When acts of faith are obliged

It is not sufficient to have believed the necessary articles of the faith once in a lifetime. Our acts of faith must be frequently renewed; we must lead lives of faith, according to the divine precept.¹ This divine precept is sometimes of obligation per se, as when the truths of revelation first become known to a man and he becomes conscious of his obligation; sometimes it is of obligation per accidens, as after a sin against the faith has been committed, or when a duty has to be fulfilled which requires an act of faith. However, for such as have once made their act of faith, it will be sufficient in order to fulfil the divine precept if the act of faith is renewed implicitly, as is done whenever we pray, assist at Mass, or receive any of the sacraments. It is well, however, especially in these days of unbelief, to renew frequently explicit acts of faith according to the wish and practice of the Church. They are acts of very great merit with God.

¹ Props. 16, 17, condemned by Innocent XI.

I. The internal act of faith, that is, the act of believing God revealing, is necessary by necessity of precept. This is clear first from the fact that it is necessary by necessity of means, as we explained above (n. 488). Then, one who does not admit revelation sufficiently proposed does supreme injury to the authority of God. Add these texts of Sacred Scripture: "He who does not believe shall be condemned."¹ - "And this is His commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ."²

II. The internal act of faith, considered according to necessity of precept, must be explicit, not only as regards things to be believed by necessity of means, but also as regards other things which must be known either for thinking rightly, or for living rightly, or for duly using the helps to salvation.³ Hence, by explicit faith there must be believed, besides those things to be believed by necessity of means: 1. the things contained in the Apostles' Creed; 2. the things contained in the Decalogue; 3. the most necessary Sacraments, namely Baptism, Penance, the Eucharist, and, according to many, Confirmation; the others, when someone is about to receive them soon; 4. probably the things contained in the Lord's Prayer, since it involves all the things which Christ taught us to ask for (St. Alphonsus, II, 3). Besides this, note:

1. Besides things to be believed, many other things must be known, such as the precepts of the Church and the duties of each one's proper state. Likewise, at least, it is altogether fitting to know the sign of the Cross, and to retain in memory the Lord's Prayer, the Angelic Salutation, and the Creed (cf. St. Alphonsus, II, 3).

2. As regards the mode of knowing those things which must be believed or known, generally knowledge as to substance suffices, or that which is contained in some concept, however confused and rough. I said generally, because some, considering their state and condition, must possess a more perfect knowledge.

3. One who certainly or probably is ignorant of things to be believed by necessity of means should, before he is absolved, be instructed in the manner in which this can conveniently be done here and now; nevertheless he should be warned that afterward he must try to acquire a more perfect and broader knowledge. One who is ignorant of things to be believed or known only by necessity of precept can be absolved, with the obligation imposed of afterward obtaining the required knowledge (St. Alphonsus, II, 3; Praxis Confessarii, n. 22).

III. The internal act of faith obliges sometimes by reason of the precept of faith itself, sometimes by reason of the precept of another virtue. Therefore note proposition 1 condemned by Alexander VII: "At no time in his life is a man bound to elicit an act of faith, hope, and charity, by force of the divine precepts pertaining to those virtues";⁴ proposition 16 condemned by Innocent XI: "Faith is not considered to fall under a special precept and according to itself";⁵ and proposition 17 condemned by the same: "It is enough to elicit an act of faith once in life."⁶ Now the internal act of faith obliges:

1. By reason of the precept of faith itself:

a) When someone first has knowledge of revelation made. Hence the following are bound to elicit an act of faith: a) children educated among the faithful, who, having attained the use of reason, apprehend the truths of faith as revealed by God; b) non-Catholic adults to whom the true faith is proposed and becomes known as true (St. Alphonsus, II, 5).

b) Several times in life. Thus St. Alphonsus and many others against some. And indeed, the homage to be rendered to God seems to require that acts of the virtues which immediately regard God be elicited more often in life. Then it is gathered from proposition 17, condemned by Innocent XI and cited above. Finally, it seems to have to be deduced from the fact that, according to what will be said in n. 519, an act of charity must be elicited several times in life. For since faith and charity have almost the same necessity, almost the same thing seems to have to be said of the obligation of each (St. Alphonsus, II, 5, 6, 7).

Objection. The precept of faith obliges indirectly, that is, by reason of another virtue, so often in life that Christ is not considered to have imposed it directly.

Response. That the precept of faith obliges indirectly so often does not prevent the homage to be rendered to God revealing also from requiring that an act of faith be elicited several times in life. Hence Christ is considered to have imposed an act of faith also on account of that motive, that is, directly.

c) In the article of death. Thus many, on account of the reasons adduced under b), which they judge must also be applied to the article of death.

d) When a new definition of faith is proposed, insofar as one who in this case did not elicit an act of faith would at least practically either deny an article of faith, or call it into doubt, or expose himself to the danger of doing so.

e) When someone has fallen into heresy or apostasy; in which case the injury done to the authority of God seems to carry with it the obligation of repairing it by an act of faith at least not long delayed.

f) When a temptation against faith presses, whether against faith in common or against a particular mystery, which someone judges he cannot conquer except by an elicited act of faith. Yet this will rarely have place; rather, ordinarily, it is preferable to fight temptations of this sort by turning away to other things (St. Alphonsus, II, 5; Praxis Confessarii, n. 238).

g) When an external profession of faith must be made (St. Alphonsus, cited place, n. 490).

2. By reason of the precept of another virtue:

a) When someone is bound to place an act of another virtue which cannot be placed without an act of faith (St. Alphonsus, II, 5).

b) When a temptation against another virtue presses, which someone seems to himself unable to overcome without an act of faith (St. Alphonsus, cited place).

c) When an act of virtue is freely placed which cannot be placed in the due manner without an act of faith, such as sacramental confession or the reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Corollary I. One who neglects an act of faith imposed by reason of another virtue sins against that other virtue, but not against faith.

Corollary II. A man living Christianly should not doubt that he has fulfilled the obligation of eliciting an act of faith from time to time, since so often, both by reason of faith itself and by reason of another virtue or good work, he elicits an act of faith, now in an act signified, now in an act exercised (St. Alphonsus, II, 7).

¹ Mark 16:16.

² 1 John 3:23.

³ Waffelaert, Annotationes in tractatum de virtutibus theologicis, n. 178.

⁴ Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1101.

⁵ Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1166.

⁶ Denzinger-Bannwart, n. 1167.

188. Questions. - Q. 1º When does the precept of eliciting Faith bind?

Resp. 1º It binds per se 1º after the complete use of reason, for beginning the Christian life; 2º likewise when the truth of our Faith has been sufficiently proposed to an adult infidel; 3º in the article of death, according to some, for tending more proximately to God; 4º more often in life, according to many at least once a year, and according to some each month. Moreover this precept is sufficiently fulfilled by exercising other acts of Religion. - St. Lig. n. 7, Hom. apost. n. 13.

Resp. 2º It binds per accidens 1º when a grave temptation presses, which cannot otherwise be conquered; 2º when a precept is to be fulfilled which requires Faith, for example, that of confession ¹; 3º after a fall into heresy, or after Faith has been denied. - Thus all.

¹ Faith concerning the article which directs the fulfillment of the precept is understood, for example, concerning the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, if you approach Communion, etc.; and indeed a formal act is not required, but an implicit one suffices. Hence some are wholly beside the point when they require from those approaching the Sacrament of Penance acts of the theological virtues, and indeed the customary formula of faith, in which moreover there is nothing that pertains to that sacrament.

Q. 2º Are explicit acts required for fulfilling the precept of Faith?

Resp. In those who have already learned and believed the truths to be held by faith, generally implicit acts suffice. Hence he satisfies the precept who devoutly hears Mass, adores the Crucified, prays, makes the sign of the cross, receives the Sacraments, etc. Thus commonly. - St. Lig. ibid.

