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
to suffer us longer who pretend to the most and best of Piety to carry on a War and continue such actions as should prove so scandalous to the Protestant Religion deterring from the profession of it Such as there lived among us who could not certainly be drawn to the profession of it by our so bad example living as it were like men of dispositions onely born to cruelty and irreligion Beseeching that he would be pleased to return to us in mercy set every mans sins in order before his face to the detest of them resolving never to return to folly And that of his goodnes he would cast theÌ„ all behind his back that we might once more come into the Houses built for his Worship and Service with prepared hearts devout Souls forgiving one the other all desirous to be taught of God that we might live hereafter more according to his will revealed in his word and so knowing his good pleasure we might readily apply our selves to do it Further that the Ministers appointed to officiate in those places might be men sent from God who understanding his word aright might to us so divide it And that we might all harmoniously agree together not onely to Preach and talk down Sin but that we might all live for the time to come to serve him in sincerity of heart and in the beauty of holiness So that others observing Gods mercies towards us and our amendments towards him might also with us be drawn to glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Sometime of that Thursday after-noon I spent in that Remain of Church so praying meditating and reading and could not do otherwise Indeede the more I prayed the more I wept the more I wept the more I joyed and from my Devotions I remember not that I ever went away with a better return being very highly comforted and so assur'd that God would hear and have mercie and from thenceforth and in that place bless me giving me for consolation that a well-guided zeal for his House Worship and Service made great our own and establish'd it also That night I went home to a little House I then and there lodged at and had this dream Me thought there was a very gross and thick Darkness over the face of the whole Earth dark beyond compare I then heard a very terrible Thunder which more affrighted me and looking up to Heaven I saw a glimering Light not clear about the bigness and of the proportion of a round Table some two yards over In that Light there appeared to me as the Body of an Oak about a yard long Root it had not nor Top nor Leaves nor Fruit Full of Sangs it was and offensive Knots not fit for Timber or other use than the Fire This soon vanished yet the darkness continued but grew greater than the â—ormer and the Thunder answerable indeed so terrible that it seemed to me to waken and rouze up all the people of the Land which when risen I prayed in these words O Lord the people are now risen up and stand in readiness to do thy will wouldst thou be pleased to let them know it I beseech thee O Lord give them a sign in Heaven or from Heaven of thy good pleasure and we will readily obey thee There then appeared as formerly such another Light not clearer but bigger and as the former was over our heads about the height or distance of the Clouds having in it such a Body of an Oake as the other in this onely differing 't was bigger and more offensive As we stood thus gazing anon the Heavens began to grow light in the East as approach of day and Sun We standing as it were in the midst of the Kingdom of England the Light encreased and came on And with it rose and came toward us the most glorious Crown ever eyes beheld the richest for Jewels the most transparently cut every way the beautifullest imaginable Having in it and through it standing as the three Plumes of Feathers in the Princes Arms a bunch of Bayes or small Bay-trees beautifull for verdure bearing Berries as having Root Waiting upon this Crown came many goodly Ships which Crown Bayes and Ships came all along thus together in the Light from the East toward us the people who with fixed eyes stood looking into Heaven All which we perfectly discerning and being come almost over our heads we the people all of us with one voice gladness and consent cried out O Lord we praise thee this is of Heaven we will follow it I then looked behinde me for the former Glimmering Light and Offensive Oake in it and I saw them flying away so fast that immediately they were gone and no more to be seen The people seeing it so gone out of the Heavens reitterated the former words and said all with one consent Come this Crown is of Heaven we will follow it so bowed down and worshipped praising God The Light then went over all the Heavens towards the West and great was the Light the Crown Bayes and Ships continued in the Heavens now light all over After this immediately from the Heavens I heard most sweet and pleasing Sounds as the voice or murmur of many waters and on the Earth shining appeared nothing but Beauty and Plenty amongst the people of the Earth loving kindness and good affections all with one consent praising God Thus ravished with an over-joy I wakened and found my self very wet with tears My greatest joyes and greatest weepings seldom are divided I spent most of that night in Meditation and casting what this dream might import for truely this is but one though the most considerable as I conceive of the many I have had from Heaven demonstrating several things The next day being Fryday a day in the week which for some seven years past I have set apart though not alwayes spent God be pleased to have mercie upon me and forgive me as I ought or should for fasting and examination of my self That as I am one Fryday nearer my end so I may in one measure or another grow fitter for it in regard of the many mercies God Almighty hath been pleased to afford me from my Cradle hitherto As that he hath been pleased to preserve me from the noisom Pestilence from the violence of the War where be pleased to observe I have been committed and taken into custody three times on the Kings side and five times on the Parliaments yet never was in action or imploy on either part from so many great and eminent dangers both by Sea and Land from Men lying in wait particularly for my bloud And lastly that the Lord hath not cut me off in the midst of my sins and already given me my portion with that so sad company in Hell from whence is no returning These were certainly grounds enough for every mans Fasting and Prayer especially living in a Time when wickedness seemed to be practiced by a Law at least it was not
Person yet to this good King was laid the false charge of his being guilty of all the bloudshed in the three Kingdoms To witness this truth in my Kings defence when his Majesty was upon his Trial I being near a hundred miles from London heard of their quick proceedings against him and had the Saturday night before his death a very strange Vision concerning him I made haste towards London that he might have the benefit of this my witness in that killing and false charge but upon the way met with the sad news of his being Martyred so that in this action the wickedness that was done was quickly done but I will not wound afresh or grieve a man of you that did it or had a hand in the bringing to pass what God would have done that his name might have the more glory and you now no less happy in his Sons rule over you can you but repent of this as of all your other sins God forgives and of the Kings forgiveness you may not doubt the Stuarts as the Kings of Israel are very mercifull Kings King James a Beati Pacifici King CHARLS of ever blessed memory praieth God to forgive all his Enemies when inquisition is made for bloud then O Lord let them be found that shed mine be sprinkled with thine I beseech thee CHARLS the second our King will not consent that his seeming greatest Enemy in the World Oliver Cromwel shall privately be taken off an act pleasing enough to many when the remove but of that one man onely might probably without more bloud-shed set him upon his Fathers his own Throne yet see how he Governs he will not so much as hear of it you have it observed to you in the wise Admonition to Oliver Cromwell when Wiseman and others proposed his murther to him no at no hand he allows it not he will wait upon God in all his lawfull wayes contenting himself to be Charls the good if not Charls the Great And being thus principled see what is the happy successes of his so doing God gives to him the Crown for ever and Oliver Cromwell his ready subjection this is counsel I have given him but first given me of God his Majesty had it from me in April last as I take it to forgive all his Enemies even O Cromwell and to refer all to Gods own times way it may be thou O Cromwell doth owe me something for thy well being at this day I am sure thou doest to God Almighty give him the glory and praise of it in thy better obedience for the times to come and I have all I desire I have but done my duty and my reward is above in Heaven whither I most humbly beseech God of his infinite goodnes and never to be dispaired of mercie take my good King thee me and all men even the greatest sinners now on earth Whom though the greatest yet how often is God pleased to make of such the most glorious Saints when repenting their former wickedness then it is turn and live for ever you have the opportunity lay hold on it If any man now distrusts his own safety and forgiveness it is onely he that keeps close his sins or as Hypocrites seem onely to repent he that covers his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy of God and his King I fear you think me too long before I