A Golden Chain, Chapter 10
CHAP. 10. Of sinne, and the fall of Angels.
THe fall, is a reuolting of the reasonable creature from obedience to sinne.
Sinne, is the corruption, or rather depriuation of the first integritie. More plainely, it is a falling or turning from God, binding the offendour by the course of Gods iustice, to vndergoe the punishment.
Here a doubt may be mooued, whether sinne be a thing existing, or not. The answere is this: Of things which are, some are positiue, other primitiue. Things positiue, are all substances together with those their properties, effects, inclinations, and affections, which the Lord hath created and imprinted in their natures. The thing is called priuatiue which graunteth or presupposeth the absence of some such thing, as ought to bee in a thing. Such a thing is sinne, the which properly and of it selfe is not any thing created, and existing; but rather the absence of that good which ought to bee in the creature.
Sinne hath two parts: A defect, or impotencie; and is a confusion or disturbance of all the powers and actions of the creature.
Impotencie is nothing els, but the very want or losse of that good, which God hath ingrafted in the nature of his creature.
The fall was effected on this maner. First, God created his reasonable creatures good indeede, but withall changeable, as we hauehave shewed before. For to bee vnchangeable good, is proper to God alone. Secondly, God tried their obedience in those things about which they were conversant. Deu. 13.13. Thou shalt not hearken to the wordes of the Prophet, or vntounto that dreamer of dreames: for the Lord your God prooueth you, to knowe whether you louelove the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soule. Thirdly, in this triall God doth not assist them with new grace to stand, but for iust causes forsaketh thē. Lastly, after God hath forsaken them, and left them to themselues, they fall quite from God: no otherwise, then when a man staying vp a staffe from the ground, it standeth vpright: but if he neuer so little withdraw his hand it falleth of it selfe.
The fall, is of men, and Angels.
The fall of Angels, is that by which the vnderstanding, pointing at a more excellent estate, and of it own accord approouing the same, together with the will making especiall choice thereof, they, albeit they might freely by their integritie, hauehave chosen the contrarie, were the sole instruments of their fall from God. 2. Pet. 2.4. If God spared not the angels which sinned, but cast them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darkenes, to be kept vntounto damnation, &c. Iud. 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines, &c. Ioh. 8.44. He was a murtherer from the beginning, and continued not in the trueth: for their is no trueth in him.
In the fall of Angels, consider: First, their corruption, arising from the fall, which is the deprauation of their nature; and is either that fearefull malice and hatred, by which they set themselues against God, or their insatiable desire to destroy mankinde; to the effecting whereof, they neglect neither force nor fraud. 1. Ioh. 3.8. He that committeth sinne, is of the diuell, because the diuell sinned from the beginning. For this cause was the Sonne of God reuealed, to dissolue the works of the diuell. 1. Pet. 5.8. Your aduersarie the diuell goeth about like a roaring lyon, seeking whom he may devoure. Eph. 6.12. You striue not against flesh and blood but against Principalities, and powers, and wordly gouernours, the princes of darkenes of this world, against spirituall wickednesses, which are in supercelestiall things.
II. Their degree, and diuersitie: for of these Angels, one is cheife, and the rest attendants. The chiefe is Beelzebub, prince of the rest of the diuels & the world, farre aboue them all in malice. Matth. 25.41. Away from me ye cursed, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the diuell & his angels. 2. Cor. 4.4. Whose minds the god of this world hath blinded. Revel. 12. 7. And there was warre in heauen, Michael, and his Angels fought with the dragon, & the dragon & his angels fought.
Ministring angels, are such as waite vponupon the diuell, in accomplishing his wickednesse.
III. Their punishment. God, after their fall, gaue them ouer to perpetuall torments, without any hope of pardon. Iude vers. 6.2. Pet. 2.4. God spared not the Angels that had sinned, but cast them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darke…es, to be kept vntounto damnation. This he did: first, to admonish men, what great punishment they deserued. Secondly, to shew, that grieuous sinnes must more grieuously be punished.
The fall of Angels was the more grieuous, because both their nature was more able to resist, and the diuell was the first founder of sinne.
Their punishment is easier, or more grieuous.
Their easier punishment is double. The first, is their deiection from heauen. 2. Pet. 2.4. God cast the Angels that sinned into hell. The second, is the abridging and limitation of their power, Iob. 1. 12. The Lord said vntounto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thine hand, onelyonly vponupon him lay not thine hand.
The more grieuous paine, is that torment in the deepe, which is endlesse & infinite, in time and measure. Luk. 8.31. And they besought him, that he would not command them to goe downe into the deepe.