Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	holy_a	son_n	spirit_n	92,207	5	6.2343	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93935	An iron rod put into the Lord Protectors hand, to break all antichristian powers in pieces. Or, A discourse, which tends to a spirituall war with all sects and self-opinions, which are the Churches enemies: wil bring Englands everlasting happiness, and joyn all other lands into the body of Christs Church, to serve God with with [sic] one consent, Zeph. 3.9. All which was discovered to John Sanders of Harburn, neer Brimingham [sic]: by true apparitions, revelations, and many several visions, as the second book sheweth.	Sanders, John, of Harburn.	1655 (1655)	Wing S575; Thomason E842_23; ESTC R203488	52,643	75

united minde with one accord to carry on the great weighty affaires both for Church and State to begin the work in a perfect way and so goe on to more perfection Your Highness cannot chuse but see what great things the Lord hath done for you by preserving your person in many and sundry great Battels of war and since many several dangerous plots which have been lately found out which for brevities sake I must omit to name all which plots and dangers shew you God is angry with you to see his house lie waste still and no one is setting about the work of God You may well assure your selfe that God is sorely displeased that many are planting and setling themselves in great Estates and making themselves great by this slaughterous wars and so cast Gods work behind their backs Now his House and Worship hath been pluckt down and brought to ruine by several Sects and evil members which have some of them been of the Army and the rest the Army have favoured I meane all Hereticks seditious and blasphemous persons in this fiery time of trial or consuming of the true worship and zeal of Gods good old wayes of worship which did shine in a flourishing condition And now you see God hath preserved your Highnesse as he spake by the Prophet Zechariah 3.2 concerning Joshua the High Priest The Lord will rebuke Satan and chuse Ierusalem to reprove him But saith the Lord Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire And thus you see the Lord many times brings his beloved children very neare the very gates of Hell or in great danger of falling And now you may see God hath pluckt your Highness from among those brands and brought you to the Kings Throne to be chiefe Ruler over all as Abrahams eldest servant was The first thing you ought to have done that would have been most pleasing to God and best and surest for your selfe was to have found out the true worship of God and to have been as faithful in chusing a spiritual Head for the Church the woman as St. Iohn saw to be cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet having a crown of 12. Stars on her head Revel 12.1 being meant Christ or one in his stead twelve Apostolical governours called a crown of twelve Stars that is Bishops of his Church being cloathed with the Son of Gods bright garment of pure government Having the Moon under her feet that is all changeable governments which change like the Moon Take one imitation of Abrahams servant who refused the eating of bread to feed his hungry appetite after his long journey till he had shewed his faithfulness and knew Rebeccha and her friends mind Gen. 24. So take heed of feeding your selves with worldly dignitie till you have found out a Head and an espoused company to make a body for Christs Church Take your example from Moses who after he was Gods chiefe servant although he was brought up in Pharaohs Court by Pharaohs daughter when he came to yeares of understanding he refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter O therefore take heed of those Courtly offers after you understand the wayes of God as either to defraud or detaine any man from his Right or keep the Church and people of God either in bondage or a wildernesse condition O therefore for the Lords sake delay no more time by building your own houses but set about the house of the Lord which is called a house of prayer for all people For the neglect of that God shewed you a sign of his anger when you were in that great danger of being kild in Hide Park on S. Michaels day if you can beleive the word of God to be true That God commanded Moses to put off his natural shooes when God called him from being a natural shepherd to be the chiefe Leader of his people Exod. 3.5 and likewise the same he commanded to Joshua Josh 5. The shooes signifie the natural affection of a mans heart and minde when he is called to the holy work of the Lord. We read that for a very small offence the Lord met Moses and would have killed him in the way Exod. 4.24 And as the Angel of the Lord stood with his sword drawn before Ioshua to cause him to unloose the natural shooes from his feet if the Lord hide it not from you and so leave you off to hardnesse of heart and spiritual blindness you may well see that the Lord is not pleased by the many dangers you have been near All those plots and dangers should be as warning pieces to set you forward to goe about the work of the Lord or as goads to stir you up to it I intreat the Lord and oftentimes doe pray that God will be pleased to open the spiritual eyes of your soul and clear up your understanding that you may goe about the great work of the Lord with all expedition And you may well assure your selfe that if the burden was too heavy for Moses who had his counsel at Gods own mouth who had likewise Aaron the High Priest and other Priests to assist him yet it made him to cry out to be eased of the Lord or slain Therefore let the example of the Jewish and Christian Churches lead you as a pattern or line Chuse first a