give you the reasons promised why plain Oliver Cromwell and no more in the over-ruled dictate of Prophesie when all others by their known Titles and Signiories I will onely shew you the Crown on the other side and there Proclaim my King as in Gods Prophesie commanded that done go on to let you read what follows more of my observe as also Gods disposing of Oliver Cromwell to the well liking of all good Subjects these worthy Gentlemen I hope now met in Parliament with them also assisting readily to the bringing in of his Majesty CHARLS STUART whose unquestionable the Crown is right When given unto him the joy of all good men the Protestant Religion then more gloriously conspicuous than ever as clearly appearing to bring forth good fruits not pretensions onely by which our Saviour lets us know we cannot judge and thus in the end as well as in the beginning you have C. S. and O. C. United This my so long and just defence you must forgive I know God hath put me upon it though thus late that his name may have the more glorie my self with you the better esteem and your selves the clearer satisfaction that I am sent of God with others to the Worlds happiness as his Prophet for this very imploy of my God my King whom God preserve Amen CHARLS the Second KING of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith KING of the whole world To this Charls the good and Charls the Great is Oliver Cromwell by God also Honoured to be General of all his Forces Long live my King and his Lieut. O. C. Amen Amen Yea let all the people say Amen BUt I am to give you what I promised why Oliver Cromwel and no more in the dictate of the Lords Prophesie when as all others have accompanying them their Titles and Seignories and further why I could not pen him by any other Title than the General of all the English Forces although I did upon the then writing of that Prophesie so much endeavour it yea I tried and varied it several times but could never do it forthwith when done was given me this for reason which indeed I have already given the General himself when I declared the whole to him as now to you the Reader The fountain of honour is Originally in God derivative in Kings not at all in the people for proof of this you have the written Word of God his most holy Scriptures confirmed to me further by God when the fire fell down from Heaven in that Vision all about my Beds feet and his messenger called me three times by my name Walter Gostelow also spake to me saying you well understand the Scriptures Kings are of God especialy yours from thence issues true honour not from the people for this reason is it in the Prophesie Oliver Cromwell and no more by him that ers not the Lord. See it is then true honour and worth having onely when conveyed in its right Channel otherwayes it is just as the Calf the people set up which wise-men know is not of God and therefore worship it not Sleep yet a little in Windsor Chappel my most glorious and immortal King for dead thou art not Garter Spur and Star yet lie still in your Beds of Honour untill your Son arise we see already his Aurora as plain as we did his day-Star at his birth so visible to us is his and all your resurrections Welcome my King welcome now for ever thou shalt set no more the day and year that brings
should not having the more sure word of God the Scriptures to rest on good counsel it was I agree all and the best to avoid delusion the Prophesie being the Lords I cannot have a dis-esteem of one word of that My Lord is not all I have said unto you agreeable to the word of God Is it not your duty to fear God Honour and obey your King to assist the rebuild of Gods House the restore of his Ministers and their maintenance not to side with those that are given to change to be in love with all men also with justice mercie and forgiveness to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness and then all other things less considerable unpursued shall be given unto you My Lord do this and live for ever happy Now because its possible this hath not been done by you certainly not by the Nation see God sends his Prophets unto both and that you may know they are his they bring nothing contrary to Scripture 't is true they come to you in a unwonted and seeming strange way the reason of that is this To persons of Honour or a people the Lord intends mercy too it hath been his accustomary manner of proceeding to such he sends his Prophets that they may repent and live and shall Gods mercy your own happiness and the Kingdoms welfare become our contempt your destructions if not harkned unto No God forbid do you as all others what I have advised too and be happy Nay you shall do it There is a Gentleman of known worth and Honour his name I will not Print his Paper I have with this Gentleman God hath sent me acquainted very lately my Lord this person of good accomplishments tells me of a Vision he had some time since and in it how he saw the King and your Lordship on one side of the water Moderators on the other debating upon the 39 Articles of the Church of England from Article to Article the word Protestant Religion was much insisted upon and discussed it was whether in so large a sence you intended it as to take in the Sectaries and disturbers of the peace of that Church and this Kingdom so to comprise all my Lord in fine there was so much said to his Majesty and such clear satisfaction given to your Lordship by such as sate as Moderators that it brought your Lordship to a most humble and thankfull submission and so bowing before his Majesty you came both into one Boat where the King kindly and with good affection imbraced you and so went away both together in good understanding That done this Gentleman heard the Bells generaly ring saw the bone-fires and great was the acclamations as well as the rejoycings of the people in the Land My Lord make all this good do you Proclaim as well as pray God save the King and then the people will pray and say God save the best of Subjects and the honourablest of Souldiers O. Cromwell Amen say I God preserve both The PROPHESIE and Message of ELNOR CHANNEL sent to the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell April 19. 1654. 1. PEace be to this House and Peace be to the whole Kingdom and the peace of God be with us for ever 2. The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath opened the mouth of the Dumb to speak for peace the Sword must be stayed the World draweth toward an end and the knots of peace and love must be made in all the Christian Lands 3. Sir You have taken upon you to be a Protector of your Lords Vineyard but he requireth that you should make the Hedges and the Walls of it which is peace and love and the true Gospel and that you Protect the Stuart to plant his Vine-yard 4. If a man fall into the hands of a Creditor if his Creditor be one of Christs servants he will not take body and goods if his Body payes the Debt his Heir shall have the Inheritance REader observe this ELNOR CHANNEL Arise Evans my self with others I have heard of all agreeing and sent unto Oliver Cromwell Protector upon this very imploy the rebuild of Gods House the return of his Ministers the restore of the King the Promote and declare of a General Peace through the Christian World the Conversion of the Jews the Protestant Religion more Glorious than ever with its fruits of peace and love amongst all men we I say whom God hath sent to promote and declare these things of his mercy for you coming to pass are all of the Protestant Religion the true Church of England no Papists no Schismaticks no abettors to any faction whatsoever yet as in duty bound we continue to pray for the Conversion of all them and more to the true Religion which Gods Word shews you as well as our Prophesies now tells you is the Protestant and shall be now more conspicuously glorious than ever The Defenders of which Faith is CHARLS STUART and Oliver Cromwell United AN ADMONITION to Covetuous and therefore miserable men WHat Compassion left the Christian World and fled into America Certainly the Gospel follows he hath said it that is the word of Truth whose Compassions fails not through the world that shall be preached happy America most happy Exchange hath thou made for thy Clay and Dirt the surface of that Earth is not so Barren Thorny Stony as our hearts which stick to thy Ore as to our All Thou wisely sents it from thee as a Servant to do thy will it 's unhappily become our Master whilest we neglect and contemne the onely Jewel to purchase which we should sell all this Gospel Teacheth better things than you formerly have either heard or we practised covetuous and miserable comforters are you all more than thirty of you in six Moneths solicitation not lend so much money as to Print this Book which I told you was so highly to Gods glory the Kings interest and the Worlds general good with the honour of the Protestant Religion to all which you pretend good affection but to promote any of them this ready answer no money would you borrow to set up Gods Kingdom he can do that without you our mony is to set up our own let him look to his we and you to our own callings I can value your Estates worth at least 150 thousand pounds your persons I cannot value at more than so many 0000000000 miserable men bring forth better fruits for the time to come know that mercy neglected leaves room for judgement follow me Reader and I will in the next place shew thee better Jews than these were therefore God sends them his Gospel to guide their feet in the wayes of his Commandments which are Compassion and loving kindness it is the mercifull that shall finde mercie Misers you are going out of the world also you shall shortly finde if your treasure be laid up in Heaven for there it perisheth not but I may not
