TRUE EXPLANATION

OF THE

BIBLE,

REVEALED BY

DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS

TO

PART THE FIRST

TO WHICH ARE ADDED

TO AND FROM

2 Peter, i. 20.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT now affirms to the World, that she has the full consent of the Bishops to publish that her Calling is of GOD; but if the Bishops should say nay, this is her answer to them: The Lord commanded me to send printed Letters to all the Bishops, that if they would bring forward twenty-four of the Clergy, to prove that my Visitation was not from the Lord, I would give up to their judgment whenever the cause was fairly tried and examined by them; but as they have kept silence to this Letter, their consciences must tell them, that the Calling is of God. And now I shall ask them, if a man were printing a book, that was blasphemy against the Bible, and the world condemned that book; suppose that man should appeal to the Bishops, and say, "If the Bishops will come forward and examine my book, and prove before my face it is blasphemy, I will give up to their judgment, and destroy the whole." What must be their answer? Conscience must tell them-"We should be unworthy the name of Christians, and much more unworthy the name of Bishops, to be the heads and guides of the Church, if we did not immediately come forward to put a stop to this man's blasphemy; we must despise the MASTER we profess to serve; and shew no regard for his honour and great name; neither can we have any regard for the people, by whose bounty our livings are supported, knowing that many weak minds might be hurt by such blasphemy." Therefore for the glory of God, for the good of mankind, and for their own honour, and a good conscience, they would say they should immediately come forward, if they saw that the man had written blasphemy. Now the same must be their answer to my books. If they believe they were written from the Spirit of the Devil, in the name of the Lord, they would immediately come forward to put a stop to them, as they were offered for their judgment. So their silence gives full Consent, that my Calling is from the Lord. And this I now testify and affirm to the world, that there is no Bishop who can come forward against me.-"And as the Bishops are silent, let all the Clergy be silent: and know it is I the Lord that works in the heart of My people, to will and to do of My good pleasure.

"Therefore 'tis I, who dwell on High,

Do send out this to man;

That as the Bishops silent lie,

Thy written word shall stand,

Ever to be as spoke by me;

And so the end I'll clear.-

The Bishops' silence, all shall see,

Proves I have spoken here.

Have I not one in love would come,

In honour to my Name! ! !

If that from Hell the whole did swell,

And Satan did blaspheme?

Then they must be despis'd by me,

As me they must despise,

If they judge thine is blasphemy,

And say they'll blind their eyes,

Not to appear and see it clear-

"We care not what goes on,

The minds of who are injur'd here,

Nor what from Hell doth come,

As long as we in grandeur be,

'Tis all we wish for here"-

Then they shall see the mind of me,

In anger I'll appear;

Because no love they so can prove,

If they judge thou art wrong.

If they judged right before their sight

Their silence leads thee on,

Forward to go, they all shall know,

For who shall thee prevent?

While all the Bishops' silence shew,

Thou'st got their full consent.

So now for thee 'twould fatal be

If thou should'st here draw back;

Because the Bishops, thou dost see,

Ne'er tried thy hand to stop;

So if 'tis sin what thou hast done,

It on their heads must fall.

If all be right, before their sight,

I'll surely screen them all,

If they will say this very way,

Like thee,-"We all did fear

The Calling was from Heaven high,

Then how could we appear

To stop thy hand-when in the Land

We see the Truth abound?

And could we come to thee unknown,

And e'er condemn the sound?"

So now appear my Bible here,

For it I'll all go through;

And so I say, thou'st nought to fear,

For I shall prove all true."

All taken from Joanna Southcott's mouth.

Jane Townley.

TRUE EXPLANATIONS

OF THE

BIBLE.

Sunday Afternoon, September 23, 1804.

JOANNA began this morning, as soon as she had breakfasted, to read through Samuel, and could not avoid pondering in her heart, how David, that was such a chosen man of the Lord, and to whom such great blessings were promised, should have such wicked Sons; and yet she was clearly convinced in her own mind, that it was no cunningly devised fable of David's to say it; because our Saviour himself speaks so highly of him. She likewise thought upon Jacob's Sons; how great the Promise was made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and yet what vices were in Jacob's Sons! All these things appeared marvellous in her eyes: but here comes

the answer of the lord.

"Joanna, I shall answer the ponderings of thy heart. All these are Types of the Creation, Types of the Fall, and Types of the Redemption. Here are mysteries thou canst not understand; but I shall explain them unto thee; and begin with the Creation. What a Promise did I make to Man at first; and what blessings did I set before him! In whose likeness did I say I created him? And in what Paradise did I place him, if he had continued to obey my command? But where did Adam fall? and what followed the Fall? Was not Adam the original progenitor of all men that I created, to be fruitful, to multiply, and to replenish the earth? And said, I had formed him in my own likeness? But after his Fall, what did Cain do? Then why dost thou marvel so much about David's sons? Was not Adam as greatly formed as David? Was not I his Maker? And do I not call myself the Father of all men? Yet what followed on in the posterity of the children, here I shall explain to thee, in the children of David. As David was the father of his children, that rose up in rebellion against him, just so am I the common parent of all men; and thou mayest as well marvel how men rise up in rebellion against their God, as marvel how David's sons rose up in rebellion against him: and thou mayest as well marvel how mankind can be so wicked, when every blessing they receive is from me; and yet see what rebellion there is in the world against me. Do not men rise up in open violence against me, and want to take the power out of my hand, if they could; as much as Absalom rose up against David, and wanted to take the throne from him? Now I shall answer thee from thy pondering heart. Thou thoughtest so great a Promise, as was made to David, his sons must have been the best of men, he being anointed a chosen servant of mine; but I tell thee, No. These chosen servants shew the Type of Man in the Creation; what they were created for; and what their children departed from, like David's sons. How could I compare David with myself if it were otherwise? Is it not written, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me? And so did David's children rebel against him: for the children of David are throughout the land, and have been in every age of the world, as rebellious against me, that am the common parent of all men, as David's sons were against him; and their vices and cruelty one against the other, as David's sons were one against the other. So marvel not, if the children, where the promises were made great to the parents, whom thou judgest should be the best of men, and in thy heart thou sayest they are the worst of men. And-

Now thy folly I shall answer,

From the judgment drawn by thee,

If thou'st look'd to thy Creator,

And the Land in sin to be.

If from me first the whole did burst,

And I did Man create,

And yet in sin they did begin

For to bring on their fate;

Then how can Man so upright stand,

Where Promises are made,

While Satan's roving through the land?

Thy wisdom weak was laid:

Had Abraham's seed in virtue stood,

And David stood the same,

Then surely I who dwell on high

Must be more weak than Man.

If Man had power to subdue

The folly of his child,

Then how can I be just and true

To let mankind be foil'd?

If Abraham's seed in virtue stood

I ask thee, why not mine?

If David's sons in virtue came,

And bright in wisdom shin'd,

I ask thee then why mine began

To fall away from me?

I tell you all, the things are plain:

These things compar'd must be

Now with the Fall, I tell you all-

Was David without sin?

Thou answerest, no: the truth is so;

Then how could he bring in

His children here for to appear

In virtue bright to shine,

When Men by me created were?

But Satan had his time

To baffle all, and Men did fall

Like David, at the first.

For there his crimes you now must call,

How David's sins did burst;

Upon his head they first were laid-

Thou knowest Uriah's death:

And then his children did proceed

In deeper crimes come forth.

So first began the Fall of Man,

I say of Adam's Fall;

The sin first there did sure appear;

But now I tell you all,

The Promise see at first to be,

The Curse was cast on Man;

And so the offsprings you do see

In every age come on;

Sin did abound in every sound,

Where I did Promise make,

Because the Curse was on the Ground,

And so that Curse did break;

I say on Man at first did come-

So here stands David's reign:

The Promise great you may command,

That I shall here explain:

The Curse at first on him did burst,

As 'twas pronounc'd on Man;

The Blessings great they all did miss,

But ne'er discerned my plan,

How it was plac'd, ye fallen race,

Where Promise I did make;

I tell you all, back to the Fall

The truth of all must break;

For while on Man the Curse doth stand,

No Promise I can free;

But now I tell you every one

My Promise all shall see.-

A David's reign I'll now explain,

As I have said before;

His children they were just like mine,

And let the Jews appear:

In every land see how they stand,

And how they sought my Life;

But in the end, 'tis my intend

This way to clear the strife.

A David's reign I tell you plain,

Hath follow'd from the Fall;

And all my children you may see,

Have been like Davids all;

Because that some in wisdom stand,

Like Solomon appear;

And other men in vice did come,

As Absalom did there.

So here my reign has been, like him,

Children to disobey:

And David, he did act in sin;

The Fall of Man doth lay

Upon their head, as I have said;

Then how can man be free

Before the promise, they will plead?

And then the Curse must be

Upon the first, as it was cast-

The Woman cast it there,

You know, upon the serpent's head.-

And now I'll answer here,

When this is done, I answer man,

And Adam's truth shall burst:

In my own likeness Man shall stand

As I made him at first!

But was it so? You well do know,

He did not stand like me;

No: he did fall, I tell you all;

Then now his offspring see:

Then David here you soon would clear,

His standing was the same-

The man did fall, I tell you all,

And so his offspring came

To follow on as he began,

So tainted by the Fall;

And worse and worse they still went on,

I now do tell you all.

So Adam see, the Fall of he,

Which was the Fall of Man;

But after him, you all do see,

A fataller Fall become;

Because that Cain-call to your mind-

A murderer did appear;

And so from David you do find

What murdering sons were there.

So all in sin they did begin;

The parents first did fall,

When I the Promise made to them;

Once more I tell you all,

While Satan stands in every land,

He hasty will pursue;

Like men of war he will appear;

All ages find it true;

Because on man the Curse did stand,

As I did say before;

And now I say, in every land

It strongly doth appear.

So marvel on as thou'st begun,

To think of David's Fall:

You see the Tempter still is strong

I say, to cast down all,

Where Promise great to them I make;

But see they cannot stand,

Until my Sceptre I do shake,

To gain the promis'd land.

The Promise first for Man to burst;

The Serpent's curse appear;

Then all may say another way,

"We see the Promise clear:

A David's Reign doth now begin

In happiness to burst;

We see the curse remov'd from men

Upon the Serpent cast."

Then children free all men will see,

Like Solomon appear;

That is in wisdom great to be,

But not in sin to err:

No, no; I say to thee, that day

When I destroy the Root,

And every evil take away,

Then Satan must stand mute.

"I've had my time I now do find,

When God did promise Men,

That he unto them would be kind,

If they would worship him."

That is, to do, you all do know,

As I do them command.

But Satan he did find a way,

He would not let them stand:

For like the first, this sure did burst,

Like Adam's promise make;

And Satan then so strong did come

These promises to break.

Then of what use can I produce

A Promise great to Man?

They'll not obey what I do say;

I see they cannot stand,

While Satan here doth strong appear.-

Weigh every promise through:

As Adam first I here have plac'd;

My Bible all go through:

And Moses see, I promis'd he

The land of Canaan there,

That I my children then would free;

But how did they appear?

Sin did abound in every sound,

And Satan did pursue,

Like Adam's Fall I tell you all,

Was then their passage through.

Then how could I who dwell on high,

Preserve the life of Man?

I tell you, no: it was not so,

My Promise first must stand:

If men obey what I do say,

I shall fulfil my Word;

But men did not, judge every lot:

See how they fell from God:

Though Abraham here I mean to clear,

But Isaac he was bound;

And know the Promise I made there,

And see how soon was found

Then Esau strong from him to come-

And Esaus all may see;

While Satan's reign I do prolong,

Your murderer he will be.

So Jacobs here let men appear-

But know his sons did fall;

I say in sin they did begin-

The Promise stands for all:

I say at first it there must burst,

As Man so strong is bound;

By Satan's chain they do remain,

Where Promises are found

So great to Man, he cannot stand,

While Satan's power doth reign;

And so a David you command.

These Promises see plain;

How man did Fall, I tell you all;

Where every Promise stood;

Then how to Adam can you call,

And all to him allude,

When you see plain, ye sons of men,

How all did fall like he?

Then like the Woman now contend,

That I may set you free

From Satan's hand in every land,

And from his artful power;

And then you'll see the reign of me.

When Satan can't devour.-

A David here I'll then appear

And bring my crown to man

And every promise then I'll clear,

And shew how all shall stand;

When from the first the Promise burst

Unto the Woman made,

Then Satan shall receive his curse,

And men shan't be misled.

Like David here I did appear,

And like his words do cry;

Though he did ne'er receive the spear,

But mark what he did say-

"O Absalom! my son! my son;

O that I died for thee!"

The shadow there that did appear,

The word's fulfill'd in me:

So I did die-I tell thee why:

Because my sons I'll save!

And yet I hear, like Absalom's cry,

My throne they now would have.

The ways are two before thy view;

Some wish me for to die,

That all their vice they may pursue,

Forgetting hell is nigh,

Where they must go, as he did do-

Such Absaloms are here!

Bring every thing before thy view;

And then thou may'st see clear,

How strong in sin men do go on,

Against my every word;

My kingdom they would sure unthrone

By mocking of their Lord.

Then now see clear, I tell thee here,

My children are like he-

The Absaloms are every where,

That soon cut down will be.

Yet still I grieve that men will live

So much in Satan's power!

For reason here they will not bear,

Men's senses he devours.

Now I'll begin from what thou'st seen,

Or what thou said'st this day;

As by thy wisdom thou hast seen

How all my Bible lay."

After part of this Communication was given, that the ponderings of Joanna's heart were answered, Joanna said that the Light of the Lord broke in so strong and clear upon her, that she said she saw the Foundation was laid clear in the Fall; and if men took away that Foundation, it was like taking the foundation of a house: that if you go and dig round a house, and dig away all the foundation that it stands upon, where would your house be? Must it not fall to the ground? And is it not likely to fall upon those that digged away the first foundation? Just so, Joanna saith, is the Bible. If you take away the Foundation the Lord laid in the Beginning, and the Promises he made in the Fall, you destroy your Bibles, like the house-

"Now, Joanna, thee I'll answer:

Thou dost say the Wisdom's thine;

But I tell thee, I'm thy Master,

And the Wisdom it was mine.

For I'll appear to answer here,

The Parable thou hast made,

They'll find in wisdom is so clear,

That men are all misled.

If they will say another way-

"Our Bible is not so:

Nor the Foundation so don't lay."-

What thou'st compar'd it to,

I tell you plain, you sons of men,

The Parable goes deep,

And perfect true, you all shall know;

For so the end shall break.

Upon you all the house would fall,

If you go on this way

To undermine the every wall,

Where the foundation lay;

You cannot stand, I say to man,

A house to throw down so,

Because upon you it would fall,

That every soul doth know.

So now to man the same I'll come-

My Bible stands the same;

And the Foundation I have laid,

To free the sons of men.

But if you say another way-

It shall not stand so here:

"This Foundation we'll take away,

Because we'll baffle her."

Then I'll appear to answer here:

Upon you it must fall;

The guilt of Man I cannot clear,

I now do tell you all.