High Priest then 12. and gather 70. The manner of the High Priests receiving the number of 12. for to be Apostolical Bishops by the holy order of laying on of Hands and then 70. proved from Jacob Moses and the Apostles ●octrine YOur Highnesse having according to Gods command and Scripture rule to be your guide chosen a High Priest for the head of Christs Church as Aaron and Peter were and then by the High Priests advice ●o ordaine twelve Apostolical Bishops as several heads under him for to be over the twelve spiritual Tribes of Israel or Christs Church the High Priest should not receive them to be his spiritual Sons without the laying on of hands this holy order and confirmation of laying on of hands I shal prove to you by example from Jacob Gen. 48.14 who when he was about to die and to receive Manasse● and Ephraim into the number of his twelve Sons to make them thirteen Head Fathers of the twelve natural Tribes of Israel Manasseh and Ephraim being called the two halfe Tribes at Jacobs receiving of them at the hands of their Father Ioseph to make them as his sons to bear their part of his name for the time to come throughout all generations he did not do it without laying on of hands and receiving them without that holy order to confirm them by his blessing Ioseph at his bringing them to old Iacob his Father whose eyes were dim his ful intention was that old Israel should have laid his right hand on the eldest and his left on the youngest but he would not do so although his natural eyes were dim yet God gave him

onely cause of the controversies between King and Parliament was first pretended to raise up the Protestants against the Papists some of the Protestants which were ticed to begin these late wars but contrary to Christs command and Gospel-rule or the Apostles doctrine to erect Christs Church by unnatural bloody war therefore God suffered the Spirit of division to arise among themselves and to leave the Papists standing and like unnatural brethren they have ruinated themselves I mean the Protestant Church and all her governments and the High-Priest and all that Apostolical Discipled houshold cast out for their corruption when it was grown to a ripe head much like unto Ely as a judgement from the Lord 1 Sam. 4. All this came to passe by being carried on by the pretence of a religious reformation but God suffered the instruments of his wrath to pluck the Protestant Church government to pieces when it was so old that it could stand no longer The chief workmen that did begin it wear covetous and new fangled Teachers whose Religion hath long time hanged on the deceiving hinges of strange opinions These things have been so far from plucking the Church of Rome down that they have given many great causes for it to stand firmer then it did before and to cause many to cleave to their Church The Church of Rome as she now standeth will fall but that must be done by love and a spiritual war as followeth And as the late several chosen Parliaments were Axes and Sawes to hew down and part a sunder corrupted governments So God hath ordained and put your Highnesse chief now in power to build up and joyne both for Church and State all things in better order then they were before this many hundered years therefore take the founders and builders of the first Jewish and Christian Churches for your example The way to raise up Davids fallen Tabernacle If fire have burned houses and good food hath surfeited mens bodies for want of being carefully used shall we never use fire or food more for the former abuse of them Truly my Lord it is a fit comparison for these things as in the dayes of old Amos 9. HAving now declared the renting and dividing of Christs seamlesse garment my task is now to shew your Highnesse how to raise up the Churchs ruines and build it up as in the days of old therefore take the founders of the Jewish and Christian Churces for your example First my Lord you must set up a Patriarchal and Apostolical true reformed Episcopal order twelve Patriarchs under the Law twelve Apostles under the Gospel the twelve Founders Bishops and Rulers of the Church under one Spiritual head Christ Jesus As Abraham and Sarah are called the Father and Mother of all the Faithful so Christ in God is called the Father the true Church the Mother called the City or new Jerusalem that is to be sent down from heaven Rev. 21.10 which City or new Jerusalem Saint Iohn saw to have twelve gates and at the gates twelve Angels that is Bishops Rev. 3. to the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia that is the Bishops of the seven Churches and the names written therein of the twelve Tribes of Israel whose glory God caused to shine like pretious stones Rev. 21.11 12 14. And the wall of the City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the Lambs twelve Apostles which twelve Apostles were twelve Bishops as appears Acts 1.20 let another take his Bishoprick Psal 69.25 and Psal 109.8 there was such a necessity of twelve in chiefe that Christs Ministry could not be carried on after Iudas his fall without that number Act. 1.25 Isai 63.11 16. Abraham in a typical way signifies God the Father Isaac is the figure of Christ Rebeccah is the espoused Church of Christ Iacob is a representation of the Holy Ghost the which holy Ghost or Iacob must beget twelve Patriarchs or twelve Apostles which were the Founders Bishops and Fathers under God in Christ of the old Ierusalem Iewish and Christian and must be of the new Ierusalem which is to come So likewise when Ioshuah was about to enter Canaan the Lord caused him to chuse twelve men out of every several Tribe a man to bear twelve stones before the Ark thorough Iordan and to take them where the Priests feet stood firm which stones