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Infallibility of the Popes.

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ex cathedrâ) were sent forth by Popes as mere accessory matter on the occasion of the condemnation of a book? There is nothing whatever in all the fundamental principles of the theological science which can be brought forward to prove this, and therefore it is a purely gratuitous assertion that a Papal document by which a bad book is rejected and forbidden (the reasons being assigned) is on that account raised to the rank of a dogmatic definition, and the reasons assigned by the Pope for the condemnation of a book stamped as Papal utterances ex cathedrâ.^[1]

↑ In a note to page 28 of his pamphlet he assumes as proved that this Brief speaks ex cathedrâ, and this he does for the following reasons: 1. 'It appeals to the duty of preserving the flock of Christ, which has been committed to him (the Pope) from the first Pastor.' Here, I ask, to preserve from what? Dr. Schulte prudently holds his tongue upon this point, since it makes nothing for his point. But the context says plainly what this is. 'It is to preserve men from the pernicious reading bad books, and keeping them in their possession.' That is expressly declared by the Pope to be the object of this Brief, not a definition on a matter of faith. The further reasons he gives are not a whit more to the purpose; as, 2. 'The Pope speaks of his apostolical office.' 3. 'Of his apostolical plenitude of power.' As if he didn't do this every time he exercised his supreme power in the Church. 4. 'The Pope commands open publication.' As if nothing was ever published openly except definitions on matters of faith, and as if prohibited books were not so published. 5. 'He refers therein to the Syllabus.' Just as if all that the Syllabus refers to is, for that very reason, i.e. because it is in the Syllabus, at once to be looked on as a dogmatic definition on a matter of faith. 6. 'He decides after a mature consideration, with the advice of the cardinals.' Just as if many other things were not decided after mature consideration, and with the advice of the cardinals. If the circumstances which Dr. Schulte speaks of as proofs of what is ex cathedrâ are something of this sort, it is easy to see how utterly valueless such 'circumstances' are, to enable him to make out his point.

[1] In a note to page 28 of his pamphlet he assumes as proved that this Brief speaks ex cathedrâ, and this he does for the following reasons: 1. 'It appeals to the duty of preserving the flock of Christ, which has been committed to him (the Pope) from the first Pastor.' Here, I ask, to preserve from what? Dr. Schulte prudently holds his tongue upon this point, since it makes nothing for his point. But the context says plainly what this is. 'It is to preserve men from the pernicious reading bad books, and keeping them in their possession.' That is expressly declared by the Pope to be the object of this Brief, not a definition on a matter of faith. The further reasons he gives are not a whit more to the purpose; as, 2. 'The Pope speaks of his apostolical office.' 3. 'Of his apostolical plenitude of power.' As if he didn't do this every time he exercised his supreme power in the Church. 4. 'The Pope commands open publication.' As if nothing was ever published openly except definitions on matters of faith, and as if prohibited books were not so published. 5. 'He refers therein to the Syllabus.' Just as if all that the Syllabus refers to is, for that very reason, i.e. because it is in the Syllabus, at once to be looked on as a dogmatic definition on a matter of faith. 6. 'He decides after a mature consideration, with the advice of the cardinals.' Just as if many other things were not decided after mature consideration, and with the advice of the cardinals. If the circumstances which Dr. Schulte speaks of as proofs of what is ex cathedrâ are something of this sort, it is easy to see how utterly valueless such 'circumstances' are, to enable him to make out his point.

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