CHARLS STUART AND OLIVER CROMVVEL UNITED Or Glad tidings of PEACE To all Christendom To the Jews and Heathen Conversion To the Church of Rome certain downfall The Irish not to be TRANSPLANTED Extraordinarily declared by God Almighty to the Publisher Walter Gostelow Psalm 85. vers 10. 13. Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other and shall set us in the way of his steps Printed for the Author 165â— OF GOD. C. R. RESTORED AND OLIVER CROMVVEL BLESSED READER TO Dedicate this Book to any other than to whom God Almighty hath directed it I dare not it is first to all you Christian Kings and Princess more especialy our own Charls Stuart and therein it shews you That when you govern best and most pleasing to the will of the Almighty whose Vice-Royes you are And of him made rulers on Earth for the general good you then live in a general Peace into which happy condition he hath now put you that his Temples may be rebuilded his Worship and his Ministers restored with what hath been stollen from both also your Subjects Gods people well educated in his houses by his Ministers sent in the wayes of Justice Peace and Holiness without which no man shall ever see the face of God to his comfort next it shews you that the so antiently beloved Seed of faithfull Abraham the Jews are now in his best times remembred and brought into the Faith of Christ our Lord the onely Son of God whom they Crucified the fulness of the Gentiles coming in with them also to the knowledge of his Gospel his that is the onely Shilo the onely Messia by the Heathen not yet heard of by the Jews hoped for he I say comes to both making himself known in such a manner as they expect not most strange wonderfully affording them his Vice-Roy Charls Stuart for their Defence Protection he professing that Gospel now to be Preached to the whole World against whose rule and Gospel none shall ever prosper that Rebels Disobeyeth or Schismatically riseth up therefore is the Church of Rome at this time sentenced to certain down-fall The Church of Rome shall fall The poor Irish whom wicked men would have transplanted upon the same principles as obdurate Pharoah would not let the children of Israel go covetuousness and hard-hartedness God doth continue in their own Land yea under his and their own Kingly Government also to the joy of their hearts That Nation being neither such a Bear as we misapprehended them nor their skin fit to be sold by us that did it before warrant is given from God to deliver it they shall not be transplanted God now shews us That wicked Rebellion was the design contrive of a few in that bloudy and ever Rebellious Church of Rome not the allowance of the Nation this also God shewed unto our now happy and glorious King in Heaven whilest good on Earth it is proved to you in his Letters taken at Naseby written to her Majesty My Heart you will finde the Irish with you Knaves they might deceive the one they could not deceive the other And since that how hath God fully cleared their Majesties as now the Nation from any allowance of that hideous Rebellion Own it Church of Rome it will match well with the Gun-powder Treason thou didst both as many others Thy Nuntio was in Ireland yet thou shalt fall Hath not God made his late Majesties abominating that wicked act clear as the day to be none of his ollowance you know or may That Sr. Phillemon O'neal upon his Trial at Dublin though pusillanimous and timed in all other things yet when he was to give an account from whence he had his Commission God sent him a courage gave him abilities to speak boldly and truely to Gods glorie the honour of the Protestant Religion and the Kings just Vindication he took Heaven and Earth to witness he had neither Commission from King or Queen for that Rebellion he affirmed that himself with others of the Roman stamp made them that he might play the best of his own Game it further appears in that Oath imposed on those he subdued to his own obedience These are things I have had from very good hands when my self at Dublin but that Traitor was executed a little before I came thither Now see what God doth who is the searcher of all hearts the King is in Heaven the Queen declared for Heaven the Nation not to be transplanted the contrivers and aspersers of both gone to their own home or truely discovered to us by the Lord who now throws down that wicked Church Well you shall now see we must all live together in brotherly love under Kingly Government also but you will say how can these things be considering what manner of Persons we have been this book will shew you It proceeds onely from the good pleasure and mercifull loving kindness of the Almighty The Lord hath made our Salvation not our destruction his glory when all we thy people O God had sinned beyond any help then O Lord thou sayest lo I come But after how wonderfull a manner and how certain our deliverance is read and know Actions salved up with a free forgiveness are as not done and as a bone once broken is much stronger after well setting so is love after reconcilement God forgives us our iniquities and in mercy restores us our King again who deals with us being guided of God as Joseph did with his brethren when onely of God made ruler in Egypt and had power to punish according to their demerit then he treats them kindly following the example of our Lord. He forgives all past injuries he loades them with good things he weeps over them when he tells them he is Joseph least they not seeing his heart might doubt of their forgiveness he drops Tears as Bloud from pitying eyes and heart they well knew what themselves had been to him unfaithfull brethren and it s not improbable when they saw themselves by God cast under his power and dispose they might fear tremble and expect the reward of so high demerit for the affronts they had put upon Joseph But least such fears should too much sadden their unquiet Souls he weeps over them more abundantly imbraceth them afresh gives them all they stood in need of and doth not so much as once remember them of the evil measure they had dealt him so allows them no ground at all to suspect their safety whose injuries he had fully forgiven Most happy Re-union meeting that sweetens more in its return than it imbitâ—ered in its absence Protection my book commands not craves under Oliver Cromwel Protector also his conformity thereunto yet I beseech both God hath now declared him to be beloved first in Heaven as you shall read then of his King CHARLS STUART and all good men on Earth the Almighty both deputed him to be highly instrumental for the bringing of
great and strange things to pass in this Kingdom and Christian World which God will make marvelous in our eyes As the promote of the Protestant Religion and Honour of his King I may not detain you longer nay I dare not from Gods word of Prophesie in this Book agreeable to his own in nothing contrary Proclaim it I must to all concerned and so I do though the unworthiest of my Lords servants a faithfull Communicator of his mercifull loving kindness I am commanded to be unto all the Sons and Subjects of the Protestant Church and Gods Vice-Roy on Earth CHARLS STUART To the Church of Rome and the Rebellious faithfull will I also shew my self that Church shall fall and no Rebellion ever prosper God hath said it and if it come not to pass put me to Death I may not for fear or favour be unfaithfull to my trust that is a sacriledge of the highest nature and therefore in spite of the Devil or danger I tell you wickedness shall not longer prosper on Earth Did not the ground open and swallow quick those first Rebels and Schismaticks Corah Dathan and Abyram and did not Absolons Mule in the midst whilst he was acting of his Rebellion go from under him leaving him hanging by the head Such shall no more prosper than their Church of Rome which shall fall good men shall be Honourable and rule but for the ungodly whilest I pray for their conversion I fear their confusion WALTER GOSTELO THE Protestant RELIGION more conspicuously glorious than ever the Defendors of that Faith CHARLES STEWART and OLIVER CROMVVEL United Sect. I. HAving past from Bristol the Seas and much foul weather in December 1652. I arrived at Cork Where I heard the sentence of death pronounced upon some 30 or more of the Irish Gentry and others for several Barbarous Murders by them committed The last that spoke from the Bench to those unhappy men after sentence of death read unto them was the Lord of Broghill Who well minded them that they were not proceeded against upon the accompt they shed our blouds either as we were English men or else because not of their Religion both unwarrantable We should not kill him we conceive out of the way but rather shew him the way to walk in 'T was murder justly condemned them to suffer not rash zeal with which God is not well pleased who would that all men should live and come to the knowledge of his truth But for the Murderer the Law of God was he should die for it So they suffered not as they were Irish or Roman Catholicks This I could not but observe passing the rather because it tended in that so mixt Assembly highly to the setting right the judgement as I conceive to the glorie of God And indeed the first I ever saw or heard pronounced from those new erected High-Courts of Justice Against which I have heard so many bitter Invectives that they were like Hell from whence is no returning There it was not so where I also saw many acquitted From thence my business commanded me to Youghill in March following A season more fit for travel and observance I removed from thence to Lismore 