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On the Apostolical and Infallible Authority of the Pope : when teaching the faithful, and on his relation to a general council

Published 1809

https://archive.org/details/OnTheApostolicalAndInfallible

“Testimony of all the general councils of the East and West, declaring the judgment of the Chair of St. Peter at Rome, to be the infallible Rule of Faith.”  
Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council

Agatho likewise asserted his Apostolical authority in his letter to the Emperor, whom he reminds that the Church of Rome has never strayed from the path of truth into the by-ways of error, and that her decisions have always been received as a rule of faith, not merely by individuals, but also by the Councils.  “Haec Apostolica ecclesia nunquam a via veritatis in qualibet erroris parte deflexa est.” This is the rule of true faith. “Haec est verae fidei regula.”  Alluding to the words, “Confirm thy brethren,” the Pontiff remarks that the successors of St. Peter have always strengthened the Church in the truth.  Hence he infers that “all bishops, priests and laics, who wish to please the God of truth, must study to conform to the Apostolical rule of the primitive faith, founded on the rock Peter, and preserved by him from error.”
Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council

The consent, as we have shown, is not and cannot be sufficiently clear and definitive to be a rule of faith. The Pope’s definitions, on the other hand, are in precise and positive terms and immediate answers, word for word, to the questions proposed.
Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council

A Judge has a rule before him, the law of the country, and he must strive to decide according to its dictates. For the Bishops, that rule is the teaching of the Church grounded on the authority of the Holy Scripture and tradition.  By their “definiens subscripsi” the Bishops declare, that the definition of the Council to which they subscribe, in their conviction, is in accordance with the faith based upon the Holy Scripture and tradition. When it is confirmed by the Papal approbation, the Divine Law is more clearly expressed by the definition, and the Bishops, acting as Judges, declare it to be their faith also, and by their subscription, announce its accordance with the normal rule of faith.  We would recall in this connection what we before mentioned concerning the subscription of the Bishops to the acts of the Eight General Council : “I, N. N., Bishop of N., have subscribed the profession of faith made by me in the person of his Holiness, Pope Adrian, Supreme Pontiff.”
By such a declaration, they affirm with St. Jerome, that they believe with the faith of the Head of the Church; that his faith is their faith; that that is an article of faith which he, as the Head of the Church, pronounces to be such, and their “definiens subscripsi” is to show that they were aware of what they did, and intended it, and it was to be the evidence that such faith was the faith of the whole Church.
 Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council

Moreover, Bossuet is well aware that by the formula of Adrian II, which he holds himself bound to defend, whosoever subscribes it is obliged to obey the decisions of the Pope actually occupying the Apostolic See, as “a rule of faith;” neither could he be ignorant that the Fathers of the ecuмenical Councils recognized in every individual Pope, the rock upon which the Church is built, the divinely commissioned teacher of the faith, the Vicar of Christ in whom Peter always lives.
Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council

It is only under the same supposition that we can account for the action of Adrian II toward the Eight General Council, in the time of Photius, in sending them a letter for their subscription, which contained the following declarations: “First of all, true salvation is found in keeping the right rule of faith, which is to submit to the decisions of the Apostolic See, according to the promises of Christ to Peter, ‘Thou art a rock,’” etc. That this is true is proved by the fact that the Apostolic See has always preserved the Catholic religion immaculate, and professed its holy doctrine. “Quia in Sede Apostolica immaculate est eemper Catholica servata religio et sancta celebrate doctrina.”
Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council

How, otherwise, could Agatho, in the face of the Council, assert that the Roman See has never deviated from the path of truth? “Haec Apostolica Ecclesia nunquam a via veritatis in qualibet erroris parte deflexa est.”  How, otherwise , could he insert, in his instructions to his Legates, that, after the decision contained in his dogmatical letter to the Council, the Fathers could not discuss the dogma, but must simply subscribe it as a rule of faith?  “Non tamquam de incertis contendere, sed ut certa et immutabilia compendiosa definition proferre.”  We have seen with what joy the Fathers obeyed his decree. ……. Yet neither he nor the Fathers of the Council had one word to say of his case, nor objected to the “rule of faith” as proposed by Adrian, but subscribed in the memorable way that history has made known to us.
Rev. F. X. Weninger, S.J., D.D., On the Apostolic Authority of the Pope When Teaching the Faithful, and on His Relation to a General Council