Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 6 · Part 1
EXPLICATION.
The word foreign, Angels, Angelorum nomen ſacrae ſcrip turae peculiare: prafani Scriptores Graeci per vocem foreign, Latini Geniorum, ferè exprimunt. Synop. pur. theol. diſp. 12. p. 117.is a terme peculiar to the Scripture; profane Writers among the Grecians, expreſſe them by the word foreign, and thoſe among the Latine, by the word Genii. It properly is a word which intends the office of angels, and ſignifieth no more than meſſengers, or thoſe who are ſent at the command, and by the commiſſion of their ſuperiours. And yet it comprehends and recalls to mind the eſſence of Angels, which is conſiderable before the office, and without which the office is but a meer notion. Briefly therefore for the explaining thereof, I ſhall conſider, 1. The nature and eſſence. 2. The office and imployment of Angels.
1. For their eſſence: Angels are ſpirituall and incorporeall creatures, ſubſiſting by themſelves. 1. By the name of ſpirits the Scripture uſeth to expreſſe the eſſence and nature of angels: Nomen ſpiritus nomen eſt naturae. Aug. foreign Pſal. 104.4. Heb. 1.14.and its uſed both to denote good and bad angels: of the former its ſaid, he maketh his angels ſpirits; a place cited in the New Teſtament, Heb. 1.14. Of the later, 1 Kings 22.21, 22. its ſaid, There came forth a ſpirit to perſwade Ahab to go to Ramoth Gilead; Who afterward proved a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. And Mat. 8.16. when they brought to Chriſt many who were poſſeſſed with divels, the Evangeliſt immediately ſubjoyns, that hee caſt out the ſpirits with his word. And our Saviour plainly expreſſeth that ſuch perſons who have not fleſh and bones (and ſuch are angels) are ſpirits, Luk. 24.39. Nor is it imaginable but that thoſe are ſpirits, of whom a legion, that is, at leaſt ſix thouſand (according to Hierom) may be in one man; but this is clearly aſſerted concerning the divels, or evill angels, Luk. 8.30. Where its added, that many divels were entred into the man. Nor can any but ſpirits get entrance into bodies, without moving or hurting them, and into priſons and other places, when cloſely ſhut up and moſt narrowly watch'd. 'Tis true, angels have often appeared in humane bodies and ſhapes. The Son of God, before his incarnation, as alſo the holy Ghoſt afterward, did ſo; and yet it followes not hence, that their eſſence is corporeall; as neither can it be evinc'd, that ſoules are corporeall, becauſe Moſes appeared to the Diſciples in an outward ſhape. Theſe their bodies might either be ſuch only in ſhew and appearance, or if they were true bodies, they were only joyned to them for a time by Gods power, and afterward reſolved againe into their own principles, as alſo were their garments, which the angels did wear, while they converſed with men. And whereas *Tertul. lib. de carne Chriſti et contra Praxeam. Aug. de Trin. lib. 2. c 7. lib. 3 c. 1. De div. Daem. cap. 3 5. l. 15 c. 23. de Civ. Dei. Bern. ſer. 5. in Cant. Angeli compa ratione noſtrorum corporum, ſunt ſpiritus; ſed comparatione ſummi et incircumſcripti Spiritus, ſunt cor pora. Greg. Mor. l. 2. c. 2. Angeli non ſunt abſolutè ſimplices: compouuntur ex actu & potentiâ, ex ſubjecto & accid eutibus, ex eſſe & eſſentia. Polan. Syn…ag. 1779. pag.ſundry of the Fathers have aſſerted, that the angels are corporeall, and have bodies of their own; they are to be underſtood commonly as ſpeaking of them in compariſon of God, as if though being compared with us, they are ſpirits; yet compared with God, they are bodies.
