My private footsteps and my Love for man That hard my Judgments now shall be for man, To prove from whence it came, and see all clear; For that's the way my Jury now shall burst, To know from whence the libel now doth come. And that they'll find, I'll prove it in the end." These last words were given to me, in answer to the letter you sent me, the same day with the newspapers, of the men at Stourbridge, that are now printing a book against my writings, which is so clearly explained, if my writings are of God, they are printing against the Lord; but if my writings are not of God, men shew no love to his honour to let me go on in his Name, to say the Lord saith, if they can prove the Lord hath not spoken by me; and that is as equally impossible for man to do, without searching into every truth, and trying them the way the Lord hath commanded them to be tried, as it is for a man that is stark blind to judge of colours. Neither can any man judge colours in the dark, yet in the dark they pretend to judge them, but are afraid to come to the light, fearing their deeds should be reproved. This Communication I am ordered to send to you to have it put in print with all speed. I am ready and willing to stand every trial to prevent the Judgments that threaten us, and that hang over our heads. I shall give you part of the letter I received from my friend: "There is a book now in the press, printing, and where seve 47 4 al heads have been engaged in it, that are attacking yourself, your writings, and your abettors."-In answer to myself, no man can injure my character without he doth it by falsehood and lies: for my character will bear the strictest scrutiny as to any thing the world can lay to my charge; but as to my writings, and from what Spirit they come, I am ready to stand the trial. If they can be proved from any Spirit, but the Spirit of the living Lord, I will freely give them up, and burn the whole. But I cannot suffer my judgment to be so easily imposed upon as to believe such wondrous wisdom, council, and truth, can come from any Spirit but from the God of Wisdom and of Truth, before it is tried by the touchstone of truth, and then the Lord will make the truth clear before them. Then how can men pretend to judge of things they know nothing about? For none but them that have searched into my writings can be judges of the truth they contain; and as to the manner of the writings that men condemn, it is but the fulfilling the Scriptures; for it is written, The wisdom of God is foolishness to men-and the wisdom of man is foolishness with God; and this truth is plain and easy to be understood, as men so foolishly pretend to explain the hidden mysteries of the Bible by their own wisdom; and they have explained it so many ways that the Bible can have no meaning or explanation at all by the wisdom of men for the wise men, the learned, and the good men, have drawn so many judgments different from each other, that they have made the Bible like å rope of sand, that cannot join together; and so they make their own wisdom, that will soon break in sunder. But the foolishness of God is wiser than all the wisdom of men, like a threefold cord, that cannot be broken. As soon as I had written these words, from my own observation, I was answered in the following lines: Now from thy wisdom, I will answer man : Is conceal'd in wisdom, that no man can clear, For so they'll find my threefold cord shall stand."' Here I am ordered to end my Book; and put in print that a Book is publishing against my Writings; and it is said to me, the Book is full of blasphemy, which will be proved hereafter. But I do not believe the men designed to print blasphemy against the Lord; but they cannot write against his words, ways, or wisdom, without it. This letter you are desired to send hastily to the printer. And here the Book ends. So now, my dear Miss Townley, I hope your great fatigue for the present is over. I must conclude, with my earnest prayers that the Lord will add a double blessing upon you. Please to remember me to all friends. Adieu, |