A MESSAGE FROM GOD, [By a Dumb woman] To his Highness the Lord Protector.  
Together with A WORD of ADVICE to the Commons of England and Wales, for the Electing of a PARLIAMENT.  
By Elinor Channel. Published according to her desire, by ARISE EVANS.  PROV. 31.8. 
Open thy mouth for the Dumb in the case of all such as are appointed to Destruction.  
Printed in the Year 1653. Or as the Vulgar think 1654.   

To his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR OLIVER CRUMWEL.  
The humble Petition of Elinor Channel  
MAy it please your Highness to understand, That your Petitioner is an inhabitant at Cranley in Surrey, who upon a Sabbath-day about two Months ago, at night, as she was in bed in a slumber, had a Blow given her upon her heart, which blow awaked her. And immediately with that, the thoughts of her heart were changed, and all the corruption thereof taken away, that from that day to this, she could think of no evil. And then she heard an audibble voice, which said unto her, Come away, I will send thee on my message to London, fear not to go, for I thy Lord am with thee. And the thoughts of your Petitioners heart was so directed, that she was given to understand, how that the Spirit of the Lord had called her; to the end that she should be sent to your Highness: and by the same Holy Spirit, inwardly though she be but a weak woman in expression, she was taught in brief how to express her message from God to your Highness. And your Petitioner being three times hindered by her Husband, who is a very poor man, and hath many small children, three of them very young ones, her mind was sore troubled that her sleep went from her; and at sometimes she was speechless: whereupon your Petitioners Husband seeing her restless condition, consented to let her come to London, that she might express her mind to your Highness and have rest in her spirit. The premises being considered, and further to give your Highness to understand the Petitioners message to you, which she hopes will not only be accepted of you, but will be also effected by you.  

The words of her Message are these that follow.  
1. She is to say upon her Coming to you. Peace be to this house, and peace be to the whole Kingdom, and the peace of God be with us for evermore. Amen.  
2. She is to say to you, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath opened the mouth of the Dumb to speak for peace. 
By the Dumb she meaneth herself, cause she had been dumb.  The sword must be stayed. The world draweth toward an end, and the knots of peace & love must be made in all Christian lands.  
3. She is to say to you, Sir, you have taken upon you to be a Protector of your Lord's Vine-yard, 
By the Vine-yard she meaneth the Church & Kingdom.  but he requireth that you should make the Hedges and the Walls of it; 
By the True Gospel she meaneth that worship we had once. By the Steward she means the King. By the Body that paid the debt, she means the late King that died. By the Heir his Son.  which is Peace & Love, and the true Gospel. And that you should protect the Steward to plant his vine-yard.  
4. She is to say unto you, If a man fall into the hands of a Creditor, if his Creditor be one of God's servants, he will not take Body and Goods; if his Body pays the Debt, his Heir shall have the Inheritance.  
Be it known to your Highness, that your Petitioner is a true Member of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith, as it was Reform and Established in the Church of England, by King Edwa●d the 6. & continued by Queen Elisabeth, King James, and King Charles. And though the Petitioner can say or dispute but little for it, yet she believeth that to be the true and only way of salvation, which in due time shall preval over all the earth. Amen.  
Elinor Channel. April 19 1654.   
This poor woman came to the Court upon the 17. day of last April, and thought immediately to have spoken with his Highness the Lord Protector, and to return again the same day: but alas she found it other ways. And some of the Guard about the Court told her, if she had but five pounds to give them, they would help her to the presence of the Lord Protector. Whereupon, after two days waiting in vain at Court, being much troubled that she could not come before his Highness, to discharge her conscience, she came to the City of London,) and wandered up & down to see if she could get any body to take it from her mouth, and publish it in Print, that she might get some ease that way: but of a long while, she being a stranger, she could get none to hear or regard her. At last she met with some compassionate body that talked with her, and sent her with a note to me, who took all the Report from her mouth, as you have it above, and then sent her away, promising to get it Printed, if she could not get the Copy delivered to his Highness, which she had to give him, and have seen her no more since.  
But hearing now that such a like woman is about the City, and that she is Dumb, & that she was in Fleetstreet on Sunday June 18. where she stood mute for a long while, and as it is said, the cruel Beadles dragged her to Bridewell, and wounded the poor soul for nothing, but because she stood harmlessly in the street: and that they refused her at Bridewell, and turned her our again among the wanton mad crew, who flocked about her and abused her; when indeed, if there had been any charity in them at Bridewell (as some pretend the house is for that use) there was for them a fair object to show their charity upon: but she stayed thereabouts until night; & what is become of her since, God knows, we hear nothing more of her.  
Now this woman was very sensible & profound in what she spoke to me, but as she said, when she is Dumb, all her senses are taken up, and then the matter which troubles her mind, is dictated and made plain to her by the Spirit of God; so that when she comes to herself, she has it by heart. And though it be but short, yet you shall find more truth and substance in it, than in all Hana Trampenels' songs or say, whom some account of as the Diana of the English, Acts 19.34. as may appear by this that was written for her.   

A WORD FROM GOD To the COMMONS of ENGLAND & WALES.  
BEloved, since it pleased Almighty God, by the wisdom of his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR and his Council, to put once more your Liberty into your own hands, for to choose a Parliament; Now it behoves you to be wise, and that you send not up Factious Men: for all the hopes of the former unsavoury Parliaments is, that this next Parliament will be factious also; and will avenge them on his Highness and his Council, for their Dissolving of them. Therefore choose you out in all Counties and Cities, Men that neither acted for King or Parliament, but stood Newters all this while; even such wise, peaceable Men are most sit to be Umpiers between Parties, and will do most good unto the Nation, for the settling of it in peace again. Therefore, all you that are for the Peace of our Jerusalem, I know you are in number Ten to One, choose such men, and send them up, and I am sure God will give a blessing to it, and that it will be well resented by his Highness and his Council, and all wise men. I hope God hath reserved a sufficient number throughout all the Counties and Cities of England and Wales, who are Men of quality that stood Neuters, by the providence of God, for this end: seek them out; & if there be not enough of such Men, send a Ploughman rather than any that have acted for King or Parliament. This is the way of peace: for to make peace, quit yourselves like Men, be strong, 1. Cor. 16.13.  
Truly, when this woman came to my house first, and began to speak, I did not expect to hear such solid things come from her; for I thought her to be the poorest senseless, harmless creature that ever I heard, and I was ready to turn her away: but when she came to show how her spirit was troubled, and how, when, and what she had received, and seeing her meekness, I saw then that she was an Angel of God, and did what I could do for her. And now this poor woman still having these things upon her spirit, I was troubled in mind to hear that she is come up, and was in such a condition. Therefore, hoping it will much appease her mind, to see this Paper come forth in her name, it being her own work that she will justify. It was necessary to comfort and restore her by putting it in Print, seeing there is nothing in it but good advice; and it may be more of God than we are ware of, and that by this Dumb woman, God will put all vain talkers to silence, 1. Cor. 1.27, 28.  
I thought to had forth in Print afore now, a Vindication of his Highness the Lord Protector, from the gross aspersion cast upon him. And the Visions I had concerning on him. And the Visions I had concerning his Justification.  
Also the Vindication of the Protestant Church, and of Prophecy. With the Vindication of myself, concerning two Sheets falsely Printed and put forth in my name. And to make out unto you, that 1653 is not complete from the Birth of Christ, until the 25. of next December.  
Thus the 25. of March is the day of Christ's Conception, die Birth is 9 Months after the Conception, so that if it was last 25. of March 1653. complete from the Conception of Christ, it cannot be 1653. complete from the Birth, until the 25. of December next.  
