Battels outward success going on that side what will become of a Church whose depraved judgements corrupt head and rotten Members are thus ill principled this Prophesie tells you They the Church of Rome and their Factors shall fall what is become of such a Parliament or Parliaments who have been so principled your selves see gone out they are like a snuf of the worst lights left a stinck behinde them whereas the memory of the just and good God imbalms for our imitation and is not spoken of nor remembred otherwayes than most odoriferously even as the sweet Oyl poured on our Saviour leaving a perpetual renown in all ages of sweetness and goodness to the immortal honour of that Saint that did it as in Matthew the 26 vers 13. whose memorial for good works shall never die but still lives and shall for ever Well that day the 5 of November you see is properly due for thanks to Gods delivering a Parliament made up of King Lords and Commons Let no man therefore dare to have thoughts of promoting any other but such a one except it be by praying to God and patiently waiting his good pleasure humbly and fervently praying that these worthy Gentlemen and Protector now met in Council for the general good who cannot but know and finde themselves imperfect without the better parts of the body of a Parliament whilst themselves are less profitable Members than they might be to Gods glory Religions luster the Kingdoms strength and peace also the peoples rejoycing Let us not cease to pray I say that they forthwith apply themselves to be so compleated as may best please God and be most warrantable by the Laws of this Land which ought not to be broken through nor can they be nulled but by the powers that quallified them to become binding They are the very words I heard themselves observe upon the Tryal of the Earl of Straford when proceeded against for making his paperwarrants or messengers of force to out-value being sent out against any subject the then Laws established which had their stamp put upon them and onely made currant by the assent of the Crown the consent of the House of Peers and allowance of the House of Commons all proceedings in any other case pretend what they will it was Treason Law I have not I confess my ignorance those Gentlemen certainly knew this to be Law and gave it so there but good conscience I am sure I have and ought to have there ought not to be fast and loose when we please that we may the better practice wickedness by a Law of our own making thus we strengthen our selves and would be exempt from punishment when we do amiss resolving to live according to the liberty we please to take in the fairest pastures of other mens demeans and birth-rights making our fences to others every way offensive but for our self as much security as knavery can contrive violence maintain Now if they will have us keep this 5 of November as most commendable it is we should to Gods glorie and our thankfull rememberance let them also keep us up such a Parliament and warrantable Laws as God in mercy then delivered and continued us if they will not then I advise to appoint another day that all those may meet who with the Devil Jesuits and Sons of Rebellion Sectaries or others call them what you will all who have made their wicked plots take by seeming righteousness onely pretensions to reform Religion amend the Laws and circumcise superfluous things as evil counsellors or known offenders yet have blown up rooted out and for ever destroyed as much as in them lay Kings Religion Liberty the peace and honour of this Nation let the lovers of those confusions meet in a thanks-giving to their God for their successes also and let us see who they are and then if God be the Lord serve him if Baal serve him for we may not longer halt in things of God and Religion declare your selves you wicked ones be no longer Hypocrites and evil doers the Devil hath helped you to do that above ground in the shape of an Angel of light that he could not effect under ground by powder and your younger brothers the Jesuits I have heard of those that have arrived at their wicked ends and purposes by more bloud-shed than you but never of any that came to them by more Perjury Hypocrisie than those that were not long since our Egyptian Tax-masters the scandal of the Protestant Religion and dishonour of our Nation Remember I have advised you to repent and do your first and best works from whence you are fallen or else know your judgement sleeps not a day a night a moment will do it the Sun rose and shined gloriously that very day the evening whereof would have shewed you Sodom Gomorrah her neighbour fornicating Cities all in ashes Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee as in the 12 of Acts vers 23. on a sudden in a moment the Angel of the Lord smote Herod and he was eaten up of Worms who knows not that in the twinkling of a eye we shall be changed and our Saviour comes to some surprizing them as a thief in the dead of night and sleep of sin I before shewed you your general condition from whence Gods Thunder onely can awake but I would not end in a judgement the Lord knows my heart I pray for all your amendments and happiness not a Scotch prayer for all your Gueds but that you may repent and live Now give me leave to present your eye with what God did mine that last Sunday night being Gun-powder Treason having that day received the most blessed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord beseeching him for patience that I might bear his Cross which indeed was cast upon me the Saturday and Sunday night of that very day just as my Goaler did at Youghall so here called I am Seducer false Prophet deluded not sent of God foolish babbler and worse See how doth God comfort me when man thus misuseth me just as when my Goaler so abused me and took my bedding from under me and locked me up then the Lord that very night afforded me deliverance and comfort by his Vision and call Come away bring thy writings come away and I did so for this his Call opened the Prison doors to me so here that very night for my consolation the Lord shewed me very strange appearances in Heaven for beauty and curious works as first a vail or covering which after I had well observed passed away then the Heavens forthwith opened and there did I see one who was just for favour as our Lord is in his general Pictures Portraited and represented to us which sight ravished my Soul and brought from me this expression O it is the coming of the Son of Man for the conversion of sinners forthwith a vail came over me that I could see
