Handbook of the Christian religion
Subtitle: for the use of advanced students and the educated laity
Publisher: Benzinger Brothers
Published: 1891
Place of publication: New York; Cincinnati; Chicago
Language: eng
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS.; title: part 1.; title: TRUTH OF THE CATHOLIC RELIGION.; title: SECTION I.; title: CHRISTIANITY A REVEALED RELIGION.; title: INTRODUCTION.; title: 1. Religion implies man's union with God, ....; title: 2. Religion is a strict obligation incumbent on man,; title: 3. Religion may be natural or supernatural; title: 4. The science of religion surpasses all others in excellence,; title: CHAPTER I.; title: REVELATION IN GENERAL.; title: 5. Revelation may be natural or supernatural, either in form or in substance, 7; title: 6. To gain a suitable knowledge of the natural truths of religion a supernatural revelation was morally necessary for the human race, 9; title: 7. In the supposition of a supernatural order, a revelation supernatural in form and substance was absolutely necessary to man for the attainment of his end 12; title: 8. Man has the strict obligation of accepting a supernatural revelation, if vouchsafed to him and recognized by him as divine, 13; title: 9. The knowledge of divine revelation is possible to man, . . 14; title: 10. There are distinctive marks by which a true revelation may be recognized, 15; title: 11. Miracles and prophecies are sure evidences of the divinity of a revelation, . . .18; title: CHAPTER II.; title: PRE-CHRISTIAN REVELATION.; title: . Primitive Revelation.; title: 12. The primitive revelation was supernatural in form and substance, 21; title: 13. God exercised a special providence towards the preservation of supernatural religion 22; title: 14. Yet a universal apostasy from natural as well as supernatural religion ensued under the form of paganism and idol-worship, 23; title: II Patriarchal Revelation.; title: 15. By the call of Abraham and the separation of his posterity God secured the true religion among the Jewish people and thus prepared for the advent of the Redeemer, . . . .25; title: 16. At the separation of the Jewish people God intended the reunion of the human race through the coming Redeemer, . . 25; title: III The Mosaic Revelation.; title: 17. The Mosaic law, as to its contents, was partly of a general nature, regarding all mankind ; partly of a special character, regarding only the people of Israel, 26; title: 18. The Mosaic law had also a twofold sanction : one temporal, or pertaining to this life ; and one spiritual, or pertaining to the next life, . 28; title: 19. The Mosaic law was to be abolished by the Messias, . . 29; title: IV. The Divine Origin of the Pre-Christian Revelation Established by Miraculous Facts.; title: 20. Moses proved his divine mission by miracles and prophecies, . 30; title: V. The Supernatural Facts of the Mosaic Revelation Proved by Documentary Evidence.; title: 21. The books of Moses are authentic historic documents, . . 34; title: CHAPTER III.; title: THE CHRISTIAN REVELATION.; title: /. Divine Chigin of the Christian Revelation.; title: 22. Jesus of Nazareth proves Himself a divine messenger by miracles and prophecies, 38; title: 23. The divine mission of Christ is proved in particular by His resurrection from the dead, 41; title: 24. Christ is the new law-giver and prophet promised in the Old Law, 44; title: 25. Jesus Christ proved Himself to be the true Son of God, . . 45; title: 26. The divinity of Christ is proved by the preaching of the apostles, 49; title: 27. The entire chain of revelation possesses a remarkable coherence, each link bearing a threefold evidence, 51; title: II. The Miraculous Facts of Revelation Proved by Various Evidences.; title: 28. The evidences of Christianity are documentary as well as historic 52; title: 29. The truth of those supernatural facts on which rests the divinity of the Christian religion is proved f rom^the books of the New Testament, 53; title: 30. The rapid spread of the Christian religion, as testified in history, is an incontrovertible evidence of its divinity, . . 55; title: 31. The divinity of the Christian religion is proved by the testimony of the martyrs, 57; title: SECTION II.; title: THE CHURCH THE DISPENSER OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.; title: CHAPTER I.; title: INSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH.; title: 32. The religion of Christ forms one organic whole, . . .62; title: 33. The Christian religion is destined for all nations and for all individuals, 63; title: 34. The Christian religion is to endure to the end of time, . . 