11 miles off cituate upon the Black-water A Seat very ancient and not a little eminent and honourable Where having well viewed the improvements and good contrivances of the late deceased Earl of Cork who had there purchased caused to bebuilt made many fair and commodious Seats governing in the well mannage of Affairs as born for the publick good for so he was communicable to the imploy of the poor to the improve of those Lands to the good example of others and to the honour of this Nation That had not War prevented and death put an end to his dayes both broken in upon us as a stream too violent to withstand those inundations of evil heightened by our sins and follies of all sorts the onely inlets of all Gods judgements upon us it might be presumed before this time it had in some measure risen again from the ashes which former Wars I conceive had buried it in A very fair strong built Scholehouse with Almes-houses on both sides of it that Earl lived to finish there And now I believe he really intended to re-build the Church So that like Him that was a man after Gods own heart in this he followed him that he loved the place where his Honour dwelleth And therefore he would so provide for it that in publick he might be worshipped and that youth might early be taught the wayes of godliness Thus being instrumental to well-accomplish them he might best serve God and his Nation in being communicably good to all the end for which we were born This observing I sometimes was prone to think That what he happily begun might in future time by his posterity and others be carried on to the making it what is to be desired and what it once was as informed an University So conveniently is it situate naturally affording the delights and good accommodations that may best commode serve and adorne an University As also that part of the Land in regard of its being well inhabited and remoteness from Dublin called for and stood much in need of the Church indowments being there and thereabouts full for incouragement and invitation fit to help on with so good and pious a work were not the possessors of those profits more lovers of themselves than lovers of God and his service Is it reasonable that our Fore-fathers certainly out of love and zeal 't is possible not misguided too should so largely give and endow for the Glorie Worship and Service of God Almighty and we who have more inlarged Fortunes should have more streitened hearts and more cruel hands Indeed onely strongly bent alwayes ready to pull down and by Thieving Sacriledge Covetousness which is the root of all evil make that ours which neither God Man or law ever meant should Nay they have all forbid it with a curse to the Robber which in the end will prove that Cursed Thing that will make us and our posterity most miserable A Cole from that Altar fires all our ill gotten nay other goods or else fits us and our Posterity for the slaughter which is the end of the ill-advised Into the remain of this Church of Lismore Thursday the 3 of March 1652. I came as well might for it had neither door to keep out the unclean beasts nor in it any thing becoming a House set apart for the worship and service of God Almighty as inform'd this Church had belonging to it 8 thousand pounds per Annum before the War Out of it I often hunted Beasts of several sorts which indeed by their dung recreating themselves in the ruins of it had help to make it with their fellows more like a Den of Thieves than a House of God This seeing I could not but lament and did there kneel down and supplicate God Almighty not
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
sung by the Quire on the Leads his Star then appearing I my self shewed it to very many hundreds if not thousands witness this So that the Heavens haveing now again demonstrated Him the Seas waiting on him the Earth flourishing under him what remains but that we get our selves into a readiness to receive so great a blessing from so good a God Whom in mercy he hath appointed over us as I firmly believe The Lord of Broghill I confess I advised never to right or draw sword against this King For the war of Ireland I now understood it better than formerly and therefore did believe that to his Lordship who was born there at Lismore too as I conceive and resided in that Kingdom the devices and subtleties of the Church of Rome in that Rebellion or since in the carrying on of that War were better known than to his late Majesty whose goodness by some was too too much abused seeing it not with his own eyes but hearing it by others misrepresented His Lordship who had that great advantage as to be amongst them himself which was denied his late Majesty did see that his Unholiness of Rome had onely a modest design to suppress the Protestant Religion and cheat the King of that Kingdom that he might the better be soon usurper of all the rest This I now firmly believe was the ground of the Lord of Broghills fighting in that Kingdom So never at all against the King but for him And I do the rather believe this because I never had any Commission or desire to treat him other than with all respect as a person of Honour that had great and good accomplishments For I told him that day before I went out of his presence that I believed he never was against the King Further I never had desire to apply my self to any man in that Kingdom but his good self And see now as you shall anon how God honoureth that Man above all the sword-men in that Kingdō as Oliver Cromwel only of the sword-men the most in the Kingdō of England And more than to these two onely did I never apply my self sent of Heaven to these so glorious Saints first on Earth that they may be most glorious ones hereafter in Heaven But thou Church of Rome shalt fall as anon I shall shew you God will down with thee These two Persons of Honour have and shall the most of any two Subjects in the world help down with her I had all most forgot my then last observe to his Lordship A material on it is that although every man stood up bowed and Worshipped God following the Crown and with one consent crying out O Lord we praise thee for this Crown is of Heaven come we will follow and obey it yet I say this of all people wherein no one man dissented did not seem for number to exceed four or five hundred persons which occasioned from me then this observe to his Lordship That I feared our sins and the punishment for sin would almost lay waste our Land we having so highly provoked the Lord by our too much delighted in iniquities and rebellions of all sorts which we had just ground to bewail least they consumed us But truely since I have better hopes nay firmly believe I do that if we would turn to God with all our hearts and do the things here God adviseth to by me his unworthy servant in much mercy sent unto you that you might repent finde deliverance and so live abundantly happy this number of men which as I former observed past for the whole people in the Land of which none dissented I now hope and pray will most happily prove to be that number of men which represent the whole people of the Land and yet exceed not 4 or 5 hundred persons now of this Parliament to which purpose I beseech every good mans prayers and every bad mans amendment of life and for dissenting persons in that body believe as I do there will not be found one or not one to hurt us Who can be unhappy when all agree to fear God and honour their King keeping the commandments of the one the wholesom and well constituted Laws of the other in which doing there cannot but be happiness here and ever hereafter into which good old way of thine and ours good Lord be pleased to set us that we may be certainly blest our feet being then found in the way of thy steps Thus ended all I then observed and to my Lodging I retired to the Widdow Marricks house in Youghall SECT III. VEry few dayes past but by accidental rancounter I met and fell into discourse with a Gentleman who had commanded formerly a Troup of Horse in the Parliament service we argued and to this we came whether Kings were made so originally of God or the people the latter he held I the former which I proved to him out of the Word of God that first the Choice next the Anointing of them was of God onely and his Prophets sent by his command as in Saul David and others so not at all in the people 'T is true the people were all along commanded to pray for them and to obey them when thus set up by God So we ended the discourse and quietly parted Some four dayes after one Sunday morning as I best remember having lain most of that night in Meditation Prayer about day I did see sitting at my beds foot behinde the curtain a Man sent of God whilest He continued there sitting there fell a Showre of Fire thick and in drops like Rain all about my beds foot Full in my eye was the Spirit there sitting and the fire falling down Awake I conceive my self to have been for at that very time I called to minde the Fire that came down from Heaven upon the heads of the Apostles to their inablement Anon the Spirit called me by my name Walter Gostellow I indeavoured to reply did open my mouth tried twice but my tongue doubled in my mouth and I could not bring forth my words or speak He called me the second time by my name Walte Gostellow I indeavoured the second reply but my tongue doubled as formerly and I could not speak He called me the third time by my name Walter Gostellow to which I then answered Here I am he asked and said unto me Did you see the fire come down from Heaven as a shore of Rain I replied Yes I did he then strook by the Curtain looked me full in the face so I him He wept and said unto me you do well interpret Scripture clearly referring as I believe to this That the Choice of Kings this of ours especially is onely in God and not at all in the people This over I wrote to the Lord of Broghill that nights Vision for other I cannot call it besought his Lordship that once more he would be pleased to admit me before him there and then to be present also some
