Visions, Discoveries and Warnings of the Dreadful and Terrible Judgements Upon Scotland, England and Ireland

Visions, Discoveries and Warnings of the Dreadful and Terrible Judgements Upon Scotland, England and Ireland (1799)
by John Porter
3949768Visions, Discoveries and Warnings of the Dreadful and Terrible Judgements Upon Scotland, England and Ireland1799John Porter

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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THE

Viſions, Diſcoveries and Warnings

OF THE

Dreadful and terrible Judgements,

UPON

Scotland, England and Ireland,

WHICH WERE REVEALED TO

JOHN PORTER of Crossibeig.

Taken from his own Mouth, (while confined to his Bed, being blind) and atteſted by himſelf, as by his Declaration annexed.

Joel ii. 28, 30, 31, 32.

And it ſhall come to paſs, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all fleſh, and your ſons and your daughters ſhall propheſy, and your old men ſhall dream dreams, and your young men ſhall ſee viſions. And I will ſhew them wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of ſmoke. The ſun ſhall be turned into darkneſs and the moon into blood, before that great and terrible day of the Lord. And it ſhall come to paſs, that whoſoever ſhall call on the name of the Lord ſhall be delivered.


GLASGOW,
PRINTED by J. and M. ROBERTSON,
Saltmarket, 1799.

In a dream, being ſtanding as I thought upon the braes of Ayr, I went to a little height near the town, and looking about to the city, I obſerved two coaches all black, going up the river ſide towards the ſouth, in ſuch a quick motion, as if they had not touched the ground, and as I looked after them, there came one to me, and aſked me, What I looked upon? I anſwered, Two coaches, the which I never ſaw the blacker: He ſaid, I will tell thee what theſe are, It is the devils going to combine together to go to Rome, to make the Pope to ſend Antichriſt to Scotland, to bring on a ſtroke and get a fatal fall.

2. At another time I apprehended a great light, and in the light I ſaw before me in large letters, The Lord is about in plead a controverſy with Scotland, England, and Ireland for a deſpiſed and ſlighted Goſpel.

3. At another time being awake, but being incapable to know where I was, I apprehended by a viſion of light, that I was in the open fields ſitting by the highway ſide: and ſaw a company of men walking by me, and every one of them had in his right hand a large bloody napkin hanging down, upon which I perceived large letters, I aſked the meaning of that which I ſaw upon the corners of the napkin? I was anſwered, It was the names of the twelve apoſtles of the Lamb. And, looking after them, I ſaw them come to the gates of the city, and as they entered in, each one took a bloody clout out of his pocket, and threw it down at the threſhold of the door, with which they wiped their feet as they went in; then I aſked, what meaned the clouts? I was anſwered, It was the cuſtom in noblemen’s houſes to have old caſt clouts laid down at their doors to wipe their feet as they came in; for no unclean thing ſhall enter into the new Jeruſalem; and then, looking in at the gates of the city, I perceived a great number of people in a larger room than I can expreſs, having every one of them a bloody napkin in their hands.

4. After the ſame manner, I apprehended I was walking thro’ a little town, and ſaw, as it had been, a few ſheep and lambs forced out of a houſe, purſued by a dog, and paſſing by the door I looked in, and ſaw a lamb, which I apprehended was not able to follow the reſt, then I ſaw one come to it, which I took to be its mother, and as I looked upon her, I ſaw one of her ſides open, as if it had been the leaf of a window, and thus looking, one came to me, and aſked, What I looked upon? I anſwered, A few ſheep and lambs purſued by a dog, He ſaid, I will tell thee what it means: This generation ſeeketh to deſtroy my little flock, but ere long, I will give them another bone to gnaw upon, for I will bring in the king of Spain with an invincible army for the abuſe of my goſpel, which was the renown of this land, and made it famous in other churches, for the miniſters of this church are turned into diviſions and factions among themſelves; for which I will daſh them one againſt another. And as I looked I perceived a long roll coming to me, which lighted upon my knees, upon which I perceived three lines drawn length ways, I underſtood the letters, but not the words, upon which a man came to me, and aſked, What I was looking upon? I anſwered, Upon a written roll, but could not underſtand the language thereof, he ſaid, I will ſhew thee the meaning thereof; I’ll bring againſt this land a people of a ſtrange language and a fierce countenance, whoſe ſpeech thou ſhalt not underſtand, and they ſhall march through the whole land; to execute my judgements, for deſpiſing and ſlighting of my goſpel. I was aſked again, What ſeeſt thou? I anſwered, A log of timber, with two running ſtreams; I was aſked, What was the colour of them? I anſwered the one is blackiſh and dark, the other bright and clear. Then he bade me taſte the one that was black; and dipping my finger in it, I found it bitter. Then, he deſired me to taſte that which was clear; the which when I did, I found it ſweet; he anſwered, The bitter is the cup that is put in the hands of this generation, and the ſweet is the cup that the remnant are to receive afterwards. Then he aſked, What wilt thou do for me, or rather, What ſhall I do for thee? Then it came upon my heart with ſuch power, that be caſt an open door to plead both for myſelf and his remnant, (in which I found great liberty,) that he would ſpare a remnant and not make a full end in the day of his anger. At the ſame time I ſaw four lines drawn before me, which ye will find in Pſal. 22. A ſeed ſhall ſervice do to him, unto the Lord it ſhall be for a generation reckoned in ages all.

5. Another time I was awakened out of my ſleep, with a great voice, which ſaid unto me, This year ſhall be a year of great confuſion, ſuch as was not ſince the year king Uzziah died; for the mother ſhall forget her ſucking child, and the father the ſon of his old age, for there ſhall be a cry made, to go forth and meet the Spaniſh army, and he that goes forth to meet that army, ſhall not find a man to take him by the hand to aſk how he doth; and he that will not leave houſe and family, and go to the field for Chriſt and his intereſt: for I will bring a ſrtoke upon this land, and none ſhall eſcape, from the king to the beggar, and that for many ſins, particularly theſe three, viz. Broken and burnt covenants, and the blood-ſhed of thoſe that teſtified againſt the ſame, and a deſpiſed and ſlighted goſpel.

