Edward Madeley and Benjamin F Barrett THE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES ELUCIDATED The Swedenborg Publishing Association Germantown 1888

THE
SCIENCE O~, CORRESPONDE.NOES

ELUOIDATED.
TII E
KEY TO THE HEA VENLY A.ND TRUE .JJEANING OF THE SA CRED SCRIPTURES.
BY
R.Ev. EDWARD :\JADELEY,

:EDIT&D BY IIIS SO!f: REVIl!ED A$11 OllEATLY E!.'LAJl.GED
J!Y
B.F. DARRETT.
Por aa the han-cns are hlgher tban the
e&rth,
yonr way, and my tboughto Ulan your thoughtll."-Jaa. Iv. 9. " f'or the Ill\ lsible thfngs of Hlm from the crcatloo or the world are cleariy - . i. belng untlel'>10od by the thlogs tbat are madc."- .Rom.. 1. 20. .. I, the I..ord tty Ood, b .. o rnultlJ>lftd isloo1 and utd lruilltudeo."- 1/0f. xU. 10.
\~~\~/~ IO are m7 wa:tl~her tt.an
~'>/'
TWE> VTY-SECOlm A.lIERICAN
ED17'10J.~
GERJIIANTOWN, PA.: TITF. RWF.OENBORG

PUBLI~HlNG
AS.c;ocJ ATIO~.
{ I
The Connecticut New Church Association,
!faiing graluilously dislribuled lo all of lhe Proleslanl Clergy 11ilhin lls Slale a copy of l~is 1olume, al a (juarlerly meeli11g Jzeld in llle cily of !farlford 011 lite 17lll day of .Yovember, 188i, il was unanimousl y rJlesolved, "Tlzal lhis .1.ssocia lion will co11li11ue llle good work by graluilously dislribuling lo l'he 'Proleslanl Clergy lhrouglwul llle Uniled Slales, a copy of lhe volume, enlilled 'Tite Science of Correspondence Elucidaled.'"
Appl(ation~ ,\l'~<X'IATIO'.'\,
for thi" ,ol11111e rlirected to THE Co:-;:CTICTT NEW CHURCn New llnYen, Conn., will recehe attention.
TIIB FA!Tll OF THE XEW CffCRCJI.

The Lord Jesus Christ ls the only God of tho heavens and the enrt!\ In lllm !sa divine Trlnlty of Love, Wlsdom and Power, called ln the Scrip ture the Father, Rou and Iloly Spirit, and represented ln man, who was created ln 1!111 lrna:.ro and likeness, bl' the soul, tho body, and the operatlon thence. Ile came to rn1tn by aq~umlng hls hu:nnn nature, through which Ho '"'er<'nme the asccndcn<y of hell wlth hlm, and thus redcem<'d him. )fan accepts rcdempt.lon and I~ regcnerated bl' ghunnlng evils as sin ln th :wknowlodgment of the J,ord. The Sacred Scrlptur" is the \\'ord <1! Ood, <>ontalnlng wlthln and nbove its letter the Divine Truth lt1*'1f. Dy lt rncm may kuow good !rom evll, may bo asoclatcd \Vlth angels, and conjolned to the Lord. ~ran ls an !mmortal spirit, <'lothed wlth a materlal body, whlch is put olI at deat h; nfter whlch, accordlng to the 1ual lty of h ls l l fo upon earth, he dwells ln twaven a< nn anl{el, or Sl'eks au aborle wlth hls llke ln hcll. The fl<'cond Com!ng of the Lord !s not ln person, but is in the openlng o! the fiplrltual scnse of the \Vord and ln the establishment or a New Church on carth. It was etrccted by a General Judgment, whlch took place A. D. 1757, and b~ the revelatlou of the doctrines o! that Church through EmannPl Rwedenl>org, a servant or the Lord Jesus Christ.
7ne laie tRei. E. Paxlon lfood, a well-known Englisll aulJwr of llte eranuellcal sclwol, leslifies lo lhe value of llte Science of r'orrespondences, as lauglll in lite 11rilings of Emanuel S1vede~ borg, as follows:
<''111 tlw Book I' at all umlt1stoo<l u11leo;.o; thi:; be consi<lered?
"Tht> Hihle is written Crom Appenrances and C'orrcspondenccs. .
Ilow
. .
:->wc1hnl>0rf:!: rPmml"l the H'il; and truly WOJHlerful it i>i to find how b~ thi.; prin<ipla of ink'rprctation [Gorresponden('I' ], the mo~t opposite pas-1itgeS of tlw ~arnd !look are fonnd to lm\e consistcncy an coh<.'rence the mind of tlw Book h('<'<?lll<''! mo~e plnin a.n clrar. . . There is ~ spfrit as well. ns a J~iter m th~ ','or~ .~f 'l ruth."-Sirede11bora: .1 biography awl 1111 },.11>us1l1011, pp. b69, l:H, 8<>.
~rese ntel>
to
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1tbrarp
O f tbe
'Ulntl'crstt\?
of
~oronto
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"
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CoPrltlORT.
TllE SWEDENBOUO PUBL!SBIN'l ASSOCl.lTlllll.

1888.
E DITOH'S PREFACE.
s JNCE the removal from this world of my dcar father, it has been a labor of love for me to finish tbe work on which hc was engagcd for many years, but which the statc of his health prevented him from carrying to completion. The intricate nature of the corrections he introduecd, often with years of intervals, and the voluminous notes he colleetcd from his extensive reading, has kept the work longer in my hands than I desired or expeeted. I have at Just found time to complote it, and, throngh the kindness and libertility of an American friend, to whom my best thanks are due, I am now ennbled to offer a worthy and affectionate memorial to my father's memory, anrl also to prcsent to the Church a ncw cdition of a work which stands alone in her literature, and which I trust and believe will be useful in extendiug a knowledgc and love of God's most R oly Word. E. M. Boxt.EY, l\fA.IDSTONE, ENuLAND.
Sept. 21st, 1883.
ili
AUTHOH'S PREFACE.
following ;rnrk [Part l.] originated in a lecture delivcrcd at the opcning of Albion Chapel, Albion Street, Leeds, in 1847. I reluctantly consented to the carnest request of many who heard it for its publication, as an epitome of the great subject on which it professed to treat. On reflection, 1 thought it would be but a brief and imperfect sketch-little more than a tract, of which scveral admirable ones on the same topic are widely eirculatcd by the ~lanchestcr Tract Society, and the London Missionary nncl Tract Society of the New Church-and 1 determined to give it a more permanent value; and in this edition have altered its arrangement, and, in<leed, rewritten no inconsiderable portion of the work. 1 have added a series of notes, not only such as are explanatory, illustrative or confirmatory of the subjects and rea.sonings of the text, but many drawn from various sources designed to show the rcmarkable coincidenoes of thought which have obtained among pious and learned men, of all periods and classes; and which indicate most distinctly that an idea, in some shape or other, has bccn and still is prevalent, that an inward spiritual sense or meaning exists within the letter of the Word of God. Much which hns been written on this subject, especially by the early Christian Fathcrs, affords only funciful and n.rbitrary explanations of the Holy W ord; yet they seem eagerly to have sought a more certain rule of exposition, which, in the wisdom of Providence, was rescrved for a distant and more preparcd age. Even the Apostles only "knew in part, and prophesicd (or taught) in part" (1 Cor. xiii. 9). The declnration of our Lord to his disciples, "For many prophets and righteous men have dcsired to sec thosc thini,-s which ye sec, and have not scen them; and to hear
iv
rrHE
AUTIIOirS PREFACE.
those things which ye henr, and have not heard them" (Matt. xiii. 17), is equally applicable to the New Dispensation under which we are now living. The illustrious Swedenborg has been the appointed instrument, in the ordcr of Divine Providence, for restoring the long-lost Science of Correspondences to the world,-that " chain of golden links by which heaven and earth are bound in harmouious unison ; " and this work is designed to answer, without any pretension to critical exactness, and in as plain and familiar a manner as possible, the inquiries which are continually and naturally urged, as to what iil meant by this science,-how a knowledge of it may be acquired,how its truth may be demonstrated,-and in what way it is to be appiied in expounding the Roly Word: and also to remove some of the difficulties which, from want of a knowledge of this science, every one will encounter in first taking up a volume of Swedenborg's expositions, and which have induced some earnest minds to rclinquish the study of his writings, and regard his interpretations as clever, but chimerical and capricious. I can exhibit only the rudiments of this momentous subject, and for its complete development must refer the reader to the works of Swedenborg hiroself. No satisfactory reasoning can be substituted for the confirmations which so vividly and so constantly present themselves in his pages, especially such as are founded upon bis extensive and profound metaphysical and physiological investigations, and his luminous expositions of mental phenomena, or deduced from his own roarvelous psychological experience. I have endeavored, therefore, by the numerous quotations made from this enlightened author, to keep the necessity of attentively reading and studying his works constantly before the reader's mind, in the hope of awakening an interest in them as treating of the things which preminently belong to our spiritual and eternal well-being. For the notes to which no writer's name is annexed, the author is responsible, with the exception, however, of a few to be found in Lexicons. Severa! of the pnpers in the Appendix are inserted by
*l
ACTIIOIN~
I'REF.t CE.
l'lpeeinl desire, with a ,;cw to obvintc <lifficulticswhieh might other wiae perple" the r('t\(lcr. The fonncr c<lition baving hem exhnusted in n fcw months frmu the tirne of its publirntion, this cnlarged, nnd the author hopcs greatly improvcd, edition i~, nt the earnest eolicitation of nuruerous nnd vnlucd friends, submittcd to the public, " ith de vout prayer to the Lor<l .Jcsus Christ (without whose blessing our best efforts nn. vain), thnt it mny pro>c eonducivc to the ndvnncenent of true religion, nnd be in~trumentnl in rcmoving from man) mincls thosc objections \\hirh himlcr thcir belicf in the truth of Rev el:ition, becnu~c ba.."C<l ou whnt appc.'\rs to derognt<> from the purity, ~nnctity, :rnthority :m<l 1livinity of the ORACL ES OF TRUT H .
E. M.,SR.
IlrRMIXGilAlll'.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
The Science of Oorresponclences Elucidatecl. CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER Il.
mmeuttlcs of the Mere Llteral Sense of the Word Stated.-The Literai Sense Proved to be lndefenslble and Inexplicable lf an Internai Scn.<ie be Denled. 2.t
PAGll
fnoportan of the Subject.-InsplraHon Defined, and the True canon of the Won! or God Declded
13
CHAPTER III.
Th&t the Dlvlnlty and Sanctlty of the Won! of God is the Conseqnence of lts Conlalnlng an lnternal or Spiritual Sense
S2
CHAPTER IV.
The Laws or the Science of Correspondences St&ted and Confirmed.-Thc Doctrine or Correspondences well known to the Anclents, and its Corruption the Orlgln or all
ldolatry and Sqperstltlon
88
CHAPTER V.
Thal the Sacred Writers bear the most Ample and Cogent Ttlmony to the Existence of a Spiritual Sense ln the Word of Ood .
54
CHAPTRR VI.
~
DUferencc betwn Corresponden and Metaphor, Fable, etc., slated.-Correspondence defincd. wlth Examples of lts Application ln expoundlng the Holy Word
CHAPTER VII.
The S.:lence of Correspondcnce8 nota Speeulatlve and Vls!onary Theory. bnl an All!lolute Reallty.-lllustratlons from Opposlt, and varlous other Subjecta-Tho Objeets for wWch tho Word of God wa,s Revealed only Answercd by the Admis slon of lts lnternal Sensc. whlch &!one Dlstlnguishcs lt Crom ail other Compositions, and Reconelles lts Apparent Contradlctions.-Unlversallty of th!s Divine Science, and the Neeessity that Exists for the Word belng Wrltten accordlng to Il.
CIIAPTER VIII.
The Dlfference betwn the Apparent and Genulne Truths of the Uteral Sense of the Holy Word Explalned a.nd lllustrated U2
CHAPTER IX.
The Corl'\l6pondence of \Var and Implcment.s of \Var ln the Holy Won!
124
CIIAPTER X.
On the Will and Undcrstandln'!'. as Comprlslng both the Divine &nd the Iruman Mlnd ; on the Marnage of Divine Goodness and Truth thereln, and on the Union of Love and Wlsdom ln the Holy Word, wlth Illustrations. 131
CHAPTER XI.
The Three Degrees of Llfe, the Trina! Distinction lu Ood. and the Tbreefold Constitution or the Human ~Und and t.ho Iloly Word Expla1ned, and thelr Mutual Correspoudcnoe lllustrat.cd . Ul
vii
viii
CONTE1.\'TS.
CRAPTER XII.
f'olol"I, Numlx-1"1, Welgbt, Mea.<ure, Mu.Jcal Instrument., e~.
PAOK
170
CJIAPTER XIII.
The ("orre!>pondencc of Anhnals, Parts of Anlmals, and Compound and Monstrous Anlmals, with Illu.tratlon~ . 190
CHAPTER XIV.
<:orre:<pondcncc or the Vcgetable World, wlth Illostratlont Corrpondcnce of E&rtbs, Mlncral$, etc., wllh Illu.stratlont
200
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
<:onwpondence or the Son, J\loon, and Stars; the IdolatroUJ Wonhlp or lhem, and I~ extensive Prevalcnce and InJluence . 231>
CllAPTER XVII.
T11c Flnt Chapters of Genesl8, to the Zith Verse of Chapt.cr XI., A Grand Sertes or Divine Allegorles, whlch can only be Int.erprctcd by the Science of Corre pondences 2C2
CHAPTER XVIII.
IILtory of the Flood, the Art, and of Noah and hl! Po6terlt:r, an Allcgory; or, rather, a !'plrltoal lllstory clothed ln the DITlne Lan~e or Corrpondeuces 2:>1> 8acrl0clal Won;blp
CHAPTER XIX. CHAPTER XX.
fhe Entlre Hlstory of the Four GOf'pels Llterally True, but Slgnltlcatlve and Repre fentatlve ln every Partlcular Rcoorded.-Illustratlons Cl'om the Lord's Parable1 and Miracle~. His Transfigumt1on, Lite, llllnlstry, and Cruclftxloll . 27t
CIIAPTER XXI.
The Boat of Rcvelatlon Wholly Oompnsed of Divine SymbolJ or Corrpondencee
Co"CLt ION
292
211'
PART II.
Aclclitional Illustrations and Confirmation of the Doctrine. CHAPTER 1.
TllE KEY OP KNOWLEDOL-Introductlon, 300.-Creatlon of the World,306.-COnt.ra dlctory VleW!l of Chronoloi;ers Conccrning the Age of the World. 31l7.--0eology ln llannony wlth Scrlpture, 308.-The Sun the Imtrumental Cau<eor Creation, 311.Hr llumpbry Davy' \'lcw, 813.-Connectlon betwcen the Creaior and llis Wort1, 3tt.-l'lcnary lo'J>lratlon of the Woro or God, 317.-Corrc~ndence, the Sore Rule or!lcrtptureinterpretaUon . S21
CIIAPTER Il.
The Orlglo of Correspondence, and why the Scrlplore ls Wrlttcn ln Agreement wlth Il, 3~.-Some Proofa Glven, 32.'>.-Revelatlon the Volce of God Speaklng to Man'a Wiil and Intellect; thercfore or Plenary Inspiration, S32.-0pinlons of Anclcnt and Modern Aothors Rrspectlng Correspondence, 837.-Tho Prayer of Met, "Lord, I Be!>eech Thee, ~how me tby Glory," Explalncd, 845.-The Tri-Unlty or God, Ill Conslstinit of Love, Wlsdom, Power, Exhlblted ln ail Creation, St7.-C0r ret.rondcnce of the Three Klngdoma of Nature wlth the Three Degreea of Llfe ln )fan
HAPTim . ni.
l"hc LorJ' Wonl :Magnlftt.'d ahovc ail His Name, &'>2.-Comparlsons Between the Lli eral and !'plrituat Scn.ea of the Word of God; lllustratlona or, 353.-The U11& of
CON'l'EN1'S.
ix
PAGE Corresponden ln Ex:plalnlng D1mcult Passages of Scripture, ~.-Ita Use ln Ex:plalnlng the J\!lracles and Parables, 857.-COrrespondcn of lbe Sun, Moon. and Stars, 300.-The lsracllllah Journey from Egypt Io canaan, 366.-ExplanAtlon of Varions Scrlpture Phrases, 867.-Ezeklel's Vision of Holy Waters, 369.-Two :Miracles lllustrated by the Le.w of Oorresponden, ''lz.. "Death ln the Pot." and the RestoratlonofSlght Io the Man Born Blind, byWasbing ln the PoolofSiloam, ~77.-The TTlbute-Money round ln the Flsh's Mouth, 387.-Rellglon aud Science Connectcd, 391.-Concluslon 89C
CHAPTER IV.
A
KEY TO THE SPIJIITUAL SIONU'ICATION OF NUXBEJIS.-lntroductton, 396.-Numbers l to 12, Inclusive-One, 403.-Two, 411.-Three, 419.-Four, 426.-F!ve, 434.-Slx, 445. -Seven, 451.-Elght, 400.-Nlne, 466.-Ten, 469.-Eleven, 475.-Twelve, 478.-A Rule for Dlscovering the Signification of other Numbers 487
CHAPTER V.
A KEY TO THE SPllllTUAL SIONJPICATION OF WEIGllTS Al<D MEAS011ES,
490
CHAPTER VI .
PRECIOVS AND CoXXON STONIS, TH&IB MEA.NINO IN Sc11IPTUBL-A General Aooonnt of the Stones mentloned ln the Sacred Scriptures, lhe Purpea to whlch they were applled, and thelr varions Signlflcattona 503
CHAPTER VII.
Stones used for Altars, Plllars, wun-. and Memoriala
CHAPTER VIII.
Tables of Stones for the Ten Commandmenta
~16
CHAPTER IX.
Tbe Breaat-Plate of Aaron, called the Brea.st-Plate of Judgment, and also Urim and Thummlm 629
CHAPTER X.
The Science or Oorrespondence Applled as a Key to the Spiritual Interpretatlon of the Principal Symbola ln Revelallon xxt. Chapter, and !ta Appllcablllty and sur. ficlency Demonstrated M9
CHAPTER XL
The Word and lts Insplratlon.-No Written Word before the Fall.-The Anclent Word lhat became Logt.-Sonrc,-e of the Grectan Mythotogy.-All Rellglous Knowledge Crom Divine Revelatlon.-The Scriptures a Light to ail Natlone.-The Medium of Oommunlcation between Angels and Men.-Nature of the Word ln Heaven.-11 lu.'<tratlng and Confirmlng the Doctrine of Oorrcspondence.-Distinction between Verbal and Persona! lnsplratlon.-No Wrltten Word on any Ea.rth but ours, and the Reason why 562 The Doctrine of Correopondence Applied as a Key to the Spiritual and Tme Meanlng of Matthew xvi. 18, 19.-The Rock on whieh the Church ts Built.-The Keys of the Klngdom or Heaven, et<:. li90 Correiipondence Applled to the Interpretat!on of I11alah vu. 15.-" Butter and lloney sball he F.at, that he may lmow to re111se the Evll and ehOOfle the Good" 595
CHAPTE R XII.
CHAPTER XIII . CHAPTF.R XI V.
The Correspondence of Salt, 59'J.-Some Illustratlvc Examplos Crom the Word. 600.Thc Preserving Prlnelple of Sa.li, and its Oorrespondence, 001.-lts Fructifylng Princlple, and Its Corrcspondence, 60'2.-Jta Oonjoinlng Prlnclple, and lts Corre 004 sponclenee
CONTENTS.
('JIAPTER X\'.
<.'o~ron<lenC'f'
P.lO
Applled to the lotcrprctatlon of Matth~I\ xlllv. ~: "Pray ye that 7our ntcht be not in the Wlnter, nellher on the l'abbath day" 008
CIIAPTER X\'I.
COITC~pondcnce
of the Serpent, wlth
lllu~tratlve
;Examplcg from Serlpture
616
CHAPTEI~
X\'11.
l\atural and l'piritual Subl<tancc nnd Form.-Truth and l.ove arc l'ubstantlal.-'J'he Natu111l a11d !'plritual llocly.-ObJ1'<'ta in the f;plrltual World, and the Law ofthelr F.xl>tcnt'<'.-Di5Crete Deirlt'<', C'onfirmlng the Dtrlne or Corrcsponden.---Ood, the lnllnlle and selfe:rt<tlng l'uWlce 62'7
CIIAPTER X\'III.
Ct>rre.rondence of the nu man Body and ils l'aria to Thlngs S1>irltual and Dl'l'lnc
~
CIIAPTER XIX.
rhe Truc Worhip of the Lon! Rcp"scnted by the Offcri nif' of lhc Wise Men from the l>a.t. The l'plrltual mcanlng orool<l, Fnnklncene, and Myrrb, as unfoldcd hy ('orl'<."-pondence G-12
APPE~"I>IX. Nece<ajty or Divine Re~latlon; on tbo Canon of Sacre<! l'crfptutt, and the Geuufncnl'OI and Authentlclty of the Various Books Compo51ng the Word of the New Te11tament and lhelr Uncorn1pted Prescrvation; wlth a Dricf Ana1ysls or, and a few Rcm&rkl! on, cach Book f\r..c. JI.-The Canon of Pcrlpturc f>r.<". IJL-The Dooks of the Authorlzed Version or the Bible whlcb are not Plenarlly lnplrcd, 656.-F.zra and l\ebemlah, 659.~Roth, G."'9.-E.ther, lillO.-Job, 001. -l'ro\cr, 662.-Ecclesl&.1>*"" v.-The Song of Salomon l'r.r. IV.-The Apocrypha !lu. V.-RaLblnlcal Lit.en.tore !lr.c. VI.-The &ptoagiot, or Oreck Vernon o! the Old Tclltament !lv.c. Vll.-The Versions of the llerlpturcs uscd by Emanuel l'wcdenborg i;r;c, Vlll.-On the Intcgrlty of the Word of Ood, and 118 Mlraeolous Prescrvation $F.c', IX.-The EplsUcs of the A(>O'tlCS !lrc. X.-The Jewtsb Canon of tbe Old Testament l'Ec. Xl.-The Four DH!'erent l'tylt!ll ln wbich the Word of God Il Wrltten l>tt. XII.-The Anclcot \\'orcl l>rc. XIU.-Why was not the lntcrnal l'eD.!C of the \\'ord Re\'ealed betoreT. l'f"'. XIV.-The Anthorf!ed Enrllab Version of the Bible S. l.~Dl~rtatfoo on the
r .....tbllft:r and
651
M3
663
fi(;6
ci
667 &68 670

676
683 68:1
r.N;
~
fNl
R"' X\'.-nc~s
f<F..C, XVI.- Drnldlsm
r.oo
G96
l'rr. XVII.-The Pythagorean Doctrine of Metemps:rehols Fr.c. XVJII.-The Hlcroglyphl<'ll, lllel'Ol!'lyphs, or Aa~?l'd Wrltlngs and Engra\lng!l, ami the Il<'pl'ell<'ntavc Im"l;l'" of the Egyptinns f:r.c. XIX.-llow was Il that the l'11lritual lkthod of lnll'rpretaUon Practf!led by the Earl)" Christian F'athPn<, ll"l'tl ln the C'hurch, or wbat 1'el'e the Ca~ of !ta llttllncT f'Ec. XX.-Tbc Document Theory, and the A'l!yrian Tablel1 !lr.c-. XXl.-The Thrcc Terl'lll<, Corl'Ofponcknccs, !Wpre.entatlvea, and Significatives
70'l 70.
ni
724 729
PART 1.
THE
Sc1ENCE OF CoRRESPONDENCEs
EL UCIDATED.
ABBREVIATIONS.
The following an the abbreviated titles of the worb of Swedenborg quoted or referred to in this work. A.C. stand Cor Arna Clestia. A.E. " Apocalypee E:xplained. A.R. " Apocalypse Revealed. T.C. R. " True Christian Religion. C. S. L. " Conjugial and Scortatory Lo9e. II.H. " Ileaven and Hell. D.L. W. " Divine Love and Wiadom. D.P. " Divine Providence. S. S. " The Sacred Scripture. D.L. " Doctrine of the Lord. W.H. " The White H or&e in the Revclation. H.K. " Hieroglyphic Key. J. S. B. " Intercourse between the Sool and the Body.
xli
THE
SCIENC E OF C ORRESPO N D ENCE&

OHAPTER I
IMPORTANCE OF THE SUJIJECT.-INSPIRATCQN DEFIMED, AND CAMON OF TBE ORD OF Goo DECIDED.
nu:
TRUll
n 1HE subject of this treatise is one of momentous interest to every .l well-disped and reflective mind. Accustomed to reverence the Bible' as a book containing the revealed will and wisdom of the Supreme Being, written under immediate inspiration, and professing to regard it as the fountain of ail spiritual light, and the source of ail religious knowledge, we must, if indeed we are humble and teachable, fcel greatly rejoiced when we learn that there exists a certain and tmiversal rule of interpretation, by which its glorious truths can be disclosed, its heavenly wonders unfolded, its consolatory doctrines displayed, and its sacred prepts made plain. In this state of miud we are prepared rationally to perceive the true nature and character of the Holy 'Vord as "the power and wisdom of God,"-the only au thentic source of religious knowledge and spiritual wi.sdom (John i. 1, 2; Rom. i. 16; 1 Cor. i. 24). W e shall be disposed to regard it as a spiritual meat and drink,-" the green pastures and still waters" for the repose and refreshment of the Lord's fiock (Ps. xxiii. 2); and as we receive the heavenly nourishment by which our souls live, we shall exclaim, with the prophet Jeremiah, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and they were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (xv. 16).
Rible ls a word derived fl'om" lril>/()f," the lat.ion of the Hebrew Scrlplures as "the Greek uame for papyru1, lhe mosl ancien\ Book," and whlcb bu beeu adopted lnlo , the deslgnalion of the Sa materlal oui of whicb ll.s derlvallve, paJm', ail languages .. wa.s made. Bibl us, t.be ~ypllan pl&nl, gne cred &ripturcs in a collected form. \0 lhQ Grecks thelr name for papcr, and thls The Jews call tbelr Hebrew Bible," The ~gal" gave tbelr name \0 lhe earliest traus- Book of Holiness; or" The Holy Book."
13
14
TIIE SCIESCE OF CORRESI'OSDENCES.
Iueoutrovertible rcu."ous might be adueed for the ahsolute ncccssity of a direct re,clation, nnd al~o what are commonly called the prosumptive and positive but irre::;k;tible evidenecs, both intern:.U nn externnl, satisfaclory Il.'\ they arc, in proof of the genuineness, nuthenticily, and intcgrity of thosc books ''hich form the Word, togcther with the overn helming tClltimonics in favor of their verity derivcd from the won<lrrful literai fulflment of many of the inspired predictions,' and from thcir mancllous cffeets in advaneing humat c:frilizaLion wherever they have been freely circul:ited ; likewise the invincible proofs of the <livinity of t he Holy W ord, as exemplifie<l in the perfect harmony, sim plicity, and practical tendency of its doctrines, an<l their univel'!'n.1 adaptation to the exalted purposcs proposed; the furthcr corroborative testimony which might be a<l1luce1l from important philo~ophica.I investigations, philologicnl inquiriCll an<l rc;;ponses, ~cien tific scrutiny, and arch:cologicul discoverics, togcthcr with its mirnculous prc:iervation from age to age, ami<l the ficrst colllmotiolli! and demstntion::<, and the dismembcrment of all the nations that have c\cr cxisted on the face of the earth; s and the wondcrful uuity of tho wholc, though \\ritten by the instrumentality of varions men, nt tftant pcrio<ls,-nll of whieh fact.:s and circumstances strongly argue n divine in8piration an<l prescience. 1 pa.."S ovcr thcsc multiplied argumenb, saffactory ns thcy are, and take far higher grounds than these in bchalf of the in!!piration of the W or, aud appeal to the D\\ard conscioll:!DCSS, expcricnce, and rca.son of ail. To admit that a book is the pure dictate and voicc of Go1l, <lcruaml;s that wo should rcquire it to be authcnticatcd, as well ns di!S crimiuated from othcr pro<luctions, not mercly by verbal cxC"gcsis, criticnl nualysi~, and hil,tori<'al rcsearchcs (howe,cr Ynluahlc thcy
"A rropbCC)', ll~rtJJy rulnlled, iJs a real an "'rlum rrom the rury or Il' rnl'mies. miracle: oue such, fatrly produd, mu"!. go Thouuh it bu bttu rldlruled more biUcrly, 11 grcat way ln convlncing o.ll rca.."Onahlc ml,rrprc'ICUtc<l more grn,,ly, OJJlO<{'<l more mcu."-Cou.1:<~. ran<"irou,ly,aud burntmnrc frequcntly than " Four th<>u."1ln<l yc~ tbia ret volume auy othcr book, and perh&)'S thau nit otl1er hn.' with1t<JOd not only the Iron tooth or book unlte<l, lt 1, so !..r frnm slnkln~ uu<lcr lime, but ail the rhrlcal arul lntellc<tual . the efforts of I~~ enemic. that the probabll llrenzth or man. l'rctcndcd frlend he" e ityof Il survl\'1111: I now murh gri>atcr thnn corrupk'<l &n<l bctntye<l it: kln~ and )'rlnce'I 1t:vi>r The rnln bas dClll'c11dcd, the Ooods hllve )lel""ver!ugly '()Ught to bani~h it from hne corne, the torm he. arlsen and bcat the world. the civil 11n<l tnllltary powcrs of upon Il; but lt fcll not; for Il wa fouuded the grcat empire" of the wnrld have bcen upon a rock. Llke the burnlng buh, il hM lellguc<l for lt d~trurtlon; the tlrC of pcl'<c- bn ln llamC'I, yct lt ls 1<1111 unconUmL'<l,cuUon hft\'e h<><-11 l!~hlt> consume both lt a uftklcnl proof that tbere ls no olher rcYC and I~ frlrndIOethrr; ILDf llt min)'~"-"""' l.tUnn from Ool,-that lie who pt.ke from deat11, ln lt mo<t horrl1! forn1~. ha l>een the thc bu,h, lg the aulbor of the Blble."-P.&~ e.lmt certain conequ1ncc or aOordh11i il SON.
TilE KEY TO TlfE REA VENLY MYSTERIES.
15
may be in furnishing expositions and confirmations of the letter), but by the highest and most eogent evidence.' "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say" (1 Cor. x. 15). "l'rove all things, hold fast that which is good" (1 Thcss. v. 21). Far be it from me, however, to decry or undervnlue the use and application of profound philosophical, archreological, and scientific researches, applied to tho enodation and illustration of the letter of the W ord of God, from which, when directed by sound piety and judgment, therc is nothing to fear. On the contrary, honor and gratitude arc duc to all who, in a right spirit, engage in Biblical criticism. For it is of the utmost consc.quence that the literai sense of the W ord should be as critically correct, and as absolutely definite as possible; because this sense, adapted to ail rcaders, is the only just source and fithful standard of ail truc doctrine and genuine morality.5 A careful examination of the Bible may lead an impartial and reflectiYe ruind to sec that it consists of two kinds of writings, distinguished by two very different degrecs of inspiration :-one primary, plenary, and infallible-the other sccondary and partial, whieh might appropriately be considered as the result of the spiritual illumination of the writer's rational mind. The first, or superior degree of inspiration, is that in which the speakers and writers were inspired as to the very wori they uttercd and recorded. For the time thcir individuality was suspended. Thcir mind, reasorr, and mcmory were altogether subservient to the prevalcnt influence of the Spirit of Jehovah, who " spake by them, and his word was in their tongues," which were as "the pen of a ready writcr" (2 Sam. xxiii. 2; Ps. xiv. i.). The writers were only scen in their representative chract-Ors. Their States were intermittent; at timcs they were in the Spirit, and had direct intercourse with the spiritual world, and conscious communion with God, while at others they were in their ordinary state of mind.'
"One is tempted Io rcma.rlt bow mucb we may Jose b)' the cold, dry w&y in whfcb wc are api Io read the sa.cred hlslor)', as mere matter of critlclsm, blstorice.J or moral, con lrasted Wltb !be hlgb and tbrilllng vlews whercwlth the eccleslasllcal rules of fnterpret&tlon warrant those wbo adopt !hem." -Tracu of the Timea, lxxxix~ p.101. On the above Important toplcs much has been ably wrlttcn by a ht of leamed, lodcfatlgable, and skllful men-of all ages and countries, wbe ne.mes and works ft ls unnecessnry Io enumerate. Judlclously read, wltb every allowanco for the respective au1hors' means or Information, rellglous sentiments, and predllectlons, tbese works wlll satlsfy every lnqulry of the student on the historlcal, chronological, and phllologlcal evidences, both lnleroai and external, or on the unquestlonable genuineness and 11,u tbcuticity of the sacred books which compose tbe Wonl of God. (S .A.ppcndix, on the Integr11 of IM Wor<t of GQd. in the Lttlc'.) Durlog the prophetical eC8tasy the very a.ctlons and words of a propbel are srmboll cal, as 18 rightly obscrvcd by Irenus."LANCA,'rrER, Pelp. lbm., p. 16. (See Ill&. :a. 3; Ez. iv. l; XX-"!'iv. SS.)
16
1'BE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
Thus every term, yea, every "jot and tite" (.Matt. v. 18) of suc11 books wtlS dicta~ or spokcn by the Lord himself,-nece$arily con tains a heavenly, spiritual sense, distinct from but withiu the lit cml scnse, and consequcntly both senses are most holy and divine. Now the books of the Bible written according to this peculiar stylo arc the pure and plcnary "\VoRD OF Gon. For " inspiration," Swedenborg says, "implies that in ail parts of the Word, even the most minute,-as well the historical as other parts,-re containcd celtial things, which refer to love or goodness, and spiritual things, which refer to faith or truth, consequently things divine. For what is in spired by the Lord, descends from Him through the nngelic heavens, and so through the world of spirits, till it reaches man, beforc whom it presents itsclf as the W ord in the letter." (A. C. 1837.) The second or lower degree of inspiration is that which is genernlly supposed to belong to the entire Bible, in which the writers, for the cdification of the Church, were led by the illumination and direction of the R oly Spirit as far as THE SENSE is conrned, without being inspired as to the words they used, or in the descriptions of the events and facts they relatcd. The views of the New Church, therefore, do not differ from those of other Christian expositors and commentntors in regard to the nuthority whieh belongs to the latter class of writings, the subsidiary objects for which they wcre composcd, or the mode of interprctation usunlly adoptcd (see Appendix, p. 651); but we widely cliffcr from all others ns to the character of those books which are affirmcd to be plcnarily inspired. And the distinction is, that these are maintaincd to be of immediate divine authority, and thus more saercd-more practical than modern thcologians admit. W e believe them to be the divine truth itsclf,-an emanation from the divine goodness itsclf, -and holy even to the very letter. And further confirmed as it is tous by the most convincing evidence that this very Word of God, thus plenarily inspired, is written according to peculiar laws, which are applicable to no other compositions whatsocver. And morcover, that the books so written are, in the Old Tcstament-those cnumeratcd by our blessed Lord, in Luke xxiv. 44, with refercnoo to Him self, namely, "TIIE LAW " (the Pentateuch, or five books) "OF l\fos~,'
" lmplred penons rcmaln mere\y human ' 1 n the celcbrat.ed catechlsm of R&bbl lxlog ln repect of pu~e. not lmmedl Abraham Jagel, orlginally extracted fl'om at.ely conneewd wilb thelr 1pecla\ mba;ions Malmonldea, lt Ill Ul!el'l.ed lh&t MOl!GI actcd and eodowmentt!."-Kt!llWl';\'O(u anJ am. u the mero amanuewda of God ln wrlt!D& menti, 2d Ed., p. 131.
T/IN KEY TII,t T OPE.VS TllE SCRIPTl'RE.<;.

THE P HOPUE'fli AXD T U B PHALW~," 8
17
and iu the New Testmnent, the Fouu GPEJ.s.' which relate to the history of our Lor's incarnation, ministry, and glorification, and record bis vcry word!<; toi?ethcr 11ith the book of R1;n;L.\T!ON, which the Apostle John calls "the rc\'elation and tcstimony of Jcsus Christ," anrl which hc says wu.~ "significd " to him, or as the original \1ord 10.;a,. menus, 8tjlllbolirully tlwwn to l1im. Thesc 8cri}lturcs, thcu, are contradbtinguishc1l &om ail human compositioru; 11 hnt.soever; nn whilc the histories rt.'cord<"l are ail, iu the gcncrnl scnse, literolly true, 1 yet the wholc i~ c11 pable of lxing intcrpreted by t he known, dctcrminuble, hnrmoniou~, uni vcrsnl, nud unerring law on which thcy rcst, nnd nccording to which they werc written. Thnt the t.erm G0><pcl (or" l?hul tidings," or" news that is 1rell ") 11 i~ takcn to mel\n the F<mr G08pcls, nml that these wcre ahYays rcgar1lcd llS, ln somo sense, more holy thnn the Epistl, is evident l>>lh the hf<tor!eal an.J tercmonlal partS of 1Holy r.h""1 parted, and bccame inlO ''"" hb llTc b<>ot."-1\lrlo Jla1i\ p. 161. hcad'-"'-Jlurpoll' .!'mn'111, p. 62. (Cyprian "The eniire Old Tc>i.ament la a counected n._..,. the me fti;ure.) 0<r1c or my<terlc, relalluir; to Cbrot, who, Orlgcn, aa quoted by Eu..cblus, prcobyWr thm~h ou~. i~ rcprcocnted hy varlous types or Alexauclrl&, al,.-, AY" "Tite four evan au. 31. the wholo Church or Ood."-Jli.-i. Ettl., !lb. vL, cat. ~. AugW'llne, who ftour!E.hed A. I>. The Son ot !'lrach llCClllS lO allu<le to m wri~ that "The Cour gope!& hAre th(' 1111 lhreclold divi.lon nt the ScrlptUn", ln lllgh~t authorlty."-LordrT' G~ Jli'!f.., the preface to Lbc boot or Ellallru"' vol. 111., p. :m. wrltten about l:.l yoors bcfore the Christian cm, "here ho mentions 'The Law, the tOBy flndlng a spiritual OCMC ln the \\'ord pmphcl, and Ille otlter books of our Fa. of God, Jlllary wut not allov lhal bistorical lhc"""-WoLF, Ulb. lleb ., vol 1., p. 2.~. lruth I wcakened or traye<l.-" ln the lie ginnlng or our cre&li<e we 'nrned ot.ltt"' Tallan, a lltUe aner the mlddle of lbe agsln<t uppoolng lhat we dctracle<I rrom th<' .."'Ondcentury,eo111po..edaHa?Don1ofthe bellcfln tran~ctlons by leftebing Illat the Gu<~I; thefir-toflhckind l<htchbadbeen lhingg Uiemeh'es eontaln('d wlt.ltin tllcm nttcmpled, whfch hc callcd Dial<>flrrl)11 [of the outr'lngs of suooe<iucut rcalltlc~."1h~ f<>ur], wblch llomontrates tbtlt at thM Q>mm. in .llalt. t'ii.. i., p. 6-10. lime lh~re werc four go11pels, and no more, 1 Cyril of Alexandrl& a.L'o '"YS. .. Allbnu1th of e>la ILhcd auth<>rlty in t_he Cburch. lhe spiritual oen.se be good ~nd fruilful. i 11 lrtnu-, nol long aller, mention> al! the I what 15 hl,Wrical sh<>uld i,., iateu as riru~I F.augc!Ms hl' namc. arra~ng lbtm ac- history."-ll>mm.;,. 1"4-, llb. 1., Orat. t, ,, 1 tonlfng to the ortkr wberein the> \1 rote, li., PP. 113, lH. whlrh ls the !'&me M thal uuivcrsally ghcn 1 .. Ucmcmbcr," Tertullllln remarks, "t.ltat 01cm lhrou_ghout the Cbristlau world to thls when wc admit of spiritual alleroclc'I, ll>c tll\y, a'"'i1tnmi: rcaon why the il'""'P<'L~ c_au true lilcral cnse or the Scrlpture b not oo 1 cllher fewer "'."more. Early lu the llnrd altercd." ct:utury. Ammomu., al~ wrote a bannony oc lht four 1:.,,.1'(:1." - f'ap/YI! .l'rtl1,,., 1 11 "The Gl'ffk word f<>r Go"f'tl means p'~I 111... '" ~ Ibt<r (}o"J..IA, vol. i., p. 131. l'ee liding, f1'1'l'I or i"llfMi ,.,.,.., Our Eugll'h nbo ll'tlll<'Oll' ()1m1n nf ll<L Kno Tut, p. :i.-.;, word G0'-1><'1,' t\'hlch 18 eompoundcd of the "The gpcl wrlt<>r were four-hui the !'a.xon word God-good, sud IJ>rll-n hhlory, go1><'l i. oue" (Orlu<n, C<!ut. Jlartltm, scc. I., narrativ11, or 1ncs'<llge, \Cry 1wcurately ex p. U). "Like lhal river whlcb "ent out of p.,,_.. the !O!llSI! or the or1gtnal Greel "Eden lO water the garden, i l wM h) lhe (See lnli Et11m. A11g. &ud l'arkhur.)
2*
18
THE SOIE.NOE OF OORIU:Sl'ONOJ.'NOES.
first, from the circumstancc thnt oaths from n pcriod nntcccdcnt, at lcn.st, to the tne of Justini:m (A. D. 527), have been administcrcd in the four Gospels;" secondly, from the nncient form univcrsnlly prcvailing in the (,'hristian Church so carly n.s the third century, of or11aining Dishops to their sacred functions in which the book of the Four Eoo.n9elisf.8 wn.s held c;pm over the candidate's head; and, lastly, from the practicc of the Church, in which a custom bn.s long cxistcd, and is evcn now retained, which, if it has any meaning, wa.s de.signcd to mnrk a greater degree of revercnce for the GO$fJe/,s in compnrison "ith the A ptolic Epistles; for, the congrcgatiou is <lirecte<l, in th<> ru bric of the Church of England communion service, to Biand ''hile the holy Gospel is read, but to sit during the rea.<Jing of tho Epistlcs." Rishop Tomline thus writes on the inspiration of the entire Bible, in his Elemcnt8 of OhriAf.ian Theology :-" When it is sai<l that the Sacrcd Scripture.s are divinely inspircd, we are not to unden;tanil that God suggcsted evcry worcl, or dietatcd every expnl$$iOn, nor is it to be supposed that tbey were inspired in every fact which thcy related, or in every precept which they del\ered." " I t is sufficicnt to believo that by the general supcrintemlence of the Holy Spirit, they were directed in the choicc of thcir matcriu.ls, and prevcutc<l from rccording any material error."14 ln what, thon, <loes the difference consist bctwccn the view now propoundcd, and that wlch was held by this orthodox prelate of the Establishment, \1 he opinion on this topic ha.s been echoed on nll sid, nnd \1oulcl, it is presumed, be adrnittcd as n precise expition of whnt i.s gcncrnlly bclieved on the suhjcct of inspirntion throughout the Christian 11orld? It consists in this: the Bishop's mode of intcrprotation, like ours, is strictly applicaLle t<> the Epistles, anil such portions of the W ord as nre not includcd by the Lord in the text just noticcd; but we helicve, from evidcncc nppnrcntly irre!listihlc,
11 Cyril, ln bis apologetlcal dil'Counc Io 1'hcodo,h1s, d<'Ocriblng the Councll or Epile Os, t.y<: .. 'lhc aaer..'<ScmLlcd ln Mary' Chureh, had Christ h!msclr for thclr h<'&d; Cor the lloly Gospel wu aa t. eolemn tbrone, prea~blng, as Il were, Io the 'enerable prelate<>, Judgc ye rigbteousjudgment l "'-Ltll""-, Concll UJ., p. 1014. Glli:d b!I T>r. IJQrd1trmh. u ln the Eatern churcbt'l', lfgbts were N-rrltd be fore lhcm wbcn they "ere golng to be reatl. " .. l low do wo gel Crom under lbat dUll-
culty [vlz., that of reront'iling purely physl cal lruth t.ud c-lcntific fa.cts wltb the fliblc)T l bellcvc, by tJmply adoptlng a tloctrinc whlrh ls laid do"u ln a )>8S-"llge from llffllf mul K~(lf, a !Jook rcntly ls1m.~J Lly Ur. Candllsb: 'Ali that ls ln &rlpture ls uot rev elatlon. To a larite extent the Bible ls a record or humau alfalr&-the sayln~ t.nd dolngs of mn; not a rtrord of divine dllC trine or of communications Crom God.' 8pee<'h of Duke of Argylc, delhered t.t a meet11111 of the l\atlonal Bible Society of ScoUand. bcld at <.llM&Qw, lt>G4.
TIIE KEY Tl/AT OPENS TIIE SORIPTURES.
Hl
that by far the greater pnrt is of an incomparably more exalted character than such n standard of intorpretation is calculatcd tv 2:;ta.blish,-for we bclicve that these Jattcr books contnin, in the original at lcast, truth without the amixture of error, and that they wcrc inspircd both ns to materials and sense, ns to phraseology and words, as to precepts and facts,--evcry particular expression thcrein bcing hoJy and divine. And that, thus, the oracles of God (Rom. iii. 2; llcb. v. 12; 1 Pet. iv.11; lively oracle,s, Acts i. 35), Iike a casket cnclosing brillinnt pearls and gems, contnin a lucid heavenly meann)!, distinct from, but within, the letter. Indeed, to the pious mimi, it is a truly lamentable reflectiou thnt the in8piration of the W ord of God has becn reducerl to so low n test by modern expositors. Nothing, ccrtainly, can tend more to the support and encouragement of the most rnnk infidelity. Dr. Palfrcy, for instance, late Profcssor of Biblical Literature in the University of Cambridge, Mass., speaking of the Pentnteuch, snys that "Wc are not <lebarred from supposing that it had its origin in the imperfect wisdom of l\foses."--(.Acad. Lect. on the Jewisk &rip. and A ntiq., vol. i., lect. iv., pp. 85, 86.) Prof~or McLellan, in his Jfanual of &u:red InterpreUdion, dC!'igned to aid theological students in Biblical exegcsis, among othcrs lnys thcsc m=rM down as a canon of direction for the expositor: "The objcct of Iutcrpretation is to givc the prccise thoughts which the sacrcd writer iuteuded to express. No other meaning is to be sought but that which lies in the words themselves. Scripture is to be interpreted by the same method which we employ in discovering the menning cf any other book;" and Dr. Davidson, in his Sacred Hmneneutic..~, spca.king of the truc principlcs of intcrpretation, says that "The grnmmutical mcauing [of the Scripturcs] is the same with the historien!; and both constitute all the meaning intended by the Holy Spirit When the grammatical or historical rnenning of a pnssage is nsccr tniuecl, ail the theology of the pa..."Sllge is also known" (p. 227).
To the 8t\mc purport, Dr. Thlrlw&.11, the BM1op of St. Davld's, ln bis charge, l&l3. affirms tbat "a great part of the eveuts related ln the Old Te.1ament have no more apparent eonnoctlon wlth our religion tban 1.hoscofGree and Rome .. The hMory, so far as lt Isa narrative of civil and politi cal tramaetions. has no e..entl&.I connection wli any religions truth, and, If lt had bcen lc>t, tbougb we should have hn lefl in ig' 11oran or m1,1ch wuich we hould have de$lred. Io know, our trcasures of C'brlstlan doctrine would have remaiued whole antl unlmpalred.. The numbers, migration>. we.rs. battles, conque.sis, and re,erses of Israel have no1.hlug ln common wlth the tcacblngs of Christ, wltb the way of salYa t!on, with the fruits of the Spirit. They lie long to a t.ot.ally different ordcr of subjccts." -P. 123. "Our Chureh has never att.emptcd to dctermine the nature of the lruiplratlou or the llolf Scrlptures."-Jb., p.107.
20
TIIE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
Dr. Orville Dewey, one of the mt <listiuguishc<l theologians of the Unitarian school, writcs on this subject ns follows: " lf any one thinks it neccssary to a rcception of the Bible ns a revelation from God, that the inspire<l pcnrncn shoul<l have writtcn by inunediatc dictation ; if hc thinks that the writcrs wcrc mcre :un:muenscs, and that word aftcr word was put clown by instant suggcetion from above; that the very style is divine and not hum:m; that the style, WC Say, anJ the matters of styJe-thc figures, the mctaphors, the illustmtions, came from the Divine mind, and not from human mimls; we say, at once and plainly, that wc do not regarcl the Scriptures ns sctting forth any claims to such supcrnatural perfection, or accuracy of style. It is not a kind of distinction that would a<ld anything to the authority, much Jess to the dignity, of a communication from hcaven. Nay_, it would dctract from its power, to <leprive it, by any hypothcsis, of those touches of nature, of that natural pathos, simplicity, and imagination, and of that solcmn grandeur of thought, disrcgarding style, of \rhich the Bible is full. .Enough is it for us, that the mattcr is divine, the doctrines truc, the hii:1tory authcntic, the miracles real, the promises glorious, the thrcatcningi; fcarful. Enough, that all is gloriously an<l femfolly true,truc to the Divine will, truc to human nature, truc to its wants, nnxictie:;, sorro\\s, sins, an<l solemn dcstinies. Enough, tha.t the &11) of a. Divine an<l miraculons communication is set upon that lloly l~ook."-( llorks, English Ed., p. 46.'>.) And in a Tract (B elief and Unbelief), publishcd in 1839, with the avowod purpose of defending the Bible from the objections of infidclity, he says, "The Scripturcs nrc not the nctual communication mndc w the min<ls inspire<l frorn above. They ure not the actual W ord of God, but they nrc the record of the 'Yord of God." "If thcrc evcr 11crc productions which show the free and fervent workings of humnn thought and focling, they arc our sucrcd records. But the things lin thcm) which wc have to deal witb are wor<ls; they nrc uot divine "ymbols of thought." Agnin, hc says, "If we open almost any book, cspccially any book writtcn in a fervent nn<l popular style, wc eau pcrccivc, on accurate analysis, thnt somc things werc hastily writtcn, ;;orne thingi1 negligcntly, some things not in the exact logicnl or<lcr of thought; thut somc things are beautiful in style, and others inclegant; that somc things arc clcar, and others obscure and hard to hc undcrstood." "An<l do we not,'' adda the erunc writcr, " find all thcsc things in the Scriptures?"
TIIE KEY TIIA T OPENS TUE SCIUrTURES.
21
Spenking of the twcnty-fifth :md following chaptcrs of Exo<lus, Andrews Norton, Profcssor of Sacre<l History in Harvard University, Mass., says: "Seven chapters are filled with trivinl directions (respecting the ark, the tabernacle, and its utcnsils]. So wholly unconnccted are they with nny moral or religious sentiment, or any truth, important or unimportnnt, except the melnncholy fnet of their 11aving bcen rcgnrded as a divine communication,-thnt it requires a strong effort to rend through with attention these pretcndcd words of the Infinite Bcing. The natural tendency of a belief that sucl1 words proceede<l from Him, whenever such belief prevailed, must have bcen to draw away the regard of the Jews from ail that is worthy of mnn, and to fix it upon the humblest ohjcct ofsuperstition.''-Evidences of the Genuineness of the Go..pels, add. notes, cxxvii. In thcse divinely inspired chapters, Swedenborg in his rC(ina Celestia shows the importance and explains the spiritual me:ming of every sentence and every word, as teaching countless lcssons of ini;truction, and as having in each particular an important reprcsentative menning, and a prncticnl application, in which the celestial and spiritual order and renlities of hcnven and the divine presence and blessing in sncrcd worship are prescnted to the contemplation and ncccptnnce of the prepnrcd mind. They descJ'ibe the vcry snnctuary in which the Lord can <lwell with mnn, and of which he says: "For the Lord bath chosen Zion; IIe hath desired it for his hahitalion. This is mv rest forcver: here will 1 dwell, for 1 have desired it. I will abundnntly hless her provision; 1 will satisfy her poor with brend. I will nlso clothe her priests with salvation, and her saiuts sh:tl! sing alou<l for joy" (Ps. cxxxii. 13-16). And again, "llcholcl the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and thcy shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God " (Re'' xxi. 3). And it was with precisely sneh a precept on the interpretation of these very chapters, that the A J>ORllc Paul th us nddresscs the Christian Church at Corinth: " Ye are the people of the living God; as Go<l hath sai<l [Ex. xxix. 45; LeY. xxvi. 12], I will <lwell in thcm, and walk in them; and I will be thcir God, and they shall be my people" (2 Cor. vi. 16). Surely, less 1everent i<lens of inspiration than these quote<l above cannot possibly he held by sneh as profess to helieve in its exi~tencc at ail. They must nppear to cvery devout mind as little lei's than a tlisavow:tl of inspiration nltogether, and instea of a <lefence, to be a
22
TTTR 1WlNXCR M' CORREST'ONJ)f:Xf'I'.S.
totnl nb:mdonml'nl of the truth, and a ,irtunl dcuinl of the sanctity aml nuthority of the W ord of Ge><I. 1f we look into the Christian world, we shall find men, distinguishc<l for their learning and piety, ns widely at variance in their sentiments ami interpretatious of the inspircd Volume as noonclay differs from midnight darkne!-"!<; supporting trn<'ts of religion irrationnl in thrmsrhc~, and diametrirnlly opposed to cach othcr, hy the most conficl<'nt appeals to its sncred pages; <lisputing with the bitterest ncrimony about doctrine.<> thnt are ndmitted to be mcrc implications, arnl not unfrcquently di.~torting the plnint fcts of science, and even accrl'1litt1I cvents of history, in support of favorite thcological opinions. We fini( men, iriftC(l with most profound powers of i.nv~tigating the l!ecrct lnws of nature, who eau unfold, amid a blaze of demonstrntion, the most wondcrful phenomenn of physical existence, and unrnvel the perplexing mystcrics of crcation and mnthemnticnl science, but wlio rither profcss thcm!'Clves embnrrnsscd with the conflicting difficulf~ ancl oh$curitics of rc,elation, or openly avow their conviction tlmt the llihle and nature are nt variance with each othcr. And a..~ fart" in nature arc coruitant and undeniable, and as it would be most nbsur<l to suppose that the Divine Bei11g would spcak and net inoonsi:<tcntly, so, therefore, they nt once oonclude thnt the Bible cnnnot Il<' divine--cnnnot ha,e God for its author.'s
"Newman lap1d11wn the followlng axiom and cbaracter of Jl'!'u, as reportcd ln the and c onclu~lons wlth rcrercnce to the Won! i:pels themschC8. that Ile used unchl\rit~ of G~l : hie 111.nguage, gt\VC way Ill bo.d tcmf>er, a111l "l. The moral and lntellectunl power of was dcstltute of no.turnl afl'ccUon." man mut be ackno\\lcdgcd a. hnvln11 a "1 know of no work on the ubjc~t 1111" r1ght and duty to crlUcl'c the contents or plcn&ry Inspiration or the ScrlpturCH] 1111\t 1 the !o'Cripture; darc pla ln tbe bands of & ~udcnt of llll' "2. Whcn excned, lbey condemn por ology. I know or none wblcb, even to a tlowi of the Scripture u cnoncous and lin younl! man or or.Jlnary &CUtcne!lS. dol!!'\ 1101 monll: u~e111 grcater dlffitulliC!I tban lt remo,c>1." "3. The a<.'<llmcd lnfalllbllllyofthe enllrc -biroirumi' Lttturci on IM Authorit11 rif 1/1< Scrlpture is a proved rwtty, not merci) a J.'no TeAtamcnt, p. 100. to 11hylol0f!}' and othcr 11Cle11Ufic mattA'l'il, "The Scrlpture~ arc fMt bemlng, to n but alon.' to rnoral."-l'ha.'1<J/ Faith, p. ll. grcst dcgree, a dcnd and ob'IOlcte lcttN: annlon, 1'71, ,. rerom.'<I to ha,e Mid, 1 bubjoct the ChrLotla11 E.rnmi11a, one or the th&\ H thougb lt contalned much that I 100<t ably conducted and -..ellknown or rt beaullful and truc, yct lt makcs uo clolm !Iglous periodlcal, hA.' the folio\\ lng rc toadlvluc orlgln and autblrlty. Io Il thcro marks:-'1io one who ls accustomcd tn n aro abt<Olute and lrrccuncllaule contrndir- gard wlth mnch attention the bL5tory nnrm txfog couvloced tbat tbe qu.:stlon ronccrn or <"h<r~nt. but Io 'l()Uit place~ contmdlc l111e tbc inspiration of the l'criptun:s 11 "<>On tory of 11><.'lf. and 'l()me or lt dci;ndlng to to i-ome !be rn<..t a""rblni; quc>tlon of 00<l. Thero \\ero ruoral blcmlbe> ln the lifc Ch ri.tian tbCOIOl."Y The ru lods or men Ill\'
"
TllE KRY 7'1/A7' OPENS 7'/ll? SCRIPTURRS.
23
13ishop Colcnsv, insisting vehemently on the Bible posscssing a hn man clcmcnt, and bcing merely "a human book," containing not only a literai sensc, but one that bears no other meaning whatever, execpt that whieh lies upon the surface, says: "In this way, I repent, the Bible becomes to us a huruan book, in which the thoughts of other hearts are opened to us, of men who lived in the ages long ago, and in circumstances so different from ours." " We must uot bliudly shut our eyes to the real history of tJ1e composition of this book, to the Iegendary character of its earlier portions, to the manifest contra dictions and impossibilities, which rise up at once in cvery part of the story of the Exodus, if we persist in maintaining that it is a sim pie record of historical faets. We must regard it, then, as the work of men, of fellowmen like ourselves."-(Pent. and Book of Josliua, p. ii., p. 382, ~ 511, 512.)
in that J)Q"ltion ln refcrenr.e to thls subject lsh construction of MnUhew. the tmctltional which clL!lnot long be maintalned. They arettons of Mark aud Lukc, and the l'lnone wa; or the other. They mut lonlslng medium of John ;- a care ancl lal>r att.aln to some sort of comlstcuey, ellher by which lt lsprotll.neand presumptuous 1oon111 hclieving le!!S or by believing more. The au or make llgbt of."-Ea$tem 1hwe, vol. iii.. thorily of lheSeriptures,and epeclally those p. 175. or the Old Testament, must clther become To the above, whlch coul<l cxtendccl higber and strongcr, or be ~uced almost to e.lro011t lndefinitely, on.en wrltteu in terms 11Q1hing. It ls vain to Imagine that, wlth the wc should be sorry to tmnsfcr to OUI' !"'gcs. t>resent secret or open sceptictsm, or at least wc wlll add but the followlng concll1sivc vague And unsettlcd notlons,wlth whlch they answer by Swedenborg:are rcgarded, evcn y many who are dofcnd "The natural man, howcvcr, cannot sllll ers of a Spt.'Clal revelallon, they eau be read be persuaded Io bclleve tbat the Word I Dl flnd taught in our churches. scbools, an vine Truth il.9clf, in which is lli\'lne Wls fmlllcs, as ookll, m<i gt;ner, so as Io rom dom and Divine Life, lna.much ""he juclges mand much of real reverence for them- of lt by its tyle, in whieb no such things ap1 selvcs.'"-Tlle Ninctte.nlh Qmtury, p. 47. penr. Ncvcrtbclcss, the style lu whleh the "The gcneral remarks )'(,'Spectlng the ln Word ls wrlltcn, ls a truly Divine ~tylc. whh pl ration of the Old Testament apply also to whlch no othcr htyle, however sublime and the New.... Ali the wrltlngs ln the New excellent lt may scern. ls at ail compamble. Ttamcnt 11.s well as the Old contaln marks for lt ls as darkness comf)l\l'Cd IO Ught. The of human origln, of buman wcakncss and style of the Word ls of such e. nature as to lmpcrfcctlon.''-'I'rwls/or IM TinlP, pp. 4-10. rontaln what ls holy ln cvery ve11<C, ln e\'cry Rentlments so utterly degmdlng 10 Divine word, and ln some cases ln every let ter; and ncvclation are cndorsed by numbers who hence the Word conjoins man "llh the Lon!. profCS'l to be lhe moral and religions tcach and opens hcaven ." "llcnce man hR. Ufc ers of the day. They are vlews wblch srem by and througb the \\'ord.'' "Lest thcrtfore naturally 10 arise out of a dental of the plcn mo.nklnd should rclllllill anylongcrin cloubt ary Inspiration of the Word of(lod. To such concernlng the divlnity of the Wo1'1 , lt hM conclnslons the reasonlng of the late Rcv. pleascd U1e Lord Io reveal tome l!R internai Iladcn Powell,ln blswork on lnplratlon,and sense, which ln lts essence ;,, plritual, ancl of the leamcd clergymen who were the au whkh ls to the cxternal sen-c, whi<-h 18 thor.ofthe&saysandRtvlewamostcertalnly natuml, wbat the soul ls Io the body. 'fhls lcad. So agaln Miss II. Martineau can tims internai :oe11sc fs the spirit whlch givcs !Ife pcak of the Holy Gospels: "In general, lt 18 10 lhe lettcr: wherefore thls scnsc wlll no llght work for the slnccre "1ld reverent cvlncc the dlvlnlty IL!ld sanctlty of the mind l-0 rea.d tho<'..,..pel hlstory,so as tocome Word, and may convlnce cven the nntural ''ll'.iln reachofthcaetual volofJcsns,an1l man, If be I of o. disposition Io be COI> llsten Io itamong lhcpcrplexi11gcchoeoofhls vlnccd.''--{S. S., 1-4.) place aud lime; IO sepuate Il !rom the Jew
mu~t move
OHAPTER II.
J"\IFFICULTrr.s OF Tm: :\[F.RE LITERAL SF.N'<E OF THE W onD 8TATED.-T1111
Ll'rr.JUL RENl"E l'ROVED TO DE NDE'EN!<ID LE AND
AN INTINAJ. RaxsE DE DENIED.
lNEXl'LICADU.: H '
'110
multitudes of rcadcrs the mcre lcttcr of the sncred Scripturc.<1 oftcn appcars vague and unconnectcd (li;a.. lx. 7-9; Jcr. xix. 5; )lntt. xxiv. 27-29); har<l and unmeruiing (Ps. cix. 13; Jer. xlviii. 11-15; H os. xiii. G; ~lie. i. 16-21; .John xxi. 2); to aboun<l wit h ~l'O."S noourdities and unintelligible mystcrics (Gcn. iv. 15; .Judg. v. 20; Isa. vii. 20; lx. 16; Ez. xxviii. 13); to coutuin numcrous statemcnts which sccm irrational, self-eontrndictory, or iuronsistent with othc~ (Ex. xx. 5, 6; xxiv. 10; Ez. xviii. 20; Isa. xliii. 3; Luke xxii. 43; .Tohn i. 18- 20); to comprise many "hich are nntagonistic to the modern disco,cries in chronology, oppoRed to the wcll-known principlcs of the physical sciences, and discordant with the nscertained farts of profane history (Gen. i., ii.; .Joshuo. x.; Isa. xlv. 7; :'ifatt. xxvii. 9; Rev. xi. 8); to inclucle narratives of ,;oJence, trenchcry, cruelty, undenune;s, nu<l injustice S('tmingl~ approYed by God, yct diamctrically oppo:;ed to his infinite nn<l unchnngeable attribut<'!' nn1l qunlitics of mercy, purity, faithfulnC'"-'<, nn<l justice Geu. xxxi,. li); 1 Sam. xv. 33; Gen. xxvii.; .Ju1lgcs iv., v.); to giyc commnn<ls of nn immoral tendcncy, irrcconcilahle with !lpntlc.l'S perfection (Ex. xxxii. 2; .Jo:sh. viii. 21- 25; Ps. cxxnii. !l; Ho~. iii. 1-3); m11l w hP occupicd wilh trhiul circumstnnces al\!l with nffirs which nppmr ton in~il.(nificnnt, and C\'Cn revolting, tb hnvr over claimcd so much ntt111tio11 frorn the Lord of the uni verse (Ez. v. 12; i cch. viii. li). llov. many ltone!<t people, "for Jack of true knowlcdge," h:we in con"C'!llCllC<' trcnted the holy vcritics of di vine rcvelntiou with the utm~t rleri~ion, cithcr as myths of bnrbarou~ agc:i, or frai:rmentR of fal::ehood~ ~tran~ly blended witl1 truth, or ns a contcmptible tL-~11<' of ignorance nncl impturc; nnd hnYC not hC!<itatc<l to revilc ail religion~ n.~ iiyt<hmt< ulike of de;poti~m. !'llJ>Cn>lition, and credulity,- the 1 lclusion>< of prl'i'tcrnft nnd the olf:ipring of fimutici!<m nucl forvicl im 24
Tl/E' .lfRRR /,f1'f.'RA/, SRNSE l1YJJl:1 R.YSllJ/,E.
2;)
aginntion.~. Ho'~ mn ny virtuouR, intelligent, nnd rnnlitl minds nrc thcre who nre perplexcd, and distressed, and nlnrmcd, cven at thcir own thoughts while reading their Bibles ! It is surcly time, thcn, for Christians to inquiro what is the renl nnture of God's 'Vord,-to C.'l:amiue into the origin, sanctity, ami authority of that blC88C<I Book on which, ns upon an admnnntinc fonmlation, nll virtue nnd intelligence infallibly re!it, and whencc ail truc religion and spiritual lmowlcdge are derivcd ;-to invel:lif!llt<', carue:tly and narrowly, it.~ claims to universal rcvcreu and obe.licncc ;-and to vindicate it.<1 hnllowed doctrines nml its divine precept from ail contumely by 1\ rntionnl demonstration of its hcing whnt il profcss to be,-the very WonD OF Gon. Ami unlcss this be done, it nccd~ no prophetie eye to see, no prophetie tonguc to foretell, thnt infidclity and scepticil!m will soon reign triumphnnt, thnt dnrkucs~ nnl blindncss as to ail spiritual knowledge, will soon cover evcry minci, ns is describcd by the holy prophet Isninh, "here be sa~~. "The Lord bath pourcd out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, ami hnth close<l your eycs; the prophets and your l'Ulcrs, the srs bath He covcrcd. And the vision of all is become uuto you as a book thnt is senlcd, which men delivcr to one that is learne<l, saying, Rend thiH, 1 pray thoe: and be saith, I cannot : for it is sealed ;'5 and the book ii; lclivercd to him that is uot lcnrned, say}ng, H.cacl tls, I pray thee nml hc snith, I am not lromcd," (xxix. 10-12.) The utter destitution of nll true doctrine, nncl a right interpretation of the Scriptur, i~ pr<'<lictcd. as a conscqucnce of the prevalence of iniquity, in thc8(' words, " Behold, the days come, snith the Lord God, thnt I will sen<! n fumine in the land, not a famine of bread, uor a thirst for water, bnt of hcnring the words of the Lord : and thcy shall wander from ~n to sea, and from the north even to the enst, they shall run to nnd fro to seck the word of the Lord, and shall not find iL In thnt
.... The Hebrew word fi'.>r>(''8.ft'b,rii:nlfte<110 dhe lntn the ><Ubllme, profound, m>-gtlral, allegwlcnl, and prophellet.I <en<et< of Holy l'<-rl1>ture. 1 ('or. 1. 20-1</~t IM l>"C!(nund varthtr."-Ml>lit-u wtht Slu<ly <>/ JJib. Lit, p. 1.;. "The hlddcn wldom of tbe SCrlpture ls to h Mnl11trcd as treasure hld ln tbe earth, for " bh'h men must seareh wltb that N1me rra! an<! labor wllh wblch they pcnetratc tnto a mine of gold; Cor wben our ~a,tour rommands u lt>ttmeAIM s-rlplwmlt>rthelr ie-tlmuny of hlmelf, the hu1in1a~ of the Pre<'< lI hopllcs !bat ldud of ""artblog by whirh gold and llvcr are dl-vered uockr ground. He" ho doth nl>t -l'<'h the Wnf'l
o! God ln Illat manner, and with that plrll, for what 18 10 be fouud undcmealh il, wlll never dl~'er tt" true ye.Jue."- Jr. J<mCJJ't 1-t.. "" tlu: F!g. Long. of Jiotv &rlp . new cd.,
pp. 20-21. St. Jerome. E'p. !S. to 1~111/inu, &Y", "Ali lbat we rcad ln the acre<! books ls 11Urt anI brlgh1, evcn ln U1e bttrll:; but li l"'"'eter ln the pith. ,\ nd be that wo1tld corne at tbe ktntd, mn.t nr-1 brt-.k the wa. 'OJ""" ..,., l')<tl, lhat I ""'r ttt lhingo ool of tr 1
low.
"'"''"'..
"
2()
Till? R('/R,W'R OF
C'ORRE.<;N>NI>/.:.V('F~.
.lay ~hnll the fair virgin!\ and young men fuint for thirst." ( Amo.1 viii. 11-13.) In order to undel'stnnd the true nature nnd <haracter of divine revclation, it is essentinlly rcquisite that our rcasoning fculties shoul<l he cmploye<l, that our understanding shoulcl be clC\ated, th11.t our hearts should he hum bled and that our lives shoul<l be purificd, for not to the self-conccited, to th~ worlclly "wieo nnd prudent," but unto "bnbcs" 011ly, cnn geuuino wi11<lom be" revenled." (~fott. xi. 2:>; Lukc x. 21.) Wc sho11ld approach the Word with rcvcrcn and with fith. \\'e shoul "put our shoes from off our fcet [that i'I, <'nst ni<idc ail scnsual rcnsoniugs and ail cnrnnl suggestions], bccause the pince whcrcon wc stand is holy ground." (Ex. iii. 5.)n This surely exprc:<8CS the statc of mimi which wc ought to chcrish when we nppronch the H oly W ore! in order to profit by its sncrcd contents, Md be prcpared to mcet its Divine Author there as in the temple of his prc:<cncc,-a statc of profoun<l humiJity and fervent piety,-ncrompanicd with a d~irc to lcnrn bis will, that we mny rlo bis commnn<lmrnt~. Without nn humblr and willing clisp<Jf!ition of the soul, nnd n rrmoval of the vcil of unbrlief' from the mind, the glorics of the inncr RC'nse cnnnot be made mnnifost unto us: "Do not my word~," saith th<> J,ord; "do good to him tbat walkcth uprightly?" (~lie. ii. 7); and the apostlc Paul testifics that " The nntun m:m receiveth not the th in~ of the Spirit of God; for they nre foolishncss unto him: n<>ithcr enn he know thcm, becnuse they nrc spiritually <liscernCfl" ( 1 Cor. ii. 14). Thus the Psalmist prnys, "J~ord, open thon mine cy<>S, that I mny behold wondrous tbings out of thy law" ( Ps. cxix. 18). While the Lord J esus says, " Search the Rcriptures; for in thrm yc think ye have ctcrnnl lifc, and they are tlit>y which tcstit'y of l\IB" ( .)ohn v. 3!1); and aftcr his glorious resurrcction we rca<l in Lukc xxiv. 43, that "tbcn opene<l Ifo the understnndings of hi.<1 disciples, that th<>y might understnnd the Rcripturci<." For, ns the illustrions Swcdenhor~ oh,<trv~, "It .'I univcrMlly confcs.,,..00 that the \\rord is from God, i11 divincly inspired, and of co~"t'IJU<'Ilce is holy; but still it has rcmnin<'d a !\eerct to this dny in whnt part of the W or<l tl! dh-inity 1csi<i<;., inasmuC'h as in the lcttcr it appcars like a common writiug, comp<l>l<'rl in a ~(range style, neithcr so sublime nor so !'loqu<>ni as that which rli~tingui~h(';; the l>e:<t :<eculnr compositions. Hcncc it is that whoev<'r
lfTo lo<l'e th<' ""ndal, llpp.,..., or hO<."' Ea<t. Thl I done on <'lll<'ring a moo.quc. rrom off tht' ht. u a mark <f 1kf<n:1u'<' or pegoJa., or the """'<'Il<'< of any or anI "'l.'<'t, ha. 1>re\'&ll<'fl from the Mrlk-t <lLtinctlon.4ec l'tarodt1 Sum1114111 l'i<v. li
---
Ile"""'
~....~,
M a rtpn.to.entativc l'u ... torn, over the
M ..
'N!R "1F:RR UTRRA/, SRNSR /SDf:f?l?.VSIBU?.
27
\\"onahips nature in8tead of God, and in conscqucnoo of such worship make.'! himself and his own propriuni [or self-hood] the centre and fouutaiu of his thoughts, instead of deriving them out of hcavcn from the Lord, may casily fa)) into error concerning the Word, and into contcmpt for it, and say within himself while he reads it, 'What is the menning of this passage? What is the mcaning of that? Is it possihlc this should be divine? Is it possible that God, whose wisdom is infinite, should spcak in this manncr? Wncre is its sanctity, or whencc eau it be dcrived, but from superstition and credulity?' "Uut he who reasons thus, does not reflect that Jchovah the Lord, who is God of heaven and earth, spake the W ord by Moses and the prophcts, and thnt, conscqucntly, it must be divine tntth, inasmuch as what ,Jchovnh the Lord himsclf spenks eau be nothing clse; nor <ls such it one consider that the Lord, who is the snmc with Jehovnh, spnke the W ord written by the Evangelists, man y parts from his own mouth, and the rest from the spirit of his mouth, which is the Holy Rpirit. IIen it is, as Ile himself declarcs, that in his words therc is lifo, and that He is the light which enlightcns, and that He is the truth. (John vi. 63; iv. 10-14; :Mark xiii. 31; Jcr. ii. 13; Zcch. xiii. 1; Rev. vii. 17.)" The divine and blessed 'Vord of the ever-living God was writtcn for the sake of spiritual usefulncss-" to perfcct the man of God, that he may be thoroughly furnished nnto a.li good works" (2 Tim. iii. 17); that it may fcrtilize the human mind, dropping upon it like the gentlc "dew" (Deut. xxxii. 2); and descending like rcfrei:hing "showers" (Isa. iv. 11), that by its mcans we may possess "eternal life; " for "by evcry word proceeding out of the mou th of Go<l doth man live" (Dcut. viii. 3; Matt. iv. 5). It was given "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousncss" (2 Tim. iii. 16); "to convert the soul, to make wise the simple; to rejoice the henrt, to enlighten the eyes" (l's. xix. 7, 8). For a "defence" 1tgninst our spiritual eneruies (Eph. vi. 17); for our "sanctification" (.John xvii. 17); for our "regcncration" (1 Pet. i. 23); an<l, to comprise ail in one word, for our "salvation" (2 Tim. iii. 15). "Tho words of the Lord are pure words: ns sil ver trie<! in a furnace of carth, purified se\en times" (Ps. xii. G).18
""The whnle lw/y Scr11>11ire. wlth Chrit 1Ler. or uritten N>llleni8 thereor. bclng a. U1c cv<~rywhere undcn.tood therein, oow~f.,,t~ of bodu, and U1c t]>iril, or CJui~t himself. with two r<rt. leUer au<l ~pl rit: e\en a man, for the lrnowltd~ or lruth of llhn con!Alned who<:ie-in~trucU011thcsamcwR.c;cci'en.isC'On thcrein, bclng n..c; the >tll of th~ divine strncl~d of two parll!. bo<ly and tmd; the IN bookll. Tho lntter of which is likewlsc to lJo
28
TOI? SCIRNCE OF CORRRSl'ON!)EXCES.
Now, nnless thcre be n. spiritual and heavenly me:ming in the di vine 'Vord, distinct from, though one with, the letter, how is thi~ spiritual usefulns, so cssential to the welfre of the soul, to be promote<l in an immense number of passages, such as the follo\ving :where the prophet is almost univcrsally allowed to be spcaking of the Lord's advent, and giving the indubitable sign of it, that "a virgin Fhonld conceive and bcn.r a son, and shall caJl his name lmmanuel [God with us, soo Matt. i. 23]," it is added (Isa. vii.18) :-"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the l:i.nd of Assyria." And in the 20th ver., "In the sa.me day shall the Lord s!.ave with n razor that is hi.red, namely, by them bcyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard." "And it shall corne to pass in that day that a man shall nourish a young cow and two sheep." Also in ver. 23, "And it shall corne to pass in that day, tAat every place shall be, whcrc thcre wcre a thousand vines at n thousnnd silverlings. it shall be for briers and thoms." Or this: "In J udnh is God known; his uame is great in Israel. In Salem nlso is his t."l.bernacle, nnd his dwclling-plnce in Zion. There brake He the nrrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Thou nrt more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. The stout-hearted are spoiled, thcy have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found thcir hands. At thy rebuke, 0 God of Jacob, both the chariot and horsc arc cast into a dccp slccp" (Ps. lxxvi. 1-6). Or this: "God c:i.mc from Tcman, and the Holy One from l\lount Parnn. His glory covercd the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightncs.~ was as the Jight; He had horns coming out of his han<!: ancl thcre was the hiding of his power. l3efore Him wcnt the pc~ti lcncc, and burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood an<l mc.'l.'! ured the earth: He bchcld, and drove asunder the nations; and the
e<lt'emcd so nccCl;sary to be understood wllh na! sense likc the ROUI ; nnd M the body the former, that, a. the human body wilhnul lives by the soul, Ml the literai scnsc lives by
the toul il <featl, ~o lk ldlrr nf .'>criplur4, tttilh oui lM 'Jirit, is drotl alw. :-;,.y, !t !sa 1.:iUfng
and con<lemnin911'0rfold scnsc of tho Worcl tx>ars a to bo<ly a.n<I soul, the litcre.J Jtrfaan{Jl'n alY'r Teligi.om &1'1.en <ift Jaden, 1: sense lieing likc the bod)' and the inter- P. Br Dnmn, 18'.!2, vol.!., p. <i8.l
the Internai; the lifc or the l..ord ftowing tbrough the latter lnto the former, o.ceord lng to the alfecUon of the person who reads lt."-{A. a 2311.) "Acoording to the opinion or the E<!senes, the sa~red Scrlpturc. llke man,are com))Ol'Cd of body and soul; of the outward lctt.cr and the lnward spirit."-{Gurhide, Mhren, all'l
TIIE MERE LITERAL SENSE INDEFENSIBLE.
29
"verlasting mountains were scnttcrcd, the pcrpetual hills cli<I bow: hi~ wnys arc ercrh.~ting. I saw the tcnts of Cushnn in attlktion: and the curt.nins of the land of l\1idian did tremble. W Ill! the Lord dii;plcnsc<l against the rivers? was thinc nnger against the rivers? was thy wrnth against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thiuc horses und thy chariots of salvntion? Thy bow was quite nakcd, according to the oaths of the trib, cven thy word. Thou didst clenve the carth with rivcl's. The mountains saw thec, nnd thcy trcmbled: the ovcrfiowing of the water passcd by : the dccp uttcrcd his voicc, nud liftl'ci up his h:md,, on high. The suu and moon stood still in thcir habitation: at the light of thine arrows thcy wcnt, and at the shiuiug of thy glittering spcnr" (Hab. i. 3-11). Or where the prophet says, "And it shnll corne to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clcar nor dnrk: but it shall be ono day which shall be known to the Lord, not. do.y nor night: but it shall comc to pn.~s that at cvcning-timc it shnll be light. A1HI it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from .Jcrusalcm; half of thcm toward the former sea, nnd half of thcm toward the hinder sen : in summcr and in winter shall it be. And this slmll be the plngue wherewith the Lord will smite ail the people that have fought agaiust Jcrusaleru; their flesh shall consume away \v hile thcy stand upon thcir feet, and their eyes shall consume away in thcir holc~, an<l thcir tonguc shall consume away in their mouth. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, IIoLINE.'iS UNTO THE L ORD; an<l the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls bcforc the altar. Yen, cvcry pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lonn of Hosts" (Z~ch. xiv. 6, 7, 8, 12, 20, 21). "Without the spiritual (or internai) scnse,'' says Swedenborg, "it is impossible for any one to know why the prophct Jcrcmiah was comnum<led to buy himself a girdlc, and not to draw it through the waters, but to go to Euphrates, and hide it therc in a hole in the rock (Jcr. xiii. 1-7) ; or why Ezckiel the prophet was commandcd to nmkc ii razor pnss upon his head nnd upon his beard, and aftcrwar<ls to divi<le thcm, and to burn a third part in the midst of the city, and to smite a third part with the sword, and to scattcr a third part iu the wiud, and to biud a littlc of thcm in his skirta, and at last to cast thcm into the midst of the fire ( Ezek. v. 1-4) ; or why Hosea was twicc comrnanded t.o take to hirnwlf a harlot to wife ( Hos. i. 2-9; iii. 2, 3); or what is signified by ail things appcrtaining to the tabernacle: as by the ark, the mercy-scat, the chcrubim, the cnncll<>-Stick, the altar of iucense, the shew-bread ou the table, and veils an curtaius. W'bo
3"
30
TllE SCIENCE OP CORRESl'ONJ>ENCES.
would know, without the !'piritual !'cn::e, whnt is ~ignificd by Anrou's holy gnrmcnts; ns by bis coat, his clonk, the eph01l, the urim ami thummim, the mitre, nncl ~vcml thing~ bcsi<k>s? Or, without the spiritual sc1IBe, who wouill know whnt fa l!ignificd by ail thosc pnrticulm"l! which were cnjoined concerning bumt-0lforint," c;acrifices, mentofferings; and also concerniug Sabbaths and fcnsts? The trnth is, that nothing wns cnjoined, be it ever i;o minute, but "hnt was signili<'ativc of ~omcthing nppcrtnining to the Lord, to hcaven, and to the Church. From th~e few ini;itnns, thcn, it may hc plainly secn thnt t hcrc is n spiritual scn...c:oc11 in nll 1111<1 cvery part of the Wonl." (S. S. Hi.) If wc turn our attention to the prcccptive portions of the GD.~pcl:;, usually regnr<lcd as so plain and prncticnl, wc shall be surprised to lilHl how much thcrc is which could not be liternJly ohserved without brt>aking up ail kin<ls of humnn association, and 1lcstroyir.g all capacity for ut<efulnes.-<, affording indi;1putable evidcncc thnt thcy were only de!:'igncd to be spiritually u111lcrstood ancl obeycd, in "hich CMc cach cxpr:;ion teems with "life." To instance only two or three Pfilii!:lJ..."CS from the Lonl's Sermon on the :Mount, as where hc says, " And if thy right oyc offcnd thce, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitnblo for thec that 0 110 of tl1y members shoul<l }>Crish, nnrl uot tlmt thy wholc body shou!a be cast into bel!. And if thy right hand otfnc 1 th, eut it off, nn1l enst it from thce: for it is profitable for thl>e thnt one of thy membcrs should pcrisl1, and not thnt tby wholo hody i>houlcl be cast into hcll." "But l 8aY unto you, that yc rc~ist not cvil : but whosoevcr shall smite thee on thy right check, tum to him the othcr also. And if nny man will 11ue thee nt the law, nnd
""'The ~crlpturcs r<)scmble man. A a !spiritual ml.'Rnlng be hcM together ; both man eon,f,~~ofthreeparts,-a rntlonal mlnd, arc ne<.'C,..ary r.ir lhc Jife of the "rltU-11 a o.cnsltlvc '!OUI, and a vhlt,l~ \J<>dy,-80 lhe Word. Au<l tblugh the lAttcr be Mnl<lercen-e, a llUral u.'ually u the latent an<\ loterlor '!<!D-.e, ytt ""11-.e, rorr~poorllng wlt lllc bo<ly; a moral lt ls onen o obvlou anl !'eriplunal. that Il -..:1"C', anAIOl!<>ll' t.o the F-Oul; an<l a mptleal srk, &. lt ,,crc.' llbly thnmi:b the kll<r, or t>lritual !-<'ll'C. nnalnguus Io the rtlonal illfLmiM/a Il. anl ghc- il it dinnactu.''minI.'' Willr'lml( IJcqi11nin9 of UIL }]Qt)l:Qf Gf!v.u, 111. "'I hc llleml 1>en>e is P<'f~clH'mc Jt might be olijcNcd lljtnint the lruth or "hat more <llffirnlt to be dl"<'O,crc<I. Hut the s~lcucc or ~orrc,pondcnccs tbnt, from the 1ny>tlc [or lnmO!ot] !'Cnsc none enn tif- the apo~tollc Ume~ to tbo prent, thc>'e who <'ovcr wllh ccrlalnty, unie Uwy nrc wl!'e have held that thcro I a >piritual seu'o 111 111en, an1l nl"O tnught or 00<1."-{0rigrn, J>e the Word or llod h1wc not 11ndcrsl00d, tat mot of ll1e I' ~19) pMphcdl'fl werc h!tlil<'n !rom the proplll'U The llk'ral meaning," ..ya Mr. haac Wll- (liait. xlll. 1r~ 17, 3i'; an<! th&lthc didpl"" liam., for tc most part, b"" the bocly, llic dld not 11n<lcn-1a11d the nature of the l.ord" oplr11ual mcanlnit as the llOUI; u the llODl ls "King1fo""" cvrii "hile tcy prodaimed unlt~'<I "llh the body,.o mw.t the lllCral And !bat it ,... Rcgh a.t h4nd." (Luku xxh. 21.)
Tl/E JIERE LITERAL SENSE JNDEFENSlllLE.
31
tnkc nway thy coat, Jet him Juive thy cloak also. And whowever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him thnt asketh thee, und from him th&t would borrow of thee, turn not thon nway" (Matt. v. 29, 30, 39, 40, 41, 42). Even the preceptive portions of the Roly Word, such as the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, canuot be undcrstood when viewed in their mcrcly literai scnsc. When viewed, huwever, as to thcir spiritual import, they are seen to overflow in every sentence with infinite wis:ioru, und to tcem with divine lifc. 20 llut the.::e arc the solemn declarations of the inspircd 'Vord, taken promiscuously from the sacred pages. 'Vho, I ask, can comprehcnd thcm? Who can explain their import? 'Vho can see their refercnce to rightcousncs.s, conversion, regenerntion, sanctification, and snlvation,-to promoto which they must unqucstionably have been inspire<! and writteu,-unlcss it be admitted that they have an intcnrnl anrl spiritual sense? And if this be admitted, it follows of ncoessity thnt a rule exists by which that seuse can with certainty be drawn forth; or otherwiso the 'Vord would be a mockery of human reason, and a snare to the simple heart, unworthy of infinite intelligence. Frorn the book of Gencsis to the book of Rcvelation, thousru1ds of passages are to be found equally as rnysterious and difficult to undcrstanrl in the more letter; and thcir constant occurrence in the W ord of God nt once proves the neccssity of some rational and invariable law to interpret the whole, and the probability of its existence.
to"Tbe whole Jaw of Moses ls llke to a llvlug creature, who.;c bo<ly ls the literai ocn"C; but the t<OUI, the more inward and hlddcn mcaning, covered undcr the oou.se of the Jetter."-Phllo Judus. Prefixed, by Jlcnry More, as a motto to bis Dc/<1"1 q/
"On\jectura lbbball8tlro," or "Threefold ()W. bala, ana TripU I'llllrprctal.m qf t/uJ lhret fir.t Oiaplerf qf GC?iia, ed. 11>';3. This autlior'a T"'-atise on loonisms. ls deserlbed by Clowes "to be nothlng else but an impcrfcet sketch of the doclrine of correspondence."
CHAPTEH Ill.
1'11.\T Tin: DIVINIT\" AND SANt"l'IT\" OF TIIE "'ORO OP
Goo
lS TUE CON
'u.~n:...'iC'E m ITS CONTAININO AN bTERNAJ, OR SrlRITCAL St::SSE.
X "hnt, lc>t us now nsk, docs the pcculinr divinity and sanctity of the Jloly 'Vonl con1>ist? By what argumcnli> or rcnsonings is the in1l11hitahlc certainty of ils truth to be estnbli.~hed? and how is it to hc 11bti11gui.~hed from works of human composition? Thce are moi;t vital nn<l momentous inquirit1<, and cannot be nn"1Wc>rc1l witliout thoughtful rcflection and lnborious rcsrurch. In thi~ "ork I cnn only prof~ to offer a fcw brief and gcncrnl remark". Happy !<hall I he, howcvcr, if the r cader i<ho1ld be sufficiently intcrr~tc1l to follow the princ>iples which are ntlvanee<l, until it is rntion ally l>Cl'Cl'ivcd ami ncknowlcdgcd thnt the l foly Word, throughout tlll it,.; in~pirC(l pages, toom1> with the divine "spirit," and is fillcd witl1 tht' <li,inc "life" (.John vi. 1.i3)!1 J woul!I IJCgin by ob,;erving, then, nt once, that the divinity an<! ~:ull'tity of the W ord of God consil't in its lieing nn inspired rc,cla tion of the <livine will nnd wi~lom, from the mou th of the Lord hitn ~llf; and as thcse arc not nppnrcnt in the lettt'r, the W ord must contain n hc:wcnly, spiritual sense, which is, u.s it were, its brcathing, living ~oui. Thl' spirit of the"'ord is unitcd with the Icttcr, nnd pervn<le~ evcry Slnll'nre and expre-;;ion, just as the !!OUI is rontaint'<I in the body; nnd Il" tlw Jifc of the soul, momentnrily derhc1l from God, dcscclllli- 11111! flm1s iuto ami animales ewry corporcal orgnn, li-0 the di\'inc Jifc of tlw Lor flowb into the minds of humble nnd prtpnred helie\'Cl'll, 11.~ in fith nnd with affection thl'y r end th e in~pircd pn!,"CS. T hat worl1l
., The 110'-ltlon that the plnllc ~.;,.o. v 12.-{Jlate'rto>1't Dfr. ln"Pir., 2<l ed., n. ,., p la ""'"r u~d of the wr1ncn Wor<l, or ~AA.) 1be ll<'velalion or the will of Gocl. rontalncd "The phra.~ \\ ortl of <iod lm plie that the ln th ""ritlun.-<, mu:.t RJpear unwarrantcd 1(plcnar11y lnpl!'l"<.I 1 !'~riplure 81'1' !ikl' Lo thO'le who lmpe.rtially and carcfully ex both ln malter and cxpr<.~>iou.~-(lbr.01t't mine the followini:pa.'"'~: cxlx. l't<., xxx. Thr. qf l""Pira., pp. 2,;, 42.) l'rov., .'.>; vil. Mark, 13; x. John, :i:;; lv. llcb.,
32
REVEALS Tllf<J DIVINITY OF THE SCR/PTURES.
33
of tvoudcrs, the human frame, consi~ts of forrns in endlcss variety, cxactly corrpornling witb priuciplcs ancl fculties of the mind whi~h mhabit it, and as ail the parts ancl portions of the nervous tissues nnd muscular fibre arc harmoniously combiued, and the minutest vesscl, the smallest artcry ancl vein, the slenderest and most delicate filament, are one and ail required to make up the perfection of the whole; and as C'ach rccdvcs its vitalized influx for the s.'\ke of somc spccific u~c fulncss, so each part and exprsion of the Holy Word is the rcccptacle of an inward spirit, has its peculiar analogy, its appropriatc place, and its distinct use; and contributcs to the harmony, the completencss, the divine perfection of the whole. While, thcrefore, the letter of the Word, especia.lly in the Old Testament, appcars to treat much of natural objects and appcaranccs, the inward sense treats only of spiritual, celestial, and divine realities. The very title, "THE 'VORD OF GoD," implies a rcvelation of bis existence and nature, his boundless love and wisdom, his inljnito purposcs and thoughts, togethcr with the existence, the capaeitics, the rcsponsibility, and the destiny of the human soul, and the infllible doctrines and truths, essentially for man in the rekttion in which ho stands to bis great Creator; and the knowledge of which, without such supernatural commnuications, it were impo1<Sible to attnin (Job xi. 7, 8). Aud if this be the real character of the Sncred Writings, they must, in cousequence, be full of iutcrior truth and goodncss ns emnnations from the divine mind, yet ndaptcd to the comprehcnsion of men on carth. The Apostlc Paul, thcrcforc, declarcs, "Ail 8cripture is given by inspiration of God; " 21 or, as the
,. .. The Yerb 'V.,' whlch conslltutes the wbole affirmation, ls deficlent ln the origi nal Gr<.-ek, a11d ls appllcd by t.he En.~lish transla.tors a~ an Index to thelr lntcrr>reta tio11 of the pnllAAge. The sentence undonbt edly requlres a vcrbsomtwltcrc, but the place of li. Insertion depcnds upon the judgmcnt of the trnnlator. In the relved version tt IAnds ln the ftn<t clau11e:- Ail !'crlpture is gh en by inpiration of God, etc.' Bax ter, Grotlu, Rcbleumcr. and othcrs. render the pa."'9.ge thm: Ail S<'rlpture glven by lnpl ration of Ood. ls alo profitable, etc.' The original, I thlnk, wlll admit, without vlolent'<', of either rendcring, though lncllned my><:lf to regard the common version as more concordtillt to the Ureek ldlom than the other. But evcn thus tran<IBte<l, t11e Uu:o1mruM11 ONcribcd to the nll,' or cvcry ' ><crlpturc.' dws not in lli,clf dcfine the
1
deqrceof the lnsplrallonaffirmed. That portion of the ~crlptnrewhlch ls Justly dcnominntcd the lrord q/ God i u3e11lial dhi7tity irelf-a ''~rbal embodlment of the clemal tndh whlcb forms n con..Umcnt part of the Divine nature. Wh lie, therefore, we recognize n gencral th~ly, or <!itit1e brealhinu, ascrlbed bi l'au! to all tbe books constltutlng the Old Testament Scripturcs, we stlll regard thls as somcUling h1compa rably lowcr than that plniary dhine amattlll undcr which the ll'ord, strlctly &i called, was writtcn.'"-.l'rqf. Bmh's Rl'plyto Dr. Woods, pp. 31, 32. "F.vcry writing divincly in"J>lred [is] also profitat.lc for lnstru~tion, for conviction [of error]. Cor recovcry [to 1hat which is rlght], for training up in rlghl<.'OmncS11." .. The
vencrab1e Syrlac vcr.-ion, wbo..""C antiquity
pr~natureor
i almo.t, If not <1uite. Apostolic, rcads For
TIIR SCIENCE OF CORRESI'ONDRNCES.
<.:rruk tcrm 6101fm~i'oS hns bccn nptly and emphntically trnn..lnted, "God-brenthccl," or God-inspir<..'<I, or divinely in11pircd (2 Tim. iii. Hi, 17), that is, full of the Divine Spirit an<l the Divine lifl',-" AH H('ripturc di\'1wly inspircd of Go<\ is profitable for doctrine, for re proof, for corrtction, for iul'tructiou in righteousncss, that the mnn of G0<l may be prrfcct, thoronghly fu rnished unto nll good works." And the A p~tlc Prter imys, " K nm\ ing this first, th nt no prophecy of !-'('ripturc i:< [or cometh] of nny private intcrprctntiou. .F or the prophl'l'Y cnml' not in old timo hy the will of man ; but holy men of ( :od spakr ns they wcre moved [tpof< m., borne nwny, cnrricd out of thrm:>eln>s] hy the H oly Spirit" (2 Pet. i. 21); or, ns Dean Al forci rl'll'1Prs it, " h:ul utternncc from God, being mon. -d by the Iloly ~pirit." ,Jo;:cph11:;, the Jcwish historian, spenking of the plcnnrily in~piml books of the Old TCl!tnmcnt, add~, that tbey wcre written a('('ordiug to nnvs1'ui, or tho im1pirntion that cornes froru God ; and l'hilo, n contlm1x11ary Jcwish phil<~opher, cnlls the P.criptrc to.tsfi' oracle:-, tbat j,. to lift)", ornclcs givcn under the immediate agcncy nnd dict:itinu of CTod. Tlw idlm1 of llll'll nnd nngcls naturolly emOOdy themselvcs in suitnhlc somul~ nrnl expressions-the toncs express the scnsibilities of the will, nnd the wor<ls rcrnal the 1oughts of the intellect. In this we nrc imagt>s of Oocl, wh~<>c voice hns spokcn in nu<lible terms from uu.,.t aucicut tirul~, 11S an intrlligible dictatc,-wbo wrote on stoue tnhlcts the l>ccaloguc, or " tcn words,"--and commamlcd and in~pireJ ~11rs and proplwts what to spcnk nnrl what to writo. 'Vhat arc words hnt syrubols of id('w-1, Lietwccn which there is the closcst corrcspomll'll<'l' aud the mt iutimntc depcn<lcucc; an<l as without man's words
t'\l'f)" "rilini: whtc-11 hM bccn written br the "plrlt 1, valunhlo for ln!'tructlou,' etc. The Yull('t!C couftnnR thls lnterpn:tatlon :' 1)111111>, >nlptura <llvlnltus lnsplrata, ulllls <"l ail doc:en<lum,' Nc."-(Dr. J>. J:i111itl1'1 " T< <lim. w IM JJ<s~lah," vol. l., p. 27.) Dr. A. Clarke t.rat1'1al<"I tlils ptlSS&ge M foJ. Io\\. and IA ~upport<.'11 by the l>c!<t auU10rl Il~ "The p&rtidc .., (nn<l)," hc i;ays, "fs nmltte<l hy almll>t all the ,.er<lon, and by many or the F'ather<, and ccrtainly do<."I not !\KI"('(' wrll "lth the tcxt." "Ali ~cripture ghen by Inspiration or (;o<J, ls profitable for <loctrlnc," ctc.-(<bmmmt. '" 1-0c.) IJr. Wardlaw ha~ rcndcred lt th us:" F!\'Cry lhlnely inspircd "rlllng i~ profitable for ln,tructlon, comtcllon, rcformallon, and NllaltlOD in rti:htroUMl.." And ad(] ..
that "tbc 11...i thln1t amrmcd ln lhe-<c words ls the plcnary ln~p!ratlon of U1c Old Teo-ta ment &."1'1ptur<"!."-{hllrod. Il> Bilv!JI Jlu/J'1 Qmtempl., pp. xll., xlll.) Profes.'IOr Rtuart rcnders the fln;t cli111se, "l>'\'ery Scrlpt111'6 lnpired of God," or "God lnsplritcd."-(Q1110ll. p. 36!.) Tl has al!'O ~n tranlated by olllcl'I', "Ali !'crlpture dllncly lnplred of God." And, "Every Godbrt'&thcd wrillnit.'' "Thcop. ncustos" hM been construed b)' l!l>me wltb an acthe slgnlflcatlon. of which Il appcars to be susecptlhl<'. lt i. t.ben ren<lercd, "dito/ml11~oJhlng;" 1md Il ls understood r.o cxpreM the fact that the in"Plrcd Word ls full of God; that through lt a.s & medium, God bttathC8 forth, or communll'aWI, ln humon lani:uage, WJ wlll lllld "iadom IO mauklncL
REV.EALS Tl/F: J)/VINITY OF Tl/E SCRI,-TURES.
35
we cnnnot comprehenrl his human and finitc ideas, 80 without God's words we cannot understnnd his infinite and divine idens. The very l.anguage, then, of the W ord of God, if indeed He be the Author, must be inspired as well as the idea8. The words of a man eontain only his finite thought and intelligenr.e; and by hearing or rcading them, and attcnding to the sense they are designed to convey, we become more or Jess acquainted with the prevsiling sentiments of a finite mind ; but the W ord of God has an I NFINITE BErno for its author, and eternal purposcs to serve; for thus saith the Lord, " My thoughts arc not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 80 are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. lv. 8, 9). Yea, He bas moroover solemnly declarcd, that "Hrs NAME is cnlled TuE WonD OF GoD" (Rev. xix. 13).'" Whatever, then, may be the appearance of the letter, or the sur face of the outward covering, the Roly W ord must be designcd to accommodate and convey to man, as far as possible, in a way preciscly adapte<l to the condition and circumstances of his roind, in ail ages, the infinite truth, the perfect intelligence, the unbounded love, and the unchangeable goodness,-or, in other words, th divine will and wisdom-of the Supreme Being, of whieh it must be the rich depitory. Thus, Divine Revelation could nevcr bedesigned to instruct us in rnere human history or physical science, in the laws of astron omy or the facts of gcology, in the elementary constitution of the earth or the political events of empires,-for we acquire al! this kinl of knowledge in an extemal way, by the exorcise of the outward senses, and without the aid of spccial inspiration: but must have bccn designed to instruct man in the subjects and objects of gcnuine religion,-in spiritual and celestial, yea, divine, wisdom,-iu the holy opcrations of repentance and conversion, of charity and fith, of rightcousness and truth; th us, in our duty towards God and our duty towarcls our ncighbor, our regencration and final salvation. Th~ must have been the objects of Divine Revelation,-t.he only objects worthy of an all-wise ani:l benovolent Deity. Without such an inspirerl revelation, thus rnercifully adapted to his states and necessitics, man could never have known anything conceming his soul, or
.... Among the numerous passageii or the 1 word could be subslitul.ed for lt wllhout New Testament ln whlch the phmse, the a manlfCl!I abourdlty."-:lllirlll><IU'a C/w.rgt, mmt of God occurs, there ls not one ln 11!63, p. 105. wbich li signifies the Dlblo,or ln whlch lhat
TITE SCIE.VCE OF CORRESPO.VDR,VCES.
his eternal lifo, or evcn of the exi~tcnre of God, still lC'lS eould he have kuown anythiug of religion, which is the love of God ahovc ni: things ami his ueighbor as l1imsclf, nud oil which rcvealc<l comnmnds it is 1lcclared by the Lord hirmolf, "hnug all the l:i.w and the prophets" (Matt. xxii. 37-40); or oil which depend all the unspeakahle blessings of salvation. Tha.t the "'ord of God, howe\er, colltains faithful historienl rdations, records which arc litcrnlly truc, prophecies which have heC11 pcrmittcd to ha,re a gcncral accomplishmcut even in the world, and relates true miracles, that an cxternnl reverence for its contents, apn.r t from superstition, might be thereby pos.sessed nmong the most se11su11l of the humnn race, is frecly and fully accorde<l. But this, great as are the objccts attained, is wholly insufficient to prove that it is a seriea of books dictated by the immediatc inspiration of God. "'Vl10 does not see," says the Rev. S. Noble, in au admirnbly sustnined argument on this subject, "that the differcncc bctween com positions that are rcally the W ord of God and the compositions of' men must be as great as bctween the works of God and the works of men? Aud wherein does the latter differeuce most remarkably consist? Is it not in the int.erior organization which the works of God posse.ss, beyond what appean> in their outward form? Wheu we look at a picture or a statue, which are among the most exquisite productions of human ingenuity, after we have seen the surface, we have secn the whole: and although there are pies of cur:ious mechanism, which conta.in a complication of parts within their out;:i<le case, this only cnrrics us one ;;tep farthcr: when we look nt nny of the parts, we soc the wholc :-the interior texture of the material of which they are compos<,>d not heing the work of the human artist, but of the Dhine Creator. 'Vhercas, when we look nt any of the works of his omnipotent hand, beautiful and exact as they are in their outward form, still, the most beautiful and wonderful parts of thcm arc within. Some of thcse hiddcn won<lers arc discovernhle to the diligent inqu i rcr by mcans of dissections and by the aid of glas.-;cs: but whcn the most ingenious invcstigator has extende<l his rcsearches into the intcrior co11Strnction of any nntural production to the utmO!it limits that human mcnns can conduct him, he must, if ho is a wi~c man, be couvince<l, that what he has thus discovered, is, aftcr all, but gencral and snperficial, compared with the greatcr wondcrs which still lic conrcalcd within. The most expert anntomiHt ncver, for instance, rcnchccl the l!Cat of the soul.-still l();'S the principle of consciousncss au lift
RRVEA /,S Tiil? DIVINITY OF TIIE SCRII'TURES.
37
of which the son! it.~lf is roercly the organ; al! which, and even the matcrial fonns which are their first envelo~, still lie beyond the most subtile forms that the gross observation of the senses can discover. The arthcr, however, the observation of the senses can extcnd, the grcnter nre the wonders which appenr. Just so it is with the Word of God ; and so it must be, if it hns in reality God for its Author. To suppose the literai sense of the W ord of God to be ail thnt it contains, bccnnse nothing more is obvious to a superficial inspection, is just ns rensonahle ns to nffirm thnt the humnn body consists of nothing bu.t skin, bccause this is al! thnt meets the unnssisted eye: hut nB the researehes of anatomists have nssured us that within the skin which covers our frame there are innumerable forms of use and bcnuty, each of which consists again of innumernble vesscls and fibres; whilst, afier science has carried her discoveries to the utmost, the principle thnt imparts life to the whole still eludes the senrch : !'O the letter of the IIoly Word, which mny be l'egarded as it.~ skin, includes witbin it innumerable spiritual truths, adnptcd in some meosure to the npprcbension of spiritually-minded men, but more completely to the intellects of purely spiritual beings; whilst the Essential Divine Wisdom, which gives life to the whole, is beyond the comprehcnsion of the highest finitc intelligence, and cnn only be known to its Infinite Original. And such must be the charncter of the whole of tl10 Word of God, ns well of those' passages which afford a clenr instructive scnse in the letter as of those which do not: for the Word of God, to be truly so, must be like itself throughout, and must everywl1ere be composed upon one uniform principle. Evcry mind that reffects. dceply upon the subject, will, 1 run persuaded, see, that to deny the Roly 'Vord to possess such contents as we have described, is cquivalent to denying it to have God for its Author."-Plenary In$piration of the Scriptures Asserted, &c., pp. 63-8. 1 take the present opportuuity of strongly rccomrnending tbis able work to the reader.''
""The plr!tual ~enl!C of the 1"'alm11," saya Bihop llorne, "ls and must be pcculiar to the &!rlptures; be<'ause orthose persous and trnuo;actions only, whleh are there men tlon<'ould any one attempt to apply the narrative of Alexander's cxpedltion, by Qulntus Curtfus, or the commentarics of Cn:sar, as the New Testament wrltcrs have done, nud tAught us to do to the hlotor!esof Ui~ Old, be would fini! hlm"Clf unable to ~roe threc &lcps with consistency and proprlety. The argument, therefore, whlch would Infer the absurdlty of supposlng the Seriptures to bave a spiritual sense, trom the absurdity of supposlng hlstory or pociru merely human to have lt, l' lnconclushe; the sacred writings diffcr!ng, ln this respect, trom &li otber wr!tlngs ln the world, as muchasthenntureofthetranactlonswhlch they relate, dlll'ers from thAt of ali othcr transactions; and the Author who relate them dlffersfrom ail otherauthore."-Cbmm. on IM l'llalms, pref., p. xvi.
CHAPTER IV.
TnE L.1.ws OF THE SCIENCE OF ConRESPONDENCES STATED AND CoNFJRMl':D. - TUE DocmJNE OF ConnESPONDENCES WELL KNOWN TO THE ANCIENTS, AND ITS ConnUPTION TUE RIGIN OF ALL lDOl.ATRY AND SUPERSTITION.
"JTfrom is universally eonfesse<l," says Swedenborg," that the 'Vord is Gorl, is divinely inspired, and of conscquence holy; but
still it hns remninerl a secret to this rlay in what part of the W ord ifs clivinity rcsides, inasmuch ns in the letter it appears like a common writing, composed in a strange style, neither so sublime, nor so elegant, nor so lucid ns that which distinguishes the best secular compo sitions. H cnce it is, that whosoever worships nature insten<l of God, or in preferencc to God, and in consequencc of such worship makcs himself and his own proprium [or selfhood] the centre and fountain of his thonghts, instead of d!Jriving them out of heavcn from the Lord, mn.y easily fall into error conccrning the W ord, or into contempt for it, and say within himsclf, as hc rends it, what is the mcaning of this pn!<sngc? What is the meaning of that? Is it possible this should be divine? Is it possible that God, whose wisdom is infini te, shonld speak in this manncr? Where is its sanctity, or whence ean it be derivccl, but from superstition and crcclulity? with other suggestions of a similnr nature. "But he who reasons thus 1locs not reflect that .Jchovnh the I..ord, who is God of heaven and earth, spake the W or<l by .Moses and the prophets, and that eonsequently it must be divine truth, inasmuch ns what .Jehovah hirnself spenks can be nothing elsc; nor <lo such an one con~i<ler thnt the Lord, who is the same with Jehovah, spake the wortl written by the Evangclist11,-many parts from his own mout.h, and the rest from the Spirit of his mouth, which is the Holy Spirit. Henee it is He himself declares, that in his wortls there is lifc, nnd that He is thnt light which cnlightcns, nntl that He is the tru(.h, The natural mnn, howevcr, cannot still be persuadecl to helieve that th .. Word is divine truth itself, in which is divine wisdom and divine Jife, 88
ITS /,A WS STATED AN/) CONFIRA!Ef>.
30
inasrnuch ns he judges of it by its style, in which no such things appcar. "Neverthcls, the style in which the W ord is written is a divine style, with which no other style, howevcr sublime and excellent it may seern, is at nll comparable; for it is as darkncss comparcd to light. The style of the Word is of such a nature as to contnin whnt is holy in every verse, in every word, and in some cases in C\ery lctter; and hence the 'V ord conjoins mnn with the A>rd, and opens heavcn. There are two things which proceed from the Lor<l,-divine love and divine wisdom, or, what is the same thiug, divine good and divine truth: for divine good is of divine love itsclf, nn<l divine truth i:s of the divine wisdom: and the Won! in its essence is both of thcse; and inasmuch as it conjoins man with the Lord, and opens heavcn, as just obscrved, therefore the \Vord fills the mnn who rends it, undcr the Lord's influence Md not under the influence of proprium or self, with the good of love and the truth of wisclom,-his will with the good of love, and his nnderstanding with the truth of wisdom. "Hence man hns life by and through the W ord. Lest, therefore, mnnkin<l should rernain any longer in doubt conccming the ])idnity of the 'Vor<l, the internai seuse thereof is revcaled, which in its cSl!Cnce is spiritu:LI, and which is to the external sense, which is nntural, whnt the soul is to the body. This internai sensc is the Spirit which ghes life to the lcttcr; wherefore this sensc will cvincc the divinity and sanctity of the 'Vord, and rnay convincc evcn the nntural man, if he is willing to be convinced."-S. S. 1-4 ; A. E. 1065. I1l'the New Church, then, and for the bcncfit of nll who are willing to rcive the truth, it has been disclosed,-und the discovery is the rnt important that bas takcn place sincc the completion of the New Testament, that the Holy Wor<I is ~o written, thnt ench expression corresponds to some distinct spiritual idea, that is, an idca which relates to the J,ord, the spiritual world, nnd the human mimi ; to goodns, truth, nnd their activities, or to love, wisdoru, n.nd Jifc. Now these spiritual idcns, togcthcr with thosc of the lettcr, arc ~hown to be so wonderfully connected as to form one pcrfect unbrokcn chnin of cternal truth from first to Jast,-one grnrnl series of hc:wcnly particulnrs, which constitutes the internai and external, or the spiritual and literai senscs of the 'Vord of God. The laws which thus unfold the true character of the Sncred Oracles are dcnominated laws of corrcsponden. This term is derived from <'Oil, re, and spo11deo, meaning radically i-0 m1S111er wit/1, or to agree, dcnoting, in the ~cnse in which
40
TJIE SC!F:NCR OF (J()RRF:Sl'ONnF.N(JF.S.
it !I 11$('(1 in the New Chnrch, the rceiprocnl relntion of ohje<'I~ in highcr und lowcr degrs,-n mntunl union of the internai \\ith the cxtenrnl,-thc lrnrmony of snl>Stnnrc nml form,-the concord of cause and effort. .From this definition it nmy be perrehed that the ~eienre of eorre:;pondcnccs is not, ns some have rnshly n~scrted, n mere clewr invention, an arbitrnry device, nn imnginnry thcory, a fnneiful eoneeit,-hut thnt it is a systcmn.tic, uniform, nnd certain rulc of intcrpr<'tntion, foundcd upon the nature, qunlities, and u~cs of nll tcrrcstrinl ohjcct.<1, n11d ail the phcnomenn. of life.'$ Th<.'Se hnvc one and nll t hr mo~t rxnc:t eorrpondcncc with eternnl rcalitics and mental O Jl<'rntioni~, for natnrnl objects and truths nrc the rnirrors in which spiritunl ~uhjects nnd infinite wisdom nre reflectcd. Ifonce, man has bi.
The want (If a trlet rule of interprctAtlon, for whlrh the world was at that tlmc ~ IO!&lly unprepared, ls tbus acknowledged by Au~'tlne, "where he lays down the prlnclple v.hlch gulded h1m in the inveo.li galion of hMorlc41 t)'Jl(S." [Tract for the TimtA, lxxxlx p. 38.] "Thelle secrets of Divine l'crlpture we INJce O'Ut iu 1 ma11. <me mnrr or ltM a1ttv thon another, but a beeomes falt.hful m1n, holding thu much for certain; lhat not wlthout >omc klnd of foreshllllowlng of fut.ure c,cnts, wcrc these t.hln!;$ doue and recorde<! fin the Word]; and that to Chrht. only, and hls Churcb, the City of <'.od, arc the)' t.o be referred iu C\"cry lnstanC'C.''-D<' ('ir. Dti, xvl. 2. Jly the Science of Corresponilcnc<', howcver, ail distrust an'1 unccr1&lnt.y arc nmo,ed. "The ..evcrc ~hoolcs>h&ll never lauith me out or the phllo..opby of Hermes, th4t thls vl&lble \\Orld f, but a pirlure of tbe ID\'l'<l ble. "hercln, a. ln a pourtrait, tbings are not truly, but ln equiYol shapes, and as they countt'rfelt Orne more real subolt.ance ln thet. inYMhle Fabrick." -Sut TuoXA.S BnOWNE. Ob. A. D. 1682. llllllon say, "\\"hat if eart.b Be but. the shadow of h co.v'n; and thlngs t.hrcln llal'h to other llke, more than 011 cart.h ls lhought." J'or(ldt.e Lu.t, book v ., lin es 574-6. A ~lmllnr ldea ls thU expresse<\ by Barrow : "\\'hat we lie<' lu a lowrr <kgrn tKrme tthtrt tu u!ot, doth prob&bly othcnrt.< aW in 11 hlg/irr dlf)T'"-11\Jru, \'Ol. iY., p. 170. "The Platonb~,'' '<a)'S ArebbWiop Lelgh1.. n," dl vide the worlol lut.o Iwo, the ocnllJlc and lntellectu&l worhl . 1bey lmai:lne the one Ill hl the ty~ of the othcr, and tha1 ""noJblc an1l Mplritual tbln~'l! arc sta101>cd, as lt "ere, wlth the i.au1c ~11\Jnp. 'l'bcse 1>cutlmeni.s are not unllke the notions whirh the mllstel"< or Ille C'aballetleal doctrme llffiQng the Jews hcld eon~cmlng God's ~EPmnoTn and 'Y.AL,\\ herev. lth, aordlng 10 tbcm , a:J the worlds, and e\er)'lhlng lu t.bcm. are st.ampt'<l or >eale<l; and the-e are probl\hly near l\khi to wbot Lord Bacon calls hl '1mrra/tll alqnirola :' and lj/mboli:antc .ehl'l!la lirnu. ,\ccordlng 10 t.hls hypothei.tl!, thc.c pambles, whlrJ\ are ollcn t.aken from n()./111'al 111111os 10 lllu8trale tiUCh a.~ aret11v!1te, wlll not. be m11htud1' lakcn entirctv al p~re, but are oRell in 1\ grcat. mca>Ure /OU7t<lt(l ill nature, and the t.hlng'I themselves." - Leigl1W11'1 ll'or.h, vol. lv . p. 1:.6. " }'igur t.aken rrom natural tblngs and ncUons are lnll'Oduced lnto the \\'on! of God Io expreio. divine tblngs and action~. ln uch a manner, tbat, hy looking llflOll one, we may, "" Il were ln a picturc, bchold t.he othcr."-/l<>11trl'1 11utuut. T/lt"'J., ne., pari 2.. '' lt. ls not. a lltUe remartable that, aceomlng t.o l'rC"o<:Ott., the Pcru,ian Mythology, bcfore the conqu c;,t, was not uollke that of ll lndot.an.' They adopted &l!SO a notlou,' ay he, not. unllkct.hat profci;.<cd bpomeof thochool~ or anclcnt. pblloROphy, that.cveryth i11K on eo.rth had lts archctnie or ldca, il,a 1111>1/ter, llJ> thcy cu1~bat.1cally stylo<! lt. whlrh the) hcld "'1<:red,as Io oome sort its >pl ri tuai >. 37. e>..cncc.' "-amq. 'Q J>o-u, vol. !., 1 "Bacon bath wli.ely obscrved, 1hat the "ork of Ciod mlnistcr" slngular help a11d pre,cr\'atlvc 11tah11 uubelkf anll crror: our "vlour, as he o,nlth, bavlng laid before u t\\O book or \'Olumco- to tlul)'; ftl'>t, th< ,'<-,ij>lurn, rewalinl( the wUI of Ge..!, and thcn the rttalu,..., cxpfCf">lnJ? hb Jl<>\\Cr wh~rt.if the /a'11r I n kty unto lu /ur1N<-r."/J1U"f>n' Afll', of l.Mnii11g. b. 1.
8uch wn -
the )>let.y and penctraUvn of Uib grc11t 11141~
/1',<; LA lfS STA 1'ED AND Cr>NFIRMEn.
41
emphatically <'nllCfl by the nncicnts a rn~.,,11, or little world, ami conhidcrc1l ns an epitome of the 11UU"roco.m1, or grcnt uni verse ;n nnd ns the lowcr or nntural region of the 1nin1l is thus the world in its lcru!t effigy, !<a the superior or spiritual regiou of the mind is a heaven iu it& len.st cffigy, on which account man may also be called a inicrouranos, or lite hcnvcn (T. C. R. 604). And a fragment of the very earliest philophy which bas bcen hnnded down to us, nttributed to IIcrm TrismegiRtus (t he Greek name for Thoth, the personification of Egyp tinn wii:;dom), nffir~1s, that "therc is nothing in the hcnvens which i~ not in the earth in an earthly form; nnrl thcrc is nothing on the earth which is not in the heavens in n heavenly form.".. For as the inde6nite particulars of whicb the univcrse is compl
For 11 wlJI be rllund true, lhat the lnvl&I orlglo&Uog 1he cxltence, as well 11S main ble tblnga or <'.OO, that is, the thlngs con 1&loln~ lhe order and hannouy,ofthe na111cernlng Ili Delme and bis Power, and the ral UDl\'erl'C." economy or hla ~plrttual klngdom, wblch The unhcr!le I but &gre&t tnirror of io arc tht ohJccu of our falth, are clearly m mlnd ot m1.n. -Gi~lin'1 Lit. Port., p. 8. /rom Il~ l"fflll/01t q/ IM tt'Of'ld. and undastood Now thls euthly world which we do occ />JI Ille lhlng thm o~ mcult."-JonCll' Smnol i an exact plcture aud patte.ru of the >plr on IM Na/. El:id. q/ Cltristianily, preached 1787. ltual, heavenly world which we do not ""r. "There w1.11 an opinion (1 8hould rather As ~olomon sa.ys ln the Pr<>vcrbR, 1'hc cati Il a tracllllon) among ROme heatben thlng11 whlch are secn are the double. or phllooophcra that the world ls a parnble, the thlngs whlch are not soon.' "-Ki11gdU:y1 the llleral or bodlly part of whlch ls man! r111a11e Strmo1'8, p. 187, fe!<t .IO &Il men, whlle the lnward meao,. .. Thlug<1 lnvi.tblo to the carnal eye arc lng '" hlddcn, a. the soul in the body, clearly scen by the enllghtcned eye of~be the moral ln the fable, or the lnterpretatlon mh11l-belng undeNtood by the llvely and ln the p&r&blc." "We m&y caJI the world a sen>lble dC""rlptlon or them 111 the 1blu~ f1.hle, or parable; ln whlch thcre is an out that are made. The materll\l worltl and lt' ward appeannce of v!ilble lhlngs. with an objecta are plc1u~ or s!milllude-. lu ..,me lnward tten..,, w h!ch ls hldden as the soul vlew or 01hcr, of the acling<> or God ln the under the body."~ Peri ~cap. gplrltu&l world. t:pon Lhb plan the l!\'efy 8. Jona'e Ltt. on IM J'ig. Lmlg. of Scrip. p. Ort.<'l of 1ruth appcu to ha,e been wrlt 70. 1co."-Ser~1 /lor. SolU., p. L'l7. n Philo >&)'11 that "man ls a llltle world, "The wholo or the vh<lblc creat!oo is but and that the world IA one i::rcu man;" and tho ouUlde or a val magoiflcent holll!e or Orlg\'n call man "Jlinomn Jlundum. a Ml temple, wh080 lnlde I hco-en, or the ftn croro1ome."-/l. Mort' C011j. Chb., Dcfence of, gellc k!ngdom; awl thl again is but the p. 200. oui.Ide of & templo or house still more \'Ol "Out ofall bclng known IO u.,man !s the and magn!Hcent, whose inslde ls JOl!\u m<Jtit clcvatc<I; u ln hls form, at the samo ChrlI, the only living and eternal Lord our tlmc one 1.nd complcx, he eontains ail ln God.''-Clnwd M/l!l'tU. Thoo9ht., p. 53. r~rlor P:<ihten<'a!.''-Abbt De LamrnMi3, Eqti"That the tcathlng of Nature ls oymboll illl!(' D'u1u: PhlJONJphlf, vol.!., p. 409. Set Jlor- cal, none, wc thluk, can deoy."-Nro and t/1'1 llill. of JJ<Jd. PAilOf., 2d oo., vol., li. p. 297. ll"dl/J'1 1111rod. Eu. to Dunl11dua on Svml>., p. "Properly undcn.tood, cartly sub6tances xlv. &re the tYIX'" l"Cp~ntatlve' and shadows "l'bUoeophy, fable, poe1ry, and the m<1<'t of heavcnly thlnl!".''-Dr. A .ClarU ani.mne- j reftned me1&phy<I"' have not been &ble to tarr, vol.\'., f' M.2. form &n hlca of lhe uulver.e whleh sur "Dnl-. ln hlo UiolfWV q/ lllt O.lnae, tells round u., wlthuut at the sa1oe tlme lm&i; us tb&t the <'hln<"<' phys!<1logiL expn"~ly lnloic another uuhez-,e of wWch th ils !s the r&ll mau a llUlr ulttTM", or ml('ro('()6Ill: to !m*"-e.''-Rl~htr' TA Nour. Jeru;J. on Clnnwhlrh lhcy extend the du&l princlple, "" '1JOll., vol. 1., 2d part, p. a.'>5.
11
4*
42
Tl/E SCIRNCE OF CORllESPO,\'J>ENC8S.
m~st have brui a divine origin, so they must ail henr nnn1ogics to cnch '>ther, and reflect infinite intelligence and goodness: thcy must, thereforc, of necessity be iuvested with a moral, n spiritual, yca, n <liviue significance, the visible ohjects of the outwnrd world exactly correspouding with invisible realities in the world within, and these ng:1i11 to the iniinite principlcs in the divine mind, as their secondary and primary cause of existence and subsistence.29 Ail this is in exact
,. Jlctwecn the work of ercatfon and prcscrvat!on on the one band, and that or re demptlon (ami the authorinlghlhave ad<!ed also. mo.t truly, thnt of regcncr&lion]on the othcr, there sms IO be a great analogy; a. the sacred wrltcr!< frequenUy borrow images from one Io c:xplnln the other. 'The invlsl bic Uiings or God from the creation of the world arc clearly sn.' Thlngs \'lslble do not only prove the dfotne pml!C1' aud G<><.1hcad,-the existence and glorlous perfections or God,-but thcy also serve as a mirror to represcnt U\e Invisible thing$ or Go<!. And bctwn U\cse two rcprewntstlves thcrc ls such a rorrcsponden, that an attentive view or thh1g nnturo.I an0ral mny hclp us t.o rorm better conceptions of thlng11 spiritual and eternal. .. . Will\out thls erfe<t, phil<)phy ls hut a ''ain amusement. But whcn things vLible corrcspond to whai ls re\'ealed in the Scrlpturcs con~-ernfng the lnviiblc thini(l! of Ood. lllld U\cse corre~punclcns are trad under the gniclan of the wrlttcn Word, these Iwo grcat books [erentlon and Hevelatfon] help to cxplaln cnch other."-()ifmoloV!/: Pub. al lJaJ.11, 1791. 'l'om. lv., J>. 1ro. "The worl<I ls ccrt&inly agrcat and ststcly volum(I of natuml thlngs, and may not lmproperl) be tyled the hieroglyphirs or a hctt<'r.''-Fr1d!t tif &llitudc, p. 3. "Natnre ls a book writtcn on hoth sld('s, witbin and \\lthouC., ln whlch the linger or God is distlnctly visible; a splcs of Holy Wrlt ln n bo<llly form: a glorlons pan<'gyric on<:0<1'x omnipotence exp~ed in the most visible S)'mhol.''-Sl'HLEGEI.. ln the bftok of l'ohar, a slmllnr entence Oc"'CU ~: .. </11otlru11qtl1' in lcn'1l est, id f liant. in Ctrlti cN., et uulla rca l<im uigua eli. in ..Utotdo, q111r mm ali 8iutiti, (Jtt11! in Cielo Cici, CQrrU]JQ11dtal.."
bic to U\elr outwPAcl senscs, to cllscern O.fl dlseover anolher 11'1',isiblc nat.ure uuder Il.'' -Jul. Oral., iv., p. H><. l'ite<:l byOuduwth, Intel. Syst., vol. li., p. 2f.0. " l'lato, ln hls 'l'tmus, ce.Ils the world 'a made.> or ereatcd Image of tbe cternal gods.' lly whlch etcrnal gods hc there doubtlc><S meant that fi""t,' and' second,' and' U1ird,' whlch, in hls second eplstle Io Dionysius, he makes to be uncreated prlnciples or ail U1lngs; that ls, his trinity, by whose 0011current ef!lcleney and Provl<lenoe. and accordlng to whose image and llkencss, the wholc was made, as o. grnud chain of rcsultlng effeeL~.''-SCe Cudworth'e Intel. Sylll.., vol. il., p. 367. 'The world may well be ealled an image; lt dcpcudlng upou that 11hovc (as a11 Image ln a glass]. whirh is threcfold."-Ploti11us, ciltd l>y Oudworlh, vol. Il., p. 31~. "Empc<locles held, oceording to llle Pythagol'\'an doctrine, tbat thcrc are two worlds, U1e one iutellcetual, the other sensible: the former heing the modcl or archetypc of the latter." (25 E:xod .. 40.J-~c Simpllei fn Pl>y8iJ:. Ar#t., also P!ut. tU Placitia Hiil., b. 1, e. 20. "The rmholic Jo.nguage of the prophets ls almost a seien of iLelf. None cnn fUlly oomprehcnd the depth, subllrulty. and fort.-e ofthclr wrltings who arc not thoroughly nequnlnted with the pcculiar and appropl'ltlt.e lmai,>Cry they wcre accustomed to usc.''Btsuor VAS M1LJJF.1tT. "The visible world U\roughout ls a pall<>rn or the hwbiblc."-Jonel' tl. l Uic Fiu. J,tmg. qf &>rip., p. 34. " \\'hen the mnkcr of the world bcromc an Author, h ls word Ulust be ns 1wrl\.~t "''
his work."-Jmtts'a fA:rturt:$ on /.M. Pigutufi.te Lang. of llt.e Jloly &rip., p. 1.
"Ali thing'! in nature are prophclie outline or divine opcrations, God not mercly tptakin(I iJ4lrables, but tlomg them.''-TmTl'LL.tAN; De Unrur., <-. 12. "Julhtn, ln nu orntlon, cxprscs hlmself
Ir <lod 1nadc this world the partlfnlar kind or world whlch hc is found to ha"c made lt. in onler thnt lt might in duc timo prcn!'h t.o manklnd abc1uthlmsclf,and 1tbo11t h ls provhlcn :-1 f lie oontrl\'cd bcforchand the germination of 'lCC<ls, the gruwlh or th us: Not ''i('lw and t~1nlcmplA.tc the hcuvC'n plantl<, the annloglcs of animal llfe,-all, and worl<l with the >:am< cyc.,, thnt oxcn and cvldcnUy, ln <>rdcr lhnt they might furnish borscs do, buti;o as fruru that whifh ls visi- mu,tratious vf hls lcachiug; and thut 50
ITS LA ll'S STATED AND CONFIRJIEJJ.
43
agreement with the teaching of the npostlo Paul, when be say~. "For the invisible things of Him [God] from the crention of the world are clearly seen [" being consi<lcred in bis works nre distinctly secn."-HQr. Rom., p. 6], being un<lerstood by the things thnt are made, even his etcrnal power and godhead" (Rom. i. 20). Thcse analogies or correspondenc many theologians and philosophers have ndmittcd, from the fact that thcy cnu scarcely escape the recognitiou of the devout aud reflective mill(I. Thus the author of Tract.~for tlie Times (lxxxix.), spcaking of the mode of iuterprcting the Sacred Word adopted by the enrly Fathers of the Christi:m Church, and the groun<l and renson of it, makes thc.5e important arnl suggestive remarks: "What if the whole scheme of sensible things be figur:i.tive?" "What if these [eorrespondences in the .Jewish tnbernncle and ark] are but a slight specimen of one grent use which ALMI<1HTY GoD would have us to make of the extemal world, afl of it.s relation to the world spiritual? Certainly the form itsclf of speaking, with which thcse symbols are introduccd [ns made according to hcnvenly patterns], would seem to imply some such gen!'ral rule." And again, "' Thnt wns the true light.' 'I am the truc vine.' ' Who will give you the truc riches?' taking for grantc<l, in a mnnnE>r,
great Nnturc's self mlght prove one vast Jlftl'tlble ln hls hnud:-wly may uot tllc same t.oo, by hls Etcrnal Spirit, have so overrulcd tbe utterall('e of the hum au agents whom lie employed to writc the Bible, that thelr hlstl>rical narratives, howcver lit.tle thclr nuthors rooant or suspcctc<l it, should cm body the outline of things hcavcnly; and whlle they convcy a truc picture of l\Ctual evcnL'<, should ~. aftcr a most my11tcrloW! f11.'1llon, ylcld ln the bands of bis own ln forming Spirit, celcstial doctrine al~?" "Our purposc has only bccn tovlndicate the profnndlty, or rather IM fulncStJ of Holy Writ, and to how that under the obvlous and lltcrnl mcanlng of the words there lies oonnled a more rcconditc an a pmfounder l'Cnsc-eall tho.t !;Cnse mystical, or spiritual, or Christian, or what you will. 1:nerringly to clicit that blddcn sen!;(' ls the sublime privilcge or l11s1>lred writers, and tbey do it by allu,lon. by quotatlon, by the Importa tlon of a short phrase, by the adoption of a llinglc word,-to an extent whlcb no one would supt.>ct who had not carefu Uy 'tu di cd the sub)c'<'t."-Jlurq<>n'81MJ)iratbm a11.tl Inter f)f'datl<>n, pp. lGS, 171. "The phllosophlcnl gronnd on which they (the ancien! mitions] J>l'OC<.'Cdc>d ls thls,that ail maller or t<11lrtr3<ll flaturt mulll of ne
cea.U11 be U~form all(l vl3il>le i<lca of the cm:n(e ,,,. "Pir witl>in. Eacb objcet ln religion bas
thus its corrcsponding sigu and charactcr ln oueofnature; and thoseofnaturc ln return are held ln es.'Cm and reverenec from thclr oousooration to the uses of religion. The extcnt, lndecd, towblch thls system wn, car ried ln F4typt has at ail limes been proverbial. It formcd the subject or cxprcsse<l 1l>tonih mcntand secret admiration to the ancieut historiansoftbe world. Themythologyofthe We>t wa,ln fact,nlmnst found<'<l ou (or rathcr idcntical with] Jo:;gyptian wormip. \\'e trace up to an Eastern origin the system of l'yth agoras; the cthics of Aristotle; o.nd even ll1c phllosophy of Pinto, so far more spiritual an<! suMime than eithcr: and ha,c no question. l'rom a comparntlvely abundant cvidcnc-c. that the prlnclplcs which appca.rod so great and glorlous to the t.rccks, exlstcd on the ln dus and the Nlle ngcs befclre the fir.t dawn of ch'lllmtion in the \\'es\. The Jew-. too, tbrough evcry pcriod of thelr varie<! history. werc no lcs addictcd to Ibis fa<rinatin~ study than th<' Efttcrn nations. The ract I
or n.n e:xtremc importa.nec;
8ht<'C.,
ln thclr
~.c<!>lon of the Bible, wc bchold the oriyin of that phlloophy whlch kl thcm to the adoption or this system of corTCSpondencc: - 'l'l1ckcr'1 Scrip. /Slud., Inner 1'kme, pp. 28, 2G9
44
Tl/E RGIENGE OF GORREfU'ONJ)RNGES.
the fact that therc was somewhere in the nature of things a true counterpart of thcse ordinary ohjects, a substance of which they wcre but unreal shndows; nnd only informing us in caeh cnse, with authority, what thnt counterpart and substance was." "This doctrine of correspondencc betwecn things seen and unseen, was familiar and very acceptable" [to the Fathers] (p. 165). To the s:11ne purpose, Heylin, in his Select DisCO'ltrse.~, observes, "There is an analogy betwixt the visible and invisible worM, whieh the Seriptures declare to be the foundation of the i\fosaic rites, and from which other religions eeremonics reccive their fitness and utility. The tcrms uncln, defiletl, pollutc<l, are npplicablc to minds as well as hodies, and thnt with a propriety which is casier felt th:m explained. The correspondent terms of cleansing, baptizing, purifying with water, or with fire, as the case mny require, or the subject can bear,-thesc, too, have a just and obvious signification in morals as well as naturnls: for the systems of both worlds run parallel, so that realities in the sup<lr!or have their respective shadows in the inferior, and are fitly represented by them" (i. 36 and 38, London, 1749). That the natural world is full of analogies is uni,ers.'tlly aeknowledgecl. Thus, Swainson writes :-" It is unnecessary to enforce the axiom long established by sound philosophy, that natural and moral truths are but parts of the great system of nature. Nor nee<l we go OYer those arguments that have been already so ably and so powerfu lly urged by others, to show that every thing in this workl is evidently intended to be the means of moral and iutellectual improvement, to a creature made capable of perceiviug in it this use. This perfoct nnalogy between the moral and the uatural world, no Christian in these days will even think of questioning, much Jess of <lis puting" (192). "Between material ami immnterial, therc is no other relation than that which is affor<led by analogy; without this they would be widely and totally distinct; with this, they are united, and one reciprocally illustrates the other. Analogy, or symbolical rcprcsentation, is, therefore, the most universal law of nature, beeause it embraees and extends its influence over the uatural, the moral, and the spiritual worl<l: a property which no other law yet discovered is known to J>O<'SC.."-'>" (193). "Things which in their esscntial nature arc totally opposite, are foun<l, on closer investigation, to possess mutuai relations, and to k governed hy the same law. B ence we disco,er thrcc sorts of analogies pervading the system of nature, in the widcst and most exalted application of the term: the first regards tho
ITS L.1 WS f'IT.I TF.n AND CONF!R.llf:n
45
spiritual trut.hs of rcwlation; the second, tho.sc \\hich hclong only to the moral system; white the thir<l arc drawn from the phcnomcnn of the 11111tcri11l world" (~01 ).-J>rcliminary Disoourse on tlte Stmly of Ncdrtral llistory, Cab. Oyclo., pp. 283, 290. Anothcr profoun writcr thus nbly illustrntcs the subjcct of nnalogy in conncction with religion. ""ile analogy," ~ays he, "is the hnppy iuslrumcut of convcying light into subjccts in gcncrnl, it i~ lX'Culinrly so "ben cmployed in elucidating the truths of reliJ?ion. Ilcre the force of contrast with which it nets is 1tt the maximum. W c bring together the things of henven and the things of earth; and bcstow on the most rcmote nnd innc~iblo ohjccts some portion of that circumstantial particularity which bclongs to thosc present nnd visible. To behold truths, in themselves so high abovc our compre hension, in connection with thosc which arc fnmilinrly inculcatcd on us by expcricncc, must call forth our strongc:,t admiration, and powerfully intercst us on both si<lCI', but particularly 011 thnt of our religion. Divine wisdom thcn Cl'Ccnds from its cthcrcnl seat, ns the accsor of the thronc of the Eternal, and communes with us face to face, and band to band. Wo find that tho suhjcets on which the Seripturo t.rcats arc not chimeras, not crentions of tho fncy, which have no substantial existence; but things which AUE: things in which wc lhc, nnrl move, and have our bcing. It no longer appears to us in the light of a scheme, contri\'ed in the bowcrs of philosophie ~c clu~ion, and nddrcssing itself only to the contemplative and impru;sioned 'levotee, like the <lny dreams of the K oran, emerging from tho gloom nnd solitude of the cave of H ara; but it shincs forth conspicuously, as an cncrgizing principle, as a knowledge whi<'h is power, as n work of the L ord, cnrriccl on in the passing scene, with which we cnn not help sympathizing without <!oing violence to ail the principlci; of ou r naturc."-Hnmpden's F,J!J!(ty on the PltilOllophic<il b\idetice.t of Clirillfmity. . The Rev. W. Kirby, ~I.A., in his interesting /Jrl!Je:ttv.er TrealP, thus expre:;ses bimself ou the same subject :-" Whoever surveys the three king<loms of nature with nny attention, will disco,cr in ~vcry dcportmcnt ohjcets thnt, without nny affinity, oppcar to reprcscnt cneh other. Nor is this rc!lemhlnnce confine<! to forms; it cxtcnds alH<> to chnrncter. If wc bcgin nt the bottom of th<> ~cale and nsccnrl up to man, we !!hall fin1l two dC:!Criptions iu nlmo.~t every cla."-q, ancl cn!n tri be, of animnfa: oue, ferocious in their nspcct;i, of'tcn rnpill in thcir motions, prcd:l.('(.'Olld in their habits, proying upon their fellow:1,
T/lE SCIENCE OF CORRF:SJ'ONDENCES.
aml living hy rapiue and blood:sl11xl; while the other is quiet and harmlc.ss, makin~ no attacks, shedtling 110 b\ood, and subsisting mostly ou a vegctahle diet. Sincc God creatcd nothing in vain, we may rcst 11ss11retl that this system of represcntation wus cstnblishc<l with a pa1tie11lnr view. The most common mode of instruction is, placing certain sigm1 or symbuls before the eye of the learner, which rcpresent soun<l:; or ideas; and so the Great Instructor of man placed titis world bt>forc him as an open, tliough my>itical book, in which the ditforcnt. ohjccts and words of a languagc, from the study of which he might gnin wis<lom of vnrious kinds, and be instructcd in such truths rclating to that spiritual world to whieh his soul bclonged, as God saw fit thus to rcvcal to him. In the first place, by observiug that one abject in nature rcprescnte<l nnother, he woul<l be tnught tlrnt ail things arc significant, as well ns intenc<l to net a certain part in the geneml drnma; und further, as he proeooed to trncc the analogies of chnractcr in its two grent branches just alluded to, he woulrl J)e le<l to the kuowle<lge of the doctrine, thus symbolically revealed, that in the invisible world there are two classes of spirits,-one benevolcnt m11l bcneficcnt, and the other malevolent and miscl1ie,ous: clmractcr:s which, after his fll, he woul1l fin<l evcn exemplifie in individuals of hi:; own specics. [This doctrine of analogy] is a vcry uscful and intcrcsting study, and belongs to man as the principal inhabitant of a world storc<l with symbols, to asccrtaiu what God intcndcd to signify by the ohjects that H e bas created and placed before Him, as well as to know their natures and uses. " rheu we recollect wlmt the A postlc tells us (Rom. i. 20), that the' invisible thiugs of G1xl fro111 the crmtion of the world are clearl y sccn;' und thnt spiritual truths arc rctlccl<..'<l as by a minor (1 Cor. xiii. 12), nn<l shown as it werc cnigmaticully, wc shall e convinccd that, in this vicw, the study of nature, if properly con<lucte, may be made of the fir:st importim" (vol. ii., pp. 523- 52.5). Even Emerson admlts that "words arc signs of natura.l fac. The use of naturul history," snys ho, "is to givo us aid in supernatural histury. The use of the outer creation is to givc us lnugunge for the bciug and changes of the inward creation. Every wor which is u:scd to express a moral or intellcctual fct, if traced to its root, i:; found tu be borrowed from some material appea.rance. "Riglit originnlly means straight; wrong means twisted; ~pirit primarily means wind; transgression, the crossing of a line; supcrcilious, the rciising of tlie CJJC-brow. \Ve say the heurt tu express emotion;
/TS L.1 WS STA.TED Al';/) CONFIR.llED.
47
the he:ul, tll dcnole thought; and thought nn<l cmotion arc, in their tum, wor<l~ horrowed frllm scru;ible things, mul uow appropri..'l.ted to i:piritunl nnturt. Most of the prol'S hy whicu tbis transformation is marlc, i~ hidrlen from us in the rcmoto timc whcn lnnguage wrus framccl, but the ~mnc tcndcncy may be daily ob:;crve<l in childrcn. . . . But thi8 origin of nll words thnt convey n ~piritual import,--so conspicuous Il fact in the history of language,-is our lcnst debt to nature. It is not wor<ls only that are cmblematic; it hi things which nre cmblcmntic. Evcry nntuml fact is a symbol of some spiritual foct. Evcry uppearancc in nature corresponds to somc state of the mi111l, and thnt statc of the mind c.'l.n only be cscribcd by prcscnting thnt nntuml nppcnrnnce as its i>icture. An enragc<I man is a lion, a cunuing man i~ n fx, n firm mnn is a rock, a learned man is a torch. A larnb :I innQC<'llCC, a l'nnkc is subtlc spito. . . . Light and dnrkuc;:.... nre our fmiliar expressions for knowledge nnrl igno1-a.n; and heal for lo,e. . . . It is c:1sily seen that there is nothing lueky or capricious in thl'l<C analogies, but that they arc constant and pcrvade 11at11re. These are not the rlremns of a few poct.8, hcrc and there, but man i::; an t\lllllngist, nnd studics relations in nll objccts. . . . Bec.'\use of this rndicnl corrcspondence betwecn visible things niul human thought.s, savnge:<, who have only what is nccessary, c01wcrsc in figures. As \1c. go back i11 history, language becomCll more picturesc1uo, until itl! iufimcy, \\ hcn it is ail poetry ; or ail spiritual fcts are reprcscnted by natuml ~ymbols. Tho samc symbols nrc found to nmke the elcmcnt11 of ail lnugunges. I t ha.s, moroover, bn obsened, that the idioms of all lnnguagc.s npproach each othcr in pru.."lllgt'S of the grealC:!t clo11ucncc und power, nnd as this is the finst lauguage, so it is the lnst. This immc<lintc tlependence of language upon uaturc,-this couvcr.;ion of nu outward phcnomcnn int-0 n type of somcwhnt in humau lifc,uevcr los ils power to affect us."-EM<zy on Nabtre, p. 5. Tho nuthor of Essaya and Analogie.11 p1rccivc1l, with most roflccting mindM, ibnt "Analogy is 11S universal as the uuirnrse itself', and evory uualogy, likc evcry mnn, is, or includcs, the nntural, moral, und spiritual kingdoms" (note, p. 133). "There is nn annlogy," writes nn el~nnt author, "bctwecn ext~rnnl appcnmnc of nature, u.s intelligible hilroglyphl!, nnd particular affection:, [of the tioul], strikingly exemplifirativc of that geoeral harmony which !;ub;.i. iu ail the unirnroe. ':Matcrial objectl!,' as ~Ir. Gilpiu bns justly rcmnrkcd, 'hcing fixcd in their appearanccs, strike e\"ery one in the sa me mmrncr; wherens icn~, bcing rliffercut in mt per
48
'l'l!E SCIENCE OF CORRb'SI'OXJ>ENCRS.
sons upon the same subjcct.--, "ill sclllom !ler\'e by wny of illwtrntioo. "' -Buck'~ llanMn:iJ uf .J.Y1ilurc, vol. ii., pp. l!lO, 1!31. For,!\.'! Dr. Youug hns pcrtincntly oh~cne1l in his J.Yiy!tt Thouyliu, "the unalogy of Nature is Christinnity itsclf in n vcil or parnhle." Bh;hop Horne nlso rccognizcd the snmc nnnlogics in creution. lie say11: "The visible works of God nre forme<l to lcnd us, uudcr tltc direetion of his Word, to u knowlcdt,re of tho,,ic which a rc in\"iihlc; thcy give us iden.s by nnalogy of 'a new crcntion,' nurl are rellll.\ to instruct us in the mysterics of fith au<l the dutics of morality." -Prrf to Comm. on I'llalms, pp. xxiv., xx\'. l n Hwedenborg's Diary, a posthumom; work printed by Dr. Tafcl, of Tuhingen, is the following interesting stntement: "No one [scarecly] reflocts upon those things which exist iu vi11ihle nature 11:> hdng the images of celcstinl and spiritual things; as thnt n plant or a trce arises from its scc<l, and gro\1s, and by its root an<l hark extracts a sap, which i;; the life of the plant or trce, nud which i~ hcnee 1ftributed into ail ile intcrior or ntrnl parts in likc manner us 11piritual things shoulrl relate to celestinl things. l\Ioreovcr, nll thingi>, even the minutest in the pinot and trce, respect the fruit us their end, that is, the renovntion, nnd henee the perpetuity, of the lifo of the tree. The i<amc is the case with all fruit~, even with thoi>e which nre enclosed in hard shells, withiu which arc the 1111clei or fruiti<. The shells and the various surfaces, one within nnother, hy which the juice [or 11np] i;; con>eyed to the interior nnrl inmost principlc:; until the fruit is ripcned, represent corn.spomlcnt thiugs in mnu \\ hen bcing regcuornted, namely, the naturul, i;cicutific, rational, nud intellcctunl things; which [latter] a re spiritual, nud which in this nmnncr, a.~ from a common pinne, divirled into infinitely vnrious wnyR, cnn h1 comeyecl und dL~trihutetl iuto ail thini,rs, cven to the m~t p11rtil11lnr, and iuto the inmo:;t rcc..;;:cs. H encc nr~cs in such tl1ini."' [ \"1.., plant!', tracs, fruit, etc.] their perpctuiti<q, which in the lifo of man tonc:-iponds to eternity. In '!ikc mnnner ail t hing.; of the unimul kingdom, eveu the most pnrticu lar, a rc constituterl; nnd oonscqucntly ail parts of the human body, even to the minutci;t. "Jt is ul~ surprising thnt ail thingll made hy mnn, such ns worlul of nrt, i:tntuel', picturC>t, nn<l innnmerable ot hrr thiniri<, which on the ont.><i<lr ap}X'ar bcautiful, nnd nrc esteemed of grcnt value, are ncvcrt hd<"',; int<'riorly nothing hut l'lny a111l mu<l, ami <le\oicl of bcm1ty; it i:o only the cxtcrnal ~urfocc \\ hith the evc :ulmil'l"\. .. \\Thl'rl':l3 tho.~o thill)!:! \\ hkh grow fru111 >-Ct'll:!, bl'gin rro';11 an iutcrior principle, nn<l
ITS L WS STATED AND CONFIRJI ED.
49
incrcruro ancl a~sume au cxtcrnal. i:;uch things nre nul only beautiful to the Pight, but the more interiorly thcy nrc cxnminecl, the more benutiful they appcnr. It is the i;amc with the life of man; thooe thin!' "hich l>egin frorn what is extcrual, th us \1 hieh procee<l frorn the man himsclf, may be compared to nrlificinl \\orks, whose external form is estecrucd and admirerl, but \1 hc internais are of no value. ' Vhereas tho:;e things which proceccl from Go<l .l\Icssiah are formed from inmost principlcs, and may be compared to those things in nature whieh are bcautiful from within. This is what is meant hy whut Cod Mcssiah says in ~fatthew concorniug the lilics of the fiel<l, that '~lomon, in ail bis glory, wns not arrayed like one of these,' v. hile lilics, IH>we\'er, are di~regarded" ( n. 251 ). Th~ ctcmnl laws of correspomlcnce, overlnirl, indeed, in rnccessh'e ages, and nmong ";dcly different nation!<, by cnclle-s varietics of metaphor, fable, annlogy, mythic epiro<lc:<, lcgtml-<, and observances, may be saicl to constitute an "intelligible and truly hurnan," if not divine, "elcment" of relationship among ail pcop)C$ and tribes of the globe, and the exlltcncc of which is proved by manners, customs, and lnngungC!I, thnt nothing else can pos.sibly explnin. It appea.ns, from the oldest records, that this science was wcll known to, and highly apprecintcc:l by, the ancicnts. I t was cspeeially cultivatcd among the ]~astem nations of Egypt, As.~yria, Cha1'lea, Syria, Canaan, and Ambin, as the "ehief of all the sciences,'' as the "living science," in compari.son with which all other sciences wcre regnrded as dead. The book of ,Job, one of the most ancient we po:;:;CS.'!, abouncls with eorrcsponden('(l.'I, but they ha>e not that serial conncction which distinguishes the full y in~pirod Word of God. Indecd, ail nncient oriental literature affor<ls incfputnble cvidence to the truth of tbL~ science. From it ori~inates the saerod and profune symbols of nntiquity. It pervn<le evcry system of theology and morality. As mankind, however, dcb'tlucratecl from purity an<l intelligence, it was desecrated to vile und sUJ)l!l'lltitious purposcs. It fiually sunk into Grccian fnble,-was associatld with ail tlrnt wns monstrous, impious, nnd ab!lurd, nnd was thui for ages lost. From the successive profunntion of this sacred science arow the luter Egyptian hieroglyphi<~.,, the Ilin<loo, Celtic, Persinn, Grccian, Homan, and Scandinavian myQtcric11 and initiatory rites, their oracfo~ nn1l mythologies; Orpheus nrnl the Indian Apollo; the Wadilions of Titan, und the giants invacliug hcaven; the fables of the golden age and the garden of H csperides; the story of Pandora and hcr box of evil ; the translation of Astrca by the Romans, of
6 D
50
Tllf: scu;,,-cE ()F COR/lf:Sl 'OSDESCE!>.
Dhrurn nmong tho Iliudus, of B uddha nmong tho C'c yloncse, nnd of X aca nmong the Cnlmucks of P.ibcria; the incnrnutious of Vi"hnu in Irnlin, and the fables and ullcgories of ~o m:my nations rcspccting a unhel'!\nl flood. A Il t hesc are traccnblc to the prolific sourrc of corr uption and confusion. H cnce sprang up nll idolatry,16 in which tho
" Tlktt I ,;reat rca.-on to belien'," aays mlght not be loo-L"-Infrodudi<m to Dtmtal the author of Tract for the Timea, lxx X\'llJ,. Of!IJ, vol. 1v., p. 4rtl. "that the PIJlan m,-.tcrlC'I took thclr ri'IC Rwe<ltnbon.:, "r!Ung on the !'111nc 8ublcct from sorocthlng more holy tban them- in the Truc Chri4tion Religion, truly isays, i.ehcs."-1'. 9. "The hlolatrics of thl' gentllcs of old look "The anclents, lt mu.i be eonfC!'ed, al- thclr rlse from the sclencoe of corl'<:>'pond mO"t alwaya ~te In allc~ries."-l'o/Wre' en'!<, h<unc ail thln~s that apj"CAr on the l'hil. Dlct., art. AU<gory. faee nf tl1e earth ha,e correspondcutc, eonBishop Warburton affirms that "lt ""'an scqnently, not only tC'I and veg<-U\bll',but universal opinion thnt the hcathen mysto- also hea.,t and hlr<h. of every klncl, with ries were h1tltured pure."-JJil'. fJ., vol.!., ftshc~ and ail othcr tbiugs. The anclcnts, p. 172. who wett versed ln the sclcnco IJf corre"Druidlsm is thought by many to be de- spondcncx... mad<> 1hcm>clve<1 lmn1:l'f' "hlcb rhcd, thou1th not witbout pcncn<ions and corre.'lponcled wlth hcavculy thlnr; ami corruptiOM, t'rom the Patrlarchal religion." were grcatly dclii:hled wlth thcm by rca.<;0n - A rchfeol<>qiti. vol. vlii., p. 11;, of thcir ljlnlficntlon, ami be<:nu'c thcy could "It i~ 'imcular," sa}'S Hut.chfnMn, "that <li!'<'Cnl ln them what rclated to hcavcn and the :Magl of ~au.. Il. l, ls l't'ndered tiy an lhc chur~h; thcy lbcl't'forc plaecd tho'C lmIrish ven.lon, DraoilM, the Druid, or the &Ill"' not ooly in thclr templ("!, bot al"-0 in true ,.,;se men. Mngi lu the east, llruld ln thcir hOUSl'S, not with any intention to worthe west."-JJW. Oumb., vol. li., p. 19:l. ship thctu, but to 1'C'ne 11 me1111 of recolk-ctClemcnt or Alex1111drla, who wns hlmoeir ing the hcavcnly thh1~"' >lgnUlcd by tl>cm. upposed to h11ve been loltiatcd lnto the Suce<.-edlng &gC!I, whcn the seim~e of correlleathen m1stcrlcs, M-crt.,, tbat "IM tn1tlu !'JlODdcnc~ was obllttrate<l, bcgan to n<1orc l&ugbt in tbem bad bn 'tolen by phll<JO<>o as holy, and al l~ngth l<> wor!'bip a clclties, phcri; from M""'esand the Prophe~"-Slroni., the im~ and rh(;mblan~ set up by U1elr v., p. 650. forcfi\thel'l', ~amc thcy found th cm Io and Coronation ~ymbols and ceremoulcs ha\'c about tbeir temples."-n. 2'l5. the s&Jnt' orfp:in. "Not only the mo.t Intelligent among Utc On lhl ubjcct Kirh7 and Spcncc mate F.gyptlans, bu\ ail th<~ wbo wel't' dMuted lbc followin11 a<lmimhlc ob-cnatfon: "In Io 1>hllM1phy among the othcr holrbarou no country wai. [the orlglnation or ldollllry) natioM, a1mlred thl' >mbollMll mile of more lnmcnlnbly striklng than ln RltYPt. in,piratlon." "To the amc purport Orlgeo whc 11:ml wcrc all !'Clcctcd from the an!- and the nther aneient <'llristi11n ~'athNs." mal and vci:t'lable kl111:dom<. Titi 'JlCCICS Clt'mou A'tt<lfldri11111, "rom, llb. '., rap. 8, of lclolatry d>Ubtk'' r.~ulted from thelr p. Git. (\Vd by Jfoi,lu '"' fil a ,\.M; <a a.d ha,ioi; b<-cn 1au1tht that thlnir< ln nature ' v:oorth' I11td. SIJ"l., ,ol. Il .. p. m werc syiuholg ul thlnlffl alJ<Jve uature ami "Among-t the anclcnt Etruscau, l'\'CfY or th<: attribntc and glory of the Godhea1l. th!ng ln r\'llgio11 a11111...,litics w11i1 e111lilcmt\t ln J'l'O('I." of Ume, whlle th1 eurruptlon re ical. They thought thl' carth only the rcpmained, the knowltli:l' "Inch 111111 h.-n re'><'n!Jltlvc or mirmr of hcaYcn. The ycar, thu.' abu'I, "as W<!t or dlmly "'-"en. The the g011', c.erythlng, ln fact, hal a triple 'Egyptian tirlc-thoo<>me name; the civil or rommoo, the "'~t>lotal rcmains of lt: but by thtm Il was mnclc an anI the my,tcriousor nccult-a !l<'erct which cotcrle <loctrlne, not to be rommunlrntcd none ctare pronounec or uttcr. Thl cu,tom to the profane vulgar, who wcre <utfl're<l to I found in the triple name of llome, of ~ the "rarlrus ohjeel or their "'J"'r<ti . whfeh l'Jh1y spe11lr>; the myterlous namc tiou vcncmUun, nota 'Ymhol-. but a JIOL" ; of thl ml<t~ of the world wa.' Amor l!C'<'e<l or An lnhcreut dhlnlty; aocl pr11ba- (LowJ: 1111 Mccrclotal namc, F1ora or An bly the mylerks of hl~ in Egypt, nnd of th11'1\: 11.n<l its civil namc, R-Oma."-Ktrne' Cc= at l:llni~, w~re htltuwd tht thls JJath Journal. cooteri~ dO<'trl11c, "hkh wa. to be ktpt ~ "Th~ tcrm 11 hkh answers to the word cret and ..cl'\.>d from the common people,, ldolatry b not fouud ln any ancl~nt J.an-
ITS LA WS S TATED AND CONF'IRKEn.
51
correspondiog forms in nature and rep~ntations in art were dcificd and worshipped lli'tcad of the attributes and perfections of God which
guagc. Il ls an expreoslon of lhe Grecks,of the Ill.ter &gel!, and wu not brougM lnto gen. cral ul<C untll tbe second ccntury our era.. It vcrlftcs The adoration or worshlp of Imagea.' lt ts & tcrm of rcproach ;-an ex pn..,.lon or abuse or tnsulL No ))('OPIC have cvcr talcen npon them the lllle or Jdola 11:1'1.' "-L"AW Jla:in1 PhllD& 'If Jlill.. lrcnu. Gtmtfdl. S\'O, p. 16.J. "The w<rlatr1, ls r"nnd nctth<r ln lloaner, Jlestod. Heroclotu., uor any author of the religion of Ibo gtntllcs." - Vo/lttlrt'1 l'ltll. Dd., arl. Idol.. vol. Il., p. 32. .. As man was made an Jm~ or the Delty. IO wcro rhe m<rleri< _,-w and 118 part8 maac copl<'I' or rutllmt11 of the 1mmaltrlcd or heavcnly (Col. li. 8). Wbence also tho tabernacle aJ\crw&r<l, wblch was made, as we &re told, aJ\cr the Jl(l(I'"' Qf llca-111 llliRgt (Ilcb. vlll. 6), was called a worldl1 unctual')' (llcb. lx. 1). u were the services or tt 1M"ldl11 "'di ml'MI (Cnl. Il. 20). beerlu.-e Il wu made after lho ~"'1v patlm by the mtdlum or rhe worl<I. whlch had bcen or!qlnally made Ancr iM ICll!ll!. For u the Apostle, epcaklng of crcalcd thlngg ln general, plalnly tells u.' (Rom. t. 20). 'The tnvhiblc thlnl!"Q/ God. t"rom the creatlon C>f the world, are clearly Fecn (or are >ui&ably perccived or cllomed), hel1111 undcrstood hy the thlnl!' l/ttrJ an: Wtllde.' A tbc l'salmbt also, gpt'&klng of 1'4r&lculaN, 11&)... The he&le1is dt<lan: Ille 111'>1'7 of God. rutd IM finnamcnt lilow:<llt Ml h&u\ywork.' (l'e. x ix. 1.) Thal b, they N>ow. or Jgure out. lblnga tbat are not in lhem"<'h <'S. but far above and b<yond them sch<"I. Cl'Cn ln God, and ln lhe heal"en of hJ:Jll11r., and ln bis dit-1.nt optrallon1 and 1vorka on hl lntclleclnal cree.turce. an{}l'll, and mm. Aerordlni::ly. the uvr/d bas hecn iermcd by eome God uplained. They houhl h ave ll&ld c:ocl adumbrolrtl and lyplcally ~pre teutcd; for mob lt ls: and so IO conlCmpl&te lhl ''<111of bis ereatu"" &nPfttltlono. The lighl, ~.trit, ropor1, rai1t, /rvtll, tllfllrn, l>rrod, .,,,,,,.. c~ . bclng not only for our bodlly uses herc, but &1!00 Io rai!lll our thoughL to an othcr more excellent g/QrJI, plrU. Wflltr, mMI, drink, etc., ln heaven."- JfoUouiat1' Lttter ancl ~lri.I. rP 1, 2. 00 The n ..1eorruplions of my&lwlogy orlgtn utetl ln the superaddltion &ne Qrof('I llilL Q/ Grrwv, vol. 1., pp. Il, U. "Bbbop Warburton is compclled by irulh
or
"*
to acl<nowleI~. ln book Il., p. 172, 'that the wl"""t ancl bcst men lu l11 c Pagan world arc unanlmous ln tlil, that tlle mystcrlCR wcrc lnstltuted pure. and propose<! lhe nolJh.~t end bylhe worihlc<t means.' "-Tavwr1 Jmn b'khtl.8, note, p. 14!>. i:t. Au,t111 hlm"!'lf rannoi but own tirai the 1Pgan J mrl.<'rlr11 wcro prlodpally ln&I tule<l br the .\nrlents for lbc promotin <>f virtue anrt a 11<>0<\ lire. c\en wb~ be ls M cuslng pej?&ni'm ln gtoncral for ils n~lt'<"t or moral vlrtuc."-Dt Cl". Dei, lib. Il.. cav. r. and 26 '"The myotcrll"I bad thelr common orlgl na! from lh"o of Ms and ()<;Iris ln Egypl.'' Everythlng thcrcln WRS lni<tltute<I by the An clcnt for ln<trurllon ami nmcndmenl of lire. (The m"l <'clebratcd "cre the Orphie, the Batchlc. the Elculnl&n, lbc ~amothra elan,theC&blr!,&nd the Mlthraic.l""-Arrlon Di.._, !lb. UL, p. ~l. Biahop ll'arb<1rlo!t 1 Dr. Lt!g., \"OI. L, book 1, pp. 17:?, 173, 196, 1:11. sen'lus, ln rommcnting on the lly~lle:a l"annus laechl of Vll'l!il, ob!<erl"es lhat the $&Cred rll<.'S of Bacchus (>('rlained ln the purification of M>Uls.''-7by(qr's IamblkAU1 note, p. 100. 00 Eupolcmus.Artaplanus, Mclo.and Philo. ail agree lhat lhc !labylonl"11 tradlllons of the Egyplia.u prie>~ of llcllopolL were, 1111 to imany tblull'o], 1lerll'cd from Abn.htun."E!lltbioa, 1. 9, c. 17. We .... y. thcreCore. th&t the Pann ID lhts, tbelr u..oic>g11lng or physlolc>gy. and clcifrtng the tblnRS or nature and put~ of the world, clld accordlngly call e\"erytlllnii by the namc of God. or God by Ille namc of evcf) tblng.'"-ldworlh' Inidl<cl. Syllt., vol. Il., p. Zi9. .. E.-en ~erra nu can allow that Plato pakc many thingo< whlrh be nncleni~>od not. drawn OUI of lhC l'hnnlclan Or 1'yrlan lliC olOllY. Th~ Plato fl'('<\ucntly mentions, &od eall tbcm lne!TaMc a111l unlntelll<lhle. For 1u lhc tradhlnn "cre of llchrcw cz. traction. an<! 'Urh as rcfcm.'<I to lhe Jcwlah mrstcrics aod dlvJne wo~hip. it is no won der tbey werc unlntcll~ble IO Ille wl..,,.l bel\then. Tbrrcforc l'lato rails them fltll'h., - fables whlch ln thclr ph!IOAOpbical notion slgnify some 111)'1.erle hftnd~od dowo rrom the anclent, lhe rc1W>n whereof "cre bld den and unknown. notwllhstanding the asslstAoce or alleo:ory or mythology. The leamed JulhU< !<<'.'&!Iger affirms lhe -ame.''E/lil" Knw/l:<l!J' Qf lX. TAitcg /rom ~rlc. lioft. 'Ml/N1711 J/'<i.1 or ;Val.rt:. pp. 98, ll'J. .. ldolatl')' ln a.Il 118 ramlntons ls but U>a
0 0
52
TIIE SCIENCE OF COilRESPONnF:ACES.
thcy siguif.l.1 ' The doctrine of a primevnl chno:<, the mctempsy eJu,..is, or the tmn:;migrntion of souls, togcthcr with the poctic lcgcml mul fables of antiquity, ail hnd a like origin. llut though the mythological fohles of ancient tilm.'S prcscnt a confusc<l n<lmixture of nllcgorical symbols and nrhitrnry figures, intro<lucccl hy the liccnsc of poetic imaginntion, mystcriously and ingcniously combiuiug a crude system of uaturol aml moral philosophy; yet, hcterogcncous, unccrluin, extravagant, and oh::;cure as thcy np pcar, from the vestiges aml traces of correspomlcntc \\ hich thcy still rotnin, the mcnuiug of mnuy of the l~ corruptcd lxxnruc;; obvious uncl intm'\.>i;ting to thosc acquaintccl "ith this ll<!cnce. [The snmo clcplornblc corruptions and perversions of spiritual i<leas origiuntod magic, clivination, demonology, nccromancy, witchcrnft, alchcmy,
<'Omlpt lt'an<mlssion of origlnAl 1.uro rcllg ion ."-0' JJrien' Round TowcT'I QI Ircl<md, 2d c<l p. 19:!. .\li fabulou animais have a likc ortgln. "Wc <'bri,tl&Dll deridc the Einpllanwfth 0111 Clln<e. thcy hl\vlug mnny my,terlt in thclr religion, for as much a.. lhcy profc~. that pcr1'11lng brute anfmnls arc not worhipp<.1 hy lhcm. but the cl<lrrml llleu.."Oriu. l\mt. Cll3., Ill>. iii.. p. 120. Citcrl bv Ourt<Mril. It1tfl. su.i.. vol. ii., p. rn. "lt I mnrc thl\n probable," n lhe learned :!\Ir. l'cmhh oh-.crnI, "lhnl Zoroa>lcr, Herm~. Orsla'u~, Plato, R.Jul olhcn.:, drcw thctr knowl.-li:t, "hich th~y b11d ln JArt or ...an11 Mvil mptTi . out of a dccpcr and clcarer fountaln thnn Uoc mutldy, sh&llow ~prlngs or lhelr O\\ n uatnml rca.'iOn, thouith h1 the l"'-''&lle thl "atcr was much sollcd by thcm wlth tlll' ftlth of many ldle fllb!Cll and Illy ronNlts."- l'i111licia: Gratitt, p. 41\. "The arcl\nc and rccondltc thonlogy of the F-1.'Y11tlan1 was couccC\lcd from the vu! gar, 1wo manncr of wars. by fl\bl()li or allewrll'll, ami h)' '>'lllbol or hfCr<Jl(ly(lhfc,. Y.u...,hfus lnforms u that l'orphyrlu~ wn1tc a book C<>Dten1fnl{ the allei;orlCf\I lh('C)l>JQ both oflhc (;rccl; ami F.gyptltlu'I.' l\elther can wc doubt lml that ail the dc,0111 1'1:11 cknowllli:<'<l Mme living 11nI u1111cn<t.and lng tldtftti or olher; nor cai;lly bollern that they crcr \\Or.hipptd auy lnanfmatc or een>dt"'" IJollc, othcnv1'c (han l\S aome way rcfcrrlng to lhc samc, or n.- lmagci. ancl Kymhol of thcm."-Ct1rtw<ntk'1 Intel. s1111., vol. 1., Pl "36, [>39.
Il Knowlng, as we prc11t.ume~ n(,lhlng of \hc11elene<. of r<.rn.~pondenec. "t' yei nnI" multflnrlc of wrltcrs more or le"" lmprc.-..00. 111th vicw rl.-ely appro:w.lnu1Ung tu Uic
truth, as to the f>OUrcc of all ldolatry. Taltc lhe followlng: "Thcrc ncvcr wa. tbcrc ne,cr couhl be, any religion hl\cntcd by man. Rclis;oon must be" sub]C<'l lU'IY of revclation rrmn Ood, nnd Cl~ 111 tlll' llr-t ~ [nf\cr the fnll) we llutl it spfrl1u11l, l\1ul cnnv('yC<l to tho min<l throus;h the mcdl11m of nntural thlni:, whfch wcrc nc<'t'""nrlly cmploycI the ln strumcn~ nnd me<lln by which alonc a knowledgc of ~plrlluc lhinJ:!< conl<l b) p<.,.. slblllty be communl~nttl tt> the u11dcn;tnn<l lngs or rucn. The lir.t cnrrurtion that wu introdnd lnto "'lhrlon wa.< n ru1ppl11s; ~lion, a nnt l<>khog lhrnugh lhc Uoinl{ l.tl lhC\t which wa fs;nll!M by lt. and l"Ylnc divine bonoNtoprlni:- Aud rl\er-, 1111<1 trccl' and rocb [the rkmcnl.'. a111I animftl'< men anrl demonl, 111111 nll the h't of hcavcn. whlch the 1\pootle rnll the worshlpplns; of the crcature mlhtr tlum the Grcnlor. Thf rnny be rallc<l phllm1ophlcal relis;ion,Ognfn>t whlcl1 the Ap'tlc wam' u'\. 'Ilcware kt auy man bpoll you lhrough phil<l"Ophy and vain dclt.' (('ol li. ;q To Illat "11"<'<'tlt"l the groo;. and rorunl >!Ill(', when. IJ<.'<'8u<e thcy dld not li~... ln rctaln 1;n<1 ln thdr lhoughts,' llC rl\n" tbcm U[l [by hl [ll'Mlllsslve Pro,hlencc) to a rcprobate 11111111, to work all mnuncrof unclcanns wlth grccolf 11~.' (Rom. 1. :,,\. l nut yet in rcalily th1rc arc not o man y dl Ocrent religions, b111011ly a corruption of the one rclll(lon, l\nd ho who careflllly nn a my~kr> ancl a <ubllmitr of t11c:olnc: Ica! sentiment \>hkh !'an only be cxplalned by a oompftrll!On ofthoam~ lruths. hul nn-o pbltlf'Atc<I, "' thry arc fumul in th<' Billie." -Oranll'' 1113/u'lJ nnrl .ANliqlUtta o/ ,\"u/hJtg"4111. Col. 1., p. 2.
63
ru;trology, nu1l chnrms, with numbcrlcsa othcr supcl">'titions which for
llfe8 bound, n.s in ndnmnntie fetters, the frec-horn miml.] "Tho tranRlntion of the Word," says a t<Cnsiblc nnd pious writcr,
"into a Janguagc of such extensive use as the Grcck, was fraugh\ with important rcsults. And from this source at lcust, if not from an cnrlicr a<111miut.ance with the H cbrew original, many of the sages, poet!I, nnd philosophersof the hcathen world drcw some ~parks of the ligl of the hcavcnly fire which glowe<l within it. 'Whicl1 of your sophists,' says Tcrtullinn, addrcssing hill Pngnn contempornries, 'hnYe not drunk from the fountnin of the prophcts? It is from these sacrcd springs that your philosophera have rcfreshed thcir thirsty spirits; and if they hnvc founrl nnything in the R oly Rcripturcs which hit their fncy, or which scrvcd their hypothcsi~, thcy took anrl turne<l it to a complianoo with thcir curiosity, not consi1lcring those writings to be sacre<! and unnlterable, nor unrlerstan1ling thcir true sense.'"-D. H . H. in Amer. N. J. Jfag., vol. xxii., p. 431. T o thi~ ~nmc effcct wrote the R]l<llle Paul to the R omans: "necnuse thnt, when they knew Gorl, thcy glorificd Jiim. not ru1 Gorl, neither werc thnnkful, but bccnme vnin in thcir imaginations, nn1l thcir foolish hcnrt wns darkene<l. Profcssing thcms!'lves to hc wiso, they becnme fools, and change<l the glory of the incorruptible God into an imngc mndo like to corrnptiblc mnn, nn<l to bir<ls, and fourfooted bc:ist~, and creeping things. Whcrcforc Go<l also g11xc thcm up to unclt'llnn~. through the lusts of their own hearts, to 1tiohonor their own l)()()iN< bctween themseh-cs: who chnngcd the truth of God into a lie, nnrl sef\ed the creature more thnn the Creator, wbo is ble.o;.~) for e\cr, AmC'll" (i. 21-2.5). Butin the Lord's goo<l timc, an1l in the multitu1le of his mercies, the pcriorl has hnppily nrriverl whcn this long-IO"t science, purged ami defC'cnted from the corrupting <'C'),'S of profnnation, antl without rlanger to human wclfare, cn.n be rcstorcd ns n blsing to his Church, o. holy me<lium of communion between himsclf' nn<l nngels nnrl meu,-a. gronll!I nnd pillnr of the truth; nor will it cver ngnin be withdra.wn. Thus He hns fulfilled his gmcious prnmi.e: " H e hath turncd to the people n pure lnn~ungc, thnt they mny nll cnll upon the nnme of the Lord, to serve IIim with one consent" (7,cph. ix. 9); ~o that men nool no longer " walk in darkn;," but may "have the light of life." &
CH.A.PTER V .
THAT TITE 8ACRED 'VRITERS BEAR TITE MOST AMPLE AND CJooENT TESTI ~lO:s'Y TO THE E.lasTENCE OF A SPIRITUAL Sfilo"'SE IN TJIE WORD OF GoD.
11TE are now permittcd to know and make trial of this great exegetiVV cn1 lnw. Since the first systematic promulgation of the henvenly
doctrines of the New Church, in the midle of the last century, which iuclude this rule of interpretation, and as if to confirm their truth and importance, science, in every b1anch of knowledg, has been permit ted to be investigate<l with an ar<lor and suceess heretofore unknown. Ancient treasures of learning and remains of antiquity have by unwcaricd researches been brought to light, an<l Jabors, both mental and physical, have been expendcd upon them, unexampled in any former age. To open the prison-house of ignorance and superstition, the world has been explored, as it never was before, in scarch of all kinds of knowledge. A wide field of delightful investigation, pcrpetunlly expanding itself, is reu<lered acc~ible on every si<le, in which the prepared min<l may disport and expatiate, and, by the sacred aml sublime science of correspondence, every ascertained truth, cvery scieutific fact, und every degree of intelligence, mny be made subservicnt to revealed wisdom and gooncss, and to the indcfinitc udvancement of mankind in virtue and in truth. N atural an external ohjects eau only exist as effects from prior causes, which nre internai and spiritual, belonging to the spiritual worl<l, though latent or concealed herc. These objects receive thcir nppropriate forms from the interior principles of angels, demons, and spirits, and of which they are the constant exponents; and nothiug exists within thcir minds but what, by an cternal and unehangenble law of the spiritual world, fin<ls its constant and appropriate correeponding form witlwut. This nature and constitution of the spiritworld is one source of the fclicity of heaven, where all is bcautiful arnl delightful because what is without exactly corresponds to what is within, and undergocs changes annlogous to the changes of state; nn<l the same la.w alf'o <letermines the phenomena of hell, w}icre ail without, likc all within, is <loleful and monstrous.
1'EB'l'IAtONI' OF 1'/lE .'IAORED WRITERS.
These principles and idens in regard to the spirit-worl lie at the very root of the sciences of correspondenccs. They illustrate nnd cxplain it. For the fixed object.s of the naturnl world reccive nll their indefinite forms by a like corre><110ndeuce with the spiritual world; and aecording to the respective uses to which thcy ure designed re spcctively to contribute. Even the representations of the Jewish dispensation were ail, origi nally, "types ancl 1>aller1ts" of heavenly rcalities. \Vhen the spiritual aight of .Moses was opened, he recefre<l direct instruction from the Lord out of hc.weu eoncerniug the !abcrnacle, the ark of the tcsti mony, and ail their contents and furniture; and the Lord said unto him, "According to :i.ll that 1 show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of ail the instruments thereof, e\eu so shnll ye make it" (Bx. xxv. 9). Then follows a particular description, and it is added, "And look that thou make them after the JJattern which wns shown thec in the mount" (ver. 40). The word translnted pallem means a!Po likcncss or similitude (Dent. iv. 16-18). "Not only ail bcnsts, but also all things which are in the worl, corrc:=1pond, and according to corrcspondcnccs reprcsent and signify spiritual and cele.5tial things, and in the su preme sense the divine things which are of the Lord. And hcnce it may be seen of whnt qnality the ancient churchcs werc, which were cnlled represcntalive churches, namely, that in singular t.heir sacrecl rites werc representcd the things which are of the Lord nn of his king<lom, thus which nre of love and faith in Him. And that on such occasions heaven was eonjoined with the man of the Church by such things; for interna! tbings were prcsented to view in heavcu. The Word of the Lord was also given for tbat crnl, for in it n.11 :mcl f:ingular things, e\'Cll to the smallcst iota, correspond and signify ; hcncc by the Word ni one there is connection of hcavcn with mnn. That thll is the eu.se, is known to no one at this day; whereforc the natural man, whcn he rends the 'Vord, and inquire.c; where the divine [e~ence or principle] lies conccaled th<'rein, and whcn hc ciocs not find it in the lctter, by renson of the vulgnr style, licgins first ,to hold it in Iow estimation, ancl next to deny that it wns dictatcd by the Divine [Bcing] Himself, an<l Jet down through henven to man: for he is ignorant that the Word is divine from the 1<piritual ~cuse, whieh docs not appear in tho lettcr, but still is in the lettcr; nn<l that that sense is presented to view in hcaven, when mnn rc::uls it rcvcrcntly, nnd thnt the ~uhjcet trcat.cd of in that seuse is couceruing the Lord and couccrniug bis kingdo1u.
56
T!IFJ SCIENCE OF OORRESI'OSDESCFJS.
These divine thing;. nre what rrn<llr the 'Vord 1lidnc, nnd y [or through] whieh imnctity rlows in lhrough hcnvcn frorn the Lord, even into the litcrnl ;,cni'e, nnd into the very lettcr itsclf. But so long as mnn docs not know what a spiritual principlc is, ucither enn hc know whnt the spiritual scn~e is, thns ncither what correspondcnce is. And so long ns man loves the world in preference to hcavcn, and him~elf in prcfercncc to the Lord, hc is not willing to know those thing~, nor to apprehend them ; when yet ail aneient intelligence wns hcncc dcrivecl, nncl hence also is nngelie 'visdom. The mystic arcana in the 'Vord, whieh scYeral divines have vainly busied themsehes in exploring, vniy lie eoncenled therein."-A. C. 9280. "Correspondenee is the 11.ppearance of the internai in the external, and its reprcsentative thercin."-A. C. 5423. "The spiritual [thus] nets in the natural, and forms it to a likcncss vf itself, that it may appear before the eyes, or bcfore the world; thnt [11.ceording to truc order] the end mny beeome the cause, arnl the cause bceorne the effect, and thus that the crnl, by the en.use, in the effoet may exhibit itself visible and sensible; this trine is given from ereation; the ultimate products which are in our worlcl are various,-ns mnny as are the subjeets in the threc kingdoms of naturc>,-thc nnimal, the vegetable, and the minerai ; therefore, ail products [both in heavcn and upon earth] are eorrcspomlences. [Thus] corrcspon<lenee is the manifestation of causes in their effoets" (A. E. 1081 et seq.). It connects the infinitely variecl and perfect works of creative skill aurl energy in the spiritual world with those of the nntural worlil ; the inwnr<l mind with outward nature; the innurnerable fculties of the soul with the complicatcd yet harmonious forms of the body; spiritual ideas with natural; revclation with rca.,,011 ; religion with philosophy; God with man; and links the lifc which now is to the agci; of eternity. It is to the W ord of God what the laws of physieal science are to the phenoruena of the univ<.'rse. 'Vithout any ncqunintanee whatcver with seientifie rcscarches and dcduetions, n man may indeed live, nnd enjoy a eonsidcr:thle share of worldly pleasure; but, destitute of 11. knowledgc of thesc laws, 'rhat cnn he learn? Will the pcbble or the f005il disclose to him its origin? Will light by its coruscntions cxplain to him the mysterics of optical phenomcna? Will the planets without the demon;:trutions of astronomy rcvenl to him how they ohey the clcctro-magnectic forces, and how thc>ir conslnnt equilihrium i~ presenc>d? Or will the thun<ler-clond and lightning-finsh fmiliarizc him with the nature of the irnpondernlc ngcnts-Jight, hc>at, nnd
TRST!llfONY OF Tl!E SAOREn 117l!TRR.'1.
oi
elcctricity? No. So, neither will the Word of God revcnl to man the ureanu of spiritunl existence an<l mcntnl nctivity, the knowblgc of '~hich is so essentiul to his eternul woll-heing and so earncstly to be desircd, without some acquaintnnce with the divine style in which it is written, und the lnw by which it may be consistently nnrl with certainty interpretcd. The science of correspondences also includes within it rcpreseutntivci<, which have a chief relation to the existence and form of ol~jeeti< in n lower statc, which corrc~pond; and significatives, which have more immerliate relation to lnngnage and worils. Thus the vmions organs of the body nre representatives of the diversified facultici; of the soul, through which they derive from God their innumcrnhle forms and relations, their harmony, unity, and use, but when they act together thcy correspond ; or ns ail created objects are rcprescnt:ttivcs of the living hcavcnly realities of which they are the matcrial forms, so they all crrespond in thcir active uses. And ail expressions by which such things are deseribed or spoken of in the Wonl, nll the ritnals of worship, and ail disconrse and actions dcscrihed thcrc, arc significative, as Swedenborg most clearly shows, 11hen he usscrts that "hetwcen the things which are of the light of heaven, and those whic.h are of the light of the world, there exist corrcspondenees, and the correspondcnccs which exist in those things which are of the light of the world, nre reprcscntath-es" (A. C. 3337). For bctwcen the light of heaven and the light of the worM, "or bctween those things which are in the light of henven and in the light of the world, therc is giYen a correspondence, '"hen the external or naturn.I man makes one with the internai or spiritual man, that is, whcn the former is subscrvient to the latter; and in this case, the things which exist in the light of the worl<l are representative of su<'h thingi; ns exist in the light of hcaven" (A. C. 3223). "For the things which exi~t hy dcrivation from things spiritual in things natural, a.re reprcsentntivcs."-A. C. 2987. Thus, also, we lenrn thnt the numherlcgs reprcsentntives which the patrinrchs, prophets, and apostlP,s saw, and the significatives whirh they heard in the spiritual world in visions or drenms, or when their spiritual senses of sight and heuring wero miraculously opencd, nnd which they were inspirerl to write and describe in the Word of God, w<>re, in thcir highe.~t significnnre, the living imuges and r<>prcsmtntive spil"tunl frm:1 of the wi~<lom an<l ~oodness of the <liviuc rnind which g1wc thcm birth; and, in a lower 8ense, of the inward t.houghts
58
T/IE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENIJES.
affections, perceptions, idcns, nnd <liscoursc of the spiritual inhnbitfillts with which they correspond. "!fonce then it may appcar what oorrrspondcnce is and whcncc it is, what rcprcscntation is, and whenre; viz., that correspondcnce is between those things which appertain to the light of heaven, and those which appertain to the light of the world-that is, betwcen those things which appertain to the internai or spiritual man, and those which appertnin to the external or naturnl man; and that representation is whatever exists in the things appertai11ing [to an external state and] to the light of the worltl-that is, whatever exists in the external or natural man, considcrcd in respect to the things appertaining to the light of hea\en, that is, appertaining to the internai or spiritual man."-A. C. 3235. It must, however, be always borne in mind, as Swedenborg as.serts from his own conscious experience, that "the rcpresentatives and significatives eontaincd in the W ord of God [ wcrc not originnlly derived from buman intelligence, skill, and observation; however ncute and pcnctrating, for the at most can only confirm thcir existence and application, but] from the representatives which exist in another lifc; it wns from another life that such representatives came to the men of the l\Ioi::t Ancicnt Church, who were celestial, and were togethcr with spirits and angels while they li\ed in the world; these reprcsentatives were derived from them to thcir post.erity, and at length to those who knew only that sueh things were significative, wit.liout knowing what. they particularly signified; but innsmuch as they had existecl from the most ancient timcs, nnd were applicd in divine worship, they were therefore accounte<l venernble and holy. Besicles rcprcscntatives there are also corresponclenccs which both in sound and siguificntion diffor in the natural worlcl from what they nre in the spiritual world; thus, heart denotcs the affection of goo<l, eyes understnnding, ears oheclienee, bands power, besides numberless others; thcsc nrc not so rcprcscnted in the spiritual world, but they correspond, ns natural to spiritual; hcncc it is, that en.ch particulnr expression, ns to the smallcst dot or tittle in the Word, involvcs things spiritual nncl lcstin.l ; und thnt the \Vord is so inspired, that, when it is rend by man, [the] i::pirits and nngels [attcnding upon him] instnntly perceive it spiritnally, according to reprcsentntives and corrcspondences. But this science, which wns so cultirnted and estccmed by the nncient.\l after the flood, and by which they wcre enahlc<l to think with spirits nml nngels, is nt this dny totally obliterntcd, insomuch that scarce any one is willing to believe that such a science exist.-;; and they who be-
'l'EST/,lfONI' (>F TIIE BA CRET> IVRITERS.
59
lievc, consider it merci y as somcwhat mystical nnd of no use, and this by renson that man is bccomc altogether worldly and corporenl, so that whcn mention is made of what is spiritual and celestial, he immcdiatcly fcels a repugnance, and sometimcs disdain, yea, even to loathing; what, thcn, will he do in another life, "hich abideth fore,er, whcre there is nothing worldly or corporeal, but only what is spiritual and celestial, which constitutes life in henven."-A. C. 2763. And ngain, in another iruportm1t passage, "The Word was sent down from the Los<l to man, and conscquently is different in its origin from what it is in ils externnl form. The Word as bcing divine is not only written for man, but also for the angels attend1mt on. man, so as to serve not only for use to the human race, but also for heaven ; and thnt thus the 'Vord is a medium effecting the union of heavcn and enrth ; t bis union is by the Church, and indecd by the W ord in the Chnrch, which 'Vord, therefore, is of 'such a nature, and is lftinguished from all other writings. Innsmuch as the lenrned pnrt of the world arc ignorant that things divine and celestial lie iuwardly conceale<l, e\cn in the historical parts of the \Vord, if they were not impresse<l with a holy vcncration for the books of the \V or<l received from their enrlicst ycars, they would easily be induced to say in their hearts that the Word is not holy, and thnt its holiness is only thus derivcd from the holy impressions received in enrly life; when yet this is not its truc source, but the W ord is holy bccause of its internnl sen.se, which is celestial and didne, and which is effective of the union of henven with earth-that is, of angelic mincis with thosc of men, and thus of the latter with the Lord."-Swedenborg. It hns been snid that it is ridiculous to call corrcspondcnccs a science; bnt the late Ri8hop of Durham bas said that "the symbolicnl Janguage of' the prophets is almost a science in it~lf" (Boyle Lechires); and Rishop Horno calls it quite a science when he says, "If men, in these days, have not heen accustomed to such contemplation, is it not liigh timo they should become so? Can they begin too soon to study and make themselves mastor of a science "hich promises to its voturies so much entcrtainment, as well as improvement; which recommends the Scriptures, to persons of true tMte and genius, as books intendcd eqnally for our delight and instruction: which demonstrntes the ways of celcstial wisdom to be ways of pleasnntncss, and all her paths to be peace."-Introd. fo the P~abns. . "It isso common," says Profcssor Bush," to represent this doctrine of the science of' correspondcnccs, and the spiritual scnse of the 'Vord, os
60
TllE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDRl1'CES.
the ne pltts 1lltra of extravagance and abstmlity, that the utmost solici tude is warranted ns to the full and fnir exhibition of the theory in referenee to the Jundamental principles on which it rcsts. Yet we seo the whole matter resolving itsclf into a law as fixed and invariable as the law of creation itself, with which, in fuct, it becomes nlmost identical. The W orcl of God rises under the process into a new revelation, clothed with a sublimity, snnetity, and divinity of whfoh we had not previously the remotest conception. It stands before us the living Oracles of Truth, which are no longer separate from the very being of its Author. He is 11imself in his own truth. New treasures of wisdom gleam forth from its pages, and the most barren details of history, the recorded rounds of obsolotc ritunls, the dryest catalognes of namcs, the most trivial specifications of dates, places, and enaetments, once touched with the ipystic wand of the spiritual scnsc, tcem with the riches of angelic conception. The cosmogony of Genesis hccomes the birth-register of the new-born soul. The garden of Eden smilcs in every renovated mind in the intelligence and affection emblemed in its trees, and fruits, and flowers. The watering strcnms arc the frnctifying knowlcdgcs and truths of wisdom, which make incrense of the spiritual man. The Tree of Knowlcdgc, the Tree of Life, the wily serpent, arc n.11 within us, and within us all. The sccucs transnctcd in the Paradisiae purlieus a.rc more or less the sccnes of our 011n individual cxperiencc, and the narrative censcs to be looked upon merely as the chronicle of evcnts that transpired thousm1ds of years befrc we wcre born."-Reply to Dr. Woods, p. 66. That the sacrcd Scriptures have such a spiritual sensc within thcm, distin~t from the lcttcr, which i.s the shell or rcsting-pla thcreof, they thcmseh-cs plainly tcach and positivcly nsscrL The Lord .Jesus himself says, "'rt is the spirit which quickencth; the flesh profitcth nothing: the worcls that I spcak unto you, thcy arc spiiit, and thcy arc life" (John vi. 63). The enlightcncd mind will see that the "spirit and lifc" constitutc the inward spiritual scnsc; and that for this rcason the ' Vord is called in the Rcvclation " TnE LA:un's BooK OF LIF1~" (xx. 12; xxi. 27). In Hosea it is writtcn, " I have spokcn by the propliets, and I have multiplied visions, and J have uscd similitudes,'' snith .Jchov:tl1, "by the ministry of the prophcts" (xii. 10). W11at are similitudes? what are tl1c prophctical wor<ls, and the actions of the prophcts, I ask, apart from thcir hidden signification? and, without it, how arc they to hc 1111de1-i;tood? David thus prnys: "Open thou mine cyt>s, that I ma.y l>ehold wonclrous tl1ings out of thy law" (Ps.
TESrI.flONY Ofi' TflE SACRED WRITT?R.<r.
61
c.."<ix. 18). This is surcly 1\ praycr t.o the Lord thut He \\ll f.'nlightu1 the :.ight of the under:;tnndiug, ond make manifo:!t to hnman di.oecmment the invi~iblc thinbrs of his Word and kiug<lom. Aud, ngain, hc affirma: "l\fy Longue is the pcn of 1i rcudy writlr" (Ps. xlv. 1). Who is the rcn(ly 1Hiter but the Lorrl himself? The l'snlmi~t 11as but nn in~trumcnt in his band, to record his inspircd wisdom nnd his revealcd will. Precj:,e)y the saine h.'l!timony is borne, in n hi~toricnl form, in some of the lnst inspired wonls of Da,id, whcre it is 11 rittrn : "Tlw Hpirit of the Lord spake hy me, nml his wor<l wn.s in rny longue" 12 Sam. xxi. 1, 2). Arnl in rl'frrcnro to what be 11rotc, hr furtht'r says: "I will open my mouth in a parablc; I will utler dark 1:1<'\yings of ol<l" (Ps. lxxviii. 2). And yct, ns thcsc dwk sayi11ys wcrc oui y a plain nn<l simple llfin-ation of the hi:,tory of the childrcu of famcl, what do 11c jmitly conclude, but that the wholc :! n divine allc).:ory :i.s well ru; n truc history, rcconlcd for our spiritual cilificntion, un<l Io promotc ou r cternnl wclforc. Ro nlso of Cyrus, in his rcprtnt:itive charactcr as n type of the Lord in his glorific<l hum:mity, nml iilso of ('nch of hi:; fithful followcrs, it is writtcn: " I \\ill girn them tho trcnsurcs of darkn('8S, and hi<ldcn riches of i;iccrct pinces;" uml thut thc~c e::"fm.::ssions lmvo rcRpcct to the communications of wi.&lom und intclligcnl'C, in all nbunrlance tlirough the Wor1 l, is cvidrnt from what follows 111; the divine cnrl of thcsc mnncllous gifts, nnrnely, "Thal thou mnycst know that I, the Lo1m, '~ho roll thce by thy name, nm the Gocl of Israel" (Isa. xh-. 3)."
"Arc we oon<'emcd witb lbe alfalrs or b<'rome new.' (2 l'or. v. 17.) "-Iform:'i Cbnr Jlnvl nnol l....,.cl ! Jial'e wc anyU1ln1t to <Io m"fllm11 mi the Pmlm., p. xltl. wiU1 the ark ami the tcmplcT They ore Ill) "A to symoollMn,lt 1' the normal cxpn- more. '' "' we to go up to Jcm1lcrn, nnrt to 1Ion of hclug. Thcrc ls mcanlng llnei< of wor-hlp ln !'lion? They arc d<'">luwd anrl gruvc moment lu cvtry organlo au lnortro<lrlcn 1111<1cr foot by the Turk"' Arc wc 1:aule form: yca, our very t>et.'Ch ls but " to Mrffke younK bulloeks acror<llnif to the string of mctApho,.., a If" e rould not uller lawT Tho lnw ls alJollhcI. ncvcr 111 oo nb- thou~ht wllhout thu pne1ry \cep lu natU>"\' ttrvl' o:aln. r>o we pray for Tktory "'cr out nnrl Le<-<1ruc C\ lflcut. ldca lt...,Jf Mot.h, Rdnm, 1111<1 l'bllltln: or for lelhu fs n"\'d in plctu~.. - the wonl mee.netb nn &Il Oum llah)'lm ! Thcrc an: no wh na hllug<. AnI for aulh..,rlty of th!, the nl tlono, no "'~h !'Io.te; lu the "nii>I. Wha(, la\\ tecms witb Il; li 1., ln ft'l, nue IJoM,
l ""z.ed
thcu, do "e mean, wben, tking ir-1wh ex <;od-wrllten flgutt: and the commcanator
p~!iiont lnttl our moutbs. \\C utt<r them i11 of t.he new law 111'' no rtet. or 111.ake no "ord. our own J)Crjo,()ns, as pa..rt-8 or our dc\otlon"\ 1 wlthout.A furt.lJ~.'r intllllgt1100 and meaulug bdn1-c Gocl ? A"urc<lly wc nrnt mean a lwronrl tbc merc or<ltnnry rcadlng. If H e plrltMl Jerualcm and ~ton; " plrltual 1 ht'ttle<I, lie'""' upon rlay; Ir he preachcd, ark nncl temple; a t>iritual law; 1lrltual lie pake !'rom a hlp; lt He prayc'f!, Ile f!A<'rifls; ani1 ~vtritual vktorlt'~ o,cr ~Ir \\o{'l\t up into a. mnuntaln; even out of hl! ltual encmll"': ail dCrib<d umkr tho ol<t g&rment>. brca.lhcI a 'lrlur, a11rt hls wonh nnml'I', \\hlCh are ttll retalued, thoUj!h 'ohl wcre pol('nt Io r al-e the <1CMI. ThC'C ma thl ugo An: paqoQ away, and &li Ul.lup bave tcrial forms, tbb! ound, ,(gin, men. ancl lte-tbcsc common, un11blluoophicnl, dulJ.
62
THE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
Now t urn to the Gospels. It is thero \Hilton thnt " J csus Fpnko unto the multitude in parables; and without n pnrnble spake H e not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which "as spokcn hy the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; l will uttcr things which have bn kept secret from the foundation of the world" ( Mntt. xiii. 34, 35). Agnin, the srune things n1e dcclarcd in another pince: "A u<I with man y pnro.hles spnke He the W ord unto th cm, ns they were able to hear it. But without a pnrnble 11pnke H e not unto thcm; and '' hcn they were alonc, H e expounlil'ir internai an<l heavenly mcnning, prc-emincntly call~l by the Psalmi11t ( P::1. cvii. 43) and by John the Evangclist ( Rcv. xvii. 9) w1111>0J11 ~ W o nre clenrly taught that, "from the crcntion of the world," this divine style of instruction hns been adopted in nccommodation to the nnturc and condition of the human race, nnd as men were able to bcnr, nnd prepared to un<lerstand, these parnbolic mysteries have bccn cxpounded. This, ngain, the Lord iutimatcs, nt the en<l of the Jewi~h and the estnblishmcnt of the Christian dispensation, where H e 11ays to his disciples: "Blcs~e<l are your eycs, for thcy sec; nnd your cnrs, fr tlrny hear. For verily 1 say unto you, thnt many prophet.s nn<l ri!l'hteous men have dcsircd to sce those things which yc sce, nnd J1ave not scen them; and to hear those things which yc hcar, and have not heard them" (:MntL xi. 16, 17). And the nptJe Pau] a.s..-.crts the s11me doctrine where he writcs: "For we know in part, and we prnphesy in part ; but when thnt which is p<>rfrrt is come, then thnt which wns in part shall hc donc away" (1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10). This mcthod of imparting spiritual instruction to mnnkind, un11rr the nntural i magery of corrcspondcnce, 11en c1l nlso to prevcnt the "lked and unprepnred from injuriug them~cl,es lJy pcrvcrting the truth, nnd tunling it to vile purpes; tlwrdi>rc, whcn the <li~ciplt.,; im1uirccl of the Lord th<> rcasou why Ill' spakc to the umltitudc in purablc;., Ile said: " I spcnk to thcm in pnrn.blcs, llCClluse thcy, ;;cl'ing, s<.'C not; and hearing, thcy hcar not, neithtr 1!0 thcy undcr,.tnml; for this pcoplc's hcart is waxe<l g ross, nnd t hcir cnrs arc dull of hcnriug, und thcir eyes thcy have clo~l; l~t at nny timc thoy should s with thcir cyet>, and hear with tl1eir ears, and shouM understanrl with thcir
'tnlble tbin~in the hallow lhlnter's "Ymbol. A propbetfe rlddle of the l'nfathomtlmatlon, are pregnan~ wllh the Et.cmal's able Profound, ~ the wbole or Creallon."po>\er and will A gre&t l1J>C, a m7atlc Chippc.nd<Jle 11iowghfor tlle ThlW.flh/J"'-
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TESTIMONY OF TIIE SA<JRED WRITERS.
63
hcnrt.P, nnd ~hould be oonvcrtoo, and I should hcal thcm ""(Matt. xiii 13-15); that is, lest they should believe and acknowledge the Lord, nnd outwnrdly receive his truth and goodness, whilc their heurts 11cre full of hypocrisy and cvil; in which case it 11ns forcsccn thnt they woulrl aftcrwards have awfully profaned hil! divine gifts, nnd denicd Him, nn<l, rcturuing to their evil ways, thcir salvation would thu~ hu\"e hccn rcndere\l impog.qihle. This purnbolic mode of nddrcss 11a.s thus mercifully ovcrrulc<l, it appcnrs, to protect the mysterics of sncred truth and goodncss frou profanation and abuse, ancl to rcstrain presumptuous men from pluuging hl'ndlong into the most fatal and irretrievable statcs of hypocrisy. 1t wn.s to reprcscnt titis accommodation of divine tmth to humnn perception, and to check such deplorablc arrogance and wiekedncss, that "l\rcs put a vnil upon his face" when hc dcen<Icd from the Lord's presen on Mount !=:iuai ( Ex. xxxiv. 33), dcnoting the obscnrity of the lett-Or of the W ord, which >ails the glory of it.s hiddcn 11 L~1lom from the unprcpare1l, nn<l attcmpcrs it to the prepnred, behol<lcr. How booutifnlly docs the nptle Paul cluciclnte thi.5 signifi rnnt tict, ancl point to a pcriod when the inwurd glory should be reven.lcd. "l\foscs," snys he, "put 11. vnil over his fco, that the chil<lren of I~rncl could uot stendfstly look to the end of that whieh is uboli;:hed; but their milllls wore blindcd: for until this 1lay rcmaineth the samc vnil untnkcn n\\ay iu the reading of the Old Testament; which mil is doue n\\ny in Christ. But evcn unto this day, whcn )[<X"CS i$ read, the vail is upon thcir heart. Nevcrthclcss when it shall turn to the Lord, the vnil shall be taken o.wn.y" (2 Cor. iii. 12IG)." Agnin, wc read, "Upon ail the glory shall be a dcfonco" (Isa. iv. 15). Whilc "the glory" is truly descriptive of the inwnrd spirit of
" :<n tbat they i<ee no\ wlth t/vir ~>C, nbr hctweo, uetthcr do tht'). pa.~ o\er to C'11ri ...t, h1'llr 11 lth tMlr ears, nor undcn.taud wllb that He ml~ht rcouoH the un [" blrh I tltlfir lu""""'- nor are ront"CftN, tb&t J IJ11>uld uron thclr hean>J;" and com1lng bellevlual Uem.'' -!\EWl"n3il&. ers ln the mcn:ly wrbAI t<ene or th~ l'enta ~rt )t.,rt lv. 11, 12.. "~Ince &CelUJt thcy teueh to tllo unbell~vlng Jcw, sa)~, that '-\'l', aml 1ll uot )'CN-ehe; and hear1ng th<'Y when thcy real the book or Mose<o, thcy hlAr, R11<l lo not understand; 80 lhat the)' ht.ve the val! upon thelr hean.. and as tblH nr< 1101 t'Onvcrt.ed and thelr slus forglven." fs not rcmnved, they do not undezstand the -Kt'l!\OF.L. L&w."-Oml. Fau.i., llb. xll., cnp. 4. Boyle aJ>;0,on tho .awe ubJect,makes the Lukr vlll. 10. "l'lnce ttelng Ule)' do not "<'c: eut\ hr11rlng ther do noc unilcrtan1l." Collowlug int.cf'Cl't.lng romark: "The buman untler.,tan<linK, llke MO'\."< lu th<' mounl,dOC'I -JIR. J., ('A Rl'E.'<TER. .. Alll(t>'tln, hi roference to thl! vcry pe. by an L"'ldunu c-OU\'CN! wltb Gnd a<qulre
~' , ''~"~~. that .. They wbo talr. th~ wrlt,... lnr nr~1.,..... acrording (A) the liter al leU><?,i!O
a IMl!ng lumlnoon~--.-0n theltighttnera

