An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Now a spiritual nature, is not affected with those sins, which belong to a corporal or sensitive nature; Devils are not adulterers, they are not drunkards; theirs are spiritual sins, and their chief spiritual sin, was pride; Their first sin consisted in not submitting themselves to that condition, wherein God placed them, and whereunto they were appointed. All agree it was pride, though there be different opinions about what this pride showed if self; whether in affecting a higher degree, then God created them in refusing the work and office God set them about, (which some conceive, was the ministration to, or the guardianship of man, which trust they deserted or scorned) or whether it were in affecting a further condition upon their own strength, not looking to the strength and grace of God, whatsoever the particular was, the general is plain, they abode not in the truth, they kept not their station: Pride and ambition swelled them, till they brake and fell.

Now a spirituall nature, is not affected with those sins, which belong to a corporall or sensitive nature; Devils are not adulterers, they are not drunkards; theirs are spirituall sins, and their chiefe spirituall sin, was pride; Their first sin consisted in not submitting themselves to that condition, wherein God placed them, and whereunto they were appointed. All agree it was pride, though there be different opinions about what this pride shewed if selfe; whether in affecting a higher degree, then God created them in refusing the work and office God set them about, (which some conceive, was the ministration to, or the guardianship of man, which trust they deserted or scorned) or whether it were in affecting a further condition upon their own strength, not looking to the strength and grace of God, whatsoever the particular was, the generall is plaine, they abode not in the truth, they kept not their station: Pride and ambition swel'd them, till they brake and fell.

Secondly observe, Angels (as creatures) are mutable creatures, ¹though they are the best of creatures, yet they are changeable creatures; though they are the most perfect creatures, yet there is somewhat in them of imperfection. Look upon Angels in their creation, they were created blessed; Blessed (as the Schools determine) with a natural blessedness, not with a supernatural which consists in the vision of God; for, if they had been created in a supernatural blessedness, then they had never fallen; they were created only in a natural blessedness, and from that they might fall and did. Now, indeed the good Angels have obtained by