The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Of the fall of Angels.
WE are now to ſpeake of the fall of theſeThis couenant both Angels and men (in our firſt Parents Adam & Eue) kept for a time: But left vntounto themſelues, they quickly fell away. two creatures, who were not able to weld ſo great a happineſſe as they were created in: for many of the Angels, and all men in Adam and Eue, the roote of Mankind, did miſerably fall away, ſinning againſt God; as of the Angels it appeareth, Iohn 8. 44. He (the oIohn 8. 44.Deuill) was a Man-ſlayer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. p2. Pet. …. 4.2. Pet. 2 4. For if God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, qIude verſe 6.Iude ver. 6. The Angels alſo, that kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their owne dwelling, he hath reſerued in chaines, &c. And of the fall of man, the Storie is ſet downe, Gen. 3.
For albeit they were created holy, yet being Creatures, conſequently they were of a changeable diſpoſition, and therefore ſubiect to temptations, and to bee ouercome of them, if they were not vpholden by the ſupernatural grace of God, which neither in Iuſtice he needed, nor in his wiſdom & goodnes ſaw it fit to do, diſpoſing of their fall for the better ſetting forth of his glory.
The reaſon that actually they fell, was, For that they were left vntounto themſelues: whereby it came to paſſe, that in their owne free will, and of their voluntarie choice, they leaned vntounto euill: albeit by the integritie of their nature, they were able to hauehave kept themſelues vpright: As the Apoſtle rIames 1. 13.doth pronounce, that God tempteth no man, but eueryevery one is tempted, being drawne away, and entiſed by his owne luſts. And Eccleſ. 7. 29. God made all men righteous, but they themſelues hauehave ſought many Inuentions, other then according to right. And this was neither by chance, God not knowing of it, nor by a bare and idle permiſſion, or againſt his will, but rather according to the counſell of his owne will, Epheſ. 1. All ſActs 15. 18.whoſe workes are knowne vntounto him from all eternitie, but yet without approbation of the ſinne.
The time when they fell, was anon after the Creation; but how long after, the Scripture ſaith nothing: howbeit, till the ſixt Day was paſſed, it ſeemeth they continued in their firſt integritie: For tGen. 1. 31.then God ſaw all that hee had made, and it was exceeding good. Beſide, touching man, the Commandement for the Sabbath was giuen to him in Paradiſe after the ſixt Day. So the Story uGen. 2. 2, 3.telleth vsus, When God had perfected his Worke that he had made, the ſeuenth Day he rested, and bleſſed the ſeuenth Day, and ſanctified it, becauſe in it he had reſted from all his worke. The fourth Commandement hath it a little playner: In ſixe dayes IEHOVAH made Heauen and Earth, the Sea and all that is in them, and reſted the ſeuenth Day: therefore IEHOVAH bleſſed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it: By his owne example enioyning on that Day, a perpetuall Reſt to vsus: wherefore the three firſt Verſes of the ſecond Chapter of Geneſis, as it ſeemeth, ſhould not be deuided from the former Chapter, that contayne a Iournall of the firſt ſeuen dayes, which being finiſhed, Moſes taketh vp a new Prooeme to beginne a new narration. The fall now and puniſhment that came of it, is to be conſidered in each of theſe Creatures diſtinctly and apart.
In the fall of Angels, theſe things are remarkable:
Firſt, They were the firſt that fell: whereupon theFirſt, of the Angels. Deuill is called the firſt founder of ſinne, Iohn 8. 44.
Secondly, Their ſpeciall ſinne what it was, appeareth not ſo euidently in the Scripture. IVDE ſaith, They left their owne habitation. And PETER, that they ſinned. Our SAVIOVR, that they continued not in the truth: meaning, the firſt integrity wherein God had ſet them, which is all the Scripture in expreſſe termes and proper deliuereth of their fall. As for the place of Eſay, aIſay 14. 12:it is but a wreſting, to apply it vntounto the fall of Lucifer; the Prophet ſpeaking of Belteſhatzer the king, who ſhined once as the glorious morning ſtarre. Howbeit by that which is written, 1. Timo. 3. 6. b1. Tim. 3. 6.Leſt being puffed vp, hee fall into the condemnation of the Deuill: we may ſafely gather, that pride was either the ſinne it ſelfe, or mixed with it, in that, by their wiſdome and vnderſtanding diſcerning of a more excellent condition then their owne, they both in Iudgement approoued, and in will affected and deſired to hauehave the ſame: for thereunto afterwards they tempted man. Wherefore the fall of Angels was more grieuous then the fall of man, in as much as hauing a more excellent meaſure of holineſſe, they were more able to reſiſt, and fell without temptation, and therefore were the ſole inſtruments of their owne fall; not that God had no ſtroke therein, (who moderating all things that come to paſſeSome only fel, but a great multitude: in the world, in ſo great an action as this, could not but hauehave ſome hand, diſpoſing of it to the manifeſtation of his owne glorie,) but becauſe they fell without any outward temptation, ſaue onelyonly ſuch as their owne thoughts didMore then 12. Legions. ſuggeſt vntounto them; there being none but God toDan. 7. 10. Ten thouſand thouſands. tempt them, who cIam. 1. 13.as he cannot be tempted of euill ſo himſelfe tempteth none.
