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Vaughan, John S. (John Stephen), 1853-1925

"The Purpose of the Papacy"

If, on the other hand, their
assent is refused only to doctrines closely connected with these
dogmatic utterances, and which, as such, are proposed for their
acceptance, they become guilty, if not of actual heresy, then of
something perilously akin to it, and are, at all events, guilty of
serious sin.
We may observe, in conclusion, that the Infallibility of Pontifical
definitions, as Father Humphrey so pertinently reminds us, does not
depend upon the reigning Pontiff's possession of any real knowledge of
ancient Church history or theology, or philosophy or science, but
_simply_ and solely upon the assistance of God the Holy Ghost,
guaranteed to him in his exercise of his function of Chief Pastor, in
feeding with divine doctrine the entire flock of God. Our Anglican
friends seem penetrated with the utterly false notion of justification
by scholarship alone; which is as untrue as it is unscriptural.
Indeed, their justification by scholarship is likely to lead to very
undesirable and deplorable results.
In the foregoing chapter we have considered especially the Pope's
Infallible authority, and the assent and obedience due to it.


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