Angeli are interpreted, God's messengers; archangeli, high messengers; virtutes, powers, by which God works many miracles. Potestates are powers which have power over the accursed spirits, that they may not tempt the hearts of believing men so much as they desire. Principatus are authorities which have charge of the good angels, and they by their direction fulfil the divine mysteries. Dominationes are interpreted, lordships, because the other hosts of angels obey them with great subjection. Throni are thrones which are filled with such great grace of the Almighty Godhead, that the {345} All-powerful God dwells on them, and through them decides his dooms. Cherubim are interpreted, fullness of knowledge or understanding: they are filled with so much the more understanding as they are nearer to their Creator through the worthiness of their deserts. Seraphim are interpreted burning, or inflaming: they are so much the more burning in love of God as they are associated with him; for there are no other angels between them and the Almighty God. They are burning, not in wise of fire, but with great love of the Powerful King. God's kingdom is composed of hosts of angels and of religious men, and we believe that of mankind as great a number will ascend to that sublime realm as there remained of holy spirits in heaven after the fall of the accursed spirits. Nine hosts of angels were left, and the tenth perished. Now the multitude of religious men will be as great as was that of the steadfast angels; and we shall be annexed to their hosts, according to our deserts. Many faithful men there are who have little intellect to understand the deepness of God's lore, and will, nevertheless, with piety declare to other men concerning the glories of God, according to the measure of their intellect: these will be annexed to the angels, that is, to God's messengers. The chosen, who can investigate the mysteries of God, and preach with ghostly lore to others, will be numbered with the archangels, that is, with the high messengers. The holy, who work wonders in life, will be disposed among the heavenly powers who execute God's miracles. There are also some chosen men who drive out the accursed spirits from men possessed, by power of their prayers: whereto shall these be annexed except to the heavenly powers, who control the fiendlike tempters? Those chosen ones, who through high deserts excel their humbler brethren in authority, will have their portion also among the heavenly princes. Some there are so pious that they control with their authority all vices and sins in themselves, so that they are accounted {347} gods through their exalted purity: of these the Almighty said to Moses, "I will set thee that thou be Pharaoh's god." These servants of God, who are in so great honour in the sight of the Almighty that they are accounted gods, to what order are they assigned, unless to the host which is called lordships? for to them other angels are subordinate.