33 of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on ME; of righte ousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." "Here let the Scribes and Pharisees appear who boast of their profession of faith, in believing my Gospel, and boast of their wisdom and knowledge to understand my Gospel; let them answer, wно I meant, that I said I would send unto you? and when He comes, who is HE that can reprove the world of sin? This cannot be done by man. As my Gospel now stands, do not all professors of religion reprove one the other? do they not condemn the judgment one of another? Then how can they reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment? Where is the man upon earth who can come forward boldly this to do? Do not the professors of religion boast of their righteousness, and of the judgment they have of the Gospel? and yet they condemn one the other, from the different opinions there are in mankind. Like Babel's builders, they confound their speeches: then how can MAN reprove the world, before the COMFORTER comes, whom I said I would send unto you? and when he cometh, he will do what no MAN can do: because in HIM I shall prove the truth of my Gospel, that the TEMPLE of my BODY, which they destroyed, they will see I have power to raise up again a LIVING TEMPLE, in my likeness, to be the TEMPLE of the LIVING GOD. And this is the SPIRIT of TRUTH, which I said should guide you into all truths for HE shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come. C Now let men answer, when this SPIRIT ever appeared, that could guide men into all truths, that doth not speak of himself? for HE shall glorify ME; for HE shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you all things that the FATHER hath, are mine; therefore I said, that HE shall take of mine, and shew it unto you. Now let men answer, when this COMFORTER ever appeared, with this knowledge and power from the FATHER? When I became flesh and dwelt with men, I spake of the FATHER, and spake of myself: for I said, before Abraham was I AM: I said, I was in the FATHER, and the FATHER in ME: that I come from God; I go to God. I spoke of the glory I had with the FATHER, before the foundation of the world; but know, I told my disciples that the COMFORTER should come, if I went away for their hearts were filled with sorrow at my telling them I should leave them; and therefore I told them I should send them a CoмFORTER, which should be another in my stead, to abide with man for ever. Then, how can they prove my Gospel true, for the final day of judgment to take place, before I have fulfilled my words? And now is the time I shall fulfil them: for know I have told thee, the BODY I shall raise · up is the SPIRIT of TRUTH, to fulfil my words. But HE cannot speak of himself; because it is I have spoken of him: and when HE cometh, HE will glorify the FATHER that sent him; because HE cannot bear testimony of himself; for it is my Gospel which beareth testimony of him, that I should send him before the end: and then HE can prove my Gospel true; and all his friends and followers can boldly come forward to join with him in the truth of my Gospel." "Now look to John, xv. 25, 26. "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled 35 that is written in their law, They hated ME without a cause. But when the COMFORTER is come, whom I will send unto you from the FATHER, even the SPIRIT of TRUTH, which proceedeth from the FATHER, HE shall testify of ME." "Here men neither see nor understand what" I said in my Gospel, as to WHO is the COMFORTER; WHO is the HE that I said should testify of ME, when He did come. I said to my disciples, Ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with ME from the beginning: and they bore witness of my words, and of my sayings; and they bore witness of my miracles; they bore witness of my death, and resurrection; and they bore witness of the power I gave them, and warned their hearers to be waiting for my. coming, without sin unto salvation. Hebrews, ix. 28. "Christ was once offered to' bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall HE appear the second time without sin unto salvation." "This no man can explain, by his own wisdom; but I shall explain it to thee. When I took man's nature upon ME, I was subject to men, and not MEN to ME and I bore their sins with my own body on the cross; for, as a sinner, I was condemned to die by man; and as a sinner I now stand condemned, as a guilty malefactor on the cross; then now I ask, by the wisdom of man, how I can appear the second time without sin unto salvation? Were I to call the day of judgment now, should I not stand condemned, by the Jews and Gentiles, that there was no truth in my Gospel, no truth in my Disciples? All that I have brought forward to thee would be pointed out by mankind, as is already done by Deists, Atheists, and Arians; then now let mankind answer, how I can appear the second time without sin unto salvation, before I have fulfilled my own words, and the words of mine Apostles? Were I now to come, with saints and angels, to bring in the day of judgment, as the Scriptures now stand, the Prophets, and the Apostles, must all be found liars, and my sayings false, as the fulfilment thereof cannot be proved: for men and devils would rise up against the Scriptures; and where is the man who could prove them true? And therefore, the wisdom of men can never clear my honour as a God. For I shall now shew thee the folly in men, who boast of their belief in the Gospel, and expect the day of judgment to come before they can prove any truth that is fulfilledonly my disciples being put to death, and the Jews scattered in all nations: and now they deny the SPIRIT of TRUTH, where more truths have followed, that can be pointed out from my visitation to thee, than they can prove from the Gospel, that ever have yet taken place. So if the SPIRIT of TRUTH be denied, my Gospel is denied throughout. I have already explained to thee how my disciples bore witness of ME; because they had been with ME from the beginning; but now I shall come to the present day; for these are my disciples, and these are my witnesses, who have been with thee from the beginning, who know the warning I have given them, that my SECOND COMING was nigh, that the SPIRIT of TRUTH should come to guide them into all truths. "Now come to the Prophecies I gave to thee. Answer of the Lord, page 105. They'll find the SPIRIT and the BRIDE are come; The night's approaching, and the day decline, 37 For Satan's kingdom for to govern here; And now I'll come to the weak faith of thee." "Here let men mark when this was given and published in 1802; and let them compare this with what I have revealed to thee now of the COMFORTER's coming; and let them look further to thy Sealed Prophecies. First Book, page 15,given in 1796. "Let Jews and Gentiles both appear The Bride must crown the end. For if like man I do go on, AS VERY MAN to be; I sure shall to the purpose come, Then to her now I'll strongly cleave:- "Now let them see in what manner I have spoken to thee in the likeness of my Gospel, to fulfil my Gospel. Know I said, as I came like MAN, so I said I should act like VERY MAN, and cleave to thee, to bring in the HEIR to my KINGDOM. Let them look to Page 96, of the saine book. "And as like MAN I did appear, I say like MAN I'll answer here. |