6. At another time being overpoured with a great light, a conſiderable writing was laid before me which I could not underſtand, but at length I perceived an expreſſion, viz. Come hear all ye that fear the Lord, and I will tell you what I am to bring upon this generation; I have given you my goſpel in purity and plenty, for more than forty years, in which I laid before them, all the bleſſings pronounced in the book of Deuteronomy, and all the curſes pronounced on mount Ebal againſt the diſobedient, yet my goſpel lacked ſome things among them. There was ſeveral things laid before me, which I cannot remember; and as I was turning from looking upon it, it was ſaid, Here was one thing that was lacking, viz. The light of my countenance; I will raze this generation, as a man razeth a piece of ground to provide his turf, I will run upon this generation as a man trending mortar, running backward and forward, treading upon the higheſt places; And, as I live, ſaith the Lord, The houſe of Eli ſhall not eſcape. i. e. The great ones ſhall not be paſt for their greatneſs, nor the poor for his poverty; and that for the following reaſons. The great ones were concerned in the making of theſe covenants, and the poor alſo; and it ſhall be found that the great ones were concerned in breaking of them, and the poor likewiſe, and both were concerned in the blood of thoſe, who teſtified againſt the breaking and burning of theſe covenants.

7. I was at another time allowed to proclaim a commiſſion, withal ſaying, There were miniſters in the place, and a ſet of judicious men and Chriſtians, who were more fit than I, who am both blind and lame: to which I was anſwered as it were with an angry countenance, I have laid thee there for ſeven years on that bed, for that end I have kept thee, which thou wilt not believe: and if thou continue in refuſing, I will ſhew thee examples, both from ſcripture and experience, that I have done to ſuch as would not believe. Then came to my remembrance, what he lad done to the unbelieving lord at the gate of Samaria. Then he preſented the commiſſion to me, go and proclaim a ſacrifice in Bozrah, which ſhall come upon the land of Idumea, which is thee, O wretched Scotland! for I will call the fowls of the air and the beaſts of the field, to eat the fleſh of kings, of captains and of great ones, who have ſhed the blood of my ſervants, that teſtified againſt the breaking of theſe covenants, for I am wounded in my members by this generation, and nothing will heal that wound but a plaiſter of the blood of theſe that wounded me; which plaiſter I am about to make up ſhortly.

8. And at another time I perceived a great army betwixt Girvan and Ayr, all in black, and obſerved a moving towards the land. Again I perceived another army of foot, that came and took up their ground, and they ſtood each of them upon their own ground: and as I was muſing and looking with great concern upon them, I ſaw one all in white, who ſaid, Let not that trouble thee, I will build thee a ſure houſe, better than that of ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord. Then I heard another ſaying unto me, Be not afraid of that great army, for thou ſhalt ſee them no more. I had not moved my foot ſeven yards, till I ſaw that army fall to the ground, as if they had been all ſtruck as with one ſtone. Then returned the viſion of light, which ſaid, Now I have let thee ſee that great army of 266,000 all fall to the groud.

A memorable inſtance not to be forgot but to be a memorial of my return to the poor church of Scotland, for my return ſhall yet be great in this land, for I will have no more ado with Antichriſt in my church, for I will give him a ſtroke, and the report thereof ſhall be heard thro’ the whole world.

9. At another time, as I was viewing the viſion of light, I perceived one coming down with a great ax in his right hand, and turning himſelf upon a ſtep, he ſet his one foot higher than the other, and the hand with the ax on his right knee, and ſwore with an oath by him that liveth for ever and ever; yea, ere long Britain ſhall know what is my commiſſion with the ax: but let not that trouble thee, for thou ſhalt not ſee it.

10. That at another time I heard, at a great diſtance above me, as it had been one making a great moan, and another ſaying, What aileth thee, child, to make ſuch a moan? The child ſaid, We will all be ruined, for our church is filled full of ſuperſtition and damnable hereſies; It was anſwered, That needs not trouble thee, thou haſt nothing to do with that, it lies at the door of miniſters, let them ſee to that; the child anſwered, We ſuſtain the pain and the loſs, for we will all be herried, for our church is full of thieves and robbers.

11. At another time, lying upon my bed waking, there appeared to me, the likeneſs of a woman with a ghoſtly countenance, which paſſed with a great motion by my bed-ſtock, to the other ſide of the houſe, and looking at me with an angry viſage, clapping her hands together, ſeveral times at me, and I overheard her, as talking with another and came over the ſame diſcourſe I had with another perſon that Thurſday before, and ſaid to the other, He hath made all the honeſt people that they cannot hear his name named, and others to mock and have him in deriſion, which will make him that he had better be off the world than upon it. Then one of them aſked me, What was that I had done? and repeated the former diſcourſes to me, and ſaid, Since thou haſt done ſo, I will learn thee a way to mend it, deny thou ſaid ſo, I anſwered, How can I do that! I have told it to ſome that will be believed, tho’ I ſhould ſay to the contrary: but he ſtill continued with temptations and terrible threatnings, to that purpoſe, till at laſt I was made to cry out, O Lord, rebuke him, for he will not be rebuked by me. Then all diſappeared.

12. That in Nov. 1729. I thought I was ſtanding in the open fields, and ſaw a man coming to me with a big cup of blood in his hand, which when I beheld, He told me, He had a commiſſion, to divide that cup into leſſer cups among five cities: then I ſaw five cups in his other hand, ſo to be divided; he named Edinburgh, Glaſgow and Ayr: As for the other two, I do not poſitively remember them. Which blood was to purge theſe cities of blood, for I will purge them till I bring my remnant to ſay, What have we to do any more with idols?