So I'll end here and say no more,

But thou must ponder on,

Till all the mysteries I shall clear,

For to be given to man."

Here ends Sunday night, September 23, 1804.-

Taken from Joanna Southcott's mouth, by me,

Jane Townley.

Monday, September 24, 1804.

Joanna has been reading, since the morning, through the first Book of Kings, and began the second; but could by no means help her feelings being provoked with the perverseness of men, after the great promises the Lord had made them, and the extreme grandeur the Lord had filled the kings with, and the promise he had made them, if they continued in his statutes; and the threatenings pronounced against them, if they departed from them. But with what perverse hearts they did depart, one king after the other, though they were warned by the prophets, what judgments should follow them, if they did depart from them; and yet they continued worse and worse. The more Joanna reads her Bible, the more she is convinced, that nothing will free men from sin and sorrow, and bring them to happiness and union with God, till the Power of the Devil is destroyed, which is the root of all evil. But one thing Joanna was afraid for herself, whether she did not commit sin in her heart, concerning the old prophet's deceiving the young prophet. 1 Kings, xiii. For Joanna could not help thinking, the old prophet should have died as well as the young one; as, in her opinion, he appeared the greater transgressor; because he deceived the other with the lie.

"Now Joanna I shall answer thee. Thou sayest thou fearest in thy heart, thou hast committed sin; because thy Judgment was not like the judgment that I sent at that time. But as thou sayest in thy heart, the old prophet seemed most to blame, by telling the lie knowingly; and the young one did it innocently; yet he suffered for his disobedience, and the other's lie. Now I shall answer thee this from the Fall: for this is the way I shall clear all my Bible. Therefore I will not blame the anger that arose in thy heart against the old prophet, for deceiving the young one; and let no one blame the anger that ariseth in thy heart, to condemn Satan for betraying the Woman: for all these things stand in my Bible, to shew the likeness of the Fall, in men and devils. For as the old prophet deceived the young one, so did the old serpent, which is the Devil, deceive the Woman. But know, my command was given to the young prophet; and my command he disobeyed; therefore my honour could not save him, though the other lied unto him. But dost thou think nothing followed the old prophet after, to punish him for what he had done? I tell thee, Yes; but should I have slayed them both in one day, then I could not bring it to the Type of the Fall. But now I shall bring it close to the Fall; for in perfect manner Satan betrayed the Woman, and lied unto her; therefore I do not blame thy anger at all. And now I shall go on with the Fall.

Just as the man to him did come

The prophet did appear.

That told the lie unto the man;

But Satan's arts were there,

For to betray, I now do say,

And then the man did blame:

For I do tell thee, every way

He tries for to condemn.

So at the first he there did burst,

Like the old prophet stood,

And then the Woman did condemn;

And this I shall allude,

The fault on him, as thou hast done-

The Woman felt the blow,

And so did Man in sorrow stand;

But now you all shall know,

My anger here doth now appear,

I tell thee, just like thine:

The old prophet thou canst not bear,

And this is now my mind;

Though on the first my fury burst,

As man did disobey;

But now at last he shall be cast,

That did with lies betray.

So do not fear thy pondering here,

That thy thoughts run to sin,

Because in anger thou didst appear

To see what he had done

For to deceive; though he believ'd

The words he spoke were true,

And so that day he fell away;

His death before your view

Did surely come that day to man

The shadow of the Fall:

But Adam's life I did prolong-

For now I tell you all,

Had he died then, just like that man,

Satan would me defeat;

Therefore his life I did prolong,

Though dead to knowledge great

Adam came first; so men did burst

In knowledge dead to me.

That like the Fall, I tell you all,

The prophet there did die;

So I'll go on, from Types, to man,

Till I have plac'd all through;

Thy pondering heart they must command

For all's before my view;

What's in thy mind, they all shall find,

Is strongly work'd by me;

Therefore the ponderings of thy heart

They all must hear and see.

So I'll go on from man to man,

As thou didst ponder here:

The ways of all thou didst condemn

That did in vice appear:

Ungrateful men to thee were seen,

Thou judgest, from the first

What Promise great I made to Man,

From David at the first;

Yet he began to fall by sin,

But sorely did repent;

Yet Solomon did after come,

That was in wisdom sent;

And yet that man thou didst condemn,

In falling so from me,

After such Blessings I had sent.

I now shall answer thee,

That every way, I now do say,

I surely have tried Man

In Blessings great without deceit,

But now the whole discern.

Did he abide; did he confide,

Strong in his maker there?

Though at the first in prayer did burst,

A house he built me there;

But see the man, how soon he came

To fall away from me.

And wisely here thou dost discern,

These things would always be,

While Satan reigns, thou dost maintain,

And I'll maintain it too;

See every Blessing of the men,

Bring all before thy view.

When Blessings there they did appear,

They did not me obey;

When Judgments sent they'd ne'er relent,

But still in sin did lie;

Then how can Man the trial stand,

Bring all before their view?

To judge my kingdom is at hand,

And Satan rule men so,

His power so strong to work in Man,

What Kingdom could it be?-

The Woman's promise you condemn,

But now my Bible see;

I tell you plain, ye sons of men,

You've plac'd my Bible wrong;

And, from the judgment you do draw,

You never do discern

How Man at first in sin did burst,

And how he did go on;

And how I tried them every way,

To see if they would turn.

My Blessings first I there did place

To David, all may see;

And Solomon the same did come,

But wandered soon from me;

Then Judgments next I soon did fix,

Yet Man went on the same.

So love or anger would not do,

For men despised my Name,

Whatever way I them did try;

But now I'll try once more,

I know the Evil where't doth lie,

I'll rid him from the shore.

Then I'll try Man, what he'll become,

And how he will appear;

I'll send my Blessings o'er the land-

But now I'll tell thee here,

That from the Kings that thou hast seen,

And in thy heart did blame,

Them with the Prophet I'll compare,

And so put all to shame;

For, as the man like Satan stands,

That did deceive at first,

So all these Kings you may command,

Like Satan they did burst.

Because, by him they were led strong-

And strong I'll lead the whole;

For now I say the time's near come,

He like these Kings shall fall;

Because, like them, he'th surely been,

For to make sin appear:

And if that Men I did not screen,

Shall I their Tempter clear?

I tell thee No.-I now shall go,

As I did go before,

When all these Kings I did destroy,

And sent my prophets there

To warn them all that they should fall

If they would not repent.

And now I tell you one and all,

My mind is fully bent

To come again the same to Men,

And tell them what I'll do,

If Satan's ways they'll all condemn-

Bring all before their view;

My Bible here let men judge clear,

But let them judge like thee,

That Satan's arts are every where,

And they do plainly see,

No peace in Man can ever come,

While Satan's power does reign-

"Then why our God shall we condemn?

For now we do see plain

The fault's in Men, they so did stand,

All ways the Lord did try,

To see if they would turn to him-

Our Bibles so did lie.

Can we blame God in what he said,

Or what he does for Men,

If they'd obey what he did say?

No: there we cannot stand,

Our God to blame; 'tis Man we shame,

When he made Promise great;

And yet, that Man from him should turn,

Then where lies the deceit?

It is in Man: we cannot stand,

Or Satan us destroys,

We wish our God would send the rod,

That foe for to destroy:

For we see plain from ancient men,

What mischief he did do;

We see all lands the same do stand-

Bring all before our view:

Where grandeur here in men appears,

Like Solomon they be;

Their hearts are roving every where

From God, we plain do see;

Then how can men the trial stand,

If we blame men before?

A Solomon men do condemn;

But ne'er discern it here,

The Promise then unto the man

Was if he did obey;

If he did not, we see his lot;

Hear what the Lord did say:

The whole shall fall, was then the call,

Of God unto the man;

The House that he had built, we see,

He said should never stand.

And it did fall, 'tis known to all,

As Solomon acted wrong,

He took the kingdom then from all,

Which in the end did come,

When he'd tried men by different reigns,

In placing judgments there.

We see no way that God did lie-

No: it was Man did err.

Then can we blame our Maker's Name,

To try with cords of love

The hearts of men for to inflame,

That he their hearts might prove

In every way, mankind to try-

And all we see in vain?

How dare we give our God the lie,

Our Bibles to condemn?

Because that men in vice would stand,

And now they stand the same;

We see it strong in every land,

Then man we sure must blame;

And plainly see our destiny,

The root that caused our Fall

He will bring on our sorrows strong;

It now is plain to all.

So men in vain do here contend,

If they'll keep Satan up;

We sure shall see our destiny

In sin, till he doth drop."-

So now see plain, ye learned men,

The way I've plac'd the whole;

And with my Bible this contend,

And shew from Adam's Fall,

How men went on to live in sin:

My love and anger see;

Yet all have been alike to men-

Then can you answer me,

The Fault is mine? No: man, resign

And plead a different way:

The enmity you plain do see,

Doth in the Serpent lay,

To work in Man for to go on

Against his Maker here.

Then to the purpose I shall come,

And make my promise clear;

Though on these Kings I curse did bring,

That disobey'd my word;

But Satan's curse shall now be worse,

If you'll believe your Lord.

Rely on me, you all shall see

My Promise I'll fulfil

On Satan's head, where it was laid,

And my avenging heel

Shall there come on, I tell you strong,

Till I have caus'd his fall.

But like these Kings, I know he's come,

I now do tell you all;

To make you sin he doth begin,

By every art appears;

But I shall rid him from the land-

Like Ahab he may fear;

And Naboth's vineyard he doth crave;

But I shall answer here:

Naboth was cast when I did burst

To shed my blood for man;

But now, I tell thee, at the last

An Ahab's doom shall come;

On Satan's head it shall be laid,

Because the bow is here

That at a venture men did draw,

Then let the fool take care!

For Jezebel, the Type of Hell,

Affirm'd what she would do:

But like her words her end did fall;

And now I tell you true,

On Satan's head it shall be laid,

As he did say before-

Mark in thy writings what is penn'd:

And let him now take care!

So all is plain, if you discern

How Jezebel did swell,

And in what manner I do warn.-

You know a Type of Hell

I plac'd in she, you all must see,

And now I'll place it strong;

Mark thou the words thou'st read this day,

That from her lips did come;

With Satan there you may compare-

For I'll compare the whole:

He said this Kingdom he would share

If he the votes could call

To vote for he, you all do see,

Or else he said he'd leave,

Thou knowest all-behold his fall-

Like Jezebel, believed

That he should come to conquer Man;

But this he could not do.

Like Jezebel, his crown doth stand-

Bring all before your view:

She said that she her end would be

Worse than her prophets there,

If she my prophet could not slay-

And so it did appear.

Then how can Hell in rage now swell,

To think they can get free?

For like her words, I now do tell,

Were Satan's words to thee.

So I'll go on in fury strong,

Till I've fulfill'd the whole,

And then a David's reign shall come,

I now do tell you all;

In love shall be, you all shall see,

And harmony unite."

What was alluded to of Jezebel is in 1 Kings, xix, 2. "Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the Gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time." This chapter Joanna does not remember she ever read before. But you may see, from the chapter, how true Jezebel brought her prophecies upon her own head, as she missed them that day concerning Elijah. But in the 2nd Book of Kings, she brought on worse fate upon herself, than upon her own prophets, whom she lamented. See 2 Kings, ix, 33.

"Now, Joanna, I shall answer the ponderings of thy heart. Thou sayest, how great was the house built unto me, by Solomon, after the promise was made to David; and what was Solomon's Prayer? And what promises the Lord made to Solomon, if he abided in the laws of the Lord; and the threatenings made to him, if he departed from them; and how soon he did depart; and how soon the whole house was cut off! Now I shall answer thee of this mystery: Know it is written, the first is last, and the last is first. Now the great promises that were made to David and Solomon, in the fallen state of man; they soon went on in their fallen state, to fall from the greatest happiness to the greatest misery, by the subtle arts of the Devil, and by their own ingratitude. But now, I tell thee, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first: for, as it is written of Satan's head being bruised, before my heel; and I was first wounded for the transgression of Man, before Satan's head was bruised for the transgression of the Woman. So the last was first, and the first was last; and so it shall be now; for I will go on to cut off all the powers of the Devil, as I cut off the house of Ahab; and his fall shall be like the fall of Jezebel, and all that join with him shall fall, root and branch that wish to prolong his reign. And then I shall come back to the Glory of Solomon: and my house shall be established in Righteousness, in peace, and in happiness, to all mankind; for what was not accomplished by Man shall now be accomplished by me; and the ends of the earth shall see the Salvation of the Lord; and say that a greater than Solomon is here. For how soon did it fall when established by Man? But my standing shall be secure.-

Backward all I now shall call,

And backward all shall come,

Until I bring you to the Fall,

Then Man I will redeem.-

So I'll end here and say no more;

But thou must ponder on;

And I shall make my Bible clear,

The way it back shall come."

All this taken from Joanna Southcott's mouth, by me,

Jane Townley

And here we ended, Monday, Sept. 24, 1804.

Tuesday Afternoon, Sept. 25, 1804.

