Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	name_n	son_n	14,571	5	5.9519	4	true

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

before he comes to give up his last accompt before the great Tribunall of Christ That he hath frequent and familiar converse with Angels As this article is presented in generall terms without expressing whether the Communion be visible or invisible I do not see how it can touch me though my enemies were my Judges because every true christian hath frequent Communion or converse with Angels as you may see solidly and clearly proved from Scripture by the Lord Lawrence one very learned and pious now President of the Lord Protectours counsell in his book intituled one communion and war with Angels Concerning the vision of a Dragon and the apparition of spirits I may deny these four articles as they are taken together and expressed in those terms and in that manner in which they are set down in my accusation for I believe none dare swear the measures or teeth of the Dragon with the appearances of my own Angel c. without incurring the crime of perjury I will not confesse any apparitions in particular till they be proved least I should seem to accuse my self they being brought in as a crime against me and as instruments to condemn me Yet in generall I acknowledge that some four years since there were many strange and wonderfull apparitions in my house But what can these in justice amount to though attested by oath and confessed particularly by my self when brought before those who professe themselves christians and acquainted with the historie of the holy Scriptures pray was not Job a pious sincere and eminently righteous man yet how was he scared with dreams and terrified through visions Chap. 7. ver 14. Did not Zachariah the Prophet Chap. 3. see Satan standing at the right hand of Joshua to resist him Did not John Rev. 12. in a vision behold a great red Dragon that made war against Michael and the holy Angels and was not Christ himself tempted of the Divell by voice and visions Mat. 4. ver 6.8 Now the servant is not greater then the Lord. Joh. 15.20 and therefore not exempted from the like attempts of the Divell I beseech you consider whether this earth be not the place where the Divell walks up and down seeking whom he may devour how then can Bradfield or any other place he exempted from his appearing when God permits and may not all this be for the manifesting of his glory goodnesse and power and who can tell whose family may be next exposed by Gods permission to be tryed and proved by the representations of Satan and I desire you seriously to consider how any such apparitions raised by the Divell and permitted by God for his own glory argue me either ignorant scandalous or insufficient surely it rather argues that he hath blest me with a strong faith in that he permitted such great tryalls and made me instrumentall to overcome them by prayer and fasting if it can be proved that I ever so much as looked toward the unlawfull art of black magick or that any evill spirits were raised up by any compact of mine explicite or implicite or that these evill apparitions were subdued and overcome by any other means then by Gods blessing upon our fasting and prayers I shall judge my self worthy of punishment But otherwise it is hard measure to be prosecuted for the malice of the devil towards me inflicting what I was passive in and could not help especially by those who professe the Christian religion and know that the God of heaven ruler over all permitting and disposing of whatever comes to passe That Mrs Margaret Pendar doth think she was bewitched by them of Bradfield Here is a long and tedious relation in which truth and * Her confession is true in every particular untruth are mixed together the whole structure of which relation so farre as it concernes me depends on this weak basis and foundation That she thinks she was bewitched by them of Bradfield But what a sad thing is this for my accuser to impeach me for that which might endanger if true my estate and life upon the thoughts of a discomposed maid because she thinks I sent those visions therefore I must be thus arraigned but for my part I do not believe she dares say so much lesse swear it having no grounds at all for it I shall briefly relate some circumstances which concern this businesse and may serve something to clear it up Before these visions of hers I had never seen her as I know of nor exchanged so much as a word with her In the time of her visions Mr Daniel Blagrave whose servant then she was came for me himself to fetch me to his house to visit her to which motion I yielded being sutable to the law of Christian charity and when I came I had no conference with her but in the presence of Mr and Mrs Blagrave with others that were then present and from this visit there arose a rumour that I was a conjurer and a sorcerer which report was spread abroad by two that carry the name of Ministers of Christ Mr Fowler and Mr Ford the last of which so exceeded the bounds of charity and Christian moderation as in his sermon at the Assizes to call me a horrid blasphemer asserting that the Devil was as visibly familiar in my family as my own servants and so excited Magistrates to persecute me As for those † What one untruth declare it if you can Mrs Pendar confessed all this freely and it was written from her own mouth before witnesse This answer of yours is an