[181] And there is an evidence in favour of this assertion of mine in this expression, which was uttered by the man who was made perfect by practise; "The God who nourished me from my youth up, the angel who defended me from all evils;" [119] for by these words he already confesses that those genuine good things which nourish the souls which love virtue, are referred to God as their sole cause; but the fate of the wicked is, on the other hand, referred to the angels, and even they have not independent and absolute power of inflicting punishment, that this salutary nature may not afford an opportunity to any one of the things which tend to destruction.