O Inhabitants of the earth, hear the Word of the Lord, his powerful Word, concerning his purpose and decree against the Rulers and Governours of this Nation, and against the Inhabitants thereof, who hath rejected the Counsel of the Lord.
THus saith the Lord, forasmuch as you the Rulers and Governors of this Nation, who hath rejected my counsel from time to time, and would none of my reproof, my purpose and decree is sealed against you, and against the Inhabitants round about, and you shall not escape my righteous Judgements, for evil is gone forth and determined, and the word of the Lord shall stand fast for ever against the wicked and ungodly, and they shall know of a truth that he is the rewarder of all such as do wickedly before him, according to their evil deeds: and although I have sent out my messengers from time to time, rising up early, & warning them, yet they have despised my messengers, and would none of my reproof, and some of them have they beat, and some have they stoned, and others cast into prison, so that they have grieved my righteous Spirit in exercising crueltie upon crueltie: And thus faith the Lord unto you again, I will stretch forth [Page 2] my hand over the whole Nation, against the Rulers and Governors thereof, and against the Inhabitants round about, and you shall feel my righteous judgements from the one end of the land to the other, for I will strike them with a terrible stroke, to the terror and amazement of the people round about, and my hand shall be heavie upon all the workers of iniquitie.
But unto you that fear my Name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing under his wings, and you shall be a fruitful people in the Land, and you shall be the rejoycing of many generations, that the ages to come shall say of a truth, you are the blessed of the Lord; and you shall be girded about with my strength against all your enemies, and I will give you rest and peace from all your enemies round about, for I am now coming forth to make a true separation between the precious and the vile, between him that serveth me, and him that serveth me not; and I will make a difference between the sheep and the goats, and my way shall be made plain and perfect before my sons and daughters; and I will cause my glorie and my renown to go forth before them, to the confounding of the heathen round about; and all the idol gods of the heathen, which they have worshipped, shall be broken down, and I will scatter their idol shepherds, and all those that have worshipped in the high places with them; and my wonderful work shall be accomplished in this day of my power, to the confounding of the Inhabitants round about, for my work of righteousnesse shall take place in the middest of the Nation, and [Page 3] shall spread it self to the outermost parts thereof; and I will crown my people with strength in the midst of the land, and they shall be the glorie of the Nations round abont, for my Standard of righteousness shal be set up; and I will beautifie my people with wisdome and strength, that all the Nations round about shall bow down before them.
A Letter to Oliver Cromwell, which was written to him about a month before his death.
THis is the word of the Lord to thee, because of unrighteousness, iniquitie and oppression, the Land mournes, for when the righteous beareth rule in it the land rejoyceth; but when the wicked beareth rule, the land mournes; and this is the word of the Lord to thee again, because thou hast boasted thy self in victories, and in thy strength; and because of this, thou hast permitted and suffered many in this Nation to worship a thing of naught, and hast caused them to bow down to idol gods, to worship the works of their own hands, and thereby caused the people to erre; thou hast greived the soul of the righteous with these abominations, therefore [Page 4] the hand of the Lord is turned against thee, and thou shalt not escape his righteous judgements, for the decree is sealed against thee, because thou hast refused my messengers from time to time, and wouldest none of my counsel; I will therefore stretch my hand over the whole Nation, against thee, and against the Rulers, and all people that hath rejected my counsel; and I will execute my purpose speedilie upon the Inhabitants round about; and I will chuse unto me a people, that shall fear my Name, who shall govern the land in righteousnesse; as for your memorie, it shall rot and perish from off the face of the earth; in this day of my power will I doe this, faith the Lord of Hoasts.