The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · creation of the world · angels
OF ANGELS.
AMongſt things created by God, the chiefe and principall are thoſe natures which are indued with reaſon, Angels and men. For in theſe hee imprinted the marks and image of his divinity, and would have all other things to be the matter of his praiſe: but of theſe he would be known and praiſed, and unto them was his will to impart and communicate his bleſſedneſſe and joy.
The Queſtions concerning Angels are two:
1. What deſcription is ſet down in the Scripture of good Angels.
2. What deſcription is delivered of bad Angels.
1. What good Angels are.
ANgels, both good and bad, as holy Scripture records, are ſpirits: 1. Angels ſpirits or incorporeall ſubſtances. Luke 24.39. Coloſſ. 1.16. Heb. 1.14. 1 King. 22.21. The Angels themſelves are not ſeen, but the bodies or ſhapes which they take.by which name here a ſpirituall perſon is underſtood; that is, a ſubstance incorporeall, inviſible, individuall, living, underſtanding, incommunicable, not ſuſtained in another, neither part of another: as, A ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones. All which are in heaven and in earth, things viſible and inviſible. They are all miniſtring ſpirits. There came forth a ſpirit, and ſtood before the Lord. That therefore both in times paſt there appeared oftentimes good Angels, when as the gathering and eſtabliſhing of the Church, the doctrine of God being not as yet plainly delivered, and the prophecies not fulfilled, needed more extraordinary and miraculous revelations then now; and now adayes alſo not ſeldome appear bad Angels: this 1. doth not prove their nature to be viſible or corporeall. For thoſe viſible ſhapes or bodies which may be ſeen or felt, are divers ſubſtances from the incorporeall eſſence of ſpirits, being formed either of nothing, or of ſome matter, and carried and moved by a ſpirit for a time, for the working and performing of certain actions. For, both they put them off and lay them away again, and alſo they take forms of divers ſorts and kinds; as, The ſerpent, by whom the Divell communed with Eve: Mens bodies, Gen. 3.1. & 18.4. Exod. 3.2. 2 King. 2.11. & 6.17. The errour of the Sadducees. Acts 23.8. Act. 7.53.whoſe feet Abraham waſhed: A flame in the buſh appearing to Moſes: A pillar of cloud and fire in the deſart: Horſes and chariots of fire. And further, this very thing refuteth the opinion of the Sadducees, Who ſaid, that there was neither Angel nor ſpirit: but that good Angels are cogitations and motions raiſed by God in men, or happy events proceeding from God: and bad Angels, evill and wandring affections, or luſts, or purpoſes and devices which come of the corruption of nature: For, except they were living ſubſtances, and forcible in working, they would not aſſume, carry, and move bodies and viſible ſhapes. Moreover, the Scripture attributeth many things to them every where, which agree not but to natures ſubſiſting by themſelves, living and underſtanding: for the good Angels were thoſe miniſters,Gal. 3.19. Mat. 25.31. & 24.26. & 18.10. Luke 2 10. & 15.10. 1 Pet. 1.12. Mat. 22.30. Heb. 1.4. Pſal. 34.7. John 8.44. Job 1.6. Mat. 8.28, 31. & 25.41. by whom the Law was delivered in mount Sinai. They ſhall come with Chriſt when he ſhall judge the quick and the dead. They know not the day of judgment. They alwayes behold the face of the Father which is in heaven. They rejoyce for the ſalvation of men. The elect ſhall be like unto them. Chriſt is made more excellent then the Angels. They defend the elect. But the evill Angels did not abide in the truth. They appear amongst the children of God. They invade and poſſeſſe the bodies of men and beasts. They ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting torments. Angels are alſo finite, that is, of a limited eſſence or nature, and endued with a certain meaſure of ſtrength and wiſdom: For, although ſpirits are not circumſcribed in a certain compaſſe of place,2. Angels finite, both in nature and in properties. as bodies; yet their ſubſtance is neither infinitely extended, neither in more places then one at the ſame time, neither is able in wiſdome, or power, or other properties to match and equall the immenſeneſſe of the Creatour. For they are ſaid to go from one place to another, and to be abſent from one place, when they are in another; as, Luke 1. Act. 10. & 12. & Dan. 10.
