28. Of what books does the New Testament consist? The New Testament consists, 1. Of the four Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, which relate the history of Jesus; 2. Of the Acts of the Apostles, by St. Luke; 3. Of fourteen Epistles of St. Paul, and seven by other Apostles, which contain dogmatical and moral instructions; and 4. Of the Apocalypse, or the Revelation of St. John, which foretells the combats and victories of the Church.

The Epistles of St. Paul are: One to the Romans; two to the Corinthians; one to the Galatians; one to the Ephesians; one to the Philippians; one to the Colossians; two to the Thessalonians; two to Timothy; one to Titus; one to Philemon; and one to the Hebrews.

The other Epistles are: One of St. James; two of St. Peter; three of St. John; and one of St. Jude, surnamed Thaddeus.

29. From whom alone can we know the true sense of Holy Scripture?

We can know the true sense of Holy Scripture from the Church alone; because the Church alone cannot err in interpreting it.

30. May no one, then, presume to explain the Scripture contrary to the interpretation of the Catholic Church?

No; for this would be as if he understood the Scripture better than the Holy Ghost, who inspires the Church with the true meaning of it.

31. But is the meaning of the Holy Scripture not clear in itself, and easy to be understood by every one?

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No; for the Holy Scripture is a Divine and mysterious book; in which,' as St. Peter says, speaking of the Epistles of St. Paul, are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction' (2 Peter iii. 16).

'What else gives rise to so many heresies, save that the Scripture, which, good in itself, is ill understood?' (St. Augustine.)

32. Is it not, then, true that the Bible alone is the only Rule of Faith? Or, in other words: Is not every private

individual to search the Bible, and nothing but the Bible, until he finds out what he has to believe?

No; for not the Bible alone, but the Bible and Tradition, both infallibly interpreted by the Church, are the right Rule of Faith.

1. If it were the will of our Saviour that we should arrive at the knowledge of the truths of salvation simply by reading and searching the Scripture, why is it written: 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the [preaching of the] Word of Christ'? (Rom. x. 17.). And why, then, did not Christ Himself write? Why did He not commission His Apostles to write? Why did they write only after the lapse of a long space of time, and only upon special occasions? Why did they not all write? Why did He Himself 'give some Apostles, and some Prophets, and other some Evangelists, and other some Pastors and Doctors'? (1 Cor. xii., Eph. iv.). Why did He not command that every one, or at least every Christian, should learn to read? Why did God allow printing to be invented so late? etc.

2. The Christian Religion had been spread, and flourished, before the Books of the New Testament were written; and even after they had been written, there were many Christian nations, as St. Irenæus testifies, who did not so much as possess the Holy Scriptures.

33. What has the Church decreed with regard to the reading of the Bible in the vulgar tongue?

1. That we should have the learning and piety requisite for it; and 2. That the translation should be accompanied with explanations, and that both should be approved of by the Church.

By this wise provision the Church by no means intends to withhold the Word of God from the faithful, since she desires nothing more than that all should know it and meditate upon it; she merely wishes to guard them against corrupted Bibles, which are often designedly offered to ignorant people, and against erroneous interpretations, sects, and schisms.

§ 5. Tradition.

34. Is it enough to believe only those doctrines which are contained in the Holy Scripture?

No; we must also believe Tradition-i.e., those re

vealed truths which the Apostles preached, but did not commit to writing.

St. Paul, therefore, exhorts the first Christians by saying: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast: and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word or by our Epistle' (2 Thess. ii. 14).

35. Have not, then, the Apostles written all that Jesus Christ has taught?

No; the Apostles have not even written all that Jesus has done, far less all that He has taught; for Christ did not commission them to write, but to preach His doctrine (Mark xvi. 15; Matt. xxviii. 19).

'Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of His disciples, which are not written in this book' (John xx. 30).

The Bible, therefore, does not contain the entire Revelation of God. The Bible nowhere tells us how many Divine books there are, and which they are; if we did not know this for certain from Tradition, we should not even have a Bible.-The Bible does not, in doubtful passages, decide upon the true meaning of its words; therefore, all sects have always appealed to the Bible, in order to prove their contradictory doctrines, and each one of them pretended to have hit on its true meaning. If we would consult the Bible only, without Tradition, we ought, for instance, still to keep holy the Saturday with the Jews, instead of Sunday, and to refrain ourselves from things strangled, and from blood (Acts xv. 20); moreover, we ought, with the Anabaptists, to let little children, who are incapable of being instructed, die without Baptism; since, according to the mere words of the text, Christ has commanded, first to teach, and then to baptize (Matt. xxviii. 19).

36. Why is the unwritten doctrine of the Apostles called 'Tradition'?

It is called Tradition—that is, a handing down-because, since the times of the Apostles, it has, without interruption, been handed down in the Catholic Church from generation to generation.

'And the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men, who shall be fit to teach others also' (2 Tim. ii. 2).

37. Where are the teachings of Tradition contained? The teachings of Tradition are contained chiefly in

the Decrees of the Councils, in the writings of the Holy Fathers, in the Acts of the Holy See, and in the words and usages of the Sacred Liturgy.

38. What value must be placed on Tradition?

The same value as is placed on the Word of God revealed in the Holy Scripture.

39. Why must we believe Tradition as well as the Holy Scripture?

Because Tradition is revealed by God just as well as what is contained in Holy Scripture.

40. From whom are we to learn the true meaning of Tradition?

From the Church alone, because she alone has received from God the authority and the guidance necessary to interpret infallibly all the doctrine that He has revealed, whether in Holy Scripture or in Tradition.

§ 6. Qualities of Faith.

41. What must be the qualities of our faith? Our faith must be, 1. Universal; 2. Firm; 3. Lively; and 4. Constant.

42. When is our faith 'universal'?

Our faith is universal when we believe not only some but all the truths which the Catholic Church proposes to our belief.

43. Is, then, no one at liberty to admit and believe only some points of the Christian faith?

No; for, 1. Christ says without exception: 'Preach the Gospel to every creature; he that believeth not shall be condemned' (Mark xvi. 15, 16). And again: Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you' (Matt. xxviii. 20). And St. John says: "Whoso ́ever revolteth, and continueth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God' (2 John i. 9). And 2. He who believes of the doctrine of Christ only what he pleases

has no faith at all; for such a one does not believe God, but his own judgment.

44. When is our faith 'firm'?

Our faith is firm when we believe without the least doubt.

EXAMPLES. Abraham, rewarded for his firm faith: 'In the promise of God he staggered not by distrust, but was strengthened in faith; and therefore it was reputed to him unto justice' (Rom. iv. 20, 22). Moses and Aaron, punished on account of a doubt (Numbers xx. 12).

45. When is our faith 'lively'?

Our faith is lively when we live up to it; that is, when we avoid evil, and do good in the manner our faith prescribes.

'As the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (James ii. 26).

46. Will a dead faith also save us?

No; our faith must prove itself active by charity, or else it is not sufficient for obtaining eternal salvation.

'In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith, that worketh by charity' (Gal. v. 6). 'And if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing' (1 Cor. xiii. 2).

47. When is our faith 'constant '?

Our faith is constant when we are ready to lose all, even our life, rather than fall away from it.

"Take heed, brethren, lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living God' (Hebr. iii. 12).—Example of the holy Martyrs.

48. What leads people to fall away from their faith? 1. Pride and excessive reasoning on the mysteries of our religion; 2. Neglect of prayer and of the other religious duties; 3. Worldliness and a wicked life; and 4. Reading irreligious books, intercourse with scoffers at religion, and such matrimonial or other connections as endanger the true faith.

1. 'I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,