Page:Who is God in China.djvu/207

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196

Further, we may take comfort from the thought that they are all ministering Spirits, sent forth, by our Heavenly Father, "to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Heb. i. 14). "αἴροντες


Da sunt celeberrimi." In the Lib. Adami, ܥܢܻܪܐܳ generally means "a guardian Angel" (as, e. g., lib. i. p. 148)—"How shall we speak of the superiority in ܩܶܫܢܫ ܟܰܝܐ ܕܥܝܻܪ ܣܳܓܐܶ ܡܢ ܡܶܡܪܐ ܐܡܪܐ nature of the guardian Angel who goes about, over that of the word of a Speaking Spirit?" and ii. 318, etc. In a Syriac Liturgy, quoted by J. Morinus (in Appendix ad vol. ii. Codic. Liturg. Eccles. Univ. p. 242), we read that the choir of "Watchers" is higher in rank than even the Cherubim and Seraphim. ܡܟܥܕ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܟܚܢܬܗ ܘܠܐ ܡܕܪܒܝܢ ܠܗ ܠܪܟܘܬܗ. ܣܪܦܐ ܬܘܒ ܕܐܫܬܐ ܓܦܝ̈ܢ. ܘܟܕ̈ܘܒܐ ܕܐܪܒܥ ܐܦ̈ܝܢ. ܗܠܝܢ. ܡܕܟܒܬܐ ܛܥܝܢܝܢ ܘܕܢܒܨ ܘܥܝܗܝ ܠܐ ܡܡܪܚܝܢ. ܥܝܪܐ ܕܡܡܬܘܡ ܠܐ ܕܡܟ ܘܫܪܒܗ ܐܢܫ ܠܐ ܡܨܐ ܡܣܝܟ "God is far from the sons of men in appearance, and they cannot comprehend His majesty; nor yet the Seraphim with six wings, nor the Cherubim with four faces. These carry his throne, and dare not look at Him. But as to the Watcher who never slumbers, no man can describe his office." This order, however, varies, even in the Syrian Church.

In S. Ephraem, H. vii. "adv. Scrutatores," God is called ܡܳܪܳܐ ܕܥܝܻ̈ܕܶܐ "The Lord of the Watchers,"—