13. On the ſame month I ſaw two living creatures having ſix wings, two covered their faces, two covered their feet, and with two they did fly, and they cried, Holy, holy Lord God almighty, glory be to thee who haſt ſaid, I will not give my glory to another, nor my praiſe to graven images. I will not give my glory to Engliſh, nor Iriſh, to French nor Spaniards, to Pope nor Pagan, but I will take the glory to myſelf, and will cover myſelf with a cloud in mine anger, that they ſhall not ſee my face, and I will run upon mine enemies, and tread them as mire in the ſtreets, and will ſatiate the earth with their blood as with dung, and then I will take mine anger and the rod and tye them together, and throw them in the furnace.

14. At another time it was laid before me, that it was a token of judgements to come upon the land, that the miniſters were ſo unconcerned when the Lord was about to bring a deſolating ſtroke both by ſea and land, the ſmoke whereof ſhall be ſeen from one land to another, that in ſome harbours, there ſhall ſcarcely one houſe be left to tell another. Yonder a ſhip coming into the harbour.

15. It was laid before me, that the Lord was about to purſue the blood of his ſervants, from the year 1661 to this day, and nothing will purge blood but blood, and when it is accompliſhed, it will be ſaid as the queen of Sheba ſaid to Solomon, that the one half was not told of what ſhe had found. For I have two ſwords drawn, that of a foreign, and that of an inteſtine-enemy, and if ye find any favour, it will be at the hand of the foreign enemy.

16. At another time I was awakened with a cry, ſaying, This is the ſecond time I have come unto thee with this warning, but thou regardeſt more the town talk of the country, than my warnings, but I will make thee an iron pillar, and a brazen wall againſt this generation; ſpeak therefore what I command thee, leſt I confound thee before them. I do not ſay as before, a ſacrifice in Bozrah, but I ſay, a ſacrifice in thee, wretched Scotland? for I will dye the ground with blood from Gath-hill, to Irvine-water, for I will purge my church of Popery and Prelacy, and all other errors, which are not according to the true principles of the church: For I will bring a ſmall army with a few miniſters of the principles of the mountain-men, ſometime ago, nicknamed Whigs, and they ſhall be the true ſeed of the church.

17. The reaſon why I was ſo deſirous to acquaint others with what was laid before me, was becauſe of the ſore rebuke I had for neglecting it. I apprehended I heard two men coming by the houſe, the one ſaying to the other, I have an old blind man in this houſe, I muſt ſpeak to him before I go any further; and turning myſelf on my bed, I ſaw a young man in bright clothing, who ſaid to me, What I have laid before thee, deny it not, but maintain it, and what thou haſt not ſpoken, ſpeak, and what other things I lay before thee conceal them not, whether they hear, or whether they forbear; they ſhall know that I have laid thee there for that end, and thou ſhalt not want a reward, for I never bade any man ſerve me for nothing; and if thou diſobey my commiſſion, I will fill thy bed with a ſulphureous ſmoke, that none ſhall be able to come near thee, and leſt thou be diſcouraged about where the ſmoke ſhall come from, I will open the mouth of the bottomleſs pit, the habitation of thoſe that diſobey my commands, and let thee ſee what ſmoke cometh out of it; upon which I was ſo affrighted, that I came under a ſolemn promiſe, that what he would keep upon my memory I could not conceal, tho’ it coſt me my life: But it was ſaid unto me, What thou doſt not remember I will not charge thee for. I anſwered, I wanted health, I wanted ſight, and ſo was unfit to publiſh it, to which it was anſwered, I ſent them to thy bed-ſtock, to receive what thou hadſt to ſay to them, but thou didſt not ſpeak, but took other obligations, that they ſhould not ſpeak what thou told them before.

18. Jan. 12. 1730. Being awaked, it was ſaid to me, I am as a bear bereaved of her whelps, that can neither meet man nor beaſt but tear them in pieces, I had once a bonny bairn-time of bairns in Scotland, which they bereaved me of, ſome of them they ſent to foreign lands and plantations, others they drowned in the ſea, others they killed in the fields upon gibbets and ſcaffolds, for which I will drive them out of their houſes as ſheep are driven in a ſtormy day before the ſtorm, ſeeking for ſhelter, but find none, I will cauſe my mouth to go thro’ this generation, as a ſtorm of ſnow goeth thro’ a wood, where the higheſt trees and thickeſt branches receive moſt of the ſtorm; I will leave their houſes without rib or roof, and their ſubſtance, as corn in the fields, that hath neither corn nor chaff. And the ſame day about twilight, their ſhined in a great light about me, ſuch as I never ſaw before for brightneſs, which ſo overpoured me, that I knew not whether in the body or out of the body, and it was ſaid to me, I am a merciful God, and he that repenteth and fleeth to me will find a merciful God, and ſuch as will not flee to me for mercy, by forſaking their ſins, the generation to come ſhall not remember that there was ſuch a generation in the place. I have a remnant in this place, whom I will whip as a father doth his ſon that ſerveth him, I will not deal with this church as I have dealt with other churches, whom I have left never to return again, as the ſeven churches of Αſia, for I have a remnant of men and women in this land, ſuch as I have not found the parallel of in any church beſide, which have taken faſt hold of me by their prayers of faith, they have faſtened their grips ſo, that they will not let me go, for the cry of their prayers hath come up before me, and outreached the cry of their ſins, for which I will make the voice of the prayers of my remnant to be heard in ſuch acclamations of joy, as ſhall make the very earth rebound and echo, and the delivery ſo cloſe after the ſtroke, as can hardly be diſcovered, a ſimile was given me, of two buſhes growing ſo cloſe together, that the one could not be diſcerned from the other, until they were cut down and drawn aſunder.

