§. 87. Of the Knowledge of Angels.
THe Properties of Angels are many, and those very excellent ones, some of the principall are these which follow.
1. Great knowledge; For they are intellectuall or understanding creatures, able* 1.1 to conceive any mysteries that are or shall be revealed. They understand according to the spirituall power of an angelicall minde, comprehending all things that they will together most easily: Angels being in heaven, know all the counsell of God that is there made known: That which Christ saith of them, Mat. 18. 10. In heaven they do alwaies behold the face of my Father, implieth, that they are privy to the whole counsell of God, revealed in heaven: yea, on earth also they frequent the Assem∣bly of Saints; thereby they come to know the whole counsell of God on earth made known to the Church. In this respect the Apostle saith, that Unto the Princi∣palities and Powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wise∣dom of God, Eph. 3. 10. They are very inquisitive after all divine mysteries; For of those things which Prophets foretold, and Apostles preached, it is thus said, which things the Angels desire to look into, 1 Pet. 1. 12. This restrictive phrase, no, not the Angels, Mar. 13. 32. importeth the great measure of knowledge which Angels have; For it followeth, Nor the Sonne: Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the Angels which are in heaven, neither the Sonne; By the two last phrases it is implied, that if any creatures knew that secret, surely the Sonne and the Angels would know it.
Object. It is an impeachment of their knowledge not to know all things.
Answ. It is no impeachment of a creatures knowledge not to know such things as belong not to him to know; which are such as the Father hath put into his own power, Act. 1. 7. and many things to come, Isa. 41. 23. and the thoughts of mens hearts, 1 King. 8. 39. and any secret which belongs to the Lord, Deut. 29. 29.
Satan deluded our first Parents by suggesting to them a conceit of knowledge of more then was meet to be known.
The gift of knowledge which Angels have is the rather necessary, because their main function is to be Gods Messengers, to declare and execute his will, which they cannot well do without knowledge thereof.