shining with variety of Flowers and abundant Fruitfulness the Seas their over-joy thinking it no burden to their best and well-rigged Ships to give way and bow down that all she brings from forreign and the rich returns of Trade that plough her Ocean may when so loaden in their best dress also wait upon the Crown peaceably attending suffering themselves to be led by it All which they did being Merchant Ships not Men of War And now tell me is it not pitie the greatest too that whom God hath made the more reasonable Creature Man should onely be averse and stand in Rebellion going on in disobedience to his own undoing But I may not complain as anon I shall let you see He also is or shall come in for who can resist when God will have it so He hath in store nay he is now distributing to you the greatest mercy in the world which I dare not longer conceal from all the Sons of Men but more especially from the so much belov'd of the Lord the Seed of Abraham the Jews Here 's the hope of Israel as also to the Heathen towards whom his Compassions fail not and to this our Orthodox true Protestant Religion for the honour of it to the unparalel'd joy of all good mens hearts These things observed I then applied my self to Doctor Mollines who was one of the ten Persons I desired to be present And because I knew him to be a person of good life believed him of sound judgement I made it my beseech to him That in a short time he would be pleased to give us a Sermon upon this Subject or Text He that covers his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie For to me it seemed that Gods return is in mercy was onely witheld by our going on in iniquity Here also I may not omit but observe to you that before I came to the Lord of Broghills I was taken from my knees and could not go on to beseech Gods blessing upon what I had to deliver to him untill I turned to the Reading Psalms But as I was cast formerly upon the Prophet Haggai with good success for the rebuild of that Church so here I was cast upon the 84 and 85 Psalms both as full as is imaginable to any that well considers and compares what I observed out of my Dream and desire to the rebuild of Gods House Oh how amiable and how much to be delighted in is thy House how should our Souls long after thy Worship Which when I had read and considered the manner of my being cast upon them having already disputed all I intended or almost all what I would speak to that Company at the Lord Brougills I could not but conclude what I believe every well-observing man will That it was the onely Providence of God Almighty who for my further confirmation gave me those Psalms of Scripture to strengthen me and dispose others to their duty who he was willing should reap the unparalel'd blessings there assured Pray well observe it the one lets you see what desires we should have for the rebuild of worship in Gods House the other his return in mercy blessing the Land when we so fear and serve him Righteousness as that Light shall then go before him Mercy also and Truth shall meet together Righteousness and Peace shall kiss each other and so set us in the way of his steps Full to all Having done all of Interpretation in reference to my Dream I could not pass this lightly over but observe it to them as also how that God had many times shewed me several things in and from Heaven called me to the search and often advised the reading of his Holy Word giving me to understand that by so doing I should be abundantly happy and blessed In particular one time it seemed to me he took me into a great Light when all the World was in darkness he placed on each side of me an Angel of the Lord that on the right hand opened a great Book to me bid me read therein and took an Angel of Gold off that Book into his hand and put it into mine when received I folded my arms and bowed before him believing it was no other but as the Bush of Moses the presence of the Lord He then told me he gave it not to be folded up or hid but to be improved were his Talents given and so advised me to read Another time one night about the hour ten walking at the end of Broad-street in which I then and now live looking up into the Heavens and observing so great a number of Stars I called to minde the promise made to Abraham That his Seed should be as numberless as the Stars in Heaven So praising God I there stood in or near that place about half an hour where I did see the Heavens opened my Saviour on the Throne the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Saints and Angels waiting round about it and to my comfort my own Father This I saw when I was awake and really there standing Something hath been shewed me of our ever-blessed King dead but in Heaven glorious this also I did observe to his Lordship but made no other use of it than this That forasmuch as all I ever dreamed or saw of that nature was above in the Heavens or came from thence nothing ever from the bottomless pit the Earth or Seas which gave me to believe it was the further from Delusion and much the more to be believed True because that which is of Heaven is Heavenly And although the Crown was upon no mans head yet being waited upon by the Ships it implied He was to come from beyond the Seas whose undoubted right it was And who that Man was to whom it properly belonged his Star demonstrated which at Pauls Cross appeared when there was a Sermon preached there upon the day he was born on being the same as I conceive our Lord rose on and his our Kings Birth also early in the morning as his our Saviours Resurrection whose Vice-roy certainly he this CHARLS STUART is as ye shall hear anon his Father our late King then present And as the Gentleman that preached about the hour of eleven was giving thanks to God Almighty That to our then Soveraign Lord the King and to us his Subjects was that day born a Son and Prince in whom our hopes were and assurance might be He would prove most Eminent in his Church on Earth to Gods glorie and his Majesties and our comfort So thanking God for this for I present was I looked up to Heaven and there at almost eleven a Clock in the moneth of May a most clear day very near the Sun also did I see that his Star appear which wondering at being just over as it were his place of Birth White-Hall or his Fathers head who was come to give God praise for him at the Cross which was also
long since it was so All these together were grounds I say more than enough to beseech God for redress to a distracted people and a divided Land This Fryday I repaired to that Church of Lismore in it and places fit for Contempaltion I passed that day Saturday I could not but return thither again and there pen the subject matter of my prayer on that Thursday afternoon also my Dream that night And decline I must not nay could not to impart all so penned to the now most Honourable Earl of Cork and his so well accomplished Countess And home I must press them forthwith to re-build that Church of Lismore The reasons cannot but be good and many who considers the Lord should be publickly served and the people well instructed from the mouth of him whose lips should preserve knowledge and tongue speak a word in due season Such men are the men certainly sent and deputed by God himself for the better turning of sinners from the evil of their wayes to serve the everliving God His Temple 's the fittest place also where holiness is injoined us Beauty and decency not forbidden To this Earl and Countess of Cork I apply my self in their Garden and private Bed-Chamber they were pleased to hear me to the full I may not here omit to let you know that in the morning of that very day when going to pray for Gods guidance in this his business of rebuilding his House to his own glory and good of others and haveing omitted that morning to read any part of the Scriptures or Psalms appointed for the day the reading of Gods Word first a good way to prepare for acceptable devotion and praying aright from my knees I rose took the Bible and there opened to me the Prophet Haggai which tied my eye upon the place a Scripture God be mercifull to me I was not at all acquainted with Thus opened I could not go on to Devotion nor to read the Psalm untill I had read that Prophet out being but two Chapters directed and over-ruled as I firmly then and now believe by God Almighty For in the whole Book of God there is not any place fuller for the business I had in hand It is well worth your and all mens observe and retention that have too low esteem of Gods House But what speak I of too low esteem Indeed none at all that good is of the Churches or Temples built and set apart to the glory for the publick Worship and Service of God Humble men they seem to be A Stable or Kitchin will serve their turns and truely good enough too for many who have the impudence to abuse Gods House and endeavour there to seduce