BY THE ASSUMPTION AND GLORIFICATION OF HIS HUMANITY. 557 would depend on those spirits as efficient mediums; and when they failed to be such, their mission was at an end. From the commencement of the existence of evil in consequence of some men becoming evil spirits, and the number increasing in proportion to the progress of the fall, it would follow that the world of spirits, as one vast medium, would become impaired, and the influx of the life of angelic spirits would be gradually diminishing; and also, that their states in general would be less pure and exalted, until they were entirely inadequate to the requirements of man in the world; then the influence of evil would preponderate over that of the good, by reason of which human liberty could no longer be sustained, but must cease to exist. This was actually the case when the Lord came into the world; evil spirits were then taking possession not only of the minds, but of the bodies of men, of which many instances are recorded in the Divine Word. Whatever length of time might be required to bring about this state of things, it would necessarily ultimately come to pass; the fall could not continue for ever, but must one day come to an end. When mankind in both worlds had arrived at this state, what greater benefit could man have conferred upon him than the opening of a new medium for the conveying of life to him, and of the effecting of an eternal conjunction between him and his God? Surely none. This was accomplished by the Lord's assumption of Humanity, which became an eternal mediator, by which a more copious supply of spiritual life was granted, and which is now radiating from the Sun of Heaven, according to the prediction"The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people and healeth the stroke of their wound." (Isaiah xxx. 26.) By virtue of this increase of spiritual light, man may now receive life more fully, and rise to the enjoyment of higher states of purity and more exalted blessings than he could before. Since the Lord assumed and glorified His Humanity, man receives life not only through the medium of angels and spirits, but also immediately from that Humanity, and that which flows thence is called the Holy Spirit. Before the Humanity was glorified, that Divine regenerating emanation did not exist, it then having no source; hence it is said— "The Holy Spirit was not yet," and the reason given is this-" because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John vii. 39.) It was in allusion to man's rescue from the preponderance of evil, and his more copious supply of spiritual life, that the Lord uttered these divine words—“ I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more 558 THE BENEFIT THAT THE LORD OBTAINED FOR MAN abundantly." (John x. 10.) This, then, is another benefit obtained for man by the incarnation. But you ask what advantages were obtained for man in respect to his remains, by the Lord's incarnation? True it is that there were advantages gained for man in every respect by that intensely great event. The advantages gained for man from the Lord's incarnation, with respect to remains, was that he might still be supplied with them, and also that he might be able to apply them to the use for which they were intended, viz., the effecting of his salvation, which without the incarnation would not have been possible. Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh could have been saved. (Matt. xxiv. 22; T.C.R. 182.) If remains had still been supplied to man, and the work of redemption had not been accomplished, the object for which they were given could not have been answered; for they would have been suffocated by the evils in the external man, or drowned as by a flood. The end of the First Church is signified by a flood, to which I have adverted in the fourth part of my essay on remains. It is important that we bear in mind the fact, that remains in themselves, as received by impressions from without, are only formal, and can be filled with any degree of life; and they become goods of the quality of that life with which they are filled, and by which they are actuated; hence the remains possessed by man may become goods of any degree, and of any quality, according to influx of life. This being the case, it will be seen that if the life by which remains were filled was only external, the remains themselves, by the reception thereof, would be external also, and the possessors of external goods are at most only externally good men. Now, before the Lord's advent, even the good spirits with whom man was in connection were only external, therefore the only life which man could receive from them was of an external kind; and indeed no other would have been accommodated to their states of reception. The advantages, then, which resulted to man from the Lord's incarnation, were not simply a more abundant supply of remains-that alone would have been no advantage-but it was a supply of superior life, together with new remains to receive it. The new remains were from the Lord, either immediately as uttered by His own lips, or as given in the gospels; and the superior life by which they were filled was that which proceeded from the glorified Humanity, and is called the Holy Spirit. Now, my dear sir, I cannot say that these remarks will answer your expectations, but they are such as I am at present able to offer for your BY THE ASSUMPTION AND GLORIFICATION OF HIS HUMANITY. 