Joanna has been reading through the first and second Books of Kings; and is astonished to hear what judgment men have drawn of their Bibles, concerning David and Solomon; as she has frequently heard the Bible taken to pieces on account of these men, that the Lord promised such great blessings to, and they condemned them for the greatest crimes. But let them know how the promise stood: It was entirely on conditions. Now, if David sinned, let them see his repentance; which I have weighed deeply. But now I shall come to Solomon. Hear what the Lord said to Solomon, after he had built the house. 1 Kings, ix. 4. The promise was made-"If thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked."-Now go on to the 10th verse. The same words again in the 2 Chronicles, vii. 12, to the end. Now let them read through the Kings, and see how the promises stood; and see what Solomon did afterwards, in the 1 Kings, xi. Weigh deeply the 9th verse-"And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice." Now weigh the chapter through; and see how the greatest part of the kingdom was rended from Solomon, and given to Jeroboam; and see what Rehoboam did, the son of Solomon.-In reading these chapters my heart pondered deeply, and in a different way from what I have heard the judgment of men. The more I read the more I admire the mercy, the goodness, and the condescension of the Lord in all ages; how he trieth to win men with love, with mercy, and with blessings, if they will not seek after other gods, to their hurt.-But here my heart seems lost in wonder, of the ingratitude of men; and the power and influence that the Devil has over them!-That after Rehoboam saw the Lord was angry with his father, for departing from the commands of the Lord, and the greatest part of the kingdom was rended from him; yet that he should go on in the perverseness of his heart, to harden his people against him: and to think of making war with the children of Israel, before the Lord prevented him by the prophet. And as to Jeroboam, after the Lord had made him king, see what he went on to do; and how the Lord sent the prophet to reprove him, in 1 Kings, xiii. and see how all the judgments, that the Lord threatened, came upon them; yet how did they still harden their hearts, to pull down judgments upon their own heads! See how often the Lord sent the prophets to reprove them; yet they would not hear. See 1 Kings, xviii. After there had been the famine, and the Lord sent Elijah to Ahab, and shewed such wonderful miracles before him, and brought the rain again upon the land; yet see, in the 19th chapter, how Jezebel's heart was hardened, and how they went on in the perverseness of their hearts, to bring down judgments upon their heads; yet, when they saw the Lord repented of his evil, if they repented of their ways; and the Lord turned unto them, if they returned unto him; yet see how soon they were weary of blessings, as though they were determined to provoke the Lord to anger; for the Lord tried them every way: and see what blessings he sent, when there came good kings, that made them walk in the statutes of the Lord. But how soon did the children depart from their fathers! How soon did Manasseh depart from Hezekiah his father, though he saw the blessings and the wondrous deliverance that the Lord worked for Hezekiah his father! Yet how soon did he depart from all his father's steps in the perverseness of his own heart, as though he wished to provoke the Lord to anger against him! Here, in reading my Bible, it appeareth to me, the Lord hath tried men every way, to convince them of the evil of sin, and shew them what blessings they should receive, if they would but walk in the fear of the Lord; but they themselves, by disobedience, brought all the evils upon their own heads: for all the old Testament stands upon conditions. Then how can man say, the Promises were sure, let men do what they would? I have not read such words through my Bible: but I find the words of the Lord have been true, what he spake by the prophets: and the fatal end of the kings came by their rebellion, as the prophets all had told them, one after the other. Then how can Man contend with his Maker? Or how can Men find fault with their Maker, when they bring evil on their heads, by the hardness of their own hearts and their own unbelief? Then what have we to marvel now at the unbelief of mankind, seeing how the kings went on one after the other, after being warned by the prophets of the judgments that should follow? And the same judgments did follow; yet they still hardened their hearts. Therefore my opinion, from what I have seen of the Bible, is, that men would be the same now; if the sword, plague, and famine were to be in the land, it would not change the people for any continuation, if the powers of darkness remained; for, in reading through my Bible, I read the perfect language that is now in the world. Then where is the difference in men? Are they not all of one spirit? While the powers of darkness are at enmity against God, they have the power to work in man the same. See what wondrous miracles the prophets worked of old, and how true their prophecies came! And yet all thought they should miss them, before they came upon them unawares. Now, if that came to the Jews, who being hardened through unbelief, after seeing all the truths of the prophets fulfilled, yet still went on the same, till they were made entirely captives and the kingdom taken from them; yet again, when our Saviour came to visit them, they despised his miracles, his words, and his working, as they had despised their prophets before; though some of their kings believed in their prophets, as did some of the people, and hid the prophets from the fury of their enemies; just so was it with the Jews, when our Saviour came. Witness the disciples, and many of the Jews that turned to the gospel. Then is it not plain, that these two different spirits will always be in the world, as long as there are two opposite powers to work; the power of God and the power of the Devil? These are my observations from the past ages, and the present; for I see them perfectly alike in the opposite spirits, that are now in the world: and this I am clear will never change till the power of God hath destroyed the power of the Devil: for how did the Jews stand out through unbelief? Though they saw the truth of our Saviour's words, the holy city of Jerusalem destroyed, and they themselves scattered throughout the face of the earth; yet all this doth not change their minds. But one observation I made in my heart, in reading over the reigns of the Kings, and meditating upon the reign of kings in all nations, that there is no government that has been so well established for the happiness of mankind, as the government that is brought in by the Gospel. This appeareth to me a shadow of good things to come; that perfect peace and happiness shall be established when the fulfilment of the gospel is accomplished. This is the pondering of my heart, from reading the Bible, which I am ordered to pen; and I think, instead of men's blaming the Lord, they ought in reading their Bibles to take guilt and shame to themselves, seeing what perverseness was in the heart of man; and they ought to look abroad and at home, and see what perverseness now is in the heart of man. So what the world now make a mockery of, is a true looking glass for me, to see all faces in their true colours. My observation went the deeper, as I have heard men make the greatest mockery of the Bible; and I know many abandoned wretches have not only written against it, but have taken pleasure to turn it into ridicule and fun. But let them look into their own hearts; then they may say the Bible is a looking glass for them to see their own likeness painted there; for there is every man's likeness in the Bible, both good and bad. And the mockery and unbelief of mankind do but strengthen my faith the more; because I see all these characters have been before; and the Gospel assureth us they would remain till the powers of darkness were destroyed. Therefore, my prayer is, that the Lord will hasten that happy time, to cut off Satan's reign; and bring in his own, whose mercy and goodness are over all his works. But what mercy and goodness would it have been in the Lord to prolong the wretched reign of Manasseh! Who appeareth to me a complete type of the Devil; and yet Hezekiah his father was so good a man! Thus it appeareth to me, it is not from the Fall of Adam, as the blood running in man; for then the child might be like the father; but it appears to me, by the heart and spirit that are in men, some give themselves up to be drawn by the Spirit of God, and others give themselves up to be drawn by the power of the Devil. But these are my own ideas from my observation of the Kings, that the sons did not all walk in their fathers' steps; for some turned to do good, and others turned to do evil; which brings my thoughts to our Saviour's words. "His servants ye are to whom ye yield yourselves to obey."-

"Now Joanna, thee I'll answer,

From the ponderings thou hast here,

Let them judge who is thy Master;

Let the sons of men appear.

To answer man I shall begin;

Let them thy pondering see,

And then I say I'll answer men,

If they can answer me;

That say from Hell thy heart doth swell,

Or Satan doth thee guide;

Because thy heart I do know well-

The swelling of the tide.

How it is man that thou dost blame,

Thy Maker thou dost free;

And all thy foes I'll put to shame,

There's none can answer me.

When I begin to plead with man,

My Bible then go through;

For I shall guide thy heart and hand;

Thy pondering all shall know.

So now read back what they have wrote,

Thy pondering's all from me,

And by my spirit thou art taught

The looking glass to see.

So all must come and so discern

All faces do appear.

As in the Bible thou hast read,

No man can answer here,

It is not so, I well do know;

No: there they must stand mute,

And from Manasseh I shall go

To strike the every root.

The thoughts of thee are known to me

For I have plac'd all there;

Thy pondering heart they all must see,

And tell me when and where

A heart like thine could not be mine?

So now read back the whole:

And I shall further tell my mind,-

Those that can't stand shall fall.

So I'll go on to answer man,

From all the lines here penn'd;

And let the wise and learned come,

With all their learning bend,

And tell me plain if they'll maintain

This pondering came from thee;

If that from hell thy heart did swell,

And so led on by he?

I tell them no; they all shall know,

Thy heart and soul is mine;

Unto the standard I shall go,

And make them all resign.

The thoughts of thee, let all men see,

Thou'st wisely judg'd the whole;

While Satan reigns, I will maintain,

The glass stands deep for all;

As thou dost see alike to be,

In every age that's past,

And with the present doth agree,

The looking glass is plac'd

So strong for all, now judge the call,

Thy thoughts in all I'll clear.

'Tis not the taint of Adam's Fall

That brings sin every where;

No, 'tis the man, I say must stand,

And answer just like thee:

If Adam's Fall had tainted all,

And in the blood to be,

Then in the Man the Fall must stand,

And run through every vein;

For then the father and the son

Would both alike remain.

But 'tis not so, I well do know,

Then how can man appear,

To say it is by Adam's Fall,

You are so tainted here?

No: answer, man; you cannot stand

To prove it all this way;

And yet I say, from Adam's Fall,

In grief you all do lay;

Because the Man did me condemn,

Which did prolong the reign

Of Satan there, I tell you here,

And this I shall maintain-

Your spirits free they surely be

To act which way you will:

Your hearts you may give up to me,

Then Satan's heart I'll chill;

For now I'm come to tell his doom-

He like these Kings shall fall.

Manasseh here I now shall clear,

A Type goes deep for all;

Because that he, you all do see,

Did from his father go;

And Satan wander'd so from me-

But now thy heart I know:

"Can Satan here like him appear?

How can he be a son?"

I tell thee, No: it is not so;

Yet still from shadows come;

Satan with me his reign you see;

In Heaven he reign'd at first;

And had he stood in harmony,

He never would been cast.

But he did not; you see his lot,

How he was cast below:

And then my judgments he forgot-

Did like Manasseh go;

I say, in sin he did go on

To tempt men to this day,

Though all the angels I unthron'd,

That joined then with him.

Now, this before they'd all seen clear,

Just like the Type of man;

And when my Coming did appear,

Like Hezekiah stand;

Though not a son shall I name him,

But from the shadow go:

The Jew's he hardened then in sin,

And then brought on their woe,

Till they were cast; and so did burst,

For he did so appear,

Just like Manasseh at the first-

But I shall answer here;

The Type in Man, I say was strong,

And strong shall be for all;

For like Manasseh he did come

To make my people fall.

Then I'll appear to answer here,

If I did not spare Man,

Which way the Tempter shall I clear?

These Kings you may command:

For as a king he does begin

To war against his God;

And from the judgment thou hast drawn

May now by all be draw'd.

For all may say, as well as thee,

Sin ever will abound,

While Satan is your enemy.-

The hearts too strong are found,

Are drawn by he, you all may see,

If deeply you discern.

Sin in all nations you may see,

The hearts of men he'd turn

To make them here for to appear,

The Type stands deep for man.

From Hezekiah I shall clear,

The shadow first must come;

Because the good you there allude

Did surely come the first;

And after him the evil came-

And see how this did burst.

Just so to man I now shall come,

And your forefathers see;

The way my Gospel was brought in

In strong belief to be,

That I should come again to them,

My people to redeem.

This is the way they did believe-

My coat without a seam.

If you see clear the shadow here,

It must go through for all;

This is the way they did believe

I should redeem the Fall:

But now is come Manasseh strong,

And from them to depart:

These are the sons throughout the land,

To wound your every heart,

That now will go, as he did do,

Against your Father rise.

So now, Manassehs all take care,

'Tis time for to grow wise!

For every way I now do say,

I've plac'd the shadow here,

For men and devils now to see;

'Tis time for all to fear,

That will not stand by my command;

As David stood at first;

Though he did sin, to me 'tis known;

But know his grief did burst:

He did repent, and did relent,

The crime that he had done.

And now, I say, with one consent,

If men like him return,

Their guilt I'll free, I now tell thee-

But I shall say no more,

I tell thee, till another day;

Then I shall answer here."

Here ends Tuesday night, Sept. 25, 1804.

Wednesday Morning, Sept. 26, 1804.

We received Mr. Foley's books-and Joanna was deeply affected in reading from the twelfth page to the nineteenth, as it called all the past to her remembrance: and she thought on the dreadful horror that she felt at that time, that she would not go through again for the world: but in what powerful manner the Spirit of the Lord broke in upon her, that she blesses the Lord for his abiding presence to this day. She feels every happiness is centred in him.

"Now, Joanna, I shall answer thee. The shadow of that day is a warning to thee and to all, as it came first from thy jealousy, fearing thou hadst done wrong, by disobeying my command; and now I tell thee, and all men, wert thou now to disobey my command, thy end would be more wretched and miserable, than it was for that hour; but by thy obedience thou shalt find my Spirit as strong to deliver, as it broke in upon thee that day.

"So do not fear if danger's near,

For thou shalt safe go through;

My Bible by thee I shall clear,

And lay before their view.

So thou go on as thou'st begun,

To ponder through the whole;

And I'll appear to answer here,

And make the learned fall.

The ways of men must all be known,

From Adam at the first;

Because his Maker he condemn'd;

Then how can Man be plac'd,

The Promise claim that's not to Man?

No; there the Type stands deep;

For to the Woman it must come-

For I in her shall break;

And then you'll see the end to be-

For all a David's reign.

'Tis not for one, I say to man,

But you must all see plain,

When I do come your Prince and King;

Your Saviour to appear;

You'll find the power is not in men

The woman's guilt to clear.

No; 'tis in me, all flesh will see,

For I shall free the whole;

And from the Fall, I tell you all,

The Serpent he must fall.

The Promise there shall now appear,

And I shall make it good;

So men with thee they join'd must be,

And judge me as a God,

If I went on to punish Man,

That me did disobey,

Shall I let Satan always stand,

When I before did say,

That he should not? I told his lot.-

Now trace my Bible through:

The different changes you forgot,

That lie before your view.

So I'll go on the whole to change

Until I've chang'd the whole;

And Satan's doom is nearly come-

He like these Kings shall fall.

In them he swell'd, I do know well;

Shall I the Author free?

No! no! I say to thee this day,

My Bible true shall be;

For he shall fall I tell you all,

As in my Bible penn'd;

And like these Kings, I tell you all

He'll surely find his end.

So Joab here thou didst see clear

How he went on with man:

And yet what sins in him appear'd,

And how his end did come!

On man at first the whole did burst,

The judgments did appear-

I know the ponderings of thy heart,

When thou didst read it there.

That Joab met his awful fate,

That he did just deserve;

Because his sins, thou seest, were great,

How he in vice did live.

The blood of men on him did come,

That he by arts did slay;

Yet still with David he went on,-

Pretend his friend to be.

A mystery here thou canst not clear,

But I shall clear the whole,

And tell thee plain of David's reign,

By man did surely fall;

But now by me 't can never be;

I shall not act like man;

Nor with the Joabs will agree

In any murderous plan.

No, no! to men, I tell them plain,

In justice I'll appear,

When I bring in a David's reign,

It shall be in spirit here,

Then it shall stand by my command,

Though man did surely fall:

The greatness here that did appear,

I now do tell you all,

To Solomon that did become,

Who built the House to me,

It is a type that's deep to Man;

Though I the David be,

It is by Man it must be done,

When I my sons do make

Like Solomon for to become,

The powers of Hell I'll shake.

Though he was cast, you know at first,

'Twas but a shadow there;

But all shall see the end to burst,

The substance shall appear;

In every land my sons shall stand,

In wisdom great like he:

But not in sin for to begin--

No; I shall come, the type to man

That did from him appear,

When he the house had built to me,

Mark thou the number there

That he did slay of beasts that day-

And I shall slay the whole;

Then the burnt offerings all shall see,

In peace and joy shall fall,

Always to stand by my command,

And men shall all possess;

I'll fill with glory every land,

And I'll enthrone in peace;

In joy below shall blessings flow;

But, was it done by Man?

A Solomon, you all do know,

Did ne'er enrich his land;

No: 'twas to one the whole did come,

But I'll bring it to all

That do appear: my sons I'll clear,

When I have freed the fall."

1 Kings, viii. 63. "And Solomon offered sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord."

"Now I tell thee, this type goeth deep. The shadow of the Beast was slain by Man: but those beasts could tempt no one to sin; but when I come to establish my throne in righteousness, I shall slay the Beast, which is the Devil; therefore it is, the number was so great."

