shewn that these are the latter days,' and that at this time we must look for an extraordinary increase of the light of truth-an increase not in extent merely, but in degree. We have shewn that if that light is ever vouchsafed (which it must be unless the promise is false), it must come through the medium of a human instrument; and how, we ask, is that instrument to be qualified for his task, unless he has intercourse with the invisible world?

"Such intercourse he must have, and there is therefore nothing improbable, much less impossible, in the idea of a man being permitted to see the things which shall be hereafter.**

But how are we to know, when a man comes before us professing to be commissioned by the Lord? How are we to be assured that he really speaks the truth? May he not be an impostor? May he not say that the Lord has sent him when he has not; and thus be one of the false Christs and false prophets against which the Lord warns us? We grant this possibility, and we go further; we have no doubt that many such have arisen, and will yet arise: but there is one rule which our Lord has given us, by which to try all professors, and by attending to and acting upon which, we cannot greatly err. When the Jews murmured against the Lord, "some said he is a good man; but others said, nay, he deceiveth the people." At that time the Lord gave the rule to judge by. "If any man will do his (God's) will, he

shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." 66 'He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory, but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." (John vi. 17, 18.) Here we are told, first, that before we can enter into an examination of any system, we must be willing to perform the will of the Lord ourselves; that is, we must divest our minds of all prejudices, and in the love of what is really good, resolve seriously before God, that if the system we are about to examine should prove to be true, let it come through whatever medium it may, we will gratefully accept it. Unless we enter upon an enquiry in this spirit, it is in vain for us to commence the enquiry at all. It is by this

*See Tract on the "Possibility of Supernatural Communication," in the "Christian Series," published at Glasgow some years since.

rule that we judge of the genuineness of the apostolic mission. The apostles did not seek their own glory. They did not seek wealth, but were content with food and raiment. They were dead to fame and to worldly honor; their lives were often in peril, and they were counted as the offscourings of the earth. Because they preached Jesus and the Resurrection, they were accounted idolators, but they nevertheless continued to seek the glory of Him that sent them; and in bringing the present version of the gospel by Matthew before you, our object is not to seek our own glory, but the glory of the Lord and in claiming your attention to the mode of interpretation, and to the character of the Instrument through whose medium most of our information has been acquired, we desire to ascribe all praise to the Lord, while we yield a willing credence to the servant whom we believe he has sent.

Emanuel Swedenborg* was the son of a Swedish bishop, and received an education suited to the station his father held. He early distinguished himself by the publication of several works which would have done honor to any age or rank. That he was a man of no ordinary acquirements, his works on the animal and mineral kingdoms sufficiently testify, and that from his youth he was deeply and devotedly. pious, is proved by the deep reverence with which he always speaks of the Divine Being in all his works of science. His talents brought him while yet a young man, into the counsels of his sovereign, and he was ennobled. While thus in the enjoyment of temporal blessings and in high honor with his sovereign, he all at once resigned his high offices,

"I remember nothing in Lord Bacon superior, few passages equal, either in depth of thought, or in richness, dignity, and felicity of diction, or in the weightiness of the truths contained in these articles. I can venture to assert that as a moralist, Swedenborg is above all praise. And as a naturalist, psychologist, and theologian, he has strong and varied claims on the gratitude and admiration of the professional and philosophical faculties." S. T. Coleridge. + Swedenborg's writings would be a sufficient library to a lonely and athletic student. Not every man can read them, but they will reward him who can. The grandeur of the topics makes the grandeur of the style. One of the Missourians and mastodons of literature, he is not to be measured by whole colleges of ordinary scholars. No one man is perhaps able to judge of the merits of his works on so many subjects. It seems that he anticipated much science of the nineteenth century: anticipated in astronomy the discovery of the seventh planet: anticipated the views of modern astronomy, in regard to generation of earths by the sun; in magnetism, some important experiments and conclusions of later students: in chemistry, the atomic theory: in anatomy, the discoveries of Schlieuting, Monro, and Wilson; and first demonstrated the office of the lungs." R. W. Emerson.

his employments and his emoluments, stipulating only for a moderate income, and devoted himself to that work which became the entire business of his after life. Devotedly attached to human learning, a sincere lover of his country, and a faithful subject of his king, with wealth at command and honor showered upon him, admired and respected by all, he relinquished all worldly honors that he might attain to the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord, and spend his life in the propagation of his truth.

