red,
like the harmonious consent of a general council. But if any one among
them, be he ever so holy, ever so learned, holds any thing besides, or in
opposition to the rest, that is to be placed in the rank of singular and
private opinions, and never to be looked upon as the public, general,
authoritative doctrine of the Church. After a point has been decided in a
general council, the definition is irrefragable. These general principles,
by which all heresies are easily confounded, St. Vincent explains with
equal elegance and perspicuity." "The same rules are laid down by
Tertullian in his book of Prescriptions, by St. Irenaeus, and other
Fathers."--_Lives of the Saints_, May. 24.

But not a word is there here of the authority of the See of Rome deciding
of itself what is, and what is not, error; or of its Communion of itself
being a touchstone of what is, and what is not, the Catholic Church. These
are necessary parts of the Papal Supremacy; instead of which St. Vincent
holds universal consent.

Now let us hear Bossuet speaking of St. Vincent's rule. "These things then
are understood not by this or by that Doctor, but by all Catholics with one
voice, that the authority of the Church Catholic agreeing is most certain,
irrefragable, and perspicuous. Christians must rest on that agreement, as a
most firm and divine foundation; from whom nothing else is required but
that in the Apostles' Creed, that believing in the Holy Spirit they also
believe the holy Catholic Church; and claim for her the most certain
authority and judgment of the Holy Spirit, by which they are led captive to
obedience. Which entirely proves that this indefectible power both lies and
is believed to lie in consent itself; and this clear and manifest voice
dwells altogether in the agreement of the Churches; in which we see
clearly, on the testimony of the same Vincent of Lerins, that not a part of
the Church, but universality itself, is heard: For we follow," saith he,
"the whole in this way, if we confess that to be the one true faith which
the whole Church throughout the world confesses." And a little after, "What
doth the Catholic Christian, if any part hath cut itself off from the
communion of the universal faith? What surely, but prefer the soundness of
the whole body to that pestilent and corrupted member?[52]

"Thence floweth unto General Councils that certain and invincible authority
which we recognise in them. For it is on no other principle th