N00620:127
Angelographia, or A discourse concerning the nature and power of the holy angels, and…
Angelographia, or A discourse concerning the nature and power of the holy angels, and the great benefit which the true fearers of God receive by their ministry: delivered in several sermons: : to which is added, a sermon concerning the sin and misery of the fallen angels: also, a disquisition concerning angelical-apparitions. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College, in Cambridge, and preacher of the Gospel at Boston, in New-England. ; [Two lines from Hebrews]Angelographia, or A discourse concerning the nature and power of the holy angels, and the great benefit which the true fearers of God receive by their ministry: delivered in several sermons: : to which is added, a sermon concerning the sin and misery of the fallen angels: also, a disquisition concerning angelical-apparitions. / By Increase Mather, praesident of Harvard Colledge, in Cambridge, and preacher of the Gospel at Boston, in New-England. ; [Two lines from Hebrews]
printed by B. Green & J. Allen for Samuel Phillips, 1696
A DISCOURSE Concerning the Power and Ministry of Holy Angels. › For the USE of it.
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.
1. Until such time as men fear God, they cann•• know, that the Angels are concerned for them. It i• true, that God chargeth his Angels with his Elect before they fear him: but they cannot know this, and therefore cannot have the comfort of it, before they turn to the Lord▪ A man cannot know his Election before his Conversion. Hence the Apostle speaks, as 2 Pet. 1.10. Give diligence • make your Calling and Election sure. He that would be sure of his Election, must be sure of his being effectually Called. If he hath the true fear of God in his heart, he may know, that he is appointed an Heir of Salvation, and so may ⟨p. 83⟩know, that the Angels have a charge given to them concerning him. For, if God had not from all Eternity intended that man's Salvation, he would never have put his fear into his heart. So that when once Grace is wrought in his Soul, he may be sure, that the Angel of the Lord Encampeth round about him: But before that, he cannot have the comfort of this Truth.
2. It is certain, that the Angels do not delight in those that fear not God. They don't care to be in their Company. As God himself delights not in them; By Nature we were the Children of Wrath: they that are still in their Nature, in their natural unconverted State, are Children of Wrath; The Wrath of God abides on them that believe not: He is angry with the wicked every day. And as an holy man cannot delight in the company, and conversation of those that are ungodly: David saith, All my delight is with the Saints on Earth: and again, I am a Companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. So must it be concluded concerning Holy Angels, that they delight not in communion with such as do not fear God. If holy men cannot do it, Angels who are holier than they, can never do it. It is a very offensive thing to an holy man, to see others do things that are inconsistent with the fear of God, to hear them speak such words, or […] them do such deeds, as cannot well stand with the true Fear of God. It is a grief and vexation to him, that has a righteous Soul within him, as