li.lm Jf<111'1 lld41 ouu ~> Ood, p, 9'l.
aol d""lre IO be le&r11ed in the Id1111dom or
64
TITE SCIEiVCE OF CORRf.'SI'OXDE.YCF.S.
the W Or(l, its litcml Pense must :tl'Suredly constitutc it. protcrtion nnd "dcfcnce." In the P&nlmi: we rend, " Blc.s the Lord, yc his nugels tlmt cxccl in !'trength, t]rnt do bis commandment-., hcnrkening unto the vnice of bis Wonl " ( ciii. 20). The nngels, then, have tht> Wor<l of Go<l for thcir in~lruction and delight; and nll wc know of nn-cls is moi:t intimately connected "ith the Wortl of GtMl; withont it, intl('(Xl, hcnven woul<l no longer he heaven. What follows, but thnt ns therc is n liicrnl scnst', adapting the divine wisdom to men on l'arth, 8<) therc mu~t be within it a hcavcnly intcrnnl sensc, adapting ils intcrior lifo to the nngcls in the king<lom of God, and to rcgcncrnting men on emth. Thus the '\'or<l of God i.s a medium connccting earth \1ith hcaven, angcls with men, and hoth with the Lord. ln the Acts the divine Jaw is caJ!etl the " livcly" or" li\ing oracles" ( viii. R),.., in exact ngrc..-cment with the Lord's O\rn <lcclaration, thnt ltis wordi; arc "spirit nn<l life," :111d also "ith the ini;pircd nflirmation mmle to l\lose.'l, aiul cit.ed by our ble&ed JAJrd him!:!df: " l\Inn doth not live hy brcnd only, but by evcry worcl that procccdclh out of the mouth of Go<l doth man live" (Deut. viii. 3; l\lntt. iv. 4; Luke \.
4).36
" L1v1sn OaACL&". The word tranlatcd 1or 0.rf.lianity, wnulcl g1,e hl J>"<'ple tlle omc!t< la:nlnes a ditin rcidaJon, a E}llrihlAI lntcrp~IAU<ln, 11nder<tanlln1:. and c<llwnfront God hirn"C{f, no lb bere a11pll~l IO u-c of the IAw, or Oltl Te>lllmenl, \\llh the the .VoMiic Law; to the Olrt T""lamtnt ln ~n Ty}ICR, nnd 8ymhol8, nnd ~ncrnmcnt<, by
.,.,.,..,,j.
cra.I (l<om. Ill. 2; llcb. v. 12); aod to llfri~ nn:lalimt ln general (1 Pct. lv.11)."-J>r. A. Clartt"I (}"'""Oil Arl \iil. "ln the l'bll?niclan 111111rue the Orarlc ls rollcd the }Joulh of QOll; and to sapt~ cxna1ull 1111! m<ml1' of God, I the same il' to wc conult the oraclc."-U Clerc. Sec Ouokl!s Jlt~iotl, //ir Thtogony, 1. r.2;. . Lockt', Oil this ttxt 12 Cor. li!. G), "11)'1, 'ln fuel, \\C flnd Paul truly a minhteroflhe tilrit or U1c law. c(l<'<'lnlly in his Epltle to the Itcltrl'W. whcrc be 'hnws thnta 1>irit11nl ~cu><e r nn tbrough the )tm.aical in,tltntluns and wrltinl:".' Xow fnnn hcncc Il nppcars 1111\t J.ockc \\l\S of oplnl<>11 that the law of ~lc..c-., b<"l<lcr the literai 11<nse, ha<! a api ritual monnlng. whlch c'Uuld not be ll"<"<"crcd wlthout ln,plrntlon.''-Iloi8crn on the R1n#.les, lntrod., p. xvll. "Jeromt' ol>-erve.<1 t.hat 'whntOC'\'Cr ls l'romi'<'lrltunlly.' "-In Pr:xf., Jib. lv., ln J tre. "Il)' tho divine promlt1 of the T.onl, made to the proplwt Jeromlnh (ch. xxxl. 31. 32), was met.nt thQt God, 1111dcr llle Dbpeu.allon
l'
wrltlng, <tc.mplng, or l111pn1.-lng thcm. ns IL \\Crt', UJ'IOO thclr t>lriL; cwn to serve lllcin a' n dirint mllt1" whel'\'<m to mount up, b) ontempbtlon (throu11h ritllh and the operation or the lloly 8plrlt). rnm1 <'ftrth to hen\cu, and from the mv>l<r8 ln the Wor<l to l11clr mcrln.tlm: tv:rlll' in God lllmJ<clf."-llollotrov' Ltt/.tr awl ~piril, ml . 1., l' lx. "l'urely, the <lt'll\"c,.. n or (,racl, and thelr Tt't'l'l>li011 or the n;,lnc Il\\\ At the foot of tht' mou nt, \H'~ typlcnl of lll'S u1odc or dcnll11g wlU1 hls Jl(..iplc unlr the 111,. r~11..,1lion of the' hl'lt<r <'o,cnn11l.' lie tincla thcm ln a .state of t'<lTDBI ho11<lagc un<:l~r -.111 and atan. The)' i:n111n for dclhcmnrc, but ba,e not ~trenJ.,-th to 111't If for th<>m~h'cs. Gocl unllertakcs for lhcan, not hy onlhutry mcanA, but extraonllnary: not by 11a1ural, lmt b)' mlraculou<, whirh rc-ult tn llw ahol i-bln1: o r dcath, and hrhu;in~ llft' nn.1 im mortallly to Jight. lie appoint' lhcm a lencl1r; lie gi\cs thl'm, ln the pniic or rcv dntinn,thcpil1ar of the cloud by<ltly and lhc plll11r or Hrc by 11l11ltl. As tJipy follnw thelr leader lu Ille excrdc of a Impie fui th, tllcy
r ESTJJfONl' OF TJ/R SA<JRED JrRITERS.
6-
.,
That the npo!'tlc P nul most di.tinctly recogni1,cd the l:\nme doctritw ilf an internai ~Pn~ in thp dhiue W orrl, is eviclcnt from ail hi~ writinh"' ru< '1here he uJ<.-crts that " The letter killcth, hut the spirit giveth life" (2 Cor. iii. G); an<l this iR true not only of the mcrc observance of the lcttcr of the law of l\It'tl, to the ncglcct of that spiritual intcrpretation which Christianity, or the Gn!'pel dL"}l<'tNttion, reveals as con tained within it, but it aJ,o implic:i, more remot<?ly, that the lctter of the Word of God, when l:\l?parated from the inwnrd spirit which givcth lifc, by a dt'nial of its existence, is constnntly pcrvcrted hy acnsunl in tcrpretatio~ an<l re:iiionin~, whicb dea<lcn and <l~troy within us ali revcrence for its authority and chnracter. Ro in bis Epi~tle to thr
CXfll'rl(!Jl(:e dcll crntJC(>; ""they look Io the plllar>ftbe dou1I 1.nd the plllu o!llro,&hey llr f<!e<b thcm wlth bre1.1I frvm he-.ven; 1.nd mates waie,.. to ir;iish out for thcm in U1e dc-.crt: He 11111.etl the pir Hull.! mck "lllch follows U1 cm: lie reveals hl. wlll to thcm; lie writcs lt ._, a law ln thelr hl't\rto; lie makc- thcm &temple,' '" tahcniaelc,' lu" hkh 11.- dwcll bf hll!<:pirlt: Il places hi naine' among U1Mn; He is thelr God-tht'Y arc hl pcoplc."-Pl<k" Poolor' Jlcmorial qf J:o11pt, lht' Red S.a, IM Wil
A the 1ieoplc of lrnel were type., and art' ,enerally allowelcenemlc- \\hicb lhey wnoe eojoinccl w root out,"<.'('111 to ~rmbolil!(: tho"<'plritual f<X' whlcb the Chrl<tlao ts en jolnc1l to avol1l llurlug hl< wnrraro upon carU1. Thi< i<ka a11~'llnl the ml'lrP probl.hlc ther1.dlct.J Import ofthelr namcs,whlch corrv Jlond verych,...,.lrwitb th<>'<.'meutioned hy the &f""'tlc in 2 Tim. lii. 2, er.c. Thus Oie Amoru,. menn the ph>Ud, bo1111tlng rebcls (A mil'> li. 9). 1 hc /\inoanit,~, the covctous, or worldly tralllckh1g, sucb &. th08e men Unn<'l ln Rom. X\111. 4, 11, ctc. The Htes, Jlcn-e. tcrrifyiu;t, tru~-eb1'<'1.lm.. , cte. The I'!ri:;IU-o, pcl'til'C'utors, scattere.,., bla.phem c,,., etc. The llivltcs, mcre worldly livers, "Il<! and dif!Orilcrly per>0ns, pleuure-lo\efll, ctr. The GiroOJ1hln. ftltby wandereM, lu rontlnent, etc. Ali theoe -e\en nations are fl'<'qucnUrcaJllI hyagencraloamc, 0nia4,.. lln; and llterally and splrftually the word l~trucconcemlng thcm,that thcyarc grtcr an!\ rolgbller than the people of God, lmpos,fbl~ ~>be vanqulhed by homan streogth, and redudblc onl7 b~ the Lo Ood or S.lJI.. AOTU. And, aW. (th~ ChrMl1.n while oo e&rth may oay), U1ey are yet ln the land!"~tif' Jin.-. .<!olit., p. 2t . " lt ls ab11nda11tly evldcnt th&l bcBldes the
11.N 11~1<.-d.
d'Tnrx. and IM JJvJ11 !.and.
'"'m
lltrrnl <eDt!e of ~rlpture. thel'C """ 1. hlghcr sen.'e 1.dopted: for.as w tblll r..ct. Eucb~rlu (lJl'hop at /,v!]rivI.... n. 431)>flt'llk' m"'t lt dd,clly lu hb preface to thl hook, wbl~h ~prnng out of the mode of lnlt'rpretation whlch then prcvalled. We 'hou Ill 80 ngnrI the ~rlptUre arcordl7tg Io IAt /11,a ll'ld1 Il" ,.,.rlptun "l(f .\o ln man the"! I a body and a oui, l'O in ~erlpture it \la hellend tht thtre la litcro.I and an hlstnrlcal t1ense: but that under Oil thcre h a ~plritunl seuc, rclatlng V> hlghcr or to spi !tuai thlngs." "The i'crlptur<"! 1.ppean.-d A verltable orad~. e\cry word ~lm:/"11 if G ~tp 1ignijlNIJ/Qn." "At Oie tlmc of ChrM Ane! bis ApoUc-, thi m0<\e or lntcrprcUnl{ theOlcl T~tament prcvailed not 011lyamon11 the Jews at ,\lexaudrlo., but also iu tll~ ll('hools of Pal~tinc: a1<d il """ adopte ln rf,ft:rtn lt> tM ,v,,,. Tr.<l<1tt111. This mode or lntcrpreUni! the Old Te-umcnt ror the of ('hrlslllwlly V'r. Tqftr1 re1>1v Io Dr. Jlrhlcr. Dr. C'onyel'>\ )lldf\Jeton, ln hl D<;/tm:t!, U aure11nsthal"ThcallCl(Orlcalll&foCe:i:pound lnit,for whlch we have the authorltyof mt1't or the primitive l'e.thcrs ood the lJCl>t Jcwlh wrlters, was llO rar from glvlng scandai lu former age!! of the Church, that, on the con trary, to sllght lt wu lookcd uron as herell cal, 1.nd Ml of dangNon con-equen...,.., "'l'iere ezre q/ the lterrl1,.. maillli1'
gi .,....
u..,.
lhfJI the Scrl)>turu nf IM <)(d T1ala11icnt wghl to be heldm11Allcall11, Qf' ()(/IL'MJittlu:m qf IM t<lmtirol thino1 ,,.,.,.lil)fltd."-JJil~inlh. P"trum.
ftOI
""
prr Karg. Pi<rf. 131'9. tom 1.,c. 3, pp. 270. 100. C'lcment of .\lcXADdria &1-o t~lls us thI the whole !'<-rl1tnre ls" rl~n ln the p&rl. bolll style" (Slrom., h., tom. Il.. p.568. Ed. by Potier), for \\ hicb be gtvee scveral rea f<Ons.
6*
66
TITE SCIENCE OF CORRESPOiYDENCES.
Romans he thus writes, "For he is nota Jew who is one outwnrdly; ncither is that circumcision, which is outwar<l in the ficsh: but hc is a J ew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the hcart, in the spirit, an<l not in the letter ; whose prni~e is not of men, but of Go<l" (ii. 28, 29). And this explanation is in pcrfcct aeconlance with the tcaching of the Old Testament, wherc wc rend of "the cir cumcision of the heart" (Dent. xxx. G; .Jor. iv. 4). '' In the Epistle to the Ephcsians, also, the apostlc, whcn hc is spcak ing and exhorting on the important subject of marriage, ilcclares that what A<lam says in the second chapter of Genesis respeeting the union of man and wife, is "a grcat mystery; concerning Christ and the Cburch" (v. 30-32). The apostle Peter, also, nlludcs to Noah's ark, and snys thnt it is "The likc figure whcreunto evcn baptism doth also now s:we us" (l Pet. iii. 20, 21 ). Thus what is written rcspeeting the ark and the flood, is cvi<lcntly to be intcrpreted, and, indeed, eau only be intclligibly undcrstoo<l, as n scries of divinely-inspired figures and types rc speetinp; human rcdemption and salvation. Not only <lo the apostles spiritually cxplain some of the divine allegorics of the Old Testament, and the eeremonics of the J ewish dispensation, but in like m:mner, :ilso, certain narratives which are there recordcd, and wcre histori cally truc. In his Epistle to the Galati:ms, the npostle Pnul, referring to the Patriarehal history, sRys: "It is written that Abraham hnd two sons, the one by a boud-mnid, the other by a free-woman. But be who w11s of the hond-woman wns born aftcr the flcsh; but he of the frec-womnu was hy promi;;e: Whieh things are an nJicgory: for thcsc nrc the two eoveMnts; [an<l] ~1s hc that was born nfter the flcsh pcrsccute<l him that was horn after the Spirit, so it is now "(iv. 22-24). 13 In RJ.>enk., .. Extcmal circnmeilon WM a. symbol of mental and moral purity, and extirpation of evil alTcctlons and dcslrcs. Bence, ln the Old and Xew Testament, clrcumcision is applied li> the mind."-llloomj!dd's Svrw1>i3. vol. lv ., p. 262. "Ma.cknlgM wcll observe~ that the Apos tic, by disllnguig)ling bctwccn the spirit and the lettcr' or the law or lltoscs (Rom. li. 29), lntimates that the rites enjolned ln that lnw wcrc typlcal, an<I had a spiritual or moral mcaning; as Mores also cxpressly dcclarcd to the Jcws."-lb., vol. v., p. 401. .. In the orlginnl, "which thlngs arc allegorlr.ed," that ls, "allegoricnlly applicd," "wlthout destn>ylng tbcir hi~torical vcrlty."
-See BW.op JiarsNa ud., p. 32. /J.llo'a Oye Bib. Lit., p. 115. "In allegorics framcd by man, the groundwork !s gencrally fiction, bccause of the tlirficulty or find!ng one truc serics of filets which shall cxactly repre!W!nt anothcr. Dnt the gTCat Disposer of e\ents, Known unto whom arc nll hls works,' rrom the beglnnlng tothc etul of t!me,wasable to cffect this; nnd the Scrlpturc alk-goric.' nre tbcreforc cqually true ln the lcttcr and ln the spirit of them . The cvents slgnlfylng, no less than those signllled, rcally happene<l, &$ they are sald to have done. Why the nUegories of this mos1 perfcct fonn, wlth whlcb the book of God abounds, a.ud whlch are all pregoo.nt dth
'l'ES1'IMONY OF 1'1/E SACRED WRITERS.
67
ing of the childrcn of Israel, their reprcscntative journey, and what befell them in the way, as signifying thiugs spiritual, he thus writes to the Uorinthiuus: ".Morcover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that ail our fthers were under the cloud, and ail pnssed through the sen; and were ail baptizcd unto Moses in the cloud nnd in the sca; and did ail cat the same spiritual mcat; and did nll drink thcsnme spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock which followcd them : and that rock was Chri~t. Now nll thcse things happcned nnto thcm for ensamples [rvn0< types] : nnd they nre writtcn for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" ( 1 Cor. x. 1-4). In the Epistle to the H ebrcws we meet with little else than a spiritual intcrprctation and application of Jewish history. Thcir burntoffcrings and sacrifices, thcir meat-offcrings and drink-offcrings, thcir priesthood and rituals of worship, the.golden censcr and the ark of the covcnant, the golden pot that had contained the mmma, Aaron's rod which had buddcd, the table of the covenant, and over it the cherubim of glory overshndowing the mercy-seat, thcir fsts and festivals, their civil and eeelesiastical government, their battles and journeys, thcir captivitics and deliverances,-iu a word, the whole history of the J ews, as recordcd in the W ord of God, was, as to evcry particular, representative of spiritual and divine thiugs (Heb. ix., etc)."
truth of U1c blghet lmport.,sboald be treated witb nci:Ject and contempt, wblletlle Imper ftoct allegorlcs of man's devlslng are nnlnr1;11lly S<lugbt e.11.er and admlred, a.. Ille mt plenlng and elllcaclous method of conveylng lntruction,111 ncx easy to Slly."-ll&rnt' ll>rn>ertl. "" the Poalms, pref. Io llCIO tel., p.
X\'ll.
"St. C)'l'll or Alexandrla, in hts Commen taries 011 Jsalab, 811)"1. The word8of the holy prophcts 11hvays carry a mlghty depth, and erp nlong by 00/J/ruu and Melden cour,.... Thercfore, we are not Io suppe the.t Ille outwnrd ~urfa or the lettcr alwars ptt$CnlS the trnth lntcndcd: but tbat Ulemlml<lland llJ>iritual mea>ting of the leU', joined wilh e.nd concclvcd under the lettcr, ls rather to be consldered. For the style of the holy prophet.~ ls everywhere ob~re. and full of dari: Mntenccs, as contalning the unfolding of the dlrl11t mysttrito."' -Jlollou;c.y' Ldler and Spirit, et<:., vol. !., lnt. Ill!. ., "There ls ouc way, and a very obvlous one, ln wh!ch the con$l<lcratlon of the rit ual and hiswry mti:ht oonfinn the early Chri&tians in their mystical explanatlons of tbe wbolc exi.ernal world. They found
some pe.rticulars, both ritua.J 11nd bistorlcal, mystlcally cxpounded ln the New Testa ment, 1111<1 plain Implications, alm.'< t SAACr lions, tbnt the wbole was capable of ~lmllar exposition: e. g., Illat' Moses made aU thlng1; e.r.cording to the pattern 8bcwed hlm ln the mount,' 11nd !bat 'aU tb&t befcll God's people ln the wllderncss bappened unto tbcm 111< type$ of ns.' Wben. therefore, ln the natu rai world tbey had a.~rtaln<'<I a few chier symbols, it was reasonable for Ulcm w Infer that tbesc; too, wcre but speelme11, lngle chords of a barmony to be Cully made out berealler; Uley woald fl llke learnera of a Janguage, wbo have ploked up Ille mc&ning as yet but of a fcw words hcre and therc, but have no donbt wbl\tcvcr Illat the whole has Ils meanlng: and perhaps tbeywould tbink that tbey found warrant for this iu sueh texts as Illat or St. Paul to the Romans, 'The ln -risible things or Rlm Crom the crcation of the world a.re clearlyseen, bclng under;;tood y the thlngs the.t are made.' This would secm lo lay down Ille principle or cano11 or mystical lntcrpreto.tlon for lh6 works or Nature, as the othcr texts Just now spcdfied. for the Mi!aic ceremonles and the history
68
Till~
SCIHNCN OP
CORRBSl'ONIJF:NCEf~.
Aud this spiritual iuk1 pl'etntion of the Ohl T~>!tlnment, the """cn-d writer distinguil'h~ from the mere Ictter, hy <.'nlling it ""<lfl food" (Ueb. v. 12-1-l). .\1111 thus wurrnnted hy npo~tolie e.xnmplc, it hns bcen commou plu:a.,eology, from the enrlit~t pcrio<l of Christinnity, to spcnk of the sacrifice!\ of the henrt, or the hnllowing of ail the nffretions (IIeb. xiii. 15, 1G; Rom. xii. 1); of the nltnr and the tl.'mple of the soul (1 Cor. iii. 10, 17; vi. Hl); of" a bctt.er country, thnt is a henvenly," as promiscd uuder the type of Cnnnnu ( Heb. xi. Hl); of 1i spiritual " bondage " from which the soul must be dcli \"Crc<l ( Rom. viii. :n);"' of spiritual enemics from whom we must be protected, :md
of the Jew11."-Troc!8 /f)r IM 7'imea, lxxxlx.. the examplc nnd 11hn!low of thlnf! ~clC!I I' 11\ii. tial.' "-!':e<>t. 1 .. l. Il .. I' 205. T. T., p. :1->. "The mention of the sanctuary aml 1.1\b!'!~'Ott, ln hlA comment on Jo:xoc1n~ xxvl., <>rn11tll'. the ark, and certain other (ltlrti<-u whereln are dc.,cribe<l the ark, lt "hnpt.', ma lllr<, 11111t of course lcacl rdlcellng mlnd, lerla~. and d,'t.'onltlons, tu1mlt thni the c,cn \\lthoul furthcr lnfonnaUnu, t.o the \\bole h N!l'l'C.'<mtallvc of 8plrltnnl lhlnJ"". nrml"'" 1hat ln regard llkc" lt<e or othcr lie""~"' "The "hule repn><e111' the J'(',.,.nn pinL not 'IJl'Clfied.o.nd inshon lu lcswbole and 1loctr1nc or C'br1~1. bis trul' dmrt'h 1md rwi:c awl rlctail, the Jewf-.h cwnomy was ail hea.-enly lhhig>." An<la,,..,.10, ln hl ln1ro1yple11\ of the Christilin."-1!>., I' l&i. durtoryrcmarkOn Lcvitlcus, the mc cml ln a nCJblc pa.<agc of Orlgcn lu the flf'th llCJll wrlter ~"'' .. JI principally CCJlllt or llomlly of I~vltlcus, ctt<>d by the wrlt.cr of rltual lo.w~. dcll,cred to l\106('!! from ah"rn Tmrts/or 11.e Tlmc.,lxxxlx., on nccouut oflbc the mcl't.'yl!CO.t du ring the first month ll~t lil(ht whlch lt ooems to throw on analogy, he the Tabcrnnclc wn8 crcclccl; U1011gh moral AAY, "'J h<' dct.l\ilsof the la" ('OnCcrnlng 56.<' pl'C'CCptg are frt'<l.ucntly lnlcr>pcl'liCd. In r11lt..u arc ln bt.> relvt..'<1 ln a dlncrcnt i;cne tbel'C 1cremo111t11 the Gospel w11S prrarht'ml text polnt.s out. t.o lracl; ancl the solemn and eX11Cl ma11 El>e, "hen they are pnbll~ly rcad ln the ner, and the mauy repetitiono wirh \\hlch church, the)' tend raU1er to the hlndrant.'e thcy are cnrort.'t'<l, are uitcd t.o lmpre the and suh,cr-ion or the l'hri-tinn Calth tb&u ser1ous mlnd wlth a ronvlcllon that 11<>mC 1>1 the admoni tion an!l e<llflt'lltlon or men. thlng hnmencly more importD.ut ancl pirlluttr "" 'earch ami ftm.l ln what 'Cll'Cth<."-C llnRI than the cxlcmal observant.'e~ la thing >Rl<l, and mark lhcm, as thcr rouehe<l undcr cach of them." onght "ho lbink of God, who 11 the de "Jcrtcalcm was lmta type of the Clirltfrm ch11"td Anthorof tht-sc laWll, thcn the bcarer Ch urch, a the tnrnt Israel, or tho cnrnal \\Ill be<.'Umt a Jcw hHl~(.'(1. but, a kw ln .cccl nnd porlty of Abraham, wcre of trnc warlly,' aording to the dMlncllou of St. and lnt.'<lrc <'hrMlan. And thcreforc l'aul Paul ln the J<:pi;,tlc to the lto111n11'. Tbings txprcS'ly <llHin~ui,hei. ctwccn the l'lrthly vllllc ft'taln wlth lnvi>Jblt.' no 'mali ft.ffin Jeruulem and the Jcru.alem "hl<h h ity; .., that the Apo>tll' aflirm,, the fmisl Rho"c !Or !'rom abovc, i. e., tbe L11riU1111 hie thlnK' of God, Crom the fundallon or <'l1urd1), (whlch he ,..,., b the mothcr of u.. the \\Otl<l;' to be <een, b<>lng unJcrtood by all)."-.Dto11Shcr/l("/t11'<rm<>M,1., I' G. thl thlnl-"' which ar~ mnde.' A thcrefore a '"Tho scvcn lmplous nations, or da""-' of inutnlll affinlty exhts bet\\N'n thh1g\hiblc Ir.habitants, who JlO"'C.~d th<' land or Co.and ln\Mble, earth nn<l hra,cn, M>lll au<l naan, and who wcre o\<rUirown, or made tlc,h. body and oplrlt. and of r<>mblnation~ ubl;ervlcnt, or wcre cxlir)'nted hy the de of lllw..c ls made up thih pr..,.cnt worltl ; "" sccndant of 1-r11cl, r1.vre.cnt.c<l diO\lr<'nt ulo lloly ~rripturc, wo m11y licllcv<', I 11111do klnd of hlol11try, ancl varion s hcNclltnry up of ~MIJlc aud lmislble parlll; n...,t, as lt e\'ll hM a111l fa!"' \>el'!ltlasions of th<' mu, \\l'l'e, of a klud of bolf11, l.c. of the lctt~r Ul'lll a1Hl "<'1"1tul minci. whlch, warrhll{ whleh we "<-'C "ith our eycs; ucxt of a'""' ai:aln"1. the powcN of lu'fl, en in thu 'IOul, 1. c .. or the -eu...: wblch ls dl-emcl'\.'<l wltbln 1mu.t loe clthcr e:r.tlrpnl<'<l or uhdued ln that letler: thlrdly. or a 1plril, 0-0 far a it spiritual .-0011.at, bcfore man can be tlly !'rontaln al<O ln ltsclf rerlaln hl'l\\'~nly regencrated and at&aln a atate of eteroal thlnG'I: as says lhe Aposlle, 'thcy i.erve to pca ce.
Ar
TF:S1'/il!ONJ" OF 1'TIE SACRED WRITERS.
60
ii.piritunl <langrrs from which wc hope to escape (1 Tim. vi. 12; 2 'l'im. iv. 7); of spiritunl trials in the wilderness, which we have to endure (1 Pet. iv. 12); of a spiritual Rel Sea and J ordan, over which we must pass; of heaven-descended rnnnna, on which we must fcefl; of living waters gushing from the Rock of Truth, by which we must be refreshed; and of that delightsome land visibly outstretched liefore us from Pisgah's mount, which we may inherit as n11 eYerlastiug posi:ession. A land thus described in the bcautiful language of correEpondencc, in order to represent a heavenly state of rnin, or the establishment of henven in the soul, and also to alfor<l us foiut icas of the surpn$iug lovelincss, the inoonceivable grandeur, the b~at ific glory of the hravcnly world; the nbundance of its i>recionl'< blcssings, the splendor of its spiritual aml diversificd sccnery, the incffahlc delights, the ecstatic virtues and the exalted graces of the evcr-hlessed inhabitants, of which the outward objects, in ail their indcfinite Yariety, are ail exact correspondcn.~. "A good land and a large, a land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex. iii. 8). "A land of l.ills and vnlleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heu.Yen ; a land that the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy GoJ are always upon it, from the hcginning of the year even unto the end of the yenr" (Deut. xi. 11, 12). "A land of brooks of wnter, of fountains and dcpths thnt spring out of valleys and bills; a land of wheat, an bndcy, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomcgr:tnates; a land of oil olive and honey ; a land whereiu thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not Jack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass" (Deut. viii. 7--9). And whnt docs ail this justly imply, but that the wl1ole of the eventful history of the Children of Israel, narrated by the plenarily inspired penman, is to be spiritually explained and understOod. Thus the IIoly Word inculcatcs its own spirituality, and the writings of the apostles most abundantly confirm the testimony.'1
lu the Greek Dtt'Oliom of Bishop An 1 I.echery . . . . . . . . JJtvlte. drews, translated ln Tr~t for the Timrs. TheC~rcsofUfe(Covctousne.-) Co.naanite. lxxx.-m. (fourtb day. p. 48). occurs the fol , Lukcwarm Indlffcren<"c tSlotb) JcbtL<lte. lowlng lntcrcstlng pa<sage, whlch indi<-atcs 1 [Give me) thnl the above nations were regardcd by IIumlllty, pltifulncs.<, patience, sobrlety, thnt author as figoratlvc or uuclean pr!ncl purity, contcntment. rcady zcal.0 pics ln the mlnd; Il oC<:ors lu the prayer Voltaire, in ignorance of the truc lntcrft>r gracc. prct&tlon of the Divine Word, saron.stlcally "[Dcfend me from) quotes the passage ln Gen. xv. 18. whcre the Prlde . Amorite. Lord sald to Abraham, "l'nto thy sd I ~:nvy . Hittite. have glven tblsland. Crom the r!Yerof F.gypt Wrath . Perlzzite. unto the grent river. the river Euphrates: Oluttony Girg1i.Shlte. and says, .. 'fhe critlcs ask, how could God
70
TllR SCIEXCE OF CfJRRR.'<PON/JRNCES.
rroml"<' the J''"' U1i lmmcnc ('Ountr)' "hlch th<r ha1c owYcr possc-.....00? ancl how roulra hm, ,ni. 1. J'. 1:1. '-'uch ba."CI.,,.,. objections &l!!\b"t the Won! of t;<XJ ftJI IO the grouod. llkc"" Dagnn did bl>fore the ark (1 Rfllll. "-), whm the true prlnciples of luterpretatlon are kn\\ n. Thnl emhwnt men htwe had some Mea or the tr1c m<'tho<l of cxpoundlug the \\'ord of C.od, thnnRh unacquaiuted witb the dlrcet 1aw> of corrC.'f>Ondcnce, mlght be conftrml'd by an ahundancc of cvldcnce. J quote ln prowof n 1"1lll from nishop IIorne's lm mrnlaJ'!I on t/u' Jloot of halmil. The prelatc "'>,"The plrltual ~eMC is, and mu''t be, pcrnllar to the f<<-rlpturcs; b('CSu!'e of thno.c pcl"nn 11ntl tran<acUons only, whlch are U1trt lll<'l\tlOnl-d and rt'<'Ord.!<l, can il be amrme.J for certain that they were des!gncd Io be fog11rathe. And sbould any one att<-mpt to apply the narrative of Alexander' expcdltlon by Qulntu Curtlu.. or the f'om. mente.ri<~ of ~r, M tl1e New Te<tament wrltcrs have donc, 11ncl tau1tht us to tlo to the historie of the Old, he would fincl hlm self une.bic to procced threc teps wltb eon lstrnry ami proprlcty." "The argument, ther<>fl>rt'. whlrh would Infer the alJ.,unllty of 'Ul'IK>'lnR the Rerlptures to ha"c a spirit uni F< " " " from the ncknowlcdgcd ab<urdlty of >up1w>-h>i:- hMorics or poem merely hu man to hR"C lt, I luMocluslve: the ~rcd '1rlllu1: 1l11Ttrhtlf ln that respect f'lom ail othcr "rltl111:~ ln tht> world, as mucb as the nalllrc of the 1"11\M('tlons they re!Atc dllfCJ'!j fnim 111l othntn1nn~tion. and the A T'TflOR "ho nlnt<ot thcw dlllens Crom ail otber au thon."
Orl1:<n Ay," They who find fllult wllh tht 1111.,.,orll'aJ expoltlon or the &rl1tul'(', And mahllln that lt hu no olbereeul'<.' thon llutt whkh th' t<'xl hows, take awar tht' kcy of knO\\ lt'l~-c."-J11 Jlntl., cap. xxlll. .. Ill all thlnl;"," !!l\)'S Augutlnc, .. that m. (0<>1 hatb 6pokeo unto W! (Io hls wrltten \\'ord). wc mn-t JOCek Cor the spiritual mean. lng. to a.rtaln whlch your dl= ln the uam~ of f'hrlsl wlll assist us. By whlch, M hy fuvblble hatuls, ye knock at the lnvllhl~ i;nt~. thut hnlslbly lt may open to us, &11<! yc lnvMbly may enter ln, and lm'lslbl)' hc hr1\]rcl."-J"'11m clll., Enamllio. Ancl aotnln the mme wrlwr 0&y. "Barley, as yon lmow, I so.formed that you eome wlth dlftioulty to the nourihlng part of lt, wmpped up n lt l ln a eovcrlng or chaft', and that rhalT llllll and rlea,lng, M> a not to be strlpp<'hM a111I "8tl,flC"."-J" Joo.n, tr. 2l, 25. "ll'hlll u tM rhnff Io lht uhrot, roUh tM Lonl.~ (Jer.
xxlll. ~'>!.)
AUJfll<tlncal0rcmarkslbat"Now no one doubt thnt both ohjects berome known to u wlth gr<.'nter dellght by mean' of simili tuclc, and thlng that arc sought for wlth somo dlfficulty are d1sco"orcd with more pl<1111.1re. l\lagnlflcently, therefore, and hcalthflolly for u~. 11ath the lloly Spirit o ndnpl(.-d tht> Sac-red Rerlpturl"! u to satl!<l'y our huu11cr by J18.S<lg<'$ more man! f<"I, 11n1l hy th"'<' lhat &rc nore obscure to 1>rc1'\nt f.l>tldlousu~."-.De J.JocL Cllril., Ub> Il., \OI. Ill., I' O.
CHAPTER VI.
'l'llE D1FFF.TNCE DETWEEN CORRE$PONDF.NCE AND ~[ETAPllOR, FA:.3LF.., ETC., !<TATEO.-CoRRE."PONDENCE DEFINED, WITII EXAMPLES OF ITS APPLICA TION IN EXPOC-ND!NO TUE IIOLY
Wo1m.
llTE have alrearly secn that the only science hy whir.h the Word of VV G0<l can hc spiritually unfoldcd, nml clearly distingni~hcd from
ail other compositions whatsocver, is the ~cicnce of corrci:;pondences. Let us investigate and illustrate the nature and applietion of its first principles. The science of correspondences is cnpnblc of heing establishcd and confirmed by the strictest rcnsonin~ and 1lcduction of philosophy. Indced, the absolute principles of ail philosophy must he sought and found within us, and this is trne of the philosophy on which correspondence rests; but, as Swedcn borg states, "it may al~o he gathercd from analogies, and evcu from geometry it~lf" ( H. K. 41 ). This mo1lc of reasoning, howcvcr, woul1l learl ns into a long train of mctaphysical inquiries anrl rcscarcl1cs for which gcncml readcrs have but little leisure, and still Jess inclination. In gencral, we mny say of ~cience, that it R n kuowlcclgc of the relation which exists bctween the clivine idcas nnrl divine works; betwecn "hat is infinite and what ia finitc; bctwcen whnt is spiritual and what is natural; anrl between what is mental and whnt is matcrial. 'Vhilc fble has no higher aim thnn to inculeate moral mnxims which have relation only to carthly existence; whilo figures of speech arc but arlornmcnls of discourse aml ornnmcnts of rhctoric; and while comparison merely likens one nnturnl ohject in apperance to another for the cnpricious pnrpose of illustration; <,'Orresponrlcnec is 1ho J)O.~itiv<" allinity or relation which naturnl objects bcar to ~piritual realiti. It is prcciscly the relation of the producing cause to its resultiug cffect; of the inwarrl e.c;.-.ence to the mnnifestc<l form; of the spiritual world to the naturnl world; of the soul to the borly; of the rnrious f\culties of the 111ind anrl thcir spiritual uses, to the yurious orgnn~ and \'i~ccra of the body nnd thcir respccti\'e natural uses. Thu!<, as the wholc of the naturnl world corresponds in all its multitudinous particuln.rs to the spiritual worlrl,
71
72
TIIE SOIENOE OF CORRESPONDEKCES.
and the visible objects in hoth worl<ls correspond to the world of mind, -the affections and thoughts of men, spirits, nnd nngcls; nnd these ngain, in thcir purcst and holicst significancc, to the Divine affoctions and thoughts of God,-just so the litera} sense of the Iloly W ord, which appears to treat of tcrrestrial objects nnd nffairs, corrcsponcls toits internnl sense, '"hich treats only of divine nnd "henvenly things" (,John iii. 12), which are, so to sp11ak, mirrors reflecting the image of t.he Great First Cause, the Creator and Sustainer of ail. The figures of speech, and bcautics of diction, in the literai scnsc, nre but "suhicliary ornaments of the cnskct" which eontains purest gcms of inestimable pricc. Such is the nature of that hnrmonious and indif'si1lnhlc bond by which ail things, spiritual as well as nntural, are councctcd with thcir Supreme Original, and are preserve<l by the smne law as that by " hich thcy were primarily crcated. Imagcry is usually divided, first, into Tropes or Figures, including Allegory, ~lctaphor, Metonymy, Parable, Prosopopia, and Synecdoehc; and, sccondly, including visible images and similitudes, as the Emblem, the Symbol, and the Type, all of which, however, are allied to, and luwe thcir essence or ground in, correspondens and representatives. Correspondence must not be confounded with metaphorical figures of speech. Hindmnrsh strikingly explain.s the cliffcrence betwecn mctaphor and the langunge of eorrcspondence. " A mere figure or metaphor," says be, "is the rcsemblnnee in some certain way, which one tl1iug bears to nnother, not according to the true nature and fit. ncss of things, so much ns by the arbitrary choi of a spenker or writcr, who is desirous of illustrating his subjcct, and rendering it fmilinr to the eomprehension. Consequently, thcre is no necess:uy union bet1\'een the subject and the figure, nor is the one an efl'ect of the other, or in any wise depen<lent on its existence and subsistence, as is the case in ail eorrespon<lenccs. An example will illustra.te the trnth of my observation. Virgil, in bis AEneid, lib. ii., likens the cle.<truction of Troy, with hcr lofty spires, to the fll of an aged oak on being hewn clown by the woodmnu's hatchet. This is a simile, or figure, but not a eorrcspondence; for there is no necessary connection bctwccn tho city of Troy and a mountain oak, nor hetween hc1 loft.y epires and the wide extending branches of a tree. The one is not witbin the other, as its life and soul; nor can the rclationship subsisting betwccn them be eonsidered like that of cause and effcct, essence nn<l form, prior and posterior, soul and body, which, uevcrtheles.'I, is the case with ail true corrcsponclences. The diffrenee between a
DEFI.YRD.-Tr/Tll //,Ll'STR,A 'l'ffR BIAMI'f,J:.'1:.
73
mcrc figure nnd a corre.~pon<lcuec may again appcar from the followiug consideration. A mcre figme or similo is the rcscmhlance "hich ouc natural object or eircumslance is ~upposed to bcar to anoth('r uatural object or circumstance; whereru;, a correspon<len is the actual relation subsisting between a natural object and a spiritual su bject, or a natural form and a spiritual essence; t hnt is, betwC'Cn outer and inner, lower and higher, nature and spirit; and not betwn nature and nature, or spirit and spirit. This distinction should h<' well attended to. The l:mguage of correspondences i11 the langungr of God hirnsclf, being that in which Ile always speaks, both in hi~ Word and in hi,q works: but figure and metaphor, together, with the language of fable, are the mcre inventions of man, which took tlwir r~ when the <lhine science of correspondences bcgan to be lt in the world."-Prcfa. to Ilindmarsh's translation of Swedeubor!{'il Jlicroglyphio Key to Natural and Spiritual Jlfystcrie8, pp. 3-5. Ali natural things exist from a spir itual origin, anrl all thin~ spiritual from a dhine origi11, or the Lord. The human body, \\ith ail its parta and functions, is elaborated from the soul, its faculth~ and powers, and therefore corresponds to it in every particular of itK structure, form, and use. 8o the whole Universe is not the product of no immcdiate and direct fiat of Omnipotcucc, but is the rcsult nf a fleries of spiritual causes nnd divine ends. Hen ull thin~ therein, cvcn to the mosl minute atoms, are correspondences; the langua;::e of which is inteIJigible to angols, from the realities with which thcy arc surrounde<l corrcsponding to their own statcs of mind, and suggcsts to the enlightened mind spiritual idca.s. Thus co1rei1pondence origi nates in the very nature of nngels and of God. " H eaven, in the W ord, in the internai sense, does not signify the hcaven or sky which is apparent to the cyes of ihc body, but the kingdoru of the Lord universally and particularly. Ile who looks at things internai from thosc that arc extemal, "hcn he views the beavens or sky, does not think at all of the starry heavcn, but of the angelic hcaven; whcn he beholds the sun, be does not think of the sun, but of the Lord , as bcing the sun of heaven; and so when hc sces the moon, and the stars also; yea, wh en be bcholds the immcn~ity of tlie heavens, hc does not think of material immensity, hut of the immen.~e and infini le power of the Lord; so also in other instances, since therc is nothing but what is represcntativc. He Jikewise regnr<l11 curthly objects in the snmc view; tlrns, when he bcholds the first <lawn of the morning light, hc does not think of the day7
TIIE SOIENOE OF OORRESPO.VDENOJ?S.
dawn, but of the rise of nll things from the Lord, and their progr. sion to the full day of \\!'l<lom; in like mnnncr, when he looks or. gnr<lcm1, shrubberies, nnd bcds of flowcrs, bis eye is not confincd to nny particular tree, its blossom, leaf, or fruit, but hc is led to a contemplation of the celestinl things reprcscnted by them, neither docs ho bchold only the flowers, their beauties and olegancies, but is lc<l to regard also the things which they represent in the other life; for thcre i~ not a single objcct cxisting in the sky or in the carth, whieh is heautiful nnd agrecablc, but what is in some way representath-e of the Lord's kingdom. Tho ground and reason why ail things in the hMvcn~ or sky, and on the cnrth, both collcetivcly and individually, are rcpresentative, is hceausc they originn.lly existcd, and do continunlly cxist. that is, sub~i1't from nn influx of the Lord through hcaven. The case in this respect is like thnt of the humru1 body, \\hich cxists and subsists by its soul; whercforo ail things in the body, both collectively nnd individunlly, are represcntntive of its ~oul: the soul is in the us anrl ends regnrdcd, but the body is in the cxecution of such uses nncl ends. In like manner nll effects whatsocvcr arc r<presentativc of the uses which are thcir causes; and the use.<1 arc repm1entative of the ends which are thcir first principles. 'fhey who are in divine idea.'! never confine thcir 1:1ight to mere externnl objeet..'I, but continually, from thcm and iu thcm, behold things internai; nnd internai things arc, most essenlinlly, thc of the Lord's kin;!1lom; cou...~uently, thelc nre in the vcri~t end of all. The cnsc i'l i:1imilnr in regard to the \Vord of the Lord~ thcy who are in divine: idrn.'l nover regard the \Vord of _ the Lord from the Icttcr, but consiclcr the lctter nncl the literai scnse, as representnthe und signifir:ive of tlw crl<'~I ial and spiritual things appertaini11g to the Church nnd to the Lord'!( kingdom. Witb tl1em the litera! Pcn~c is only nn in:<trnmcntnl medium of lending the thought.<> to surh ohjccts."-A. C. 1A07. "Evcrything in the vc~ctahle kingdom \\hich i~ henntiful aml ornnmcntal 1lcrivcs ils orif{in through hcaven from the Lorrl; and thnt, whcn the ccleRtial and 11piritunl thing~ of the Lord flow into nnturr, 1111ch ohjecls of benuty and ornament arc artunlly cxhihited, and thnt tll<'nce procccds the vcget1ll\'e soul or lifc. Jlcncc, also, corne rcpre8<'11tntivc:1."-A. C. 1G:l2. The irwi~ihle, or, a.q mnuy philosophers prcfcr cnlling it, the :mhjcctivc world, arts within or upon the vi.~ible or ohjrcti\e world; for evcrythin~ in the naturnl nnivcn;e, a~ wc hn\'c 11hown, continunlly suh~i11ts a..; an effcct terminatiug in somc u~c by mcans of influx from
JJEFINED.- WITII ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES.
75
what corresponds thcrewith in the spiritual world as its efficient cause; it is thus t\1e plane or resting-place of something spiritual. AU this adroits of easy illustration, nnd may be abundantly confirmed. For instance, there is a constant influent life momentarily derived from the Lord, and descending from the soul into ail the particular members, viscera, and forms of structure, however minute, belonging to the body, without which the mnterial organization would soon be dcrange<l, and the elements composing them would spee<lily fnll to pieces, and be dispersed. Thus there is an exact correspondence established by creation between all the various parts and fonctions of the body, and the manifold principles and fa.culties of the soul which gave them existing forms and activities in the natural world, and may be said for a timc to iuhnbit thcm. There is, for example, an exact correspondcnce between the organ of vision-the cyc, its structure, and its use-and the mental eye or the understanding and its powers. Tl1e brilliancy and earnest gaze of the eye will often search and reveal the quality of iuward thought without the utterance of a word, or where the speech would be ambiguous (1 Sam. xvi. 7; Luke xxii. 61). Here the tacit operation of the intellect in and through tlte eye proves that there exists the closest correspondence and conncction. Thus, also, what light is to the natural eye, truth is to the understanding; what vision is to the eye, perception is to tt.e soul. And it is common in all languag, for those who know nothing of the div1e science of which we are trcnting, whcnce such forms of expres.<sion were originally derived, to speak of insight, of seeing and not sceiug; of seeing in some particular light, or with various degrees of illumination ; of blindness, darkness, shade, and brilliancy in reference to intellectual energy and rational discernment. As a further most striking elucidntion, there exists a correspondence between the heart,-a vital organ of the body, its physiological structure nnd itS multifurious uses-and the human will, as a vital orgnn of the soul, with its complex affections and its complimtcd spiritual uses, for the will is the more immediate seat of all spiritual life; while the varied forms and functions of the heart as to cvery particular correspond, again, to the spiritual forms, activitiee, and offices of love. As the heart is the centre of all motion to the vital fiuid in the body, so the will is the centre of circulation to the soul of nll iuward life. As the hcnrt mny be snid to reign throughout the bodily organs by its procccding artcri and veins, and holds them all in hnrmony, so the will by its ruling desire or love, and ita
76
TllE S('/RX('F: ()F CORR8SI'ONnT;:N($S
pr<><'ffiling rlcrirntin~ v~cls of nlfection nn<l thought, ncs ";thin an<l throughout the min<I, nncl holds nll mcntnl princip~es in unity thrrc. Thcre is nlso a continuons influence flowing from the will into the ho<lily henrt which pro,cl' the existence of a correspondcnce. Exeitemcnts of the pnssions nlways rlisturb, more or 1~. tho movomcntR of the heart, an<l thence influence the whole body ; and just so the nff<.>ctions of the mind proclnce changes in the will, and thenco in the lifc. As the bloocl is perfectcd in the hcart, an<l there acquire- it!< hcat nnd ,;tality, and is rcndered fit for its important pur~ in 1<11i<tnining the whole cconomy of the body, and is thence by the i<ue<'t>s:-ivc expansion and contrnetion of its muRcnlnr walls, impclled iu rnntinual and hcalth-rtoring strenms to the most remote extremitic~ of tho human frame, RO it is in regnrd to the will. In that recc-ptacle of lifo withiu the mind, the living affections of goodness and truth aro formed in the rcgcncrating mind, nurl thcre receive hcavcnly q11alitics; and thcnce by action and reaction, Rtrenms of rlivinr lifc rrui flow perpetua11y forth to Yivify the wholc spiritual system. Thnt the will-prineiple is always signified hy the heart in the Word, 11omctimcs in a good sense nnd sometimes in an opposite seme, nmAt hl' ed<lcnt. to every intelligent rcader of tho~ numcrous pnssng "hcrc the henrt is mcntioncd. The Lord, who nlone judgeth rightcously bccause H e knowcth the secrets of the will, l'llys, "I nm lfo who st-nrcheth the reins [or kidneys] and hearts; and I will give unto C\'t-ry one of you at-cording to your works" (Rev. ii. 23). The Psalmi!;t pray:\ "Scnreh me anrl know my heart" ( Ps. cxxxix. 23). "'c rca<l of an "honest hcart" nncl an "evil henrt;" a "double heart" ancl "Pinglen.'! of heart;" a " fcu.rful hcart" and a "strong henrt;" of a " hnr<lcncd heart" and a " libcml hcart;" of a "hroken heart" and a "glad, joyful hcnrt ;" of an "impure heart" and a "clean heart;" a "hcnrt of i:tone" and a" hcnrt of flesh;" of a "willinj!'. hcnrt," of au "undcl"tanding henrt," a" prouil heart" nnrl a" lowly heart,"--0xprc,,.~ion.s which eau only rdntc to vnrious and oppo!!ite states of the will, and to the affections and thoughts thenee dt-rivec.1. To rcfcr again to common forms of cxpres:-ion, what is more com111011 than to nttribute to nn nlfectionate friend a warm heart, and to ~ive him a cordial Mlutatiou. This mode of spt-aking in the lnn~ungl' of corre.~pon<lcnce, dcrivcd from the Rpirituul signification of tht- hodily or~n;;, in rcfcrcnro to facultics an1l statcs of the minci, is uni,cl"ul, niul hns exi.ted in al! a~ To a sagncioua; man is ascribrd a sharp ne; to no ncutc perception, a kccn cye. Thi.~ important
J>B/?INED.-WlTlf lf,/,U."ITRA Tll'E RIAJIJ'/,ES.
77
doctrine is tilill furthcr cxemplified in the hmnan counten11ne<', in speech, and in gcsture. How frequcntly is it ohscrvc<l, and ho\\ ensy is it to prove, thnt the foce is the imfox of the mind ; for it chnnges its fcatures nccording to the variations of inward feeling; 11.nd the ~pccch and gcsture, whcn spontnneous, are always outwnrd indications of mental states; for the mind, cxcept where di.cisimulntion is prnctised, nlways flows into and eichibits it.<>elf in the lineamcnts of the countcnance, which is pleasing or cll!plcasing, gcntle or tierce, trnn'!Uil or agitatecl, bold or timid, as the minrl within is more or l~ inftttend by prcvailing p:issions; while i:peech is the form of ft('tive thought, which by correspondcnce flowR into its toncs of uttcrance, which nre manifestations of the feelings and gestur~ which arc expl'CS"ve Qf the desircs and determinations of the will. Hwc<lenborg trcats this suhject with his u~ual clenrnM and felicity of expression, whcre he writcs as follows :-"Ali things pcrtnining ln man, \\ hether internai or cxtemal, correspond to hcaven; the univcr~al lw:\\'en, bcing in the sight of the Lortl as one man, all things thcrein, cven to the most minute pnrticular, bcing so nrrangNI as to correspoutl to wh:ltcvcr belongs to man" (Ps. xlv. 9; Rev. xxi. 9). "The wholo face, where the scnsori of the Right, the smell, the hcnring, nnd the taste are situate<l, corresponds to the afl'cetions nnd thoughts thcnce derived in gcneral ; the eyes correspond t-0 the 1111derstanding (I sa. xxxiii. 17, 30); the nostrils to perception (Gcn. ii. 7); the cars to hearing nnd ohe<licnce ( .Matt. xi. 15); and the tallte, to the desire of knowing and bccoming wise (Pi;. cxix. 103); but the forehcarl corrcspondl! to the {,'00!1 of love, whcnce all the othc!'ll arc dcrivect, for it constitutes the supreme purt of the face; nnd imme<liatcly includes the front and primary part of the brain, "hen arc the intellectuul things of man " ( Ezck. ix. 4-). From thc con11idcration.:;, it is cvidcnt what is significd by the servants ofGod bcing ~raled in tb!'ir forchcads (Rev. vii. 3), nnmely, that "it is to bo in the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and thereby to be distinguished and ~cparatcd from thosc who are uot in that love" (A. E. 427). Thus the invisible mimi is visibly and rlistinrtly portrayed and emblemized in the form~ ancl activiti~ of the body, both Hingly nnd collectively, because therc exists hctwcen the soul ancl its matcrial frame the strictest corrcspondencc. Now, ail that we lmve thus endeavorcd to expre!'S is cnlled correaponcl<'ncc; for the nbstrnct prineiples of man's mind containcd in his will and understanding and which cm1stitutc his inner world or lifc, 7*
78
1'JIE SCIENCE OF CORRE'SPONDENCES
bcing conspieuou~Jy rcprcscnlcd in the orgnns of the body, their moti,e powers, aJH! their active uses which coustitute his outer worl<l, thcre is a mutual corrc~pomlence an1l intercourse bctwecn thcm us hctwecn cau"C.'I nnd thcir eflccts; the Roui is exhihitc<l in the body as it." une imnge, nnll thcy opemte as one. But whnt correspondcncc is, and "hnt influx, l'hnll be illustratcd hy examples. The variations of the face, which nrc ealled the counttm1ncc or fcaturcs, correspond to the nffcetions of the mincl, "here fore the face is vnried a!! to its featurcs as the affections of the min<l arc as to their stutes: t110~e variations in the face arc corrcspondcnccs, co11sequently also the face itself, ancl the action of the minci into it, in orclcr thnt the corrpon<lences mny he exhibitc<l, is cnlle<l inllux. The f'.ight of mnn's thought, "hich is cnllcd the undcr~tandinj!, rorr~punds to the sight of the cyes, whcrcforc also from the light and fliune of the cycs appears the qunlity of the thought from the und<'rstnn<liug; the 1:1 ight of the eye is correspondencc, oonsequcntly n.lso t hc eye itself and the action of the uucrstauding iuto the eye whcrchy the corrcspondence is exhibite<l, is influx. The active thought "hirh is of the understnuding rorrcspouds to the speech which is of the mouth ; the speech is eorrcspondcnoo ns likewisc is the mouth nnd evcrything bclonging to it, nn<l the action of thought into speech, nnd into the organs of speech, is influx. The perception of the minci l'orre<ponds to the smell of the nostrils; the smell nnd the utrils arc corrt.>spondenccs and the action is influx; hcncc it is tlrnt a mnn who hn11 iuterior perception is saicl to he of an ncute nostril, or of (jllck i'~nt, and the perception of n. thing is expresscd by sccnting or ~mcll ing it out. Jlearkeuing, which denotes ohcdience, corresponds to the hcnriug of the cnl's, whcf(foro both the hcaring nrnl the enrs arc corrcspondenccs, and the nctiou of obeclic11cc iuto the hcnring, in order tlmt man mny raioo the enrs, or listcn nn,J attend, is influx; lwncc it is that hearkcning and hcaring arc hoth ~ignificntive-to henrken and to give car to nny one dcnoting to obey, an<! to hrarkcn and hcnr nny one tlenoting to hen.r with the cars. The action of the body corrotlponds to the will; the action of the heart corrC8pOn<lf'. to the lifc of' the love; nnd the action of the Jungs, which is cnllcd respirnlion, corresponds to the lifc of the fith; and the wholc body as to ail its members, vi~ccrn, n.n<i orgnn~, corrCRponds to the soul as to nll the fonctions and power of its life. From thcse few oh~rvations it mny be seen '\hnt is meant by corrc:;ipondcncc anll hy influx, an<l that whilst the spiritual principle, which hl the Iife of man's will and
DEFINED.-WITJJ ILLUSTRATIV.F: f:XAMI'LES.
79
ontll.'Nlnniling, llows into the nets which arc of hi;; hody, and exhibits itwlf in a nnturnl cffigy, there is corr('!lpondcncc; and that th us the spiritual nnd nntuml by corrpon<lences ad as one, like interior an<l exterior, or like prior and posterior, or like the efficient cause ami tho effect, or Jike the principal cause which is of man's 1ought and will, and the instrumental cause which is of his 11pl'<'ch and action. Such a (orrcspondencc of nntural thiugs and spiritual cxists not only in all and ~ingulnr the thiugs of man, but also in ail and i;iugulnr the things of the worlcl, nnd the oorrosponclcnces arc cxhihitod hy the influx" of the i;piritunl world, nud all things app<'rlniuing to that world, into the natural worlcl, nnd ail things np_p<?rtnining to it. Thus ail the conntless organs ami forms of the body \\ith thcir numl><'rless U." typify, ~ignify, or correspond to the endlC91 <Jiqtinrt fculties or powers constitntiug the soul nnd ruind with thcir divcn-ifie<l u.scs. It is on account of this corrc;11 10ndrnce thnt the variou~ mrml><'rs and viscrra of the human frame ";th ilieir resptive o_p<?rat ions an uses nrc :>11 frt>qnently mrntionoo in the Holy " 'ord, both in rrgar<l to God and tbe soul of man, in refercnce to the laws of wol'!lhip and tbe precepls of lifc, und arc oflcn applie<l to innnirmite thingR, where it i8 ovitlcnt that merc bo<lily organs cannot possibly he mcnnt. Such expres.ions, ''lien pmlicatc<l of the Lord, not only refer to Him as in Himself an nll-i.:lorious :uul Divine i\fon, but alw 11ignify somc distinct qunlitios of the tlivinr mind, and opcrations of the dh inc cncrgy which would mherni.-c be totally incompreheusible. Of the Lord it is sai<l in fan. xi. 5, "Ri~hteousns shall be the girdlc of his Joins, and fuithfulness ilie girdle of hi.~ reins." H erc the prophct is spellkiug of le Lord's mnuiftcd form, or bis glorificd Humnn Nature, as the very llh-iue gootluess iU<clf nud truth itself, sclf-d<'rivc<l and sole-subsisting, and from wl1ich the church in henvcu nnd on onrth is perpetunlly supplil'd with ail d<'grees of love and wisdom, mul preserve<l thrrcin. And in 7,h. iv. 10, to siguify his omniprence allCl all-pervadiug rrovidcuce, by virtue of his wisdom arnl un<lerstancling, it is stated thnt "the eyes of the Lord ruu t.o and fro through the whole carth." In the ~amc sense it is writteu in Pisalm xi. 4 thnt " His cycs behold and bis <.>yelids try the chil<lrcn of men,'' whcrc the Lord's eyes aud hi:, eyelids denotc hi~ Divine Providence nue! omniscience and intelligence, allll the me<liums by which they opcratc, nnmely, the internai and cxteniaJ truths and doctrines of bis " ' ord. Elsewhere we have
.. lnftu:r 14 dcrlved rrom the LaUn won! l'rJ,/uo, t.o lnftow or ftow Ili.
80
Tl/E SOIENCE OF COR/lf:Sl'OXDl?NCl?S
frcqucnt. mention made of the nrm or haud of the Lonl, to Fignify hb <livine omnipotence, as in the following pnssage: " He had horn:> roming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his p<.>wer" (Hab. iii. 4); and spenking of his etcrnnl victories over death nnd hell, for the ac<'Omplishmeut of humnn redemption, obtaiucd hy tl1e inhcrent omnipotence of his own Divine Humnn Nntnre, it is Fnid in th<' P~nlms that " He hath done 11111rvcllous things; his rigl1t hnnd and his holy arm hath gotten Him the victory" (xc\iii. 1). It wns from this signification of the h:md as denoting power, :mil of the sense of touch ns reprcsenting communication, tramilation, 11.1111 rcception of power and virtue, that the Lord laid his hands upon the ~ick and they recovered; and thnt to accomplish special uses in relation to minh:tcrial functions, inaugurations into the priesthood of the Jewish dispcnsation (Numb. viii. 9-12), nnd also into the miuistry of the Christian chureh, from its very first commencement (Acts iv. 3; Yiii. Il); xiii. 3; 1 Tiro. v. 22), were eficted as divine order requircs by the imposition of hands. This net benrs the sume signification clsc\1 hcre in the word, as in the net of ble.s~ing, and on other occni:ions (Numb. xxvii. 18-23 ; :Matt. xvii. 7; l\Iark v. 2ll; Rev. i. 17). "'hen Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel have a represento.tive \i:;ion of the Lord to signify that He manifests himself to the perceptions of his true church by means of his IIoly W ord, it is said that " they saw the God of Israel, and there wns undcr his fcct, as it were, a paved work of a ~npphirc-stone, and as it were the body of heaven in its cleaniess" (Exod. xxiv. 9-11). 'Ve rend also of the Lor<l's heart to denote his di due will, purpose, or love (Isn. lxiii. 4; l\latt. xi. 29) ; of his head, to ~ignify bis infinite wisdom and intelli~cn('e, by which He governs ail worlds; a111l of the hnir of his hefl, to dcnote the ullimate energics of his Divine Providence, by whieh the lowe."t and \'ilest of the hnman fomily may be saved (Hev. i. 14 ). To rcprescut the omnip<.>tence of trnth from the Lord, in its ultimntl' or lowcst activity, destroying aud dil'Sipatiug nll the false persunsions of that self..rightcousness which disclnims ie nccd of purity or cir""Tl1chanil l the chief instrument of cx 1mon acceptation, for the oonvcyan of ertlug our strcngth, anil i. thcreforc, very thcse common idcas. Agrceably L-O thcse properly u-ed to dcnote the power of G0<l." wc are to undc,.,,tAnd the tcrms wbcn np-llm'ard'J 0Jm11. fm the Pcslit'<llB a"d 1''aAI 1lled hy J~hovah to Hlm~lr. Ry hls arm. oftllr Cii. of E11g., li6l, p.129. thcn, wc arc to uiulel'lltAnd the eztcntof hls "Thca"11 and the lumd arc natural tenn,, power, as hls tlrtlthcd-oot arm, or lnfinite when Rpplit'd to the ability <>fa mRn, whi<'h miglH, reacbes to ail things."-Serlt' H<>r. express hl& capaeity or reRilh~'s of l"n1'lT. &>/., p. 139. . . . Tbcsc are figurative cxp~ionsof corn
DEFINED.-llTH /LJ,USTRAT/l'E F:XAA!l'LES.
81
cumcision of heart, we are supplicd with the historical relation of Snmson, the Nazarite, whosc prodigious streugth is said to Imre resided in his hair, slayiug the Philistines, emphatically called the uncircumcised (Judges xvi. 17). In the life of real religion, which reveale<l truth teaches and enjoins, and which i;; exemplifie<! in the ordinary duties of the Christian life, lies thi.s only real spiritual strcngth and securi'ty. This alone conjoins man to the infinite souroo of al! power. On the prcservation of his hair, according to hi.s vows, his strength i.~ said to rcst. Shorn of this-disjointed f"rom omnipotencc-his vows brokcn, and he is but weak and defenccless, like auy other unregcnerate man. ln the highest sense Samson was a type of the Lord as the grcat Redeemer or Deliverer of the human mec from death and hell, and his hair will rcprcsent the manifestntion of the power of truth in the lif and conduct of his profcssing church. That power is feeble or strong to accomplish the divine purposcs in proportion as men live in obedicuce to the truths of his \Yord. Ifencc, too, wc sce the reuson why calling the prophet Elisha," who rcpresented the Lord and bis \Y ord," bald head " u was blasphemy of the deepcst dye, while the spiritual punishment of such impiety which the daring blasphemer thus induces upon himself, though it appcars to hi:; disordered imagination as the infiiction of divine Ycngeance, is cxaetly represented in the destruction of the "forty and two children" by the "two she-bears out of the wood" (2 Kings ii. 23). How interesting and instructive do theso narratives become whcn thcy are expounded in cvery divine particular rclated ! In Ezckiel's prophccy we rend," I, the LoRD God, will take away the stony heart. out of your fleih, and will givc you a heart of fiesh " (xxxvi. 26), where a stony heart signifies a hardcned will,46 insen~ible to good impressions; for flesh, in this and many othcr passages, signifies goodne5.'!, which is the reason why the Lord says He gi\es us bis Hcsh to cat that wc may bave eternal lifo (John vi. 54) ; and the
EU.ha. mcan.s iu Eogllsh the salvation of God. .. "Ba.ldhead is an epitbet of corn and contempt irtill lL"Cd ln the ;ast, and is glveu to tho"" who are wenk or mcan, whetber tbey have halr ou the head or not. Ilence, the cplthct has ofren becn applicd to C'hrlsllan misslona.ries.''-Roocrl Orimtal Illukl., 2d ed., p. 214. In tbe splrltnl\l SCll!<e, 11 signifies a dcstltU tlonofthc 11/lmalaofrellglon,an<I la term or reproa.ch Justly appUed to ail who m.ake the trutb of C'.00 t.nd a moral llfe suto<ervl cnt to i;elfish purpoo;cs, and who abound in self-concelt. "l'ee Jlr. Rlce's ezllcnt and lnterestir:g work. liJIUlrations <>! Phywxogy. Boston, U. S., lS.ol. "Tbe lnstrumentl' or orge.os [of the body] ~onslitute the media of communication hc tween the world without and the world witbln, the ma/cria! creation and the J1f.l'it ool."-Dr. O. Noore's Pvwcr <>/ tM Soul <>t'CI' IM Body, 2d ed., p. a.;,
&2
TJJE fiCJENCB OP CORRESI'ONJJENCES
heart, being the centre of vitality, corresponds to the inmost and central affections of the will. In the Psalms it is said, "I will blCSil the LonD, who bath given me counsel; my reins also instruct [correct] me in the night seasons" (xvi. 7), where the reins, or kidneys, of which chastisement is here prcdicated, signify the things which relate to faith and the intellect, or faculty of rcceiving tbem. For, ns the reins in the animal cconomy serve the important office of purifying the vital fluids, so the trutbs of faith, or truths internally believed, whcn practically applied in the great work of man's rcgeneration, search and explore, correct and purify, all things of his miud and life, insomuch that without them the min and life cannot be examined, corrected, and purificd aright. This process of casting out evil affections and unclean thoughts takes place in the night of trial and temptation, and appears as a punishment till the morning of a new slate of deliverance and joy arises upon the grateful soul, as it is written: "Behold, thon desirest trnth in the inward parts, and in the hiddeu part thou shnlt make me to kuow wisdom" (Ps. li. 8) ; and again : " Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteos God trieth the hearts and reins" (Ps. vii. 9). The Lord also th us rcproves bis people by tho prophet Jeremiah, for the mere external or lip profession of the truth of religion or ofaith, without nllowing it to search out and correct the inward evils and impurities of their hearts and thoughts: "Thou 1ut near in their mouth, and far from thcir reins" (xii. 2). Again : in the gospel of Matthew \l'e rcad that the Lord said to bis disciples, "Whcrofore, if thy hand or foot offcnd thec [litcrnlly, from the Greek, cause thee to offend], eut them off and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life hait or maimcd, rathcr than having two bands or two fect to be cust into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offond thcc, pluck it out and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into Iewith one cye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire" (xviii. 8, 9). In this cxtrnordinary passage, which the science of corrcspondences can alone unfold, the bands, as the chief instruments of phyt;ica.l encrgy and the ultimate of action, dcnote ability ; the fect, :lS the organs of locomotion and the support for the whole frame, denotc the natural or lowcst propcrties of the mind ; and the eyes, or organs of vision, signify the intellectua.l powers. Now we are elsewhere exhorted to have" a single eye"nnd a i<in~lc hcart," and the reason i:; plain, becausc, as with the body, if the sight be not dirccted to the ohjcct bcforo the eyes with
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!ngleneiis of energy, two objects appear where there should be only one, nnd the view is consequcntly bewildered : so with the mind; if its purpose be not direct and single, it is distrnctcd with the two discordant views of seeking human applause and of trying to appcnr well with God. And singleness of heart is of necessity connected with singlencss of sight, innsmuch as a single nnd direct view of subjects is the result of singlcne.ss of affection, just ns su rely as a double and indirect vicw follows from discordant feelings. Whcn, thercfore, any evil or fuise principlcs in the nnturnl mimi arc, by the prescnce of truth, made mnnifest as the cause of our offcnding against the holy principlcs of the \Vord, we are to rcnounce them and cast thcm from us, for how much better is it for us to enter into eternal lifc "hait or maimcd," that is, impcrfectly instructed and struggling under the effoets of ignorance, rather than, after being well instructcd, having the form of godliness, but, as the Apostle says, "denying the power" (2 Tim. iii. 5),-a hand, a foot, an eye devoted to the world and self, while the othcr is ostensibly in the service of religion. Such doublemindcd conduct assuredly renders man a miserable hypocrite here, and obnoxious, hcrcafier, to the sclf-inflicted punishmcnts of" hell-fire," or the buniing torments of evil affections thus rcndered more furious for having bcen smothered in this world. Agnin: in Jercmiah it is said, "Behold, their car is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearkeu" ( vi. 10), to signify that unwillingness to Jcarn and obey the principlcs of divine trutli, which arises from impurity of heart. Hearkening denotes rcadincss to obey, even in the ordinary lunguage of men; therefore many of the statutes of Israel liad cspecinl rcference to the enr, and the Lord also frequently and solcmuly snid at the commencement or conclusion of bis divine instructions," Who bath ears to hcar, kt him hear" (l\Intt. xiii. 9); and agnin, "1-et thcso sayings sink down into your ears" (Luke ix. 44). An unwillingness to be instructcd in the divine truth, and a disinclinntion to obcdiencc, arising from evil lusts cherished in the will, i9 th us descrihcd in the lnnguage of correspondence by the prophet: "To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, thcir car is uncircurucised, and they cannot hcarken ; bel1old, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach ; they have no delight in it" (Jer. vi. 10). "They henrkened not unto me, nor inclined thcir car, but hardened their neck: they did worse tlian their fnthcrs" (lb., vii. 26). But turn to the Psalms, where the exultation of the oonrt is dcscribed, where divine blessings are received and acknowl
TI!E SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDRNCES.
c<lgcd, and "here the lifc nnd joy which nnimate the mind, inlcrnnlly nnrl extemally, when it becomcs reccptivc of fnith and charity, nre the suhjccts treated of, nnrl where every l<'rm hns its peculiar anrl distinct meaning, wc rend, "Let the floo<ls clnp thcir hands; let the hills be joyful togcther hcfore the Lorcl" (xcviii. 8, 9); "The mountains skippcd like rnms, and the little hills like lnmhs" ( cxiv. 6); "Tho voicc of the Lord mnketh the cc<lars to skip Jike a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young 11nicorn" (xxix. 6). \\'ho can interpret thc.<'c, and a multitude of similar pns":tgCS in the Racred Word, in thcir merci y literai scnse? 'Vliat enli~htcnc<l minrl does not see thnt the vnrious parts and motio11s of the humnn body are in these instan<'ci> cmployed ns significant figures, bccauso, whcn viewod in conncction with their uses, thcy prccisely corrcsponrl with properties nnd stalC$ of the mind? To affirrn, as somc have donc, that thcse and similar expres.iC'ns are mere ornamcntal types nncl oriental figures, is to rogard thcm as digncd onJy to amuse the imagination, and is almOt>t equivalent to a denial of thcir inspiration and solemn verity.
CHA PTER VII.

l'Tn: Scn:'fCS OF CoRRESPONnTNM:S NOT A 8l'EC't'LAT1'VE A!O> YISIONAR1
T11r.01w,
Dt"T AN ABSOIXTl: Jh:.1L1TY.-lLLCSTRATiOSS F'RO)( PPOSITE.S,
AND VAlllOl:S OTUER S~nJf:CTS.-THE BJECTS FOR WJllCH TRE WORD OF Gon \\A!\ ltEVEALED ONLY ANWERED RY TllE ADMll>"ION OF ITS lNTFR NAL 8E1'-SE, WJUCII ALOl Dll<TINOUISllES lT FROM ALL OTllER CoMPOSITlONR, AND RECONCILES ITS APl'AR};NT CoNTRADIOTIONA.-UNJVERSALITY OP THIS DIVINE Sc!ENCE1 AND TJIE :NEC~ITY THAT EXISTS FOR TUE
Wonn
BF.INO WRITTEN ACCOROINO TO IT.
hc throughout its !-'nercd pages "in~truction and correction in righteou~ nt'SS " - is no spceulntive or vi~ionary thoory, as ~ome have erroneously supposed,, but n. truly consistent, luminous, un,l nnivcrsal method of interpretation. It mn.y hc tru~terl without hc11itntion, because it is founded on the immutnblc hnsis of eternal truth,-on the everenduring lnws of divine order, on the unalternble relation which al! ereated objccts have to their Creator, and whieh ail external objects have to intcrual realities. Corrpondences nre the only fonns whieh can contain the living truths of God and heaven, eonvcy them into the inmost depths of the soul, and imprcss them permnnent!y there. They nrc universully umlerstood ; they cxist nlike in nll times and under all cireumstanoes; they nre more or le!!S enshrincd in all languages, and nre equally obviou~ to ail. ""'hntso<>ver anywhere appears in the universe," says Swedenborg, "is representuthc of the Lord's kingdom, insomuch thnt there is not anylhing contnincd in the universal ntmospheric region of the stars, or io the cnrth and its three kingdoms, but whnt in its mnnner nnd mcasm-e is representative; for ail and singulur the tbi11gs in nature ure ultimatc images, innsmueh ns from the Divine [principlc] procecd the eclestinl things uppertnining to good, nnd from thCile cdcstial tl1ings the ~piritunl thingi: nppertaining to truth, and from hoth the former ami thr latter procd natural things. Jleuce it may nppear how gr!'S, yen, how terrcstriol, and also inrertcd,
8
~
doctrine of the of the Word of God-this lnw THJS hy "hich it must of ne<.'Cl'i'ity expoundcd, in order to yield
~tn1rt11rc
8()
THE S('/ENCR OF CORRESI'ONJJENCES
hnrnnn reMon is, which n."cribc.s ail and ~ingu hr things to nature 6Cpnrate or exempt from influx prior to iti;elf, or from the efficient cause. . . . .l nnsmuch, now, as ail ancl singular things suooist from the Divine [principle], thnt is, continunlly cxisl, nml all nnd singulnr things thcnce derivcd must needs be reprcsentative of those things whcrcby they ha<l existence, it follows, thnt the visible universe i.<i nothiug but a thentrc rcprcsentative of the L or<l's kingclom, nu<l th1t this latter is a thcatre represcntative of the l..JOrd Himself."A. <.:. 3483. AIl ternis nre of ncccs.~ity modifie<l by the sense of the connection ris well as hy the impcrfcction of lnnguage::i. The snme tcrm iM onen u~c<I in the R oly " ' orcl ns the translation of two or cYcn more distinct wor<ls; nnd, on the othcr bnnd, scveml wor<ls arc oil.en uscd to trnna latc a single expression. A single word in the original m:iy bave two or more f.'ignifications, either to be delrmint'd by the context or clcpcnrlcnt on the suhject trcat{)cl of an<l i111licatcd, Mmetim, only in the most trifling rlilference in the form of the worrl, or in the 11~ of partiel~ nnd explctini.... ::\Inny wor<IA nnrl ihcir modification~, in the H chrcw, Grcck, mut Latin, h:we no corrNpon<ling tcrmsor fonns of oxprcf'l..,,iou in nny mod~rn tongue. Thc!<O nircties in the originnl sometimcs occasion pcrpl<xily to tho renilrr of Swedcnhorg, and gi\o to corrcspon<lence the npp<mancc ofl)eiug an nrhilrnry nu<l unccrtnin PCl'll<'O, which, of coul'!I<.>, canuot be wholly rt'moved without 11omc knmd<'<lge of the originnl laoguages them!'<'h-c.... Nice diFtinctinuR in the original arc not nh\ays capable of tronsfcrrence into othcr
lnn~u:igC'S."
The ancient Ilehrcw is not only the ol<lt, but the most significnnt lnngungc known, anrl was pcculiarly npproprinto to the purposo of enRhrining tl1c ~cieneo of corn'Spondcn<' in the earlier ages of tho worl<l. The roots of Rcvcrnl of the Scmiti< lnngunges, such ns the Arabie, ~yrine, Chaldaie, etc., arc so clcly n..-;.<iiruilnte<l to the IIcbrcw
a ")'mbol or (l)fttrarv ~plrltual m)'!<tcrl<"'.'"11 ).fort' Cab. JJ<.f., p. 2:.'ll. "The nmo qualltles, lnfinltcly good An<l pcrrcct ln Ood, may bcoome impr;rfttl an1l evil in the Cl'('ntnni: ll<'cAti.c ln the croatuN'. \Jclng llmlt!'<l and lluite, tbcy mar be <lMlfttl anf/ separalcd rrum one anotber by the C'rea.tnre it.,dr. Thcr<' L no cvll, no gullt. no le For the !'flmr outwar.1 ex11r{''"'"Ht "-t~rlugs frmlly. ln any creature. but ln lts dfrldin" l"requenlly rrom oppo>ilt' motlvc-."-EP<l!t~ and 8t"JJ11mll~IJ lt><!lr rrom 80mcthlng whkh mr l"ni1H"'11 .A"1J/QfJY hrl1rn llv "'"'"'"' and <loi! hnd i:fvcn tn be ln union wltb IL".fllpir lttt<Jl lforid~. J>. :t.!. f,111r'1 A11iml, l'i>. 24, 4 1. "One and the ,,.1mc Dlltural thl111: tUl\y I><
<r" f flntl th&t the >llme OhjC<'l J>l't'llChcs trulb or an opplte nature h) the medium or tho MmC lfYIDhol. '!'hl, hOll('V<'r, ran <'rc~I<' no conflli!lon, b<cnn!' llH' conl.xt wlll ahvay dctcrminc ln whl\t llght the ym!Jol I to hc ronslrtcred. llut Ir ynn <'Rretnlly ronldtr the human worlol, you wlll flnd th<' NLmc ambigully ln mtn' Mtlons.
NO'!' A FANf'IFlf, OR T'/.';fnJiARJ' 7'JIEORY.
bt
ss often to throw consic lcrahle light on Ilebrcw words and phras, aud to confinn their significntiou. Correspondcnccs nre grounckd in use, rcpresentntives in rituals of religion and human operations, nml significatives in whnt is uttered or writtcn; the whole, however, having the saroe ground ofmcaning, is included in the phrase w~ have so often used - the science of correspondences. Now, it will be seen at once, that, as nll good things arc liablo to.abuse through the perversion of renson, and may ho applicd to evil ns well ns good purposes, so the correspondcnce, the representation or the signification will change, and the object or expression which iu a good seuse <lenotcs somcthing goo<l or true, or somc spiritual ble..."Sing, will, whcn refcrring to or dcscribing a pcrvertcd state, denoto something evil or false, or some blcssiug changed to a curse; for, "If yo will not hear, and if ye will not Jay it to lwart, to give glory unto my nnmc, saith the Lorcl of hosts, I will even send a curso upon you, and I "i1l curse your blcssings" (:\fol. ii. 2). When this lmv of correspondence, rndiant witb celcstial lustre, i,q applicd to those Scriptures which constitute the perfect W ord of God, thcy exhibit one harmouious schcmo of profouud wisdom, reflecting the Dhine Mind of its glorious Author, and worthy of his infinite intelligence and go6dncss; one conncctcd series of beautiful, practirnl, vital, everlasting tru ths, suited to the cndlcss progress of the soul in the life of heavrn. It is indee1l "tbo kcy of knowlcdgc" (Luke :xi. 52), which rnn nlone uulock the cnbinct which contnins the priceless gcms of truth, glowing with innumcrnblc splcndors, derived from the pure and precious wisom of God,- the doctrines nnd preccpts of ctern:tl life. This mode of intcrprcting the Holy Orncles is ns widely differeut from what hns been cnlled "spiritunlizing" as the substance is from its shadow. T11c mere spiritualizer forces his own imnginary, an oftcn extravagnnt, meaning on Scriptural terms and phr.:ISCS to suit some ingenious notion fabricatc<l in the realms of luxuriant fncy; interchanging and commingling the subjective nnd the objective; capriciously clinnging the scnse, whcncver it suits his purpose, and, in his futile attempts to c:xpound the W ord of God, profanes the truth instea of unfhlding it.'" He has not bccn unnptly
8" To most edumtcd perrons ln the nlnc teenth century, th~fsplrltualisti<' and arbi trary] appllcntlougof &rtpture ap1>ear f.>ol l>h. In wha.tcver dc~l'<'e [this mo<lc of Inter pretatlon]ls pracU.cxl, it isequallylncapnl.>lc of bolng r educed to auy rule. It ls the luterpr<lcr's faucy, and fs lfkely to be not lr!<S. l>ut. more, dangcrous and extravognnt wh('n lt acl<I the charm of anthority from lt rn ln pn.<t a1w. In lt we asumc whnt <'1111 ne,cr be pro\e<l.nnd an ln<l.l'ument ls introtluced of snch subtl~ty and pliabillty as !Al
88
TDk SCIE.Vf'E OF' CORRESI'O.VDl?NOES
rcpn~nted as on n d"ep nnd mighty oan, without a star to ~uicle, n compn.~ to direct, or a lwlm to r(Cgulnte 11i.q COllr.:!C'. The scicnre of corrc:<pondcnces is the YCI')' rcvcf!'c of nll this, for it r~ls, ns wc have en<l('nvorcd to show, on fixl dnta, on unchnn~ing lnws. The snmc word, or expression, or phrnioc, in the 8nmc conncction, nhmys hearing the En1tic spiritual signification, or its oppite, wherever it occurs in the plcnarilyinspire<l books of the Old nn<l New 'l'estnment~ \Vcrc it othenYise, the me:ming would be arbitrary, uncer,t.ain, nnd val
uclcs.~.
A!'. men, by virtue of their frdom, nre capahle of per;erting the tichcst hlcssings into curses, of profaning the holi<'.'it truths by falsifying thcm and connecting them with cvils of heart nnd life, of nbusing u.s well as using God's best gift.s, so numerons opposites <'xii1t in crcation, and conformably therewith thcrc nrc mnny expres~ions and phrases in the \ Vorcl which nre the reYersc of cach other, as light nn<l darkness, day ami night, life and dcath, hrot and cold, summer nnd winter, clean ami unclean nnimals, useful nncl noxious yegetntion, fruitful and barren trccs and land.'9 An<l wc may ensily sec how such perversion originntcs and operatcs in the human mind, for, ns unclcan and voracious animais m:.iy be supportcd by the same kincl of food, or ns wholesome and poieonous vegetablcs may grow in the samc soil, receiving the 11ame rny~ ofhent and light from the sun, but
make the Scrlpturcs mean an)'thtnii,-' Gal Scrlptur~ llli:e ail other good tblngll. la lia lus ln cnrop&nlll,' as the Waldenll\'1 de hie to alm!IC, "'"' thl\t il hath been llA'tually 11erlbed Il; the weathercoclr on the ~hun-h- abu<oe<I, l>oth ln anrlcnt and modem n11:~ tower, whlch IR turoed hllher and thlthcr hy cannot bc dcnlcd.'' "Men of '<'D!!(' wlll e\erywlnd ofdoctrlne."-J11W~t1'1 R1<lV and comlder thl\t a prlnciple ls not, thercrore, Rei~eu;, 9th l'<I., pp. 3G9-:m8. to be rcjt~d 1x'r11u~e lt ls abuscd," (Rl<lhup The rlchest speclmen of thl~ fancll\11, ln Ilitrcrs 1111. to Pmph., p. 64,) "slnce hnm1tn ~11lou., but altogether uncertAln mcthod erroMS can 11~v1r luvalldatc the truth, of er exponn<lln~ the Roly Word, 1 probably God."-Bi1h<ip Tforne' I'rcf. to IM l'llalnu, p. evermtt"lth,hanelaboratevolumueutitlecl vi., new ed., lltlrl. ")Io"" tnvellcd," by WIJllAm UuJld, l!lnl'< AuguUne a111oea.n t.o h&ve bad a ror ter ot the Parl'h or King Edward, E<lln- rret idea on 1hl~ 'ubjcct. Ue says ln hl nbu!'llh. Doc. Cflri. Ili. ~. L Ill., par;. L, 42 n, "The "An nnliccnoedlmaginatlon ha.,produccd "8.tlle thlog may sometlmes stand r 1r ~"n d1 .....,1rou cfTecls in the l11terprctatlo11 of trarle. herc ln Il. RQO<l eene, thcrc ln a poo;i t'crlpturc.''-})(lrid1011'1 Ilt'1'1IVM1tir1, p. IO. thelybad one;" and he Instances the leaven For ab~urd specimeo.s or thl klncl of in or the Pharl~cC'l, and t11c leaven or the put.erpretatlon, eec Bright, Cummln~. Walb able: the lion, and the 11erpcnt.-Sec 7't~ lcy, an1l otber commenta.tors' cxf)<,..ltlon or /or llv Tim,., lxxxlx., p.174. the Boolr. or Rcvelation, Blhop Marsb'~ J,u. ".~dam, one whllc, ls the piritual or lntun, p. ;16:1-37:1. &nd Dr. A. Clarke' J,dl.er to tellcctual man; anothcr "hile, the eanbly a .VtllVJlfof /'rf'adler, ln whlch lhl< ln~cnlou 1 and ramal ."-If. Jlf>re' Philoaoph. Wrilm~. lrlftlng wltb the lloly Won!, not 10 -ay prof. p. 16, London, 1002. anall>n ot u .. cred trulh', I well ex "C.ball~1lral pfKllath'es taud for lllld u poed. well as goo.I nwanlnR."-Jl'(l(Q11' llt. ni M That the spiritual loterpretallon of the ~ O:llk La11guOl}f', p. 267.
0
NOT A F.dNCIFl'f, OR Vl.'UONARY TIIEnRY.
8!l
acrording to their own pcculinr nature and qunlity, so the wicked nnd the good nmong men aliko rcceive the <livinc influences of love 11111.I wi!'<lom from God; but as the unclenn nnimals nnd poisonous Wgc> tahles chnngc the respcctiYc clements on whicb they live into their O\\ n corresponding natures, !IO the wicked pervcrt the bcnvenly gifl.1<, nnd change thcm, so to spcnk, into their contraries, or the oppitc qualitie.~ of hell. }'or the J,ord is no re11pccter of pcmons: "He muketh his sun to r!'C on the evil und on the good, and sendc>th rain on the just and on the unjust" Oiatt. v. 45). When the prophet, therefore, is deploring the perversity of Israel, he snys, "Ye have turned judgrnont iuto ga.11, und the fruit of righteousncss into hem Iock" (Arnos vi. 12). Ail good natuml objecte in the universc, and their oses, exist from the Lord; they are the outbirlhs and infinitely Vlll'cd forrns of his love and wisdom; but all r.o noxious things and usC!l originatc in evil, and are the oppite pcrvertcd forms of goodnc8~ nu<l truth; hc>nce, according to their pulinr qunlitirs und propertic.<1, thcy arc malignnnt and dcstructh-e, filthy and poisonous. All things mlll!t have hnd thcir origin in the spiritual worlrl by corrcsponding influx, cithcr through henven or hell, into what is homogeneou11, while their forms and uses derive fixity und existenre in the world ofnature.M Whatevcr is accordant with the Divine \\'ill, corre;pond.'! to or I'(>prescnts or signifies somewhnt relating to hcavcn, or just order; and '\hntever is, from any cause, contrary thcreto, exists of Divine per mission, and corresponds to or rcpresents or signifie.'! somewhat relut ing to hell, or pcr\erted or<ler. \Yhatever relat to he:wcn has relation also to goodne..~ and truth in the human mind and life, and whntever rehtes to hell hns relntion to evil and fulsity in the mind nnd lifc. The W ord, in its literai scnse, is designcd for the u~e of man while in this world, or in 11 merely nntural state; and man, whilo in this probationary state of existence, is plad midway betwccn hroven and bell, so as to be the !'ubject of the influence of cach alike. lfore is the ground of bis frecdom and his capn,city for rcgcneration; hence arises nntngonism in nature and the mind, and hcnce, too, tho oppo~ite mcanings of the snme term in dilfcrcnt part.'! of Scripture, referring to and adurnbrnting the antagimi~tic prindpl<'!I nnd states
..!'ee Gen. 1. 4; vlll. 2'2; Lev. xi. 47; P&. evll. 33-3.5; E7.ck. xllv. 2ll. " "Ruch ls the analogy betwccn th~ t>lrltua\ and matcrlal worlil, thal tranl!&Cllons
or the hlghc<t lm))'lrtAnce ln the forulCI pa.ss on and cxprcJll! themselves ln the W ter," a. t.o become the ob).,rl even or 11en-e:
-llrylin, Ltct. T.. p. 3G
8*
90
THE SCIENCE 0 1'' CORRESI'ONDF.NCES
of the Church collecthely, or the man of the Church indi\id ually.u As another illustration, a mountnin, as being one of the most elevat<.'d portions of the earth's surface, corresponds to an exalte<l or inmost principle of the mind, thus to some ruling affection of the heart. This mny be either good or evil. If good, it is " :Mount Zion, the mountain of holine:;s,"61 denoting a state of love to the Lord; if evil, it is "the destroying mountnin," dcnoting a stat.e of the love of self. Of the former mountain,-an elevated state of love to God,-wc rend, " The Lord bless thee, 0 habitation of justice, and mountnin of holiness" (J er . xxxi. 23). And in predicting the glorious dominion of the love of God in the soul, and the divine ble;.<ings thcnce rcsulting, the prophet says, "And in this mountnin shall the Lord of hosts make unto ail people a feast of ft things, a fcast of wines on the lecs, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lccs well refincd" (Isa. xx:v. .6). This signification of the t.erm mountnin supplies the reason why, in ancicnt times, bouses of worship \\ere huilt, worship wns cclcbrntcd, nnd sncrifices were offered on hills nnd mountnins; and hence, too, in a corrupt and pcrvcrted state of the humnn ruind, whcther ns the Church collrctivcly or indivirlually, idolntry set up ils graven and molten images in thousm1ds of monstrous and bestial forms, and burnt incense to thcm in tlic high places and on the bills (2 Kings xvi. 4}-rcpresentali\e of tbat grs, sensual, and sclfish worship which is so uttcrly opposcd to the Divine commandments (Ex. xx. 4), and \\hich springs rithcr from the love of self in ail its corrupt, cruel forms, significd by moltcn images, or is fshioned by the graving-tools of self-intelligence, in all its falsc nnd hateful varicties, signified by grnvcn images. Of the lattrr mountniu, a state in which the e\il love of sclf--signified in its oppositC' scnse by a mountain-is prrrnittcd to llJl8t1me premincn<'<', wc rrnd, "Bchold, 1 am ng11inst thoo, 0 clcstroying mountnin, saith the Lord, which d<'Stroycst all the cnrth: and 1 will stretch out mine hnncl upon thcc, and roll thro down from the:' rocks, and will mnko th<'e a burnt mountnin. Ancl thry shnll not tnkc of th a stone for
"~ Il. Il., n. 113. "J('romc, srcnklng of Mount Zlon, affirm tht lt ls a follsh thlnit to cRll nn irratlnnnl and in!'('n,lble mmmlAln hnly, or Ill hellcve ft lo hc 'M>."-/n, Jt:rtm. 1 XXJd. "If,"' I bellevc, and cndeavor r.o prove, tllvtnc an, eRn you 1<Crlously ask whnt I the use of unlversal nno.logy? Jt I a kcy to the Bible and to Nnture. If you <('(I no use ln the lrey. ynu wlll 11rooobly "<'<' 110 u'IC ln thal whlrh lt 11 Ill unlO<'k. Tn he C'Onisl.<'.nt, you hould t.k "hat ls thP u'>E' nf the Dlble. "-i:-v1 on .A l<Ol., p. J;.
NOT A F,JNCIFCL OR l'ISJON.4RJ' THEOllY.
91
a corner, nor a stone for foundntiom; hut thou shalt be desolate for enr, ~aith the Lord" (Jer. li. 2:;, 26). In rcforcn to this significa tion of a monntnin, ns dcnoting the love of 1relf and the world, our blcsse<l Lor<l said to bis disciples, "If ye have fuith as a grain of mwtard-ee<.>d, ye shall say unto this mountain, Rcmove hence to yonder place; and it !\hall rcmove" (:\fott. xvii. 20). And nga.in, spenk ing of the blel<l'Cd nsccndcncy and reign of love and wisdom from lhe Lord, grounded in lrnmility nnd the eternal suhjcction and rcmpval of tho prond and lofty principle of self-love opposed thereto, the prophct cxclnims, "Who art thon, 0 great mountain? Before Zcrubbabel thou shalt beeome a plain : and he shall bring forth the headstone theroof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grnce, unto it" (Zech. iv. 7) A bill is a Jess lofty elevntion of the carth's surface than a mountnin, an<l 11 hen both are mentionoo togcther, as they oftcn are, then a hill "il! Fignify the principle of chnrity, "hile n mountain mil signify love to the Vlrd. Thus we read in the prophet thnt at the day of the Lord's nppcaring or manife:;;tation for the establishment of bis rhurch, "The mountains shall drop down ncw wine, and the bills slmll flow with milk" (.Joel iii. 18). Blr<ings of cdrstial and spiritual truth, in richcst abundMce, nre here rcpmientcd as flowing, distilling, droppinl?, from the sacred ancl elcvnted principlcs of love to the Lord nn<l of chnrity towards our neighbor; cnriching, rcfreshing, nouri~hing the soul, and ennbling to bring forth nnd abound in the gcnuine virtucs and graees of a Chri~tian life. ..\gnin, trert1tt1ra, in the Wortl of God, sii?Jlify ail that on which a. man'11 heart i~ chiefiy plaecd,-thnt whicb, above nll otlier tlngi>, he ~ vnlu<'S mMt. I Icnce there are treasurcs of goodncss and truth, and, on the rontrary, treasures of wicked1wss and fnlsity; so we rend, "A goocl mnn out of the good treasurr of bis henrt bringeth forth good thingg: nnd n.n evil man out of the cvil trcosurc hringeth forth cvil things" (Matt. xii. 33). W ell, then, may wc hc cxhorted by our blr~Kl'<l Lonl to "Jay np for ourselves treasures in heaven, whcre neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nnd "hcrc thiev do not break through uor E.lcnl" (Matt. vi. 20).6' 1\s nnothcr illu~tration of whnt hns ile<'n n<lvnnced, let us refer to th<' 11ignificntion of natural light nnd heat, as t'Orrei;ponding in their
"" \\'<>rMly "et.llh 18 bul the me.do" or "''"" 01111 or c1<'n1ol happfol'Sll berealler."that 1n1c "('fl!Lh \fhlch ouly go<><! men al'(' lfwl'/1 IR/rrpffl-. p. 2'l2. enrlrh<'d '"ith 1 " " ' ' ron't~teth uot ln ~oltt Ir.) J.mlJT f~ mo-.t rertatnly th" unlen.l and fhcr, l>ut .,.fth tre1.-urcs of lmowle~'I.' t>r><' of !Hm~tdfl' or dnrumllralio,., whe\ber
11..,....
92
TlfE RCIENOE OF (JORRESPONJ)F:NCES
l'xii<tence, their effoc~. and th<'ir ns, to ~piritnnl truth and love. Jt "ill then be seen that thcir negntivc~, which ure the conseqnenccs of tlwir absence or privntion, viz., dn.rknes.s nnd colil, signify ignornnco and indiffereucc, nnd that their pcrvertcd oppo~itcs nre falsity and lu~t. This will bo most casily nnd amply confirmcd, by every intelligent rnind, from Scripture tcstimony, from nnalogical reasoning, nud from scicntific fncts. Thus all the qualitics and predicates which nrc. attributable to light arc cqually applicable, in an inner sense, to truth in the undcrstanding. and such as are aseribcd to fire are cqually rcfernhle to love in the will. What glory and intercst do theso correpondences al one throw over a large portion of the Holy '\\'ord 1 ThrouJ!h them you will nt once perceive why the historical fact is relatc<l of the Egyptiuns that " they sat three days in darkness thnt might be felt," whilo "the chilrcn of Israel had light in ail their dwellings (Ex. x. 23); and how this natural event was a just reprcscntatfre of a Apiritunl truth nttcsted by the experien of men in every age. Egypt was oelebratcd above other natioruz, in nncicnt tim~. for the cultivation of the sciences; the Egyptians, therefore, in a bud sense, represented mere worldly knowlcdgcs and science. The children of Israel represented the membcrs of the Lord's ehurch, drnwing their stores of spiritunl intelligence from the fountnin of li:rht-the "\Vord of God. Now, the visible efi'ect.s of such statcs, with ea<'h of thcsc cln.'"~. are precisely what we find dcscribed in the in8pired history; the former sit in dcspair, surrounded by spiritual clnrkncs.s, the dcn11ity of which makes it sensible cven to senimal disccrnmcnt; "for if the light thnt is in thee be dnrkness, how great is that clnrkncss " (~Intt. vi. 23) ; while the latter have the light of divine truth to bless and irradiatc ail their dwellings,-all the prin <'iplcs and statcs of thcir minds and lives with henvenly perception ancl intelligence, consolation and pence. Knowing the correspondence of light, among thousands of bcnutiful and practical truths, we shall see the reason why it is snid of the holy C"ity, New J erusalem, seen by John, and which !lignifies the Lorcl'K
of ft4tural, moral, or 11>lrltual truth; for If not, what ls meant by the llgbt ofnalurt, of rtnon, and of c0t1ttiC11ct t"-E8sa11a on AnalOflll, p. 21\9. "I11 thy Jlght Lorcl 1i.h&ll we s llghl." (P<lalm xxxvL 9.) lamhllchu<, Lhe Platon irt, who Oourlshccl about the rear 3ro, "'Ici that "God had llght ror a body, and trut11 fora &out"
ro
"As the 8llll cannot be tnown but by bis own llgbt,soGod cannol be known but" llh hls own llghL"-I'!olinua. "ln the 1mclcnt wrltings of the F'.ast, whcre the marrlagct of the gods and demi gods are des~rlbe<l, lt ls &lways sald the ~ere monr ,... , perfc>nncd ln the presen or lhe go<I of lire."-Robn'1 OrlnL JUIUL, 1'l t'd 1
p. 2 L
NOP A FANCI FUL OR V!SIONARY 1'1/EORY.
93
true church, that " H er light was like a slonc most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear ns crystal" (Rev. xxi. 11), to rcprcsent the pllrity, the preciousness, the splendor of the hea vcn-dcsccnded doctrines ; und why it is said of the Lord that "Ho covereth himself with light as with a garment" (Psalm civ. 2), to signify the investmcnt of bis divine character in the truth of his 'Vord, accommodatcd to the st:ltes of his creatures. When, again, we are acquuinted with the correspondcnce of fire,56 as signifying, in a goo<l scnse, love-both divine and human-thc love the Lord bears to his creatures, and the love they bear to llim and to cach ot.hcr in various degrees of intensity, we shall underslaud how the Lord defends and protects llis own church, and overy ruember of it, by the cmanatiug influences of his infinite love and wisdom, for this is significd where He says, "I, the Lord, will be unto her," that is, his church, "a wall of fire round about" (Zcch. ii. 5), an encircling sphere through which no enemy eau break. The smuc things are also denoted in 2 Kings, where we read that the young man who was alarmed for the safoty of his master had his spiritual sight opened, and saw a representation of this protecting sphere in the spiritual world surrounding the prophet of God; 'for " Dehold, the mountn.in wns full of horses and cluiriots of fire, round about Elisha" ( vi. 17). How encouraging is the thought that such, too, are the encircling spheres which comfort and protcct the sincere Christian in ail statcs of tribulation, tomptation, and trial, in ail seasons of affiiction, sorrow, and distress. Agnin, to signify that it is the Lord alone who cleanses the human mind from pollution, and imbues it with his own divine love and wisdom, He says that "He wl baptize" truc believcrs "with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Luke iii. 16); and to denote spiritual purification and protection, resulting from the inward operations of love and wisdom on the heart and mind, we rcad, "Aud it shall corne to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and hc thnt remaineth in J erusalem, shnll be called holy, even every one thnt ii; written muong the living in Jerusiilem: when the Lord sha.11 have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have pnrged the blood of Jerusalcm from the midst thercof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And tl1e Lord will crcate upon every dwelliug-place
.... It ls needless to rcmnrk lhat duirt ls ln thls tire wblcb God wlshea sbould always ail laoguag compared 10 a flrc."-B/QQm burn upon the allar of our bearlll."-L<i"~ ~<fs Svnop8is, Am. S., 1 Cor. vll. 9. tm, Arl. Flre. " lly firo IB eomet!me.s slgnlticd love. It is
94
T/IFJ SCIFJJCR OF CORISI'ONDENCBS
of mount Ziou, and upon hcr ni<Scmhlics, a cloud nnd emoke by day, :ind the shining of a fiaming fire by night; for upon ail the glory shall be a defence. And thcrc 11hall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the hcat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain" (Isa. iv. 3-G). Each cxprc~ion in thcse glorious dcclarations would be sccn, had we opportunity of nnfolding them, to be filled with spil't and lifc; but from what has becn nlready advanced, the humble nnd devout Christian will reaily pcrccivc the gencral mcaning and applicntion of tho entire passage. Whcn we thus learn the spiritu:il import of light and fire, we soo the rcason why in the reprcseutntive temple nt Jerusalcm the fire and light were nevcr suffered to "go out" (Lev. vi. 13; xxiv. 2), anfl "hy in the represcntative worship so many offcrings to Jehovah were dirccted to be made by fire; for the Iight of heavenly truth must irradiate our understnudings with undying hopc, and the flame of hcavcnly charity must be kiudled on the altar of our hcarts and never nllowed to be extinguishcd. Our worship, to be intelligent, sinccrc, internai, profitnblc, must spring from enlightcned reason and hnllowed affection ; so will our impcrfeet services be acceptable to Him who "rcgnrdeth not the outward appcarance, but looketh on the hcart " (1 Sam. xvi. 7). Whcn, a.gain, wc ndmit that the oppo sites of truth and love are fantnsy, or imaginary light, or falsity, and burning concupiscences, or soul-tormenting lusts, how transpicuous numerous passages of the W ord of God, otherwise inexplicable, bceome,-as where the Psalmist says, "I lie among them that arc set on fire" (Psalm lvii. 4) ; and whcrc the prophet says, "Behold, ail ye that kindlc a firc, that compn.55 yourselYes about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindlcd. This shall yc have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow" (Isa. 1. 11). Agaiu, we can distinctly and rationnlly pcrive why the chil<lrcn of Israel werc forbiddcu to "light n fire on the sahbathday" (Bx. xxxv. 3), and what is siguificd whcrc it is writtcn that "wickcdness burneth as the tire" (Isa. ix. 18), and nlso why cvil lusts and thcir tormcnts in hell are callcd "unqucnehnblc fire" {l\fnrk ix. 44), "devouring firc," and "cverlasting bumings" (Isa. xxxiii.14). 'Ve sec also the reason why, under the represcntativc dispensation of the Jcws, Nndab and Abihu wcre slain for oflring strangc fire unto the Lord (Lev. x. 1, 2), or fire not takcn from the golden altar, which had bcen miraculously kindled, and wn:> ncvcr sufforcd to go out. This criminal presumption was significative of approaching the Lord in
NOT A F.-tNCIFUL OR VIS/OlARY TllEORY.
95
Facred worship, not from the holy principle of love and charity, but from the wrnthful spirit of uuhnllowed zcal, or the strnngc fire of sclf~love. Thus the sncred Word is no longer a dcad letter, but is rc11lcte with life. 80, a.gain, to represcnt the grnncl idcn thnt Gocl cvcr wns and is, ns to hjg iumost essence, di\'ine love itsclf, H e revcnlcd Ilimsclf under tho l\lo:;t Ancicnt, the A ncient, the T~rncliti.~h, and evrn the Chrl!tiun dis1x:u~utiou by firc; and as diYiue luvc, when acting upon whatcver i:o coutrnry to itself in men or evil spirits, is felt by thcrn ns tonnenting ami dc:;truetive, thereforc the Lord is also c:llled "n. con~uming firc" (Deut. iv. 24). 1"rom this signifiention of firc mnny commou forms of expression arc derivcd, as that we say of a mnn, ho is iuflnmcd by angcr nnJ wnrmed by love; heated by controvcrsy and cooled by rcflcction; nnimatcd by the glow of philanthropy an<i torpid a.s affection grows crJ d; and thcse mental changes arc oftcn plninly pcrccived and cor ro,ponently indiented in the blu,hcs or palenc."8 of the countennnee and the wnrmth or coldne~s of the skin. Iicnce it wn.~, without douht, that lire, nmong the Orieutnl nnt ions, from the most nneient times, wns so univcrsnlly regnrdell Ill! un emblcm of th<l Lord, who is love itsclf; and that in a more eorrupt nge, whcn the truc signification wns lO:!t, ronscerntcd fircs becamc the ohjects of supcrstitious adorntion to the l'~J?~-ptinn~, Chal<leani;, A8l!yrin11s, Pcrsians, and othcr nations of the
1' . ~n. . t,u
Once more (for this portion of ou r subject is mo>t important to be uuderi;tood), the element of water may be adduccd as another illusIn the religion or Zoroast.er, lt W8.8 d e claf\'<l a. crlm~. punlsbablc wllh dcnlh, to khltllc Ore 011 the a.1tar oraHy ncwly Crc<'lt.~1 t.emrle, or Il> reklndle it 011 any altar when lt had tx.oeu b)'at.,.hleulP.xtlngul,he<l.exrcpt "ith fin: obtAlne<1 hom 110me othtr temple or Crom the suu."-A..dlo"1 Pi.et. lJibb, \'Ol. i., p. lil . Tin anr'lcnt Pcrslan comecrak'ta11al<>b'OD~wthcneturo ofG<>d. Thn<.as\\efiudbynnln'C'rlptlon on an F.11n>U11 obeU.k, the un WIU! >tylt'd the t'l"arncr or oplftrcr the world. The re11re '!Cntotlw bc<amc the object ()( worohlp, and the antltyr~ w"" forgotten."-EUNb. dr prtp. E"'11lg., 1111., C. 12; Dr. Ldafftr1 Ad1'<mll10" q/ ,., Olril. 11..... , VOL 1., p. m: ."<rlt'I /Tilt. Salit, p. 817. Bra) ""Y' that ln the curlou and and,.,.t poom (iU<Jodio, Ule IOO'l!d Jrc, ncu Uic cur-
'"
or
sns of Rtouebcnge (on F:nllsbury plain), fs cnllcd 'llie tu~I ftre,' and remarks ln e. note tbt\t 8t0ocbengc was & temple of Il><' Sun, aud fire wllll lo\'1Lriably used in the 1> 0rsbip of Il d clty.''-1'Jrl qf lkron&Airt, \oL L, p. 137. .. Ou the rclfl(ioo or the 1Lndeot .\-..yrlnn.. lAyard exp"'""'" hl belle! Illat, origh1ally, lt was pure Sabeul~ro, tu \\bir.b the hca,~.. enly bo<li<'tl were wo,..hlp[l('d a.. mcre tri"' of the pow~r and attrlbotCA of the Supreme Ilefty, and tbere I a ~troug probability lhat thls fotm of wor.blp had itl! orfldn among the lnhe.bltants of the Aiyrlan plain. The fire-W011>hlp or a !~ter Ol(C was a ~orruptlOll or the rurer form or ~.~nigm, and lhen1 are no tnte,,,. or Il u 1>0n the ee.rliest mouu mcn&&,n-l'au.(f ,\'nl<i4 11"4 l'l:ntpolil, J\
p,..,,
m.
96
THE SCIR.VCE OF CORR ESPO.VnENCES
trntion of the bcauty nnd ffinsi.~teney of the cicncc of corrcspondcnccs. This tran~parcnt liquid is often mentioncd in the Racrc<l Scriptures to ~ignify, in a good cnsc, nntural truth or doctrine dcrivc<l from the letter of the 'Vor<l, and ndnptcd to the externnl state of ail men :1 to their fith and obcdiencc. Pure water, when applicd to wnsh the fcet or the body, clennscs from defilement; so the truth of the litcrnl sense of the W or<l cnu purify the miml and lifc from the stains of E<in. "If J wash thee not," i>nid the Lord to the A po~tle Peter," thou hast no part \\th me" (John xiii. 8)." Whnt water b to the weary trnveller fainting for thin;t in the parched dcscrt, ro are the doctrines of the ord to the l'tpirit thnt dcsircs and sccks for them-ehcrishing, invigorating, lifc-giving. W nlcr is cs.ential to the existence, l!rowth, nn1l fruitfulne~ of ail the vcgetable tribcs; it supplies a refrcshing hevernge whieh, scrving to m01lify the solin food for the purposes of digestion, is also inrlispens:iblc to the support of animal lifo; so the knowlcdge of external or doctrinal truth, rcccivcd hy faith in the understnnding, and obcyed in simplicity of hcart, sati!Sfies spiritual thirst, nnrl is cssential to the pre!'errntion nnd rcnovnl ion of spiritual lifc in the soul. Thus nt the command of Jchovah, l\loscs struck with his ro<l the rock in the arid wiltlemess, and water in nbundancc streamed forth to supply the fainting congregation of lsrnel (Ex. xv. 1-6). So when the soul in a wil<lemes.s state is nppn.rently hcrcft of comfort and rcady to sink in dcspnir, Io! fith, in obedience to divine direction, strilccs the rock of the W ortl on which the Lord stands, and the refrcshing waters of consolation gush forth in life-restoring strcams. W nters arc sometimes spoken of as bubbling fouutnins, nt others as flowing strenms; somctimcs in large, at othcrs in small quanti tics; as living and lifo-giving; as desolating and destructive; ns swcet and hiltcr; as tmuspnrent and ruuddy; as existing nt one time in rich ahunclancc, nt anothcr a'! rlistressingly dcficient. 'Vhcn the mcruiiug of \rnter i!S unocrstool, how full of iru;truction, how numcrons and vnried arc the lcssons of wisdom thus <fclosed to our view, nnrl how cusy of ap1>licntion by nll l In the Book of Gcnesis we rend thnt " a l'\er wcnt out of Eden, to water tl1e garden" (ii. 10). A garden, or guarde<l plot of grouml, reprcscnts the preparcd nnd, and the vnrious trc('ll, plants nn1l flowcrs cultivnted thercin, with thcir hlossoms, fruits and frngr1rncc, will signify ail kinds ami dcgrees of intelligence and rational dclight. But" the river "-the strcam of ct(rnnl
'y
"To wuh the feet ls IO cleansc our acllous."-Lc111rclllf, .trl. Fat
NOT A FANCIFUL OR VISION.IR T/IF:ORY.
97
truth from the Word of lifc, that "founlnin of living watcra,"-must flow through it nn1l upon it, or oJl man'R intelligence and iutellectual plcnsures are nothing worth, n1;d must wither and perish. When, thereforc, man is dcscribed as rcceptive of natural truth, nnd obedient thereto, thus, as cnjoying the rcfrcshing and perpetual flow of hcnvenly delights. through the medium of the Word, it is sairl, "And the Lorrl shnll guide thee continually, nnd satisfy thy soul in drought, and mnkc fat thy boues: nnd thou shalt be like n wntcre<l garden, whe wateri; fnil not" ( Isa. lviii. 11). And again: "Their soul ~hall be as n watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more nt all" (Jer. xxxi. 12). The plenitude of divine truth, flowing ctcrnally from the Lord by hi~"'ord, is hence repre~ented as "a river of unfiling water," and Ill! descending showers-" 1>howers of blc~~ ing," rcfreshing and making fruitful the Lord's ehurch in gcnernl, and ail the principlcs of the huronn mind in particular, like a.s water irrigates nnd fertilizcs the pnrchcd and thirsty soi! through which it gliclc:!: thus wc rend in Deuteronomy, ")f y doctrine shnll drop ns the rain, my ~peech Fhall dl:til as the dew, or be as the smnll dew upon the ten der hcrb, and as the 8howers upon the grnss;" and in the Psalms," Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the riv<"r of God, which is full of water: thou prcparest thcm corn when thon nast so provided it. Thou wnterest the ridges thcrcof abundnutl V: thou !'<?lt!C!lt the furrowil thcrcof: thou makcsl it soft with ~how~rs: thou bl~est the springing thcreof" (lxv. 9). Fluch tn1ths or doctrines of the literai seui;e of the Won! ns are gen uine in tbcir outward frm, and lead to the reformntion and rcgulatiou of the motives, ns wcll ns of the lifc, n.re denomiunted "living waters" (John vii. 38), and" waters of lifc" (Rev. xxii. 1); but when t hc internai aml spiritual truths of the ord revea)od through the lettrr are tn'alc(l of, the mental foct is rcprcsented in that miraculous <li~play of didnc power, reconled in John ii., whcrc water wns con vertcd into wine. This l'ignilic~tion of water, in a good ~n.-.e, is moreover positively nffirmcd by the Lord H im.elf," For," f:llj'S He," as the rnin eometh down, nud the ~now from hcaven, nnd returneth not lhithcr, but watcrcth the enrth, and m11krth it bring forth and bud, that it may givo ~<!e(I to the ~owcr, and brend to the ctlter: so sl1all my Word be thnt goeth forth out of my mouth" (fa'\.. lv. 10, 11); lllHI 11gain He graciously promi~C!', "I," the Lord, "" ilJ pour water 11pon him thnt fl thirsty, ami lloods upon the clry gronn1l: I will pour my 1:1pirit upo11 thy secd, nnd my hlc:,.-;ing upou thine oli~priug: au<l 9 u
"r
98
Tllb' SCIESCE OF CORREt::ro.VDEXCES
thcy shnll !tpring up ns nmong t hc grass, 1\1:1 willow1:1 hy the water. courses" (xliv. 3, 4). Whcn it is !ll'<'ll thut hy i;eas nnd floo<ls of water.; arc i,1ignificd in a henveuly 1<e1i.~cthe collection of divine truths in the Holy " ' or<l and in the humnn minrl, then wc shall know why David, in de..,cribing the ~ccnrity of the Lord't1 church in hcnwn and on enrth, was inspired tu i:ny, "The earth i,, the Lord's, and the fulncss thcroof; the world, nu<l thcy that dwcll therciu. For Ile hath founded it upon thescas, aud estabfhed it upon the floo<ls" (Pt1. xxiv. 1, 2).59 On nccount of the correspoudcncc of water, whcn applicd to purposes of purification, the .Tcws wcrc commnnded to institute varions kincls of ablutions or WMhings; nn<l, for the ~ame rca.~on, the tmcred ritunl of baptism wns institutcd, to be a standing and solemn mcmorial of rcgcuemtion, which i~ucs in the purification of the mi!l(l and life; for thus is the prophecy nccomplishcd, wherc it is "rittcn, "Then will I spriuklc elcnn water upon you, and ye i;hall be clenn; from all your filthiness, :md from ull your i<lols, will I cleansc you " 60 (Ezck. xxxvi. 25); and, ngain, in that divine promise that in the fulnCM of timc the truth of the Holy Word ~hould be unfol<led for the 1>urposCR of spiritual purification, the Lord saya, "In that day there !'hall be a fountain opened to the house of DMid and to the inhabitauts of Jerusalcm for sin nnd for unclcanncss" (7.ech. xi.1). " Therc is a g('tleration that are pure in their own ey<'I!, and yet. is not wnsh(.'<l from thcir filthines.'I" (Prov. xxx. 12). An<l so the .Apostlc
""And the Church whicb He 1Chrl&1) hM willu.tarnllng it. prl"'l'nl ~upe"tltlou &&0 fountlcd, wc hcholil lt a 8itti111t u1><>n mnny rlatlons,ll('Cmg to ha.vu hccn unquc>llouably water>, 111" tbc l!'!t'al oan uf 1rn1b, frou\ rlcrheel "bcncc "' ry ..iream that ha. at ail or at cnce of corre>ponrknct:'< was \\ell ltuo... u; any timl' rtfreio.lwrl the earth wR origlnally for wbcn the midwlfc lmmcl"el thcm ~be Ire.wu, aud to whkh tl dutcou,ly hrlng11 H>ys, Hccchc the water; for the l(Odd's lts water. agalu."-nmcll'a llulM'a11 Serti., p. CbalciuhrueJe ls the n10thcr.' '1ay thls 170. wnter clcRn-e the pot.' wblch thou wa!X"t "Ablutions appearto baye lx.'\:11 amonl:"t from the wo1ub of lly mothcr, rurlfy thy Ule oltlct teremonic practlscd by rlilfereut heart, an< g\e tbee a iood 1u11I rcrfoct lite: nations, ami are still wn1ociatcd wilh ncMly ln anoth<r 11<1rt of the cNemony, he says, ail r<:llglona. The gityptlau prkt ba.d Ulctr May th<' Invisible <lfl0n thl$ diurnal a.nd norturnt.1 ahluUons: th" Greeh \\&ter, ami clcanc tltC<' ot evcry ln &ud lm their l'J)rlnllng'I; the Homan- lhclr lui.Ir& 1urity, and frcc thce from eil fortune.' tions a1ul lavation'; the Je"s th~ir freqnmt For furtbcr partlcula"' of t11i.s lntcretlng "ashlngs and purlnretlons. Whcncc coulll c<rcmony, ~ce the .AllW C!ovigcro' /118'.. qf this unlvcl"81 rrartk" arl'c but from a Mez. The llrnbmln of lllndot.an al!<O l>Ap knowle<hrc of the 'l~nlftcanre ofw.,,1Jing?" 1 the thclr cbii.tren, an1l mark lhem with --.l.:ee J>r /. 11e11lry' .Yu1 W l.N \f,lf't. _vn"' n.-.1 oinuntnl. sa.yin,, O J..ord, wo preseut qf Mm11wn11lu, p. ;i.-.'.!. 1 th!> chilrl, born or a hol)' tribe, ro thee and "The lllcxlcau, orlgln iinvohr1l thy11Crvl1l'.' ltlselcanO!l'<l wllh 1"1tter,11nd lu ob&<urity, bath' tbclr chil<lrcn the n10- anolutcd wlth oil."-t;r..oe Lord' Banian Rel. ment thcy are !.>Oru, a cn>wtu "hl<-h, not ch. ix..
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99
Puul, ~peaking of the purification of the Lord's Church, both gencrnlly nnd iudividually, from dcfilement, nTites to the Ephesinns as follows: "Christ lovcd the church and gave Himsolf for it; that H e might sunctify and clennse it with the washing of water by the Word. Thnt He might present it to Hirnself a glorious chnrch, not having spot, or wrinkle, or nny such thing; but that it should be holy and nithout blcrnish" (v. 25-27). From ancient limes men plungro them..elves into the Ganges, the lndus, the Euphrates, the Nile, an the J ordan, nll rivers esteeme<l sncred, to rcprscnt and signify, in n good sen.se, purification from sin in the streams of divine wisdom, hy honest endeavors to apply its sncred truths to the romoval of evil from the lif<', and thus reformation of the charaetcr. John the Ilaptist came os tho Lor<l's forerunner, and, for a similar reason, baptized ail who came unto him in thu boundary river J ordan, "unto repentance, for the confession and remk~ion of sins," representative of the only effcctual menus of cleantiing the soul from spiritual dcfilement, through the doctrines of repentance and reformation which arc found in the lctter or cxtemal boundnry of the "'ord, and thusof truly prepnring the way of the Lord. Whcn wo thus undcrstand whnt is significd by water, how full of cternnl interest nnrl prncticnl instruction does the Lord's eonYersation with the Samaritan woman become, as H e sat on Jneob's ~ell. That fountain wns deep, an reprcscute the Holy Word in its outwanl lettcr; but the Lord, sitting upon it, reprcsmted the saine Word, hcaring tcstimony to Iliru as the God of Jacob, und filling its internai scnse with living water from Himsclf. "If," said He to the woman, "thou kncwcst the gift. of God, nnd who it is th1\t saith to thce, Give me to drink,"-for IIe tl1irst11, and is only sati~fied wheo his crcatur frcely partnkc of bis ble.:;sings,-" thou woulde:1t have asked of Him, and H e would ha>e gh-en thco living water. Whoever drinketh of this 'vater,"-the more doctrinal truth of the letter,-will find it fail to satisfy the inmost cravings of the soul, and "shnll thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him,"-the pure, eternal, life-giving streams of divine truth, rcvenlod to angelio and human perception in the internai or spiritual scnse,-" shall neyer tbil'l!t; but "-if ho inwnrdly supplicntes it--" the water that I l!bnll give him shall be IN 11 ui a well [or fouotain) of water springing up into evcrlnsting Jife." It will satisfy cvery \1ant of the soul; it will be M!garde<l as the W:;t gif\. of G00 to hi:> cn:aturcs, and beeome
100
Tl/E SOJEJ.YCE OF CORRESI'ONDENOES
a sacred medium of pcrpetual communion with Him, nud a perenninl source of comfort, bcatitude, and joy (John iv. 6-30). Though evcry incident in this bcautiful and divine narrative teems with significa.nce, we have only spucc to in<licate the nbove general idens. A defect of water, therefore, will denote a destitution of truth, and a thirst for water an earnest desire to receiv.e it, as in Amos, "Behold, the days corne, saith the Lord God, thnt I will seml a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord" ( viii 11). "If any man thirst," saith the Lord, " let him corne unto me, and drink. Whosocver drink.eth of the water that I shall give him shall uever thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well [or founta.iu] of water, springing up int.o everlasting life" (John vii. 37; iv. 14). But, in its opposite sen~, water, as we hnve already seen, will signify truth perverted or falsified,-man's sclf:Jcrive<l intelligence and " carnal wisdom." This profnntiou of truth is meant in the internai sensc by the miracle of :Moses, when "he stretched forth his rod over the waters of Egypt, nnd they became blood" (Ex. vii. -19); while the contrary wns represented by his making the bitter waters of l\farnh swect (Ex. xv. 23-25). The substitution of self-depcndeuce for full reliance on the divine aid and Spirit, in the attainment of truth, and of self-intelligence and perYerted reason in the place of genuine wisdom, is significd by these words of the prophet: "l\1y people have committe<l two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of liYing waters, ami hewed them out cisterns, broken cistcrns, that can hold no water" (Jcr. ii. 13). Henec, too, tcmptations, which are the result of the activity of flse principles, in connection with the powers of darkness and evil, thrcatening to overwhelm and destroy man's so11l, are siguified by the raging flood, from whieh, under divine guidance, the ark of sitlvntion can alone delivcr him, agreeably to that most gracious promise in Isaiah, "Wheu thou pa...:sest through the watel'il, I will be witb thce : and through the rhers, thcy shall not oYcrflow thcc: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kin<lle upon thee" (xli. 2); and to signify the direful tonnent whieh such as wilfully reject or pervert the truth induce upon their own rnindi;, ad which, in appearanc.-e, is attributed to the Lord, He is said to " hiss for the fly in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee in the land of Assyria" (Isa. vii. 18, Hl ). So, al:;o, in likc statei; of affliction, the Psnlmi.<1t complains 11.nd says, "The floods of ungodly meu macle me nfrnid" (F1:1. xviji. 4);
NOT A FASf'IFl'f,
on VIS!ONAR)Y
1'/IF:ORY.
10 l
" Decp rnllcth unto <ll'Cp nt tlu noi.~e of thy wallr-1<pouts: ail thy wn\c>< and thy billowii nre gonc ovcr me" (xlii. 7); " I sink in dp mir<', whcre there is no standing; I nm comc into dccp waters, whcre th<' floo<ls overflow me. . . . Let not the water-flood overfiow me, neither let the deep swallow me up" (lxix. 2, 15). On nccount of this signiflcation of water, a river, or flo11ing stremn of" nter, fertilizing the lamh! through whieh it rolll', exactly corr<'~1>0niling, in n good ~cnse, to the inflowing of heavenly truths in rich al>undnn into the mind, renovnti.ng all its powers, anrl causing it to hc fruitful in intelligence nnd good works; but in nn oppite s<>u!'e, it signifies n desolating stream of fnlse persunsiom1, indu ring ignoranrr nn1l cleath. Thus, in the prornixe mn<le to the faithful, it is snicf, "Thou t1halt mnke them drink of the river of thy plcnsnres" (Psnlrn xxxvi. 8); nnrl where the IIoly Word, ns the fountain of intelligenc<', i~ dcribcd, it is said, "Thcrc is a ri>er, the strearns "hereof iohall muke glnd the city of God, the holy place of the tnhcrnacles of th" ~lo:t lligh" (Psalm xlvi. 4). And again, "For thus ~th the Lord, Ulhold, I will cxtcnd pence to her like a river, and the glory of the Grntilcs like a flowing ~trcam" ( Isa. lxvi. 12). The divine promise of hcnvenly truths and intelligence in ail nhnntlance, to the humble nncl preparcd soul, is al~o thus expres...oed, "Whcn the poor and nee<ly 11eek water, an thcrc is none, and their tongue fileth for thinit, I the Lord "ill henr thcm, I the God of Israel will not forsnkc them. 1 \\ill open ri>ers in high plnce>!, and fountaios in the midst of the valleys: I will makc the wilrlerness a pool of water, nnd the dry land Springs of wnter " (Isa. xli. 17, 18). But an exubernnce of fnl~e principlcs, overf:lowing nnd dcsolating the mind, is signified whcrc a river li spoken of in its oppO'ito sense, as in the Psnl ms, "If it ha<l not bn the Lord \1ho was on our side, now may Israel say, then the waters hnd overwhelmed us, the stream had gone ovcr our soul : thcn the proud waters had gone over our soul" (cxxiv. 1, 4, 5). And in I~aiah, "Go, ye swift messengel"ll, to a nation scntwred nnd peeled, t-0 a people terrible from their beginning hithcrto: a nation meted out and t rodden down , whose land the ri vers hnve spoiled" (xvi. 2). Aml in the divine expostulation with mRn, in consequence of bis frsaking the Lord's 'Vord as the ouly fountain of truth, and \'ainly dcpending on his own self-deri>ed intel ligcnce, fancying that thi:;i is true wi.sdom, " H ast thou not procul't'l.I thh< unto thy:5elf, in tlmt thou bn.<1t foraaken the Lord thy God, when Ire !cd thee by the way? Aud now what hast thou to do in the way
g
102
TTIR SOI ENOE OF CORRESJ'ONfl E.\'OES
of Egypt, to drink tl1 e waters of Rihor ? or what ha<>t thou to do in the wny of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river ?" (J er. ii. 17, Hl.) In the sublime prophetic vision of the holy waters procding out of the snnctuary, or "\Vord of God, the prophet dcribes their outgoings as successively reaching to "the ankl~,'' "the knces," and "the loins,"-the waters and thei r varying depths denoting the tniths of the W ord necommodated to nll stntes of perception; the nnturnl nml sensual state and it.s perceptions beiug signi6ed by the a nklts, the spiritual-natural state being signified by the kns, the c;piritual state beiug signified by the Joins, aurJ the celestial or highest state being i;ignified hy waters to swim in, for this intelligence and wisdom i~ so for nbove the natural man n.s to be ineffable. These statcs of exterior, intcrior, a nd inmost perception are necessarily opcned as the prophet mea.frcs a thousnnd, denoting the quality of rccrption, that it is full and complote, because applied to the life and conduet. And beyond that highest state to whieh man or angel can attain, the inmt spirit of these waters, thcsc vital truths, i.., secn and acknowledged as" a river that cannot be passc<l over,''-waters whieh carry h<'alth and lifc whithersoever thcy corne ( E zck. x lvii. 3-9). Now prcci.Qcly tho flame kind of reasoning is applicable, and similnr proofa might be nd<luced, in refcrcnce to most othcr terms and cxpr('!I ~ions used by the inspired prophets and cvangclists." The W ord of G<>1l, in its inlernnl sense, clocs not tre:it, then, of inclividuals ami nations nud the annals a nd statistics of the human rnce, nor yet of the'obje<.>ts of uatural hi.~tory, uor yet of times and' A<'flsons, light nml heat, wnr nn1trnyctl." " l n thl" IJ<;glunlng of our \l'\fttlM wc wnr ne<I oth<'n< al(lllnt suppuiug thnt we 11ttraet<'d fmm the 1,..11.. r ln tran<.'U'tinn h) knrhini: that tlw thlnl:" lhem<lH"' rontah11~1 wlthln th('m the uut...,lnl!'of '<llb!<"!n<nt realiti."-0"" '""'' on ,\(all. Yll., p. (;10. Cy rll of All'XAn<lrla al"'' hel<l thatalll1nnl'!h thl' ~plrllual en.'" he 1.~i n111l frultful, y<t what 11 hMorlN\l hou hl l><' ln ken a. [trnl'] hltory."-lbmmmt. in B"l1t,li1J. l.,ornt.4, vol. li., pp. 11~. 114. Tbr'"' analoi:;esare "'><'!car and lntet"l"ltlng, that rou l'&n .Cat('('ly hook on relil:on "uhJt,t.., "here tbty llrt' n'>l ln on<' way or other lntrodu<'cd; thm1, the CJwtlan wu,.,., (Xo. Ni, p. r.a) '"llA'r M}"ll: "Thcre are many >tri king nn<l lx'Butlf\Jl annlnglC!! betw~n thr 1111tmi\I and ~plrltunl worlds. Factailfl J>lt 11111nl'nn in tll(IOll<'Areoflm uf!<'d ln lh<' ~rlp !Urt'!. to ilhlktMlt<' thl' truth of the ollwr. Thcr<:' i a M'('dllm<> ln the worl<l of mln<I A. os ln th<' world of mattrr. The 1:"11 Ut' 1ll'ws di<tll, ami lh<' carly all<l lnt"'r raln <l<"<('l'nd. both ln thr world of nature 11ntl ln the world of gnll''. ln the beautiful lantru11~c nflnspirullnn, tbe lnllurns of<lo..P"l l!nl<'<' jnnd tn1th)nr<:' n11n'!K'ntc<l a totnhll(<ln\\n llkc rt1in Upll th<' l?fd.'11!, and llke ~hOWCN thllt wnlt'f lhe ttrth. Whcn thl"!C nfr<'hlnl( and fortllizinl( ln6ucnre llJ'(' "ltl11l raw11, thcn romcs dro111:ht and bllrrenn..,.. l.oth ln thl' natural and ln the piritual world ."
O( !:0<1 ), tnllh J~
""li
""""a
NOT A FANC/FUT,
on
l'ISIONA RY 1'ES1'IMONY.
103
reptiles, plants nnd trccs, flowcrs nnd fruits, islands and lnkcs, rivers and seas, wind and floods, rain and dcw, hail nue! snow, and nll the objects and phenomena of the naturnl world ; for these, in their rncrely literai acceptation, are not the subjects of inspimtion nt al!, nor, if they were, could any knowledge respecting thcrn irnpart righteousness nnd tranquillity to the soul. But the 'Vord, in its holy internai, treats of the Iufinitc Jchovnh-his wisdom and his will, of spiritunl subjects and cvcrlnsting realiti, of the propertics and qualities of the humnn soul, of rcpcutnnc and rcgeneration ; for of these all crentcd things nre but correspouding types. Nor, agaiu, does the 'Vord of God trcnt, .in its interior and heiwenly scnse, of the chronology of kingdoms and empires-of the gcnenlogy, nomenclature, and biography of their rulcrs and hii!tory of their people, nor of thcir religion nnd laws, their rituals and ccrernonies, their customs and mnnners; for though, in their liternl sense, the things recorded in the historical books of the \Vord were actunl occurren<.-es, yet, as such only and having no highcr refcrence, how can they contribute to snlvation, or be snid to have heen written by the plenary inspiration of God? But ail these worldly fncts and occurrences, without exception, represent mental stntcs and spiritual conditions, inward and outward facts nud opcrations of man's cxperiencc, and are the images and symhols which adumbrntc the objects of an etcrnal world, and the attributes and perfections of the Godhcad. Nor, lastly, was the Word of God inspired to reveal to us the proverbs and sa):ing.:i, the exhort.'ltions and discourse, the promises and thrcatenings, the counscl and experienoo of mcre men, however "ise or distinguished; in its holy internai sensc all thC!<C forms of ad<lrcss are significative of truths nnd doctrines appcrtaining to the Lord, to the son!, and to eternal life. 1 " itl1 thcse cxaltcd views, the \Von! of God cornes to us invted with e\er new and irresistible unthority, so far as our will concides with the Divine will; it interfercs not with our freedom, and it commends iti;elf to our highcst ren~on. J t is no longer fille<l with dnrk, inexplicnhlc my11teries or historie fallacies, or regardcd in rcfcncc only to by-gone timl'S and people, with some incidcntal refercnccs to mornlity hcre and therc; but it tccm!I with inte'rest nnd importance, conveyiug to us n. grand conucctcd serics of' unchanging rules of lifc, evcr uuflding more clcarly to our vicw, as the clonds of the lcucr nrc penctrntcd, and having in cvcry page and Jine, in evcry "jot aml tittle" (Matt. v. 18), the most direct. rclfitiou to our souls and to the
0
104
TJJE
SCJR.\~CR
OF CORRESI'ONDEXCES
great intercsts of an etcrnnl st.ate.62 Thus the historien}, the prophet. icnl, the <loetrinal, the devotional, nnd the ethical portions of the W ord
et Bishop warburton AA)"ll, "the prophctic literai me11nlng, but that lt requires llh1ne tyle seems to be a ipeaking ltieiog!IJPh~.'' ald in ordcr to understnnd, lu mnuy places, the fundamental of the letter; and thus wo DiP, Leg., b. IV~ l "The Thcrapcutre.," writcs Bruuo, "inter find D1wld pr>l)'l', Open thon mine c)cs, that pre~ the Scrlpturcs of the Old Ti::;tamcnt I may behold wonderful thlngs out of thy allegwlcally, and being wont to scck the lllw' (l's. cxix. 18). If King David bad bn ~plritunl mcanlng of the Law, thcy more able to understand the Word of 0<l by his rcndily embmd the Gospel than thosc who owu inquirics, be would not have Um looked no furthcr thnn the outwnrd lctter." pmyed; but his suI)plfcnUon was w com1>rt~ -De Therap., p. l!J3. Pliny Sll)'S that Ibis hcrnl the secret and hlddcn mystcrlcs of the aect hnd bccn in existence e,.cral thou- Thomh. To this ctfcct nro at'o the words of snnd ycall!.-Nat. lfl., lib. v., cnp. nlll. The the Sohnr: Woe to the man who nsscrts thnt na me mcans a physlrlan; nnd Philo 54)'8 the Thornh ;, a mere record of hlstt>ricnl they wcre w callcd becnusc the)' curcd men' fuels of ancien! tlmcs, nnd eontnin~ Lut a souls of the dlseascs wbich tbcy hu vc Mn narrative of common things; if this werc the trartcd by thclr passions and ,;<'CS.-Phllo casc, lt mlghl also be eomposed in the prcsde n:ta C<tf.emp/.o.lit'll. They hn ve bcen SUJ>- ent time. Dut the narratives and subj~'t'ts poscd to be the Essencs, an nnclent scct of containcd ln the holy wrltlngo; nro only U$1kl the Jcws, or probl\bly a division of that.scct, ns fi~1res for the mysterics dply hidclcn and callc<l Tbcrapent from the strktncss under the letter.' And whocvcr con.ider.1 or thelr morals and the purity of thcir con- the primai') scose as the principal objt of duct.--8ce Jenning'e Jt:Yish .A:nliq., p. 320. the Scriptures, ls gullty o! dentb, and forfcit.s ln The J>o'cw Baptist J!agazine for April, 1827, nll ~lnlm w a future ~tatc. Thcrcfnre lill)-S thcrc is in"Crted a lctter from M. Mnyers, at the Psalmist, 'llght.cn mluccycs' (l's.xli!.~); \'lcnua, gh lng an account of a moi;t rcmnrk thnt ls to that 1 might dlsm the llCC'ret~ able scct of Jcws in Poland, cnlled aller thelr hldclcn undcr the lcttcr of the law, 'le>;t I foumler, Sabbntbia Zcw;, Sabbathlaus, an<\ slecp the slccp of dcath.' In 11nothcr pAAo;ngc also Soharltes, ou account of the yencrntlon lt ls rcmarkc<I by tho Sohnr, If the Thornh ln which thcy holcl acabalfstfcal work,cnllcd wcre ooly to be ta ken ln a lltcml FCuse, why Sohar. Ou thelr establishment ln Poland, should David so.y, "Tho lnw of tho Lord ls lh<'Y dcclarcd thclr total rcjeetlon of the Toi pcrfcct., more to be dt'Sircd tha.n g0ld, yen, mud. They arc <ftingulshed for.thelr strict thnn much fine gold" (Tu. xlx.). It is thcrcmorality and lutcgrlty. In the QiftMlon of fore undenlnble thnt great and many mysr'aith whleh thcy have published, among terics are hldclcn under the lcttcr of the othcr remnrknble thlng>i, they 118.'!Crt thclr Thornh, tQ lnqulrc lnw which lt is the duty bcllcf respC<>tlng the Jloly Scrlpturcs, as fol- of C\'cry one who wlshcs tQ bomo ortholows :-" wc bclicve thnt the writings of lllo- dox.' "-See also CrU. !Jil>., \'Ol, lv., p. Z'>7. &><,the Prophcts, nnd ail carlier Tcn.cheri;, This rCCQg!lition ofan lnwnrd scnsc ln the arc not w be ta ken lftcrnUy, butllgurnUvely; Word of the 01<1 Testament, closely RS:!lmiand ns co1>talnlng n secret euso hid under latcs, as fr as we arc able tQ judgc, to tho the merc let.ter. Thcsc wrltlngs are to be doctrincs of the Thcr.1pcut or E'!Scnefl, nt compared w a beantlful womnn, who hidcs the time of our Lord's incarnation, rcferrcd ber cbarms unclcr a \'Cil, ancl <xpects her to ln the prcvious note. Though, from the admlrcr.1 to tnke the trouble of lifting it; undoubtctl tcstlmony of clcsiastical wrltcrs whlch ls nlso the case with the Word of God, of c\cry age, numbers of lcnmcd and plous hdng hiddcn uncler the vcil Of u llgurntif ("hrlstlnns, to which many \'encra.hie nam<'tl ~cnse, whlch cannot be Uftcd evcn with the of modern timcs mlght be addcd, have bcl<l hlghet hnman lngcnulty, and great.<;,t de fMI the doctrine of lln lntcrnal sensc in the gn.oe of \\is<lom, wlthout the assi.tnnce of Sncrcd Serlptures, but thC)' bave hnd, how Dil'illC gra. In othcr words, the thlogs cver, no definlte ldc>L~ of the laws of corrc p~kcn ofln th!l Thoruh (Word ofGodJ, must J>Oudcnce, uow so mlraculously uofulclcll lu not be takcn llterally, acconllng to the merc the writings of Swe<lenborg, nor )et of the phrn.'l(.'Ology, but wc mut prny for the tcach- lstlnct books in which that scnsc enn alono ln!( of the Divine Spirit, to be cnnhled to dis be sought with suess. "Ali the expressions in the Word arc slgecrn the kemel whlch lies hld 1111dcr the mcre hdl or huk of the lctter. Wc there- nlfirathc of hrnvcnly thi111r.<, n11d ail the lorc h<'llcvc that lt I~ not "'1ffici~nt m~rcly to things arc rcprc>sentntlvc tbcrcor, and tilla rood the words of tht pruphct>. Io kuow the C\'Cll tQ the lctL>t tittlc.''-A. c. 5147.
r.
NO T A FA.1YCJFUL OR VJSJOXARJ' TJJBORJ.
10;i
of God are nlikr written nc<'ording to the invariable ~cicnoe of corrcsponclcnces. This i.~ th<' only fixed pr1ciplc on which it cnn be cxpouncled nnd successfully <lefende<l from the cnvils of infidelity and the inconsist.cncies of a fuise faith ;-the only rulc which, togethcr with the aid of the Spirit, rcmoves all difficulties, reconciles ail con"llollcying ln tM words of my Lord Jesus -JYealb Mvollcal and LUcral InterprtJuti111' Chrl<I, I do not tblnk tht\t th('!'\' l a jot or of the halma, pp. :m, :r.u. lttlo ln the law auil the propbct.. whlch i. "Wbat do we nwan by a literai lnterpl'\'ta dnolcl of my>krlC11.''-Qrigt11, JT-. 1. (R Uon T One in wblch wo!Yl bave the <Aftlt >.zI. 'IClllll' a~rihed to thcm "hlrb t.hcy U<>JOlly .. Jt cru:ne us to b<'llcve the i;acrcd !'<'rl{>- l>ear ln th\lly lite. Now t.hl' L< oue-balr uf tUl'<'S, not to bAvC one apex or Ulllo \Ol<l of the t.rut.h needcd for 1\ rlght. lulrrprctatlun Ill\' wi-.lom of 00<1."-/b., Jfam. 2, illJtr.,clwl oftbc f'criptul'<'S. The Wonl nfG0<l ls n nv (11 Jl11nmtr'a ltw of A11Uqt<lll/, p. 231. !';oo clatlon to ruan. To bc ""'"ul to men lt tn1H }lftlt. v. IR; Lukc xYI. 17. be dc0n1tc an<l lnlellll(il>lc, ancl lu lh. ... n "SL Auiro:;Unc \\rote a wbolc llook nndcr lite ml. Jlut it is al.<ol a l'\'\'Cllttiou from ;,., Ulc tille of Lrlkr n11d .~plril, in whkh b e hns Now to be Divine, lt mu.t N>Utn.in hldu-r ~hnwn thnt not only the llltorlC!I, l'~p18, trut.hs, u <>hler tboughUo, more full l\lld d..-p I' mbll-s, and Fli:nrt"! of the Old Tr~trunent, rontoeptlon~ thnn surJ1 a.11 mttu <'Otncys to 111" lmt th'e of the New, are to be both lnter- Mlow-mcn. Thcrcforc,hl cmploy1n1; hUIMll 11r"Wd spirltunlly of the opcratlon of Go IAnguai:r. lt must cxnlt nnd CX["111<\ lh (11 f'llrl, aud BPl>ilc<I tlh.O by Faith and the meantnii of the tcrms \\hkh lt c mplO)'"- H l'"r of the Jl!)ly Oho-t w '"" ~1itrlt., to bclongs to thftt tin~m of <;'XI wlilth <'l'i' m ke Ill! u1 .. i'<' "l'i ri tuai; othcni-e the bath not "'-'<!D, ndtbc r hatb lt enttrc<l huo "holc \s but IAt ~r 111411'ilklA, aur lb! Mme chamrler."-Rirk' 1''irl<t Kit ~)1irll, vol.!., Int., p. xlvill. tnt:nl of Sal"rro. Prophecy, 11. 2.'iO. "Ir f:cripturc hn~ uot. on undrrturrcnt of "Natural lhing;s, peNon~, motion", ancl R<' nwnntng, double, triple, qundruplc, or ('\en tlons,deelared or lq)Okcn of lu "eriptul't'. ail )'tt more manlf1l1l, l ronfCS'! 1101 only that mit or al-o many lime. a 111)'11<-ll.l, m ...mt, or my work is a mt:f'\.! wa<tc or lahor, tlmc, and allCl!Orltol 1 tnow thb splrilual 11-<' l"'Jl"r, wbicb \\oUld compamllwly mau..r i~ &tli ~'n.11.L n. foot to ~me faint and un~ht\" Unie; bnt it 111'11 follows tbnt ail primitive lng h!'tlrlA M "P<'(:tre. Dut lt i, a lhln~ nr and mcdlml Commcntatofl!, from tho llrst knowll'<ll!('<l by the n10.1 wlsc, most plou, t'\ntury un the ReformAtion, havo more or and mllN'n gul'<;titullug lhclr fun<'lcs ror hls lm- Mes A4o'1>tlus, who compares the m,hic 111111tlhle verltles,-hn.e ndopled the s)'1!1Cm Orllclt"I 'IO Appltr Qf Gold ln pirlt<rts <If Al wbkh is alite th<! offprlng and 1be parent t-er.' For tru<t the 0\111\'t.rd :S-ltor b ,., ry of error,-that tbelr foli have tw.11 a hln romely. a_, c;:ilYer<'uriou.~ly rut tborou~h &nit dmn<'e 10 the cnu..c or trulh, and the lnl>Ors wrougbt; hut the inwar<l FplrilUal or mytl or Uieir lovcs nu llL"ilt to the gcnulno prin rai Sl'noe ls the G<>ld, more preelou an<\ rlrh'S o f lntcrprclatlon. Tnko for llll!tnnco more bcaullful, 1bat 11:U.ten1 lbrough lh"" cuttlnl('I and artlfidal car>1n!l" in the lcllcr." the t>nowingcxtrtlcta: "The Mysli~l lnterpretatlon or f'crlpture, -II. Jlor(1 ])(J. of~ Cbbalo, lnlrod., p. Ur., a. ncry one will allow, u., li6tioquilhift0 ed. lr..-.3. nork of dierav1 bdK'""' QJl("1 at11t ORO<ltm "TI><> anoient lntcrpreters of the RI hic "" re l'l"rnlator.. To the fonntr tt" n1 the very pcl'<ua<lt!<l and fimy hell~\cd that lt !'<Ill 1 ltfl', nlllnow, <."'~\'O<'O,vf Ood s,\'onl; theker~ talnt~I, ).)('!;ld<'S the plain and olniotll! ml'nn iwl, of which lhc llwml expoi;ltlon wn.s the lng, rn)'Sl4'rious anl concealctl truths; lhi 1hrll; the Je" cl, 10 "btch tbe ou MM llnd thought 11\at in a book~ holy, and 1mul111( wrl.oll &lgnlfi<'allon rormro the hrinc. Dy Crom lhc Pountain of an \\1"1om, there rt111 th~ latin li hft onlver.ally bocn held n.>t JMJMlhl) be a n.>dundJ;.nt "on.I, or e\cn a ln equal conttmpt and Abburt\'lll''. It ha "''P<'rftuon. lett.r,or a gtllmmatlcalanoDlllly: b<'CD llffirme<l Io ht the art or fn\'olvlug and ron..-quently, whencver ~uch <lo apr 4r, e''l'}lhlng ln u11ccr1a1111y, to tak "''Il>' an t1Jr)' mn't have bccn <k llfllodly intm<lm""I flxthu't:s of 10.cnnluv, to tu ru ~triptun.1 tnto \\llh R. vhw of tmlkntlng flome uuknf"lWI\ "rcpository of httnll\n f1u1citi;;, t.o )t4 1 f'IUb\l1r truth.' -1/unrif ".1';,,.n11 "" Il~ U.Un1pir<d ' '"'or au ex1\t'lll11<h', and r.ttul t.o all lmth." /,Urrol.ur,, vJ tht lll'brtu,.."
..,u...,,
aiJn,.,,
106
Tl!/? S()f F:i\'C!F: OF CORRES/'OKDENOES
tra.<lictions, an<l, impre!'Sing cqu11J value upon what may appenr trivial as upon the most important portions of the 'Vord, irradiating the whole with the bright benms of infinite glory. Undcr this mode of interpretation Scripture truly becomes the interprctcr of Scripture, perplexity an<l doubt are banished, an<l it is at once demonstrated that the Holy W ord is, like its Author, di\'inc-that his spirit fills every "jot and tittlc" of it with sublimity, sanctity, and lifc, and distinguishcs it broadly from all human oompositions whatsoever. Mosheim, the ecclesiastica.l historian, fro~ among "a prodigl>tt$ nwnbel' of interpreters" of the early ages of Christia.nity, mentions Pantnus, Clement the Alexandrian, Tatian, .Tustin Martyr, Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, Origen, and others, who w<>re illustrions for their piety and Jearning and love of truth, who "all attributed a double scnse to the words of Rcripture; the one obvions and literai, the other hidden and mystcrious, which lay concealed under the vcil of the outward Jettcr;" and that "the true meaning of the sacred writers was to be sought in a hidden and mysterious sense arising from the nature of the things themselves."-.Eccl. Ilist., note 50, cent. II., p. 2, c. iii., 4, 5; cent. III., p. 2, c. iii., 5. And Bishop Horne, speaking of the same testimony of ancicnt Christian writers and expositors, distinguished alike fr tlieir Jenrning and piety, says, "They are unexceptionahlc witnesses tous of this mattcr of faet, that a spiritual mode of interpreting the Scriptures, huilt upon the practice of the apostlcs in their writings and preach ings, <lid univcrsally prevail in the church from the beginning." -Comm. on I'salmR, pref., pp. xi., xii. (new cd. 1836.) Primitive language, in fa.et, had no other expressions than thosc 'ivhich wcre grounded in a certain intuitive perception of correspondences, and thus, at the sa.me time, God was seen and adorcd in his glorioue workmanship, and man was divinely instructed in the things of eternal life.63
.. Theauthorof1'rarl3forlhr Times, lxxxix., 1only in \hc prophtiNll writlnl;ll dothey find "Thcrc ls no discl'('pnnoy betwccn the our Lord ond hl~ Gpel cvcrywhPI"('; not tonc of the Ap1'tl<s and th1tt of the Churt'h only clo thty tmoe lhroughout the ,,..,;tionl ln 1t!ler tiys, in relp\"l't of thclr l>oth ns- scnfcts the cxnmplc nnd hadow of the fU11mlng, clenrly an dcllbcrntcl)', n certain turc hMvenly thln!l", bnt they dcnl al' in omn~,;punencc, lntcndcd IJ)' the <.:r<'lltor, IJe. the nme way wlth the re<:ors of h!story, twt'<'n the mnteriitl and Kpirltua.I worlds" (J>. whcthcr Pntriar('!111l or Jewlsh" (p. 11~ 11<1). And agnln," Wc n<.>ed not, pcrhnJ>", h<""" An old Latin wrlter, clted nnd trn11"lntc<l itAt<.' to admit ln the mOt<t nnre->rv~cl "ay,- by JI. JI. I'. in the Aurom, \ol. l., p. 7~. mnkt lndccd, lt mlght be hsml t> lind uny one who the followlng lntcl"('8tlng ob<'rvations: "I hns cver denlcd,- thl' unlv~rs>\I ncloptlun, h)' nm of OJ>inion thot the fi"'t At'Tnon of th!~ the t>arly f:hri,tlan wrltcl'l<, of thl' nllti;:orlcnl [llicroglyphla] wl'"1om Wl're notfrom F.lfypt; war of cxpoundlng the Old 'fc.tumcnt." :<ot for (If we cr<.'<llt the tt.-stlmony of Altxnn
M)"S,
N01' A FANOIFUL OR VISIONARY TllEORY.
107
When, in consequencc of man's fnJJ from this state of intelligence and purity, it becnmc needful to provide him with a WRI'l'l'EN record of God's will and wisdom, adapted t raise him from his lapscd conclition, and restore him to the paradise of wisdom and happiuess, the certainty is, that it would be written in the only universal and unchanging langunge, the language of corrcspondence; for, while the arbitrary words of human languages are perpetually changing, both in sound and sense, for want of some unalterable standard, the language of correspondence is as fixed and determined as the unfrerse itsclf." H ad divine truth been revealed to man in mere didnctic phraseology or preceptive forms of speech, it would have supplied no positive evidences of religious truth, no fixed basis for internai com iction; nor could it have becn translated from one langungc into another without losing much of its intrinsic clearness anrl force; nor
der, ln his book of Jewih history, as wcll mates, are moulded and fixed ln ail the obosof Enpolcmus, thc author of a book on the Jects or the vJslble world, whtch 1,, as lt Jcwih kin~) Abraham lived ln Heliopolis were, the chaoe coutaining the corre<'t('(J with the F~yptJan prlcsts, and the seed of lYP<-"' of ail written language. The W1111ds srlcnc<" scattered by Abraham (some of and the signs may be dUferent, aecording to whlch he profeAACd to have becn handed the states of dllerent nations, but the l!Ubdo\\ n to him by Enoch) were not wantlng "'"""" lhey lnvolve is the same in ail lan ln thosc )-mholical and enlgmatlcal 1'dls guages. Plato (ln Cralylo, pp. 383, 42S, ed. undcr whi.ch the wisdom of the ancients was Sorranl) bas well S\lid that language i of ooncealed. It !s aed, that tbis world, 1divine Imposition; that human rson, fmm crowdcd wltb such varlous objeets, antt a defcct ln the knowled!(e of natures and llorncd with surh beautlful lm~ry. was qualltles, whlch are lndleated by names, prc!Ot'ntcdbyGodtothevicwofthefir.tmon, conld not dctermlnc the cognomcna of fn or<r that through tlw$< ot1t1vttrd ttprutnla tblng.. He maln!J\ln. that namcs are the tlom, they might pcrceit-e, as it wcrt tltto1<gh a t'Chict1/a of ubstanccs; that a fixcd analoJ(Y faint cloutl, llUJ bright rays of ditoinUy 1vMcl (correspondcn) exLti belwn the nome sMnt 1l'ithin. It wns not wlthout reason that and the thlug; that languaire. therefore, ls Epletetu obscn-d that therc existe<! ln the not arbitrary in lt. origln, but ft"ed by tho mind of men, "117"bo of Ood, wh!cb He lm laws o f annlogy: and that God alone, who pl't'SOOth upon ns by the surroundlng repre knows the nature of thingi<, originally im -cntations of bimselr; whercfore lt may eas- ['OSCd nomcstrictly exprcsmve of their quai llybebelic,etl,thatthevarlo\"ohJcctswhlch lties. Of the same opinion were the !'tolrs, arc IJ<'hel on the fncc of the carth, wcre re- suh!<tiluting only nature for God, as the cre gnrded by Adam, by Enoch, by Nooh, and atlng llnd nomiunting ~nt. Zeno, (,1eanothers of the primitive af(('S, as o many let- thcs, Chryslppu, labored to provethatW1tnd tcrslllumlna!A'd with thcdhineglory,whcrc- wcre origlnally cxpn.-sslve of the nature of h)' tbc Etcrnal Mind clid stamp the lmpr- th in~; ami that uo word or soun coule\ be slon of his 11.nme on mnn. I am the readier wlthon.t.. snch original. That not <mly the to nCCl'<I<' to thls opinion from the cust.om of cye and the ear, but the touch, the taste. nncl thelr ptcrity, who so oflrnlimc """""'1r<l the 1m1cll, wcre Mnccrncd ln dctermining the mylllcric8 of Ttgm 11ntkr gymbo/.3 a11d fig thcm. They who may desIre to sce a full a~ ures thfci 11ul.ldng .,..,. more commm. And, ln eountof lhelr system and opinions, may con dccd, the e.neicnt Hcbrews so hlghly vaine<! sult G<*n de T>crffl, llippo. Plato, lib. il., .Yigi the flg11ratlvc mo.le oC SJl<'<'Ch, thnt whnt- d1us Agel, l<hS, Labt. 7-3, l'a= de Ling. Lat., ever wa. 1>0ke11 shrew.tlr and rraui:ht wlth and Dion. Ha. <le <bmp. l'crb. The profoun wlsom, was CAlled Mn."<'hal, an a1>rellA and cloquent rommentary of Hlerocles on tion whirh prn)l('rly ....1at.t.'S to pnrables and the"""""' of Pythagoras, will al80 l\Jmih ar imllitucs."-De Symbollca .lf:gypti<m"'' 1'1<1- g11nwntand ilhL<tration lnalmtcvery~ v~ta. Hde Gia.. 1':.d. lif>G."-R. K. c. N<t<N:h1J.1'CJ. " "The rormB of divine tmth iu its nlti man. p. 235. l'hiladclpbia.
108
TllE SC!E.\'rR OF CORRESPONDENCES
Nmld it havc bccn hamlr.l rlown, from ngc to agr, in the pure state i11 which wc poo.~css it. The laws of correspondcncc nrc bascd on the in~cparnble conuection which exSL'l between !lpritunl cam~cs aml natural efi'ectfl; they pr<'l'crve and pcrpetuate ail the >isible works nf crcation, :md are ncccs.'larily interwoven with al! human expcrirurc, mental nn<l matcrial; the inspircd ord, thcrcfore, enshrined in the Jangungc of corrcspondence, has retainecl, nnd must retnin, it.'l ~i;tnificance und authorit~, its comprchens\encss and grandeur, through all gcnerntions, nu1l in every ton~ue in \\hiC'h words are nppropriated to the objccts of the outer world and the operations of ils inhnhitnnts.'~ From this divine source mun mny contiuually cnrirh hirn~elf with new and unfiling treasu rcs, at the samc time thnt he
"r
Pain<' thowhl v.as wantlug. To my ru;tonishment,Ju.t as the abovc note wa. hclng printcd (lt tcl,), J met wlth nl')(n mcnt.s ubstnntlally th11 very snmc, and rttl culnk'd to Ub\'crt thr dhinity,,.,\J1Ctlty,a11d aulhorft)' of Lhe Wol'I of Ood, ad\orah~I ln the Publin Ret-W, for lktober, 1147, one of th<' lll""t iufluenllal ol")llln of tilt> Uoman Cathollcs. The pa...age occutS ln a )'8)>er agaiMI the mdiscrlmluntc rcadlng of the ntblc. "Il was lal1l <luwn," says the wrlkr. "ll\l falth W8.8 111 /fring J>ITtQ1'8; but th!.' Dlhlc IJI a mero material book, uot pO'."C'<....,l or Ill<.', ml'llpable of motion, ami nnabk hy any pcnwr of llS 011 n evcn "" murh Il' to proptll't' lt>self fr bclh'f. Rut it v. Ill ht Rn wcr!'<l that, "hen auy one Issa Id to rtncl ancl hellc\c the Rible. uch Il pcl'>lOn n>nlly IH'lltv.. ln Christ.. whtl' worth and rc\'<'lntlon art. fomJCl ln the Rlblt'. Y<"': but ho\\ do )ou kno" thnt hi won! arc f.>und ln th<' Rlhle? lt 1, nuw elghtn l1u111ln'<l rean ldn1~ out 2'.17. !'.whmr au\l his llJMl'lllC wcrc on the carth. l'aine, ln hi~ Aor qf Rmsun, sa}~." The !<Ica If thclr rcvelatton v. AA commlltcd to n lJOk, or hdlef of a \\ Ol'l of God, cxitlng lu 1irt11t, M rnu 811pposc. how <Io you know thnt ln th" or1nwriting,orh"l""-'<'h,i,iu!'<mlwntwfth l'OUl"leof tIDc thlR book ha, not lx...,n f1"1 it'lf. for lb"'<! ""'"'"'~ 11mo1ig many others: fi('<} 1 llow do )'Oil pnn-. the i<lcntlly of lhc thr "antof a unher"ftl lnngu&I:(', th~ muta- Dlhlc of the nlnc~tb century "ith the h11lt) of lnui:uagc, the crrors to whlrh tmn Bihit of the llrsl?" lnllon' ure M1bjcct, the [lOS.il>llll)' of totAlly To the dcvout and refl(>('the mlnl, "hat 11 '"Pll'C,,,,ing Ml<'h 11 Word, the prohnblllty of 1 powcrn11 argument houl<l the nbovl' 1x1rnct nllt'nn~ il, or of fllhrlcating the wholc and upply (<'omiug a 1t <101.'11 from the l"C'pr<''41'1l lrn)""'"i: it upon the worlcl."--tl\'O '-''' Jhll!, tatlHk of a large proportion of the Chrl,!11111 1rl 1., p. :li. worl<l 1for the ab<Oluw nt't'~tyof the mode 1h,.....- 'Jll'<'IOU obl'<'tlon<, tn whkh, in the of l11urprctatlon nov. l"l!Walcd to m11nklntl, ronnnon modl' or ('xpJaluinlr{ the Jo,tr1ptur\.'8, unie.,,, tndt?eJ, wc arc prcparcd to N.'\. the 111> '<tisfartory 11nwr cver hn or ran !Je foun<l11t1ons of l\ll truth un<lenn1nrcl. IA't J?lv1n, are <ll"IJ*\l<l bcfurc tho gront prln tht n'llkr contrat il wlth tM followlng riplr, of lutcrprt.tlnl( the ora1lt of God <lc<'111mllons of thCl Wol'l ll-.clf: John 1. 1; acht" >llt'<l al""'" llkr <lnrkn<'... nt the rling Luko lv. 4; Isa. xi. k; Pl<. cxix. ~; rlll. :.'O: oflht!-un. ~otonrufthemha4'tlh'"'luulo\\ Matt. xxht. 3~,: llark xilL 31; )licah 11.7; i,fa uppnrton whwh to rt.~t. llrl\' l' the John \i.G3; xi.31.
c. Wh11t 11n lntclll~cnt author alllrt1L of fll(umti.-e l~ry I~ fnr mon' truly 11nd corl"C'Clly ap1)1ieable to the !><'lcncc or correpon<leuces. "Il the cxeellcnro of tblll mode of Jl('Rkln1t, lhat it I not 1oaftned tO the p<'OPI<' or 811)' partlrular llRltCJll or llllKUt,'\', but n11J1li"" IL"t'lf l'<1nully to ail l11e nations Of the <'ftrlh, and ;, uufvcrsal. lt wa. not 111t1ndh,nn<I ChriKllnn nl,1ierusa tlm1' RDI i' 0( t'<lmmon bcll~fit lO ail ~S antl nll pla<'.... Wul'I arc chanir,ahle: la.nll'U.llC\' hns lJ<-cll rouf.mndc<I; and men ln dlncn'nl part or the world are ui1l11tcllilrlhlt tn one another Il.< l>arbarlan; but the vill>lc works of nnturt. arc not ~uh)'<'t to any '"'h confn>lon; the)' "JX'>lk to n uow the samc 11. the) 'l)l)kt ln the earllc-l ab'("., 11nd th,.ir lauguagp wlll la't a long a' the world hall remaln, wlthoul IJelug com1ptt'<I."li'. Jo11c1, Lut. Oil IM Fig. Lang. qf .<;crip., p.
"<1li"N"oal kttigu"O"" ,. hlch

N OT A FANC!FUL OR VJS/ 01\'ARY TJ/EORY.
109
t races in liYing charncters, amid the boundless works of creativc energy, the divine Iovo nn<l wisdom of their all-glorious Auihor. As the objects of the outwnrd universe arc th us contemplated, they awaken dcvotional feelings and kin<lle heavenliest aspirations, and the divinity of the W ord becomes, ns it were, identical with the grent laws of creation and life; its truth is established beyond ail controversy nnd doubt.
"Theauthorof'JTa&/<lrlhtT!mes, lxxxlx., spcaking of the pccullur pbm:seology of Scripture, says (and bis arguments woultl have been still more weighty nnd oomindng had he bcen Q{'qunintcd with the Sl.'ienNl of corrcspon<leneell), "Nominallsts arc rcady enough to say, [thnt this mode of wriling) I the lmix-rlctlon of language; the Al mighty hlmself, eondesccndlng to makc use of hwnan words und ldloros, eould not othcrwisc eomey ideas of the spi rituai world than by Images and tcrms tnken from objccts of sense: Or a~in: It i.s the genlus of orlcntalism; if God vouehsafed to addteoi1 the men of any partiouln.r Ume and country, He would adopt the modes of speech sulted to th1<t lime aud country.' Or, The whole ls mere poet ka! omameut, the veblcle of moral or bis torl~al truth, framed to be beaut.lfied and eognging ln lts klnd, ln merc Indulgence to the lntlrmity of human nature.' "But would Il not be enough to say, in imswer to ail tbe stntements together, that cven if granted ln fact, they f.UI as explana lions, slnce the qnctlon woulcl immcdiatcly O<'CUr, who made Ianguage, or orlcntallm, or poetry, what they respe<'th-cly are? Wns lt not One who kncw bcforchand tbat He sbould adopt !hem one day as the rhnnncl and conveyance of bis trnth and hl, wlll to manklnd ! Surcly rcason and picty IA.'l\Ch us lhat UOd's provi<lcncc preparc<l languftl.."C in gencrnl, e.nd csperiAlly the languagesof Iloly !lcrl1>turc and the bu man styles of ils severnl wrltcrs,ftS fltm.fflla througb which his !<11pcr natuml glorles and dcaUngs mighl be dis cerne<!: and if they be so forme<\ as nc~s snrlly to givc u. notions of a rtain corn: 1.oudencc betwccn the supcniatural and visible, we ean bardly hclp eonclw.ling Chili such notions were lntendcd tu be formcd by
tL-1'."
The same writer p=eeds tbus: "If the whole werc mere nccel<'ity, ari.Jng out of the impcrfert!on of human speech, or if Il were oriental boldnC"8 of phrase or ptl<'al omrunent, the >-mbols would prol.ihly he more varie<\ than we find thcm to lie-the
sa.me extcrunl object wouJd nutso constuutly
O(...'CUr to
cxpn.~,_~
tln:
sum~
lnvihtl>lc thiug,
through so large a collcct.lon of compitlons, so wldely dlffcring in style and tone. As to the Imperfection of human speech, wc ail fcel every ho ur how it causes us to modlfy and alter our Images; we 1.Bkc the be>t symbol whlch curs to us at the lime, but "e use il in a kind of re tlcss, unsatlsficd way, likc pcrson owore thnt lt ls notslmply the bcst; and by the lime we necd lt agaln, we have llghted, very likcly, on somcthing far trncr un<l more vivid; nml thus we go ou ln conversation or in \tritin", h.nprovin~ or marrlng ou r imagcry, os the cru.e mny be, 1>11t stlll lettlng lt be flt that it is l>y no mcans fixed and uuchangcoble. Aga.in: ns to poetlcal ornamcnt, vnriety and veniatility of resource, il is obviously a grcat ingredlent of that sort of cxcellcncy: to be always re l'Ort.lng to the samc similitude or am\IOjzy would rathcr, of course, betra)' waot of ski li or power. The third solution, lhatofor1cnl afm, mny sccm at flrsl sight to be more !lt isfactory as to this partirular eircurostnnce of the salllc figure constant.ly n.-pcat.c<l. Grnntr ing, howevcr, that the lik'rnture of Ulc Eubt.em nntlons is, in some respects, Uke thcir mttnners, more flxed and monotonous tban ours, and acco"lingly lht it U""8 to exprN<S lhings out of sighl by a certain uniform lm ngcry, s11ggesting the notion of a scllie<I and urnlers!Dod imagcry, yct, in the flrst plaoe, wo know not how fr this lltcraturo may have been origiually modellc<l in the Ilcbrew !'orlpture~. instee.d of tbcir takhii: any tonc from ROmc prcYlous fonn of lt1 the very existence of whleh, aftcr ail, ls l>llt c"nj~tured. Next, su('h a Ftatcment would put fn a strooger light the f1l<'I of that klnd of style hnvi11g bccn adopte...:! h)' the lloly Ghosl, whercby lts symboUcal words would sm to be rnised to the rank of dl vine hlcrogl)"Ph le<!, so to rall thcm. "The fixednc><', therefore, or the Scriptural imager) d0<...,, not sm Io be sumciently nc~ount~'ll for by uny criticisms of Ibis klnd; but it. ls neoouuk'<l for if we :<uppOSe th mut<'rlctl worhl orlglnnlly oonstrucl<.'d wlth n ,lcw tol the snc<M analogies whlch tllil yn>llicnl nlphul..-tof 13cripture (If we mil) > dcno1uioatt it) e,u~?Csta."-Pp. 171-S.
10
LlO
TIJE SCIENCE OF CORRESI'ONDE.VCES
If the Word ha<l been written without a litera} scn~e exnetly cor rcspon<ling to itR inward spirit, a medium of co11ju11ction bctwccn heaven and earth, ange!~ and men, would have lx.>en wanting, an<l thcre woul<l have bn no ground or basis on which divine truth rnuld have rested, so ns to remni.n fixcd with man. Att.endaut angcls eau perccive the spiritual seme while man peruscs the letter in faith nn<l sinrerity, evcn whcre he is not acqu1utc<l with the internul sen.."C, nn<l be eau claim a holy state of a<ljunction with them ; but when the gcnuine doctrines of the lettcr an<l the truths of the internal l!cnse are acknowledgcd by him, and rcceived in aflction, he may then enter into a blesscd state of u.ssociation and coujunctiou with thcm. "The lit<I'lll sen~e of the 'Vord is also a dcfcnce for the genuine truths concealed in it, lest they shoul<l suifer violence; tui<l the defence consists in this, thnt the litera} scnso can be turned every way, in ail directions, and be explained according to the rendcr's apprch<.>nsion without its internai being hurt or violnted, for 110 hurt ensucs from the litcral sense being un<lerstood differcntly by <lifferent people. But the danger is, wben the di vine truths wbic h are hiddcn therein are pervcrtc<l, for it is by this that the W ord sufl'crs violence. To prcvent which, the literal sense is its defncc; and it operat as sueh a defenoo witb tho:;e who are undcr the influence of rcligious crrors, and yet tlo not confirm thcm in thcir mimis; from these the 'Yord suffors no violence. The literai sense, acting as a guard or defencc, is significd by the ebcrubim in the W ord, nnd is nbo describe<l by them."-D. S. S.,
Il.
97.
Swedenborg cluci<lates thii; intercsting point most convinciugly, \\ here he :,iays, "That the \\' onl without i~ litera} scn..coe would be like a palace without a foundation; that is, likc a palace in the air aud not on the groun<l, which could only hc the shadow of a pnlare, and must vanish away; nlf'O, tbat the 'Vor<l, witbout its literai i<rnse, would be like a temple in hieh there are mauy holy things, nud in the midtst 1ereof the holy of holies, without a roof and walls to form the containants thcreof; in whicb ca."C its holy tbings would be plundcred by thieves, or be violated by the bea.~ts of the cartb and the
'1
"ln readlng the Blhl~ for Word of Godl. you cannot afold p.~l\'ing tlutt all the prophets and all the i;acr.:d wrltN"! """ the ll1;urntlve langunge of 1mrable. lt I the lnnguage of lusplratlon ami the 1<ymholknl language of nature.'' "l be >pcraUons of
the >pirltunl and morfil klngdoms in man are typifi<'d, '" tcto, by tbo of tllc Jdn 1 <)ms of nftturu, as lt i i.-rmro by phtl060phcrs."-&aa11 on Univcrl<ll A~, pp. 15,
:)1), :li!.
NOT A FANC/FU/, OR V!SIONARY Tr!EORY.
111
birds of heav<.'n, ami thus hc 1f~ipatecl. I n like mannC'r it woul<l ho like the t11bern11cle, iu tlw inrnost pince wheroof wns the nrk of the tOv<.'uant, und iu the mi1hllc part the golden enll<llestick, the golden ulttu' for iucelll!e, and also the table for 1<hew-breml, which wcre iU! holy thinjt8, "ithout its ultimates, -which were the curtnius antl ,eils. Y t'a, the Wor \dthout its litera! scnse wonJ.I ho likc the human h01ly \1 ithout its covcrings, which are called skius, au<l without its supporte~. whieh are callcd bou, of which, supposiug it to be clcprivetl, it..., iuuer parts mu~t of ue&;ity he clispel"O('(l and pcrL~h. I t would ul"'' be like the hcart and l uni,'1.l iu the thorax: deprived of thcir N>\'Cr ing which is called the plwra, nnd thcir supporters which nre calll.'cl the rihs; or like the brain without its covcrings which are calle(l the dura 111aler ancl pia mata, and without its common co,crinj!, C'nll tniunnt and firmament ''hicft is callod the skull. Such would be the ~tate of the Vford without its literai ~euilC; whereforc it is saie! in I~aiah, that 'the L ord will croate upon ull the glory a covering'" (iv. 5).-S. S., o. 33.
CHAP TER VII I.

TUE n1Fl"ERE'1CE fll-:'TWEEN TllE .APPARK.'<T AND GENUIYE TnurHil OF TIIlt
LITERAL SE'1Sl: OP THE IloLY Wono Exl>LAIN.&D AXD 1LLi;,,'Tiutt:11.
mnny parts of the sacred Scripturos,61 however, particulnrly in the Go~pelt<, we f1d truc doctrine plninly revealod for the ~iwple in hcart,-"thc babes in Chri.<;t" ( 1 CQr. iii. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 2); but would we behold the hidden splcndors 0~1e1wcn, which fill the inner ('ourts of the sanctunry, "the everlasting gntcs must be unfolrlcd,"11c must enter through "the \eil," and as wc mcclitate on whnt we l'l'C, wc cnnnot fail to ndopt the exclamation of the patriarch, and ""Y "ThL'I is none other thnn the house of God, and this is the gate of henvcn" (Gen. xXYii. 17). Xor let it for one moment be supposoo thnt the internai :1eme of Scripture invnlidntes or injures, in the elightcst degree, its cxtrin~ic meaning nnd nuthority. On the contrary, as the soul nnimnte~ nucl confer" <lignity on the body in which it dwell~, !<O the :1piritual ~ense gi 1 cs life to and exnlts the literai ~en~e, which is arknowledgccl to be cruinently holy in conscqu<'nre of the he:wmly mcaning of which it 8 the rcpository, and which, far frnm bcing dispnragod, is prcservetl by it and for it with the mi srrupulous exactn<.>;i,.<:. Of the \ Vord of Go<l in both senscs it mny he truly ;;ai1l, in the lnnguage of the nuthor of the Epi.~tlc to the Ile""Therc I~ a triklng 1111.S&!{C ln Augu.'<- 1lng not only Io floed all wlth obvlou trnth, Une," say~ th<' author or 'I'radsfor IM TimCJJ, but nbo to <'Xcrcise nml pro,c an hr lh11t lxxxlx., p. n, w!Jl<'h t'olke~.as ltwcrc, lnto lrut.b whl<'h l nmolc li'<>m vicw: 11~' 1111? in & !>'>iul, lbr rnufe<-.<ion on tbls he&<l o r C\ery !t.n-a<y p&rt.<\1 hntcver Il haro part.sroutsln. i,-eawration o b<>licvcn: 'The Mylc !t-elf ln llut k.-t belu-: opeu to 'lcw, tbcy Fhoultl lnwhkh lloly l'<rlptnro I~ framc<I. how open <'urrontcmpt,thcl!ltmc lrnlhsagainare nuvlc I Il to cvery one's nrprollch, how lm1JOSI- <k~lmble hy Nmeealment; to mecl t.llc tleblc to be O<'Al'('hcd ont hy any bull\ \try few ! ~lrc, they Il'(', ... Il w<rc, J>rodo<'Ctl 1111cw; \\hat lhlni:- Il <'Olllllln thot arc obl<>usand an<l tiein~"' n:ncwcd, thcy fnslnna!A.' lhemop<>n, the<t', llkc a fnmlllar frfcnd, lt pcah 'cives wlth a kfnd of dcUght. Thu "hole1>fmply to the h~'flrt, 11oth of unlcnrn~<I and somc correction ls providcd for <'ornapt ha.rned. A to those, 1111 the othcr hnnd, 1nh1d, wholcsome nourl~bment for ft-cble "hlch il bldl' ln mrtcrk,., nelthcr rloes it minci, a.ntl wholomc cujoymcnt for l!l"CAt ekvate lhrm by Ion r<.~h. ~u"h M mlght mlnd"- Thal mlnd alune J.s set ~>11lnt tltls cht..r !rom a ueanr approoda the dnll 110<1 kttching, lhat, dthcr lhrough crror lrnows nntuughl mimi, as R p<ir m11n ><nuNlmc- 1 nnt lts hcalln1: 1>0wcr, or through flfclcne!<S r.11r< to npprc11h n rlrh 011c; but !'trlr>turc lnnthe& lins rocdlcinc.' "-J;'.137,i 18, 1. li., p ln\ites an Il) a Io" i kl11d of pccah, lutcull- alO.
lx
112
API'A.RE.YT ,t,\'D RE.J.L 1'Rl/T/lS OP SC/lll'1'l'RE.
113
bre\\8, that it "is 11uick, and powcrful, nud i<harp<r thnn any h\O
1.'tl!,"'" sword, piercin;: evcn to the <lividing nsuuder of 8t>Ul and spirit, und <>f the joints a11d mnrrow, und is a discerner of the thought:; ami
intcnts of the heurt" (\'. 12). The lt'ttcr is com1=1.'d for acceptnncc. I t calls "sinncrs to repentance" by cxcitiug thcir hopcs aJHl nwnkcning thcir fcnrs. Externnl promil!CS nre nnncxcd to obedicncc, tbrcntcnings to disobe<lience. To adapt its iuw:ml 11pirit to the lm1t nud weakt, nppe:mmccs of truth, or truths ns thcy present them~clve- to the natural under~tnn<lings of men, are oftcu ~ubstitutcd for gcnuine trutll', things relative for thiugs nlm>lute. W ithout impairing the intrin~ic verity, the vnluc, the purity, or the efficacy of the Wor1l, in the l!nst, the most snlutury lcssons arc prc.-<!nted thereiu, und<'r cwry l)()l;"iblc diversity of forin, and so wondcrf'ully and mercifully !I the\\ holc nccommodated to <'very chnrnctcr, u111l brought down to the level of cvcry apprehen~ion, that all mirnl~, both ~impie and intelligent, the illitt'rate and the lcarncd, mny be {('r:tdnally lcd, by menus of it, from the ~la very ofsin fui propcn.sitic.~ arnl hnbits, to the liberty of hc:wcn,-from spiritual dnrlrncss to God's murvcllous light,-without injury to thcir frceilom. Thcsc adaptations of truth to the vmieties of humnn perception may be compnred to lcn!'C!' of Yarious power&--eonv('x for one, concave for anothcr. Thcre are aL"O numerons instan<'G' in \\ bich genuiuc o<'trinc couccrning the Lord, and the essentials of Palvation, llhine clcnrly and u11mi><t11 knhly, evcn through the cortex of the lctter.ee T hese agr cc in e\"cry respect with the <leeper truths of the iuward 11pirit, nllll ma.y alwuys be unive!'l'ally rccognizcd. Ai; the miwl re<'civcs and ohey>', it becomcs expnnc lcd and clevntcd, prepared for higbcr dcg~ of ~1>iritual light and 1t:;<!fulncss. It is likc the dawn wbich preccdcs the ri~ing of the sun, or the spring which heralds the coming ycar. Nor must we omit to notice the frt thnt ail the grcat doctrines of
"'l'l'<' Mattxxil.lfi; '""" xlv.2!; Mati. xfx. 17; ,John xh.9.10; Uc\. >.~U. l:.!. .. \l't' h&ecompan-d tl1r MU'roCUle Wurd oC<;.)(j to the ldn that coeN !be body, &IHI Il hfdden Mntcm' l<'I the lntrrior on:sna and mcmbc>rs; . . . hut to ilhimate the l't\'l!l"nt rubjcet. tllc lloly ll'ord may be romp11red to a b<'11ulil\JI f1mnlo cJothe ~attr part uf the lctter of the "<'rlpture< Mn.-1'<1 oC truth \-Cile be kuoy,n un npt'nly<li<playecl."-\"OOle' PleA. /UIJ>., p.
11~._
~o .\ugu.<tine,clle<l hy Jllhopllall,1.1ert.., "Tluro i notFO mucb clU!Jculty in thc!'cripture' toeome toth.,..ethl11,.. whfrh arenc<'C!! Mry to 'alvation."-Rp. a. And ln anotbcr plnr<'," In the""' thinl!"' "hlrh arr op<'nly laid lO\\.U Sn ~ripture. an foUll4l all th<' thlnp "hlrh rontain our /ai'A and ru/a of life."De Doct. Cf<ri1., IU., c. 9.
10*
li
114
1'/IE SCIEY ('E OF CO!lllESI'O.VDEKCES.
the Christian religion, those which iuvolve the firsl steps of moral <luty nnd nre cssentinl to salvation, must clenrly and lcgibly be 1lrawn from, and supported by, the liternl scn~e of the " ' ord, in which divine truth lies couched in nll its fuln~s and power. lt is the "hem" of the Lord's outer garments, whence henling virtue ll<lues forth on every side (l\Iatt. xiv. 36). Just as appcaranccs in the works of God are to bo explnincd by the asccrtaine<l de<luctions of scientific rescarch, so the appc.arnnccs of truth in the letter of the W ord of God must be expounded by the fo.cts of true doctrine in or<ler to harmoniz with genuine wisdorn.10 The fallacies nrising from primary impressions on the mind are " truths in the time of ignorance," anrl hnYe to be rcmoved or disi;ipnted in the progrcss wo make in ail kinds of knowlcdge. Nor, constitutod ns wo arc, capable of an everlasting ndvuncemcnt in intelligence, il; this :my imperfection; on the coutrnry, it lies, in r<'ality, at the root of all improvement. 'Ve arc surrounded with fllacics and nppenranet-s of truth, unturnl and mental, which obl'Crvation, cxpericnce, an<l rcflcction only can cxplnin and correct. Thus ail things nppear to originate from more nature. The 11un uppcars to move d11ily round the eart11, to rise in the cast and to set in the WCl't. It appe:us to us as though we behclcl objccts out of the
"!'ce Rom. 1. JG; Ps. xxix. 4 ; Lute lv. 32; [ecrnoc.i]; whreos the plaNll! whcrc lt h .Us l 'i&. vi. 20. clot1e<lnro uncqulvocal,nmlngree only\\IU1 '""The truths of the lltA!ral ..cnsc of the the spiritual sensc."-l'll.4rhal'8 Tlwugld&
Word ftre, ln oomc ra.<e<, not naklI truths, hut only appcaraucM of truth, an<l nrc lil lmllltudes aud com11'llisons Ill ken from the obj(.'<'IS of nature, and tho.s nt'<'ommodAted and brought do\\ n to the npprchen8lon of lm pic miuds and of 1hlldren. llut whcrcas th1r are at th!.' ll'lmc tlme rort'Cllpondcu.~. thcy art' the l1'c<:pt:11'11-s and nh()(lc><of g1nu!ne truth: ancl thty are likc cont:1lnl111C \'CA
"lt ls tho nuumcr of&>rlpturc," snys Hrcg. ory of Ny...a, "U> d<"lt'rlllOl what a111iror11~ be instca the popula.r opinions and rlll!tomary phrascolOIQ' of men," lthout stril't ~lcnUfic IU'rnrary."-&ur!'rl li rntrn(U/i(', p. 11~. "An d"o-likea cry<talllne<'up contalnlngcxl- obj('('t -n in t\\O <lllTcrcnt m1lh1ru 11.ph-nt w !ne, or o ~ih1r tlih coutalnluir rich 1ican crooked or broi., n, ho...-~\ cr 'tnllJ.:ht mcnts: or th1y are 111.:e gt1rmcnt< clulhlug arnl en tire it may be lu ltself.''-Alilixtm. the ho<ly,-likc ~wu1l11llng-doths 0111111 in "f:cn the mostadvanced languni,'t' i. 1101 fnt, or nu eh'gnnt 11,...:;s on a ht1ntlfl1l vlr- yct, nntl ncver wlll l>c ail-Or all, more t111in gin; the)' nre nJ,.1 llk the srltutlnes of the the lnugue.ge of n111ar&11res. Th~ vMble untural man,-\lhkh romprclwnI lu thcm \\OrM, much more lhl\n you sup1..c, ls a th pcrcepUous nnd affections of truth of the Jl".'"'lng 1hadow, 11 r1or of lllulon aud of phnntoms. What you ('al) a rcallty I tlll ln plrltual man." - .<;. S., n. 41J. "Whn the Worrl of <">Oil (whlrh ls truc) felfbut a phcnomenrm coosidel'('\ ln relA1' lltcrally fuise, lt ls splrltnally tmc. This lion to a more cxaltcd reality, and to an ul ~plrltu11l scn'c ls covcrc<l by anotlwr, lu a wrlor unalysis. .. 'rhc cxprcs.,ion or np v..t nnmber of 1111l<'l'S, and uncov~rcd ln f'C"lf&llc<'S, aordln11ly, provldcd lt t.. ex""'"~.-ra.rely, lnd,~, bot ncwrth!'lt<s ln art,!~. arnong m~u. phllOflOphi<'ally t'Ol'l\'<t, uch a ml\nncr thut the plat' "hrc lt ls ami what it beho\cd the "criplltl'(' 111 l'ID conccakd nrc<quhocol,and agrw w lth bvth 1ploy.''-Qa..-n' Th"'Jmciul?t, pp. Z:~l.
APPARENT AND RE.AL TRUTUS nF SCRII'TURE.
115
eyc or nt n di~t:mce from u~. The !!ky o\cr our hcnds nppcars conc.we, the enrth hcncnth our foct ns a plaiu. The~c nppenrauces \\ith mnny othcrs nre so <lcscrilwd in the lettcr of the Wor<l; but the gcnuinc truth obtnincd by ~cientific invc~tigation nnd rntionnl analysis, i~, we know, the revcl'!!C of nll this, when wc suhstitute stntes of lifo for spncc and lime. To spenk nceording to apparent truths, however, JJe;t !!Uits the univers.'ll form.s of ordinary intercouncc, and is sufficient for nll the prnctical purpes of life, bccausc lll'!lt n<lnptcd to the apprchension of nll; and whcn tlie renlities and gcnuinc fuels arc un<lcrstood, tbis mode of speech is attended 11 ith no difficulty wlmtcvcr. To spcnk according to appearancc,s hns hccn well <lescribc<l hy Grimlou ns the grc~t {aw of la11g1wge, "becausc nll lnngungc <lenli; pritnarily with ultimntcs nud cxternnls," or whnt ill firsl presmtcd to the outwar<l scnscs and to the npperceptions of the exlernnl min11. Nay, furthcr, the Jangunge of nppcaranccs is equnlly well, and in some cases, perha~, fur hetter and more unfrersnlly, adnpted tl) the exprc:-~ion and apprchemion of truth thnn the correct tl1eory aud nomenclature of science, which are alwnys chnnging, or the strict lunguagc of i1hilosophy, which would be unclcrstood hy fcw unaccustomcd to abstract iuquiries. Even in rcligious doctrines many follacies exist, which expcriencc alune cm1 rectify. For instance, it appenrs to ~me, cvcn honc~t, mimis, thnt faith alonc saves man from sin, and to others, thai b'nod \\orks alone are the ground of acceptancc with God. Frmn the rucre appear:mccs of the liternl sen!JC of Rcripture, many hayc inferred that Go<l is nngry and vindiclive und delights in puuishing the sinncr for bis transgressions; that the !'OUl is a merc vapor, and the spiritual worhl a mysterious voi<l; that the body will risc nt somc future day from the grave, and the earth will be sublimated into a hcnvcn, and thnt hca,cn and its joys arc the cnpricious gifl of God, and will ewn horrow confirmation of the opiuiolll! from the Jettcr of the \Yorcl. But ail su<'h view~ are the ott;..pring of appcaranr<'l! mistnkcn for l'\':llitie::s, ::m<l of su hscquent fllacious rcasonini,rs thereon, which eau only be correctc<l and 1fHipnte<l by n right dil;crimination bctwecn apparent and genuinc truths, according to the rulc of interpretation hcre nclvocatcd. It is even ao with natural knowledge. \Vliile one mind will perceivc a 8Ccntific law in its native lustre, auothcr, without a c1ue~tion of insincerily, will have but an oh:.cnrc ica of it; a third '' ill regnre>, and a fourth will cntirely rejcd it llll nbsolutely faL-e nn untennblc. Heucc we arc snpplic<l
116
11 ith
TJ/E SCIF..YCE OF CORRESPONDENCES
nu incontrovcrtible :ugurncut in fvor of tho uccesi;ity of the \\' or<l of God, as wc fincl it, bciug outwarl) suitcd to the early statCll of all for whom it Wl\8 <lcsignc. Ail men are first cxterual au<l carnal, and hy nature incline~) only to what is evil; yet thcy have to be imprcsscd with the indi-.peu.~bfo truth of God's exitencc and governmcnt and the hatefuln!.'811 of r:;in, 0cfore they eau trust ls guiclancc, be rcclnimcd from iniquity, attniu ncwn~ of heart and life, becomc spiritually-mindl-'<I, and have correct ieas of spiritual things. "Howbeit,'' saith the apost.le Pnul. "that was not first which is spiritual, but that "hicb is natural; and nfterwanl that \1hich is spiritual" (1 Cor. xv. 4Ci). "But tho naturnl man rccciveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolii-.hne-~ uuto him; ncithrr rnn be know thcm, becau:<e they arc spiritually disecruc" ( 1 Cor. ii. 14). A child, for instance, scc:i nny givcn truth rcluting to the lifc and concluct mercly in ita !!mplo nppcnrnnce, 110 that parental affection will as:-ume the form of :m~r, and parental instruction the form of cruelty; but a young man will pcrccive the same truth in a Jess irnpcrfcct sto.tc of the int~llcct, ancl i:ce it in anothcr light; mature a~, howcver, will ngain strip it of man y a<lventitious covcrings; whilo old age will look at it in a bigher clcgrcc of light, aucl sec it in a totally ditfcrcnt point of view, :md will from long cxpcriencc and oh~enation adopt tm enfor only \\hat l! l!enuine." 'Vhcn the deludcd sensualist, thcreforc, npproachcs the Divine "'ord, he 500.'I, as hc only can see, no fur1cr than the mcrc appcaranccs C>f the letter. Ile is warne<l to escape "the "rnth to corne." Ile i:i threntencd, thnt bis nntural fcars and bopes may bo awakcned, nn<l thnt hc mny be im11~ with bis awful <1tnte by nature and by choicc. He looks at the Lord as "nn austerc man" and a "bard m11Ster." He is thus, mny be, incluced to seek deliv"Take ns an lllutmtion the peUUon ln the 1 nn<t be pray11 for light and kno'\ lcd,,. ln Lord l'l'ayer, "cave us thls day our dnily ~t~nd of the literai focKI of hlij chlldhOO<I bref\!!." The chll<I uucn Il. and la taui:bt An<I still on, when intclll~'l!nco hua .,..,. fmrn lt that all thnt hc cn)0)11 is a'b1olull'ly kelll'fl hls un1lcrstandl11g, hc~ the nd or 1;ivcn t.y the Lord. Jlut M <'hildhoocl ptl''('!. FJllritual wlMlom, and bc~ru; to <.'ftn:h fr lt nway, hc di00\ cl'8 that hl food an<l clothes 1 ln the Word of<lod, to n"gcncrnto hl~ h~l\rt are the results of the labor of bis JIOl'l'nl.., An<l llfe. Ilt> tlll u""' the same words, lmt and now he pray for llfc l\nd lltttnllth for pra) for lnl('rlor Jighl. And whcn th! ls thcm. In youtb hc l<aru thnt though thP)' rnu<'hsnf<'<l. lt knchM hlm lhat beyond all lahor, lt is "Oord low of (lot( ln bl8 .oui-and at the divin."" h I own wnrk n "'rll M on hi Jlllrtnl5. fioMool of hl Jo'alhcr he -eelcs an<\ "'"' f.ir Whcn ynutb JW-<'~ and mnnhoorl cll\wn'. hc thl\ love ln the wur to pril)Pr. "Glv~ u titi~ day our <lally brea<L" .:uidc him srli;:ht, an<l now hc thlukK or 11 -Eo. oplrlrual bread on wbkh hl> M>ul can live.
0
APPARENT Ai\D REAL TRUTIIS OP SORIPTURE.
117
eranee from evil and error, and, in dependenee on Him who is" mighty to save," is eneouraged to take the first step in the path of repentance. The simple in henrt and mind np11roaeh the same W ord, they read and un<lerstan<l its doctrines,. and ubcy its preeepts in simplicity, and partake of its un~peakable eonsolntions, rejoieing ns from time to time they see "greater things thun thcse." When the intelligent, who have made some progress and aequired somc cxpericnec in the rcgenernto life, rend the \Vord, they ean more cle.'lrly and rationally see the unfolclings of the interna! sensc; and, as they advanee in goo<lncss, will have still <leeper mysteries and more glorious wonders displaycd to their delighted view, until "pcrfect love <'asteth out fear" (1 John fr. 18), and the light shining brighter and hrighter upon thorn revenls the open day, and euables them to discern truths in that light by which angels see. (Prov. iv. 18.) "For we know in part," says the apostle Paul, " and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfcct is corne, then that which is in part shall be donc away. When I was a child, I s1iake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought ns a cliild; but when I becamc n mun, I I)Ut away childish things. For now we see through a glu.~, dnrkly ; but thcn, fnce to face: nnw I know in part; but then shall I know evcn as also I am known " (1 C-or. xiii. 9-12)." So also the Lord himself, who is "the snme yesterday, to-day, and forever" (Heb. xiiL 3), is perceived and acknowledged, ns to bis Divine chnracteristics, just in proportion as truth is unfolded and purity of heart is attnined. He is regnrdcd in man's first efforts as a stem teaeher, before He can be secn as the God of all wisdorn and whose laws all proceed from his unbouncd love; but whcn mnn has made advanced progress in the regenerate life, and hns beeome pnrtially aequninted with the influence of love upon hL~ henrt, in ail its benutiful and tender varieties, then, and not till thcn, can be sec God as He really is, love itself and wisdom itself. And these changes of state are obviously finite, and attaeh only to the creature, and in respect to God him:<elf are but appcarances of truth. 11
,. .. Now, we sec by mee.us of a. mlrror re 1slgnltic11tlon) is se.id to be Uke appla of ()<;l fl<'<'tlng the lmai:cs of hcavenly and spirltunl ln 11rtfflwk of Bllt'<'r, the mca.nlng ls. thtlt the th!ngs, ln an cnf~atiral mnnner, Invisible e:tltTlor scn"C of such word I s:ood and pre thlngs bclng rer?'C"Cntclc: plrltnnl rfous os ti!m", but that the i""1Wr' ls y<t hy natural; etcrnal l>y t.cmp<>rol."-Dr. A. mueh more cxcelle11t; thls bcing ln romC/ltrks O>mment. )Wlfl"n or the o/Nr, prop<>rtionably ru; gold
13"You know,"obsf'nCfoi ;\Jnfmonldcs. "who.t 1s to tilt~ in value. Nor ls thL~ nll, but it
the wl..c man says ( ProY. xxv. 11): A uV>rd ha.~ y~t this fa.rthrr mMnlng, vlz.. that thon i)>Ol:cnaording to hl Iwo fare, is os appk likewlse I somethlng ln the e:tter/()7' '*'D', <>f gold '" net-work of <Jlver. Thel'\'fre. !ha~ natnrnlly lea<1' IO a closer inJ>e<'lion
when a worrl fiJ'Okf'n flNhnlln.n tol.Jflll ilfl jtuv~ 1:rnl <'Ontddf\rntlon of the lntcrlor. without (lbat IB, according t.o its c:itcrior and lut.cri ir whi<-h lhi would not be ol.iecrvcd. ~en tUI
118
TJ/E SCIENCE OF CORRESl'O.VlJESCES.
In accommodation to lnunnn di.cernment, the lcttcr of the sacrc<l W or sometimes spcuks of the Lord as huving h.'! dwelling-placc above the outward fir1Dn1Ul'nt; a.s plea..<>etl or disp]CUSC(} with cvcry Hcparntc action and thought of cacl1 single indiviual; as changing his min<l; as capricionsly sccming to grnnt admission into hen.ven for n rcwar<l, and as nrbitrnrily casting into hcll as a punishmcnt Lo chn~lil'e mnn for trnn.grc:-ilions ngninst hiR prc<'cpl:;; n111\ as nttrihutiug to H im e\.il as well ns good,-clecting !'Orne nn<l rejccting otherR, ru1 nJ.,,.ent nt one time nnil prcnt nt nnother, roming down an<l going up, sccing and not sccing, kno"ing nnd not know ing.1 In such Inn ~uage of mere nppear:mce is the truth prcsent<>il to us in the l<>tt<'r of tho W ord, and thus adnptc to the stntes of the unrcflccting and 1hc sim1)lc; but the who have advanced in Hlntcs of intclligon<o may plainly perccive thnt the kingdom of J1cn\eu is WJTIHN (:lfntt. xii. 28; Mark i. 1.); Luke xvii. 20, 21); t11nt Go"~ihly hu\e any favorites, for Ile is justice it.<>lf nn<l is no respecter of ])('r><ons (2 ~nm. xiv. H; 2 Chron. xix. 7; Aets x. ~4; Rom. ii. 11; Eph. vi. 9; Col. iii. 2.3; 1 Pet. i. 17; James ii. !>); that He imputes cvil to no one (2 Cor. v. Hl) ; thnt He is omui~rimt and omnipr<'SCnt; that as sin on mnn's pnrt nh~trnets uothiug from his infinite perfcc tinns, foi Ile is go0<hWS.'l ihmlf ( Ps. cxlv. 9), and truth itsclf (.John xiv. 6), and unehang<>nbly the snme (?!fol. iii. G), tberefore both !In nnd it.s torment mul"t origiuntc with man; for ns man nccepLs or abjures the invitation~ of the ~nviour, be sccurcs the things bclonging to his eternal pcacc nn<l joy, or, on the contrary, is the nrtificcr of his own misery, and brings upon himsclf the eondign punishmcnt he suffers. The grent and gcnuiue truth, eonfirmcd by wisclom nml cxprricnce, is, that thr mimi forms its 0\111 heuvcn or its own hrll
an anilr of gr>ld M'l!red (u aforctoa.lolJ tt.iJh a tby of n OtrUitian."-Citi. b11 Jia/Jbwa11, .. 1rrr nt (ll'<Jrk, If you !!Wtd loO fr off, or do ter and Sjiirit;' l'i' 4, ~.
"ut
not look att.cntivcly at lt.. ~Dl!I to })('an I H "lt 1,.. N\)"I ClrC'ro, .. the oommon opln "'' Dut whcn the &tlcntfon of one "ho ion of ail phllt1pben, ofwhat st f'O('V<'r, ha.. good ryca. I attrart.cd lty tho tt.orth a1><l thnt the ])('!ty cnn ncfther be &n<(r)' nor huri bffluly of the iJttt, to look more nl'1\l'ly al lt, anyborly."-1* Oicli, lii. :n. he dl,<l'rlll the golden OJllilt that 11<'1! 1Yi/frl Ail ancknt Pngan writcr hM com)>Ol"'<l a 11ilhin. Ao oncnlimCl! [he m!ght hMe Milll"l'<' to show thnt the .\thef,t. 'vho 1lcnhv1>y) RI'<.' tbc wordsof the proJllll't. 'fh<'lr ni('ll a God, lllm l< d!shonnr th11n thr r;it, rW.. pnrt.' pre!<Cnt thtngg m~ny 11 R)'>l tt>' mnn who own hll\ bdni:, but nt the Mm<' rut an0 llim t.o hc cruel, ha.rd to plcnoe, montls, or for the outwanl ll'Ol<rnmmt of an<! t.crrlhh to humnn nature. "For rny own the Chnreh, nml othcr likc gond rn.....- pnrt.." AA)"~ hc, .. 1 wnuld rather lt honld ]l(' an<! n""'; whllc thc intrit"lr flllrt. nr ,.,,;,,1 .a.l Ill builrlclnu", lnltuman."-.d",.. a mr<rl<"' 1>( t'nith." "Thl I thr <xJ>O"illon 1 nid., p. 7G4. of thll.l Jrir, and ls an cxpo~!t!on not onwur
"'"'
APPARENT AND REA/, TRUTIIS OF SC/l/PTURE.
119
in time and to all etcrnity. The sympathies of our nature, our affections, and our thoughts, purified, elevated, and refined b I the opcrations of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration, "il! be forevcr active in promoting the wclfre and ministering to the ha1lpiness of othcrs, and in that glorious and ever-enlarging work finds a corresponding reward in the approval of conscience, and in a perpetual incrcnse of wisdom, love, and blcssedness; and, on the othcr hand, if selfishness rule the mind and destroy thcse sympathies, and corrupt thcse affections and thoughts, the scnsual appetites alonc remain, wbich always ministcr to clisappointmcnt, wretchcdness, punhslunent, and wrath.15 "Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil; but glory, honor, and pence to every man thnt .~orketh good" (Rom. ii. 9, 10). "llehold," saitli the Lord, "for your iniquitics have yc sold yoursclvcs" (Isa. l. 1). "They that plow iniquity and sow wickcdness, rcap the same" (.Job iv. 8). Ami again: "Your h1i<1uitics have turned away these [blw:in~], and your sins have withholdcn good things from you" (Jcr. v. 2.)). Nor is therc, as it at first sight might be supposcd, anything <lcrogatory to the character of God, nor the slightest prevarication or perversion of the truth in sueh fonns of expression; for man is horn into n.ll kinds and degrees of hercditary tendency toward evils and errors, aml it was essentinl to his frecdom and advancement in the life and light of heavcn tbat truths relating to tl1e Divine cl1arncter and O})Cmtions should be clothed with appCllrnnccs in the"'ord to suit his lowest states of thought and love. On this suhject, Swedenborg thus writes: "A further rcason why it is pennitted to think that Jchorn!_ t11l'lls away bis fuce, is angry, punishes, tempts, and even cm'Scs and kill~, is in order that men might bclieve that the Lord alono gowrns and disposes ail aud evcrything in the nnivcrse, even evil itself, pnn ishment and temptation; and whcn they have rcceived this most gcncral idea., those who eau be further fnstructcd might aftenrnr<ls ll'nrn how, or in whnt manner, He gcvcrns nnd disposes all things, and that H e turns the evil of punishmcnt and the evil of tcmplation into good" ( A. C. 245). Thus iu Isa. viii. 17 an nppn.rent truth i.s
"" Mlcry ls the natural lnevltablc eonl<!'- 1 bntlon of wreth and jcalousy Io thclr God qucn of mcn's voluntary eorr111>tlon of rould only be a figuro of speech; and what lhemoelves; and thcy who l'Mlllve all the i \VOr.<e, il I diffioult to persuade n>any with the vule:nr."-JJW.op .Brawn Dirin of the lkbrcw Jitcrature ha\'C bn orysta\ MWO<I!/, p. 3.'19. lizo<l into Christian dtrlnc."- Wit3ot1, b "The Jews dld not peroelve tba.t the attrl 1oay an. Rwirw., 9111 ed., p.171.
pnnl!~hmcn\am1 tni!-.{'rlt'\ltOfanotht'rllfe lnto (''hristian.9 or the sa.me Udng, and solcmn a pnrely [>O'<ltlve lnttietlon of ClO<I. do think . lnfercnoe from the figurative expre1don1
120
TITE BCIRNCR OP CORRESI'0Nl>RNCE8.
prcsented, calculatcd to awa,ken the attention of the mo;:t cnrelc~ readcr: "I will wnit upon the Lonl, that hid<.>th his face from the honse of Jacob." It can only be in appearnnce that the eYer-pre::..ent .Jehovah hi<les his face; just as the natnral sun appears to withdrmv when hidden by a cloud. The trnth is, that just as a clou<l rises from the earth and shrou<ls the sun from view, so do the gros.<; thoughts and persuasions, significd by a clou<l, spring from the earthly mind or carnal nature, intercept the mental vision, and prevent the be;ims of mercy, significd by the Lord's face, from being pereeivcd. As it is declared by the Lord Himsclf, "Your iniquities have separated between you and your Goa, and your sins have hi1l his facefrom you" (Isa. lix. 2). Here the genuine truth glcams through the lcttcr, and becomes manifcst; the cloud is dissipated, and the sun shines in ail his effulgence. So also, in Genesis, we rcad, "God did tcmpt Abraham" (xxii. 1). This could only be said in appearance, for the A postle James states the genuine truth wherc he says, "Let no man say when be is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted wit.h evil, neither tempteth He any man; but every man is tempted whea ho is drawn away of Ms own lust and enticcd" (i. 13, 14). Agnin, it is said, " God is angry with the wicked every da.y" (Psalm vii. 11). This representat.ion of the Almighty must be an appea.rance arising from the disposition .of the sinner bcing opposite to the nature of infinite love and zeitl, and not from any angry pas- . sion burning in the pure bosom of Deity. 'Vith the wicked, God appears to be angry "evcry day," or in every stnte, because of their wilful opposition to his 'Yord ; thcrcfore, we rcad, "'Yith the merciful th ou wilt show thyself mercifu 1, and with the upright mnn th ou wilt show tllyself upright. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the froward thon wilt show thyself unsavory [or frowa.rd]" (2 Sam. xxii. 26, 27; Ps. ~viii. 25, 26). The Apostle John, thcn, affirms the genuine truth, whatever mny be the appcarance to the contrnry, whcre be says, "God is love" (1 Eph. iv. 8); and wc are msurcd by the J,ord Himsclf that "fury is not in Him" (Isa. xxvii. 4 ), and that bis nature is unchangeable, "the same yesterday, to-day, and forever" (Hcb. xiii. 8).. It is man that hates his God, and rog:mls bis service as thnt of "n hard master" (l\fatt. xxv. 24); but God, being immutnble love and goodness, cnn ncvcr hnte the crentures of his band. "As I live, saith tl1e Lord Go<l, I have no plcnsure in the <lenth of the wickcd ; but that the wickcd turu from bis way ami live" (Ezek. xxxiii. 11 ).
.A.PP.A.RENT .AND RE.AL TRUTm~ OF SCR/PTURE.
121
1'hus, true doct rine makCR the liternl in hnrmony with the intemnl all<l reroncilcs evl'ry difficulty. l n the Piullm~ wc rea<l, "no not I hnte tl1cm, 0 Lord, thnt hate thee? I hate them \lith perfoct hntrcd, I cou nt them ruine eneruies" ( cxxxbt. 21, 22). H ow plain it i~ that the!"e words must have an inward spiritual sen.se, el!IC they c:mnot ho consistently understood, anrl would be unworthy a book whOll<' Author is love itself, and \\ho hns taught us by preccpt nnd cxnmple lo love even onr cnemi, \Tho, then, arc our encmies that wc have to hate? Th!) Lord tells us, If any man corne to me, nnd hntc not his fnther, nnd mother, nncl wife, an children, and brcthren, and sistcrs, yea, nncl his own lifo nlso, he eannot be my disciple" (Luke xiv. 26). Whnt an cxtraordinary declnration i~ thi:;, eonplcd "ith the other ! What says the Apostle John? "He that hatetb his brothcr is in darkness" (1 Epi.st. ii. 11 ). Turn to iii. 11), "Who!'O<'ver hntcth bis brother is a. murdcrer ; " nnd in the 20th verse, " If a mnn sny, I Joye God, and hntctll his brother, be is a liar." Whnt snys the di\'OC comrunu<lmcnt? "Ilonor thy futher and tliy mother: thnt thy day:; may be prolonge<l upon the lancl which the Lord thy Go<l givcth thee" (Ex. xx. 12). Ilow cnn nll this be rcconciled, unie."'~ we nllow thnt the Scripturcs contain a holy internai scnse? In tho literai scnse of the fourth commandment we are taught the doctrine of cxternal ohcdicnce, to honor and obey our natural parents; but in the spiritual and henyenly sense we are commnndccl to honor and obcy our hcavcnly F athcr, the Lord Jcsus Christ, nnd our spiritual mother, bis Church, "the bride and wife of the Lamb;" or, in unothcr scnse, t o celcbrnte bis dhine goodness or love, und bis divine wh<dom or truth, by a. life of or<ll>r; then will ou r days be prolonge<l, or, according to the spiritual idea, then shall wc ncquire a fitness for en<lless life in the he.wenly Canaan. In nn opposite sense, our o" n fthcr ru1d 111otl1cr, and the cnemie::s YVhom we have to hate with perf1.>ct hatrcd beforc wc can become the Lord's disciples, nre the unclcan and unholy hcreditary prineiples of cvil and fabity in the unrcgen cmte mind; for they nre the parents and kindred of its impure gratifications, whcrcin its J egradcd life consists. This fnthcr and rnothor, to~cthor with ail thcir corrupt ofilpring, yen, and our own impure lifc nl~o, wc are to bate, to ahhor, to cnst out, nnd to destroy their dominion \\ithin us, ns it is "ritten, "J<'or 1 am corne to set a man nt variance agninst his fatlwr, and the dn ughtcr against hcr mother, nncl the dnught<r-in-lnw 1tgninst hcr mothcr-in-Inw. And a mrm's fo<>.;; shnll l>c thcy of hi:> 0\111 houS<'hold. Ile thal findcth hi,; lif
een.~e,
H
122
Tl/F: SCIENCE OF CORRESPO.\"DRXf'F.S.
iihall 10110 it; and he that loseth his lifo for my sak<' i>hnll fiml it" (1\fatt. x. 35, 36, 39); and, again, " H appy i:hall hc be that tnketh thy Jittle ones," 0 dnughter of Babylon, "nnd dasheth them ngninst the stoncs" (Psalm cxxxvii. 9). In Genesis we rend that "it repcntcd the Lord thnt H e had mn<le mnn on the earth, and it grieved Him nt his heart" (vi. 6). Herc, ngain, \l' e have nn apparent truth, reimlting from mnn's rehcllious disobe<licnce and obstinnte impenitence, mcntioned in the previous ,erec, nn<l h<'nce a change is ascrihcd to the Di,ine Being; but He dcclnres his own truc chnrnctcr where He says, "God is not n man thnt He i>hould li<', uor the son of man thnt He should repent" (X um. xxiii l!l). So, ngnin, wc rend, "the Lord hardcned Phnraoh's hcnrt" (Ex. vii. 13). This nlso is expreiiscd necor1ling to the appearnnce, nnd in nccommodntion to the stntc of the Isrnelitcs, who suppOl'ed thnt whnt the Lord permittcd H e willc<l. The genuine trui is IL""ertc<l in Ex. viii. 13, 32, where it is twice snid, "Phnmoh hardt'ncd his own hcart" (sec also l Snm. vi. 6). By grief and repcntnnec, when prcdicntcd of ,Jehovnh, nre signific<l, in the interna] scn~c, the operntions of hi." <li\ine mercy and \\ i8dom, which nrr spok<'n of so as not to transcend finite conception~. in agreement with the nnture of mercy and forgiveness a~ C'x<'rci<'<l amon~ men; and for the snme rcason human propertics und characteristics arc so often ascribed to the Lord. On this part of our rnhjeet, Swedenborg thus writ: " ' Vhosocvcr jq clispos<'fl to confirm folse prineiplcs by nppcnran<'<'S, nceor<liuJ! to whieh the"'ord is written, mny do so in innumcrnble instances. But there is n cliffcrence betwC<'n confirming fol!'C ])rinciplcs by PM'ngcs from the \\'ord, nnd hclieving in l'implicity \\hnt is Ppokcn in the 'Voril. H e who confirms fnl!'C principlcs, firi1t n!'sumc.q some principle of his own, from which he i~ unwilling to cpnrt, nnd whosc nuthority be i~ <letermined nt nll ewntq to support, for" hich purpose he collects and nccumulntc<1 eorrobornting proofs from cvery qunrter, conse111cntly from the 'Vonl , till hc i.'! so thoroughly self-pcnsun<fo1l with rc1-rnrd thcreto, that he cnn no longer see the truth. But who@o<.>ver in simplicity, or out of n !<impie heart, helieves what is spokcn in the ' Vor<l, 'lo<s not fil'f't assume principlcs of his own, lmt thinkR what i~ i,.pokt'n to be truc, becnu,:c the I ..<ird spukc it; nnd in C.'18(' he is in~truct<'<l as to the right umleri:tnnding ther<>of, hy what is ;ipoken in other parts of the worcl, he instnntly ncq11ic'SCes, and in liis henrt rrjoiCCR: nny, rvrn ~uppoin!! n JWl'!lon, through simplidty, to hclieve
AI'I'.tllE.Yr AKIJ Rr,11, rnrr11s ni M't111rrnr:.
123
thnt ,the Lord i~ wrathful, thnt lie puni.qhcs, rcpents, grie,es, etc., '' hcreby he is rci<trnincd from evil, und !cd to do goo<l, such belief is not at all lrnrtful to him, inasmuch us it lcads him to believe also thnt the Lord sees nll things both gencrally nnd particulnrly, nnd when he is principled in such bclief he is nfterwnrds capable of bcing enlightcncd in other poinl!I of fuith, at Jca..,t in nnother life, if not beforc: the cn11e is dilfcrent "ith the who are self-persu::ulcd in consequen of preconceived principles. nnrl who are rivetcd in the helicf thereof through the pernieious influenc,-e of solfish nnd worldly lovc."-A. C.,
n. 589.
AJmin, the snme author saya, " In many passng~ of t.he 'Yord we find nngr, wrath, nnd wngc:rnce attributed to God, nnd it is saiJ thnt Ile 11unllihes, ca.."U! into hell, tcmpts, with mnny othcr cxprCRSions of n likc nature. Now, whero ail this is believcd in a child-likc simpli<'ity, nnd made th<' gronnd of the ear of God, nnd of care not to olll.n1l Iln, no mnn incurs cond<'mnntion by SU<'h a snplc hc.Ji<.f. But whcre n man confirms hi.m...-elf ir1 sueh notions, so as to be pcrsundcd thnt nngt-r, wrnth, vengeance, b<'long to God, nnd thnt IIe puni.-hcs mankind, n.nd cnsts theru into hell, uner the influen<'e of such angcr, wralh, nnd vengeance, in this case hi.'1 belief is eondcrn!lntory, becauee he hns destroycd genuine trulh, which tencli tlrnt Gex! is love it.!lclf, merey it&-lf, and goodness it11clf, nnd, bcing thC!'C, thnt He <'llnnot be angry, wrnthful, or revengcful. "nerc such cvil JlllS>'on.s, then,nrc attributcd in the W ord to God, it is owing to nppcnrance only. I t is the snmc in many other in.stnnccs."S. S., n. 94. Truths aecommodnted to ou r gro~s perceptions nre, for the mt pnrt, apparent truths; but seen in spiritual Jight, Uieir appcnrnnce is changed, a trnn~6gurntion, so to speak, takcs pince; they are invetecl "ith ncw ~plendors, and nrc i<piritunlly discerncd. Let 11.-; "not judj..,"(', thcn, ncoording to the nppeamnce, but judgc rightcous judgrnent" (.John vii. 24); for, from mnking no di!<tinction whntcvcr betwl'en the apparent nn1l rcnl truths of Rcripture, which corrp()ndence thu~ opens nnd explain.., nll the fl~e nue! hercticnl doctrines which han n;::itated and divi1lcd the Chri~tinn worl<l hnw "pr ung. Hen('(' \H' PCC the importance of truc doctrine to enable 11~ ri~htly to unde!'l't:u1il the revenled W ord (Aee, for illustration, Gen. vi. ; Ex. xxxiii. 1:.! l 4; .JC'r. xvi. 8- 10; II. xi. 8, V; .Joel ii. 10-12; Jonah ii. 9, 10: fv. X\'. 1-7).
OHAPTER IX.
TnE CoRRESPO:o<DENCE OF WAR AND h1PLEMEN'IS OF 'VAR IN THE HOL1
Wonn.
cruel wars, and of eithcr in a. good or n bad scnse, rcpresent stntes of spiritual warfare, and describc the instrumentalitics by which they are carricd on, appcar in the letter of the "\\'ord to be snnctioned and applauded, and nre sometimes rcpresented ns eommnndcd by Jehovnh; as," Tho Lord bath sworn thnt the Lord will have wnr with Amnlek from generation to gcnerntion" (Ex. xvii.16). Nothing can be more abhorrent to the Divine chnracter or revolting to Christian feeling than the ferocious spirit of wnr; and yct the Lord commanded the children of Israel not only to exterminato the Amalokites, but the inhabitants of Heshbon an<l B:i..,han. In Deuteronomy we read how this wns done: "And the Lorrl our God dcli\ered the king bcfore us, and we smote him and hi~ sons nncl nll his people. And we took all bis cities nt thnt timo, and utterly destroyed tho men and the women and tho little ones of o\cry city; wc loft none to romain" (ii. 33, 34; iii. 6). Whilesuch rcvolting cruelty wns pcrmitted on account of the degcneracy of mankind, and was even nttributed to the Lord, becausc it wns, as in ail oth<>r similnr cases, a lcsscr evil for n grcatcr good, it must be evident thnt it wns recorded by inspiration for some more hid(lcn menning thnn the mere history, though thnt history be true. Let us cal! to mintl "the foes of our own housebold" (:'llatt. x. 36), the n,crsnrics lurking in our own bosoms, the enemics of our eternnl pence, and how bcautiful is the lcsson of instruction with which we are at once sup pli<'ll ! How deeply intcrcsting is the comman<l to dcstroy, by the power of truth and )o,e, nll our bitter nntagonist", our selfish pn..<1.~ions and unclcan pe!'lluasions, to let not one romain! l3oth in the Old and New Tc~tnmcnts armor nnd instruments of war are continually mC'ntioned in r<'ferencc solrly ro th<'ir internai significations. Turn to Joel: "Prrpnrc wnr," snith th<' L 1ml; "heat your plow~hnrcs into swords, and your pruning-hook~ into -;pcnr!I; let the wenk s.'ly, ' Jam
124
llTB frequently rend in the Holy word of VV wcapons of war, which, because they al!,
WARS A,YJJ JJII'LBJIE.YTS OF 11".IR.
125
strong'" (iii. 10). Now rend Isa. ii. 4:" They $hnll lxnt their swords into plowsharcs, and thcir spcnra into pruning-hook~; nation shall 11ot lift. up sword ngninst nation, neither shall they lcarn war any more." Wc have here, in the literai M(lnse of the 'Vord, two divine corumnncl~ and prcdictions the vcry opposite of e:i.ch other. Thcre is another striking instance in the New Testament of a preciscly similar description, nmounting to an apparent contradiction. Jn Lukc it is said that " the Lord bath visitcd us to guide our feet into the way of 1:ieace" (i. 79); nnd wc read that the nngels sang nt bis nnthity, "Glory to Godin the bighest, and on carth pcace, good-will to\\nrds men [or to men of good will]" (ii. 14). Ilut what docs our blsed Lord ltimf<Clf i<ay? " Think not that I am eome to scnd proce on earth ; l cmno not. to scnd pe:icc, but n sword" (:Matt. x. 34). Bqually inexplicable in the lcttcr only arc two pas.sages of similnr import, which the Lord spakc ncnrly nt the snrno p<.'riod to his disciplcs, one of wbich is rccordcd in .Matt. =vi. 52: "Ail thcy that tnke the 1>word shall pcri.;.:b with the sword;" and the other in Luke :llcxii. 36, where H e sny;.:, "IIe that ha th no sword, let him rel! bis garmcnt and buy one." Ily the merc letter thesc apparent contradictions ncvcr cnn be hurmonized ; the spiritual sensc cnn nlonc rcconcilo them. Every othcr modo of intcrpretation len\cs thcm uncxplnincd mystcries. How iutcrcsting and instructhc, how plain and simple, how pure and truc arc ail ~uch pnssng when their hiddcn menning is unfoldcd by tlic gr<'8t lnw of CQrl"C-"pondcncc ! A.~ we rend them, let 11!' contemplatc that triumph ovcr sin and folly, in intention, thought, and decd, which mlll't ever prcde astate of intcmal pence, and whieh devout ami humble faith in the "'ord of God, our armory and our "quiver," an<\ rcady ohcdience to ils commands, always gives; for doing tliis we hnvc "our fcct shod with the prcparntion of the go~pel of peaco" (F.pb. vi. 15). L<!t us think, therefore, of our spiritual warfnre n,,,<>uiust evil and hell; "for wc wrcstlc not against flesb nnd bloo<l. but ngnin.st principalitics nnd powcrs, against the rulers of the darkn<'SS of this world, ngninst spiritual wickcducss in high plns " (Eph. vi. 12). Let us think of the panoply of 11trength roquisitc to givc us victory over ail our inward foes and persccutors-" the hclrnct of salvation," " the brcnKtplatc of righteousncss," "the shicld of fnith," "th.- ~word of the Spirit," "the spear" of truc doctrine, the sharppointcti nrrows of truth, and "the whole armor of God" (Eph. vi. 10- 17); clothcd and nrmed \\ ith which wc hnvc to wagc this inward combat, destroying, by the power of faith and love, ail our spiritual
11 *
126
cncmi~,
TlTE SCIENCE OF CORRESPO.VDENCES.
young and old, before we cnn i-it down in trnnquillitybcfore the Lord Jesus G'hrist can impnrt to our i<ouls "that pence which the world can ncithcr ghc nor take a\rny," and ail becomcs at once luminous, intelligible nIHl prncticn1, and in the inspircd Jan. guagc of the Psalmist wc are rendy to exclnim, "Plead my cause, 0 Lord, with them that strivc with me; fight ngainst them that figl1t ngnin~t me. Tnke hold of shield and buckler, nnd stand up for my help. Draw out also the spcnr, and stop the wny against thcm that pcrsecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy snhation" (Ps. xxxv. 2, :J); "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, 0 most mighty, \\ith thy glory nnrl thy majesty. Thine arrows are shnrp in the heart of the king's encmies" (xlv. 3, G); "Blessed be the Lord my strength, who tencheth my hands to war and my frngers to fight" (exliv. 1), and to ascrihe from the heart al! the power nnd the glory to Jlim alone. "Thou, 0 Lord, hast given me the shicld of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, nn<l thy gentlcn01S bath made me gro.'lt. Thou hast enlarged my steps unrlcr me, that my feet did not slip. I have pursucd mine cnemics, and overtnken thcm: neither di<l I turn again till they wcre consumed. I have woundcd them that they werc not able to rise: they are fallcn un der my fcet. For thon hnst girchd me with strength unto the battlc: thou hast sul)<lued under mo tho~e thut rose up agninst me. The Lord livcth; nnd bl~ be my rk; and let the Lord God of my salvation be exaltcd" (Ps. u;ii.
35-:J!), lG).
Agnin: tre.-iting of the final destruction of ail our 1<piritunl enemi, the sncretl prophet, nddrsing his divine tlelivPrer, in whose nnmo an by whose strength the rcgencrating Chri11lian evcr " cornes off more than conqueror," says, "Thou (0 Lord, by thy \Vord] art my battlonxe and wenpons of wnr: for with thec will I break in pieccs tllc nntion:1, nn<l with tlicc \\ ill 1 <lcstroy kin;;rloms; and with thec will 1 break in pieces the hon;o and his rider ; \\ ith thee nl~o ";n I break in pic<.'<.'S mnn nncl wonrnn ; nn with thce will I break iu piccl'S olil nnd young; and with th will l hrenk in piecc:; the young num and the muid; I will also break in pieccs with thl'C the shephcr<l ntul his flock; nud with thee will I break iu pieccs the husbandmnn nn<l his yoke of oxcn ; and with thce will I break in picccs eaptnins nnd rulers" ( J cr. li. 20-23). I t is in this, the truc inwnrd seuse of tcmptation conflict, thnt the apostlc Paul cxhorts Timothy to fight the goo<l fight of faith and lay hold on ctcmnl life, am) ms no cncourngement sets bcforc him his own cxample and expericnce at the clo.,e of bis
WARS AND UIPLEJIENTS OF IVAR.
127
ministry in these touching words: "I am now rcndy to be offcred, nnd the time of my departure is at band. I have fought a good fight, I have finishcd my course, I have kcpt the fnith: henocforth therc is laid up for me a. crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that da.y; and not me only, but unto nll them also thnt love his nppcnring" (2 Tim. iv. 6-8). In connection with this spiritual signification of warfnre, and in furth('r illustration of the science of correspondcnccs, let me recnll your attention to the battle fought by "the chilclrcn of Isrnel witb the Amalekites;" an I nllue to it thus spccificnlly, bccnusc in thl' internai scnse subjects of the most edifying tendcncy nre prescnte bcfore us, which yet do not nppenr on the surfce of the history. Without some deepcr menning thnn thnt of the lctter, it is nothing more than the narration of a battle and a. victory, a dcriptivc scene of strifo and bloodshcd, togcthcr \\ith a most rcrunrknble intervention of Divine power. It is thus stnted: "Then cnme Amalek., and fought with Ismcl in Rephidim. An :nes said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight wif Amalck : to-morrow I will stand on the top of the bill with the ro of God in mine hnnd. So J oshua did n..~ .Moses hnd snid to him, nrnl fought with Amulek: and :Moses, Auron nnrl Ifur went up to the top of the bill. And it came to pnAA, whcn Moses heltl up bis hnnd, that Israel prcvailcd: nnd whcn he let dowu bis hnnd, Amnlck prerniled. But Mt'S' hnnds wcre hcn vy; nn they took a stone nncl put it under him, nnd he snt thereQn; nn Aaron nnd Hur stayed up bis bands, the one on the one sicle, au tho other on the other side; and bis bands wcre stearly until the going down of the sun. An Joshun discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sworcl" (Ex. xvii. 8-13). In the spiritual import of this sncred history, it treats of a statc in man's rcgeneration, or the graduai process by which he is saved from cvil and hell. Th<> Ju>o;U\ of lfrncl signify, collectively, the Lord's church, and, i11divid11nlly1 cvcry sinccre member of it, wbo, in coru;cqucncc of the indcfinite number of affections nnrl tbougbt.Q, fnculti and powcrs, con~titucnt of the humnn min<l, nn<I the nbundant principl of goodnCRS nucl truth of which they mny be rcceptive, is cnllcd "a host." Tho nrmics of Amnlek" signify thosc spiritual :ulvl'rsnries which, with den.dly animosity, oppose our progrcss towarcl~ the kingdom of God, or in the nttainment of a heavcnly state of minci a111l lifc, represented
,. .AlllOl 111~111, ln Enall!h, "a tritini; or sm.lli.Di people."
128
Till? SCl!>NCf: OF CORRHSJ'O,\JJBXCES.
by the lnnd of C:maan. Th1 'c implacable l'ncmici; of our ::nh-ntion induilc not only "the principaliti<.'l' and powen. of 1larkn~,'' but nll thr'ISC fal~c pl'inciples nml ~clfish persuasions sprin~ing from the lo\c of evil,-those disor<lcrly tcmpcrs nn<l unclcau thought!<, thosc malicions di~po~itions nnrl cruel lnsts,-in which thcy dclight to dwcll. The battlc, therefore, in every particular recor<lcd, wns so dcscribe<l in the "'onl of Go<l as to rcprescut the spiritual couOict bctwccn the powcrs of hcaven nnd hcll which is wagcd in evcry bosom in lite COUl'Se of rcgenerntion; the menus which can aJone be effcctually employe<l for the soul's <leliverancc, and the certain victory to ho obtninccl through persevcrnn in the Christian coun;e. The fct of Joshun mnl'shalling Israc!'s hosts, and, under the direction of l\Ioscs, leading thcm forth to the combat, repl'esente the nuthority of the truth ndnpted to the nnturnl man, which arranges nll within tl10 min<l in duc order, under the immediate direction of the truth, adnpltd to the spiritual man, dcrived from the spirit of the Holy \\'or<l, signified by ~Ioscs. The battle wns fought in a vallcy, and n vnlll'y menus the low state of the natural miud, whcrc oppition to hetl.vl'nly things is ahrnys to be met, and which i~ callcd clsewherc "the vnlley of decision" (Joel i. 14). The snccess of the battlc is not mn<lc to dcpen<l either on the persona! vnlor of the combntauts or on the military skill of lheir leader!', but on the singular circumstanC'e of the bauds of l'iIOl:ll being "held up" townrds heaven or "lt't down" townrds the earth, as be stood or snt on the top of a neighboring hill. The hnn<ls always mcan ability or power, both of the unerstanding and the will,-the former licing i<ignified by the lcft hand and the latter hy the right; and the hnnds of Moses signify the power of truth <lerivcd from the 'Vord whcn rt'ccived in the min<!, nncl nll10 the fnculties of apprehcuding und oheying it. A hill, in contrndi~tiI1ction to a valley, denotcs astate of chnrity or love actuatcd hy lofly or henvenly motiYes, in oppoi;ition to ~uch as arc low, camai, or grovelling. This is the hill of ble~sing, the wurce of nll ;;piritunl strcngth, that gir<ls us for the bnttlc. " I will lift up miuc cycs to the bills," saith the Psalmist, "from whl'llce comelh my help" (P!!nlm cxxi. 1). The holding up of the hnnd:;; of l\Ioses was an impr<.>Mivc figure of the lifting up, by the p o\\W of truth, of nll the inward fncultics of the ~oui townr<IB the Lord, thnt they may be C<lll stantly rcncwcd and invigornted hy the didne cnergy and lifc. " IA't us lift up our heart:i with our hands unto Godin the heavens" (Lum. iii. 41). llut the lctting clown of his )1ands will rl'present n declino
W.WS A/OJ J.ll/'LE.llES1'S 01" WAR.
12\)
of the mrntnl fncultics tm1 anis the earthly nnture, or towards thoi;c ol>jc<ti; of !'Clf nud the 11orJ.l, "hi<'b are bcneuth,-tbu~, the substitution of !'(')f-11ill for the DiYinc Will, of self-intcllig<.nce for the Divine Wisdom, and of self-<lepcmknec for the Di1inc Proviencc. The hc1wine~s of the bands of l\fo~cs dcnotes man's proncncss to rcst ou bis 011 n power, in the hour of nnger and tcmpt!\tion ; anrl that cven truth, however vh;d mny hc il!I impression on the memory nnd intellect, i~, in such n scnson of sclf-reliance, dra11 n <lo11 nwards towards cnrthly objecti> and scusual pur.mit~, an<l is thrn po11erlcss agaiust the armics of Amalek, which, notwithst.'\nding its prf."'tnce, prevails ovcr the hO>lts of Israel. "Aaron and Hur," thcrcfiir<>, we lenrn, "took a stonc nnd placed it umler ~lo~cP., nnd stnyed up hoth his bands, till the goingdown of the sun, und Amalck wasdiseomfitc1l." Aaron und Ilur, the s<>rvm1ts and priests of the l\fost Iligh Go<l, rrpre:icnt the vnricd priuriplC'S of fnith, aecommodatcd to the outward nnrl to the inwnrd man,-thc truth believed from affertion ancl rntionnlly pcrccivcd. Th~ arc the ministcrc; of the Lorrl in the soul,-thc ouly prinriplcs thnt rnn nid ancl support the sinking, the dcbpomling mind, in the lime of 11piritual warfrc. They nre the reactil'C ng<>nts, in unison with the opcrations of God, for the promotion of ou r P.nlvation, C'Sentiul mc<liums of spiritual victory in the hou r of trial. The stone placcd undcr )foscs signifies the truth, which incukntcs a lifc of orrler in the use of the scn.c;., nnd . thus a support to tho dhine lnw in the "'ord, 11 hirh rests thcreon, and i~, in the lettcr, oftcn mcant hy a. "~tonc " or " rock." Su ch a. romistcnt lifc is the rcal prop and support of ail imrnrd tn1th and goodn~, ancl is absolutcly cssentinl t-0 pr~cne thcm from bcing wastcd. The ltands of 11Io~ being firmly sul!tnine<l till the going clown of the sun, signifies thnt such clevation of man's inwnrd powers and ~ifts, both of rea"on ancl frecclom, of thoughi and will, mu:-;t he pe1"4cvcringly maintnincd, till the state of ttpiritual conflict hcrc treatc<l of is terminatcd. Then our encmi IX'ing vanc1uii1hed, we i:hall lmil<l, like th triumphnnl and grateful T toraclitcs of old, the altar of truc spiritual wor!'hip in our heurts, illl'cribing it with the holy name, "JEIIOYAU NIS.~J" (the Lord ruy banner), in the heartfelt ncknowlcdgment that ail power to rcsist el'il und do good comesfrom the Lord alone, who has solcmnly proclaimccl that " Ile will have war with Amalek from generntion to generntion" (Ex. xvii. 16)."
1TOf11:\'D ll'f""l" Io ba\c bat\ a Jl('rttpllon 1f.>r ..,me opirlLual p1~. not apptlrcnl Ill lb&\ lhc "'''Onl of Ibis battlc w1n l..-l~1wJ the lt!ucr; for, >Jll'&klng of il, hP. ohsen.
130
1'IIE SCIENCE OF CORRf.:SJ'ON!>RXC'ES.

