Catechetical Instructions
1. Introd.—On the articles not embracing the whole truth—a number of others, but we believe whatever the Church teaches; if you are in difficulty this the great rule—(enlarge—come to be taught, no use coming else). Why called the Apostles’ [Creed]?
2. By ‘God’ we mean one who is all-perfect—this is the only idea of God; therefore the heathen gods are called ‘not-gods.’ 1 They do not answer the idea.
3. (Not pleasant to inquire into the proofs; it is an irreverence, therefore pass over it lightly 2.) We are obliged to believe it, for else, was this world for ever? If not, who created it? and who created its Creator, etc.? Thus it is simplest, we cannot help believing in a God, nay, believing the most incomprehensible attribute, viz. that He had no beginning.
4. God must be all-perfect, for (1) He has made the world, and therefore must be more perfect than that which He made. He has given to it of His fulness, therefore is there wisdom, power, beauty, etc., in the world (think of the human soul)—then He much more so. This thought alone gives us an indefinitely high notion of God, considering the extent and wonders of creation.
5. Next, think that He created from nothing.
6. Go through His attributes.
7. The one singled out is ‘Almighty,’ and for two reasons: (1) Because we are to consider, not the time before creation, but creation and after; (2) because it is the Creed, which has reference to God’s omnipotence.
8. ‘Creator of heaven and earth’; (1) Creating from nothing; (2) number of attributes discovered from the material world; if there be beauty, He is beautiful; if Spirit, He Spirit, etc.
9. Creator of angels, men, things inanimate.
10. Proof of all this from above: (1) Two most incomprehensible [mysteries] from the nature of the case—eternity a parte ante [i.e. before creation], and creation from nothing, and if these, what shall we not give to Him? (2) Idea in human mind, in conscience, and hence His moral attributes holy, just, ever vigilant, all-seeing. (3) The visible world and all the senses. (4) The variety of attributes which the world and the soul shows—wisdom, greatness, and minuteness, grace and beauty, comeliness, goodness. (5) Providence—therefore all good. Providence as shown in general [and] in our own life.
11. Doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
[September 4] De Deo—II
1. Recapitulation—from the conscience and our personal history we have all the great doctrines about God which so much concern us, and which would suffice for our believing in Him, though there was no external world, viz. holiness, justice, omnipresence, ever-watchfulness, mercy, and future retribution.
2. About the argument from the external world, and why it is dangerous at this day 3; because it tells us nothing about sin; it [the world] was made before sin.
3. The attributes the external world adds—infinite power, wisdom, skill, etc.
4. Additions: (1) From the nature of the case one perfection implies another. (2) Eternity a parte ante, creation from nothing, etc., from the nature of the case.
5. How is this faith, if it is gained thus by reasoning?—(explain—how reason goes a certain way to draw a conclusion)—that is not faith—(explain the process)—desire of the truth.
6. How faith is a completion through grace; this grace may be given to those who know not revelation; but if revelation comes in their way it will lead them to it.
7. This is why Catholics hold apostasy so wretched a thing—it is not the mere change of opinion, but a going against grace.
September 11 De Angelis—III
1. Angels the first work of God.
2. Different from the human race, as created all at once; not from a pair—myriads—almost an infinite number like the stars; nine ranks, yet there may be more unknown.
3. Immaterial—their appearing in human form—Raphael in [book of] Tobias.
4. Incorruptible; immortal in their nature.
5. Their knowledge; perfect from the first, not learning by discursus, first one thing, then another; knowing a thing wholly at once. They do not know the future—nor men’s hearts, except from divine revelation. God alone knows these—(bad angels tempt by objecting evil or exciting the thoughts).
6. Created in grace. And first, What is grace?—something beyond nature. Nothing can love God really and know Him, and attain to heaven, without a gift beyond itself.
7. The fall of the angels—pride—as sin of thought, for it was all the sin they could fall into, being spiritual natures. Pride is relying on oneself for happiness, not on God’s grace; envy would follow, viz. against men. Their naturalia remanserunt integra—they lost (1) supernatural beatitude, intuitive vision of God 4; (2) justice and grace; (3) their intellect darkened, and their will confirmed in evil.
8. They range the earth and dwell in the air.
9. They do not properly possess the mind of the possessed except indirectly, by raising fantasies, etc. Of sinners and unbaptized, the soul is not possessed but ruled; hence even innocent persons are sometimes possessed.
10. Good angels were confirmed in grace.
11. Guardian angels for the faithful, and perhaps for the infideles et reprobati.