A History of Angels, Title page – Dedication
AN History of Angells, BEING A Theologicall TREATISE of our Communion and Warre with them. Handled on the 6th Chapter of the Ephesians, the 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Verses. By HENRY LAWRENCE, a Member of this present PARLIAMENT.
LONDON; Printed by M. S. and are to be sold by William Nealand in Duck Lane, 1649.
To my Most deare and Most honour'd Mother, THE LADY LAWRENCE.
Most honour'd Mother,
DVring this busy time, in the which our country (subjected to those calamities, of which by faith we see the catastrophe glorious) hath beene the stage of so much action, and the field of so many battailles, my lot was cast to be from home, and in this retirement, if I injoyed not the happinesse of his wish, to have otium cum dignitate, leisure with dignity, (for I pretend but to an excuse) yet it was without any just cause of reproach, for the warre found me abroad, not sent me thither, and I have beene onelyonly wary without a just and warrantable reason, to ingage my selfe in that condition, from which a providence seem'd to rescue mee. But of all the peeces of our life, wee are accountable for those of our greatest leisure, whereas publike and visible imployment gives its owne account. It was said of Cato, that hee conflicted vvith manners, as Scipio did vvith enemyes; The conflict with manners, as it is a kind of warre, from which no condition will free us, so leisure and retirement is commonly the opportunity of it; for such enemyes will find us soonest in that condition, as on the other side, wee have an advantage by it, to seeke out, and improove all the strengthes, and aides, that are requisite for our owne defence, and the incommodating of our enemyes. In this warre therefore, to which my leisure more eminently expos'd me, and to which also it more fitted & determin'd me, I was diversly acted, according to the severall methods, and occasions of warre, by the great Generall of all his people Iesus Christ, sometimes conflicting with the knowne, otherwhiles persuing the discoveryes of the unknowne corruptions of my owne heart, and others. I found assuredly, That a mans foes vvere them of his ovvne houshold, and that to be delivered from the ill men our selves, vvas to be avovved as a rich and high mercy. But as most warres, that have their rise and beginnings at home, and from within, are not determin'd, and concluded within that circle, but to greaten and assure their party, and prevailing, seeke the assistance of forreigne aides, or find (at least) their homebred differences and divisions made use of by neighbouring powers, who while they pretend to helpe their friends, serve themselves, or some third state, to which their proper interests ingages and determines them: So did I conceave, that in this spirituall warre, there were not wanting aides and assistances from without, that were of mighty influence in the businesse of our fighting, and who by stratagems, and methods, as well as by fine force, contributed exceedingly, not onelyonly to the last issue of the warre, but to the successe almost of every battaille. And these, though they were of wonderfull moment, yet me thought were generally little considered, but men terminated their thoughts within the compasse of themselves, or if they went farther, lookt presently, and immediately upon God, (as in every thing it is an easy and vulgar step from the last effect to the highest cause) whereas those hoasts of Angells, which on either side more immediatly managed and improoved this warre, as they are spirituall and invisible beings, so they passe with us, unseene, and undiscerned, in a great proportion; and we, who are the subjects of this warre, and whose interests are especially concern'd in it, by not knowing or considering, can neither improve our most active, and most powerfull friends, or enemyes, to our advantage. I was guided therefore by such thoughts as these to the ensuing meditations: and as we usually are more sensible of our enemyes then our friends, so the first designe I had, was to discover what influence the evill Angells have upon us, and our actions, what parts they act, & how they communicate themselves to us, and affect us for ill. But as commonly things have not the same place in the execution, which they have in the designe, so I found it necessary in the method of this discourse, to consider first of the Angells in their pure naturalls, and then, (as of the most eminent patterne of Angelicall power and influence) of the good Angells, and after that, (with the due difference of the abate of power and strength which sinne had caus'd) of the influence, and effects, which the evill Angells have upon mankind, which every one experienceth, though few, enough know it or consider it.
And because in a subject of this nature, nothing is more easy, then to wander even to the loosing of our selves in the speculative part, I endevoured to remedy that inconvenience throughout, by certaine practicall Corollaryes, which might reduce the notionall part of the discourse to the use and end intended, and might let us see how much our interest is concern'd in the right knowing and improoving these mighty spirits. And lastly, because the Scripture I first pitcht my thoughts upon in order to these things, furnisht me with proper armes for this holy warre, I judg'd it would be a good accesse to this discourse (of which also it might constitute a third part) to shew those armes, and to give what light I could to the right wearing and using of them.
For other thinges I, pretend neither to such a method, or language, or what ever else of that kinde, as is wont to begett a reputation with many readers; for besides the vanity of such affectations in a subject especially so serious, these thoughts were form'd for a more private use, then their present condition leads them to; nay such thinges as were but necessary, as a division of this discourse into chapters (of which it was easily capable) a more correct printing, and some other perfectings of a like consideration, have by reason of the busines of my owne occasion, and a mistake somewhere, beene wanting; this I pretend to, to magnifie God in those mighty hoasts of spirituall substances, which he manageth wonderfully and differently, for the good of his children; to gratifie and serve the good Angels, who (if I may judge of others by my self) have been too little considered, in order to them, or our selves; and to professe, and (as much as in me lyes) to assist, to an irreconcileable, and everlasting warre, with the greatest and most inveterate enemies of God and man, the divell and his Angells: And last of all (which I mention'd in the beginning) to give one instance, that I have not beene idle in these busy times, nor without the thoughts, and designes of warre, in an age, when warre is become almost the profession of all men. Why I inscribe these papers to you, My dearest Mother, will neede no larger account then this; Nature and your ovvne goodnesse, have form'd you ablest, to pardon me in any thing, vvherein I shall neede it; And of all I have knovvne of either Sexe, I have mett vvith fevv more diligently inquisitive, or pertinently reasoning of things of a raised and abstracted nature, (especially vvhichwhich might have influence into the good of another life) then your self. To which I adde, That I professe to have infinite ingagements, to avovv my self before all the vvorld
Most honoured Mother Your most obedient Sonne & Most Humble servant HENRY LAWRENCE.