bcc'n 11ttcre<l hy lhc Uni)' l'pirit?"-In Lib. And Rnmabn.s, in hi <''<f\l& 1111tlu11 or the Mintdt... ~y-s, .. The llftlnit UJI or lht' hn111l' of :llOI><"' stgnitles the nrrll<,,. ti,.,n or th~ IAw lu it.. bighc.t meanlni;. lut the 1'-Ulni; dn'l\D or hl bands sh;nlftl'!IA lnw, nncarthly,andalltcmlcxpoeiUon."-Dtll-t
R1g., Mf'. xx.
.. I woulcl h<rc J'l\11-C a llttle, sud nk th<l"t who arc not wllllni: ln undcl"tnnd the reis tlon splritually, but only llC'COnllnl( I the ltttcr, whether lh<'y eau P"'~lbly think thal the Ahnlghty God C'ould baye rc~lcd the hanl' or M""''S ln ~ lng the \klnl'l" eith~r tn Isrnd or to Amakk. as lbcy wcrc m1'4)(1 up or let run T 1 would ask such f'<'l'!!Ons wbcthcr thcy tblnk Ulis worthy of havlni
u "Are not the two !m\n<I vit.ni orgnns, the hrorl nnd the tung, trnly annlogou~ ln mnn) lmportnnt point' t<Ythc two vltnl systems of thc '""'' ,.1 . , the minrl, or ystem of thought, and the moral nff<'C'tlons of the bcart [or wlllj? "-Fl'OJI on Annlog11, l' l'i-,. F\tr &n al'J{Ulnt'nt on the eexual A~""1.cm, which "'' txtcn!vcly t'Xll in the animal an<I ,~tallle klnJldom, - an lutcrertlm: and ln,t ruNh-c wnrk hy L. Il. Grlndon, en tillNl 17,~ .'V;nJ(1/il11 of ,,,1111~ This lutclll ~nt writrr Ol\), ln hl 11:cncra! iutroductlon, p. 1. u NRtu~ b1 a l-i~<iet<'m or nupUaJs. EY<"f') lh!nit ln N'\ntlon partAkL ~ eithcr of ma!'<'u llnr or f<'minloc qualitics ;-animais nnd plants, carth, air, water, rolor, hcul, llght, musl<', thonght, Pl~"h, the scnse of the benutlful , the nd11vtallon of the soul for hcn\'cll, nll cxlt as the otr<prlng of a kln<\ of mRrrlngc. Hl'tltrletcd commonly to the lntltut!on of wcdlock, Il.\! !t cxlsts amonp: mnnklnd, tlle word 'mnrrlagc' rightfully hol<I~ 1t moonhu: fr wl<ler. lt dcnolrs ail unlonnnnl<'R'>ll I" the humnn ln the hist>ry O<lth of malter and >pirll. A unhersal laws, M.'X 111111 muri&i..'<' rank R<'L'Ord!ngly wlt~ the m<.,t hn1.,rtaut 11nd coruprcheU>hc >UIJJt on'l\hlt'h''lcneeanf\1hll0Mph)cancmploy thrm."Chc-<. lnnumcrabk phMlomcna, both of millier ami minci, are ~xphu"t 1noof U111t man is :-<aturc cnn<'tntruWll,nnd :Sature,ruan dilfuscd. They con><tltule n ltmul of affinlty, whlch certifie!! cwry 11<1rtof rrcnt!on to oo of '"'"'~on (Jrigin and pl1111, the manlfuld cxpr=1on of one prlmltl\e !<lea." "Lovt"I ami marrlngcs," says Dr. :Mason Good, "are cmnmon to ail unture." "(Jod il bolh a man nnd an lmmortnl mald."-l>l]ih. Fmg. Whkh 1.s the Mme lhin11 a.' a....rtJng thnt ile is pcrfcct wlsdom and Jl('rfe('( good111"'& l n th<' mnot anelcnt bt.orlcal limes," "e >ball tlnl l'\cry nation, notwitJu.tanding the ,-arllt)' of nam''" a~kno" ll'(!Jrlng the samc dclllt" and the 'ame ~).,,lem of throh'l':Y; and, ho"<'wr lmmbJ,. nnrofthe deill"" may av1J11,_ftr Jn thf" Pantht'OH o(Grl~CC arnl RQmP. each, "ho hn any clalm to n11tl1uJtr, w!ll ~
llw
founl'l'nl.>ic lnto one or oth<'r of two primcv1 prln clpl<'l<, the itrcat god nnd goodC'<!l of the Gcntllc."-<:bry'a Mythol. Rnq., i 6. Mrthol'!(IC'lll b<'hlh'l! nrc ail dlvldcd lnto mn...cullnc n111I fcmin!nt'. Davis, lu hi Jiu IOTJI of thr ChifVIW', !<'Us us that thC'y have &mnni: llll'm "frni:meuts of tra<l!tlonnry lu1owlll1:C AS<'rlbln~ the pnxlucthm of IJ1c un ln:""' ln tht' c<>P<'raUon of the ncthc and J1R.'iH', or male a11d fcmalc, principlc. The etk..ilal prln<'lplc w11~ male, the tcrn,,trlRI \\'a'4 ftmalc. ~; all animatc and tnantmntc na~ ture "M ai.o dMlngufahl'<I luto ma._"<'ulinc And c,mln.loe. Nor do they ("(lllfine thls ditinction tn the anlmal nnl Y~table worl<l only, bnt cxtcnd lt t.o cwry part of nature. Numbcl'I! thcmsclvcs ha,e U1c!r gen<lc.-; n unit nllfl cvery ood numbcr be lng mnlo, two and cvcry evcn numoor fo mnle." 1r reai.on nnd trutb [thnt is, the under f!Ulndlng] be the moststrong and mu!cfacuU11 ln humnn unture, and If llentimcnt or lo\e [thnt ls, the "Ill rrlnclrle] be the mc.t IJCAU lll\ll 11nd /trnnlc pan.. of the &me, thcn lt is C\ l<knl tbl\l e cry mnu is in him<elr botb mah! and /nnulr; ancl w likewisc is C\'ery \\001an. 1hc 1<rt:nl d1sti11ction 1,,, tlu\I. ln woman tho rcdlng htart pre<loml11att", llO a. to i:hc a g~u<:ral <'hnl'll('terl..tlc, and 111 man therntloual mlnd orh<'ad prctlomlnalt.. !na llkc dtitrt..,, so a' to f<trmn churnctcrllic. . 1( "e extcncl our ,lews 8lld refll.'<'t!ons ln llke manntr to nny and ail the varlous ,~stem~ of thl' \lslblc crcation, whcther an!mate or l11a11!11111tc, "e hnll, I bdlcve, tlntl the 11111ne trnths llhu<trnt.cd conl!nunllr ln mole a.id fmi<1lrt.cprenion."-Euavaon Analouv. pp. 2:."7, 2:!9. "Whlebtwogreati;exesan!matctheworl." .Miltcm'a furadi~ Lo8I. In the Hebrcw lan~age, mO!.t obj(!('ts that are rlouhlt hy nntnrc or art, as the cy~ the hand<, the r..,1, etc., are expl'C!O'ed hy the dwol 11uonl..-r; uch tenns generally rcfer to the "'" <"llC11tl111t- or the life and mlnl ln t'onju1wtlun-thc Jen tyc or hand denol!ng the 1rC'C'11lln11 an1l p<>wer of the intdlt'(-t, and the rlght cy<' or band the pcroeptiou un I'""' of the wlllprluciple.
CHAPTER X.
ON Till': 'VILL AND
UNDERSTANDINH, AS CoMrRIRINO nOTll TllE DIVINE AND TUE Ilt' MAN :MtND ; ON TIIE :MARRIA<IE OF DIVINE nooDNESS AXD TttUTll THEllEIN, AND ON TUE UNION OF LOVE AND WtSJ>Olll IN TllE IlOLY WonD, WITJI LLt:STRATIONS.
r11HERE are two distinct departmcnts of the humau 111ill(l which

we are taught is a fiuite resemhlance of the Divine Mind. These arc the will, or voluntary principle, which is the sent of nll the feel ings, affections, and dcsircs, and the umlcrstnnding, or intellcctunl principlc, which is the repository of ail the thoughts, ideas, and opinions. The former is internai, the latter cxternal. Th~ two facultics in man are the reccptacles of 11 continuous flow of life from t.he Lord, ami, in their scparate and unit.cd activities are, in one way .>r othcr, constantly refcrrcd to in the sacred volume. They partakc of a distinction like that of sex, and to which, indecd, the masculine and fcminine principles cxnctly correspond, both in God and man. They are hoth e:;sential to conscious rational existence, mid their uuion, corrcsponding harmony, and rcsulting offspring, are always represented in the ' Vord by the union of male and fen1ale, the nmrriage covenant, and the parental relntionship. The diverse constitution of the sexes correspond ; a man thinks more from the undeJ" standing, n woman thinks more from the hcnrt; the male nets more from the dictates of reason, but a woman nets more from the impulse of affection. Hcncc they are helps-meet for ench other, and, in truc heavenly marriago, "are no. more two but one flesh." 78 (See p. 130.) Because man from crcation was thus endowed with these two facultics, he is said to have been formcd "in the image and likeuess of God " and to have had breathed into him "the brcath of lifc" (or, more corrcctly translated from the Hebrew, "brcath of lives"), "and man," it is addcd, "bccame a living soul" (Gen. i. 26; ii. 7). For, when he is restored to order by regeneration, man is still an image of God, by virtue of his iutellectual gifts and their rcccption of truth and intelligence from the Lord, through the inspircd life of li:! divine wis<lom; and a likcness of God, by virtue of his voluntary
131
132
THE
scm.vce
OF CORRESl'ONflENCES.
powcrs :mil thcir reception of g001lncs,; from the Lord, through the inbrcathin1.,rs of the lifo of divine love. Whcu the:-c principlc:; nre rcccived in henrt and 11oul, nnd rcproclucc1l in the conduct nn<I conversation, man thcn hctomcs both an image and likene~ of God. And as marringe b(twcen one man nu<l one woman is, in a good sense, the true type 11n1l rcprcscntative of ail kinds of intcrnnl union of love and wisdom, charity au<l faith, in the soul, thcreforc il i." Holcmuly cujoiued, "whnt God has joincd togcthcr, let no man put n.~uncl<'r" (.Mark x. 9). 'l'he1'\! nrc two e;;scntinl attributes of di,;ne exi;;tence--divinc love nrnl divine wi~dom. The former is the vcry divin\.' c~~ence or substance und the latter is the vcry <lh inc form of God, und ncither coul<l have hein~ or cxitllcncc without the othcr. 'l'heir infinitcly pcrfcct union, mer~y, ami operation con~titute the third es."Cntial in the thrcefold chnra<'kr of the divine nature. "'ith man," ho i8, 11.'l wc have nlreacly Sn, crcatcd in the image of God, finite Jo,e and finite wi.;:dom are the two correspoucling nnd (';0.~<'11tial attrihutcs of mimi, who;;c united and imieparnhlc activity, in the outwnrd lifo and conduct, co~titule the tltird C'l!>'ential of humnn l'xist<'uce. It is to be obscrved thnt the whole nnturul univcrsc, with its indcfinitc contents, was crented from infinitc love as the <livinc ernl, by mcnns of infinite wisdom ns the instrumental cause. The ohject.s of the vi,.ihlc unh-ersc nre the ultimnte or lowcst effccts of the combincd opcmtion of God's love and wi.sclom, and nrc the eorrc::pon<ling finited images of nll the realiti~ of the !'piritual world, which nets in nnrl upon the natuml world ; "hile, again, the ohje<tis of both m>rltls nrc, tollcctivcly und singly, imngc:;, more or IC:'s nmote, of the innnmcrnble fculties und principlcs cxisting in man, and of the infinitc nttribute:; nnd pcrfoctions exi:!ting in God. Enry man, both in his minci and in the eorr<.,,p<1nding forms of his body, i:o, thereforc, an image of his grcnt ~Jnker, an also a univc~ in its lc.'1-.<:l furm. :For in~t:mce, the two unhcn-al clement,; of primordial ereation nrc light and hent; the two unhen;n] attributcs of nature are timc nnd ~race; the two universal ehuructeristics of hodit'l! arc substance mul form. AU thcse correRpond to the two univcrilnl fculties of the will and the under::tnnding, nntl thcir finitc propcrtics of freedom and re:\$lm ns constituent of mimi, and to their t110 nniversal, though e\cr-\:irying, stntcs of ntfcetiun nnd thuuglit ; n.ncl thClic, again, arc the finitc corrc-pon<ling im11J?e:< and forms of thl' infinitc cs.~ntinls of Divine goodncs.; and intelligence, which arc the activitics and out.-
UNION OF LOVE AND lVISDOJ! IN SCRil'1'URE.
133
growings of the Lord's inflnitc will and un<lerstnnding, and of his incommunicnblc attributcs of omniprcsence and cternity. In like mnnner the heart, with its vital motions, corresponds to the will and ils activitics, and the lungs, with the powers of re~piration, correspond to the understau<ling and its operations, nnd these are the two universal receptacles of life in the bodily frame. Now, between the primary departments of the mind, their combinod activities, and the things which they receive, there is a mutual relationship necessarily cstnblishod, es.sential to the existence of each, like thnt which subsists between the chief organs of tlic bodily frame, the heart and the lungs. Thus the will and understanding, in agreement with man's frccdom and renson, may become receptive of goodness and truth, or their oppites, evil and falsity, which are their respective perversions; nnd between goodness and truth, and nlso bctwcon evil and falsity, there is a. mutual affinity exactly repre8entcd by a marriage. Hence, by a marringe, in the 'Vord, is always signified, in a good scnse, the internai union of some principle of heaveuly love or charity in the will, with a corresponding principle of henvenly wisdom or faith in the understancling; and, in an opposite sense, the infernal union of some priuciple of cvil in the wiU, with its correspond ing principle of falsity in the undcrstnnding. And since the Lord's reciprocnl conjunction with mnn i.~ the effcct of the prcvious union of goodncss and truth in the soul, so it is oft.cn called a marriage covenant, in which the Lord is dcsignated the bridegroom and husband, nn<l the church, the bride and wifo (!Ios. . 16; Rev. xix. 7). On nccount of this twofold constitution of the human mind, hoth in gcncral and in particular, we find that all the bodily orgnns are likcwisc double, or arranged in pairs. For the same rcnsons, biuary forms of expression, in sc,eral parts of speech, arc fouml so frequcntly in the sncred 'Vord, which, in appcarancc, nrc synonymous, as, scarch and try, void and empty, wildernC'SS and dcsert, briers and thorns, rod and staff, babes and sucklings, nations and people, poor and nocdy, righteousncss and faithfulncs.s, thief and rohber, sin and iuiyuity, joy nnd gladncss, mourning and weeping, anger and wrath, justice and judgment; so, nlso, wc find nnmerous corrclativcs nssociatecl, as, man and woman, hnsbnnd nnd wife, fathcr ami molhcr, sons and dnughtcrs, hrothcr and com11anion, kini,'8 nnd priests, bridegroom and bride, ploughmcn and vine-drcRScrs, flocks and hcnls, thrcsl1ing-floor ancl winc-prcss, hcart nnd ~pirit, flesh and bl<)()(I, hun gcr aiul thirst, eating and drinking, bread and wine, bills nnd valleys, 12
13-
THE SCJE,YCB OP CORRP.Sl'OXDH.YCES.
land and sca, hcat :md light; or two things arc joincd together \lhosc prop<!rtics and uses are susceptible of union, or are mutually depcnd cnt, as, sun and moon, tire an<l flame, gold and siher, bra..."S and iron, wood and stone, Zion and Jerusalem, Judah and Israel; two words are also associatcd together, as, "take and eat," "strait gate and narrow way," "wide gate and brond way," "spirit and fire," to labor and be heavy-la<len, ploughiug nnd fooding cattle, etc.; and somctimes the samc tcrin is simply repented with or without adjunets. Now, in ail these cases, one of the terms (or the parallclism in which it occurs) refers to some principle or chnractcristic of the will, or to somc quality or stnte of the affections, <lesircs, and actions thenrc dcrived; and the other has respect to some principlc of the unrlcr Ftanding, or to some quality or state of the thoughts and mcmory, and the words which rcsult thcrefrom, wbether holy or profane. One tcrm bas reforcncc to goodncss, or some good state of mind, and, in an opposite scnsc, to evil, or some evil statc of mind, as the contcxt will show; and the othcr tcrm bears the same relation to truth, or, in nn opposite sensc, to fnlsity. One will be pre<licatcd more or Jess of somc cclestial truth, or of some particular love nnd its dclights, or its opposite Just and its pleasurcs, and the other will be prcdicate<l more or Jess of somc spiritual truth, or its opposite falsity, or of somc spocific thought or idea, cithcr pure or unclcan. For in the divine Worcl thcre eau be nothing uselcss, nothing supcrfluous. These conclusions nre confirmcd by thnt wonderful passage, among others, in the prophccy of Jeremiuh, where the J,ord, by the mouth of the prophct, in trcating of the omnipotence of divine truth cmnnating from Himsclf in his W ord, nnd active for the rcdemption nncl si1lva.tion of the human rnce, says, "Thou nrt my bnttlc-nxe nn<l wcapons of wnr: for with thee will I break in picccs the nations, nn<l ll'ith thoo will I clestroy kingdoms; nnd with thee will I break in pie<'<'>l the horse and his rider; and with thce will I break in picccs 1hc chariot and his rider; and with thee nlso will I break iu picces 111an ancl womnn; and with th will 1 brcnk in pieces old and young; aul with thec will 1 break in pieces the young mnn ancl the mairl: I "ill break in picccs with tht-c the shcphc1d nnd l1is flock ; and with thce will I break in picccs the husbanclman and his yoke of oxcn; and with thec will I break in picees captains nnd rulcrs" (li. 20-2:1). H erc the varions pnrticulars descrihcd signify the <livcrsified prin ciplcs constituent of man's will nnd undcrstanding, 11ffcctions and thonghts, mimi and lifc, mHl are aP.'!oriatO!l in pairs. Ali kin<ls nnd
UNION OF LOVJ: .AXD lflSDOJlf JN SCJlll'TURE.
135
degre of evil in the will, :llld of falsity in the undcrstnnding, must be dispcrsc<l, or destroyed, or subdued, by the power of God's \\'ord; and the union of ail kinds Md dcgrces of goodness n.nd truth in the heart. and mind, the affclions and thoughts, the inward motives and the outwar<l conduct, muiit be cstablished and confirmcd by the Lord, in accordance with his Jo,o nnd wisdom, if He is to reign over us. Thcn, and not till thcn, is the divine dcclaration accomplished in Christinn cx1>erience, " Mercy nnd truth arc met togethcr; rightoousne:is anil 1icacc have kis.<ed each other" C Ps. lxxxv. 10). Ag-.iin: cating and drinking are bodily nets rcquisitc to the nourishrucnt nnd support of the natural frame.'' Thcrc are, also, two kin<ls of food provided for man's support, liquid a1ul solid. Thcsc t110 opcrntions and two sorts of aliment arc constantly alluded to in the Word, nnd signify, in a goo<l scnsc, the two distinct kinds of spiritual nourishment rcquircd und providcd for the support of the soul, viz., goodness and virtue of various dCl?l'(X'!I for the ,dll, denoted hy the varictics of solid food, nncl '' isdom and knowlcdge of vnrious kinds for the unrlerstandiug, clcnotcd by the varictics of liqui<l food ; and the wholo process of cligEll'tion is, in every pnrticular, significative of that spiritual proccss by which the mind inwnrdly "lcnrns and digests," or rcccivcs and npproprintes that nourishmcnt which recruits our spiritual strcugth, nn more and more pcrfects our growth in the regcncrntc life; or, ou the contrary, if the will nud understanding be of an infernal qunlity, then the food which is de<ired for its sustcnt.'\ tion con~i~t!t of eclfish grntifimtions nnd erroneous persuasions, which arc rcprcscntcd by unclcan animais and noxious plnntR, by mixcd hrcnd and adulterated wiuc, hy unwholesome fruit and bitter water, and it is snid of them "the wholc head is sick and the whole heart fniut" (fan. i. 6). To cat. brcad or flesh ~ignifics, in a good sense, to receive from the Lird, to npprchend, nllfl spiritually to incorporntc cel~nl nud Yitnl priuciplcs of love or goodns in the will ancl afeetions; and to drink winc or bloo<l is to imbibe from the snme divine ~ource, to comprehend, and spi~itually to nppropriate hen.yeuly and living principlcs of wisdom or t r uth in the undemtnn<ling nnd thoughts. Bread, in n
"'"l'bc annlotzy betwccn hody RnI mfnl 1llkewl>e did thcy ('C)nfound thelr sexes, l very jl(cnrral: and the p&l'llllcl "Ill bold maklng ~ome ll>lllM or hoth 11ex... 1101100 A to tlwlr roo<l M well u any other partie il ls tbat the Oreck u"<'<l the \\ord e<ot, b<lb ular."-lmtn'1 Lij<of IJr.Jll-m,l,r 1,,,..f'tll, ror gods and glldd...-..:~; an<l a~r the .ame ml. t .. p. :.'li. manner wa. the \\Ord flt'w usod by the "A th hMlthrn made $Ueb a mulU1lhlt:r Romans."-I>r. TINR'fll ;\'ota Io the i>l<mi ef godl out or one and l.be ,.,,,e fl"l"!!On, ao .Ytooclto. ef Jlal"""'ida, p. 3S7.
136
TIIE SC/R,\'CE OF CORRESPONnENl'ES.
good sense, alwnys represcnts divine goodncss or love, nnd winc dh;ne wis<lom or truth; for goodneii!s and truth arc the ~piritual nncl ('\'Crl11~ting substances which nourish the ~oui unto ctcrnal lifo, prcciscly 11.q bread and "inc support the naturnl hody; hencc we arc tm1ght to pray for "our daily bread" (~lntt. vi. 11), "the brcnd of hcnven" (Psalm cv. 40), and" to buy wine without money and without price" ( faa.. lv. 1),-the "wine that mnkoth glnd the hcnrt of mnn, and hread which strengtheneth man's heart" (Psalm civ. 15). In the opposite senqe we read of "defiled brend" (Ezck. iv. 13), and of " wine which is the poison of dr:igons" (Deut. xxxii. 33), wherc it is ~clf-evident thnt the corruption and profanation of gooduess and t.ruth, or, what is the same thing, the vile and impious principles of evil and flioity are dcscribc<l. How plain, how interesting, and how edifying does even this short exposition mnko a multitude of otherwi.se inexplicable passages of the inspired Scriptures ! I need only refer to one or two, and evcn without a verbal explanation you ";n be surprised and delightcd to sec liow much you may understand respecting them. In John vi. 51 the Lord said to the J cws in the synagogue at Capernaum, "1 nm the living bread which came down from heaven: if any mnn cnt of this bread he sl1all live forever: and the bread that I will givc is my fle11h, which I ";JI give for the life of'the world." The Jews, who only understood these words sensually, askcd in skcptical dcri~ion, " How can thi.s man gi,e us his flesh to eat ?" to which the Lord, without further explnnation, immcdiately replicd, "Yerily, verily, I say unto you, Expt yc eat the fl~h of the Son of man, and drink hi~ blood, ye have no lifc in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinkrth my blood, hnth cternal life; and 1 will raise him up nt the lnst dny. For my flcsh is meut indeed, and my blood is drink indced. He that eateth my flesh and drinkcth my blood, dwelleth in mr, and 1 in him" (53-56). Herc the Lord's flooh signifie.-,, his divine love or goo<lnel!s, and bis blood, culled " the bloo<l of the Xew Testament" or covenant, can signify nothing clsc titan divine wfadom or truth, '' hich is ''shed for man y, for the remis~ion of sins" (:\fott. xxvi. 28). This Eeems, alM, to cxplaiu what the Apostle Paul mcans in 1 Cor. \. 7, whcre hc say~, "For evcn Christ our passovcr is atzrrijiced for us." The original Grock wor<l, hero translatcd sacrifice, cvi<lently menns "l!lain;" for tho pnssovcr wns not a ;,acrifi, but was eatcn by the people. So, hy parity of rea.."<ming, the Lor<l ,Je.,,us Christ was 1<l<1i11, or 9lorified lii& /111111anity, that ull Chr:;tian bclieven;, " having thcir
UNION OF LOVE AND WISDOM IN SORIPTURE.
lis'i
hcnrts sprinkled from an cvil conscience" (H cb. x. 22), by the blood of the ncw co\cnant, or the divine truths of the Word of God, might pnrtnkc of his flesh and blood, his divine goodncss and truth, nn<l incorporate thesc blcssed principles into thcir vcry nature, or spiritual constitution, as the Lord S11id (J ohn vi. 57), "As the living Father hath sent me, nnd I live by the }'ather, ao !te t/1at eatetlt me, ei>en !te 1/tall lfrc by me." Jt \la.~ to rep~t this internai communication of ~acred gift.'l and virtu~ by the Lord, aml thcir rcception and appropriation on the pari of man, that the Holy Supper Wll.'l instituted as a pcrpetual mcmorinl reprt'S<'ntntive of the Lord's glorification, and nlso of man's rei,rcnera tiou, and as a powerful mcans of a.dvancing it. For Swedenborg distinctly and truly tcachcs thnt "the greatcst power inhcrcs in cor re~pondenecs, becausc in thero hcaven and the world, the spiritual and the nnturnl, are conjoincd, and therefore that the "'ord is writtcn nccording to mere [or pure] correspondences; whereforc it is the conjunction of man wilh henven, thus with the Lord. T he Lord, by tbis mean'I, is in first principlcs, and a.t the same timc in lasts, whcreforo [ehurch] sacraments (whieh arc the holiest forms of ail wol'l'bip, and n snbstitute for ail t he rcprcscntntivo ceremonies and ritunls of former rlispensations of religion] nrc institutcd on the principlcs of corrcspon<fonce, in which, accordingly, a divine potcncy resides" (Sp. DiaMJ, pt. vii.) . The Lord macle bis humnnity Divine, and perfectly unite<l it to the indwelling Father , by the successive incorporation of infinite principles of goodncss nnd truth ; hen H e Mys, " I h:we ment to eat that ye know not of" (John iv. 32), and this divincly mystcrious process of glorificntion was the exact pattern of man's rcgcn<>rntion, in which work mnn becomes, in his finitc degrcc, frccly nml fully rcccptive of living principles of goodncss and truth from tl1c Lord, which induce upon him the divine likenc.<:s, conjoin him with the only source of ail lifc, bl~ess, and power, and open up to him Il i;tntc of eternal ndvanccment in wisdom, love, and use. Agnin, in Ezckiel we read : " T hus saitb the Lord God, Spcak uulo evcry fenthercd fowl, and lo cvery bcnst of the field, As.'lCmble your selv<'s nnd corne; ga.ther yoursclvcs on every sidc to my sacrifice thnt I do sacrifice for you, cv<'n a grcat sacrifice upon tlto mountains of Rrncl, th nt yc may eat 8c.sl1 mu] drink blood. Y c sho.11 ent the c>.l'h of the mighty, and drink the hlood of the priuc of the carth, of rnm~, of lambs, ami of gonts, of hullocks, ail of thcm fatlings of Ba 1lu1D. And ye shall cat fut till yc be full, Md drink blood till ye bo
12*
138
THE SCU:NCH OF CORREST'O.Vf>RNOES.
drunken, of the sacrifice '' hich I have sttcrificcd for you. Thus ye shnll be filled at my tahlc "ith horses and chariots, with mighty men, nn<l with nll men of wnr, iinith the Lord God" (xxxix.17-20). An<l similnr descriptions nre in the Revclation, whcre J ohn says, "And 1 snw an nngel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voicc, saying to nll the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, nml ~:lther yourselves together unto the supper of the groat God; that ye may cat the flesh of kin~, and the flcsh of cnptains, and the flcsh of mighty men, and the flcsh of horses, and of thcm that sit on them, nncl the flcsh of nll men, hoth free and bond, hoth small nnd grent " (xix. 17, 18). Without the inwnrtl lifc and spirit, how enn the divinity, the holiness, the rensonableness nnd prnctical tendcncy of thcRr pn.<.:.~ages he comprehcnde<l? But when that 11cnse is perceived an1l ncknowlcclgcd, nnd the !lignification of cating, drinking, nnd the elcmenl'! of food is umlcrstood, they are no loni;cr mysterious prcdic tions, hut tcem with lcssons of infini te intelligence, are replcte "ith the unfol<lings of unchanging love, radiant wil the bcams of sncrccl glory, aml nro nt once secn to be truly worthy of their omniscient A uthor. In a general scnse we are taught hy thosc words that the T,oril has providccl riehcst fcnsts of pnrest and holiCl!t blcssings and satisfnctions in his 'Vord and kingdom, for nll who are preparccl ta partnkc of and npproprintc them by fuith and love. J<:vcry thought capnhle of clcvation into the atmosphere of hcavcn, signified hy thr fonthert'll fowls that fly in the midst of the firmament, and cvcry nffctio11 inspirccl with tho lifc of love and chnrity, signilied by tho heu~ts of the field that walk upon the surface of the ground, nre frcely nml carncstly invitcd nnd entreated, hy the ycarnings of infinitc lo,c and compn.qRion, to partake of nll kinds nnd degrecs of ~piritnnl nourishmcnt and dcli.L(ht prepared for the understanding an1l the hrort, that man may wo~hip the Lord in "the benuty of holincq,q,'' and ohcy bis commnrulmrnts with a chccrful mind, and conscqulntly hc re>ple>nishe<l, strengthe>u<.'d, au<l reno,nt<.'<I \1 ith "fcasts of fat things antl wiue'I ou the lce!I," the J,ord's "sacrilko on the ruountains of farnrl," "the snpper of the grent God ! " On ncrount of this ~ig11ificntion of two prrsons or things, whrn a.~so<!ltc<l in the ord, the Lord sent forth the ~cventy disciple:; hy "two and t wo" (Lnkc x. 1), to prcach the glacl tidini.,'l< of rc<lemption nml "alrnlion in hi., name. For the wholt t':l"CllCC of the Gospel may be re>gurclccl ns the lovr ancl wi--dom of the J,or1l ; nor, unless thcQc divine principlc.~ arc unit!'dly rt'<'l'i,ed in the will aurl undcrstaning
"r
UNION OF LOVR AND Jl'ISDO,I/ IN SORll'TURE.
139
of man, eau the Gospel become to him "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. i. 16). There must be a reciprocity of action and reaction established betwcen the infinite will and the finite will, and between the infinite un<lerstanding and the finite understanding by the procs called regeneration, if the human mind is to becorne a cohcrent one, and live forever in conjunction with its 111aker. Thus both the love and wisdom ernanatiug from the Lord must be reccive<l, an<l, ns it wcrc, reflccted back ugnin to their divine source. To reive nnd rctain a given truth in the umlerstanding only, is to combine it with erroneous persuasions ami with selfish affections in the will, thus to profane and defile it, and destroy its virtue. He who does titis iuduccs upon himself a state of hypocrisy with its dircful tormcnt. Hen such impure as~ociations are so strictly forhidden in the W ord by a variety of fo.ws, made obligatory evcn in their litera! acceptation in the reprcsentative economy of the Jews, and the infringcment of which subjccted aggrcssors to sevcrcst penalties. Ilut in thcir inwar<l mcaning these laws and penalties arc filled with instruction of the most solcmn import. Without some internai significancy an<l cnpacity of application to the human ruind, such laws and penalties cannot be sccn in rational light to yield nny wisdom worthy of the supreme La";giver.llll For this reason, thcn, it is, that we nre forbiddcn to sow with divers sced, to plow with an ox and an ass together, or to wea.r g:umcnts wovcn of mingled woollen and linen yarn (Deut. xxii. 911); 81 for a truth received in the intellect must be yoked or unitcd
*'Oue would l~ne thnt nol!Crioos pcl'llOn 1ogy /Of' IM Jl<><krn Theo/IJul/ of ~ant Gercould rend the Mosaie Jaw, and beUcvo lt t.o many, ~Il Et'(lm<nt, p. :;a. be i'!'JJ'ired qf God, without pcrceivlng that, ln rercrcnce t.o tho samo sobjcct, Orlgcn ln cvcry pnrticnlar, lt must have bcen de fllrther says (in LetJU., cap. vil., tn Num., cap. ~ned for bolier purposes, and IO convey a xvl., x:xJ., et fa Malt., cap. n:iif.) thnt" hc ls a loO.lcr mornlfty, thnn what appenrs on the Il hlghprlcstunt.oGod who boldstho(spirltoal) snrfitce of the lcttcr; and that lt could be science of the lnw, and under.itands the n?R only in its lnward and hca,enly !ICU!IC that sons or evcry mystcry, and wbo is acquaintcd the l..ord Jcsus sa:;s of it that "no! <nie titUe wltb the Jaw both lu the spirltnnl aud literai thercof slwul /aa" (Luke xvl.17). 80111!0:" but that "ail those who Utcrally ex "M," mys Orls,'Co (Ad. C<ls., 1. 18). pound thclnwnrcvaln pret'hers." For"tl1cy "nevcr wrote anytbing wltich hnd not a truly ma.kc the Jaw an Old Testament who twofold mco.nlng. If in titis spiritual scnsc undcrstnml it in a carnnJ ronnncr; but t.o us, wc say thnt God promnlgatcd the law, thcn wbo understand and expound lt splrltnally ltapJ)Clln<" rode worthythe Divine Majci,ty: aud ln ile,augelfcal sensc,lt lsalwaysNcw.'' but if we rcst in t.he lcttcr, aud undcl'ltnnd 81 Dr.Townley couslders thattheso hetcrocc
what ls written in the law as the Jcws nn<l noous mixtures, whethrr or gannc.nl.S,
JoiCed~,
cornmon people do, tbcn I blmh b> a11 that Goo ~11ch lm<1$.'' "Nor was thi princ1ple, thnt w~ mo,'t pntuehascnsc upon the wnrds and the~~ of Serlpturc as ls worthy a divb1c prodnetlon, ]>C<'ulinr t.o Orii;en only; but it was also n<lopU'd by Angustlne and maoy others of the fthers."-llrascltnel<lcr' A1>0l
fl'I"
or nnlmals, were C\ldeutly Corbldcn t.o pre yentldolatry; or accordlt1g t.o Thorons A qui """ (PrinL &c., 1111. 102, art. 6). out of hatrcd Io lolatry, bceawie the F.gyptfans made mlx: turcs of this nature, ln seeds, animais, and ganneuts, t.o rcproseot the dlllercm conjunolions or the planell!.
HO
TDE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
toits own proper nn<l corrcsponding principle of goodness in the heart, if it is to be preserve<l from profanation, nn<l thus to be succcssfully eruployed, not only to promote our usefulness in this world, but our prepnrntion for a heavenly stnte. ln order to represent to us more significantly the above twofold characteristic of the Lord's divine proceeding, as consisting of infini te love and infinite wisdom in indissoluble union, there are, both in the Old nnd New Testaments, two terms or names conjoined, as, Lord God, ,Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, the Lord-God nnd the Lamb, the Fnther and the Son, etc., which names are not, as might be supposed from the mere appearance of the letter, appellations refcrable to some distinct dunlity and individuality of person in the Godhead, a supposition equivalent to the monstrous and intolerable idea of more gods thnn one; but they are designed to mark the distinction recoguized by human thought in the one true God, between divine love and divine wisclom, or, whnt is the same thing, bctween divine goodncss and divine truth,-the two ~ntial constituents of Godhead coxistent in the divine Mind, the ground of infinite perfection, and the abode nnd source of nll the attributes of Deity. Rcnson testilies that it cnnnot be otherwise. The terms Lord, or Jehovah, Jesus, and Father, geuerally signify, in the Roly Word, some quality of the essential divine principle of love or goodness; and the terms God, Christ,82 and Son, for the most pnrt signify some characteristic of the other divine principle of wisdom or truth, according to the subject or state under considcration. How immeasurably above mere reasoning and vie"'s which are dependcnt on the bodily scnses do such enlightened conclusions nn<l instructions as these clcvntc the soul, freeing it at on from all cavil, doubt, and inconsistency, directing its undivided adoration to the one truc and holy God of hcaven and earth-the Lord .Jesus Christ, in bis own glo1ified Human; and because He is thus infinite lo\'e or goodncs.'i itsclf, and infinite wisdom or truth itsclf, the apostle Paul bcars this most explicit testimony respecting Him, tha.t "In Hm [the Lord Jcsus] dwcllcth a.Il the fulness of the Godhc.W. bodily." Tho Fathcr scnds forth the Son, ns hcat scnds foi th light; and as heat and light nrc one in the sun, so love and wisJcm1 -the Fnthcr and the Son-nro one in the glorious pcrson of the Lord Jcsns Christ, the "Sun of righteousness."
"The Hcl>rcwword Jm13, whcn tmnlat<.'<l J 'l'hc Hcbrcw word Jftl/'iah and the Grrk :nto J-:ni:l$lt, mcans dtllvtrcr and rovfuur. word CMm mell anoi11lt, and hcncc l:in11.
CH.A.PTER XI.
l'lu; TTnU':E DY.GREES OP LIPE, Til!: TR!YAL DISTIYClON IN GoD, AND Till!
TnREEP'OLD CoxSTTTuTrox OF TllE H UMA.N ;\ItND AND Til!: lloLY ExPLAINEI>, AND TREIR ;\1UTUAL CoRRESPONDENCE 1LLt:STRATED.
Wonn
E have seen, in tho former chnpter, that tho will and undcrstan<ling of man nre the two primary coustit.ucnt powcrs of tho humnn mind. Yet man i1:1 not a complete image of hhi Creator until be brings forth the ends of bis "ill and the causes of his understnn<ling into thcir proper eJfects, narnely, words and ,,orks; the, thcrefore, form a third essential constituent of his nature. By virtue of po&CSSing nnd exercising this power, fixity and idcntity are impartecl to ail the intcrior principle& of the rnind and life. Now, the thrce corresponding principles of the Divine Mind are, the infinite will of God, compri.sing divine end~, the infinite understnnding of God, com prising divine causes, and the ctcrnnl activity of thcsc two principlcs, iu 1ierfcct union, cornprising ail divine effccts. In the Sacrcd Scrip turcs the all-begetting principle of love, prooecding from the diviuo "ill, iS dcsignated "the Futhcr;" the all-producing principle of \l"s dom, procceding from the divine understunding, or "the "'ord made ficsh," is dcnominated " the Son ; " and the eternal cncrgy and activity of tbcsc two principl, now proceeding from the Lord's glorificd Ilurnan in perfect union, are called "the R oly Spirit.''ss Thus
In the cthkal philosophy or the ancrent Ezyptlan_-, the flr<t principlc of lbc m!nd I l!Rld Io bave bccn iftldl:t, lhe lll'l'OnI vil/, and the thlrd, whlch was the Jolnt t'ftlux or th...e. toll<'Ord, or hannmtr qf Q('tlon.~""e &Tk Jlor. Snl., p. 331. "l'l&to had no doubt or a grenl mytcry !>oing conocalcd ln lloseo' accounl or the tht<'c men who appearcd unto Abmham." -1.Je S<vr(ftcffa tt dt Abmhanw, p. 31\7, cll.ed l'll Jl0<h.tA' Nof'I t.o ~"'Orlh' lnl. !111.. vol. li~ p. 3Z7. "The lh~ namesofthe Deitymcntlonctl ln Sacrt'd Wrtt, 1 Am (Jebo,-ah), God (F.lohhn), and Lord (Adonal), are referrod hy l'h!lo to lbe lhrtt divine natures for .-.nua~] haro hlcb hc dlvld<'S lbe Dclty."-Ib., p. 32!1. "The Pin tonie byp0thC'<e!l oeem to be rcal!y notb!ng erse bul lnftn!te goodn.,..., loflnlte wisdom. and lnllnltc active J>Ower, nol .. mere qualltlC'I or at'<'l<leuL-, but a. rut.tan tial thln~. all concurring too::ether Io mako up one eo, or Dh!nltr."-Jb., p. 4!lll. The inl'Crlptlon on the groo1ohelislt of lhe Ml\ior Clt<'us was, "the great God, the IJo. gotten or God. the A!lrc'plendent." llcraclitus mention~ an !nMCrlptlon whlch was a tri&d: "FIM Go<l, lhcn the Logoi;, &nd the ~plrll wllb lbcm; but all tbcsc uoited oy nAture and unltln!f ln unlty." "The ef'"ll or an angcl I that whlcb l1 callcd hl !Oui hla cxlt.ence i tbat '!rhleh ls <a!lcd bis bodr. and the prOC'~ln11; fmm botb ia tbat wblch ia called t.he llJ>here cl
l
j
141
142
TJIE SCIESCE 01" COJ(JlESl'OSJmXCES.
divine love from ctcrnity willc1l, nrnl divine wi~dom, ni; n. rnu~, opcr atcd the work of croation, nnd c-.uue forth in time a:> the "i:sdom, or
hls lifc. Dy thl trine an nngcl is an Image Pallas, or Mlnerva, ln Grcccc, and hy the o( God."-S>drnborg, Ath1111<uian OrCC<l, lS, go1ldc.<s llfythcu in PCl"la. The thlrd prln clple the EcrypUans called Oru., the llrb, Apolloorlkrculcs,and the Per>il\1i.MiUlru.. This latter Jcoplc, who had ncithcr tcmpl!'ll nor latuc, odoptcd only thr prlnrlJ)AI dl\'Lnitics. h1dced, Mr. Ram..ay I of the opinion that all the i;od of the hnthrn :1'2-~G."- TV. Jonl'8, qf Saylrmd, 1m Ille Tri11ilv. mytbology nro but dlfTcrcnt fonn of \hC>iC "Th1 llcbrcw lcltcl'l! whlch l'Olll!>O"C the thrw, vlz., 'une uprcmc i;o<.1, tlw principal tri S)'ll&IJlc namc Jr;U0\'.\11, nrc cxprc'l'l\'c or ail hein!('<; a go<\<!1~,. his \\If". i>tcr, or of lim~pas, timl! pre.Nll, nnd ti~ to romc."- d,111::htcr; an! a mi<l<llc god, """ 1, bis 8'>n, sec .llaimon.le. ,!(or. ,'i(!I!. hl~ rcpre>enlJltl\'e or vlcci;creut.' 'This, with "OC the i11jlnite u(f-exi811'tll c~BCll"t! lmplled olnl qua.llfi<ations. may ,cry probnbly bo by thl~ name it 1, lm)>O""lblc Cor u.~ to form tn1c."-D. ll. JL, Am. .\'('lb Jer. Mag., vol. n full aod atlf."IU&te idea, bcca1Lw wc. aml X\ Ill~ p. 3i 1. nll other cl'Clltore, ba.ve but a j!nilt, drrfraThe oroclc c!Wd outof Dnmn..,.ln the phll tfrc e."l!cncc . , 'J'hc wor<l JAH (ns ln l'i!alm ophcr, by l'l\tritln,, t1.'1lr~ th11t throughout l:'t\'ill, 1) 'tan<l' lm pl~ for th1 dirlrU! e~otnre, the world a trlad or triuity hln<' forth, or for llfm u:ho 1, and""" nessnrlly>u-"1' which resolv~ IL~lf lnto a monad, or J"('r be... 'lite tcrm EuJAH OCClll'I! no1'hcrc but fe{'t unity; and nl<0 that U1is d()(trinc ln ~:x.111. li, and llll?an6 not only ll lm who tho fundarocntnl prlnriplc of the Orpl1lr ncccRnrllr u, but who ncCCS!!nrilywill be. It phlloeophy. Vo.~lu~ ol~rvcs thnt thl i<l<'I re:;nrd> th<" future cl<"rnal,aud demon>tratcs hl'l1l a prlnclpnl pince ln the mythology of the lmmutablllty of the dhfnc exbt.:ncc. the anclcnt.. -F<.-c Cl1dulfllt's Jnt .<:t11.. vol. 1., The tltle JEJIO\'All, whlch conllllns the p. 4!tl; Prit:/10.r.ra Anal. qf l'qyp. Jlythol., pp. othcr two, lncln<lc' the pas!, the 1)'1'('3"111, and 3'J, 47. lh<' /u/11re Elcrnnl, tb&I. ;., a~eording tt> our "Fir11011; for ail thln!l", and evcry dl\.i unltlng in Ono whosc power <"\JI nc\'crend." sion or tbot dur!\lion whlch "e undcrotand -r>ra.U tif,<;, rnl'i., Suftlru; < J\mtC'111'1/ hy Ume, nre prc,,.nt wlth lllm, tho111:h M1C 111/ltorv of Omrla, l'r.iO, J.:ng. <"<l., p. Il. et."'lve t.o 1'hus tho ln>pired AJl<)Stlc 'fhe auckut J%'YPlll\ns bellCVl~I in the (f1dintt 110 wnr<l ln Grk to repn...,:ut the unlty of the ~beoI, ami cxpn:""Cd hl idel\ Of the I!ehrcw) U!oe' perlpl1111'!, or attribut.es hy tria<!'<. Awnlln1: Io l'ythll'( comment on the word, antl <"Xpl'C'<'8 the oru, the 811u1hm phllOl'opher, tho syml,nl narM Ji;uo\'AI! by 'He thnt ;., thnt v'<l~,111111 of ail thin~"" or fuln\"<1, \\ns th<" ~fonad, or tbnt i l'I come' {Ucv. 1. 4)."-..'itrle'a Jlur.."'11., attlvc princl11lc, or l'athcr; th Duon, or l'P 1 ~. p..,lv.: princl1le, or llf th<r: au<.1 the n."'nlt "JEUO\'AlldC>cndcdt<>llccome Jl)<tfur ornpcrntinn of bnth unltc<\. lt I rc mnrk 1lwlr [hls child!'<'n'] l'&kc~. And H:.1 ls nhlo thnttlw uncient trlnltlcsoflhe llin<.10011, Jt:UOVAll, or Ile <"ould nnt be 'the Mme aq \\ cll ns th Jiro'ptlan, cmblcmntlzt.,1 the Y'-"terdny (1. e., Crom etcmlty), llH!a11 (1. c.. male or J)Al<"mal prinl'lple, th" ftmalc or through nll tlnw), an<.1 for11tr (f. e., to ctcr ntl\t<"mol prlnflple, and tbc ofT,pring, und nity), ail which the namc Ji:1to\'AJ1 lm plies." lhat thls ls l<'ntical wlth the enrly t'lliucw - lb., 11. 7. phllooopby. "The threc grand attrihuk's of God: lnli"Amonrt the nnelent Chln~ chnra<"tcrs ni te pltuJtudc of llfc, infinlte knowlcdge, whkh h1we~n prcscned. W<' ftlul one likc aud lnfinlte powor."-Dru!tliro.l Triad. th<" Greck drlta (t.). Arrordlng to the C'hinr.t .. . w!Mlum, and power l>irtim1ar11, Kang hi, tllls rbnraewr h:nlfic~ "ll<muse goo<lnc. arc the tbrec r.,.ntlal dhlne aUrlbu~ uni"11 .\ccnnlintr to Ovmroum, Il ~le1Jn1t1'<l thercfurc the Ddty was orlglnally rcpre "11rk, ~ '' 111~ tmilJ in DIU!. The U"'"' "<'ntcd hy the anrlcnts undcr th~'C prindpnl rlum tiing h"71, wb1rh I~ 1\ mtlon&l and Conn. The prlnelplc of the 1lhinc goodnt>ss Jenrncd cxplnnntlon of nnrlent chnrarlcr:<, wMn11n...mtc<l amoni:; the F.gyptll\nhythe 11r, ~ ,1.,.111ftC" lntlmatc 11111011, bnrmony, god t>-.lri,, amonirthc Grec ka by Jupikr, and tlw rhilf ,.,..,..i of man, of the ht&\'<'n antl among llll' Pcn<lnn' hy Oromll/.C. 'l' hc dl or lht carth: Il h tlw un Inn of the thc.'" vine wl....tom, or >~md prfnrlplc, wn. np- - J>r. A. <Y11rkt'1 Cbmna., J1hn 1. n.'SC'nkd Ly tc gnd!le;,, l>I~ in t~1t. by Numl.ICrlt' tJGuthcMlc s uix ...UUons, ni> p. 43. "Fnther.~on. nnd lloly Ghot a.re nnt rcprescnwI t\.~ somnny 1mml.,., butas 011e1111me; the one divine nntureofGrnl IJcing no more dh l<lcI by tbe><e thr than by the ~luglc namc or JtluJroh thrlcc re!'C"tro ln l\um. vi.
"*'
TRENAL DIS1'INCTION IN GOD AND .~fAN.
143
Ward incar1mtc, in the person of Jus Christ, an<l accomplished the wotk of redemption and the glorification of the a.ssumcd humanity; and the Roly Spirit is continually striving to go forth in "the spirit and power" of the 'Vord, to efiet human regeneration and salvation. Swedenborg, trenting on this momentous suhjeet, clearly and beautifully unfolds it a.s follows: "In every divine work there is a first, a rni<ldle, and a last, an<l the first passes through the mi<ldle to the lnst, and thereby cxists and subsists; hence the last is the basis. The first, also, is in the rniddle, and, by rneans of the middle, in the lnst; and thus the last is the containant. .And because the last is the containaut and busis, it is also the firmament. The learned reader will bo able to comprehend the propriety of ealling these three, end, cause, and effeet, and also e88e (to be), fieri (to bc.,><:ome), and existerc (to exist). He who comprehends this reasoning will cornprehend, also, that cvery divine work is complete and perfect in the lnst; and likewise that in the lnst is contninc<l the whole, because the prior things arc contained togetber in it. From this ground it is, that by the number thrce, in the 'Vord, in its spiritual scnsc, is signified what is complete and perfect; and also, the ail or whole together. Becausc this is the signification of that number, therefore it is so frequently applied in the W ord, when that signification is intcnded to be cxprcssed, as in the following places: Isa. xx. 3; 1 Sam. iii. 1-8, xx. 5, 12-42; 1 Kings xvii. 21, xvii. 34; Matt. xiii. 33, xxvi. 34; John xxi. 10-17; Jonnh i.17; John ii.19; l\Iatt. xxvi. 39-44; Luke xxh'. 21 ; bcsidcs mnny other passages where the number throo i;; mentionc<l. It is mentioned whcre a work finished nn<l perfcct is the subject trcate of, because sueh a work is signified hy thnt number." -S. S. 27-29. And again: "From the Lord proceed thesc principles, the celestial,
sur<! co.mogoules, and oonfuscd notion.., etc., wcre fouudc<I on the eom1ptions of Ibis phil osophy as lt became more dcbwl~'<l nud licen tlous. "The numbcr three wns hcld acrc<l hy tho anelents, hcing thought the mom pcrfcct of ail numbe,,., as baving regaro Io the bcgln nlng, mlddle, and end.''-Dr. T/iQrnltJn'a Eelogtta of l'irgi~ p. 507. "Threewasasll<'r~d o.nd myi.tlcal numhcr among the Dmid.<."-J)<wW Jtul.Ml. of the BritW.. Dn.cit, p. 79. "The Hcbrcws expf'C2!'11y acknowkdi::cd fe pcrfcellng propcrty of the numbcr IJirer; (or with tltem the lcttcr shin, -=' "hich is lu lt'K'lf n trident, denotcd the numbcr IJirec, or the utmost rierfectlon ot everythlng."-7Tipt., vol.i., p. r,2. "The grcnt majorlty of the Hebrew rooll 8l!Sume trl-Utcral comblnatlons as the average Conn, and t11e saine number of letters arc, hy m0>t phllologlsts, ascrlbcd to the original Greek n10ts."-CbnybroTO' Lect.. 2d cd., app., pt. Z, p. 301. "The ancien ta had o. singular prcdilcetion for the uumber tltrce; hence thcy took li as a divlsor prefcmble to the 1norc rational mode of hnlves. Of thls takc an lntancc from Livy: '.l\JUSdem rel cao<;I\ ludl magni Yotl a:ris trcccnlls, trli;.1ota, tribus millibu...'
144
1'1/E scu:NCR OF CORRESPONDE.NOES.
the ;;piritual, and the 11atural, one after anothcr. 'Vhatsocver proeeeda from his divine love is callcd eclcstinl, and k; di,ine good; whntsocver proceeds from his divine wisdom is called spiritual, and is divine truth ; the natural partakes of both, and is thcir complex in ultimates. The divine principle procccding from the Lord, in its progrc."S to ultimates, desnds through three degrs, and is termed cclcstial, spiritual, nnd nnturn.l. The diYiuc principle which procccs from the Lord and descends to men, descends through those three <lcgrecs, and wl1en it has dcscended, it contnins those three <legrecs in itself. Such is the nature of every divine principle proceeding frorn the Lord; whcrcforc, when it is in its last <legrce, it is in its fulne;s. Such is the nature and quality of the Word; in its lnst [or lowcst) scnse it is uatural, in its interior sense it is spiritual, awl in its iumost wnse it is cele8tiu.l; a111l in eaeh sense it is divine.si The distinction betwcen thcse <legrecs eannot be known, except by the knowledge of correspondcnce; for these three degrees are altogether distinct from each other, like end, cau80, and effect, or like what is prior, posterior, nnd postreme, but yct make one by eorrespomlence; for the naturnl <legree or principle corresponds with the spiritual, and also with the celestial."-S. S. G, . " H e who does not know the regulations of divine order with respect to dcgrces cannot comprchend in what mnnner the heavcns are di~tinct from each other, nor even what is mennt by the internai and cxtcrnul man. 1\Iost persons in the world have no othcr ideii of things intcrior and exterior, or superior and inferior, than as of something continuous, or cohering by continuity, from n. purcr state to a grscr; \1hcrcas things intcrior and exterior nre not continuous with respect
""The celestial [or !nmt] scnc of the Word eannot eas!ly be uufolded, not bclug so much e.n object of intcllcctual thought as of wHl-alfoctlon. The true ground and rcnson wby tbere ls ln the Word a scn-e l'till more lnterlor, whlrh is called eelcstial, l~, becau'e from the Lord proed Divine Good an<! DivlneTruth-J>ivineGood from hisDi vine Al\"e and Divine Truth from bis Divine \\'ldom; each ls ln the Wor<l, for the Word ls the divh1e pr<X'ecdlng. Jt ls on lhls account that the Word impart.s llfe to those that read lt undcr holy Influence. The marrlage of the Lord w!th the church, ancl c'011''-'l"ently a marrll\g(' of gcx><lnc'" aud trnlh, I con tain cd lu cvcry part!cular of the the spiritual sense have relation to Divine Trulh, and the contents of the ~-ele1>tlal !.Cil'>(: \o Dhlne Good."-1~. S .. n. 80. "[Evcu] the literai sense of the Worrl is throofold. Ylz., hlsWrlcal, prophelka.I, nnd cloctrinnl, cach whereof ls such thnt it mny be npprcbendcd C\"Cll by tbc wbo arc ln cxtcruals."-A. C., n. 8-132. "The Word ('()ntalns in itsclf all prior prln cl pies, c"en from the firf't, or all >uperlor prin cl pies, e\cn from the supreme; the ultimatc beiog wbat lnclndcs and contalt1s !hem. 'l"hl fulneso of the Word may be <:ompn""d wlth a common VC""el of marblc, ln whlch arc innumerublc lc:>'<r \"C!<SCIR of erptAI, and ln th(e !Ill more innumcrablc of prccion~ stone, ln whkh and about whh-b arc the \rom:'-..~. lt.., n. 19. "\\'har <longs to the spiritlu ~<'me of m<-t cxqnl;itc dellca~ies of henY<:n, whlcb the \\"<ml brui more prrtleular rel11tion to nrc for tllo..e wbo !rom the Lord perforci the churrh; and whnt belongi; fil the <'l'i<' noble U!l(?S."-A. E. 1087. lia! l!('nse, to the Lord; the ronteut.s, at,o, of
TR/N,f/, lJJST/1..-CT/O,V IN GO[)
.um
Jl,J.N.
145
lo C'ach othcr, hut <liscrclc. Degrs arc of two kimls, thcre hciug oontinuous degrc<'S and degrNJs uot continuons. Coulinuous degrees 11ni like the degrcC!' of light, dcC'reasing a.~ it rece<l from ftame, which is its "<lurce, till it is lrn;t in ohscurity ; or like the dcgrccs of visual clcarness, dccrc11.~ing as the light p:1Sses from the objccls in the light to those in the shade; or like the degrees of the purity of the atmosphere from its base to its sum111it,-tbcsc dcgrees bcing determined hy the respccthe distance:.. But degrees that are not continuous, but iscrete,es dilfer from eaC'h othcr like wlll\t is prior and "hnt is posl<..'rinr, Jike cauee and elfeet, and like that which produccs and thnt "hich is produce<l. Whoever investigates this su bject will fiud thnt in al] the objecto of crcation, both gcncral aud particulnr, thcro are such dC'grccs of production and compo1iition, and that from one tl1ing proceeds another, and from that a third, and i:-o ou. He thnt ha.s not acquircd a clear npprehension of these degrccs cannot li<> acquaiute<l with the diflrcnco between the vnrious hcavcns, and bet\\een the intcrior and the extcrior fcultics of man; uor cnn he hc ac1uniutcd \\lh the differeuce bctween the spiritual world au<l the naturnl, uor bctwecn the spirit of mau an<l bis body; nor, consequcutly, eau he understaud what correspoudcnces aud reprentntions nro, and thcir origin, uor "hnt is the nature of influx. Seusual men cannot comprchend thesc distinctions, for thcy suppose incr~e nucl dccrcnse, evcn ''ith resp<..>et to these dcgrees, to be contiuuous; on which account they eau form no other conception of what is spiritual th1111 as somcthiug more purely natural. Thus they stand, as it wcrc,
"Ill~ ls a phlloeopblcal term sii:ol- 1 d~trlneoftrlpled~.,wblrb lslndi"JlCn fyln11: "lJ'll'OV, and lt arpl!ed to two or more gable to a jll!ll. ,;ew of the dh lne cba!'M't~r thln"" that do not run 1010 one anotl1cr. but, and exMence, to a corrCC't l<lea of the ntur.i tbuugh contiguou, bave cnch tbelr d1<tlnr1 o f the human mind, and to the acrurato 1J<>1111ary."-.Yol>'l. Ju1owk'<lgc Of the SCit'll<'C of <'OfTI'@Jlllff 1'h1 ""-'' imvortnnce of thls dlUnctlon of enceii, and tbus to a tnie lnwrprclAlll<lll of d<'<;<'t' wlll be al once pcrcelved, If w Nltl- the Won! or God, & few addition&! cxtnutti l<lu that the erronoo>u, a.-.mnpUon that ail are 11:1\en ln the APPL'<DIX, l'rnro the hn11lu 1..111 ... and lhing!I haw prot'ded forth <'OO able wrilln'll or S\\edenbnrg, "ho be., ...., tlnuou.ly, or by d~ o r contlnult)', !rom amply and > clrly unfolded Ibis g,.ud the rentre to the r!rrumferenee of ait <'n'fl subjt'<'t, on whleh, lndecd, the la"s of 1urllon; thus, that the l'Oul and the btldy, Ood rcs1Kln<111we may be &lfd to rr.<t. A fcw of tuuJ man, ti:pirlt an~ me.ttrr. are but \1arlous the lnnnmrrn\Jle roufirmnt.lons,nltd Illustra l"fAt1nUons, and that God i~ an all~xll'\.nde<l tlotL" f'tom other ~un~~. arc al" given. 11lr-1A11t'e, exi'!llng tbrou~hout po.N', ha. The t'""'lfl'I 'If lmtitm, and the ~('e('Ut ... r<iwn blrtb, ooch ln anc!cnt arvl mndem tioo or Jienvln and HuxlfY on l'l'Ol:Tl'."' ln tlm1-.. t-J t'very hf'l~nl~ueou...~ ~y...tem of put dc\("lopm<>nt.. are fn&ml"fl UJ'4\n tml/i1nf,lt <l Uu. j... m, mteriall"'m, and ee<"ularlcm, v. hlch ~'~ h:n<-e the1r f;:~k>u~ errol'f', thdr ll luOMI phlloophy, annlnl:', thclr ml>laken amrniteph), have lnvented. ln or<ler. thcrtfon\ f\1r- menL' of frt'I, anrl thtlr mt...chlevous roll lhrr t;i ru;.i,t the eanut and llltclll~111t ln- rtuslon. t<nding to mt'fe materi1tli<m an( qulrN ln hlsca1th Rnrrtruth,~n~nlll~ . Athclm,an<19fo~lt)' torn1l11a1ing thero iiliu more elearly to com1>reh~od the C""'t ' 13 ~
146 H. H. 38.
THE SCIENCE OF CORRESl'ONDENCES.
without the gate, far remo\ed from al! that constitutes intelligencc.""The essential Divine [principlc] is in the supreme sensc of the Word, because therein is the Lord; the Divine [principle] is also in the internai scnsc, be.cause thercin is the Lord's kingdom in the hen,ens, hence this sense is cnlled celestial and spiritual; the Divine [principle] is also in the literai sense of the Word, because therein is the Lord's kingdom in the earths, hence this sense is called the extcrnal, and likcwise the natural scnse, for in it are cro.'!S appearances more rernote frorn the Divine [priuciple]; nevcrthcless ail and singular things therein are Divine." "The case, with respect to these three i<enses, is as it wns with the tahernnclc: its inmost, or what was within the veil, where the ark wns, containing the tcstimony, was most holy, or the holy of holies; but its internai, or whnt wns immediately without the veil, wherc was the golden table and candlestick, wns l1oly; the extcrnal, also, wherc the curt was, was also holy."-A. C. 343V. In further elucidation of the subject of degrccs, the sarnc enlightened nuthor clscwhcre says: "It is discovered by mcans of the investigation of causes from ffects, that degrccs arc of two kinds, one in which are things prior and posterior, and another in which are things greater and Jess. The degrecs which distinguish things prior and posterior are to be called degrees of altitude, or discrete degrees; but the degrees by which things greater or less are distinguished from each othcr are to be called degrecs of latitude, and also continuous degrees. Degrees of altitude, or discrete degrees, nre like the gcncrations and compositions of one thing from another; as, for examplc, they are Jike the generntion and composition of any ncrvc from its fibres, or of any fibre from its fihrill; or of nny piece of wood, stone, or mctal, from its parts, and of any part from its particles. But degrees of latitU<le, or continuous dcgrecs, are likc the inerements and decrements of the sa me degrce of nltitu<le \\ith respect to brefltli, Icngth, height, and depth; and as of large and small masses of wood, stone, or mctal."-1. S. B., n. 16. "The science of gcometry tcaches that nothing cnn be complete, or perfeet, exoopt it be a trine, or a compound of three; for n gcomctric line is nothing unies;;; it berornes au nrca, and an nren is nothing unlcss it beeomes n solid; therefore the one must be multiplicd into the other in order to givc thcm existence, and in the third they coexist. As it is in this instance, so it is likcwise in the ca!'e of ail and cvery crented thing, thcy have their liiuit and tcrmination in a third.
TIUNA/, IJJSTINCTION /.\' INJFJ AN/1 .'1.1.\'.
14 7
Jieucc we eee 11hy the numher 'fHHEg in the Word ~ignifies whnt is complete nnd pcrfcct."-T. <..:. R, n. !l~7. '111ere nre, then, throe degrces of Jife"6 in e1'ery man, constituting man in the image, and ennhling him to attnin the likC'ncss, of his .:'lfakcr. The dcgrces arc discrete or distinct, and arc nppropriatcly rrprcsented in the well-known ::mcicnt nnd cxpressh e tri ad of the hcart, the hcad, and the !tand. The first encl is of the will or Ion-; the mediate end, or instrumental caue, i<> of the undel'!'tnu<linit or "i&lom; nud the ultimate end, or effort, has respect to u~e in the lifo. Tla~e dcgr<'C!l, though thcy arc discrctcly distinct, and cxhibit thrcc di--tinct cln.s..."CS of phcnomenn, arc, umlcr the influence of rca."on niul cunscicncc, unnnimous in thcir acth itics and conjoined hy corre<pond. cncc. Enrh of thcsc degrocs, howcver, is cnpnhle of cmllcss muti~ tions in itself, wbich are callcd continuous dcgrccs. Tl1csc are the varintions of inten1>ity a.ud dcnsity, or a grcntcr or lc.-s clcgrcc of rcmotens of statc, ns progressions from Jight to shade, from hcnt to cold, from soft to bard. But discrcte dcgrecs arc distinct, ns the i.piritual world is distinct from the nnturnl world, or the soul frorn the body, or a cau!IC from the effcct, or the pro<lucer from the thing pro<luced; an<l. it is only bctwoon this latter kind of dcgrces that corrcsponclenee exists. Ail things, howeer infinitcly yaricd, manifest in their end nnll scnce the di vine love, in their form and en use of existence the 'liviue wi~dom, nnd in thcir operation an use the divine power, or the unitcd cffect and energy of both love nn \\i:>dom. lu the I.ord thcse tbrce essentials of deity "are distinctly one." That somc truc i<fon of this doctrine wns cxplicitly hcld in the earlicr periods of Chrislianity, wc have the m<ll't direct testimony in . the 6rst epistlc of John, whcre it is written, "Thcrc are thrce that bcar record in hcaveu, the Fnthcr, the ".or, and the Holy Ghost: and thcsc tlm'c nrc ouc. And th<'re arc thrce thnt bcar witncss in carth, the ~pirit, und tl1c \\atcr, and the bloo<l: and thci:c thr ngrcc in one" <Y. ,X ).'' Now thcre is nothing that exi~ts throughout the thrce kingdoms of nuturc but what, evcn as toits particulnrs, bcars witne.ss to this trinity
... l...t. O..iri.. antl lloru, romrrl"' ln Dlony.!u, tht> .enatoTof Alhens. the hll(h thouc;ht the wholc "l"IA'm of F-1<i11UAn my l'!ot plt. or <11-gl'l'e l gllen t> the a11i;tI of U10111gt." llh the ex1>Llou, perlUlJW, or Am- lon\ whi<'h an. tA.nned ft"Taphi'm; the J4t<o111l mu11 n<l Kncph, lhc cune..elcol g.I anl lht 10 the ftnl(t'l or light.. "blrh a1') U>rmro c""'th11r J>\1cr:-11.,...n E{n/p( 1'1 m rhcrublm; an1J Che follu\llno; place lu lbe l'nir. l/tor., p.. 413. arn::ets or pol\('f aud minl~try." What lla<ou a..,.,n.. I nota lllUc r<'mark 1 "The loug, l'r\-qucnt, an<\ lamcd <ll1>u !Jiu, ,tz., thot 'Ill the cclci.11~1 lucrureby of tul1ons rCf>p<:cUug tlie authcntlcity aud gcn
148
TllfJ SCIENCE OF C()RRRSPO.VDENCES.
in God, nnd thL'I triple life in the soul ns G0<l's imngc. It is revcalcd to us thnt in the spiritual world thcre arc thrcc hcnvens, which heing discrctcly distinct correspond to each othcr; and 1cre must Jikewisc be throo bclls as their opposite$." All out\\nrd nature is ilireefold, and this is derived from correspond encc. Thcre is the great univcrsnl trine of ncriform fluids, liquif.1s, and Mlids, or utmospl1crcs, waters, and carths. The impondcrnhlc
ulnenC&'I of the l!CVl'nth verse, ln uo wny nffts the 1in.'M'llL argument. l may hcre ol acr1't', thut lt J~ Jh>W gcnerally allowed to have h<'Cll purlou,Jy lntroduced luto the Epl,tle of John. Jt cxlst,, howcer, ln one or the Grcck .Ml'S. lrnown by the lltle of 77u: (bita Jlon{furtii," lu Trhty Collegc, Uubllu, whkh .Martlll of l'trecht rou.ldcl't'tl to be as old 111 lbe clevculh ccntury, but wblch nr. A. Clarke rcgardcd as a produc lion of about the thlrteeuu.. I' occurs in theGN'<'ktra11,Jatlo11ofLileAclsoflhcCoun cil or Lateran, btl .o.o. 12n. li is insertcd ln lhc J.alin \"ulgntc, a ynluable,crsion made br Jl'nme 111 the lourth century; lt ls cltcd IJy \"lglllwi Tapwt~ls, a blshop nud J,ath1 11 rit.cr in the latter end of the fifth; an<l 1s foun ln Latin Ml''l. o~ cnrly as the 11intb or tenth. Accordlug to nr. A. Clarke, somc of the 1.ntln \Hllcrs hisert lho pa'sage tlrns : "Thcrr arc tbn.'\' thnt benr J'\."\'Ord lu hcavcn, tl1c Fat.hvr, Ibo \\"on!, n11d tho Holy llh<llit: and th~o;.c thn:c arc one ln Cnn1><T JC"n." The thrcc dcgrec.-aof luitlation lnto the endent Dl>"l<-ri1."< ''' ~nt. Grcccc, etc., \\ere, wlthout <l>ubt, dcrin'l'\.'IO'UI op110rtunlty of obF.enln~ thal the 11lg11, '>nbols, aud thr dci,'fecs of Frec.Mt\lttllll'l arc a J>eeullnr compound of a f~.,. \'OTrl""l"'IH!c1H"C, adoptcd Crom the ancicnt c11nrn myl<"rl~, ruo.-,t prooobly from thO!'<' or the H1111-won-hl1 of llcllo1~lls, aucl phrll"l'S aucl figures orrowed from the sym bollc l!('ulpturo, pal11tl11g, etc., of more m0<l cru Ume,., an1! h1lor1~l'tltl~l into rcmonics whil'h, on mere n ....mupllun, wlthout the &lli;hl1...,te1 lclentc, art.,n.ld lO haveorlglnat\"<1 w lth tlw IJullcllni; of ~ilomona temple.~<:t"\' the \\ork~ of llutrhh1'on, l'reston, t"apt. H. !'miLh, J>r. ,\.,hc, I>r. OIJ\"er, etc., on Frtt-Ma upon 8'lmc fndful as'!OClatlons or r~m blanc\"<, whlch l"lrlicular objccts nn<l thclr hnhltu<ks. mybtlc words and sign!I, arbltrary mark~ 11111! comblnnlions, the fonns nud pr11pcrtlC'< or the '"t"lmcnts, utcnslls, nnd Intrumenl COlllll"\'ll'<l with religio11s \\ 01'>hlp, nncl the varlowi professions and tradt-<, et<., 11ere ul'p<JM.'<I. Io bcarto rt.nin moral rult.. ancl wnthnculh, =ar<lt'<l as n ece..-,ary for tho rlithl dlrC<'tlon and governmcnl of U10 con ucL This i.ymoollm was furtbcr u<ed to dcli;natc t11e p1Uumed or admittro qnnll lies of penwms; or was applied to disti~hh thcm rrom ench othcr. Il" as al<-0 crnploye M a troplcnl whlcle of doctrinal rurtcrlc.1 and motUL>tle prorc..,ions, vows, charms, l'll'., Aud fr the llUl"J>te'! ofccrela.'oclatlon ancl l'("('()j(nltlon.-l'oo Glcmarvo/ A~chcclu~. nnd l'rofCf!HOr l'Ul(hls tiplenid Gloaaarv of Ec 6/atiral Ornamml uml ('01<tume. "Ail Mtyks of architecture ore hlcrQl:l}ph les uron a. mrge SC'alc: exhibltlng to tho hc!rul l")'c, for1us of wor>Jii1 widcly difTerJng rrom carb otbcr; and vro,iug, that in alm<"I cvcry l't'li~'1on \\lth \Illich we are ac <1ual111<..i, the fvnn of the temple was the /1tn"<'fl'Grt1 of lts i:-KI, or of the puliar OJ>ln lo11of lt4 \'Olarlc-.."-Dardtrdf& Ttmpln, p ..;.>. "ln the roo.t 11ndcJ1I mouumcnlS of lndla and fypt, as ln tbcwre ot the middle &l;'C", 111'('hltturc, hlatuary, and painting are tbe mnterlal exprc,.,lons of rcllglous tboughL"!Vrlllf J)<1 Coulrurf SJlmbolique&
Th<' hrlctu"\' ofrorrc>pollllens helng Jc.,t, tho nbfltract ethl1s of ('hrbtlaulty wen. thm sought to be cxt.n&i\'ely Jm11rh1l<'011tl11co thcrc ls notl>ing arhitrary or fauetrul. The thlng Mh:nlnecl nmot be the proxlmntc 1nusc of that to whlcb it t'<Jrl't'Sponds, oud ho re<> <>1;1114'<1 hl 11.1 frm aud use. The frni<.'r m11>ot lh1', IO to ~pcllk, wlthln the 111Ucr, u the 'Oul lin~!S ln the body. or as tbougbl t>n """'l" hrine11 Ji.dr ln Pl't'eh, or as the lnC..11<'<'1 The <"hrbrllau ymbols of the middle ...,...,., cxlol lu tbe cyc, or "" the allcllon of tll\' with the exe<>jlflon 1>! >0me CO!Jl('Jdcnce.., hcart animai.. the roootcnancc; ail whkb m<)'<t llkl'ly &t'l'l<lcntal, \\ere nol rorrpond a~L hl!-'l'lhN a. <.1llL"C and tlfc:ct. Clll"l'll 111 ail, lul onlrcnigm&llcal rom)lftrl .. li,,111. xxxll. 2l; 1 Klngs \"Ui. !!7; J'l.alm !!Oil, oflt'n ery obMcure. .\larire proportlon lxxx' 1. 1~""' .f.,tlxxlll. J; )fart 1.10; Lnke of thl'm wcrv clcrlVl'n my-1xll.33; A<Lil li. ::.1, vil. OO, 2 Cor. xll. 2; llcb. thologla The rcmalnder \lere tuundcd 'Il. :.!G.
TRINL DISTINC1'/0N IN GOD A;\"D ,tfAN.
149
agents :ire thr<'<', hcat, light, and elcctririty; and the lnttcr is agniu a trine, compri~ing electricity, galvnni..qm, mul mngnetism. The ntmphere 8 thre<'fol<I, con~i..~ting of aura, ether, nnrl air. The ohjccts of the world are dh;ded in general int<> thrce kingdoms, the animal, the vcgetnble, nn1l the minernJ. Animais, ngnin, subdivide themselvcs into three grand ordcrs, bcn~ts or tcrrcstrial animais, birds or aerial animais, and fishes or aquntie nnimah:, in refor<'nce to the threc clcments whirh thcy traven<e. Agnin, tcrrtrinl animais arc divilll'<l into thrce cl1Wcs, cnttll, wiltl bcasts, and r eptiles; aerinl animais nrc <listiuguishCtl into bir1lK of the air, wntcr-fowl. and lnnrl-birds. Clcan animais 11.re describc<l in the Maie law by throo ehuracteristics, as parting the hoof, clownfootcd, an1l chcwing tlie cu. C'Ican fi~h~,' with fins and senlc~, arc divided into three kinds, those inhahiting waters or oceans, sens or lnkcs, and rivlrs. (Lev. xi. !l, 9.) Aquntie animais arc dividcd into three kin<ls, nnimnlcul, amphibi, arnl fi~hcs. V c;::ctablcs, or th r pro<luctiorui of the earth, are also dividcd in the Rcripturcs into thr<'<' cla.,es, gru."!', h<.>rbagc, and trees. If we select a tree as a furtlwr il111stration, in r<-gn1-d toits g<'lleral form wc bave the root, the trunk, o.ncl the brnnchc11, aucl in rcfcrence to its prodncts wo have !caves, blossoms, and fruit. Even the animal kingdom comprchends, ns W<' eaid, in gencrol, a tcrnary ru-rangement of ga._"4!<lus, liquid, and solid bodies; and the Intter, agnin, into earth~, ston~, ami mC'tals. Ail motion hnii hecn resolvCtl into n trine. In the minerai kiug1lom it is the angular, n.~ su in the erystnl ; in the nnimal king1lom it i~ the circulur, ns Eecn in the orgnnizntion of the body and the circulation of its fluidd; and in th<' mental world it is the !>pirnl, "the type of the spirit i!J'IClf," asccmliug in true order, and nn cternal syswm of gyrations, towards pcrf<w~ion. Throughout nnimated lifc, and ev<'ll among vcgetable forms, thcro nre th<' mru;culinc prineiple, the feminine prindple, awl th<'ir ofIBpring. The varieties of races among men are thl'C<'fM-tbe Caucasinn, th<' Mongolian, and the Ethiopinn. The Ethiopinn, ngnin, prcsents threc pcrft><'tly di8linet speeit.'t!, yiz., the A fricnn, the Malay, and the Americnn.
"The nicmbcrs of the animal klnttdom .,.. ~ortatp0udenc:l'tl ln lhc firn [or h!gbei.t) dl-~'l'ee, bause tht'f llw; tboo.e of llw \gela IM klngdom aro com-spondtnrN ln lhese~ ond (or mld<ll<] ICI(\"\.<:, lx~"aUc they only ~row; and tb< of th<> mhwral klng,Jtml ore cortt<poll<l1"11<~ ln the lhird [or hJ\'<1'1] dc-
groe, be<'woe thcy nclthtr lin nor grow."1;o.,,.,.,trnborfl IT. H . n. IOl.

11 t9 Among the ane1ent. Romnn!ll. it wa~ no' lnwful IO t1'r jlsl trlthuut ~ ln th~ fcM1 of the god; forwhkb l'ltny. I. xxxll . ~.Il., QUOl('O .. IM\ of Nnma."- lln-' Nat. IJllL qf Ille JllUt, Arl. J'Wa, 7WiL
13 *
wo
TlIE SCU:,\'CE OF CORRESPOSJ)E,YC'E.'f.
Like as the mind !'J di:;criminnted, in geueritl, into three degrcee of lifc, naturnl, spiritual, nn<l cclcstinl, so the fculty of tho underElanding, in particulnr, compri..."CS "hnt is scicnlific, ration ni, nu<l intcllcctunl, and the will what is of plensure, nffoction, nn<l lo>c. The dutics of Jife are ah;o threefol<l, ciYil, moral, and rcUgious. 'fhe humnn body is the outwar<l form of tho mind, n.nd, from the coll8titution of the latter, we shoul<l nt once concludc thnt multitud('s of trinal forms exist in the former. And soit is. In its general form the body is a trine, compcd of the hcnd, the trunk, and the extrcmitic.-s. The scnscs arc threcfold, sight, hcnring, and feeling; the lo.ttcr, n:i:tin, is a trine, inclu<ling smell, taste, and touch.' 1 Speaking of the interior constitution of the body, its visccra, etc.,
"MrtholOftY R<"<'rls the triple orli:in of the accountorFather,i:on,and Holyllplrlt, thcy humnu ro~. Cu\ Ier ll&ys thnL "ail the race>i han some undeftncd lden or Importance at-
or mnnkind, howcHr divcrslllt'<I, arc ln tnchcd to the triple numbcr, and thcy obdudc under thr primlr)' divisions: l~t, serve many cuKtotn.!I wtth respect to lt, wltllLh~ l''air, or ()au('aslan varll'llca [dlstln- out ('xactly knowtng the reason, for ~u~h a i:ulh<'d for lntell~tual po"erj; 2<1, the llnc ol ('Ondu~L ... )l&n, ln hlm.-elf, ls an lllack, or Jo..'thloplan (remarkabt~ for the ac- !maire or the trlune n&ture or the J>dty, for tlit) or the wlll, or the atfo<.:tlons or pas- hc ts lriune in hl nnturc an<! rh11rnrter, lm!s); and 3d, lhc Ycllow, or lllongollan bt'tng <'Omposed of body, soul, ancl plrlt, 11nd (whe chic! chnractcrl~tlcs nrc Jlhylcnl ne- yct hc ls but one man; and lu thls wny I 1111 tlvlty].'' Pril"11ard, nlso, dns.'<CS the vnrlc- de.,,tand that l"1"111>:r lu Gcn. I. ZI, 'l'o God tll'l! or the human race lnto thm section, crcatcd man ln \lis own image, ln the Image 11rrau1-""1 accorcllng to the prcvalllng torm of God crcalro hc hhn.' ~i~l!yln1>: hetthy or the eraninm, &nd differlo111 ftum eu,ler a <'omplete onen~, or ldentity h) thls m:ri>only in nnme.~"' Otlt'liT, Prihord, Jamua, tcrlows and !n<'omprchm,ible unlou. And nnd Tripltcity. FJ\rh of the abo\ c rac~s nre, thu' \\C rorre<'tlyl'<'110melhingof the trluue ln ail probabllily, aga ln divisible lnto a sub- chnractcr or the Orrn TJivlne, omnipotent, lnm<ltnate trin<', a<, for lns!Auc<', the Ethlo- comprchcnslble J..ortl nod."-Marc11s, "<olt pian," hl<'h lllnmenbacb dlvl<l<'8 luto, 1, the Bmwo, ""SJrill and l'nrlcrlltanding, pp. 4-1, 46. Anncnlau; ~.the X<'gro: and 8, the Mala>' The Pagodn<, or Pa1~n templ<'li of lndln, P)lbal!Ora. plllM'd ail Jl"rf'<'tlon ln the con.-1'1 o! three dlvl<lolll!. The 11,..,.t r.irws numhcr thne.-{!'<'e uotc, p. I 13.) "Thra: was the main body, nnswcrlnii to the 110,e of our a nnml"'r ln hls:h estimation am<111Jl>t the calhrdnlls; the scconcl, lbe ~anctunry, an Grrcb, the Romntt, and even amou;r;t nll s"cring Lo the choir: and the Lhlrd, the nation.' \ ci\'illzt'd and barbarou."-,Yullall'8 1 <'hllp<"I, wl1cre the -rccl Image ls k<'pt, auAr<htf'ul. IJ/rl. llnce mail)' of Lht'ir dciUeo rncrlug to the chan<>el.-See BarW/omeo, b1 wtrc repre-tnt~ wllb thre<' Cnrr, or lllree 1Johnlllm, p. 62 hettrJ,, Thr Jucl<:<.;sof the dcad, tlw rates, the "!look upon the Bible llkc the<'OUrt.oofthe furl,-., and the ron.s of !'nturn, among "bom temple. ,\Il lsallkemere<I: bu111 b ln lheinLhe worltl w11.11 dlvlcled, were thra. "The mc"l~'C'<!-lhelJolyorllolies-thntnod repowtr of nlmot 1111 the gods ls shown hy a sld<'!!."-7'ucker's /;crlptuN' studi~, Prcf., p. \'I, lhrt1fold cmblml, \lz., Jupil~r thrc'<' rorked "Do you ask tu whnt the pcrft'<'tlon [of thunder, Xcptu1w' tri<ltnt, !'lut.' d<'I! with minci, or or mtellle(Ul rrllon) rori-1,l<? I thl'C<' b<'.'8d<, bc<'a11>1all Lb ln~< are 011U1i11ed an'""' ln ~lgr, ln /ore, and ln ortirifv. ln lbe numt.r thrce:~~iu on l'irgil That mind, whlch hu a wlde mu1e1 or Eighllt &log11e. thouo:ht. knows m11ch of God ancl or hl' wis.. I lmow that my brethrcn (the J <'W],geu- dorn, and loves "hnt lt kno,n,-" hlch i l'mlly, objcct to the ldea of the 'l'rlnlty; but bound hy n strong nffllon to lt <'rentor why shoulil wc flnd any dlftkulty ln l'('('dv- nnd lts fellow-helnw<, nnd ael n, wcll as lng that whi<lr th<' "c'rlplUrc'!! r.'\t<ll. fi is lon.,.,-wbieh put ftlrth ail lt powel'!>,ema rem&rkabl<' f1q, thal, notwllhtamlin~ lhl' plop ni! ll kno" llli:r ln the 9el'\ lre orr.od, ob)ec.:tions of m) bn-th"'11 to th< l:'<:rlptural an! ln blcssilt&' hls crealul"CS,-lhat mlnd il
TRI.VAL DISTIXCTION IN COD .A.ND MAN.
101
Swedenborg tbus writes: "No scries ean be comp1ete or effective without involving at lcast a trine, tbat is, a first, a middle, and a Jru;t. These three must be so ordered that the first term disposes thll second, and disposes the ultimate both mediately nnd immediately. Thus there is a trine that purifies the blood, nnmely, the spleen, the pnnercas, and the livcr. A trine that sccr!'ltes the blood and scrum, namely, the pancreas, the omentum, and the lh-er. A trine that circulatcs the secretions, namely, the p:mcreatic, the hepatic, and the cyi;tic duels. A trine that prcpares the chyle, namcly, the stomnch, the :<mail intestines, and the ll\rge intestines. A trine also t11at secretes and excretes the worthless parts of tho scrum, namely, the kidnoys, the ureters, nnd the bladder. . . . N othing can be bounded, completed, or perfect that is not a trine. Sometimcs even a quarin~ is necCS!'nry, or a still more multiple series or sequence, exactly nccorrling to the ratio hetwecn the first and the la.st term, that is, to thcir 1listance from eacli other and the nenrness or rcmoteness of their relntionship. Mennwhile, whatever be the relation, there must be at lewt a trine to procure ho.rmony, otherwise no termination or conclusion is possible. To instance only geomctry, nrithmetic, pl1ysics, rational11, and logic. In geometry, two linenr extensions alone take in nothing and conclue nothing; a third thing is respected as the concluding agent, and therewith as the conclusion, whether in a triangle, a body of trine dimcruiion, nn algebraic equation, or nny othcr thing of tbis cl~ In arith111etic, two numbcrs form only a ratio, but \\ hen a thlrd tcrm is ad<lcd, or generatcd by the two fin;t, we have then an nnalogy, either conterminous, or harmonie, or of
4 pcrfcet mlnd; and il 1$ 118 hPl'Y A8 Il b "Three WWI a AACl'('d and mystlcal numbcr pcrr1-cL lfA bapplocss partakcsor the purlly among8t the nruldl!."- .Davfa' Mlflho!. Q/ fht and OIUl<'titY or the divine reUclty."-C/ta,._ Brililll Dritl1, p. 711. 11i11~ vol. i., p. r.;;. "The Hcbrewa exprt"'1J' a.clmowlc~ Theul<ljflam of &lmO<t every cr.ed hnc the perfectlog prop<'lty Mtbc number thrtt: t\<lntJl<.l lhc number tbr Io dcnot.c fuln<'-'< for with thcm th< MtN Sllln (:-), "hlrb IA ~nd P< rfC<'tlon. The Cbal<tu rcspttU'd ln ltsell a trl<Jcnl., dcnoted t11e numller illn't, 11. L t.elng lllu<trau.-e or Jqtlrt, ltghl. ancl 1or the ntmt rerrcctlon of cYcry thlng."arfitm: the F.frYJ>tlaM. or malltr, /<mn. ""'I Ttipl., vol. 1., p. G2. ''""""': the l'cl'!llans, or pal/. p......,.!, ancl The ancleuu had "lngule.r 1>redile.-Uon /tdurt: Orpho1L, or light, liJc, and u;dm: fr the number lhrt.e, henr~ they took li Ma the Ql'('eb, or IM god, Q/ h'""'' 1/1< fl'HI 'Il dMsor prefcrablc to the more naturel mode 1111' mrlh, anIM", ullller8tandl11g, t.nd lot~. a:rb tr<:C'cntl!J, trlorlnta, tribus millibus \Lib. "Tbu nnmher lhrttwas beld AM'l'\~I by the xxll., c. 10), trcct'ntl._ trl{(lnta, tribus, trirnte: t.llel<nl, belng lbooght the mo.t 1~ rrcl'l or Jtm'!<'ria bubu IO\ 1 \l'e('('ntls. Tum lectball uumbeN, as bavlng regard to th b<i:ln wmium per trl<llum bllbltem, d~mwrb ntn_., m\dcUe, and end."'-J>r. T1wnttltll't f".:1::- Yn'Omm<"urantlbu.~.." 0 -Pud;n1o"Eaa.r """"'q/ l"irgfl, p. f1111. Jleda, \"OL l., p. !VIS.
JI"""'"
"
152
TJ!E SCIENCE OF
CORREl~l'ONDENOES.
eome other kind. In pliysfr.~, two powers or forces regnrcled ns cnuS<'.s nlways likewise respect some third, whereby an effoct is produced, and in this a fonrth, or fifth, and so on. In rational'!, nothiug which deservcs to be cnlled a jndgment, such as ought to exist in all the conclusions aud determimitions of the will, enn possibly be formed from two rensons,-there must nlways necessarily he 11ome third. In logic, two premiss are requisitc to oonstitute n full syllogistic fonn, or a full argument; more thnn two in a sorites. Whnt is at lnst conduded from two becomes the property of the conclusion itsclf, but this it derives from the premises. So in every science and art, the binary is ever the imperfoct; hence some third thing is always involved, either tacitly or openly. This is unfrersally the ClUlC in the nnatomy of the body, which is the mirror, prototype, and complex of ail a rts and scicnces."-An. Kingdom, vol. i., p. 315, n. 229, nnd note. And this threefold discrimination, could we extend our inquirics, might be traced, or demonstrated to exist, througl1out tlle indefinitc particulars of which the universe is composed. Thus every ohject of humnn thought appears under the type of a trinity, emnnating from the very fundamental laws of nll existence, and constituting nll finite forms, more or less remote, of the infinite source of infin ite goodne..~ or love, unerring wisdom or truth, and almighty power. The Divine Word itself is, as we have seen, adnpted by a threefold characteristic, both as to its inward sen.se and outward letter, to communicatc nutriment of goodness and truth in cndlcss variety to the three grcat classes of the human fomily, both in heaven and upon earth; viz., those who a rc more distinguishcd in their mental character for the predominnncc of affection, those who are preminent in their intcllcctunl cndowments, nnd sueh as are remarkable for their simple nnd child-like obedience; and nlso to the threc discrete degrees of life in every man, as they are successivcly opened and brought into activity by the influences of hca,cn. The prohibitory injunctious of the \Vord enforce a threefold shunning of evils ns sins against God, evils of oonduct, e\ils of thought, and evils of will ; so the religion which is furthcr taught therein rcquires thrce essentials to constitute it gcnnino in its quality and siwing in its cfficacy, which, agaiu, exactly correspond to man's thrccfold capacity of rcception. \Vith man, tho iumost of ail things is love in tho will ; lovc cl<>thes it.self with wisdom and power in the un<lerst.anding; u.nd both <letermine to dce<ls and l:ords, as the outward form of their existence. In ordcr, thcrcforc, that man mnr inl't11"<' ]iis ct<'rnnl sniYat.ion, it is not only neccssary for
TRINA/, DISTINCTION If; OOD AND il/AN.
153
him to receive n principle of love in his heart, and of truth or filh
in his intellect, but thesc principles must hccomc fixed in the soul by
bcing hrought forth and made manifest in a holy and righteous lifc. Hence it is nevcr taught that man will be judged according to his faith or his love, but in accordancc \\ith his dccds, for in tl1cse only have faith and love any pennnnent existenee within us. cnev. xxii. 12; Rom. ii. 6.) A man may, indced, appear to posses:; thcm, but they are not nppropriated-not incorpornted into his nature as hL~ own, and in the judgment they are dissipated, ngrecably to the Lord's own dcclarntion, where He says "Whosoever hath, to him shnll be givcn; and \\hosocYcr hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have" (Luke viii. 18). This great doctrine, when npplicd to the Divine W ord, will enable us clen.rly to understand n large portion of its sacred contents. "Theresoevcr triplicate expressions occur, thcy have an almost invariable refcrencc, either in a good or evil sen.se, to this trine of discrcte d<.> grecs. Thus, the throo essentinls requisitc to the existence of e,cry solid body, length, breadth, and thickness, precisely correspoud to the threcfold union of love, truth, and their active powers, which arc nlways requisite to the existence of any spiritual object. Hencc, of the Lord's church as being one complete whole, deriviug a threcfold lifc of wisdom, love, and use from the Lord, it is said, "the length, and the brendth, and the height" of the Holy City, described as being a cube of thrce equnl dimensions," wcre cqual" (Rev. xxi. 16). The ark, which, 1lS the apostlc Peter says, was a type of baptism ( 1 Epis., iii. 21) or regcneration, to reprcsent the triple constitution of the liumnn ruind as being nn image of the Divine l\find, was constructcd with lo"'er, second, aud third stories (Gen. vi. 16); and the temple nt Jerusalem, for a like reason, hnd an outer court, an inner court or holy place, an<l the inmost chnmber or holy of holies, with nppropriate fittings and furuiture, and sepnrated from the inner court hy n veil, which none but tlic high-priest lifted and pasSC(l, and he only once a year, with ccrcmonies and iucense, was the immediate dwelling place of the Shekinah, or the Divine prcsence. From this the Lord's humnnity is dcnominated the temple of hi~ body (John ii. 21). And as the Lord in hi5 divine humauity wns the " 'Vord made flesh," so the temple represcntcd in a subordinate sensc the Word of God, conBtituted,as we ha,-e shown it to be, of :m outer, inner, and inmost sense."
tt The abnef,.ra.Uon or renunrintion of self, j pn1<lence, RCJf.fntclligence or C'Oll<'eit. tmcl 111 illl thr;,efold fonu o! sclfrca.'>Onlug or ,,._.1r-rli;ht..ousucss or \"l\inglory, 1$ strikiugly
154
'I'OE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
So in the <livine parable of the Lord, designe<l to represent the threefold process of man's regeneration, in which divine truth is first received into the mcmory and undcrst:mding, in the. next pince is elevate<l into the affections or will, an<l then brings forth the fruit of well-<loing in the life and con<luct; nncl, further, that this is to be done by man with the same enrnestness as though he did it of himself -as though, "working out his salvntion with fear and trembling" (Phil. ii. 12), ail depended on bis own energies; yet with the inmost ncknowledgment thnt ail power and glory corne from the Lor<l to whom alone they belong, it is said, "The earth [the human mind, or church] bringeth forth fruit of itself; first the blade, then the ear, nfter that tl1e full corn in the ear" (l\Iark iv. 28). The Lord has not only revealed Himself to man as a triune Deity, but bis thrice-l1oly name, Jmt0YAH (Isa. vi.), is a trinal compound, expressive of the character of Him "who is, who was, and who is to oome" (Rev. i. 8). His infinitc operations are threefold. He is the Creator from eternity, t he Rcclecmer in time, and the Regenerator forevermore; and He hns assume<! a threefold series of double terme, dcscriptirn of the infinity of bis divine love, wisdom, and power, where He proclaims himself "the Alpha and Omega; the bcginning :md the end; the first and the lnst" ( llev. xx. 13). The Lord's glorification of bis humanity, as by temptntions and victories IIe remove<l from Himself nll the hereditnry ten<lencics, voluntary and intclleetual, whieh were entniled upon Him by bcing "made of n woman, made under the law" ( Rom. i. 3, viii. 3; G:. iv. 4; Heb. ii. 9- 16), was a threefold, divine proccss, by which He forever uuited the indwelling Divinity with his hnmanity; nnd thi<>, in evcry particular, \Yns reprcseutativc of tlie threcfold work of human rcgeneration. Both thcsc works arc trcated of in the 'Vord at the samc time nnd un<lcr the same imagery. Thus, "Behold, 1 cast out devils, lll}(l I do cures to-clny and to-morrow, and the third day 1 shnll hc pcrfccted " (Luke xiii. 32). To cast out devils signifies, in refcrcnee to man's regenerntion, to cxpcl cvil affections and false persuasions from the minrl by the power of divine truth; to do cures to-d:ty and to-morrow i;ignifics to libcrnte man from the infestations of hell,
d!plnycd tn the prophrry of Iloeea, whrre, an.er the in,pire<l "<l<'r cxhorts the l>ack l1'ling and rcbcllious J.raditcs t.o rctum un!J> the T.or<l, 1m<l t1'6dl'' th(m how to ap prowh Hlm IL<'<'ptably,nnd 1Mnd with Ilim ln praycr, Uwy art' ln~tnt(U!I furtlwr to &1y,
"Ash11T sliall not save u: we wlll not ride
npon
lwr~s:
to th<' vxwk
fr in thl'c the ftherless fiudcth mercy" (xiv. 3).
of'''" hand, Ye arc our gods:
nritlwr wlll
W(
<;ny any more
TRJNAJ, J)/S1'JNC1'f()N IN. GOT> ANT> ,l/AN.
155
thus the restoration of the whole mind from astate of spiritual discnse to n stnte of spiritual honlth ; nnd the crowning perfection of this \\Ork of the Lord in the soul is described (lS tbat of the third <lny, and signifies an eternal confirmation in goodness nnd truth, nnd an everlnsting ~tate of eo1tjunction with the Lord himsclf, ns the result nrnl reward of outward conformity to the inward dictates of charity ~ucl faith. That the graduai procesa by which the Lord ohtnined victory over hell and made his humauity divine was in ail respects siruilar in k ind to thnt of man"s regenerntion, H e himself testifies where Ile says, "To him thnt overcorueth will I grnnt to sit with me in my throne, evn as I nlso overeame, and am set clown with my Father in bis throne" (Rev. iii. 21); with this amazing difference, however, in dcgree, that in the Lord the work was infinite, in man it is finite. He wa." indee<l "tempte<l like as we are tempted" (Heb. ii. 18; iv. 15), but unlike us in this, that no man could convict Him of sin (John \'ii. 46). He, by bis own power, perfectly glorified bis human nature (John xiv. 30) ; and if we pcrpetually depend upou his restraining and upholding mcrcy, He will perfcct our regeneration by a corre11ponding process. The Lord's divine purpose in this threefold work of man's regcneration is to secure the eternal hnppiness of his crontures by an entire renc\rnl and renovation of the heart, the understanding, and the life, and this change is called in the Scriptures a new creation or new birth ; for "exccpt n mm1 be born again hc cannot see the kingdom of God ""' (:\fott. iii. 4 ). I t is sometimes dcscribed by three tcrrns, which, unless tliey have a discriminated meaning, bear the appearance of uselcss rcpetitions, as in the following text: " Every one,'' saith the Lord, "that is cnllcd by my name, J luwe created for my glory; I have forme<l him; yen, I hn,vc made him" (Isa. xliii. 7). Ail such are again <lc1ihed negatively, where it is written that they are "horn, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of mn,n, but of God" (.John i. 13). Agnin, sineere desircs and earnest efforts, first for the dcsccnt of principles of heavenly goodncss from the J,ord into the will, with thcir rcccption and appropriation; Recondly, that principles of spiritual wisdorn may be imparted to tJ1e undcrstanding, with their acceptanee and adoption; and thirdly, that the conjnuction and unite<l operation of such holy desircs and
Grk, l><m from nbove.
l6
'l'IIE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
heavenly thoughts as are thus communicatcd and cxcited, may <lctcrmine to n life of obedience, which, under the united influence of patience, porseverance, and watchfulness, never fails of success, bnt sooncr or later opens up an ever blessed state of conjunction with the J,,ord and association with the angels of his kingdom, is thus imprcssively taught by the Lord himself in the language of correspondence, whero He says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and yc shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : for cvery on that asketh recefrcth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him thnt knocketh it shall be opened " (Matt. vii. 7, 8). Here to ask and recei,e has respect to the will or the affections and goodness; to scek and find has rcfercnce to the undcrstanding or the thoughts nn<l. to truth; and to knock and have opened has rela.tion to the conjunction of goodness in the with truth in the understnuding, and to thcir activity in the life and conduct, or words and works. The divine marringe song recorded in Psalm xlv. trcats, in the inward scnsc, of the subjugation of all the enemies of the Lord's church, and the complote and eternal union between Himself and bis people, resulting from the outflowings of his infinite mcrcy and compassion. In n more specific sense it treats of the marriage-union of love and wisdom, or goodness and truth, in every fnithful mind, together with the endlcss and ineffable dclights which are the rult of the removal of every obstacle to its completion. The threefold <lutics of the nuptial covenant of the church towards ber true Lord and husband, on which, with cnch membcr of the church in particular, the union of love and wisdom in the soul and the po..,cosession and enjoymcnt of such beatitudes depend, are thus described : "Hcarkcn, 0 daughter, and consider, nnd incline thine enr; forgct also thine own people and thy father's housc; so shall the king greatly desire thy benuty; for IIe is thy Lord, and worship thou llim" (10, 11). To henrken to the Lord is, in the spiritual sensc, to give attention to divine instruction from the 'Yord; to consider is to digest such counsel in the mind, so as to pcroeive its reasonnhlcness and truth; and to incline the enr is to obey its injunctions without rcserve. Thus we are taught that to learn, to perceivc, and to do the truth, or, in other words, to understnnd it from cnlightened thought, to perccivc it from hcnvenly affection, and faithfully to pcrform the duties which it makes obligatory upon us, arc the rnenn!! of attnining n stnte of eternal conjunction with tl1e Lord, nnd ns a oonsoqucncc c\erlasting blessednc.qs. Thcn, indced, may it be truly
'"ill
TRINAL DISTINCTION IN GOD AND MAN.
157
said that, fol'g(!tting our "own people" and our "father's bouse"dl;Solving and disowning al! conncction with our inhcrited evil and i;in, and relinquishing al! association with falsity and folly, the berod itary tendcncics, inclinations and persuasions of the natural mind no longer prevent the marriage-union of goodness and truth from being consummated in the soul. When this work is accomplished, then llJan puts on tbat spiritual benuty or eomeliness of spirit which the K ing is said "grcatly to de.sire;" and in reforenoo to the full acknowlcdgment of the Lord ns the only truc God, in bis glorified Ilumanity, it is added, "for He is thy Lord, and worship thou Him." The same throofold connection of idcas occurs in other forms of expression of similnr import, ns whcre the Lord says," Take ye hd. wntch and pray" (:fark xiii. 3~ ) ; and ngain, nt the conclusion of the parable of the sower, Ile added, "He thnt rcccived seed inlo the good ground is he that heMeth tl1e 'Vord, and undcrstandcth it: who nlso bcnreth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty " (Matt. xiii. 23). The sower is the Lord himself; tl1e good ground is the prepared mind i the seoo is the divine trut h of the Word; to "hear the Word" is to attend to its divine teach ing, to "understand it" is to disccrn its truths and doctrines, and to "bear fruit" is to regulatc accordingly the externnl mind and outward comluct undcr the combincd influence of internai principlcs of love and wisdom : in which case man is enablcd to elfeetunte ail kincls and degrccs of good works by the Lord's presence and power in the soul, the eomplctcness of which is represented by the "hundredfold, the sixty. and the thirty." The motions and positions of the human body~ are significant when as<;umed as reprcsentations of conditions and emotions of the min<l; but when they agrce with the inward thoughts and affections which prompt them, they are then the corrcsponding images of mentnl states, either progressive or fixed. Where,er they arc 118Sociatcd in a trine, like other trin<ls, thcy refcr to the ahovc degrees of the mimi n.n<l life. Thus in the P~alms it is writtcn, "Blessed is the ruan that wnlketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stnndeth in the way of sinners, nor sittcth in the scat of the scornful " (i. 1), whcrc wnlking denotes the activity or progression of thought groundcd in intention; standing bas relation to the life of intention grounded in the
"" lt may be ob.erved that al~ verl>s of J ,1gnlli,caU011. Jl<l'lRlfe or g<><>t11ro, as~> #and, to 611, to g<>, to krughl Prdim. IQO/k, etc., in good Grcck wrltcrs, have the
or e...e, or ~e. to
&aay, 1v., p. ffl.
bc."-MM-
14
158
TIIE SCIENCE OF CORISI'O.VDE.VCES.
will and its :<tability; :md sittiug, wltich i-i a po;:ition of rc~l. i::ignifiei a conformable and determinate state of the iumost mind and Jifc. IIence it may at once be seeu what is distiuctly i<ignificd by "the counsel of the ungo<lly," "the way of siuncrs," and "the seat of the scornful," namely, a confirmed state of error and edl, in thought, intention, and will, thus a coufirmed state of hatre<l against goodncss and truth; au<l that true blesseduc~s cousists in uothing less than bringiug nll the active power:; of the understauding, the will, nncl their united energies, into subordination to the sacre influences of wisdom, superinducing an nbhorrcnce of wickcducss and folly, and a supreme love of goodncss and truth. Again, when the Lord would teach us how thcy that wait on IIim, by worshipping Ilim, and by obcying his commands,-thus consecrating their whole souls to his scnice, should renew their strength,-receivc continually from Ilim fresh accessions of power to elevate the understanding towards heavcn and Himself, to enable the affections to make unwcaricd progrcss in the paths of goodness, and to givc a mighty and unshrinking encrgy to itll the lower facultics of the soul, He says, "They that wait upon the Lord shull rcnew thcir strcngth; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary ; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Jsa. xi. 31). The faithful Christian receives from the Lord three degrees or kiuds of goodness, as the precious gifts of his unspe:iknblc love. Thcsc arc, cclcstial, spiritual, and natural, and are grounde<l in love to H.im, in charity towards the neighbor, and in the love of morul and ci\il usefolness and excellence. These degrees are above, or rather within, cach other, likc causes and their effccts, and mnke one by corrcspon<lcncc. Though by birth evcry one possesses the capacity of recciving thcsc livu1g and lifc-giving pr1ciples of goodness, still, man must adva.nce in the regenerate life, by succcssiYc states of illumination, repentance, and obc<lience, bcforc lie i;s preparcd to rccei ve them. W'hen these principlcs of hc:wcnly gooducs.'S, with the sncrcd truths which thcy inspire from the \Yord, vivify all the affections, thoughts, and activitics of the mind and life, thn man i::; replcnihcd and enrichcd with evcry possible satisfaction and delight, nnd is introduccd into the cncircling spheres of heaven. Thesc sphcres, in whkh the fullest and frccst confession is made that such ineffable hlessings eau come from the Lord alone, are typificd by the swcct fragrance of inccnsc and the ascen<ling odors of sacrifices, which Go<l is rcprc.-.cntcd as percciving, and with which He is said to be well ple:tsed (Gen. vi. 21;
TRJNAL lJIST/."iCTJON IN GOlJ ANI> .llAN.
150
Ex. XX:'t. 34, 3.5 ; P hil. iv. 18). Hence thi:1 humble, dcvout, and truly just acknowledgml'Dt i~ prcsent in all henrtfclt supplication for diviue merci~. and in Hev. v. 8 is callcd "the golden 'liai full of 0<:lors, which," it i~ n<ldcd, "ore the prayers of ~nints." 'Vlien, thereforc, the Mngi, or wnu: MEN from the East, led by a star,~- instructed
. "Hl ~lugular," mys Hukhl11Nm, "lhnt lil(lon~ kncw the ecnsc an! truc meanlng of the llagi <'f Matt. Il. 1 Ill ren<lcred by an thcm," hiM the vulgarand unlnlliatcd wcnt l r1ah ve"'h1u, J)n)l)i~. the lJruhls, or the uol'urthcrthan th~ out\\&nl and vlsiLlesym truc "-i.e men. Magl in the LI, Drullan Magl, wbo wcrc be>t lnltl"What the l(agl wrrc in l>crsia, the "3mc 111<>! luto the Mllbralc mytcrlcs, admiUOO a were the Druid~ ln llrltrun. The l(.~tlmony ddtysu!'crlor to the suu us the truo Mlthrn.., of i'liny ls conrluhc on thls P"int: Why but lookcd upnn the sun n.s the mt lh-cly hoold l <.'Ommcmomtc,' "''l1l hc, 'thcsc thluw< lnuige of thls dcity, ln whlch lt wns wor wllh regnrd t.o an art 1>hl~h has pa~l ovcr hlp11CiM. 3, p. :ra, IJ:l'l'<.'- lsm with m"ny wonlcrful r.eremouics, bly to "hlch ls that in the llilll!I nl'S('h.. --., 1hat .iic ~>ema l<> h& c taught lt Io the Ptr romm<lnly 1111crlbtd, l!tl)'S llhcim, Io ZO. siAns, and nol th~ l'Cnilm Io the Brlwns !'('('. Z, v. 2!>, p. 117!1, ln FlAnlci"a 1r.. (l!h. xxil.). The Drul<l "ere the lla.:i of the t,,,., J/ JhO""'flh!I): Ali 11\lnga are the oft'- Drltons, and h41 11 grcat 11umh('r of rit<"' ID 1rh111 or ono rire; ll\Al 18, or one uprcme rommon with the 1r,..lans; the lerm Nn{llU. Delly.' .. The Perslnn MltllrM wu rom- among the nndcni., <11<1 not lgnify n rnn monly cnilcd threcfollu (J}m. 7 at Pblvcarp, I' 01 w 2opp.), the tendent of sacrc-d nnI n11tuml knowlc<lgc.'' l 'l!(udo-Arcupaglte: 'The ro,.,,lnn llngl to -1J<Jrla1!4 Antiq. qf f.l>mirol~ cxxl., p. Ill!'. ll vcry duy celcbratc a fc.<>th'al Aolcm111ty "Amoug the Pc.-lnn," wrltcs Porphyry, ln h<>nor or the Trlplaslan (lhal !s, the lhrcc- "lhe 1t'lae f"T"'"s who wcrc employcd lu fuid or trl1lle.atccl) Mltbr88. . . . llcrc l n wonshlp werc u.lll'l Magl."-Unlv. HW., \'Ol. 11lAulfo..,.llndlc11tlonora trlnlty lt1 lhel'c,.,.iun .-. p.163. tbroi<ll;)" wh<ll!C dlstlnctlc cbarack,.. are "Magiamongthcl'e.,.lansanswerst.o~o+u , "'""'""" ll<lom, and povxr.' . And now or among the Green; S<Jpil'lt. ,,-c bavo p~ the tbree prlncljl&I atlri- among the Latina, Dr'll.idl, among the <inul; but..a o r the J)clty. The fin.t "hcrrof ts in- vJlfl'MeOphill, 1UMng the Indians; and lluilo goodncM, wllh fecundity: \be ll('C'ond, l'r;m, among the t:GYptlans."-/. S. F., Dt infinlt.o knowlcdge and "ldc>m; ami the mono!., p. 96. la;,t., lnflnltc, &eU\'e, and pcrt'<plho t'<>WCr. ~foorc, ln bis IIW<>rJ! Qf Irclond, dcrlv tho From whlcb divine attribut.es the Pythal:O wor Druid (rom I>rooW, ln Irish signlfylng rcnns &Utl Plnbinits mcd to bu,o framecl a cunning or wi-o man. Tho .. Maglclnns of th<'lr trlnlty of areblcal h)'PO'lln.-.()11, HlCh "" Egypt i.s rcndcrcd ln the Irish vcr<lou, ha\c Ibo naturo of princlplcs ln the uni "The Drulds of J::gypt." Hl"O, \fblCh Pyihagorlc \tlnlly f''<'tn "The !;('ICD<'e or c<>rr<"'PQndences an<! n'f>' 10 be lnUmalc by Arltnlle ln thft<. """l" n.-senttt1>11 \\8 th prlncl1111I science of As tho l')th~rns &OO say the unh-cnte Ul<l'C limes IUO'll~l th<' Arabians. the r.thlnud all lhlnl:'lre dctcrmined and coutalnt!d opialll!, an\ othc"' ln the Ed.<!. WhcrtfJl't'. b)' lhn.-e rrlnelplcs: "-Ottdwmth' 1111. s,ia, Ill'<>, ln the Wonl, by ,\rabla, J::thlopia, ami wL t., 111>. 317, 47, 48. lbeooosof the E.Rt, ln the lntl'malsense, arc Polyrnrp ..ays .. Amongi;t tho t\rolan., rneant th">' "bo are ln tbc lmowleclgt'!I or lh<M \\ho"""" skilful in the kuowll,li..-eor hcavenly thinl('. Rut th! science ln Urne 1110 D\'11)', &llfl rcllglOUS WOr!!bljll)('l'S Of lhC perlshecl, iuRMllll('h a WhCll the guod Of iife samc, "''rc ral1!'d )lagl."-lhi .ibcrt., !lb. iv., t-cusc."1. lt wus turncd lnw mnglc. Il wns liNt p.!(,\, <'llcil ln Cudw<>rih'a InL SV vol. 1., I' oblitemll'tl auio1111>t lh~ lraelilish nation. 470. 1 andaf'ter.rnrtloarno111N lho r ci<t; andatthl Magf. "Ail the eastcrn uallons. tlw P~r day 1' i- oblltcrat..d 11 >ll<'h a deg~. that 1t ians. lhe lndlans, the Syrlans, ronr...lecl li; not e,cn kn.rn n lhat J<UCb a i;clcnre e x en-t m)Ph1l'!t under hiemto:lyphi<'ll >ml)fll~ iW<; inOQmurh lhat. ln thl' t1lrlstian \\ orld, aud J!ftr&blos. The 1C<e llV1l li.li thoo<' r.-- if lt be ..iHhatall and5lnl!'1lai'thiJlG"of tbe
"
,,.,.,,.r,
+"""*'
ur
160
TIIE SOIENOE OF OORRESl'ONDENOF:S.
hy the light of hcavcnly knowledge, derivcd from nncicnt revelntion, of" hich thnt stnr was a true figure,-went to Bethlehem for the pur J1Q!I() of worshipping the new-born Raviou r, we reacl thnt they brl)ught an<l opcncd ancl presented to IUm three kiu1ls of eostly gifts, "gold, and frankinccnsc, and myrrh" (~Iatt. ii. 11). Thi11 homage .and thcse gifts reprcscnted the adoration an<l frce-will wor:iliip which tho truly wlc nnil humble Christinn pre!'cntfl to the Lord when, so to r;pcnk, H e is spiritually born and makes Hinlllelf clivim~ly manift in the rcgcuerating soul, prepared to rcccive Uim in sincerity aml acknowle<lgo Ilim in truth. He cornes in lowly guise ns the W ord, or Hon of Mnn, shroude<l in the appcaranccs of the litcral sensc. He di8closcs Him~clf to the intcrior naturnl nflctions, in tbat stnte reprcsentcd by Bcthlehem.t1 The bright star of bcavcnly knowledge predcs and bctokens His prence. The pure and preeious gold, more ductile and le;.;; susceptible of corrosion thon the other ordinury metals, the odorous and costly frankinccnse, from the earlicst agt'S dedicatcd to spontaneous worsl1ip, nn<l tbe fragrnnt myrrh, uscd in the process of emhalming, and distiuguishe<l for its antiseptic nnd preservative qualitics, rcprcsent the fr-will offeriugs of the heart and mi111l from the gooci principles of holy love an<l chn.rity, signified hy gol<l (Hev. iii. lR) ; from a living nn<l enlightencd fith in the instnictiom1 of the Wor<l, signified by frankinccnse (Rev. v. 8) ; and from both loYe nnd faith presened in the adoration of grnteful worship an<l deyout extcrnnl obedience in the lifc, significd by myrrh (P snlm xk 8). The pcrfumcs exhalcd from thc aromntic gums (Mal. i. 11 ) denotc the ncccptableness of such wol'l!hip, bccnuse they correspoml to the hcavcnly sphercs emnnating from such blC5.'Jed principlcs; and which, like the oclor of Mary's precious ointment of spikcnar<l, fill
Won! ln tho llt'nHC or the lcttcr, from <'Orrc "1nft6much RB too anclrnts werc in reprc spontlcn('t"' 1Knlfy t'Clc...tlnl thingi<, ami thAt 1wnt11tlvcs nnd glgnlJIC'flti'cs of the lAlr<l" hc11<'t' I lt.1 fntcrnl\I l!<'llW, ft ls not Jmown kfngdom, ln wbleh kfnKdom is nothlng but wbat thl m<11ns."-A. C., n. 102.32. (The fll'l!t c~l<"thll and Hplrlt1111I love, they hil<l olliO volume or thl gn'llt work wa.J publi.5hed in dootrln111s, whlrh tnAl(<I wlely ronccruin~ the ycnr 1719.) Iovo to Ood anI rharitlc"' toward~ the ntlgh "The orhot11l wtro l'xpedlng the Lortl' bor, !rom whlrh doctrlnals they wcrc callcd aclvrnt, rrum the r<'P""'<'ntatf\-es of won.hlp wll<C."-A. C. 3119. and or ~tatut<-. "hleh rC'tllAincd with them; 1 "Jn Arabla thero was :ibund~ or gold antl hclnit acqualn!OO wltb the knowledit<"or 1 fr11nklnrcn'k'. and myrrh.-.l'fi11. IIV.t. ,YaJ. : , good antl truth, Wt~. on lhataount,tlltd vl., c. ~ Golrl wns the mMt precious metal men or the Ent.' That the .\rabians were thcn known; anrl "111\nkinnsc," my~ Tl<loc, iO calll."1, ftj)l<'ll!'> rrum what LI Mid ln Jere- "WU or ail t><'l\uned. T/wJ.~ cvil, '"'" or llanr (xll:r. ZI!); and tllllt Job was the J:l."1. Jtrt'llW-t or ail the m<n of the East ts evldcnt 1 "Heb. Ilou qf lwead. frllm what IM 1tAld orhlm" (l.3).-A. E.,n.ai.
1'RINA/, DIS1'/NC1'/0N IN
aon
AND ,l/AN.
161
OT p<>rvnrlc the'\\ hole hou~e or mind \\ hcrc the Lonl is prescnt, affect ing with inmO"t joy and gladnc.."S ail in hcaven or on carth who are within thcir exhilnrating influence (John xii. 3). On account of this signification of ~Jd anrl spices, it 5 recorded that the Queen of Shebn alro prcl!Cnted them to Solomon, when she came from a far Gentile oonntry to hcnr his wisdom and bchold his glory, because, in a gOO'l rcprc.qcntntivc character, Solomon was au eminent type of the Lord Himsclf ( 1 Kings x. 2). Somctimcs (as above, Psn.lm i. 1) a trinal connection of idens occurs in an opposite sense and application, in refercnce to the perverted will, undel'!ltanding, and life of the unregenerate man. Thus, thrce degrees of malignity agairut our neighbor, and abstrnctedly from person~, ail degrees of oppition to the henvenly principlcs of charity, or brotherly love, signified, in a good l!Cn.oe, by neighbor, may be dct>eribc<l ru! bntrcd from corrupt thoul?ht, from evil intention, and from a confirme<! !'tnte of deprnvity in the will. The;ie three degrces of lmtrcd arc !<aid to be followed by three corrcsponding dcgrees of chastisement, for, according to the unchangenblc law of eternal order, every evil hcnrs its own punishment: "But. I ~ny unto you," s.'lith the Lord, "that whosocver is nngry with his brothcr without a cauro, shnll be in danger of the judgment: and whosoevcr shnll sny to bis brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosocvcr shall sn.y, Thou fool, shnll be in danger of hell fire" (l\Intt. v. 22). Agnin, the thrcefold effects or states of inward tribulation and clistre,:>, nrbing from the deprivation of truth in each of the three dcgre of the mini! and life, are <lescribc<l by the thrce distinct expressions of" lamentation, and mourning, and woe" ()fatt. ii. 18), "here, if thcse terms wcrc to be regarded as mcre repetitions of the same iden, and of no further use thnn to increusc ils intcnsity, they would be utterly unworthy of a pla~e in a divinely inspircd book. 'Vherevcr, thcreforc, the names of persons nnd pinces, nations and couutrics, occur in the historical portions of the divine ord, they ure not mcutioncd in refercnce only to individual men or specifie nations, or particular localities on the earth, but in respect of their spiritual !lignification, and hence, nlso, they arc olen nssocintcd in triple ordcr." Thus, thougb the three pntrinrch~. Abrnhnm, Isaac.
"r
H.,...,. Trf...,, 9(..J,.. IAJ~ht tbat "the Su 1diffcrent nllll<S, &ttordhlR l.o bis propertl.,. premc <">tl-Ui.- furitAln AnI orhrlnAI o f anI OJ'('r&Ucon."-"-~ Rcr"1/' ThcolOflll awd cwry lhln.r. th llN 1rlndpl~ or 111 lblus:-, JtvtiHJlovlt of Vv: f "'71n~. the plrit whlcb pru<IUCCll al\ lblnt,.,.,-hua l'l&lo dcn1J1Uinrt1Ald the triual ~ntia1'
l!*
162
TllE SCIENCE OF CORRESI'ONDENCES.
and Jacob, wcre rcal pcrsons, whose posterity constituted the Jew1sh church, yet thcy, ns wcll as ail other persons and things spoken of in relation to that people, bore a represcntati\e charact.er, varying according to the circumstances predicate<l, but having constant relation to the church on carth and in heaven, yca, to the Lord Ilimself. }<'or this rcason are these patriarchs so often ruentioned iu the W ord, and even among lus most splendi<l appellations the Lord nssumes the significative title of" the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."" In the inmost sense these nnmes relate to the Lord Ilimself, as to the assumption und glorification of his Humanity, the degrees of lifo receivcd from Him in the heavens, and his threefokl OJ>Cration for our redemption and salvation: Abraham signifying bis supreme or essential divine principlo; Isaac, his divine rational principlc; and Jacob, the divine natural, or, so to speuk, the last and lowest principle of his
Jerome observes thnt "the frequent rcpet!tion of 1 am the GOD of Ahrahe.m, the Goo of Isaac, and the GoD of Jacob,' ls not wlth out lts meanlng."-1Iiero1'- Cbm. in Marc. xi!. 26. vol.i.,p.~. "St. Ignatius, in his Eptle l-0 the JfagneWhcrc the name LoRD ls printed ln the 00118, says, 'The moo;t divine prophets Jhed authorlzed version of the Dible ln capital accor<llng to Chrbt J esus, that is, they, ln letwrs, the reader should rcmembcr that in their ptr8Qll8 and !i~-eA, represented wbnt the orlglnnl Hebrew it ls JEHOVAH; and ChrL't Jesus was Io be, ancl l-0 do.' "-Hol. Wwhen the Hebrcw word Adonal ls also trans- "''<ly's Leller arnt Spirit, vol. 1., lnt., p. xxvlll. Jakd Lord (llS in .l's. ex. l), lt stands ln com"That the prophcts rcprl'Sentcd the stnto mon ehnraetcrs. J&HO\'AH AOONAI is fre or the Chureh to whleh thcy bclongcd, with quently tnl.Dlatcd Lo1<0God (a.. ln Gcn. xv. J ). respect to doctrine derived from the Word, Jo, Jaw, and Jovc wcre heathen appella and wlth respect to !Ife 'lCCOrdln~ to such tlons, sUpJl"ll!cd to have bccn dcrivcd !rom doctrine, is very evldent from what ls sald of the sacre<! trlsyllablc name, whlch has bcen tbem, as Isa. xx. 2, 3; Ez. xfl. 3-7, 11; Hosea vnriously pronounecd by dllferent nations. i. 2-9, iii. 2, 3; 1 Klngs XX. 3.>-38; Ez. iv. 1-17. The original meaning of Adonai ls a ruIer, ln ail these, and other passages, they 'bore; or disposer, or a basis and support. Our Eni: by rcpresentation,' the lnlqulticsofthc housc lish word LtYrd. has a simllar signification, of Israel, an<l the bouse of Judah,' and thns htLving bt,'Cn derived from an old Saxon polnted thcm out, but wlthout explatlng word, LoJ=I. whlch is by intcrprctatlon a thcm; and the very snmc ls taught or the Lord our f<aviour, whm it is said, 'Su rel y He l>read gluer, or Mlainer. The Hebrew El means power, and lts plu hath borne our grlefl!, and earrlcd our !!Or rows' (Ii;a. !Ili. 1-12), and wblch prcdiction rai Elohim, an power or omnipotence. "Abram and Abraham mcan in Engllsh, ls declared ln the Gospel to have bc~n ac a ltigh falhu, and falhcr qf a greal mttltilttde. compllshed, where it is written, When th~ The asplrate, or lcttcr h, thns added to the e,en wns come, they brought unto Jcsus ni\me mnrks the distinction between the many that were pscsse(I wlth dcvlls; and Lord's Human Essence and hls Divine F.s lle cast out the spirits wlth bis word, and sen; and ln refercnce to man, the stat.c be h('a\cd au that were slck; thnt lt mlght be fore and the state aller rcgeneration. Isaac fulflllcd whlch was spoken by E.<nlas tho mcans lauglder: denotlng the afl'cltlon of prophet, sariug, 'llimsclf took our lnfirml truth, and its intorlor dcllght; and Jacob tics, and barc our slckne.,o;cs' (lllatt. vfll 16, roeans a supplanter, and tlie heel, which is the 17), for He endured the assaults of hcll, that lowcst part of the body, aftcrwards changcd, He mlght open up a way of salvntlon to ail by divlno authorlty, to Israel, meanlng a bclievers."-T. C. R. 2.>l. firill~ of Ood: or, prcval/i11g wllh God. of Delly, "'Ayd~" [the Good], "A"Y<>f" [the Word orTruth], and "i'vx~" [the Splrit].-Jb. "Names ln Scrlptm"e are express deslgna tlons or natures, attrlbutt>s, qualltles, conditions, etc."-Hollotcal/'8 Ldter and Spirit,
TRINA!. DISTINCTION /.Y
non
ANI) .l!A N.
163
divine IIumanity. This may be confirmcd hy the literai me:ming of the names, und by reference to the nuroerous passages of the " ' ord in \\hich they nre mentionecl. In a respective !!ellse, these three pa triarchi; signify '~hnt is celestial, spiritual, and natural, in regard to mnn, thus they reprei:sent the Lord's church on earth ; nnd, in n par ticular sense, nll thosc who nre receptive of his divine love in their hearts, of his divine wisdom to enlighten their renson, and who per mit the unitc<l influences of both to descend into nnd regulate the lowest principlcs of their minds and lives. These, as to their externals, their internais, and their inmost principlcs, are the true followers of the Lamb, "ho is the Lord J esus Christ in his glorified Humanity, or, in other words, they have attnined hi.s likencss. They are grounded in the love of obedicnce to bis truth, in the love of their neighbor, nnd in the Joye of Him above all things. It is consequently sai<l of tbem that they nre "with Him, and are the callecl, and the chen and faithful" (Rev. xvii. 14). The Lord's covenant, or evcrlasting state of conjunction with ail such faithful believers, and ita irreverl!ible confirmation, is therefore signifiecl by the covenant of an oath, which he declare<l to have "sworn with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." That the angclic heavens in general, as well as the regenerate hum an mind in particular, together with the infinitc and unutterable joys and delight.s derived immediately from the presence of the Lord, are also reprented by those three distingui8hed personagcs, is evident from the Lord's words, where He calls heaven "Abraham's b()l;()m" (Luke xvi. 22) ; and still further where IIe says that " .Many shall corne from the enst and west, and i<hall 1<it do11 n with Abraham, and Ioaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God ''. (.:'!Iatt. viii. 11); and in Luke it is l!aid thnt "They shall corne from the cast, and from the west, and from the uorth, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God" (xiii. 28, 29). These divine forms of expression Rerve to dcsignatc and comprehend all the so.cred principles of goodnes1>, wisdom, and intelligence, with their perceptions, delights, and joys, which constitute the felieity of the angels, and of consc quenee universa.lly prevail throughout the thrcc orders of Jife into which the heavens are arrnnged. In thcir inmost sense thcse patriarchs signify the Lord Himself, from whom alone, as thcir divine S1J11r, ail degrees of blcsscdns and sati.~faction procced. The four cardinal poinL~ of the hea.\ens, or the quartcrs of the world, from wlien th<lbC nro so.id to corne who are preparcd to enter into the kingdom of God, siguify, in o. good sense, the vnrious !!tates of spiritual
1'1/B SCIENCR OF CORRESPONDEiW.!BS.
lifc. The cast, being that portion of the hcnvens in which the snn appcars to risc, signifies the highest degrcc of' cclcstinl love nnd wL;dom, in which the Lord rcvent:i his glorions prcscn to the inmost perceptions of the soul, ami, in its snprerne sense, the Lord .Jc,,,us ('hrist, ns to the primnry opcrations of his love arnl wisdom on the mind, for the promotion of man's r;.alvation.' 00 Thus in Ezekicl'1; mngnificent vision of the temple in he:wen, we rend that "the glory of the God of Isrnel came from the wny of the cast" (xliii. 2); ami hcnce nrose the ancicnt significative practicc of worshipping with tho face towards the cast, which was eveu continued undcr the Christian dii:pcnsation.101 The wcst, bcing the cxtrcmc point of the he<weus over ngainst the cnst, wherc the sun nppears to set, signifies the infcrior statc of clmrity and foith. The sou th, in ~l'hich quarter the sun 'S the highest stntc of nttnius his meridinn power and splcu<lor, signif. intelligence; and the north, which is over agnin<1t it, a statc of obscure knowledge,-n feeblc stntc of hcavenly lifc. In the inwar<I sense of thcsc pru;;sngcs, therefore, wc are mercifully tnught that all who are in nuy dcgrcc principled in love and wisdom, or charity nnd faith, will be admittcd into the kiugdom of God. To sit down thcre with Abrnhnm, Isaac, and .Jacob, dcnotcs a blc.oSCd state of confirmation, au cterual conjunction with the Lord, an everlasting n!'Bociation with "the i:pirits of the just made pcrfcct," an endlcss condition of rest, and pence, and joy. 'l'o represcnt the flncss and perfection of such beatitudes as are the invariable results of a rightcous life,-and to signify the froo ae<-'CSS thereto through the J>Cnrly gates of spiritual kno,,Jedgc nu<I obcdicnce achlptc<l to all, and which all are invited to entcr,-the Holy City, New J erusalem, which siguillcs heaven and the church, is describcd as ha ving "on the east three gates ; on the uorth thrce gates; on the south thrcc gates; an<! on the west three gntes. Aud the gaks of it," it is said, "shall not he shut nt all by day: for there shall be no night therc" (Rev. xxi. 13, 25). In the opposite scnse, by the cast will be denoted the love of self, which is oppose<! to the love of God ; by the west, the love of the world ; by the south, sclfderivcd intelligence; and by t.he north, a state of fal;:ity and evil (Isa. ii. 6; Ezek. viii. 6; Pimlm lxxv. G; H os. xi. 10; .Ter. i.14, vi. 1).
100 ln Luke !, 7~, the J,ord JC><n, "" th~ !<Atoi ~c Aml1rmir, Jn.onyp;itf~ Ar('t)]>., fh'i(Jen. , fn viour, lsrnllNI the "llny-sprlng," lit<:rnlly, the llb. iYm11 . /umi. 5, Rpfpltanitt8 Adv. OM., Prvr <a.1,- thc ri.tnu f>f tlV' .<:un.-" ORIEN!'," 1'11l- chorous in vil., John, c. :;, Clement Strq,,.., vll, oote l"awn, and l>au:.,on's Le.ticon.,-" OR p.:>23. rt:s," Swe<knbl)T{J. Sec Mal. lv. 2.
TRINAL l>lS1'lNCTION IN 00/J AND 1 1/AN.
165
It was on account of the above spiritual signification of pcrsons Ilhat the Lord, whilc Ho sojourned on tho enrth, wlcctcd as his more immediate 1md constant followers the thrce disciples, Peter, Jruues, and John. At the timeof his transfiguration on .Mount Tabor ( Matt. xvii. 1-8), in bis agonizing visit to the garden of Gethscmane (l\Iatt. xxvi. 37), and when He entered into tho house of Jairus, tho rulor of the synagogue, to raise his daughter from the dead (Mark v. 37 ; Luke viii. 51), "He suffered no man to follow Him, save Poter, m1d James, and John." If we exclude the idea that this solection was grounded in the represcntative character of those distinguished apostlcs, no i<atisfnctory reason can psibly bo assigned for it, and the evidcnt signifi<'ation of the act, deduced from its frcquent occurrence, is cntirely lost. The twelve apostles, like the twelve patriarchs of the preccding dispensation, represented and signified ail the heavenly principle.s coniltituent of the Lord's church, both univerml and particulnr, and sometirues their contraries, and each apostle in particulnr represeuted and signified some specific gra1--e, or its perverted opposite. Thus, Peter is a Greek word for a rock or stone; he was also called Cephas, or Kephas, which is a Syriac word with the same me..'\ning, and Simon, or Rimeon, which is a Hebrew word for hcaring, and is always first mentioned when the names of the apostles are given. From these particulars it ma.y bo gatbered that Peter signifies the J,ord as to divine truth, and abstraetly a priuciple of faith; faith alone, or separated from the Lor<l and from charity-which is a perverted fith, when he tempted and denied bis Lord nnd Saviour; but ou the contrary, fnith springing from love, and eonjoining ltim to the J..ord, when he confessed bis divinity, and nccompanied Him with James and ,John. Of a perverted an<l dclusive fith, which enlightens the nm\erstanding, but leaves the hMrt uncbanged, the Lord Rpake whcn He addrcssed Peter, and sai<l unto him, "Got thee behiml mP, Fatan; for thou art an offence unto me" (Matt. xvi. 23 ; :Mark \'iii. 23; Lnke iv. 8).1' To a sincere and devont faith in the Lord, and confidence in his 'Vorcl, "the kmJR of tlie kingdam of Tteaven" are always f!N'n ( Matt. xvi. }!)) ; thnt is, power to open the soul to an iuftnx of the prineiples nJHl life of hcavcn. On the confession of this glorionP faith in the Lord .Jesus Christ, the C'hurch is crccted as upon a rock, nnd defics the omnipotent boasts of her angry nssailnnts. James and ,John wcre brothers, the sons of 7..ehe<iee. Like Peter,
'"' ln the original. the wonl t1111i.lattd Satan 01caus an a<.ll'ersary; such L the eharactcr of JaUh al<>ne, or a mcre per1uMive Juith.
166
TT/R SC/F,NCE OF CORRESI'ONJ>ENCES.
who sometiml?s rcprcsents faith alonr, ancl a boasting self-confidence, so thcse two disciples are at times spoken of in a low sense, as rcpresentative of mistaken zcnl, and its claims to undue authority; or extcrnal charity and goo<l works, with the arrogation of self-merit, procec<ling from the promptings of self-love (~fatt. xx. 20-28; Luke ix. 53, 54). In a good sense, however, James was a type of the Lml's love, or, abstractly, of the principle of cha.rity, or faith grounded in affection; and John was a type of the Lord's operation, or the works of charity, or faith deriving ardor nn<l activity from the pure love of God, nnd macle manifcst in humility, gcntlcness, benevolence, nnd nll kinds of good and uscful dceds and words.1 The specific siguific.'ltiou of the apostle ,John may be abundantly proved from his persona! history, as recorded in the Scriptures. He had the privilege of lcaning ou the Lord's bosom at the institution of the Holy Supper (John xiii. 23) ; he was pre-eminently distinguished as" that disciple whom Jcsus loved" (,John xix. 26; xx. 2; xxi. 7, 20, 24); and to him, more th:m to others, rcvclntions were vouchsafc<l rcspecting the church in hcaven and upon earth. These remarkable circum~tanccs nud charactcristics serve to confirm the significntion givcn as gcnuine, for all such ns mnnifest thcir fith and affection by n good lifc, are truly the bcloved of the Lord. Jnmes, bis brother, therefore, must be a type of spiritual charity, or of faith rccefred in the heart. In the regenerntion, this principle supplnuts and expels all selfish feeling. Fnith in the heart and fith in the life, or charity and good works, arc brethrcn ; they spring from the same divine origin. The selection, then, of thcso three apostlcs by our blessc<l Lord, on such frequcnt and memornhlc occasions, teaches us, in the internai sense, most cdifying, invaluablo !Cl'Sons of divine wisdom; for thesc disciples reprcsented the pcrfcct union of divine love, wisdom, and thcir resulting lifc, in the L<ml .Jesus Christ-thus that He was God in human form. They nlso rcprcseuted every regenerating mnn, and tench us that, unless the cssential principlei of the regenerate Iife, reprcsented by Peter, James, and .John, arc prcscnt iu the soul, an<l accompany the divine cncrgies, wc enn receive no spiritual blessing. Faith must be impnrted to tho 1111<lcrstnmling, faith must be implnnted in the will, and faith must hccome active in a good and ohcdient life; or, in other words, faith, charity, and good works, the thrce constituents of heaven and religion, mm:t be cngrnfted in the soul and mnuifcstcd in the life and conduct,
""' Jnmcs means ln Engll'h a "'1>pla>iter or mainlainer; John, the gift of Go, and mcrc1J111 or graciotu; nnd Zcb<'dee, a tlowrv.
TRINA/, Dl.'rT/NOT!ON IN OOD AND AfAN.
167
or the Lord can do fcw or none of those mighty works in our behnlf, on the accomplishment of which our eternal salvation depends (l\fott. xiii. 58; ~[ark vi. 5). l\foroover, to represent to us the energy nml zeal of truth, whcn it procecds from a principle of celestial charity, and is grounded in goodness of life, James and John were surnamed by the Lord, "Boanergu, which is, The sons of tliunder" (l\Iark iii. 17). I have already remarkcd, that the human un<ierstanding, when individually considered, is found to be discriminnted, like the other faculties of the soul, into three degrees of intellcctual power and excellence. The lowcst of these is the scientific principle, or the power of acquiring and rctaining worldly knowlcdge; the next above is the rational principle, or the power of di~cernment and discrimination, as bctween varions kinds of truth, and between truth and error; and the highcst degrec of intellectual power is. that which enablcs man to reccive spiritual intelligence, or wisdom and its perceptions. Thcsc three dcgrces succced eacl1 other, or are successively opened, by an orderly arrangement in the work of rcgcneration ; for man is first natural, then he becomes rational, and afterwards spiritual. Without this t rinal intellcctual capacity, man could not be elevated above the science of theworld. Ilence, spcaking of the church and of e.'\ch regenerating member, in ordcr to portray the threefold blcssings which would attend such a union and subordination of the intcllectunl facultics as would propare man to receive the Iight of hcavcn, to irradiate the whole mind, the Lord says by the mouth of his prophet, "In that day there shnll be a highway out of Egypt to AsRyria, and the Assyrinn shall oome into Egypt, and the Egyptinn into Assyria, and the Egyptinns shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be third with Egnt and with Assyria, even a. blessing in the midst of the lnnd ; whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Rlessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inberitance" (fan. xix. 23-25). By Egypt, that land of mysterious wisdom, wherc knowledge wns so extensively cultivated that it was frcquented by the sages of ail nations for the acquisition of science, is signified the scicntific principle itself, together with ail external or naturnl truths.161 Egypt hns either a good or a
l!eroctotusd<'rlb<"! the lnhahitnntsof the ~ulthal<'d portions of Egypt a.. the bco<t tnfvnned, or ml!lt tcnrned. or mnnkln11. ln one of bis lu.t work Throphra.~tu u..00 the Mme expl"e'i.Sion!'-Bunsen.' F.g111)f4 l'Wct in Uni~. Ili.al., pp. 1, 2.
''"
"ASllyrla ls that rnlse stnteofee<'rnlng bap pin,..., nnd power of wlckedn-. wblcb ls call<'<l the klnl(dom of dnrkness. And thi~ ls the mot noble object of fortllude. to rlc "lmy the )IOWCr l)f lbtS kfll~dom Wllhln OUr' selves.'"- M<Jrt's lkp. of Cabala, p. 168.
168
TDE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
bad signification in the 'Vord, ns su ch knowledge is S.'lid to have been applicd to useful ends, or pcrverted to idolatrous and magical purposes. Assyria, from its relative position to Egypt, and from the tendency of its inhabitaflts to metaphysical speculation, denotes the rational principle, the reasonings of which are either true or false, as the reason is enlightened from heaven, or draws its subtle conclusions from the fallacies of the world and the senses; for the renson is an intermediate and conjunctive principle between what is natural nnd spiritual, and, according to man's state, partakes of the quality of both. By Israel in the midst is signified the spiritual principle, or the interna! of the understnnding, gifted with genuine intelligence and wisdom ; and in an opposite sense, the profanation of the intellectual faculties, and the truths they receive, to the vile objccts of sclf-derived prudence, commingling them with the deceitful and lurid glimmerings of self-love. In the passage I have quoted these terms are all used in a good sense, and by a highway, which serves to con nect distant countrics and places, is signified the orderly arrangement and subordination which untes by correspondence every dcgree of intellectual excellence. Thus the mind is gradually prepared for the rcception of those celestial and spiritual influences which illustratc and govern the perceptions, rensonings, and thoughts, and make man the work and inheritance of Jehovah Zebaoth,-the Lord of Hosts. In an opposite sense, by Egypt is signified sensual knowledgc, and by Assyria cnrnal reasoning. Thesc give birth to false principles in extremes, which, like flics, spring from the river's corrupting filth, and become a tormenting plague; and also to flse rensonings thence derived, which, like becs, when spoken of in a bad sense, suck their stores, indeed, from rich and favorite flowers, and find sensual plcasure thcrcin, denoted by their honey-stores, but carry with them venom and a sting. When thcse principlcs are permitted to insinuate themselvcs into the church or the human mind, they bring with thcm certain dcsolation and inevitable misery. Tliey are the rcsult of the falsification and profanation of truth and kuowlcdge in the soul, and the abuse or perversion of the intellcctunl and rational facult.ic. 'S. Hencc, to describc such an awful state, and the complcte and grievous <lcsolation which necessarily succoods, the Lord snys, "It shall corne to pnss in that day, that the Lonn shall hiss for the fly that is in the
ln the hitory of the dosndllnts of the 1 rom mou nnme of the khll!'I of F,g-ypt up Io p11trinrch11, thnt of ~ypt is alwny~ more or the flnnl destruction oC the monarcby by les cl<:>Sely interwoYen. l'h1\raob was the Alcxnn<lcr the G1'.>al.
'I'RINAL DIS'I'INO'I'JON IN GOD AND .8IAN.
169
uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bec that is in the land of Assyria. And they shall corne, and shall rest all of thcm in the dcsolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes" (Isa. vii. 18, 19).' ~ The vast importance of this distinction of degrecs will be at once perceived, if we consider that the erroneous nssumption that ail beings and things have procceded forth continuously, or by degrecs of continuity, from the centre to the circumfercnce of all crcation; thus, that the soul and the body, God and man, spirit and matter, are but various gradations, and that God is an all-cxtcndcd substance cxisting throughout space, has given birth, both in ancient and modern timcs, to every heterogeneous system of pantheism, materialism, and secularism which infidel philosophy and an elToneous theology have invented. In order, thcrefore, further to assist the earncst and intel ligent inquirer in his rcsearch after truth, and to enable him more clcarly to comprehend this great doctrine of triple dcgrccs, which is indispensable to a just vicw of the Divine charactcr and existence, to a correct idea of the nature of the human mind, and to an nccurate knowledge of the science of correspondenccs, and thus to a truc intcrprctation of the W ord of God, a few additional extra,cts are givcn in the APPE~DIX, from the invaluable writings of Swedenborg, who hns so amply and so clearly unfoldcd this grand subjcct, on which, indeed, the laws of correspondence miiy be snid to rest, and also a few of the innumerable confirmations and illustmtions from othcr sources.
0
1 !'>ce ScMlegd, Phil. of lfiN., vol 1., and AP "on the Hlerogln>hlcs or Egypt." "Evcry one mny see that the historical relations of the pntriarehsare such thnt thcy may lnd('('d be ocrvlccable ln regard to the C('(')~lru;tlcal hlstory or that timc, but that th~y are vcry llltie ervlccable ln regard to spiritual llfc, wblch ncl'~rthele& is the end wblcb the Word was lntcndt'd to promote. Add to thls, that ln some plares we mcet wlth notbing but mcre nnmes, ru. of the J>O<! terity of Enu (Gen. xxxvl.), and so ln other chnptc,.,., in whlcb, so far "" regards the 11\cl'l' hlstorical relations, there is so lltlle or nnythlng divine, that lt can in nowlse be !lftid thal Il is the Woro of the Lord, dMnely lnsvll'(.'I as to evcry partlcular cxp~on, and even as to evcry dot aud t!Ule, that ls, tlutt lt was !lent down Crom lhe Lord thnmgh hcavcn to man. by whom thosc relations werc writtcn: for what wu~ ~~nt dO\\ n from the I.ord mu" nced be divine ln ni! and lngular thlngs, thu. not to hMorical, as bcing the tmnl!ftctions or men, but only by 15
PEl<l>IX,
vlrtue orthose lhlngs whlch lie deeply hid and concenled thereln, nll and ~lngular of whleh trcatofthe J,ord andorhls klngdom; the hlstorlcaL of the Word ure in this par ticulnr distlngul<hcd abme all othcr hl~tori c-als in the universe. tho.t thcy invol\'e in thcm such bldden coutent. If the W.:ird was the Word merely as to hi>torirels. thnt is, a.' to the externo.l or Htcral scnir.c. thcn all the historicals which are thercln would be holy: and what is more, sevcnd pcrsons who .are spokcn or tbcrcln would Il<' ctecmod ru. saints. and it would romc to ptts."j, as in the case wlth many, thnt lhey would be wor i;hlppcd as god11, banse lbey are 1reatcd of ln the moqt holy of all wrlthigs: when, ne" crthclCAA, all tbcse were men, and some of thcm were littlc sollcitoQq about divine wor. ship, and hnd nothlng about tbem above the common loi or men. Hence. then, lt mny rlnluly appcar, thnt the cxtemal or literai 1$ the Word only by \'irtue or the ln tcmnl or spiritual aense, whlch i it1 lt, and from whlch il ls."-A. C. 3z.?~. 3'l29.
"""<e
CHAPTER XII.
CoLORS, NmrnERS,
WErouTS, MEASuR~
MusrcAL
lNSTRU:MEN"r111
ETC.
-THE Bible," or W ord of God, in the just and forcible language of Professor Bush, " rises undcr the application of a as
lmo
and invoxiable as the law of creation itself, with which, in fact, it hecomes alm.<>st identical, into a new revelation, clothed with a sublimity, sanctity, and divinity of which we had uot previously the remotest conception. It stands before us the living Oracle of Truth, which we no longer separate from the vcry being of its Author. He is Himself in his own truth. New treasures of wisdom glenm forth from its pages, and the most bnrren details of history, the recorded rounds of obsoletc ritmds,106 the driest catalogues of names, the most
100" ncrnldry is, in fa~t. the tast remnant of the andcut symbollsm, and a lcgltlmate ranch of Christian art; the grlffins and unlcorns. fesses and chevrons, the vcry mie t = or cloins, arc nll symbolicnl,~ach bas IL~ my.Uc mcnnlng, slngly and ln corobinR tl<>n, and th us every genuine old cont.-of-arms prenches a tes.wn of chl\'alrlc l>onor and Christian pr!uciple to those that inherit Il -truths lltUe suspected nowadays in our hcralds' offi<es."-Lor Lind.$ay, on CltrWian Art, Il., f>. 49. The rlch color of gol<l is thnt of hcnt, the color of sil ver is tbat of light; the frmcr is applled to the splcn<lor of the sun, the la.ttcr to the l!ght rcficctcd by the moon. Pol!shed bn\HS rcscmhles gold, and polhhcd Iron rei;cmbles sil\'er.-i{'C Isa. "Cclcstinl rosy rro, love's proper hue."
~xcd
MiltOl'I furadil!e IAtL
Yellow was ln hlgh cst.eem among the andeut Indians; rcd, among the Egyptians; purplc, among the Syr!ans nnd Romans; an<l white, among the Jcws. "Colors hnd the snme slgnlflcntlon amongst au the people of high antiqnlty. This con formity indkaie. acommon orlgin, whkh attaches iL,cl f !A) the cradle of the humnn rnce, and tlnds lts greatet cnergy, or active !Ife, ln the religion of l'crsla. The dunlim of lii;ltt and dnrkncss offers, lndeed, the two
types of the colors, whlcb bec'.aroe the sym. bols of the two prlnciples, the bcnevulcnt and malevolent. The anclents only admit ted two primitive colors, white arnl bl<u-k, !rom whlch ail others wcre derlved; ln like manner, the <ll\'lnltlesofpaganlm were the emanatlons !rom the good and the evil prln cl pies. "The langunge of colol'$, whl<'h ls Inti matcly <'Onnectcd wlth religion, pns,cd from lndln, China, Fgypt,o.nd Grecce to Rome; lt was agaln revive<! ln the rnlddle ai:es; nnrl the palnted wlndows of tbe Gotlllc cathe drnls ftnrl their explication ln the books of the Zend, the Vedas, and the palntlnb'S ln F.gypt!an temples. "The ldcntlty of the ymhol, supposes the ldcntityofthc primitive creeds. ru propor tlon as a religion is rcmovcd !rom IL prlncl pic, it dcgmdcs and mntcrio.111.cs itsclf; lt forgets the lgnificati<m of eolors, and this mystcrlous !B.ngungc rcnppee.rs wlth the restorntlon of f<'ilglous truth. "ln mytholngy, Iris was the mscngcr of the gods l\lld of goo<l tldlngs, and the colors of the girole of Iris, the ralnbow,are thesym hols of reirencrnt!on, "hleh I~ the <'ovenant or coojnnctlon bctwn God and man. In Egypt, the robe of Isis parkles with ail et)\ ors, and wlth nll the hues whlch shlnc ln nature. (}Jir!s, the all-powcrful god, gives lli.ht to Isis, wbo modifies it, and trnnsm!UI
OOLORS, NUA/BERS, J!URIOA/, IKS1'RU,tfF:NTS, ETC.
171
trivinl spccificntions of dntes, places, and cnactments, once touche<l with the mystie wand of the spiritual sense, teem with the riches of angelic conceptions. The cosrnogony of Genesis beeomes the birthregister of the new-born soul. The garden of Eden srniles in every renovated mind in the intelligence and ajfection embleme<l in its trees and fruits and flowers. The watering streams are the fruetifying knowledges and truths of wisdom whieh make increase of the spiritual man. The Tree of Knowledge, the Trec of Life, the wily serpent, are ail within us and within us ail. The scenes transncted in the parndisinc purlicus nre more or Jess the scenes of our o\\n individual experiencc, and the nnrrativc ecnses to be looked upon rnerely as the chronicle of events that transpirod thousands of years before we were born."-Reply to Dr. Jr'Ood.~, p. 66. The prisrnatic raya of the sun are elearly divisible into a trine, for lhcre are the caJorific rays, the colorific, and the chernical, haYing relation to love, wisdom, and use. Colors, as well as ail other phenomena and appcarances of nature mentioned in the 'Vord, are rcprescntative, nnd allusions to thcm are very frequent. They derivc their innumerable tints and hues from the refractions and reflections of the rays of hcat and light from the sun, in varions degrecs of intensity, combined more or Jess with darkncss, or blackncss, and shade. A beam of light refrncted and reficctcd by a prism on a dark screen, or by drops of water descending from a dark cloud, at a known angle, will cxhibit an appearance of seven distinct hues, as in the rainbow. There are, however, but two fondamental elements of eolor,-red, which is derived from the flaming light proeceding from the heat, and white from light. Ail colors are modifications of these
it by reflcctlon to men. Isis is the cartb, o.nd her symhollc robe was the blerogl)'Phlc of the mawrial and of the pirltual worlds. "The painted Windows of Chlitlan churche, like the pointings of Egypt, have a double signification, apparent and hld den: the one is for the multitude, and the other I~ addrcssed to mystle erds. "i>ymbollc science, banlshed from the churcb, takcs refuge ln the court; dlsclalncd by painting, we ftnd lt agaiu ln heraldry. The orlgln of armorial bearlngs ls lost in an tlqulty, and appears to have orlglnt.ted wlth the fll'llt elemcnts of wrlllng: the Egyptlan hltr<l!(lyphlcs, like the Attce pnlntln);$, ln<ll eatcd the signification of asub)e<-1 by!l('ftk tng <"mhl<'lll!i or ann.s. Jt ls snffieicnt to eon siderthe Mexlean pletnros, and the explanat.iou of thcm wbieb hns bcen prescrved, to banlsh &lldoubton thlssubJect."-See.Rtttt1fl dt ThtrenOI. "The selam, or nosegay of the Aralls, ap pearsto have horrowed lts emblems from the language o f colors: the Koran glves the mystlc l'CllSOn o f IL The eolors: says Mahomet, 'whleh the carth dlsplays to our eyes, are manlfest signe Cor those who thlnk.'-Koran, chnp. xvl This rema"rkable passage ex plains the ehcquered robe whlch Jsl~. or Nature, wore, conceived as a vast hleroglyphlc. The colors whlch nppcar on the eartb, correspond to tho colors whlch the seer bcholds ln the world of spirits, where eyerythlog ls spiritual and, conscquently, significative. Such ls,at toast, th~ orlginof the symbolical m~nn lngof rolo,. tn the hoobof lhc prophetsand tho ApocnlyJl'l<l.''-.Porl<ll' dt1 lWlcurt ~
boliquea.
172
Tl!E SOIENOE OF OORRESPONDENCES.
with obscurity or blackncss.101 Colors, then, represent the modifica tions of the intcrmingling rays of spiritual heat and light by those principles and things which have respect to the natural mind. They denote the vnricd qualities of the respective principles treated of, both as to the intellect and the will, the thoughts and the affections. The irradiations of wisdom and truth in the dark clouds and appearances of the literai scnse of the W ord are the reflections of heaven's own splendors,-adaptatious of the ben.ms proceeding from the Sun of Uighteousness to the ever-changing states of the human mind in tho process of regeneration. In the time of trial and temptation they are "the bow round the Almighty's throne" (Rev. iv. 3), and the "bow in the cloud" (Gen. ix. 13),-a token of God's eternal covennnt with his faithful children, a memorial in the clouds of ignorance and error, in the mere appearances of truth, and in the dense vapors which sorrow and suffering cast over the natural min<l, of his unchangiug
"" The thrce primitive oolors, derlved from others: th us, the red ls the caloriflc or heat. the light and heat of the sun, aro red, blue, lng princ.iple; the yellow ls the luminousor and yellow. From them, and their inter Jight-giving prlnciple: wh!le it ls ht the bh10 mingling and cliversified shadCll, are pro ray that the power of actlnism, or chemlcal dnccd the beautif\11, brllllant, and e'er- action, is found. Now it ls thiii trlnity of changlng colors we behold, whethcr in the red, yellow, and blue which constituics, lndcflnitely varicd and harmonlous hues of when oomblned, lhe unlly ot ordhmry or the threc kingdoms of nature, and ln the white llght. When separatcd, thls uulty ot rlouds of the atmphere, or as cxhibltcd ln Ught ls dhided lnto the trlnlty of colons. the splcndid tint' of the rRinbow. Although one and the samc, neithcr can ex TH& 1'RllllTY 011 LIOHT.-ln llght we ha,e lst wlthout the othcr: the lhree are cme, tlu a mO!\t rcmarkahle Illustration of the doc- one {s lhru. Thus we have a unity 111 trlnity, trine of the Holy Trinit), which I~ an article and a trlnlty ln unlty, e>:croplllled ln llght of flth wlth many, of doubt with some, and ltself: and "God is lli:ht.'' l'lants wlll live ofdisbcllefwlth othcns; but lfweean pro,e and grow luxurlantly under the lnftucnce by oculnr demonst.ration that thcre cxists lu of the rcd and )'ellow mys; but, howe1er nature a trlnlty in unlty and an unlty ln 11romlsing the nppearancc, the blossom dies, trinity quite as marvellou.,, it ought to oon I and no fruiHa.n be produeed without lhcen firm the falthf\11, convince U1e doubtful, and l lhenlng power ot the hlne rays. When this ovcrthrow the sophLtry of lhc unbclh,wer. ht\'isible action !s wanting, the trlnlty h1 An imestigatlon lnto the laws and propcr unity ls inoomplete; llf is unproducti\'c un tics of llght will enable us to do so. J.Jght ls Ill the tbrec, united ln one, bring all thin!(S cnslly ll('pnrated lnto lts eomponent colors, U> perfection. Thus ef\('h mcmhcr of the by tmnsroitting lt tbrough a glass prism, trlntty ln unlty of light has !ts t'!<pcclal duty wh<.'rc lt ls rcsolved lnto n,'(}, orange, yellow, to pcrform, and ls ln Cll1i.w-tnt 01icraUon, vl!'grceo, bluc, Indigo, and vlolet, whi<'h ('011 ibly or lnvisibly, nlthough only one power. Rtitute, whcn Mmblned, white or ordinary Even ftr bcyond the viil,>l<' violet ra)' of the ltght. This baud of 1011.ns ls ceJlcd the pris prismali<' i<pe<'trum the spirit of at'tiuism prem11tic pectrum. Now lt wlll be pcn'<llve<l vnil; ils chemknl inflnrn<'C <'BU be prO\'~'<I Umt n,'<I, ycllow, and blue arc its prl11111ry or to cxt.end bcyond the lhnfts of our vllou. <'''nti11J <'olon;, theothel1! belng tMrel)' pro- Tlnm thcre is hl llght an Invisible agenry dlll't'd by the admlxtore or overlttpplug of alway~ in action: 11n<I the more the ~ubjt'<'I two M\joining primary coloro: thn8, orange fs lnvestigatcd, the more strlkJ ng ls the lllnsls found hctwecn the rcd an<! ydlow, green trntlon bctwecn the Holy ~11frft of Or! made bctwccn the ycllow and bluc; "" thnt, ln manlfc.<st, and the wonderful propcrtlc of fntt. we hn1c only the three prlmnrr colors lll{ht whlrh have bccn gradually unfolde<l to <Irai wlth, each of whlch hM its pccnlil\f by the nse11rehesof man.-.fl'om Tempre Bar, propertics and aUrllmt.ce distinct !rom the for January.
COLORS, NUMBERS, MUSICAL INSTRWIENTS, ETC.
173
loving-kindncss and faithfulns, bringing hope and consolation to the . human hcart. Colors, in general, signify truths derived from good ncss, and their various modifications ; or, on the contrary, different fal111cious appcarances of evil nnd error, in the constantly varying states of mental perception both as it respects the intellect and the will.108 They consequently denote the quality or state of which they are pre<licated. So far 11.'l they partake of red, thcy dcnote the quality of a thiug or state, 11.'l to good, or love, or to its opposite, the obscurity of evil, and have an immediate reference to the will; and so far as they partake of white, they signify truth in it.'! purity, and its purifying influences, resplendent from good; and, in the opposite sensc, trutb without goodness, or faith alone, and have more immediate relation to the understanding. (See Isa. i. 18.) But it will be at once secn that nll shades of black, on which the vnricgations of obscurity depcnd, denote qualitics originating in cvil and folsity. }fonce heavcn is represented as an eternnl state of day,-for "there is no night
'"' "Colors bave an lnfl11cnce on the slons, and tbcy, as wcl\ as their harmonies, have relation to moral and spiritual affecUons.''-St. Picrrt!a Sl.u4.Qf Km.. p. li6. Swedenborg illustrai.CS thls reoondltc snbJcct as fo\l()\fs: "In ordcr to the existence or oolor, thcre must be some 8Ubstance dark lsh and brlghtish, or black and white, on which , whcn the raysfrom thcsun fall, there exist, accordlng to the various tcmperlng of the darklsh and brlght.lsb, or black and white, from the modification of the Influent ray>1 of llght, colors, somc of whlch IAke more or lcss Crom the darklsh and blnck property, some more or le!<'! Crom the brlght lsh or white, an<\ hence arises thelr dlversity. A resemb\ance of \bis exlsts ln SJ>lrltual thlni;s. There the darklsh propcrty ls the lntellcctua\ propr!um or man, or the f:llsc; and the black property 1s the wl\l pruprlum, or evil, whlch absorbs and ex tingulshes U1e rR)'S of llgltt; but the brlghtlsh and white property ls the trut\\ and good whlch man tblnks be docsofh!mS('\f, whlch reOects anrl t\\rows back Crom ll110lf the rays orUght. The raysof\lgbtwblch Call Oll and modlfy these are Crom the Lord, as from the sun of wlsdom and lnte\111.-encc, for suc\\ are the rays of srlrltual llght, and \bey arc from no otber source."-A. C. 10.2-3. "Black and w\1lte belng varlous\y tempcred by the rays or llg\\t, are changed luto beautlful co\ors, as lnto blue, yellow, 1>ur1>1e, and the l!ke, by wblch, aecordlng to thclr arrangement, as ln 6owcrs, divers tonus ' benuty and agreeab\eness are exblbi\00,
pa.,- 1whilst the black and white, as to t\Jclr rool
and ground, stlll remalu."-A. C. 731. "Between the troplcs, where there I$ scarcely auy horizontal rcfractlon, the solar l!ght, asvlewcd ln t hc hea,ens,dls11\ays ln a serenc monllng ftt,. 1>rlmordlal oolors. ln the horlion, whcre the sun ls Just golng to cxhlbll bis dli,c, a dazzllng white ls visible: a pure white at an clcvation of torty-flve de~: a tire color ln the zcultb: a pure bluc fortyfive dcgrees be\ow wward the wcst: and ln the vcry west IM d<lrk i-eU of light stl\l llngerlng ln the horizon. You thcre see thOSl<.l five oolors. \\1\h thelr lntermedlaleshadcs gcneratlog caclt olhcr. ~h of thO!'e co\ors sec ms to be only a strong tint of that whlch procedes lt,and a fltlnt llut ofthat whlch foUows, tho11gh the who\e togetbcr appear to be only mod11latlons ofa progression or whlch u:l1iU ls the first tcrm, red the middlc, and blad the lat."-St. Pierrt' Slud. of NaL, Il., pp.108-112. "lna!mnch M rcd signifies the quality or a thing as Io good, therefore, a\so, names, and things whlcb are named Crom the same expl'e'!Slon ln the original tongnc, signiry the good ln wbich lheyoriglnate. Thus red, ln the original tonguc, ls called Adam, whence ls dcri\"ed the nrune Adam, and a\so the name F.dom: and hencc, a\so, man ls callcd A<lam, and the ground A dama, an~ tlte ruby Odsm: thus these namcs and thc tbltlgll are rrom red.... That Edom was so callcd frorn re<l,see Oen. xxv. 30. . . That the ruby or carbuncle l.s aise !IO call~d Crom re<l, seo Ex. xxvlti.17; xxxix.10; Ez. xxvlli.13."A. E. SIH.
15 *
174
1'IlE SCIENCE OF CORRESl'ONDE.VCES.
~here" (Rev. xxi. 25),-procceding from cclcstial fire or love, which vivifies the inmost of the soul; while its iuhnbitauts are dcscribcd aa "clotlied in white" (R cv. vii. 9). But, on the other hand, bell is describcd as an evcrlusting statc of dnrkness and sorrow and terror, procecding from infernal fire, or that unchanging state of malice and hatrcd which tormcnts. On this ground of the rcprcscutathe mc.ming of oolors, they aro often mentione in the \Yord, in both senscs, nnd nre somctimcs arrangcd in a trine. Three of the most splendid and cxpcnsivc colors were commandcd by the Lord to be used in the construction and embeshmcnt of the Tabernacle,-" Blue, and purple, and scarlet" (Ex. xxv. 4, 5; xxvi. 1, etc.). Thcso three colors serve most accuratcly to discriminate the thrcefold quality of the sincere worslppcr, wl1ose min is reprcsented by the Tabernacle and its beautiful furniture. Blue is descriptive of the quality of celestial light or truth, and its splendor as seen in the firmament of the intellect ; purple, the quality and brilliancy of celestial heat or love in the affections of the will; and scarlot denotes the quality and warmth of enlightcncd faith and mutual charity reflccted in the outward life. The brillinnt colol':i of the costly gcms set in the brcastplate of Aaron (Ex. xxviii. 30), und of the precious stones which formed the foundations of the Holy City (Rev. xxi. rn, 20), signify the indefinitely varied modifications and qualities of heavenly wisdom and intelligence, beaming forth from the W ord of God, transluccnt nnd shining with the celcstial and spiritual rcsplendencies of heu ven, signified by the precious gems. Tbcsc bright and priceless truths of the Holy W or<l are the source of ail just judgmcnt, and are, also, the firm and glorious foundations on which the church is erected.109
''The twel\'estoncs ln the urhn and thum ' wcre worn upon the hcart to slgnlfythntthe mlm arc rcprcscntative of ail the varfotlt>S of COl'Tt>Spondlng princlpleo:. must be l'('gllrd<'<l di\'inc trnth ln the Iloly \\'ord, which shi11e wlth lnl.llt affection. They were dl\'lded with surh b<!auty and glory in the minds int.o four orders of trines, distinetly signift . of tlie faitbful.-brilliant, tnrn!'J)arcut, bpe.r- estive of the twofold cont<tltutiou of the ln kling, glo\\ ing with inwerd radiant prhwi tcrnnl and cxternal man; eacl1 trine Juwlug plci; of 10,.e, cbarlty, goodncs.,, and Lencvo ci.pccial relation to the thrce degrces of tl!e lence, of which tbey are but the outward 1nlnd and the lifc, and the slgnifirotion of fonns. They were ordercd byexpress Divine each &tone being tletenulncd by lts color and command to be arrange<! in trines, and worn it ~ plare. Thlsmayl~seen ruoreclearly ftom on the brea.;t, or ovcr tile heart, of the blgb the following arrangement (see Gen. xxlx., pricstwbcn heentcred the tabernacle. They xxx., xxxv.): lst row. Sllrcllus. Topn>., Carbuncle, {signifyingnnd reprefleutingthe threedcgrce11 of ltial goodul">!! ln the Internai wm, Reuben Simeon J..evi ' ' ' with thelr purity an<I bnrnlng brilliancy. slqnlf)'lngand repre8<'r.tlng the thrdcgn.-e 2d row. F..mcrnld, St1pphirc, rnamoncl, lof <'''""tlal n!Miom ln the Internai undcr Judah, Dau, Naphtall, ~b1111llng, \\ Hh thclr tmnspdrent and sp.tr kllug Jw;tre.
COLORS, NUMBERS, JIUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, J?T(J.
175
The literai scnso, in many historical particulars, especially iu figures or numbcrs, weights and mensures, hns been ma<le to give way for the spiritual sense, or hW! been arranged without any other definite idca than what sccms the purpooe of the iuner lifc, or Divine mind. This will fully account for the apparent breaks, inconsistencies, and con tradictions which learned commcntators have professed to <liscover in the historical narratives,-such n.s the number of the Israelites who lcft Egypt, the time of their sojourn there, the arts and sciences urnong them, and man y incidents in the wilderness,-all of which are of little or no importnnce when we consi<ler the divine and internai object which the Lor<l had in view by the inspiration of his W ord. Of the Lord, it is intimated by the prophet that He alone is allwise, all-good, and all-powerful, but that man is "le88 tlian notliing, and vany." And, in a lofty und sublime strain of inspiration, asks, "who hath mcasurcd the waters in the hollow of bis hand, and meted out heaven with u span, and comprehen<led the dust of the earth in a mensure, an<l weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance"? (Isa. l:l. 12, 17 ). Nor is this said merely in oriental phrase, of that divine and overruling intelligence and goodness which have so mystcriously and with only perfect ordcr a.rranged the atoms and directed the combinations of those elemental substances of which the matcrin.l globe is composed. Far higher was the design, which was to call forth our unquestioned fith and gratitude for etcrnal mcrcies, for the overrulement of every momeni and event, by the secret opcr ation of his ever-prescnt and ever-wakeful provid:mce, to advance our prepnrn.tiou for l1appiuess and hea.ven. To this end the Lord, in the wonderful process of regeneration, Himself arranges and subordinates, in truc order, tho affections and thoughts, and the goodness and truth which they rcccive, so as to constitute the heavens of the internai mind as his own peculiar <l\Yelling-placc, and also the carth of the external mind as his glorious footstool. The mount.ains are the exalted principles of love to the Lord ; the hills are the less clevnted principlcs of charity t-0wards the neighbor; the waters are the
slgnifylng and rcprescnting the three degroo; of spiritual love or rharily whlch are active ln the extcrnal will, but mod!Jled ID bril llancy. slgnlfylng and representingthe three degrecs (th row. Beryl, Onyx, Jasper, of f.ltb or kuowledge ln the extcrnal underZebulon, Joseph, Benjamin, st11o11ding, hJES transparent 11o11d more opaqu' !han the thre<! degrecs of Internai wtsdom. Slmnar thlngi1 are slgulfied ln the ordcr of Ille stones ln the foundatlo of the New Jt ruaalem.-See Jl.ev. xx.i.
3d row.
lJgurc, Gad,
Agate, Aaher,
Ametbyst, l.SMcbar,
176
TIIE SCIENCE OF CORRF:Sl'OXJJENCES.
divine truths of bis Word, which, by the nctivity of his power nnd love, He makes the instrument of his will ll the accomplbhment of h~ work. This just nnd accuratc equilibrium, subordination, nnrl completc arrangement of ail things in relation to the ordcr of mnn's regenerntion and salvation, nre signified by his being reprented !Il:! mcasnring the waters in the hollow of his h1md, meting out hc1Wen with n span, comprehending the dust of the earth in a. mensure, wriJ?hing the mountains in scales, and the bills in n balance; for to Him, ami to Hin1 alone, the exact measure and degrce, the quantitative and qualitathc analysis of cvcry state of bis regcnerate children is <llitinctly known, both in time and in eternity. "0 the depth of the ridics both of the wisdom and knowlcdge of God ! H ow unsenrchuhle arc his judgments, und bis wnys past. finding out" (Rom. xi. 33). Numbers,110 weights, and measures have their spiritual signifiCAtion
Thcre arc .impie numbcr1 whkh arc 1and simplo from whlch they arilie by multi sl,.'Tllftcnthc abo..-call othcri,Rnd from which 1pl!catlon."-A. E. 817, :.OO. tho grcatcr numbers derivc thcir algnlfica "Philo obecrvC!I that the numbcr juur c-on tlons, v1z., the numbcrs, t\\o, thrce, 6ve, and talru; tho mt pcrfcet proportl01~ ln mu,i<'al scvc11. The numbcr tWOAlgnlfiCS union, and symphonie., vli.: Dlalcaso.ron, diapt1111', dltt I prel\lcatc<l of guod; the numbcr tbrcc <lg pa30n, and tlll'llap(UIOn. For the 1>101>0rtlo1 nilles wh11tls full, and ls prcdlcatcd of truths: of dialcaearon b os four to thrce; of dloprnte, tho uumber lh' e signifies" hat I holy; from as thrce w two: or diapM011, os two to one, the nwnl.K-r two arise 4, 8, IG, 11)), !<OO, ltiOO, or four to l\\O; or di8diaJ"1$11; as four to 1000, Wlfl, 16,000, whlch numbcn h&l'c the one."-11. Jfort' Def. of (hbakl, p. l-.:1. &lllllc knlficatlon as two ha., bccau.o;c t.bey 1 "Ali number1arc containcd in /Ollr, vlrtu arl'<' from the simple numb..r mulUpltcd ally; by ail nwnbcrs ls rucent tcn; for when lnto 11...1r, and by multirllcatlon wlth tcn; wc come to ttn we go back 81;&Jn."-ll>., p. from thft numbcr thrce arise 6, 12, 2t, 72. IU, 153. 1110, 111,0llO, whlch uumbero &IMI hale the "111 the con>tant rccurrence or the numaamo sii;nlll('fttion as the number thrce ha., ber SC\'Cn in rouncctlon with the rites of bt'<'au"" thcy art..e from thls Impie numbcr thcw ln/lion, thcy oll'ercd n <urion, J>tlnI bym11ltlpllcatlon; fromthcnuml1-0r1hearise lellsm wlth the lllndus. ln ail thn\ rl'lntCll 10, rJl, 100 1000, 10,0110, llWJ,000, whkb nurubers to Agni, the apeclfic lmper..ouatiun or lire, ha,e the snmc slgnlfteatlon a. the number the my~tl<'al numbcr t'CIO is 11\way~ U'<'<I. tl\c ha, bccause thcy ario;c lhtn<'c by multl- 1111 oll'crlmc au oblutlon by tire, th~ l!hulu pll<'ntlon: from the numllcr scvcn arise H. pries! uu.rcd thls praycr: Flre ! "'1111 arc \'Il, 70, 7m. 70,1)'~. whirh al"O, a.~ arislng th)' fuel.; scn~n thy tou~ueo;: se,-m rh) h1I)' thencP, J1a1c a similar sli:nltlcatlon. Inn'<- sages;..,.,... .. thy bdO\cdabodC'\; "Cnn \\&)'I mu<b a.a the numbcr thrcc l1?11ffit"' what I do !K'vcn AC'rlfis worsbip thcc; $h)' """""" full, and what ls full dcnotc-. ni!, bcnce the are oeen; maythf. oblation be cftl<'ac-lou!"' numbcr twehe derlvcs ils li;nl0c11tlon of -Cblman' //ind. Myth., p.116; Squirr1, p. 117. ait thlngs and ail pcn,ons; the rcn!IOn of Ils "Our wot'<l acven," says A.. fu a tlllJIN on bcln11 prcdlCdtcd or truthdcrlv<'d from good 1 the Sabbath, "carrlcs the mlnd back to tho f, l>e<'&u.c lt arises out or thrcc multlplled orlgln of the human htng1111gc. Ell<llng the lnto four, and the nnmbcr thno ls prcdl m, whkh I merely a termlnatlon, wc have eull'd of truths, and four of good, aa wa~ .ald ""'as the bo<ly of the word. Now,aorllin11 ahnvc."-A. E. ~~. to the rcco1ml111.'d laws of p\11Jol0jty, 1<r may "Uy C\'ery numbcr in the Word 11,J~llcd cxM fn dfffircnt dl11lts or lanll'U&j."CI ln aomewhat or thlmt or antl thr quallty dllf~rent ronns. .~. for lnstanc-e, m11y lw th<nfl dctcrmlm'<l by the nun\b<rs wlc-h romc lffl, the root of the German orTcutonlc are amxcd. The gT('l\tcr ant! compound li<b (n" "'"en. Il ls easy to sec how t ht b n11mbcr1 slgnify the .same wltb Ibo letil!er may sollcn lnt.u p. Tbcn wc bave . the
''"
taie.
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in the Wor<l of God. This is the renson why they are so often employcd, and why sueh frequcnt and solcmn mention is made of numbcring, tclling, counting, weighing, and measuring. Unlc..o.s sueh a spiritual signification be annexcd to these terms, nulnerous passages will, in tl1e literai sense, be obscure and unintelligible. They are
root of the Latin ttptem (seven~ Jn the C:cl tic roll we have the f<anscr!t tap (the Hebrew Sabbath), wlth a lfgbt vowel change. and tbe Grcek ; .. (hep). wlth a. ehan~e ln the aspirate. Here then we find the word "'1 or seiotn, dituscd over the cntire cin'le of anclcnt and moder n civillzation. Over the same clrcle, let it be adde<I, the sevcn-day worshlp ls dlffused. Obvlously, the one ls hound up wlth tbe other."-SabOOth Letsure, p. 3. "Of the oeveu chlef lumlnnries of the hea\ens (Ylsible to the una"51stcd cye). tbc moon ls not only the nearest, but the most cl<"'Cly conne<'tcd with the earth, round wblch it revolves ln a per!od of about elght and twcnty days. Jn so revolvlng, the moon nndelWX'S four marked changes. Thcrc ls. flrst, from the new moon to the ball moon: l'Condly, from Oie half moon to the full moon: thirdly, from the full moon to the half moon: ancl, fourthly, from the half moon to the new moon. The entire rcYolutlon ls thu divldcd lnto four ditiuct parts. But the fourtb of twenty-ctght ls seYen, and so wc come again upon the number e\en asa flxed, and nota fixed only, but a sacred number. llcnec an in8uence to strengthen the roverence for the number scven, whlch &l'Ol!C from the nuxnber of (what were considerc<I to be) the celestlal rulers. Dut the four phases or the moon suggested lmllar dh'l.slonsof Ume. Luuar weeks ensued, and from lunar weeks came lunar years. Agnin sevcn l.s consecmted as a sacred number."lb., p. 3. "The e.-clesiastical year of the Hebrews ls a h1t1ar year: lt l.s laid out, so to say, ln se\'eus. The se\en bceame ln Isroel a sacrcd multiple-scvcn days: se\cn weelr.s: se,en tlmes seven weeks, or the yenr: scYen yenMi. or the Subb&tical year ; sc\en limes sevcn ycrus, o r the ycar of jubilee. fery .iage wos marked and cclebrated with worsblp. The septennlal ycar, ln ail l!B part~ and numbers, was a year of worshlp. The erotlre year of worsblp finlbed evcry lifty years, but finlsbed only to bcgin agaln, wlth all 11!1 a.<tronomlca.J divisions, Ils rdiglous rite!\. and llB social observances. Ilot Jsmel was the (represeutative] Channel for convcying God"s bt bles.'1ng to the world. lt ls, thercfore, to the Divine Pro\"idence that tbiS cycle of worshlp i to be tra('(ld (it i the language of C<JJ'l'C'pondenecs, groundcd in appeo.rances, significative of reallt!es]: and it is thi llcawnly Father that ought to receiw our thanttul ackuowlcdgmentB."-.10., pp. 3, 4. Twelve ls a compound number, belng the produet of three multlplied by four. By three i slgniflcd, as we ha,e scen. ail. or that whlch ls full and romplete, applled to trutho and doctrines: and by four lslgn!Jied conjunction, a.. applfcd to ail prinelples of goodncss, tntema.J anrl cxtemal. Heuce the number tweh"e signifies the whole complcx of the doctrines of truth and gOOdne.s, or of fllh and charity untted,-the recepUon of ail of which constitutes the Church. lt wa.s to repr=nt thls thnt the twelve petriarel and twelve tril> of Israel constltutcd the Jcwih Churcb; and that at the commence ment of the ChrMian Chureh twehe &JlO'>tles wero selectcd as the Lord's tmmcdlnte dl8Clples: whlle the clty l\ew Jen1oalcm, the churcb to be establi!lbed ln the days of tbe Lord" s second advent, is rcp~nted as havlng tudt't foundntiou and IWfiL't gates. "Jf we conslder that the waters of the deluge were /orty days and /ortv nigh~' ~'Omlng on the carth: tha.t for /<Yrfy ye~rs the hraelltes dld penance ln the wlldemess: that/orty stt1pes were the appointed punlshment ol malefllrtors: that/orlydayswereallowerl tbe Nlnevltcs to repent: tha.t Mes, El\Jah, Rnd [our bles>OO Lord] Jcsus Christ fastcd cacb Jrntv days and /orty nlgh!B, we must admire tbe unlformlty of the divine economy, and bt'lieve that the pcrtod was not wlfhout rroeonso slogularlydiHinguished."-Btshop Dehon' Sti-mOIU, vol i., p. 366. "Forty was e. round numbcr, nnd l.s stUI emplorecl as sucb ln the East, to exprc nn lndefinlte quantlty."-Von Bohien' Intro. Io Gtn., Yol. 1., p. 82. ".Accordlng to the ingenious remart of Sl Jerome, the number forty (ln the WordJ secms to be consccratcd to tribulation: the Hebrcwpeoplesojonrncd ln Egypt tcn limes forty yca<": MOSES, Elias, and tbeLord Jsus Christ fa.<ted forty da)s; the Jicbrew Jl<.'O pic remalncd forty years ln the descrt: tho prophet F.zekicl lay for forty days on bis right sidc."-Clxhen, iv., p. 158; note on Nuxn. xxili. 1.
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TllE SCIEKCE OP CORRRSPONDENCES.
used in all their relations, whether simple or compound, to expr~ the varions qualities of things in a combined form, nml the various states of the church an her members, either in a gcnuine or in nn opposite sense. The relations which numbcr an order beur to the thiugs and objects of the natural world are of prcciscly the same nature as are the relations and arrangements as to the quality of the things of the spiritual world and the human mind. W e h11ve already scen that the number three signifies fulness or perfection, and denote9' ci complete state, comprising the discrete degrees of life from beginning to end. It is generally predieated of truth, or of its opposite, falsity,--0f what is sacred, or what is pollutcd. Thus, in addition to the instances already given, the divine command to "keep a feast unto the Lord three times in the year" (Ex. xxiii. 14-17), signifies fulness and perpetuity of the worship of the Lord from a chccrful and grateful hcart. These thrcc festivals of unleavened bread, or the passover; of the first-fruits of the harvest, or the fenst of wecks; and of the ingathering, or feast of tabernacles, were designed to reprcsent man's complete spiritual dcliverance from the thraldom of flsity, and his purification by successive trials and victorics,-the insemination of truth in a tender state of heavenly affection, and the implantation of goodness in the will. Multiples of the same number have, for the most part, a similar signification with the simple number, but one thut is more complex and extensive. Thus, the number six, like three, dcnotes what is full nnd complete; but in a grcater or fuller degree, all states of labor preceding a full statc of heavenly rest. Sometimes both simple and compound numbers arc mcntioned in a subordinate relation to other numbers, and thcn the signification is somcwhat varied: thus, nine in relation to tcn, and ninety-nine in relation to one hundred, denote fulness of a former state, previous to entering upon a new one. The nmnber sevcn, aguin, refcrs in genernl to what is holy and inviolable, nnd, in un opposite scnsc, to what is profane: tl1us, a hallowed and enduring statc of rt and pcacc, nftcr the lnbors and conflict.s of temptation, was rcpresented by the Sabbath, which, uncler the Jewish dispcnsntiou, succccded six clays of toi!, and was kcpt inviolate. ~ut these States of returning trial and rcst not only involved subjects of a pnrticular kind, but those of general and universal ordcr; hence, the Jews were commanded not only to kccp the sevcnth day holy, but the scventh ycur wns commanded to be a sabbath of rest; and the end of $Cven timcs seven years1 or sevcn sabbaths of years, a
CO/,QRS, NU.lfBWl.~, JIUS/CAL J,\'STRUJJE.Y1S, ETC.
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jubilce was to be prodaimcd hy soun<l of trumpcts, slav wcre man umittcd or set at liberty, uJicnatc<l property was rcstorcd t-0 the orig-i nnl possessor or bis dcscendanLo:, nn<l the uncultivated ground yieldc<l a miraculous incrcase, equivaleut to thr hnrvcsts (Lev. xxv.). "Seven times a day do 11)rnisc thee," 11aid the Psalmllt (exix. 16-H, to signify that the swect inrense of pruisc, to be acceptable to the Lord, must perpetually arise from a holy, undividcd hcart. 'fo tearh us tl1at Christillll forgivencsi tow:mls an ofinding brother must he full, plenary, and holy, we are divinely enjoined to forgive him "not revcn times, but seventy times scvcn" ( Matt. xviii. 21, 22); nnd tn dcnote a holy statc of complctc purification, out of Mary l\tagdnltue "was cast seven clcvils" (:\lark xvi. 9.) In this pure an'I holy ~tak of mind and lif(' @ignified by the number sevcn we hu\e c11njunctio11 \lith divine omnipotence, an<l thence we are supplied, through the W ord, with supcrhumun strcngth against our spiritual achcrsari. To rcpresent this to the very lifc, we r end that, at the siege of J cricho, tie\en pricsts wcre commancled to bear sevcn trumpcts of rams' horns, and the ark of God, and, followed hy all the pe-0plc, were to make a circuit nroun<l the walls of the city on scven successive days; but on the soventh dny they werc to compass the city seveu timcs. Then t)l(' "ails thereof fell, and the eity and its inhnbitants were destroyc'I (J0:-h. vi.). Grievous temptations, and their duration,-<>r full States of trinl nnd suffering,-are usuaJly signified by the numbcr forty, which i.s n compound of four multiplicd by ten, dcnoting fulnes.~ and conjunc tion; for, by the endurance of temptntions, goodness and truth nrc conjoincd in the soul Tbe same is signified by t\\ice forty, or ci~hty, and, in a grcatcr degree, by four hundred, which is a compound of forty multiplicd by ten. Thus, to reprcscnt the trials and temptations which the Christian will cxporience in the course of his regeneration, th<.> children of Isrncl were mimculously lcd forty ycnrs th1ough the "ildcrncss (Dcut. \'. 4). ~imilar states of affiicting trial were i-iguifitd by the i;olcmn fast of ~roses on Mount Sina for forty days ami forty nights ( Dcut ix. !) ; x. 10); by the forty days of suffering (')\ clured by Elijnh; by the forty days in whid1 the pro11het Ezekiel \\tu> rommnnded to bcar, reprcsentatively, the iniquities of the hou!'e of r~rnel (Ezek. iv. 6); and, lnstly, by the forty days in which the LmJ cuclured his grieYous temptntions in the" ildcrnes.5 (.Matt. iv. 2). Tho strrngth of " fourscore ycnrs" is, thereforc, describcd tlll being "labor tul<l sorrow" (Pl!. xc. 10); and the chil<lrcu of Israel arc, from thI
180
signification, said to have bcen afliicted in Egypt "four hundred ycnrs" (Gen. xv. 13; Acts vii. 6). Weights and mensures are eruploycd in the "\Vord of God lo signify quantity and quality as to the subjccts of which they are predicated, or to denote the estimation in which they are held. In general, weight has relation lo good 111 and itsquality, and, in an opposite sense, to evil,-thus to statcs of things in refcrenco lo the will; and mcasure has relation to truth and its quality, and, in an opposite scnse, to flsity,-thus to states of things in reference to the understanding. This brief signification of weights and mensures, and their application, will at once enable us to perceive some of the deepest lessons of divine wisdom eontained in the 'Yord. By weights and mensures are signified, in refcrence to the soul, rules and explorations, and just judgment as to the quality and chnracter of the mind and life. Thus in Leviticus, among other divine laws, we are supplied, in the spiritual sense of the 'Yord, with a divine rule for self-examination, which, if any one conscicntiously applies lo the inward states of his soul, will bring down the strictcst justice and judgment into all his words and works. Nothing is so common as for men to rleceive themsclves in regard to this important duty. I t is seldom performcd as it ought to be, ai.d is often substituted by vain and powerless aeknowledgments of sinfulness, uttered, perhaps, in words of R oly 'Vrit, but unfelt, as not being the rcsult of prnctical acquaintance with the inward states of the heart. If sins are lo be remitted, however, they must be put away by repentance; and how can they be removed unless they are seeu? 'Ve are too frcquently se1f:si1tisfied with the delusive and dangerous notion that we are no worse than others, while the evils within us are only conccaled by a fair exterior,-honest before men, but unjust in the sight of God,outwardly "whited sepulchres, but inwardly fi.lied with dead men's boues and ail uncleanness" (.Matt. xxiii. 27). Ilow important, thcrcfore, wheu considered in its ctcmal menning, is the divine lnw of mental introspection to which we have alludcd, and in which the Lord wlemnly warus and exhorts us ns follows: "Ye shall do no unrigMeousness in judgmcnt, in mete-yard, in wcight, or in mensure. Just balances, just wcights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall yc have" (xix. 35, 36). Instructing us that if, without sclf-<lcception, we would
m "ln F.l?)pt, the Yesscl of elay weighed ""ription oftheroanu~rlpt<lf'.l'enlaml)'Un." upon the blance of the Jud;:ment of l!Oulq J'rn"tal. )' Rril. Mag., Yol. xx1., p. 520. See represent the decea.cd"s &laie "' goori, of Al'PE.'IDIX, Egyptian JJiff"oglypltici. love, and of picty; a.s ls proyed by the ln
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attain the just measurc or quality of an ange!, and the standard weight of the balance of the snnctuary, we mu~t not only examine the qunlity of our words nnd decds, but of our desircs nnd thoughts, our persuasions and intentions, our motives and ends of life. The exploration of the church in general, so as to nscertain the quantity and quality of truth and goodnC$ therein, aud thence to examine the inward stntes of the wol"l!hippers, and the intrin~ic >alue of thcir worship, in order that revelation might be made, i8 nlso <leseribcd 1111 follows: "1 lifted up mine eycs again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hnnd. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To men.sure Jerusalem, to sec" hat is the lJreadth thercof, and what is the length thercof" (Zceh. ii. 1, 2). And the same things are signified by thcse worrls in the Revelation, "And tbere wns given uuto me a reed like uuto a rod: ami the ange! stood, Eayiug, Ri."C, and mcasure the temple of Gor!, and the altar, and tbem that worship therein" (xi. 1). This mensuring-line and rced serve likewLoe to point out our own individual duti, and the means of pcrforming them, whcther they a.re moral or religions. By those hl'.nrt-scarching truths of the Holy Word, which exhihit to us our inward character, we can try our thoughts, explore our motives, and nnalyze our affections, nnd thus discover with certainty the extemnl charactcr of our words and works. 'Vhen, tl1ereforc, the church was brought to its consummation or end, by the profanation of al! the hcavenly principles of goo<lnes:1 and truth; ail the holy things of the W ord, signifie<l by the con1:ecrnte >essels of the Temple, being applicd to evil purposes, Bclshaz1~'\r is dcscribed n.t his impious feast pollutiug the golden YCSScls, and then, it is snid, thcrc "came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote upon the plaistcr of the wall of the ki11g't1 palace,'' to rcprcscnt the divine exploration nn<l judgment, as re,ca.lcd in the very lctter of God's ord; "hile, to &ignify thal the extcrnal church "as totally dcstroyed, becau!'e thnt within it ail truth and goo<lness hnrl lx.'011 profanefl and adulterntcd, nnd its quality in the divine sight was only that of falsity and cvil, in ail the varions dC"grc of the minds of its prof~sors, "this wn.s the writing that wns "ritteu, MENE, ~mi< J:, 'l'J;KEr., UPHARSIN" (Dan. V. 2.5-27), uumbercl, weighed, divid~l. 1Y11mbered as to truth, which was foun<l to be nwflly corruptc; wcigheil as to goodncs:s, whieh wns diseowrccl to be hypocritical and dcfilt'<I; rlit>ided or di..;joincd from the Lm! ami hcmcn, )1('('1111<;0 fith 1111<\ charity wcrc :parntcd, and ah<lut to perish, in 11 hich c:~ the 1h11rC"h nmst C'Cll.<e Io cxi,t on eil.rth. And
'y
16
182
TIIE SOTF:NOE OF OOTlRERPONDENOES.
111ch mtIBt he the awful and miscrnble cloom which, aftcr death, will most ru;sure<lly be pronouncccl upon :il\ spiritual idolaters who, from the inward loYe of evil, had profaned the holy truths of religion, and hnd impiously npplied them to their own scnsual and selfish purposcs, and had likewise defilcd nnd per,erted eYery principlc of gooclness, love, and charity,-those golden vesools of the Lord's snnctuary,-by hypocrisy, deceit, ambition, and pride. Mention is oftcn made in the W ord of musical instruments, in conaequence of their correspondence, which depends upon the difference in their sounds.112 These are of two kinds, namely, stringed instruments, the solid parts of which are composed of soft wood, as the lmrp, psaltery, lyre, etc., und wind instruments made of metals, as the trurnpet, cymbal, etc.; of animnls' horns, as the horn, and of hollow wood and reeds, us the pipe; together with those in which the Otmrt is 1>roduced by vibmtory members being stretched over hollow cylinders or circles, ns the tabret, the drum, and the timbre!. In stringed instruments the sounds are produced hy discrete or perfectly distinct movcmcnts, and are more particularly prodicatcd of the understanding, or, rathcr, of the distinct degrecs of spiritual affection, and su ch discrete sounds excite \\;thin us the affections of truth; but wind or brcathing instruments, being capable of a continuons prou Thal varlous passions, emotion<, 11nd af sldn<'es to the production of plea>;ing sonuds; rections are more or lcss cxcitcd into activ the afr whlch ever imrrounds us ls capable fty, by dJll'ercnt and eorre<ponding sounds, of conveying those sonnds, lnspirc<l, lndccd, i the cxperlence of ail. Dean Shcrlock has in power, but unnltel'(.'() ln quallty; whlle ndvaneed an ldea ln accordance witb tllis to man ls given a et of fnculties ln nothlng \"lew: more delightfully exercl>!Cd thau ln their "A dhersity of sounds," be says, "ls titted rcception nud approci11tion, tOgcther wlth hy nature to exprc'<~ and to excite very 11if the power, by skilfully nrranging and <'Om forent pa.idon. Love, joy, admiration, dc blnlng them, to producc an endless and sire, fcar. 1<0rrow, lndig11aU011, give some dis- ebarmlng varity of melody l\nd hllnnon)'. tingulshlng notes and aents to the very Man'sheArt lsstron11;wlthsympathetiC<'Ords, voice. And ~uch dlll'ercut nol<.'S will also as whfch vfbratc ln unlon wlth the scvcrnl for<'ibly imprlnt nch p.~sslons on onr mlnd combfnntlous of musical sounds; nor ls the ns they nnturally represcnt, and tbat many 1effcct thus produced accidentai or auoma times, whclhcr we wlll or no; whlch is a lou.s, the 1!8.rne feelings arc always cxcitcd by grcat Sl'Cret fn nature, nnd shows nu unac-1 the same comblnatlons. Chromatl~ lnt1'ic, conntable sympatby bctwccn sounds and or a succession of ~cmiloncs, soothcs and rcJ>O"ions."-1., p. a;,1. Jaxes the Pi rit; a hllrC"CSSlon of chord8, as ~und ls Internai to Jnnguage, Justasall'ec- fn martial music, roust'S the soul c\en to tlon ls interna! to thought. Ileuce tonc, active excrtiou; pltlintiYe and mclancholy whlch origlnatcs lu them the all'cctlons of reellng;s nre awakcned b) the mlnor m<lde; the w!ll, alters the scnse of words. How dif tbe major mode and the dlstonlc ocl\le, the fcrent, n111\ln, are masculine toncs from fcm- simplcst arrangement, of musi<nl sounds, lnine toncs; the former lndicate th(' hnNh- assume an endlcs.~ varlety of exprC!'!lon, ness of the intellect, for which man i~ 1><~11 an<l, lfkc the oatural modulntion or the huliarly dlstinguishcd,-thc latter, the softn1% m1m vof<'e, excite varions emotfons, hut most of 111l'llo11, "hich 1$ charactcrlstlc of wu- , 1i.111tlly inspire joy and gladncss."-Rtlli-,
man.
"The Almlghty lins l\<laptc1l many nh
1 I'ubli<"
Opinion.
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longntion of sound, have a more specific reforence to the will, or, rather, to the various degrees of celestial affection, sueh continuous souncls bcing those which more particularly excite within us the affections of goodness and charity. Pcrfect harmony depends upon the skilful union of both thcse kinds of instruments, and their association with the human voice, nnd is representntive of the harmonie union of the will, understanding, and life,-of spiritual and eclestial affections, when receptive of goo<lness and truth, together with the inwnrd exultation, delight, and de;ires thence rcsulting. And with these, for the same reason, bccause reprcscntative of inward states of delight and joy, singing und dancing arc frequently united. Thus, in Psnlm cl. wc rc:id, "Pruise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuury: prnisc Him in thP. firmament of his power. Prnisc Him for his mighty nets: prnise Him according to his excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpct: prnise Him "ith the psnltcry and harp. Praise Iiim with the timbre! and pipe: prnise Him with stringc<J. instruments and organs. Prnise Him upon the loud cymbals: pnl~e Ilim upon the high sounding cymbnls. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." In this divine Psalm we are exhorted, in the spiritual sense, to render praise to the Lord, not only with the holy thoughts of the understanding, but with ail the pure and fervent affections of the wiII united in one harmonious concord. 'Ve are to prnisc Hitu with ail our powers for his wondcrful works of creation, rcdcmption, rcgcncrntion, and salvation, and for the glorious attributcs by which they wcre and still are aeeomplishcd. To praise Him with wind instruments is to celebrat-0 Iliru from the inmost or eelestial affections of love and goodness in the heart; :md to praise Him with stringcd instruments and cymhuls, is to exalt Him from spiritual affections of wisdom and truth in the understanding, thus to delight in the Lord, und to worship and serve Him from the harmonious agreement aud coneord of the whole miud. For let man, as to the complex fuculties of his intellect and reason, be eontemplated as like a stringcd instrument, as the psnltery, ru1d, as to his voluntary principles, like a wind instrument, as the organ, every note, hy virtue of his 11ereditary tendencies to evil and error, may be said, before regeneration, to he dllranged and discordant. 'Vhat, then, is the proes of regcncrntion but the attuning of ail the affections and thoughts, words and works, so that every string and t)ipe gives forth its npproprinte sound, and combines with nll the rest in pcrfect uuity, uttering in harmonious notes and melodions toues
184
TllF SCIESCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
songs of adoration, gratitude, nnd praisc, and giving suitable expression to the inmost dclights of the soul. Sometimrs 1>tringcd instruments or wind instruments are spoken of by themselvcs, as whcn deliverance or redemption by the power of divine truth is treated of, where we rend, "The Lord was ready to ~ave me: thercfore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord" (Isa. xxxviii. 20). That to sing to the Lord denotes to prnise and glorify Him is selfevident; and to do this with a timbrel, as Miriam did, after the wonderful passage and dcliverance from the Red Sea (Ex. xv. 20), signifies to perform this great duty of thanksgiviug to the Lord for bis abounding mercies, from nn inward grouud of heartfelt confidence and gratitude.113 On account of this signification of musical instruments, and their distinction into two classes, several Psahns, which have relation to the spiritual affections of wisdom or truth, were directed to be sung in the representative worship of the Jewish Temple, accompanied by neginoth or gittith, which were stringe<.l instruments (Ps. iv., liv.); while others, which have more immediate reference to the celestial affections of love or goodncss, and faith thence derived, were require<.l to be sung upon nehiloth, or upon wind instruments (Ps. v., viii.; Hab. iii. 19).rn Sometimes instruments of music are spoken of in nn
111 Sec for Illustrations: Lam. v.14, Cor. xlv.15; Eph. v. 19; Ps. xxx. 11, xxx!il. 1-, lxviil. 2.'.i, bxxl. 1-4, lxxxvll. 7, cxllv. 9, cxl!x.1-4; Isa.. xxxl.3, l, 11.3, ll; 2 Sam.xxl. 11; Luke ,11. 82, xv. 25; Matt. xi. 17. "'.Yeglnoth, lleb., llterally pulsations, from a verb wh!ch ignlfies to strikc the !rings of a musical Instrument, either with the fingers. or wlth a plectrum,-e. qulll, or bow. K ehllulh, or more corrcctly, .YecillloJ,h, or Hannecbfloth, is dcrivcd from a root 'l\blcb sigoitlcs to bore or perfQrate, doubtlcss slg uifylng wind lnstrumenL~ of some kio, all of whlcb are fonned of bollow tubcs.-.<;ee aawe'1 TransW.tion#Qfthe Paal,,.., pp. 24, 27. Ncglnoth, Jlasbemlnlth, a harp with cight trings. Illll!git.tith, the barp or Gath. l'hlgvnoth, a concert of various stringed ln,trumcnts. Shoshaunluo, a six-stri11ged instrument. Shushan-eduth, a ftixMringed lnte. Sorne Jlf'&lm arc dlrectcd to be sung by lrg!ns, wlth the rci<pon"6 of a youth; oth ers by 11lwrnnte choruoe.; others by voices and Instruments of the treille pitch; and othcrs were to be accompanicd wlth tlm brel, harp, p'l<lltery, cyml11s, and tmmpcts.
15; 11 Ali bave thcir pcculiarand spiritual signifi PB. lxvlii. lv!i. 8, xllx. 4, lxxl.
ce.nce.-..~e
2.;,
2"2, cl. 3, l~xxl. 2, ~; Ez. xxxlil S; Rev. I. 10, xiv. 2, xvul. 18; Num. x. 2.
Musical tones and Instruments are oltcn rcferred to by Swedenborg, asprcnting dif ferent corresponences, accordlng to thcir distinct correspondenccs.-See A. C. 8:l:li. Berlioz, in bis work On tM Orchellra, Mys that "the quality of the tone of the trumpet ls noble an brilllant; it uits warlfke ideas, a.. aJso songs of triumph. It !ends ltself to the exprcl*>lon of a.li energetlc, lofty, and graml enttments." '' The fable of Orpheus, who is sald to have charmcd ail crcatlon, monsters, rocks and trecs, heavcn and hcll, was most prob ably at fir!!t a simple allcgory, dcootlng and dcscribing the orderly e!fts of lnstruction in wisdom and philo<\lophy, ln morality and civil di!'lpllne, and among ail dcgrecs of man, barbaronsand civilied. That whcn promptcd by lo,c, it ls all-powcrful, anil in tm<\uccs ham1ony at1d <'oncord lnto ail the nflltirs of the worltl, mental nnd matcriAI." ~<;cc Jrmprirrt's CIM. Dt<t., and Baco11'1 W~ dom q/ '"" Allclenu, Art ORPHEU!l.
CLORS, NUMBERS, MUSICAL IXSTRUJIEN1'S, RTC.
185
opposite sense, to denote the sinful delight which the unregeneratc take in what is evil and flse. Such insane pleasurcs, originating in self-homage, together with its enchanting persuasions, are signifietl by the worship of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, which was accom panied with all kinds of music (Dan. iii.). And it is to such evil and impure pleasures, cspecially whcn they arise from the profanation of what is good and truc, that the Lord alludes, where He says, "Takc thou a way from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hcar the melody of thy viols. W oe to them that are at ense in Zion, and tru~t in the mountn.in of Samaria. That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themsclves instruments of mu.sic, likc David" (Amos v. 23; vi. 1, 5). And, again, spcaking of the self-intelligent, who despisc the instructions of the Divine Word, it is said, "The harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their [polluted] feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands" (Isa. v. 12). The harp is a well known stringed instrument, often mentioned in n.a 'Vord, and signifies, in the internai sense, the voice of praise from spiritual truth, and thence confession, from sincere joy of heart, that all delivcrance from sin is etfected by the power of divine truth proceeding from divine mercy. Hence, in praising and bles.5ing God for victorious delivcrance from aJI spiritual enemies Rnd troubles, and the consequent elevation of the mind, together with the gladness and comfort of soul thcnce derived, the inspired penman writes: "1 will also praise thec with the psaltery, even thy TRUTH, 0 my God; unto thee will I sing with the harp, 0 thou Holy One of Israel " (Ps. lxxi. 22). This is the rcasou why angels are represented as haviug " the harps of God" (Rev. v. 8); for th us ail confoss Him with one accord, and from inmost delight. To rcprcscnt the soul-enchanting hnrmony of such acknowledgment and its attendant joys among the inhabitauts of hcavcn, the apostle says, "1 heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of mauy waters, and as the voice of a great thunder : and 1 heard the voicc of harpers harping with their harps" (Rev. xiv. 2). With this signification of the harp before us, how beautiful and in11tr11cthe is the nccount we have of Saul and David, where we rond, thnt in consequen of obstinate disobedieuce "the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul,'' nnd nn evil spirit was permitted to trouble him; but he commamlcd his servants to pr 0vide him a man who could play skilfully upon the harp. Aud David wns brought bcfore him, "And it came to pnss," it is said, that " when the evil spirit from
16 *
186
THE SC'/R,\ OE OF OORRESI'ONDb'NOES.
Go<l wns upon Saul, thnt David took a harp, nnd played \1ith lm hnnd; so So.ul was refrcshed nnd wns well, and the evil spirit depnrte<l from him" (1 Sam. xvi. 14-2:J). The sphere of such confcsFion, ari.qing from the harp of truth being mclodiously attuncd to our 8tntes by the L ord's prcscncc and providence, is truly angelic, nn<l full of power. Evil spirits, who can live and rejoice only in scencs of jarring discord, arc oxpelled from communion with the soul, turbulent pn..""ions arc calmcd, rcnson resumes the sceptre, pollntcd affections an<l thoughts are drivcn awny, despair nn<l g rief (\J'(' d.;;sipnted,-so that the blessc<l angcls cnn drnw near to minister to man's consolation nnd joy, and rcstoro him, if he will, to innocence, intelligence, and fclicity. On this subjcct Swedcnborg's remarks are numcrous, interc.qting, and most edifying. Thus, in one place, be says, "Formcrly, in divine worsh.ip, scveral kincls of musical instruments were applicd, but "ith much di:;tinction ; in gcneral, by the win<l instruments were expres.$ed the affections of good, and by the stringed in~truments the nfll.>ctions of truth, and this from the corrcspon<lcnce of cvcrything sonorous with the affections. It ill a known tl1ing that by somc kinds of musical instruments are cxpressed nnturnl affections of one qunlity, by somc natural affections of anothcr quality, and, when suitable hnrmony conspin.'S, that thcy nctually call forth thOf'e affections. They \1 ho arc skillcd in music nre aware of thi, ancl also act accordingly in applying the seveml instruments to the purposc intended. This circurustnncc has its ground in the "ery nature of t1ounds, ami of their ngreement with the affections. Man learnt thil', at first, not from 8C'cnce and art, but from the hcaring and its exqui:;itc scn,;c. Ilcncc iL is plain thnt it does not originnte in the natnrnl worM, but in tho spiritunl, and in this <'MC is <lerivecl from the corresponclence of thiugs wl1ich flow from <>r<ler in the naturnl worlcl with things in the i-piritual worl<l. llurmonious sound ami its varictie> in the uatur: worl<l corrc:ipon<l to statcs of joy and gladncss in the S}lirituul, and fitntcs of joy and gla<lncss in the i;piritual world exi~t from affections, "hich, in that world, arc the affections of good tmd truth ; hence, mm it may be manifi;t that mul'ical instruments correspond to the <lcligh> and pleasantnc"-"Cil of spiritual anc.1 cclcstinl affcctiom, nnc.1 that somc instruments correspond to the latter nffootions, some to the former."-A. C. 8337. "As th in~ cclestial tlre the holy thin;..rll of love, an<l the ~ood things thencc dcrivcd, so thingll 1-piri 11111 ure the truth~ anl gond things of
COf,OflS, NTWJJE/l.'i, ,lfUSIOAf, INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
18'7
fith ; for it is the part of fith to understand not only what is trut>, but al8o what is good, the knowledges of fuith implying both; but to be sueh as faith teacheth, is the part of the oelestial [principle]. Inasruueh as faith iruplieth the knowledge both of goodness and truth, they are signified by two inslrumeni, the harp and the organ. The lrn.rp is a stringe<l instrument, as every one knows, and therefore sig11ifies spiritual truth; but tho organ is bctweeu a stringed instrument nn<l a. wind instrument, and thcrcfore signifies spiritual good. "In the 'Vord mention is made of various instruments, and euch hns its partieular signification, as will be shown, by the divine mercy of the Lord, in its proper place. At present we shi!-11 only adducc some passages from David in relation thereto, as, for instuncc, ' I will ofl'cr in the lent of Jehovah sacrifices of slwuting, I will sing and play to Jehovah' (Psahu xxvii. 6). Where hy tent is cxpressed what is celestial, and by sbouting, singing, and playing, wbat is spiritual. Agnin, 'Sing to Jebovah, ye just, for his pratic is eomely for the upright; confcss to J chovah on the lvirp, play unto Hiru on the psaltcry, an instrument of ten strings; sing unto Him a new song, play skilflly with a [O'IJ noi.w, becnuso the Word of Jehovah is right, an<l all his work is in truth' (Ps. xxxiii. 1-4), signifying the truths of faith, whereof such things arc predicatc<l. Things spiritual, or truths and the good things of faith, wero celcbratcd by the harp and psaltery, by singing and the likc; whcrcns things holy, or the celestial things of foi th, were celebrated by wind instruments, as trumpets and the like; hence so many instruments were uscd about the Temple, and it wns ordained so frcquently that this or that should be cele" bratc with particular instn1mcnts, and this was the reason why instruments wcrc applicd and undcrstood to signify the things themselvcs which were cclebratcd by them. ns in the cases now before us. Aga.in, 'I will confess unto thee with the instrument of psallery, thy truth, 0 rny God; unto thee will I play with the harp, 0 thou Roly One of Israel; my lips shall l!ng when I play unto thee, n,nd my soul which thou hast redcemed' (Ps. lxxi. 22, 23). 'Yhcre, in like mnnncr, the truths of foith are significd. Again, 'Answer to Jehovah in confession, play on the harp to our God' (Ps. cxlvii. 7). In which pnssnge confession bas respect to the celestial things of faith, and thcrcfore mention is made of Jehovnh; whereas, to play on the harp hns respect to the spiritual things of fitith, and thercfore mention is made of God. Agnin, ' Let thcm prai;;c the na me of J chovah in tht" an, let them play unto Him with the tiinbrel and hai71' (Ps
188
7'0E SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
cxlix. 3). The timbrel signifies good, nnd the harp truth, whlch they praise. Aga in, 'Praise God with the soun<l of the trumpet; prai!;e Him on the psaltery and harp; praise Him witb the timbre[ and pipe; praise Him on stringed i11str11ment8 and <>rgans; praise Him on the cymbals of hearing; praise Him on the cymbals of shouting' (Ps. cl. 3-5),-flignifying the. good things and truths of faith, which were the ground of praise. Nor let any one suppose that so many differcnt instruments would have been here mentioned, unless they had hl\d su ch spiritual signification. Aguin, 'Send out thy light and thy truth, let thcm lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of thy holiness, and tQ thy habitations, and I will go unto the altar of God, unto the God of the gladness of my rejoicing, and I will confess to thee on the harp, 0 God, my God' (Ps. :diii. 3, 4),--signifying the knowledges of goodness and truth. So in Isaiah, 'Take a lwrp, go about the city, muke sweet melody, sng many songs, that thou mayest be remembcrcd' (xxiii. 16),--f!ignifying the things respecting faith, nn<l the knowledges thereof. The sa.me is expressed still more plainly in the Revelation : 'The four animais and the four and twenty eiders fell down before the Lamb, having cvcry one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints' ( v. 8). "\Vhere it must be evident to every one that the animais and eiders had not hnrp<>, but that by harps are signified the trutlls of faith, as by golden viuls full of odors are signified the good things of faith. In David t11ey are called praises and confessions, which were made by instruments (Pe. xlii. 5; lxix. 31); and in another place, in John, '1 heard n voice from heaven, as the rnice of many waters; and I hcanl the voice of harpers harping with thcir ltarps; and thcy sung a new 81)/lg' (Rev. xiv. 2). And in anothcr place, 'I saw thcm that had gotten the victory stand ncar the sen of gl11.ss, having the lt11.rp11 of God' (ltcv. xv. 2). It is worthy to ho remarkcd, that angels ami spiritR, according to their differences with respect to goodni:i nml truth, distinguish tones, and this not only in the case of singing nnd of instruments, but also in the words of speech, and admit only such tones as are in eoneord, so that there is an ngreement of tones, con~ qucntly of iustruments, with the nature and e!tSell of goodns nml trnth."-A. C. 419, 420. The Egyptian priests appear Io have bcen their musieians. Their flute wns only a cow's horn, with throo or four perforations in it, nfterwards imitated in metal, and evcn still called horns. Their liarp or lyre had only thrce strings. Tho Grccio.n and Jewish hurp or lyre
COLORS, NU,tfDERS, il!USICAL INSTRUAIENTS, ETC.
189
had seven, eight, nnd ten strings, probably somcwbat like n modern guitnr or lute, nnd was small, being hcld in the hand. The Jcwish trumpcts wcrc rams' horns, but aftrwards wcre also made of silver and other metals, and wcre both straight and bcnt. Thcir flute wru; the same as the Egyptian. Their organ was an arrangement of pipes, similar to what are called Pand:ean, or shepherd's pipes; nnd perforated pipes, or flutes, sometimcs made of reeds, and were both single and double. The sackbut or psaltery wns, in ail probability, a triangular instrument, furnished with tcn strings, and struck by a rod, or by a plcctrum. Thcir other musical instruments were th(jjie of percussion, as the timbre} or t:tbret, a kind of tambourine; the triangle, or triangular rods, in pairs, both plain and chargcd with rings. The citherns of the ancicnts wcre made of bronze or brru;s, and werc furnishcd with bars and rings. Ilowever isimple thcse aneient instruments werc, thcy bca.r precisely the same ~ignification as the more complicnted and complete of modern times, for ail kinds are equally divisible into the three classes just mentioncd. Such music ns the Jews had at their command, singing and even clnncing, appcars to hnve bocn intcrwoven into ail thcir religions festivals and ceremonies of worship, and this could only have bccn from thcir correspondence. Both cheerful and moumful singing and dancing are often spoken of in the Word, to denote and express inward joy, and its corrcsponding dclight, in the external mind; for "joy of heart finds uttcrnnce in singing, because when the hcart is full of joy, and thcnce the thoughts also, it tltcn pours itself forth in singing" (Ap. Ex. 326). This gladness nnd joy are not derivcd to man from the uatural world, or from mere scientifie skill, but from the spiritual world, by perception or intuition ; the extcrnal sounds and their harmonious or mclodious combinations being the corresponding base on which they rcst, and by means of which the affections are brought forth. Choirs for comlucting the praiscs of eongregations in public worship, thcrefore, ought to be pious and intelligent persons, who, themsclvcs, inwardly focl and respond to the appropriate tunes and mclodies which they introduce; and then the congregations will be greatly nided in thcir united responses of satisfoetion and delight. Like the true poet, the rnaster of music also owes bis pcculiar skill to an inferior kind of in~piration or spiritual intuition. The prophets frequently accompanied their plenarily-inspircd songs and predictions with the melody of musical instruments.
CHAPTER XIII
\Il
Colmll!PONDENCE OF
fu'IUC.U.S, PARTS OP .\KIM.\L.'1, AND CoMPOt"Nll AND ;\loNb'TllOCS NlMAUl1 WITU lJ..LUSTRA'flONS.
LL kin<ls of animah; ha,e their peculiar corrcspondcnces, iu agreement \\ i~h thcir fol'lns, charactcrislics, and uses; for they ail dcrivc thcir existence from spiritual caut1e.s, and, by virtue of their instinct, arc in momontary counection with the spiritual world. In the W or<l of God the bcnsts of the earth-the tame and useful as wcll as the wild and ferocious, the clenn and the unclean-corrcspond, in geneml, to various good or evil aO'cction~, acconling to their orders and qualities, and the subject of \\ bich thcy arc predicated. The birds, or wingcd tribcs of animais, di:1tinguished by thcir nstonishing 11i<:kncss of sight,-both clcan au unclcan,-ngrecably to thcir rpcctivo gencra. and char acters, and the suhject treatc<l of, correspond to the vnrious kin<ls and dcgrees of thought, reason, intcllii;euce, and the power of understanding, and are prcdicatcd both of what is holy nnd what is profane. For thc~c faculties and thei r attainrnents im1uirt to ruan intellectual acutene~s and pcnctratiou, cnaling him to fly, as it wcrc, with wings, and disport hirni;clf in the atrnosphcre of knowlcdge. The fishcs and the r eptiles, nccording to thcir respective forms and habitudes, corrcsp<mcl to those low cxternal principlcs of num's enrthly n ature, whicb, bcfor e the miu is regcnerntcd, flit an gro\cl among :<en.suai ohjects and scllish pursuits. In the very charactcrit;tics of mnny animal::<, to sny nothing of thcir forms nn<l uses, \\hich are hoth goo<.l and cvil, tbcro is a striking corrc.~pomlence wbich is almost uniwr:;ally n<lmittcd. Thus, how frc11ucntly are corresponding qu1Lliti of the mind U&>ociatetl with variou~ animais, or pnr ts of nnimals. In the ferocity of the tiger, the cuuning of the fox, the strength of the lion, the subtlcty of the serpent, the filthiness of the swine, the innocence of the lamb, the cruelty of the wolf, the voracity of the yulturc, t he nocturnnl propcnsities and powcrs of the owl and the bat, the soaring pow1r of the englc, the rapid flight of the swallo\\ 1 the affection of th e tu r tlo for
CORRESI'ONDE,\.a.E OF THE NIMAL JrORLD.
191
its mntc, the virulent pollion of the asp, the dcnrlly sting of the scor pion, the destructive propcnsitics of the catcrpillnr, the trcnchcry of the !!pider, the instructive prudence and imlu~try of the bec, etc., wl' may nt on rcgnize the gencrnl corr~pondence of thosc nnimals.111 Who, ifhe rcflccts on the subjcct, may not pcrceive that the croaking of the frog reprcsents mcrc nthcistical rcnsonini,-rs ngainst the truth ancl authority of God's Word? This was the rea...0-0n why nmong the plagucs of Egypt one was of frogs, which came up and covered the land (Ex. viii.); and why " the spirits of dcvils, working miracles, and going forth into the wholo world," arc doscribcd as " thrco unclean
lll'l'ho nnmes oc mnoot oc the aulm&l> ln lie hrew,and rrobolblyall, "~"' theroot> known, are cxpre,.,h-e or.orne or lheir Jeo.dlnr. quai ltlet1 or ch8ractcrl>tlC", and the 60UUI 1! derlnI trom thelr cries. "l'lcnn aud unckan lx'asts arc lntrodoced by the sacr:Jd wrlte111 IO ~lgnify the pure nucl
irupure a~orui of the people: &gn.'CAbly wlth tbc natural r1ro~11llics oC the aulu1al menlloned. ~ Ez. vlll.10; t.~v. :nlll :?."./Jdlnm11, Lev. xix. 31, note. 'l11e word traru.lted <Od:atrice ha heeu nrlou~ly rcndercd ba.,llfk, asp, vlpcr, hy dra, CtC. One O( tJ10 moo \'enomOU8 )d11tlK ot o'lp<1rous SCfl1Cllfs appoors to be nw1111t.. 1t \\IL lhOU<tbl by Dr. Dlaney ilAVC r(' e.lt'd Il< Hcbrew appellation by an noma1opi.ela, from ils lalinq. "lt I> ll>cll known lhat the names affi2e<l to the d llTcrnlnuhn&.ls ht l'<'rif>ture nlway1 ex 1rctlll fin the original languagc]somc prumi umt foaturo and ~utlol chnrartl'ri.tk oC the creaturc to whlcb tliey are apflUe<l (J>r. A. C1urkt). li i. au intcrc<tlng Cd.et, al,..,, lha1 urly ail the auimnl amoog the lllnlo hur namcs g!wn to tbcm whlch clthct&llu<lc to lheir shapc or tl1eir bablls.''- Bo!><rl' Orinital l llul!lr., 2d <'d., p. 6. "C-0rlain Il is that man combines lu hlmdf the J)tlSSlon or ail Rnlmals, an<l tJlat whkh pn.>tlominall.>A, whctbcr trom 11ature or hahit.. \>(!rom('JI dlirplayed lu bis pb)-..ltl!t uoru) b)' sometbhR llkc the C~re. or lhc anhnal \\hlch i ltt <'hnmccemUc. J11 a ml xemu<'h ~ eacb specl< ma> be 'llld 10 flOfl only nne klnd oC 1<111.''-,<lt_ Pian! JJarrrll)Jlia Q/ ;Yal1trt, \'OI.
of IM /Jibl,, Art.. Fox.
Oritlttal /Uus., fi. l'l'l, and Ilurrlia 11-ai. /lut.
'"l>""'
U,1. t. Amoug the Hindo, an artl\JJ, lnarhrrou' 111J111 ls called a jackal, an animal in hahll' ml pro1ieuslties akln IO the fox, and ls 1111r~l IO be o fleu meant ln the Wonl b~ the orls lnal ~ tra~lat..'d /= ~ee Rol>cr/#1
"The Bibl<', throll!'bout,cnntaln ~urathe reprc<mtallnns of the pBl!!lnns and alection1 in mau, by the applkalfon or the propcnsltl~~ and nOtlon oC anlmai. Jt ls a wny of earryiug l11formnt1011 mt pow<rl\Jlly lllu~tm 1 Uve.' -J1'it<nn11, ficn. Hi., note fi. , "The pJr'U<'"' of valu knowledgc are llkc owt..,-!!bat'JHighwd ln \anlty, a11d bllud al the &pfll"l"Ch of true U~hl.''-Jlla... "A!!\'118 or Athens. n~ronllug Ill .\ndrollon, wa.s or the ~crpcnt brt'tXI, 1. e., circumBpecl, or prudwl, nnd the first king of the country \ llerod., 1. vlll .. c. 41), and rnodorw. .ay that thlll a c1rcum.tanN <l<'Cmcd b)' the A1he11lan l11expUcable: tbatac>me btld rneutioucd ('On!'emlng Cecrol'I. lhat be undcrwent & mctamorpbO'ds, lha.t M '""' rhal'l(}'!'I /rom n ONpC1llfnto amaR. Tbat 1, rrom bt'lui; a scnsual!Nt, llke a bc1Lt, he bocame Yirtuous. Surit Wlll< the appllration or the propeuHlca oC animais 10 lllDlfy the llkc propcnsltl('l! ln man~"-lb., J..e\ ". xix. 31, note. 8ce abo AP.. PESDIX, Jfrl.. "'P~.hosia. ":t&!cn, lrtl to the corruptions oc lhelr own hcart.-. arc ( the l'MlmlI l>ftyS). C\'CD .... hea."1B br Core God.' Th~rt1 "ns a moral. ns well ag n spiritual, doctrine implic<l ln the rrohlbillon oc certain nnlmals mnkr th~ law. llod'b people "c~ nul to """'mblo in tbdr manncr Ille pn.'<lnmlnanl evll teru """'or mny bea..."lS, wbo, fr thOS<l e\il tcm pers, wcre rnnrked out M' lie and unckan. The flcr('tn<"'" of some, the glut.tnny or oil aud the filtlly, bruJe,orlll\'&j;edi>J>OIJtlou oC the n.,,l, wcre to be held ln gl'Clltcr abhorreure tbau Uwir mere fleW, whleh, cntenng the moutb ,. urb, could ot\-er ilefile lb" man;' aud men, ll\ing onf!f"r dominion or tbn'1C depravltles, are, t.bcreCore, more lm pure lu the slght oc <Joel tllan tllo.e bellMU wbich arc Jlllt'!C""-'<1 of thcm poo<lbly eau be, in the l!CIJMC of t)Je law.''-.scrk'a /Jor. &JI., PP- 246, 217, n<l note.
w""
e,.,.,
192
TIIE SCIENCE OF CORRBSPONJJRXCES.
t<pirit:; likc frogs, [procee<lin;;] out of the mouth of the <lragou, un.J out of tho mouth of the bcast, nn<l out of the mouth of the fal!'<l prophct" <Jtev. xvi. 13, 14). Or, ngnin, who cannot 1 ccogni1.c n horsc, ns de:-criptfre of ability nml [>O\\Cd Or, ngain, \1ho clocs not sec thnt the egi,'S of that malignaut reptile called o. cockatri, bnsilisk, or nsp, nrc corresponding forms of the gerrns of evil originnting in fabity, thu11 of sensunl affections in the hcart, which, if cntcn, or inwanlly approprinted, cause dcath; or if crushc<l, or made cxtcrnally mnnifest, bring forth the poisonous viper? Or, thnt the ~pidcr \1hich iug spins its go:-;~amer web with which it fabricntcs its filmy co\c1 and snnrc from its own bowels, nnd stcalthily wntchcs to seize the unwary victim entanglcd in its me:>hcs, is n truc corresponclcnt of thosc cunning arguments nnd contrivanccs, grounde<l in trcnchcrous fabehnod, which dcrive thcir flimi1y substance, llJ}(l weave n mysteriou!! nnd deceitful texture, from mnn's own self-intelligence, p1ompted hy the nrtful persuasions of hell, nnd with which wenk mimis are ~ucce""'fully deludcd and snared? Jlence we rend in the prophct this description of so dcprnved astate of the church nn<l the mind: "None callcth for ju!!tice, nor r111y plea<lcth for truth: thcy trust in vnnity, ami spenk lies; thcy conceive mischicf, and bring forth iniquity. They hatch cockntrice' cggs, and wcavo the i;ipi<lcr's web; lio that eateth of them dietb, nnd that which is crusbccl brcaketh out iutn n vipcr." Ami to dcnote the frailty, lcccitfulncs.<1, nnd unworthiness of such fnli;e nssumptions, it is nddod : " T heir wcbs shnll not brcomo gnrments, neither shnll they covcr thcmsckcs 'lith thcir works: their works are works of iniquity, and the net of violenro is in their hnu<ls" (Isa. lix. 4-7). And Job, spcaking of the WC!lknc"3 and in-<tability of sclf-rightcousness, S.'\ys, "Tho hypocrite's hnpc shnll pcrish: whe \ope shall be eut off and whO!'Q trui;t shnll ho n spider's web. Ile l"hall lean upon his house, but itshall not endure" (dii. 14, 1:5\. A in)!le touch of truth db.'i<1lves the elnborate but flim!!y fhric which rnnn contrivcs for the odious purposc of concealing his own <kfrmi1ic;; nn<l corruptions, nn<l ensnnring the innocent, 1tn whero he rt>pos<J iu fatal sccurity; but ho will 1>erish iu the r u in~ of the cccitful habitation he hn.-i constructc<l. So, ngnin, in a good sensc, n lion 11 atone timo i<ignifies the onmipo- tencc of truth in defcnding the l.iord's church, whcro the motive is good, as whcre itis writtcn, "Who shall rou~ him up ?" (Gen. xlix. 9);
11 10the1'-l!)'f>tlan bferoc:lyphla<, and the 11~e,i<lcnUythe ymh<llnfJlOw~r:"omellme9 aculptures or Xhtc,ch an<l Pe~polls, a lion lions arc repr-ntc<l as" lnge<l att-1 horned.
CORRBSPOKDRJ\'Ct-: OF '!'IIE ~lN/JllAJ, l'IORJ,D.
193
and on this account the Lord Himself w11s plcnscd to 11.SSume the nnme of "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Hev. v. 5). Ilut at another time, a lion ll spokcn of in an opposite or bad scnse, to signify the power of infernal flsit.y, actuated by a bad motive, whicb desolntes and tears and destroys goodness and truth in man, as in the Paal ms: "Save me from the lion's mou th" (xxii. 21 ). Among other spiritual blessings, therefore, promised to the membcrs of the Lord's true church, it is said, "No lion shall be there, nor any r:weuous bcnst go up thcreon; it shall not be found there" (I~11. xx:w. 9). As a further illustration of this part of our subjcct, we will consider the signification of the horse. This noble and powerful animal, so graccful in symmctry, so swift in motion, and so emincntly scrviceable to man, is very frequently spoken of in the Word. When the subject treats of man in the process of rcgencration, or is prcdicatcd of hea,cn and the JArd, the horsc corresponds to the affection or <lcsire of understanding truth for the sake of eternul use, or the fnct1lty of making progress in spiritual knowledge rationally understood; and, in an oppo.;ite scnse, whcn the subjcct treats of the unrcgcncrate, or ll predicated of hcll, the horse corresponds to the desire of acquiring knowledge for the sake of self,-the love of self-dcrivc<l intelligence, under whose pcnertc<l and pcncrting influence vain and conflicting rcasonings agninst truth, and in confirmation of falsity, nppear to be the rcsult of intcllectual inquiry. Every just description that could be given in regnrd to the form, the physiology, the instinct. and the varions qualities and habitudes of the horse, serves to dcmonstrate the corrcctness of this signification. The strength of the horse denotes intellcctual power; his fleetncss, quickne..."8 of intclleetual discernmcnt; his form, intellectual bcauty; his sagacity, intellectual perception; his snorting, intcllcctunl reasonings; his aptitude for the battle, anrl his fiereeness in the encounter, intellectual skill and contention; his hoofs are mentioned to denote the lowest scientifie principles or ultimato of the intellect; the color will dcnote the varions qunlities of the understanding; and when yoked to the chariot or wagon, they will reprcsent the power of the understanding associatcd with varieties of doctrines. In the book of Job (xxxix. 2,)), thereforc, speech and understancling are attributcd to the horse, and, in the Janguage of correspondencc, a pcrson distinguished for his intellcctual endowments, whcther hc employs them in fvor of truth nnd doctrine dcrivcd from the 'Vor<l of God, or in confirmation of fnlse principles derived from the infernal world and from his owu self-intelligence,
17 N
194
1'0 E SC/ E,YCE OF CORI/ f.'SPOXI>E.\'CES.
an<l,-abstractcdly from persons,- the faculty itself, is dcnomiuated " a horseman." If this spiritual signification be applicd to the horse whcrevcr it is described or spokcn of iu the sncrcd books of the W ord, from Gcnesis to t he book of Revclntion, we i<luill always have a consistent, intelligible, nnd truly edifying s<.'n..-.e. F or instan, in consequcnce of man's pronencss, by renson of hi.s fallcn natu re, to dcpen<l upon his own prudence and cunning, in prcforence to the D ivine Providence, he is disposcd to multiply und trust the vnin rensoninW! a nd prctexts of a pcrverted intellect, mther t111lU place confidence in the Divine wisdom and direction from aboYe, that in the spiritual scn~c of the W ord be is forbidclen by the L ord "to multiply horscs" (D eut. x vii. Hl). The divine declaration, "A horsc is a vain thing 117 for snfety: neither shnll
UT lleb. "a Ile.'" The Ilcbrew word for horsc senoe,o.confu...00 fAuta,<y.'"~<ltt -"V"'b.Qimm elgnllle i\l!l<> Io erp/111n. A<'cordinl( to omc of Jirtxlantt. No. 13. A.n. 1">91. wrlters, the horsc, amouq the unlmnl hl<ro"RlsholJ!I on the d11y of thclr <'<>n"'-~mtlon glyphlN of Pythagom, aplJe&red to 1ncao, ln have been wont to ride ou hor.t~ covered one sen.'<', ltlo'QrJ1fam1. wlth white robes, to rel)n!"<:nL lhat which " T he elgui6<'1tt!on or a horse, as dcnotln1t \IC read in the Apocnlyp;e, The armies the lntcllcclual princlpli', \HIS dcrhcd from 11 hkh Rre ln hetwcn follow lllm r!<ling on L heancicnL church to the wise round about, white honres' (xlx. H) The armk" whicb e\'en into Grcccc ; hcnl'c lt was, lhnt ln de nro ln hcaveu ;uc good and JtL't men and 8<'ribln1t the un b)' whi~h I "licnlfl<'<l loe, prelatc8, who, as lhco.c hea1coly ridcrs do they pln<'<~I thercln lhc ~I of t11elr wld~1n dn!ly lhllow God ln nll gOO<l work<; who. for and lntclll!(tnce, an<I aUrlbu.'<I to hlm a thls l'C&'"' arc <al<I to hein b<'ftvcn, 11(.'<'&tu.e charlot nnd Cour flcry horscs; an1l ln de- thcy 1.,,..c and M'ck aftcr hcawuly lhinr;s scrlblug the god of the en, lnnsnrnl'l1 its hy all<l\'e; when the ap<..,tlc Mlth, Our con!!Cft was 81gnllled >el<'U'l'!I in gcncml, thcy ven<11tlou ls lu hcavcu (l'h!I. Ill. ~'Ol. T hC!<C al.o alloU<'fl horscs to hhn; henec, too, 11 heu armk.,., tbat ls, l!'ood aud JtL't prelates. fol lbey deo<"rlbcd the blrth l>f the sele1u-e" from low J1..us whcn .. ~1.,r thcy 1anqulh 1frt'S the lntell<'ftual prin<"l11lc, they fei~t 01>en n bont br ndmonltl1)11.'"-I>vrnn'111f on "irmJxil rountaln, whcrc wcrc 1ll')tlus who Wl'I'\' the Wri, Ir. by iYoolt nnrl lltb, p. 177. t-eienccs: nor was anylhlug cl~ sl~nlft"l IJ) "On the (Jth Dl'rcmix,r, behoi:t l'riduy. the Lhe Trojan hnl'S(', hnt an artful conlrlvauf'<. ;oon of the flultan of MOl'O<'<'o r<le a white of th<' undel'>trutdlnic t1 de.troy wAJI; at hon.e. Wbcn ~ t'nmf.' lu ll(hl, lhere wa.' a thls day, lndced, whcn the lnlelltttual priu- gen.. ral exclamation fmm thOIO<' on lhe rool!I, clplc lij dcecrlbed, &l(l'Cl'nhly to the rw.torn 'A \\hll< ho1'8C !' Th~y ail tumetl round and r~-cehcd from the a1wil'11ts, lt ls usnnlly de sm!lcd , and l.oceknnccl to each otllcr. nnd gt>n ~rlbed b)' a flyini: ho..,..., or Pegn<u, and eral joy l!l'cm<' an) one thal hor<e, in Il my-tkal , denoteo the hnmor of the Prin<'<': white 1<enso, sll(nlll<.'2! the undel!ltandinl(, and that befng, of rou,..e, lh~t of Joy and gladness, a fountaln slgn!Hcs truth: t:<till I~ ts it and the othcr ha<ks acconllnitly. Muley known that lhesc slimificat!on wcre 1<' r.mncl d lstlngulNhtrl th us: WhNi hc rode a rlved I'om the anclcnl Church to the Gcn- rcd hOr!!El be had a hrnrctor 51\bre, whcn he Ules."-..t. (! 2762. ~e also Tt'."J. rode a black one, a mu,kct and i:unpowdcr. The bon.e, amonl( lhf' Hlndoos. wa an. ln th< AmbiaA Xlghlthcrc i8 'rotthh11(like cleolly off~rt'd in sacrln<'t'. Max Millier Mlys thls, ln commenll1111 on whlrb, .)Ir. Lane lhaL "thcrc ls an entlrc hymn add~ to menth>1L, and J can al-.o Mnflrm, that the the sun Mn horse.'' Turkllfnify a.1gcr ngulru,tany cla..., of th elr "Ac~or<lln~ t.o Plat.o, 'lhe ho...._, >litntned. trliJulArl<-,; b)' !s.~nlni; th~ l-lllr111.<'h 11per>1 of ina goocl -e1L'I(', rea"'u Antl opi11io11,('(1Un<l11g a rcPOXDBXCE OF rnB ANI.li.AL rroRLD.
195
he dcliver any hy his great strcngth" (Psnlm xxxiii. 17), t! a most striking form of instruction, in order to imprcss upon us the ut ter vanity of mere human reasonings ancl their inability to effcct our dcliverance from sin and to obtn.in the gifts of ctemal salvation ; the worthlcssness of sclf-dcpcndence, the dcccitfulncss of self-intelligence; that mcre intcllectual excellence and confidence are hollo" and dangcrous, mcre intcllectual attainment nn power, weaknei;s itsclf; thnt foith alonc, or truth nlonc, is spurious and impotent, neither ('onjoining man with Goc.l or hi.~ ncighbor, nor insuring for him nny hcavcnly inhcritancc. Agnin, to rcpresent the contrariety which mu~t always exist hetween trust in God and mcre intellectual confidence,-to teach us that, ns the Lord's dclight is inscparablc from his infinite goodncss, so He cnn take no pleasure in man's urnlerstandinA", however clear, vigorous, and wcll stored with knowlcdge, unless it hc conjoined "ith purity of heurt ami life,-it is said, "The Lord dclighteth not in the strength of the horsc" (Psalm cxlvii. 10). To express a si.nccro and humble conviction of the irumfficicncy, the impotence, and the folly of men placing thcir depenclence for snlmtion on the selfish rensonings of fith alone, they are cxhortcd to turu to the Lord, to confs their iniquities, and say unto Him, "A~shur shnll not snve us; we will not ride upon hors: neither '\ill we sny nny more to the work of our bands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlcss findeth mercy " (Hos. xiv. 3). And in nnothcr rcmarkable passage, '"13ome trust in chariots, nnd some in horses: hut we will remcmber the nnme of the Lord our God. They are brought down nnd fullen: but we are ri"Cn and stand upright" (Psalm xx. 7, 8). In refcrence to a fallen and degraed state of the church, where her members would bccome hlind as to a right isccmment nnd use of truth, and to signify the oppition with which sclf-reliance on intellectunl power must always be met, bcfore it is finnlly remove; to rebuke that selfconceit which ever accompanies merc intellectuul skill, and to repreSl'Ut the tlireful condition into which those who cherish such principlcs will plunge themselves, togcther with the miserable punishrumt which
author, may, 1 conlve, be more elfecthe 1ofbaik Crom olfthcir heada,eo thatthe aspt thnn any words rould be.' In thla way the o!t.he crowd was euddcnlyrhanged,aod the blark fta1: ot the pirate bas be(>n l!elected. unlve~I white was consld..rably mlngled and the red tlag o! the rover. :>ext to the wltb ~and Mur. I wu murh i;raillled al 1\1111, Ule war ho,.... la the sblel<l f?r tbis bh.. <1Celng,e.-cn from alllstau, tbr rhlef ofthl1 inn.. The f<ultan wore a jlTl'en bel'll-0..,.,, elnl(Ular em1lrt. the roanncr of bls ma.rt'h, "lth the ho01l up. A man on cach ldu unll the greetlni; bis peoplc."-Urquhart: fnnrll hlm. Thl hon<lcll people had thrown Pilillrt Q/ HtrCMlu. l><lck the capu of thelr ""1amo, and the Cold8
or
1()6
TJ/E SCIENCE OF CORRF:Sl'O.YIJ/:\11-:s.
th<?y bring upon thcir s<ml~, but "hich nppearl' to their pcrvcrtcll imagination~ as the wrathful inflictions of a di\'ine \'Cn~rnnce, it is prophcticully said, "The 8tout-henrtcd are spoilrd, they have slept thrir slcep: and none of the men of might have fou ml their bands. At thy rebuke, 0 God of Jacob, both the chariot and hor,;c are eMt into a. dcad slcep " (Psalm lxxvi. 5, 6). "In that day, saith the L ord, I 1\ ill smite evcry horee "itb astoni1<hmeut, and his rider with mniln~R: and 1 will open mine eyes upou the bouse of Judah, and "ill smite e\'cry horac of the people with blindncss" (Zech. xii. 4). "Woc to thcm that go down to E gypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots bccause they arc many ; and in horscmcn beeausc thcy are very strong; but they look not unto the H oly One of Isra.el, neither seck the Lord! " (IM- xu:i. 1.) ln Isa. v. 28, the divine judgments t.hrcatcnccl against rebellions farncl, and to be accomplishcd by the agency of the heathcn nation..~, are thus rlescribed : " Whosc arrows are sha.rp, nncl ail their bows bcnl, thcir horscs' hoofa shnll be eounted like flint, and their wheelw like a whirlwind." Whcre by arrows, or darts and bows, nrc signified flsc doctrines, from whieh combat is wngc<l; by horscs nrc significd things intclleetual, in this case pervertcd; and by their hoofs arc denoted falsity in the ultimates of an e\il life. And nlso Ezck. xu;. 10, 11, whcre the inspircd prophet is spcaking of the <levnstntion ofTyrc, or the dei;truetion of thc who depcnd for snlvntion on truth or fith alune, signifie<l by Tyre in a pcrvcrtcd sensc, and says, "By reason of the abundnnce of the horRcs of the king of Rnbylon, thcir dust shall <'O\"er thcc: thy wnlls shall shakc nt the noise of the horscmen, and of the \\ hccls, and of the chariots, whcn hc shall rnter into thy gates, as men enter into 11 city wherein is made 11 brcncl1. 'Vith the hoofi; of his hor.- shnll he trend down all thy strects: be shnll slay thy people by the swor<l, and thy strong garri"!Ons shnll go down to the ji;round." Unies>; ~piritual subjects are ineluded in these words, what can thcy mcan? " 'ithout an interior sen~. would they be anything but expressions of i,;ound, when yct every exprcAAion in the "'ord has weight becau~e from God.-8cc A. C. 7729; all'O Micah h. 13. ln Re\. ix. 17, we have a symboliral description of formidable Euphratenn horscs, scen in vision by the npostlc, in the spiritual world. Ancl from the signification givrn to hoN'<'s, we may plninly !'CC that they arc spoken of in n pervcrtcd ~nt"oe; that they dcnote ~ome di~tinctive religions doctrines, and the pcrnicious influence of thoso fabc reasonings which spring from evil in the hcart, by which they
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ANIMAL WORLD.

