THE NINTH STEPP. From the Consideration of Angells.

WE are come to the highest Stepp of Ascention vnto God, * from crea∣ted substances. For if wee speake onely of Naturall per∣fection; there is no created substance higher then that of Angells. First therefore we will consider Angells accor∣ding to their excellency of Nature: Secondly according to their sublimity of Grace: And lastly according to the Offices which they execute.

For it is not our meaning Page  294to enter into a full Disputati∣on about Angells; but one∣ly to touch such thinges as may helpe vs, to eleuate ou• mindes to God. If an An∣gell then be compared vnto Mans reasonable Soule; it may fitly be called a perfect Soule, euen as the soule may be called an vnperfect Angell. For so of man spake the Pro∣phet by reason of his Soule when he said: Thou hast mi∣nished him a little lesse then An∣gells. * An Angell is a Perfect Spiritual Substance: the Soule an Vnperfect Spirituall Sub∣stance, because it is the Bo∣dyes Forme and but one part of Man. Therefore an Angell is all Spirit; Man partly Spirit, and partly flesh; or partly Page  295an Angell, and partly a beast. As if one should say; An An∣gell is all of golde; Man partly of golde, and partly of clay. The Prophet then said truely: Man is minished lit∣tle lesse then Angells. And it is also true, that the soule of man, because it is a part of man, is little lesse then an An∣gell. Whereupon it fol∣loweth, that an Angell is more like to God, then a man or his soule; for God is a Spirit, and not a Body or Forme of of a body.

And yet notwithstanding this resemblance of an Angell vnto God; God is a spirit in∣finitely excelling the dignity of an Angel. For God is a Sp•∣rit vncreated, eternall, immense Page  296Almighty, onely Good, onely Wise, onely High. If then my soule thou wilt confesse, that thou doest with reason admire the Nature of Angells: How much more oughtest thou to admire and reuerence the Nature of God, who without all comparison ex∣celleth them?

Neither in Nature or sub∣stance onely may an Angell be called a perfect M•n, * and Man an vnperfect Angell: but also in knowledge and vnderstan∣ding. For man (because hee vseth y^e ministery of his sences and discourseth from effectes to causes, and from causes to effectes) vnderstandeth with l•bour, and by degrees attai∣neth vnto knowledge: wher∣vpon Page  297he oftentimes doubteth, oftentimes is deceiued, and seldom findeth out the Truth: But an A•gell beholdeth a• once the effectes and causes together, seeth the Substance with the Accidentes, and spi∣rituall thinges with corpo∣rall.

Man therfore, whiles hee is a P•grim on carth, in vnder∣standing is not a little lesse, but much lesse then Angells: So that albeit hee excell in Witt, and in the study of Philosophy: Yet in com∣parison of an Angell, he may truely be accounted a Childe or sucking Infant.

Not vntruely therfore spake y^t Prophet of vs mortall Men: O•• of the mouth of Infantes, *Page  298and Sucklings, thou hast per∣fited praise. Heare what the wise Salomon iudged of our Wisdome, wherewith we are so puffed vp. All thinges are hard (saith he) Man can∣not explicate them in Worde. * And againe, God hath deliue∣red the World, to their disputa∣tion; that man cannot finde •he Worke, which God hath •rought from the beginning to the end. If all thinges then are hard, and which man can∣not explicate: And if man vnderstand nothing in this visible world, from the first Creature to the last, I say nothing so perfectly as that hee is able to ex∣plicate the Nature, Pro∣pertyes, Accidents, and secret Page  299virtues thereof: Into what errors shall he fall, if hee vndertake to search out the thinges which are aboue Heauen,

Therefore if thou be Wise my soule, follow the know∣ledge of Saluation and Wis∣dome of Saintes, which con∣sisteth in fearing God & kee∣ping his Commaundements; Delight more in prayer, then in Disputatiō; and in edifying Charity, then in proud know∣ledge. For that is the way which leadeth vnto life Eter∣nall, where we little ones shal he made equall with Angells which alwayes see the face of their Father which is in Heauen. *

