wrought pain, sickness, decay and death. On the soul it had produced (a) alienation from God, (b) loss of eternal happiness, (c) the domination of sensuality, (d) the darkening of the understanding, (e) the disordering of the will, (f) the obscuration of the divine image impressed on man at his creation, (g) subjugation to the devil.

The evil effects of the fall were transmitted to Adam's descendants. For a child inherits the nature of its parents. If that nature be good, the offspring is good, if it be evil, the child's nature is evil. Had our first parents born children before the fall, these children would have partaken of their unfallen nature, and have been sinless; but as their children were born after the fall, they all partook of their fallen nature, and so are sinful. a

a

Christ took upon Him human flesh without human sin in Mary's womb, uniting it to His Godhead, in order that He might restore human nature. The means of restoration are the sacraments, under which head the application of Christ's humanity and passion to our sinful nature for its restoration will be more fully discussed.

The narrative of Christ's passion will be found in the Holy Gospels. b

a Rom. v. 12-21.

b S. Matt. xxvi., xxvii.; S. Mark xiv., xv. ; S. Luke xxii., xxiii.; S. John xiii.—xix.

5. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead.

a

E believe that Christ, after His death, went down to the place of departed spirits where all the souls of the righteous were awaiting their redemption. No soul could have been admitted to the presence of God till its sins were remitted, therefore the dead before Christ's coming are represented as prisoners awaiting release by the Blood of the Covenant. Therefore also Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day, and Moses and Elias appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration to talk with Christ of the Passion.d

с

Christ descended into the place of departed spirits, (1) to apply His blood to the souls of the Patriarchs for the remission of their guilt; (2) to lead them forth to Paradise, and thus (3) to exhibit Himself as the conquerer of Satan and hell, and all the principalities of devils.

f

We believe that after having lain in the grave from Good Friday evening till Easter morning, the third day He rose again from the dead in the same body in which He died.

с

S. John viii, 56. a S. Luke g Col. ii. 15;

a 1 S. Pet. iii. 19. b Zech. ix. 11, 12. ix. 31. Zech. ix. 11, 12. Isa. xlix. 6, 9; Hos. vi. 2. Isa. xlv. 2, 3.

Christ rose (1) to exhibit God's justice, to which it pertains to exalt those who for His sake abase themselves. a (2) To confirm our faith in His Divinity. b (3) To support our hope, for, when we see Christ, the first fruits, rise from death, we may hope to rise with Him. (4) To complete our salvation. d

Christ's resurrection proves the truth of Christianity. Because it had been foretold by the Prophets; and by Christ Himself.

f

Christ rose in all that pertains to the nature of a human body, as flesh, blood, and bones; but it was glorious with the splendour it had worn at the Transfiguration, as was prophecied of old. i

h

Christ bore on His body still the marks of the wounds; (1) to surround it with trophies of His triumph, (2) to confirm the faith of the doubting; (3) to plead to the Eternal Father; (4) to enkindle the affections of the faithful; and (5) to convict the reprobate at the day of judgment. k

The narrative of Christ's Resurrection will be found in the Gospels. He appeared ten times after His Resurrection; (1) to S. Mary Magdalen;"

c 1 Cor.

a S. Luke i. 52; Job v. 11. b 1 Cor. xv. 14; Ps. xxx. 9. XV. 12; Job xix. 25, 26. d Rom. iv. 25. Micah vii. 8, 9.; Ps. xvi. 10, 11; Hosea xiii. 14. f S. Matt. xvii. 22, 23; xii. 40. 8 S. Luke xxiv. 39. h S. Matt. xvii. 2; Rev. i. 13-15. i Ps. lvii. 11. S. John xx. 27. k S. John xx. 27; Rev. v. 6; Zech. xii. 10; xiii. 6. Matt. xxviii.; S. Mark xvi. 1-18; S. Luke xxiv. 1-49; S. John xx. xxi. m S. John xx. 14; S. Mark xvi. 9.

1 S.

d

a

b

e

(2) to the two Maries; (3) to S. Peter; (4) to the two disciples going to Emmaus; (5) to the Apostles; (6) to the Apostles with Thomas; (7) to the disciples by the Lake of Gennesareth; (8) to more than five hundred brethren on a mountain in Galilee; (9) to S. James;h (10) to all the Apostles on the day of Ascension.i

6. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

E believe that forty days after His Resurrection, Christ went up into heaven in the same body in which He died and rose again. Christ ascended into heaven to do three especial things. (1) To prepare a place for us; (2) to send down the Holy Ghost, the comforter; (3) to offer continually, before the Father, the sacrifice of His death.1

k

The account of the Ascension is to be found in Acts i. 9-11; S. Mark xvi. 19; S. Luke xxiv. 50-53.

We believe that Christ is seated at the right

L

་

* S. Matt. xxviii. 9. b S. Luke xxiv. 34. c S. Luke xxiv. 13-31. d S. Luke xxiv. 36; S. John xx. 19-23. e S. John xx. 26-29. f S. John xxi. g 1 Cor. xv. 6. h 1 Cor. xv. 7. i Acts i. 3-12. S. John xiv. 2. k S. John xvi. 7. 1 Heb. ix. 11-15.

hand of the Father, as God, being of one nature with the Father, and as Man, the human nature being indissolubly united to His Divine Nature. He is seated (1) as King; (2) as Judge. b Since His Ascension He has been seen by S. Stephen, by S. Paul,d by S. John. e

a

7. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

E believe that Christ will come in the same body in which He ascended, to judge all the world, and that all men alive at the time, and all the dead will be gathered before Him to hear their doom.

Certain signs will preceed the second coming of Christ.

h

f

I. The appearance of Antichrist. There will be a general falling away from the Catholic faith, and because wickedness shall abound, Christian charity shall wax cold; there shall be a general relaxation of morals; and at last the general unbelief and licence will culminate in a despotism of one intensely wicked man who will direct the powers of

10.

e Rev. i.

f 2 Thess. ii. 3.

a Ps. viii. ; xlvii. 5-8; cx. 1. b Ps. vii. 8; Joel iii. 12; Rom. xiv. c Acts vii. 56. d 1 Cor. xv. 8. S. Matt. xxiv. 12.

8 1 Tim. iv. 1.

i 2 Tim. iii. 13.