are maintained.
197
In this wonderful vision these defiled and mischiev
Those who cherish them suppose ous reasonings are here disclosed. themselves intelligent above others. It is, therefore, the doctrine of
faith alone,
and momentaneous salvation thence derived, which
is
The understandings and here abstractedly but accurately described. interior reasonings of such as admit this false and fatal notion are
called horses, but monstrous in their forms
and destructive
in their
nature.
They are represented as having heads like lions, to denote their ruling fantasies and love of dominion, substituted for genuine
wisdom and humility. Out of their mouths are said to issue fire and smoke and brimstone, to signify that their imvard sensual thoughts, from whence their words proceed, are nothing but the concealed love of self and the world, signified by fire the inflated pride of self-con and the lusts and concupiscences of the ceit, signified by smoke carnal mind, signified by brimstone. They are said to have merely
tails like serpents,
having as their extremities serpents heads, to de
scribe
and represent the crafty fallacies of their reasonings, and to denote their cunning power to persuade and captivate others and the artifice by which they make the literal sense of the Word appear to
& t
confirm their opinions. And it is added, as the resulting effect, that by such perverted reasonings they do hurt;" that is, they injure goodness and truth in the minds of the well-disposed, and dissipate
the importance of obedience, and the necessity of good works, as
essential to
human
salvation.
is
this brief and imperfect exposition of what regarded as a most difficult passage, we have only to turn to Ezek. xxxviii. 22 Psalm xi. 6 Isa. xxxiv. 8-10 Rev. xiv. 9, 10 Deut.
;
For a confirmation of
xxix. 21-23, and many other places where these representative images are used, and bear a precisely similar signification.
But in a good sense, from the sagacity, beauty, strength, fleetness, and utility of the horse, we may trace out its direct correspondence, and plainly perceive that it signifies the faculties of the intellect in subordination to goodness of heart and life, the affection of spiritual intelligence, a living desire to receive, to comprehend, and to use the wisdom of God. In this sense the horse is frequently mentioned in
association with other animals,
and
is is
and
epithets.
Thus, when
& t
He who
it is
described by appropriate phrases the sole fountain of wisdom and

this kind, to
intelligence revealed Himself,
by a representative of
said,
&quot on
& t
the apostle John, name was called
He
the
sat &quot
&
Word
of
God
and his and because the angels of

a white
horse;"
17*
198
TllR S(JfENCR OF CORRESJ'ON!JRNCI'..S.
henven rei,c nll their intelligence :mil illurujnation frou1 the Lonl b~ rueans of his 'Yord, the1efore it is s;ni1 l that "The armics which werc in }1eavcn followed Him upon white borses, clothe<l in fine linen. white and clcau " ( Rev. xix. 11, 13, U). Again, in the holy feast which the Lor<l pro\idc.'l nt his sacred table, the guts arc to be "fillc1l with horses and chariots, with mighty men, 1tnd with all men of war" (Ezek. xxxix. 20), by which is signified, tlmt whcn mn11 is 1wc1k1re<l to approach the D ivine '\Tord, in full rcliancc on the Lor<l's merey, hc shall be re11lcnishcd with all degrecs of spiritual intelligcnce,enabled to approprinte all needfl kinrls of heavenly truth and doctrine, and is thcnce supplied with the requisite strength to vanquish his spiritual foes. In order to rcpre;-:ent the union of the love of Gocl in t he 11eart. with tl1e uttainments of wisdom from his Word in the um1crstanding, as the essential mcrliums of introducing the soul into n glorious state of heitvcnly dclight und pcacc, "a chnriot of tire, a111l horses of fire," wcre sccn in the spirit ual world by Elislrn, at the tran,ilation of tlic prophet Elijah, nnrl, in g rief on aeeonnt of tlic losfl of hi:; mastcr, hc cxchmed, " The chariot of Israel, and the horsemcn thcreof" (2 Kings ii. 11, 12; xiii. 14). Elijuh, and nftcrwnrds Eli~hn, wcre 80 called, beeause they represented the interna! and external <(lllllity of the 'Vord.118 }'or such, inclecd, arc its outwar<l charucte1 arnl inward power, whcn its buming nnd Hhining truths and doctrines of life are received in genuine affection, and obeyed from a sincere fith. They elevato man's soul into b caven, and introducc him into consociation with nngels. They surround him with the sphere of divine protection iu e\ery timo of danger nnd dh;tre:is. And coul1l wc see, with the org:m:s of spiritual vision, of which the org:ms of natund sight arc the truc corrcsponding forms, likc the young m11n who was alarmed for the safety ofhis mu.stcr, Elislrn, in the midst of infuriate enemics, wc shoulcl behold, with the elcarne~s and lfti11ct11ess uf spiritua1 Jisccrnment, the nionntain on which he stanclil "full of horscs und chariots of tire round about " him (2. Kiugs Y. 17). Such nrc " the horscs a11d c hnriots of sal\'llton" (Hah. iii. 8) which wait to conYey cvery .f.ithful Christian along the paths of righteousness to his eternal home in the kingdom of Go<l. And to tench us, still furthcr, thnt the powers of the umler~.tandiug were 11c,;igne<l to be diligcntly cultivate1l in :tll kin,; of science and kllowledgc, and that, in subordination to divine wisilom, t h ey arc to be consecrated to tl1e
"' Hence lh~h nt1llll'l<, F.lijHh, n ldrony lhrd; 1nul Elisha, Gad lhat &111....
CORRESPONIJNXCE 0/1 'l'llE ANf.11.AL WORf,D.
199
Lord's service, it is sui<l, " rn that day [of the Lor<l], shall there be upon tbe bells of the lwrscs, IloLINESS u~TO TITE Lorm" (Zech. xiv. 20). In the book of HeYelation, which is wholly cornpo~ed of symbolic writing, arranged by pk:nary inspirntion, even as to every expression, nccording to the seience of corrcspondenc~s. and which treats only of divine und spiritual subjects, "l'e re.'\Cl thnt the apostle John mu; favorc<l with a rnost magnifint vision, rccorcd in the 5th und (ith chupters, in which hc "saw in the right huncl of Him t.hat sat on the throne, a book, writtcn within and on the back side, and seuled with sevcn sen.loi." He wept. that no one was foun<l worthy to open it, but wa8 corotOrted with the a~urnnce that "the Lion of the trihc of Ju1lah" hnd "prmailc<l to open the book, and to Ioosc the seven atls thercof." Ry this was significcl that the Lor<l Jesmi Christ, who is omnipotent and omniscient (Matt. xxviii. 18; John ii. 24, 25), knows and perceives the secrets of eYery heart, aud that to Him judgment helongs, bccause He alone, as the vcry divine trnth or \Vord, can rcvcal the inmost stattlf< of the lite of all men, hoth in heavcn awl upon earth. The opening of the scals, tber efore, was dcsigm:d to signify the revelation thnt wus ahout to be made of the intcrior cbaructcl' of ail tl10sc who approaeh the \Vord of Gotl, ru1 to their reception uml apprO}lriation, or rejection and profauntion of its sacrc trutl1s, and the charity and faith which thcy inspire, 1 .ogcthcr witl1 the quality of thcir nnrlerstaflingl" and intelligence. \Vhen the tirst scal wns opened, therc issned out of the book a white horsc; on the 9pening of the second semi, there proceeded from it a red horse; on the open i11g of tl1e Ulir<l seal, thcrc went forth a black horse; a nd on t.he opening of the fourth seul, there came out a pale horEe. .Each horse ha<l its appropriatc rider, euch of whom was dif!rcntly equipped, und to each of tl1em a imrticular rlivine commission was intrustcd. Every single exprcS8ion in tliese chaptcrs, like the rest of the inspired 'Vord, bas its pcculiar significancc and application. I can only rliroot tl1e reu1ler's attention, nt thi~ t imc, to the mcn11ing of the horscs. \\'e have already m:\\lc ~orne remarks on the signification of colors, as dcnoting the qunliti of those subjects or things treated of; for eolor.i are occa8ionerl by the modifications of hcat and light, aml the reflcction arnl refraction of thcir ray~ by the ohjects on which they fa.li, 0 1 in which they are receiw~d. The colored horscs wl1ich procceded out of the book ns its ~enls were SllCcessivcly hroken, signify and rcprcsent various qunlilies of the unclcrl!tanding, and the wltolo
200
THE SCIRNCF: OF CORRESI'02'ol!JENCES.
is a revel:.ition of the inward states of all who approach the Yolume of eternal truth vi"ith a desire to know its sncred contents. The wmTE HORSE and his rider signify the understanding of those who are illustrated by genuine truths, whose translucent purity is denoted by white. Thcse arc rcceptivc of a heaycnly principlc of ch:uity from the Lord, as well as a holy principle of faith. By the power of truth, when thns united to goodness of heart and purity of Iifo, ail kinds of evil and falsity are overcome and di.ssipated. ~fan goes forth, with the "crown and bow," in tlie Lord's narne, "conquering and to conquer." The RED nORSE and bis rider signify the undcrstanding of those who, while they receive the truth, disregard the goodness of the 'Yord and reject the charity which it inculcates; who, for selfish purposes, occasion contentions and dissensions arnong men, on the doctrinal tenets and outward frrns of religion. In ail such, every evil passion and propensity prevails, and they deprivc the truth of the 'Yord of its vitality and power. They do violence to love and mercy, and deRtroy all peace from the carth. That a red color denotes quality 1\8 to good or its opposite evil, has been already shown. Hence, to signify the adulteration of all prnciples of good1mis and charity in the pervertcd church, she is represented as "a harlot" who had forsaken her rightful husband, "arrayed in purple and scarlet, and sitting upon a scarletcolored beast, full of namcs of blasphcruy" (Hev. xvii. 3, 4). And to denote the extremc perversion and corruption of all truth with such as violate its sanctions by rejecting the sacred principles of charity, evcn the Lord's vesture is dcscribed as being '' dipped in blood" (Rev. xix. 13). By the llLACK HORSE and his rider are signified the understanding of thosc who wilflly oppose the influence of divine truth,-who falsify and darken its holy counscls by vain and irupious reasonings, and induce upon themsclves the gloom of eternal ignorance, but wl10, though they hold all divine instruction concerning what is good uni! truc in lightest estimation, indicated by the balances of justice, an the proclamation of "a mcasurc of whcat for a penny, and three ' mensures of barley for a penny," are yet not permitted to inf'ringc or injure its inwal<l sn.nctity,-" to hurt either the oil or the wine.'' The color black denotes the quality of such a state, for we have seen that it signifies t])e darkness and obscnrity of falsity and evil. By the PALE HORSE, and its rider, Death, are manifcstly signified al! who approach the IIoly Word, but without understandiug :my
(JORN/.'S l'OXDF..\'GE OF Tf!E AP..INAL WORLD.
201
thing of its transcendent glories, because thcy are in confirmed states of cvil, botl1 of heart nnd life. Though they have a namc to live, t11ey are dmd lRev. iii. 1). They hear and learn the truth, urnl profess to love it, but uttcrly destroy its life in thcmselves, nn endeavor to deprfre all around them of its healt11-r estoring energy and consoling influence. For paleness is the et)for of a corpse, and clenotes the absence of all spiritual lifo. To describe the miscrable r csult of sucb direful profanation, nnd tl1e hopeless end of such insane con<luct, it is eaid that "hell followed;" for persistence in so dreaful a course conjoins man, here nml hereafter, with infernal spirits, hastcns the ju<lgmcnt by speedily and certainly fling up the merisnre of his iniquities, and plunges him, from bis owu free choice, into a stl\te of spiritual death. Sim.ilar things are also signified by the chariots nnd colored horses which the propl1et 7.Rcharinh saw in \"sion and d escriood (Zcch. i. 8; vi. 1-8). N ow this signification of a horae, as denoting the intellectual foc ulty, and the result of its active energie.<! and its powcrs of memory and reasoning, might be extensively illustrated and confirmed from the Grecian mythology. "The signification of the horse," says S wedcnbprg, " as expr~iYe of understanding, wns erived from the ancient churchcs to the wise men r ound about. H ow much the nncients excelled th" mollcrns in intelligence may be mnnifest from this consideration, that the former knew to what things in heaven several things in the world corresponded, and hcnce what they signified; and this was not only known to those who were of the church, but also to thosc who wer e out of the chureh, us to the inhnbitants ofGrecce, the most ancient of whom dc~cribed things hy signiflenth-es, which at this day are cullcd fuLulous, bccause tl1ey arc altogether unknown; that the nncient Sophi were in the knnw ledge of such things is evident. Hence it wa8, that, wlien they woultl dc~cribe the sun, in whkh they place1l t11eir god of wisom aml intelligence, they nttrilmted to it a chariot and four hon<cs of fire; and wl1en they would llcscribc the gocl of the sea [Neptune, to whom more power WllS ascribed than to any other god cxccp t Jupiter], si11ec by the 8ca wm; sig1lificd sciences <lerived from umlcrstuucling, t.hey ulso attributcd horses to him; and when they would deHcribe the origin of inte!Jigcnce nnd wisdom, or the risc of t.hc sciences from nm1er~tnnding, they also feigned a winged horse, which they cnllcd Pcgmms, \\hose hoof h rokc npcn a fountnin, at which sat aine virg in11 called the science;;, and tlii.; upon a hill." [The nine libcrul urts \\Cre
202
Tl!R SCf/iJNOB OF COTWF.Sl'O.Vl>ENCE,"!.
called muscs, eitlicr from the s.im ilnrity of their intcll<>ctnal 1mgm, or ccause men, by inquiring of thero, lcurucd t he t hingf' of wh ich they hcfore were ignorant.] For from the nncient churches they r eceived the knowlcdge that the h ome signifies the intellectual principle of undcrstanding; his wing;;, the spiritual principle of spiritual trnth ; the hoof, what is scientific derivccl from undcrFtnnilillg, or truth in tlie ultimatc sense, where i:1 the origin of intelligence ; virginf', the sciences; a hill, unanimity, and, in t he fl.pirituul scnsc, charity; and a fountain, doctrine frorn which seicncc.'l are derivc<l; nn<l i;o in all other ca... <>es. [Miner,a, the godds of wis<lom, is figu re<l on sornc medals as drawn in a chariot hy four borst-s. nfors, the god of war, is frcquentlr dcscribed as rushing forth in :i ch ariot rlrawn hy furious war-horses ; and Ocea.nus, o.lso, who prcsidc<l o\cr rivers and fonntainfl, wa.-> drawn y fahulous se.'lhorscs snpplicd with wings]. Nor is thcrc ::wything elsc signifie<.) hy the T rojan horsc tlum nn a rtificia l l'011trfrance devised by their understanding for the pur pose of 1lcstroynf! the walls. Even at thil' day, whcn understanding is dcscribcd aftcr the manner rcceived from those ancients, it is usual to figure it by a flying hors<', or Pegasus; so, lilrn\\ sc, doctrine i;; described by a founwin, imd the scienc by virgins; but scur ly nny one knows tlrnt the hor:m, in the mystic sensc, signifies the understundiug; still le:si', that- those significatives wcrc derivcd to the gentilcs from the ancicnt representative clrnrchcs.119-W. H. 4; A. C. 7729.
"'"The sun si~il!t.'! the Lord as to h!A di-, T he scieulifoes, whicli at thiA <lay arc rAlkd vine love. nnt whcn the .seiencc or conc- philosophi<-s, SU<'h as are fll<ll'e of Arist<tlC 'IJ()llclcuce be<'llme corrupted nn obl!Wr- nntl the likc, were unknnwn to them: lhi l\tctl, the wofl5hip or the sun as nn iol be 18 nlso cvl<lcnt froru the books of the cnrlicr cnmc nlmoot uniYcn;nl. Many remnnnt~ of writcrs,~e\'crfil ofwhich nre writtcn in Ltch sun worship mnr be trnccrl in the !lRmcs of terms 11s sll{lilficd, r cpr eenlcd, 1u1 correpl11c<, lu mnny l'll~tolllll which 1Hl know to sponded t.o lnlcrlor t.hini;s. Thnt this was hn1e exbtcd, and in mo11y which o.rc ~till the c>nsc ma)' l>e manlfcst lrom the follow!ng 01"'cn<'1\. Wc hRVC l'lmulny, os the vnlgar cori.'lidcrntlon. nmouw;t.otheN whicb mii;hL unmc or the 1ir.st dlty of the wcct. Frout be 1 nentio11c<l, viz.. t hat th~r l\~f"nert tn thlg arooe lhe cnsll>tn of making houfirc-s on Hclicon n pince on a monuui!n, nnd by lt the llrst night of ~rnr (.lll't'isa Tr1la111l, pp. thcy meanl he1wcn; thllt lhcy 11!1.ign cd to 20, 23), end the 111Jorlglncs of lreland ciL!l the I'arna.su., n pll\.<'c hcncnth (lll n Mil, utH1 hy prevlou; cve, 'l B~ultlnc; or the 'do~ of it they rncnut ~clcntiflcs; thl\t they nsscrku's lite.' The won! lllll.ein is al.o a unme t hut 11. flying h oNC, which they cnlkd l'cg ghen t.1 n fair hehl in rc~bll's, in S<,<1Un11d, O.Slll!, did ther\l break 0 1ocn a fonutain wlth nt the bci:iuning or }lR)'. nnd is sai1l to ~ii,~ his h lK>f; th11t they <'Rllcd tlw ><:icnecs \!ruify 'the fcast of tho snn; wl1ich wn~ ont1 gins, nud so forth; for lh<'y lmew from cm oh:ll;rvcd 11.t th..t sc>UOl\."-L<lw;on'& Dis., p. r C8!10tldences und rc1;rccntntivc~. thal n 277. m ountnin <ltrrnted hca 1 en, thnt n hlll ile" It !s to be 11oled th11t the ~cientitics (lf the Hot.cd l hnt hc~"cn w hieh I~ h~m:uth , or anclent~ were n\t.o\;elher other thnn Ille l'<'i- whleh ls wlth mnn, t hnt " hor..e 1lc11otcd entifo1~ A.t thi doy; th1y lrcitt.cd c"mccrning llw h1tell~l1111l prlndplc, thnt Uie wlngs the rorreoopontlrneeof thini,"< ln the n<tuml w!lh wh ich hc flcw 1 vere splrll.llnl tlJlng<, worltl wlth thini:;s in the .~piritmLI '">rl<l. lhat .. hQO! Wl\J! the n11lural prlncipl~. thnt
CORRESI'O. V DRNCR OF TllE Af."f.l!Al TrOR L n .
20:)
The ITindoos attribnte sc\en horscs to tlie sun. The Oriental na tions, wl10 worshippc<l the sun, not only rcprcsented him ns riding nlong the sky in u chariot drawn by the fleetest and most beantifl horscs, to eommunicnte his light and warmth to the world ; but, when nll idea of corrcs1 xmdcncc was lost, t11ey consccrated to the sun the fi nft't stcc<ls and chariots, and, as the sun arose, rode to the enstcrn gnt of thcir cities to pay thcir homnge. The .Jcws nt one timc bccame infcctcd \dth tl1i;; !>pccics of idob try; for we read thnt .Josinh " took away the horscs thnt the kings of .Tu<lah (his predcccssors] had giron [or con~ecrated] to the sun, at the entering in of the houso of the Lord [or the court of the temple to\vards the east], nJHl burned
a foun~'ltn was lnt~llig,'11~. an<l th11t the tb= \'ll"l:lllB, who w~re ra.!lc nffcctiom or good, antl that tht' \"irgiu>, who were n1Uned lhe \"rgiM of Ill..'lkon and Pamas.o;;11.-'- wcre the affect:fons or truth. l n likc manner they AASign~d to th~ sun horscs, wbo.e mcat they cnllcd arnbro~IA, 1 rnd drink ncct11.r ; fi>r t hey kncw thu.t the Blln slgnrncd cekta l lo\'e, horse the i11 t.JJC('lunl things which nre t hence der!vcd, and th11t meii.t. ~ signify celctinl thfi,;. a nd i rlub >piritu& l, ny derintion from the an<:ienl8 al>0, it i8 till & ~11.<tt>m L hl\t k lngs, ai the!r roronaton, hould >lt 11po11 a. siher 1brone, shonld be cl~tl iu a pu rp le robe, he 1rnolnLCd with oil, iJwuld wear 011 thelr heads a n own , and carry ln thcir ha nds a S<-eptr~, n sword >1nd kcys, sh ould ride iu r o}"al pomp on a white h <:>roe, 11nder whosc f'CI sl1011ld be hoor~ o f ~llvN, a nd should lie wn! t<.'<l o n >1t llll!lc by the mo<;t ttpectahle JlC'""'un-:es of tlID kingrlom, lx'sldes othcr L"<>remonies: f or they knew tht\t a k ing rep1'-"elll<'<l the dl\1nc trot.Il whkh i Crom the divine 1.,'00<!, nnd b~ncu lhey lrnew what l:s signlficd by a silver throne, a pmvle robe, anoinLiug oil, a crown, a ;.;:tc1tr<\ n. sword, kcyo, a. white horse, hoof.~oCsilver, and belng wa.lted upon }" the 11100.t r..sp<;<tll.hle pcl'!Oon~' Wh<> .at thisday i in PO'<>&~lon ofthis knowlcd:... ~. and whcre are the scicntifics wh!ch tench it? T he 1Lbovc ccremonie.< are Cllll(od emhlcmntcnl, !rom an entire iguorn1we of t>vcrrthlng rcltLtlng to ~Ot=Jllld cncc 1111d represenll\tion. From thc!.c con~hlc~limlll it is me.nifei;tof whRt quality t he M!icnliflcs or the ancents m~r>l, nml th a t lhose !lCientlfics lml thm lnt<> knowletli:e concerni11i.:: t l!lni.:: 'l'iritunl and celestia l, the ver~ exlo!en or wh!ch al<10 nt this day '" sca1':clJ" kuo wn. The dcutlfic<1 which >UC ree-lc lu pince of t he uho\"C, and which a re prn)icrly called phll-Osophlcs, r ather draw tle nlml nway rrom tllo k nowk dge of spirit. unl nnrl cclestl.11 th inl!", becauc they mny he applled n lso to confirm rai.1t1es, Ulll li kewic cast the ruind into dArlmei;s "hcn trutl111 are t-unflrmud b y them, lnru,much M se\en\I of them ur~ barc expression~. whcreby ('onfirme.tlons H.re cfttx.. 1.cd, w hi('h Arc aripr~hncie<t by few, a.nd conming whtch Lven those few ar not ngreed. Hence it moy flppear cvidcnthow J'a.r maukind have receed from the en11Utlon o f the andent'I, which lcd to wl;dom. The gen tiles dcrh:d the above scicntiflcs l'rom the iuwient <"hurch, the ex tcrna.1 worshlp ofwhich con,L<te<l ln representntl\"C!I aml ~ignmcatives, and the intel'nal !11 those thiugs "hlch wcrc ropre.cnte<l >1nd ignifled."-A. c. n. 491JG. "Roralt~ a.nd govermnent werc, from th e ~arlllll lllllC, disting uishei\ lly symbolical trniguia."- J onca'a Mel. on Fiy. Lang. n/ &ripture, l' 2'00. "In thc!r rcprcseutative procce..!ons, t1'e Cbinc'll slill carry, at the en<l oc long silvcr rodt;, ligures in &ilver or otrnnge anirnBl!I, b a u&, ><ales, tlshes, and otber mysterlons thiugg."-Bemier: .Pinkerlon.' (J)ll., ,~01. Yiii., p. 201. . "Symbols (in the Sacrca St"riptures] arc ottcn horrowe d Crom the lowur J)!lrts of cre-
ation, 11uch ns animais, lllouuto.inR, sef\8, riv ers, and Ille likc. Aud the lgn!flciHio n of
theni is foundcd (accor ding to the notion wllich lhe flncients ha<l of lbclr nature., m11gnltn<lcs, 1~, etc.) upou the principle o r l\fl\llity R U<l ~imilitude."-Bi~'a Sign.s Qf Ull! 1lmu, A pp., p . 2111. Sw(-denl.Jorg Ms expouoded thr en ttrc Ilook of tho R.evclation, r.ienteuee uy ..,n. tence. ln two admirahie worb, ('Il titled, , Jpooo/wae Revetl.e<l, twovols., autl Apocalyp se Jo:Zplaint<l, a posthumous publlcathm in six
volum~.
~nt"'l "~
l n a llruh m a.nic kogcnd, a 1lsh ls reprein1truellng Manu in ltl! flr11l l11cat nation ln an kind ' of knowled~.
204
'l'lll? SCIIlNOE OF (JORRESPONDENO.KS.
Lhe chariots of the sun with fire" (2 Kings xxiii. 11). Nor is thfa rccorded in the W ord merely for the sake of the history, but in order to teach us that all spiritual idolatry must be renounced and forsakcn, that the soul may hecome the chosen temple of Jehovah's presence and blessing, and that man may" worsliip Him," as the Sun of Right cousness, "in spirit and in truth." The signification of other animais might be as distinctly proved as that we have been considering. Let it be admitted, then, that there is a correspondcnce between animais and the principles constituent of the mind, both in this world and in another, and we shall at once perceive the reason why animais were seen in the spiritual world in the visions of the prophets and apostles, many of which were unlike any existing in this world, and why the prevailing dispositions of the mind are, in the word, called doves and owls, lambs and wolves, sheep and dogs, etc. 'ye shall then read a lesson of holiest wisdom in the divine promise that believexs should "take up serpeats" (Mark xvi. 18), and "tread upon serpents" (Luke x. 19). 'Ve shall see how, in the regeneration, the varied affections and desires of the mind, with their delights, spiritual and natural, rational and sensual, are hrought under the benign, the peaceful, the liarmonious influences of the Lord and heavcn, in which "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, fl.nd the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed ; their young ones shall lie clown together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the holc of the asp, and the weaned child shall put bis hand on the cockatricc' den." "The wolf and the lamb shall lie down together: and dust shall be the serpent's meat" (Isa. xi. 6-8; lxv. 25); also why it is promised that "a man shall nourish a young cow and two !'.hccp " (Isn. vii. 21) ; and why, again, they are pronounccd blessed "who sow besi(le ail waters, and send forth thitl1cr the feet of the ox ami the ass" (Isa. xxxii. 20). Y ou will at once undcJ-st.and, too, that the covenant which God is said to make with bcasts and birds nnd creeping things of the earth, means his eternal covenant with man's immortal soul, or with all the affections and thoughts and faculties of both the internai and extcrnal mind, represcnted by the varions orders of animais. Head the following inspired passage with this exalted view, and witlwut fUl'ther explanation you will fin<l it filled with bcauty, sublirnity, wisdom, and Iife, worthy of Him who is its Divine A utl10r. "In that day, I, Jehovah, will rnaka
CORRESI'ONDENCE OF TIIE ANIJfAL WORLD.
205
a covenant for them [my pco1Jlc] with the bcnsts of the field, and with the fowls of J1eaven, and with the crceping tl1ings of t.he ground ; and l will bctroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in Ioving kindnc;;s, and in mcrcies. I will evcn betroth thce unto me in faithflness, and thou shalt know tlie Lord" (H os. ii. 18-20). \Vheu the affections of the heurt rise towards the Lord, and manifest thcmsclvcs in the cxalted love of the neighbor, and wl1cn tl1e tl1oughts of the understanding find thcir true and permanent uhode in the same clcvated and }1eavenly principlcs, thcy derive their internai character and quality from the Lord, and are sal to be known to Him,-that is, acknowledged as procccding from Him; then, in the languagc of correspondence, He is represented as l;aying, "Every beast of the forest is 111ine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. J know all the fowls upon the mountains aad the wild beasts of the field are mine" (!'~. 1. 10, 11).
18
CHAPTEH X I V.
CoRRE,;,10NDENCE OF THFl VF.GFlTARLF. "\\'"ORLD, WITH T.LUSTRA.1'10NS.
rJ1 HE objccts and }Jroductions of the vegetable king(lom of nature,
l. of which growth, but neithcr scns.'\tion nor locomotion, iio prcdicahlc, nre, cqually with those of the anjmal kingdom, u~d in the Word of Ood ns the appropriate 1cpruse11tativc forms an cor1 ~poml cnces of holy and spiritual subjects nml ohjccts, or their opposites.1ie Thus, sh rubs and fiowcrs, herbs and trecs in genernl, "from the cedar tree in Lelmnon, cvcn unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wull" (1 Kings iv. 33); "from the rose of Sharon to the lily of the vn1ley" (Cant. iii. 1); all "trees pleasaut to the sight and good for food" (Gcn. ii. 9) ; "thorns, also, 1md thistlcs " (Gen. iii. 19) ; ncttlcs and brmnhlcs (I sa.. xxxiv. 13) ; wormwood an hcmlock, correspond to or reprc.oen t the countlcs.s things of intelligence, observance, nn knowledf!e hoth true ami falsc, wholesome and pernicious, and to
uo Jupltcr'b bhltuc w11.s mH.<le of O.Bk; 11.nd T e.cicu" nttlrm> th llti n Germauy the lm~ges 11f lhc ~ods l'OU.ltd of rude trunks of un polisluxi oak.- l'oUcr'B ntiq., vol. i., p. 1UJ. l a. ,.l, 20. . Jtobust !s ftom the Lat.in WOJ(\, roPw.r, tnni;th, anl whlch is the no.me for an oak. The H cbr ew word for onk also denote$
t..'trc11gtl1.
In the nge when the science of correspond religion \>e<'f>UH' corrupt<.'<l inlo hlolatry, u t.rccs wcrc the original tem.hcy wcrc alo;o the syrnl.018 plt.,. o f th~ god~; 1 or iRUl!:CS o f them; ami Llicir SC\'cral H ttrlhule \\CTC cxpr-..d !Jy scvcr:i.l tl'C('S ." hich were 1wl'J)(;'lUt1lly appropriuted to thcir re ~pcctivc dclLles, and cal!ed by thcir naml'S; e.ncl th<'rcfore llddresscd and 11.ppee.lcd to, o.s if thcy hll.d tbcmselves the attributes .nd powcrs of thelr prototypes, to hear the covc nant nmde in th<Jir prcscnce, nud punish the vlollllot11 of thcm."-Dr. G/AJlcr R idley's Noies on Jltlampus, I' 2.'>\!. London, 17~1. It mut not w overlook<Jd that plant~ nnd \'cgetable.~. inclmli11g thooc of even the moo.t n ox!ous klndR, l\l<e Lhc 1loctrin"" and trutJts ada11tcd to the variotL nnture.l nuit 'enul prlnci plcs of tbc miud IO wWch thcy currc
l'llC't'S o.nd all truc
spond, arc cap11.blc of being o.-crrulc for ui.e and ~crvice to nu111, os wcll ns being cnpnl>le of ai.use. 8uch is cspeelnlly the ca~ wltlt 1111 plants possessins medidnal qtmlltlc~. A ju~Lly cclcbmted nuthor remark8, thRC "f a stmugor ho.d viitcd a waudcriug trlhl! he fr11 one propeny of hcrhalism WUR knowu to thcm ; if he hwi told the mYHgeR thlit Lhe hcrlJs whi<'h cvcry day th<y Lrnm11lc1l u11<lcr foot were endowcd with the mo>t potc11t vir tuc,- that one woulll r1J1>toro Io h cn lth a l1ruther on the \'erge of dcitlh, t ho.t auother woultl paralpe to ldiy their w!Fc't llJ;C, Llu~l a lhlrd would ~triko lifek..,~ t.o lh<J du't Uic:ir m<N 111.lwiHL ch ampion; thnt tenr> an<l r 1md di;oeaS<J, madne..' a1i.\ rca la.ughtcr, 'lg11 SQn, wal<efulness and ~le<.ri, exl~wncc nnd dhsolution wcrc co!ed up in tho'c unre gatdcd lc1nes,-would tJ1cy not h1we held blm a sorcerer and a llnr? To ha\f the vit Lues of the YCgclablc world rn11nl<lnll arc yct 111 the darkucos of the a.vages I ho.vc .~UIJ ped. Thcrc 1tre fcultlc8 wit.hln Il~ with which certain hcrbs hllYe nn o.lflulty, nnd ovcr which thcy have power. The Moly of tlle nuclcnts wru; uot all a fahl1J,"-Bttlwtr'1 Zu11on1, vol . iii.
CORRESI'O.VDRNCR OF THE VEGETAJU.E WORLD.
207
i.nnumcrahlc kiml.;; and degrecs of <loctrine aud persuasion wbich may b(;l implantcd, germiuatc, untl fructi(y withi11 the rnind, together with Lhe thoughts, perceptions, a11d a:flctions whic11 belong thcrcto. They :\l'e, so to spe-ak, the outwurd emhlem;:;, the diversified forms, and m1tuml types of existences in the spiritu11l world and the world of wind. Thil mny, in a great mcasure, be confirmcd from the phy.>iology, colors, propol'tics, qualities, and uses of flower.':!, plauts, and trnes; thcir ipective productions, and the diJfenmt locnlities wherc tl1ey nrc found. Trecs, as whole, or in their oomplcx, denote such 11 rinciples a<' pertain to the entire mincl antl life, and ako .;uch us are thence dcrivetl, of a lower d egrce,or having a le.;s dcgree of spil'itual life, thun those signHie liy unimah. G:ueus, vineyards, olivo-ynrds, fol'ests, groycs, aud mcadows, J enotc various dCf, r rees and .;tutcs of intelligence a rrd wisdom, doctl'iue and kuowlc<lge. This is indicat cd hy t he Y ery names of the trecs in the represcutative garden of Eden, for one i.:J called " the t:ree of life," un<l the other " the tree of lmowledge of good and evil" (Gcn. ii. 9) ; h ence, also, we read of "trees of righteonsncss" (Isa. lxi. 3), and " trees of l he Lord" (l's. eiv. 16). The roots of pl:mt.s and trees, hidden !x>neath the ground, will signii) tbe fcultics of ex ploriug the \Vord, and of acquiring thence, and retaining in the oubrnnl memory, whatever knowlcdge is co11gcllt\l to the mind, and desircd for its snpport, und also tl1e priuciple of charity w; the lm... <>e of genuine wi.."Clum; or , in a contrt1.ry .scnse, of pcrvcrting knowledge to selfish purpes, and making it the ;;round of fonaticism and folly. W e therefrc see what is meant wher c the Lord, speaking by the mouth of hi.;; pro1'110t, describcs mnn dclivered fro111 bis spiritual enemies, uner the ex1Jressivc nume of Amoritcs, and says, "Yet d troycd I the Amorite bcfore thcm, whosc height was like the height of the cedari!, and he n'a.~ strong as the oaks; yct 1 1lestroycd bis fruit !'rom above, and his roots from beuoath" (Amos ii. !)) ; and whcre the seed haviug no root,- that is, no groun in charity,-withcrs away (Mnrk iv. H). The stem and the branches cnote the trnths or false principles themsclnis, combined or separate, and in the net of being confirmed (Ps. l x xx. 11) . Tl1c louves, whicl1 ure either perenniul or evergrecn, nrc, a s it wcrc, the organs of respiration to the vegetath-e soul, and d cnotc internai or extemal knowledge und doctrine; thus ulso fa.ith, whicl1, wl1en alone, is cscrihed as a t1~ with lcun~ only, and li therefore cou <lcmned \ Mutt. xxi.19). The fruits which are the ultimale eftcts,
1 '
208
Tl!R SOLE1i'CE OF OOllRESPO.'<DBNCES.
nnd the vcry purpc of the vital fo cnlty, containing the serrls, in which arc the primary gerrns of a ncw generation, signif)' ail kiuds and dcgrecs of good and u cfol works, made rnauifost in a rightcous life, and thcir correspouding rational delight.:, or of cvil works, rcndered ob\ious in a oorrupt life, and thcir corresponding r::en:;ual plcasurcs,-hc:wenly works, produccd from the pure and exalted love of God and man, or infermi.l works, fobricated from impure motives, promptcd by the love of self and the world. In these works are cither the elemental gcrrus of a glorious 11rogressiou iu the rieh hlooings of charity and faith, extending eveu intu eternal ages, or, on Lhc rontrary, of the multiplication of evil and folly, and thcir attendant and enlesH miseries (.Jcr. xv. 16). Thus the lAlrd, spcaking of fuise prophcts :ind of fuise persuasions and doctrines, says, " Ye hall k11ow them by their fruits. D o men gathcr gmpes of thorns, or figg of thistlcs? Even so cvcry goo trcc hringoth fortb goocl fruit ; but n corrupt tree bringcth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth C\il fruit, neither can a corrupt trcc bring forth good fruit. F,ycry tree that briugcth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the firc. " hereforc, by their fruits ye shall know thcm" (Matt. vii. 16-20). And again: "Either makc the t rce good, and his fruit good; or else make the trcc corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : for the tree is known by his fruit." ()Iatt. xii. 33). Flowers of multifarions form and brilliancy of hue .;;ignify, in a good sense, intellcctual perceptions and tl1 cir i11definite dclights; whilc their variations, in qnality and degree, arc dcnoted by tltcir configurations, colors, odors, and other properties.121
tti The ptielanguo;;eofllowers ls but au ' tbe slAl'S nbove them, lctl~l'l! for the gr~nt imnginATy 5ymbolism, which may be rc- niuue of the Eternal, whlch mortn.l< caunot gardcd as nn outbirth of their e11rre,qX>nd ut.ter or pronounce. Eaeh mauif<'hi.'S to thc,c .inl'e, and h1dicatcs it~ los. Thu~. Pr. Stan hie omnipotence, wisdom, goodness, nad denmaier obscr, cs: "Ou the earth, too, ln Ion: ench is a gentlerC\'Clation of the lld1y. luflnite numbcrs, shlnc forth the tlowers, the And as thou, 0 youtl1. haijt o. divine pri11cl gracions childrcn of the Spring, deckcd out pl~. can~t rccol,'lllzc, sct.>k, r~wrc, and love in oil the brilllaocy of colon!, wblle lhcy the God who bath giv~n lt tllee; so hnn1 .<hed thclr roll bnlmy breath, like inceme, these 1\owcl'I!, ln patt.iculnr, m uch to .ay to througb the air; and thesc lowly children, thcc. Cont.emplate ihcir imJOC-cnt nnture, O youth, hava they neYcr addrc~d thee thelr stl!I exi8tcncc, their cnlm worklugs acln a soft. t-Ornlcr \'Oice? Oh! fl88Ur(>dly, God cord!ng to etemal laws, and conidcr, morehath given thcm a language to address u.,, ovcr, how lo vingly they tum to the su n, and the Janguagc of flowetl! was cvcr, for how humbly thcy IJow liefore him to Imbibe r~flcctive mluils, a beftut\ful longue. But strcngth 1111d vigor and Jife from hls r11y1, tlu mysterions cnse, wlikh eve11whc:rc anil to tiorrow ail their littre from the rlcn 1)('rva<1cs an<! mnnifests it.<clf tbrough tl <lurofh1sbellm$. TMgrcalSm, Dit'ineLIA't:, l'TCtttlon, \>hat lti it el5e huL n. scnsc o f the haLh givcn thcm tous lu exdte corl'e'<p0111l cternal and the divine? Ail ftowen.-those ing love ln onr l>rcusl, u they thc1nsdvc. luminous suus IK>Wn in the gra.;s,-nre, like in love nnd joy, tum to the sun, the source
CORRESPON])ElWE OF TIEE VEGE'l.'AB/,E lVORLD.
209
Among the ornamcntal and usefl trees of paradisc wcrc tho~e "plcaf!ant to the filght," :<ignifying the ~rccptions of such trnths as werc designed to affor<l inmost gratification to the understanding and reason ; and esculcnt trees, or trees bcaring dclicious and nourishing fruit, callcd "trees good for food" (Gen. ii. 9), to signify the perceptions of goodness intendcd more immcdiatdy to invigorate and delight the affections and dispositions of the will. Ilow vivi<lly and how bcautiflly docs Swedenborg illustratc the truc nature of the divinely inspircd writings from the correspon<lences of the vegetable worl<l, in the following brief but interesting passage: "The "\Yord is Iikc a garden which may be callcd a hcavenly parn<lisc, containing delicacies and <lclights of cvcry kin<l, <lelicacics of fruits and delights of fiowcrs, in the midst of which arc trees of lite, and bcsidn thcm fountains of living water, and forest trees roLmd about Lhc garden. Whoever is principletl in divine trutlis, by virtue of doctrine, is in the midst of the garden, among the trces of lite, and in the actual enjoyment of its dclicacics and delights. 'Vhen a man i~ 11ot principlcd in truths by \'rtuc of doctrine, hut only from the literai scnsc, hc ahides in the boundarics of the garden, and sees nothing but forest sccnery; hut when a man is in the doctrine of a false religion, and I:ias confirmed its falsities in his mind, hc is not cven in the forest, but in a sandy plain without, where there is not evcn grass." "The man who leads himself, judgcs of that paradisc, which is the"'ord, from its circumforencc, wlicrc arc the trccs of the forest; but the IUun whoru the Lord leads, judgcs ofit from the midst thereuf, where are the trecs of life. The man whom the Lord leads i~ also actually in that rnidst, and looks upward to the Lord; but the man who lcads hirnself sits down in the circumference, and looks outward to the world."-T. C. IL 259; A. E. 1072. Therc arc those vegetablcs, also, mentioned in the 'Vord, whose !!pccific signification depends u pon thcir productions. Such are the
worcl apv, an oak; butiLfa moot probably ile rivecl from u more ancknt sour. In ilHir own Ianguaf:", the wonl Druidh means ir:foo 111e1'; others <lcrivc lt fwrn D'ra11dd, or Dar our Cy1'...'25 undcr a matcrio.l ima.g-c,corrcspond "'-'!lddi the Hrjtlsh tcrm, from Deru:, or rnthcr ing to its moral [or spiritual] scnsc."-.M. < Dar, the male oak. But !t i. a,,; p;sll>lc thut Oo11'rl!elte3: 1'rall.. des Sf/mbol~. p. 16. the oak reecfrcd 118 peculiar nHme from the It was douLt]c..<;...i.; from the romains of the saereO admirn.tion with which it waR ?' science of correspondcnccs th!lt the Hndent gar<led. Barilcl, tnmslutecl Dard, literally Phniciaus and Ccltie Druds J1cld the oak j s1i;nffi~ one thnt illnstru.tes, mu.ster of wIB and oakgroyes in emeh vencration. ~omc I dorn.- lVUliam Owen, wrllcrs dcrive the woril Druicl from the Oreck
or light" [and hcat].-Symboliool Lnnguage (Jf /i'lou.'e,.s: I>uhlin Reulew, 1842. .. l~1ch plant [in a goo<l sensc] ls the imuge '>fa divine thonght, whlch presents ltelf to
U*
210
TIIE SCIENCE OP CORISPOND8.NCES.
rnedicinal plants, as the aloe and the balm of Gilead; the vcstuary, as the cotton-tree and flax, etc. Now, if we attentively survey the characteristics an<l uses which thus distinguish t11e genern, and even spccies, of herbs rrnd trccs, thcy will materially assit us in percciving and confirming the signification of each. Nothing, for instance, can more fitly represent a weak condition of faith, when groun<le<l in the mere ap1lcarances of the letter of the Holy 'Vord, and, in an opposite scnsc, of rncre faith alone, dcstitute of ail vital influence and power, than the clastic but feeblc rced, on the river'ii bank, shakcn by every wind. Yet snch is the fulne.ss of divine mercy, that we are assured by tl1c Lord that He will not "break the bruised reed" (Isa. xlii. :3; l\Iatt. xii. 20) ; "He will strengthen the wcak han<ls, und confirm the feeblc knees" (Isa. xxxv. 3). In die opposite scnse, hy a bruised rccd is signified an extcrna1, irresolute faith,-faith separate from cluirity, and its weak and miserable delusions, on which no one can rely without danger. "Bchol<l," says the prophet, "thou trustest U})On the staff of this hruiscd rccd, even upon Egypt, on which if a J11im lcan, it will go into his hand and pierce it" (2 Kings xviii. 21; fat. xxxvi. 6). But a firm and truc fith, rooted and groun<le<l in love, and the perceptions thence derived, will be signifie<l hy the noblcr, stronger, and more durable productions of the vegetiLhle tribes. Thm;, whel"e fuith derived from chnrity, in the internai rnau, bcco111es operative in the cxternal, and is intellcctually and rationally confirmed by scienti:fic knowlcdge into conscienttous conviction, it is signifie<l by the gnarled Lut majestic ouk, whose branches form an umbrageous rctrcat, and whosc roots strikc dccp into the soli<l earth. Such faith, perception, and conscience, howevcr powcrful, arc comparatively of a low order; they are represented, thercfore, by a tree, which, though diEtinguishcd for it:.E strength and vitality, yct produccs no fruit suitale for human food. Such 'ras the signification of an oak, whcn Joshua rnnm,ed the covenant hctwecn the Lor<l and Israel: "Ile took a great stone, :m(l set it up under an oak" (Josh. xxiv. 2G), to rcprcsent the stcadfastncss of that covcnaut on the part of God, nn the fidelity with whicl1 it ought to be observed on the part of' rmm. Such wn.s also the signification of the oak groves of l\fornrc, where Abralmm, Isaac, and Jacob sojourned (Gen. xxxv. 27); and on this signification is groun<le<l tlle renson why the angel who appearcd unto Gideon in the world of spirits was seen sitting umler the sliade of nu oak (Judg. vi. 11). In a had sense, howcver, an oak signifies the sensual confidence and prcsumptuous boa:;tings of the natural mind.
CORRRSI'ONDEKCE OF 7'llE VEGE7'AnJ,E WOHLD.
21.1
unclcr the influence of which man idolizcs nnd 1rnrships his own intellect as rcal pmYer. In the expressive lnngunge of the prophC't., "He hewcth 1lown and takei11 the oak, wl1ich he i"trengthcnetl1 for him:<cJf arnong the trccs of t he forest: lie maketh a god llll<l worshippcth it.; he makeU1 it a grnven image, an<l falleth down thercto, and prnyeth unto it, nrnl rnith, J)eli1'er me, for thou art my god" (Isn. xliv. 14-17). A ml, further, to dcnotc thut snch vanity will in the eud expose its deludcd victime to derision, nnd in the hour of trial will withcr forever awa.y, it ~ said, "They sh nll be ushumctl of lhc ouks which yc have d esired, and ye shall be confoumled for the gar(lcns that ye Jinve chosen. For yc shall be as un oak whose lea.f fudcth" (Isa. i. 29, 30). whcn tlie church is spoken of in tlrn V{onl, as to the reception of f:Oodness und truth of a lti1 quality or degrcc, mention i.i ulways ma<lc of tlrn olive-tree. T his goodly trcc, with its outspreaing branches, which flourishes only in warm and sunn.r situations, which with its products constituted somc of the riches of Judcn, nnd from whose fruit a fragrnnt and ,aluable oil is c:xtractcd, signifies the celcstii1 l priuciples of love to God a nd charity towards all men, derived from God's iiifinite love townrds his creatures.1'" In reforencc to such it churacteristic, it is said, "The Lord callcd t by nnme, A green olivctree, fair, and of gooclly fruit" (Jer. xi. 16). In tlie prophctic visions of Zechariah, hc suw in the spiritual worl<l two olilc-trees by t11c golden candlesticks, one upon t he r ight side of t he bowl, 1tnd the otl1cr upon the Jcft sitlc the1eof, which 'rcre representatiYe of thcsc cclestial principlos, and of which the ange! snid, "Thcsc are the two nnointed oncs,1'~ that stand by t he Lord of t.hc whole earth" (Zech. iv. 3, 14). The s:unc princi1)les wcrc also i:igniiied by tl1c two witncsscs seen i11 vision by the apos e J ohn, of wl1ich he says, "Thesc nrt' the two oliYOtwcs, and the two candle::oticks starnling beforc tho Cm\ of the earth" (l~ev. :xi. 4). On account of this :,;ignificntion of tho olive, the oil was, liy divine command, the princi1rnl i:ngrc<lie11t employed for the purpose of 1111ointing priests and kings, when consL'-
122 The olive-tn.'C, from the effcct of lts oll 111 suppling, reh1:..!ng, and rrevcnt!ng o.nd m!Ugo.ting pain , sccm' t o luwe bccn rulopt<-d from the earlicst p01io 'MimL< s11<l <litant naUons.~ lrpc>t!et' Scriplure: ;\"atural IIUl.mlf, p. 41S.
Peacc 1111<1 ruconei\intion, the offi<pring of love, have !rom !tlOOt ttnc!cnt tlmes heen symbnlizcd hy ttn olive-hranch. Front the G<>L: word for olive W!L < derl\cJ the Greck wor frmen:y.- l>ice Ifarri>'1,\'alural IIWo11 qf tM. llible, l:ngllh edition, p. 2l>'.;. ""Ilet.., tQ7MI <Jf oil.
212
THE SOIENCR OF CORRESPONDENCES.
craterl to their holy and rcsponsible offices, and also for the anointing of the sacred vessels of the tabernacle and temple. In the :Mosaic ritual the people were commande<l to prcsent it to Jchovah in several of the frcc-will offcrings of thcir rcprcscntative worship; and it was uscd, hy divine direction, for supplying the golden lumps in which the lights were to be kept burning continually hcfo the Lord (Lev. xxiv. 2-4) ; teaching us that when the trne worship of the Lord is celebrnted in the inner temple of the soul, the oil of divine love is always givcn to cause the lamps of truth and doctrine to burn before 1he Lord in a constantly-asccn<ling flame of love to God and henevolcnce to man, made visibly manifest in a charitable and usefnl lifo. So, when the Psalrnist speaks of l1is growth in tlic cdestial lifc of love and charity, which blesses, imbues, aml sanctifies the inmost of the sonl, and expresses his gratitude to the Lord for this prccious gift of bis love, he says, "I am like a green olive-trce in the hout;c of God" (Psahn lii. 8); and, again, "Thou anointC'lt my hcad with oil" (Psalm xxiii. ,5). 'Vhen the true signification of oil is known, tl1e miraculons increase. of the widow's oil by Elisha the prophet, rccorded in 2 Kings iv., may be scen, in every particular of the inspired history, to be an exact represcntation of the influx of divine love into the affctions, for the support of spiritual life, in all seasons of tcmpt.ation, pcril, and distrcss; for it is the lifc of hcavcn in the soul, which induces umrnvcring confidence, brings sweetest satisfaction, vivifies all the principles of the minci, and saves from o;piritual <kath. It was from this signification of oil, as denoting the heavcnly principles of love aud charity, that undcr the Jcwish represcntative economy, priests, prophets, and kings were consccrated to their respective offices and fonctions by lieing anointe1l with a holy ointrnent,'24 made by diYine direction accor1ling to the skilful art of the upotltcca1y (Ex. :xxx. 25), nrnl of which olive oil wns the chief ingredicnt, to denotc tliat in the admiufatmtion of nll the ccclesiastical aiul civil affirs of the kiugdom, and in the exercisc of the authority and talents and 111inistry intrustcd to their charge, thcy were to lw inwardly imbucd with the holy aHcctions of love and ch:irity, and that nll the governing prin. ciplcs of the mimi and lifc were to be consecrated by the uuction of
m The Hebrew word,Mcssla.h, nnd the cor 1 rngc1< nre !nlcrpretccl !n thclr !nividunl tespomlingGrcekword,Chriot,!itel'allymcm seuoc, 1B \111ich pri,t. a1l nr? ;dgn!fic\l, if aJJ
pns mind arnl Jifo.
CORRESI'ONDENCE OF TIIE VECETABLP: WORLD.
21ll
these precions principles. Hence wc read, "Bchold, how good and ho'' pleas:mt it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ! It is likc lite ])recious oinlmcnt upon the hcad, that ran own upon the beard, evcn Aaron's beard; that wcnt <lown to the skirls of his gnrments" (Ps. cxxxiii. 1, 2). The Lord's love for rn:tn, and man's love of thtLorcl and of his neighbor, are "the oil of glmlness" (l's. :dv. 7), and "the oil of joy" (fat. lxi. 3). Aguin, in tl1e ben.ntifl aml imprcsisive parahle of the tcn virgius with their lamps (}Iatt. xxv. 1-13), designed by our blessc<l J,ord and Saviour to set heforc us the efforts and qualifications neceasary to obtain a blessed and e\erlasting state of conjunction with Ifou, aud of as~ocialion with the angels of his kingrlom, we are told that the lumps of the fivefoolish virgins were cxtinguished for wnnt. of oil in their vessels, to teach us the :dl-important 1csson, tlmt hmrnver hrillinntly the f!ame of truth may nppear to shine upon us for a senson, irrnrliatiug ail around with its brightnes:i, yct, unlcss it be eon;it:rntly supplicd wit.h the pure oil of cclc:;tial love, it will soon go out, and le:we ua shrouded in thickcst darkness; and tbat unless we ohtnin this sncred princi1)lc from its own souree,-tlie ubiding love of t.J1e Lord Jesus Christ in our souls,-ancl earncstly labor to makc it our own by works of penitence, ohedience, aml chnrity, the door of the nuptial chamber will be eternally closed against us. Our protcstatio11s and importunitics wilI be unuvailing: und the awful sentence will go forth ugainst us, "Vcrily, I say uuto you, I kuow you uot." On the other hand, if in our vcssels with our l:unps we are alrnnrlmitly supplic from the Lord wilh bis prccious oil,-if the affections of our hearts are reeep tiYc of the celestial gills of loYe and clrnrity,-thcn will the light of hcnvenly t.ruth burn Jnore and more brilliantly upon our path; and whcn in t]J midnight conflict of t.cmptation wc hear the sucklcn and startling ery, "Behold the bricgroom cometh, go ye out to meet him," we shnll be prepared to obcy t11c smnmons, to arise anrl trim our lamps, :wd to enter with our Lor into the secure and blis.sful marriage chamber of heaven. \Yhcn the clmrch, or a man of the churcli, as to goodness nud irnih or a spiritual charncter or degree, is spoken of, it is signified by a vine, wliich i8 the noblcst plnnt of the crceping kind, eelehrutcd for its lcndcncy to extend its roots and liranches without liinit, for its rich clusters of fruit, an<l for t11e wines wbich are obtained t.hcrefrom. flml "mnkc glml the heart of man" (Psalm CY. 15). Ami in refr. ence to the estahlishmeJJt of tlrn church hy the Lord, and the !!crivat
'!'IIE SCIEKCF: OF CORRL'SPONDESCES.
tion of ail its constituent principles from Him, hoth in general and in pnrticular, Ho says, "I am the true vine" (John xv. 1); and the Psalmist, cvidcntly spcaking of the Israelitish church, says, "Thou ha&t brought a Ync out of Egypt: thon hast cast out the henthen and . planted it. Thou preparedst room bcfore it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The bills were coverell with the shudow of it, m11l the houghs thereof wcrc like the goodly cedars. Sl1e sent out hcr houghs unto tho seu, and her branchcs unto the river" ( l':;alrn lxxx. 8--11 ). To represcnt astate of apostasy of this church, or of any of her members, and the sad and destructive resnlts which, tl1ough they spring from tlie ftSccnd:tncy of fal~c and cvil persuasions and lusls, appcar to be the con:sequenccs of Divine displeasure, it is added, ""\Yhy 11ast thou then brokcn clown hcr hedges, so that :tll tl1ey which pass by the way <lo pluck hcr? The hoar out of the woorl doth waste it, and the wil beast of the field doth devour it" (12, 13). He then su_pplicates the Lor<l's mcrcy for its rcstoration in thcsc words, " lfoturn, wc bcsecch tbee, 0 God of hosts: look clown from ho:wcn, and behold, und visit this vine; and the vincyard which thy right harnl hath plantcd, a111l the branch which thon madest strong for thyself" (14, 15). Similar things are described in the prophecy of Isaiah, where the chureh in gcncral, and every member thereof in particular, is treated of un<ler the type of a vincyanl, wbich, th~ugh gifted with eYcry blcssing, an<l })fOlected from ail cnemics, so as to afford it the most ample opportunity of yiclding richcst fruits, i11 correspondcncc with tlrn divine care bestowed upon it, yet it ouly brought forth the bitter clusters of the wild grapc. "Xow I will sing to my well-bclovo<l [sair h the Lord], a song of my bclovcd touching his vincyard. My wellbeloved hath :i vineyar<l in a vcry fruitful bill; and he fence<l it, and gathered out the stones tbereof, and pl:mted it with the choiccst vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and ulso made a wine-prcss therein : and hc looke<l that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, 0 inhuitants of Jerusalcm, aud men of ,Judah, judge, I prny you, hctwixt me and my vineyard. "'hat could have bcen clone more to my vineyan1, that 1 have not donc in it? whercforc, when I looked thut it should 1.ring forth grapes, hrought it forth wild grapos? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to rny vineyard: I will take away the hedge thercof, and it shall he catcn up; aml break down the wall tliereof, and it shall be trodde11 down: and I will lny it. wustc: it shall not be pruncd, nor
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digged i . but there shall corne up briers and thorns: I will also comruand the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineya.rd of the L ord of hosts is the housc of bracl, ttnd the men of Juu.h his plcnsnnt plant: and He looked for jndgment, but behold oppression; for righteousncss, but behold a cry" (Isa. v. 1-7). whcn the elcmcntul principlcs of the church, both in gencrnl and in iiarticulur, are described in regard to nntural goodncss und truth with their delights, or thcir oppo.siLes, then wc hnve mention ru1tdc of fig-trcci:., fig-le:wes, and figs. The correspondcnce of thcse fruittr;; runy be confirmed from the circumstanccs that they flourillh in lmrren and stony !!ituations, wherc little clse would g row, ami do not propcrly lilossom, but shoot out thcir fruit cvcn before the. lea,c-s appcnr. Thue., whcn Hic prophet is speaking of the dcfcct of that natural uscfulncs11 which precedes the nttainmcnt of spiritual knowlcdgc,-the good fruits of external fith and chnrity, thus of l11e wnnl of mutual affection and simple obcdicncc in the church and in mun,he says, "Thcrc shall be no -figs on the flg-trec, and the leaf sh:tll fade" (J er. viii. 13). And w}ien, ngain, a flourishing statc of tho d111rc11 is spokcn of, or m:m in a stnte of rc;;cncrution, when t he frui(~ of u good life by keeping the divine commandments m:e abuudant, then it is said, "The fig-trce yichls its st:reng th " (Joel ii. 22). Fruits correspond to works, either good or cvil, according to thcir kind, and agreeably to the subject of which they are predicatc1!; nn<l leavcs to knowlcdgcs and truths thence derivc<l, cithcr" gcnuine or falsific<l. The sweet fruit of the fig-trcc signifies natural goo<ln<:ss, or goodness in nn cxtcrnal forru, such us is m:mifostcd in an outwnrdl y moral lifo. But the works of morality may be donc fro1n vile au<l impure, ns well as from righteous and pure, motives, from hypocrisy as well as from sinccrity. This important distinction which olitniu:; among tltc mcmbers of the profes.~i11g church , and hetween the p1inciples con;;titucnt of the natural mimi, ns to the imrnrd qunlity of n moral life, is thm; describe<l in n vi.,ion of the propl1ct Jcrcmiah: "The I.ord show<.'11 me, and, bchold, two hnskets of figs were set beforc the temple of the Lord. One hnskct hnd very good fig;;, c vcn like the figa that arc first ripe; antl the other basket had vcry naug hty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. Then suid the Lonl unto me, what set thou, Jcreminl1? Aud I said, Vigs; tl1e goo<l figs very good; and tl1e bud, vcry biul, thut cnnnot be catcn, they nrc so bad" (xxiv. 1-3). 'Vhcn the ontward works of the clrnrcl1 or of man arc corrupt,-prompted by utt.er eelfishncs.;. dcfilcd by lonth&ome
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covclousne::;s,-they are "Jike ':ile figs that cannot be eaten." And wheu, by tra11;;grt>&~io11, rniu1 lost, or still losos, l1is innoccuco antl intcgrit.y, he i;; represented in the \Vord as vainly attempting to screen liis uakcdness and guilt by sewing "fig-leavcs" together,-as ernlcavoriug to hide his imrnrd depravity by the hypocritical nil of a more cxtcnml conforrnity to the ontwarrl decencies of' lite,-framing doctrines from the lettcr of the \Yor<l to excuse his unclcan lusts, and to cover the pride of self-Love. 011 account of this signification of the fig-troc and its fruit, and in ordcr to represent to us that the Lord knows by bis truth and constantly explores the real stnte of the church, and the interior quality of all her mcmbers, He was plcuse to perform, when He sojonrncd on cartli, a striking miracle on a barren fig-tree, which was a type of the church at its end, and which, cxhibiting an oxubcrancc of Ieaves, ought also to haYe borne a proportionate abundance of fruit. The Lord hungered,"~ to denote his
'"' Origen $1lY~ that "ln the righteous, Jesns is always hungry. bcing dcslrous to eat the frnlt of the Holy Spirit ln thcm."-In .llall., Trac. XXX. "Thcrc ls n wondcrful slgnificnnoe ln tho simple image runn!ng through the whole of Seripture, 1woording to whlch men arc compicred to trees, uncl thdr work to fruit; th" fruit being the orgauic })roduct and cvidence of the inner llfc, not something arbitrnrili concludcs, with CRlmet's editor, thut it wns the Sycarn.oreflg-l>'cc, whid1 is lllways green, grows by the wayside, and ears fruit S('>'cral Urnes in 1he year, so that no tin1e, 1dthout a ncar cxnmination, could any one tell if Jt bore fruit (i\Inrk x.-i. 3, 4.). "Remember, O Christian, thM thr $nful natnre can afford 110 hope, nor the shadow of a hope; not a desire, nor even n wish to esire the Jeast good thing that relate. to [tho Lord] Josus Christ. Theso Rr<l cxotics on Mrlh, and must be tmnsplnnred from h<.>nv en. No fruit or ftower of grace ean sprlng Crom thy camai nature; nothing naturnlly llourlshes thcrc b11t the balefl wccs of~elf wtll, of unbclief, nnd prlde.' Tlir soul, by 1utturnl pollution 1 is bceome a dark, n l\'il8tc, a thornr wildenicss; nrnt noue but Christ, the husbandman of the Church, n comert it into a garden. But the divine Hcdecmer hllS once nu1de this wllderness 'to blossom !ls the rose:' will He not kcep as wcll n8 water it evcry moment 1 wlll not He rcdnce the bensts of the forest, with eiery noxlous an<l crecpingthing? Takc <~onrn~c. thc.u, Leliev~ lng wul. Thy heiwenly Fe.ther 'dcspi>cth uot the d>1y of small thlngs.' 1'1ty faith, thon;::h now perhat11S minute ns 'the smulles~ of ail sec<ls,' is, notwlth>lllnding, preclou, and shall one dity rlso 111 surh Juxurlou;n"" that all the fwls <>f the air shull ncst ln the bran('hes of lt;' the holiot gruce, nnd rnost happy 1lcsircs 8hall wing thelr wny t o their heart. arnl shnll rest with <'lelight i11 the soul." -Scrle's IIor. Sol., p. 8. Tt i trnly painful to ftrnl n. distinguisheil thcologlan delibcratoly e.ffirrn1ng th11.t thls U<'te<l parnble, nrnl "the oue of the thlstle
1
attachcd or fasroncd on from withuut."Trench' N"lcs on llie Parables, p. 348. (See P;. i. 3: Jcr. :<vil. 8 ; John xv. 2, 4. 5; Rom. vii. 4.) That is, the time of b"'thering rip" ftgs, or the time of fig-lutrvc'!!t, was not rot arrivcd, that the trcc, bearlng an o.lrnndo.ncc of lenves, ought 11lso CO have borne fruit. Jn the original there is no cxpres8ion ti.nswering t.o the word yet: or, probnbty, like the llg-trec cumbcring the gronnd (Lukc xiil. 6-9), th.i t rec hcrc spoken of mlght have bccn alwnys btrnn, and would hiwc ~o continucd, How harrcn a trce i~ he who Hvcs 1 and spre11ds, and cmnbers th.i gr<>und, yct leiwes Jtot one sced, not one good work to gcneratc nftcr hlm. I know an nwn cannot lenvo alike, yct ail may Jeave something, anwerln~ thci r proportion, thclr kinds."-Owm
j
F<ltham,
No littlc <liscus$lon and dlvcrsity of opinion among commcntator.o1 on thif!! subjcct. In note on Matthew, OrU. lJi~ the wrltcr vl\crs the following pnrnphrase t.o mcet the dilliculty. "rfperhtp!! ( l>c fit for gnthering on fig. trecs ln gcneral), but hc fonll<l !caves only_" From No.rdcrn's Travela in Egwt, the writer
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divine antl ceaseless <lesirc that mau should reccivc bis life and spirit, and bring furth the blc.88Ctl frnitQ of repcotnnce, reformation, :in<l rege11emlioo (Matt. xx\. 31-46). I t is ;mid, thcrefore, that He saw il afr off,-fu1 cftant from Himself and hcaven, bearing not.hing but lcaves,-nothing but truths an doctrines which were flsifie,-rncre outwa.r<l co11formity,-tho acknowlc<lgment of the lips, while the l1cart wn.s far from Him. "But the tiu1e of figs w:is not yet,''-glorio1:~ and coutinual opportunities of pro<lucing riehest fruits l1a<l pas~d hy unirnproved. Tlw snn had 8hone an the dcws luid falleo upon it i11 \'Il.in. lt;; doom was thcrefore prononnccd, "No man eat fruit of th~ her<'afrer forever.'' The axe wns "laid to its root" (Matt. iii. 10). Judgmcnt was cxecuted, and "the fig-trec wus immediatcly dried up from the .roots" (Mark xi. 12-20). 'Vheu tl1ose principles in the natural ruind, which, by the reccption of what is c\il aud fuise, do injury to charity anrl failli, or, on the contrary, may, in the regencrating proccss, be deprhed of their hurlful lluafies, and made 1:1uhservieut to good purposcs, are spokuo of in the 'Vor 1111dcr correspomling imagcry drawn from t11c vcgetabfo ki11gd01n, thcy are descril>c<l by prickly, stinging, and noxious plautl!, ~hrubs, and trees, as thoms an thidtles, nettles and briers, etc. Such natural priuciplcs as arc dcnoted by thoms and briers, whcn they arc made subordhmte to use, serve for protection un1l dcfcnce to interior prineipl!!. Hcncc we read of the householder who plaute a vineyard, of which it is said, hc ~. hedgerl it round about" (1\fatt. xxi. 33). 'Vhen the dcsecnucd clHJrch is trcatcd of, or whcn the human min<l is 1lcscribed as no longer cultivating and chcrishing thereiJl the heayenly plants of parudisc, but as giving birth and permaucnt existence to such natural prindplcs as are injmious to goodness a11d truth, producing disordcr an clct!olntion, among other divine judgmcnts it is 1lcclared that "Thorns shall come up in ]1er palaces, nettles and bmmblcs in the fortresses thereof" (Isa. xxxiv. 13). But whcn n. lu:rnriant ~tatc of the Lord's church or of the humnn mind is the subjcct of prediction or promise, in whicl1 the p1ants of hcuvenly extrnction and spiritual growth, tl1at bring delight to tl1e soul, arc by re<;cncrntion substihttcd for the wil<l, lmrtful, nnd dorderly productions of an unregcnerate state, thcn we rend, " The wilderncss au<l the solitary place shall be gla for them ; and the desert shall rcjoice
Ami cl'dar (2 Klni:s xfr. 9) &I\' two /abl ~: 11ni:hls eoun.<t!l. hntmcn,and fmm an rorlJl/p ttnd t.lu\l'cill tlCitbe1" t"S.Se ts it f1od thflt !\ ~andingpoinf,notn.cllvltttt. - 'J'rrnr.Jt,Not<' tpcnking. nor yct mcs..<cngcrs ()f hi;; deli ver m lhe Furable<1, note,!>. 2, Mh < ''L
1
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and hlossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and fCJOICC even with joy and singing: tl1c glory of Lcbanon shall be givcn unto it, the cxccllcncy of Carmel and Sharon. They shall sce the glory of the Lord, and the exccllcncy of our God" (Isa. xxxv. 1, 2). Having thus explnined the spiritual signification of the olivc-tree, the vine, the fig-tree, nnd tl1e bramble, we shall be prepared to understand the truly wonderful and divincly-inspircd parablo of the trocs going forth to choose a king over them, in which these particular t1ccs arc rncntioned. The children of Israel, we rcad, did evil in the sight of the Lord. They built altnrs and reared groves, and consecrated them to the infamous worsl1ip of llirnl. 'l'hcy wcrc, in consequence, given up to the power of their invctcratc enemies, wcre cornpelled to dwcll in dens and mountains, and werc grcntly impoverisl1cd. Thcn they cricd unto the Lord in"their distress, and He sent an angel, who commissioned Gideon to become their deliverer. After obtnining n signal victory over the hosts of ~Hdian, the lsraelites desired that he would hecome their ruler; but hc refuscd, saying, "I will not rule over you, neither shal1 my son rule over you: the Lord shall rulc over you." After bis deatl1, however, the children of Israel returned to their idolatry. They remembere not the Lord their God, bnt made Abimclcch ''"' thcir king. On tliis, J otham, the youngest son of Gideon (all his brethren having bccn perfidiously put to death, and he having with iffieulty escaped), uscended to the summit of Mount Gerizim, and recciving by divine inspiration a message from God, he spake to the men of Sheehem the following parable: "The trces went forth on a timc to anoint a king over them ; and they said unto the olivc-trce, Reign thou over us. But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I lcave my fatness, w11ercwith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trocs said to the fig-troc, Corne thou, and reign over us. But the fig-trcc said unto them, Should I forsake my swcetncss, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees nnto the vine, Come thou, and rcign ovcr us. Aud the vine said unto thorn, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God an<l. man, and go to be prornoted over the trocs? Then said all the trees unto the bramle, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramb1e said unto the trocs, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then corne and put your trust
"'"
A~imelctli
rncnns ln Englisll, Faih"' and King,
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in my shllflow: and if not, let. fire come out of the hra01ble, autl de vour the ceda18 of Lebnnon" (Judges ix. 8-15). J othu.m proceeded to apply the word:-:. of ihIB pnrablc to what Israel had done, in tliat thcy lmd choscn Abimelcch, a lowbom, haughty, and ('rnel mun, to he tl1eir king, in prcfereuce to the !awful heir, wl1om lie hnrl treacherom<ly dcstroyed, 1Ulil prcllicte<l that the re of eiYil discord would hc ki11dlcd an10ng them, and tcrminatc, as a con~equence, in thcir mutual destruction. Allhongh thi.:; inspirccl parnlile, in its proximate sense, wus strik~ ingly npplicable to the historien! circumstances in which the kingdom of farnel was thon plnccd, it is pcrpetunted in the \\'or<I of Cod, not simply to conYcy admonition to nations aml th<ir rulcrs, hut bc<ause, in its holy internai ~ense, it hns rnfercncc to somcthing that transpires in the minds au<l experience of al! men. In the. idol::itrous worship of the rebellions Turn<.'liles, nnd the punishment of sla,cry and opprc~sion to whiC'h they were snjected l1y the implacahle ~Iidiuuites, which, as n corrcsponding rcsult of their impious ronduct, tliey hrought upon the1nsdves, wc see st.riking reprcse1ll.at\'<.' figures of the nwful dcparturc of men from the pure 1vorship of the t.rue God, to the worship of self, and, as a con:.equenC'e, the u.wful ami dL~trc.o;.ing copti vity of the soul to sensual passions antl cruel propensitie:1, which evcr seck to exalt themsclves above the lo\e and scnicc of Go, :md to wl1ich they ure obno:ons. From such appalling statcs of spirituu.1 bonduge an<l tyranny nothing can defer us but a lrnrnblc ucknowledgment of our transgrc::;sions. This brings to our 11.id Divine intcrJ~isition. \\'ben mcrci mc npparcntly withdrawn, ttn<l pnst dclfreranccs ure forgottcn or fochly rewcmered, ho1f pro1rn arc wc to turn again to our evil ways, and rcsume our cvil habits, to forget onr gracions Deliycrcr, and t-0 enthrone within us, ns the ehicf ruler of onr desircn and thoughts,-our father and king,~the low-hQ rn, ambitions, sor<lid, and forocious love of self, signific<l by A bimclecl1. Thus we stnnd in nced of the constant correction tmd ndmonition contained in the par:ible of the trec,;. The bramble, as a hnrtful shruh, llignifi those in<lividuals who, Iike J \ bimelech, ttre influence<l only hy Jm,, sclfish, domineering dcsires und worl<lly motives; and, in the abstract, such tlesircs and motives tlicmS<'lv, togethcr with tl1e states of mind and lite in which tbey :ire rherisl1cd. Gi<lcon, on a prcvious occasion, lmrl said, "The Lonn ~hall rule O\'cr you ; " but tl1e people wcre not willing to be lc nnd governcd by Him. Thrreforc, in sccking for a !:!Upremc rnlcr,
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they are represented as applying fust to the olive-tree, significative of intcrnal celestial goodnc,;s <lcrived from love; secondly, to the figtrcc, significative of extemal ce1estial goodncss groundcd in obcrlicucc; tliirdly, to the vine, significative of spiritual goodness procceding from a sincere affection of truth, all originating in the Lord ; and t11e refu sal of thcse trees im11lics that the people were hecome so sclfish and wickcd that they 'rnul<l not sub1nit to the Lord, nor to any heavenly infl.uence of goodncss or truth procceding from Him. J,astly, they apply to the bramblc, significatiwi of spurious goodness springing from hypocrisy, under which is the infernal love of dominion, significd by the expressions attrihutcd to this trcc, "Put your trust in rny shadow," ruHl which, notwithstanding appearances to the contmry, they desired should rcign over them. For, in such a sensual, carnal state, here rcprescnted by Israel, a state from which pcacc and con conl are absent, the olive-tree of celestial love and charity is neither de~iro<l to reign, nor could reign, without "leaving its fatness where with Go<l and man are honorcd." Nor could the fig-tree of naturaT gooncss and truth be plomotcd, whcre mutual goo-will and social kindness are banishcd, without " forsaking its sweetness and good fruit" of genuine piety and morality. Nor yet could the vine of sncrccl wisdom assume dominion without "lenv:ing its" delicions "wine which cheereth God and mnn,"-well-plcasing to the Divine giver, and a source of delightful refrcshmcnt to the humble rcceive1. So t.hc trees are dcscrihcd as applying to the bramble,-the cvil which spl'ngs frorn falsity an<l hypocrisy,-as their true king. This they regard as their only good. The bramble willingly accepts the sovereignty, and they faney themsel ves securc. This willingness on the part of the bramble forcihly imlicates its suitablencss to the disposition of those over whom it is clcctcd to reign; but, mark the awful conclusion. '\Vhcn truth is separated from its lifo, when the outward profession of gotllincss h; but the hypocritical covering of inward lusts, knowl erlgc confcrs the power of doing ovil instead of good; anrl, unless prevented by timely and heart-felt repentance, the burning tire of concupiscence breaks forth to the destruction of conscience, and the annihilation of all tranquillity and joy. Even the glorious ccdars of Lebanon,-those truths revcaled frorn heavcn, which may be perccived and confirrned by the lofty powers of the reason,-bcm1 before its dcsohting progrc&i, and it rages in its unquenchcd and tormenting ficrceness forever (Isa. lxvi. 24 ; :Jfark ix. 43-48). ln the sermon on the mount, our blesse<l Lord and Saviour instructs
CORRESPONDENCE OF TIIE VF.GEPABLE WORLD.
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us, from the objects of the vegetable world, bow we arc to disting11ish bet,reen good and evil intentions. "'e are to know them hy the fruits which they bring forth, or the effects they liave upon our tcmpers and conduct. "Do men," says He, "gatl1cr grapes of thorns, or figs of tbistles? Even ::;o every good tre bringcth fortb good fruit ; but a corrupt tree hringeth forth corrupt fruit. Every trcc that bringeth nol forth good fruit is lrnwn down and ca.st into the fire. '\Vl1ercfore by thcir fruits ye shall know them" (Mntt. vii. 16--20). In ordcr to repress an overweening and inju6ous anxiety for the morrow. to withdmw us from ail trust in our own vain pmdence, to excite within us an implieit dcpendence on the cnre and protection of Him without whose superintending Providence notl1ing could cxist, and to tench us, finally, that truth or fit h alone, however glittering and gaudy, is insufficient for our salvation, He directs our attention to the verdure and bcauty of t11e grass and the flowers which mmmcl the fields, but may be, notwithst.anding, cnst into the 0\'11. In se11sous of trial arnl tcmptution, the truths of heaven appear to be withdrawn, as the t!owers fac during the inclemency of winter. But on the rcturn of nnother spring and smmuer, the sun arises in its strcngth and they are renewed, a11d appear again in :tll their hrilliancy, glory, and fragrunec, to adorn, to delight, and to rcfrcsh the mind. "Consider,'' snys He, "the lilics of the field, how they grow; they toil not, ncither do they spin : a.nd yet I say unto you, tliat evcn Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 'Vherefore, if God so clothe tl1e grass of the field, wbich to-day is, and to-morrow is cnst. into the oven, ::;hall IIe not much more clothc you, 0 ye of littlc fith? Therefore take no thonglit, saying, 'Vhat sliall we eat? or, Whnt shall we drink? or, 'Vhere1vithal ;;hall we be clothtl? (fr after nll thcsc things do tl1e Gentiles scck): for your heavenly Father knoweth tl1at ye have uccd of all these things. Bnt ::;cck ye first the kingdom of God and bis righteousness; and nll thew things ;;hall be added unto you" (Matt. vi. 28-33). In regard to such evil and false principlcs as are implanted by birtl1 in the natural mind, IIe affinns in :mothei- place, "Evcry plant \\hich my heavenly Fathcr harh not planted, shalJ be :rooted up" 121 ( Matt.
" ' " Ei'CT!Jplant, ac. E1ery doctrh1e whkh , cvcry klnd of sin. but wron~ and pcrwr<e lik<' the v11in trRditions of the el<le1'8, is not tcnching. 'Bnrh spurions sccds,' rem.nrks ~t. founded ou the Word of God, hutn. hurnnn in- Bnsil~ arc pro(h1ccd uot Ly any ehungc in v'ntion, ~haH be crad1C"atc<l. and troycd; the sced com, !>ut subslst l>v nn origln or -1{e)rk'/.t'&: Comm. thcirown, havingnn npproprlu kind. Yor.. "Tal'<! "ncl wccili; are fuise prindples: not and they fui.fil the i.nrngc of those who adul
19*
222
TllE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.
xy. 13). And John the Ba1)tist, speaking from an in.spiral dict.ate of the power of divine truth, which is rcvcaled to man in orrlcr to extirpate such false and evil principles from the mind, declnrcs, "And now also the axe 8 laid unto the root of the tree: thcreforc cvery trcc wlch bri11geth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire" (l\Iatt. iii. 10). The Lord also teachcs us, in the parable of the tares 128 and the whcat (Matt. xiii. 25-36), the just distinction which obtaius bctween genuine and spurious f..ith and charity ; such goo1l fruits as originatc from the Lonl Hirnsclf and from the activities of his R oly Spirit, or such false doctrines as are the productions of sclfintelligcnce, and such spurious practices as originate in self:righteous ness, the fruits of merc cxternal zeal an formai morality, which clnim as a mcrit the applause of men, instea of the praiso of God. In the parable of the sower, the Lord again teacbcs that if the seed, which is the \Vord of God, or the divine truths of heaven revealed therein, full "among thorns," which fitly represcnt the sor<lid cures and sen sual pleasures of this world, it is said that " the thorns spring up with it and choke it." "But that on the good ground," He says, " are thcy who, in un honcst and good heart, ha ving heard the W ord, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience" (Luke viii. 7, 14, 15). Again, our Lord compares Himsclf, iu the process by which He wns glorified, to "a corn of whcat falling iuLo the ground," an afterwards "bringing forth much fruit" (John xii. 2-1). The sa.me 1lgurc is tL striking representative of man's regcn<.'ration, by the in ward rcception of truth and goodncss, and of his spiritual growth and fruitfulncss. The return of ''egetation in the scason of spring is so truc an emblcm of the process of regcner::ttion by which man obtttins ncwncss of life, and also of the rcsurrcction of the soul into a new st:ate of
tcrntc the doctrines of the Lord, and ln no untll the hancst iB at Jumd, wllen the !,'l'ain gcnulnc w11.y bccmnc diSl-iplcs of bis Word, becomcs ncarly bl.u:k. 0 This m orning l pl uckcd n globe of the but r11.ther ara corruptc<l by the tcachlni,;s of the evil one, yct mlnglc themsclvcs w!th dnndclion,-the CC cl vesse1,- and wns truck, the bealthful body of tho Church.' "-Hex n.~ ncver bcfore, with the silent, gentleman <m , V. 5, p. 41. B. ner ln whit'h N"ture sows htr R'ed; und l "lly the tares or the \VOrld, or convcut!one.l askcd if th.18 is not the way lu whith the maxlm, the seeds of Christian Truth are be spiritual sccd, trulli, is to be sown, I o;aw, too, ing d&ily chokcd and de~troyed." -R. Jfont- how :."aturc sows hcr S<>e<l bron.rlcast; how the fl"1'1C'1J Martin' Anal71m of the Bi.bit. pref., g06l<llmer wing of the oonddion s'1 seau.ers p.14. . it far and w!dc; how lt fan. ns by ncc!dent, >a The Grcck word trnnslatcd lares,nowhere and scnds up the plant wherc no one suseb;c ours. h is thougM t.o mcun the lolium pects. So we must ~nd truth 11bro1ul, not tcmulentum, n bastard or degencrnte wheat, forcing it on hcre 11.u<l wheat ancl watching its progrcss anxiously, but trmtlng mu<lc into l>rcnd, prouccs verti!,'O; whcn that it will l1ght on a kindly soil, and yleld the artditienal name, tcmulrnlum. Tt is vcry Ils fruit. i!o Nature t.caches."-I>r. Olanillicult to d!stini:uish li from pure whcat ni11g'1 Jtcmoiri;, yoJ. m., pp. 471, 1i&
COll/ l'OKlJJ<:XCI? OP 1'HF: VECET.iRLB JORLD.
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existence in the spiritual 1rorld, that few can u1i.stake it. Uu<ler t.bi8 symbol, the apo8tle Paul speuks of a rcsurrection from spiritual cath, ancl also of the r e;urrcction to spiritual lifc at the death of the body, calling them fools who <lid not perceirn so pluin an a1mlogy. " Thon fool," z::.ays lie, "that wltich tho11 so1H~t is not quickcned, exccpt it die: and that 1vhich thou scmcst, thou sowest not tlrnt body tlmt ,:hall Le, but barc grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some otl1cr grain. So also," adds hc, "i.;; the r csurrection of tl10 cnd" (1 Cor. xv. 36, 37, 4'2). F or it is the 1 ital gcrm, within the body or sub8tance of t.he st.'<'d, 11 hich rini,rs f.irt.h and 1 cgctatcs,-thc outward coYcriugs whon .sepnratccl from the living gcrm are decomposed, and cither ab:;orbc1l or dissipated; nnd just soit is with the natural body, when the I\ing, ,;cntient spirit is by 1lcu~h separuted thercfrorn. And lest the grossminde Corinthi.:111s, to whoru he wa.s addrcssing this lcttcr, hliuuld 111istukenly su11pose, t hat, inst.eml of 8J 1eaki11g to thom on the subjects of rcgcucmtion and resurrcction to eterna l lifo, he was iulvocating the ,Jcwish nothlll of the rcsurreetion of the malerial body, lie cmphatically arldll, " Thcre is a natnral body, and therc i,; a :;piritual boy. Kow this I say, hrcthrc11, that flesh nnd bl()(xl canuot inhcrit the kingdom of God; neitl1cr 1 loth corruption inherit iucorruptio11. So whcn this corruptible shnll haYc put on incorruption, and tlii.s morfal shnll have put on inimortnlity, then shall be brought to pass the 8aying thnt '> written, D cuth is swallowe<l up in Yictory" (\'erses 44, .'iO, IH ). The L ord also says tlrnt such- a.:1 heur his word a1UI belie\c it, are 4, raised from the grave: thcy pn.~s from dcuth unto lifc (.Jo]m v. 22.3). Ami in his first gcneml Epi:;tlc, the npostle John writc,., "We know that wc hnve pas~ed [nlreudy 1mssed] from dcath unto lifo, becauEe \1c love tl1c brethren. H e thnt loYcth not his brother <thidcth in dcath" (iii. U ). The troes ;.igni~v the rharch and her iuembers as to the receptiou 0f the knowlcrl~f'.s, 1loctrinc~. nnd trnlhs of t he \Vord, the good aiictions thcrcto belongin~, ancl the works which proc<l therefrom; und in nn opposite i;cnse, the )Xll'\'Cr:;ion of ail trnth froni the implantation of fol.se prineiplcs in the mimi, togctl1er with the cvil affections thcrcto bclonging, :ind the vile works which arc thcrd1y prodnccd, l\S is e1ident from a great vuricty of passa~L'l> in the \Yor<l of God. Thus, "Blesscd is the rnun who.~e delight i~ in the lnw of the Lor; in bis lrrw doth he Illt'ditate clny aml ni~ht. A ml hc shnll be likc a trec planted hy the ri ,ers of 11nter, tlrnt hriogeth forth hi,; fruit in ltis ;,i1son i his leaf 11li'Q i:.hall not witbcr, ttud wha.tsoe\'er he doeth
224:
Tlll: SC!ENCB OF CORRESPONDENCES.
,;hall prosper. The nngodly are not so, but are like the clu1ff which the wind drivcth away" (Psahn i. 2--:!). And ttgain we rcad, "Th1ts saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth ia ruan, arnl makcth flcsh his arrn, and whosc heurt rlcpartcth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good corneth; bnt shall inhabit the parchc places ln the wildcrncss, iu a salt land and not inhabite<l. Blesscd is the man that trnsteth in the Lord, an whosc hopc the Lord is. For he shall be us trce plantcd by the waters, and that sprcflcth out hcr roots hy the river, and shall not see whcn hent comcth, but hcr leaf i;;lrnll be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease f'rom yieMlng fruit" (Jcr. xvii ..5-8). And in ordcr to tcneh us that He will humble the proud an<l exalt the lowly,-that He will cause the verdure of me1e intellectual attainrnents and the hope of extcrnal profession to withcr forevcr away,-that t.he mi ml which is destitutc of intelligence, ns the t1cc of the ari\l (]esert is of moisture, but which sincerely dcsircs it, He will makc lo llourish by the rivera of living water~, the Lor<l says, "All the trces of the field shall know tlrnt l the Lord have brought clown the high tree, have exalted the low troc, have dried up the green tree, urnl have made the <lry tree to flourish: I the Lord ha,e spokcn and have clone it " (Ezek. xvii, 24). Profrsing membcn; of the chutc11, who fail to bring forth the fruits of usefulnese in the life, are furthcr dcscrihed as "trees cnmbering the ground" (Luke xiii. 7 '. The hyssop, bitter to the taste, and f1011 ri::lhing on walls, is spokcn of in the W or<l to signify extcrnul tru th arn1 its corrcspon<ling goodnt>ss, or the gcnuine doctrines of the let.ter of the \Yonl, and a life of charity in agreement thcrewith ; for such doctrines inculcate the hittcrncss of self-deninl, nnd thus are rnediums of spiritual purification. Hence thi:; hcrb '"" wns cnm111n1Hled tu be used in the Levitical erremonials for the cleansing of lcprosy, and in cornposing the 1rntcrs of purification. In tllis scnse, too, the P:>almist, from the depths of contrition, irnplorc(l the divine rnercy in these mernorable wonb, "Purge me wiLh hysEop, and I shall be clean: wnsh me, and l shall be wliitcr t.lmn snow" (Psalm li. 7). But the lufty, rnujcstic, and e\'ergrecn eedar, which Solomon eontrm;ted with the lowly hyssop, nbonnding in the forests of Lcbanon, and yielding un aro1uatic aud valuable wood, wliich, in consequcuce of its <lurahleness, was regardecl a:; i11eorruptilc, signifes, in a good scnsc, the internai or Gpirituul trut.h
1'9
ln Hcbrew, thi herb l 1allcd by a wor which dcnot.cs it.s detcrsive nml clcnuslng
qnalitics.
'
CO!UlESI'O!WE. YC E OF Till:: VF:CE1'Afl/, E Jl'Olll lJ.
22
of the \\Tord of Gml ratinnally pcrccived, and i ts appropriato goodllCS8, - :\ nttional knowk 't!ge of thingi; spiritual, nml !l\\ ard pcr cep tions thcrcof, npplied to exalted and cnduring goodm:ss of l1enrt and life. He11cc dar-wood wai; so extensivcly 11scd in t11c construction of the represcntative temple, und the Ps:ilmiEt ~ays, "The rightcous sliall grow like a. ccdar in J..ebanou " (Psulm x cii 12). " The tree:; of the L ord arc full of 1:1ap: the cedars of Lelmnon, which Ile hnth planle<l" ( l'salrn civ. 1()). H e calls upon " frnitful trees nrnl al! ccdal"!J, to prai8c the name of tl1e L ord " (l'salm cxlviii. 0, 13). .An<l the nnwilling prophet pronounced Isrnel's goo<lly tu bernacles ns " codar-tref ~ide the waters " (Kum. xxiv. H) . So, ag:iin, " the t rec of lifc," "hich sig nifies, in a snpremc ~ense, the T ...ord Himi'elf, as to his lfinc ]o,-e, whence procee<l5 lhc cternal wisdom of hi::! "\\' ord , and, in a rnbur< linute sense, man's inmost love nnrl lif derivccl from Him, and <lirected towanl:i U im, is <lcscrilx.d as bc:u-i11g twelve mnnncr of fruits,- produciug, JY t he L ord's prc~encc and influence in t.hc :iffcc tions nud thoughts, nll kinds au<l degr ces of good wor ks,-worh of u;ie au<l chnrity, fi-ecly donc hy man, appnr ently as of hi1118elf: but in ronlity fro1u the opcratious of th<i J,orrl in him and by him . . A nd it is furt hor sai<l of this " tn. -e of life" that " the lea v "-all cxtern:tl lmowledgcs nn<l doctrines-" are giyen for tlie hcali11g of Lhe na tioru;," tha t is, wcre deHigne<l to restore men from the encrvatiug n111lacl;f'S of sin to stn.tcs of spiritual health and yigor, und thn~ lead them to u chccrful and t. 'Onsc:icntions ohser vnn ce of ull the outwnrd dutics of moral und chil lifo (Rev. :x:xii. 2; Ezek. xlvii. 12). The palm is sometirnes calle<l the date-tr ee. It is evcrg rccn, nh rnys flouri<>hing and fruitfl, and is celebratcd for the three hundrerl aud sixty uses to which the lofiy trnnks, tl1e aspiring hrnnchcs, t he umhrngeous l ca\'es, nnd the ple1U:<ant ancl nourisl1ing fruit, arc said to be applicalile. It grows by Springs of sweet water, aurl ita Hel>rew appellation, iu its radical ineaning, ex pr esses its npng htnCll5 anrl stature, ~it ne\er uaturally grows crookerl. It was oue of the constuntlytccurriug omument8 of Llie carved work of Solomon 's temple, aml pilasters werc macle in the benutifu) fnu of its tnmk. Rrnnchc.; of palm wcre carried anciently hcfre conq11crors, in their t d umpliant processions, as siguals of victory. Ilcnce they were hornc and cnst bcfore the lJOrrl, on his entraucc into ,Terusnlem, witl1 cl'ies of h oeanna ( .Tohu xii. 13), rcpr cscnta tivc of 11is triumphant en trancc as tl1e rlccmcr i11to his nhunh, and eacl1 i1Hlivi1hml composing it; and wcrr 5(. '<:11 hy J uhn in the band,; of an gels (Ilcv. vii. 9), ns cllnoting viclnr~ .':'
nc-
226
Tl/E SCJB.\('p, Of.' CO/tRF:SI'VXfJR,YCES.
uml confession. For palms );ignify, in the ""\Yord, ll'i:sdom and intel ligcnce from the Lord, n acti; an<l use, pro<lucing ail kinds and de grees of spiritual good11cs~; thus perfoct uprightucss from the 1'1ve of g001lncs.s, kmling to the cuufi:..o<;;ion tJiat all victory O\'Cf spiritual cnemics i:> from faith in <.:onjunction with divine power, m1d :;o Io the rcnunciittion uf self-mcrit. The farneltc:s, in t,heir journey frmu Egypt, pitched thcir fir:>t ca1111i nt a r esting-plnce whorc tbey found twelvc fuuntains of water and thrcescorc and ten palm-trl-'CS; f\O the rci--cnerating CJ1ri.stinu, in hi.s progrcss througb the wildernes5 of tempt.ation, fiuds dhinc consolation, refre:ihmcnt, and rcst nt Blim, n stntc of irn,;lruction a.ml affection, in which the truths of faitb in all nbun1htncc, and the goo(\ uffcctio11s thencc rcsulting, in all fulne:ss, arc fouwl for tlle support an<l encouragement of' the finting i:oul. "The rightoom; shall flourisli likc the pahn" (Ps. xcii. 12). But whcn the pahu is mcntione<l in an oppooite scnse, it denote:; :;elf-de rirn<l intelligence, i:clf-worship, and a vain aml spuriou:s momlity. The idols, thercfore, spokcu of in Jcr. x. 5, arc descri1Jc1l as being "upriJ!ht ns the palrn-trcc;" for in such astate of mentul pcncrsio11 mul pride thcre is no ronfrssion of divine ai<l, an it i:; said they "speak not,'' an<l arc powcrlci;s to do any goo<l; "thcy must nccds l>e borne, hecausc they canuot go." When the Lor predicts the cstnhlishment of a new Dispcnsation of goo<lnct'S ami truth in the mirnls of meu, amJ dcscrihcs the re:mlting change;; wh ich would cmme,-thc streams of spiritual an<l naturnl k11owledge 1u11l intelligence which He would cause to ilow from JliruscH; throngh his \Yur, to banish ignornncP,,-to illustmte nmJ cnrich ihe cxtcrnal mind, together with lhc abundant glorics and manifol.l privilege.s wit.h wl1ich the members of the currh would in conscquence be ble;;:;cd and adorne, an the rational und evcr-ncw tnith!:! and delights wit,h wl1ich they would be amply supplicd iu the proccf:S of regeneration, H e ~ays, in the l:mgunge of corrcspondcncc, hy the mouth of the i11spircd prophet, "I will open river:> i11 l1igh plucel;, und fountains in the mid.st of the valley:s : l will make the wildcrne;;s 11 pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plnnt in the wildcrncss the ccar of' Shittah, and the myrtle and the olivctree; I will set in the descrt the fir-trcc, and the pi ne, and the boxtrcc togcther " 130 ( I~a. :di. l 8, 19 ; ami, a:ain, l::;a. xxxv. 1, 2, 7 ).
1 .s Rev.J. H.l'<nillhROu's VRlunlJle Trmu 1 an inf<'rior order; the olt-t~. t.hc 1icr1Jtin11 lulion of Iaiuh, l'P se,;-,, 419. of gtl<Kl and then of trutli: the fir-trcc, The c<.>dnr deuotc rat!o111\I trnth u{ a U nntuml tmth of Il. superiur orer; the plue, pC'rior ordcr; the rnyrtlc, rational truth of 1mtural truth of rrn incrior orer; nnd the
OORRESl'OXIJEl\'CE 01? Tl!E
ver; 1:'1'A R/, P, lroRLD.
227
These trecs arc evcrgrccns of the lowt onler, and inclnde a il kimlti: they manifcstly dcn<Jte tlie nwst extcrnal of th ose di vine gifts with which the soul is enrichcd in the progress of its great chunge from tl dcscrt t o a fruitful field, m11! in which :flourishing state it hlo~"oms in lovelincss and fcrtiJity, nnd is said to "rejoice and blossom like the rc." But .in regard to t he spiritual blcssings an lestial ilclit'ltC<'S of love nnd wisdom in the internai facultics of tl1e soul, 1trnl thcir per1ictual increase, togethcr with the snfety and rc:st ohtained hy the f.iithful members of so g lorions a dispensation, trees bearing relishing, nouri::;hing, gladdening fruit, are introduced, as in the following passage (Deut. viii. 7-9), to the words in it. While of the perpetuity and security of sueh a sta.tc it is writtcn, " They shall sit evcry man un<ler his vine, an Ullder his fig-tree; an d none filmll muke him iraicl" t Miea.h iv. 4 ). " Bkssed," thercforc, " is the man thaL trustC't h in the LoRD, ancl wl1ose hope t.hc LoRn is. For hc shall be us n trcc plnntcd by the waters, and thut s1irendcth out hcr roots by the river , 1tJ1d i>hnll not see when heut cometh, but hcr leaf shull be green; and i>hnll not be cnrcful in the ycar of drought, ucithcr shull ceasc from yicldiag fruit" (Jer. x vii. 7, 8) . .Agnin, the samc wonderful and m omentous subjcct of the regencra tiun of man, with Ll1c graduai proccss by which it is effectcd, is t hus spokcn of by another pro1>het; "I," Jchova h, " will be us t he dew unto l srael: he shall grow as the lily, and cnst frth his roots us Lcbnnon. His branches sbull ~prend, and his henuty sl1nll be us tl1e olivetree, and bis smcll ns Lebauon. They that wcll nJHlcr bis slrndow shall return; thcy shall r evive us the corn, and g row ns t he vine : tl1c scent thcrcof shnll he as the wine of Lcba11on " (H os. xiv. 5-7) . H ere the commenrement of regencration li! ckscrihed, in" hi ch the di\ine influences descend into the soul us the gcntle dew is depoi'itc<l on the tender herb (Deut. xxxii. 2). Ily tl1is the principlcs within the mind ure renovatcd and vivifie<l. T o grow, or rntl1cr hlm;. ~m , as the Iily signifies,-to be<,'Omc receptive of truths of henvcn npprori ate to sueh a stnte in the under:>t:mding, t o 1icrcci\-e 1hei1 hca uty, imd tliat they wcrc dcsigncd to encour age us in sta tes of t rial, to gi Vt> us vietory in c\cry confliet of temptation, and to cnublc us with joyfl heart<> to bring forth the fruits of picty and holiness in thG lifc."1 To ca8t forth roots as Lebanon, si11:11ifies not 011ly to ae11uiro
ho~. the nndcr,tnnding of J!ood and C ru th in 1 m " The Jo tu ls n wnter-lily, " h clfc hroud Utc n11tc1rAl priuciple.~:t . };. iSO. Gra"' t lf, iu l he iirentn<-t hmncfatlou~ of t he Nile_ not'"'"'"i<'nc.. fr.m a~piritu~l or!Jlfn,l>ywhich tb<.'S wllh the flood, a nd ls never over piritual truth i. con!Orrucd.-A. E. 6-.ti.
228
TllF: l?CTF.XCR OF CORRF:Sl'O.V/JRXr'f:S.
but to rntai11 ~nclt trnths, so that they will be allowed to cxtenrl tlll'ir influence 1lownward:,; into the lowest or n:\tural and s<'11s111tl principles of the mind. wherc thcy hecome fixed aml confirmed elcments of :spiritual life. By the branche:< spreading in the open atmphcro is siguified a surcccding stittc, in which truths and knowlc<lg<>s ~re esten1le<l towurds l1eaven, -are muHipled, arrangea, nnd invigorated, hcc11ui:;c thcy are a11 rcganled as having relation to the fruits of love anll charity, of which, whcn they are hrougl1t forth, or made manifest in the attractive excellences of a good lif e, it is said, t he beauty slutll be as the olive-trcc. By the sccnt heing ns Lcbanon is signified, tlint thus the l1ighest state of intelligence from rational perception i;; attained, and man becomcs, in hi finite degree, flly rorcptive of celes'C of his right l111nd tinl truth anil }oye from t ho Lord; "a frngrant tn.. plunting" ( ba. lx. 21) ,- "a t ree of rightcousuess," la<lcn with the rich fruits of wis<lom, virtue, intelligence, obe<liencc, antl use, prepared to he trnn;i.planled to the pam11ise of God. H ence it is arhleil, "thcy tlmt dwcll under his shadow shall rcturn; they ~h:tll rcvfrc ns the corn, and grow as thc vine: the sceut thereof shall bc as the wine of Le:mon." Jt is from this corrcspondeuce of the vegetablc workl to the chureh, the man of the church, and t.he int.erior 11rinci11les of the human rnind, both in respect to ~ood and evil, truth and fbity, tlrnt trecs arc imid to know ( Ezck. H. 2-1-) ; t-0 clap their hnll(ls ( fsa.. l v. 12) ; to sing ancl rejoice ( Ps. xcvi. 12); to praiise the Lord ( P~. c:dviii. !J) ; to emy (Ezck. xxxi. fi); to be withered (.Joel i. 12); to ho eurnbereri:; of the ground (Lukc xiii. 'i); to be hurnt up (Joel i. l!J).132 Again, the Lord's foet signify his didnc natural prindple, ami, in conscqucnre thercof, the literai scnsc of bis m L H oly \Yonl, aull also his chnrch on earth. For the fect arc those pnrts of the body wliich are in immediato contact with the grournl, and ou wliich the hody rests as upon a base; and the litera} sen,;e is tlia.t containttnt on which the divine will anil wisdom rcst, and are rcvealcd to the Phurch.
whclmed."-J/T'J,1(1,.t; r;ee Jlib. R c11CC1rtl1I', \'OI. !., p. 2U9. "The lVhite mnjcstic llowcl:'S wcrc formcrly wo\r:n into t.hc erowns of conqucrors.''~ Bcaut. of 11ai. rmrl Art Di$JJ., Ytll. x.il., p. Hl.
l)t "
- - ----- - - -
"My soul. a ho" Jing willlem<"'S, i'hll thcn such bcantics wcn.r, The.t hrovcu with rllptur<' ;ho.li confcE Thy workmn11hlp 18 \J1cre."-Scrk.
The fn1lt of tre<!F, wh\tl1cr propcr for the
S}llrit of r. ral'e ! my hcart renew, Bach f:ilthful Christian crle.5; And w llrrc the wcefl~ of crror grcw, Let plunl.8 of truth arise.
me c>f man and animnls or uot,and whcthcr they arc bcrri()l<, n ul-<, or pnlpy fruit, will Ill wnyK f.~rvc to a..."lhittl u~ in a..'SC'eri.M.iuing Uac
HOCciflc ~1Jn1iflcittinn of the trcc which produce<l it, and to contirm lhe gc1mi11CIH!t;S of the wcaning.
(JO/WRSPONDF:NCE ()~' 1'HE YEOETAB!,E WORLIJ.
22\.l
Hencc, when the prophet I::!niah prcdicls the future glorious state of the L ord's king<lom on eurth, when tl1e cxnlted 1loctrines and trnth~ of the ord, repte.scoted hy the nohlt productions of the >egelable kingdom, would be <liscovered, and his peoplc would i)laiuly pcrivc tl1nt the outwnrd letter an<l the chorch b y whom it. is r eccivcd, were the vcry hold, or r esting-placc, or s:mctunry of the Lord with 111un, He says, "Tbe glory of Lchanon shnll come unto thcc, the fir-trcc, the piul'-tree, nnd the box together, to lx-nutify the place of ruy snuctnary; awl I will mnke tho place of my fcet glorious '.' (lx. 13); or, as fshop L owth more cmphatically traJlslatcs the lutter clnuse, "that I may glorify the pince whcreon I r est my feet." To cknote, furtlwr, that nll these faculti and blessingi; are dcrived -evcry moment of cxistencc-from the J ,ord alone, through his hloorl, and aro t.hc gifts of <livine love, which is e\er acthe for their })l'CS<'rvation an cn ltivation, Ile says, "I am the truc vine, arnl my Fnthcr is the hushandman. Every brunch in me that bearcth not frui t, IIe taketh away: and every brnnch that bearcth fruit , lie puri:, rcth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." "Abide in 1ne, nnd I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it~elf, except it aldrle in t.hc vine; no more <:m ye, except ye nbidc in me. I a m the vinr, ye ar e tlll' hnmchcs : lie that abideLh in me, ru1d I in him, the same hringcth forth much frnit: for without me ye eau do nothing" (J olrn xv. 1-5). How fll of co1~h1tion and inslruetiou ure thce di\'ine cxprcssion.'l wlien riglitly urnle rstood ! Thnt trees, in the "Tord, signify man, an<l, abslractedly, principles of the lrnman mintl, both good nuit bad, !I still ful'thcr evidcnt froru what the L ord says hy the 11rophet Ezekicl, whcn prcdicting the jugment which thcy induce upon themselvcs who profancly nssocinte the doctrines nrnl truths of tl1e H oly word with t.heir own 8cnsual lusts nn<l falsc persunsions, and thut they \1ould pcrish by the Jo,c of evi!. "Ron of 11w.n, set thy face toward the sou th, and rop tl1y mml t.oward the south, and prophesy agaiust t.he forcst of the south field ; mu! say to tho forest of tho south, H car the wonl of the w1w ; Thus snith the Lor Gov; Uehuld, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour evcry green tree in thee, and cvery <lry trec: the flaming !lame ~hnll not he qucnched, nnd nll faces frorn the south to the north Rhall be hurnrd thcrein. And all flesh shall sec that I the Lorm have kimlled it: it shall not be qul'nched. Theo s.1.ill I , ,\ h, Lord C:oD ! they sny of me, Dot.h hc ilOt spcak parable.s '!" (Ezek. xx. 4()-40.) And also what the Lord Rays by the sa.me vrophct where
"r
20
230
1'lll? SCIENCh' OF
GO!W.l~'Sl'ONJ)RN(JES.
ho is trC'ating of the destruction of a pervertl'd ehurch gl'nerally and iu<lividually, hy skcptical roa:>oning, and the establisl1mo11t of a New Church tunong the Gent ilrs, and describrs the proce1<s of vivification, or regcneratio11, in cach in<lividual rnembcr, lie says, " A n<l ail the trocs of t he field," etc. ( E zck. xvii. 24). In furth<'r proof, let mE? direct your attention t.o the signification of wood, whch in gcnernl corre8ponds to natural goodness. \V oml is ohtained from n tree which horc somc kind of appropriate fruit, in agreemen t with its peculiar nat.ure; from most kins au oil may he l'xprellscd; it may be enkindled, and ser ve the purvo:;c of affor<ling genial wnrruth to the lmdy; it was andcntly employcd in the construction of temples, calle hou!>C\'> of God, mul in the formation of vit.rions musical instrunHnts employed in the celcbrations of wo1Rhip ; it i~ abo cxtensivcly used in the c-onstruction of hab itutions, and the fabrication of innumerahk arli<>les of couvcuience arnl u;ir; and frorn all the:;c chamcterist.ic>', and many others foun<led in its HS<"S, it~ physiological structure, aiHl enm its chemical composition, it may be mo1:1t satL-,factorily pn1\cd that various kinds of wood, especially such us arc prccious and durabl<.>, correspond to v:1rious principks of goodncs,i or charity, natural, rnt.itmal, spiritual, or celcstial, or thcir intermediates, nppcrtaining hoth to the interna! and the cxtcrnal min<l an1l lif. But iu the oppo~itc f<euse, woo wl1ich hns no intrin~ic vnluc, th e fruit of t he tree whcnrc it is hewn being dcscribed as cvil, or in itself abouncting wit h ~uch qualities as arc hurtful or de:;;truc li 1e, or wh<>rc it is pervert<"<l to a wicked purposc, corresponds to wl1at is evil, in somc of the abme clegrccs, an<l has reb..tiou to the lu~ts of 1hc unregeneratc man aml llis wickcd dnings. In th(' former, or good SClli!e, thcrdilrc, cedar-woorl, Ils sig nifying works of charity performl'!l from rationn.I intellig<"ncc and gO<Xlnei;s, i1:1 fiJ>Oken of so frequcntly in rcfcrence to the T cmpJc nt .Jerusalcm, and in the Mosaic ritnal i~ directed to be applied in the purification of the Ieper, when tlic ])luguo of Jcprosy wus hcaled ( T-<-v. xiv. 4). It is this principle of goodne$S in the will aml lifc wliid 1 huil<ls up the Lonl's d welliug-pl:tro in the soul, and without which i l is impsihlc that mnn can he renewe<l arnl clcansc<l nftcr ho h:is hcen ~mittC'n hy the dircfl "plagnc of his own hcart;" for he hns profano<l to evil purposes the holy things of Gotl'~ or<l, and such are given up to their unckanncss who "change thr truth of God into a 1ie " ( Hom. i. 2.'i), This profanation of truth is always significol hy the plague of lcprol'y; und bl'cause the ,fr1n1, hcing in po~i'l'.\lSou of the 'Vord of God, wcre more than othcr nation;1
'V
OORRESI'OXDHNCI!: OF TllliJ VF:OETA BLE WORLO.
231
arldicted to this evil, therefore that plaglle wns more prcya)cnl 11u1ong
them thnn among other nations. And hcncc the Lor!! Je~u ~ not 011ly clcamied tl1e Jepers who 11crc brought or who cnme to Him, approach~ ing Ilim tlB goodnci;s itsclf, but commau<led hi~ disciples also to clcnnsc them. "Now are ye clenn," snys H e on n.uothcr occasion, " throngh tl1e W onl which J have spukcn unt.o yon " (,John x:v. 3) ; "Sanctify thcm throngh thy truth: thy 'Vord is truth" (.John xvii. 17). It wn.~ because wood, in a good scusc, un<l in the lowest <lcgree, corresponds to uat.urnl goodness, or chnrity, t.hat. the bitter waters of l\farah, in the wildernes~, were miraculously made sweet by ilfoses ca.ting therein a tree, nccording to the cxpre~s emnmaml of Jchovnh (Ex. x' 25). ln the bittcrne~s of those w1Llers wc may see a ju:;L repr~ntation of that state of spiritui~l trial, induce<l hy murrnuring and dieoOCdicncc, in whirh the knowledges of diduc truth, however dC'sirnblc, 11rc attcndei, and aftiml no satisfaction to the thirsty mind, because they are seimrnte(l front tl1e hcavcnly principle of love or goodne:;s. In this eri.se, the Lm! shows us n tree of hcaling virtuc, whicl1, if cast into the water8, " 'il! inst:mtly doprive thC'm of their bittcrn('i:<S; und whn.t is this, ut a hcMcnly prindple of chnrity in the heurt, brought out or ma<le manifest in a good lifc ami conduct ! ln the opposite scnse, wood dcnotes the evil lu~ls of self and the world, for these ttre the opposites of charit.y or goodnces; a:; the woods, for iuettt11cc, of which idoli:; were mndc (I sa. xlv. 20), or "'hich \1c1c uecd for fneral piles (Isa. xxx. :);l). wood hns nlso t11c same contnny ~ignificntion when t hose ure treated of who attribute goodness t~> thcroselves, instead of t.o Him froro whom alonc it pr<><.-ccds, thus who suppose t.hat thcir works of goodne.os and charity nrc meritodous. ThL ';;e are said to have forsnken the worship of the Lord, nnd nre c.alled worshippers of i<lols made of wood, the works of their own hnnds (Je1'. i. 16). In tl1e smne sensc it is tlrns spokcn of in tl1c propl1ecy of Ilabakknk, "Tho stone shall cry out of the wull, and the bcam out of the timhcr [or woocl] sha.11 a11Bwcr it" (ii. 11 ) ; " Wi)() unto him tlrnt saith to the wood, Awake ; t.o the <lulllh si.one, A.ri8c, it shall tench !" (ii. Hl.) H erc the prophet is dcnouncing self:rightcommc~s ancl scH~cooccit, and wnrning thosc who are estitutc of gcnuine truth and goo<lnP:Ss, agninst all such delusive depcndcncc. Evil lusts, signifie<! l>y wood, nre reprcscnte<l us :rn~wcring to ~ensunl suggcstions,-as ec11oing nnd t'Onfirming ull falsc {JrnC'plcs in tl1c undcrstnnding,-us usscntinp: to the \'a11 imag inat ions which Ll1cy c.xeite, :ind ns in. tignting tlieir possc~rs to .oeek ru,1:rnetion for uvil purposes, thus to forsake the ct<'rnal
'.d32
TllR saIF:.vcE 01" CORRRSl'ONDENCF.S.
truth, the R ock of Ages, nnd to tlirow thcir confidcucc upon their own idle speculations 1wd prctende<l merits; but -a woe is p ronounced upon all such ns thus "say to the wood, Awake; to the dumh stone, Ari:;e, it shall teach;" who thus set up the idols of tlleir own uncleun hcarts in the place of God a nd of his W ord, for" they sacrifice unto cle \ils, not to Go<l. Of the rock that begat them they are unmindful, und hase forgotten God that formed them" (Deut. xxxii. 17, 18). "All goods which exist in act are called uses, and all eYils wl1ich exist in itct are also called uses, lmt the latter are called cvil uses, and the former good uses. Now, as_ail goo<ls arc from the Lord, !lnd all evils from hell, it follows that no other than good uses werc ereutcd by the Lord, but that evil uses originated from hell. lly uses, wc mean all things that appear on earth, as :rnima]s of al! kinds and vegetahles of :ill klnds; of both the latter and the former, those whicl1 furnish use to man are from the Lor<l, and those which do hurt to man are from hell." "The things that do hmt to man arc called uses, becausc they are of use to the wicked to do evil, and because thcy contribute to absorb malignities, and thus also as remcdies. Use i:1 upplied in hoth seuses, like love; for wc speak of good love and evil love, an<l 10\e calls all that use which is done hy itself." "Evil UH'S on earth mcan ail noxious tllings in both the animal nud \egetahlc kingdoms, and also in the mincral kingdom." "Such in the animal kingclom are poisonous serpents, scorpions, crocodiles, drngons, owls, mice, locusts, frogs, spiders, noxious worms and insects, also flies, moths, lice, mite.o, and injurions animalcules; in a word, thosc tlrn.t consume grasses, ]caves, fruit, seeds, meat and drink, and are noxious to beasts an<l men. In the vegeta.ble kingclorn they are all malignant, \rulent, and poisonous herbs, as hcrnlock and aconitc, an<l pulse and shrnbs of the sarnc kin<l ; in the miner:\} kingdom, all poisouous enrths. These fcw particulnrs, ;i.dduced for the sake of science, arc sufficient. to show what is mcant by cvil uses on earth." "Nothing whittcvcr exists in the nat11ml world that does not derive its came nn<l origin from the spiritual worl<l, an<l that good is from t he L ord, m1<l tlie evil from the devil, that is, from hell. By the spiritual world i:> meant bath henven and hell." ":Now, it is influx from hell which operates those things that arc evil uses, in places wliere thosc things llrC which correspond." "Such, likcwise, nre the appearnnce.;; in the spfritual world, which are ull correspondcu ccs; for the intcriors of rhe mind of the inhnbitants of botll heaven and hell nre, by such clligie~. prcntc<l actually before their uses."-Sec D. L. \V., pp. :ma -347; nlso Ap. Ex. 109; II. & H. 103- 190.
OHAPTER XV.
CORRF.SJ'ONDENt!~~ OF EARTHS, ;\(IyERALS, ETO., WITJ( LLUSTRATfO.:iS.
HE inorganic subdtnnces of tl1e minera] kingdorn, of whirh growth, motion, an sensation are not predicable, nre likewise spoken of in the Word of God, to rcprcsent and signify, in a gouil sense, the principles of love and wisdoru, and, in a negutive scnso, those of eYil nnd error, in the very cxt.ernals, or lcast sensitive priuciples, of Lhc mind and Iif,-to surh spiritual thinf,<S as are manifst oven to seusual di.sccmment, and frm the lowest and firmest hn~i.'! of a heavenly and eternal stnte; or, on the contrary, to sueh infernal things as, coufirmcd by eorporeal affoction and scnsual rensoning, ertingui.sh ail hcavenly truth. Of these correspondc11ces scvcrul striking examples haYe alrcndy Leen given, from which it may be clearly inferred that the precious mctals and stonc.s, nccording to their ir11lefinite vnrieties, rolors, priuc iples, and uses, correspond to those infinitcly various kiu<ls of goodncss nnd truth which serve to cnrich, adorn, and give stability to the extreme principles of the mind and lifo. But in t.hcir opposite ;;ensc, mctals and etones signify cvil and erroneons principles and pc1sunsiom; in thcir external forrn:;. That sucl1 is thcir signification, might be abundaJltly proved from the \\rord, as when the Lord is dcscribing Ly tl1e mout h of his prophet a. gl'Ossly corrupt stnte of the church and the mind, togcther with tl1e direful punishment which it 11ecessarily induces, and which is called God's auger, and nppears to be the iufliction of bis vengcnnce (for the wrath or fury of Go<l, is, as 110 have prcviously sho"n, only an nppenrance of truth), He says, "Becauso ye are all becomc dros~, behold, thereforc, I will gathcr you into the midst of Jerusalem. As tbey gather silver, and brass, anJ iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the firc upon it, to 1nclt it; so will I gatber you in minti anger and in my fury, und I will leave you therc and melt you" (Ezek. .xxii. 19, 20). But when Ile s1icaks of an exalted @tatc of his church and of the 1uiml, togcther with the glories and blcssings which belong thcreto,
20" 233
23-!
7'/U: SOf R,\-CA' OF CORRESPONDENCBS.
H e !o\fi)"S, "For brass I will bring gol, and for iron I will bring ~iher, and for won<l brnss, and for ston es iron " ( Tsa. lx. 17). "\Ve ha YO beforc obscrved, that the precious stoues " hich adorncd the brcnstplate of the high-pricst, and t hose which arc the fou ndations of the New Jcrusalcm, signify al! kinds an<l dcgrees of divine wisdom and knowledgc in the "\Vord translucent and res11kndent from pure goodness, from whch in telligence nnd j nst judgment are d crh-641, and on which the church in heaven nnd on carlh is founde<l. 'l'he J,ord Himsclf, as to his di\ine 'Vord or trutl1, and its cternu.1 durability, as deri\-(lll frorn thi11 dh-inc ]o,-e, is aJso called "a rock ," on wl1ich his ehurch is said to be ercctcd. rn a perverted churc11 Ile is reprcsentcd as a stone which the builders-thc teachcrs of a falsc religiou-lmvc r"jectcd; b ut in the true church H e h; acknowlc<lge<l as the " hcadstone of the corner" (Ps. cxviii. 22; Matt. xxi. 42),-thc "living ~tone, llisallowcd indccd of men" ( 1 Pet. ii. 4),-" the tricd ~tone, the prccious corncr-stonc, the sure fou ndation" (Isa. xxviii. 16), on which all faith and hopc and love must rest. That stOllC is callcd the corncr-s ton c, or chief corne r-stouc, wllich is placcd in the extrcmc augles of a found ation, conjoining and holcling togethcr two walls of the pile, meeting from clifforcnt quarters. So nl.;o in the bcautifol and instructive parablc of the wisc aml foof;h buil<lcrs, in whicl1 is portm ycd the characters of snch as crect thcir spiritual habitntion~ on the immovablc rock of the "\\'ord of God, or divine truth, y hcaring un<l doing the Lord's will; in wltich cnsc they are conjoiued to Him in an cverbsting covcnant; and, on t he contrary, to snch as build thcir spiritu:il honscs on the dclusiYc sand of hum nu imag i11:ttion, faith itlone, :tn<l mcre cxternnl profcsf(on, in which case thcir mimls. disjoincd from the et.orna] source of lifc, arc bro11ght to irrctrievablo r uin, and the knowlcdge thcy have acquir<'i.l i1.1 <lissipntcd. " Wbosocver henrcth t hcec sayings of mine," ~aith tJ1e L ord, "nml clocth tl1em, r will liken him 1111to n wise man, who huilt his hom1c upon n. rock : and t11c rain descendcd, and the floods came, and the wiml;i blcw, and bei\t. upon that ho11se ; and it fcll not: for it was funde<l upon n r ock. A nd evcry one that hcarcth t.hcsc sayngs of mine, nu<l docih them not, shall he likcnc<l unto a fooli:;h man, who built J1is house npon the sand: and the min <.lcscen<lcd, and the flood~ t'an1e, und the winds blcw, and bcat upon tliat hou;ie; und it foll: and jrrcat was the fall thcreof" ("Matt. vii. ::!4-27). Ilcre, the solirl rock manifestly signifie;; clidne trnth;:, which, whcn reccfrcd into tlie mind from ;ilfeclion, combinecl with goodncss of hearL, and brought clown into
CORRESPO.\'])RNOE OF EA.RTJJS, illINERAl,S, ETC.
2;:)5
the eonduet, cohere togcthcr in nnhroken unity, and man crccting thcrcon his ~piritual hou~<', is cnabled sneccssfully to rc88t cvcry stonn of t cmptation, for hc is conjoinc<l to the Rock of Ages, cven the J,or<l J(~n s Ghri;;t, But by sand is as phnly mcant truths devoid of coheren ce, bccause recehed into the um!erstanding separatcd from love and its life,-rnere outwartl profession of fith, without spirit11al ntfectiou ; then truths of the holiest quality are but spcculative knowledges in t he mcrnory ami natural under.standiug, which, losing their col1csior1 and firmness, and deprfred of all connection with thcir <liYine source, 1tre profaned to cvil p11rpose8, and deprivcd of all that strength and consistency ncc1lful fr man's support in times of spiritual trial and OJ>position. A dcpen<lencc on thefie brings eternnl ruin to the sonl. On account of tbi,; 8piritua1 sig nilicntion uf stolles, as denoting ~acred truths of an cxtcrual character, an1\ thcir qm1litics of iirniness and durnbility, pillurs of stoncs, and hcnps of stone, wcrc, in nucieut tiJncs, set np as witnscs of covenant'l, bonndarics of land, 1tn<l t.est.i~ monials of affoction, and were not. unfrcqucntly consecrated, ns thini,rs conncctcd with holy wor,;hip, by pouring oil upon the top of the1n (Gcn. J<.-xviii. 18 ; xxxv. J.I.). And of the temple of Solomon we rea.d that it was complcted of !'t ones rc.'\dy prcpn.rcd, "so tbat thero Wa.'! n C!ither hnmmcr , axe, nor any tool of iron hear<l in t11e housc whilc it wns in building" ( 1 Kingi> vi. 7). An altar to .Tchovah wus, on the same account, commnnded to be crccted of unhewn stones, or stoncs unpollutcd by the workman';; tool (Bx. xx. 25), to r cprcsc11t tous tliat worship can only be acceptable t o Cod when it is the dictnte of p11re truth drnwn f'rom the Iloly 'Vonl, unpcrrerted nud undcfilcd by tlie ya.in imaginations of sclf-intC!l ligence. In eon,e'}ucnce of the science of correspondences bcing wcll known in 11ncient times, "ld~toriam:. distinguisl1ed tlic pcriods, from the first nge of the world to the last, iuto the golden, silver, copper, nn<l iron ngcs, to which nfao they nddctl an nJJe of clny. The golden ngc they callcd thosc times wl1cn innocence nnd intcgrity prcvailcd, nnd when evcry one <li<l what ili good from what is g00tl, and what is ju~t from wl1:\t is j ust; the sih-er age thcy c:lctl t hosc times when tl1erc wns no longer nny innocen ce, but still a species of intcgrity which rlill not consist in tl1cir doing what is goud frorn what is goo<l, bnt in their 'il.oing wlmt is truc from what is true; bnt the copper and iron ages thcy callerl thosc which were ><till infrior. The renson '>\hy they .((tl\'C snch appcllatious to thosc times wni- not from compnri~on, hut froru eorrespon<lence; for the :mcients lrnew tlmt silvcr corresponds
236
TIIF: SCIENCE OF CORRESI'Oi'WENCES.
io trutl1, and gold to good, and tllis from communication with spirits and angcls." "But who at thh; present day knows that the ages were callcd golden and silver by the ancicnts from correspondence? yea, who at this day knows anything about correspondencc? Aud yet be that does not know this, and especially be that makes his chief gratification and wisdom to consist in disputing whether it he so or not, cannot even attain to the lenst knowledge conccrning the innumerahlc Lhings which are correspondences."-A. C. 5658. Thcre are varions kinds of gold mentioned in tlie "\Vord, or gold from varions localities, as Uphaz, Ophir, Sheba, Havilah, and Tarsliish, and they correspond to varions kinds and degrees of love aud gooducss appertainiug to the Lord, his W ord, bis kingdom, and our ncighbor, according to the signification of the place rnentioned, and the subject trcated of. Thus gold from Uphaz signifies the precious principle of celestial goodness, and the wisdom thence derivc<l, or the most exalted lo,e of God, with its rich lilcssings, und the meaning of Lhc word Uphaz expresses its fincncss or purity (Jer. x. 9; Dan. x ..5). Gold from Ophir signifies spiritual goodncss, or the love of the neighbor, deri vcd from the love of God; and the name Ophir means rrutkin g fruitfnl (Isa. xiii. 12; Ps. xlv. 9). Gold from Shelm signifies the love of trutl1, dcrivcd from the Roly 'Yord, and its application to good an<l uscful purposes in life. Sheba means compassing about; nn<l gol<l from Havilah and Tarshish denotes the lowest order of love and goodness excmplificd in the love of extcrnal or scicntific knowlc<lge, and iu promoting what is profitable and benevolent in moral and civil life (Gen. ii. 11, 12; Isa. lx. 9). Havilah means speaking or declariug, and Tarshish contemplation or examination. l'rom thcsc cxamples it may be secn how the meaning of Hebrew words often assist the truc significatioo of the things predicated, and how viirietics of the samc object, hoth in a goocl and a bad sense, are to be interpreted. The love of goodness of any degree, when tried ancl purified by the process of tem1)tation, is callcd "gold tried iu the firc;" that is, unalloycd or gcnuine (Rev. iii. 18). In an oppo:site sensc, gold signifies the carnal and pcrvertcd and inordinate love of self and worldly pleasure of various kinds; it is thcn describcd ns uscd in the construction of iols, and its tendency to profanation; it i:i said, in strains of lamentation, "How is the gold hccornc dim ! how is the most fine golrl change<l ! The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they e8teeme<l as carthcn pitcl1ers, tha work of the han(ls of the potter" (Lam. iv. 1, 2).
CORRES/'ONJ>E/\' CE OF EAll1'11S, ,)fJXERALS,
f:rc.
237
.A.gain, ,..-hat natul'al substances can more fitly represcul the rnrnul concupiscences of lltc uatural man, their infuumntory tcmlcncy, The diNfl falsehood, whicl1, like thick smokc, arises therefrom, dnrkeniug the Yc1y day, and the excruciating torrncnt occasioncd by thcir activity, both in tliis world and that which is to corne, th:m tl10 bitucutioncrl minous minerais of sulphur and pilch? Ilcnce they a rc u1 in t he W ord in thili sense ; as whcre the Lord by the iuspil'l'<l prnphot :i describing the judgmcnt which a pervertcd chur ch brings <lown upon iti;clf, or a state of mind confirrncd by the love and prnctice of evil und falsehood, in selfish lusts and fntasies, nnd the direful results, he says, "It. is the day of the Lord's vengeance, a nd the ycar of recompcnses for the controvcrsy of Zion. And the st1cams thcreof shnll be turncd into pitch, nnd the dust thereof into brimstone, and the lnnd thereof ~hall become burning pitcli. It shall not be quenchcd night nor day; the smoko thcrcof shall gQ up forever" (I sa. xxxiv. 8-10). Hel! itself and its ceaseless puni.shmcnts, with the bnrning, soul-tormenting lusts of self and the world,-the ever-activc agents of nll distrcss and mi~ery, both as thcy c.xist in the spiritual worltl and in the disorderly minda of men on earlh,-are callcd "a lu.kc of fire burning with brims1ooe" or su lpliur (R ov. x ix. 20; xxi. 8). ,\ ud the Psalmist, speaking of the drcadful nnguish which such e,il concupiscences and thcir fantnsies certainly inducc upoo men when thcy are indulged and confirmed, says, "Upon the wicked H e shall r::iin .\marcs, fire and brimstonc, and a horrible tempcst : this shall be the portion of thcir cup" (Psalm xi. ). "" Agnin, !!alt, we know, is a c-0rnpound, in certain givcn proportions,
""" ! o.m ata loos to conccf\e th rell,.)n upon hnma.n malefaclors. or1ny o w11pnrt, why lhcy arc to be oonfildere<l grlevously ln l conce!1e no greatcr h 1jury i ilunc to the crror who nppose our Siwlour IO lJe threat- Chrfat!!ln rcl!i<!on y npp<"ing the flre with cnlug th" wiekctl, not with corrore11l 11d whkh thu rich glutton is t orm(nt('d, to be sou.~ble fire, hnt with mmtal l\llln and tor- fii,'1lrathc, than by regarding tl>c fcnst, d tur~s. ThiswJ1.. d ormer!y thcopinionof g rave whkh La7.&<i1s is so.ld to be 1>re~fl>t alo11g nnd (!minPnt men amoug the Chrh-tian fa.. with Abruhmu 88 an image and emhlem of t11cr.;1 ofwhom nion. PctarlLHonn.l<l'fimention supreme !~licity."-/Jr. l. h ~ll0$/1n'1n' ,Xlc ln h1'1 J>ogmaJ.. Theolog., tom. Ill., p. HXI. And tQ l'lutu:orlh' / nt. Sy&, vol. iil.. t>. l',67. notl\ rewofthcmodcrnal'!O, who!lrewholly "If 1 understomd yonr letter. yonr lmllgi tM10\'cd from ail susp!rlon of pcm icioWJ no.lion l~ hnunlcd wiU1 lhe ldca of litnal .:rnir:;, ftrm\y ma.intain t he SllJ.QC doctri11~. l ,fkima, nd hell is creB.ted, llOt B~ lnrlud!ug A~ 011r ~wlour f!X'queotly compare'I the jors : ail morl\l evil, but 11.~ J\ great l\re. The pir of hoo.ven lo a fen,,t, I do not see why it t~ it1.-J lnterprct;ttion of ScriplUl'(' hi..,, '" fur to be con ierud d11ng1JrOU9 to \h<' <li\'lnc , made !Ill way 11.mong 1tl! ~ls<' of hristinns trulli to 1<11ppo<e that He Alotl poke fignrn- 1!n thl part of the co11utry (0. H. A.). tht I tlw!y Of the punishmenL Of hi,11, AlH1 ln Or- do not know nn indiv!(hm! Wh(l IJCli~\'es in <Ier to dcDIOntrnte more vlvl<ltr nnol rknrly t lhe lltcral fire ._. t11e punlshmcutof the con the dl\'Adful uff' erng'! whkh Uie wicked detnllcd."-Dr. rhamrig'i /.(Ut1' 10 a l''riend. wlll hiwe to uucrgo, bor rowed an lnmi:;e dtl('tl Bo6ton, Xov. l SU ; Jlem<Jtr1, l' 468. trom the m oost <':xquisite Lon'J\Cntl! h 1 1lktc
1
TIIE SCIENCE 0}1' (JO!lRF:SI'ONDEKCBS.
of au acid nm1 an r.lkali which have nn affinity for cnch ot11<'r. Iu a good scnsc salL corresponds to tl1c affection of combining trutli \\ith goodn08S, fith with eharity, knowlcdge with practice. Thi:> desirc, whcn incorporate<l in the ruiml and <liffused through the lifc, pre;;encs thcm from the corruption of sin. The prophet Elijah, thcrefore, 1mder a representativc dispeusation, whcn miracles were permitted, is saill to have cast ~alt into tl1e spring of the wnters of Jcricho, be. cause the waters wcrc unwholesome anrl the ground was unfruitfl, saying, "Thus saith the Lor<l, I bave healed these waters; therc shall not he from tl1cnce any more denth or barrcn 1m1d" ( 2 Kings ii. '..ll), to t cach us most significuntly that the wnters--the doctrines of cternal t ruth-can impart no perrnanently renovating virtues to rcfresh tl1e soul, and ren1lcr man fruitful in goo<l works, unless mnu coiipcrates with the di vine llestowcr, by uniting thercwith tlie interior spi1'itual aHctions and l10ly dcsires whicJ\ cm body themsclves in goodncl';:! of Iife, nnd irnpart a heavcnly 11uality to every wor nnd action. On account of this i;ignification of salt in a goorl sense, it wus an imlispcnsablc law to I:<rael, thut with 1111 the offorings prescntcd to Jchovah, salt should be otferecl ( Lev. ii. 13); and the spiritual groun<l of t}1is law is rccognizCll in the Gospel, wherc, in mnnifi'l"t rcfercuce to the h cavenly union of trnth and nffecLion in the miu<l, signified by salt, wc are thus divincly iustrnctt>d nnd exhortetl hy our blcs.<ed Lord, " E\cry one shall be saltcd with fire, aud cvery sncrifi<'e ,:hall be salted with sait. Salt is gootl: but if the sait lrnvc Iost ]ii,; saltucss, whercwith wiH ye scason it? }Jaye s:\lt in yoursclnis, and ha rn pcace one with anotl1cr" CMnrk ix. 4~. 5'1). Rut, in the opposite scnsc, sait denotes an unholy ('omrnixturc of truth with evil, which is profnation, an<l tl1c awfu] rlfect of this doplorn1'lo st.atc is condcmnution. Thu;;, Lot.'s wife bccamc n, pillar of snlt, becnusc .-he lookcd behin<l hcr nnd scparntcd knowle<lgc from <luty (Geu. xix. 2()); hencc wc have the flolemn warniug, "Rcmembcr Lot's wife" (Luko ;vii. 32). "'e rca1l also of certain cilics which wcrc given up to salt, or devoted to dcsolntion; und to the samc purport it is said, in r"fi'r cuce to the want of this conjoining affection, " [The Lor<l] turneth n fruitful lancl into harrcnness (or sait), for the wickcdness of them tbat dwell therein" (Psalm c.vii. 34).131
1;; "Ri1lt, in the ori~innl Hebrew, fa cx 1to salt a certain sRcrcd propcrty."-FOrlcr'~ pn:'&<c"l br n term denolin.i; incorruptibilliy Pit1ker/1Jn'6 ("\JI/., vol. ix., p. 21'1. nnfl P''rpdnitr."-A. C. 2 1 'i. The Oricnlals cxpr<"-.., & vnttnL couulc "M<mt of the ,\sintic tuilions luwe nllhed 11nncc by ;ayiug, "tlll!re 16 no oa/t in lt."
CHAPTER XVI.
C oRR&SPONDENCE OF THE sml' oF THE~<, Axu
SuN, 1.TooN,
..lNn
STARS;
r1m
DOLATROus \YoR>
rra
EXTf:i<SIYE PR1:v,~LExm: AND INFLUENCE.
r11HOSE sublime objects of creative energy in the matcrial universc,

the sun, the moon, und the stars, arc constantly employed in the word of God to signify the grarnl universah of life and salvation. For inst:rnce, the sun, in relation to the regenerate man, corresponds to the Lord Himself, "the Sun of rightcousuess," and thus also to the love of God urnl our ncighor, for t11is Love is derived from his es:;cutial lifo, and is spoken of as the fountain of every celestial bcutitudc; as in 1falachi, "Unto you that fcar my narne shall the Sun of rightcousncss arise with healing in his wings" (iv. 2). But in relation to the unrcgcncrutc man, the sun corresponds to the evil love of self and the world, which, "when it is U]J," or risen, that is, permitt.ed to be active, and increascs concupiscence, instcad of ministering blessil,>"S, is del'cribcd as "scorching" the good sced of trnth, so that undei the bnneful influence it "withers away" (Matt. xiii. 6), and as causing the hcaven-dcscended manna to vanish (Ex. xvi. 21 ). The sun fa spoken of in the same sense in the Psulms, wbere it is said, "The Lord is thy keeper: t11e J.ord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not srnite thee by day" (cxxi. 5, 6); :;gnifying that the Lord can a]one protect us from the destructive influence of self.love and its burning passions.135
"'"The worship of the sun, by the Egyp moment, u1ukr the imnge of the inoon, who tian, by the Phnlelans, and rhilistincs, borrows her lfght from the SUll. and ;. per. was the ''i.'ornhip of one invfaible God, srrn pehmlly chaaging ber uppP1uance. This boliicd by the visible source of erc~kd light mode of repreoontation wus nndoubtcd\y the and lifc." They uflerwarils WOhipped Duni. rirnary c<l,use of idolatry an<l uixr.,tition; or Seth, as the s11ngod. "Thus symho1' be- men growing by degrcell forgetful of the ~u co.mc ldols."-llunsrn'a K eiJ8 of Sl. Pdcr, pp. prcme Jle!ng, and confini11g their attention 38, 39. to that 11loriouo lumluary, the sun, as the hu" The Egytinn repn:sented the Huprcmc mcdlntc cause of whut they- bchcld, int.ead Being and his <lhinC' attributes-his itn- of consM.c.-riug it as the muterial repI"ooontJ.l~ mc11slty o.nd omnipotence, his fecnnd!l.y live of ils spiritnal source. the ln1b!Llc Proan,1 lnllnite pcrfrction-1mder the symbol duccr of o.11 visible ojccts."-Nal. .Del., vol. of the sun; and they reru~ented Natnrc, or L~ p. 792. Jllatlcr, whi{)h is altogct11cr dcpcndcnt on A wry rcmarkable IX1ok was pu Lli shed in that Suprcntt:: Bcing, nnd diverslficd cvery 1 Dublin, in lf .,. cntitled I'l'iml1Y1l .'-'ymbur.s, or
?~!)
240
TIIB SCIENCE OF CORRESl'OXJJb'NCES.
The sun, as the centre of attraction to tho planctary "orhb and che proximale source of licat, light, Jifo, an<! fruitfulncss to this natural world, is the representative cmblcm of the Lord Himsclf ns to hi1:1 divine love; for thi1:1 principlc is the centre of all vitality in the church and the mind. ln the winter i;cason all creation mourrn;, M it werc, the suu's apparent absence; mauy animals become torpi<l, and the Yegetable kingc..10111 withcr.s apparently; but on the return of spring, and the more direct rays of the s1m, the kingdoms of natur1.1 are all warmed into ncw life, and renewed into acthity by his vivif)'ing and genial influences, and univcrsal nature rejoices at the sun's npparent a1>proach. In all this wc ruay trace nnd confirro the beautiful corrCi:!pondence of the sun. The moon, dcpcndcnt upon the earth, Lut shining wit.h a borrowe<l lustre dcrive<l from the suu, and whose reflccted glori dissipate the darkness of so many of our nights, i~, in a goo!l sern:e, a striking figure of a truc foith in the Lonl and his \Vor ; for faith derivcs all its effulgence and life from love, an 1lis~ipates all the doubt and darkne.ss wbich so often prev:l in the night of trial au temptation. Hence, in the sublime promise of a pcrpetual state of that hcayenly joy an<l delight which flow from the lorn of Go<l, and faith in his "\Vord, the Evnugelical Prophct exdainis in rapturc, "Thy sun shall no more go down, ncither shall thy moon withrlraw itself" (Isa. lx. 20). It is from the principlcs and perceptions of the smnc love and faitli that we ure le<l with hcartfelt ~inccr ity to wor,,;hip and serve the Lord, as being goodness itself, and truth it.5elf; an to ascribe to the outflowing encrgics of his H oly F=-pirit all works of benevoleneo and use, by whatcver agcnf.l:I thcy are made m:l!iifost. Then, in the langua.ge of corre.spondcnce, we :ne said to " Prni~o llim for the preeious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the prccious things put forth by the moou" (Deut. xxxiii. 4 1). The stars which bespangle the skies with their innumerable coruscations, and cmit rays of light into the atmosphere, are crnl>lematical,
Uit AnallJ!PJ nf Orl.ion mld New Crcaon, by of the trnth of the sdencc o! corrc~pond
W .'c-.ither.;tonc H , BarriterAtlaw, in whilh Il !~ Mtempte<l to be shown thll.t the revcn days or rreallon hn>'e the mt wonderful tmd strlk!ug- a.nalogy to the Lord Je~ns Christ itnd h!s work of rcdcmptlon, and to the Sl'Vcrt\l ~ta1,~s !n whlch man follows H!m !n the re~nerntlon, " or ncw crcntlon." Onu cnnnrit perrrln: thnt the wr!r ha~ C \'<:'r rcH.d the v;orh of fiwcdcnborg; yct, altlld ~rwtt " "". ru,ion and uuccrt:tinty, nnrl wlthnut nny i,uirl e 111 dlrl him, h l hA.s yt-t hil upon man} ld1ru. which are truc; and confirruatory
cnce~, oncl which are valn11ble M proreedini: !rom Rn lndep('ndcnt mind . For lnstnncc, ln hls Introduction, hc '"Y": JI<>w 1111 our knnwlcdi:tc llrioo from the stndy of the works nu1l 1J1c Worcl of the Great Cre11tor, t\ncl l'Onit~ ln the per<>eptlon of the vartcms r elations 1t11kini: the Word in it. wid~t e!s::niti<-ntion) whlch h!s wQrks l>car to llin1sclf; anil th~ worl are full o fanRlogics within nn:iloi<i..,;, or, lu t he J:mgnsgc of the Son of b.racl, 'RU tlJC thlng>< ure made double ont "811inI 1111. othcr.' "'- p. a.
OOR!ili:SI'Of.;DEXCE OF 'l'llR Sl'X .'100.\~ AXD S1'.'1. lfS.
241
in a good seni>e, of the knowlcdges of goodne:,s an truth, which inadiatc the mental firmament \Yith rays of spiritual intelligence. "~hcn, thcrefore, a desccratcd und bcnighted stute of the ehurch is trcntcd of, the sun is reprented as darkeucd and "~lnoudcd in sackcloth of l 1air," to dcnote t11e utter extinctinn of lovo and c11arity; the nwon h; spokcn of as "lumed to blO<Jd," to signify that all gcn uinc fitJ1 ii> darkcned and corruptcd ; and the stara u.ro imid to "fall from heawn, e\en as a fig-tr<>,c casteth lier untimcly figs, when shc is shaken of a mighty wind," to represent the awful apostasy from trutb, wl1cn the reYcalcd knowledgcs of heavenly things ure hurled to the c:uth, nntl made enbaenient to the vilest purposci; (J oel ii. 10; Matt. xxiv. '.:!!; Act::; i. 20; Rev. vi. 12, 13). On tl1e otl1el' hund, when the ~tn. ugth aJJd glory of the church are treated of, s he i::; represented a~ a ,,omlcr sccn iu l1eaycn, "a woman clothcd with the :,un" (R ev. xii. 1),-encircled by a protecting ::1pher e of divine lo\"e; as liaYing "tlfo moon under her feet,"-supported hy a pure, holy, and firm fitith; and upon her head "a diudom of twelve stars,"- crowned with tl1e incxting uishablc splendor~ of spiritual knowledge or intelligence. The communication!! of divine truths from the Lord werc made, in 1mcient times, JJot only by inspircd speeches, but u.lso by t he perception!! "hich we1e excite<l into actidty hy vi,iions or dre:um1. Thesc wer e all representati,cs, from which the prophets t.aught the peoplo the divine will aml promises, und recorded them as the very \Yord of God. J oscph wus favorcd with a pro1)het ic 1lrcam of this k iud, when he saw the sun, tl1e ll.JOOn, and the eleyen stars, in appe:tra oce make oheIB.'\nce bcfore him. This ean only, in tlte mere lcttcr, upply to the single hisrorical fact of .TO:!eph, his brcthren, a nd bis parents in Egypt; but, in the internai or spiritual ~nse, by .To:ieph is siguified the L ord .Jesus Christ, and al!!o, in regar to man, he signifies divine truth from the Lord in hcaven an<l the church, or in the ~piritnnl lllllll; but the sun and the moon signify ltcre natural gooduess and t.ruth, or guodness nnd truth in the natura l 111in1l; fthcr and bretl1rcu signify 1Lnd include tlrn J ewish religion ; while the eleven stars ~ignii~ ail th<' knowlcdges ther cuf. Bowing, or ohei~nce, deno tes a1\oration, accompanicd with the acknowlcilgment that all the ritei> and cereruouiC1:1 of that religion hacl, in t heir internai eharactcr, 11. special relation to the Lord Jcsus Christ in his 1fincly !!lorificd lrnmanit.y,-olll' l1ea,enlv J oseph, the source of all goodness and truth and knowlcdge. Jt i~ He who sustaius his church in Egypt, und supplies nhun<lance of corn in ~talcs of Silritual famine; but clairns to be n~know le<lged a~ Lord of ail. 21 Q
CHAPTER XVII. .
1'11.E Fms-r
CllAPrJ:.:RS OF
GJ:.:NB"l!J, TO
1'11}:
27Tll V1m.s~:
OF
CnAPTEn
xr.,
A GRAXU SERJ OF DIV INE .'\Lf.RGORH'.:$1 WUJCll CAN ONLY IIE INTER
l'HETED llY '.!.'HE
Scrn.xci;: OP Co1t1n:sroNDENCE:>.
HE first chnptcrs of Ge11csis, to the history of Abra.m,136 are a scrics of pure divine allcgories, which can only be oxplained by the science of corrcspondcnccs, accordiug to which thcy are writtcu as to the most minute purt.iculars.131 Tho progrcss of natural science compeh; thosc who a<lmit thcm as a rcvclation from heavcn, to regard thorn as divine allcgories, in which spiritual subjccts are presented to our view undcr the fonn of historical fact:!. For instau, the uccount of the creation in the first chapters of Gcnesil!, cimnot have been designed to be a literai hit;tory of the formation of the universe; for, if thus cousidered, it is full of irn;urmountablc pcrplexity and incon~istency, and opposed to the nurnerous nn<l incontrovertible fcts which rcsc..1.rches in gcology, astronomy, and archology h:ive brought to light.138 Dut if wc coutemplatc it as a plenarily inspircd description
186 :-Io nuthcntic hlstory e:dsts ln tlle world older than that of the patriarch Abraham. '" In Swedenborg's Areana Calatia, e1cry 11entcnce in the books of Genes! nnd Exodus ill explttlned according to the science of corrcs ro11<1enccs, and prove<J to have 1'1,'ft'J't'UCe to the Lord, the humll.n nnd, and the spirit11a\ world, m The literai intcrprctation of the fln;t chaptcrs of Genes!~ hns involved both a11dont nnd modem Mtmncntat.ors ln in-urmountable dillknltle; and the tt'uly wou1\crfl disco\erlcs l\Stronomy an<l geoloi;y complet.cl y dlspro\"C it. Cebu, one or tlic cnrlle't opposel'!S of the Gospel, deri<k6 the Mo~alc hitory of CJ'el\t!on ns an incredible philosopMcnl talc; he tre11t, with levity t.hc history of AdaJll';, forinat!on. of Eve bclng mndc from hi rlh; of the eomnumds thnt were given thcm. and of the scrpcnt's eunning, in being nblc to ~\ade the elfectof tho~e commauds. Origcn, 111 an.wer to him, ar" that hc docs not tre11t lbe subjcct w1th c11ndor, but bide~ whnt hc ought to h1we mwle knowu, viz., that nll thls was to be understood ln c1jlgur<1lit<t l!ense, n ot glvlug the rcad<r the wol'lls, which would hal"c L'OnY!nce<l him that they wcrc spoken allcgorieally.-amt. Cel., 1, !v., p. lf>I'~ 189. "A few ycnrs aga an appro~irnatio11 to n corro<t c11lculation of thu lapse of tlme in the formation of a part of the cnrth's surface was malle by 8ir Chnrl('S Lyell. itftcr a vMt to the Valle)' of the ~~l,...issippi, in th<) l.'nlt.<'<l S111tes. Thal necompli"'1cd gcolOE;"lt clCS'rlbo. '<1 the be<l ofmud l\ml sand dcposilo<l by the rl\er ~i:os~pJ>i, whlch cxtendcd on the delta or the river, o,cr 1111 aren of about 13,li(JI) sqnarc statute miles, to the depth or nt lcast h~8 fcct, or the tcnth of a mile, ani\ which lu the- upper part of the bcd include(l an nrea of at l~'t 13.000 stil\uto miles, to a depth of 264. feet. Oll-er'l'Utions ha<\ he('n made on the U\'CfRf,'<' width. depth, ami "<:' Jocity or the trcam, and expcrltncnts on the proportion of s~diment carri<l down by lbt river prOV\l<I that C\'Cl')" ~ear 8,7<t~.7.18,400 CU bic !cet of rolld niatler wcrc brouglH dO\m
or
242
human
calculations are futile in geo
logical and ethnological inquiries. Epochs of vast duration are fully established by the nature of the organic remains of plants and animals that characterize the different for mations while the very intervals which separate these formations are evidences of other periods hardly less astonishing. In
;
geological epochs present some analogy astronomical distances: the latter have been computed, the former are beyond cal culation; and the mind is almost as incapa ble of realizing one as the other. It cannot grapple with numbers which approximate
fact,
to
It is stated by Prof. Nichol. to infinitude. of Edinburgh, that light travels at the rate of 192,000 miles in a second of time; and that it performs its journey from the sun to the earth, a distance of 95,000,000 of miles, in about eight minutes. And yet, by Kosse s great telescope, we are informed that there are stars and systems so distant, that the ray of light which impinges on the eye of the observer, and enables him to detect it, issued from that orb 60,000 years back. Westmin
"
ster Rev., 1846.
The best scholars of the day, in common with Bochart, regard the so-called ancrxfort of Abraham as geographical names of na
"
tions, countries, tribes, or cities,

