JOANNA SOUTHCOTT'S

ANSWER TO

CORRECTED; OR SIXPENNYWORTH OF GOOD

ADVICE SELECTED FROM

The Scriptures of Truth

BY THE

Author of

"RAYS OF EVERLASTING LIGHT."

ALSO

REMARKS

on an engraved

P R I N T,

published by the said Garrett

Of his own head:

With marvellous and wonderful Accompaniments,

WHEREIN THE DEMON IS DETECTED, DISSECTED-WHO SOON

WILL BE CORRECTED, AND ALL HIS ADHERENTS

REJECTED.

description of the wonderful PRINT, as mentioned in the Title Page.

--:o:--

The Rev. JER. LEARNOULT GARRETT, P. R.

Minister of Sion Chapel, Lant Street, Southwark.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT'S

ANSWER TO

GARRETT'S BOOK.

And an Explanation of the Word Bride, the Lamb's Wife, in the Revelations. (See p. 7.)

IN the title page to Garrett's Book, the description of which, with his print of his own head, &c. is in the preceding page, are the words as follows, "Demonocracy Detected."-I shall now answer from those words;-Know, in his book he has placed this unto me, as being led by the Devil, and detected by him: but I shall turn the whole back upon his own head; for he is detected from his lies; and know what was said in our Saviour's days, when the people told lies concerning Him:-he said they were of their Father, the Devil, who was a liar from the beginning; now are his lies detected in my answer sent to the printer; and from the answer that is given in my book, it is impossible for him to shun being detected. Then as I have said lies came from Demon the Devil, he is detected in them. Now I shall answer his other words: "Visionary Enthusiasm Dissected," and shall explain what is the meaning of those words: it is enthusiasm in a man to take to himself the words that the Lord spoke to the Prophets, to reprove the false Prophets, unless he can prove the Lord has spoken to him: this is visionary enthusiasm in men. For if they take the sense of the Bible so, that what the Lord spoke to his Prophets to reprove the false ones, alluded to all preachers, they might every one go into their pulpits and each say-"the word of the Lord came unto me," instead of saying it came to the Prophets of old; then they must believe the visions that were shown to the Prophets allude to themselves. And all this is the visionary enthusiasm which is now gone out into the world amongst the hirelings who are hired to preach to the sheep; but all this must be dissected. Know, dissection means taking every thing to pieces, to search out the whole, and this I have carefully done by his Book, by marking and observing every place in it. And I have detected his lies, I have dissected his visions and prophecies, that he took from the Prophets, which he placed to himself; and I have proved he hath no share or lot in the matter; thus I have brought upon his head his own Title Page, which it is impossible for him to bring upon mine, as he has not detected me in one lie; but by his invented lies, he has detected himself; neither has he said, that he has read all my books through, to point out to the world the errors that he has found in them, to show his dissection of my writings-wherein the errors lie. But know what he has said in his fourth page-"a few lines are quite sufficient to excite in any Christian the utter abhorrence of her whole system; I will therefore give them an impartial stroke at the foundation." Then he followeth on with lies from the foundation, that came from Satan's head; but never came from the fountain of Truth; therefore he is dissected, from his own visionary Enthusiasm, and detected in his abominable Lies. But could I have done this by reading a few lines in his book before I had carefully gone through the whole, to see where his errors lie? Then neither can he, nor any man living, be a judge of my writings, before they have read them through and weighed the whole together; for they cannot judge of a thing they know nothing about. So here is his bewitched multitude corrected, if they judge of things they know nothing about, exercising themselves in things too high who are more prone to believe the lies of men, than to believe the visitation of the Lord; and this hath been in every age of the world: always relying on the words and wisdom of men, and despising the Prophets of the Lord-which unbelief brought the deluge first upon the earth; for at that time they trusted to the wisdom of men that mocked the warning. It was this which also brought the Fire from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, upon those who laughed at Lot, for a fool, to believe in the angels that were sent to warn him; and the same unbelief brought destruction upon the Jews, who trusted to their teachers more than to the wondrous works of the Lord that were done amongst them; they likewise wrested their Bibles and the words of their Prophets, and are to this day a standing proverb, as an outcast people from the Lord. Yet the giddy multitude of this time are hastening on for the same destruction! they are more prone by nature to believe the lies of men, than they are to believe the visitation of the Lord; setting up men as Earthly Gods, that have no power to send any blessings upon the earth, or to stop the rage of war. If the Lord sends floods to spoil their harvests, they see they have no power to stop them (as he did in 1799): if he sends the sun, to burn up the ground (as he did in 1800), they have no power to command the rain; if he sends the mildew or blast upon the grain, to shorten the blessings upon the earth, (which has been done this last year) they have no power to add any blessings; and yet they are setting up men as Earthly Gods that have no power of themselves to help themselves. Here is the giddy multitude corrected from not only what happened in the past ages, but the present judgments also show they are led into blind error by their teachers, as all ages have been, that have trusted to men after the flesh; but if they continue regardless of this correction, let them fear their own destruction. Here is good advice selected from former ages and from the present. For the Spirit that searcheth all things even the deep things of God; that foretold and forewarned of the past judgments that have lately fallen upon us, threatened more fatal events, that shall come upon the land, if men go on to mock and despise the visitation of the Lord. The following remarks upon the Title Page, he says to be "selected from the Scriptures of Truth," by the Reverend Jeremiah Learnoult Garrett, author of (what he calls) "Rays of Everlasting Light."-Now I wish to know what this man is, or what he hath made himself, that he should be the author of the Rays of Everlasting Light? The author of any light could never come by man, much less the Rays of Everlasting Light, for that light must come from God himself; it is beyond whatever the Prophets or the Apostles presumed to give from their own wisdom; for the Apostle affirmeth, that every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of Light, and without his Spirit to quicken us, to enlighten and instruct us, we are counted dead to every knowledge of God; then how came this vain boasting man to be the author of Everlasting Light? Here he hath put himself like his print, placed above the most High, with the Holy of Holies under his feet, pointing with an arm made visible, and a sword in his hand, as though he had all power like the Jews of old to crucify the Lord afresh. Here like the Jews of old he has written the Lamb's Wife seated upon a beast with twelve heads, and the Devil behind her with his arms close around her; here the abominable wretch comes forward perfect like the Jews, who said of our Saviour in the viiith chapter of St. John, 48th verse-"Say we not well, thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?" Now perfect as the