65; title: 35 The Christian religion is unchangeable, 67; title: 36. The professors of the Christian religion, according to the intention of Christ, were to form a social organization, which is called the Church, 69; title: 37. The Church has been founded directly by Christ, . . 70; title: CHAPTER II.; title: THE END OF THE CHURCH.; title: 38. The proximate end of the Church is the preservation and practice of the Christian religion, 73; title: 39. The ultimate end of the Church is, by the doctrine of grace entrusted to it by Christ and by its authority, to lead men to everlasting life, 74; title: 40. All who come to a sufficient knowledge of the Church of Christ are by divine precept obliged to become its members, . . 75; title: CHAPTER III.; title: CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH.; title: 41. Christ gave to His Church the triple office of teacher, priest, and pastor, comprised in the twofold power of orders and jurisdiction, 77; title: 42. The apostles, not the faithful, were directly invested by Christ with that power which He conferred on His Church, . . 78; title: 43. Christ's Church, with the power and constitution given to it by its founder, will endure to the end of time, . . . .80; title: 44. St. Peter was designated and constituted by Christ the supreme head of His Church -82; title: 45. The end of St. Peter's primacy was the perfect unity of the Church and the intimate union of its members, . . .87; title: 46. The primacy of St. Peter in the Church will endure forever, . 89; title: 47. The Pope, or Bishop of Rome, is the successor of St. Peter in the primacy over the whole Church, 91; title: 48. The pope's primacy is defined by Christ Himself (1) as a true power of jurisdiction, (2) ordinary and (3) immediate, (4) comprising the fulness of that spiritual authority conferred on the Church, and (5) extending to all ecclesiastical matters, . . 95; title: 49. The bishops are the true successors of the apostles ; hence they, and not the people, nor the state, have been invested with the government of the Church, 99; title: CHAPTER IV.; title: MARKS OF THE CHURCH.; title: 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, 102; title: 51. There is but one true Church of Christ 104; title: 52. Unity, sanctity, catholicity, and apostolicity are marks of the true Church of Christ, . .105; title: 53. The Roman Catholic Church possesses the aforesaid marks, . 118; title: 54. No other Christian denomination possesses these marks, . .116; title: CHAPTER V.; title: THE TEACHING OFFICE OF THE CHURCH.; title: I. The Teaching Office Considered in Itself.; title: 55 The Church is infallible in the discharge of its office as teacher of Christ's doctrine, . 120; title: 56. The pope and the bishops exclusively are Invested with the Church's authoritative teaching office, 123; title: 57. The Church exercises its infallible doctrinal authority in diverse ways: (1) through its general councils; (2) through the unanimous voice of the bishops dispersed throughout the universe, but united with the pope ; (3) through its ordinary and uniform preaching ; (4) through the pope alone teaching ex cathedra 125; title: 58. The infallible teaching authority of the Church extends to all matters appertaining to faith and morals, .... 132; title: II. Sources of the Church's Teaching.; title: 59. Scripture and tradition are the two sources of the Church's teaching, . . 184; title: A. Holy Scripture.; title: 60. The Holy Scriptures contain the word of God, . 135; title: 61. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God, .... 135; title: 62. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God in virtue of divine inspiration, . . 136; title: 63. The canon of the Scriptures is composed of those books of the Old and New Testaments contained in the authentic Latin version called the Vulgate, 138; title: B. Tradition.; title: 64. There exists in the Church, as different from the Scriptures, a tradition of divinely revealed doctrines and institutions, . 140; title: 65. The Church's tradition is deposited in diverse monuments, . 142; title: 66. Tradition possesses permanent binding force,  . .143; title: III. The Rule of Faith.; title: 67. There exists no obligation binding each individual to draw the subject-matter of his faith directly from the Scriptures, . 144; title: 68. Neither Scripture nor tradition is the sole rule of faith, . . 145; title: 69. The necessary attributes of a rule of faith are to be found only in the teaching office of the Catholic Church, . . .147; title: 70. The Scriptures are to l>e interpreted according to the Catholic rule of faith, .... 149; title: 71 The faith of Christians is to be determined by the Catholic rule of faith, .... ..... 160; title: part II.; title: CHRISTIAN DOGMA.; title: INTRODUCTION.; title: 1 The chief articles of the Christian dogma are embodied in the various creeds, or professions of faith, of the Church, . 