The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity
by Richard
Hooker
Selections from Book I related to Angels
IV. But now that
we may lift up our eyes (as it were) from the footstool to the throne of
God, and leaving these natural, consider a little the state of heavenly
and divine creatures: touching Angels, which are spirits [Ps civ. 4; Heb
i. 7; Eph iii. 10] immaterial and intellectual, the glorious inhabitants
of those sacred palaces, where nothing but light and blessed
immortality, no shadow of matter for tears, discontentments, griefs, and
uncomfortable passions to work upon, but all joy, tranquillity, and
peace, even for ever and ever doth dwell: as in number and order they
are huge, mighty, and royal armies [Dan. vii. 10; Matt xxvi. 53; Heb
xii. 22; Luke ii. 13], so likewise in perfection of obedience unto that
law, which the Highest, whom they adore, love, and imitate, hath imposed
upon them, such observants they are thereof, that our Saviour himself
being to set down the perfect idea of that which we are to pray
and wish for on earth, did not teach to pray or wish for more than only
that here it might be with us, as with them it is in heaven [Matt vi.
10]. God which moveth mere natural agents as an efficient only, doth
otherwise move intellectual creatures, and especially his holy angels:
for beholding the face of God [Matt xviii. 10], in admiration of so
great excellency they all adore him; and being rapt with the love of his
beauty, they cleave inseparably for ever unto him. Desire to resemble
him in goodness maketh them unweariable and even unsatiable in their
longing to do by all means all manner good unto all the creatures of God
[Fairy Queen II. viii. 2], but especially unto the children of men [Ps
xci. 11,12; Luke xv. 7; Heb i. 14; Acts x. 3; Dan ix. 23; Matt xviii,
10; Dan iv. 13]: in the countenance of whose nature, looking downward,
they behold themselves beneath themselves; even as upward, in God,
beneath whom themselves are, they see that character which is no where
but in themselves and us resembled. Thus far even the paynims have
approached; thus far they have seen into the doings of the angels of
God; Orpheus confessing, that “the fiery throne of God is attended on by
those most industrious angels, careful how all things are performed
amongst men;” and the Mirror of human wisdom plainly teaching, that God
moveth angels, even as that thing doth stir man’s heart, which is
thereunto presented amiable [Aris Meta. 1. xii, c.7]. Angelical actions
may therefore be reduced unto these three general kinds: first, most
delectable love arising from the visible apprehension of the purity,
glory, and beauty of God, invisible saving only unto spirits that are
pure [Jov xxxviii. 7; Matt xviii. 10]: secondly, adoration grounded upon
the evidence of the greatness of God, on whom they see how all things
depend [Ps cxlviii. 2]; thirdly, imitation [This is intimated
wheresoever we find them termed "the sons of God" as Job i. 6 and
xxxviii.7], bred by the presence of his exemplary goodness, who ceaseth
not before them daily to fill heaven and earth with the rich treasures
of most free and undeserved grace.
[2.] Of angels, we are not to consider only what they are and do in
regard of their own being, but that also which concerneth them as they
are linked into a kind of corporation amongst themselves, and of society
or fellowship with men. Consider angels each of them severally in
himself, and their law is that which the prophet David mentioneth, “All
ye his angels praise him [Ps cxlviii. 2].” Consider the angels of God
associated, and their law is that which disposeth them as an army, one
in order and degree above another [Luke ii. 13; Matt xxvi. 53]. Consider
finally the angels as having with us that communion which the apostle to
the Hebrews noteth, and in regard whereof angels have not disdained to
profess themselves our “fellow-servants;” from hence there springeth up
a third law, which bindeth them to works of ministerial employment [Heb
xii. 22; Apoc. xxii. 9.]. Every of which
their several functions are by them performed with joy.
[3.] A part of the angels of God notwithstanding (we know) have
fallen [2 Pet ii. 4; Jude 6], and that their fall hath been through the
voluntary breach of that law, which did require at their hands
continuance in the exercise of their high and admirable virtue.
