CHARLES STUART AND OLIVER CROMWELL 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. 165●.   

OF GOD. C. R. RESTORED, AND OLIVER CROMWELL 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 especially our own, Charles Stuart, and therein it shows you. That when you govern best and most pleasing to the will of the Almighty, whose Viceroys 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 stolen from both, also your Subjects, God's people, well educated in his houses by his Ministers, sent in the ways of Justice, Peace, and Holiness, without which no man shall ever see the face of God to his comfort: next it shows you that the so anciently beloved Seed of faithful Abraham, the Jews are now in his best times remembered, and brought into the Faith of Christ our Lord, the only Son of God, whom they Crucified, the fullness of the Gentiles coming in with them also to the knowledge of his Gospel, [his] that is the only Shilo, the only 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 Viceroy Charles 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 Pharaoh 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 shows us, That wicked Rebellion was the design, & contrive of a few in that bloody, and ever Rebellious Church of Rome, not the allowance of the Nation: this also God showed unto our now happy, and glorious King in Heaven, whilst good on Earth, it is proved to you in his Letters taken at Naseby, written to her Majesty. My Heart, you will find 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 Gunpowder 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 truly to God's glory, the honour of the Protestant Religion, and the King's 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 myself 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 truly 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 show you. It proceeds only from the good pleasure and merciful 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 wonderful 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 only of God made ruler in Egypt, and had power to punish according to their demerit, than he treats them kindly, following the example of our Lord. He forgives all past injuries, he loads them with good things, he weeps over them, when he tells them he is Joseph, lest they, not seeing his heart, might doubt of their forgiveness, he drops Tears as Blood from pitying eyes and heart; they well knew what themselves had been to him, unfaithful 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, embraceth 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 Reunion & meeting, that sweetens more in its return, than it imbittered in its absence▪ Protection my book commands, not craves under Oliver Cromwell 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, CHARLES 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 marvellous 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 God's word of Prophecy 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 faithful Communicator of his merciful, loving kindness I am commanded to be unto all the Sons and Subjects of the Protestant Church, and God's Viceroy on Earth, CHARLES STUART. To the Church of Rome, and the Rebellious faithful will I also show myself, 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 unfaithful to my trust, that is a sacrilege 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 Schismatics, Corah, Dathan, and Abyram? and did not Absalon's 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, whilst 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 CROMWELL United.  

Sect. I.  
HAving passed 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 account they shed our bloods; 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 show him the way to walk in. 'Twas 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 Catholics.  
This I could not but observe passing the rather because it tended, in that so mixed Assembly, highly to the setting right the judgement (as I conceive) to the glory 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 Blackwater: 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 manage of Affairs, as born for the public good; for so he was communicable to the employ 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 days (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 only inlets of all God's 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 schoolhouse, with Almshouses on both sides of it, that Earl lived to finish there: And now I believe he really intended to rebuild 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 public he might be worshipped; and that youth might early be taught the ways 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 adorn 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 endowments being there, and thereabouts full for encouragement 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 Forefathers, certainly out of love and zeal ('tis possible not misguided too) should so largely give and endow, for the Glory, Worship and Service of God Almighty, and we who have more enlarged Fortunes, should have more streitened hearts, and more cruel hands? Indeed only strongly bend, & always ready to pull down: and by Thieving, Sacrilege & 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 informed 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 Thiefs, than a House of God.  
This seeing, I could not but lament, and did there kneel down, and supplicate God Almighty, not 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, only born to cruelty and irreligion: Beseeching that he would be pleased to return to us in mercy, set every man's sins in order before his face, to the detest of them, resolving never to return to folly: And that of his goodness he would cast them 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 ourselves 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 only 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 glorify our Father which is in Heaven.  
Sometime of that Thursday afternoon I spent in that Remain of Church; so praying, meditating and reading; and could not do otherwise. Indeed, 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 assured that God would hear, and have mercy; 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 established 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 than heard a very terrible Thunder, which more affrighted me: and looking up to Heaven, I saw a glimmering 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 ●ormer, and the Thunder answerable; indeed so terrible, that it seemed to me, to waken and rouse 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 Oak, as the other; in this only differing, 'twas 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 increased 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 Prince's Arms, a bunch of Bays, or small Bay-trees: beautiful 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 than looked behind me, for the former Glimmering Light, and Offensive Oak 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 overjoy, I wakened, and found myself very wet with tears. My greatest joys and greatest weep seldom are divided. I spent most of that night in Meditation and casting what this dream might import: for truly 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 Friday, a day in the week, which for some seven years past, I have set apart (though not always spent, God be pleased to have mercy upon me and forgive me) as I ought, or should, for fasting and examination of myself: That, as I am one Friday nearer my end, so I may in one measure, or another grow fitter for it: in regard of the many mercy's God Almighty hath been pleased to afford me, from my Cradle hitherto: As that he hath been pleased to preserve me from the noisome Pestilence, from the violence of the War (where be pleased to observe, I have been committed and taken into custody three times on the King's side, and five times on the Parliaments; yet never was in action, or employ on either part;) from so many great and eminent dangers, both by Sea and Land; from Men lying in wait particularly for my blood: 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 man's Fasting and Prayer; especially living in a Time, when wickedness seemed to be practised by a Law; at least, it was not long since it was so: All these together were grounds (I say) more than enough, to beseech God for redress, to a distracted people, and a divided Land.  
This Friday I repaired to that Church of Lismore: in it, and places fit for Contempaltion, I passed that day. Saturday, I could not but return thither again, and there pen the subject matter of my prayer on that Thursday afternoon; also my Dream that night: And decline I must not, nay could not, to impart all so penned, to the now most Honourable Earl of Cork, and his so well accomplished Countess: And home I must press them, forthwith to rebuild that Church of Lismore.  
The reasons cannot but be good and many, who considers the Lord should be publicly served; and the people well instructed, from the mouth of him, whose lips should preserve knowledge, and tongue speak a word in due season. Such men are the men (certainly) sent, and deputed by God himself, for the better turning of sinners from the evil of their ways, to serve the everliving God: His Temple's the fittest place also, where holiness is enjoined us: Beauty and decency not forbidden. To this Earl and Countess of Cork I apply myself; in their Garden and private Bedchamber they were pleased to hear me to the full.  
I may not here omit to let you know, that in the morning of that very day, when, going to pray for God's guidance, in this his business of rebuilding his House, to his own glory, and good of others; and having omitted that morning, to read any part of the Scriptures or Psalms, appointed for the day, (the reading of God's Word first, a good way to prepare for acceptable devotion, and praying aright;) from my knees I rose, took the Bible, and there opened to me the Prophet Haggai; which tied my eye upon the place (a Scripture (God be merciful to me) I was not at all acquainted with:) Thus opened, I could not go on to Devotion, nor to read the Psalm, until I had read that Prophet out, being but two Chapters; directed and overruled (as I firmly then, and now believe) by God Almighty: For, in the whole Book of God, there is not any place fuller for the business I had in hand. It is well worth your, and all men's observe and retention, that have too low esteem of God's House.  
But what speak I of too low esteem? Indeed, none at all that good is, of the Churches, or Temples, built and set apart to the glory, for the public Worship and Service of God.  
Humble men they seem to be! A Stable, or Kitchen will serve their turns: and (truly) good enough too for many, who have the impudence to abuse God's House, and endeavour there to seduce the more ignorant sort of people.  
These Schrich-Owls cannot well endure the light of his House; therefore have they their corners and skulking places. A judicious and public Auditory, who love the place where his Honour dwelleth (which they best love to frequent, and thither go with prepared hearts, to learn that they may understand what's fit to practice;) These will not be decoyed by them. With those it matters not what becomes of the House of God: Yet observe and remember (I beseech you) what that Prophet Haggai there gives for reason, of all the evils that were sent, and continued upon the Land; The not-building of God's House.  
The lying of that waste, caused the Lord to have no delight in the people. He there adviseth and enjoins to rebuild his House; then he assures them, he will dwell with them, and bless them beyond all compare: nay, he will take pleasure in them, verse the 8. He there goes on, He will shake the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea, and the dry Land: All is his, & to his, for the glory of his House, that he will fill with his own glory, and bless the Land with peace and plenty; such as was never seen, until the building, or laying of that Foundation. From that very time he blesseth them, when they rebuild his House, for his public worship and service. The Lord makes that a business fit for the employ of another Prophet also, the Prophet Zechary.  
Of so much concernment you see it is with God: But lest, these things being Old Testament, we should conclude they concern us not under the Gospel: so wicked are we grown, and so out of love with any thing, that costs us aught in the Service of God, or is most to his glory and honour; that, as any place is good enough, so indeed any Calf fit to offer. Thus shift we off the thing, in which our happiness most lies; that we may make ourselves most miserable: Foolish men! why consider we not, that Christ's Courts on earth are his Churches? And, in representation thereof, he hath a Throne in the midst of his Temple, and sits thereon; before whom all fall down and worship.  
But these times call for our lamentation, nay, deep mourning: for in this business, we deal with the House of God and his Worship (although we pretend much to both) as Amnon dealt with his sister Tamar; first Ravish her, then Defile her, and after turn her out of doors. But to return:  
Truly, I could not but commend those two short, but most full Chapters of this Prophet Haggai, to that so Honourable Earl and Countess: for the better dispose of them; whose affairs of concernment, are wisely managed by joint consent. Their quick discern a far off, and sound judgement at home, give them great advantages, for the well-ordering of all their affairs.  
Who having heard me out, before I once so much as pressed them to it, the Earl met me with this readiness to the work; My Father intended the building of that Church, I will do it: It is only by me, for a short time, deferred; until these troubles blow over, or time afford a better opportunity, for the carrying on of the work: for the rebuild of which Church, I have many things already fitted, etc.  
I most heartily wish, and do so pray, that there might be found in all men this readiness, to make themselves happy here, and so (certainly) blessed hereafter. You have the way; love God's House, the place where his Honour dwells; also his Ordinances with sound judgement; and you cannot but be beloved of him.  
When David and Solomon think to build God an House, to his glory, worship and service, and do so; see how the Lord declares himself, in the second of Samuel to the 14. that he will establish their Houses for ever. And are not the best of Kings, the best of Patterns in God's service? who can and will do for thee also, so governing, or assisting to his glory; as shall be most for thy lasting Honour and happiness here, but everlasting hereafter.  
Thus ends all then done, most happily, in nothing disappointed, which God put me upon. This happy day was Friday, March the 11. 1652.   

SECT. II.  
A Short time after, I fell into several sicknesses and diseases of that Country, so that most of the following Summer I passed in changes, from one malady to another: At last I broke out into very many Boils; so that I may truly say from the Crown of my Head, to my Foot, I was furnished with them; forty, or fifty at a time of all sizes: My condition in that, and some other things too very like that of Job's: which escaped not my observe, in a Letter, to that so eminently good Countess of Cork: beseeching some of her remedies; of which she is free, and do heal as Balm, from her munificent and answerable hand. To God Almighty, and that Honourable Countess, I owe most humble thanks for recovery, from my so long and tedious sickness.  
About Michaelmas I went to Dublin, in the company and safe conduct of that most Honourable Lord, the Lord of Broghill: where I stayed until near Christmas; then returned to Youghall.  
After six days there, I could not be quiet, until I had sapplied my self, by Letter, to his Lordship, giving him to understand, I had a Dream at Lismore, some 9 months past: Which Dream, together with what Observance, or Interpretation, God was pleased to put into my heart and mind, I was to communicate to him: Which I could not decline; and therefore besought his Lordship, that in his presence, and some more persons of Honour, in that Letter named, he and they would be pleased to lend me half an hours time, and their attention.  
The Gout at that time was violent upon his Lordship, by reason of which incommode, he was disenabled to sit up: so that his Lordship was pleased to answer my Letter, that for that reason only he desired my forbearance, until it passed over; of which (when so) I should have notice, and in presence of these persons desired; also admittance so soon as convenient.  
His Lordship's Letter I have, and reaped what promised, a few days after. Being in his Bedchamber (Those I desired, present,) I recited my Dream as formerly: The Observance, or Interpretation I gave thus:  
The customary sins we were guilty of, and had unhappily involved ourselves in, had now begot our security, as in the dead of night and sleep: from which we were not to be wakened, or roused, but by the Almighty power of God: And therefore, to let us see our condition, and his displeasure for sin, whom our Impieties had irritated; he therefore came in Thunder; to show us that our seeming righteousness reached not Heaven, nearer than the Clouds: our pretensions to good, went not higher: like an Ignis-fatuus they were, or a Gloe-worm: Light they had, but not substantial, enough to show us we were strong as the Oak; which we might there see our wicked selves compared to. Strong we were to work wickedness; Governors and all: to which Oak they, and we may be compared; as in the Prophet Zechary the 11. and the 2.  
Bade we were of choice; so of practice; so for works; so for offence: No Root; no Top; no Leaf; no Fruit; not so much as virdure; Offensive on all sides, in regard of the Snags; not fit for Timber, such our Governors; only for the Fire, such their unprofitableness; just like the Stag's horn, when the velvet of hypocrisy is fallen from it (as most excellently his Majesty observes in his Book;) which wicked Governors, when the people once fail them, and truly understand them, how unprofitable, how offensive, how dangerous, how hurtful; they would then sufficiently hate them.  
When once as this Oak, stripped of his bark, nakedly seen, and well observed; then fit only for the fire. I command you read the 3 last verses of the first of Isaiah; and see, if this Interpretation be not of the Lord; yea, his own: I will give you the words, For they shall be ashamed of the Oaks which you have desired: Ye shall be confounded; for ye shall be as an Oak, whose leaf fadeth; and the strong shall be as tow, and the makers of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together.  
Here are the Oaks ye have chosen, when ye forsook the Lord. Is not this a Vision, and the Interpretation of the Lord? I made it before I observed this; I now interline it: 'Tis of God the Interpretation.  
Therefore the Oak abides not, having no allowance, or establishment from God in Heaven. Fly away it doth, when the Light and Crown appear: To both which they being enemies and haters of, God makes them vanish, and be no more seen. Though they lift themselves as high as the Clouds, yet their place is below, whither he throws them. Of his allowance they are not: neither do the people; when they desire to do the will of God, and he hath opened their eyes, to discern aright, what is of God, as they confess that Light, Crown and Bayes, they then know the Crown, and Him deputed to govern, to be only of God: And because it hath its allowance of Heaven, with one consent (praising God) they invite All to what themselves are now convinced of; Obedience to Him and It only: and so breaking forth, they altogether cry, Come, this is of Heaven, we will follow it.  
And that it may have their best affections, and firm allowance, they give it their Second, the wisest and best Thoughts, resolvingly too; they reiterate the words, Come, this is of Heaven, we will follow it: And so down to God and It, and worshipped and praised the Lord.  
Now, although this were, and yet is our depraved condition; and that we have added wickedness to wickedness, and made ourselves strong to do so; which the Second & greater Light, with the offensive and unprofitable Oak in it, fully implied: yet observe the lovingkindness of God Almighty: We no sooner got into a frame to beg of him inablements to know his Will, resolving then to do it; and are gotten into a posture of readiness, standing up; but He lets us see, that his displeasure is blown over: The Thunder, that ceaseth; those wicked Governors, as offensive Oaks, they are fled; the seeming Light, that's annihilated. It is his mercy that endures for ever, and his Compassion assures us, he delights not in the death of a sinner; but rather, that he would turn from his wickedness, and live: And thus expostulating with us, brings from him this expression, Why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? Repent, be ye converted, and return from whence ye are fallen, the contempt of God's House and Worship; Obedience unto whom I have set over you for good, would you but see it; did not your continuance in sin blind your eyes, and deprave your understandings, yea, could not but be happy.  
Bless us he would, and that to the full too; as he assures us in that Prophet Haggai, and divers other places; even from that time we rebuild his House, and obey whom he hath set over us for good. And if thus we would readily apply ourselves, and herein obey God and our King, mark and behold, The Heavens they invite you, and demonstrate their allowance; rejoicing at it, by their pleasant sounds: the Earth also its gladness, shining with variety of Flowers, and abundant Fruitfulness: the Seas their overjoy, thinking it no burden, to their best and well-rigged Ships to give way, and bow down: that all she brings from foreign 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 pity, & the greatest too, that whom God hath made the more reasonable Creature, Man, should only 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 beloved 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 unparalleled joy of all good men's hearts.  
These things observed, I then applied myself 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 find mercy. For to me it seemed, that God's return is in mercy, was only 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 God's blessing upon what I had to deliver to him, until 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 God's 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 only 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 unparalleled blessings there assured. Pray, well observe it: the one lets you see, what desires we should have, for the rebuild of, & worship in God's 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 showed 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 than 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 mind 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 Patriarches, 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 showed 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 dreamt, 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 man's 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 Paul's 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 Saviour's) Resurrection, whose Viceroy certainly he, this CHARLES 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 Sovereign 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 God's glory, 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 month 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 Father's head, who was come to give God praise for him at the Cross; which was also sung by the Choir on the Leads; his Star then appearing, I myself showed it to very many; hundreds, if not thousands witness this. So that the Heavens having now again demonstrated Him, the Seas waiting on him, the Earth flourishing under him; what remains, but that we get ourselves 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 only 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 fight 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 myself 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 swordmen in that Kingdom; as Oliver Cromwell only of the swordmen, the most in the Kingdom of England. And more than to these two only did I never apply myself; 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 show 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, lest they consumed us.  