the more ignorant sort of people These Schrich-Owls cannot well endure the light of his House therefore have they their corners and sculking places A judicious and publick Auditory who love the place where his Honour dwelleth which they best love to frequent and thither go with prepared hearts to learn that they may understand what 's fit to practice These will not be decoyed by them With those it matters not what becomes of the House of God Yet observe and remember I beseech you what that Prophet Haggai there gives for reason of all the evils that were sent and continued upon the Land The not-building of Gods House The lying of that waste caused the Lord to have no delight in the people He there adviseth and enjoyns to rebuild his House then he assures them he will dwell with them and bless them beyond all compare nay he will take pleasure in them verse the 8. He there goes on He will shake the Heavens the Earth the Sea and the dry Land All is his to his for the glory of his House that he will fill with his own glory and bless the Land with peace and plenty such as was never seen untill the building or laying of that Foundation From that very time he blesseth them when they rebuild his House for his publick worship and service The Lord makes that a business fit for the imploy of another Prophet also the Prophet Zechary Of so much concernment you see it is with God But lest these things being Old Testament we should conclude they concern us not under the Gospel so wicked are we grown and so out of love with any thing that costs us ought in the Service of God or is most to his glory and honour that as any place is good enough so indeed any Calf fit to offer Thus shift we off the thing in which our happiness most lies that we may make our selves most miserable Foolish men why consider we not that Christs Courts on earth are his Churches And in representation thereof he hath a Throne in the midst of his Temple and sits thereon before whom all fall down and worship But these times call for our lamentation nay deep mourning for in this business we deal with the House of God and his Worship although we pretend much to both as Amnon dealt with his sister Tamar first Ravish her then Defile her and after turn her out of doors But to return Truely I could not but commend those two short but most full Chapters of this Prophet Haggai to that so Honourable Earl and Countess for the better dispose of them whose affairs of concernment are wisely managed by joynt consent Their quick discern a far off and sound judgement at home give them great advantages for the well-ordering of all their affairs Who having heard me out before I once so much as pressed them to it the Earl met me with this readiness to the work My Father intended the building of that Church I will do it It is onely by me for a short time deferred untill these troubles blow over or time afford a better opportunity for the carrying on of the work for the rebuild of which Church I have many things already fitted c. I most heartily wish and do so pray that there might be found in all men this readiness to make themselves happy here and so certainly bless'd hereafter You have the way love Gods House the place where his Honour dwells also his Ordinances with sound judgement and you cannot but be beloved of him When David and Solomon think to build God an House to his glory worship and service and do so see how the Lord declares himself in the second of Samuel to the 14. that he will establish their Houses for ever And are not the best of Kings the best of Patterns in Gods service who can and will do for thee also so governing or assisting to his glory as shall be most for thy lasting Honour and happiness here but everlasting hereafter Thus ends all then done most happily in nothing disappointed which God put me upon This happy day was Fryday March the 11. 1652. SECT II. A Short time after I fell into several sicknesses and diseases of that Countrey so that most of the following
of a true Church and that theirs onely hath and always had 'T was too much said for him to prove yet this I will say of him nay I have Prophesied it and it will come to pass he is too good a man to sin against the light of his Conscience he would fear and serve none but God onely nor obey any but his King and both them with all his heart Therefore I told him God had of his Providence then sent him my Fellow-Prisoner to shew him first or last the Error of of his Judgement and that Church And then because he was so eminently good otherways in his Countrey so exemplarie he would being converted bring his Countrey to the Service of God as well as he had formerly done them to his Kings service from which interest he would never suffer himself nor them to be stirred in the least for in that he was a true Rooche which in French is a Rock whereas now I understand the Honor was in a French Field but in the good Service of his then King given to his Ancestors Viscount Lord Rooche I could not for the honor of our Church the glorie of God and discharge of my own dutie but reply to him and let him know that such foolish Babblers as those which now so preached were no more of our Church the true Protestant than those that make merchandize of the kingdom of heaven now in the delapsed Church of Rome would be reckoned to be if that Church were again restored to her Pristine Puritie which I believe God would in mercie do by throwing down and out of her all the workers of iniquitie crept in in several ages who for their own ends defiled her with damnable Tenents and Absurdities The beloved Church of God I observed to him we were though now thus beclouded The Moon to which that Church is compared is not alwayes at full she has wanes and changes and Eclipses also yet still a Church as that a Moon I beseech you is not now the Honour of the Protestant Religion at stake and doth it not clearly appear to all that love her what discervices these unsent bold and empty Babblers have done us Those Vagabonds are like those Vagabond Jews in the 19 of the Acts the 13 vers who took upon them to call over them that had evil Spirits the name of the Lord Jesus saying We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth to come forth yet no good is done by them out they come not the evil Spirits are where they were not cast out but replied to them Jesus we know he is sent of God Paul we know he is sent of Jesus but who are you who the Devil sent you Well unsent of God they finde them What doth that man possessed with the evil Spirits do He leaps upon them over-comes them prevails upon them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded This spread over the Countrey and the Name of Jesus was magnified so shall his Name also be magnified by us or you in Authority if you suppress those unsent vagabond giddy bold empty scandalous what shall I call them Itinerates froward factious Presbyterians dishonourers of Gods true Religion Church and our Nation By sober men are not these things and times to be lamented And are not wise men if now in power obliged to help distressed Religion thus crying out O Religion Religion thou that art the strongest of policie which teachest to rule well and to be so ruled Pray did not the fear of God which is the beginning of wisedom not fear of man make David wiser than his Teachers And doth it not strengthen more than ten mighty men Oh! its Excellencie invites you to side with it though now seemingly down it will raise it self and all that love it Haste you be ye of this bless'd number But to the matter All thus done at Church I went to the Earl of Cork's house endeavoured to enter the Parlour where that day were sate divers Persons of quality at Dinner I was