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The difference of the holy Angels know∣ledge and the Diuels. CHAP. 22.
VNto the good Angels, the knowledge of all temporall things (that puffes vp the Diuels) is vile: not that they want it, but in that they wholy respect the loue of that God that sanctifieth them, in comparison of which ineffable and vnchangeable glory with the (a) loue of wt they are inflamed, they contemne al that is vnder it, that is (b) not it, yea and euen them-selues, that al their good may be im∣ployed in inioying that onely good: And so came they to a more sure knowledge of the world, viewing in God the principall causes of the worlds creation, which * 1.1 causes do confirme this, frustrate that, and dispose of all: now the (c) diuels are fat from beholding those eternall and fundamentall causes in the wisedome of God, only they can extract a notion from certaine secret signes which man is ignorant in, haue more experience, and therefore may oftener presage euents. But they are * 1.2 often deceiued, mary the Angels neuer. For it is one thing to presage changes & euents from changeable and casuall grounds, and to confound them by as change∣able a will (as the diuels are permitted to do) & another thing to fore-see the chan∣ges of times, and the wil of God in his eternall vnalterable decrees most (d) certain & (most powerful) by the participatiō of his diuine spirit, as the Angels ar vouch∣safed by due gradation to do. So are they eternal and blessed He is their God that made them, for his participation and contemplation, they do (e) continually inioy.
L. VIVES.
THe (a) loue] Loue alwayes worketh on beauteous obiects. Socrates in Plato's Phado saith * 1.3 that if corporall eyes could behold the face of honesty and wisedome, they would hold it most deer and amiable. What then if we could see Gods face, whose fayrenesse ((saith the booke of wise∣dom) appeares euen in this, that our fayrest obiects are of his making. Diotina in Plato's Conui. (as wee said aboue) holds but one pulchritude worthy the loue of an honest man that desires bea∣titude. (b) Is not] all that is not God, being vile in respect of God, the Angels contemne both all and them-selues in respect of him, which cogitation fastneth them so firme in Vnion with God, that his beatitude sufficeth without all other appendances to make them eternally blessed. (c) The diuels] For they cannot behold the pole or foundation where-vpon all causes are grounded and turned, nor the fount whence they arise: but only (by their pregnancy and wit, surmounting ours, as also by experence, more then ours (beeing immortall) they haue a quicke conceipt of things present, and a surer presage in things to come then we haue. Where∣by coniecturing euents not from the proper cause, but their owne coniectures, they are often∣times deceiued, & ly, when they think they speak most true, boasting that they know al things. Nor do the vnpure diuels faile herein onely, but euen the gods them-selues, saith Porphyry. (d) Most certaine] Gods will hath this certainty, it effecteth what it pleaseth, else were it not certaine, as not being in his power, but all effects beeing in his hand, it is most certaine. That is, nothing can fall out, but he willeth it, because he willeth nothing but must fall so out. And therefore they that obserue his will, obserue the sure cause of all effectes, because all effects haue production from his will, so that rightly doth Augustine call his will most certaine, and most powerfull, his power being the cause of his wils certainty. This will the Angels and Saints beholding, know as much as the proportion of their beatitude permitteth. For al of them haue * 1.4 no•…•… the same knowledge, but gradually, as they haue beatitude, as hee saith. (e) Continually] Continual is their speculation of God, least the least intermission should make them wretched: yet doth not the feare of that, cause them continue the other, but that beatitude doth wholly transport them from the cogitation and desire of all other thinges, they inioying all goodnesse in him that is the fountaine of them all.