Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	bring_v	death_n	sin_n	2,245	5	4.6873	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90861	Innocencie appearing, through the dark mists of pretended guilt. Or, A full and true narration of the unjust and illegal proceedings of the commissioners of Berks, (for ejecting scandalous and insufficient ministers) against John Pordage of Bradfield in the same county. In which he is justly vindicated from the unjust and horrid aspersions of blasphemy, divelism or necromancie, scandal in his life, and all things else falsly objected against him by his enemies. Published for the clearing of truth, and the detecting of malice and subtilty, and for the prevention of all mispprehensions that may be caused by any scandalous pamphlets, and false relations of the proceedings in his case. As likewise for the information of all sober-minded Christians touching his judgement in many things of high concernment, and particularly concerning chastity, virginity, apparitions of spirits, visions, communion with the holy angels, the invisible worlds, magistracy, &c. / Written by the said John Pordage.	Pordage, John, 1607-1681.	1655 (1655)	Wing P2967; Thomason E1068_7; ESTC R210422	152,492	125

persecuting condemning and ejecting some of Gods precious Saints must unavoidably revolve and bring guilt upon you all because they act from your power and may be strained when you please But whatever you shall hereafter act in reference to this though many cannot but expect either the nulling or limiting the Ordinance by an Appeal I have discharged my conscience in presenting these things to be considered of in reference to your own happiness and the good of others who may by sufferings be concerned in it as also performed my duty as to my own Case in appealing to you and presenting my grievance in expectation of redress but whether the present necessity and justness of my cause did not call for more then a rejection of my due request let all sober Christians and your own consciences judge And I pray God this denial be not laid to your charge in the day of visitation And if you yet persist in the resolutions of granting me no Appeal and giving me wholly up to the oppression and cruelty of my enemies I shall appeal to the great Iudge of men and Angels resigning my self and Family into his hand who I hope will deal more mercifully with you in the time of his Iudgement then you have yet with me and mine in the time of our distress Which is the cordial and sincere desire of Your Servant in the love and under the Cross of Christ JOHN PORDAGE To my Judges the Commissioners and their Assistants the Ministers Gentlemen REmember Christs command Judge not that ye be not judged But ye have judged already and therefore must be your selves judged The same measure you have given me shall once be retaliated to you your selves when their unjust sentence and proceedings come to be weighed in the just ballance of the Lord who hath certainly a great controversie with those who pretend Iustice and call upon his name yet deal unjustly and persecute his nature appearing in his children I shall desire you therefore to forbear your persecutions as much for your own sakes as for those who do and may lye under the scourge of it for they will assuredly draw judgements upon you and cry aloud in the ears of Jehovah for due vengeance You know God did not bring that last and utter desolation upon the Nation of the Iews until they had filled up the measure of their sins by conspiring against and murthering Christ and his Disciples after his death under the pretence of zeal and Gods-service Now what is done to the least of his is done to Christ himself And are not you found doing the same work with those who killed the Prophets and stoned those who were sent to them For as much as in you lay you have slain those who are the annointed of Christ and so have condemned him in his members and overclowded him with all manner of reproaches and railing-accusations Remember the four Kings overthrown by Abraham and was it not because they had led captive one Saint even righteous Lot The Heathen Princes little thought what a prisoner they had they took him in the croud amongst the most wicked of People yet God was so tender of him that he was delivered and they that took him ruined being forced to part with his person and goods which they had unjustly taken away and many of them with their own lives For the Lord knows how to deliver the righteous and reserve the wicked to the day of vengeance O remember this you that drive so furiously against the pure Life of God imbodiea in his Saints Take heed lest this your persecution proves a National sin and brings guilt upon all who thorow mistakes or otherwise permit or countenance it how was Abimelech and his Family punished for his unjust though involuntary prejudicing of Abraham and how had the whole Nation suffered had he not repented and returned Sarah How graciously did God deal with Joseph after the execution of his Brethrens malice in preferring of him and making him a preserver to those who had dealt so cruelly with him And certainly the time is at hand when the Saints who have been judged and condemned for their Testimony to truth as Hereticks and evil doers shall judge the world and possess the kingdom and shall have power over the Nations to execute judgement and righteousness in the earth but I mean not in a fleshly way of force and violence with the material sword but in a spiritual manner by the power and Majesty of Gods Holy Spirit which must destroy Antichrist that man of sin that hath so long sate in the Temple of God as God This day will destroy and break your power by and from which you have unrighteously sentenced me And I may ask you for which of my good works have you condemned me Though I know you are ready to answer me as the Iews did Christ Not for thy good works but because thou art a Blasphemer Was not Christ thus judged as an evil doer though he never committed any evil Was he not condemned as a blasphemer and a Conjurer And was not the Civil and Ecclesiastical powers combined in his condemnation Pontius Pilate and the High Priest with the Scribes and Pharisees consenting to it Though the Magistrate was excited and drawn to it by the Ecclesiastical men and their adherents even as it was now And have you not said to the Civil powers O ye Ministers that it was expedient for me to be civilly put to death by Sentence and Ejectment or else the whole Nation and Tribe might perish and be brought into contempt And have you not followed the steps of your forefathers in thus arguing that if the Magistrate let me alone many would follow me and my Doctrine and so your Ministry and names would be eclipsed and disappear and did you not cry out to the Magistrates that if they let me go they were not Gods nor Caesars friends But you will say to me Do you make your self Christ God forbid I mean not so But this I say that every Saint being a member and so a part of Christ what is done to the least of his is done to him and therefore what you have acted against that life of Innocency purity and simplicity which by the grace of God dwells in me you have acted against the Christ the Son of God And therefore what can be said but that ye are the children and followers of those who killed the Prophets and slew those that were sent to them from God not sparing his onely Begotten Son who came to save them from their sins and transgressions But these persecutions brought judgements and desolations upon the Authors according as the Prophets and Christ himself praedicted and the event shewed and let me tell you to whom I write that if you follow this trade if you persevere in this way of persecution if you thus lay your hands on your fellow-servants and abuse them by scandals reproaches censures Ejectments and illegal

sequestrations you will speedily bring Iudgements Commotions and Desolations upon your selves and others Do but look into the book of the Revelations and you shall finde that the oppressions and cruelties acted upon those who were slain for the witness of Iesus and for their testimony to the truth were a cause of those viols of wrath and vengeance poured upon the kingdom of the Beast And what can you expect but the like judgements if you continue in such fierce persecutions For have you not civilly put me to death having killed my name and credit and blasted as much as in you lay the purity and integrity of my life Have not you by sentence cast me out of my Estate and so ruin'd as much as you could my person and family making both contemptible by your calumnies aspersions and cruel Sentence But what shall I return to you for this Shall I pray for fire to come down from Heaven to execute Gods just wrath upon you No no God forbid For though the Law of Nature prompts us to preserve our selves and our own just rights and interests though by the prejudicing of our enemies as requiring an Eye for an Eye and a tooth for a tooth yet the Law of Gra●● ●ommands to take up our crosses and deny Name Life Liberty Estates Relations in whatever they may draw us to Crosse the Royal Law of Love which bids us love our enemies and bless those that curse us and pray for those that despightfully use us and so return good for evil However I could not but discharge my duty as a Christian in thus presenting your sin before your eys that so you may search and try your hearts and return again to the Lord and that you may judge your selves and so escape the fierce Iudgement of God I shall therefore commit you to the Eternal Essential Word which is able to convince you of this heinous sin of persecution and cry in your Consciences Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harm This is the engraffed word which is able to save your souls by giving you true repentance and remission of sins with a total change in your Spirits from wrath to love from strife to concord from the nature of the Serpent to the Innocency of the Dove which is the cordial desire and prayer of Yours to serve you not in the will of the wrath but in the righteous will of God JOHN PORDAGE To all my Christian Friends and Acquaintance in Berkshire and elsewhere scattered Christian Friends IS it not a sweet thing for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity But we live in such perilous times wherein we see not onely Egyptian against Egyptian and Formalist against Formalist but even Christians against Christians and those of the Ministery we see at civil war amongst themselves the more rigid and legal against the more spiritual and tender yea in their particular interests against one another Surely therefore the kingdom thus divided against it self cannot stand long Especially if we consider that the greatest part of them are not able to bear any amongst them that exceed their ordinary forms and systemes of Doctrine with more pure spiritual and divinely-rational discoveries of God and Christ And how many others are there who profess Religion of this rigid confined stamp and model that think they please God in judging and persecuting all those who are not like themselves though more knowing and spiritual And really we finde that the holding forth the most pure and precious truths of Christ begets much envy and persecution And though a Christian were ever so innocent and inoffensive in his conversation yet this were not a sufficient guard to preserve him from the tongues and uncharitable practices of such men as the following narration will demonstrate for nothing will satisfie the Lusts of these persons but such dainties as the very gifts and graces of the spirit which they prey upon by rash censures and invectives terming those things divelish which are divine and the very glory of a Christian and those persons deceivers who live most in truth and least in the deceiveableness of unrighteousness O what a sore judgement is this