Question 26

Amongst thinges created by GOD the chiefe and principal, are those natures which are indued with reasō, Angels & men. For in these hee imprinted the markes and image of his Diuinitie, and woulde haue all other thinges to be the matter of his praise: but of these he woulde bee knowen and praised, and vnto them was his will to impart and communicate his blessednesse and ioy. The questions concerning Angels are two: the first whereof is, what description is set downe in the Scripture, of good Angels: the other, what description is deliuered of bad Angels.

1 WHAT GOOD ANGELS ARE

Angels, both good and bad, as holie Scripture recordeth,¹ are spirites, by which name here a spirituall person is vnderstood, that is, a substaunce incorporeall, inuisible, indiuiduall, liuing, vnderstanding, incommunicable, not susteined in another, neither the part of an other, as Luc. 24. it is taken. A spirite hath not fleshe and bones. Colos. 1.16. All which are in heauen, and in earth, thinges visible and inuisible. Heb. 1.14. They are all ministring spirits. 1. King. 22.21. There came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord.

²That therefore both in times past there appeared oftentimes good Angels, when as the gathering and establishing of the Church, the doctrine of god beeing not as yet plainelie deliuered, and the prophecies not fulfilled, needed more extraordinarie and miraculous reuelations than now; and now a daies also not seldome appeare bad Angels: this first doth not proue their nature to be visible or corporall. For those visible shapes or bodies, which may be seene or felt, are diuers substances from the incorporeall Essence of spirits, being formed either of nothing, or of some matter, and carried and moued by a spirite for a time for the woorking and performing of certaine actions. For both they put them off and lay them away againe, and also they take formes of diuers sortes and kinds; as the Serpent by whom the Diuel communed with Eue: Mens bodies, whose feete Abraham washed. Gen. 17. A flame in the bush appearing to Moses. Exod. 3. A piller of cloude and fier in the desert: Horses and Chariots of fier. 2. King. 2. and 6.

³And further this verie thing refuteth the opinion of the Sadduces, Who, Actes. 23. said there was neither Angel nor spirite; but that good Angels are cogitations and motions raised by GOD in men, or happie euents proceeding from GOD: and bad Angels, euil and wandring affections, or lustes, or purposes and deuises, which come of the corruption of nature. For except they were liuing substaunces and forcible in working, they woulde not assume, carrie, and mooue bodies and visible shapes. Moreouer the Scripture attributeth manie thinges to them euery where, which agree not but to natures subsisting by themselues, liuing, and vnderstanding.

For the good Angels were those ministers, by whom the lawe was deliuered in mount Sina. Actes 7. Galat. 3. They shall come with Christ when he shal iudge the quicke and the dead. Mat 25. They knowe not the daie of iudgement. Mat. 24. They alwaies beholde the face of the father which is in heauen. Math. 18.10. They reioice for the saluation of men. Luke. 2. and 15.1. Pet. 1. The elect shall be like vnto them. Math. 22. Christ is made more excellent than the Angels. Hebrewes. 1. They defend the elect. Psalm. 34. But the euil Angels did not abide in the truth. Iohn 8.44. They appeare amongest the children of god. Iob. 1.6. They inuade and possesse the bodies of men and beastes. Math. 8. They shall be punished with euerlasting torments. Math. 25.

Angels are also finite, that is of a limited essence or nature,⁴ and endewed with a certaine measure of strength and wisedome. For although spirites are not circumscribed in a certaine compasse of place, as bodies: yet their substaunce is neither infinitelie extended, neither in more places than one at the same time, neither is able in wisedome or power, or other properties to match and equall the immensnes of the Creator. For they are saide to goe from one place to another, and to be absent from one place, when they are in another; as Luk. 1. Act. 10. & 12. & Dan. 10.

They were created by god of nothing,⁵ in the verie beginning of the world. Psal. 148. Praise ye him, al ye his Angels; praise him al his armie. For hee commaunded, and they were created. Col. 1.16. By him were all thinges created which are in heauen, and which are in earth, thinges visible and inuisible: whether they bee thrones, or dominions or principalities, or powers &c. Wherefore albeit in Moses there is no mention made,⁶ in the storie of the creation, seuerallie of Angels, as who applying himself to the common capacitie of men especially recounteth the visible workes of god: yet, whenas he saith that heauen, earth and al the host of them was created, he implieth also Angels, which both are these verie heauenly hosts and ministers of god, and are often mentioned among them by Moses himselfe. And whereas they are called, Job. 1. & 38. The children of god; it is not to be vnderstood of any coeternity and propagation of their substance out of god, but of their creation and conformitie with god, and of the mutuall loue betweene god and them, as in like sort also may bee saide of men.