over-grown untruth untruths which are mixed in the relation I shall not trouble my self to answer them for I know when they come to be sworn to and to be crosse examined they will appear to be but the fulling of that wicked Maxime Calumniare audacter aliquid haerebit Calumniate boldly something will stick which being a piece of Jesuiticall policy hath been practised by my accuser in this confused Rapsody of Articles That my chamber hath been filled with spirits I hope none will be so unadvised as to swear to this article being spirits are immateriall and 5 Silly nonsence for he do●h c●nfesse in print p. 73. that the Dragon almost fill●d a la●ge room cannot take up place or fill a room That I preached that water Baptisme was not the Ordinance of God It was never so † See Franc. Knights testimony under his hand preached by me all that then I affirmed was this that water Baptisme could not be proved to be the Ordinance of Christ by way of eminency so called from that text of scripture Mat. 28.19 Go teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost for the Baptisme may very well be understood of the Baptisme of the spirit which by the disciples was instrumentally administred to all converts yet I deny not water baptisme to be a gospel Ordinance instituted by John as the chief instrument under

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

verses were the text out of that Psalm 51. 51. thus From the subtilty and craft of the fire-root through the prying and searching of it doth arise all Necromancy and all prying into such curious arts springeth from the fiery essence in the will of men and women that stirreth them up to pry into and after such hidden curiosities this is the gate through which all hidden curiosities do enter For this he quotes Exodus 7.11 Then the king called all his wise men c and at another time he preached at Bradfield out of Matt. 4.5 and from thence he observed that one pinnacle of the devils temple was the pinnacle of the unlawfull arts and forbidden sciences His use was this he exhorts the people and that as they love thir own souls to take heed of this door the subtilty of the dark Magicks and bids them consider how the scriptures do condemn the lusting and prying mind and for this quotes Acts 19.19 Those that used curious arts burnt their books For the Divil the Dragon doth labour to carry up mens minds to the top of the pinnacle of dark Magicks What a sad thing is it and who can chuse but pity the case of this Parish to be fed with such husks such allegogoricall unprofitable unsuitable discourses What should be in the Drs mind to tell them of the fire root and fiery essence and the pinnacle of the devils temple and so to conjure them as they loved their souls to take heed of the black Magicks poor creatures we cannot imagine unlesse it be this that the Dr began to smell powder there was a great noise of the Devils at Bradfield and there was the Ordinance for ejecting Ministers preparing the Dr was afraid the Priests would persecute him for his light eclipsed there out of envy he thought they would article against him as a conjurer and therefore he preacheth in his flinty non sensicall way against the Dark Magicks and provides his own family to observe and bear witnesse for in all his thirteen weeks triall there was not one inhabitant a witnesse for him and so in his margent he puts them in rank and file to bear witnesse He complains likewise in the same page p. 71. how Mr Ford went about to stir up the Magistrate against him as a blasphemer And good reason what harm is in that what doth the Dr find himself a grieved at is not he a blasphemer or does not the civile Magistrate want stirring up Mr Ford said his living was possessed why was it not doth not he say that there were an innumerable company of Devils in his house yea but he saith Mr Ford branded him for a conjurer now that is utterly untrue and we believe he had no such thought in his heart The third Article That the discoveries of the sinfulnesse of sin the terrours of the law the death of Christ the free grace of God are fleshly and flashy discoveries To this the Dr gives no particular * In his printed book he doth acknowledge it and gives this reason Because it was not comprehended in the Act against Blasphemies Pity if such a blasphemy should have such a plea. But there pag. 42. he tells the world that even the discoveries of the free grace of God and the death of Christ are but weak in comparison of the more full and clear manifestations and operations of God upon the soul in bringing of it into divine union and fruition Answer For our parts we have ever thought that the discovery of the Fathers rich grace and the most precious death of Christ had been of all discoveries the most glorious St. Paul calls it a height breadth depth and length and these being too short he tells us it passeth all understanding Ephes 1.17 St. Peter tells us That even the Angels do pry into this glorious mystery 1 Pet. 1.12 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies propenso collo accurate introspicere And for the weaknesse of these discoveries we are content to be in the dark with St. Paul who tells us 2 Cor. 3. the last We beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. The true and indeed Saints of God the more they behold by the eye of faith in the pure and clear glasse of the Gospel the glory of the Lord Jesus what he is in himself how