for true Christians to be so stygmatized by the malice of those who would be esteemed so as to be printed Hereticks Blasphemers Familists Enthusiasts Antiscripturists Sorcerers and what not And to be proceeded against as such by Mulcts and illegal Sequestrations and all because the true Christian cannot bow down and worship the Golden Calves and Images that the pretended Christians set up from the Invention of their own Imaginations Christian Friends the world yea you your selves have wondered at my long silence and well you might for I have wondred at my self in it For I have long lain under the rods of mens tongues the stripes of reproaches and the burdens of sad and heavy censures and condemnations I have seen my self in the prison of mens dark Imaginations and narrow Conceptions yea which is more the truth of my Faith purity of my principles and innocency of my conversation have as it were been dashed in pieces against the Rocks of ignorance and darkness by the mistakes or malice of my enemies So that truly I may say I have fallen into the hands of spiritual thievs and robbers who would have plundered me of that holiness integrity and uprightness which the Lord hath bestowed upon me Yet hitherto I have not opened my mouth nor pleaded the least for my own Innocency I have not wrote nor Apologized for my self in print but have sate down in silence resolving to enter into its secret Chamber till this Indignation was overpast believing that by quietly lying down under this wrath enmity opposition condemnation and contradiction of sinners I might in time overcome and wear it out Looking upon this as a better way then to have entred into contest by setting Scripture against Scripture and Argument against Argument which might have more awakened the Fiery Passions of the adversaries Whereas quiet retired silence was more likely to have quenched the violence of these fires and stopped the mouths of those Lyons Hence in this passive retiredness I have long suffered to see whether it might be a shelter to me from the hotter and more weighty persecutions of my enemies But now this season is past And as there hath been a time to be silent so now there is a time to speak that truth and innocency may no longer suffer under the notion of error and guilt For my enemies having proceeded so far as formally and actually to sentence and condemn me and as it were to crucifie me between transgressors Hereticks Familists Ranters Sorcerers and endeavouring in print to justifie their actions by representing me as guilty of all they lay to my charge that so I might be made a publike spectacle and as a prodigious sign to be gazed and wondred at I say they having done all this against me

righteousness is called Christs righteousness no other righteousness but the righteousness of Christ can justifie the soul Therefore he is stiled Jer. 23. 6. The Lord our righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made unto us wisdom and righteousness that is for our justification This righteousness of Christ in its own nature is an everlasting righteousness Dan. 9. 24. 2 Cor. 5. That we might be made the righteousness of God in being clothed upon with Christs righteousness Phil. 3. 9. We are not to be found in our own self Pharisaical righteousness but in Christs righteousness which is the righteousness of justification And the formal cause of a sinners justification is their union and communion with this righteousness of Christ through faith and believing on it Rom. 10. 6. The righteousness of faith speaketh on this wise c. that is the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith This was also intended to have been given into the Court in writing being transcribed out of three or four note-books compared together and afterward seriously considered and weighed to which the Witnesses could swear with good consciences notwithstanding all those outcries were against this Evidence by some of the Ministers and Commissioners as though I had prescribed what they should swear and that we were all combined to commit a hainous sin and bring the guilt of Perjury upon our selves whereas we all stood in innocency as to this thing having no other end in it but the stable assurance of the truth of what was to be attested by serious reflections upon it after the comparing of divers note-books together which served to help and strengthen the memory of the Witnesses together with the avoiding of the Clerks prevarications in writing by partially taking the Depositions in which we oft found him defective But to conclude this Article I have produced these testimonies to shew my judgement touching Christs righteousness which with the positive Deposition of Mrs. Mary Pocock That I spake that of the imputative righteousness of Christ with a limitation may in justice outweigh the Depositions of the other two Witnesses against me being neither of them are positive and so not effectual in Law or reason Now I shall pass to the third Article To which Mr. Tickle being sworn saith that I delivered That the Newbery Octob. 5. discoveries of the sinfulness of sin the terrors of the Law the death of Christ the free-grace of God are fleshly and flashy discoveries Afterward being cross-examined by me to this Interrogatory Whether this Article was delivered in the same express words and in the same Novemb. 