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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	body_n	soul_n	spirit_n	15,742	5	5.7619	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84758	Dæmonium meridianum. Satan at noon. Or, Antichristian blasphemies, anti-scripturall divelismes, anti-morall uncleanness, evidenced in the light of truth, and published by the hand of justice. Being, a sincere and impartiall relation of the proceedings of the commissioners of the county of Berks. Authorized by the ordinance for ejection, against John Pordage, late minister of Bradfield, in the same county. Published for the vindication of justice, and satisfaction of the conscientious, in the name, and by the order of the said commissioners and assistants. With some notes, and animadversions upon a book of the said John Pordage, initiuled, Innocency appearing, &c. / By Christopher Fowler, minister of the gospel at S. Maries in Reding.	Fowler, Christopher, 1610?-1678.	1655 (1655)	Wing F1692; Thomason E840_1; ESTC R207466	137,560	179

whole and having spent the said day in examination of severall witnesses for proof of the articles they appointed to sit the morrow after upon the same businesse and then adjourned The next day being the twentie third of the said November they made further proceedings in the examination for proof of the articles and after all the witnesses for that purpose that were then present were examined in open Court and in the Doctors own presence and by himself crosse examined the Commissioners required the Doctor to produce his witnesses for his defence and justification if he had any which he refused demanding to have first copies of the depositions against him before he would produce his witnesses which the Commissioners judging to be very unreasonable and irregular thought not fit to grant unto him and though they might then justly have proceeded to give their judgement without giving him further time he making default yet notwithstanding such was their tendernesse in the carriage of this businesse that they gave him further time to produce his said witnesses viz. till the thirtieth of the said November at the Bear in Speenhamland where the Doctor appeared not in person but by his wife and others of his family excused his failer in regard of sicknesse and infirmity of body under which as they pretended he then laboured and could not appear without further danger of his health which excuse although no positive proof thereof was then made was admitted by the Commissioners and further time yet given him till the seventh of December then following at the Bear in Reading At which time the said Commissioners proceeded to examine severall other witnesses then present in behalf of the Prosecutours which having done they examined severall witnesses on the Doctors part and behalf and the Doctor pretending to be ill they adjourned for that time till the morrow morning following But for that the Doctor had the same day produced severall witnesses in his behalf who being sworn neither the questions propounded unto them by the Doctor nor the evidence by them given did lead to justifie the Doctor from the matters charged and proved against him but merely dilatory as was judged by the Commissioners They did therefore require that according to former order he should the next day give in the names of his witnesses together with his interrogatories in writing to which he would have them examined which the Commissioners might first consider of but he peremptorily refused so to do onely instead thereof he offered severall questions which being taken by the Clark were afterwards debated by the Commissioners and by them adjudged to be to as little purpose though they should be admitted to be true as the former evidence already taken in his behalf but only to delay yet notwithstanding they proceeded to examine two of the Doctors witnesses to some of those questions which they judged most tending to his justification which having done and heard patiently what either the Doctor or his counsell could say at large they caused the whole proceedings to be read over publickly and then commanded the company to withdraw that they might resolve on their judgement which was unanimously agreed on for the ejectment of the Dr out of the parsonage of Bradfield for scandall ignorance and insufficiency proved against him The most materiall things charged against him with the depositions thereupon taken on both sides upon which the aforesaid sentence of ejestion was grounded are as followeth 1 Article In the first paper of articles exhibited against the Dr. That the fiery deity of Christ mingleth and mixeth it self with our flesh Answer I was then speaking of the mysticall union between Christ and his Church and in the illustration of this union I applyed that expression out of the 8 of the Canticles He mingled his wine and his milk together so in this union Christs divine nature mingleth it self with our humanity his spirit without flesh This expression Master Tickle was pleased to charge with blasphemy asking me what I meant by flesh I answered in conference by flesh I understood not the sinfull and fleshly part of the soul that lusteth against the spirit for with this there can be no union Secondly nor the outward elementary flesh of the body but by flesh I understand our pure humanity or the regenerated part of the soul the converted part of the spirit and thus the spirit of Christ and the regenerated part were really in union one with the other according to the Apostles phrase We are made partakers of the divine nature At this answer he had nothing to reply The proof of this article Master John Tickle Minister of Abingdon and one of the Assistants to the Commissioners sworn and examined This Deponent saith that Doctor Pordage did deliver in the Pulpit that the fiery Deity of Christ mingleth and mixeth