Mais la methode d'Autorite est impossible sans un fondement Ontologique, et c'est une manifeste petition de principe que d'etabler l'Ontologie sur l'Autorite."[248] And the late Archbishop of Paris,--the same who fell before the barricades, a martyr to Charity if not to Truth, and who seems to have had a wakeful eye on the progress of philosophic speculation,--took occasion, in a preface to the Abbe Maret's "Theodicee," to declare that Lamennais' system was obnoxious to the Church, because of its opposition to the doctrine of Rational Certitude: "Tout le monde sait que le clerge de France avait repousse le systeme de M.de Lamennais precisement a cause de son opposition a la Certitude Rationnelle constanment professee dans nos ecoles; et tout le monde peu savoir que les Bossuet, les Fenelon, les Descartes out raisonne, et que nous aussi nous raisonnons et discutons avec nos accusateurs," ...

"preuve irrecusable que LE RATIONALISME ET LA RAISON SONT DEUX CHOSES FORT DIFFERENTES."[249] PERRONE has given a similar testimony, and we cannot doubt that the more thoughtful adherents of Romanism must be sensible of the danger which is involved in any attempt to combine Rational Skepticism with Dogmatic Authority.
It were well, however, if they would reconsider their position with reference to this whole question, in its more general bearings in conection with their doctrine as to the rule of faith; and weigh, with candid impartiality, the arguments which have been adduced by Protestant writers on the subject.[250] FOOTNOTES: [233] M.A.FRANCK, "Rapport," Paris, 1847.

M.A.JAVARY, "Ouvrage Couronne par l'Institut," 1847.
[234] M.ED.MERCIER, "De la Certitude, dans ses Rapports avec la Science et la Foi," 1844.

M.A.VERA, "Probleme de la Certitude," 1843.
ABBE GERBET, "Des Doctrines Philosophiques sur la Certitude, dans leur Rapports avec les Fondemens de la Theologie." ABBE DE LAMENNAIS, "Du Fondement de la Certitude," 1826.Vols.II.and III.

of the "Essai sur l'Indifference en Matiere de la Religion." 4 vols., 1844.
[235] M.FRANCK, p.237.