Jews spoke of our Lord, so has this wretched author, Garrett, drawn the picture of him. For whether the Lamb's wife be meant in the Revelations as the Church of Christ at large, or whether it is meant as alluding to a woman as the shadow at first, to claim the promise made in the Fall-that the powers of darkness may be destroyed, and the kingdom of Christ might be established-that as the Fall came by the arts of the Devil, seducing the woman in the first place, and brought the curse on man, but when that curse is removed and cast back on the author's head, which is the old serpent called the Devil-the Marriage of the Lamb entirely meaneth Christ and his Church to be united together in heart and soul, without a rival to stand between. But this wretched author hath placed him in his print, as the Devil close to the woman, and also close to the Church; for the Church stands under the similitude of a woman in many places in the Bible. Now by this picture that he hath drawn, he is coming forth in the complete spirit of the Jews, placing him (Christ) as a Devil seated on a monstrous beast, as though it were Beelzebub the chief of the Devils, according to the language of the Jews, and he with a sword going to stab the whole; treading down the holy one of Israel beneath him. Here I may add from his own words-"Who hath bewitched them that they should not obey the truth?" I answer, this monster of a man hath bewitched them like the Jews of old, that they should not believe the Truth of the Gospel. Oh, vain presumptuous man! to set thyself up above the Holy one of Israel, above the Scriptures of Truth! ! ! for all thou hast placed beneath the Holy, Holy, Holy with the Lamb's wife, is placed by thee to be destroyed and to be a Devil. But how shocking is the thought! to take the Scriptures and place them in such a manner with blasphemy of the blackest dye. For know, O vain man! it is the words of the Scripture, it was the vision of St. John, and it was the words of the angels, to tell them to be glad and rejoice for the Marriage of the Lamb was come, and the wife hath made herself ready; the whole heavens sounded as the voice of many waters-that all should give praises to God, both small and great, at this glorious news for man. But this proud presumptuous Garrett, that says he is the author of "Rays of Everlasting Light," hath put this Light of the Gospel to the Devil; and as a Monstrous Beast, he is treading down the whole. But as he hath raised himself above what was ever given to man, or dared to be assumed by man, let him take care he does not come under the character of the 20th verse in the xixth chapter of the Revelations-"And the beast was taken, and with him the false Prophet, that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had the mark of the Beast, and them that worshipped his Image; these both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone." Now see the awful state of the false Prophet and the Beast, that deceived the people. Now see this pretended man that has set himself up above all, adorned his head with the cross and the crown; the axe, the sword and the whip on one side of the cross: the other side is the spear, the trumpet, and the grapes. In this manner he hath adorned his head, as though in him was all power Supreme, to reign, to govern, or to destroy. But under him he hath placed the Rays of Glory with three Holies to be trampled under him, while all power is placed over him; in this he hath made himself more than a man, more than a prophet. But having placed upon his own head power divine, as though he had weapons of power at his command given to him-he might well be the author of the Rays of Everlasting Light. But whatever fools he may bewitch to put their trust in such a man, he never can bewitch me; for the Scriptures of Truth tell me, that all the power he hath rested on his head, is in the power of God alone. It is He that can draw the sword or sheathe it: it is He that hath power to use the axe, to lay it to the root of the Evil Tree, and thereby bruise Satan's head; and this Garrett hath placed it upon his own head to be bruised first, as the shadow of the false Prophet that formed the Beast. And let him take care that he do not fall with the beast-such presumption I never saw in man-and out of his own mouth will I condemn him, for he says in the 16th page of his book, Christ called the Pharisees a generation of vipers for attempting to work out a Righteousness. But what righteousness is this man attempting to work out of his own? and what honour and power is he trying to ascribe to himself? He hath placed the Lamb with the Rays of Glory, and written beneath it, Lant-street Mount, the name of the street where his chapel is-here he hath placed the whole Glory of God to himself; if so, he might well add, that he is the author of the Rays of Everlasting Light; but can he so bewitch the people to give all honour and merit to man? Then to what a state is man fallen, if they believe such boasting lies? It is time for the Lord to visit by his Spirit and bring men out of this darkness into the true light of the Gospel; and the true light that must be revealed by his Spirit; for he confesses himself the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and quotes the Revelations xixth chapter, 10th verse. Here he condemns himself, unless he proves the Spirit of Prophecy is given to him; but I never heard of any prophecies he hath mentioned, only ascribing to himself honour and power that never was given to any man. But some may be ready to answer, have not I, Joanna Southcott, ascribed honour to myself that was never given to a woman? To this I answer, I never ascribed any honour to myself in my life, nor even thought highly of myself; and when this visitation of the Lord came so powerfully to me in ninety-two, instead of lifting me up with pride, it sunk me lower in my own eyes, and made me look upon my own unworthiness. The Revelations being explained to me of the Marriage of the Lamb, I never should have believed it alluded to any woman in the least as a shadow, if it had not been so clearly explained, it was but a shadow, and no more than a name that was given to one, to claim the promise made in the Fall, and my being ready to obey the command of God in all things and declare his will to mankind. For the Marriage of the Lamb means uniting all together as one sheepfold under one Shepherd; and Christ to be the Shepherd of the whole, when the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdoms of the Living God, and every one is taught of the Lord, then ye will all be the Lamb's wife when ye obey his commands. So the shadow to one is the substance to all that are now longing for Christ's coming as a bridegroom to govern the whole; and as the bride obeyeth her husband, so will the brides of Christ obey him, when he cometh in Might, Majesty and Power to have the Government upon His shoulders, and Reign and Rule over his people without a rival between, when he hath destroyed him that hath the power of death, which is the Devil. So if men discern their Bibles clear, they will see mine is but the shadow only; the substance must follow to all. The Fall of Eve was but a shadow of what disobedience brought afterwards into the world, and it followed much stronger in her children. So true obedience is but a shadow of the Spirit and the Bride, and of what will follow, when the powers of darkness are taken from man and every one is taught of the Lord: and know-it is written, "I am married to you saith the Lord," then what has the Spirit ascribed to me that he does not promise to all in the end? I have never ascribed any thing to my own self, but this vain man has ascribed Honour and Power to himself, wisdom and understanding to himself above the race of mankind.