— The internal act of faith can sometimes become necessary from faith itself, or per se; sometimes from another virtue, or by accident. And the 1st proposition was condemned by Alexander VII and proposition 16 by Innocent XI, which denied that there exists an obligation per se (Denz., nn. 1101, 1166).

— I. From the very virtue of faith, or per se:

1. Children instructed in a Christian manner, when they have attained the perfect use of reason, as if spontaneously believe the mysteries of faith proposed to them, and they ought actually to believe the mysteries whose explicit faith is known by them to be necessary for salvation.

2. Adult unbelievers or non-Catholics, when the Catholic truth has been sufficiently proposed to them, ought actually to believe it. As long as it is held as merely probable, they have this obligation alone: of praying and proceeding in their investigation. For the act of faith supposes and requires a certain knowledge of truth. In what way grace or supernatural illumination is useful or necessary for procuring this very certitude is explained in the school of dogma. - But concerning the reason by which proposition 4 was condemned by Innocent XI, "An unbeliever not believing, led by a less probable opinion, will be excused from infidelity," this was said in fundamental theology, n. 155 b. Wherefore we confess that we do not see how some impose the obligation of embracing, at the hour of death, the more probable religion, if this requires an act of faith firm above all things. - The grace of God will loose that knot otherwise.

3. Those who have fallen into heresy or apostasy, in order that they may repair the injury done to God, ought to elicit an act of faith.

4. When a temptation against faith is urgent, the difficulty objected is generally not to be examined, but rather the mind is to turn itself to other objects. Then, when the storm has been calmed, concerning the occasion of doubt, if it was specious, a learned confessor or another man can be asked, indeed sometimes ought to be asked, with consideration had of the danger of a new temptation. But to elicit with a peaceful mind a simple, general act of faith, without examination, will for the most part help in the temptation itself. They say that the same is necessary if the temptation could not otherwise be conquered: but in what way will this be established?

5. Faith is sometimes to be cultivated in life by its very acts. They are accustomed to ask how often. And some answered for a monthly obligation, others for an annual obligation, others for a lesser obligation, so that Innocent XI condemned proposition 17: "It is enough to elicit an act of faith once in life" (Denz., n. 1167). - To define theoretically the commanded frequency is impassable to us: the use of faith ought to be frequent enough that man not be placed in proximate danger of losing it. But a definition of the necessary frequency is practically useless. For since the acts suffice which we called quasi-virtual, and necessary occasions of such acts abound in Christian life, from the very precepts of the Church which impose hearing Mass, confession of sins, and reception of the Eucharist, all who obey the Church satisfy most amply the precept of eliciting an act of faith; but the less pious, who neglect all these things, will not advert to this obligation.

Therefore it remains that with fervent exhortation we exhort Christians to direct their life according to the precepts and counsels of faith, and that we more often, even in confession, stir the same to the daily recitation of the acts of faith, hope, and charity: which use is most salutary.

— II. From a positive precept or from another virtue, or by accident, faith ought actually to be exercised:

1. As often as an exterior profession of faith is to be made.

2. When another virtue which presupposes faith is to be exercised: for example, when an act of hope, charity, or penance is to be elicited. While that act is made, at the same time the article which pertains to that virtue is implicitly believed. This implicit act is sufficient.

3. If an urgent temptation against another virtue cannot otherwise be overcome. How this is ever established does not appear.

— When the act of faith must be elicited. 1. From the very virtue of faith, or per se, the internal act of faith must be elicited: a) by children after they have attained the perfect use of reason; - b) by adult unbelievers or non-Catholics, when the Catholic truth has been sufficiently proposed to them; - c) by those who have slipped into heresy or apostasy, as a necessary part of necessary conversion; - d) for overcoming a temptation against faith, if, however, the act is a necessary means; - e) sometimes in life. How often? We cannot define this theoretically; practically it is not useful, since pious men abundantly satisfy the precept, but the less pious do not care about that obligation. Yet a greater frequency of acts will be very opportunely recommended to these.

