N00620:167
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
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.
PROPOSITION III. That the Severity of God, manifested on the Angels that sinned, is most just and reasonable. For,
1. Their sin was exceeding heinous. The Devils were the first that ever sinned. And God uses to leave a mark of his indignation on those that are the first Transgressors in any kind. And they sinned without a Tempter; they sinned of themselves: They left their own Habitation; left it of themselves: Their wills were deeply engaged in their sinning against God: and the more of the will there is in any sin, the more Evil is in it. They sinned, I say, and were not tempted by any one to do it: As for man, when he sinned, he was tempted, beguiled and deceived by the Devil: And probably Adam knew nothing of the Fall of the Angels, but might think when the Devil spoke to him, that it was a good Angel, and therefore might be the more easily deceived. Man thus sinning through temptation, was an object of pity, more than the Devils, that had none to tempt them; also the Angels sinned against clear light and knowledge. Their Sin was yet further aggravated, in that God had done more for them, than for any Creature besides. God had advanced them above all the Creatures in the World: Their sin therefore was e••••ding heinous. Now the least sin that can be thought of, deserves Eternal Punishment: Therefore God in not sparing the Angels that sinned, is just and righteous.
1. Their sin was exceeding hainous. The Devils were the first that ever sinned. And God uses to leave a mark of his indignation on those that are the first Transgressors in any kind. And they sinned without a Tempter; they sinned of themselves: They left their own Habitation; left it of themselves: Their wills were deeply engaged in their sinning against God: and the more of the will there is in any sin, the more Evil is in it. They sinned, I say, and were not tempted by any one to do it: As for man, when he sinned, he was tempted, beguiled and deceived by the Devil: And probably Adam knew nothing of the Fall of the Angels, but might think when the Devil spoke to him, that it was a good Angel, and therefore might be the more easily deceived. Man thus sinning through temptation, was an object of pitty, more than the Devils, that had none to tempt them; also the Angels sinned against clear light and knowledge. Their Sin was yet further aggravated, in that God had done more for them, than for any Creature besides. God had advanced them above all the Creatures in the World: Their sin therefore was eding hainous. Now the least sin that can be thought of, deserves Eternal Punishment: Therefore God in not sparing the Angels that sinned, is just and righteous.