by inspiration, nor do I learn that any who acknowledge his authority, ascribe to his works any other sense than the literal; and a person must be grossly ignorant of the science of correspondences, who could, for a moment, suppose that these works contain the essential characteristics of an inspired composition. W believe, with respect to Swedenborg, that his education, even from infaney, was, under the divine providence, adapted to prepare him for the great work, which he was to perform. His attainments embraced almost every science, that the correspondence between natural objects and spiritual might afterwards be distinctly exhibited. While he became thus thoroughly possessed of natural science, his mind was continually elevating towards heaven; for knowledge with him was never speculative, but practical, and thus his goodness kept pace with his kaowledge. He became more and more a humble Christian. The "kingdom of God" became more fully established within him, and hence he was continually preparing for its full manifestation to his view. Thus his mind was exalted by a regular process of regeneration, until it was prepared for a distinctly visible and constant intercourse with the spiritual world. This elevation was not a sudden, miraculous operation. His own account of it is, that he went through this regular process of preparation, commencing from infancy. The open manifestation of the spiritual world was, in a measure, suddea; but whoever reads and understands the works which he wrote within the last few years preceding this event, will see that he was prepared for it. There is a height of illumination and a purity of sentiment, which will continually remind the reader, that he is traversing regionsjust on the borders of the spirit land." When Swedenborg had arrived at this state, we believe that his eyes were open. ed," to see every man clearly;" and that he enjoyed during the remainder of his life a clear and constant vision of what had on some occasions, been exhibited for a short time to seers before him. In this state. of mind, truth was manifested in heavenly light, or, in other words, heavenly truth was the light of his mind. This is what he calls illustration Others have had the interior of their minds elevated into the light of heaven, so as to enjoy a clear perception of many truths, which at other times, they would not comprehend; and many good men enjoy occasional states of this kind at the pre-ent day. These are states of illustration; but they are rarely attended with even a transient view of the spiritual world. Swedenborg's illustration was constant though not uniformly clear, and it was always accompanied with open vision of spiritual objects. In this state he was allowed free intercourse with spir its, and was made acquainted with spiritua. things as they actually exist. lu relating what he saw, it is not necessary to suppose him under any extraordinary and controlling influence. Nothing was dictated to him, but ne wrote freely according to his means of information. By illustration he was enabled to understand what had been given by inspiration, to perceive the internal, heavenly truths, which," as treasure hid in a field," had long remained concealed. There is no intimation in his works, that he gave any explanation of scripture, except from this illustration; but this he constantly claims. We believe that he wrote honest. ly according to the measure of his knowledge; but he no where claims infainoli ty, and there is no reason for conceding it to him. What were subjects of experience he could assert; and all the meaning that can fairly be attached to his death-bed assertion-that he had written nothing but the truth, is that he ad possessed such means of information as he had uniformly claimed, and that he had writteu honestly. That his works contain no mistake, is not to be believed. We do not suppose any being infallible but God Hunself, and he that is absolutely directed by God. eu. We have the most ample testimony, to the excellence o Swedenborg's character; and from the high illumination and purity of his writings, we are well assured that they could proceed only from a regenerate mind, elevated into the light of heavWe give him this rank when we read his works, and have no hesitation in believing what he relates as matters of fact. Indeed the principles which his works unfold, enable us to see that spiritual things must be in general, as he describes them. The doctrines of the church we believe, merely because we understand them, and see them to be true. We admit no doctrine, nor any explanation of scripture on his authority. Some persons may do this; but it is no where required, nor is it in any degree consistent with the genius of this dispensation. It is utterly in vain to discuss the question of Swedenborg's sanity and integrity, with those who rightly embrace this system. Their belief in its doctrines is not increased by their knowledge of the sobriety and excellence of his character, nor would it be diminished, if it were proved that he was insane or an imposter. Such are our views of Swedenborg, and such is the difference we make between bis writings and the Sacred Scriptures. The next error which I shall notice, is the author's assertion that Swedenborg levels the Deity to a man.