Psal. ciii.

20.

2 Sam. xiv. 17. 20.

Mat. xxv.

31.

Luke i. 13, 31.

Luke ii.

10.

11, 12.

Gen. xix. ib. 32.

which they call Ethereal; grounding this Conjecture upon a Pious Belief, that it is the peculiar Excellency and Prerogative of the divine Nature, to be a pure and simple Spirit, wholly separate from Matter.

Q. What are the Properties of good Angels?

A. They are said in Scripture to excel in Strength, to be endowed with great Knowledge and Wisdom, to be eminent for Purity and Holiness, whence the Title is given them of the holy Angels. Besides, they are represented as full of Wings, to denote the great Activity and Swiftness of their Motions. And their Office consists in constantly attending upon the great and glorious King of Heaven and Earth, expecting his Commands, and ready to execute his Will.

Q. Wherein consists the Ministry of good Angels?

A. In declaring, upon Occasion, the Mind and Will of Christ to his Church; for thus most of the divine Messages were conveyed to the Prophets; and there are frequent instances of it in the New Testament; as in the Case of St. John Baptist's Birth, the Blessed Virgin's Conception, our Saviour's Psal. xci. Birth and Resurrection. In guarding and defending us from outward Dangers, and from the Fury of evil Spirits, either by removing such evil Accidents from us, as in the Course of necessary Causes must have befallen us; or by diverting the evil Intention of our Enemies against us; and sometimes by forewarning us of approaching Danger, by some external Sign or unaccountable Impression upon our Fancies. And when we are beset by evil Spirits, they either assist us in our Conflicts with them, or chase them away from us when we are no longer able to withstand them.

Q. What has been the general Opinion of Mankind about Guardian Angels?

A. There was a common Opinion among the Heathens, and a constant Tradition among the Jews, that every Man, at least every good Man, had a Guardian Angel appointed him by God, to take a

40.

10.

special Care of him and his Concerns, both Spiritual and Temporal; and we find the best Men among the Jews, did at least believe the common Ministry of good Angels about good Men, and their more especial Care of particular Persons, upon particular and Gen. xxiv. great Occasions, as is plain in Abraham and David. Ps. xxxiv. And this Tradition of the Jews seems to be confirmed 7, 9, 11, 12. and approved by our Saviour, in that Caution he Mat. xviii. gives us, Not to despise one of these little Ones, because in Heaven their Angels always behold the Face of his Father; and the first Christians seemed to be of the same Mind, when, being told that Peter was at the Acts xii. Door, they said it was his Angel, thinking that he himself was fast in Prison; for which Saying there could be no Reason, had there not been a current Opinion among them of Guardian Angels; And their being sent forth to minister to them that shall Heb. i. 14. be Heirs of Salvation, supposes them to be ready at Hand to do all good Offices to good Men.

Q. How are the good Angels farther employed about good Men?

A. Being peculiarly present in the public Assem- 1 Cor. xi. blies of God's Worship, they assist good Men in the 10. Discharge of their religious Offices: And at the Hour of Death they stand by them in that great Conflict, and convey their separated Spirits into the Mansions of the Blessed; which is confirmed by our Saviour, when he tells us, upon Lazarus's Death, that he was carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom. Luke xvi. Besides, at the Day of Judgment they shall be great Instruments of the Resurrection of their Bodies, and the Re-union of them to their Souls; as our Mat. xiii. blessed Saviour declares in St. Matthew.

22.

39, 49.

Rev. ii. 10.

Q. Wherein doth the Ministry of bad Angels consist? A. In trying and exercising the Righteous, as was Job. i. & ii. the Case of Job, and the Church of Smyrna; in 1 Sam. xvi. punishing the Wicked, as was the Case of Saul and 14. Ahab, and in executing Vengeance on them in ano xxii. 20. ther World. They set themselves in Opposition &c. to the Glory of God, and the Salvation of Mankind;

1 Kings

though they are restrained in the Exercise of their Power; beyond which they cannot exert it without divine Permission.

Q. If good Angels are appointed by God to be ministring Spirits, and are so ready to help us, ought we not to worship them?

A. We may reasonably conclude, from the Nature of their Employment, that we ought not to worship them, since they minister to us; and in this seems to lie the Force of the Angel's Reasoning in the Revelations, where he forbids St. John to worship him because he was his Fellow-Servant. Besides, it is severely reproved by St. Paul: Let no Man deceive you in a voluntary Humility, and worshipping of Angels, not holding the Head. The Scripture directing us to the Mediation only of one Mediator between God and Man, viz. the Man Christ Jesus.

