"So now I plainly see the hearts of men, in chequered lines, lie open unto me."

To my thoughts I was answered, that the Lord hath been provoked with man in the same manner; and found it a crooked and perverse generation, that did not know the ways of the Lord; therefore, he would say of this nation, as he said of the Jews of old, that they should never enter into his promised rest, if they waited until the forty years, mentioned by me, were up; which will be next April, 1814. Therefore I am answered, that this is the Day of Salvation, if they will hear his voice: they must not harden their hearts, as in the days of temptation in the wilderness. "But now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation: if they turn unto the Lord, he will have mercy upon them; and to the Most High God, for he will abundantly pardon them." The King's business requireth haste: for a quick work will the Lord do upon the earth. This is my strict command to thee, that my answer to their words must be put in the newspaper, that I may be clear from the blood of all men. Let the newspapers be kept; for they will all find the Prophecies true-for blessings, or judgments, according as men now act; for I shall trifle with man no longer; neither bear with their putting it off to a future time."―This is the answer of the Lord.

Monday, Nov. 15, 1813.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

The following very extraordinary article was received yesterday, with a request for its immediate insertion in our paper:

39

A Fourth Letter of Prophecy, by Joanna South

cott,

TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

My former Letters of Warning have roused various passions in men, and some public comments. Among the latter I shall notice a letter in the Stourbridge paper of the 12th instant, signed EPHRAIM, wherein he advises me to "make a friend of his Satanic Majesty; as he may lay his frightful paw upon me;" therefore he advises me to "court his favour-speak kindly of him; for it is good to have a friend wherever we go.'

I shall answer him from the words of Solomon -"A fool's bolt is soon shot; the soul of the wicked desireth evil; and wisdom is too high for a fool." But he who thinks to find a friend in the devil will find himself deceived. I put no trust in man; then I certainly shall not put trust in the devil, who hath used his utmost endeavours to work in the hearts of men against me: and formed himself in men, to cast out floods of lies against me. I have not built upon such sandy foundation. Though the world laugh at my weakness, to believe that the Bishops will give themselves the trouble of coming forward and pass their judgment as required; I put no more trust in the Bishops, as men, than I do in their chariots or horses; but my trust is in the Lord of Hosts, who saith to the proud waves of the sea-Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further: who can say to the south, give up; and to the north, keep not back who can make his people willing, in the day of his power. This is the FAITH that I rely upon the ROCK of AGES, and the God of my salvation-that the gates of hell cannot prevail against; and this is the FAITH that our Saviour

said, in his Gospel, was like the wise man, build, ing his house upon the rock, that the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon the rock: and this is the ROCK, which I have built upon; and therefore my house will not fall; but those who have built like this foolish man, will find their houses to be built on the sand; and great will be the fall thereof.

This is my answer to the newspaper-to let them know, that my trust is neither in men nor devils; but in the Lord, whose knowledge and peace are past man's understanding.

And now I am ordered to put in the newspaper a part of a Prophecy given to me yesterday, for the public at large:

66

tell thee, that the ensuing year will be such a year as never was seen in England, since it was a nation; for, if my commands are obeyed, that I send blessings to the nation, such as were never experienced before; yet Satan's weapons will be strong, with rage and fury, to fight in men, till, like Sodom and Gomorrah, they will be destroyed, and swept away with the besom of destruction. But, from the days of NOAH, there is a longer warning, to awaken those who are not so strongly filled with the devil against my coming to bring in my kingdom of righteousness and peace. Thy FAITH is given to thee as a gift of God, which the world can neither give thee, nor take it from thee: and they will find that the sound of thy MASTER's feet is behind thee."-This is the answer of the LORD to me.

Friday, Nov. 19, 1813.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

41

Letters of Prophecy, by Joanna Southcott.

LETTER V.

Though the Bishops are silent to the request made of them, and the warning given them, that they will not come forward to support the work, if it be of GOD, or to confute it, if not; yet I am informed that one of the Bishops hath said, that I have done more mischief than ever an individual had done before.

I can scarcely credit the report to be true, that a Bishop should see it in this light, and not use his authority to stop the "mischief," when the power is put into his hands.

66

I shall answer such Bishops, as the King's Jester once answered him. When a nobleman sent a petition to his majesty, to crave his pardon for a third murder he had committed, the king said to his jester, "I know not what to do concerning this man: he hath killed two men before, which I pardoned him for, and now he hath killed the third." The jester answered, "No, he has not killed three men; he has killed but one." His majesty asked him how he could make out that. The jester said, "if thou hadst had him hanged for the first man, he would never have killed another; so thou hast killed the other two. "Ah!" said the king, "dost thou say so? then he shall never kill another."-To this I was answered-

"Now let the bishop be as wise as the king, or out of his own mouth will I condemn him; if he sees this mischief going on, and doth not stir to prevent it, when I have put it in his power, and he judge it is from the devil, he will find my anger kindled against him, if he still lets it go on. they suffer sin of the blackest dye to go on, and never stir one step to stop the torrent of this evil?

Will

Then let them know that my judgments are just, to cut them off, as cumberers of the ground. If all should speak as thou hast heard of one, then out of their own mouths will I condemn them all: for they shall find that thou art in perfect obedience to my commands. And will they call this mischief? Then let them know my commands, which stand on record-be clear in judging that you may be just in condemning. And now to their consciences thou must appeal, whether they think it be right to see mischief spreading throughout the land, and they standing silent to have it so, when it is put in their power to prevent it? For, on one side or other the sin must be great; because they must know, if thy visitation be from the Lord, and they call it mischief in thee to obey my commands; then their sins must be great, for condemning my love in warning them of my coming to establish peace and righteousness on the earth. If this be despised, let them own the justice of my anger and indignation at the blasphemy that is daily spoken against my visitation.

"And this is my command to the bishops, if they wish to find favour in my sight, as I have invested them with power, and commanded thee to appeal to them, let them exercise that power I have put in their hands. This is my command to thee, that thou put my answer in the newspaper, that they may see the justice of my threatenings, if all be treated with silent contempt."-This is the answer of the Lord to me."

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

Letters of Prophecy, by Joanna Southcott.

LETTER VI.

Mr EDITOR, I notice in your paper of the 26th instant, an answer to my letter on the 20th, respecting my faith, by a writer, under the signa