2. order he answered thus That the very sum and substance of this Article was delivered fully and roundly by me and in the express words f He dares not swear syllabically to this but keeps two reserves in the express words for substance for the substance of them and to g To the best of his remembrance which clauses keep him from perjury and this from being a legal testimony in regard it is not positive the best of his remembrance Now I not remembring that ever I said that these were but fleshly and flashy discoveries and knowing that it was but his single testimony and not positively sworn to and so no legal evidence to condemn and besides that it was not comprehended in the Act of Blasphemous Opinions to which the Ordinance refers I passed it by formerly without any answer but now to satisfie knowing Christians concerning my judgement in this particular I shall here present this Answer That I then held forth and do still own it That the discoveries of the sinfulness of sin the terrors of the Law the free grace of God the death of Christ were but preparatory works under the Fathers dispensation to the higher and more powerfull workings of God under the dispensation of the Son in changing and transforming the heart into his Image and so but weak in comparison of the more full and clear manifestations and operations of God upon the soul in bringing it up into divine union and fruition To the fourth Article Mr. Tickle saith that I delivered That the Liberty and freedom spoken Taken Octob. 5 of purchased by the bloud of Christ is not a liberty and freedom from the guilt of sin the curse of the Law the wrath of God but the fiery Deity of Christ in the centre of our souls Mr. Tickle being further examined on this Article by me to this Interrogatory viz. Whether this was delivered first in the same express Novemb. 2. words Secondly and in the same order Answers First The very sum and substance of this Article was delivered fully and roundly by the Doctor Secondly That it was delivered in the express words for the h This is a meer shift to make the evidence seem positive and syllabical though in reality it is not so substance of them To a third Interrogatory proposed by me viz. Whether this Article was thus expressed by me without any addition or diminution of his own He thus answers h This is still no legal evidence to condemn one in Law or reason for his memory might fail as really it did To the best of his remembrance without any limitation addition or diminution of his own But here courteous Reader you must give me leave to shew you Mr. Tickles uncertainty and disagreement with himself in delivering this Article which cannot but make it invalid in the eyes of those that are judicious In his attesting of this Article three several times he never agreed with himself but either diminished or added The first time he sware to this Article he had this clause and applyed by the clinging and cleaving of the soul to Christ as you may see in the first paper of Articles which being sworn again October 5. he left out and neither of these agreed with his own Deposition given under his own hand some four years since to the Committee of Plundered Ministers when it was more flesh in his memory and yet not delivered so fully and positively as now which you may see by his own words taken out of his former Depositions which were these i This was the repeating of some passages in my Sermon though in a mistake as you will see afterward Another preparation was the instating of the soul into a glorious liberty and freedom in these expressions Which liberty and freedom is not that liberty and freedom from the guilt of sin the curse of the Law the wrath of God brought about or in an expression of the same signification by the death and bloud of another and applyed or a word like it by the clinging and cleaving of the soul to Christ Now you may take notice that in the two former this clause was added viz. But the fiery Deity of Christ in the centre of the soul which here is not mentioned Moreover the order is changed and some doubtfull expressions are inserted which shewed

before it was heard Hereupon the Chairman commanded Langly the Clerk to read these following Articles in open Court Articles against Dr. Pordage of Bradfield 1. That the fiery Deity of Christ mingles and mixes it self with our flesh 2. That the imputative righteousness of Christ is a sapless righteousness 3. That the discoveries of the sinfulness of sin the terrors of the law the death of Christ the free-grace of God are fleshly and flashy discoveries 4. That the liberty and freedom spoken of purchased by the blood of Christ and applyed by the dinging and cleaving of the soul to is not a liberty or freedom from the guilt of sin the curse of the law the wrath of God but the fiery Deity of Christ in the center of our souls 5. That by Male and Female Gen. 1. we are to understand by Male the Deity by the Female the humanity and that these two became one flesh these things were delivered without any limitation whatsoever 6. That gifts and graces of the Spirit are but flesh 7. That Christ is a Type and but a Type 8. That Christ is not God 9. That Christ is not Jehovah Tickle witnesseth After these Articles were read the Chair-man demanded my answer to whom I replyed That I had been acquitted from all these four years since by the Committee of plundered Ministers and that after a full hearing and debate therefore I desired that according to Law they would pass by these old ones but if they had any that were new told them I was ready and willing to receive and answer them I further replyed I hoped they would give me the liberty of a Felon who after tryall and acquitment cannot be questioned for the same thing again to which Mr. Dunch replyed with much seeming fierceness You are worse then a Felon for ought I know Which language coming from a Judge to the Defendant before tryall let all sober persons judge of who are acquainted with the rules of civility morality or Christianity Here Mr. Hewes the Minister interposed affirming That a Felon might be acquitted at one Assizes and hang for the same thing at the next of which he gave an instance in a story not worth the relating To which I replyed only this That it could not be for the same he was acquitted of before but I seeing that he had gone ultra crepidam beyond his Office and beyond reason said no more to him though he was very bitter and pragmatical speaking oft as Judge although he was but an assistant and that only in reference to ignorance and insufficiency But afterward applying my self to the Chairman I further urged that these Articles were not within the cognizance of the Commissioners in that I had been discharged from them by those who had full power and authority to do it After this all were commanded to withdraw and about an hour after I was called in again and asked for my discharge I answered I came now only to know my Charge and that I had not my Discharge there but would bring it when they would appoint me Then they declared That notwithstanding my Discharge in another Court yet it was the judgement of the Commissioners that they had power to take cognizance of the Articles exhibited whence they made this Order viz. BERKS By the Commissioners for ejecting of Scandalous Ministers c. October 5. 