Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 3.djvu/241

Rh plainly, that the Bishops are here represented in a mystical way; and how particularly suitable it was, in this way, to personate them by the name of Angels. They were, indeed, to perform the same office under Christ, as a visible human person, which the Angels were under Him as the Logos, in reference to the restitution of souls to their original dignity ....

But because even His human nature, though visible in itself, is yet invisible to us, therefore another way was thought of for copying out that heavenly, even in the ordinary external visible government of the Church. And here the Bishop was to personate Christ Himself, as the High Priest had, formerly, represented the Logos. The seven Deacons were to represent the Seven Mystical Angels, as I am very apt to think, they were designed from the very original. I cannot think it casual that the number first pitched on was exactly seven. But, that which more confirms me in this opinion is the real suitableness of the office of the Deacon to the Bishops, as representing the Logos in a visible way, with that of those Angels to the same Logos, as He was invisible. The office of the Angels in general is thus described, by the Author of the Hebrews, that they are ["ministering spirits, sent out for a diaconate."] These are exactly the very terms by which the Church would have expressed the office of these Deacons, if she had been to have described the same office as vested in mortal men .... They (the Angels) were to stand before the presence of God, in a posture of readiness to be sent on messages by Him; and so were the Deacons to stand before the Bishop, to be sent by him on his messages. They were the "eyes of the Lord which ran to and fro through the whole earth." So also the Deacons are, in the language of the Ancient Church, called the Oculi Episcopi, for the same reason.... Now we may not wonder why the Bishops are called Angels, in the forementioned mystical immediate relation to our Saviour Himself as the chief "Bishop of our souls;" because, indeed, in regard of Him, they bear no higher office than that of Deacons..... Accordingly the Primitive Church were extremely vigorous in insisting on this very number of their Deacons, in all places, as I