152; title: SECTION I.; title: GOD THE AUTHOR AND RESTORER OF OUR SALVATION.; title: CHAPTER I.; title: GOD CONSIDERED IN" HIMSELF.; title: /. God One in Nature.; title: A. The Existence of God.; title: 73. The existence of God is knowable from creation, . . . 154; title: 74 God is, however, more perfectly known from revelation, . 158; title: B. The Nature op God.; title: 75 God is a pure spirit, 160; title: 76. God is infinitely perfect, 161; title: 77. God is an absolutely simple substance, 164; title: 78. Among the different names given to God the most appropriate is that which He Himself revealed to Moses, saying: " I am who am," .165; title: C. Attributes of God.; title: 79. The attributes or perfections of God are aptly divided into such as appertain to His divine essence and such as belong to His activity (i.e., to His intelligence and will), . . . .166; title: 80. God, considered in His divine essence, is unchangeable, eternal, immense, and omnipresent, 167; title: 81. God, considered in regard to His intelligence, is omniscient and all-wise, 171; title: 82. God, considered in regard to His divine will, is almighty and free; infinitely holy and just ; bountiful, merciful, and long- suffering ; truthful, and faithful to His promises,  . .175; title: D. Unity of God.; title: 83. The unity of God is a revealed truth, 181; title: 84. The unity of God is also knowable by reason, .  . .183; title: II. God in Three Persons.; title: 85. There are three persons in God : the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost 184; title: 86. Each of the three persons is God, 186; title: 87. Each of the three persons is God by one and the same divine nature, 189; title: 88. The Son is begotten of the Father and is, consequently, distinct from Him, . .190; title: 89. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son as from one source or principle and is, in virtue of this procession, distinct from both, 191; title: 90. Though the divine attributes and the external works of God are common to all three divine persons, yet certain attributes and works are justly appropriated to one person rather than to the others, 195; title: 91. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is a strict mystery, . . 196; title: 92. The knowledge of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity is of the highest importance to man,  198; title: CHAPTER II.; title: GOD THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD AND AUTHOR OF SALVATION.; title: /. The Creation of the World in General.; title: 93. The world is created— brought forth from nothing, . . .200; title: 94. The world has been created in time, 203; title: 95. God created the world of His own free choice,  . 204; title: 96. Though determined by His own free choice, God intended by the creation of the world to communicate His goodness to His creatures, 205; title: 97. In the creation of the world and the communication of His goodness to His creatures God further iutended His own external glorification by His creatures, . , . . . 206; title: 98. God continually preserves the world, 208; title: 99. God rules the world by His providence 209; title: II. The Various Grades of Creation.; title: 100. The variety displayed in the three grades of creation bespeaks the wisdom of the Creator, 211; title: A. The Spiritual Would.; title: 101. God created angels, i.e., pure spirits gifted with superior endowments, 212; title: 102. The angels originally enjoyed a kind of natural happiness, but were destined for a supernatural happiness, . . 214; title: 103. The reward of the faithful angels consists in the everlasting vision of God face to face, 215; title: 104. The fallen angels have been condemned by God to everlasting torments, .215; title: B. The Material World.; title: 105. The material world was created and perfected by God, 217; title: 0. Man.; title: 106. Man was created by God, . 219; title: 107. The whole human race is descended from one man and one woman, Adam and Eve, 220; title: 108. Man was created to God's own image and likeness, . . 221; title: 109. Man is the natural image and likeness of God in virtue of .the natural endowments of his soul— i.e., its spirituality, freedom, and immortality, 222; title: 110. Man was at the same time, in virtue of his supernatural gifts, created to the supernatural image and likeness of God, . 227; title: 111. Adam was destined to be the father of the human race, not only according to the flesh, but also according to the spirit, . 