dered to contend with him, to make him acknowledge the truth, if possible; but all to no purpose. Nevertheless, from a Communication given to me last year, that he would be convinced of his errors in the end, which I was ordered to send to the Bishops; this made me draw my judgment that he might be hastily convinced; and therefore I sent to him again, as I was directed, but finding all to no purpose, it threw a jealousy in my mind and heart, why I should be directed to contend with a man in this manner, while all appeared as a dead letter and lost labour. To my ponderings I was answered, that what kindled his anger so much against me, from the letter of 1797, which he drew his judgment from, was that he must become the Bridegroom mentioned in that letter, or the threatenings contained therein stood against him, if he refused. At this I was shocked and surprised, to think that he should draw such judgment from it; but I could no ways blame his anger and indignation, if these were his thoughts upon the letter. This might well kindle his anger against me, and which I do not marvel at, looking upon my situation at the time, and his situation, as a gentleman having a family growing up, that he must disgrace himself and family, by taking one into his house, who was his inferior, mocked and despised by all. Therefore, instead of wondering at his anger, if this was the judgment he drew from the letter, I should sooner justify his anger than condemn it. For I should have dreaded such a thing as much as he could, if I had judged the letter that way; and should have thought I might as well put my head into the fire, as to have entered into his family, which I must expect would hate and despise me. Had I ever drawn such judgment from the letter, I

should never have had courage to have gone to his house after the decease of Mrs. P. neither should I ever have troubled him afterwards with angry letters; because it would be putting upon me more than I could have borne, to follow the directions that were given me, if I had known his mind and thoughts on that letter, which is now revealed to me was the cause of his anger. And therefore I was ordered to send him in a letter, last winter, that the Lord would take the stumbling-block out of his way; and now I am answered, that I was the stumbling-block to him, as he judged the letter in a way it was never meant; that he might well say my writings were not consistent with a benevolent and merciful God, if he thought that the Lord threatened judgments against a man, if he did not enter into a union against his own will. This was never the design or the decrees of the Most High, to threaten judgments that way: all that was required of him was, to act faithfully to his trust, and bear testimony of the truth that was put in his hands. When this was revealed to me of the wrong judgment which he had drawn, I was ordered to have some of my friends to see the letter, and pass their judgment on it; and to let them know that what was revealed to me was Mr. P.'s judgment. They said, if he drew that judgment, it wholly accounted for his conduct afterwards, and would clear him to the world; as no one could possibly blame him in such a case. But as Mr. P. refused to give any answer to letters sent to him, I was ordered to send a friend to Bodmin to have a personal interview with him, to know the truth of what had been revealed to me, whether that was his judgment on the letter or not; and to convince him that nothing further was required of him in that communication, than

to acknowledge the truth of its being put into his hands; and whether he drew the judgment from it, which I was answered he did. But if he refused an answer in person, as he had refused to give an answer by letter, then I was ordered to put the prophecy in print, with what is revealed to me was his judgment thereon, which was given to Mr. Hows to shew him.

Mr. Hows arrived at Bodmin on Saturday, the 26th of June, and went to Mr. P's house, who received him very politely; but, upon announcing the subject of his business, Mr. P. became much agitated; requested him immediately to desist from any further remarks; and said that he had long made up his mind to have nothing to do on the subject. Mr. Hows then presented him with my letter, and requested that he would read it; but he refused to take it, and said, if it was left that he would destroy it. When Mr. Hows found that he could not prevail upon Mr. P. to hear anything which he had to say, he left the house, and wrote him a letter stating the object of his journey, which was to shew him the communication given in 1797, and the answer, which is now. given to me was his judgment thereon; and requested his answer to it; that the Spirit had revealed to me that he construed the contents of that communication into marriage, and that to be with himself; to know the truth of the Spirit in this was the object of his mission, which was easily defined, by saying yes or no for, by this act, the persecution he complained of would for ever subside; that there was no intention of fixing anything further to him, than shewing the accuracy of the visitation; the communication he had with him, which Mr. P. might have forgotten; and that he should stay at Bodmin till the Tuesday following, waiting Mr. P's answer. But

no answer was given, though he sent him a second letter, saying that his journey to Bodmin concerned Mr. P. himself. Having no answer to either, he returned to Exeter, and shewed the letter to Mrs. Taylor, who perfectly remembered the communication; and Mrs. Luscombe recollected copying it off for Mr. P. After Mr. Hows's return, and hearing of Mr. P's determination, I was ordered to put that part of the letter in print, which I was answered he drew his judgment from; and which was given in answer to his inquiry as to another communication, given concerning John the Baptist's warning of the first coming of Christ; and he, in like manner, was required to search into the writings to give the warning of the second coming; which he said he did not understand; neither could I explain it; and was answered in the following manner :

A copy of the communication which I was ordered to put in the hands of the Rev. Mr. P. in 1797, from John iii. 29. "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly."

"Then simple here do both appear,

The BRIDEGROOM and the BRIDE.
The man in wedlock doth appear,
Then see the field is wide;
The woman here doth now appear
Unmarried to your view.

I ask what bride is here applied,
The single woman too ?

Then to the Lord, it must be know'd,

The bride she must appear;

To have my Gospel fly abroad,

I fix'd my standard there.

So here's the bride must be applied

A shadow of the rest;

For brides I'll call, and wed you all,
And all alike possess.

Now from the King I shall explain,
Or to your Bishops go.
You do ordain another man

Your office to go through;

When you are not there, it doth appear, Another in your stead.

But will you say, you bishops are,

Or take it in your head

That you must be as great as he,

His title who intrusts ?

Then sure mock bishops you may be,
And so mock all the rest;
But if as men from types begin,
And think yourselves no more;
The bishop he may raise you high,
And give you titles here;
Because as man you humbly come
His office to go through,.

And judge no more than heretofore,
And give him honour due.

Now mark from man how this doth stand,

What shadows do appear;

And now like man I will begin,

And fix my standard there;

My BISHOP call, be it known to all,

That must my OFFICE bear,
And all my offices go through,
Before I do appear..

If he refuse, I now will choose
Another in his stead;

But he shall see, such destiny

Shall make his heart to bleed;

A Judas he shall be to ME,

If he do ME deny ;

His days in sorrow shall appear,

And tremble for to die.

For now to man once more I'll come;
Suppose your bishop here

Should ask of you for to go through
The office he must bear,

And you refuse, and did not choose
This thing to undertake;

How would your bishop now appear ?
Would not his anger break,

When he did come to see the man

He judg'd before his friend,