There is also a third thing wherein Mans soule is not a Page  300litle lesse, but much lesse then Angells, to witt, in the pow∣er and commaund ouer Bo∣dyes. For Mans soule mo∣ueth the body by commaund∣ment of the Will: but other Bodyes it cannot so moue: And it moueth the body by Progressiue motion vpon the Earth: but cannot suspend it vpon the Water, cleuate it aboue the Ayer, or carry it whether it will: But Angells onely by Force of Spirit, and commaundment of Will, e∣leuate heauy bodyes, and carry them whether they lift. So an Angell tooke vp Aba∣chue, * and in a very short time carried him to Babilon to bring Daniel his •inner, & re∣carried him again to Palistine. Page  301A man also cannot fight in spirit onely with his enemies, but with his handes and wea∣pons: but an Angel by po∣wer of spirit, without hands or weapons can encounte• and ouercome a whole army of men. So one Angel ••ew at once a hundred, foure∣score and fiue thousand Assy∣rians. * And if Angels can do these thinges, what can the Lord and maker of Angels doe? He truely made all thinges of nothing, and can reduce all thinges to no∣thing.

Mans soule moreouer can by the art of payn∣ting with industry and la∣bour make the image of a man so lively that it may Page  304seeme to liue and breath: But an Angell can without labour of handes or instruments, al∣most in a moment of time as∣sume in such sort a body Ele∣mentarie, that wise men will iudge it to be the true body of a man, because it can walk, speake, eate, drinke, be tou∣ched, handled and washed. So Abraham prepared meate for the Angells, * and washt their feete: For as the Apostle declareth: * He receaued An∣gels to harbour thinking they had bene men. Which also happened to his nephew Loth, when he receaued two An∣gels as strangers into his house. * The Angell Raphael in like manner remayned with young Tobias many-dayes Page  305walking, speaking, eating, and drinking as if he had bene a man indeede: yet notwith∣standing being after to depart he said: I seemed indeede to eate with you, and to drinke; * but I vse an inu sible meate and drinke, and sodainly he vani∣shed from their sight.

Surely it is admirable, and proceedeth from great po∣wer, so to frame a body on the sodaine as that it may seeme to differ in nothing from y^e liuing body of a Man: and againe at pleasure on the fodaine so to dissolue the same body that nothing ther∣of remayne. If then the po∣wer of Angels be so great, how great is the power of the maker of Angels who gaue Page  304them that power? Truely as the knowledge of Angells and men, being com•ared with the knowledge of God is ignorance: and as the iu∣stice of Angells and men, be∣ing compared with the iustice of God is iniustice: so the power of Angells and men being compared with the po∣wer of God is infirmitie. Therefore it is truely said: * Our God onely wise, onely good, and onely migh•ie.

Lastly, if we consider the place of Angels and of men; we shall finde mans soule in that respect also, Not a little lesse, * but much lessened vnder A•gells (I willingly vse that word which the Apostle v• s•th, For God hath app•inted Page  305a place on earth for the soule of man: and in heauen to wit in his Pallace a place for Angels. * For the heauen of heauen is to our Lord: but the earth he hath giuen to the chil∣dren of men.

Whereupon our Lord in St. * Mathew calleth them The Angels of heauen. And in St. Luke he saith: There shall be ioy in heauen vpon one sinner that deth penance, * And a little after: There shall be ioy before the Angels of God, vpon one sin∣ner that doth penance. God al∣so hath so tyed the soule to the body, that it cannot with∣out it remoue from place to place: but Angels are not tyed to any body: but ha•e power giuen them to p•sse Page  308from heauen to earth, and from earth to heauen or whe∣ther soeuer they will with ve∣ry great speede; so that An∣gels being next vnto God in dignitie of Nature; doe also in some sort by their celerity, immitate his vbiquitie. For God is euery where by im∣mensitie of Nature, and there∣fore needeth no change of place: Angels by swiftnesse of motion passe so speedily from place to place, and so exhibit their presence in cue∣ry place, that they seeme after a sort to be euery where.

