N00620:216
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.
But a more tragical and amazing Instance to the purpose in hand is related by Acosta (de temporibus novissimis. lib. 2. c. 11.) concerning a very ⟨p. 21⟩Learned man in the Kingdom of Peru, in his time the Oracle of that part of the World. But a certain Muliercula (as Acosta's phrase is) there, pretending to a conversation with Angels who did frequently visit her, and in her ecstasies would inform her of some secret things relating to this person, and told her of great future matters, in which he was to be concerned; he was so bewitched as to believe all that she said; and at last fancied, that an Angel came to himself also, of whom he learned whatsoever he desired. It was revealed to him, that he should be a King and a Pope too; and that the Apostolical See should be translated to America, and that he should be constituted a new Law-giver to mankind, with other things more insolent than these mentioned, which I forbear to relate, for they would grate upon pious and tender Ears. This man was in all other things sober and rational: When he was brought upon his Trial, he did plead his cause before the Judges with that liberty and eloquence, that was to their and all mens admiration: Only he wondered, that they did not believe his Revelations': He was condemned to be bur•t to Death. It seems the Angel that appeared to him, assured him, that when he came to the place intended for his Execution, fire would come down from Heaven, and consume his Adversaries, whereby he should be delivered: but he found to his cost, that lying Apparitions had deceived and ruined him. Whether his Judges would not have done ⟨p. 22⟩better to have sent him to Bedlam, and to have administered Hellebore rather than Fire as a more proper Remedy for his sober distraction, is not my work at present to dispute. To proceed. It seems Jerome had visions of Spirits and sometimes of Angels as he thought. One of which did severely chastise him for his delighting to read Cicero's Works: but another Angel interceded for mercy to him considering his youth. Now what can we impute this to, but melancholy, and the distempered imagination of a contemplative man that was always in his cell. The like I suppose concerning a later Hierom, viz. Savonarola, whom the Papists burnt to Death at Florence, in the year 1498. for his freedom and faithfulness in testifying against some of the evils of those times: