An Appeal in Behalf of the Views of the Eternal World and State and the Doctrines of Faith and Life, Held by the Body of Christians who Believe that a New Church is Signified by the New Jerusalem Embracing Answers to All Principal Objections

cussing some principal branch of the general subject of the SECTION. The whole work is thus divided into portions of moderate length, affording breaks at which the reader may conveniently pause. Readers, also, who would be alarmed at the idea of having to read so large a volume all through, may at first confine their perusal to those PARTS, in the subjects of which, as expressed by their titles, they feel most interest; and, if pleased with these, they can extend their reading further. But the Author hopes that none will conclude, from the perusal of some PARTS alone, that he has failed to establish his points; since the subject and argument of each PART of a SECTION usually receives light and confirmation from the rest; and the SECTIONS themselves, also, are similarly connected with each other.

In the present Edition, as little as possible of the personal matter respecting the Rev. Mr. Beaumont, whose publication, entitled The Anti-Swedenborg, originally occasioned the composition of this work, has been retained. But the work being framed, as a principal object, to meet the common arguments and objections against the New Church, in the form in which those arguments and objections are stated in the Anti-Swedenborg, it was neither possible nor desirable to divest it of the form it had thus assumed. Mention of the Anti-Swedenborg and its objections is therefore retained; but only as a convenient formulary for objectors and objections in general.

Besides the alteration of the form of this work in the present Edition by incorporating the Notes, large quantities of additional matter have been introduced. The Sections, in particular, on the Trinity, the Atonement, and the Christian Life, which, in the former Edition, to keep the whole within the prescribed limits, were greatly contracted, are now ex

panded to dimensions more in proportion to the other Sections, and less incommensurate with the importance of their subjects. Other large additions have also been interspersed throughout. By adopting a larger paper and a smaller type, nearly twice as much is contained in a page as in the text of the former edition; while the number of pages is nearly the same.

Of the APPENDIX to the former Edition, there has only been retained the Article, No. 1, Various Particulars relating to Heaven and Hell, &c., Explained. The subjects of this Article are not sufficiently general to be introduced in the work itself; yet it will be found, on perusal, more completely to take away the ground of many common objections made against the writings of Swedenborg, and to evince that those writings contain no statements whatever, which cannot be rationally vindicated. Most of the other portions of the former Appendix have been incorporated in the work itself. One additional Article has been introduced, on a charge often brought against the New Church, that of Sabellianism. This would very properly have made a portion of the work itself; but the part in which it might have come in was completed before its introduction was thought of. The subject being important, the reader is requested not to overlook it where it stands.

On the whole, this APPEAL, in this Edition, has, as stated in the Title, been entirely re-modelled, and greatly enlarged; it is hoped that it is proportionally improved. It has been brought out in compliance with a request of the Twenty-sixth General Conference of the New Church, a resolution of which declares, "That this Conference is glad to have the opportunity afforded it of bearing testimony to the extensive uses that have been performed by the work in question, which

has been fully proved, as stated at a former Conference, to 'afford valuable assistance to those who are desirous of vindicating their faith, and of opposing the influence of error and misrepresention;' and is known to have been the means of introducing many to an acceptance of the doctrines of the New Church, and of settling the minds of others who were wavering as to their reception." The Author is truly thankful that his work has thus been owned of Him, from whom all pure Truth, and all that is really Good, proceeds; and that it has also been so favorably accepted by his brethren. That the present Edition may be still further blessed in the same way,—may be instrumental in bringing many souls into, or of establishing them in, the true way of eternal life,and that many may feel cause to be thankful in eternity that they had been led to peruse it; will be his continual prayer.

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