they were to set up for 12 pillars in Gilgal and he set up twelve more in the midst of Iordan in the place where the Priests feet stood that bare the Ark of Gods covenant Ioshua 4. which 12 pillars being set up in natural Canaan for a memorial of the dividing of Iordan and being carried on the shoulders of 12 several men out of every Tribe a man under the Law as soon as they came to enter natural Canaan Signifieth the twelve chief pillars of Christs Church which are to be the head Founders of the new Ierusalem Rev. 21.14 which must and will be set up when we are at the entrance of a spiritual Canaans peace All Scriptures are written for our instruction and they speak of things past onely to tell us what should be done now as figures and types of things to come But happily it may be objected against what I have said that there were 13 Patriarchs and 13 Apostles 'T is true Iacob and his 12 sons were 13 and a little before his death he received Iosephs sons by laying on of hands to be as his sons in his and Iosephs place to make for his 12 Tribes 13 heads fathers of which Iudah was chiefe in that he brought forth Christ So likewise Christ first chose 12 to be head spiritual fathers of the 12 spiritual Tribes to make them one body under him the head Acts 1. After Christs death resurrection and ascension before the holy Ghost was come downe to give them the fulnesse of their power and gifts the number was made 12. Acts 1. after Judas fall but after the holy Ghost was come down to carry them on in their work when they began to be persecuted and scattered it pleased God to convert Paul even their greatest persecutor and furiousest enemy and to make them 13 Apostles Peter being the head in Christs Church and by his command to feed his Lambs and sheep thrice to whom Christ committed the keys of Davids Tabernacle or heaven to bind or loose things either in heaven or earth he being head the body were 12. Besides here in England following that example at one time as Chronicles shew there were 24 Bishops under two high Priests or Archbishops Your Highnesse must likewise remember that besides this Apostolical order you must set up a Discipled order of 70. both which Orders I shal prove first under the law secondly under the Gospel Your Highnesse ought to remember the Law which gave to Moses to instruct you what to do to be as it were a School Master who when he found the government for Church affairs too

the spiritual eyes of the soul to discern that the youngest son should come to be greater then his brother although saith Iacob I know Manassch shal be great yet his younger brother shal be greater then he for his seed shal be ful of Nations and he set the youngers name before the elders Although it much displeased Ioseph who sought meanes to prevent his Father for doing thus yet Iacob knowing the decree of God would not alter it Gen. 48. from the tenth verse to the end of the Chapter A little before Iacobs death he called all his sons together to blesse them and to shew what would befal every one of them in the latter days and how Iudab should be the heads in that out of his linage Christ was to come and all people should be gathered to him In these prophetical signes Iacob is a representation of the holy Ghost and likewise for the manner and number of his family Of Moses laying on of hands Moses he followed this example of Iacobs laying on of hands Scriptures make no mention of it but a little about the time of his death Deut. 34.9 This Text of Scripture saith that Ioshuah the son of Nun which was the succeeder of Moses was full of the spirit of wisdom for Moses had put his hands upon him and he and Israel did as the Lord had commanded Moses In the Apostles and Disciples time at the Gospels first plantation as it is written for our instruction in several places of the Acts of the Apostles how that by their laying on of hands many received the gift of the holy Ghost Paul at one time laid his hands on twelve several men and they all received the gift of the holy Ghost and Prophesied and furthermore Paul exhorteth his son Timothy whom he had begotten Saith he Despise not the gifts that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie by the laying on of hands by the Presbytery Elders 1 Tim. 4.14 All these Scriptures were written for our instruction and learning there is none that believeth in God and his word that dare or wil object against it thus you see here is proved in Christs Church an example of twelve Apostolical Bishops under a High Priest otherwise called an Archbishop and a Discipled number of seventy to make a compleat body besides and the order of receiving of them in their several places and degrees into that holy office of the Ministerial Function and body of Christs Church according to those holy orders which have been alwayes practised by the ancient Fathers of both Jewish and Christian Churches in all former ages One Objection answered by Scripture ground and argument Object But happily many in our days may be apt to raise Objections against this truth that is so manifestly proved here by Gods holy Writ saying that Apostles and Elders are all one therefore say they there need be no other order but a number of Elders according to the Presbytery which order is mentioned in the Scriptures To answer these ●bjections and make them fall to the ground Look in the fifteenth Chapter of the Acts and the first second and third verses when there was a great diffention and disputation about Circumcision by Paul and Barnabas against them at last they ordained that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders of the Church The word Apostles in all places of Scripture standeth before the word Elders Paul was one of the twelve Apostles 1 Cor. 