imightfairlyenoughhavebroughtourdisputetoanissue,withoutsayingawordaboutthoseotherpersonswhomyoustigmatizeasheretics,inordertocomprehendmeunderthecondemnation。

  But,asIhavebeentheoccasionoftheirilltreatment,Iconsidermyselfboundinsomesorttoimprovetheoccasion,andIshalltakeadvantageofitinthreeparticulars。Oneadvantage,notinconsiderableinitsway,isthatitwillenablemetovindicatetheinnocenceofsomanycalumniatedindividuals。Another,notinappropriatetomysubject,willbetodisclose,atthesametime,theartificesofyourpolicyinthisaccusation。ButtheadvantagewhichIprizemostofallisthatitaffordsmeanopportunityofapprisingtheworldofthefalsehoodofthatscandalousreportwhichyouhavebeensobusilydisseminating,namely,\"thattheChurchisdividedbyanewheresy。\"Andasyouaredeceivingmultitudesintothebeliefthatthepointsonwhichyouareraisingsuchastormareessentialtothefaith,Iconsideritofthelastimportancetoquashtheseunfoundedimpressions,anddistinctlytoexplainherewhatthesepointsare,soastoshowthat,inpointoffact,therearenohereticsintheChurch。Ipresume,then,thatwerethequestiontobeasked:WhereinconsiststheheresyofthosecalledJansenists?theimmediatereplywouldbe,\"ThesepeopleholdthatthecommandmentsofGodareimpracticabletomen,thatgraceisirresistible,thatwehavenotfreewilltodoeithergoodorevil,thatJesusChristdidnotdieforallmen,butonlyfortheelect;inshort,theymaintainthefivepropositionscondemnedbythePope。\"Doyounotgiveitouttoallthatthisisthegroundonwhichyoupersecuteyouropponents?Haveyounotsaidasmuchinyourbooks,inyourconversations,inyourcatechisms?

  AspecimenofthisyougaveatthelateChristmasfestivalatSt。Louis。

  Oneofyourlittleshepherdesseswasquestionedthus:\"ForwhomdidJesusChristcomeintotheworld,mydear?\"\"Forallmen,father。\"\"Indeed,mychild;soyouarenotoneofthosenewhereticswhosaythathecameonlyfortheelect?\"Thuschildrenareledtobelieveyou,andmanyothersbesideschildren;foryouentertainpeoplewiththesamestuffinyoursermonsasFatherCrassetdidatOrleans,beforehewaslaidunderaninterdict。

  AndIfranklyownthat,atonetime,Ibelievedyoumyself。Youhadgivenmepreciselythesameideaofthesegoodpeople;sothat,whenyoupressedthemonthesepropositions,Inarrowlywatchedtheiranswer,determinednevertoseethemmore,iftheydidnotrenouncethemaspalpableimpieties。

  This,however,theyhavedoneinthemostunequivocalway。M。deSainte—Beuve,king’sprofessorintheSorbonne,censuredthesepropositionsinhispublishedwritingslongbeforethePope;andotherAugustiniandoctors,invariouspublications,and,amongothers,inaworkOnVictoriousGrace,rejectthesamearticlesasbothhereticalandstrangedoctrines。Intheprefacetothatworktheysaythatthesepropositionsare\"hereticalandLutheran,forgedandfabricatedatpleasure,andareneithertobefoundinJansenius,norinhisdefenders。\"Theycomplainofbeingchargedwithsuchsentiments,andaddressyouinthewordsofSt。Prosper,thefirstdiscipleofSt。