3. They were created. Pſalme 148. Coloſſ. 1.16.They were created by God of nothing in the very beginning of the world. Praiſe yee him, all yee his Angels, praiſe him all his army. For hee commanded, and they were created. By him were all things created which are in heaven, and which are in earth, things viſible and inviſible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, &c. Moſes made mention of the Angels in general, though not in particular. Job 2.6. & 38.7.Wherefore, albeit by Moſes there is no mention made, in the ſtory of the creation, ſeverally of Angels, as who, applying himſelf to the common capacity of men, eſpecially recounteth the viſible works of God: yet, when as hee ſaith that heaven, earth, and all the hoſt of them was created, he implyeth alſo Angels, which both are theſe very heavenly hoſts and miniſters of God, and are often mentioned among them by Moſes himſelf.How the Angels are called the children of God. And whereas they are called The children of God, it is not to be underſtood of any co-eternity and propagation of their ſubſtance out of God, but of their creation and conformity with God: and of the mutuall love between God and them; as in like ſort alſo may be ſaid of men.
4. They were created in holineſſe.They were created all good and holy; that is, in their creation they were enriched with ſtrength, wiſdome, liberty of will, holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, whereby they might be conformed and like to God: as it is ſaid, He ſaw all that he had made, and loe, it was very good. Gen. 1.31. Pſalme 103.20And of the good Angels it is ſaid, Ye his Angels that excell in ſtrength, and do his commandements, in obeying the voice of his word. Their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. Mat. 18.10. & 22.30. Luke 9.25. Eſa. 6.2.The elect ſhall be in the reſurrection as the Angels of God in heaven. They are called holy: Likewiſe, Seraphin, that is, flaming or ſhining, namely with purity and divine wiſdome, and with the love of God. But of the bad Angels it is ſaid, Hee abode not in the truth. The Angels which kept not their firſt estate, John 8.44. Jude 6.but left their own habitation, &c.
5. And confirmed therein.Now, as theſe former (to be ſpirits, infinite, created by God of nothing, and created good and holy) are in the Scripture delivered as common both to good and bad Angels: So alſo the Scripture delivereth thoſe things whereby a huge and exceeding difference appeareth between them. For the good Angels by the eſpecial grace of their Creatour were ſo confirmed and eſtabliſhed in that ſanctity and bleſſedneſſe wherein they were created, that albeit they ſerve their Creatour with an exceeding and moſt free will, yet can they never revolt from him, or fall from that ſtate of righteouſnes and felicity wherein they ſtand.1 Tim. 5.2. Wherefore they are called elect Angels, they are ſaid alwayes to behold the face of the Father. Mat. 18.10. & 22.30.Of thoſe who are elected to everlaſting life, it is ſaid, that they ſhall be like Angels. And this perſeverance in their ſtate they have,Job 4.18. not by the peculiar excellency and vertue of their nature; as it is ſaid, He found no ſtedfaſtneſſe in his ſervants, and laid folly upon his Angels: but of the meer and free bountifulneſſe of God towards them, by the Son of God keeping and guiding them, that they may be joined to him as to their head, and remain (together with elect men) the everlaſting Church and Temple of God, magnifying and praiſing God for ever. All things conſiſt in him. It hath pleaſed the Father to gather together in one all things, Col. 1.17. Epheſ. 1.10.both which are in heaven, and which are in earth, in Christ.