19. Upon ſabbath about cock crewing, I was awakened out of ſleep with a ſharp rebuke, thus, How often ſhall I rebuke thee, for concealing the deſolating ſtroke coming upon the land, which I laid before thee ſo often, for which thou haft brought thyſelf very near that word, ‘He that denieth me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven:’ Yet I own thee to be faithful, particularly the laſt morning when I ſent two men to thy houſe, thou diſcorered to them what I laid before thee, that they may know that it came from me; I own that my remnant have taken hold of me by prayer, that they will not let me go, for which my remnant will be ſo great in the land, that houſes to dwell in, or a piece of land will be as ill to get as it is at this day. At the ſame time it was ſaid to me, I know the reaſon thou art ſo loth to tell my rebukes, it is becauſe of reports and country talk, for I hear it is the report of ſome, that what thou ſpake it was wrong; but this generation fhall know whether it was right or wrong ſpoken, but thou muttered it as men do gear thief-ſtolen, which durſt not be avowed, but remember, Him that confeſſeth me before men, him will I confeſs before my Father who is in heaven, and therefore lay forth my commiſſion before the world, let them take it as they will.

20. As I ſaid to thee long ago, there was not ſuch a year ſince that when king Uzziah died, as ſhall fall out at this time, and in a few years, which is to let you know, that time is my own. No man is to know it further than I pleaſe. I will ſhew particular ſigns to the world of that year coming, but ye ſhall not know when they come, nor the nature of them, for they ſhall ſpeak for themſelves when they come.

21. Jan. 13. At night, being awake, I was inſtantly caſt into a deep ſleep, and it was ſaid unto me, I have caſt thee into a trance to diſcover things unto thee; and I ſaw a white ſheet, let down from a great height to the bed-ſide, tied at the four corners, and ſettled as I thought upon my knees, and faſtening my eyes upon it, I ſaw upon one ſide, a part of every ſort of fowls, and at the other ſide cut pieces of fleſh, and as I was thinking upon it, it was ſaid to me, I will tell thee the meaning, the fowls are the generality of this generation, and the fleſh is the remnant, which is to let thee ſee, the good and bad live in one community together, and none of them will eſcape my ſtroke that will come upon this land, for I am provoked to anger by this generation in this place by the following ſins, pride, whoredom, curſing, ſwearing, lying, ſtealing, and walking contrary to my commands every way, that I am provoked even by their buying and ſelling, for which I have two rods, the rod of mine anger, and the rod of my jealouſy, wherewith I will even purſue them to the wilderneſs of Zin, and there will I let them ſee the want of bread and water.

22. Another time, being awake, there was a voice ſpoke to me, ſaying, That the iſle betwixt Kintyre and Carrick, ſhould occaſion great blood both in the eaſt and weſt of Scotland, and particularly in the ſouth of Carrick; then I perceived four ſhips, which received a commiſſion to come to Lochkillicran, called the ſhips of Tarſhiſh, which were to raze this place, by burning houſes, which ſhould make the inhabitants to flee to the mountains, they that take hold of me by prayer for their refuge, will be ſafe; but thoſe that take not hold of me for their ſhelter, tho’ the common enemy ſhould not purſue them, yet they ſhall not eſcape my judgements which I will inflict upon them, whether by peſtilence or any other ſtroke; for there are many ſhips gathered hither, ſome for plunder, ſome for accompliſhing the ſtroke, yet they ſhall be all broken and ſcattered by very ſmall means, particularly I apprehended one ſmall ſhip, which fought a great parcel of theſe ſhips.

23. In the ſame month, as I was ſitting in my bed, I ſaw as it had been the ſhape of an ax, laid before me in the bed, all cruſhed together in one lump, and the houſſel of it out of all ſhape, and while I looked upon it, it was ſaid unto me, I will ſhew thee the meaning, this is the king of France his armies which ſhall be made that they ſhall neither cut nor fell in the time when he hath moſt ado with them. A little thereafter, in the morning, in a ſurprizing manner, it was ſaid to me, I have got more loſs in any church by the king of France than by any prince in Europe, for he hath brought my church in that land to a very ſmall remnant, (if any) for which I will make him as the top of a rock that hath neither graſs nor earth.

24. Being aſleep, I apprehended I ſaw a man, as I was walking in the fields, coming to me, I aſked him, What he had in his hand? He anſwered, It is a crown, I have often made offer of it to thee and thou refuſed it; I ſaid, I do not deſire a crown, neither would take it, he replied, Go on in revealing what I have laid before thee, and thou ſhalt not want thy reward: But if thou refuſe to declare what I lay before thee, I will make thee an example, ſuch as there never was the like laid on a bed before thee. Faſtning mine eyes on the man at a diſtance from me, I ſaw a great ſtone fall on a ſudden, as from the very clouds, betwixt him and me, and he ſaid, As thou haſt ſeen this ſtone fall on a fudden, ſo I will bring the ſtroke upon this generation: but yet they will not believe it; till it come to their very doors and thou ſhalt not ſee it.

25. Jan. 16. 1730. It was ſaid to me, I ſent thee one of the bailies of Campbelton, to whom thou diſcovered many things, which had been laid before thee, and he coming home did not conceal the ſame, which made the miniſters and ſome others come to thee, to whom thou alſo gave a large account of things laid before thee, which they have not diſcovered, except to ſome principal men of the city, and in ſo doing, they have wronged this generation.

26. At another time I ſaw a creature, the likeneſs of a fowl, and as I wondred what it could be, I heard as if it had been the voice of one aſking what I looked upon? I ſaid, A fowl, but cannot underſtand what it is. I was anſwered, This is the red dragon ſpoken of in the Revelation, which fought with Michael and his angels, which was the occaſion of theſe bloody napkins on which thou ſaweſt the names of the twelve apoſtles and the Lamb, which I ſhewed thee a great while ago, I was aſked again, What ſeeſt thou? I anſwered, a white throne; and it was replied, The Lord hath erected a throne upon the earth, for the Lord hath ſaid, he will come down, and ſee if the ſins of the land be according to the cry thereof, if not he will know, for he is about to execute his wrath upon this land, for many ſins, particularly for breach of covenants between man and man, and between nation and nation, and perſonal covenants at his table: but eſpecially the ſolemn league and covenant, which was made in my name, for which I will pour out my wrath; but I have a remnant which ſhall escape, for theſe ends, leſt the enemy ſhould mock and ſay to them, is this the reward of your prayers and faſtings, and communions, and all the niceties you have obſerved, ſince it fares with you as with us? I have kept you ſo many years blind, that my remnant may underſtand, that it was not diſcovered by any other light, for it is gone abroad among my enemies, That an old blind man that hath lien ſo many years upon his bed, is made to diſcover all theſe ſecrets and deſigns: which makes them aſtoniſhed.

