Page:Essays on Catholicism, Liberalism, and Socialism.djvu/95

is here, that which is there, and that which is more remote; but he does not see that which is everywhere. He sees the members which form an organized and living body, but he does not recognize the life which animates these members.

If we reject, even for a moment, the divine virtue and the supernatural force, which is in the Church, and consider her simply as a human institution, which is expanded and extended by purely human and natural means: in this case we must concede that Mr. Guizot is right. For, according to this hypothesis, the influence that the Church exercises by her doctrine cannot go beyond the natural limits that his sovereign reason assigns to it. But the difficulty still remains, because it is an evident fact that the Church has gone beyond these limits. Therefore, an evident contradiction exists between history, which shows that this influence does go beyond these limits, and reason, which teaches that it cannot do so; a contradiction which must necessarily be resolved by a higher formula, capable of producing an entire reconciliation, which will harmonize facts with their causes and reason with history.

The principle expressed by this formula must necessarily be outside of history and of reason, outside of the natural and the visible. It is found in the invisible, supernatural, and divine element of the holy Catholic Church. It is this divine, supernatural, and impalpable power which has conquered the world, has overcome the most invincible obstacles, has subdued rebellious minds and proud hearts, and has elevated the Church above human vicissitudes, and has secured her sway over nations.