On Angels

Subsection

Fall of Angels
Demons & Spiritual Warfare

Order of Contents

Articles 8+
Creation of Angels 4
Worship of Angels 3
Latin 6+

Articles

Anthology of the Post-Reformation

Heppe, Heinrich – ch. 10, ‘Angels Good & Bad’ in Reformed Dogmatics ed. Ernst Bizer, tr. G.T. Thomson Pre Buy (1861; Wipf & Stock, 2007), pp. 201-220

Heppe (1820–1879) was a German reformed theologian.

1500’s

Bullinger, Henry – 9^th Sermon, ‘Of Good & Evil Spirits; that is, of the Holy Angels of God & of Devils or Evil Spirits & of their Operations’ in The Decades ed. Thomas Harding (1549; Cambridge: Parker Society, 1850), vol. 3, 4^th Decade, pp. 327-65

Vermigli, Peter Martyr – ‘Of the Creation of Angels, their Sundry Names, Visions, Assuming of Bodies, Office, Dignity, Order & Degrees’ in 13. ‘Of the Creation of All Things’ in The Common Places… (London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 1, pp. 111-21

Musculus, Wolfgang – Common Places of the Christian Religion (1560; London, 1563)

‘Creation of Angels’ 10.b
‘Of the Fall of the Angels’ 11.a

Ursinus, Zachary – The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered… in his Lectures upon the Catechism… tr. Henrie Parrie (d. 1583; Oxford, 1587)

Of Angels

What Good Angels are
Of evil spirits or Angels

7. Of the Angels in Rules & Axions of Certain Chief Points of Christianity in A Collection of Certain Learned Discourses… (Oxford, 1600)

Zanchi, Girolamo – ch. 5, ’Of the Creation of the World, of Angels & of Man’s First Estate’ in Confession of the Christian Religion… (1586; Cambridge, 1599), pp. 21-26

Finch, Henry – 13. Of our own Righteousness, whereof the State of Angels & Men, before and by their Fall in The Sacred Doctrine of Divinity gathered out of the Word of God… (Middelburg: 1589), bk. 2

Finch (d. 1625) was an English lawyer and politician.

Beza, Theodore, Anthony Faius & Students – 13. ‘Of Good & Evil Angels’ in Propositions & Principles of Divinity Propounded & Disputed in the University of Geneva by Certain Students of Divinity there, under Mr. Theodore Beza & Mr. Anthony Faius… (Edinburgh: Waldegrave, 1591), pp. 26-30

1600’s

Perkins, William

8. ’Of Angels’ in A Golden Chain (Cambridge: Legat, 1600)
‘The Creation of Angels’ in An Exposition of the Symbol, or Apostles’ Creed… (Cambridge, 1595), p. 73

Perkins (d. 1602) was an influential, puritan, Anglican clergyman and Cambridge theologian.

Bucanus, William – 6. ‘Of Angels in General’ in Institutions of Christian Religion... (London: Snowdon, 1606), pp. 64-77

What is signified by this word ‘angel’?
Whence had angels their beginning?
Are angels without all matter or not?
But when were the angels created?
Christ says, Mt. 18:10, ‘the angels do always behold the face of his Father,’ therefore they have been always?
What is an angel?
Are the angels substances really and truly subsisting?
How were the angels created?
Are the angels mutable or immutable?
What is the reason that while some of the angels fell from the truth, others continued in grace and truth?
Can those then which continued in the truth fall from the same and so fall into sin?
But seeing they can no more sin, nor become miserable, do they not cease to have freedom of will?
What names are given to the angels?
How many ways have angels appeared unto men?
Whether might angels, when they assume unto them true human bodies, be called men?
What became of those bodies after their ascension to heaven?
Do angels move out of their places and dispatch their business within the space of time?
How many angels be there?
Are there orders and degrees of angels?
Has each of them his proper name?
Have the angels any knowledge of things?
Whether do the angels know the actions of every particular man, or what they do, say or suffer?
Have they also the knowledge of their thoughts and affections?
But in what sense are affections (as joy and sorrow) ascribed unto angels in the Scriptures, seeing they are blessed?
What are we to think of the force and power of angels?
What manner of speech do the angels use, either toward God, or amongst themselves, or unto men?
What be the offices of angels?
Have particular men, or countries and cities some one good and certain angel appointed to defend thema and an evil angel to tempt them?
Whether can there arise dissensions and discords by our means amongst the good angels, as Dan. 10:13, it is said that the Prince of the Persians fought against the Prince of the Grecians?
Have those angels which never sinned need of Christ the Mediator?
Are we to pray unto the angels, or to worship them with any religious worship?
Why would God use the ministry of angels?
What is the reason that whereas the angels were accustomed in old time to appear often to the fathers in the form of men and to converse and talk with them familiarly, now they do it no more?
What use has the Church of the doctrine concerning angels?
What things be contrary to this doctrine?

