Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	see_v	think_v	3,978	5	3.8757	3	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

be eased of my burden the spirit of God compelled me to goe to Colonel Barkestead the Lieutenant of the Tower to tel him Gods decree was so gone out against them for their covetousnesse injustice and division and to prefigure it by a Vision and a Revelation which I had seen before concerning a white wand and a bunch of filk colours which were green red yellow and black and to tel him the meaning of it by the appointment of God These things he cannot chuse but witnesse at this very day Then I returned toward Warwickshire again and testified the same in many other places and at Brimingham several Market dayes in a strange manner to the admiration of all that saw me and griefe to my friends and kindred after the flesh and the greatest griefe and terror of all was to my selfe because I was compelled by the dictates of Gods holy spirit to do it And that very day that the Parliament was dissolved being Monday morning I was caused by the spirit of God to goe from Harburn to Brimingham which is two miles to my great terrour and griefe God is a witnesse against me if I lie and to hire the widow Westwoods son to goe with me to carry my best wearing cloathes for mee and I was commanded of God to wear old cloaths and old shooes to Brimingham Townes end and there to put my shooes off my feet rent some seames of the old garments as I wore and take a Carpenters Rule in my hand the young man carrying my best raiment and old shooes before me I making proclamation by the power of God and his great Parliament of Heaven and saying thus If you should see Ezekiel measuring the Town with a Rule or seething a pot and skimming off the skum and nothing but water in it or the holy men of God put off their shooes or renting their garments though the thing were commanded of God by them now as it hath formerly been yet you would think they were mad as the Jewes thought by Paul so I know you think by me but it will be known otherwise The Carpenters Rule that I had in my hand was to signifie that Parliaments time of fitting was measured out to fit no longer Then the seames of some of my old garments being rent was to signifie their renting and tearing by division The putting the old ●●ooes off my feet I told them signified that they must cast off their old natural sinful affections from their hearts and factious seditious ways that their hearts might be made good ground and they to become members of the true holy Church of God which is hated by them The cause of my speaking of Ezechiels seething pot to be skummed off I told them was the skum of factious members of the Parliament-house that were against Ministers and Church-government were then cast out of power Yet said I the flesh and bones are left stil and we shall not suddenly be eased of Taxes that oppresse the poor and how that the power would be under one head suddenly much like the power of a King but not a King which meant the Lord Protector After all these things were ended and done by the command of God by me his most unworthy servant John Saunders I call God to witnesse I would not have been hired to have done the like for a hundred pound then nor would not now in a counterfeit way or manner I never did the like before some hypocritical people said I counterfeited and many pharisaical people that say Prophecying Visions and Revelations are ceased counted me a mad man I praise God for those things either dissembling counterfeiting or natural madness I have been alwayes free from Then when these things were ended I went and put on my better cloathing and refreshed my body by eating and drinking I walked in the Towne civilly in those places where I had made those speeches desiring many of the honest civil people which I knew that they should not judge me distracted or any other thing else for those words of wonder or strange postures which I spake of and did For I told them I did nothing but what I had a command from God and was bound in the spirit thus to doe yet I was no Ranter or Quaker or strange Opinionist and that you shal know by a good testimony shortly if you take notice of it what I said and did at this time or any other past but more especially this strange manner of that I now did which you condemn me to be mad for doing But within few dayes after I was thrown into Warwick Gaole by Satans malice and false witnesse for brevity-sake at this time I wil forbear describing the manner of it I pray God forgive the instruments of that misery for there I had lamentable misery about 30. dayes or else suddenly I had come to the Lord Protector and Councel of State but after I was at liberty I did come suddenly after the Lieutenant of the Tower knoweth it wel and siince the last Sommer I went into Ireland and wrote Letters unto Colonel Barkstead and came to him several times as the beginning of the Book sheweth On New-yeares day in the morning 1654 in my sleep I saw a Vision I being in London Me thought I saw a great party of Parliament horse drawed out of London going up Hoiborn Vxbridge Road and the Trumpets founding a very sad solemn march as they went I knowing one of them that was a souldier I called to him and asked him what was the cause of their going out so speedily with such a great party He told me they did hear the King had a great Army Vxbridge road coming toward London and they went out to meet them and give them battel I asked him what number the Parliament horse were He told me 7000. but the other J heard were many more Me thoughts I would goe along with them to see them goe out of London and I was very sorry to think of so many of those gallant men that would be slain I overtaking the forefront of them and before they were marched to Hide Park I saw many men come running with speed fromward Whitehall with long white poles and they were measuring the Land back again as was taken away by the late War from the King the which being done to me signified peace betweene the Lord Protector and the King So I awaked with much gladnesse praising God that he had sent his Angel to shew me these things Many more Visious I have had lately to this effect On the 14. of February 1654. being Wednesday in the beginning of the night before I slept I being perfectly awake saw as it were in an apparition the beginning of a work of new building in London for reformation of Church and State A few nights after in February I saw another Vision I thought my selfe in Warwickshire at a place called Tanworth Parish and I saw as I was walking over a piece of hard poore land the bravest hopeful green grasse springing and young corne and hearbs in that barren land all which gives me great testimonies of the Kings and Lord Protectors agreement that peace may be established in truth and grace may abound and grow for the true nourishment of the Church The first day of March in ths morning I had another Vision how that there was a great plot or net lay for the Lord Protector concerning the Kings land In the Kings ground I saw an apparition of one that told me by an audible voice of it And I saw an apparition like a great net to catch the Lord Protector I was compelled by the dictates of God to write a letter concerning it and carry it to the Lieutenant of the Tower The tenth of March the dictates of Gods spirit caused me to write another letter and carry it to the Tower which if they did take notice of it gave them warning of the rising of men in several Counties suddenly upon it Plotting is not of God nor never will doe the King or any of his friends good FINIS