232; title: 112 Our first parents, being subjected to a probation, transgressed the divine command and thus incurred the severest penalties, 234; title: 113. Adam's sin has been inherited by all his poster .285; title: 114. The effects of original sin extend to the natural as well as to  the supernatural prerogatives of man, . .287; title: D. The Different Orders of Creation in their Relation to one Another. The material world is destined for the use of man, . 288; title: 118. The good angels are the guardians of man,  . .241; title: 117. The fallen angels are the enemies of man .248; title: CHAPTER III.; title: GOD THE REDEEMER OF FALLEN MAN.; title: I. Decree and Plan o/ the Redemption.; title: 118. Man was of himself unable to arise from his fall, . . 245; title: 119. The redemption of man is purely a work of God's benevolence, 248; title: 120. The reconciliation of man with God could have been effected without the incarnation of the Son of God 247; title: 121. In case God required condign satisfaction, however, the incarnation of a divine person was necessary, .247; title: 122. The redeemer was promised, and characterized by certain unmistakable marks, in the Old Law, 248; title: 123. For wise reasons God delayed the coming of the redeemer, . 252; title: 124. Jesus of Nazareth is both indirectly aud directly proved to be the redeemer promised and sent by God to man,  . 258; title: II. The Redeemer One Person and Two Natures.; title: 125. The Son of God became man by taking to Himself a human nature, 257; title: 128. Christ assumed His human nature from the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, 259; title: 127. The Son of God took to Himself an entire human nature — a human body and a rational human soul, with all its faculties, spiritual and sensitive, 261; title: 128. The Son of God took a human nature that was capable of suffering, 261; title: 129. In Christ there is but one person, and that the divine person— the second person of the Blessed Trinity, . . , .261; title: 130. The divine and human natures in Christ were not blended together, but remained after their union unmixed, unconfused, unchanged, .264; title: 131. In Christ there were two distinct wills (a divine and a human); likewise two distinct activities (a divine and a human), 265; title: 132. In consequence of the hypostatic union the human intellect of Christ possessed a twofold supernatural knowledge ; His will was incapable of sin; His soul was adorned with the fulness of grace, . 267; title: 183. Owing to the mutual communion of the attributes of both natures in the one divine person (communicalio idumatum) Christ also as man is the true Son of God, and likewise, as man, claims supreme adoration, . . . 268; title: 184. The Blessed Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God ; and as such she was preserved from original sin, . . . 270; title: III. The Work of the Redemption.; title: 185. Christ restored the order of salvation by His death on the cross, thus offering Himself as a ransom for mankind, . 272; title: 186. Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all men. . 275; title: 137. Christ, by t -ansom c His blood, (1) satisfied the divine justice, (2) delivered us from sin and eternal damnation, and (3) purchased for us the supernatural goods lost by sin, . 276; title: 188. Christ was invested with, and discharged, the three-fold office of prophet, priest, and king 278; title: SECTION II.; title: THE PLAN OF SALVATION AS REALIZED IN INDIVIDUALS.; title: 189. The plan of salvation is realized by the actual application of the fruits of the Redemption to individuals, 279; title: CHAPTER I; title: GRACE.; title: 140. Grace is a supernatural aid or gift, and may be either actual or habitual, .... ... 281; title: /. Actual Grace.; title: 141. Grace is necessary to everything that is profitable for our eternal salvation, 282; title: 142. Grace is also necessary for the good will to believe, and for the first desire of salvation, 284; title: 143. The necessity of grace extends also to the observance of the natural moral order 285; title: The assistance of grace is necessary also for the just (1) to perform supernatural works, (2) to observe the moral law and overcome grievous temptations ; while (3) final perseverance requires a special grace, and (4) the preservation from all venial sins is an extraordinary privilege, .... 287; title: 145. God gives sufficient grace to all men — also to sinners and infidels,.... 289; title: 146. Grace can be rendered inefficacious by man's free will, . , 291; title: 147. The efficacy of grace does not impair the freedom of the human will, . 292; title: II. Habitual or Sanctifying Grace.; title: 148 By sanctifying grace internal justification and regeneration, together with the divine virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and the Holy Ghost Himself, the author of grace, are communicated to the soul, 293; title: 149. Man, obedient to the inspirations of preventing grace, must by diverse acts dispose himself for sanctifying grace, . . 