Death or otherwise of undoing them And what to do I pray but to commit Idolatry that those ye prefer may set up Imaginations of their own and you as they worship that Calf But you will say This is no Idolatry if so then let it go for Idiotrey and that hath but one Letter difference pray let it go for both as being guilty of both Those Calfs you set up after them you low and run but continue to neglect Gods Ministers whom you will neither hear nor prefer lest you should be converted and so become poor What out of love would you have us with that seeming righteousness zeal and godly party which to be of will certainly prefer us No bewitcht we are with it and for these reasons will be of no other judgement It is you that talk foolishly we profitably And this kinde of Idolatry in all ages hath caused Gods wrath to continue even against his own people How long did these disobediencies keep them from entering into the promised Land which indeed was so near them as we may truely say even at hand Moses goeth but up to the Mount to converse with God the people mutiny and will have him no more govern as King And for Priest and Prophet why not others as well as those God onely had set over them seeing they took too much upon them What is the event of this madness up goes a Calf presently worship it they will they will have Governours and Teachers of their own making as well as a God which shall not take so much upon them yet ruled they will be too but it shall be by themselves Tell not us say they of Gods Mission of your Prophets or Ministers onely we know better he that can do all without book learning or reason then he is sent if so gifted if we like him also it is good warrant Thus your contempt neglect and persecution of those men who undoubtedly would teach you from Heaven and better things than you either hear or practice on earth is another good reason in all ages it hath gone for a good one And yet one of your little ones must not be offended but if he cries and bawls for the life and estate of the most considerable in the Kingdom to please it must be given him or them Babes of Grace for you say the fat of the earth is for you the seeming Saints But you shall finde and know too anon God will do something for the thus persecuted but penitent Sinners Turn you turn you you great Hypocrites and you shall see these things come to pass in a short time And therefore gave I that Text to that worthy Doctor Mollines to let you all see that he which covers his sins shall not prosper but who confesseth and forsakes them shall find mercy and there is the reason It is true that good man Mr. Evans goes on to tell you one fault more an error it may be I think it is I am sure it makes way for a great one in giving the year its beginning from the Conception which should take it from the Birth of our Lord. And because you may fill the world with confusion you keep no day for the Commemoration of that neither which helps to make that ever to be observed good day no otherwise apparent than your charity whose right hand never yet knew what the left did But you trouble me and I long to be rid of you Are not these reasons if you have any for the wise delay of Gods mercies and restore of our so much desired King who if he comes not yet years months of which opinion I am not yet I will wait and believe for God hath said it He whom you have persecuted shall shortly come and that in Honour too and because he sowed in tears he shall reap in joy and bring his sheaves with him Oh! could I but perswade every man that reads me or hears of what the Lord is in mercy doing for these Kingdoms the King and Protestant Religion but to turn to him with all his heart and Soul for that is the taking way in new obedience and to leave no sin unrepented of and no commandment unconform'd unto in sincerity of heart and true obedience you would then All see that suddenly come to pass and be fulfilled in your dayes and eyes which I do as truely believe will come to pass and I shall see it nay I do already and enjoy it also as I do believe the Heavens to be over my head and the Earth under my feet Which if it fail I am content that you take me and put me to death These Reasons given for its Defer I am brought from what I had of Vision or my own Dictates to that which is most certainly Prophesie and the word of the Lord. Which although spoken out of my mouth by my tongue pronounced yet the matter no more my conceptions than I now dictate or write unto you the words or thoughts of the most Remote King or Emperour in the World for I never so much as had things of that nature in my minde Hear the manner and the matter they are both of the Lord To whom be given for ever Honour Praise Glorie Obedience and Thanksgiving Amen O Lord Amen And now before I proceed give me leave to tell you that this Fryday the 5 of August is come to my observe this of Jeremiah the 23 Chap. and the 28 vers The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord. O Lord this being thy command I will obey thee So help me God for now I come to thy own words SECT IV. SOme three dayes after I returned the second time from the Lord of Broghills to my Lodging the Widdow Merricks house in Youghal upon the 3 or 4 of January 1653. lying there in bed and having spent most part of that night in Meditation and Prayer rejoycings weepings for of that nature were my weepings the fullest of joy imaginable that indeed I often conceived not feared I might sooner die of an over-joy than any grief In that night I say from lying in my bed I was upon a sudden taken up that is to say made to sit up somewhat bowing and when so I did then with a loud voice somewhat altered from my ordinary speaking pronounce these words which words I say are the words of the Lord of Hosts God Almighty are these There is an end of all the Wars in the Christian World The Jews shall come in also the Heathen and shall be converted to the true Religion The Church of Rome shall fall The Irish shall not be transplanted This said I was laid down and wondring with my self that I should be thus taken up made to speak what I knew I uttered yet not have any of those thoughts or conceptions in my
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
the penning of my Prophesie to do so in the Church I should never have done it but then and there wrote I could no more decline doing it than I can now to pray for all men even his and my own Enemies No they are the Commands of God which carry me on and not to conform to them I neither can chuse or dare omit SECT V. THis very morning being now the 7 day of September 1654. was I a second time rouzed and called early from my bed by a great Crack or Canon to rise and go to work to bring forth this my Book to the World in it concerned defer it I dare not though I have been by some Ministers but most of all by my other seeming Friends my Wife and Children crying to me also not to publish it all men I have yet sent to and all means hitherto failing me for money to get it out Nay I have lain these 20 dayes the most troubled and disconsolate imaginable for want of money to go on with it Tried all I know almost would have pawned what I had left that I might raise money to do it am refused by all men hitherto I know out I would have had it come before the Parliament assembled as believing it would highly dispose them to serve God their King and Country so invite the Lord to send deliverance and heal our Land But I see in this as in all other of Gods proceedings I must pray to him depend upon him abide his good pleasure his own time is the best so is his way also he will do his work himself It may be he is pleased to see what good effect the Sermon Mr. Thomas Goodwin gave them on Munday last will operate and have upon those Gentlemen as also what the Protector did after communicate unto them At the Sermon I was I heard all in particular how he well advised to turn from all sin that God would be pleased to return to us and that they those now worthy Gentlemen called of Gods goodness as I believe for the healing of our grievances For as Mr. Goodwin observed there was election of persons for works sometimes by the Lord as well as to grace and glory David might intend to build Gods House but Solomon shall You see my main rise of all this Book and unparalel'd Prophesie begins there as that Gentleman did adviseth the rebuild of his House the restore of his Ministers the giving them for maintenance what God hath given and to every man his just interest and then see how be establisheth the Land the Kings Throne which Kings Throne I wish he had fuller pressed he hath done it in some other works of his where he hath observed that the House of King Solomon was established as Davids when they thought of so did build up the house of God But he is wise he leaves that work for the Protector if he doth not know it I do he shall help to builde Gods House and bring in his King too and that will establish his own house also the most Honourable of a Subject in the World or else put me to death if this come not to pass He went on he advised them to keep us from falling into or returning to the Red-sea of bloud which we as the Israelites had passed through Let him now take the comfort of my Book and this Prophesie of the Lord Almighties as I had of his Sermon in many good observances There is an end of all the Wars in