Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 13.djvu/218

 in this life, but will become known to us in the life to come.”

67. Various appellations of evil spirits and the authenticity of their existence. In addition to the angels there are the devil and his angels.

“That this devil and his angels are accepted in Holy Scripture as personal and actual beings, and not as imaginary beings, is to be seen (1) from the books of the Old Testament, (2) still more from the books of the New Testament.” Then follow proofs.

68. The evil spirits were created good, but they themselves became bad. How the good could have become bad is not explained, but there are many proofs from Scriptures. The devils became bad, some fathers of the church say, immediately before the creation of the world, while others say that the devils remained for a considerable time in the state of grace. (p. 406.) The devils became bad not all at once:

“At first one only fell, the chief of them, then he drew after him all the rest. This chief devil, according to some opinions, had been, previous to his fall, the very first and most perfect of all created spirits, who excelled before all the hosts of the angels; but according to the opinion of others, he belonged to the order of the supreme spirits (ταξιάρχων), to the leadership of which the lower orders of the angels were subject,—indeed he was among the number of those among whom the Lord apportioned the government of the parts of the world. The others, whom the fallen morning star drew after him, were the angels who were subject to him, who therefore could easily be carried away by his example, or suasion, or deception.” (pp. 406 and 407.)

What sin caused the devils to fall? Some say, because they mingled with the daughters of man, others say through envy, and others again say through pride.

“There have been various opinions as to what the pride