  Augustinetheirmaster,towhomthesemi—PelagiansofFrancehadascribedsimilaropinions,withtheviewofbringinghimintodisgrace:\"Therearepersonswhodenounceus,soblindedbypassionthattheyhaveadoptedmeansfordoingsowhichruintheirownreputation。Theyhave,forthispurpose,fabricatedpropositionsofthemostimpiousandblasphemouscharacter,whichtheyindustriouslycirculate,tomakepeoplebelievethatwemaintaintheminthewickedsensewhichtheyarepleasedtoattachtothem。Butourreplywillshowatonceourinnocence,andthemalignityofthesepersonswhohaveascribedtousasetofimpioustenets,ofwhichtheyarethemselvesthesoleinventors。\"Truly,father,whenIfoundthattheyhadspokeninthiswaybeforetheappearanceofthepapalconstitution—whenIsawthattheyafterwardsreceivedthatdecreewithallpossiblerespect,thattheyofferedtosubscribeit,andthatM。Arnauldhaddeclaredallthisinhissecondletter,instrongertermsthanIcanreporthim,Ishouldhaveconsidereditasintodoubttheirsoundnessinthefaith。And,infact,thosewhowereformerlydisposedtorefuseabsolutiontoM。Arnauld’sfriends,havesincedeclaredthat,afterhisexplicitdisclaimeroftheerrorsimputedtohim,therewasnoreasonleftforcuttingoffeitherhimorthemfromthecommunionoftheChurch。Yourassociates,however,haveactedverydifferently;anditwasthisthatmademebegintosuspectthatyouwereactuatedbyprejudice。Youthreatenedfirsttocompelthemtosignthatconstitution,solongasyouthoughttheywouldresistit;butnosoonerdidyouseethemquitereadyoftheirownaccordtosubmittoitthanweheardnomoreaboutthis。Stillhowever,thoughonemightsupposethisoughttohavesatisfiedyou,youpersistedincallingthemheretics,\"because,\"

  saidyou,\"theirheartbeliestheirhand;theyareCatholicsoutwardly,butinwardlytheyareheretics。\"This,father,struckmeasverystrangereasoning;forwhereisthepersonofwhomasmuchmaynotbesaidatanytime?Andwhatendlesstroubleandconfusionwouldensue,wereitallowedtogoon!\"If,\"saysPopeSt。Gregory,\"werefusetobelieveaconfessionoffaithmadeinconformitytothesentimentsoftheChurch,wecastadoubtoverthefaithofallCatholicswhatsoever。\"Iamafraid,father,tousethewordsofthesamepontiffwhenspeakingofasimilardisputethistime,\"thatyourobjectistomakethesepersonshereticsinspiteofthemselves;becausetorefusetocreditthosewhotestifybytheirconfessionthattheyareinthetruefaith,isnottopurgeheresy,buttocreateit—hocnonesthaeresimpurgare,sedfacere。\"Butwhatconfirmedmeinmypersuasionthattherewas,indeed,nohereticintheChurch,wasfindingthatourso—calledhereticshadvindicatedthemselvessosuccessfullythatyouwereunabletoaccusethemofasingleerrorinthefaith,andthatyouwerereducedtothenecessityofassailingthemonquestionsoffactonly,touchingJansenius,whichcouldnotpossiblybeconstruedintoheresy。

  Youinsist,itnowappears,ontheirbeingcompelledtoacknowledge\"thatthesepropositionsarecontainedinJansenius,wordforword,everyoneofthem,insomanyterms,\"or,asyouexpressit,\"Singulares,individuae,totidemverbisapudJanseniumcontentae。\"Thenceforthyourdisputebecame,inmyeyes,perfectlyindifferent。SolongasIbelievedthatyouweredebatingthetruthorfalsehoodofthepropositions,Iwasallattention,forthatquarreltouchedthefaith;butwhenIdiscoveredthattheboneofcontentionwaswhethertheyweretobefoundwordforwordinJanseniusornot,asreligionceasedtobeinterestedinthecontroversy,Iceasedtobeinterestedinitalso。Notbutthattherewassomepresumptionthatyouwerespeakingthetruth;becausetosaythatsuchandsuchexpressionsaretobefoundwordforwordinanauthor,isamatterinwhichtherecanbenomistake。Idonotwonder,therefore,thatsomanypeople,bothinFranceandatRome,shouldhavebeenledtobelieve,ontheauthorityofaphrasesolittleliabletosuspicion,thatJanseniushasactuallytaughttheseobnoxioustenets。And,forthesamereason,Iwasnotalittlesurprisedtolearnthatthissamepointoffact,whichyouhadpropoundedassocertainandsoimportant,wasfalse;andthat,afterbeingchallengedtoquotethepagesofJanseniusinwhichyouhadfoundthesepropositions\"wordforword,\"youhavenotbeenabletopointthemouttothisday。