individuals."
and not
s
as
Xott
and Glyddon
Types oj
Mankind, pp.
112, 469, 549.
baptism or regeneration, of which

baptism
new
of
is the representative figure, as the earth did from the waters, by the spirit God moving upon them." Jones s Fig. Lang,
of Scrip., p. 35. "Neither in the written
Word, nor
is
organic creation of God,
in the there a single
te sentence, thus:
The ages ascribed to the above patriarchs are sufficient to prove that they were repre sentative characters only, and not real indi viduals. Giants in the earth in those days" A strong or mighty man, or one of valor and bravery,
"
is
called Gibbor;
is
one
who
is
and in the spiritual sense governed by fantasy, and
distinguished by profanation and self-love. Those who are represented as having at tained uncommon stature are always de scribed as men of violence, the enemies of the Lord and his people; as, Goliath of Gath, Og, king of Bashan Saul, king of Israel, and the sons of Anak and the Nephilim. They are described, therefore, as springing from
;
21*
in, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron." It is certain that the metal called brass is of modern invention, or pos
sibly copper may be meant. But the men tion of iron, to the exclusion of flint and
bronze, clearly shows that the passage is not historical. According to the Bible chronol ogy, this birth took place about 3875 years
B. c.,
or 5754 years ago, at which time it is ex tremely doubtful whether the working of iron was known. But even granting that it was, there still remain beyond, far beyond, the bronze, the neolithic and the paleolithic ages; and these, as we have seen, carry us back to ages of which man has left behind him proofs of his existence scattered over the whole globe. These remains, however,
:
are all in the superficial strata, and in fact yield no data from which we can calculate the antiquity of man. This field of investi
gation,
"
however", is one upon which scientists have barely entered. ED.]
Many of the proper names occurring in the tenth chapter of Genesis remain un changed, as the appellations of races and kingdoms. Others are found in the plural or dual number, proving that they bear a personal and national reference; and a third class have that peculiar termination which, in Hebrew, signifies a sept, or tribe." Dr. Sadie s Early Oriental Hist., Enc. Met., 1852,
p. 2.
"
Dr.
of the
"1
fall is
M. will have it that the Mosaic account an allegory. I agree it is

so."
Bishop Warburton s Letters to Bishop Hurd. take the whole of this narrative to be Reutish s Notes and Comments, allegorical." 1W8, p. 2. ?ee also APPENDIX on the various styles in vvhioh the Word is written.
Adam was
that Paradise was seated in heaven, and that cast out from thence when he
transgressed."
Humboldt
(see Cosmos,
Bohn,
vol. i., p. 3G4-5) brings up the rear with tell ing us that every nation has a Paradise some where on the other side of the mountains." Bohn s Hudibras, vol. i., p. 11. The Greeks had their garden of Alcinous; the Romans, their garden of Flora; in Af rica, they had the garden of the Hesperides and in the East, those of Adonis. Sco, also, Gardens of Epicurus, Sir W. Temple. See Spence s Polymetis, cited in Letters on Mythol
;
ogy, p. 126.
141
Adam means
for the
"
man,"
and
is
a generic
whole human race (Gen. v. 2). Adam was the name given to the most an cient Church on this earth, significative of
term
its
true quality.
"Adam,"
according to the apostle Paul,
was the
"
"
figure of
Him
that
was
to
come."
Rom. v. 14. The Adam and Eve of sacred writ some (among whom I think is Dr. Warburton)
have supposed
to
have been
allegorical or
hieroglyphic persons of Egyptian origin. Ac cording to this opinion they were the names of two hieroglyphic figures respecting the early state of mankind." Dr. Darwin s Bot. Gard. : Art., Portland Vase. "The Mosaic history of Paradise and of
Adam and Eve
has been thought by some to
all
these things happened to them in a figure." Heylin well observes, that, "In forming our notion concerning the fall of man from the account given in Scripture, we must make due allowance for the imperfection of human language, which cannot express spiritual things otherwise than by figures founded in that analogy which subsists be tween the visible and the invisible woild." "The sacred [writer] was obliged to repre sent intellectual things by sensible images, which he uses, if I may so speak, as a kind of hieroglyphics. Such in particular is the
which appears to have been a well-chosen symbol, and well understood a tree or plant is still because by the Jews, frequently used by the Jewish writers, to sig nify some principal part of knowledge im planted in the mind. Hence our Lord him self, after reprobating some false doctrines
treeof
kn<nrir<l(j<
,
e Pagan world, and
to
Religion, p.
9.
erved for the emblem of Foretelling and I)i vAnalogous circumstances probably gave rise to the fable of the Lermcan hydra, exterminated by the labors of Hercules and Among the ancient liis companion lolas. of Kgyptians, the serpent was the symbol They represented under the form fertility. or en of a serpent, enclosed by a circle, twined round a globe, the Cneph of their cosmogony, who is the same as Ammon, or the Agathodeinon, the spirit or soul of crea tion the principle of all that lives, who gov erns and enlightens the world. The priests of that people kept in the temple s living ser interred them in pents; and when dead, those sanctuaries of superstition. As an em blem of prudence and circumspection, the /Esculaserpent was a constant attribute of was paid to pius, and the same veneration or the god of those reptiles as to the father medicine and magic. The Ophites wenChristian sectaries, who, towards the second century of our era, established a worship
nation.
which "was particularly distinguished from that of the Gnostics in this, that they adored
;hem all except one, which he slung round neck as a trophy. (See Moor s Iliinl. The Scandinavian Thor is Pa-nth., p. 336.) said to have bruised the head of the great serpent, and it is predicted that he shall, in
his
led over nearly the whole world, and was introduced into all the ancient mysteries. It is also worthy of remark, that the leading ideas of that di rect prophecy of the Lord s advent, as the bruiser of the serpent s head, are to be found among the traditions of both oriental and occidental nations, the Indians, the Greeks, and the Goths of Scandinavia. In India, sculptured figures are found in the temples, which represent the incarnation of one of their personifications of the triad of deity. Kreeshna is depicted with one foot on a ser pent s head. Another figure is encompassed with the folds of that reptile, which is in the act of biting his heel. (See Maurice s Hist, of Hind., plates, vol. 2, p. 290.) In the same my thology, an emblematic compound of a man and an eagle, is represented as placed at the portals of a garden, to prevent the intrusion of serpents. He is said to have destroyed
another encounter with the monster, overcome and slay him. (Edda. fab. 32.) The true correspondence of the serpent in Paradise, once well understood, was intermingled with the numerous legends of the Greeks. Thus, the garden of Hesperides, with its tree bear ing golden fruit, was said to be guarded by a serpent Hercules slew this serpent and boro
1
ated by the Rev. D. Davidson, M. A., with a Preface written expressly for the English edition, by the author. This work has been received in
England with signal approbation.
HXPf,Ali't'S Tl!E FIRST ClfAl'J'f,'RS OF GRNBSIS.
253
mi Ilim to do likewise" (1 John iii. 8 ). The same was significd by the serpent of brass 110 which Moses, by divine clircctiou, set upon a pole, that the people, when grievously bitten by the poklonous fiery serpents of the 1Yilderness, might look thereunto and be hcalcd (N um. xxi. 8, 9). In a good sense, by brass, or, as it. should be rendered, copper, is signified natuml goodness, flowing from the rational 1liscernment of the trnth; as hy gold is signified goodness of a ecles thtl quality, flowing from the iurnost perceptions of love and fitlt. Hcncc, in describing a higl1l y advanced state of the human mind au<l the church, the prophet says, "For bra~s I will bring gold" (Isa. lx. 17). It was frorn this signification of brass, that it was required to be prcscntcd to the Lord in the free-will offori11gs for the tabernacle, ami that the altar of burnt-offering was made of this mctal (Ex. xxv. 3; xxxix. 39). Tl1e se1:pent of brass, thercfore, pointed out that sin of tl1c faraclitcs which was the immeaiate canse of tlicir distress, r.nd directed their attention to the ouly certain mcans of re;;toration. They liad loathcd the brcad of hcavcn, and desired the mean~ of indulging their gross sensual appctites. This scnsualism was rcprci;ented by the venomous serpents whicl1 bit them. Bnt ~loses made a serpent of brass, and elevated it on a pole. The Holy 'Vord, ns the great pr0phet of God, instruct.s us that we can only C5cape the dcadly fangs of scnsuality by oubj ngating the natural mind, becoming clrcumspcct in al! our condnct, and receiving from tlie Lord new external as well as internai principlcs of goodness, which will snnctify our Iowest desircs, und exalt them into connection with Himself'. The Lord, in this respect, is our Di vine exemplar. He bruised, in Jiis Hu man Kature, tlie scrpcnt's hcad. Ily his inl1crent omnipotence He snbducd all things to Himself. He glorificd bis Ilmnanity, and unitcd it forever to Himself; thns He became the very divine goo(l evcn to the la.st and Jo,vest principles of rational and sensual lifo. He alonc is omni present, inrinitcly cireurnspcct, and provident over all, so that to Him, under the <lcadly plague of sin, arc we t.o look for delivcmnce with fithful and ohedient heurts; that, likc as He conquercd th serpent and glorified his Humanity, w we may expcricncc, through the influence of his Spirit, a full rencwal of our carnal ntinds, that
"'' Speking of lm"" Harris 1S1lyo that it process. 1herc can l>c no oul>t thnt cvpper 1 is; n mixed metnl, for the making of ,,.hit:h ifi the origh1a1 mct~..l intcnerl by the Ile Wf' are i.ndcbtcd to tho German metallurgi~r.~ bre\t word tmnslatcd bnlss, and whicl1 lit~
oftl>c thirtccnth century. Thal the ~11cicm'< ernllymcans, to ~cruilufae."-liai. Il~. of U<t knew not the art or malclng it is almoot cer- Bfle, Eng. cd.. p. 55. tain. Xone of the\r wrtings een hintat the
22
ot;
Dr.
Lamb s
Heb. Hieruy., p. 112
ct ncq.
OHAPTER XVIII.
drsToI<Y
o~
TJrn Ft.oon, Trrn AnK,
AND OF
No.He
AND
rus
PoSTEmTY,
AK ALLEGOl<.Y; OH, ltATErnn, A Sr11UTU.AL HISTORY CLOTHElJ lN TH.li DIVINE LAKOUAOE 01' Con.1n~~l'OND};NC~:S.
fcw, VIZ. Isa. ln. 9, J,zek. Xl\. ~w. :Matt. XXIV. 38, Luke XVII. '27; 1 Pet. iii. 20; 2 Pet. ii. 5 ; iii. ; Ilcb. xi. 7. They givc no indication whatever, whcu propcrly translatCll and rigl1tly unclcrstood, of having respect to any physical event. The history of a universal flood ns rccorded in the sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters of the book of Gcncsis, is not an inspircd nccount of a flood of litcml waters sweeping over tl1e whole earth, bnt of a devastating iuundation of false persuasions and evil lusts, superinduccd by licentious conduct and carnal security, ovcr ~he wl1olc church collectively and the rniml individually, which, sweeping away all the landmarks of goodness and truth, accomplished a judgment upon a perverted generation. "The flood carne and took thcrn all away" (Matt. xxiv. 39), and thus inauguratcd a new cpoch in human history. A new dispensation or religion was mercifully estabiished, sig nificd Ly the ark in which rightcous Nouh, his family, and ail kind3 of living creaturc.s were preserved from destruclion. Hen the aptle Peter writes concerning lbe ark, and spcaks of it as the meaus of salvation, saying, "'rhe likc figure whcreuuto cvcn baptism doth abo now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flh, but the unswer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrcction of J csns Christ" (1 Pet. iii. 21 ). Now, the flood is re1}resentcd, aecording to most chronologists, M hitving taken place a})out four thonsand two hundred years ago; yct thcrn are trees bclievcd to have be.en in existence at lcast nve thousand years, and rcccnt researches have brought Egyptian" monuments to light considcred to be above six thoui;and years oie]. But, I would ask, if thiil history were to be urnlcrstood in ils merely literal sense, of what rcal use is it to the in:\mortal soul? How docs it advanco
255
TH~ rc~cr~nces i:1~d~ _to .~foal1 ~~d' th.e flood in ~he B~hle are ~~~!
256
TIIB SClh.VUE OF OORNESI'O.\'Dh'l't'CES.
OLlr progrcs:; iu the divine lifo? Uow docs it prepare us, as ail rcvclation professes to do, for the kingdom of heaven '? It must refe1 to a far more terrible judgmcnt than that which inclu<les only the destruction of the bodilr Iifc, eve11 of the mass of mankind thcn inhabiting the earth. It describes, in ~:ttural und figumti ve hmgun,ge, n flood which now und in ail ages ruins and sweeps away the immortal soul, and tcachcs us that. an ark of eternal s11lvation is always pro vidc for the humble, penitent, and fithful believcr, in wpich hc rnay be prepared for an eternal statc of blessed association with angels und conjunction with the Lord. The purpose of the ark is descrihed to have bcen the prcscrvation of evcry living thing of all flcsh ; and for this end he was to take into the ark, frstly, his own family, conilisting of cight persous, together with sevcn pairs of all clean anirnals, and pairs of cvcrything that erocpeth upon the earth; and, socondly, he was communded to takc into the ark " of all food t.hat was caten" a sufficiency for at least a year und tcn days. Now, the ark, being described as three hundred cubits of eighteen inches long, fifty cubits Lroad, and thirty cubits high, could not have bccn of larger capacity than the Great. Eastern steamship. Sir Isaac N cwton and Bishop Wilkins make the tonnage of the ark Jess thun t.hat vesse!; but Dr. Arbuthnot, by in crcasing the eu Lit to twenty-two inches, makes the dimensions largcr. But wc may ju<lge how inBtdficicnt such a ve~sel would be from the fa.et which Dr. Pyc Smith admits, "that of existing mammalia (or animals which suckle their young), more than a thousand specics are known; of birds, fully five thousund; of reptiles, very few of which can live in water, two thousand ; of insccts, nsing the word in the popular sense, the numbcr of spccics is immense, to suy one hu11drcd thousan woul<l be moderate; each lrn.s its appropriate habitation and food, und the.se are nece><sary to its life; an<l the lurgcr numbcr could not live in water. Also the innumerahlc millions upon millious of animalcules must be providc<l for, for they have all thcir appropriate and divcrsified [food], places, and circumstanccs of existence."Rclution between the 1foly Scripturcs and Geological Science, page 135. Nor do thcsc numbcrs form the only difficulty; .for, as the same writcr obscncs, "All land unimals have their gcographical regiollil, to which their con::;titntional natures are congeni:tl, and many eoul<l not live in any other situation. 'IVc cannot reprcseut to oursclvCiJ the idca of their bcing brought into one snmll spot, from the polar rc gions, the torrid zone, and nlJ the othcr climates of Africa, Europe,
JllEANJSG 01< 7'111? FLOOD, 1'JJB AllK. ETC.
2.">7
Amcrcn, Anstralia, and the thous:milR of isfands, milliumi of wllich ]iye only on animal food, uml the disposal of thorn, without bringiug up the idea of miracles m<>re st111)cndous thu11 nny whicb are reeorde<l in Scripture, and, may 're uot atltl, utterly incdihle." On tl1e other hunrl, the Doctor grayc]y conclu<les that the flood was only partial, and not, as Jiterally dcscrilied, universal, and that the ark only containcd the ::mimais of the district. " The languagc employed [howcvcr] in Gen. vii. deri\cs its force," says Dr. ,V. T. Hamilton, most truly, "as cicprcssiYe of complctu uniYersality, not rncrcly or mainly from the me:ming of the scYcral individual terms, but. from the structure of the whole. 'fhe coroplctc coycring of the entire cu.rth 's surface is a.."Scrtcd, nnd the su bmergence of t he loftiest mountain summits, not merci y on the en.rth, or the lau, buL 1.mder the wlwltJ heaven, is affirmcd. Furlher still, the destruction of auimul lifo, human and brute, i.> declarcd t.o haYC been completc; nnd then, ns if to makc ussurnnce doubly sure, the saved are emunerated, Noah and those with him in t.hc urk, and tliese uro declarcd to l1ave bcen the only lfring crcnturcs presen-ed frum 1lcstructiou : 'And Noah only rcmained alivc, and they that \\'ere with him in the 11rk.' This clo~ing declaration applies to th.e human race, and to ail crcatures in which was the breuth of lif, not merely in any one land, or proviucc, but under lite ichole hea1r.. "Tl1c animal distribution," u:,;11in writes Milner, "from one corn mon centre, the mountains of' Ararat, to repopulate the world, it .; impossible to reconcilc with v.logical facts, without su1iposing a seriei! of the wost astouning umJ uscless mirncles, conrcrning which a total silence is prcserycd in the &lripturc narrative. "\Ye .know tbat the kanguroos anrl emus of N.,w Holland, the llamns of Peru, the slotlis, urnmdilloes, and unt-eaters of Paraguay, to ment.ion no othcr ini;tances, ncv.cr could have nccomplished the passage from the places of t.hcir location to any central part of t hc old world and back again, from tlie scenc where the ark of Noah wus set afloat, by natural menns. Ncither can the polar bcar, the hippopotamus, t he ostrich, B11d the eider fowl, tho reincleer and the giraffe, to refcr to no more examplcs, exist togethcr in a state of nature rcquiring a great dhersity of climatcs; and supposing them aggrcgated by the Divine Power, and ~ustained in a common tcmperaturc, tl1e difficulty of concehing a building capable of accommodating a tenth of the single pairs of ail the spccies is prodigions. The difficulty increases when wt? consi<ler the \ust nulller of fresli-wate; fish. aml r<'ptiles of the ri ver.- to
22* R
TllE SUJBNC.E UJ<' COIWESP0}1'f)J,'NCRS.
l;e providcd for [to all of which, as wcll as Lhosc ftcd to live in iho sait-water, the brackish water produccd by tl1c rain would be fatal]. To supernatural agency, indccfl, all things arc [>'upposed to be) pos" sible; but whcn nothing is said of its action in the record (not e\cn the slightcst hi11t of miracle),-wlicn the object imagincd to h:wc been effectcd by it must hase becn, to a grcat cxtcnt, uscls,-an<l wlln the congregation of the animais is rcpre;;ented as in the muin the work of \ oah" [ wc may well imagine tli:it somc othcr explanatiou of the catastrophe is requircd, and must be foundJ. The evidencc as to the actual occurrc11ce of the Noachic deluge, whether univer~al or partial, adduced by varions learncd writcrs and commentators, is the ancient and wi de-~prea<l traditions of floods, \\' hich arc sakl to have t.akcn place arnong ail nntions, and from the must rcmote periods; including thosc of the Grecian and Roman mythology. Dr. Pye Smith, Dr. Redford, Harcourt, and Kitto cnumcratc the Chaldcans, Phnieians, Assyrians, l\fodians, Pcrsians, Druids, Greeks, Romans, Africans, Scythi.ans, Celtic tribcs, Goths, Hindoos, Chincsc, Burmese, Mexicttus, Pcruvians, Araucania Indians of South America, Aztccs, l\liztics, and Apotees, K orth American;;, Tahitians, Sandwich Islanders, western Caledonians, and the Crees, or Arctic lndians; and assert that all prescrvc in thcir mytholof,rics or histories the principal fcts recorded by Moses. But much that has been written by ancicnt historians, and interpreted by modern writcrs on this suhject, is fanciful, uncertain, and most fallacious. The aile gorics of ancient rnythology have also becn greatly perverted and much misun<lcrstood. Hence have :uisen the confuscd and contradictory opinions attributed to them. The source of ail heathen worship, ttnd, we ma.y add, of all heathcn rnythology, indced, was the corruption of the truths of revcaled religion; so ail the above mitions dcrivcd their views, originally, from a more an cieut \Vord than ,wc now posJJess, altogethcr written according to the science of Correspondences, and of "hich, in all probability the first eleven chapters Genet>i.'i formcd a part.m Frorn a profound ignorance of this science, modern writers have eithcr wilfully overlooked or totally misapprehended the myths and analogies of the anciont world. The ck'Scription of the Deluge in Genesis is altogcther a divinely-ins1iircd parablc, a spiritual or mental history, urranged in the forrn of a narrative, and filled with
of
141 See the !nU:-rc-sting accounU; of the Chal 1the British l\fnoum, the origlnars of which can acr.ount of the crcottion und delugc, <li- were prtB<'l1tccl to tbat museum, covered and rcud by Mr. George 8mith, of
~lRA1f/J.'G OF 'f'HR J"J,OO/J, 1'111'1 AR]{, RT().
259
noly inBtruction nnd hcayenly !t'l;SOllS of wisdom. Ovcr the imll'T glory il; t.hrown this outwunl o\eriag, which hns protcctcd it frorn tcarful abuse, and preventcd awful profanation. Many have hccn the absur thcorics proprn;ed to account for the waters of the Dt>luge. Dr. llurnctt suppcd that the surface of the enrth was smouth and dry; that the outer cnu;t. or shell crackc and broke, cnu;;ing the water to spreud over it, and elcvat.ing the mountains and hills from the plain. \Vhistur consi1lcred that a cornet wns brouglit int.o colli.on with the world, which broko open the fountains of the ~rcat c11ep, and that the waters werc dried up hy a miraculuus wiud. Others have imugincd that a cornet both hrought the water with its tail und tlried it up aga.in n.fler the flood. Kircher supposed thut the air was converted, for the time, into water, without rcftecting upon the neccs ~ity of air to support lifo, an that if the whole atmosphere \rere compres8cd into water, it would only stnnd tl1irty-two foet ahon the surface,-not sufficient to covcr a single h ill dcscrving the namc. The leading comrnen tntors are satisfied, hmYever, with the absurd a1>':Strt ion that thcre was-a 1uiraeulous ereation of water sufficient for the purposc, and a di~sipation or anuihiln.tion of it at the end of the fiood. Again, the heayiest fll of min k11own has bccn stated at about seven inehcs in forty-eight hom'S, occ,-asioning most devustating floods; but the waters of the Deluge mu8t haYe risen at the incrcdible rut" of 1>ix hundred and fifty feet eyery twenty-four hours, for forly days nnd uights in succession. Indeed, th e vast ru.te at which it must h-1.ve fllen ma.y be b est imagined when we con~ider thut it is cnlculatcd the amount requircd to cover t he mountains would be fo;-ty iimes that of nll the oceuns on the faoo of the earth. Sueh an accumulation of water would present serions ustronomical objections. Both th e h -...lk and diameter of tl1c earth would be so incrcased as to seriously inkrfero with the diurnal and orbital motions of the earth, und thc alterations must have hud a disturbing influence upon the wholc :io(ar systtm. Indeoo, Dr. Pyc Smith :inys th.nt il could not have takm place without its etfccts being felt throughout the entirc stellar uniYcrse. '\Yhile, on the other hanrl, gcologisti! affirm, with one conseut, thai the surface of the e:\rth nuwlicre exbihits the traces of a un ivc1~a1. flood , which they agree to regard as u. physieal irnpm1sihility. Think of the vast capncity of the urk, e>en tbougl1 ii wcrc only thn.t of the Great Eastern; yet ii had but. one small window in the uppcr story, affording u. most imperfeet light, and all the rcst must have bcen involved for more than a ycar in entire darkness. Gltwi,
260
Tl/R SCJl<Jl'{(JR OF GnttRESl'ONfJEKCf.'S.
cvcn, is a. mo<lcrn di;.co\cry. True, :.oml cnlightcne<l writcrs aflirm that the urk wru> illuminutc<l hy the rcllcction of large nu<l most lmllia11t gems or by pho:s1>horesccnt su1)stanccs. Rcason revolts at the irlca . Agnin, the ark 1rnd uli,o but one door on the vust sidcs. The nccumulutiou of refuse must hnve l'een cnormous, and nothing i:; imid of wutilation. How cou Id this be> literaliy unden;too<l? W c might :1sk whcre, after such a su1ging flood, was the olive hranch to he found? And from wl1cncc did Noah obtain the vines he plu11tcd? Other rlil!icultics and inconsisteucics nre to be found in the uarrative itself. Noah, for instance, wns commnn<led to admit pairs of uuimal:,i into the ark, and thcn to take of clcan beast'1, of which no mention is elsewhcre mnde till the law:i of )[Ol>Cl:I were compiled, by sevcns. .Some explain tbc numher to mcun sevcn pairs, and others sevcn :milllal:-. It is, howevcr, ui:<~erted that uf'tcr Noah irnd his family hnd gone into the a rk, the beas ts, birds, awl crccping tliings wcnt iu uuto Noah "two ami two of all fle1:1l1, 'vhercin is the breath of Jifo. And thcy that went in, \l't'n i in male imd fornale of all tlcsh, as Go had commaniled him: and the Lor s hut him in." That Noah was not a rcul, but a reprcsentativc ehariicter, like Adam, Enoch , l\Icthuselah, and othcrs, sccms plain from the lcngth of tirue which he ill snid to linve live<!, ninc hundrecl and fifty ycm'b ; aiul from his name, which mcam; rest, or consolation. 'l'he destruction or en<l of one church, wliich WUR ovcrwhclnw<l hy evil lust:; ami fabc pcr:>uiu!ions, and the commencement of another in which rightcousnc~:; a.nd t ruth might dwcll, w:is inccd to ail a source of divine eo111frt. 'J'hat N oah, the ark, nn<l the flood werc u!togelher typica.l of this gre:Lt rcgcncrating change, is a]i;o cvident from whnt the apostle Peter say:i of thc111 in the third chaptcr of his first Epi:<tle, ticcund verse, :~ rcsurrectirm of .Jcsus Chrbl." For wlmt docs the sacramcnt of haptism mcau but to prcscmt to uis n sign of purification from all l'iufulnc:<i! }Jy divine truth, aml thus sulvnt-iun from "the fi00<ls of ungodliuc.~s " and i11i< 1uity? H ercby is attaincd a stnte of spiritual rcst from tcmptntion, uffction, an<l sor row, and of divine cowolation :rnd })Cacc, when the nrk rcsts safoly on tliC' mountains of Ararat,-the mouutains of love and light, as the
nnuw irnports.
\Ve R"CJH forccd, th<'n, from thcsc and a multitucle of othcr considerationli, to regard the en tire narrative of the Del uge as a parable or
.l!F..lJ'(f.VG OF TJIP. FLOOD , Tl/E AR!l, RTO.
2Gl
allegory, mul a li the traditions refcrring t it ns of the !'ame d1t11'1H' ter; with thi~ exception, thut the pnrnblc of the Bible i;; diducly inspired in its spiritual sense and import, is holy and true, and prnctically good in evl.'ry particulnr, whi le the pagan traditions arc but hurn1m corruptiuus of the rcmains of revealed religion cxisting nmo11 them. N onh and his 5-011s wcre ndored aa dcitics, aucl evcn the nrk is said to hnve bcen worshippcd ns a goddess undC'r various 1ianus. The wholc p:i.mblc, then, instend of bcing a d escription of a litcrnl flood of water, is an in,,pircd account of the Illornl coutlitiou of tl1c humnu race nt that tizne, whcn thcy had liccome completcly wkkecl, or hn<l fille<l up the mcn.sure of thcir iniq uit ies. The jutlgmmts mul providC'nccs of Cod, temptations, hcrcsies, profoncucss, und 1 wrsccu tion, the prenencc of errol', trou ble, and evcn wars, discu.~, and dcath, ure 111! likcncd, both in divine nnd nncieut wrili11g8, to irr<'sistiblc and d cstrnctive floods. F. ~pecfolly is the end of one e11urch or dispcns:ion of religion and the commencement of nnother repreRen tcd in divine lnn~ungc hy n flood, and cnlled nlso the end of the world . Thus the end of the Ad:unic dispcn~ation is rcprescutNl hy Noah's flootl; the end of the J cwish di:;pensnlion is fretold hy D:mid us ::i. flood; nnd tlie end of the first C hristian di~pensntion i~ pr\> rlicted liy the Lord Tlim~elf ns like Noal1's flood. The vcry form of the nrk, iu gcneral so likc the temple nt J crus.-tlem, compuscd of lhrcc storic~, shows that it wns dcsig ncd to reprcsent the rnind of man, with its thrcc 1l<'g rces; and t lie b~ ts, b irds, and cr<'eping thiugs dcnotc the atfcctiuns, the thoughts, and the lowcsl }irinciplcs of the li fr. By :i flood is significd nn immdntion of cvil nn<l folsity, l'in and folly; and it is in the nrk of snlvation, providc1l for us in the 1livi11c W ord, thnt wc can nlouc find safoty, ns it is nnrrated thcy of old did, frmn the o\erwhclming torrents. The animais culel'c<l hy pairs nnd by senni', for truth must nlways be unitccl to its truc 1mrt11C'r, goodncss, in ordcr to bo fruitful ; nnd the holy qunlity of 11.l l rcgencmte priuciplc,; is presr ntcd to us in the septuple of the clean animais. This flood extinguished the life of God withiu the soul of the ungodly, togethcr with al\ the hco.venly principles of love nnrl chnrity, ;;ignified by its overwhclming all fiesh, nn co"\ering the l1ills and mountains. 'l'hat the ark wns, in nll its mcnsnrcments antl arrarrgemcuts, n diyiuc figure of the humnn mind in the proccss of bcing regencrJlC'< l or rcdmcd froiu the destn1ctivc clc mcnts of cvil and falsity, th ua pres<>ned frmn the powC'ra of hell nnd dPnth, i;; not only evidC'nt from its gcucral form , but from nll the other partieulan1 namcd. Tl.11
uched, for wisest reasons, in the language of simili tude and correspondence, and thus most worthy of God to give and
and therein
tion of
f attaining to the highest truth and virtue, to behold God is the consumma our happiness here. The confusion
of tongues at the building of the tower of Ba bel should teach us this lesson. The heaA en those vain builders sought to reach, signifies, symbolically, the mind, where dwell divine powers. Their futile attempt represents the presumption of those who place sense above intelligence, who think that they can storm the intelligible by the sensible." VauyJuin s Hour* with the Mystics, vol. i., p. 73. Thercr
r
peutx.
He the Mosaic institution and writings. shows us that the letter is only as the veil which concealed the brightness of the face of Moses; that the history of Abraham and his two sons is an allegory; and that Melchisedec represented the Lord he shows us, in a word, that the WHOLE dispensation was so cdinl acted as to be the figure and (he shadow of a spiritual system. "Dr. JJfair. i &2 David is a type of our Lord, and through
;
arate believers in their closets, with equal propriety, as the language of their de votions; they are an inspired Liturgy, pro vided for all ages and all lands." Tracts for
the Times, Ixxxix., p. 129.
David means, in
Chris
English,
tians
"beloved,
dear."
"Nothing has done more hurt among
than taking the Psalms, or hymns of
David, the Beloved, literally, as if they re lated only to temporary transactions or de

liverances wrought for the
Jews."
"None
has a spiritual sense also, which proves it to be the book of God. At times we, through blindness, can discern only the natural and here we should check vain conjectures. At other times, the spiritual almost appears; and sometimes both are discerned with equal clearness. Upon this plan we are to inter pret the Psalms as having a double meaning. Also, the Psalms applied to Israel are, in the higher sense, to be understood of the spiritual Israel. We are, in a far higher sense than they, delivered from bondage and slavery; we go through the sea, and travel in the wil
;
derness.
We
have, spiritually,
;
God
s pillar,
and mount we have bread from heaven, water from the rock, and prospect of a land of rest. We have enemies, diffi culties, and dangers; captivities and deliv erances. In like manner are we to under stand the figures borrowed from the natural world. We read here of creation heaven, earth, and sea; of sun, moon, and stars; of air, thunder, dew, and rain; of light and darkness, summer and winter. All such things are figures of higher things in the new creation, the world of grace. In short, whatever be the figures used in the Psalms, whether David, Israel, the ceremonial law, or anything in creation, or in the history of man, they are shadows of far higher and bet
tabernacle,
;
ter things in Christ s kingdom." See Hixltop on the Psalms, condensed from Jones s
Home
Scripture Directory, ed. 1815, pp. 73-78.
That the book of Psalms, and the Prophets,

throughout the inspired pages, contain an internal and spiritual sense, they themselves testify. David, "the oldest Psalmistof Israel" his tongue was (2 Sam. xxiii. 1), affirms that the pen of a ready writer" (Ps. xlv. 1) and at the period of his bodily decease, claims
"
the spirit of inspiration for his sacred songs, when he said, The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was upon my tongue"
"
Sam. xxiii. 2). I, Jehovah, have spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied vi sions, and used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets (Plosea xii. 10). We have only to turn to the New Testament, and in
"
(2
"
the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epis tles, and in the Book of Revelation wo shall find the most ample evidence of this inter nal meaning, especially in its application to the Lord Jesus Christ, and as, in that sense, being fulfilled not only in Him, but also in the constant experience of every Christian believer. See Acts iv. 25: Hcb. ii. 6 Acts ii. 25,30; Rom. xv. 9 ;x. 18; Matt.xxvii.48: Hcb.
;
x. 5;
Johnxiii. 18; Rom.

iv. 7, 8;
viii. 36;
Heb. i.8;
i.
Eph.
Rom.
xi. 9, 10;
iii.,
Acts
20; Matt,
e books of Scripture have a double sense, the literal and the spiritual; this cannot be
said of any other hook in the world; human writings have only a natural, but the Bible
xiii. 34; iv.
6,7; Heb.
;
iv.;
;
Rom. xv.
ii. 7.
11
Luke xx.
17
MatUxxii. 44; Acts iv. 11 1 Pei

;
23
.,
u. U20.
266
kind of
o their number, in every which would never have been done unless each had had some peculiar signification, as manifestly appears from those passacrifice,
154
"
field s Coniiex., p. 481.
Spencer traces the origin of sacrifices note 66.
to the invention of
heathen
nations."
Green
uage
things."
"
is
obscure, that
meaning is not that which they openly i5e TO see clearly that the Old Testament express, and that it will not be understood till the is figurative, and that by temporal blessings endoftime. Finally, it must be remarked, that the prophets understood other blessings, it their language is contradictory, and destroys is only necessary to observe, in the first itself, if one should think that they meant place, that it would be unworthy of God to by the words law and sacrifice no other than rascal s call men only to the enjoyment of temporal the law and sacrifices of Moses."
their
! , j
felicities
secondly, that the language of the
Thouyttts,
tr.
by
1).
H. H., Int. Rep.,
1847, p. 192,
o degenerate
not, previous to his incarnation,
had the human race become, the Lord could have had a dwelling-place with his
instituted
creatures.
"
The church which was

23-
among
the posterity of Jacob
not
tell
thee
for the world
is
eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats ? thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the Most High
;
"
mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I Offer unto God

"
(Psalm
1.
7-14).
And, again,
To what purpose
is
the multitude of your sacrifices unto
ifice before the law, did it by cept." (A nswers to the Orthodox.)
divine pre Most of

"
the ancient Fathers came to the same con clusion." Outran, s Dissert, on Sacrifice, p
14.
never hings to come, and not the very image of the things, can with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make For it is not possible that the blood the comers thereunto perfect.
of bulls and of goats should take
away
sins.
Wherefore when
He
was a further hidden design in it than what at first sight appeared, and that these outward ordinances were but as so many cautions to them against such vices as were principally meant to be forbidden by them. And then he goes on to explain this part of the law, according to the manner that Barnabas has
done
all x.)
:
in [his] epistle.
Evangel., lib. viii., cap. ix.)
(Apud Eus .b. Praeparat. But this is not
Eusebius (Praej)ar. Evang., lib. viii., cap. gives us yet another instance to confirm
this to us, viz., of Aristobulus,
who
lived at
curious in
as the prohibition of the like; he showed
little matters, such meats and drinks, and
him
at large that there
and delivered the like spir meaning of the law that Eleazar had done before. And that this was still contin ued among the Hellenistical Jews, is evident by the account that is left us by one of them,
the same time,
itual
274
TIIE SCJb',VCF: Off' COJUSI'OXDENCES.
scntcd the errtire proccss of the Lord's glorifieation from first to lREt, and, cousequently, of man's rege11c.ration. Now, mnu i:; rcgenerated by "eea:;ing to do evil, and lcnrniug to do well" (Isa. i. 16, 17) ; and to do these great works, hc must freely reccive of the wisdoru aml love, the strcugth and life of the Lonl, and thus be co11joii1c<l to Him. Holy worship is the grand prcparntivc for this conjnnction. With intense, yca, infinite <lesire, the Lord flesires spiritually to cat the passover with us (Lukc xxii. 15). He knocks and calls that we may open the inner door of our minds, whcn, by the influence of his Spirit -the spirit of his love and wisdom-He "will corne in to us, and will sup with us" (Hcv. iii. 20). He lrnngers that we may reccivc and love his goodness. He thirsts that wc may acccpt and helieve hi~ truth. He, from the most ardent desire for the salvation and happincss of his creatures, deigns to impart the cli\rinc principles of his own life to every preparcd and willing soul, that men may be eternally conjoined with Ilim in heart, and rniml., and life. Hence, the s:.icrifices and offorings of the J ews nre denorninatcd "a covcnnnt" (l'i;ahn 1. 5), and even called the rneat and brcad of God (Lev. xxi. G); and the altar is dcsignnted his table (Ezek. xli. 22). Nothing can be presented as grntcful to the Lord but what is <lerived from Him, thus what is pure and perfoct, what is clean and sound. The inward gifts and outward graces of the rcgcnerate mind arc the only offorings truly acc~ptable in the diviuc sight. ln their sacrifices and Lurnt-offcrings, thcir mcatoffcrings and drink-offcrings, the Jews were on tl1is account forbiddca to prcscnt what was impcrfcct or polluted
who w,u; conlemporar~ with St. llarnabas, and than whom none has been more famous for tllis wayofwritlug: I mcan Philo (Apud };11,sd!. IIl81. Eccl., lib. il., cap. ;.:vii.) in hi~ description of the Thempent. They lnterpret the Holy Scripturcs, viz., of the 01'1 Testament. allegorically. For ron must know, continues hi!, th"t thcr likc11 the low to un animnl, the words of which makc up the bOdy, bul the hidden scnsc, which lies under thcm, o.wl is not sccn, that they thlnk to be the oui of ll."-Archbishop Wuke' Prrj<1ce w the EpM/e of Barrnibas, secs. 21-:io. Orfgen says, "Unlcss the~ (1hc Lc,it!eal laws o.nd ccremonles] be ail takcn ln another scnsc than the llteml, when thcy arc rccitcd ln the <'hnrch. as W have freqnenU; d<"larcd. thcyarc n greaterslumbll11g-lll0<k, nml leml more t() thcsnbv~rHi011 of the Christian religion, thau to :!ts advanccme11t a1Hl <l'lifico.tion."-ln L e>!U., cap. vil. And al!'ain, 0 Thc. ln..ws of the sacrifices, ''\'hi ch are ghen ln tlic book of th~ Law, are to be fulfilled aecording lo thclr spiritual mc."l.ning; for no mo.n, baying o. right orsound reason. can 1tdmlt thal ram. a11d goats, and cal ves are llt offcrings for an immortnl and incorporcal God.''-ln Ll'tit., p. iii. The Rev. W. Greswcll, ln his work on The >rrCilpondrn~y of lht. 1\fo;aic Rilual and Clwi..,. ti<rn Religion, thns writ.cs: "The wholc body of the 1i1w of )!oc was nnhnawd by n spirit which l<lcnt!Jlc,1 il wlth the gospel of J csus Chri't. E~'11 P<trl of lts mnltlform a.nd complico.ted ritnal, wlicn distincUy cxnmi ncd, auO.,. sess u jigurutiiie. or typicol sense und hnprJT(.. an<L w :a.ch some yospel truU1."-l'ref., p. vlll. "We o.re taught to bclievc that nll the sacrifices mentioncd ln the Old Tcstnmuut, arnJ not merely the >in an<l lre8pll.f!S offeriug>; nf the laws. wrre <if a lypical i1n1Jt>rt, 1. e. werc !11ternle<l Io prefigure sometMng m1<ler lite C/1ri>li11n diR/>rn.<ation thaJ; is of a ClJTTe.pondfog ""'
turc."-p. t>~.
SAClll1'1ClAJ, WORSll!I'.
,.,. 2 0
{Deut. xv. 21 ), for worship defilc<l by 8elf-righteousness and sclf-derivcd intelligellce is profane and condcnmatory; thcreforc, when tho prophet is descrihing such n corrupt ~tnte of the church, in gcncral and in particular, he says, "Ye offer polluted bread upun miuc altar; au<l yc sny, Wherein have we polluted thce? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contcmptiblc. And if yc offer the blind fur sacri!Ice, is it uot cvil? aud if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil ?" (llfal. i. 7, 8.)'"' Various degrecs of goodncss, innocence, nnd charity-naturn.l, spiriiual, and celcstinl-and the purified affections in which they active! y dwell, and thestates whieh they inducc upon the mind, are signified, H a good sense, by domcsticntc1\ animais and their young,-the fiock and the hcnl, the lamb, the calf, and the ki1\, the ram, the ox,160 and tho he-goat. Differcnt kinds of truth, wisdom, and intelligence, reccivcll in affection, togcther with the holy thoughts and sentiments to which they give birth, were signitied hy the clean bir<ls, as the young pigeon and the turtle-dove. Thus all kinds of spiritual nourishment for the suppott of the will and the understanding, the affections and tho thoughts, wcre signitied by the meat-offerings and drink-offering.s,the cakes, the corn, the flour, the oil, the wine, the choicest viandil, both liquid and solid, which were presented to the L ord; fr the imnml gifts wbich sustain the soul, and which were thus rcprcscntcd, nppertain to the Lord Himself, from whom thcy fiow into his kiugdom in heaven and on earth, as the food of angels, the support of ail spiritual lifc. In the same senile, bumt-offcringi;; ami sacrifices signified in general adorntion from a grateful heart, free-will "sacrifices of righteousncss and thnnksgiving" (Pi>alm iv. 5; cvii. 22),-rcndering to Hirn "tbe calves of 01ir lips" (Ros. xiv. 2),-the inward acknowledgment tl1at ail our hlcssings of love and wisdom, cl1arity and fith, arc dcrived from Him alone,-the consccrntion of all our faculti, spiritual and natural, intellcctual and vohmtary, our affections and thoughts, our wonls and dcc1\s, to his service. 'Vorship from love and charity was represcntcd, in a good scnsc, by burnt-offerings and meat-offcring~ ; worship from wisdom and faitb was signified hy sacrifices and drinkofferings. lu rcfcrence to this spiritual signification arnl application
iri:;i "As thing~ whieh wcrc hnpcrfct, un fro God].''~IIutchinson'e U8e of R ellllmi Ret<n. ' c\can, i\1-favore, ill-colored, etc., were em- ered. P- 2f>';. blerus of vke [or variom:: vtces] and dcpra\. 1.154.1-. The Hcbrcw wor<l translntedox, menus il)' , Uwy are repr:eseuted ""od!ous [to God]: the mnfo or hornetl cttttle of the beeve kiud,
w!J!M things. clean, odorous, bright [1m nt fullnge, whcn fit for the plongh. Youliger pcrf~ct], were cmblcms f virtuc [or variou!\ ones are cn11ed bullock~.' --.<:ee Jl"a:rri8~~ Na.J, trtues\, aud are repre.,enled tlll 11ec1>ptablc Hi&. of the Bible, Eng. ed., p. ~'\l8.
1
276
1'/lf: SCJEXCL' Ufr CO.'.'JU:,'Sf'O;_Vf>ENCES.
of the sacrificial wonihip of the ,Jc11 s, t.he apostle l-'u.ul th us writes to the Romans, "l beseech you, therefi.irl', hrethrcn, Ly the rnerci1;s of God, that ye present your bodies a. living sacrifice, holy, acceptable Hnto God, which is your rcasonablc service" 161 (Rom. xii. 1 ). And in the Epistle to the Hebrmrs we read, "To do good and communicatc, forget not : for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (xiii. rn ). Nor without much sclfdenial, the mortification of the n:itural mimi, the subjugatiou of the fleshly lust;;, i5 that ::;tate of mind attaincd, in '\'hic]l such Ii\'ing, holy, and acceptable worship can be performed, or thoHe prccious gis rcccived whiclt can be suitabiy presentcd. "I will not," said David, " offer burnt-uffering:s unto the LonJ my God of that which doth cost me nothing" (2 Sam. xxiv. 24). We haYc said that the ,Jews fell into the fatal delusion that t.heir sacrifices were piact1lar. Nor hus this grcat crror bccn confined to ,Judaism. Tt hns becn intcrwoven, IJ ail it;; dcformity, into the Christian rnligion, all(l the sacrifice of the Lord, or the g1orification of hi,;; Humanity, which consisted in tlic hallowing and consecrating to inJ-inite purposes the entire Humanity which He a.<isumcd in the worlrl, with all its facnltics an powers, has bccn extensively aml most mistakenly regar<lcrl as a vicarious Stterificc for even the wilful trnnsgre8sionH of the human race, and represented as oficrcd by the second pcrson in the Trinity to the first person, as a distinct Being, or God, to appcase his wrat.h, nnd propltiate his favor; and, moreover, thnt hi~ suffering and dcat.h 011 the cross being a vicarious sub~futc for the 1nmisl1ment of sinnel's, the inflnite merits of his spotless righteousness are imputed to ail that bclicvc in Him. How full of inystery, perplcxity and inconsisteney is this fatal notion! It suh.stitutes the innocent for the guilty, although guilt and innocence cannot be transferred without the violation of ail justice. Unlcs.~ thcre be more than 011c Go(l, it represents tl1e Lord Jesus Christ as the pacifier aud the pacified, the pricst and the victim, the identical Go<l, whosc vengeance was appcase<l and whose justice wfill satisficd, by his own sut~ ferings, while it confounds all rational and Scriptural iffcrcnce between the infinite und tll finite by imp11ting the incommunicable mcrits of the Creator to the finite cxcature. How broudly <locs this system contrast. with the simple, glorious, and obvious doctrines of
"Sacritlees were Il fiytnl:Jolleal adJrcss to let "'l'hc tcrms hcrc uscd He 11;acrifteialt 1rnd fof('\bly iutimate that. a.~ nn<ler the Old ri.oct, intenfh:cl to expre~~ eforc Him t~ c Tet-:tarncut difl-peusa..tiQn the lmrnt-offering!-l d c\otion.i.:, nm~('tious, di~posltions, 1.tlld de were whon~- the Lord 5 property, ~o Chrit-:- ~ires of the hcart, liy )',ignitir.athe and c1ntians nre r.equfre<l to give up thcm~ch'l'8 f'll bl1\ma.ti~;\I netion~."-::)crip. Dod. ofU1.e Atonetirelyto the SNYice of Go.''-lI<meRoman, E.i:amfoed lly J, Taylor, 1751.
1
note, p, G7.
"'""t
.:S.1ll'l-Ul'/C/_IL ll'ONSll!I'.
277
the New 'festamcnt ! The atonemenl or aL-onc-mcnt is there describetl as a. work of reccmeiliathn,- n.; efteciug an mpo1'tant antl cf'sentiul spiritual change in man, ltis moti vcs, his thm1ghts, and his words and worh thence proccediog, lmt without implyiug :my change whateYer in the irnmutable Godl1e:td. The apostle Paul, therefore, in writing to the Romans, says, "wc joy in God through onr Lord Jcsus Christ, by whom we [not Go<l, w~:] li:.we no\1 rcooivcll t he atoncmeot " (v. 11) The Grcck word [Ka.~<>:l.?.a.y,Z] tmnslated here atonement, 111cu11s rcconciliation, and with its mo<lifications is so translated whcrcYcr else it occurs in the New Te:;tament. The Lord " bore onr sins and carried onr sorrows" (lsa. liii. il) by taking upon Hirnsclf onr depraved nntnre, with all its h<'rctlitary efilcments, and, hy removing these cvih; from his Humuoity, H e "consecrated iL for cvcrmore" ( Ilch. vii. 28), and thcr eby rcceilc power from the indwelling Divinity to r ernovc, likewise, the cvils of nll those who look unto IIim and put thcir tmst in Him. For now " He is able to imvc t o t he uttermost them that comc uuto God [the inwelling Divinity] by Him [the glorified Uunrnnity]" (Hoh. vii. 2.J). "Por in tha.t H e Himself bath suftred being temptetl, H e is able to succor 1em that arc tempted" ( H eh. ii. 18 ). Ifou we furthcr read, that " "\Vhcu the even was comc, they brought unto Him man y tlint werc possessed with (leyils: 1ind H e cnst out the spirits 'vith his word, and healed all that \rere sick: that it mig ht. be fulfilled wl1ich was spokcn hy E saias the prophet, saying, llirnsclf took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses" ()faLt. viii. 16, 17 ). "To bear our sins," thcn, was to sustnin temptation ; mul to pui thcm awny, rig nifies uot only that H e conq uere<l all c\il tendeneics, :rn<I rcrno,cd thcm from his Humanity, but also, that in the liour of severc8t spiritual trial and eonfliet He i:; both able nn ,,illing to stretch forth his gracions hnnd to save all from the inherent corrup, tions of their nature, as well us their actunl sins,- tlms to dcli''Cl from the bonrlage of sin, the fears of eternal death, and from the; 1 11::;crics of hell, all who aeknowle<lge their transgressions, bclieve in Uim, und kecp 11is commandments. By the J.>Ower and cfficacy of divine trnth, as "the \Vord mndo flesh," whieh is so often callcd "the blood of Chl'ist," and" the blood of the New Covcnant [or Testmucnt], shed for the remission of sins" (Matt. xxvi. 28), man j,, dcansed from the impuritics of l1is lifo aud heart just in proportion as, by ohediencc thercto, hc puts his evil away, and, by <livioe ai<.~i~t :mcc, m=fully cmlur e:; the tcmptations and trials hy whicb the work
24
27ti
TllF: BOIE.VCE OF CORRES!'ONDRl..rCES.
is accomplished; and of this process the grievous temptations which t.he Lord endurcd in the glorification of his Hurnanity were representativc. Thus the apostle Paul writes to the Romans, " Therefore we arc buried with Him by baptism unto death: that 1ike as Christ [fe Lord's Hiunanity] was raised up from the dead by the glory of the F:tthcr [or the indwelling Divinity], even so we also should walk in ncwncss of life. For if we have been plnnted together in the likcue~s of bis death, we shall be also in the likeness of his rcsurrcetion: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Hirn, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not ~crve sin. .For he that is dcatl i.s freed from sin. N ow if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. . . . For in that He <lied, He died uuto 8in once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewisc reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indee unto sin, hut alivc unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. vi. 4-11). Tl1e Lord ,Jesus Clirist, tlien, off'ercd a perfcct sacrifice of obcdience to his own divine law; "IIe consecrated a new and living way for us throug11 the veil, that is to say, his fle.sh" (Heb. x. 20) ; He bccame our example (1 Pet. ii. 21 ). 'Ve are exhorted continually to approach Him without fear, to follow Him, to be like Him, who was made " per fcct through sufiringi>" (lleb. ii. 10), and "learned obedience by the things v+hich He suffored; and being made perfect, IIe became the au thor of' etcrnal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Heb. v. 8, D). Like as the Lord gained a complete victory over hell, and accom pfhed his work of glorification by laying down his lifc and taking it ;)gr.in (John x. 18), so man, in humble and full rlependcnce upon II!m, must work out his own salvatiou (Phil. ii. 12) ; and the lif. g,iving blood of the New C.Ovenant will supply every obedient bcliC\'er with the means of' vietory over death and hell (Hev. xii. 11). We are, consequently, "to follow the Lord in the regenerntion" (,Matt. xix. 28), not by the observance of Jewish sacrifices, nor yet by looking upon the Lord as a piaeular vietim, who suffcrcd death in our stead, but by obcdience to the Didne will and wisdom, thus by shuuuing the evil which that wisdom conrlcmns, and doing the good which that will approve.,;; by a life of hcavcnly "charity m love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigued" (1 Tirn. i. 5). Sueh is .the true, spiritual, ahd only acceptable 'rorship of which the sacrifices of Abraham and the patriarchs, the cercmonia1 worship of the Israclites, and the life and rniuistry of our divine Redeemer were eminently re1)rescntative.
CHAPTER XX.
r.u:
E~TJRR
fhnoRY OF
TITE FouR GOSPEL.~ LtTlmALI,Y
Tm.:E,
BUT
Sm
NIFfC.\TlVl~ AND Ht:('JU>:Bl:l''fATIVE I:'l" EVERY
11All'CICt;T,AR
H1:CORnI~D.
lr,t.USTRATIONS }'RO~f TJ!~:
Lom's
PARABLES AND MIRACLES, HIS TuANS
FWUitATio:s-, LrF.E, :\1Ii;1sTttY, A:;n
CnucrFil::ION.
N the p::i.rubolic instruction of our L or<l and S::i.viour, Jesus Christ, in the miracles which H e wrought, an<l iu the whole prog re.ss of his life und miuistry on carLh, as recordc in the four Gospels,t wc luwc the most inco11tcstablc cvidcucc, and the rnost positini assurances, that the cutire litcral seuse was dcsigned to convey n more intcrior signification. Hrnce He made a mo8t reruarkable di~tinction hctll'cen unrlerstanding llis i!peech, and h(lnring, or liearkening tu his words ; between what He roid and what He S)Jake (John viii. 4a; xii. 49). The appnrcntly irreleYant and amlliguou.~ answers which the Lord so ofteu gave to the qucrics of those by whom He was i<urronnded, are of thcmsch-cs ;;ufficient to prove that the meaning of nll He said 1111d id, couhl not be discovcrc in the letter, or from the ontward forrn of the evcnl. "\Vhen He wu.shed llis disciples' f('et, an aet which representcd the purification of the cxtcrual.,; of the mind :rnd life, in which work wo arc privilcgc\l to help each othcr, tl1c Lord diil not expfain the symliols H e presenterl beforc thcm, lmt saiil to Peter, ""\Vhat I do thon knowest. not now, but thon shn!t know hereafter ;" and, agaiu, " I have given you nu example, that ye slwuld do ns I have doue to you" (.John xiii. 4-17). When He rcprovcd the di~ci11lcs for ambition and the lo\e of dominion, extcrnal pretensions to holiness, and vaiuglory, He i:<et be.fore thcm a little child,whose engaging qu:ities of simplicity, innonce, honesty of purprnm, lnuuility of mind, and docility, corr<pond Io the Chri.,;tiau ('baructer,-and he require<l thcm to imita.te ils l'lrtlcss comhwt, to adopL its 11npretending simplicity, and to prnctise it.s filial obedience. Whcu the woman of Samaria was uskcd for water, the Lord directc<l lier ntkntion to Uimsclf a.~ the fountain of "living water," "tl1e 'Vord
,., For the rtssoll." why thcre wece f.-n.tr flO!'pela, llee Nob! I'tffla'l/ Jmpi1'alm :>f the
~plura ~.tic~ VI' :,t!O-(>S).
279
280
TlIE sr11::xc R OF OORRESPONJJRNO.RS.
mn<lc flesh," the wcll-~priug- of etcrnal truth, of which, "\Vhosoever tlrinketh," He addcd, " shnll 11eyrr lhint" (.John iv. 6-15) . "\Yhcn He cro~sed the Lnkc of Tiberias with his <li><ciplcs, and thcy had forgoLtcn to providc themsel\'es with brcad, He said unto them, "Tukc heed arn1 bcware of the lcavc11 of the Pharisees and of the Sadducec~" Piatt. xvi. 6 ) ; nnd bccause th<'j i11tcrprctc<l wlrnt He saicl unto them as if' it had relation to thcir ncglcct, He adde<l, " IIow is iL thut ye do not understnnd that I spake it not to you con rcrning hrcad, that ye sl10uld beware of the lcuvcn of t11e l'harisees aml of t be Sadducees? Thcn nndcrstood the y how that He bade theI!l not beware of the leaven of brcad, but of the doctrine of th<' J>harisees aud of the Sadducecs" ( 11, 12). Whcn the ,Tews rcquired from Hirn a sigu from heaven, in attestation of la is authority, H e "amiwcrcd aud 8ai<l unto tbcm, De~troy thia temple, and in throo dnys I will raisc it u p" (.Jolm ii. 19). They immediately refened what He had s:tid to the <'rection of t11cir temple, and dcridingly replied, "Forty anJ six ycar.; was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three <lays ?" No explanation was thcn gi\'cn, but it is added that " IIe s1iake of the tcmplo of his body. "'hen therefore Ho was riscn from the d ea<l, liis disciples rcmcmbered thut He had said this unto them; and they helieved the scripture, and the \\'Ol'<l \rhirh Jesus had said"
(20- 22).
Many other simlar instances might be adduccd, but these are sufficient t.o prove mo,;t unqucstionably that ail which the Lo:l'<l said, and what is said of Hirn, was significative, und that all bis divine works wcre reprcsentative. If wc read carefully the beautiful para hies of our Sa,iour, we shall find them tecming with spiritual instruction, of which very little appcars on the surface or in the letter. In them the Lord spakc by pure correspon<1ences, ancl each single expression is full of" spirit and life." Takc, for example, the scven parablcs recorde<l in tho thirtcenth ehapter of :\[a.tthew. Of these, a learned, pious and intelligent writer has made the following truly interesting rcmarks: "The se\eral parablcs contained in tl1is chapter stand in a connt:cied ordcr as to their internal sense, and thus follow each othcr in a rcgnlar series expressive of the whole process of regeuerution, eommendng with the fir~t rece11tion of hca\enly truth from the "\Yord, ::ml n.dvancing through gradations of its growth to the full m:itu rity of hcavenly love mul litC. Ar<'ordingly, the first parable of the ,;ower dcscribcs the first in1:<cminatiou of trnth, which is the first stcp towurcls the regcncrl,1.e life. The second 1mrnblc of the tares of the
au
TJTF: GOSPF:L lllS1'0RY AI,J, SIGNIFICATIVE.
281
fiel<l descrihes the ~nanifcst11tion of cvil~ and falses in conscqucncc of iiuch irn;;emiuatiori, wltich is a second stcp, and an dfcct of the first. 'rhe third parahle of the grain of mustard-secd dcscribes the small increment of heavenly life, whilst man supposes that he doeth good from himself alone, and not. from the Lord, whic11 is a third state in the regeneration. The fourth parable of the leaven, etc., dcscrihes the temptations conseqnent on the reception of hcavcnly fruth and good, which is a fourth state. The fifth parable of trcasurc hi<l in a field, dcscribes the frther effect of the reception of hcavcnly trnth nnd good, in leading man to renmmce his proprium or bis own pmpPr life, that he may appropriate the life of' heaven, which is sib'Ilifie!L by sclling all that he h(lt.h and buying the field, and which is a fi.h state. The sixth parnble of' the merchant-man sccking bc:mtifl pearls, descrihes the elfect of heavenly truth in leading man to the acknowledgment of the Lord, as the alone source of all good and truth, anrl t}1e conscquent renunciation of self-love and its guidance, which is a sixth stale. The seventh iiarable of a 11et cast into the seit, 1lescribes the last cffoct of the reception of heavenly truth and goo<l, in accomplishing a foll and final separation bctwcen goods aml evils, and between truths and falses, so that goods and truths are bronght into conjunction with heaven, whilst evils and fafaes arc cast down iuto hell ; and this i.s the seventh and last state of the rcgcncrate life." 163 The miracles of our Lord were not only wofks of mercy actually done on bchalf of a few indivi<luals, or wrought in testimony of his exclusive divinity and sovereignty, but wcfC, in every particular, reprcscntative and significative of what Ile is still doing, and will be forcvcr doing, to promote the salvation of his crcatures. .Just as discases, for instance, disorganize, affiict, and' destroy t11e powers of the body, so sin and folly, the ofThpring of evil, disturb the order of life and destroy the spiritual faculties of the soul, renclering it incapable of receiving the vital influences of heaven, except in a perverted egrec. Hence, He opened the eyes of the_blind, to denote that the truth of his \Vord can unclose the darkened understanding nn dissipate the mists of spiritual ignorance. He healed the sick, to signify that He only can re:;;tore the diseased ancl feeble mind to spiritual hcalth an<l strength. He cleansed the lepers, to signify that He alone can ileliver man from those filthy and contagions states of evil i11
"' Go'Jlel arcarding to .Matl/u:w, tramlaled /rom lhe rni11l-n.aJ G-re, and illulmled 1ollh E.rlraets fT<>m the writitgs of Swedenborg, by the Rev. J. Cl"'"" J[. A. See Notes to chap. xJJJ. "Tt i my pcrsmJ.sion that the [cvcn] parables 1n thf~ cbapter are not to be comsiered dsjolntcdly, but to be taken togcther ._,
conntcd scr!cs."-Alero-ndcr Knoz's Rt mains, vol. :i., p. 108. "Dcmbtless these sevcn [pimtbles] h.ve ~ ~crtain unity. Sll<!ecedlug one nnothcr h~
nahunl order. and havlng n. complcteness in

them~chcs.h-Tlench's Note~
on !lt.e l"ar-ablt~
p. H2.
21*
282
1'/lE SCl!'NOB OF OORRESPONVEN<Jl!.'S.
whfol1 he p rofanes the d ivine truth. H e openefl Zletif cars, and commanded tlrn dumh to spcak, and caused the lame to wnlk, in ordcr to exhibit the process of those imrnrd operations of his mercy by which mun nrc prepared to listen to the instructions of truc wi~<lom, are dispose<l to offer tliank!!giving to Him in the gru.tcful acknowledgmcnt thut He is the only gi\or of "every goo<l and pcrfect gift," and arc cnnhlcd to walk in the way of t he divine comm:mdme11ts. IIe 1aire<l the dent!, to prove tlmt He alone psessl!.:l the ahility to awaken man frun1 the lcthargy and corruption of spiritual <leath, and to girn immortal lifo to the sou l, once " dcad in trespas,,;es arnl sins " (Eph. ii.1), for "to be carnnlly-mindcd is <leath, but to be spiritually-minde is lifo und pcacc. Bccau;,;e the carnal min<l is enmity ugaiust God" ( Rom. iii. 6, 7). H o e:ist out devils, to show that by fith ami love, tlcrivcd from Hitn ns their di,inc source, mun may rcjccL froJU bis naturnl mind thosc unclcan lusts and affections, and those false and roul persuasions, tlicnce derived, which, hefrc the work of regencration is bcgun, obi:ess his spirit."" H e wnlkc on the tempestuous sc:i,
'"The following e.xtrll<'tS, from var!ous onthors, will serve to show tha~ a very gcn eml P<'rption of the tnith, ou !llis impor tant sul>jcct, h:i.s existc ln tl.ic Christian Churdi, "There is a rcmnrknble fragment of Ori t.-tn produced by the martyr ramphllus, whih reprecnts him M Rpenking of the e\'an:.iclicnl narratll'e geuem!ly: 'Though thCS<) lliingg have 11 splrituAI menning, }'Ct Lhe truth of tbe hist.ory being firSl ~<lhUslu:d, tJ1c H(Jirltual cii:ie is tu he tilke n as som c thiug O\cr an<l nbove. For whntlf our L-Ord, lu 11 opiritunl cnse, be alwa~s curlng tl1c bOin<l, whcn He cnsts his lli:ht on mincis blin1lccl w!th iguornnce ; yet IIe 1lld not th~ le"" 11t that Urne hcal one oorporally l>lind, Anrl He is e1er raising the rle<ul; y<'t H e <lld then nally pcrform wonrle"' of the.t klnd
1
type of wbnt H e will d o hcreMter.''-In r.,.., cap. " I. "The truc 1niracles of Christ, aucl the healiug of the sicle, are o f a spiri tulll. kind.''-Jn ,)Jall cap. xxv. T!e explains the mir11clcs of healing nllegoricnllr; for lu stance, the lnnatic in ~rntt. XY. 11 is a spiritn nlly <llsea.'led man, who a.t one time ;, Yirtum1", hut more frequcntly llllSILlle<l hy lltc epllcpsy of ~inful ~lons."-T. xlii., s. 4. " To the sa.me purJXl"C Athn1u1Plus, wilh re spcct to our ma.une< of tltinkhig nll(l r<akiD!l of tblnizs din11c aud tlu. myi.t~ricsofthe gospel, wlth grcat truth anol c l<>gn ute ex pl'Cf>8<:th hhnsclf th us: 'Thl>;<c thhl),'ll are Cl' presscd !ndcc a ncr the munn<:r of m cu, or in hum an language; but thcy nr~ coucehcd i11 o. godlikc or henvenly manncr.' "- 1'/dnvs
I>frine an<[ S1t1in-,1alural conr1 .fr~d oy A mrtorrY uitli //1l11.g3 Nntrml and H um.an, ~y the au!lwr nll'I-<), il.~ when ll rai~d Ja.tru~ s 1 l aughtcr, of" Tite P m<V<lure, E.clrot, a1<1L Liinil. "f lite and the 11ldow's son, an <! J,UJ'.oros. And Ilt01um l'11derisl.andi11{!." p. 87. London: l :tl. thOUl(h at a.li t!mcs, whcn uwakt>nl.'d by bis " .\ltbough th e works of Je<u.s werc <lune
!lbc.-lplc. He quiets the Morms and whlrl wl111ls of hi church: yct it ls unqucMlona hl<' that tho;;c thlngs nlo, whlc h are rdat"d in the hMmy, rcally look place on thut O<' ca~!on.' "-,l pol. JJrQ, 01'ig ., p. ~6; J), ail. 011,,. Ol'i(J. F.<l, Bmed., t. lv., cire<l ln 7'rach< fur l!tc Timr. b.:xxlx., p. 58. "The works which Jesus tbcn dld. wcr e the symbol:; of tlu>SC thhti_'1! which He by bis 1 wer L nlways doing."-Ori9rn in .lfaJt .. PAp. xv. "What..xocver Jt'l>n~ <lhl lu the Ocsh
wn ...,
~ t) C \'Cty
nt th!s lime, '"' shonl<l consi<l..-r ncll wbat thcir s!11n llkation ls in r clAtion Io future tlmcs; .. for the thcn prcsont act:J of the Lord i!c('J11rc the formof the ruturc.''-Jlilaiy. i!J. ,lfmt., c11p, x., s. 5, et c1Lp. xx!. "The cure whh'h Jc8us wronght upon the \Jlind werc imlccd grcal, but, unlci,,, Ile <laily clo as mtghty works tous, thcyc re uotgreat." -Joltn (>j Jtmrol.cm, I10111il .xxx. "1f tlwrc hlld bccn not hing 111ore tban 1\ t<>mp<Jr&I u~ to be ga.ined br [the mimculou8 parti(ular, n ~ ir11illtwlc n1u t <'llrC of the ickj, then tlid lie (the Loul) uotb
1'/11? GOS!'l?f, ll!STORY AU, S JGNJF!OATIVE.
283
and rehukc1l tlte wi11ds aml \\ 1l\'c1:1, 11ot only to provc that H e wns the God of nnt urc, in human fonn, lmt t o signify that bis omnipotent power ulonc can snbdne aurl control the raging influence of hcll, nn<l tlmt H e is ever in the act of assuaging the troubles, antl di:<sipa ting the oubts nml fcars, of his fithfl followers. He mirnculonsly incrcn~cd u snmll qnnntity ol' food, allll supplicd the \rnnts of multitudes, t <> signify bis ability and willingne~s to impart in ricl1 nbnndance, to ail who truly corne nnto H im, the cl<>ments which are uccdctl for the support of spiritual life and energy in the ~oui.
"Di duc miracles," says Swedenborg, " diff cr from magicnl mirucles, as hea\"Cll from hell. Divine mi rnlc.i procccd from divine truth,
ing of gre1tt lmportn.nre Ill tb osc wllo wcre 11ot how to Jimit, an y mor e than \\ Cca.n Umit h rRled by lfh11."- lrm&11g, Ji . v., e np. xii., s. tlw divine order ntHl n rrungement Of a il < L " The dHH:rcntkinds of si ckne~~mrl flLc;.. thfn~s. . .. From o.!\ thi a nalogy, t h e thought
eao cxist!ni: lit thttt rime 11.mnng the people whom th e ~n.viour cure<l, rdR.tc lo the ~pir 1tun\ in fl rm lticsof !>Umuu souls,"-In ,lfa!I., cnp. xvit "He is At th1 rlay performing thosc stl!! grcntcr rui1:i, on A.ccou11t of which Ile con 11 cle~ccn<kd to ~xllibit thosc lcf!sPr m i racks ( Augm!li1tt i11 ,.,,.,.,,,. &'): nnd tlrnt " our Lord iut"n<l ,rl lhat thoo;e cures whkh He 1:.cr formeck, gnve slghL w U1c blinrl, a nrl enabled the lame to wllllc, l fo uot only proved b is authorlty, but onggetc<I t he in r~rcncc t hat He hlld c orne to rctore onr 001T11pted n a ture to ;~, cirigino.l purity, to c nlighten the ignorant, a!ii
" il! wenr tn on e, wl1etlwr c,cry bc1tlily rit t e mpe r m ny not be tmt the anulosy nr fig ure of Wlnc corrcsponi:.l ing malady of tho soul, uot of con r.:e cxist.Jng fn the snmt- pcr~o11, 11~ the)' are oftcn moi;:t free from n.ny snch ~~u.. n~t Uon; hnt implying so1nc n?!-i~mhlnuco [n the i"ScU..'CS anil d hr tempers nhkh pre,an !11 the two worlds o f m a lte r nml s pir it. .. , Sothing lngain) is m ore frL1ucnt t han t he wordb o f hca ring- und o f """in~. aurl o r deMllc.. n nol b!h1<l n.,.-s. pplit!tl to t~e '-Ou i. Our J.ord himrelfrepcnlfallytL '"' thi' flllUtlt
ti\e lm\~'l.lft~C; autl on one r emark o.lr o<:~
c11.io1t con nccl Lhe lcsoon of Piritual b liml "' '"~ Wlth the.t of the bodily eyc, n nd dra ws t he a t tclltlo1 1 froru ()ne t<) the otbc r ; fur "Il he atlng tlw man t.lmt wnR hltnd from 111~ hfrth. He d cdarcd of the Pharisees, T 11,m a.11 men wore,nnfl to emLhle U!"i to ~ta.ncl in UH! pnth of 11 fo."- llind's Hllary Qf Clwislianily, com(!. th1tt tln~y who see not ma.y ~ Pe, and thut thuy who ~ee may be mad<! tJUnd.' I l _ \'OJ. I., p. gJ. Thu m!riu:I~ of c mr J.md on the b odlc Thouglol "" Ille study of lhe llnly Gmq1'/$, tir., by th~ Rti. f , <-Oa William" R.lJ., laie J tll11W of of mrn . .. nppes1 . . . n ot nlercly as iml il'tl tto n!ii o f a l\lne 1)0\\'Cr, whicll hnd a.uthor T1i11Uy OJl/.ege, OJ:jonl, pp. 2-!7-Zb3. ty to l'mll\Jll\, l>u tnlso as thcm!i;eh e the vchkkti o ! ~ piri tunl in~truction . . . . Our "Oh, Jei<ugf o nce lossL-d 0 1> th" bre:LI of the Lord h l ms...tf, ln his c nre<., dld ~omctimcs l>lllow, tudio11>IY c<1nnect the externa l runlnd y "ith A ro11!!1-d l>y th sh rick of d esp!r f'roin t hy the diM'B'-e!' of the i;oul; o r we may SAY, p!llow, ~"Cn\(..'<1 Cttrn~U) to cu~tn-or to tu" 1 tlw S ow 84.'uWrl iu glory. th<' m ariner e hl'r bh, tboUJZhts of tho bystnnders fr<lm the bodily Who rrio-s ln his d nnger , Help, Lord,' or we pcri~h." diSllase t<l th e 11h1.& thn.t occMiom.-<l . it, R.nd \\ere cmmectcd w i th it; as y using the And, oh, when the whirlwind of pu~ston ls words, 'Thy sin s b e forghcn thcc,' instemi ra~ng, of m erelj' d!oP<lling the d!>ca>;e.... And o f Whcn hcll in ur heart Ilia wlld wnrfic is course, 1t goool man wonl<l not limit the !a w a.ging, ~trrn.~tiom;, t.hus<.onveyeit 1 to thOf, patticulur ;\ rtw Ili U1y slrength thy cdcemcll tu eh e r 1w-t:mt'Ui thcm1;elves; but wo uld eon~j der ish, thl'rn rath~' r f\t; inthnu.tion.s or a grcat sybtem, Rcb nlce the destroyer-' Help, Lmd,' or w @ .ftlH1 of on ~xlP1uhe corre~pontlcuec in the perlh." Bhqp H diff. evlJe of the OOd> und ronl, whlclI wc know
284
THE SCIENCE OF OORRESI'ONlJEXCES.
and go forwurd according to ordcr; the effects, in ultimates, are rnirn clcs, when it pleuses the Lord that they should be presented i.n that form. Hence it is that all divine miracles represent sLatcs of the Lord's kingdom in the hcavens, and of the Lord's kingdom in the earths, or of the church; this is the interna] form of divine miracles. Suc11 is the case with all the miraclt'.'i in Egypt, and nh;o with the rest that are mcntioncd in the \V ord. Ali the miracles, also, which the Lord Himself wrought when He was in the world, significd the approaching state of the chureh, as the opening the cycs of the blind, etc., signifying that such as are upresented by the blind, etc., would receivc the Gospel, and be spiritually healed, and this by the comi11g of the L ord into the world. Such are divine miracles in their interna] form. Mugical miracles appear like divine mirndes, because thcy llow from order, and order appears like in the ultimates where rnimclcs are presented. [But] although in the external form [ magical miracl~J appear like divine miracles, they neverthclcss have in them a contrary end, viz., of destroying thosc thinf,rs which are of the churcl1; whcr<>,as, divine miracles have inwardly in them tlie end of building up those things which are of the church."-A. C., n. 7337. "The miracles which the Lord performed whcn He sojourned on the earth 1Yerc actual facts, as well as representativc works. 'l'hcir performance was not, as many suppose, effected by the cxercise of ttrhitrary po\\-er in opposition to the laws of creativc order, bttt 11i;.pern1ing with those mediums, or the setting aside of those intermediate modf's of opcration by which the great Creator briugs forth all eflccts in the order of naturc,-thus the activities of the spiritual world, whose creations are imtantaneous, and not progre;sive, being brought near the natural world, and acting more directly upon matter, control or suspend al! medimm, and produce a spontaneous and instantaneous eflcct both on orgunized forms and natural substances. llence, at the L ord's presence infernal spirits were compclled to retire, imeterate diseascs were healed, new !lrrangements of internai a1Hl external structure were supplied, withered limbs wcre rcstored, hcalt.h was infused into the disordercd frame, the very dcad were rniscd to Ii, water wus turned into wine, bread was multiplicd by a worrl, the rilging sea was calrned. It wns an extraordinary descent of spiritual force into nature, or into the things of the natural world, which Lhus effocted ail known miracles. They were 110 direct breach of divine order, but rnther a manifestation of that superior ordcr which prcvnils in the spiritual world, and which, when permitted to enter into the natural world, supersedes or extinguisl1es for the moment, and witliin the space ullotted for its action, the common ordcr of nature, just as a vivid concentrated sunbearn, or a flash of lightniug frorn heavcn, supersedes and extingnishes all minor enrthly flames."-Hindmarlih's J::ssay on the Lord's Rel!l.irrectfon, page 70. Nor should it be forgotten tlrnt these mighty works cannot be <lono in man, and for him, without i.is own free aud heurty cooperation
TllE COSI'EL ll!S1'0RY ALL SICNIFICA1'1VE.
285
1vith the Lord Jcsu~ Christ, his Gorl and Saviour, from whom ail power i~ cforived. 'IVherefore He snys," Behold, 1 give you power to tread on serpents and scorpion,,,"-that is, power w suhclue all the false and deadly })crsuasions of sensuality,-" and ovcr all the power of the cncmy, and nothing shall hy uny rueans hurt you" (Luke X. 19). The works of the Saviour wcre likewiso reprcsentative, as must be evi(lcnt from his own <liYino dcclaration, whcrc He says, "Vcril,v, Yerily, I say unto you, Ho that hclicvcth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than thcsc shall he do; bec:rnse l go unto my Fathcr" (.Tohn xiv. 12), whcrc we are taught th:it thcse mighty work;; arc to be wrought in us by the combinerl activities of love anrl wisdom, signified in the spiritual sensc hy the Father and the Son; that they arc to be donc hy the uniteil operntion of the human wiII with the Divine will; and that they arc us much greatcr than those which had rcfcrence to the rcnoYation and preservation of t11e body nt the soul is superior to its earthly tabernacle. As an example of the manner in which the Lord's miracles arc to be expbined and undcrstoo<l, wc will briefly instance the dccply intercsting one, literally performe<l at the marriagc in Cana of Galilee, an<l recordcd in the first twelve verses of John ii. Cana 11as a city of the-Gentile nations, which signifies, in the spiritual sense, the stafo of those wl10 acknowlerlgc tl1Cir destitution of divine truth, and who, in consequcnce of thcir ignorance of the \Vord of Gor\, are presened from the drcadful evils of profanation, which had consummated a prcviou~ <lispensation. It was to enlighten and instruct such hmnble minds, that the Lord con<lcsceuded to sojourn in the flcsh; ami, to reprcscnt his divine purposes and opcrutions more vividly, He made the first wondrous di~play of his mercy on tlic dclightful occasion of a nuptial cerernony in Gulilee of the Gentiles. A marriagc, 11c have seen, signifies the union of love and wisdom in the will and u11dersta11<ling; hcncc, also, conjunction with the Lord, for without Euch a 11nion of the conslitnent 1iriuciplcs of the clmrch, and of every imlividm1l, no such coujunction can be expcricnccd. 'IVhcn the sinccrc desire for it cxists, however, the !Ard is said to be cullcd or invitcd to the fcast. He io prescnt, as to his <livinc Joye, denoted by his namc, Jesus; for it is from the iufinitc ardor of his love that Jfo 11ills to "savc his people from thcir sins" (l\fntt. i. 21). He is iircsent togcther with the imrnrd gooll affection, dcnotcd y the l\Iother of
::!86
THE SCIENCE OF OORRESPOlvJENCES.
Jc:ius,M which prompts tl1c JlOrception of that holy principle, nn<l

with his disdpl , significative of nll the <livine trut hs and doctrin.ell rlcrived from Him through his 'Yord, und necdfl to supply the fu]. nes;; of instruction. The thirtl flay deuotes a complctc statc of prcpamtion. The fcast commenced, but it was suggested by Mary, who representc(l hca venly affection, tha t thcy had no winc. Extcrnal truth, signified by the water, with its clransing and refreshing qualitics, existed in abuntlancc; but iuterior truth, signified by wine, whieh exhilarates the inmost prineiples of the soul, was wanting.ill \Vhen the Lord was thus applied to, IIe apparently gave a rliscourng iug answer, but in reality teaches th11t iutcmal truth, howcver dcsired, cannot be given till the hour or s tatc arrives in which man is duly prcpared for it, and which is in<luccd hy a willing and simple obe dien ce to the truths already acquired. The servants arc thereforc directed to do whatsoever the L ord saith. The six walerpots of stone, " set after the manncr of the purifying of the ,Jews, containing two or three fkins apiecc," signify the divine word itself, and the purif)'ing tcn<lency of its doctrines ; and their nnmbers an<l mensures tlcnotc fulness, !tdapted to every statc of the ehurel1 and the mind. T o be fillcd to the rim 8ignifics, that as the \Yord is ohcyed, it is seen to be replenished ,- to O\ertlow \ri th au infinite ab undance of trut hs. T o sdcct one more illustration of the intem:Ll sense of the G pels, let ns icfer to the narrative of t hc L ord's transfiguration on the rnount, related by three of tbc Bvnngelists (Matt. xvii. ; ~fark ix.; Luke ix.). This wonderful even t wns designed iu gcneral to teach tlmt the whole \Vonl b<;)ars unbroken witness to the great trnth that the divine love, wisdom and power arc the indwelling attributcs of the L ord J csus Christ. Three of the disciples, P eter, ,James and ,John, were preseut. I may observe that the Lord was so :<een y thcse 1lisciples, when, being withclr:mn from the body, thcir spiritual 1<ight \\'llS opcncd. Though it is described, likc the ancient prophctic villious, ns if it h:ul happened in the natural world, it was in rcality a transaction wl1ich took place in the spiritual world. \\re h:ne beforc observed, tlrn.t by the three disciJllcs, P eter, J ames nnrt .Jo}m,
100 s~e Lukc Y!li. 21: John lx. 27. l "rc remnved, and the troth is prescntcd Io let" \\'lnc, ln many pa..~agcs, is put by U5 \'Cw. The good w!nc i the Old 'l'etllment, for the HQ Jy Bcriptures, which ro11t11i1111illtin hnt tb!s (good winc) docs n ot appeitr, unle.ss thcm the purest force of hcincnly 11<dmn, 1'1 the lctter it oo spir!tmil!y undcl'!5tood!'by whlch t he unden;tam11ngs of men arc A ug11sli11e App. in Serm. X<'. witrmcd, l\lHl their :tffccfms l uebrlntcd . " Jly win~. the splrltmt! intelligenc~ of the Whllc Chrbt wrought in Cil.mi of Gnlilee, dl\'i11e lnw ls <lcnoted. Wht,m'tl the Lord al t bcy want~d wine, an d wlnc is produced !n r the m:uril\~ in C..na t u rned the wat.tr into them; that is, the sha.dows (of the Jetter) wl nc.''-l>t1Tand11.S on SJlll/Olalll, p. l~.
TIIE GOSPEL IIIS1'0RY ALL SJGN!FlOA TIVE.
28'T
are signified the tl1ree essentials of ail religion, viz., faith, charity or love, m1d good works or the fruiti> of charii]. None but those in whom these ennobling principles are found uuitc and active can word, It is said that after spiritually discern the Lord's glory in his six days the Lord took thcm up into a high mountain apart. After six <lays siguifics a statc of rest, pcace and joy, denotcd abo by the Sahhath,-a holy und heavenly state which can nnly be attained hy pa~siug through the prcvious statcs of lahor and trial, and by enduring the scvcre contticts of tem11tatio11, signified by the six days in which man hu.s to do "all liis work." By a high mountnin, callcd hy an apostle " the holy mount" (2 Pet. i. 18), is signified a state of inmost affoction; dcnotiug, \Yhcn predicated of the Lord, bis divine loYc for his creatures, and when prcdicatod of them, thcir love toward8 Him. Higli signifies wl1at is exalted and interior; and apart tlenotes the scparation which obtains, in this exalted state, between what is earthly and heavenly. By the Lord being tran~figurcd 161 is not meant that there ever was, or can be, any clmnge in Him; but He so repre.. scntcd Himsclf in the presence of bis disciples to denote that the cfligcncc of his inmost Didnity can only be revealcd to thosc who nre prepared to ascend the mount of love. Therc thcy can see and commune with thcir God and Saviom. From that lofty elevation, losing sight of his sufforings and sorrows,-his states of humiliation and temptation,-He is beheld in ail the splendors of his gloriiied Hunmnity. Nor is the glory which is thus manifcstcd, any cxtr:mcous nppearnnce assumed in a moment, a11d for temporn.ry purposes, but it is an inward cmanation, perpetually flowing from the inherent essentials of bis own divine nature. The Lord's face, which was refulgent as the sun, signifie<l his iufinitc gooduess nnd mercy, beaming with splendors from his divinely glorilietl Person. His garments, ''hich appeured white as the light, sigl'ified those sacred and eternal truths in all their radiant pnrity, with which H e clothes or invests Ilimsclf' as ,,ith miment (l'sa.ln1 civ. 2). Ily Moses and Elias are not only signified the great lawgivcr and the prophet, but the \Yord itself; which they were instrumental in recor<ling; 1\Ioscs tlcnoting t11e historical portions, and Elias the prophetical. 'fheir conversation with the Lord was unquestionable evidcuce that the whvlc \Vord treats concerning Himself and his divine 011erations. Thro11gl1 the ~ame holy medium, man ~!so may, ns it were, hold converse with hi1 God. By Peter saying, "Lord, it 8 good for us to be here: if tho11 m J,it., "He transfii,'llre llitruelf."
288
THE SCIE.NCA' Ol' CURRESI'ONDA'NCES.
wilt, let us make hcrc threc tabernacles; one for thcc, and one for Moses, and one for Elias," is denote<l the blissful perceptions givcn tu a truc faith, that the highest. privilegc of the Christian is to hold i11tercourse with the Lord through his 'Yord, thus to open the mimi towards Him, t.hat dwelling with us and in u~ He nrny continually replcni1 all the fcultics of the soul with his divine gifbs. The cloud into which the disci9les entered, and with wl1ich they were ovcrshadowed, represcntcd the literai bcnsc of the \V ord, wliich, veiling its inward truths, accornmodates them to the slate of the bcholder, and becomes a "ligl1L or bright cloud," wheu thcsc truths are seen to shinc through it. A voice out of the cloud is the responsc or confirmation of divine truth, as heard in the pure doctrines of religion, and taught cven in the lettcr of the W ord. These doctrines instruct us that the l ..or<l glorifierl his ruatemal or materiaJ llumanity, and ruade it divine according to his own infini te will and good pleasurc; that all the folness of the divinity dwclls in tlie glorified Humanity, the -" bcloved Son;" and that liaving lcarncd this all-importnnt, all-glorious truth, wc must evcr harken to the still sm:ill voicc,-thc dictates of a gcnuine conscience formcd by the plastic :md vital operntion of truth. By the disci11lcs licaring the voice, falling on thcir faces, and being sore afrai(l, is significd a disposition to obedicnce, adoration from the deepcst humiliation of heurt, and thencc inward revcreucc for the Lord and dread of evil. Jcsus touehing them signifies divine communication of new strength and life from Himself. His snying, "Arise, and be not afraid," signifies the eonsequcnt elevation of state, from which ail fcar is banishcd, bccause the Lord is ~cen as" mighty to save," and as sMing to the uttermost ail who corne unto Him. And, lastly, by the tlisciplcs "lifting up their eyes and sccing no rnim save .Jesus oJlly," is meant, that in this exalted state of the under8tan<ling, and so far as finite power can discern the infinite, the Lord Jcsus Christ is perceive<l in all his grandeur aml glory, nnd acknowledged frorn the heurt to be the only God of angcls and men,-thc Creator, Hcdeemer and Saviour of his crenturcs, the All in all of the church in heaven aud on carth, "the Alpha and tlie Omega, the bcginning and the ending, who is, and who ,ms, and ll'ho is to corne, the Almighty" (Rev. i. 8). The L ord's birth into the world,168 bis baptisrn, tcrnptations and
''" From the earliest age of Chrltlanlty, 1 be tmccd in various anthon;; thus John of this glorlon vlsio11 hn.s bcen regared lU! J c rusalem writes, "He who follows the letcontuinlng an lnwnrd significo.1!011,>md cYen ter of the ~rripture, and rcmalnscxclushcly somc perception of it;; piritnal import muy iu the vallcy, can11ot sce Jeus clothcd ln
1'/IE GOSPEL IllS1'0Rt ALL SJGNIFICATJVF:.
28\)
ministry, his crncifixion, rcsurrection and 11.5censio11, wcre, ns to evcry historien.~ circumstance recorded in the holy Gospe, not only true as to the Iitcral fcts (see ante), but also sig11ific11tive of his approach to the clrnrch in general, and to every preparcrl mind in particular, and of his reception, acknowledgment and glorification in the rcgcneraliug mind; and thns, hy consequencc, thcy are made tQ reprcsent all the various stcps and degrees in tl1c spiritual pathwny through which wc must walk to obtain UJl everlasting stnte of conj11nctio11 witl1 Hirn, and the blee:;ings of his salvation.1 ee The temptntions in the wildernc:S8.. or the grie~us_.:issanlts a~d suggestions of the infrrnol
"hite rahucnt; but he \\'ho follv\\S th e Word o f God up the mountin, lhllt ls, he who ao ccrnh the ou!Jlirnt '"'"e of t'he !aw, to ldin Jcu. is trnllfil(Ured. ~o )QJI!( M we follow thr ot;;.curity of the lctter, ::llo.c~ and lllia. <lo11utW.lkw1thJcus; buti!"cundcr..tal1<l il iq,irilunlly, then lnght\\ ny Ma.es aud Eli. tlrn.t r,, Lhc law und the prophet~. corne
the srencs e.n<I rire\llnstnns !n whirh we ~nO dr~p for w; the m<J>t triv!~l ut' hi l'omman,lments is cxclni; brou.d; the light <'>!, to our conception, of bis at't m11st ho.ve and <'OIH'Crdf? \\rith the: 0C."1cL''-(J!mn.. ctcrnal a.nd tnfinlt.c lli'.iso'iations tlJ)(I cun~c xx:xU.) Sou.ga1n Orlgcn \\'ritcti, "t."11l(ss thon quences~ The worrl!', then, a.n(l (1uh1~~ of a-cct1d the mo1mt11lu ut' God, 1111<l thcre mect our Blcssed ~av tour, bclng llH thcy are the wftlo More;; unies.. L lwu 11!\Cen or t he crc: U1cy oannot but be fully clulrgL'<I not oi;cucd by God. Jf thuu bide in the l\ lth bcun:nl)' antl inyf....tC:rious menni11r, low plain of the letter, and rlo no more tha.u whctlH'r ne arc, f\$ yct, cornpet<:ut ta di!<!fern ruAke Jewish narru.tins of hlot.orlca.l te~'. omc part of thnl m c1miug or no; J\lld tv Lhon ho,t not met Mose~ on tlHl mount of look at them ln tlmt ligbt mny be cnllcd Ci()(\, ncitber hath God. opcnt~'-1 lh~r montb, .Mys.tirisi11; but. ti it any more Uum the mlt,.. uor ti>ught t.hee wh,1t thou uughlt.'bt t.o "">" urul a.nd 11CCC!lbl\ry n..,,ult of c<>1tWttmk fa.i:.11 -[ln Ex., Pap. il".) In unothcr phl<'e, penk- in his dlYinc nature'/"-Tmcl~/urlhe Timc~. ln~ of the saine r;uljjc<"t, he obser,es, u ::\loscs lJrr::X:-c;;ix., p. nu. and ~:llasuppe11re<li11glorywhcntheytalked "On the whok, there seemB uo w1mt of Mth Jesu,, 1111cl !n thi~ f:lct the law and the f;<'ri11tural u.uthority f;.>r the n.ll<>gory ns approphet.' arc shown Ill agrec with the Gos- plled by the FHUocn< ln the :\~w Tc!Olaml!llt, pelf., nod tu be replcndcut wlth the sanie con.,idercd bOth iu "hat it includcs 1111<l h t ttlOC). when ~plrilu1'1Iy und~rstuo<l."-(In wlint il omits. lfo;I modllrn lntcq;rdcrs Epist. ad Rom., CO.Jl. I.) He iil~o say!, "Chri"t c1cn, and >tllll<l>t nll dcvotloul writen;, rec i transf\gurL-<l, when Ile io <li>ccrnc<l theo <>gaize it in prlnc! ple, wme p~rhaps moro lng!cully in the ~pirit, f!.ccorllini;: to his hlgh or Jess uncou!clom.!y ; but. the grcat dlllcr <llgn!ty; 11.ml not &<'<'Ortllng to the simple 110- """e betwccn t hcn1 and the anl'lent; secms tlon;. ofthe!Uiteratemultit.u.le. Thehinlug to lit> rathcr ln this-t.bat Uie AJdenls fcar r11lmcnt means hls discourae;. and the e1'1l.J.1 not to c11rry il ont, ln e1ery pitrl of the Gosgoli<ul and o.ro;tolic writings. Whof'.Oever pels, and "" car a- lt wlll go !n crnry co.,e. <li!!<'ems Chrbt ln this way, abc beholds Mo wherea.> we. ln modern limes, e11ch draw h!s !e!' anrl EUo.~. who, by synct,1oche, are put own arllitro.ry Jinc1 tl~conling to onr own for e.11 Uoc rropbct."-Cbfnm<'lll. tn .llatt. t. taste, or our 11ot.io11 o f whe.t i useful or xi!., f. S7. convlnclng, or o ut of defercnce to the Jugl" Did we really Jay li IA1 heart. as wc ,,,,.<i ments we cxpe<t. from oth<,..''- TradJi fur ven;e afl.er vcm or the GOPEL!!,--<li<I we ln the Time~. lxxidx., p. 133, <'Rmest imt our n1inds to the thought,-that Nclther tl1c Act of the Apostles nor the thi8 Jcsus of ~aiarctlo, the 8011 of Mary, ia F.p!stlcs o.re trcate<l lu thls wo.y 1.oy atty of the lnilce><.~r of hce.vc1111nd carth, and of nll tbings pirhua.I m caning, except whern c;tatiun Tl-lble and imi lble; did wc 1enllze our con- 81\' made from "'hat the Mml aid in the yfctlon of,h:s truth in (.'Olm~ttQn with en.ch (;o~pcls, or wha.t Mes a.nd the prophetA: Alld nll of Io! tlctlons and di><!<>Urses, and of hncl wrill<.'n, or whcrc omc e'1dc1it l\ll!L
25
290
'JIB SCIB.VGB OP CORRESPO.VDENGES.
pmrers, signifie<l by the devil and satan, werc cndured by our ble8Sed Lord in their utmost intensity, whilc He was clothe<l with an infirm Human, which, with all the hereditary proclivities and corru11tions of our degenerate nature, He had assumcd for our redemption, or deliverance from hell. They are very rietly portrayed by the pcn of inspiration ()folt. iv.; Luke iv.), and can only be rationally understood from a knowledgc of the inward sense, in which they descrihe the states of direful temptat.ion and inconccivable anguish that He passed tlirougl1, as He subjugated the infernal hosts in that wondcrful proccss hy wl1ieh He <lelirercd man from their influence, and made ]lis Hunrnnit.y Divine. In a subordimtte sense, as the Lord was "tempted in ail points likc as we are" (Heb. iv. 1.5), the inspircd nccount of his tcmptatiom must of necessity Le significative of the discouragcmcntR, trials, temptations aml sufferings with which every Cl1ristiau is cxercised in a finite degree, as lie faithfully follows the Lord in tha.t purifying process of rcgeucration, whereby rruin is ctcrnally saved from death and hcll. \Vhen He presents Himself to our mintls, an<l we 1ire unprcparcd for his glorious presence, because we are unwilling to cast out the subtlc and impure affections and thoughts which fill our unregenerate bosoms, it is then said that "thcre is no room for Him in the inn" (Luke ii. 7) ; and, again, in tendercst nccents we hear Him bewailing our condition in la.nguage of love and pity, snying, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air lmve ncsts, but the Son of :Man hath not where to lay his head" (ilfatt. viii. 20; Luke ix. 58); for, a]as ! human cunning is prefrred to livinc wi~dom, i'elf~depcnence to Divine Providence, and the heart is fillcd wiLh unclcan nnd sclfish dcsircs, and the under:-;tanding is o\erwhelmed with worldly solicitucle, and no preparntion c:m be made for the rcception of Him who, as the Son of Man, proscnts Himsolf beforc us in his own blcssed ord. "He corneth to his uwn, and his own receive Him not" (Johu i. 11) . In thcir perversity of soul they say, "\Ve will not have this man [the etemal Tn1th] to rcign ovcr us" (Luke xix. 14); we acknowledge no sovcroign as ruling ovcr ns but "the iirince of this world" (Luke xix. 14) ; "'Ve have no king but Cresar" (John xix. 15). The circumstances ntteuing our Lord's crucifixion were significative of a depr:wed state of the church and the human mind. Swedenborg places t.his sul::\ject in a powerful light. He says:
"r
si"nns arc made to what fa. there recorded; j cation of a ft!W proper na.mes, undtr ,.,,.ph,!h or in c x pl11.nntio11 of \lsious, ns P.ul's con - ther thought some mJ"lkries might be <'"'n y<,>r.,inn nrn1 l'ctcr's l'ision, n.n<l tlw i111tift- 1 ceuled.
THE GOSPEL I/JS1'0RY ALI, S!GNIFlCA'!'IVE.
291
" That the Lord Himself, as the chief Prophct, rcprcsentcd the statc of the church in its relation to the 'Vord, appears from the circum:;tances attending his passion; as, that He was betrayed by Judas ; that He was taken and condemned by the chicf pricsts and clders ; that they buffted Him; that they struck Hirn on the head with a rccd; that they put a crown of thorns on his head; that thcy dividc his garments, and cast lots for his vesturc; that. thcy crucificd Him; that they gave Hirn vinegar to drink; that they pierced his side; that He was buricd, and rose again on the third day. His bcing bctrayed by Judas, signified that H e was betrayed by the Jewish nation, who at that time were the depositaries of the " ' ord; for J u<las rcprescnted that nation. His heing taken and condemned by the chief pricsts and cldeIB, significd that He was taken and condcmncd y the wbole Jewish chnrch. Their scourging Him, spitting in his face, bufleting Him, and striking Him on the head with a rced, signified that they trcatcd in a similar manner the 'yord, witl1 respect to its divine truths, all which relate to the Lord. Their putting a crown of thorns on bis head, signified that they had falsificd and adulteratcd those truths. Their dividing his garments and casting lots for his vesture, signified that they had dividcd and dispersed all the truths of the 'Vord, but not ih> spiritual sense, which his vcsturc or iuner garment represented. Their crucifying l:lim, signified that they harl destroyed nnd profaned the whole world. Tbcir giving Him vinegar to drink, significd that all was falsificd and false, and thereforc Ile did not drink it, but said, ' It is finished.' Their piercing his side, signified that thcy hud entirely extinguished every truth und every goorl of the W ord. His being buried, signified the rej ection of the residue of the Humanity taken from the mothcr; and his rising agaiu on the third day, signified his glorifictttion. Whcre thcse circumstmces are predicted in the Prophets and the l'salms, their signifi. calion is similar.'' " 0
D. i., n . 16. Cunnlng is prefcrrcd to divine w!sdom, John of Jerusalcm obsel"!cs, "Do not sup- and selfdependence to the llivine l'rov!p;e that lt wM only ln former tlmes Christ dence; and the hrort ls filled with unclean, was bctrayed by the priets, condemned by sel&h desires, and the understanding ls thcmtand delivered over to be crucificd. but ovenrhclmcd with worldly solicitude, and cven now He !s betrayed and condcmne<l to no prcparntion can be made for the recepdcath; for Christ L the Word of Truth, and 1 lion of Hfm who, as the Son of Man, pretbeywho falsclylnterpret the Word ofTruth, 1ent Himself bcfore us in his own blessed bctrny Hfm to be mocked and crucificd."- words, ~ Ile cometh to his own, and his own 1" Jfatt., cap. x>:. receiYe Him not" (John i.11). In thcir pcr The npostles al' make a pract!cal appli- versity of soul the y say, "We will n ot hlwc cation of the Lord' cruclfixion.-Scc Rom. t.hls man [the ctemal rruth] to reign." vi. 6; Gal. ii. 20, v. 21, yL li; Hcb. vl. 4--0.
1
''
TllB SCIE.VCE OF CORRA'SPONDENCES.
CHAPTEH XXI.
Tin: BooK
o~ Ri;;vi;;r.ATJON WtroLr.v GoMl'OSED oF D1v1NE SvMBoLS
Co1u~ESPOND.t:NCES.
on
n1HE A pocnlypse, or Book of the Hcvelation, is the last of tlie

inspircd Word, anrl is wholly composed of divine symbols.111 Like the books of Daniel, Ezekicl, etc., it bas b\:!cn looked upou ns awfully mystcrious, and is commonly ancl variously interpreted as ha,ing refercncc only to historical events rclating chicfly to the politicnl changes which either have tlikcn place, or may hereafter take 11lace, i11 the ontward forms of the chureh and among the several empires and kingdoms of the world. ~fany of the predictions seattcrcJ tltroughout the propheti~1l portions of the "'ord ha vc indeed becn permitted to haYe somc visible ami rnry gencral accompfluncnt in historical facts, for important reasons alrelldy adduced; and, also, heco.use of the close conncction which exists between natural and SJ)iritual events. Such were the prcdictions of the Lord's first coming, the overthrow of B:ihylon, Ninevch, Tyre, etc., the destruction of .Tetusulem, t he dispersion of the Jcws, the establishment of the Christian churcl1, and many others. Ily this rnenns, a devout reverence for the sacrc<l \Vor<l, as a rcvclation from Go<l, has ooen prcserved among the human race amid ages of <larkncss and <lesolation; and although the Apocn-lypse could not hid1crto be expounded in its intern11.l scnse, becauoo tho kcy to its iutcrpretation had not yet becn given, still the readin~ and study of it must have bccn atten<lcd with permanent anrl incalculable advautages. It completed tl1c canon of the plenarily-inspirecl \Vord. It hns exci~l, in every age, an e:1mc:-t dcsire, and an ardent cxpcctation, tl1at the time would corne whcn its hidden wonders and wisdum would be discovered to the faithful. The ail-important doctrines of the sole an<l exclu~ive divinity of the J..ord Jesus Christ.,-of kceping the divine prcccpts as the apIll" The ln~plrcd tille o r this last book of m1mlcated,"-Dr. lftnder1011' I""JlTO<m, P. tbe NewTesl!l.ment eonreys, mOl!t polntcdly, 331, the iden. of instrnetlo11 supernaturnlly com-
l.
THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
293
pointcd means of salvation, -of the rurrcction from the dead, and of states of eternal lif or ctcrnal death as a waiting every one in tl1e spiritual worl<l,-Qf the blessedne;;s and realities of hcavcn, and the disonlers and mi~eries of hell,-all th<'Sc, and numerous other suhjecJ:s of C'hl'isrian life nnd doctrine, are unequivocally recorded in the very letter of Lhe Apocalypse. " Ble8.'!ed," therefore, a.,; it is written in the introduction, " Blessc<l is he that r eadcth, and they that hear tl1c words of thi8 pro1Jhecy, and kcep those thing8 which are writtco therein" (i. 3); while wc arc admonished, at the conclusion, neitlier to a<l<l thereto nor to <liminish therefrom (xxii. 18, 19). This truly wondcrful hook is composc<l, thon, as to e\ery single expression, agreeably to the science of corrcsponences; and now the a rcnna of its intcrnnl signification are unfolded (of wbich rnany striking cxnrnples have been given in thCl:!e pages), it is seen to be a lidng 8pring of diYine wisdom, to treat of the states of the Christian church at the pcriotl of its final consummation, a.n<l of the Lord's Second Ad veut, not in person, but" in the clouds of heaven" (Rev. i. 7), in " the power and gr cut glory" of bis 'Vord, to cstablish 11. new and everl:i:,ting dispcusation of love and wiMlorn in t.he h earts and nnd11 of men, ca.lk'<l the New J crlli!:J.lcm. ln the last two chaptcrs, this New Church, both as to ber establishment, internal quality aml externnl form, is treatcd of un der the su blirne an<l rnagnificcnt descri1ition of "a ncw hcaven and n new cart.h," whid1 it is i)romiscd s110uld "de:ocend from Cod out of hciwen," a.s "the holy city, New J erusalem," having precious stones for ber founation, golden strccts, wall;, of j asper, gates of pcnrl ; who.se length, brea.dth and hcight a re equal ; a.s 1 1aviug a river of the water of lifc, und t he tree of lifc; and as l>cing " tl1e hride and wif of the LA1'm." m The bright und morning Star of Truth, thcu, has arisen upon a henigltted world. The Sun of Righteousncss is dissipating "the face of the covering cast O\'Cr all people, and the vcil spread over 11.ll na'"!'or au e~pitiou of the hook o r Revcla.- somee for tho chnrch is in the [lirlllllll tion,- ~wroenl>org'sApoealwc E>plainrd, fsystemj, a.. explniucd by Swed~nburg." 6 vol., Svo, nnd Ap0<.'<ll1fp RPt'f11/(rl, 2 vols., An<l by t h ame, An Rzposilion of lh pocSvo. See uloo A R eriew of lh~ J'rnclples of al1fPsc, 4 vol~.. 8vo. Apnc<rlyplicai Interpraalio11, 2\'<lls.,8,-o, by the "Iu ull & riptnre therc ls a spiritu1ll ~enc. Hev. AUl(UStu Clssolrt, M.A.,formcrly of Bx. n 1>ritu11l Cabala, which, ns it tnd dlreNly Col., Oxford; contaloh1i.: nn examlnatlon of to hollnC,sO Il is !lest and trucst unertood the opinion of P t'Otc8Ulnl XpMlt.ors. The hy the SOllR or the Spirit, who love God ml object of th learnc<l and int.elllgent a.uthor thcrcfre lmo w Hlm. Evcrything i~ l!ct in thli! worlc is "to show that the systems of known by lts own s imilitud es and ana lcJ. inter1n:tnllon which ha.ve bcen prevnl<.'nt gics."- Jercmg Tayl<'s ,S'ennonf, bav entirely fallcd ; and that the only re- [
2.5 *
294
TilE SCIENCE OF CORRESPOXIJA'XCKS.
tions " (Isa. xxv. 7) ; men neecl no longer" walk in darkness," amid
the uneert.ain glimmerings of imagination nnd corrupt. traditions, nor

sit in "the gloom and shadow of denth." The laws hy which the life-giving pages of the W or<l of Gocl may be distinguished from 11umun compositious, and consistently :md with <>ertainty expounded, are now revcalcd from heavcn, and unfolded to human perception. The key is supplied to unloek this glorious cabinet of j ewels, and the good and wisc may enrieh themselvcs with eternal t.rearnrcs. 11 The "wells of salvation " are opencd, and "living waters " eau flow forth i n lwallh-restoring streams, to rcfresh and bli's every prc11nred rnifl. llnt, in the language of the prophet, Io! a divine voiee is heard to utter, "None of the wieked o:lrn.ll understund, but the wisc shall un Jerst::ind" (D an. xiii. H, 10).
ra The tmth of the 8Cien of ~orrc~pond 1X., p. M9, where lt ls rlgldly applie<l, ns n cnces, ._, wcll &s i~< lruportnuce iu the ln mcthod oC lotcrpretation, to tbc princip&I tcrprcti<liou of Holy Si'rlpture, may he sccn symbols !n Rc v. XXI. chapt4r. eu roplific<1 in l'art If. uf thls work , Clio<p.
CONCLUSION.
r110 conclude: The W ord of God is, in its literal seme, by virtue of its
inwar<l lifc and spirit, in "its fulne~s, its sanctity, und its power." Its literai scn~c was reprcscntcd by the emblematic cherubim, said to have heen placed at the entra.nec of the garden of Ede11, with a funing swor<l to prevent the intrusion of the unworthy and profane within its hallowed enclosmc; but its spiritual sensc is the tree of lite in te midst, bearing all kinds of di;licious fruits, to which the faithful arc dcclared to have "u right," or power to appropriate them, ami whose "lcuvcs," or etcrnal doctrines and trulhs of piety, charity, and useful11ess, are de.signed "for the healiug of the nations" (Geu. iii. 24; Rcv. xxii. 2). The intcrior truths and doctrines of the spiritual sensc are "the upper springs," and the <Jxtcrior knowlcdges aml doctrines of the literai scnse arc "the netlier springs,"-the ble~sings of a" south land,"-the gift.s of our heavrnly Fathcr to cvcry faithful Christian who, in the divine strcngth, overcomes his spiritual encmies (J~shua xv. 19 ). Instruction from the lctter of the ord is "the former or carly rain" at sccd-time, while "the latter rain," which ripens and matures the harvest, enotcs instruction from the spiritual sense (.Joel ii. 23). And, again, speaking of tho Lord, and of the <lcscent of the divine lcssings and influences of 11is Holy \Vord, internai and external, to refresh and renovate the soul, the Psalmist says, "He shall corne down like rnin upon the mown grnss, as showers that water the earth " (P~alin lxxii. 6). Tl1e \Vord e:xternally is the wondrous lrnsl1 which Moses saw, bnrning and shining with in ward fire, yct unconsumed (Ex. iii. 2-4; Dcut. xxxiii. 16). It was also signified hy the hreastplate of Auron, set cxteriorly with twcke precious ~toncs, bnt from which issucd tl1e Urim and Thummirn, the light and flame of justice mid judgineut (Ex. xxviii. 30). The liternl se11se is the dark vapor obscuriug the glorious sky, its inwanl sense is the resplernlent ow rich with every l1eavcnly hue of comfort and happiness (Gen. ix. 13). The Holy Word i~ signified by the marYellous lad!kr seen in vision by tlle patriarch; y menns of it man holds consociation with angels and com-
-w
295
296
TIIE SCJEK(]E OF COIWESPONDEXCES.
rmmion with God. Its foot, or litcral sensc, in accommodation to our low estnte, rests upon the earth ; but its sumrnit, or inmo;;t sem;c, rcach the h eavcns. The divine glory is above it, u.nd as we read nml meditate on its holy pages in faith 11nd loYe, angels asccnd and de:;cen<l upon its sacrcd steps (Geu. xxviii. 12, 13; .Tohn i. 51; m Rcv. xiv. H). Its literal sense is " a. field which the L ord hath ble~ed;" ji.,; spiritual scrnie is the conceu]e<l trensure which cnricbes the happy pos1;cssor more and more, even into the countlcss ages of eteruity. Its literai scnse was signified by the I..ord's outer garments, which tlie solicrs parted among them, fur it is capable of being wrestcd to confm the most opposite doctrines; but its glorious spiritual sense wus represcuted hy the Lorll's "vesturc,'' or inner garment, "woven without seam from the top to the bottom" (John xix. 23 ; Psalm lxxii. 17, 18 ). Its litera! scnse is the cloud that accommodates tl~c rays of the sm1 to e,cry eholder, but a knowledge and perception of its imrnr<l se11sc presents the sun in a.ll its ineffable splcmlor, and is tl1e Lonl's rnlvent to the soul "in power and grcat glory" (.~Iark xiii. 26; Luke xxi. 27; Matt. xxiv. 30). The tables, or litcral scn:>e, are, undcr divine direction, the workmanship of ~Ioscs; but the wriling, or spiritual scnsc, is the writing of God (Ex. xx:xiv. 1). Like the heaven de,;;cemled mauna, the 'Vord is thus adapted to every state, "He that gathereth much bath nothing over, and he that gathcreth little hath no lack. Every man may brather acc<>ring to bis eating." The Lord is herc and elsewhere in the Gospel~ calle<l the Son of l\fan, in relation to bis word of divine trnth. He was "the \Vord macle flesh" (John i. 14; Ex. xvi. 18). This view of the Word of Go<l gi\'es "a fulness" toit which produccs a constantly-ncreasing conviction of its "sauctity," and stamps it with the imprcss of "dhinity." It rc,eals it as "a mine in which we may continually <lig, and still finil bcrls of incxhaustible spiritual wcalth to rcwnrd our nnwcaried re"' The 8uhllme and bcauliful 'ili;ion of lhc Cherub!m. con L>y the vrophct Ez~kicl filJ(l describcd in the fi"'t clrnptcr <>f hi prophcy, i~, iu c\'ery pnrliculnr, de"criptive 1of the \\'ord of God, both M to i ls hfcl<leu <mlcut~ ll.n<l outwnrd fonn, ils inm0>I e.'e11cc 11nd ontward ia!lucnees. Swe<lenlJorg Lhus brkfiy and benutifnlly open the Interv111 scnsc llnd moo.nlngofthc cntireehapter. .. The tlh'lnc exterunl phcre of the Word ii; ''""ctfcd, verse 4. fa represcnte<l as I\ man, vc.-e 5. lt eonj111Jl'tion wllh spirltunl nud C('l<-..linl things, veri-0 6, The nntimil !.'n.<e of the \\'tml, 118 qu1tlity, vcJ"l(' 7. The 1>ir!trnd nnd celcstlnl sen.<e of the Wor<l conjoined l\'ilh Ille natural, ilB qualily, verscs 8, 9. Divine love of gooclue!O! nn.I lruth, lestinl, bpiritunl, ancl natural, lhercln dis tinct nnd unlted, YCn;~B 10, ll. 'l'h11t thcy rcivml one en, Yr.se 12. 'flic s11here of the Word ls Crom the Divine Ooo<l nnd the Ill l'ilc Truth of the L<lr1\, fn>m whkh tli Word live, verses 13, 14. The doctrine of goodnes< an<l trutb in the Won\ and from , \'CJ'5e!! 15-21. The J)lvino E.<sCU!'e of the f.or<l a!Jovo lt and in it, vcl'!le< 22, Zl: ami from !t, vcrseR 21, 25. Thnt the L<lrd is aovo the he:wcns, V('n>e 21\, And thl\t He is l!I \'ll<! !.ove nrnl Divine Wlsdom IL-;elf, VCl'SC11 27, 21!."-S. S. 97.
OONOLUSION.
297
senrch ; " for " the dcepor it is wor ked, the richer and more atmdant the prccious ore ecomes."m The truths wl1ich are thus unfoklc<l are perpetually opening ancw, and are ever increa.sing in brillitmcy and beauty and cxpu.uding in glory and authority before the inwar vision in proportion to tl1e soul's progrcss in the Christian life (Pro\'. iv. 18; John xvi. J8; 2 Peter iii. 13); for to this mighty end was it given, to aid our aclvancemcnt in goodness and truth, not only on eurth, but in the ucvcrcuding ages of eieruity; 116 or, to adopt the
liS Dr. Ilen<lerson. 11 It Wllll ,. "g~nero.l cu.itom umong the }'llthel"l! to ~upposc thni Scriptnre contains lntcllt lllYterlou:s me11.nings beyonc l the lcllcr, lhe 11pprehension or wbich is di.cl~l to .. t&.llhJ\11 ure. "~ow lhk mode of interpreWlon ls so gc111:rnl h. the Ancient [Ch rlsUan) Church, tht1.t !Omething of the ldtHl may be consid ered fus tlic charact.cd.))UC' diff~rence betwecn the lntcrprutation of rothollr. Chritio.11s and those of hcrclJeal tenchers; th1it the l~U.cr lwcr n.nrl bring down the Aenses of Scdpture as If they werc rnere l1umun wor<ls, whlle the tonner consider the words of Di vlnc'l'ruU1 to contain grci.ter meanit\l:'I tha.n '"' can futhom. and therefore !LRlpllfy and extend thefr sjgnltieallon us If they were n.ln.ncing onward iuto deeper ar.d h!ghcr mcRnh11,'8, tlll lost Ill e\er lncreMlng 1rnd ai lenglh !J1fiul\e Ught ancl g~~t11C:<>!, bcyond w!Hit the limlted vlew of man ls cn.p0,ble of p11rsnlng. "Nor doe>1 lt appet1.r nt al! unrcnonable beforeband-before consldcring lt Ma mo.I ter or lhrt, tha.t thi shouhl be the <:Sse: 1 mwn that the DiT:ine Won1 M!ould be in lts S<'<'f\!t range th11s ,.,.t ami ~,omprehensive, as the slmdow of the heit1ens in still .i\lld (ll'cp wn tcrs. .. nnt !t might be O!lid tbni !Ill mode of hllCl')ll'C'tation hus arisen fn>m the nature of the Heh?'('W langm:tgc, iu which eu.ch word contalns n1.rny dccp and nlter!or mean!ni,,,,, whlch m!Ly be considcred as types of each other. But this 01>oenatlo11 w\11, fa foct, Jcad us io the !l!Lmc conclusion or i!A Divine ch11tacwr; it is, lndL'<!<l, only go!ng fnrthcr into the nbjed-semling n bark one stcp more ln tl'!l.l'I ng the chain whlch rCl\chcs from God' thronc. For if the sncred llln !l"llRgC whlch the Almtghty hA.S choscn ln ordcr to revcal B1msclf to mnnklnd ls of thls typklll nttturu, it provv!I thatsuch 1" the Jangnage of Gorl; thu.t in numerous uaalo ~e"'l u.nd r~semblance~, ditferlog in time,
come to tbe mRttcr of fuct, a prove11 by tl1e Scripturcs themselves, the prlnclvlo it.HJ!f must OO allowc R.S tight, whute\~cr limittL tlon men mRy prc.cribc to the appllcntion or u&e of Jt. lt is very evident how mnch Our bles.<cd Lord ha Ilimself poin t< d out to thcsc dccp und latent mes.nlng", whcl'C \\ e could not otherwise have ''~Uturcd "' uppose them Io cxfst; 11s, for iusto.uce, in tbc sign of \hc prophct Je>nuh uncl the liftit1g up of Ille SOr]lCnt in the wildemeRR. Aud ln ahnoot a.li hls >'eferencei to the Old Tcsto.ment, OlU' J.A>rd hu.s lcd us to l!~l'.!k for mines of secrt Information diS<>loscd to the eye of f!U1, l>Cyond the letlcr. And lt !' ta be obscrro<l lhllt Scripture ha. u<>l gencrally pointe<! out to ns lhosc Instances in which aUegoriclll lntcrpretation is mo!lt nh,iOlL, importAnt, bnt oft.en thooe in whlch lt ;. less RO; os If, thereby, it r11thcr bU~'l:Ctcd mus a ~~ncrul law than e.tfordcd uny direction res1lctlng i!.8 limitund extout. lffrotn onr I.ord's own example we pallS to the \l'ritlni,'l! of St. Paul, it is needle.s to mention \ho numerous stri'king nstances Jn \\'hlc b hc hns nnfolde<l ln li~ the splrltuo.J &ad ll;b s~ nses of the Old 1'estarnont.. And pt1H0ir1g from Aposlles to ,\JlO!\toll l write.,,, we ftnd the sBme sylrtcm ackoowlcdgetl, u l! it were incldente.lly, but 1thno.t univPl>'!llly. "Wlth regm"<l, thcrefore, to Ibis sy~km of interpreU1Uon, wc lUW(} ln 1011ny lnste.ncei fliYinc .l\Ulhorlty for lt; Bnd lJcyond w!wre we b"n thls 11nthority, fi lllll(llt IJo thought that w~ lltwc no sanctie>n for sueh U!Jplfratlons e.nd explunn\ion; iu wblch raoe lt would lie s!milnr to the moral prlnciplcs or d octrh>cs that are dL'<lnd from Huly ~crip turc, whlch may be said to ftow more or lcss cleuly from the \\'ord lt..elf, and to be np portecl by anll.logy, na.tu rai consequenec, or ni;recmcnt with othc.r ptt.ssu.g~; and tbe~e 11> '"' <lccldcd by the judgment of 1n<lnid ual~, and lh:tt natnral wclght or authority whlch we Rllow to l>e duc to the opinion or greiil 1111<1 ~'()()(l men. Dul fnrther thfu> Jmparw.me, nn cxtcnt, but wtih ouc drift \li!, a, wlth rei:o.rd Ill mor11.l pr!nrlpl of and <'OJ>f', He ls lll!<.'<l to ~pcak to u., b lc ud- doctrine, <o ni' witb re;pecl to such 1a.rticlng fil.'llrc with word gpok.cn. But whcn we ul1U lutcrvrcUttiOn, il is pcrhupg the eue
u.,
""d
298
THE SC!E..VGE OF OORRESI'ONDENCES.
language of a truly great and good man, "H bas God for ils author, salni.tion for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter." But, you are ready to a11k, is this wondcrful science of correspondences, that so miraculously unfolds the sacred pages, difficult to acquirc? I answer, Ko. Even children may be readily timght to understand mueh eoncerning it.'11 lt is, in foot, the carliest language of nature, and the language from which truc poetry and elo(1uence dcrive all their c1rnl'ms. It is the most imprcssive and dclightfl form of instruction, and supplies the most healthful and elevaling exercise to the imagination and reason. All olher kinds of knowledge are handmaids in its service, and tributary to its confirrna.tion. \\'hile the internai meaning is hi<lcn f'rom those who are unprepare<l
(as it hfls lleen well obsened), that for some of tht!m there mnv be such tl concurrent tcsLln()ny iu enr1 y a;1d. dh..tiuct ~hurchcs as to amount to a l'B.tholic consent, which conscut would, of course, have the se.me kind of ~. .acred authority as \Yould a.ttend a similar e.greemcnt '"tth respect ta doctrine. "Sufficicnt for om purpc lt is lhat such n metho<I of couslderiug Holy Wrlt ls cntholic, not to s"; Aposrolico.I and Divi11e."Tr11,cls for the Tfme8, lm RcH1,rve, pp. 21-2.5. l subjoin the following rcme.rknblc pa.'"age from The G0'.1Jel 'n"casury Opened, iu severaJ scrmon.i; preached nt Ken~ington aud else whcre. by John Everard, D.D. It is cxtr11cted frotn one of four sermons on Joshua :xv.16, 17. Londou 1 2d e(lHiou, 1679. 'If the litera] Seri11tures were the V\,.nl of Gad, wby <loth Lbc Holy Ghoo;t so often sa.y, 'hc tha.t hath cars to hcar, lei hlm he>l.r'? And why dolh the prnphet J.ainh sil.y, that hearing they 1n>Ly hear and not u11<1o:rstaud 1 nn<l scelng thcy rue.y sec and not perceive? )fakc the hcnrtofthb people fut, thcir cars dllll, ruul tbeir uycs hcnvy, lest thcy houlcl sec wllh lhcir <Jyes. au(\ hear with their eara, ancl undc"lanit with their hMr~, nn be eonv<Jrled, and J shnul(! heal them.' This is spokcn not in r<>glml of those that arc ignorant, but of Chose tbat are very knowing, and yd thcir knowlcdgc and gifL and precisc holinoss, i\ecording to the lcttcr, is but a stumbliug-block and an oaslon of tJicir fnll!ng lnto dcath and destruction; aud thus to know ail things Io but to "" iguurnnt of ail thhl!,'<l. "Jlclovcd, the Word of God ls subtile, pure, hlgh, holy, lwnYcnly, powcrful, qu!ckcniug, spiritualizini;; but tl1e lcttcr ls not only dend ln thcw 1\'gards, but killing und de~lmctivc in thnt scnsc formcrly exprcssed. lf you live and die with thi Word, il will do you no goc.d; I mean the lettcr of the Word, and the grammatico.I, cxtcrnal scnse, which thcsc men call the Word of God. Yct I Wll yc a Il this is nothing, though you have it exactly by be.ut; yct th ls can be of no servke to God nor profit to you; this is but bodily la bor aud bodlly exercsc, which profitcth nothhig; thls fs but the flcsh, thls ls but man's lcachlng; the spirit of lt, th., Won! of God, you nevcr yel fourni. nut yet Jet us not ay, if the spirit he il.li, what do we want with the letter? let us thcn .cast it a.way. No, no; by 110 mcims. The letter is of me Io rci:,'lllntc the flcsh, (\Il(] to prcscrilJe nnn direct the outwnrd mnn in bodily cxercfacs: hnt l s:iy it Lcnchcs not, nor fceds nc.t tllc inward man and Lhc hcnrt. Tlrnt mnst hc that brcnd which the F1ithcr gi;ctti, wtiich romes do\\'n Crom hen\ctt. 'T:is nuithor l'>los<ll<, nor the knowlcdgc of the whole lnw. nur of ail lhe Scripturcs can givc us thnt brcall; ns Chri~t Sldlht.Johu vJ. 32,33, ~ YerHy, verily, )!oses gaYc !hem not thnt brea<l from l1caven, but my Fnther gi1cth you the hN.'a<l froru hcnvcn; for the bre1Ld of Go<l is He whicb CDmcth dnwn from hcavc11 and gfrcth llfc to the worlil.' "And yctthfs ls that l nd\fsc ~tlll; be snrc to maintain the lettcr uudcfilcd, unt.ouchcd, uucormptcd. Let his tmii:,'ltc clcn\'C to and forevcr rot lu lois mouth, thnt. goes about to al1rogate the Jcttcr; fur wflhout Uie lc!l.cr you cnnnot have the spirit." 1 '8cmsual man requires 1mnsiblc olljccts n; symLols of spiritual thinw;."- "ander vdde. m Sec Need's Sunday Le8Sons Qll Corl't"J>OmL roees far l~iildl'en.
CONCLUSION.
299
for more than the sum of the lettcr, and from the unhallowcd gnze of the worldly prudent, to babes it i.s IJromised that wi.sdom shal\ be revealcd C'fott. xi. 25), and to the pure in hcart, that they sl1all see Go<l (Matt. v. 8). "The secret of the Lord is with tbem that fear Him" (Ps. xxv. 14). "I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts" (Ps. cxix. 100). Let us bring, therefore, to the study of this heavenly doctrine, l)\Jrc <icsircs, serious thonghts, cnlightened rcason, :m humble and sincere faith, an ardent love, a teachable disposition, a pions and uscful life; for "if any man will do his will, he shull know of the docil'inc whethcr it be of God" (John vii. 17). To this must be ml1le<l un intimate acquaintance with the literai sensc of the 'Vord, a knowhlge of the mental faeulties, a devont bnbit of retlection on the diviue 01wrations as cxemplified in the world of nature, nnd on the forim;, q1mlities, mid uses of the objccts with which wc are const.antly snrroundcd, und its general principles become easy of attniument, and evcry step we take is attended with accessions of intelligeuce nn<l deliglit. Even a small degrce of information on this momcntous science is an incxprcssible blesing. Tl1e longer and closer it is stLulied, the dearer it becomes to its po.sscssor, bccause it leads him to love the sncred \Yonl of Gotl with increased fervor, to trust rcvcalcd truth with a firmer and daily-increasing confidence, and to rccognizc it as the diyinely-appointed mcans of filling the humble and faithfl sonl to :Lli eternity, with wisdom, love, peacc, and tmutterable joy. It is crnllcss in its onward and upward progression, becat1se the things of the natural world, whieh as outwnrd cffccts correspond to the objccls of the spiritual world, as their inward causes, cxist in indefinite varicty; for, "ail the powers and activities of nature, ail its laws, its substances, its forms and changes, are at once the effect and the mirror of s1iiritual cncrgies;" and because, further, man is not only, as we have alrcady said, a 'rnrld in its lcust forrn, ha\ing within him the various principles to which all things in the crcated universe corre8pond; but, by rcgcneration, he becomes a heaveu in its least form, posses8ing cvcr-growing faculties of eterilal life, corrcspondiug witli all the glorious realities of the heavenly world above. Of such the Lord spe:iks when Ile says, "The kingdom of God is witliin you" ( Luke xvii. 21). The pmctical influence of tliis great doctrine of the Sacred Scrirltnrcs on the heart, the mind and the life, is invaluablc. It brings from the clouds of hcavcn "showers of blessing" (Ez. xxxiv. 26). Its
300
TI/E SCIRNCN OF CORRESl'ONDENGES.
cordial r<'Ccption, and the iuwrought persuasion of its truth, c:umot fil to ussist iu purif)'ing the lleart and re11ovati11g tlic charactcr. It is the lofest and most nuthoritn.tive standard of rightcoumess arnl truth. It is an uncrring criter:ion for the detcction of evil ruHl error. It tcars away the fii1m;y veil of indiffore.nce or conceit. It searchcs out our most secret tr:rnsgr:;iom. It is "the key of[saving) knowle<lge" (Lukc xi. 52). To you it may be given to know, by its rueans, " the mystcries of 1e kingdom of heaveu " (Matt. xf. 11 ). "Ho, evcry one thut thirsteth, corne ye to the waters ; and he thnt hath no money, come ye, buy, an eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. F or as the rain cometl1 down, ami the snow from heiwen, and returncth not tl1ither, but watercth the carth, nud mnketh it bring forth and bnd, that it may givc see<l to the sower, nn<l brcnd t-0 the eatcr: so shall my word be that gocth fortli out of my mou th : it shall uot return unto me void, but it sliall accomplish thut which I plcnse, and it shall prosper in the tlng whercto I sentit " (I sa. lv. 1, 10-13).m
"'"The \l'ord of the Lord !s comparcd to ln the mcmory, but becomespirltunl byl'c, rnln anol rnow cornlng down from hcnnn, ns snow becomcs rain-wnter L)' \vnrmth."IJc<>nu".e by rain ls signilied spiritulll trnth, See . E. GH : (Jlowe1f1 Mue. TMugllU, de., p. whkh i~ apprnptiated to man, nnd by snow 150. m11ural ~ruth, which is 11.s anow whllst only
CO:l<T..1.L'lllNG
ADDITIONAL JLLUSTf\TIO.N"S AND CONFIRMATl01\S OF THE DOCTRINE 01' OORRESPONDENCE.

lllC
DIFFERENT AUTHORS.
26
301
ADDITION AL
lI,LUSTRATIONS AND CONFIRMATIONS

O~'
THE
DOCTRINE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
llY
nrn
THE KBY OF KNOl\' LEDGE: USF. OF wmcu THE IIOLY SCRIPTURES ARE OPENED A~D THBrn UEAVENLY MEANING REV~:ALl.:D.*
BY R1il'I". THOMAS GOYOER.
11"0< wito yj>U, lawyl'rr 1 /<11" y luwe, tak<n away Il~ Key of Knowled_.,.,- J,UKI< xi.~~-
CHAPTER I.
lKTRODUCTlO:-<-CR:i-:ATION
oF THE W'oRLD-CoJ>THADICTOllY
Vrnws
OF
C1rno.);OLOGEn. ~ CONCERN1:so TlIE .AaE oi. THE
WoRLll--EOLOGY 1:-.
lIARllOKY WITH &:RIP'ri;1rn- TnE SUN THE ll'>STRU:\IJ';KTAL CArsE OF

CnEAT1o:s-Sm HuMPlUlY
DAvy's Vww- CoN:-<EC ITION BETW~EN TI
C nEATOn
Alrn Ihs W omrs--PLE'.'fAll.Y INSPIRATION oF THt: w ouo m Goo --<.:omu.i:;ro:i;o:i-::-icE, T HE !'UltE BuLJ;; OF ScRIPTU!tE b1n; nrll.ETA'l'IOX.
Introduction.
HE Rible is 1mi,ersally admittc<l hy the Christian wurld to be a Divine HeYelalion from God to man, au<l considcrcd tl1e standard and test of ail religiou!' truth. No Ohri:stian can he indifforent to ils prccepts or rcgardless of its rcproofs. It is belicved to co11tain the \'cry riches of hcaven, which, if receivcd in the hurnan undcrstnnding and life, will makc man me11tally rich, wise an<l happy. Any work wtiich opens up its sacred contents, or revcals some uuiforro mothod uf interpretation whereby ils heanmly aml truc nteaniup ruay with certniuty be obtainc<l, must be eonsidc1ed a desidcraturo
* lfl16L publlshed lu London, Jlllle, lli38.
304:
THE KEY OF KNOlVLEDGE.
of the highest value, and would tend mnch to the throwing clown of the boa:;;ted stro11gholds of infidelity, as well as to the furthcraucc of the intcrcsts of vital Christianity. The Christian religion undoubtedly surpasses all othcr systems of Theology in the known world. It is purely of a spiritual cast, rdafing to the mind of man, an to all thosc varicd changes and progressions of' his will and undcrstanding in love and wisdom, which sncces:;ively follow in the course of his progress in the Divine lifo. Thcsc 8tates or changes are, in gcncral, trcated of in Scripture in a Yaricty of plcasing \rnys, in the parables, miracles and narratives; :rnd arc also more particularl.r shadowed forth in the literai history of the Israclitish journcy from Egypt to Canaan. Jt is, therefore, hopccl that the following pages may be found uscful in assistii1g the pious Christian in 11is spiritual contemplations, so that while hi~ cyes arc opcned to a clcitr perception of Divine Truth, in bis bosom may be cnkindled a mo1e ardent and pure love to Him wl10 is the Autlwr :md Givcr of every rcal blcssing. No contemplative man who carefully studies the hal'monies of nature, can fail of knowing that every object in the crcatecl univcrse is an effect springing from a prior cause; and that sucl1 cause must owe its birth to somc end which the Creator had in view in t!1e wouclerful productions of bis plastic hand. The end, which is the good intendcd by the Creator to the fonns He proposes to ring into exi:'\tcnce, is the Divine Love; the cause is the Divi11e Wisdom which tl1c love of Deity uses as a mcans to accomplish the designs purposcd ; and the cffocts arc the results of the Divine 011crative Energy in al\ the outwanl forms of which the created uni verse is composcd. Thcre is a rcal conncetion bet\\ccn the end and its cause, and also betwl't'll the cause and its eftct. :N"o effoct can possibly exist indcpendcnt of its tause, neither can thcrc be any cause in which the end is not inwardly conccalcd. Herc, then, wc learn a most chccring truth: tliat crcation is safo while \Visclom, the Divine cause of its existence, remains, and that it mu~t continue everlasting1y frcsh and impcrishable while t.he LoYc of God, as the end, shall fill it with lifc and vigor. w1ien God's love ;;hall be no more, his wi,sdom as the first-begottcn will die, the Divine Spirit will cease to operate, and thcn the heavens and the eurth shall perish. Outward crcation can no more exist independent of' the perpetual operation of God thcrcin, than can the organiw body of man without the soul or spirit. " God is love," and as that love, He is the
CREATION OP TJ/F: WORT,D.
305
Fathcr of all. God is wisdom,_ t11c " True Light" which, as the tirst emanating sphcrc of the Divine love, is in Seripture called "the only-bcgotten Son.." From the union of these two procecds the Divine operative energy or Spirit, 'd1ich, in giving existence to heaveu and earth, imparts lifc to the wide crc~tion. The true law by which all human and angelic existences arc sustained, is, as cxprcsscd by the only 1Visdo111, or "1Yor<l incarnate," "I _in thcm, and thou in n1e, that they may be made perfect in One." (John xvii. 23.)
Oreation of the World.

In Iaying before tl1e reader the system which, in ail cases, will g ive a faithful and correct interpretation of IIoly Scripture, we propose to commence with the creation of the world, and to show that this great work, in its beginning, progression and eompletiou, shadowcd forth the love, wisdom and power of th4"! Creator ; and that all the abjects in Nature are so formed, as to be either r emotely or prox.imutcly connected with God, the supreme First Cause. This eonncction ncccssarily rcnders the LQrd's prcscncc in the creatcd universe, full, perfect and complcte; and hence ariae the attributes ascribed to the Divine Being, of omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence. By love, as the end or intention of creation, God is 11resent in a il; by wisdom, He knoweth all; and by his operative influence, H e i;; puwcrful in all. 1Yithout his goodncss, wisdorn and power, nothiug could exist. God is, undoubtcdly, the A1.L in all. If, thon, God llc prcscnt in his works as their actual existence evidcntly provcs, it follows that there must be some close resemblance, afnity and correspondence betwccn Him and them, and that a Divine influx of lifc, flowing moment arily from Him into tl1em, su11ports and sustaim; the whole. This affinity not only exists bet\\een God m1d hi~ works generally, but there is also a correspondence betwcen ail parts of his works from the highest to the lowest. All creation is one grand chain harmoniously fitted and linkcd togcthcr by the wisdom of Him who cmmot err. "\Vho, theu, ean apprcheu<l danger, whilc reason, enlightenec l by revclation, declarcs the first link of that chain to be in the hand of God ? Assuming, for the pre..~ent, this thcory to be correct, we must sco tl111t a right understanding of this corresponding connection is e~8en tially necessary to a just knowledge of the works of God; and thut which opens to the mirnl truc vicws of his works, must correctly ex plain tl1e wonders of II1s 'VORD.
26*
306
RO
THE liRY OF KXOJJ'J,E'V GB.
\\'ith respect to the creatio11 of the worl<l, wc mny Lruly s:~y, it i~ rnst and profound a subjcct that the mind secms lost in wondcr, 1 uH l trembles at the thought of cntering upon an inquiry into that whirh, hy an almost,impenetrnblc Yeil of mystcry, sccnts to lie bill from human ken. \Ye cnnnot i!!upposc that man, whosc f:tcultics and iutcllectual powers arc finito, and consequcntly limited, can, how
cver ardent he may be in scnrch of truth, arrive at a fll und pcrfect k nowlcdge of ail the minufc, those singubrs and particulars which enter into an<l 111ake up the fu lness of crcntion's mig hty work: a kin<l of gcnernl knowledge co11ccrni11g it, is a ll wc can expcct. In looking at crCtllion rui n wholc, ire ehoh1 hcaut~-, reguhtrity, and ur<ler; wc sec how C<lCh part performs its ap110inte<l u:ic, nnd that the wholc, hy the action of its se,cral parts, is maintniut.o<l entire, froe from :my appeurance of dissolution, :md exhibiting to the hchokler not the slightest symptoms of <lecny. '1110 same sun which "in the beginning" warmcrl nn<l cnlightenc<l our enrth, shines s till npon it with unabiite<l vigor and power; the moon which then shonc with its horrowed light, still rides majestically in tllC blue.itrcl1ed sky; the r nin still descends to wate r our thirsty plnin~. to fertife our fields, to make the earth yield hcr increase, for t he purposc of atfor!ling to man in all gencrntions, "sccd to the sowcr an<l brca<l to the enter." llcaYen's brccies still continue to kiss the mountains, and to impart ltcA.lth, vigor und prolification to ani111al nnd wgetablc lifc. Evcry animal is furnishc<l with a n or ganize<l body e xactly a<laptctl to the clement in which it lives. In fact, ail crcation sccms to be constantly ~i nging one tmivcrsal song of praisc, that "God is gootl to ail, a11d his tender rnercics are over all his works." Thcsc phenomcna, with tcn thousancl othcrs that might hc namcd if ncces.:try, but wh ich the reader is left to supply for himself, :ire nmong the strongcst evidenccs of contrivu11cc ami desig n. Thcso agnin lead urn1ucstionahly to the acknowledgmcut of :i D esigner whom we call tl1e Great I~irst Cause, the omniprcsent, omnkcient,
aml imurntable God.
No wisc man cnn find the least difficulty in attlibuting the crcaliou of the mat.crial world to au Ahnighty Hund-to that han<l which rcccivcd (if we may so speak) its impctus from the purest love, and wns directc<l by infinite wisclom; and as \\'C must consider the Divine Being t o be a God of the most pcrfect order, it follow:; that creation, epringing from Hirn, mu~t he vicwe<l as an orderly, prog rr!'Sive an<l c have no hcsitation i11 1mying, fnt if creation g rudual work.
CONTRADIGTORY VIEWS OF CIIRONOLOGERS.

~hall
307
ever admit of a rational and satisfactory explanation, it must be in agreement witl1 the strictest princi1Jles of truc philosophical aml scicntific ku'dcdgc. A lthough upon the creation of the world much has bccn writtcn by divines, philosophers and poets, yet but little that has yct appeared, lias becn i;atis:fiwtory. The suject, strictly spcaking, is not theologicnl, but purely one of philosophical and scientific rcscarch. It is rnnv prctty genemlly acknowledged by the most able and lenrned divines, that the fst chaptcrs of Gcncsis :1re an allegory, and that they COii tain not liternl history, but spiritual and divinll 8ubjects rednced to a histoi-ical form. Literai history, in which, nevertheles.<;, are containccl spiritual truths rclating to the church of God, heaven and the soul of man, commences ut the twclfth chapter of Genesis, with the call of Abraham. It was not only the opinion of nrnny of the ancient fathers of the chmch, that the llrst chapters of Genc~is werc 1nittcn in an allcgorieal style, but that the whole 'IVord of God, eomprehending the Law, the l'rophets, the Psalm~, the Gospels and Apocalyp!!c, were so written as to contain witl1in the literai ami historical sense, thosc divine and spiritual subjects which relate to the clrnrch of tlie Lord, and to the 11rogressive states of affection, thought and life of man; and that they wcre to be interpretetl, not after a canml, bnt after a spiritual manncr, This vicw of these ancient fthers hus been kept alive in the church by the ablcst and hest theological writcrs in every age do\l'n to the prcsent. This we shall prove by a few extrncts f'rom their writings as we procced.
Gmtradictory Views of Ghronologers.

In Genesis i. 1, we rend," In the bcginning God created the hcavcm and the enrth." From thi;1 passage, viewing it in the most literai sen&) pos~ihle, we learn not when God meated the world, but that He clic! create it in the beginrl'ng. From what particular date wc are to rcckon the begiwng of its existence, or what is its rcal age, the Word of God givcs no information whatevcr, and science will never be able to diseover. The putting of date!! to the Bible in respect to the era of creation, reckoning from the year one, and thus making the prescnt age of our globe about six thou~and years, is altogether gratuitou;; and arbitrary: it eneavors unwisely to mix religions with physical truth, and by mingling together what should be kept separate, the miud beeomcs bcwildcred in its contemplation of both. By giving-to tlie world nu arbitmry age of about six thousand years, many bave
808
TJIB KEY OF KNO IVLIWGE.
supposcd the science of Gcology t-0 be opposed to Revelation, and that it altogethcr contradicts the l\fosaic account of crcation. If it were not that many pious and intelligent Christians have felt their minds disturbed at this supposition, we should have passed it by unnoticed, smiling at the weakne&S that could generate the idca. Chronologers enumerate 132 contrary opinions concerning the age of the world (a proof this, that they know nothing aboutit) , but in all thcsc, there are none who reckon more than 7,000, or less than 3,700 ycars from the creation to the birth of Christ, making a difforcncc in these calculations of no lee.s a period than 3,300 ycars. The general opinion, howevcr, fixes the birth of Christ in the four thousandth ycar of the worl<l, and reckoning nearly 2,000 from that cvent, makes its present age about 6,000 years ; but the reasons on which these opinions arc founded, are exceedingly varions, all arbitrary, and grounded in c01tiecture. The calculation of the age of the world made by the Hindoos in their religious belief, is ponderous when compared with this. Their religion troches them to recgnize the existence of one supreme invisible Creator, the Ruler of the universe, whom they call BRAJT]l(A. 'l'hey likewise acknowlcdge two other deities, one of whom is V1~n~u, the Prcscrvcr, and the other SIVA, the Destroyer. The deity Vishnu, as preserver, is declarcd to have made many appearances in the world, and the grcat ends of Providence arc said to have been accornplished by the incarnations of this deity. According to this rcligio11, there have been nine incarnations of Vishnu, and one more yet to come, ail of which make up the period of 4,320,000 yeurs, making a <liffercnce l)Ct\YCcn their age of the world and ours of only 4,314,000 years. Allowing the Hindoo theology with its idlc ceremonies to be flse and fhulous, yct these superstitious people have, perhaps, n~ much ground for their long <late as we have for our short one. Hevelatiun i~ silcnt about the age of the worhl; and when that is silcut, it is a mark of wisdom in us to be silcnt too, arnl not aim to be wise abuve what i<> writttm. Thcse statement.s, differing wi<lely as thcy du, provc the fct, thnt auy attempt to fix the cra of creation originate;; in folly and conjecture.
Geology in Harmony witl1 SerizJture.

Professor Sedgwick, in his "Discourse on the Studics of the Uni versity" (p. 149), tells us, the geologist pro\'es by incontrovertihle evicuce of pl1ysical phellomcna, that" tl1crc wcrc former conilitfous of
OEOLOOY JN JIAllJIONY WITH SORII'TURE.
309
our plnnct separated from cach othcr hy vnst intervals of thne, uring wliich man and the other crcaturcs of his own date had not bccn cu.llcd iuto bcing. P eriods such as thesc bclong not, therefore, to the moral hist.ory of our race ; and corne neither withiu the letter uor the !lpirit of Hevelation. Dctwccn the first cr eation of the curth uud thaL dny in whic11 it please<l God to place man upon it, who shnll d:uc to dcfine the inter va.l? On this quC8tion Script11re is silenL; but that silence destroys not the mcaning of those physical monuments of bis power that God bas put before our cycs, giving us nt the same time fculties whereby we muy inLerprct them and comprel1end their mcaning." This extrnct contains so much of truth that it cannot, wc think, be dispro, ecl. Dut some ma.y ask: Is geology, thon, to e nllowe<l to coutr11di<'t the l\Iosaic account of crcation, and to disprove th<l date reveale<l to :ifoses? 'Ve answcl', that geology can ncithcr contradict nor d is1Jrove what the Scripture never statcs. The most literai account of crcntion givcn by Moses is, "In the beginning God crcatcd the hcaven 11n1l the carth;" this is all, witl1out fi xing any time. Geology doeii not contradict this, but mu.i.ntains it, and Ly la.borious a nd pru.iscworthy examination.s of physical phenomena, provcs the existence of a DidnCl Architcct, nnd ascribes to Ilim the work "in the beginnin!t" R cvelation ghes no <late: WE l1ave made this, and having so done, we find fult with geology becausc it ha8 sought 011t and exposed our crrora. The poet Cowper was dcceived in this; for ho, supposing that God ha<l rcvealed to i\foscs creation's date, aims a blow at Gcology. In his poem entitle<l " The Task," hc says"Some drill and bore The soli earth, and from the strata there :Extract a register, by wliich we learn That He who made it, and revcal'd it~ date
To :Mo.;es, was mistaken in i~ age.''
H ere the worthy poet was certa.inly mistnken in his conclusions; for wltcre in Revelntion do wc ful th Cl date r cvealcd to MoS<'s? Kothiog of the kind is g ivco in nny part of t hCl sacre<l Volume. H e wn8, in this instance, le<l astrny by his muse-the license of pocts is pro\'crhial; but still truth is not to he sacrificed at the shrine of poctical lin~c. The laborious and incontro,ertible proofs of the earth's g rcut antiqnily givcn hy the scie nce of geology, are not to be swept :l\1 ay h y a singlll Jash of n poet's peu.
:no
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
From our divinity authors, nothing bas yct appcarcd on the crca tion t.hat is worth notice. Tl1ey simply state that God created the world out of nothing: but, unfortunately for them, of this creation ont of nothing the Script.ures nevcr ~pcak. They off'er no rcmark~ ten<ling rationally to illustr:ite the ordcrly progression of crcation'B work. fshop Hall, in commenting on Gen. i. 1,-" In the bcginuing God crcatcd the heaven and the earth,"-says: "In the hcginuing of time, God-the Father, Son und Roly Ghost-rnadc, (Jf nothing, the whole great and goodly frame of the world, both the hcavcn and the carth, and the other elemcnts, with ail the frniturc and inhabitants of thcm ail." Certainly tlie good bishop, in this comment, has not overloaded our minds with information, 1rith subjccts too high for us. Had he said nothing, we sbould have becn quite as wise. To form just vicws of the crcation of this world, it is esseutially cxpcdicnt to kcep the mind fixed upon one supreme Being, whont whose love, wisdom, and power, nothing could be or cxist. \Vc must also view the Almighty as a single Divine Bcing, as a God of tl1e most perfect order, producing every thing progressivcly, according to the laws of Divine \Visdom. God, in his pro\'idence, to encourage us in the pursuit of truth, has not, in so many words, r1;vcaled in tl1c Book of inspiration lww the world was crcatcd; IJut in placing ns upon ihc globe on which we live, and surrounding us with all tl1c beau tics and wonders of creation, IIe has richlyendowed us with rcason, with capacious powcrs and faculties of rnind, by the cxcrcisc of which (the grcat book of crcation being always prcscnt) we may, by patient study and careful examination, truciug up ultimate effects through a long clmin of instrumental causes, :finally arrive at somc degrcc of Jrnowlcdgc as to the origin and progressive work of creatiou; so that wc may be able to provc to dcmonstration that, "In tl1e bcginning God creatc<l tl1c hca ven and the earth." By attributing to the Alrnighty the glory of this mighty work, we can take up the lunguagc of the Psalmist and say: "He hath laid the fouudations of the earth, that it shall not be rcmoved for ever" (Ps. civ. 5). "The hea;ens dcclare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work" (Ps. xix. l ). If in this investigation we exercise our rca.~on, God's best and noblest gift (for without it even irnmort:ility would be a blnnk), we ~hall hc able to sec clcarly wl1crc the worh1ling bnl gropes in the dark. Our reuson rnn~t be sacriliccd to GULi, that is, not dcstroyed,
THE l.\'STRU,l/J;LVTAL OAUSR OF CR.h:ATJOS.
311
buL dedicated and con~ccrated to his service, which is the mc:ming ~f "to s1wrificc." If this be donc faiffolly, wc shall walk in the truc light- we shall enjoy a morning without clouds, and our sm1 shall ne-ver go down.
The S un the Tnslrumental C ause
of
Oreation.
Henson teachcs that the globe npon whiC'h we live is eutirdy <lepcn<lllut for all its nourishment and support upon the central sun in the system. If the snn were rcmoved, our globe wouhl instnntly cense to be, animal m1d vcgctable life would pcrish, and all wonld be rc<lucc<l to n noncnity. The enrth would be deprived of all hent and llg bt, it would im;tamly Jose its motion,' and destruction woul<l follow; for it only lives white it rnovcs. In tlle bountled space of t his uni\ersc large bodk>s revolvc, which, perforruing their circuits round the sun as a co111mon <'e ntre, grow to thcir rcspecthe ages. The sun, like un anxions parent, regards thse revolving glohcs no oth<.'rwise thnn ns his own off~pring which have att:i.inc to a con~klcralilc matudty ; for be contiuually consnlts thcir general and panicular int<.'r <.'S ts ; and ultho11gh they a.re <listant, he ner fails to cxcrcise ov<.'r tlwm hi.s care and parental protection, sincc by 11is rays l1e is, as it wcr c, prcsent in hi:; pro>isions for them ; he cherishes them with the wurmth issuing from his immense bosom; he adorns t.hcir bodies anl members every yenr '':ith a most beautifl clothing; he nouri~hcs
1 lu a work cntltlc< l .. The ~acre<l History 1c f the enrth, lt couic\ oc~ur na well wlllwul a of th(!' \\'orh.1,', by Sharuu Turne r, nmong so1ar orb Mi wlth one. The ntutull.l <'innit ma.uy ex<'<'llmt thing. are ..,me Jn%t ex o r yenr, \\lllCh is tl1e ~omplet.ed orbit of Ulc l1111>r clh>lll')' &.lhl unphilo.o1~1l~J ,t&tc1uc11ts_ ear<.h rou nd thfR luminar y, ooul<l 11ot take l n vol. 1., lI' S, 9, the o.utlJt "'lys: Il wtJ.S pla.co w!Lbout 1\ sun ; but a d)' r~qnire n earl)' 6,t~) ycars a.go, ncc:ordingto thcchro the existcn("e n.ud rcvoh ing m otfon Q( the n ol<ogy of the llebrew i-<rripturc, U1 a t it Cl\rth a l one." Vol. 1., p.18. To rulk of dr plcn,e<\ the Alm!i;h!y to d ctcrmi11e ou the without n. s un is snruly not tlin t l<fn l of creM!o 11 i)f thccarth whieh we iu h nbit. 'J'he philtiophy w hich wlll gain ma11y!l<lvooatcs se.crP h t.<t.ocy of the worl fa bnilt 011 the 1ln the n lneteenth cemury. F ut we nsk, g ran1l truth ~xrore.'..'<1 in the Or~I ' """' o r What i the ~at1sc of the cnrth's rotation? the l'~nto.tcn<h - In the bC!(illning GollJ\l tonea rtb." li is a pity tills w r iWr ll<l nut J>r- jerture L"fgu llny re&.. <;On for the <lin rnnl rortnre ~hl\lter a nd verse for tbi' " nenrl7 1.< tlnn of the ca.rU1, expt the 1;<>m11111ndin<; (.,IM JO yearA R.gO." And wtth r<''l"-'<'t t.o t he wlll and exc~d power of tbe Cn!ntor ." P. 11 hraf..C, "ru tlle beginuiug," nooue ('a.n Ml C' m. To U1 is it i~ replied, that a ll H fe n.wl ccfullr com c ncl th nt the word " be<ril1- m otio t1 n~ (JJi ma rily)ofthe will nnd p.>wcr
uir1g" m cttns -OJK)O yea.TS ngr.. Agaln thi~ of the CrlltLtor ; but neverthek 8A lt f~ bltb
nnthr says, "Our earthly dAy i~ Urnt Sptl<'P oftime ln whlcl1 onr gloc turns pletely roun d. This nctlon or tlme, wbid1 we ~ubtlivtlc juto twtmty fonr ])R'fl"" or hnn,.., ol<IC' f>al olepeucl upon the un, nor Mll'e trom il. A.s it is only tm entlre roll\Uon
"""" corn-
mit Led Io ~hl' Ch r itlan philoOOJ>hCr, thnt the rotatory mr>t lon of the RIU\ is the l11strn mcnt.11! r11ne " ' t he eil.rth'. motlou . ~ nd t lmt if it WC'~ flOS'\ihle to f(top Lhc roru\cr, t.hW: lalkr woulit in~tantly c.se.
312
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
he promotes the their inhabitants with a perpetual supply of food life of all things, and enlightens them with his luminous radiance.
Since the sun thus executes all the functions of parental duty, it follows from the connection and tenor of causes, that if we are desir
ous to unfold the history of the earth from her earliest infancy, and examine her from her origin, we must have recourse to the sun
himself; for every effect is a continuity of causes from the first cause and the cause by which anything subsists is continued to the cause by
to
which
subsistence being a kind of perpetual existence. exists the above train of reasoning, we now come at this conclusion: that as the earth receives all its nourishment from the sun as a parent,
it
From
and requires his perpetual presence to keep it in being, it is manifest that it must have burst forth from him as from a fruitful wômb and that the sun, being a created instrument in the hand of the Divine
Creator,
is
therefore to be regarded as the instrumental cause, origin

7
and parent of this our w orld.
We must,
then, view the sun as the instrumental cause of the crea
tion of this world.
Here the
materialist stops his inquiry, attributing
But everything to what he calls Nature, and worships this as God. must in their make no must Christians carefully way they halting The sun could no more create itself trace effects up to their cause.
than could the earth.
sun
We must ascertain the origin of the natural and to do this, we must look through it to the spiritual world of causes, and finally to the Lord himself as the Fountain of life and In this stage of the inquiry, Revelation alone can afford us being.
the required assistance. In the Sacred Scripture,
God
&
himself
t
is
called a Sun,
and the Sun
a Sun which never goes It is a truth that an everlasting light (Isa. Ix. 19). Jehovah God is the great First Cause and common Centre of all His love is the fount of life, and his wisdom, as the first things.
of righteousness
& t
down
or becomes dim, but
is
truly
emanating sphere or brightness of that love, may be considered as the Divine Sun of the eternal world, whose creative rays of heat and light, or love and wisdom in union, fill the heavens with glory, and the Now to connect the created universe angels with joy and gladness. First the Cause God as with (for without this connection creation would expire), we must view the sun of this natural world as a created to receive and receptacle, formed by the Divine Wisdom, and adapted
concentrate the creative rays of the
concentration,
is
Sun of
righteousness.
By
this
produced an intensity of heat, which
may
be termed
SIR JJUJIPHHJ. JJA. VY'S VlEW:
313
a body of PURE FIRE, or the sun of our solar system. This reception and concentration of the creative rays of the Divine Sun, pro<iuces the rotatory motion of the natural sun upon its own axis, by whicl1 light. and heat are wi<lely dispensed around. This, ngain, giycs ail the motion to the planctary orhs in our system, producing tl1e chant,res and vicis8itudcs in the diurnal motion of morning, meridian, eveniug . :md night, as well ns the of the annual motion round the sun, of the four seasons, spring, summer, auturnn and winter. Thus wc may sec that the snn of our world derives its heat and light from being perpetually operated upon by the Sun of the eternul world; and that if the conncction su bsisting between them were to be broken or ioterrupted, the suo would instantly lose all its vigoro11s priuciple.s of heat and light, and the conseq11ence would be, the total 1lestruction of that planetary system of which the sun is the ccmtrc. 'Ve may safely subscribe to the statement alrcady made, that, however long the chain of causes ancl eflcts may be, the first link of that chain is in the hand of God. Stability, firrnncss und duration are gfren to everything, because God is the ALL in al!. There is, thcn, no doubt but that this our globe is an outbirth or offspring of the sun, and thut it performed t.housands of rovolutions round its parent before it became fit for the habitation of animais and lastly of mu~.
Sir Humphry Davy's View.

Sir Humphry Davy, a philosopher to whom the world is greatly indebted, says: " The globe in the first state in which the imagination can venture to consider it, a1ipears to have bcen a. fluid mass, wth an immense atrnosphere revolving in space round the sun. By its cooling, a portion of its atmosphere was probably condonse(i into water, whicl1 occupied a part of its surface. In this state, no forms of life sucl1 as now bclong to our worJ.1, could have inhabited it. The crystalline rocks, called by goologists primary rocks, and which contain no vestiges of a former order of things, werc the rcsult of the first consolidation on its surface. Upon the further cooling, the water which more or less had covered it, contracted, depositions took place; shcll-fish and coral iusects werc crcated, and began thcir labors; islands ap]Jeared in the midst of the ocean, raiscd from the deep by the }Jroductive cncrgics of millions of zoophytes. These islands becamc covered with vcgetahles fitted to bear a high temperat11re. The submarinc rocks of these new formations of land hccarne covere with nquutic vcgetahlcs, on which
27
3H
Tlll:J 10,'l' OF KNOWLEDCB.
varions species of s hcll-fish and common fish es found tlteir n ouri.t>hment. As the t empernture of the globe hecnmc lowcr, speeics of the oviparous reptiles appcn.r to have bcen crcuted to inhabit it ; o.nd the turtle, crocodile, and various gigantic auirnals seem to lui\'e haunted the bays and waters of the primitive lands. " llut in this state of tbing;s, there appears to l1ani been no ordcr of e\cuts similar to the prcscnt. J mmcnsc volcanic explosions :seem to ha\'c taken pla(!e, accompanioo by clevations und de1wessions of the eurth'~ surface, 1 1r01lucing mouutains, hills awJ valleys, au<l enusing n ew and cxtcnsi \'e depositions from the pri10iti ve ocean. Tl1e remnins of living bcings, plants, fhcs, birds and reptiles, arc fouu<l in the stratn of rocks which arc the monumental evi<lenccs of tbcse changes. When t hese revolntions became Jess frcquent, and the globe b('Camc still more coolcd, nu<l inequalities of tcmperatnrc wcre establishcd by means of the mo1 m tain ehains, mure perfcet animals became its in habitants, somc of which have n ow hccome extinct. Five succoseivc races of plnnts and four of nnirnals, appear to h ave bcen crcated n.n<l swept away by the physieal revolntions of the globe, befurc the system of things bccame so perman ent as to fit the worl for man. In none of' the:>e formations, whether callc<l sccond:iry, tertiary or dihnial, luwe the fo"sil romains of mnn or any of his works heeu disco,ctell. At la.st ii1n.n was creatcd ; and since that perio<l there has been Iittle altcra tion in tlie physical circumstanccs of our globe."
C<mncction bctwcen the Creator and Ids ll'Orks.

In the orderly progrsion of creation, e\crytl1ing appe:ns to be11; the imprcs,i of a Dfrinc )1:md. Evcry stage in creation's work l'Ccms to lcad on to t.he cn!l in vicw-thc crcat.ion of man, the image n.ncl likene::-s of his l\f'nker, who by the gift. of rcasou coul<l contNnplate the living scenc of bcirntics around him, co11l1l examine the qualities aiul properties of the i1hy8ical phcnomena whieh met his \\Otukring cyes; and, looking tltrough these, conld npcn his grntcful hC'a rt, and scnd fimb h is hreath of pruisc to Him who i.;; the Author 1\nd ~up porter of the whole. H e could oliservc that the Divine love and wi~do111, which !1i~pcnsed lifo and blcs~ing arourHl, radinte ctcrrndly from the Divine prc8ence. Feeling 1111 increasc of plca;:.urC' in such clcatcrl contemplation~, he rnigl1t take up the limgmi,u:e of the
t~ n work cnlitlcd, "Consolitions i n Trn\"cl, u r, The Last Pay~ of a Phll060phcr,r p ni;cs 121-127.
CONNECTJON RETWEL'N 1'/IE CI'.RArOR AX/i l!IS lrORKS. ~15
psalrnist and say, "As the hart panteth aftcr the water brooks, so pantcth rny soul after thee, 0 God. )ly sonl thirstcth for God, for the living Gocl." (Ps. xlii. 1, 2.) No person can contemplate crcation, with allts wonders and beauties, without acknow]cdgiug that the po,rnr, wisdom and gooduess of Go<l are eminently <lis1ilayed therein. Wlrnt power short of omnipotent, coulcl fill the blue ethcreul spacc with myriads of su us, stars and plnnets, appearng more brilliant tlrnn polishc<l sphcrcs of gohl und ~il ver? What wisdom, not pcrfoct and infini te, could arrange thesc ut immense distances froru ca!'h otLer, em1 ld orer and direet their respective courses, and yet so adapt them hy a corrcspondug eonncctiun, as to fonu 011e gruud wholc; all the parts of wliieh are in rapid motion, yet calm, rcgnlar and harmonious; nvuriahly keeping the patl1s prescribed to thcm :-thcse plancrnry orbs, again, being worlds pcoplcd with myriads of intelligent heiugs formcd for cudlcss progrc~~ion in perfection and fclicity? Who can think of tl1ese things, und not ncknowledge tlrnt infinitc wisdom ::! di,;played therein? .And who can doubt of God's goodnes.s in creatioIJ, when he scci:; thut cvcry li\ing thing is giftcd with an organic structure, exnctly 11dnpted to the situntion in whieh it lives, to the means of obtaining food, to the method of dcfending itself frorn danger, and to tlie enjoyment of its cxi:>tencc? The wants of animal lifo are abnrnlantly su11plied to the numerous families of living creaturcs, and with as much regularity and certainty as if God had but one to attencl to. Thcsc thint,'l! can spcak no othcr lunguuge thnn that of inspiration, which, with a power no rational rnind can or would wish to disprove, prodaims tlrnt" G()(l is gootl to all, and his tender mcrcics arc O\'er nll his works ! " That. man must be more than hlind, who, if he rdlect on crcution at ull, cannot di.scover tl1e power, wisdom, and goodness of God displayed thcrcin. Viewing crction's mighty work in this way, wc at once discovcr an inrlissolu ble connection existing bct\H:en the Creator and the created; the latter requiring tl1c pcrpctual prcscnce and operation of the former to pcrpctuute its ex.>tcnce. Crcntion is not only an outbirth frorn Deity, hnt it at the same time exhibits, in all its multifarious forrns, a faithful image of IIim, the councction bcing so strong aml ccrtai1~ bct1rccn God and his worh, that ail outmird olijects, as ellects, are to be viewed as so rn:my types, rcpresentations and symbolic cmhlcms, which constnntly exhibit allfl shadow forth the uttributcs, the goodness, tl1e perfections nud wisdom of t.l1e great. Fir~t
316
THE KEY OF KNOlVT,E DGE.
CILlt~e. There is, througliout al! nature, n close connection bctwccn the essence of a thing an its form; the essence hcing the spirit, 11oul or lifo, and the form the external rnanifesttltion; hencc the forms of things exhibit to the intellectual eye of man the trnc quality of the c<>sences which respectively gtwe them birth ; and to produce prc ci,,ion and cxactncss, both of distinction and fiescription, n:lmCS wcrc also n.nciently givcn to mark and express the respeetive qualitics of the t hings name<l. Tf, thcn, the life or opemtivc Spirit of Ood must consfantly flow into ttll creation, that it may be kept in existe11ce, in activity an<l growth, by which it can alone pcrfonn the uses it was cvidently designed; it follows, that, as it is animated by the Spirit of Go1l, imd upheld by his power, it must reffect back au image of Him, and show frth in all its successi\e productions, t he universality of his power and goo<l11css. Tlrn creittcd univcrsc may very propcrly ho termc<l a living temple, in which the living God delights to dwell, filling every part thereof with the breath of life; whilc each object, in the cnjoy ment of inrlividual existence, sccrns to sing for joy, and b::i.sk in the s1111shillc of plensure. l t is certain that. we "cannot f,'O where uni vcrsal love smiles not around ! " If the Yiew we have thus taken of creation be correct, ( of whieh a rational do11bt can hardly be supposecl)-ifthe goodncss, wisdom nud power of God are felt and seen in his works--if the whole, as a type, reflccts a faint image of th e Divine perfections; and if all outward obje:cts are corresponding cmblems of the affections, thought.s an<l powers of' the human mind, therey conneeting the material world with mnn, and by and through man with the Creator, thcn ,,.e must clearly observe an unhrokcn conncction, a relationship and corrc sponclence betwccn aU creation and the omnipotent One " h o pro<luccd f1.ncl still supports t he whole. This view will lead us to a right u!lfler standing of t he reasoning of Rt. Paul, who, in ad<lressing the R omans, 8a~s : "The invisible t hingil of I-fn from the creation of the worlcl arc clenrly sccn , bcing uu clcrstood hy tho things that aro mn<le, evcn hi.; ctcrual power and Go<lhcad; so that t}1ey nrc without excu~c." ( Rom. i. 20.) The iniible things of Oocl arc certa.in1y tl1c opera tions of his cre:ttivc power and goodn0's. Thesc arc ns the essenc('s which givc birth nnd being to all external forms, while the forms in their orclcr, quality and appearam. -e, mnkc the invisible csscnccs tu ho intellectunlly su an1l unrlcrst,ood. If thosc propertics whicl1 relate to the cternal powe.. anrl Godhcml arc to be understood by the
I'LENARY INSPIRATION OF TIIE lVORD OF COD.
317
things that are made, thcn it follows that crcation is a ropresentative image of the Divine Being, and that his unity, goodncs:c>, power and wisdom are exhibited in all its part.<>. As Nature is the orderly production of God, and as a conncction exllits lictlrnen the Lord and his \\' Orks, so it is rensonablc to conclmle tlmt a similnr law of corrcsponding relation.ship nrnst be observed betwe.en Him and his \\'ord of Uevelation. The wisdom of God must be containcd in thosc sacred writings which arc emphatically denorntnatc<l the "'01w, and as such, must treat primarily of the spirit.li al crention of man; tliat is, of the renovation of his miml, by which he is preparcd for an ctcrnal statc of oxktcuce, and not merely of ihe outward things of nature, only so far as they arc mcntioucd as corrcsponding cmblerns to rcpresent those affections, thoughts a11d states of life, with their E ucccssive variations and changes which take place in nian, while in him the regenerating 11roccss is going on.
Renary Inspiration o f the Word of God.

The Bible is generally aeknowledged by Christians to be the W ortl of God; but this acknowledgrnent is grounded more in authurity thun in any internai conviction of the fact. "\Vhat a1)pears to be wanting is proof; but how is this to be givcn? Not l)y an appeal to the opinions of' thosc who lived in ancicnt timcs-not by producing n Joug ft of vcncrablc nnmes of men who lived in the days of ot her yeurs, with their Eentiments attached; for such 1t list could prove nothing hut the opinions of those whose namcs it containcd. If tlie Bible be the W ord of God, it must contain \Ythin itself the certain evidcnccs of that fact; and that it does con tain the.se, we hopc clcarly to demonstratc by many exnmples. Any book acknowledged to be the W ord of God, must be writron by his imme<liate dictation ; for wlmt is the dictation of any being, but his word, will and command? And as every humnn wriiing contains, upon the subjcct trcatcd of, the mind and spirit of the writcr, so th ose, Scripturcs whieh Lc..'lr the high tille of the "\Vord of God," must contain the Divine mind, spirit and will. They muEt have bccn liictated hy the Spirit of God to the persons who were avpointed to write them, and of course writtcn by a plcuary ins1ration. The snbject.8, thcrcforc, of Euch a writtcn 'Vonl must be lofty, such as arc worthy a Divine Being, and mlapte<l to gui rie man in ail bis journey through the vicissitudes of this trnnsitory sccnc of Lhings, and to bring lm in safety to the lrnven of his ~ppointed rcst.
27 *
Til.B KEY OF KNO ll'J,EDGR.
The 'Vord ofGod, likc his 'rorks in out.wanl crcation, must be Ornl pcrfcct harmonious whole; a rcgularly connectcd chnin of enrl, causo and cffoct must be obscryed to pcrvailc cach. As creation was procluced by regular ln.ws according to the Divine will and plcasuro, in which God himself is const:mtly pre.;;ent to sustain and u phold, prevcnting thereby auy of its parts from <lilapidation or di;,;nsc; so hi~ W ord, which is a rcYelation of his will to hi:; ::;outient crcaturcs, must also \Je produced in a similar regular onlcr, ami must contain, withiu its liternl sensc, the stores of Divine wisdom, goodness and povrnr, in which the Lord hi1nself is so essentially pref>cnt by hi;i, Spirit, that not "one jot or tittle" of the Divine lnw cun evcr fnil. It is hen certain that thosc Scl'iptures which arc the \V 01rn, are of pleuary inspiration, bccausc writt.en by Divine dictation throughout: if not so writtcn, thcy arc not the ord of Gofl. St. Paul, in bis epistle to Timothy, says: "All Scripturc is given hy impiration of God, and is profita,blc for dlctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in rightcousncss: thut the man of God may be pcrfect, throughly furuished unto al! good works." (2 Tim. iii. rn, 17.) These expressions clearly state that the whole of the perfcctly inspired Scripturc, is givcn to insure the growth and perfection of the human chamcter-to enlighten the understanding and purify the will; thus, by maldng man wiser and bettcr, to fit him for the enjoyrnent of angclic perfection. The Greek single word hcrc rendercd by five, "given hy inspiration of God," is, rcspccting the plcnnry inspiration of Scripture, excecdingly strong and expressive. The word is forrvwcro ( 'l'hcopneu.stos); and being cornpounded of Oeo. God, awl rrmJ, to brcathe, litcrally me:rns God-breallwd. "All Script.ure God-breathed," is therefore profilable for doctrine, reproof :md corrcction.3 The phrase" all Scripture," comprehends ail those books called the Law and tl1c l'rophct8, including the Psnlms. Thcsc arc also stylcd the Law and the Testimony, to which the Lorcl alluded whcn, aftcr his rcsurrection, He said to l~ 1lisciplcs: "Ali tl1i11gs 111ust be fulfillcd which arc wriLtcn in the bw of l\foses, and in the Prophcts, ami in tlic Psalms cunccrning me." (Luke xxiv. 4-i.) Arnong ten thousand privileges cnjoycd in the t~ue spiritual church
"r
a The original of this veIW does not stnte that ALL ~cripture is ~i\en by i11splratlon; for cvery writin).( is scripture. Sorne writini,>S, that are eYcn bound up wllh our com mou Bibles. arc not admitlcd to be canoni cal, bccause not giYen by inspiration; and
yct \.hey h1we had, an(! still cont!mie to hiive, tbeir n>e in the churl'h. What tho v<>rse expresIY 8tatc~ is, thtt "all 8eripture God-breathcd," or "ghell by luplr11t1011," i.~ profiti.ble, etc.
Pf,F:NARY INSl'IRA TION OF 1'111<: WOIW 01' COD.
319
of Christ, is one which may truly be terme<l the int.roductory menns of obtuining ull the re8t; without which, a correct knowle<lge of the Word of God throughout cannot be flly obtaincd. Nothing surdy can contribute more to the furthcrance of the interests of vitnl religion, or to the wide extension of thcological truth, tlrnn to point out a mcthrnl by \\'hich the \Vord of God eau be faitl1fully an<l harmoniously interpreted-by which the sacred cabinet c:m be unlockcd mul its hca venly trensu res explored, It is su rely reasonable to suppos'' tlrnt, as there is a certain orderly and progssivc rnethod to be carefully pursued in ohtaiuiug correct scienWic and philosophieal knowlcdgc, and that any <leviatiou from the gencral rule must involve ns in doul1t and crror; so there must be one general :mcl uniforrn system to be pursued in the search of spiritual or religions truth, a rlcviution from which must cqually involve us in ignorance, doubt aud error. "rhcn wc t.akc a vicw of the prescnt state of the Christian world, aud observe that doctrines as opposite to each other as light and darkness are taught as Christian verities-that al! arc pronounccd to be truly Christian, though widcly different ami opposite; "e must think thit somcthing is wrong somewhcrc, or opposite \'ews could not be taught as SJ)ringiug from one and the same source. 'fliis fact is bcfore the eyes of every one who rcflects at all, and if thcrc be any truth to he drawn from it, it is this: that ail our errors arise from not "knowing the Scripturcs nor tl1e power of God." One system says, with the lips of its profcs.sors, that thcrc is but one God ; that in the Godhead, nevertheless, are three Persons of ona substance, each of whom is <listinctly and by himself God and Lord; but thnt in some mysterious way or other these three arc but one Go1L This explanation, if iL must be so called, i.s generally guar<led from any frther inquiry, by "ask not how this can lie;" be silcnt and have fait.h ! The snmc system, in its furthcr mystcrious teachiug, says that Go<l is "without bo1ly, parts, or pussions;" and if \l'e a8k, How can n being without either body, parts, or pas.sim1s, be three pcrsons of one substance? we are answer ed, and told that iL is a vcry great mystery, impious to inquire into, aml that the human urnler;;tanding ought to c bound under obctlicncc to faitl1. Thus the truth, the grand truth of the Divine Unity, i;;, hy unmeaning crccds, hitl from our eyes, and the humim race Jeft to wurnler in tlie mysterious lahyrinths of universal dou bt. Anotl1er system, pceuliar to itsclf, tenches that Gocl has elcctcd !\ certain number of the human race t.o heavcn aud hap1iiness, without
320
THE KEY OP Kl>fOWLEDGE,
nny foresight of faith, good works, or any concfious performcd by the creaturc; nnd dcsigncdly consign cd the rcst to cvcrllli'ting wrath nn<l perdition for their sius. This appears to be the vcry 1l rcg~ of hcathen ftalism and nccsily, which the reformer of Geneva gathcred together and tried to refine into the constituent principle:i of Cl1ri:>tianity, but which he made worse in the procc;;s. This gloomy thcory is mo8t decidedly opposed by the Arminian schcmc, whicl1 says of it, that it is altogcthcr fal;:;c and rmti-Cl1ristian, and in op1rnsition to it, mainta ins that God wills, :md has Jll'Ovidcd menus for, the happincss of all ; that by thc..c He bas made salvation attainablc by all ; thus that man and n ot God is the author of ail his misery. Another system teacl1es that faitl1 atone, without works, is all that is neccssary to salvation; whilc auother, opposed to this, says, thu.t fith withont works, or a holy life, is dead and of no use, and that cluuity, holincss and pu rity are esscntial to tl1e attainmcnt of life cverl11sting. Another system denies the divinity of the Christian R edeemer, and tcachcs thut Jcsus Christ is nothing JnOl'c than a human creature, in all respects Iike unto ot.her men, fallible and pcccnblc, and thereforc not a.n obj ect of rel igious won;hip. This system is, by the Trinit11riru1 scheme, loadcd with ail kin<ls of ohloquy, and called t he half-wny house to infidelity. It may be such half-way h ouse leading to i11fi llelity-pcrhaps it is: but if it be, popular Trinitarianism will, in this respect, always be found to be its next-door neighbor. 'Ve might still go on dcscribing the great diffcrences in the doctrines now tuught, cach of which daims for itsclf the character of orthodoxy-all are right and truc, though different and opposite, while the advocut of cach system respectively, say, "The temple of the Lord are wc." Our object, however, is not to dwcll upon thcse diffcrenccs, hut to point out that R u u : or h eavenly ScIENCE., by which the \Vor<l of Go<l throughout can with certainty and corrcctncss hc ex plaincd. N othing more strikingly show!> tl1e total iibsence of su ch rule or mcthod than the vastly <liff erent and opposite doctrines which arc 11ow zcalously taught. Amidst all tlls mcnta1 confusion- thcse "war~ and rumors of \Vars "-it must be iLCknowle<lgcd tlmt 11- sure ru le of Rcripture interprctation, woul<l indeed be a light in t he hunds of privatc Christians, as well us o. hclp to those whosc busines:; it i~, on the Stilibath, to dispen~ the W ord of Life to thcir fellow
men.
S URK R UJ,E OF SCJUI'TURE INTb'RI'REJ'A 1'!0.N.
32 l
Correspondence, the sure Rule of &ripture Interpretation.

The Rule, then, whicl1 is here recommended us the only sure one hy which the sacrcd records of Divine Truth can be clucidatcd, is that immutable relationship or correspondence existing between ail the objccts of the world of nature, whether anfoial, vegetablc or minerai, und the n.ffctions, thoughts, and intellectual properties of man, as the "orld of mind. This Rule, which is named the Science of Correspond ences, from the UI\ersality and certninty of its it}Jplication \'lhen faithfully studied and correctly applied, will be foul]d to be, as expressed in the tit.le-page of' this work, "The key of knowledge" to the Holy Scriptures, by the use of which a truc system of Theology will be rcstored, and the W ord of God with elearncss and cedainty explained. This science grows out of and is exhibited in uni versai creatio11. It cnn thcrcforc ncvcr crr in itself, because it is the ordcr of the Creator, nnd exhbited thronghout his works. A man, it is trne, may commit soruc crrors in cxpluining it, but thcsc arc to be attributcd to the explainer and not to the science; for that, in itself, fo; infallible and certain. Corrcspondencc, thcn, may be tcrmcd a univcrsal langunge, in which the Divine Beng ~pe11k11 to his creatures, both in hs work8 ami in his 'Vord. The first voice which is heard, or the first trnth made apparent in rmiversal creation, is, that there is a Cod, und that there is but One, who, from the lmrmony, regularity nnd bcauty of his works, is infinitc in wisdom and goodncss. To thi;; voice or truth, hnman reruion at once asscnts without the leust difficulty or hcsita tion. AB it is in the works of God, so is ii in bis \V ord ; for Re\elation throughout, invariably points to one Gad, in c;;sence and I'erson ~E, who is at once the Creator, Redeemer, and Saviom; Cod man fcst in the flesh, whom the postlc styles the "True God ami Etcrnal Lifc." If Rcvelation be deprived of this self-evidcnt truth-the per fcct unity of God, as a single Divine neing-no clenr Light can enter the rnind upon any theological subject whateYer. .All the bright truths of the 'Vord will hecomc obscurc(l- thc selfhood and self: derived intelligence of man will corne in between him and the Sun of rightcousness-to him the Divine Lluninary will becomc cclipsed, and, in respect t.o religions truth, nothing but clarkness and gros;; durkne.'-5 can cover his moral land. ln stat.ing, first, what the science of Corresponrlencc is, wc c1mnot, pcrhnps, doline it bctt.er tlmn by i'aying tlmt iL treats of the relation
V
TIIE KEY OF KNOWJ,/WGJ'l.
ship which cxists lrntwccn the Cf(o<cncc of a thing anrl its fonr. or out. wnrd nppeamncc, and that the form points out the rn,ture a111\ qnality of the essence within. Correspondence, according to its etynwkgyit being compoundcd of tiro Latin wonl~, con, with, and rc1<p0111lere, to answer,1 to answcr with or togethe1:, to fit, to suit, or match; thus dcnoting the reciproc:tl relation of one thing to anothcr- is a science which trcnts of the harmouy, agreement and concord existing betwecn cause :rnd effect, essence and form, spirit and matter, soul nnd body, hcnven and earth. 'Ye may here obscne, that corrcspornfoncc 1.an only be applied to those things \\'hich procecd from Godin the ordcrly course of creation; it cnnnot be mixed up with, or applied to, nny object or thing manufactnrcd or made by man. By thi:; univcrsal ~cicuce, ail outward nature (including the va;;t varictics of its abjects), is scen as a wliole to be a reprc.sentative image of man, while the abjects thereof correspond to l1is various affoctioml and thoughts, hoth goud all(l Lad. )fon agaiu is secn to be ercatc<l, mi the Scripturcs dcclare him to be, in the imnge and likeness of God; al! the powers and principles of bis mental constitution whcn in order,' shadow forth, hy the hnY of corre.pondcnee, the infinite perfections of hi~ adorable Creator. Thus, a rcgular chain of conncction is establishcd between the Lord and bis works-God is the supporter of the whole, the All in ail. Correspomlcnce was a su hject familiar to the men of the most ancie11t times, who esteemed it the science of sciences, and cultivated it so univcrsally that ail their books wcre written in agreement with it. The hieroglyphics of the Egyptians, and the falrnlous staries of antiquity, were founded upon it. Ail the ancient churche wcrn rcp r<'~cutative; thcir ccrcmonics, and evcu thcir statutcs, which wcrc rnles for the institution of their worship, shadowcd forth, by correspm1dc11cc, the spiritual thing:; of worslfip and of hcavcn; in likc manncr, everything in the lsraditish church, the bnrnt otforings, sacrifices, rneat offerings and drink off'erings, with al! the particulars ltclonging to each, werc of this spiritually rcprcscntative charactcr; they were all types and shadows of good things to corne. Tl1c science of faithfull y rcpreeenting, by outward objccts, the spiritual states and conditions of the mind and life, was not only known, but also cultivatcd in many kingdoms of Asia, particularly in
< 8omo hnve thooght that correspondcnco 1 the sig11itk>tti011 io th., .nmc clthct wny, lt h mli;ht be ruorc 11ropcrly crlvcd from cor, , of lltle co11>cqucuc~. JNrlvc lt ivhich WlLY the heurt, nutl rcspcmdcns, answcrlu!); but as you pleuw, the mcnning l \Ill tnc so.me.
SURE RU/,P, OF SCRll"l'UJJE l.NTEIU'RETATIO.N.
23
the lanrl of Canaan, Egypt, Assyria., Chalca, Syria, Arabia, .ll 'l'yre. :-:idon , and Ninevch; from thencc it \nLS co1l\"eyed into Grcccc, whcre, a~ uppcars from the works of the most ancie.ut Grccian writeri!, it was chungcd into fable. Ail thingii that appear on the fce of the enrth, being obj ecta which corupc the 11utcrQCQS11~ or great worl<l, ure correspoudi11g ernblems of 11ll the ni.rious affections, thoughts, intellectual iculties aud power6 of J11a11, whom the ancicnts called the 111icrocosm or littlc world ; conscqncntly, not .onYy trccs and vegctables, but also bcnstl!, birds, fisheil of every kind, with ail other animuls, down to the worm and crceping things of the ground. Thcsc nre ail mc11tione<l in Scripture in refcrcu to the mental propertics of man. Henca tl1e L or<l says by the prof'hct, "In that cfay will I makc a covenan t fur them with the heust~ of the field, and with the fowls of hcuven, and \Ith the creeping lhings of the ground." (Hosea ii. 18.) This covcnant is certainly not made with unthinking animals, but with retlecting man, who fa here describcd as to his uffections and thonghts, from the 11ighcst. to the lowcst, by bcat!ts, birds and creeping thillf,'S. In agreement with the uni,-ersal principles of correspondcnce, the ancicnts, who were versed therein, made themscl v images to reprc:;cnt things cclcstiul, and were, no doubt, grcutly delighted thcrcwith. liy rcason of their spiritual signification, they could, and did, discern in them what rclatc<l to hcaven and the clrnrch. Hcnce they pluccd those irnuges both in their temple.~ and houses, not with 11ny intention to worship them, but to serve as rncans of recollecting the cclestial things signitied by thcrn. In Egypt and in othcr p laces, thcy 111u<le images of calYes, oxen, serj)Cnti!, and also of children, old men and virgins: 'Vhy they did this, corre,;pon<lcnce nlonc c1111 6how. Calv and oxen sih"llify the affections and power.; of the natural mimi; serpents, the prudence and cunning of the scnsuul mnu ; children, llnocence and churity ; ol<l men, wisdom ; aml virgin11, th e affections of truth. SucceediJJg ages, whcn the knowledgc of cor rcspondence bccume obliteru.t.c<l., beC11.nse they foun<l t hese pictL1res and images set up by thcir forefathers in and about. thcir temples, beg:m to worship thcm as deities ; and frorn this, idolutrous WOn!hip took its risc. The ancicnts perforrne<l their worship in gardcus and groves, und also on ruountains nnd hills; by the langirnge of correspondence, gardcns and groves signity wisdom and intelligence, nnrl e\cry 1mrticular t rcc something relating thcrct-0: a mountain dcnot8 the highcst principle of celt.Stial love to the Lord ; nud hills,
1'11FJ KEY OF KNOJl'LEDGF:.
brothcrly love aml charity. It is from this their s11iritual significu tion, thut wo read in Scripture, "The mountains u11d the hilbi isltall break forth b cforc you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall cfap thcir hands." (lsaiah h. 12.) This true iscicnce not only lucidly c.xplains ull Scripture, but rilso the rnanners nnd customs of thoisc wh fcd in the primitirn timcs; and if ever the ancicut Grecinn fablui, or the Egyptiun hicroglyphics, sball be truly dccipherc, it must he by this . me:u.is. No other mcthod will ever correctly unfol<l thcir meaning.
CHAPTER II.
THE RIGIN OF CoRRESPONDENCE, AND WJIY THE ScmPTURE IS 'VRITT~ IN AGREEMENT WITH IT-SmIE PR001''S GrVEN-REVELATION TH)!: YoICE o~
Gon SPF.AKING
TO ~IAN's IV1LJ, ANn I:i;TELLECT; rnEREFORE OF PLl!.')!Ai:Y
lNsl't1tATION-PDIIONS o~ ANOIEJ;T AND MoDEl<N AuT1roRs RESPFJCT1No
CORRF.Sro:rm1,NCE-T1n: P1t..0.YER OF MosES,
"LORD, 1
BE'IEECH 'l'Ht;E,
Suow
ME THY Gr.ORY," ExPLAINED-TIIE TRJ-U)l1TY OF Goo, As CoN-
s1sTI1>0 OF LovE, IV1snoM, PowER, ExHIDITED IN ALL C1tJ>..\TION-CoR1u:SPONDENCE OF THE THREE KL'<ODOMS OF N..1.TURE WITll TH)!: THREE Dr.GREES OF LIFE IN MA...'I".
The Origin of Correspondence.

O point out the origin of correspondence, and why the W ord ~f God is \vritten accor<ling to it, wc must endeavor to show the ordcrly desceut of Divine Truth from its bcginning in the bosom of Deity, toits being embodi<ld in the natural language of men on eart.li. This is, indeed, 110 very easy task; but still some knowledge, howcver fant we may deem it, eau be obtaincd by those who thirst for the truth 'that thcy may be freed from error and doubt. To obtain information upon this lofty and momentous subjeet, wc must make a direct appeal to the W ord itsclf; for that alon~ is the centre :md source of knowledge. David says, "Forever, 0 Lord, thy \Yo.r d is scttled in heaven." (Ps. cxix. 89.) Now of this Word, which he here describes as being forever settled in heaven, he says in the 105th verse of the same psalru, "It is a lamp unto ruy feet, and a light unto my path." This language evidenily declares that the Word of God hrui its heginnings in heaven, where it is in cverlasting brightness, and from tl1eJ1ce descending to the carth, bccomcs to the lrnman race the lamp to thcir fect, and the light to guide thcm in thcir rcligious path or walk.
Some Proofs Given.

This desoent of the Divine Trth from heaven to earth, so tliat it may be to man his true and stcady light to guide him in ail his ways, is beautifully described .in Psalrn xviii. D, where we read: "He (tlie Lord) llowed the 11cavens also, and came down, and darknc.ss was under his fcct.'' To Low the l1eavens and corne own, is a Scripturn
~
3Z
THE KEY OF KNO WLJ:/JGE'.
phrase signi(ying the Lord's prcsencc, not only in the heavens, his more exalted dwellingplace, but in the earth, and in all parts of his wide aml living crcation.-" He bowed the heavens ltl;;o, and came down." The mind of mau whcn vcnturing to contemphte the Majesty of heavcn, Ctlll reatlly conceive Him to be a Being whose essence is b\e, unboundcd and pure, und that tl1e proximate sphere thereof, being the brightness by which love h; marlc known, is the most pure and perfoct wis(lom. Love and wisdom, thcn, are the essential properties wlch constitutc, if wc may so speak, "our Fat.her in the l1eavcus." Tl1cse iwo dwcll in evcrJasting union; thcy canuot be se11aratcd in act, however man, through his prcjudice and foolishnc.ss, may septme thcrn in t.hought, and suppose them to be two di:;tinct cntities. Love, ns the source of creation, is the essence of wisdom, the source an<l root of all being; and as such, in Seripture, is called FATHER; Divine wis<lom, as being the first and only sphere of Love, is the form of such Love, and is callcd so~, and thcfirst and OXLY-IlEGOTTEN. As love dwells witliin wisdom, and eannot be scparatcd from it, so Divine Revelation, inasmuch as it is GOll's own 'yord dcclaring the truth, tcaches that the Fu.tl1cr is in the Son-that the Son carne forth from ihc bosom of the Father, and that the Fathcr and the I~ord .Jcsus Christ as the Trutl1, arc NE. "I an<l the Fathcr are one." (John x. 30.) 'flie first emanating sphere of the Divine :\fojest.y is termc<l the "'isdom of Gotl, and an everlasting light. This is the only Truth ! it is the word that was in the bcginning with God, an<l was God, of which ,Jesus Christ was the manifcsted form. Tl1i:; is agrectthlc to the Divine decln.ration, "the 'Vord was m:ide flesh." (Jolm i.14.) This s11hcrc of Didnc Truth in the he:wcns, where the psalrnist says it is forcver scttlcd, must cxist in its highest <legree of celestial bright ncss, and partaking of all the qualities of angclic purity and wi:;;dom, must fait.hfully describe them and bring thcm forth: lrnt in its further descent through the hcavcns to men on carth, that is, in bowing the hcavens and coming down, it is receive<l in a lowcr dcgrcc of fi11ite existence, and ent.cring the rninds of thosc pcrsons, who were the prcpared instruments to embo<ly tlie 'Yonl of Go<l in huruan languagc, must partake of tho~e affcctioiis, thoughts and properties pcculiar to
6 In11.,much as Jesu I the Truth itself, 1of thorns and purplc robe, nnd 8ald, in rcf thcretnrc Pil!Ltc's question," Whnt i tmth 1" crcncl' to himse\f, "llel.iolt! the Mnu ! "-See ru; putto tl1c J,or<I, rcl'clvcd n cllsti11ct answcr John xix. 5. whcn J~~us ce.me forth, wcaring the crown
SO,l/E I'.ROOFS CIVEN.
327
man wl1ile existing in a world of nature. As such, the language of the mritten \\'onl must be made up of tho.'ie tl1ings which appear in thi:> wo:rld; ail of which, hy an immutahle lnw of correspoudence, are use1l to express the qualitics arnl properties of mind, whethcr they be good or bad, true or false. \Vhile, then, it is a trut11 that. the W ord or Wisdom of God is in all the heavens-forever settled there, and from whcnce imgelic perfection is derived; it is equully true that the smne \Vorcl "bowed the heavens and came <lmYn," and thus becarne to man on earth his lamp of safoty, bis everlasting light, his sure and certain guide. ~fan, in rcfcrcnee to his cxist.encc in this worltl, ,; imlce<l mude a little lo\Yer thnn the angels: but l1ccau.se the trntl1 of Go<l mcets him here, supplying al! bis wunts and leading hhn to the heaven of angcls, he is thcrcfore crowned with glory and honor. Divine Truth, in bowing the heavens ami coming own, is presenLed to men on eartl1, accornruodateJ to their wants, to their states of affection nnd thought. It i.s therefore clothcd in tho gnrmcnts of hnman lauguage, and, in its litcral sense, the Divine brightness within is clotlJcd or covercd; thus it is tho \VonD in its most cxternul forrn, in whic11 the light or brightnl'SS of its internai spirit tcrrninntcs in the shade or clou<l of the lcttcr. In Scriptnre, heaven is called t11e Lord's throne, but the earth, his footstoo1. The i<lea prcscnted to tl1e miml hy the throne of God, fa that of Divine justice and jndgmcnt dwclling togcther, from whence every one is to receive the just reward of his doillf,'S; for it is an unquestiona!Jle luw of Divine or(ler, both in natnre nnd in gmce, that "whatsocvcr a man so\\'S, that. shall he also reap." In hcavcn, wherc the thronc of G()(l is, 'fruth is in ils glory, in its hrightness: but on tl1e carth, which is the J,or<l's footstool, it is dotl1ed in hurnan languagc, and its literal .~cnse, though a guard and defonce to the glory withiu, is, wl1e11 comparcd to lt;\ intemal contents, as durkness to liglit. Hcnce it said, that in bowing t11e heuvens and coming <lown, "darlmeos was mHlcr his fcet." Tl1e \Yord of God is not durk1U'8l'i to the Christian: ail its lit.cru! truths are to him the clouds of heavcn, in whic11 the S]Jirituul man cnn always diseern the prcsence of the Lord coming witli power and glory. Rut to the wicked, to those who are in states of opposition, who love dnrknc~s rathcr than light because their dceds arc ovil, to snc11 tlie Worrl in its literai form is <lnrkns; for they can discern notliing of that light whiel1 shincs throngh tlie letter frorn the Divine brigl1tness witl1ii1. Yet Rotwith~tanding thcir hlindness and opposition, thcir contempt of' ail sacred things, the Lord's i1resence in bis 'Yon} is prc-cmiuently
S28
TIIE KEY OF KNO lVLED(}E.
full and complete; the Spirit of Go<l pervades the whole, and his Jire sustains every jot and, tittlc. This univcrsal presence of the Lord in his 'Vord, which givcs lifo and spirit to the whole, is finely described by the psalmist in these words," He rode upon tt chcrub and did fly; yea, he did fly upon lhe wings of the wind. Ile made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies." (Ps. xviii. 10, 11.) Thcsc expressions, the dark waters and thick clouds which form the Divine pavilion, aie expressive of thosc appearitnces of truth in the litera} scnse, by which the Divine brightness $ 11s it were obscured by thosc perversions of the natural an<l carnal mind; which arc hcre called dark waters and tlck cl-ouds. The truth of these rernarks is experienced in every-day life an<l abundantly borne out by the madness of those athcistical comments upon Scripture, which are daily issuing from the school of materialIBm and infi. <lelity. They arc made by persons whose only object is to throw obloquy and eontempt upon a Book, the contents of which they do not understand. 'Ihey actas if they had ncithcr cycs to see its glory, nor hearts to focl its power. They would fain have us believe that the Bible is a wortltlcss and even immoral book, invented in the darv ages by ignorance and priestcraft. But to these gratuitous and uuproved charges, we roply that the sight of tho owl is not sufficiently strong to cnable it to look upon the sun in its brightness. Surely theso dark waters and thick clouds which rise up from lhcir perverted minds, obscure the genuine light of truth. They follow their own will-with-a-wisp, and are led into innurnerablc doubts and crrrs, because thcy have no wish to know the Scriptures nor the power of God. The Divine brightnes.s within the letter of the Vvord, when fully rcccived, accomplishes in man full and pcrfcct regeneration. It !! thercfore said that "At the brightncss that wns before hirn, his thick elouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire." (Ps. xviii. 12.) It will be scon at once that these thick clouds, hailstones and coals uf firc cannot stand before the Divine brightness-they passed away ! These wors show the order " hich the divine truth, as the brightness of ,Je]10\'ah, pursucs in frceing man from all falsity and evil and saving the soul alive. This brightncss is the spiritual truth of Go<l infillcd with the warmth of celestial loYe. 'Vhcrcver tl1is goes forth, inLo "'hatever mind it enters, the il.nit things to be dispcrsed are the thick clouds, then the hailstones, and la.stly the coahi of fire. The
SO,lfE PROOFS GIVEN.
329
thick clouds are here put to dcuotc thosc flse and pcrvcrted notions wliich rise up as mists from the cama) mind, and which obscure the light of hcaven; but these will ccrtainly pass away when the man, with a true encrgy of soul, hef,rins to contemplate the truth of heaven. The spiritual brightness of Revelation will penetrate his thick clouds, and open to his mind a new and glorious scene. This hrightness will also cause tlie hailstones to pass away. Hailstones, literally, are frozen drops of rain congealcd into hnrd lumps, in consequcnce of the absence of heat. They descend to the earth in a destructive, not in a produc tivc capacity. As hailstones they are of no use whatever in fertilizing the land; before they can be rendered beneficial to the soil they must, by the application of heat, be turned into a liquid ; then, aud not till then, are they made useful. So in a spiritual sense, all those doctrines of religion. whid1 are profcssed by the lips, which exist in the understanding as so rnany cold and frozen speculatious, but which regard not the life, arc not animated by the fire of hcaven, and in whieh the celestial warmtb of love and devotion is not-thcse arc the hailstones whicl1, in religion, are destruetirn and worthless. But no sooner does the Divin1> brightness appear than the hailstones pass away. 'Vhon the warmlh of love and purity of life is found to mingle with the doctrines w(> profeSS--:.whon every doctrine is seen to regard the lire, and that the f of religion is t do good, thon our hailstones pass away; our frozen drops of speculation are meltcd and changcd to the fcrtilizing waters of life. Then, too, though Jast, yet groatcst in irnportunce, will the coals of flre. pas8 away. These are the true emblems of ail those lusts, concupiscnces, and depraved desirc.s which, if suffered to remain in the Ii.atural mimi, will, like coals of unhallowcd :lire, hurn up and destroy every vestige of the heavenly state in the soul of man. But these, at the Divine brightncss, will retire, and leave the man in full possession of light and pcace and every joy. In further explanation of the nature of correspondence as well a.~ of its use as a key to unlock the sacred cabinet of Divine Revelation, we may observe that in this material world the forms of things only meet our corporeal vision. By onr bodily sight we can look upon and examine minutely the form, construction, and organization of all bodies, whether minera}, vegetahle or animal; hut the essence or spirit which gave them birth and keeps them in existene, tbis w~ cmmot sce; it is i10 object of bodily sight, but of mental visionof deep intellectual reflection and thought; hencc it J)elongs mora
28*
330
TJIN KRJ' OF KNOWLl:flGE.
c~pecially to the !IOul or miud. _,\ li outword forms :trc co\eriugs of tlic secret opcrntions and wonders of the Cre:~tor, and arc cxpre&ihe of tl1c qnulitie::; of the spirit or Jife within. .lv; it is with t he material worl<l :rnd its objcct.s, so is it with the worl!l of mind nnd its intellectual objects and affections. The an cicnts, who wcrc in the habit of calling man a microoofln or little world, werc nccustomcd to dclincate his mental condition by the outward appearnnces in the macrocomn or grcat worlrl of nature. Thus thcy dcscrilK,'(] a good and wisc man by the appearancc of the carth dre&scil in hc:mty, fortility nnd fruitfulnl.'$-by gnrrlcns, grorns aud parmlises; \l'hile cYil and ignorant p1en they compared t o rude and barren descrts, to wildcrnesscs and solita ry places, where n othing hut sterility appearcd, or whcre thorns and noxious weeds grew. They smr, almo:it at n glance, the relationship or corrcspon<lcncc betwecn bnrrcn earlh and t he banen miiul, and tl1ey <lcscriberl the latter by such appropriate tenus as exprcssed correctly the appoarance of the former. 'fhis method of spcaking they d crived frorn the ancient ehurch in the lime of Noah, whosc membcrs wcrc g rounde<l in the k uo\Ylcdge of correspondencc; a science accorrling to the princip1es of which the 'Vorrl of Go1l is written, and by which it can ttlone be corrcctly explaiucd. The language of Scriptu re, whcn spcaking of the descent of Divine love mul wisdom from Go<l into the human mind, by \yhicl1, when 11.ffoctiouutely rcccived, the lifc of nwn is made hc:wenly an fruitful, is: "The wil<lerncss a111l solitary place slrnll he glacl for thcm; and the dcsort slmll rejoicc and bloseom l\.'i the rose. It shall lossom a1)1rndu11tly, and rcjoice with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon tihall hc givcn unto it, the exeellency of Carmel and Sharon; thcy sh:ill sce the glory of t he L ortl, and tl1e excellency of our Cod." (Isa. xxxv. 1, 2.) H cro the wil1lcrness and solit,ary phtcc are ::mi!l to rejoicc with joy and R inging, l>ccausc they sec the g lory of Jcho\'ah and tho excellcncy of God. This, in the lan!,"llage of corrc.o.;pumlence, is a beau tifu l ,Jcscriptfon of the altcrcd condition of man upon hL~ warm rcception of t he Dh-iue influences. The once barren soul t hen bcgins to bcar fruit, the fruits of a puro enligh tened wis1lom. lt is thus that tl1e dcscrt rejoiccs and hlos.ooms as the rose. In ml\n thoro are thrcc rlcgrees of knowlcdge, the one, as it wcre, within the. other; namely, rnligious, philosophieal ami scientific. Religions truth is the fir.t nnd highcst in nr!ler; it 8 a sacrcd :;itateffil'llt of p>Sitiv<> faets, and conPists of nn interior flcknowlc<lg mcnt
SOJfE I'lWOFS O!VEN.
331
()f God, the ardent worehip of Him, arnl the reduction of all truth to practical lifo: this is tlie kerud, spi:rit or essence which givcs vigm nnd aniruafion to tbc othcr two. Pllosophical knowledgc is ouly religions truth pcrL-civcd in the rationul mind, and thcre clearly and intcllectually disccrned. 8cicutific truth is but the sa.me Divine original brought down to 'the lowest regiun of the undcrstan<ling, an<l there carcfully wrought oot by ex1>crime11tnl proof'. Ench recognizcs the other as a. part of the hnrmonions whole, nnd they net unitc(Uy togcther. True science lc~uls us to philnsopl1y, philosopby to religion, ami religion to G0<.l. True and undcfilcd religi?,11. is nothing more uor les.<> tlrnn n. man l1ringing to his Maker tlic fruitR of his licart. 1f' rdigion 1Icclnres a fact, philosopl1y umkcs it to be intcllcctually disccrned, and science expcrimcntnlly provcs it. 'f'nus religion, philo.;;ophy :i.nd science JUutually strcngthen each otlicr. The lifc from God the Creator descends first into U1e humnn minrl; from thence it pas~cs to fill afl crention Yith tliosc living forms wllich, iu the world of nature, truly rcprc;;ent .a nd shadow forth ail those qunlities of affection and thought helonging to mnn, tlie world of ruind; nnd rcturning through him to lhc grc.'l.t Giver of ail gool, not void, but S<"enl.cd hy his hrcatlt of praise, holds all things in one beautifl and unhrokcn chnin of connection; from whence arises tho science of corrcsponclence, or the relationship exi.sting hetwccn essence nncl form, spirit and rnnttcr. As it is with the materinl antl moral worlds, so it is with the Worll of Revelnlion; for a.s thi~ opens to our vicw the ctcrnal world, it cnnnot be t11e production of man; but is, as the Apostle cxpres~es it, "God-brenthe1l," or "givcn by inspiration of God." In eonse11uence of its plenary in~piration, it i;; the light of the world, and the sa.cm} glory of the l s racl of Go<l. Now "upon ail the glory therc is a COYcriug and tt defence." Its literai :md iucrc historien! rccortls for1n its covering, which acts as n protection to tbat spirit :ind lif within, which niakc up ils intcrior brightncss, its real imperishnblc glory. ~Inny rend tl1c sncrcd volume in tl1c s:unc spirit nrnl tem11cr of min<l :is ll1cy rcad olhcr books; the conscquen is th:it thcy s nothing but the merc bi.story of pa;;t cvcnt.s, in which thcy do not observe thenisclves to hc pcrsonally intcrcstc<l. They ahide in the letter which, without tlie spirit, killetli. \Vcrc they to conternplatc its spi1itual 8C1u;e, they woulcl find t11cmsch-es minntely dcscribe<l as to wl their smtes of atfoction, thought anfl action; thus as to their growth in Ion.! and wisclom, or thcir <lPcline into evil nnd crror. In
332
'l'IIE KEY OF KNOWLRDGE.
tbis study every good man would find tlia.t it is iudee<l "the Spirit that quickens," and makes him alive to bis everlasting intcrcsts. Too many, howevcr, act like the idlc gaz.ers in the world, who content thcmsehcs with looking upon the forms of tllings; thcy ncver ex amine the beauty of thcir int.erior organization, much less contem plate the Essence or Spirit whence thcy spring. Their hearts deceive thorn, and their heads, directed by prcjudice, lead them astray.
God speaking to JJfan's lVill and Intellect.