infinitely blessed and self-sufficient and what he hath done for them in suffering such wrath in conquering such enemies in purchasing such glory with much more and all this so freely so fully so unchangeably for such wretched creatures as themselves who are altogether as bad as the worst in hell we say the more gracious souls do converse with these glories the more they are transformed and that into the same glorious image and there they proceed even from glory to glory and all this is wrought in them by the spirit of the Lord. It is not a weaknesse but a wickednesse in this Dr to call the discoveries of the Fathers grace and the son death weak discoveries im comparison we demand in comparison of what what discoveries are more glorious and powerfull then these doth not the man mean his visions at Beadfield and his tincturation oh detestable in his Epistle Dedicatory he doth intimate the narrownesse systemes formes darknesse of his persecutours Be it so nay it is so we arrogate not to our selves we are nothing and there is nothing more sometimes upon our hearts then this that God would make our hearts to know our own nothingnesse But we do professe to the world that we would much rather by many thousand degrees be in the dark with St. Paul and St. Peter then to be in the light with David George Caspur Swincfield Henry Nicholas John Pordage answer The proof of this article The aforesaid Mr John Tickhill to the third article This Deponent saith that the Dr delivered That the discoveries of sin the terrours of the law the death of Christ the free grace of God are fleshly and flashy discoveries and being crosse examined to the Drs interogatorie he further saith the very summe and substance of this article was delivered fully and roundly by the Dr in the expresse words for the substance to the best of this Deponents remembrance and that without any limitation 4 Article That the liberty and freedome spoken of purchased by the bloud of Christ and applied by the clinging and cleaving of the soul to o Who is that another how basely and with contumely doth this man speak of Christ another is not a liberty or freedome from the curse of the law the wrath of God but the fiery deity of Christ in the center of our souls The third and fourth articles of the last charge being of the same effect shall be here added viz. The third article of the last charge That the bloud of Christ

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

with child to a private place and after baptize the child and take mother and child back again into his ovvn family for some years and yet not know the sirname seems to us incredible But what should the man say it must have been called by him either Hannah Frewin or Hannah Flavell or Hannah Pordage or some other Hannah the first Hannah Frewin had been to make the child daughter of a man that for ought yet appears never was in the world for the second Hannah Flavell had been to make her the child of a father dead two or three years before she was born for the last Hannah Pordage if it were true as it is very possible yet it was not safe as yet as yet the times will not blaze it there is a pure word wrested to a ranting sense viz. All things are lawfull but not expedient Secondly Consider that in open Court Mrs Flavell appearing and being demanded by thee Register what her name was answered Mary Flavell and being demanded the second time gave the same answer Mary Flavell and being minded by the Register that surely she did forget her self her name was Mary Frewin she answered Mary Flavell or Mary Frewin which you please Thirdly The child was often denied by her to be her child and commonly taken for her neece till it was discovered by Roger Loughton at whose house the child was born the timpany proving to be a daughter whose testimony is uery considerable the man being rationall discreet refusing all occasions of being tempted for before his testimony was given in the Dr with all his women sent for him to an Inne in Hounslow but he refused the next day being Tuesday they came to his house at Heston but he was gone to Branford whether the Dr and his company went and inquired for his shop where they found him and would needs perswade him to go with them to the tavern to drink a pint of wine he replyed he had no body to look to his shop the Dr told him he would give a boy sixpence to look to his shop in the mean time he answered no he was about his businesse if they had any thing to say to him he would give them an answer there right he thinks if he would have been so base as to have been tampered into silence he might have had a round some of mony This was toward the end of the last harvest the discovery is observable for these two providences in it First The manner which was this a plain country man of Bradfield went to Heston to see his brother living there with whom on the Lords day he went to Haworth to hear the sermon where also was this Roger Loughton a frequent hearer there after the evening exercise there were two children baptized and all being finished by a providence the country man of Bradfield and his brother and Roger Loughton met and went home together going in the way the country man began to discourse and said to his brother I have seen more to day then I have seen these two years I have seen a child baptized our Dr will not baptize Roger Loughton not knowing who the man was nor where he lived asked his country and