After this Joanna went on reading her Bible: and from the last chapter of the second book of Chronicles, found the words of the prophets were perfectly fulfilled: And the vessels of the house of the Lord were carried into Babylon, and the children of Israel were made captives there: and the house of God was burnt and totally destroyed. Yet in reading on, in Ezra, chap. i. Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord stirred up to build the house of God, and Jerusalem again; but when they were going on in the buildings, in the fourth chapter, see how the Devil stirred up the people, by subtilty and arts, that it might not be built. There the work was deferred, until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia, and all their arts could not prevail on him to prevent the work; for, in the 6th chapter, he commanded it to go on; and, in the 11th verse, whoever went to prevent the building was to be hanged. So the building was completed. Now the ponderings of Joanna were these: The different spirits that were in men shew plainly the different masters they are led by; and by subtle arts the enemy went to prevent the building, by falsehood and lies, and discovers clearly what the Devil is in substance, by the shadow that appeareth in men. But I was deeply affected in reading how much the children of Israel were delighted, and how much they were affected in building again the house to the Lord; in the 10th chapter they had consented to put away their wives, that they had taken from among the heathen; in Nehemiah, 9th chapter, how the children of Israel confessed their sins and repented; in the 13th chapter, that they completed the whole; and observed how Solomon's strange wives, or outlandish women, caused him to sin; so they determined not to follow after them. Then followeth Esther, by whose hand the Lord delivered the Jews, when Haman had designed for them all to be murdered. These wondrous workings of Providence deeply affected my heart, to see how the Lord delivered, when they turned unto him with all their hearts. But one thing strikes deeply upon me; the Lord only knoweth whether my thoughts are right or wrong: The first house that was built to the Lord by Solomon, appeareth to me in the pride of men; for though the Lord had commanded him to do it, yet certainly Solomon was swelled with pride by all the grandeur that he kept up; and that pride, and the love of women, made him fall, and the house fell also; but when the second house was built, it was through opposition, through persecution, through humbleness of spirit, through a love to God, through a fear to God, (for see how they lamented of their sins, and confessed it was their sins that brought all the judgments upon them, and they repented with fasting and prayer,) and then the house stood; and by Esther's petition the jews had liberty to destroy all their enemies, that were in the land where they dwelt, that had decreed to destroy them. Esther, ix. and x. Here my thoughts went deeply two ways; the one to see the mercies of God, when men turned humbly to him; and the other to see how humbly they did return, which makes me judge the Lord will do according to his promises, and pity the fallen state of men, when they humbly turn to him. But see the different spirits of men; one being hardened in the midst of judgments, and the other being humble and confessing their sins, and acknowledging the justice of God in their punishment, appears to me but a Type of Men and Devils: how Satan will be hardened and Man will be penitent. These have been my observations and reflections, and the ponderings of my heart, in reading; and that there is the same difference of men upon earth, as there was in the angels in Heaven; and this will continue while Satan reigns, as long as he has power to make a division on Earth, as he did in Heaven. These have been the ponderings of my heart, and the Lord pardon me if my thoughts have been wrong in any thing, as I am ordered to pen the feelings of my heart: and greatly did I feel in my heart for the Jews, at their sincere repentance at the second building of the house unto the Lord, which made me think he would have mercy upon them in the end, as he hath promised in my writings.

"Now, Joanna, I shall begin to answer thee. There is not a word in thy mouth, nor a thought in thy heart, but I know it altogether; and as thou hast faithfully spoken, there is not a thought in thy heart, nor a word in thy mouth, that I blame; for now I shall come to Solomon. As thou sayest the house was built in pride, as well as obedience; it is true; and the pride of man fell; but as thou sayest the other house was built in humiliation and in repentance, which stood till the pride of man began to swell again:-But here I tell thee the Type goes deep. When Esther delivered her people, know they were scattered throughout the earth, and their Kings were destroyed, and they were delivered by the hand of a woman. Here is a Type stands deep for all men. When I had destroyed their Kings, I delivered them by the hand of a woman, and made their enemies become their friends, by Darius, and by Ahasuerus, as neither of these were Kings of the Jews, but had declared themselves their great enemies; and the latter was stirred up by Haman; but see what became of Haman. Now thou knowest I have told thee all things stand for Types and Shadows of the End; and here is a deep Type of the End: when a man's ways please the Lord, he will make his enemies at peace with him. And now I will tell thee how men's ways may please me: when men begin to act like the Jews, who went the second time to build a house in my Name, they wept to see the ruins of the fall of what had been built and destroyed before-

"So now to all I thus shall call-

The Type goes deep for Man;

Here is a shadow of the Fall,

When I at first began,

I say, to lay the house of clay,

That I did lay in Man;

But he from me did fall away,

Like Solomon become;

Soon tainted there he did appear,

As Satan's arts were so,

The Woman did his heart ensnare,

And that you well do know;

By Satan's art she felt the dart,

And did the Man betray:

Like Solomon he soon did come,

His glory fell away.

So thus at first the Man was cast

Then by the Woman there:

Like Solomon his fall did come,

There's no man this can clear,

To say 'twas not: I'll tell your lot-

This was the fall at first;

By Satan's arts the Woman fell,

And so the Man was cast.

But now see plain, ye sons of men,

The mystery of the Fall;

For now I tell thee, from his reign,

A paradise for all

I made at first; but Man was cast,

By Satan's artful hand:

You see the Woman so was plac'd,

The Serpent her trepann'd,

Then sure the Fall, I tell you all,

Did much like his appear;

And by the Woman Men did fall,

As Solomon did there.

So all went on, I tell you plain,

Till things grew worse and worse;

As in the Temple you did see

How every thing was plac'd;

In grandeur there did all appear,

But see how all fell down!

This way the Fall I mean to clear,

If men can judge the sound;

For I'll go on from man to man,

Till Esther all must see:

She freed her People in the Land,

That was condemn'd to die.

Then now see clear the shadow here-

If Woman caused the Fall;

By Solomon the first did come,

And Esther freed them all.

The thing is plain, I say to men,

Though it may to them appear

Just like the mis-maze thou hast made,

The paths no man can clear;

The way to go thou well dost know,

To tread thy paths all round:

And yet I see the eye of thee-

A straight path may he found

In every way, as it doth lay,

Unto the middle come:

All paths are straight before thy sight,

As thou dost here discern;

Though puzzling see the thing may be,

Which way will all go through,

To bring it straight before your sight

And now the whole you view.

Now I'll go on from what thou'st done,

A trifling shadow here,

Yet to the purpose I shall come,

And prove my Bible here.

As many ways, I now do say,

As they worked this to-night,

So many ways, I now do say,

Men try to bring all straight;

But there's not one, to thee 'tis known,

That they did bring straight here;

The crooked paths to them were shewn,

Which they thought they must clear;

So they went round in every sound,

But all brought crooked through,

Just so the learned men are found,

And bring all to thy view:

Just so to men I now shall come-

My Bible I've plac'd there;

And crooked paths they all bring in,

No straight path man can clear.

For all have done, as those began-

Came crooked every way.

It was to shew the Type of Man,

That I work'd so in thee,

To place it here to make it clear,

That crooked men do go:

Therefore their hands I did prepare,

That they should work it so:

But as to thee it was by me,

That I thy hand work'd straight.

The mystery round must so be found,

To bring all things to light:

You must bring round in every sound,

I say, my Bible here;

And then the straight path shall be found,

That I the whole shall clear.

The ways are two before thy view,

Which way to make it come;

The crooked paths before thy view,

Were first work'd by thy hand;

Then all was straight before thy sight,

And so 'tis straight for all,

If men go through, as thou didst do,

And prove it from the Fall,

That crooked round have all been found

I tell thee, to this day;

And as my handmaids here were found,

Men's wisdom works this way,

To bring all in as they began,

The paths were crooked there;

I said a straight path sure was seen,

And thou didst prove it clear:

But they did not behold the spot,

The way it straight must come;

Just so, I say to thee, this day

My Bible's worked by man;

For crooked here they all appear,

And yet they judge 'tis straight

The way they work my Bible here;

But now before thy sight,

There was not one that by his hand

Did bring a straight path there;

Unless 'twas thee, they both did see,

Then how can they appear,

To say 'twas straight before their sight,

The way they work'd it round?-

And perfect so, they all shall know,

My shepherds all are found:

They work the same, as these began,

Till I did work in thee,

To have the straight path to appear,

The winding paths first see

For to go round in every sound,

Then come to a straight line;

I tell thee, here 't must so appear,

My Bible men must find.

Another day to thee I say,

I'll place the Type once more:

And then my handmaids I will try,

If they can straight appear."

Here ends Wednesday night, Sept. 26. This taken from Joanna Southcott's mouth.

Jane Townley.

Saturday, September 29, 1804.

Dear Sir,

My last letter must have appeared very puzzling, as I had not time to explain the Mis-maze. Since Joanna was ordered to drop her pen, she saith the words that are given her throw so great a light upon her mind, that while we were writing the lines that she spoke, she began to ruminate and ponder deeply in her own heart, which made her often forget the words that were spoken to her; for when she wrote her own self, she had then no time to ponder, as she was engaged in writing. So that of late, to prevent any pondering with the words of the Lord, she has amused her thoughts in taking scraps of paper and doubling them to cut them in holes like diamonds. This she often did when in bed; and finding by this amusement her thoughts were so employed in what she was doing, she never lost a word that the Lord said to her. But since she has been up, she has often amused herself in bending these scraps of paper to make them stand upon the table; and, as she had seen a Mis-maze at Lord Rolle's, she now sits day after day, when the Spirit of the Lord breaks in upon her, amusing herself with making of Mis-mazes with the paper on the table; and then she has no thought of her own, only amusing herself with what she was doing; and as soon as we had written one line, she distinctly had another line given her, as fast as we could write them. In this manner she was amusing herself, when we were writing about solomon. She had placed a large pincushion in the middle and made a mis-maze all round it, and then the words were spoken to her of what she had done. So Underwood and I were ordered to take a pencil, and work round all her scraps of paper, some of them the length of the line I have drawn,  some still longer, and some shorter, placed round like hedges in a mis-maze; and we were to try to work round them, so as to bring them into a straight line in the middle; but thinking we were to bring every one to the middle, by so doing we brought them all crooked, which were twenty-four in number. Then Joanna took the pencil and worked round the outward ones first, and when she came to the bottom, she brought them up in a straight line to the middle, and the same at the top; and so she worked the table round, and brought them into four straight lines, that we brought into twenty-four crooked ones. Now I have told you the sense, you will understand the meaning of what was written of the Mis-maze. We were all ordered to draw our judgment, what was meant by the four straight paths. Townley's judgment:-The word of the Lord-the light of the Gospel-the Salvation-and the Redemption of Man. Underwood's:-The word of the Lord to Joanna-the light of the Gospel given through her-men's wisdom to be thrown aside-and give themselves up wholly to be taught of the Lord. While we were drawing our judgments Joanna said, she would not think herself wiser than us, if she drew her judgment clearer, because a light broke in upon her, and told, that it was the Promise made of the Woman in the Creation-the Promise that was made to the Woman at the Fall-Christ's death to clear the one-and his Second Coming to claim and fulfil the other.

"Now Joanna, thee I'll answer:

Though the first I will not blame;

Yet 'tis I, that am thy Master,

Worked thy judgment, none can shame,

Because at first it so was plac'd,

And so I'll work all round;

The others' judgments I'll not cast,

Because my words are found

To make all true before their view,

The straight path to appear.

The Judgment that was drawn by you

Shews how the wise do err;

And yet I say the words of they,

Though varied in the sound,

They had a judgment I do know,

That must mankind confound.

The lines were here I now shall clear,

Thou drew'st them straight at first,

And in the end 'twas my intend

Thy judgment right should burst:

For it was I who dwell on high

Did assist thee in the thought.

Thy thoughts were right before men's sight;

For so must all be wrote.

I tell you plain, ye sons of men,

My Bible you work so,

That all is straight before your sight;

And then the end you'll know,

I shall bring in, as thou'st begun,

I tell thee, from the Fall;

No other way, to men I say,

You can my Bible call,

To make it straight before your sight-

No: crooked men go on;

The winding way there's none doth see

How in the end 't must come,

Till I've worked round in every sound

My Bible to appear;

For every leaf men must work round,

As I have worked them here;

And then my word that's on record

Will make my Gospel true:

The different judgments all did draw

Be laid before your view."

A Copy of a Letter from Joanna to the

Rev. Mr. Pomeroy.

