Page:The True Story of the Vatican Council.djvu/116

104 These, then, were some of the reasons for believing that a definition of the infallibility of the Pope would not be opportune. They who held these opinions said:

10. On the other hand, it was urged by those to whom these reasons appeared to be insufficient:

I. That if the Episcopate, priesthood, and people are, with so few exceptions, unanimous in receiving with submission and assent the Pontifical acts, there would not only be no risk in promulgating such a definition, but they would rejoice to see their submission justified by an authoritative definition; or, if the number of those who refuse submission be greater, a necessity would thereby be proved for the declaration of the truth.

II. That the decree of the Council of Florence ought indeed to be sufficient, and would be so if it were not misinterpreted by those who deny the infallibility of the Supreme Pontiff speaking ex cathedra. The existence of this misinterpretation by Gallicans and by Anglicans shows that the decree is not sufficient.

III. That the doctrine of the infallibility of the Pope, held, as