2.28 29. Eph 4. Barnabas Stephen Timothy and the others in their several places were of the company of the Elders of the Church Acts. 20.17 Multitudes of Texts and Scriptures might be raised to confirme this truth to shew that there was first an Apostolical number as chiefe twelve and then Secondly a discipled number of seventy according to order then in those dayes and that order would have continued till this very time had not corruptions and divisions cast them out of the Church But this I can by the power of God assure your Highnesse and all others that desire to know that we shall never enjoy perfect peace nor true Religion till that time be that there be ordained for the Church such an Apostolical and discipled number the which being done by God and mans appointment having their commission signed and sealed by God and man and being entred into a hallowed Covenant at the Ark or Tabernacle of Gods testimony meant the Church being received and ordained every one according to order to make a compleat body by joynt order their chiefe reverent father in God ought not to receive them into this holy office without the laying on of hands the which being done and they joyned together as one man for the work of the Lord for the ruling and gathering of the Saints and building up of true Religion being thus elected and choseu The true way to prove them by going to spiritual war with all Sects which are the true Churches enemies YOur Highnesse and many more may question me or demand saying How shal wee know whether thy calling and election be of God and sure and firm and not of mens traditions or superstitious consecrating 'T is answered thus It wil be known by this manner of trial that followeth whether or not that they be the onely men God hath appointed to beautifie his Church and to raise up Davids fallen Tabernacle here first in this land and to be a pattern example for all other lands to follow them Your Highnesse and they must 〈◊〉 ●lame open spiritual war against all Sects that hold 〈…〉 of Church fellowship that call themselves Religions and they may be all comprehended under four heads as namely these 1. Presbyterians 2. Independents 3. The Anabaptists must be calld And last of all the Church of Rome that is in these dominions must be call'd to this spiritual war to bring them to the Touchstone of Gods word All these aforenamed Churches so called or any other whatever ought to have both leave and command from and by your Highness to come to disputation together with them of the late and new ordained Election which is the Apostolical and discipled Body under a spiritual Head Then as Iude saith there will bee earnest contending among all these several elect for the faith once delivered to the Saints every sect such a certain number as equalizeth the fore named being chosen and ordained according as best pleaseth their several judgements or opinions When this Herald or Trumpet is sounded which God wil cause his holy Angels to stir up the hearts of men to do it in his good time Matth. 24.30 to gather his elect from the four winds to see the true way to joyne themselves to the true Ministerial head and body of Christs Church Eph. 4. in one united faith For when these several elections are gathered together there wil be casting of lots among these spiritual souldiers

Christ although the other selfeseeking powers took not Solomons counsel who exhorted them to take away the evil counsel from before the King and the Kings Throne should be established according to righteousnesse but they wilfully and unadvisedly took away the King instead of his evil Counsel to establish themselves by it in great places these natural warriers did it unadvisedly by spiritual blindnesse yet the thing could not be omitted because it was long before so determined of God These spiritual warriers will restore his son again to the royal Throne to be supream in more Dignity and Majesty then ever his Father enjoyed it to be established in and by peace if God harden not the Churches enemies to their own destruction as he did Pharaoh and his host neverthelesse whatever the malice of Satan and wrath of wicked men do endeavor themselves against the ways of God yet it wil be at last for their greater ruine that withstand the wil of God the more violently they withstand it the more God wil be glorified by their destruction which wil come upon them like a suddain whirlewind when God ariseth to deliver his Church Fhr God and his chosen as he will doe his work by he wil cause them to restore every thing in the right order both in Church and State which hath been displaced and disjoynted this many hundred yeares and so he wil preserve it til the end of all things come to dissolution because God hath the hearts of all Kingly Potentates in his hand to dispose of them as pleaseth him either for the establishment of a Nation in peace or the remove of them by war I must needs be bold to speak and declare my conscience in the presence of God and the like to all the world Concerning King Charles his Life and Death that for ought I could ever see or heare upon ground or proofe waving afide envious or slanderous aspersions cast upon him that are now plainly seen were cast upon him to carry the design of his enemies on against him in a violent way as things were laid to Davids charge that he never knew of If Christ were so wronged by false witnesse and put to to death and his Apostles Martyrs and Saints and the holy men of God in all ages let no man judge the worse of him for his untimely death for there is a righteous Judge that knoweth all therefore let every man begin to judge his own heart and there he shal find himself to be in a great high rebellion against God and guilty of high Treason The meanest