In some chosen men, who live with great heedfulness in the present life, the grace of God's Spirit is so great, that he, sitting on their hearts as it were on a throne, decides and judges wondrously the deeds of other men. What are these but thrones of their Creator, on which abiding he judges men? True love is the completion of God's law, and he who in his moral conduct holds love of God and of men, will be rightly called cherubim; for all understanding and knowledge is contained in two words, namely, love of God and of men. Some servants of God are inflamed with so great a desire for the presence of their Creator, that they despise all worldly care, and with burning mind rise above all perishing honours, and with the great heat of heavenly love enkindle others, and with instructive speech confirm them. How may these be called but seraphim, when through the great heat of love of God they are before other mortals nearest to his presence? Now says the blessed Gregory, "Woe to the soul that passes its life devoid of the holy virtues," which we have just shortly explained to you. But let the soul which is deprived of those excellences mourn, and desire that the bountiful Ruler will, through his grace, associate it to the lot of his chosen. All men have not like grace from God, for he gives ghostly honours to every one according to his endeavours. Let him who has less grace envy not those more excellent, because the holy companies of blessed angels are so ordered, that some in subordination obey others, and some with transcending dignity are set before others. {349} Great is the number of the holy spirits which dwell in God's kingdom, of whom the prophet Daniel said, "Thousand thousands ministered to the Heavenly Ruler, and ten thousand times hundredfold thousands dwelt with him." One thing is ministry, another is, co-dwelling. Those angels minister to God who announce his will to the world, and perform the things which are pleasing to him. The other hosts, that dwell with him, enjoy the closest contemplation of his Godhead, so that they on no account, sent forth, withdraw from his presence. But those who are sent to us so execute their Creator's behest without, that they, nevertheless, depart never from his divine joy; for God is everywhere, though the angel be local. The Almighty Ruler is not local, for he is in every place, and whithersoever the local angel flieth, he will be surrounded with His presence. Some of them have especial grace from their Creator, and yet their dignity is common to all, and that which each one has in himself partially, he has in another host perfectly; of which the psalmist said, "Lord, thou who sittest above the cherubim, manifest thyself."