But truly 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, find deliverance, and so live abundantly happy, this number of men, which as I former observed, passed 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 man's prayers, and every bad man's 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 wholesome 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 Widow Marricks house in Youghall.   

SECT. III.  
VEry few days 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 only, and his Prophets sent by his command; as in Saul, David, and others: so not at all in the people. 'Tis 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 days 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 bed's foot, behind the curtain, a Man sent of God: whilst He continued there sitting, there fell a Shower of Fire, thick, and in drops, like Rain, all about my bed's foot: Full in my eye was the Spirit there sitting, and the fire falling down: Awake I conceive myself to have been; for at that very time, I called to mind 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 endeavoured 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 endeavoured 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 struck 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 only in God, and not at all in the people.  
This over, I wrote to the Lord of Broghill that night's 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 ten, or twelve persons, by me desired: He was pleased to afford me the favour, so also most of the others.  
By this time it pleased Almighty God to let me know, he had deputed me to go to Oliver Cromwell, and after to his Majesty that now is, CHARLES' STUART, Charles the Second. The employ he would inform me of: and for the Commission itself, I must believe, that from strength to strength, He would enable me, until I came to perfect Peace in Zion. And although the things to be done were great, mighty, strange, and wonderful; yet for his Honour, Mercy, and Names sake, he would bring them to pass; and they should be marvellous in our eyes. Thus began, and thus ended my Commission of the Lord.  
I than bethought me of what I would say to Oliver Cromwell, and thus resolved, that from God I would reprove him, set his sins in order before his face, and tell him he was that great Deceiver, the scandal of the Protestant Religion, the Dishonour of our Nation, a Whited wall he was, a great and close Hypocrite, a Man of blood, and Son of Belial, and more than all this (for I never loved him,) all this I resolved to say to him: but the Lord reproved me, and gave me to remember, that myself prayed in my Dream, That God would be pleased, to let the men of the world, who were desirous to do his will, know it from Heaven, or in the Heavens, by a sign, which I have given thee, and they would readily obey, applying themselves to walk in conformity thereunto.  
Having thus altered me, and (as before) again reproved me; letting me know, God judged not as man did: He commanded me to treat, and use him kindly, the dispose of the heart being in the hand of God.  
So that now from former hating of Him (for so I did; no man more) I now cannot do other than pray for him, (for so I should, and for all others,) that God would be pleased to enable him, for the overcoming of all his enemies, more especially his corruptions. And firmly believe I do, that the Lord will make Him highly instrumental for the promote and carrying on things of very high concernment, for his glory, to his Honour, and the astonishment of the world: For I know what apprehensions the most have of him, both at home and abroad: but God judgeth not, as man doth.  
Before the Lord of Broghill I came the second time, and so began with him, as you read upon Oliver Cromwell: I than told him what I firmly believed, the Lord put into my heart and tongue, by his dictates and Visions; and how that the Souldery, men of Valour and Honour should submit to the King; who would not only forgive them, but give unto them all so doing, Indemnity, Honours, Preferments, Lands, places and Hereditaments; Seal and confirm them unto them, in the surest Tenure of this Kingdom, as at, or after that of East Greenwich.  
Further; that, as the Light came on in Heavens, from the East, having in it the richest Crown ever eyes beheld, the Bays rooted and flourishing, standing in that Crown, as the three Plumes of Feathers in his own Arms & Coronet; upon which Bays was store of Berries, which implieth a provision for Posterity; both waited upon by good store of Shipping: so the King should come from beyond the Seas; Land in the East of Kent, or thereabouts; and come on towards the West. See, thus comes the Lightning, in the 24 of Matthew, the 27 verse, out of the East, and shineth even unto the West: so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be. O my God, and my King! well: I go on: This would fill the Men of the Kingdom, as the Heavens, with rejoicing, the people praising God, and the Soldiery, for their good affections to God's glory, and the King's interest; the Earth giving her increase. All Animosities thus taken away we should agree, better than ever, dwell together in brotherly love, and the most sure bond of peace, and great should be the praise of God, Honour of the King and the Soldiery; also the true Protestant Religion receive its Lustre upon the Earth, and flourish beyond compare.  
Among the Persons present, I then told the Lady Frances Boyl, eldest Daughter to the so excellent Countess of Cork, lamed in her infancy to so much debility, that she halteth the deepest imaginable, but God Almighty hath been pleased to more than recompense that debility, by the more noble endowments of her Soul and mind; which speak her not only in them the lively image of her most excellent Countess Mother, but the dearly beloved of God her Father which is in Heaven: To this Lady (I say) I applied myself, and told her what I believe God Almighty had put into my heart and tongue: That if she were present, when the King came into England, and so received with content in State (which would not be long ere it was so,) she should then see, waiting on him, whom God had deputed for her Husband; a Man unspotted of the flesh; with whom she should be abundantly happy.  
I after besought her second Daughter, the Lady Elizabeth Boyl, to stand forth: before her I kneeled, told her, if she were then present, she should see Him the Lord had deputed for her Husband, CHARLES STUART, Charles the Second, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. Here I could not for bear, but seeing the glory of God, and the Honour of this his Viceroy on earth, to be so great, I fell on my face, as in the first of Corinthians the 14 and 25. And so falling down on his face, he will worship God.  
I take the God of Heaven to witness, I know no other reason of it, it never was the least in my intentions. Since I have read the Prophet did so, as in the 43 of Ezekiel, the 2 verse, and because the words, matter and manner of his Government, there is so very full to my business, give me leave to observe them to you; the rather because All of mine, whether of Action, or Interpretation, are so long since past, and by me this never observed, until Thursday the fourth of August 1654. as we account: I look upon it, as a further confirm to me, of my so interpreting the Vision, and overruled deportment in that action of falling upon my face, the words are these: And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East, and his voice was like a voice of many waters, and the earth shined with his glory; and it was according to the appearance of the Vision I saw; and I fell upon my face. And so he goes on, that the glory of the Lord filled his House.  
See what his Providence hath guided me to do: and all to observe to you; were there but this in it, it might confirm you, it is no delusion. O Lord, let the World, as I do, stand amazed, love thee, and fear thee for ever.  
This done, I told them I should go into France, or beyond the Seas, be highly instrumental, to turn the Queen to the Protestant Religion, who with the King, and all of our Nation, should return into this Land, and there, should be no more Heart-burnings, divisions, or disgust amongst us; but we should all agree, in the future, to fear God, honour the King, and live in brotherly love, one with another; to our General good content, and admiration of the world.  
I dare not here omit, to let the Reader know, I did then say, I did believe these happy Mutations would be shortly; and that the King's Birthday, would be a day of great Rejoicing, in these his Kingdoms.  
Nay I have expected more alterations already than yet I have seen, and said I have to some, that I did believe this Summer past would have made the certain things yet to come to pass much more apparent before now.  
But I see where the bringing of any things to pass, depends on man's seeing to do Evil, there is nothing but disappointment.  
O Lord, if thou turn not Man to thyself, or thyself do the work, when will it be? Those that have robbed thy house, and undone man their brother, whether thy Ministers or others, are in no disposition as yet to part with their so much beloved sins, because profitable: Those that on the otherside, have by swearing, forswearing, uncleanness, and all manner of deboystness, yet continued in giving just occasion to say, the former men, and Times, were as bad as these; because they repent not, but continue to wallow in all manner of their pleasing sins and corruptions; who by so doing caused the Protestant religion, as much as the former Evil doers, to be Evil spoken of. Truly reader, if any thing hath befooled, in regard of time, the spiritual man, it is your sins of all sorts, yet continued in. Read the 9 of Hosea and the 7 vers. There you shall see that the iniquity of the people made that Prophet mad; & yet you, that will not part with your lusts and Hypocrisies, and other impieties of all sorts, must be reckoned the only sober and wise men, whilst he whom God hath spoken to, you account mad. Did I not tell you, That he which covers his sins should not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsakes them: should find mercy? God's displeasure is ready to blow over, did we but seek him by our unfeigned repentance, and lay hold on him in faith, by our true and new obedience. Doth not the Scriptures all along give you this for reason of the withhold of God's mercies? There are yet reasons: Observe I beseech you, as anon I shall let you see, I had no sooner proclaimed this, and other his loving kindnesses towards us, A distracted and distressed people, in that Church of Youghall, which I could not choose, neither can I do other, than apply myself to all concerned, either by word of mouth, or by writing: But I truly say unto you, I was there the third day clapped into prison: committed only for Teason; when I know no man living is or can be further from the contrivance, or less desirous of shedding any one man's blood in the world: Nay, I would from the bottom of my heart, & so do I pray, that God would be pleased to set every man's sins in order before his face; give him the heart, truly to repent of them; come forth, confess, and truly forsake all his iniquities; and practice the contrary virtues, for the time to come: So it is clearly certain, God would be most glorified, and we most happy, that have all done amiss, one way, or other.  
It is the worst of men can kill, but who can make alive? The good Spirit of God stirs not any man, to any private revenge: Not a Bird of prey, but a Dove, was the shape, wherein our Saviour Christ appeared. Many, O Lord, lived by thee; never any destroyed, only the poor Figtree; as a real Emblem of thy severity, to the unprofitable and fruitless. After mercy so long abused, 'tis time for judgement.  
So that (I say) there I was some eight weeks imprisoned: and although I often wrote and solicited, that I might be sent over to Oliver Cromwell; to whom I was more particularly deputed, and so most considerable, for the carrying on of this work of the Lord. Nay, I offered, if they pleased, I would pay & bear the whole charge of a convoy to him; and give it under my hand and faith, I would not so much as endeavour to escape.  
Further, that if I was found to be deluded, than I was content, they should inflict upon my body what punishment they pleased: But if an Impostor, or one that would deceive by lying, or false promises, speaking unto them, when not sent, or what God had not deputed me for; then in that case that they burned me, or put me to death; all these Original papers I have by me, to show any that doubts it.  
Yet these prevailed not for my enlargement; so there I was retarded in prison, and coming over, near 3 months: and almost 2 months more after arrived in England, before I could come to communicate, what I had to say to the General of all the English Forces, Oliver Cromwell. Here was one impede of 5 months. May is now gone.  
Such Averseness have I met with, in all, or most of men: that (truly) had not the Providence of Almighty God put into the minds and mouths of some men, I have on late days heard preach, and upon such suitable Subjects also; (certainly his Almighty goodness hath guided me to my great consolation, and them also, even to my great amazement, just as if they had been within me, and with me in all my sufferings;) I say, had I not been thus supported, I had well nigh sunk under the burden: For so fit encouragements have I had from wise men preaching, that I shall never reckon it other, than the loving kindness of God to me, for my support, and carrying on, in this his business.  
Even so did the Jews thus evilly persecute, despise, traduce, imprison, and not hearken unto the Prophets sent to them, although men of their own Religion. Thus was I showed, what I am to expect from All, or almost all: so that now, I thank God, I am armed for it.  
For further reason, I may not do other, than present you with the passage of Nineveh, and the Prophet Jonah, who told them, that yet 40 days, and that great City should be destroyed. You may there see the good effect of true repentance, and speedy turning from bad works, how it kept off their judgement 40 years: and can we (then) expect, or believe other, but that continuance in sin (it may be augmenting them also) will have the contrary effects, to keep off mercy?  
There is yet a reason, and that is come to my cognizance and observe, in a Book lately published by Arise Evans (a man you are unworthy of,) whom you have persecuted too, as you have all God's Ministers, almost all, either by Imprisonment, Sequestration, or 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 Calves you set up, after them you low and run, but continue to neglect God's 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; bewitched we are with it, and for these reasons will be of no other judgement: It is you that talk foolishly, we profitably. And this kind of Idolatry in all ages, hath caused God's 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 truly 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 only 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 Governors 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 God's Mission of your Prophets, or Ministers only; we know better; he that can do all without book, learning, or reason, than 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 find, 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 God's 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 persuade 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 unconformed unto, in sincerity of heart, and true obedience; you would then All see that suddenly come to pass, and be fulfilled in your days and eyes; which I do as truly 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 Prophesy, 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 Emperor in the World: for I never so much as had things of that nature in my mind. Hear the manner and the matter: they are both of the Lord: To whom be given for ever Honour, Praise, Glory, Obedience and Thanksgiving. Amen, O Lord, Amen.  
And now before I proceed, give me leave to tell you, that, this Friday, the 5 of August, is come to my observe this of Jeremiah, the 23 Chap. and the 28 verse. 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 days after, I returned the second time from the Lord of Broghills to my Lodging, the Widow merrick's 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, rejoicings & weep; for of that nature were my weep (the fullest of joy imaginable) that indeed I often conceived (not feared) I might sooner die of an overjoy, 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 wondering with myself, 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 mind, nor knew not before I was taken up, that I was rising, nor one word of what I said, before pronounced; I could not but very much admire (and so I did) both the manner and the matter: Well, I then prayed and praised God; for awake I was, as truly as I am now; the sequel will prove that. I than concluded it was not at all I that did it, it was the Lord, who would have it so, and his Prophecy it was and is.  
Much about half a quarter of an hour after, I was taken up again, as formerly, and spoke these words:  
Proclaim CHARLES STUART, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith: Charles 2d King of the whole World. This CHARLES STUART shall never die; the Lady Elizabeth Boyl shall never die; the Queen his Mother (wife to the late King, already blessed) shall never die; the now Queen of France shall never die; the King of France shall never die; his Brother, the Queens other Son shall never die; but shall all be taken up into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, that never shall have end.  
This spoken, I was laid down again: then did one M. Barret, a Merchant in Bristol that deals in Leather and Skins, who lodged in the same Chamber with me (but in another bed) call to me, asked me how I did, and if I was well: I replied to him, very well: He asked me if I was asleep, I said no: he asked me if I knew what I said: I replied, yes, very well: he asked me if I believed what I said, I told him, he must give me leave to believe, what the Lord caused me to speak, and would have done. There lodged also in the next room, one John Marrick, the Widows son of that house, aged about 21. With him in bed another Merchant, as I take it, of Bristol also, or thereabouts; to them both well known: Those in that one bed, spoke to me also; I replied to them; many words we had, all I remember not.  
I was anon after, taken up again, as formerly, and spoke these words: OLIVER CROMWELL shall never die; the Countess of Cork shall never die; the Earl her husband shall never die; the Lady Frances Boyl (their eldest daughter) shall never die; the Lord of Broghill shall never die; the Lady Broghill, his now wife, shall never die; but shall all be taken up into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, which never shall have end.  
I was laid down again, and considered with myself, What, shall Oliver Cromwell never die? it pleased me not: But again the Lord reproved me, and would have me know, he judgeth not as man judgeth; neither did his ways admit of any repine or contradiction. Here again I spoke to the former parties, but little, lay still, praying, weeping, and praising God: for now I firmly believed, and remembered, that although these things were mighty, strange, and wonderful; yet, by his Power, for his mercy, glory, and names sake, he had assured me, he would bring them to pass, and they should be marvellous in our eyes, as the Seal of my Commission was: And remember I did, he was now giving me the matter.  
Again anon after, I was raised, as formerly, and spoke these words:  
Thou Walter Gostellow shalt never die; thy three Sons shall never die; thy wife Anne, and daughter Anne Gostellow shall never die: but shall all be taken up into the kingdom of Jesus Christ; that never shall have end. Then shall the bodies of the Saints, already dead, arise, and be taken up into heaven also; the Sheep shall go to the right hand, and the Goats to the left: pronounce this house, a blessed house, and this chamber shall for ever be called the chamber of the Great Prophet.  
Thus have I set here down every word, then pronounced by me: but certainly the Dictates and good pleasure of the Lord of hosts, that they be published to the world concerned by me Walter Gostellow, his unworthy instrument. I have not added, or taken from, one word that I know of, nor misreported the manner.  
But as old Eli asked Samuel, after called of God by his name 3 times, Samuel; & God had spoken unto him, and given him his employ, what it was the Lord had said unto him, as you may read in the 3 Chapter of that his first Book, and the 17 ver. and Eli there charged him, that he hid nothing from him, but tell him all; which Samuel tells you and him in the next verse. He did so, hid nothing from him. What follows? it is the Lord, let him do what seems him good: and the Lord was with Samuel, he grew, and the Lord let none of his words fall to the ground. So all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established a Prophet of the Lord, things coming to pass as he had foretold.  
When I heard the word Prophet, & knew my unworthy self to be the man, O Lord, thou knowest my thoughts both then and now, they are at no time hid from thee, I stand amazed, O Lord, and am silent, lay my hand I do upon my mouth, and my mouth upon the ground. A Prophet! I am unworthy O Lord, yea, I am unworthy to live, much more unworthy of this so great honour: but, O Lord, thou hast fashioned me, make me I beseech thee, always to do thy will, not mine own, that hath been and now is sinful; yea, so hath it been all my days: therefore I most humbly beseech thee, to have mercy upon me, O Lord, the greatest of sinners, nay thou wilt have mercy for thy compassions fail not, and thy mercies, as thy ways, are past finding out.  
The rest of that night I spent in Meditation and Prayer; when day, I arose: not fully dressed, took Pen & Ink, wrote all spoken; but with this addition, I began with a Summons and Invitation to whomsoever, that they would repair the next week, Thursday morning, about nine of the Clock, being the 12 of January, to the Town and Church of Youghal, there to hear a Sermon, upon this Text; He that covereth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that confesseth, and forsaketh them, shall find mercy.  