it self with our * The Dr said the deity of Christ mingles it self with our flesh that is execrable blasphemy Then with our pure humanity that 's canting nonsence then with the soul of Christ most unsound and ignorant Flesh and being charged with blasphemy by this Deponent he repeated his sence thus he did not mean with our corruption but with our flesh holding his hand over the Pulpit And this Deponent being crosse examined to severall Interrogatories exhibited by the Doctor farther saith that after the Doctor held up his hand as he hath formerly deposed the Doctor said that he did not mean with our flesh but with the soul of Christ and that this article was delivered without any the least limitation as to the sense of it and that the same was fully and roundly delivered in the Doctors sermon at Ildesly whereupon the Deponent charged him with blasphemy and afterwards they fell into a dispute Article 2. That the imputative righteousnesse of Christ is a sapless righteousnesse The Doctors answer to this article is I thus deliver the truth as I was paraphrasing on that portion of scripture mentioned in the 9 of Daniel and the 24 of everlasting righteousnesse Vntruth notorioussy false read the proof and the he●ds of his sermon in the animadversion I did say words to this effect That the imputative righteousnesse of another was a saplesse and empty righteousnesse to all those th●t had no right or interest in it c. I shall desire a little to explain my self on this proposition that the imputative righteousnesse of Christ will prove a saplesse righteousnesse for he that hath not the spirit of Christ dwelling in his heart by faith notwithstanding all his a That application can there be of Christ and his merits without the spirit application of Christ and his merits yet to him it is but a saplesse righteousnesse so saith the scripture he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his though he should apply the imputative righteousnesse of Christ to himself But here I do not deny the imputative righteousnesse of Christ nor his active and

Henry Nicholas founder of the Familists The other execrable Blas●hemy concerning Christs righteousness is either a piece of old h Alphons de castro lib. 7. col 7. 510. Pelagianisme which puts the merits of Eternall life upon the performance of humane nature or rather new i Rutherfords S rvey of the Spirit Antic c. 9. p. 58 59. famil sme which most absurdly and blasphemously saith that Christ is not one man the Son of Mary but all men believing and loving and that Christ is not God and man but the state of perfection in believers what Christian heart can chuse but be affected with some sparkes of holy zeal against such cursed doctrines spit in the facce of Jesus Christ by an handfull of sinfull dirt fit to be cast into the street Psal 18.42 and which impious doctrines do necessarily conclude our religion to be but a fable our faith a fancy our hope a dream and us of all creatures the most miserable To the second as to Visions of angels we believe the Christian Reader will easily perswade himselfe that the Blessed Angels would rather lie down in the flames of hell then come to confirme such wicked antichristian doctrines but this is an old fetch of the Prince of darkness The Angelici were thought by some to have been so called for their pretended communion with angels which agreeth well with that we find in a Epipha cont haeres lib. 2. tom 1. p. 60. Epiphanius v●z that they held themselves to be of the order of angels as being persons in their own conceits angelicall if so t is likely they looked the angels should be * This Doctor doth confesse converse with them familiar with them But the constant phrase of the Scripture still mentioning familiar spirits in an evil sence never in a good teacheth us to take them not for glorified Angels in heaven but for damned fiends in hell The pretense of converse with Angels we find most frequent amongst Mahumetans Papists and Familists take a single instance of each of them First Mahumetans and here most notoriously famous is the grand imposture of that wicked b Forbes instruct hist theol p. 176. Mahomet pretending great familiarity with the Angel Gabriel and that the Alcoran was let fall from heaven into his bosome when he was asleep A great helper of this wretch was Sergius a Nestorian who denied as our Dr. the Godhead of Christ 2. Of the Papists we have a notable history of their S. Francisca who was said to have enjoyed the sight of an Angel c Here is the Drs. match continually he was of an incredible beauty his countenance more white then snow more ruddy then the rose cross'd on his breast his locks long and curled more clear then polished gold shining with such brightnesse that she could read her mattens at midnight 3. As for the Familists we cannot have a fitter example then of their Patriarck a Mr. Rutherford● Survey Antic cap. 9. p. 55. Henry Nicholas who gave out that he had Visions of and conferences with Angels from heaven from whom he learned to expound Scriptures by Allegories but such Angels are quickly d●scovered to be Divels indeed when their Revelations are brought to be tried by the Word of God as they ought Isai 8.20 Mary Wiltshire reported to Dr. Goad and Dr. Featly at Lambeth that there appeared to her one in the shape of a woman w●th very shining l●ght having the moon under her feet and the sun over her head with bright beams about it who gave her being sick in her bed three Benedictions and Fisher the Jesuit told her without doubt it was the Blessed Virgin Mary and it was revealed to him she must be a Nun of the Order of S. Clare b Luther tom 2 in Gen. Fol. 193. Luther being acquainted with this Cheat of Sathan and fearing to be deluded by some Diabolicall imposture under the appearance of Angels daily prayed that God woul● preserve him from such visions contenting himself with reading and