They were created al good and holy, that is, in their creation,⁷ they were enriched with strength, wisedome, libertie of wil, holines and righteousnes, whereby they might be conformed and like to god, as it is saide: He sawe all that hee had made, and lo, it was verie good. And of the good Angels it is said, Psal. 103.20. Ye his Angels, that excell in strength, that do his commaundement, in obeying the voice of his word. Mat. 18.10. Their Angels alwaies beholde the face of my father which is in heauen. Mat. 22. The elect shall be in the resurrection as the Angels of god in heauen. Luc. 9. they are called holie. Likewise, Isai. 9. Seraphin, that is, flaming or shining, namely with puritie and diuine wisedome, and with the loue of god. But of the bad Angels it is saide, John. 8. Hee abode not in the truth. And in the epistle of Iuda, The Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their owne habitation.

⁸Now as these former, to bee spirites, finite, created by God of nothing, and created good and holie, are in the Scripture deliuered as common both to good and bad Angels: So also the Scripture deliuereth those things, whereby a huge and exceeding difference appeareth betweene them. For the good Angels by the especiall grace of their Creator were so confirmed and established in that sanctitie and blessednes, wherein they were created, that albeit they serue their Creator with an exceeding and most free wil, yet can they neuer reuolt from him, or fall from that state of righteousnesse and felicitie, wherein they stand. Wherefore 1. Tim. 5. They are called elect Angels. Mat. 18. They are saide alwaies to beholde the face of the father: Of those who are elected to euerlasting life, it is said, Math. 22. That they shalbe like the Angels. And this perseueraunce in their state they haue, not by the peculiar excellencie and vertue of their nature; as it is saide, Job. 4.18. He found no stedfastnes in his seruaunts, and laid follie vpon his Angels: But of the meere and free bountifulnes of God towards them, by the sonne of God keeping and guiding them, that they may be ioined to him as to their head, and remaine together with elect men the euerlasting Church and Temple of God, magnifiyng and praising God for euer. Colos. 1. All thinges consist in him. Likewise, Ephes. 1. It hath pleased the father to gather together in one all thinges both which are in heauen, and which are in earth in Christ.

⁹The good Angels were both created and confirmed 1 Euerlastingly to knowe and magnifie God for his goodnesse, and bountie towards them and mankind. Psal. 103. Praise the Lord al ye his hosts. Isa. 6.5. They crie: Holie, holie, holie the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is ful of his glory. And Luc. 2. They laud & praise God for the manifestation of the Messias.¹⁰ 2 To be the ministers of god for the accomplishing and maintaining of the safetie and saluation of the chosen, when as God by them declareth his wil, deliuereth the godly out of daungers, defendeth them against the Diuels and wicked men: Or also to punish the wicked, who oppugne the Church. Psalme. 34.7. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth rounde about them that feare him, and deliuereth them. Psalm. 91.11. He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee, to keepe thee in all thy waies.¹¹ Nowe although the wicked also and reprobate are defended by the Angels, and receiue other benefites not seldome at the handes of God: as John. 5. When after the waters of Bethesda had been troubled by an Angel, whosoeuer then first stepped in was made whole of his disease: Yet these benefites stretch no further than the commodities of this life, and as other thinges which befall vnto the wicked in this life, whether good or bad, are turned to their destructiō, but serue for the defence & deliuery of the chosen, for whose sakes, God oftentimes, like as he punisheth the wicked, so also enricheth them with his benefits.¹² The ministerie then and gard of Angels properly belongeth to the Saintes and chosen, vnto whom that beeing lost by sinne, is restored by the merite and benefite of Christ. For hee is the heade of the Church which consisteth of Angels and men, restoring that good will and coniunction (which is betweene the members of the same bodie) betweene men and Angels, and vsing at his good pleasure the ministerie of Angels to safegard and defend his. Eph. 1. That hee might gather together in one all thinges which are in heauen and in earth, in Christ. Psalme. 97. and Hebrewes. 1. Let all the Angels of god worship him. Math. 13. Hee shall send his Angels. Heb. 12.22. Ye are come vnto the mount Syon, and to the Citie of the liuing god, the celestiall Jerusalem, and to the companie of innumerable Angels. And Gen. 28.12. Jacob sawe a ladder which reached from earth to heauen, on which the Lorde stoode, and the Angels went vp and downe by it: which signified Christ, God & man, the Mediator. John. 1.51. Ye shall see heauen open, and the Angels of god ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man.