creature as God made for our necessity and servile service in their nature doth condemn us in the things they were created for so they remain stil I cal God to record I speak nothing in his behalfe no not a word more then I would for any man else for God caused me to fortel his overthrow and I have had great losse and trouble by some that were of his Army yet I have been long assured and caused to write and speak how that he was the Lords anointed King and that his conscience being firm to maintain the ancient Rights of the Protestant Church was the cause of his death Furthermore I am forced to foretel how that his Posterity and Heire wil come to enjoy the Crown And this I am caused and compelled to speak as I have heretofore foretold by the power of God of the greatest remarkable changes and chances as have fel out between King and Parliament neer this 12. yeares past which is all come to passe since but onely the manner of Church-government and the Kings Son being restored to his Fathers Throne and in what manner if any man wil needs ask me what ground I have for it I must needs tel him it is the witnesse of Jesus which is the spirit of Prophesie which hath carried me on in this manner Not that I can fortel any of these things by any power of my own or by any natural Art but when it pleases God to compel me then I cannot forbeare to goe As for King Charles his life they could speak no other of him when he reigned in peace but that he was a loving godly peaceable Prince sticking close to the fundamental point of the Protestant Religion I butsaid many he was almost turned Papist but they that cast that aspersion upon him first soone after when they had made many beleeve that then they said the Common-prayer and the Protestant Religion was all Idolatrous Popery and so they esteemed Charity a while after I judge noue that were the instruments of the Kings death I with great fervency of spirit pray that his bloed may not cry to Heaven for vengeance like Abels but like our Saviours for they that were the instruments did not know what they did God hiding it from their eyes by their spiritual blindnesse as the Jews that put Christ their heavenly King to death I fully believe that this City of London wil be a second new Jerusalem ordained by God to reigne over the Gentiles I speak not this by any prophetical command of God but by permission and several natural reasons as cause me so to think You know Paul was a great man in discernment of the wayes of God by Visions yet he spake many things by permission more then onely Gods immediate command at all times to him but this by the power of God and his holy spirit that I hope dwelleth in me and I trust wil alwayes guide me in all my wayes by his holy spirit in the way of truth both in speaking writing walking and talking I wil shew you As our Saviour Christ was envyed by the Pharisees and put to death by their Counsels but not against the ordination of God by those hard hearted Jewes yet Christ prayed for them and his death was a destruction to their Religion even of those wilful blinded Jewes that put their King Christ to death by the Souldiers who guarded them to doe it Even so wil it prove in the end with those Pharisalcal Presbyterians that first put to death their High Priest raised up some of the Army which caused the King to be put to death also they gave the first onset by their preaching and covetous lives to raise Sectaries and Herifies to be the instruments to doe it it could not be omitted it was both permitted and long so before determined that he should be cut off by an Army and a flood of-Heresies Dan. 11. Hos 10.3 4 7. The King he imitated Christ and Steven in praying for his enemies and to be a meek man and a godly Christian Prince standing firm for the Protestant Covenant But by the Bishops death which none but the Presbyterian Priests were the cause of that every one of them thinking to reign as Bishops by it some of them gave the first onset to set others against the King But the death of the King and the Arch-bishop which all Sectaries thought

to have reigned in a living condition by it and knew they could notwithout it yet his death and the Bishops wil prove to be the death of al Sects and Herefies and the chiefest meanes under God to convert the Jewes Pagans and Turks to Christs truth The Lord guide me with this holy Spirit I Shal assure you in truth eleven year agoe I being an Apprentice to an Iron-Monger it happened by the powerful providence of God as I was at a Fare on the longest day of the year called Saint Barnabies day as I was helping my Master to keep the Fare at Newport-pannel in Buckinghamshire I being in perfect health and busily exercised about my Masters imploiments with him at the stall About 12. of the clock as I was weighing out of ware and many people at the stal I was struck of a suddain with amazement the power of God caused me to look before me and there was standing before me the shape of a Woman cloathed in blew like an old fashioned cloak and safeguard The Woman cloathed in blew raiment signified the Protestant Church Aaron the High Priest his colours were blew for the Ephod Exod. 28.28 31 37. the liknesse of her face was black as an Oven Her blacknesse of face signified that she began then to be overwhelmed with darknesse lamentations mists of Heresies as Jude calls them Clouds without water she strook her hands over her face Her striking of her hands over her face in a mournful condition signified the lamentable condition which she then was fallen into when the High Priest and the Apostolical and Discipled Elders were cast out of the City and there was no true government then either in Church or State when Kingly power was spurned against and so fearfully despised