selves and fellow-creatures; for there is in this universe a stair, or
manifest scale of creatures, rising not disorderly or in confusion, but
with a comely method and proportion. Between creatures of mere existence
and things of life, there is a large disproportion of nature; between
plants and animals and creatures of sense, a wider difference; between
them and man, a far greater: and if the proportion hold on, between man
and angels there should be yet a greater. We do not comprehend their
natures, who retain the first definition of Porphyry, and distinguish
them from ourselves by immortality; for before his fall, it is thought
man also was immortal; yet must we needs affirm that he had a different
essence from the angels; having, therefore, no certain knowledge of their
natures, it is no bad method of the schools, whatsoever perfection we
find obscurely in ourselves, in a more complete and absolute way to
ascribe unto them. I believe they have an extemporary knowledge, and
upon the first motion of their reason do what we cannot without study or
deliberation; that they know things by their forms, and define by
specifical difference what we describe by accidents and properties; and
therefore probabilities to us may be demonstrations unto them: that they
have knowledge not only of the specifical, but numerical forms of
individuals, and understand by what reserved difference each single
hypostasis (besides the relation to its species) becomes its numerical
self. That as the soul hath power to move the body it informs, so there
is a faculty to move any, though inform none; ours upon restraint of
time, place, and distance; but that invisible hand that conveyed Habakkuk
to the lions' den, or Philip to Azotos, infringeth this rule, and hath a
secret conveyance, wherewith mortality is not acquainted. If they have
that intuitive knowledge, whereby, as in reflection, they behold the
thoughts of one another, I cannot peremptorily deny but they know a great
part of ours. They that to refute the invocation of saints have denied
that they have any knowledge of our affairs below, have proceeded too
far, and must pardon my opinion, till I can thoroughly answer that piece
of Scripture, 'At the conversion of a sinner the angels in heaven
rejoice.' I cannot with those in that great Father securely interpret
the work of the first day, _fiat lux_, to the creation of angels, though
I confess there is not any creature that hath so near