sed
saint is in question, who is honoured by a solemn _culte_ in the
Church, we ought not to speak except with respect, nor to attack his
opinions except with temper and modesty."

2. Then, as to the meaning of the word _censura_: Benedict XIV.
enumerates a number of "Notes" which come under that name; he says,
"Out of propositions which are to be noted with theological censure,
some are heretical, some erroneous, some close upon error, some
savouring of heresy," and so on; and each of these terms has its own
definite meaning. Thus by "erroneous" is meant, according to Viva, a
proposition which is not _immediately_ opposed to a revealed
proposition, but only to a theological _conclusion_ drawn from
premisses which are _de fide_; "savouring of heresy," when a
proposition is opposed to a theological conclusion not evidently
drawn from premisses which are _de fide_, but most probably and
according to the common mode of theologising, and so with the rest.
Therefore when it was said by the revisers of St. Alfonso's works
that they were not "worthy of _censure_," it was only meant that they
did not fall under these particular Notes.

But the answer from Rome to the Archbishop of Besancon went further
than this; it actually took pains to declare that any one who pleased
might follow other theologians instead of St. Alfonso. After saying
that no priest was to be interfered with who followed St. Alfonso in
the Confessional, it added, "This is said, however, without on that
account judging that they are reprehended who follow opinions handed
down by other approved authors."

And this too, I will observe, that St. Alfonso made many changes of
opinion himself in the course of his writings; and it could not
for an instant be supposed that we were bound to every one of his
opinions, when he did not feel himself bound to them in his own
person. And, what is more to the purpose still, there are opinions,
or some opinion, of his which actually has been proscribed by the
Church since, and cannot now be put forward or used. I do not pretend
to be a well-read theologian myself, but I say this on the authority
of a theological professor of Breda, quoted in the Melanges Theol.
for 1850-1. He says: "It may happen, that, in the course of time,
errors may be found in the works of St. Alfonso and be proscribed by
the Church, _a thing which in fact has already occurred_."

In not ranging myself then with those who consider that it is
justif