ANGEL

ANGEL, a spiritual intelligent substance, the first in rank and dignity among created beings.

Angels, in the proper signification of the word (Angel), do not import the nature of any being, but only the office, to which they are appointed, especially by way of message, or intercourse between God and his creatures; in which sense they are called the ministers of God, who do his pleasure, and ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. That there are such beings as we call angels, that is, certain permanent substances, invisible, and imperceptible to our senses, endowed with understanding and power superior to that of human nature, created by God, and subject to him as the supreme Being; ministering to his divine providence in the government of the world by his appointment, and more especially attending the affairs of mankind; is a truth so fully attested by scripture, that it cannot be doubted. Nay, the existence of such invisible beings was generally acknowledged by the ancient heathens, though under different appellations: the Greeks called them dæmons; and the Romans genii, or lares. Epicurus seems to have been the only one among the old philosophers who absolutely rejected them. Indeed, the belief of middle intelligences influencing the affairs of the world, and serving as ministers or interpreters between God and man, is as extensive as the belief of a God; having never, so far as we know, been called in question by those who had any religion at all.

That the angels were in being long before the Mosaic creation, is generally allowed; and indeed cannot be doubted, since they were actually present, if not employed, in that creation, when the morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy; and since it is more than probable, that the fall of the apostate angels was some time at least before it.

As to the nature of these beings, we are told, that they are spirits; but whether pure spirits divested of all matter, or united to some thin bodies, or corporeal vehicles, has been a controversy of long standing. Not only the ancient philosophers, but some of the Christian fathers, were of opinion, that angels were clothed with ethereal, or fiery, bodies, of the same nature with those which we shall one day have when we come to be equal to them. But the more general opinion, especially of later times, has been, that they are substances

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stances

(A) The word Angel is Greek, and signifies a Messenger: the Hebrew malach signifies the same thing. The angels are in Daniel (chap. iv. ver. 13, &c.) called Shadrach, or Watchers, from their vigilance: for the same reason they are, in the remains we have of the prophecy attributed to Enoch, named Exregori; which word imports the same in Greek.

stances entirely spiritual, though they can at any time assume bodies, and appear in human or other shapes.

That the angelical powers and abilities vastly excel those of man, cannot be denied, if we consider, that their faculties are not clogged or impeded, as ours are, by any of those imperfections which are inseparable from corporeal beings: so that their understandings are always in perfect vigour; their inclinations regular; their motions strong and quick; their actions irresistible by material bodies, whose natural qualities they can controul, or manage to their purposes, and occasion either blessings or calamities, public or private, here below, instances of which are too numerous to mention.

Besides their attendance on God, and their waiting and executing of his commands, they are also presumed to be employed in taking care of mankind and their concerns: and that every man had such a tutelary, or guardian angel, even from his birth, was a firm belief and tradition among the Jews; and our Saviour himself seems to have been of the same sentiment. The heathens were also of the same persuasion, and thought it a crime to neglect the admonitions of so divine a guide. Socrates publicly confessed himself to be under the direction of such an angel, or demon, as several others have since done. And on this tutelary genius of each person they believed his happiness and fortune depended. Every genius did his best for the interest of his client; and if a man came by the worst, it was a sign the strength of his genius was inferior to that of his opponent, that is, of an inferior order; and this was governed by chance. There were some genii, whose ascendent was so great over others, that their very presence entirely disconcerted them; which was the case of that of Augustus in respect of that of Marc Anthony; and for the same reason, perhaps, some persons have wit, and speak well, when others are absent, in whose presence they are confounded, and out of countenance. The Romans thought the tutelary genii of those who attained the empire, to be of an eminent order; on which account they had great honours shewn them. Nations and cities also had their several genii. The ancient Persians so firmly believed the ministry of angels, and their superintendence over human affairs, that they gave their names to their months, and the days of their month; and assigned them distinct offices and provinces: and it is from them the Jews confess to have received the names of the months and angels which they brought with them when they returned from the Babylonish captivity. After which, we find, they also assigned charges to the angels, and in particular the patronage of empires and nations; Michael being the prince of the Jews, as Raphael is supposed to have been of the Persians.

