N00620:225
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.
For Felinus the Pastor of the Church of Exiles in Puchow wrote a Book, endeavouring to prove that the Visions of Drabicius were an Ignis fatuus, no better than Satanical Delusions, and that therefore the Protestant Churches should be careful how they gave any heed to them. Hereupon Drabicius had a Revelation, that that Pastor should speedily dye. Now this sign came to pass; that Pastor dyed suddenly, and so did one Effron, Sapo•, and other of his Adversaries, and afterwards Paul Laurin a Minister that was young in years, and of a strong constitution of Body, which induced many to believe, that Drabicius was a real Prophet. Tho' had they considered Deut. 13.1, 2. they would not have taken such accidents for an infallible demonstration of a Prophet sent from God. Veterinus, another of the Reformed Pastors was much dissatisfied about Drabicius's Visions, as Felinus had been: Nor did any Judgment overtake him, notwithstanding he persisted in his opposition to them. It was therefore thought necessary, that Drabicius should by an Oath and Execration clear himself from all suspicion of forgery in his pretended Revelations, which he did readily comply with, saying, there was no need for him to deliberate about it. The Oath was most solemnly administered to him, in the presence of nine or ten Ministers, of whom Veterinus was one. Considering how fearfully he did in that Oath imprecate himself, they trembled, and some of them we•t when the Oath was administered to him: And so did he himself, when he came to that passage in the Oath, wherein there is an imprecation against his Adversaries; but as to the Execrations on himself in case he had feigned any thing, he did pronounce them with a cheerful countenance. Looking forth at the Window which was at that time open, he said, Do you not see, Friends, Do you not see! They being astonished, did not then ask him what he saw, but afterwards he ⟨p. 30⟩told one of the Ministers that enquired of him concerning it, that He saw Angels. It would be too uncharitable for us to think, that Drabicius who suffered Persecution for the Gospels sake, and who was esteemed a pious well-meaning man, did counterfeit Visions and Revelations. And yet it is now evident, that he was deceived, and that he did very sinfully give way to Satanical Illusions, supposing them to be Divine Revelations.