The Text was given by a Prophet of Almighty God, now here in Youghall, his name Walter Gostelow; which Prophet will then after Sermon, that day, tell you all in the Church, that there is an end of all the Wars in the Christian World: And so I went on to finish, as before Prophesied and recited.  
Further, they should that day see riding out in great state, several of those Saints, and this Prophet, out of Town; and upon the Strand of Youghall: which to me as well as others, was given as a sign, or miracle, being yet to come, for the strengthening of my Faith, as also for the conversion and ground of belief, to the Sons and Daughters of Men.  
I there went on, The Heathen and the Jews are now fitting by the Lord, to come into his Doctrine, worship and service: and under his Sceptre. Against which word of God, the Holy Bible not to be altered; the Book of Common-Prayer, in some things altered and amended, as by a Council lawfully called, whom God shall direct, shall stand and flourish all over the whole World: The Doctrine and Faith of the Church of England, being the purest in the World: against which word of God, and his sword, put into the hands of this King, CHARLES STUART, no Power on Earth shall ever prevail; that of Rome is now tumbling down, and melting away like a mighty Snowball.  
The King and Queen of France, with that whole Nation, shall ere long be converted to this Faith: which Kingdom of France, and all others upon the Earth, under the Sun and Heavens, shall be obedient to this Charles the Second, and his Rule in the Kingdom of England: The Lady Elizabeth Boyl, second Daughter to the Earl and Countess or Cork, is this King's Wife.  
The General of all the English Forces, Oliver Cromwell shall never die, so I here wrote him, and could not otherwise, though I tried often, and varied to give him several Titles, but could not, the Reason you shall have anon. Be pleased to observe, in the pronounce of the Prophecy, it is only Oliver Cromwell; all other Persons of Dignity & Honour, by their Titles as Signiories, his only Oliver Cromwell, the Reason I promise.  
I went on; The Irish Nation should not be removed, but possess their own just Rights, converted to this true Faith they should be: And so, praying that God would enlighten them, and all men, that we might all live in brotherly love and Unity one with another, return again into his Courts with praises, and there serve him in sincerity of heart, and in the beauty of holiness; (for so his house ought to be fitted for his service,) that others might be invited by us and with us, to glorify our Father, which is in Heaven: whose will be done on earth by men, as it is by Saints and Angels in Heaven. Thus I concluded, writing as fast as possibly, which done: I could not be quiet, but hasted immediately to that so every way eminently good Countess of Cork, read the Paper to her, and after made it my request, very often solicitous I was by my Letters, that she would send her Letters abroad, to invite in the Nobles, Gentry, and Country to the Town of Youghall against that day, the 12 of January: myself having read and communicated the whole to her Honour, was by her and Doctor Mollines over-persuaded, to retire for a time to my Chamber, which I did: But when there, I could not be quiet, but wrote and sent abroad to several, inviting them to Youghall, that 12 of January, to hear, as before recited, all to be divulged by me that day in the Church, after Sermon. I continued soliciting that Countess, that she would do the like, until I knew I became troublesome, yea very troublesome, even unto two days before this 12 of January, did I thus be stir myself.  
In Fine, my Kinsman, M Leonard Gostelow. Secretary to the Earl, came to me, brought me back from her Honour, divers of my own Letters; told me weeping, that the Countess and his Lord, with divers others, believed me certainly Mad, that I would so impertinently to no purpose, trouble myself and others. He then asked me, what I would have, I told him only the Country, Nobles, Gentry, and All, to come in to hear the Sermon and Prophecy, that day the 12 of January: He replied to me, if it be company you would have, trouble not yourself, there will be enough here; for on that day will be several Horse-matches: which hearing, I was very much joyed, and after that time, never troubled myself in the least particular, in that business to move further: which I take God Almighty to witness, until his telling me of it, it came not into my mind; although I confess, I had formerly heard of it; but all the time until then, it was no more remembered by me, than it was known to the most remortest man in the World. But I shall observe to you anon, the wisdom and good pleasure of God Almighty, in casting and bringing to pass, what fell out upon that day; the day I was most active upon, after the divulge of all I had to say, and did say it in the Church.  
I cannot but observe to you, that when persuaded to retire to my Lodging, and did so, the Lord of Broghill's Physician came to me, closely attended me, & sweat I must, keep my bed, not stir, not write at any hand, not do any thing, but as prescribed: all which I now see were clear Artifices of the Lord of Broghill, and that otherwise-good Countess of Cork; lest I should proclaim in the Church, what I had penned in the Paper: for to her Honour I made always my first addresses, until it pleased God, to direct me to the Lord of Broghill, as more considerable, for the carrying on of this work of the Lords: For it is the Lords, and shall, and will come to pass, though I must tell thee, Reader (whosoever thou art) I have met with very little other, than averseness and derision, if not scorn, from almost All; and to be called Mad, hath been in many of their mouths: Yet, I praise God, though some have endeavoured to make me the sooner Mad, by very uncivil carriages and affronts, no man living can say, nay, I challenge them to it, that they divulge it, if they ever saw, in any of my actions, or Papers (which I have Copies of, the most considerable, and some Letters returned me) ought of Levity: if so, let them show it to the World, spare me not, I beg not their favour, I scorn it, it is no new thing (O Lord) to bestow ill and false Appellations, in all ages, upon men, thy servants sent upon the like employ, to turn others from the error of their ways that delight in general wickednesses. To declare aught from the Lord, that suits not with their fancies, love and over-carnal apprehensions; it must be madness in their judgements: & to advise the Great, Rich, Covetous, Proud, & highminded, to deny themselves, madness it must be. Assuredly, our portion is like that of our Saviour's, from the Scribes and Pharisees, who were so: they heard all that was said unto them, yet being proud and covetous, they derided him.  
But thou, O Lord be thy name for ever praised, and so magnified thou assistest, thou deliverest me, thou providest for me, of thy all-sufficiency, rich mercy, and everlasting lovingkindness; which, I now most humbly beseech thee may increase in me, not only in a firm dependence on thee, but a walking before thee all my days, in the true practice of piety, and ways of thy commandments: which only can, through thy mercy, deliver in all the Inundations of evil, and practices of proud and obstinate Sinners; from whom, good Lord deliver me. But I hasten.  
Thursday the 12 of January came, in bed I would not stay, up I got, to the Church I went, took a seat in the most convenient place, quietly demeaned myself until Sermon was ended: Here I cannot but observe to you, that although Doctor Mollines had his Sermon in readiness; yet by reason of a sore throat, preached not, but the ordinary Lecturer for that day: And yet, as if he had been, in some measure, privy to my Prophecy, and Intentions (which be could not be) his Sermon was very much for amendment of life. And observe also he did, that Enoch and Elias were translated into heaven, having walked with God, and kept his commandments on earth; so that (as I after observed to him) his Sermon seemed to me, to be a Prophecy of a Prophecy. But I have had many of these, to my consolation, as formerly observed, from a merciful God.  
Sermon ended, I then desired the people to stay, and suffer me a few words: I told them, I had to communicate unto them, which was certainly of the Lord, consisting of Dream, its observe and interpretation, Vision also and Prophesy, all of the Lord. I then reached to me the Church Bible, kissed it, and did promise upon that holy Evangelist, I would not speak other to them, than I did believe the Lord had spoken to me, no man living ever dictating a word to me, or disposing me thereunto, nor now to this; which as I could not do other then, but speak, so now here, but publish by Printing unto them, and all those concerned of the World.  
Begin I did, as you have heard, declared my Dream, its Interpretation, my Vision, and other dictates of mine own, which I penned not, yet so to them related, as here recited; the Prophecy I read to them as I wrote it verbatim, the morning after the Lord caused me to speak it.  
When I came to proclaim the King, away goes the Governor, Colonel Saunders, after him the Major of the Corporation. When of the Protestant Religion I spoke, and the flourishing of that again, and how that none should ever prevail, that rose up against the word of God, and his Discipline now to be established, and his Sword also put into the hand of his King, CHARLES STUART, away goes (as I conceive) the disaffected to both: for certainly, Congregations are now adays, made up of Goats and Tares, lovers of ourselves we are, more than God; and yet be we must together, until the Harvest come: then the Prophecy, as the most sure written word of God tells you, the Goats must to the left, when the Sheep only go to the right hand; Chaff and Tares to their own home.  
In this Church, although a Sermon-day, but one Servant of the Earl of Corks, not one of the Lord of Broghills, as I saw and remember: and why that one? and who must that Servant be, but my Cousin their Secretary, one whom they knew I loved, and would be much ruled by. Well, how governs he? I suspect, by their order too, he comes to me almost as soon as I was entered upon what I intended, and had to do, desires me to desist, weeps to me, I refuse him, he after pulls me by the Cloak and Arm, uncivil more than enough hales me by both, prays and weeps to have me out; I took faster hold, told him if they would burn me, they might; but I would not stir from that place, nor from that employ of the Lords, until I had done that work the Lord commanded me of his: Then crying like a great (yet Childish) Kinsman, he went away, whilst I was overjoyed, being so well rid of him; & so thanking God, I went quietly on, to do all I intended to a word, without any other violence offered me: Yet my Congregation grew very thin in the end.  
It is the unhappiness of these times, that where He stands up, that is not sent, thither the people run, to which ill advised, we may fitly use that of the Spaniard, who, when he sees one do so, observe (saith he) what haste that man makes, to leave his wits behind him: Yet, to the comfort of those that hold out to the last, though but a few, if in well-doing, the blessing is to them: But its prayers must remedy this, not conceits; the loving kindness of the Lord must do it: Which, when he shall be pleased to restore to us wiser Teachers, we may then hope to see. In the mean time, it calls for our prayers and tears, that we see it not.  
It was a witty one of long since deceased Mr. Shuit, officiating in Lombard street, I heard it from him, (indeed he married me; may his memory and his works ever live in us) in a Sermon, complaining of these Times, which he foresaw hastening upon us, (for such are the true Prophets of the Lord, and therefore (as I conceive) called Seers;) The age is now grown so Chemical (said he) that from a Tailors shopboard, or Weavers loom, we have those now will extract Learning enough, to stand 3 hours in a Pulpit, before an aproned & giddy Auditory (with applause too;) that should a wise Man put his head in at the Church-door, he would judge the Famine to be very sore among us, to see an Ass' head valued at so many pieces of silver. Mais donne aux ausnes le Chardons, let Asses feed on Thistles. But I must go on.  
Of a like nature was one I heard, praying in the Pulpit for a Reformation, in those overactive times, dispairingly say, How can we hope for it to God's glory, when there is not one in our Universities, or Cathedrals but what are Factors for that Whore of Babylon? Sure, he was never there, he was so ignorant, mistake me not, I mean the University; if otherwise, give him the Whetstone, having thus preached for it.  
Truly, I would not make these Aberrations, but for this Reason; There was with me, all the time of my imprisonment at Youghall, and a prisoner also, a person of great Honour, as I firmly believe, M. David Rooche, the Eldest Son of the Viscount Lord Rooche; a Gentleman of very great integrity, and faithfulness, where trust and devoir lies upon him.  
He is a great Devotery and admirer of the Church of Rome, and hath often told me, how like I was to be deluded, because part of my Prophecy was, that the Church of Rome should fall; which he laboured to have me believe, the Gates of Hell should never prevail against; as being what Christ promised to his Church, That being it, and no other.  
He told me, We could show no Church, neither were we any, since fallen from them, the only Conspicuous in all ages, visibly shining, as upon an hill. That with him was the strength of his argument, any thing that ever was in Ours, that looked like a Church, see, because it was but like one, how God had now annihilated that also. And for the Preachers of our Church (as we would have the World yet misbelieve we were a Church) now amongst us, what were they, but men unsent, who filled the world with Schisms Falsehood, Heresy, strange and lying Opinions, few or none of them agreeing; whereas Unite was the best devote of a true Church, and that theirs only hath, and always had.  
'Twas 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 only, nor obey any but his King; and both them with all his heart: Therefore I told him, God had, of his Providence, than sent him my Fellow-Prisoner, to show him, first or last, the Error of of his Judgement, and that Church: And then, because he was so eminently good otherways in his Country so exemplary, he would, being converted, bring his Country to the Service of God, as well as he had formerly done them to his King's 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 Honour 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 honour of our Church, the glory of God, and discharge of my own duty, 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 merchandise 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 Purity: which I believe, God would in mercy do, by throwing down and out of her, all the workers of iniquity, crept in in several ages; who, for their own ends, defiled her with damnable Tenants 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 always 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 find 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 Country, 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 policy, which teachest to rule well, and to be so ruled? Pray, did not the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, not fear of man, make David wiser than his Teachers? And doth it not strengthen more than ten mighty men? Oh! its Excellency invites you to side with it; though now seemingly down, it will raise itself, and all that love it. Haste you, be ye of this blessed 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 sat divers Persons of quality at Dinner: I was refused entrance, 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 months: but now denied entrance 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 myself away, for I neither spoke 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 Horseback, 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, myself road after; coming thither, was looked at by all for my forenoons work, the Governor of the Town there; on the Strand I road, to others I told what I had in the Church, did not madly rave, or beget any the least disturbance; stayed to the last; road off the Strand, sometimes betwixt the Lord of Broghill, and the Governor Colonel Saunders; told them what God Almighty would have done and come to pass; road 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 fetched, and had to Prison, but by the Governors Warrant, he not seen in it. Truly, 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 Elder Brother gave me his Bond, Parrole and Honour, to pay those Bills of exchange, given me for repayment in England: This his Brother was killed in the Wars of Ireland; my money not paid by him the Bills were drawn upon, nor ever by that his elder Brother; the principle killed, and my whole debt seemingly dead also, being very great. Myself now in Ireland, I reminded this Lord of Broghill, of what by Parrole, he was debtor to me, with its consideration for 17 years, upon Bill of exchange, signed by his elder brother, but never paid, his Lordship not being at age, became not bound, otherwise than in point of Honour, by his Parrole.  
Truly, the long time, and my discontinuance beyond the Seas, having made no former Application to him, had worn both out of his memory; but upon discourse both came to his Lordship's remind; No sooner so, but we consented to refer all allowances and demands of Interest to the Earl his Brother, and M. Robert Boyl his youngest. This done, by consent, his Lordship a few days after told me, Well, if my brothers, to whom we have referred this business, see no ground in Law, possibly to proceed upon his Lordship having not given either specialty, or promise since his being at age, to pay the moneys, so not liable in Law; If thus they proceed (said his Lordship to me) yet come you to me, and I will compose you in conscience.  
But his Lordship's brothers, whom I found conscientious also, in six words (as I may say) composed me, and I have my money: and these grounds I have for the taking of his Paroll, my imprisonment, and the preserve of his Paroll with Honour; and to those that will preserve it, Honour is due, as here to his Lordship: for the publishing of this Act I was debtor, either to the invite, or else to the shame of others, that have more of Title, but less of good conscience.  
Good Men direct into, not lead out of the way; I am where I was, and go on to let you know, that this day, Thursday the 12 of January, all those Persons being thus there, and in such good equipage, upon the same place, the sign given me for my confirmation, and others also, is fully made good to me, considering also my not commitment, that day, together with the great concourse of people, from parts far more remote than I intended my Summons, for the invite in of the Gentry and Country, that day, to that place, for to let them know this business of the Lords.  
Thus the work of the Lord is carried on to the greatest advantage, and so brought to pass, whilst we only think to do our own wills, how doth he make us to effect his? Every Creature walks blindfold, only he that dwells in light sees whither they go. We are for Horsraces, yet see how we fall under his decrees unawares, that we might the more adore the depth of his Providence.  
For the rumore of what I had said and done that day, and the next, spread over the Country; Post it went to Dublin; in England it was in a short time; and as the Cloud of Elias, raised from the Sea, at first appeared but as an hand-breadth, so this rumour, raised upon the Strand of Youghall, by the Seaside, little then, as it was, now as that Cloud raised by that Prophet, spread over the whole Heavens and Earth, and falls upon it also, what to do? but even as his, To glad the people, and make fruitful the Earth. Public meetings and great concourses of people, fittest to disperse general mercies to the Sons of men. The Irish desire to know nothing more, nor enjoy any thing on Earth, before their own habitations; not to be transplanted, and to have the Kingly Government restored. Why, they are ready to die of an overjoy. Oh, the wisdom and loving kindness of the Lord! Who can do other than obey him?  
Well, the third day in Prison I am, and for Treason too, there I pass a month, or six weeks, no offer for enlargement: On a sudden, If I will go out, I may, but I must go presently aboard a Ship, there bound for England, ready to depart: Many requests I made before that time, that I might be sent over Prisoner to the General, Oliver Cromwell, to whom I was deputed; but not in any harkened unto. Well: Go I would, yet positively I said, that until I had once more been with the Lord of Broghill, and given him my Prophecy in writing, under my Hand and Seal, delivered and left with him the most material parts of it; I would not go: that done I would go, and then his Lordship should dispose of me as he pleased, I would afterwards in all things readily obey him.  
His Lordship's Secretary and the Earl of Corks both with me, then making the offer of enlargement upon the terms as before: which when I refused, except upon my own terms, they fairly told me I should lie there three months longer, then be proceeded against, and for Treason hanged: To which I replied, Let them burn me also, if they could; I would not go out but upon those terms.  
