An iron rod put into the Lord Protectors hand, to break all antichristian powers in pieces. Or, A discourse, which tends to a spirituall war with all sects and self-opinions, which are the Churches enemies

The Lord guide me with this holy Spirit

I Shal assure you in truth, eleven year agoe, I being an Apprentice to an Iron-Monger, it happened by the powerful providence of God, as I was at a Fare on the longest day of the year, called Saint Barnabies day, as I was helping my Master to keep the Fare at Newport-pan∣nel in Buckinghamshire, I being in perfect health, and bu∣sily exercised about my Masters imploiments with him at the stall.

About 12. of the clock as I was weighing out of ware, and many people at the stal, I was struck of a suddain with amazement; the power of God caused me to look before me, and there was standing before me the shape of a Woman, cloathed in blew, like an old fashioned cloak and safeguard,

The Woman cloathed in blew raiment signified the Protestant Church. Aaron the High Priest his colours were blew for the Ephod, Exod. 28.28, 31, 37.

the liknesse of her face was black as an O∣ven,

Her blacknesse of face signified that she began then to be overwhelmed with darknesse, lamentations, & mists of Heresies, as Jude calls them, Clouds without water.

she strook her hands over her face.

Her striking of her hands over her face in a mourn∣ful condition, signified the lamentable condition which she then was fallen into, when the High Priest and the Apostolical, and Discipled Elders were cast out of the City, and there was no true government then, either in Church or State, when Kingly power was spurned against, and so fearfully despised & weak∣ned, so that the Judges and civil Magistrates could not be a wal to the true Orthodox Ministry, then many old heresies which had been long ago buried began to be new digd up, new fangled opinions be∣gan to be found out by Sa∣tans malicious temptati∣ons.

I took as little notice of it as I could, but was following my Ma∣sters occasion of trading, being a waighing of nailes I was struck fick at heart of a suddain, and was forced to look on the strong appe∣parission

which was like a Woman, and looked sted∣fastly on her, who strook her hands again over her face in a wailing condition as a ……man that had lost her h…… and, or children, or some great friend, and so she vanished away.

I was very heart and sto∣mach sick, of a suddain be∣ing forced to leave the stal I told my Master I was not wel, I went to his Inne, and being very sick, I vomitted blood: after a little time being something better, I went to my Master againe, and staid by him all day, but not without much paine, this was on the Satterday, and was I sick and heavy at heart, and all parts of my body many days after, but I praise God I slept very wel every night, but could not tel what ailed me, my stomach was gone, I could not eat any thing at all, nor drink any thing; but what was soure like vinegar.

I told my Master at night of the strange apparission and vision, and of my sicknesse, but he believed me not, so we went that night to Eubourne in Bedfordshire; on Mon∣day I was not able to goe on foot, but rod on my Ma∣sters hackney horse most of the way to Hampsteed in Hart∣fordshire. On Teusday we went to Watford fifteen miles off London, but very sick and weak I was every day, yet slept wel every night. On Monday we returned home∣ward; I riding with much pain on horseback, I besought the Lord with a fervent mind, to be merciful to me, he heard my prayers, and as we were riding about a mile and an halfe off Redburne; the Lord made my heart to think, and my tongue to speak, and tel my Master, that if he would goe by Redburn, it being neer a mile out of

his way, I might ride home in a Waggon; he asked me how I could tel, or with whom; I told him with my Father; for I told him my Father had two Waggons then in Redburn, it being at mid time of the day; and how that my Father was there and one Brother, and his man. I had no natural reason to say so, for I could not tel they were in those Countries, but onely the Lord had revealed it to me, who reveales his secrets to them that fear him, Psal. 25. & 34 his holy Angels pitch••s their tents about them.

My Master was unwilling to go that way, but with much intreating did, and we found them in Redburn ac∣cording as the Lord had caused me to speak. My Ma∣ster overwent me that day, and left me to ride in my Fathers Waggon.

On Thursday night, we came to Tosseter, fifty miles from London, Coventrie rode; my Fathers Inne was at the Sarasens head; but my Master appointed if I was not able to ride home, I should be carried to his Inne, which was the fign of the Peele.