his Drs name the man told him Dr Pordage at a place called Bradfield in Berks Loughton smiled and questioned the man about Mrs Flavell and how many children she had the man replyed one a boy named Stephen and being asked whether she had not a daughter was answered by the country man no never a child that we know of but only her boy Stephen R. Loughton said yes she hath and I knew when the Dr would baptize for she was brought to bed at my house of a daughter and the Dr came and baptized it himself and called it Hannah Secondly The second providence is the time when and that was about a moneth before the Commissioners were authorized by the Ordinance therefore whereas the Dr saith we rake in the grave of the dead we reply the scandall was prosecuted as soon as it vvas discovered there vvas not tvvo moneths respite betvveen the one and the other The rest of the articles contained in this third charge being most of them concerning the Drs visions both of the Dr and the rest of his family and others of his followers and of their strange and unheard of apparitions revelations trances and raptures converse with Angels both good and * All principles and practises tending to Rantisme Diabolisme Sorcery and seducing of others bad shall not be here particularly distinguished but for brevity sake put together as they were exhibited together with his answers thereunto and the proofs together afterwards as followeth That he hath very frequent and familiar converse with Angels First That a great Dragon came into his chamber with a tail of eight yards long four great teeth and did spit fire at him and that he contended with the Dragon Secondly That his own Angel came and stood by him while he was expostulating with the Dragon and that his Angel came in his own shape and fashion the same cloathes band and cuffs the same banstrings and that his Angel stood by him and upheld him Thirdly that Mrs Pordage and Mrs Flavell had their Angels standing by them also Mrs Pordage singing sweetly and keeping time upon her breast and that her cbildren saw the spirits coming into the house and said Look there Father and that the spirits did often come into the chamber and drew the curtains when they were in bed Fourthly That the said Mr Pordage confessed that a strong inchantment was upon him and that the Divel did appear to him in the shape of Everard and in the shap●… of a fiery Dragon and the whole roof of the house was ful of spirits Fifthly That Mrs Margeret Pender acquainted wit●… the doctrine of spirits and pretended to be converted by visions of Angels and whose confession followeth doth thin●… that she was bewitched by them of Bradfield Her confession to Mr Fowler who penned it from her own mouth before witnesse She was taken ill upon Wednesday in the afternoon in July 1653. about nine a clock the same night there appeared unto her the vision of a man standing at her beds feet on Thursday the next day he had a book in his hand and stood by her all that day and said nothing on Fryday it spake saying to her why art thou so discomforted she answered a wounded conscience who can bear he replyed Observe how the Divell will speak Gospell for his own bloudy ends he that hath wounded thee will make the whole then she spake much of her own unworthinesse he replyed there was worth in Christ and he had paid a ransome for her then he told her that that book in his hand was the book of the Lamb and that her name was written in it she saw the book a broad book with a parchment cover she saw writing in it and then

their Angels likewise standing by them and that he overcame the Dragon and that his Children saw the spirits and said look there father they being not afraid after they had fasted and prayed and he further said that the spirits did afterwards come into their chamber and drew the curtaines and lookt on them but they would not take notice of them She further saith that the Dr told her the spirits came about three dayes after they had fasted and prayed and did flash open the curtaines and look in upon them The aforesaid John Grip. This Deponent further saith that he was at Mr Blagraves house when Mrs Pendar saw the visions mentioned in her confession and that the said Mrs Pendar said she saw a man in white as she thought with the Lambs book and the said man told her that her name was written in the book and that she heard a watch going and that there appeared another in the likenesse of a black man with a knife which he offered to her And the Deponent further saith that at another time at his house the said Mrs Pendar did inform him that Dr Pordage had said he had power to bestow the gifts and graces of the spirit upon whom he pleased At other times he saith he hath had often conference with Mr Blagrave and at one time above the rest walking over the fields towards Southcot we fell into discourse concerning Dr Pordage and the said Mr Blagrave did then tell him that the Dr did go about to perswade him to leave off all imployment and to sell his estate and to retire to his house for his house was the ark as Noahs ark was to receive all those that must be saued this was sometimes this last summer and that Mr Blagrave did seem very much to slight it and asked the Deponent what he thought he should have got by it had the Dr prevailed To which the Deponent replied that he thought the Dr had a grand design in it for Mr Blagrave being accounted one of the wisest men in the countrey