Thirdly, That not all the Angells fell, but ſome certaineHeb. 12. 23. Infinite thouſands. ones onelyonly: as may appeare by all the places of Scripture mentioning their fall.
Fourthly, The number of them which ſinned, which was exceeding great: for a whole Legion of deuils is mentioned, dLuk. 8. 30.Luk. 8. 30. but the certaine number is no where expreſſed in the Scriptures, nor whether more did ſtand or fall; albeit the number of the holy Angels doe farre eMatt. 26. 53.exceede the greateſt number of Deuils that is fWhich is one Legion onelyonly, Luk. 8. 30. One (the Scripture nameth him Satan, or the Deuill) the chiefeſt Ringleader of the leſt.mentioned in the Scriptures.
Fiftly, The order of their fall; one being the chiefe and Ringleader of the reſt in this offence, whom the Scripture from the qualities common to them all in this their corrupt eſtate, nameth Satan gReuel. 12. 9. The great Dragon, the old Serpent, which is called the Deuill and Satan.or the Deuill, as it were by excellency aboue the reſt of the Deuils, who are ſaid to bee his hReuel. 12. 9. And his Angels were caſt out with him. Matth. 25. 41. Which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels.Angels and miniſters, and hee their head and prince, exceeding them all in malice.
iforeignSatan he is called, that is, an Aduerſarie, the capitall enemie of God and of Mankinde. kforeign.Deuill, that is, a calumniatour and a ſlanderer: for he did not ſticke to calumniate God himſelfe to Eue, and lIob 1. 9. & 2. 4, 5.vsus he doth calumniate continually to God.
Sometimes hee is ſet forth by many other termes, to note his primacie: *2. Cor. 4. 4.The God of this World, mIob. 16. 11.The Prince of this World. The Scribes and Phariſes, from that horrible Idoll of the Philiſtims, whom they worſhipped atReuel. 12. 10. Ekron, called him nMatt. 12. 24.Belſebub the prince of the Deuils.
Thus much of the fall of Angels.
Their puniſhment, is the fulneſſe of Gods wrath,The curſe vponupon them is the fulneſſe of Gods wrath, which falling vponupon a bare creature, not able to beare the brunt of it, cruſheth him downe into hell for euer. which inſtantly fell vponupon them, aſſoone as they ſell from God, and cruſhed them downe into Hell foreuer. So ſayth PETER, o2. Pet. 2. 6.God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, but throwing them into Hell, deliuered them vntounto Chaynes of darkeneſſe, to be kept vntounto iudgement. And pIude verſ. 6.IVDE, The Angels that kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their owne habitation, he hath kept with euerlaſting Chaynes vnderunder darkeneſſe, vntounto the iudgement of the great Day. Our Sauiour likewiſe telleth vsus, that euerlaſting fire is the portion allotted to them, Mat. 25.
This fearefull eſtate is called Damnation, and drawethAnd this eſtate is called Damnation; drawing with it the full height and top of all iniquitie, hatred of God, obſtinate vnrepentance, finall deſperation, and ſuch like. after it the full height and top of all iniquitie, hatred of God, obſtinate Vnrepentance, finall Deſperation, and ſuch like. Wherefore the qEph 6. 12.Apoſtle, to expreſſe the ſinnefulneſſe of theſe damned Spirits, calleth them Spirituall things of Wickedneſſe; that is, the ſpirits wholly drowned and ſwallowed vp in wickednes. And our Sauiour Chriſt, Iohn 8. 44. The Deuill is a Lyer, & the father of Lyes; and when he ſpeaketh a Lye, he ſpeaketh of his owne. Finally, hee calleth ſinne, The doing of the luſts of the Deuill. As r1. Iohn 3. 8.Iohn doth, The workes of the Deuill: telling vsus, that ſforeign.hee ſinneth continually (for that is the force of the preſenttenſe from the beginning, euer ſince the World was made. Therefore he is called The tMat. 12. 43.vncleane ſpirit, The uMat. 13. 9.wicked one, yea, The xMat. 4. 3.Tempter: not onelyonly vile and wicked himſelfe, but tempting and ſolliciting other to it: for as they feare not to oppoſe themſelues directly againſt the moſt high Maieſtie: ſo towards men they ceaſe not to vſe all meanes that may be, both force and fraud, to draw them away from God.
