LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Abbott, Rev. R., Norwich, twelve copies Adamson, James, Esq., London, two copies Adcock, Mr., Ipswich Appleby, Mr., Belper Backhouse, Mr., Ipswich Backhous, Miss S., London Barton, Mr., Peterborough, six copies Boyle, C., Esq., Highgate, London, twenty copies Betts, Mr., Northampton Bogg, John, Esq., Louth Brodrib, Edw., Esq., Liverpool Brotherton, Mr., Salford, Manchester Brown, Mr. John, Hull, six copies Brown, Mr. Titus, Jersey, two copies Brough, Mr. J., Longton Cattermole, Mr., Ipswich Chapman, Mr., York, three copies Jones, Rev. L., Aldmonbury, two copies Kennerley, Mr., Manchester, three copies King, Mr. Stephen, Ipswich Larkin, Mr., Brightlingsea Library of the New Church at Glasgow Lufkin, Miss, Brightlingsea Maclean, Mr. Alexander, Glasgow, two copies Marshall, Mrs., Northampton Middlemist, Mr. D., Hull, six copies Miller, Mr. Andrew, Glasgow Negus, Mr., Northampton Nottingham, Society at, twentyfive copies Ordish, R., Esq., Ticknall, two copies Patterson, Mr., Manchester, three copies Phillips, Mr., Liverpool Prescott, Rev. T. O., Glasgow Rendell, Rev. E. D., Preston Reed, Mr. Geo., Ipswich, two copies Reed, Mr. John, Newcastle Roe, Mr., Northampton Sandy, Edw., Esq., London Shaw, Rev. T. C., London, forty copies Sheldon, Mr. R. G., Liverpool Simms, John, Esq., Belfast, ten copies Soyres, Rev. F. de, Bath, two copies St. Osyth, Society at, twelve copies Stannard, Mr., Ipswich Sutton, Mr. John, Warrington, two copies Swanton, Mr. Thomas, Crannliath, Ballydehob, Ireland, three copies Tadmore, Mrs., Northampton Thomson, Spencer, Esq., M.D., Burton-on-Trent, three copies Vernon, Mr., Melbourne Waldron, Miss, Wellington, Somersetshire Wallis, Geo., Esq., Birmingham, three copies Ward, Mr., Melbourne INTRODUCTORY ESSAY ON SWEDENBORG AND HIS MISSION. man. 66 CHRISTIANITY is a final Revelation of the will of God to When our great Redeemer brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel, the testimony of the Lord was sealed. If, therefore, we or any man preach any other Gospel, let him be anathema." But although we have no right to expect any new Revelation of the Divine Will, we have every reason to believe, that in the latter days, that Revelation which has been made or given, will be better understood, and the light of truth will beam with an intensity unknown in the early days of christianity. Of this period, we believe the following passage of Holy Scripture speaks: "Moreover 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." (Isaiah xxx. 26.) This passage, with numerous others, which might, if necessary, be quoted, refers, without doubt, to a state of religious light and knowledge which has not yet been manifested to the world. Love is to be increased, and truth is to be strengthened, and burn more brightly. A universal outpouring of intelligence is to take place; a better feeling in the practice of religious duties is to prevail; and a gradual but complete change in the tempers and dispositions of men is to be seen: the "earth is to be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." These glorious results too, are not to be subject to change or vicissitude, but to endure for ever. A It is presumed that all will acknowledge, that nothing resembling such a state has yet been seen on earth. It has still to appear, and if the Word of God be true, appear it most certainly will. But whenever this period arrives, it must be accomplished through instrumental means. The prophecy does not intimate that the Lord will at once, and by an irresistible decree, bring all men to a knowledge of the truth. The diffusion and extension of truth in the latter day, is spoken of in the same manner as at its dawn, when the Lord first appeared. Now, the knowledge of christianity was then diffused by human instrumentality, and we have therefore every reason to expect, that the glory of truth in the latter day, will be spread abroad by the same means. Indeed, in the various dispensations which God has given to man, we uniformly observe Him making use of mediums to enlighten man: thus, He chose Abram to reflect the light of truth upon a then dark and benighted world. When Judaism was established, Moses and Aaron were chosen, together with the priests and the prophets to communicate and expound it. And when the Gospel was proclaimed, the Lord chose twelve men as his instruments, to spread the glad tidings abroad in all the earth. Hence we have sufficient reason to conclude, that He will use the same instrumentality in diffusing His glory in the latter days: that is, that He will choose out some man or men, endow him or them with new light and power, and commission him or them to make or communicate that light to others. But here a very important enquiry arises: WHEN ARE WE TO EXPECT THIS? WHEN ARE WE TO LOOK FOR THE COMING OF THIS GLORIOUS LIGHT, which is to enlighten all nations? One mark by which we are to distinguish its dawn is the almost universal decay of practical religion. 'Let no man deceive you by any means. For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first." (2 Thes. ii. 3.) So says the apostle and our Lord declares, Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (Matt. xxiv. 29.) That is, the two great luminaries of christianity shall cease to influence the Church. The sun will be darkened (not destroyed), overcast, and hidden by the almost universal prevalence of evil; while faith (the moon), will cease to enlighten the understanding; for the sun being darkened, the moon which shines by reflection, must of course have her light withdrawn. The knowledges of religion (the stars) will cease to be operative principles of life, and sink into merely outward profession; these will fall from their internal quality, to that which is merely external; the stars will fall from heaven, and all the principles of virtue and of holiness will be disorganized, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 66 The consummation of the age, prior to the manifestation of the latter day light, is thus figuratively alluded to by our Lord, as already quoted. "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light; the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." The establishment of a New Church is described by the creation of new heavens and a new earth, that is a new internal church, and an external church in harmony and correspondence with it. 'Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor brought to mind." And this new heaven and new earth is described by John the revelator, as the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. Here it appears necessary to note, that before a church is finally consummated, all those principles and doctrines which connect it with heaven are more or less destroyed, and the church is reduced to the same state spiritually, that the earth would be naturally, if the sun, moon, and stars were literally withdrawn. So long as the principles which constitute a church exist, so long as the sun of love continues to burn, and the moon of faith to give her light, so long has the church a real evidence of its connection with heaven. But when these principles are gone, when there is neither love nor truth, charity nor faith; when doctrines are mere watch-words by which to distinguish sects, and when the internal and external polity of the Church is shaken from its true foundation, then let those who are in Judæa flee to the mountains, for the time of the end is nigh." |