W JUNE 10th, 1804. Six days before Joanna droped her pen HAT new wonders are daily presented before my view! I dare not suffer myself to indulge a thought of them; if I did, I could not write, or keep my senses: but if we go one step from the directions the Lord hath given to me, we are lost in time, and to all Eternity;-fallen from the height of happiness, to the depth of misery and woe. We must stand by Eve's first words; but we are lost, if we comply, as she did, to go one step further afterwards. I would sooner go to the flames as a martyr, than go one step from the directions the Lord hath given me concerning my Trial-and you must charge my friends, for their lives, NEVER to consent to ANY PROPOSALS made by any man; but say, 3 Gen: 3. as the Lord hath commanded it, we MUST OBEY; for, if they consent any other way, they' shall never see me: for I am determined to abide by Eve's first words, and no arts of the serpent can work in man, shall ever make me go to the second: for had she abided by the first, "The Lord hath forbidden it," and stood to her word, she could not have fallen-and now the devil will come in men, instead of the serpent, to try me. Therefore, we must stand to Eve's first words, and then we shall not fall I hope, by the next post, you will be able to send them all the joys that are set before them, and then let them judge for themselves; if they would run so fatal a hazard, as to go one step of their own, to do either good or evil. I am forbid from ever speaking to man any more, before I meet them in my Trial-so I cannot see friend or foe, and no man must come in my presence before I go to begin my journey, and then I must not speak to any man upon the road-and when I arive to take my Trial, there is not one of my men friends must come to see me, before they meet me in the room and then those that are against me must enter first, having such strict charges given me; and knowing that how the serpent would try in man to betray me, to make me disobey. I began, this morning, to ponder in my heart what Arts he could use in man to accomplish it; but thought to myself, he might use his arts in this way to tempt men, they ought to have me first to be tried by medical men, to see if I was in my senses; but that I thought the devil would be easily foiled there, as they were to contend with the Twenty-four chosen men first-and if they would not consent to that-then, they would give that all is right: as you, as well as so many * No Enemies were present on the first day at Neckunger house it up * 5 witnesses can prove my senses as good as ever, and my understanding much clearer. Another thought came into my head, they might make a search after me, to resolve to find me, and then I was determined in my mind, not to see them, for I would shut my eyes, and keep fast my mouth-that it was not all the arts of men and devils should make me open either: for I would not look on them, as Eve did on the serpent; nor dispute with them, as she did with the serpent. I am writing you my simple thoughts, because the answer to them is deep and weighty; for I was ordered to pen the ponderings of my heart. Adieu. JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. The answer of the Spirit to the above ponderings of Joanna's heart. "NOW this has been the pondering heart of thee And prove that men are devils here; If they would have thee disobey, And let the serpent now to say, It is a fever of thy brain, That thou with men do thus contend Because the devil's now in men- And like the serpent do appear, And now from Paul I'll answer here, As I've pronounc'd by satan's spear, But I fear 2 Cor. 11 chap. 3 verse, arrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ --- But tha Galatians, 4 chap. 4 verse, the fulness of the time was com God sent forth his son, made & a Woman, macie under the 7 And you in hell are ever lost. In any word then spoke by thee, Nor, yet their face thou should'st not see- To bring the cause, and now try man, |