The Gender of Angels
Extract from SWCM Book II "Keys to the Gateway of Magic"
by Stephen Skinner & David Rankine

As touching the Appearances of those glorious Seraphic Creatures, the Celestial & Good Angels, & other Celestially Dignified powers of Light, several are the opinions of some authors, & especially of Johannes Trithemius, the learned Abbot of Spanheim: in lib[er]: polygraph who sayeth that never any Good Angel was said of, to have appeared in the form of a woman; which assertion is learnedly answered by a Divine, and an Angelical Verity, thus rationally constructed distinguished & defined as followeth.

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It is evident that the Angels of God, are incomprehensible to those that are their inferiors, for the higher order is incomparable unto God, & by degrees, those that are their inferiors, are also incomparable unto them, It followeth therefore, that in respect of that degree in Angels, things are incomprehensible.

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Angels of themselves neither are man nor woman, therefore they do take forms (not according to any proportion in imagination but) according to the discrete & applicable will both of him, & of the thing wherein they are Administrators; for they are all spirits ministering the will of God, & unto whom unto every thing within the compass of nature & the use of man it followeth therefore, considering that they minister not of their selves, that they should minister in the Unsearchable form, within the which their Executions are limited.

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Now if Trithemius or any other can say, that, the woman also hath not the spirit of God, being formed & fashioned of the self same matter (notwithstanding in a contrary proportion by a degree) if Trithemius or any other, can separate the Dignity or the Soul of woman, from the excellency of man, but according to the form of the matter, then might his argument be good.

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But because that is in Man & woman there is proportion, & preparation of sanctification in Eternity alike, therefore may those that are the Eternal Ministers of God in proportion to sanctification, take unto them the bodies of them both (I mean in respect of the form) for as in both you read Homo, so in both you find one & the self same dignity, in Infernal matter all one.

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Now Trithemius spake in respect of the filthiness (which indeed is no filthiness) where with all women are stained, & by reasons from the natural philosophers, as a man fasting more of nature indeed show of him who is the workman or a supernatural Master, He (I say) concluded his natural invention.

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In respect of Celestial Angels, as aforesaid &c the opinion of Trithemius or any other natural conclusion is thus answered; they are all beams of that wisdom, which is the End of man’s Excellency and if Trithemius or any other natural philosopher, doth but seriously & well observe, they shall find that true wisdom is always painted in a woman’s garment, for than the purity of a Virgin, nothing is more commendable.

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