As soon as I came thither, I defired to goe to bed, presently with in an hour after, my Fathers Brother and many more came to see me, and asked me how I did, I told them I praised God I was better then I was before, and many such words.

I told them of the strange Vision in the Fair at Newport-pannel, but they beleeved me not, and the manner of it oftentimes; and how the Lords Revelation to me made me know where to meet them, which was against na∣tures reason: My brother offered me to watch with me all night; no said I, brother goe to your bed, and take your rest, for I praise God I am better then I have beene ever since I saw the Vision. So they left me.

There was no Guests in the house that night, and I did lodge in an upper roome, a good distance from the people in the house; and I had been hot and cold on a sudden, my cloaths being light and thin on my bed, and I was dangerous sick, neer unto death of a sudden,

not thinking I could possibly live while morning: it be∣ing the dead time of the night, I could get none to come to me by knocking or calling. The Lord put it into my mind of a sudden that I should live to see an end of these troublesome times, and how God had ordained me to be an instrument to the bringing it to passe: Lord said I to my selfe, how can can this be, seeing I am thus weak, not like to live til morning? My heart began to sink, so that I could scarce speak. Within a little space the Lord strengthened me wonderfully, and put it into my heart to hang my cloaths about me, and goe out of my bed to other beds in the next chamber, and fetch cloaths: I being not able to stand, crept on my hands and knees, and fetcht the cloaths of two other beds, and with the help of Gods holy Angel laid them on my bed, and went to bed again.

A while after, being something warm in my bed, the Lords Angel gave me warning that I must undergoe the strongest temptation that night as any man had endured; yet the Lord would uphold me in it. Dear friends, it was no dream nor fancy; for I was awake, and had my perfect memory.

A little while after there was as it had been a book o∣pened in my conscience, I cannot forget the remembrance of the letters stil; and there was laid to my open view and memory all the sins that ever I had offended God ei∣ther by omission or commission; and the Lord assured my conscience they were forgiven assuring me that they were buried in the Sea of Christs blood.

That was no sooner past, and another Book opened, but there came into my mind a remembrance of al my deal∣ing between man and man, and there was found no ac∣cusation against me, but onely for 4 d. which had been neer six years past. For the first journey that ever my Master sent me out with iron ware, he sent me three dayes journey from his house to a place called Chessom in Buckinghamshire, and before I came home againe, I lost 1 s. of my account, and having cast it up at Warwick,

the last night of my journey, and then I fearing to tel my Master of it, kept halfe a peck of oats from my hor∣ses, thinking to get the shilling that way at several times; so after with my with my Master, I losing 8 d. and wronging the dumb creatures of their al∣lowance, my conscience being troubled at it, did so no more.

And when I was at the point of death, God suffered two ugly Devils, in shape like Blackmoors to accuse me before him; so that I was forced to look out of the bed, and they stood between my bed and the window at my left hand: I was in a terrible fright, they standing neer my bed-side a little after midnight. The Lord gave me a strong spirit to resist the Fiends by prayer, which made them fly from my bed-side. And Gods holy Angel com∣forted me exceedingly, and so left me for a little time.

Anon after there appeared another Devil, who was transformed into a glorious shape, whose adornments shone like gold, as it had been a great Emperor, King, or Monarch, with a Crown on his head, who would have perswaded me to have denied that Christian Faith as I was trained up in, and renounce the Baptism as I had received in my infancy, and I should bee in as great estimation for the time to come as any in the world.

I endeavoured to pray against those perswading temp∣tations, but my own heart would have deceived me one time, I could scarce keep my mind close to God; and being mighty hot by sweating, and faint by sicknesse, my soule desired to keep close to God. My heart was brought very weak, I was brought so feeble-minded, I thinking all hope past but I must yield; at last I said, a∣void Satan.

At these words, and many more such like, the trans∣formed Fiend vanished away; and the Angel appeared at my right hand as I lay in my bed, and strengthened me with exceeding inward comfort, and so left me a∣gaine.

The black Fiends appeared a second time, and being resisted by prayer, they fled. And there was another like a General, or great Commander, in gay apparel, in several colours, as red, black, green, yellow, in a bunch, perswading me as the former did; but the Lords power was strong in me to resist him by prayer, which made them fly from my bed-side; then began it to be a little morning-light. I prayed all night, looking every mi∣nute when the Lord would fetch away my soule from my body, but I desired much of the Lord to live to see my Father and brothers, and to make a Will to dispose of some little money, and some cattel; some to the poor, some to my brothers, some to friends, according to my Talent as I had.