2. By accident, the act of faith obliges: a) when an exterior profession of faith is to be made; - b) when another virtue which presupposes faith is to be exercised; - c) if an urgent temptation against another virtue cannot otherwise be overcome.

709. Faith is necessary by necessity of precept.

A. By necessity of precept under grave obligation all must explicitly know as to substance, that is, so that they have a common understanding of these things, and, if questioned concerning them, can answer the substance, although they hold in memory neither the precise words nor the order of the words:

1. Those things which are required for believing and thinking rightly, namely, the Apostles' Symbol, as is established from the perpetual use of the Church, requiring this knowledge before Baptism; besides, a Christian must summarily know the doctrine of Christ as to the principal truths, namely, the articles of faith, and be able to distinguish it from others.

Those things, however, of lesser importance which are contained in the symbol are obligatory only under light obligation, such as the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; circumstances of time: under Pontius Pilate, the third day; the burial of Christ, and descent into hell, and sitting at the right hand of the Father; the judgment of the living and the dead; the communion of saints, etc.

2. Those things which are required for living rightly, namely:

a) the universal precepts of law, namely, the precepts of the decalogue and the five precepts of the Church, which all must observe;

b) the proper duties of state or condition.

3. Those things which are required for rightly using the special helps of salvation, namely:

a) the Lord's prayer, concerning which they ought at least to know that God is to be prayed to for the individual good things to be acquired and evils to be avoided which are enumerated there;

b) the sacraments, as much as is necessary that they be received well, namely, Baptism, Penance, and Eucharist always, because they pertain to all, but the rest when someone wishes to receive them.

The Symbol, the Lord's prayer, and the sacraments are to be explicitly believed; the rest can also be sufficiently known explicitly by reason alone; the decalogue, as revealed, can be explicitly believed, and at least implicitly must be believed.

B. By necessity of precept under light obligation all must explicitly know from custom and the common use of the faithful:

1. the sign of the cross, which is the distinctive sign of a Christian;

2. the angelic salutation, at least as to substance, because the Blessed Virgin is mediatrix of grace;

3. the symbol, the precepts of the decalogue and of the Church, the Lord's prayer, as to the words.

710. Practical corollaries. - 1. Parents and superiors, to whom it belongs to instruct others in faith, are gravely obliged, as soon as they arrive at the use of reason, gradually to teach them those things which must be known by necessity of means and of precept. This office in parish priests is of justice.

2. Hence greater explicit faith is required in certain persons by reason of office, condition, and state, for example, in those who must instruct others, as in the bishop, parish priest, preacher, confessor, a man of greater knowledge, a judge, a magistrate, etc.

3. If the confessor, on account of probable reasons, doubts whether the penitent is ignorant of things necessary to be known by necessity of means or precept, he is bound to question him concerning these. This today often happens.

4. "The confessor will conjecture that ignorance from the weakness of a younger or older age, from dullness of mind, from defect of education and letters, and from the mode of confessing, from the confession itself, for example, from long neglect of prayer, of frequenting the church, sermons, sacraments, and, while doubt remains, from prudent and discreet questioning" (Waffelaert, o. c., n. 191).

5. Yet St. Alphonsus notes, Praxis Confessarii, n. 22: "St. Leonard of Port Maurice, speaking of urban persons negligent of their own salvation, who hold it to be a great labor and insult to themselves to be questioned concerning these things, says that it befits the confessor to say to them: Come, let us elicit the Christian acts together at once; say with me...," namely, adding the act of faith with the principal mysteries.

6. Those ignorant of things necessary by necessity of precept only are to be admonished that they learn them, and if they seriously propose this, they can be absolved. But if they have already proposed it rather often, it must be investigated whether the preceding confessions were not invalid from defect of purpose; and sometimes absolution must be deferred for them. - But if they do not have the opportunity of learning those things, let the confessor propose to them the substance to be believed, with the burden of learning it more perfectly, or of returning to learn it.

