N00296:147
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences: wherein, an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events, which have happened in this last age; especially in New-England. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by Samuel Green, 1684
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Jewish Rabbins affirm, that all great and sudden Destructions are from Satan, the Angel of Death. That he has frequently an hand therein is past doubt. And if the fallen Angels are able (when God shall grant them a Commission) to cause fearful and fatal Thunders, it is much more true concerning the good and holy Angels, 2 King. 1. 14, 15. When the Law was given at Mount Sinai, ⟨p. 129⟩there were amazing Thunderings and Lightnings, wherein the great God saw meet to make use of the Ministry of Holy Angels, Act.7.53. Gal. 3.19. Heb. 2. 2. Some think that Sodom was destroyed by extraordinary Lightning. Its certain that Holy Angels had an hand in effecting that Desolation, Gen. 19.13. We know that one Night the Angel of the Lord smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an 185000. It is not improbable, but that those Assyrians were killed with Lightning: For it was with respect to that tremendous Providence, that those words were uttered, Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring Fire, Isai.33.14. Ecclesiastical History informs us that the Jews being encouraged by the Apostate Julian, were resolved to re-build their Temple; but Lightning from Heaven consumed not only their Work, but all their Tools and Instruments wherewith that cursed Enterprise was to have been carried on, so was their design utterly frustrate. Why might not holy Angels have an hand in that Lightning? There occurs to my mind, a Remarkable Passage mentioned by Dr. Beard in his Chapter about the Protection of Holy Angels over them that fear God (P.443.) he saith, that a certain Man travelling between two Woods in a great Tempest of Thunder ⟨p. 130⟩and Lightning, rode under an Oak to shel•er himself, but his Horse would by no means •ay under that Oak, but whither his Master would or no, went from that Tree and stayed very quietly under another Tree not far off; he had not been there many Minutes before the first Oak was torn all to fitters with a fearful Clap of Thunder and Lightning. Surely there was the invisible Guardianship of an Holy Angel in that Providence.