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—من مقربين "who stand nearest to God" (Hyde, Rel. V. P. p. 262);—of "Seraphim" (Is. vi. 1-7);[1]—of "Archangels" (1 Thess. iv. 16; St. Jude, 9; Rev. xii. 7);—of "Watchers" (Dan. iv. 10, 17, 20);[2]—
- ↑ The Eastern Church teaches that Angels are arranged in three διακοσμήσεις; each of which contains three τάξεις.—I. τὰ Χερουβὶμ, τὰ Σεραφὶμ, καὶ τοὺς Θρόνους.—II. τὰς Κυρίοτητας, τὰς Ἐξουσίας, τὰς Δυνάμεις.—III. τὰς Ἀρχὰς, τοὺς Ἀρχαγγέλους καὶ τοὺς Ἀγγέλους. (See Metroph. Critopuli Conf. p. 52), or, "ἐν ἐννέα χοροὺς διαιροῦνται, καὶ οἱ ἐννέα τούτοις εἰς τρεῖς τάξεις" (Confessio Orthod. p. 80, ed. Kimmel). It is in accordance with these hierarchical orders in Heaven, that the same Church praises God, for that He has also in His Church upon Earth, "chosen faithful men to do His will; ܘܦܪܫ ܕܪܓܝܗܘܢ ܚܕ ܡܢ ܚܢܒܪܗ܆ ܘܥܒܕ ܐܢܘܢ ܪ̈ܡܐ ܘܡܨ̈ܠܝܐ ܐܚ ܡܢܝܢܐ ܕܬܫܥ̈ܐ ܬܐܓܡܝܢ ܕܡܠܖܟ̈ܐ܆—and having distinguished their several orders one from the other, has made them 'superior' and 'inferior' (middling) according to the number of the nine orders of Angels." (Codex. Liturg. Eccles. Univ. ed. J. A. Asseman, v. ii. pp. 13, 49, 74, 132, 137, etc.; but see especially the learned note of J. Morinus, in the Appendix to that volume.)
- ↑ We read in Dan. iv. 10, 20,—וַאֲלֹוּ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ מִן־שְׁמַיָּא נָחִֽת, "Behold a Watcher and a Holy One were coming down from Heaven;" and v. 14,—בִּגְזֵרַת עִירין פִּתְגָּמָא וּמֵאמַר שְׁאֶלְתָּ֑א "This
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