296; title: 150. Sanctifying grace can be lost, and is actually lost by every grievous sin, 298; title: 151. Sanctifying grace is preserved and increased by good works, . 299; title: 152. Good works are under certain conditions truly meritorious, . 300; title: 153. The chief object of merit is eternal salvation and the increase of sanctifying grace, .  303; title: CHAPTER II.; title: THE SACRAMENTS AS MEANS OF GRACE.; title: I. The Sacraments in General; title: 154. A sacrament is an outward sign by which grace is communicated to the soul, instituted by Jesus Christ, and consisting of two elements — matter and form, 305; title: 155. The sacraments are productive of two kinds of grace— sanctifying and sacramental— and that by their own inherent virtue (ex opere operate), 306; title: 156. The sacraments of the New Law have a different efficacy from those of the Old and from the sacramentals of the Church, 309; title: 157. On the part of the recipient of the sacraments certain conditions or dispositions are necessary in order that the reception may be valid, and due preparation that it may be fruitful, .310; title: 158. On the part of the minister of the sacraments certain conditions are necessary in order that their administration may be valid and licit, 311; title: 159. Christ instituted seven sacraments, 317; title: 160. The sacraments are divided (1) into sacraments of the living and of the dead ; (2) into such as imprint and such as do not imprint a character on the soul of the recipient .; title: II. The Sacraments in Particular.; title: A. Baptism.; title: 161. Baptism is characterized as a distinct sacrament of the New Law by its effects, its matter and form, and its divine institution, 314; title: 162. Baptism cancels both original and actual sin, together with the eternal and temporal punishment due to them ; it confers supernatural life on the soul, makes us members of Christ and of His Church, and gives us a pledge of grace in this life and of glory in the next, 316; title: 163. Baptism is necessary as an ordinary means of salvation for all, even for infants, 318; title: 164. Sacramental baptism may be partially supplied by baptism of desire and baptism of blood, 320; title: 165. While the ordinary minister of baptism is a bishop or priest, and the extraordinary a deacon, any one, whether male or female, can validly, though not always licitly, baptize, . 321; title: B. Confirmation.; title: 166. The divine institution of the sacrament of confirmation is proved from Scripture and tradition, 322; title: 167. The imposition of bauds and anointing with chrism, accompanied by suitable words, constitute the matter and form, or complete sign, of confirmation, 328; title: 168. Besides augmenting sanctifying grace, confirmation perfects the supernatural life of the soul, 324; title: 169. The ordinary minister of confirmation is the bishop; by papal delegation, however, a priest may become its extraordinary minister,  325; title: 170. Every one who is baptized can receive confirmation validly,  receive it worthily, however, the state of grace is required 326; title: C. The Holy Eucharist.; title: 171. The Holy Eucharist was instituted both as a sacrament and a sacrifice, 327; title: a. The Holy Eucharist as a Sacrament.; title: 172. Jesus Christ is truly, really, and substantially present in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist 327; title: 173. Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament by transubstantiation, i.e., by the change of the entire substance of bread and wine into His body and blood 331; title: 174. Christ continues to be present under the species of bread and wine as long as the species themselves continue to exist, . 333; title: 175. Christ is entirely present under each species and Under each particle of either species, 334; title: 176. Bishops and priests only have the power to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, .335; title: 177. The matter of the sacrament of the Eucharist is wheat bread and genuine wine of the grape ; the form consists in the words of Christ : This is My body; this is My blood," 336; title: 178. The chief effects of the Holy Eucharist are : increase of sanctifying grace, special actual graces, remission of venial sins, preservation from grievous sin, and the confident hope of eternal salvation 337; title: 179. The obligation of receiving the Holy Eucharist rests on a necessity not of means but of precept, 338; title: 180. The divine precept is fulfilled by receiving the Blessed Sacrament under one species, 339; title: 181. To receive the Blessed Sacrament worthily and becomingly a certain preparation, or disposition, is necessary, . . .340; title: b. The Holy Eucharist as a Sacrifice.; title: 182. The New Law possesses a true sacrifice, 341; title: 183. Christ offered Himself as a bloody sacrifice on the cross. . 