meditation of the Scriptures and hearing Sermons and prayer The fancy of c Epiphan con Haeres lib. 2. tom 1. haeres ●9 Quintilla or Priscilla who said that Christ came to her when she was asleep and reuealed to her that Pepuza the Village where she lived was an holy place the city Jerusalem which descended out of heaven is paralel to the vision of Susan Day a● Bradfield and the Drs. conceit that his house should be as Noahs Ark for safety to those that came to dwell under his roof We never read nor heard but these pretenders to Visions did ever scorn and trample on the Word and Ordinances of Jesus Christ the Ordinance of Water Baptisme is totally denied by the Dr. and the other Sacrament is in effect denied because the things sign●fied are denied soe did d Ruther ubi ante p. 60. Henry Nicholas the Oracle of his Sect hold that Scriptures preaching Sacraments were but fleshly elementish ceremoniall and indifferent things The third head of the charge against the Dr. is for Uncleannesse in Doctrine and that in two points the one denying with the * This Marcion had a bastard by a sister for which fact he was ejected and then denied Marriage to Christians Ob stupratam virginem rejectus nuptias interdixit Christianis Erasmus in his epist before Irenaeus Marcionites the remedy against it prescribed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.2 the other allowing liberty for it by penalty of women So did Mahomet and the Papists now do by tolerating Stewes allowing many female bedfellowes for one wife as a Sleidan Comment lib. 4. p. 79. Cardinal Campeius did in Germany Pope Hildebrands doctrine was very good news to whoremongers who for one wife might have the use of 600 women b Idem p. 200. John of Leyden the Mechanical King of the Fanaticks in Germany pretended that he received his impure doctrine by Revelation and when some made doubt of such Libertinisme he laid down his cloke upon the new Testament and sware by them both that he had that doctrine delivered to him from God himself Obj. The Dr. is a Professor and is taken notice of for holinesse amongst men of his perswasion at least nay and others very many Ans So was Caspar c Rutherfords Survey of Antic c. 5. p. 15. Swincfield reputed a man grave civil and fervent in prayer yet he became a blaspemous heretique against the nature of Cbrist and against the Scriptures saying that Christ was not only once born but often and that we ought to content our selves with the teaching of the spirit for the vocall word is to be rejected as a killing letter Our English false Prophet d Cambden Annal. l. 4. p. 40. Hacket was a Professor of sanctity a hearer of sermons a reader of Scriptures pray●ng with admirable fervency yet fell from duty to revelation and from revelation to blasphemy such blasphemy against God that

of honour how the Dr had contended with the Dragon three hours in his chamber saying to one another thou lyest and thou lyest and whether she did not relate that the Drs children were strangely acted in their legs and thighs and arms and whether she did not relate to them how Mrs Flavell had been in a trance and how she had found the Philosophers stone which had puzzel'd so many wise men viz. the divinity in the humanity She made an answer in a carelesse way to our amazement and pity sc she could not tell whether she told them so or no perhaps she did perhaps she did not It is wonderfull strange that such extraordinary passages related by her in a glorying way when they were reaking hot nay when it was as she phrased it given in to her to reveal them and she did reveal them to persons of honour and unquestionable evidence who do still attest it and when she was minded of some circumstances of the relation she did remember something of them it is much we say that she should no better remember this her own relation doth not this woman think that she may say any thing to save the Dr from the world The third particular The Drs plea. That these articles come not within the compasse of the Act against Blasphemous and Atheisticall opinions by which Act the Commissioners are limited pag. 54. This he pleads for himself often in his book Answer We are well assured that all fearing God in the nation will with their souls consent with us that the Deniall of the Godhead of our Lord Jesus the making a piff at his precious bloud and calling his compleat righteousnesse a poor vain thing that the Lord Christ is but a type are blasphemies that open their mouth against heaven and are of as high a nature as wretched men or damned spirits can be guilty of and doe at once so directly destroy scriptures duties ordinances graces glory all Now if this defence of the Drs be true we professe our unfeigned sorrow from our inmost hearts that the blessed glory of our dear Lord Christ was no more consulted for if there be no provision made for the stopping of the mouth of blasphemy against the Lord Jesus by the Civile Magistrate We professe we cannot but wonder at the great rashnesse of this Dr and lament the dishonour as we humbly think that this vain man casts upon authority in that he proclaims upon the house top and tells it in Gath that hideous blasphemies against Jesus Christ are not punishable by the Commissioners of the severall counties which God forbid and we believe all the Saints will say Amen And we do with case and comfort perswade our selves that the supreme Magistrate doth not intend it and will never suffer it Whereas some do blame the Commissioners for being immethodicall for not reducing the articles under the head ignorance we answer that the articles alledged and proved do indeed shew him guilty of the greatest ignorance and insufficiency that is imaginable and doth abundantly clear the justice of the sentence yet these articles when they were exhibited were look'd upon as having too much hideousnesse in them that the Commissioners could not find