The Answer of the Spirit.-"Now I shall answer thee from the judgment thou hast drawn of thyself, and from the picture Garrett hath drawn of himself. Know what I told thee before concerning Garrett, that his life was more hateful to me now, than when he lived in public sins, for a proud, vain, boasting Pharisee, is worse than the publicans and open sinners.

"So from his picture I'll begin,

See how he'th placed it there,

Upon his head the Cross doth stand,

Then let him now take care;

Though over it he'th placed the crown

That ne'er was placed by Me,

I ask him how he can be found

When I demand of he;

And ask him, how this power came

So great upon his head?

And from the sword I this shall name,

You see how it is laid

Upon his head, he'th placed the sword,

As though he was a God,

But if he knew my perfect word

He'd tremble at my rod.

The axe now see is placed to he

You see upon his head,

As though he'd power the whole to sway,

See how the whip is laid

A scourge for man, can he begin

To show his power so great?

No, No, he'll find he's but a man

Puffed up with self-conceit;

And yet to all, I thus shall call,

He'th placed a type for man;

For on their heads the scourge shall fall,

That mock thy written hand.

The Grapes of he, they sour be,

And so they all will find.

The trumpet blow, you all do know

The simple may alarm;

The sinner here doth so appear

With all his weapons armed,

Upon his head he all hath laid

To pull my vengeance down.