  Iamthemoreparticularingivingthisstatement,because,inmyopinion,itdiscovers,inaverystrikinglight,thespiritofyourSocietyinthewholeofthisaffair;andbecausesomepeoplewillbeastonishedtofindthat,notwithstandingallthefactsabovementioned,youhavenotceasedtopublishthattheyarehereticsstill。Butyouhaveonlyalteredtheheresytosuitthetime;fornosoonerhadtheyfreedthemselvesfromonechargethanyourfathers,determinedthattheyshouldneverwantanaccusation,substitutedanotherinitsplace。Thus,in1653,theirheresylayinthequalityofthepropositions;thencamethewordforwordheresy;afterthatwehadtheheartheresy。Andnowwehearnothingofanyofthese,andtheymustbeheretics,forsooth,unlesstheysignadeclarationtotheeffect\"thatthesenseofthedoctrineofJanseniusiscontainedinthesenseofthefivepropositions。\"Suchisyourpresentdispute。Itisnotenoughforyouthattheycondemnthefivepropositions,andeverythinginJanseniusthatbearsanyresemblancetothem,oriscontrarytoSt。

  Augustine;forallthattheyhavedonealready。Thepointatissueisnot,forexample,ifJesusChristdiedfortheelectonly—theycondemnthatasmuchasyoudo;but,isJanseniusofthatopinion,ornot?AndhereIdeclare,morestronglythanever,thatyourquarrelaffectsmeaslittleasitaffectstheChurch。ForalthoughIamnodoctor,anymorethanyou,father,Icaneasilysee,nevertheless,thatithasnoconnectionwiththefaith。TheonlyquestionistoascertainwhatisthesenseofJansenius。

  Didtheybelievethathisdoctrinecorrespondedtotheproperandliteralsenseofthesepropositions,theywouldcondemnit;andtheyrefusetodoso,becausetheyareconvinceditisquitethereverse;sothat,althoughtheyshouldmisunderstandit,stilltheywouldnotbeheretics,seeingtheyunderstanditonlyinaCatholicsense。Toillustratethisbyanexample,ImayrefertotheconflictingsentimentsofSt。BasilandSt。Athanasius,regardingthewritingsofSt。DenisofAlexandria,whichSt。Basil,conceivingthathefoundinthemthesenseofAriusagainsttheequalityoftheFatherandtheSon,condemnedasheretical,butwhichSt。Athanasius,ontheotherhand,judgingthemtocontainthegenuinesenseoftheChurch,maintainedtobeperfectlyorthodox。Thinkyou,then,father,thatSt。Basil,whoheldthesewritingstobeArian,hadarighttobrandSt。Athanasiusasahereticbecausehedefendedthem?Andwhatgroundwouldhehavehadforsodoing,seeingthatitwasnotArianismthathisbrotherdefended,butthetruefaithwhichheconsideredthesewritingstocontain?Hadthesetwosaintsagreedaboutthetruesenseofthesewritings,andhadbothrecognizedthisheresyinthem,unquestionablySt。Athanasiuscouldnothaveapprovedofthemwithoutbeingguiltyofheresy;butastheywereatvariancerespectingthesenseofthepassage,St。Athanasiuswasorthodoxinvindicatingthem,eventhoughhemayhaveunderstoodthemwrong;becauseinthatcaseitwouldhavebeenmerelyanerrorinamatteroffact,andbecausewhathedefendedwasreallytheCatholicfaith,whichhesupposedtobecontainedinthesewritings。Iapplythistoyou,father。SupposeyouwereagreeduponthesenseofJansenius,andyouradversarieswerereadytoadmitwithyouthatheheld,forexample,thatgracecannotberesisted,thosewhorefusedtocondemnhimwouldbeheretical。Butasyourdisputeturnsuponthemeaningofthatauthor,andtheybelievethat,accordingtothisdoctrine,gracemayberesisted,whateverheresyyoumaybepleasedtoattributetohim,youhavenogroundtobrandthemasheretics,seeingtheycondemnthesensewhichyouputonJansenius,andyoudarenotcondemnthesensewhichtheyputonhim。If,therefore,youmeantoconvictthem,showthatthesensewhichtheyascribetoJanseniusisheretical;forthentheywillbehereticalthemselves。Buthowcouldyouaccomplishthis,sinceitiscertain,accordingtoyourownshowing,thatthemeaningwhichtheygivetohislanguagehasneverbeencondemned?Toelucidatethepointstillfurther,Ishallassumeasaprinciplewhatyouyourselvesacknowledge—