Appear to the people I would, had they put me in publicly, and will they take me out privately? I would appear to the people, even to all that were there, that I was enlarged; Mad I was not, the business was the Lords, and he would bring it to pass, and deliver whom he had sent and commissionated, in the fittest time. I bade them be gone, told them I would do all that, and more, which was to leave another of my Prophecies, under my own hand, at the House I lodged in, the Widow merrick's, written in Parchment, boxed up, and hanged over my Bed's head, in the Chamber I lodged in, which I pronounced should be called the Chamber of the great Prophet for ever. My Prophecy I wrote, gave it to the Widow merrick's Son in writing; a Man grown he is; he keeps it ten days, or more, than returned it me, and told me his Mother durst not suffer it to be hanged up, Here was obedience to Governors: I would it had always been so.  
Well: the Ship is gone, in Prison I remain, my Keeper again begins (new it now was not) to practise some of his former Tricks upon me; False Prophet he calls me; a Child of his, some 2 or 3 years old, is also taught to call me so himself owns the teaching of it; which when I desired him to forbear, or else tell me upon what ground he did it, he replied to me, he had good grounds.  
You are (said he) for the Superstitious keeping of Days and Times, as in particular, that in the time of Lent we should do well to fast, pray, and examine ourselves, that so, through God's mercies, we may, as you say, become worthy receivers of his most blessed body and blood, for the Remission, of sins, at the feast of his Resurrection at Easter; Nay, you are for a Passion Sermon also, upon good Friday (as you call it,) when all days are alike: The Commemoration also of the Nativity of our Lord, the Descending of the Holy Ghost, and divers other Superstitious things and times; all which the true Prophets of the Lord have cried down, and long since declined, as most abominable and Superstitious. Here lay his proof, when I asked him who those Prophets were, he told me the Godly Ministers and Prophets the Parliament had preferred, & appointed to hear preach. I replied little, only told him some reasons, that induced me to be of that judgement; yet withal it was worth his consideration, to remember what became of those Children that mocked the Prophet, against whom the Lord sent Bears out of the Wood, to tear them in pieces and devour them.  
Well: reconciled we were, he told me it should no more be so, neither did his Child any more provoke me; but on the contrary I loved it, and the Child me. Upon a short time after he told me, If I were a Prophet, than he was a Dog: I reminded him, such expressions did not well become; he might in that Prophecy unhappily of himself; Dogs were without, when Prophets were in Heaven. I observed to him, he did all without reason, told him I forgave him and his Son formerly, and that I prayed for both, that God would be pleased to forgive them; (It is true, I did so, and do so) that he would be pleased to have mercy upon them. He bid me keep my prayers to myself, he nor his had no need of them, and desired them not.  
He was often girding at me, quiet I could not be for him; I saw he loathed me, which made me sometimes think on those evil Spirits, that though they knew it was our blessed Lord, yet raging, asked him why he was come to torment them before their time: Good he told me I could not be, because I approved not of one Mr. Wood, whom the Parliament power had put in Preacher at Youghall, and settled upon him an handsome Salary of some an hundred and twenty pounds per annum. His name implies he may be Timber, though some suspect he is not yet fitted for the building up the House of God. God be pleased to make all men wise and better; Certainly the best accomplished is fittest for his service.  
This being Sunday, and my keeper going then to hear this Mr. Wood, Command is given, none must come to me; locked up I am: Things thus hightening, and his prejudice increasing against me, my Bed the night before taken from under me, sent for away, after he came from M. Woods Sermon, my bolster, sheets, and whatsoever I had of his, taken away from me by himself, so great a zeal brought he home with him, from his so good Preacher M. Wood  
Well: to this condition being reduced, myself not very well, not used to such affronts, not such lodging, the season winter, truly I walked and prayed most of that night; abandoned I now saw myself almost by all, nothing but hard usage and averseness do I meet with in all men, to this business of the Lords, which much troubled me: And truly, I might here observe to you, that I besought God Almighty to direct, deliver, and enable me to get from under those great oppressions of men, which without him I could not overcome. Observe, I beseech you, God withdraws not our helps, but for a further advantage, however our hopes may seem crossed. Where his name may gain, we cannot complain of loss: 'twas so here; the work was the Lords, and he was pleased to assure me, I should grow from strength to strength, until I arrived at perfect peace in Zion: and how that for his Glory, Honour, Mercy and Names sake, he would bring it all to pass, & it should be marvellous in our eyes.  
Thus beseeching the Lord, I prayed, (and now do pray the Reader, that he firmly believe, as I do, it being true) I had that night this Vision, or Call of the Lord, Come away, bring your writings, come away, reitterated just as the people you read before did, when they saw the Light and Crown in the Heavens, bowed to God and it, it being of Heaven, they all said, Come we will follow it; so here, Come away, bring your writings, come away.  
I could here truly observe to you, that although my so civil Landlord, was warm that night in a good Bed, (I cold and had none) in Bed with him such another Saint, his Wife, educated & married from the house of the once, no less zealous, I believe, than these two, the Lord Brook; whose Servants they were either both, or one: Yet on a sudden she riseth and runneth, the strong water is fetched, my Landlord very sick, nay, very ill, his Child had formerly been so: This strong water was to be fetched out of the next Room where I was pounded up; so know it I did, indeed his wife told me the reason of her haste and coming: Well; the strong water he had, and my prayers also for his amendment, and God's forgiveness to him: and though he formerly bade me keep them to myself, he nor his had no need of them, his Child I believe fared not the worse for me, for it after loved me, when well: himself than had them, as also the strong water; if of any validity, God Almighty have the glory, he had the recovery then; but a Fool is not always to be answered in his folly.  
This I should not have observed, but that it is in reverence to what himself hath very often told me, he was that Thomas a Diddimus, that should not believe any thing of my Prophecy, until he saw it come to pass: the rather because it was against those whom God approved of, and set up to his glory; & therefore he took the liberty to call me Traitor, as to them, and false Prophet as in reverence to their Godly Ministry; such was his zeal, but whether well guided, or of God, that's the question. But I leave him in his Dog-kennel, for so his then habitable house was formerly called, as himself told me one time: and truly, me thinks upon this account and action, it may well retain the former name, if it hath been discontinued, Dog kennel.  
Day being come, I penned a Letter, presenting the whole Vision, Come away, bring your writings, come away, to the Secretary of the Lord of Broghill, entreating him, that he forthwith impart it to his Lord, and others concerned for the ordering of affairs in those parts, beseeching they would, after address made to God Almighty for his guidance, forthwith dispose of me as he should please to direct them to do: They, I humbly conceive, did so; for that day, or the next morning I had word sent me, that I might go whither I would. Yet observed to me it was by that Gentleman, which brought me my enlargement, that I should not proclaim the King in the streets. Truly, I was never guilty of any such madness, neither did it so much as once come into my thoughts. Had I not been guided by God, in the penning of my Prophecy, 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 choose, or dare omit.   

SECT. V.  

THis very morning, being now the 7 day of September 1654. was I a second time roused, 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 days, 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 God's 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 Monday 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 God's 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 God's House, but Solomon shall. You see my main rise of all this Book, and unparalleled Prophecy 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 King's 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 david's, 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 build God's 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 blood, which we, as the Israelites had passed through. Let him now take the comfort of my Book, and this Prophecy of the Lord Almighty's, 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 Cromwell 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 rejoicing be not deferred, nor the World kept from coming into the then so gloriously professed Protestant Religion, and under his so happy Government, to which all Christendom, Jews, and Heathens are to conform also in God's time, which I beseech him for his name and mercy sake be pleased, O Lord, to hasten.  
Now, Turks and Infidels look to yourselves, our King is CHARLES 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 God's Viceroy 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 God's glory, and the King's just interest with a Parliament; for divide them I can not.  
In what a troubled condition I am at home I have showed you; opposed and deserted by all, unable to effect any thing of myself. 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 marvellous 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, myself 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 only 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 only the carrying on of our own unwarrantable, proud, and ambitious end, I know not, but it was so here with him, and no otherways: but I do know, that in the end, thou Oliver Cromwell, shalt delight to do the will of thy God and thy King; in the first place also, not minding thyself, 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 only, he remembers very well when you formerly forced it from the King into a Parliament only, where God and our Laws had never placed it. How you abused it! Though your pretensions, Oaths, and Votes, at the first, were high, deep, and many, to the contrary; all that you might not be disinherited; his person and his honour also you would preserve; yet see, misemployed 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.  
Truly my charity 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 forced it from: which unhappy 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 mercy hath now put an end to. If such another Vote engage us not afresh, from returning to which Red sea of Blood, 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 Charles 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 only hath thus directed, and overruled, that his name may have the glory, and thy person the greater honour; 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 thyself one, they only 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: God's 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 King's 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 merciful God, whose work this is alone, to the amazement of the World, both for time and manner, his goodness making it marvellous 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. Yesterday actings, last nights wake, 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 destroying 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 days, 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 show you all; from thence deputed I am.  
And now, you Honourable Members of this Parliament, who may if you will, readily apply yourselves to be good, just, merciful, and wise, live the Honour of our Nation, the beloved of God, of our King, and of all good men: yourselves 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 yourselves to the extirpation of all villainy, 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 enable you, by such a Parliament our already glorified King adviseth in his last words, our now so abundantly happy Sovereign his Son, ever to be ruled by: for Parliaments so principled would readily apply themselves to give the King his just rights, as truly as they would to every subject theirs, which doing, King, people, and Kingdom could not be other than mutually happy and blessed, living in rules of Justice and loving kindness, the strongest hold-fasts.  
And now this thy Call, O Lord, and workings, when myself at my wit's end, is like that afforded me of bring thy Papers and come away. A deliverance it is, 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 myself 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 practise wickedness by a law, & doth not God Almighty put us often into his sieve, several ways 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.  
Enlarged 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; myself 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 College, at which Church once (but not long enough) officiated that so eminent and renowned Doctor Oldsworth: but thank you invisible Parliament and such Oaks, our then wicked Governors, you sequestered, 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 scent unto them; and and truly 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 Lot's 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 days in my house, I could not be in longer quiet, until I took me a lodging near Saint james'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 only to speak to him, made myself 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, until 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 lest 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, until to them I publish it also, this being a light not to be hid; the universal splendour 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 ways 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 wonderful 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, CHARLES the Second, CHARLES the Great, CHARLES the good, King of the whole World: these are the words and declared pleasure of the ever living and our most merciful 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 Prophecy, 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 only to my duty, in the discharge of which I only 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 public 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 covetousness is joined 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 will, revealed in his word: which is to fear God, honour the King, not to side with those, that are given to change; but to keep his Commandments, do the thing that is Just, Honourable, and good, that is to all men as we would they should do unto us. If we will take any thing by violence, let it be the Kingdom of Heaven, which ought to be our devoir, not other men's rights, whether of birth, or estates; which ought to be our restore. Write, O Lord, all these things in our hearts, and incline us to keep thy Law, which is the Commandments of God, and not of men.  
I have now done referring to all of Dream, and my own Interpretation of that, yet what God was pleased to have me observe; also finished some of my Visions, which refer to this, as I humbly conceive, most material; and therein I have observed what I could not but observe.  
For that of Prophecy, truly I believe, I may without any delusion, or spirit of pride, call it the words and good pleasure of the ever living God: and so far am I from believing it to be other, or that it will not come to pass, that I could not depart Youghall, before I had given it under my hand, sealed with the Coat of the Right Honourable Lord of Broghill, and upon my knees delivered it, before no less than twenty other Honourable and good witnesses, that if it came not to pass they put me to death.  
Now that I may not appear other than what I was at that time, to the praise and honour of God, well in my senses; not mad, but true to what I have received of the Lord; no impostor, nor yet a lying Prophet, or one that would delude by lying vanities, and speak when and what not commissioned of the Lord: I do here again confirm, agree unto, and consent, that if it come not to pass (the things in the Prophecy I refer to only, which are of the most wonderful and strangest nature, there is the most improbability by outward appearance) if these come not to pass, I say, I consent that you first show me to the World from place to place, afflicting my body, and after that burn my book, and by death put an end to my days, as I conceive deservedly I ought to suffer, if I speak as from the Lord, when never sent. For allowance of which, to me it seems there is good warrant in that Deuteronomy, the eighteenth Chapter, from the twentieth verse to the end, being the word of God, to which words of God and its interpretation, I refer all I have said and Prophesied, to be tried by, as being the most sure rule, against, and contrary to which word of God, no Prophecy, or Prediction of man can stand, as I firmly believe: which indeed the Lord Cromwell well observed to me, when I gave him the knowledge of my Prophecy, by word of mouth. But if this be besides Scripture, yet not contrary to Scripture, than I say, in my Judgement, it is a work fit for the mission of a Prophet, or if it be for further explain of some things in Scripture, not until now, or yet fully revealed, or well understood, then also hath it warrant: but any new, or giddy Tenets I will never force to my own destruction out of this holy word, O Lord; which to do, I believe is the greatest sacrilege in the whole world. But willingly I do, as I wish all men would refer all to thy most holy word, of which, I conceive wise men, and the body of that ministry, thou hast sent into the world, to be the fittest Interpreters to our well understanding of it: for to and with such thou hast promised to be assisting with thy holy Spirit for their enablement unto the end of the world, and that neither Hell, nor the Devil shall ever prevail over or against them: And those thus blest and so sent, I believe are not the Pope nor his Cardinals, who for their own ends make merchandise of the Kingdom of Heaven, that they may keep up their own upon earth, so do Schismatics & others, to the dishonouring of God, & the scandalising of his Protestant Religion, which shall now flourish beyond all compare. But those shall suddenly fall and melt away, as greater and lesser snowballs; this is certain.  
And now methinks I hear some, as I read those did in the first of the Acts of the Apostles, and the sixth, ask our Lord, Wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom? Truly I know nothing to the contrary, but it will be so, if you will but break off from your so much beloved, and too long lain in sins and impieties, it may now presently be. Certainly there is no better way to hasten its coming, yet the next verse tells you, It is not for you to know the times and seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Read it, the case there just as ours, The Sceptre departed from Judah, the Government forced out of the hands of the Jews, the people desire nothing more than the return of it; Nay, the Apostles themselves are the Persons that inquire if it may not be at this time: Yet observe our Lords answer, even to them; It is not for you to know what the Father hath put in his own power, for shame seek the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness; which doing, all other things shall in due time be given unto you. Yourselves are the cause it is not already come to pass, by your continuance in sin.  
Suffer me but a few words, and I have done; there is an end you hear of all the Wars in the Christian World; but as yet you see it not: God be thanked for what you do see, more probability than ever. Is it not very far advanced here on earth? Have we not that already with some Nations & People we never had before, leagues of perpetual peace (as I have heard) and are we not with others in treaty? Nay, very far agreed towards that purpose? Who well understand the Scriptures know it is very frequently in them used: that very expression by the Prophets sent of God, the present tense for the future, there is an end, that is, it is so decreed in Heaven, and it shall be so on Earth; it being the ordinary phrase of the Prophets, by reason of the infallible certainty of the events, to speak of things to come, as already past; the instances are obvious and infinite.  
See here another motive to repentance, that you may forthwith reap this so great a blessing of peace on Earth, that which makes Heaven so desirable and lovely, having in it the blessing of peace. And yet will you be mad to go on in sin, and make the Prophets, sent to you for amendment of life, mad also? as your iniquities continued in will do: it did so to that good Prophet, Hosea the 9 and the 7. as before.  
I hasten to an end; there are 18 persons you read of, that shall never die, but be taken up into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, that never shall have end. These are the very words of this the Lords Prophesy, his almighty dictating; of which words and their strangeness, I may say, as the prophet Zacharia did in a vision the Lord gave him, referring to the rebuild of his Temple, restore of his worship, and delight in his service, to which all are enjoined to be assisting: begging and inviting them, as mine doth, first to seek the Kingdom of Heaven, his glory, worship, and service on earth.  
This Prophet Zacharia, in the 5. verse of that 4. Chapter, you may there read, having seen that Vision, was asked by the Angel of the Lord, if he knew what the Vision showed him was, he answered, no my Lord. A second time he answered the very same words in the 13 verse, no my Lord, read on, and you shall find informed he was by the Angel, that Prince and Nobles, the High Priest and the other Priests under him, are the Persons the two Olive Trees betoken; and the Candlesticks there lighted, let us see the perfection of beauty and brightness, the Lord will have to be in his house. Certainly where holiness is commanded, beauty, richness, and decency were never forbidden in the house of God.  
And now to do this, doth not the two green Olive Trees on each side drop golden Oil, to carry on the work?  
King & House of Peers, Bishops, Priests & Deacons, see here all your duties, Prince, Priest, & people must be assisting with purse and hand to the rebuild of God's house, for his public Worship and service, which when done, nay, doing, observe how he blessed the Land, never the like before for peace and plenty.  
And here learn also not to wonder, if I yet know not in what manner to understand those words, they shall never die. There was a time, until the Angel gave that so eminent Prophet to understand what himself did reply to, he understood not. A Prophecy is a wonder sent to posterity, lest they complain of want of wonders, it is a letter sealed, and sent, which to the bearer sometimes is but Paper, but to the receiver, and opener, is full of power.  
To such another non ultra was the Prophet Daniel brought, in his 12. Chapter and the 8. verse, where he saith, I heard, but I understood not what should be the end of these things, the next verse tells that Prophet, the words were closed up, and sealed until the end; the last verse of that Chapter assures him he shall stand in the Lot at the end of the days.  
A thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message, as all this his Prophecy is; yet observe, when things of such nature have been dictated to the most blessed Saints in holy writ, as our ever blessed Lady, and others, from these we hear of no more objections, no more interrogations. The faithful heart, when it once hears, or knows the good pleasure of God Almighty, argues no more, but sweetly rests in a quiet expectation, Behold the servant of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And thus without all sciscitation, we are to go blindfold whither he will lead us. All disputations with God (after his will known) arise from infidelity. Great is the mystery of Godliness, and if we will give nature leave to cavil, we cannot be Christians, as good B. Hall observes.  