Hence he is called yMat. 13. 39.The Enemie. And z1. Pet. 5. 8.Peter ſaith, Your Aduerſarie the Deuill walketh about, like a roring Lion, ſeeking whom hee may deuoure. Yet euen among theſe alſo, many are to be found naughtier, and more vile and wicked then the other, as our Sauiour Chriſt teacheth, Mat. 12. 45. When the vncleane ſpirit goeth out of a man, &c. then he goeth and taketh with him ſeuen other ſpirits more naught then himſelfe. I doubt not but our Sauiours meaning there, is by a figuratiue ſpeech, to note out ſundry othervices fouler and more deteſtable then the former: but withall (putting the cauſe for the effect) he doth not obſcurely giuegive to vnderſtand, that there be certaine Deuils which hauehave the gouernment as it were, and attendance ouer ſome certaine ſpeciall ſinnes, to egge men thereto: whither tendeth alſo that in another place, aMat. 17. 21.This kinde of Deuill is not caſt out but by Faſting and Prayer.
But notwithſtanding they were deliuered vp, as beforeNotwithſtanding, it pleaſeth God mony times to ſend them ſome releaſe out of that dungeon, is ſaid, vntounto chaines of darkneſſe, and throwne into Hell, yet it pleaſeth God many times to eaſe them of their torments, ſending them out of that place of darkneſſe, to walke here vp and downe: for where the Deuils in the bLuke 8. 31.Goſpell beſeech our Sauiour Chriſt, that he would not throw them into that Deepe, the Gulfe of Hell, which they ſo feare and tremble at; and in cMat. 8. 29.another place expoſtulate with him, that he came to torment them before the time; from thence may bee gathered, that ſome releaſe they finde of torment, whileſt they roame here vp and downe, which in thoſe Priſons of darkneſſe is more hardly layed vponupon them: Thereforeſuffering them to dwell in the Ayre, and to roame thorowout the World, they dwell in the Ayre, as the Apoſtle teacheth, Epheſ. 6. 12. when he ſayth, The ſpirituall things of wickedneſſe, which are in the heauenly places, meaning in the Ayre that is aboue vsus. And Epheſ. 2. 2. hee calleth Satan, The prince that hath power in the ayre: That from the place it ſelfe and the aduantage which he hath by that, wee might learne the rather to take heed of him.
And to this end, is God pleaſed thus to releaſe them,that ſo they may be inſtruments to work his pleaſure here among vsus that ſo he may vſe them as inſtruments to work his good pleaſure here among vsus: either for the comfort of his children, (though they labour all they can to the contrarie,) or the plaguing of the wicked.
This is their eſtate, till a ſet and ſolemne day appointedAll this, till a day appointed which wee call the latter Day, when they ſhal receiue their laſt doome of an euerlaſting and more dreadful damnation, with execution accordingly. of God for bringing them vntounto Iudgement, which wee call the latter Day, when they ſhall vndergoe the whole extremitie and fulneſſe of Gods wrath, in a greater and more fearefull manner.
That they are then to bee brought vntounto iudgement, it appeareth out of that which Peter and Iude doe ſpeake: Agreeable whereunto is that of PAVL, Do you not know, we ſhall iudge the Angels? 1. Cor. 6. That till the Day of Iudgement, the extremitie is ſome way mitigated, the ſame Apoſtles teach: d2. Pet. 2. 4.one, in ſaying, They are deliuered vntounto chaines of darkneſſe, to be kept vntounto iudgement: the eIude ver. 6.other, that God keepeth them with euerlaſting chaines vnderunder darkneſſe, vntounto the Iudgement of the great Day. Whereby it is manifeſt, that the iudgement which they yet lye vnderunder, is not ſo fearefull and terrible as that which abideth for them.
So much may ſuffice for the Angels that fell.The Angels that fell not, are ſupernaturally vpholden from all danger of falling.
The Angels that ſinned not, are ſupernaturally vpvpholden from all poſſibilitie of falling. Therefore our Sauiour, Marke 12. 25. compareth the ſtate of Gods Children in the Reſurrection, when all ſhall be firme and ſtable, vntounto the ſtate of the holy Angels as now they ſtand: In the reſurrection they neither marry, nor are marryed, but are as the Angels of God in Heauen. 1. Tim. 5. 21. They are called, The elect Angels: ſecretly oppoſed to thoſe that fell, Reprobates and Caſt-awayes, for whome hell fire was prepared, Mat. 25. 41.
But I ſay, This holding vp is ſupernaturall: they hauehave it not from their owne vertue or excellencie of nature, (for why then ſhould not the reſt hauehave had it?) but by the meere fauour and goodneſſe of God. Wherefore it is ſaid, Iob 4. 18. In his Angels hee put no ſteddineſſe: as wee hauehave ſhewed before, that to bee vnchangeable, and not ſubiect to temptation, is the proper prayſe of God.