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

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

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

there and scoffing at me her Father desired that we were divorced Wel said I pray you let it be so His answer was he would give forty pound upon the condition to have it so I have witnesse of it At last they gave me good words My desire was for her to bring my daughter to me that I might see her She told me she would not and gave me very desperate urging words to make a solemn Vow that if she did not bring my daughter between that time and Wednesday following according to the Law of Moses I would write her a bil of divorcement if I could not get ink I would write the first Copy of it with my owne blood if I loft one of the joynts of my little finger on my left hand to do it that all the rest of my body might mourn for the losse of her that wanted grace to mourn for her selfe Besides this I thought that many men might take example to put their wives away by divorcement without any true desert And therefore because I intended to put the Bil of Divorcement in print I would go such a hard way that none dare follow such an example Furthermore I desired to know by a token if it were of God or no that if she came not with my child by Wednesday I might neither eat nor sleep with quietnesse til I had disjoynted my selfe of the nail-joynt of my left hand being the little fingers end She came not and that signe was fulfild yet I did not doe it til above two dayes after Wednesday and when I had done it I having some revelations from God to confirm it suddenly I had a Revelation and a Vision that God had appointed it to be done and that it was lawful for me to take another wife as Hosea did in a typical way And it was shewed me by a Vision between four which was allotted for me and how that I must speak to one of the foure and then speak openly of it to others This is near six yeares paft and I beleeve the parties are unmarried stil Let no man judge this to be madnesse but let them think if it be of God it cannot be prevented The Bill of Divorcement KNow this all my honest Christian Neighbors and all others whom it may concern That I with much reverence and holy feare do call God to the recording and renewing the condition of this Obligation or Bill of Divorcement which breaketh and violateth the band of Wedlock and Matrimony and separateth for ever she that was formerly my Wife and me asunder It is a very weighty matter therefore it had need to bee understood and throughly to be proved by the word of God and the light of a good conscience which is that glittering sword which standeth drawn to slay every son and daughter of Adam and Eve that either turneth to the right hand or to the lest either by hypecrisie or their own sinister ends in such weighty affaires as this I do therefore for several great causes in the presence of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost which is my Redeemer Creator and Preserver whose powerful providence hath still from time to time preserved me from being swallowed up or destroyed by many great dangers and several desperate enemies which the Devil hath formerly raised up against me to bring me to an untimely death without any just cause offered by me whereof the said Briget Bissel daughter of the the late said Richard Bissel which is now dead of the Parish of Yardlie in the County of Worcester Ironmonger the which said Briget Bissel which was the married wife to me the said John Sanders whose dwelling was at Harburn in the County of Stafford Ironmonger she being a great instrument to bring me into many borrible persecutions by Satans malicious invention and some of her neerest kindreds counsel for no other end but for the witness of Jesus and his testimony which hath carried me on by his holy Spirit of Prophesie Besides more then this misery which she and they brought upon me she and they have often urged me to be divorced from her for ever I doe therefore according to the Law of God as he gave to Moses Deut. 24. and Gods command to me which caused me to write her this Bill of Divorcement after this manner and deliver it to her neere six yeares past and now again it is renewed desiring that Gods mercy and forgivenesse may be extended to her for the forgiveness of her sins as well as for my selfe And that it may please God I humbly desire upon the bended knees of my body and souleaffections that the parting and breaking of this temporal wedlock may cause a spiritual warriage to the Lamb Jesus for us both and that all profane and wicked persons mouths may be stopt that shall be apt to speak against this seeing it is permitted and so appointed by thee O Lord raise me up speedily by thy mercy and providence again that so I may be able to take a godly fatherly care for my daughter in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen and so be it And she is ever to be free from me to be any other mans wife if it please God and her own conscience And the like release is to me if God and my own conscience please only some chattels and goods of mine which are in her keeping contrary to my minde at my demands to be at my request when I please if it be not otherwise agreed upon These troubles were true signes to me and gave mee cause to believe that God had appointed me as hee did Hosea Hos 1.2 typically to take a wife of Fornications because the whole land had committed spiritual whoredom against the Lord and as the Prophet of God was to doe by Gods appointment and to signifie how they had divorced themselves from the Lord by their idolatrous whoredomes he was to divorce his wife for that as a figne Truly Brethren there is none can say but that the word of God is written as wel for our instruction as it was to the natural seed of Israel for we are of Abraharis seed by Faith And though the Scripture speaks of such things done then yet there is a signification now of the same things to us Our whole Land hath comitted spiritual whoredome against God First in this manner by breaking our ancient Covenant with God to worship him in new fangled manners of their own invention hating Gods old true way of worship now there is no King neither hath been this many dayes in England neither true Sacrifice Hosea 3. Secondly our whole State being like the Nobility of Israel which brought no fruits of Reformation to God but made High Altars to themselves by Covetousnesse which is idolatry and spiritual whoredome And our being divided like them Hosea 10.2 3. Thirdly we may wel say our wars began because we would have no King to reign over us for want of