Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

Augustine seemeth in many places to attribute bodies unto Angels,¹ namely in his second book De trinitate. chap. vii. and in the third book, chap. 1. which thing the Schoolmen perceiving, have excused him, saying that he spake not according to his own opinion, but after the opinion of other men. Which thing I also could well allow, for as much as I see that that father (in his. viii. book De civitate dei, the .xvi. chap.) after the opinion of Apuleius, Madaurensis, & Porphyrius, defineth, that Demons are in kind animalia, that is, having sense, in soul passive, in mind reasonable, in body airy, in time eternal. Undoubtedly, herein he followeth the doctrine of Plato's sect. But in the places before alleged he seemeth to speak altogether of himself. Yea,² and Bernhardus also upon Cantica Canticorum, as it appeareth, is of the same opinion. Wherefore the school men are compelled to invent an other excuse, and they say that Angels, if they be compared with men, are spirits: but if with God, they have bodies, because they fail from the unity and simplicity of God. Tertulian de carne Christi, ³affirmeth that Angels have bodies. But that is not so much to be marvelled of him, for he attributeth a body also unto God him self. But he calleth a body whatsoever is. For he had to do with unlearned and rude men, which think that whatsoever is not a body, is nothing. But the schoolmen say that Angels are in very deed spirits, but when they come unto men, they take upon them airy bodies, and thicken them and make them gross, whereby they may be seen, touched, and felt above the nature of air. There are some also which say, that some earthly or waterish thing is mixed with them: and yet will they not that there is there a perfect mixture, that they should not be compelled to put generation there. There were some also, which thought that Angels sometimes took upon them dead karcases. But this seemeth unto the greater part a thing unworthy, so to think of holy Angels.

Augustine seemeth in many places to attribute bodies vnto Aungels,¹ namely in his second booke De trinitate. chap. vii. and in the third booke, chap. 1. which thing the Schoolemen perceauing, haue excused him, saying that he spake not according to his own opinion, but after the opinion of other men. Which thing I also could well allow, for as muche as I see that that father (in his. viii. booke De ciuitate dei, the .xvi. chap.) after the opinion of Apuleius, Madaurensis, & Porphyrius, defineth, that Demones are in kinde animalia, that is, hauing sense, in soule passiue, in mynde reasonable, in body ayry, in time eternal. Vndoubtedly, herein he followeth the doctrine of Platoes sect. But in the places before alledged he semeth to speake altogether of himselfe. Yea,