But my soule if thou wilt heare the Lord of Angels; there is no cause why thou shouldest enuy that Angels haue so high a place and so Page  309vnsatigable a motion: For not onely thou my soule, when thou art loosed from the body, shalt be equall vn∣to Angels: but when thou shalt returne vnto thy body which Christ Will corfigure to the body of his glory: * with that body shalt thou possesse heauen as thy owne-house, & it being made spirituall shall without labour or wearinesse be presently there where∣soeuer thou (the soule) shalt will and command it. * Thy Lord doth not deceaue thee, who saith in his Gospel: * In my Fathers house there be many Mansions. And, I goe and pre∣pare you a place. And, If I go and prepare you a place: I come againe, and will take you to my Page  308selfe, that where I am, you also may be. Father I will that where I am, * they also ma• be with me, and that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me. But thou art not ignorant where Christ is, and what bo∣dy he hath. For thou dost confesse euery day and say: On the third day he rose againe from the dead, he ascended into heauen; thou knowest also that his body after the resur∣rection did sometimes enter in among his Disciples the dores deing shut, * and depar∣ted from them not walking but vanishing; that is, he trans∣ferred his body from them so speedily as if it had beene a Spirit and not a body. But if thou secke after this glory; Page  309thou must first Consigure thy body, * to the body of the humili∣tie of Christ, And then Christ will configure thy body to the bo∣dy of his glory. For Christ suffered for vs, * leauing vs an example that we may follow his stepps saith St. Peter the Apo∣stle. And what are his Stepps? Who (saith he) did no sinne, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who when how•s reuy∣led, did not reuyle, when he suf∣fered be threatned not. There are two Stepps of Christ, which if thou tread not, tho• shalt loose thy way to hea∣uen. First doe not but suffer e∣uil: Secondly, Doe good, and here expect no good. Or (which is the summe of all) Loue thy neighbour for Page  312Gods sake, not for reward of man: and for friendship, not for lust.

Let vs now come to the dignitie of Angells according to Grace. * Truely in this also Man is lessened more then a little lesse then Angels. For God so created Angels in the beginning, that at the same instant he made their Nature, and infused in them grace, as St. * Augustine witnesseth in his bookes of the Cittie of God. And then so soone as by the first conuersion of their mindes to God, they adhered to him by loue (the reprobate Angels falling) they were crowned with beatitude and glory. Therefore their Pil∣grimage was very short; but Page  313their Mansion in heauen e∣ternall: If yet, that short space, which passed betweene their creation and beatitude, may be called a Pilgrimage. But we in our creation recea∣ued grace with our nature in our first parent, and not in our selues: therefore by his fall we al fell. In whom (as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5.) all sinned. For although by the Mediator of God and men Christ Iesus, we are reconciled to God; yet we are condem∣ned to continual banishment, and whiles we are in body, we are Pilgrims from our Lord For we walke by saith and not by sight. * And it much af∣flicteth pious men and such as sighafter heauen, that we are Page  312heere conuersant among our cruell ene••ies, where there is danger, lest being circumuen∣ted and taken by them, we be at leugth excluded from the poss•ssion of our most sweete country. Hence proceeded these wordes: * Woe is me that my soiourning is prole ged: I haue dwelt with the inhabitants of Cedar; my soule hath beene long a so•ourner. But although •n this we are lesse then Angels: yet Gods mercy doth greatly comfort vs; for that it hath pleased him of our kinde to exalt Christ aboue all the An∣gels of heauen, as also his Blessed Mother. Many men likewise being inferior to An∣•els in the guists of Nature, haue surmounted some of Page  313them in the guiftes of grace and equalled the Highest.

Truely St. Iohn Chrysistome expounding the Epistle to the Romans, * doubteth not to place the chiefe Apostles Pe∣ter and Paul whereas the Se∣raphins doe flye and gloryfie God. Which also is pious to beleeue of St. Iohn baptist and others.

Adde moreouer, that as the good Angels after their first merit entred into glory, so the euill Angels after their first sinne, were condemned to perpetuall punishment. Men ought not therefore to complaine of a longer space, since they may therein often •mend, and by repentance •rocure pardon for their Page  314offence.

It now remaineth that we speake somewhat of the of∣fices of Angels. * Angels haue fiue Offices. The first is alwayes with Hymnes and songes to prayse their maker. And that we may vnderstand how much God esteemeth this ministerie, we must con∣sider that the highest Angels are appointed for this Office; who being as it were, the first singers in that Quire, all the other Orders of Angels fol∣low with incredible exulta∣tion.