Rev. Sir,

I have a message from God unto you. If you will not be a just judge, be an unjust judge, that I may be avenged of my adversary. Therefore render unto C3/4sar the things which are C3/4sar's, and unto God the things which are God's: but the things that are God's you have kept back, and you say, committed to the flames. Then my answer is, out of your own mouth will I condemn you: and you will find you have a God to deal with; therefore you must give a satisfactory answer, why you burnt the letters? And what they contained?-You may say, I am he that troubleth Israel: but I have not troubled Israel; but I am troubling you and your father's house, which I mean are the Bishops, because you call them reverend fathers in God. They have acted just like you, to keep back the truths of the Bible, as you have kept back the truths of my writings; they have denied the truths of the Bible, as you have denied the truths of my writings; they have denied the promise made in the fall to the woman; that though they must own it was a promise made, yet they deny it to be a promise to be claimed; or a promise that ever the Lord will fulfil. Then what do men make of their Bibles? It was to shew what mankind is, that the Lord ordered me to put the writings in your hands, and concealed from me, that you would go from your word, and not be as good as your promise. And now, sir, I must come to the purpose with you. You may think it strange, when I tell you, there is not one man upon earth, hath strengthened my faith so much to prove clearly my visitation from the Lord, as you have: you may ask me how? To this I answer: When I first sent to you concerning my prophecies, in 1796, you declared to me, they were never from the Devil; but have often pleaded with me, if they were not from myself? But I was the judge there; and knew they were not of myself; and as you affirmed they were not from the Devil, then I knew they must be from the Lord. Now, while you affirm my writings were not from the Devil, you acted as a worthy, religious minister; as a wise man, as a good man, and as one that seemed to wish to be clear in judging, before you condemned. You told me, in 1796, you were willing to receive any thing from my hands, that you might be a judge of the truth; and when the truth followed by the Bishop's death, you asked me in Mr. Taylor's house, and in Mrs. Taylor's presence, in January, 1797, if I could put into your hands the events of the wars concerning Italy, or England; then you would believe my calling was of God? The week following I put in your hands what would happen to Italy, which took place within the six months you mentioned; as you asked me what would happen in three months, or six months. I put in your hands, England would seek for peace; but in vain; for we had involved ourselves in such tumults of war, that the wise men, with all their wisdom, would not be able to make a peace; and that large sums of money would be demanded at the end of the year: all these truths, you know followed. But I confess you simply asked me if I did not know these things from myself; which, you know, I told you, I knew no more from myself than your table. At the same time there were in the writings events that were to take place in years to come, that now seem bursting out in all nations; and you told me yourself, you knew they would be true; yet for some time disputed with me, if it was not from myself, from my own knowledge; but when I assured you it was not from myself, and I had no knowledge of my own, you asked me, why I did not publish to the world? For, if you were clear you were called of God, you would fear no man. And now, sir, I am clear I am called of God; for the wondrous visitation that hath happened to me for the three months past, is impossible to come from any but a God; therefore I shall fear no man's words, neither shall I be dismayed at their looks: for little do men know what lieth before them. You know I put in your hands the truth of the harvests in 1799, and the 1800; and it has stood me in pounds to put writings in your hands, which you always promised faithfully to keep, and faithfully to deliver to me, whenever my trial was: and now my trial draweth near, and I shall hold you to your words, and to your promises; and if you go from them, I have more just grounds to publish you to the world, that the Devil has taken the advantage over you, than you could have to publish to the world that I was led by the Devil, to put your name in print, as the Lord had commanded me; but that command you said was from the Devil. Now, sir, reflect on the change of your conduct: how you acted before, when you said my writings were not from the Devil, how faithfully you promised to act. How you said you would meet with six, or with twelve to prove my writings. How you asked me, in Mr. Taylor's house, in 1801, to put the prophecy in your hands of that harvest, that I told you I had put in Mr. Jones's; for you said, in Mrs. Taylor's presence, if you were to be the judge, the writings ought to be put in your hands; which I complied with, and carried them to you. You promised to keep the whole safe; and told me you had every one of my letters in your bureau, that you would keep safely for me. But as soon as the Lord put you to the trial, to see if you could bear the mockery of men, and the ridicule of the world, for His sake, by having your name in print, how soon did the fine gold become dim! How soon did you begin to act like Pilate, fearing the Jews! and just so you began to fear men, that you should lose your honour amongst them. But know what our Saviour said: He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it; but he that saveth it, shall lose it. Now you tried to save your honour amongst men; and that is the way you have lost it: for the honour of the world worketh death to the honour of God; and that death you soon fell into; for you began in the Spirit, but you ended in the flesh. Here your wrath began, by fearing the honour of men; and you let the sun go down upon your wrath; and so you gave place to the Devil. Then you sent to me to give in my sacrament ticket, to turn me from the altar, which I faithfully delivered up to you, at your request, as I well knew there were other ministers I could go to, to receive the sacrament; but after that your conscience seemed to reprove you, you sent me a note to come again, and invited me to come by Mrs. Taylor; then, after that, you sent for me to give up the second note; and because I had mislaid it, and could not find it directly, you seemed to be angry that it was not returned; but as soon as I found it I faithfully returned it to you. Then you came to Mrs. Taylor's, and told her and me how you were situated, and how the ministers were all plaguing you, that you could not go into company, if I would not sign that you had said my writings were from the Devil. Mrs. Taylor expostulated with you, that you had never said they were from the Devil, but you had affirmed to the contrary; but you made answer, you had said it was from the Devil, my putting your name in print, which I confess was true; and as you cried, and said I should kill you if I would not sign it, I gave you the advantage of that word, as you thought it would reclaim your injured honour. But how did you yourself go on with principles to lose that honour, that you with subtilty went to claim? I returned to you every demand you had of me, by returning the sacrament tickets; though I never promised it before you demanded them, and then I returned them. But how unjustly did you deal with me? As soon as I demanded all my writings, you went from the promises of a man, refused to return me one of my letters, but told Mr. Taylor that you had burnt them, and that you were persuaded to do it; so you broke your word, you broke your promise, and you dealt unjustly with me. Now do you think the Lord is another such as yourself, to break all his words, all his promises, and to act unjustly, as you have done? This change of conduct in you truly convinceth me, that you gave the Devil that advantage over you, that you published to the world he had over me. And now I shall call to your remembrance the words I said unto you in Mr. Taylor's house, when Mrs. Taylor said to me, she feared your advertisement would hurt the cause; you know I made answer, that was impossible: for what was of men would come to nothing, but what was of God they could not overthrow, lest they were found to fight against God. You answered, that was true. And now I answer, you are fighting against God: but you cannot fight against God and prosper. See how soon your eyes were darkened; see how soon your understanding was hid, when you were seeking the praise of man more than the praise of God; and the honour of men more than the honour of God. How did that honour you contend for come to nothing, by your own conduct, by not returning back my letters, according to your promise? This provoked the Lord to anger against you, and I was ordered to publish to the world all your conduct; so the honour you contend for, you yourself brought to nothing; but the honour of God, and the visitation of God, it is not you, nor all the clergy in England can overthrow. All the Bishops have been written to, that if they would come forward, or send twenty-four of their ministers, to meet the twenty-four whom the Lord has chosen, to have a fair investigation into all the writings for seven days, if they could then prove they came from the Devil, they should be then given up to their judgment; but this the Bishops have declined, as they know it is a thing impossible for man to prove; so their silence gives consent that the writings are from the Lord. The Religious Society  have been appealed to likewise; and they are silent. So all their silence gives consent, that the calling is of God, and they cannot overthrow it. But this way that you acted to overthrow it was like throwing of oil into the fire, that make the flames burn the greater. So you have been the murderer of your own honour, and convinced me clearly that it was you and not me, that was deceived by the subtle arts of the Devil. And now I shall come to Mr. Jones. The Lord commanded me to send Mr. Jones unto you, to reprove you, as Nathan reproved David; but you refused to hear the reproof, and blamed Mr. Jones for obeying the command, and returning the answer you gave him. Now I shall come to reason. Mr. Jones believes my visitation to be from the Lord, and in obedience to his command he waited upon you. Now if you blame Mr. Jones for doing that, I must beg you will throw off your gown: what use is your mocking of God to go into your pulpit, and tell people to obey the commands of the Lord, and then to go out of your pulpit and abuse them for doing the very thing that they believed the Lord had commanded them? For it is by faith we must be saved. And now I shall ask you one question: Supposing a Jew, who never believed in Christ, but believed him an impostor, as the Jews do, yet if that man being a gentleman of great property, and wishing to have land like the Christians, and say I will turn Christian, I will turn to the Gospel, and I will take the sacrament, to worship what I believe an impostor, because I will have a title and honour amongst men; would not that Jew be a greater sinner, that could thus mock God in his heart, than the other Jews who would not worship him as a Saviour, out of conscience to the Lord, because they did not believe he who was the Saviour-only trusted in one God? Which, judge you, would be the greatest sinner? You must believe it to be him who mocked God with his unbelief; because it is from the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and the Lord judgeth not as man judgeth, by outward appearance; the Lord judgeth from the heart. So, from the faith of Mr. Jones, you must blame the man for doing what he judged doing his duty; and to sin against God and his own conscience. And is this advice worthy of a clergyman? Can you justify yourself in these things? I tell you, No. Your arguments were to bring sin upon Mr. Jones's head, and to blame him for doing what he judged was the will of the Lord concerning him. And now I shall come to my brother. You say, my brother ought to be horse-whipped, for claiming justice to be done to his sister. Then what religion do you preach? Or, how would you wish brothers and sisters to be united together? Ought not brotherly love to continue? Doth not my brother know the manner of my life, from my youth up to this day, better than you do? My brother knoweth I should bring no lies before him; he knew he could depend upon the truth of all I told him, and the unjust manner that you had dealt with me, my brother knows I should never have laid it before him, if it was not true. Then how can you judge my brother a Christian, a man of tender feelings for his sister, as a brother ought to have, if he would not support my cause when he saw me so unjustly dealt with, knowing I have no father living, nor no husband, to protect me? And now I must call to your remembrance your own behaviour to Mrs. Symonds, when you bid her go out of your house, in my presence, because you said, her husband had offended Mrs. Pomeroy, and said you would sooner forgive an offence done to yourself, than one that was done to Mrs. Pomeroy, as you could put harm from yourself, but she could not. Then how can you justify in yourself a principle you condemn in another? Can you prove to the world, that Mr. Symonds' affront to Mrs. Pomeroy was a quarter so great as yours has been to me? I tell you, No; and your own conscience must condemn you. Your offence against me is ten thousand times greater than Mr. Symonds' was against Mrs. Pomeroy; for though Mr. Symonds might use harsh words, yet his offence was only to have her stand to her bargains she had made. Then where was the offence? Only you may say in harsh words, and what harsh words have you used of my brother, when he acted in my principles, that you thought right to justify yourself in? But it is impossible for you to justify your cause, as much as it is for my brother to justify my cause. So, if you would weigh these things together, with all the conduct that you have acted since you said my writings were from the Devil, you would see there was more reason for you to fear that the powers of darkness had deceived you by temptations, than it was to believe that I, in all things, was obedient to the Devil, doing every thing that he commanded me. Does not our Saviour say, the tree is known by the fruit? Now, what fruit can you condemn in me? My life and character will bear the strictest scrutiny; and I have feared sin more than death from my youth up unto this day. And now I may say with Samuel, here I am before the Lord and before his anointed; witness against me, whose ox have I taken? Whose ass have I taken? Or from whose hands have I received a bribe, to blind my eyes therewith? But the Lord is my judge, and is witness against you: and as wrong as Pilate condemned our Saviour, much more wrong you have condemned me; because Pilate confessed he was innocent; but he that tempted you to this evil has the greater sin. And now I tell you, as all your conduct is in public print, and the manner of your keeping back my letters, there is no way you can clear your honour, unless you come forward with the truth, and acknowledge every letter that was put into your hands, and the truth they contained; and assign your reasons why you burnt and destroyed them. The reasons you assigned to Mr Taylor were, that you were persuaded to it. Then I answer, the person that persuaded you to burn them, persuaded you to injure your honour and a good conscience, as the world has tried to persuade me; but blessed be God, I never took their advice: and it would have been happy for you, if you had never either; but went on as you began, till you could justify yourself before God and man; and shew it plain to the whole world, that you were clear in judging before you condemned. But you burnt my letters, as you say, because you knew, if they appeared, you could not justify yourself in what you have done; but they being from the Devil, you would readily have produced them before the ministers, and said, I had never put any truths in your hands, and shewed the letters to prove it. But as you did not then let the truth appear, you must let the truth appear now; for it is not to say I am troubling you, but the Lord hath commanded me to trouble you till you acknowledge the truth. When I received your answer from Mr. Jones, the day following, I was as sick as death, which continued all the day; and was deeply answered, the Lord was as sick of your conduct and the clergy, as I was that day: but my sickness he would never remove, till my brother had written to you a second time; and as soon as my brother had written, the Lord removed my sickness from me. Three months the Lord has taken my appetite from bread, or any thing made of the produce of wheat; and deeply are the words said to me, that if you and the clergy go on, as they are going on, three years the Lord will take bread from the nation, by bringing a total famine in the land; and my appetite he will never restore more to wheat, till I have demanded the truth from you. So must beg a satisfactory answer to this letter.

Taken from Joanna Southcott's mouth.

Witnesses, Jane Townley,

Dated, Sept. 17, 1804. Frances Taylor,

Ann Underwood.

Copy of the Rev. J. Pomeroy's Letter to

the Rev. Stanhope Bruce.

Rev. Sir,

After near a fortnight's absence, I have found on my return a most extraordinary letter from that deluded woman Joanna Southcott, who is now I presume, with you. Be so good as to assure her again of what I assured her about two years since, (that except her last) I have no letters, writings, or papers whatsoever of, or belonging to her: if I had I would certainly send them to her. Indeed I know nothing of her, but from the insulting letters I receive, wherein I am treated with the most virulent abuse, for not doing what it is impossible for me to do.-The scandalous reflections she has made; the misrepresentations of my conversation with her; the false accusations and charges she has made in her publications; the irreparable injury she has done to my character; and returning the good advice I gave her with so much evil; confirm me more than ever in my former opinion, that she is under the influence of a deranged state of mind, or the evil Spirit; for you must allow, that such injurious, ungrateful, and malicious conduct, cannot proceed from the holy and benevolent Spirit of God. Surely, Sir, such behaviour cannot meet with the approbation of yourself, or her other friends: therefore I hope, that you and they will endeavour to convince her of the impropriety and sinfulness of it, and will prevail on her to desist from troubling me with any more letters, and from persevering in the diabolical practice of traducing my character in print; for which illegal, as well as unchristian conduct, God will certainly bring her into judgment. Not having time to answer the many letters I receive respecting her, they must be returned unopened, especially as I have nothing further to say on this subject.

I remain, Reverend Sir,

Your humble servant,

Oct. 1, 1804. J. P.

To the Reverend Mr. Pomeroy,

Bodmin, Cornwall.

Oct. 8, 1804.