And so this type stands deep for man,

Then tremble at the sound,

For as the crown is parted there,

Parted it must be from all

That do appear such mockers here,

Reject my every call.

So every thing that he hath laid

To crown his head so strong,

I tell thee, it will strike men dead

When I in Power do come

To show them plain they are but men,

Though they have swelled so high

To think they've Power as a God,

And do my Power defy.

Now under here let all see clear

The Holy's trampled down;

And from my Bible I'll appear-

False Prophet he is found

The Beast by he so drawn you see,

See how the Woman's placed,

The Devil's joined so with she-

Tremble ye fallen Race!

So from this man the Type discern,

Let women tremble here,

That mock the Marriage of the Lamb,

See how they must appear.

The Picture stands, I say, from man

To show you all the end;

If you will bide in Satan's hands,

And mock your Lord and Friend:

Thou knowest before I told thee here,

That this would be their end,

That wish the promise not to share,

Nor claim Me as their Friend.

Now from this man you may discern,

His mockery came from Hell,

Where he with lies would you deceive,

Because his rage doth swell

Against the Bride on every side,

And all believers too;

But from the Fall, I tell you all,

That way he did pursue,

Close to the woman he appeared,

And so he holds her fast;

And now in man he strong is come,

That it might ever last;

For him the same to hold her frame,

I told thee this before;

Though in the Serpent first he came,

In man he'd now appear

To tempt her strong for to go on

Fast bound in Satan's chain;

And so in Garrett now he's come

To frighten thee the same;

Because to thee they all must see

He meant the picture there,

Upon the Beast as placed to be,

And Satan placed so near.

The heads before what do appear,

He'th placed to mock the whole,

Just as the Serpent did appear

To make the woman's fall;

He mocked the word, I said at first,

And filled her with a lie,

And now in man he so doth burst,

As I before did say.

But can he clear his Picture here,

To point it out to thee,

When this I told thee all before,

In man these things would be?

So now in man he here is come

A Serpent as the first;

His subtle arts must now be known,

He wished to have thee cast;

But this to thee can never be

But what I warned before,

Yet unbelievers now may see

Their fatal end appear;

The Picture strong by him is drawn,

To show them Satan's power,

How strong he holds them by his hand,

And mocks my every Honour,

For to redeem from hell and sin,

He'd have them not believe;

But as the fall by woman came

So tainted strong by EVE,

He holds them so, they shall not go

My Promise for to claim.

And where he'th footing, I do know

He'll hold them in that chain,

Still to believe the Lord deceives,

And Satan's words are true;

The Woman's Fall he'll ne'er reprieve,

He lays before their view;

As he began he will go on,

And hold her at the last.

These monstrous heads he filleth in men

That are joined with the Beast,

So here you see the world to be

Drawn by this Picture here,

The Woman they deceive like he,

Her fall I'll never clear;

Such heads of men to monsters come

The Beast deceives them all;

The Holy Word that came from God

They now reject the call;

And tread it down in every sound,

And mock my Bible too;

Just as the Picture here is found

That's now before thy view.

They'd frighten thee, I now do see

With all the arts of Hell:

But now look to Gethsemane;

See how the Jews did swell,

Their rulers there that did appear

See how the Priests did come,

And how they clamoured for my Blood

As men for thine have done.

But now too late I'll tell their fate,

This clamouring's all in vain;

They'll only bring it on their heads,

Now see the Picture plain;

Upon his head he'th placed the sword,

Then there the sword must come;

The sword of vengeance he must fear

And know he's but a man.

Now mark the axe how it is fixed,

Close to the Root appears,

Because that Satan leads him on,

Then sure the Branch is there;

If then the Tree the branch now be

That I compared to man,

The Root of evil is in he,

And down they both must come.

And on his head the axe is laid,

So let him now to fear,

If he the Holy down will tread,

And mock my Bible here,

For to deceive the simple heads

That can't the Picture see

By Satan's arts the whole was drawn,

Thinking to frighten thee.

But that's in vain, I now tell men,

My Bible it shall stand;

I said the woman I'd redeem,

If you can it command;

For as in Adam first you died,

(Now see my Bible clear)

'Tis said that I shall make alive,

And your Redemption clear.

So from this way, to all I say,

The Woman I must free;

But Satan dreads to let you go-

The Picture all may see;

He'th drawn it strong to show he's come

To hold you in the Fall;

That your Redeemer ne'er may come,

Your Ransom pay at all.

So unbelief brings on your grief,

And Satan holds them fast;

While Satan's head on Monsters's laid,

In Man he now doth burst

To join the Beast; the woman's breast

They're wounding now the same,

That she in unbelief may last,

And never know my name,

Her conquering Saviour to appear,

As I of her was born

To pierce her foe with every spear

My mother she had known,

She felt within the every sting

From Satan's poisonous dart.

