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of our creed, because our whole faith and hope is grounded upon it; for we can have no reason to mistrust any mystery of our faith, when grounded on the authority of an omnipotent Being; or to despond under an omnípotent God.

EXHOR. With what awe and profound respect ought you, O christians, to begin your creed, wherein you profess your belief of the infinite and eternal God! With what love, when you name him your Father, and great Creator of heaven and earth! Learn to fear his Almighty power. This fear is the beginning of wisdom, let it ever accompany your faith, the better to preserve you in an humble submission to it; let it accompany all your actions, that in them you may avoid evil, and do good more perfectly; let it accompany your thoughts, to banish all evil, even from your mind. Learn above all things to love God, whose being you profess to adore, whom you name your father, your Creator, that gave you life and being. If by grace, you are adopted among the sons of God, and heirs of heaven, let your souls dwell in heaven, while your bodies are on earth, and remember heaven is your home, your happiness, and last end: Our conversation is in heaven.

SECT. IV.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth,

Q.

HO made heaven and earth? A. God:

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Q. Of what did he make them. PA. Not of any pre-existent matter, but of nothing, by his only word. Why did he make them? A. To manifest his power, wisdom, and goodness. Q. In how long time were all things made? A. In six days.

INSTRUC. As the belief of one God, Creator of the world, is the foundation of all true religion, hence the creed and scripture begin with the creation, as the first point of the divine law, and teach expressly, that the world was not from eternity, or made of any pre-existent matter uncreated, but was created and made, both as to matter and form, by the divine power only of the su

preme God; and this, not all at once, but in six days successively, and by parts; the first day being assigned to the creation of the elements, the heavens, the earth, the waters, the light: and the following days, to the distinct creation of the ornaments belonging to each element; as the sun, moon, and stars, for the heavens; animals, trees, and plants, for the earth; fowls for the air, and fishes for the sea: which seems to have been done with design to root the worship of one God in our minds; by covincing them, that not only heaven and earth, but every species in them, were the immediate work of no other agent but the omnipotent God; so to overthrow the idolatry of the heathens, who adored the creatures of every element, for the Creator of them.

On the first day then of the creation, God made heaven and earth; and heaven he filled with bright spirits innumerable, which we call angels. The earth was then without ornaments or productions, covered over with the waters, which were also created the first day, and the whole overwhelmed with darkness, caused by the absence of light; when God said, Let light be made, and light was made, which, if it were only over one part of the earth, or one hemisphere, could only enlighten that hemisphere, (as the sun at present) which, if moved round the earth must make alternate light and darkness, and this alternate light and darkness one day. The second day he made the firmament, and divided the waters that are under the firmament from those that are above the firmament; the firmament or expansion (as in the Hebrew) may comprise the whole space from the earth to the highest stars, or the whole body of air, which to this day sustains an immense quantity of waters in clouds all round the earth, for rain in due season. The third day he collected the waters, that were left on the earth, into one place, proper, by the inferiority of its situation, for a receptacle of them; and these are the seas the waters being gone off, the dry land appeared, and this, is the earth; which he commanded to shoot forth all kinds of herbs and trees. The fourth day he made and settled the celestial bodies, the stars, and the two great luminaries of

the earth; one greater, and the other less, the sun and moon, to rule the day and night, and make a distinction of times and seasons; thus our day and night depends upon the appearance of the sun above the horizon; our year upon his annual revolution; and by the variation of his appearance, over different quarters of the horizon, he makes the distinction of the four seasons. The fifth day he created the fishes and the fowls, one, the inhabitants of the waters; the other the inhabitants of the air. The sixth day he made all the living creatures of the earth; as all the beasts, as well domestic as those of the field; and all reptiles, or creatures that creep; some of these for our food, some for our clothing, some for burden. On the sixth day also, but in the last place, was made man; because the world which was to be his palace or abode must be first made, with all its ornaments; that, as soon as ever he was created, his eyes might be delighted with the sight of the creation; his ears with the music of the birds, and his taste with the sweet things God had made for his food, that so his heart night glorify the Creator, for all those things which he had created for the preservation and happiness of his life.

