Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	soul_n	union_n	7,019	5	9.6724	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

four years since was received into my house at Bradfield for the space of about three weeks and no longer and that after this manner False he was there before oftentimes He came in harvest time with a new pair of harvest gloves on his hands to shew his willingnesse and readinesse to work and asked to speak with me and told me that if I pleased to imploy him in harvest work he came to offer his service hereupon I entertained him as a workman And thus you see the manner of his coming and the cause of his entertainment Whereas it was said he was generally reputed a Conjurer I never heard the least intimation from any that he was ever suspected to be a conjurer till after his departure from my family if he was a conjurer before it was more then I knew or had heard of but after his departure I confesse there arose a generall report up and down the countrey that he was a Conjurer but from that time to this I have never seen him nor known what is become of him After his absence I do further affirm that I feared and was strongly inclined to believe that according to the generall rumour he was a conjurer hereupon I was in a great streight in my own spirit whether I should prosecute him or not my zeal to Gods glory and my obedience to the commands of God that saith † Not a word true read the note upon his protestation suffer not a witch to live giving me some impulsions to do it but after serious debate and consideration within my self I resolved this case or scruple of conscience thus That my own perswasions and jealousies though they had some ground of probability yet being not certain afforded me not sufficient ground of prosecuting him as a conjurer or of swearing positively he was such now I leave it to your serious considerations whether this tendernesse of conscience keeping me from prosecuting of him or swearing against him for fear of that heinous sin of perjury makes me either ignorant or insufficient for the ministry To the second part of the fifth article which concernes my entertainment of Tawney reputed as t is there expressed to be one that holds unsound opinions I answer thus It is well known that as I invite none so I turn away none that come to visit me be their principles in matter of doctrine worship and discipline different from mine I will briefly shew you my grounds and ends My grounds are these I look upon it as my duty according to the Gospel of Christ to entertain all strangers that be in want and necessity professing the name of Christ If enemies hunge● we are to feed them if they are naked we must cloath them and as for strangers we are to lodge and entertain them Heb. 13.2 As in the practise of this I break no law of God so no law of man and you may remember in the 37. article of Government it is expressed That all such as professe faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing in judgement from the doctrine worship and discipline publickly held forth so as they abuse not this liberty to the civil injury of others nor to the actuall disturbance of the publick peace shall be protected and then surely their hungry bellies may be fed their bodies clothed their persons lodged and their wants supplied And further my ends are these which are pure and Evangelicall that I may prove all things and hold fast that which is good that I may t●y the spirits because many false spirits are gone forth into the world Now how are they to be proved and tried not by * Who saith they are but they are to be suppressed who calls the Mag strates weapons carnall but the carnall carnall weapons as by penalties mulcts imprisonments and other externall punishments but by convincing of them with sound doctrine Christian discourse and spirituall arguments and by the example of a good conversation and thus Gods glory and the good of others are my onely ends in giving entertainment to all strangers that come in civilitie to visit me Now the cause of many 1 We never heard of any but those mentioned in the next animad strangers coming to me as guests from all quarters of this land ariseth from those lying printed pamphlets that have scarce a word of truth in them these draw all seeking inquiring minds to visit me for divers ends best known unto themselves Let it be but proved that I have given entertainment to any common * Why did not you put in blasphemers ranters anti-labbatarians such as stay at home and skim the pot or ly in bed and meet no where on the Lords day swearers to open drunkards Sabbath-breakers or to any known profane persons and I shall judge my self obnoxious to your censure but all that I give entertainment to appear cloathed under some shew of godlinesse or other but if they have not the power it will be their own misery In a word the strengh of this article doth but amount to thus much that as 2 Mark the comparison there is pride and non sence in it Christ was supposed and accounted a friend of Publicanes and sinners so am I reputed a friend to all people that professe Religion and walk orderly be their opinions in matter of doctrine or discipline never so much differing from my own or those commonly received Yet this doth not argue my ignorance and insufficiency for the Ministry but if in it any thing be culpable it is to be referred to the head of scandall and heresy But here being no law of prohibition I cannot see any transgression in it against the law either of God or man But to conclude these articles being matter of fact till I see them proved and each article in justice and equity referred to his own proper place or head either of scandall or heresy I cannot give a more direct or positive answer to them The proofs hereupon are John Lewin of Hampsted Norris Clark sworn and examined To the * Be pleased to read and consider the following animad first and second articles he cannot depose To the third he saith that about three years since the Dr and he had some discourse about some principles of religion the Dr did urge that place in Genesis that he made them male and female but whether he meant Adam singly or what mentall reservation he had the Deponent knoweth not and further to this article cannot depose To the fourth he saith that about the time mentioned in the article the Deponent met the Dr in London and in discourse with him the Dr asked the Deponent if it would not be terrible to see apparitions but did intimate nothing that he used to see any himself Anne the wife of the aforesaid John Lewin sworn and examined To the first article this Deponent can say nothing To the second she saith that the Dr told her when