When the day began to dawn in my chamber, there was the shape of a Ladder, reared from the chamber-floor to the window; the top of the Ladder was above the window, the two ugly black Fiends and the transform∣ed Devil appeared again neer my bed-side in violent way to feare and tempt me. I prayed to God for defence and succour; the transformed Devil, shining like an Angel of Light, ran up to the top of the Ladder above the window, there I was tempted again; the two black Fiends ran up after, and stood one above another on the Ladder, calling to me twice, and saying, Come, wil you come? The Lord strengthened my heart to prayer; the transformed Fiend vanished away from the top of the Ladder: The ugly black Fiends, after they had turned feet to feet, the ones head was up towards the top of the Ladder, the others hung downward, and thus they hung their soles of their feet together on the Ladder. I thought all this while on Jacobs Ladder. Lord, thought I to my selfe, this is such a Ladder as Jacob saw in his Vision, Gen. 28.12:

At the end of these terrible fights of the fearful Visi∣on, I brake forth, uttering these very words, saying, O my Saviour, thou that wast tempted and hadst no sinne, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 able to succour me a poor finful creatore; in the

name of the whole Godhead avoid Satan. The one fel one way, the other another way, the Fiends parting a∣sunder; and I praise God I had no more temptation all the rest of the time of my sickness.

And the Angel of the Lord came and comforted me, and told me when I was restored to health I must go on Gods message to the King, and tel him he must agree with the Parliament, and condiscend to them by agree∣ment, and forgive them that which had been past, as a loving Father, although it were against him in that way as he was in and his Army: if he did refuse to doe it speedily, and for to work Reformation both in Church and State, if this were neglected, the Kings Army would come to nothing but destruction, and hee would be destroyed and cut off, but yet his Son would come at last to reign.

Then I was to tel the Parliament, in withstanding the King they must not doe it to make themselves great, but perform their vow, for the setting up of Gods truth in the true purity for Church-government; and for Tem∣poral and State Affaires, it must be to maintaine true Judgment in all degrees for the Magistrate according to truth.

If this in the beginning were not their ayme, and in the end in the end their actions, God would blast all their proceedings, by one power displacing and dissol∣ving another, til at last their heresie and injustice and division would bring them to confusion.

And the Angel then gave me direction how the King and Parliament must make their agreement at last, and what form and manner the Church must and would be established and governed. And how that God had or∣dained tha I must be one of the three, and my Talent was to shew first the Church-government.

And after, in my ficknesse the Angel revealed to mee againe, how that all Countries would rise in a triumph∣ing manner, with all sorts of Musick, and so come up to London with great joy, to establish the King, and over∣throw

all the enemies of Christ and his Gospel, and cast them out of power, and then all sword-powers would begin here to cease, and as a pattern other Nations should follow.

I should have spoken of the manner of the sicknesse, and more of Gods great goodnesse to me; but for brevi∣ty-sake I end with praises to God

The reason why God suffered the two two black Fiends to accuse me for the groat as I wronged my Masters horses of their allowance, gave me warning after for ever wronging my fellow servants more, if it should lie in my power after.

As much it signified and breatned to any that either are, have been past, or shal be for time to come, put in power above men, to be Rulers either in Church or State, if they wrong, de∣fraud or smite with the fists of iniquity, Matth. 24.

They that doe so, without repentance to God, and restorati∣on to man, like Zacheus, God and their own conscience will finde them out, and Satan wil bring bils of indictment in this life or after: For we have all one Maste- in Heaven.

Satans transforming himselfe into a glorious shape, and perswading me to renounce my infant-baptism, and the feign∣ed apparition of Jacobs Ladder, signified all Sects and self∣opinions, that are tempted by Satan to renounce their infant∣baptism, to go after the feigned River of Jordan, perswading others to follow their steps up Jacobs Ladder, which is not the true way to Heaven: Therefore, as Christ saith, Neitherbe∣leeve nor follow them, Matth. 24.