Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 2.pdf/334



HE "testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." How many reflections these few words awaken! The spirit of prophecy is the very life and soul of the Holy Word; and this the testimony of Jesus is. To Him do all the prophets and law bear witness. The spirit of prophecy is the spirit and life of the Word of God. The spirit of prophecy is designed to open the human mind to clear perceptions of the divine truth, and of the divine love of the Lord; to make it acquainted with divine truth in the letter; to prepare it for the unfolding of divine truth in the spirit, and to pave the way for the perception of celestial wisdom in the inmost; and all this is effected by the testimony of Jesus, who has revealed Himself in His Word, and has bestowed it upon us, to instruct us progressively in the knowledge of heavenly mysteries. In these days, how much greater is the knowledge, and how much clearer the perception of heavenly truth, than in times gone by. If we take a retrospect of the history of the world, and compare the knowledge which man possesses now, with what he knew three centuries ago, how great, how wonderful is the advance! For ages, the mind has been developing its powers, and every age has contained within itself the germ of the age that was to succeed it. Every thing in nature bespeaks this gradual progression. Science and philosophy do not unfold their wonders in an in-