Chapter VI. Perpetuity Of The Church. Perpetuity, or duration till the end of time, is one of the most striking marks of the Church. By perpetuity is not meant merely that Christianity in one form or another was always to exist, but that the Church was to remain forever in its integrity, clothed with all those attributes which God gave it in the beginning. For, if the Church lost any of her essential characteristics, such as her unity and sanctity, which our Lord imparted to her at the commencement of her existence, she could not be said to be perpetual because she would not be the same Institution. The unceasing duration of the Church of Christ is frequently foretold in Sacred Scripture. The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that Christ "shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."101 Our Savior said to Peter: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."102 Our blessed Lord clearly intimates here that the Church is destined to be assailed always, but to be overcome, never. In the last words recorded of our Redeemer in the Gospel of St. Matthew the same prediction is strongly repeated, and [051] the reason of the Church's indefectibility is fully expressed: "Go ye, teach all nations, ... and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."103 This sentence Matt, xxviii. 20.