Now from thy wisdom, I will answer man':
Thou'st plainly seen their wisdom like the sand,
That 'tis impossible for man to join;
But now my foolishness I'll make it hang
Just like a threefold cord, that is not broke
By strength of man, unless you do it cut;
And now I teil thee, if men cut it here,
Just like the rope of sand shall all appear,
I say in pieces--so I'll break your Land:
And here I'll end it by the rope of sand;
Unless they'll come and join it with my word,
And then I'll join them like a threefold cord;
Because my weakness, every soul shall see,
Is stronger than the strength of man can be;
And so my folly in thy writings here

Is conceal'd in wisdom, that no man can clear,
To prove them weak or foolish in the end.
But for to try men's wisdom, I intend
To bring it round in this weak foolish hand,
Το prove that men were like thy rope of sand,
That by their wisdom they could never join;
But like a threefold cord they'll now find mine
To break in pieces all their ropes of sand,

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,

And believe me, your's sincerely,

(Signed,)

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

[Price Nine Pence.]

Printed by S. ROUSSEAU,

Wood Street, Spa Fields.

June 9th, 1804.

OF

LETTERS AND COMMUNICATIONS,

WRITTEN FROM JOANNA SOUTHCOTT,
AND TRANSMITTED BY MISS TOWNLEY
TO MR. W. SHARP, IN LONDON.

THE PARABLE OF THE LITTLE FLOCK OF SHEEP.

THE Fable that was in my heart, called to my remembrance, was of a man that was tried in Exeter Caftle, for ftealing of fheep. He pleaded he did not fleal them; for he was going to a fair, and the flock of sheep jumped over the hedge and ran before his horse. He rode as fast as his horse could run, to get before them; but ftill the sheep kept before the horse. He turned his horse many ways to try to shun them, but the sheep would immediately turn and get before him. He then turned his horse, and thought to go home; but the sheep turned in an instant, and came before him again. After his turning many times, trying every way in his power to get before the sheep, and finding it impossible, he thought he might as well go with them to the fair, as be found driving them home to his own house; and in driving them to the fair he was taken. And in this manner he pleaded in the Castle, to clear himself; and the judge said he believed him innocent; but the jury said they believed him guilty. The judge could not bear to give it up to the jury; and said he would try another jury. He had another jury, and tried the cause over again, and they found him guilty the same. When the judge found he could not free him; but by the two juries had made the cause more strong against him, the judge then addressed the prisoner" I believe you innocent concerning stealing these sheep; but I believe you are guilty of some fatal crime, for which the S. ROUSSEAU, Printer, Woad Street, Spa Fields.

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judgments of God followed you, in the sheep, to punish you for a crime that you have committed, in a crime that you have not; and as I have tried my utmost to save you, and by that way brought it the harder against you, it is impossible now for me to save your life, as you are found guilty by both juries; therefore I shall thank you, as you must die, that you will confess what crime you have committed." The bloody wretch then confessed, he lived a servant in the house with the mistress, he was then married to; but as she had got a husband when he went there a servant, so to have the wife, whom he said he loved, he contrived, one morning, when his master arose to go to a fair, to rise early and go before him and meet him in a private place and murder him, which he did. He then went home to bed as if composed, and happy in the cruelty he had committed, and appeared easy and chearful before the wife. The night came, but no husband returned. She was alarmed; and he pretended equal alarm the same; but would not go alone in pursuit to find him. A miserable night was spent by the wife, and he appeared to share her sorrows, as an angel of light, though he was the devil himself. When the master was found murdered, he professed every agony with the wife; and by his false and pretended love gained her favour, and she afterwards married him. And at the time he was taken he was going to the same Fair that his master was going to when he murdered him; and at the very place, that he killed his master and threw him in the ditch, the sheep that were in the field jumped over the hedge and ran before him. So the innocent sheep brought the guilty wretch to the end he deserved. I feel, from this Parable, that the whole mysteries of the Bible will be brought to light, and the concealed Murderer be made known. But here my soul trembles and all my bones shake! I see myself in the Woman's place; my dear Lord mur

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dered! my first Husband murdered! And by the cursed arts of HIS murderer I have often been betrayed, fearing that I was wrong in listening to the voice of my dear dying Lord; as Satan's arts have often told me, to deceive me, that he came as a friend, to persuade me against my Lord; therefore I am the Woman that hath had my Lord and Master murdered; and am daily pursued by his murderer: and now my soul crieth aloud for vengeance! Blessed be the LORD for his LITTLE FLOCK OF SHEEP, that have now jumped over the hedge to free me from the murderous wretch who slew my dear Lord, at first, whom my soul loved and now my soul shall love him last. Oh! how often has that cursed wretch persuaded me there was no God, and that he alone was all in power; but now, blessed be the LORD, the murderer will be brought to justice. For I feel that my Bible will burst from this Parable. But how can I bear the reflections of my soul, to think I was ever in the hand of the devil, that he should have power to tempt me, through unbelief, that he was not the wretched murderer, nor his guilt would ever be brought to light? But from this Parable I know he will; and I would sooner now give up my life, than I will give up my just revenge against the cursed murderous foc

So now I trust the SHEEP will stand
To join with me in heart and hand,
And then the TRIAL I'll go through,
And bring the Murderer to their view,
When by both JURIES he is cast;
For so I know the end will burst;
And I shall see the traitor fall,
Who by disguise hath conquer'd all
That judg'd him innocent to stand.
But now the LITTLE FLOCK's at hand
That will his footsteps all betray,
And shew the Fall where it did lay;
And shew what arts he doth pursue'
To murder GENTILES and the JEWS;
For in like manner both he east,
And in my Master's room he plac'd

Himself in power to appear-
But now the LITTLE FLOCK is near.
That will betray his every guilt;
And he shall know that he has spilt
The Blood of JESUS, my dear Lord,
Who all his cursed arts abhorr'd;
And yet he let them to go on
Until his LITTLE FLOCK was come,
In the same place for to appear;
And then his FLOCK he did ensnare.
Whatever way the wretch would turn
MY FLOCK before him still would come,
Then bless'd be my avenging GOD,
That now will make him feel his rod;
And he in prison now is cast,
And so his trial now must burst.
No Judges here can ever do
For to believe him just and true,
That he the world has not deceiv'd.
All this they vainly may believe;
But I've a JURY nigh at hand
That will for me the TRIAL stand;
And so they'll cast the murderous foe:
No longer will they let him go
To reign in power as before,
He's bound in prison I see clear;
And from his prison he may burst,
And then I know he will be cast,
Just like the Parable that is here.
God's hidden wisdom I see clear
In secret tracks conceal'd from man
God's wisdom they can never scan;
Because all things he'll bring to light
Clear as the sun before your sight;-
"And in more lustre it shall shine
When I have told thee all my mind,
The way the Thief shall now appear,
And then my LITTLE FLOCK I'll clear,
How innocence did guilt betray:
I meant to bring it round this way.
And so the thing ordain'd at first
That at the end it so should burst:
And now's the time I'll burst the whole,
And all his subtle arts shall fail,
No more your Husbands to betray,
Nor get your Wives in love with he;
For I will break his every band,.
And he the trial now shall stand,
The way he slew ME at the first;

For now my LITTLE FLOCK will burst, And then my BRIDES they all will see How they have been in bonds with he. But when the TRIAL doth appear, He'll find the LITTLE FLOCK is near