—p. 625. He also asserts on page 623 that we admit that "there are three divine essences." I cal.not better correct the e statements, than by the following quotations from Sweden borg. The Word testifies,-"That God is one as well in person as in essence, that in Him is a Trinity, and that that God is the Lord." Doc. concerning the Lord No, 90. By the Trinity here mentioned, is signified the essential Divinity or Father, the Divine Humanity or Son, and the Proceeding Divine or Holy Ghost. Respecting the Humanity of our Lord, Swedenborg quotes with approbation, the following passage from the Athnasian creed, which I doubt not will satisfy my readers on this subject. "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; and although he is God and Man, he is not two, but one Christ; one by the taking of the manhood into God; one altogether, by unity of person; for as the soul and body is one man, so God and man is one Christ." See Div. Providence, No. 162. Our views could hardly be better expressed in so few words. Let it, however, be carefully noted, that we regard the Humanity as derived from the Divinty, and not from Mary, except as to the merely material part; and we believe the merely material part was gradually put off in the process of glorification, so that the Humanity ceased to be the son of Mary, and became only the Son of God. In this respect we differ greatly from those Trinitarians, who regard the Humanity of our Lord as similar to that of men. See the work and No. last cited. From this statement it will plainly appear, that we do not admit that "there are three divine essences," and that our believing that in Jesus Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," does not entitle us to the imputation of levelling the Deity to a man. The reader is desired to compare the impressions, which would naturally be received from this statement and that to which I reply, as well in other examples as the present. A very unaccountable mistake respecting the spiritual world is complied in the following passage. "The power of the angels is described as very great over matter." p. 619. Swedenborg describes" a sensual and material heaven and hell." p. 625. Whether the heaven and hell which Swedenborg describes, be * sensual," is not a question, to which it becomes me in this place to reply; but the implication in these and some other passages, that the objects which he saw with his spiritual eyes, were material, is an idea so erroneous, that it scarcely admits of any reply but a plain contradiction. The objects over which the angels are represented as having such powers, were spiritual-not material. That Swedenborg describes a material heaven and hell, the author will not find it easy to prove from any of his authorities; and Swedenborg makes the distinction between material and spiritual objects, so great and so absolute, that no volume of his works can leave the mind in doubt on this subject. Whoever will see the distinction properly described, is referred to the treatise on Divine Love and Wisdom. Those who do not choose to read the whole are referred to No. 173. "All and every thing of the spiritual world is spiritual." Similar spiritual objects to most of those which Swedenborg describes, and to which this author refers, are mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures in the visions there related. Every reader can see, that this error is sufficient to pervert the whole system, which the author describes. The assertions that Swedenborg teaches that every inhabitant of heaven and hell originally came from this world," and that the devils" are all of one race," are calculated to give the idea, that other planets are not inhabited: and another, p. 622, implies very directly that Swedenborg gives no information respecting the inhabitants of other planets. See on this subject the articles at the close of the several chapters of Exodus in Acana Coelestia. The angels "continue in their respective places, with little or slow improve. ment," p. 618. Directly the reverse of the last part of this statement, is taught in the chapter to which the writer refers, and in every other that names the subject. "The angels are never permitted to turn their faces from the East. How they are happy in this eternal position it is difficult to conceive" p. 619. It should have been stated that the east is where the Lord appears as a sun in heaven, that the angels constantly look toward the east, means that they constantly look to the Lord, and no more fixedness is implied then in the words "I foresaw the Lord always before my eyes." Whoever can be happy in acting with a constant reference to the Lord as his light and life, need not marvel that the angels can be "comfortable or happy" in the same way. I have given the true meaning of Swedenborg See heaven and hell, Nos. 142-3-4, Divine love and wisdom, Nos. 129 130-1 2-3-4. On the subject of correspondence I shall make but a very few remarks, because the subject is of too great magnitude to be described in this article. After attempting to give some idea of it, the writer, still doubtful whether he understands it, says: "Lest there be a possibility of mistake I quote his (Swedenborg's) own definition of correspondencies. quæ in cœlis, sunt in terris terrestri modo; omnia quæ in terris, sunt in cœlis cœlesti modo."-p. 20. This is a maxim, and not a defininition;" and its author was not Swedenborg, but Hermes; and Swedenborg does not quote it. The following is Swedenborg's-" Totus mundus Omnia, naturalis correspondet mundo spirituali; nec solum mundus naturalis in communi sed etiam in singulis; quapropter quicquid in mundo naturali existit ex spiritua li, id dicitur Correspondens." De Cœlo, et Inferno, No. 89. I will merely remind the author, as I leave this subject, that when Swedenborg gives a spiritual meaning to one term, he does the same by all in the passsge, and thereby avoids such absurdities, as representing "understanding and doctrine drowned in the Red Sea." See p. 621. The assertion that Swedenborg treats miracles with "contempt," p. 625, is without any foundation. He shows why they were necessary at the commencement of the Jewish and Christian dispensations, and why they are unnecessary in the present age, when a more full explanation of the former dispensations is given. At the commencement of the Christian