'tis true we read in holy Writ, that wise, valiant, and good Kings, and other persons of Honour, have been so eminently just, holy, & communicably good to all here on earth, as of them it is said, They shall not die. Nay, we see their renown lives now: That is the meaning of not dying there in one place, and though to wicked men's sense such Godly persons seem to die; as in the book of Wisdom the 3 Ch. second verse, yet it did but seem to them: so dead they are not, their renown shall never die.  
Again, we read of Enoch and Elias, those good Prophets, so lived they with God, though here on earth, as that he took them to himself most miraculously by translation, never suffering them to lie buried in the earth, nor their bodies to return to dust; whose Souls were all heavenly mindedness, and conversation so continually above, that the took their bodies thither also, they did never die. Be it in either of these two senses, here is as much honour & happiness, as mortality is capable of, agreeable to thy word (O Lord) it must be, or it can never stand, nor as I believe, come to pass. But my hand is upon my mouth: thy will be done, and by man for ever be thou praised, O Lord, and now seeing the events of things are the best commentaries upon Prophecies, the best way for these eighteen persons & all others is to walk with God, as Enoch did all his days on earth, in a Godly sorrow for sin, weeping for his own and others; and then taken up into Heaven also they may be, as Enoch was, who never died, but was translated into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, that never shall have end.  
You have heard what the Lord is doing. The conversion of the Jews and Heathen at hand, also the downfall of the Church of Rome; things mighty, strange, and wonderful, which to pass he will bring for his own glory, name, and mercy's sake, making these things marvellous in our eyes. And did he not also formerly work wonderful things, that we Gentiles might be wrought upon, to come into the knowledge of his Law? whose fullness is now with the Jews to come in. The Heathen, a people that have not heard of the Scriptures; the Jews not believing in the Gospel: who, although the beloved seed of Abraham, to whom the promise is for conversion, yet an obstinate, crooked, and wilful generation. Even to convert Schismatics, we may also look for signs, in, or from Heaven: all whose conversion we have little hopes to see effected otherways than by signs & wonders, in, or from Heaven. For this sixteen hundred years past the Gospel not heard of by the one, not heeded by the other, who remembers not ourselves cost our Saviour deer; and many wonders he did before the people would confess him the Son of God: in Heaven signs, on earth opening the Graves, the dead bodies showing themselves to those that knew them, himself ascending up into Heaven also, in the presence of many witnesses need of all for conversion, I have done.  
But remember, Reader, and all you that hear of what the Lord is doing, and bringing by his Almighty power, of his good will, to pass in the World, for the honour of his name and this professed Protestant Religion and good of such as fear him. Take warning, go not on in your sins, break off by speedy and unfeigned repentance, and practise you, as well as invite others, to a more holy obedience than ever; lest that when God giveth deliverance to his Church and people, you be found to be of the number 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, until 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 myself, 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 City 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 God's mercy he hath done mine, for your benefit upon the day and night of the 5. of November last, being our Lord's day, on which we did commemorate God's deliverance afforded us from the Gunpowder 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 thankful 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 Sceptre 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 envy of the world. Here was a Parliament of Gods and good men's choice and blessing, For Majesty and Honour well met together. And this, when so, he delivers from that horrid & unparralled 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 ourselves to live and do according to his will revealed in his word and our known Laws, the only rule we should go by, and conform unto; applying ourselves 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 Clergy force misinterpretations 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 only 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 show us he doth he had no need of a fight Clergy, he made no Apostle to offer violence, no Bishop in Buff with backsword 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 poisons 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 than they are Sidonians, or Samaritans, 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 Peter, if but one, too many, but the more the pity, well, I have showed you what those furious boote-feux have done, set us and the Christian World on fire; I would to God I could show you them imitating that blessed saint Peter repenting; which would be not only ours, the Churches, and their own rejoicing, 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 falsely, persuading they are the Lords Battles, 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 Prophecy 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, yourselves see; gone out they are, like a snuff of the worst lights, & left a stink behind them: whereas the memory of the just, and good, God imbalms, for our imitation, and is not spoken of, nor remembered otherways than most odoriferously, even as the sweet Oil 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 find themselves imperfect, without the better parts of the body of a Parliament, whilst themselves are less profitable Members than they might be, to God's glory, Religion's lustre, the Kingdom's strength and peace, also the people's rejoicing; Let us not cease to pray, (I say,) that they forthwith apply themselves to be so completed 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 qualified them to become binding: They are the very words, (I heard themselves observe) upon the Trial of the Earl of Straford, when proceeded against for making his paperwarrants, or messengers of force to outvalue, being sent out against any subject, the then Laws established: which had their stamp put upon them, and only 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 aught to have, there ought not to be fast and lose when we please, that we may the better practice wickedness by a Law of our own making: thus we strengthen ourselves, 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 men's demeans and birthrights, making our fences to others every way offensive, but for ourselves 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 God's glory and our thankful remembrance; 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, than 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, only 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 thanksgiving 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 yourselves 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 bloodshed than you, but never of any that came to them by more Perjury & Hypocrisy, 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 showed 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, surprising them as a thief in the dead of night and sleep of sin? I before showed you your general condition from whence Gods Thunder only 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 Gunpowder Treason, having that day received the most blessed Communion of the body and blood 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 Gaoler 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 Gaoler so abused me, and took my bedding from under me, and locked me up, than 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 showed 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, than 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 no longer into the Heavens: I then run and hasted to get from under that vail, that I might again look up where I was, so much ravished above in the Heavens, so pressing forward that I might get from under the vail; and so I was taken from the ground, and so moved until I came beyond the vail, which impeded my sight, being got from under it I looked up again into Heaven, where I saw what I cannot utter or set out unto you.  
Help me, O Lord, my soul is too narrow to express that glory and ravishment thou show'dst me there and then: the Heavens yet opening I saw a beautiful place much about the bigness of a quadrangle of a College, and in such a figure also, within which sat some four and twenty persons, all in order as being in four strait lines from side to side, so adorning the whole: they were all arrayed in long white robes, richly Crowned they were, and he that late in the midst the richest, on each hand of him sat also one very richly arrayed and Crowned; all of them in order and beauty beyond any expression. I was given to understand it was the coming of the Son of man, I can say no more, only tell you what it was not there was in it no disagreeing, no confusion, no striving for priority, no supplanting of one the other, all obedience, all beauty, all holiness, every one continuing in his own station, lovely throughout beyond all compare or expression; certainly it was to let me see that at hand his coming is for the conversion of sinners, if they would but get themselves in readiness to receive and meet him with prepared hearts, he would come and dwell with them in beauty and holiness for our amendment, or else take them to himself, unto either of which happy conditions, O Lord, fit us and we shall be fitted: I end, believing God hath now made this book fit for the press and you: Observe to amendment of life.  
Help out, O Lord, with the book, and into thy favourable loving kindness the sons of men: this day is the first leaf of this book Printed, to finish which, if thou help not, O Lord I cannot give it birth; I have not this day on penny in the world, yet I doubt not by thy providence this very day to carry on thy work, this book, nor thy power and loving kindness to effect the whole Prophecy in it contained.  
And now, O Lord, be thou pleased to help so thy most unworthy servant, and carry on this thy great work, strange and mighty to thy own glory, and good of all men, as I set forth the truth of all, and desire from the bottom of my heart, that thou, O Lord, mayest have the glory of all, and we men the comfort: O Lord, I may not doubt thou wilt do it, for thy glory, mercy, and name sake; I see it already done, as thou hast promised; though it be thus strange, yet it is thy work and thou wilt do it, that it may become marvellous in our eyes.  
Thus I end in the very words, which ends my own Commission: in truth also be pleased, O Lord, to help all men of thy goodness, as thy most endeared, yet unworthy servant  
From my House the 10 of Novemb. 1654. Walter Gostelow.    

A POSTSCRIPT, Clearing the Author from Gild of Pride, or Falshood.  
WHat! my Book conceived in sin, and before born, or come into the World, but five sheets out, and in three of them shall I be suspected to be guilty of pride and falsehood? Certainly I will bestir myself, the rather, because a wise and good man tells me he fears the good intented to God's glory, Religious lustre, and the King's interest will all suffer in the publishing of it; and upon these grounds he persuaded me to desist from Printing, which I can no more refuse to do, than I can to breath & live: what shall I wound any of these in the least? Three things as precious to me, as had I ten thousand lives they should all not come into the scale with one of them?  
Moreover, I have presented it in my intentions to the Lord Protector for his protection and defence, and shall I not present it innocent? I know him set up to be a terror to the evil doer and deceitful man, but to calumniated, injuriously oppressed, honest and innocent men a Protector, and comfortable Defender: with all reverence and humility be it spoken, thy glory, O Lord, shall have the praise of this happy Postscript. I know it is for a farther good to me, as well as for the world's clearer satisfactions: by such seeming oppositions and wise delays hath thy Providence reserved it, and me in the fittest time to become public, and for the fullest discovery of truth, it is now made much longer than formerly intended, that all things, time and circumstances may be fully examined, and clearly inquired into, if there may, or can be made appear any ground for suspected delusion, or visible falsehood. I fear neither, the charge, as Gunpowder makes a noise, but you shall quickly see it turned into smoke and and vanish.  
I am to demonstrate unto you why I should not justly be condemned of pride for these words in the 55 page, O Lord, let the World, [as I do,] stand amazed, love thee, and fear thee for ever, what! Arguments of innocency brought to convince of evil? be pleased to look back but two pages, the 53. and so on you have the reason of those words. God of his providence guiding me, at that very time to so full a Scripture, which I there observed for my confirmation, in that my overruled deportment of falling upon my face; Having read that portion of Scripture, not till then known to me, 7 months after done; and myself then penning what I there Printed, I could not but in a thankful obedience, with all possible humility in my private Chamber fall upon the ground, and praise the Lord for it: I beseech you let it not be laid to my charge as pride, be pleased to read it rather, O Lord, let the whole World, [as we all should do,] stand amazed at thy goodness, therefore praise and love thee for ever. This will take me in, and I have what I intended there.  
The next is in the 56 page, where I say, I expected more alteration already ready than I have yet seen; and believe I did the Summer past, would have made the certain things to come to pass, much more apparent before now than they yet are. Here confessing myself mistaken is inferred, I clearly demonstrate that sent of God as one of his Prophets, I cannot be; for they are always guided in words of truth and certainty.  
I could refer you to what follows, and fasten this yet non-accomplishment upon yourselves, by reason of your continuance in sins and impieties, and well might too, but apply I will myself to satisfy reasonable men in all possible ways and things; yet observe, before I end that very Section in the two last pages of it, 68 and 69. you shall there read that I being brought from what I had of Vision, dream, or my own dictates, there is the cause of those words to that which is certainly Prophesy immediately following, and the words of God, by which only I abide as infallably true, and will come to pass: going on you may there see the Scripture quoted, What is the rest but as Chaff to Wheat, whether Dream, Vision, or Dictate: by that Prophecy I will abide whilst I am in this World, yea, O Lord, though men attempt to kill me, I will yet trust in thee. So that all considered, I doubt not but to be cleared in sober men's judgements.  
Next in page 63 I there tell you, you are unworthy of a man sent unto you; your eyes have seen what Arise Evans said already fulfilled, and this methinks might free me from this cavil, together with the known hard measure, as imprisonment and affronts late times have put upon him; whilst the good man (other I can not call him) hath for your good endured so much, and almost worn himself out, that you might turn and live: yet him you asperse; Too many of you miscalling him Mad, Foolish, Babbling mistaken fellow. I confess I knew him not until my return from Ireland, many times I visited him, and he me, when I lodged at Saint James' upon this employ, waiting for the Protector, I still reserved myself in all things, of what I have here Printed.  
Curious I was to know the manner of things coming so to his observe, the times also, his Government I enquired after, looked into him as narrowly as I could, observed the effects and fulfil of things Predicted, and what more I could think on, still reserving myself, having understood the manner, and in particular his always being directed to the word of God, in conformity to that his word, advising all men to turn from sin, that God might return in mercy: I could not but conclude him sent of God for that very employ, if this be to be deceived, then am I also? but I suspect it not in the least; he is for the rebuild of God's House, the restore of his Ministers and Worship, the invite-home of the King, a far greater rule given to him of God, than to any of his Predecessors, also the conversion of the Jews, and the spreading of the Protestant Religion, to which purpose and speedier invite of him home, Oliver Cromwell shall be highly subservient: when done, the Land and people blest. This being his principles in all this, and more, he is in the right, and sent of God he is, I will not cry any of you mercy, for what I have said of him it is too little, he deserves more, he will go for a man sent of God, of whom you are unworthy, whose good admonitions you seem to contemn, as you have done his person: but mark the end of that man, it will be happiness, I suspect yours: me, thinks I can right him in what you so much slight him, it is now come to my mind, he told you the King should be restored by May last, as you say, observe now upon the 3 January, 3 Months before that May, I tell you from God, he is, and shall be here Crowned King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the faith, in Heaven it's done, and so I proclaimed him on the 12 of January 1653. In the Church of Youghall as commanded of God.  
Now to us he is come, I see him already come, so might you also, but that you have neither faith nor good works, in my last letter, at the opening of this Parliament, I wrote to the King these very words. Sir, I see you already come to your crown and dignity, only I do not sensibly touch you, but restored you are. S● do but stand still a little put all iniquity from your heart, believe in God, and yourself with others shall see it so suddenly, God will have it so, you may not doubt it.  
The next and last also, I hope, I am sure the greatest, to give satisfaction to is how I dare be so proud as to style myself so often a Prophet, nay, a great Prophet also.  
Here, O Lord, in all possible humility of soul and body, I do acknowledge myself to be the most unworthiest of the Sons of men, and well know that of merit there is not any thing on this side Hell, but it is too good for me, beseech thee only, O Lord, I do for thy Almighty guidance and deliverance herein; thou canst do it, and make this word good, and I know wilt of thy mercy: thy honour being at stake, I dare not doubt thy power, nor distrust thy loving kindness, who hath assured, that I should by thy enablements grow from strength to strength, until I arrived at perfect Peace in Zion: it is the introduction to thy commission given me for my consolation and inablement in this thy employs.  
Yet I will give you some reasons to beget belief in you also, and true ones too, or else may the ground open and swallow me, if I be guilty of any conspiracy, and Hell for ever continue me, if in this, I am rebellious against thee my God: it is the black portion of false Prophets, & may it be mine also, & that quickly too, if I have any Commission for this but thine, or any aim more than thy glory: the reasons of my belief I will give you truly, and as they fell out, some of which I formerly concealed in modesty, because they referred so much to my own honour, yet I now see when calumniated I am, and suspected of pride, God clears me, and more than recompenses me, he will now give Honour to me and mine, yea, such Honour, as I was never, in the least, worthy of.  
Reason 1. When I was the second time before the Lord of Broghall, in the presence of those persons of Honour desired, declaring the vision of the fire that fell down from Heaven upon me in my bed, and the man sent of God called me three times by my name, Walter Gostelow, asked me if I did see the fire that came down from Heaven, which I replied to as you there may read, yea, I did than I say, that second time being before his Lordship and those present, declaring that and others of my visions and revelations, in particular one that related to my Eldest Son Richard Gostelow, these words last of all on a sudden came from me. His Father is a Prophet, and his Father's Father was a Prophet: astonished I was, my very next action amazeth me also: speaking to the Lady Elizabeth Boyl appointed of God, Wife to our King CHARLES STVART when I come to tell that Lady so, I am thrown upon my face, thus overruled I was in these two actions of words and demenor, any reason for these two proceedings I cannot give neither of them having ever been in my thoughts or purpose, but when done, to none present more strange than to myself. Now mark God's providence, as in the book you have it, he guideth me to a Scripture, there observed to you, for the so falling upon my face, gives me satisfaction for my so doing: for the other of words I promise satisfaction: but first observe.  
That a second time in the dictate of God's Prophecy which I stand to and will never alter or abate one word upon my life, there in the end of that Prophesy these words are, pronounce this house a blessed house, and this Chamber shall for ever be called the Chamber of the great Prophet, for that second time Prophet spoken by me, as for all the words there, I can give no reason but overruled providence, it was no pride, no imagination, no, it was God's pleasure, and his will and promise by me to be declared to all people, and it was no more what I fancied, or would have come to pass than I wished well to Olliver Cromwell, who is in that Prophecy and happy also a man I hated to the utmost, till God then, as before, reproved me, do you tell me off fancy you talk foolishly, I believe the Prophecy, and I pray for O: Cromwell the Prophecy is Gods, the duty is mine and all yours, God hath or will change O Cromwell to his own glory, and your amazement, as well as mine, he hath assured it me, and I do you, take it for Prophecy, I do.  