7. St. Alphonsus notes, Theologia Moralis, l. 2, n. 3, 3: In practice, those who are ignorant word for word of the symbol, prayers, etc., especially if they are more unlearned, are to be admonished that they learn them; otherwise they will expose themselves to the great danger also of not retaining the substance, and scarcely otherwise will they satisfy the precept of prayer.

S. Th. II-II, q. 16.

789. By the natural-divine law there is given a precept of faith obliging under grave obligation, as is clear:

1. from reason: for supposing that God reveals, reverence toward him demands that we believe him;

2. from Scripture, which imposes the act of faith as a means of justification and establishes the command: He who has not believed will be condemned (Mk. XVI, 16; Jn. III, 16 and at the same time I Jn. III, 23; cf. prop. 16 condemned by Innocent XI1; Vatican Council, sess. 3, c. 3, can. 1).

This precept is both negative, by which we are prohibited from denying faith or doubting concerning it, and this obliges always; and affirmative, by which we are obliged to elicit an act of faith, and this does not oblige always.

1. "Faith is not judged to fall under a special precept and according to itself."

790. The virtue and precept of faith itself oblige us to elicit an act of faith, and indeed under grave obligation:

A. per se, that is, in circumstances common to the condition of all men. For it is altogether necessary, indeed also the greatest precept, to tend to the ultimate supernatural end; which nevertheless we do only by acts of faith, hope, and charity. Moreover this is especially necessary:

1. at the beginning of the use of reason, when man is bound to turn himself to God and to choose for himself the ultimate end;

2. in the article of death (that is, toward the end of life), when he is at the point of attaining the end;

3. several times in life. For it does not suffice that we tend to God once or twice, but during the whole of life we must acknowledge our dependence upon God; hence those acts are to be elicited several times.¹ Some determine this by saying: at least once a year; others each month (St. Alphonsus) or even each week (Scotus); others finally, and more probably, three or four times a year.

¹ Hence prop. 17 condemned by Innocent XI: "It is enough to elicit an act of faith once in life."

If at the beginning of the use of reason the supernatural end is unknown because of defect of the proposal of faith, man will be bound to an act of faith as soon as it is sufficiently proposed.

B. per accidens, that is, on the occasion of some special circumstance:

1. when a temptation against faith arises which is hoped to be overcome only by an act of faith; yet this is not fitting for the scrupulous, who torture themselves by repeating that act; hence they should contemn these temptations by turning to other things;

2. when faith has been lost, which happens by a sin directly contrary, namely, of infidelity, because the tendency to the ultimate end thus removed must be renewed and restored;

3. when we manifest faith outwardly, for example, in a profession of faith; otherwise that manifestation would be simulation.

791. Other virtues and precepts sometimes oblige us to elicit an act of faith at least implicitly:

1. when temptations against other virtues arise, which are hoped to be overcome only by an act of faith;

Question 1. When does the precept of eliciting the internal act of faith press?

Response. It certainly presses of itself not only after the use of reason has been completed, or after the truth of our faith has been sufficiently proposed to an adult infidel, for beginning the Christian life, but also more often in life, as theologians commonly hold, and as is sufficiently clear both from the condemnation of the proposition already cited and from proposition 17, condemned by Innocent XI, which lies thus: "It is enough to elicit an act of faith once in life." - But the particle more often is understood in different ways by different persons, but it can safely be held that it does not include greater frequency than once a year. - But it presses by accident as often as some end is to be obtained for which an act of faith is necessarily required.

Yet note that this precept, as St. Alphonsus holds, is sufficiently fulfilled by those who have already learned and believed the truths to be held by faith, by exercising other acts of religion in which an act of faith is implicitly contained, for example, by devoutly hearing Mass, adoring the crucifix, receiving the sacraments, etc. Hence:

1st. It follows that the faithful who live as Christians, or at least once a year approach the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, are not to be disturbed concerning the fulfillment of this precept.