342; title: 184. The Sacrifice of the Mass is a true sacrifice— the unbloody renewal of the bloody sacrifice of the cross, 343; title: 185. The Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God in praise, petition, thanksgiving, atonement, 347; title: 186. The fruits of the Sacrifice of the Mass are of two kinds: general and special, 348; title: D. Penance.; title: 187. Penance Is characterized as the sacrament of the remission of sins, 849; title: 188 Christ gave to His apostles a special power to forgive sins, . 350; title: 189. This power of forgiving sins conferred on the apostles is a judicial power, 351; title: 190 The bishops and priests of the Church only have inherited the power of forgiving sins, 351; title: 191. The power to forgive sins in the sacrament of penance extends to all sins committed after baptism, 353; title: 192 The sacrament of penance is the ordinary means of salvation for those who after baptism have fallen into mortal sin, . 354; title: 193. The power of forgiving sins granted to the Church implies the necessity of self-accusation on the part of the sinner; whence; title: confession is of divine origin, 355; title: 194. The acts of the penitent— contrition, confession, and satisfaction — in order to be valid matter of the sacrament of penance, must be endowed with certain qualities, . . . 357; title: 195. The duty of satisfaction is facilitated by indulgences granted by the Church, .... .... 360; title: E. Extreme Unction.; title: 196. The divine institution of the sacrament of extreme unction may be proved from different sources, .363; title: 197. The special effects of extreme unction are four: (1) the remission of venial sins ; (2) the removal of the remnants of sin ;; title: (3) fortitude in sufferings and temptations; and (4) not seldom restoration of bodily health, 361; title: 198. The minister of extreme unction must have the priestly character; the subject is any baptized person who has attained to the use of reason and is dangerously ill, . . . . 365; title: F. Holy Orders.; title: 199. Christ conferred upon His apostles a special and true priestly character, , 365; title: 200. The priesthood, according to the institution of Christ, was to be propagated by means of holy orders 367; title: 201. The priesthood consists of different orders, constituting the hierarchy of orders; with which is closely connected the hierarchy of jurisdiction, ... ... 368; title: 202. The character of the priesthood once received can never be effaced, 371; title: G. Matrimony.; title: 203. The bond of marriage was restored by Christ to its original unity and indissolubility, .  , 872; title: 204. Christ raised Christian marriage to the dignity of a sacrament, 874; title: 205. There are certain impediments, abo of ecclesiastical institution,; title: which render marriage between certain parties not only illicit, but also invalid, 876; title: CHAPTER III; title: THE CHURCH AS A MEANS OF SALVATION.; title: 206. The Catholic Church is by divine institution the guardian and dispenser of the means of grace, 879; title: 207. Every one who is validly baptized and who has neither wilfully separated himself from the Church nor is excommunicated, is (ipso facto) a member of the Church, .... 880; title: 208. Communion with the Church is necessary as an ordinary means of salvation, 881; title: CHAPTER IV.; title: THE LAST THINGS.; title: 209. God earnestly and, as far as depends on Him, efficaciously wishes all men to be saved 889; title: 210. After death, the end of our probation, follows the particular judgment 386; title: 211. After judgment the souls of those who are perfectly pure are forthwith admitted to the contemplation of God face to face, 887; title: 212. Those whose souls are not perfectly cleansed undergo a process of cleansing in purgatory, 889; title: 213. The Church militant on earth, suffering in purgatory, and triumphant in heaven, forms one body in different states in regard to its last end ; this union (the communion of saints) has manifold spiritual advantages 891; title: 214. Those who die in the state of mortal sin are condemned to eternal punishment 393; title: 215. All men shall arise again in their own bodies 395; title: 216. Christ snail come again to judge the living and the dead; and this general judgment shall close the present order of things, . . 