refused enterance though my unworthy self formerly by the good favour of that Earl and Countess was one they were pleased to admit to their own Table for some moneths but now denied enterance I was Well I watched my opportunity my business being of another nature than eating it was to do the will of my Father which is in Heaven which was to let that most incomparable Lady the Lady Elizabeth Boyl for other I may not call her whom God Almighty hath set apart chosen to so much Honour and bliss as to be his Queen and the beloved of God on my knees I told her That in obedience to the Commands of God I had that day in the Church of Youghall Proclaimed our King and her good self his Queen From my knees I rose went out amde no disturbance though the most considerable there so soon as he saw me I well remember rose up and was for my being had out but having done what I could not choose my duty so much desired I took my self away for I neither spake more nor did more but quietly went away Now comes the sign given me for confirmation of my Faith that the things Prophesied shall come to pass observe how it is made good to me both for day persons state and place Dinner there ended a Coach with six Horses is made ready which in that place I never saw before into it gets the Countess of Cork the Lady Broghall the Lady Queen Elizabeth Boyl the Lady Frances Boyl the Earl of Cork on Hors-back the Lord of Broghill likewise mounted and all these well accountred no otherwise attended In good equipage they ride through and out of this Town of Youghall unto the Strand where the several Hors-matches were that day run Well they all gone my self rode after coming thither was looked at by all for my forenoons work the Governour of the Town there on the Strand I rode to others I told what I had in the Church did not madly rave or beget any the least disturbance stayed to the last rode off the Strand sometimes betwixt the Lord of Broghill and the Governour Colonel Saunders told them what God Almighty would have done and come to pass rode next them all through the Town no disturbance all this while yet the Lord of Broghill told me several times I must forbear such expressions otherwise he would order me and committed I should be He was as good as his word for out of my Lodging I was fetch'd and had to Prison but by the Governours Warrant he not seen in it Truely I think I may take his word at all times for what he promiseth hear my reason In France some 17 years ago I furnished upon Bills of exchange one of his Brothers with a considerable sum of money for his Brothers own use after that near upon one hundred pounds more for this Lord of Broghill who was not then at age his
are alike The Commemoration also of the Nativity of our Lord the Descending of the Holy Ghost and divers other Superstitious things and times all which the true Prophets of the Lord have cried down and long since declined as most abominable and Superstitious Here lay his proof when I asked him who those Prophets were he told me the Godly Ministers and Prophets the Parliament had preferred appointed to hear preach I replied little onely told him some reasons that induced me to be of that judgement yet withall it was worth his consideration to remember what became of those Children that mocked the Prophet against whom the Lord sent Bears out of the Wood to tear them in pieces and devour them Well reconciled we were he told me it should no more be so neither did his Child any more provoke me but on the contrary I loved it and the Child me Upon a short time after he told me If I were a Prophet then he was a Dog I reminded him such expressions did not well become he might in that Prophesie unhappily of himself Dogs were without when Prophets were in Heaven I observed to him he did all without reason told him I forgave him and his Son formerly and that I prayed for both that God would be pleased to forgive them It is true I did so and do so that he would be pleased to have mercy upon them He bid me keep my prayers to my self he nor his had no need of them and desired them not He was often girding at me quiet I could not be for him I saw he loathed me which made me sometimes think on those evil Spirits that though they knew it was our blessed Lord yet raging asked him why he was come to torment them before their time Good he told me I could not be because I approved not of one Mr. Wood whom the Parliament power had put in Preacher at Youghall and settled upon him an handsom Sallery of some an hundred and twenty pounds per annum His name implies he may be Timber though some suspect he is not yet fitted for the building up the House of God God be pleased to make all men wise and better Certainly the best accomplished is fittest for his service This being Sunday and my keeper going then to hear this Mr. Wood Command is given none must come to me locked up I am Things thus hightening and his prejudice encreasing against me my Bed the night before taken from under me sent for away after he came from M. Woods Sermon my bolster sheets and whatsoever I had of his taken away from me by himself so great a zeal brought he home with him from his so good Preacher M. Wood. Well to this condition being reduced my self not very well not used to such affronts not such lodgeing the season winter truely I walked and prayed most of that night abandoned I now saw my self almost by all nothing but hard usage and aversness do I meet with in all men to this business of the Lords which much troubled me And truely I might here observe to you that I besought God Almighty to direct deliver and enable me to get from under those great oppressions of men which without him I could not overcome Observe I beseech you God withdraws not our helps but for a further advantage however our hopes may seem crossed Where his name may gain we cannot complain of loss 't was so here the work was the Lords and he was pleased to assure me I should grow from strength to strength untill I arrived at perfect peace in Zion and how that for his Glory Honour Mercy and Names sake he would bring it all to pass it should be marvellous in our eyes Thus beseeching the Lord I prayed and now do pray the Reader that he firmly believe as I do it being true I had that night this Vision or Call of the Lord Come away bring your writings come away reitterated just as the people you read before did when they saw the Light and Crown in the Heavens bowed to God and it it being of Heaven they all said Come we will follow it so here Come away bring your writings come away I could here truely observe to you that although my so civil Landlord was warm that night in a good Bed I cold and had none in Bed with him such another Saint his Wife educated married from the house of the once no less zealous I believe than these two the Lord Brook whose Servants they were either both or one Yet on a sudden she riseth and runneth the strong water is fetched my Landlord very sick nay very ill his Childe had formerly been so This strong water was to be fetched out of the next Room where I was pounded up so know it I did indeed his wife told me the reason of her haste and coming Well the strong water he had and my prayers also for his amendment and Gods forgiveness to him and though he formerly bade me keep them to my self he nor his had no need of them his Child I believe fared not the worse for me for it after loved me when well himself then had them as also the strong water if of any validity God Almighty have the glory he had the recovery then but a Fool is not alwayes to be answered in his folly This I should not have observed but that it is in reverence to what himself hath very often told me he was that Thomas a Diddimus that