Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .D75 1628z

CHAP .16. Of the Fall oft.ídngel . !morning 1larre. Howbeit by that which is written, I.7em.3.6. b Left being pmfedvp, heefallinto the condem- nationofthe Dena we may fafely gather, that pride was either the finne it felfe, or mixed with it , in that , by their wifedome and vnderflanding difcerningof a more excellent condition then their owne,they both in judge- ment approved , and in will affe&led and defired tohaue the fame : for, thereunto afterwards they tempted Man. Wherefore the fall of Angels was more gricuous then the fall of Man , in as much as hawing a more excellent meafure of holineffe, they were more able to refit}, and fell without temptation, and therefore were the tole in- Ilruwents oftheir owne fall; not that God had no Broke therein, (who, moderating all things that come topaffe in the World, in fo great an aóìion as this, could not but haue forne hand , difpofing of it to the manifeflationof his owne glorie,) but becaufe they fell without any out- ward tcmptation,fapeonly fuch as their owne thoughts did fuggefl veto them ; there being none but God to tempt them , e whoas he cannot be temptedofersill,fohirs+ felfe tempteth none. Thirdly , That not all the An gels fell , but fome cer- tayne ones onely : as may appeare by all the places of Scripture mentioning theirfall. Fourthly, The number of them which finned , which was exceeding great : for a whole legion of Deuils is mentioned , d L48. 30. but the certavne number is no where expteifed in the Scriptures , nor whether more did (land or fall ; albeit the number of the holy Angels doe farte e cxceede the greatefl number of Deuilsthat is f mentioned in the Scriptures. Ftftly Theorder of their fall ; one being thechiefe and Ring - leader of the ref} in this offence , whom the Scripture, from the qualities common to them all in this their corrupt et}ate, nameth , Satan gor the Deuill, as It were, by excellency above the ref:} ofthe Deuils, who are 229 b >l.Tirtiv.3.. c larkT.T Some only tel,, but a great multitude. d Lult.8.3o. e Mattb.2,6.53. Mere then t :. Legions. Dan.7.1o. Tess thoujand thou- fands. Heb. z:.::. In- finite thoufands. f Which isone Legion onely, Luk.2 30. One (the Scri- pture nameth himSatan, or theDeuill) the chiefeft Ring- leader of the refl. g Reuefrz.g. The great Dra- gon, the oldSera pent, tnbich u calledthe Deuil and Satan,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=