This Work is also intended as a warning voice, or proclamation of truth, to all people into whose hands it may fall, that they may understand, and be prepared for the great day of the Lord. Opinion and guesswork in the things of God are worse than useless; facts, well demonstrated, can alone be of service to mankind. And as the Holy Ghost can alone guide us into all truth, we pray God the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ His Son, that the Spirit of Truth may inspire our hearts in inditing this matter; that we may be able to write the truth in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that it may be the word of God, the everlasting Gospel, the power of God unto salvation, to the Gentile first, and also to the Jew.
A VOICE OF WARNING AND INSTRUCTION TO ALL PEOPLE.
CHAPTER I.
ON PROPHECY ALREADY FULFILLED.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation; for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost.—PETER.
In order to prove anything from Scripture, it is highly necessary in the first place to lay down some certain, definite, infallible rule of interpretation, without which the mind is lost in uncertainty and doubt, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The neglect of such a rule has thrown mankind into the utmost confusion and uncertainty in all their biblical researches. Indeed, while mankind are left at liberty to transform, spiritualize, or give any uncertain or private interpretation to the word of God, all is uncertainty.
"Whatsoever was written aforetime, was written for our profit and learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope." Now, suppose a friend from a distance should write us a letter, making certain promises to us on certain conditions, which, if we obtained, would be greatly to our profit and advantage: of course it might be said the letter was written for our profit and learning, that through patience and comfort of the letter we might have hope to obtain the things promised. Now if we clearly understood the letter, and knew what to expect, then it would afford us comfort and hope; whereas, if there was any doubt or uncertainty on our minds in the understanding of the same, then could we derive no certain comfort or hope from the things written, not knowing what to hope for; consequently the letter would not profit us at all. And so it is with the Scriptures. No prophecy or promise will profit the reader, or produce patience, comfort, or hope in his mind until clearly understood, that he may know precisely what to hope for. Now, the predictions of the Prophets can be clearly understood, as much so as the almanac when it foretells an eclipse; or else the Bible of all books is of most doubtful usefulness. Far better would it have been for mankind, if the great Author of our existence had revealed nothing to His fallen creatures, than to have revealed a book which would leave them in doubt and uncertainty, to contend with one another, from age to age, respecting the meaning of its contents. That such uncertainty and contention have existed for ages, none will deny. The wise and learned have differed, and do still widely differ, from each other, in the understanding of prophecy. Whence then this difference? Either Revelation itself is deficient, or else the fault is in mankind. But to say Revelation is deficient, would be to charge God foolishly; God forbid: the fault must be in man. There are two great causes for this blindness, which I will now show:
First, mankind have supposed that direct inspiration by the Holy Ghost was not intended for all ages of the Church, but was confined to primitive times; the "Canon of Scripture being full," and all things necessary being revealed; the Spirit which guides into all truth was no longer for the people: therefore they sought to understand, by their own wisdom, and by their own learning, what could never be clearly understood, except by the Spirit of Truth: for the things of God knoweth no man, except by the Spirit of God.
Secondly, having lost the Spirit of Inspiration, they began to institute their own opinions, traditions, and commandments; giving constructions and private interpretations to the written word, instead of believing the things written. And the moment they departed from its literal meaning, one man's opinion, or interpretation, was just as good as another's; all were clothed with equal authority, and from thence arose all the darkness and misunderstanding on these points, which have agitated the world for the last seventeen hundred years.