Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	know_v	lord_n	3,918	5	3.5901	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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

or tvvo touching some particulars in my Sermon vvho novv notvvithstanding this hath condemned me for the same thing he then voted me clear of although nothing more touching the Godhead of Christ hath since been proved against me vvhich is the chief thing they stood upon as they themselves have confessed in reference to this Sentence But vvhence these contradictory actions have proceeded vvhether from the late persvvasions and insinuations of my Accuser and others I do not knovv But this I am sure of vvith those that carryed things tenderly and justly he appeared so to and vvith those that have since carryed themselves rigidly and unjustly he is one likevvise in his actings But hovv these carriages of his can be truly reconciled I do not unsterstand Tvvo more there vvere vvho though appearing more moderate then the rest yet subscribed the Sentence being carryed avvay by the stream of the others violent persvvasions But before I conclude and shut up this part concerning those that subscribed the Sentence I cannot but speak something of Mr Arthur Evelin vvho though he vvas not present vvhen Sentence vvas given yet vvas a Commissioner and sate amongst the rest one day of my tryal seeming to carry things very fairly though in truth he vvas a chief contriver of the design against me vvho after he had laid his plot and set the vvheels of others passion and false zeal in motion vvithdrevv himself as though he vvere not engaged in the business but he knovving there vvere enough to serve his design in carrying things against me all the tryal prejudiced me another vvay in preparing both in the Country and London all he met vvith to believe I vvas so abominable and monstrous as to deserve if not death yet at least that sentence of Ejectment which he knew would be passed against me and really t is not to be uttered what wrong and injury he hath done me by his railing accusations for t is well known that he hath been industrious in representing me as one of the worst of men making me more vile and base if it be possible then the Jews and Ethnicks by false and dark aspersions made the Apostles who yet were esteemed by them as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4. 13. filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things This I have been forced to speak that I might do justice in defending innocency and discovering subtilty having not the least envy against the person of Mr Evelyn whom I so far love as to pray for his conviction and the right informing of his understanding touching that innocency which he now condemns as guilt that so he may repent and turn to the Lord and receive the remission of his sins before he goes hence and be no more seen Now I have finished the Tryal and all those circumstances relating to it which might any way serve to clear the truth and so dispose the Christian Reader as to be able to give true Judgement in my Case and I question not but by what is here related out of no other end but to discover and lay open both truth and falshood innocency and subtilty it will clearly appear that my enemies both in their accusations management of the Tryal and Judgement after evidence on both sides have neither observed the Law of Nature the Law of this Nation nor the Royal Law of Love but have steered their proceedings by prejudicate resolutions and arbitrary determinations which were as illegally concluded by their sentence as uncharitably set on foot and begun by interest mistake and blind zeal and envy which I am confident will one day be as manifest as the light when the vails and pretentions with which they have covered their own eyes and the eyes of many others shall come to be rent away In the mean time if what I have here wrote is not through that prejudiced which is sucked in by most sufficient to clear that truth and innocency I own and live to I shall contentedly lie under the censures and condemnation of men as that in which I am conformable to Christs sufferings waiting for that righteous judgement of God which will justifie the truely innocent and condemn the really guilty An APPENDIX to the former RELATION HAving in the former Discourse dispatched my Tryal before the Committee of Berks I shall now present you with something more referring to the same business in which I shall inform you 1. What I have proceeded in since my Sentence 2. I shall lay down some Grounds or Reasons why in answer to those who have much censured me for it 3. I shall shew the issue and event of it and so conclude all 1. You must know then after the Sentence of Ejectment was passed against me being sensible of the injustice and illegality of it and that great injury which by it was done to that Cause of God and Life of Christ which I own and live to I was moved from my own spirit and encouraged by others to address an Appeal to his Highness the Lord Protector who with his Councel made the Ordinance by which the Commissioners were impowered to act So I came to London and framed a Petition in the usual way in manner of an Appeal in which I presented my grievance to the Protector believing it very reasonable in case of oppression and wrong to appeal from an inferior Court to that Power which Constituted them and gave them being Now in the time of my waiting upon and expectation of the delivery of my Petition I met with many who were much against it as a thing too conformable to the custom of the world and too slavish for those who are to live to the life of Christ out of the waies and observations of Babylon so that I have been excepted against 1. in reference to the person or persons to whom I appealed as to my owning of and bowing to such a Power 2. In reference to the ends for which 1. Particular As to the first touching my owning of and appeal to the chief Magistrate for the execution of Justice and relieving the oppressed I shall here shew my grounds upon which I go 1. 'T is my Judgement then That in every Principle according to natural Order and Gods Will there should be Superiority and Inferiority Rulers and Ruled Higher and Lower even as there are For first If we look into the Kingdom of darkness we shall find there great distinctions and degrees amongst the fallen Angels there being Ephes 6. 12. Principalities Powers and the Rulers of this dark world And Dignities Jud. 1. 9. There is also one Supreme Prince Mat. 12. 24. Beelzebub the Prince of Devils called Rev. 9. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angel of the Abysse or bottomless pit and Rev. 12. The Dragon who with his Angels under him war against Michael he is also called Apollyon Satan c. These are they who as Jude saith are reserved in everlasting Chains under darkness being

travel 2. Mrs. Flavel in a short time fell in travel and then desired no company might be called in yet the woman of the house Goodman Loaders wife called in three or four And Mrs. Flavel was then brought to bed of a daughter having then no husband that the world knew of Mr. Flavel being dead Not proved by any 3. That Doctor Pordage came to that house and Christned that child and named it Hannah and the Doctor came often to visit her there and alwaies alone by himself 4. That the child being put to nurse in the same Parish the Doctor Not proved by any The Nurse denied all these particulars before Witnesses and affirmed them to be un●ruths moved Mrs. Flavel to Kensington and paid the Smith for her being at his house That a little while after the Nurse went to Kensington to enquire for Mrs. Flavel to pay her some money but she was removed and the Nurse saying she left a child with her the company smiled and said they thought she was such a woman After this the Nurses husband wrote a Letter to the Doctor to Bradfield that he was twenty weeks pay behind and could not forbear Not proved The Nurse affirmeth this to be most untrue before Witnesses and affirmed the contrary that no Letter was ever wrote nor ever one penny received from the Dr. nor by his order Not proved by any whereupon he was paid and shortly after sent for the child away from the Nurses 5. That a little while after this Mrs. Flavel came again to the Doctors Family and a little child called Hannah it was also brought thither and Mrs. Flavel took the care of it ever since And Mrs. Flavel being by neighbours asked whose child it was said a dear friend of hers but none could ever hear in the house whose child it was And some telling Mrs. Flavel that the child was so like her that they should take it to be hers had she not said the contrary she answered as before 'T was a dear friends of hers but never named whose 6. That this child who was called Hannah this last Summer they changed her name and called her Ruth they have also changed all their names the Doctor is called Father Abraham his wife is also called Deborah and old Goodwife Pocock is called Rahab and so the rest 7. That Goodman Loaders son being a Souldier saw Mrs. Flavel in Bradfield street and spake to her but she took no notice of it Afterward Mrs. Flavel coming to his Fathers house his mother in discourse Not proved by any asked whether she lived at Bradfield Mrs. Flavel answered she knew no such place I will call my son in who saw you there Mrs. Flavel said people be given to lying and would not have him called and presently called for her horse and went away though before she had resolved to stay all night and never since was there except since the Doctor hath been questioned 31. That Dr. Pordage is extream covetous and hath exacted five shillings at a time to marry one man or else told him he would not marry him the man told him he could not justly demand so much the Dr. not proved by any answered without five shillings he would not marry them and took five shillings 32. That his Preaching doth not tend to Edification Not proved by any 33. That he is a very ignorant and insufficient man for the work of the Ministry September 9. 1650. 