Lucifer

LUCIFER. This Word is taken either for the Morning Star, or for Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the World; or lastly for the Devil, who in the Writings of the Fathers is often called Lucifer. Zophar says to Job, If thou art innocent, when thou shalt think thy self lost, thou shalt shine forth as the Morning Star. And God speaking to Job, Job xi. 17. Boker. Job xxxviii. 32. Chima. Ps. cx. 3. Schachar. Aurora. 2 Pet. i. 19.says, Canst thou produce the Morning Star at the Time when it should appear? And the eternal Father speaking of the Word; I have begotten thee in my Womb before the Morning¹. Saint Peter speaking to the Faithful says; We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take Heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place, until the Day dawn, and the Day- Star arise in your Hearts. If. xiv. 12, &c.He compares the Light of Prophecies with that of a Lamp shining in some obscure Place, and the Light of Faith and of the Gospel to the Dawn of Day, and to the Morning Star². Isaiah speaks of the Fall of Lucifer from the Height of Heaven in this Passage, How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer; Son of the Morning? Thou that appearest so bright at the Break of Day. In this Sense several of the old Fathers have explained it³, and many Commentators still at this Day do explain it. But others⁴ are of Opinion that it literally refers to the King of Babylon, who fell from his State of Glory and Elevation, and was cast headlong into Hell. Notwithstanding which we may explain it allegorically of the Fall of the rebellious Angel.

2 Pet. i. 19.Saint Peter in his second Epistle tells the Faithful, that they have the Word of Prophesy whereunto they do well that they take Heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place, until the Day dawn, and the Day- Star arise in their Hearts. The Morning-Star, this Sun set in Opposition to the Oracles of the Prophets which they succeed, and of which they have so much the Advantage by their Clearness, denote visibly the Gospel and Doctrine of Jesus Christ. Saint Peter by this Passage would describe to us three Degrees of Light. 1t. The Oracles of the Prophets, which shine in Obscurity; this is the State of the Jews. 2d. The Morning Star, which signifies the Dawn of Day, and those who seriously search for Jesus Christ in the Books of the Old Testament. 3d. The Sun, which is the State of those who have embraced the Faith. Some translate the Greek⁵, till the Day appear, and the Sun rises in their Hearts. They pretend, that Phosphoros and Lucifer sometimes signify the Sun. The Arabians call Lucifer, Eblis⁶, which is a Diminitive or Corruption of Diabolos. They give him likewise the Name of Azazel, which is the Name of the Scape-Goat that was driven into the Wilderness, loaded with the Sins and Curses of the Jewish People. They relate, that the Angels having God’s Order⁷ to fall prostrate before Adam immediately after his Creation, all complied, except Eblis, who obstinately refused, alledging, that he and his Companions having been derived from the Element of Fire, which is much purer and more excellent than that of Earth, whereof Adam was formed, it was not just that they should be obliged to pay Submissions to their inferior. Whereupon God said to him, Be gone from hence, for thou shalt be deprived for ever of my Peace, and shalt be cursed to the Day of Judgment. Eblis desired of God that he would grant him Respite till the Time of the general Resurrection; but all the Delay he could obtain was till the Sound of the first Trumpet, which is that at which all Men shall die, in Order to rise again at the second Sound of the Trumpet; that is to say, forty Years after. Eblis therefore died according to the Mahometans, but he will hereafter rise with all Men, in Order to be plunged into the Flames. I relate all these idle Traditions for no other Reason but to shew, that the Theology of the Eastern People is only a Corruption of Christianity, all the Truths whereof have been altered by them.

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