Walaeus, Anthony – 12. ‘Concerning the Good & Bad Angels’ in Synopsis of a Purer Theology: Latin Text & English Translation Buy (1625; Brill, 2016), vol. 1, pp. 284-314

Wolleb, Johannes – 7. ‘The Governance of Angels’ in Abridgment of Christian Divinity (1626) in ed. John Beardslee, Reformed Dogmatics: J. Wollebius, G. Voetius & F. Turretin (Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), bk. 1, pp. 61-64

Wolleb (1589–1629) was a Swiss reformed theologian. He was a student of Amandus Polanus.

Leigh, Edward – 7. ‘Of the Angels, Good & Bad’ in A System or Body of Divinity… (London, A.M., 1654), bk. 3, pp. 268-88

Turretin, Francis – Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1992), vol. 1

7^th Topic

1. ‘Whether and when angels were created.’  539
2. ‘Are angels spiritual and incorporeal substances? We affirm.’  541
3. ‘What is the mode and what is the object of angelic knowledge?’  543
4. ‘What is the will and the free will of angels? Do affections belong to them?’  546
5. ‘What is the power of the angels?’  547
6. ‘What were the apparitions of angels, and what bodies did they assume?’  549
7. ‘Is there any order among the angels and are there distinct hierarchies among them? The former we affirm; the latter we deny against the Jews and Romanists.’  551
8. ‘Why and for what does God use the ministry of angels? Is a particular angel assigned as a perpetual guardian to each believer? We deny.’  555
9. ‘Are angels our intercessors with God, and is any religious worship due to them? We deny against the Romanists.’  560

9th Topic

5. ‘What was the sin of the angels by which they are said to have rebelled against God?’ 601

van Mastricht, Peter – Theoretical Practical Theology (2nd ed. 1698; RHB), vol. 3, pt. 1, bk. 3

ch. 7, ‘The Good Angels’ 175
ch. 8, ‘The Evil Angels’ 213-46

Heidegger, Johann H. – 8. ‘On Angels’ in The Concise Marrow of Theology tr. Casey Carmichael in Classic Reformed Theology, vol. 4 (1697; RHB, 2019), pp. 55-61

1700’s

à Brakel, Wilhelmus – ch. 9, ‘Angels & Devils’ in The Christian’s Reasonable Service, vols. 1 ed. Joel Beeke, trans. Bartel Elshout Buy (1700; RHB, 1992/1999), pp. 285-307

a Brakel (1635-1711) was a contemporary of Voet and Witsius and a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation.

Venema, Herman – Translation of Hermann Venema’s inedited Institutes of Theology tr. Alexander W. Brown (d. 1787; Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1850)

20. Angels (Existence of, Names of, their Essence, Spiritual Beings, their Attributes as Substances, Whence they are, How began, How Exist, Atttributes as Spiritual Substances, their Understanding & Will, Number of, Nature of their Presence, Manner of their Intercourse) 350

21. Holy Angels (Two Classes of, Origin of Classes, Holy Angels, Internal & External Condition, Leader of, Rank among them, Offices to God & Men, Intercede for us?, Guardian Angels? To be Worshipped?) 360

22. Fallen Angels (Names, Internal & External Condition, Understanding & Will, Residence, Number, their Orders, Satan Devils, Employments, Errors Refuted, Scriptural View, Magical Arts, Temptations, Afflictions) 372

