Rev. 18. struction (into the soul) upon the spirit of 1. And after these things my soul saw another 19. 17. And my soul saw the spirit of an angel stand- 20. 11. And my soul saw a great pure knowledge, and the soul that sat on it, or that abode in it, from whose mind the human philosophy and the moral knowledge fled away, and there was found no place for them. 21. 1. And my soul saw (in herself) a new spirit of heaven, and a new spirit of earth; for the first spiritual knowledge and the first human philosophy were passed away (in her): and there was no more deep and simple human philosophy (in her). 3. And my soul heard a great instruction come out of the throne of God, or out of the spirit Christ, saying, behold the religion that is the tabernacle of the Spirit of God Rev. is with the souls-men, and His will or His holiness will dwell with them. 21. 4. Neither shall there be any more pain (in the soul or in the mind), for the former imperfect knowledges are passed away (in her). 23. And the new and most perfect religion hath no need of the spirit of righteousness, neither of the spiritual humanity, to shine in it: for the wisdom of the Spirit God did lighten it, and the doctrine of the Lamb is the light thereof. 22. 5. And there shall be no human knowledges, sentiments, affections, or nothing worldly there, and their souls need no philosophical instructions, neither light of the spirit of human righteousness; for the commandments of the Lord God give them light and they shall reign (upon themselves) for ever and ever. 16. My soul's knowledge is the root and the offspring of the spirit David, and the bright knowledge that is the beginning of wisdom, or the true fear of God. Theophila, I shall be extremely glad for you, should your reflections upon the way that I understand the earth that seems to me to be mentioned in the Scripture, and more particularly upon the Sacred Writings themselves, lead you to a better explanation of that earth, to one that would give you more satisfaction than mine probably will, as I am not able to demonstrate to you clearly what it signifies, neither to show you positively what distinction ought to be made between the earth and the world. In the beginning of this extract, I have said that they may mean different degrees of the same thing; notwithstanding the similarity that seems to exist between them. I imagine that my interpretations have given you room to conclude that at present I am inclined to suppose that the Scriptural earth, when it is only the dry land (Gen. 1. 10), means the dry, uncultivated, ignorant, opinion of oneself, bearing but imperfect notions, and differing greatly from that opinion in a degree of simplicity, which I think to be represented by the water in the Bible; and that, when it ought to be understood as a body of land and water, it signifies that opinion considered as the human system, that is founded on both the opinion of oneself and the opinion of good and evil; a system that requires constant watchfulness and persevering labour to make it bear wholesome fruits for the mind, and to prevent the good from being overpowered by the evil; a system more or less tempered with simplicity, more or less influenced by humility and pride; more or less penetrated and enlightened by various instructions, whether philosophical, whether spiritual; more or less cultivated, fertilized, and made advantageous to the soul. The world appears to me to mean that same opinion in a higher degree of instruction than under the name of earth, and taken as the inward state and ruling principle of mortals, as the knowledge, both simple and proud, that chiefly acts upon them, while they remain subjected to humanity; as a collection of good and evil, an assemblage of lights and darkness; as a philosophical spirit or system, founded on both the opinion of oneself and the knowledge of good and evil, partaking of simplicity and learning, more or less enlightened; more or less useful and dangerous to the soul, in proportion as the knowledges and the opinions she receives and entertains, are right or wrong, and tend to make the mind humble or proud. In the inferior condition in which I find myself, I consider the world as a philosophical system above the human, from Christ, at his death, descending into the earth from the world of which he declares himself to be the Light (Matt. 12. 40). The different parts of the earth or of the world seem to me, as you may have perceived, to represent the various degrees of the opinion of oneself and of the knowledge of good and evil, also the many human and philosophical systems (among which that of the Scripture Jews stands pre-eminent), in which the soul dwells successively in the course of her regeneration: according as the Omnipotent God, in His justice, wisdom, and goodness, has ordained it for every one of His fallen and degenerate children; and by which, as He may do it also by the spiritual knowledges, I understand He prepares them, each in his appointed time, to the better and heavenly system that is Christ's true religion, which completes and crowns the work of their regeneration, and by its holiness supersedes in them for ever all other systems. Were there a book that, leaving aside all the localities of every country, would treat only of the spirit, character, notions, opinions, sentiments, affections, tastes, propensities, inclinations, &c. of their inhabitants, it would not prove, I confess, so useful for the common purposes of this world as our geographies, but it might be very interesting to reflecting minds, by exhibiting to them this world in a particular point of view, rather philosophical; and might assist them towards the intelligence of the Scriptural earth, and of the hidden sense of the visible creation. They might find it more instructive to think of any one (without excepting themselves and invidiously judging others), as being, according to his mind, degree of knowledge, temper, opinions, prejudices, &c. as being an Egyptian, an Assyrian, a Judæan, a Galilean, a Greek, a Roman, a Corinthian, an Ephesian, a Maltese, &c. more instructive than to see in him an European, an Asiatick, an African, and an American, only because he was born naturally in this or that part of the earth. Perhaps many, on perceiving the good and the evil of which it has pleased the Almighty to form the characteristic feature of every individual or mind, would be led to a wish of improving themselves by the acquisition of the qualities they would value in others; in preference to judging and criticising their to-be-avoided defects: by which I apprehend no one who confines himself to it, can expect to be benefited. As it is likely to me that, among the interpretations which I have ventured to lay before you, and which, I repeat it again, you ought not to look upon otherwise than as doubtful opinions, by no means to be admitted without disquisition, many will appear to you, especially at the first reading, obscure, and unintelligible, let me beg of you, Theophila, not to trouble yourself much to find out what I have meant. Why would you lose your time about what may be a gross error of mine! It is pro |