ANGEL, a spiritual intelligent substance, the first in rank and dignity among created beings. The word angel is Greek, and signifies a messenger: the Hebrew qκb□ signifies the same thing. The angels are in Daniel, chap, iv. ver. 13, &c. called tw, or watchers, from their vigilance: for the same reason they are, in the remains we have of the prophecy attributed to Enoch, nameàEgregori ; which word imports the same in Greek.

The term Angel, therefore, in the proper signification of the word, does not import the nature of any being, but only an office; in which sense angels are called the ministers of God, and ministering spirits. That there are such beings, invisible and imperceptible to our senses, endued with understanding and power superior to those of human nature, created by God, and subject to him,—ministering to his divine providence in the government of the world,— are truths fully attested by Scripture. Nay, the existence of such invisible beings was generally acknowledged by the heathens, though under different appellations: the Greeks called them demons, and the Romans genii or lares. Epicurus seems to have been the only one among the ancient philosophers who absolutely rejected them.

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

Besides their attendance on God, and their waiting and executing his commands, they are also presumed to be employed in taking care of mankind and their concerns: and that every man had such a tutelar 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 that persuasion, and thought it a crime to neglect the admonitions of so divine a guide. The Romans thought the tutelar genii of those who attained the empire to be of an eminent order, on which account they had great honours shown 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 months, 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.

Although the angels were originally created perfect, 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, from 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 the Deity, 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.