in their hearts to rank them under any other head but that of blasphemy and do still look on them as worthy to be branded with the blackest Epithite that hell can afford And if it be true as some do say it is and therefore do say the Commissioners do they cannot tell what themselves for these articles do not come under the act as they pretend then we shall not be so quiet in our consciences as we desired unlesse we beg leave to say that it was no testimony of over and above kindnesse to Jesus Christ in those persons that drew up that act who they were we professe before the searcher of hearts we know not to draw it up so as not to mention nor mean the safeguarding of his glory from the tongues of blasphemers which are set on fire of hell We say again if it be true we do not say it is so we cannot say it and therefore were we fit as indeed we are altogether unfit we would in all humility beseech his Highnesse Honourable Counsell to take this matter into consideration and to determine as they see cause that so for the future all clamours of men and quibbles of counsellours may be prevented and every article may be reduced under its own proper head The ground of our request is this we are fully perswaded they will never suffer any to be Preachers of the Gospel who are blasphemers of the Lord Jesus who is the substance of the gospel in whom all the promises are yea and amen and whose precious bloud is the bloud of the everlasting covenant We have been pressed in our spirits to this boldnesse through the grief of our hearts because we do in some pittance perceive what through the wretched confidence of profane ones and the secret confidence of morall ones in their own civile righteousnesse and what through the n For so these would be thought acutenesse of Socinianisme and the n For so these would be thought oaringnesse of Familisme and the croaking of the Quakers and the spreading of all these there are very poor mean and slight thoughts all the land over in city and countrey of the glory love bloud and merits of our Lord Jesus who is God over all Blessed for ever And let him be blessed for ever as the great God and our Saviour Amen Lastly Whereas the Dr complains how much he was injured by being represented by his enemies and look'd upon by the Commissioners as a conjurer and sorcerer and one that dealt in Negromancy as he called it and black Magick and to this purpose stuffs out his book with severall allegations of his own dear ones to vindicate himself from Necromancy and sorcery this is nothing in the world but stramineous chaffie stuff put in to fill up a ragged book for the Commissioners did not look upon him as a conjurer but as an impostor who made use of his apparitions and visions as a ministeriall way viz. to confirm his blasphemies to draw in disciples and to confirm those that were so vaunting himself thus what but one but one in the whole creation pretending that other ministers knew no more of the gospel then a dead horse and why because they are not Nicolaitanes and visioners But he complain's much pag. 71. that the Commissioners would not take in his witnesses who could depose how he had preached against conjuration which witnesses he names twice in the margent to make his reader believe how grievously he was wronged Answer Though the businesse be eccentricall yet we will see what the witnesses could have said for the Dr against conjuration they begin thus and say They heard the Dr preach in 653 at Bradfield out of Psal * We cannot imagine what verse or

is not meritorious of any mans salvation The fourth article of the last charge That it was a poor thing to live upon the bloud of Christ and fetching it over again in a contemptuous kind of speaking Piff said he thou art a babe thou knowest nothing to live upon the bloud of Christ that is a poor thing Answer To the former of these articles being the fourth of the first charge the Dr gives no particular p And gives this reason in print viz. not being within the act against blasphemy Observe what use this man makes of that act in his printed answer he puts in the word only a notorious untruth pag. 43. studied on purpose to deceive He saith that Mr Tickhill did mistake which is not a mistake in the Dr b●t an impudent untruth answer His answers to the third and fourth articles of the last charge are as followeth viz. To the third I call heaven and earth to witnesse that such thoughts never entred into my soul nor did such words come out of my mouth for my judgement ever hath been and still is that the bloud of Christ is satisfying reconciling and cleansing bloud that it is interceding redeeming meriting bloud in relation to all those who through faith and patience come to inherit eternall life To the fourth I acknowledge that about four years since some such expressions were uttered by me to Mr Grip but without any such intent as may be supposed by my accusers and not with that circumstantiall aggravation of repeating it in a contemptuous manner which is but q Read the proof is not this an interjection of scorning a supposition of my adversary and cannot be attested upon Oath without his witnesse pretends infallibly to r How should we know your thoughts but by your words know my thoughts and purposes Again this being spoken to a particular person upon a particular occasion might be true if the circumstances of the discourse were accordingly added though as here presented it seems very monstrous Therefore to make things clear I shall here insert some particular circumstances which may present this article though in a new yet with a true face I coming to Mrs Grips house she s Untruth took me into a private room to have some conference with me alone where she t False read the animadversion breaking forth into a violent passion of tears weeping and wringing her hands and pouring forth ●itter complaints and invectives against Mr Fowler