(2) In addition to these things, also, the manifestation of the Gods imparts truth and power, rectitude of works, and gifts of the greatest goods; but the manifestation of other powers is appropriately accompanied by such things as are commensurate to their several orders. Thus the manifestation of archangels imparts truth, not simply about all things, but definitely of certain things; and this not always, but sometimes; nor indefinitely to all, or every where, but with limitation, in a certain place, or to a certain individual. In like manner it does not impart a power effective of all things, nor always without distinction, nor every where; but a power which is effective sometimes, and in a certain place. But the manifestation of angels, in a still greater degree than that of archangels, divides, in imparting good, the circumscriptions which are always defined by them in more contracted boundaries.

(14) But, as I think, characteristic of the highest power is the accurate scrutiny of all the parts, reaching even to the minutest, terminating in the first Administrator of the universe, who by the will of the Father directs the salvation of all; some overlooking, who are set under others, who are set over them, till you come to the great High Priest. For on one original first Principle, which acts according to the [Father's] will, the first and the second and the third depend. Then at the highest extremity of the visible world is the blessed band of angels; and down to ourselves there are ranged, some under others, those who, from One and by One, both are saved and save.

(55) As when the flash of life riseth up in the centre of the divine power, wherein all the spirits of God attain their life, and highly rejoice, there is a loving and holy embracing, kissing, tasting, touching or feeling, hearing, seeing and smelling, so also there is among the angels; when the one seeth, heareth, feeleth or toucheth another, then there riseth up in his heart the flash of life, and the one spirit embraceth the other, as it is in the Deity. Observe here the Ground and highest Mystery of God's Angels.

(2) But the soul which verges downward draws along with it the signs of bonds and punishments, is heavy with material spirits, is detained by the anomalous tumults of matter, and exhibits before itself, genesiurgic presiding dæmons. And, in short, all these genera exhibit their proper orders; viz. the aerial genera exhibit aerial fire; the terrestrial a terrestrial and blacker fire; and the celestial a more splendid fire. But in these three boundaries all the genera are distributed according to a triple order of beginning, middle, and end. And the Gods, indeed, exhibit the supreme and most pure causes of this triple order. But the genera of angels depend on those of archangels. The genera of dæmons appear to be subservient to those of angels; and in a similar manner to these, the genera of heroes are ministrant. They are not, however, subservient to angels in the same way as dæmons. Again, the genera of archons, whether they preside over the world or over matter, exhibit the order which is adapted to them. But all the genera of souls present themselves to the view as the last of more excellent natures. Hence, also, they exhibit places in conjunction with themselves; souls of the first rank primary, but those of the second rank secondary, places, and the rest conformably to their arrangement, in each of these three genera.

(2) So the best thing on earth is the most pious man; and the best thing in heaven, the nearer in place and purer, is an angel, the partaker of the eternal and blessed life. But the nature of the Son, which is nearest to Him who is alone the Almighty One, is the most perfect, and most holy, and most potent, and most princely, and most kingly, and most beneficent. This is the highest excellence, which orders all things in accordance with the Father's will, and holds the helm of the universe in the best way, with unwearied and tireless power, working all things in which it operates, keeping in view its hidden designs. For from His own point of view the Son of God is never displaced; not being divided, not severed, not passing from place to place; being always everywhere, and being contained nowhere; complete mind, the complete paternal light; all eyes, seeing all things, hearing all things, knowing all things, by His power scrutinizing the powers. To Him is placed in subjection all the host of angels and gods; He, the paternal Word, exhibiting a the holy administration for Him who put [all] in subjection to Him.

(10) Here thou must know that the angels are not all of one quality, neither are they equal or alike to one another in power and might: Indeed every angel has the power of all the seven qualifying or fountain spirits, but in every one there is somewhat of one quality more predominant and strong than another, and according to that quality is he also glorified.

(36) Now, that qualifying or fountain spirit in the Deity which does shew itself then specially or more distinctly with its rising up and love-wrestling, as if it had become the prince or chief of them, that very angelprince belonging to it beginneth instantly his heavenly music with his own legions, according to his quality, with singing, ringing forth piping melody, and in all the manners of heavenly skill and art, which riseth up in the spirits of God.

(86) And as is the rising up of the spirits in every place, so the tone also formeth itself, but very meekly, and incomprehensibly to the bodies of the angels, but very comprehensibly to the animated or soulish birth or geniture of angels: and as the Deity presenteth itself in each place, so the angels also present themselves: For the angels were created out of this being, and have among them their princes of the qualifying or fountain spirits of God, as these princes are in the birth or geniture of God.