Rev. Sir,

I cannot pen my astonishment on hearing the letter read, that you sent to Mr. Bruce, concerning me, which I am bound in duty to turn back upon your own head. If you have so far stifled conscience, as to let it come as a swift witness against you, I have living witnesses of all the letters I put in your hand. Reflect how many letters Mrs. Boucher hath delivered to you from me; how many letters Miss Bird hath carried you, six sheets of paper at once at the end of 1797; consider how many letters Mrs. Taylor hath sent you by her servant; and how many Mrs. Symonds' children. Now I have living witnesses, as it is known to you, that copied off the letters that I put in your hands; and of a particular instance in 1796, the perfect truth of 1797, of Italy and England; the truth of the harvests of 1799 and the 1800; and the truth of the harvest of 1801; with many other weighty and true prophecies, that are now upon the Earth. All these you promised faithfully you would return, for me or against me; and you never told me in your life you had destroyed them; but you told me they were all safe. But, when I demanded them in 1802, you told Mr. Taylor you had burnt them; and said I had written you a severe letter for doing it. And when Mr. Taylor reproved you, you said you were persuaded to do it. Now you say I desire of you what is impossible for you to do. I grant it is impossible for you to return the letters, if you have burnt them. But is it a thing impossible for you to act as an honest, upright man; to acknowledge your fault in burning the letters, and betraying the trust that was put in you; and to act with honour, to acknowledge the truth they contained? Have you given yourself up so far to the powers of darkness, to have such influence over you, that it is impossible for you to act with honour and honesty? Then I have more reason to say your senses are deranged, and that you are led by an evil spirit, than you have to say I am deranged, or that an evil spirit leads me. Know what is said, the 12th chapter of Proverbs, 19th verse-"The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment." And the letter you have sent to Mr. Bruce is full of lies: as you say I have published false accusations and charges against you. Now, Sir, I can bring forward ten living witnesses, that I have published nothing concerning you but the truth; and your own conscience is witness against you. For if I had published any thing that was false, the law is open, and you would appear to clear your own honour, if you could; but you know that is impossible, unless you come forward to acknowledge your faults. Trying to conceal them only brings you deeper and deeper into them. Now, as to your saying mine is malicious conduct, to contend for the truth, you must put your Bible out of doors; but I think you have acted with injurious and malicious conduct towards me: First, to advertise me as a woman being led by the Devil; and said nothing else would free you from trouble; then to burn all the letters I had put in your hands, because the truth should not appear for me. Now where could a man act with greater malice and unjust principles than that? Now you say it is not consistent with a merciful and benevolent God, to visit you as I do, for your unjust dealing to me. Then what do you make of the prophecies of Jeremiah, 36th chapter, 23rd verse? where Jehoiakim-"had read three or four leaves he cut it with a pen-knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire. Yet they were not afraid."-But know what the Lord said to Jeremiah, in the 28th verse: "Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burnt. And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast burnt this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast? Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost. And I will punish him, and his seed, and his servants, for their iniquity." Now did the unbelief of Jehoiakim prevent the evils that the Lord had threatened against him? And did not the Lord command Jeremiah to warn Jehoiakim again, of the evil that he had done in burning the roll? Yet, when he did it, I suppose he judged Jeremiah as deluded a man as you judge me a deluded woman; but his judgment did not prevent the Lord from ordering Jeremiah to trouble him again; nor prevent the judgments that were threatened against him. Now the ridiculous judgment you have drawn of me, as being a deranged woman, does not make me so, no more than the unbelief of Jehoiakim made Jeremiah a false prophet; or the unbelief of Lot's sons proved their father an old fool; or the unbelief of the Jews proved that our Saviour was not the Messiah that was prophesied of. I do not tell you what my judgment is of you; neither do I ask you what your judgment is of me; I only ask for equity, justice, and truth; and that you have denied me. So I do not marvel at the ridiculous manner you have spoken of me; for people often hate those they have injured. And now the words of the Lord concerning you, are like the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, concerning Jehoiakim. In three things you have provoked the Lord to anger against you: in turning me from the sacrament, in betraying your trust, in burning the roll wherein the words of the Lord were contained; and so you have done despite to the Spirit of God. Now judge for yourself; if you say your honour is gone, who robbed you of that honour, but your own wrong conduct? Why have you not done in the first place, as you now say you would do, if you had got them now, you would return them? But why did you not return them when you had got them? Why did you burn them? Your saying what you would do now, is like a man that has committed murder, and when he is called to take his trial, says if the man were now alive I would not kill him; and so I hope the judge will forgive me; because it is impossible for me now to bring the man to life: and so I know it is impossible for you to recall the wrong principles that you have acted with; but if you have any regard for the glory of God; or any regard for your own honour as a minister, you would now come forward to clear up every truth. I would not lie under the slander of your letter without coming forward to clear myself if you would give me a million of money. If I were to do so, I must disgrace my God and Saviour, whose servant I profess to be; and to know his will and obey it is the study and practice of my life: and the advice you gave me, in your letter, is like the advice of the serpent to Eve, and much more fatal than her end was, my end must be if I take it. So now if you wish to clear your honour, you must come forward with every truth. You see your letter is in print, as your false accusations cannot injure my innocence; for by the answer I have sent you, every man upon earth, that hath a grain of sense must know you cannot clear yourself if you are silent now. The letter that I sent you before, I shall put in print likewise; and I have not printed a word concerning you but I can affirm to be truth, and can bring forward witnesses to prove it. And now I see the wisdom of the Lord, why he ordered me to take witnesses with me, when I went to your house on any deep and weighty subject, which you know I told you I was ordered to do. And now, Sir, if you will come forward, and acknowledge every truth, tell who persuaded you to burn the letters, assign your reasons for listening to such wrong advice, then you may clear that honour you say you have lost; but you cannot fight against God and prosper. I know my calling to be of God; and I want nothing of you, but to acknowledge the truth of what was put in your hands; every particular concerning you and me I was ordered to put in print. And shall I disobey the command of the Lord, to be a man-pleaser? I tell you No. Whom ought we to obey, God or man, judge ye? Now, Sir, I shall conclude with saying, if I had put in print as false an accusation against you, as you wrote to Mr. Bruce against me, I should despise my name, and hate myself for ever. What do you make of that benevolent God, whom you mention, if you judge him another such as yourself, first to tell man he is in the right road, and at the end to tell him that road was destruction? For just so was your good advice to me; for you always assured me, my writings were not from the Devil, before I put your name in print; but I confess you did give me good advice, to say it would be fatal for me, if my foreknowledge and my writings came from myself, and I had placed it to the Lord; but this advice I never wanted of any man, for I had a deeper sense of that sin than any man living could tell me; so I myself am the judge there. Now as you boast so much of your goodness, you have made all your good be evil spoken of, and the best of your goodness towards me, is the duty of every minister upon earth; for when any one is strongly visited by a spirit invisible, it is the duty of a minister to try to search out what that spirit is. So if other ministers neglected their duty is it an excuse for you to copy after them? You say, Sir, you wish my friends to persuade me to trouble you no more; at this I do not marvel, for if you owed a person £5000 and you were not able to pay him, you would be glad to get a friend to prevail on the man not to trouble you for the money. You are now running yourself deeper and deeper in debt to treat me in this manner, to rob me of all truth and innocence. But I am sorry to say you began in the spirit, and end in the flesh. The Lord grant you may see your errors before it is too late. This is my answer to your insolent and abusive letter, that you cannot come forward to answer in a word, to justify the letter you have sent; for I tell you it is full of falsehood and lies.

From your injured friend,

Joanna Southcott.

To the Reverend J. Pomeroy,

Bodmin, Cornwall.

Rev. Sir, Oct. 8, 1804.

As no letters go to Joanna Southcott, but through my hands, the letter you sent to the Rev. Stanhope Bruce, concerning her, was brought to me, and I read it to her, and saw the agitation of her spirit, being provoked to hear your letter, that she affirmed was entirely false; and I have every reason to believe it is false, from what I have heard from Miss Fanny Taylor, who was with me a quarter of a year, and said she copied many of the letters for Joanna to you; especially that of the 1797, foretelling the events of England, and Italy, and many other letters, that had come true; and she perfectly remembered hearing her mother say, all that Joanna had said of you was true, who knew more particulars of private conversation than she did. Now from this assertion of Miss Fanny Taylor, and the spirited manner Joanna immediately answered for herself, ordering your letter to be put in print, giving her answer so clearly to it, that she is ready to come forward to answer to every truth, and demanding your coming forward to answer for yourself; and having daily seen Joanna ever since the 20 of April, that she came to my house in London; and having seen in her the most perfect, upright, just, and innocent dealings; that she acts with no deceit, no falsehoods, or arts, and perfectly answers the character I had heard of her, from many respectable people, that she was truth, innocence, and simplicity: and perfectly so I have found her. This makes me think you, Sir, are the transgressor, and that she is innocent of what you have laid to her charge. But if you come forward, and can prove your assertions to be true, I shall be open to conviction; but you must think you were writing to madmen and fools, if you think we should persuade Joanna to be silent to your slanderous letter against her; then you and the world might think we are supporting falsehood and deceit, for which I should despise myself; and as her books that are lately printed, have been taken by my hand from her mouth, I should disgrace myself if I were not to call you to an explanation of your letter, that I may know if she had told me any thing false. If you can prove that, I have done; but I cannot rely on your words, except you come forward to prove your assertions. Joanna is ready to meet you at the trial, and demands nothing of you but the truth. Now if you are not ashamed to own the truth, you will certainly come forward to clear yourself. If you do not, what must you think of yourself, to injure the character of an innocent woman, to try to set all her friends against her; which you must do, if we believe your assertions to be true; but if you cannot prove your assertions, I have more reason to believe an evil spirit visits you than her; as I am convinced from the manner the words flow from her mouth, since she has given up her pen, and the beautiful manner that the Bible is explained, for the glory of God, and good of mankind, it cannot come from an evil spirit; and it is impossible for a woman of herself to go on with the explanations as she doth, as the words frequently flow faster than I can pen them. Now, Sir, what must the world think of me, after having so warmly espoused her cause and asserted publicly my belief that her writings came from the true and living God, if, after perusing your letter to the Rev. Stanhope Bruce, I did not boldly step forward to clear her character, if she is innocent of your charges against her, and demand you to come forward and prove your assertions? It is a duty I owe to my God, to Joanna, myself, and all those friends who are fellow labourers with me in the Lord's vineyard: for a cause like this cannot be trifled with; and for my own honour and credit, if you do not come forward like a gentleman, to clear up every truth, I shall compel you to do so. Now, Sir, you talk of Joanna's injuring your character. I must appeal to your own conscience, whether you have not injured it yourself? You must be assured, if Joanna's calling is of God, which I as firmly believe as my own existence (and Joanna saith she is sure of it), that the Lord will clear her innocence, and support me in vindicating her cause. Now I shall conclude my letter with the words (6th chapter Esther, 13th verse), that Haman's wife and the wise men said unto him: "If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him." So if Joanna's calling be of God, and your honour begin to fall before her, I know you will never prevail against her, but will assuredly fall before her; because you have turned the grace of God into a lie, by saying she is led by an evil spirit. Now, Sir, I must intreat an answer to my letter immediately, after you receive this, or your silence will prove you guilty, and then you must expect to hear from me again: for in support of innocence and truth I fear no man. As a Christian, you have my best wishes, that this letter may awaken you to a proper sense of your honour and duty to your God, Joanna Southcott, and yourself, and

I remain, Rev. Sir,

Your humble servant,

Jane Townley.

Please to direct to me at the Rev. Stanhope Bruce's, Inglesham, near Lechlade, Gloucestershire.

To the Rev. Mr. Pomeroy,

Bodmin, Cornwall.

No. 50, Titchfield Street, London, Sept. 28, 1804.

Sir,

It will give me particular happiness if you will attend to the subject of this letter, which is purely intended to save your character from that disgrace and ruin, which must inevitably happen, if you any longer persevere in treating with contempt the applications made to you, to restore to Joanna those papers and letters, that were placed in your hands, for some years past, as a sacred deposit, that the truth should be made known of her most extraordinary visitation, without any possibility of deception, and which yourself believed at that time to be of the most awful and serious nature; and you certainly urged her then to have an immediate examination, to prevent the rod of affliction from falling upon this land. This conduct of yours to Joanna arose from those honest dictates placed in your heart, and did you so much honour as a real minister of Christ, for you, as a clergyman, at this day to attend to the humble request of an honest, simple woman, when, according to the pride of human society, they are so neglected and despised as scarcely to be considered human beings. Now, Sir, by what I know of Joanna's grateful and feeling heart, she could not but place entire confidence in you; and she would have parted with her life rather than have deceived you; and believing, as she did, that her visitation was from her blessed Lord and Saviour, you appeared to be the man after her own mind, that would prevent her from being deceived, if there was any possibility. And in that case you would have done honour to yourself as a man to have stopped her in her progress; and would have prevented thousands at this day from being deluded into error, whose numbers are daily increasing, believing with her, that her calling is from the Most High; and is also a powerful motive for her to be faithful to the truth, neither to deceive either her God or yourself, that she has placed confidence in. Now, Sir, I cannot, from these circumstances, but believe that the contents of the writings placed in your hands, of future events taking place, must, by your silence, have come to pass; but on the other hand as you have thought proper to treat her and her friends with the most silent contempt, you are departing from your duty to the world in suffering deception to go on; you are departing from your allegiance to your king, by bringing his church, which forms a part of his government, and the bishops, into contempt, at a time when we are threatened with every calamity from a powerful and ambitious enemy. But, Sir, if her calling is from Heaven, why deprive your king and country of the light of divine wisdom, at a time when we stand most in need of divine protection? If the cause is the cause of God, which your silence proves it to be, what line of conduct has Joanna to take, but to be obedient to divine command in all things, and follow the directions of the Spirit; therefore, Sir, the laws of your king and country are commanded to be appealed to, according to human order; for her God is the God of order; and it is commanded for you to be compelled to be just, and the truth to be brought forth according to the English laws; and the advice of a gentleman of the law has already been obtained, and I am thus far permitted to inform you, that you will be compelled by a precept from the Court of King's Bench, or some other court of justice, to produce all papers and letters deposited with you in trust, and under your own promise, as a judge of the truth for her, in the hour of confidence; and if you do not, you will be obliged to declare the whole truth upon oath, why you have refused; and give satisfactory answers to all questions that shall be demanded of you; and inform the court of what the papers contained. Happy shall I feel if I am an instrument to prevent you from disgrace and ruin; and I hope you will consider this letter as the letter of a friend; for I know it is said to Joanna, that the Lord will not permit you longer to contend against his will; for you once believed it to be of divine authority, and encouraged her to proceed, adding these words, "you will wait until you bring the sword, the plague, and the famine upon us." Now, Sir, these words are your own words to Joanna, and are published to the world at large; which words you would not have used, neither would you have had any interview with her at all, if you had not had some belief, at that time, of the truth of her visitation. You also added, you would meet with twelve persons; and advised her not to wait until the sword came upon us. Why, Rev. Sir, do you continue silent? Why will you suffer people to have the least cause to suspect you to be a traitor to your king and country? Why not invite the church to come forth, and vindicate the cause of God and man? I have already told you the church forms a part of our government, and you are one of its ministers; your opinion, as a minister, ought to be of consequence, and those gentlemen, whom you used to meet at the coffee-house at Exeter, ought to have some decency towards you. It was not for them to teach you what to believe, or whom you chose to converse with upon the subject of prophecy. They treated you with impertinence and disrespect; and, mark my words, these very men may be the first to condemn you, when they read in the public papers a true statement of what has passed in a court of law. These very men will exclaim against you for being guilty of a breach of trust. These supercilious coffee-house politicians will be the first to cry out against you; so that your character will be trampled on by those, whose opinion, or rather ridicule, you have been such a slave to, as to make you betray the confidence of an innocent woman, who treated you with every respect, and placed in you the most implicit faith. You believed her to be a good woman, and an innocent woman; now you are trying to make her appear an impostor. But every one's character in a court of justice is of some value; and your conduct has forced her to take this step. The publicity of the proceedings in a court of justice must justify her conduct; and her duty to her God is of too sacred a nature to make her disobedient to his commands. Had you, Sir, the fortitude to treat with contempt the mockery and ridicule of ignorant people, whether in a coffee-house or at any other place, and considered your dignity, as a minister, in its proper point of view, you would not have suspected Joanna to have been led by the Devil, after having encouraged her to proceed. You must remember, when myself and six other gentlemen first came to Exeter, that the three clergymen waited on you with Joanna: the Rev. Messrs. Bruce, Foley, and Webster. As soon as you heard that the letter you had written to the printer in London, in which you forbid him to print, or make public your name in Joanna's Book of Letters, was at Exeter, you particularly desired that very letter to be returned to you again. Now, Sir, as soon as your wish was made known to me, I gave it up; and it was conveyed safely into your hands. I would ask you, Sir, in the name of justice or honour, by what right can you withhold the letters and papers that Joanna placed in your hands, which she had copied at a great expense to herself, by your request, when she could ill afford the money, even if you were under no express condition to return them to her when you were called upon? As a gentleman you ought to comply, as I did, when your request was made known to me. I was not bound to return you that letter. It could be no breach of trust on my part, if I had refused your request; my conscience would not have been wounded by such refusal: I was not in the situation you have been placed in, with an innocent woman. Your breach of trust with Joanna, no one can justify; and all persons who have read the account of this transaction condemn you; whether they believe in her visitation or not, all alike condemn you. And when the proceedings of a court of justice are laid before the public, what can the world say of your character as a man, your duty as a clergyman of the Church of England? Your being afraid of the slander and mockery of fools, in order to have the praise of fools, must sink you very low indeed! You ought to be their spiritual teacher, and to have resisted their impertinent mockery. The character of a minister of the gospel they ought to have held in respect. Now view the conduct of Joanna towards you and the clergy on the one hand, and view the conduct of these men, whose praise you fear to lose on the other; then examine your own heart and mind to find out who is your true and faithful friend. I need say no more. The different pictures are before your view. Joanna has a duty to perform to herself; she has a sacred duty to perform to her God, and the truth she cannot give up; and when her trial comes there must be nothing withheld.