1654. At the Bear in Speenhamland Dr. John Pordage Rector of Bradfield in this County hath in obedience to our Warrant dated the 18 of September last to him directed this day attended and pleadeth that he hath been already discharged from the Articles that are exhibited to us against him by the Parliament and the late Committee of this County and therefore not again to be questioned or proceeded against for the same by these Commissioners But the said Doctor hath produced no such Discharge Resolved upon the Question That by vertue of the Ordinance of his Highness the Lord Protector and his Councel for ejecting of scandalous ignorant and insufficient Ministers and School-Masters The said Commissioners have power to question the said Doctor upon the said Articles and that notwithstanding his Plea as aforesaid of a former Discharge And it is thereupon Ordered That the said Doctor do give his positive answer to the said Articles unto us on this day fortnight being the 19 instant at this place whereof he is not to fail Now this was the substance of the things which were transacted the first day of my appearance which I have here presented in truth and righteousness to the impartial Reader My second appearance before them was the 19 of October at the same place The Commissioners then sitting were these M. Wightwick Chairman M. Danch Mr. Evelyn Mr. Bell Mr. Mils The Ministers Mr. Woodbridg Mr. Fowler Mr. Hughes with some others The first thing they demanded was my Answer to the Articles exhibited against me But I desired them to receive my Discharge which I hoped would be instead of a full and satisfactory Answer So I produced it and it was received by them and delivered to the Clerk who after it was read took a Copy of it and then returned it to me again The Tenor of it was as followeth At the Committee for Plundred Ministers March 27. 1651. VPon hearing the Cause in presence of parties and Councel on both sides concerning Dr. Pordage Minister of Bradfield in the County of Berks And upon reading the Papers and Examinations depending against him before this Committee and full hearing what could be said by both parties This Committee have taken the said Cause into serious consideration and debate and do thereupon Order that the said Cause be dismissed and the same is hereby dismissed GILB MILLINGTON Afterward they asked me how they should know that this was a true Copy I returned answer I received it from their Clerk there present who knew it to be true And besides I had a friend by who being with me when I received it could attest the truth of it by Oath Then they waved my Discharge and called for my particular Answer to the Articles alleadging That notwithstanding the Discharge the Commissioners had judged the Articles under their cognizance So that after I had pressed my Discharge with as much earnestness as in modesty I could they still hastily calling for my further Answer I was necessitated to give in this which followeth My Answer to the Articles exhibited against me consists in these Particulars 1. Partic. I Humbly conceive that none of the Articles exhibited against me are comprehended in the Act Entituled An Act against several Atheistical Blasphemous and execrable Opinions derogatory to the Honour of God and destructive to humane society without the sense and meaning of the words expressed in the Act be stretched and wrested beyond the litteral scope and drift of the Act. And this is not my judgement only but the judgement of some pious and judicious Lawyers of this Land Which thing in

and but a Type Being further examined he saith That I endeavoured to prove that Taken Octob. 5 Novemb. 22 Christ was but a Type out of Peter where he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Further Roger Stevens being sworn to this Article deposeth That Novemb. 22. the Dr. in dispute with Mr. Pendarvis delivered That o This Deponent mistakes the business I endeavoured to prove him a Type but not only a Type as may be seen in my Answer Christ was but a Type and went to prove it by that Scripture 1 Pet. 2. He is our example To which Mr. Pendarvis replyed That is not meant by way of righteousness to justification but by way of example as to reproaches To which the Dr. answered you understand it one way and I another p or words to that effect Now to ballance these Depositions the Reader must take notice 1. That my true sense of this Article may be seen in my Answer to this first Charge in which I have truely shewed in what sense I owned Christ to be a Type viz. as he is a pattern and example for us to imitate and follow 2. That this discourse being with Mr. Pendarvis it is requisite I should here insert his Deposition taken by the Justices of Peace of that County and afterward presented to the Committee of Plundered Ministers which was as follows This examinant which was Mr. Pendarvis further saith that the said Dr. Pordage in a Conference had with him at the same time after his Sermon at Ilsley said that Christ was a Type and but a Type but this expression was immediately waved by him but he constantly affirmed that Christ was a type But because Mr. Pendarvis could not be there to witness vivavoce the Commissioners would not admit this evidence But Mrs. Mary Pocock being sworn and examined on this Article saith Decemb. 