the Christian World and I hear since that Oliver Cromwel did that day tell you at a conference he was ready as a fellow-worker to carry on the work of the Lord and would do so See now to what purpose my Gun hath wakened me this morning to call you all to your duty us to pray for you that you forthwith fall to it and work as men whom God hath highly honoured and now called to be the restorers of our Religion Peace the Honour of our Nation and our King who because the best in the World God having made him so for our good happiness Bring him presently that our rejoycing be not deferr'd nor the World kept from coming into the then so gloriously professed Protestant Religion and under his so happy Goverment to which all Christendom Jews and Heathens are to conform also in Gods time which I beseech him for his name and mercy sake be pleased O Lord to hasten Now Turks and Infidels look to your selves our King is CHARLS STUART the General of all our Forces is Oliver Cromwell both the so dearly beloved of the Lord of Hosts against whose sword put into their hands as Gods Vice-Roy and his Lieutenant none drawn on Earth shall ever prevail O Lord thou hast wakened me and I will do my duty this shall now come in that formerly was not and my Book shall out in Print to the World concerned if I go naked for thou knowest O Lord it had been out before now if I had had either money to have done it credit or goods to have borrowed money on At home I continue discontented enjoy nothing because it is not published fear I do that it 's not coming out time enough the major part in Parliament will be wanting to their duty they not yet understanding what God will have done were my Book but once read by those Members for whom with Oliver Cromwell I first intended it I then should fear no Votes in Parliament contrary to Gods glory and the Kings just interest with a Parliament for divide them I can not In what a troubled condition I am at home I have shewed you opposed and deserted by all unable to effect any thing of my self See now how God works for me and carries on his own work for his own glory as assured me he would that it may be marvelous in my eyes as well as yours For to pass it must come that 's the seal of my Commission the time and way is his own secret What doth the Lord now do my self being at loss Upon the 12 of September to my unpararel comfort Oliver Cromwell doth this work of the Lords it is possible too when he intends onely to establish himself The Lord often makes us to be most highly instrumental to bring his good pleasure to pass when sinfully we may intend onely the carrying on of our own unwarrantable proud and ambitious end I know not but it was so here with him and no otherwayes but I do know that in the end thou Oliver Cromwel shalt delight to do the will of thy God and thy King in the first place also not minding thy self before thy duty performed to them in which doing thou canst not fail of being abundantly happy otherways disquieted and miserable beyond all compare The 12 of September the House door that 's shut up out go all you or the most of you whose froward principal of Presbytery or other call it what you
will is not clear for the glory of God and Honour of his King but our Sovereign CHARLES STUART whose power unquestionable right with Parliament Oliver Cromwell takes into his own hand suffers it not to come into yours onely he remembers very well when you formerly forced it from the King into a Parliament onely where God and our Laws had never placed it How you abused it Though your pretentions Oaths and Votes at the first were high deep and many to the contrary all that you might not be distrusted his person and his honour also you would preserve yet see misimployed this Militia you did and turned it was to the destruction of his person honour the last you first wounded him in that you might the better kill him in his body done it was to the perpetual shame of them that did it profess you what you will for Religion Presbytery Anabaptism Independency or any thing that is unwarrantable distinctions multiplied with your Novelties and successes Truely my charitie leads me to believe there were some Gentlemen refused to settle the Militia in the hands of Oliver Cromwell that it might the sooner return into those hands which their consciences are now troubled that they ever forst it from which unhappie Act I am of opinion first set us together by the ears most hastened and so enabled the Contrivers of that unnatural War which the Lord in mercie hath now put an end to If such another Vote engage us not afresh from returning to which Red sea of Bloud good Lord deliver us as Mr. Thomas Goodwin preached advised and prayed But this Militia is now safe where it should be in the hands and power of the best Subject Oliver Cromwell for the warrantable interest of the best of Kings his Master Charls Stuart See how the ways of God are past finding out O Lord never any man lost by referring all to thy good time and best way I do not in the least doubt thee Oliver Cromwell I know God hath or will fit thee for the work who onely hath thus directed and over-ruled that his name may have the glorie and thy person the greater honor forsaking all on earth for the command of heaven The interest in the Militia is a Crown-Jewel which God will have thee O Cromwell not suffer to be divided from the Crown but give it to the supply and making of a better than that which bad men have by violence taken and shared amongst the Self-deniers as they call themselves But thou Oliver Cromwell wilt prove thy self one they onely promised to do what thou canst not but do make him a Glorious King for by thy means God will have it so Distrust him not you Members yet dissenting who have a clear mind to do the work of the Lord. Obey God and your King with him Gods Word and the known Laws of the Land will best direct in both Comply with Oliver Cromwell he is for the service of God and his duty to his Kings just interest with a Parliament you understand not how highly God will make him subservient to both My Book is coming to you to let you know how much we are mistaken in him and how transcendently much we are for ever obliged to our mercifull God whose work this is alone to the amazement of the World both for time and manner his goodness making it marvelous in our eyes I could not sleep the night of that active day the instrument for subscription was presented God keeping me waking to his glory and my own content for as his Gun and Call hath set me to work at other times so here I rose and wrote this Letter to Oliver Cromwell the very next morning because but short I here give it you that you may see my actions are all above-bord and that this work on Earth comes from above in Heaven to pass it must come God will have it so Sr. Yesterdays actings last nights wakings and this day God directing hath set these words upon this paper for your Lordships observe Prudence it is not to trust the Militia in those hands who after they had forced it from whence God Almighty had placed it whatsoever they pretended used it to the distroying of him Sir you are not of these bad men beloved neither is there clear thoughts in all of them to do good some are not fit to be trusted Pray God amend them all Sr. Part with nothing out of your own power that is or may be mis-inployed hurt the Church of God or Regal rule You are of Heaven directed doubt it not in the least to be highly sub-servant to both have courage Sir fear not the least I know you are hated and not understood by the most who would destroy you Sr. I had a Book ready to publish 20 dayes or more before the Parliament opened the highest imaginable for your advantage and effecting what God will have done by the turning of good men to comply with you in all things and not to fear any ill because God is on your side Sr. All my friends have abandoned me and money I could not get to Print it most men conceiving this Parliament would ruin you so hang me if I sided with you Thus deserted and opposed by all I could not get it out but I see God works for me when man opposeth so doth he for you Go on Sir you are blest of Heaven Your most faithfullest W. Gostelow Septemb. 13. 1654. This Letter I sent to that hand I have sent divers others which I know are delivered to his Lordship so sure as God is in Heaven my Commission is from thence and that the effect will shew you all from thence deputed I am And now you Honourable Members of this Parliament who may if you will readily apply your selves to be good just mercifull and wise live the Honour of our Nation the beloved of God of our King and of all good men your selves may have the Honour to be such a Parliament so wise so just so well constituted so for ever renowned as those will be if you should be wanting to your devoirs which is the applying of your selves to the extirpation of all villany and the giving to every men his just interest to which ends we have chosen you and should all pray that God would so of his mercy inable you by such a Parliamēt our already glorified King adviseth in his last words our now so abundantly happy Soveraign his Son ever to be ruled by for Parliaments so principled would readily apply themselves to give the King his just rights as truely as they would to every subject theirs which doing King people and Kingdom could not be other than mutually happy and blest living in rules of Justice and loving kindness the strongest hold-fasts And now this thy Call O Lord and workings when my self at my wits end is like that afforded me of bring thy Papers and come away A deliverance it is
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