if the Dr had prevailed to have drawn him away he might likewise have drawn away most of the countrey and then he would have set up himself like Mahomet The Deponent further saith that Mr Daniel Blagrave the younger told him when the spirit came upon the Dr he would leap over pales of a great height about five foot and half high as the Deponent could conceive by his relation and this was told him within twelve moneths last past Susanna Grip daughter of the said John Grip aged 21 yeares sworn and examined This Deponent saith that about three or four years since in the Deponents mothers kitchin she heard Dr Pordage say that a great Dragon came into his chamber and that he expostulated and contended with it and that the Dragon did spit fire at him and that his own Angel did appear to him in the shape of a man with his band and his clothes and bandstrings and did support him whilst he contended with the Dragon And the Deponent further saith that she heard the Dr say that the spirits did come into his chamber and drew the curtaines and lookt upon them and that the Dr likewise said they were affrighted at first but afterwards when they were used to it they were not And she saith that she heard severall other things to this purpose which now she cannot remember to depose And this Deponent being crosse examined further saith That he declared that the Angel which appeared with the band and bandstrings c. was the Drs own Angel and not the Angel of another to the best of her remembrance The aforesaid Elizabeth Benwell further deposeth That she saw something like a starre in the red chamber in the Drs house by the beds leg it was light and somewhat like a starre but she cannot say it was a starre yet it was in the night and no other light in the room to the best of her remembrance She further saith This Deponent was formerly servant there she hath heard musick at severall times in the Drs house when she did not know that any Instruments or Musicians were in the house and that she heard it in the kitchin and in her Mrs closet and did app●ehend the same to be near her but did see none playing The Dr being asked doth confesse before the Commissioners that he hath seen many dreadfull apparitions of Devils at his house and that his family did see them and that a great Dragon did come into his house with a long tayl and great teeth but he doth deny that he said his Angel did protect him He further saith that about four yeares since he had apparitions both of good and bad Angels for three weeks together at his own house but from that time to this they have ceased in * He hath still visions but not apparitions he hath the same object still Angels and Devils it appears by his words but not in the same manner He hath had to use Mr Bl. words who best knows his words and meaning visible converse with Angels formerly that is apparitions and he hath them still but not in the same manner Now they be visions his inward senses as he doth phrase it are open that manner He doth also deny that ever any Angel appeared in his clothes band and cuffes as also that his Angel did never appear to him in his life in any visible shape He further saith that he never saw Mrs Flavels nor Mrs Pordages Angels standing by them but it doth not therefore follow but that they might stand by them and being asked whether he did not relate the same to Mrs Grip he answereth he 8 This answer is like Mary Pococks oath see animadver the first can neither affirm nor deny it for he doth not remember whether he did or no. He further saith he cannot affirm nor deny that he related to Mrs Grip that his children saw the spirits and cried look there father But he saith he doth positively deny that he related that the spirits did come into his chamber and * And yet he doth grant in his book p. 72. about the last line that a spirit did on a sudden draw his bed curtains about the middle of the night this perjury is like the other supra draw the curtains when they were in bed and will prove the deposition that shall affirm it to be perjury He further saith that he hath daily converse with Angels that he hath heard it credibly reported that he hath every day two angels dressing of him that they who reported it to him said they had it from the mouthes of two Ministers The aforesaid Mr John Tickhill This Deponent further saith 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 this Deponents house and that she was willing to come but could not

certain truth you may do well to acquaint others to take heed how they professedly step out of Gods wayes he wisheth that all his friends may take warning by him Here are symptomes of conversion but the issue we know not reall grace is glorious and rare upon the one hand of it a man may live blamelesse and die Christlesse and upon the other hand a profane person may come to be chained and terrified while he lives and yet to be tormented in chains when he dies But to proceed Either your visions are contrary to or beside the written word or else according to it if the first we demand how are they from God if they be revelations of things contained in scripture we demand why from God the ground of our demand is from that text though we might quote 20 more Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the prophets Dives answered nay Father Abraham but if one come from the dead then they will believe as if Dives had said t is true they have Moses and the prophets but