N00620:169
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.
2. The Apostate Angels are become the most wicked Creatures in all the World: They are set upon […] They are called by the name of Shedim. Deut. 32.17. which signifies Wasters, or Destroyers. Those hateful and rapacious Birds of Hell, are always devouring miserable Creatures. 1 Pet. 5.8. for which cause the Devil has the name of Abaddon and Apollyon given to him. Rev. 9.11. they are wicked in the highest degree: Therefore are they called Spiritual Wickednesses, Ephes. 6.12. because they are most wicked Spirits, wicked with all manner of wickedness: there is no good in them in the least. It is said of the Devil, that there is no truth in him. Joh. 8.44. There is no goodness in him: he hath not so much of common goodness, so much of the relics of the Image of God, as the sinful children of men have: and therefore he doth not scruple any manner of wickedness, let it be never so great. There are some very wicked men in the World, that as for some sins, they are afraid of them. Natural Conscience has that power in them, that as for some sins, they seem so atrocious and horrid, as that they are afraid to commit them. But now the Devil doth not stick at any wickedness, let it be never so great and heinous. The greater any sin is, the more pleasing it is to the Devil: He is always sinning himself, and endeavouring to make others sin to the utmost of his power. He is not only a Tempter, but the Tempter: That is his cursed Trade. Blasphemy is the greatest sin: ⟨p. 119⟩now that the Devil is continually guilty of. It was Satan that made Jobs Wife say, Blaspheme God and dye. And those sins which they cannot commit, because of their being spiritual natures, yet they stir up others to them: such as Drunkenness and Uncleanness, they stir up wicked men to live in such abominations: And all this they do out of despite against Heaven, because they know that such things do offend and grieve the blessed God. Out of their desperate hatred of the Glorious and Holy God, against whom they have sinned, they do all they can to cause His Name to be dishonoured: and therefore it is that the Devils do hate those most, that are most like to God, and who above others do Service for His Name, the Evil Angels do in a peculiar manner set themselves against, and are filled with all the rage of Hell against such as those are. The Devil is full of wrath and rage, but against whom?