N00620:73
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.
1. The Church of God is the special Object of the Care and Tutelage of His Holy Angels. This might be signified to us by those Cherubims, that were on the Curtains belonging to the Tabernacle, of which you read, Exod. 26.1. And also by the Cherubims, that were drawn on the Walls of the Temple, declaring this Mystery to us, that there is a Communion between the Angels in Heaven, and the Church on Earth, and that the Church is ⟨p. 28⟩Surrounded with Angels, as the Temple was with Cherubims. The Elect of God are said to b• the Church of the first-born, whose names are written in Heaven: Now the Scripture is express and clear, that All the Angels of Heaven (not one excepted) are made use of to promote the Salvation of the Elect of God: Heb. 1.14. Are they not all Ministering Spirits, sent forth to Minister for them, who shall be the heirs of Salvation? And therefore particular Churches and Societies of Saints are under a special Inspection of the Angels of God. As the Church of the Jews of old was favoured & honoured with that privilege, as we see in Dan. 12.1. So we have reason to conclude, that Churches consisting of Christians, are under a peculiar Inspection of Elect Angels. If particular Countries and Provinces, are under their Guardianship, (as there is reason to believe) particular Churches are so much more, as being more eminently under the care of Christ, the Lord of Angels. It is certain (as the Text before us doth intimate) that in a most peculiar manner, such as truly fear God, receive advantage, by the Ministry of Holy Angels: But for their sakes, others are also benefited thereby. Hypocrites, who are only external Worshippers of God, are many ways benefited by the Ministration of Angels, for the sake of them, who are sincere. Every man in the Church of Israel did receive benefit by the Ministry of the Angels of Heaven: they All did eat of the Manna; which Manna was prepared by Angels. Therefore ⟨p. 29⟩it is said, that Man did eat Angels Food,