“When the unhappy troop of diabolic spirits, revolting from their Creator,
essayed to draw to their faction the holy company of the blessed spirits, the glorious S. Michael,
animating his comrades to the fidelity which they owed to their God, cried with loud voice (but in
angelic sort) through the heavenly Jerusalem: “Who is like to God?” And by this word he overthrew
that traitor Lucifer with his rout, who would have equalled themselves with the divine majesty; and
thence, as it is said, the name was given to S. Michael, since Michael simply means Who is like to
God? And when the loves of created things would draw our hearts to their party, to make us
disobedient to the divine majesty, if the great divine love be found in the soul, it makes head against
it, as another S. Michael, and establishes the powers and forces of the soul in God’s service by this
word of steadfastness: Who is like to God? What goodness is there in creatures which ought to
draw the human heart into rebellion against the sovereign goodness of its God?”
Source: Treatise on the Love of God Chapter V11, Book 10