IntheeleventhchapterofNumbers，verse17，“Iwilltake，“saithGod，“ofthespiritwhichisuponthee，andwillputituponthem，andtheyshallbeartheburdenofthepeoplewiththee“；thatis，upontheseventyelders：whereupontwooftheseventyaresaidtoprophesyinthecamp；ofwhomsomecomplained，andJoshuadesiredMosestoforbidthem，whichMoseswouldnotdo。WherebyitappearsthatJoshuaknewnottheyhadreceivedauthoritysotodo，andprophesiedaccordingtothemindofMoses，thatistosay，byaspiritorauthoritysubordinatetohisown。
Inthelikesensewereadthat“Joshuawasfullofthespiritofwisdom，becauseMoseshadlaidhishandsuponhim“：*thatis，becausehewasordainedbyMosestoprosecutetheworkhehadhimselfbegunnamely，thebringingofGod’speopleintothepromisedlandbut，preventedbydeath，couldnotfinish。
Inthelikesenseitissaid，“IfanymanhavenottheSpiritofChrist，heisnoneofhis“：*notmeaningtherebytheghostofChrist，butasubmissiontohisdoctrine。Asalso，“HerebyyoushallknowtheSpiritofGod：everyspiritthatconfesseththatJesusChristiscomeinthefleshisofGod“；*2bywhichismeantthespiritofunfeignedChristianity，submissiontothatmainarticleofChristianfaith，thatJesusistheChrist；whichcannotbeinterpretedofaghost。
Likewisethesewords，“AndJesusfulloftheHolyGhost“*thatis，asitisexpressed，Matthew，4。1，andMark，1。12，“oftheHolySpirit“maybeunderstoodforzealtodotheworkforwhichhewassentbyGodtheFather：buttointerpretitofaghostistosaythatGodHimselfforsoourSaviourwaswasfilledwithGod；whichisveryimproperandinsignificant。Howwecametotranslatespiritsbythewordghosts，whichsignifiethnothing，neitherinheavennorearth，buttheimaginaryinhabitantsofman’sbrain，Iexaminenot：
butthisIsay，thewordspiritinthetextsignifiethnosuchthing；buteitherproperlyarealsubstanceor，metaphorically，someextraordinaryabilityoraffectionofthemindorofthebody。
TheDisciplesofChrist，seeinghimwalkinguponthesea*supposedhimtobeaspirit，meaningtherebyanaerialbody，andnotaphantasm：foritissaidtheyallsawhim；whichcannotbeunderstoodofthedelusionsofthebrainwhicharenotcommontomanyatonce。asvisiblebodiesare；butsingular，becauseofthedifferencesoffancies，butofbodiesonly。Inlikemanner，wherehewastakenforaspirit，bythesameApostles：*2soalsowhenSt。Peterwasdeliveredoutofprison，itwouldnotbebelieved；butwhenthemaidsaidhewasatthedoor，theysaiditwashisangel；*3
bywhichmustbemeantacorporealsubstance，orwemustsaythedisciplesthemselvesdidfollowthecommonopinionofbothJewsandGentilesthatsomesuchapparitionswerenotimaginary，butreal；
andsuchasneedednotthefancyofmanfortheirexistence：thesetheJewscalledspiritsandangels，goodorbad；astheGreekscalledthesamebythenameofdemons。Andsomesuchapparitionsmayberealandsubstantial；thatistosay，subtlebodies，whichGodcanformbythesamepowerbywhichHeformedallthings，andmakeuseofasministersandmessengersthatistosay，angels，todeclareHiswill，andexecutethesamewhenHepleasethinextraordinaryandsupernaturalmanner。ButwhenHehathsoformedthemtheyaresubstances，enduedwithdimensions，andtakeuproom，andcanbemovedfromplacetoplace，whichispeculiartobodies；andthereforearenotghostsnotghostsincorporeal，thatistosay，ghoststhatareinnoplace；thatistosay，thatarenowhere；thatistosay，that，seemingtobesomewhat，arenothing。Butifcorporealbetakeninthemostvulgarmanner，forsuchsubstancesasareperceptiblebyourexternalsenses；thenissubstanceincorporealathingnotimaginary，butreal；namely，athinsubstanceinvisible，butthathaththesamedimensionsthatareingrosserbodies。
Bythenameofangelissignified，generally，amessenger；andmostoften，amessengerofGod：andbyamessengerofGodissignifiedanythingthatmakesknownHisextraordinarypresence；thatistosay，theextraordinarymanifestationofHispower，especiallybyadreamorvision。
