Course 1, Chapter 3: Knowledge of God. — God considered in himself

1. What is God?

God is a spirit, infinite, eternal and omnipotent, who sees all things, hears all things, is every where, who has created the world by his power, and who governs it by his wisdom.

2. What proofs have you of the existence of God?

There are many proofs of the existence of God. We give the three following only: 1st. There is no cause without an effect; a painting supposes a painter, a house an architect, so also the world presupposes the cause that created it. Thus a view of the universe is a sensible proof of the existence of God. 2d. The testimony of men. All nations have believed in the existence of God. He who would dare say that this belief Ls false, would be considered a fool. 3d. The absurdity of atheism. To deny the existence of God is to admit an effect without a cause, that good and evil are the same, &c., &c.

3. What are the principal perfections of God?

The principal perfections of God are: 1st. His eternity: for God being a.n infinite being, has neither beginning nor end. 2d. His independence: God being infinite, depends on nothing, all things depend on him, nothing happens but by his permission or by his will. 3d. His unity: God being infinite is necessarily one. 4th. His spirituality: God being infinite cannot have a body because a body is limited, imperfect, subject to change and dissolution. Being created to the image of

44 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

God, we are able to trace these different perfections in ourselves.

4. What do we understand by the hands, the arms, the ears, the eyes of God?

By the hands of God we mean that he made all things; by his arms, that he is all-powerful; by his ears, that he hears all things; and by his eyes that he jees all things. It is a manner of speaking by which God condescends to place himself within the reach of •)iir understanding. So also, by the anger of God, we aiean the justice with which he punishes sin, for God is never in anger.

5. What are the other perfections of God?

The other perfections of God are, his intelligence, his goodness, his holiness, his mercy, &c. Since God is infinite, he knows all things, the past, present and future, or rather there is no past nor future for God, all is present. In a word, God possesses all perfections, without the shadow of imperfection.

6. What is providence?

Providence is the act by which God preserves and directs all created things to their proposed end.

7. Give some proofs of a Providence?

1 st. The sight of the universe, the harmony of which proves to us that there must be some intelligent cause that conducts it. 2d. The testimony of all nations, who have ever believed in a God and that he governs the world, and have also offered up prayers and sacrifices to him. 3d. The absurdity of deism; for to deny a Providence is to admit a God who is blind, deaf, dumb and slothful, who lets the world run at hazard, and who treats alike the man who adores him and the one who outrages him.