Hexapla in Danielem: that is, A six-fold commentarie vpon the most diuine prophesie of Daniel wherein according to the method propounded in Hexapla vpon Genesis and Exodus, sixe things are obserued in euery chapter. 1. The argument and method. 2. The diuers readings. 3. The questions discussed. 4. Doctrines noted. 5. Controversies handled. 6. Morall observations applyed. Wherein many obscure visions, and diuine prophesies are opened, and difficult questions handled with great breuitie, perspicuitie, and varietie ... and the best interpreters both old and new are therein abridged. Diuided into two bookes ... By Andrevv Willet Professour of Diuinitie. The first booke.

Quest. 12. Whether the Angels haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

By occasion of these words, that this Angel is called the man Gabriel, this question is briefly to be discussed, whether the Angels haue any bodies, or rather are altogether imma∣teriall and without bodies.

1. Of the former opinion seemeth Augustine to be, that, damones sunt a••rea animalia, spirits are a••rie creatures, and because their bodies consist of the aire, which is an element more apt to worke and doe, then to suffer, they are not dissolued by death, lib. 2. de Gen. ad liter. c. 17. And in an other place he yeeldeth this reason of his assertion, that all Angels good and had are supposed to haue a kind of bodies, nihil incorporum credendum est praeter solu•••• Deum, nothing is to be held incorporeall beside God onely: with Augustine consent Origen•• lib. 1. periarch, Philo 〈◊〉〈◊〉. de opifici, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, dierum. Lanctanti••s, Hilarius, with others. And in the 2. Nycene Councel. action. 4. there was produced a treatise of Iohn Bishop of Thessalonica, to the same purpose, that Angels haue either 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or fierie bodies, where that place in the Psalme is alledged, he maketh his Angels spirits, and his messengers flames of fire, Psal. 104. and therefore he concludeth, that they are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pictura, to be imitated and portraited by picture.

Contra. 1. The Angels beeing celestiall treatures, cannot be supposed to haue aerie bo∣dies: the heauens are of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pure essence and nature then is the aire, the Angels beeing celestiall, and of a more subtile nature the•• the heauens, doe farre exceede the subtiltie of the aire. 2. God the creator is an infinite spirit farre remote from all bodily matter, in comparison of whom the Angels and created spirits may be said to be of a mixt and concret nature: yet they are in themselues of a spirituall and immateriall constitution: otherwise by the same argument, it would followe, that because God is a spirit, therefore the Angels are

not spirits. 3. that place in the Psalme describeth not the making and constitution of the Angels, as though they should consist either of aerie or fierie bodies, but it sheweth their of∣fice onely and ministrie, that God vseth his Angels as the winds and fire, to execute his will: to the which purpose the Apostle alleadgeth it, Heb. 1. 7. 4. And in that Angels are and may be portraited by picture, it prooueth not that they haue any bodily constitution, but that they appeared in some visible shape, which is expressed by picture.

2. The sounder opinion then is, that Angeli sunt corporis expertes, Angels are with∣out bodies: which is the iudgement of Gregor. Nyssen. in tractat. de oration. of Chrysostome homil. 22. in Genes. of Cyrill in c. 12. Ioan. of Theodoret, in c. 12. Daniel. and of Thom. Aquin. And this assertion may further be confirmed by these reasons. 1. because Angels are called spirits in the Scripture: therefore they are of a spirituall nature. 2. the soule of man is of a spirituall substance, not of any corporall constitution, much more the Angels. 3. If Angels had bodies, it would follow, that they are circumscriptible, and occupie a place, as other bodies doe: but they cannot be hemmed in by walls, doores, or such like limits and bounds. 4. one bodie doth not penetrate or pierce another, but giueth way, as the aire to the water: but the spirits passe through substances, as through doores, walls, and the like; therefore they haue no bodies.

3. Pintus resolueth not of either of these opinions, because the Church hath not defined and determined what is to be held of this matter: and concludeth thus: quid hac in re verum sit, Deus ipse viderit, &c. what commeth neere vnto the truth herein, God himselfe know∣eth, &c. But it is more consonant and agreeable to Scripture, that Angels are altogether of a spirituall nature, as hath been shewed, and therefore we may safely rest in this as a true po∣sition, and well grounded conclusion.