26 GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 



able, as the term is ; thirdly, that they were, 

 however, real acts of discipline, and intended to 

 be enforced more or less stringently according to 

 circumstances. This last-named aspect of the case 

 is a matter of importance, and I shall return to 

 it hereafter ; but the attempt to impugn the doctrinal 

 infallibility of the Catholic Church on the strength 

 of such decisions as that of the Index in 1616, seems 

 to me so groundless that I should not discuss the 

 question further were it not that I think it right 

 to notice some of Mr. Roberts' arguments. 



It appears that certain theologians have held that 

 decrees of the Eoman Congregations are to be 

 considered infallible, provided they contain a state- 

 ment in so many words that the Pope has approved 

 them, and provided also that they have been pub- 

 lished by his explicit order. This, it may be 

 mentioned, does not necessarily imply that such 

 decrees concern matters which are strictly and 

 technically matters of faith, other less momentous 

 issues being frequently involved. 



The decree of the Index in 1616 had no such 

 statement about the Pope's approbation, nor any 

 notice of his express order for its publication, 

 although, in reality, it was undoubtedly approved 

 by him. Mr. Roberts argues that this distinction is 

 a worthless one, because, at that time, the custom, 

 since adopted on certain important occasions, of 

 bringing in the Pope's name and authority explicitly, 

 had not come into being. 