And certain it is, that angels are not ſpirits purely and altogether ſimple, as God is, who only is that moſt ſimple Spirit; and yet its conceived by learned Zanchy, that their bodies are more refined, ſubtil, and pure than either bodies aeriall, or celeſtiall, which were created out of the firſt matter, and that the ſubſtance of the bodies of the angels is very like to the ſubſtance of the heavens of the bleſſed, or the Empyrean, wherein (he ſaith) they were created, and which are of a corporeall ſubſtance, but far more excellent for their purity, than the other heavens. From this ſpirituall nature of the angels, flowes their immortality, incorruptibility, or immutability; for ſince they are immateriall, and free from all contrary qualities (compoſition of matter and forme, and the contrariety of qualities being the cauſes of intrinſecall corruption) they are rightly termed incorruptible. Indeed, only God is ſimply immutable, who is a being of himſelfe, and not by participation, and every creature is mortall, mutable, foreign.and may be brought to nothing, by him who made it of nothing, ſhould he only withdraw his ſuſtaining power. Eaſi in angelorum naturg nul la propriè eſt potentia paſſiva, propter quam poſſunt dici corruptibiles; propter potentiam tamen Dei activam, à qua illorum eſſe dependet, ſimpliciter dici incorruptibiles non poſſunt. Zanc. de op. Dei.But a thing may be ſaid to be mortall and corruptible two ways, either by a paſsive power which is in it ſelf, or by an active power which is in another, and upon whom it depends; now although in the nature of angels there be no paſſive power wherby they are corruptible; yet in reſpect of the active power of God, upon which their being depends, they cannot ſimply be termed incorruptible, becauſe if God withdraw his power, they would inſtantly periſh, though denomination being from the neareſt and internall cauſe, they may properly be call'd incorruptible. 2. Angels are true ſubſiſtences, or ſubſtances by themſelves and ſeparately ſubſiſting. The Sadduces of old, and the Libertines of later ages, have held that angels are only certaine inſpirations, motions, and inclinations of the mind; and that the good of theſe are the good angels, and the bad of theſe the bad angels. But that they are Vera foreign, that they are ſubſtances, and truly ſubſiſt by themſelves, is moſt clearly evinced, 1. From their creation: Accidentia ſunt concreata. Pſal. 104. Actiones ſunt ſuppoſitorum.God created no accidents ſeparately from their ſuſtances; accidents were concreated in and with their ſubſtances. But angels were created by themſelves, and not in any ſubject. 2. From their actions; they praiſe God, they worſhip the Son; they are heavenly meſſengers, they aſſume bodies, defend the faithfull, they have wraſtled, eaten, been received as ſtrangers, had their feet waſh'd, &c. they ſhall gather the Elect from the four corners of the earth, they ſhall come with Chriſt to judgement; none of which actions could be done, unleſſe they were ſubſtances. 3. From their endowments; they have life, power, underſtanding, wiſdom; they are immortal, they are excelling in ſtrength; ſome things they know not, as the day of judgement. Some of them ſinn'd, others abide in the truth. 4. From their happineſſe and miſery: Some of them behold the face of God, and are bleſſed and glorious; Mat. 18.10. Mat. 25.41. Mar. 12.25.others are puniſh'd in everlaſting fire, prepared for the divell and his angels. 5. From that likeneſſe which we ſhall have to them in heaven, where we ſhall be as the Angels: Shall we there ceaſe to be true ſubſtances? This for their Eſſence.
2. The conſideration of the Office of angels, follows, and this the word Angels properly denotes, Angelus nomen officii, ſpiritus naturae. Aug. in Pſal. 104. Luk. 7.24. foreign, Nuncii, legati. Mat. 11.10 foreign. Ex co quod eſt, ſpiritus eſt: ex eo quod agit, angelus eſt. Aug. ubi ſup. Mal. 3.1. Dan. 4.17.which is not a word expreſſing the nature, but the office of angels; and the words both in the Hebrew and Greek intend the ſame; they importing meſſengers, or ſuch as are ſent. The word Angels or meſſengers, is applyed in Scripture both to good and bad angels. 1. To good angels moſt frequently, who are thoſe miniſtring ſpirits, ſpoken of Heb. 1.14. and are in Scripture more commonly called by a name of office, than of nature, becauſe God delights in their ſervice, and they themſelves are more glad of obeying God, than of their very being. In regard of office, that Chriſt himſelfe accepted the name, and is called the Angel of the Covenant. They are by God, ſent forth for the good of his people. Hence they are called watchers, miniſtring ſpirits, &c. And for thoſe who ſhall be the heirs of ſalvation, they miniſter three wayes.
