And this the wise will discern, that the tree of lifewas preserved for man, that he might have hope in the end, that man's redemption will take place, as it stands on record, though never understood by, man, in what manner it would be accomplished, before I come to reveal the whole, that it is by the promise made to the woman in the beginning it must be completed in the ending; and the promise must be claimed, to whom it was made. -And this must be discerned by men, how my dealings in all ages of the world with men were after the manner of men: and after the manner of men I submitted to the cross. Then now let them discern clearly how it is after the manner of men, by prayers and petitions, that I shall come and destroy your adversary, and bring in my kingdom of righteousness and peace. These are the things the wise must discern, for what ends my Visitation is; and let them discern at what time this Revelation came as a new song, never before thought of by man; but now will be discerned by the sealed people, that are sealed in faith, and wish to know for what ends they are sealed; but now I tell thee, for the future, no more must be scaled, but such as can give a clear account of their faith, from my revelation to thee. They must weigh the whole together, and discern the Scriptures clear, and examine their hearts, whether they can clearly see the wisdom, and justice of my decrees, that they may come in by faith, as sheep into the fold; for it must be made known that thieves and robbers have come in, professing to have faith when they had none: then they cannot be heirs to the tree of life, to be made heirs of God, and joint heirs with the Son. For I now tell thee, to be made joint heirs with ME, that as my blood was shed to destroy your adversary, they must believe in the promise that was made, that I shall fulfil it; and here they stand joint heirs of the promise. And this must be the faith of men, and those that are sealed, if they will be of the number that stands. with ME in the end. But this they cannot be taught by man; they must read and judge for themselves, in what manner the whole is explained, and at what time this Visitation appeared-at a time my Gospel is fulfilling, and before it sprang forth I warned you of them. This must be discerned together, that they may get wisdom and learn instruction: and let them discern, it is a new song that never before was thought of by man, but the wisdom of a God revealed; and let them discern in what manner thou hast been led on, year after year, with writings put in such form as it was out of the power of Satan to use arts to invent in any one; but had thy writings been put plain ina few prophecies, and plain directions; then Satan could soon have found a way to work the likeness in others; but I have brought it round in such a manner as no likeness can appear; and in thy writings they will discern truths in the end, that they theirselves have never understood, before I place the truth before them what they do not discern. But now I am come to open the eyes of men's understanding concerning the Scriptures, that they may clearly see the meaning of my words, that I spoke of a time to come, of casting out the prince of this world, and drawing all men after ME, to fulfil the words of the prophet, for death to be swallowed up in victory, and the rebuke of my people to be taken away from off the earth. So let not the believers grieve that they have drawn a wrong judgment concerning the words I spoke to thee in 1792; because it was permitted by ME, to shew mankind what wrong judgment they have drawn from the Scriptures; and from thy senses being confined, not to understand the meaning of my words, is to shew them plainly from the disci 2 ples, that they did not understand the meaning of my words, when I said, if I was lifted up, I would draw all men after ME. And now I shall answer thee from the comforter's coming, and when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on ME; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged: howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truths, and shew you things to come. These words are judged by the believers in my Gospel to be fulfilled in the days of my disciples, without discerning there was no likeness of their fulfilment; neither was the prince of this world judged; neither was it understood, that he should be judged by the judgment of mankind; neither did such a thought enter man, of the way I am working, to shew you all in what manner things stood from the creation of the world, and how Satan's working hath went on to this day but now I am come to set bounds for him, as I set for man in the beginning; and by his temptations he is judged, as man was judged by his disobedience; and now the Comforter is come, to warn you that the time draweth near, when he shall be cast out. And let them discern, from the Spirit of Truth, what things already have come to pass, and how the words agree together, to comfort the believers that are looking up for their redemption, waiting for the kingdom of God to be at hand. So if men discern deeply the words I spoke in the days of the flesh, and the words I have spoken now by my Spirit, they must discern this is the time that the words in my Gospel shall be fulfilled; and thus they may see the likeness of my words, by the manner all is brought round; and if men clearly discern these things, they must know the Spirit of truth must first come to warn you, that ye may ask and receive, that your joys may be full. And these are the words I told my disciples to be left on record for the end; then let all men discern, if ye must ask to receive, it must be revealed to you what to ask, that your joys may be full: but know, at that time, it was not revealed to them what they should ask in my name, to make your joys complete: and had it then been revealed, before the time came to be fulfilled; then men might say they asked in vain. So here are Scriptures I have pointed out to thee, that were not understood by men." In answer to the number that is sealed, which is near fourteen thousand, I was answered, If there were seven thousand of them true believers, who had not bowed a knee to Baal, by temptations, to go from their faith, but were sealed in heart and faith, no Enemy should hurt this Land, by coming within the borders: and your deliverance must be near, if seven thousand true believers are found in the land, sealed by faith, and longing for their coming Lord, to establish peace and righteousness in the earth: and I hope this will put every one upon an inquiry, whether they are sealed in faith or not. When the Lists were sealed up at the end of the year 1806, I was ordered to have the Lord's Prayer copied off and sealed up with the lists; and from the last words of the Lord's PrayerFor thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, amen-my Petition was, Even so come, Lord Jesus, O come quickly- Thou that fillest the heavens with thy majesty, fill the earth with thy goodness, that all the earth may praise thy name, from the ends of the earth; that all the earth may see thy salvation, and give unto the Lord the glory and honour due unto His name; that thy delight may be with the sons of men, and they may walk in the light of thy countenance; that righteousness and truth may meet together, love and peace may kiss each other; that the promise made in the fall may now be fulfilled; and the tree of life, that was preserved for man, grant, O God, it may now come to man ; that the flaming sword may destroy our adversary, that is the devil, and our God be all in all; and may we all unite together in heart and soul in this petition, and request that death and hell may be swallowed up in victory, that dust and ashes, whom the Lord hath created, may set forth his praises, world without end, amen, is my desire, Joanna Southcott. For the future all that are sealed must join with me in this petition, as well as the former. And now I shall finish this book, from a communication given in 1796. In answer to a Text preached by the Rev. Archdeacon Barnes-"The ox knoweth his owner, the ass his master's crib, but Israel do not know, my people do not consider."---To these words I was answered, that the Text was like the sons of men "Because the ox his owner knows, The ass his master's crib, But Israel backward they do go, The birds know their appointed time Nor knows the days are come, That like the birds 'tis time to build, And make their nests secure; The hawk is hovering o'er the fields, And will your joys devour; And therefore be not now unwise, But seek the truth to know; I will no longer now disguise: |