27. Feb. 1. About two in the afternoon, being ſurprized with a great light, it was ſaid to me, Muſt I be accountable of my delivery to thee, ſo thou for thy receiving from me, muſt ſtand before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt, and witneſs thy delivery to this generation. I know thou haſt omitted a great part, which thy memory could not contain, for which I do not quarrel thee. I take heavean and earth to witneſs, that I am laying before thee the fall of Babylon, and ruin of Romiſh Antichriſt. I was ſo taken with theſe words, that I made my appeal, that I would conceal nothing that he would keep upon my memory. Then I was anſwered, I am preparing a ſacrifice in Babylon, which will make the fowls of the air, and beaſts of the field to eat the fleſh and drink the blood of Antichriſt, according to that ſcripture, Rev. xvi. 2, &c. For I have a renmant that will take warning, and leave her ſins which ſhall eſcape her judgements, but there is an unaccountable multitude which I will ſweep away in her deſtruction: for thoſe whom the ſword ſhall leave, the famine and peſtileuce ſhall find out, and I will bring a nation, ſuch as was not in my land ſince the viſitation in Ireland. The ſun and moon ſhall be concerned, as they were at the time when Iſrael avenged themſelves on their enemies. All this I had in the viſion of light.

28. Another time I ſaw a man coming to me, who ſaid, He had no great commiſſion at the time, only, the devil had taken his journey, to excite and ſtir up the inſtruments, who were to accompliſh the deſolating ſtroke and fall of Antichriſt in this land.

29. Feb. 9. After the ſame manner I heard one ſaying, I will drive this generation in my anger, as the ſmoke of a furnace is driven, which no man can gather or bring back where it was; for I will make their aſhes like a furnace that burneth, which, when it is paſt, men go and look into the furnace, and can ſee nothing but aſhes; for the moſt part of this generation makes a mock at all my warnings of judgements, but they ſhall all be accompliſhed within a few years, as I have told thee in ſome warnings before. Jan 13. Theſe ſins, breach of covenant, and Satan’s ſins which call him out of heaven, &c. At the ſame time, I ſaw a man, as with a drawn ſword in his hand, who ſaid, I am come down to take peace from the earth, and to proclaim war againſt Antichriſt, &c. by Michael and his anpels with this ſword, with which I have given him one ſtroke already. And I heard another angel crying with a loud voice, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, Rev. xiv. 8, &c. For Antichriſt hath aſſumed to himſelf the name of being Chriſt’s Vicar, which is Chriſt’s equal: whereas I have no equal neither will have any man have that name on earth. I will root out Antichriſt, and it ſhall be with him as with the world at the laſt day, when I will diſſolve it into nothing, it ſhall never take root again, which I will ſhortly accompliſh.

30. Feb. 11. While I lay upon my bed, about two of the clock afternoon, the viſion of light appeared ſo great, that I thought there was no houſe above, only clothes, and I heard a voice ſaying, As I am in heaven, and thou upon the earth, lying upon thy bed, I will give this generation a ſtroke, that all the doctors on the earth cannot cure. Then I apprehended a man walking by me with a ſeal in his hand, and he ſtood ſtill, and lifted up his right hand, and ſwore by him that liveth for ever and ever, That he had often foretold, but they would not believe, but mocked at all the warnings, neither wilt thou believe thyſelf; but theſe that will not believe, I will tread as mire in the ſtreets, which ſhall be accompliſhed in a few years. I had alſo in clear letters laid before me, Fight and overcome; three times repeated. And another ſaid, What ſhall we do? To whom it was replied, He that will not fight, ſhall not overcome.

31. Feb. 17. Near ſun-ſetting, I was ſurprized with a great light, and while I ſat beholding it, one appeared to me, ſaying, I will tell thee the meaning of the light, it is to let the world ſee, it is not by natural light all theſe things are revealed to thee; for I have taken away the leſſer light, and given thee the greater inſtead thereof: I have found thee faithful in proclaiming my commiſſions, which hath been withſtood by ſome in the place; but be they great or ſmall that withſtand thee, go thou on in fulfilling the name of a commiſſioner, leſt I call thee by a more dreadful name, and as thou haſt diſcovered great things, I will ſhew thee greater things, which thou ſhalt deliver alſo. That ſame night I was awakened from my ſleep with a great light; I ſaw, as if the clouds had been open, and in a bright cloud, I heard a voice, ſaying, Glory be to our God, that is our God upon the throne, and to the Lamb which hath taken unto thee thy great power, and hath reigned, who hath judged the great whore that ſitteth on many waters, which hath made the kings of the earth drunk, with the wine of her fornication, as ſhe hath made them drunk with the cup, ſo I will make all the kingdoms of the world with the blood of her deſtruction. And I heard another ſay, Thou haſt rightly judged her, for ſhe delighted in the blood of thy ſervants, and thou haſt given her blood to drink. Then I heard a great lamentation, mourning, and crying, to which, while I liſtened, it was ſaid, I will tell thee what that great cry meaneth, it is the deſtruction of theſe who received the mark of the beaſt on their right-hand and foreheads. Then there appeared to me a vaſt field of ſlain men, which none could number, and their blood running upon the earth. Then I ſaw as it were a throne erected in heaven, and on it, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to his feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle, ſaying, Rejoice over her ye heavens, and ye prophets, and ye holy apoſtles, for God hath avenged you upon her. And a mighty angel, took up a ſtone like a milſtone, and caſt it into the ſea, ſaying, Thus with violence ſhall that great city Babylon be thrown down, to be found no more at all.

32. Feb. 21. It was laid before me in printed letters, That the Lord was about to plead with Antichriſt for the blood-ſhed of his ſervants by him, ſince he had a beginning, which he would inſtance in theſe nations following, Germany, Bohemia, Piedmont, France, Spain, Britain, and Ireland, and particularly the bloody houſe of Auſtria, and for what was done in the Netherlands, which was made deſolate not for their own quarrel but for mine, becauſe they would not deny me; and acknowledge the Pope to be head of my church. At the ſame time it was ſaid, I will raze the kingdom of Spain as the top of a rock, that hath neither food for man nor beaſt, but I will firſt bring him to Britain, to avenge me of mine enemies, and for the injuries done me and my church there, and then I will take the rod and throw it in the fire, and curſed be that man that refuſeth to go forth, and bathe his ſword in the blood of Antichriſt.

33. At another time, I perceived a man walking with an inkhorn by his ſide, and a pen in his hand, and when I faſtened mine eyes upon him, he ſaid, I am to ſet a mark and ſeal upon the followers of the Lamb, to diſtinguiſh them from thoſe that have the mark of the beaſt, in the approaching and deſolating ſtroke.

34. At another time it was laid before me, by three ſimiles, what he would do with Antichriſt, the firſt was a fiſher drawing his net, and every fiſh that wanted fins and ſcales, he threw into the bottom of the ſea, where they were never found any more; the ſecond was of a man taking a handful of ſand, and throwing it againſt the winds, that it was never ſeen or hard any more; the third was a man cutting down a field of corn, who left ſome ſtalks ſtanding and ſome falling, and afterwards ſeeking for ſeed in theſe ſtalks, he found them all conſumed and rotten in the heart. At the ſame time a great light appeared unto me, which made me much concerned, and it was ſaid to me, I have touched thy lips for this end, that thou may accompliſh the commiſſion I have delivered unto thee; declare thou to this generation, That they ſhall look to the ſouth, and ſee the Spaniſh army great and very cruel; for they ſhall do according to that ſcripture, Amos v. The city that goes out by a thouſand ſhall leave a hundred, and the city that goes out by a hundred ſhall leave ten to the houſe of Iſrael, with the Lord; yet notwithſtanding, I will cauſe my remnant in this land to bathe their ſwords in the blood of Antichriſt. I ſaw in a viſion, that Chriſt’s church muſt go into the furnace, and there be purged, for he will have a pure church, or no church at all, for he will have his church purged from all the defiling errors and ſuperſtitous hereſies which he hath been often brought under by Antichriſtian prelates, for he will have his church and ſpouſe a chaſte bride unto him. Then I ſaw a man coming unto me with a crown in his hand, who ſaid, This is the crown which Chriſt’s church ſhould receive on the day of her eſpouſals unto him, becauſe Antichriſt hath enlarged hell with the ſouls of thoſe whom he hath drawn away with his ſuperſtitious idolatry, I will take unto me my great power and reign, and throw him into the lake of fire, which burneth with fire and brimſtone.

35. March 21. I ſaw a man paſſing by me, who aſked What I ſaw in his hand? I ſaid a crown. Immediately he returned the ſame way, and I ſaw ſomething in his other hand, but could not underſtand what it was, whereupon he anſwered, You have an old tradition in your native land, That the righteous heir to the crown, is commonly known by the ſtar on his ſide, ſo this in my hand is the ſtar thereby I am known to be Heir of my Father’s crown. There is an antichriſtian party, who deſign to rob my Father of his kingdom in this land, and I am my Father’s only Son, the Son of his love, and who hath holden forth to the world; and who is more obliged to ſtand for the intereſt than the Heir? They have defamed my ſpouſe and bride, by calling her a menſtruous woman with whom none may converſe, and who is obliged to own the bride, but the bridegroom? As I live, I will ride my horſe to the girths in the blood of Antichriſt. For as great as their army is, which is combining among the Antichriſtian party, I can break them all without the ſtroke of a ſword: and for as low as they think my intereſt in this land is, I will let them ſee, that I have a party that will appear againſt them, whoſe armies I will make to proſper.

36. March 22. There appeared a man walking by me, and I asked where he was going? He anſwered, Aſk a bleſſing for this land, before the ſtorm and cloud break upon it, which is juſt at the breaking. Another anſwered and ſaid, It is well done, for there will be need for it, for before the ſtorm be at an end, there ſhall be many broken planks and boards among us. And paſſing by again, he was aſked, Whither he was going? he anſwered, He was going to beg the Spirit of God to this land and miniſters, for it was withdrawn at the time. Then he paſſed by me again, and had like a piece of a broken pitcher in his hand; and being aſked what he was going to do with it, he replied, He was going to make it new again: The other anſwered, It was never known that any old broken pitcher or pot was made new! but he paſſing on, returned immediately with it whole in his hand, and ſaid, This is to let you ſee, that altho’ they ſhould break all my church to ſhivers, I can renew it again. Then it was ſaid, All that is good, but that doth not ſatisfy us, if thou return not thyſelf again, He anſwered, I will certainly return; for I will be brought back by the wreſtlings and prayers of the ſaints.

37. March 24. It was ſaid to me, I have laid before thee many ſimiles which were thought ſtrange. I will tell thee another ſtrange ſimile, concerning the men who depend on the world for their ſhelter in the enſuing ſtroke: I compare the world to an old rent mantle, which a man taketh about him, in a ſtormy day, he draws it up to cover his head, and his feet are all bare, and when he wraps his hands in it to cover himſelf before, it is riven all behind, and his back is all bare, it is ſo narrow, let him do what he will, there is more bare than covered.

38. March 26. About the middle of the day, I ſaw, in a viſion, a man of a very high ſtature and angry countenance, ſaying, That this land and people had wronged him of his name and title, which pertained to him, as ſupreme head of the church, in that they had nicknamed him by the name of the curſed prelate, and hath given me another name, which they call, Fanatic. Then there appeared to me another man, of a very comely geſture, who enquired, Who it was that ſpoke with me? I anſwered, I cannot tell. He ſaid, I will tell thee, It is Antichriſt, who is diſpleaſed for wronging his name, and then ſpake thus, Praiſe be to him that rides in heaven, by his name JAH, his name for ever and ever ſhall endure: and repeated many names which the Lord takes to himſelf: he was ſuch a ſhining geſture, as I cannot venture to exprefs. This I ſaw under the viſion of a great light.

39. That ſame night about ten o’clock, I was awakened out of ſleep, with a ſurpriſing light, as if there had been no houſe above me, but the clouds all in light; and while I was admiring it, I heard one ſaying to me, Look about thee, which when I did, I ſaw a great cloud coming from the ſouth, very black and great, it neither touched the clouds above, nor the earth beneath: then he ſaid, That cloud is a combination of France, Spain, Italy and Rome, for ruining Britain and Ireland, I anſwered, What ſhall we do in ſuch a dark time of ſuch a great cloud, which we are not able to reſiſt? he ſaid, Ye muſt do as a man doth that hath a ſwarn of bees which he cannot get commanded: he taketh a veſſel and caſteth water amongſt them, by which he maketh them fall to the ground, and ſo they neither ſting nor wrong him, until he putteth them into the ſkape which he hath deſigned for them. Then I ſaid, What water can we caſt upon ſo great an army that can harm them? He anſwered, The vengeance of almighty God: To which I anſwered, Can we take the water, or command the vengeance of almighty God? He replied, You muſt call to God by prayers in faith, for he keeps the cup of vengeance in his own hand, and will throw it in among them, which will make them all fall to the ground like bees, and they ſhall not move until he put them into the place which he hath prepared for them, which is the bottomleſs pit; there they ſhall ſting his people no more: for the Lord will do with this great army, as a man cutteth down his harveſt, when a storm ariſeth he regardeth neither highneſs nor foulneſs, ſo that he cutteth down more in one hour, than he did in a whole day before. Then ſaid I, Lord, what will I do in ſuch a dejected condition, for I promiſed that I will conceal nothing, and I know they will not believe me? And he ſaid, Ye have an old proverb, Seeing is believing, all the world over; I will let them ſee it, and if ſeeing will not make them believe it, I will make them feel it, for that which toucheth a man he believeth it. Then I ſaid, How can I diſcover it when my memory cannot contain it by a great part? He anſwered, I create the ear to hear, and will give thee memory that thou mayeſt deliver to this generation as much as will leave them without excuſe, or to ſay, that I brought a ſtroke upon them, without giving them warning: I know many will mock till they be infatuate, that they ſhall not know their enemies from their friends: therefore, go thou on in warning, and I will make good my word to thee. Then I ſaid, I have found more of thy word in former diſcoveries than I can find in this: upon which the word was laid before me, God my ſalvation is become, &c. And further, he ſaid, This may be among the laſt I’ll trouble thee with, tho’ it be not the leaſt. I am fully aſſured, I was not aſleep at this time, but received the commiſſion, and ſaw the viſion with ſuch deep impreſſions under that light, which I forbear to expreſs to the world.

40 April 1. About ten of the clock at night, a great light ſhining about me, it was laid before me, that he was bringing a great army of French, Spaniard, Romiſh, and a part of every nation about them, to bring a ſtroke on this land for broken covenants, or ſlighted goſpel, and the abounding ſins of the land, and the blood of thoſe who teſtified to the covenants, for, ſaith he, I will make the earth full of the blood of my enemies in this land! But I know a great many in this land will join with them, but ſuch ſhall fall with them, ſo as to have neither name nor remembrance in it afterwards. But I have reſerved 7000 men that lave not bowed the knee to Baal, which ſhall be the ſeed that ſhall do me ſervice in this land. I will have a glorious church in this land, which ſhall be admired of all the earth.

41. April 2. It was ſaid to me, How long ſhall this generation defer to hear my warnings? I will make this land without bread or water, for I am more concerned for this land, while they forbear to hear my warnings, than for the wilderneſs of Zin, wherein no man dwells. This land ſhall be brought to that paſs, that one ſhall hardly find a man to aſk how he fenned in the ſtorm.

42. April 5. About the middle of the day, there appeared to me a great light, and it was ſaid unto me, I have no great commiſſion for thee at this time, being to go to the north of Scotland to tell them, That now their cup is full, and ere long it ſhall be as empty as ever it was full; for many of them ſhall never have a full cup in this place again, and it ſeems to be one of the laſt warnings.

43. April 15. It was ſaid into me, I have given out a long roll of warnings, but this generation hath mocked at them, and now I am to go to the main land of Scotland, and to tell them, that thoſe warnings they receive from this place darkly, ſhall ſhortly be accompliſhed, for I have a remnant of tender hearted Chriſtians here, who will lay it to heart, but this place is hardened by mocking and ſcoffing, ſo that any tender hearted Chriſtian, dare not let it be known they lay it to heart, leſt they be mocked by their neighbours. But this generation ſhall have few more warnings, till they be warned by the ſword in their own boſoms! The first year ſhall lay the land deſolate. Their deſign is to put their pretended king upon the throne, but they ſhall as ſoon put the wild fox that runs in the wood upon the throne, as they ſhall put him, or any of that race upon it, as my ſervants, hanged on gibbets for adhering to my intereſt, having teſtified and declared.

44. April 21. In the evening of this day, I ſaw the appearance of a man, who ſaid unto me, you have had a long ſummer ſeaſon in this land, but ye have been like the ſluggard, when he ſaid, Conſider the ant thou ſluggard, which prepareth her food in the ſummer, and is fixt for the ſtorm. A truly good huſbandman, when he meets with a good ſeaſon, does not ly by and miſimprove his time, but cuts down and gathers in till he have all ſecured within the fence, and cloſeth up the flaps, and then he is fixed for the winter diſtreſs, I would ye were often with Gideon and David in the field of prayer. I have given thee two warnings to the north of Scotland already, I will give you another, The barley cake tumbling into the camp of Midian, and turning down their tents.