should not believe any thing of my Prophesie untill he saw it come to pass the rather because it was against those whom God approved of and set up to his glorie therefore he took the liberty to call me Traitor as to them and false Prophet as in reverence to their Godly Ministery such was his zeal but whether well guided or of God that 's the question But I leave him in his Dog-kennel for so his then habitable house was formerly called as himself told me one time and truely me thinks upon this account and action it may well retain the former name if it hath been discontinued Dog kennel Day being come I penned a Letter presenting the whole Vision Come away bring your writings come away to the Secretary of the Lord of Broghill entreating him that he forthwith impart it to his Lord and others concerned for the ordering of affairs in those parts beseeching they would after address made to God Almighty for his guidance forthwith dispose of me as he should please to direct them to do They I humbly conceive did so for that day or the next morning I had word sent me that I might go whither I would Yet observed to me it was by that Gentleman which brought me my enlargement that I should not proclaim the King in the streets Truely I was never guilty of any such madness neither did it so much as once come into my thoughts Had I not been guided by God in
like that of the Apostle Peter when the Prison door was set open for him and his Irons fell off so was the effect of that Call Come away the doors are opened to me the very next day But close up my mouth O Lord I may not complain every defer of thine is as my self suspended for a further good I know it thy own time and workings have none like them Thou wilt make discoveries of men and let us see as well who would be good if there were no law as who would practice wickedness by a law doth not God Almighty put us often into his sive several wayes also discovering the Wheat from the Chaff pray we must believe we must that all works for the best to them that fear God and patiently abide his good pleasure Return I must go on to my former intentions yet this believe me in you worthies of Parliament this insert was not begot by either of the Protectors two speeches to your good selves for I take God Almighty to witness I had not then read either of them Inlarged from Prison I gather in all my material papers as commanded which were not a few I now see them of very great concernment for the carrying on of this work I believe I wrote in Prison then twice as much as this Book and twice over also This Call thus directing Come away bring your Papers come away was certainly of God Well my self gotten out of Prison and my Papers gotten into my possession I hasten for England and in Easter week 1654. came to my own house where I now do and have resided twenty years being in Broadstreet near the Church over against Gresham Colledge at which Church once but not long enough officiated that so eminent and renowned Doctor Oldsworth but thank you invisible Parliament and such Oakes our then wicked Governours you sequestred imprisoned and destroyed him as you did hundreds and thousands of others God sent unto you of which you were unworthy but you could not help it the Jews your brethren did so persecute those sent unto them and aud truely you could not but follow the worst of examples the best are to be conformed to by these which are wiser men and therefore a true Parliament You long since as your actions have been the dishonour of the Protestant Religion and the Nation all the World over and future times will never call you a sober Parliament but as we desire not to believe you were English men so well constituted Parliaments for time to come will look upon you as upon Lots wife a lasting monument of her shame for looking towards Sodom when God had set her face towards salvation But I go on SECT VI. HAving passed a few dayes in my house I could not be in longer quiet untill I took me a lodging near Saint Jame's his house attending all opportunities and possible means to speak with the General whom not meeting with I wrote unto him several times to give him to understand that I had received of the Lord the most considerable and highest things imaginable to communicate to his good self being therein concerned as much as any and to whom from prison in Youghall God had pleased to send me for that very purpose therefore besought him to hear me After much attendance and not a few disappointments I had first at White-Hall the opportunity onely to speak to him made my self known to him but he had not the conveniency at that time to hear me in the things I so much desired yet then told me he would speak with me That further opportunity I had not though continued seeking it it and reminded him by Letters of his promise untill one Saturday in June a little before the death of the Portugal when and where it pleased Almighty God to afford me a most convenient one at Hampton Court and his Lordship there pleased to hear me out to the full affording me both his patience and attention too as I firmly believe There was present Sr. Gilbert Pickering and a Gentleman or two more whom I knew not for all which I returned as in duty Obliged first to God next to his Lordship all possible prayers and humble thanks And now least any thing might scape his Lordships observe which it is possible did my recital he hath this second review of it but printed more particularly for the World of men in it so highly concerned for I cannot be quiet untill to them I publish it also this being a light not to be hid the universal splendor of the Protestant Religion must break forth also the obedience of men to the Lord who I conceive and believe is now coming in mercy and wayes of making himself known to the Christian World Jews and Heathen in mercy but in judgement to others for the evil doer shall not abide in this so great and wonderfull a change On earth whom is the Lord pleased to make his Viceroy for rule his favour and loving kindness is the highest to our King CHARLS the Second CHARLS the Great CHARLS the good King of the whole World these are the words and declared pleasure of the ever living and our most mercifull God which I dare not conceal nor longer keep uncommunicated but must publish them to all concerned to have an end of all the Wars in the Christian World with the rest in the Prophesie is certainly considerable I confess after I had wrote to the General I could not but also do so to his Majesty my King the import of both refers onely to my duty in the discharge of which I onely can have quiet The Original of all Letters to them I have being to each five in all ten in any of them not the least thing advised to but as I conceive and so believe the minding both of them to the perform of such their duties as are most acceptable with God Almighty the one how to rule well the other so to obey things the most to be desired of good Kings good Subjects of which I wish the whole world were made up of I have therefore in the end of the book given two of those Letters to publick view that at once my inward thoughts may appear to the excite of walking as best becomes the most excellent of Kings and the highest of Subjects where the meanest also have to observe that in fearing God and honouring their King they are blest here and ever so to be hereafter omitting it miserable to all eternity From which sin of Rebellion because compared with that of witchcraft we have good reason to pray The Lord be pleased to deliver us especially when covetuousnes is joyned therewith the root of all evil sins which some men therefore will have the World justly condemned as a Witch in the end to be burnt because it and its lying vanities hath so bewitched us as to prefer them before the ever living God and our walking according to his
