57 what indignation***** and joined together against thee; and with what contempt thy letter was returned, when I ordered thee to write to him, that thy writings should go out in the world, as from the Lord, without he came to pass his judgment with others, to say they were not from the Lord; and then I ordered thee to give up to the judgment of seven men, if they judged they were from a wrong spirit. But this, thou knowest, they refused to do; then discern these words: "For charity he's none for ME, To see my honour die, Am I not come to poverty, "Here let men look deeply to my inquiry; because I tell thee, two ways it stands between the Lord and thee: for if they judged thou wast writing from a wrong spirit, saying the Lord saith,' when he had not spoken; then where was his regard for my honour, to let it die in that manner, that I could not gain shepherds to stop thy hand from letting mockery go out in the world, when it was offered to be given up to so few as seven men? Then what shipwreck did he make of faith in my Gospel! Here he did the very thing in 1799 that I told thee in 1797. But now these things are brought round, to shew mankind in what manner the truth was foretold, how every man would act, that they might be clear in judging, and just in condemning, if thou wast led by a wrong spirit. But here let them discern further: what I say unto one, I say unto all; these dark things, that I mentioned to thee, of being benighted; to ask what rocks they would climb; or how they would shun the dangers, if faith and hope and all was gone? These things did not happen in his days; because, thou knowest, the man is no more. But now I have ordered thee to bring all these things together, in a straight line, that they might see how all was foretold; and I have ordered thee to send it to the Bishops, that they might all discern what I say of one I say of all, if they act all alike. was "This answer which I gave thee of ***** never seen by him; but now it is brought out for others to judge what is my answer to those who act like him. And know what I said in my Gospel he that knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knoweth it not, with few; and therefore those who act now like ***** will find dangers to come upon them, when they know not where to fly; because here I have given light and knowledge to man, and brought the truth plainly before them, which he had not then got such light in his possession; and therefore I do not condemn the man, any further than his wisdom, and that he did not act according to my Gospel, or the commands I gave to my disciples. But as thou savest in thy heart, he was a man that bore a good character, and thou judgest him a religious man, though he acted wrong through unbelief; to thy judgment I shall leave him; because thou sayest he stumbled in the dark: but those who stumble now, must stumble at the noon-day sun: and then they may grope for the wall, like the blind. It is for the living to lay it to heart, that I ordered thee to write to such men in the beginning, who trusted too much to their own wisdom; and were perfectly like the philosophercould not bear to be outdone by one that they looked upon so much beneath them. But the answer given concerning them, they had got no knowledge of; so that my answer is for the living, and not for the dead. And here I shall conclude with the words I sent to 59 "So now your parish meetings call, Now I am ordered to bring forward my prophecies, which allude to the nation, to shew how they stand on conditions, like the former; for I am answered, that one way or other, the Lord will fulfil them, accordingly as they are complied with. I shall first bring forward the promises to the nation. Strange Effects of Faith, page 13. "If to my voice you will but hearken, Never fight but with my word; To make all men know the Lord. I've indited every letter That was sent, they all shall see. If the first appear'd a mystery, Yet the next thou know'st was plain; Perfect so, I now do tell thee, I will make it plain to men; First Book of Sealed Prophecies, page 41, given in 1797. "Fast the storms are hastening on; But if England does awake, And come to perfect day, "Tis other nations I shall shake- 7 The sunshine at the end; And stand your every friend. Word in Season, page 54, given in 1803. "It now is come to every land, But to take care, thou'st ask'd me here, I've told thee that he is the Beast- First Book of Sealed Prophecies, page 12, given in 1796. "Christ's Kingdom come, be every sound— I hear thee say, Amen! Then first this nation I shall clear, If they like thee go on. What I shall clear I'll tell thee here: Their loads I'll take away; My yoke is easy they shall bear, My goodness they shall see; My burden's light; I'll clear the fight, And make all foes to fly." But on the other hand, I am answered, that the Lord will act according to what is said in the 18th page of the Strange Effects of Faith. "If by the wise men I am mocked now, Like Herod's fury I'll fulfil my vow: Who my anger shall appease? If all deny my will, My thunderbolts shall loudly roar, And men's poud hearts shall chill.” "I shall answer thee from these words. If men go on to mock, now I have made all so plain before them, then I shall bring on my threatened judgments, that stand in thy writings: and if they say, that this book is a mystery they cannot understand; they will find the next to be plain, so that a wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein. And let them see, from the following lines, why my judgments shall come on. As men mock that there is no God, I will now make myself known amongst mankind, in such a way and manner, that they shall know that there is a God, and a faithful rewarder of them that diligently seek him: and they that honour ME, I will honour; and they that despise ME shall be lightly esteemed. Now let their blasphemy appear. First Book of Sealed Prophecies, page 2. "Survey your land, see how all stands, And how all men appear: Then you must know, a God must go For to reclaim all here. For there's no man on earth can stand, They've burnt the Bible in this land, When men begin the whole to burn, To suffer men for to go on And burn the WORD OF GOD; Against your Land, their guilt must stand, And fear His flaming Rod. The world by water once was drown'd, But fire it now must come ; The way the Bible men destroy'd, Must all turn back again. |