The tenth Chapter.
Where the battell betweene Michael and Lucifer was fought, how long it continued, and of their power, how fondlie papists and infidels write of them, and how reverentlie Christians ought to thinke of them.
OW where this battell was fought, and how long it continued, there is as great contention among the schoolemen, as was betwixt Michaël and Lucifer. The Thomists saie this battell was fought in the mpereiall*[* sic] heaven, where the abode is of blessed spirits, and the place of pleasure and felicitie. Augustine and manie others saie, that the battell was fought in the highest region of the aier; others saie, in the firmament; others in paradise. The ThomistsInstans, viz. punctum temp. nempe individuum Nunc. also saie it continued but one instant or pricke of time; for they tarried but two instants in all, even from their creation to their expulsion. The Scotists saie, that betweene their production and their fall, there were just foure instants. Nevertheles, the greatest number of schoolemen affirme, that they continued onelie three instants: bicause it stood with Gods justice, to give them three warnings; so as at the third warning Lucifer fell downe like led (for so are the words) to the bottome of hell; the rest were left in the aire, to tempt man. The Sadduces were as grosse the other waie: for they said, that by angels was ment nothing else, but the motion that God dooth inspire in men, or the/505. tokens of his power. He that readeth Eusebius shall see manie moreEuseb. in ecclesi. histor. absurd opinions and asseverations of angels: as how manie thousand yeares they serve as angels, before they come to the promotion of archangels, &c.
Monsieur Bodin, M. Mal. and manie other papists gather upon the seventh of Daniel, that there are just ten millians10000000. Johannes Cassianus in confessione theolog. tripart. of angels in heaven. Manie saie that angels are not by nature, but by office. Finallie, it were infinite to shew the absurd and curious collections hereabout. I for my part thinke with Calvine, that angels are creatures of God; though Moses spake nothing of their creation, who onelie applied himselfe to the capacitie of the common people, reciting nothing but things seene. And I saie further with him, that they are heavenlie spirits, whose ministration and service God useth: and in that respect are called angels. I saie yet againe with him,/363. that it is verie certeine,J. Cal. lib. instit. 1. cap. 14. sect. 8. that they have no shape at all; for they are spirits, who never have anie: and finallie, I saie with him, that the scriptures, for the capacitie of our wit, dooth not in vaine paint out angels unto us with wings; bicause we should conceive, that they are readie swiftlie to succour us. And certeinlie all the sounder divines doo conceive and give out, that both the names and also the number of angels are set downe in the scripture by the Holie-ghost, in termes to make us understand the greatnesse and the manner of their messages; which (I saie) are either expounded by the number of angels, or signified by their names.
Mich. And. thes. 107. 101. Idem thes. 103. 108.Furthermore, the schoole doctors affirme, that foure of the superior orders of angels never take anie forme or shape of bodies, neither are sent of anie arrand at anie time. As for archangels, they are sent onelie about great and secret matters; and angels are common hacknies about evere trifle; and that these can take what shape or bodie they list: marie they never take the forme of women or children. Item they saie that angels take most terrible shapes: for Gabriel appeared to Marie, when he saluted hir, Facie rutilante, veste coruscante, ingressu mirabili, aspectu terribili, &c: that is, with a bright countenance, shining attire, wonderfull gesture, and a dredful vissage, &c. But of apparitions I have spoken somewhat before, and will saie more hearafter. It hath beene long, and continueth yet a constant opinion, not one/lie506. among the papists; but among others also, that everie man hath assigned him, at the time of his nativitie, a good angell and a bad. For the which there is no reason in nature, nor authoritie in scripture. For not one angell, but all the angels are said to rejoise more of one convert, than of ninetie and nine just. Neither did one onelie angell conveie LazarusLuk. 15, 7.
Luk. 16, 23.
J. Cal. lib. instit. 1. cap. 14. into Abrahams bosome. And therefore I conclude with Calvine, that he which referreth to one angell, the care that GOD hath to everie one of us, dooth himselfe great wrong: as may appeare by so manie fierie chariots shewed by Elizæus2. Reg. 16. 17 to his servant. But touching this mysterie of angels, let us reverentlie thinke of them, and not curiouslie search into the nature of them, considering the vilenes of our condition, in respect of the glorie of their creation. And as for the foresaid fond imaginations and fables of Lucifer, &c: they are such as are not onelie ridiculous, but also accomptable among those impious curiosities, and vaine questions, which Paule speaketh of: neither have they anie tittle or letter in the scripture for the maintenance of their grosse opinions in this behalfe.