(3) Nor could one reach, in counting, unto twenty So swiftly, as a portion of these angels Disturbed the subject of your elements. The rest remained, and they began this art Which thou discernest, with so great delight That never from their circling do they cease. The occasion of the fall was the accursed Presumption of that One, whom thou hast seen By all the burden of the world constrained. Those whom thou here beholdest modest were To recognise themselves as of that goodness Which made them apt for so much understanding; On which account their vision was exalted By the enlightening grace and their own merit, So that they have a full and steadfast will. I would not have thee doubt, but certain be, 'Tis meritorious to receive this grace, According as the affection opens to it. Now round about in this consistory Much mayst thou contemplate, if these my words Be gathered up, without all further aid. But since upon the earth, throughout your schools, They teach that such is the angelic nature That it doth hear, and recollect, and will,

(24) Therefore has he created the holy angels out of himself, which are as it were little gods, answerable to the being and qualities of the whole God, that in the divine power they should act forth the praise, and sing and ring forth in the power, and increase the arising joy from the Heart of God.

(143) For as God works in nature to the producing of all manner of forms, ideas, images, vegetations, springings, fruits and colours, so do the angels also, in very great simplicity or sincerity; and though they should scarce touch the least twig, or scarce rejoice in the beauteous flowers in the heavenly May, and discourse and confer never so little, weakly, meanly or simply thereof; yet nevertheless that very tone or speech riseth up together in the divine Salitter, and helpeth to coimage and frame or form all.

(65) Behold, O Child of Man! All the Angels were created in the first Principle, and by the outflowing Spirit were formed, and made a Body in a true angelical and spiritual Manner, and enlightened from the Light of God, that they might increase the paradisical Joy, and abide [therein] eternally. But seeing they were to abide eternally, they must be figured [or formed] out of the indissoluble Band, out of the first Principle, which is an indissoluble Band; and they ought to look upon the Heart of God, and feed upon the Word of God, and this Food would be their holy Preservation, and would make their Image clear and light; as the Heart of God, in the Beginning of the second Principle, enlightens the Father, (that is, the first Principle;) and there the divine Power, Paradise, and the Kingdom of Heaven spring up.

(21) There are two things to be observed in God; the first is the Salitter, or the divine powers, out of which is the body or corporeity; and the second is the Mercurius, tone, tune or sound: thus also it is, in like manner and form, in an angel.

(121) Thou must not understand this, as if these royal angels were to rule in the Deity, that is, in the seven qualifying or fountain spirits of God, which are without or distinct from the creatures; no, but each over his creatures, or the creatures of his own dominion.

(1) In the last place, the dispositions of the soul of those that invoke the Gods to appear receive, when they become visible, a liberation from the passions, a transcendent perfection, and an energy entirely more excellent, and participate of divine love and an immense joy. But when archangels appear, these dispositions receive a pure condition of being, intellectual contemplation, and an immutable power. When angels appear, they participate of intellectual wisdom and truth, pure virtue, stable knowledge, and a commensurate order. But when dæmons are seen, they receive the appetite of generation and a desire of nature, together with a wish to accomplish the works of Fate, and a power effective of things of this kind. If heroes are seen, they derive from the vision other such like manners and many impulses, which contribute to the communion of souls. But when these dispositions come into contact with archons, mundane or material, motions are excited in conjunction with the soul. And, together with the vision of souls, the spectators derive genesiurgic tendencies and connascent providential inspections, for the sake of paying attention to bodies, and such other peculiarities as are allied to these.

(48) "Behold, I have revealed to you the name of the Perfect One, the whole will of the Mother of the Holy Angels, that the masculine multitude may be completed here, that there might appear in the aeons, the infinities and those that came to be in the untraceable wealth of the Great Invisible Spirit, that they all might take from his goodness, even the wealth of their rest that has no kingdom over it. I came from First Who Was Sent, that I might reveal to you Him Who Is from the Beginning, because of the arrogance of Arch-Begetter and his angels, since they say about themselves that they are gods. And I came to remove them from their blindness, that I might tell everyone about the God who is above the universe. Therefore, tread upon their graves, humiliate their malicious intent, and break their yoke and arouse my own. I have given you authority over all things as Sons of Light, that you might tread upon their power with your feet."

(24) For man first gat his members of generation and fundament in his doleful and lamentable fall. An angel sendeth forth nothing but the divine power, which he taketh in at his mouth, wherewith he kindleth his heart, and the heart kindleth all the members, and that he sendeth forth from himself again at the mouth, when he speaketh and praiseth God.

(51) Therefore the angels can do no other than their Father does, as also our angelical King JESUS CHRIST testified, when he was with us on earth, as it is written in the Gospel, where he [John v.

(66) For in God there is neither beginning nor end; but the angels have a beginning and end, but not circumscriptive, apprehensive, palpable or conclusive; for an angel can sometimes be great, and suddenly little again; their alteration is as swift as man's thoughts are. All qualities and powers are in an angel, as they are in the whole Deity.

(8) Since thou hast perceived, in the third chapter, the ground of the Ternary in the divine being, I shall here shew plainly the power and operation, as also the qualities or qualification, in the divine being; or from what the angels were properly and peculiarly created, or what their body and power are.