The Institution of Christian Religion

But this one thing which many troublesome do call in doubt, is to be holden for certainty, that Angels are ministering spirits, whose service God useth for the defence of his, & by whom he both distributeth his benefits among men, and also putteth his other works in execution. It was in the old time the opinion of the Sadducees, that by Angels is meant nothing else, but either the motions that God doth inspire in men, or the tokens that he showeth of his power. But against this error cry out so many testimonies of Scripture, that it is marvel that so gross ignorance could be suffered in that people. For to omit ⟨p. 47⟩those places that I have before alleged, where are recited thousands and Legions of Angels: where joy is given unto them: where it is said that they uphold the Faithful with their hands, and carry their souls into rest: that they see the face of the Father, and such like: there are other places whereby is clearly proved, that they are in deed Spirits of a nature that hath substance.¹ For where as Stephen and Paul do say, that the law was given by the hand of Angels, and Christ saith, that the elect after the resurrection shall be like unto Angels: that the day of judgement is not known to the very Angels: that he shall then come with his holy Angels: how soever they be writhed, yet must they so be understanded. Likewise when Paul chargeth Timothy before Christ and his chosen Angels, to keep his commandments, he meaneth not qualities or inspirations without substance but very spirits. And otherwise it standeth not together that is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that Christ is become more excellent than Angels, that the world is not made subject to them: that Christ toke upon him not their nature, but the nature of man. If we mean not the blessed spirits, to whom may these comparisons agree? And the author of that Epistle expounded him self where he placeth in the kingdom of heaven the souls of the faithful & the holy angels together. Also the same that we have already alleged, that the Angels of children do alway behold the face of god, that they do rejoice at our safety, that they marvel at the manifold grace of God in the church,² that they are subject to Christ, the head.

But this one thyng whiche many troublesome doo call in doubt, is to be holden for certaintie, that Angels are ministrynge spirites, whose seruice God vseth for the defence of his, & by whom he both distributeth his benefites among men, and also putteth his other workes in execution. It was in the old tyme the opinion of the Sadduces, that by Angels is meant nothyng els, but eyther the motions that God dothe inspire in men, or the tokens that he sheweth of his power. But agaynste this errour crie out so many testimonies of Scripture, yt it is meruaile that so grosse ignorance coulde be suffred in that people. For to omitte