point — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Point I. On Things to Be Known for Believing Rightly, or on the Apostles' Creed
- The dogma contained in the Creed is threefold and must be believed, namely... 1º concerning God; 2º concerning Christ; 3º concerning the Church.
I. Concerning God, four things must be known and believed by you, namely that he is 1º One or unique in essence. - 2º Triune in persons equal and really distinct among themselves. - 3º The first cause of all things, or Creator of all creatures. - 4º Rewarder and avenger of our actions at least in another life.
II. Concerning Christ, know and believe explicitly six things, namely that he is 1º The natural Son of God, and therefore true God. - 2º Conceived and born of the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary. - 3º Suffered and died for us. - 4º Having returned to life from the dead by his own power. - 5º Ascending into heaven, and to be king of glory forever. - 6º To return to judge men at the end of the ages.
III. Concerning the Church, you ought to know and believe these three things, namely that she is 1º Unique on earth under one visible head. - 2º Governed and preserved by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. - 3º Infallible in matters of Faith and morals, and to be heard by all. Yet this last, although certain and of Faith, is not contained explicitly in the Creed.
Brief Explanation of Each Article of the Creed
- I. Art. - "I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth." 1º I believe in God, that is, I believe God existing, one in essence and triune in persons... God the ultimate end... I believe God speaking. - 2º Father; the first person of the Most Holy Trinity and the principle of all things. - 3º Almighty; his principal attribute, also included in the following words. - 4º Creator of heaven and earth, that is, of all things which exist outside God.
II. Art. - "And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord." - 1º In Jesus Christ; in the same way and in the same sense as I believe in the Father. - 2º His only Son; it is believed explicitly that Christ is the natural Son of God... the second person of the Most Holy Trinity... and therefore God. - 3º Our Lord; it must be believed that Christ is Lord of all.
III. Art. - "Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary." - 1º Was conceived of the Holy Spirit; it must be believed explicitly that Christ, as man, was conceived beyond the order of nature by the operation of the Holy Spirit. - 2º Born of the Virgin Mary; the birth from Mary, a Virgin before birth-giving and in birth-giving, must be believed explicitly.
- IV. Art. - "Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried." - 1º Suffered; the passion of Christ must be believed explicitly under grave obligation. - 2º Under Pontius Pilate; this circumstance does not pertain to Faith as to be held explicitly. - Thus all. - 3º Was crucified; more probably the crucifixion, expressing the kind of death, must be believed explicitly; for thus the Apostle, 1. Cor. 1.23: We preach Christ crucified. - 4º Died; the death of Christ must be believed explicitly. 1. Cor. 15.3: I delivered to you first of all... that Christ died for our sins. - 5º Was buried; the burial of Christ must be believed explicitly; but more probably only under light obligation, because it is a light circumstance. - Thus concerning all these things Lugo, disp. 12. n. 21.
V. Art. - "He descended into hell, on the third day he rose again from the dead." - 1º He descended into hell; more probably this is not to be believed explicitly under grave obligation, indeed not even under light obligation, according to Suarez; because it is not easily understood by the faithful. But Lugo, ibid., contradicts. - 2º He rose again from the dead; explicitly to be believed under grave obligation, because it is the foundation of Religion. - 3º On the third day; that circumstance of time is not to be believed explicitly. - Thus commonly.
VI. Art. - "He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father almighty." - 1º He ascended into heaven; according to the humanity, to be believed explicitly and under grave obligation. - 2º Sits at the right hand of the Father; probably, according to many, this is not to be believed explicitly, because it is understood with difficulty by the faithful; but others affirm that it is to be believed explicitly with regard to honor, power, and supreme dominion. - Thus Suarez. - 3º Almighty; the same as in art. I. - Also signified indirectly is the power of Christ, who sits at the right hand of almighty God.
- VII. Art. - "Thence he will come to judge the living and the dead." - 1º Thence he will come to judge; it is to be believed explicitly, again, that Christ will come to judge men. - 2º The living and the dead, that is, all men, the dead from the origin of the world, and the living who will die in the final conflagration. - Thus more commonly. But these words the living and the dead, according to Lugo, are not to be believed explicitly, because of the variety of explanations.
VIII. Art. - "I believe in the Holy Spirit." - 1º I believe, in the same way as in the Father and the Son, as above. - 2º In the Holy Spirit; it must be believed explicitly that he is the third person of the Most Holy Trinity, equal to the Father and the Son, and therefore God. - 3º The procession from the Father and the Son is not to be believed explicitly by necessity of precept by individual faithful, although it is of Faith. For many things of Faith ought not to be known by all. - Lugo, Suarez, and others commonly.
IX. Art. - "The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints." - 1º The Church; it must be believed explicitly that she is the one true Church, etc., as above. - 2º Holy; it suffices to know and believe that she is holy because of her head, doctrine, her Sacraments, and canonized Saints, because concerning the rest different persons think differently. - 3º Catholic; it suffices to profess obedience to her in the person of her visible head. - 4º The Communion of Saints; whether it is to be believed explicitly, and only with regard to some communication of prayers?... Or only implicitly in the unity of the Church?... Whether under grave or under light obligation?... The Doctors do not agree. Whatever be the case, in practice all seem to know it sufficiently, since they often say Pray for me, and frequently invoke the Saints.
X. Art. - "The remission of sins." - 1º It must be believed explicitly that God remits sins for all who are rightly disposed. - 2º Likewise that the power of remitting sins is in the Church. - 3º It must likewise be believed explicitly that there is no remission of sins outside the Church 1.
1 Namely, there is no remission of sins for those who knowingly wish to be outside the true Church of Christ. For otherwise we shall see in its own place that remission of sins can be conferred upon a man rightly disposed and approaching in good faith, whether through baptism, or even through sacramental absolution even by a heretical or schismatic minister.
XI. Art. - "The resurrection of the flesh." - 1º Resurrection; the resurrection of all the dead must be believed explicitly. - 2º Of the flesh; but not of the man, so that it may be shown that only the body is corrupted, while the soul remains incorruptible and immortal.
XII. Art. - "Life everlasting." - 1º The eternal beatitude of the just must be believed explicitly by necessity of means. - 2º The eternal punishment of the damned, which we indirectly profess by believing that eternal life is to be granted to the just.