§ 3. GOD THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
I. THE CREATION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD.
God the Creator of the world 1—9; words of the Machabee brothers 365 ; of St. Paul at Lystra 784; at Athens 794.
God maintains the world: “Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow” &c. 478; God works continuously 500; the annual multiplication of bread 529.
God governs the world no 202. See “Providence”.
God suffers evil and knows how to turn it to good: Guidance of Jacob 78; Joseph 93; Joseph’s words 114; destruction of Israel 294; the cockle among the wheat 508; the sin of Judas 637; the hatred of the Pharisees 675; the unbelief of Thomas 724; the sealing of our Lord’s sepulchre 708; the persecution of the Christians in Jerusalem 761. Why there is so much suffering: Abraham 69, Joseph in Egypt 98; his brethren 107; Job 126; oppression of the Israelites 182 201; David’s trials 245; Solomon’s magnificence 260; overthrow of Israel 294; of Juda 326 ; trials of Tobias 296 306; the paralytic man 467; persecution of the Christians 761.
Divine Providence: Esau and Jacob 78; Joseph 103 114; Jacob in Egypt 1 17; Ruth 208; Saul 218; Aman’s murderous plot frustrated 355; guidance of mankind 376; the enrolment at Bethlehem 400; rescue of the Child Jesus 419; our Lord’s word’s: “Be not solicitous” &c. 478; and “The hairs of your head” &c. 522.
2. THE ANGELS.
Creation and fall of angels 9 — 13. The sin of angels greater than that of Adam 27.
Office of the good angels: They are God’s messengers 10; Gabriel’s message to Zachary 382; to Mary 385; to Joseph 387 417; message of the angel to the shepherds 402; and to Philip the deacon 759. They praise God 402 (“Glory to God in the highest”).
They come to our aid: Lot 66; Tobias 298; the three children 336; Daniel in the lion’s den 344; Judas Machabeus 369; Peter in prison 778.
They pray for us: Jacob’s ladder 83; words of Raphael 305.
They exhort us to what is right: Raphael’s words to young Tobias 300.
Belief in guardian angels: Tobias the elder 299 305; Judith 321. The doctrine taught by our Lord 548 550; and believed by the first Christians 779.
The evil spirits lay snares for us out of hatred and envy: Fall of Adam and Eve 19; Job 122 127. Our Lord’s temptation 429; the possessed 458; Judas Iscariot 639. They cannot, however, injure us, if wTe, following our Lord’s example, resist their temptations 433.
