and cause their own destruction upon the rock of the Church. Yes, verily, the Church is a rock in mid-ocean, and this rock is indestructible, because the Catholic Church is the sole possessor of the true faith, and is infallible in proclaiming it.
2. For the infallibility of the Church as a teacher the word of Christ Himself is pledged. He has made to her a threefold promise.
In the first place, He promised that He would remain with the Church "even to the consummation of the world. Shortly before His ascension, He said to the apostles: "Going, therefore, teach all nations . . . and behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world. " These words are not addressed to the apostles as private individuals, for otherwise they would be meaningless, since before the close of the first century all the apostles had died, not excepting John. If, therefore, Christ promised to remain with His apostles even to the consummation of the world, it follows that the college of the apostles, that is the Church in her office as teacher, must continue to exist through all centuries. And if Christ, who is eternal truth, remains with the Church, her teaching must necessarily be infallible. For He does not remain with her in order to teach her error. Rather does He intend to signify, by making use of the words we have quoted above, that He will protect her from all error.
3. Christ promised, in the second place, that the Spirit of truth should ever abide with the Church. He said to the apostles and their successors: "I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth. ... He will teach you all things."