But all shall find, now in the end,

He'll feel it to his heart;

Though he may swell in rage from hell,

And champions gain in man;

Because his branches I know well

How strong for him they'll stand.

Like Garrett here they will appear

To hold the woman so,

In Satan's hand they still may stand,

They'll never let her go

By heads of men, I tell thee plain,

Such monsters will appear,

As in the Picture now is seen,

To hold the woman there

That in the Fall, I tell you all,

She ever must remain.

So they'll go on to mock the call,

I never shall redeem

Her every Fall, I tell you all;

Such monsters will abound;

For Satan's close unto them all,

They may reject the sound.

So now see plain the heads of men,

What monsters stand before,

To keep the woman in her den,

And Satan close is there.

But now to thee't can never be;

No man did thee support,

When I began, thou knowest, to warn;

They told thee to thy hurt

Thou didst go on, to me 'tis known,

For Satan's arts were there;

Then know there were no monstrous heads

To make thee persevere.

So unto man 't can never come

To build thy faith before;

But now the Picture you discern

How they do both appear;

The heads of men before are seen

And Satan close behind;

The woman like an airy dream

Is now by both confined;

But know to thee this cannot be,

Because thou hadst no man

That ever with thee did agree,

Or tell thee to go on,

Before the truth I'd made so clear,

The calling was from heaven;

And then, thou knowest it was but one

To whom the words were given

To have it known, and fly abroad

So thou goest on alone,

And know thy hand none can command

To say they press thee on.

For all thy faith did come from me,

Without the power of man,

But now this woman you must see,

What monstrous heads are come,

To stand before, she can't get clear,

And Satan close behind.

This, with the world I'll now compare,

And woman so will find

The heads of men, to them will come,

And say they must remain

As in the Fall, they'll tell them all,

And Satan close behind.

Thus will go on the heads of men

To make the woman fall,

Fast to be bound in Satan's chain,

The picture stands for all

That now believe, I never shall redeem woman from the transgression of the Fall, and many men that have the heads of the Beast, will stand before her, that she may not believe, and Satan's arts will be close behind her. So here is the true Picture of the world drawn by Garrett with the Devil as close to him, as he hath drawn it to the woman; and now mark where he hath placed the Lamb, with Lant-street Mount, alluding to where his Chapel is. O vain simple man, he might well place a lanthorn to find it, but I tell him he will not find it there; yet in that he hath drawn a true Picture of the World; for this is now the madness and folly of mankind, they are gone out like false Christs, telling mankind the knowledge of Christ must come from them; then I tell them my Bible is false, for when it cometh to the end, know it is written, the Lord must be revealed; but where is it written this Revelation must come from man? Now from his own texts of Scripture, that he quoted in his Picture, I shall condemn him. The 1st Corinthians xvth chapter, 45th verse, it is written "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit;" in the 22nd verse, in the same chapter, it is written, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Then cometh the end. Now where will this man, with his boasting and exalting himself, prove that the quickening Spirit came from man? for man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from Heaven. Here from the texts that he hath quoted, he hath entirely condemned himself, unless he will boastingly say he is the Lord from Heaven, and had that power over his head, that he hath placed upon his head; and can he so bewitch the multitude, to believe in his lightness and in his lies? But know, O vain presumptuous man, that if we are made alive in Christ as we died in Adam, you must know how we died in Adam lest you handle the Scriptures deceitfully: Did Adam say his disobedience came by the subtlety of the Devil? You must answer, no; he said it came by the hand of the woman, and he obeyed her; but the woman said it came by the subtlety of the Serpent, and by her ignorance she obeyed him. Then where is the Philosopher or the Divine can prove by any other way, we are made alive in Christ, to be redeemed from the Fall, but by the power of Christ working in the woman to bring her to true obedience to obey all his commands as Eve obeyed the subtlety of the Serpent? and man to be brought to this redemption in Christ, must follow her obedience and join with her, as Adam joined with Eve: there is no other way these words can be fulfilled-that as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. And now I tell thee and all mankind, if an angel came down from Heaven and preached any other doctrine than this, he must be accursed, and like the fallen Angels to dishonour the Son who died for the redemption of man. For I tell thee, whoever addeth to, or taketh herefrom, taketh his part out of the Book of Life; for this was the very end of my Death-to come and do my Father's will, and frustrate all the schemes of the Devil, and bring his guilt upon his own head, as I have now brought Garrett's Picture upon his own head; that the Power he hath placed there, is my judgment that he has to fear, and all such as are like him. And now see, from the Picture of the woman, in what manner he hath drawn her; just so are Men and Devils filling up women now, with every sinful lust and pleasure of this world, that they may mock the pure and innocent in heart, as Ishmael mocked Isaac; but know it is written, the Son of the Bondswoman shall not be heir with the Son of the Free. Now mark how the woman is drawn, seated upon the Beast in Bonds, and confined with the heads of men before, and the Devil close behind her as though he was tempting her to trust to men, and not to the Lord. In this manner he hath placed the picture; then let women fear and tremble, that are thus seated upon the Beast. Now answer for thyself by whom thou hast been pressed to go forward, and whom thou hast obeyed, and I shall answer thee again."

