" [Vol. iii. p. 358. Hom. i. in Ezek.]
"[The heavens were opened. It is not enough for one heaven to be opened:
very many are opened, that not from one, but from all, angels may
descend to those who are to be saved; angels who ascended and descended
upon the Son of man, and came to him, and ministered to him. Now the
angels descended because Christ first descended, fearing to descend
before the Lord of all powers and things commanded. But when they saw
the chieftain of the army of heaven dwelling in earthly places, then
they entered through the opened road, following their Lord, and obeying
his will, who distributes them as guardians of those that believe on his
name. Thou yesterday wast under a devil, to-day thou art under an angel.
Do not ye, saith the Lord, despise one of the least of those who are in
the Church? Verily, I say unto you, that their angels through all things
see the face of the Father who is in heaven. The angels attend on thy
salvation; they were granted for the ministry of the Son of God, and
{153} they say among themselves, If he descended, and descended into a
body, if he is clothed in mortal flesh, and endured the cross, and died
for man, why are we resting idle? Why do we spare ourselves? Haste away!
Let all of us angels descend from heaven! Thus also was there a
multitude of the heavenly host praising and blessing God when Christ was
born.
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