IV. But now that we may lift up our eyes (as it were) from the footstool to the throne of God, and leaving these natural, consider a little the state of heavenly and divine creatures: touching Angels, which are spirits1 immaterial and intellectual, the glorious inhabitants of those sacred palaces, where nothing but light and blessed immortality, no shadow of matter for tears, discontentments, griefs, and uncomfortable passions to work upon, but all joy, tranquillity, and peace, even for ever and ever doth dwell: as in number and order they are huge, mighty, and royal armies2, so likewise in perfection of obedience unto that law, which the Highest, whom they adore, love, and imitate, hath imposed upon them, such observants they are thereof, that our Saviour himself being to set down the perfect idea of that which we are to pray and wish for on earth, did not teach to pray or wish for more than only that here it might be with us, as with them it is in heaven3. God which moveth mere natural agents as an efficient only, doth otherwise move intellectual creatures, and especially his holy angels: for beholding the face of God4, in admiration of so great excellency they all adore him; and being rapt with the love of his beauty, they cleave inseparably for ever unto him. Desire to resemble him in goodness maketh them unweariable and even unsatiable in their longing to do by all means all manner good unto all the creatures of God5, but especially unto the children of men6: in the countenance of whose nature, looking downward, they behold themselves beneath themselves; even as upward, in God, beneath whom themselves are, they see that character which is no where but in themselves and us resembled. Thus far even the paynims have approached; thus far they have seen into the doings of the angels of God; Orpheus confessing, that “the fiery throne of God is attended on by those most industrious angels, careful how all things are performed amongst men7;” and the Mirror of human wisdom plainly teaching, that God moveth angels, even as that thing doth stir man’s heart, which is thereunto presented amiable8. Angelical actions may therefore be reduced unto these three general kinds: first, most delectable love arising from the visible apprehension of the purity, glory, and beauty of God, invisible saving only unto spirits that are pure9: secondly, adoration grounded upon the evidence of the greatness of God, on whom they see how all things depend10; thirdly, imitation11, bred by the presence of his exemplary goodness, who ceaseth not before them daily to fill heaven and earth with the rich treasures of most free and undeserved grace.
Of angels, we are not to consider only what they are and do in regard of their own being, but that also which concerneth them as they are linked into a kind of corporation amongst themselves, and of society or fellowship with men. Consider angels each of them severally in himself, and their law is that which the prophet David mentioneth, “All ye his angels praise him12.” Consider the angels of God associated, and their law is that which disposeth them as an army, one in order and degree above another13. Consider finally the angels as having with us that communion which the apostle to the Hebrews noteth, and in regard whereof angels have not disdained to profess themselves our “fellow-servants;” from hence there springeth up a third law, which bindeth them to works of ministerial employment14. Every of which their several functions are by them performed with joy.
A part of the angels of God notwithstanding (we know) have fallen15, and that their fall hath been through the voluntary breach of that law, which did require at their hands continuance in the exercise of their high and admirable virtue. Impossible it was that ever their will should change or incline to remit any part of their duty, without some object having force to avert their conceit from God, and to draw it another way; and that before they attained that high perfection of bliss, wherein now the elect angels16 are without possibility of falling. Of any thing more than of God they could not by any means like, as long as whatsoever they knew besides God they apprehended it not in itself without dependency upon God; because so long God must needs seem infinitely better than any thing which they so could apprehend. Things beneath them could not in such sort be presented unto their eyes, but that therein they must needs see always how those things did depend on God. It seemeth therefore that there was no other way for angels to sin, but by reflex of their understanding upon themselves; when being held with admiration of their own sublimity and honour, the memory of their subordination unto God and their dependency on him was drowned in this conceit; whereupon their adoration, love, and imitation of God could not choose but be also interrupted. The fall of angels therefore was pride17. Since their fall, their practices have been the clean contrary unto those before mentioned18. For being dispersed, some in the air, some on the earth, some in the water, some among the minerals, dens, and caves, that are under the earth; they have by all means laboured to effect an universal rebellion against the laws, and as far as in them lieth utter destruction of the works of God. These wicked spirits the heathens honoured instead of gods, both generally under the name of Dii inferi, “gods infernal;” and particularly, some in oracles, some in idols, some as household gods, some as nymphs: in a word, no foul and wicked spirit which was not one way or other honoured of men as God, till such time as light appeared in the world and dissolved the works of the devil. Thus much therefore may suffice for angels, the next unto whom in degree are men.
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Footnotes
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Psalm civ. 4; Heb. i. 7; Ephes. iii. 10. ↩
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Dan. vii. 10; Matt. xxvi. 53; Heb. xii. 22; Luke ii. 13. ↩
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Matt. vi. 10. ↩
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Matt. xviii. 10. ↩
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[“How oft do they their silver bowers leave, To come to succour us, that succour want! How oft do they with golden pinions cleave The flitting skies, like flying pursuivant, Against foul fiends to aid us militant! They for us fight, they watch and duly ward, And their bright squadrons round about us plant, And all for love, and nothing for reward— O why should heavenly God to men have such regard?” Fairy Queen, II. viii. 2. The three first books of the Fairy Queen were published 1590. Spenser died 1598.] ↩
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Psalm xci. 11, 12; Luke xv. 7; Heb. i. 14; Acts x. 3; Dan. ix. 23; Matt. xviii. 10; Dan. iv. 13. ↩
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Σῳ̑ δὲ θρόνῳ πυρόεντι παρεστα̑σιν πολύμοχθοι Ἄγγελοι, οἷσι μέμηλε βροτοι̑ς ὡς πάντα τελει̑ται.[Fragm. iii. ex Clem. Alex. Strom. V. p. 824, 8 = 724. Potter.] ↩
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Arist. Metaph. 1. xii, c. 7. [“Movet ut amatum: moto vero, alia moventur.” Ap. Thom. Aquin. t. IV. fol. 159, ed. Venet. 1593.] ↩
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Job xxxviii. 7; Matt. xviii. 10. ↩
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Psalm cxlviii. 2; Heb. i. 6; Isa. vi. 3. ↩
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This is intimated wheresoever we find them termed “the sons of God,” as Job i. 6, and xxxviii. 7. ↩
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Ps. cxlviii. 2. ↩
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Luke ii. 13. Matt. xxvi. 53. ↩
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Heb. xii. 22; Apoc. xxii. 9. ↩
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2 Pet. ii. 4; Jude 6. ↩
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[1 Tim. v. 21.] ↩
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[“But pride, impatient of long resting peace, Did puff them up with greedy bold ambition, That they gan cast their state how to increase Above the fortune of their first condition, And sit in God’s own seat without commission: The brightest angel, even the child of light, Drew millions more against their God to fight.”Spenser’s Hymn on Heavenly Love, published 1596.] ↩
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John viii.44; 1 Pet. v. 8; Apoc. ix. 11; Gen. iii. 15; 1 Chron. xxi. 1; Job i. 7. and ii. 2; John xiii. 27; Acts v. 3; Apoc. xx. 8. ↩