Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-10-07
AVAILABILITY or THE CHURCH.

donbt. lor passing over, rfto s'tSEt'o, inc
questions proposed to him in af'rmer let
ter, respecting the influence Of Popery on
knowledge and science. When it is con-
sidered how Obstinatsly he has endeavor-
ed 10 maintain the nest untenable points
of this debate, even in opposition to the
Popes and couccils Of bls own church,
We nav conceive some idea Of the despa-
rate opinion be forms Of 4 position which
he abandous without one struggle. But,
though te seems perfectly willing that the
public should forget all about it, it is nv
duty to keep alive he recollection of
those blessings which have been procured
for u By the reformation; and, until he
has given q satisfactory answer to these
questions, must be permitted to stand
on the vantage ground of maintaining the
affirmative part of the Propositions: that
before the reformation < study was rem
dered as Inaccessible as possible to the
laity; that the ancient languages were
treated as Donsuusity and idolatry -
that TIE reading Of the bible was severely
in,erdicted; in short. that the tendency
Of the Fapal system, by POPes, councils,
casuists, iRIu;sitions, and even the ia
Guilty Of Theology at Paris, was, TO ex-
tin.uish every ray OF light and knowledge
in the gloom of blood and tears" This
is the language Of yiliers, page 81 and
I92, e. PasSim, And to him other Roman
Catholic writer's may be added. II is to
the reformation that NJ. B. is indebted for
the beast that he has read Euclid's Ele-
ments." IL he had lived little further
back, he would have been under the ne
cessity Of qualifying " the square Of his
hypothenuse," as did the Jesuits, who,
in publishing an edition Of .Nsucfon's
Principal, fund il necessary to preface
i,Sy saying that such and such would be
the philosophical results Of this great ge-
Mus, provided it was agreeable to his no
illness!
But il this subject is too painful FOR our
opponent will pass on to his favorite
tOpic-his juguiam can az. the infallbility
of the church. might here fairly raise
objections TO the definition which he
has given Of this theological paradox. j
might cite hundreds of his own writers
who place it in the pope. / might con-
troyert bis assertion that there is not
one Catholic divine who does not eonsi
der the body Of chief pastors in union
with the Pope the organ OF infallibllity."
TO refute il l mi hit refer to the councils
of Pisa, Constance, Basic, &c. which
made and unmade Popes, and decreed
that "the council was above the Pope"
l might overthrow it by the bishops Of
France, who. in reply to threat OF the
Pope to eScommunicate them, told him
{" if he came there TO excSmmunicate
them, he should go away exeomriunicated
HIMSELF" These councils and these
bishops did not think the pope secessa-
~ adjunct to a council. Rut l waive
these objections.
There are other considerations, how
ever, worthy Of notice. ST. Clara, IA
nous Roman Catholic writer, lin Syst.
Fid.) tells US that councils are not in
fallible, unless they have the consent Of
the whole church." He quotes Panor-
miisnus. Turnbull, Pope Leo, Petrusa
Soto, Castillo, Mirandala, Gersonius, Pc.
trus d'Aiiaco, and others, as holding the
same opinions. He says they "are forced
to adopt this principle, Sc detsndeado. in
self defence. because their business is We
nv intricate, and liable to many trouble
some objections against the lawfulness OF
their councils; but here is short way to
obviate these difficulties" (Hbi supra, c.
Coy An excellent antidote truly, to OBJ
yiate all the DEGREES of councils that are
obnoxious to any part Of the church in
any au.. Beilarmine gives list of gene