The good Angels were both created & confirmed, 1. Everlaſtingly to know and magnifie God for his goodneſſe and bounty towards them and mankind:6. To worſhip and magnifie God. Praiſe the Lord all ye his hoſts. Pſal. 103.21. Iſa. 6.3. Luke 2 13. 7. To be the miniſters of God for the ſaving of the choſen.They cry: Holy, holy, holy, the Lord of hoſts, the whole earth is full of his glory: And they laud and praiſe God for the manifeſtation of the Meſſias. 2. To be the miniſters of God for the accompliſhment and maintaining of the ſafety and ſalvation of the choſen, when as God by them declareth his will, delivereth the godly out of dangers, defendeth them againſt the divels and wicked men: Or alſo to puniſh the wicked who oppugn the Church:Pſ. 34.7. & 91.11. John 5.4. They ſerve alſo for the wicked. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes. Now, although the wicked alſo and reprobate are defended by the Angels, and receive other benefits not ſeldome at the hands of God; (as when after the waters of Betheſda had been troubled by an Angel, whoſoever then firſt ſtepped in was made whole of his diſeaſe:) yet theſe benefits ſtretch no farther then the commodities of this life, and (as other things which befall unto the wicked in this life, whether good or bad) are turned to their deſtruction; but ſerve for the defence and delivery of the choſen, for whoſe ſakes God oftentimes, like as he puniſheth the wicked,They are the miniſters of the elect by Chriſt. ſo alſo he enricheth them with his benefits. The miniſtery then and guard of Angels properly belongeth to the ſaints and choſen, unto whom, that being loſt by ſin, is reſtored by the merit and benefit of Chriſt: for he is the head of the Church, which conſiſteth of Angels and men, reſtoring that good will and conjunction (which is between the members of the ſame body) between men and Angels, and uſing at his good pleaſure the miniſtery of Angels to ſafeguard and defend his:Epheſ. 1.10. Pſal. 97.7. Heb. 1.4. Matt. 23.49. Heb. 12.22. That he might gather together in one all things, which are in heaven and in earth, in Chriſt. Let all the Angels of God worſhip him. He ſhall ſend his Angels. Yee are come unto the mount Sion, and to the citie of the living God, the celestiall Jeruſalem, and to the company of innumerable Angels. Jacob ſaw a ladder which reached from earth to heaven, on which the Lord ſtood, and the Angels went up and down by it: Gen. 28.…2.which ſignifieth God and man the Mediatour. Ye ſhall ſee heaven open, John 1.51.and the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending upon the Son of man.
Why God uſeth the miniſtery of Angels, being able to …r…ng what he will to paſſe without them.Now, God doth many things by Angels, and ſometimes by many together, which he could as well do either without them, or by any one of them: Partly in favour and regard of our infirmity; which unleſſe it ſee it ſelf invironed with many ſuccours, defences and inſtruments of his divine power and bountifulneſſe, falleth preſently of doubting of the providence, ſafeguard and preſence of God; as it is manifeſt by the example of Eliſha's ſervant,2 King. 6.1…. and by thoſe conſolations and incouragements which promiſe unto the Church the aid of Angels: Partly to ſhew his power alſo over his Angels, who uſeth their labour and miniſtery at his pleaſure.Why the Angels are called, 1. Powers. 2 Theſ. 1.7. 2. Principalities. Epheſ. 1.21. Col. 1.16. 3. The hoſt of the Lord, and the hoſt of heaven. Pſalm 103.21. & 148.2. 1 King. 22.19. Rev. 19.14. 4. Cherubins. Hereof the Angels are called the powers of the Lord Jeſus, when he ſhall ſhew himſelf from heaven; that is, by whom he exerciſeth his power. Likewiſe they are called principalities, might, powers, dominions, created by the Son of God, ſubject unto him being exalted at the right hand of God: becauſe by them hee ſheweth and exerciſeth his principality or rule, might, power, and dominion. Likewiſe, The hoſt of the Lord, and the hoſt of heaven: becauſe both the number of them is huge and great, and God ruleth over all of them as a Captain over his ſouldiers, and doth by them whatſoever he will. Hereof alſo are they called Cherubins, that is, flying or winged: becauſe they perform and execute with all readineſſe and celerity the heſts and commandements of God, and do each their own parts and duty: Whereupon we pray, Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. They are alſo called gods; 5. Gods. Pſalm 8.5. Hebr. 2.7. What is meant by the names Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael. Dan. 10.13. & 12.2 Jude 9. Rev. 12.7.becauſe the nature and Majeſty of God ſhineth in their ſtrength, vertues, functions, and marvellous works. Which is alſo ſignified both by the name of Gabriel, that is, the ſtrength of God; and by the name of Raphael, that is, the medicine of God. For the ſame cauſe alſo the name of Michael, that is, who is like God, is given to the Son of God, an Angel who is called the Arch-angel; either becauſe the Son of God is head of the Angels, or becauſe God doth according to that meaſure, which ſeemeth beſt to him, diſtribute his gifts to the Angels, and ſhew forth his powerfull operation by them.
