Satan at Noon, Article 5 – Article 6
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, and6This 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 very7We 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 monethmonth 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 not8Why 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 he likewiſe ſaid, was meant of the inward, and not the outward houſe,9Obſerve his Allegoricall phancies, proved by profound reaſon. he confeſſeth in his book. p. 87. in the margin, That by Abrahams family was meant his will and affections in a miſticall ſence. But how his will, and affections, could be his family after him, indeed is very miſticall: in his Epiſt. Ded. to his highneſſe, he doth as much as ſay, that, he a precious ſaint, is ejected by the miniſters, becauſe his interpretation of ſcripture, cannot ſuit with their darkneſſe. for a man (ſaid he) cannot command his wife, and children; and he further ſaith, that theſe words were delivered about two yeares ſince, to the beſt of this Deponents remembrance, and the Deponent ſaith he judged thoſe expreſſions to be contrary to the meaning of the holy Ghoſt, in thoſe ſcriptures.
The ſixth article of the firſt charge.
That the gifts and graces of the ſpirit are but fleſh.
The Drs anſwer is as followeth.
I confeſſe, I ſaid the common gifts, and graces of the ſpirit were but fleſh, but this I opened after this manner, they were*Untruth. compare with this, Mr Stevens depoſition to this article. but fleſhly, weak, carnall, in the point of Juſtification, in point of truſt, and confidence, in regard of ſalvation, and life eternall, and no otherwiſe, as their10Untruth. this witneſſe was Mr Pendarvis, as the Dr prints him to this article, p. 45. Mr Pendarvis ſaith no ſuch thing at all, in his teſtimony, under his own hand. own witneſſes, on examination confeſſed, before the honourable Committee of Berks.
The proof of this article.
The aforeſaid Mr John Tickhill,
This Deponent further ſaith, that he heard the Dr deliver in diſcourſe with Mr Pendarvis, that the gifts, and11The Gnoſticks (in Irenaeus) gave out, that they were the ſpirituall, and had no need of any of thoſe graces, and gracious actions, which were required in other men. They were the foreign, moved by an higher principle, and divine revelation. graces of the ſpirit are but fleſh, and that there was no limitation whatſoever, in the delivery thereof.
In the behalf of the Dr.
The aforeſaid Mr Roger Stevens being asked by the Dr, whether he did not acknowledge before the late Committee, that the ſaid Dr did expreſſe the common gifts, and graces of the ſpirit to be fleſh, To this he ſaith, he did not hear thoſe expreſſions in his ſermon, but in a diſpute afterwards, he heard the Dr ſay, that he did either ſay, or mean the common guifts, and graces of the ſpirit; and that he offered a ſcripture to prove it by, viz. that place, Iſa. 40. (all fleſh is graſſe, 12If this text would prove any thing, it muſt prove them to be graſſe, not fleſh. mark his Logick, thus, all fleſh is graſſe, ergo, the gifts and graces of the ſpirit are fleſh.) and the Deponent teſtified the ſame, to the ſaid Committee.
Mary Pocock ſworn, and examined.
Being asked in the Drs behalf, how he did open thoſe expreſſions of the gifts, and graces of the ſpirit, in his ſermon at Ildeſly, ſhe ſaith, as to what the Dr delivered in the ſaid ſermon, to that particular, ſhe cannot depoſe.