Q. Why do we celebrate this Festival?

A. To express our Thankfulness to God for those many eminent Advantages that the Christian Church has obtained, by the Ministry of the Holy Angels, over the Power and Malice of the Devil, and those mischievous Instruments he has employed to destroy it.

Q. What Instructions do the Fidelity and Zeal of St. Michael offer to the Governors of the Church, who are Angels of God?

4. That it is not enough to discharge their Duty by living well themselves, but that, besides the Care of their own Conduct, they are obliged to watch over the Conduct of others; and with Boldness and Courage to oppose all profane Contemners of Religion, those Rebels that are at Defiance with God, be their Quality and Power never so great and terrible.

Q. What may we learn from the Observation of this Festival?

A. To adore the Wisdom and Goodness of God, in appointing such excellent and glorious Beings to minister to our Salvation; and to be thankful to him

for the invisible Aid and Protection we receive from them. To comfort ourselves against the Vigilancy and Power of the Devil, with the assured Assistance of good Angels, who are as powerful and forward to do us good, as the others are malicious and busy to do us Mischief. To behave ourselves with great Gravity and Reverence in the public Worship of God, because those excellent Beings attend to observe our outward Carriage and Deportment. To imitate their Example in serving God, with the same Readiness and Diligence, with the same Chearfulness and Zeal, that they do in Heaven. To condescend to the meanest Services for the Good of others; especially with all our Might to help forward the Salvation of our Neighbour. Never to despise any good Man, be his Čircumstances never so mean, because he is dear to God, and under the peculiar Care of the holy Angels. To secure their Ministry to ourselves, by continuing sound and holy Members of the Catholic Church, who are the declared Heirs of Salvation.

Q. What may all Christians learn from the Behaviour of St. Michael?

A. To avoid the scandalous and unchristian Practice of Evil-speaking, the Seed of all Evil, and the Pest of civil Society, which we are so apt to fall into, and yet we find it so hard to repent of, by Reason of the Difficulty of making such Reparations as are necessary upon such Occasions.

Q. Wherein consists the Nature of Evil-speaking? A. In divulging any Ill we hear or know concerning our Neighbour, whether true or false, whereby his good Name is impaired by our Words or Actions. For a Motion of the Head or Hand, a Smile, or Cast of the Eye, is capable of tarnishing the brightest Reputation; nay, even Silence itself, if it appears affected or mysterious, shall be as effectual to that Purpose as the most envenomed Satire. If the Matters we object against him are false, or

Mat. XV.

19.

30, 32.

1 Cor. vi.

10.

doubtful and uncertain, it is Calumny or Slander; if the Evidence we proceed upon be not sufficient, it is rash Judgment; and a Proneness to blame and condemn others is Censoriousness.

Q. But may we not speak that Evil of our Neigh bour which we know certainly to be true?

A. I think, except some Instance of Justice or Charity require it, we ought not to expose our Neighbour's real Faults, because we are not willing that all that is true of ourselves, should be exposed to public View; and it is contrary to that Love we owe to our Neighbour, which should make us ready to cover and conceal all Things that are defective in him, and which, if known, may tend to lessen that good Name and Reputation he has in the World.

Q. How is this Vice condemned in Scripture? A. The Scriptures place it in the Company of the worst of wicked Actions: Out of the Heart, says our Saviour, proceed evil Thoughts, Murders, AdulteRom. i. 29, ries, false Witness, Evil-speakings. St. Paul ranks Backbiters with the black Crimes of those who are given up to a reprobate Mind, and which, in the Judgment of God, are worthy of Death; and the same Apostle puts Slanderers and Revilers with those that shall not inherit the Kingdom of God; and when he 2 Tim. iii. reckons up the Sins of the last Times, Evil-speakers are in the List of that black Catalogue. St. Peter joins Evil-speakings with Malice, Hypocrisy, and Envy, Offsprings of Hell, which we must lay aside entirely, if we desire the sincere Milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby: And, notwithstanding the highest Pretences to Religion, St. James asJames i. sures us, that he who bridleth not his Tongue, that Man's Religion is vain.

2, 30.

2 Pet. ii. 1.

Ver. 2.

26.

Q. Wherein appears the Heinousness of this Vice? A. In that it robs our Neighbour of one of the most valuable Things in the World, which is often purchased at the Hazard of his Life, his Reputation Eccl. vii. 7. and good Name, in the Judgment of Solomon, better than precious Ointment. In that it is contrary to that