1. In their life: 1. By defending them from their enemies. Their angels (ſaith Chriſt) always behold the face of my Father. Matt. 18.10. Apoc. 12.7. 2 Kin. 6.16. Pſal. 91.11. Dan. 10.20. Pſal. 34.7. Iſai. 37.36. Act. 12.23.Michael and his angels fought in defence of the Church; and the prophet Eliſha ſpake of the angels, when he told his fearfull ſervant that there were more with them then againſt them. The angels of the Lord pitch their tents about them that fear him. An angel it was that ſlew the army of the Aſſyrians; that delivered Peter out of priſon; as alſo preſerved Lot. 2. By comforting them. Thus an angel encouraged Jacob, Gen. 32.5when he feared his brother Eſau; an angel it was, who bid Mary not to fear, Luk. 1.30. and who ſtood by Paul, and bid him be of good chear, Act. 27.24. when Daniel had faſted an prayed, and angel it was who ſaid, O Daniel, greatly beloved, &c. And afterward, fear not. Dan. 9.13. & 10.19 Luk. 22.43. Mat. 28.5.The women at the ſepulchre meet with an angel, who comforted them. Yea an angel appeared unto Chriſt and ſtrengthned him. The ſervant comforted the maſter. 3. By inciting and ſtirring them up to holineſſe, and in furthering their ſalvation: they ſuggeſt nothing but what is agreeable to the will of God; they can no more ſuggeſt a doctrine contrary to that which is revealed in the Scripture, Gal. 1.8. Rev. 22.16. Act. 7.53. Gal. 3.19. Luk. 1.31. Act. 1.11. Rev. 19.10. Act. 8.26. Act. 10.5. Act. 12.7.than they can be accurſed; The law was revealed by the diſpoſition of angels, in reſpect of their ſervice and attendance in the giving thereof: by an angel was the incarnation of Chriſt foretold to the virgin, and by a multitude of angels was it proclaimed afterward. Theſe inſtruct the Apoſtles concerning the coming of Chriſt to judgement, and forbid the worſhipping of themſelves as idolatrous. An Angel leads Philip to expound the Scripture to the Eunuch; ſets Peter at liberty to preach the Goſpel; bids Cornelius ſend for Peter, to be inſtructed by him; Act. 16.9.and prayes Paul to come over to Macedonia to help them, namely, by preaching the Goſpel.
2. In, and after their death. An angel ſtrengthned Chriſt when he was in his great heavineſſe of ſoul. Angels conveyed the ſoul of Lazarus into Abrahams boſom: Luk. 16.22.he who living, was lick'd by dogs, is, now dead, attended by angels. The glorious angels are as forward to carry the ſouls of the faithfull to heaven, as every one is to ſhare in the bearing the body of a great prince to the grave. The good angels in this work of conveying ſouls, are thought to watch, for prevention of the bad, who alwayes ſeek to devour the Saints, living and dying. At the end of the world the angels ſhall be the glorious attendants of the great Judge; ſhall cite all to appear, and ſhall ſeparate between the good and the bad; gathering the elect from the four winds, Mat. 24.31.from one end of the heaven to the other, ſo that there ſhall not one be loſt.
2. The term Angels or Meſſengers, is alſo in Scripture beſtowed upon the wicked and unclean ſpirits. Thus its ſaid, Diodat. Annot. Pſal. 78.49. 1 Cor. 6.3.that God ſent evill angels among the Egyptians; and of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks in that Scripture, Know ye not that we ſhall judge the angels? and 2 Pet. 2.4. He ſpared not the angels that ſinn'd. And theſe evil angels are imployed; 1. In exerciſing the faithfull with tentations, which God alwayes turns to their good; Job. 1. Luk. 22.31.theſe angels ſtir up terrors againſt the faithfull inwardly, and troubles outwardly: Satan ſent his meſſenger to buffet Paul. 2 Cor. 12.7 Apoc. 2.10.He caſts the faithfull into priſon. He caſts his fiery darts, ſometime tempting and alluring, at other times, affrighting and diſmaying. 2. In being the executioners of Gods diſpleaſure againſt the wicked, whom for their wickedneſſe, 2 Cor. 4.4. Gal. 3.1God delivers up to theſe wicked angels, to blind, harden, and bewitch them with ſin, and then to drive them to deſpair for ſin; Satan imployes them as ſlaves in the baſeſt of work, and rewards them as ſlaves, with the ſmarteſt of ſtripes; often in this life, as in the caſe of Saul and Judas, and Abimilech; alwayes after it, both by dragging away thoſe ſoules to puniſhment who have followed him in ſin; and by being a tormentor afterward of thoſe, of whom firſt he was the tempter.