19 he would destroy man whom he had created; so there was but a NOAH found to build the ark; and he, like thee, was judged a fool; but now I ask thee, where will you find, from Scripture, that men rose to be warm and zealous with him, while others were against him? This discord did not arise, in the latter years of Noah's warning; therefore, I tell thee, they became perfectly like the men to thee, regardless of the warning, judging him a fool, as men judge thee. "This was the state of man, when the world was drowned, in the perfect state thou foundest men, when in thy heart thou despisedst them all. But thou sayest, that thou didst not despise them; though thou wast wearied out with their conduct, and wishedst to forsake them, as thou sawest they had forsaken thee. Then I tell thee thou despisedst their conduct, if thou didst not despise the men, and wert weary of them, as I was weary of the world, when I destroyed it. So now judge from thy own feelings, what was the state of mankind, when I forsook them all, and brought the deluge upon them. Yet know, at that time I had a NOAH to build the ark, that by obedience man might be preserved and tried again. Here, in the likeness with thee, to have one man that I directed thee to, was the beginning after the flood; then look to the Scriptures through, and discern the ages back. I had some men warm with the prophets, to fear my threatenings, to fear my judgments; so that all men did not come like the antediluvian world, for ME to have no man to regard my name; and yet, I tell thee, in a dead state were the Jews become, when I took man's nature upon ME; and yet, in that dead state, there were many, as well as Simeon, who were waiting for my coming. Then now discern in my Gospel: though my enemies were furious, as Satan's working was strong in man; yet, on the : other hand, my disciples were zealous, and ran every hazard for my sake, till they were put to death for ME, as I died for them. In like manner see the martyrs, and all the love that hath been shewn to me in men, which could not be proved to shew the love of man so great, if this persecution had not arisen. And therefore, I tell thee, it was the enemies who were the means of gaining the victory for my friends; because it shewed the greatness of their love, to suffer so much through persecution, for my sake; and therefore I said I should come again to raise up my friends in the last days; and destroy those who would not that I should come and rule over them, when I came to bring in my kingdom of righteousness and peace for then will the enemy be cast out, the prince of this world, that hardens men to go on in this persecution. So that here the enemies in mankind gain the victory over their leader. I do not tell thee, that it is they will conquer him, or gain the victory to triumph over him. This I have told thee will not be till the end, that the final day of judgment takes place; and yet, I tell thee, it is by his followers, that I shall gain the victory for my friends; because, if all resisted his temptation, and none joined with him, to persecute ME and my true friends; I ask thee how I could cast him out? And therefore, as I told thee, it is through the love of my friends, and the persecution of my enemies, that the victory will be wrought in the end, for to fulfil the words I said in my Gospel, that the prince of this world should be judged and cast out: and now I have set a way for judgment. "Here I shall come back again to thy thoughts. Thou sayest, that thou didst not do justice to mankind, to say thou hast been forty years wearied out with the perverse hearts of men; because, on the other hand, thou hast been strength ened and supported, and that a protese by men; so that, under my sme mamac men instruments in Tetecte through every day, ac u prome I made thee. Thus me joined in love and greatest number is in m r ings, thou thoughtest the in that harsh manner of mer ima they had shewn thee, and through on thy account; condemn the innocent wine hearts of men perverse: T est, for their sakes, that in hand, to make bare my a clear before them, and trading blocks out of their way. their way rejoicing, knowing te liverance draweth near "Because that men bus 2 For men are men, thous Which he doth work Then there Because their hearts de perverse de 2 While other men joissa And in thy heart deal Thy mind and heat fa How men like brothers did appear- That I was griev'd for man the same, That wrong men's judgment all was plac'd; If strong my judgments now do fall, That they have shewn their love to thee; The mock of fools they now do take, "But, when I speak the words of man, Both sexes together here I mean; Because 'tis for the human race That I have so unveil'd my face: But I shall still unveil it more, Till I've unbolted every door That hath a heart to let me in, And so the victories I shall win. But where the bolts are made so strong, That Satan guards I cannot come; Then I shall leave them for his prey, And from that door I'll turn away ; But where 'tis bolted but by man, I'll find a way to overcome. "So here's the difference in the two; 23 And wish to know my perfect love; And they shall find my every name." In the year 1794, after the Scriptures had been explained to me in an extraordinary manner; and the truth of my writings in 1792, appeared in 1793, of the war, and which still was going on in 1794, I was ordered to write to the Methodists; as I was foretold the end of all things was at hand, and I should not conceal what was revealed to me, but send to Mr. Leech, to warn all men of approaching dangers. I did as I was bid; he sent me back a few lines to say, if it was so, what could he do? He would not give warning of what he did not believe: he said he believed, as many more did, that we should see good days; and did not think there was any danger. This letter surprised me, coming from a minister of the Gospel: I read it, on my knees in prayer to the Lord, and was auswered in a manner that quite astonished me; and I thought to send him the words given me in answer to his letter; but as the people all joined with him, by saying they hoped I would trouble them no more, as he had other things to mind; this prevented my sending the answer. Their words might have been unnoticed by some, but they were not by me; as my eye is quick in discerning, my heart is tender in feeling, deep are my meditations, strong is my memory, and every one's conduct laid clear before me. And, when I was forsaken by all, that I thought men cared for none but theirselves; as they well knew that I believed it from the Lord, and many of the truths had then appeared; but they took no pains to convince me, if they thought it was not from the Lord; nor shewed any regard to search out the truth, if it was from him; and as |