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 the apostles,  to  teach  them  all  things,  and  to  bring  to  their  remembrance all that  He  had  said  to  them. This Spirit  of  Truth  was  to  abide with them  ‘Tor  ever”;  but  as  the  apostles  were  not  to  live  for  ever on this  earth,  the  promise  was  not  meant  to  apply  only  to  them individually, but  to  their  successors,  the  Popes  and  Bishops  of  the Church. The Spirit  of  Truth  which,  according  to  the  promise,  abides for ever  in  the  Church,  preserves  intact  in  her  the  Truth  taught  by Jesus  Christ,  keeps  her  from  error,  and  therefore  renders  the  Church infallible.

The wonderful  Unity  of  the  Church.  For  nothing  did  our  Lord, before His  death,  pray  more  earnestly  than  that  all  who  believe  in  Him might be  one;  and  this  unity  for  which  He  prayed  was  to  be  an  outward unity  such  as  could  be  recognised  by  the  whole  world. Our Lord willed to  found  a united  Church; so  that  only  a Church  which  is  inwardly and  outwardly,  invisibly  and  visibly  one,  can  be  the  true  Church founded by  Jesus  Christ. There is  but  one  Church  which  has  all  these marks! It is  indeed  a marvellous  thing  how  the  Catholic  Church  can be universal  and  at  the  same  time  one;  for  the  enduring  unity  under one head  of  the  faithful,  of  all  ages,  climes,  and  languages,  could never have  been  brought  about  by  natural  means. The unity  of  the universal Church  proves  her  to  be  the  creation  of  God,  and  proves that He  who  founded  her,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  indeed  the  Son of God.

The Necessity  of  Faith.  “No  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by Me”,  said  our  Lord. It follows  from  this  that  no  one  who  does  not believe in  Him  can  come  to  the  Father,  or  attain  to  life  everlasting. “This is  eternal  life”,  Jesus  went  on  to  say,  “that  they  may  know  Thee the only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  Thou  hast  sent.”

The Necessity  of  Grace. Only  that  vine-branch  which  is  united  to the  vine,  and  which  is  nourished  by  sap  from  it,  can  bear  fruit. In like manner  we  must  be  united  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  sanctifying grace, if  we  wish  to  bring  forth  good  and  meritorious  works;  for  only sanctifying grace  can  give  to  our  actions  a higher  and  supernatural value. He who  is  not  in  a state  of  grace  can,  indeed,  perform  good actions, such,  for  instance,  as  almsgiving,  but  his  good  actions  have  not the full  supernatural  value,  and  cannot  merit  heaven; and  he  who  dies out of  the  grace  of  God,  that  is,  who  is  not  united  to  our  Lord  by sanctifying  grace,  will  be  lost,  and  must  be  punished  for  ever  in  hell. For doing  good  works  and  winning  heaven,  the  state  of  sanctifying grace is,  therefore,  an  elementary  necessity;  but  beyond  this  habitual state we  need  the  help  of  God’s  grace  for  the  performance  of  every thing that  we  do;  for,  says  our  Lord  “without  Me  (i.  e.  without  My help  and  grace)  you  can  do  nothing  (to  merit  heaven)”. This grace  is called  actual  and  assisting  grace.