dispensation miracles were performed literally, as the only adequate natural forms in which the works of redemption and of regeneration could be represented. These miracles are to be performed spiritually at the Lord's second advent. Those who are spiritually blind, are to receive sight, and those who are dead in sin, are to be raised to a life of righteousness. Every man becomes a real citizen of the New Jerusalem, just so far as he has this wit. ness of the truth within himself,-just so far as the miracles recorded in the Word are performed within him spiritually. It does not become me to discuss the questioh here, whether these spiritual miracles render natural miracles unnecessary; but it will be obvious enough to every one, that such views as these do not justify the charge of treating miracles with contempt," nor the assertion, p. 625, that if the claims of this system are allowed, the miracles performed by our Lord and His Apostles were stains and blemishes upon their characters and the religion which they taught. Respecting the several passages which make Swedenborg say that his revelations are superior to all others, and that this dispensation is more perfect than those which preceded, 1 need only remark, that if Swedenborg's works give us a correct exposition of the scriptures, those who read the Word in this light will ̄understand it better, and receive from it a higher order of truth, than Jews or Christians have obtained but this light must be all from the Word, and Swedenborg's works are merely assistants towards understanding it. This is not I think, the view which would be obtained from the above state ment. In introducing a summary of the creed of this Church, the writer remarks"This, it must be confessed, is no easy task; for these writings are so voluminous, so obscure, so unintelligible, so filled with chaos and fable, and so frequently contradictory, that it is next to impossible to reduce the system to a tangible shape," p. 623. Most of these epithets are such as it does not become me to notice. The charge that the writings alluded to, are "contradictory," should have been proved. These writings are indeed “voluminous," but this does not render it difficult to state the general doctrines which they teach, for they are reduced to a simple form in several of the works. It is remarkable that the author should not have discovered them in the Arcana Coelestia, prefixed to the chapters in Exodus. The little work, which has been much circulated, entitled Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, contains the same. The Universal Theology presents them in a more extended form, and this, as well as the Arcana Coelestia, the writer had before him. With what success he has examined them, shall now be shown. In this "summary" he ascribes to us a belief in "three divine essences." Upon this passage we have already remarked. It is the only one in the summary which mentions our faith with respect to the Divine Being; and no other doctrine is even named, which any members of the New Jerusalem believes to be, or which Swedenborg any where asserts to be, of primary rank or vital importance. Not a word is said of charity or holiness of life, of Faith, of Redemption, of Repentance, of Regeneration, or of Providence; and nothing that we believe, or that Swedenborg teaches, respecting the Lord or the Sacred Scriptures. The Sacred Scriptures are mentioned in an assertion, that we believe they can be understood only by those who can explain them in three distinct senses," We believe that they contain three senses, and that it is important to understand and live according to them; but there is not the least reason for saying that we believe there can be no understanding of the Word, without a knowledge of its three senses. The literal may be understood, though not thoroughly, without the higher senses, Whoever conforms to the literal precepts from love to the Lord and charity towards his neighbours, will have his mind purified and elevated, so that he will understand much of the higher senses. He will not, however, be able to see them in a connected series, without knowledge of the science of correspondence. If the article, to which I reply, were in no other respect deficient and erroneous in its statements, this summary of the creed of the New Jerusalem, would furnish us abundant cause of complaint. All that Swedenborg represents as of primary importance, and that we hold most dear, is entirely omitted, or so misrepresented as to contradict the highest principles which we derive from the Word of God. But I will not censure; the reader shall make his own inferences from the facts above stated. It is however proper, that I give from Swedenborg some statements of the essentials of religion. From the work on Divine Providence I extract the following:-"There are three Essentials of the Church,--an acknowledment of the Lord's Divinity, an acknowledgement of the holiness of the Word, and the life which is called charity: conformable to his life, that is, his charity, every man's faith is; from the Word, he hath a knowledge of what his life ought to be; and from the Lord, he hath Reformation and Salvation. If these three had been heid as Essentials of the Church, intellectual dissensions would not have divided it, but would only have varied it; as the light varieth colours in beautiful objects, and as various jewels constitute the beauty of a kingly crown." No. 259. I have now said all Mr. Editor, which my purpose necessarily requires. If in any instance, I have exceeded my proper limits, your candour will enable you to see that it was somewhat difficult to ob. serve them. Accept my bearty acknowledgments for your indulgence, in allowing me to make this reply. SAMUEL WORCESTER, Member of the Boston Society of the NewJerusalem. Gloucester, Mass. Jan. 