of his adversaries to whom he renders vengeance at the same time Remember I have warned you and believe me also I could not have any quiet untill I had done so Thus in all ages God hath sent his Prophets to forewarn before he consume a people or in mercy deliver them I have done my duty do you yours repent and live The number was but few I told you though all that were then in being who when they saw this Crown in heaven worshipped God and said This is of Heaven we will follow it Which when done with my self hear we did pleasant sounds in Heaven and saw the earth shine with plenty amongst men good will all praising God and participating those blessings I once more tell you they were but a small number make haste be you of it Before judgement is gone out repentance is seasonable but you may cry to late From this Citie was the Kingdom fyrced let O Lord if it be thy good pleasure the inhabitants tears and thy mercy spare it from an heap of ruin a City that hath been and yet is the harlot mother of Bastard conceptions and prodigious births confusion she hath brought forth that hath filled the world and land to her dishonour with God and men Spare us O Lord we beseech thee and have mercy upon us even upon us also thy most unworthy servants Here I have ended but because God hath as I formerly observed to you of his wise delay suspended the publishing of this book for his own time which certainly is the best and fittest as also that my Dependency on him may be the more as his mercies the greater when deliverance afforded us I must yet a little go on and one insert more be pleased to allow me it being for the General good Let me therefore present your eye and entertain your ear as of Gods mercy he hath done mine for your benefit upon the day and night of the 5. of November last being our Lords day on which we did commemorate Gods deliverance afforded us from the Gun-powder Treason I dare not but do it mark it it is considerable of the Lord himself being the Lord of Hosts who hath delivered us doth deliver us and will deliver us all good grounds to trust him and a set Text of Scripture it is for that day to be Treated on A good Act of Parliament we have for the thankfull and perpetual commemoration of that so great a mercy that God was pleased then and so to deliver Our so good so wise so well-accomplished King and his posterity to sit upon his Throne and to sway the Scepter of these Kingdoms for ever as we see God hath now so appointed whose ways admit of no variation or shadow of turning Deliver he did we see the house of Peers and Persons of Honour in duty waiting upon their King Deliver he did the wise and learned Authors of the Protestant Church and Religion with them also the Judges both together the best interpreters of his word and his Laws Deliver he did also those Worthies of the house of Commons called thither by their King and sent thither by the wise obedient and then quiet people of the land who were and because so shared in that deliverance and long enjoyed they and we the Blessings that succeeded of peace order riches beauty in Religious worship of God Almighty in his Churches to the wonder as well as to the envie of the world Here was a Parliament of Gods and good mens choise and blessing For Majesty and Honour well met together And this when so he delivers from that horrid unparrall'd Treason until those times the like not heard of And what to do I beseech you but to let us see how precious in his sight we are when met together as those to fear God honour our King love brotherly love all applying our selves to live and do according to his will revealed in his word and our known Laws the onely rule we should go by and conform unto applying our selves to these not to our own willdered thoughts for confusion covetuousness rebellion irreligion murder of those people whose persons peace and propriety we come to preserve and maintain not for our self-ends to kill that we may divide the spoil Something like him I have heard of in the Church of Rome who upon the words spoken in a vision to the Apostle S. Peter Arise kill and eat all things are now Common to please the then Pope of Rome at difference with the Venetians gave this gloss upon that Text that is saith he your Holiness may make War with the Venetians kill them and devour their estates up and do it arise take kill and feed upon them Thus his unholiness suitable Cleargy force mis-interpretations of holy Writ to their own and others destruction Peter's successors they pretend to be and in the worst of things they certainly follow him nay exceed him draw their sword they do cut not off the ear onely with Peter but the heads of Kings and Potentates which wicked action our Lord reproves healing the person wounded when but an ear to let us see his Kingdom was not to be carried on by the sword and shew us he doth he had no need of a fighting Clergy he made no Apostle to offer violence no Bishop in Buff with back-sword to help on with Presbytery no Priest or Deacon to kill and supplant that he might get his more pious and therefore more peaceable brothers living because it is better than his own which when he hath by violence gotten he inricheth himself but starves or poysons those he pretended to feed better and do more good for both in body and soul No these are not the men fit to build God a Church he needs no such hackers or hewers in Field or Pulpit such furious fighters and rash zealous Clergy Go on to imitate Peter further the very next apprehension of danger they deny their Lord and Saviour for swearing him also if once in custody or times of persecution come upon them then they are Sidonians or Samaritanes no more Jews and they have a Temple not yet dedicated to any God which you their profitable master so they get by you shall call them and it what you please for they are resolved to side with the seeming strongest to get by so doing Cura Romana non capit ovem sine lana Oh! and have not we such Peters if but one too many but the more the pitie well I have shewed you what those furious boote-feux have done set us and the Christian World on fire I would to God I could shew you them imitating that blessed saint Peter repenting which would be not onely ours the Churches and their own rejoycing at the conversion of such sinners there is joy in Heaven and though by words actions misunderstood they have engaged us with Curse ye Meros so carried on the cause falsly perswading they are the Lords
