The New York herald., 1870-05-15
CHAPTER Nv.

or FiIlth ana Reason.
Moreover the Catholic Cnurch has ever held, as
she holds, that there exists twOold order OF
knowledge. each OF wnicn Is distinct from the other
both TO ls principle and as TO its object. As TO
its principle, because in the one we know by
natural reason, IN he other by divine faith
as 10 the object because besides those Things TO
which natural easOn can alta H. there proposed
to our belief MYSTERIES hidden In God which, unless
BY Him revealed, cannot come to our knowledge.
Wherefore the same apostle. who beareth witness
that GOD was known TO the Gentlles by the things
that are made, yet when speaking of the grace and
uru that came by Jesus Christ John l. ~, says:
"We speak the wisdom OF God IN a mystery, wis
dom which is hidden; which God ordained before
the world unto our glory; which none OF the princes
OF this world knew, but which God hath revealed
rs b. His prt. For the Spirssearcheih all things,
yea the deep things OF God. q Cor. H. s, 10.l And
the only begOtten Son thanks the Father that He has
md these things IRON tn wise and prudent and has
revealed them 81 li.Je ones. Matt. xi. 25.l
Reason, indeed, enigh' ened by lai.h and seeking
with diligence and cody sobriety may, by God 5
gift, come To some understanding, limited in degree,
but most Wholesome III ITS ELECTS OF mysteries, both
rom the analogy of things which are naturally
known, and from the connection OF the mysteries
themselves with one another and with mans last
end. But never can reason be rendered capable oil
thoroughly understanding mysteries, as II does those
truths which lOfln Its proper object. For Gods mys-
teres, OF heir very nature so far surpass the reach
of created intellect tnat even when taught by reve-
lat.on, and received by laith, they reman covered
by faith itse rs by veil, and shrouded as 1t were
in darkness as long as IN this mortal life 'Ve are alb
sent from the Lord for walk by faith, and not by
sight" uI Cor, v. g. ~
But although faith be above reason there never
can be real disagreement between them, since the
same God who re-, e,eals mysteries aud infuses faith
has given to mans soul the light OF reason; and God
cannot deny himself nor can one truth ever contra
dict another. Wnere.oie the empty shadow OF sucn
contradiction arises chiefly from this that either
the doctrines Of Iath are not understood AMI set
forth as the ChnrCn really holds them, or that the
vain devices and opinions OF men are mistaken Tor
the dictates OF reason. We therefore deanltivey
pronounce false every assertion which Is contrary
to the enllghien truth of faith. ". Lateran
Counc. Bull Ap0StOlct Reyintt1tas.) Moreover the
Church together with her apostolic oiree OF teaching
il "a IL
OF faith, holds likewise from God the right and the
duty to condemn .'knowlelge, falsely so-calledo
I. Timothy, vi, 20), ''est any man be cheated by
philosophy and vain deceit" tCol. H., s.) Hence
all the Christian faithful are not only forbidden to
defend as legitimate conclusions OF science those
opinions which are known to he contrary to the doc
trine OF faith, especially when condemned by the
Church, but are rather absolutely bound 10 hold
them for errors wearing deceitful appearance of
truth Not only is 1t Impossible for ia tn and reason
to contradict each otner, but they rather afford
each other mutual assistance. For right reason es-
taDlishes the foundations of faith and by the aid
OF It's light cultiyates the science OF divine
things; and faith. ON the otner hand, trees
and preserves reason from errors, and enrches it
with knowledge OF many kinds. SO far then, is the
Church from opposing the culture Of human arts and
sciences, that size rather aids and promotes il in
many ways. For she is not ignorant of, nor does
she despise the advantages which flow from them to
the life OF men; on the contrary. she acknowledges
that, as they sprang from God, the Lord of knowl-
edge, so, II they be rightly pursued they will,
through the aid OF HIS grace lead to God. Nor does
she forbid any OF those sciences the Of its
principles and It's own method within ITS proper
sphere; but rec ORnizing this reasonable freedom,
she only takes care tnas they may not by contradict
ing Gods teaching, fail into errors or ovefstepping
their due limits invade and throw into confusion the
domain Of faith.
For the doctrine OF faith revealed by God has not
been proposed, like some philosophical discovery TO
be male per ect by human ingenuity but IL has been
delivered the spouse OF Christ as divine deposit
to be faithfully guarded and unerringly set forth.
Hence all teuet5 OF holy faith are TO be explained
always according TO the sense and meaning OF the
Church, nor is IL ever lawful TO depart therefrom
uretPncp
nato Therefore as generations and centuries roll
on let the understanding, knowledge and wisdom OF
each and every one, of individuals and OF the whole
Church, grow apace and increase exceedingly, yet
only its kind; that Is to say, retaining pure and
myioae the sense and meaning and belief OF the
same doctrine. (yincent OF Lerns, Common. No.