The Mahometans have so great a respect for the angels, that they account a man an infidel who either denies their existence, or loves them not. They believe

them to be free from sin, enjoying the presence of God, to whom they are never disobedient: that they have subtil pure bodies, being created of light; and have no distinction of sexes, nor do they need the refreshment of food or sleep. They suppose them to have different forms and offices: that some adore God in several postures; others sing his praises, and intercede for men; some carry and encompass his throne; others write the actions of men, and are assigned guardians to them.

As the numbers of these celestial spirits are very great, it is likewise reasonable to believe that there are several orders and degrees among them; which is also confirmed by scripture: whence some speculative men have distributed them into nine orders, according to the different names by which they are there called; and reduced those orders into three hierarchies, as they call them; to the first of which belong seraphim, cherubim, and thrones; to the second, dominions, virtues, and powers; and to the third, principalities, arch-angels, and angels. They imagine farther, that there are some who constantly reside in heaven; others who are ministers, and sent forth, as there is occasion, to execute the orders they receive from God by the former. The Jews reckon but four orders or companies of angels, each headed by an arch-angel; the first order being that of Michael, the second of Gabriel, the third of Uriel, and the fourth of Raphael: but tho' the Jews believe them to be four, yet it seems there were rather seven. The Persians also held, there were subordinate degrees among the angels.

Although the angels were originally created perfect, Of the fall of angels. good, and obedient to their Master's will, yet some of them sinned, and kept not their first estate, but left their habitation, and so, of the most blessed and glorious, became the most vile and miserable of all God's creatures. They were expelled the regions of light, and cast down to hell, to be reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, until the day of judgment. With heaven they lost their heavenly disposition, which delighted once in doing good and praising God; and fell into a settled rancour against him, and malice against men: their inward peace was gone; all desire of doing good departed from them; and, instead thereof, revengeful thoughts and despair took possession of them, and created an eternal hell within them.

When, and for what offence, these apostate spirits fell from heaven, and plunged themselves into such an abyss of wickedness and wo, are questions very hard, if not impossible, to be determined by any clear evidence of scripture. As to the time, it is most reasonable to believe, that their fall preceded the creation of the world: though some have imagined it to have been after; and that carnality, or lusting to converse with women upon earth, was the sin which ruined them: an opinion (a) built on a mistaken interpretation of scripture, as if angels were meant by the sons of God who are

are said to have begotten the mighty men of old on the daughters of men. Others have supposed, that the angels, being informed of God's intention to create man after his own image, and to dignify his nature by Christ's assuming of it, and thinking their glory to be eclipsed thereby, envied man's happiness, and so revolted: and with this opinion that of the Mahometans has some affinity, who are taught, that the devil, who was once one of those angels who are nearest to God's presence, and named Azazil, forfeited paradise for refusing to pay homage to Adam, at the command of God. But on what occasion soever it first shewed itself, pride seems to have been the leading sin of the angels; who, admiring and valuing themselves too much on the excellence of their nature and the height of their station, came at length to entertain so little respect for their Creator, as to be guilty of downright rebellion and apostasy.

It is certain from scripture, that these fallen angels

were in great numbers, and that there was also some order and subordination preserved among them; one especially being considered as their prince, and called by several names, Beelzebub, Satan, or Sammael by the Jews; Abdriman, by the Persians; and Eblis, by the Mahometans. Their constant employment is not only doing evil themselves, but endeavouring by all arts and means to seduce and pervert mankind, by tempting them to all kind of sin, and thereby bringing them into the same desperate state with themselves.

ANGEL is likewise a title given to bishops of several churches. In this sense is St Paul understood by some authors, where he says, Women ought to be covered in the church, because of the angels. The learned Dr Prideaux observes, that the minister of the synagogue, who officiated in offering up the public prayers, being the mouth of the congregation, delegated by them as their representative, messenger, or angel, to speak to God in prayer for them, was therefore, in the Hebrew

celestial and terrestrial. These are unclean spirits, the authors of whatever evils are committed, and whose prince is the devil. From hence very probably proceeded the notions of Incubi, or demons who are supposed to have carnal knowledge of women.

But the fancy of angels defiling themselves with women has been greatly propagated by that forgery entitled the prophecy of Enoch. As the fragments of it are extant which give a particular history of these imaginary transactions, we shall here insert an extract of them for the amusement of our readers.