397; title: part III.; title: CHRISTIAN MORAL INTRODUCTION.; title: 317. Christian moral is that part of the science of religion which teaches us how to direct our actions to God, our last end, according to the principles of Christian morality, . . 899; title: CHRISTIAN MORAL IN GENERAL.; title: CHAPTER I.; title: BASIS OF MORALITY.; title: /. Law as the Objective Norm of Human Action.; title: 318. The morality of human action is founded on conformity or deformity with the divine will; whence also arise law and right, 401; title: 219. God has revealed Himself to us as our immediate law-giver in two ways — by the natural and by the positive law, . , 403; title: 220. The Church is invested with legislative and, consequently, with judicial and executive power, 405; title: 221. Civil law, inasmuch as it is not contrary to the divine will, obliges in conscience, 406; title: II. Conscience the Subjective Norm of Moral Actions.; title: 222. Conscience, or the practical moral sense, may be (1) right or erroneous, (2) certain or doubtful, 407; title: 223. It is a duty to act according to the dictates of a right or an invincibly erroneous conscience ; but it is unlawful to act in accordance with or contrary to a vincibly erroneous conscience, or to act at all with a doubtful conscience, . 408; title: 224. Free will is a necessary condition for the morality of an action, 410; title: 225. In order that an action may be morally good its object, its circumstances, and its end must be good ; but an action is morally evil if any one of these is bad, . . .412; title: SECTION I.; title: III. The Condition of Morality.; title: CHAPTER II.; title: MORAL GOOD AND MORAL EVIL.; title: 226. Good actions may be either natural or supernatural; the latter, however, are necessary for salvation, 415; title: 227. God wishes us to perform supernaturally good and meritorious actions ; which He has partly commanded and partly counseled, 416; title: 228. The Christian virtues, according to their specific object, the faculty which they perfect, and the source from which they originate, are commonly divided (1) into theological and moral virtues, (2) virtues of the understanding and of the will, (3) infused and acquired virtues, .... 417; title: 229. Sin, or the wilful transgression of the divine law, may be either mortal or venial, 420; title: 230. All sins or vices may be reduced to seven chief heads or sources, commonly called the seven capital or deadly sins, . 421; title: SECTION II.; title: CHRISTIAN MORAL IN PARTICULAR.; title: CHAPTER I.; title: THE CHRISTIAN'S DUTIES TOWARDS GOD.; title: I. The Three Theological Virtues.; title: 231. The three theological virtues— faith, hope, and charity— whether considered in themselves, or in their effects, or in their growth and perfection, occupy the first place in Christian life, 422; title: A. Faith.; title: 232. Faith is either actual or habitual, . . 423; title: 233. Faith is necessary for salvation, not merely in virtue of a divine precept, but also of its nature as a necessary means of salvation, . 425; title: 234. Faith of its very nature must be universal, and firm above every other conviction ; to attain its end it must also be a living faith, viz., enlivened by good works, . . . .427; title: 236. The sins against faith are infidelity, apostasy, and heresy, . 430; title: B. Hope.; title: 236. Hope is a divine virtue, the motive of which is God's power, goodness, and faithfulness, and the object-matter of which is eternal salvation and the means of attaining it. . . 431; title: 237. We ma) r sin against hope in two ways— either by defect (despair and diffidence) or by excess (presumption and false confidence, 432; title: C. Charity.; title: 238. Charity is a divine virtue, the motive of which is God's infinite goodness considered in itself, and the object -matter of which is both God and our neighbor, 433; title: 239. Charity may be either perfect or imperfect, .... 435; title: 240. While every grievous sin is against charity, hatred of God is especially opposed to it, 436; title: II. The Virtus of Religion.; title: 241. Internal and external worship is due to God, . . . 436; title: 242. Acts of divine worship are of two kinds— acts of religion as such (actus eliciti), and acts of other virtues elicited from the motive of religion (actus imperail), 437; title: A. Direct Acts of Religion.; title: 243. While the external profession of faith is not binding at all times and under all circumstances, it is never allowed in word or deed to deny the faith, 438; title: 244. Prayer, or the elevation of the soul to God, is a fruitful as well as a necessary exercise of religion, .... 439; title: 245. An oath, or the invocation of God as witness to the truth of an assertion or of the fulfilment of a promise, is an act of religion, and is under certain conditions lawful, . . . 