Angelographia, or A discourse concerning the nature and power of the holy angels, and…

1. Some say, That the Devil cannot appear without some deformity or other. That as he could not appear in the shape of a man before man had sinned, and therefore came to our First Parents in the shape of a Serpent; so now though he can put on Humane Shape, yet that it must be with some defect or other, a cloven foot, an ugly countenance, or the like. See Mr. Mede's Works▪ fol. 282. Psellus supposeth not only that Angels have airy or fiery Bodies so subtle as that they are to us invisible (of which opinion were many of the Ancients) but moreover, that the Angelical Body sends forth rays and splendours which would dazzle mortal eyes, but that the Body of an Evil Angel is obscure and squalid. But the notion of Evil Angels always appearing with some deformity in their shape is a vulgar error contrary to the Scripture, which says expressly, that Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light. 2 Cor. 11.14. That he can appear like a venerable Samuel, who was an honourable man of God. 1 Sam. 9.6. & 28.12. We may gather from the 13. Verse of that Chapter, that the Devil seemed both to the Witch of Endor & to Saul, to be a person clothed ⟨p. 36⟩with a Divine Majesty & Brightness: he appeared like Elohim. This opinion has been often confuted by experience. What were those Nymphs that the Gentiles of old were deceived with, but Devils appearing in a beautiful form? Do not Ecclesiastical Writers tell us of his appearing to Anatolius, and to St. Martin in most glorious array? That instance of Mr. Edwards a Mr. of Art of Trin College in Cambridge is remarkable. He had been a Magician & a Conjurer: But God gave him repentance, and after he was reclaimed from the error of his way, he declared▪ that the Daemon whom he had been wont to converse with, always appeared to him in the form of a man of good fashion: nor did he •ver require or propose the making of any Covenant with him. See Glanvils Philosophical Considerations p. 42.

1. Some say, That the Devil cannot appear without some deformity or other. That as he could not appear in the shape of a man before man had sinned, and therefore came to our First Parents in the shape of a Serpent; so now though he can put on Humane Shape, yet that it must be with some defect or other, a cloven foot, an ugly countenance, or the like. See Mr. Mede's Works fol. 282. Psellus supposeth not only that Angels have aery or fiery Bodies so subtile as that they are to us invisible (of which opinion were many of the Ancients) but moreover, that the Angelical Body sends forth rayes and splendors which would dazle mortal eyes, but that the Body of an Evil Angel is obscure and squalid. But the notion of Evil Angels always appearing with some deformity in their shape is a vulgar error contrary to the Scripture, which says expresly, that Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light.