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Gen. ch. 12.) But this is objected to by the "clergyman." Now suppose, for the sake of argument, we admit with Clericus, that Scripture history is plain matter of fact, and nothing else; in this case our knowledge will indeed become dim and sadly perplexing.

In the account of creation, if considered literally, many things appear contradictory: God is said to have created light on the first day, but the same history states that it was not until the fourth day that God created two great lights, the sun and moon; and the sun is the source of all light, for there is no light without it. If it was the fourth day when the sun (the only light) was created, how does it agree with the statement that light was created on the first? Are they both matters of fact? Are both to be believed? Again, with respect to ADAM—this is a word which, as every Hebrew scholar knows, does not mean a single individual of the male kind, but man in the complex, or mankind, both male and female: this is evident from Gen. ch. 1, ver. 26: "And God said, Let us make MAN in our image, &c., and let THEM have dominion," &c. Here, in the original, the word man is Adam, signifying mankind, male and female. If it were not so, it would be nonsense to say, Let us make a single individual, and let them have dominion. But this comment is placed beyond all doubt by a passage in Gen. ch. 5, ver. 1, 2, where it is said, "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him; male and female created He them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." So that the Hebrew name for mankind, male and

female, is ADAM.

Cain, again, when he had killed his brother Abel, said to the Lord that his punishment was greater than he could bear; and (said he) it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me. (Gen. ch. 4, ver. 14.) Here the plain matter of fact is, that Cain was fearful that every one who met him would slay him; when at the same time there were but three persons in the world, viz., Adam, Eve, and Cain. Who then were to slay him?-besides every one could not slay him. But notwithstanding, according to the literal history, there were but three persons living at that time, yet Cain goes out from the presence of the Lord, dwells in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden; takes to himself a wife, and builds a city, and calls the name of it Enoch, after the name of his son.

All these things will be very difficult of explanation upon the "clergyman's" plan of plain matter of fact history; but upon the New Church plan of Scripture interpretation, which it is impossible for me

to enter on in the compass of a letter, the subjects are clear, beautiful, and grand beyond any description. The "clergyman" has quoted 1 Tim. chap. 3, verses 13, 14: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived; but the woman, being deceived, was in the transgression." Upon this he says: "Here the allusion is made a matter of fact, not an allegorical description of one sex over the other." Well, then, dear friend, what is this matter of fact? Why, that Adam was not deceived; that he was not in the transgression, but the WOMAN was, and the woman only! If then, in agreement with this matter of fact statement, Adam was not deceived, was not in the transgression, with what propriety can he urge, as he does in another part of his paper, that Adam (who was neither deceived, nor in the transgression) was the cause of eternal wrath to all as their DESERT? What is ADAM, who was not in the transgression, is he the cause of eternal wrath? Yes, says the "clergyman ;" and to support it, he produces another matter of fact," As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." The woman, who was in the transgression, was named Eve, "because she was the mother of all LIVING;" but the man, who was not in the transgression, was the cause of eternal wrath, and the father of all the dead—“in Adam all die." Such are the difficulties those persons involve themselves in, who are unwilling to open their eyes to the spiritual life of revelation, but who confine their thoughts to what they call mere literal matters of fact. But inasmuch as the woman only was in the transgression, and not the man, how is she to be saved? The apostle Paul tells us how; for in 1 Tim. chap. 2, ver. 15, he says, "SHE shall be saved in CHILD-BEARING, if they continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety." If you will consult my Key of Knowledge, under the article Children, in the Appendix, p. 228, you will find something to illustrate the being saved by child-bearing; and it will, when the true meaning is known, lead every Christian to exclaim with Rachel, "Give me children, or else I die!" (Gen. ch. 30, ver. 1.) The "clergyman” also, in proof of his opinion, directs our attention to Matt. chap. 23, ver. 34, 35, where the Lord, speaking of the wickedness of the Jews, says, “Wherefore, behold I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, &c., that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." Upon this our objector remarks: "The divine interpretation of the Old Testament here mentions the

death of Abel as a MATTER OF FACT, and not as an allegorical allusion.” To this it is replied, first, that the New Church knows nothing about allegorical allusions. It is admitted, that the Lord speaks of shedding the blood of Abel as a matter of fact, and just such a matter of fact as is recorded in Genesis. It is said that all the blood shed from Abel to Zacharias was to be required of the Jewish people. Now, if these words are to be understood literally, will not this matter of fact flatly contradict another? Is not this an attempt to establish as true this false proverb in Israel: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth have been set on edge ?" Does not the Lord of heaven condemn this proverb as false and dreadfully delusive? Does he not say that the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; but that the soul that sinneth shall die? Read Ezekiel, chap. 18, and you will find how fallacious is the argument urged by our objector. Whatever the Jews had to do with shedding the blood of Zacharias, they certainly were innocent of shedding Abel's, for that was shed long before the Jews, as a Church and people, came into being. How slow of heart are men to believe that the words spoken by Jesus Christ, are spirit and life. The " clergyman" introduces the passage in Luke, chap. 17, verses 26-30, and says,—" Our Lord, speaking of the heedless state of the world when the day of judgment shall arise, says: 'As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man,' &c. Likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot, &c., it rained fire and brimstone, and destroyed them all, even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed." Here the writer contends that all things connected with the histories, both of Noah and Lot, are, literally, matters of fact, and not allegorical descriptions. Granting this, it then follows, that at the second coming of the Lord to judgment, the very same matters of fact are to be acted over again; for our Lord distinctly states in this passage, that as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." So that according to this interpretation, there will be, at the second coming of the Lord to judgment, another ark, another deluge, and another raining down of fire and brimstone from heaven. If I mistake not, I think that this is beyond even the belief of the "clergyman" himself. These things are dark and mysterious to the Old Church, but to the New they are bright and clear. "Those portions of Scripture which are allegorical (says the clergyman) are the descriptive and prophetic, not the historical." This is an assertion which, in the absence of