Heare what the Prophet Isay saith: * I s•we our Lord sitting vpor a high thr•ne & e∣•uated, & those things that were vnder h•m, filled the Temple Page  315Seraphins stood vpon the same: six wings to one, & six winges to the other, with two they couered his face, and with two they coue∣red his feete, and with two they fl•we. A•d they cryed one to in other, and said: Holy, h•ly, holy, the Lord God of hostes, all the earth is full of his glory. Heere thou hearest the name Seraphin, which are the Chiefe of the Heighest Order: Thou seest them couer his face and feete in signe of re∣uerence, as if they durst not behold his face or touch his bare feete: •hou seest they flye continually whiles they sing: which signifieth their desire to approach still nearer vnto God: which two things are needfull for those who Page  316desire to please God; that while they sing his prayses, they loue him with reuerence and reuerence him with loue. This the Prophet Dauid de∣clareth saying: * Serue our Lord in feare: and reioyce to him with trembling. From hence thou mayst learne my soule with what veneration God is to be serued, since the chiefe Angels in heauen which alwayes be∣holde his face, dare not (not∣withstanding their highe e∣state and long familiaritie) but reuerently feare him whiles they prayse him. And what wilt thou Dust and A∣shes answere at the day of iudgement, when thou shalt be reprehended for thy drow∣sinesse and distractions in a Page  317worke so diuine that thou wast not worthy to be im∣ployed therein? Learne ther∣fore from henceforth (being taught by such a President) to prayse thy God with feare, re∣uerence, atention, vigilancye and loue.

An other Office of Angels is to offer vp the prayers of men to God; And to commend them also by their suffrage: For so speaketh the Angel Raphael in the booke of Tobyas When thou didst pray with teares, * and didst bury the dead, and left thy dinner, I offered thy prayer to our Lord. And in the Apo∣calips Iohn sawe an Angel standing before the Altar with a golden Censer: * And Page  318there were (saith he) giuen to him many incenses, that he should giue of the prayers of all saintes vpon the Altar of golde, which is before the throne of God.

And in this truely the great mercy of God doth also ap∣peare. For he was not con∣tent, first by his Prophets and after by his sonne and his A∣postles to exhort vs to pray: but also promised to giue whatsoeuer we should aske: Aske (saith he) and it shall be giuen you. * And in an other place: * Yf you shall aske my Father any thing in my name, he will giue it you. And beside this promise he also added A reward to those that aske: * But thou (saith he) when thou Page  319shalt pray, enter into thy Cham∣ber, and hauing shut the dore, pray to thy Father in secret: •and thy father which seeth thee in secret, will repay thee, to wit areward, beside the thinges which thou didst aske. For so our Lord speaketh in that place, of prayer and A•mes∣deedes saying: Thy Father which seeth in secret will repay thee.

Neither is God content with this demonstration of fahterly loue: But hath ap∣pointed the Angels as masters of Requestes to take charge of the prayers and petitions of the poore, and to present and reade them in his sight, that no one of their Petitions may be forgotten. What Page  320Prince in the world did euer promise rewardes to those that came to demand of him mercy or iustice? And yet those which come to the Princes of the World are men and the Princes them∣selues also are men made of the same molde, and subiect to the same Almighty God. But albeit it may seeme much to reward those that aske: yet ought it not seeme much to giue them free accesse, to appoint faithfull masters of Requestes to keepe their pe∣titions, and to offer them vp and sollicite their speedy dispatch.

The third Office of Angels is to be sent as Ambassadours to denounce such thinges as Page  321God will haue denounced, especiall concerning our Redemption and saluation. So speaketh the Apostle to the Hebrewes: * Are not all (the Angels) ministring Spirits: Sent to minister for them which shall receaue the inheritance of saluation.