as that he was a gracelesse man a lier and a slanderer not worthy to come up into a Pulpit or to have the name of a Minister of Christ with other such bitter expressions the cause of which was as she then told me Mr Fowler 's reporting about that she then lived in adultery with a gentleman not far off and after her passion was somewhat allayed she brake out into these or such like expressions of high assurance Christ hath loved me and died for me and justified me by his blood from all guilt of sin I am an elect person a justified person and what is this Mr Fowler to u Oh the invention of man not such a word spoken charge sin upon me these and other expressions fell from her to this purpose from some of which I feared she was drenched with † A mere figment and base contrivance of his own heart Antinomianisme and told her more then once it was a poor thing to live upon the bloud of Christ and to look so much upon that except she had the nature of Christ and the spirit of Christ asking her where was the meeknesse of Christ the patience of Christ to suffer as an innocent lamb quietly w Oh amazeing that any man could devise such untruths so many and all fore-thought and deliberate not a true word But still she cried out she lived on the bloud of Christ I told her it was a poor thing to be thus exalted with notions of the bloud of Christ without mentioning sanctification and those holy graces which flow from Christs nature dwelling in the soul Now by these expressions of mine my scope was to make Mrs Grip see the necessity of sanctification and of a pure and holy life and not to make void the blessed effect of the bloud of Christ applyed accord●ng to the mind of God and true meaning of the scriptures and now having related the x See what Mrs G●ip deposeth to these circumstances at the end of her deposition circumstances as near as I can rememember I believe a sober and knowing Christian will not judge me either y This fardell of studied untruths is very scandalous scandalous or ignorant for these expressions The proofs of the fore-mentioned articles The aforesaid Mr John Tickhill This Deponent further saith that the Dr delivered that the liberty and freedome spoken of and purchased by the bloud of Christ is not a liberty or freedome 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 And this Deponent being crosse examined by the Dr further saith that the very summe and substance of this article was delivered fully and roundly by the Dr in the expresse words for the substance of them and that without any limitation to the best of his remembrance Master Christopher Fowler Minister of S. Maries in Reding and one of the Assistants to the Commissioners sworn and examined deposeth That about three weeks or a moneth since this Deponent acquainted Master Daniel Blagrave the younger that these Commissioners did intend to 2 This gentleman with others was summoned to appear by a warrant from the Commissioners to testify his knowledge as to this article and some others but did not appear The Quae. What that clause intends in the Ordinance viz the Commissioners shall issue forth summons when the persons summoned will appear if they please and if they will not they may chuse for so some have answered had the appearance bin according to the summons the doctrines and deeds of darknesse had bin more dejected by these renowned summon him to testifie what he knew of Dr Pordage's doctrine in relation to Jesus Christ and thereupon among other things the Deponent asked him whether he did not hear the said Dr deliver that the bloud of Christ was not meritorious of any mans salvation to which be answered he had heard him speak to that purpose Susanna Grip wife of John Grip of Reding Joyner sworn and examined This Deponent saith that she told Dr Pordage it was a high thing to live upon the bloud of Christ to which he replyed piff to live upon the bloud of Christ that is a poor thing and repeated the same again and said thou art a babe thou knowest nothing to live upon the bloud of Christ that is a poor thing whereupon the Deponents heart fell almost dead with fear at his words And the said Susanna

Grip being crosse-examined by the Dr and asked whether this was delivered in the same very words she 1 Observe this passage and judge of the Drs answer answereth in the same words and they were spoken in the Kitchin about four years since to her best remembrance but who was there present she doth not remember And this Deponent being further asked by the D r upon what occasion this was spoken she saith the Dr was speaking something in a rambling manner which she did not understand but she thought she would speak something to him which he should understand and rejoyce with her for it and that was the occasion of the discourse and she saith further that the Drs words were delivered without any explanation of them only this she asking him being ready to faint what then Dr. He answered I do not know what the matter is that I must speak to you I do not use to 2 That i● true no more did the G●osticqu s of old and the libertines of late and the familists now discover my self but he told her something of a man that dyed at Jerusalem sixteen hundred years ago and that she must have it in her which she cannot remember being then so amazed at his words and the D●s answer to this article being read unto her she deposeth that all the circumstances mentioned in his said answer are all of them false and untrue there was nothing of such a discourse as the Dr pretends nor any thing tending to it his answer was all false and untrue George Aslet of Bradfield Weaver sworn and examined deposeth That he hath heard Dr Pordage in the Church of Bradfield about two years since deliver that it was a vain thing to trust in the 3 the Dr prints that he hath had wonderfull visions of the three worlds 76 p. in which of these worlds think you did he see