EXHOR.-Adore, O christian, the infinite power of God in the creation. Give thanks without ceasing, for his great goodness in communicating such blessings to yourself and all creatures. His works are incomprehensible; dive not into the nature of what you cannot in the least comprehend; but learn rather to live well, for a good life is far better than great knowledge. Endeavour to answer the end of your creation, which is to glorify and enjoy your Creator for ever. How can you cast up your eyes to those celestial bodies, the sun, moon and stars, and not admire and revere his power? But how dare you offend that power ? If the least of his works are beyond your conception, what must the Maker be? Or if so great be their extent, so beautiful, so glorious the light of those bright stars in the firmament, what must be the extent of the glory of God himself? The thought is amazing! As often then as you behold the heavens, raise up your hearts, and praise God for all the wonders you contemplate there, as well as for all those.

you have seen on earth; and say, Blessed be our Lord in the firmament of heaven, and praise-worthy, and glorious, for ever.

SECT. V.

Of the creation of Angels.

Q. WHAT are the angels?

A. They are pure spirits, of a nature purely intellectual and spiritual. Q. When did God create the angels? A. On the first day, (as is the most probable opinion,) when he made heaven to be their abode. Q. How are they divided? A. Into good and bad. Q. Who were the good? A. They who persevered in grace, them God established in glory, and made them the guardians of men. Q. Who are the bad? A. They who rebelled against God, them he cast into hell; they are called devils, and tempters of mankind; they are the evil spirits, the powers of darkness.

INSTRUC. When God made the heavens, he created the angels spiritual beings and placed them therein. They were created in grace, with free-will, to chuse good or evil. They were not yet in the state of glory; nor did they all along continue in the state of grace; but many of them rebelled against God. For this, he cast them out of heaven, and made a hell to punish them, where they are to be in torment for all eternity. The good who followed the cause of God, he confirmed for ever in grace and glory. The prince of this celestial host, was Michael; and the prince of the rebel angels, was Lucifer.

God permits us by these evil spirits, called devils, to be tempted, though he gives all-sufficient grace to resist them; they are stiled by St. Paul, principalities, and powers, and rulers of this darkness. They inhabit the air at present, at least some of them, carrying nevertheless their hell about them, and follow us wherever we go; drawing us, by evil thoughts, from the love of God, into their own eternal misery. The good angels are the guardians of mankind; each one of us has an

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angel-guardian to prompt good thoughts to our minds, and to protect us from evil; they have the care of us, to preserve us, soul and body, in all our ways; they carry our petitions to God; they present our souls after death before the tribunal of Christ, and carry them to the place of our deserts, whatever it be, heaven, hell, or purgatory; sa Lazarus, by Angels, was carried into Abraham's bosom. Every nation has a tutelar angel ; and, in some sense, they are the governors of the world under God, and will be his messengers at the last day, to summon all men to judgment: they will separate the good from the bad, at that day; the good, they will conduct to glory; the wicked, they will drive into an hell of eternal misery.

There are nine choirs of angels mentioned in holy scripture, and among them different degrees of glory; Seraphims, Cherubims, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels. Some incessantly singing the praises of God; others executing his eternal decrees; others guardians of souls: all actually enjoying the beatifical vision, and with holy fear and trembling, adoring their beloved God.

EXHOR. Behold the power of God in the creation of angels, who are the most noble of all his creatures ; bless and praise him therein. As you see the dismal effect of sin, of one sin, in the fall of the angels; what must be the effect of your manifold transgressions ? 0 the horror of sin! See you repent while that mercy, God denied to them, is now offered to you. Depart from your sins, and return to them no more, lest the lot of the rebel angels fall upon you; there is nothing so terrible as the punishment of sin.

Behold again the effect of virtue, the reward of good, in those blessed spirits, who persisted in the adoration of God, they were confirmed in grace, and established in glory. Let this be encouragement to you, to persevere in virtue, in all good, that you may have the like reward and enjoyment with them in happiness. As you are liable every moment to temptation, be on your guard, watch and pray, while the devil, as a roaring fion, seeks day and night to devour you; lift up your

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