Again, by the Astrological, or Julian account, which beginneth the first of January, take notice, that Christ was born December 25. it being within eight days to the end of the Julian year; and according to that, they wrote it his Second year when he was but eight days old. That within eight days after his first year was complete, they wrote it his Third year; and so went on until now. And if you examine that account, you shall find by it also, That it is not 1653. complete years, from the Birth of Christ until next Dec. 25. and by that time my words will be fulfilled.  
All these things you should have had out at large before now, but that I could not get it Printed; the reason is, because the Genius of this Nation now, is generally against his Highness the Lord Protector; so that any thing which speaks well of him, is so slighted by them, that though it be never so clear a truth, they will not look upon it. And therefore the Booksellers will not meddle with it, because they cannot vend it: so that though my Book speaks as much for King Charles as ever I did. And seek to bring an union between the King and his Highness for the good of the Kingdom. If they did but know what is good for them; yet they are bewitched with lies against his Highness, that they cannot relish the truth that is on his side. But if my Book come forth, I hope in God it will turn them to another tune. If not, I have lost three months' labour, and my Reward is with God, who will clear the innocent another way.  
Many think, because I have always argued for his Highness, that I have received some; gratuity from his Highness. Truly friends, he hath had of my Books; and though many times I have been at his house, and spoke with him, yet I never eaten of his bread nor drunk of his drink, neither received so much as 2. shillings in money from him in all my life, God is witness. Therefore I say, as I do to Charles Steward, who for my love, when I was in the flower of my age, and most capable to do myself good, kept me in prison three years. So if his Highness were mine enemy I must do him right; looking nothing upon these outward things, else I am not the servant of Christ Jesus.  
Mr. John Rogers and others, would have his Highness to stand to rite Vow made on Triplow-heath, that is. To throw down the Ministers: but I would have him to Keep his First Vow, and to do his first work as the Spirit of God directeth him, Revel. 2.4, 5. And that is to stand for the Protestant Church & King Charles: for Triplow-heath signifies, that they shall trip low indeed, even so low as hell that keep that wicked Vow: the name of the place is very significant, and it was so named by reason our wise Predecessors foresaw the wicked Combination that was made upon it. Therefore it is good for his Highness to take the surest way, and keep his first vow; notwithstanding, he by it he forced to break his later Vow.  
And let the Ministers Fast and Pray, that their Adversaries prevail not. When I talk with the Independants and Anabaptists, and ask them why would they destroy the Ministers; because, say they, they are Drunkards, Swearers, Whoremasters, & that they are Covetous, and do not preach Christ, but themselves for their own ends. I could wish they had no just cause to say it; for you Ministers are the Salt of the Earth, but if the salt have lost his favour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is, thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, & to be trodden under foot of men, Matth. 5.13. Mar. 9.49, 50. Luk. 14, 34, 35. God's Judgement is just, you have been sufficiently trodden under foot already, If you had not been unsavoury, such things had not come to you. And now, lest it be worse with you yet, amend your lives, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, Matth. 4.17. Who knows the fruit of the next Assembly that is to meet Sept. 3. it is time to pray now.  
But me thinks I hear some say, Which way will the Lord Protector ever come so suddenly to do any thing for the King?  
I answer, The ways of God are past finding out, Rom. 11.33. Yet this is like to be the way, There is a Parliament (if not prevented by a North wind) to begin Sept. 3. next. The Independent & Anabaptist do strive to have such Men chosen as will be for them. And do strive all this time to make the Army to be on their side; and this is like to take effect, if not diverted in the Election, as above said. That when the Parliam. sits, they having the major part of the Army for their side, they will immediately disable his Highness. Then speedily he must Declare for the King. And upon that account the whole Kingdom will stand up with him as one Man, and prosper. Thus much I speak from a ground of reason, and I think I have the Spirit of God in it also, 1. Cor. 7.40.  
June 27. 1653. or as the Vulgar think 1654. Arise Evans.