As I am called to answer for myself, I do declare, that in the beginning of my visitation, every man's hand was against me that had any knowledge thereof; so I went on alone by myself, pressed by a Spirit of power, that I could not resist; and being filled with faith and fear, I waited to see the Truths of the Spirit, before I relied entirely upon it, that I might be clear in my own judgment it was from the Lord. As to man, I never could be biased by, nor rely upon any man's judgment in my life; for I have frequently gone from one place of worship to another, and heard the Ministers preach one against the other, and was convinced, that they must have placed the Bible wrong; this also convinced me, that no man's judgment was right; but every man placed the Bible according to his own belief and his own faith. So I trusted to my faith alone, knowing every good and perfect gift came from God, and to Him alone was my trust; and from the Spirit that visited me, the only way I thought to try the Spirit, was by the Truth that followed his words; and as to the Revelation of the Bible, the meaning of it was explained to me. I relied upon the words given to me from the Truth that had followed in my Prophecies; the different judgments that are drawn by mankind, truly convinced me they had only their own opinion, without knowledge; for if the knowledge of the Scripture had been made known to man, then all men's knowledge must have been as one; but as they are not, I trust to no man's judgment or understanding, neither do I now rely upon the belief or unbelief of any man: my reliance is upon the word of God, that always commanded me, from 1794 to this day, that whenever twelve men met together to prove my writings with me, to their judgment I should give it up; and in 1796 I was shown from the weather, (as a type set before me) of the number of days in which there was no rain in the time of Harvest, such should be the number of men chosen to meet together and prove my writings. I was particular in marking every day; it was twenty-three days before the rain came; and twenty-three men and a child were first assembled together, chosen of the Lord, to prove my writings.  To their judgment I gave up, as a command from the Lord; but not because it was the belief of man. Again I was commanded, and it has been publicly asserted, that if twenty-four came forward to join the other twenty-four, (as a man was chosen to come forward with the child) to their judgment I should give it up; so I did it as a command from the Lord; but not from the judgment of men: for if every man upon earth was to assure me my calling is of God, if I had not clear and strong grounds to believe it myself, I never should rely on their belief. So my hand is not strengthened by man, in any other way than by the fulfilment of the words of the Lord: and as to the Devil, he hath used every art and every threatening, that hell could invent to make me give up my writings, therefore Garrett has drawn a wrong picture to say the devil pressed me to go on. Let them read my Disputes with the Devil, and men would soon be convinced I was never pressed forward by him; for had I listened to him, or to men, in the beginning, my writings would never have gone out into the world; but from the arts that Satan has used to stop my hand, and try to persuade me to believe the Lord would never fulfil the Promise he made in the Fall, makes me tremble for those unfortunate women whom Garrett has shown in the Picture their situation in more deadly colours than I ever saw before. And the explanation that is given, is a strong proof to me how much the devil wishes to keep us under the condemnation of the Fall; that I would not now disobey the command of God, in one single instance if I knew it, for ten thousand worlds. If I was to do so, I see what my situation would be, after once being enlightened, to fall back a prey to the devil.