Concerningthecreationofangels，thereisnothingdeliveredintheScriptures。Thattheyarespiritsisoftenrepeated：butbythenameofspiritissignifiedbothinScriptureandvulgarly，bothamongstJewsandGentiles，sometimesthinbodies；astheair，thewind，thespiritsvitalandanimaloflivingcreatures；andsometimestheimagesthatriseinthefancyindreamsandvisions；whicharenotrealsubstances，norlastanylongerthanthedreamorvisiontheyappearin；whichapparitions，thoughnorealsubstances，butaccidentsofthebrain；yetwhenGodraiseththemsupernaturally，tosignifyHiswill，theyarenotimproperlytermedGod’smessengers，thatistosay，Hisangels。
AndastheGentilesdidvulgarlyconceivetheimageryofthebrainforthingsreallysubsistentwithoutthem，andnotdependentonthefancy；andoutofthemframedtheiropinionsofdemons，goodandevil；
whichbecausetheyseemedtosubsistreally，theycalledsubstances；
andbecausetheycouldnotfeelthemwiththeirhands，incorporeal：soalsotheJewsuponthesameground，withoutanythingintheOldTestamentthatconstrainedthemthereunto，hadgenerallyanopinionexceptthesectoftheSadduceesthatthoseapparitions，whichitpleasedGodsometimestoproduceinthefancyofmen，forHisownservice，andthereforecalledthemHisangels，weresubstances，notdependentonthefancy，butpermanentcreaturesofGod；whereofthosewhichtheythoughtweregoodtothem，theyesteemedtheangelsofGod，andthosetheythoughtwouldhurtthem，theycalledevilangels，orevilspirits；suchaswasthespiritofPython，andthespiritsofmadmen，oflunaticsandepileptics：fortheyesteemedsuchasweretroubledwithsuchdiseases，demoniacs。
ButifweconsidertheplacesoftheOldTestamentwhereangelsarementioned，weshallfindthatinmostofthem，therecannothingelsebeunderstoodbythewordangel，butsomeimageraised，supernaturally，inthefancy，tosignifythepresenceofGodintheexecutionofsomesupernaturalwork；andthereforeintherest，wheretheirnatureisnotexpressed，itmaybeunderstoodinthesamemanner。
Forwereadthatthesameapparitioniscallednotonlyanangel，butGod，wherethatwhichiscalledtheangeloftheLord，saithtoHagar，“Iwillmultiplythyseedexceedingly“；*thatis，speakethinthepersonofGod。Neitherwasthisapparitionafancyfigured，butavoice。BywhichitismanifestthatangelsignifieththerenothingbutGodHimself，thatcausedHagarsupernaturallytoapprehendavoicefromheaven；orrather，nothingelsebutavoicesupernatural，testifyingGod’sspecialpresencethere。WhythereforemaynottheangelsthatappearedtoLot，andarecalledmen；*2andtowhom，thoughtheyweretwo，Lotspeakethasbuttoone，*3andthatoneasGodforthewordsare，“Lotsaiduntothem，OhnotsomyLord“，beunderstoodofimagesofmen，supernaturallyformedinthefancy；aswellasbeforebyangelwasunderstoodafanciedvoice？WhentheangelcalledtoAbrahamoutofheaven，tostayhishandfromslayingIsaac，*4therewasnoapparition，butavoice；whichneverthelesswascalledproperlyenoughamessengerorangelofGod，becauseitdeclaredGod’swillsupernaturally，andsavesthelabourofsupposinganypermanentghosts。TheangelswhichJacobsawontheladderofheaven*5wereavisionofhissleep；thereforeonlyfancyandadream；yetbeingsupernatural，andsignsofGod’sspecialpresence，thoseapparitionsarenotimproperlycalledangels。ThesameistobeunderstoodwhereJacobsaiththus，“TheangeloftheLordappearedtomeinmysleep。“*6Foranapparitionmadetoamaninhissleepisthatwhichallmencalladream，whethersuchdreambenaturalorsupernatural：andthatwhichthereJacobcallethanangelwasGodHimself；forthesameangelsaith，“IamtheGodofBethel。“*7