  thatthedoctrineofefficaciousgracehasneverbeencondemned,andthatthepopehasnottoucheditbyhisconstitution。And,infact,whenheproposedtopassjudgementonthefivepropositions,thequestionofefficaciousgracewasprotectedagainstallcensure。ThisisperfectlyevidentfromthejudgementsoftheconsulterstowhomthePopecommittedthemforexamination。

  ThesejudgementsIhaveinmypossession,incommonwithmanyotherpersonsinParis,and,amongtherest,theBishopofMontpelier,whobroughtthemfromRome。Itappearsfromthisdocumentthattheyweredividedintheirsentiments;thatthechiefpersonsamongthem,suchastheMasteroftheSacredPalace,thecommissaryoftheHolyOffice,theGeneraloftheAugustinians,andothers,conceivingthatthesepropositionsmightbeunderstoodinthesenseofefficaciousgrace,wereofopinionthattheyoughtnottobecensured;

  whereastherest,whiletheyagreedthatthepropositionswouldnothavemeritedcondemnationhadtheybornethatsense,judgedthattheyoughttobecensured,because,astheycontended,thiswasveryfarfrombeingtheirproperandnaturalsense。ThePope,accordingly,condemnedthem;

  andallpartieshaveacquiescedinhisjudgement。Itiscertain,then,father,thatefficaciousgracehasnotbeencondemned。Indeed,itissopowerfullysupportedbySt。Augustine,bySt。Thomas,andallhisschool,byagreatmanypopesandcouncils,andbyalltradition,thattotaxitwithheresywouldbeanactofimpiety。Now,allthosewhomyoucondemnashereticsdeclarethattheyfindnothinginJansenius,butthisdoctrineofefficaciousgrace。AndthiswastheonlypointwhichtheymaintainedatRome。Youhaveacknowledgedthisyourselfwhenyoudeclarethat\"whenpleadingbeforethepope,theydidnotsayasinglewordaboutthepropositions,butoccupiedthewholetimeintalkingaboutefficaciousgrace。\"Sothat,whethertheyberightorwronginthissupposition,itisundeniable,atleast,thatwhattheysupposetobethesenseisnothereticalsense;andthat,consequently,theyarenoheretics;for,tostatethematterintwowords,eitherJanseniushasmerelytaughtthedoctrineofefficaciousgrace,andinthiscasehehasnoerrors;orhehastaughtsomeotherthing,andinthiscasehehasnodefenders。ThewholequestionturnsonascertainingwhetherJanseniushasactuallymaintainedsomethingdifferentfromefficaciousgrace;and,shoulditbefoundthathehas,youwillhavethehonourofhavingbetterunderstoodhim,buttheywillnothavethemisfortuneofhavingerredfromthefaith。ItismatterofthankfulnesstoGod,then,father,thatthereisinrealitynoheresyintheChurch。Thequestionrelatesentirelytoapointoffact,ofwhichnoheresycanbemade;fortheChurch,withdivineauthority,decidesthepointsoffaith,andcutsofffromherbodyallwhorefusetoreceivethem。Butshedoesnotactinthesamemannerinregardtomattersoffact。Andthereasonisthatoursalvationisattachedtothefaithwhichhasbeenrevealedtous,andwhichispreservedintheChurchbytradition,butthatithasnodependenceonfactswhichhavenotbeenrevealedbyGod。ThusweareboundtobelievethatthecommandmentsofGodarenotimpracticable;butweareundernoobligationtoknowwhatJanseniushassaiduponthatsubject。Inthedeterminationofpointsoffaith,GodguidestheChurchbytheaidofHisunerringSpirit;