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
World whatsoever God would be pleased to make me and that I may be so ever found the most humble lowly penitent just wise mercifull meek patient faithfull servant of our Lord and God and King my Master O Lord I love thy House Worship and Service and place were thy Honour dwels be it in thy Temple or in man that delights to do thy will which is to fear God honour the King I am unworthy O Lord yea O Lord I am unworthy and altogether unfit but thy wayes O God are past finding out who dares assume the name of a Prophet not I O Lord let me rather from my Soul chuse to die than live a false one which is to be a Son of Belial and accursed for ever But doth it not manifestly appear a delation having then also said my Sons Fathers Father was a Prophet to this I am yet a debtor to say what I can My Father Mr. Richard Gostelow lived and died where I was born in Prescot-house a place antiently known in my memory it had groves and good walks about it some religious house I conceive it to have been an Altar and Chappel I have known in it the Parrish is Croppredy in Oxford shire scituate some three miles from Bambury My Elder brother bearing his name now lives in it but truly I never knew my Father to have any the least repute to be a Prophet a very general repute he had to be an honest just and charitable man so had also his three brothers which I well knew but seeing the glory of God and my own reputation is to be spoken too and my self necessitated to defend both in all possible I can Give me leave to present you in what things he was like a Prophet and this the Countrey well knew of him He was a lover of Gods house Worship and Ministers further he married a second Wife with whom he had a very considerable estate when himself in debt her estate he imployed and put out in his own name yet most justly gave her the procedes of it and when he dyed left her near four times as much as he left to all his children which were then nine yet she had no childe by her former husband nor him hardly any kindred had she known to my Father this he did in good conscience I will next shew you how he was mercifull and patient remitting very high injuries and bearing his Cross It falls out often that the richest Wives are not the best I have heard him traduced reproached contumeliously used and more of such dirt thrown at him from a person that of all others should not have done it in wisdom or duty Yet he hath born it not provoking again Nay at that very time he hath taken me apart and commanded me to pray for that very party always to be obedient to her in good observance of her telling me it was the Cross God had sent him and his duty it was to make the best use of it though others curse yet let us bless and pray next he was eminently known to be charitable and full of compassion to the poor he often gave flesh bread and corn his man I know he sent amongst them to distribute mony several times me he hath sent also in one hand a note to whom to give in the other hand a purse of money to one a shilling to others more to some two as he judged their necessity distributing at good times as Christmas others bountifully But what is all this to a Prophet I will come a little nearer often it fell out that the continual dropping within dores drove him to seek his quiet without dores and when gotten into his private walks he would pray and weep long also as well as frequently would he do thus I but what is this to prove him a Prophet I will come a little nearer to you as he came nearer his end A mild slow way of dying he had in which gentle sickness he wept much but withal declared himself it was not that he was affraid to dye his tears were occasioned by the over-joy he had that he was going to so wholy a God to so mercifull a Jesus to such blessed company and to so glorious a place all this told me and you proves him not a Prophet which I have pronounced him I am coming a little nearer to you my self Prentise at London when he was thus drawing towards his end he was pleased to send me a little money with it a letter having a great deal of good counsel in it well minding me of my condition as a servant remembering me of the duty I owed to God next to my master and charged me not to be wanting in the performance to either but with all faithfullness to apply my self willingly to discharge it this indeed speaks him a Wise and good Father and a childe of God but not a Prophet In this my last observe to you I come nearest may come home at last that his letter written with his own hand directed to my self I have bearing date 1620 in the end of it he doth pronounce me blessed and happy first hear on earth in Heaven abundantly so it reads something like the great blessings that befell Joseph when ruler in Egypt under his King and Master who is there mentioned by him for my imitation whilst a servant for my consolation after in that letter of my Fathers there is too much Honour for a Son of my demerit both to God and him whose commands I have not conformed too at all as I ought to pass I say it may come and that will prove him to all a Prophet but if it do not O Lord thou ever rallest me to say so let not man I beseech thee lay this to my charge to speak me herein also further proud 't is for truth sake and the Worlds satisfaction if I can that I write this in his praise not for vain and foolish ostentation you see five leaves of the book was printed all material things of high concernment there spoken and quite finished my self not minded but forasmuch as in what I wrote my self presently after Gods pronounced Prophesie wherein I say I was over-ruled There are also things referring to my self and posterity I am unworthy of I shall therefore reserve that as judging it fittest to shew privately to my King when time best serves his most excellent Majesty being upon his Throne and now seeing God hath so over-ruled brought about this published honour to my deceased Father which I never in the least thus intended as here happily necessitated give me leave to reminde you that in the book you shall read when I was awake and at the end of Broad-street seeing the Heavens open and my Saviour upon the Throne I did there see my Father Richard Gostelow amongst the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles waiting upon that Throne and this is no new invented thing made by me now
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
you you would never confess your selves guilty but God sees it and forgives it too with him there is mercie if you confess and forsake your sins making all possible amends and for the time to come all your dayes walk before him in a holy obedience to this end he in mercie hath sent me to you that you might truely repent and live My next observe is the Church of Rome shall fall a Church you see she is so I ever believed her to be once a pure one in whose Churches often both in France and Spain many a good instructive Sermon to amendment of life I have heard and truely in their Churches also I have often performed I hope acceptable Devotions beseeching God that when the people came into those Churches to pray and to learn that they might go forth do and practise for the time to come better things to which end I believe our pious Fore-fathers built them pray and beseech we should for the people there assembled that God then would be pleased to hear in Heaven also send thither to officiate such Pastors and Teachers as might be most agreeable to his holy Word so more to Gods glorie and the peoples good that the people might not longer be deluded by those jugling villains which make merchandize of the Kingdom of heaven and hold the people in sinfull ignorance turning almost all their practises and miscalled Devotions into finenesses crafty frauds to inrich themselves by just one with our late temporizers are those Jesuits such a stall do they both make of the Pulpit from thence teaching damnable Doctrines contrary to the word of God calling evil good and good evil one of whose Tenents is the depose of Kings yea killing them too if they rule not according to their fancies is 't not pity the Kings of the Earth should allow either of you residence in any of their Territories fire brands you are whose damnable Tenents are so declared contrary to the King of Heavens in this I couple you together Rebels both Jesuits and Sectaries I would I could exempt the Presbyterian the froward and worst are not guiltless our late King was in the right when he advised our now Soveraign his Son not to have a prejudice against the Protestant Religion in regard of the ill measure dealt to him his Father assure your Majesty he doth it was by such done who were no true Sons of that Church the Church of England abhord as the Church of God should do all such damnable practices and wicked Tenents See here again my King was not your glorified Father a light of Heaven shining in a dark place as in the midst of a wicked and froward generation to keep your feet judgment in the way of Gods Commandments Behold now the goodness of God in letting the world see that the Protestant Religion taught no such corrupt Doctrine neither were the major part of the people of England so ill principled I have heard and from a good hand also that the reformed Churches of France did upon that Act of cuting off the King assembled their Doctors and Pastors who declared and Printed to the World as a Gentleman of Rochel of good account assured me that the word of God warranted so such damnable proceedings in Subjects and for their Reformed Church of France as the true Church of England they neither taught nor allowed any such Doctrine of Devils or practises of wicked