non satis est that is not enough Abraham answered if they will not believe Moses and the prophets neither would they believe though one came from the dead Do we not more certainly see and believe the devil to be prince of the air and do we not more clearly discern spirituall wickednesses in high places upon the account of the most infallible word then by seeing the devil in a postillian at Bradfield do we not know that he is a lion and dragon and old serpent more clearly a thousand times in the word of God then in Dr Pordages glasse windows and sieling is not the discovery of their number power malice fiercenesse more durably laid down in the blessed Bible then in your brick chimney doth not the experience of the saints second the word and they feel it true and see it in others better then in your sulphur soot and salt Is not the hidden manna the smell of Christs garments the white stone the sweetnesse of his ointment the everlasting love of the Father the comforts of the blessed spirit is not one ray one shine one drop of these glories upon the heart through the spirit of grace by the word of grace better shall we say then your dews of Paradice your harmonies we abhorre the comparison Obj. But God may what hinders pag. 67. excellent Logick Ans Dr make your syllogisme if you cannot we will help to make your proposition what God may that he doth we deny it you and all yours will never prove it nay do we not know that through divine permission and wise ordering the devil may nay do we not find in these dayes he doth nay in this very case before us you cozen your deluded silly women with a may not saints enjoy May not Dr Pordage have his Logick ad unguem dip and understand in Chrysostome render Grammatically five lines in Tully or five verses in Virgil prima facie yet we know he hath not the faculty We speak not this to overstresse that kind of learning very desireable and serviceable nay we should have been ashamed to drop this but that we are ashamed to see the froth and folly of this man even since his coming into the virgin life that in this also he will vain gloriously seem to have that learning which he never had no not to a single sip Obj. But the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles had visions pag. 67. Ans Make your inference what then which of these are you did you never read 1. Heb. 1. God who at sundry times and in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per multas partes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad formam divers manners spake unto the Fathers by the prophets hath in these last times spoken unto us by his Son Did you never read some pent commentary of the lower form on this text if you did not what makes your outward man to be so censorious if you did what makes your inward man so ignorant take one for all Deus loquutus est Olim per prophetas Tunc Patribus Tunc multifariam Nunc per filium Nunc autem nobis Nunc ut in fine temporum Conditio igitur nostra exhac parte potior est in modo quoque revelationis excellimus after Quum Deum nobis locutum esse dicit in his postremis temporibus significat non amplius esse causam cur expectatione novae revelationis simus suspensi neque enim particularis est sermo quem attulit Christus sed extrema clausula Calvin in locum God spake Heretofore by the prophets Then to the Fathers Then sundry wayes Now by his Son Now to us Now as in the last time fully But you proceed your visions are suitable to the visions of the Prophets and Apostles even to Pauls rapture into the third heaven and Johns voices upon mount Sion you tell us this but pray who told you so give us but one single argument shew us but one single instance of any saint that hath had scripture visions since the vision of John did conclude the scripture As Suetonius in Caligul Hitherto as of a saint now speak we must as of a monster Let the reader observe that before these visions and since this man that tells you pag. 73. the spirituall eye locked up and shut by the fall hath been opened in an extraordinary way to him and his and that ever since their spirituall sences have never been shut we say this man did before and hath since most blasphemously reproached the Godhead and bloud of the Lord Jesus We do not desire that the meanest reader may see by our eyes we referre him to the relation nothing doubting but he will easily observe that the Deponents as to this article by which we conclude his visions to be devilismes were and are consciencious and knowing and their depositions full and clear the D ●s answers where they have any thing like answers false and forged and so we leave him to judge as he sees cause T is some trouble to us that we are no more troubled and affected in our hearts that such contumely should be cast upon our Lord Christ and the sp rits about the throne that the angels of glory must be printed to converse with him who hath spoken wickedly against their Lord even the Lord of glory Obj. But he denies it solemnly Ans So did Arrius in the † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan Haer. 69. very face of Constantine so do malefactours at every assize and sessions Obj. But the Dr is not maintaining and holding now Ans Yes he is till he recant and repent which the Lord grant and hasten Obj. But you see his protestation Ans We do not believe it and we will offer a reason for it too that is this if he did really own that faith which formerly he destroyed he would truly be sorrowfull for destroying that faith which now he saith he owns thus did

