The strange effects of faith. Fourth part

furious; but there was no other difference than that between the former and the latter. I then awoke, much confused. This was in 1792. I cannot recollect all the circumstances, but I remember it was about Satan being bound. I shall here insert the way it is explained, as I could not explain it myself. I was answered—

"Why do you doubt that all descends from heaven,
Since you cannot answer one word you have penned?
But here is the vision I showed you at first,
And here is the vision that shall surely burst forth.
The music from heaven shall surely appear;
And loudly the music shall strike in your ear,
That I am approaching, my kingdom is near;
Then surely the rebels will bitterly cry;
A noise that is most dreadful some thousands will make,
When the pillars of heaven begin to shake;
And earth's strong foundations will surely tremble here,
When Satan is bound and that sight appears.
Against you his malice he will try to vent,
And I tell you he surely would tear you asunder,
If I had not bound him, as closely as in your dream;
My angels guard you to keep you from him:
For now I tell you, if Satan could get free,
He would vent the malice he has against you;
But just like your dream, my angels appear,
By day and by night they are guarding you here.
So all men are foolish to judge that your hand
Could write in such a way, if I did not command.
No—if you were mocking, all mortals would see,
Satan would be catching, and soon baffle you;
Would not impostors guard?

For I would not guard you, nor keep you from harm—
You judge your Bibles, but do not discern,
As soon as impostors have risen in my name,
The devils fall upon them and put them to shame.
And now, if you had wisdom, you all would see clearly,
Your life would not last, or my Bible must be wrong,
Which says that your thoughts are all open to ME;
Then surely your writings I plainly do see;
Then surely some wonder to you must appear,
If you judge that my Spirit has not spoken here;
And weigh well the writings that came from her hand,
If you judge they are not from heaven, you would stand in wonder;
Unless you are totally dead to all knowledge,
The heavens are silent, and Satan has fled.
This must be the language of every heart,