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And now mankind have own'd it true,
That there my judgments they did go;
Because their sins had ME provok'd
Upon the HEAD to bring the stroke.
And now the stroke, 1 bid them fear,
For I shall answer from their prayer:
Let no man mock ME by their word,
To own the judgments are from GOD,
And then to give their God the lie,
And say my judgments cannot be
Plac'd in the manner I did say:
For this was first thy Prophecy,
That if my shepherds they did mock,
Upon the HEAD I'd bring the stroke.
Therefore their Prayers I'll own them true,
"Tis for their sins they all shall know
That I do so afflict their KING-
And now their answers let thein bring,
And tell ME how it did appear

The judgments threatened heretofore,
What in thy writings I have seal'd?
Let them seek out, to be reveal',
Or else the FEET iray tremble here,
Because the HEAD the pain doth bear."

Now, my dear Miss Townley, you see the wisdom of God joined with his power in fulfilling the words that have been always said to me, that out of their own mouths HE would condemn MANKIND, You know how I was told, the shadow of judgments began in our land when the King was first seized with illness, in the very month that was mentioned that dangers would begin; but as no man would own the visitation of the Lord in it, you know I was ordered to seal up the Newspapers, and say the mark still stood in the dark for man. But now men have brought that mark to light themselves, by their owning the visitation of the LORD to our SOVEREIGN for the transgression of his people, which was in my Prophecies; for though I said, if the shepherds did not lay it to heart, the Lord would cut the land; but it was on the King the first stroke was to come; and now that they have owned it, the LORD hath publicly explained it. So I do not fear who seeth the letter; for if the Bishops have any love for their King and Country, and they have owned

the cause, now let them try to remove the effect. Now what have you or I to fear, when we are guided by a God so wondrous in wisdom, so wondrous in working, so wondrous in council, power, and truth, that would not permit me to say, publicly to the world, the judgments were there begun, before the wise and learned had publicly confessed it? Now call to your remembrance the former words.-By the 29th of May men's wisdom I'll confound, and in June I'll prune the sons of men; and now in their own wisdom they are cut down; and where is the man who can withstand the wisdom and power of a God, whose footsteps are hid in the great deep and whose paths are past man's finding out? And though our weak sight cannot see how HE will bring all things to pass that is spoken in my writings; yet, I see that GOD, whose wisdom never has erred, is now shining brighter and brighter, to the perfect day. So we shall see the SALVATION of the LORD, if we are perfect in obedience to his Command. But I am clearly convinced of the truth of the words last year," that they all stood but as water pots, before the time was come that the Lord bringeth every truth to light; and we have seen things but as trees walking; yet, I trust soon we shall see all things as men.' Since I had finished writing my own judgment to you, from the wisdom of the Lord in this wondrous working, I was answered by the SPIRIT in the following man

ner:

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Now from thy words I'll answer here→
A GOD in power shall now appear,
In every wisdom bright to shine,
And all shall know the Wisdom's mine
For to conceal it all from man,

Before I prov'd it by their hand,

To make them own MY JUDGMENTS TRUE,
From their own sins-to say it was so:
And for their sins, the thing is done.---
And now I'll try the love of man:
If for their King, they'll now appear,
For to remove MY JUDGMENTS there,

The hidden mysteries to find out—
From their own words they cannot doubt
But 'tis their sins have brought it on,
Then let the cause be remov'd by man,
If that their Sovereign they will free
From all his suffering malady:†
For still MY WISDOM is behind,
That thou another day wilt find;
And MY SALVATION all shall see,
That do obey like her and thee.
So Townley nothing has to fear,
If in her FAITH she'll perseveres
Because more wisdom she will see,
That is conceal'd from her and thee.
Because men's wisdom I'll confound,
And make them tremble at the sound.
Before that I have ended here,

They'll see мY WISDOM shine more clear
Than by thy wisdom thou hast seen
Is shining, like the fervent Sun,
That shall in splendour soon appear
With light too strong for thee to bear,
Without a cloud to stand between :
My wondrous working will be seen,
Just like the judgment thou dost draw,
And that my foes shall see and know.
And therefore Townley bold may stand
For to support thy written hand;
And I'll support her from all harm:
Let no one fear the rising storm
That mon can bring upon their friends,
They'll see MY POWER is in the end."

