The Divine Authority of the Church [pp. 158-169]

6 THE DrVIN.E A UTHORITY OF THE CHURCH. [Nov.
But, more than this, some things which come under the denomination of facts or theories, though not the object of even an
implicit revelation, can be known to be true or false by virtue
of the light which some revealed truth casts upon them. The
divine revelation being true, these particulars must be thus or
otherwise, as the case may be. If not, then the revealed truth
must logically be denied.
I can know with certainty that I have baptized the newlyborn infant John. It is of faith that every baptized infant is regenerate. I can know with certainty that John died within the
hour. It is of faith that every regenerate soul, entirely pure
from sin, attains immediately upon its separation from the body
the beatific vision. I know, therefore, by the light of faith that
John is regenerate and has gone to heaven. I cannot deny
either proposition without, by logical conclusion, denying the
Catholic faith. My affirmation of John's regenerate and beatified state is a logical conclusion from the faith. That is to say, it
is virtually though not formally contained in it, in the way that
all logical conclusions are virtually in their major premise.
When matters of this kind involve general and important interests, doctrinal and moral, in such a way that divine authority
in respect to truth formally revealed would be nugatory or
grievously deficient, unless the same authority were delegated in
respect to what is virtually revealed, we must affirm the exten sion of infallibility to these matters also.
For instance, the church must be infallible in respect to the
fact that the Council of Nicaea, the Council of Trent, the Coun cil of the Vatican were oecumenical, and that she possesses their
authentic acts; in respect to the fact that Pius IX. was the law ful successor of St. Peter, and actually defined the dogma of the
Immaculate Conception. Otherwise there is a fatal flaw in the
solemn definitions which make a large part of the rule of Catholic
faith.
It may be also of great importance to define a truth deduced
from a dogma by a theological conclusion, either directly by
affirming its certainty as virtually revealed, or indirectly by
condemning an error which is its contrary or its contradictory.
The truth is necessary as a support or bulwark of the faith; the
error is dangerous as undermining or threatening some part of
the fabric of Catholic doctrine or morals. The church needs in fallibility in determining the truth in questions of this kind, in
order that she may efficiently exercise her office of teaching and
defending the faith. In point of fact, popes and councils have
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