fruits making their conversion to appear as good Zacheus did when truely converted who shewed it by his words and actions If I have wronged any man I restore to him fourfould and for the rest of my goods I give the one half of them to the poor you have it in the 19 of Luke verse 8. if they would nor thus uprightly turn repent live truely they should uprightly and perpendicularly hang together as being brethren in iniquity and this I believe would be pleasing to God and man whom they have injured and are indebted to you wicked Judges Committees and Lawyers repent of your Club-Law too long practised upon the persons Estates of men of worth and honour imprisoning the one devouring the other tell me if you can from whence had you these presidences for Law not from God he is a God of mercy not from his word that 's a word of truth not from our well constituted and better known Laws those are for defence not offence Come I will tell you whence you are you say you are of the seed of Abraham but you do the works of you Father the Devil and if I mistake not it was to men of your profession and practise our Saviour said so that could not erre Some gave that for Law which was not when time was they did help to undo a good King and run a way after others of you have played the same game since and it is not improbable will shew us such a trick also but stay a little and take some of my counsel before you stir what you gave and took for Counsel was too dearly bought neither worth what 't was sold for nor at all fit to be followed those you have destroyed or decoyed of your own party will shortly tell you so be you ruled by me for the time to come if you go on to practice in the Law do in all your cases and causes as I have done in this of mine presented in this book Open it aright carry it one no other ways present it not falsly in any one circumstance speak the whole truth which done pray to God Almighty that he would be pleased to give you a sentence in favour if in truth and uprightness of heart be assured he will desire onely that the Lord may have the glory of it and man his Creature the benefit of his just but mercifull and righteous judgements My imploy is not to flatter any one of you or others I never spoke word to Sir John in my life the accomplishments of a judge was found upon that Trial as well as others to be in the Prisoner at the Bar Sir John Stowel in his fixed heart was sincerity resolution and uprightness in his head was wisdom and discerning in his mouth and tongue were the words of truth the Grand jury were those worthies that gave hin what you Mr. Post-Master Prideaux laboured to beguile him of the benefit of his Articles not you onely but the rest of the Black Robe that quacked after you the decoy upon his left hand all of you stole a heard of Goats you are Hoofs and Horns you have for offence in the very end of my Prophesie if you repent not you see the place you are doomed to as well as the condition you are found in when others are taken up into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that never shall have end the Sheep that then stand before the Judge of all men shall go to the right hand but the Goats to the left will any of you evil doers ye go on to sin against conscience for the accursed love of the World do no more so hear and take my counsel make not haste haste haste Post-haste to be Rich run not into destruction covetuousness is known to be the root of all evil Do you Sr. for the time to come nay let us all do as new born Babes desire the pure milk of the Gospel not your Law may we become O Lord as little Children Infants unspotted of the flesh the World and the Devil thus being Heaven is then open to us and that 's a Kingdom For your Infant Common-wealth truely it died almost as soon as born or named I fear not Innocent also how have you lead me out of the way I must return to Croppredy where I was named an Infant From Croppredy-Field his Majesty went into the West the same Summer there God gave him such another success but greater over a greater number out of their hands he took all the Militia but their persons go free not a man perisheth by his good will Who would not have expected that these mercies God having cast his Enemies into and under his own dispose and all pardoned who would not I say have presumed these carriages of mercy and unparalell'd clemency would have won his Subjects to a better obedience than forthwith to fight him afresh O my God I heard his majesty speak these words at Southam in Warwick-shire the very day before Edge-hill fight he being then and there importuned presently to hang 80 men that night taken To perswade him to it thus some reasoned the Lord of Essex is near you the present doing it will deter your Enemy make his men that love you not run away whose fear if not affection will be your great advantages they were so many and so powerfull that thus counselled as indeed my good King had but his good conscience mercy and a few persons of Honour on his side of which very small number was the Lord Henry Wilmot and the Lord Willowby Son to the Earle of Linsey whose Father was mortally wounded the next day at Edge-hill of which he died in a few dayes after nay so bold and so pressing were these in his presence that they told him Sir if we must take these Rebels and you pardon them when can you hope to see an end of this Rebellion they went on to importune him to hang but 70 of them yet still to do it presenlly as therein being his advantage his Majesty wisely and mercifully replied his design was to make a conquest of their judgements and affections by clemency and forgiveness and not to murder their persons they grew more impatient pressed him then to hang 60. his Majesty found out wise delays for not doing of that presently to 50 to 40 to 30 to 20 they fell still his Majesty stood unmoveable at last some of them swore as I take it thereby to dispose him that passing the other day by Coventry the Enemy had taken and hang'd four of his men to second him another said they had hang'd five of his more of them went on three of theirs two of anothers his Majesty to get rid of them and it may be to enquire into the truth of it also first I did so told thē he would presently take an order with them now see the order taken by him twelve inlarged and of them continued not a man suffered in his
that of Rome into one of whose Chappels at Saint Jermains your Majesty was that day further pleased to Command me when returned from seeing the then Dolphin now King of France your Majesties Son then in his Cradle to wait upon you to that Chappel to hear the Musick and Vespers Madam in obedience I did so be pleased to let me assure your Majesty I have heard very many Sermons and some good ones too in the Churches of France and Spain tending to mortification yet never was I of the Roman Catholick Religion in all things No Madam it is their unwarrantable Innovatious Traditions Superstitions Excesses and Idolatries of the Priests and Factors for Rome and his unholiness the Pope and that Hierarchy That your Majesty and all must turn now from that is the cup of fornication she hath made the Kings and Princes of the Earth drunk with for which wicked acts of hers they and all shall now hate her God hath said it in this his Prophesie down she shall her fatal time is come and her self must drink the dregs of that cup of fornication hers it is and take it she shall the Lord will have it so she shall fall Yet Madam the Lord is good to all his though of that Church for he will purge her as your Majesty shall further read anon Be pleased so excelling Queen I most humbly beseech your favourable allowance that I go on to wait upon my own King and Gods true Church in this his business and my imploy And now O my King rejoyce fully there is no place for sorrow but for sin how like thy Saviour was thy Father who dying prayed his Father in Heaven to forgive those Murderers on Earth that so despitefully used him it is not all the indigne cruelties of men that can rob him of those rich mercies thou my King prayedst for them dying wicked sinfull people you would be miserable but he will not let you Father forgive them they know not what they do Blest art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles who because faithfull unto death I will give him a Crown of life as in the 11 of the Ecclesiastes and the 17. also Revelations the 2. and 10. I am now in Heaven in the this dayes discharge of my duty I fear you Rebels and all evil doers as I do the Devil not at all But I return to thee O. Cromwell the so much beloved of the Lord which we now seeing wonder it should be so But God judgeth not as man doth when he pleaseth the Lion shall lie down with the Lamb 't is so here Oliver Cromwell I expect thee nay I believe thee no more ill byassed if ever no more rebellious no more