the great controversy-第2节

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Bible；　for　the　Scriptures　explicitly　state　that　the　word　of　God　is　the
standard　by　which　all　teaching　and　experience　must　be　tested。　Says　the
apostle　John；　〃Believe　not　every　spirit；　but　try　the　spirits　whether　they
are　of　God：　because　many　false　prophets　are　gone　out　into　the　world。〃
1　John　4：1。　And　Isaiah　declares；　〃To　the　law　and　to　the
testimony：　if　they　speak　not　according　to　this　word；　it　is　because　there　is
no　light　in　them。〃　Isaiah　8：20。

Great　reproach　has　been　cast　upon　the　work　of　the　Holy　Spirit　by　the　errors
of　a　class　that；　claiming　its　enlightenment；　profess　to　have　no　further　need
of　guidance　from　the　word　of　God。　They　are　governed　by　impressions　which
they　regard　as　the　voice　of　God　in　the　soul。　But　the　spirit　that　controls
them　is　not　the　Spirit　of　God。　This　following　of
　　　　　　　　　　　
viii

impressions；　to　the　neglect　of　the　Scriptures；　can　lead　only　to　confusion；
to　deception　and　ruin。　It　serves　only　to　further　the　designs　of　the　evil
one。　Since　the　ministry　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　of　vital　importance　to　the
church　of　Christ；　it　is　one　of　the　devices　of　Satan；　through　the　errors　of
extremists　and　fanatics；　to　cast　contempt　upon　the　work　of　the　Spirit　and
cause　the　people　of　God　to　neglect　this　source　of　strength　which　our　Lord
Himself　has　provided。

In　harmony　with　the　word　of　God；　His　Spirit　was　to　continue　its　work
throughout　the　period　of　the　gospel　dispensation。　During　the　ages　while　the
Scriptures　of　both　the　Old　and　the　New　Testament　were　being　given；　the　Holy
Spirit　did　not　cease　to　communicate　light　to　individual　minds；　apart　from
the　revelations　to　be　embodied　in　the　Sacred　Canon。　The　Bible　itself　relates
how；　through　the　Holy　Spirit；　men　received　warning；　reproof；　counsel；　and
instruction；　in　matters　in　no　way　relating　to　the　giving　of　the　Scriptures。
And　mention　is　made　of　prophets　in　different　ages；　of　whose　utterances
nothing　is　recorded。　In　like　manner；　after　the　close　of　the　canon　of　the
Scripture；　the　Holy　Spirit　was　still　to　continue　its　work；　to　enlighten；
warn；　and　comfort　the　children　of　God。

Jesus　promised　His　disciples；　〃The　Comforter　which　is　the　Holy　Ghost；　whom
the　Father　will　send　in　My　name；　He　shall　teach　you　all　things；　and　bring
all　things　to　your　remembrance；　whatsoever　I　have　said　unto　you。〃　〃When　He；
the　Spirit　of　truth；　is　come；　He　will　guide　you　into　all　truth：　。　。　。　and　He
will　show　you　things　to　come。〃　John　14：26；　16：13。　Scripture　plainly　teaches
that　these　promises；　so　far　from　being　limited　to　apostolic　days；　extend　to
the　church　of　Christ　in　all　ages。　The　Saviour　assures　His　followers；　〃I　am
with　you　alway；　even　unto　the　end　of　the　world。〃　Matthew　28：20。　And　Paul
declares　that　the　gifts　and　manifestations　of　the　Spirit　were　set　in　the
church　〃for　the　perfecting　of　the　saints；　for　the　work　of　the　ministry；　for
the　edifying　of　the　body　of　Christ：　till　we　all　come　in　the　unity　of　the
faith；　and
　　　　　　　　　
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of　the　knowledge　of　the　Son　of　God；　unto　a　perfect　man；　unto　the　measure　of
the　stature　of　the　fullness　of　Christ。〃　Ephesians　4：12；　13。

For　the　believers　at　Ephesus　the　apostle　prayed；　〃That　the　God　of　our　Lord
Jesus　Christ；　the　Father　of　glory；　may　give　unto　you　the　Spirit　of　wisdom
and　revelation　in　the　knowledge　of　Him：　the　eyes　of　your　understanding　being
enlightened；　that　ye　may　know　what　is　the　hope　of　His　calling；　and　。　。　。
what　is　the　exceeding　greatness　of　His　power　to　usward　who　believe。〃
Ephesians　1：17…19。　The　ministry　of　the　divine　Spirit　in　enlightening　the
understanding　and　opening　to　the　mind　the　deep　things　of　God's　holy　word；
was　the　blessing　which　Paul　thus　besought　for　the　Ephesian　church。

After　the　wonderful　manifestation　of　the　Holy　Spirit　on　the　Day　of
Pentecost；　Peter　exhorted　the　people　to　repentance　and　baptism　in　the　name
of　Christ；　for　the　remission　of　their　sins；　and　he　said：　〃Ye　shall　receive
the　gift　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　For　the　promise　is　unto　you；　and　to　your
children；　and　to　all　that　are　afar　off；　even　as　many　as　the　Lord　our　God
shall　call。〃　Acts　2：38；　39。

In　immediate　connection　with　the　scenes　of　the　great　day　of　God；　the　Lord　by
the　prophet　Joel　has　promised　a　special　manifestation　of　His　Spirit。　Joel
2：28。　This　prophecy　received　a　partial　fulfillment　in　the　outpouring　of　the
Spirit　on　the　Day　of　Pentecost；　but　it　will　reach　its　full　accomplishment　in
the　manifestation　of　divine　grace　which　will　attend　the　closing　work　of　the
gospel。