2. Of evill ſpirits or Angels.
THey which now are evill ſpirits or Angels, although they alſo were at their creation good, and adorned by God with the ſame holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe, and bleſſedneſſe wherewith the reſt were: yet notwithſtanding by their owne will, and that free, and therefore by their owne fault, they averted themſelves from God, and revolted from his love, and from obedience due unto him, ſo that they left the habitation of God, and no longer continued their conformity with God, but ever burn with an horrible hatred of God and men; and that they may deſpight God, force men to ſin, and by force and fleights attempt to caſt all down headlong into deſtruction. God ſpared not the Angels that had ſinned, 2 Pet. 2.4.but cast them downe into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſſe, Jude 6.to be kept unto damnation. The Angels which kept not their firſt estate, but left their owne habitation, hee hath reſerved in everlaſting chaines under darkneſſe unto the judgement of the great day. Yee are of your father the Divell, and the lusts of your father yee will doe. John 8.4….Hee was a murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. When hee ſpeaketh a lie, then ſpeaketh hee of his owne: for hee is a liar, and the father thereof. 1 John 3.8.Hee that committeth ſin, is of the Divel; for the Divell ſinneth from the beginning. John 13.25.Sathan entred into Judas. Sathan filled Ananias his heart, that hee ſhould lie unto the holy Ghoſt, Acts 5.8. Epheſ 2.2.and keep away part of the price of the poſſeſſion. According to the courſe of this world, and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayr, the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience. 2 Theſ. 2.9. The divels appellations with their reaſons. 1. The wicked. 1 Joh. 3.12. Epheſ. 6.16.It is ſaid of Antichriſt; Whoſe coming is by the working of Sathan, with all power, and ſignes, and lying wonders, and in all deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe among them that periſh, becauſe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved. And therefore hee is called, The wicked: Cain, which was of the wicked. That yee may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And every where in the Scripture hee is called Satanas, that is,2. Satanas. 1 Chro. 21.1. the adverſary of God and men: And Sathan ſtood up againſt Iſrael, and provoked David to number Iſrael. And hee is in like manner called Diabolus (Divell,) becauſe hee depraveth the word of God,3. Divell. and is a ſlanderer of men, as in Paradiſe,4. Serpent. and Job 1. & 2. And the Dragon that old ſerpent, Revel. 12. & 20. becauſe ſpeaking by a ſerpent in Paradiſe, hee ſeduced mankind through his ſubtiltie, neither ceaſeth hee to ſeduce them ſtill: The great Dragon, that old Serpent, called the Divell and Sathan, was cast out, which deceiveth all the world. Again, The accuſer of our brethren, 5. Accuſer. Rev. 12.10. 6. Deſtroyer. Rev. 5.11. 7. The god and prince of this world. 2 Cor. 4.4. Joh. 12.31. & 14.30. & 16.11.which accuſeth them before our God day and night. And hee is called Abaddon and Apollyon, that is, destroying. Hee is alſo called The god of this world, blinding the eyes of unbeleevers; and the prince of the world, both for his power and forcible working which hee ſheweth on the wicked, and for that tyrannie which hee exerciſeth againſt the godly alſo by Gods permiſſion: as withall, for that obſequie, homage, and obedience which is done him by the wicked, even thoſe who profeſſe the worſhip of the true God. Epheſ. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Kings 22. 1 Cor. 10. John 8.
