book shall be denvered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein. 13. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a "few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men: for the Lord God hath said, That the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the 'dead. 14. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good, will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that rejecteth the word of God. 15. But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book, Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may shew them unto the learned, saying, "Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say, Bring hither the book, and I will read them: 16. And now, because of the glory of the world, and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God. 17. And the man shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. 18. Then shall the learned say, I cannot read it. 19. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to "him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say, I am not learned. 20. Then shall the Lord God say unto him, The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee. 21. Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due time: for I will shew unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work, 22. Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom, "to reveal all things unto the children of men. 23. For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles: and I will shew unto the world that I am the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and I work not among the children of men, save it be according to their faith. 24. And again it shall come to pass, that the Lord shall n, Book of Mor. p. V. 13-15. Mor. 9: 30. Nep. 28: 29, 4, Martin Harris. Joseph Smith, Jr. 30. 0, 11. Nep. 3: 19, 20. Moro. 10: 27 Isa. 29: 4. 33: 13-15. Ether 4. 8. P, see c, 1. Nep. 11. r, Joseph Smith, Jr. t, Prof. Anthon of New York city. u, Isa. 29: 11. 9:7,8. Ether 4: 6, 7. w, Ether 5: 1. 2, see c, II. Nep. 11. ., II. Nep. say unto him that shall read the words that shall delivered him, 25. 24Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me` W their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but ha removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards is taught by the precepts of men,、 26. Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvellous w among this people, yea, a marvellous work and a wond for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, a the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. 27. And wo unto them that seek deep to hide th counsel from the Lord. And their works are in the dar and they say, Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? A they also say, Surely, your turning of things upside do shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. But behold, I w shew unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know their works. For shall the work say of him that made He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of hi that framed it, He had no understanding? 28. But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts, I will shew un the children of men that it is yet a very little while a Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitf field shall be esteemed as a forest, 29. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscuri and out of darkness, 30. And the meek also shall increase, and their joy sha be in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in t Holy One of Israel. 31. 2 For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see the the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; 32. And they that make a man an offender for a wor and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and tur aside the just for a thing of naught. not no 33. Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abr ham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. 34. But when he seeth his children, the work of m hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my nam and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the Go of Israel. 35. They also that erred in spirit shall come to under standing, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. z, Joseph Smith, Jr 2. Isa. 29: 13 24. 2b, see i, 11. Nep. 25 2c, see c. 2d, see. 1. Nep. 22. 2, see e, 1. Nep. 15. 2f, 1. Nep. 13 35-38. 14:1-3. CHAPTER 28. 1. AND now, behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you, according as the Spirit hath constrained me, wherefore, I know that they must surely come to pass. 2. The things which shall be written out of the "book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel. 3. For it shall come to pass in that day, that the 'churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other, Behold I, I am the Lord's, and the others shall say, I, I am the Lord's. And thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord; 4. And they shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. 5. And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people, Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God to-day, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men. 6. Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say, There is a miracle wrought, by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work. 7. Yea, and there shall be many which shall say, Eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die; and it shall be well with us. 8. And there shall also be many which shall say, Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God, he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbour; there is no harm in this. And do all these things, for to-morrow we die: and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. 9. Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false, and vain, and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark; 10. And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against them. 11. Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted. 12. Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up. 13. They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries they rob the poor because of their fine clothing; and they persecute the meek, and the poor in heart; because in thei pride they are puffed up. 14. They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray, save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err, because they are taught by the precepts of men. 15. O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord; wo. wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell. 16. Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say, That is of no worth; for the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity, they shall perish. 17. But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of their wickedness and abominations, they shall not be destroyed, saith the Lord of Hosts. 18. But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must 'tumble to the earth, and grea must be the fall thereof; 19. For the kingdom of the devil "must'shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish; 20. For behold, at that day shall he "rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good; 21. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say, All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well; and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. 22. And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth g, see q, 11. 26: 20-22, 32. Nep. 27:32. 14: 3, 4, 6, 7, 28: 20-32. II. Nep. Nep. 26. h, II. Nep. 27: 35. i, I. Nep. 22: 23. Alma 39: 5. III. Nep. 29: 4-9. Mor. 8: 41. 9: 26. k, I. Nep. 22:16-23. Ether 2:8-11. Mor. 8:41. 15-17. See k, 1. Nep. 14. m, 1. Nep. 22: 22, 23. n, ver. 28. o, II. Nep. 26: 29. 28: 7-14. Mor. 8: 31. 1, 1. Nep. II. Nep. them there is no hell; and he saith unto them, I am no devil, for there is none; and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. 23. Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith, must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment. 24. Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion. 25. Wo be unto him that crieth, All is well; 26. Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. 27. Yea, wo be unto him that saith, We have received, and we 'need no more. 28. And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God. For behold, he that is built upon the rock, receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation, trembleth lest he shall fall. 29 Wo be unto him that shall say, We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough. 30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God; I will give unto the children of men wline upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth, I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. 31. Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the "precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. 32, Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts; for notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts. |