"Now Joanna I shall answer thee: Garrett, under the influence of the devil, hath drawn a Picture to show the fatal end of women that are determined to resist the Promise, and abide under the condemnation of the Fall, through unbelief; because such monsters of men will place them upon the Beast there to remain; but know the visions drawn by Joseph,  the woman's dart over Satan's head, with a man in armour to chain him down. Now all men will see in the end the truth of these Visions shown by Me to those that put on the whole armour of God, and believe in Satan's destruction and Man's Redemption, which is impossible to take place while the condemnation of the Fall lieth upon the woman; therefore her guilt must be avenged on the serpent's head that betrayed her.-Thus I have shown the Vision on the one hand, to the fulfilment of my Bible; but now see the wretched daubing of a man on the other hand, thinking to turn my Bible into mockery; but let him know, he is joined with the Beast, in the xiith chapter of the Revelation, in the 15th verse,-"And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood." Now I shall answer thee from these words, as the serpent beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden, with subtlety and lies, so hath this Garrett tried to deceive all the same.-Where is the man can justify his Picture, but like the Serpent's beguiling Eve, telling them all they shall be preserved if they trust in him? See how he hath placed the Lamb with the rays of light to be seated in the street where his chapel is; perfectly so I now tell thee, were the words of the devil to Eve, "Ye shall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil," if she listened to him. Now here is the complete serpent in Garrett, to fulfil the Revelation, casting out water as floods. Now I shall tell thee the meaning of water; I compared my Word and my Spirit to a well of water, springing up to everlasting life, and I have compared my word to wells of living water. Then if my Word is compared to water to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, as the showers of rain bring forth the fruits of the earth, let no man marvel that I have compared the rage and malice of the devil to the raging waves of the sea; that is full of tempestuous waters. For know I have told thee already, like the boisterous waves of the sea, the devil would work in men's hearts against thee; and these floods he is now casting out in man; but herein Garrett is showing himself in his true colours, for he is come to frighten thee, if he could, by his wretched daubing, and of drawing a picture as the Serpent beguiling Eve. But as conscience is thy witness, thou hast no heads of men to lead thee on, and the powers of darkness are strong to oppose thee, the likeness that he hath drawn is of himself and the world, and as a complete serpent throwing out floods against thee, by a raging, foaming, wicked heart. But now remember what I told thee of a King, when the man made the coat of poison for him, the king compelled the man to wear it; and in seeking the king's life he lost his own; and know I told thee I should act like that king; and like the king I am acting here; for there was not more poison put in the king's coat, than Garrett hath drawn in his Picture, to cause a death, both spiritual and temporal to every soul that putteth on-that meaneth, to every one that believes the Picture is suitable for thee; but by the warnings I have given thee before, thou art warned like the king that it is full of poison. Now keep the picture with care, and see if there is such another monster upon earth, who will support a drawing like that-Blasphemy of the highest. But all these things must arise to fulfil the Scriptures; and all these things were known to Me before: by what subtle arts the serpent would work in man, that meaneth, the old serpent, the devil. But water as floods could not be cast out if he did not work in man, to make a serpent of man. This must be to fulfil the Revelation: and by these things ye see the Truth before you. Now mark the 16th verse-"The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the floods which the dragon cast out of his mouth." Now the Earth meaneth Man, that was made of the dust of the ground. Now let this be deeply observed by all men, though the malice of others has been from the devil as an angel of light; but the malice of Garrett is come like the devil in his true colours, boasting himself above all, as though he had power as a God, and his words like the devil's, to deceive with lies and malice, casting out his floods; while, on the other hand, men are helping the woman, they are opening their mouths against the serpent, and discerning the floods that he is casting out. And now I tell thee, they will be dried up, for he must be swallowed up and confounded in his own craftiness, as there is not a man upon earth that can support Garrett in the Picture that he hath drawn, unless it be a man that will acknowledge he is a friend to the devil. Let them discern with what power he hath crowned his head, and what he hath put under him; then let them draw their judgment as men, and I shall answer thee again."