Venema (1697-1787) was a professor at Franeker. Venema “maintained the fundamental line of confessional orthodoxy without drawing heavily on any of the newer philosophies… and maintained a fairly centrist Reformed position. Venema… evidence[s] the inroads of a rationalistic model…” – Richard Muller

1800’s

Alexander, Archibald – 13. ‘Angels’ in God, Creation & Human Rebellion: Lecture Notes of Archibald Alexander from the Hand of Charles Hodge (1818; RBO, 2023), pp. 160-72

On the Creation of the Angels

Article

1500’s

Musculus, Wolfgang – Common Places of the Christian Religion (1560; London, 1563)

‘Creation of Angels’ 10.b

Beza, Theodore – pp. 23-24 & 47-49 in A Book of Christian Questions & Answers… (London, 1574)

Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573), The Exposition of the Preface of the Law, The Exposition of the Preface of the Law

Of the creation and fall of the angels, and how that God in the same has declared the difference that is between the Creator and the Creature, and how it is only He that is perfect and unchangeable

Zanchi, Girolamo – pp. 22-23 of ch. 5, ’Of the Creation of the World, of Angels & of Man’s First Estate’ in Confession of the Christian Religion… (1586; Cambridge, 1599)

1600’s

Bucanus, William – 6. ‘Of Angels in General’ in Institutions of Christian Religion... (London: Snowdon, 1606), pp. 64-77

Whence had angels their beginning?
Are angels without all matter or not?
But when were the angels created?
Christ says, Mt. 18:10, ‘the angels do always behold the face of his Father,’ therefore they have been always?
What is an angel?
Are the angels substances really and truly subsisting?
How were the angels created?
Are the angels mutable or immutable?

Turretin, Francis – Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1992), vol. 1, 7^th Topic

1. ‘Whether and when angels were created.’ 539-41

On Worshipping Angels

Articles

1500’s

Musculus, Wolfgang – Common Places of the Christian Religion (1560; London, 1563), ‘Of the true service of God’

Of the service of the angels 356.a

1600’s

Turretin, Francis – Institutes of Elenctic Theology, 3 vols. (P&R), vol. 1, 7th Topic

Q. 9, ‘Are Angels our Intercessors with God, and is Any Religious Worship Due to Them? We Deny Against the Romanists.’ 560-569

Book

Ferne, Henry – An Appeal to Scripture & Antiquity in the Questions of 1. the Worship & Invocation of Saints & Angels, 2. the Worship of Images, 3. Justification by and Merit of Good Works, 4. Purgatory, 5. Real presence & Half-Communion: Against the Romanists (London, 1665)

Ferne (1602–1662) was an Anglican bishop, a doctor of divinity, an academic and a chaplain to Charles I.

Latin

1600’s

Alsted, Henry

ch. 10, ‘Angels’ in Distinctions through Universal Theology, taken out of the Canon of the Sacred Letters & Classical Theologians (Frankfurt: 1626), pp. 50-53

ch. 4, ‘On Angels’ in Theological Common Places Illustrated by Perpetual Similitudes (Frankfurt, 1630), pp. 27-34

Wendelin, Marcus Friedrich – Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 1, ‘Knowledge of God’

ch. 5, ‘Of Creation; where also is of Angels & Men’, pp. 153-71

ch. 7, ‘Of the Governance of Rational Creatures in General & in Specific, & of the Governance of Them Before the Fall’, pp. 192-95

ch. 8, ‘Of the Certain Obedience of Angels & of the Disobedience of Others’, pp. 195-98

Voet, Gisbert

Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1 Abbr.

section 1, tract 3

1. Of the Angels in General

Whether Angels may Exist & were Created?
What they Are
Of What Qualities are they on Account of their Properties?
Of What Qualities are they on Account of their Intellect? & its Mode & Object
Of the Will
On Account of their Affections, Power, Actions & Adjuncts

2. Of the Good Angels in Specific
. Intellect, Will, Power, Actions & Adjuncts
Appendices:

(1) Of the Guardianship of Angels
(2) Of the Order of the Angels & Heavenly Hierarchy
(3) Containing Cases about Interactions with Good Angels