ambitious except it be of being more just and good in all wayes of Honour and obedience now endeavour thou or encrease to be communicably good to all the high end thou was born for there now lies thy choice and complacencie and for thy former wayes as errors of thy judgement not want of zeal to God's glorie be comforted it offends not that our affections are moved with zeal but that they are inordinate thou art not onely now thy self a detestor of them when inordinate but a dehortor of others from the like phrensie-practises so that of the mercie of God changed or to us made known thou here helpest to make good what our already glorified King Prophesied to his now so Highly Honored and restored happy Son and people That those his Subjects which had erred by the artifice of others or misguided zeal would when they saw the errors of their wayes and the villenous practises of those that had deluded and seduced them their eyes so opened they would then most hate them and best obey their King here is this now fulfilled in our dayes and eyes O you people of this Land and the world also judge now was not my King and Soveraign a great Prophet as well as the best of Kings O you deceivers who traduced him in his Honour that you might the better Murder his Person and divide the inheritance if there yet lives any of you for your time is but short except you repent the bloud-thirsty and deceitfull man shall not live out half his dayes Whether can you turn to be in quiet or to be beloved who hates you not that is either wise or good But God is mercifull he is the best of Paterns his mercie is over all his works and his compassions fail not I must obey him and let you know where your well-being lies you bad men once gave the worst counsel and it prevail'd now take the best and follow it from God me come forth humble your selves leave no sin unrepented of Murder and Hypocrisie are two great ones confess to God and to his glory forsake all that was of the Devil in you contempt of Gods house Ministers Worship and Service violence to Man thy Brother restore to God and Man what is not your own but stollen from both make all possible amends you can for otherwayes I do tell thee whomsoever thou art whether yet in this Kingdom or fled already into another that God will give deliverance to his Church and people but render vengeance to his adversaries both at once Deuteronomy the 32. verse the 43. and this he will do that so wherein the wicked dealt proudly God might shew himself above them Exodus the 18. and the 11. My next observe is how doth God Honour that Religion which to have been of the World hath counted madness The Jews the Heathen the Roman and our sneaking Schismaticks those that either despised Christ or falsly told you with them he was and no where else they are all now truely shewed his delight was and favour is where they thought and taught him not to be with the faithfull Professers of that so ancient true Church of God but lately so much despised and by them contemned Church of England to whom because the purest God is now pleased to give so much Honour beauty and renown for the former contempt persecution and ashes of her glorified Professers and Martyrs of which number it is now demonstrative our late King is the greatest see God judgeth not as man doth This is righteous judgement which himself Prophesied you should have hereafter when falsly condemned him and had provided your selves of those at your backs and about your Bar of Justice for so it was a Bar of Justice where you had placed your Criers for Justice Justice as their fellows did against our Lord Crucifie him Crucifie him spit upon him you did too as I have heard condemn him you did that I am sure of no end of your malice his bloud you thirsted for as also the Ministers of the Lord you had it you have taken them yet see as he prayed you are found besprinkled with the bloud of Jesus when inquisition is made for his and others and thus he prayed for
things also from those Cathedrals we could not have offended you thus he laid the fault upon the B. it may be those innocent boys intended onely a civility to keep open the way which too many come in by the window foreseeing that the dore is like shortly to be shut against them who have shut and bard it too against others especialy if the Living were great profitable Persons of Honour have no mans person in esteem that vâ—lueth not his actions that 's the duty therein will be your honour for fears scruples they are to be suggested by the wicked onely who indeed fly when no man pursues them but the just and good are bold as this Lion sent of the Lord have you nothing before your eyes but Gods glory religions luster the peoples good in your hearts his fear onely do thus you will have no need of guards Militia or what else bad men think to secure themselves by A good conscience and wisdom fortifies more than ten mighty men God is then on your side so is all good men fear God your King and to sin and you cannot fear wicked men let me hear of no looking back to sins or cowardise God hath shewed you salvation if your hearts be in Sodom for the wickedness of that Citie Gomorra and all the five Cities hath been practised in this one I say if your hearts delight in sin your judgement sleeps not The Protestant Religion the Kings Honour Oliver Cromwell also the peoples just Right and Interest must flourish live and be injoyed to all good mens comfort whilest destruction must be suffered by those onely which continue Rebellious and will not be reformed whose remove will be our rejoycing as well as Gods good pleasure for deliverance shall come from Heaven to this Land and people the evil doer shall be rooted out and sent to his own home with a vengeance But for thee Oliver Cromwell with Souldiers of Honour and such as are of good Counsel with thee who advise the speedy remedying of all that is amiss for such I continue to pray That you forthwith apply your selves to do his will and that 's to be more than Conquerors A King rulers on Earth whose right it is not shall stinck on Earth as he that made Israel to sin and howle in Hell too very shortly but as the memory of the just good and mercifull shall begin to live for ever on Earth and that shortly too so shall thine Oliver Cromwell and others declared in this Gods Prophesie be taken up with thy King into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that never shall have end then also shall good people such subjects go as the sheep in this Prophesie to the right hand wicked Rebellious ones as the Goats to the left hand unto the former happiness God of his mercie I beseech him bring us all from the later God deliver us all he onely can do it that hath said and spoken now by me the Church of Rome shall fall But our Church for ever flourish God save the KING Amen yea let all the people say Amen FINIS THere are two Books which have Traveled far with me if well understood and no otherwayes practised the two sorts of people they are more particularly directed unto cannot miss of the best end of all our Travels Heaven The one is a Priest to the Temple or the Countrey Parsons Character and rule of holy life The Author Mr. George Herbert the other as the former commends a holy life here and tells you That the habitual observing of the Law of Christ is indispensibly necessary to Salvation the Author Mr. Richard Stanix B. D. one that I believe lives as he writes and would have all do so He that in Travel carries in each pocket one and in his heart both to practise needs not doubt but one day his face shall shine with glory having so conversed with God be he Priest or people for whom I pray that God be pleased to make all good and happy Walter Gostelow