Now god doth manie things by Angels, and sometimes by many together, which he coulde as wel doe either without them,¹³ or by anie one of them: Partlie in fauour and regard of our infirmitie; which vnlesse it see it selfe inuironed with many succours, defences and instrumentes of his diuine power and bountifulnes, falleth presently to doubting of the prouidence, safegard, and presence of god: as it is manifest by the example of Elisaeus seruant. 2. Kings. 6. and by those consolations and incouragementes which promise vnto the Church the aid of Angels: Partly to shewe his power also ouer his Angels, who vseth their labour and ministerie as his pleasure. Hereof, 2. Thes. 1. The Angels are called the powers of the lord Jesus when he shal shew himselfe frō heauen, that is, by whō he exerciseth his power. Likewise, Ep. 1. & Colos. 1. They are called principalities, might, powers, dominions created by the sonne of God, subiect vnto him being exalted at the right hand of God: Because by them he sheweth and exerciseth his principalitie or rule, might, power, and dominion. Likewise, Psalm. 103. & 148.1. King. 22. Apoc. 19. The host of the Lord, and the host of heauen: Because both the number of them is huge and great, and God ruleth ouer all of them, as a Captain ouer his souldiours, and doth by them whatsoeuer he will. Hereof also are they called Cherubins, that is, flying or winged, because they performe and execute, with all readines and celeritie the hostes and commaundementes of god, and doe each their owne partes and dueties. Wherevpon wee pray, Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen. They are also called gods. Psal. 8. & Heb. 2. Because the nature, and Maiestie of god shineth in their strength, vertues, functions, and maruelous woorkes. Which is also signified both by the name of Gabriel, that is, the strength of god; & 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, Dan. 10. & 12. in the Epistle of Iude, and in the Reuelation, cap. 12. Is giuen to the son of God and an Angel, who is called the Archangel, either because the sonne of god is head of the Angels, or because god doth according to that measure, which seemeth best to him, distribute his giftes to the Angels, and shewe forth his powerfull operation by them.

Of euil spirits or Angels

They which now are euill spirites or Angels, although they also were at their creation good, and adorned by God with the same holinesse, and righteousnes, and blessednesse, wherewith the rest were: yet notwithstanding by their own will, & that free, & therefore by their owne fault, they auerted themselues from GOD, and reuoulted from his loue and from obedience due vnto him, so that they left the habitation of God, and no longer continued their conformitie with God, but euer burne with a horrible hatred of GOD and men, and, that they maie despite GOD, force men to sinne, and by force and sleightes attempt to cast all downe head-long into destruction. 2. Pet. 2.4. God spared not the Angels that had sinned, but cast them downe into hell, and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse, to bee kept vnto damnation. And Iude. The Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their owne habitation, hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great daie. Ioh 8.44. Yee are of your father the Diuel, and the lustes of your father yee will doe. He was a murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the trueth. When he speaketh a lie, then speaketh hee of his owne: for hee is a lyar, and the father thereof. 1. Iohn 3.8. Hee that committeth sinne, is of the Diuell: for the Diuell sinneth from the beginning. Iohn 13. Satan entered into Judas. Actes 5. Satan filled Ananias heart, that hee shoulde lie vnto the holie Ghost, and keepe awaie part of the price of the possession. Ephes. 2. According to the course of this woorlde, and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire, the spirite, that nowe woorketh in the children of disobedience. 2. Thessal. 2. it is saide of Antichrist: Whose comming is by the woorcking of Satan with all power and signes, and lying woonders, and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perishe, because they receiued not the loue of the trueth, that they might bee saued. And therefore hee is called the wicked, 1. John 3.12. Caine, which was of the wicked. Ephes. 6.16. That yee maie quench al the fierie dartes of the wicked. And euerie where in the Scripture hee is called Satanas, that is, the aduersarie of god and men. 1. Chronic. 21.1. And Satan stoode vp against Israel, and prouoked Dauid to nomber Israel. And he is in like maner called, Diabolus, Diuel) because hee depraueth the woorde of God, and is a slanderer of men, as in Paradise, & Job. 1. & 2. And the Dragon or old Serpent. Reuel. 12. & 20. because speaking by a Serpent in Paradise he seduced mankind through his subtilty, neither ceaseth he to seduce them stil: Gen. 3.2. Cor. 11. Apoc. 12. The great Dragon, that olde Serpent, called the diuell and satan, was cast out, which deceiueth all the world. Again, The accuser of our brethren which accused them before our GOD day and night. And Cap. 9. he is called Abaddon and Apollyon, that is, destroieng. He is also called the God of this woorld, blinding the eies of vnbeleeuers. 2. Cor. 4. and the Prince of the woorlde. Iohn 12.14.16. both for his power and forcible woorking, which hee sheweth on the wicked, and for that tyrrannie which he exerciseth against the godly also by gods permission; as withal for that obsequie, homage and obedience, which is done him by the wicked, euen those who professe the woorshippe of the true God. Ephes. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 1. King 22. 1. Cor. 10. Joh. 8.