1824. In a very different spirit from that which characterises the foregoing letter, are most of the communications which we have received on the same subject-particularly a pamphlet of twenty pages, by M. B. Roche, of Philadelphia. This writer, with much zeal and apparent deference to his own views, enters upon the investigation of the several topics touched upon by our correspondent, and seasons his remarks plentifully with vague and canting allusions to the 'Westminster Confession of Faith,' 'election,' 'reprobation,' &c. The article to which he replies, furnishes him with an opportunity to show the importance of the science of correspondence' in explaining "the deep mysteries of the internal sense of the Holy Word." Respecting the drowning of the Egyptians he says:-"We believe that Pharaoh and his people represented the false sciences of the natural man, which are ever opposed to the soul's setting out on pilgrimage for heaven, and that the horses represented the intelligences deri ved from this carnal source, and the chariots the doctrines of error iounded thereon; and that the Red Sea signified heil. Now let us view the whole in connection with the words of our opponent. horse signifies understanding, and chariot doctrine, and this is both new, and astonishingly instructive, as it leads us to see that all that understanding, and all that doctrine which wars against the true Church of God, shall finally be cast into hell, and the spiritual Israelites, in true warmth and holiness of gratitude, sing a triumphal song.' Swedenborgians are not the first who have discovered that the Bible contains a great deal more than it might seem to do. Cocceius discerned in every word of Scripture all its possible meanings united; and the Rabbins perceived that on every point of Scripture hung mountains of sense. With these principles of interpretation, or the science of correspondence, (which seems to us to be neither better nor worse,) for our guide, the Bible does indeed become astonishingly instructive;" for it teaches every thing ou every page; and the historical parts are a hundred-fold more fuil of doctrine than the preceptive. We may find in it all sorts of allegories, analogies, and hidden mysteries, by which to confirm or nullify all manner of creeds and doctrines. Thus a Jesuit may make the greater light to mean the Pope, and the lesser light and stars, kings and princes subject to the Pope. Adam Clarke may prove conclusively the doctrine of falling from grace, from the circumstance of the lamps going out, in the parable of the ten virgins. A multitude of interpretations may be given to the same passage, all equally consistent with the text, however inconsistent they may be with one another. In short, all schemes of doctrine may be made out with equal facility by this allegorizing mode of interpretation. The moment we adopt it," the world is all before us where to choose." The science of correspondence might have given Swedenborgianism an unbounded ascendency over the minds of men in the dark ages, but it cannot hope to make much head against the progress of knowl edge, and especially of biblical knowledge, at the present day. Answers to Correspondents. B. N.; TOTA; and a Memoir of J. C. have been received; also an obituary notice, which came too late for the present Number. We neglected to acknowledge the receipt, some time since of two communications signed V. We have a number of valuable communications on hand which shall appear as soon as we can find room for them. Erratum, p. 176, c. 2, 1. 19, for prescribed, read proscribed. THE CHRISTIAN SPECTATOR. No. 5.] MAY 1, 1824. Keligious Communications. For the Christian Spectator. In giving mankind a written revelation, God never intended to close the book of nature, as no longer of any use; but to throw a stronger and steadier light upon its interesting pages. While, therefore, we press the Bible to our hearts as the only volume, in which "life and immortality are brought clearly to light," let us with holy admiration contemplate the perfections of Jehovah, as they shine in the firmament of his power, and are displayed in the revolutions of the seasons. Such an exquisite relish had the Psalmist for these contemplations, that the beauties and glories of the creation were continually in his eye, and never ceased to ravish his heart. How of ten, in looking upward, did he pour out the fulness of his soul, in such strains as these: "The beavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge." There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Thus, also, while he adored the power, wisdom and beneficence of the Creator, in all the changes of the year, he was peculiarly delighted with the new-born beauties and youthful gladness of the opening spring; and the sweetest pastorals that can be found in the world, were VOL. VI.-No. 5. 30 [VOL. VI "flung from the harp of the son of causeth the grass to grow for cattle, he may bring forth food out of the earth. Thou visitest the earth and waterest it; thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God which is full of water. Thou preparest them corn when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou makest it soft with showers. Thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the little bills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks, the vallies are covered over with corn, they shout for joy, they also sing." Thus sang the sweet Psalmist of Israel, as his delighted eye ranged over the fresh and budding glories of the year. Scarcely, if at all less bright and charming, is the scenery of our country at this joyous season. O for the harp which the fingers of David swept, aided by the life giving influences of the Holy Spirit, to help us in our present meditations. God has once more "renewed the |