weakned so that the Judges and civil Magistrates could not be a wal to the true Orthodox Ministry then many old heresies which had been long ago buried began to be new digd up new fangled opinions began to be found out by Satans malicious temptations I took as little notice of it as I could but was following my Masters occasion of trading being a waighing of nailes I was struck fick at heart of a suddain and was forced to look on the strong appeparission which was like a Woman and looked stedfastly on her who strook her hands again over her face in a wailing condition as a … man that had lost her h … and or children or some great friend and so she vanished away I was very heart and stomach sick of a suddain being forced to leave the stal I told my Master I was not wel I went to his Inne and being very sick I vomitted blood after a little time being something better I went to my Master againe and staid by him all day but not without much paine this was on the Satterday and was I sick and heavy at heart and all parts of my body many days after but I praise God I slept very wel every night but could not tel what ailed me my stomach was gone I could not eat any thing at all nor drink any thing but what was soure like vinegar I told my Master at night of the strange apparission and vision and of my sicknesse but he believed me not so we went that night to Eubourne in Bedfordshire on Monday I was not able to goe on foot but rod on my Masters hackney horse most of the way to Hampsteed in Hartfordshire On Teusday we went to Watford fifteen miles off London but very sick and weak I was every day yet slept wel every night On Monday we returned homeward I riding with much pain on horseback I besought the Lord with a fervent mind to be merciful to me he heard my prayers and as we were riding about a mile and an halfe off Redburne the Lord made my heart to think and my tongue to speak and tel my Master that if he would goe by Redburn it being neer a mile out of his way I might ride home in a Waggon he asked me how I could tel or with whom I told him with my Father for I told him my Father had two Waggons then in Redburn it being at mid time of the day and how that my Father was there and one Brother and his man I had no natural reason to say so for I could not tel they were in those Countries but onely the Lord had revealed it to me who reveales his secrets to them that fear him Psal 25. 34 his holy Angels pitch●s their tents about them My Master was unwilling to go that way but with much intreating did and we found them in Redburn according as the Lord had caused me to speak My Master overwent me that day and left me to ride in my Fathers Waggon On Thursday night we came to Tosseter fifty miles from London Coventrie rode my Fathers Inne was at the Sarasens head but my Master appointed if I was not able to ride home I should be carried to his Inne which was the fign of the Peele As soon as I came thither I defired to goe to bed presently with in an hour after my Fathers Brother and many more came to see me and asked me how I did I told them I praised God I was better then I was before and many such words I told them of the strange Vision in the Fair at Newport-pannel but they beleeved me not and the manner of it oftentimes and how the Lords Revelation to me made me know where to meet them which was against natures reason My brother offered me to watch with me all night no said I brother goe to your bed and take your rest for I praise God I am better then I have beene ever since I saw the Vision So they left me There was no Guests in the house that night and I did lodge in an upper roome a good distance from the people in the house and I had been hot and cold on a sudden my cloaths being light and thin on my bed and I was dangerous sick neer unto death of a sudden not thinking I could possibly live while morning it being the dead time of the night I could get none to come to me by knocking or calling The Lord put it into my mind of a sudden that I should live to see an end of these troublesome times and how God had ordained me to be an instrument to the bringing it to passe Lord said I to my selfe how can can this be seeing I am thus weak not like to live til morning My heart began to sink so that I could scarce speak Within a little space the Lord strengthened me wonderfully and put it into my heart to hang my cloaths about me and goe out of my bed to other beds in the next chamber and fetch cloaths I being not able to stand crept on my hands and knees and fetcht the cloaths of two other beds and with the help of Gods holy Angel laid them on my

of Christ when he began to put in practice his Fathers businesse when he chose his twelve Apostles Mark 3.17.21 and called some of them sons of Thunder his kindred thought he had been beside himself intending to lay hands on him if it were so judged of Christ by natural men let not his spiritual souldiers be ashamed to be called mad-men and so all natural men doe all Gods people But all that ever saw me let them be enemies or friends I praise God cannot but say I ever spake sensibly with sobriety and very wel in the Scriptures which made all that heard me admire to heare me speak and to read those things which I wrote having no natural learning to attain to it but the dictates of Gods holy spirit to press me on to it And when all this misery and much more had befel me I willingly submitted my selfe under this great burden of afflictions to Gods protection and to be ruled by my Father counsel although I knew it were against me But when I came out of that misery I went to a Justice of the Peace againe for a warrant to bring some of the chiefe actors of my misery before a Justice in Worcestershire on Midsomer day was seven