In carrying eorrcspondence out to its lcgitimate use in unfolcling the grent truths of Revelation, the first thing to l)e acknowledgcd is, that the 'Vord of God is the medium through which the Lord spcaks to every man. lt is the voice of Go<l spcaking most powerfully to the will and intellcct-to the heart and understanding. Man i11 thcrefore adresscd as the microcosm or little world, and all objects in the grcat world of nature are mentioned in Scripture, in reference to the varicd affections, thoughts, perceptions and powers of mind which collectively makc up the perfection of man as the moral world. 'Ve reud in Scripture, "the mountains slpped likc rams, and the little hills like lambs.'>fi (Ps. cxiv. 4.) l\fountains and bills axe ca.lled upon to pruise the Lord, as wcll as "fruitful trees, ben.sts, C.'ltt.lc and creeping things." (Ps. cxlviii.) In reading such passages aii thesc, muuy pass them over with a simple acknowledgment of thcir being highly figurative, and in this way leave us quite as much in tlic dark as if nothing had been 'uitten : b11t the rule of interp1ctation for which we are comending, makcs thcm as clear as daylight. Man is the world in miniature, and as such, he has bis mountains, bills, sea~, lakcs, rivers, beasts, birds, cattle and crccping things. A mountain, in nature, is the most elevatcd portion of the ca.rth ; and what is highest iu the matcrial world, corresponds to what is supreme iu the mental. Thus in man the most elevated affection, wI1ether it be goorl or bad, is his mountain. L ove to God is the sup1eme or highest affection of the soul. The aficctions of brotherly love and clunity, whcnc spring joy, peace and union, are his hills. The pleasure arising from thcse, with the true delight thcy bring to the miud when in lively exercise, are hcrc dcscribc by the mountains and hills skipping likc rnms and lambs. The mouutains are called upou t-0 praise the Lord, to instruct us
Sons of the tloek.
GOD SI'EAKJ.NG TO flfAN'S WJLL A.NI> INTEL/,EG7'.
333
that the suprcmc affections of the soul, ~ignificd by mountains, shonl<l brcathc a constant song of adoration to Him who is the Author and Givcr of all good. Not only these su11reme affections, but all tlie lower ones; ail our perceptions and thoughts from the highcst to the lowest, should render the meed of praise; thus not only mountuins ancl hills, but fruitful trees, beasts, cattle and creeping things. By this spiritual signification of a mountain, as denoting the supreme love of the soul, al! passages in Script.ure where this term occurs, are of easy interpretation. If the supreme love be fixcd on the Lord, sueh love is truly celcstial, and in Scripture is called the mountain of the Lord, the Mount Zion, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole eart11, and the mountain that brings peace to the people. By this rulc of interpretation we see, almost instantly, the mcaning of these words: -"Touch the mountains and they shall smoke ! " (Ps. cxliv. 5.) The Lord's t.ouch is the Divine communication and prcsence; the mountains, the supreme affections; while the phrase "they shall smoke," denotes that the effect of such communication will ccrtainly follow; namely, the evils of self-love and the falsities thcnce arising as smoke, will be dcstroycd. It is to man, witl1 respect to all }iig affections and thoughts from tl1e highest to the lowest, that the ord makes a constant and powerful :tppcal, and with the knowledge of correspondence bcfore us, wc discover the meaning of this passage: "Thus saith the Lord Go<l to tl1e mountains and to the bills, to the rivera and to the valleys; behold I, even I will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places." (Ezek. vi. 3.) Here the supreme affections signi:fied by mountnins, are evil, and all in subordination t.akc thcir quality from the supreme. IIcnce it is said I will bring a sword npon you and destroy your high places. With this key of interpretation wc sec the reason why Jesus went up into a mountain to pray. He <lid so to instrnct us that an truc praycr springs from the higbest or supremc affection. 'Ve sec also why the Lord's transfiguration \ms made before Peter, James and Jolrn; and why it took place upon a inountain apart, with many other interesting particulars. The Lord, who is the Judge of all hearts, can alone know the act.ual quality of our su preme affections. He it is who examines and estimates these, and this is described in Isaiah, by J ehovah " weighing the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance" (xl. 12). If the su11rcme aff'ection shoul<l o cvil instead of good; placed upon self instead of upon the Lord, it is still denote<l by a mountain ;
"r
3iH
Tiil:: KEY OF KNOTVJ,RJ)(Jl?.
Lut it is thcn callcd :i dcst:roying mountain. "Jfohold I am againRt tbee, 0 dcstroying mouutain, saith the Lord." (.Jer. li. 2::5.) This also shows the mcaning of the Lord's. words in the Gospel, whcrc spcaki11g of this evil mounktin of self-love, He says: "If yc have faith us a grain of mustanl sccd, ye shall say unto this. m.ountrn, Removc hence to yonder place, and it shall :remove; and 11otl1ing shall be impossible to you." (Matt. xvii. 20.) The science of correspomlencc sho,rs afao, that all bcast,,;, bir<ls of wing, crcepng things of the g:round, togcthcr with a.Il the subjects of the vegetalilc and minera! kingc{oms, arc mentfoned in Script.ure in :refc:rence to man as the little wol'ld, and that they dcnotc his affections and thoughts frorn the highc.:;t to the lowcst. All the clean, gentle and useful animais signifying tl1e heavenly and pure affections; while the fierce, trcachcrous and cruel dcnote the impure, dcfilcd and hurtful. lt is in agreement with this instructive law of correspondencc, tlrnt. the Lor<l, in scJ1ding forth his disci1Jles to preach the Gospel of his kingdom, said: " l3chold I scnd yon forth as sheep in the midst of wokes; be ye therefore wise as serpents anrl harmless as <loves." (Matt. :x:. 16.) Man being the objcct of Divine carc, is constantly attendc by the great Slrnpherd of Israel, and Revelation as constantly makcs its appeals to him. lfofore the work of regeneration is commenced in him, he is ealle(I carth without form, and void, while darkness is upon the face of the dcep. In this state he is, prophetically, thus dcscribcd, "I lieheld the earth, and Io! it was without fo:rm and void: and tlie heavcns, and thcy h::ul no light. I beheld the mountains, and Io! they trembled, and all the hills move<l lightly. I bcheld, and lo ! therc was no man, and all the hirds of the hcavcns we:rc fled." (.Ter. iv. ~:.1-~5.) Berc the earth, by eorrespoll<lenee, is the extemal mind; wit.hout furm and void, shows that t.l1ere was no heavenly be:wty tlierein, but that it was void of all good, and n, spiritual blank as it respects wisdom or truth. The heavens having no light, shows that tlicrc werc no spiritual truths to enlighten the internal min<l ; the conseqnellee was that the moulltains and hills trcmbled and movcd lightly-no fixe<l stability in the affoctions; there was no man; for a man, truly and spiritually such, is a regenerate per:;on, nn image and likeness of God; and hcnce ail the lJirds of the hcavcus were florl, which tcaches that there were no cclcstial thoughts occnpying his soul. In this state of mental arkness and de~ol:ition, man i,; thu.; addre~sc: "0 ea:rth, eartl1, carth, hear the '\Vord of the Lord." (Jer. xxii. :W.) That the clods of the ground are not calle upou to
GOJJ Sl'F.,JKJ.VG TO AfAN'S WILL AND IXTELLECT.
335
h1mr the Won! of Gnd, is at once a1iparcnt to every one. But, nf'lcr tho proce~s of regencrntion is pnssed through, nnd man comcs into a )1appy celestial :otate, how diifercnt is the description, how changed is the 8cc1rn ! then the lungnage of Scriplure is, "Sing, 0 heavens ; au<l he joyfnl, 0 esrLl1; break forth into singing, 0 mountains; for the 1.ord }11\lh comfortc hffi people, and l\ill have mcrcy upon his afflictc<l." (Isa. xlix. la.) In the l'salms it. is writt.en, "How swect are thy words uoto my taste l yea, s~ecter than huncy to my mouth" ( cxix. 3). The 'Vord of Revclution must indeed contain something wonderful arnl yu~t, of grcat moment to our prcsout and future pence, if all its words are sweet to our taste, m1<l sweeter tlmn honey to Ollf mout11. "\Yhut nrnkes thcm thus sweel to our taste, and likc honey to our lips ? Snrely not the mcrc wor<ls, not the litera] scnse of tl1c Divine r ecords ; for thL! senso seems to treat of mue_ else hut the troubles of the .Jews; of their bondngc and dclivcrauce, of their wars with the idolatrou:; nations, of thcir rcpeuted promises of obcdiencc, all(l of their eon.st:mt 1.Jroach of tbose promises ; of thcir hackslidings, wanderiugs and deviations from the la11s of truth aud rectitude; of thcir rt:ligious rites and ccrcmouies; of their burnt-Qfforings and sacrifices. Th<se, lit.e rully, o not conccru us in any other \rny than as mutters of history. We nre not personally nffect.ed by them. "\\'e gain nothing lty the ohcdicncc of the .Tcws to their ceremonial laws; ncither can wc loso nnything hy their ncglect. The great truth rcmains to be aguio nnd aga.in cnforced, which is, thnt the rightcoUlme~'S of Christi.ans rnust cxceed that of the Scrilies and Pl1url!L'CS, or el::;c thcy will likewisc pcrislt in the wny. What 1111~ tlw righteomncss of the .Tcwish Scribes :md Plmrise, but a rigid nnd slaYish exactness in the performance of ceremonies, in which the heart f'elt no warrnth of Jo,e, and by which tlie lifo was not improved? It is a known thing thut they neglectcd the wcightier mattors of the lnw,justice,judgrncnt nnd mercy. Eycry man will sec that his rightcou:<n~ must exceed this, or he can have no claim to he n disciple of Christ. Witltout thi:;, his religion is estitute of spirituality; the fire of love glows not in his bosom, nor doos the light of wisdoiu irradiute his path. The words of Divine Truth, to Le sweet to a man's taste, must eoutain 8omething of i;pirituality in them; they must dcscribe the h1;nenly state with i ts hnppiness and purity, together witli the order pursued in the formation of it in the soul of man, without which thcrc
336
TIIE KEY OF KNO lff,EDGlJ.
c. 1 n be ncilher t rue euj oymcnt nor solid peacc. The hcst commen taton; upon Scripture, both among the aucients and modcrus, hase rna-intaincd that there is some spiritual instruction containerl in the 8acred text, which is gunrdc<l by the litera} covering from the rude gaze of every licc11tious eye, as wcll as from the unhallowcd sphere of cnch polluted miud. Those who would find thcsc treasures of wiRllorn must lose their sins- th eir inward pollutions of life aud practice ; for it is a law of Divine Truth, that holy things arc not to be given to dogs, nor penrls to b e cast to swine. (Ms.tt. vii. 6.) The spiritual thiugs of God and heaven, together with the states aud intcllcctual properties of mind, are in Scripturc throughout rcp rcscn tcd and shadowed forth by all the objects in nature, these being mcut ioned therein to denote such affoctions, thought.'!, and stateg of lifc. If this view werc secn and attended to in our privatc medit.a. tions, there wonld b e little difficulty in obtaining a correct inteq1re t11tion of the 'Vonl of God A fcw examples by way of illustration will prove this assertion. and show how 1iwcct the Lord's words are to our taste. I n reading Scripture to adrnntage, we should bclicve that the great world of nature witl1 ail its parts and objcct:s, both animatc and inan imatc, are rncntioned tbereiu in reference to man as the world of mind ; and that they are al! outward cmblcrns which shadow forth his various mental propcrties. Thus where the Scriptures speak of gardc11s, groves, fertil e fields, rich fruit1<, and paradiscs watered by gcntlo rains, or through which flowing streams wind thei r course, as is stated of the garden of Eden , through which a river flowed, parting into four heads that it might water the wl1ole, such descriptions arc written for the purpose of showing thut man, the moral world, is reprcscnted in a bigh state of spiritual rcgeneration; when his cultivated miud produces tlie rich fruits of love and charity, when his statc of wisdom t! bright and cheeriug, and when liis rniud blooms with every v irtue and mental excellence. On the other ba nd, whcn iu Scripturc wc r cad of barrenness, of sandy deserts, of parched-up herbage, dry places, wilderne;;;ses, the growing of thorns, thistlcs, hricrs and tl1e like ; nll thesc are so many descriptions of man in a mentally rude and unregenerate condition, in which the hc:wt or will, being evil, is tl1c bad ground, prmlucing nothing in outward lifo but falsities and injurious thoughts, which arc <lcnotcd by thorns, thistles and worthless \\'Cl'< ls. There is no p~sage of Scripture, when viewed in this light, but what is of ensy intcrpretation.
OPINJONS OF ANCIE.NT AND ,llODERN A UTJIORS.
337
Opinions of Ancicnt and Jlfodern Authors.

Profoun<l commentators wcre pcrfectly aware that Script.ure was not to he confined to a mere literal explmllltism, but that it wns to be cxpounded after a spiritual manner; they saw a glory within the lctter-a light that could not be hid. Origen, one of the most cclebrated writers in the third ccntury, rnys: "Unlcss thou nscend the mountain of God, and there 1Heet with l\Ioses ; unlcss thou ascend the lofty sense of the law; unlcss thou reach the height of spiritual intelligence, thy mouth is not opened by God. If thou abidc in the low plain of the lettcr, and do JIO more than make Jewish narratiyes of the historical text, thou hru;t not met Moses on the mount of God, neither bath God opened thy mouth, nor taught thee what thou oughtest to say." The same author, speaking of the transfiguration of the Lord upon the mount, observes, ").foses and Elias appearcd in glory when they talked whh Jesus, and in this fact the Law and the Prophets are shown to agrcc with the Gospels, and to be respleudent with the same glory, when spiritually understood." Anothcr aucient writer, John of Jerusalem, says, "Do mit suppose that it was only in former timcs Christ wns belrayed by the pricsts, condemne<l by them, and by them delivered over to be crucifie<l; but cvcn now Ile is bctrayed and condcmned to death ; for Christ is the W ord of Tm th, and thcy who falsely interprct the word of Tru th betray Him to be mocked and crucified." This, thcn, was the mode of spiritual intcrpretation pursued by these two primitive fathers, and a similar one was adoptcd by Clemens of Alcxandria, Jerome, St. Augustin, Ignatius, Theophilus of Antioch, Chrysostom, and many othcrs. If we turn our thoughts to the theological writcrs of modern times, we find amongst the most profound of thern the same doctrine recoguized, namely, that there is a spiritual scnse containcd within t11c lcttcr of the sacred text. The Ilev. John Parkhurst, who was tlw author of a Ilebrcw Lexicon, and must have becn acquainted with every word in the Hebrew Bible, as well as have posscssed a critical knowledge of that language, makes a long comment on Gen. ii. e, "And the Lord Cod plantcd a garden eastward in Eden." Upon thcsc words he say8: " Surcly not for the purposcs of a mcre J',fahom etan paradise, but as a school of religious instruction to our first imrenls. Many ari,'lltncnts roight be adduccd in confirmation of this truth. Such a method of teaching, by the emblcms of paradise,
29
338
TJIE KF:Y OF .KNOWLEDGE.
wus suited to the nature of man, who is capable of information conceming spiritual thing~, by analogy, from out\ard and scn~iblc oh jects. It was also agreeable to the ensuing dispensations of God who, in that religion 'wich commenced on the fall and was in substance re-instituted by ]'.lfoses, did instruct the people in spiritual truth!>, or the good things to corne, by sensible and visible objects, rites and ccremonies; by the cherubim, by sacrifices, by the distinction of clcan and unclean animals, by abstinence from blood, by the institution of priests, altars, burnt-offerings, <lrink-offerings, holy wnshings, etc. "And even under the Christian state, much of our religions knowl edgc is communicatcd to us partly by the Scriptures refon-ing us for ide:J.S of spiritual and hea~'cnly things to the visible works of God's creation, to the ernblems of Paradise, and to the types of the patriarchal and Mosaic <lisperumtions; partly by the ordinance of the Sabbath-day; and partly by the two sacrnments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which ure outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual benefits. It is further rnanifest that Iwo of the trccs of Para dise, that of life and that of the knowledge of good and evil, were of a typical or emblemutic nature; the one, the sacra.ment of life (Gen. ii. 9; iii. 22); the othcr, of death. (Gcn. ii. 17; iii. 17-19.) And so ail.cr the fhll, the rough lea ves of the fig-troc were uscd by om first parents as a symbol of contrition. And since in that sacred garden was al:so every tree that was pleasunt to the sight or good for food, ~urely of the soul of man as wcll as of bis body, it may safely be inforred, that the wholc 7 garden was so contrived by iufinitc \Visdom, as to represent an<l inculcate on the minds of our first parents a plan or system of religious truths revealed to them by their Creator; especially since the paradi:siacal cmblems of trees, plants, waters, nnd the Jike, are frcqucntly applicd hy the succccdi11g iuspired writerB to reprcsent spiritual objects, and comcy spiritual lessons; anrl that with a i:;implicity and hcauty not to be p:m1llek<l from any humau writer." 8
"Know.''saysfu\bbiSlmonBar Abraham 1that wc mlght from thtlm undef"litnud heav -clted by .Mr. Tlutchinon, IIt'ln'ew Wrilingg, enly trutll llut no donlJt tho"" particnlurs p. :n. fro1n Buxtorf's Arc. .Jr(vl. 83----- Know were more plain aud clear to Ad!lm .in the 1h11t in the trecs, fonntains, a.nd ot11er tllings g~nlen of Eden where!n he dwclL; as henlo of the garden of Eden, were the figures of the WW> more holy, being a creature formed by most curions thing bywhlch the frrst Adam the hand of God h!nIBelf, (Hl<\ an ange! of &'l.W and unden.tood spiritual lhinos: even as God. In the trees l!kcwise, and foun!ains God hath given tous the forms or figures of or rlvers of t.hc garden, be prefigured adthe tabernacle, of the sanctuary, and of an mlrable mytcr!cs." its furn!ture, the candlcstick, the tabl~, und Sec PnrkLurl'ij IIebrew Lexioon, undet tha ait.ars, for types of tnidlec!U cxtrnct the intelligent writer speaks of man being instructed in spiritual truths hy "sensible and visible ojects." This is indi,;putable evidcncc that he considercd a spiritual sensc to be containcd within the lctter; and if wc wcro to withdra.w our minds ut a Little from thcse merely sensible objects, we shoulll discover a lesson of the purcst wisdom taught us in these emblcms of Pamdise ami its joys. Jn showing what these spiritual things are, wl1ich are reprcsented by outward objccts, wc observe, first, that the 1Yord Adam i>ignilies 1uaukind in geueral, both male and female. This is e Yi< lcut from Geu. v. 1, 2-" This is the book of the generations of Adam. In th day that God ereated num, in the likencss of God made H e him ; male and femnle created H e thcm, and blessed thern, and calle<l T H EIR NA!lrn Adam, in the day whcn they were crcutcd." The most ancient church and people named A dam or Man, wcre in a high state of wisdom and intelligence, which state was denoted by the garden in which they dwelt. :Mau is not the creator of his 01rn stnte of wisdom and intelligence, hut it is the Lord's work iu him, and is effcted while he submits to the Divine control. H cnce it is sai<l that "the Lord God planted the garden enstward iu E<len ; unJ there IIe put the man whom H e ha.cl for1ued." (Gen. ii. 8.) Rut whcn, t.hrough inclining to sensual pursuits, these 1>eo1Jle loet that high state of spiritual intelligence, they lost their garden. This was re1ircsented by the expulsion from Paradise, and their being sent frth to till t he g round. lf t he garden of Bdcn, with all its joys, wns a true emblem of the high state of mental cultivation in which the most ancient people dwelt, what shall we say of its two distinguishctl trees? the tree of Jife in the midst of the garden, ttncl the tree of knowledge of good aud evil, of which latter they wcre not to touch or cat ? The Tree of Llfe ! what ru1 important name is this ! a trce which, to man, impnrts life ! is uot this a true ernblem of the L ord himself ? He is the ~ucred Trec of Life, who is still in the midst of man's spiritual g:mlcn, and whencc all liis joys and pleasures spring. \Vbat, then, are the fruits of this trce, but a.11 the love, purity, goodncss, wi.sdom nnd kuowletlge which yield spiritual nourishment to t he wide crea.tion? To eat of this tree is to derive, from the Lord alonc, all that
S!r William J ones Intima.tes thnt Ada m mai be derivd from rli'4, n l>unscrit wo ro, ig nlfying the fin~. T he l'erslans, too, who m b.e <J11cl udcs to be of t.hv >Ame etock wltb
1the IIindo<>s, dcnominate t he l!rst man Adamilh. l t b, howe,er, qultc ccrt&in that Adam, in the o riental lo.nguag;,s.mC4DslllAll,
genera\ly, oc- mo.nkiD<I.
:~40
TIIE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
wc stand in need of for our growth in the Di vine life, to feel a con:li dence and settled tranquillity undcr Divin:;i Providence, and to liani no anxious cures about the morrow; but to eat our daily brcad with thankflncss and joy. Let every one eat of the fruits of this tree; he will fincl them to be likc the Lord's words, swcct to bis taste and n.s honey in the mouth. What, again, is that river which wcnt forth to water the garden, but a true emblem of the great abundance of Divine Truth, which, likc a sacrcd stream, forever flows through the spiritually cultivutcd soul, to enrich and water the mental gardento increase the wisdom and beauty of the mind? But what shall we say of the other tree, tl1e tree of knowledge of good and evil? To eat ofthis trcc we must turn away from the Tree of Life. lt is, thcrcfore, an cmblem of man's own self, to which he turns when he supposes l1imself to be the author and producer of all that he enjoys. He then attribntcs all to himsclf, and nothing to the Lord. He inclines to sensual things; in Script.ure language, he listerni to the scductivc reasoniugs of the serpent, and adrnits a spurious knowlcdge into his mind, a kind of profane mixture of good and evil. If we turn frorn the Lord as the Trec of Lifc, and pluck and eat of the forhiddcn fruit, the celestial state will decay in us; we shall lose the garden, be deprived of Eden and its joys, and like Adam be sent forth to till the ground-to cultivate low, semma.l and carthly dc:iires. )fany vcry cmious and even fanciful theories have been entertained respecting the locality of the garden of Eden, and much of the midnight oil has been. consumed in endeavoring to furnish an account of the precise spot of ground where this garden flourished. "Paradisc has, by some romantic writcrs, bcen fixcd in Hindostan, in that spot called hy the Orientals the Paradisiacal rcgions of Hindoslan. Joscphus seems to countemmce this opinion, sinee he describes the Canges as one of the four 1ivcrs which watered it. But Bccrurns contcnds that the site. of Pamdise was the more northern region, watered }Jy the Acesines, and that the forbidden fruit was that of the Fici:S Indica, or Indian fig-tree. Hence this fig was called by the ~Iohammcdans, Adam's fig. The island of Ceylon, situated near the equinoctial, has been declared to be Paradise, frorn a famous mountain called Pico d'A<lama, tl1e narue being takcn from the su pposed print of Adam's foot, still visible. Others, again, <lcclarc that l'aradise was not situated in any region of the prcsent earth, but fix it in 1wrue happy cthcrcal sublunary rcgion, and declarc that at the fall
OPINIONS OP ANCJNNT AND ,lfODERN A UTIIORS,
341
Adam was l)l'ecipitated npon Ceylon, where, according to Herpelot, his sepulchl'e at lhis day rerriains, guardcd hy lions." (H erbelot, Bib lioth. Orient, p. 52. Edit. Maeslricht, 1776.) 'fertullian places Parn dise beyond tl1e eqninoctial, in the soutJ1em J1emisphere, amidst regions of eternal verdure, serenity and bcauty, in some hnppy and secludcd spot now immen;ed in the occan; and thinks that tl1e flaming swOl'd wh~ch turned cvery way to guard the Trec of Lifc, was the torrid zone, or burning girelle which snrrounds the globe. Ail these theories respectiug the locality of Paradise, more curious than profit.able, 'rill vanisl1 likc mists hefore the rising sun of Revclation, which tea('hes that the garden of' Eden denotcs that celestial stn.f.e of wisdom and intelligence in which the people of the most uncient church callrnl man or Ada.m, lived. \Vhen we reflect on the important lcssons of truc wisdom taught us in the words of Revelation, and when these are relished by our aHections so as to prodncc rcal delight; when the lips express pleasure by the ::u:knowledgment of the Lord, aud of t.hose doctrines which lead to lifc and peace, then may cach one exclaim in the l:mgnage of David, "How sweet ure thy 'Yords unto my tast.e; yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." ( Ps. cxix. 103,) Again, ~fr. Parkhurst, in his remarks on the word Testimony, says: "The various types and appointments of the law are called by this aume, as witnessing somewhat beyond themselves, namely sphitU1.1l things, or the good things to corne. Thus the cherubirn with the ark are called the testimony. (Ex. xvi. 34.) So the two tables of stone are called the testimony, or the tables of the testimony, because they were to be a perpctunl witness or testimony of what the Isrnelites were to do imd forbear. And thus the whole tabernacle is called the tabernacle of tcstimony, as attesting or bearing witncs;, to l!Jliri'.tual trnthi!, or the good things to corne, and to the duty of men in dcpendence on U1ern." 10 (Ex. xxxviii. 21.) These extrncts are sufficient to prove th nt this writer considcred ail the rituals of the ,Jewisl1 church to be emblematical, ii.nd that all the visible things in nature arc types of spiritual thiJ1gs. Altho11g!1 hc do not ghe any certain rule hy which these symbols arc to be explaiued, yet the fact of liis belief in an inwar spiritual se11se is fully ex1Jressed. '111e rulc, infolliblc and truc, will be found in the law of correspondence. Thus according to this law, the ark, as containing tlie Decalogne, signifies the Lord with respect to the Divine Trntl1
lO Sl'
l:Icbrew I.A.:!xicon, undcr i.;
29*
342
TIIE KEY OF KNO WL!WGE.
whicli, whcn rcccived, gives a tme testimony of the interior states of all, according to each one's rcception thcreof, with its reduction ta practical li fe. Bishop Lowth, in his translation of Isaiah, frequently speaks of ri spiritual or allegorical sense in the Scripturcs. The following is this prclate's version of chap. xxvii. L
"In that day sl1all .Tehovah punish with his ~wor<l His well-tempered, and grcat, and strong sworclLeviathan the rigid serpent, And Leviathan the winding serpent: And shall slay the monster, that is in the sea."
Upon this verse his lor<lship. observes: "The animals hcrc rnentioned seem to be the crocodile, rigid by the stiff'ness of the backbone, so that hc eannot rcadily turn hirnself when be pursues bis prey; hence the casicst way of escaping from him is by making frequent and short turnings: the serpent or dragon, flexible and windng, which coils himself up in a circular form: the sea monster or whale. These are used allcgorically, without doubt, for great potentatcs, enemies and persccutors of tlie people of God: but to spccify the particular pcr.sons or states designated by the prophet under these images, is a matter of great difficulty." Now this difficulty, by the law of corrcspondence, is entircly removed; for it shows that the sword of .Tehornh is tJie Divine 'fruth proceeding from his love, wl1ich wages a righteous war against all thitt is false and merely scnsual in the undcrstanding, as dcnoted by the Leviathan, serpent and monster of the sea. Tlie truth proceeding from Divine Love is called "the rod of Jchovah's mouth" (Isa. xi. 4), and also "the sword with two edges procecding out of the mouth of the Son of Man." (Rcv. i. G.) Bishop Horne also, in bis commentarics on the Psalms, frequently alludes to this allegorical or spiritual sense. In his commcntary on Psalm viii. he says: "Nor is it a speculation unplcaeing or unprofitable, to considcr that He who rules ovcr the material world, is .J_,ord also of the intellectual or spiritual creation represented thcreby." In the preface to his commentaries, he observes: "The visible works of God are formcd to lead us, under the direction of his \Vord, to a knowlcdgc of th ose which are invisible : thcy give us ideas by analogy, of a ncw -<:reation rising gradua1ly, like the old one, out of darkness and deformity, until at Iength it arrives at the perfection of glory and beauty. 'fhc sun, that fouutain of life and heart of the world, that bright leader
OPINIONS OF AN(Jll?NT AND ;lfOf)ERN AUTJJORS.
343
of the armies of hcaven, cnthroned iu glorions majesty; the moon shilling with a lustre borrowed front l1is beams; the stars glittering by night in the clear firmament; the air giviug breath to all tliiugs tlmt live 1md movc; the interchanges of lght aJHI darkness; the conrse of the year, and the swcct vicissitudes of seasons; t11e rain and tLe dcw descending from above, and the fruitfulncss of tho carth causcd by thcm; the bow bcnt by the hands of the Most High, which compassetll the heaven about ,1ith a glorious circle; tlie awful voice of thunder, and the piercing power of lightning; the instincts of aniumls, and the qualitios of vegetables and minerais; the great and widc sea, with it.. unnumbered inhabitants; all these are ready to nstmct us in tlie mysterics of faith and the duties of morality : 'They spcak their Maker as thcy can, Rut want 11nd Mk chc tongue of man.'"- Parnell.
The oxccllent Mr. Pa.scal, as cited 11y Horne, says: "Under t.11e
J ewish economy truth appea.red but in a figure: in heaven it is open,

and without a veil; in the church militant it is so veiled as to be yet. disccrne(l by its correspondence to the figure. As the figure was first built upon tlic tn1th, so the truth is now distingnishable by the figure." I would suggest an alteration in this last clause, and say-As the figure was fst produced by the Trutl1, so the truth is now sccn by the figure. The mode of representing qualities of mind by the objects of nature. is recog:nized in a little work published by the Society for promothtg Cliristian Knowledge, entitled, "The Book of Nature; or, the true sensc of things cxplnincd and made eruiy t.o the capacities of childrcn." The work contains a number of questions put to childrcn, wit.h their answers. The following are sclcctcd : Q. 'Vhat arc wickcd men, who hurt and cherit others? A. They are wolves and foxes, and blood-thrsty men. Q. What are ill-natured people, who trouble tl1eir neiglibors, and rail at thorn? A. They are dogs who bark at everybody. Q. But what are good and pcaccable people? A. They are harmless shecp; m1cl littlc childrcn, undcr the grace of God, are innocent lambs. Q. nut what are Iiars? A. Tl1ey arc snakes and vi11crs, with double tongucs, and poison under their lips (page 2).
THH KEY OF KNO WJ,EDGE.
fn the same work, afer dcscribing the difference betwcen the lifo of the eel that grovcls in tlw mud, with that of the lark which "mounts towanls heaven, :md tlelights itself with swect music," the chil<l is thus questioncd :Q. How do the lives of worldly men diffor from the lives of Christiaus? A. & the lifo of the eel <liffers from the lifo of the lark. The Rcv. William .Joncs who hcld the perpetual curacy of Nayla.nd, has also given his testimony to the great utility of correspondence or analogy in the interpretation of Scripture. He s:Lys: "The world cannot show us a m<:>re exalted character than that of a truly religious philosopher, who delights toturn all things to the glory of God; who, in the objects of his sight, <lerYes improvement to his mind, and in the glass of things temporal, secs the image of things spiritual." 11 In one of tlie volumes of Dr. Larrlncr's Cyclop:edia, entitled, "A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Naturnl History, by William S1rainson, Esq.," there is a whole cliapter "On the importance of Analogy," in which it is said that it is, in all su bject:s, the life and soul of illustration (197). "Such arc the gcneral effocts and advantages produced by analogy in the elucidation of truth. Things which in thcir csscntial nature are totally opposite, are found, on closer investigation, to possess mutual relations, and to be governed by the same law. Hence we discover three sorts of analogies pcrvading the system of nature, in the widcst and most ex:11ted application of the term : the .first regards the spiritual truths of Revelation; the second, those which belong only to the moral system ; whilc the third are drawn from the phenomena of the material world" (201). Tl1c following section (202) cited from another autl10r,11 contains some valuable remarks: "The fact:s of nature and the doctrines of Scripture are gcnerally analogous to each other. Divine Wisdom thus descends from its ethereal scat, as the acccssor of the throne of the Eternal, and communicatcs with us face to fce and hand to hand."
"'Vhat, if earth Be bnt the shadow of heaven, and things thcrcin
Each to othcr like, more th'm
on earth is thoaght?"
Extracts from very rnany other authors might be produccd to show in what high estimation the science of correspondence, called by most of them analogy, was held as a safo and sacrcd rulc of Scripturo
11
The Fairchild I>iscouru for 1781.
He.mptlen, "E.'8a)" on the Phil. E,ld. of ChristJa.nlty.
THE PRAYER OR JfOSES EXI'LAINEJD.
345
intcrprctation. In additfon to those already named, we have the concurrence of Bishop Butler, Bishop 'Varburton, Dean Sherlock, Dr. Jortin, Soame Jenyns, with a long list of other vcncrable namcs, cclebratcd alike for piety and profound thinking. B11t after ail these high authorities, the great point is for each one to sec the truth for himself. If we are to arrive at a rational knowledge of the subjects of J~evelation, we must, in our own minds, see and know them; for, rui Mr. Locke justly observes, "wc may as rationally hopc to see with other men's eyes, as to know by ot.hcr rucn's undcratanding." 13 Holy Scriptnre becomes a delightful book of heavenly instruction whcn its sacred conwnts arc brought to vicw by this .mastcr Key of Divine knowlcdgc, qie science of correspondence. It is then that the man, in bis studics, cnjoys "the feast of rcason and the flow of soul," and perhaps no violence will be done to truth, if wc assert that the swectcst moments of humai1 life are those which gflc away in contemplating the Sacred \Vord. Here in sweet retirement from the busy sccncs of worldly purauits, we muy-within the sphere of the Divine presence, whcn ti1e mind is in i!tates of cairn trunquillity, and as it werc in corupany with augels-eat of living bread, and partak1< of that hidden manna which is in the ruidst of the Paradise of God.
Tite Prayer of Jlfoses Explained.

Moses, in the ardor of hi.5 soul, prayed to God and said : "I bcscech tl1ee show me thy glory ! " This prayer wM graciously answerd and granted; for the Lord said in reply, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of J chovah bcforc thee." (Ex. xxxiii. 18, Ul.) Kow although the goodness ai1d the glory of God are ahrays passing before the eycs of human beings, although they are ever present with us, ad vi\'idly apparent both in bis works and Word, yct none but those who pray this prayer will cvcr bchold them in thcir rcal conncction. It is the true prayer of the soul and not mercly that of the lips, that can liring down to human perception both tl1e glory and goodness of God. It 8 unly under the cht-'ring influence of this i1rayer that we can hope to sec the truth, and feel the goodnes.s of our beneficent Creator. In ordcr to sec how the Divine glory and goodness are m&do to pass before us, and how thcse proclaim to the woudering world the name of Jeho\ah, we must mcntally view the God of heavcn and carth a.>
~0
ESf!.ilY on the Humnn
t:nrlel"Sta.nding.'~ ~ 23.
846
THE KEY OF KNOIVL.BDGE.
a single Divine Being. Tliis must be the starting-point of all tru~ theology: if this be denied or explnined away hy a corruyt and yain philosophy, we shall not bchol<l a single ray of the Divine glory, nor shnll we have i tn1e perception of cither God's goodncss or l1is power. Every rational man will acknowledge that the glory of God is seen in the works of creation. "The hc:wens dechtre the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his hruuly work." (Ps. xix. 1.) But this glory to the reflecting of our race, is scen as strikingly portrayed in all the varicd objects of this our workl-from man, the highest created intelligence, down to the smallest pebbles upon th sea-shore-as it is in thosc lwighter shining objccts, the sun, the moon, and the star-hespangled sky J" All proclaim the Divine pre~nce; in cach we cannot fail to discern "the finger of God." 'fo show how this goodness and glory are ever prcsent, nlHl pa.-;sing bcfore our eyes, wc must view creation itsclf as a procee<ling or going forth from God. The Divine Operntivc Encrgy, or Roly Spirit of God, produces in cre11tion an innnmerable number of forms reccptive of lifc, all of which arc fille<l and anirnated by the lifc going forth from Him who is the lifo in all. This is the Scriptural view of creation, nnd the only rational one that can be offercd: "By the \Vord of the Lord wcre the hcavcns made, and ail the host of thcrn by the breath [spirit] of his mouth." (l's. xxxiii. .) There must, then, be an internai harmony, a relation~lii1i or correspondence bctwc.cn all parts of creation, while the whole, as being the work of God, must proclaim his name, or his <]Uality which is signified by bis name; and thus, as a magnificent mirror, must show forth his unity, his loYe, wisdom, power, goodncss and glory ! Thus nll creation is a rcpresentntive image of the perfections of liim who first produced and still sastains the whole. \Vhen the human rnind ventures toconternplatc the Divine Majcsty, it can conceive no othcrwise than that LOVE, \Y1s DO)I and Powim are the three constituent principles which make up and form (so to spcmk) the very essence and being of Dcity. Thcse tliree form the fulncss nml perfection of the Di vine One. To these, Scripture aw:irds aripropriate names us expressive of the Divine qualities. Thus J,ove, being th<> origin nnd parent of ail existence, is called Father; "'iedom, which is the form of love and the first and only proximate sphcrc thercof, is named the Son, and the only-begotten; while the Divine Power, consisting in the perfct union of love ftml wisdom going forth in creathe energy and life-irnp:irting inlluence, is the Ifoly Spirit, the
'l'Rl- UN!1'Y OF GOTJ EXIIl!Jl1'ED IN CREATION.
347
breat.11 of Jehovah's mouth, giving lifo arul hcing to crcation's wi<le domain. Those who think thnt tlie names Father, Son and Spirit nnply <listinct pcrsonal entities, decei ve themselves by vain cumal rea~onings. \Vhilc they thtrs think, they can never understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. They eau know Jwthiug of the Lord's tcacl1ing; for IIe spcaks of the Father as being in the Son ; and whcn IIe breathcd upon his diBciples, He said, "receive ye the IIoly Ghost," tlms designating his living breath or influence, the Divine Spirit or Power they ought to receive. Thcse three, Love, 'Vis<lorn, PoM~r, named Father, Son, Spirit, arc tl1C sacrerl trine which form the fulness of the Godhead; and because these centre and rneet iu the Lord ,Jesus Cl1rist, the manifested God, it is declared th nt "in Him_ dwellelh ail the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. ii. 9.) "Of his fulncss (then) have ail wc received, nnd grace for grace." (,John i. 10.) Thcsc tluee Divine Esscntials which forru the perfection of one God, make up the Divine Tri-unity or Triuity.
rcspondencc, e;hibits, as iu a. mighty ruirror, the Love, 'Visdo~ ancl I'ower of Deity; and thus lhat the Divine Glory is constantly iiresent, passing before our eys and procbiming the name of Jehovah,-his (}trnlity, providence and care. A little rcflcction '\ill provc this fact. Tl10 sun in nature, the first and hrightest objcct which meets our ey, may be considcrccl as the instrumc:ntal cause, in llie Divine 11and, of the crcation of nll thosc worlds which revolve within om system, and is therefore a bright represcntativc image of the Divine Sun of righteousness. The constituent princi11lcs of the sun are heat, ligM and proccc<ling iuflueuce. The proceeding mys, in thcir going forth, i"rnpart lifc and vigor to ail in the system. The sun is one body of pure flrc; the Lmd, as tl1e Divine Sun, is one form of pure Lo\e. Fire, then, in Scripture, corresponds to love. Strange flre, wliieh may be <leemed unlw.llowed, is an evil or impure love whicl1 ought not to mingle with our spiritual devotions; l1ence we find thnt the offcring of strange flre upon the altnr in the ,Jewish rcprescntative worship was the cnuse of the death of Auron's two sons, N adaL and Abihu. (Lev. x. 1.) The light of the sun corre.~ponds to the Wisdom of God, which is a Divine Light; so that, in Scriptnre, light, brightness, etflgencc, whiteness anrl p11rity are tenns expressive of 'fruth, this being ns rnucli a light to the soul as solar light 8 to the body.
The .Tri-imity of God exliibiled in Creatfon. N ow it is cas'' to see that all cre:ition, by the infolliblc law of cor-
3-18
TIJFJ KEY OF KNOnLElJGE.
The proceeding rays of t he sun whicl1 give vigor to the whole sy~tem by which the !IOlar power and influence are felt in the matcriul world, therchy refre:;hing, renewing, rendering it prolific and dressing it up in the richcst bcauty, so that food au<l lothing are providcd for ull that lhe ; these correspond to the power, Spirit or influence of .Tehovah, which goes forth for the spiritual refreshment and renovation of the mental system of man, the moral world. we must su rel y acknowleflge that the essence of God is L ove, his form, \Visdom, and bis influence, Lifo; ao to show this by correspondence, the essence of the sun is fire, its form Jight, its proceoding rays, rcfrcshmcut and life. \Ve may observe this corresponding relntionship throughout al! creation; by this we mny distinctly know l1ow the ctcrnal power and Godhead are seen in the things thnt arc macle. The globe on which wc live is called terraqucous, because compose<l of eurth and water. But earth and water, scparately considercd, will not sustniu animal life; and in this case the world would have been a usele~s thing. In God, Love and \Visdom are united; and from this union procccds his Spirit, influence or power. In the suu of nature, heat and light are united ; wheuce procecd the rays of inYigorating life to yivify the carth, making it both "a bright. and a brcathing world." So (as is the case in creation) by the proper union of carth and water, u nder the influence of the sun's heat and light, and these ngain being filled by Jehovah's creative power, the world i1' made to teem with plenty, and to produce a rich abundance for the support of animal life. In Scripture, then, the earth, by corrcspondence, is an ernblem of tl1e mind or heart, which is the ground into which the spiritual secds of Divine kuowlcdgc arc sown. "\Vatcr signifies truth as to its cleansing an<l nutritious properties; while the fruits of the earth, with tlll their varillties, denote all the works of ch arity and love, which appenr in the gcncral conduct and outward lifo. It is by these th:it the mental plain is richly a<lornc<l with fruits of love and flowers ofwisom.
Correspondence ef the Three Kingdoms of ]{ature.

Again, the world is dividoo into thrce portions called kingdoms, namely, the animal, vegetable and minerai. Neither of thcse could exist separatcly or alonc; thcy must al! be united and form a one. The minerai is the lowest in order, and the foundation of the othcr two. With out this therc coul<l be uo vegetable, and without t he vegefable, lhe a nimal could not exist. It may, perhaps, be sniil tliat
COJWESI'ONDEKCE OF TllA' Tlllll:.'E KIKGDOMS.
849
the minerai could exist without, and iudepcudcnt of the other two; but. in reply it is urged that, in this case, it would be quite uscless; un it J>urclywould be no mark of wisdom to suppose that God ever crented a usele~ thing. The animal kingdom, because it possessos tl1e grcatcst portion of life, is the highest in order; the vegetable is tlw next, and the minera} the lowcst. In Scripture, thcn, according to the law of corrcspondencc, nll thi; objccts of the animal kingdom, as beasts, birds and creeping thing~, are mentioned in reference to the affections in rnan, both good and bad ; the good are denntcd by the clean, gentlc and useful ani111nls, and the bad by the wild, fcrocious and cruel. \Yith this view we at once discover the real:!On 'IVhy the disciples are cnlled sheep nnd lamiis, and the Lord hlmself the Lamb without spot ;-why H e is aleo called a Shcpherd who leads bis Bock into green pastures beside the still waters, and why thosc who follow tl1e Divine guidance are sni to "grow as calves of the stall." \Ve also lcarn why none but cle:m animals were to be offered iu sacrifice, instructing us by this ritual, that no unclean or pollutcd affection was to intrude in the solemnitics of worship. " ' c see, too, why the wicked are describc by bears, wolvc;i, foxes, dogs, and the like, and why in spiritual things tha obtuseness of thcir inteHectual facultics arising from the impurity oi their affections, is described in Script.ure by owls, bats and bird~ of night. The objects of the vcgetable kingdom, as trees, plants and shrubs of all kiml~, are mentioued iu reference to the growing thoughts and perceptions of the mind, with all t heir vust varietie!!, botl1 true and flse. Thus an cvil hcart produc, SJ>iritually, a bar rcn intellect; the former is aptly shadowed for th by dry and worthle&S ground, the Jntter by thorns and thistles, the legitimate but wretchcd productions of a barren soil. On the otlier hau, a purified heurt produces a luminous intellect; the former is reprcscnted by the richly cultivatcd und fertile gruund, and the latter by luxuriant fruitbeuriug trees, by the uscful plants and odor iferous fiower~. Ilere agnin we sec the reason wh y the Scripturcs so frequently spcuk of gardeus, gro\'es and paradises; of cultivatcd fields waving with corn "ripe alrea.dy to the harvest;" of all kinds of luxuriance, bcnuty and fertility; an why they ns frequently speak of deserts, stony pl:icCll and barreu land, with their worthlcss 11roductions. The ouc i~ descriptive of mun in a sLate of spiritual cultivatiun, und the other of his mentnlly barrcn conition, his misery and dcsolation.
ao
350
TllE KEY OF KNOll'LEDGE.
White, thon, thcsc spiritual conditions of mind as to affection and thought, arc describcd by the objccts of the animal and vegctablc kingdorns, those of the minerai shadow forth the outwatd actions of the lifc, as being fixed and rcndcrcd permanent. The good are dcnoted by gold, silver and precious :;;toues; the in<liffcrcnt and harl by the baser minerais, as tin, lead, common pebbles and the dust of the balance. Herc we may sec tl1c rncaning of the pnssage, "I will turn my han.d upon thee, and purcly purge away thy rhoss, and takc away ail thy tin" (Isa. i. 25); also of these words, "For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood hrass, and for stones iron." (Isa. lx. 17.) The Creato1-, in his wisdom, has made all things to speak of his goodness and to declare his power. AU croaon, by the law of corrcspondcncc, shadows forth the glory of Jehovah, exhibiting bcauty and syrnmetry in the perfection of his works. In the bright light of Revelation, the wisdom of Jchovah shines pre-erninently grand; and to behold this, to have a clear perception of th ose glories whi ch bearn therefrom, is a privilege so exalted that with it nothing can be compared. .:\Ian, whom the Scripture declares to have been created in the image and likcncss of God, docs, both by his bodily and mental con~titution, shadow forth the glory and beauty of Jehovah. In God we discern, bec.<tuse revealed in his 'Vord, three essential propertie:s which makc up the fulncss of Godhcad-Love, 'Visdom, and proceeding Life. In created man, as the image and likeness, tl1is trine or three-fold order exists both in soul and body. The soul of mru1 consists of two facultics, will and understanding- thc former receptive of love from God, and therefore the scat of his aflections and passions; the latter receptive of wisdom, and thus the seat of all his t.houghts and intellectual powers. The union of thesc two producc his spirit of opcrativc power, which is shown forth in all his words, actiuu::; nud gcncral life. In the organized body, which is the instrument in and by which the soul, as the living man, shows forth intelligence ruid power, we observe the same harmonious order. The two princiiml orgarn; of the body, as a whole, and upon which the activity of all othcrs dcpend, arc the hcart and lungs; the one purifies un<l sends forth living blood for the renovation and health of the system, und the ot.her inhales and ]Jrcathes the vital air. Thcse two, again, acting unitcdly in a healthy state, produ the third principle or effect, which is exhibited in all the plcusures and phenomcna of life. The heart, therefore, 5 mentioned in Scripture to siguify sometl1ing relat-
CORRESI'ONDRNC: OF TllE THREE KINGDOJIS.
351
ing to love, desire or affection both good and bad, pure and impure, and the organs of respiration, or soul, S]Jirit and brcath, something rclating to truth, wisdom or knowledgc. This tri-une ordcr wbich originates in God, is e.xhibite<l in all creation; and hence arises that law of mutual rclationship or correspondence betwccn the whole. Thus pure Christianity, which diffuses love, wisdorn, bcalth and lifc throughout the whole spiritual crcation, may properly be termed the heart and lungs of the world. ln the globe upon which we live, the same order is appaxent: it consists of hard substances, as rocks and metals; of soft, as vegetable ca rth; and of fluids, as waters: so the human body is made up of its hunes, corrcsponding to rocks; its tlesh, to vegetable earth ; and the blood, as the circnlating fluid, answering to the waters which circtllate through the cnrth for the refreshment of all its parts. In the mat1Jrfol world, nothing is more unsightly than bare rocks wiLhout any vcgctablc production of grass, flowcrs or fruits ; in respect to man, nothing is more frightful than a mere skeleton without any flesh, ~inews and skin; and in religion, nothing prescnt.'l so barren a view as fith alonc, witbout any of the fruits of holiness, purity and Jife. This state, in Scripture, is represented by the dry bones, to which the voice of Revelation speaks and says: "0 ye dry boncs, hear the word of the Lord." (Ezek. xxxvii. 4.) Now ail this perfect order, both in the materia1 and moral worlds, shows the infinile wisdom of the grcat Designer who, by an irnmutable law of crcation, has donc all things well; so that the goodncs8, wi:> dom and bcauty of Jehovah are everywherc sccn both in his"works and Word. \Vho, then, can behold thcse things unmoved? who can restrnin the fulncss of his heu.rt from bursting forth in t.hc langnagc of David and saying: "Oh that men would 1)rai!e the Lord for liis goodness, and for his wondcrful workii to the clldren of men!" (Pt$. cvii. 8.)
CHAPTER III.
Tur:
L oRn's "\VoRD MAGNtFIED ABOYE ALL
His N AME-CoMPARISONS BE-
TWEEN THE LITE!tAI. AND SPIRITUAL SE~SES OF THE W ORD 01''
Gov;
ILLUSTRATIOXS O}' -HE USE OF CoRlU.:.SPONDENCF. IN EXPLAININ(I DIFF[CULT l'ASSAGJ;8 OF SCRlPTUI-ITS U SE lN EXPLA.INING THE MIRACLES AND PARABLF,fl--CQRRESPONDENCE OP THE SuN, MooN AND BTARS---TUE faRAELITISH
JounNEY FROM EGYPT
ro
CA.N.AAN-EXPI.lNATroN oF
VAtuOUS ScruPTUllE runASES-EZEKIET.'s VISION OF
Hor.Y
\YATEUS-
Two
Bo1rn
MIRACLES LLL'S'rRATED EY THE LAW OF CORRESPONDENCE, VIZ.:

BLn."D, nY
"DEATII IN T1rn P o1,'' A::<rn THE RE'lTORATION oF SWHT To THE MAN :MoNEY
\V AJlIIG IN THE Poo1, OF SrLoA:u-TuJ!J TrunUTE FouND 1s TRE Fu>H's .Mouru-RELroroN A.ND SorENcE CoN
NECTED-CoYCLUSION.
"Thou hast lllagnified thy ord above all thy name" (cxxxvi. 2). Now the Lord's 'Vord ia truly magnifcd, because it trcats of infinitely l1ighcr subjecta than wbat appears to the natural sight in the sense of the letter. In its literal form and clothing it may appear to the superficial rcadcr to be loose and disconnected ; in this appearance it ia compared to sand: but the spiritual truths which are atored up within, are called " treasures hid in the sand." (Deut. xxxiii. 19.) With respect to the truth it contains generally and as a whol~, which forrns the base or foundation upon which evcry Christian rcsts his hopc, it is called a rock; but in allusion to its spiritual truth with the delights thereof, as applicable to all the stutes of human life, it is the ltoney within the rock. To every true Christian who conternplatcs the \Vord with a holy reverencc, the Lord gives "to suck honey out o( the rock, and oil out. of the flinty rock." (Deut. xxxii. 13.) The \Vord with respect to its beauty und fcrtility, evcn in the lctter, is compared to and called a Paradisc; and inasmuch as it is God-breathed, a Dhine and nota humnn production, it. is the Paraise of God; but with respect to the celestinl nature of its intcrior contents, it is the hiddcn manna within the Paradise, of which every one wbo really desires may eat and live forever.
rriHE P salmist in :tddrcssing the Divine Bcing, says:
"r
362
THE LJJ'b'llAL ANI! Sl'llf1.1'(JAL SENSES COMI'ARED.
3ji)
The Literal and Spiritual Senses Cmnpa.red.

The 'Vord in reference to ils Iitcral construction, appears, espccially to the carcless reader, not only to contan various dQctrines, but even such as appear to be opposcd to cach other; in this seme it is reprc~ented by Joseph's coat of many colors: but as to its interior spirit and lifc, which is one unfo1m wholc, it is the living .Joseph himself, who, us the representative of the Lord, though dcspiscd and hatcd hy bis externally-minded brethren, gocs bcforc to iirovide fwd for them, and to savc nations from famine und denth. The word, again, as to ts lctter, appears to be so constructed ns to be capable of division and sub-division, and is represented by tl10sc outer garmcnts of the Lord which, at bis crucifixion and rejection, the soldicrs who denote those who coutcnd for the lcttcr but uot for the spirit of lfovelation, divided amongst thern; while the fct of cach u11u1 looking at, and contending for, the superiority of his o\rn 11art, wilhout any reference to the othcr~, uppcars to be the origiu of all thooc opposing sectarian doctrines, whose advocates wrnngle and fight about comparntive triHes; thus straining out gnats and S\\"allowing camels; while the imrnrd spirit of its contents is alikc uuknown to and disrcgardcd by all. But the s11iritual sense of Revelati.,n, which is one unhroken nnd unintern1pted system of Divine instruction rclaiing t-0 all the allctions, tl1oughts and statcs of l1urnan life, and to thcir progressions into highcl' dcgrces of perfection, is re11resented by the Lord's inncr garment, tl1e vest without seam woven frorn the top throughrut. This vest, because it was witl1out seam, the soldiers agreed not to rend, but to cast lots for it who;;e it should be. This fct instructs us that the Divine Providence is ever watchful over the " Word of ltevelation; that its imrnrd life may not be injured, but thut it may be kept whole and entirc, they cast lot8 for it whosc it should be. The lot, which excludcs all human interference in spiritual mattcrs, has undoubtcdly fllen, not upon those who deny but upo11 tho8e who ad mit a Di vine spirituality to he conta.ined in tlie W ord throughout, and that it is unbrokcn, that is, without searu. It has fallcn upon that church and ispcnsatiol1 of spiritual truth which, in Rcv. xxi., is designated the Holy City New Jerusaleni wl1ich deSc('ndc!l from God ont of heaven. Here t11e sacred vcst is })rcsenc<l whole and cntire, which will be the mcans of again briuging toget.her all the Lord's outer gurrncnts, or those litera! truths whicl1, in conuectioll with the spirit of Rcvclation, ure harmouious nnrl beautiful;
30* X
354
Till:) J{EY OF KNOWLEDOE.
and which, by the law of correspondence, arc tlte legitimate coverings of the Lord as the W ord. Admitting the spirituality of the ord, :md applying tl1is immutable law of corrcspondence 1ts tlic only truc K ey of knowledge in the illustratio11 of irs contents, h ow cnsy are aII t.\l truths 11nfoldcd, and how grnndly do they riso up before us, displaying, in one rich tlD<l lovcly scene, the providence and wisdom of Go<l. ls the Divine Tru th genernlly, in its literai form, called a rock? a. founda rion upou which to build our hopes and oxpcctations? then do we sec the important imtruction figt1red forth by l.Ioses striking the rock in the wilclerness, nnd the waters gu:;hing out to supply the thirst of the people. 'l'o strike i:i lo have comm1111icntion with; the rock is the " rord as a whole; hence the act of ~trikiug the rock teachcs us to communicate with the "'ord of God, aud that from suc11 striking or communication, an abunrlnnce of truths, as the waters of life, will quickly flow for the clcausing of all in tcrior im pnrities, as wcll as for the nutritions improvemcnt an<l health of the soul. This is purely au apostolic iuterpretation, fou nded upon that immuta.ble ln.w according to which all Scripture is written, and by which alonc it can be explained. The apostle P a.ni, spcakiug of the various things which ha.ppcned to the Israclitcs, says : "Now all t.hese tbings happeued unto them for ensamples ; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are corne" (1 Cor. x. 11) ; and speaking of the water from the rock, he si1ys, they "did ail d1fok the same spirit.uni drink, for thcy drank of t.hat spiritual Rock that followed them, nn<l that n ock wns Christ" ( ver. 4). Christ, thcn, i:S the R ock, becnusc He is the \Vor<l- the living Trnth which follows us in our journey tu the hea\enly Canaan. \Ve drink of that spiritual Rock, for from "his flness h:i.ve ail we reccived iu1d grnce for grace." (John i. 16.) When it is clcarly seen that ail existences iu nature arc types ami cmblems shadowiug forth the realities of heaven, and that Scripture men~ions these in refereucc to SJ)ritual rcalities, so that by vihlc things tlie invisible arc brought forth, ihen, indced, it will be clearly sccn thut the L ord has magnified his \Vord. \Yitl1 this knowlcdge the Book cf God bccomes unsealed, and its sacred contents prcsented to view. Now Scripturc rlcc1arcs man to have been crcated in the image nrnl likeness of God. N o one can doubt the truth of this stat.emenL; if so crnatcd, he must, in his very constitution, shnrlow forth the perfections of his Creator. Thcrc is, thcreore, a u1ut11al
"r
EXFI1AINS JJIPFJCUJ,T TF:X7'S OF SCRIP1'Ul/E.
355
relationship b~twecn all his mental powcrs and bodily organs; an<l in Script.ure the latter arc put to siguity the former. The soul, or living man, rcceivc.s inuncdiatcly al! his powers from the Lord, while the body receive~, mediately, its strength and power of action from the soul. That which gives to the organic structure both its form and power is the irnmortal man or soul; and this agniu rcceive8 all his power from the Lord. Hcncc in Scripture, the bodily organs ure mentioncd to signify the powers, principles and facultics of the mind. This, whcn sccn and acknowlcdgc<l, will cxpluin ail thc parts of the \Vord where the bodily organs are mentioued. Thus by the hcad, the supreme part, is signified wisdorn and ilclligence; by the cye, the undcrstanding; the ear denotcs obe<liencc ; the nostrils, the gmtcful perception of what is good and true; tl1c lips, tongue, and organs of spocch gcncrally, the acknowle<lgmcnt and confsion of the I ,ord; the arrns and hands, the powers of the rnind ; and the lehTS and fect, the external life and general conduct. ./\gain, most of the bodily organs run in pairs; and whcre this is 11ot outwardly observable, it'is so by a more minute inspection. Thercuson of this is that tbere is a close correspondence between the two essent.ial propertics of Deity, which are love and wisdom, and the forms recept.ive of these in man. For the reception of Divine Love and 'Visdom, the two mental facultics of will an<l understanding were created, the correspoudi11g bodily organs of which are: in the head, the two hemisphercs of the brain, callcd the cerebellum and cerebrum; and in the body, the hcart and lungs. In respect to the organs bcing in pairs, we may meution the eyes, ears, nostrils, cheeks, lips, shoulders, arms, bands, legs, and fcet. AU the orgaus on the right side of the body possess a grcater dcgree of power than those on the left, and in Scripture are mentioned in rerence to the will, and to somewhat of power as to goocl or evil, wliile those on the left are numed in reference to the understandiug, bearing sorue relation either to truth or falsity. This knowledgc will cxplain all those passages of Scripture wherc the bodily org;ans arc named.
Girresponderwe explains difficuU Passages of Scri.pture.

The J,ord says: "When thon doest alms, let not thy left hand kuow what thy right han<l docth." (Matt. vi. 3.) Litcrally neither the left hand nur the right hnnd can knuw anything about alms-giving l'o do ahns from the riglit hand is to cxcrciec power in their distribu
356
T/IN Kiff OF KNOJVLEDGR.
tion from the love of goo<l, :ind from a pure motive: !)ut to im1i:nt that motive to the lcft hand first, or bcfore the dced is clone, is to gi\c alim; from truth, in order that thcy may appcar in the light afl be known abroad ; thus the ulms inc not done in secret, but for the sake of appearing, and for some selfish gratific:ttion. In this case tlwrc may be a worldly rewar<l, but none from our Father in the henvcns. The dee<l has bccn donc from a sinister motive, from the loft hall(l ; it is uttcrly barren of all true religion, all SJJiritual reward. Again, the Lord says: "If thy right eyc offcnd t.hcc, pluck it out and cast it from thec;" and "if t.hy right. hand offoml thee, eut it off and cast it from thee." (~fatt. v. 29, 30.) Here by the eye is rncant the undcrstanding, and by the right cyc a kno\\'lcdge of trutb from intcrior goodness. But as the offonce of the right eye is described, it is the undcrstancling of truth pervertcd by evils of life, w hcn comc otfoncc, spiritual crime aml death. 'fo pluck titis out, is to ceasc from sucl1 stat.e of perversion, while to cll.';t it frorn you is to utterly hate and abhor it. Similar observations will apply to the right hand, only with this difforence, that the hand is an emblem of power, and the right hand power from gooduess of heart: but the offcnding right hand is the power derivcd from evil and its degrading pursuits; this, too, must be eut off and east away, be utterly abhorred and lHitcd, or hen vcn with its glories can neither be entered r1or sccn. Another important lesson is taught us in tlic fact of the Lord sending out his apostles and disciples by two and two, aml giviug thern power over unclean sriirits. (~Iark vi. 7.) This was donc to teach \lS that the two faculties of will and intellect must be cngagerl unitedly in the work- that the love au practice of truth, with the knowledge of il, must go togcthcr. When thcse two are united, a power is gfren ovcr all the unclean aHctious and pervcrtc principles of the mind ; so that truc religion grows in the soul, and hcaven is formed within; hence we read that the disciples who wcrc thus sent out by two ami two, returned and saicl: "Lord, even the devils arc snbjeet unto us througb thy namc." (Luke x. 17.) When the will and intellect are unitcd so ns to progress in the rege11eration togethcr, cverything then prayed for an<l desired is, that spiritual improvement may inerease, which will ex11lain these words of the Lord: "Ag1tin I sny unto yon, tl1at if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything tl1at they shall ask, it ehall be doue for them of my Fat.her which is in hcaven." ( ~fatt. xviii. 19.) The J,onl conclescencled to wash liis disciples' foet., and said: " If l,
.l':XT'LAINS '/'DE MIRAOLES ANI> !'ARABLES.
857
your L ord and 1raster, wash your fet, ye ought also to wash one: a11othcr's fcet." Here by a knowlcdgn of the spiritual signification of tlH fcct, this passage opens in all its value and importance. The fcet ~fonote lhe ex tcrnal life !ln rl general con du et in the worlrl. To wasl1 i;; to cleansc un<l purify. All purification of soul, is effected by tl1c trnths of Revelation; for thesc are the clennsing waters which ar from the Lord, and applie<l by Him. Without this oulward purification, there can be no cvidence of an inward; for the language of the Lril is: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." If wc feel the necessity of this spiritual clcansing, we shall, like Peter, adrcss the Saviour and suy: "Lord, not my fcct only, but also my bands nn<l my hea<l: " not only that part of my life which is outwn.rd an cxtcrnal, as being conncctcd with the world, but nlso the powers of my soul, with ail thnt is high, supreme and inmost. 'Ve ought, then, if we eall Je;;us Christ, ~Iaster and Lord, to wush each other 's foct; that is, in the trua spirit of Christianity, to assist. in clennsing aud regulnting cuch othcr's outwar<l lite nnd con<luct, that so the purity within may be exhibitc<l by the cleanness without. 'Ve have already shown that the human body, us a whole, as wcll as n.ll itg parts, members and organs, are mentioned in Scripture in refcrcncc to the soul, and toits various faculties, prineiplcs anrl power s. l f this he a truth, of which, judging from the ex amples already g ivcn, thcrc cun hardly remuin a rntional doubt, we have only, under Divine guidance, to follow on with the same chain of rcnsoning, in ordcr to be convin<l tliat the W ord of God is truly wonderfl, ami tl1at it is to c\ery spiritual traveller to Zion, his faithfl an<l stendy <"<>nduct-Or ~bi~ pillar of cloud by day ; his pillar of firn by night.
Explain.~
the 11-firacles and I'araUes.
'Ve rPn.d in Seripture of the poor, the maimcd, the lmlt, the lame, hlirnl and discaBcd; of t11e deaf and durnh, of the capthes nn<l t11c 11mcl. Now the coming of the Lord was effectually ~> relense the lrnm11n race from these maladies and dise:i.ses. IIe came to set the capt i v e~ free, t-0 gho sight to the blind, to preach tbe glorics of l1is kingdom to the poor, to restore health to the dise11sed, to uustop tl1e ears of the dcaf, to mnke the lame man leap a:i the hart, ami tlrn tougue of the dumb to sing; He came to quickon the dcad to life hy Jll'nclnirning the acceptuble year of the Lord. If wc suppose that tl1c8c tliscMes, maladies and imperfections nrc to be confincd to tbcli>C of the b<Kly, wc not only dcceive ourselvcs, but wc reduce lite Wor
358
'J'ITR KEY OF KNOWLElJGE.
of God to a dcn<l lettcr; and if the mimcles wrought by J csus Christ arc to be confined merely to the r estoration to health of a few sick p eople, aml to Lhc raisiug of some three or four individuals from the cad, thcn the miracles become deprived of their \'ast importance, spirituality and 11se. The miracles of J esus ChrIBt were n ot doue merely to show his power in the days of h is flesh, and thon to cease; but t hey were especially done t o set forth his cternal power and Godhcn<l, by showing, spiritually, that H e is performing like miracle:; for the benefit of the human race in eveiy age and generation of the world. 'l'he law of correspon<lencc can alonc open thcse subjects in t.heir true import, and proYe beyond all doubt that tlie testimonics of the L ord are wonderfol. lly this law a il disc:tseS, maladies and imperfections of body, are named in referencc to perversions nn imperfections of mind; whilc the curing of theso denotes the restoration of the soul to spiritual h ealth and soundness. Thus by the poor are meant, not t.hose who have little or no worldly wealth, but those who are r>0or in B'pirit, who have not the truth of heavcn, but who ardently <lesire it . I t is to t hcse (whether rich or poor in a \l'orl<lly sensc) that th e Gospel is preaehe<l, and thcsc arc they whom the Lord fills with good things. The rich are those who are in raptures with their own self-<lerived knowlcdgc, whoseworl<lly, carmil wis<lom lcads them t o despise being led by the truths of Revelation. These are the rich in their own estimatO)l, who because thcy reeeke not wisdorn from Go<l, are clescribed l\S t hose whom the Lord sends empty away. This view will open to us a. most important ti-uth, that we are not to mnkc a spiritual estimation of man, either from his worldly wcallh or woddly poverty. I t will sl1ow clearly what cannot be rationally dcnied, that the lords and nobles of the land, if lovers and seekers of what is good and true, nmy he among tl1at class of llersnus whom llie Scriptnrcs call 11oor; while the daily laborer, priding hiru. elf in his owu spurious knowledge and vanity, while at the &"lmo tirnc he is ncglecting th spiritual <luties of religion, may lie among thosc whom t.he Scripture <lesignates th e rich. This will fi.1lly cxplain the T,or<l's words, " lllcssed be ye poor; for yours fa the kingdom of God." (Luke vi. 20.) And agnin, "It is casier for a camel to go through the eye of ll necdle, thun for a rich man to enter into t he kingdo111 of G0<l." (:\Iatt. :x.ix. 24.) Th hune, hai t, cliseascd and maimcd, signify thosc whosc inwanl cvils of life ruin tbcir spiritual constitution, so that they can
EII'LAINS 'J'I!E 3/lRA(JLJJ,'S AND PARABLES.
~59
makc no progrcss nor walk in the Divine lif e; they sturuble in the wuy und halt in their purpe.s. By the Lord healing thcsc i:nalndies, wc are instructed that when the truth is receive and applicd to the life, their inward 1>ollutions are removed, an restoration to spiritual liealth i.::i effected. Then, too, the tongue, as the organ of speech, by which is cnotcd acknowledgment and confession of the Lord, and whicl1 hefore was dumb or silent in the praise of Cod, becomcs looscd, and breaks forth in songs of praise. Jt il; then that the mnn cornes into a luminous a.nd happy frnme of mind ; he has changed bis own filthy rolies-liis false and hi&me persuasions, for the white und shining garments of hcavcn-the pure truths of Revelation ; he is then found "!'itting at the feet of J esus, clothed, anrl in his right mimi." (Luke viii. 35.) This renovation of state is ellected wl1en :\{e:!siah's kingdom rules in the mind of man; for "then shull tl1c lame man leap as n hart, und the tongue of the dumh shall sing." (Isa. xxxv. 6.) The former wildcrncss atate of his understanding shall 1)ass uway, together with the dry, arid condition ofhis will, while the truths of Reyolatiou, as the waters of life, shall break out as strenrus in the desert. It is in eouscquence of 1e spiritual signification of the mnimed, lnme nnd blind, as denotiug cvils and igoor:mce of spirit, that in the J ewi3h church, the rituals of which were al! reprcscntations of good thiugs to corne, no person was allowed to minister at the altar, or perform the ceremonies of worship, who hnd uny lemish of body, such as bcing discnsed, lnme, dcformed or bliud. (Lev. xxi. 16~24.) This Divine law was written to instruct us that the puic worship of God cnnnot proceed from spiritual ignor:wcc und deformity of mind. The blind and denf are the ohjects of the Lord's mcrey. H e ~me to open the blind eyes, an to unstop the cars of the deaf. H erc, ugain, the tn1e luw of Scripture intcrprctation nilo:rds the rncuns of acquiring a correct explrumtion. l:ly the eye is meant the undcrstaudiug, :m hy the ear, he-.i.rkening and obediencc of lifc. 'J'hc blind eyc is tl1e intellect \\'rapt in spiritual ignorance; the <leaf car, carelessness ot: and eontempt for, all heavenly 'instruction, whcnc arise disobeience and a life of cnmality and fal~c plcasure. Rut whcn the cyc hecornes enlightened by the truths of heaven, and the cur lends a wil\ing obc<liencc to the voice of God, then tlie mala<lies ure rrmoved, and the things of Go1l and heaven are seen nnd heard. . 'l'hose w!1osc affections are hound clown to the 1)()rishable tl1inh>S of t.he worl<l, who are by flse, atheistieal, or other pcrsua;iions, lcd
1360
TllR KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
!l~tray from the pure path of lifc; these are hound in the bard fet. ters of a mentally slavish bondage, and are called prisoners and crip tives : they are, as the Scripture ex1iresses it, led captive by the devil at his will. N ow nothing can set them free from this captivity, but the truth as it is in Jesus; and if the truth shall set them free, thcy shall be free indecd. Hcnce one of the grand objects of the Lord's coming, was to give "liberty to the captives." Those, again, in whom the life of hcaven has become extinct, who have no s11iritual affection for purity and wisdom, thesc are called dead. They are dead to all the living joys of heaven, and grovel in the uncleanness of sensuality. But cven these, at the voice of the J.JOrd, or when truth finds its way into their hearts, and is thercin rcceived and loved, shall rise up from their deathly condition-from that state of death in trespasses and sins, and spring upwards to that of Iifc, righteousness and peace. Thcsc rcstorations are the real effects of the reign of Christ in bis church, and they are even now in this day taking place; which will explain clearly this saying of our Lord: "Verily, Yerily, 1 say unto you, the houris coming, and now ~. when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God : and they that hear shaU live." (John v. 25.) It is to these spiritual evidences of the rcign of Christ that the Lord alludes, when, in answer to John's disciples who asked Him the question," Art thou He that sl10uld corne, or do We look for anothcr? " He replied : "Go and show John again- thosc things which ye do hear and see; the blind reccive thcir sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the <leaf hcar; the dead arc raised up, and the poo1 have the Gospel preaclied to them ; and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." (1\latt. xi. 5, 6.) Thcsc, then, are the grand subjects tanght in the Book of Life. The trnths of RC\'elation are the sacred testimonicR of God. They clcarly rlcscribc all the varicties of human affection and thought, as wcll as every man's growth in wisdom, righteousness aml pcacc. 8ur~ly, then, we must acknowledge with David, that the testimonies of the Lord are wondcrful.
Correspondence of the Sun, Jlfoon and Sfllrs.

The. W<mders of the Book of God will furthcr appcar, !l8 WC COil tcmplatc the vast scenc around us, and view the grand thcatre of crcation as reftccting by its objects the goodness, wisdom and power of the Creator. The Scriptures call upon us to contempla.te these
CORRRSPONDENOE OF SUN, MOON AND STARS.
361
things, and as such they must be de.signed to teach ui< the spiritual mati.ers of eternity. The prophet invites us to rcflcction, and say~: " Lift up yoor eys on higl1, and hebold who lmth created th~c things." (Isa. xl. 26.) All created things speak, in their uses, the power of tl1e Creator, and declare his wonders to 'the people. If wc lift. up our cycs on high , we observe the sun, moon and stars as the hrightest objccts ii1 nature. Now thcse are frequently mentioned in Scripture; and tl1is is the reason why we are called upon to lift up our eyes on l1igh, that wc may contemplatc their relative uses, and draw forth tl1e spiritual les.sons tbcy teach. The sun shines by its own light, and borrows nothing from nny other ereatcd object; it is, thereforc, in nature, the bright cmhlcm of the Lord of heaven, as the never varying :md everlasting Sun of righteousn~, wl10 borrows nothing from any other being, but constantly dispenses bis Divine heat and ligl1t-his love and wisdomfor tl1e lifc and health of that creation He hiilll:lelf has JJroduced. The moon bas no ligl1t in itself, but reflects only that which she h!lS borrowcd from the sun. The moon, in Scripture, is thcrcfore put to signify the Church of God, which has no ligbt or truth of her own, but. reflects only that wisdom she has borrowed or rcceived f'rom her Lord. The stars, from their di.stance and the small portions of light they transmit tous, arc emhlems of all those principles of knowledge with which the min is giftcd, and by which it expan<ls to highcr dcgrees of perception. The esscntial propcrty of the Divine Being is LoVE. "God is l<m~." This is represented by the beat of the sun, and his Wisdom by its light. Thus God is the fountain of all being. In reference to man, tl1e sun is mentionc<l in Scripture to signify love reeeivcd fro1u, :md directed to, the Lord; the moon, his pure fuith which forms the church in him; and the stars are nll the varicties of knowledge which bcautify und ornament his mirnl. This will at once expia.in all those Scriptures where the sun, moon and stars are menLioncd. AH things of love, fo.ith a nd knowlcdge are to be ascribed to the Lord, and dcdicated to his praise; ror man has nothing of his own. H encc the lunguabre of D avid, "Pruise him l!Ull nnd moon ; pmise him ttll ye stars of light ! " AH men arc created with the two facultics of will and u11erslnnrling; the for mer is the kuown receptaclc of loYe from God, whi ch will ex plain this pasl!ngo: " In thcm ho.th IIe set a. tabcrnacfo for the su11." (Ps. xix. 4.)
31
1362
THE KEY 01<' KNOWLEDGE.
How do the Scriptures dcscribe the end and desolation of the drnrch, whcn by corrn ption an<l false doctrine the love of self supplants the love of God? when ignorance s111Jplies the place of a pure cnlightened faitb, and when all the vast varieties of spiritnal knowledge perish and dccay? They describe tbis state in their own language of correspondence. The Lord, speaking of this spiritual desolation, says: : lmmediately after the tribulation of those days, slw.11 the sun be darkenerl and the moon shall not give ber Jight, an<l the stars shall fa11 from heaven, and the powers of the heavcns slmJl be shaken." (:.\Iatt. xxiv. 29.) 1Yhen in the church there is no celestial love to the Lord, the sun is darkencd; when there is no pure faith in Him as the One Lord of heaven, the moon givcs no light; and whcn all spiritual knowledges fil, the stars fall from heaven; and then it is that the powers of the heavens-the internais of the church and of rnan-become shaken to their very centre. The facts in nature and in religion are, by correspondence, so true to each other, that it is next to impossible to mistake their meaning. In nature, if the sun were to be darkcncd, the moon could gi vc no light; for she bas none to give but what she borrows from the sun. So in the church, if tlrnre be no love, there can be no faith ; and where both love and f'aith arc absent, thcrc can be no hcavcnly knowledgcs. \Vhen the church is in a high state of glory, how difforcnt is then the description. John the Revelator in describing it, ~ays: "And there nppeared a great wonder in hcavcn; a woman clotlied with the .fn, and the nwon under her feet, and upon her hea a crown of twelve stars." (Rev. xii. L) 'fhe woman dcnotcs the church, as to the affectionatc rcception of ail that cornes from the Lord, and which constitutes her unfading glory. She is imhncd with cclcstial lovc--clothed with the sun: she is groundcd in a pure enlightcncd faith in the one Lord Cod the Saviour-the moon nndcr her foet: shc is possessed of a rich fulncss of knowledgc including all varietics, which are the twclvc stars upon hcr hea, and which form ber cverlasting crown and <lia<lem. Su rel y thcsc descriptions are grand, beautiful and correct! Our affections are touched lJy them; our rcason nssrnts to thcir truth, an<l both united urge the lips of every true ChriRtian to speak the langnage of David, and say: "The testimonies of the Lonl arc wondcrful, therefore doth my soul kccp them." (P1:1. cxix, 1'.W.) By the science of correspondcncc, this true key of knowlcdgc, cvery part of Divine Revelation, to thosc who love the truth .for its own
makes
ation.
life
nderstanding with truths of the highest order, a blessing, and throws a sacred charm throughout all cre Here, in the Holy City, we are taught that God is our common
ye eat the
life in
flesh of the
"
you
(John
vi.
Except Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no 53) that is, unless the Lord s love be received
:
re important
"
CORR.ESl'OKnESCR o~ SU.A~ ,!/OON AND STARS.
36.-,
in the will, and his spiritua l truth, denoted hy his blood, in tl1c undcrstan<ling, there he no angelic life-no hcnvcn within. 'l'hosc who fight against Jerusalcm, whose impurity of life ofi'ers a determincd opposition to all that is cclcstially good und pure, can have no hcavenly he11.uty or comeliness; atl that is good in them decays undcr the plague and ptilence of selfish desires; all the goo<lnc:-s of hcu.vcn in them withers away-their fl.csb consumes while t hey stanct upon their feet; they have a name by which they live and are dcad. Another mt awful state of their spiritual dcgradation is further <IC!lcrihcd by "their eyes shall consume away in their hols." If ever tlicre WM a truc description given of the wicked m:m, this is one; liut tl1ongb truc, it is awflly di.stressing. lly the eye is meant the undersrnrniing; t bat bcing as mu ch the eye of the soul, as the organ of v ision is of the body. The bright eyo is the understnn<ling cnlig!1tened; the lJliml eyc, the understn.nding clcd against the reception of tl10 truths of Uevelation; and tho consumed eye, the undcrstanding perished and lost. Where therc is no love for the thing:; of heavcn, there c11n be no truc knowledge of them, becausc the man takes no delight in tlwm. Tn respect to hoavenly things, when t he will is depraved the understan<ling is dark ; thi.s lifo pcrsistcd iu, is Jigbting against Jcrusalcm. 'l'lii~ must pruduce the decay of nll spiritu:ll knowledge,-the perishing of the intellect. where there is no good, there can be no appreheuoion of truth; wlierc thcrc is no flesh, the eyes will consume away in thcir holes. This will be followed by tl1e last sad Bt.'lte of dl'gradation" their tonguc shall consume away in their mouth." The tongue to t he human body pcrforms a. double office, th11t of l<tste nnd ipeech. Wth respect to the former, it dcnotes the relish, nppetite and dcsire for nll that is good and pure; and with respect to the latter, confo88ion and acknowledgmcnt of the Lord: but whcn thi~ is consumed away, we ure instructcd that therc is then no relish for anythiug of a heavenly kind, no ncknowledgmcnt or confssion ' of the Lird. The man is spiritually ruined. There is nothing good in him-his flcsh is oonsum ed; no understanding of truth-hl:I cycs are consumed; no r clish for the food of h ea ven, no acknowle<lgment. of tl1c Lord~hi;i tongue is consumed a.wu.y in bis mouth. He is spirituatly i1othing but a skclcton of d!'y boues without any sinews, fl<?ilh or skin.
31 *
s
iv. 21.)
All those places which are not included within the dominions of Israel denote those states of mind in which the careless and
un<
only become valuable to you, as
its
sacred narj-a-
ous
again, to
sit
will.
Thus,
before the Lord, is to will and act from Him, conse Him and quently to be at peace to stand before Him, is to look to
:
use would
to
it
be
know
that upon the
first
measuring, the waters rose to the ankles,
tion contained in this singular
ere a river that could not be passed over. The instruc prophecy will open to our minds in all
the
with his glory. Whether we speak of the church gen erally, as being composed of the myriads of happy beings who worship
house
is filled
lly flow from the

life?
Lord of
These spiritual truths, these Divine realities and blessings, water our mental plain every moment, are what are meant
house at the south of the
and that the prophet was brought out of the way of the gate northward, to behold the measuring and increase of the waters. It must be at once apparent to every reflecting mind, that as the
altar
;
32
the sun
sets,
when we
feel
ndor and brightness the west is where a diminution of its rays while the north is
;
the quarter where the light terminates in obscurity and shade. In a the sense Lord himself as the is the whose countenance east, religious
y
nutritious powers, and regenerate life, unless
its
how it applies to we are brought
all
the successive states in the
out of our mental obscurity
enoted by the feet
and
but upon the second measur ankles, the lowest parts of the body the waters are to be discovered ing, deeper they come up to the knees, showing that they contain higher degrees of knowledge than
; ;
cripture
32*
the
reof to the clear knowledge of spiritual truth, thus forming kingdom of heaven in the soul, it is then called wine but when
;
was said to be in Gilgal. This place was within the boundaries of Canaan, and stood between Jericho and the banks of
is
said that one
wild gourds from a wild vine,
pot of pottage
for
went out into the field and gathered and came and shred them into the knew them not that is, they knew not they
;
is creation,
wonder and the earth with
praise.
which fill heaven with These doctrines again teach that
-elect are
brought into being that they

of
may
endure eternal pain for the glory
God!
gether helpless
He comes into the w orld feeble and alto e. more imperfect and ignorant than any of the animal
7
the time of their e and density and the return foretells the sun round revolutions ; eclipses respective of comets; shows the velocity with which light travels; the peculiar
n of Scripture, will be further manifest by shoAving that true religion will always be found in perfect harmony Avith every true Z 33
d
all
bless
who come within

;
earth
and
their sphere. the time will must
Its line
is
gone out through

is
all
the
come
when
there shall be neither
speech nor language where the voice of Christianity
not heard.
The
and
spiritual
mind
is
the
nnect him with the world, are called natural. Lord and Master, the natural is a servant
affections
tributary.
In every well-regulated mind, the supreme
ed in heaven
exercise of the Divine
life.
shall
come
into the full liberty
and
brings
man
This spiritual faith represented by Peter, Those who are principled into perfect liberty of mind.
struct us that every science, no matter what, contains tribute, which it pays at the shrine of religion. Every fish
its own when its
mouth
is
opened, or
when the
interior principles of science are explored
33*
ire
or heat enters into all the parts of chemical
study, treats on a small scale of the changes effected by heat in natu ral bodies, and of the general laws relating to the composition and
ch undertakes to explain the internal and external structure of the earth and from the laborious investiga;
rn Geology
in this respect is very

;
different from some of the ancient theories for while this science traces all creation up
to
instead of teaching the world to be derived from a wise and powerful Being, taught that the material world gave birth to the>
deities.
one Almighty God, most of the ancients,
ent or refracted as
;
it
pusses through any transparent object to illuminate another thus receiving variation and change in passing through one to the other,
the true
Vine,"
while those
who
are his real
disciples are the
branches which abide in
Him
and bear
fruit.
David
of righteousness Avhose succeeding ones have been surrounded with pleasures, and whose end is peace, because his heaven is sure. This is the man who enjoys his feast with a true relish who ex;
against the Stoics, who sup there were a plurality of worlds, that many Jupiters or gods would be neces sary to govern them, says: "Where is the necessity of supposing many Jupiters for this plurality of worlds? Is not One Excellent Being, endued with reason and intelligence,
when arguing
posed
if
such as He is whom we acknowledge to be the Father and Lord of all things, sufficient to direct and rule these worlds? If there
were more supreme agents, their decrees would be vain, and contradictory to each
of alteration and
decay."
le Again, Plutarch,
other."
CONCI, USION.
397
Now as the "'ord of God is written in agreement with tlie scicn of corrcspondence, it follows thut nothing Lut this science eau correctly oxplain its sacred contents. H e, thcrcfore, who desires to be furtbcr acquaintcd with thcsc Illlltters, is rL -quested t o read the Theological 'Vriting.s of Emanuel Swedenborg. 'l'hey will afford him information of the most instructive and dcliglitful kind. Headcr ! I must now bid you frcwell ! Suflicient has been said, it is hoped, to excite in your mind a vcneration for thosc Didnc Orucles of Truth whlch shadow forth, by the luxuriant appeamnc in nature, that cvcrlasting faod of promise, whcrc an exuLcrance of cclestial felicity must. cver residc, fl(l wherc forever :llow the lusciotlli streams of milk and honey.
M
in the ion are described,

*
From a work by Robert Hindmarsh,
first
in published in Manchester, England,
1820.
ities of things,
"
is
further evident
:
from Apoc. xiii. 18, where it is written, Here is wisdom Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast : for it is the number of a man ; and his number is six hundred threescore and
six."
in respect to his affections, good or evil, is in the Word fre quently compared to a beast : hence the members of the church in
Man,
general are called sheep, or a flock of sheep ; and their teachers are called shepherds. Again, so far as they are receptive of divine truths,
and acquire therefrom
states of intelligence
properly denominated men.

qualities, it is plain that
Now
as
and wisdom, they are also numbers are expressive of
nified to investigate, scrutinize,
by counting the number of the beast, is sig examine and ascertain the quality of
to.
the doctrine or faith alluded
It follows, therefore, that the
num
ber of the beast, or the number of a man, denotes the quality of the church described in the above chapter, particularly as to its affection
ader in some measure

to
wisdom which distinguishes the Divine Records from every human production, we shall give briefly the spiritual sig nification of the numbers 1 to 12 inclusive, together with a rule for dis as far as 1,000,000, or covering the signification of any other number 10. in Dan. vii. mentioned even 100,000,000, in Examples showing the application of the different numbers, and
comprehend that
confirmation of the various significations belonging to those of each the Word both class, simple and compound, will then be given from From all which will be seen of the Old and the New Testament.
the great importance of the science of numbers in deciphering the the present language of Holy Writ a science, indeed, little known at but for the world lost to been which, neverthe many ages, day, having in with that of in general, is the only less, correspondences conjunction
;
and to bring out the host of heaven by num by which is spiritually understood, that the Lord alone arranges and disposes into order the things signified by the host of heaven and by the stars, viz., the truths and goods of faith and love. The seed of Abram is said to be innumerable, as the
e,"
Isa. xiii.
"
ber"
Isa. xl.
26
"
dust of the earth, and as the stars of heaven," Gen. xiii. 16 xv. 5 not because his descendants were, or were to be, more numerous than other nations, (Deut. vii. 7,) but on account of the spiritual things represented and signified by them, viz., the truths and goods of heaven and the church, which are innumerable.
;
;
In like manner, and with reference to the same spiritual blessings. Jehovah promises by the prophet to multiply the seed of David as the host of heaven, which cannot be numbered, and as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured" Jer. xxxiii. 22. And in another
"
place,
"The
34*
number of the children of 2 A
Israel shall be as the sand of
Isa. Ixv. 12. In the same sense aughter," have been "numbered with the transgressors," Isa. liii. 12. David also was condemned for "numbering the people of and in consequence thereof a pestilence was Israel and Judah
the
Lord
is
said to
"
;"
sent
among them, which carried

The reason why
off seventy
thousand
men,"
2 Sam.
punishment followed the act of numbering the people was, not because there was any evil or crime in the thing itself, abstractly considered, but because it rep
xxiv. 1 to 15.
resented and spiritually implied the presumption of
his
so severe a
man s
will
and
dis
own
self-derived intelligence, in attempting to arrange
and
pose into order the things of heaven and the church, together with the destruction inevitably attending the same when yet the Lord alone is possessed of such power, and He alone claims the preroga
;
tive of exercising
it
dom.
A. C. 10217, 10218.
according to the dictates of his own divine wis A. R. 364. Ap. Ex. 453.
As
spiritual signification of certain
in the explanation to be given in the following pages, of the numbers, mention will frequently
It
is
h or charity, in the true sense of those words. in reference to such a state of the church, that the Lord is said
to
come
in the fulness of times, in order to establish a
new church
in
the room of the former.
Having made these preliminary observations, we now proceed to explain the numbers from one to twelve inclusive adding also a rule for determining the signification of numbers above twelve.
;
One.
Oneness or unity is constituted of several various things so arranged as to be in concord or harmony with each other which concord or harmony of several things arises from their all having respect to one
;
origin, that
is,
to one
Lord who
is
the
life
of
all.
Hence heaven,
though consisting of innumerable societies, is nevertheless one ; and man, though consisting of a great variety of powers, faculties, mem-
conjunction, as in Gen. 3986, 4149.
ii.
24
Matt. xix. 5
John
x. 30.
A. C. 3241,
Like other numbers, one also is capable of an opposite signification and hence one talent denotes faith in a state of separation from charity, or the knowledge of good and truth committed to the memory only, and not to the life, as in Matt. xxv. 14 to 30 Luke xix. 20. Ap. Ex. 193, 675. The Lord calls himself the First and the Last, to signify that He is the One Only God of heaven and earth, the sole fountain of love, wisdom and life, from whom are derived all things in heaven and the
;
church, from
first
principles to ultimate or last effects.
A. R. 29, 38.
Ap. Ex. 41, 56.

One, understood as the half of two, denotes some degree of con A. C. 9530. junction.
carlet
thread upon his hand and his name was called Zarah." The of treated is that of in this in the subject passage, spiritual sense, primogeniture, or priority in the church it having been a disputed
;
point from the most ancient times, whether the good which is of For as charity or the truth which is of faith, is the first-begotten.
good, when man is re-born, does not evidently appear, but is con cealed in his interiors, and only manifests itself in a certain affection unnoticed by the external or natural man, until regeneration is com
pleted
;
while truth, which enters by the senses and lodges in the
nsequently having never been entitled to the right of primogeniture, except in the estimation of the midwife, who repre sented the natural mind on its first reception of divine truth. By
the complete birth afterwards of Zarah, with the scarlet thread on his hand, is represented and signified that good is at length acknowl
edged to be actually the
first-begotten in the church,
because Zarah
represented good or charity, first opened the womb by putting forth his hand, though he afterwards drew it back, and thereby per
who
mitted his brother to take the birthright or precedence, at least for a season. In like manner, during the first stages of regeneration,
man
faith
;
is
apparently under the influence and dominion of truth or but when his regeneration is effected, he is then manifestly
under the influence and dominion of good or charity.
The same
things are represented by Esau and Jacob struggling together in the womb of Rebekah, and by Jacob s taking hold on Esau s heel at the
time of their birth, Gen. xxv. 22 to 26: also by Jacob
laying his
glorification, or
union of the
"
human
first
essence with the Divine.
ce of his See
his
A. C. 6000.
(5.)
Matt.
vi. 33.
Seek ye
the
kingdom of God, and

you."
:
righteousness,
and
all these
things shall be added unto
The
kingdom of God is the Lord himself, and his church his righteous ness (or justice) denotes good proceeding from Him and to seek this first, is to desire with the chief affections of the heart to perform use
:
ful service to
to
our neighbor.
mankind, from pure, disinterested love to the Lord and When the Lord, and the good proceeding from Him,
are thus
things,
made the objects of a man s affections and life, then all other whether spiritual or natural, that are conducive to his eternal welfare and happiness, will be added unto him. See Ap. Ex. 1193,
A. C. 5449, 9184.
H.
&
H.
64.
The man travelling into a far country is ot; the Lord, who on his departure from the world, and his apparent ab sence or distance after that time, is described as taking a long jour
The talents given to the different servants denote all the knowl truth and good derived from the Word, together with the of edges To use. of perceiving and understanding their nature and faculty trade with the talents is to acquire intelligence, wisdom and true
ney.
by means of those knowledges. They who, from some or a few knowledges acquire much intelligence and wisdom, are repre sented by the servant who increased his five talents to ten ; the number
spiritual life
number ten much. And they who five denoting little or few, and the are continually endeavoring to form in themselves the conjunction of ser good and truth, or of charity and faith, are represented by the
vant
who
of two talents
made
other two
the
number two denoting
only
934.
God
of heaven and earth.
acknowledge and worship Him as the See D. Life, 66. Ap. Ex. 122, 893,
Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall
(11 .)
:
Luke
x. 41, 42.
"
her." The one thing needful is love to the Lord, which involves every other good. It was this love, accom panied with close attention to the words of Jesus, for which Mary was distinguished, (see ver. 39,) and which is called that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
not be taken
away from
(12.)
John
viii.
is
17, 18.
true.
mony
of two
men
the Father that sent

35
me
is written in your law, that the testi [one] that bear witness of myself, and beareth witness of me." In this passage
"
It
am
one (though not literally expressed in the original)
is
yet understood,
presented, as there
were individual
men, patriarchs, prophets, priests, and kings, representing f Surely no one can thus mistake the Sacred AVritings. The testimony of
two men, therefore, which
is
cited
by our Lord
in the
way
of
com
parison with the testimony of himself and the Father, or what is the same thing, with the testimony of his own divine truth and divine
ood, ought never to be regarded as any proof of there being two Divine Persons in the Godhead, more especially as He is careful in the comparison to omit all mention of any other Divine Person but
.L
hniiMJf alone, who is expressly called the Everlasting Father, as well as the Son, in Isa. ix. 6. See A. C. 3704, 9503. Ap. Ex. 635.
and my Father are one"Jesus, who and these are Father is the Divinity Humanity speaks, said to be one, comparatively as the body and soul of a man are one that is, one in life, one in action, consequently one in essence and one The same may be said of divine wisdom and divine love, in person.
(13.)
John
the
x. 30.
"
is
his
good and truth, or of charity and Ap. Ex. 430. A. R. 322.

C. L. 316.
faith.
ge of A. C. 5194, 5291 5893 8423

all parts
Conjunction in general, proved from
of the
human frame
is
All and singular things in conjunction, consequently what A. C. 9037, 9166, 9529.
-
full
successive, or another in succession. All things as to A. R. 322. good.

is
What What
is
perfect.
A. C. 9861.
A. C. 5623.
Good and The same
from the Lord, also from self. A. C. 9942. in relation to three, as six are to seven, viz., labor, combat,
truth
bears the same relation to
of rest, and consequently three, as six days of labor do to the seventh and female or profane. The male signifies a state respectively unholy See evils. with falsities of the denote beasts of unclean conjunction
A. C. 713 to 721. Ex. xxxiv. (2.)

tables the
1.
"And
Jehovah
first
;
said unto Moses,
Hew
thee
two tables of stone like unto the
and
I will write
upon these
which thou brakest." The reason why the ten commandments were written on two
words that were
in the first tables,
tables was, because the
number two denotes conjunction in general, law denoted conjunction with the Lord. of the and the two tables the Lord and tables called Hence they are of the covenant between Deut. ix. 9 hence also the ark, into which the tables were put,
man,
is
;
called the ark of the covenant, Josh. iii. 11. And he went up 2 Kings ii. 23, 24. (3.)
"
See T. C. R. 285, 287. from thence to Bethel

:
and as he was going up by the way, there came thou out of the city and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, looked and back turned he And bald-head, go up, thou bald-head. on them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah and there came children forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two
:
forth little children
The reason why the children were cursed by Elisha, them." and afterwards torn in pieces by two she-bears merely on account of
of
ord
sense, as they
of
its
natural or
literal
do who reject it as a thing of no account, who also de spise its plain style, and think, if it contain divine truth, that it might have been expressed in more elegant and
intelligible language.
By
bears out of the
wood was
sense
;
signified the
power of the
Word
arising
was, involves a full state either of good or evil accord ing to the nature of the subject, in the present case a full state of evil, or what is the same thing, the conjunction of evil and falsehood, and the full punishment thereof. See Ap. Ex. 781, 1086. A. C. 3301. A. R. 47, 575.
who exercise such power, whether such as separate the external from its internal sense the bears are said to be she-bears, because the female among animals denotes affection; hence the she-bear denotes the affection of natural truth, as well as its power. And by the fortytwo children or boys who were torn by the bears, were signified all who blaspheme or despise the Word on account of its natural sense being such as it is, together with the punishment which they un avoidably bring upon themselves in another life. The reason why two bears were concerned in the destruction of the children be
its literal
out of
also they
they be good or
:
evil, especially
cause that
number
(4.)
Isa. xvii. 6.
"Yet
gleaning grapes shall be
left in it, as
the
shaking of an
bough,
olive-tree, two three berries in the top of the uppermost four five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith Jeho
Israel."
vah the God of 35*
The prophet here
treats of the vastation
e affec
tion or love of truth
from good
;
a city
is
the truth of doctrine
to
drink water,
is
is
to learn truths
to
wander from
one city to another,

:
to
no
inquiry concerning the different doctrines and to receive satisfaction, is to be unable to discover genuine truth in any of
make
them.
(6.)
See Ap. Ex. 532.

Zech.
seest
iv. 2, 3,
?
11, 12, 14.

I said, I
"And
the angel said unto me,
What
have looked, and behold, a candle stick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which were upon the top thereof: and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. Then I said unto
thou
him,
And
What are
these two olive-trees

left side
upon the
stick,
and upon the
thereof?
And
right side of the candle I again said unto him,

th<
two golden pipes be these two olive-branches which through Then said ? themselves oil out of the he, These are golden empty the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."
What
The golden
New
candlestick, with the seven lamps, etc., denotes the Church, which will be in illustration by virtue of truth derived
from the good of love. The two olive-trees, the two olive-branches, and the two golden pipes, denote the good of love to the Lord and of
charity to the neighbor, together with the truths derived therefrom the olive-tree on the right being love to the Lord and that on the
;
left,
charity to the neighbor
and
as these are wholly derived from
of his destruction, he issued an order that

children under his jurisdiction of two years old and under, should be immediately put to death. But the design of Herod being previously known to Infinite Wisdom, the new-born King of the
all the
Jews was by divine appointment removed to the land of Egypt, where he continued till the death of the tyrant. Thus the jealousy and cruelty of Herod on the one part, and the divine providence and protection on the other, are fully exemplified in the facts his But if the same transactions and circumstances torically described.
be viewed according to their spiritual purport,
that
it
will then be seen
when
the Lord
came
into the world, all spiritual truth, all inno
cence, charity and heavenly affection, represented by the children, were extinguished and destroyed in the church, as well as in the world at large for this is what was spiritually signified by Herod s
;
destroying the children of two years old and under. And as, not withstanding all the efforts of Herod, or the powers of darkness rep^
resented by him, the
young
child Jesus
was
still,
position, miraculously preserved, so
we
are instructed
by the divine interby this example
of a wise and merciful Providence, that a new church on earth was to be established by the Lord, now incarnate, who is himself the sole
tion.
Fountain of all spiritual truth, innocence, charity and heavenly affec Hence it is written in the prophecy of Jeremiah, in reference to this very event Thus saith Jehovah, voice was heard in Ra"
for the purpose of establishing his
church
and her reward
is
heavenly happiness.
By
the children
coming again from the land of the enemy to their own border, and by hope in the end, is signified the establishment of a new church in the room of that which had perished to come again from the land of the enemy, is to be led out of an infernal state hope in the end,
: :
denotes the
old
:
commencement of a new church

to their
at the expiration of the
and the return of the children
own
border,
is
the recep
tion of spiritual truths by those who shall become members of that new church. From this view of the subject, it appears that the num
predicated of the conjunction of truth with good, or of and that two years and under, being the age of the children destroyed, imply a want of conjunction in those things
ber two
is
faith with charity
which are constituent of a church, and their consequent extinction in the human mind. See Ap. Ex. 695. T. C. R. 205. Matt. x. 9, 10. "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass (8.)
in
your purses
the
shoes, nor yet staves
nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither for the workman is worthy of his meat.":
When
Lord
sent forth his twelve disciples to preach the

this
kingdom
instructing them that truth derived from and not to or cherish they ought any good possess themselves, but solely that which is derived from the Lord. By gold, silver, brass in the purse, and a scrip, are signified various
of God,
He
gave them
command, thereby
kinds of good and truth derived from
self,
and not from the Lord.
he two or three afterwards mentioned, all
who
are in truth derived from good. By two or three being gathered to gether is signified the conjunction of good and truth, or of charity and faith, in one mind and as all good and truth are derived from
:
may be considered as manifestations of his presence, it is therefore said of these two principles of the heavenly life, that the Lord is in the midst of them." See Ap. Ex. 411, 532.
"
the Lord, and
x. 35. "And on the morrow, when he (10.) departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come
:
;
Luke
again, I will repay
thee."-
among
thieves,
is
a description,
The whole parable of first, of those who
the
man who
fell
profess to be of
works of charity
fession, like the
the church, like the priest and Levite, and yet neglect to perform and, secondly, of those who make no such pro
;
Samaritan, and yet love the truth, and are desirous of helping and benefiting their neighbor to the utmost of their The man who had been stripped and wounded and nearly ability.
killed
by
thieves, represents all
such as had been deprived of truths
and
infested with false doctrines
by the
different teachers in the
Jewish or perverted church, so that their spiritual life was nearly extinguished. By the Samaritan s binding up his wounds, pouring
in oil and wine, setting him on his own beast, bringing him to an inn, and taking care of him, is signified an endeavor on the part of those
2B
bundance
cast in unto the offerings of
God
but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. In this passage the two mites evidently denote all things of
charity and faith in conjunction, and consequently in their fulness: for it is said of the poor widow, who made an offering of them, that
she gave more than all the rich See T. C. R. 459. the had.
(12.)
men had
given, even all the living thai
Apoc. xi. 3, 4. "And I will give power unto my two wit and nesses, they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three These are the two olive-trees and score days, clothed in sackcloth.
The the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."two witnesses here spoken of are the two essentials of the New Church
;
of heaven and earth, and that his Humanity is Divine; the second is, that conjunction with the Lord is effected by a life according to the precepts of the in sack decalogue and these two witnesses are said to be clothed and of love two essentials these heretofore because wisdom, cloth, great
the
first
of which
is,
that the
Lord
is
the
God
good and truth, charity and faith, have not been received and ac knowledged in the church. The same are also described as two olivetrees
and
tivo
two olive-trees being love
candlesticks standing before the God of the earth the and wisdom, and the tivo candlesticks being
;
The reason why the charity and faith, both derived from the Lord. two and two olive-trees called are two witnesses candlesticks, which
The
resurrection of the Lord.
f things not holy. A. C. 901.
A. R. 505.
A
state.
full state
of the church from beginning to end, also the last
A. C. 1825.
A new state after the end. A. C. 5123. The last and at the same time the first, or the end and
time the beginning.
at the
same
A. C. 4901.
third part, in like manner as the number three, denotes all, A. R. 322, 400, 541. Sometimes especially in reference to truth.
A. C. 2788, 5159. what is holy, and this by reason of the resurrection of the Lord on the third day it denotes also the coming of the Lord into the world, and to glory, likewise every coming of the Lord to man. A. C. 720, 728, 901, 2788.
is
what
not yet full and complete.
The
third day, like the seventh, involves
Triangular forms represent things true and right, as four-square forms represent things good and just, and round forms, things good in general, especially of the external man, or in the lowest degree. A. C. 8458, 9717, 9861. A. R. 905.
sdom
from Him hence by their sanctifying themselves, washing their clothes, and making ready against the third day, is evidently denoted a full
:
Him. With the Israelites who only were not a real church, this preparation and a church, represented consisted in putting on an extraordinary appearance of sanctity and purity in externals, while their internals were closed against the influ
state of preparation to receive
But with a member of the real church, it is effected by deep repentance and humiliation both of heart and life. See A. C. 8788 to 8793. Ex. xxiii. 14, 17; Deut. xvi. 16. "Tliree times thou shalt (3.)
ences of heaven.
keep a feast unto me in the year. males shall appear before the Lord
his spiritual enemies,
Jehovah."-
Three times in the year all thy Feasts in ancient
times were instituted in commemoration of
man
deliverance from
and
his consequent
effected
signified
itish
by the coming of the Lord worship from a cheerful and grateful
regeneration, which was into the world. They therefore

heart.
In the Israel-
church they were appointed to be held three times in a year, to denote the continual and perpetual worship of the Lord a year being three signifying what expressive of an entire period, and the number
;
is
full or complete from beginning to end, thus full and perfect deliverance from a state of damnation, and at the same time purifi-
d the implanta
good itself, when man no longer acts from a dictate of truth, but from the pure affection and delight of love, that is, of charity
tion of
This latter
is
the
new heavenly
life
communicated by the Lord
to
the previous process of regeneration. By every male appearing three times in the year before the Lord Jehovah, is signi fied the continual presence of the Lord with man in the truths of
this presence of the Lord is effected, in proportion as according to the precepts of divine truth, under the influ ence of love, charity and the good of innocence, these constituting
man through
faith
and
man
lives
the habitation of the
Lord
in the
human mind.
will
See A. C. 7093,
9286
to 9297.
(4.)
Hosea
vi. 2.
"After
two days
He
revive us, in the third
will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." The third in allusion to the coming of the Lord and his resurrection from day,
day
He
the dead, denotes an entire period from beginning to end, also the communication of spiritual life to man by regeneration, and at the same time a state of holiness, while the two preceding days denote a
previous state of impurity. Ex. 532.

(5.)
See A. C. 720, 2788, 4495, 5890.

"Thus
Ap.
Amos
i.
3, 6, 9,
11, 13.
saith Jehovah,
transgressions,
thereof."
and for
three
four, I will not turn
For tlvree away the punishment

so
By
and four transgressions are not meant
many
number, according to the natural or obvious signification of the terms, but by three is meant every transgression of the divine law from a principle of falsity, and by four every transgression from a
truth,
in
principle of evil. The number three, in a good sense, is predicated of and in an opposite sense, of what is false, in each case involving
is
an idea of what
four
is
full
predicated either of
and complete. In like manner the number what is good or of what is evil, and at the
truth, or of evil with
same time involves the conjunction of good with See Ap. Ex. 532. falsity.
(6.)
.
Zech.
"
xiii. 8, 9.
And
it
shall
come
to pass that in all the

off
saith Jehovah,
two parts therein shall be cut
and
die,
but
n of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees, Matt. xvi. 6, 11, 12,) which produces a kind of for spiritual fermentation in the mind, and is permitted to take place Of this nature are temptations, with the sake of man s purification.
out which
that the
regeneration cannot be advanced it is therefore said kingdom of heaven is like unto such leaven. By the three
:
man s
measures of meal are meant

erto received
all the principles

:
by man from
the Lord
of truth and good hith and by the woman s hiding the
leaven therein, until the whole was leavened, is signified that man s whole spiritual life is affected, renovated and purified, by means of See A. C. 7906. the various temptations through which he passes.
Ap. Ex. 532. Matt. xvi. 21. (8.)
"
From
that time forth began Jesus to show
unto his disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." The third day, especially in refer
ence to the Lord, signifies what is full and complete hence his res urrection on the third day denotes the perfect glorification of his
:
Humanity, or
its full
union with his Divinity,
all that is written
of
Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, having been accom See A. C. 2788, 4495. plished in and by Him. Luke xiii. 7. Then said He unto the dresser of his vine (9.)
in
"
Him
yard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground By the
:
?"
aved
and rebellious
race, without either internal or external
good, and
:
having nothing of the character of a true church among them on which account it is said of the tree, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground ? That the Jewish nation would also continue in this
" "
unfruitful state, even after their dispersion Christians, from whom they might receive
and intermixture among
much
useful instruction
concerning the Lord as the true Messiah, and concerning his spiritual kingdom, is foreseen and plainly described in the following verses,
where the vine-dresser says shall dig about it, and dung
"
Lord,
it
:
let it
if it
alone this year also,

fruit,
;
till
and
bear
and
if not,
it down." The English translators have inserted the word well after fruit, in order to complete the literal sense but in the original the passage is left in suspense, or in the form of an ellipsis, without any term expressive of a favorable result which very circumstance, in the internal sense, tacitly announces a prediction, that the Jewish nation, under the symbolical character of
then after that thou shalt cut
fig-tree,
would never produce
fruit,
that
is,
would never become a
true church, notwithstanding the opportunities afforded them of hear ing the gospel from Christians, in addition to their possessing the law
of Moses and the prophets.

to the
"Let
fig-tree,
The same is signified by the Lord s words when He found nothing thereon, but leaves only
:
grow on thee Jience/orward forever." Matt. xxi. 19; Mark xi. 13, 14. See Ap. Ex. 403. (10.) Apoc. xii. 4. "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth."By the tail of the dragon is signified the falsification and adulteration of the truths of the Word,
fruit
no
by those who reason in favor of a trinity of persons in the Godhead, and who teach that faith separate from charity is sufficient for salva tion. By the stars of heaven are meant the spiritual knowledges of good and truth derived from the Word. By drawing the third part of the stars of heaven, and casting them to the earth, is signified the perversion, extinction, and destruction of all those spiritual knowl edges or heavenly truths. See A. K. 541. Ap. Ex. 718 to 720.
compared, are meant from three such lusts. number denotes all, likewise The reasonings and thus when to unclean altogether spirits resem merely applied it denotes and mere from an evil bling frogs, reasoning disorderly
;
state of mind. (12.)
had
a
is
"
See A. R. 701, 702. Ap. Ex. 998 to 100. Apoc. xxi. 13. The wall of the holy city, New Jerusalem, on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south
three gates,
city, is
and on the west three meant the New Church
gates."
as to doctrine.
By the New Jerusalem as By the wall thereof

:
its literal sense, from which doctrine is derived a defence to a city and its inhabitants, so the literal sense of the Word is a defence to its spiritual or internal sense. By
meant the
Word in
is
for as a wall
the gates of the city is meant introduction into the New Church by means of the knowledges of truth and good derived from the
1
Word.
is
And by
signified that a full
there being three gates on each quarter of the city, and free entrance is granted to all who are in a
:
east
higher or lower degree of love and wisdom from the Lord for by the is signified the love and affection of good in a superior degree,
and by the west the same in an inferior degree by the south is sig nified wisdom and the affection of truth in a superior degree, and by
;
the north the

is
same in an inferior degree. The whole number of gates said to be twelve, because, like the number three, they are predi cated of truths from good, and involve what is full, complete and
universal.
See A. R. 899 to 901.
Besides the preceding examples,
many
others are to be found in
it of the trees planted in the land of Canaan should be accounted as uncircumcised for three years, Lev. xix. 23. That the
third year
was
to be the year of tithing, Deut. xxvi. 12.
That Joshua
the people to prepare themselves for passing over Jordan within three days, Josh. i. 11. That Jehovah called Samuel three
commanded
times that Samuel ran to Eli three times and that Eli perceived the third time, that Jehovah had called Samuel, 1 Sam. iii. 1 to 8. That three things were proposed to David, that he might choose one of them, viz., seven years of famine, three months flight before his
; ;
enemies, or three days pestilence in the land, 2 Sam. xxiv. 12, 13, That Elijah stretched himself upon the widow s child three times. 1 Kings xvii. 21. That Elijah ordered water to be poured on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood, three times, 1 Kings xviii. 33. That Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder, Isa. xx. 3. That Ezekiel was commanded to take a razor, to pass it over his head and his beard, to weigh and divide the hair, and to burn a third part with fire, to smite a third part with a knife, and to
scatter a third part in the wind, as a sign of judgments about to fall on Jerusalem, Ezek. v. 1, 2, 12. That Daniel, having the windows
of his chamber open towards Jerusalem, kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, Dan. vi. 10. That Daniel mourned three full weeks, Dan. x. 2, 3. That Jonah was in the belly of the fish
three three
days and three nights, as an emblem of the Son of days and

three nights in the heart of the earth,
Man
being
Jonah i. 17, Matt. xii. 40. That the man, who planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, sent servants to them three times, and afterwards his That Peter denied the Lord three times, Matt. son, Luke xx. 9 to 13. xxvi. 34, 69 to 75. That the Lord distinguished the times of his life into three, saying, Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected nevertheless I must walk to-day and to-morrow, and the day folloiving, Luke xiii. 32, 33. That the Lord three times said to Peter, Lovest thou me ? and that Peter was grieved thereat the third time, John
:
36*
e cross \vas written in three

languages, in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin, John xix. 20. That the Lord rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion,
being the
first
day of the week, Matt, Four.
xxviii. 1 to 7.
The number four belongs to the celestial class of expressions, being predicated of goods or evils, and denotes all good or evil in the com A. C. 10624. Ap. Ex. 430. plex.
It also signifies conjunction to the full, in like
two.
manner
as the
number
A. C. 8877, 9103, 9864.
All good, also the conjunction of good and truth.

348.
A. R. 322,
Union, as consisting of
pairs, in like
manner
as the
number
two,
when
A. C. 1686, 8872, 9601. Things conjoined, like good and truth. A. C. 6157. When considered in relation to five, by which are signified remains, then the number four denotes goods and truths not yet become re
it
regards marriage.
mains, that
is,
A fourth part,
R. 322.
not yet appropriated by man. A. C. 6157. as well as the number four, denotes all good.
A.
Anything quadrated, or four-square, denotes what is just, or what bears an equal respect to the different states of good and truth. In
general, round forms represent things good four-square forms, things and linear or tri just, that is, things good in the external man
; ;
angular forms, things true and right, also in the external man. A. C. 8458, 9717, 9861. A. R. 905. The four quarters or corners of the world, called the east, the south,
the west, and the north
;
the four winds
the four seasons of the

;
year, called spring, summer, autumn, and winter and the four times of the day, called morning, mid-day, evening, and night signify all
;
states of
good and truth
good in
its
the east, spring and morning, denoting rising, also superior or interior degrees of love from the
;
53.
D. Love, 121.
A. R. 342, 343.
EXAMPLES.
And there went out the king of Sodom, and 8, 9. (1.) the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, (the same is Zoar,) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim with Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and of
Gen. xiv.
"
Amraphel king
Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar four kings with five." By the five kings first mentioned are signified evils and falsities in gen eral, together with the lusts and persuasions thence and
:
arising
by
the four kings, against whom they fought, are meant truths and goods in the external man, which before regeneration are only apparent
and goods. The number four, as applied to these last kings, denotes union or conjunction, in like manner as the number two : while the number five, as applied to the former kings, denotes dis union. The whole history of Abraham being a description of the process of man s regeneration, and of the Lord s glorification while on earth, the particulars contained in this chapter concerning the battle of the four kings against five, the victory of the former over the latter, their capture of Lot, and his recovery by Abram, are to
truths
be understood, spiritually, as follows. The five kings, as already ob served, denote evils and falsities belonging to the natural or external
is represented by Lot dwelling in Sodom: the four kings are apparent truths and goods, by means of which gross evils and falsities are overcome or removed in the first stage of man s
man, who
regen
Lord in his childhood conducted the But Abram, who is the interior early process of his glorification. rational man, being informed that Lot is captured by the four kings,
eration, also the
and by which
that
is,
perceiving that the external
man
is
as yet
under the influence
and dominion of such truths and goods
as are
merely apparent and
not genuine, hastens to the relief of his brother Lot, in other words, purifies the external man, dissipates not only the evils and falsities
and keep
my commandments."-
By vis
;
not meant that the iting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, is children shall suffer the punishment due to the crimes of the parents but for this is expressly contrary to the divine law, Deut. xxiv. 16
;
that evil
is transmitted hereditarily from one generation to another, and that without repentance it successively increases. In the true understood spiritual sense, the term thirds, usually but not necessarily
of children of the third generation, denotes falsities in a state of ful

ness
from beginning to end, consequently in a long continued series and the term fourths, usually but not necessarily understood of chil
dren of the fourth generation, denotes
a long
series.
falsities conjoined with evils in the visiting iniquity of the fathers upon the is and thirds the sons, upon fourths, signified the prolification of the This is said to be the false principle from evil, and that continually.
Hence by
case with those
who
hate Jehovah, that
is,
who wholly deny

:
the di
vinity of the Lord and give themselves up to an evil life whereas of those who love Jehovah, or who worship the Lord, and live in
conformity to his commandments, it is said that He showeth mercy unto thousands, in other words, that He perpetually communicates
to them,
by an
influx of good
life
and truth from

thou shalt
himself, the blessings
of heaven and eternal

(3.)
See A. C. 8875 to 8881.

"And
Ex. xxvii.
1, 2, 4.
make an
:
altar of shit-
tim-wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad the altar shall be And thou four-square, and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
shalt
make
the horns of
it
upon the four corners thereof:

it
:
his horns
shall be of the
same
and thou shalt overlay
with brass.
And
thou shalt
net shalt
make for it a grate of net-work of brass and upon the thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof."
:
the altar was represented the Lord as to divine love, also worship directed to Him from pure love by shittim-wood, of which it was to be made, is signified the good of merit and justice of the
By
for wood in general signifies good, and shittim-wood, being an excellent kind of cedar, signifies spiritual good and in reference to
Lord
that the degrees of good must be full has respect to the degrees of good, and three cubits to their fulness. By the horns upon the four corners of the altar is signified the power of truth derived from good in every way horns denote power, four denote conjunction, and corners de note firmness and strength hence by horns on the four corners is
cubits, to denote
:
and complete
for height
signified
power
in every
way and
direction.
By
:
rings on the four corners of the net-work of brass,
the four brazen is signified the
sphere of good, by which conjunction is effected the net-work de notes the extreme or outermost principles of life corresponding to the interior the rings denote the sphere of divine good their number
:
four, conjunction and their quality brass, natural good, or good in the external. From all \vhich and other particulars, when spirit ually understood, it plainly appears that the altar of burnt-offering
;
with
various appendages, was built for the purpose of represent which is that of the heart, the understanding and the life. See A. C. 9714 to 9729.
its
ing, in visible forms, the true worship of the Lord,
(4.)
Ex.
xxviii. 16.
"
span shall be the length thereof,

of."-
Four-square it shall be, being doubled a and a span shall be the breadth there
;
By the breast-plate of judgment is signified the divine truth shining forth from the divine good in an external or visible form. It was called the breast-plate of judgment, because thereby responses were given from heaven, and divine truth was revealed. By its
form being four-square, when doubled, is signified what is just and perfect the term four-square denoting what is just, as being derived from the Lord \vho is the Fountain of justice and the term doubled,
;
like the
implying perfection, conjunction and fulness. There were in the breast-plate four rows of precious stones, two on the right side and two on the left those on the right represented things
two,
:
number
things spiritual while their inclosure in one square represented the perfect conjunction of good and truth, as proceeding from the Lord, both generally and particularly. See A. C. 9857 to 9874.
celestial,
left
;
and those on the
njunction the eastern and southern quarters denoting good and truth in the highest or most perfect state and the western and north ern quarters, good and truth in a lower and more obscure state. The
;
same
also by the is signified by the four winds in Matt. xxiv. 31 in of the earth corners from the winds Apoc. vii. four blowing four 1 and in various other passages. See Ap. Ex. 417, 418, 665. A. R.
; ;
342, 343.
Daniel spake, and said, I saw in my vision Dan. vii. 2, 3. by night, and behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one great sea. from another." By the four winds are here signified falsities con with evils by winds falsities from evils, and by four their joined
"
(6.)
The subject treated of in this passage being different conjunction. from that in the prophet Ezekiel above adduced, the signification of the four winds accordingly changes to an opposite sense, as is usual
in the
Word and instead of denoting an influx from heaven for the regeneration of man, they here announce an influx from hell gener It therefore follows ating evils and falsities of every description.
:
that jour great beasts immediately came up from the sea, by which are signified all kinds of evil and false principles in conjunction, originating in the love of dominion, and after successive accumula
tions at length destroying the
whole church.
"
On
this
account the
described as being dreadful and terrible, ex ceedingly strong, devouring the whole earth, treading it down, and breaking it in pieces," ver. 7, 23. See Ap. Ex. 418, 556, 650.
fourth or last beast
is
(7.)
Zech.
i.
18 to 21.
"
Then
I lifted
up mine
eyes,
and saw,
And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem. And Jehovah showed me four smiths. Then said I, What come these to do ? And
and behold, four horns.
he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah. so that no man did lift up his head but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the gentiles, which lift up their horn over
:
e
iron on which they work, namely, truth in the ultimates, which powerful and strong, consequently the same as a horn of iron. It
is
is
therefore said of them,

gentiles,
"
"
These are come to cast out the horns of the
which
lift
up
their
horn over the land of Judah
to scatter
the horns of the gentiles are the falsities of evil, which have As the four horns which scat vastated and destroyed the church.
it
:
and Jerusalem, do, on the one part, signify the of false principles when in conjunction with evil so the four power smiths do, on the other part, signify the power of truth when in con
tered Judah, Israel
;
junction with good

restored.
(8.)
and
"
it
is
by
this
power that the church
is
See Ap. Ex. 316.

vi. 1 to 5.
And I turned and lifted up mine eyes and and behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses, and in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot grizzled robust horses. Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord ? And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth
Zech.
looked,
The subject all the earth." treated of in this passage is the propagation of the church among those who as yet are not in the light of divine truth, because they Four chariots are first seen are not yet in possession of the Word.
from standing before the Lord of
to
come out from between two mountains, by w hich are signified the and their number doctrinals of good chariots denote doctrinals being four, denotes the conjunction of good and truth therein a mountain denotes love, consequently two mountains denote the two kinds of love, which constitute the essentials of the church, viz., love to the Lord and love to our neighbor, these being the true principles of all union and conjunction and the mountains are said to be of brass, because brass denotes external or natural good, which is first manifested at the commencement of a church. By the red, black, white and grizzled robust horses, are understood the various qualities
r
:
nd by their being called also robust or strong horses is denoted the quality of the understanding with respect to its power of These horses and chariots are called the resisting falsities and evils.
four spirits (or four winds) of the heavens, to denote the influx of divine good and divine truth into the church, in all its fulness and power of conjunction: and they are said to go forth from standing
before the Lord of the whole earth, to denote that such influx pro In the ceeds solely from the Lord, who is the God of the church. horses went forth into black it that the is stated succeeding verses,
the north country, and that the white followed after them, in conse quence of which the spirit of Jehovah was quieted by which is signified, that the understanding of divine truth was at first obscure,
;
but afterwards more clear and perfect, with those who had heretofore been in ignorance, and thus conjunction was effected between the
Lord and
his church.
The north country denotes a
state of ignorance
and obscurity. By the grizzled horses going forth towards the south country, and the robust horses walking to and fro through the earth,
is
signified that they
who from
the good of
life
are in the affection or
knowing the truths of the church, at length come into genuine spiritual light, and have the power of resisting evils and falsities, and thereby become the true church of the Lord. The south
desire of
divine truth.
(9.)
country denotes a state of intelligence, or the clear perception of See A. C. 3708. Ap. Ex. 355, 364, 418.
Matt. xiv. 25.
"And
in the fourth
sea."-
watch of the night Jesus

the sea are here signi
went unto them, walking on the

fied
By
the ultimate or lowest principles of heaven and the church. By the Lord s walking upon the sea, is signified his presence in those
principles, and an influx of life from Him into such as are still in externals, enabling them to keep in subjection the disorderly and turbulent affections of the natural man. But as it too often happens
that
man
s faith in
is
the
Lord
is
weak and wavering,
therefore this
state of
mind
also represented in the succeeding verses
by Peter
beginning
to sink
through
fear,
while he was walking on the water
nt to man.
(10.)
See Ap. Ex. 514.
-yet four months, and Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes. and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest." By the harvest are signified all things conducive to man s spiritual iv.
"Say
John
35.
not ye, There are
then cometh harvest
nourishment, namely, truths of doctrine and goods. of life, the full implantation of which in him, together with their approaching con junction by regeneration, is denoted by four months yet to come.
which signify the church, are said to be white to har truths of faith derived from charity are pure and gen the understanding and affections are under the in fluence of heavenly light and heat. See Ap. Ex. 911.
fields
The
when the uine, or when

vest
(11.) Apoc. iv. 6. "And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind/ By the throne is meant the universal heaven in which the Lord
present by his Word. By the four beasts which were seen in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, is signified the Word with respect to first and last principles, or with respect to divine
is
love and divine wisdom in union. They are said to be full of eyes before and behind, to denote not only the divine wisdom contained both internally and externally in the Word, but also the divine care,
circumspection and providence,
lest
the interior heavens should be
approached in any other spirit than that of the good of love and These four beasts are the same as the four animals, living charity.
creatures, or cherubim, mentioned in the first and tenth chapters of Ezekiel, having the faces of a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle .by each of which is signified something properly characteristic of the
;
is meant the divine truth of the power by the ox or calf, the same as to affec tion by the man, the same as to wisdom and by the eagle, the same again as to knowledges whereby the understanding is formed See A. E. 239 to 246. Ap. Ex. 277 to 281.
;
Word Word
;
as for
example, by the lion

;
in respect to its
(12.) 37
Apoc. xxi.
16.
"And
the city lieth four-square, and the
2C
n the
New Church
constitute one, like essence
and
its
form.
nify
In general it may what is just and good, and triangular forms what is right and See A. R. 905, 906. true, each in the external or lowest degree.
Five.
be observed, that quadrangular forms sig
When
the
number
five
much, it then denotes a Ex. 548.
little
has relation to such numbers as signify A. C. 649, 798, 5291. Ap. or a few.
It also signifies disunion,
because a
little.
A. C. 1686.
Any thing small, or a short time. Likewise much, as well as a little, and something, according to A. C. 5291 fully illustrated, the nature of the subject treated of.
:
A. R. 427.
5708, 5956.
Ap. Ex. 430. The same as 10, 100, and 1000,
viz.,
much,
all,
what
is
is full,
and
in
the supreme sense, in reference to the Lord, what
infinite.
A. C.
9716.
Remains, but not in so A. C. 5291, 5894.
full
a degree as the number ten implies.
What
is
As much
equal of good and truth. A. C. 9716. A. C. 9689. as is sufficient or necessary.
All the remainder.
A. R. 738.
A. C.
When contrasted with four, denotes disunion. A. C. 1686. All of one part, when ten denotes all of good and truth.
9604, 9665.
When
ficient,
ten signifies all,
then the half of that number, or five,

then five
;
signifies
is
some; when ten

or
signifies fulness,
is
signifies as
much
as
suf
five
A
etc.
then correspondent and when ten signifies much, A. C. 10255. signifies something. number five, signifies remains, fifth part, in like manner as the
what
A. C. 6156.
is,
that quintate signifies the same as to decimate, to also and to or collect truths, preserve. mains, goods
To
to
make
re
A. C. 5291.
for the
design of regeneration being to unite the internal and the external of man, that process is described in this chapter and Benjamin rep
;
resents the
medium
life.
or degrees of
signified that
or point of conjunction between those two states By the changes of raiment given to each man, is
new
:
on
this occasion
for
truths were communicated to the natural principle raiment denotes truths, and a change of them
new
more holy than the former, in consequence And by Benjamin s receiving a conjunction with good. greater portion than the rest, viz., three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment, is signified, that the medium itself of con
truths, or such as are
of their
junction, as being nearer the source of internal good represented by and as is more fully receptive of truth from such good having also an immediate influence or power over truths in the natural
Joseph,
principle, represented
by
his ten brethren,
is
gifted at the
same time
with an abundance of truth from that principle now in a state of re Three hundred pieces of silver denote fulness of truth generation.
which
three hundred, like three, from a hundred, denotes fulness, and with by multiplication a hundred much. Five changes of raiment also denote much, or an
derived from good

it
for the
number
arises
abundance of truths from the natural or external principle. See A. C. 5822, 5954 to 5956. Ex. xxii. 1. a man shall steal an ox or a sheep, and (2.) kill it, or sell it he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep." By an ox is signified the affection of good in the exterior man, or exterior good and by a sheep, the affection of good
"If
; ;
in the interior
man, or
interior good.
;
to deprive another of such goods

;
tinguish them and by selling that they are no longer in one s possession. The correspondent pun ishment and restitution for the commission of such evils, are signified
By stealing them is signified by killing them is signified to ex them is signified to alienate them, so
by the law which enjoins that
five
oxen shall be restored
for
an
ox^
ll,
that
is,
this
good constitutes the spiritual
life
of
man
and
unless spiritual life be restored to the full, exterior good which con for this latter life is stitutes the natural life, cannot be restored
;
restored by the former, just as the external man is regenerated by the internal. But exterior good, or good in the natural principle, cannot
be restored
to the full,
because the stroke or wound inflicted upon

:
it
by
evil of life,
to
"a
restored
remains as a perpetual scar nevertheless it may be great degree, or to a degree sufficient to make it harmonize
with interior good in the spiritual principle. That these circumstances belonging to man s spiritual life might be expressed in language con
sistent
ences,
with the rest of divine revelation, that is to say, by correspond was therefore laid down as a law in the Jewish representative church, that five oxen should be restored as the penalty for one ox,
it
and four sheep
as the penalty for one sheep, that should be either
stolen, killed, or sold.
On any other ground of interpretation than the spiritual one here given, what reason can be assigned why five oxen, and only four sheep, should be restored ? especially when it is
considered, that the value of a single ox far exceeds that of a sheep, and consequently that the penalty of five oxen must press much more
heavily on the ability of the criminal to make restitution, than the penalty of four sheep, though the guilt in each case is the same ? This difficulty or apparent inequality in the divine law, which arises
letter only when separated from its spiritual sense, is how ever not merely removed by a knowledge of the science of correspond ences, and of the spiritual signification of numbers, according to which
from the
and every other part of the Word is written, but is absolutely converted into a beauty because the whole passage is now seen to be
this
;
a manifest proof of the divine goodness, wisdom and justice, and no longer detains the mind with images drawn in shadow, but displays
to
truth.
an enlightened understanding all the brilliancy and perfection of See A. C. 9098 to 9103. Ap. Ex. 548. Lev. xxvi. 8. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and (3.) a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight."When the
"
The same explanation

ten thousand.
(4.)
e evils and falsities during the process of regeneration. will apply to a hundred, when contrasted with
See A. R. 427.
18.
"In
Ap. Ex. 548.

:
that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah of hosts each one shall be called the city of the sun."By this passage is
Isa. xix.
signified, that at the
coming of the Lord
into the world,
many
of the
gentiles who, in consequence of their ignorance of the
Word, were
but natural men, would, on hearing the gospel preached to them, be spiritual men, embrace the genuine doctrine of the church, and worship the Lord from a principle of pure love and charity. The
come
in that day," is the coming of the period alluded to by the words, Lord, when the state of those who are in natural or external scien"
tifics,
will
Word.
Five
be changed by their reception of the divine truths of the cities in the land of Egypt, speaking the language of
:
Canaan, denote the genuine truths of the doctrine of the church com municated to, and received by them in abundance five denotes many,
or in
abundance
cities
denote the truths of doctrine

confession of the
the language
:
or lip of
Canaan denotes the genuine

is
doctrinals of the church
to
swear to Jehovah,
each one being called the city of the sun, signifies that the doctrine, even in its ex ternal form, will be that of love and charity from a spiritual origin,
to
:
make
Lord
and
will shine
with heavenly
light, as
with the radiance of the sun.

"
translators of the English Bible appear to have mistaken the sense of the last clause in the verse, and have rendered it thus One
:
The
shall be called the city of
destruction." But the context, as well as the original expression (ir hacheres), which is literally the city of the a blessing, and not a sun, plainly implies something good, not evil
curse
as the result of the
Lord s advent, and the establishment of
a new church among the gentiles. See Ap. Ex. 223, 391, 548, 654. Matt. xxv. 1, 2. "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be (5.) likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were 37*
er
for as the
by the
number of each class cannot be supposed to be determined precise number expressed, it is plain that by five are meant
all
some, or some part of the whole, and indeed whether it be that of wisdom or of folly.
nified
of a similar character, By their lamps are sig
the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, also the and of faith. By oil is signified the good of love and charity: and by the bridegroom is understood the Lord. All
truths of doctrine
the virgins had lamps, by which possession of knowledges from the
is
understood, that
all
were in the
Word.
But some of them had no
oil in their vessels with their lamps ; that is to say, they were desti tute of the good of love in their hearts, though possessed of light in hence the latter are called foolish virgins, their understanding
:
while the former are called wise.

evident, that the
From
this
parable therefore
it is
number
ten signifies all the professing
members of
the church in general, and that the number five signifies some, or a See Ap. Ex. 252, 548, 675. certain part of them.
The kingdom of heaven is as a man Matt. xxv. 14, 15. travelling into a far country, who called his own servants and deliv
"
(6.)
And unto one he gave five talents, to ered unto them his goods. another two, and to another one, to every man according to his several By the man travelling ability, and straightway took his journey."into a far country
is
meant the Lord, who, since

to
from the world, appears

so
;
be absent, or
is
though in reality
in the flesh
;
He
his personal departure generally thought to be equally present with men, as He was
is
so, for being now in a body altogether Divine, and bearing no relation whatever to either time or space, He is omnipresent. By his servants are signified all mankind, but
when
nay, more
to the church. By delivering unto them to all, though in differ He that communicates signified ent degrees, according to their capacity of reception, the knowledges of good and truth, which constitute the wealth of heaven ; to those
especially those
his goods,
is
who belong
who
are of the church in a direct
manner by
his
viz., to gentiles
who
are out of the church, in an indirect
Word, and to others, manner by
irst received, he at length acquired much wisdom for as the num ber Jive denotes somewhat, or a few, so the number ten denotes much, or all each number being predicated of remains, which consist of
:
the various knowledges of truth and good, together with affections for the same, received from the Lord and treasured up in the mind
from infancy.
all
By
the servant
who
received two talents, are signified

;
such as in advanced or mature age have adjoined charity to faith the number two here, as in other parts of the Word, denoting con
all
junction. By the servant, who received only one talent, are signified those who admitted into their minds faith separate from charity. These are said to hide their lord s money in the earth, when their
knowledge of heavenly things is confined to the memory, without application to the life, and when at the same time they give them From the preceding selves up to earthly and sensual pleasures.
explanation it may be seen, that the number of talents given to the different servants by their lord, as Jive, two, and one, have reference
not merely to the original gift, but likewise- to the use afterwards made of the gift by the receivers. To the servant who is said to have
received only one talent, by which is understood faith alone, the offer of charity in conjunction with faith is ever made by his lord, as well as to him who is said to have received tivo talents but in the one
:
mere knowledge is received, and charity rejected, while in the other case both faith and charity are received and conjoined by actual life. And hence by the application of different numbers to
case faith or
received by different persons, according to their true spiritual signification, we are enabled to discover what is the kind of life, which will hereafter meet with the divine approbation, and what
the talents
which will inevitably prove our Ex. 193, 675. Ap.

that,
(7.)
ruin.
See A. C. 2967, 5291.
Mark
vi.
38 to 44.
see.
have ye? go and

fishes.
He And when
"
saith unto them, How many loaves they knew, they say, Five, and two
upon the green
And He commanded them to make all sit down by companies And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and grass.
fied the communication of good and truth to the members of his church, according to their capacity of reception, which as yet
was but
little. Loaves denote goods and their number being five, denotes that as yet they were but few, because the church was then only in its commencement among men of an external character.
;
is
Fishes denote natural truths, or those truths which the natural man first receptive of; and their number being two, denotes that still
there was a principle of good in conjunction with the truth received by the people. By their sitting down on the green grass in ranks of
hundreds and
things in the
fifties, is
signified the disposition or
arrangement of
:
all
newly-formed church according

first
fifties
to divine order
life
green
:
grass denotes the
or lowest state of spiritual
in
man
and
ranks of hundreds and
denote orderly arrangement according
By their eating, and being filled, understood spiritual nourishment or instruction as they could bear it. By twelve baskets full of fragments and of fishes remaining, are signified the knowledges of good and truth proceeding from the Lord
to the various states of reception.
is
iii
all
abundance and
all
fulness, consequently full instruction
and
full
blessing.
The number
denotes
of men, who did eat being five thousand, of the church who are in truths derived from good men
:
denote those who are in truths
and women and children, mentioned
by the Evangelist Matthew (xiv. 21), denote those who are in goods. This miracle was wrought by the Lord in a similar manner to that
of the production of
manna
in the wilderness,
namely, by the extraor
dinary and sudden conversion of
spiritual food into natural food, the multitude who were present not being at all aware of the circum stance during the time of their repast, but astonished beyond measure
description the
when they came to reflect upon it afterwards. By miracles of Lord has made it fully manifest that He is both
Creator and Preserver of man.
017.
(8.)
this
the
See A. C. 5291.
Ap. Ex. 430, 548,
Luke
xii. 6.
is
and not one of them
not Jive sparrows sold for two farthings, Five sparrows here forgotten before God?"
"Are
h as sparrows, etc., and external or such as a of character, represent thoughts trifling occupy the lower region of the mind. Hence the Lord, when speak ing of his divine providence over everything relating to man, assures
w ell as the greatest things in and about This is expressed are under his immediate notice and regard. as usual by such objects in nature as correspond to, and are significa
his disciples, that the least as
r
Him
tive of, those things in
man which are of the lowest consideration, are said not to be forgotten by God, and in which namely, sparrows, ver. 7, the very hairs of the head, which are said to be all numbered.
See A. C. 5096, 5149.
A. R. 757, 837.
"
Ap. Ex. 453, 548.
T. C.
R. 42.
(9.)
Luke
xii.
52.
From
henceforth there shall be five in one

three."-
house divided, three against two and two against nification of the number jive varies according to
The
sig
its
relation to other
numbers: thus when

it
preceded or followed by ten, twenty, or but when pre higher numbers, signifies some, a few, or a little ceded or followed by lower numbers, as two and three, it then signi
it is
;
fies all
or
all
many.
or
meant
many
In the present passage, by five in one house are in the church at large, or all or many things in
one individual mind.
By
their being divided, three against two
and
two against three, and evils to truths

goods to
falsities
:
is
;
signified that truths will be opposed to evils, also that falsities will be opposed to goods, and
for
such
is
the double signification of the numbers
three and two, three being predicated either of truths or falsities, and two either of goods or evils. This opposition, which is expressive of a state of temptation into which the members of- the church are per mitted to fall when the Lord comes to establish his church among
men,
for
is
hereby
the means whereby the process of regeneration is effected; man is led to see and acknowledge the impurities and
corruptions of his nature, and seeing them, to renounce, resist and overcome them by the aid of divine truth and good received from the Lord. It is in reference to this state of trial and spiritual temp
tation, that the
Lord says
in ver. 51, "Suppose
ye that
am come
to
the world giveth, give I unto you," John xiv. 27 thus proving him self to be what the prophet of old declared He would be, "the Prince
;
of
peace,"
Isa. ix. 6.
See A. C. 4843, 5023, 5291.

certain
Ap. Ex. 504,

a great supper,
532, 548, 724.

(10.)
Luke
xiv.
16 to 20.
"A
man made
and bade many.
with one consent began to make ex they The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and cuse. And I pray thee have me excused. I must needs go and see it
And
all
another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have mar
:
ried a wife, to
and therefore I cannot come."By the great supper which many were invited, is signified heaven and the church, where spiritual nourishment or instruction is communicated by the Lord to man. It is called a supper or evening repast, in reference to the end of a former church and the commencement of a new one. The persons invited were the Jews, who yet excused themselves from attending the supper, urging reasons which were all grounded in the love of external, worldly and corporeal things, separate from those
of an internal and heavenly nature. By the first stating that he had bought a piece of ground and must needs go and see it, is signi fied that he had procured to himself such religious principles as were
would congenial with his love, and that his attention and thoughts henceforth be directed to them in preference to any other a piece or a field, being that which is fitted to receive seeds, de of
:
ground
notes in the genuine sense a state of spiritual good in the mind quali in the opposite fying it for the reception of heavenly truths but
;
sense, a state of evil in the

:
mind which
will
admit only of
falsities
or gross errors and the desire of going to see it, implies that the in con powers of the understanding would be willingly employed
By the second excusing himself on the which he was de his of bought five yoke of oxen, having ground sirous of proving, is signified that all his natural affections, lusts and were too dear pleasures arising from his intercourse with the world,
firmation of the same.
falsities arising from self-love and the love of the world, were so united or conjoined in him, as in a kind of infernal marriage, and had likewise gained such an ascendancy over him, that all his affec
tions
to
were already engaged, and consequently that he had no desire change his life marriage in a good sense denotes the conjunction of goods and truths, but in an opposite sense, as here, the conjunction
:
of evils and
falsities.
See A. C. 5291.
"
Ap. Ex. 252, 548, 1162.
H.
&
H.
377.
(11.)
Luke
;
xvi. 27, 28.
The
rich
man
;
in hell said unto
Abra
to
ham, I pray
father s house
thee, father, that thou wouldst send

for I
Lazarus
my
unto
have
five
brethren
that he
may
testify
they also come into this place of torment."By the meant the Jews, who are said to be rich, because they were in possession of the Word, or the divine truths of revelation
them,
rich
lest
man
are
which constitute the riches of heaven

gentiles,
by Lazarus are meant the
who are said to be poor because they were then destitute of the Word: and by Abraham in whose bosom Lazarus was seen, is Hence by the five brethren of the rich man are signified the Lord. The signified all of a similar quality and description with himself.
torment which he experienced in
hell,
did not consist in any pain or
fire, as is generally sup be injured or tormented by such fire. Neither did his prayer to Abraham spring from any love or kindness to his brethren, who were still in the body for an infernal
punishment
;
inflicted
upon him by natural
posed
for a spirit cannot possibly
spirit is
foe.
not susceptible of affection or tenderness to either friend or But by the pain or torment of which he complained, is signi
fied the restraint
rienced, in
he was under, and the pungent distress he expe no longer having the opportunity of perverting the divine
truths of the
thereby
Word, and consequently of doing mischief to others being the chief delight of every infernal spirit to infest the good, and if possible to destroy them without mercy which de light, on being prohibited from rushing into action, is converted into
;
it
wretchedness and unspeakable misery.
The ardent
desire on the
is ardent desire and lust of perverting such truth, with To cool the tongue, is to assuage the the punishment annexed to it. but thirst or desire of perverting truth by indulging the inclination
:
he therefore complained that he was tormented by the flame, that is, by the lust within him, which is And the only reason why he ex described as a burning flame.
as he
was denied
this gratification,
pressed a desire that his five brethren might not

state of
come
into a similar
torment with himself, was, that, if he could not by his own malicious exertions accomplish the above purpose, he hoped that all
others
in spirit like himself, might, while they had the op continue to act as he had done, that is, pervert the portunity, divine truths of the Word with a view to the destruction and final
still
who were
See A. R. 282, 725. Ap. Ex. 455, 548. Apoc. ix. 5. "And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months."By the locusts which came forth out of the smoke, that ascended from the bottomless pit, mentioned in the preceding verses, are sig
ruin of the innocent.
(12.)
nified the ultimate or sensual principles in
man, which receive the
influx of infernal falsities.
By
their being
commanded not
to hurt
the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads, is signi fied the divine providence of the Lord in preserving the literal or external sense of the
destroyed, at the
Word from being openly denied, and thereby end of the church, though the true sense of it is perverted by those who are not in truths derived from good the grass of the earth is scientific truth grounded in the literal sense of
:
the
Word
trees are the
the green thing is the good of faith, or the life thereof: knowledges or perceptions of truth and good and the
:
men, who have not the

are not
to kill
i_.
seal of
God
in their foreheads, are those
who
truths derived from good.
By
their not being permitted

five
such men, but only to torment them
months,
is
is
signified
that the faculty or capacity of understanding choosing what is good, is not absolutely taken
what
true and of
away from them, but
d
stupor and
to
torment them
five
months,
is
to induce a degree of
insensibility as to the understanding of truth for a short time, or so long as they are in the state above described for a month,
;
like all other times,
is
something, a
548.
little,
expressive of state, and the number five denotes a short time, and consequently so long as the
state alluded to continues.
See A. R. 424 to 427.

Six.
Ap. Ex. 543
to
of expressions, being predicated of truths or falsities, and denotes all truth or falsity in the complex. A. C. 10624. A. R. 322. Ap. Ex. 194, 430, 532. It also signifies all things of truth from good. A. C. 9555.
six belongs to the spiritual class
The number
number
All things of faith and charity, or of truth and good, like the twelve A. C. 3960, 7973. A. R. 245. All states of labor, combat and temptation before rest and peace
arising from the conjunction of good
and
truth.
A. C. 737, 1903
4178, 8494, 8975, 10360. Man s proprium. A. R. 519.
and
First states of instruction and regeneration, when man is led by truth to good. A. C. 9272, 10667, 10729.
is
in
combat,
tion.
All states of labor, combat and temptation preceding A. C. 6 to 13, 737, 900, illustrated.
full
regenera
dispersion of what is false in temptations, also the holy princi A. C. 737. ple of faith which is implied in temptations.
The
Preparation for celestial marriage. A. C. 10637. Reception of truth before conjunction with good.
A. C. 8506.
The end of a preceding
state.
A. C. 8421.
complete from the beginning to the end. A. R. 489. the former church, and commencement of the new. A. C. 9741.
is
What
The end of
When
the
number
six
sidered as the half of one,
holy principle of faith

38
has relation to twelve, or to three, being con and double the other, it then signifies the because twelve signifies all things belonging
om beginning
to end.
A. R. 610.
A. C. 8421.
EXAMPLES.
(1.)
Gen.
i.
31.
"And
God saw
and behold,
were the
it
was very good.

day."-
And
every thing that He had made, the evening and the morning
By the six days of creation are meant all combat and temptation during the process of man s regeneration, until, by repeated advances from lower to higher degrees of the spiritual life called evening and morning, he enters into a state of heavenly rest and peace, signified by the seventh day.
sixth
states of labor,
And as this cannot be effected by any power belonging to man, but only by a divine agency operating through the medium of truth received into the understanding and affections, it is therefore said
that
God
created, that
is
his labor.
states
Thus the
sixth
regenerated man, and then ceased from all day denotes the completion or end of the
above described, whereby
man
first
becomes an image, and

states or stages are
afterwards a likeness of the Lord.
The former
declared to be good, but this last very good, by reason of the end which is now attained, namely, the conjunction of good and truth,
or the heavenly marriage.
)
See A. C. 6 to 13, 60 to 63.

;
Six days ye shall gather it (manna) but on (2. the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none."By manna is signified the good which is acquired by means of truth,
xvi. 26.
"
Ex.
or by living according to the dictates of truth. By the Israelites gathering manna six days, but not on the seventh, is signified that such good may, according to divine order, be acquired in states of labor, combat and temptation, or before the actual conjunction of
truth with good takes place, but not afterwards six days denote states of labor, combat and temptation, during which truth leads or introduces to good the seventh day denotes the conjunction of good
:
:
and
truth, consequently a state of rest
and tranquillity when man
is
to return to the
"
former
on which account the Lord
In that day, he who shall be on the house-top, says in the Gospel, (in the principle of good,) and his vessels (or truths) in the house, let him not come down to take them away and he that is in the field,
:
(in the good acquired by truth,) let
him
likewise not return back.
Remember Lot s
(3.)
wife,"
Luke
xvii. 31, 32.
See A. C. 8462 to 8510.
Ex. xx. 9 to
11.
"Six
work.
it
But the seventh day
is
days sjialt thou labor, and do all thy the sabbath of Jehovah thy God in
:
thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stran ger that is within thy gates. For in six days Jehovah made heaven
and earth, the

:
sea,
and
all that in
them
is,
and rested the seventh

it."
day wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath-day, and hallowed By the six days of labor are signified the various states of com
bat,
which precede and prepare for the celestial marriage, or the con The seventh day denotes that junction of good and truth in man. or with all the felicities arising from it, holy marriage conjunction,
and
s Divinity and his the son, daughter, man-servant, maid-servant, cattle and stranger ceasing from labor, is signified that all things be longing to the internal and external man ought to partake of that rest and peace which is represented and typified by the seventh day.
in the
supreme sense the union of the Lord
Divine Humanity.
By
And by the heaven, the earth, the sea and all that is in them, which Jehovah made, are signified in general those internal and external principles of spiritual and celestial life, which man receives by regen eration from the Lord. See A. C. 8888 to 8895. Ex. xxi. 2. If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he (4.) shall serve and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."
"
Hebrew servant are church who are in the truths of
By
signified
all
those
members of the
doctrine, but not in the good of life with such and truths, corresponding abstractly the truths themselves:
hence
to buy a Hebrew servant, is to procure those truths. They are called servants, because the truth which they profess is itself a
or nothing in the seventh, year, is signified a state of con firmed truth without any labor of his own. The seventh year in general bears the same signification as the seventh day or sabbath,
namely, the conjunction of good and truth, or the celestial marriage, thus a state of peace and freedom, which succeeds a state of servi tude but in the present case, as the subject treats of those external
:
men
in the
church who are in ^truth and not in the corresponding
good of life, the seventh day merely denotes the confirmation of truth with them, which is effected by the Lord gratuitously, that is, with See A. C. 8974 to 8976. out any labor of their own.
"Six 3, 4. years thou shalt sow thy field, and shalt thou six years prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the thereof. land, a sabbath for Jehovah thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor The two states of the regenerate life are prune thy vineyard."
(5.)
Lev. x Tiv.
here alluded to
the
first
and goods of
faith,
and appropriation of the same,
being a state of instruction in the truths signified by sow
ing the field, and pruning the vineyard for six years, and gathering in the fruit thereof; the second being a state of rest, tranquillity and
peace signified by the seventh year, when See A. C. 9272 to 9274.

(6.)
all
labor should cease.
Num. xxxv.
14, 15.
"
Ye
Jordan, and three
cities shall
shall be cities of refuge.
ye These
shall give three cities on this side give in the land of Canaan, which
six cities shall
be a refuge, both for
the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them that every one who killeth any person unawares, may
;
flee
thither."-
By those
who by
persons
who
killed another without design,

all those
or, as it is
usually expressed, by accident, were represented

their false reasonings
in the church,
subject of faith do a serious injury to

his spiritual
and persuasions on the another, and even extinguish
as is the life, yet without any such intention or purpose, some zealous but well-meaning and conscientious professors. Such man-slayers were exempt from punishment, on betaking themcase with
ree on the other side of Jordan, because the
number
six, like
is
the
full
number
(7.)
three,
denotes what
is
holy,
and
at the
same time what
and complete.
wings
;
See A. C. 9011.
"
A. R. 610.
;
Isa. vi. 2.
Above
it
stood the seraphim
each one had
si^
with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly."By the seraphim is signified the Word, properly doctrine from the Word, also the divine provi
dence of the Lord in guarding and defending the superior or interior heavens from being approached in any other spirit than that of love
and
charity.
By
wings, in like
manner
;
nified the
defence
fied
power of divine truth and by there being six
as by arms or hands, is sig also circumspection, presence and in number to each seraph is signi
the fulness and perfection of such power, which is the same thing as the divine omnipotence and omnipresence. By the twain with
which he covered
things of the
:
his face,
is
signified the protection of the interior
Word, of heaven, and the church, from
violation
and
profanation by the twain with which he covered his feet, is signified the protection also of the exterior things "belonging to the same and
:
by the twain with which he did fly, is signified the power of instruc tion, communication and perception of the divine things contained in the Word. The cherubim seen by the prophet Ezekiel have a simi lar signification and of them it is said that their wings touched each other, and covered their bodies on this side and on that side that the noise of their wings was like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty when he speaketh and that the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings," Ezek. i. 23, 24 iii. 13 x. 5, 8, 21 See A. R. 245. Ap. Ex. 282 to 285. A. C. 8764. Ezek. ix. 2. "And behold, six men came from the way of (8.) the higher gate, which lieth toAvard the north, and every man with a
"
slaughter-weapon in his hand."By a man with a slaughter-weapon coming from the gate towards the north, is signified the false princi ple derived from evil entering into the church, and vastating 01
destroying
it.
The same
is
also understood
by
six
men; but
this
38*
2D
ity.
By
:
sextating, or
leaving but a sixth part of Gog, is signified the total destruction of every truth derived from good in such a church the sixth part denotes the same as the number six itself, being predicated of truths,
and
in the opposite sense, of falsities.
See A. K. 610, 859.
A. C. 737,
the
1151.
(10.)
Ezek. xlv. 13.
"
This
is
the oblation that ye shall

;
offer,
sixth part of
an ephah of an homer of wheat and ye shall give the The ephah, the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley."homer and the omer, being dry measures, have in the Word the same signification as the things contained in them, and are predicated of
good
while the hin, the cor and the bath, being measures for liquids, The oblation to be offered was are in general predicated of truth. ordered to be the sixth part of an ephah of wheat and barley, to denote that the worship of the Lord must be wholly and entirely
;
directed to
Him
represented in C. 8468, 8540, 10262.

(11.)
from those pure affections of the heart which are See A. R. 610. A. the Word by wheat and barley.
xv. 33.
"And
Mark
when the
sixth
hour was come, there
was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour."By the darkness which overspread the whole earth at the time of the Lord s crucifixion, for three hours, viz., from the sixth unto the ninth hour, was signified and represented the total defect of love and faith
throughout the church, or the actual presence of evils and falsities The sun denotes love, and the light of the grossest description.
thereof faith or truth, w hich being totally extinguished by the rejec sun of righteous tion and crucifixion of the Lord who is himself the man that cometh and which the true ness," enlighteneth every light
T
" "
into the
world,"
This darkness
hours, that
is,
is
gross darkness or mere falsities necessarily succeeded. described by the Evangelists as continuing for three from the sixth to the ninth hour, in order to show that
the prevalence of false principles derived from evil was total and
ignified the truth of the external

literal sense
or
of the
Word, such
By the six water-pots of stone, which were placed there, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, are signified all those things in the Word, and in the Jewish worship, which were representative and significative of divine spiritual
in the
explained according to was to be among Christians.
was with the Jews, opened and the internal and spiritual sense, such as it
as
it
Lord and from the Lord.
The water-pots
things are said to be cf

:
stone, because a stone signifies truth in the natural principle and their number was six, because six denotes all, and is predicated of
truths. The external purification or washing of the Jews also repre sented and signified the internal purification of the heart, whereby See Ap. Ex. regeneration is advanced, and the church established.
376.
A. R. 610.
Seven.
seven
The number
what
is
holy, but in
and all septenary numbers in general refer to an opposite sense to what is profane. A. R. 10.
holy and inviolable, like the number
three.
A. C. 5265.
It signifies
what
is
A.
C. 395, 433, 482, 813.
Ap. Ex. 430.

;
What is most holy, as being of the Lord alone in the supreme sense the essential divine principle, and in a representative sense the
celestial principle of love. It always adds a degree of holiness to the subject treated of, which holiness is from the celestial principle, or charity. A. C. 716, 717, 5265.
Fulness in regard to what state of peace and rest.
is
A. C. 10127. holy. A. C. 85, 87, 395.
The union
labor.
or conjunction of good
and
truth, after six days of
A. C. 10360. A. C.
entire period from beginning to end, thus a full state. 5265, 6508, 9228, 10127.
An
All things, and
all persons,
and hence what
is
full
and
perfect.
A. R. 10, 65.
Ap. Ex. 257.
A. C. 85.
Seven days, or a week, whether of days, months, or years, denote an entire period, great or small, from beginning to end, including and temptation, both in every state of reformation, regeneration A. C. 2044, 3845. general and in particular. In the opposite sense seven denotes what is profane. A. C. 433,
5268.
The
Divinity Son, thus the Divine

place.
seventh day, or sabbath of rest, signifies the union of the called the Father, with the Divine Humanity called the
Humanity
itself,
in
which that union has taken
A. C. 851, 10360.
Also the conjunction of the Lord with heaven, with the church, with an angel of heaven, and with a man of the church. A. C. 10360. Also the conjunction of good and truth. A. C. 8504, 8507-9, or the A. C. 9274. See also as to opposite states state when man is in good. A. C. 852. seventh mouth, what is holy. The 676. of mind, A. R. 672, a period after of the also sabbatic or The seventh jubilee, year year, truth and of the seven times good marriage seven of years, represented
in the inmost heaven,
and a
is
state of celestial peace
and
tranquillity.
A. C. 8802, 9974.
Seven-fold denotes
what
holy and inviolable.
A. C. 395, 433.
EXAMPLES.
Gen. ii. 2. "And on the seventh day God ended his work (1.) which He had made and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which He had made." By the six days of labor in which
:
God
is
when man
is
said to work, are signified all preceding states of regeneration, and hence by the seventh is chiefly led by truth to good
:
denoted the end of those states of truth, and the commence day ment of a new state, which is a state of good, when there is no longer And as the process of reany labor or combat, but rest and peace.
fleshed
and they stood by the other kine, upon the brink of the river. And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept, and dreamed the second time and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, fat and good. And behold, seven thin ears, and blasted with the eastwind, sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven fat and full cars and Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a
: :
dream."-
The two dreams here
related, the one concerning the
seven kine,
and the other concerning the seven ears of corn, refer to the regeneration of the interior and the exterior of the natural prin ciple. By the seven well-favored and fat-fleshed kine, which fed in a
meadow, are signified the truths of the interior natural principle, which have respect to faith and charity, and multiply in man through
the
medium
of
scientifics.
The kine
or cows denote those truths
they are said to be well-favored, or beautiful in aspect, because spirit ual beauty is derived from the affection of the truth of faith they
:
are also said to be fat-fleshed, because fat
predicated of the good of love and charity, and flesh of the will-principle vivified by the Lord and they are further described as feeding in a meadow, or
is
:
rather in the sedge or long and large grass at the side of the river, to denote instruction in scientifics. By the seven other kine, ill-fa
vored and lean-fleshed, which ate up the seven well-favored and fatfleshed kine, are signified the falsities of the natural principle, which
are opposed to faith and charity, and apparently exterminate the truths at the commencement of regeneration, though in reality these
latter are not exterminated,
filled
but stored up in the interior, to be there
with good, and afterwards brought forth in the external. The reason why there were seven well-favored and seven ill-favored kine, is, that in the former case the number seven signifies what is holy, and
adds sanctity to the subject treated of; but in the latter case it signi fies what is unholy and profane, being taken in the opposite sense, as
is
usual in
many
parts of the
Word.
So again, in the second dream
use they are
and apparently exterminate the good scientifics, in the same manner as falsities apparently exterminate truths, The ears are said to be thin, because they are of no spiritual use or advantage and blasted with the east-wind, because the fire of lusts in the end consumes them. Both the fat ears and the thin ears were in number seven, as were the fat and lean kine, to denote in the one case what is See A. C. holy, and in the other case what is unholy and profane.
filled
with
lusts,
5193
to 5219,
5265
to 5270. 18.
"
(3.)
Ex. xxxiv.
seven
The
is
feast of
unleavened bread shalt thou

bread."
keep
the
feast of
days unleavened bread

for deliverance
shalt
thou eat unleavened

signified
evil,
By
of
the
worship and thanksgiving to

falsities
evil.
Lord
from
and from the
denoted the commemoration of that event, and es and unleavened the pecially glorification of the Lord s Humanity bread denotes good purified from evils and falsities. By eating thereof
The
feast itself
is signified the reception and appropriation of divine good and truth, in a state of sanctity from beginning to end. See A. C. 9287 to 9289, 10655, 10656.
seven days
of thy righteous
times a day do I praise thee, because Seven times a day denotes always, See Ap. Ex. 257. A. C. or perpetually, also with the whole heart. 395, 9228.
(4.)
Ps. cxix. 164.
"Seven
judgments."
(5.)
Isa.
xxx. 26.
"
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 Jehovah bindeth up the breach of his
people,
and healeth the stroke of