this very accursed doctrine was it in the world of Divells or the world of Angels or of glory our very hand trembles at the writing of this and every godly heart abhorres it at the very reading this single pass●ge discovers of what order his angels are and of what kind his visio●s bloud of him that dyed at Jerusalem sixteen hundred years since or more unlesse it were acted in me or in thee for that was but in the type the substance must be fulfilled in us and that Christ must be crucified in us that Pontius Pilate must condemn him in us and the Jewes put him to death in us crucified in us that he must lye buried three dayes in us and must rise in us and must ascend in us otherwise it was a vain thing to believe in him that dyed at Jerusalem sixteen hundred years since or more without us This Deponent crosse examined Being asked in the Drs behalfe whether he did write down the fore-mentioned particulars or not he answereth negatively And being further asked whether he did complain of the premises within six months to any justice of peace after the speaking thereof he answereth he did not nor did 4 But now he sees cause to complain for he came in of his own free accord unexpectedly and blessed God for the government authorizing persons to whom he might complain find any cause so to do Animad 2. Acerrini morsus morientium ferarum wild beasts near their end bite so fiercely they will even make their teeth meet the unclean spirit rends and foams when he is a departing and to be ejected what ailes this Dr to imagine on his bed and when he cometh forth to tell such a forged lying tale 't is true his words seem smooth as oyle but they be very swords he doth not bark much but he bites and bites the deeper because he doth not bark We conceive the Dr fitting in counsell with his thus what shall we do to blast this testimony the accuser hath brought in before these men of the world so it saith that I should blaspheme the bloud of their Christ their ordinance will reach me or they will stretch it and the Priests are rigid advise what is best to be done I know Mistris Grip is the witnesse against me though she doth not appear nor it named my conscience tells me so Re olved upon the question that it is lawfull for the Dr to say what he please to the commissioners to ●ave himself and to say what he please of the witnesses to blast them and their testimony The Dr labours might and main to overthrow this testimony knowing that this concurring so directly with M●ster Tickhills and Master Stevens would help to overthrow him for his overthrowing the very foundation of faith and godlinesse We desire the discreet Reader to observe his 5 We cannot find more smooth epithi●es w● hope it is not b●tternesse but some better thing t is in the ' cause of Christ consultingly forged answer ex ungue leonem to see him by this paper as he in his visions did the Devill by his cloven foot pag. 74. of his book Thus he tells you how he came to Mistris G●ips house and how he found her in a very exceeding great passion with tears and cries and wringing her hands using bitter invectives against Master Fowler and he tells you the reason why viz. because he reported to the gentry thereabout that she lived in adultery with a * For this was in h s answer before the Commissioners but as he can say and unsay so he can put in and put out even in print What an ●ngratefull man is this thus to bespatter and disgrace so far as in him lyes one of his best friends in the face of a multitude he resolves to hazzard all his friends to attempt any thing so he may enfeeble this sub●tantiall evidence gentleman not far off and how he was afraid th●● she was drenched with Antinomianisme and therefore discoursed to her of the nature and spirit of Christ To disprove this we offer these considerations First that Mistrisse Grip being then upon her oath did solemnly appeal to the Lord of heaven the searcher of all hearts that she did not speak a sword of Master Fowler neither had so much as a thought of him and that she was so far from tears and wringed hands as this man feignes That she was in some measure of joy in the apprehension of Jesus Christ and she did affirm before God the Commissioners and above two hundred persons that it was all false and a mere forgery not a word of it true Secondly Consider this that about a fortnight before his tryall was at the Bear in Reding Master Daniel Blagrave told her the said Mistris Grip that the Dr would declare to the Commissioners how she had railed against Master Fowler upon which she came to Master Fowler 's house immediately where Master Nutkins one of the Commissioners with some friends then was and she was exceedingly moved at the Drs impudence wickednesse admiring

dost not see it but thou shalt see it These upon credible testimony 1. That there is neither good nor evil but as men apprehend it And that he might do any thing if his mind did lead him to it Positions enough to astonish the heavens and shake the earth and tend our very bowels from another guesse man then this Dr. both for life and learning But he is gone to Eternity and to us that knew him out of his grave he preacheth a sermon upon that text Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear let us pray pray pray that God would keep us in the knowledge love and practise of all divine truth But to return The next witnesse for the Dr to prove that Mrs Grip did rail c. is John Tench p. 63. We wonder that this witnesse also is not encomiasted with the titles of a sober pious Christian we cannot tell what this man would swear but we know with sadnesse of heart what he saith he hath twice in publick denied the bloud of Christ to be the bloud of God and this as we fear not through mistake or ignorance for he was often told and severall scriptures were alledged to that purpose viz. that it was the bloud of a divine person not of the divine