¹⁴By these places is made manifest the impiety of the Manichees, who fained two causes, or two Gods coeternall, the one good, whom they called the light and minde; the other euill, whom they termed the darknesse and matter, the former whereof had created good natures, the latter bad: abusing those testimonies of Scripture, where the Diuel is called the god and prince of the world, the father of the wicked, autor of sinne and death, the power of darkenesse. And standing most of al on this argument, that a good God should not make the cause of euill. For neither hath the Diuell any more power either ouer the godly or ouer the wicked, or ouer other creatures, for which he is called the prince & god of the world, than is granted him of God, as appeareth by the first and second chapter of the story of Iob, and by the inuasion of the swine, Mat. 8. Neither is the creation of the wicked, but the corrupting and enforcing of them to euill, attributed to the Diuell. Neither is there any neede, least God should be made autor of sinne, to make another God of the Diuell, seeing the Scripture teacheth of Diuels and men, that both were created good and holy by God; but the Diuel reuoulting from god and seducing men, corrupted both himselfe and men.

And although of their owne proper and free will they rush and bend themselues against God:¹⁵ yet by the iust iudegement of God they are so for saken and abiected of him, that they are without all chaunge, or alteration vnrecalabite euill, and subiect to euerlasting tormentes. Wherefore Iude saith, that they are reserued by GOD in euerlasting chaines vnder darekenesse. And Christ, Matth. 25. Goe yee cursed from mee into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. For though doubtlesse these euil spirits, were euen from their fall dispoiled of the celestiall habitation and blessednesse: yet notwithstanding both they and reprobate men shall bee at the last iudgement adiudged to more greeuous punishment: as contrariwise the felicity and glory of the Godlie shall then at length, after the resurrection of their bodies, bee in all respectes consummated and made perfect. Therefore 2. Pet. 2. and in Iude, these spirites are saide to bee reserued vnto damnation and the iudgement of the great day. And Mat. 8. They complain that Christ came to trouble them before their time.

Furthermore GOD permitted them to fall into this wickednesse,¹⁶ not onelie thereby to shew his wrath against sinne in their euerlasting paines: but also to punish by them in this life the wicked, and also to chastice or trie and exercise with temptations the elect. For fire is saide to bee prepared for them from euerlasting. Matth. 25. And 1. Sam. 16. vers. 18. The euill spirite of GOD came vpon Saul, and vexed him. Psalm. 78.49. Hee cast vpon the Aegyptians the fiercenesse of his anger, indignation and wrath, and vexation by the sending out of euill Angels. But Iob, cap. 1. vers. 2. is deliuered to bee afflicted of Satan, for the trial of his constancie. Luc. 22.31. Satan hath desired you to winnowe you as wheat. 1. Thessal. 2. Wee woulde haue come vnto you, but Satan hindered vs. 2. Corint. 12.7. Least I shoulde bee exalted aboue measure thorough the aboundaunce of reuelations, there was giuen vnto mee a pricke in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet mee, because I should not bee exalted out of measure. 1. Thessal. 3. Least the tempter hadde tempted you in anie sort, and that our labour had beene in vaine. And Matth. 4. Christ himselfe is tempted of Satan: and therefore verily is hee called the tempter, for that hee solliciteth and inicteth men to sinne and to reuoult from God, both by offering outwarde occasions of sinnes, as also by stirring vp the cogitations and inward motions of the wil and hart.

Footnotes

1. 1 Angels, spirites or incorporeal substances. ↩

2. The Angels themselues are not seene, but the bodies or shapes which they take. ↩

3. The error of the Sadduces. ↩

4. 2 Angels, finite both in nature, and in properties. ↩

5. 3 They were created. ↩

6. Moses made mention of the Angels in general, though not in particular. ↩

7. 4 They were created in holynes. ↩

8. 5 And confirmed therein. ↩

9. 6 To worship and magnifie God. ↩

10. 7 To be the ministers of God for the sauing of his chosen. ↩

11. They serue also for the wicked. ↩

12. They are the ministers of the Elect, by Christ. ↩

13. Why God vseth the ministry of Angels, beeing able to bring what hee will to passe whithout them. ↩

14. The refutation of the Manichees, who held two first causes. ↩

15. The euill spirits are vnchangeablely euil and damned. ↩

16. The causes why God permitted them to fall. ↩