Popery condemned by scripture and the fathers - End Time Deception

192 POPERY CONDEMNED BY
this objection he has provided, by saying, that
the authority of public men does not depend
upon their personal qualities, their virtues or
their vices. And here he produces Caiaphas,
prophesying of the death of Christ, as an example
that v/icked men may be under the direction
of the Spirit *. It will be granted him,
that God, who opened the mouth of Balaam's
ass, may at times use the agency of very wicked
men ; and also, that authority may be connected
with many ill qualities. He ought, however, to
recollect, that good qualities and authority should
be inseparably connected in a Christian bishop ;
for " he must be blameless, as well as the hus-
" band of one wife," kef Should a wicked
Pope and clergy, then, assemble in Council,
\vould they receive the direction of the Spirit
promised to blameless bishops
" Thou art not
" a God that hath pleasure in wickedness : nei-
'^
ther shall evil dv/ell with thee. The foolish
" shall not stand in thy sight ; thou hatest all
" w^orkers of iniquity {."
If a Council regularly held be infallible, why
do they pretend to found their decisions upon
the authority of the Fathers None of these
were infallibly directed in their judgement and
v/ritir.gs j and infallibility should never be
brought to th attest of private opinion.
Infallibility, he says, is the distinguishing charactv-ristic
^*P.i34. ^
f iTim. iii.2.. ±Psai.v.4.5.