men Behold I say how God hath freed this his Church from that asperse and this our Nation from that dishonour the lesser and inconfiderable number never yet included the greater and the wiser it was well observed by Mounsiour Causabon a learned and Honourable Father of the Church of France by King James he was invited hither and rests Honourably interred in West-minster Abby That it was the violence of the Church of Rome not our choice that hath excluded us because we could not love her errors she hath ejected our persons These are those wicked ones that had rather rend the Church than want their wills who can be content to sacrifice truth peace millions of souls Kings and all to their own ambition and covetuousness one of which sins alone is the root of all evil what is it then with the rest of their rabbel but I may not aggravate where God hath pardoned if we repent and bring forth better fruits This also was prophesied that their seditions and madness would at once be the scandal of the true Church of God and give advantages to the false which is the Church of Rome know you not that I speak truth Well down they must both fellow-workers of iniquity Sectaries and Church of Rome a Church you see she is call'd though adulterous and Idolatrous we read the Lord calls the people of Israel so guilty yet his people and you my people Israel when at the same time he sends his Prophets to let them know that for these very sins his punishments were hastening to come upon them yea to lay them waste and cast them out of the land as those rebellious Israelies his people so that of Rome a Church Thus we allow the greatest robber to be a true man though a notorious Thief much the better this keeps him not from the gallows to which a true man comes not but to look on and be premonished by so sad a spectacle here me thinks we might be reconciled take now the best of all sides something good in all hold it fast put that together and you have the onely true Church against which you see the gates of Hell shall never prevail and because of the strength and yet power of that Church of Rome we cannot take away the Hay and stubble and mistempered morter her Babel-builders have raised her to this height with that her confusion as her fall may be the greater the Lord himself comes to do the work down they must and this Church of Rome shall fall he hath said it But see the loving kindness of the Lord extended to the Sons of men and to that Church also in that he tells them not onely of her fall but whither they shall repair for safety even under his wings into his Church and to the Obedience of his King CHARLS STUART by the Lord now declared Defender of the Faith Here 's a visibility and Church the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against also a rule given and a sword put into the hands of the General of all his Forces Oliver Cromwell by name against whose rule and sword never shall any prosper that riseth up or is drawn first proved in Gods word for the defence of his Church now also by this his Prophesie and immediate dictate from Heaven Well what is to be done forthwith turn to this so mercifull Lord your God withall your hearts proclaim a fast and keep it truely and let us know when you do it that we may pray together God would be pleased to
as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ and he that thus believeth on him shall not be confounded this stone which the builders disallowed you Jews the same stone is made the head of the corner Converted to him you shall be therefore look about you your time is at hand ye are a chosen generation a royal Priest-hood an holy Nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light So that with the fulness of Gentiles now coming in you make perfect that building which himself the living corner stone holds together This observe you have in the 1 of Peter the 2 Chapter from the 4 to the 10 verse in that Testament is the fulfill of all your Prophesies of him that was to come Shilo already come look I say on that his word and know him look not for Him as a Temporal King Next Sir for your further good make your applications to CHARLS STUART Charls the Second Gods Vice Roy on Earth who sitting in Parliament makes then the Supream Court of England before not so rightly called thus Charls is your and our King blest and happy for ever by God and him you may not doubt to be freed ere long from the many unsupportable pressures sufferings your Antony Montezinus truely tells you and us are imposed upon you in America and yet endured by your brethren the Jews from the cruel hands swords and tongues of those proud idolatrous high minded and puft up Nation the Spaniards constraining the Roman Religion which Church of Rome shall fall God hath said it and that Nation shall not long Tyrannize over you nor those poor Indians there if this come not to pass put me to death your deliverance is not far off Sir we have an Earthly King for your comfort that will shew you in his professed Protestant Religion the wayes of truth which you and all are commanded to walk in that you may at the last to your comfort also know and see him the King of glory Jesus Christ our Lord that is above in Heaven which Heavens must contain him untill his second coming whose appearance or making of himself known to you for your conversion I hope nay I believe is at hand I beseech God open your eyes that you may see him though you have stopt your ears as being not willing to hear his Gospel charm he never so sweetly Sir you are sure of my readiness to serve you in all I can to God first praying for you next in my true endeavours for you and your Nation to this my King CHARLS STUART Gods Vice-Roy on Earth that whilest you live in this World you may be favoured and defended of his goodness and power by his so victorious happy and prosperous Lieutenant General of all his Forces Oliver Cromwel Lastly Sir when your bodies shall go the way of all flesh my prayers have been are and shall be that your Souls may go the way of all Saints and so all of you sit down and keep a perpetual Sabbath of rest with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven to which Kingdom God of his infinite mercie bring all of you and us Sir I doubt not to prevail with that worthy Gentleman which translated your book Mr. Moses Wall to translate this my Letter into a language fitter for your observe your accomplishments speak you skilled in Arts and Tongues my self bread to Trade and Negotiation Sir I beseech Almighty God to improve all your studies to his glory and your brethrens good Such is the most affectionate harty prayers of your undoubted friends and servants of this Nation as also more particularly Sir Your for ever to command W. GOSTELO To the worthy Persons of Honour now being or to be in PARLIAMENT with the PROTECTOR GEntlemen this Book hath told you what God will certainly do for this Church King and people yea he will do it I have told you in some measure what you ought to do Gods word a good conscience and the known Laws of the Land will best guide you If not all observed to you return you into those wayes from which late Parliaments pretenders to Reformation have deviated When the Prophet which God sent upon his imploy to wicked Jeroboam who indeed as all wicked Governours when named is remembred to posterity he that made Israel to sin when this Prophet went out of his way back again with that false one that had seduced him to eat and make provision for the flesh as you may read in the first of the Kings and 3 Chapter what doth the Lord do to that disobedient man sent to them for reformation he commands a Lion to meet him and kill him the Lion doth so after stands by him justifies the doing of it being commissioned of God so obeyes God in all things â—he preyes not upon the body he devours him not though a disobedient Prophet Gentlemen you have now to deal with great offenders and presumptuous wickednesses I believe you are sent of God be not you afraid of any Vice seasonably checked pulls in the head and seeks rather a hideing place than a Fort he fears every thing that fears not God he that fears God fears not man at all when disobedient to his Lord King and Maker Worthies be you bold as this Lion sent of God you have a Lion for your leader sent of God also Oliver Cromwel for the punishment of evil doers follow him do you as he adviseth God hath commissioned him he must act boldly justly and yet mercifully Gods will in all things must be done Rebellion Schism and Villeny must be extirpated and left dead not stir again I know you are too good to fall upon any man in unjust wayes for his Estates sakes this Lion did not so he eat him not declare you your selves that none disobedient shall escape or go unpunished be an enemie to all vice no mans person the evil doer will vomit our his surfeits rather than die Those boasts if you closely pursue them will do as that I have heard of but now remember not his name bie of his precious stones rather than loose himself This will make the best amends to injured men and give offenders the opportunity of amending also having taken from them their money which is the root of all evil give to every man his just interest whether in Church or State take heed of foolish pity it marrs a Citie I have heard that the yet Bishop of London Wells B. B. now great and rich complaining of the active School-boyes for throwing stones and breaking the windows of one or both those Cathedral Churches an innocent and bold boy readily replied Sir had your care been as great to remove the small stones as it was to dispose of and remove the great ones with other
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