The refutation of the Manichees, who held two firſt cauſes.By theſe places is made manifeſt the impiety of the Manichees, who fained two cauſes, or two gods co-eternall: the one good, whom they called the light and minde: the other evill, whom they termed the darkneſſe and matter: the former whereof had created good natures, the latter bad: abuſing thoſe teſtimonies of Scripture where the Divell is called, The god and prince of the world, the father of the wicked, authour of ſin and death, the power of darkneſſe; and ſtanding moſt of all on this argument, That a good God ſhould not make the cauſe of evill. For neither hath the Divell any more power, either over the godly, or over the wicked, or over other creatures, for which hee is called, The prince and god of the world, then is granted him of God; as appeareth by the firſt and ſecond Chapters of the ſtory of Job,Matth. 31.22. and by the invaſion of the ſwine. Neither is the creation of the wicked, but the corrupting and enforcing them to evill, attributed to the Divell. Neither is there any need, leſt God ſhould be made authour of ſinne, to make another God of the Divell; ſeeing the Scripture teacheth of Divels and men, that both were created good and, holy by God: but the Divell revolting from God, and ſeducing men, corrupted both himſelf and men.
The evill ſpirits are unchangeably evill, and damned.And, although of their own proper and free will they ruſh and bend themſelves againſt God, yet by the juſt judgment of God they are ſo forſaken and abjected of him, that they are without all change or alteration unrecallably evill, and ſubject to everlaſting torments. Wherefore Jude ſaith,Jude ver. 6. Mat. 15.41. that they are reſerved by God in everlaſting chains under darkneſſe. And Chriſt, Go ye curſed from me into everlaſting fire, which is prepared for the Divell and his angels: For, though doubtleſſe theſe evill ſpirits were even from their fall diſpoiled of the celeſtiall habitation and bleſſedneſſe; yet notwithſtanding both they and reprobate men ſhall be at the laſt judgment adjudged to more grievous puniſhment: as contrariwiſe, the felicity and glory of the godly ſhall then at length, after the reſurrection of their bodies, be in all reſpects conſummated and made perfect.2 Pet. 2.4. Jude ver. 6. Matt. 8.29. Therefore theſe ſpirits are ſaid to be reſerved unto damnation, and the judgment of the great day. And elſewhere alſo they themſelves complain, that Chriſt came to torment them before their time.
The cauſes why God permitted them to fall.Furthermore, God permitteth them to fall into this wickedneſſe, not onelyonly thereby to ſhew his wrath againſt ſin in their everlaſting paines: but alſo to puniſh by them in this life the wicked, and alſo to chaſtiſe, or try and exerciſe with temptations the elect.Mat. 25.41. 1 Sam. 16.14, 23. Pſal. 78.9. For, fire is ſaid to be prepared for them from everlasting. The evill ſpirit of God came upon Saul, and vexed him. He caſt upon the Egyptians the fierceneſſe of his anger, indignation and wrath, and vexation by the ſending out of evill Angels. But,Job 1.12. Job is delivered to be afflicted of Sathan for the tryall of his conſtancie: Sathan hath deſired to winnow you as wheat. Luke 22.31. 1 Theſſ. 2.17. 2. Cor. 12.7.Wee would have come unto you, but Sathan hindered us. Leſt I ſhould be exalted above meaſure through the abundance of revelations, there was given unto me a prick in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Sathan to buffet me, becauſe I ſhould not be exalted out of meaſure.2 Theſſ. 3.5. Leſt the tempter had tempted you in any ſort, and that our labour had been in vain. And Chriſt himſelf is tempted of Satan: Mat. 4.3, 6, 9.and therefore verily he is called the tempter, for that he ſolliciteth and inciteth men to ſin, and to revolt from God, both by offering outward occaſion of ſins, as alſo by ſtirring up the cogitations and inward motions of the will and heart.