559 reception. And I would say in conclusion, that if we desire to see the advantages which resulted to man from the Lord's incarnation and glorification, we must in the first place be prepared to believe that some vast change was effected in the spiritual world, by means of which a more copious outpouring of life took place, a change worthy of God's assumption of our nature, and the mighty work of redemption; which change was no less than a reorganization of the heavens, a cleansing of the world of spirits from human defilements, and a new arrangement of societies there; it also included the formation of a new heaven, from which exists the new church in the earth. When the vast changes which were wrought for man, and the great benefits which have been conferred upon him by the Redemption, are made known to the contemplative mind, it is amazed at their magnitude, and is unwilling, because unprepared, to admit that benefits so wonderfully great have been secured for mankind. Poor selfish man cannot conceive that blessings so disinterested and full of love have been provided for him; he can neither fully appreciate nor comprehend benefits so great. Greater blessings were never dispensed from the throne of mercy, nor can greater be conceived of; and nothing is required in return but a free reception thereof. Then will man be so ungrateful to his Divine Benefactor as not to receive blessings so great and so dearly purchased? Or will he be so insane towards himself as to reject these proffered mercies, the reception of which is attended with the most exalted happiness and eternal life, and the rejection of them with eternal death and misery without end? The advantages, then, realized by man from the Lord's incarnation are, firstly, rescue from infernal thraldom; secondly, a more copious supply of spiritual life; thirdly, existence in a state of probation; and fourthly, the opportunity of being saved, and the enjoyment of eternal happiness. I am yours faithfully, S. S. SUPPLY OF THE MAGAZINE. As the demand for the first two numbers of the Repository for the present year exceeded the supply, provision will be made for securing to new subscribers copies of the next year's issue from the commencement. We may take this opportunity of pointing out the great accommodation which the publisher offers to isolated members and others, to send the Repository, post free, to any part of the United Kingdom. 560 REVIEWS. PRAYERS COMPILED FOR FAMILY USE. PROVERBS. SACRED TRUTHS AND HOLY THESE two small works, published by Mr. Alvey, 36, Bloomsburystreet, we owe to a lady, who seeks to promote through them the cause of piety and holiness. The prayers are derived from old church sources, but are divested of doctrinal notions at variance with New Church views. They are brief, and may, we think, be used with advantage. The other little work consists of passages and parables from the Bible, with references to Scripture lessons, on various subjects. To these are appended a catechism, one part of which at least does not exactly answer to the title of "sacred truths," since it contains the cardinal error of salvation by substitution. "If you have hitherto gone in your own way and sinned against God, and broken His just laws, what can you do to make things right? I fear I can do nothing to make things right-I cannot undo the past.-How, then, can you be saved? Jesus Christ made Himself an offering for sin. He took my sins upon Himself, and suffered with pain and anguish for them. If I have a mind to be good, it comes from His Spirit, and if I look to Him I shall not perish, but have everlasting life." This does not, indeed, end with the application of the doctrine that we are saved by faith in Christ's vicarious sacrifice, which is its logical sequence, but it certainly teaches the doctrine itself. If the compiler intends the book for New Church use, she should either remove the catechism or alter it so as to make it expressive of none but New Church principles. MISCELLANEOUS. CURRENT TOPICS. IT is commonly acknowledged that, at least, the civilized world is now being guided by some beneficent influence not previously experienced. This influence we ascribe to the descent of the New Jerusalem from God out of heaven, The church, so called, is constituted by the evidence of new perceptions of divine truths in the Word, and a new love for the righteousness which they inculcate; thus, by a deeper insight into those spiritual processes by which the regeneration of humanity is to be accomplished, than that which previously existed. On this ground we may reasonably expect that some evidences of this new influence will be found to permeate the various forms of that dilapidated Christendom by which the progress of the new dispensation is opposed. This expectation is being