To his excellency the LORD GENERAL CROMWELL, and his Honourable council of the Army at Whitehall. The Petition of ARISE EVANS, living in Black friars, desireth in God's glories behalf, the kingdom's behalf, your honour's behalf, and on the whole world's behalf: That you would with your Most serious thoughts consider these few lines following. Humbly showing, THat the Petitioner, having the knowledge of God's secret Counsel, being called thereto, hath declared it freely to all, these 19 years, as you may see in his book called [AVoice from Heaven,] Written in the year 1651. and directed to the commonwealth of England: And also further the preparation of God in him to the same purpose from his nativity to this time: And the effects thereof you have also in his book called [An echo to the voice from Heaven,] Written in 1652 In which books is sufficiently showed God's determination by the actions God hath done, in fullfilling the words of your Petitioner, from the date of the said books to this time, & you may conclude God will fulfil the remainder thereof, so that, as sure as the Parliament is dissolved, so sure shall the King come to his Throne. As it is sufficiently proved in the aforesaid books: And indeed if your Honours look into your Petitioners works, and seriously read his books, you shall find that he would not turn water into blood, or smite the Earth with a Curse, Rev. 11.6. as it hath already been done by these unnatural Civil Wars, but rather would turn blood into water, and water into wine, to cherish the heart of the sorrowful: And that the waters and tears of Repentance might wash away the guilt of blood, and become wine of consolation to this Nation, in their Union with their KING. Without which conjunction to their Native and right KING, there is no hopes of peace, certainty, and safety to this Nation. Most Noble Worthies, whose actions are glorious, though yet imperfect, the great Mountain Parliament is become a plain before you: Next in order the KING is to be exalted, signified by the headstone, as you see Zachar. 4.7. Crown all your actions by setting him up, and be glorious for ever: for I am sure, if you speedily proclaim him KING, you will glorifle God thereby, and save an Ocean of English blood from being spilled, and have such conditions of perfect peace from GOD and the KING, that you and your seed may be his glorious Nobles for ever: And therefore, because time is short, use your Jewel for the best advantage, while you have it, lest you lose it, as the said Parliament did, for want of using it aright, according to the Petitioners instructions. The Petitioner doth humbly desire your Honours, to set up the KING upon his Throne, (Charles Stewart by Name.) Do this and live for ever, 1 Joh. 2.17. John 11.26. He Humbly desires you also to read these said books. May 16.1653. presented And your Petitioner shall ever pray, &c. I Did not think to put this Petition into print so suddenly, but that I find the general spirit of the Nations, and men of all sorts of judgements exceedingly disquieted, as not knowing what to do at this time, but crying to me, as if they expected that God will do some great things by me for the settlement and peace of this Nation: It is truth, I dare not deny it, and to God's glory be it spoken, that I have received Talents from him which I must not hide, but show to all how far God is pleased to proceed in his work by me: beseeching all men to look unto him, who is the Man of Peace, to them I mean King CHARLES: Every one saith to me, why do not you, who have this wisdom of God, go to the General and show him the way, and to the council to show them these things? Alas! I am at too far a distance from them, for to be heard by them: Men in such places, cannot hear such a low voice as mine is; it must be a general Petition of the whole Nation joined together as one Man, that they will hear: Therefore I could wish that the Soldiery did but hear a voice behind them, saying, Return to your first principles: You went out to fight for King and Parliament, but now there's none: I know, that God will bring in the King again, and my hearts desire is that I might persuade men that the Kings coming to his Throne might be without bloodshed, and that no party should any longer retain a spirit of revenge; And to set you in a way of composure, I could wish, that all (both soldiers and others) would Petition our worthy senators, to make their peace with the King, and to receive him upon good and glorious terms, for the King; and subjects: For it the King come in by the sword, you will become Slaves, and force him to use Tyranny: For Tyranny is a fit punishment for Rebels; Neithor would I have any to Petition our Worthies with kisses, or fine words, as Judas came to our Saviour, that had his band of men to second him, or as at the beginning of these times the Scots Presbyters and Covenanters came with their Petition on their Pikes-points to our late King: Let not men presume to do so now, be their party never so great: For though now they think that the Authority hath a dependency upon them, and that there is no Authority left save that: Yet there is a spark of fire remaining (as it were) under the ashes, which is able at an instant to devour them all. Therefore I beseech you, Petition in simplicity and singleness of heart, to desire the General and his council to make their addresses to the King for peace, and ye that do this, look for life eternal: And I beseech you again (Most noble Worthies) receive all alike, and do not countenance, or discountenance any, for this notion, or for that notion, or think, that Religion is only words, but rather deeds of common charity, and let not any be prided, or exalted above their Brethren with a conceit of conquest, but know, that such a mind shall be abased; and that according to our Christian rule, he that suffered most is the greatest conqueror: For a subject cannot Conquer his King but by suffering meekly, and a King suffering meekly by the hand of his people, according to the mind of his King, was appointed to be Heir of the World, Revel. 21.7 I have a bloody Vision to show, but I look upon it as God's threatning hand, being persuaded, that if we repent, and shed tears for our Rebellion and evil deeds against God and the King, we shall not bleed, nor shed blood: For why may not God bring the King to his Throne, and maintain our peace, as well in that time, as he did when the Parliament was dissolved: And to men I say, he that is valiant and hath an innocent intention may do much. And the Lord bless all such. Amen. May 20.1653. ARISE EVANS. THe bloody Vision I speak of, was seen January 21.1652, by one Mr. Farly, who lived in Drury-Lane, at the upper end thereof, at the sign of the horseshoe, but being terrified thereby, he immediately after went to Virginia, I have it as it was written by his own hand, who after he had seen the Vision could not rest, but went from place to place to seek an Interpreter of it, until by the providence of God at last he came to me, and after he told me the Vision, and that I gave him to understand what God did signify to us by it, he wrote it, and left it to my disposal, as by God's providence I should be persuaded, directed, and permitted to publish it.