The Institution of Christian Religion

That the Angels, for as much as they are the ministers of God ordained §4to execute his commandments, are also his creatures, it ought to be certainly out of all question. To move doubt of the time and order that they were created in, should it not rather be a busy waywardness than diligence?¹ Moses declareth that the earth was made, and the heavens were made, with all their armies, to what purpose than is it, curiously to search, what day the other more secrete armies of heaven beside the stars and planets first began to be? But, because I will not be long: let us, as in the whole doctrine of religion, so here also remember that we ought to keep one rule of modesty and sobriety, that of obscure things we neither speak, nor think, nor yet desire to know any other things than that hath ben taught us by the word of God: and an other point, that in reading of Scripture we continually rest upon the searching and studying of such things as pertain to edification, and not give our selves to curiosity or study of things unprofitable. And because it was Gods pleasure to instruct us, not in •riflyng questions, but in sound godliness, fear of his name, true confidence, and duties of holiness: let us rest upon such knowledge. Wherefore, if we will be rightly wise, we must leave those vanities that idle men have taught without warrant of the word of God, concerning the nature, degrees, and multitude of Angels. I know that such matters as this, are by many more greedily taken hold of, and are more pleasant unto them than such things as lye in daily use. But if it grieve us not to be the scholars of Christ, let it not grieve us to follow that order of learning that he hath appointed. So shall it so come to pass, that being contented with his schooling, we shall not only forbear but also abhor superfluous speculations, from which he calleth us away. No man can deny, that the same Denise, what soever man he was, hath disputed many things both subtly and wittily in his Hierarchy of heaven: but if a man examine it more nearly, he shall ⟨image 54⟩find that for the most part it is but mere babbling. But the dutiful purpose of a divine is, not to delight ears with prating, but to stablish consciences with teaching things true, certain, and profitable.