2nd. It follows that the question whether the dying are bound of themselves, namely by force of a special obligation imposed by the virtue of faith itself, to eliciting some act of it, has been resolved, at least practically. For the dying are certainly bound to some acts of religion, especially to receiving the last sacraments; but they cannot perform this without eliciting an act of faith. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 7; and Hom. Ap., n. 13. - Baller., note (a), p. 161, note (b), p. 174, note (c), p. 178, and note (a), p. 180. - Amer. Eccl. Review, Vol. 2, p. 442.

Question 2. When questioned concerning the faith, can you use ambiguous words?

Response. Negatively, when evasion or silence is equivalent to denial, or to shame which from the circumstances is known to yield to contempt of God and scandal of the neighbor. Besides, as regards public power questioning, this is clear from proposition 18, condemned by Innocent XI, which sounds thus: "If someone is questioned by public authority, I counsel him to confess the faith ingenuously, as glorious to God and to the faith; I do not condemn silence as sinful of itself." - But Kenrick says: "Among us, where the laws wish that no account be had of the religion or faith of citizens, one will generally be able to use his own right and reject the interrogation as out of order." - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 13. - Kenrick, n. 30. - Amer. Eccl. Review, Vol. 2, p. 266.

Question 3. Is it lawful to use the signs or garments of infidels?

Response. Affirmatively, if they are garments or signs proper to some region, although this whole region is infidel; because these of themselves are not referred to religion. But if they are garments and signs of religion, a subdistinction must be made, and again it must be affirmed, if it is done for a grave cause and the garments are not only distinctive of sect from sect, because then their primary use is for covering the body, and only secondarily for distinguishing the sect. - But the response must be negative if the garments or signs are instituted either uniquely or primarily for professing the sect, as are the garments and ornaments which priests use in the exercise of their functions. - Cf. Salmant., tract. 21, cap. 2, n. 110.

153. Question 4. Who are bound by canon law to emit the profession of faith?

Response. By ecclesiastical law, as is clear from Canon 1406, § 1:

§ 1. By the obligation of emitting the profession of faith, according to the formula approved by the Apostolic See, there are bound:

1st. Before the president or his delegate, those who attend an Ecumenical or particular Council or diocesan Synod with a vote, whether consultative or deliberative; but the president before the same Council or Synod;

2nd. Before the Dean of the Sacred College, the Cardinals first in the order of priests and deacons, and the Camerarius of the Holy Roman Church, those promoted to the cardinalitial dignity;

3rd. Before a delegate from the Apostolic See, those promoted to an episcopal see, even a non-residential one, or to the rule of an Abbey or Prelature nullius, an Apostolic Vicariate, or an Apostolic Prefecture;

4th. Before the cathedral Chapter, the Capitular Vicar;

5th. Before the local Ordinary or his delegate and before the Chapter, those who have been promoted to a dignity or canonry;

6th. Before the local Ordinary or his delegate and before the other consultors, those assumed to the office of diocesan consultors;

7th. Before the local Ordinary or his delegate, the Vicar General, pastors, and those for whom provision has been made concerning any benefices, even manual ones, having care of souls; the rector and professors of sacred theology, canon law, and philosophy in Seminaries, at the beginning of any scholastic year or at least at the beginning of the office undertaken; all who are to be promoted to the order of subdiaconate; censors of books, of whom in can. 1393; priests designated for hearing confessions and sacred preachers, before they are endowed with the faculty of exercising those duties;

8th. Before the Ordinary or his delegate, the Rector of a University or Faculty; but before the Rector of the University or Faculty or his delegate, all professors in a canonically erected University or Faculty, at the beginning of each scholastic year or at least at the beginning of the office undertaken; likewise those who, after examination, are endowed with academic degrees;

9th. Before the Chapter or Superior who nominated them or their delegate, Superiors in clerical religions.¹

§ 2. Those who, the prior office having been dismissed, obtain another office or benefice or dignity even of the same species, must again emit the profession of faith according to the norm of this canon (Can. 1406).

