made fix hundred thoufand Worlds as easily as he made this; but he willed not. We muft, farthermore, confider the divine All-powerfulness as joined with the highest and utmost Perfection, moft clearly void of all, even the least Weaknefs or Imperfection: as for inftance, God cannot be evil; he cannot fin; he cannot lye, nor deny himself, (2 Tim. ii. 13. Heb. vi. 18.) for these are mere Imperfections: And God cannot be Almighty if he could be wicked, or defiled with Sin, or deny himself; these being the Marks or Fruits of Imperfection. But God is Almighty by his Will and most perfect Goodness, as the Prophet celebrates him, (Pfal. lxxvii. 13, 14.) Who is fo great a God as our God? Thou art the God that deth Wonders, and haft declared thy Power among the People. To conclude, God is ftyled Almighty, because all things are in his Power and Command, and because without any Labour or Difficulty he created the Univerfe, by merely and only WILLING that it should be fo.

QUEST. XV.

Why is God faid to be in fuch or fuch a Place, fince he is boundless, and cannot be confined in any Place, being prefent at all Times in all ? ANS WE R.

Although the immaterial and incorporeal Divinity cannot be circumfcribed in Heaven, or Zion, or any other Place; God not being in PLACE, but being PLACE unto himself: yet we are wont to fay, God dwelleth there, wherefoever he

hath

hath been pleafed more particularly, and the ofteneft to manifeft his Goodness, and fhew forth his marvellous Works. "As in Heaven, fayeth St. Damafcene, (Orth. Fid. c. x. 16.) "where be "the Angels who perform his Commands, and with "never ceafing Praifes glorify his Majefty: On "Earth, for there incarnate he dwelled amongst "Men: In the holy Church, for there, after a pe"culiar Manner, is his Grace beftowed on the Faithful, and his Glory declared. And in like manner "is every Place faid to be his, where his Grace is in «Ε any Manner revealed."

QUEST. XVI.

Whereas thou affirmeft, that it is the Property of God only to know all things, hidden and manifeft: Whence cometh it that Angels, and, among Men, the Prophets have also known those Things?

ANSWER.

God in himself knoweth the most hidden and fecret Things, and the most concealed Thoughts of both Angels and Men; not only at the Time when they are thought, but even before the Worlds were made, according to the Scripture (Ecclef. xxiii. 19.) The Eyes of the Lord are ten thoufand Times brighter than the Sun, beholding all the Ways of Men, and confidering the most fecret Parts. And again, (xlii. 18.) The Lord knoweth all that may be known, and be beholdeth the Signs of the World. He declareth the Things that are past, and to come, and revealeth the Steps of hidden Things..

Things. And St. John in the Revelation (ii. 23.) I am be which fearcheth the Reins and Hearts, and I will give unto every one of you according to your Works. But when at any Time Angels or Men have known what was to come, it hath always been from divine Revelation, according to the Scripture (Dan. ii. 22.) He revealeth the deep and Jecret Things. So Elifba knew what his Servant Gabazi had privily received on the Way from Naaman, (2 Kings, v. 26.) And the Apostle Peter knew what had been done by Ananias and Saphira, (Acts v.) And fo in like manner all the Prophets foreknew the future.

QUEST. XVII.

Be there any more Attributes of God?

ANSWER.

The divine Attributes are, indeed, numberless; but these which, as neceffary to Salvation, we have recited, are fufficient to teach us how we ought to think of God. Do thou, therefore, more particularly believe, with a firm and unmoveable Faith, that God is One in three Perfons, Almighty, All-prefent, All-knowing, Unchangeable, and Eternal.

QUEST. XVIII.

In this Article the Word CREATOR is ufed: Is then every Thing made or created by God.

ANSWER.

God is, doubtless, the Maker of all Things, visible and invisible: Who firft from Nothing made the Hofts of Heaven, only by a Thought; that they might be the chief Refounders of his

Praise,

4

Praife; and that intellectual World, who, according to the Grace beftowed on them, fee the Glory of God, and in perfect Obedience for ever do his Will.

After which he created this visible and material World out of nothing; and, lastly, he made Man, compounded of an immaterial, reasonable Soul, and a material Body: That Man, thus made, might be a Manifeftation, that the fame God was the Author and Maker of both Worlds. From whence Man is not unaptly called a Microcofm, or little World, as being in himself an Epitome, or Abridgment of the Universe.

QUEST. XIX.

As God created the Angels first, I would know what we are to think concerning them?

ANSWER.

The Angels are Spirits, whom God, out of nothing, hath produced into Being, that they might ferve him, and fing Praise unto him: And, in this World, might affift Men, and lead them into his Kingdom. To thefe is committed the Care and Guardianship of Cities, Kingdoms, Countries, Monaftries, Churches, and both Ecclefiaftical and Secular Men. As it is evident from the Acts of the Apoftles, where there is an Example hereof, (cap. v. 19.) The Angel of the Lord by Night opened the Prijon-Doors, and brought them forth, and faid: Go, fland, and speak in the Temple to the People all the Words of this Life. And, again, (xii, 7.) And behold the Angel of the Lord came upon him, 8. and faid unto him, Gird thy

-

E

Jelf

felf, and bind on thy Sandals, caft thy Garment about thee, and follow me. And a little after (ver. 11.) When Peter was come to himself, he faid, now I know of a Surety, that the Lord hath fent his Angel, aud hath delivered me out of the Hand of Herod, and from all the Expectation of the People of the Jews. In like Manner our Saviour teacheth us, that Infants are in their Care, faying (Matth. xviii. 10.) I fay unto you, that, in Heaven, their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven. Alfo they prefent our Prayers, and Alms, and other good Works, before, the divine Majefty. Not that God himself doth not observe our Alms, or hear our Prayers; but because they intercede for us. And under the first Dispensation, before the Law of Mofes was delivered, the Angels were the Teachers of the Law, and Will of God, unto our Fore-fathers, and lead them into the Way of Salvation. (See Dyonyfius's Hierarch. Eccl. iv. p. 26.) And, after the Delivery of the Law, they inftructed Men, and fhewed them the Good, as appears at large in the holy Scripture, which relates both the Appearance of Angels unto the Prophets, and their fhewing them what was to come. Thus the Angel warned Jofeph to escape the bloody Purpofe of Herod (Matth. ii. 13.) The Angel of the Lord appeared to Jofeph, faying, Arife, and take the young Child, and his Mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee Word. For Herod will feek the young Child to defroy bim. And again, when the fame Jofeph feared to take unto him the bleffed Virgin, (Matth.