  whereasinmattersoffactHeleaveshertothedirectionofreasonandthesenses,whicharethenaturaljudgesofsuchmatters。NonebutGodwasabletoinstructtheChurchinthefaith;buttolearnwhetherthisorthatpropositioniscontainedinJansenius,allwerequiretodoistoreadhisbook。Andfromhenceitfollowsthat,whileitisheresytoresistthedecisionsofthefaith,becausethisamountstoanopposingofourownspirittotheSpiritofGod,itisnoheresy,thoughitmaybeanactofpresumption,todisbelievecertainparticularfacts,becausethisisnomorethanopposingreason—itmaybeenlightenedreason—toanauthoritywhichisgreatindeed,butinthismatternotinfailible。

  WhatIhavenowadvancedisadmittedbyalltheologians,asappearsfromthefollowingaxiomofCardinalBellarmine,amemberofyourSociety:\"Generalandlawfulcouncilsareincapableoferrorindefiningthedogmasoffaith;

  buttheymayerrinquestionsoffact。\"Inanotherplacehesays:\"Thepope,aspope,andevenastheheadofauniversalcouncil,mayerrinparticularcontroversiesoffact,whichdependprincipallyontheinformationandtestimonyofmen。\"CardinalBaroniusspeaksinthesamemanner:\"Implicitsubmissionisduetothedecisionsofcouncilsinpointsoffaith;but,insofaraspersonsandtheirwritingsareconcerned,thecensureswhichhavebeenpronouncedagainstthemhavenotbeensorigourouslyobserved,becausethereisnonewhomaynotchancetobedeceivedinsuchmatters。\"

  Imayaddthat,toprovethispoint,theArchbishopofToulousehasdeducedthefollowingrulefromthelettersoftwogreatpopes—St。LeonandPelagiusII:\"Thattheproperobjectofcouncilsisthefaith;andwhatsoeverisdeterminedbythem,independentlyofthefaith,maybereviewedandexaminedanew:whereasnothingoughttobere—examinedthathasbeendecidedinamatteroffaith;because,asTertullianobserves,theruleoffaithaloneisimmovableandirrevocable。\"Henceithasbeenseenthat,whilegeneralandlawfulcouncilshavenevercontradictedoneanotherinpointsoffaith,because,asM。deToulousehassaid,\"itisnotallowabletoexaminedenovodecisionsinmattersoffaith\";severalinstanceshaveoccurredinwhichthesesamecouncilshavedisagreedinpointsoffact,wherethediscussionturneduponthesenseofanauthor;because,asthesameprelateobserves,quotingthepopesashisauthorities,\"everythingdeterminedincouncils,notreferringtothefaith,maybereviewedandexamineddenovo。\"Anexampleofthiscontrarietywasfurnishedbythefourthandfifthcouncils,whichdifferedintheirinterpretationofthesameauthors。Thesamethinghappenedinthecaseoftwopopes,aboutapropositionmaintainedbycertainmonksofScythia。PopeHormisdas,understandingitinabadsense,hadcondemnedit;butPopeJohnII,hissuccessor,uponre—examiningthedoctrineunderstooditinagoodsense,approvedit,andpronouncedittobeorthodox。Wouldyousaythatforthisreasononeofthesepopeswasaheretic?Andmustyounotconsequentlyacknowledgethat,providedapersoncondemnthehereticalsensewhichapopemayhaveascribedtoabook,heisnohereticbecausehedeclinescondemningthatbook,whileheunderstandsitinasensewhichitiscertainthepopehasnotcondemned?Ifthiscannotbeadmitted,oneofthesepopesmusthavefallenintoerror。IhavebeenanxioustofamiliarizeyouwiththesediscrepanciesamongCatholicsregardingquestionsoffact,whichinvolvetheunderstandingofthesenseofawriter,showingyoufatheragainstfather,popeagainstpope,andcouncilagainstcouncil,toleadyoufromthesetootherexamplesofopposition,similarintheirnature,butsomewhatmoredisproportionedinrespectofthepartiesconcerned。

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