THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH. 367
" they studied the text of Holy Scripture alone, and took the interpretation of its meaning not from their own inner consciousness, but from the writings and on the authority of the ancients, who in their turn, as it is clear, took their rule for understanding the meaning from the apostolic succession." ^
Wherefore, as appears from what has been said, Christ instituted in the Church a living, authoritative, and perma- . nent Magisterium, which by His own power He strength- 4 ,_.ened^_byJJie_Spki±_ of Truth He taught, and by miracles '^ jQonfirmed. He willed and ordered, under the gravest penalties, that its teachings should be received as if they were His own. As often, therefore, as it is declared on the authority of this teaching that this or that is con- tained in the deposit of divine revelation, it must be beheved by every one as true. If it could in any way be false, an evident contradiction follows; for then God Himself would be the author of error in man. "Lord, if we be in error, we are being deceived by Thee." ^ In this wise, all cause for doubting being removed, can it be la'vv^ul for any one to reject any one of those truths without by the very fact falling into heresy? — without separating himself from the Church? — \^^thout repudiating in one sweeping act the whole of Christian teaching? For such is the nature of faith that nothing can be more absurd than to accept some things and reject others. _Faith, as the Church teaches^ is _'lthat supernatural yirtue by which, through^ffieZhelp— of ^od and through the assistance of His grace, we beUeve what He has re- .'££ale d to be true , nof on account of the intrinsic truth perceived by the natural light of reason, but because of the authority of God Himself, the Revealer, who can neither deceive nor be deceived." ^ If then it be certain that anything is revealed by God, and this is not believed,
^Hlst. Eccl., lib. ii., c p. 9.
^ Richardus de S. Victore, De Trin., lib. i., cap. 2.
' Cone. Vat., Sess. iii., cap. 3.