I am, Rev. Sir,

Your sincere friend and wellwisher,

William Sharp.

P.S. It is not too late for you to withdraw yourself from your present unfortunate dilemma; you may now pursue a noble line of conduct: throw off your chains of worldly applause, restore to Joanna her papers, and unite with her friends, with an independent mind, only to search out what is true.

Mr. Pomeroy's Answer.

Sir, Oct. 4, 1804.

Though I have neither time nor inclination to answer the many strange letters I have received respecting J. Southcott, that you may not suppose me capable of treating any gentleman's letter with contempt, I take the first opportunity to assure you, that (except one just received), I have no letters, or writings whatever of, or belonging to, that deluded, ungrateful woman. She herself knew this near two years since, so that to charge me with having any of her papers now, is to deceive the public, and wantonly to traduce my character. As to the menacing part of your letter I wish to observe, that though it is impossible to produce what I am not possessed of, I shall be ready at all times, and in all places, to bear my testimony to what appears to me to be the truth; to vindicate my aspersed and injured character, and to maintain my opinion, with respect to the farrago of sense and nonsense, of scripture and blasphemy, contained in her pretended prophecies; that such incoherent manner never could proceed from a sound mind, or from the pure spirit of wisdom. You are pleased to sign yourself my sincere friend and well-wisher; prove the sincerity of your profession, by exerting your influence to restrain her, and her printer, from the malevolent employment of exposing and vilifying my name, in such an unprecedented, and illegal manner, in direct violation of her own solemn promise; and by prevailing on her to desist from publishing, with such misrepresentation and shocking perversion, the confidential conversation, which at the earnest request of her friends, and out of compassion to the disordered state of her mind, I was induced to permit her to hold with me. In short, Sir, if you are possessed of a christian spirit, or even of humanity; if you have any regard for her, or her cause, you will immediately exert your interest and authority to prevent this unhappy woman from disgracing her own pretensions, and violating the laws of God and man, by thus continuing to add to the irreparable, and inconceivable injuries she has already done to the respectable name, and sacred character of,

Sir, yours, &c.

J. P.

P.S. You will excuse my answering any future letters.

To the Reverend J. Pomeroy,

Bodmin, Cornwall.

Rev. Sir,

The Lord hath commanded me, once more, to write unto you from the words of Samuel, the following texts: First Book of Samuel, 15th chapter, beginning at the 22nd verse, to the end, "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and thy words; because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, the Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent. Then he said I have sinned: yet honour me now I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the Lord. Then said Samuel, bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, as thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel." And now I shall send you the words of the Lord given to Joanna and sent to me, as I had sent her a copy of your letter to me, which she submitted to the wisdom of the Lord; who graciously speaks to her, the same as he did in times of old, like one man speaking to another. But whether you believe this or not, the consequence is to yourself. I believe it, and the whole world will be made to believe it, I am afraid, to their sorrow; and, perhaps, the pride displayed in your letter, so enslaves your understanding, that you can neither believe it, nor the true sense of your Bible. Here are the words of the Lord to your blasphemy against him, and your abuse to Joanna:

"Now let the words of Samuel be sent to Pomeroy, in my Name, the living God, and thus shalt thou say unto him, The anger of the Lord is kindled against you, because you have disgraced the living God, and mocked and despised all his words; therefore, they that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed; for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry; for you have rejected the words of the Lord, to give unto him the honour due unto his Name; therefore I have rejected to give honour to him; and he shall know it is I the Lord have spoken by thee. And now I will speak to him, in his own words. He said the Lord had no work to do, but he could find instruments to work by; now I have found instruments to work by, for thee to carry on my work; and as he saith, that work is blasphemy, a farrago of nonsense from the Devil, let him find instruments to work by to clear himself and come against thee. I have chosen for myself twenty-four, to be judges for thee; and let him choose twenty-four to come against thee; then if they can prove it to be a farrago of nonsense and the works of the Devil, thou shalt publicly ask his pardon in every paper, and the books that are against him shall be totally destroyed. So let him see I shall do him justice; and now with justice let him act. He is at liberty to gain ministers, and appeal to the bishops to gain them for him, or he is at liberty to gain other men, but he cannot have one of those ministers that the printed letters were sent to, who returned them back; but of all others he may choose for himself twenty-three to come with him; for I do not desire him to come alone, so many men against one; but let there be an equal number. But as he hath disgraced me the living God, and betrayed the trust I told thee to put in him, and who burnt the truth that was in his hands, he must appear to answer for himself in November. If he can be ready by the middle of November, thee and thy friends shall be ready also to meet him in London, to have the cause fairly tried for seven days. Then if he and his friends can join together to prove it a farrago of nonsense coming from the Devil, thou and thy friends shall fall before him; then let him say, he hath put a stop to the works of the Devil; but if he finds it like the days of Pentecost, and they are all convinced the Calling is of God, then let him say, "Blessed be the rod of the Lord! for how fatal must my end have been, if I had gone on in persecution against the Lord, and doing despite unto his Spirit! I know I could never appear before him; for if I tremble to meet a woman I have injured, how shall I tremble to meet a God whom I have mocked and despised, and set at naught all his counsels, counting the words of the Lord unholy things?" For he must know if thy calling be of God, it is he that is committing the blasphemy that cannot be forgiven without sincere repentance; therefore he must appear to answer for himself, lest I destroy him and his house; neither shall he put it off to a future day; for in November, this very year, shall every thing be tried and proved; so let these words be sent unto him in print with the other letters; and he must send a satisfactory answer immediately to Sharp."

These are the words of the Lord to Joanna Southcott, given this day, Thursday, 11th of October, 1804, taken from her mouth by me,

Now, Sir, after sending you these awful words, no person can, from reading them, say, they are from any other authority than the pure spirit of wisdom. In this proposal there is nothing but justice and equity: when the truth appears, the impostor is no more. And I should not presume to add a word from myself, but my character stands condemned by you, as well as all Joanna's friends, for having encouraged blasphemy and lies, unless you suppose us to be madmen or fools, and you have the exclusive possession of a sound mind. You desire me to prove the sincerity of my profession in signing myself your sincere friend, and wellwisher; which I have now faithfully done, not only in my endeavours to prevent you any further from degrading yourself, but begging of you to accept the gracious invitation, by coming forth with your friends to meet Joanna's friends. If you refuse, you stand condemned, as you condemn us by your letter, in casting on us the reproach of supporting Joanna in lies, and encouraging her to be an impostor. You say your own name is both respectable and sacred; I have a name also, which I will not disgrace; I have a character to lose, which I am not to be cheated out of by any arts that you may contrive by vain boasting words. That deceit and imposition may be exposed, your letter and others now are before the public, because you refuse the usual correspondence; and the sincere conduct of Joanna's friends will appear to the public, in consequence of your refusal; who are all condemned without trial. You have brought your respectable and sacred character into that situation from which you shall not retreat; for you declare, under your own hand, and here are your very words, "I shall be ready at all times, and in all places, to bear my testimony to what appears to me to be true." Now, Sir, instead of your letter being burnt, you have produced the opportunity of seeing yourself in print, that we may all come to the standard of truth, I shall for the present say no more, as the rest of Joanna's friends, who perfectly understand the value of character, better than yourself, will vindicate their injured honour, and they will not be trifled with to pass over your conduct with impunity. I now expect your answer to this just proposal, and you will well consider, if you act in opposition to divine authority, your family has more claim to your compassion and tenderness, than your pride. These, Sir, are the concluding words of your sincere friend, and wellwisher,

William Sharp.

P.S. I particularly desire you to attend to the former part of this letter, as far as the name of Joanna's two faithful friends, for they are the words of the Lord to you. Your answer must be sent to me.

To the Rev. Mr. Pomeroy, Bodmin,

Cornwall.

Rev. Sir, London, Oct. 17, 1804.

Your letters, dated the 1st and the 4th instant, sent to the Rev. Stanhope Bruce, and to Mr. Sharp, in consequence of their extraordinary contents were submitted to our consideration; therefore it is presumed that you will not be greatly surprised at receiving this address upon the subject; and as we are plain men, aspiring to no other pretensions than a zeal for honesty and truth, we trust that the simplicity and openness with which our animadversions may be made will have some effect with you.

It appears to us that the general tenor of your two letters is, in the first place, to avoid what might have the semblance of a candid answer to the appeals made by those gentlemen to you, as well as to withhold every information; then to make your letters serve as vehicles of abuse against Joanna Southcott; and ultimately to obtain the applause of the world, by charging her friends with wilful dishonesty, and with folly, in supporting her cause.

From the style in which you have written, we feel no kind of disappointment, by seeing that you designedly avoid to disclose truths that must be well known to you; but that you should have recourse to a quibbling evasion, in order to put on the appearance of candour and openness, we conceive to be very unsuitable to your sacred character. We need not point out to you what is alluded to; but to the public, who cannot be supposed to be acquainted with your conduct to Joanna, we shall explain wherein you amused yourself in trying to find the depth of our folly. Knowing that Joanna had evidence of your saying in 1802, that you had burnt her papers, you now come to assure us, that you "have no letters, or writings whatsoever of, or belonging to, that deluded, ungrateful woman. She herself," you also say, "knew this near two years since; so that to charge you with having any of her papers now, is to deceive the public." Thus it is intended it should be understood, by the ambiguity of your expressions, that you never had any of her papers in your possession. And, you also insinuate that you know nothing of her, but from the insulting letters you have received; yet you contradict this where you charge her with misrepresenting "the confidential conversation, which at the earnest request of her friends, and out of compassion to the disordered state of her mind, you were induced to permit her to hold with you." You then proceed by calling it virulent abuse on her part for claiming her property; and which you artfully say is impossible for you to do; but you refrain, probably out of tenderness of conscience, from saying that it never was possible, or how that possibility has been put out of your power.

What gratification it may have been to you, Sir, we know not, but your calumny against Joanna seems most cordially studied to wound her feelings. You intended, no doubt, that it should operate several ways, when you insinuate that she is deranged in mind; but your principal aim, by such an imputation, is to ridicule her friends for want of discernment, in not having made a similar discovery with yourself; and then to implicate them in a criminal collusion, for the purpose of deceiving others more ignorant than themselves.

Now, Sir, we think it highly incumbent upon you to reconsider the charges, which you have made; and also your conduct in various ways towards Joanna: for, be assured, they are of too serious a nature to be passed over by us in silence.

In the first place, what must you judge our principles to be, to support a cause as of divine origin, that we should abandon it, because you think it convenient to assert that Joanna has uttered falsehoods, and that she is an impostor; and in the same breath, with very little consistency, that she is deranged in mind? Then we must be the most arrant fools indeed, to believe your malicious report, before you come forward to prove your assertions. For thus we should do violence to our own understanding, by condemning the innocent, or clearing the guilty, without evidence. And again, how are we to know whether any falsehood can be attributed to Joanna, if we follow your advice? And, should we either acquit our consciences, or have any pretensions to honesty, by so doing? No, Sir; our reason must inform us, that for our own honour we can in no wise give up the cause in such a manner; neither will we relinquish you, Sir, until we have cleared our honour from the injurious aspersions contained in your letters. And we shall further observe to you, that if we did not believe Joanna's calling to be from the Supreme Being, we must certainly be guilty of the most atrocious crime, and your slanderous charges must then be well-founded; but, as this is our firm belief, we are compelled to act as we are commanded; whether it be to print anything concerning your most deceitful conduct to her; or to be under the necessity of noticing your malicious, though impotent, insinuations against her friends.

To come more immediately to the purpose of our addressing you, we say, that your accusations, if they are false, must reflect great dishonour upon your sacred character; but if true, they throw disgrace upon Joanna, and upon her friends. We therefore solemnly call upon you, Sir, to clear up your honour, if it be in your power, by proving the assertions and insinuations, which you have made. For we are now determined to investigate the matter thoroughly; and to find out whether the fault is to be attributed to Joanna, or to yourself; because that one or the other must clearly be guilty of falsehood. We have characters to support, Sir, as well as you, and hitherto unimpeached; therefore we will not dishonour our pretensions, by supporting falsehood. We have done nothing artfully, nor deceitfully; neither will we consent thereto, nor conceal it where we find it done. This cause, in which we are engaged, we consider as a cause of honour; and in it we know of neither fraud nor collusion. The object of our pursuit is truth; and the truth we are determined to stand by; and to expose whoever makes lies his refuge. We contend for the honour of Joanna, and of ourselves; and that no folly may be laid to our charge, through any base and interested motives, or through prejudice; we contend for justice and for truth; we contend for the glory of God, and for the good of mankind. You are a christian minister, and to our astonishment, you contend that on your bare word, and without examination, we should desert a much injured woman, who is prepared with evidence to prove that you withhold her just right from her; and to prove that you have vilified her good name: and what is still more awful, you contend that the verity of her mission should not be examined into, so that it may not be refuted if unfounded, nor established if it be true. Thus on the one hand, you uphold a continuance of delusion among thousands of simple and well-meaning people; or on the other, that the author of sin may triumph in his fall, in the ruin and misery of millions of human beings.

Again: we call upon you, reverend Sir, to take a retrospect of your conduct. We have what we judge to be indubitable evidence of your having expressed very different sentiments respecting the mission of Joanna, compared with the artful, opprobrious, and insulting tenor of your late letters. You may imagine, Sir, that they may be well suited to screen you from the ridicule of the world, by appearing to do away the imputation of your having been formerly more attentive to the pretensions of one whom you now call a poor, deluded woman. But it may be worthy of your consideration, that the cause at issue between you and Joanna claims a different mode of conduct; for the only way remaining for you to act honourably is to bring your charges forward; and we are ready to meet you to examine them, and to exhibit our evidence upon the subject.

To conclude: you must be sufficiently aware, reverend Sir, that at all times, when any great good has been designed for mankind, the evil power has never failed to gain over human agents to counteract it; and now that universal blessings are promised, and the destruction of that power threatened, that he will make more than usual exertions to avert his destiny; let us all therefore watch and pray, that he may not be able to uphold his reign by means of any respectable name and sacred character! 

(Signed),

Rev. Stanhope Bruce.

Rev. T. P. Foley.

Rev. Thos. Webster.

George Turner.

W. Jowett.

William Harwood.

E. Carpenter.

John Wilson.

Peter Morison.

William R. Wetherell.

William Sharp.

Charles Taylor.

William Belk.

Charles Abbott.

John Torin.

Thomas Stephens.

John Young.

John Morris.

Richard Law.

George Stocks.

Elias Jameson Field.

William Layton Winter.

William Owen.

John Hows.