realised, and we look to it as affording some evidence that a heavenly institution has indeed begun to take some root among mankind on earth. Hence, it is interesting to observe what is transpiring in professedly Christian society, with the view of discerning the hindrances, and marking the progress, which the influences of divine truth are experiencing. As the New Jerusalem is the precursor of an extended liberty of thought, in reference to spiritual things, we must logically conclude that it will be associ MISCELLANEOUS. ated with provisions for a larger freedom in the political existence of mankind. And so it is. It is impossible to look abroad upon the continent of Europe, and not observe the struggles which are going on between the peoples and the governments, having for their object the removal of those laws which are inimical to liberty, and the adoption of freer constitutions. In Rome, Italy, and Spain; in France, Prussia, and Germany; in Denmark, Holstein, and Sweden, these facts are exceedingly conspicuous. Old despotisms are unwilling to relinquish their power to tyrannize, and the new liberty which is born into the world is urgent for its enjoyment; and who can doubt the final success of freedom! As the knowledge of truth extends, the possession of freedom must be secured. One of the most glorious and more recent triumphs of this knowledge has been displayed in America, where the bonds have been struck from four millions of slaves, and laws are being enacted for the maintenance of their freedom. It is true that this has cost much precious blood and incalculable treasure. The blood is terrible to think of, but that evil must be accepted as a divine permission, requisite, under the circumstances, for such a result a result which will not only carry its favourable influence throughout the world in our own day, but provide some means for the enjoyment of its privileges in all the future ages of mankind. most painful occurrences in the world are ruled by God for the accomplishment of some eternal end: "Evil shall slay the wicked." God permits an evil to destroy an evil, to the end that some permanent good may be established. The existence of a great evil can only be struck down by a corresponding force of the same family hence, the atrocity of slavery seems to have demanded so gigantic a war for its extermination. And, as to the treasure that has been expended, what is that to the humanity that has been liberated, and the justice that has been asserted! The Passing from those events which we considered to deserve a notice, because they mark the progress of that liberty which is the bright companion of our Church, we go on to other matters more technically related to religion. It is reported from Rome, in some of the Continental papers, that the Pope intends to convene a general council on 66 561 the 29th of June, 1866, for the purpose of proclaiming the dogma of the infallibility of the sovereign Pontiff. That day has been selected because it is said to be the 1800th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Peter, when that circumstance is also intended to be solemnised! The infallibility of man! When will folly have an end, and such presumption cease to blush? Dr. Manning, who from a minister of the Established Church became a "Puseyite," from thence a Catholic priest, and who is now Archbishop of Westminster," after laying the foundation-stone of a new Catholic church at Brentford, a few weeks since, delivered an address upon the progress which the Catholic Church is making in this country, in the course of which he said-"The holy, infallible, and immutable church, from which England departed three centuries ago, was again becoming the corner-stone of its faith." The use of big words is among the surest evidence of little things. Truth is more eloquent in its facts than in its terms. An expiring flame always strives to show a light. It is astonishing how unbridled desires will delude; and they who assume the mantle of a prophet without an appointment from the God of prophets, may be expected to speak great things without any warrant from His truth. A discussion has been started among some clergymen, to show how uniformity of faith may be maintained without a creed. Dr. Stanley has spoken favourably on this subject, and referred to the "Independents" for an illustration of the idea. To this, however, an " 'Independent Minister" has replied that, although they have not a creed in name, they have enough of it in fact, and states that that which is held by the public teachers must be in harmony with the creed of the "academical boards" and the "ordaining ministry." Thus they adopt the traditional creed of "orthodoxy," without accepting its words. We learn, also, that this body is now engaged in the preparation of "a model trust deed," in which their traditional and recognised faith is to be inserted. This, it is said, will be so stringent in some of its forms, that they would exclude such men as John Wesley, Fletcher, and the Archbishop Whately from their ministry;-the two former because they did not believe in Calvinism, and the |