約伯倫理 第 848 章

16. 'God alone is powerful and to be feared.' — As if he plainly said: He alone truly terrifies the hearts of mortals, who out of the power of His own divinity truly possesses these things. For what terror does human power strike, which knows not when it may be deprived of the right of that same power? And rightly is it said: 'Who maketh concord in His high places,' because many things below are at variance with one another, but they run toward the concordant fullness of the things on high; and out of the cause of inward peace it comes to pass that often the things which are outward are disposed without peace. For Almighty God advances the good unto merit, when He permits the evil to rage against their life.

And the highest things are composed in concord, while the lowest are confounded, because thence in the heavenly places He associates His elect to the choirs of angels, whence on earth and in the lowest places He bears the manners of the reprobate opposing His will by their inclinations. 17. 'How the angels, supremely concordant among themselves, are said to strive together.' — But amid these things it pleases us to inquire, if supreme peace is retained in the high places, what is that which is said through the angel to Daniel: 'I am come for thy words: but the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and twenty days; and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me' (Dan. X, 13). And a little after: 'Now I will return to fight against the prince of the Persians.

For when I went forth, the prince of the Greeks appeared coming' (ibid. 20). What other 'princes of the nations' then does he call these, if not angels, who could have resisted him as he went forth? What peace therefore can there be in the high places, if even among the angelic spirits themselves the struggle of warring is carried on, who ever stand in the sight of truth? But because certain ministries of angels are set over the several nations to be dispensed, when the manners of their subjects in turn merit the aid of the presiding spirits against one another, those very spirits who preside are said to come against one another. For that angel who spoke to Daniel is recognized as set over the captives of the Israelite people established in Persia.

But Michael is found to be set over those of the same people who had remained in the land of Judaea. Whence to him a little after it is said by this same angel to Daniel: 'There is none that is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince' (ibid. 21). Of whom he also says this which we premised: 'And behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me' (ibid. 13). Who, since he is said by no means to be together with him, but to come to help, is plainly recognized as set over that people which was held captive in another part. What is it then for the angel to say: 'I am come for thy words, but the prince of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me' (ibid. 13), but to announce his own works to his subjects? As if he plainly said:

The merits of thy prayers indeed demand that the Israelite people be freed from the yoke of its captivity, but there is yet somewhat in that same people which ought to be purged in the dominion of the Persians, so that concerning the deliverance of that people the prince of the Persians may with right contradict me, although the tears of those also who were left in Judaea help thy prayers. Whence he subjoins this also which we have said: 'Michael your prince came to help me.' And when he goes forth to fight against the prince of the Persians, the prince of the Greeks appears coming to him. From which it is intimated that Judaea had also committed something against the Greeks, for whose cause forsooth he was resisting the deliverance of that people.

The angel therefore hears the prayers of the prophet, but the prince of the Persians resists, because although the deliverance of the people already goes forth by the force of the righteous suppliant, yet the life of that same people still contradicts, so that, because those who had been led into captivity are not yet fully purged, by right the Persians still hold dominion over them. Michael helps, but the prince of the Greeks comes to battle, because the so long oppression of the captives could indeed merit pardon, but that also which they had transgressed against the Greeks stood in the way of the benefit of their deliverance. Rightly therefore is it said that the angels come against one another, because the merits of the nations subject to them contradict in turn. For the sublime spirits presiding over those same nations by no means contend on behalf of those acting unjustly;

but they examine, justly judging, their deeds. And when the fault or the justice of each several nation is brought to the counsel of the supernal court, the presiding spirit of that same nation is declared either to have prevailed in the contest, or not to have prevailed. Yet of all these the one victory is the supreme will of their Maker over themselves, which, while they ever behold it, they never wish that which they are not able to obtain. Rightly therefore is it said: 'Who maketh concord in His high places.' There follows: