Engine light came on , it runs very rough,shakes, lost pwr

HELLO, I STARTED THE 4 CYL AN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHT FLASHED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN STAYS ON. I WARMED IT AND IDLES VERY ROUGH, ALMOST LIKE IT WAS MISSING 1 CYLINDER, IT SHAKES AND COULD NOT GET PAST 40 MPH. I DROVE IT HOME BY COASTING MOST OF THE TRIP. THE SAME THING OCCURED LAST SUNDAY IN SACREMENTO. I STARTED IT AND RAN ROUGH SO I SHUT DOWN, WAITED, STARTED AGAIN THE ENGINE AND WITHIN TWO MINUTES IT SMOOTHED OUT AND I DROVE 500 MILES FROM THERE WITH NO PROBLEMS.

I HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP WITH FINDING A SOLUTION. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH,

CARLOS CORONA