The third time Prophet is after dictated, as soon as light appeared, I rose, before I dressed myself I write, that upon the 12 of January, in the Church of Youghall, a man sent of God for that very employ, A Prophet, his name Walter Gostelow, will that day in that Church, after Sermon tell you the things God will bring to pass for his glory, mercy, and name sake, making them marvellous in our eyes. For this third time Prophet, I can give you no reason, but overruled Providence, just as in that writing I could write Oliver Cromwell by no other dignity, or cognisance, than the General of all the English Forces, as you may there read, so here you have to observe the word Prophet, spoken before the Prophecy, spoken in the Prophecy, and wrote after the Prophecy, in all overruled I knew not of it until done. Yet further observe that in the dictate of Prophecy, the Irish are not to be transplanted, fulfilled that is for your satisfaction; the time for their transplanting by Act was May last, I am ashamed, I will not call it an Act of Parliament, it was so contrary to God's good pleasure, or brotherly compassion, to sweep all, that they might have all, therefore transplanted they are not, May is past; transplanted they shall not be, upon this I will put it, burn me if they be. God hath altered that unmerciful decree, scattering those that made it, given these poor Subjects & us better Lawmakers, more merciful men in the room of them, who, having God before their eyes, for their so doing, have learned. Be ye also merciful, as your Heavenly Father is merciful. Such as these shall hereafter sit at Helm, and sway the Sceptre of these three Kingdoms, just and merciful men sent of the omnipotent and merciful God.  
In the Prophecy written, the sign there given me, which I was also overruled to write, as well as the name Prophet, is made good to me, fulfilled that is also, honourable witnesses I have enough to prove both, for times, persons, and place.  
There is some ground for further proof, which I cannot wholly pass over, nor decline the giving it to your consideration, just as it was given to myself, being put upon all possible proof, one night forthwith after Mr. Barrel the Merchant, and John Merrick came up into my Chamber, and began thus with me, Mr. Gostelow here is happened below a thing that very much amazeth us, & some others. I asked what is it? we are amazed we wonder at it, say they, speak, what is it.  
The little Child, say they, that came from the Irish Nurses, to which the widow Merrick is Grandmother, and Mr. Landey Merchant her Son in Law, Father, That Child you know is very weak, & can hardly speak any thing, what it learned at Nurse is Irish, we were speaking below to the Child, and ask it some things in English, amongst others, what you were, the Child replied twice what we understood not, at last plainly in English, a Prophet, this they admiring, came up to me then in bed, and tell me: you have the men, the matter, and their residence: if this be so, God hath sent me one witness more out of the mouth of this Babe.  
Out of all which give me leave to observe to you, for I do it with all the humility that is imaginable in the World, but do it I must, I see God's glory is at stake, and so also your and my well being, for turning from sin to amendment of life, that we may repent & do the first works, so for ever live blessed and happy; God hath here sent me a Scripture this last Sunday out of the Pulpit, and the mouth too of one of his Ministers, so full is it to give you and me satisfaction for this word Prophet, my overruled speaking and writing of it, that it is to me as satisfactory, and as full of Consolation, as the other Scripture his Providence guided me to, for the proof of my overruled deportment, in falling down upon my face; and because so very full, I will give it you in the very words, as I had done that, and let me tell you, the Lord Protector did observe part of this Scripture to me, when I imparted these things to him, who then well advised me to fear God, and walk in his ways in all humility, and for these things, which were so very strange, if to his glory, good pleasure and his Prophecy, he would bring them to pass, not being contrary to Scriptures, though spoken out of my mouth: as it came happily then from him, so now also from a worthy Gentleman Preaching, God never yet left me in my greatest straits. You have the words in the second Epistle of S. Peter, the first Chapter and the last verse. For the Prophecies came not in old times by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and I am sure they wrote so also, but that this be not laid to my charge, as the greatest pride of all, yet spoken, or asserted by me; I beseech you pray for me to this purpose, for I am bold to tell you my heart is fixed, O Lord, my heart is fixed uprightly and sincerely to keep thy Law, to love and serve thee above all things in the World; but for any sanctity, merit, or righteousness in me, O Lord, which is not thy only grace of good will, I abominate and disown it for ever: pray for me, I beseech you, that in all the inundations of evil I may be preserved by the loving kindness of the Lord, and that in all the mutations of this World, whatsoever God would be pleased to make me, and that I may be so ever found, the most humble, lowly, penitent, just, wise, merciful, meek, patient, faithful servant of our Lord and God, and King my Master; O Lord, I love thy House, Worship and Service, and place were thy Honour dwells; 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 ways, O God, are past finding out, who dares assume the name of a Prophet, not I, O Lord, let me rather from my Soul choose 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 anciently known (in my memory) it had groves and good walks about it, some religious house I conceive it to have been, an Altar and Chapel I have known in it, the Parish is Croppredy in Oxford shire, situate 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 myself 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 Country well knew of him. He was a lover of God's 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 employed and put out in his own name, yet most justly gave her the proceeds of it, and when he died, left her near four times as much as he left to all his children, which were then nine, yet she had no child by her former husband nor him, hardly any kindred had she known to my Father: this he did in good conscience, I will next show you how he was merciful 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; money 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 doors drove him to seek his quiet without doors, 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 afraid to die, his tears were occasioned by the overjoy he had that he was going to so wholly a God, to so merciful 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, myself Prentice 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 faithfulness to apply myself willingly to discharge it, this indeed speaks him a Wise and good Father, and a child 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 myself 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, 'tis for truth sake and the World's 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, myself not minded, but forasmuch as in what I wrote myself presently after Gods pronounced Prophecy, wherein I say I was overruled. There are also things referring to myself and posterity I am unworthy of; I shall therefore reserve that, as judging it fittest to show privately to my King, when time best serves, his most excellent Majesty being upon his Throne: and now seeing God hath so overruled & 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 remind you that in the book you shall read, when I was awake, and at the end of Broad-street, seeing the Heaven's open, and my Saviour upon the Throne, I did there see my Father Richard Gostelow amongst the Patriarches, Prophets, and Apostles, waiting upon that Throne, and this is no new invented thing made by me now, the better to delude with (as some have traduced me) I can produce you witnesses that I have for many years since, but in all comfortable humility, and not otherwise, spoken it.  
Truth I will give you throughout and nothing else; this book will pass far from home, inquired into, I believe, every part of it will be; observed also with desire from some, with sorrow of others for its fulfil, with what concerns myself and Father, as to the name of Prophet, I have done: forget not in the book, I beseech you, the passage of the Gaoler when he so abused and reproached me by the name of false Prophet, from whose bitter words and hard usage, God in his own time, which is ever the best, delivered me on a sudden by his Call, and that night's Vision, Come away, bring your Papers, come away, it is but a little, I have more to say, and that is of Croppredy Church and Parish, where my Father lies interred, myself was Christened; and then I have done this long Postscript.  
This Parish of Croppredy is 7 or 8 miles about, good Land all of it is, being in a Country very populous, Churches it hath in that one Parish four, and one little Chapel of ease, the Tithes of the whole, as I believe rightly informed, are worth 8 hundred pound per annum, there doth reside & officiate in those Churches now 4 Gentlemen, whose Milk, Pigs, Eggs, Nuts, and Apples, with other petty Tyths altogether, are worth somewhat above 100 pound per annum, the Corn, Hay, and Pease worth 6 or 7 hundred pound, that is stolen from the Church, first by the Roman Impropriator, the Lord Abbot, Bishop, or what he was then called, I know not, stolen it is, that Clergy, say they what they will, were the great Thiefs, who rob men first by persuading our forefathers to give to God's glory, and after stole it from the Church to enrich their Abbeys, Covents, or Orders: so rob they have the Priest of his maintenance, and God of his true worship & service, which should always have been truly maintained with that given. Thiefs you see they were, and now pray what are we else, receive we do, buy and sell what they stole, which in other cases, less considerable, we make death by the Law.  
Fain would I see our Ministers generally wise, good and charitable, I may never expect to see also, their maintenance once made, what certainly it ought to be good also. Gentlemen, if any in the World, it is to you Scholars I speak, when wise, good, and charitable, doubt not you have a God and a King that will remedy this villainous knavery, Theft, and Sacrilege, which hath undone so many, and made us of the Protestant Religion lose our renown, because we have followed the Church of Rome in this way of Thieving; for we restore not, which amongst other sins of the greatest magnitude now help to pronounce her down-fall, she shall fall, so shall Church Robbers, doubt it not: if our Saviour did but whip out those that bought and sold in his Temple, what think you he will do to those that buy and sell his Temples, and steal the endowments, and wonder not at it, that Oliver Cromwell will assist in this, God hath set him up for his glory, and your maintenance, and for me his most unworthy servant, I shall have a hand, or a pen in it also, you read where and what of his mercy brought me to this employ, seeing his Temples lay waste, his Ministers unprovided for, and the people untaught, because the means is stolen from the Church; if I fall short in this, let me never speak more, thou, O Lord, hast made me after dumb, speak and write this for thy glory, and I do truly say, I love thy Temples and the place where thy honour dwells; also to see thy Ministers well provided for, that thy name, nor the Protestant Religion be not evil spoken of, but that we may by well doing invite others to be of it, so communicably good to all.  
One passage more of Croppredy, and I have done: here it was and about my once Father's house also, that our glorified King personally defeated, Sr. William Waller, a kind defeat it was, he took no pleasure in the pursuance of his enemies to death, he took from him there part of his Militia, the field-Guns, destroyed not many of his men, yet a defeat it was, he recovered it not.  
The Militia was that often & dangerous knife we foolish and disobedient children cried for, which having gotten, knew not how to use, but to our own, as others destruction, foolish and disobedient Subjects, as well as Children we are found to be. For with it we carry on all our committed violences and outrages, yet, for all that, men professing and practising the Law, tell us this is Law, certainly they speak falsely, except they mean Club-law.  
Postmaster Prideaux, baiting and pursuing in the Gall of bitterness, Sr. John Stowel upon his Trial, part of which I heard had this expression he admired any now would oppose, or endeavour to wrong the so innocent Infant-Common-wealth, very finely spoken Sir, yourself the Father and Godfather of that so newly named Innocent Babe; such outcries from the mouth of some blind, not yet nine days old, P. P. or Novises in the Law, would not be much wondered at, neither can such deceive us: we well know that sober, honest men and Counsel learned in the Law; for such there are, go not out of the certain tract and known rule of the Laws, such run true all along, open not the mouth to spend in vain, hate to misguide us, deceive us they will not, fearing lest we, as they, should catch what we pursue not, and so miss of truth, the only desired good and Royal Game Magna Charta.  
A Lawyer with a double heart and two tongues employed, the one to stifle truth, the other to maintain falsehood, I would only have such tongues cut out, when so ill employed; to such wicked ends God never gave them: for we should praise the Lord with all our hearts & with our tongues next. For others that cloth and enrich themselves with bribes and the wages of unrighteousness (for certainly of both these wicked sorts we have had too many Lawyers) such I would only have their skins flayed off them, and hanged up over that place of judicature they cause to be so evil spoken of: I have read, or heard that so good a course was once taken for the punishment, and deter of evil Judges and such Lawyers.  
Undeniable it is, that not long since wickedness was practised and committed by a Law amongst us, the Lawyer, he as the witness falsely accused, the Sequestrator, he so condemned, the Committee man he levied the Estate, or sold it; if the Rent was low, than it was fittest for one of the Godly party to grow rich by; most Trypartite, as a three corner Cap, all of one piece, they have hanged together; truly, if these evil doers will not repent, and bring forth better fruits, making their conversion to appear, as good Zacheus did, when truly converted, who showed 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, truly 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 practice, our Saviour said so, that could not err.  
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 show 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 'twas 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 falsely 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 only that the Lord may have the glory of it, and man, his Creature, the benefit of his just but merciful and righteous judgements.  
My employ 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 him what you Mr. Postmaster Prideaux laboured to beguile him of, the benefit of his Articles, & not you only, 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 Prophecy, 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 Commonwealth, truly 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 unparalleled 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 Warwickshire, the very day before Edge-hill fight, he being then, and there importuned presently to hang 80 men that night taken: To persuade 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 powerful, 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 Earl of Linsey, whose Father was mortally wounded the next day at Edge-hill, of which he died in a few days 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 hanged four of his men: to second him, another said, they had hanged five of his, more of them went on, three of theirs, two of another's, his Majesty to get rid of them, and it may be to inquire into the truth of it also, (first I did so) told them he would presently take an order with them, now see the order taken by him, twelve enlarged, and of them continued, not a man suffered in his Person, yet to this good King was laid the false charge of his being guilty of all the bloodshed in the three Kingdoms. To witness this truth in my King's 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 kill 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 King's forgiveness you may not doubt, the Stuarts, as the Kings of Israel, are very merciful Kings, King James a Beati Pacifici, King CHARLES, of ever blessed memory, prayeth God to forgive all his Enemies, when inquisition is made for blood, then, O Lord, let them be found that shed mine be sprinkled with thine, I beseech thee: CHARLES the second, our King, will not consent that his seeming greatest Enemy in the World, Oliver Cromwell shall privately be taken off, an act pleasing enough to many, when the remove, but of that one man only, might probably without more bloodshed 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 murder to him, no at no hand, he allows it not, he will wait upon God in all his lawful ways, contenting himself to be Charles the good, if not Charles 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 dost 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 goodness, and never to be dispaired of mercy, take my good King, thou, 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, than 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 only he that keeps close his sins, or as Hypocrites seem only to repent, he that covers his sin shall not prosper, but he, that confesseth and forsakes them, shall find 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 overruled dictate of Prophecy, when all others by their known Titles and Signiories.  
I will only show you the Crown on the other side, and there Proclaim my King, as in Gods Prophesy 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 CHARLES 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 only 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 glory, myself with you the better esteem, and yourselves the clearer satisfaction, that I am sent of God with others to the World's happiness, as his Prophet for this very employ of my God & my King, whom God preserve. Amen.   

CHARLES the Second, KING of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, KING of the whole world.  
To this Charles the good, and Charles 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 Cromwell, and no more in the dictate of the Lords Prophesy, 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 Prophecy 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 spoke to me, saying, you well understand the Scriptures, Kings are of God, especially yours; from thence issues true honour, not from the people, for this reason is it in the Prophecy, Oliver Cromwell and no more, by him that er not, the Lord.  
See, it is then true honour, and worth having, only when conveyed in its right Channel, otherways it is just as the Calf the people set up, which wisemen 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, Spurco, and Star, yet lie still in your Beds of Honour, until your Son arise, we see already his Aurora, as plain as we did his daystar 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 thee must terminate, but the Kingdom thou shalt be taken up into, is that of Jesus Christ's that never shall have end.  
Wharton where art thou? what the best Astronimer, at sometime a Prophet, and doth not thy rich sublime Transcendent wit and Pen yet appear, make us Te Deums and Laudamus Domine, I have left thee a break in this Book more than fill it, and the world of good hearts, with Gods, & thy King's just praises, but thy own duty, were not those thy verses I have so much inquired after, as well as thy most worthy self, since returned from Ireland, thine, or cleaveland's sure, but not yet so happy as to see either. Verses that Prophesied the King being inbalmed at Windsor, the Garter and Spurco should lie dormant, until some Prophet sent of God should raise them from there locked up and sealed Wardrobe, raised they are, make haste, adorn them, thou hast for thy enablement a Mine of Excellencies; Cleaveland and thee have all, give God and your King the glory of it, they have your hearts already, pen us Songs and Praises to our God, the Quoristers and Churchmen did sing us such at St. Paul's Cross upon his Birthday, that good example was given by the Angels, who did so at the glorious King of King's Birthday, who now sends our King CHARLES the Second, his Viceroy on earth, to rule the Sons of men, Honours he brings with him from the Almighty fountain, to be derived and conferred upon such as fear God, Obey, and Honour this his Viceroy our King, C. S.  
Come now, come O: Cromwell, take not a share, but thy full measure, God judgeth not as man doth, we thought thee not at all worthy, now shall that celestial Colour, Order, Ribbon of the Garter, I had the Honour to sell it to my King, but never thought the least to be so Honoured as to repossess him of it from God.  
Come I say, let this badge of the greatest Honour now on Earth, given from the greatest King, thine also, C. S. let it now be put on thee, I said it in Ireland, the Honourable and good Soldiery submitting to their King, whom God would dispose and overrule so to do, of which thou art found the most eminent; they should have honours conferred upon them, indemnity, forgiveness, and large rewards given unto them, of, & by the King when restored; put on this rich Garter, which hath for its inscription Hony soit qui maly pense, the other Order Ribin worn upon the body, remembers all Subjects we should not so much as think an evil thought of the King in our hearts.  
And now complain not, but rejoice for ever, O: Cromwell thou seest with whom God hath ranged thee, with the greatest and happiest of Kings, Queens, and Princes, now thy Honour is worth having, there was something in it, that thy good, aged, and so lately deceased Mother was as I hear a Stuart, she is gone to the common Wardrobe of the world, the grave. Be comforted, thy Father is a Stuart too, & he lives, the Father of his Country, and the King of all good Subjects for their Consolation, of which blessed number we may not doubt thou art Son and Subject, since God hath so declared it, & made you United Sons of the now more visible and glorious Protestant Church than ever, in Heaven glorious to all eternity.  
This our King hath now largely given to him of the fountain, and as our blessed Saviour came to his universal Dominion, not by fight, but winning his Subjects by dying for them: so by merit, and of purchase had the ends of the Earth for the bounds of his Kingdom, which being but earth, the rule of it he now gives to his Viceroy, CHARLES STUART, whom in his uncontrollable and unsearchable wisdom and mercy he hath made worthy of as much Honour, Command, and rule on Earth, as Mortality is capable of, not of merit, but to let us see that he, which gives himself to do the will of his Saviour, which is in Heaven, and denies him not on Earth, which thy now blessed Father our King did in obedience to the Commands of his God, for such a witness the Almighty made of him, and such a Martyr we have put to death, and such a glorified Saint was the Crown of your rejoicing, my most blessed, and for ever happy Queen, when he your Majesties on Earth, now in Heaven glorified.  
