sin, and the evil power that created it. Therefore, it is impossible for man to prove to the world these awful and fatal judgments, that are here mentioned, can be long wished for; unless men wish for their own destruction. But as I have enlarged upon this subject already, I shall only add, that he cannot prove the truth of his title page, by the explanation he hath given in his book, which every one must see that reads it; for in no age of the world were judgments wished for. Now I shall come to another observation in his letter. After calling my writings abominable blasphemies, he says,

"With respect to the evidence of your prophecies being in part fulfilled, Balaam was a false prophet; yet he pronounced many great and important truths; and many of the purposes of God were revealed to him."

Now, in answer to what he says of Balaam, he could not be called a false prophet, because he told the truth concerning Israel; and he told the truth to Balak; and he told the truth of himself; and he prophesied of the coming of CHRIST. So Balaam by no means was a false Prophet; neither did he go to deceive Balak, but plainly told him, he could not curse whom the Lord had not cursed; nor bless whom the Lord had not blessed; therefore, by no means was Balaam a false prophet: but he was a sinful, wicked prophet; because he wished more for Balak's gold, and to be promoted to honour by him, than he wished for the honour and glory of God. Therein was Balaam condemned; and that sin brought on his destruction; and his end was without honour, which he seemed to lament in his own prophecy, fearing his end; for he saith, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. So here Balaam complained, while he was under the temptations of Balak. And thus, all through the chapters of Balaam, I see no false prophecies at all; but all his prophecies were short and true. As to this man's

observation, in calling him a false prophet, and at the same time saying he was.a true one, I cannot understand; neither can I understand how he can assert many things that he hath brought forward. For now I shall come to his observation concerning

me.

He saith, that I have the assurance to say, "What was revealed to me were hid from the angels in heaven."

To this I answer, that I know it is in my writings, The time knoweth no man, neither the angels in heaven, when the Lord cometh in MIGHT, MAJESTY and GLORY, to destroy all the works of the devil, and bring in his kingdom of peace; neither did I say it was ever revealed to me, when this glorious change would take place; though it hath been revealed to me for years, that changes would take place; but the final END was never told me, when it would be accomplished. So here is a false accusation brought against me. But how far it may be said in my writings, that the Lord had concealed from the angels the mystery of the Fall, and the way our Redemption would be brought in, before the time was come to have it fulfilled, I cannot say; as I do not remember all that is published; therefore, in these things, people should point out the pages in what books it is so asserted. Now I shall come to a further observation of his; he says

"Your boasted foreknowledge therefore of the tears, the pestilence, and famines, and other public calamities, that have taken place, since your pretended inspiration, are not sufficient evidences of your divine mission, whilst you pervert the Scriptures. If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall away his part out out of the book of life." Rev. xxii.

take

19.

Now to these words I answer, that I defy all the men upon earth, with all the boasted wisdom they have got, to prove the Scriptures as true, from the beginning to the ending, as they have been proved

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and explained by the Spirit that visits me; and this I can challenge the whole world, that there is not a man upon earth, if he bring forward all the writings of the wisest penmen, the philosophers, or the divines, with all the judgment they have drawn from the Scriptures, that they ever drew their judgment clear to prove the Scriptures true; and the way they would be fulfilled, is a judgment that was never drawn by man; neither was it in the power of man; as the ways of the Lord are hid in the great deep, and his paths are past man's finding out; for how men could come to the knowledge of the Lord, no man ever attempted to describe; nor in what manner the redemption would be brought in, or the Scriptures fulfilled, never was attempted by man to point out, by any clear way; only to say, so it is said, and so it must be, to fulfil the Scriptures. This is the deepest judgment that can be drawn by men. But if they call an explanation of the Scriptures, adding to, or taking from; then it must be fatal for every minister, and every writer who writes from the Scriptures; as they all attempt an explanation, according to their own judgment. I have given an.explanation as the Spirit has directed me; and if that be wrong, I do not believe any man upon earth will ever explain them aright; because they never make the Scriptares join together, to have one thing agree with the other, from the first to the last, as the Spirit that directs me hath done. But as to his saying all the things that I have foretold, that have followed in so few years, are not sufficient to convince mankind that my visitation is from the Lord; then we have nothing to marvel of Deists and Atheists, who have written that the Bible is not enough to convince them; and as they did not live in the ages when the prophecies were fulfilled, they had more grounds for their unbelief than the present age has for its unbelief, which has seen the truths roll on so fast. But as to his saying, mine is pretended inspiration, this is a thing

he cannot prove; because a thing that is real is not pretended; but what we call a pretended thing is what we pretend to that is not real, and when no truth follows to prove it; then it must be an invention of one's own; as I may call his a pretended explanation of the Scriptures, which he hath pointed. out that he is going to explain; for this he may do according to his own judgment, as many others have done before him; and yet they have all pretended to what they could not accomplish; for a clear explanation of the Scriptures can never be given by man; for the Scriptures assure us it must be done by the Revelation of the SPIRIT of GOD; and our Saviour expressly tells us, The Spirit of Truth must come from the God of Truth,. to lead us into all truths; and the apostles themselves said, that in the last days greater knowledge would be given, than they had received, which we should hope for; but it is also said. a man cannot hope for what he seeth; for what a man seeth, that he knoweth ; and the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; then if the natural man cannot receive the things of God, how shall he pretend to explain them? If we look forward to the kingdom of Christ, we all must know it is spiritual as well as temporal; because it is written by the prophets, The Lord will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh; and they shall all know the Lord, from the greatest to the least; and our Saviour assures us, that the Spirit of God shall be with us, and in us; and we must be born of the Spirit of God, and know the voice of our Divine Master, when we enter into his Kingdom of Peace; and it is written, we shall be one with God, and God with us. Then how can a natural man, who denies all spiritual things, and spiritual knowledge, pretend to write of the Kingdom of Christ? In this he hath plainly shewn to the world, it is himself that is pretending to what he cannot accomplish; but from the truth that hath followed my

visitation, so clearly known and proved, perfectly as the Scriptures foretel, there is no man who can say it is a pretended thing. But though he saith, that I call all men fools who do not espouse my cause, I of myself have called no man a fool; neither do I call men fools, because they cannot explain the Scriptures aright; for I am convinced, from the Scriptures of truth themselves, it is out of the power of any man living to explain them: and the different judgments drawn by men plainly prove to the world that it is not from real knowledge, but from opinions that they have drawn their judgments. Long before I was visited by the Spirit of Prophecy, I thought it right for every one to judge for themselves; as the different doctrines I heard from those I believed good men, and the different judgments drawn from learned men, truly convinced me of the truth of the Scriptures, that no man, by searching, could find out God; none could find out the Almighty to perfection; for his wisdom was hid in the great deep, and his paths past man's finding out. Therefore it is as our Saviour said, we must pray for the Spirit of God, to guide and guard us into every truth. and it is the God of truth that must lead us into every truth; therefore it is written, Acquaint thyself with God, and be at rest; for he that is led by the Spirit of the Lord is the only one that can have a knowledge of his ways. The learned Jews drew their judgment from the prophets; and by their own judgment they fell; the Romans drew their judgment from the Gospel; and from their judgment they fell into idolatry, to set up men as objects of their worship, contrary to the Gospel; because it is written, There is no name given under heaven whereby a sinner can be saved, but in and through Jesus Christ; and yet by their judgment they have set up men to pardon their sins, who cannot save their own souls; and the same errors we must also see in the Arians, and among all sects and parties, who are looking to one part of the