THE CITY OF REFUGE. 179 nomy xxx. 15-See, I have set before thee, this day, life and good, and death and evil; I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore chuse life, that both thou and thy seed may live. REFLECTIONS OF JOANNA, ON THE CONDUCT OF *******. Thursday, October 11, 1804. It is useless now to say he is not prepared; for he has had time to prepare himself; and he must answer to his own letters; so he is catched in a net by his own feet. I remember his once saying to me, that if he were in my place he should be jealous of the Spirit; but if it was of God, he would work more powerfully for me. Now I see, by his jealousy, he hath brought upon himself shame and confusion of face; but as he hath acted so weakly and simply, and the WISDOM of THE LORD is so powerful, that he can in no way shun his destiny now; neither could I shun mine; neither can the nation shun theirs. For the Type of ******* stands deep of the nation, to what disgrace they will bring themselves that mocked the cOMING of the LORD, and his visitation to me. THE ANSWER OF THE LORD. "Now, Joanna, I shall answer thee. from what I said in ** 's letter. If he trembles to meet thee, as being a simple woman, as conscious guilt must condemn him, that he hath mocked and despised thee, and dealt deceitfully with thee; how must all the nation tremble at MY COMING, that have mocked all MY warnings, all My invitations, and despised MY LOVE, and destroyed the TRUTH of MY BIBLE, as he destroyed the TRUTH of thy words: for they have as much destroyed the trath of MY BIBLE, as he denied the truth of thy writings. -And now I shall come to the CITY OF REFUGE, I have already told thee, my Bible stands for Types and Shadows of the End. Now the cities of refuge were for those that committed a murder unawares and unwittingly, that they might fly for refuge; and now, I tell thee, the end is come for ME to be the CITY of REFUGE for all MEN: and those that have committed Blasphemy through ignorance, unwillingly, or unwittingly, may now fly to ME for refuge. For I'll appear to answer here, And tell what this doth mean : « Unwilling here we must appear, "'Twas not by wit we did commit No: ignorance here our guilt must clear, "Our guilt appears, we now see clear, "The way our SAVIOUR murder'd were, As at the first, the Jews were cast; But refuge they had none”— Because to ME they would not flee, do blaspheme, His murderers to appear; "For if we do discern the thing, "And see our Bibles clear, "We all must see, as plain as she, appear: Because cur minds we so do find, GE. 181 THE CITY OF REFUGE. But if they'll not, I'll tell their lot, To be destroy'd, if they enjoy Such wonders for to tell. Then men must know that they do go And plain their murder they must shew,' So if they say they will not fly, If they go on with one accord, Like murderers to appear, To slay the whole that they might fall, Then there's no city they can call That was design'd by ME. So life and death is now set forth, I say, before your view; Choose which you will, I tell you still, Refuge is in my view; If Men will flee this way to ME They may chuse life and live! But if they'll not, I'll tell their lot, They must choose death and grieve, With sin to die, I now do say, The Root I shall destroy : But if that Men will live in ME, I shall them now enjoy. The cursed thing must now be seen, It is the power of hell within You cannot stand as I command, I tell you, No; it is not so; And down to hell he there may swell Men's refuge they may call In ME to TRUST, and him to cast, Then you may face your foe: Before you all they now shall fall, And you will find it true. The Scriptures here you'll then see clear, You'll say, "Our REFUGE doth appear, That cursed thing with them they'll bring, And then the meaning of MY WORDS Not to appear, the truth to clear, I say, in Man; their gold is strong, Burnt offerings will not do; Your Sacrifices will not stand Bring all before your view: Obedience here the end must clear; Obedience first for him was plac'd, MY FATHER'S WILL for to maintain, Changes thou see throughout to be, 1 Samuel xv. 22. THE CITY OF REFUGE. Then now the end, 'tis my intend My sling and stone shall then be known, Though I at first in wars did burst, But now at last, mark how I'm plac'd, To free MY OWN I'm come. For so MY COMING you expect, For now the mystery I'll make clear, No sacrifice that can be seen Can with it now compare ; I said the Jews were taught of GOD, And I'd deliver there: A DAVID'S CROWN should so be found, But you do know, it is not so, They've turn'd a different way; The PROMISE of the Jews, you see, Is gone, as they did fall! NO DAVID'S CROWN to them is found, As promis'd at the first: And far from ME they surely be— And now, I say, at last, From every word that's on record, My Gospel must appear; 183 |