The　great　controversy　between　good　and　evil　will　increase　in　intensity　to
the　very　close　of　time。　In　all　ages　the　wrath　of　Satan　has　been　manifested
against　the　church　of　Christ；　and　God　has　bestowed　His　grace　and　Spirit　upon
His　people　to　strengthen　them　to　stand　against　the　power　of　the　evil　one。
When　the　apostles　of　Christ　were　to　bear　His　gospel　to　the　world　and　to
record　it　for　all　future　ages；　they　were　especially　endowed　with　the
enlightenment　of　the　Spirit。　But　as　the
　　　　　　　　
x

church　approaches　her　final　deliverance；　Satan　is　to　work　with　greater
power。　He　comes　down　〃having　great　wrath；　because　he　knoweth　that　he　hath
but　a　short　time。〃　Revelation　12：12。　He　will　work　〃with　all　power　and　signs
and　lying　wonders。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：9。　For　six　thousand　years　that
mastermind　that　once　was　highest　among　the　angels　of　God　has　been　wholly
bent　to　the　work　of　deception　and　ruin。　And　all　the　depths　of　satanic　skill
and　subtlety　acquired；　all　the　cruelty　developed；　during　these　struggles　of
the　ages；　will　be　brought　to　bear　against　God's　people　in　the　final
conflict。　And　in　this　time　of　peril　the　followers　of　Christ　are　to　bear　to
the　world　the　warning　of　the　Lord's　second　advent；　and　a　people　are　to　be
prepared　to　stand　before　Him　at　His　coming；　〃without　spot；　and　blameless。〃　2
Peter　3：14。　At　this　time　the　special　endowment　of　divine　grace　and　power　is
not　less　needful　to　the　church　than　in　apostolic　days。

Through　the　illumination　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　the　scenes　of　the
long…continued　conflict　between　good　and　evil　have　been　opened　to　the　writer
of　these　pages。　From　time　to　time　I　have　been　permitted　to　behold　the
working；　in　different　ages；　of　the　great　controversy　between　Christ；　the
Prince　of　life；　the　Author　of　our　salvation；　and　Satan；　the　prince　of　evil；
the　author　of　sin；　the　first　transgressor　of　God's　holy　law。　Satan's　enmity
against　Christ　has　been　manifested　against　His　followers。　The　same　hatred　of
the　principles　of　God's　law；　the　same　policy　of　deception；　by　which　error　is
made　to　appear　as　truth；　by　which　human　laws　are　substituted　for　the　law　of
God；　and　men　are　led　to　worship　the　creature　rather　than　the　Creator；　may　be
traced　in　all　the　history　of　the　past。　Satan's　efforts　to　misrepresent　the
character　of　God；　to　cause　men　to　cherish　a　false　conception　of　the　Creator；
and　thus　to　regard　Him　with　fear　and　hate　rather　than　with　love；　his
endeavors　to　set　aside　the　divine　law；　leading　the　people　to　think
themselves　free　from　its　requirements；　and　his　persecution　of　those　who　dare
to　resist　his　deceptions；　have　been　steadfastly　pursued　in　all　ages。　They
may　be　traced
　　　　　　　　　
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in　the　history　of　patriarchs；　prophets；　and　apostles；　of　martyrs　and
reformers。

In　the　great　final　conflict；　Satan　will　employ　the　same　policy；　manifest　the
same　spirit；　and　work　for　the　same　end　as　in　all　preceding　ages。　That　which
has　been；　will　be；　except　that　the　coming　struggle　will　be　marked　with　a
terrible　intensity　such　as　the　world　has　never　witnessed。　Satan's　deceptions
will　be　more　subtle；　his　assaults　more　determined。　If　it　were　possible；　he
would　lead　astray　the　elect。　Mark　13：22；　R。V。

As　the　Spirit　of　God　has　opened　to　my　mind　the　great　truths　of　His　word；　and
the　scenes　of　the　past　and　the　future；　I　have　been　bidden　to　make　known　to
others　that　which　has　thus　been　revealedto　trace　the　history　of　the
controversy　in　past　ages；　and　especially　so　to　present　it　as　to　shed　a　light
on　the　fast…approaching　struggle　of　the　future。　In　pursuance　of　this
purpose；　I　have　endeavored　to　select　and　group　together　events　in　the
history　of　the　church　in　such　a　manner　as　to　trace　the　unfolding　of　the
great　testing　truths　that　at　different　periods　have　been　given　to　the　world；
that　have　excited　the　wrath　of　Satan；　and　the　enmity　of　a　world…loving
church；　and　that　have　been　maintained　by　the　witness　of　those　who　〃loved　not
their　lives　unto　the　death。〃

In　these　records　we　may　see　a　foreshadowing　of　the　conflict　before　us。
Regarding　them　in　the　light　of　God's　word；　and　by　the　illumination　of　His
Spirit；　we　may　see　unveiled　the　devices　of　the　wicked　one；　and　the　dangers
which　they　must　shun　who　would　be　found　〃without　fault〃　before　the　Lord　at
His　coming。

The　great　events　which　have　marked　the　progress　of　reform　in　past　ages　are
matters　of　history；　well　known　and　universally　acknowledged　by　the
Protestant　world；　they　are　facts　which　none　can　gainsay。　This　history　I　have
presented　briefly；　in　accordance　with　the　scope　of　the　book；　and　the　brevity
which　must　necessarily　be　observed；　the　facts　having　been　condensed　into　as
little　space　as　seem