(Signed,)

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

Extract from the 5th page of the Prayers for the Fast. "Have mercy, we beseech thee, upon thy Servant our Sovereign, whom thou hast smitten for the transgressions of his people. We acknowledge that for our manifold sins, we are worthy of the severity of thy judgments, yet we beseech thee, incline thine ear to us, when, with penitent and contrite hearts, we turn unto thee, and remove from our Sovereign and from us this dreadful visitation.

DEAR MISS TOWNLEY,

I Shall send you the Communication that was given me, in answer to the Prayer after the Prayer

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for the whole state of Christ's Church, that was to No follow, wherein are these words :

"And to all those that may be ordained to suffer for thy sake, impart, O merciful Lord, such plentiful succours of thy Holy Spirit, pour into their souls such contempt of pain and death, kindle in their hearts such love of thee, and zeal for thy truth, fill them with such animating hopes of immortality, that after the example of the blessed saints and martyrs of the primitive ages, they may so stedfastly confess thee before men, that having glorified thy name, by their sufferings here upon earth, they may obtain of thee an everlasting crown of glory. And grant to us all, such a denial of ungodliness and worldly affections, that we may look forward with hope to the consummation of all things, and to the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ."

Here is the Communication given in answer to it:

"I now tell thee, it is those who are workers with ME to bring in my Kingdom of Peace, that are now suffering the reproach of man for my sake. Who else can they prove is suffering for my sake? Let them answer, who they are that are now suffering for my sake, but only those who are now persecuted for my sake? But I know the thoughts of thy heart thou sayest, that men will say, those that are called to the war are suffering for my sake. But is thy judgment so weak, to believe it, that they are suffering for my sake, when they are going to a war to defend their own lives, and the lives of others; and my Honour nor my Kingdom is not in their thoughts? Then how can they be suffering for my sake, that have no love for ME, nor any desire for my Kingdom approaching? Then how can they compare such men with my saints and martyrs? I tell thee, No: they cannot compare the soldiers with saints and martyrs; neither are they looking for the glorious approaching of the great

God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. These things are
not in their thoughts; but these things are in
the thoughts of my people, that are now looking
for my Coming. For on your heads their Prayers
shall rest; for I will give a plentiful succour of my
Holy Spirit, and pour it into your souls, that are
now suffering for my sake-

For on your heads their prayers shall ever rest,
And as they pray'd, I say you shall be blest;
Because my Holy Spirit here is come,
And for to pour it I shall still go on;

For all their Prayers I'll turn a different way:
And let the learned now point out to ME
Who they can prove do suffer for my sake,
But only those my cause do undertake;
Just like the martyrs or the saints of old,
Like my disciples, I shall now unfold,
Who suffer'd then my Gospel to bring in-
And now my Kingdom if you will it win,
I know, reproach you'll suffer first for ME,
As Satan's fury in mankind will be:
And so my friends must suffer for my sake,
Because the rage of hell in man will break.
Therefore my friends will suffer now for ME,
And there my Spirit they with power shall see;
And so their prayers shall rest upon your heads,
For I will pour my Spirit as they pray'd.
No other sufferers are there in the land,
That for my sake they now can boldly stand.
To say they are saints, and suffering now for ME.
Bring forth the soldiers, let them answer thee:
If to the battle they go for my sake;

Or like the saints my Cause do undertake;
Just like the martyrs that did die before.
I ask what oaths or curses, then were there,
When in the flames in love for ME they stood?
Then how canst thou so vainly this allude
Unto the soldiers, that do so boldly swear?
Hast thou not trembled oft their words to hear?
Then where the saints or martyrs thou canst see
In any soldiers suffering now for ME?

And from thy heart I know thou answerest, none;
Then unto them that Prayer can never come;
For well I know they suffer not for ME,
Nor yet my Kingdom do they wish to see.
Therefore 'tis judgments that be in the war:
And with the martyrs wilt thou this compare?
No, no: I tell thee, they're no martyrs there;
Nor for my sake their sufferings do appear.

N°6

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