Be not troubled, Madam, they were Villains and Rebels that aspersed your Honour, and his Majesty, you see it, as also your no otherways, virtuous and for ever happy, Sister, now Queen of France.  
See how the Lord loves your Souls, Honours your Persons, and establisheth your posterity, to you, Madam: Behold, the Lord, now gives his and your Son, but our so much Honoured and ever blessed Sovereign to be King of the whole World; and to you, Madam, the best of France's Queens, whose two Sons; good men, saw what God did for you, gave you them both from Heaven, 'tis true, to make your patient expectancies, hopes, and faithful dependencies, on him the Almighty, visible to the World, as they were to Heaven, he defers it in his wise delays, which are always the best, for 23 years, until your glorified King also was going thither, in whose last days his graces, as his blessings were at the highest, for your comfort Madam, and the World's thankful, and happy acknowledgement, had they but grace to see it, as now all may.  
Was there ever two such Kings, and Mother Queens on Earth, yet see how the Devil and his instruments would eclipse them, and hath aspersed both, but God witnesseth for you, and hath now declared you and yours beloved in Heaven, and to be obeyed on Earth.  
Most excellent Queen of France, you were pleased some sixteen years past, myself being at Saint Jermains, I came thither with the now Lord Jermain, your Majesty after honours and favours by your most excellent and good self afforded, did interrogate me what Religion I was of, I then humbly satisfied your Majesty I was a Catholic; your Majesty further demanded of me what Catholic, I answered the best, said your Majesty it is then Roman Catholic, is it not. I bowed before your Majesty as in duty, and replied it was Catholic è Protestant, a la mode d' Angleterre, point de Rome.  
Your Majesty, whom God hath made to your power communicably good to all, pitying my condition, was pleased to offer me a Letter to your King's Confessor, of good will desiring my conversion, I humbly acknowledge the favour, but replied, my Religion I liked so well, as not to change it.  
Madam, be pleased to see now how God more than retributes, and no otherways recompenseth this your good will, to God's glory and my good, (as intended) my unworthy self, Madam, is now sent unto you by the Lord, not only to your so pious, and so eminently good self, but also to more than your whole Kingdom, to bring your Majesty and them into his only true Church, that Church, which is not that of Rome, into one of whose Chapels at Saint Jermains, your Majesty was that day further pleased to Command me, when returned from seeing the then Dolphin, now King of France, your Majesty's Son then in his Cradle, to wait upon you to that Chapel, to hear the Music and Vespers.  
Madam, in obedience I did so, be pleased to let me assure your Majesty, I have heard very many Sermons, and some good ones too in the Churches of France and Spain, tending to mortification, yet never was I of the Roman Catholic Religion in all things. No, Madam, it is their unwarrantable Innovatious, Traditions, Superstitions, Excesses, and Idolatries of the Priests and Factors for Rome, and his unholiness, the Pope and that Hierarchy. That your Majesty and all must turn now from, that is the cup of fornication she hath made the Kings and Princes of the Earth drunk with, for which wicked acts of hers, they and all shall now hate her, God hath said it in this his Prophecy, down she shall, her fatal time is come, and herself must drink the dregs of that cup of fornication, hers it is, and take it she shall, the Lord will have it so, she shall fall. Yet Madam, the Lord is good to all his, though of that Church, for he will purge her as your Majesty shall further read anon.  
Be pleased so excelling Queen, I most humbly beseech your favourable allowance, that I go on to wait upon my own King, and Gods true Church, in this his business and my employ.  
And now, O my King, rejoice fully, there is no place for sorrow (but for sin) how like thy Saviour was thy Father, who dying, prayed his Father in Heaven, to forgive those Murderers on Earth, that so despitefully used him, it is not all the indigne cruelties of men that can rob him of those rich mercies; thou, my King, prayedst for them dying, wicked, & sinful people, you would be miserable, but he will not let you; Father forgive them they know not what they do: Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, who, because faithful unto death, I will give him a Crown of life: as in the 11 of the Ecclesiastes and the 17. also Revelations the 2. and 10.  
I am now in Heaven in the this days discharge of my duty, I fear you Rebels, and all evil doers, as I do the Devil, not at all. But I return to thee O. Cromwell, the so much beloved of the Lord, which we now seeing wonder it should be so: But God judgeth not as man doth, when he pleaseth the Lion shall lie down with the Lamb, 'tis so here.  
Oliver Cromwell, I expect thee, nay, I believe thee no more ill biased, if ever; no more rebellious, no more ambitious, except it be of being more just and good in all ways of Honour and obedience, now endeavour thou, or increase to be communicably good to all, the high end thou was born for: there now lies thy choice and complacency, and for thy former ways, as errors of thy judgement, not want of zeal to God's glory, be comforted, it offends not that our affections are moved with zeal, but that they are inordinate: thou art not only now thyself a detestor of them, when inordinate, but a dehortor of others from the like phrensie-practises; so that of the mercy of God changed, or to us made known, thou here helpest to make good what our already glorified King Prophesied to his now so Highly Honoured and restored happy Son and people.  
That those his Subjects, which had erred by the artifice of others, or misguided zeal, would, when they saw the errors of their ways, and the villainous practices of those, that had deluded and seduced them, their eyes so opened, they would then most hate them and best obey their King, here is this now fulfilled in our days and eyes: O you people of this Land and the world also, judge now, was not my King and Sovereign a great Prophet, as well as the best of Kings.  
O you deceivers! who traduced him in his Honour, that you might the better Murder his Person, and divide the inheritance; if there yet lives any of you, (for your time is but short, except you repent) the bloodthirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his days. Whether can you turn to be in quiet, or to be beloved, who hates you not, that is either wise, or good. But God is merciful, he is the best of Patterns, his mercy is over all his works, and his compassions fail not, I must obey him, and let you know where your well-being lies, you bad men once gave the worst counsel and it prevailed, now take the best, and follow it, from God & me, come forth, humble yourselves, leave no sin unrepented of: Murder and Hypocrisy are two great ones, confess to God and to his glory, forsake all, that was of the Devil in you, contempt of God's house, Ministers, Worship and Service, violence to Man thy Brother, restore to God and Man what is not your own, but stolen from both; make all possible amends you can, for otherways I do tell thee, whomsoever thou art, whether yet in this Kingdom, or fled already into another, that God will give deliverance to his Church and people, but render vengeance to his adversaries both at once, Deuteronomy the 32. verse the 43. and this he will do, that so wherein the wicked dealt proudly, God might show himself above them, Exodus the 18. and the 11.  
My next observe is how doth God Honour that Religion, which to have been of, the World hath counted madness: The Jews, the Heathen, the Roman and our sneaking Schismatics, those that either despised Christ, or falsely told you with them he was, and no where else, they are all now truly showed, his delight was, and favour is, where they thought and taught him not to be, with the faithful Professers of that so ancient true Church of God, but lately so much despised, and by them contemned Church of England; to whom, because the purest, God is now pleased to give so much Honour, beauty, and renown, for the former contempt, persecution and ashes of her glorified Professers and Martyrs, of which number it is now demonstrative our late King is the greatest: see, God judgeth not as man doth.  
This is righteous judgement, which himself Prophesied you should have hereafter when falsely condemned him, and had provided yourselves of those at your backs, and about your Bar of Justice, for so it was, a Bar of Justice, where you had placed your Criers for Justice, Justice, as their fellows did against our Lord, Crucify him, Crucify him, spit upon him you did too, as I have heard, condemn him you did that I am sure of, no end of your malice, his blood you thirsted for, as also the Ministers of the Lord, you had it, you have taken them, yet see, as he prayed, you are found besprinkled with the blood of Jesus, when inquisition is made for his and others, and thus he prayed for you, you would never confess your selves guilty, but God sees it, and forgives it too, with him there is mercy, if you confess and forsake your sins, making all possible amends and for the time to come, all your days walk before him in a holy obedience: to this end he in mercy hath sent me to you, that you might truly 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 truly 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 Forefathers 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 God's glory and the people's good, that the people might not longer be deluded by those juggling villains, which make merchandise of the Kingdom of heaven, and hold the people in sinful ignorance, turning almost all their practices, and (miscalled) Devotions into (finenesses) crafty frauds to enrich 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 Tenants 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 Tenants 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 Sovereign 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 abhorred, as the Church of God should do, all such damnable practices and wicked Tenants. 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 & judgement in the way of God's 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 cutting 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 practices 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 Abbey.  
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 called, 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 only 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 mortar, 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 only of her fall, but whither they shall repair for safety, even under his wings, into his Church, and to the Obedience of his King, CHARLES 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 God's word for the defence of his Church, now also by this his Prophecy, and immediate dictate from Heaven.  
Well what is to be done, forthwith turn to this so merciful Lord your God withal your hearts, proclaim a fast, and keep it truly, and let us know when you do it, that we may pray together, God would be pleased to have mercy upon you, and now so direct all your Counsels to his glory, for the promotion of the true Protestant Religion, the just interest of all men, beseeching God for his guidance in all things and times for the best, doubt not then, but we shall all live together in brotherly-love, and the Land be blest. The King presently invite home, when come, a general Council assemble to reform all amiss in the Church and House of God, begin, here, and you do, what God by our late King, by Haggai, by Zacharie, by his Prophets, and by me now sent unto you, the most unworthiest of all advise too. You see we all agree in the way, it is undoubtedly the only course to remedy all amiss.  
Thus to promote God's glory, your Sovereign's Honour, and to preserve his posterity hath been the most of your pretensions, now let it be the best and speediest of your practices; do this and live, the envy of the World, wicked men, and Devils, but the joy of Saints and Angels, also the dearly beloved of the Lord and goodmen you will be, or else put me to death; I will neither run nor hide myself to avoid it, Walter Gostelow dwelling in Broad-street assures you of it, God having first assured him for manner and matter, as you read.  
The next in order is, the poor Irish shall not be transplanted, see here is the Bear's skin you divided, before taken into power to dispose of Your cruel Act was, that after last May it must be death for any, not qualified as you there please to set down, if taken on this side the River Cannon: Merciful men you are, & just too, as you would have us misbelieve, but pray what is become of yourselves? are not some of you gone thither? the Irish Nation is not, God put it into the heart of Oliver Cromwell to turn you out, that would be turning of others out, that you might divide the spoil, which yourselves make, no, they shall not be transplanted, to God's glory and my comfort, this part of his Prophecy is fulfilled already, as well as his sign given me for the strengthening of my Faith and yours: here also you see God judgeth not as man doth, there are hundreds and thousands of that Nation, I firmly believe, and I have good ground for it also, which hate that Rebellion as they did the Contrivers of it, and the Actors of all Rebellion, the Devil & his instruments, with this poor and oppressed Nation I have spent some time, I know this to be true, and now to their comfort I here assure it them in Print, they shall not be transplanted, they and the Land also may be made much better by our good example, peaceably and loveingly co-habiting: the Land affords room enough, and would be made good too, if wisemen sat at Helm, which I assure them shortly will, in the mean time, and at all times I advise them to the remedy of two things, to speak truth, and not to give themselves to idleness & stealing, the Devil being the Father of all lies, and the other his forge for all villainies: our own good example in this may much the sooner remedy both: for the former, they hate many of us, and use it as a rod of our own making for to scourge us with: for the latter, our pride and covetousness makes them choose rather to steal and hang, laze and starve, than work for their beggarly, proud, & Schismatical Lordlike usurpers. There is a great increase of a sort of seeming strict, and conscientious living people gotten thither, they call them Anabaptists, in Cristmas week 1653. to Youghall came one they called Doctor Lamb, this Wolf cast many there then upon their backs into the water, to hear, as well as see, what he did, I went; he told them that to be sprinkled only, as used in England, made us no more Christians then those were that lived in France, Rome, or Spain; Nay, no more than such as lived in the remotest place of the World and had never heard of Christ; 'twas what he did our. Saviour only enjoined, and our Lord himself was not baptised until about 30 years of age, believing first also; truly at this I could not keep silence, I observed our Saviour always believed, and was baptised when he pleased, and for the Church of England, certainly he traduced and falsely slandered them, this Doctor further added, wicked men, having power in their hands, had for these many years persecuted the true people of God, which they were, & laboured also to suppress his Ordinances, which was to baptise & believe, as they did only: it is long to tell you more what I said in the defence of my faith and Church, in fine, two of his party. Sword men in that place, stood up and close to me also, and told me we had no Church in England; seeing what it was like to come to force of Argument, I went out and stayed with others to see the two then to be ducked, the woman near sixty years old could hardly be gotten down, she hanged so about this Doctor Lamb; when in the water, under water he could not get her, the man, Young by name, dived like an old duck, Doctor Lamb, after he had well werted them, laughed at both: all this I saw and heard, these things I hope will be amended: when I was in prison, I wrote to the Lord of Broghill, that I would witness those words, spoken by Lamb, to the slander of God's word and his Church, it is before you Gentlemen these things require a remedy, you imagine not what a strange sort of cattle we have in jerland for Religion, mercifulness, civility, you may find better in America, and upon my conscience many of them will be sooner converted to the Protestant Religion, than too many of those Saints will cease to be villains, to the great dishonour of the Protestant Religion, and deterring of those poor people to come in to it; I am ashamed of it, that men, which pretend to piety, should have so little; my Landlord the Gaoler is a Saint to some of them, yet what you have read of him is true: preachers and wise men they have amongst them, as they call them, that will tell you, me they have, I am sure of it, that there is no Hell, and that their consciences never yet troubled them, though they daily swear, whore, drink drunk, besides other wickednesses, indeed what not, for sin by links is made a chain, to this they came, their conscience ought not to trouble them, for who ever yet resisted Gods will; for your Ministers, which tell you this and that story out of what they call the word of God, it is but to this end, that they may the better pick your pockets, when you are amazed and overawed by them, and so went on, I do tell you Moses was no more a Prophet than the rest of the Magicians, only more cunning in smiting them first, they were all alike say these, I am afraid to tell you what I have heard amongst the wicked rabble there of new opinionests, if you will transplant any in Ireland transplant these and your Anabaptists, and when they have brought these wicked ones to a true belief, let them then, as the Eunuches, be rebaptised: amongst the Heathen send them also, continue them not here to make rents in Church & government, for they would conform to neither, had they force: they told me the Lord was now coming to take the power out of wicked Governors hands, and to put it into theirs, and truly that power I expected would have been exercised on me, for the swordmen stepped up close to me, when Doctor Lamb could reason no more; you are mistaken in them if you think them meek, they are furious and not wise, I will not call them fools, although their own words are, they desire to live and not sin against conscience, and then all cannot but be well with them, you have heard how their consciences stands affected.  
Doth not this clearly show you, that what our so late, but ever blessed and wise King CHARLES Prophesied, is now come to pass and fulfilled in your eyes. Your disordering and tearing up by the roots the Power and Government of the Church, that being laid waist & contemned, would bring in all sorts of wicked Athiesm, Villainy and such practices, speak: can any of you continue to be mad? will you as formerly go on, what blind for ever, adding sin to sin until your measure is made full? if you will do so, be sure you shall be removed, cease to do evil, learn to do well, about it presently, that this scandal may not stick upon the Professors of the Protestant Religion, lest they say of us, as they do of the Spaniard in America, that it cannot be Heaven where such bad men are, so come not to their Religion: but my belief is, that blessed America, and those people, will shortly have a better Religion before their eyes than that of Rome; and a better people also to cohabite with than the Spaniard: I know what God is doing, he is fitting the Jews and Heathen to come into the Protestant Religion, and I believe many of them there in America, the Church of Rome shall fall.  
To the rest of the Prophecy, the two Letters promised, they are now made three, the first to our King, the second to Oliver Cromwell, the third occasioned by a Book, not until this was almost ready for the Press, then through God's blessing come to my hand and view, written by Manasseth Ben-Israel, the Book entitled the Hope of Israel; to that Author is my third, in those next ensuing Letters, is the rest of the Prophecy in some things spoken to.  
I would not swell this to a Volume, which I intended for every man's pocket & heart, I would gladly leave the Reader with good appetite, that he might not do other than be in love with the precepts and mercies of the Lord, and his Prophets also, which never were compared to the flat, dull, and tiresome, empty babble of the Priests of Baal, or the Idiots of these times, both unsent of God.  

My second Letter to our Sovereign, C. REX.  
Most worthy Doctor,  
SIR, Mine of the tenth present, I hope is received by you, it was directed to Mounsieur Renier Bazine Merchant, residing in Rue de Mavise Parroles PARIS: my charge to him that forthwith he carry it to you, Sir, or my Sovereign, and deliver it to none else: which since I understand is done.  
Sir, This is to describe to you the two Ladies, Frances the Elder, and Elizabeth Boyl, the 2d. daughter to the Earl and Countess of Cork, chosen, by the Almighty, Wife for our Sovereign Lord the King: the the Elder, Sir, is lamed by a fall taken at Nurse, so that she goes not but with the deepest halting that is imaginable, hardly without leading; she is very virtuous, and some 18 years of age.  
For the Lady Elizabeth, Sir, she hath the most loveliest face ever eyes beheld, the most of Majesty in it, nothing but loveliness in every part of it, Excellency throughout: her hair is brown, her eyes black, her mouth little, her teeth the best, her complexion, as that of the Canticles, brown, but most lovely, and comely as ever eyes beheld: her body the perfection of workmanship, none did I ever see so made as to resemble it: she is aged about thirteen, she dances well, she speaks very good French, she delights in reading, serving of her God, and obeying her Parents; the Chaplain in that house is Doctor Mollines, Son to him of the Church of France, a wise and good man, and of the Church of England a true Son also.  
