A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

2. What was their sin, there is a great deal of difference among Divines about it, for herein they proceed by guess and conjecture, rather then any c•rta•n proof. Howbeit there is enough to vindicate Gods justice against them, quae vis peccata (saith Aquinus) sunt in malis Angelis; according to his opinion they have the guilt of all sin upon them, as tempting man to every sin; but what was the special formal sin, is not so easily determined, some say, affectation of the Divinity; others say, flat Rebellion against the Law of their Creation, or rash attempts against the Empire and Sovereignty of God; others envy, because of the humane nature exalted above the Angelical in Christ, he took not the seed of Angels, Heb. 2. 16. but whether that mystery were made known to them is uncertain, rather there are probabilities to the contrary; for the good Angels know it now by Gods dispensations to the Church, Eph. 3. 10. others think Rebellion against a particular Law given to them, as that concerning eating the forbidden fruit was to man, whether it were affecting an higher degree above their Creation, or refusing their office and ministration about man, or confidence in their own gifts and received excellency, in a matter of so great incertainty; 'tis hard to determine. To state their sin, take these Propositions. 1. The Law which made their act to be sin, was the Moral Law, as being the Copy of Gods holiness, his revealed will to all rational creatures, and they are said to ⟨p. 277⟩sin, 2 Pet. 2. 4. and [Greek or Hebrew] sin is [Greek or Hebrew], a ^*transgression of a Law; and of no other Law do we read, but of the moral Law, which (as is probable) was given to the Angels, excepting only such things as are not suitable to a spiritual nature; the Commandment concerning Adultery or unlawful Propagation, for they ^*neither marry nor give in marriage, a thing proper to the bodily life. 2. The most likely thing in their sin was Pride, there is Pride in every sin, namely a despising and contempt of the Commandment; and this is a sin agreeable enough to a spiritual nature, as Adultery, Drunkenness, and such sins are proper to a corporal and sensitive nature, [Greek or Hebrew] (saith Chrysostom) [Greek or Hebrew]: To prove it, the