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AND THEIR REFUTATION. 301
examine and see for himself, whether the Decrees of Councils are
in conformity with the Scriptures. This is the doctrine of
Luther, Calvin (13), and all Protestants. We answer, that in
Canonical Councils it is the Bishops who give an infallible
decision on dogmas, and this all should obey without examination.
This is proved from Deuteronomy (vii, 12), in which our Lord
commands that all should obey the Priest, who decides doubts,
presiding at the Council, and those who refuse should be punished
with death :
" He who will be proud, and refuse to obey the
commandment of the Priest, who ministereth at the time to the
Lord thy God, and the decree of the judge, that man shall die,
and them that take away the evil from Israel." It is also proved
most clearly from the Gospel, which says :
"
If he will not hear
the Church, let him be unto you as a heathen and a publican"
(Matt, xviii, 17). A General Council represents the Church, as
understood by all, and, therefore, should be obeyed. Recollect,
also, that in the Council of Jerusalem (Act. 15, 16), the question
of legal observances was decided, not by the Scriptures, but by
the votes of the Apostles, and all were obliged to obey their
decision. Therefore, reply the sectarians, the authority of
Councils is superior to that of the Scriptures. What a blas
phemy, exclaims Calvin (14) ! We answer, that the Word of
God, both written and unwritten, or Scripture and Tradition, is
certainly to be preferred to any Council ; but Councils do not
make the Word of God, but merely declare what true Scripture
is, and true Tradition is, and what is their true sense ; they do
not, therefore, give themselves the authority of infallibility, but
merely declare that which they already possess, deducing it
from the Scripture itself, and thus they define the dogmas the
faithful should believe. It was thus the Council of Nice declared
that the Word was God, and not a creature, and the Council of
Trent, that the real body of Christ, and not the figure, was in
the Eucharist.
86. But then, the heretics say, the Church is not composed of
Bishops alone, but of all the faithful, both Clergy and laity, and
why, then, are Councils held by the Bishops alone ? Therefore,
says Luther, all Christians, no matter of what degree, should be
(13) Luther de Cone. art. 29, & Cal- (14) Calvin, Inst, /. 4, c. 0, sec. 14.
vin, Inst. /. 4, c. 9, sec. 8.