saw, and behold the mountain was full of chariots, and horsemen of fire, round about Eliseus," 4 Kings vi. 16. The history of Tobias is full of the services done to that good man by the holy angel Raphael; and, when St. Peter was thrown into prison, and was to be put to death next day, the angel of the Lord delivered him out of prison in a most wonderful manner, Acts xii.; as was also done to the other apostles; for, when they were "put in the common prison, an angel of the Lord, by night, opening the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said, Go, and, standing, speak in the temple to the people, all the words of this life," Acts v. 19. Daniel, too, in the lion's den, when the king came next morning to inquire about him, said, "O king, my God hath sent his angel, and hath shut up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me," Dan. vi. 21.

(4.) They pray for us, and present our prayers to God, as we have seen above, Q. 9, Num. 2, and Q. 19.

(5.) Lastly, They take care of our souls at our death, assisting us at that tremendous moment, and when the soul departs from the body, conduct her to her rest. Thus, our Saviour assures us, that, when Lazarus "died, he was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom," Luke xvi. 22.

Q. 26. But what need is there for employing his holy angels to do all these services for us? Could not God do do all this by himself?

A. Most undoubtedly: Almighty God stands in no need of the help of his angels, or of any creature, to do whatever he pleases; but it ill becomes us to inquire into the reasons of his conduct; he has been pleased to establish this order among his creatures, and that is enough for us. However, even in this, we see the effects of his infinite good

ness, and how much he has in view the happiness of his creatures; for he disposes things in this manner, to honour his holy angels, by committing to their charge those souls for whom Christ died; to shew how much he esteems and loves our souls, by employing such honourable and sublime beings to watch over us; to increase the union of charity among his intelligent creatures, by the mutual intercouse of good offices between them; to give joy and pleasure to his angels, by employing them in promoting our good, which they so earnestly desire; for, if they have joy at the repentance of a sinner, how much more will they have, if they themselves contribute to his repentance by their good offices? and, finally, to incite us the more to love, and praise, and serve him, in gratitude for so much goodness.

Q. 27. In what manner ought we to behave towards our guardian angels?

A. We ought to behave towards them, (1.) With reverence for their presence. When we consider who they are, to wit, the most sublime of all the works of God, of a nature much superior to ours, the great nobles of the court of heaven, who always see the face of God, the first princes of his kingdom; and then reflect, that wherever we are, our angel is always present with us, and sees and knows all we do; we easily see with what respect and reverence we ought to behave in the presence of so glorious a being. Consider the behaviour of Abraham and Josue, and Moses, and Daniel, and all the other holy saints of old, when the angels appeared visibly unto them. Our good angel is no less present with us, though invisible to our eyes. Now, this reverence chiefly consists in avoiding all sin, and never daring to do in his presence what we would be ashamed to do in the sight of a man for whom we have a high esteem. Sin is detestable to

the angels of God, and displeases them; and therefore Almighty God says of our good angel, "Do not think him one to be contemned, for he will not forgive thee when thou hast sinned," Exod. xxiii. 21. (2.) With devotion for their charity. Devotion towards any one properly signifies a readiness to obey him, and to do his will. Our angels guardians have nothing more at heart than our good; all their inspirations and reproofs tend to this end. This is great charity in them, and, therefore, we ought to be attentive to their inspirations, and readily comply with them both in doing good and avoiding evil; this is to be truly devout to them; and therefore Almighty God himself says, "Take notice of him, and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be contemned," Exod. xxiii. 21. (3.) With a confidence in their protection. When we consider who our angel guardian is, that he is able to help us, and most willing and desirous of doing so, and that he has it in charge from God to protect and assist us, we cannot doubt of his continual attention to execute that charge. This ought certainly to give us a great confidence in him under God, and make us frequently have recourse to him, and earnestly recommend ourselves to him, like Jacob, who would not " let the angel go till he had blessed him," Gen. xlviii.

SECTION VI.

OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

Q. 28. WHAT is the honour and veneration which is due to the Blessed Virgin?

A. We have seen above, that the honour and veneration given to the saints in heaven, is due to

them on account of their great dignity, their connexion with Jesus Christ, and the high privileges and excellencies which they enjoy. Hence it follows, that the more sublime the dignity of any saints is, the nearer they are connected with Jesus Christ; and the higher and more exalted privileges they enjoy, the greater honour and veneration is due to them. Now, as the Blessed Virgin Mary is supereminently above all the other saints, and even above the highest angels themselves, in all these respects it follows, as a necessary consequence, that the honour and veneration due to her is supereminently greater than that which we owe to all the other saints and angels.

Q. 29. What are the high privileges which the Blessed Virgin enjoys, so far more excellent than all the other heavenly inhabitants?

A. They are chiefly these following: (1.) That sublime and inconceivable dignity of being the mother of God; a dignity so high and so grand, that it puts her at once immensely above all other creatures, above every thing whatsoever that is less than God. It is true she is still a pure creature, and, of course infinitely below the Creator, betwixt whom and every possible creature, there must always be an infinite distance; but, with regard to all other creatures, there is as great a distance between the Blessed Virgin and the most sublime seraph, as there is betwixt the dignity of the mother of God and his servants. St. Elizabeth was amazed at the sight of this sublime dignity of the Blessed Virgin; for, when "she heard the salutation of Mary, she was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she cried out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb; and whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should

come unto me?" Luke i. 41. By particular inspiration of the Holy Ghost she pronounced Mary the most blessed of women, and was confounded and amazed that so great a personage as the mother of God should come to visit her. (2.) The intimate connexion she has with Jesus Christ, by the sacred quality of being his mother. He, indeed, out of his superabundant goodness, is pleased to consider his faithful servants as his brethren, and to treat them as such, but they are his brethren, at most, only by adoption; but the Blessed Virgin Mary is his mother by nature, not by adoption, but by the nearest ties of flesh and blood; he is flesh of her flesh, and bone of her bone; his sacred body was formed of her flesh, and fed and nourished by her blood; so that her connexion with him is that of a mother with the son of her womb, than which nothing can possibly be nearer betwixt two persons. How justly, then, is she entitled to the highest veneration, who is so nearly connected with Jesus Christ? (3.) The superiority and authority which he was pleased to give her over himself, in consequence of her being his mother. An amazing thing it is, no doubt, to see the Creator of heaven and earth depending upon his own creature, the Sovereign Lord of all subject to a woman; he who provides for all creatures standing in need of being tended, supported, and nourished by one of them; and yet this is the When God the Son first appeared very case. among men, he was pleased to depend upon his Virgin Mother for all the innumerable helps that an infant stands in need of at that tender age; to be tended and supported by her, and nourished with the milk of her breasts. As he grew up, all we know about him, during his private life, till the thirtieth year of his age, is, that "he went down to Nazareth, and was subject to her," Luke ii. 51.