45. In the evening of that ſame day, the light was exceeding great for a long time, I beheld a roll but could not underſtand a word of it, upon which one ſaid to me, I am ſent from heaven to tell thee, that this is the light of heaven, but I am to give warning of a dark night to come on Britain and Ireland! I condeſcended, not long ago, to lay out ſigns, and propoſed months and days, but ye mocked and made light of it, but I ſhall now give a ſign, and ye ſhall no where know years, months, weeks nor days, but when it comes ye ſhall all ſee it, for the ſun and moon ſhall fall in one courſe, but what further is to be ſeen I will refer till the viſion ſpeak for itſelf, for there was never man ſaw ſuch a night of darkneſs, for there ſhall neither be moon light nor ſtar-light through the whole three kingdoms, from the one end to the other and all ſhall feel that darkneſs.

46. May 6. It was ſaid to me, ariſe and appear as if thou wert about to prepare a ſhip, and when this generation ſhall ask what thou meaneſt? thou ſhalt anſwer, It is for you to go to the South-ſea, and view what a great fleet is preparing to invade Britain and Ireland, and if they regard not thee prepare a ſecond, and when they aſk the meaning anſwer in the like manner, and if they regard not that, make a little boat which needs no ſails, and if they aſk, What thou meaneſt by ſuch a little boat, then ſay thou, The leaſt fiſhing boat that goes about the rock to catch fiſh, ſhall ſerve you to go the length to ſee that fleet which is coming. Lay this before this generation, leſt they ſay that I came upon them without warning.

47. May 7. In the morning there appeared before me, a light and two men walking before, the one had as it were a ſword in his hand, and as I looked at them all diſappeared at the time: and in the latter part of the day, the viſion returned, and fixing my eyes upon the two men, the one had a great ſword in his hand that had neither hilt nor bars, upon which I was aſked, what I thought of that man with the ſword in his hand? I could not tell, for he looked like a gourd angry man and had ſteel harneſſing from head to foot, he replied, this is to tell you that he is a man able for all that oppoſe him, and needs neither hilt nor bar, to cut down this generation and ſave a remnant, Then I anſwered I cannot ſee how a man, with ſuch a ſword, and in ſuch a rage as he ſeems to be, can ſave a remnant, to which it was replied, I will let thee ſee that preſently, then I ſaw at a diſtance from me as it had been a company of men, and he ſaid there is a company of men, and the man with the ſword had one ſon in the company, upon which I ſaw the man begin and cut down the company with the ſword, and none eſcaped till he came to his own ſon, and as he was fetching a ſtroke at him he did not run away nor deſiſt, but graſped him in his arms, and cried, Be merciful father, I am your own ſon, and when he heard the voice of his ſon, he let the ſword fall till the point ſtuck in the ground and never touched him, then I heard as if the one had ſaid to the other? How can we believe ſuch warnings as theſe ſpoken by ſuch a man, when it is reported by men of great ſkill that he is out of order and of a light brain? The other anſwered, I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning ſtar, I hold the ſeven ſtars in my right hand, who dare ſay unto me what doeſt thou? And when I have a warning to give I chooſe whom I pleaſe to give forth my warning, if my warnings bear not my ſeal, and be not recording to my word, they quarrel it, but they are not concerned with the commiſſioner, what condition he be in, that is nothing to you, and you have no more anſwer to expect from me at this time.

48. Upon Friday following, I was warned by a voice, that he was preparing a ſacrifice in the Iſlands of Britain and Ireland, particularly in the Highlands of Scotland, then I heard one ſaying, O that this generation, both men and women, would believe this and lay it to heart, what a time this will be when they ſhall be awakened out of their ſleep, and poſſibly ſee nothing but their neighbours houſes all in a flame if not their own. This I have laid before you in the name of the Lord.

49. In 1736, in the viſion of light, I thought I was in a pleaſant field, and there appeared unto me a man in white ſhining raiment, ſaying unto me, What ſeeſt thou? I anſwered, A buſh full of branches and bloſſoms. Then he bade me draw near, and lo! in a moment it all withered and decayed, except the heart of the buſh: I ſtood ſtill till the buſh was cut down by the root as with a ſcythe, at which I wept ſore. But, in a little time I behold a buſh ſpring up out of the heart of the ſtock, far more beautiful and glorious than the firſt, then I aſked him the meaning, he anſwered, The firſt buſh thou ſaweſt is the preſent degenerated apoſtatized church of Scotland, which I will ſweep away in mine anger; and whereas thou ſaweſt a buſh ſpring up from the root of the former buſh, this is the remnant that I have reſerved to myſelf in the deſolating ſtroke which ſhall be the ſeed of my church, whoſe purity, beauty and glory ſhall be ſo great, that the very hills and mountains ſhall ring with the report thereof. Amen.

The request of John Porter, to all who ſhall have occaſion to hear or read the foregoing Diſcoveries and Warnings.

I Earneſtly deſire all who ſhall either hear of, or ſhall have occaſion to read what has been diſcovered to me, and I, in obedience to the command given me, have communicated to others from firſt to laſt, according as it is revealed in theſe few pages. That they receive them not as the product of my own contrivance, or invention from lightneſs of brain or melancholy, as ſome have taken the liberty to forge; for I declare, That notwithſtanding of my blindness for ſo long a time, I am ripe in my memory and judgement, and I am fully aſſured of the way they were delivered unto me. I atteſt that I received them with ſuch power as I cannot expreſs; and that I do not offer to impoſe upon the preſent generation, I dare appeal with confidence unto God, to whom I muſt shortly give an account of my receivings and diſcoveries, and not to any man.

JOHN PORTER.

GLASGOW, Printed by J. & M. ROBERTSON.
Saltmarket, 1799.