AS a Book was brought to me the other day with the most shocking Blasphemy that ever was read, and I know not where to write to the author, conscience compels me to write to the Printer; the awful sin of such shocking, horrid, and presumptuous blasphemy, as one would suppose could scarcely be penned by any one born in a Christian land; I mean the Prayer at the end of the Pamphlet, called a "Bolus," said, printed for an unbeliever, and very rightly he might style himself so; for if he believed there was a God whose eye was everywhere present, and that our secret thoughts as well as public actions were all open to the eyes of Jehovah; that the heavens were no curtain to screen from his sight, no man would dare to make such a prayer to the devil, unless he wished to go with him, and to pull down divine vengeance upon his head. You may answer, it is not the man's prayer to the devil, but a prayer he alludes to Mr. Carpenter; as he saith in the 7th page of that Book, it was Carpenter's prayer, to "O most mighty Lucifer, &c.:" in this he makes himself sin seven-fold worse than he would to pray to the devil;-Can he blind the eyes of the Almighty? Can he stop the ears of the Most High? Can he so mock God, and trifle with Eternity, to think the Lord as well as man, does not know Mr. Carpenter's prayers, that they are addressed to the most high God, that dwelleth in the Heavens above, and amongst the habitations of the Earth below? and will he daringly and presumptuously call that God a "Mighty Lucifer," that has transformed himself into an Angel of Light? My soul trembled, my nerves shook, to hear such horrid blasphemy read; yet I fear the wretched author, who turned the prayers that were made to God, who like the Jews of old, said it was the devil, yet I believe, the wretch's heart, (or at least I fear it) may turn his own words to the Devil, that he wished to join him hand and heart to the advancement of his kingdom; if this was not the language of his heart, he never could so brave and mock the Almighty to his face, as to call his 'Kingdom a Kingdom of Fire and Brimstone!' But such presumptuous wretch may fear, that he may provoke the Lord to anger-that he will be as 'a fire unto him' that can so daringly mock his name. He is calling down vengeance upon his own head, as though he was bidding defiance to the power of the Most High. I know not how any man could print it, and not tremble at what he was doing! for every man of reason must know the Lord was mocked through that prayer. It is no disgrace to Mr. Carpenter, for all know what his prayers are, and unto whom they are made; but it shows to the world, Mr. Carpenter's enemies are as bold and presumptuous against the Lord, as they are against him; men whose conscience are seared as with a hot iron drinking down iniquity as the ox drinketh water; yet he is ashamed to have his name known amongst men, fearing his deeds shall be reproved; but can any one hide himself in secret from the Lord, that he doth not hear and see? As to his malice against me, I do not marvel at it; for a man that can mock God in such a manner, with such bold presumption, and back it with lies-to say that author should make such prayers, to call the Lord such names; I do not marvel at such a wretch, who is so much at enmity against God, should be at enmity against his fellows; such wretched principles as I never saw penned before; add to this, the Bolus he is preparing for himself, how doth he think to drink it down, when the judge of the quick and the dead demands of him when such words were spoken by Carpenter? Conscious guilt must then condemn him, and make his knees like Belshazzar to smite one against the other, saying, "it was I that mocked the Most High, and turned the name of the Lord to Lucifer; and in my mockery prayed for Hell; the Lord is just to answer my prayers." Thus he must confess the Lord is just; first, conscience must tell him, I signed for Satan's destruction, but now my mind is changed, I have made a prayer for the revival of his kingdom, and I have mocked the most High God, that Satan may not be offended with me, and now too late I see the Bolus, that I have prepared for myself. O, how shocking is the thought, to see a man begin in the Spirit, professing he longeth for the Kingdom of Christ to be established, and all the works of the devil destroyed, and now to end in the flesh, and mock the God he professed to wish for; and pray to prolong the reign of the devil. This makes me tremble to see the hardened state of man; yet what have I to marvel at, when I see there are such teachers as our Saviour spoke of, that will compass sea and land, to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of Hell than yourselves. See chap. xxiii of Matthew, verse 15, this is plainly proved by the erroneous book published by Garrett, who calls himself a Preacher; but in the book that he hath published, there is not one place that he hath pointed out for me, but is full of the most notorious lies. Is it possible for a man to say he is a preacher of the Gospel, and sign his name to invented lies? Besides the Scriptures, that he hath pointed out, bring him under the character of a false Priest and a false Prophet, prophesying out of his own heart and from his own spirit, to deceive the people with his own lightness and his lies: unless he will boldly affirm, the Lord hath visited him as a true Prophet, to whom the Lord hath spoken, and revealed his will unto him; but as he never mentioned his prophecies, or pretended to be a Prophet till now, he cannot make that bold assertion; therefore, he hath brought himself under the character of the false Priest, and the false Prophet, that prophesieth out of his own heart, saying peace, when there is no Peace, that he may deceive the people, by promising them life if they trust in him: that none of these dangers that are threatened will overtake them. But of him I shall say no more for the present, as I shall publish his abominable lies to the world, and explain the chapters that he hath quoted. As my character will bear the strictest scrutiny, and my Trial is gone out in the world from reputable witnesses, I do not want to write to you or him to defend my own innocence; and it would be but casting pearls before swine, and that that is holy before dogs-to contend with a man that is so full of Lies as Garrett. The meaning of this letter to you is, to send it to the author of the wretched blasphemy in the Book called a "Bolus." If you do not send it to him, to convince him of his errors, I shall put this letter in print, that he may see the black crimes he is committing; as I find the pretended Preachers are only joining with him in his lies and blasphemy, to strengthen the hand of evil doers; while they pretend at the same time, they are filled with the rich grace of the Lord! Like the Scribes and Pharisees of old, that made them boast they were better than others, and pretended as though they had the Spirit of the Lord, fighting with the Sword of his Word, when they put the Lord of Life and Glory to Death! O what a false fire doth the devil fill men up with, to make them float in presumption, if he cannot tempt them to sink in despair; doing the devil's drudgery in Christ's livery. How little do these men know of true religion! exercising themselves in things too high for them, judging of things they know nothing about, which is strongly forbid throughout the Gospel.-But here I shall break off by assuring Garrett, he never had any letter sent him by any desire of mine; and this letter is not sent for him, but the unfortunate author of the Prayer in the "Bolus," which I should not have troubled you with, if you had printed his name.

This taken from Joanna Southcott's mouth, by me,

ANN UNDERWOOD.