Impossible it was that ever their will should change or incline to remit
any part of their duty, without some object having force to avert their
conceit from God, and to draw it another way; and that before they
attained that high perfection of bliss, wherein now the elect angels [1
Tim v. 21] are without possibility of falling. Of any thing more than of
God they could not by any means like, as long as whatsoever they knew
besides God they apprehended it not in itself without dependency upon
God; because so long God must needs seem infinitely better than any
thing which they so could apprehend. Things beneath them could not in
such sort be presented unto their eyes, but that therein they must needs
see always how those things did depend on God. It seemeth therefore that
there was no other way for angels to sin, but by reflex of their
understanding upon themselves; when being held with admiration of their
own sublimity and honour, the memory of their subordination unto God and
their dependency on him was drowned in this conceit; whereupon their
adoration, love, and imitation of God could not choose but be also
interrupted. The fall of angels therefore was pride [Spencer's Hymn on
Heavenly Love]. Since their fall, their practices have been the clean
contrary unto those before mentioned [John viii. 44; 1 Pet v. 8; Apoc.
ix. 11; Gen iii. 15; 1 Chron xxi. 1; Job i. 7; John xiii. 27; Acts v.3;
Apoc. xx. 8]. For being dispersed, some in the air, some on the earth,
some in the water, some among the minerals, dens, and caves, that are
under the earth; they have by all means laboured to effect an universal
rebellion against the laws, and as far as in them lieth utter
destruction of the works of God. These wicked spirits the heathens
honoured instead of gods, both generally under the name of Dii inferi,
“gods infernal;” and particularly, some in oracles, some in idols, some
as household gods, some as nymphs: in a word, no foul and wicked spirit
which was not one way or other honoured of men as God, till such time as
light appeared in the world and dissolved the works of the devil. Thus
much therefore may suffice for angels,...
...VI.
In the matter of knowledge, there is between the angels of God and the
children of men this difference: angels already have full and complete
knowledge in the highest degree that can be imparted unto them; men, if
we view them in their spring, are at the first without understanding or
knowledge at all [Vide Isa. vii. 16]. Men’s first
beginning to grow to the knowledge of that law which they are to
observe. Nevertheless from this utter vacuity they grow by
degrees, till they come at length to be even as the angels themselves
are. That which agreeth to the one now, the other shall attain unto in
the end; they are not so far disjoined and severed, but that they come
at length to meet. The soul of man being therefore at the first as a
book, wherein nothing is and yet all things may be imprinted; we are to
search by what steps and degrees it riseth unto perfection of
knowledge...
...VIII. [4.] A law therefore
generally taken, is a directive rule unto goodness of operation. The
rule of divine operations outward, is the definitive appointment of
God’s own wisdom set down within himself. The rule of natural agents
that work by simple necessity, is the determination of the wisdom of
God, known to God himself the principal director of them, but not unto
them that are directed to execute the same. The rule of natural agents
which work after a sort of their own accord, as the beasts do, is the
judgment of common sense or fancy concerning the sensible goodness of
those objects wherewith they are moved. The rule of ghostly or
immaterial natures, as spirits and angels, is their intuitive
intellectual judgment concerning the amiable beauty and high goodness of
that object, which with unspeakable joy and delight doth set them on
work. The rule of voluntary agents on earth is the sentence that Reason
giveth concerning the goodness of those things which they are to do. And
the sentences which Reason giveth are some more some less general,
before it come to define in particular actions what is good...
...XVI
[4.]Neither are the Angels themselves so far severed from us in their
kind and manner of working, but that between the law of their heavenly
operations and the actions of men in this our state of mortality such
correspondence there is, as maketh it expedient to know in some sort the
one, for the other’s more perfect direction. Would Angels acknowledge
themselves “fellow-servants [Apoc xix. 10]” with the sons of men, but
that both having one Lord, there must be some kind of law which is one
and the same to both, whereunto their obedience being perfecter is to
our weaker both a pattern and a spur? Or would the Apostles, speaking of
that which belongeth unto saints as they are linked together in the bond
of spiritual society [1 Pet i. 12; Eph iii. 10; 1 Tim c. 21], so often
make mention how Angels therewith are delighted, if in things publicly
done by the Church we are not somewhat to respect what the Angels of
heaven do? Yea, so far hath the Apostle Saint Paul proceeded, as to
signify [1 Cor xi. 10], that even about the outward orders of the Church
which serve but for comeliness, some regard is to be had of Angels, who
best like us when we are most like unto them in all parts of decent
demeanour. So that the law of Angels we cannot judge altogether
impertinent unto the affairs of the Church of God....
