Unhidden stars will then appear, A Communication given to JOANNA, May 27th, 1796, concerning the chosen men who were to prove her Writings. Arise, and write, my Spirit's here, The cross is put on men's weak hands; And every seal is put between; And mark what is within. Black are the scals to guard it there- And now the floors I'll surely purge, Thy writings true I'll make them know, That perfect as thy fan appears, So perfect all was done, When on the cross at Calvary, I gave my life for man. The cross was red, all stain'd with blood, The spear did then my side so pierce, I was took down; now mark the crown, And now, unto the sons of men, Like seals both ranks do stand; A simple thing when this was done, And perfect so it all shall stand, Before I've ended here. Another day I'll tell thee more, And deeper things explain : But for the present I'll end here— For down thou'st fall'n, to man thou'st call'd; Assistance he refus'd; Then thou jump'st off,* 'tis known to all, On thy own feet, the mystery's great, For in they'll rush, by my command, "Tis not with thee as 'twas with ME- One look'd, thy dangers for to see— JOANNA's Prayer on the morning of the Fast Day, I was in carnest prayer for the fulfilment of the Prophecies made to me; and praying, that I might know the will of God and obey it; that his word might be a light to my feet, and a lanthorn to my paths; that the God of truth would lead me into all truths; that I might be guided by his Spirit, directed by his wisdom, kept by his power, and in all things know the will of God, and do it; that I might drink deeper and deeper into his Spirit, be made perfect in righteousness, perfect in hoiiness, and perfect in obedience, and in every good word and work. In this manner I was entreating the * Alluding to a dream of Joanna's. + At Exeter. Lord for his grace and assistance, both for myself and the nation, and concluded with our dear Redeemer's Prayer. As I was saying it, the clock began to strike, and as I said the last word, Amen, the clock struck the last stroke of twelve. I know not why I am to write out particulars, but I was commanded to do it. In the morning when I was in prayer, the clock struck seven soon after I began; I went to church without tasting any thing, as I was commanded; it being the command of GOD and the king to fast on such occasions. I was pressed to eat, as I had staid up, and they were afraid it would hurt my health; but I refused, as I knew I was forbid. I was very faint in church, for want of something; and the thoughts of the famine afflicted me greatly. This made me the more earnest in prayer in the church, that the Lord would have pity on the people, and accept their humble petitions before him; when these words came to me: " My ear is not heavy, that I cannot hear, nor my eye darkened that I cannot see; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God: your sins have caused him to separate from you for your hands are defiled with blood, your fingers with iniquity, yourtongues have spoken lies, your lips have uttered perverseness; none called for judgment, and none pleaded for truth." These words coming so strongly upon me, threw me into a flood of tears; and I kept my prayerbook before my eyes, that none might see my sorrow. I cannot describe the feelings of my heart: I was affected to see the sanctuary filled with soldiers and volunteers. When I came out of St. Peter's, Exeter, I went to the church of Mr. * * *, and sat in his porch, and heard the sermon there. Both ministers exhorted the people to repentance, and shewed them their danger, as they said the enemy had got ground. This I thought right; but did not think that either of them shewed it in such lively colours as it appeared to me. I was low spirited all the day: but was ordered to eat meat when I came to Mr. Woolland's of Heavitree. In the evening Mr. Woolland called us out to see a circle round the moon, at a great distance from it C With three stars on one side of the moon, and one star on the other. Mr. Woolland said, we must observe times and seasons, and now it is a fast day, and the moon is circled like the globe of the world. The four stars are the four quarters, and three of the four were like a compass to compass in the world. "But in it there's a double mystery. For like a compass did the stars appear, That in my compass come; Just as the moon was circled round, JOANNA'S PRAYER, On the 16th of January, 1803. Omy God, for thy own honour and great name, and for the sake of thy dear Son, I pray thee, look down in pity on man, whom thou hast created in thy likeness, and now avenge thy innocent blood on the serpent's head, which is the devil, that betrayed the innocence of the woman at first, and next entered into Judas to betray thy dearly beloved Son. Pity man, I pray thee, whose broken heart could not bear the remorse of his guilty conscience, but went out and hanged himself; saying, he had sinned, in that he had betrayed the innocent blood. Here I was stopped and answered "Now Joanna stop thy hand, I'll answer now thy prayer: I further on shall tell my mind; The bill is found, now judge the sound; I'll answer now the sons of men- Because yourselves you all will hang If you the serpent don't condemn, For Judas's blood the victim stood; If you like Judas now proceed, I If you Then on your heads must ruin be, But if you say another way, And like the thief appear " 'Twas Satan did the whole betray, "In robes of white-we see the sight, • Alluding to the crown in this book. |