Pordage said to a professor what you have shall be ours and what we have shall be yours this was spoken since his inward sences have conversed with the Angels and the eternal world and it was spoken confidently as if he had been a Prophet but the time prefixed which was about two yeares is expired and he a false Prophet Had this Doctor vented this stuffe in his Pulpit or blurted out this riffe raffe before the Commissioners or any others else and not published it in Print to the view of all we should have buried it in silence and let it have rot we should have been more respectfull to the Government and the honour of the Nation then to have published his saucy and seditious language He saith that his Highnesse the Councell and the Nation may thanke the Commissioners for hastning the poureing the vials of Gods wrath upon the Land for their persecution Answ Thus the shakers pronounce the curse against those that oppose them in their detestable opinions what means this man to speak thus when as the clean contrary is true it is the Magistrates doing justice upon Seducers especially in fundamentals that is a Scripture way to prevent the powring forth of wrath upon the land and to preserve the people from the Plague that all Israel may hear and feare and doe no more so The higher powers have no cause to thanke him for his uncivill kindle-cole appendixe made meerly to satisfie some that they may appeale to the Powers though they and he agree in the maine viz. That the Powers notwithstanding such an appeale are Babilonish For our parts we desire to lead a quiet and peaceable life where as here in the land of our Nativity hitherto we may do so in all godlinesse and honesty 2. We blesse God and praise him for the liberty of the Gospel and we confesse we pray against a wretched universall Toleration A toleration of Idolatry infected the ten Tribes that Infection proceeded to break forth to a Botch they became Idolaters that Idolatry was the chief Sinne from whence came their Captivity which Captivity was into a strange Land where they continue to this time God did forbid them to suffer any strange Gods nay not to ask after their names nor to enquire how the Nations did worship them but they hearkned not They mingled themselves with the heathen Psal 106 35 36. And what then they learned their works What works they worshipped their Idols And what followes which became also their ruine They had many warnings and Sermons from God by the Prophet but perhaps they thought they were resolved and wise enough than ever to say to a stone thou art my Father or to worship the hoast of Heaven as many a man in England would have even spit in a mans face if he should have been told 12. years since that he would deny Sabbath nay Scripture nay Christ the Lord with an Am I Dog which yet is wofully come to pass by this meanes they were ensnared and did as the Heathen and were well nigh 2●00 yeares since carried away by a Heathen Prince into a Heathen Countrey no man knowing where they are to this day 3. We doe not envy at mens exercising in a ministeriall way so they be qualified according to the Scripture although they never smell the smoke of the University w uld all the Lords people were Prophets Yet we say 1. we are hearty we●l-wishers to those places and the learning there attainable which is exceedingly advantagious and we confesse that the spight of the Devill the subtilty of the Jesuits the barbarisme o● New lights as they are called the hard speeches of Loose ones makes us prize them both the more sure it must be some great good that is condemned by these 2. As for Ordination we believe it was instituted by Jesus Christ and never hitherto by him made null and therefore necessary where it may be had We cannot but sadly look upon and lament over the wofull effects of the Separation How hath God born witnesse against it in our sight as heretofore in Germany Into what Errors Heresies Blasphemies Loosenesse Leudnesse neglect of Duties scorning of them have thousands run A man may run and read it we call these and might name many particulars under these effects of the Separation we think they are more than Consequences Obj. What need this to what purpose do you mention it Answ The unworthy speeches of this Dr. and such like have even forced this confession from us and yet not in regard of our selves that we may stand right in the eyes of men we would live in the Testimony of our own hearts but in regard of the word of the Gospel that the lewd reports of men who make it their businesse to speak evil may not prejudice as it doth too much every where by the policy of Sathan men from hearing and through Grace entertaining the truth whereby they may be sanctified and saved Now God our Father who hath freely loved us and given us everlasting consolation through Grace and our blessed Lord Jesus who hath loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and the holy Spirit who doth reveale that Grace in the Scripture and seal it upon our hearts vouchsafe that Truth and Righteousnesse and Peace may meet and dwell in the midst of us and our children after us and grant that those who hold the Head and walk in the Light may have fellowship one with another that the glory of the Lord may dwell in the Land in our daies and the Generations that shall come after us till time shall be no more FINIS