that the authority committed to them is to last to the consum mation of the world (42), they, consequently, imply that it is to be handed down to others even to the end of time, since such authority necessarily supposes a subject in whom it resides. But on whom has this authority devolved if not on the bishops, who occupy the highest place in the Church's hierarchy?

2. As a matter of fact, the apostles consecrated bishops, and appointed them as their successors. Thus St. Paul writes to Timothy, who, as we learn both from the letters addressed to him (2 Tim. x. 1, 6) and from the testimony of antiquity, had been consecrated bishop by the Apostle: "Be thou vigilant, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry; ... for I am even now ready to be sacrificed and the time of my dissolution is nigh" (2 Tim. iv. 5,7). Timothy is, therefore, after the death of St. Paul, to continue in that office in which he had been already placed as the Apostle's fellow-worker (Rom. xvi. 21) so likewise were others called by the apostles to a share in the apostolic work. Thus St. Paul left Titus in Crete, that he might ordain priests in every city" (Tit. i. 5). Again, he admonishes the priests of the Church of Ephesus: "Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood" (Acts xx. 28).

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3. Christian antiquity unanimously testifies that the bishops are the successors of the apostles. The Council of Trent (Sess. XXIII. c. 4) teaches that "the bishops have succeeded in the place of the apostles, and have been placed to govern the Church of God."

The bishops, being the successors of the apostles, cannot discharge their office independently of the pope, their supreme head; for the apostles acknowledged St. Peter as their supreme head. "It has always been the unanimous teaching of Catholics, and a dogma of faith," writes Pope Gregory XVI. (A.D. 1835 to the bishops of Switzerland), “that the pope holds not only the primacy of honor, but also of jurisdiction throughout the entire Church, and that, consequently, also the bishops are subject to him." Though the episcopal consecration gives them the right to a share in the administration of the Church, yet this right is not independent of the

head of the Church, since he holds the supreme power. In fact, the dependence of the bishops upon the pope is still greater than was that of the apostles upon Peter; for the apostles, having received the extraordinary commission to preach the gospel to the whole world, received also extraordinary power from Our Lord; which they did not transmit to their successors, who had been only placed over certain portions of the Church. Hence the bishops individually do not inherit this extraordinary power over the whole Church which was exercised by the apostles.

II. The bishops take part in the government of the Church in two ways. First, they administer each that portion of the Church assigned him by the pope, personally and through the priests or pastors whom they appoint. Secondly, they meet in council from time to time to consult together with the pope concerning the general welfare of the Church, and in union with him to issue decrees and regulations for the gov ernment of the universal Church (57).

Hence, according to the institution of Christ, the faithful have no share in the government of the Church; nor have they any right to prescribe how the Church is to be governed. Nor can the state, or civil government, claim any right or power in ecclesiastical matters. For a right must be proved, not supposed. But in the constitution of the Church there is no vestige of such a right. Besides, revealed religion is of a higher, supernatural order; while the state, its aim, and its means are of the natural order. The state cannot, therefore, be the possessor and administrator of spiritual power. The members of the Church, of course, being also members of the state, are subject to civil authority, but in things temporal only, which lie within the scope of civil authority.

If we sum up the result of the questions thus far treated, we may describe the Church of Christ as the assemblage of all Christians, united, by the profession of the same faith and the use of the same sacraments, under one common supreme head, the pope, who is the successor of St. Peter, and under the bishops in communion with him, who are the successors of the apostles (cf. 38).

CHAPTER IV.

MARKS OF THE CHURCH

50. The Church is a visible social organization, consisting of a body and a soul; whence it is easily recognizable as the true Church of Christ.

We here speak of the visibleness of the Church, because this attribute belongs to its essence, but particularly because it is a necessary condition of those marks by which the true Church may be discerned.

I. The visibleness of the Church follows from its constitution, its means, and its relation to Christ.

1. Christ founded the Church as a society, consisting of rulers and subjects (41). Though authority of itself is invisible, yet those who wield it are visible; for it is only as such that they can come before their subjects as teachers, priests, and pastors. Authority, therefore, manifests itself, as does the invisible soul in man, by its external action.