is
their
wound."-
By
the light of
and wisdom arising from and by the light of the faith in the Lord, in the spiritual kingdom sun is signified a state of wisdom and intelligence arising from love for by the moon is denoted to the Lord in the celestial kingdom the and the sun love. faith, light of the former becoming as By by the light of the latter, and by the latter being seven-fold as the light
the
moon
signified a state of intelligence
of seven days,
is
signified that the splendor of divine truth
among
'l'HB NUMIJER S/;;VEN.
455
the angels of the inferior heavens will, aftcr the coming of the Lord, h"' similar to that which before existe<l in the superior heavens, and t.lie splcndor of divine truth in thesc will be abundantly increased, and in the highest. possible dcgrcc of purity and perfection. Seven ancl seien1old denotc what is holy, pure, full and perfect. The.brcach of the people denotes falsities of doctrine in the church, and the .itrokc of theif wound dcnotes evil of life. To bind up and to heal thet>e, is to produce r cformation both of doctrine and of life by mcans or' divine truth. The day in which thid was to be elfected, dcnotes the corning of the Lord into the world for the rcdemption and salvation of mankind.-Sec Ap. Ex. 257, 401, .962. A. C. 719, 9228. (6.) Dan. ix. 2.5. "Know thercfore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to rcstorc and to build Jerusalc m, unto tl;ie :\Iessiah the Prince, shall be seven week.11."--From the going forth of the comnmndment, denotcs from the period when the \'for of the Old Testament was completed: unto the ~fcssah the Prince, is until the coming of the Lord : and seven weaks denote a full and entire period from hegiuning to end, the completion of whicl1 is called the fulnesa of tirncs.-See Ap. Ex. 684. A. C. 6508,
9228.
(7.) Matt. xii. 43 to 45. "Wl1eu the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh thn,mgh dry places, seekiug rest, and findeth none. 'l'hcn he saitl1, I will return into my house froru wl1ence I onme out; and whcn he is come, hc findeth it empty, swept and garnishod. Then goctll he, and taketh with himself s1;11e1i other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwcll thcre: and the last state of that man is worse than tl1e first. "--TJ1e con version of man is hcre describcd l1y the unclcan spirit going out of him. l>ry plttces, or places without water, denote where tl1ere arc no truths. His relapse into cvils of life, and in consequcnce thercof a state of profanation, arc signitied by the return of tlw unc1ean spirit, together with seven othcrs more wicked than himself. Tl1e hou.se empty, swept ancl garnisl1ed, is the mind depri, ed of truths and goods, and thcrcfore full of falsities a11J evils, which are spiritual unclcanucss. Ilcnce it i~ plain that the number .Wt'en, when applied in an opposite sense, tbnt is, in relation to evils and falsi1ies, signifies a full stute of spiritual .depm vity, or the. destruction of ail good and truth.-Scc Ap. Ex. 257, llGO. A. C. 3142, 44J, 9228. (8.) ~fatt. xv. !l4 to 37. "Jesus suith unto them, H ow many lo&vcs have ye't And they said, &ve1t, au a few little tishes. And
4:56
A KEY TO NfJJJBERS,
He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the 11even loaves and the fishes, an<l gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they dicl ail eat and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that wus left, seven baskets full."-- By the Lord's feeding the multitude with seven loaves and a fow little fishes, is signifiecl instruction relative to things good and true, and at the same time reception on the part of the people. The loaves denote good, and were seven in number to denote fulness, as well as a state of sanctity: the fhes denote truth, and are said to be few and small, because the people as yet were ignorant of those divine truths, vhich distinguish bet"ecn the Christian and the Jewish ispensation. The surplus of broken meut consisting of se11en baskets full, confirms the signification of the number seven, as implying fulness and abundance.-See Ap. Ex. 257. (9.) l\Iatt. xviii. 21, 22. "Then crune Peter to Him, and suid, L ord, how oft shall my brother ~in against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? .Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but until se1;enty Umes seven."-- The number seven first mentioned signifies much, or many times; but when increased tn seventy times seven, it denotes perpetually, or without end. And such is the nature of Christian charity, that it requires man to be con stantly in the spirit of love, always disposed to forgive injuries, und to o good to othcrs.---See A. C. 433. Ap. Ex. 527, 820. (10.) Apoc. i. 4. "John to the seven churches, which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him who is, and who wus, and who is to corne; and from the seven spirits which are before his throne."- -By the seven churchcs in Asia are not meant seven churchcs, but all who are of the church throughout the Christian world, where the 'Vord is received, and the Lord thereby known. And again by the sei1en spirits before his throne are meant all who are in divine truth, and ubstractly divine truth itself; the number srven hcre, as in other places, denoting all things and all persons, und consequently what il! full and perfect, at the same time that it involvcs a state of sanctity.- See A. R. 10, 14. ( 11.) Apoc. i. 20. "The mystery of the seven stars, wl1ich thou sawcst in my right band, and the seien canlesticks. The ~even stars are the angcls of the seven churches ; and the sevcn carnllcsticks, which thou sawest, are the seven churehes."- -By the se11en stars is 1dgnified the New Church in the hcavens, which is also calle<l the
THE NUMBER SEVEN.
457
New Hc:wen: for as tl1e 'Vord is in the heavcm1 as wcll as on the earth, and the church is such by virtue of the "\Vord and the knowlcdges of good and truth thcncc derived, hence the universal church in U1e heavens is described by seven stars, each society therein shining as a star, by reason of the Iight which it reccivcs from the Lord through the medium of his word. The heavenly societies, as wcll as the individunls thereof, are also called angels. By the .~even can diesticks is signified the :New Church on earth, which is the New Jernsalcm desccuding from the Lord out of the New Heaven. The candlcsticks, stars and churchcs are said to be seven, not in referencc to their number, but to tlie things signified by that number, whicll are ail the states of g<JOd, truth and holiness communicated by the . Lord to the church, which in itself is one, both in the spiritual and in the natural world.--See A. R. 64 to 66. (12.) Apoc. v. i. "And I saw in the right hand of IIirn that sat on the throne, a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seien senls."--By the book written witliin and on the backside, is signified the 'Vord as to its 1iarticular and general contents, or as to its internai and external seuse. By its being sealed with seven seuls is signified that its contents were altogetl1er hidden from the understanding or perception of men, until revealed by the Lord, who as to his Divinity is dcseribed by Him that sat on the throne, and as to his Humanity by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and by the Lamb. -See A. R. 256, 257. (13.) A poc. xii. 3. "And thero appeared another wonder in hcavcn, and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horru, and ~eien crowns upon his heads."--Ily the grcnt red dragon are signified all those in the Protestant or Reformed churches, who make tbree pcrsons of God, and two of the Lord, and who separate clrnrity from faith, supposing that this latter, and not the former, has a s:wing power. The profcssors of this faith generally address the Father as one God, for the sake of the Son ns another God, prnying that He wonld send the Holy Spirit, as a tliird God, to sanctify and rcgcueratc them ; thus forming in thcir imaginations three distinct Gods, though with their lips they rnake confession of only one God. The samc professors, in their doctrine concerning the Lord, separatc his IIumanity from his Divinity, and thercby make two persons of Him, one of which they consider as having existed from eternity, and therefore in several respects equal to the divine person of the Father, whilc the other is regarded by them as littlc, if ut u11, different front
39
4~8
[{El' '1'0 KUMJJJJRS.
the pcrsou of another man. It is further insistcd upon by tl1c profe&Wrs of this doctrine, tlmt fnith in the merits of the Saviour, without any regard to charity or a good life, is ail that is necessary to sccure man's salvation.* Thus in every piU't of their doctrine they nre opposed to the New Church, whieh tcaches that thcrc is only one God in one divine person, iu whom is a trinity of csscutials, likc soul, body and operation in man; and that our Lord and Saviour Jc~us Christ is that God ; and further, that if man would be stwed, charity und fith must be unite<l in him as one, and together hring forth the fruits of a good and useful life, yet under the continual tLcknowle<lgment that all the good he does and all the truth hc thinks, are dcrived solely from the Lord. But, as bcfore observcd, the dragon <lenotcs all those who hold to a trinity of divine persans, and ju:itifica~ tiun by fith alone hoth in doctrine and in life. Ry his having seven hcads is signified astate of spiritual insanity ark;ing from a false inlerpretation and profane application of the truths of the 'Yor. In a gcnuine sense the head denotes wisdom and intelligence, because it is the seat thereof': but in an opposite sense it denotes folly nnd insanity. The number seven in a good sense, is predicute<l of things holy ; but in an opposite sense, of things profane; und also signifies \hat is full, total and complctc. By the tcn horns of the dragon is signified umch power: the horns of un animal, like the arms or hands of a man, <lenotc power; and the number ten signifies much; implying that the fise doctrine above dcscribe<l was universally prevnlcnt in the Reformcd or Protestant churches- which wns actunlly the case nt the eonsummation of the Age, or end of the first Chri~tian chmch (17 57) . By the seven crowus or diaderns upon his hends, is also signifid the falsification and profanation of ail the truths of the wurd: for the preciuus stones in a crown or dia<lem, dcnotc the truths of the Worcl, particularly in its literai sense; but in the present case, the sarne truths perverte<l and destroye.-Sce A. R. 537 to 540. (14.) Apoc. xvii. 3. "I saw a woman sitting upon a scnrlctculurcd bc:ist, full of llfimes of bbspbcmy, hllving se1:en heads and teu
This was the generolly accepwd doctrin~ nt the time ~ wcden borg l i\e1l a nd wrotc; but IL ls not the pre1afling lxlli <"f ll.lllo11g l'rot""lr o.nt Chrn.tian~ of to dny. The tenchi nl!'' o f the New Ch nnh and the l n flux from out the nc w heoren ofangels, h iw e grently modlflecl the beliefl< uf Christian~ un tllis 1\J! on muny othN 11bjects. And el'N'Y ycar the ei<.rntial itn portance of charity or rlgbLeou~nes- ofli fe i inore a nd 1 norc in~L<tcd on in ncarly ail l'rotestaDt hurchc~. Thl is oneof thestgm of the Kew Age on whlch th~ world lias l!n tcre<l.-AM. ~011011.
THE NW!BER SEVEN.
459
horns."--Ily a woman is meant the church, but in the prcscnt cnse the Homnn Catholic religious per.;;ua.sion, founded upon a false, perverted and profane intcrpretation of the 'Yord. Ily the bcast is signified the yord which, in rcfercncc to its power of communicating Jifo to man, is clscwhere describe<l by four animals or living crcaturcs, as in Ezek. i. 5 to 2;) ; x. 1 to 22; and by four bcasts in the mids\ of the throne of heaven, and round about the throne, full of eyes bcfore and bchind, Apoc. vi. 6. But when the word is flsificd =d profaned, as it is by the Roman Catholic l1ierarchy, it is then lepresented by a scarlct-colored beast, full of nmnes of blasphcmy. The scarlet color denotcs truth from a celestial origin, but in th~. oppoeite sense the same truth falsifie und pcrvcrtcd: and to be full of uames of blasphemy, is to be altogcther adulterated and pr,1fancd. Ily the seven heads is signified a state of spiritual insanity, arising from a pcrvcrted and profane interprctat.ion of t11e 'Vord; and by the tcu horns is denoted mu ch power, and the prevalence of the abuses and delusions practisc<l by the churcl1 of Rome. The numbcr 8cren is prc<licated of things holy 01 profne, accor<ling to the nature of the suhjcct treated of; and also signifies what is full, total and complcte. It is tl1erefore equally applied to the dragon in cl1ap. xii., and to the scarlet-colored bca.st in tliis cl1apter, to denotc the total perversion of divine truth, and the profanation of things holy, both by Protestants and by Roman Catholics.-Scc A. R. 723, 724, 737.*
* In the prefee to the Penny ' 1 Peep" Catn- the 7th month a holy obsenance was or~ Jogue of the Art Treasmcs Exllibit lon (of dained to the chlldren of Israel, who fsted which ncarly oue hnndre<l thousand copies 7 days and remained 7 days in t e111.1l ; the 7Lh have bten i;o\d) are tlic fOllowing retnarka ycar was directe<l Io be o. sal>bath of re>t !or blepassages :-" Looking ut the earlypictures, "li things ; and at the Clld of 7 timcs 7 y<>nrs th eu, in a spirit of calm tmd loving inqulry, conuuend lhc grand jubike ; every 7th we may lc!l.rn tnl\cll from them, , . . , Cer- year the lo,ud Jay fallow; e\'ery 7t h year tain colors had certain meanings. 'Vhite there wa.s u. gcncral rclcase from all clebt~, was Lhc e11Wl<~n of purity; bluc, of ))!vine ru1d ail bondsmen were set free. n om thls Truth; r e<l, of Divine Love, lfcnce we fond Jaw may have or!ginated the cnstom of our Lhc::sc co1ors \ ...orn by the Saviour and the binding young men to 7 years' a})prcnticeYirgin l\lilr)' ." ship. and ofpunls!tlng inoorrlglblc o Hcnders !Iere, thcn, is a principle enunciated to at b:ytranp<Jrtatlon for 7, twlce 7. orthrec times 1 least 100,000 pc 'Ople who perhal'.'S never hearc\ ycars. Evcry nli icarthe Iaw wn directed s11ch worda lJeforc, AgiLin, t.he followlng Io be rcad to the people. Jacob serve<! 7 ha.~ been printed and soM. fn the va.Tious yeurs for the posseE1sion of Rachel, a.nrl also stationers' sho~. n.nothcr 7 years. Noah had 7 days' '"'aruing "TH F. X u >1H>:R SF.VF.:<.'-The followiug- of the flood, and w"" connnandcd to take
1 7
i:nteresti11g and s1n,:::uiar compilation of the the fu\\l::; of the air into the e.rk by seven::;
npli caliou of tllc numbcr' ~cvcn' throngh- an<\ the lean benst<> by sevens : t11e ark oui the Word, wi\1 ex dte ln the minci a tourhed the g round on the 7th month; and dctiire tu pu~m;_e the ~:i.ered s~.r1pture~, frnd 1in7 days B. doye was sent, fl.J1d agahl in 7 Io tu< ly thclr m tcrlo r o r clccpcr rocnmug :- days after. 1he 7 yeo.rs of plenty ~un th 7 "In six do,1s crcalion was pcrfeclcd. tl!c years of fnilnc wcrc foretold ln Pharaoh" 7th was consecratcd to re t. On \hc nb of <lrenm, by the 7 fat and 7 le11n beasts, and the
46-0
A KEY TO NUMBERS.
Eight.
The number eight belongs to the celestial class of ~xpression.s, being predicated of goods or evils, and c11otcs ail good or evil in the com-
plcx.-A. C. 10024. Ap. Ex. 430. A. R 739. In gene:ral, it beurs the same signification as the numbers two and
four, from which it arises by multiplication.-Ap. E x. 430.
A. C.
t1%9.
It dcnotes conjunction to the full, also fulness itself, and what is
7 cars o f full and the 7 enrs of blasted corn. 'l'ile yonng animais were to rcmain with the dA.ms 7 <lays, and at the close of the 7th to be ta.ken away. By the old law, man W8.8 ('Oromnnde<l to forgi\e bis o!fcudJng brother 7 t lme11; but the mee~n~s:s of the last revenled religion extcnded his humillty and forbcarance to 'iO times 7. If Cain shall be n~uged 7 folcl, tmly Lnmech 70 timcs 7.' In the destruction of Jcricho, 7 prie8t bore 7 trumpets 7 dnys. On the 7th they surroundcd the wnll 7 thncs, and Rfler the 'itb tlruc the walls fell. Balnam prepJU"ed 7 hui IO<'k 11ml 7 rems for a sacrifice. 7 of Saul's sou~ we re hanged to >ta.y a famine. Lilbl\n pu~ucd Jacob 7 clnys' journcy. Job's frlcnrur sat wlth him'i days and 7night<, nnd ofl'cred 7 bullocks and 7 ra.ms 88 il.li atonemcut for thclr wicl.:ednes. Dl\vid, in bringing up tl1c ark, o!l'crcd 7 bullo<'k.R a ud 7 re.ms. EUJ11.h sent his i;crvant 7thnes to look for the clon<l. Hc2cl.:lah, ln cleansing U1e temple, olfered 7 bullocks and 7 rams and 7 he-goe.ts for a sin-offcrlng. Tho childrcn of Israel, whon H e.elcinh took 1nvay the !range alta~. kept hG fea.'t of unlcavcncd bread 7 days, and Agl\ln other 7 days. King Ahwmerus h~d 7 chau11lcrlalns. il. 7 tlays' feast, sent for the qn~u Oil the 'ith 1lay; q ucen Esther had; l'laltlb to attend her; in the 7th ienr or bis ieig 11 E.thcr is ta.k~n to hlm. 'fhc wisc k111g Rolouion wa.s 7 yearRbuilding the temple, ot the dcdica.tion of which he feasted 7 dily. In the talicruo.clc thcre were 7 lnmps ; 7 dars wcrc appointe<l for 1\11 "tnnement upou the altar, nnd the prle.t's son wa.s ordRincd to " ar h ls flltl1cr's gam1cnts 7 days. The dillilrcn or famel 11.te UJilcavened brend 7 .i,,ys. The Feast of Tnbornacles wnH 7 <lays. \brnham gare 7 cwe lru:nbs to Ab!melc<'11 as n memorlal for a well. Joseph mourncd 7 la.ys O>r Jacot.. Je-se cau"l!r!ng thls l1umber to r><'rfc<>t the ~rcntnesof>'itmuel,hisrnune n11~wcrh1g the value of the letteNJ 111 U1c Hcbrcw wor<l which signtcy 7: whence Hannah, hi mother, ln h~r thanks, say that 'the barren had hrougbt forth 7.' In Scr!pture are en urnerated 7 rurrections,-the widow'~ son by Kl\jah, the Shuuamlte's son by Ellsha, the soldlcr wbo touche<! th e bones of the prophet, the daugh\cr of the ruler of the Synag0g11e, the widow's son of Kalu, Ll17.arus, and our blc&Scd Lord. Out of Mary Magdalene were cast 7 devlls. The Apostles chose 7 deacons. Enoch, who wna translared, was the 7th aftcr Adam, !l.lld Jesus Christ !Jle 77th in a dJrect Une. Our Saviour spol.:e 7 tunes from the Crol'S, 011 whlch b e n::ma.lnc 7 hours; be appeared 7 times; arter 7 tlmc., 7 days sent the Holy Ghost. In the Lord's Prayer arc 7 pctitions, oontalncd in 7 limes 7 word.s, ornlttlng those of rncrc grammatical connection. Within tbis numt1cr are con ncctod ail the mystcrics of tbe .Apocalypse rcvCIcd to the 7 churobes of .AJ;ia; thcre oppeared 7 golden condlesticks, and 7 star<; in the band of bim thal was ln the midsl; 7 larnp bclng the 7 spirits of God; the book with 7 scals; the Jamb wlth 7 horns and 7 cye.s; 7 angcls with 7 se!l.ls; 7 klugs: 1 thundcrs; 7 thou,,..nd men sla.ln; the dragon wlth 7 hcads ond 7 crowns; lhe bcnst w1th 7 beads; 7 angels bri11g 7 plaKues. an.J 7 phials of wrl\th. The vi~lon of Daniel wns 70 weeks. Ncbuchadnez21n atc the gross of the field 7 ye11rs. The elilcrs of Israel wcre 70. Chrl!>I sent out 70 clisciplce." lt is evldcut from the 11.hovc quotatious, which are ail Crom the s'cri)>tllres, that the number Sll\'Ell bas a mcanlng beyond the meroly nnmcrienl idea wl1ich i8 o f the ut. most importance to the rlght understan<liug of God' Word. The doctrine of corrcspondcnccsshows us, otb ln a i;ood and in a Liad sene, what this tncaning is. For it ls obviom tbat .,;~-n. when pr(dlentcd of the Dragon and hls oet't'n beatlsiu1d Mt't'n crowns, bas a dltfcrent, yc,., an oppo!'ltcsigniHcation to that when prcdicated of the Lamb wHh ~aen horns and se1en cy('S.-L<m<Wn 11'.UJ. Rqwsilhrfl for A ug. 1858.
THFl NUNRF.R EIGHT.
461
en.tire, in every mode or respect, and at the same timc the commencement of a ncw state.-A. C. 9659. The beginning of a foilowing or new state, when man lives from goo or charity, and no longer from trut11 or faith as before.-A. C. !)227. It therefore has reference to purification, w!1ich ought to be always going on as from a ncw bcginning; hence the rite of circumcision on the eighth day.-A. C. 2044. Somcthing distinct from what preceded.-A. C. 2866. The beginning of a second state in regencration, when the lifc is formed from, and the man is led by, goo.-A. C. 9227, 9296. Eyery bcginning, or every new state, with its continuation.-A. C. 2044, 2633. Something differcnt from what has preceded.-A. C. 286fl. The eighth day is also callc a sabbath, J,ev. xxiii. 39, because it denotes the bcginning of a new state, in which the conjnuction of good and truth takes place.-A. C. 92!)6.
EXAMPJ,ES.
(1.) Gen. xvii. 12. "And he that is ei,ght days old shall be cir cumcised among you, every man-child in your generations."--A8 a week, consisting of scven days, signifies au cutire period of state 38 well as of time, being predicated of rcformatiou, rcgcncration, temptation, etc., and tliis in reforence alike to an individual man, und to the church in general; so the eighth day, being the first day of a following weck, signifies cvery bcginniog or commencement of a new st.ate. On this account, in the lsraelitish reprcsentative church, males of eight days old werc ordcrcd to be circumcised, in tokcn of man's future purification from the unclean lusts originating in self-love and the love of the world. The reason a1so why the command extendcd to n1ales only, was, because a male, 38 distinguishcd from a female, signifies the truth of faith; and no one can be purifie from the unclcan loves above-mentioned, unless he be in possession of truth, at lcast in SOllle degrec. It is by virtue of tru th that lllilll knows wliat is pure und what impure, what is holy imd whaf' profane; and with out such knowledge as a medium wl1ereby celestial love from the Lord may commence its opcrations on the cxternal man, his purification and regeneration cannot be effecte.-See A. C. 2044 to 2046. (2.) Ex. xxvi. 25; xxxvi. 30. ".And they shall be eight boards, and thcir oockcts of silver, sixtccn sockcts: two sockets under ono
39*
A KRY TO NWJBKRS.
board, and two sockets undcr another."--By the tabernacle w1ia rcprescntcd heavcn in genera.l; by the ark, containing the tcstimony, the inmost or third hcavcn; by the habitation, containing the table for the show~bread, and the candlestick, the middle or second hea.ven; and hy the court about the tabernacle, the lowest or first hcavcn. Among the various things appointed to be in that part of the tabcr nncle called the hnbitation, wcre eight boards or planks on the western ~ide, each having two sockets or bases of silver, making sixtccn in Lho whole, by which is significil cvery mode of support from good, and by truth grounded in good. The boards or planks signif)r good yicl<ling sup1)ort; for wood in general tlenotes good: their numbcr eight bcars the samc signification in this place as tlie numbers two and four, from which it arbes by multiplication, and denotes what is full and pcrfoct in cvcry respect, as nlso the conjunction of good with truth : their sockets or bases signify support: the sil ver of which t.hey consisted, denotes truth derived from good: the nurnber siteen denotes the same as eighl, viz., what is full and complctc: and the number two dcnotcs conjunction.--Sce A. C. 9659 to 9661. (3.) Lev. xiv. 10. "And on the eighth day he shall take two hclambs without hlemish, and one ewe-lamb of the first year withou~ blcmish, aml Lhrec tenth-dcals of fine flour for a mcat-offoring, mingled with oil, and one log of oil."--The eighth day here dcnotcs the beginning of a new state with him who had been a leper, and who had passed through a process of purification for seven prccc<ling days. The lambs without blemish which were then to be offere<l, togcther with the fine flour mingled with oil, signify innocence and good, in conjunction with genuine truth. The previous state is that in which man, whilc rcgcnerating, is lcd by truth to good; the latter state, whicl1 is also calle<l a full state, is that in which, being regencratcd, he regards truth from good. Similar things are unerstood, in Lev. xv. 29, by the seven days' purification of a woman, and by hcr bring ing an offering of two turtlcs, or two young pigeons, on the eiglit!1 day.~See A. C. 2906, 7839. (4.) Lev. xxiii. 39. "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh mon th, when ye hM'c gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall kecp a feast unto .Tehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a ~abbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbllth."--Three annual feasts 'yere institutcd among the Israelites, to dcnote the deliverancc from hell and introduction into heaven, of all thosc of the human race who arc willing t.o receive new life from the Lord, and thus takc the
TflE NUMBER EIGHT.
463
bencfit of hi;i advcnt into the world. The Ur8t feast called the feast of unlcavened bread, and also the foast of the passover signifiel pmi fication from flsiti, and dcliverancc from the power of spiritual encmies: the second, callcd the feast of l1arvest, and also the feast of wccks, signifies the implantation of t.rntl1 in good: the third, callcd the feast of in-gathering, and also the fcast of tabernacles, signifies the implantation of good, which is full deliverance from hcll, and introduction into hcaven. By tlie fiftcenth day of the seventh. month is 8gnified the end of a former statc, and the beginning of a ncw one; tl1e fifteenth day having tl1e same respect to fom1een preceding days, as ei,qlit days have to sevcn, By the first day bcing a sahbath, and the cighth day a sabbath, is signified the conjunction of truth with good, and reciprocally the conjnnction of good with truth; which conjuuction, \\'hen it first takcs pla, is also the bcginning of a ncw state. Hence it appears that the first, the eighth, and the fifteenth days, in the passage above quoted, }1ave simila1 significations.--Seo
A. C. 9286, D26. A. R. 585. (5.) Le\'. xx:v. 22. "And ye shall sow the eigltth year, and eat yct of old fruit until the ninth ycar: until hcr fruits corne in ye shall eat of the old store."--By soidng in the eighth year is signified instruction, and the reception of truth in a new state: and by eating
of old fruit until the ninth ycar, is signified the appropriation of extcrnal good and truth until more interior truth be received, and conjoined with a corresponding good. To sow signifies both to tcach and to lcarn the truths and goo<ls of faith: the eighth year denotes the commencement of a Jlew state: old fruit denotes external goods and truths, these being first acquired, and aftcrwards those whicl1 are interna}: the ninth year denotes full reception, and also conjonction. -Sec A. C. 9272, 9274. (6.) Num. vi. 10. "And on the ighth day hc shnll bring t1rn tuttles or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of t he taber naclc of the congregation."--Here again the ei9hth day signifies the commencement of a new state: and hy the two turtles, and two young pigeons, are signified innocence and charity, also the tmthi! and goods of faith in conjunetion.-Sec A. C. 870, 10210. (7.) Bzek. xl. 9. "Thcn rn\lasurcd lie the porch of the gate eight eu bits, and the posta thercof two cubits, and the porch of tlie gate wa8 inwl!J'd."--.By the Yarious parts in and about the new temple cscrihed by E,,ekiel, and thcir dimemions and numbers, arc signified the various linds and qualities of good and truth, internai and
464
A KEY TO NUMBERS.
extemal. 'rhe porch leading imrnrd, dcnotcs introduction by truth to good: its dimensions, eight cubit::;, denotes that such introduction is ample, full and complete for those who have commenced the work of regeneration; and the posts, \)eing two eu bits, dcnote the goods aud tnlths of the natural principle in a state of conjunction, whcrehy ail;o man is introduced into the interior things of the church and heaven.-See A. O. 7847, 9G59. (8.) Ezek. xl. 31. "And the arches thereof were toward the outer court, and palm-trees were upon the posts thereof; and the going up toit had eight steps."--By the arches or upper parts of the Jlrchcs, are signified external goo<ls; hy the palm-trees, interior truths; and by the eiyht stops of the ascent, full introduction to spiritual goo<l.Sce A. C. 7847, 9296, 9659. (9.) Ezek. xl. 41. ":Four tables were on this si<le, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; ~ight tables, whereupon t11ey slew their sacrifices."--By tables arc sib"l1ificd the same as by the things place<l upou them: hencc by the eight tables on which they sacrifice.:1 thdr sacrifices, four on this side and four on that, is signiled worship in general from every affection of good and truth; the number eight denoting fulness, conjunction and newness of lifo.Sce A. O. 9296, 9659. (10.) l\Iicah v. 5. "And this shall be the peace: when the Assyrian shall corne into our land, and whcn hc shall tread in our palaces, thon shall wc raisc against him seven shepherds, and eight principal mcn."--The Assyrian here dcnotcs rcruionings conccrning the goo<ls and trnths of the cl1urch from self-derived intelligence: and full delivernnce from tllem is signified by soven shepherds an eight JJrinci pal men being raised against him. Seven shcpherds, ab;;tractly from irnrsons, denote the celestial things of the internai man; and ei'.ght principal men are the primary truths of good. The number ei[!hl, especially whcn prcccdcd by seven, signifies what is full, perfcct and complote. Hence it is, that the etfect produccd cithcr in the church or in an individual of the church, on the removal of false reasonings and 1lispufations, il! said to be peace.-See A. C. 1186, 1572, 9G59. (11.) Luke ix. 28, 29. "And it came to pn.~s about an eight <lays after these sayings, He took Peter, and ,John, and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the fashion of his counlcnance was altered, and hi;; ntiment was w11ite and glistcring." --The transfiguration of the Lord upon a mountain wa;i an exhi
Tlll'J NU.IIBEll EIGHT.
465
bition of the glory both of his diyine Person and of bis or. Ami the rcason why of ail bis disciples IIe took only Peter, James and John, "as, that they representcd faith, clrnrily, and the works of chnrity ; and that no othcrs but such as are principled thercin, ean po~sibly discern eithcr the divinity of the Lor<l's Humanity, or the diviuity, sunctity and iulerior glory of his 'Vord. This mnuifestation of his glory is said by the Enw.gclist Luke to ha\'e been about. eighl days after a discoursc with his disciples, rclated in the preceding verses, and by Jfotthew and Mark aftcr si..i; days. Ily both uunicrs arc signified nearly the same things in eflect; for six day8 denote the first stage of regcncrntion, wlten man is !cd by truth to goo<l through man y trials, temptations and spiritual labors; aftcr which he enter:> upon a new state, which is that of his actual regeneration, heing then in the possession and enjoymcnt of hcavenly good. The same ii; also signified by the words, abo1it an eight days after; the numbcr eight deuoting a new statc of the spiritual life, in which the conjnnction of good and truth takes place, and is manifcsted in the extcrnal by works of charity, picty, and gcucrul uscfulncss.-Sec Ap. Ex. 4, 821, lOiO. (12.) Apoc. xvii. 11. "A nd the 001st thnt was, and is uot, evcu he is the eighth, 1tnd is of the scvcn, lllld goeth into p<'nlition."-By the beast is sigaified the W or, as already explaincd in the 14th example un der the numbcr SEVE~; ofwhich it is sai<l, that it was, arnl i.s not, meuuing that it wns once recei ved in the Romish church, and rend by the people, but afterwards takcn mray from them, and not read. Hy it~ beiug calle the eightli, that is, the eighth mountain and the eighfh king, is signified that it is csscntfal divine good, und at the same time cssential divine truth: for by the seyen mouutains arc significd the divine goods of the word, and by the seven kings its divine truths; and that thesc might be all comprel1emled in one general view, it is thcrefore said that the beast which was, and is not, is Hself the eighlli, a.ncl of the seven. The 11umber eight signifies good; 1\nd the numbcr seven is predicatc<l of what is holy. By the bcast going into perdition is significd, that the Word is rejectcd and marle of noue cffcct, by being t.akcn from the laity who are thereby pre\ented from scoing the profanations, adulterations and gross abusci; practisetl by the Romish clcrgy, lest they shoul altogether rcce<le from the 1)apal yoke and clomhiion.-See Ap. Ex. 1054, 1067. A. R. 783, 737. 2E
"r
A /Off . TO NUJfnl?RS.
ll'ine.
The nmnher nine bclongs to the spiritual class of expre.'1-~ions, ano, likc the numbcrs three all'l 8:r, is prcdicntcd of trutlis or flsilics.A p. Ex. 19-t., 430, 532. A. R. 322. A. C. J OG:l-1. It signifies wliat is full :rncl cmnplete.-A. C. 288. Ap. Ex. l!J.! Also conjunction.-A. C. 2075, 226D. \Vhcn the nnrnbcr nine bears the samc relation to len ns ninety. ninc to a lwndred, by which latter numbcr is signified conjnnction hy remnins, it then cnotcs a state just prcceding conjunction.- A. C.
1988, 210G.
For the op11osite signification-want of conjunction on account of the defect of filh and clmrity-i;co A . C. 2075. The ninth liour, dny, wcck, month, ye11r, or age, signifies a full and cornplcte state, thus the end of a former stnt.c, and the beginuing of a uew one.-A. C. 2788. Ap. Ex. 194.
EXAJ\IPLES.
(1.) Gcn. xyfi. 1. "And whcn Abram was ninety yeurs old and ninc, JchoYah appearcd to Abram, arnl Sllid nnto him, I am the God Shaddai; walk bcforc me, and be thou perfcct."--By Abram was representcd the L ord wl1ile in the world, ancl by the different yeurs of his age are denotcd the diflreut stntes and <legrees of conjunction bct.ween his hurnan and his divine essence. Tho numbcr one hundred !lignifies the samc in the \Vord as the nnmber m, bcing compounded of tcn mulLiplied by fen ; und by len nrc signified remains, which in tl1c case of the Lord nrc divine goods, whereby conjunction was effcctcd. Hcncc hy 11i11ety and nine yenrs, not quite reaching to a hu1ulred, also by nine ycars, being sliort of ten, is significd the statc just preccding or cnt.cring, upon full conjunction. The same is significd hy ninety and nine years in ver. 24. To the n.bove may be a<l1lccl the reason why Jehovah herc calls ltimself tbe God Shaddai, though this was originally the name of the falsc god worshipped by Abram whcu he lived in a land of idolatry; it was becnuse Abram wns still inclinc<l to worship the god of his fathers, haviug bccn cclucnted and to a certain dogrce confirmcd in such worsliip; and bccause the Lord docs not srnldenly break, but grn<lua.lly bends, t11ose principles of religion which o. man has imbibed from infancy, and con ~cic11liom1ly believes to be true. See J osh. xxfr. 2, 14, 15. Jchovah tl1ercfurc announccs l1imself to Abram by a name wl1ich lie had
'!'IIE lfUAIBEll YINE.
467
hitherto esteernc<l most sacred: for as yct he was not ae<1uai11tcd ll'ilh the name .Tehovah, us appears from Ex. vi. 3; "I :tppcared 11J1to Abraham, nnto fauac, and unto .Taeob, in the god Sltadrlai; but hy my namc Jehovah wns I not known to thcm." The namc Jchovah, though revealed to Abram, wns yet lost hy his posterity in Egypt; for when 1\foses saw the angel of Jehovah in the bush, hc iuquircd his namc, ami being told, he eommunicated it to the Jsraelitcs, who ever atter retained it, but est:ecmed it too holy to be prouounced by them. See Ex. iii. 13 to 15. The \rnrd Shaddai, transfalcd hy somc Aln.ighty, or A ll-ir11jjfoient, and hy others a 'l'!ntn.derer, propcrly signifies a Vaslator, and hence also a 1'empter, and after ternpt1ttion a Benej'actor. It is adopted as one of the namcs of Jchovah in varions p1trts of the Word, as in Gcn. xx.viii. 3; xliii.14; :dix. 25. Ezek. i. 24; x. 5. Joel i. 15; and is often found in the book of Job.-S A. C. 1988 to 1992, 2106. (2.) Lev. xxiii. 32. "It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall affiict your souls in the ninlh day of the rnonth at cvcn : from evcu unto even shall ye cclcbrate your rnbbath."- -By the affliction here spokcn of is signified the humiliation of the external man in the.prcscnce of the internai, which is effected by self-compul1>ion in a state of' temptation, until the worship of the Lord become~ an act of freedom and dclight. By doing this on the ninth day of the seventh month, previous to t11e tenth day, which wa.s to be a day of atonemcnt, and a sabbath of rest, is 8ignificd that it woul be pro ducthc of conjunclfon between the interna! and the external man. The mnth day, as well as the uumber nine it.sclf, herc signifies such conjunction.-See A. C. 1947, 2075. (3.) Lev. xxv. 22. "And ye shall sow the eighth year, arr<l eat yct of old fruit, until the ninth year; until hcr fruits come in, ye shall eat of t11e old storc."--By sowing is signified teaclling and learning the truth of faith, and by the fruit or producc of the land is significd the good which is acquired by mca.ru! of truth. The seed is the tJ"Uth of the \Vord, and the land or field is"the church, or an individual mind, which receives the trut11. Ily tlie ninth year is sig nificd the conjunction of truth with good. A further explanatiou of this verse is given in the fifth example under the number ETGHT.See A. C. 9272, 9274. (4.) 2 Kings xxv. 1 to 3. "And it came to pass in the ninth year of l1is rcign, in the tenth rnonth, in tlie tcnth day of the month, that Ncbucharlnezimr king of Babylon came, hc and all his liost, aga.inst
468
.A KEY '1'0 NW/BERS.
Jerllilalem, an pitehed against it, aml they built forts against it round about. And the city WtlS bcsicgcd unto the eleventh ycar of king Zedekiah. And on the ninth day of the month the famine prcvailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land." - -As many expressions in the \Vord have an opposite signification, accordiug to the nature of the subject treatcd ot~. so in this place the numbers nine, ten, etc., are to be un<lerstood as implying that thcrc was a efect of those spiritual principles at othcr tirnes signified by thcm. Thus the number nine, which iu its genuine sense denotcs a state of conjunction, or :t state immediately preceding conjunction, in the present pass:ige signifies th1tt thcre was no conjunction, in consequcnce of thcrc bcing neithcr faith nor charity with those who then constituted the church. This is understood by the famine which prcvailcd in the city, and by the want of bread for the people of the land.-See A. C. 205. (5.) Matt. xx. 3 to .5. "And he went out about the third honr, and saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said unto thcm, Go yc also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will givc you. And they went their way. A gain, he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise."--By t11c third, sixth, n'nth, and eleventh hours mentioned in this parable, are signified the vari ous statcs of life of those who die in old age, in rnanhood, in yontli, and in childhood, and who have all procured to themselvcs a dcgrcc of spiritual life. 'fo labor in the vineyard, is to procure the knowle<lges of truth and goo<l from the 'Vord, and to apply thern to nses of life. The third, sixth, and ninllt hours alikc signify a full state, or wliat is complete even to the end, being such as takes pbcc with old men, young men, and thosc entering upon mature age: but th<l ele,enth honr denotes astate not yet full, but capnblc of reception and of being pcrfccled hcrcafter, bcing such as belongs to well-disposed boys and young people. The design of the parable is to show, that all men have a capacity for the reception of spiritual Iife from the Lord, and that each one will be rcwardcd hereafter according to the clegree of bis rece1Jtion, and the use which be is qualificd to perform in the Lord's kingdom.-See Ap. Ex. 194. A. C. 288. (6.) Matt. xxvii. 45. "Now from the sixth hour there was dnrk ness over all the land unto the ninth hour."--By the darkness, which was over all the land frorn the sixth to the nintli hour, that is, for the space of three hours, at the time of the Lord's crucifixion, was represented and signified the universal prevalence of falsities derived
TIIE NW!BER TEN.
469
from evil in the Jewish church. The sun signifies love to the J,ord, aud the light thereof faiih in IIim, the total absence of which is dcscribed by darkness. The ninth hom, the sixth hour, and three hours, signify what is full, total and unhersal.-See A. C. 1839, 2788. Ap. Ex. 526.
1'en.
The numbcr lcn in genernl signifies remains, whicb arc all states of the affection of good and trut.h, with which man i~ gifted hy the Lord, from the first stage of infancy to the end of liis lifo; these being trcnsurcd up from time to time in his interiors for future use.A. C. 576, 1906, 2141, 2284, 5291, 5894, 6156. It al;;o signifies all things, and ail persons.-A. C. 4638, 9416, 10221. D. Life, 61. A. R. 101, 515. Ap. Ex. 124, 675. All who arc in the church, as well those who are in good and truth, ns those who are in evil and flsity.-A. C. 4638. What is full and complctc.-A. C. 1988, 3107, 3176. ~fuch, or many, also some.-A. C. 4077, 5291. A. R. 101, 515. Ap. Ex. 124, 675. As mnch as is sufficient for use.-A. C. 9757, 8468. Also with respect to other numbers.-Ap. Ex. 124. The same as 100, and 1000, viz., mucl1, all, what is full, and in the suprcme scnse, in reference to the Lord, what is infinite.-A. C. 9716. Ap. Ex. 548. A teuth part, titheis, or tenth.s, signify the same as ten, but in a le8$ <legree, a sufficiency, viz., remains, or all statcs of Love and charity, also of innocence and peace.-A. C. 576, 1738, 5291, 8468, 8540. One tenth, or one tenth-deal, signifies celestial good, or good of the highest degree, rcprcsented by a lmnb, with which it was to be of ferc. Num. xv. 4, 5; xxviii. 13, 21, 29; xxix. 4, 10, 15.-A. C. 2180, 2276. An age in the Word is ten years.-A. C. 433. Two tenfhs, or two tenth-deals, signify spiritual good, or good of the midclle degree, represcnted by a ram. Num. xv. 6; xxviii. 12, 20, 28; xxix. 3, 9, 14.-A. C. 2180, 2276, 2280. 'l'hree lenths, or three tenth-deal.s, signify natura1 good, or good of the lowcst degree, represented by a bullock. N um. xv. 9; xxviii. 12, 20, 28; xxix. 3, 9, 14.-A. C. 2180, 2276. In cases where the number ten signifies much, the tenth part dcnote little or a few.-A. C. 8468. Whcn ten is used in conncdion with five.-Ap. Ex. 600.
40 .
470
[{EY TO NUMBERS.
EXAMl'LES.
(1.) Gcn. xiv. 20. "Blessed be the most high God, who hath delivercd thinc cnemics iuto thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."--The various states of the Lord while in the world, cspccially in his infancy or childhoo<l, are <lescribe in this chapter. His internal man which was Jehovtih, is under:;tood by the l\fost High Gotl, Possessor of heaven au<l earth ; bis interior man, as to spiritual things, hy Abram the Hebrew; antl his external man by Lot. \Vhen the intcrior man was purificd by the internai man, or Jchoval1, then hoth togcther were to be regarded as Jehovah, because the internai and the interior were united as one, each nevertheless retaining its proper distinction: and when, lastly, the external man was also purified, or in perfect union with the internai and the interior man, then an togetner constituted n Divine Man, that is, Jehovah in the Humanity. This was his fuIJ glorification, on the completion of which He rose from the dead, and ascendcd into hcaven. But during this process mnny things were transacted, and many stntcs paS<!cd through, which arc ail described in tlie history of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. By ~Iclchizcdek, king of Salem, are represented the celcstial things of the Lord's interior ruan, whercby this latter was purified; on which account he was called the priest of the Most High God, ver. 18. By his blcssing Abram, and also the ).fost High God, is significd that the Lor<l's interior man was in the enjoyment ofall celestial and spiritual things frorn his intermtl man which W!I.'! Jehovah, consequently in a statc of conjunction or union therewith. By Abram's giving .Melchizedek tithes of all, is signified that tl1e Lord acquired to himself. thnt is, to his Humanity, all the celestial things of love called rcmains, by bis continuai combats with, and victories O\'er, the powers of hell, represented hy the king of Sodom and the other kings his associates whom Abram had overthrown.-See A. O. 1702, 1707, 1725 to 1738. (2.) Gen. xviii. 32. "And he said, Oh let not the Lm:d be angry, and I wiJI speak yet but titis once: Peradventure ten shall be fou ml therc. And lie said, I will not destroy it for ten's snke."--lly Abrnham's pleading in behalf of the in habitants of Sodom, tlmt they might be preserved from destruction on condition that a certain numbcr of righteous men should l)e fouml nmong thern, is significd the Lord's mercy towards the hunian rt\cc, and his intercession for them while in his statc of humiliation in the world, when He praycd to the Father as to another lJcing istinct from himsclf. An<l by
THE NWfBER 'J'EN.
471
Jehovah's saying to AbrJ.ham, I will not estroy the city for ten's sake, is signified, that every man in whom the remains of good an truth shall be found, without being ehoked or dcstroyed, will be saved. Ten dcnotcs rcmains, orthose states of good and truth whieh man has received from the Lord, an wherehy his salvation is clfcctcd. -See A. O. 2282 to 2285. (3.) Gcn. xxxi. 7. "And your fathcr l1ath deceived me, and cl1anged my wages ten times: but God suffered him not to hurt me." --Ily changing the wages ten times, or in ten mmmcrs, is ~ignified & great change of stnte, duririg the proeess of tlie Lord's glorification, which is here describecl in the interna} sense, pasticularly as to the gornl represcnted by Laban: the uumber ten dcnotes much. Thnt this change of state, l1owever, id no real injury to Jacob; in othcr words, that it did not prevent the continuai influx of the Divinity into tlie Humanity representcd by Jacob, but wa..~ rather made to contribute to the perfect, union of both, is signified by the last clause of the verse, "Ilut God suffered him not to hurt me."--See A. C. 4077, 4078, 417U. ( 4.) l~x. xxvi. 1. "Moreo~er, thou shalt make the tabernacle (habitation) with len curtains of fine twined lincn, and hlue, and purple, aJJ. scarlet: with cherubim of cunning work shalt. thou mnb thcm."--By the tabernacle properly so called, with the things in it and about it, wcrc represented the thrcc hcavcns, the inmost, the mi<ldle, and the lowest ; also the three degrees of life in man : by the ark imrticulnrly, wliich contained the tcstimony, was represented the inmost or third heaven; by tl1e habitation where the table for the show-bread and the candlestick werc, the middlc or second heaven; and by the court, the lowest or fi:rst heaven. The ten curtains of the habitation signified all the interior truths of fith, which constitute the second or middle heaven, or what amounts to the same, ail the interior trutl1s appertaining to the new intellectual principle of the regenerate man. Their 1111mber, ten, signifies all: their substance bcing of fine twincd lincn, and blue, and purple, and scarlct, signifies tlicir celcstial origin and quality, together with the good thence derived: and the cheruhim of cunning work <lenote the divine provi dcnce and CRre of the Lord, in the protection of heaven from tlie ussaults of infernal s11irits.-See A. C. 9598 to 9597. (l'i.) Lev. xx:vi. 26. "And when J have brokcn tlie staff of your bread, ten women shaU bake your brcnd in one oven, and thcy shall delivcr you your lirea again hy wcight: and ye shall e.at, and not
472
A KEY TO Nlf1ll !1ERS.
be satisficd."--By breaking the staff of hrend is significd to deprive man of spiritual food or spi ri tua] nutritiou : bread deuotes everytliing that nourishes the S))irit or soul, especially the good of love. Ry fou worncn baking bread in one oven, is signified that in nll things rclntin\ tu the church in man there would be :scarce anything of good a11<l truth; in othcr worrls, that thcre would be a gcncral dcfoct in the rcccption of good and truth: women denote the affection of truth, which is constituent of the church in man ; the number ten den')k!' all; brcad dcnotes goocl and truth which nourish the soul ; and the ovcn whcre that. spiritual food is prepared, denotes the human miml. By delivering bread by weig11t is signified the scarcity and want of rnch things as are conduciye to spiritual nourishrncnt: whcrcfore it follows, "Ye shiill eat, and not be satisficd."-Sce Ap. Ex. 555, 675. A. R. 101. (6.) Deut. iv. 13. "And He declared unto you his covenant., whicl1 He commanded you to perform, even len commandments, and He wrote them upon two tables of stone."--Thc ten commandment:s, or, as it is expressed in the original, the ten words, whicl1 wcre givcn by Jehovah to Moses, as the first-fruits of the 'Vord, signify all di vine truths, because they contaiu the whole law in a cornpendious form.-Scc A. R. 101. Ap. Ex. 675. (7.) Dan. i. 20. "And in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, (Daniel, Hanauiah, lliishael, and Azariah,) he fonnd them ten times bettcr than all the rnagicians and ustrologcr:> that wcre in ail his realm."--lly magicians and probably astrologers or diviners, in ancient tirnes, were meant persans who cultivated the scie11ce of spiritual things, and their analogies or harmonies with natural things. But aftcr those very remote times alluded to, the same terrns were applied to those who perverted such knowledgc, and made it subservicnt to worldly and intcrested ends. Daniel and his companions, who were of the tribe of J udah tLcn in a state of captivity, represented what remained of tl1e church, with whorn the knowlcdge of spi6tual things was still preserved; and therefore thcy werc said to be ten times more excellent in ail mattcrs of wisdom and understanding, whereof the king inquired of them, than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all bis realm. Here the number ten evidently signifies rnuch, being the same sensc which it bears in many other parts of the 'Vord.-See A. R. 101, 515. Ap. Ex. 124, 675. A. O. 5223. (8.) Dan. vii. 7. "After this I saw in the night-visions, and be
TIIE NUllfBER TKN.
473
hold, a fourth beast, dreadfol and terrible, and strong exceedingly: and it had grcut iron teeth : it devoured and brake in pieces, and stnmped the rcsi<lue with the fcet of it, and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns."--By the four beasts whieh Daniel saw corne up out of the sea, are deseribed tl1e successive states of the church from its commencement to its end, w hen every good and truth of the "\Vord were cstroyed. 'fhe first state of the church is described by the first beast, which was a lion with cagle's wings: the second state is describcd by a bear, which signifies that the word wns indecd read, but not understood: tl1e third state is dcscrihed by a leopard, whicl1 denotes the falsificntion of the truths of the 'Yord : and the fourth or 1ast state is describcd by the fourth beast dreadful and terrible and excecdingly strong, which signifies the total destruction of ail truth and good in the clrnrch. Its ten horns signify falsities of evcry kind, and their universal prevalence: horns <lenote falsitics, and the number ten rnucb and all.-See A. R. 101, 574. Ap. Ex. 316, 5.'16, 675. A. C. 2832. (9.) Zech. viii. 23. "Thus saitl1 Jehovah of hosts, In those day~ it shall corne to pas!!, that len men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, suying, 'Ve will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you."--By Ulis prophecy is not meant, as generally supposed, the restoration of the Jcws, and their introduction into tho land of Canaan, with a number of others from every nation who may wish to accompany them, but the convocation and accession of the gcntiles to the truc Christian church. Uy the Jews hcre mentioned are signified all who acknowledge the Lord und love Him. By ten men out of cvery language of the nations taking hold of liis skirt, is signified that ail of every rcligious denomination, who have a desire of knowing and undcrstanding trutb from the Lord, will endeavor to ohtain information and instruction from those who are able to give it, especially from the 'Vord itself. Ten men denote all: ull languages of the nations dcnotc every religious dcnomination: to take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, is to cmbrace the truth proce'"ding from the Lord, part.icularly the literal or external sense of his 'Vor<l; and the desirc which IB expressed of going with t11e Jew hecause God is with him, implies an affection or love of the truth for its own sake, wit11 an intention of living in obedicnce to it.-See A. R. 101. A p. Ex. 433, 455, 675. A. C. 3881. (10.) fatkc xv. 8. "'Vhat woman having ten pieces of silver,
4()
-474
A KRI' TO NWIJJERS.
if shc losc one piecc, doth not Jight a candle, and sweep the house, and scck diligently till she find it? "~-lly the woman herc alluded to, is significd the churcl1 as to the affection of truth, or wlrnt is tl1e same thing, the affection of tmth itsclf in the clrnrch, or in the mernber of the church. By her having ten pieces of money, and afterwards losing one piece, is signified the possession of an abundancc of trutl1s from the 'Vord at one time, or in one state, and tl1e loss or apparent extinction of some of them at another time, or in anothcr statc. A picce of money dcnotcs truth, or the knowlcdge of truth; and the munber ten denotes an abundance, mu ch, or all: to Jose one, is to noglect sorne truth or precept of the 'Vord, which might have bccn profitable had it bccn duly attcndcd to. By her lighting a candle, sweeping the bouse, and sccking diligently till shc find it, are signified self-examination from affection, purification from evils, ::md close attention to the partieular as well as general state of the wl10lc minci, with a view to discover and bring into actual use and life the truth, whic}l had bccn sufl"ered to remain inactive, or which had bcen apparently extinguished. To light a candle, is to produce the light of truth from the love thereof, for the pur1rnse of self-examination: to sweep the bouse, is to examine flly the state of the mind, also to prepare it for the rcccption of good, by the rcrnoval of evils: to scck 1liligcntly till the piece of moncy be found, is to continue the cxamination until the truth be restored.---See A p. Ex. 675. (11.) Luke xix. 13. "And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come."- Ry the noblcman going into a far country is signified the Lord taking his departure from the world, tlnd then appearing to men to be absent. Hy receiving for himself a kingclom, is signified that with respect to his Ilumanity He became the God of heaven and the eburch, which constitute his spiritual kingrlom. By bis returning is llignified the communication of d\'ne good and truth, from his Hurnanity when glorificd, to those on earth wl10 arc willing to aeknowledge and worship Him as their God. By his ten scrvtluts are significd in gcncral all who are in the world, and espccially all who belimg to the chureh: and by the ten pounds which He gave them to negotiatc with, arc signified all the knowlcdgcs of truth and good frorn the onl, togetlier with the faeulty of perceiving or understanding thcm, whereby intelligence and l1eavenly wisdom may be obtained. -8ce Ap. Rx. 223, G7.5. ~\. IL 101. (12.) Apoc. xi. m. "Arnl the smnc hour thcre wa.s a great carth
"r
THF, NWIBER EliEVE'N.
475
riuake, and the tenih part of the eity fcll, and in the carthquake werc sbin of men seven thousand : and tl1e rcrnnant were uffrightcd and gave glory to tho God of heaven;"--By a great earthqun.ke is significd a rernarkahle change of slate with those in the spiritual world who had been of the church, but were in falsities of doctrine and in evils of Hfe. By the tentli part of the city flHng, is siguified that all su ch were cntircly separated from hen.ven and cast iuto hell: the tenth 11art denotcs the samc as tcn, viz., all: and a city denotcs doctrine, in the present en.se false doctrine, together with tho~e who ernbruce and confm it. lly scven thousand bcing slain is significd the destruction of all who prufcss the false doctrine of justification hy fith alone, and who on that account do not bring forth the fruits of charity in their lifc. By the remnant bcing affrighted, and giving glory to the God of heaven, is signified that they who in sorne degree adjoined to fith the good works of charity, when they saw tlie destruction of the former, bcing in great concern for their spiritual lifu, wcre scparatcd from them, and acknowledged the Lord as the only God of heaven and earth.-Se<i A. R. 515 to 517. Ap. Ex. 673 t-0 678.
Eleven.
The uumber eleven, whcn it has relation to ten, signifies all things even to redundance or superfluity: for as ten dcnotes ail, so eleven, as being more than ten, denotes whut is redundant or superabundant.A. C. 9616. \Vhen it hru> relation to twelve whjcl1 signifies ull things in fulnes~, it then denotes a state not yct full, as t-0 the reception of truths and goods, but capable of bccoming so, as in the case of well-disposcd boys anci children.-Ap. Ex. 194. Tlie elevenOi hour, day, wcck, month or ycar, signifies the same as eleven hours, days, etc., viz., all even to redundancy, when the subject treated of points ont an excess above ten; and nearly all, or an approach to fulness, wl1en the subjeet trcutcd of i:; astate somewhat below the full complement denoted by twelve.-Ap. Ex. 194. A. C. 207.'5. A state not yet full, yet a state of reception, such as appertains to well disposed children and young persons.-Ap. Ex. 194.
EXAMPLES.
(1.) Gen. xxxvii. 9. "And ,J;eph drcamed yet anothcr dream, nnd told it his brctlircn, and :miel : Behold, I lia ve drcamed a dre::tm rnor, awl hel1old, the sun, and the moon, and the clei'en stars, made
A KEY TO NW!BERS.
obeisance to me."--By Joseph who dreamcd this prophetic drcam, is here rcpresented in the supremo sense the Lord himself, and in a respective sense the divine truth proceeding from Him, espccially that divine truth which teaches the Divinity of his Humanity. By his brethren are here represented those of the church who are in faith separate from charity, and who refuse to acknowledge the Divine Humanity of the Lord. Ily the sun and moon in this passage, are significd natural good and natural truth, because predicated of Jacob and Leah, by whom sttcb good and such trnth arc repre:se11ted in the W'ord. On other occasions the sun denotes celestiaI good, and the moon spiritual good or truth, and in the supreme sense both signify the Lord,-thc sun as to di vine good, and the moon as to divine truth. By stars arc signified the knowledges of good and truth: and as the knowledgo or doctrine of the Divinity of the Lord's Humanity i~ the chief knowledge or doctrine in the church, and this was represented by Joseph, it follows, that the eleven stars, which, with the sun and moon, werc secn to make obeisance to Joseph, dcnotc ail the other knowledges of good and truth, which are subordinate to the primary and most essential knowledge concerning the Divine Humanity of the L ord.-See A. C. 4687, 4693 to 4698. (2.) Ex. xxvi. 7. "And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle : eleven curtains shalt thon make."--By the cnrtains of goats' bair intended for a covering upon that part of the tabernacle called the habitation, are signified the exterior truths of faith dcrived from external celestial good, which is the good of mutual love: for by the curtains of fine twined 1inen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, are signified the interior truths of faith, as already cxpluined in the fourth example under number TEN". The curtains of goats' hair werc eleven in number, to denote all even to rcdundance and superfhlity: for as ten signifies aH, so eleven signifies all that is sufficient, and moreover a superfluity; whicl1 is further denoted by dou bling the last curtain, and causing it to bang over the back and sicles of the habitation, as stated in ver. 9, 12, 13, of this chapter.-See A. C. 9615, 9616. (3.) Ex. xxxvi. 14. "And he made curtains of gouts' hair for the tent over the tabernacle (habitation): eleven curtains he made them."--By the el.even curtains of goats' hair are hcre also signified the same things as in the preceding example, viz., all the exterior truths of fith from a celestial origin, even to redundance or super fluity.-See A. C. 9615, 9616, 10750.
TJJR .NU,l/BER ELEVE'Jt.
477
(4.) 2 Kings xxv. 2. "And the city was bcsicgeil unto the elever.!h year of king Ze(lckiah."--By the city being hesieged unto tlie eleventh year wben the famine prevailed, and there was no brcud, is signified that there was no longer conjunction by the things 1elati11g to faith and charity. Tl1e number eleven, whcn preceded by the numbers nine and ten, eu.ch in rcfcrence to the siege of the city, as in ver. 1, denotcs a eomplete state of dcsolation us to the things of the church. ]'amine in the city, and want of bread for the people of the land, as cxprc~scd in ver. 3, signify that thcre was nothing of fait11 and nothing of charity remaining.-S.-e A. C. 2075. (5.) l\Iatt. xx. 6. "And about the eleventh hour ho wcnt out, und fund others standing idle ; and hc saith unto them, '\Vhy stnnd ye here al! the day idle? "--Dy the eleventh hotir, "~heu some lahorers wcrc hired to work in the vineyard, is signified a state of lifo not yet fll with respect to the reception oftruths and goods, but yct capable of full reception by further instruction: for the twelfth hour to whicb all labored, signifies truths and goods in their fulness. The state of wcll-disposed boys and children who die bcforc they corne to years of maturity, and who arc instructed and perfected after <leath, is here described by the laborers engaged at the eleventh hour: while t he states of old men, young men, and those cntcring upon rnaturity, are dcscribed by t11e hiring of other laborers at the third, sixth, and ninlh hours; all of whom are said to receive a like reward, by which is signified, that all are accepted by the Lord according t o their several degrees of regeneration.--See example five, under number NI:\fE, Ap. Ex. 1!)4. (6.) l\Iatt. xxviii. 16. "Then the ewven disciples went away into Galilcc, into a mountain, whcrc Jesus had appointed thcm."-- By the twelve disciples, whom the Lord chose for bis more immediate followers, in like manner as by the twelvtJ tribes of the children of Israel, were representcd all the truths and goods of the church. Tl10 sarnc wcrc also rcprcscntcd by the efoven, after the dcfcction of Judas who betraycd the Lord, yet with a dilference in res1Ject to fulness and perfection. And again the same were reprcsented, in a dilfercnt respect, by the ten disciples who werc asscmblcd togcthcr on the day of the Lord's rcsurrcction, and on whom t11e Lord breathed the H oly Spirit, at the same time giving them power to remit or to retain sins ; for ou that occasion hoth Judas ancl Thomas were absent: sce J ohn xx. 19 to 24. T11e nnmber of disciples being rcduced from twelve to oleven, hy the apostacy of Judas, they still rcpresented all the truth1
478
A KEY TO NWIBERS.
and good;; of the sueccc<ling Chri.tifm cl1urc.:h, but n0t in so full a de~rcc : aml probahly this very circumstnncc mny have bcc11 permitte1l lo takc place, and to be rcconlc in the 'Vord, not only as rcpre scutative of the infidclity of the Jcwish church, but also as prophctic of the obscure nml imperfoct reception of divine truth, which would d i:itinguish the professors of Christianity in every age of the church, 1111til the commencement of the New J crusalcm. For as it was forc;;ccn that the Christian chureh would come to its consumm1\ti1J11 or end in eonsequcnec of not fully acknowledging the J,ord, so the numlter eleieii being expressive of all the truths and goods belonging to tl1c churel1, is used by the Evangefts to dcnote at the stime timc thcir ohseure und imperfeet rceeption: whereas in the Apocalypse, a book peculinrJy d criptive of the end of the former ehurch, an the commcucement of 1i new one uuder the naine of the New J erusalem, the number twelve uniformly marks the full reception of divine truth y those who shall hecome members of this last and truly Christian church. Henee in the 7th ehaptcr wc l'Cad of the numbcr of those " ho wcre scaled being fwelve tlwusand of each trihe of the ehildren of Israel, making a total of twelve time.s twdve tlwusand, or a himdred and f<Yl'ty1our tlun1umd, besides "a great multitude which no man couhl number, of all nations, and kindrcds, and people, and tongues :" aml in tlrn 21st chapter m:~ furthcr read of the city, New J erusalem, "having a wall great and high, with twelve gates, and at the gatci> t'Welve nngels, and names written thereOll, which are the name:s of the twelve tribes of t.he children of I srael:" and again of "the tzce/ue foumluti ons of tl1e wall, in whieh were the names of the twelt'e apostles of the Lamb:" al:;o of the dimensions of the city, which wcre "twcfre thousand furlongs in length, breadth, and J1eight, the wall hcing n hundrcd and forty-four (twelve times twelve) cuhits, nccording to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel."
Twdve.
'The number twefre bclongs to the spiritual class of expressions, bcing predicatcd of trnths or of falsiti es, and dcnotes ail truths or ail falsities in the complex.- A. C. 10217, 10264. Ap. Ex. 253. It is a most holy number, beeausc it signifies ail the holy things of faith.- A. C. 648. A universal numhcr, oomprehendiog ail things of the church, ancl of the Lord's king dom in gener:i.l and in particular.-A. C. 3268,
3863.
TUE XWllJER TWEL VE.
479
It signifies al! things of faith derived from charity.- A. C. 16671 1988, 208!l, 3268, 4603. A. R. 348. AIL things of love and thcncc of fith in one complcx.- A. C. 575, 577, IG67, 3239, 7978. Al! !.rutl1s and goods in one complex, which proceed from the Lord nncl constitute heavcn.- A. C. 6335, 6640, 9603. Ail things of the doctrine of truth and good, or of faith and love. - A. C. 3858. The 10ost commun or cardinal things of the chnrch, by which man is iuitin,tcd into spiritual and celestial tl1ings, and thus regenerated.A. C. 3!l13. A. R 916. The common thiugs of the church, consequcntly of fith and love, or of truth and good; and in an opposite sensc, the eommon things of no faith and no love, or all things of what is flse and evil.-A. C. 3D26. Ail tl1ings of the church, Iikewise iill persons, who are in good and truth from the Lord, and who acknowledge Uini as the God of heaven arnl carth.-A.R. 348. Ap. Ex. 340. L. J. 39. A. C. 3129, 3854, 3858, 6397. In the opposite sense it dcnotes prineiples opposite to those of faith and love, viz., the general principles of falsity and evil.-A. C. 3926. Being com1rnunded of thrcc multiplied by four, it derivcs its :iignification from both of thosc nmnbers: hence, as tlJree signifies all in respect tu truth, and four all in respect to good, the numbor twelve denotes all truths dcrived from good, or all truths and goods in the church.-T. C. R. 217. A. R 348, 915. Ap. Ex. 340. A. C. 3!H3, fl873. The twelflh hour, etc., signifies the samc as twelic hours, etc., vi~., a full, complote and perfeet state.-Ap. Ex. 194. A. C. 6000. The half, and al! the multiples of twefre, have a like signification rui the simple number.-A. C. 7973.
EXA:'.>1PLES.
(1.) Gcn. xiv. 4. " Twelve years they scrvcd Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year thcy rebelled."--The subject treatcd of in this ehapter is the st11te of the Lord's Hum11nity while in his infuncy, ancl his ont.rance into temptatiollll M soon as He arrivcd at maturity, wl1ich with IIim w:IB at or about twelue years of age, being much earlier than with other men. The four kings denotc apparent goodw and truths; and the five kings, against whom they fought, dcnote
480
A KEY TO NUMBERS.
cvils and flsitcs dcrivcd hcrctlitarily from the mothcr, but which did not manifcstly show thcmsclvcs until the time arrivcd when the Lord might, according to divine order, sustain temptation~, an thus flght against and overcome those hereditary propensitics. IIcnec it is std that the five kings scrvcd Chcdorlaorner iwdve years, and tlrnt in the thirtcenth year they rebelled; hy whieh is significd that hcreditary evils and falsities were kept in a state of subjection so as not to appear during the Lord's infancy and childhood, hy such goods and truths as appertaincd to his external man, and which in them:;e]ve~ were apparent goods and truths, and not genuine or divine. lly thcir rebelling in the thirteenth year, is signified that his first temptation in childhood commenced; his victory over which by apparent goods and truths, and at length his purification from even these lat.ter, is describe in the succeeding parts of the same chapter.-See A. C. 1660 to 1668. (2.) Gcn. xvii. 20. "Ai> for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, l l1a\'e blesscd him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exccedingly : twelve princes shall he beget, and I will makc him a grea.t nation."--By Ishmael were represented such in the ehurch as become rational or spiritual men, by the reception of truth from the Lord ; of whom it is said that thcy shall be blessed, made fruit. fol, and be multiplied exceedingly. By the twelie princes which he shall beget, are signified the primary precepts of charity and faith: the number lwdve signifies all things of faith; and the term princes is preicated of charity, and the primary things thereof, which are the precepts of divine truth.-See A. C. 2087 to 2090. (3.) Gcn. xlix. 28. "All these are the twelve trihcs of Israel: and t.his is it that their father spake unto them, and blesse them ; every onu according to his bleB<ling he ble:;sed them."--By the twelve trihes of Israel are signified all the truths and goods of the church in the aggregatc. The blessing pronounced upon each denotcs the happines:> whicb every one will experienee, who enters into either of the spiritual states repre:;ented by the twelve tribes.-See A. C. 6445 to 6448. ( 4.) Ex. xxviii. 2L "And the stones shall be with the namcs of the children of Israel, twclve, according to thcir names; like the en~ gravings of a signet, evcry one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribcs."--By the precious stonei; are signifie<l the goods and truths of the church ; and by their numbcr bcing twelve, according to the namcs of the twelve tribes of Israel, are signified all such goods and truths in the complex, each stone and each name
THE NU.MEER TWEL VR.
481
d.enoting some specilc good and truth, and the whole being arranged in their order accordi11g to the fortn of beaveu.---See A. C. 9875 to 9878. ( 5.) 1 Kings x. 20. "An twelve lions stood there on the one side und on the other upou the six ste1Js: there was not U1e like made in any kingdom."--By Solomon's throne was rcprc~ented the divine truth derive from the di due good; and by the twelve lions upou the six ~teps, on tlie one sirlc and on the other, were represented all the truths of l1eaven and the church in their po\YCr, wherehy man is enablcd to fight and overcome in spiritual temptation; lions deuotc truths in power, an the number twelie all.-Scc Ap. Ex. 253, 430. A. C. 5313, 6367. l6.) 1 Kings xbc 19. "So he departcd thence, and found Elisha, the son of Sbaphat, who was ploughing with tweli-e yoke of oxen before him, and be with the tweljth: and Elijah pas:;cd by him, and cast his mantle upon him."--By Elijah, and aftcrwards by }]isha, was rcprellCuted the Lord as to the 'Vord, in which are all trurhs derived from good. \Vhen the time, thereforc, came for transforring that reprcsentation from the one to the ocher, which was announced by Elijah's casting his mantlc upon Elisha, the latter was found ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelflh, by which 8 signified the formation of the ehurch by the divine truths of the W ord. The aet of ploughing, spiritually understood, deuotes the prcparation of the mind by good for the reception of truths; the oxcn also employed in ploughing, enote goods in the nalural or external man; and the numbcr twdve, as in othcr cases, signifies ail. -See A p. Ex. 430. A. C. 589.5. (7.) Ezek. xliii. 16. "And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square in the four squares thereof."--The alt.ar wus a rcpresentative of worship; and it is dcscribed as twelve cubits long (\nd twefre broa<l, to denote that the worship of the Lor(l should hc accoring to ail the principles of good, and ail the principles of truth; the lcngth of the altm being predicatcd of good, and its brcadth of truth, in the same manner as the length and breadth of the New Jerusulem are. Thus the dimensioru of the altar which is said to be square in the four squares thereof, denote what is just, having an equal respect t.o the four quartera of the world, or to every degree of good and truth in the chureh.--See A. R 905 to 907. (8.) l\fatt. xiv. 20, 21. "And they did all eat and were filled: und they took up of the fragment.s that remained, twelve baskets full il 2F
482
A KEY TO NW/BERS.
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besidcs women and children."--Every particu1ar contained in the description of the miracle recorded in this chapter, has a spiritual signification. The fivc thousand men, besicles women anrl chilrlrcn, who wcre fed by the Lord, signify aU in the church who are in truths derived from good ; the men those who are in truths, the "\Yomen those who arc in good affections, and the children those who are in innocence. The bread and the fishes signify the goods and truths of the natural man: the multitude eating of thcs, dcnotcs the spiritual nourishment reccivcd by the members of the church from the Lord: and the twelve baskets of fragments that remained, signify the c011sequcnt knowledges of truth and good in all abundance. See a further explanation of this miracle in the sevcnth example undcr number FIVE.-See Ap. Ex. 430, .548. (9.) l\Iatt. xix. 28. "And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that yc who have followcd me in the regencration, when the Son of llfon shall sit in the throne of llis glory, ye also shall sit upon twehte thrones, judging the twefre tribes of Isracl."--By the twclve disciples of the Lord sittiug upon twclve thrones, judging the twdve tribes of Israel, is not mcant that the disciples will hereatlcr sit in judgment on mankind; for thcy, as "cll as every other crented hcing, are utterly incompetent to such a work; but that the Lord alone, as the Son of Man, or the "'Vord, will judge the human race from and according to the truths and goods of the church, or according to the truths derived from good, whieh were represcntcd by the twelve apostlcs, as well as by the twelve tribes of Turacl; the number twefoe hcrc, as in othcr places, dcnoting all such truths and goods procceding from the Lord.-See A. R. 798. Ap. Ex. 333, 430, 431. A. C. 5313, 6397. (10.) 1\Iatt. xxvi.53. "Thinkest thon that I cnnnot now pray to my Fathcr, und He shall prcscmtly give me more than twelve legions of angcls? "--By tweliie legions of angcls is signified the univcrsal heaven, or all the angels thcreof: hcnce by more than thcsc, is evidently siguificd the didnc omnipotence.-See Ap. Ex. 430. (11.) Luke ii. 42. "And when he was twelve years old, thcy went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of the foasi."--As the number twelve signifies all things, and is predicated of truths derive<l frorn good which constit.at.c the church, thcrefore the Lord, when He wa.s twelve years of age, Left his nominal father Joseph and bis mother Mary, and after thrce days was fourni in the temple, sitting in the
TIIE NWIBL'R TJVEL VE.
483
midst of the 1Ioctors, hot.h hearing them and asking them questions; by which circumstan is signified the initiation and introduction of his Humanity into all things rclating to heaven and tl1e church: whcrefore He said to Joseph and l\fary, after they had found Him, "\Vist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" ver. 49. - Sec A p. Ex. 430. (12.) .Luke vf. 43, 44. "And a wornan having an issue of blood lwclvc yenrs, who had spent ail her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind Him nnd touehed the border of hi8 garment: and immediatcly hcr issue of blood stanchcd."-- Hy the woman here mentioned is signified the church as to the affection of truth, or wliat is the eame thing, the affection of truth itsclf: Hy her having an issue ofblood twelve years, is signified that the churcl1, though in the dcsire and love of truth, was not a.~ yet in the posses sion of it, but on thu i.:ontrary surrounded with false principles, ~nd at the same time in a state of spiritual uncleanness. Tl1e number of years, twelve, during which sl1e was so afilicted, dcnotcs what is full or total. IIcr application to othcr physicians, which proved to be vain and without sni.:ccss, signifies that purification and regcneration cannot be effocted by any othcr power than that of the L ord and hi~ Word. Ily hcr coming behind J esus and toucliing the border of his garmcnt, and hcr issue of blood heing immediately stanched, is signified that on her approaching the Lord throngl1 the medium of his ord, even in the literai scnsc, a hcaling virtue wns communicatcd to her, and the power of divine truth wa.5 manifested in tl1e removal of falsities and evils, or in the purification of her spirit from the defilements of sin, This first act of the divine power of the L ord seems to refer more immediately to the suppression of evil in the external, white the undcrstanding is as yct but faintly cnlightened, and capable of disi.:crning the great truths of the "\Vord only in an obscure degree; wl1ich state of the spiritual lifc b rcprcseutcd hy the woman's coming belnd Jcsus, and touehing the border of his garment: for to approach the Lordfrom behind, and not to have a direct view of hiR countenance, is the sarnc thing as to discern his Humanity not yet fully glorificd, without an internal aclrnowlcdgment of his 8uprcme and exclusive Divinity; and t o touch the border or extremily of his garmcnt, is the same thing as to embrace the "Tord in its {if,.. eral or cxtcrnal sense, without being as yct fully enlightened t o perccive its genuine internai scnsc. That the further process of purification and rcgcncration might, lwwever, be distinctly reprcsented ;Il
"r
484
A KEY TO NU.MBERS
the ca~e of this woman, it is stated in the 47th and 48th verses, that a secon act of divine power of th~ Lord took place upon hcr, whcn she came into his direct prcscnce, and foll down before Hn, declaring unto Him before ail the people her faith in his divine omnipotence, and consequently in hlis supreme Divinity: for to corne into his direct pr~ence, to v.i~w his divine countenance, and then to fall down in self-abascment before Ililn, implics a more full and more interior acknowledgrncnt of his divine person and character, und at the sarne time a more profountl and enlightened perception of the interna! sensc of his 'Vord, thun she had before exliibited; her conduct on this occasion in some m>pccts rc.'!embling that of the apostle John, in Apoc. i. 10 to 17, when he first heard the voice of the Son of l\lan bekind hirn; and aftcnrnrd11, bcing turned to sec the voice that spakc unto ltim, he beheld the pcrson of his Lord in all his divine majesty and glory. In this latter case the Lord said to John, "Feur not; I am the First and the Last :" and in the former case He addressed the woman in this consolatory language, "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thec wholc; go in peacc." It furthcr appears that the whole case of this woman is representative of the conversion of the gent.iles to the Christian religion, and their gradua] but willing reception of the divine truth of the " ' ord, fst in its literai seme, ami aftenrnrds in its genuine interna! scnsc; in othcr words, of their acknowledgruent of the Lord, first as the Son of God, (for the most part attended with an idea of another divine pcrson supcrior to Him, and a third equa] or iuferior to Him,) ai1d Jastly, in agreement with the Prophet3 and the Lord's own words in the Gospel, as the supreme Go<l, or everlasting Father himself in a Di\ir1e Human Forrn.--Sce Ap. Ex. 79, 195. A. C. 10130. (13.) John xi. 9. "Je.sus answcred, Are there not twelve hours 1n the <luy? If any man walk in the day he stnmbleth not, bccause he sceth the light of thil world."--As the numbcr twclvc signifies goods and truths in thcir fulncs1>, so twelvc hours of the day dcnotc ail states of spirilual light or intelligence dcrive<l from them: l1cnce to walk in the day without stumbling, is to live eonscientiously according to t11e dictutcs of divine truth.-Sec Ap. Ex. 194, 4~:l0. A. c. 6000. (14.) Apoc. xii. 1. "And therc appcarcd u g reat wondcr in heaven, a wornan clothed with the sun, and the ruoon under her fcet, and upon lier hea<l a crown of twelue st;trs." - -By a grcat woncler (or rathcr sign) sceu in heavcu, is significd a revelatiou or manifest
THE NUJIJJER PlrELYE.
485
testification concerning the New Clmrch, the difficult reception of its <lod:rinc, and the persecution or assn.ults which it will haye to sustuin. By the wom11n clothcd with the snn, and having the moon under her foet, is signined tl1e New Church of tl1e Lord, ftrst iu the hcavcns, and therefore called tl1e N ew Heaven, afterwards on the etirth, and thcrefre called the l\ew Jcrusalem. She is said to be clothed or surrounded wii the suu, because the church rcprcscnte<l by her, especially among the augels of heaven, is in love to the L ord nnd in churity towards tlie neighor, which state of spiritual affection produccs r.round thein n heavenly sphere of light and love resem bling a sun. The moon ulso i;; said to be under her feet, to denote a future state of intelligence and fith with those wl10 sl1nll become members of the Xew Church on enrth: for as the sun which is the chief lnminary in he:wen, signifies love, eo the moon which is subordinute to it and dcriYes all its light from it, signifies intelligence nnd fitl1, pnrticularly in tbe natuml or external man. By a cmwu of tu:efre stars upon her hPnd is 1;ignincd the wisdom and intelligence of tbe .New Church, :i.cquircd by the knowledgcs of divine good nn<l di~ine trutl1 from the\\'ord : a crown upon the head deuotes wisdom nml intelligence; st~n'S cnote the knowlege of good and truth frorn the W ord; an<l the number t-weltie denotcs all.--8ce A. R. 532. Ap. Ex. 705 to 709. (15.) Apoc. x:xi. 12 to 14. "And it l1ad a wall grcat and high, 1md had twefre gates, and at the gates tweltc angels, and lltlmes written tlwrcon, which arc tlie names of the twefre tries of the children of faruel. On the enst, three gntes; on the north, thrce gtites; on the ~ouili, three go.tes; nud on the west, threc gntes. And the wall of the city ha<l tll'efre foundations, and in them the uamcs of tho twefre apostlc,; of the lam."--By a wall grcat and high is significd the W ord in its literai sensc, from which the doctrine of the l\ew Chnrch i:> dcrh-ed, and by which it is confirmed nn<l clefernled; the terru great bcing predicnt.ed of goo<l, nnd the term high of truth. lly the tu:elu gntes nre signified all the knowledgcs of truth nnd good by which man i~ introtluced into the church ; the three gnt~ on the cn~t bcing for those who are in n grcater or ~uperior degree of loyc anrl the nlfection of goo<l; the thrce gntes on the west, for thosc who nre in a lc:ss or infcrior degree of the snme; the three gates on the snuth, for those who nre in a grcntcr or superior dcgrec of " isdom nnd the allction of trntl1 ; nml the three gates ou the north, for those who are in :i ll'l'S or infrior cle<.;t-ee of tlie snmc. lly the wnll hav 41*
48~
A KEY TO NUllfBERS.
ing twelve foundations, is sgnified that the 'Vord in its literai sense con tains all things appertaining to the doctrine of the New Church; the foun<lat.ions thereof denoting its doctrinals, and the number twelve all. By the names of the twclve apostles of the Lamb which wcrc written in tl1e twelve foundations, are signified all things ailpcrtaining t-0 the doctrine of the Ncw J erusalcm from the W ord conccrning the Lord, and concerning a life accorcling to his commandmeuts; the Lamh denoting the Lord as to his Divine Hurnanity, and his twelve apostles ail things relating to his church.-Scc A. R. 898 to 903. Ap. Ex. 430. (Hl.) Apoc. xxii. 2. "In the rnidst of the street of it, and of either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits and yiclded lier fruit every month : and the leavcs of the tree wcre for the hcaling of the nations."--By the street of the city is signHied the truth of doctrine in the New Church: and by the ruidst thcrcof is signilicd the inmost principle of the truth of doctrine, and whatcvcr is thcnce derived. By tl1e river and its sicles is significd diviue truth in great abundance, producing intelligence and wisdom in every degree. By the tree of life, which bare twelve kinds of fruits, is signified the Lord as to his divine love, from wl1om are derived ail the goods of love and charity, called good works, which man perforrus apparently as of hirnself: fruits dcnotc the good thin:gs of love and charity manifested in acts of useful service to mankind; and twelve dcnotcs all. By the tree yielding its fruit every rnonth is signified, that the Lord produces the goods of lo\'C in man according to every statc of truth in him: a 1nonth, as bcing deterrnined by the rnoon which signifies faitli in the undcrstanding, denotcs the various st.ates of truth derived from good, and entering iuto conjunction with it. By the leaves of the tree which were for the hcaling of the nations, are signified rational truths calculated to amcnd the life of those wlio are in evils and thence in fafaities: nations in a g~od scnse denote thosc wl10 are in goods and thcnce in truths, hut in an opposite scnse, as in this place, those wl10 are in evils and thence in falsities.-See A. R. 933 to 936. Ap. Ex. 430.
In addition to these exarnplcs of the spiritual signification of the numbcr lwelve, many othcrs are to be found in the "\Vord of similnr jmport ; as, Tlmt Moses built an altar nnder the bill, and twelve pillrtrs according to the twelue tribcs of Israel, Ex. xxiv. 4. Tha.t twelve cakes of fine flour, called the sliow-bre:ul, were set in two rows upon
A GENERAL RULE.
11
487
table before Jehovah, Lev. xxiv. 5, 6. That the princes of Israel werc twelve, Num. i. 44. That thosc twefoe princes brought to tl1e dedication of the altar twefre chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold, twelve bullocks, twelve rams, twelve lambs, and twelve kids, Num. vii. 84, 87. Tlrnt tweh'e thousa!ld of the children of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, werc sent out to war against the l\Iidianites, ::-l"um. xxxi. 4 to 7. That twefre men were sent out to search the land of Canaan, Dcut. i. 22 to 24. That t1lve men took twelve stoncs out of the midst of ,Jordnn, ami laid them down at tl1e place where tl1ey lodgcd, ns a memorial that the waters of Jordan were eut off: and that twefi.e stones \ere also placed in the rnidst of Jordan, in the place where the fect of the priosts stood, who bare the ark oftlw covenant, Josh. iv. 1to9, 20. That tl1e rnolten sea, which Solomon made, stood upon twelve oxen, 1 Kings vii. 25. That Elijah took tweli:e stones, and built an altar in the name of Jehovah, 1 Kings xviii. 31, 32. That twelie thous:rnd of each of the tribcs of Israel wcro sealed, Apoc. vii. 5 to 8. And that the founclations of the wall of the city New .Jerusalem wcre garuished with twelve kinds of precious stones, Apoc. xxi. 19, 20.
A Rule for discovering the Signification of every other Nwnber.

From the cxplanation of the preccding numhcrs may be discovercd the signification of all othcrs not distinctly specilied; as for example, the signification of SS, the age of Aaron, when he and Moses spuke unto Pharaoh, and demamled the release of t11e ehildren of lsraol, Ex. vii. 7. This number hcing compounded of 80 aud ;~, we first look for the signification of 80, and find that it dcnotes the sa.me as 40, viz., ternptat.ions; also the same as 8 and 10, vit.., a new statc, arising frorn the insinuntion or grndual iutroduction of 1emains into (.he hurnan miml. \Ye next proceed to the nurnber :-J, and find tlmL it denotes ful11css, more particularly in respect to truth, aud consequcutly to the doctrine of divi11e truth in the church. Then combining thcse various significntions, it is discovcrcd that sa, the age of Aaron, i11volves the state or gnality uf the doctrine of the church at that time reprcsentcd by him; which state or qualily mll!, thut it ta11gl the necessty of resisting or sl1unning evils as sins, and tlrns of un<lergoing temptatious, in order that man may be introduccd into a new state of spiritual life, and tlmt the affections of good and truth which he has reccived from the Lord, may be brought into full operation and cffoct.- See A. C. 7284, 7285.
88
A Kiff 1'0 NU.lfBERS.
Agnin, we rend i11 D an. x ii. 11, that "from the time the daily sacrifice sl1all be taken mrny, and the abomination that makcth desolute set up, there slmll be 1290 duys." Now, in ordcr to ascertain the signification of 1290 days in this pru:;sage, we haYe only,jint, to observe the gencral nature of the subject treated of, which is cviently the pencrted state of the church: sccondly, to mark lhe spirit ual signification att.ached to each of the componcnt nmnbers, but taken in an opposite scnsc, which may be known by referring to their proper places in this work; and, thirdly, to combine the <listinct significations into one genernl sense. Thus the number 1290 comsists of 1000, 200, and 90, adde<l together ; and eacl1 of t h ese again is the product of factors Jess than twelYe. W e find, t hen, that 1000 denotes wl1nt is full nn<l eomplcte; 200, conjunction, bcing prcdicatcd particulnrly of eYils; and 90, a full state of flsitics; which significations united producc the idea intended to be convcyed concerning the pcnerted and desolo.te state of the church in tbc latter times, 1\hen the daily sacrifice would be takcn away, and the abomination that maketh desolate woul<l be set up; in tl1er words, when the truc worship of the Lord wonld perish , and evils and falsities would ahound. So aga.in, if we would disco,er the truc signification of the numhcr 13R5, in the Y erse immediatcly following that ahove cited, we must procced in a. similar way to reducc it to its component numbers, and unite their distinct significations int.o one sense; still obscrving the gcneral tenor and spirit of the pa.ssnge, as the rule t.o govem us in deciding whether the particular numbers are to be takcn in a gootl sense, or in an opposite scnsc. Kow 1335 consists of 1000, 300, 30, and 5, added together; and the number 1000, as hefore, signifies what is full and complete; 300, the holy principle of remains; 30, some <legree of combat against evils, nleo fulness of remnins, a principle of holin e..."S from the Lord, and the beginning of a new stnte; and 5, as much as is sufficient for spiritual use. Collating these distinct significations together , the resu lt is, that the nnmber 133:":i points out thnt blcsscd state and period, whcn, after the destruction ancl desolation of the former churcl1 , a X ew Church shall be estnblishe<l by the Lor<l, in which righteousness, holiness and purity of lifc shall distinguish its rnembers, nccording to thcir scveral degrees of rcgcneration. It is thcrefore written in t he verse ail udcd to, " Blesse<l is hc t hat waiteth , and coineth t o the tlio1wmd three hmidred andfive mul fltirfy dnys." Dan. xii. 12. In likc manner the sig nifi cntion of the following numbers, witb
A GENERAL RULE.
480
every other containcd in the ord, may in some dcgrce be ascertained hy reducing them to the simple, primitfre, 01 mdieal numbers, from which they arise either hy imtltiplieation or addition, or by both together, viz, : 745-Jcr. lii. 30. 832-Jer. lii. 29. 1365-Num. iii..50. 1400-1 Kinbrs x. 26. 1775-Ex. xxxviii. 25, 28. 2300...-:.Dan. viii. 14. 2400-Ex. xxxviii. 29. 4500-Ezck. xlviii. 16, 30, 33, 34. 4600-Jer. lii. 30. 8580-Num. iv. 48, 16,7.50-:Num. xxxi. 52. 22,000-:~fom. iii. 39. 22,273-Nurn. iii. 43. 25,000-Ezek. xlviii. 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 2Q. 21. 50,070-1 Sam. vi. 19. 70,000-2 Sam. xxiv. 15. 120,000-Judges viii. 10. 180,000-1 Kings xii. 21. 337,500-Nurn. xxxi. 43. 601,730-Num. xxvi. 51. 603,550-Ex. xxxviii. 26. Num. i. 4(;. 1,000,000-Dan. vii. 10. 100,000,000-Dan. vii. 10.
"r
A KEY TO THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICATION

OF
WEIGHTS AND MEA.SURES.*
CHAPTER V.
mention is frequently made in the w ord, not only of numbers, ASbut also of weigltts and measures; and these latter as well ns the former, have in all cases an internnl or spiritual signification, without a kuowledge of which it is impossible to form a just or adequnte conception of the sanctity of the various subjects treated of where they occm; it is dcsirable that, to the preceding KEY to the Spiritual Signification of N um~rs, should be ndtle<l a smaller one to that of "\Yeights and ~Ieasurcs, which bciug of a similar quality and construction, will, it is hoped, equally serve to introduce tJrn studcnt into the temple of wisdoru, and on some occf:ions procure admission for him even when the farger Key has fnile<l to insurc it..
1'abl,es of &ripture Weights and jJfeasures.

I. lVeig/11$ of
tl~
Balance.
A shekel in weight, 137 grain~, value in moncy h 3d. A shekel of the sanctuary (supposed by some, but perliaps wilhout sufficient J'Cm;on, to be double the weight and \'tilue of a common shekel) 274 grains, \'aluc ~~- 6d. A gera h or oliolus, the twentiet!t ptirt of :i. shekel, value 1 id A maneh , .i-0 s ncred sl1ekels, 2 l b. 3 oz. 0 pwl. 10.286 g r., value in silvcr .t3 2s. C.cl. ; in gold J:,75. A talent, 3000 sacred sh ekels, 113 lb. 10 Of.. 1 pwl. 10.286 gr., value in silver .Cl 87 1Os.; in gold J:2250. A mule's burdcn, lwo lmndred weight.
Il. 1lf eail1Lres of Oipacity of T'4inys tl1al ITT'C .Dry.

A cab, 2.8333 pints. A rhomer, the tcnlh part of an ephah, 5.1 pints. A seah, one pe<"k, one pint.
'By Robert lllndmn.t!<h. l<'ltM
pul.tll~cl.cr, F-ngla.ml, lu l i!')).
490
'l'AlJLES 0/i' WRlGllTS ANlJ ,l/EASURES.

An ephnh or bath, the tenth part of n homcr, three pecks, thrce pint& A kthcc or lui.lf-lionier, fhe ephahs, near thrce l.ousbels. A hmucr, tcn cphahs, neur six bushels. A chnix, a quart.
491
III. Jl[oosuna of LCJ'll!.

A caph, .625 pint. A log, .833 pint. A cah, 3.333 pints. A bin, one gallon, two pinU!. A bath, the tcnt11 part of a cor or homer, seven gaJlons and a helf A firkin, four gallons nnd a ha.If. i l. coron chomer, seventyfi ve gallons, fivc pint.s.
IV. llf=ureis of Applicati<m.

A hair'shreadth, the forty-eighth part of nn ioch. A finger, .912 inch. A h!i.nd's-brea.dth, 3.648 incbes. A ~p:u1, 10.944 inchcs. A foot, twelve inchcs. A. cubit, one foot 9.888 inche.'>. A holy cubit, lhree fect, o r a yard. The king's cubil, a foot and nine inches. A ree<l, six cnbitR an<l a hnncl's-breadth, o r tcn feet 11.328 inches. A pri.ce, fivc fcct., and probably in son1e cares only a step, or two feet and a bal!. A ful'long, or the cighth prtrt of a mile. A mile, "thous:md paccs, one mile four hundrcd and three p:i.cca one foot. A sablmth day's journcy, scven hundred an<l twcnty-nine paces thrce foet.1'
Note.-'l'he q11a.ntities, supposed to be contained in the preding weights and mcMures, are hy no milans aocurately asrtained; ~orne making t hem to be oonsidcrahly more, a.ucl so111 e le;s, th:m w bat. are here statcd. 're h:we ch ielly followcd lite calculation gi\en in the Tables anneircd to a small English Bible, p!nted at Edinburgl1 in the year 1748, by Adrain \\'atkins, printer to His ?tfojesty. Tt is, however, of li!lle conseqncnce, whether they be correct in thi~ particnla.r or not; since the spiritual 8gniflcation Lelonging to the diffcrcnt nnmm; both of the Jcwisl1 weigl1ts and mcaRuros, is not in the least aflctoo by ou r ignorance of the exact qnn.ntilies they rcpre!-Ontcd, us co111pared with the wtlighUs and 111easnrcl! now in usc.-Gold ami ~il\'er hy weight .ser ved in ancient tiro for money ins1c:1d of stampcd coin.
In gcncral it may be ob~crved, that wcir1hts signify the sttltes of a thing as to good, und 111cM11res the states of a thing as to truth: for gravity in the natuml world corrc~pondR to good in the spiritual
A few corrtdions in the ahoc tailles M 1 been malle, i;en<>r11lly on U1e anthority of or!1thr.1ly published by Lhe r.uthor, ha\'e Ur. Il rb uthnot.-En1roR.
492
A KEY TO WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
The reason of this is, world, and extension corresponds to truth. that in heaven where correspondences originate, there is neither
gravity nor extension, there being no space there such as belongs to nature and yet there is an appearance both of gravity and of exten sion, because there is an appearance of space, which appearance is for
the sake of distinguishing in a visible and sensible manner the dif In an ferent qualities and states of things in the spiritual world. of and measures of are evil, sense, predicated falsity. weights opposite
it follows that things good and true tend upwards, that is, heaven and the Lord, who is called the Most High, because He is the inmost of all but things evil and false tend downwards, that is,
Whence
to
to hell,
which
is
outermost or extreme principles of 5658.
said to be in the depths below, because it is in the life. A. C. 3104, 3405, 4482,
Again, weights represent the quantity of good in the church, or in an individual of the church; and measures represent the quality thereof, which is determined by the truth with which it is conjoined. Hence to weigh or measure any thing, when A. C. 8533, 9603.
spiritually understood, is to explore and ascertain its quantity Ap. Ex. 629. A. R. 313, 486. quality as to good and truth.
and
balance, or pair of scales, signifies the estimation of a thing as to
A. R. 313. Ap. Ex. 373. truth and good. of different Measures capacities signify the states of things as to as to and also truth, good, the one following as a consequence of the
A. C. 8533, 9603. Measures of dry things serving for food, such as an ephah, an omer, a homer, etc., with which wheat, barley, and flour were measured, and measures of liquids serving for drink, such as a signify goods A. C. 8540. bath, a hin, a cor, etc., signify truths. In like manner measures of application, such as hand-breadths,
other.
spans, feet, cubits, reeds, paces, furlongs, miles, etc., have a similar sig the length of an object having more immediate reference nification
to good,
627.
and its breadth A. C. 9603.
to truth.
A. R. 485, 904 to 910.
Ap. Ex.
To this account of the signification of weights and measures, which affords a general view of their application and use in the Sacred Scriptures, it will be sufficient to add such of the particular weights
and measures as are of the most frequent occurrence by the help of which, and the examples that follow, it is presumed the reader will be enabled to discern many traits of divine wisdom displayed in the
WEIOIITS AND NEASURES.
493
Ianguagc of revelation, which entirely escape the notice of those whu arc unacquaintcd with its spiritual sense.
WEIGIITS.
A 8'iekel, from its bcing the usua.l unit of value among the J ews, signifies the price or estimation of <t thing according to quantity; th<1 pricc of what is holy; the estinrntion of good and truth; al~o lruth itself dcrived from good : for being a weight both of sil ver and of gold, il is used to denote the value of both.-A. C. 2959, 3104, 10:2'21, 10222. A shekel of the sancluary, or a 8hekel of holiness, is so called, because it refers to truth and good from the Lord, whieh constit.utc tl1c essential principle of sanctity in the church.-A. C. 2959, 3104, 10221, 10222. A shekel of twenty geraltB signifies the estimation of the good of remains.-A. C. 2959, 10222. Ilalf a shell signifies as much as is sufficient for use. And as a whole shekel consisted of twenty gerahs, the halfshekel, of ten gerahs, somctimes denotes all, Lecausc the numher tcn beurs the samc signification, and further implies remains, which are tlie truths :md goods trcasured up in the interiors of man by the Lord.-A. C. 3104, 102'21. A yeralt or obolns in volves the sarue signification, but not in so full a degree, as the shekel, of which it is the twentietl1 part, viz., truth from good.-A. C. 2959, 10221. A pound or a talent as money, signifies the know ledges of truth and good from the Wol'd.-Ap. Ex. 193, 675. A. C. 7770. Also the fculty of liberty and rationality, together with prudence, circumspection, judgment, etc.-D. P. 210. Goods and truths from the Lord; the truths of faith; also remains.-A. C. 5291. A talent of pure gold denotes eelestfal good, from wl1ich, as from one single fountain, flow ail s1)iritual things.-A. C. 9574. A talent, as a wcight cither of silver or gold, signifies truth und good in grcat purity; und in an opposite sense, fal~ity and cvil of a most malignant quality.-A. R. 714. Ap. Ex. 1026. Lead, as a weight, signifies eithcr good or evil in the cxterior nalural man : for as lcad among tl1e metals named in the "\Vord, is of the most ignoble and inferior order, so it is used to dcnote, in a good scusc, the lowcst or ruost cxtcrnal natural good, and in an opposite scnse the lowest or grossest kiud of evil. Hence, a stone of lead, a
42
494
A KEY
ro
WE/GHTS AND NE.1SURES.
weighl o f lcad, or a talent o f lead, signifies cvil, and the fa.Ise prinriple <lcrived from evil.-A. C. 8298, 8540. A slone, when considered as a weight, and in a scnsc opposite to its genuine meuning, signifies tlie false principlc from cvil : for such is the nature of evil that it tends <lownwarcls, and eau.ses the flse principle with which it is conjoincd , to dCllcend like a heavy substance iu the nntural world, to the dccp below iu the spi.rituitl worl<l, that is, to hcll.-A . C. 8279. B ut falsity or crrnr, if it be not derived frmn cd!, hns no such tendency of itsclf: and hen cc many who arc in falsiLie.:; as to doctrine, and yct in good as to life, are capablo of bcing clcvated, aflcr instruction, into hcaven.- A. C. 8298.
MEASURF.S.
An omcr, bcing the tcnth part of an ephalt, signifies ns much of good ns is sufcieut for use ; for an omer, ns well as an epfwli, signifies good; and as ten siguifics fulness, so a tenth part dcnotes a sufficiency, also a little or fcw.- A. C. 8468, 8533, 8540, 10136, 10262. A n ep!w.lt, being a measure of wheat, barley, aud fine flour, and the tcnth part of a lwmcr, is predicate<l of good , and denotes the qnantity thcr eof, iat is, the quantity of rcccption, whether it hc much or little.-A. C. 84G8, 8540, 1ornn, 102G2. The eplw.h ,,as usually dividcd into ten parts, by which number was significd much, ail, and fulncss. Ilut in Er.ck. xlv. 13, and xlvi. 14, the ep lwh is dividcd nto six parts, U )' rO !lSOU of the subjeet there trcatcd O f heing the 1ww temple, or spiritual kingdom of the Lord, in which tho uumbers 12, 6, and 3, are cl1icfly in use.-A. C. 10262. A liorner containing teu ephahs, signifies fulness; arnl bcing u. mensure of whcat and barley, is thcrcfore predicate of good.-A. C. 8468, 8540, 102G2. Ten homerJJ, Num. xi. 32, signify too ruucb, or superAnity.-A. C. 84GV. A cltanix, bcing a mcasurc of whcat and barley arnong the Grceks, signifie:> the q uality and 1legrcc of the eatimation of good and truth froru the Word.-A. R. 314. Ap. Ex. 37-1. A T 1in, lieiug a mcruiure of wine and oil, is prcdicate<l of truth, :md denotcs the quantity thereof, also the quantity or dcgl'ee of con junction. -A. C. 8540, 10136, 10262. The hin was divi<led into four parts, to denotc conjunction; for such is the signifiC'ution of the 11mnber four. The samc is also significtl by the oil, which wus measured in the hin, and mixed with the fine flour in the meal-offerings ; the flour dcnoting rcception, un<l the oil conjunction.-A. C. 10262.
ILL USTRATTVE E:XA1JII'LES.
495
A cor, being a measurc of liquids, and containiug ten bat!1s, is predicnted of truth in astate of fulnes.s, and denotcs the quantity thcreof. -A. C. 10262. A bath, bcing a mea.~ure of liquid~, is predicated of truth, and denotes the quantity thercof as bcing small or few.-A. C. 8468, 8540, 10262. Reed11, cubits, furlongs, and other mcasurcs of application, signify the states and qualities of things cither with respect to good or truth, or tl1c conjunction of both; also tlie fuculty, power and manncr of exploring and discerning tl1osc statcs.-A. R. 485, 904. Ap. Ex. 627.
A. C. 9603.
EXAMPLF.8.
(1.) Ex. xvi. 16. "This is the thing which Jehovah bath commanded ; Gathcr of it (manna) e\'ery man according to his eating: an oiner for cvcry man, according to the number of your persons, take ye every man for them which ure in his tcnts."- -Ily gatl1ering m::mna, cvcry man according to his eating, is signilied reeeption and appropriation of tl1c goml of tru th, accorcling to the faculty or capacity of cach individual : manmt denotes the good of truth, or that good which results from a knowledge of, and obcdicncc to, the divine laws. By the quantity g:ithercd, viz., an omer for every man, according to the number of persons in the tcnts, is signi(ied as much as is sufficient to supply the spiritual necessity of cach, and I)romote the general good of society : an omer, which wrui the tenth part of an ephah, cnotcs as much as is sufficient for use.-Sec A. C. 8467 to 8470. (2.) Ex. xxix. 40. "And with the one lamb thou shalt offer a tcnth-dcal of fl.our rninglc with the fourth part of a hin of bcatcn oil; :md the ourtl1 part of a hi n of wine for a rink-oflring."- The sacrifice of a bm b in tlie morning representcd the rcmoval of evils hy the good uf innoecncy from the Lord, and the implantation of goOLl au<l truth in the interna] man: the sacrilice of a lamb in the cvcuing rcprcntcd the same in the external man. A tcnthdcal of Hour mixed with beaten oil, significcl spiritual good from a celestial origin, as much as is neccssary for conjunction: a tcnth-deal, or tenth of an ephah, denotcs tl1e quantity of good, or what is sufficient for use; fl.onr denotes truth from celestial good, whieh is the same as spiritual good ; oil dcnotes cclestial good ; and the fourth part of a hi11 denoteii what is sufficicnt for couj unction. So in likc manncr tl1e
!Hl6
~piritual
A KEY TO WEI GHTS AND ,1/EASURES.
fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink-offering signifies as much of truth as is sufficient for conjunction: wine denotcs spiritual truth; a /tin, the quantity of truth; and the fourth part, like the number four, conjunction.-Sce A. O. 10134 to 10139. (3.) Ex. xxx. 12, 13. "when thon takcst the surn of the ehil dren of Israel, after their number; then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jchovah, when thou numberest thern; that there be no plague amongst thorn whcn thon uumbcrcst thorn. Thi;; they shall give, every one that passeth among thcm that are numbere<l : ludf a shekel after the shekel of the rnnctuary, (a shekel is twcuty gerahs,) a half-shekel shall be the ofiring to Jehovah."- By taking the sum of the childrcn of Israel, or numbering thcm, i~ 1gnificd the orderly arrangement and disposition of all things rclat. ing to the church. By evcry man gving a ransom for his soul unto Jchovah, is signified purification or dcliverance from evil by the truth of faith, and by an acknowlcdgmcnt that all truths and goods arc from the Lord. By half a shekel, after the shekel of the sauctuary, arc signified all things of truth from goo<l ; the rcason of which sig11ification is, that, as the 1Jhckel consistcd of twenty gerahs, so t.hc half-shckel consistcd of ten, and the numbcr ten denotes all, likewise romains, which arc the truths and goods receivcd by man, and treas urcd up in bis interiors by the Lmd. The shekel itself denotcs truth from good, and, considercd as a weight, the quantity of each. It is called the 8hekel of the sanctuary or of holincss, because truth und good are holy, being derived from the Lord who ulone is holy. The offering of half a 8hekel, therefore, to Jchovah, dcnotcs that all thiugs of the church are from Him.-See A. C. 2959, 10216 to 10223. ( 4.) Lev. xix. 35, 36. "Yc shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in mete-yard, in weigltt, or in meas-ure. Just balances, just weiyhts, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have."- -By the weights aud rneasures here named, as well as by tl1osc mentioncll in E zek. xlv. 10 to 14, are signified rules of exploration and just ju<lgJne11t as to the statc and quality of good and truth in the church.Scc Ap. Ex. 373, 629. A. R. 313, 486, 487. A. C. 8540. (5.) Isa. v. 9, 10. "Of a truth many liouses shall be desolate, even grcat and fair, without inhabitant. Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yicld one bath, an the seed of a lwrner shall yield an ephah." - -The subject here trcatcd of is the vast:ttion or dcsolation of the church. By many houscs grcat and fair becoming desolatc an without inhabitant, is signifie<l that with the mcmbcrs of the church
ILLUS1'RA1'/VR EXAJIPLES.
49'l
the affection of good and the intelligence of truth 'rould peri;;h: grcat is predicated of good and the affection of good ; and fair or beautiful B predicated of truth and the intelligence of iruth. Ily tcu acres of vineyar yiclding only one bath; and t11c see<l of a horner yielding only au ephah, is signified that thcre would be scarcc any remuins either of spiritual or of celestiul things, which consi~t in fait.h and charity: ten acres denote fulness und much, the snme dng also sig nified by a homer; but u bath and an epluih, cach being the tenth part of a homer, dcnote fewuess and little; for according to the l'Lllc previously laid down, p. 469, when the numbcr tcn signifies much, a tenth part denotes little or few. See A. C. 576, 84G8. Ap. Ex. 675. (6.) Isa. xl. 12. "Who hnth me=red the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with lhe span, and comprchcnded the dust of the earth in n mea~'are, and weighed the mountains in scale8, and the hills "in a balance !"--The just arrangement arnl estimation of ail things in hcaven and the church, according to tlie quality of good an tl'llth therein, is here described by rnemuriug, spanning, and weighing in a balance. Ily the wittcrs nre signified lruths; by the heavens, interior or spiritunl truths and goods; by tl1e dust of the earth, exterior or natural truths and goods, belong ing to heaveu and tlie church ; by mountains, the goods of Love; by bills, t11e goods of chnrity; and by mecumring and wcigking them is rueant the jnst appreciation and arrangement thereof by the Lord, according to their respective qualities.-See Ap. Ex. 373, 629. A,
R. 486. A. C. 3104, 9603.

(7.) l~zek. xl. 2, 3, 5. "In the vil!ions of God Jehovah brought me into the land of Israel, and set me upon 11 very l1igh mountnin, y which was as the frnme of a city on the south. And He bronght me thither, and behold, there was n man whose appearance wns like the appearance of bruss, with a line of ftx in his hand, and a nwu~ uringreed; and he stood in the gate. And behold, n wall on tl1e outside of the house round about, and in the man's hand a rnecumring-rced of six cubits long, by the cnibit, and a hand-breadth; so he merumred the breadth of the building one reed, and the heigl1t one reed."--In this and the three following chapters is containe<l a description of the new temple seen y Ezckiel in spiritual vision, with the tlirnensions of its various parts, as of the wall, the gate, the porcl1, the thshold, the posts, the doors, the steps, the windows, the chambers, tlie court, the altar, etc., which ure marked by the num
42" 2G
498
.{ KR!' TO WR!Gl/TS ANJJ JIEASURES.
bers of reeds, cub-it.s m1d hand-breadtl1s. By the building, house and temple, is signified the clrnrch; by the gate and entntnce, introductory truth ; by the interior of the temple, the things relating to the internai of the church; and by the porch and court, the things relating to its external. The length, the breadth, and hcight of the various parts, denote the good and truth of the church, with t.he degrees of each: length being predicated of good, breadth of trut11, arnl hcight of their degrecs. That such is the spiritual significatiOil of the dimensions of the bouse and temple, is plain from chap. xliii. 10, 11, where the prophet is ordered to "show the bouse to the bouse of Israel, that they may be asharned of thcir iniquities, nnd that thcy rnay meaimre the pattern, and keep the wholc form thcrcof, and all the ordinanccs thereof, and d them."-See Ap. Ex. 629. A. C. 9G04. (8.) E~ek. xlvii. 3 to 5. "And when the man that had the line in his lmnd went forth eastward, ho measured a thousand citbits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he meaBured a thonsand, and brougl1t me through the waters; the waters were to the kuees: again he measured a thonsand, and brought me tl1rough ; the waters wcre to the Joins. Afterward he mcaw,red a thousand, and it was a river that I coul not pass over: for the waters wcre riscn, waters to swim in, a river that eould not be passed over."--A description is bere given of the manner in which intelligence, with the members of the church, incrcascs by th(l reccplion of divine truth proceeding from the Lord, signified by the waters issuing out from unde1 the threshold of the bouse towards the east., and coming down from the right sie of tbe housc, at the south side of the altur, as mentioned in ver. 1. By the east is signified love to the Lord, bccause the east in hcavcn is where the Lord appears as a sun; and the right side from thence, which is callcd the south, s where divine truth is received in its greatest light, on which account the waters are said to comc on the south sicle of the altar. By the waters which reache to the aukles, is signiJicd intdligence such as is posseesed by the scnsual and natural man ; for the anklcs in t.he humru1 body enote the scnsual and naturnJ principle. By the waters which reached to the knecs, is signified intelligence such as is possessed by the spiritual-natural principle. By the waters whch reaehed to the Joins, is signifie intelligence such as is possessed by the spiritual man ; for the loins dcnote the marriagc of truth ami good, which com;titutcs the spiritual prineiple. .Dy the wars which
l/,LUSTRATIVB EXA,ill'Ll<'S.
could not be passcd ovcr, is signified the intelligence of the celestial man, pro>erly called wisdom, which bcing ineffable and for above the comprehension of the natural man, fa therefore compared to a river th;it could not be passe<l ovcr, whosc waters also wcre waters to swim in. Tlie measuring with a ltne from place to place a thousan<l mbilB, signifies explomtion a11d designation of the diff crcnt qualitics of divine truth in hcaven and in the ch11rch, acconling to its various rcccption by angels nnd mcn.-See Ap. Ex. 620. (9.) Hosea iii. 2. "So I bought her (the adultcrcss) for fif'tce11 picccs of sil ver, and for a lwmcr of barley and a hal/homer of barley." - -By the woman an adulteres.~ is bere meant tl1e house of Isra(] who, by theif vain tnulitions and corrupt doctrines, had fah1ifie(I every truth :rnd adulterated cvery good containcd in the 'Vont Dy hcr bei11g bought for fiftccn pieces of sil ver, and for a lwmer and lwfj. homer of lmrley, is signified that the Israelitish church possessed so little of truth and of good, that its estimation, even taken at the full, was of little or 110 intrinsic value: the fifteen picccs of silver are predicatcd of truth, and dcnote the dcficicncy thereof both of quantity and quality: the same is also signified by the homer and halflwmcr of barley, which are predicated of good.-See Ap. Ex. 374. A. R. 315. A. C. 8468. (l O.) Zech. ii. 1, 2. "I lifwd up mine eyes again, and looked, and bchold, a man with a measuring-line in his hand. Thcn said 1, \Vhither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measurc Jcrusalem, to ;;ce what is the brcadth thercof, and what is the length thereof. " --Jerusalem hcre signifies the new church of the Lord; and by mca81iring it, to see its brcadth and lcngth, is signified to explore and hence to ascertain the quality aud quantity of truth and good appertaining to its doctrine: to measure with a measuring-line, is to explore and d:icover the quality and quantity: its breadth denotes tl1e truth of doctrine; and its len!:,'1h the good of love.-See Ap. Ex. 629. A. C. 9G03. (11.) Zcch. v. 5 to 8. "Then the angel that talked with me wcnt forth and said unto me, Lift up now thinc cye8, arnl sec what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He sai<l morcover, 'l'his is their rescmblance through ail the earth. And bchold, there was lifte up a talent of lcad: and this is a wornan that sitteth in the midst of the ephai1. And he said, This is wickedness ; and he cast it into the midst of the ephali, aud be cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof."--In this pagsago
500
fl
A KRY TO WE!GTT1'S ANI) ,}(E'1.SllllRS.
clescribcd the profanation which took place in the church, of which the pI'ophet spcnks. By the epliah is signified good; by the woman e\il, or wiekedness, as cxpressly stated in the words of the tcxt; and by the weight, talent, or stone of lcad upon the rnouth of the ephalt, is sig nificd the fa.Ise principlc dcrived from evil, which cles up an!l infests the good, 11nd thus by a kiud of mixture with good produces a statc of profanation.-See A. C. 8540. (12.) Dan. v. 25 to 29. "And this is the writing that was writhing; tcn, ilfene mcne, tekel uphauin. This is the intcrp retation of the L Me1ie, G od hatl1 m1mbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 1.'ekel, t.hou art wciglwd in the bamcee, and art found wantiug. Peres, thy kingdom is divided, and given t o the 1\ledes and Persians." - -Thc subject here trcatcd of, in the spiritual sense, is tlie consummation or end of t he church, and the profanation of the holy things of the 7 \ \ ord, represcntecl by the vcsscls of gol<l and silver, out of which the king of Uabylon , bis princes, and wives and concubines drnnk, in pmise of false gods. By the writing on the wall is significd that the i.:h urch was entircly destroyed. Ily mene men.e, or t1u111bercd numbered, is sig nificd an exploration of the quality of the church both as to trut h and goo<l, more particularly as to truth. Hy tckel, or thou art weighed in the balance-9, is signified the estimation of the quality of good, which was foun<l and adjudged to be adultemtc<l and prof.ncd. Uy peres is significd dissipation, extermination, nnd separation from cvcry goo aud truth of the church : liLerally, up lwrsirt signific'S and they divide ; the lctter u, ns a conjunction prefixe<l to the word, <leuotiug and; and pharsin, n variation of the word pmes, or paras, bciug the participlc of the prcscnt tense, plural numbcr, denoting lhey divide or are divi.ding, implying that ionumcrablc evil and false principles eoncurrecl in <lissipa.ting and <lc!l'troying every thing goo<l nud true bclonging to the church.-Scc A. C. 3104, 9093, 10217. A. R. 313, 3Hl. Ap. Ex. 33, 453. (13.) A poc. xi. 1. "And thcre was given me a reed like unto a. m<l: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and m~ure the tem1)le of God, nnd the altur, and them that worship therein."-- By a reed like unto a rod or staff, is here significd tl1e power of exploring aucl disccrning the quality of the church and its worship; which power 0 1 capacity being oxcrcised hy man apparcntly of himsclf, yet undcr an acknowledgmllllt that it is in reality from the L ord, is thcrcforc first comparcd to a reed in rcierence to the weakncss or inability of man, and aftcrwar<ls to a rod or staJ!' in refcrence to the power of
If,f,USTRATIVE EXAJtPLES.
501
divine truth from the Lord. By rising and me.asuring the temple of God, and the altar, and thern that worshi1i thcrein, is signified sceing, knowil1g, and examining the state of the church in heavcn in respect t.o the truth of doctrine, the good of love, and worship thence dcrived: to mer11re is to know and examine the quality of a thing; the mple of God is iircdicated of the truth of doctrine; the altar, of the gond of love; and they that worship tlierein, when conoi<lcrcd abstractly from persons, of worship itself.---See A. n. 485, 486. A p. Ex. 627 to 629. (14.) Apoc. xxi. 15 to 17. "And he that talked with me had a golden reed to meamre the city, and the gates t.hercof and the \mil thereof. And the city Jieth four-square, and the length :> as large as the lJrea<lth : and he measured the city with the reed, twcl vc thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height of it are equaI. Aud he measured the wall t.hercof, a hundred and forty and four eubits, accoring to the measure of a man, t11at is, of an nngel."- H ere again a reed signifies the power or faculty of understauding and knowing: and as this power is derived from the good of love, and given by the Lord to those wl10 are in sucl1 good, whieh is signified by gold, thereforc t1ie re-ed is dcscribed as a golden rced. Dy m easuring the city, the gates and the wall of the city, which fa the holy J crusalem, is signilied the application of the abovc faculty in examin ing and investigating, with n view to understm1d and know the quality and character of tl1e New Church f! to its doctrine, its introducfory truths, and the litera} sense of the \Vord, from which its doctrine is derived; the city denotcs the New Church, as to doctrine; the gates, intro<luetory truths, or the knowledges of truth and good; and the wall, the 'Yord in its Literal sense, serving as a defence and security against ail spiritual enemies. Hy the city being four-square, or so situnted as to front all the four qunrters, is signilied an eqnal or just respect to good and truth, and ull the states of lifc thcnee dcrived. The same is signified by the lcngth being equal to the breadt11, 12000 furlongs; the lcngth or longitude from east to west being predicatcd of good, and the breadth or latitude from soutl1 to north hcing predicatcd of truth; while tl1e height or altitude denotes the degrees of both in their various relations and proportions: 12000 furlongs dcnote ail the goods and truths belouging to the church. The dimensions of the wal1, 144 cubits, show the quality of the 'Vorc1 in its literai sense, ns containing ail the goods and truths of heaven nnd 3ures, dcnote the quality of a thing; the church: rmbits, like other mr>a.
502
A KHY TO WEIGIITS AND NEASURES.
and tho numbcr 144, like the number 12000, ami 12, from which both nrisc, denotes al!. The mea~'llre is said to be the rne~nre of' a man, that is, of an angel, becanse the church on earth consisting of men, and the ehureh in heaven consisting of angels, are regarded hy the Lord as one church, being formcd of the same principles of divine love and divine wisdom, though received in different degrees by cach respectively. Ey a man is signified intelligence and wisdom derivcd from the W ord, whcther it be in an indi vidunl or in a society; and by an angcl is significd divine truth, also a heavenly society, and an individual of such a society, rcceptive of divine truth from the Lord, who is the sole fountain thereof. 'fhus it appears that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem are not to be regarded as the dimellilions of a great city, aecording to the natural idca suggested by the terras used, but that they are to be wholly referred to the spiritual things of heavcn and the church, particularly to the doctrine of divine truth and good derived from the \V ord, and now revealed by the Lord through the instrumentality of a chosen servant.~See A. R 904 to 910. Ap. Ex. 629. A. C. 9603.
Conclusion.
From the preccding view, limited and imperfcct as it is, of the 11piritual signification of numbers, weighf.3 and measures in the 'Ward throughout, it is cvidcnt that without a knowledge of this most ancient science, according to which the things rehting to hc:wcn and the church are constantly described, the true and genuine sensc of 1Jivine revelation must in a grcat mcasure rcmain buricd in obscurity. ;\Iany passages indced are to be found, especially in the historical parts both of the Old and the New Testament, in which the necessity of having recourse to a spiritual sense distinct from that of the lcttcr, is not so obvions as it is in !!orne which have been brought forward in this small trcatise. Y et whcn wc considcr that the \Vord was dictated by Jehovah hirnself, tlmt it descended through all the heavcns to man, and conscquently that in its origin it is holy and divine; thcn it must be acknowlcdgcd that it contains an interna! as weH as an extermll sense, and that the former pervades every part of the latter. If so, it follows tlrn.t numbers, weighls and measures, as expressed in the literai sense, must in all cases form the basis of anothcr more interior sensc, which may be rcgardcd as winc in comparison with water, John ii. 7 to 10; as a soul in comparison with its body of ficsh, ,John vi. 63; or as hcavcn itself in comparfaon with the earth, Tsa. lv. 9.
PRECIOUS AND C011l\fON STONES,

AND
THEIR MEANING IN SCRIPTURE.*
OHAPTER VI.
A
GENERAL AccoUNT OF THE B:roNES MENTIO:!'"ED Il' TilE BACRED 8CRIP-
TURRS, TRE PU.RPOSES TO Wl1fC!(

VARIOU8 SIG)'[IFJCATIO:!'S.
'fHEY WF.Rf: APPLUm, AND
~HF.m
tho Sacred Scriptures mention is frequcntly made of rocks and I Nstoncs, rough or unwnmght stones, wrought or hewn stoncs, nrtificinl stones or bricks, corner-stones, mill-stones, chalk-stones, and also of precious stones, gems, and pcarls; by which are spiritually understood either genuine truths, apparent truths, or pcrvcrtcd truths, which latter are more properly called falsities. And it is from the use or applicntion of tho expressions, that wc lcarn to know whcn to refer them to one signification and when to another. For it is to hc wcll observcd, not only with respect to stones, but to many other substimces in nature, t.hat the same term carries with it, on diffcrcnt occasions, very diffcrcnt mcanings; and that, in some cases, it bear;i a scnsc dircctly the reverse of what it clscwhcrc convcys, which is always determined by the nature of the subject treated of. For example; when the J,oni hirnself is callcd a Rock, as in Ps. xviii. 2, 31, 46; or a Stone, as in Matt. xxi. 42; Ps. cxviii. 22; Isa. viii. 14; it is plain, that the term is to lie understood in its genuine scnsc, us significative of divine truth. But whcn, on the other hand, mention is made of the Rock of the pcrverre<l Church, as in Deut. xxxii. 31, 32; the dnmb stone, as in Hab. ii. Hl; or of committing adultery wilh stones, as in Jer: iii. 19; or of taking up stones to stonc .Tcsus, as in .Tohn x. 31 ; it is e~1ually })l:\in, that the term, in sucb cases, denotcs false principlcs of doctrine and of lifo, whic11 are cntircly opposcd lo the dhine truth of the W ord.
lly l\obert Hindmo.rsh.
~irt
publlshed ln J..ondon, 1851.
503
50-1
PRECJO US ANJ.J 0 0 .1/JfO,Y STONES
Among t he \'arions p11rpes to w11ich sl<mes, both common and precious, are :issig11c<l in the Sacred Scriptures, in conseq11ence of the signification which they obtained in the carliest ages of the world, the following are particularly cfti11gui::;hable, viz. : 1. Stones for altars, pillars, witnesses nnd memorials. 2. Tables of Stone for the Ten Conunandment.5. 3. Stones for temples and other buildings. 4. Stones for idols, etc. 5. Precious atones for the breast-plate of Aaron, and for the fonndations of the New J erusalem. }fonce we read in diff erent parts of the W ord,1. Of the Stone of Israel. Gen. x lix. 24. 2. Of the R ock of Israel. 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. 3. Of the Rock of salvation. Deut. xxxii. 15; 2 Sam. xxii. 4 7 ; Ps. xviii. 2, 31, 46. 4. Of a stone rejectcd by the builders, 1rhich yet became the hcadsto11e of the corner, on which whosoever falleth, shall be broken; but on whomsocvcr it shall fall, it will grind liim to powder. Ps. cxviii. 22; Matt. x xi. 42, 44 ; Mark xii. 10, 11; Luke xx. 17, 18. 5. Of a stone of 11tumbling, an<l a rock of offenco, over whicl1 both the houses of Israel and the inhabitant.;i of Jcrusalem shall stumble, and fall, and be brok eu. Isa. viii. 14, 15. 6. Of a stone eut out of a mountain without hands, which smote the image of Nebuchndnezzar, and brake it in pieces, and which ufterwar<ls b ccame a great mountain (or rock), and filled the whole enrth. Dan. ii. R-l, 3J, 45. 7. Of a stone with seven eyes, saic l to be the eyes of Jehovah, wl1ich rnn to and fro through the whole carth. Zech. iii. 9; iv. 1 O. 8. Of the hcad-stone of the temple, which shall be brought forth with shoutings, while the cry of grace, grace, is rnised unto it. Zech. i v. 7. !l. Of great stones, costly stones, and hcwcd stoncs, for the fo11ndatio11 of t he l1011sc or temple of Jehovah, and for other p1 irts of the building. 1 Kings v. 17, 18; vi. 7, M; Hag. ii. 15, 18; Matt. xxiv. 1, 2; Mark xiii. 2; Lukc xxi. 5, G. 10. Of the same for Solomou's house, and for the house of Phnraoh's 1laughter. 1 Kings vii. 8-12. 11. Of t be stones of Zion, in which her children takc delight. Ps. (!. 14. 12. Of the two table<! of testimouy, tables of stone, on w1tich the
SI'OKEN M ' IN TffE SCRII'TURFJS.
505
commandments werc first written with the linger of God, imd aflcrwards broken by Moses. J~x. xxiv. 12; xxxi. 18; xxxii. J5, 16, HJ; Dent. iv. 13; v. 22; ix. 9- 17. 13. Of the two tables of stone, which wero rcnewed by Moses. Ex. xxxiv. 1, 4, 27-29; Deut. x. 1- 5; 1 Kinga viii. 9. 14. Of altnrs of stone, and rocks, for the worship of J ehovah. l~x. x x. 2-l, 25; D ent. xxvii. 5, 6; Josh. viii. 30, 31; Judg. vi. 20, 21 ; xiii. 19, 20; 1 Kings xviii. 31, 32, 38. 15. Of the stones of the altar bccoming as chalk-stoncs. I sa.
:s:xvii. 9.
16. Of stone;;; und heaps of stones for pillows, pillars, mcmorials
and witnesses. Gen. xxviii. 18, 22; xxxi. 45---48, 52; xxxv. 14, 20; Ex. xxiv. 4; Jh. iv. 1-9, 20-24; vii. 26; viii. 29 ; xxii. 10-3-l ; xxiY. 26, ?:l; 1 Sam. Yii. 12; 2 Sam. xviii. 18. 17. Of stoncs for land-marks. D eut. rix. 14; xxvii. 17.
18. Of twoJye stoncs, which the Isrnelites took out of the midst of Jordan, when they pMsed ovcr it, for a memorial. Josh. iv. 2-8, 20-
24.
19. Of otbcr twelve stone.s, which .Joshua set up in the midst of Jordan, where the foot of the priests stood, who bare the ark of the covcnant. Josb. iv. 9. 20. Of grcat stones plastered with pln.ster, on which the words of
the law were to be written. Dout. xxvii. 2- 4. 21. Of l\Ioses sitting upon a stone, with his hands lited up, while the I sraelites and tlie Arnalekitcs were engagcd in battle. Ex. xvii. 12. 22. Of l\Ioses being put into a clift of the rock, and covered with the han of .Jehovah, while bis glory pas.sod by. Ex. xxxiii. 21, 22. 2.3. Of Moses smiting the rock, on wbich Jehovab stoocl , with his rod, so that wnter came out of it in abundance. Ex. xvii. 6; Num. xx. 10, 11; Ps. Ixxviii. 15, 16, 20; cv. 41; cxiv. 8; I sn. xlviii. 21. 24. Of spea.king to the rock, that it mny give forth water. Num.
XX.
8.
25. Of sucking b oncy out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock. Dent. x.x.xii. 13. 26. Of g reat stones for covering the mouth of wells. Gen. xxix. 2, 3, 8, 10. 27. Of brkk, instcad of stone, for building tl1e city and the towers of Babel. Gen. xi. 3. 28. Of altars of brick. Isn. lxv. 3.
43
506
I'REOIOUS AN]) 00/IOfON STONES
29. Of the stones of the sanctunry. Lam. iv. 1. 30. Of stoncs of firc. Ezc k. x.xviiL 14, lG. 31. Of stones of emptiness. I sa. xxxiv. 11. 32. Of gruvel-stones. Lam. iii. 16. 33. Of smooth stones of the strco.m. Isa. l vii. 6. 3-!. Of stoncs for brcad. :Matt. iv. 3; vi. 9; Lukc iv. 3; xi. 11. 35. Of the dumb stone. Hab. ii. 19. 36. Of the stonc crying out of the wo.11, and the beam out of the timbcr nnswering it. Hab. ii. 11. 37. Of conuuitting adultcry with stones, and with stocks. J er. iii. 9. 38. Of a stony hcart. Ezek. xi. 19; xxXYi. 26. 39. Of seed falling on stony places. l\Iatt. xiii. 5, 20; Mark iv. 5, 16; Luke viii. 6, 13. 40. Of ra.ising up children to Abraham out of stones. .Matt. iii. 9 ; Lukc iii. 8. 41. Of the stones being ready to cry out, in case the disciples of Je.sus had been silcnt on the occasion of his entry into Jerusalem. Luke xix. 40. 42. Of building the church upon a rock. Matt. xvi. 18. 43. Of a i;:tone laid in Zion, a tricd stone, a precious coruerst-Ouc, a sure foun<lation. Isa. xxviii. 16. 44. Of a white stone, and in the st.one a ncw name written, which no man knoweth, save he that receivcth it. Apoc. ii. 17. 45. Of fivc smooth stones, which Do.vid took out of a brook, and with one of which hc smote G oliath the Philistine in his forehead, and then slcw him. 1 Sam. xvii. 40, 49, 50. 46. Of sharp stones for circumcision. Ex. iv. 25. 47. Of hail-stones, grcat stones cast down from heaven. Ex. ix. 23, C'tc.; Josh. x.. 11; Ezek. xiii. 11, 13; Ps. xviiL 12, 13; Apoc. xvi.
21.
48. Of mill-stoues. Dcut. xxiv. G; Isa. xlvii. 2; J cr. xxv. 10 ; Matt. xviii. 6; Luke xvii. 2; Apoc. uiii. 21, 22. 49. Of stoning men with stones. Ex. xvii. 4; Lev. xxiv. 10- 16; Num. xiv. 10; xv. 32-36; Deut. xiii. 10; xvii. 5; xxi. 18- 21; Josh. vii. 25; 1 Sum. xxx. 6; 1 Kings xii. 18; xxi. J 0, 13-15; Ezek. xvi. 40; xxiii. 47; )Iatt. xxi. 35; xxiii. 37; ~fark xii. 4; Luke xiii. 34 ; xx. G; J ohu viii. 5-7 ; x. 31-33. 50. Of dashing the foot ago.inst a stone. Ps. xci. 12; Matt. iv. 6; Lukc iv. 11.
SPOK.E'N OF IN TJJ}: SCRIPTURES.
507
.51. Of dashing the little oncs of the daughter of Babylon agninst the stones. l's. cxxxvii. 9. 52. Of judgcs bcing overthrown in stouy places. Ps. cxli. 6. 53. Of sons being as plants, arnl daughters as corner-stones. Ps. c:div. 12. 54. Of the rock, the holes of the rocks, the caves of the earth, the clefts of the rocks, and the tops of the ragged rocks, into wl1ich the wicked shall go, for fear of Jehovah. Isa. ii. 10, 19, 21. 55. Of the wickcd calling upon the mounta11s and rocks to fa.li on them, and hide them from the divine prcsencc. Apoc. vi. 16. 56. Of slaying men on rocks and stones. J udg. vii. 25 ; ix. 5, l 8. 57. Of taking up stones to cast at Jesus. J ohn viii. 59; x. 3133; xi. 8. 58. Of gathering stones out of a vineyard. Isa. v. 2. 59. Of building a. bouse upon a rock. l\Iatt. vii. 24, 25; Luke vi. 48. 60. f Jchovah as a rock. Dent. xxxii. 4, 15, 18, 30, 31; 1 Sam. ii. 2; 2 Sam. xxii. 2, 32, 47; Ps. xviii. 2, 31, 46; xxxi. 2, 3; xl. 2; xlii. 9; lxi. 2; lxii. 2, 6, 7; lxxviii. 35; lxxxix. 26; xcii. 15; xciv. 22; xcv. 1 ; Isa. xxxii. 2. 61. Of folse gods as a rock. Dcut. xxxii. 31, 37. 62. Of images or idols of stone. Lev. xxvi. 1 ; Deut. iv. 28; xxviii. 64; xxix. 17; Judg. xvii. 3, 4; xviii. 14-21, 30, 31 ; 2 Kings xvii. 41; xviii. 4; xix. 18; xxiii. 14, 24; Ps. lxxviii. 58; xcvii. 7; cvi. 36, 37; Isa. x. 19; x:x.i. 9; xHv. 9, 10, 15, 17; xlv. 17, 20; xlvi. 1; xlviii. 5; Dan. v. 4, 23; l\Iicah i. 7; Nahum ii. 14; Hab. ii. 18; Apoc. ix. 20; xiii. 14, 15; xiv. 9, 11; xv. 2; xix. 20: xx. 4. G3. Of the body of Jcsus bcing laid in a new tornb hcwn out of the rock, and a grcat stone rolled to the door of the sepulcl1re, and scaled. :Jfott. xxvii. GO, 66; xxviii. 2; l\fark xv. 46; xvi. 3, 4; Luke xxiii. 53; xxiv. 2; John xix. 41, 42; xx. 1, etc. 64. Of an ange} rolling back the stone from the door of tl1e sepulchrc, and sitting Up<m it. Matt. xxviii. 2; l\fark xvi. 3, 4. 65. Of a ptwcd work of sapphirc-stonc under the fcet of the G od of Israel, resembling the body of heaven for clearncss. Ex. xxiv. 10; Ezck. i. 26; x. i. 66. Of the appcarance of the wheeh;, seen by Ezckicl, like unto the color of fi. heryl-stone. Ezek. i. 16; x. 9, 67. Of two onyx-stones on the sboulders of the ephod, having the
508
PRE(J/OUS .Al't'f) oo ,VMON S'l'OSES.
name.s of the children of Isra.el engraven on them. Ex. x xv. 7; xxviii. 9-12; xxxv. 9, 2i ; xxxix. 6, 7. 68. Of the precious st.ones called Urim and 'l'hummim, for the hreast-plato of Aaron. Ex. xxv. 7; xxviii. 17- 21; xxxv. 9, 27; xxxix. 8-14. 69. Of precious stones presentcd by the queen of Sheba to Solomon. 1 Kings x . 10. 70. Of precious stones brought to Solomon from Ophir, in the nu.vy of Hiram, king of Tyre. 1 K ings x. 11. 71. Of precious stones for the foundations, the windows, the gates, and the borders of the church to be cstablished among the Gentiles. Isa. liv. 11, 12. 72. Of precious stones for the clothing of the king of 'l'yrus. Ezek. xxviii. 12- 16. 73. Of precious stones for the adorning of the whore of Ba.bylon. A poc. xvii. 4 ; xviii. 16. 74. Of precious stones for the wall and foundations of the New J crus11lem. Apoc. xxi. 18- 20. In all the cases above enumerated st omi,s denooo, as bcfo1e obscrvcd, truths, either gonuine, or apparent, or perverted; which will suiliciently appenr from the observatOWl nc.wl' following on eorue of <iages already refllrrcd to. the pas...
CHAPTER VII.
STONES USED FOR LTARS, PILLARS, \\'rT::;rIB. ~}:S, AND l\h:MORIAJ.S.
Stones for Altars. (1.) Ex. xx. 24, 25. An altar of earth thou shnlt mnke unto me, and shalt sacrifice tbereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy pcacc-olforings, thy sheep, and thinc oxen. And if thou wilt make me an altar '>f stone, thou sl1alt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast pollutcd it. (2.) Dent. xxvii. 5, 6. And there llhalt thou build an altar unt-0 Jel10vah thy God, an altar of slone. Thott shalt uot lift u1J any iron tool upon thcm. Thou shalt build the allar of ,Jchornh thy God of whole 8iones: and thon shalt offor hurnt-offerings thereon unto Jehoval1 thy God. (3.) Josh, viii. 30, 31. Then Joshna built an altar unto Jchovnh the God of Israel in mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of J ehovah connnandcd the childrcn of Israel, us it 8 written in t11e book of the law of Moses, an altar of wlwle stones, over which no man huth lift up any iron. (4.) 1 Kings xviii. 31, 32. Elijah took twelve i!fones, according to the nu111bcr of the trihes of the sons of .Jacob: and with the stones be built an alW.r in the name of Jehovah. As the essential part of worship consists in two things, namely, good and truth, or charity ancl faith, thereforc, in reference to thcse mention is made of an altar of earth and an altar of slone. \Yor8hip from a principle of good, or of charity, was rcprcscnted by the offorings nn<l s:wriflces made upon altars of earth; but worship from tl1e love of truth or from fith, was rcprescnted by the offerings aml sacrifices made upon altar8 of ~tone. The former is the worship of a man alrcady regenerated, or of one who is in clmrity, and at the same time in faith derive<l from it: the latter is the worship of him who is undcrgoing the process of regeneration, and who Jiy faith is led to clmrity, or by the precepts of truth into the life of good. The rcasou why the altar was not to be built of hewn strJlles, but
G*
~
510
PRECIOUS ANI> COJf,llON STONES.
of uuwrought or whole stones, was, that the hlbor of man in hcwing nnd preparing thcm aecording to his owu skill and judgment, dcnoled sclf'.-derive<l intelligence, which, so far as it contains anything of merely human life or human mcrit, is in itsclf evil, and thcrefore cmrnot enter into, or mingle itself with, the pure worsl1ip of the L ord without contaminating, dcfiling, and in a great dcgree profaning it. .Ail worship, to be truly acceptable, must. be <lcr\'ed from the Lord 11lone by his 'Vord; tl1e truths of which, bciug in themsch 'es divine, if reccfred by man in sincerity of heurt und intcgrity of lifc, will bcar aboYe him the consideration of selfish nnd temporal intcrests, to the contemplation and love of tbe which nre heavenly and eternal. (5.) Judges vi. 20, 21. The nngcl of God sai unto Gideon, Take the flesh au<l the uuleiwened cakes, and Jay thcm upon this 1ock. And h e did so. Then the angel of Jehoval1 put forth the end of the staff that was i n bis hand, and touched t11e flesh and the unleavene<l cakes : and thcre rose up fire out of the rock, and consumcd the flesh and the unleavened cnkes. (G.) J udges xiii. 19, 20. Manoah took a kid, with a meat-offoring, and otfercd it upon a rock unto JehoYah. And it came to pass, whcn the flarue went up toward heaven from off the nltar, that the ange! of J ehovah ruicended in the flame of the altar. In Loth of thcsc instances a natural rock is uscd as an altar t o Jchornh. The rock <lenotcs dfrine truth, and the fire issuing out of it is divine l ove : These two concurring in the worship there represcnte<l, cause it to b ecome acceptable in the sight of heavcn; which is still furthcr eonfirmcd by the circnmstancc of the nngel of J eho vah asccnding in the flame of 1.he altar. (7.) Isa. xxvii. 9. 'Vhen Jacob shall make the sto;,c8 of the altar as chalk-stones that are beaten asunder, the groves and images shall not stand u p. Jacob hcre is the church diYerging from what is SJliri tual into things nutural; and the worship of such a chureh is dcscribed by his making al! the stoncs of the altar as mere ehalk-stones beatcn asuncr, and thus Hable to be d ispersed by eyery wind. The stones of the nltar arc <livinc truths, from and nceording to wbjch worship ought to be perfo1:med : aud tliese are said to hccomc as chnlk-stones dcprivcd of their former consistency and durability, whcn they arc pcrverte<l, thnt is, whcn they are scparated from charity, whicl1 gives them the power of coh esion, and when consequently thcy are dissipated, an nrc no 1ongcr to be fouud in the church in their purity
STONES FOR ALTARS.
511
and intcgrity. It is therefore written, tlmt, whensoevcr this shall takc place, the groves and images, representative of divine trutl1s, shall no longer stand up. In the best timcs of the most ancicnt and the nncient church, which existc<l long before the Israelitish people wcre formcd into tl1e represcntative of a church, grovcs, gardcns nud mountains were the places of their worship. Adam, or the most ancicnt church, worshi11ped Jehovah in a garden which is callcd the garden of .Eden, Gen. ii. 8. Noah, or the ancicnt church, which succcedcd the most ancient, after the ark had restcd on the mountains of Ararat, built an altar to J chovnh, and offered burnt-offerings, on the altar, Gcn. viii. 4, 20. Abraham abo pitched his tcnt on a mountain, and built thcrcon an altar unto Jehovah, Gcn. :xii. 8. He likcwise "planted a grVe in Bcer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jchovah, the everlasting God," Gen. xxi. 33. Evcry tree in those ancient gardens and grovcs denotcd somc distinct perception or knowlcdgc of divine truth, and thus reminded the worshippers of the various divine attributes and perfections, which from time to time they assembled togl'.lther to acknowlcdge and commemorate. l'or the snme reason thcy also set up images, statues and pillars in and ncar their groves; and this they did, not in the way of idolatrous superstition, Lut from an enlightcned view of the works of nature and of art, knowing that every ohject whic11 prescnted itself beforc thcir external senses, wns re11rcscntative of something heavenly and divine. Hcnce the sun, the moon, the starry firmament, mountains,' hills, valleys, plains, fields, gardens, grovcs, woods, trees, rivers, fountains, scas, clouds, rocks and stones, beasts, birds nnd fishes, in endless variety, all contrihuted in turn to excite ideas and affections strictly analogons to these different objects, but yet totally distinct from them, just as spiritual things are totally distinct from natural things. But when, in conscquence of a long and universal degcneracy among the men of ancient timc>s, their postel'ty had altogether lost sigl1t of t11e tl1illl:,"! signified by the natural objccts above namcd; and whcn, instcad of leading the rnind to dcvout merlitation, th ose objects became the occasion of an cxternal, criminal adoration, without any reference to what was internai, spiritual and divine, which is tl1e charactcristic of mere idolatry; then the people of Israel were raised up, and separatcd &0111. the othcr nations, as wcll for the purposc of chccking the superstition which everywherc prevailed, as for the formation of a kiod of nucleus for the future im11roven1en~ and hnppiness of rnankind,
512
l'RE'CIOIJS AND COA!JlON STONES.
by becoming the depository of a ncw rcvclation from heavcn. Thcu also for the fst tirnc it became a divine law, that no images, statues, grovcs or liigh places should be suffered to remain, but that they should be universally broken to pieces, eut down, burnt and destroyed. Among the rest, it is remarkable that the braze11 serpent which was set up by Moses ut. the express command of Jehovah, :N'urn. xxi. 8, and which like other images )1ad bceome the occasion of idolatry, wns also, uudcr the divine approbation, brokeu in pieces by the goocl king Hezekiah. See 2 Kings xviii. 3, 4. It has been already observe, concerning tlie people of ancicnt timcs, t.hat, during the statc of their integrity, images, statues and groves were in constant use,,not as objects of idolatrous veneration, but as mediums serving to introduce to their contemplation tliings l10ly, spiritual and divine, and thereby more readily to excite thcir dcvotion: wbich ancient state of society is frequently refcrrcd to in both the hi:.:itorical nnd the prophctical books of the Sacred "'Writings. The images or statues whieh wcre set up within their grovcs, rcminded t.hem of th-il more interior spiritual things taught by the church : whereas th(>Se which wc10 placcd ou the outsic, wliether contiguous to them or more distant from them, reprcscntcd such things as were relatively more exterior and natural Properly speaking, tlie groves mentiouoo iu the pasrnge above quoted from Isaiah, involving all that was containcd within them, denote worsllip from spiritual truths; and the images whi ch according to the original were 130lar images, or solar pillnrs, either as bcaring the image of the sun or as being exp!;ed to its hcat, denote worship from natural truths. It is by reason of this signification of the terms, retained from timc immemorial, that the J>rophet uses such language in describiug what will be the situation of the church, when man by his natural and dcpravcd appotites, supported by his fallacious and perverse reasonings, sliall uttcrly dep:ut from the truc worship of the Lord, n:unely, that it will then be divcsted of ail gcnuinc spiritu: truths, and at flic samc timc of all genuine Mtural trnths; these bcing understood by the groves and images ...,iiich sl1all no longer stand up, or have an existence in the ehurch
Stones for Pillars, 1Vitnesses and JJiemorials. (1.) Gen. xxviii. 18, 22. Jacob rose up early in the moniing, and took the sfone that he had put for his pillows, und set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the tOj) of it. And he said, This stonc, which 1 hayc set for apillr, shall be God's bouse.
STONES FOR l'ILLARS, WITNESBES, ETC.
513
(2.) Gen. xxxi. 45-52. And Jacob took a slone, and set it up for a pillar. And .Tacob said unto his brethren, Gather ~tunes; and they took ston()S and made a heap: and they di<l eat there upon thc./wap. And Laban said, This heap is a witn/Jllil bctwccn me and thcc this day. Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I 1mvc cast betwixt me and thee. This heap be witness and this pillar be witness that I will not pass over this heap to thcc, and that thou slialt not pa.ss over this heap and thlli pillar unto me for harm. (3.) Gen. xxxv. 14. And Jacob set up apillar in the place whcre ';iod talked with him, even a pillar of sume. (4.) Geu. xxxv. 19, 20. Rachel dicd, and was buried in the way ti:i Ephrath wliich i;; Bethlehem. And Jacob set apillar upon hcr grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this <lay. . (5.) Ex. xxiv. 4. And ~foscs wrote all the words of J ehovah, and rose up enrly in the morning, and built an altar under the hill, and twclve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Isra<il. (6.) Josh. iv. 1-9, 20. .And it came to pass whcn all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that J chovah spake unto .To.shua, ~aying, Take you twelve men out of the people, out of evcry tribe a man, and command you thcm, saying, Take you hcnce out of the rnidst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelv"' sunws, aud ye shall carry them over with you, and !cave thcm in the lodging-1)lace where you shall lodge this night. Thcn J oshna called the twclvc men, whom hc had prepurcd of the chilclren of Israel, out. <Jf evcry tribe a man. And J oshua said ~mto them, l'ass over befor6 the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of Jordan, and take yo up cvery man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of ~srael: that this may be a sign among you, that whcn your children ask their fatl1ers in time to corne, saying, 'Vhat mean you by these stoncs? then ye shall ans\rer them, 'l'hat the waters of ,Jordau wcre eut off before the ark of the covenant of Jchovah, when it passcd over Jordan, the waters of Jordan wcrc eut off: and thcsc stones shall be for a mcmorial unto the childrcn of Israel for ever. And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelvc sl-Oncs out of the midst of .Tordan, rui .Tchovah spakc unto Joshm1, according to the number of the trihes of the children of Israel, and ' carried tbem over with them unto the place where thcy lodgcd, and laid them down there. And .Toshua set up twelve slonliil in the mill~t of Jordan, in the place where the fcct of t.he priests who barc the 11rk of the covenant stood; and thcy are thcrc
2H
I'REOIOUS AND COJHION STONES.
unto this day. A.nd those twelve stones which they took out of J ordan, id J hua pitch in Gilgal. (7.) Josh. viii. 28, 20. And J oshua bnrnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, cvcn a dcsulation unto this dny. And the king of Ai hc hangccl on a trcc until even-tide: and as soon as the sun was clown, J oshua commanded th11t they ~hould takc his carcase clown from the tree, afl cnst it at the cntcring of the gate of the city, and nlisc thcrcon a great lieap of slone;, that remaincth uuto this dny. (8.) Josh. xxiv. 26, 27. And .Joshua wrotc these words in the book of the law of God, and took a grcat stone, and set it up thore undcr an oak, that was by the sanctnary of J ehovah. And J oshua snld unto ail the people, Behold, this stone shitll be a witne88 unto us; for it hath hetlrrl all the words of ,Jehovah which He spakc unto us: it sliall be thcrefore a toit1u:~' uuto you, lest ye dcny your Cod. (9.) 1 Sam. vii. 12. Samuel took a ${one, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, nnrl cnlled the namc of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hithcrto bath Jehovnh hclpcd us. From the prcccding passages it is plain, that heaps of stones were collectc<l, great stones set up, twd pillnrs erected, not only for the purpose of marking the boundaries between the possessions of one man and those of 1mother, but also as monuments or memorials to testify and evidcncc, in a way that could not be denied, the truth of certain historical facts, as wcll as the solemn engagements which had becn entcrcd into by individuals, or by a whole people, both with thcir neighbor and with their God. To the above uncieut practice may also be traccd the origin of the law of nations. And hence ma.y be .seen nt lca.st one reason why stones in the Sact cd Scripturcs are u;;cd tv signify truths.
CHAPTER VIII.
1'..1.nLE!! oF
Sro:rn:i:s
FOR THE 'l'EN' CoMMANDME!IT&.
The
'J.~JJO
Tables in Gencral.
(1.) Ex. xxiv. 12. And J chovah said unto l\loses, Come up to me into the mount, and bo there: and I will give thcc tables of stonc und a law and coumrnndments which I have written. (2.) Rx:, xxxi. 18. And He gave unto Moses, whcn He had made an end of communing with l1im upon mount Sinai, two tabletS of testimony, tables of 8Wne, written with the f1ger of God. (a.) Ex. xxxii. 15, 16, 19. And 1\IOllCS turne<l, an wcnt down from the mount, and the two tables of the tcstimony were in bis hand: and the tables worc written on both thoir ~ides; on the one sidc and on the other wcre they written. And the tables were tlle work of God, and the writiug was the writing of' Go<l graven upon the tables. And it. c-ame to pues as soou as he came nigh uuto the camp, that ho saw the calf, and the dancing ;- (for in tlte absence of JVoses, Aaron and the p eople had mctde a golden calf, and were dancing before it:)- and .Moscs' auger waxed hot, and lie cu.st the tables ont of his hnnds, and brake tlicrn bcncuth the mouut. (-1.) Ex.. xxxiv. 1, 4, 28. And J ehov1Lh eaid unto Moses, H ew thec two t.ab{es of stone like uuto the first; and I will write upon tls~ tables the words that wore in the first t.ables, which thou brakcst. And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first ; and )!oses rose up early in the morning, and went up uuto mount Sinai, as Jehovab had coruumn<led him, au took in hi.s hand the tu.'O tables of stone. And He (J ehovah) wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten crnnmandmenl.s. Similar things are reponted in Dcut. iv. 13; ix. 9-17; x. 1-5. The ten connnandmcnts inscribed upon two tables of ~tone, as is wcll know11, were the first-fruits of the \Vord, and contuio an epitome of the whole duty of man. They are callcd the ten words, becausc the numbcr ten signifies and involves al! ; and wordil or commandments dcnotc truths whicl1 have r espect to doct.rine, and goos which hare t'<'Spect to le. The r eason why they wcrc written upon tables of sto11e was, becauso, as we have alrcndy sccn, stone signifies truth, pro.[)(lrl)'
5l5
516
PRECIOUS AND CO,!li!IO.Y STONES.
extcrnal truth such as constitu tes the liteml sense of the W ord. Thcsc tables were two in number, to iepresent tl1crchy the co11junctio11 of the Lord with the church, and hy the church with the human race. Hcncc thcy arc callcd the tableiJ of the covenant, Dcut. ix. 9, 11, 1.') ; and the words inscribed upon thern are called the words of the cnvenant, Ex. xxxiv. 27, 28: for "'a covcnant irnplies the agreement 01 conjonction of two. On this accouut the tahlcs, thongh perfectly distinct, 1verc yct so adjustcd to each other, that being placed togethcr, and by application conjoined into one, the writing was contiuued iu straight Jines from one table to the othcr, in ail respects as if they werc only one table. And it is probable, as well from the circurnstance of .l\'loses carrying both the tables in his han<ls, as from their being laid together in the ark, that their dimensions and bulk must have been very moderate, perhaps considerably lcss tl1an what have becn usually assigned them. It appcars frorn Ex. xxxii. 15, that "the tables 'Nere writtcn on bolh llwir Bides; on the one .'lide and on the other were they writ ten :" frorn which passage it rnight with some plausibility be inferre(l, that the writing was upon eaeh side or Bltrface of each 8tone, that ill, upon hotl1 thcir fronts and backs. If this conjecture be admitted. then the dimensions of the two tables may h~ve been proportionahly diminished: while the writing upon the fronts and backs mig ht still denote the internat and the externat sense of the "'Vord, as in Ezek. ii. 9, 10; and Apoc. v. 1. But as it is more probable that the two sidei5, or rathcr, in strict conformity with the original, tl1c two transifa, had res1rnct mcrely to the two distinct tables wliich were placed one against the othcr, tl1c cxprcssio11 sceins plainly to irnply that both in writing and in reading each of the comrnandrnents, 1l trarl)Jiiion wns made frorn one table to the other, in the manner alrcady describe<l. The cornmon opinion is, that so rnany entire precepts were written upon one table, and so many upon nnother, us exhibitcd in almost all Christian churches: which idea has been thought to receive confirmation from its bciug nsually said, that one table iH for the Lord, and the other for man. This latter sentiment is indee<l . true in one respect, that is, representatively, as arising from the mtmber of the tables spiritnally considercd, as well as from the twofold duty which man is bouncl to perform, viz., first to the Lord, and seeondly to his neighbor. And hence we may also sce the reason why the Lord in the Gospel comprises the wholc of the dccalogue in ti.1.10 commanchncnts only, saying, that love to the Lord con~titutcs the first, und love to
TJIE TWO TAR!JiJS OF ST01\'E.
517
out neighbor the second, Matt. xxii. 37-3!): whcn nevertheless it is most evident that his words arc not to he taken litcrally,slricily, or fornwll!J, hccauso the second commandment as written upon the tables, cqually with the first, respects our duty to our God, and not so much our cfoty to our ncighbor. 'iVhcnever, thereforc, mention is made in a gcncral way, that one table helongs to the Lord and the other to man, this lm1guage is to be understood spiritually, as we shall now explain, and not in such a scnsc as to imply eithcr tlmt a certain numbcr of the prcccpts was written upon one table, and a cert.ain numher on the otl1er, or that one part only of the divine lnw is for man, becausc writtcn on one of the tables as his part of the eoven:mt, and the rcrnainder for the Lord to pcrform on l1is part, because writ~ ten on the other. The spiritunl interpretation alluded ta, which lias no respect to nmnber as such, lmt to the thi'.ng signified hy number, is to the following effoct : Every prcccpt contains a duty for man to perfrm, and in each he is requircd to act apparently by hi own power: yet, as hi realily hc is of hnself ut.tcrly incapable either of shunning cvil or of doing good, it therefore becumcs ncccssary that the Lord should accompany him, and be pcrpctually present with him, to givc l1im botli the inclination and the ability to observe cvcry one, or any one, of his divine laws. In otl1cr words, man's part in the covenant consists in liis s1nmning the cvil that is forbidden, and in doing the good that is cnjoinc<1, apparenily of himself, yct in reality jrom tlw Lord: and the Lord',;; part in the same covcnant consists in his actually supplyi11g mnn with nll the piirity of motive, all the integrity of purpose, and all the power of action, ncccssary for the occasi()ll; the rcsult of whicl1 will lie, that, while man tlrns obeys the divine cornmand, he will yct at the sarne time ascribe all the mcrit to the Lord alonc. And hcnce the truc rcason may be sccn, why the words and nrntter of cach commmHlment were continned from one table to the other, as already !lc;;cribed, nnd not written in the way commonly supposcd, with a certain numher of eornmandrnents on one table anrl a certain numher on the other. Dy cuch commnndment bcing inscribcd on l)oth tuhlcs, the true idca of a covena.nt or of spiritual conjunction with the J,ord, is more fully set forth tlmn it could he liy uny otl1er rneans: and we arc thereby clcnrly instructed tbat while the Lord is in man, man ought also n.t tl1c same time to be in the Lord. This agrees with his mm words in the Gospel : " IIe thnt nbideth in me and I in kim, the same hringeth forth much fruit: for wi:thoul me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5
4-1
i) 18
l'R.ECJOUS AND CONJ!ON STONES.
That the view which we have here taken of tl1c ton comman<lment~ written on two tables of stone, yct in such a mauner as to exhibi~ the true conjunction of the Lord and man, is a just one, may be forthcr confirrned by othcr cxamples to be fouml in the "\VOl'd. Whcn Ahrnm wns desirous of some sign to assure him t.hat he and his posterity should inherit the promiscd land, he was ordered to takc a heifel' of thrcc ycars old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three ycars old; and he diiided these in the midst, and laid each pieee oi1c against the other, Gen. xv. 8-10. This division of each animal into two parts or pieces, and the position of thcsc onll ot'er agai1rnt the otlicr, representcd the sarne thing as t.hc division of the l:tws into two labh;s, and the application of both tog1Jt!1er, viz., the oonjttnclion of the Lord and mnn: and tl1ereforc it is written imrnediately aftcrwards in ver. 18, that "in the sn.mc day Jehovah made a cot1enant with Abrmn." "\Ve find also, that in ancient times it was usual even for transgrcssors und idolators to <li vide the anirnals whi ch they offercd in sacrifice to their false gods, and to pass between the picces, as in Jer. xxxiv. 18: whcrchy wus represcnted the co1\junction of licll with rnan, or, what is the same thing, the eonjunction of evil und of flsity in the human mind. In gencral, by the varions sacrifices wlrnreof part was burnt upon the altar and part was given to tlle people to eat: also hy the blood, lwlf of which was spriuklcd upon the alt.ar and ltalf upon the people, Ex. xxiv. G, 8, was represented the conjundion of the Lord and man by mcans of divine good and divine truth. The same is likcwisc 1lcnotcd by the bread which Jesus bml.e, or cfi:.tided, whcn llc fcd the multitude, and when He institnted tlie holy snppcr. From all Tl'llch we learn thrLt the grcat ohjcct continually held up to vicw, both in the writings of .Moses callcd the law, and of tlie Evangelists called the go;;pel, is tlie conju.nction of the Lord with man, and tlrnreby is etcrnal 8:tl v:ttion.
'J'!te first Pair o.f Table.~ ich:h were brokcn by llioses, wul repr(scnted the Ancieul Word, with Rcmarks on some of the ApoenJplud books, the rhUes of the Ancients, and other aneient lVr-it-
in.qs. Of the first pair of tables it is said that they were the work of God, and that tbe writing was the writing of God gravcn upon tl1e tahles,
being writlen with the fi11ger of God. But of the sccon1l pair of tuhlcs which werc like unto the Jir~t, wc rcad that .!Jfoses lwwed and pre1mrcd
T/fS F!RST l'Alll OF 'l'AIJLES.
519
them for tl10 writing; and that. aftcrw1mls JehoJ'<th himselj wrote on the tables the words that were in the first tables. With a view to explain these extraordinary circumstances, the following observations arc suhmitted: The lwo tnLles containing the <livine law in a concise nnd comprehensivc form, and bcing a kind of first-fruits or harbingcr of the succeeding revclation, represenlcd the whole Word. But the fir:;t pair in pnrticnlar, which wcre hroken at the foot of the mountnin, rcprcsented the Ancieut W ord, or that code of divine rcwelation which existed prior to the W ord given by )!oses and the prophcts. This Ancicnt 'Vord beiug no longer accommodated to the dcgenerate sta!e of man, was thercfore by the divine providence of the Lord, removed in order to makc way for the 'Vord which we now have, as bctter suited to the temper and genins of the Israelitish people, and imlce<l of mankind in gcneral.* That such an Ancient 'Vord did rcally exist prior to our ord, is evidcnt. from this circumstancc, thnt it is exprcssly quotccl by l\Iosc;i in Num. xxi. 14, 15, who trn.nscribcs a pussuge frorn one of the hi~ toricnl or rather propheticnl books helonging to it, called the book of the Wara of Jelwmh; alluiog in the first place to the wars of the Israelites with thcir diffrent enemics, nnd in the ncxt place to the fut.ure nets of J chovah in the Ilumnnity, when He accomplished the g rcat work of redemption by fighting agaiu;;t and overcorning all the powers of hell. M;es in the same chapter, \er. 27- 30, givcs another quotation from anolhcr book of the .Ancicnt \Vord cnlled Proverb., or rathor R nuncialiom1, as it appears t o have coosisted of prophctic dcclarations. Joshua likcwise, whcn hc bude the sun and moon stand still, refcrs to a third book of the Ancicnt 'Vord, saying, "Is not this writ.tcn in the book of .Ta.~her f" ( i. c. the book of R cclitnde or EqlCil!J !) chap. x. 12, 13 ; again alluding to the wars of the Israclites, ancl t o the victories over man's spiritual cnemies, whicl1 the Lord obt.aincd while in the flcsh. The same book is appcalcd to us a book of high uuthority, Ly the au!hor of the book of Samuel,
'y
wn.. <>f the l>irlnt l'rot-idroct, lt ml\y be suf conduct of Moses, but only on ccount of.
rem1trk, tbM, when Mocs !n great and ind1A'lllltiOn c~st the table tll the i,:nmnd, and bralr.e them tu pics, nlthough hc hll<I jmt bfore rer eivcd thcm in the m t ltOlemn manncr. and as a moot snrl"t'd deposit from the hand s of Jehovab. !Ill 110 uprefSl<ion of divine diso.pvrobtitioo l to bt:
an~er
fi~icnt to
As a proor tht the event h cre poken of 1found on ocoount of the e.pl"\rcully ra.ll
the wickednc of the people. On the cou trary, hl lnterccosion ln bchl\lf of Aaron and ol'thc people wns aeptcd by Jchovah : and this wllhont Bny prevlons atoncmcnl l!<'i ng requlred or him for the pu rg11tion of h hruie!f.
!i20
PRECIOUS AND CON1!ION STONES.
on the occasion of David's lamentation ovcr Saul and Jonatlrn.n: sec 2 Sam. i. 17, 18. But bCEides the evidencc arising from t.hese references and direct quotations from different books of the Ancicnt Word, othcr proofs arc to be found in our \Vor, that thcrc cxistcd a church prior to the Israclitish church, and consequently a revelation prior to that rcccived by Moses, or cven by Abraham. llalaam, an inhubilant of Syria, and a prophet belonging to a vcry ditferent people from the Israelites, yct prophesied from the mouth of Jehovah the truc God, Num. xxii. 8-18: and in chap. xxiii. and xxiv. throughout, on liis surveying the dwellings of Israel in tents and tabernacles, according to their tribcs, the spirit of God came upon him, and he openly announced the future greatness of that people, and foretold the coming of the Lord into the worJd. It appears also from Gen. xiv. 18-20 that l\Ielchizedek, who was priest of the most high God as weH as king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine to Abram and blcsscd him: whereupon A brarn gave him tithes of all, as an acknowledgment that :\Ielchizedck rcprc sented some higher or more interior principJe of lcstial lifc than Abraham at that time did. This circumstance clearly proves that a church existe<l prior to that instituted among the posterity of Abra ham ; that in it the offices of priesthood and royalty were exerciscd by one and the same person, who thus represented the union of divine good aml divine truth in the pcrson of the Lord;* that the symbols of that church, brcad and winc, werc similar to those appointed in tl1e Christian Church by our Lord hirnsclf; and therefore that there must have been in those early ages of the world a revclation or Sacrcd Scripture suited to the then existing statcs of mankin<l, which in process of timc has given place to the 'Word written by l\foses, the prophets and the Rvangelists. Moses Jiirnsclf who lH'oke the two former tables and hewcd out new oncs, also representcd the \Vrd, or the divine Jaw in genernl, 'spccially the legal and historien] part of it: and as the new 'Vord was in the cxternal sensc to treat much of the Ismelitish people, it
This is what is meant in Ps. ex. 4, by th~ 1wh!ch exlstcd before and at the time of Lord' elllg a priesl forevcr afler lhe order Abr~ham, the represenlat!on frequcntly cen of Jlelrhiu,tek: for ~!elchi.edek M a vri.sl tred in O'Tle person. who was both prlest and reprecnted the <li vine goo, ami as a king king. Snch was Mlchlzedck when, ~rtcr the dhine truth. Tn the I~ra.elitish chnrch the battle of the klnf,'ll, be e.dministere<l sitcthts represent11tion WtL~ 11"11ally <.!ffe<:tcd by rumental bread ar1d wlne to Abram, lllesscd twq rtistncl f!<'TSfm, the pr!est and the king: hlm, an<l r()(ched from him tlthc of ail hl but ln tim<:."' Kntccedent to the .Tewlsh lhc acqul&it!ons, Gcn. xiv. 18-20. ocre.cy, that s to My, 1n the aucicnt church,
TIIE FIRS'J' I'AIR OP TABLES.
521
thorefore became necessary to cl1ange the external language or expression of the 'Vord, while its internat sen;;e and dit>inity still rcrrrn.ined the same. This change of a former external sense of the 'Vord, for a new externat sense better adapted to the st:tte of thri Jcwish nation, by dcscribing their history, manncrs and institutions, is clearly pointed out, not m1ly by the fact of Mcs hrcaking the first tables, and afterwards hewing out fresh ones, but also by t11e occasion which irnpcllcd birn to do it, narnely, the total dcparturc of the Israelit, with A:tron at their hea(l, from the worship of J ehova11 to the worship of the golden calf, in t]1e form:ttion of which they had all unanimously concurrcd. And it appears at the same timc no lcss evident, that the same divinity, the same sanctity, and the same internai sense, which had in'spired the former \Vord, are still preserved and continued in that which wc now posscss. The samc words, i. e. tl1e s:unc great truthJ!, which were inscribed on the former tab1cs, ,\ere equally written by the same divine li:md on the ncw tables. The Apocryphal books which :trc frcqucntly annexed to the Old Tcst:tment, and re11uted hy Christians of doubtful authority, are not to be considcrcd as forrning' any part of tl1c Ancient word hcrc spokcn of. Sorne of thorn are supposed to have bccn written in the way of mere allegory. For example, Grotius states his opinion concerning the book of Judi'.th to be t.hat it is entirely a parnbolic fiction, writtcn in the timc of Antiochns :Epiphanes, \\hcn hc came into ,Tudea to raii;;c a pcrsecution againi;;t the Jewish church; and that the design of it was to confirm the Jcws undcr thnt persecution in the hope that God would scnd them a deliverance. He attempt.s also an cxplnnation, saying, "that by Judith is mcant J udca; by B cthulia tbe temple, or house of God; and by the sword which went out from t11ence, tl1e prayers of the sa.ints; That JYebuchodonosor dcnotes the dcvil; and t11c kingdom of 8~yria the dcvil's kingdom, pride; That by IIolofernes is meant the instrument or agent of the devil in that persecntion, Antioclrns Epiphnnes who made himself mastcr of J udca, that fair 1tidow, so called, bccauso dcstitutc of relief: That Eliakz'.m* signifies God, who woultl arise in her defence, and at length eut off that instrument of the de~il, who would have corruptcd ber." Grotius and others also think, that the book, e:tlled B aruch, in the Apocrypha, is a mere fiction, or allegorical relation, written by some
Jerom, ln hi Latin YCt'8ion of J 1u!I!/,, 1 Godin the one case, as Jdwiaor Joa ls takct promlwuouslr Us the tenus Eliakim, and !br the name of Jchmuh in the other. ltlwia"l<im, or Joakim; E/ being the nnmo of
44*
522
I'RECIOUS AND CO.Vfl!ON STONES.
Hellcnistic Jew, and containing nothing of a real histo.ry. See Pri deaux's Connection, vol. i., p. 52. The same observations will in a great measurc apply to many othcr writings which have becn bronght down to our times, particularly thosc of the ancient mythologists, of which the celcbrated Lord Bacon says, "It may pass for a further indication of a conccaled an<l secret meaning, that some of these fables arc so absurd and i<lle in thcir narration, as to proclaim an allegory evcn afar off'. A fable that carrics probability with it, may be supposed invented for pleasure or in imitation of history: but what could never be conceive<l or related in this way, must surely have a different use. For exarnplc; what a monstrous fiction is tl1is, That Jupiter should take .Metis to wife; and as soon as lie found her pregn:mt, eat her up; whereby hc ulso cunceived, and out of his head brought forth !'allas armed l Ccrtainly no rnortal could, but :for the sake of the moral it couches, invent snch an absurd dream as this, so mu ch out of the roa<l of thought." He f'urther observes, "The argument of most weight with me is: That many of thcsc fables appcar not to have bcen inyentc by the pcrsons who relate and divulge them, whether Homer, Hcsiorl, or others ; for if 1 were assurc tl1ey first fiowed from those later tiincs arnl authors, I should never expect anything singularly great and noble from such an origin. But whoever attcnth-ely considers the things, will fin<l that these fables are delivered down hy thosc writcrs, notas matters then first invented, but as receivcd and cmbrnccd in earlier ages. And this principally raises my esteem of th ose fables; which I rcceive, not as the product of the age, or invention of the pocts, but as sacred relies, gentle whispers, and the brcath of botter times, that, from the traditions of more ancient nations, came at lc11gth into the flutes and trumpets of the Greeks." The cxplanations of thcse things, which have been attcmpted by )earne<l men of the prescnt age, hy no mcans rcach that sublimity of concc1Jtion, or that superlative degree of wisdom, which therc is rcUBon l.o believc distinguishc<l the sages of ancient times. Am] yct they are sufficient to produce a conviction in the mind, that whcncvcr our anctors of most remotc antiquity would <lescribc tlie opera tiom; of either spiritual, moral, civil or pl1ysical causes, they di<l it in such tcrms a11<l under such forms and emblcms as wc fintl morQ nr less cl1aracterizc all thcir writings. J\fr. \Viiliam Joncs, in his Fi!furrtt1:i,c J,an!!u,a,!fe nf llnly Scripture, (p. 318,) statcs what hc sup-
THR FIRST PAIR OF TAflf,ES.
523
poses to have beea sigaified by the idols of the aneients, the heavenly eum;tcllations, etc., etc. "Ali ido/,s (says he) wcre originally emblcmatical figures, expressive of the lights of heaven, and tl1e powers of nature. Apollo was the sun ; Dwna was the moon; both represented with arrows, bccause hoth shot forth rays of light. "The forms of worship were symbolical. They danced in circles, tu show the tevolulion.s of the heavenly bodies. " In the con~tellations,-the Bears possess tlrn arctic or uorthern regions. The llam, Bull, and Lion, all sacrcd to the sol:i.r light and tire, are accommodatcd tu the dcgrccs of the sun's po\ler, as it increases in the smnmer mmlths. 'rl1e Urab, whieh walks sidcways and hackwms, is placcd where the sun moves paralled to the equator, and begins in that sign to recede towards ihc south. The Seo.les arc placcd ut the autumnal cquinox, where the light and darkness are cqually ba.lanccd. The Capricorn, or wild Mountain-Goal, i8 placcd at the tropical point, from whence the sun bcgins to clirnb upwurd towards the north. The ear uf corn in the hand of Virgo marks the season of the harvcst. The precession of the equinoctial points has uow rcruuvcd the figures and the st:irs thcy hclong tu out of thcir i1roper places; but such was their meaning when they were in them. "Royalty and government were formerly distinguished by symholical ms1gnin. A ld.ngdom was sup11oscd to be attended with power und glory. The glory was signified by a crnwn with points resembling rays of light, nml adorned with orbs as the heaven is studded with slnrs. Sometimes it was signified hy horns, which are a natural crown to animals, as wc sec in the figure of Alexander upon somc ancicnt coins. The 11ower of empfre wa.;:; denoted hy a rod or sceptre. A rod was given to Moses for the exercise of a miraculous power ; whencc was dcrivc<l the magical uXJnd of e11chanters: and he is figurcc1 with lwrns, to denote the glory which atlended him, when he came down froin the prcscnce of God. In Homer's Iliad, the pricst of .Apollo is distiugui;;hed by a sceptre in his l1and and a crown on his head, to show that lie deri\ed bis J)OWer from the Deity whorn he rcprcscntcd. So long as monarchy prcvailcd, the sceptre of kings was a dn,r;le rod: but wlicn Brutus first fonncd a republic nt Rome, he changcd the regal sceptre into a bnndle of ?"Ods, or fagot of sticks, with an axe in the rniddle; tu signify in this case that the powm was not derived from heavcn, but from the multitude of the people, who were accordingly flattcrcd from that Lime forward will1 11laje,sty.
524
I'REOIOUS AND OMOION STONES.
"Tiiiie was representcd with wings at Js fect, a razor or a smjthe in his right band, a lock of hair on his forehead, and bis head bald beltind; Justice, with her 8'11Jord and scales; Fm'tttne, with ber feet upon a rolliny splwre and her eyes hoodwinked; Vengeanec, with her whip; Pleasure, with her enclianted cup; Hope, with her anclwr; Dcatlt, with his dart !IJld lwur-glass; and m:my others of the same class, ail rcprcsenting in visible j'orms the idus conternplated by the rnind. "Pythagoras points out, by the letter Y, t11e road of lifo hranching ont into two ways, the one of virtue, the other of vice. He ad vises 11ot to kecp animals with crooked claws; i. e. not to make companions of pcrsons who are fierce and cruel :--not to 8top upr>n a journey to eut wood; i. e. not to turn aside to things foreign to the main purpose of life :-.1._Yewft" to rnake a libation to the Gods Jr()rlt a vine wltich lia~ not been pruned; i. e. not to offer worship but from the fruits of a severe and well-ordcred life :-Not to wipe aW(l;y su:eat with a sword; i. c. not to take away hy force and violence what another has earned hy his labor. Jt wll.'l custom:uy with the ancients to use a fiat instru ment, like the blade of a kriife, to wipe away sweat from the skin, and to clear it of the water after the use of the bath. Anothcr say ing of Pythagoms was, t.hat it is !\ foolish action to read a poem to a beast; i. e. to cornmunicate what is excellent to a stu]J, ignorant person: which is sirnilar to that prohibition in the Gospel, not to giie a holy thing to a dog, nor to ca;it pearls before swine." In addition to the observations abo\'e made concerning the writings of antiquity, it may hc rcrnarked, that the Apostle Peter in his second Epistlc, ( chap. ii.,) and Jude in his Gcneral Epistle, both appear to have copied from one and the same ancicnt book which was cxtant in thcir tlay, hut is since lost to the world. How otherwisc can it be accountcd for, that the very snme idea8, the yery sarne kind of language, and the very same order of rlclivery, which wc find in the one writer, are so punctnally followed hy the othcr? Let the reader only compare the passages here referred to, and he will find no room for a 1louht on the subject. Peler, !l!d Epistle. Jude, General Epi,stle. Cwmpare chap. ii., ver. 1, with Ver. 4. 4 6. 6 7. 8. 10 11 . 12 10.
TIIE SECOND l'Alll OF TARLF.S.
52G
I'cter, 2d Epistlc. Compare chap. ii., ver. 13 to 15, with
17
18, 19 ehap. iii., ver, 2 3
Jude, General Epstle. Ver. 11, 12. 12, 13. 16. 17.
18.
Peter goes on in the succeeding verses of ehap. iii. to speak of the former heavens and former earth; of the heavcns and carth which then werc; of tl1ese latter being reserved for destruction by fire as the former had bccn by water; and lastly of ucw heavens and a new earth, wherein sliould dwell righteousnes8: al! which particulars wcrc no iloubt transcribed by him from some ancicnt writ.ing, not pcrhaps of absolutely divine authority, like the genuine books of the A ncient ''lord, but the produc.,>tion of some cnlightcncd man w!10 trcated of the succession of ditlrent churches in the style and manner of the literai sense of our "'ord. Jude also, in bis Epistle, ver. 14, 15, makes express mention of a prophetical book writtcn by Enoch, the se\enth from Adam, and quotcs frorn it a passage wliich forete!ls the coming of the Lord to execute judgmcnt upon the wiekcd. And it il not improbable lmt sevcral of the references mude by the Evungclists to tl1e sayings of prophcts not to be found in the Old Testament, may have becn intended as i:;,ppcals to, or citations from, thut Ancient 'Vord wl1ich, as alrea<ly observed, was represented by the two tables of stone broken by J\foscs at the foot of Mount Siuai. Or possillly they may have becn containcd in some other prophetic books, or written sayings now lost, of which mention is so frcqucntly made in the books of Kings and Chronicle.s; such as the book of the Chronicles of King Duvid; the book of the Actll of Solomon ; the book of Smnnel tl1e Seer; the book of Nathan the prophet; the book of Gad the sccr; the Prophccy of Ahijah the Shilonite ; tl1e Visions of Iddo the scer; the book of Shemaiah the prophet; the book of .Jehu, the son of Hanani; tlie 'Vriting of Elijah the prophct; and the written Sayinh'8 of the Sccrs. Sec 1 Kings xi. 41 ; 1 Chron. xxyii. 24; xxix, 29; 2 Chron. ix. 29; xii. 15; xiii. 22; xx. 34; xxi. 12; xxxiii. 19.
The second Pair of 1'ables, whieh were suhstitute for the Jonnert and represcntcd the W"onl ,qiven by 1iloses and the Prophcfl!.
The two tables 11hich wcTIJ substituted in the pince of the former, represented the \Vord given by l\Iose.s and the Prophets, or that which
PRl.<JIOUS ANJJ 001'1.l!ON STONBS,
wo now possess. For as the }Jrior revclation was writtcn in a. style and manner similar imlecd in some respects to our "Word,* yet by corrcspondences more remotc, and more difficult of solution than those containcd in the history of the Israelitish people; and as in consoqucncc of this circumstance, and at the :mme time of the gross dcgencracy of mankind in gerreral, as bcforc obscrve<l, it bocamc . uecessary to give them :~ new " ' ord botter adapted t.o instruct, reclaim and arnend them, than the former was; on the accounts l\foscs was commanded to hew or prepare two frcsh tables of' stonc, and to take thcm up into the mountain t.o Jehovah, that He might write u pon them according to tho former writing: w hereas the first tables, together with the writing upon thern, are said to have bccn wholly tlie work of God. By Moses being onlere<l to prcparc tho new tables, is therefore meunt that he was to be cngaged in writiug the litera! and historical scnsc of the new 'Yord, which Bhould trcat of the Jewish or Israclitish people, oYer whom he waB constituted the hca<l; and by Jchovah's writing upon thosc tables, is understood that ncverthelcss that history should ho dictated by divine inspiration, and contain within its bosom an interna}, l1cavenly, and cvcn a divine sense. The distinction which is made bctwccn the tables tlwm.~elve.~ and the writing upon thcm, is intcnded to point out the diBtinction bctwccn the litcml se1u1e of the 'Vord and its spiritiial sense: the former bcing like a ground, plane or table on which the latter is inscribcd, and frorn which it cannot pro1)e1ly be separatcd bccause it is everywhere within it. 'l'lle W ord being tlms distinguishable into an internat and externat ~ense, it appears to be not inconsistcJJt with divine order, or the im mutable nature of divine truth, that its cxtcrnal should be chang<<l according to the circumstanccs of mankind, tB internal rernainiag cvcr the samc. But in what manner or respect this change of the external actually took place, which was chiefly on account of the Israelitish people, cannot be better described than in the wor<ls uf Swc<lcnborg, who in his .Arcana Olestia, n. 10,603, says: "For the sake of that nation altars, burnt-offcrings, sacrifice;;, mcat-offorings and libations were oomrnanded, and on this account, both in the historical and prophetical ord, thosc things are rnentioned as the most holy things of wors11ip, when yet they wcre allowed,
-w
This appears from the great rcscmbla11ce 1clent Word in Num. :xxl. Z7-3Uand tbat ln betwecn the pB-"Sllge quoted from t.be An Jer, xlvii. 4'1, 46.
THE SF.COJ 'W PAIR OF TABLES.
527
becnuse they wcre first institutc<l by E bcr, nnd were altogetl1cr unknown in the ancient reprcscntutive Clmrch. }'or the sakc of that nation also it came to pa."-'> thnt divine worship was pcrformed in J erusale01 alone, and that 011 thfa aecount that city wa.<> esteemed holy, and wns also called holy, both in the historical and prophctical \Yord. The rcason was, that tliat nation was in heart idolatrous ; and therefore, nnless they had nll met together at that city on each festival, every one in his own place would ha ye worsllipped some god of the gentiles, or a graven :md molten image. For the 8uke of that nation, tilso, it wa.<1 forbidden to cclcbratc l10ly worship on mountains and in groves, us the nncicnts 1 lid; the reason of which prohibition wns, lest they ;:1h oulrl SPt idols there, and should worship t he very trees. For the sakc of that Illltion also it was pcrruittcd to marry several wivC<i, which wns a thing altohrcthcr unknown in ancient tin; and likewise to put away their wives for varioul! causes : hence laws werc cnuct.cd concerning such marriagcs and divorces, which othcrwii-;e would not have entercd the external of the 'Vorrl; on which account this extcrnal i::1 called by the L ord the cxtcrnal of l\foses, and is snid to be granted for the hardness of thcir hearts, )fatt. xix. 8. }'or the sak c of that nation mention is so often tUade of Jacob, and likcwise of the tweh-c son;:1 of Israel as being the only clcct and hein;, as in Apoc. v ii. 4-8, llild in other places, although thoy were such as they are described in the song of }foses, D<'nt. xx:di. 1!5-43, and also in the propl1cts throughout, and by the Lord himsclf: not to mention other things which furm the externnl of the W ord for the sake ot tlmt nation. This external is what is signified by the two tables hewc1l by :Moses. That still in that external there is a divine internai not changed, is significd by Jehovah writiug on these tables the smnc wonl~ which were on the former tables.'' The first tables, thcn, are said to have been the work of Cod, and the writing upon thern the turiting of Cod, becuusc t he Andent W ord rcprcscnted by thc tables, was <lictated by God both as to its e:rtcrior ancl its interior contents, without any respect to merc his torical facts, exccpt only apparently or factitiously in the lctter, after the manner of the first ten c11aptel'8 of Gensis. And the second tables are ~aid to be the 1tork of _ Jfoses, and the writing upon them to vah, because a grcat part of the new W or<l is be the ivriting of Jelw indeed as to its exl.ernal or hi~toricctl umle written by the pcn of Moses, und treats of the people of Israel o\er whom he presided;
528
PRECIOUS ANI> CO.Jt.lfO.V STONES.
whilc its inkrnal nnd divine sense is solely from the L ord, and trcats of Him and his kingdom alone. Thus we sec that though the wickedocss of the Israelite.. in departing from the worship of J ehoval1 to that of a golden calf, was the immediate occasion of the first" tables bcing brokcn, still uew tables wcrc substitutcd in their place, whosc contents were equally holy and c liv-ine with the former. And that wo may never Jose sigl1t of tbe real Author of the Wor d, especially as to its spiritual, cclestial and divine scnses, but may perpetuaily vcncratc the whole of its contents as the true medium of conjunction between heaven and curtl1, as the best gift of the Creator to the creature, and as the vcry habitation of the Lord with the human race, wc arc most solernnly 11ssured tlmt evcry word of the Sacred \Vriting was impressed upon the tables hy Jehova.h himsclf. Deut. x. 2, 4. \Ve learn, therefore, from a due consideration of the circumstan<'c.s recorcd, particularly in relation to our word or Sacred Scripturc, represcntcd by the two tables of stone last gYen, that its inlerior contcnls are derived solely from the J_,ord ; and that its exierior oontents, ihough writtcn by the hand of ~foscs nnd the Prophets, and though adapte<l to the st.ute of the Israelites whose history was thns made the vchicle of divine wisom to mankind, when cvery former dispen~ation wus found unavnilable to their reformation an rcgeneration, were yet suggested and inditcd by the same merciful L ord who in ail ages of the world has ncYcr ceased to bls his creatures with a rcvclation of himself, and of thosc divine laws, the obsernincc of which can aloue prcpa.rc mau for a happy immortality in the life to comc.
OHAPTER IX.
1'1n; Bnr::ASTPLATE OF AARON, CALLEll TUE I\nEAST-PLATJ: OF JunGME!'!T,
AND ALSO URIM AND THU!tl~lllll.
The Substance and Porm of the Breast-Plate, and Arrangemettl of the twelve precious Stones.
(1.) Ex. xxviii. 15-21. Thou shalt make the brea..8t-plate of judgment with cunning work, aftcr t]1c work of the epho<l thou shalt makc it; of gold, and of bluc, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen shalt thou make it. Four-square it shall be, heing dou bled ; a span shall be the length thereot: and a span shall be the brcadth thcrcof. And thou slialt set in it l!eUings of 8toe8, cvcn fo1tr 1ows of stont'1: the first row shall be a sardius, (a ruby,) a topaz, and a carbunclc: this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be au emerald, (a chrysoprasus,) a sapphire, and a diamond. Ami the tl1ird row a ligure, (a cyanus,) an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a bcryl, (a Tarshish,) and Rii onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gol<l in their inclosings. And the llfone.~ shall be with tl1c names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their namcs; like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve TRIBES. In l~x. xxxix. 8-14, nearly the sarne words as the preceding are repeated in this chapter; but with this diflrence, that the former appear in the shape of a command, the latter as the comrnand cxecutc<l. As the breast-plate of Aaron formed one of the most magnificent appendages to his S!\ccrdotal dress, and at the same time, from the varic<L brilliuncy and translucency of tl1e precious stoncs, callerl Urim am] Thummim, which werc set upon it, was appointed to be the medium wl1erehy rcsponscs from heaven were obtained in the Jewish church, it :; interesting to examine its construction, and t o inquire in what manner the extraordinary cfl'ccts ascribed to it werc produccd. It bas bccn doubted by some whcthcr the breasl-plate formcd one square, or two squares in one, making an oblong square, bccausc it is
~
2l
UB
530
I'RECIOUS A.ND co,1tJION STONES.
dcscribed as being fonr-sguare doubl.ed: and it has Iikewise been supposcd tbat the four rows of precious stones, which were set in it, wcrc to be rllckuncd from right to left in such a manner, that the three stoncs of each row should be placcd laterally, or evcn with cach other. Accordingly some engravings huve reprcscnte<l the plate on Aaron's breast, and the rows of stones set upon it, in the way and position just descrihed. But on a more carcful examinntion of the passage abovc quoted, it will be found tliat the whoie brcast-plate was a perfect square, being a span in length and a span in hreadth: yet it was a square of a double or twofol<l charaeter, because it was dividcd into riJht and left, to rcprcscnt a celestial and a spirilttal principle: and these again werc suhdivided, to dcnote the internal and the extemal of each: the whole forming four rows in a vertical or upright position, with three stones in each row, and thereby reprcscnting and signifying the conjunction of all the truths of hcaven with the good from which tl1cy are dcrived, and at the smne tirne their high perfection. (See Plate.) The breast-platc itsclf was made of gold, of bine, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twincd lincn : its form being that of a square when don bled; it had two rings ut the upper ends, and two at the mid<llo of the sicles, whereby it was fastcned to the ephod: and ca.ch of the precious stoncs, twclvc in numbcr, was set in a socket of gold, and had the narne of one of the t welve tribes of Israel engraved upon it. Which particular name was inscribcd on one stone, and whicl1 on another, docs not appear frorn the description given in the W ord : and it would be very difficult if not impossible for us at the present duy to determine this point, sincc the order of the names in othcr parts of the \Vor1l varies on dilferent occasions, each name at one time <lenoting more or leRs of the good and the true propcrly signi fi ed by it, according to the nature of the su bjcct treated of, the arrangement in each case adoplcd, nnd the relation of the one to the othcr and to the wholc. For ex:unples of this vnricty in the order of t.hc nom nation of the tribc:;, the rentier mny consult the following pussuges : 1. For the order of thcir irth, Gen. xxix. 32-35; xxx. 6-24;
XXXV.
18.
2. F or the order in which they nre narncd, before Jacob came to his father Isaac to ~Iamre, Gen. xxxv. 23- 26. 3. For the ordcr when they came ii1t.o Egypt, Gen. xlvi. 8-19. 4. For the order whcn they werc blr...;sc<l by their father Jacob, lhcn Israel, Gon. xlix:. 3--27.
REPRESENTATION OF THE BREAST-PLATE

\Yitll its Preciou Stones. their Colors,
and Sig-nification.
CELESTIAL.
FlH1'
Jtow.
REDD1~B
SECOND l{()W.
--BLl T lD.
SPilTUA L. now.
ltLUE.
FO'l"RTJI
tu.t:i~u
THJR.ll
Row.
--- -Rub11.
JtED.
'W" RITL~H
WHlTE.
-->-
C h711.t1QprMua.
Cvaniu.
~ranhh.
[]
--1.
[]
4. Sapphire.
[]
7.
Agate.
[]
10.
Topaz.
Onyx,
[@]
2.
Carl>uncl<-
[]
G.
Dicr.rnond.
[@]
8. - -- - - ~ m<t h11.t.
[]
11,
... "tpcr.
[]
:3.
[]
1
6.
[@]
--Spiritual Good.
9.
[]
12.
Spiritual
1 a.la!ial Good. [ Ce!ut!al 'l'NUll.
7'r"t1i.
.h'irst 1:-.ow, .Downwarda,

Second Row .......... 7'hird Row . .. ........ Fourth Row .. .. . ......
lted ................
Reddish Blue ......... Jrhiti8h Blue ...... . . . Blrtish White ....... ..
Ccleuiai Loee of liood. CeleBlial Lou of Tru/Ji. Spiritwl I.ote of Good. Spiritual Love of Tr1dh.
--
THE RRF.:1ST-PlA TF: OF AARON.
531
5. F or the order whcn the hcads of the diffcrcnt tribcs arc named, for the purpose of nuruhcring thcir armics, Num. i. 5-15. 6. For the ordcr when all the males capahle of war, from t.\\cnty ycars old und u1nvard, were nnmbered, Nmn. i. 20-43. 7. F or the order when they pitched thcit tents around the tahernacle of the congregation, Num. ii. 1 to end. 8. F or tl10 ordcr when the princes of the tribes made thcir offer ings, :N" uro. vii. 12- 78. !:J. F or the order whc11 they marched, the ark of the covcnaut going before thern, Num. x. 14-28, 33. 10. For the order when the heads of the tribes wcro sent to spy out the la.ud of Canaan, Num. xiii. 4-15. 11. l'or the onl er when they were numbered, Num. xxvi. 5-62. 12. F or the order when tlie princes were appointed to di vide the land by inheritance, Num. xxxiv. 13-2(). 13. F or the ordcr when they stood upon mount Gerizim to hless the people, and upon mount Ebal t o curse, Deut. xxvii. 12, 13. 14. For the order wl1en they wcre blesscd by :Moses, Dcut.. xxxiii. 6-24. 15. For the order when the lands were divided by lot among thcm, J Ol!h. xiii.-xix. 16. For the ordcr wbon certain cities were given by lot t.o the J,e.. vites, Josh. xxi. 4-7. 17. F or the order when the cities so given to the Levite.'l are men tioned by namc, Josh. xxi. 9-39. 18. For the order wlien the new or holy land shall be divided hy lot according to the tribcs of Israel, Ezok. xlviii. 2-8, 23-28. l!J. F or tlie order when the gates of the new or holy city are described, B zek. xlvi. 31-.'34. 20. For the order when twelve thousand of each tribe arc scale, Ap<Jc. vii. 5-8. \Yith respect t o t he names appropriatcd to each stonc, it is probable tlmt some one of the prcceding ordcra of nominat ion was observed, thougl1 uot particubrly stntcd in the letter of the 'Vord. The order of thcir birth is gcncrally supposed to l1ave bcen the or<ler adopted for the breast-platc, probably becauae that was the order observcd on the two onyx-stones placcd on th ahoulders of the ephod, as in E x. xxviii. 10. Ilut this being matter of conjecture only, some incline to that arrangement of the tribcs, which represented the cclcstial wder subsisting among the an~eHc societies in heavcn, because in
682
I'RIW/Ol!S AND cmtJION STONES.
their judgment it is the most perfcct. Such appean; to havo bccn the order of their cncam11mcnt, as givcn in Num. ii. 3-21,* when they were arranged aecording to the four quarters, the standard of tho camp of Judah at the head of three tribes being in the east, thut of Rcuben at the head of three otl1er tribcs iu the south, that of Ephraim in like manncr in the west, and that of Dan in the north, with the camp of the Levitcs and the tabernacle of the congregation in the midst. For Judah was tl10 first of the tribes, and bore the highest signification; while Dan was the last, and denoted what was lowcst in hcaven and the church.t Sirnilar was the ordcr wl1en they marched, the ark of the covenant going before them, Num. x. 14-28, 33. .;\nd probably they wcre in the samc position in relation to the four quartcrs, as that above describcd, when llalaam heheld them at fi. distance, and exclaimcd, "How goodly are thy tents, 0 Jacob, and thy tabernacles, 0 Israel!" Num. xxiv. 5. But as it is possible that sorne other order than that of encampment may have been required for the brcast-plate, wl1ich however i~ not cxprcsscd, we shall venture to oflr a conjecture on the reason of it~ hcing withhcld.t :May it not have been, because the namcs as sccn upon the breast-plate in the spiritual world, wcre not ahvays deter mincd to any one arrangement, but at times shifted from one stone, or from one order of stones, to another, according to the cvcr-changing circumstances of the church, or of the people who reprcsented the church, either generally or specifically? And as this variety of state was perpetual, and could not have been so well suggested or desig nated by any fixcd order of naming the tribcs, may it not have bccn on this account that the litcral sense or the litera! record, is silent on the point in question? And yet we are authorizcd to believe that the names wcre actually engravcn cither ovcr, under, or upon the stoncs in some determinate ordcr, which must thereforc have becn permanent in the natural 'world, though variable in the spiritual world. Tho inconveuience or difculty which may be supposc<l to uri:;;e from the disagrcement here alluded to bctwccn what may be
SeeA.C., n. 38112,4fi03,6335,004'l. Ap.:Ex., cnrefully even ln hlstory; for it mmt havo becn lmowu to the pries~~. and cven to J"c plms, who yct does not mcutlon Il ln bis t See A. C., n. 10,3.15. Anliqui.lie8 o/ the Jev.,., I'rol>thly it WRS to l An intelligent memher of the New prcvcnt an imitation of the i',im Aud Tlwm Church {J. A. 'l'.) mal<es the followlng rc- mim, and a maglcal applica.tion of it 111 obmark on this snbjcct: "Them em to ben, tstlning rcspoufle", whiclt l'Orne carntlbtio mystcrious re.irnn why this pnrticular ordcr books hnvc tnnght wlth re"pect Io the lcttcr honld have bccn concenlcd, nnd Uiat so of the W or<l."
n. 4~1.
'l'J/E BNEAST-PLA. TrJ OF AARON.
533
calle<1 the r:eal Jact and the spiritual 11,.e to be <lrawn from the wholc de>1eription of Urim and Thummim, is cntirely obriated by supprCJ1 sing in the lctter all mention of the order of naming the tribcs, or the purticular application of the names to thcir respective stoncs on the brcast-plutc: which is a peculiarity oot cxclusively confinc tq the prcsent case, but may be obscn-ed in varions other instnuces to be met with iu the Sacrc<l Scriptures both of the Old an<l the New Testament.* They who arc <lirous of furtlier information as to fcts wltich really did takc place, but which yct \\'ere not dmcd proper to bu admittcd as part of th.f.! Di,,,>ine Word, a nd therefore frequently rcferred to the books of the Chrouicles of thl! kings of Judah and T arnel, (which do not appcar to be those books usually called Chroniclcs, bul some othcrs not now extant,) or to some other hil!tory collaternl with but distinct from the Sacred Volume: sce 1 Kings xi. 41 ; xiv. 10, 29, etc., n.n pp. 524 and 525 of this work. Compare also 2 Sam. xxiv. 9, which is a part of the 1'eal Wo1'd, with 1 Chron. xxi. 5; xxvii. 24, which is no part of the 'iYord, hut merely a collaleral or supplcmenlary h~tory; and the variation of ihc Divine record from what may probably baye been the literai fact will immediately nppenr. Again, compare 2 Kings xxiii. 29, 30, with 2 Cbron. xxxv. 20-27 ; an<l it will be furthcr sn , tlrnt several particulars relave to the good king Josinh, which are recorcd as facts in the last-mentioned l1i3tory, ure entirely suppresse<l in the book of Rings, which is a part of the Ditine lrortl. Similar rnriations are observable in other liistorical transactions relnted in the divine books, when comparc<l with those given in the book of Chronicles: as for cxample, speaking of the first of Dadd's hcrocs, it is said in the first book of Chroniclcs, that "Jashoboam an Hacl1monite, the chicf of tl1e captains, liftcd up bis spcnr agninst throo lmndred, who were slain y him nt one time," cl1ap. xi. 11: but iu the second book of Samuel t he exploits of the samc mighty mno
In proof of thi. it mr.y be sufficieut t<> thclr l':l'odiuout of F.gypt to the!r f\ll cst11brem11rk. that wherever e. distinction is ob- llhment 111 the land of Canaan, u certain ene.ble lwt\vccn the/ttcl and \hc 1,i,fo,.y, the nunther <m/y \\'ere sclerted by the Divine i"fal tran&aetiim and the T<cor<l o/ that tran.i11' WIRlom Io roustitnie the Racred hi.tory: tw11, ln oil suoh cases !lie luiler aud not the and cven of those somc wetc modlflad or J0tmer, 1. c. tl1c rtror<l and not the Jact, ls t<> varfcd, some amplifled or abri<lge<l, in Bll'h be conldered ne the proper ba.si <1 retda- Il. way thr.t 11othing shoul<l appear fu thu li=. the 1r111i t..eprt!,.ion of di1ne wisdmn, in lltera.l rccorcl, but wha! was, is, aud ever wiU &L;)rt, the !Mg Word itfflf. For or the vast be <leocriptive (by corr..-pondonres) of tho :!bnndanl'e of factlii. that renlly nn<l Jit4.'n,ny reo.1 sta.t.cs of me.u'tt s1-1iritual life. look p!M uw,,11g the pe<>ple of lsr:tcl, frum 1
41)*
PRECIOUS
,vm
COJfMON STONES.
are tlrns describcd: "The Tachmonite, that sa.t in t he scat, (or, as it might liavc b een rendered, J oshab-basheh1::th the Tachmonitc,) chief among the captains, the same was A<lino the Ei:nite, b e lifted up bis spcar against eigld hundred, whom he slew at one time," chap. xxiii. 8. H erc the Divine record makcs the number of the slain to be eight hundred, wl1ile the collateral history givcs only thrcc lmndrcd. In the New Testament likewisc, \\'C find a striking variation in the ncoount given by )latthew, from that in tho Acts of the Apostl<'S, concerning the death of J urlas. l\fatt. xxvii. 3-fi, statos that, aftcr J udas h:td bet mye<l Jcsus, he repentcd, returncrl the t.hirty picccs of i>ilver, the pricc of blood, and wcnt and hauged himsclf'. '\Vhereas iu tl1e Acts of the Apostles, i. 18, it is expressly said, that he "purchusc<l a field with the rcwarrl of iniquity; and falling l1eadlong, h c burst asuner in the midst, and ail bis bowels gushed out." And it is added, (ver. 19,) that this "was known unto all the dwellers at J erusalem ; insomuch as that field is callcd in their J,roper tongue Aceldama, that is to say, 'l'!te field of Mood." The rcader will herc observe, that the E vangelil't writes by D foine upiration, and that the Acts of the Apostles is to be regarded op.ly as a collateral liislory. That the \Vord should have been so written, as to comprise in its l)OSom Mthing but the diYine trnths of heaYen, whilc in its cxternal form it selects just so much (and no more) of the Israclitish history, as w11s founil nccessary to embody those truths; and that at the S. 'l.me time the Church should be nble to reap from the wliole t he spiritual bcncfit intended, is, to the pious and cnlightcncd mind, matter of astonishment, as wcll as of eternal gratitude. Since, thcrcfore, the precisc arrangement of the names of the twcl \'e trihcs, or the distinct appropriation of them to the particulnr stonrs of the breast-plntc, cannot now be ascertaincd, and for the rensons above statcd nccd not, it is sufficient for us to know that the stones themselvcs, togethcr witl1 the n:tm inscribed upon fem, rcpr6S(>ntc!1 all the goo<ls and truths of hea vcn and the ehurch; that thosc on the right side (of t he high-pricst) reprC!'cnted the celtial love of goorl and the cclestial love of truth, or in othcr words, love to the Lorc1 and mutunl love ; that those on the left reprcsented the spiritual 1me of good, and the spiritual lo\e of truth, or in othcr words, clmrity towards the neighbor aml faith from that eharity; whilc tl1c tLree stoncs in cach row <lenotcd the pcrfc<'tion and fulne&9 of each kirnl of love, from ils begiuning to its end. This signification arises ns
Till? BREAST-PLATE OF AARON
well frorn the colors of the stones, as from their number, which was in ca~h row tliree. 'IVe will thcrefore now considcr the rows in their order; and frorn the color, transparency and brilliancy of cach, endeavor to point out their true signification.*
'17te first Row, eonsisting
of a Ruby,
buncle.
a Topaz, and a Car-
There arc _,wo fondamental colors, from which nll the rest by eombination with each other and with certain degrees of shadc or colorless media, are derived. The.~e two fun<la111ental colors are red and white ; of each of wbich thcre arc scveral varietics. The red, being a pcculiar display of the primary or mt essential quality of fira, is considered in the Sacred Scripturcs as expressive of the good of low with whieh it corresponds: and the white, being a peculiar display of the scoondary prOJJcrty of fire, in the same "'ritinb'l! denotcs t11e truih (if wi.~dom witl1 wliich it also corresponds. Now as the modifications a1irl variegations of natural light with shade produce colors of cvcry description, so the modifications and variegatious of spiritual light or truth with ignorance, produce all the varictics of intelligence and wisdom. And hence the precious stones in the breast-plate of Aaron becorne representative either of higher or of lower dcgrccs of wisdom, ( wbich is al ways to be undcrstood as inscimrablc from its Jo,e,) according to thcir brilliancy and transparency, and at the same timc aecording to the kind of light which 11rcdominatcs in thcm, whetl1er it hc red or white. If t11e red predominate, it is a mark of celest.ial or most interior affection: but if the white have the ascend:mcy, thcn the affection and consequeut perception denoted, are of a spiritual or mOl'e exterior charactcr. Under this view of the subject wc Sl.'C the reason why the first row or ordcr, consisting of a ruby, a topaz, and a carlmnclc, dcnotes the celestial love of good, togethcr with its wisdorn, namely, hecanse the
* The F..t\.Ille r,vriter rcferre to in a former note (J. A.T.) e.gain remarks on the tinto or cnJors <:if the ston es ns follovts ~ I think Mr. Hi.urlmarsh is f'orre ct, viz.. l st orrler, Red: 2rt, lled<lM1 11/ue ; 3d, Whili8h llliu ; 4th, Itl1<ish White. Yct r mueh d oubt if '"'Y of the stonc~. wbich wc c nom1nn:tc by thooe tlaull'fi, wUJ O.pply. The Stones lu the l>rcnst plote, C judge, niut have bccn all trans)'.IBr ent; and yct our lautre, or lapis la..-ii.h", and
j
sem.I-tre.nspa.rent The diamond b cli:tF..se.d
amoug the reddish-l>Juc. whlch clocs nol agree; nelther the amcthyst o.mong the U"ldf~ il~h..-blue. Our topaz i!l yeJlow, and not ?t:d. ln short, [do not find that there is anr 0 110 of the stoncs knowu hy the namcs which wo e.pply to them. Possibly it is n ecessary onJ) to know geuerally the colon; or lin! of the or~ers, ln appllco.t!on Io the corre<pou<l ence."
f)ri:yx n.njaEpt""', ~rcopaquc: , u.nd ouraoatebut
536
PRECIOUS AND COJOION STONES.
re or ftme-eolore light predominates and sparkles in eaeh of those stones. The prophet Ezekiel, alluing more parteularly to the stones of this order and to their signification as )1ere gven, ealls them .stones of fire, whcn he addressed the fallen king of Tyrus in these remarkable words: "Thus sllith the Lord God, Thou sealest up the sum full of wistlom, and pcrfcet in beauty. Thou hast hcen in Eden the garden of God ; cvcry preeous stone was thy eovering; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thon hast walkcd UJl and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfeet in thy ways from the day that thon wast ereated, tiil iniquity was found in thee. Thou hast sinned ; therefore I will cast thee us profane out of the mountain of God; and I will <lestroy tl1ec, 0 eovcring ehcru b, from the midst of the swnes of fire," Ezek. xxviii. 12 to 16. The ruby is a much-admirecl gem, of a deep red color, with an admixture of purple. In its most perfect and best colored state, it is of exquisite beauty and extrcrnc value. It is often found pcrfcctly pure and free from bleruishcs and foulncss, but mueh more frequently debascd in its value by them, especially in the larger speeimens. It is of very great hardness, equal to that of the sappl1irc aud second only to the diamond. It is varions in sizc, but lcss subject to variations in its shnpe than most of the other gems, being always of a pebhlc-likc figure, often roundish, sometirnes oblong, larger at one end than the other, in some sort rcsembling a pear, aud usually flatted on one side. In gcncral it is naturally so bright and pure on the surface, as to need no polishing; and when its figure will admit of its being set without eutting, it is often wom in its rmlgh state, and with no other than its native polish. Our jeweJlers arc very nice; though not perfectly dctcrminatc, in thcir distinctions of this gem, knowing it in its different degrees of color under three <lifferent names. The first is simply the ruby, the name given it in its decpcst colored and most perfect state. The second is the spincl ruby; under this namc they comprchcnd those rubies which are of a somewhat less bright color than the ruby simply so called. The third is the balass rnby; uuder which name. they express a pale yet a very bright ruhy, with a less admixture of the purple tinge tban in tlrn deeper eolored oncs, and of less value. The truc ruby cornes from the East Inics; and the principal mines of it arc in the kingdom of Pegu and the island of Ceylon. In our common English version of the Bible, instead of the ruby, the tran.slators have named the 8ardius. But the sardius, being a
THE BREAST-I'LATE OF AARON.
G37
kind of cornelian verging most freqnently to a flesh-color, though sornctimcs to a bloo<l-rcd, is ncithcr so valuahle nor of so decp a hue us the ruby; and therefore does not so propcrly answer to the Hebrew word odem, as tl1e ruby does. Sorne authors call the stone hcrc mcant apyropus, from the resemblance wllich its color bears to .fire or to
jlainc.
The modern tcrpaz appears to be a different gcm from that of the 1111cients : and indeed the samc may be said of several, if not ail, of t11e other precious stoncs. That which now bcars the namc of a topaz may be described as follows: "\Yhen perfect and frcc from blemishes, it is considered a very beautiful and valuable gem: it is, liowever, rurely to be found in tliis state. It is of a roundish or oblong figure in it;; native or rongh state, usually ftatted on one side, and generally of a brig!1t and naturally poli.shed surface, tolerably transparent. They arc always of a fine yellow color; but they have this, like the othcr gems, in several different degrces. The finest of all are of a true and perfect gold-color, and hencc oometimes callcd ckryoolitcs ; but there arc somc mnch deeper, and others extremely pale, so as to appcar scarcely tinged with yellow. The original topai cmulat th.-. ruby in hardncss und the diamond in lustre. The most valuithle kinds are said to he found in the East Indies; but they are rarely of any great size. The topa7.es of Peru come next aficr thcec in beauty and in value. Those of Europe are principally found in Silesia and Bohcmia, but gcnerally with cracks and flaws. The Hebrew term, pitdalt, rendered topaz here and in the English Bible, is, however, by Jerome, Rabbi David, and others, callcd the cmerald, whicb is a precious stone of a grec~ color, and vcry different from eithcr of the modern or the ancient topaz. This latter, from its bcing classed with the ruby and tlie carbnnclc, in all probability cxl1ibited a beautif'ul flamc-colored appearance whicl1 in some specimens rnigl1t also have bcen cnriched with a fine golden tint. To this may be added the circumstance of its bcing a production of Ethiopia, and not of tl1e places rcfcrred to y our modern jewelleIB, J ob, in his estimate of tlic value of true wisdom, sets it fr above rubies, abovc the topaz of Ethiopia, and above the purcst gold, chap. xxviii. 18, Ifl; wl1ich is an association that sccrns to justify our conclusion, that the ruby and the topaz bore an affinity with each other, und jointly with pure goM yielded a n10st exaltcd signification. The carbune is a vcry clcgnnt gem, of a deep red color, with an admixture of scarlet. Its name in the original implies brightness and
538
PRED!OUS AND (JO,JHION STONES.
splcndor as of Iightning. This gem was known former~y by the namo of anthra;;. It is said to glitter in the night, and to sparkle much more than the ruby. It is usually found pure and faultless, and is of the samc degree of hardncss as the sap11hire. It is naturally of an angular figure; its usual size is near a quarter of an inch in lengtb, and two-thirds of that in diameter in its thickest part. \Vhen hdd up against the sun, it loscs its dccp tinge, and hecomes exactly of the color of burning ch:trcoal; w hence the propriety of the name which the ancients gave it. It is found in the East Indies, and there but very rarcly.
1.'lie second Row, consisting of a ChrysO'j)rasus, a Sappltire, mu? a Dfomond.

This order or row of prccious stoncs dcnotcs t11e cclcstial love of truth, together with its wisdom, and ruiswers to the cxt.ernal of the celestial kingdom, us the first row does to its internai. The stoncs of the former row derived thcir signification from thcir redncss; but the stones of this row derive it from their blucness w1lich partukes of a re<lish tinge: for it is to be noted that thcre is a blue clerived from and tinged with red, and likewise a blue derived from and tingcd with white. The blue from re, which prevails in the stones of this row, denotes the celestial love of truth; but the blue from white, which prevails in tl1c stones of the next or thir<l row, denotes the spiritual love of good. The affections of the lmman miml here represented by colon;, though not easily discriminated by one who reilects but litt.le upon them, are yet to be considered as distinct from each other, as the stones of the two rows whcn eompared togcther. In euch case the stones appear brilliant and resplendent; lmt the one kind shows an affinity with re<l Iight, nn the otlier an affinity with white Iight. So likewisc of the alfections nbove meutione<l, the oue has more immediatc rcfcrcn to the good of love, and the othcr to the truth of wisdom. The clnysoprasus is describc<l by somc as of a pale green color, with an ad mixture of yellow; and the narue itsclf seems to imply as much, bcing compoundcd of the Greck word chru.'!08, gold, and prason, a Iock. In Hebrcw the tcrm is, lb.l, nophek, wliich is ren<lered differently by different translators. Jerome makes it Uie carbuncle; the Septuagint cnJls it anthrax; Onkelos aud the Euglish translators, t hc emcrald; and others suppose it to be the ruby. Thcn cornes Rabbi David, who in hi,; liook of Roofs pronounccs it a black prccioua
1'DE JJREAST l'LA1'E OF AARON.
539
~tone. Sec I,e Dieu in loc. and Lcigh's Oriti:ca Saera, 3(1 edit., 1650. Hnt, il is well known, thnt the gcm~ or precious stone.s of the nncients cliff e red in m:rny respects froro the which bear the s:tme namcs Atuong the mod em s ; nnd therefore nothing can be positir cly con cluded agninst tl1e nophel of the Seriptur~. now called the chrysoprasus, bcing of a cerulean or blne color with a distant tiuge of red. The sapphire is a pelluci<l gem, whicl1 in its finest state is ex tremcly beautifl and yalunhle, being ne:trly equal to the di:unowl in lu~tre, harde~, and priee. I ls proper color is a pure blue; in the fin est specimcns it is of the deepest azure ; in others it varies into pnleness in slmtles of ail dcgrecs betwecn that and a pure crystal brightucss and water withont the least tingc of color, but with a lustr e much supcrior to the crystal. It is distingu!!hecl into four sorts, viz., the blue sapphire, the whlte sapphire, the water sapphire, nud lhc milk sapphirc. The gcm known tous hy this name is very diffrent froro the sapphire of the ancicnts, which is sait! to harn bccn of a dccp hl ne, veincd with wl1itc, nnd spollcd witl1 small gol<l-colored spangl es, in tl1e form of slars, etc. M oses describcs the appearan of heawn under the feet of tl1c Gocl of famel, to be liko a p:tYc<l work of a sapphire-stone, E x. xxiv. 10. .And the prophet Ezckiel snys, that the throne which was in the firmament over the heads of the eherubim, had the appearance of a sappliire-sume, E zck. i. 2(j; x. 1. The ancicnts hatl au extraordinary esteem for this stone; and thosc who wore it about their persons, considcrc<l it as a passporl to good fortune and haJJpines~. Tl1c fincst snpphires are brought frorn l'egu in the East Indies, whcre they are foull<l in the pebblc form, of ail the shmles of bine. The occident.al arc from Silcsia, Bohemia, nml other parts of Europe: but though these arc oftcn very bcautifl stones, t hey nre greally inferior both in lui;t re and hnrdn~ to the oriental. The diamond is a clenr, bright stone, perfectly trrmslucent, which, tl1011gh nntnrnlly colorlc&i like the purcst wnter, is eminently istinguished froll\ all otllecs of the colork 'SS kinrl by t he luslr c of its reflectiolli!. It < icrives its name in the original languagc from its cx:treme hardnc::<s, as il cxccerls all the other prccious stones in tlint quulity, an<l can only be eut and ground by its own substance. It is fonn<l somet.imcs in nu angulur, and somctimes in a pebble-like form: but each kiu<l, ' '"hcn polishcd, hns the siune qunlitics in proportion to its perfection ancl purity. Tu its native stntc it is somctimes brighi as if pofo;hell by art ; hut more fm1uently its surface is ob;;cure..l wilh
MO
PRRC!OUS AND OO,IHfON STONES.
:fbulnesses of various kinds; and sometimes it is, as the diamond-cut tcrs call it, veiny, that is, it brui certain points inconceivably bard on its surface. Like ail other transparent mineralB, the diamond is Jiable to be tinged by metalline particles, and is sometimes found with a cast of red, sometimes blue, sometimcs green, and not unfrequently yellow. That with a cerulean tinge, delicately announcing its distant aflinity with red, U}lpears to have been the diamond that occupied the third place of the second row of precious stones in the breast-plate of judgrnent. The places whence we obtain the diamond, are the East Indics, particulady the island of Borneo, Visapour, Golconda, and Bengal; also the Brnzils in the 'Vest Indics.
Tl!e third Row, consisting of a Ci.Janus, an Agate, and an Amethyst.

This row is the first or inmost of the spiritual clnss, and therefore <lenotes the spiritual love of good: for the two preceding rows represented the internat and the externa1 of the celestial class. By the spiritual love of good is meant charity; and by the spiritual love of truth is rneant faith derived from charity. The stones of this row Wtffe of a cerulean or blue color on a white ground; consequently they were of a distinct order from the stones of the second row, which were likewise cernlean, but on a most delicate red ground. The cyanm--called by Jerome, Joscphus, and the English transla.tors, the lig1tre; by others the fuzule, or lapis lazuli; and by Kimchi mistaken for the fopaz-is a beautiful gem, of a fine blue color, and is found somctimes variegated with spots or clouds of white, and with veins of a shining gold color. But most probably the stone i11 its pure statc is that which is meant in the Sacred Scripture by the
eyanus.
The agate, or achates, is a valuable gem, vm:iegated with veins and. clouds: some having a white ground, somc a reddish, some a yellowish, and some again a greenish ground. Cups and vessels are frequeutly made of agate, which is found in Sicily, Phrygia, and India. The precise color of the stoue known among the ancient Jcws by the name 1$/iebo, which our English translators have rendered the agate, and the German Jews call the lopaz, cannot be now ascertained. But from its clns.sification with the other stones of this row, which are know_ n to be ccrulean, thcrc is sufficient reason to conclude that this stone also was of tlrn same color, and like thcm on a white ground, but varying a little from them either in deth of tint or (iegree of shadc.
Tllli JJREAST-I'LATE OF AARON.
541
The amethy is so callcd, bccausc in ancicnt timcs, when the vari charnts of super~tition wcrc more in vogue thun at the pre<>ent day, it was supposed to be a preservative against drunkenness, or exccS8 in wine; the tcrm in Greek implying as mu ch. But the name in Hcbrew, aclilamah, is dcrivcd from a word which signifies, 1, to dream; 2, to recover from sickness, to grow fat, etc. Aben Ezra says that the stone wa.s so called, because it. had the power of causing the })Ct'llon who carricd it about with l1im, to dream. Not to d\\cll, however, on these and such Jike fancies, it is sufficient for our preseot purpose to know, that t]ie gem usually called tlie amethyst, is of various tints, as purple, violet, blue, etc., and that it is sometimes found nearly colorless, approaching to the purity of the <liamond. That which is of a fine ceruleau color, with a whitish tinge, appears to be the arnethyst of the Sacred Scripturc, and the last stone in t11e third row. They are found in India, Arabia, Arrncuia, Ethiopia, Cyprus, Gerruany, }~ohemia, and otlier places: but tho;;e from the East are the hardcst; aml if without spots, they are of the greatest value. They are of various szes and shapcs, from the bigncss of a small pea to i1u inch and a half in diamcter.
ou~
The fourth Row, consisling of a 1'arshish, an Onyx, and a .Jasper.

This la;,, row of stones, and second of the spiritual class, denotes the spiritual lo\e of trnth, which is the samc thing as tlle good of faith; the third row as de.scribed above, dcnoting the good of charity. The color of cach of the stoncs of this order approache.s to white derivcd from blue, or to a white with a ceru\ean tint. The tarehish, called also by the English translntors the beryl, and by some the turquoise, the thalassi'ns, and the aqua-marina, is of a sca bluc color, in some fine specimens aproaching to white. Sorne of thcsc stoncs are a mixture of green and bluc rcsemhling seawater. According to Pliny, thcrc arc sorrie which may be called chnjsoberyk, 011 account of their golden or yellow color. These stones arc very diflerent from each othcr with respect to hardncss. The oriental are the hardcst, and hcar the fincst polish; and consequently arc more bcautifl, and of higher value than the occidental. The former kind are found in the Bast Tndies, on tl1e bordcrs of the Euphrates, and at the foot of Mount Taurus. The occidental ones come frorn Bohe mia, Germany, Sicily, the Isle of Elba, etc. And it is affirmcd that somc of t.hem have been found on the sea-shore.
46
fi42
I'RECIOUS ANJJ C01l/JION STONES
Tarslii.;h was also the name of a maritime city. mentione<"l in various pruis of the Sacred Scripturcs, as in 1 Kings x. 22; xxii. 48; Ps. xlviii. 7; lxxii. IO; Ezck. xxxii. 12, 25; and is supposed to be the same as Tarsus, the birthplacc of the apostle Pa>11. As it apvears to have becn distiuguished for its commerce und wealth, the name of the city was probably given to the precinus stone, as well on account of the rcmblance of its color to the sea-water off the coast, as because it was usually brought in tl1c ships of Twrshi.sh from one country to another. The onyx is a much-admired gern, having vnriously colmc<l zones, but none of them red. In some specimens tlie zo1ics 1iro bcautifully punctuat.ed. In general the onyx resembles the cofo1: of a man's nnil, bcing whitish on a ccrulcan ground. The ja..per is a stone of grcat variety of colors, ofteu cf a beautiful green, and sometimes with spots resembling thoso r>f r. p:mthcr; hence calle<l by some of the rabbies the panthcr-stone. J cromc identifies it with the beryl. But the true jasper of the m~cients, or that which is mentio11ed in the Sacred Scripturcs, (Apoc. xxi. 11; F.zek. xxviii. 13,) was neither green nor spotted, but a cleai', white, pellucid and brilliant stone, in Sorne degree m;embling the cryfltal for p,1rity m1d whiteness, yet still discovering its relation to the family o'l Rzures, by the distant but casily 'perceptible tinge of hluc, which suffuscs all its substance.
'JVie JUnner ef obtaining ReS]Jonses from Heaven in ancient 'l'im.es, by .llfeans of the twelve precious Stones called Urim and Thummim.
Having seen what was signified by the twelvc precious stones in the brea:>t-platc of Aaron, wc now corne to cxplain the manner in which rcsponscs were gi vcn f'.rom hcascn hy thcfr means. e ha ''C alrcady stated, and here repeat., that all the diversity of colors in the stones WWl produced by the moific1ttions and variegations of two fundamcntul colors propcr to light: these are red and white, each in a Rtnte of brilliancy and splendor illustrative of their t.rue origin which isfire, and indd thefire of the sun. From thcsc, through the different degrees of shade, arise all the varieties of color, according to the qualities whicl1 different bodies possess of receiving, absorbing, compounding, dividing, reflccting or refracting the incident rays of light. Sorne bodies also h:wc the propcrty of perverting the rays of light in such a manner, as to extinguish thcir lustre, and to cxbibit
Yv
TllE BREAST-l'LAT.I!: OF AAROY.
543
cither a dearl wlie, or a carbon: red, or a variety rrnmlting from the union of thesc two colon; with a gloomy black. These observations equally apply to the rays of spiritual light, which consist of ivine truth proceeding from the divine good of the Lord, and illuminating human as well :i.s angelic minds, in t he way of mediate as well as immedile influx, according to all the divcrsitics uf inlelligcncc and wisdom in each. For evcry color in the spiritual world is a correspondent expression of some distinct perception of divine trllth: and henee it is, that, aceording to the appearance of cnlors in that world, thcir vivid hrightncss or their fading lrnc, the \'arions states of wisdom among the inhabitants, which are no other than so rnany eontinual rc\clations from tl1e Lord, are visibly rcprescnted. But this was particularly the cusc whcn occasions ofrered during the theocracy established among the .Jewish and Israclitish people, for consulting and interrogating the Divine Bcing by means of Urim and Thnmmim. lly Urim in the Hebrcw language fa signified shining fire, or fire whieh givcs forth light: and by Thum:rnim is signified integrity or perfection, which, in reference to the precioua stones, must denote thcir resplendcncy, brillmcy, and extrcmc beauty. Thcse were set in the l1renst-plate which was then called the breast-plate of judgment, the j1ul_qment of the ehildren of hrael, and also the fudgment of Urn, becarn:;c thercby rcsponses were given, and divine truths revealed from heaven. The commnnication thus opened hetween heaven and the people of Israel through tl1c medium of the high-pricst, was at fir;;t adopted in conjunction with tl1at direct intercourse with Jchovah whieh Moses enjoyed during l1is life; but afler the death of Aaron and of Moses, it was estahlished as the usual and regular channel of making known to Jehoval1 the requests of the people, and of ohtain ing from Hiin, in reply, such answcrs as the Di~ine 'Visom might dictate. The manner in which responses were ghren by means of Urim and Tlrnmmim, is not ngreed upon by tl1e diffcrent writcrs on the suhjcct. Toseplrns in his Antiquiell says that the twel ve precious stones cast fort.li a more tlian ordinary lustre, whcn the Israelites were to ohtain a victory ovcr their enemies, and that by the appearancc or nonappeamnce of this sign, they judged of the state of their affirs; the lustre and lirilliancy of the stones forctelling good succc~s, as thcir appearing dark and cloudy portended nothing but evil. Others arn of opinion that the uamei\ of the twelve tribes which wcrc cng1avcn
544.
PRR(JIOUS ANIJ COJlJILON STONES.
on the stones, as also the namcs of Abraham, Isaac, aml Jacoh, together with the words ,;,1~~ 'l?.::1~, 15/iibtei1 Jeshurun, i. e. the tribel! of J eshurun, or af !1Jrael, addcd to complctc the twcnty-two letters of the IIcbrew alphabet, wcre the instruments through which God dclivered thcsc oracles. It is therefore supposed that as many of the letters ns wcre requi~ite t-0 nnswer the proposcd question, raised themscl vcs up above t he rest: as for in3bmce, when the Israelitcs asked the Lord, ~aying, " 'Ybo slmll go up for us against the Canaauites first to fight against thcm ?" Judg. i. 1; it was answcrcd by the oracle, " Judnh shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his band," ver. 2. The word n,i;i, Judah, engravcn on one of the stones, was raiscd, and cast forth a great lustre; after which the four lctters n~.v, 1Jhull go up, raiscd thcmselves on the othcr stoncs. But as there is no su ffieient authority for this opinion, and as moreover the ra.ise<l lctters in this instance do n ot give the whole of the answer which wns delivercd, it is not at all probable that response1i wcrc givcn in this way. The true mode of procceding and of obtaining answers from heavcn on these occasions, appea.rs to have been as follows: The high-pricst, (or in hil! absence, the sccr1 the prophct, the judge, or the king, wh<>ever it might be thnt was authorized to put on the epho<l, with or without the other appendages of the priesthoo,) standing before the ark of the covcnant, whether it was in the tabernacle or out of it, and being clothed in ail the garments of the sacred office; the mitre on his hcad, with the golden plate, t he holy crown, in its frout; the epl1o<l, the robe, the ernbroidered coat, and the curions g irelle, upon his body; togcther with the breast-plate of jugmcnt, l1aving twelve precious stone.s set in gold , and names engravcn thereon of the twelve tribes of the children of Israal, upon hie heart; a solen111 appeal wa.s made to Jehovah; H e was literally questioned and interrogated as to the succcss of undertakings which were meditated; and H e was requircd to make known his will by Urim and Thurnmim, that is to say, by the sparkling rcsplendency ami vibrations of ligbt from one stone to the other, and at the sarnc time by an au<lible voicc from heaven, or else by a tncit perception corresponding with thesplendor of the stones, which might determine the revelation thus communicatcd to the eyc, the car, and the un<lerstundiug of the petitioncr. H encc, when the question wns put by man, the augcls who were present, unitc<l in che pra.yer which with them was entirel y of u spiritual chaructcr, thougl1 with the people of Israel it was merely natuml:
TllE BRF:A."IT-I'LATE OF A.ARON.
545
and M ail pntyer when gcnuine, bas the pow!'r of opcning hcnven, and thereby of ascen<ling to the Lord himsclf, a respome was immedintely given by Diviue influx, which became perceptible first to the angels, and afterwards to man through their medium, and the medium of light vibrating in tl1e precious stones. As soon as the angels pcrecivc<l the Divine will by the resplendent colors prcnted beforo thcir eyes iu t he spiritual world, (it being one of the prerogativcs of their high wisdom to be able to interpret those appearances with the utmost accuracy,) thcy in.stnntly either infused a suggestion, or gave forth an audible sound expressive of the nnswcr so reccivcd by them; and this voice, which appcared to proceed from off the mercy-scat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two chcrubim, (Ex. XX\'. Num. vii 89,) was distinetly hcard by the priest, the seer, or the prophct, nn<l perhaps by sevcr11l of tbe people also who were present, the ears of their spirits being then opcnC!l for the express purpose, while the precious stones on the breast-plate wcre ruiruculously seen to glitter by lhe rapid vibrations of light, which 1,-ere in unison and correspondencc with the ligl1t or wisdom of hcaven. If the question or interrogation put to J el1ovah, spiritually considcrc<l, had for ils end or object tl1e love and worship of Him alonc, in opposition to all other. gods and in dcfiancc of ail enemies ; or if it conternplated the practice and fclicity of mut.ual love, in confirmation or in proof of ther lo\'C to Go<l ; in such cases the vibrations of light most prohahly commenced eithcr in the f-st, or in the second row of prccious stones, and in imitation of tl1e influx of love into cvcry fuculty of the huruan mind, first successh-cly and t_ h en simultnneously pervadc<l, irrndiated, and finally spread a blaze of glory 01,er evcry part of the brea:st-plate. And this was an affirmat.iv.e sign, rcn<lered still more certain and indubitable by the audible voicc accompnnying it, directing the course they were to takc, nnd tlms enjoining tl1em to perscvcrc in tha.t line of duty, which the Divine Wisdoro, through the medium of the W ord already_ given, had lu.id down for their use. Agaiu, if the question put wcre in r elation to any of the varions points of charity and truc fuith, as wea.pons of spiritual warfrc ; or to spenk . more litcrally, if they inquircd of Jehovah whcther they illioultl procced again;;t such and such an enemy or not, and whether the cvcnt would be succcesful or unsuccessfl; in this case, if thcy ba<l bcen previous1y obcilient to the ivine commands iu othcr rc-
n;
46*
2K
546
I'RECIOUS AND C011HION STONES.
!!pccts, the vibrntions of light commenced either in the third, or in the fourth row of stones; and, by pervading and illnminnting the whole, gave a positive tokcn of the Divine approbntion, which was furthcr confirmed by the audible voice of an angcl. But, on the other haml, if at any time the people of Israel had rcbclled, eithcr by rclapsing into idolatry, or by other acts of <lisobedience, and inquiry were made of .Tchovah how thcy wcre to condnet themselves on any particular emergency, and in the event of thcir attacking or being attackcd by an enerny, whcthcr snccess would attend thcm or uot; in this case the lustre of the stones was diminisl1ed, the ~'ibrations of the 1ight (if any appeared) were irregular, its brilliancy Jess vivid than nsual, and the response given both to the eye and to the car of the in<juircr was of that negative kind, whieh sufficiently announced the Divine disapprobation, and the eonscquent failure of the prqjected enterprise. On some occasions no answcr whatever was returne<l : and thercfore it is written, that "when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah answered liim not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." 1 Sam. xxviii. 6. Gcneral directions for obtaining a response, in regard to Joshua, tlie successor of Moses, may be seen in Xum. xxvii. 18-23. For affirmative and othcr rcsponscs, and for cases whcrein Jehovah refuscd to give an answer, when inqnired of, sce Judgcs xx. 18- 28; 1 Sam. x. 22; xiv. 37; xxiii. 2-12; xxviii. 6; xxx. 8; 2 Ham. ii. 1; v. 19, 23, 24; 2 Kings iii. 11-19. Such appcars to have been the manner of obtaining responses from hc:wcn among the people of Israel, by means of Urim and Thummim, whenever thcy were anxious to know the Divine will, or the res111t of any mcditated undertaking. And though to rnany in the present day it wears the complexion of fable and incredible mystcry, yet it ought to be remcmbered tlrnt in the times when it was pracfcd, almost all the nations of the enrth were in the habit of consulting, tlirough the medium of thcir pricsts, the dcmons whom they both fearcd and worshippcd: and it cannot be questioned but they also, on innumcrablc occasions, received frorn them such answers, wrapt up in artful ambiguity, as still lcft a conviction in the mincis of the inquirers that they were possessed of su1)erhuman wisdom. Of this kind was the farnous oracle of Apollo at Delphos, among the hcathcn Grceks, which, however, with the rest of a similar description, was silenced by the coming of the Lord into the world ; at which timc the demons or spirits, who acted as familiars to the
THE BRRAST-.I'LA1'E 01''
AARO!>.~
547
Pythons and Pythones~cs, were rcmoved from lheir direct &Ssociation with mankind, and cast into hell.
The Jl:fonner of obtaining Responses from Jleavcn at the Present Day, b.1J J-Ieans of the litcral &nse ef the lVord.
Extraordinary and wonderful as the prcceding account of the manner of obtaining responses from hcavcn may appear at the prescnt <lay, it is not more l:lO than the revelation of divine truth in the literai sensc of the \Yord, and particularly the discovery now made of its geuuine internai sense by means of the science of corrCl:lpondences. For as the precious stones in the breast-plato ofjudgment represented all the truths of heaven, so in like m=ner they represented all tho truths of the \Vord, but in their literai or external form, and consequently in their effect; while the diflerent colors arising from the modifications of natural light, denoted the variegutions of wisdom and intelligence whieh may be considcred as spiritual light, both in nngels and in men. And as the hrilliancy and vibrations of the light iu the i:;tones, together with the audible voice from off the mercy-seat, presented both to the eye and to the ear of the person inquiring the desired answcr ; so the same but a more blessed effeet is in our timcs produccd by the extraordinary light of divine truth from the internai sense of the 'Vord, which is spiritually seen to irradiate and as it were to vibrate throi1gh every part of its litera} sense, whilc, instead of any external voice being heard, the bcst affectiolll:l of the heart are excited, and the Divine will is clearly understood. In this way we perccive the present use and perpetual application of that part of the Word, which descrihes the miraculous intercourl:le between Jehovah and the people of Israel, by means of the breastplate of Urim and Thummim. This intercour;;e may still be maintaincd, though not preciscly in the same external manner as with the Israelites of old: and yct there is reason to believe that the sru.ne in ternal modifications and variegationJl of heavenly light which appcared in former times, do now ulso actually take place in the human mind, on every occasion of consulting the 'Vord purcly for the sake of spiritual information and instruction. Thus a person sincerely dcsirous of knowing tlte Divine will in relation to any matter cither of doctrine or of life, has only to approach the Lord in his Word Ull(ler a decp sense of his own unworthiness, and an interior acknowl edgment that every good gift descends from above. Let him then interrogatc the Lord, or inquire of Him, by rea<ling some portion of
PRECfO(JS .AND CO,lIJION STONES.
the Sacred Scriptures for tho express purpooc of knowing and doing his will; taking care that no improper.prejudice or biM of the miud, imluced cither by education or habits of vice, be suflered to interpose its influence. It is more than probable .that the per!!on so readJlg the 'iVord, or so inquiring of the Lor, will receiYO an answer mt suitable to 11is state; the pure and radiant light of heaven will appcar beforo his eyes; that is to say, his understrmding will be enlightencd to discern ail necessary truth; the flamo of ivine love also will be kindlcd in his bosom ; his affections will be still furtber purified; and hc will be supplie<l with new power to bring his wholc lifc by degrees into complete subjection to tlte laws of divine order. This conclusion is justified und confirmed by the words of our Lord, "If any man will do hi.s will, he shall know of ilie doctrine, whethcr it be of God," John vii. 17.
CHAPTER X.
IuE ScJE:llCE OF Couni<;SrOSDENCE APPLIED AS A KEY TO THE SPIRITUAL
lNT!!:Itl'RF.'l'ATION OF THE
l'RINCIPAL
SYMBOLS lN HF.VELATION XXI.
CHAPTF-R, AND lT:; AirLICABILlTY AND SuFFICIF.NCY DEMONSTRATED*
- "A NEW lIEAVEN
AND A KEw EARTH"-"'f11:i,: Hm,Y
CcTY, KEw
J:ml.USALEM"- "THE BRrnE, TJIE LA:irn's \VrFE"-" HAVING TTIF. GLORY
oF Goo"-MF..ASURED wITH "A Gor.DEY REED"-'"fH>: CITY wAs P t:RE

GoL1>"-'"f11E CrTY LIETJI
Foun SQUAREn-lTS FoUNDATIONs, \rALT.s, A'1ll GATi:s--1-"'frrE TF.MPLE OF lT"-"'fHE LAMB IS TITE LIGTJT THEREOl<'"-"TIIERE !;HALL llE NO :NIOHT - TIIERE'!-&Jyr.;nEIGNTY OF
ITS ITIZENE-QUAJ,l}'ICA-TIOSS l'OJt JTJi~;NSllll'.*
"A 1Vew' lleaven and a New Earth."

the first vel'se of t11is c11apter, the seer tells us t11at he saw " a I Nnew heaven and a new earth "-the former hcaven aud earth having passed :nvay. This was seen in a rcalm within or nbove nature, and with the seer's spiritual eyes, which were then 01icncd, tlrns enabling him to bchold things in the upper realms; for this vision, hc tells wi, was voucbsafed him when he "was in t)1e spirit." The natural 11cavcn and eurth, fl.'l cmbracing all matcrial thing~, denote (becausc thcy correspond to) all the spiritual thiugs of God's kingdom in both worlds. The vision of "a new heaven and a new e11rth," t11erefore, was a prophetic intimation ( undcr the law of correspundcncc) of a new order of things to be some day established in both worlds, the spiritual and the natural; or a new angelic IIeaven in the supcrior ltnll a new Christian Chrch in the inferior reulm. And struightway an ange! carne to Jolm and talked with him, saying, "Come hither; I will sl1ow thcc the Bride, the Lamb's wife." Thereupon the angcl, hc says, "carried me away in tl1c spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the lioly ,JcruH alem, descending out of heaven from- God." Observe tlie corrcspondences hel'e. Natural elcvation corresponds to spiritual elevution, or exaltation of stRte. The scer was lifted by Divine influence into a snperior spiritual condition, which is what his
Ey B. l<'. Be,rrett. From " The Swedenborg Llbrary," Vol. VIL, pp. 23&-25G.,
64~
550
CURRESPOlv'IJBNOE FUR1'llER ELUOIDATE.D.
eiug carried in spirit to the suminit of a high mountain corresponds to; and in that exaltcd state there is revealed to him, pictorially ( under the same great 1aw-correspondence), the Church of the Future -its principles, its spirit, its doctrines and its life. Thcse wcrc to be altogether new. As He that sat upon the throne said: "Behold I make all things ncw." This Church in respect to its doctrine wa:. seen as a city; for a city corresponds to a church as to doctrine.
"The IIoly City, New Jerusalem."

.Jerusalem was regarded by devout Jews as the city of the living God. 'fhcy thought of it and called it the Holy City. It was idcntificd in their minds with all that they held most sacrnd-with thcir religion, their worship, their church. Thcir temple and altar were there. Those who dwelt outside of it went there with their tithes aud offerings several times a year. There they held their great national festivals; and, with music, song and dance, gave expression to t.heir int.cnsest national as well as their dcepest religious feelings. It was to them the place of worship. They never imagined that God could be truly worship11ed anywhere else. Therefore they called it "the city of God "-"the holiest dwelling-place of the Most High." In their mimis it was associated with a!l that be1onge to religion and worship, just as !tome (though far more intimatcly) is at this day a.ssociated in the minds of pious Catholics with their religion, or as Babylon is associate in the miuds of Protestant Christians with Roman Cathol1msm. If the Church of the Future, then, in respect to its doctrine and \vorship, were to have been pictoriully represented as a city cightee11 hunred years ago, what city but Jerusalcm should we expect would ha vc been chosen? But it was not the Old J el'usalem that John saw; for it was not the old but a new syslcm of religions doclrinc which was thcrcby rcprescnted. Therefore the city tliat he eheld was called ~hc N ew J erusalem. And hecnuse the doctrines of the church thcrcby typified, were to be no cmrning device of man's wit or wisdom, but dcictrincs rcvcalcd from heaven by the Lord himself; liecause they were to be doctrines disclosed or brought doum to man's understanding from out that high and heavenly meaning of the Scripture which the angels perce:ive, therefore the New J erusalem was seen "coming down from Go out of heaven." The New Jerusalem, then, is the type of a new spiritual city- thc ~ity of the liviug God-to hc cstahlishc1l and built up in human heurt.ri
'l.'IIE KEY Al'l'LI.ED TO REVELAT/Olt' XXI.
551
arid human socicty, but of materials which corne down from God out of l1eaven. In other words, the type of a new and glorious Churc1i on earth, and one that will be in sweet accord with the heaven of angels; of a church based not on the vain imaginings of men, but on the precious and cnduring truths of God's \Vord; of a cJ1urcl1 iu;;.pircd by the purity, reflecting the g1ory, :filled with the ligl1t and liberty and love of God. This is what was symbolized and foreshadowed by the city that John bchcld in vision. Or as Swcdenhorg says, "a NEW CHURCH to be established by the Lord at the end of the former clrnrch, which will be associatcd with the new hcaven in divine truths us to doctrine and as to life." For, considcr what is predicated of this city-what it is called and uQw it is described. It is called
"The Bride, the Lamb's Wife."

And it is so called b<;:cause of the correspondence and spiritual rneaning of marriage. 'Vhat are the constituents of every regenerate soul, or of every true church whcthcr in the largcr or smallcr form? Obviously, the truths of wisdom and the goods of love: heavcnly laws in the head, and heavenly feelings in the heart. These are the essential thiugs of evcry truc church, as of evcry truc man. And these come down from God out of heaven ; nor can they come from elsewhere. \Vhat is said, therefore, of this city's dcsccnt from God, accords with the idca that a new Church on carth is what was symbolized by it. Rut the angcl called that city "the- Bride, the Lamb's wife." Natnral marriage corresponds to spiritual marriage. .And s1liritual marringe is the union of true and faiLhful souls with the Lord. Such souls, loving Ilim suprcmcly, and secking ahove all else to know and do his will, hold a relation to Rim which corresponds to the relation nf a fithful wife to her husband. They arc intcrnally and spiritually married to Him. Thcrefore, in the symbolic Ianguage of Scripture, such souls (in the aggregate) are called Ms bride or wife: and Ile is callcd thcir husband. (Isa. liv. 5; lxii. 5; Jer. xxxi. 32.) Accord ingly, in vicw of that purificd statc of the church in the then distant future, or of that multitmlc of souls which wocild be preparcd to rcccivc love and wisdom from tlie Lord, and thereby to hccome truly wedded to Him, John says he "heard as it wcrc the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. l.et us be gla<l and rcjoice, and giYe honor to Him; for the
552
CORRESPONDENCE FURTHER ELUCIDATED.
marriage of the Lamb is corne, and his wife hath made herself reaJy. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine lincn, clcan and white; for the fine linen is the rightcousness of saints." (Rev. xix. 6--8.) If the righteousness of saints is the fine lincn in which the Lamb's wife is arrayed, then the saints themsclves, or the Lord's true church must be that wifc. The circumstance, therefore, of the angel's calling the New .Jerusalem "the Bride, the Lamb's wife," is conclusive of the fact t.hat it typified and foreshadowed a new state of the church on earth ;-a state when human hearts would enter into a more intimate and blissful marriage union with the Lord.
" Having the' Glory
of
God."
This also iB predicated of the New Jerusalem. And the "glory of God" must be a spiritual or divine glory. And what can that be? What is a man's true glory? Kot his physical strength nor persona,! comelincss; not his worldly possessions however great; not his social or official position however exalted; not his stores of knowledge howcver vust,-for theso may be unwisely and selfishly used. But a capacious and richly-atored mind, and a heart emptied of selfishness and filled with the love of serving and blessing others-this is a man's true glory. In a word, it is unselfish love guided in its activities by the highest wisdorn. ' And if this be the true glory of a man, thcn must wi..lom and love consLitute the chief glory of God. Tho wisdom of his \Yord is but an emanation from llis love, and gi \'eJl for the enlightcnmcnt, exaltation and blessedness of mankind. Human souls, then- or a church ill11mined by the wisdom and inspired by the love which is the very essence of heaven, and with which the spiritual sense of the word is all aglow-may be truly said to have "the glory of God." " By these words," says Swedenborg, "is described the undcrstanding of the wor with th ose who are in the doctrine of the New .Jerusalem, and in a life according to it [i. e., a life of unselfish love]. V{ith such the 'Vord shines, as it were, when it is read; it shines from the Lord by mcans of the spiritual sense, because the Lord is the Word, and the spiritual sense is in the light of heaven which proceeds from Him as a sun." "By the glory of God is meant the W ord in its diYine light." (A. R. n. 897.) Accon1ingly it is added, that the light of this city "wru; likc unto 11. stone most prccious, even like a jasper stone clear as crystal." ~-
THE KEY APPLIED TO REVELATION XXI.
553
jRSper stonc corresponds to and Ulerefore signifies "the divine truth of the 'Vord in its literai sense transluccnt from the divine truth in the spiritual sense."
~Ieasured
with " a Golden Reed."
The angel who showed John the New Jerusalem, "had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gntcs thereof and the wall thereof." If a new Church is typified by this city, golden rced must typify somcthing whercby this Church may be measured. And what is that? How do we measure human hcings? Not with any matcrial standard of measurement-for th real man is not matcrial. \Ve mensure men by taking the dimensions of their souls, not of their bodies. They are great in the heavenly sense, according as they are wise und good, or according to the strength and purity of their love. L ove, then,-love akin to God's own-is the standard of men.sure-ment to be applied when human souls are to be measured. And this love is what gold corresponds to. A golden reed, therefore, typifiell the ability derived from the good of heavenly love, to mea.sure the character of an individual, a community or church. 'Vhat trner standard than this can 1Je conceived of, whereby to measure 1Jeings created to be images and likenesses of Him who is Live itself. Or by what other standard of mcasurcment shall we judgc the doctrines of any church? For a doctrine is true or false, according to its degree of conformity w:ith this standard; that is, according as its tendency is to develop and strcngthcn tl1is love, or to hinder its dcvelopment. This, thcn, is the true test to be applicd to evcry church, and to an its doctrines and inculcations. And this agrees with what we find in a subsequent verse, where mention is made of the wall of this city. The wall encompasses the city ; and its extcnt, therefore, sl1ows its size. And the wall of the New Jcrusalem is said to be" according to the mensure of a man, that is, of t11e ange]." Unselfish love is the distinguishing characteristic of every in habitant of the celestial realms. The angels are aU of thcm forms of love. Love of the Lord and the neighbor is tl1eir ruling principle. And as every truc and regenerate man is an angcl, viewed as to his immortal part, therefore the mensure of a truc man is the mensure of an angel. And as the c11urch consists of regenerate men, its rneasure also must be that of the angel.
t7
554
CORRESPOlWENCE FlJRTJIER ELUCIDATED.
" The City was Pure Gold."