7. That she heard the Dr. maintain in that discourse with Mr. Pendarvis That Christ was a type and proved it out of Peter he was an Example and that she heard the Dr. say He would not stand to the word But. And further q Thus the Deposition was wrote by the Clerk John Pordage son to the Doctor aged between 19 and 20. years Decemb. 7. and examined December 7. This Deponent saith that in dispute between the Dr. and Mr. Pendarvis about five or six years since about Christs being a type the Dr. said that Christ was but a type To which Mr. Pendarvis asked Do you say but a Type Whereupon the Dr. answered He did not stand to the expression But a Type it was but the slip of his tongue but he maintained that Christ was a Type You see here are three Witnesses that attest I never owned or stood to that of Christs being But a Type Correspondent to which Testimony I gave in my Answer before the Committee of Plundered Ministers which I offered to prove by three Witnesses then present who heard me who were ready to attest Mr. Francis Pordage Mary Pocock Robert Bolt this which follows viz. That they being present about the 27 of March 1651. before the Committee of Plundered Ministers heard me touching this Article That Christ was a Type and but a Type Deliver my self thus That I had owned Christ to be a Type that is a pattern and example for us Christians to square our lives and conversations by but that I had not owned him to be but a Type or a Type onely But the Commissioners would by no means hear this Evidence After this I earnestly pressed them to hear what my Witnesses could further say touching what I had publickly delivered in my Mynistry about this Subject telling them that such evidence was in justice more to be respected then a mistake in sudden speaking presently retracted but they denied all such evidence and would not hear which clearly shewed their partiality and that they little regarded what my r When I brought such testimonies as these Mr. Dunch the Chairman said It may be Dr. you have changed your opinion since that and are now of another mind but we must judge by what you then spake Thus he said two or three times avowed judgement was Notwithstanding I shall here insert what some were ready to witness in reference to this Article who had been constant hearers of me Whose Testimony was this We confess we have heard the Dr. Preach out of Luk. 1. 68. First this by way of Doctrine viz. That Gods free grace is the first and chief cause of our redemption Then he proceeded thus That the inward man was redeemed in for and through Christ Rom. 3. 24. Through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ How through Christ Ans Through Christs death and passion Isa 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who bare our sins in his own body on the Cross Rom. 4. 25. Who was delivered for our offences to the death of the Cross 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Now this clearly shews that Christ is more then a type and that he is a compleat redeemer So much for this Article To the eight and ninth Article Mr. Tickle saith That he heard me deliver berore the Committee of Taken Octob. 5 this County sitting at Redding That Christ was not God and that he was not Jehovah Being further examined to this Article my Interrogatories to him were these 1. Whether these words were not expressed in a hot dispute before the Novemb. 22. Committee To this Mr. Tickle replyed That I ſ This was no direct answer to my question but he must every where shew his bitterness endeavoured in dispute with great seriousness before the Committee to maintain that Christ was not God that Christ was not Jehovah My second question was this Whether in the same dispute this Article was not limited and explained by me But this question was wholly waved and passed over in silence but whether voluntarily by Mr. Tickle or by the Clerks deceit the Interrogatories being given in in writing I do not know but this I am sure it was much to the prejudicing of my Cause to let such a weighty question pass without an answer 3. Whether this Article was held forth by me as my avowed judgement Ans To this he thus answers The Dr. did maintain and defend t No otherwise then this That Christ was not God viz. the Father nor Jehovah taken for the first person in the Trinity this Article as his avowed judgement Here Mr. Tickle is very peremptory in a rash answer though that Interrogatory before could be slided over in silence the answer to which if Mr. Tickle had not easily incurred perjury would have much cleared the truth in regard I meant and explained my self of God the Father as you shall see afterward This Deponent Mr. Tickle further deposed to the eight and ninth Article Novemb. 22. That

power of the Holy Ghost is neer at hand and that the womb of the eternal love of God is in travel to bring forth Christ again in the acting power of his Godhead which will be that wonder of wonders prophesied of the Prophets and Apostles by which onely the days of tribulation anguish and distress can be shortned and the utmost extremity of the vials of wrath and desolation prevented when once they begin to be poured forth upon the earth And they who are now waiting and groaning in their spirits and sending up the incense of continual prayers and intercessions for the breaking forth of this power to heal and binde up all the wounds and breaches amongst Christians to take away the Curse from the earth and restore the pure love and unity to the Church I say they that travel and wait day and night for this great blessing are those whom you contemn persecute and reject as enemies to the kingdom and interests But take heed lest ye offend one of these little ones and so bring a curse and judgements upon your selves and beware of persecuting in the way you are now in lest in the day of your distress the Lord reject you and give you up to those spoilers who will spare neither root nor branch So much I thought good to add to those Depositions concerning the Apparitions of spirits for the satisfaction of the spiritual Reader and information of many who through reports have imbibed much prejudice against that life and truth which I own and live to Artic. 