He does not satisfy the obligation of emitting the profession of faith who emits it through a procurator or before a layman (Can. 1407).

The prescriptions concerning Councils of vigilance and the anti-modernist oath remain in their full force until it shall have been otherwise established concerning this matter. - S. Off., 22 Mar., 1918.

¹ Cf. Addenda, p. 1143, n. 114.

III. "That assent once had, this affirmative precept of faith of itself directly obliges no further: because on the one hand no certain and determinate time can be assigned, either by the law of Christ or by that of the Church, at which the precept of faith of itself directly obliges as to the internal act ... therefore Christ the Lord is prudently believed not to have willed to impose a precept of faith distinct of itself." Patritius Sporer, treatise 2 on the Decalogue, chapter 2, section 3, § 3.

V. "Does the precept of faith of itself oblige to an act of belief once in each year? ... I answer, certainly as more probable, that it does not oblige: because there is nothing from which such an obligation may be gathered." Leander of the Most Holy Sacrament, treatise 2 on faith, disputation 2, question 37.

VI. "I answer as more probable that this divine precept in no way obliges of itself, or by force of the precept itself, to eliciting acts of faith in the article of death: because neither reason nor any text compels one to assert the opposite." The same Leander, treatise 2 on the Decalogue, chapter 2, section 3, § 3, number 19; and others.

XIII. Question IV. When are the Faithful bound to elicit internal acts of faith? Answer. The Theologians distinguish a twofold obligation: one per se, the other per accidens. The first flows from the precept itself, prescinding from any other respect. The second arises from another precept, which cannot be fulfilled without an act of faith: as, if you would elicit an act of charity, faith is prerequired; for you cannot love God unless you believe him. Per se, then, children are obliged, once the light of reason is acquired, to elicit an act of faith; just as also, according to the graver Theologians, and especially St. Thomas, they are bound to love God with the love of charity. Concerning the other times at which adults are bound to elicit acts of faith, the Casuists dispute; and by the benefit of Probabilism they formerly, above all, exempted the Faithful from this obligation. Wherefore Innocent XI condemned this proposition: Faith is not considered to fall under a special precept and of itself. He condemned this other also: It is enough to elicit an act of faith once in a lifetime. Similar is another condemned by the same Pontiff: It suffices to have believed those mysteries once. Hence it appears that the precept of faith obliges of itself, and that it does not suffice to elicit an act of faith once in a lifetime, or once within a five-year period. The Casuists who wrote after the condemnation of the propositions dispute whether it is enough to elicit an act of faith once within two years, others once within a year. These disputations do not foster, but weaken, the exercise of faith; and, as it seems to me, they are also vain. Just Christians elicit acts of faith not once, but several times a day. For daily they recite the Creed, and pour out other prayers, which can scarcely — nay, not even scarcely — be performed without the exercise of faith. Christian sinners also, unless they be utterly criminal, recite the Creed and other prayers, frequent the Churches, hear Mass, adore the sacred Body of Christ. Wherefore few of the Faithful are found who do not frequently produce acts of faith. I should scarcely count him a Christian who within a year elicited an act of faith only once. This frequency of acts I dare not define; but let each fulfill the precept in the best way he can. The life of Christians is a life of faith, of hope, and of charity. The bodily life needs daily nourishment: and shall the spiritual and divine life bring forth acts only once in a year? The just man liveth by faith. If he lives, he frequently performs the offices of life. When the Sacraments are received, acts of faith are necessary. At the time of death the precept urges of itself — not only because then the demon renews his assaults (whom resist ye, strong in faith, says St. Peter, first epistle, chapter 5), but also because at that time above all Christians are bound to bear the testimony of their profession. And, to embrace all in few words: since the life of Christians is a warfare upon earth, St. Paul exhorts all that, taking the shield of faith, they fight strenuously against the powers of darkness, if they truly long to obtain the prize.