A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

4. Your Pope's Personal Infallibility with the requisite Qualifications, is another Heretical Opinion that your Church hath fallen by. And herein you are [Greek or Hebrew], condemned of your selves, and we need no further witness against you; you have been often taken [Greek or Hebrew], in the very fact. I know there is an Opinion, secretly advancing amongst some of you, whereby you would cast out of the bounds of your defence this Personal Infallibility of your Pope; but we have no more reason to esteem that opinion the Doctrine of your Church, than we have to conclude that the Jesuits new Position, asserting him Infallible in matter of fact, is so. And though I know not perfectly, what your opinion is in this matter; yet I may take a time to show how utterly unserviceable unto your purpose the new way of the explication of Infallibility is. For it hath but these two general inconveniences attending it. First, that it is not the opinion of your Church; Secondly, if that be the only Infallibility we are to rest on, the whole claim of your Church, and its interest therein, falls to the ground; both which I hope to have an opportunity to manifest. In the mean time, we take that for the Doctrine of your Church which is declared by its self so to be, which is explained and defended by her most famous Champions. And indeed, you in your Fiat, assert, as I have showed, the Pope (Personally) to be an unerring guide, which is that we enquire after. Bellarmine tells us, that all Catholics agree in these two things: 1. Pontificem, cum Generali, Concilio, non posse errare in condendis decretis fidoi, vel generalibus praeceptis ⟨p. 83⟩morum; That the Pope with a general Council cannot err in making decrees of faith, or general precepts concerning manners. 2. Pontificem solum, vel cum suo particulari Concilio, aliquid in re dubia statuentem, sive errare possit sive non, esse ab omnibus fidelibus obedienter audiendum; All believers must willingly obey the Pope, either alone, or with his particular Council, determining in doubtful matters, whether he may err or no. I confess, if this be so, and he must be obeyed, whether he do right or wrong, whether he teacheth truly or falsely, it is to no great purpose to talk of his Infallibility; for, follow him we must whither ever he leads us, though it should be to Hell.

4. Your Pope's Personall Infallibility with the requisite Qualifications, is another Hereticall Opinion that your Church hath fallen by. And herein you are 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, condemned of your selves, and we need no further witness against you; you have been often taken , in the very fact. I know there is an Opinion, secretly advancing amongst some of you, whereby you would cast out of the bounds of your defence this Personall Infallibility of your Pope; but we have no more reason to esteem that opinion the Doctrine of your Church, than we have to conclude that the Jesuits new Position, asserting him Infallible in matter of fact, is so. And though I know not perfectly, what your opinion is in this matter; yet I may take a time to shew how utterly unserviceable unto your purpose the new way of the explication of Infallibility is. For it hath but these two generall inconveniences attending it. First, that it is not the opinion of your Church; Secondly, if that be the only Infalliblity we are to rest on, the whole claim of your Church, and its interest therein, falls to the ground; both which I hope to have an opportunity to manifest. In the mean time, we take that for the Doctrine of your Church which is declared by its self so to be, which is explained and defended by her most famous Champions. And indeed, you in your Fiat, assert, as I have shewed, the Pope (Personally) to be an unerring guide, which is that we enquire after. Bellarmine tells us, that all Catholicks agree in these two things: 1. Pontificem, cum Generali, Concilio, non posse errare in condendis decretis fidoi, vel generalibus praeceptis