14. That Mrs Margaret Pendar acquainted with this Doctrine of spirits and pretending to be converted by Visions of Angels doth n What a weak ground is this for to accuse me of Necromancy think she was bewitched by them of Bradfield c Depos Mr Christopher Fowler sworn to this Article and examined saith that Mrs Pendar being asked by him o This is a meer heresay and no legal Testimony and moreover deposed by the Accuser himself which is against Law did acknowledge on Thursday last at London that at Mr Blagraves house at Southcot she heard a great noise of drums and trumpets which Dr Pordage who was then sent for to her told her was the alarum to the spiritual war And that one night she had the Vision of young Mr Daniel Blagrave come to her bed side and she took him by the hand which hand felt cold which Dr Pordage expounded to her thus That the coldness of his hand signified that he began to be cold to vanity and that she asked the Dr what the visions meant he replyed to her we do not use to reveal one anothers visions The Deposition taken on my behalf was this that follows MRs Elizabeth Blagrave wife of Mr Daniel Blagrave sworn and examined This Deponent saith she p This Deposisition is here placed in opposition to Mr Fowlers and though of the same nature yet somewhat better because this Deponent was not a party as Mr Fowler was never heard Mrs Pendar say that she was bewitched by them of Bradfield but the said Mrs Pendar told the Deponent that her Visions were from God and that the said Mrs Pendar told the Deponent she * i. e. Before her Visions never spake with the Dr in her life This Deponent further saith That Mrs Pyndar told her she had been at Mr Fowlers house and that Mr Fowler examined her touching her Mrs Blagrave was the only witness examined in the last charge of Articles for it was the wi●l of the Iudges to admit no more visions and the Deponent asked her what she said To which she replyed she was sure she had said nothing to him that could hurt the Doctor Hereupon the deponent asked her if she told Mr Fowler that the Dr did send these visions To which she answered she could not say the Dr sent them for a world This Deponent further saith That Mr Pyndar told the Deponent That his wife said when she came to London she would not say what she had said to Mr Fowler if it were to do again for she perceived it was a snare or a trap This Deponent further saith she was by when the question concerning the coldness of young Mr Blagraves hand was put and the Deponent asked it her self to one in the room And the answer was That the coldness of his hand as far as they knew signified his dying to vanity which was delivered in a jesting manner which answer was not delivered by the Dr. And the deponent saith the Dr never gave such an answer in his life as she knows Here follow the Depositions of John Grip of Redding Ioyner All this man deposeth is but an hear-say and so of no force at all yet admitted as evidence and pertinent when more considerable testimonies on my behalf were rejected as impertinent who being sworn and examined deposeth That he was at Mr Blagraves when Mrs Pyndar saw the visions that are mentioned in her confession and that she said she saw a man in white as she thought with the Lambs book and that the said man told her her name was written in the Book and that she heard a Watch going and that there appeared another in the likeness of a black man with a knife which he offered unto her And this deponent further saith That at another time at the deponents house the said Mrs Pyndar did inform the deponent that Dr Pordage had said he had power to bestow the gifts and graces of the Spirit on whom he pleased The Commissioners were ready to admit any thing tho●gh ever so illegal to defame me and raise prejudice against me Note That this disagreeth from Mrs Pyndars confession under the head of the 14 Article where she saith that she heard it reported at Southcot that erelong the Dr should have power to bestow saving graces on whom he pleased And this deponent further saith that another time he was at Mr Blagraves house when the said Mr Blagrave was ill and kept his Chamber and Mr Blagrave and the deponent fell into discourse concerning Dr Pordarge Though the matter of this Deposition be weighty yet the proof is but an hear-say and the things themselves either false or much mispresented as you will see presently in presence of Mrs Blagrave that in the said discourse Mr Blagrave said to his wife That the Dr held strange opinions such as were not agreeable to the word of God for he did maintain that Jesus Christ was not God and that he was a Type and but a Type man and not God a shadow and not the substance And Mr Blagrave did labour very much to take off his wifes affections from the Dr and and his waies but could not prevail This was about three quarters of a year since to the deponents best remembrance In reference to these two last particulars touching Mr Blagrave and his wife consider this following Deposition and Evidence Mrs Blagrave sworn and

