An explanation of the parables

err; for if the Lord had commanded, I well knew he had wise ends in it; and though my own life appeared simple likewise, to put in print the private thoughts of my heart, as well as my public actions, fearing at that time I should disobey, if I concealed any thing, as I was ordered to put the whole in print; but when I read it over, thinking my history appeared simple and foolish, I thought that I might have concealed the thoughts of my heart, if the Lord had not wise ends in commanding the whole to go in print; and as the sense of the books was concealed from me, my petitions were earnest that the Lord would be pleased to make it clear before me; upon which, in his unbounded mercies and goodness, he was pleased to set a Sign before me, with the following words:

“ If the Sign come true that I have placed before thee, perfectly so will mankind see every substance the physical reality or fulfillment of a prophecy follow the likeness the symbolic representation or shadow of the Parables I ordered thee to put in print. Every one of them will be clearly discerned in the end, and every thing that happened to thee at Bristol. However strange the parables may appear to thee, they will find every one is a type of the end; every horror that was in thy heart, every temptation of the devil, and every strong assault that he made against thee, will be severely felt by the unbelieving world; every agony in thy heart, and every suffering thou didst go through will be severely felt in the end, by those who mock the coming of their Lord; and every comfort thou receivedst, every strength of my Spirit thou didst feel, and every strong visitation thou hadst from ME, will be felt by believers in the end: for my Spirit will be strong to support my friends, while Satan’s fury will be strong to wound my enemies. Because his friends are my foes; and yet they will find he is good to none, as I have told thee, but full of cruelty, malice, and envy against all the human race: and thus, I tell thee, they will feel the severity of his being a master, to those who are willing to be his servants; and thou hast felt but the