nature but he still persisted in his foolish to say no more cavillations and afterwards said to one of us that Christ died and rose again and then became God This is one of John Tawneys followers a blasphemer of the Lord Christ a slanderer of Christians for his sake a late abettor of the Anti-scripturall Quakers at Reding and one whose inconsiderablenesse makes him audacious The rest are Eleanor Burly Mrs Kent ibidem and in another place John Hambleton is quoted What savour these three have among understanding Christians that know them we will leave to others the very naming of the last will make those that know him even to hold their noses Ob. See how bitter these Priests are and how rigid Ans Our reply is this we have concealed many passages that we might have rehearsed to avoid this very objection but we do conceive it inevitable and unreasonable too for this objection will be made by those who have gall and bitternesse and are the most bitter people in the world if our relation be false we yield to suffer if it be true why are we bitter is it because we will not see the everlasting Deity the precious bloud the blessed word and ordinances of Jesus Christ trampled denied blasphemed and sit still with our hands in our pockets but according to our measure speak a word for him and his is this bitternesse then the Lord make us more bitter in these fundamentalls Jesus Christ will give us but little thanks in the day of our account for our Gallionisme or moderation Obj. But grant for once that these witnesses are against ordinances sabboths scriptures grace Christ for so they are some of them against most and every one of them against some yet their testimony is legall Ans It is confessed and their testimony was received as such and we desire it may be weighed with all our hearts Obj. The Commissioners would not receive their witnesse Ans We reply This is a sordid and false imputation of the Drs upon them they were examined the Dr had his liberty to propose any questions and to produce any witnesses it is confessed the Commissioners did refuse some of the witnesses because they could not speak to the matter in hand as when it was deposed the Dr had spoken blasphemy at one time in one place they offered to depose that they heard him speak otherwise at another time and in another place and this is the naked truth yet the Commissioners are clamoured upon by him and his friends in Court in city in town in countrey even for crucifiers c. To conclude that a man of such pretended glories visions sanctity likened even to Christ almost as to have no sin for the Devil hardly to work upon him by should have no more no other to appear in his behalf but as thou hast seen Reader seems to us wonderfull observable The fifth article of the first charge That by male and female Genesis the 1. we are to understand by male the Deity and by female the humanity and that these two become one flesh Adde to this two other articles of the last charge viz. That he preached at Bradfield and did labour to defend it pertinaciously that the little horn in Dan. 7. vers 8. was Christ and being told that the horn made war with the Saints yet he persisted to say that he was Christ That he is ignorant and insufficient for the work of the Ministry The Drs Answer To the first of these the Dr gave no particular answer Animadver 3. The Dr could not tell what to say then but since in his book pag. 44. he answers thus to this article That by male and female might be shadowed forth the Deity and pure humanity the male representing the Deity the female the pure humanity which by union become one the spirit of the soul brought up by Christ into a mysticall union is made partaker of the divine nature Answer What un-edifying matter and language is this is this to speak to edification exhortation and to comfort is not this and all the rest taken out of the euangle of Henry Nicholas and Jacob Behmen is there not a serpent in this grasse Irenaeus observes of the Gnosticks that they did with Scripture words and phrases as if some skilfull Artist should make with precious stones and pearles the most exquisite effigies of some Heroique prince and when it is done and compleated in comes some phantasticall fellow and pulls it all to pieces and with the same stones and pearles goes and makes the picture of an ape or a dog How hatefull is this saith that Father as it was then even so it is now the Gnosticks in the first times and the Familists and Quakers in these last times differing no more some circumstances excepted then Simon Magus differs from Simon the Sorcerer the Familists take Scripture words phrases and expressions which shine as pearles in that place and meaning where the hand of the blessed spirit hath set them and they dismember them and pluck them asunder and with them according to their own whimsies they make sometime an ape or a dog or both sometime non-sence or blasphemy and oftentimes both as for instance such expressions as these Christ in you the fellowes of Christ Christs brethren partakers of the divine nature I in them and they in me you need not that any man teach you taught of God perfect as the Father the letter killeth the spirit to God c. Now consider how our new Gnosticks wrest and rack these scriptures and make them speak what they never meant how do they take these pearles these choise texts of heaven and with them