2. Although the last end of the Church, i.e., the eternal happiness of its children, as well as its proximate end, i.e., the inward sanctification of souls, is invisible, yet the exercise of the Christian religion, which is the immediate object of the Church (38), is a visible function. For, the preaching of the Christian doctrine, the administration of the sacraments, the legislation of the Church, the outward profession of faith, the reception of the sacraments, the submission to the Church on the part of the faithful, are all visible actions.

3. According to the words of Christ, "As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you" (John xx. 21), the Church through its rulers continues the mission of Christ, sanctifying its members by its teaching, its sacraments, and its precepts (40). But Christ appeared visibly before men: consequently, the Church, continuing His mission, must also appear visibly

among men, and visibly dispense the treasures of grace int. usted to it.

II. Besides the visible, there is also an invisible element in the Church; and as we speak of the Church as of a body, consisting of a head and subordinate members, so we also speak of the soul of the Church.

By the soul of the Church we understand all those spiritual, supernatural graces which constitute it the Church of Christ, and enables its members to attain their last end. What we call soul in general is that pervading principle which gives life to a body and enables its members to perform their peculiar functions. To the soul of the Church belong faith, the common aspiration of all to the same end, the invisible authority of superiors, the inward grace of sanctification, the supernatural virtues, and other gifts of grace. The author of all these supernatural gifts is the Holy Ghost, the promised representative of Christ, who exerts His activity'in the Church.

Hence we may understand why one may have a larger share than another in the spiritual life of the Church, and how one may belong in a greater or less degree to, or may separate himself altogether from, the soul of the Church. For, even the influence of the human soul upon the members of the body is different in its effects, giving sight to the eyes, hearing to the ear; while to other organs it gives only the sense of touch. Hence it is possible that one member may be deprived of life altogether, though outwardly it be still united to the body. (nly the just belong to the soul of the Church in the fullest sense, ar d derive their life from it. For in them alone is the end of the Church-sanctification-fully realized; they are, in the true sense of the word, the temples of the Holy Ghost.

Holy Scripture is wont to represent the spiritual life of the Church in divers ways. In one place it tells us that the Holy Ghost unites all who are baptized into one body (1 Cor. xii. 13), consequently, performs a function similar to that which the sul performs in the human body. Again, it teaches that we are all members under one invisible head; for as the head directs and governs the members visibly, so also does the Joul direct and govern them invisibly (Eph. v.; Col. i. 18).

Hence the soul and the body of the Church do not form two distinct churches, but one and the same, as the soul and the body of man form but one human being. Nor are they opposed to each other, as the divine to the human, or the supernatural to the natural; for the visible element of the Church, as well as the invisible, is divine and supernatural. They contrast with each other only as the invisible to the visible in one and the same mor l person.

III. The Church is, moreover, easily recognizable as the true Church of Christ.

From what has been said on the knowableness of revelation (9) it follows that Christianity must be recognizable as a divine revelation. The question which concerns us here is only whether that society to which Christ intrusted the administration of His religion may be recognized as such. If so, we can also ascertain what the true teaching of Christ is. For once it is established that Christ has given charge to His Church to preserve and propagate His doctrine (38), the true teaching of Christ must be found wherever the true Church of Christ is.

1. From the end of the Church of Christ we may easily infer that it can be recognized as such. For if it is to lead men to eternal life by the exercise of the Christian religion (39), this way, marked out by God for the salvation of man, must be distinguishable from ways devised, not by God, but by

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2. This follows, moreover, from the obligation of all men to become and continue to be members of the Church of Christ. For, the fulfilment of this command is impossible unless the true Church can be known; consequently, the true Church is knowable and distinguishable from all others that may falsely call themselves by that name. Therefore, since Christ imposed upon all the obligation to enter His Church (40), He must have made His Church easily recognizable to all.

3. If the Church is to continue Christ's mission among men (41), it must, like Christ Himself, be able to prove its mission. Now, Christ proved His divine mission by outward signs. And if Christ abides in His Church as in a visible body, we must conclude that as in His humanity His divinity was not altogether concealed, so also in His Church the divine element will always sufficiently come to view, to make it distinguishable from every merely human institution.

Hence that species of indifferentism which holds no form of Christianity as absolutely true, on the ground that none can prove itself as such, is groundless.

51. There is but one true Church of Christ.

For in

There is but one true Church, if Christ founded but one. this case all others are contrary to His divine will, since He imposed