From the period of his relinquishment of secular pursuits, he attached himself entirely to the study of the Word of God in the original languages, and to the publication of those works, a translation of which has since been given to the world. Throughout a long and healthy life, he maintained the character of a prudent, wise, and pious man, asserting that the Lord had called him to declare the truths and doctrines of the New Church to the world, maintaining this for twenty-five years, and dying in a good old age maintaining it to the last. His character as a pious man may be judged of from the rules which he laid down for the regulation of his conduct: namely,

1. To read often and to meditate much on the Word of God.*

2. To be always resigned and content under the dispensations of Providence.

3. Always to observe a propriety of behaviour, and to preserve the conscience clear and void of offence.

4. To obey that which is ordained, to be faithful in the

Swedenborg inculcates the most devoted reverence and love for the Word of God. Of the man who desires to have his mind enlightened on the things of heaven, he [Swedenborg] says, "Let him read the Word every day, one or two chapters;" and the reason why he recommends this is, because so far as we are in the understanding of the Word, so far are we in light. For the Word is the divine medium of conjunction with the Lord, and of consociation with the angels. By the Word, the Lord is present in the whole world, and heaven is conjoined to the human race. Further, when a man who accounts the Word noly, is reading and understanding it in its literal sense, the angels of the Lord's celestial and spiritual kingdom are present, understanding it in their respective senses. The Word in the letter is like a cabinet, in which lie in order, precious stones, pearls, and diadems; and when a man accounts the Word holy, and reads it for the sake of the uses of life, the thoughts of his mind are, comparatively, like one who holds such a cabinet in his hand, and sends it to heaven, and it is opened in its ascent, and the precious things therein come to the angels, who are interiorly delighted with seeing and examining them. This delight of the angels is communicated to man, and makes consociation, and also a communication of perceptions. T. C. R. 234, 238, 242, 267.

discharge of the duties of his employment, and to do every thing in his power to render himself as universally useful as possible.

A man regulating his life by rules such as these, could not be otherwise than pious, and that he was so, even those most opposed to him admit.

It will now be asked, What rank do we claim for Swedenborg? Do we consider him as the promulgator of a new revelation, or the preacher of a new Gospel? Not so! His office was not to proclaim a NEW revelation, but to open the eyes of mankind to the glories of the old one. It was not to preach a new Gospel, but to unveil the brightness of the old one. He was a scribe instructed by the Master of all, to explain the laws which that Master had laid down, and as such we look upon his writings NOT as a new revelation, but as illustrations of the revelation God has already given to mankind. Not as a NEW Gospel, but as marks and directions to guide us in our appreheusion of Gospel truth. And is this an office, or are these advantages which we are justified in denying without examination? Is the world so well acquainted with the meaning of divine revelation, that no further instruction is necessary? Are we living in such an age, that no further light is required to guide us? Dr. Adam Clarke, speaking of the revelation of John, says, "If it is a revelation, it is a revelation of enigmas, and requires another revelation to explain it!" Is there, in all the prophets, a thorough understanding of their prophesies? Is there a single doctrinal passage which is not made the subject of dispute and cavil? Are not all our systems of religion, however contradictory to each other, professedly founded on the bible? Have our numerous and confessedly learned commentators agreed universally on the meaning of one single book? Do not our religious writers as well as our preachers distinctly contradict one another; and yet do not all cite the bible as their chief witness? Do we then require no further light? Is there no necessity for further guidance? Amidst the Babel of religious systems around us, is there nothing required to direct us in this confusion of tongues? Are we to be left to grope our way among the contradictory assertions, and contentious disputations of angry theologians, so called? or are we to say that we are

left without direction, that the bible is a sealed book, and that its meaning can never be deciphered?

Without affirming that the Lord has given us any further light, we would ask the most tenacious advocate for modern sectarianism, Would it not be a great advantage to the world if such light could be given? Would it not be an invaluable gift, if the Lord would reveal to us clearly the meaning of his Word? Would not such further information be an invaluable blessing, and tend to unite the christian world in unity and peace? And can there be an entire union of christians, such a union as the prophets allude to in the latter days, without such further light-such further knowledge to be one of the characteristics of the latter day glory. Are we to say that the Lord will not give this further knowledge to his church, that he will not bestow a gift so necessary to the happiness of his creatures? Are we to affirm that no further illumination will take place; that knowledge will not be increased; that the light of the sun will not be seven-fold; and that the jarring and confusion of rival sects shall always continue or even increase?

Few, we think, will venture to affirm that light is not necessary, or that it will not be given. Few, if any, will affirm that the contradictory opinions of men will never be reconciled on matters of religious duty, or that the confusion we have cited will for ever have existence! The question then is, WHERE are we to look for this light? and WHEN are we to expect it? The latter part of the enquiry is already answered. It is acknowledged we live in the latter days, and it is in the latter days when the light foretold by the prophets is to arise. We are therefore living at the period when it is to be looked for, and as the Jews at the appointed time looked for the Messiah, so should we at this time look for the promised illumination ! To the Jews at the appointed time, the Messiah came! long looking for his appearance, they had long expected his coming yet when he came, instead of receiving him, they rejected him with scorn, and put him to death as an impostor. Why was this? It arose from their pre-conceived opinions. They expected a worldly sovereign, a conqueror; and when he appeared in an humble guise, "Is not this the carpenter's son?" was the question, and they were offended

They had been