Discourse on the Angels or Spirits of Empires

[The Ange]l The OCR reads "Ius," but the catchword from the previous page "lus" indicates this word is the conclusion of Angelus (Angel). of the Church of the Ephesians; certainly a good one. However, what we have said concerning Ephesus must be understood regarding all provinces. Before the coming of the Lord Savior, those angels were able to bring very little benefit to those entrusted to them, and their efforts were not strong enough to achieve the desired effect. There is a certain sign of how little they could profit those subject to them: Listen to what we are saying; when the Angel of the Egyptians was helping the Egyptians, barely one proselyte A "proselyte" is a person who has converted from one religion or opinion to another; here, a convert to the God of Israel. believed in God; and this happened under the administration of the Egyptian angel. Finally, because many of the Egyptians and Idumaeans Idumaeans were the descendants of Esau, often referred to as Edomites in English Bibles. were receiving the faith of Christ, for that reason the scripture says: You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in the land of Egypt; and an Idumaean, because he is your brother. original: "Non abominaberis Ægyptium, quoniam advenæ eratis in terrâ Ægypti; & Idumæum, quia frater tuus eſt." — Deuteronomy 23:7.

I will bring forward one more passage from Origen, in his 35th Homily on Luke: How unhappy and miserable we are! Whenever we sin, our adversary exults; knowing that he has the opportunity before the Prince of this world original: "Principem seculi hujus" — a term often used for a high-ranking fallen angel or the devil, who Origen suggests acts as a sort of prosecutor in the spiritual realm., who had sent him to exult and glory; because the adversary of this or that person (for example) has made him subject to the prince of this world through so many and such great sins, through this or that offense.

It happens, however, at times, that if someone has been prepared with the armor of GOD, and has protected himself on every side, the adversary may indeed try to inflict a wound, but he lacks the power to strike. The adversary always walks with us, he never leaves us; he seeks an opportunity for an ambush, if in any way he might be able to subvert us, so that he may insert an evil thought into the ruling part of our heart. original: "principali cordis noſtri" — translating the Greek term hegemonikon, the "governing part" of the soul according to Stoic and early Christian psychology.

When you go to the Prince. Who is this Prince? When the Most High divided the nations, when he scattered the sons of Adam, he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the Angels, etc. original: "Quando dividebat altiſſimus gentes, quando diſſeminabat filios Adam, ſtatuit terminos nationum ſecundum numerum Angelorum, &c." — Deuteronomy 32:8. This reflects the Septuagint (Greek) version of the Old Testament, which claims nations were divided according to the "number of the angels," rather than the "sons of Israel." Therefore, the earth was divided among the Princes—that is, the Angels—from the beginning. Indeed, Daniel more clearly testifies that those whom Moses had named "Angels" are "Princes," saying: The Prince of the Kingdom of the Persians, and
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