yeares past and when I had laid open the wrongs to him it much grieved him and all that heard of it The Justice promised me that I should have justice for he had heard that the whole countrey spake wel of me and cryed out against them for wronging of me So I went that day after to see my unnatural Wife to her Fathers house and finding none at home but she with her little child I was glad She pretended a great deale of love to me when she saw me by outward signes of weeping and good words as she sate by my little child it lying in a Cradle My Wife desired me not to think of any difference that had been past but to forget is and to goe as soone as possibly I could to house-keeping again for she told me that they began to lead her a very disquiet life Quoth I to her againe I hope all wil make for the best to cause your love to cleave to me againe for said I you ought to forsake all your friends to live with your loving husband you know Gods word commands you so to doe I desired her never to so much as think any more of any thing that had been past but now to turn over a new leafe as though we had been newly married and so she made great promises to me that she would I further asked her how it was possible we should keep house so suddenly againe seeing they had sold my horses and broke me of my Trade She told me her Father would restore to me such things again for he loved me wel she said and was sorry for me I took the little infant out of the cradle and sate me down on a stoole at the end of the cradle and layed my staffe at my feet for I was fearful of more mischiefe if any of the rest were at home which made me doe so My Wives Mother and her daughter Katherine being neer the house and seeing me when I came fromward the Justices they laid a plot thinking that I had been for a warrant for them if they could perswade my wife to take their part they would fall upon me and so would take their oath all three when they came before the Justice that I offered them wrong and so make their owne matter good and throw me in prison again As soon as they came into the house they called my Wife from me and told her privately if she did not help to assist them against me they should be utterly undone and discredited So she presently yielded to her Mothers and middlemost Sisters counsel and came presently from them I had the child on my knees and was playing with it She took up my staffe as lay at my feet and made as though she would have carried out of the hall into the parlour she turned back againe suddenly with a great blow and struck me on the head and studied me and caught me by the throat and pluckt me by the haire of the head and beat my head against the wall her Sister being a great lusty wench came running upon me too and beat me about the head with my own staffe and thus I lay with the child on my knees leaning with my back against the wall my breath being almost gone yet I praise God I lay quietly til the Lords providence had caused me to passe the child safe off my knees into the cradle without harme I sitting as the end of the cradle I looked up and saw my Mother in Law comming in upon me too I by the power of God who preserved me and in abled me gave my wife a push on the brest as hard as J. could and flung her backward J. leapt up and pluckt the staffe out of her Sisters hand and gave her but one I bow which lighted on her arm and bruised it forely that the ran away crying and her Mother My wife as soon as she could recover her selfe to get up ran and took up an axe and came having it up above her shoulders with the edge towards me ready to cleave my braines in twain J strook up my hand quick under the head of the axe by the handle and put it by my head all this being done and J being wounded My Wife with that one blow J gave her on one of her breasts never gave suck more of that breast which made me very sorny Her Sisters arme was so bruised that it was lame above two years after The Angel of God that preserved me caused them to be so wounded for J dare sweare J struck but onely those two blows for J had so much patience from God that time that J was not angry Her Sister and Mother ran both out of the house J stayed my wife by the arm and told her if she had not betrayed me with her Judas-kissing and dissembling weeping J had not so much cared J never struck woman before that time nor since neither would I have done it then but in defence of my life A while after ah Briget said J when thou hast done all against me as can be done thou wilt be sorry for it and sorely repent it For J fully believe said J that it is not thee but the Devils temptation and thy Mothers bad counsel for lack of serving God but if thou wilt swear said J that thou wilt not come neer them for a great while and goe along with me from them J wil freely forgive thee and never speak of it to any man I spake thus but not intending to doe it suddenly She replyed againe saying that she would never live with me more cursing me in the name of God with many bitter curses Then I spake mildly again to her saying J pray you fetch some