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proof, is of no value. If some parts of the Word of God are spiritual, why not all? They all come from one source, and all must contain a rich fulness of the love and wisdom of our heavenly Father.

The breath of God gives life to the whole, and his divine love, like the hallowed fire in the bush, burns without consuming, and shining as it were through the letter, gives beauty and brilliancy to every jot and tittle thereof. In the five books of Moses, if viewed literally as plain matters of fact, there is nothing said about Christ, and yet the Lord Jesus expressly says to the Jews, "Search the Scriptures; for they testify of Me." Again: "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me." (John, chap. 5, ver. 39, 46.) And the Lord, after His resurrection, opened the understandings of His disciples that they might understand the Scriptures, and taught them that all things were fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Himself. (Luke, ch. 24, ver. 27-44.) It is then plain, that if Moses wrote of Christ, it is not apparent in the carnal matters of fact as relating to the Jews, but in the spiritual sense, which is the life and soul of the divine law. The "clergyman," in conclusion, says, "Our Lord's genealogy is given by Luke, ch. 3, and traced up to Adam, and the pen of inspiration was never known to mislead; but it is equally true that many "do err, not knowing the Scriptures or the power of God." In the genealogy given by Luke, it is a matter of fact that Joseph, the husband of Mary, was the son of Heli; but in the genealogy given by Matthew, it is declared as another matter of fact, that Joseph, the husband of Mary, was the son of Jacob. (Matt. chap. 1, ver. 16.) This apparent contradiction is not a real one, for the New Church views the truths of revelation in the light of heaven; and where the literal sense appears cloudy and dim, the spiritual sense shines forth in glory and brightness.

I must now, my dear Madam, draw to a close, for I am afraid I have wearied you with my long letter. I hope that nothing will prevent you from going on in your religious inquiries. Be not in haste to determine, but go on in your own way of investigation. Search the Scriptures-prove all things by them, and you have nothing to fear. Look to the Lord Jesus for illumination. He will bless your endeavours, and crown them with complete success. Wishing you every earthly and heavenly blessing,

I remain, &c.

Norwich.

Θωμας.

GOD GENERALLY WORSHIPED, BY MODERN
CHRISTIANS, AS INFINITE POWER, RATHER
THAN GOODNESS.

To the Editors of the Intellectual Repository.
GENTLEMEN,

RESIDING where there is no New Church place of worship, and being in the habit of attending the worship of the Old Church, I have been struck with a peculiarity in the preaching, which I have pointed out in the following remarks, and which are at your service, should you deem them worthy of a place in your Magazine.

Yours, &c.

T. N. PERHAPS nothing more clearly shews the distinction between the tenor of the doctrines of the New Church and those of the Old, than the bearing they respectively have on the POWER of the Lord. Members of the New Church consider the divine power as nothing more or less than infinite love and infinite wisdom, blended and in operation they have no conception, therefore, of divine power any further than they have a conception of God's wisdom and goodness. It is true they may not always see His reason for acting thus and thus with his children; but they are as fully convinced that all His works are dictated by infinite love, as that the light and heat on the earth proceed from the sun, although that luminary be hidden from the sight by a passing cloud.

But how different is the leading idea of God with those of the Old Church. Power is placed by them at an immense distance from and above all the other qualities of the divine nature. By some it is esteemed so highly, that it may safely be said to be their whole, and their only God. It is worshiped by them because it is supposed to be capable of making them happy or miserable at pleasure, and that, too, for ever. With such persons God is God not by virtue of his infinite goodness and wisdom; for these, and especially the former, have but little weight with them. He is regarded and worshiped as God, solely by virtue of His power; or, in other words, He is regarded as God, because it is supposed He can do any thing he pleases, can damn or save of his own sovereign pleasure and arbitrary will, totally independent of all law and order on which the hopes of his creatures can safely rest, as upon divine rights immutably secured to them. Hence arises the importunity of their prayers, that God will change their hearts, and by which is too frequently meant, merely that He will remove the dread they have of His wrath, and give them a comfortable

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