"When men were greatly increased, they had daughters of such excellent beauty, that the Egregori, or watching-angels, † fell in love with them, and proposed to one another that they should go down and chuse themselves † See the wives of the daughters of men: to which Semiazas, their prince, replying, that he was apprehensive they would not go through with the affair, but leave him to bear the guilt alone, they all swore and bound themselves under imprecations, that they would not recede from their resolution. The number of these Egregori was two hundred; who, in the days of Jared, descended on the top of mount Hermon, which was so called from the oath they had taken. Their princes were twenty, whose names follow: Semiazas their chief, Ataruph, Araciel, Gobabel, Orammame, Ramiel, Sampseh, Zaciel, Baleiel, Azalzel, Pharmarus, Amariel, Anagenas, Thausael, Samiel, Sarinas, Eumiel, Tyriel, Jumiel, Sariel.

"These, and the rest of them, in the year of the world one thousand one hundred and seventy, took themselves wives, and began to commit lewdness with them, which they continued to do until the flood; and the women bore to them three generations. The first generation were the giants, the giants begat the Nephilim, and the Nephilim those named Eliud; and they were multiplied according to their stature, and taught themselves and their wives magic and enchantments. The tenth of their princes, named Azalzel, taught them to make swords, breastplates, and instruments of war; as also the working of metals, particularly gold and silver, and fashioning various ornaments for the women: he also instructed them in the preparing of cosmetics, the polishing of precious stones, and the art of dyeing. These things the sons of men provided for themselves and their daughters, and they transgressed; and also seduced those that were virtuous among them, and wickedness prevailed greatly in the earth. Semiazas, the chief of these angels, taught the force of poisonous roots and herbs; Pharmarus, the eleventh, charms and incantations; the ninth, astroscopy; the fourth, astrology; the eighth, aëroscopy; the third, the signs of the earth; the seventh, those of the sun; the twentieth, those of the moon; and in like manner each of them revealed certain secrets to their wives and children.

"Afterwards the giants began to devour human flesh; by which means the number of men daily decreasing, those that remained cried to heaven against their cruelty, and besought God to remember them. This the four arch-angels hearing, looked down upon the earth, and beholding a great deal of bloodshed thereon, and that all manner of impiety and disorder was committed, made their report thereof to God, and at his command bound the princes of those transgressors, and threw them into the abyss, there to be kept to the day of judgment. Uriel in particular was sent to Noah, the son of Lamech, to acquaint him that the whole earth was to be destroyed by a deluge, and instructed him by what means to escape it. Raphael was ordered to bind Azal [Azalzel] hand and foot, and to throw him into darkness, in the desert of Dudael, and to lay him upon sharp stones, and cover him with darkness, that he might dwell therein for ever, being destined to the punishment of fire on the day of judgment. The words which follow, directing him to heal the earth of the wounds caused therein, by the secrets revealed by the Egregori, are something dark, and deserve not the trouble of an explication. Gabriel's charge was to destroy the giants, the sons of the Egregori, by exciting them to mutual and intestine wars, that they might fall by each others hands; and Michael was commanded to bind Semiazas, and the rest of his companions, and to lead them, after they had seen the slaughter of their beloved sons, to the utmost parts of the earth, where they were to be confined for seventy generations, till the consummation of all things, and the day of judgment, when they were to be thrown into the gulph of fire. The giants, being begotten by a mixture of spirit and flesh, were condemned to become evil spirits, doing mischief upon the earth, appearing as spectres, and taking no food; but were to rise with mankind at the general resurrection. Therefore, from the day of the slaughter of the giants, the Nephilim, the mighty men of the earth, and the great men of renown, the spirits which went forth from their souls, as from flesh, were to continue their mischievous employments till the last day. It was also decreed, that mount Hermon, where those angels mutually bound themselves by an oath, should never be without snow and cold till the day of judgment, when it should melt like wax. Mankind are also threatened with a general destruction, and that their life should be but one hundred and twenty years." Ex primo libro Enoch. apud Syncellum.

brew language, called the angel of the church; and from thence the bishops of the seven churches of Asia are, by a name borrowed from the synagogue, called the angels of those churches.