beere and let us drink together before we part J said she if J could finde any Rats-bane to poyson thee J would So I left her and went to my Fathers house with a heavy heart the Lord knoweth So the next time I went to the Constable with a warrant to bring them her Mother eldest Brother John and Sister Katherine before the Justice but before I could have my warrant executed they lighted on mee first and her eldest brother that before had like to have kild me having an Officer ready arrested me of flat fellony I being kept as a felonious prisoner So I sent for my Father when he came my Father-in-Law and he took up the matter and made agreement with my Fathers perswading me I presently imitating Christs forgiving his enemies committed my cause to God and was perswaded by my Father and Father-in-Law But I came not neere my wife a great while after but abode with my own Father And I began to follow my trade againe My wife seeing that she made many friends to come to live with me again making great moane and shewing her selfe very penitent I being perswaded by my Father and many friends more consented and we lived together again at a place called Harburn in Staffordshire two miles from Brimingham My losse was above 200 l. besides the misery I endured and God blessed my trading when I began with a little stock again as I had left having nothing to set me forward in trading from them but words of promise We were all made friends but since I may curse the day that ever I did trust any such former enemies to be reconciled friends again For about the time as the Levellers did rise against the Parliament I having attained to a good flock of cattel and horses and trading more then ever I was in before my wife and I both living in a quiet condition all former in juries forgiven by me to her and every one of them And the spirit of God caused me to put out a little book concerning the present misery of the times both for Church and State My wise and her frends that abased me before brought greater calamity upon me then I endured before Thus I was abused and they banded themselves together against me My own natural friends forsook me God had so ordained it to try me and punish me for them that were formerly great pretended frends became my utter enemies I looked up stil towards God his holy spirit stil guiding me with patience to endure it and assuring me dayly more that the cause of my being thus abused by men and women was because I had cast Gods message behind my back I often thinking how God punished Jonah for his neglect when God called him and sent him to Nineveh Many of my best friends that loved me wel would blame my Father for not taking my part but God had suffered Satan to blind his eyes from the spirit of true discernment as all natural men are so that he did shew mee no favour but added more affliction to me Many would say to him why doe you not seek to have him released out of his misery If I should doe so saith he he would be imprisoned for medling with King and Parliament-affaires for I had been in prison at Buckingham a little before by some souldiers who raised thimselves against me by false witnesse to make a prize of me for my horses and goods and carried mee from Buckingham to Alisbury to try me for my life by false Articles as they had forged against me But when I came to be tryed by a Councel of War God gave me such an undaunted spirit that those false witnesses had not power to witnesse against me So I was set at liberty having losse and hinderance of time After these miseries of imprisonment and many more great troubles in the mean time of my troubles my wives friends setcht my best goods a way from my house and some cattel after I had forbid them to meddle with any thing For when they saw they could not take my life away they thought to make me run my Countrey but God gave me much patience and courage for I went to the house and took four men with me I demanded my goods taking a cart and horses to fetch them in a peaceable manner if I could have them so But they denied me my goods and my wife stood against me with railing words and her Mother and one Sifter the younger daughter did never speak against me So with much patience I went my way and looked in their grounds to see whether I could find any of my cattel there Finding a Cow and a young Bul that were mine I took them away to my house at Harburn in Staffordshire The manner that they had taken them from me according to the Lawes of God and man was but a felonious way of robbing me for they owed me part of my Wives portion as was due to mee long before that time This was on the Wednesday On the Thursday my wife knew that I would goe to Brimingham-market her Father being from home my wives Mother her eldest Son and my wife and her sister Katherine being fearful that I should begin to trouble them or bind them over by an order from the Justices to answer at the Assizes before the Judge for all the wrong they had done mee they thought they had no other way to take but to begin with me first and so they did For my brother-in-law his name is John Bissel met me at Brimingham on the Market-day and arrested me with flat felony and so suddenly caused me to be thrown into the Dungeon no Bail would be taken All did condemn him shamefully for it yet wilfully and presumptuously he did it On the morrow I went to the Justices the Justice could not perswade him but he would take an oath of Felony against me yet he could not deny but that the cattel were mine After the Justice had examined thorowly the Witnesses he told him hanging was too good for him and he should dearly answer for it Then when his Father came home out of the Country for his Son did all in his Fathers name he was almost out of his wits to heare what his Son had done Fearing he should be undone by it presently he made to the Justices and to my Father and me and my friends to take up the businesse againe and to keep me from going to prison This ensuing Bil of Divorcement was made after she and her kindred had by Satans malice and their cruelty brought me into horrible persecution and misery I may not now for brevity-sake lay down the manner of it but I hope in God in another Book I may because alwayes I hope I shal have all the mercies of God shewed to me stil in remembrance Her Father and she coming on a Sabbath day where I was in prison gave me threatening words and said they were glad to see me