Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/856

 The Church  is  One.  One  in  doctrine,  one  in  worship,  one  in discipline,  and  one  in  government. The unity  of  government  which includes the  power  of  infallible  teaching  secures  her  unity  of  doctrine, worship and  discipline. Therefore the  Supremacy  of  the  Pope  is  the one efficacious  and  necessary  means  of  unity.

The Church  is  Holy, for  she  was  founded  by  the  Most  Holy  Son of God,  and  makes  holy  all  those  who  live  in  accordance  with  her sublime teaching.

The Church  is  Catholic. Catholic  as  to  time;  for  she  has  existed  at all  times  since  the  days  of  our  Lord. Catholic as  to  place;  for  she  exists in every  part  of  the  world  as  a matter  of  fact  and  as  a matter  of  right. Catholic as  to  character; for  she  is  not  national,  but  international  and supernational. Her charter  is: “Go  and  teach  all  nations, baptizing  them in the  Name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost”.

The Church  is  Apostolic.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  founded  the  Church, and His  apostles  disseminated  her  doctrines;  and  it  is  on  the  doctrine and tradition  of  the  apostles  that  the  Church  of  God  rests;  the  Pope and bishops,  the  pastors  of  the  Church,  being  the  lawful  successors  of the  apostles. Even as  the  Israel  of  the  Old  Testament  sprang  from  the twelve Patriarchs,  the  sons  of  Jacob,  so  does  the  Israel  of  the  New Testament spring,  in  a spiritual  manner,  from  the  twelve  apostles  of Jesus  Christ.

In the  Church  alone  there  is  salvation,  for  she  alone  was  founded by Jesus  Christ  and  is  protected  and  sustained  by  Him  for  the  purpose of saving  the  souls  of  men. She was  instituted  by  God  for  the  salvation of mankind,  and  all  those  will  be  saved  who  live  in  accordance  with her doctrines  and  precepts.

Confession of  faith.  Those  members  of  the  Church  will  be  saved who steadfastly  confess  their  faith  by  word  and  deed. We confess  our holy faith  by  deed  if  we  live  up  to  its  teaching. If we  do  this,  then we are  living  members  of  the  Church,  and  so  far  those  words  of  our Lord apply  to  us: “Every  one  that  shall  confess  Me  before  men,  I will also confess  him  before  My  Father  who  is  in  heaven”  (Mat.  10,  32).

The transformation  of  the  world.  In  the  Apocalypse  (21,  1)  St.  John says: “I saw  a new  heaven  and  a new  earth. For the  first  heaven  and the first  earth  was  gone.”  And  St.  Peter  writes  in  his  second  Epistle (3, 10):  “The  day  of  the  Lord  (that  is,  the  day  of  Judgment)  shall come as  a thief  (suddenly),  in  which  the  heavens  (the  firmament  of stars)  shall  pass  away  with  great  violence,  and  the  elements  (the  matter of  which  the  world  is  made)  shall  be  melted  with  heat,  and  the  earth and the  works  which  are  in  it  shall  be  burned  up”,  and  (in  verse  13): “We look  for  a new  heaven  and  a new  earth  according  to  His  promises in which  justice  dwelleth.”  Nature,  upon  which  the  curse  of  God  has fallen on  account  of  man’s  sin,  longs  for  redemption  (“The  expectation of  the  creature  waiteth  for  the  revelation  of  the  sons  of  God”;  Rom.