A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

That they were created is undeniably plain, now the next Quaere is, when. 1. Some think they were made long before the world. Origen. Tract. 35. in Matth. Damascene. lib. 2 cap. 3. de fide. But the Scripture testifies that the evil Angels apostated so soon as ever they were created. Joh. 8.44. Non mansit in veritate; He abode not in the truth. And our Text infers, that so soon as they sinned, they were cast into hell. But before heaven was made there was no hell. Nulla talis distinctio loci, priusquam constitutio mundi. Before the constitution of the world, there could be no distinction of place: for there was nothing but God. 2. Some from the first verse of Genesis would prove, that the Angels were created together with the world; the Heaven comprehending Angels, as the continent doth the content, the house doth the inhabitant. And whereas it is said, Darkness was on the face of the deep; Origen thinks this deep to be that place whither the devil and his Angels were cast. But the HOLY GHOST showing the eternity of Wisdom, saith: Prov. 8.23. I was from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there was no depths, before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. The Angels therefore were not before the earth and hills: for then this should be no good argument to prove the antiquity and eternity of Wisdom, which is the Son of God. 3. It is most probable, that they were created upon the fourth day, when the stars and other ornaments of heaven were made. Job, 38.7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. They are said to rejoice and praise God together with the stars; therefore then it seems they took their being and beginning: for questionless immediately upon their creation they praised God. Besides, the heavens were that day perfected, the matter of them being only before prepared. It is fit that the house should be formed, before the inhabitant be produced. And this may satisfy any honest inquisitor, unless he rather ⟨p. 490⟩desires to wrangle than to learn. But these be the Lords own secrets, whereof we may be ignorant without danger. Howsoever, we have proved that the Angel is Condita substantia, a created substance: which confutes that Pythagorean dotage of philosophers with this Duo principia, two beginnings; one of good and another of evil.