make pictures of hell e. g. I as Christ Godded in God a typicall Christ you are Christed partakers of the divine essence that of God to God and body and soul to the grave fleshly ordinances carnall scriptures c. We need not quote the texts where these phrases are neither need we name the men that handled them thus indeed we cannot they are more in number then we can count The Dr in his printed answer to this article speakes much of the souls union We desire to speak a word not to amaze as he doth but to benefit the Reader We do acknowledge a reall spirituall eternall union between Christ Saints when we think of it sometime a little fire kindles and we say Lord what is man our hearts close with that of a godly learned * Reynold Conf. with Hart. cap. 1. Divis 2. man spoken upon an occasion something like this and very proper to these dayes the unity saith he that the Scripture notes is of three sorts first of persons in one nature secondly of natures in one person thirdly of natures and persons in one quality in the first is one God in the second is one Christ in the third is one Church i. e. The company of the elect called and sanctified by one spirit partakers of one Baptisme knit to Christ by one faith among themselves in one love to serve one Lord in one hope of one eternall glory the first and second of these unions we desire to believe because they are written and to admire because they are exceeding glorious the last union by the spirit and faith we desire to feel and experimentize in our own souls knowing that in these cob webby times of vain speculations one beam of Gods love one drop of the bloud of Christ upon our hearts one witnesse of the spirit in ordinances will doe us more good then all the meteors and notions in the world But as for H. Ns union of being christed in Christ and I. Ps. union of the deity and pure humanity to be one flesh and W. E. union of God is in thee and thee and the N. Qs union to be Christ a part of God we desire to look on them as more abominable then abomination it self nay more ugly then hell it self To the second and third his answers followeth Concerning the little horn Dan. 7. to be Christ This article was four years since exhibited against me from which I was discharged by the Committee Richard Higgs John Higgs and Richard Luington attesting on oath that I paraphrasing on the seventh of Daniel and speaking of the little horn said that some interpreters would have the little horn in the letter to be Antiochus Epiphanes a bloudy and persecuting tyrant others think the little horn to be the Turk who is a great persecutor of Christians * Mark this phantasticall ignorance if not worse for by such a mysticall liberty names may be applyed that we dare not name which how dreadfull is it But in the mystery in regard of his power we will apply it to the power of Christ in a christian who is often in Scripture resembled to the horn of David and to the horn of salvation and that upon three considerations In regard that Christs power in the soul doth appear to be a little horn a small despised instrument to sence and reason for flesh and bloud look upon it as a poor instrument in regard of bringing down the strength of sin in us Secondly In regard of sin and 6 This man belies the Divell who quakes at an ordinance much more at Christ's power his fear that Christ will exert and put forth an act of power into the heart through an ordinance is so great that he even trembles at the thoughts of it the very addresse to the solemn reading of a chapter will make the Divell sad he is afraid of the issue your anti-ordinance men in England are the best friends that he hath had this many a day Sathan who laugh the power of Christ in the soul to scorn yet before him his accursed kingdom must fall 3. In regard of its birth beginning in the soul it is at the first as a very 7 We have heard the parable in regard of grace that to be little at first but never of Christs power to be little till now litttle grain of mustard seed yet in due time it will destroy the kingdom of sin and set up the kingdom of holynesse in us having thus drawn away the vail from this article I hope it appears with a more tolerable and innocent face That I am very ignorant and insufficient for the work of the Ministry I believe those that exhibite this article against me upon tryall will be * All the precedent articles prove it if some of them should not come within the act for blasphemy which plea i● his Diana yet they all prove him to be ignorant and insufficient in a very high degree of both found very ignorant and insufficient to judge of it and as to those that are to be my judges I hope they will not make their wills the rule of ignorance and insufficiency But proceed according to the Canons of pure reason or supernaturall revelation in giving judgement concerning this particular the event of which I leave to God The proofs of the aforesaid articles The aforesaid Mr John Tickhill of Abingdon This Deponent saith that the Dr did deliver that by male and female Gen. 1. We are to understand by male the Deity by female the humanity and that these two are one flesh and being crosse examined he further saith that the Dr did deliver these expressions with approbation and the Deponents hath cause to believe it was his own judgement and as far as he doth remember it was delivered as his judgement The second was fully proved upon oath before the Justices by Francis Smith of Bradfield who went to the Dr about it being much offended and told him the little horn made war with the Saints yet the Dr did still pertinaciously maintain it and spake evill of those that opposed him in it The aforesaid George Aslet of Bradfield further deposeth and saith That the said Dr about a moneth since did deliver that doubtlesse the Apostle in that text 1 Cor. 6. know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost did not 8 Why doth the Dr quarrell at this text unlesse it be urged here as a forcible argument against fornication mean these earthly bodies And this Deponent further saith that the Dr did deliver that by that text Gen. 18. vers 19. I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him c. was not meant the outward houshold of Abraham but his inward houshold his will and affections which he was Lord Paramount over and he quoted that text in the last of Joshua as for me and my house we will serve the Lord which