Sir, You may not doubt the endowments of her Soul and mind, whom God hath set apart to be so blest, as to be our Sovereign's Queen, and his delight; for she cannot be other, all that see her admire her outward perfections and deportments; and for charity and humility, two good adorns, she is already eminent, as a Queen Elizabeth.  
Sir, Let me be believed in a word, she is a Queen of Queens, and an Angel on Earth: and this is my rejoicing, that the Lord hath in mercy given such a Lady to my King, that will go hand in hand with him in all paths of virtue and godliness; that she is as well a Nursing Mother to the House of God, as his most blessed Majesty by God appointed, and so commanded to be a Nursing Father to us, and all his now happy people.  
Sir, I spoke truth to you, and all of the Lords doing for our King, whom as his Queen God Almighty ever bless, and let their rejoicings in his good will and commands be not deferred, to the joy of our heart's admiration and obedience of the World: Let us pray, God save my King, CHARLES the Second, and his most delightful Queen Elizabeth, both the Servants of the ever living God.  
O my King, fail not, I beseech you of the most sincere performance of your Devotions, by fasting and prayer every Friday, and let there be no looking back, nor return to any sins whatsoever: let not any of a bad life, that will not be reform, eat one bit of your bread, or receive a favour from you, more than prayers for his, or their amendment and punishment, where it is not conformed unto, be you Sir, I beseech you, frequent in Devotion and receiving of the most blessed Communion of the body and blood of our Lord, to which you are to come always well prepared, that you eat not to condemnation.  
O my King do you truly forgive, and so pray for the very worst of your Fathers, Mothers, and your own Enemies, God will do you right, who ever lost by referring all to his Almighty power, times, and goodness? Thus shall your Father's Counsel be followed, his ever blessed memory & unparaleld good example live in you, to the joy of Angels and good men. Sir, God is turning for you, and to his own glory the hearts of all, or most of all to love true Religion, your just interest, brotherly love, in which only we can be happy, in that good way and best example, I beseech God be you the first and most eminent; I may not doubt of it, for whom God Almighty hath reserved, nay, declared such everlasting loving kindnesses.  
Sir, I do truly tell you, I could with the most ardent desire & greatest hazard endeavoured to have hanged, or murdered all your Enemies, but God hath reproved me, I can now do nothing with more delight than to pray for them, yet let's not trust them, that's a folly I beseech God to deliver us from: the wisdom of the Serpent is not denied, though the innocency of the Dove be enjoined, both most excellent for imitation.  
Sir, I have no intelligence more than with the common, it is believed that some days since from Holland came expresses of the confirmation of peace, I believe after this summer, within a short time, there will be an end of all the Wars in the Christian world: Sir, I have seen letters reporting your affairs at Ratisbon to be well advanced, and in good condition; humane wisdom, the strength of allies, and confederates for the probable carrying on or promoting of your just interest may not be neglected, or refused: but Sir, I do hope; Nay, believe, that the Almighty will do this great work for the good of all without bloodshed, if we give over to abuse his mercy, and provoke not his wrathful indignation, then for his mercy, honour & name sake he hath promised to bring all these things to pass for you, this Land, & Protestant Religion; and although mighty, strange, and wonderful these things are, yet he will do it for the reasons above, and it shall be marvellous in our eyes; as in my first Papers you have it at full, consisting of ten sheets, numbered in the margin, as they should be read, Sir, the time is now at hand, in May you shall see the fulfilling of another part of that Prophecy, which the Lord was pleased to have spoken by me, his most unworthy Servant and Prophet, the not transplanting of the Irish Nation: I beseech you, Sir, let Doctor Earls first read my Letters, for I spell ill, write ill, and point not well, he is a good man, let him also choose your Clergy, and be you, Sir, advised by him; God Almighty be pleased to preserve you, give you abundantly of his grace, mercy, and wisdom, and with it all things that good is.  
Sir, So prays the humblest and unworthiest of the servants of the Lord my God, and you my King. April 21. 1654. Walter Gostelo.   

My second Letter to the PROTECTOR, O. C.  
Most excellent Sir,  
MY belief, as my hopes is, that what your Lordship was pleased to say unto me, I shall in the best & fittest time reap the speaking with you: I did return to my Lodging at Saint James the Tuesday, I promised your good self, but there I met with this affront, as to have it disposed of in my absence, contrary to my order and expectations, affronts in other places also: Indeed, Sir, I meet with little else but averseness to good in men, I have since expected your Lordship's Command, or the happiness of seeing you, neither yet come to hand, or eye, did not the goodness of God, from the mouth of such as his Providence guided me to hear Preach, let me see what I am to expect from man, though of my own Religion, my Spirits would fail me: the Jews so ill treated the Prophets sent to them in their times, and we, no better, follow their bad examples.  
My Lord, be not backward to hear and consider the great good, the Lord is pleased to do and bring to pass for the honour of the Protestant Religion, the general good of all men, amongst whom more particularly our Sovereign CHARLES STUART and your good self, so sure as the Heaven is over my head, and the Earth under my feet: I do believe his Majesty and some others, of which number you are, to be blest with long life, honour, as much as mortality is capable of here, & everlasting happiness hereafter: My Lord, as these things are the decree of heaven, so are they to all assured the strongest Obligations of the strictest obedience upon Earth: I have already wrote to my King, I could not do otherways. First to let him know what God is pleased to assure shall be done for him, next to mind him of his daily duty, how that without holiness no man shall ever see the face of God to his comfort: Further, that he forgive all his Fathers, Mothers, and his own Enemies, for no man yet ever lost by referring all to God; in this he will best imitate his glorified Father, certainly in Heaven, who prayed dying for forgiveness to those that put him to death. For the remitting of the highest injuries we have the best of patterns our Lord himself.  
My Lord, if I have any other end than the glory of God, the honour of the Protestant Religion, the discharge of my duty, to the command of my God in my desire to speak with you, then do thou, O Lord, whom I believe hath deputed me to these very ends, never suffer me to see your face: Therefore, good my Lord, be not backward to let me speak with you, which done, as God shall direct, I shall afterwards haste, as concerned into other Kingdoms, to those in Ireland; and this, when communicated to your good self, I have done my duty, and shall I presume then have quiet, and after see the fulfil of all to God's glory, who for his name and mercy sake hath assured me he will bring it to pass, and it shall be marvellous in our eyes.  
My Lord, I ever shall continue to pray that God would bless, and preserve you to the overcoming of all your Enemies; but more especially your corruptions. So prays the unworthiest of the Lords servants, and yours, Sr,  
Walter Gostelow At my house in Broadstreet, May 25. 1654.    

A POSTSRIPT.  
MY Lord be pleased to allow this Postscript, I dare not omit it, your Lordship hath heard me, and now read my Prophecy, I believe divers others also, that of Elinor Channel, who was sometimes taken dumb, a Prophecy very highly considerable, failing out in a time much about mine, the matter one with mine, sent upon that employ of the Lords to your good self, as most considerable in this Kingdom; disquieted, as I was, until she had communicated, or made known the whole, to you only addressed: Now because it is so very full, and falls in such a conjuncture of time with mine, and but short, I have printed it at the end of this.  
My Lord, I well remember you were pleased, after the good Admonition given me to serve God, and to walk according to his will revealed in his word, to let me understand yourself formerly had, and now lately also, some things presented unto you, which were since come to pass also; but to rely on Visions, or Revelation we 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 Prophecy being the Lords, I cannot have a disesteem 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 God's 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, mercy, 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; 'tis 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 God's mercy, your own happiness, and the Kingdom's welfare become our contempt, your destructions, if not hearkened 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 sense 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 sat as Moderators, that it brought your Lordship to a most humble and thankful submission, and so bowing before his Majesty, you came both into one Boat, where the King kindly and with good affection embraced you, and so went away both together in good understanding. That done, this Gentleman heard the Bells generaly ring, saw the bonfires, and great was the acclamations, as well as the rejoicings 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 Soldiers, O. Cromwell. Amen say I, God preserve both.   

The PROPHECY and Message of ELINOR 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 Lord's 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 Christ's servants, he will not take body and goods, if his Body pays the Debt, his Heir shall have the Inheritance.  
REader observe, this ELINOR CHANNEL, Arise Evans, & myself with others, I have heard of, all agreeing and sent unto Oliver Cromwell Protector upon this very employ, the rebuild of God's 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 Schismatics, 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 shows you, as well, as our Prophecies now tells you is the Protestant, and shall be now more conspicuously glorious than ever. The Defenders of which Faith is CHARLES STUART, and Oliver Cromwell United.   

AN ADMONITION to Covetous, 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 scents it from thee, as a Servant to do thy will, it's unhappily become our Master, whilst we neglect and contemn the only Jewel, to purchase which we should sell all: this Gospel Teacheth better things than you formerly have either heard, or we practised, covetous and miserable comforters are you all, more than thirty of you in six Month's solicitation not lend so much money as to Print this Book, which I told you was so highly to God's glory, the King's interest, and the World's 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 God's Kingdom, he can do that without you, our money 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 show thee better Jews than these were, & therefore God sends them his Gospel to guide their feet in the ways of his Commandments, which are Compassion and loving kindness: it is the merciful that shall find mercy, Misers you are, going out of the world also, you shall shortly find, if your treasure be laid up in Heaven, (for there it perisheth not) but I may not flatter you, you have counted gain godliness, not godliness great gain; you will reap what you have sowed, amend your lives if you would be happy, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, to your comfort, or destruction. Rich men hardly enter into Heaven, covetous and unmerciful men, not at all.  
I beg of God for your amendments, although you have necessitated me to beg of the World money to Print this Book, which I will repay God willing. Yet I believe some that commoded me, rather thought it given than lent, so visibly poor hath violent men, and these ill times made me, I have lost by hundreds & thousands, despoiled of all, but what makes a continual feast: it is not for faithful servants and good subjects to lie down in Beds of Roses, when their Saviour stands Crowned with Thorns, and their King falls shorter by the Head, we must suffer with them, before we can Reign with them, happiness is for him that overcometh, and the Crown of Glory is given to such as fear God, and Honour the King. Of which blessed number, though I cannot presume you are, yet I hope this Rabbi and good Jews, I next direct too, will shortly be.   

For Mannasseth BEN-ISRAEL, at AMSTERDAM.  
Most Learned Rabbi,  
SIR, your Book entitled the Hope of Israel, Dedicated to the Supreme Court of England, a Parliament, came not to my hand until this was near ready for the Press.  
Certainly Sir, you have been of God's goodness guided aright to make your addresses to this Church and Nation, you observe well, we have continued to pray for your conversion, duty binds us to it, to treat your persons otherways than well, we should not; to assist what possible we can, a people so anciently the beloved Sons of God, and most honourable offspring of Faithful and blessed Abraham is, and aught to be all our devoirs. Sir, I read your so excellent and profitable resolution to carry on the Famous and Learned History of Josephus. And also further observe your desire, that if any thing offer to men in the Christian world fit for your purpose, your request is they would be pleased to acquaint you with it.  
Sir, In this Book you will find things very highly considerable, God having been pleased to communicate it to the World in his own way by Prophecy, your Brethren expect a deliverance & restauration, not far off, because all the Prophecies amongst your own are fulfilled.  
Sir, It is my firm belief, that in our King's Reign, CHARLES STUART, Charles the Second, and under his government you will have deliverance, Peace, and Protection, the ground for my so believing this book will inform you, I have therefore given you it, with all its circumstances at full, that thereby you may have the clearer satisfaction, that it is not delusion.  
About the 18th. year of my age I was in several of your Synagogues, my eldest Brother a Student and fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford, there with me, to observe, & accomplish himself for the good of others. He, Sir, having conversed with divers of your Rabbis, did after tell me what they so believed, as not to be moved from.  
That for a people so beloved of God, and to whom the promises of the Almighty were so peculiarly good, so many, so frequently afforded and made known, as to the Jews they were, your Rabbis could not be persuaded, that Shilo, or the Messiah could be come into the World, and they not know of it, to whom, say they, he was promised as a King to deliver, restore, and govern them in this World; take heed, Sir, the love of this world, deceives a world, thus to bond the Almighty, and herein to place your happiness, demonstrates your misapprehend of him, & what was Prophesied by your own of him, David tells you, as well as others, his Kingdom was not of this World, he came to his own, which were yourselves, but ye refused him, he after turned to us the Gentiles, who indeed enjoy him, that you yet hope for. I wonder, Sir, you see not this clearly fulfilled and proved to you in your own Prophets, as also in that so excellent piece of History, you are carrying on, Josephus, was not Jerusalem destroyed and made a heap of stones? all which our Saviour long foretold it should be so, and that Generation should not pass until all were fulfilled, as in the 22 of Luke, and the 32 verse, referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, that it was fulfilled, Josephus his story confirmeth, and the continuance of that verdict is yet evident.  
The other Prophecy, which evidently argues Christ's Divinity, by its success also, is what yourself, and your own Rabbis cannot but see and hear fulfilled, concerning the Woman that spent the Ointment on our Saviour, for which he told that it should never be forgotten, but with the Gospel be Preached to all ages, as in Matthew the 26. and the 13. yourself, Sir, living in the Christian World cannot but see, read, and hear this fulfilled, the Fathers of our Church & Protestant Religion have published to the World the fulfil of your allowed Prophecies, and showed it you clear as the Sun. Sir, have you ever lain so long under God's displeasure, as since you have shut your eyes against so great and clear a truth?  
That God will in mercy gather you from the corners, & parts of the World is my belief, as well as yours, that many of you are in America I may not doubt, neither do I allow for other than true the relation given to yourself and others at Amsterdam, in the year 1644. by Antony Montezinus.  
I now only advise, and especially commend to your reading the New Testament, you have it with you in languages: very many of you now sufficiently understand, God hath put us of this Church and Nation to give it you in more languages, hasting to you Sir, that will acquaint you with truer and better things to Salvation, than the story of the Saba●…ic●l River, whose great stones you say rest upon your Sabbath only, but all other days continue to be carried about in motion. Sir, to the frequent reading of that New Testament, the best Book in the whole World, be pleased to join your often prayers, beseeching the Almighty's guidance in all things for the better understanding of it, thus continuing in well doing, reading, and praying, you are sure to be taught of God, and know you will, that what the Prophet Isaiah Prophesieth in his 28 Chapter, and 16 verse. Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Now, Sir, would you, and all yours, as new born Babes, desire the sincere Milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, you would suddenly know, that this corner stone, and sure foundation, is Christ our Lord already come, To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, would you I say, but come thus fitly prepared, ye also 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 Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: So that with the fullness 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 fulfil of all your Prophecies 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 CHARLES STUART Charles the Second, God's Vice Roy on Earth, who sitting in Parliament makes then the Supreme Court of England, before not: so rightly called, thus Charles is your and our King, blessed 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 truly 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 puffed 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 show you in his professed Protestant Religion the ways 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 until 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 stopped 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 CHARLES STUART, God's Viceroy on Earth, that whilst 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 Cromwell. 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 mercy 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, myself bread to Trade and Negotiation, Sir, I beseech Almighty God to improve all your studies to his glory, and your brethren's good Such is the most affectionate & hearty 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, God's 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 ways, from which late Parliaments, pretenders to Reformation, have deviated.  
When the Prophet, which God sent upon his employ to wicked Jeroboam, who indeed, as all wicked Governors, when named, is remembered 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 obeys God in all things, ●he preys 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 Cromwell, 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 Villainy must be extirpated, and left dead, not stir again: I know you are too good to fall upon any man in unjust ways for his Estates sakes; this Lion did not so, he eat him not, declare you yourselves that none disobedient shall escape, or go unpunished; be an enemy to all vice, no man's 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, buy of his precious stones, rather than lose 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 mars a City.  
I have heard that the yet Bishop of London & Wells B. B. now (great and rich) complaining of the active Schoolboys 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 only a civility, to keep open the way, which too many come in by, the window: foreseeing that the door is like shortly to be shut against them, who have shut and bard it too, against others, especially, if the Living were great & profitable. Persons of Honour, have no man's person in esteem, that v●lueth not his actions: that's the duty, & therein will be your honour, for fears & scruples they are to be suggested by the wicked only, 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 God's glory, religions lustre, & the people's good, in your hearts his fear only, 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 cowardice, God hath showed you salvation: if your hearts be in Sodom, (for the wickedness of that City, 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 King's Honour, Oliver Cromwell also, the people's just Right and Interest must flourish, live, and be enjoyed to all good men's comfort; whilst destruction must be suffered by those only which continue Rebellious, and will not be reform; whose remove will be our rejoicing, as well as God's 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 Soldiers 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 yourselves to do his will, and that's to be more than Conquerors. A King & rulers on Earth, whose right it is not, shall stink on Earth, (as he that made Israel to sin) and howl in Hell too very shortly, but as the memory of the just, good, and merciful shall begin to live for ever on Earth, and that shortly too, so shall thine, Oliver Cromwell, and others, declared in this God's Prophecy, 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, Prophecy, to the right hand, wicked & Rebellious ones, as the Goats, to the left hand, unto the former happiness God of his mercy, I beseech him, bring us all, from the later, God deliver us all, he only 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 Travelled far with me, if well understood, and no otherways 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 Country Parson's 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.