Second advent library

~'`i2,58Lncruu xvu.mumer inman to understand I will examine and see." He then"Ifa God, then it must be in the best possibletells them it is presumption to look into futurity.you succeed in discovering the thing; to come, it willonly make you miserable." Should temptation preventyou from readin and trying to understand, still heis sure of his prey. gon " will not be reformed by thesethings." But suppose you let reason work, and think,"lf God is speaking by his prophets to us, surely itwould be sin not to hear; for he has alegal right to ourears and attention; and only if our equal speaks to us, onany good or interesting subject, it is a piece of ill mannersnotto listen. I will read and hear what Gnd says bythe mouth of his servants." Then the devil will tellyou that it is a sealed book,-not to be understood untilit is fulfilled. But reason will tell you, Vhat Godhas given for our faith and hope cannot be sealed inthis sense; for it would all be lost labor in the prophetsof God, and perfect folly in the Giver; for the historyitself would reveal it as soon and as well as the prophecycould. And, in that case, says reason, faith andhope would have no food; for, without prophecy, neitherthe one nor the other could be exercised; for in what weknow, how can it be said we have faith? or, in what ispast, how can it be said we hope for it? Then, if thesetemptations do not prevent you from reading and tryingto understand the prophecies, Satan has one more weapon,and it is his last resort. But," says the arch ene-"my, "if you are but prepared for happiness or heaven,it is no matter whether you understand prophecyor not."This secures and chains down the hypocrite and Phariseeforever; this is turning things upside down at once.For there never werehypocritesor Pharisees but whatro-vainly imagined that they were, of all men, bestpare for heaven; and sothey will neither try theirfaith, nor examine their hope, if they follow this temptation,until they awake in eternity, forever too late.VVhile, on the other hand, there never were real childrenof God, but what considered themselves unfit forheaven, the vilest of the vile; and ifup with this device of Satan, they must_thegnshould takeally end¢