hath acknowledged this to be certain and indubitable.

"To this we may add the testimony of the admirable Pope St. Gelasius: 'A
good and truly Christian Council once held, neither can nor ought to be
unsettled by the repetition of a new Council.' And again: 'There is no
cause why a good Council should be reconsidered by another Council, lest
the mere reconsideration should detract from the strength of its decrees.'
Thus what has received the final and certain judgment of the Church, is not
to be reconsidered; for that judgment of the Holy Spirit is reversed,
whenever it is reconsidered by a fresh judgment. But the judgment put forth
by a Roman Pontiff is such, that it has been reconsidered. It is not
therefore that ultimate and final judgment of the Church.

"Nor is that sentence of Gregory the Great less clear, comparing the four
General Councils to the four Gospels, with the reason given; 'Because being
decreed by universal consent, whoever presumes either to loose what they
bind, or bind what they loose, destroys not them but himself.'

"So then our question is terminated by the tradition of the ancient
Councils and Fathers. All should consent to the power of the Roman Pontiff,
as explained according to the decree of the Council of Florence, after the
practice of General Councils. The vast difference between the judgment of a
Council and of a Pontiff is evident, since after that of the Council no
question remains, but only the obedience of the mind brought into
captivity; but that of the Pontiff is upon examination approved, room being
given to object,--which was to be proved."[148]

Here the real question at issue is, whether the Bishop of Rome be First
Bishop, or Monarch, of the Church. Now, I have endeavoured to delineate,
from the Fathers and from Councils, what the true Primacy of the Roman See
is. What is now required from us to admit as terms of communion is--"That
the ordinary jurisdiction of Bishops descends immediately from the Pope;"
"the government of the Church is monarchical, therefore all authority
resides in one, and from him is derived unto the rest;" "there is a great
difference between the succession to Peter and that to the rest of the
Apostles; for the Roman Pontiff properly succeeds Peter not as Apostle, but
as ordinary Pastor of the whole Church; and therefore the Roman Pontiff has
jurisdiction from Him from whom Peter had it: but Bishops do not properly
succeed the Apostles, as the Apostles