We reade also in many places of the olde Yesta∣ment, * how Angels appeared to the Patriarches and Pro∣phets, and manyfested to them such thinges as God would haue manifested. * We finde likewise in the new Te∣stament that the Angel Ga•ri∣el was sent as an Ambassador from God to Zacharie and to the virgin Mother of God. * * Angels also were sent to the Page  322shepheards, to St. Ioseph, and after the Resurrection of our Lord to the women that stay∣ed at the Sepulcher, * and after the Ascention, * to all the Di∣sciples. But if any aske, why God (who is euery where, and can easily by himselfe speake in the hearts of men) sendeth notwithstanding his Angels? I answer, because men may vnderstand that God regardeth their affaires, and that all thinges are go∣uerned and ordered by him. For otherwise they might perswade themselues that Gods inspirations did pro∣ceede from their owne dis∣course and counsaile: But when they see or heare that Angels are sent by God, Page  323and the thinges which the Angels foretold, to come so truely to passe; they cannot doubt but that God foreseeth mans affayres, & doth cheise∣ly direct and dispose such thinges as appertaine to the saluation of his Elect.

The fourth Office of Angells is to protect men both in particular and inge∣nerall. For it pleased the mercy of God to commend vnto his strongest seruants the custodye of the wea∣ker. And to appoint them as Tutors ouer Children, Gardians ouer Infantes Patrons ouer Clyents, shep∣heardes our sheepe, Phi∣sitions ouer sicke folkes, Defendors ouer Orphans, Page  324and such as cannot defend themselues but vnder the winges of the more mighty.

Of the protection of par∣ticular men Dauid witnesseth: He hath giuen his Angels charge rf thee, * that they keepe thee in all thy wayes. And Christ himselfe is also a faith∣full witnesse heereof: See (saith he) that you despise not one of these little ones, * for I say to you, that their Angells in heauen alwayes doe see the face of my Father which is in hea∣uen. Touching their pro∣tection also of Prouinces and kingdomes Daniel wit∣nesseth: * Who calleth the Gardian Angel of the king∣dome of Persia, the king of Persia, and the Gardian Page  325Angell of the Kingdome of Greece, the King of Greece, And the Gardian Angell of the Children of Israell, he calleth by his name Mi∣chaell. * Saint Iohn likewise in the Apocalips writeth of the Angells Gardians of Churches and maketh mention Of the Angell of the Church of Ephe∣sus, of Smyrna, and of others.

Therefore in euery King∣dome, there are two Kinges; the one a visible Man, the o∣ther an inuisible Angell: And in euery Church there are two Bishops; the one a visi∣ble man, the other an inuisi∣ble Angell: And in the vniuersal Catholique Church there are two chi•fe Pastors appointed vnder Christ our Page  328Lord, the one a vifible man, the other an inuisible Angell, which wee beleene to be St. Michaell the Archangell. For •s the Synagogue of the Iewes in times past: So now the Church of the Christians, doth reuerence him for her Patron.

Dost thou not see my soule, how carefull that Maiesty (who needeth nothing of ours) is of vs his poore ser∣uantes? What could he doe more to manifest his great loue then hee hath donne? He hath loaded vs with Be∣nefites, to make vs to stay wallingly with him: He hath guarded vs w•th a Watch, that we should not Fly from him, and he hath appointed Page  329ouer vs Protectors, least wee should be carried from him? What would he doe, if wee were his Treasure, as indeed he is our onely Treasure.

Therefore my soule yeild at last to his Loue, and being ouercome therewith; Man∣cipate and giue thy selfe who∣ly by an irreuocable vow vn∣to his seruice: Let not things which are seene moue thee: but thinke of and sigh after the thinges thou seest not: * For the thinges that be seene are Temporall: but those that be not seen• are Eternall.

The fift, and last Office of Angells, is to be as armed Captaines or Soldiours to work• Reuenge vpon Nations and Cotrection among the Page  328people. They were Angells which burned the Infamous Cittyes, * with fire and brim∣stone. Which kild the First begotten throughout all E∣gypt. * Which at one Assault destroyed many thousand As∣sirians. * And they shall be Angells which at the day of Iudgement, * Shall seperate the euill from among the iust, and shall cast them into the Furnace of Fire.

Let good men therefore loue the holy Angells as their Country-men: And let wic∣ked men dread their power, which are the Executioners of Almighty Gods wrath, from whose handes none can deliuer them.