441; title: 246. A vow, or promise made to God, is likewise an act of religion which is in itself pleasing to God and strictly binding on the promising party, 442; title: 247. The sins against religion are of three kinds: (1) those that transfer the honor due to God to other objects; (2) those that pay honor to the true God, but in an unbecoming way ; (3) those that positively dishonor God, 444; title: B. Indirect Acts op Divine Worship, or the Veneration of the Saints.; title: 248. The honor paid to the saints is in accordance with Scripture, 447; title: tradition, and human reason; title: 249. The invocation of the saints, in accordance with the teaching of the Church, is useful and salutary 449; title: 250. In view of her superior dignity special honor is due to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, 450; title: 251. The honor paid to the images of Christ and the saints is altogether in keeping with the spirit of the Christian religion, . 452; title: 252 The veneration of the relics of the saints is no less in keeping with the teaching of the Christian religion, .... 454; title: C. The Church as Controller of Religious Worship.; title: 253. The Church commands certain acts of religion, called simply the commandments of the Church, which are binding upon all Christians, . 455; title: 254. For the greater solemnity of divine worship, and for the edification of the faithful, the Church has laudably instituted diverse ceremonies and other pious and salutary usages, . . 462; title: CHAPTER II.; title: CHRISTIAN DUTIES TOWARDS OURSELVES AND OUR NEIGHBORS.; title: I. Duties Towards Ourselves.; title: 255. Well-regulated self-love is a duty 464; title: 256. Moderate solicitude for life and health is a duty of well-ordered self-love, 464; title: 257 It is a duty to sanctify the body by the subjugation of immoderate passions, and by the practice of temperance and chastity, . 465; title: 258. Well ordered solicitude for one's good name, as a means to a higher end. is likewise a duty, 466; title: 259. Not only mankind in common, but also individuals have a right to possess, as private property, the material goods of this earth (115) 467; title: II. Duties Towards our Neighbors.; title: A General Duties.; title: 260. Besides the duty of charity towards our neighbors— our enemies included— there exists also a duty of justice, . . . 472; title: 261. It is a strict duty to assist our neighbor whenever his life is in danger. Murder and duelling are unlawful, . . . 474; title: 262 It is a strict duty to assist our neighbor in his temporal necessities 475; title: 263. Prom the unjust appropriation or damnification of our neighbor's temporal goods, and from co-operation to injustice arises the duty of restitution, 476; title: 264. The rights of our neighbor are likewise violated by detraction, rash judgment, and falsehood, 478; title: 265. Charity demands of us a special solicitude for the spiritual welfare of our neighbor; and, consequently, commands fraternal correction and forbids scandal, .... 479; title: B. Special Duties.; title: 266. God has ordained a certain diversity of states and conditions of life, winch gives rise to various special duties, . . . 480; title: 267. Children owe to their parents, and inferiors to their superiors, the duties of reverence, love and gratitude, and obedience, 481; title: 268. Parents also have certain duties towards their children, and masters and mistresses towards their servants, . . . 483; title: 269. Man has also certain obligations towards the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, 484; title: CHAPTER III.; title: WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION, OR CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.; title: 270. All are called to, but not all are bound to embrace, a life of perfection, . . 486; title: 271. The counsels of the Gospel — poverty, chastity, and obedience —have been recommended by Christ in particular as means of perfection, 487; title: 272. Christian perfection, however, may be attained in any state of life, 489; title: 273. The seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are communicated to us to render us more obedient to the inspirations of grace, . . 490; title: 274. The eight beatitudes have been proclaimed by Christ as the special reward for the exercise of virtue and the motive for the practice of Christian perfection 491; title: 275. The fruits of the Holy Ghost, or the spiritual sweetness resulting from the practice of virtue in this life, likewise facilitate the work of Christian perfection, . . . 488; title: SUPPLEMENT.; title: Appendix I. Ecumenical Councils, 496; title: Appendix II. Professions of Faith 496; title: Appendix III. The Syllabus of Pius IX 601