It is further said that "the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass." Gold, bcing the most precious of minerals, ought to typify something very prccious in the soul of man. It ought to represent the noblest clcment of humanity-the essential constituent of heaven and the church. - And what is that? Not failli, as the old theologics have taught, but love. Love is the crowning attribute of Dcity. "Gad is love." And the more unsclfish men becomc-thc more thoroughly imbued and dominated by love of the neighbor, and of all that is just, sincere, true and good fol its own sake,-the more they be.corne like God. Accordingly the apostlc a.gain says; "And lie that dwclleth in love, dwelleth in God and Godin him." Now sincc pure gold corresponds to the good of unsclfish love, and this love is the essential thing in the church typified by the New Jcrusalem, as it is, indeed, the essential thing in the kingdom of heaven -as this is the very substance and marrow of all its teachings and the end to which all it.s doctrines })Oint, therefore this city was shown to John as of "plll'e gold." "All the parliculars of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem," says Swc<lcnborg, "relate to love to the Lord and the neighbor. Love to the L ord consists in trusting in Him and doing his commandments; and to do his commandmcnts constitutes loye toward tl1e neighbor, because to do his comma.ndments is to be useful to our neighbor." (A. R 11. 903.) As genuine love, or the disintercsted love of use, is what pure gold corresponds to, so clcar glass is the con-espondcnt and symbol of the trans1mrent truth of the spiritual sense of the \Vord. And because 1ovc to the L ord and the neighbor-love enlightcncd and guirle<l by heavenly truth, is to frm the animating principle, yea, the very life and soul of the ehurch signifietl hy the New Jerusalem-becausc tl1is is to pcrvade all its doctrines, inspire al! it~ activities, shape all its ends, detcrmine all its doings-thcrcfre the city is described as "pure golrl likc unto clear glass."
"The Oft!) lielh Pour Square."

It is frthcr said that " the city lieth four square; and its length is as large as its breadth. And hc measured the city with the rccd, twelve thousand furlongs." _ 'fhc Jorin and dimensions of this city arc symbolic, like everything
the Lord.
556
OORRESPONDENGE FURTITER ELUCIDATED.
"'l'hat the Lord ll the very gate through which men are to enter into the churchand thence into heaven, He himself teaches in John x. 9; and that the know]edge and acknowledgrnent of Him is the pearl of great pricc, is mcant by his own words in Matthew: 'The kingdom of heaven is like lmto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had fouud one pearl of great price, "'cnt and sold ail that he had and bought it,' .xii. 45, 46. The one pcarl of great price is the knowlcdge and acknowledgment of the Lord." (A. R. 916.)
''The Temple of It."

In the 22d verse, the seer says: "And I saw no temple thcrcin; fr the Lord God Almighty and the J,amb are the temple of it,"a declaration conclusive of the fact, that no natural but a Epiritual city i.s here referred to,-a vast multitude of enlightcncd and sincere worshipcrs of the Lord Jesus Christ; for it i3 only of such kind of city that He is the temple. A temple, being a place for external and formal worship, corresponds to a statc of intcrnal and rcal worship. This, therefore, is what it typifics and denotes. And in every state of true worship, the Lord himself is the Ali-in-ail; for all the thoughts, dcsires and feelings whcrcby Ile is truly worshiped; arc from llim. Therefore a temple or place of worship becomes the representative of the Lord l1imself. He is the Living Temple. And men, too, become living temples so far as thcir hcart.s come to be the abodc of his blessed Spirit. Hence the apostle says to the Corinthian brethrcn : "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwclleth in you?" (See also 1 Cor. iii. 16.) Now the Lord Jcsus Christ, in whom "dwelleth all the flness of the Godhcad bodily," is the suprcmc and only Object of worship in the church signified by the N cw Jcrusalem. He an He alone, thcrcfore, is the true and living Temple in this church. "A temple signifies the church as to worship ; and in its highest sense, it signifies the Lord Mmse1f as to his Didne Humanity, who is the Objcct to be worshiped. An since ail of the church is froru the Lord, therefore it is said, .'for its temple is the Lord Gorl Almighty and the Lamb,' by wl1ich is meant the Lord in his Divine Humanit.y." (A. R. 918.)
" The Lamb is the Lighi thereof"

Look, again, itt the rnanncr in which this city is lighted. Not by any artificial rneans, nor by the luminaries of the naturnl world.
TIIE KA'Y Al'I'LIE.D TO REVELATION XXI.
557
" The city l1ad no ueed of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in ii; for thll glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Iight thereof." There is but One who can say, "I am the light of the world." He is the same who declares Himself to be "THE TRUTH." He li; "the W ord," which, though cocval and idcntical with God, "became flcsh and dwelt among men." The Lord J csus Christ is "the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world." And what is the glory of God but the refulgence of the Divine Love -the light of spiritual truth which radiates from the ever-living 'Vord, whose glory is especially revealed in its interoal sense ? This is the light of the spiritual world-the light by which angcls sec. It is this which illumines all minds on eartl1 and in heaven. Truth emanating from Love and accommodatccl to human nccds ;-truth from the ord made flesh, penetrating the dark corners of the earth and enlightening the nations ;-truth chasing away the shadows of ignorance and superstition and doubt and fcar, :;howing mankind the heavcnly paths, and guiding them upward to the celestiaJ summits--,. this is "the glory of .God." And this it is which is to lightcn tlie church signified by the New Jerusalem. "For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thcreof." And hecause spiritual salvation cornes from walking in the light of spiritual truth, that is, from living as the truth requires, thcreforc it is immediately added: "And the nations of . them that are saved shall walk in the light of it.'~ With this agrecs the prediction of the prophet Isaiah concerning the future state of the clrnrch: "And tl1cy 8hall cull thce the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.. . The Lord shall be unto thcc an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down, neithcr shall tl1y moon withdraw itself; for the IA>rd sliall be thinc cvcrlasting.light, and the days of thy mourning shall be endcd." (Isa. lx. 14, 19, 20.)
'V
"Tliere shaU be no Night there."

lt is further said of the New .Jcrusalcm: "And thcre shall be no night there; and they necd no c=dle, neither light of the s1m, for the Lord God giveth them light." Let the Key again be upplied here, and note the mc:ming thcrcby clicitcd. 'fherc are natural day and night, and spiritual day and night; day and night in tlie natural realm, and day and nigl1t in the soul;
47*
rd
and
its
light
THF: KRY AI'P/,lF:D TO RF.Vn.ATION LTI.
559
corresponds to the truth which procceds from Him. But this is sometirnes used in Scripture in an opposite sense, aml denotes the love of ~elf, the nature of which is the opposite of the Lord's love. Whcn used in this sensc, the sun's light signifies the glory of the love of self; for this is what its light then corresponds to. Anirnated by the lire of self-love, men may sometimes ascend temporarily into the ligl1t of exalted wisdom. They may see many truths, and teach them from a sclfish love of glory. The lght into which snch persons elevate thernselves, is not the gcnuine light of the Sun of heaven, but the false and seductive light which originales in pridc or tlw sclfish love of fame. But the dwellers in the N cw J erusalem are in the love of me, not the love of self. They take <lclight in the performance of good uses from love to the Lord and the neighbor. And their love of use becoming strenglhenc by exercise, opens their minds more and more to the understanding and reecption of spiritual truth-the light by which the an gels see. ] t is plain, therefore, why it is said, "therc shall be no night there." And becausc they do not reganl their wis<lom as their own or self-derived, and are not ambitious of the glory of discovering truth, but humbly look to the Lord in the revelatious IIe has been pleascrl to make, and reverently acknowledgc Him in the truth they understand and in the love they feel, therefore it is added: "and they nced no candie, neitl1er ligl1t of the suu; for the Lord God giveth them ligl1t."
Sovereignty of ifs Citizens.

It is further said of tl1e wellers in this city, that "they shall reign forever and ever." To reign is predicated of tho~e who exercise so\ereign authorily. llut therc is a natural and a spiritual sovcrcignty, correspomling like body and soul. In the New Jerusalem all arc to be crowncd kings and queens; ail arc to sit upon throncs; for all are to reign spiritually. But to reign in this sense is not to exercise sovereignty over any outward kingdom, but over that empire within which is each onc's own by divine right-the empire of the soul. Rightly to rulc here-wisely to regulate and control all the passions, appetites, thougl1ts and feelings, and to thoroughly subject the inclinations of the natural man to the laws of the heavenly lifc -this is to reign in the highest and best sense. This is to be spirit11ally crowned, and to reign with Him who is "King of kings and
ion, as unfolded
by the rule
'l'llE KEY Al'l'f,IE.D TO IVE1n11'10N XXI.
561
or law of correspon<lence. As toits reasonablencss and consistency, as well as its agreement wit.h other parts of Scripture and the imli cations of God's purpuscs in the past history and present condition of tlie chnrch, tl1e rea1lcr will form his own concln:>ion. But he should not forgct or overlook the general state of A pocalyptic inteqircta tiun, and the darkncss, confusion and contradiction which have hitlter\.o prevailed among learned commentators, with regard t o the rneaning and purpose of this book. If ho wishcs to pursue the in quiry, and to learn the signification of the numerous other syrnbols mentioned in the I~evebtion, and the true meaning of this wonderful book, wc rcfcr him to Swcdcnborg's cxtendc explanation ofit. \ hi~ "Apocalypse Revealed."
CHAPTER XI.
Tni: Wo1m .AND ITS
-
brsPIRATlON-No \VRrTTEs woRD REFORE THE FALL
THF. A:<rCIE:NT Wo1tn TUAT DEC.AME LT--Sontc.t.: o~ TllF. Gm::crAN
l\IYTHOLOOY-ALL Rt:L!OIOUS KNOWL!>IXH: l"ltOM DIVINF. Jh:vt:LATfO:N -'I'Ju: ScRIPTURE!!.A LIGHT TO ALL N.AT!ONS-TH.t.: )IEDJU)l OF Co~rm; Nl CArION BETWEEN A::-<GF.I,. <; .A~D Jh:x-NA'l'UR.E OF TIJE WOR D Cl lIEAVT.N- l LLUSTRATING .ASD CoNFJRMI:NO rnE DocrnIKE OF
TION-~O WRITTE::<!
WJIY.*
CoR1n:-
SPONl>EXCE-D1sr1:sCTION ll1''TWt!.t.:N \'F.RBAL .AYD l'ERSONAL NSPIRA
Wmm ON .ANY
EARTll BUT OURS, AND TUE REA.SON
The 1Vord and its Inspiration.

the vine bas est is that of throwing a new light on the Sacrcd Volume, whcreby it bccorncs to us, as it were, a new Book. And this light was grcntly nccdnd. There is no suject, pcrhaps, of a. theolog ical nature, about which there is more doubt and discussion at the present da.y, than in regard to the true c_ h aracter and rueaning of the volume cal le the Roly Scri1,tures. Sorne calling themselves Christians, dout nnd even deny the Divine authority of a large portion of it, regarding the Old Testament, for instance, as an obsolete code of laws intendcd only for a by-gone age and nation; while the grcater part, perhaps, of the Christian world, though looking upon it as, in a gencrnl sense. the 'Vord of God, yet either openly question, or elsc cntertnin only n g ne i<leM conrning, its Plcnary Jrn:!piration. In the midst of this obscurity, the Sun of Rightoousness has ri;,en on the worl<l, "with healing in his wings :" "the people that walke<l in 1larkncss have sccn a great lig11t; tl1cy that dwell in the hrnd of the shadow of dcath, upon them hath the light shincd." (Isaiah ix. 2.) The Lord who was " the 'Vord made flcsh," and who is the word in its spirit and lifc, has corne a second timc into the world, and revealed Himself ::mew to men, by tlie opening of the internal sense of thnt
By Rev. O. Pre<'('ot~ Hiiler. Firi pul>ll.h~ h1 the J.ondon Intelleclual Rcposil.1>r71, from Junt to Deecmber, 1~.
services which Swedenborg, under the guidance of DiOF nll Providence, pcrformed to the world, pcrhaps the great-
562
uth and love
and
life
alike into every
mind
but these are received, rejected or
modified according to the conformation, structure and order of the
rs
Bible.
of Jehovah
"
in
our present
find another
Again,
in the
same chapter
(verses 27 to 30 )
we
came lost to the world, was because it was of too interior a character to be understood after men had declined into an external
and sensual
48
state.
th of Swedenborg
statement as to
the reason why, under Divine Providence, the Ancient
Word was
withdrawn.
*
See the Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture, n.
102.
at by a horse was signified the intellectual by the wings the spiritual, by hoofs truth in the lowest degree, which is the basis of intelligence, by virgins the sciences, by hill unanimity, and in the spiritual sense, charity and so on. A. C. But such things at this day are among those that are
principle,
;
lost."
7729.
Here, then, is the source of that Grecian mythology which has been a matter of such mystery to modern scholars. So also in regard
ord had existed from the most ancient times in the land of Canaan, and thence such things as pertained to Divine wor ship passed to the surrounding nations, and also to the neighboring Greeks, and from these to the Italians or Romans. From this source both the latter and the former had knowledge respecting the Su preme Deity, and concerning the immortality of the soul, on which The ancient philosophers, as Aris subjects their learned men wrote. totle, Cicero, Seneca, and others, who have written concerning God and the immortality of the soul, did not derive these things origi nally from their own understandings, but from tradition, and from
ent nations, namely, was derived from the narrative in the Ancient Word. In this view the existence of such tradition is not, as has been commonly held, a proof that a lateral flood had once existed upon the earth, but only that a
that
it
not a material, inundation. See Josephui against Apion, n. 22, where he shows how many ideas the Grecian philosophers and other writers had derived from the Jews.
al,
48*
org remarks
"
The Mahometan religion was raised up by the divine providence of the Lord, for the purpose of destroying the idolatries of many Before the existence of that religion, the worship of idols nations. The reason of such a general prev prevailed throughout the world. alence of idolatry was this The churches before the coming of the Lord were all representative churches such, for instance, was the Isruelitish church there the tabernacle, the garments of Aaron, the sacrifices, everything in the temple at Jerusalem, as also their stat utes, were all representative. Among the ancients existed the Science of Correspondences, which is also that of representatives. This was the science of sciences, and was especially cultivated in Egypt,
:
signified
hence their hieroglyphics. From by animals of every kind what by mountains, hills, rivers, And as all sun, moon, and stars.
they knew what was what by trees of every kind fountains and also what by the their worship was representative,
this science
also
consisting of mere correspondences, therefore they celebrated worship on mountains and hills, and also in groves and gardens hence, also, they consecrated fountains, and in their adorations of God, turned
;
which religion ual world would not have been received by so many kingdoms, and thus could not have extirpated their idolatries, unless it had been accommodated in a measure to their ideas and character." Divine Providence, n.
;
255.
From
the above statements, then,
we
learn that the ancients, the
* In this statement of Swedenborg, we have a complete explanation of the strange idol atries of the Egyptian and other ancient na tions. We can now understand how the former came to worship calves, serpents and other animals, viz., through finding in their houses and temples the forms of those ani mals, placed there by their forefathers, who were acquainted with the science of corre spondences. For a calf corresponds to the to the sensual affection of knowing ; a principle, hence to circumspection, which ex plains what is meant by the wisdom (or ra ther prudence) of the serpent. From the urce, also, is derived an explanation of the existence of strange compound forms of animals, as the sphynx of Egypt, and the winged bull of Nineveh. The science of correspondences will enable us to interpret these. The sphinx is compounded of a woman s face and a lion s form a woman is
serj>ent
;
the emblem of affection and love, and a lion of the power of truth hence the two united represent probably the union of goodness and truth. The winged bull of Nineveh found by Mr. Layard, and now placed in the British Museum is compounded of the head of a man with the form of a bull, and Man represents wisdom, a bull winged. natural affection, and wings spiritual truth. Hence the whole figure is a representation of wisdom sustained by spiritual truths, and completed by natural affections, thus the three principles of the mind in their order, the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural. By the same key, doubtless (the science of correspondences), may all or most of the symbolic hieroglyphics be interpreted; the Rosetta stone is a key merely to the phonetic or alphabetic hieroglyphics, which are wholly a distinct and inferior class,
;
r organs,
members and
viscera subsist
and
live, so also all
those in
every part of the earth who have any religion, who worship one God, and live good lives, and thus make a part of this (collective) man, subsist and live from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church by means of the Word. For the Word in the church, even though that church consist of but few respectively, is yet life to the rest from the Lord through heaven, just as the members and viscera of the whole body receive life through the heart and lungs.
The communication also is similar. For this reason the Christians among whom the Word is read, constitute the breast, as it were, of the before-mentioned man. They are also in the centre of all around them (spiritually viewed) are the Roman Catholics around these are the Mahometans who acknowledge the Lord as the great est prophet, and as the Son of God; after these are the Africans;
; ;
and the furthest circumference is constituted by the nations and peo In the centre where the Christians are, ples of Asia and the Indies. the light is brightest for light in the heavens is divine truth pro ceeding from the Lord as a Sun there and since the Word is divine
;
;
truth, the greatest light is with those who are in possession of the Word light thence, as from a centre, diffuses itself through all the
;
fied
as again received. So, likewise, when the Word w as entirely falsi and adulterated by the Jewish nation, and thus rendered in a manner null, it pleased the Lord himself to descend from heaven and come into the world to fulfil the Word, and thus renew and restore it, and again give light to the inhabitants of the earth, ac The people that sat in dark cording to these words of the Lord ness saw a great light to them that sat in the region and shadow And it having of death, hath light sprung up. (Matt. iv. 16.) been foretold that at the end of the present church, also, darkness would arise in consequence of its members not knowing and acknowl edging the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and separating faith from charity, therefore, lest the genuine understanding of the Word, and consequently the church, should perish, it has pleased the Lord now to reveal the spiritual sense of the Word, and to show that the Word in that sense, and from that in the natural sense, treats of the Lord and the church, and of them alone, with many other dis coveries, by which the light of truth, which was well-nigh extin D. S. S. 110-112. guished, might be restored."
y ;
Having thus
far
shown that the written Word, even though
pos-
re the natural things which were the ex them as mediums for thinking spirit After the science of correspondences ually, thus with the angels. and representatives was obliterated, then the Word was written, in which all the words and senses of the words are correspondences thus they contain a spiritual or internal sense in which the angels are. Wherefore, when man reads the Word and perceives it accord ing to the sense of the letter, the angels perceive it according to the In this way it is, that after man removed internal or spiritual sense. himself from heaven and broke the bond of connection, there was provided by the Lord a medium for the conjunction of man with In what manner heaven is conjoined heaven, namely, the Word. with man by means of the Word, may be seen from the following ex In that day there shall be a high In Isaiah it is written ample way from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians in that day Israel shall be a third to Egypt and As How man (xix. 23, 24). syria, a blessing in the midst of the land thinks, and on the other hand how the angels think, when these words are read, will appear by comparing the sense of the letter with the internal sense. From the literal sense, man thinks that the Egyptians and Assyrians are to be converted to God, and accepted,
ternals of their worship, served
:
:
s in an instant. communication has been perceived by me many thousand There times, I have not the least doubt remaining as to its reality. are spirits, also, below the heavens who abuse this communication
As
this
the literal sense of the Word, and immediately observe and note the society with which communication is effected. From these circumstances it has been given me to know by sensible experience, that the Word in its literal sense is a divine medium of conjunction with the Lord and with
heaven."
for they read over particular passages in
D.
S. S. 64.
:
He
"
adds, in another place

I read
through the Word, from the first chapter of Isaiah even to the last of Malachi, and the Psalms of David, and kept the thought on the spiritual sense, it w as given me clearly to perceive that every verse communicated with some society of heaven, and thus the whole Word with the universal heaven." T. C. R. 292.
:
While
is presented a striking and beau instance of the spiritual effect produced, not only by reading, but also by singing the Word in a church on earth
In the following statement, there
tiful
"
There were certain African
spirits
from Abyssinia with me, whose
iadems
and when
accounts the Word holy, and reads it for the sake of uses of life, the thoughts of his mind are comparatively like one who holds such a cabinet in his hand, and sends it up to heaven and in its ascent it is opened, and the precious things therein come to the an gels, who are inwardly delighted with seeing and examining them." True Christian Religion, 238.
man
It is a curious
the angels are children.

"
and interesting fact, that, as stated by our author, more particularly affected when the Word is read by
"
may seem a paradox," says he, but nevertheless it is most true, that the angels have a clearer and fuller understanding of the internal sense of the Word when it is read by little boys and girls, than when it is read by grown up persons who are not in a state of faith grounded in charity. The reason is, because little children are in a state of mutual love and innocence, and consequently the recep tive vessels of their minds are extremely tender and almost of a ce lestial nature, so as to be pure faculties of reception, which therefore are capable of being disposed by the Lord for the purpose, although
It
, is
what
constitutes the
Word
as
it
appears in heaven.
written in a spiritual style, which differs spiritual style consists of mere and there are marks letters, each involving some particular sense above the letters which exalt the sense. As their writing is of such a nature, there are not any names of persons and places in their Word as in ours but instead of names are the things which they Thus, instead of Moses, is mentioned the historical word signify. instead of Elias, the prophetical word instead of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord with respect to his divine-celestial, his divineinstead of Aaron, the spiritual, and his divine-natural principles instead of David, the kingly office, each in relation priestly office to the Lord instead of the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, or
"
The Word
in
heaven
is
entirely from a natural style.
49
2M
w
in a clear light the nature of
its
is
to set forth
been
much
discussed, but
place, let
which
a subject which has inspiration, not in general clearly understood.
us define the word inspiration. Inspiration, proper or plenary, means being filled with the Divine. When we say, then, that the Word is inspired, we mean that it is filled with Divin
In the
first
ity,
so as to be purely Divine
and since whatever

is
is
Divine
is
infi
nite, therefore
the
Holy Word
or angels.
contains infinite truth,
truth inex
haustible
by men
This
taught by Swedenborg in the
following passage
"
It is a divine truth that there are indefinite things in each ex pression of the Word, which appears to man so simple and rude ; yea, that there is contained therein more than the universal heaven and that its arcana may be presented by the Lord before the angels, with perpetual variety, to eternity." A. C. 1936. The world, even the learned part of it, has heretofore imagined that the historicals of the Word are merely historicals, and infold nothing deeper. And although they have said that every iota is
;
"
to
h and wisdom, it will be at once evident that do with its composition, for in its interiors it
s
man had
is
infinitely
nothing above
man
range of thought.
it
Had
it
any human mind,
would be merely
passed through [or proceeded from] finite and human, not infinite
and Divine. The persons, therefore, who were employed as instru ments for writing the Divine Word, as Moses, David, and the rest,
did not, as some have supposed, first receive the truth into their minds, and then express it in their own way not at all that would
;
have destroyed
finite
medium
it
plenary inspiration altogether: the weak and could not but have perverted, or at least modified,
its
what
received, so that
what was written would not have been a
Divine but a
in truth
human
composition.
The
writers of the Scripture were

;
mere penmen, they wrote simply by dictation oftentimes, doubtless, having little or no understanding of what they were writ ing. They heard a voice, and wrote down what the voice uttered. Thus it was not properly the men that were inspired, but the ivriting. That this was the case is thus plainly taught by Swedenborg
:
"
whom
have been informed how the Lord spoke with the prophets by the Word was written. He did not speak with them, as with
of the midst of the bush.

I
God
said to Moses, I
it
Am
that
evident that it was an angel that appeared to Moses as a flame in the bush, and that he spake as Jehovah, because the Lord as Jehovah spake by him. For in order that man may be spoken to by vocal expressions, which are articulate sounds in the ultimates of nature, the Lord makes use of the ministry of angels by filling them with the Divine, and by laying asleep what is of their own proprium, so that they know no otherwise than that they are Jehovah thus the Divine of Jehovah which is in the Supreme, descends into the lowest principles of nature
iii.
Am.
Ex.
2, 4, 14.
From which words
is
in
which
man
is."
A. C. 1925.
From
this passage
we
learn with distinctness the nature of the in
spiration of the Divine Word, and the manner in which the Word was written. see that it did not come from any man s mind, nor even from any angel s mind, but directly from the Divine, angels
We
speak
and men being made use of merely as instruments the former to it, and the latter to write it down. Nay, in regard to the
limity
"
t is stated by Swedenborg in regard to the wondrous sub and beauty of the internal sense of those narratives:
"
when read by a man who says he, is displayed by the Lord to the angels with such beauty and pleasantness, accompanied also with representatives, that every particular is perceived as if it had life. That the Word of the Lord is thus displayed to good spirits and certain spirit nnjrels, it has been granted me both to see and hear. came to me not long after his decease, as I concluded from the cir cumstance that as yet he did not know that he was in the other life, imagining that he still lived in the world. It was perceived that he was devoted to studious pursuits, concerning which I- con versed with him. But suddenly he was taken up on high, which surprised me, and led me to suspect that he was of an aspiring temper, for such
Lord,"
loves
The Word of the it and who lives
in charity,
Ex. xxxi.
18.
49*
t it was wonderful that they could remain so totally ignorant of the internal things of the Word." A. C. 1769.
Now, the wonderful things here

interiors of a chapter
referred to are contained in the
which in the letter seems a very ordinary nar rative from the lips of Moses, in which he is recapitulating to the Israelites a portion of the adventures which they had passed through. In the literal sense, it is a mere recounting of certain external cir cumstances and facts recalled by the leader to the minds of his fol lowers, and such as AVC should certainly have presumed Moses spoke
from his own memory. And yet we learn that this simple narrative contains such a wonderful internal sense as to move and delight spirits and angels, and to bring magnificent scenes before their view.
Is not this sufficient to satisfy us that
no part of that narrative, not
even the most insignificant, which passes under the name of the Mo saic record, was composed in Moses own mind at all, but was written
for how else could it contain entirely by dictation from the Divine ? an internal sense far above the comprehension of Moses himself, or
of any
man ?
this
Thus
is
the whole
it its
and
it is
which gives
truly a dictation from God, inspiration, that is, its divinity.
Word
as well as they.
The reason
power and character miah as well as the Evangelists, had to be preachers and apostles as well as penmen, and were compelled to utter the Divine testimony in the midst of a wicked and violent Yet it is to be under people.
stood that the state of their
ting was concerned, a child could have done it that men were selected men, too, of was because most of them, as Isaiah and Jere
proof sometimes selected whose personal characters were not good, who were wilful and disobedient. Look at the case of the prophet Jonah, for instance. No one could call him a holy prophet," in view of his personal character yet what he was commissioned to write is as
"
own minds and individual characters was entirely distinguished from the nature of the message which they were sent to utter and to write down. In of this, men were
and truly the Word of God as any other part of the Sacred Writings, and has its Divine and internal sense. From this single case, it may be perceived how entirely the inspiration of the proph
fully
ecy or writing
is
to
be distinguished from the character of the
man
who was With
its
writer.
the writers of the Divine
Word,
then, there
was
not,
erly speaking, any personal inspiration at all. fore shown, is the very thing that makes the that it passed through no human mind, but
Divine, namely, merely was uttered by a
And Word
this fact, as
prop be
of
still
it
it
may
teach lofty wis
dom, yet which comes by dictation directly from the Lord, is in every sentence infinite and inexhaustible, capable of being opened more and more, and of sending forth deeper and deeper truth for ever. Hence, not
a jot or
tittle,
it is
finite
and human.
Whereas the Divine Word, that
as
is
declared, of the Divine
Word
it
can
fail
or pass
away
It self
for
eternal as the
God from whom
comes.
may
is
here be remarked, that what Swedenborg claims for him
not inspiration, but illumination ; a peculiar illumination and illustration of his own rational faculties, giving him an interior dis cernment and perception of spiritual truth, and particularly of the
internal or spiritual sense of the Divine
Word.
This mental illumi
nation, however, was a distinct thing from the opening of his spirit ual sight, by which he was enabled to look into the spiritual world.
sion,
Both of these gifts were necessary to the accomplishment of his mis which was both to lay open and expound the internal sense of the Word, and at the same time to make known to man the nature and condition of the world of spirits, heaven, and hell. This being
the character of
Swedenborg s writings, human, rational expositions of the Scriptures, and explanatory accounts of the state of man after death, though containing essential and most interior truth, they are
still
human
mind.
man
writings, because they proceeded from or through a hu They therefore have no resemblance to, and bear no
comparison with, the Holy
human mind, but
Word which, having passed through no being given by direct dictation from the Lord, is
you cannot,
for
it is
fathomless
account of their very depth. understood by any person of ordinary mind

is,
he bottom, the waters seem less transparent on Every part of the Proverbs can be
;
but
much
of the Psalms
A New Testament be tween the style of the Epistles and that of the Gospels. The Epis tles are simple and intelligible, though containing deep truth and
human heart, abounding in excellent practi and sometimes glowing with apostolic fervor, as is the case, for instance, with the famous chapter on charity, in the Epistle to the Corinthians. Still you feel them to be human (1 Cor. xiii.)
great knowledge of the
cal lessons,
in the letter alone, nearly or quite unintelligible. similar distinction may be observed in the
compositions, expressed in ordinary language, such as
is
common
be
this
tween
man and man.
(And
it
is,
no doubt, in consequence of
greater plainness, that the Epistles are the favorite resort of preach ers at the present day.) But open the Gospels, and at once you find yourself in another region of thought and feeling altogether. The lofty, solemn style at once impresses the reader with a perception of
their
said, I adjure thee
And the high priest answered and superhuman character. by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast
"
said
Man
sitting
nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see the Son of on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven."
(Matt. xxvi. 63, 64.)
On reading
such words as these, you
rds after that length of time ? suppose, that these unlettered fisher men ever thought of such a thing as taking notes of these discourses and conversations, after the custom of modern times. Moreover, two out of the four Evangelists, namely, Mark and Luke, were not
And
no one
will for a
moment
saw or heard the
number of the twelve Apostles, and themselves probably never Lord at all. It is evident, therefore, that if the and reliable statements of what the Lord did, accurate are Gospels and especially of what He said, they could never have been drawn
of the
from the writers own minds or memories, but must have been written But this could not by instruction from above, that is, by inspiration.
have been mere personal inspiration or illumination for this being cannot introduce merely an enlightenment of man s own faculties, what is already illustrates but the into merely memory, anything The Gospels, then, must have been written by plenary inspi there. words are uttered ration, that is, by dictation, in which process the very
;
in the writer s ears,
and he acts merely as a penman. All parts of the Scripture that have an internal sense must be of this character; and the Gospels have such an internal sense, and thus, like the books
of Moses, effect communication with heaven. In our English Bible the important distinction which exists be tween those books which are plenarily inspired, and thus have an
internal sense,
in the
and those which have no such

;
sense, does not
appear
arrangement
they are mingled promiscuously together.
Not
the facts mentioned in

tory.
the Hagiographa, was thrown in next after Judges, because Ruth belong to that period in the Jewish his
So, also, the Proverbs of

;
the Psalms of his father
important distinction
Solomon were arranged next after David and so on. Thus the infinitely more of character and class was sacrificed to the
comparatively trifling matter of chronological order.
And
in this
arrangement our English translators have followed, not the Hebrew original, as they should have done, but the Septuagint translation. The books which, as Swedenborg shows, have an internal sense, and which, therefore, properly constitute the Divine Word, are the
the five books of Moses, Joshua, following Judges, the two books of Samuel, the two books of Kings, the Psalms of David, the Proph
:
ets Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Hagand in the New Testament, the four gos gai, Zechariah, Malachi pels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the Apocalypse. (A. C. 10,325.) The books which constitute the Hagiographa, and have not
;
sense, are the following Ruth, first and second Chron Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon of a similar character, in the New Testament, are the
:
an internal
icles,
book of Acts, and the It is an interesting

earth
is
Epistles.
fact that, as stated by Swedenborg, our own the only one in which there is a written Word, the truths of revelation being made known in all other earths by word of
spirits
mouth, through
and angels.
On
this earth, too,
and on no
of the Divine Incarnation,
hus written here, the great truth which it records is made known to the spirits and angels
all other earths.
:
who come
"
into
heaven from
On
these interesting
points Swedenborg thus speaks
In every other earth, Truth Divine is manifested by word of families spirits and angels, but this is done within Where for the human race, in most earths, dwell apart in families. fore, Divine Truth, thus revealed by spirits and angels, is not conveyed
mouth through
far
beyond
it is
families, and unless a either perverted or perishes.
new
It
is
revelation constantly succeeds, otherwise on our earth, where
is the Word, remains in its integrity for ever. The principal reason why it pleased the Lord to be born and as sume humanity on our earth, and not on another, Avas for the sake of that this might be written on our earth, and when written, the Word,
Truth Divine, which

"
be published through the whole world, and, once published, might be that God preserved to all posterity and thus it might be manifested was made man, even to all in the other life. That the principal reason was for the sake of the Word, is because the Word is Divine Truth that there is a life after itself, which teaches man that there is a God, there is a hell that that there is a and, moreover, heaven, death, teaches how man ought to live and to believe in order that he may come into heaven, and so be happy to eternity. All these things with out revelation thus, in this earth, without the Word would have been altogether unknown yet man is so created that he can never die. That the Word could be written on our earth, is because the art of writing has existed here from the most ancient times, first, on the rind or bark of trees, next on skins or parchment, afterwards on This was provided by the paper, and lastly by types, as in printing. Lord for the sake of the Word. That the Word, also, might be
; ; ;
"
heaven there is inter-communication of all know ledges. be known that the Word in our earth is the medium of union between the world and heaven for which end there is a cor respondence of all things in the letter of the Word with Divine The Word, also, in its supreme and inmost sense things in heaven. treats solely of the Lord, of his kingdom in the heavens and in the earths, and of love and faith from and in Him, and, consequently, of life from and in Him. Such things are represented to the angels in heaven from whatsoever earth they come, when the Word of our earth is read and preached. It is to be known that the Lord ac knowledges and receives all, from whatsoever earth they are, who acknowledge and worship God under a human form, since God under a human form is the Lord. And as the Lord appears to the inhabitants of these earths under an angelic form \vhich is the hu man form, therefore, when spirits and angels from these earths hear from the spirits and angels of our earth that God actually is Man,
er
"
for in
It is to
they receive that Word, acknowledge it, and rejoice that it is so. To the reasons w hich have been adduced why the Lord was born on this earth, and not on another, this may be added, that the in habitants, spirits, and angels of our earth have reference in the Grand Man, to the external and corporeal sense and the external and corporeal sense is the ultimate, in which the interiors of life
"
The case is close, and in which they rest as on their common basis. similar with Truth Divine in the letter which is called the Word, and which, for this reason, also, was given in this earth and not in another. And whereas the Lord is the Word, and its first and last, therefore, that all things might exist according to order, He was
pleased to be born on this earth, and be made the Word, according to these words in John In the beginning was the Word, and the AVord was with God, and the Word was God and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us. "A. C. 9350-60.
;
50
and shutting heaven, or of uently the power of opening It must be admitted world. invisible exercising dominion over the is of the greatest Word the of by all that the proper understanding is divine truth which cannot enter into Word the since importance, the mind as a living principle but in proportion as it is understood no more than light can enter into the eye except the eye be opened Hence the Lord opened the understandings of his to receive it.
;
"
disciples, that
known
fore,
that if
It is also well they might understand the Scriptures." not true, that it is when as true a principle be assumed
principle will vitiate
and falsify an entire system. Nothing, there to the church more can be important to the human mind and
All the errors,
per-
than the right understanding of revealed truth.

From
the Ii^dlcciuul
Rri>oilunj
for Jan., 1818, pp. 8C.5
:!7<).
590
od,"
is
not a mere man, however highly gifted with wisdom,

;
"
benevolence, and power nor is He the supposed second person in the Trinity, but God Himself manifest in the flesh," or, as the
"
prophet says,
THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER,
THE PRINCE OF
PEACE." This confession, therefore, of Peter, in volves the great fundamental doctrine upon which the church must be built; for it acknowledges the Lord in his "glorious Body," or
in his
Divine Humanity, as the embodiment of all the fulness of This acknowledgment and faith, as the rock upon which the church is built, is thus denoted by Peter, when pronounced
"
the
Godhead."
called Simon Bar-jona," or son of a dove because blessed," and Simon, as signifying, in Syriac, hearing and obedience, denotes faith in the heart or will, and not merely in the intellect and faith, as a
" "
living principle in the heart

all
and
to
life, is
the source from the

to the church.
Lord of
blessing
is
and happiness
man and
Jona, or the
dove,
ness, purity
an emblem of that harmlessness, innocence, gentleness, meek and love which constitute the life of a genuine faith, or
"
of that faith which, as the worketh by love." apostle says, Thus the Christian Church is built upon this faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as its Author and Finisher," as the solo Object to Whom it should be directed, and from it must derive all its
"
Whom
saving efficacy and blessedness. Against the church founded upo this rock of a the gates of hell shall never genuine faith, verily,
"
prevail!"
Lord
as to
when mentioned Divine Truth. Hence

rock,
in Scripture,
is
an emblem of the
"
the
Lord
is
called a
"Rock
the keys of hell and of death because He alone openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth." (Rev. iii. 7.)
"
;"
Here it is divinely and expressly declared, that the Lord alone hath the keys, or the power to open and to shut, and that no man hath that power. How false and profane, therefore, it is to suppose that
any man, or any multitude of men, whether they call themselves a church, a council or a synod, can open and shut heaven or hell, or
that they can have any power over the invisible world. therefore, belongs exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ
This power, nor can it,
because
be possibly transferred or given to any man. inasmuch as it is from the Lord, and is, properly regarded, the Lord himself in his disciples and in his Church, therefore the keys are said to be given to Peter in order to
it
is
infinite,
But the
faith described above,
self as
teach us that the Lord, through a genuine faith founded upon Him the Rock, can close the gates of hell and open the portals of
heaven
to his
this power earth, were not given to Peter as a man, but to the living faith which Peter then represented. For Peter w as evidently a type, sometimes
r
upon upon
earth,
Church and that whatsoever that faith shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever it Thus the keys or shall be loosed in heaven."
;
"
shall bind shall loose
of a living faith, and sometimes of a faith perverted and destroyed, as in this very chapter (verses 22, 23), where he opposes the Lord on account of what He said respecting his temptations and sufferings,
when
the
Lord
calls
him Satan, saying
"
Get thee behind me, Satan
which forbids marriage

to the priesthood, although the apostle declares,
"
that
a
i.
bishop)
should
he
tJie
husband of one
wife"
(1
Tim.
iii.
2,
12; Titus
6),
forbid to marry is a doctrine of devils" (1 Tim. iii. which opens the door to innumerable other abominations, the off spring of the teaching and doctrines of a perverse, falsified, antia faith which thrice or utterly denies the Lord, Christian faith, and which entirely perverts and destroys every vestige of genuine
"to
and that 1-3); and
Christianity.
The Lord says of those whose province and duty it was in the Jewish Church to teach the people, and likewise of those who occupy the same province in the Christian Church" Woe unto you lawyers!
for
yourselves,
52.)
ye have taken away the key of knowledge ye entered not in and them that were entering in, ye hindered." (Luke xi
;
key of knowledge is evidently the power of unlocking or of interpreting the Scriptures, that we may come to a knowledge of the
The
truth.
This key of knowledge is therefore the genuine doctrine by which the truths of the Word are interpreted and explained. No\\ if this key had been applied to the interpretation of the passage quoted at the beginning of this article, no such state of things us It the history of the church records, could have been witnessed. would have been seen that every man becomes a member of the
,
church in proportion as a living faith through hearing the Lord s words and doing them, is planted in his mind upon which faith, as upon a rock, the church ij built and when this is the case with the
; ;
50 *
art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Thus the the writers understood show to that us, primitive passage they plainly as relating to the church founded upon the rocl* of a living faith in
aid,
Thou
the
Lord Himself.
MINUS.
s precious corner-stone,
rests the entire structure of the Christian religion. in the flesh," God in Christ," are declarations
"
"
God
manifest
of the Apostle
which are equivalent to the appellation IMMANUEL.

further see
it
And when we
declared that
"
in
Him
dwelleth
all
it
the fulness of the
Godhead
people.
bodily,"
we need no further proof
that
Himself, as declared by Zacharias,
who
visited
was Jehovah God and redeemed His
(Luke
i.
68.)
great error of the old theology destroys the truth that Immanuel is Jehovah in the Humanity, or that God is manifest in the
flesh.
The
Instead of which, as the sole foundation of Christianity,
it
as
sumes the incarnation of a supposed second person in the Trinity, or a Son of God born from eternity; and by substituting this unscriptural and irrational idea in the place of Immanuel, or God Himself,
*
From
the Intellectual Repository, for Feb., 1848.
595
n
sisted in
evil, in
knowing and refusing

sin,
evil
and
in choosing good.
Not that
sin,"
the sense of
ever adhered to
Him
"
but only as infirmity, and as hereditary tendency to
who was without To sup evil.

is
plant and utterly to reject these hereditary tendencies,
to refuse the
what is good. But how the eat evil, and, as a consequence, to choose with this process, remains to connected is and butter of honey ing
be seen.
here we cannot be sufficiently thankful to the Father cies for the discovery, in these latter days, of the spiritual sense of for it is from this sense alone that we can, in a satis the
of
And
mer
Holy Word
and honey factory manner, see the relation between eating butter
refusing evil
It
and
and choosing good. must be evident, even to the natural mind when once awakened to perception and thought concerning the nature of God s Word, that butter and honey in this passage and elsewhere in the Scriptures, un
used in a symbolic or emblematic sense. Thus, when we so often read of a land flowing with milk and honey," we never think that
"
this
is
We well know that there is to be taken in a merely literal sense. something implied in the description, and that milk and honey de
Lord
in the internal or spiritual
in
Now to eat butter, when note something spiritual and heavenly. to in the mentioned Word, signifies appropriate heavenly good from
the
to delight in that
mind and to eat honey signifies for the or natural man external our good sweetness of honey corresponds to delight, especially in our external
;
;
ow
and choose the good." Abraham brought butter and milk, and set them before the angels who appeared to him in Mamre (Gen. xviii.), to denote the means by which communication and conjunction are effected with the Lord. These means are celestial and spiritual good, to which butter and milk
to refuse the evil
correspond, and which must be eaten, that is, appropriated by faith and love, as the great principles of life, before we can become spiritual and be saved. The wicked, it is said, shall not see the rivers, the
"
floods, the
brooks of honey and
evident, that butter
thing spiritual butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land Isaiah vii. 22), plainly denoting that those who are in the church as
" "
where it is butter" (Job xx. 17); and honey are correspondent emblems of some and heavenly which the wicked cannot see. Again,
spiritual members, shall feed on spiritual and heavenly things, which are the pure affections of good from the Lord, and their cor respondent delight and happiness in the natural man denoted by the
its real,
sweetness of honey.
That honey corresponds to the delight of heavenly good as experi enced in the natural mind, may be easily seen when the passages in In 1 the Word where honey is mentioned are properly considered.
Samuel xiv. and dipped

his eyes
Jonathan put forth the end of his rod, honey-comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and and again in verse 29 were enlightened See, I pray you,
27,
we read
that
"
it
in a
"
;"
how mine
eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this
tually to eat butter
and honey, that we may know
to refuse evil
and choose good.

FlDELIS.
rely of fossil salt. Salt in a chemical sense, also, either as crystallizable acids, alkalies, and earths, or as combinations of acids with alkalies, earths, or metal
lic oxides, enters very largely into the composition of all things in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdom. All things which exist in the material world, exist also in their
man s microcosm and as salt enters so largely outward nature, its correspondence must form some important ingredient in the human mind. In the writings of the
correspondences in
;
into all things of
illustrious
Swedenborg, we are taught that

salt
salt
and that the term
when
it
occurs in the
corresponds to desire, Word (and it occurs
there frequently) has in every instance this signification. As before observed there are many different kinds of salt not only are there
:
the varieties of
common
*
salt,
but also the numerous crystallizable
From
the Intellectual Repository for Jan., 1842.
599
ll
thy
offer
ings thou shalt offer
salt;"
and
in Leviticus
we read
that the incense
should be salted.
These divine words teach us that in all our acts of the good which is in us must continually desire truth the worship, truth which is in us must continually desire good the heavenly mar and truth, and the desire of riage, the covenant, is the union of good and the the salt of the covenant of thy God this conjunction is
:
" "
man who
desire of
"
the obeys these divine commands can adopt the words of The and of I have longed for thy salvation," Isaiah, Psalmist,
"
"
my
soul
is
to thy
name and
to the
remembrance of
"
Thee."
As
he
may
a new-born babe he desires the sincere milk of the Word that grow thereby." The Lord Jesus says, Every one shall be
Salt is fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will you season but good, To be salted with fire," denotes the desire of good for truth, And "salt that has lost its saltfor desire is the very fire of love.
salted with
"
it."
ness,"
of good and of truth. man whose mind is enlightened by truth, but who, at the same he time, docs not seek after purity of affection and of life, has salt has desires, but they are not genuine they are mere lust, and he is Thus there are many passages in the holy for nothing." "good term salt bears an evil signification. As in the in which Scriptures
signifies
a negation of
all desire
"
Jeremiah,
not see
Cursed be the
man who maketh
flesh his
arm
he shall
when good cometh, but
shall dwell in parched places in a salt
a Sodom,
otes the same burning love desiring what is false. Such a man is as Gomorrah for these cities represent the evil, direful,
"
;"
fiery, filthy affections,
we read of Lot
teaches us that
burning with desires of self-love. In Genesis wife being turned into a pillar of salt and this
;
when truth
in the
mind
"
(signified
by Lot
wife) no
longer looks to good (denoted by Lot), but turns to the love of self to Sodom ; then the mind becomes a pillar of salt," all spiritual
life is
destroyed.
s
Lord
exhortation,
With this view of the subject, how solemn Remember Lot s wife
" "
is
the
These explanations of the sacred text are gathered from the works of Swedenborg. As, however, in the New Church we are not allowed to follow blindly the teachings of any man, but are permitted to ob
tain for ourselves a rational perception of the meaning of the sacred page, in order that, having learned the truth we may live it, we shall consider some of the peculiar properties of salt by this means we may see for ourselves, that salt corresponds to desire.
;
The Preserving Principle of

It
Salt,
and
its
Correspondence.
has the peculiar property of preserving substances from putre faction, and is, for this very purpose, extensively used in articles of
food.
It
is
also well
requires that
known that the economy of the human body we should take salt with our food. If the most healthy
;
person were to abstain for any length of time from taking his accus tomed portion of salt, his body would become diseased health and strength would give way to disease and languor, followed with death
as a certain result.
cattle.
Graziers
The same observation is true in reference to know that by liberally scattering salt with their feed,
:
they are using one of the most effective means for preserving them from many fatal diseases and in those parts of the world where cattle are not under the direction of man, Providence has placed within them a strong instinct to seek a supply of salt. In America, slice})
and cattle resort in herds innumerable to the different clay salt pits, and that with the greatest eagerness and in Africa large herds of cattle travel to great distances, at stated seasons, to enjoy the marine
:
51
ce of separating faith from char is saving, of losing all affection for alone faith that of teaching ity, hundred years ago good, of having no salt in itself, the church of a
had become corrupt, a loathsome corpse, a putrid

the birds of desolation gathered together
ties,
:
carcass, about
which
and
all
of what will
had become falsi from And this we may learn been had destroyed. charity most assuredly be our condition, if, as individuals, we have
its
truths
not salt within ourselves.
If
we do not
cherish a desire for good, if our
knowledge be not attended with a life in accordance with the divine commands, if our profession of re and virtue, then, though our ligion be without the possession of piety knowledge should appear to us as splendid, glittering from the light
faith be without charity, if our
of our own intelligence,
it is
in reality but the cold light of the
glow
lumen of a decayed fish shining in the dark. of knowledges, our souls are in a abundance our Notwithstanding state of decay, having no health or soundness. Without this spiritual
worm, the phosphoric
be taken preservative, even our knowledges of truth will us they will wither like flowers cut off from their root
;
"
away from
;
they will
sink from our mental hemisphere like fallen stars. Our knowledge will vanish away," and there will be nothing left in our minds but
such errors as will unite with the evils of our hearts. But if we have salt in ourselves, then this holy desire will preserve us in spiritual Now abideth health and vigor and of our own souls it may be said,
"
to hope, and charity." The salt of holy desire will give fixity that is good and true, and preserve them for ever. us within everything
faith,
Its Fructifying Principle,

It is well
and
its
Correspondence.
known by farmers and

is
graziers that cattle fatten

salt.
upon
feed in
which there
an abundance of
into chyle, and giving the digestive organs.
quantity of milk, causing the fluids to an increased energy to these juices secreted by To the fructifying principle of salt is also
attributed the superior quality of the Merino wool
;
Cows give a greater become more readily converted
and the wool of
ing principle
by
it
;
man becomes
is
seed
good
and
rot.
We
a living man, fruitful in good works. Truth is ground. Truths merely from thought will lie alone
in
may have knowledge
abundance, but
if
:
we have
not a holy desire of good, our souls will be evil and barren whereas if good salt be if we desire to do plentifully cast upon the ground the truth, then these knowledges will take root, spring up luxuriantly, and bring forth an abundant harvest.
fructifying principle of mental salt is plainly taught us in select one from 2 passages of the holy Word. Kings, chap. "The men of Jericho said to 2, verse 19 to 21 Elisha, Behold, the situation of the city is good but the waters are evil and the ground barren. And he said unto them, Bring a new cruse and salt
The
many
We
put
represents Jericho, being near to Jordan, which was the boundary of the land of Canaan, represents the boundary of the human mind, the external, the natural man. Water denotes truth
in reference to the
and they brought it to him, and he went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land." The prophet Elisha the Lord
therein
; ;
Word.
earth represents good a new cruse, or vessel, the knowledges of good and truth and salt a love of good, a desire to live the truth. From this short explanation we salt has a may see that
; ;
spiritual
fructifying
principle.
knowledges of good and truth are received into our external mind, our natural These knowledges, ac principle.
first
Our
quired in the first stages of regeneration, as also the good acts which we at that time perform, are not in reality good or true they are lifeless and barren merely natural they arise from our own love of self. These waters of Jericho are bitter neither is there in us
;
; ;
"
"
any good productive of living faith of genuine charity but the land is barren." If any reader of this work should be mourning this his unproductive and evil state, saying to himself, "the waters are bitter and the land is barren," O, wretched man that I
;
Jiving spiritual
"
"
am
who
shall deliver
me from
the body of
death?"
let
him go
to
icho
the literal truths of the
Word, and
become fruitful in works really good. By means of this spiritual salt of your works will be acts of true living charity your knowledges to fruit forth perfection. truth will be saving, and you will bring
;
Its
Conjoining Principle, and

its
its
Correspondence,
It is by virtue of this referred to are effected.
manufactures
it
is
we have uniting property, that the uses In the arts and Salt conjoins all things. con extensively employed as a uniting medium,
never be joined together. necting bodies which otherwise could Thousands of men in this town [Birmingham], employed in
is
mak
and in what ing silver-plated articles of jewelry, are in the daily practice of using salt for the purpose gilt toy trade, of uniting metals. lump of copper has to be plated with silver. with a medium, a salt, a flux of borax, it the
here called the
By
copper of heat, readily take the silver; will, when placed in a suitable degree In this instance, as also in a salt being the conjoining medium. thousand other cases, we may see how the science of correspondence is from natural and worldly adapted to raise the mind s contemplation and heavenly. Every thing in our daily to
covering
objects
things spiritual a blessing when it is made occupation, in our recreations, imparts made to aid us in working be us can useful and every thing around in our be if God out our salvation, thoughts, if we are spiritually;
minded.
The
natural good
science of correspondence teaches us that copper represents that good which is obtained through our connections
all
in civil society, such as obedience to parents

to the external ceremonies of religion,
and masters, attendance that is commonly termed
truth obtained not Silver represents spiritual truth morality. from within from but God, truth that through the external mind, or merciful his in Lord The is living, saving. providence has so dered outward circumstances, that every one of us has more or less this copper, which is the foundation upon of this natural
goodness
which the holy influences of heaven can operate: but
this natural
with bracelets on our hands, that is, the l truth and good power derived from divine truth a chain of gold on our necks the conjunction of all things in our internal and external minds ear and a rings in our ears practical obedience to the laws of heaven wisdom from the Lord ruling and beautiful crown upon our heads
; ;
;
blessing our whole soul. Take another instance of the conjoining property of salt. In the manufacture of soap, the two principal ingredients employed are fat
and water of themselves cannot be made Introduce a salt potash, and they will mix with the greatest readiness, and form soap, an article so essential In this case as in the former, salt is the to cleanliness and comfort. oil correspond to good, and water to medium. Fat and conjoining
or
oil,
and water.
;
Now
oil
to unite
it
is
impossible.
and water cannot be united without a medium good and truth cannot form a one, so as to be the means of purifying our hearts, unless they be united with a heavenly a holy desire. We may have what the world calls goodness salt
truth.
And
as oil
(salt), so
also
we may have
desire
truths in abundance
but unless we have
this spiritual
good and truth, and thus unite truth in the with good in the will, we shall remain unwashed and understanding unprepared for heaven while on the other hand, if good and truth be united by the salt of desire, then we shall stand at last with those
this desire for
:
who have washed

;
their robes
who have
purified their hearts.
Again the salt of holy desire not only conjoins the principles of good and truth in the minds of individuals, but it is also the grand
connecting
Without
this salt
medium by which Christians are united in church-fellowxlitji. we may assemble together in the same place, join
externally in the same prayers and praises, hear the same sermons, be called by the same name, profess the same faith, and still be internally
disunited.
We
God
may
profess to believe that the
Lord Jesus Christ
is
of heaven and earth, see the errors of the former Church, and be able to vindicate the doctrines of the New Dispensa but if we have no desire to live the life of truth to put on the tion
the only
;
51*
of the covenant of thy
ring shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the salt God to be lacking from thy meat-offering.
;
thy offerings thou shalt offer salt," And if we obey this command, there will then be no separations, no divisions, no conten but the brethren tion, no ill-feeling, no party-spirit, no jealousy
With
all
"
will
dwell together in unity
"
:"
having
salt in
ourselves,"
we
shall be
at peace one with another. The existence of this spiritual salt in our minds, will give Again.
efficiency to all
our aims at usefulness.
Certain metals,
copper, zinc,
for instance,
effect
;
and
but
it
leather, placed in water, will produce a galvanic Dissolve a salt in the water in will be very feeble.
;
troduce nitric acid, or the acetous acid, and the effect will be power ful. So is it in spiritual things. If we have salt in ourselves,
although our numbers may be few and our means limited, we shall produce the best of results. Our works \vill be labors of charity,
deeds of love, and we shall operate powerfully on
all
"
whose hearts
God hath
stirred
up."
Again
By this holy medium
all the inhabitants
of all the heavens
united together.
form a one ; the inhabitants of heaven are all What is it that conjoins them ? It is the
closely
salt of
pure desire. One heart, one soul pervades all the angelic host. There no one lives to himself; there separate interests are unknown but each believes and acts upon the principle that it is more blessed to give
;
than to receive.
Thus
desire, like salt,
has a conjoining principle.
Renders Food Savory.

making food savory. If food be eaten without a relish or an appetite for it, it does not so fully The give its nutritious properties, or incorporate with the body. same is true spiritually. If the good and truth of the holy Word be
Salt excites the appetite by
salt,
without
without the salt of desire, it cannot received without relish or savor be incorporated with the life because nothing can live in a man but what he loves nothing but what he receives with affection, with
;
spiritual relish
and savor.
our life we are refined from all unholy loves saved from lukewarmness, and burn with holy heavenly love.
;
we are
"Have
salt in yourselves."
Man, when He should come, would not find faith upon the earth." (Luke xviii. 8.) Many suppose that these predictions of the Lord have reference only to the literal destruction of Jerusalem by
"
the armies of Titus
but although there are some things in the
letter
which appear coincident with that destruction, yet there are very many, as all commentators have acknowledged, which cannot be con strued into a reference to that event and therefore it has been ad
;
mitted by
that the entire series of divine predictions contained in this chapter, have relation to the decline, fall and consummation of the first Christian church which the Lord established after which
many
He would come again to establish a New Church, New Jerusalem in the Kevelation, in which He, in
signified
his
by the
Divine
Hu
manity, would be acknowledged as all in all. A church does not arrive at its consummation until
in the buildings of the
til
"
not one stone
there
is
standing upon another," or un an utter desolation of those divine principles of love; and
temple
is
left
The temple about which the dis Lord in his Humanity. This is abun dantly evident from what the Lord said of the temple in John ii. 21, where it is expressly declared that He spake of the temple of his body.
faith
which constitute the church.
ciples inquired, represents the
There being not one stone left upon another which should not be thrown down," denotes the utter destruction of all faith in the Lord s Humanity as being Divine, in which all the fulness of the God"
From
the Intellectual Repository, for January, 1849.
608
mere history relat ing only to the affairs of this life, are, as primary objects, far beneath the dignity of revealed wisdom which can only contemplate eternal objects and ends, and not those which are temporal, except so far as
they can be made conducive to the attainment of heavenly and eter nal ends, or to the salvation of mankind. The Word of the Lord
relates primarily to his
world,"
kingdom
and
as
"
his
kingdom
is
not of this
is
so
;
it
may
be said in like manner, that his

it
Word
not of
does not relate, in its primary or spiritual sense, to the revolutions of earthly polities, or the subversion of earthly
this
world
hence
governments, or the destruction of earthly cities; although these events may serve, according to the laws of correspondence between
things natural and spiritual, as the visible types of the destruction of churches, and of those judgments in the spiritual world by which
is accomplished. Thus by the destruction of Jeru and of the the Jewish salem, abrogation system of worship and the
that destruction
dispersion of the Jew^s, the total destruction of the Jewish dispensa tion was effected, and thereby was likewise represented, in the divine predictions of the Lord in Matt, xxiv., the entire consummation of
the
first
Christian church.
Although, as stated above, some things in the destruction of Jeru salem by the armies of Titus appear to coincide with the Lord s pre
dictions, there are, nevertheless,
many
particulars in the divine record
which do not coincide, and which have constrained all commentators to admit that these divine predictions have an ulterior object not yet
accomplished. This ulterior object can only be understood by a knowledge of the spiritual sense of the Word, which in these latter days has been mercifully vouchsafed to the church, and by which we
can clearly see the object, scope and end of the Lord s predictions. Thus the true nature of these predictions being only understood from
the spiritual sense, we may readily see how immensely important a knowledge of the spiritual sense is inasmuch as little or no practi
;
cal profit
can arise unless we understand the Scriptures, and sec their
2O
spiritual sense of the Word is espe that it brings every prophecy as well as in seen the fact, cially every precept home to the heart and life of the individual, so that he
The inestimable value of the
there sees the history either of his regenerate or of his unregenerate his regenerate state being portrayed in those prophecies which state
;
describe the church in states of faithfulness

;
and obedience, and
in
consequent glory and happiness and his unregenerate state depicted in those prophecies which describe the church in ruin and desolation.
Thus the Word spiritually understood, is a constant source of a fountain of living waters." and light to the mind,
"
life
When,
the
fall
therefore, the Lord, in the series of prophecies relating to

"
and consummation of the church,

on
the
is
says,
Pray ye
day,"
that
your
cer
neither flight be not in the winter,
Sabbath
we may be
tain that there
some important instruction conveyed, which it is The merely literal sense of the of the utmost consequence to know. were to the that pray that when the siege took disciples passage, it might not be in the winter, must appear to the devout and place reflecting mind too insignificant an exposition to be worthy of Divine Wisdom, which ever contemplates eternal ends. There is a winter
of the soul as well as of the body and the ulterior or rather the primary object of which commentators speak, as being involved in
;
these predictions, is to warn us against taking our departure from in that state in which all the affec this life in the winter of the soul,
tions of the heart are cold and dead to everything spiritual and heavenly, when the chill of spiritual death has benumbed and frozen every emotion of love and charity in the soul (Matt. xxiv.
12)
when a
cold-hearted
selfishness
has taken possession of the

good, and a dreadful winter, our departure out of
is
mind, and congealed and contracted

all its disinterested
all its sensibilities for
love of truth.
This indeed
flight,
and we should earnestly pray that our

this
world into the eternal world, may not be in this wintry state. Thus it is that the Lord s words are of universal application. All his disciples, all the members of his church, have now and at all
MATTHEW
XXIV.
SO
EXPLAIN KD BY CORRESPONDENCE. 611

may
not over
times most earnestly to pray that death and judgment take them in this winter state.
our departure out of this world, it is obvious that we have whether it be in it is to take place summer or in winter is not of our appointment. But we have, through
to
As
no control over the time when
Divine Mercy and Power, a control over our

est prayer, self-denial,
states, so that
by earn
states represented
by
the fruitful autumn, winter. all, indeed, have to pass through these winter states during the process of regeneration, when states of coldness as to
sincere repentance, we can cultivate the the beautiful spring, the glowing summer, and and avoid the cold, dismal, death-like states of
and
We
things spiritual and heavenly will come upon us when temptations and trials will assail us when we should hasten our escape from the windy storm and tempest." (Ps. Iv. 8.) As the people of Israel
;
"
had
through the desert before they could arrive at the land as the Lord himself had to be flowing with milk and honey," tempted of the devil, and to be assailed by wild beasts in the desert
to pass
"
(Mark
to pass
i.
13) before "He could enter into his glory," so we all have through a desert, and a state of winter which is analogous to
"
a desert, before we can receive the crown of But to fall in the desert, or to remain in that spiritual state denoted by winter, is
life."
and to take up our abode in the land of darkness, of trouble, and of anguish, whence come the young and the old lion, the viper, and the fiery flying serpent (Isaiah xxx. 6,) where evils and falsities of every kind prevail. How different is this land from that whose skies are never darkened, whose clouds drop fatness, whose hills are covered with flocks, whose plains are adorned with golden harvests, and where each can sit under his vine and figtree, and none shall make him afraid Nature is a theatre representative of the Lord s kingdom in the
to incur spiritual death,
"
;"
spiritual world.
"
The
invisible things of
God
(says the Apostle)
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." Not only are the things of heaven rep resented to us, but the sad states and dismal objects of hell are also
portrayed to our senses in the world of nature. The wolf and the lamb, the owl and the dove, the nettle and the rose, winter and sum
mer, night and day, are not correlatives, but opposites, which read us valuable lessons when seen in the light of correspondence, and
Nature especially when understood as mentioned in the Scriptures. has yet to be studied and viewed from a higher point than our
612
sciences
have hitherto contemplated. We are still grovelling in the dust as to the high uses which the study of nature should aim to realize and accomplish. Night is to day what winter is to the year. The four states of the to day denoted by morning, noon, evening, and night, are analogous the four seasons of the year spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Spring
ing,
"
is the morning of the year, summer its noon, autumn its even and winter its night. But in heaven it is declared that there is
"
no night
(Rev. xxi. 25)
there, says Milton,

"
is
Grateful twilight
Night doth not there assume a darker
veil."
And we may
there
is
no night in heaven," so These are representative of mental states of dark the light, the warmth, ness, cold and barrenness, which are opposed to and the fruitfulness of heavenly states, and therefore can have no
rest assured that, as there is
"
no winter.
place in heaven. The spring of the year is emblematic of that state in which, under the Lord s guidance, man enters upon the childhood of his second birth hence the spring of the day is called the "womb of the morn
;
ing"
(Psalm
"
ex. 3), to denote the nascent states of regeneration in
the
new
birth,
when
"
the day of the

"
Lord
"
power
is
acknowledged,
this state, the
and
the beauties of holiness
begin to appear.
In
to grow and ex germs of heavenly intelligence and wisdom begin u dried corn of by the fire pand. The first-fruits, being green ears to the be offered to were of the flock, (Lev. ii. 14), and the firstlings of state of this emblems as in Lord heavenly inno spring
"
worship cence and good in the
human
soul.
the affection of representative of that state when truth glows with ardor, and when everything intellectual is, in con when faith is not sequence, more fully developed and expanded
The summer
is
This spiritual sum love. only enlightened by truth, but actuated by sun of righteous the as mer is splendid and glorious in proportion When the mind. in the altitude and rises to a higher ness higher
"
"
prophet says,
are not
saved"
the spiritual
past and the summer is ended and the true meaning can only be seen from 20), (Jer. For our salvation is irrespective of earthly sum sense.
"
The harvest
viii.
is
ire
mers and harvests, but by no means of spiritual harvests and sum For the harvest and summer denote the means of love and mers. truth in all fulness, provided by Him who, in his Divine Humanity,
MATTHEW
is
XXIV. 20 EXPLAINED
"
BY CORRESPONDENCE.
613
the
"
Lord of the harvest

"
he can
reap warmth of this
life
everlasting."
by which man can be saved, This harvest and the
by which light and
summer are abundantly provided for us in the Holy Word, and in the church especially in the Lord s New Church and if we refuse to become laborers in this harvest, it must needs pass away, or rather we shall pass away from it, and shall not be
;
saved.
This
is
the ground of the prophet
lamentation.
The autumn is an emblem of that state when the fruits of heavenly wisdom and love come to maturity and perfection, and are seen in the conduct and the life. The feast of harvest represented, in the
Jewish dispensation, this joyful and happy state of the regenerate
mind and of the church. But the winter corresponds to the unregenerate and sinful state of man, and also to states of temptation through which, as W e have
7
seen,
man must
pass in order to
is
be prepared for heaven.
Hence, as
subservient to a fuller and more vigorous development and manifestation of vegetable and animal life in the so the winter, in a spiritual sense, is spring, summer and autumn
in nature the winter
;
made
made subservient to a more vigorous growth in the spring, summer and autumn states of the soul, of the fruits of righteousness and of the blessings of salvation and also as a means by which the enjoy ment of those states can be enhanced. And inasmuch as these alter
;
nations and vicissitudes denoted by the four times of the day and the four seasons of the year, are as necessary for the growth and maturity
of
all spiritual states
of goodness and truth as for the growth and

" "
while the perfection of all things in nature, it is therefore said that earth remaineth or (more literally translated) during all the days
"
of the earth, seed-time

winter,
and
harvest,
and
cold
and
"
heat,
and summer and

22), to denote
and day and
night, shall not cease
(Gen.
viii.
that in the process of regeneration these alternations and vicissitudes of states are indispensable to the growth of things spiritual and
heavenly in the mind.
As
the
human mind
is
spiritual in its constitution,
it
often thinks
from laws operative in the spiritual world, and consequently ex presses its perceptions and feelings in the language of correspond ences between things natural and spiritual. Thus it is common to
talk of a benighted mind, to denote ignorance; of a cold heart, to
warm friendship and love. But the Word of God uniformly speaks to us according to these emblems and corre
signify the lack of
spondences
52
and we cannot come
to the true
meaning of the Word
614
until

we thus
is
spiritually discern, as the
Apostle says (1 Cor.

"
ii.
14),
what
our
revealed to us.
is
This, then,
flight
the reason
why
the
be not in the
winter."
Lord commands us to pray that When the Lord was betrayed, and
it
when He was brought

xviii. 18), to
to his final temptations,
was winter (John

"
denote the entire consummation of the church, when nothing but self-love prevailed, signified by the "fire of coals at which the servants and officers were standing and at which also
;
Peter was
"warming himself"
when he denied
the Lord.
For
all
denial of the
Lord comes from those impure

;
affections
which
arise
from the coal

"
whereas all acknowledg fire of inordinate self-love ment and love of the Lord come from the heavenly warmth of the
sun of righteousness^" as a living principle in the soul. The Sabbath day, on which also our flight should not take place, We are aware of the merely is extremely important to be known.
literal idea which commentators in general attach to this injunction of the Lord, namely, that as the Sabbath was so holy in the Jewish church, they should pray that their flight from the siege of Jerusa
lem might not be on that day, lest they should be guilty of breaking the holy laws of the Sabbath. Such commentators, however, do not remember that the Lord himself, as the Lord of the Sabbath, abro
gated those ritual laws, in consequence of which He was so often accused by the Pharisees. No such comments as these can never
;
bring out the
"spirit
and
life"
of the
Word.
it
This injunction
is
as
applicable to us as to those to
whom
"
Word,
for
like its
Divine Author,
is
was first addressed. The the same yesterday, to-day, and

every individual
s
ever,"
and never
loses its especial application to
member
of the church.
to his disciples
it
Besides, the Lord

to Christians,
was given
therefore
and not
injunction in the text and to the Jews

it
could not be in the Jewish sense of the Sabbath that
should be understood.
The SABBATH DAY was the most holy

church.
Its
institution of the Jewish

r
observance was guarded by the strictest law s, the viola The Sabbath tion of which was followed by the severest penalties.
tative character.
was thus considered to be most holy on account of its high represen It signified the union of the Divine and Human
;
Lord hence it denoted, in the supreme sense, his and also his work of redemption when accomplished, glorification, when, after his temptations and labors, He entered into his Sab bath of rest it also signified the regeneration of man, and his connatures in the
;
MATTHEW
XXIV.
20
EXPLAINED BY CORRESPONDENCE. 615
sequent salvation, when he enters into his heavenly state of rest and peace which is involved in the term Sabbath. This institution, there
fore,
was most holy in its representative character, because it de noted the consummation of all the divine purposes of redemption
and salvation. But a merely external representative
state
r
of holiness, such as
internal vital prin outside of the
then existed
among
the Jews,
when
and
there
w as no
ciples of holiness in the heart
life,
when only the
cup and the platter was clean, but the inside full of extortion and when the whited sepulchre appeared beautiful without, but excess, within svas full of dead men s bones and all uncleanness (Matt.
"
"
such a state of merely external holiness, especially when 27) connected with the mention of winter, is here meant by the Sabbath
xxiii.
day.
Such was the
state
of the Scribes and Pharisees,
who were
extremely punctilious and sanctimonious in observing all the ritual laws of the Sabbath, but who, in the sight of Him who knoweth what is in man, were hypocrites, and a generation of vipers."
"
Such
power
also
is
"
semblance or
the state of all professing Christians who assume a form of godliness, but who have none of the life and
"
have a name to thereof," or who, like the church of Sardis, live," but who, in the Lord s sight, are spiritually dead. This is indeed a state even more dreadful than the winter state already de
scribed, since
it is
Let
us, then, earnestly
connected with hypocrisy and profanation. pray that our flight be not in the winter,
" "
neither on the Sabbath day that death, when it comes, may not find us taking our departure out of this w orld in these unregenerate and, sinful states, so contrary to the holiness and happiness of
r
heaven.
SCRUTATOR.
CHAPTER
AS
XVI.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE SERPENT, WITH ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES
FROM SCRIPTURE.*
all things in creation which are according to order, are so many types of the infinite things in God, and as man is created to be the direct finite image and likeness of his Maker, it follows that all
created objects are in a certain relation to man, and that they directly correspond to the various faculties, powers, principles, and states of
his soul
and body. Hence it is that all things in the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms bear a direct relation to the innumerable things in the human system, and that if this relation were understood, which
it
can be by the Science of Correspondences, there would, in the

in trees, books in the running brooks, and good in everything."
language of the poet, be

"Tongues
Sermons in
stones,
this relation and correspondence which natural and to the various states, both good and evil, of to bear man, things his internal and external mind, or of the spiritual, rational and sen
The knowledge of
desire to
sual degrees of his system, is of the utmost importance to man, if he advance in genuine intelligence and wisdom. This impor
tance becomes
much
greater,
when we
consider that this relation of
correspondence between external objects or things natural and internal objects or things moral, spiritual and divine, is the very language through which the Lord addresses man, and conveys to his mind all spiritual light, and all the treasures of revealed wisdom and knowledge
in his
Holy Word.
all objects in
Of
the animal kingdom the reptile tribe
is
the lowest,
of which serpents of various kinds and species are the most con spicuous. Of all the degrees of man s life the sensual and the corporeal
because they are nearest to the earth, and are actuated by merely earthly appetites, influences and causes. These lowest degrees in man s nature partake the least of what is truly human in
are the lowest
;
From
the Intellectual Repository for January,
1843.
616
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE SERPENT.

;
617
man and the serpent, their correspondent emblem, is of all animals the most remote from the human form. As the serpent crawls upon
the earth, so the sensual principle in man is the nearest akin to earth, which, if not elevated by the rational and spiritual principles of his
nature,
may be
said to crawl
upon the earth
in like
manner.
As
sensual things have a tendency to fascinate and charm the mind, because sensual delights are more vividly experienced than any others, so certain kinds of serpents, especially the more malignant, are said
by
it.
naturalists to fascinate
and charm their prey before they devour In short, the points of emblematic correspondence between the
sensual principle in man and the serpent, would become more obvious, the more we become acquainted with the characteristics of the two
objects
borg,
compared together. But we will first describe, from Swedenwhat the sensual principle is, and also what its nature is if man
it
be not elevated above

"
by regeneration.
is
The
sensual principle
human mind, adhering to and cohering with the five bodily senses. He is called a sensual man whose judgment on all occasions is deter mined by the senses of the body, who believes only what he can see
the
the last and lowest sphere of the
life
of
with his eyes and touch with his hands, allowing such things to be something real, and rejecting all others. The interiors of his mind which see by the light of heaven, are closed, so that he has no dis cernment of any truth relating to heaven or the church. Such a
person thinks in extremes, that is, his thought is confined to the last and lowest sphere of things for he does not think interiorly from any spiritual light, but rests in gross natural light only hence it is that he is inwardly opposed to the things of heaven and the church, although he can outwardly speak in their favor, and that with a degree of zeal proportioned to the hope of obtaining authority and opulence by their means. Men of learning and erudition who have confirmed themselves deeply in falsities, especially those who have confirmed themselves against the truths of the Word, are more sensual than the rest of mankind. Sensual men reason with shrewd ness and dexterity, because their thoughts are so near their speech as to be almost in it, being, as it were, in their and because they lips make all intelligence to consist in speaking merely from the memory they are also expert in confirming falsities, and after confirmation believe them to be true and yet their reasonings and confirmations are grounded in the fallacies of the senses, by which the vulgar are ensnared and persuaded. Sensual men are cunning and malicious above all others. The covetous, the adulterous and the deceitful are particularly sensual, though they may appear men of talent in the The interiors of their minds are foul and filthy eyes of the world. in consequence of their communication with the hells and in the
; : ;
:
52*
618
they are said to be dead. All who inhabit the hells are and the more so as they, are more deeply immersed. The sphere of infernal spirits conjoins itself with the sensual principle of man in the back and in the light of heaven the hinder part of their heads appears hollow. They who reasoned merely from sensual things, were by the ancients called serpents of the tree of knowledge. Sen sual things ought to possess the last place and not the first, and with
sensual,
;
Word
every wise and intelligent man it is so, and they are kept in subjection whereas with an unwise man they have the first to interior things Where sensual things are in the lowest place, place, and bear rule. a passage is opened by them to the understanding, and truths are eliminated by the mode of extraction. Such sensual things border most closely on the world they admit whatsoever flows from the Man by means of sensual things com world, and as it were sift it. municates with the world, and by means of rational things with heaven. Sensual things form a basis which is subservient to the
;
;
mind, some sensual things being subservient to the and some to the voluntary part. Where the thought is not elevated above sensual things, man attains but to small degrees of wisdom but where it is, he enters into a clearer light (lumen.}, and at length into heavenly light (lux.), and then he has perception of those things which flow from heaven. Natural science is the ultimate
interiors of the
intellectual part
of the understanding, and sensual delight the ultimate of the T. C. R. 565.
will."
many kinds and species, but they may be divided two general classes, venomous, and non-venomous the former are for the most part viviparous, and the latter oviparous. Those which are not venomous correspond to the sensual principle when in when all its states are subordinate to the higher rational and order,
Serpents are of
into
;
spiritual principles of the
mind.
But the venomous kinds of serpents
correspond to the sensual principle when in disorder, and consequently rebellious against the higher rational and spiritual powers of our
being.
The serpent in the garden of Eden plays a most active part, since the fall of man is attributed to its subtlety and seductive power. This shows us how important it is that we should correctly understand
what the serpent means, in order that we may see the nature of that temptation which caused the fall of man, and which still causes the For the same children of men to cherish evil and to commit sin. cause which originated evil, still carries on the dreadful work in all the children of Adam, who do not resist the voice and subtleties of
the serpent. No person at the present time can possibly be so childish in his sentiments and ideas as to suppose that this is a literal history

The
619
Word
is
science of correspondences by which the spiritual sense of the opened, and the light thence arising, can alone explain to
us the nature of the fall, and show us the mystery connected with the origin of evil. The serpent in Eden, and also in every other portion of the Word, signifies the sensual principle of our nature, which, in the perfect constitution of our being, is as necessary as a foundation is to a house. Hence the serpent is necessary to the per
fection of Eden, and consequently the divine approbation of good was pronounced upon every creeping thing, as well as upon every other thing which the Lord God had made. (Gen. i. 15.) This shows us that the serpent was not, as is commonly supposed, an evil spirit that had intruded into the happy abode; but that man, being
placed by his Creator in perfect equilibrium between heaven and the world, or between the heavenly things of his spiritual mind and the worldly things of his natural mind, was in the enjoyment of the
most perfect spiritual and natural liberty, so that he could turn him self either to the Lord as the tree of life," and thus live under the
"
guidance and influence of

"
his spiritual
"
mind,
or, as
the apostle says,
have his conversation in heaven; or, he could turn himself to his natural mind, and thus live in the exercise merely natural and
<fr
selfish affections,
which
"
is
to eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good
and
or to live a merely natural and sensual life, and conse to be banished from the garden of heavenly intelligence and quently
evil,"
wisdom.
Now,
and
is
to all external things,
the sensual principle, as being the nearest to the world and has in itself a tendency downwards, or outwards,
strongly disposed to judge of things according to their outward
appearances, and to prefer worldly appearances to heavenly realities, and to lead man to prefer earthly good to heavenly good that is, to
;
prefer the good of his body and of his merely natural mind and state, to the good of his soul and of his spiritual mind and state. And as
this
its
is the case with the sensual principle in every man, the serpent, direct corresponding emblem in the world of nature, is represented in the Word of God as tempting man to disobey his Maker. This temptation is directed to the delights of the natural mind and the
;
all of which relate to the world and to man s life in the world and when these delights are preferred to the delights of the spiritual mind, self-love arises as a governing principle, and banishes the love of God above all things as the ruling end and motive in the consti tution of man and the love of the world and of worldly things,
body,
620

;
and man, supplants the love of heaven and of heavenly things instead of becoming spiritually minded, which is life and peace,"
"
becomes sensually and carnally minded, which and spiritual death.
is
enmity against God,

"
The serpent
subtle than
is
said in the history of the temptation, to be
more
"
(Gen.
iii.
any beast of the field which the Lord God had made if not 1), to indicate that the sensual principle which,
elevated and guided by heavenly influences from the Lord in the rational and spiritual degrees of man s life, thinks and reasons solely
from merely outward appearances and fallacies, and would fain per suade us that there is nothing real, nothing worthy of our supreme affection and attachment, but that which the eye can see, the ear can
hear, and the tongue can taste and as there is much plausibility in such reasoning from external fallacies and impressions, the serpent is more subtle than any other animal. said, in the sacred text, to be
;
"
"
When
operate,
state of
this subtle
its first effect is to
reasoning of our sensual principle begins to engender doubt concerning the spiritual
man and
the truth of
God s Word.
of the Serpent signified and also portrayed in the words of the garden of tree hath God said, ye shall not eat every
This doubting state is Yea, This ?

"
"
doubt leads to the

into our souls
fatal denial that all our life flows momentarily from God, and confirms the fallacious and false im
to the appearance, pression that all our life is, in reality, according exist that we and self-derived, independently of God, the only
and thus that man in reality is a god, since the is to have life in him peculiar prerogative and characteristic of God Hence the Serpent says, In the self, self-derived and independent. For day ye eat thereof, ye shall be as gods, knowing good and
fountain of
life,
"
evil."
the greatest of all outward appearances is this that our derived, and that we possess it independently of God
:
life is self;
to believe
from subtle reasoning according to sensual is to separate ourselves at once from God, and from all appearances, Eden. This heavenly wisdom, to be banished from the garden of which wisdom of that emblem the of the supposed serpent, subtlety
which, and
to"
confirm
it
from the fallacious reasonings of the sensual mind, is called by iii. 15.) the apostle, earthly, sensual and devilish." (James the to listened man in which suggestions of Now, that very moment the them and his sensual of the serpent, or preference gave principle, over the heavenly perceptions of his spiritual mind from the Lord,
arises
"
EVIL was originated and commenced
its
deadly work
and the human

mind gradually
fell
621
into a merely natural, sensual and carnal state, from the head to the foot there was no soundness in All this deadly it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores." mischief was brought upon man, or rather he brought it upon himself, by first listening to the suggestions of his sensual nature and by
until at length,
"
notwithstanding the divine warnings and instruc tions to repent and desist. At that awful period, when the serpent had caused such dreadful havoc and misery as to leave no soundness
continuing to do
so,
whatever in the natural mind of man, the great Redeemer came,

according to prophecy, and by his redeeming labors, and by the
glorification of his
Humanity,
"bruised
the serpent s
head;"
that
is,
destroyed the ascendancy of the sensual principle in human nature, and abundantly supplied the divine means from his glorified Hu
manity, to keep
"
it
for ever in subjection in all those

regeneration."
who
faithfully
follow
Him
in the
It is well
tion
is
it
and
known from the writings of Swedenborg, that preserva continual creation, and that subsistence is continual existence will also be found to be a truth, that the continuation of evil
;
in the
world
in
is
its
continual origination
it
for
it
is
continued in the
listening to
same way
which
was
first
originated, namely,
by
and
following out the suggestions of the serpent, or of our sensual nature, in preference to the heavenly perceptions from the Lord, of heavenly truth and order in our spiritual mind. Hence the origin of evil, and an of hell is not also, impenetrable mystery in the consequently theology of the New Church, which, however, could not have been
penetrated and explained, unless the correspondence of the serpent had been opened. For it is evident that when those who had suffered themselves to be seduced by the serpent, or who had allowed their higher rational and spiritual powers to be lulled asleep by the beguil ing and fascinating influence of sensual things and worldly delights,
when such persons had departed from the world, they could not enter into that pure, holy and celestial sphere of love and wisdom called heaven, because their states of life would be in opposition to
that holy and heavenly sphere
;
for as the sensual
and
"
carnal
mind
is
enmity against
God,"
they consequently remained beneath
heaven, and formed that miserable state of existence in the spiritual Hence the origin of hell arid of infernal world, which is called hell.
spirits
from the
human
race.
When man s
natural mind became
corrupt, both hereditarily and actually, by the ascendancy of the sensual principle, the equilibrium was no longer between the world
(522

state
and heaven, or between man s natural as heretofore, but between heaven and
hand, dwell with
"
He
and, on
angels, on the one in the heavenly affections of his spiritual mind gives his angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways the other, unclean and evil spirits from hell dwell with him
hell
;
and and
his spiritual ^tate,
man
;"
evil spirits
in the corrupt dispositions of his natural mind, as is evident from the mentioned in the gospel, whom the Lord cast out.
Man
essential
freedom arises from
this equilibrium in
now placed between heaven and

ful provision of divine
;
"
hell, so that
"
he can, by
life,"
mercy, eat of the tree of ever or he can eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," and spiritually die to the life and happiness of heaven; he can
choose either
before him.
life
which he is wonder and live for

this
or death, the blessing or the curse, which are set
Throughout the Scriptures the serpent, wherever mentioned, signifies the sensual principle of our nature a striking instance to prove this is the next passage in the Word, in which a serpent is named as in
;
Gen.
Dan shall be a serpent in the way, an adder in the horses heels, so that the rider shall fall back that biteth the path, wards." Here the serpent also signifies those who reason concerning
xlix. 17.
"
and spiritual things from the fallacies of the senses the heels of the horse also signify the lowest sensual things of the understand ing, which the serpent is said to bite when they are injured and
truths
;
perverted by false reasonings and when this is the case, the rider, falls backwards," that is, becomes or man in his rational capacity,
;
"
merely external and worldly. Hence among such persons who suffer themselves to be seduced by sensual things, and who trust to the fallacies and blandishments of the senses and their delights as the
only things worthy of their pursuit and attachment, the Lord is said to send serpents and cockatrices which shall bite them." ( Jer. viii.
"
servants, in order to
Moses rod was changed into a serpent before Pharaoh and his show the sensual state to which the church among them had become reduced, owing to their perversions and for it is falsifications of divine truth, denoted by the rod of Moses
17.)
;
the seductive power of the serpent or the abuse of our sensual prin the ciple which changes, in the strong language of the apostle,
"
God into a (Rom. i. 25.) The people of Israel were and destroyed by fiery serpents in the wilderness, in order to exhibit to us by the most striking types (for the apostle says that 1 Cor. x. 9) the deadly evils of our sensual nature, they were types
truth of
lie."
bitten
623
when not controlled and governed by spiritual influences from the Lord. And Moses was commanded to lift up a brazen serpent, in order that all who beheld it might be cured of the plague. That the brazen serpent represented the Lord, is plain from his own divine As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even declaration so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe in Him may not perish, but have eternal (John iii. 14, 15.) To the unenlightened natural mind it may appear very strange that the Lord should be represented by so hideous a creature as a
"
life."
e^rpent; but the opening of the spiritual sense of the Word has erplained to us how this is to be understood. The Lord, by redemption and the glorification of his Humanity, most mercifully accommodated
his divine
and saving influences

fallen
;
to every state of degradation into
the lowest state of sensual evil was repre sented by the fiery serpents, and their deadly effects upon the body. Now, the accommodation and application of redeeming and saving
influences from the
"
which
man had
Lord
to this dreadful state of fallen
man, are
For represented by the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness." we know that the Lord has all the infinite degrees of divine life in his Humanity, which constitute the finite degrees of our humanity
;
and that He has consequently a divine Rational, a divine Natural, and a divine Sensual principle for as these are the principal con stituents of human nature, and as it would be impossible for us to be men without them, so the Lord, in like manner, would not be a DIVINE and PERFECT MAN without them.
;
In order, therefore, to save us from the deep-rooted evils of our Ltnsual nature, the Lord as our divine Savior is represented as a brazen serpent," to denote that from the divine sensual principle of
"
his
Humanity,
He accommodates his saving influences to the depraved

In
this
sensual nature of fallen man.
manner
"
it
is
that the
Lord
can save
to the uttermost,"
as the apostle says,
God by
Him,"
r
that
is,
all
who come unto

to the
the
who come unto Divine Nature or God

all
head which dw ells, according
same
apostle, in all fulness in the
Christ. It might also be asked why the serpent was made of brass in preference to any other metal. was it not made of gold, or silver, or iron ? This question, also, can only be answered from a knowledge of the Science of Correspondences according to which the
Lord Jesus
Why
Word
is
written.
For
brass signifies goodness

;
from the Lord in the

"
jensual degree of man s life hence the Lord, as seen in vision by John, "was, as to his feet, like unto fine brass (Rev. i. 15), because
()24:
the feet, as being the lowest part of the body, represent the lowest part of the mind, which is the sensual but gold and silver would
;
signify goodness of a higher order, belonging to the celestial and and consequently, if the serpent had spiritual degrees of the mind been made of any other metal, the Lord would not have been repre
;
sented in a
manner accommodated
to the sensual state of
man, and the
healing and saving effects would not have followed. The poison of the serpent which is also mentioned in the Scriptures, signifies the deceit and cunning of the perverse sensual principle in
Their poison is like the poison are adder that stoppeth her ear." like the deaf they deaf" when The said be it remains adder is "to Iviii. 4.) (Ps. insensible to music, or to the voice of the charmer for in eastern
man.
Thus of the wicked

;
"
it is
said,
of a serpent
countries
it is still
the effects
customary to charm serpents by music and when which the charmer wishes to produce for the amusement
;
of the spectators, do not follow, the serpent figure is mentioned to teach us, that when
is
said to be deaf.
is
This
man
sensually-minded
he
is
deaf and insensible to

This charming by
"
all
goodness. the Lord
the charms of spiritual truth and the voice and by music reminds us of
words, we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced," etc., which denote that, notwithstanding the charming efforts of divine love to awaken in the minds of men the spiritual affections of truth
s
and
still
their consequent delights signified
by dancing, the human mind

heavenly charms.
"
remained deaf and insensible
to the
It is also said
be hid from
my
of the carnally-minded and wicked, Though they sight at the bottom of the sea, thence will I command
The bottom of the serpent, and he shall bite them." (Amos ix. 3.) the sea denotes the lowest sensual things, in which the wicked are
said to be hid
evils
in
;
which
will eventually
and the serpent and
biting them represents the dreadful

for ever
torment those who remain
the Jewish church, when the Lord came into the world, was reduced to a merely sensual state, and the serpent then had dreadfully reared its head, soon however to be bruised by
such a
state.
As
the great Redeemer, the Lord so often called the Pharisees a genera tion of vipers," because the viper was correspondent to their sensual
"
and malignant
state.
The Lord enjoined
his disciples
"
to
be as wise
and as harmless as doves," because the sensual mind is extremely prudent and circumspect as to everything worldly, which relates to the comfort and happiness of man s life in the world and the Lord requires his disciples to be equally prudent and circum[or prudent] as serpents
;
625
;
spect in relation to the spiritual life and happiness of their souls thus, when the prudence and circumspection of the external man is
under the guidance and influence of heavenly principles in the internal is then combined with the harmlessness of the dove man, the man the and is of serpent," prudence truly Avise.
"
" "
gives his disciples "power to tread upon serpents (Luke x. 18) and He also gives them "power to take up serpents" (Mark In the former case, serpents signify the perverse sensual xvi. 18).
;
The Lord
"
things in man, and also evil and unclean spirits who, as we have seen above, are in the closest connection with the unclean and wicked
things of our sensual nature to tread upon them, is to subdue and reject them by the divine power which the Lord continually gives us
;
for this purpose

to
and
in the latter case, to take
up
serpents, signifies
elevate and purify the things of our sensual nature, which is effected by faith in the Lord and a life of love according to his pre
to take up serpents," spiritually understood, is one of The Lord then enters the true signs of a living faith in the Lord. into a covenant with the creeping things of the ground (Hosea ii. 18), and purifies and blesses all our external appetites and desires, so that,
"
cepts.
Hence,
"
"
"
whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we do

God"
all to
the glory
of
(1 Cor. x. 31).
correspondent
Ancient mythology also confirms the truth that the serpent is the emblem of the sensual principle in man. The giants
who waged war
against the gods, were represented as having, among other hideous features, their legs and feet like serpents. Python,* the huge serpent which Apollo, the god of light and truth, slew with
arrow s, was evidently a mythological emblem of the perverse sensual principle of human nature and the hydra with many monstrous heads,
r ;
which Hercules destroyed, had a similar signification. The fury, Envy, was seen by Minerva in her miserable house in hell, eating the flesh
of vipers,
"
Videt intus edentem
Vipereas Carnes, vitiorum alimenta suorum

Invidiam," etc.
to denote, that this
malignant passion
is
nourished by the corruptions
of our sensual nature.

Seeing, then,
*
what the sensual principle
is,
how much we ought
to
Those are called Pythons, says E.

utter
who
them
S., who speak falsities from deceit or purpose, and in a tone of voice that seems to proceed from spiritual affection. (Se
T. C. R. 324.)
53
2P
626
watch and pray against the perverse influence and operation of sensual He who professes the doctrines of fallacies, appetites and pleasures
!
the
Church, and does not at the same time, by daily taking up his cross, subdue his natural cupidities and appetites, and keep them under the controlling influence of a religious and spiritual principle,
New
one of the greatest enemies to the holy cause he professes to If he does not in time take heed to his ways, and sincerely advocate. of life, from having had so clear a repent by changing his course of the truth, his states will be filled up with a greater
is
knowledge measure of wickedness and condemnation, than the

realities
states of others
not blessed with so clear a discernment of divine truths

;
for
"
the servant that
knew
his
Lord
s will,
and eternal and prepared

MINUS,
not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with
many
stripes."
(Luke
xii.
47,)
CHAPTER
XYII.
NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE AND FORM TRUTH AND LOVE AHI: SUBSTANTIAL THE NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL BODY OBJECTS IN TIIK SPIRITUAL WORLD, AND THE LAW OF THEIR EXISTENCE DISCRETE DEGREES, CONFIRMING THE DOCTRINE OF CORRESPONDENCE GOD, THE INFINITE AND SELF-EXISTING SUBSTANCE.*
according to divine order, is illustrative of his infinite Love, Wisdom and Power. The old hypothesis, "that all things were created out of nothing," is now for the most part exploded as a ground less fancy, irrational and absurd. Those who still cling to this old
truly philosophical
fancy, prove that they have not attained to a knowledge of what is and spiritual. This idea of a creation out of
CREATION are
is
an outbirth of the Creator, and in
all its
parts which
nothing, if such an idea can be possible, is supposed to have some The things ground to stand upon in an assertion of the apostle which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Heb.
"
xi. 3.) These words, however, by no means teach that the things which are seen were created out of nothing, but that they were created
out of things which do not appear to the bodily sight and the things which do not thus appear, are the things which exist in the spiritual world, and which are substantial, and the proximate cause of the
;
creation and existence of things in the natural world, which are

material.
Without a knowledge of the spiritual world, and of its relation to and likewise without some discernment of the nature of the substances and objects which exist in that world, and also of the laws by which they are governed, it is ideas impossible to have
the natural
;
proper
spiritual and heavenly things which exist in the spiritual universe, and especially in the Lord s kingdom and the things which exist in this latter are representative of the infinite things of Love, Wisdom and Power which exist in the
;
concerning the creation of all things by God. is as a theatre representative of the
The natural universe
From
the Intellectual Repository for Dec., 1844.
627
628

Thus
"
the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." (Horn. i. 20.) The
Lord Himself.
WORD
as one with the
all things were made, is the DIVINE TRUTH acting DIVINE LOVE or GOODNESS. Truth is not a mere conception of the mind in conformity with the true nature of things
by which
still less, is it
a mere fiat or declaration of the mouth, but
it is
the very
"
Lord said, I AM THE TRUTH," He declared that Truth is a substance and a form, which in its divine origin, or in the Lord, is the divine and infinite substance and form, from which all other substances and forms, both in the spiritual and natural worlds, are only derivations and forma
essential substance of all things.
When
therefore the
tions.
A. C. 7270. In the spiritual world these substances and forms constituting the
and substantial
of objects and scenery there beheld, are called spiritual and because they exist from the Sun of the spiritual world as their proximate origin, they are of a different nature, and
infinite variety
;
are governed by laws essentially different from those by which objects in the natural world are governed because these latter objects are
;
from the sun of nature as their proximate origin, and hence they have a nature, and are governed by laws peculiar to themselves. To think,
therefore, of the substances
and forms of the
spiritual
world with the

in general,
same ideas
world,
is
as
we think of the substances and forms of the natural

;
to think erroneously
hence the cause
why people
spiritual world filled with objects in varieties infinitely greater than can be seen upon earth, recoil at the idea, and treat it with ridicule, because they can only think of them in the same
when they hear of a
manner
are instructed
Arid, indeed, before they they must needs be excused. Let us take the spiritual body and the natural body of man as a These two basis of our contemplation and reasoning on this subject.
as they think of material objects.
how
the case
is,
forms of man, the one spiritual and the other natural, exist simul the one is the form of his mind, by which he is an in taneously,
habitant of the spiritual world; and the other is his bodily material organization, by which he is an inhabitant of the natural world.
That these two forms of man

"
exist simultaneously, is plainly declared the when he fhere is a natural body, and there by says, apostle Paul, is a the spiritual body apostle speaks in the present tense,
"
"
there
is,"
in order to
is
show that these two forms exist simultaneously.

This spiritual
And
such
the uniform testimony of Swedenborg.
NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE.

form
is
629
life, but^the natural form is the does not enter consciously into the possession and enjoyment of his spiritual form or body, until he has left the natural body by death no more than the chrysalis, so long
the seat of all
man
mental
seat of all his bodily
life.
Man
;
enjoyment of the power which it has, by virtue of its golden wings, of rising, when it becomes an imago or perfect butterfly, from the ground, and winging its flight in the aerial regions, skimming over the flowery meads, and feeding on ambrosia and nectar. Before it can do this, the pupa-state which bound it to the earth must be put off. So long as man is in a material body, he is comparatively in this pupa-state, bound by the laws of space and of time, shackled as to his mental powers, earthbound as
it is is
as
in the pupa-state,
in the conscious
of his conceptions and ideas, and gross as to his affections The laws of creation and of order require him to pass this state, which, although indispensable, is not intended to through last long that because, as the apostle says in the same chapter,
to
many
and
pursuits.
"
which
thrice
is,
is
natural
r
this state
is first, and afterwards that which is In spiritual." w e are trained and prepared for the heavenly world and
;
happy are they who
suffer themselves to
be duly prepared, that
be regenerated. utmost importance that we should have correct ideas of the nature of spiritual substances and forms, since otherwise there can be no genuine intelligence and philosophy concerning anything
to
It is of the
above the mere

of
senses.
Now,
the spiritual body, or the spiritual form
life and activity, is evidently and to different laws from those which exist in the natural world, and to which the natural body is subject. \Vhen speaking of mind we use terms taken from natural objects and we say that the mind is greater little, enlarged or contracted, high or
is
man which
the seat of all his mental
subject to a different order,
low, acute or obtuse, etc.

literally
but we never think that these properties
belong to the mind, except only in a remote and figurative sense. Hence we think of mental states and activities independently of the laws of nature and we form, in some measure, spiritual ideas of mind and its phenomena.
;
By the term spiritual, we mean what is separate from the laws and conditions of nature, and what is peculiar to the laws and conditions of the spiritual world. The spirit or mind of man, when in perfect freedom of thought, thinks already to a certain extent in agreement
with the laws of that world which
It thinks of
it
is
destined to inhabit forever.
53 *
departed friends as being exempt from the laws of matter
630
and of space, and as existing in a state and world in which other laws are applicable and operative it also thinks of them as being in the human form, infinitely more lovely and perfect than when upon earth. When, however, these things are brought in Swedenborg s Heaven and Hell" as facts and truths directly under the mind s eye, and
;
"
especially if they are urged upon the attention by various arguments, they are in general denied, and considered to be merely imaginary. This arises from the fallacy of the senses, which would fain persuade
no other
us.
us that there are no other substances and forms, and consequently objects, than those which we behold in external nature around
We
are liable to be led
by these
fallacies
and
their false per
suasions, (unless the
and phil grounded is excited, which in con our selfish in as principle osophy,) proportion One great means of being troversy is unhappily too often the case.
is
mind
in genuine doctrine
elevated above the fallacies of the senses and their false persuasions, a love, void of selfish regard for the is to cherish a disinterested love,
which belongs in a teaches us that spiritual peculiar sense to New Church philosophy substances and forms, although existing in material substances and forms as the cause of their existence and preservation, may be sepa
rated from
in a
object of investigation and discussion. The doctrine of Discrete Degrees a doctrine
them and continue
their existence in a
more
perfect state,
world more fully accommodated to their nature and activity. But merely natural forms when separated from their spiritual forms,
can no longer
exist,
but are dissolved into earthly elements and enter
new combinations, serving as new forms for the activities in nature of spiritual substances, and for the reception of the influx of life from
into
This is evident from the case of the natural body which dies and is dissolved when the spiritual form or body leaves it at death. Nature plainly shows us that there are forms within forms, as in the wonderful transformations of insects and also that an interior form can live in a higher state of perfection than the exterior which Thus when the imago emerges is dissolved when the interior quits it. from the pupa, as in the case of the common butterfly which sports over our fields, the latter is abandoned and the former needs it no
God.
longer.
And this
it is
is
kingdom, but
fruit
more general
its shell,
not only the case in many provinces of the animal in the vegetable kingdom. Every
or
its capsule. or mani its forth own use, put until the husk, the shell and the capsule
has
its
husk,
its
rind,
and every seed has
Nor does the

fest its
fruit or the seed properly

life
proper vegetative

are removed.
butterfly,
631
These latter are necessary for the formation of the

for the
and
maturing of the
fruit
and
seed, just as the
material body is necessary for the substantiation, formation and re generation of the spirit nor can this latter properly put forth its
;
spiritual
and heavenly
the former
life
is
in all its beauty, loveliness,
wisdom and
bliss, until
laid
down by
death.
Thus even in nature we are instructed that there are forms within and that the interior forms may continue to exist in a more But all perfect state when the exterior are put off and dissolved.
forms,
these facts, evident to our observation, are intended to instruct us, or to illustrate the case when we are instructed, that in man there is a
spiritual substance
and form which continues
to exist after the death
of the material body. Man, however, is the sole subject which con tinues to exist in the spiritual world after the death of the external
form, because he possesses rational and spiritual forms for the recep tion of spiritual and rational life from God, which no animal possesses
thereby immortal. The doctrine of Discrete Degrees shows the laws by which interior or spiritual forms and exterior or natural
he
is
forms are connected together, not by continuity, but by correspond ence and influx. (See D. L. W., Part iii.)
that
to Hermes Trismegistus, things in the spiritual world exist also in the natural world in a natural form and that all things in the natural world exist also These spiritual forms, in the spiritual world in a spiritual form."
It
"
was a maxim of ancient wisdom ascribed

all
says Swedenborg, are, as to their appearance, similar to natural forms, but in every other respect, both as to their origin and the laws by which they are governed, entirely dissimilar. They exist also in the
spiritual
law of their existence
world in infinitely greater variety than in the natural. The is, that they should be the correspondents and
exponents of the internal or mental states of the inhabitants whom they surround so that in those objects as in living emblems, the real The frogs, togethef states of the spiritual inhabitants may be seen.
;
states of a
with the other plagues of Egypt, were correspondences to the infernal degraded church, and striking exponents of the evil lusts which actuated its perverted members. Loathsome objects and hor
rible scenes are beheld as surrounding the wicked in those nether regions of the spiritual world called hell and we are instructed that
;
the same history is still and forever applicable to a fallen and per verted church, and to every member who remains unregenerate and wicked. Whereas, the sheep and lambs lying down in green pastures,
632
and feeding beside the
still waters (Ps. xxiii.), are objects which to a and are heavenly state, correspond exponents of the peace and faithful of the who in live the happiness acknowledgment that the
Lord
is
their shepherd.
It
is
plainly evident from the prophets,
especially from Ezekiel, Zechariah, and John (in the Revelation), that nearly all the scenery and objects which they beheld and describe, were not in the natural but in the spiritual world for they expressly
;
and that they described the things heard and saw." they are two there universal Now, principles or conditions which charac terize nature, and consequently all things in nature. These are space and time ; the former is extended, and consequently measurable ; the latter is successive, that is, existing from moment to moment, and con But space and time as conditions of nature, sequently determinable. have no existence in the spiritual world, any more than inches or feet are predicable of mind and if certain phrases, such as deep thoughts, high ideas, etc., are frequently predicated of mind, yet no one ever thinks of taking them in their literal sense, but merely as expressions which emphatically and accurately convey the meaning intended [because of the correspondence between natural and spiritual height and depth, of which every one has a perception]. But although space and time and their conditions have no existence
state that they were which in that state
"
in the
spirit,"
"
;.
in the spiritual world, yet as objects there for the most part resemble objects in this world as to appearance, it follows that spiritual objects
The laws of their prox likewise appear to exist as in space and time. and remoteness are not those of mensuration, but those of mental imity
and repugnance. Similitude of affection causes their attrac and proximity, and dissimilitude causes repulsion ?nd distance, corresponding to the laws of attraction and repulsion in nature. Ob jects in this world proceed from their beginnings, either as seeds or
affinity
tion
eggs, according to the laws of succession in nature. They successively grow, arrive at maturity, decay, and perish. But this law of succes
sion
is
to spiritual objects,
peculiar to natural objects only, and does not obtain in respect which do not gradually grow from seeds or eggs,
but exist instantaneously according to the changes of state in the
Nor does this appear more strange to them than the succession of growth to maturity in terrestrial objects does to us, because they think not from objects but from states of mind
minds of the inhabitants.
;
whereas we think from objects and not from states. Objects in nature are at the same time the subjects of our thoughts whereas with them
;
633
thoughts
think.
objects are only the external representatives and exponents of their and states of mind are the subjects in and from which they
;
(See A. E., Vol. vi., pp. 396, 397.) To understand this rightly, will enable us to see the difference between natural and spiritual ob
jects,
relation
the laws by which they are respectively governed, and also the which they respectively sustain to the inhabitants of both
worlds.
But if spiritual substances and forms are totally exempt from the laws and conditions of space, time and matter, and if to think of them from those laws is to think materially and erroneously, how much
more
is this the case in respect to divine substances and forms, which are infinitely exempt from the laws of matter, time and space That God is the infinite and self-existing substance and form, from which
!
substances and forms both spiritual and natural are deriva and formations, is the primary and fundamental truth upon which all human and angelic intelligence must be based. Admit this, and you begin to emerge from the darkness of materialism,
all finite
tions
When atheism, naturalism, into the light of genuine intelligence. the apostle called God a SUBSTANCE, wtofcwtj* (Heb. i. 3), he did not mean to instruct us that God is such as material substances are, but
which are in exempt from the laws of matter, space and time. And when the Athanasian Creed, employing in Greek the same term as the
finitely
that there are other substances besides those in nature,
apostle,
Father"
calls
it
God a
did not
is
substance
"
being of one substance with the
stance there
meant
to inculcate the gross idea that the sub similar to natural substance consequently, both
;
mean
the apostle Paul and the Athanasian creed teach, not only that there are spiritual substances, but also a divine substance.
Now, it is impossible to think of a substance without a form, since the former cannot exist without the latter hence God as a substance
;
must be
in a
form which
is
infinite
"
and
divine.
The
apostle accord
Jesus Christ being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." (Phil. ii. 6.) Here it is plainly asserted that the human form in which Jesus ap
:
ingly says that
God has
a form
is
peared, especially after his resurrection THE FORM OF GOD this divine form
;
"
when He was
is
fully glorified,
also called
"
by the
all
"
Lord s glorious body" and he states that of the Godhead dwelleth BODILY." Hence it
the
*
is
in
is
Him
that
apostle the fulness

is
He
equal
meaning of the term VTTOCOO-IC substance, and is so rendered in Heb. xi.

literal
The
and ought to have been the above passage.

1
;
so translated in
634
with
God,"

that
is,
view of angels and
God Himself brought forth to the men in a Divine Human Form, or

"
intellectual
as a Divine
"
form of a good, all wise, and everywhere present. The He also took upon Himself, in servant," which, as the apostle says, which He made Himself of no reputation, and in which He humbled
Man,
all
Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the (Phil. ii. 7), was the humanity taken from the mother, which was in the likeness of sinful flesh." (Rom. viii. 3.) Hence the that the Lord had the form of God and the form of a teaches apostle both were human but the form of a servant was the merely servant, human form taken from the mother, which He entirely put off, and
"
cross
"
the other the Divine
Human Form
which form
fill
taken from the Father or the

"
essential Divinity, with
He
ascended far above

iv. 10),
all
heavens that
might things (Eph. the only Object of worship to angels in heaven, because in that and the Lord s divine form He is over all, God blessed forever
He
"
all
and
in
which
He
is
"
"
will can only be
done upon earth as
it is
done
is
Church be
worshiped.
established, in proportion as
He
in heaven, and his true thus acknowledged and
APEX.
CHAPTER
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE
XVIII.
ITS
HUMAN BODY AND
PARTS TO THINGS
SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE.*
body, so fearfully and wonderfully formed, is an epitome of Divine Order, showing how the Deity operates by his life-giving influx, and in what manner uses of every kind are per formed. The body, viewed physiologically as to its organs, functions and uses, is a type of all the divine operations, and also of the divine
-
TPHE human
economy in the universe. As a microcosm or little world, the body the image of the macrocosm or great world. Whatever principles of science have ever been discovered in mechanics, chemistry, hy
is
draulics, hydrostatics, botany, electricity, etc., are perfectly

in the
human frame by
all
its
functions and uses.
imaged Thus the body is the
temple of
But
this
the sciences, both physical and philosophical.! image can be rationally seen only by analogy and corre
Thus in the human system there is a perfect image of spondence. domestic order, the economy of the body is the type of the household
How one principle is subordinated to coordinated together, is perfectly exemplified in man s corporeal system. For without subordination and coordina tion there can be no order, and without order nothing can subsist in
in
which we should
live.
another, and
how
all are
its
human system
political
proper state so as to perform its destined use. Again, in the there is a perfect exhibition of civil order and of
the
The body politic is conceived of as being in form, according to which the mind not only derives its metaphors of language, but its principles of thought. But lastly, the church and kingdom of God are thought of in accordance with
government.
human
the
human form
it is,
the principles which govern this form also govern

is
the mind
when properly thinking about heaven and the church.

that heaven
called
"
Hence
v. 30.)
Christ
mystical
body,"
and the
;
faithful are said to be
members of that body.
(1 Cor. vi.
15
Eph.
From
the Intellectual Repository for January, 1851.

s
t See
Swedenborg
Animal Kingdom,
317.
635
636
Now, from what has been said, it will follow that physiology is a most important science, not only to the medical practitioner, but to the general reader, since it forms, more directly than any other
science,
the basis of theology.

his
It
supplies
a ground of thought
soul, more solid and respecting God, Even the divine Word firm than any other kind of knowledge. itself, the only source of all revealed knowledge respecting divine
kingdom, and the human
and
spiritual realities,
is
likened by Swedenborg to a
man
and the
prophets, especially Elijah and John the Baptist, represented even as From the importance, then, of to their dress, the Word of God.
on subjects relating
physiology as a science, forming the basis of thought and reflection to the human soul, to God, and universally to
things spiritual, celestial, and divine, every individual who desires to be gifted with any degree of spiritual and rational intelligence, should
means of
cultivate a knowledge of anatomy and physiology as the principal access to the great world of interior realities, or of genuine
intelligence
consider that the
and that
it
and wisdom. This will become more evident when we body and its parts often occur in the Scriptures, is impossible to understand their true meaning without a
spiritual discernment, or a spiritual perception of their correspondence to what is heavenly and divine. This will abundantly appear as we
proceed.
The head and
its
coverings, the hair, the scalp
and the skull
fre
quently occur in Scripture, and in most cases in so striking a manner as at once to evince that something ulterior or spiritual is implied. One of the most universal metaphors of language is the head, as
denoting the chief, primary, essential and governing principle in relation to the subject of which it is predicated. As being the
as central seat of the powers both of the will and understanding, in is at once an the mind its first the head denoting principles, obvious figure of the governing principle of the soul. From the
head everything in the body

all
is
animated with
life
life.
Here
it
is
that
correspondent, exists, and from which, with a velocity greater than that of electricity, it is communicated to the entire Here likewise dwell all system.
motion, the
first
indication of
as well as
its first
The head the organs of sense, and here all sensation is experienced. in find that all those the of the we being passages in the top body, Word where in the common version we meet with the term top, in
Hebrew
unto
it
is
head.
"
Thus,
xi. 4.)
heaven."
(Gen.
the tower, whose top (head) may reach The top {head) of the ladder reached
"
THE HUMAN BODY AND

to
heaven."
stone,"
ITS PARTS.
oil
637
(xxviii. 12.)
etc.
"Jacob
poured
the
all
This
is its
common
on the top (head) of metaphorical meaning, because
cases in
correspondences have relation to the human form, and in most Hebrew, designations of objects are taken from parts of the
body.
13.)
Thus we read of
This
is
"
trees clapping their
hands."
(Isaiah Iv.
adduced
in order to
to
from heaven, has relation thereto, and monstrous.

life,
show that everything when viewed the human form, or to what is opposite
The correspondence of the head as the governing principle of the will now be obvious and the numerous allusions in the Word to the head will be seen in their true and edifying meaning. Hence the Lord is said to be the lifter up of mine head (Ps. iii. 3), to denote
"
"
that during the process of regeneration He elevates the governing principle of our life to the love of Himself above all things, by which elevation our head is truly lifted up above our enemies
"
"
(Ps. xxvii. 6), the evils to
which we are prone.
our head with

divine love
oil"
(Ps. xxiii. 5), to denote that
He He
also
"anoints
flows with his
supreme principles of our life, and thus governs and blesses all things in the mind of man. Of what use would it be to anoint the head with oil, unless it had this spiritual Hence it is that to anoint the head is one of the divine signification?
oil
into the inmost or
(Matt. vi. 17) to open the heart to the precepts of the Gospel Our iniquities are said to go over our reception of the Lord s love. heads (Ps. xxxviii. 4) when, during temptations, we feel the sinfulness of our depraved nature, and dread lest it should become the governing principle of our life. In this case we feel that the whole head is sick" (Isaiah i. 5), which signifies that even the governing
"
principles of our
life
alone can
we be healed and
are nothing but evil, and that from the Lord restored to spiritual health. The mis
vii.
is said to return upon his own head (Ps. to that to the law of action and reaction, 16), signify, according which is as prevalent in spiritual things as in natural, the evil
chief or evil of the wicked
intended always comes back again with sevenfold vengeance upon him who intends it for all intentions and designs originate in the
;
governing love, or the head ; here also is the seat of all our motives, or of every thing which moves us to think, feel and act.
The hair which covers the head, and which is found more or less over the whole body, denotes, in relation to the principles of our life, what is most external and ultimate. As in nature or the great world
around us
54
all active principles
and
forces
from the sun terminate
ia
638

and
fixedness, so in like
inactivity, inertia
manner
in the little world
of man, the body, all the active principles and forces of life from the head, terminate in the bones, cartilages, nails and hairs which are the
ultimates where things settle down in comparative inertia and fixed Now the hair, and ness, deprived of nearly all sensation and life.
especially the hair of the head,
is
often mentioned in Scripture in a
impossible to understand but discovered to our perceptions signification, spiritual
manner which
it
is
correspondences. In confirmation of this out of many passages only a few. What, for instance, is meant by the
prophet, that
iii.
"
by means of the by the science of statement we will adduce

s
Lord
declaration in the
"
24). Again, And also, shave the head and the hair of the feet" f (Isaiah vii. 20). what is involved in the divine command to Jerusalem "Cut off thine
hair,
instead of well-set hair there shall be baldness what is signified when it is said that the
f (Isaiah
"
Lord
shall
Jerusalem,
and cast
"
it
away
;
f (Jer. vii. 29).
Every man who
believes the
Word
to be divine,
involved in these statements
can see that something important is but he cannot have a clear perception
of the divine teaching, unless he knows from correspondence the spiritual signification of the hair.
Of
all
the institutions
among
the Jews, that of the Nazariteship

:
was probably the most remarkable see Numbers vi., where the laws to be observed by the Nazarites are stated. One of these laws commands
that the Nazarite, during his
vow
of separation, or of his especial

;
"
should suffer no razor to come upon his head and that he should let the locks of the hair of his head grow (verse
consecration to God,
"
There were, it appears, two kinds of Nazarites one like Samson 5). and John the Baptist, who were Nazarites from their infancy and
:
voluntarily took upon themselves the vow of the for a season only, after which they returned to their Nazariteship usual avocations, and to their ordinary mode of living. But the
another kind
who
in distinguishing characteristic of the Nazarite was his hair: and for it is expressly staled the this was Samson to case, especially respect that his wonderful strength consisted in his hair and that when his
;
locks were shorn, his strength failed him (Judges xvi. 17, 19). Now, no merely rational investigation could ever discover the reason why the
of this strength of Samson consisted chiefly in his hair. No rationale circumstance can be discovered a posteriori by our ordinary modes of
thinking and of rational investigation. Hence it is that mere rationalists, or those who reason from merely external grounds of thought, and from
THE HUMAN BODY AND
ITS PARTS.
6S9
skeptical and negative principles, consider the history of Samson to be a mere fable from beginning to end and so reject the Scriptures. This is the case with many at the present time in the Protestant uni
;
versities
and
colleges of
Germany, and
also with
is
But
as
a,
it
should be borne in mind that there
some in tkis country a true rationalism as wel
false,
and that the
true consists in reasoning
from more elevated
or more interior principles of thought, and thus in "judging not according to the appearance, but judging righteous judgment." But when the doctrine of correspondences and representatives is understood, new fields of thought, especially in relation to the Word
of God, are opened to the
mind
and Avhat before might appear

"
fabulous, or as the apostle says, foolishness to the natural man, assumes now a different aspect, and becomes the wisdom of God
unto
of
salvation."
Hence
of
it
is
that the discovery of the true nature
spiritual sense by the science of corre spondences, is not only indispensable to its right interpretation, but absolutely requisite to rescue the Scriptures themselves from rejection
its
God s Word, and
by the increasing po\vers of infidelity. We learn from science that no power can be exercised but by ultimate principles. Thus, none of the internal physical powers of the body in the brain and in the heart, can be exercised but by tho arms, hands and feet which are its ultimates. None of the mental powers of the will and the intellect can be realized but by the mouth, and in general by the muscular energies of the body which are ultimates. The same may be said of the steam-engine none of its
:
wonderful powers can be realized in useful effects, but by suitable machinery consisting of levers and wheels which form its ultimates.
All powers, therefore, are exercised in ultimates. Now as the hair is the extreme ultimate of man, we may see, from the doctrine of
and correspondences according to which the Word of how it was that the great power of Samson resided in his hair ; and as all the types and representatives in their supreme sense relate to the Lord, hence Samson was a type of the Lord in
representatives
God
is
written,
the flesh as our Redeemer, that
is,
clothed with the ultimates of
humanity in which He subjugated the hells and accomplished the work of universal redemption. The power of Samson, therefore, rep~ resented the Lord s omnipotence when He descended into ultimates, or when the Word became flesh." And generally He represented the power which every man by regeneration receives from the Lord, who alludes to this power when He says, If ye have faith as a grain
" "
640

Remove hence
to
of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
xvii. 20). Hence the very important truth appears we now, while in ultimates, endeavor to remove and reject, through the Lord s mercy and power, evil as the governing principle of our lives, we cannot possibly remove it after death when we leave the world of ultimates, any more than a man can walk without feet,
"
yonder place, and unto you (Matt.

that unless
it
shall
remove
and nothing
shall be impossible
which are his ultimates, or than a locomotive can speed its way with out wheels, which are in a like manner its ultimates. This, then, was the reason why the strength of Samson resided in
his hair
;
ship, to cut
and why the Nazarite was not allowed, during his Nazaritehis hair. For hereby was represented the power of
: ;
celestial good in ultimates hence we may see the reason why Jesus was called a Nazarene, and why He dwelt in Nazareth (Matt. ii. 23) and also why, when the Lord acknowledged himself to be Jesus of Nazareth, the officers who came to take Him went backivard and fell to
ground (John xviii. 6), to denote the divine power which came from Him as the Divine Nazarite so remarkably represented by Sam son who was a Nazarite from his infancy.
the
in the passage This finish and adornment to the body is a type of the orderly arrangement of all principles in ultimates that is, in our sensual and corporeal affections and appetites. When these are
We
may now
see the signification of
"
well-set hair
"
quoted above.
well-set,
that
is,
when they
are subordinated
and arranged under
higher principles of spiritual and heavenly order, the Lord can flow in and bless with his divine operation and presence, every state of our
lives
from inmost
to outermost principles.
is
We
may
also see the
reason
"
why Jerusalem
commanded
in the passage quoted above,
to cut off her hair and cast it away," to signify the cleansing of our sensual and corporeal states, that new ultimates may be formed denoted by the new growth of the hair. It is also evident why the
Lord is said, in reference to the king of Assyria, to shave the head and the hair of the and to consume the beard (Isaiah vii.
" "
"
feet,"
20)
which implies that
all
who from
sensual
fallacies as to the
ultimate principles of thought, have cherished skepticism and in fidelity against Divine Truth, will, at the time of judgment, be
rejected.
Hence we may
;
also see
why
baldness was considered a

;
reproach in the representative church. (See Lev. xxi. 5 Isaiah iii. Ezekiel vii. 18.) For this imperfection signifies the desti 24, xv. 2
tution of truth in ultimates,
which
is
the case with those
who
are
THE HUMAN BODY AND ITS PARTS.
641
worldly love and

selfish
confirmed in false doctrines, and also with those who, from inordinate selfishness, are unconcerned about the knowledge of divine truth, except they can turn it to account in promoting some
As
the case of
advantage in the way of honor and gain. Absalom and his wonderful hair
is
very peculiar,
involving mysteries of wisdom which should be known in order that the Word may be rationally and spiritually discerned, and thus vindicated from the insults and assaults of infidelity, we shall resume
the subject together with the correspondence of the skull in another
paper.
SCRUTATOR.
54*
2Q
CHAPTER
TJIE
XIX.
TRUE WORSHIP OF THE LORD KEPRESENTED BY THE OFFERINGS or THE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF GOLD. FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH, AS UNFOLDED BY CORRESPONDENCE.*
is
than time, and the opportunities of presents working out our salvation by the of thought, imagination and act of our every purpose, subjection external to some divine and spiritual principle from the WORD OF
1VTOTHING
U*
it
more precious
to us
every moment
GOD
and
in our internal
man.
"
Thus
"
to seek first the
kingdom of God
our great and blessed duty, as well as the The performance of this great safeguard against evil of every kind. and practice of his in the and the faith love Lord, duty, through that whensoever it the with blessed assurance holy precepts, brings
his righteousness
is
the Son of
"
Man
cometh
to
summon jis
hence,
He
will find us ready,
with our loins girded and our lamps burning." Our months and days here are most precious because in time, during our probation in the world, we form the plane and the basis of our
spiritual
creation;
"
and eternal states. We are now in the ultimate plane of and as regeneration can only be commenced in ultimates, the more we now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation cultivate our privileges here, the more extended, deep and solid will
"
become the plane or base upon which our mansion of

can be erected.
;
bliss hereafter
This plane or base can be cultivated to an indefinite moment extent may add something to its extension and every Our natural state may be compared to a vast wilderness, culture.
like the uncultivated plains of Australia or
America, which in their
natural state grow nothing useful for man ;f but which are susceptible of cultivation to an indefinite extent, and of producing fruits in every
variety for the good of mankind.
* From the Intellectual Repository for Jan uary, 1851. t See Major Mitchell s account of Austra
lia,
Thus, whilst we are here, the

animals, yet they could find nothing truly useful for man." It would hence appear that everything truly useful for man is the result of culture, or of our cooperation with
the Lord
s
in
which he
says,
"that
after travelling
miles in every direction, although there was much vegetation and many wild
many
Providence.
642
GOLD, FRANKINCENSE
AND MYRRH.
643
cultivation of our natural state can be enlarged, and the portions already brought under spiritual culture may be still improved as to quality and capacity for the production of the more exalted fruits
of righteousness and of happiness. But when we leave this world, the ultimate of creation, we cannot extend and perfect the base upon
which our mansion in heaven
is
constructed.
is denoted by was that the Latins used a term to denote worship which signified culture, namely cultus. Thus Cicero says Rîgio Deorum cultu pio continetur." But the true of the Lord is involved in the offerings which the wise men worship brought unto Him at his nativity, an event which we have recently commemorated. These offerings were Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh ; and the men who brought them were guided to Bethlehem by a star, which went before them.
Now,
all this spiritual
culture of our natural state
the true worship of the Lord.

"
Hence
it
All these particulars respecting the Lord s nativity are recorded, not merely as historical events, but for our instruction in righteous that the man of God may be perfect, ness, thoroughly furnished
"
unto
all
good
works."
The Magi,
or the wise
men who came from
the east, were in possession of knowledges from ancient revelations and traditions, that the Lord would come into the world to accomplish the redemption of mankind by subjugating the hells, glorifying his
Humanity, and establishing a new dispensation of his mercy and There had always been from goodness, or a New Church upon earth. the first prophecy that was delivered, that the seed of the woman
"
head," an anticipation in the minds of the and when the desire of all nations was about to come, this hopeful anticipation was exceedingly active. The star which guided the wise men was the emblem of the knowledge they possessed respecting the Lord s Advent and in reference to us of the New Testament Dispensation, and especially of the New Jerusalem
should bruise the serpent pious of this great event
"
"
to our
Church, this star of spiritual knowledge should shine more brightly minds than it did to the wise men of old. This knowledge
should bring us to the Lord at the commemoration of his nativity, and induce us to bring spiritually, in genuine worship, our offerings
of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
The Lord s nativity in itself is to be infinitely distinguished from the nativity of every other man. And unless this infinite distinction is in some measure seen, it is impossible to form a true idea of his
Humanity, and of
his being one with the
Father even as the soul
is
644

The reason why
s
one with the body. thinks of the Lord
the Christian world in general
human
nature as similar to the
human
nature
of another man, and why they separate his Divine nature from his Human, is owing to the fact of their not having true ideas concern
If they would but think, as the ing his conception and nativity. Word plainly teaches, that his Father was the Divine Being Himself,
of
whom He was
human
conceived,
and
that, of consequence, his soul

all
was
infinitely distinct
from the soul of
other
men who
are conceived
fathers, they would begin at the right point, to nature of the Lord s Humanity, and would see, true the contemplate in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the as the apostle declares, that
of merely
"
Godhead bodily," and that, consequently, his human nature must needs be divine, and not merely human; since no merely human nature, however exalted, could possibly contain all the fulness of the
Godhead.
But
as everything
good and
true, everything innocent, holy
happy must
generation,
be born in us, if
we are
to
and become the subjects of re

heaven
;
and thus prepared
to enter into
therefore the
nativity, or his being born into the world, represents the birth of everything spiritual and heavenly from Him into our individual
Lord
Christ in us," says the apostle, world, that is, into our natural man. the hope of glory;" therefore the Lord, as to his divine love and wisdom, must be born in us, as the only hope of attaining to our
"
"is
glorious destiny in heaven.
When, therefore, we commemorate the we should remember that the most profitable way of contemplating this subject is, that the Lord as to all the principles of his kingdom (see Luke xvii. 21), must be born within us and that
Lord
s
Nativity,
this birth
is
effected
by the acknowledgment of
Him
in his Divine
Humanity. The Lord was thus born into the world to become our Redeemer and Saviour, in order that his redeeming and saving love and truth
might be born
in us individually.
This blessed spiritual nativity, or
accomplished by virtue of the genuine prin This worship is denoted by the ciples of a living, holy w orship. and become truly wise in proportion men we of the wise offerings
this re-birth of
man,
is
holy worship to the Lord. emblem of the first principles of a living worship, as the Gold, of Lord from pure love or goodness. This the the worship signifies
as
offer
we
up
this
is
the
first
essential of all worship
and of
is
all
genuine religion
and
gold so frequently
mentioned in Scripture,
the proper correspondent
GOLD, FRANKINCENSE
AND MYRRH.
it
645
this precious
emblem of
this love
or goodness.
Hence
was that
metal was so universally employed in the structure of the tabernacle and the sanctuary. The ark was overlaid with gold, the altar of
incense in like manner, and nearly all the utensils of the sanctuary were either made of gold, or overlaid with it, in order to teach us, by
the most striking symbols, that all worship should be performed from the principle of pure love. Hence it is that the Lord says to us, I
"
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich (Rev. iii. 18), in order to teach us that He in his Divine
"
Humanity,
is
the only Source whence all genuine love or pure good
ness can be received.
But what
to
it is
is genuine love, and what is the relation of pure goodness genuine love ? There are various kinds of love and goodness, and
of infinite
is
moment
to
As
it
of importance to
know what is genuine and what is spurious. know whether gold is genuine, alloyed or
;
spurious, possessing nothing but the color, or the external appearance so it is of infinitely greater importance to know whether the love and
goodness which actuate our life are of a genuine, or of a spurious character, since our happiness or misery in eternity will depend upon our life s love, or on our governing affection. There is natural good,
spiritual good. Natural good has relation solely to our wants and supplies and its source is the love of self and of the world. This is necessary for our natural state and our
moral good, and

natural
life, its
self-preservation, but
it is
not signified
by the gold mentioned
in the
genuine worship springs from this love, and from the consequent goodness predicated of it for all goodness is predicated of what a man loves, and consequently so long as a man is actuated by
;
Word.
No
principles originating solely in

offer to
what is selfish and worldly, he can the Lord no gold of genuine love and goodness. Moral good is of a higher order than merely natural and sensual
;
good
in
because
it
springs from principles founded in
man s
rational
nature and in his relations to society, and especially to the community
which he
rises
lives.
These principles relate to what
is
equitable, just,
this good a above the animal, and above the selfishness of his own nature, and approaches nearer to the dignity of a real and true man. But from this moral good, so far as it originates in selfish and worldly
honorable and becoming in decorum and manners.
By
man
considerations,
spiritual
which have relation to our merely natural life, no and genuine worship can be offered to the Lord. It is not
the pure gold that
He
can accept
it
may appear
on
its
surface like
640
CORRESPONDENCE fURTHER ELUCIDATED.
gold, out the substance within
is spurious and base, because, being derived from motives originating in the external man only, its quality is merely selfish and worldly. This good may make a man a good
citizen of the world,
and an orderly and even a virtuous member of
society ; but it cannot make him a citizen of heaven, nor prepare him to dwell with angels. An atheist may from these principles be
an irreproachably moral man but as his morality can only originate what is merely natural, it is evident that he cannot thereby rise into a spiritual and heavenly state. Thus no pure gold of genuine be Lord offered to the from can this source only. worship But when a man s moral principles are taken from the Word of God, his morality will have a spiritual and divine principle within it, and he will become not only a good citizen of the world, but a citizen
;
in
of heaven at the same time

"
his
"
citizenship
will,"
as the apostle
Hence he can bring his offering of gold in the worship of the Lord his heart will be influenced by that love and goodness from which all true worship springs. The highest order of good that we can receive from the Lord is called celestial; this good is received from Him when everything in our internal and
says,
be in
heaven."
our external
all things;
man is brought under the

is
;
influence of love to
Him
above
when He
affections
and doings
the beginning and the end of all our motives, when we love to live in dependence on Him
alone, are resigned to his will, and acknowledge Him as the God of our sorrows as well as of our joys, directing all things, whether in states of prosperity or adversity, for our eternal good. The purest
gold that
we can
offer to the
and
it is
called celestial good.
Lord in worship, is from these principles, Hence it was the first which the wise
men, when they had opened their treasures, offered to the Lord. Frankincense, as being grateful in its odor, was largely employed in the representative worship of the Jews, and generally throughout
the ancient w orld,
r
among
the Asiatics, Greeks and Romans.
The
use of incense, therefore, in worship, \vas a rite derived from very ancient times. The true signification of this rite, as of every other, can only be known from the correspondence which, w hen explained,
is
easily understood.
corresponds to the gratefulness
Frankincense, as being delightfully fragrant, and blessedness of the spiritual life, as
formed by the divine truths of God s Holy Word. All worship offered to the Lord from the spiritual affection of truth is grateful to Him
hence we so often read that the odor of incense was grateful to the Lord. Hence also it was that there was an altar of incense. The
GOLD, FRANKINCENSE
AND MYRRH.
647
prayers of the saints are expressly called incense (Rev. v. 8), which a proof that the offering of incense corresponds to the worship of the Lord from a spiritual affection of divine truth, that is, an affection
is
irrespective of anything selfish gain.
and worldly, whether
it
be honor or
This second offering, therefore, of the wise men, denotes the worship of the Lord from a spiritual ground, or from the pure affection
of truth
;
Lord from pure
whereas, the offering of gold denotes the worship of the affection of goodness springing from a pure and ex
alted love of the Lord.
We,
incense unto the Lord,
when we
therefore, bring consecrate to
an
offering of
all
frank
Him
the intellectual
and moving principles of the mind, when our thoughts, our imagi nations, our plans and projects, in short, when everything which con stitutes our intellectual and mental life is brought tinder the divine
influence of love to our neighbor.
In
this case the incense of
our
worship is grateful and acceptable to the Lord. Gold and Frankincense, therefore, denote the interior and the inmost principles of all holy worship, without which the Lord cannot be ap
proached in love and faith, however He may be approached with the He who does lips and with outward professions of love and worship.
not spiritually bring with him this gold and frankincense when he worships the Lord, cannot worship Him in spirit and in truth, because he has not, through faith and love, the internal vital principles from
true and acceptable worship springs. an internal principle, our worship is not complete unless our external man as to his appetites and desires, is also consecrated to the
which
all
But
as
Lord.
lishment of what
Myrrh, therefore, in the order of principles, signifies the estab is good and true from the Lord in our sensual and
most external principles of life. Hence it was that Myrrh, as an odorif erous plant, was extensively employed in the service of the sanctuary in making the holy anointing oil. (Ex. xxx.) Myrrh also was
used as an ingredient in the embalming of bodies it was thus em ployed to embalm the Lord s body (John xix. 39, 40), to denote, by the law of correspondence, the preservation of divine and spiritual life
;
in
our lowest sensual principles,
in our appetites
and
all,
sensations, so
as the apostle
that whether
"
we
eat or whether
God."
we drink, we may do
says,
to the glory of
us, then,
bring unto the Lord, when we engage in prayer in our our family circles, in the public worship of Him, and in all the duties and acts of life, the offerings thus spiritually understood
Let
closets, in
and applied, of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
FIDELUS..
APPENDIX.
APPENDIX.
I.
AND THE GENUINENESS AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE VARI OUS BOOKS COMPOSING THE WORD OF THE NEW TESTA MENT AND THEIR UNCORRUPTED PRESERVATION WITH A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF, AND A FEW REMARKS ON, EACH BOOK.
;
DISSERTATION ON THE POSSI they are books of much use to the AND NECESSITY OF DI church." Swedenborg, A. E. 815. VINE REVELATION; ON THE In order to constitute a genuine CANON OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, book of the Word, it is necessary that
BILITY
"
treat in an internal sense of the Lord Jesus Christ alone and his kingdom. See Luke xxiv. 27, 44; John v. 39,
it
etc.,
"
etc."
Swedenborg, A. 0. 3540.
In the
New Testament the character
to the four
of essential sanctity or divinity pertains Gospels and the Apocalypse,
but not to the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles. The former, like the Word
Which are the plenarily inspired of the Old Testament, were dictated by books of the Word ? the inspiring power which took posses "The books of the Word are all sion of the writers for that time
only.
those which have the internal sense; but those books which have not the internal sense are not the Word. The
the Epistles, on the other hand, were written under that general but more lax kind of inspiration which
The Acts and
in the Old Testa was inseparable from the persons of the books of Moses, the writers, and which may, therefore, be book of Joshua, the book of Judges, the properly termed personal, while the two books of Samuel, the two books of other is denominated plenary, imply Kings, the Psalms of David, the proph ing the dictation of the very words and
books of the
Word
five
ment are the
ets
Jeremiah, Lamentations, phrases employed, all of which contain Hosea, Joel, Amos, a higher internal sense, couched under Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Ha- the sense of the letter, and to be inter bakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, preted on the principle of correspond Malachi. In the New Testament, the ence." Statement of Reasons for embrac
Isaiah,
Ezekiel,
Daniel,
four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and the Revelation. The
ing the Doctrines and Disclosures of Sweden

borg, by 0. Bush, late Professor of Hebrew in the Neiv York City University, p. 117. In reference to the above books of
have not the internal sense." Swedenborg, W. H. 16 A. C. 10325. In the Gospels are the words of the Lord himself, all which contain in them a spiritual sense, whereby immediate communication is given with heaven
rest
;
"
the Bible, as constituting the pure Word of God, and the true mode of interpret-
ng them, the
rector of St.
late
s
John
Kev. John Clowes, church, Manchester,

:
there
but in the writings of the Apostles is no such sense, notwithstanding
in the preface to his Translation of the
Gospel of Matthew, thus writes
651
652
"
APPENDIX.
refers to
j j
which are plenarily inspired, except distinguished characteristics, present us the Lamentations and Daniel, makes with the following curious and interest no mention whatever of Ruth, Chroni
ing facts
"
The books [of the Word above enumerated], according to this view of their
all
the books of the
Word
cles, Nehemiah, Esther, Ecclesiastes, or That more than twenty different the Song of Solomon. See Henderson and Stuart. writers, living in ages and places re 11 mote and distant from each other, are Tatian, who wrote about the middle
:
1.
found to agree in expressing themselves of the second century, composed a di in conformity to certain given laws and gest of the evangelical history, which
and writing, which it was absolutely impossible they could learn from each other. 2. That those laws and rules never
rules of speaking
"
was called Toreooapw, that is, the Gospel of the four, or ôi/orto-o-apcji/, that is, one narrative composed out of the four. Ta
tian is the most ancient harmonist
on
entered into the thought or imagination of any writer, either ancient or modern,
record;
for if Theophilus, bishop of
Antioch, had before written on that

subject
(as
he discovered them from the com positions of the above writers. 3. That those laws and rules involve in them points of most singular wisdom and edification, at once worthy of God to impart, and of the utmost importance to man to comprehend and obey. 4. That unless those laws and rules
until
" "
Jerome
insinuates),
his
In-
work
"
is
long since
ii.,
lost."
Home s
8th ed.
trod., vol.
pt. 1, p. 349,
The four Gospels are alone received without dispute by the whole church of
God under heaven." Oriyen, as quoted by Euseb., Hist. Eccl., liv. vi., ch. 25. The authenticity of the book of the be applied to the interpretation of the Revelation was not denied during the two first centuries of the Christian era, writings which are constructed in agree ment with them, it is absolutely impos and the respectable names of Hernias, sible for any one to discover the various Polycarp, and Justin Martyr may be sublime and instructive truths contained adduced in its favor." Pref. to the in those writings. Rev., Greek Test, for the London Univer
"
5. But that if those laws and rules sity, p. 542. The sense of the inspiration of the be applied, out of a real sincere desire of some providential guid to understand the will of the Most evangelists High, they are as a golden key to un ance by which they were led to select lock the immense stores of heavenly each fact in their history and each word
"
"
wisdom, mercy and truth treasured up 3d ed., pp. in His HOLY WORD."
xiii.,
in their narrative in Origen [than in

taries].
is
not
more complete
s
Heracleon
commen
xiv.
The
first
commentary on the
It is also
worthy of profound consid
eration that all the passages of the Old Testament cited or alluded to in the
New Testament [or Gospels] exhibits the application of the same laws to its interpretation as were employed in the
four Gospels and the Revelation, are from the above plenarily inspired books
Old Testament. The slightest variation of language was held to be significant. Numbers were supposed to conceal a anh/, and include nearly the whole of them, evincing the supreme authority hidden truth. The whole record was found to be pregnant with spiritual to be attached to them by Christian be lievers. meaning, conveyed by the teaching of instruc Philo, who was contemporary with events in themselves real and It appears also that differences the apostles, and who quotes from or tive.
THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE.

between the Gospels were
attempt
felt,
653
and an
335.
writes in his
made
Canon
to
reconcile
them."
pp.
1051,
WestcotCs
of the
New
Test., p.
The
Theological Lectures (ii., 1052. Ed. Paris, 1842), Roman church being the mother
and mistress of churches, had power II. THE CANOX OF SCRIPTURE. to constitute the true Canon of Scrip The classical meaning of the original ture. Canon of the r- Wordsworth s Greek word KOVUV, is a straight stick or Scriptures, note, p. 14. rod, staff, measuring rod or pole, beam of Well may Newman ask, "On what
"
ground do we receive the Canon [of the New Testament], but on the authority damental, a guiding principle. Among of the church of the fourth and fifth cen some of the Greek grammarians it was turies. The church at that era decided employed to denote a list or collection that certain books were of authority." of Greek authors, who would serve as Essay on Development, p. 142.
etc.
a balance,
Hence
law,
tropically, rule,
norma; thence,
prescription,
fun
The absolute want of an authorized and determinate Canon of the Word of tained an enlarged, and occasionally a God, and a true and certain method of technical sense. It was sometimes used interpretation is powerfully illustrated
examples
models, or
for other writers.
Among
the Christian
Fathers
it
ob
a list of the clergy, or of others belonging to a church a list of

to designate
;
by the extremes of that pernicious sys tem of mythical exposition in which

learned men, such as Bauer, Weisse, George, Strauss, and the Hegelian phil osophers of Germany have so eagerly and freely speculated from the awful and absurd rationalistic, materialistic,
;
Hymns appropriate for public worship and even a list of fur niture belonging to a church, etc. Very naturally it came to be employed, about the third century, to designate a list
;
Psalms and
of
and pantheistic mode of interpretation adopted by Weescheider, Bretschneider, Ed, of Stuart on the Old Test. Canon, p. etc. from the idealism of Kant, Plchte, 22 et seq. and others and from the numerous and Dr. Milner asserts that the Canon mournful varieties resulting from all of Scripture was fixed at the end of the these neological systems. The delusive
publicly
s
the Scriptural books
which were
read in the churches.
See Davidson
"
mode of interpretation adopted in Essays and Reviews, written by seven learned It is one of the dictates of Pope clergymen of the Established Church, Gregory VII. that no book or chapter is but an English outbirth from the
century."
fourth
"
End
of Controv., let
ter xi.
be regarded as canonical without the Pope s authority. (See Earl. Ba ron. Annal. Eccl., xi., p. 632, ad. A. D.
is to
same misleading
fore,
source.
It
is,
there
most refreshing
to extract
from
Pighius says, The church [of give .canonical authority to books which have no such authority from themselves or their author. (See
1076.)
the Eclectic Review, for the months of Sept. and Nov., 1825, the following able
Rome] can
remarks
The very
fact that the classification
his Hicrarch.,
iii. 3.)
Stapleton asserts
2, art. 4.
of the Jews, in the time of Joseph us, was supposed to need a revision, would
the same.
Cont.
seem to indicate that this clas was not the original one, the Shepherd of Hernias and apostol- was not the one which was current in ical constitutions may be added to the the time of our Lord, and which we Canon, if the church of Rome pleases. may presume to have been of prophetic And the Roman professor Perrone thus origin, and virtually, therefore, divine
of itself
5, lib.
9,
c.
(Rekct. Contr. 5 qu.

14.)
He
says that
sification
55*
654
;
APPENDIX.
and authoritative and so far, there those books as canonical Scriptures, and fore, confirms, or seems to confirm, the might plead for a canon more literally opinion as to the possible difference conformable to our Lord s three-fold between the Old Testament of Jose- classification of the Law, the Prophets, In their view, the phus, and the Old Testament of our and the Psalms. Lord. The changing also of the desig books of Chronicles and the first book nation of the division known in our of Maccabees would rank in the same Lord s time as the Psalms (an appro class of writings and although they priate designation if it contained the could not object to their circulation on Psalms only), into that of the writ the same grounds as apply to the posi
i :
ings,
upon the addition
to
it
of writ
ings that were not Psalms, and when, therefore, the appropriateness of the
tively exceptionable parts of the Apoc rypha, such as Tobit, Baruch, and the
designation
no longer existed, would
spurious additions to the book of Dan iel, still they would not be able to rec
also to confirm our yet further opinion, that the third of the three divi sions of our Lord s time included only
seem
ognize them as given by inspiration of

God."
"To
Ed.
Rev., 1825, pp. 192, 193.
the Psalms.
With regard to the insertion

;
the books of Moses, called by preeminence the Law, and the writings
of the Prophets, including both Daniel and David in that number, the charac
ter of
book of Daniel, see Stuart, p. 263 and for an admira ble defence of its veracity and inspira tion, see Walton s Genuineness of the
in this division of the
taches
lb., p.
"
Kevelation in the highest sense at and we think exclusively."

;
Book of Daniel." The Law, the Proph ets, and the Psalms ; their Divine Inspi
ration,
388.
by
J. Collyer Knight, note, p. 58.
regard, however, to the books included in the Protestant canon, to
With
very import of the term ca which we have referred as possibly un a disputed point. Whether inspired, the books of Solomon and of the declaration that All Scripture is Ezra [including Nehemiah], Esther, given by inspiration of God/ can be and the Chronicles, we would ask Do safely extended to all the books included they in fact form any part of the Rule in the Jewish canon, whether the of Faith? Do they reveal a single
"The
nonical
is
whole of the Chetubim or llagiographa, doctrine? Do they contain a single Do they bear any pro though of undoubted genuineness and prediction? Does authenticity as historical documents, phetic witness to the Messiah?
can be considered as indited by the Holy
Ghost, and as forming part of the rule
any one article of faith rest for its sup port on any passage in these books? of faith, is by no means so clear as to Or are their value, their genuine excel warrant our demanding an unqualified lence and authority, in the slightest assent and agreement on this point from degree invalidated by the doubt whether Does uncertainty on all Christian men. Many pious persons they are inspired ? have doubted whether the book of Es this point shake any portion of the Kule ther, in which the name of Jehovah of Faith ? Is there the slightest reason does not once occur, can be regarded as for apprehending that a man would less an inspired composition and others firmly hold the Divine authority of the have had difficulties in admitting the Word of God, less firmly believe in Were any one Christian doctrine, because, on inspiration of Solomon s Song. w e to take the word canonical as synon the grounds above specified, lie had
i
ymous with
inspired, such persons
might doubts
as to the inspiration (and canon-
conscientiously object to giving
away
icity in this sense) of either
the book
THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE.

of
655
church
?
Esther or the Chronicles ?
But vailing party
in the
Even
in
we mav
safely leave these questions to
readers."
be determined by the good sense of our 76., p. 392.
the Established Church of this country, are not the Apocryphal books, at least
The Rev. S. Noble,
in an able critical
examination of the papers in the Eclec tic Review, from which the above pas And with respect to the New Testa sages are quoted, and which forms an On the New-Church Canon of ment in particular, what reason is as article signed by the Church of England, for Scripture, as far as regards the Old Tes
"
"
seven of them, recommended and read in the national churches equally with those which are acknowledged to be canonical ? *
tament"
which was inserted in the

"
Intel
admitting the Letters or Epistles of the
lectual.
Repository, etc.,
:
364-379, says reviewer] advocates, with trifling ex ceptions, in regard to the Old Testa
p.
:
new series, vol. ii., different Apostles among the books of In one word he [the divine inspiration? None whatever,
except that of general custom, which in itself is no reason at all. The truth appears to be, that neither
"
ment, the pure New-Church Canon of Scripture: and the chief of these excep
tions instead of tending to invalidate that
the
Romish nor
to
it
:
Protestant churches
constitutes
Canon, strongly tends to confirm
it.
Whenever, therefore, in future, they have not sufficiently con New Church is attacked with the charge sidered the purport of our Lord s words of taking away from the Scriptures, she to his disciples, when He told them, may interpose as a shield, in addition that all the Scriptures were written and that the to the evidence collected in the Plenary concerning Himself; Inspiration, the extensively respected books which He acknowledged as the
authority of the Eclectic Review." Well may the Rev. R. Hindmarsh
Scriptures of divine truth, to be ful filled in his own person, were those comprehended under the titles of the
have ... what the book
this
is
day clearly understood

a divine
that
ask:
"By
what rule of evidence
is
form his judgment of a divine writing ? Has he any other to appeal to than the "uncertain and fluctuating decisions of the Romish church ? What foundation has he for his belief in the sanctity and divinity of any particular
to
man
Law
Psalms
rule by
of Moses, the Prophets, and the see Luke xxiv. 27, 44. Thus
:
our Lord has Himself laid down the
which we are to judge of those books and writings which alone deserve to be honored by the church as divine,
viz.,
books, except the opinions of fallible
question among themselves, and deciding by a majority of votes at one time that such
sitting
men,
to
debate
the
treat solely of
that in their inmost sense they Him. Now, in many
parts of the books of Moses, the Proph ets, and the Psalms, no allusion what
and such a book
is
divine,
and
at
an
i
ever
is
made, in the
literal sense of
the
other time that the very same book is destitute of that character; thus ex
tending or diminishing the number of inspired writings not by a reference to the world to
;
expressions used, either to the Lord incarnate, or to his sufferings, death, and resurrection and yet He came into
;
fulfil
in his
own person
written,
the
any internal evidence,
like that of the

I
whole and every particular part of the

Sacred Scriptures, as
*
it is
spiritual sense contained within them, nor to the words of the Lord in Luke
The
xxiv. 44, which form the rule of judg ment in this case, but by the caprice of
the moment, or the influence of a pre
These books are, Tobit, Judith, the Book of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, History of Susannah, and the History of Bell and the Dragon.
656
APPENDIX.
the other books mentioned by Siraclides, and the other writings referred to by
Word, which in the beginning was with God, and was God, was made flesh, and dwelt among us. ( John i. 1, 14.) And, All things must be fulfilled again, which were written in the law of Mo
ses,
Philo (who flourished about A. D. 40)

or the non-prophetical books (by
them
so spoken of, therefore, as if they were and in the Prophets, and in the distinct from and belonged to neither Psalms, concerning me. (Luke xxiv. of the three divisions into which the There must, therefore, be an in Scriptures proper were divided), may 44.) ternal spiritual sense belonging to the have been added, indeed, as a sort of Word, not apparent in the latter and appendage, and probably were; just as without a doubt the Lord must have the Jews of Alexandria added to their opened the understanding of his disci Greek version of the Hebrew Scrip ples to discern that sense, according to tures the writings of the Greek Apoc their measure, when, beginning at rypha, and just as the Church of KngMoses, and all the Prophets, He ex land to this day appends to its printed pounded unto them in all the Scriptures Bibles books which it believes to be un;
1
But, though added, there is no ground whatever for supposing that The same rule which so well applies they formed part of Scripture proper, or were collected or appended as di to the Old Testament may also be ap and by it we are vinely inspired, or were regarded as plied to the New enabled to distinguish those books which such until the time of Josephus, i. e., are absolutely Divine to the very letter, until after the destruction of JerusaThe Law, the Prophets, and the in consequence of being dictated by lem."
the things concerning Himself. xxiv. 27.)

"
(Luke
inspired.
God
Himself, from those which, though
Psalms, by J. Collyer Knight, 1866,

p. 42.
III.
excellent in their kind, are yet only the productions of good and pious men. Of the former description are the four
THE BOOKS OF THE AUTHOR
Gospels and the Apocalypse; of the latter, are the Acts of the Apostles, and the Letters wiJch they wrote to the different churches, to encourage and
confirm them in the cause of Christian
ity."
IZED VERSION OF THE BIBLE
WHICH ARE NOT FLENARILY

INSPIRED.
In what estimation, then, are we to hold those books of the Bible which are not the plenarily inspired WORD OF GOD? This is an important in will quiry, a brief answer to which I
attempt, because most unjust objections have been preferred against the New
Hindmarsh
Vindication of the
Writings of Swedenborg, against the Slanders and Misrepresenta

tions of Pike, of
Character and
Derby.
8vo
edit.,
67, 68.
"
See also Nobles

Scriptures,"
"Plenary
pp. In
spiration of the
Appendix ii. Church on this point, as though we Old Tes depreciated these writings, when, in tament that can with certainty be proved reality, we hold them in as much vento have been recognized by our Lord eration as other Christian denomina-
The only
writings of the
the Proph (or according to ets, and the Psalms the briefer and more usual formula, as
as Scripture, are
The Law,
tions do, differing with them, however, in this, that we look upon those books
which
in Matt. vii. 12; xi. 13; xxii. 40, etc.,
bear undeniable evidence of having been written by plenary in
The Law and

Acts
"
ii.
30.
The
See spiration, according to the science of correspondences and representatives, other books of our fathers, or with more reverence and as of weightthe
Prophets
).
THE TWO BOOKS OF CHRONICLES.

to us, than any other Chris This has been already shown. Those books of the Protestant canonical Bible which we regard as composed, at the most, under a secondary degree of
ier
657
moment
tians do.
THE TWO BOOKS OF CHRONICLES.

These books are called
"
in
Hebrew
or
"
the
words of the
"
days,"
"diaries,"
"journals;"
and in the Greek
para-
lei pomena," or things left out," and were regarded as supplementary to the sacred books of Samuel and the Kings. icles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, The Jews comprise the two books in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song one. They were written after the of Solomon in the New Testament, Babylonish captivity, and were first the Acts and the Epistles of the apos called Chronicles by Jerome, because
inspiration, or in a state of illumina
the Old Testament, those of Ruth, the first and second of Chron
tion, are, in
tles.
following is a brief sketch of the books in the Old Testament men

tioned above, and the opinions of many critics and divines respecting them.
"These,"
The
they contain an abridgment of Jewish genealogy and history, compiled from

the national registers, journals, diaries, or annals. These books were probably
"
called Books of the Kings of Judah words of Philo- and Israel," for circumstances are re Judaeus, applied by him to most of the ferred to in the second book of Chron^ above books of the Old Testament, "we icles as written in such books, but which regard as other vritlngs by which knowl are not to be found in the canonical books of Kings, as 2 Chron. xvi. 1 1 edge and piety are increased and per xxiv. 27; xxv. 26; xxxii. 32; fected." Op. II., p. 475 (cited by xxi. xxxiii. 18 xxxv. 27 (Gray and Percy s Stuart). in
the
sacred writers were, therefore," sometimes inspired tho says Gaussen, Holy Scriptures, or Word of God, al
"
"
The
Key, p. 107).
"De Wette and other learned and eminent critics affirm that these books
ways"
"The
Theopneustos, p. 482. contents of Ruth, the
Prov
cannot be considered trustworthy, where they vary from the earlier historians, or
J. Taylor, Song of Solomon, add to their accounts. and Nehemiah are such as not to afford B. A., note to Norton s Pentateuch. Ewald thinks that, with the books of any obvious reason or occasion for as Ezra and Nehemiah, the Chronicles cribing to them a sacred character." The Pentateuch, by Norton, edited by formed part of a late universal his
erbs, Ecclesiastes, the
Taylor, p. 21. Theodore of Mopsuesta, who lived at the beginning of the fifth century, and who was in early youth the friend of
torya
he
"Jerusalem
Chronicle,"
as
calls it
written at the
commence
Chrysostom, and one of the most dis

tinguished ornaments of the celebrated school of Antioch, rejected from the
ment of the Greek ascendancy, per haps in the age of Alexander the Great. (See also De WeUe s Or ill ail
on
the
Credibility
of the
Books
pleuarily inspired canon of the Old Morey Testament the writings of Solomon, (pp. 64, 81, 268, 326), the Chronicle the Chronicles, Job, Ezra, and Eccle are a compilation from the canonical siastes and in the New Testament, ac books of Samuel and the Kings; and
;
of Chronicles.) According to the researches of
cording to Leontius (1. c., p. 73) the some other historical documents of a catholic Epistles. See Dr. Lee s Inspi date, it would appear (though this
may
ration,
appendix, pp. 496, 497
and
also
Rudelbach, Zeitschrift, for 1840.
be doubted) anterior to the captivity It appears, indeed, from (pp. 95, 103).
2R
658
ATl KNDIX.
which render the prophetic records more intelligible.
"
the Levitical citations, to have been a Midrash, or paraphrase and explana

tion of the
Books of the Kings, in the
Indeed,
criticism,
most of the Ideologists in

the
spirit of the
tivity (p.
times succeeding the cap They contain reminis 175).

the
who sympathize with him,
consider and treat the books of
cences of other books, Job, and

later Psalms,
Chronicles as a mere farrago of scraps,
and put speeches into the made up partly from Avritten records, mouths of the historical characters, partly from tradition, partly by a su which are at variance with chronology perstitious reverence for the priesthood The additions consist mostly and the ritual law, and partly by the (p. 182). of genealogical tables and catalogues vainglorious boasting of a Jew in re of names, but some are derived from spect to the royal race of David, and tradition (p. 195). The language be the tribes which adhered to the Davidic
trays the later date of the compilation (p. 183), which forms, as it were, a
Hence they give little credit indeed to the testimony of these books. transition to the Apocrypha (p. 194). The devout and reverential reader of He dates their origin between B. C. the Old Testament has, it must be con 478 and B. C. 330 but unfortunately fessed, some difficulties of a serious na
dynasty.
;
appears not to have studied the pro ture to encounter in the Chronicles. found researches of Zunz, from which The tyro in matters of sacred criticism it appears that they could not have must certainly feel that he has some been earlier than B. C. 260. (See Zunz, what of a formidable task before him, Note 4 to especially if he adopts the theory of Vort de Juden, pp. 21, 33.)
Von Bohlen s
wood,
vol.
i.,
Int. to Genesis,
by Hey-
plenary
verbal
inspiration"
Stuart
and Defence of the Old Testa Dr. Davidson s Eng. ed., It is supposed by many commentators ment Canon. that these annals have been so corrupt p. 150. the priest, is supposed by ed and mutilated in minute particulars, "Ezra, and so carelessly transcribed as to num some to have been the compiler; and besides the histories of Israel and Jubers, dates, and names, as to have de terred the Hebrew writers from com dah, to have had in view the preserva menting on them. (See Gray and Per tion of the regulations, arrangements, The last two verses and genealogies of the priests and Lecy s Key, p. 109.) have evidently been added by mistake vites, their families, orders, and duties, from the book of Ezra, where we find to excite among the Jews a holy zeal them repeated in the first chapter, vs. in the great work of restoring the tem They are supposed by some to ple and worship of Jehovah. Vata1, 2, 3. have been the last books admitted into blus, Hoffman, C. Wordsworth, and It is now allowed others, affirm that the compiler is un the Jewish canon.
p. 104.
Grit. Hist,
"
on
all
hands that the Chronicles were known.

long after the [Babylonish]
Bunserfs Keys of St. Peter,
In Pool
first
Annotations
it
is
completed
captivity."
said that the
book of Chronicles
p. 122.
These books are not, however, with out some use and value in a philolog
ical point of view,
was kept probably by the Samaritans, and written to supply such matters as were considered to have been omitted
in the books of Kings.
The
learned
and as containing Stackhouse, following the opinion of the two books of and historical facts, and Prideaux, excluded chronological important genealogies, in reference to Chronicles from the canon. De Wetle the kingdom of Judah and some facts says, that the book of Chronicler itf
?
EZRA,
NEHEMIAH AND RUTH.
659
quo an authority, where anything is tation from, or obvious reference to, involved which affects Levitical influ these books throughout the New Testa ence. Newman s Hist, of the Heb. ment. Calmet affirms in his Diet., art. Scrip., Monarchy, etc., Lond., 1847, p. 146. See also Parkers Translation of De Wette s that the books of Esther and Nehemiah Introduction to the Canon of Scripture. were not included in the sacred canon
tion as
"
tive,
not an honest and trustworthy narra and must be used with great cau
other reason whatever, these writings bear his name. There is no direct
EZRA AND NEHEMIAH.

Calmet asserts that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were not included in
the
earliest
And the learned Stackhouse, followed the opinion of Dean Prideaux, further excludes the two books of Chronicles, none of which appear to
by Ezra.
who
canon.
(See
Diet.,
art.
i
SCRIPTURE.) These books were anciently reckoned one, and were called the first and second books of Ezra, and in the Thirtynine Articles of the Church of England, the first and second books of Esdras.
have been added till the time of Simon It was 160 years after the death of Ezra to the appointment of
the Just.
Simon
to the office of
High
Priest,
who
This division is recognized by both the Greek and Latin churches. A third _
.
regarded by Protestants as in terpolated, and a fourth as a forgery. These books contain a narrative of events from the return of the Jews from
book
is
was the son of Onias, the previous High It Priest, and the successor of Simon. was the opinion of the ancient Rabbins, of the Chaldee Paraphrast St. Jerome, and some others, that Ezra and Malachi were the same individual, the former
being his proper name, and the latter the name of his office, as it means anyd, or messenger. (See Haggai i. 13; Mai.
iii.
Babylonish exile, extending over a pe riod of 130 years, beginning with the
edict of Cyrus, B. C. 536. They are valuable for the elucidation of Jewish
1.)
The book
nally united
of
Nehemiah was
that of
it
origi-
Ezra,
as
one work, to which the name of the latter was given and it appears that Ezra was regarded building and completion of the second as in some sense the author of both. temple at Jerusalem (B. C. 515), and Each of these two books, moreover, as evidences of the literal accomplish appear to be a compilation inartificially ment of several prophecies contained put together, so as to occasion historical in Haggai and Zechariah. The second and chronological difficulties. Only a book is attributed by most writers to portion of each can be referred to tha Nehemiah, who was cup-bearer to Artax- individual whose name it bears."
history, as containing registers of the returning exiles, the account of the re
;
forming together with
erxes Longimanus, king of Persia, the Nehemiah who returned from

tivity
not
Ibid,, p. 22.)
with Zerubbabel.
By
cap the uni
RUTH.
This
little
book relates the interesting history of Ruth, a native of Moab, but ment, arranged them in order, and a proselyte to Israel, and of her kins wrote thorn out in the Chaldee charac man Boaz, whose son Obed was the the Jews having lost the use of ter, grandfather of David. It evinces the the ancient Hebrew language during presence of the Divine Providence with
their seventy years sojourn in Babylon.
versal consent of antiquity, Ezra first collected the books of the Old Testa
those
who
are faithful to the Lord
On
this account,
and apparently
for
no precepts and resigned
to his dispen-
660
s:i-t
APPENDIX.
(See ions, and illustrates the manner in Synagogue which succeeded Ezra. which apparent evil is always over Gray and Percy s Key, p. 119.) Some commentators have been of ruled, in their experience, for positive opinion that it was translated from the good. A principal object of the un
known author
was, however, to record a link in the genealogy of David, and iiis descent from Judah during ten gen
Persian chronicles.
PliiloL,
lib.
ii.,
cat, L,
(Kotting. p. 488.
TAr.sa//.
Aben.
book has no evidence whatever of being divinely inspired.

erations, but the
Ez. Com. in Proem. Selden in Tkeol., lib. iii., exercit. 5, p. 486. Gray and Percy s
The
generally considered as belonging to the same period as that of the book of Judges, and is placed by
history
is
Key, p. 122.) The authenticity of the entire production has been widely ques
tioned, and the chronology is most un There is no reference to it in certain.
Bishop Tomline about 1250 B. C., but It the chronology is very uncertain. has been attributed by some to Ezra the Scribe, by others to Hezekiah. The Talmudists reckon it as a book of the Hagriographa there is no reference to
;
the
New Testament. It contains no prophecy, no allusion to the doctrines

of religion, and
is
in
no way
distin
guished from ordinary history. It af fords not the slightest indication of being inspired, even in the lowest sense
it
in the
New
Testament.
ESTHER.
indeed, the name of God, or Lord, or any other appellation by which the God
is
The female whose

in this
history
related
of Israel was known, never once occurs in it.
book was a Jewish captive, named
The Greek and Romish
versions
reckon six chapters and ten verses more pears to have been promoted to the than the authorized English translation, throne of Persia. The events recorded which are not extant in Hebrew, and are supposed to come in between the are supposed to have been forged by
Esther, or Edessa, or Hadassa,
who ap
extend
It was not re 6th and 7th chapters of Ezra, and to some Hellenistic Jew. over a period not exceeding garded as canonical by Melito Athan;
twenty years. Of king Ahasuerus noth ing appears to be known in history. Archbishop Usher supposed that he was Darius Hytaspes Scaliger and others contended that he was Xerxes Josephus and Dean Prideaux consid ered that he was Artaxerxes Longima; ;
asius rejected
it
altogether; and
Greg
ory Nazienzen (A. D. 370) had such grave doubts respecting it, that he omit
ted
J.
it
altogether from his canon.
(See
Colly er Knight,
Prophets, and the asserts that it was not inserted in the

earliest
on The Law, the Psalms, p. 50.) Calmet

(See Stuart
s
Luther expressed a wish that it might have asserted, however, that he was be expunged from the Protestant canon. Cyaxeres, and others again affirm that ( Conv. Serm., p. 494, and Lib. Arbit., torn.
;
j !
nus, and the name is always so trans lated in the Septuagint version others
canon.
canon.)
Cambyses
is
meant.
It is not
known
the
"
iii.,
p. 82.)
Gilfillan calls
it
a fine
romantic fragment of Jewish history." That the book of Esther is, for the author. Some have attributed it to Mordecai, her uncle (ix. 20) others most part, a translated extract from the have contended that it was composed Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of by Joachim, the High Priest and Media and Persia," is a point which
with the least certainty
|
who was
;
"
others, again,
The Talmudists regarded
is now very Dr. Henderson remarks, generally admitted among those who duction of the joint labors of the Great are conversant with Biblical criticism
have ascribed
it
to Ezra.
"
it
as a pro
"
JOB.
(Insp.,
p.
it
661
it was intended, as I hav an instructive or naroJ drama,
322)
but
De Wette
affirms
|
rather, that
said, for
that
ity,
"
violates all historical probabil
Yet we find it referred to by Ezekiel and St. James, in the same manner as if it were a real history because its moral or doctrinal part could not fail son, in his Introductory Essay to Stu art s Canon, observes that the books of to have the same effect in one way as in Esther, Kcclesiastes,and Solomon s Song, the other." (Essay, etc.) From the mention of Job in Ezek. present perplexing anomalies, which have never been cleared away." (P. xv.) xiv. 14, and James v. 11, most Chris tian commentators have regarded Job JOB. as a real person. From its Aramrean This book appears to be a very an and Arabic diction it is supposed to cient dramatic composition, of wonder have been written either by an Aramaean ful power and great poetic beauty, de or an Arabian, and though containing signed to personify integrity towards no allusion whatever to Jewish history, God. it has been quoted by almost every unDr. C. Middleton says: "The book inspired Hebrew writer from the age of of Job, according to the most probable Moses to that of Malachi. It contains opinion, is nothing else but a kind of very important instructions, and trans
and contains the most striking diffi and many errors in regard to Per sian manners." (g 198, a.) Dr. David
culties,
"
I
!
fable, or poetic drama, designed to in culcate the certainty of a Divine Prov
mits to us the earliest records of the

patriarchal doctrines of religion.
said
It is
the duty of patience in afflic tions, and of submission to the will of

;
idence
God under
all
approximate in its form to the Mekana, or philosophical his dispensations, how discourses of the Arabian poets. Who
by
Home
to
"
severe or afflicting soever they may hap pen to be. This was the sense of the
wrote
it ?
When was
it
"
written ?
When
"
Canon? says Stuart, are most ancient and learned Jews, who had questions about which there has been, no clear account or probable tradition and will be, endless dispute." The concerning either Job himself, or the book is mentioned by neither Philo nor author of the book, which some ascribe Josephus. to Moses some to David some to Isaiah, This book," says the Rev. S. Noble, or one of the later prophets while others makes nearer approaches to the char suppose it to have been written after the acter of an inspired composition [thaw Babylonish captivity yet all of them any of those we have considered], hav seem to think that Job himself, if such ing been written in very ancient times, a person ever really existed, must have by a highly illuminated person, deeply lived in the times of the Patriarchs. grounded in the wisdom of those times, But, be that as it will, it is evident that and in the science of correspondences, every part of the book breathes a dra which formed a great part of that wis matic and fabulous air the council, of dom whence the book is composed in
annexed
to the
"
"
angels convoked by
appearance a style approaching to that of the Word itself, being written by correspondences, oj Satan among them / his debate with God, and commission from Him; the several and thence containing an internal sense,
God;
the
speeches of Job and his friends; the con clusion of the whole by the appearance, of
God himself in a whirlwind ; and all this, as the critics observe, delivered in verse,
though not exactly of the same kind, nor arranged in the same perfect oi-der and unbroken series, as is the internal sense of the Sacred Books themselves."
Int.
make
it
highly probable, or certain
Rep.,
New Series, Vol.
ii.,
p. 378.
56
662
"
APPENDIX.
Job
is,
Tlie book of
by learned the
or sentences
erbs."
in
this
book of Prov
ologians, said not to be a Hebrew pro duction. Job lived in the land of Luz
Aramen
trict,
tion.
Many of them have evidently de which Edom was a dis scended from very ancient times, and and Arabia our modern designa some are founded on correspondence. Job was not a Hebrew of the This collection of Proverbs has usually
of
Hebrews, but an Arabian; and, accord ing to Hales, his probable epoch was about 2337 B. C., that is, from 600 to 800 years before Moses." Gliddon s
Ancient Egypt, p. 12.
been ascribed to Solomon, though doubts have been entertained whether he really
was the compiler of the whole. It also includes the Proverbs said to have been
transcribed or copied out by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah, whom he
The Hindoos have a beautiful drama,

similarly constructed to the book of Job, which gives an account of a perfect
"
employed
to restore the services
and
writings of
the Jewish
man,"
called
A ra-Chaudram, and who
represented as the sovereign of a large kingdom. For a detail of the leading

is
(Prov. xxv. 1) ; ered by Agur to his pupils Ithiel and Ucal (Prov. xxx. 1) ; and the precepts
dispensation the instructions deliv
facts,
those which occur in Job, see Roberts Oriental Illust., 2d ed., pp. 245-254.
"
and a comparison of them with of King Lemuel by his mother (xxxi. s 1). There is no trace of plenary inspi ration in them and "with regard to the Our opinion on the book of Job interpretation of them," says Nicholls, is important to remark that some agrees with those who consider it a
;
"it
parable to explain the different opin Some of ions on Divine Providence.
of
them, though
expressed
without
our rabbis expressed themselves in the Talmud by the words Job never really others, who existed, but is only a fable maintained his real existence, did not all agree as to the time and the place where he lived, so that some of them thought him to have been a contempo
;
limitation, are yet not to be understood as universally true." Help to Reading

the Bible, pp. 264, 265.
"The book of Proverbs never once appeals to the Pentateuch, and owing to this and other discrepancies from
the book of the law, was only adopted into the canon after strong opposition."
Tract. Schabb., ch.
ii.,
rary of the patriarchs others place him coeval with Moses; others, again, fix his period in the reign of David and, last
;
;
fo.
30
see also
Von Bohlen,
Int. to
Gen.
of
all,
some
class
him among
;
those
who
ECCLESIASTES.
This book, like the former, is tradi returned from Babylon which differ In ences only strengthen the opinion that tionally attributed to Solomon. he never existed." Moreh Nebuchim, Hebrew it received its name from the part 3, ch. 22, trans. M. B. H., Heb. initial words "The words of the
Review, vol.
ii.,
1835, p. 184.
Its object seems to have preacher." been to demonstrate the eternal dura
PROVERBS.
This book contains a collection of concise and sententious maxims for the regulation of the life, designed to ad monish the young and to urge them to the diligent study of true wisdom. "We
are
"
tion
of
the
soul,
the vanity of
all
earthly conditions and pleasures, and the inestimable advantages of religion

;
"
that skepticism
it
never
satisfies
and
quiets the mind,
and the deliverance

"
from
says Bishop Hopkins, gener ally to expect connection either of sense

not,"
all good, as well as the highest duty (see Sluart). "As it stands in our Vulgate," says a
is
the greatest of
ECCLESIASTES
"
AND
CANTICLES.
663
modern writer, it certainly bears but tion of the writer was to repress the few marks of inspiration, and, indeed, restless and eager efforts of men, which we cannot but feel that it needed none hurry them on in heaping up wealth, in securing pleasures, and in acquir to its production. Valuable and inter and at the same time to esting in its own way, especially from ing honors its age and authorship, and more par instruct them not to increase the
;
ticularly
from the impressive and ed

its last
ifying nature of
as
chapter,
com
troubles of life by denying themselves the enjoyment of harmless, though un

certain
trod.,
mentators have rather looked upon it the moralizing of a Jewish Dr. Johnson, founded entirely on worldly
experience the night thoughts of the wise king, when the world went wrong with him than one of super
and
fleeting
"
pleasures."
In-
the philosophic doubts and puzzles of Ecclesiastes, and the manner of discussing them, have
pp. 215, 217. Stuart writes that
human
and
authority, justifying the faith hopes of the Christian reader."
no parallel either in Proverbs, or in any other part of the Hebrew Scrip tures. They remind one of many
things discussed by Socrates in the of Plato." Grit. Hist, and
Defence of the 0. T. Canon, Dr. David
"
It contains
no prophecy, and
is
not re
"
ferred to in the
New Testament.
The Dialogues
claims of Solomon to be the author of

Ecclesiastes
have not passed entirely son s Eng. ed., p. 129. without dispute." In prop, iv., p. 348, In Vayyikra Rabba,
of his Demonstratio Evangelica, Iluet refutes the opinions of Grotius, who
2) it is said, ous to keep
(\ 28, p. 161, c.
Our wise men were
desir
back or conceal the book ascribes the work to Zerubbabel; of of Coheleth, because they found in it the Talmudists, who considered Heze- words which might lead to heresy. kiah to be the author and of Kimchi, The Talmud speaks of some who found who ascribes it to Isaiah. Huet de contradictions in it. I have seen some cides with St. Jerome and Leusden in among the Jews, who maintained that favor of Solomon. Jahn says that it the book teaches the doctrines of Epi curus." is impossible to say who was the au /&., p. 337. If it were the production of Solomon, thor." Zirkel, in his Critical Examina tion (pub. 1792), considers it to have it must, it is said by some, have been been written by some of the later He composed in his old age, when he had brew writers, between the years 380 and recovered from the partial apostacy 130 B. C., or long after the time of the into which he had allowed himself to latest inspired Hebrew prophet. The be most unhappily betrayed by his Jena Reviewers ascribe it to a Jew of idolatrous wives. In this case it may Alexandria, about 240 B. C. As to this have been the result of serious reflec book, it is full of ancient wisdom, and tion, and it is hoped of deep repentance.
;
"
Desvoeux thinks it is designed to prove the immortality of the soul, or rather the necessity of another state after this
"
THE SONG OF SOLOMON.

"A
This book, otherwise entitled Song of Songs," is supposed by many life, from such arguments as may be afforded by reason and experience" commentators to have been written bv Philosop. and Grit. Essays on Eccl. ; Solomon, or some contemporary, as an Epithalamium, on the occasion of his Maltbifs Sermons, notes, vol. ii., p. 493 Dr. A. Clarke s Comment.}. Jahn asserts marriage with an Ethiopian, and gen
(
;
that
"
the
multitude;"
the contents are not adapted to and that "the inten
daughter of Pharaoh Shishak, or Shishank, King of Egypt, under whose

tile
664
influence he established
APPENDIX.
in Israel
an
infamous idolatry.
It contains
many
correspondences, and many beautiful metaphors, but exhibits no connected

series, like
from any other portion of his Word, that these things are so? .... The principal part of the commentators on
this book, especially those who have the pure inspired Word of made it their separate study, have in It contains no prediction, is general taken it for granted that this God. never quoted in Scripture, and is only mode of interpretation is incontrovert
received as tradition. It serves, how ever, the important purpose of supply ing illustration and confirmation as to
the meaning of many Hebrew words, and some ancient correspondences. A

writer in the
Grit.
and have proceeded to spiritualize every figure and every verse, as if they had a divine warrant for all they have said. Their conduct is dangerous and
ible
;
;
the result of their well-intentioned la

bors has been of very little service to the cause of Christianity in general, or to the interests of true morality in particu
lar
Bib. observes re
"it
is a mere specting this book, that human composition that there is not
;
the least intimation in
it
of a preten
;
The
conviction on
to
my
I
mind,
sion or claim to inspiration SAITH THE LORD; that
no THUS and the conclusion

does not
;
which
have
it
once mention the

that
name
;"
of
God
is
and
it
conscientiously arrived, are the result of frequent examination, of careful
we have no
quotation from
in
reading, and close thinking, at inter

vals, for
the
New
Testament
and
disposed
nearly
fifty
years
and how
some, and
it
to ascribe it to
;
some unknown contem

"
ever I
pitied
may be blamed by
by others,
I
porary writer that while it may still be suited to the tastes and habits of oriental nations, with us, in the occi
dental world, it is better, for many rea sons, to abstain from the use of
must say
as fear
lessly as I do conscientiously, that in this inimitably tine Hebrew ode I see
it;"
and that
iv., p.
"it
has had
its
day."
(Vol.
nothing of Christ and his Church, and nothing that appears to have been in and tended to be thus understood
;
557).
"
Dr. Adam Clarke says, there have been some doubts concerning the au thor of this book Strictly speak
ing, the
nothing, applied in this way, that, per interests of true se, can promote the
Godliness, or cause the simple and sin cere to know Christ after the flesh.
Book
;
of Canticles
is
neither
Here
help
I conscientiously stand
me."
may God
an Ode,
a?n Idyll,
mi
thalamium it is tion to the Canticles, 1844, vol. ill, pp. 2563 et seq. generis, and seems to partake more of the nature of what we call a MASK, than Wharton refused to admit its divine
anything
else,
a Pastoral, or an Epirather a composition
See
Commentary Introduc
an entertainment
foi
the guests
attended the marriage ceremony, with a dramatic cast through out the whole, though the persons who
who
Origen, in his preface to authority. the commentary on this book, holds it to be an epithalamium, or marriage song, as Ewald supposed in the form
of a drama. a Bishop Lowth calls it This idea has been, in modern times, improved by Lowth, Bossuet, Michaelis, and other commen
"
speak and act are not formally intro duced The name of God is not found in it nor is it quoted in the New Is it not a very solemn Testament and indeed awful thine/ to say, This is the voice of Christ to His Church, This is
;
nuptial
dialogue."
tators.
the voice of the
Church of
Christ, etc., etc.,
Bossuet, a critic of profound learning, calls it also a pastoral eclogue, consisting of seven acts, each act filling
when
there
is
no proof from God, nor a day, concluding with the Sabbath,
THE SO NO OF SOLOMON.
describing, as Eichhorn, Jahn,
"
665
to be in
clude,
"
etc., con the cliaste mutual love of two
mon
Song can be proved

it
spired,
is
not,
we apprehend, on
the
young persons antecedent to marriage," ground of either external or internal having no natural historical founda evidence, but on that of the inspired
tion."
Many
commentators, with the character attaching to their royal au
Targum, Cocceius, Luther, and St. Ber thor. That God was the author of his nard, have looked upon this book as wisdom we know, as the Holy Spirit is either figurative or allegorical, or as an the author of all true wisdom, the inDr. Pye Smith, however, who, with Eichhorn, Bauer, Jahn, etc., entirely rejects the allegorical meaning, seems inclined to exclude the book from the canon. He considers it to have been written, not by Solomon, but by a far
elegant fable.
spirer of all good counsels, as well as of all holy desires and good works.
But whether he was moved by the Holy Ghost in penning these compo
sitions, or rather in
speaking the prov

is
erbs ascribed to him,

to
not so certain as
happier person among his contempo

raries, yet
unknown
to posterity.
And
although the mystical sense may not have been designed by the author, or authors, yet by those who introduced the book into the canon, it was the only one that was regarded. See Dr. W. character. Wrights note to Seller, pp. 243-246. Even, however, admitting Rosenmiiller, with Jarchi, regarded both Solomon and Ezra to have been it as draruatico-allegorical poem." inspired men, it would be very difficult, Theodorus of Mopsuesta, in the 4th or we conceive, to prove that this char 5th century, held that it was aphro- acter attached to the anonymous au distic, or libidinous, and, with Josephus, thors of the book of Esther and the Cau- book of Chronicles. We must, there rejected it from the sacred books.
that,
"a
rank among articles of faith. There appears to us far stronger grounds for believing that Ezra, the priest and acted and spake under the scribe, guidance of inspiration; but it is ob servable that he is never spoken of as a prophet, nor does he lay claim to that
Had it been fore, still contend that these books, he says, "there though very properly included in the book," would have been some mention in it of canon as both authentic and true, are The public read possibly not inspired and that the the name of God." ing of it was never allowed by the question whether they are so or not Jews." Le Clerc calls it pastoral comes within the proper range of hu
c/,s.s-ms,
vol.
i.,
p. 577.
"
a prophetical
"
"a
eclogue."
The time
of
its
authorship
man
1825.
wisdom."
Eclectic
Review,
Nov
is
also greatly disputed.
has been questioned

ages.
Its canonicity in all subsequent
"Of
clesiastes,
its
the books of the Proverbs, Ecand the Song of Solomon,
On
structure there has been a
Home great diversity of opinions. considers that the most probable which
refers poets.
it
Rabbi Nathan observes that in former it was said of these books that they were apocryphal." Michaelis, Intimes
trod., vol.
i.,
to the idyls of the
Arabian
is
p. 71.
Stuart thinks that
Solomon
the subject of the book, but that there is great difficulty in regard to Solomon
Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, Dr. Davidson says, "they pre sent perplexing anomalies which have
Of Esther,
being the proper author.

tament Canon, Dr. Davidson p. 354.
"
See Old Tes

s ed., pt. iii.,
If the books of Proverbs
and Solo-
never been cleared away. Manfully," he adds, "has he [Moses Stuart] en deavored to solve them. But that he has been successful will scarcely be
56*
666
APPENDIX.
j
maintained by such as are fully aware

of those anomalies in all their extent
rectly from the Hebrew text into the dialect of the Chaldean language, an-
and
Test.
magnitude."
Tntrod.
Essay
to
j
ciently
spoken
throughout
Assyria,
Stuart s Or. Hist, and
Def. of the Old
Canon, p. xv.
Babylonia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Pal estine; and were made, after the Babylo
lias been justly remarked that nish captivity, for the use of those who Nehemiah, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, had forgotten, or were ignorant of, the nnd the Song of Songs speak exclu Hebrew. They were called TARGUMS, from a word which means to explain, to sively of their human authors."
It
"
to interpret. Eight of these have descended to our times, but the The Apocrypha includes a number last, or the two books of Chronicles, of books, generally placed between the was not known till 1680. The impor Old and New Testaments, none of which tant use of these Targums has been to were ever received by the Jews as of vindicate the genuineness of the He divine origin. They are not inserted brew text. The Jews were persuaded that the in Melito s Catalogue in the second century, nor does Origen, in the third Oral or Traditionary Law, which origi
IV.
THE APOCRYPHA.
expound, or
century, or Epiphanius, in the fourth, Of acknowledge their authenticity.
nated in the interpretation of the Scrip tures by the Scribes, was a code of di
vine origin, as well as the plenarily inspired Law of Moses. Hence arose
these
council
books, however, the Romish of Trent, held in the 16th
century, decreed that the two books of Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, the two books of
numberless
opinions,
Rabbinical
which became,
glosses and in process of
Maccabees, with which are mixed up,

or to which are appended, additions to the books of Esther and Daniel, the Song of the Three Children, the Story
of Bel and the Dragon, the History of Susannah, and the Epistle of Jeremiah,
time, uncertain, obscure, contradictory, and perplexed. These traditions, as
they were rightly called (Matt. xv. 2Mark vii. 3-9), were believed to 6 have been delivered by Moses, and
;
in unbroken succession, through Aaron, Eleazar, Joshua, and
transmitted,
should thenceforward be held as canon

ical or
"
members of the Greek Sanhedrim, and thence to Sim eon, Gamaliel, and ultimately to Rabbi canon of Scripture were called Apoc Jehuda, surnamed Hakkadosh (i. e., the a word derived from the holy), president of the Sanhedrim (as ryphal, Greek, which means to hide, because they continued to call a council of a of their not being submitted to public remnant of the people, who remained some time in Galilee, about the middle inspection as the inspired books were
the prophets, to the
divinely inspired. The books not admitted into the
;
according to others, because they were not admitted into the ark, the
or,
of the second century of the Christian era), who, after the labor of forty years,
collected
they were too burdensome to the mem XXXIX. Art. of the Oh. of England,, ory, and called them the MISIINA, or revised by Paye, p. 89. Eighteen repetition of the Oral Law. out of the sixty-two treatises into which V. RABBINICAL LITERATURE. that work was divided, were translated
deposited."
place where the canonical books were Burnett s Exposition of the
them
in six
books, because
tions of the
The Chaldee paraph rases are transla into English, Old Testament, made di- de Sola and
in 1843,
by the Revs Mr.
Dr. Raphall, Rabbins of
THE TALMUD AND SEPT UA GINT.

great learning and influence, "at the request of the Uphardim Synagogue,"
667
and called by them

of the Written
Law."
"
God s Explanation
This work became
the study of all the learned Jews,
who
!
true interpretation is that of the Mishna and Gemara. The Masoretic notes and criticisms have been called "the Hedge of the Law," and relate to books, verses, words, vowel points, and accents. The
employed their skill and ingenuity in making comments upon it. These com ments are collected together, and called the GEMARA, which means perfection, and were regarded as the complement,
because by them the Mishna is fully explained, and the whole of the tra
ditionary doctrines and precepts of the
inventors of this system of marking Hebrew were called Masorites or Masso-
They counted, with the greatest reverence, the number of each of the words and letters occurring in the He
rets.
brew Bible, and marked the number of

j
Jewish law and
religion
sidered imperfect verses, the words they Thus the Mishna is believed to have been changed, and the is the comment or note upon the text, and both together make what letters which they deemed superfluous, the Jews call the Talmud, which means all repetition,-;, and different renderings, of the same doctrine, disciple, and includes the civil and the various meanings and canonical law of the Jewish people, word. They noted down what letters were inverted, together with numberless profane state were pronounced, what ments and absurd fables. That made and such as hang perpendicularly. This work has been regarded as a monument in Judea is called the Jerusalem Tal mud, and that made in Babylon is called of stupendous labor and unwearied as the former siduity, united with the greatest venerthe Babylonish Talmud was completed about the third century ation, and has been of incalculable ser of the Christian era, and the latter in vice in preserving the accuracy and
completed. the text, and the
the verses of each book and section, and noticed the middle verse, clause, and letter. They marked what they con-
Gemara
the beginning of the sixth. After the destruction of Jerusalem, and the consequent dispersion of the
integrity of the original text of the Old
Testament Scriptures. (See Prideaux a Connection ; Bishop Tomline s Int. to the

Study of
the
Jews, various schools were opened, in which the Scriptures were diligently
taught. One of the most distinguished of these academies was that of Tiberias,
in Palestine, which Jerome mentions The as existing in the fifth century.
Bible,
to
p.
169;
Home s
;
(Hartwell) Introd.
Sacred Scrip., vol.

tives to the
to s
ii.,
Study of the Mo pp. 37, 417

Crit.
;
Study of Bib. Lit.
and
Kit-
Oyc. of Bib. Lit.)
doctors of this school, early in the fourth or fifth century, agreed to revise the
THE SEPTUAGINT, Oil GREEK VERSION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

VI.
sacred text, and issue an accurate edi

tion of
it
;
This translation of the Old Testament

into Greek,
is
for
which purpose they

critical
col
the oldest version in exist
and ence, except the Chaldee and Samaritan. at Alexandria, and is often grammatical observations they could It was made called the Alexandrian Version. After obtain, which appeared likely to con
lected
all
the scattered
tribute towards fixing both the reading and interpetration, into one book, which
|
they called MASORAH, that is, tradition, because it consisted of remarks received ber of mixed Jews, who were allowed from others. The true reading is, there to settle in Galilee. Many Jews were as the dispersed abroad, and had settled in the fore, the subject of the Masorah,
the Babylonish captivity, the tribe of Judah alone returned to their native num land, accompanied, however, by a
668
Grecian empire.
at their request
It
is
APPENDIX.
supposed that VII.
Ptolemy Philadelphia,
King of Egypt, applied to Eleazar for a copy of the Scriptures in the Greek Augustus Nordenskjold, in his Re language; and that the High Priest marks on the different editions of the at Jerusalem appointed seventy men, Bible made use of by Emanuel Swedenlearned in the ancient Hebrew and borg," inserted in the New Jerusalem
"
:
THE VERSIONS OF THE SCRIP TURES USED BY EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.
Chaldee, to accomplish this important It was completed about 280 work.

years before the Christian era. It was approved by the Sanhedrim, or great
judicial council of the Jews, consisting of seventy men. From one or other of these circumstances, or from both, it was
Magazine, for the year 1790, p. 87, says that "he [E. S.] possessed four editions of the Holy Bible in Hebrew
"
T. Paynini [u Benedicto Aria] Montana, fo. 1657, in which he made no remarks in the margin, as I
I.
"
That by
was informed by the person who bought

it
called the Septuagint, or Version of the Seventy. It was deservedly held in
at the sale.
"
This I have happily found determining the it is filled with remarks, and with the meaning of numerous words and phrases, Latin translation of several Hebrew tin-owing light upon many laws and words, as also some observations on the
1739, 4to.
;
great estimation, and was universally used by the Hellenistic Jews, or those who spoke the Greek language, and pub] icly kept and used in their synagogues. This version is of inestimable value in the criticism and interpretation
of the
II. Biblica Hebraica punctata, cum Novo Testamento Grceco, 8vo, of the edition of Manasse Ben Israel, Amsterdam, 1639. This was also without re-
marks.
"
III. Reineccii Biblic. Hebr., Lipsiae,
Hebrew
text,
customs, and explaining
many
historical facts
more precisely for it was made
internal sense.
It is
The book
is
much used.
manu-
added
to the collection of
at a period
when
the
Hebrew language,
I
scripts.
"
IV. Biblia Hebraica Secundum Edit. having suffered much decay, was no longer vernacular in Palestine, and had Belgicam Edvardi Von der Hooght, una ceased to be understood by the Jews of cum Versione Latina Sebastiani Schmidii, the dispersion. Most of the quotations Lipsice, 1740, 4to. There is no remark in the New Testament are made from in the margin, but a great number of It was held in high estimation, and lines and asterisks, at the most remark it. was of immense importance, in the first able places of the Latin version, the ages of Christianity, and for five cen original text not being in any manner turies was used and read in public touched; because, according to the ex Some authors have asserted, but pression of Swedenborg, The word is ship. without direct authority, that there was perfect, such as we have it. a Greek version of the Scriptures in use Of the New Testament in Greek he 356 years B. C., but that the translation had none besides that mentioned, No. procured by Ptolemy Philadelphus was II., and which is a fresh edition of that the more correct and perfect. See Dr. by Elzevir in 1624, made by Janson, A. Clarke s Success, of Sacred Literature, and the edition of Leusden, Amsterdam, vol. i., p. 32 Dean Prideaux s Connec 1741, with the Latin version. It is tion, vol. iii., p. 43, ed. 1725; Nolan s probable he has followed this edition in Integrity of the Greek Vulgate; Grim- translating the Apocalypse.
i
w/>r-
"
field s Apology; Kind s Cyc. Bib. Lit. Bishop Tomlinc s Introduction, etc.
"
Of the Latin
versions of the Bible,

Sclnnidins,
he made use chiefly of that of
VERSIONS USED
I/ipsiae,
BY SWEDENBORG.
New
669
1740, after the time that

Coelestia,
lie
be
gan the Arcana
because he
Testaments in elegant Latin, like that of the ancient classic authors.""
found this to be more literal and exact /&., p. 64. The translation of Pagninus [Sancthan all the others. Nevertheless, in all his quotations, and above all in the tus, an Italian Dominican] was revised Arcana Gudestia, he has more exactly by Benedict Arias Montanus, who has expressed the sense according to the erroneously been considered as a new translator of the Bible in the Latin lie has never fol original language,
[
language. His chief aim was to transOld or New Testaments, late the Hebrew words by the same as I have carefully examined and found number of Latin ones so that he has But he had four copies accommodated his whole translation to to be the case. of the Latin translation of Castelliano, the most scrupulous rules of grammar,
lowed the version of Arius Monlanus,

either of the
apparently for the purity of the lan guage, which he was very studiously applying himself to, before he learned
without any regard to the elegance of

|
his Latinity.
fore,
Montanus
edition, there-
considered rather as a Hebrew in 1745. In his quotations of grammatical commentary than a true the New Testament he only made use version, and as being adapted to inof Schmidt s translation, 1st ed., which struct young beginners in the Hebrew,
may be
he sometimes has
"
left,
the better to ex
I
than
press the sense of the Greek. From this it appears that he always
to be read separately being printed interlinearly, with the Latin word placed exactly over the Hebrew,
;
had the originals in hand. But with it saves the student the trouble of freIn respect to the author s translations of quently referring to his lexicon. Genesis, Exodus, and the Apocalypse, the New Testament, Montanus changed they are directly translated from the only a few words in the Vulgate ver sion, where he found it to differ from originals." This revision has been Sebastian Schmidt was professor of the Greek.
I
"
Oriental languages at Strasburgh. Of his version, which is placed opposite the Hebrew text, and was published
after the author s decease, there
verv
sizes."
frequently
printed
in
various
edition
76., p. 63.
fo.,
(My own
"Impensis
Teppis Johannis WitAt the beginning of been several editions. It is strictly lit tigan, Lipsiae." Old Testament is a MS. note eral ; and is chiefly useful to students in the Home s In- which states that this translation w as the Hebrew language." trod., vol. ii., part 2, pp. 7, 65. My generally admired both by Jews and own edition is that of 1740. To the others acquainted with the Hebrew,
have
that of 1657, tiani Kirchneii.

is
Chris-
"
work are prefixed:

.1.
preface, by C. Clodius, vindicating the edition

1.
He is for its exactness and fidelity. blamed by some, and particularly by

Father Simon, for being too
literal.
of
Von
der Hooght against some
criti
cal censures; 2.
face,
Vender Hooght s
pre
with the testimonies of some emi

;
nent scholars in favor of his edition
Huetius, nevertheless, proposes him as a model for all translators of the Sa cred Text, whether of the Old or the
and, 3. The testimony and judgment of the Theological Faculty of Stras burgh in favor of Sebastian Schmidt s
Latin Translation.
"The
(E. M.)
New Testament, for the same plan is seen in both. Luther spoke of him and his translations in the highest terms of applause. He died in 1536,
aged 70
years."
design of Sebastian Chahlon, or Castalio, was to render the Old and
E. M.)
APPEND IJT.
VIII.
WORD OF
OX THE INTEGRITY OF THE GOD, AND ITS MIRACU

"
"Upon
the whole
we may remark
antiquity of the or dif
that the
number and
ferent parts of the New Testament, the In the variety of ancient versions, and the Hebrew MSS. that have been exam multitude of quotations from these ined, some 800,000 various readings sacred books in the early Christian writers from the second century down actually occur as to the Hebrew con sonants. How many as to the vowel- wards, constitute a body of evidence in points and accents no man knows. But favor of the genuineness and authen
LOUS PRESERVATION.
MSS. which contain the whole
Dr. Moses Stuart observes
it is equally true, ticity of the Christian Scriptures far these taken together, do not beyond that of any other book of equal change or materially affect any impor antiquity." Imp. Vers. New Test., intant point of doctrine, precept, or even trod., p. xxiii. The whole subject of various read great proportion, indeed history. the mass of variations in Hebrew MSS., ings, and their probable causes, has
at the
same time,
that all
when minutely scanned, amount to been fully and critically discussed in nothing more than the difference in Bishop Marsh s excellent lectures and spelling a multitude of English words his translation of Professor Michaelis*
[as honour, honor~\.
"Indeed,
Introduction.
These various readings, though through the immense desert (so I can hardly very numerous, do not in any degree help naming it) of Kennicott and De affect the general credit and integrity Rossi, and (if I may venture to speak of the text, the general uniformity of
"
one
may
travel
in homely phrase) not find game which, in so many copies, scattered enough to be worth the hunting. So through almost all countries in the completely is this chase given up by known world, and in so great a variety recent critics on the Hebrew Scrip of languages, is truly astonishing, and
a reference to either of these demonstrates both the veneration in famous collators of MSS., who once which the Scriptures were held and created a great sensation among philol- the great care which was taken in trans On the cribing them. Of the 150,000 various ogers, is rarely to be found." Old Testament Canon, p. 169. readings which have been discovered When the very erudite and truly by the sagacity and diligence of colla pious Professor Bengel, of Tubingen, tors, not one tenth nor one hundredth published his New Testament, with all part make any perceptible, or, at least, the various readings which he had been any material, variation in the sense. able to discover, many minds were filled This will appear credible if we con with anxiety, thinking that an entirely sider that every, the minutest devia new Testament would be the result in tion, from the received text, has been the end, if all the various readings were carefully noted, so that the insertion or hunted up. They thought it would be omission of an article, the substitution better to leave things as they were. But of a word for its equivalent, the trans mark although 40,000 various read position of a word or two in a sentence, ings were discovered in the ancient and even variations in orthography MSS., the New Testament was hardly have been added to the catalogue of at all altered thereby." Oldhausen, The various readings." Conybeare s Theol. Genuineness of the N. T. Writings, Lect., pp. 191, 192.
tures, that
"
Clarke
For. Theol. Lib., p. vii
The number
of these variations
ACCURACY OF THE SACRED TEXT.

greatly reduced, when we include only those books of the Word which are
671
ings of the
Hebrew manuscripts by
plenarily inspired.
Kennicott, hardly offer sufficient inter est to compensate for the trouble they
The
labors of the critics in confirm
But (Einleitung, 2 th. s. 700.) these very misreckonings, and the ab sence of these discoveries, have proved
cost!
ing the wonderful accuracy of the Word of God in the letter are thus summed
:
a precious discovery for the church of God. She expected as much but she
;
respects is delighted to owe it up by Professor Gaussen the Old Testament, the indefatigable her very adversaries.
"As
to the labors of
"
investigations
of
the
four
folios
of
a learned
those
Father Houbigant, the

labor of
thirty
years
Michaelis, above all, the great Critical Bible, and the ten years study of the famous Kennicott
John Henry
which
of so
In truth," says of our day, "but for precious negative conclusions men have come to, the direct
man
result obtained
from the consumption
(who consulted
five
hundred and eighty;
one Hebrew manuscripts)

Professor Rossi
order to come to it, time, talent, and dred and eighty manuscripts. As re learning have all been foolishly thrown Wiseman s Disc, on the Rela spects the New Testament, the no less away." (
s collection
and, in fine, of six hun
many men s lives in these immense researches, may seem to amount to nothing; and, one may say, that in
gigantic investigations of Mill, Benzel, Wetstein, and Griesbach (who consulted
tions, etc., ii.
Disc. 10.)
said, this result is
immense
But, as we have in virtue of

"
three hundred and thirty-five manu the scripts for the Gospels alone)
;
its nothingness, and all powerful in vir tue of its insignificance. When one
Nolan, Matthaei, thinks that the Bible has been copied Lawrence, and Hug; above all, those during thirty centuries, as no book of of Scholz, with his six hundred and man has ever been, or ever will be; seventy-four manuscripts for the Gos that it was subjected to all the catastro
latest
researches of
and ninety-three for the Apoca lypse (without reckoning his four hun
pels
dred and
fifty-six
phes and all the captivities of Israel that it was transported seventy years to manuscripts for the Babylon that it has seen itself so often
; ;
Acts and Epistles and his fifty -three All these vast labors Lectionarise).
persecuted, or forgotten, or interdicted, or burnt, from the days of the Philis
have
so convincingly established the astonishing preservation of that text,
when tines to those of the Selucidse; one thinks that, since the time of [the
first
copied, nevertheless, so
advent of our Lord and Saviour] Jesus Christ, it has had to traverse the centuries and in Greek during eighteen first three centuries of imperial perse hundred years), that the hopes of the cution, when persons found in posses
many thousand
thirty-three
times (in
Hebrew during
enemit s of religion, in this quarter, have been subverted, and, as Michaelis has said, They have ceased henceforth to look for anything from those critical
"
sion of the
Holy Books were thrown

beasts;
to
the wild
eighth,
next,
the
seventh,
false
and ninth
centuries,
when
;
which they at first so warm recommended, because they expected century, when so few could read, even discoveries from them, which have never among princes the twelfth, thirteenth, been made and fourteenth centuries, when the use (torn, ii., p. 266). The learned rationalist Eichhorn him of the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue self also owns that the different read was punished with death, and when
researches,
ly
;
"
books, false legends, and false decretals, were everywhere multiplied the tenth
672
APPENDIX.
sought out some new text, as the rec ompense and the glory of their wea
the books of the ancient fathers were

mutilated, when so many ancient tra ditions were garbled and falsified, even
to the very acts of the emperors, and to those of the councils; then we can
risome watchings; although learned men, not content with the libraries of the West, have visited those of Russia, perceive how necessary it was that the and carried their researches into the Providence of God should always have monasteries of Mont Athos, Turkish put forth its mighty power, in order Asia, and Egypt, there to look for new noth that, on the one hand, the church of the instruments of the sacred text Jews should give us in its integrity that ing can be discovered," says a learned Word which records its revolts, which person already quoted, "not even a predicts its ruin, which describes Jesus single reading, that could throw doubt Christ and on the other, that the on any one of the passages before con Christian churches (the most powerful sidered as certain. All the van antes of which, and the Roman sect in par almost without exception, leave un ticular, interdicted the people from touched the essential ideas of each
"
tuted in so
reading the sacred books, and substi many ways the traditions
phrase,
and bear only on points of

importance;"
secondary
such as the
of the middle ages for the Word of God), should nevertheless transmit to
us, in all their purity,
insertion or the omission of an article, or a conjunction, the position of an ad
those Scriptures
jective before or after
its
substantive,
which condemn all their traditions, their images, their dead languages, their ab solution, their celibacy which say that Home would be the seat of a terrible apostasy, where the man of sin would
;
the greater or less exactness of a matical construction.
gram
And would we be less rigorous in our demands with respect to the Old Testament? the famous Indian manu
God in the temple of script, recently deposited in the Cam God, waging war on the saints, forbid bridge library, will furnish an ex ding to marry, and to use meats which ample. It is thirty-three years since the God had created which say of images, Thou shalt not bow down to them, pious and learned Claudius Buchanan, of unknown tongues, Thou shalt not while visiting, on the Indian Penin of the cup, Drink ye all sula, the Black Jews of Malabar (who use them, of the Virgin of it, