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29. It is, however, objected that other beings which are
enumerated with the Father and the Son are certainly not always
glorified together with them. The apostle, for instance, in his
charge to Timothy, associates the angels with them in the words, "I
charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect
angels." We are not for alienating the angels from the rest of
creation, and yet, it is argued, we do not allow of their being
reckoned with the Father and the Son. To this I reply, although
the argument, so obviously absurd is it, does not really deserve a
reply, that possibly before a mild and gentle judge, and especially
before One who by His leniency to those arraigned before Him
demonstrates the unimpeachable equity of His decisions, one might be
willing to offer as witness even a fellow-slave; but for a slave to be
made free and called a son of God and quickened from death can only be
brought about by Him who has acquired natural kinship with us, and has
been changed from the rank of a slave. For how can we be made kin with
God by one who is an alien? How can we be freed by one who is himself
under the yoke of slavery? It follows that the mention of the Spirit
and that of angels are not made under like conditions. The Spirit is
called on as Lord of life, and the angels as allies of their
fellow-slaves and faithful witnesses of the truth. It is customary
for the saints to deliver the commandments of God in the presence of
witnesses, as also the apostle himself says to Timothy, "The things
which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou
to faithful men;" and now he calls the angels to witness, for he
knows that angels shall be present with the Lord when He shall come in
the glory of His Father to judge the world in righteousness. For He
says, "Whoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of
Man also confess before the angels of God, but he that denieth Me
before men shall be denied before the angels of God;" and Paul in
another place says," When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven with his angels." Thus he already testifies before the
angels, preparing good proofs for himself at the great tribunal.
30. And not only Paul, but generally all those to whom is
committed any ministry of the word, never cease from testifying, but
call heaven and earth to witness on the ground that now every deed that
is done is done within them, and that in the examination of all the
actions of life they will be present with the judged. So it is said,
"He shall call to tile heavens above and to earth, that he may judge
his people." And so Moses when about to deliver his oracles to the
people says, "I call heaven and earth to witness this day;" and
again in his song he says, "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will
speak, and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth;" and Isaiah,
"Hear, O heavens. and give ear, O earth;" and Jeremiah
describes astonishment in heaven at the tidings of the unholy deeds of
the people: "The heaven was astonished at this, and was horribly
afraid, because my people committed two evils." And so the apostle,
knowing the angels to be set over men as tutors and guardians, calls
them to witness. Moreover, Joshua, the son of Nun, even set up a
stone as witness of his words (already a heap somewhere had been called
a witness by Jacob), for he says, "Behold this stone shall be a
witness unto you this day to the end of days, when ye lie to tile Lord
our God," perhaps believing that by God's power even the stones
would speak to the conviction of the transgressors; or, if not, that
at least each man's conscience would be wounded by the force of the
reminder. In this manner they who have been entrusted with the
stewardship of souls provide witnesses, whatever they may be, so as to
produce them at some future day. But the Spirit is ranked together
with God, not on account of the emergency of the moment, but on
account of the natural fellowship; is not dragged in by us, but
invited by the Lord.
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