examined deposeth THat she never knew any thing of the Drs Judgement neither did he ever bring the deponent into any Judgement and that she had never any discourse with the Dr till she did first begin with him and that if ever he had confirmed her in any thing it was in nothing disagreeable to the word of God As to that part of the former deposition which concerns Mr Blagravs relation of what opinions I held I had a Summons for his personal appearance to witness the truth in that particular but he being detained in London by earnest business could not appear according to the Summons and therefore wrote this following Letter to the Commissioners which was exactly copied out by a friend of mine who had the favour from Mr Blagrave to read it Gentlemen VNderstanding by this Bearer Mr Samuel Pordage That one Iohn Grip of Redding upon his examination against Dr Pordage did affirm upon Oath That having discourse with me lately touching the Drs opinions I should say that he denied that Christ was God and that he held him to be a man and not God a Type and but a Type a shadow and not the substance The things were highly blasphemous if true But this I assure you If ever any such language fell from me which truely I do not remember it was spoken as relating to that Charge he lay under at that time raised by some who seem to know mens meanings and opinions better then I do In short this I do affirm and shall readily attest upon Oath when required That the Dr hath several times most solemnly avowed the contrary and to me by Scripture under his own hand evinced it For the truth is I have with much boldness charged the Dr with things of that nature having received them upon report but upon debate he hath given me such clear satisfaction both touching the Divinity of Christ and other matters of faith of the highest concernment that I have stood silent having nothing to object against him I did therefore apprehend it a duty incumbent upon me thus to write for as I will never be instrumental to clear him in what he is guilty so not to condemn him wherein I believe he is innnocent Thus desiring the just and all-knowing God to direct you in this great work I remain Gentlemen Your friend and servant Dan. Blagrave 28 Novemb. 1654 Westminster I desired that this Letter might have been read in the open Court but they denied it though I alleadged that it was evidence on my behalf But whether this was not more considerable and so more fit openly to be read then Mr Grips stories and hear saies to be openly received as evidence let the Reader judge But Mr Grip further on Oath deposeth That at other times he hath often had conference with Mr. Blagrave and at one time above the rest walking over the fields toward Southcot Another story unfit to have been received by a judicious impartial Court we fell into discourse concerning Dr Pordage and the said Mr Blagrave did then tell him that the Dr did go about to perswade him to leave off all employment and to sell his Estate and retire to his house for his house was the Ark as Noahs Ark was to receive all those that must be saved This was some time the last Summer and that Mr Blagrave did seem very much to slight and scorn it and asked the Deponent what he thought he should have got by it had the Dr prevailed To which the Deponent replyed That he thought the Dr had a grand designe in it For Mr Blagrave being taken notice of to be one of the wisest men in the County if the Dr had prevailed to draw him away he might likewise have drawn away most of the County and then the Dr would have set himself up like a Mahomet In opposition to this story Mrs Blagrave sworn and examined deposeth That she had heard a muttering that Mr Grip should say that the Dr had perswaded Mr Blagrave to leave all and come and live with him Whereupon the Deponent asked Mr Blagrave about five or six weeks since concerning it and the said Mr Blagrave answered to the Deponent that he did not remember that the Dr ever said any such thing This Deponent John Grip further saith That Mr Daniel Blagrave They received any thing though ever so impertinent or ridiculous to disgrace me You may see in the Depositions and answer to this Article how much this was mistaken and is here mis-represented To Art 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27. there are no Depositions the younger told him when the spirit came upon the Dr he could leap over Pales of a great hight about five foot and an halfhigh as the Deponent could conceive by his Relation and that this was told him within five moneths last past This Deponent further saith That Mr Charls Blagrave told him sometimes the last Summer that Dr Pordage should say that Christ was not perfect and that he quoted that place of Scripture mentioning our Saviours passion when he cryed out My God my God c. to prove the same Art 28 29. Concerning Mrs Mary Pococks Relation to Mrs Forster of what was acted in my house And of Mrs Flavels being in a Trance and seeing what was the Philosophers stone The Depositions of Mrs Mary Pocock taken at the Bear in Speenhamland November 30. before the Commissioners for the proof of the two former Articles Mrs Pocock sworn and examined deposeth The question being asked her Whether the Deponent did not tell Mrs Forster and Mrs Evelin That the Dr had contended with the dark Power in his shirt two or three hours She answereth It is so long since that she cannot remember any thing positive she then said but she saith there was some great power then amongst the Drs Family And being asked whether she did not say to the aforesaid parties that when the Dr contended with the dark power there was such an expostulation between them as Thou liest and thou liest c. she answereth She cannot tell And being further asked Whether upon this conquest of the dark Power by the Doctor she did not tell the aforesaid parties she should think the Doctor to be a bright man To this question she answereth If she did not say so she hopes she shall when he hath the victory And being asked whether she did not tell the aforesaid parties the Drs Family were strangely acted some in their legs thighs and arms To this she answereth she cannot tell And being further asked Whether she did not tell the said parties That Mrs Flavel did see in a trance the Philosophers stone She saith she cannot tell And being further asked Whether the Philosophers stone seen by Mrs Flavel in a trance were not the Divinity in the Humanity She answereth she knows no such thing Art 30. This consists of seven particulars being the first that relates to Scandal