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60. It is more important to be able to discern and
tell when Satan transforms himself as an angel of
light, lest by this deception he should seduce us
into harmful acts. For, when he deceives the
corporeal senses, and does not thereby turn the mind
from that true and right judgment by which one leads
the life of faith, there is no danger to religion. Or
if, feigning himself to be good, he does or says
things that would fit the character of the good
angels, even if then we believe him good, the error
is neither dangerous nor fatal to the Christian
faith.
But when, by these alien wiles, he begins to lead
us into his own ways, then great vigilance is
required to recognize him and not follow after. But
how few men are there who are able to avoid his
deadly stratagems, unless God guides and preserves
them! Yet the very difficulty of this business is
useful in this respect: it shows that no man should
rest his hopes in himself, nor one man in another,
but all who are God's should cast their hopes on him.
And that this latter is obviously the best course for
us no pious man would deny.
61. This part of the Church, therefore, which is
composed of the holy angels and powers of God will
become known to us as it really is only when, at the
end of the age, we are joined to it, to possess,
together with it, eternal bliss. But the other part
which, separated from this heavenly company, wanders
through the earth is better known to us because we
are in it, and because it is composed of men like
ourselves. This is the part that has been redeemed
from all sin by the blood of the sinless Mediator,
and its cry is: "If God be for us, who is against us?
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up
for us all...."(126) Now Christ did not die for the
angels. But still, what was done for man by his death
for man's redemption and his deliverance from evil
was done for the angels also, because by it the
enmity caused by sin between men and the angels is
removed and friendship restored. Moreover, this
redemption of mankind serves to repair the ruins left
by the angelic apostasy.
62. Of course, the holy angels, taught by God--in
the eternal contemplation of whose truth they are
blessed--know how many of the human race are required
to fill up the full census of that commonwealth. This
is why the apostle says "that all things are restored
to unity in Christ, both those in heaven and those on
the earth in him."(127) The part in heaven is indeed
restored when the number lost from the angelic
apostasy are replaced from the ranks of mankind. The
part on earth is restored when those men predestined
to eternal life are redeemed from the old state of
corruption.
Thus by the single sacrifice, of which the many
victims of the law were only shadows, the heavenly
part is set at peace with the earthly part and the
earthly reconciled to the heavenly. Wherefore, as the
same apostle says: "For it pleased God that all
plenitude of being should dwell in him and by him to
reconcile all things to himself, making peace with
them by the blood of his cross, whether those things
on earth or those in heaven."(128)
63. This peace, as it is written, "passes all
understanding." It cannot be known by us until we
have entered into it. For how is the heavenly realm
set at peace, save together with us; that is, by
concord with us? For in that realm there is always
peace, both among the whole company of rational
creatures and between them and their Creator. This is
the peace that, as it is said, "passes all
understanding." But obviously this means our
understanding, not that of those who always see the
Father's face. For no matter how great our
understanding may be, "we know in part, and we see in
a glass darkly."(129) But when we shall have become
"equal to God's angels,"(130) then, even as they do,
"we shall see face to face."(131) And we shall then
have as great amity toward them as they have toward
us; for we shall come to love them as much as we are
loved by them.
In this way their peace will become known to us,
since ours will be like theirs in kind and
measure--nor will it then surpass our understanding.
But the peace of God, which is there, will still
doubtless surpass our understanding and theirs as
well. For, of course, in so far as a rational
creature is blessed, this blessedness comes, not from
himself, but from God. Hence, it follows that it is
better to interpret the passage, "The peace of God
which passes all understanding," so that from the
word "all" not even the understanding of the holy
angels should be excepted. Only God's understanding
is excepted; for, of course, his peace does not
surpass his own understanding. |