34. I came into Bradfield Parsonage in the evening and there I heard a very mournfull cry as if it had been one in extream pains but what it was I know not for it continued all the time I was at the dore which was well near the quarter of an hour and so it continued when I went away And then the 10 day in the morning I came vnto Mr. Francis Pordage at the Parsonage of Stauford Dingley and he enquired of me what I did think of the noise that I heard I told him I could not tell Then he related to me that the Lord was about a great work in this Kingdom and to this Nation and the cause of this cry was one in travel and the pain was so extream that had I stayed there a little longer I might have heard it as far as the Town but now she was delivered of a man-child and the travel was at an end and that he and others were eye-witnesses to it The Testimony of Richard Seward 35. That in Dr. Pordages house in Bradfield lately the new Jerusalem hath been seen to come down from heaven all of precious stones and in the new Jerusalem was a Globe which Globe was eternity and in that eternity were all the Saints 36. That at the said Doctors house the face of God hath been seen not as Moses saw him but the very face as one man may see anothers 37. That one being in the said Doctors house in a trance the said Drs. daughter being by her said that she saw two Angels all in white with Crowns over her head The Examination of Goodman Seward concerning Mr. Pordage THis Deponent saith that Mr. Pordage did affirm marriage to be a very wicked thing contrary to the word of God Goodman Seward telling the aforesaid Mr. Pordage that a friend of his had buried his wife and intended to marry again Mr. Pordage replyed that it was a very wicked act and wondred at it The Deponent replyed that he took Marriage to be an Ordinance of God then demanding if his wife should have died what he should have done he replyed Would you be so wicked as to marry This the above-mentioned Deponent will averr with his Oath A true Copy Examined by MATH LANGLEY Regist ' After he had done it seemed not enough to him to have read such a horrid scandalous confused Charge to the people against me but he proceeded to speak to them desiring them to take notice what a strange person I was representing me to be guilty of Blasphemy Devilism and of loosness in my conversation promising to prove that Charge of Articles or to be counted a Slanderer after which prevaricating speech he suddenly departed After I further urged the Commissioners to hear the Testimony of my Witnesses in reference to the first Charge of Articles that so it might be dispatched that so I might be freed from the trouble of answering so many together which would unavoidably bring confusion and disorder to mine and their proceedings I further shewed that according to their appointment my Witnesses were present and ready desiring them to consider that I had been at trouble and charges in bringing them and that I must unavoidably be at more if they would not then hear them notwithstanding this they denied to hear them at that time calling for two Witnesses which they had summoned to attest my second charge of Articles Here I desired that as my charges had been openly read to the people so the examination of

mistakes in misrepresenting both my words and meaning by shewing I excluded not the litteral meaning of the Texts produced 2. In regard I objected against him as a Drunkard and so an insufficient Witness 3. In that there was no concurrent testimony 4. In that he wrote not this down and so could not exactly deliver so much word for word as I spake it especially so long after some part of it was delivered and so by a little mistake might prevaricate my sense and meaning This Deponent further saith That Goodwife Knap told him about a moneth since that she being at the Drs house Mrs Flavel was very angry This was part of this Hastlets Deposition though it concerned not the former head What a sad thing it is that such a libellous hear-say as this should be received as a testimony against me with her and threatned to have her whipt for saying the child Hannah was Mrs Flavels child and that she then denied she had any other child except Steven her son and that when the said Goodwife Knap denied she had said any such thing and began to be outragious both old and young Mrs Pordage desired her to be pacified saying happily it might be another woman might speak so Note The woman here mentioned hath under her hand before Witness denied what the Deponent here relates of her so that either the Deponent is perjured or this woman ashamed to stand to so gross an untruth as the deponent pretends she related to him But the sentence being given the day in which this deposition was taken I had not time to bring this woman face to face to the deponent so to see where the guilt of perjury or a lying slander lay Though as to the strength of this testimony there was no such thing necessary it being a meer hear-say Art 34. The testimony of Richard Sawood who was neither sworn nor examined in publick Court I came into Bradfield Parsonage in the evening Septemb. 9. 1650. and there I heard a very mournfull cry as if it had been one in extream pains What a plausible story is here framed from two or three expressions intended to hint out the spiritual travel of the soul as you will see afterward but who it was I knew not for it continued all the time I was at the dore which was well near a quarter of an hour and so it continued when I went away And then on the tenth day in the morning I came to Mr. Francis Pordage at the Parsonage of Stanford Dingly and he enquired of me what I did think of the noise that I heard I told him I could not tell then he related to me that the Lord was about a great work in this Kingdom and to this Nation and the cause of this cry was one in travel and the pains were so extream that had I stayed there but a little longer I might have heard it as far as the Town but now she was delivered of a man-child and the travel was at an end and that he and others were witnesses of it Mr Pordage Minister of Stanford Dingly sworn and examined to the former Deposition of Richard Seywood This Deponent being asked who it was that was in travel of the child in the said Deposition mentioned and what became of it To this question he answereth That it was one Mrs Flavel and he further saith that above four years since Mrs Flavel was very earnest in prayer on a day when they were fasting which was at the time when one Seywood came to the dore the said Seywood knocking the Deponent went to the dore to him And he saith he doth acknowledge that Richard Seywood did come to him about the time mentioned in the Examination of the said Seywood to the Parsonage of Stanford and he saith it is probable he did ask the said Seywood what he did think of the noise he heard in the Drs house the day before And that when the said Seyword answered to this foregoing question he could not tell it is very probable the Deponent did relate to him that the Lord was doing a great work in this Kingdom and to this Nation and doth confess that unadvisedly he told the said Seywood that the cause of the foresaid cry was one in travel but doth not remember he spake any such thing as that the pains were so extream as that had he stayed longer he might have heard it as far as the Town but doth confess that he said she was in travel of a manchild and that he and many others were eye-witnesses of it And being asked who it was that was in travel He answered Mrs Flavel And being further asked what became of this manchild He The Deponent in this Examination was set upon by the Ministers with so many questions that he could scarce come to the business which was to declare whether this was a natural or a spiritual travel which at last he clearly expresseth by shewing it was no natural travel answereth it was the birth death and resurrection of Christ in her nature And being asked how the birth death and resurrection of Christ in the nature of Mrs Flavel was so great a work that God was doing to this Nation He answereth he never said any such thing And being further asked whether himself being demanded what this manchild was did not answer The child of Reformation To this he answereth negatively He further saith That this travel of a manchild was not any natural birth of a child out of the womb but the cry that was then made was nothing else but the groanings and intercessions of the Spirit in her prayer Note This last part is the real truth of the business which I could have proved by many Witnesses more who were present in my house at the time and whom I had ready before the Court to attest upon Oath that there was no natural travel nor any natural birth nor any such child born but only the Gentlewoman was then very earnest in prayer but this was thought superfluous being that the Deponent Mr Pordage from the mistake of whose discourse this came to be made an Article against me cleared the business himself by Oath But how my name hath suffered from this groundless business is known very well both to my friends and enemies some of which as the accuser Mr Fowler for one in open Court scoffed at me threatning to prove great things against me from this Deposition of Seywoods To the 35. and 37. Articles Mr John Tickle of Abbington sworn again and further examined deposeth That a Summons being issued for the appearance of Susanna Day the Messenger went for her and met with her on Tuesday night last being the fifth instant at the Deponents house and that she was willing to come and could not in regard of her distemper at present but the said Susanna having reported to several people in Abbington and particularly to the Deponents wife that she was at

subtilty and deceits of such come to be laid open to all that so none may dare to speak the words of life without the eternal word of life speaking in and through them But because there are very many such t is uncharitable to conclude that all are so and to those that judge me as one of those I shall only return the answer of Paul to the Corinthians chap. 4. 3. With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement or day yea I judge not mine own self For I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified For he that judgeth me is the Lord. v. 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time till the Lord come End 2. Another End which is excepted against both in my appealing and writing is the vindicating of my own person and cause from dark and false aspersions as though it argued weakness and irresignation in me in not being able to suffer the scandals censures and reproaches of the world without such endeavours to vindicate my self and the truth which God in his time as they say will clear But to this I answer To every thing there is a season Eccles 3. 1. There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak v. 7. Some years last past have been a time of silence to me in which I have suffered under all manner of scandals and reproaches through the malice of the Devil without any endeavours of vindication but the enmity of my enemies growing to such a height as not to contain it self within the limits of railings revilings slanders and reproaches but that also breaking forth into a formal accusation tryal and illegal condemnation and Sequestration of that external livelihood which the Lord hath bestowed upon me and that under the pretence of justice merit and desert I say considering this I esteemed it just and righteous to appeal for a re-hearing that truth inocency might not lie wrapt in the vails of unjust condemnation and lying reports and that malice subtilty and illegal proceedings might come to be detected and no longer blind the eyes of many who judge both of my enemies and my self according to the false glass of their reports which I believed might tend much to the glory of God and the shame of him who is the father of lies who hath ever endeavoured to strengthen his false interest by raising undue prejudices against the truth and the sincere owners of it so that the endeavouring a re-hearing and the publishing the truth of things for the ends before expressed is according to the rules of pure wisdom and Christian prudence being according to Pauls practice who after he had appeared two or three times to answer for himself before the Roman Governors and seeing Festus swayed by the Jews and upon that account willing to try him at Jerusalem amongst them where he believed they would have condemned his innocency and made him suffer as an evil-doer I say on that account Acts 25. 10 11. he appealed to Cesar desiring to be tryed at his Judgemenseat hoping there to have his innocent cause and person cleared And 2 Cor. 10. 2 3. we find Paul vindicating himself against the unjust aspersions of those who thought he walked according to the flesh So that where these things are done from a good and sincere principle they are good and not justly to be excepted against And whereas it hath been objected that we should leave those things to God I answer Our performing these things for his glory and in obedience to his will doth not take them out of Gods hands for what good we do in obedience he doth it in and through us Ephes 2. 13. who are but his instruments and obliged to use lawfull means for the accomplishing of lawfull ends 1 Cor. 11. 24. And having now exhibited the grounds and ends of my Appeal and demonstrated the reasonableness of it in reference to both I shall proceed to shew the issue and event of my appealing You must know then that after I had waited about seven weeks my Petition was delivered by Mr After it came into his hands he suddenly delivered it Sadler one of the Masters of Requests to his Highness the Lord Protector who granted a reference to the Councel on Friday morning Feb. 9 and shortly after my Petition with the Reference subscribed was delivered by a worthy friend into the Councel which after a great debate though some of the greatest eminency were for it rejected it and would by no means grant a re-hearing of my Cause Now this was the issue of my eight weeks waiting in London which I confess though in submission to providence I with many others looked upon as very hard and unreasonable because in point of wrong and injury it is according to the Law of Nations and the rule of pure reason and justice that there should be an Appeal granted from inferior Courts of Judicature to that Power which gave them being especially in a thing of so great concernment as the Ejecting and throwing men out of their Estates and Livelihoods But here I cannot but inform the Reader how subtilly and cruelly my enemies have dealt with me not only in condemning me against Law but likewise in using all means possible to prevent the granting of an Appeal for the re-hearing of my Cause for t is very well known that they have industriously laboured to possess all in whose power it is and who ought in this sad and extraordinary case to relieve me and grant a re-hearing with unspeakable prejudices insinuating into them that I am so guilty and vile as unworthy to be regarded in my addresses to them Now to a discerning eye this course of theirs in labouring so much to prevent a re-hearing of my Cause speaks thus much That they are afraid their unjust and illegal proceedings will be detected by it and many of them proved great lyars and slanderers for reporting I am guilty of such horrid crimes as they commonly say they proved against me Now if they did not fear this why should they be so much ingaged in striving by these insinuations to prevent the granting of an Appeal For if I were really as they represent me all that I should get by a re-hearing would be to be twice condemned and that with double disgrace and an open justifying of their sentence against me whereas now I have this to say That they condemned me unjustly steering their proceedings neithey by Law Reason nor Scripture But being as yet rejected of men and deprived of the just priviledg of an Appeal on earth I shall appeal to heaven from time to eternity from the double eye of the Creature to the single eye of God O Eternal Majesty thou art that high and holy one who seest clearly and judgest truely thou searchest my heart and tryest my reins pierceing into my inmost thoughts and most secret motions with the