AlsotheangelthatwentbeforethearmyofIsraeltotheRedSea，andthencamebehindit，istheLordHimself；*andHeappearednotintheformofabeautifulman，butinform，byday，ofa“pillarofcloud，“and，bynight，informofa“pillaroffire“；*2andyetthispillarwasalltheapparitionandangelpromisedtoMosesforthearmy’sguide：forthiscloudypillarissaidtohavedescendedandstoodatthedoorofthetabernacle，andtohavetalkedwithMoses。*3
Thereyouseemotionandspeech，whicharecommonlyattributedtoangels，attributedtoacloud，becausethecloudservedasasignofGod’spresence；andwasnolessanangelthanifithadhadtheformofamanorchildofneversogreatbeauty；orwings，asusuallytheyarepainted，forthefalseinstructionofcommonpeople。Foritisnottheshape，buttheiruse，thatmakesthemangels。ButtheiruseistobesignificationsofGod’spresenceinsupernaturaloperations；aswhenMoseshaddesiredGodtogoalongwiththecamp，asHehaddonealwaysbeforethemakingofthegoldencalf，Goddidnotanswer，“Iwillgo，“nor“Iwillsendanangelinmystead“；butthus，“Mypresenceshallgowiththee。“*
TomentionalltheplacesoftheOldTestamentwherethenameofangelisfoundwouldbetoolong。Thereforetocomprehendthemallatonce，IsaythereisnotextinthatpartoftheOldTestamentwhichtheChurchofEnglandholdethforcanonicalfromwhichwecanconcludethereis，orhathbeencreated，anypermanentthingunderstoodbythenameofspiritorangelthathathnotquantity，andthatmaynotbebytheunderstandingdivided；thatistosay，consideredbyparts；soasonepartmaybeinoneplace，andthenextpartinthenextplacetoit；and，insum，whichisnottakingbodyforthatwhichissomewhatorsomewherecorporeal；butineveryplacethesensewillbeartheinterpretationofangelformessenger；asJohnBaptistiscalledanangel，andChristtheAngeloftheCovenant；andasaccordingtothesameanalogythedoveandthefierytongues，inthattheyweresignsofGod’sspecialpresence，mightalsobecalledangels。ThoughwefindinDanieltwonamesofangels，GabrielandMichael；yetitisclearoutofthetextitselfthatbyMichaelismeantChrist，notasanangel，butasaprince：*andthatGabrielasthelikeapparitionsmadetootherholymenintheirsleepwasnothingbutasupernaturalphantasm，bywhichitseemedtoDanielinhisdreamthattwosaintsbeingintalk，oneofthemsaidtotheother，“Gabriel，letusmakethismanunderstandhisvision“：forGodneedethnottodistinguishhiscelestialservantsbynames，whichareusefulonlytotheshortmemoriesofmortals。NorintheNewTestamentisthereanyplaceoutofwhichitcanbeprovedthatangelsexceptwhentheyareputforsuchmenasGodhathmadethemessengersandministersofHiswordorworksarethingspermanent，andwithalincorporeal。ThattheyarepermanentmaybegatheredfromthewordsofourSaviourhimselfwherehesaithitshallbesaidtothewickedinthelastday，“GoyecursedintoeverlastingfirepreparedfortheDevilandhisangels“：*2whichplaceismanifestforthepermanenceofevilangelsunlesswemightthinkthenameofDevilandhisangelsmaybeunderstoodoftheChurch’sadversariesandtheirministers；butthenitisrepugnanttotheirimmateriality，becauseeverlastingfireisnopunishmenttoimpatiblesubstances，suchasareallthingsincorporeal。Angelsthereforearenotthenceprovedtobeincorporeal。InlikemannerwhereSt。Paulsays，“Knowyenotthatweshalljudgetheangels？“*3AndIIPeter，2。4，“ForifGodsparednottheangelsthatsinned，butcastthemdownintohell“；and“Andtheangelsthatkeptnottheirfirstestate，butlefttheirownhabitation，hehathreservedineverlastingchainsunderdarknessuntothejudgementofthelastday“；*4thoughitprovethepermanenceofangelicalnature，itconfirmethalsotheirmateriality。And，“Intheresurrectionmendoneithermarry，norgiveinmarriage，butareastheangelsofGodinheaven“：*5butintheresurrectionmenshallbepermanent，andnotincorporeal；sothereforealsoaretheangels。