"I must confess that Mr. Pomeroy's letter provoked my indignation in a great degree. Can he foolishly suppose that we have no characters or honour to lose as well as himself? I trust that we shall shew him that ours are as dear to us, as his own; and that we shall contend for them to the last moment of our existence.-He calls Joanna a deluded woman; and that she is deranged, or led by an evil spirit. If Mr. Pomeroy would only weigh the matter coolly and honestly, he might think, as so many persons of strong understanding and clear judgment do believe in the divine mission of Joanna Southcott, that he himself might be deluded, and not her; and if he were to try the spirits by the scripture rule, he would have some solid reasons to believe that the spirit which guides him was an evil spirit, as truth, honour, nor honesty, guides his own proceeding; and he would see that the spirit which guides Joanna is full of truth, honour, and wisdom. Were he to act in this fair way, there would be no difficulty in drawing the right inference; and he would be put in the right road to establish his own peace and happiness."

Joanna says, that Mr. Pomeroy's conduct has made her quite sick and bad, which has opened all her wounds afresh. His subtle arts, two years ago, appear more lively before her than ever; for she saith, he acted like a man that would dip a razor in oil to cut her throat; first to come with such subtle arts, pleading it would be his own destruction, if she would not sign, that he had said it was the Devil that told her to put his name in print; and as soon as he had drawn her in to free him from the ridicule of the world, then he burnt all her letters, wherein the truth of her prophecies had stood for so many years; because the truth should not appear for her. And now he is going on with more subtle arts, to be her complete murderer if he can. Joanna was again highly provoked when she saw in the newspaper what was said of Spain, which she prophesied of in January, 1797, and put it in Mr. Pomeroy's hands, with many other prophecies, that she did not then keep the copy of, as he had it in her own hand-writing, and in Miss Fanny Taylor's hand also; as Joanna did not then suspect he would act so deceitfully; and the Lord concealed it from her, but charged her to have witnesses concerning them. And now the Lord will call him into judgment, to shew him that such artful and deceitful dealings are never consistent with the Spirit of God. The words of the Lord now broke in upon Joanna. "I shall answer thee of what thou sayest of Pomeroy. Pomeroy shall know, that such artful and deceitful dealings as he hath dealt with to thee, never came from my Spirit; therefore he shall know he hath disgraced his God, to say that he is led by my Spirit to act with arts, deceit, and lies; and to say thou art led by the Devil, that dost act with every true, just, and upright dealings towards God and towards man. Let them see thy upright dealings, to put the prophecies in his hands, when thou knewest, if they were not of God they would not come to pass; then he would have had it in his power to convince thee thy calling was false. So all the world must see, that thou hast acted with honour, and with honesty towards God and towards man; for thou couldst not deceive the world, if the prophecies that thou didst put in his hands had not come true. Now when he published it was from the Devil, he ought to have acted with justness and honesty, to have brought forward the letters and proved his assertion. But if he could not prove it by the letters, how dare he affirm it, and burn the letters, that shewed the truth, from whence thy writings came? So let not Pomeroy say, he that acted with arts and deceit is led by the Spirit of the Lord; and they who act with every upright dealing, in perfect obedience to their God, are led by the Devil! So by the different principles, let men judge of the Spirit. I am thy judge, and witness against him, that thou canst come forward with truth and with innocence; but he cannot; therefore he shall find he is deceived, and is deceiving, and the truth is not in him, to say thy writings are from the Devil; for they are no more from the Devil, than thou hast printed lies against him, but hast put the truth in print, as I commanded thee: and I shall be a swift witness against him in his trial, that thy writings are from ME the LIVING GOD, and not from the Devil, as he said."

To the Reverend Mr. Pomeroy,

Bodmin, Cornwall.

Old Swinford, Worcestershire, Oct. 16, 1804.

Rev. Sir,

I must confess I read a copy of your letter, either to Mr. Bruce or to Mr. Sharp, with the keenest sorrow and indignation; I was grieved most bitterly, to see a clergyman of such respectable ability and general character as yourself, so far lost to every honourable and religious feeling as to declare positively, with a view to impose upon and deceive the friends of Joanna, that you have no letters, or writings whatever, belonging to Mrs. Southcott, whom you are pleased to term "a deluded and ungrateful woman, and that she herself knew that you had no letters or writings of hers near two years since, so that to charge you with having any of her papers now was to deceive the public, and wantonly to traduce your character." But will you permit me, Sir, to ask you, what is become of those letters, which she sent you, from 1796 to 1801, and those writings of "three sheets of paper," that were put in your hands in 1797, upon your promising, faithfully and honourably, to bring them forward, either for or against her, when they should be demanded? Can you, with a safe conscience, lay your hand upon your heart and say this is an untruth? I do not believe you dare do it: for I can assure you, we have full and decided proof to the truth of this statement. And we shall be happy to meet you, in the face of an assembled world, and will try the cause with you, whether we are supporting Lies and an Impostor; or, whether your accusations can be established. Allow me to tell you, that our honour and characters are as dear to us, as yours can possibly be to you; and we will contend for them (the Lord giving us strength) to the last moment of our existence; nor are we afraid to meet yourself and any twenty-three men in this kingdom (except those who have received letters from Miss Townley, and have returned them back, or destroyed them; for with such, we have sworn unto the Lord that we will not meet) to decide this serious and most momentous cause; for it is either the cause of the Most High God; or, it is the cause of error and delusion-and therefore it is high time to be decided which. For if it should prove to be a delusion, thousands and tens of thousands will be ruined-and how can the bishops and clergy, who have been appealed to, answer for themselves to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for not having diligently searched into this cause, which I know to be one of the first importance that ever came before mankind, and second only to that of our blessed Lord, when he was tried at Pilate's bar. What will be the astonishment and confusion of the Shepherds of Christ's Flock, when they have demonstrative proofs, that this is his blessed and glorious work? Will they not, think you, be almost ready to call upon the mountains and the rocks, to fall on them, and to hide them from the Face of Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb? For they will find the day of his wrath is come: and who will be able to stand? I tremble for their situation, as well as your own; and I do most faithfully believe, that without a hasty and hearty repentance, that many will ere long be swept away, by the just judgments of the Lord. I sincerely hope, and pray, that your eyes may be opened, before it is too late, that you may be sensible of the evil one, who has deceived you, and not Joanna; and that you may turn unto the Lord with deep contrition, and be forgiven-and come forth boldly in this glorious and divine work of the Lord; and I shall hail you with much joy, as a brother snatched from the burning.-The proposal that is now made to you, is so fair and just, that you cannot possibly shun accepting it, without you will sit down with all possible infamy upon your own head. We shall then take it for granted, as you yourself have declared, that you "will be ready at all times, and in all places to bear testimony to what appears to you to be truth, and to vindicate your aspersed and injured character:" that you will come forth next month, with twenty-three proper persons to meet the twenty-four that we believe to be chosen by the Lord; and then, after seven days Trial, it will be proved to the world, whether you have acted with truth, honour, and justice; or, whether we (the friends of Mrs. Southcott) have acted with truth, honour, and justice, to the world, for the glory of God, and the good of mankind-and let the final result stamp our character, either with infamy, or crown us with the palms of victory.-I cannot pass over the following charge without a few words: you say Mrs. Southcott "is a deluded and an ungrateful woman."-I have had the happiness of knowing her for near three years, and I have lived great part of that time in the same house with her, and I do declare, that I never met with any person in my life of a clearer and more sound understanding than what she possesses. And as to her ingratitude, I do not think there is that being now in existence, who deserves less the accusation than she does; for in all her transactions, which I have witnessed, piety, charity, honesty, and the strictest honour, have ever borne the supreme and only sway; and therefore, you must allow me to believe, that you are deceived in your accusations; and so I am persuaded you will find it, when all matters come to be fairly and honestly investigated.-I shall conclude with heartily wishing you may weigh every thing with candid and impartial justice; and that honour and truth may hereafter guide you: for we know, "The Lip of Truth shall be established for ever." I am,

Reverend Sir,

Your sincere and faithful Brother

in the Lord's vineyard,

Thos. P. Foley.

Monday Evening, Oct. 15, 1804.

"Now, Joanna, I shall answer thee.

Thy letter here let men see clear,

What arguments thou'st used;

But I do tell thee I was here-

And perfect like the Jews

Do men begin in every thing,

For all they judge too high;

And so my mother they condemn'd,

And judg'd that she did lie;

And me the same they did condemn,

That I too highly spoke.

Now this hath been the way of men-

But can the Gentiles mock

My Spirit strong to thee it's come,

If I did come before?

The wondrous manner that is nam'd,

The Holy Ghost appear,

To her did come, it must be known,

Let men judge as they will;

Though from that truth are many gone-

The Arians' hearts I'll chill,

Who this deny; then I must lie,

And like mankind appear;

But if they say I came that way,

The Holy Ghost was there;

Then can men blame, or will they shame,

If at first I stoop'd so low,

Of the mean Virgin to be born,

And strongly visit so?

My mother here for to appear

Should I call her at first,

Though surely I her maker were

When the Creation burst?

In unity, all flesh must see

The Father and the Son,

That so in Heaven they do agree

In heart and mind as one.

The mystery there no man can clear,

The Unity in Heaven-

And when the Holy Ghost appear'd

It in one mind was given.

So I was born, it must be known,

From her I did appear;

And though the Maker of you all,

I call'd her Mother there.

Then Mother see if she must be,

The Mother plac'd by Heaven,

If you weigh deep the Trinity,

The Woman must be given;

To free you all from Adam's Fall,

Her Promise she must claim.

I made a Mother for you all,

And called so to Man;

Then know, the bride must be applied,

That I have known so here,

To claim the Promise as I've said,

And then the perfect Heir

She makes of me, all flesh shall see,

A Mother then for all!

So I'll appear the Son and Heir,

And now my Brethren call

For to go on as I began,

The Woman's truth support,

And say our Mother now is come;

For who her call can hurt?

When Christ before did so appear,

She's honoured by the Son;

Then sure the Bride can't be denied

To be receiv'd by Man.

So now see plain, ye sons of men,

The Wisdom in the Fall.-

You know when I did here come down

I did her Mother call;

But how could she a Mother be,

If everything stop there?

To bring such fatal grief on me,

My Mother none could clear,

To say that I who dwell on high

Should call a Woman so,

Who first did cause my agonies,

And then no further go,

Without a Bride to be applied,

For to avenge the whole

On Satan's head, as I have said-

My tyrant so must fall.

So Brethren here you must appear,

And your own Mother see.

If I do make Sons and Heirs,

And so joint heirs with me,

Then she must come your Mother strong,

That I have nam'd the Bride;

Because by Heaven it first was done-

Now can she be denied?

Her Promise claim, I tell you Men,

It is to free you all:

So now grow wise, I'll not disguise,

But tell you from the Fall,

If I at first the Woman plac'd

A Helpmate then for Man;

Though she by Satan's arts was cast,

From Her at first, and now at last

Your Helpmate I will be,

If you go on as she'th begun,

The Promise claim of me;

Then sure the Bride must be applied

The Mother of you all.

When I redeem from hell and sin,

Her Promise she must call;

So she must claim, and I'll redeem,

As I did say at first;

The curse pronounc'd upon him there

Shall on the Tyrant burst.

So now to Man I bold shall come:

If I, that come from Heaven,

Did condescend for to come down

To have a Mother given,

I say, from Man my Mother came:

Then now my Bride you see.

Will you not condescend the same,

To stoop as low as me?

I rais'd her up, then Man must hope

I shall not leave her here,

Until I've made her Foe to drop,

And all her promise clear.

So now discern how I do warn-

I honour'd her at first:

And if my sons you now will come,

My brethren so must burst,

To say the same-"we'll gladly come;

We see the Promise clear:

The Woman's Promise must be known,

She is our Mother here!

Her Promise see the whole must free-

Our God did stoop so low,

To make a Mother first of she:

How dare we proudly go

To swell so high, and her deny,

When God did so submit?

We say, from Heaven the Son was given,

And she did sure bear it:

Then God above did shew his love,

To call her so at first."-

So now let Men the Trial stand,

And they like me must burst.

The Mother here they must see clear,

The true Mother is come,

To claim the Son to be the Heir,

And free the whole for Man.

The lines are deep that I do speak-

I made her the Mother first;

But if the Bride she's now applied,

To have her Lord be plac'd;

Lord over all is now her call,

Your every Foe to free;

Then now my Brethren, you see all,

Your Mother she must be.

So now 'tis come to God and Man,

The Woman doth appear

A Mother now for both become,

The Fall in all to clear;

Because by lies he did disguise,

Deceived her at the first;

And I should surely act unwise

Had I the Woman cast,

Never to free from misery,

But still support the Foe,

That did by subtle arts betray-

And shall I let him go?

Unpunish'd here shall he appear?

No: I her cause will plead;

And now his Guilt he sure shall bear,

I'll bring it on his Head.

So ponder on as thou'st began,

In all my Bible through;

For as a chain the whole doth stand,

When plac'd before your view:

So I'll appear, the chain is here

That now must join the whole;

The Woman's Fall I now shall clear,

And make her Foe to fall.

Then see the chain that must remain,

The Mother and the Bride!

To bring in Man with me to stand,

For so't must be applied.

A Mother here she must appear,

A Mother now for all;

For Satan's guilt he now shall bear,

And I shall free the Fall.

Then at the first as she was placed

You'll own it for your good,

That on the Serpent it was cast,

And so the Promise stood-

Made strong to she, you all must see;

And I have raised her here,

To be a Mother first to me;

And so must Men appear

To say-"the Bride must be applied

A Mother for us all;

For she is ready, as 'tis said,

To claim it from the Fall.

Her Promise there, that did appear,

Her dying Lord to free,

To bring him in the perfect heir."-

The kingdom is for me,

When Satan's head, as I have said,

Is bruised for the Fall;

Then men I'll free from misery-

The marriage stands for all,

That now will come with her to join-

But know she is the first,

That thought the Promise e'er to claim,

Then see how she is placed,

The first of all to hear the call,

My spirit here is come;

As at the first, it must be known,

When I the Virgin warned:

In person here I might appear,

But now it is not so;

It is in spirit I am here,

That every soul shall know.

Then judge the two before your view-

The Mother and the Bride

Came both from me, you all shall see,

The Holy Ghost applied,

As at the first, 'tis now at last,

Though 'tis a different way;

Because in Flesh I then did burst,-

But now, to thee I say,

In Spirit strong I'm surely come

To claim my kingdom here;

And from the Bride, it must be known,

Her Promise all must clear.

So now discern, ye sons of men,

And weigh the matter deep:

How dare you longer to contend?

My Bible speaks of it.

If I stooped so, you all must know

That you must stoop the same,

To prove the Serpent's overthrow,

The Woman's Promise claim.

Then Mother she must surely be,

A Mother so to Man,

The same as Mary was to me,

Though flesh from her did come;

In Spirit here the end must clear,

My Kingdom for to see;

And then alike you'll say, we are,

And made joint heirs with me.

THE EXPLANATIONS OF THE BIBLE are continued in the

SECOND PART.