ANGEL

ANGEL, a spiritual, intelligent Substance; the first in Rank and Dignity among created Beings. See SPIRIT. The Word Angel, is not properly a Denomination of Nature, but of Office; denoting as much as Nuntius, Messenger, a Person employed to carry one’s Orders, or declare his Will.—Thus it is St. Paul represents Angels, Heb. 1. 14, where he calls them Ministering Spirits; And for the same Reason the Name is given, in the Prophet Malachy, C. II. 7, to Priests; and by St. Matthew, C. XI. 10, to St. John Baptist. Jesus Christ himself, according to the Septuagint, is called in Isaiah, C. IX. 6, the Angel of the mighty Council; a Name, says Tertullian, de Carne Christi. C. V., which speaks his Office, not his Nature.—So the Hebrew Word used in Scripture, for Angel, is also a Name of Office, and not of Nature; ἄγγελος, e.g., Legate, Envoy, Minister: and yet Custom has prevailed; insomuch that Angel is now commonly taken for a Denomination of Nature.
The Existence of Angels is supposed in all Religions.— Indeed, the ancient Sadducees are represented as denying all Spirits; and yet the Samaritans and Karaites, who are reputed Sadducees, openly avow it: witness Abusaid, the Author of an Arabic Version of the Pentateuch; and Aayor, a Karaite Jew, in his Comment on the Pentateuch; both extant in Manuscript, in the King of France’s Library.
See SADDUCEES, KARAITES, etc. In the Quran, we find frequent mention of Angels—The Muslims believe them of different Orders or Degrees, and destined for different Employments, both in Heaven, and on Earth. They attribute exceeding great Power to the Angel Gabriel; as, to be able to descend in the Space of an Hour from Heaven to Earth; to overturn a Mountain with a single Feather of his Wing, etc. The Angel Azrael, they suppose, appointed to take the Souls of such as die; and another Angel, named Israfil, stands with the Trumpet ready in his Mouth to proclaim the Day of Judgment. See QURAN, ISLAM, etc. The Heathen Philosophers and Poets, were also agreed as to the Existence of intelligent Beings, superior to Man; as is shown by St. Cyprian, in his Treatise of the Vanity of Idols, from the Testimonies of Plato, Socrates, Trismegistus, etc.
See PLATONISM, etc.—See also DAEMON, GENIUS, etc.
Some Christian Writers, after Zanchantius, Institut, Lib. I. c.xv. alledge the Energumens, and the Operations of Magick, as convincing Proofs thereof. St. Thomas produces other Considerations, in behalf of the Opinion, Lib. II. contra gentes, c. xlvi.
Authors are not so unanimous about the Nature as the Existence of Angels.—Clemens Alexandrinus believed they had Bodies; which was also the Opinion of Origen, Caesarius, Tertullian, and several others. Athanasius, St. Basil, St.Gregory of Nyssa, St. Cyril, St. Chrysostom, &c. hold them mere Spirits.
Ecclesiastical Writers make an Hierarchy of nine Orders of Angels. See HIERARCHY.



ANGEL is more particularly understood of a Spirit of the ninth and lowest Class, or Order of the Hierarchy, or Heavenly Choir. See HIERARCHY.
The Scripture makes mention of the Devil and his Angels.—We also say, the Fallen Angels, Guardian Angels, &c, See GUARDIAN, DEMON, GENIUS, &c. In the Apocalypse, the Denomination Angel is also given to the Pastors of several Churches.—The Angel of the Church of Ephesus; the Angel of the Church of Smyrna, &c.
Du Cange adds, that the same Name was anciently given to certain Popes and Bishops; by reason of their singular Sanctity, &c.

ANGEL is also used in Commerce, for an ancient Gold Coin struck in England; so called from the Figure of an Angel impressed upon it. See COIN.

Its Value in 1 Hen. VI. was 6s.8d. in 1 Hen. VII. 7s. 6d. in 34 Hen. VII. 8s. and in 6 Edw. VI. it was 10s.— And the half Angel, or, as it was sometimes called, the Angelot, was the Moiety of this. The Angel now subsists no otherwise than as a Money of Account. See MONEY.

The French have also had their Angels, Demi-Angels, and Angelots; now disused.

ANGEL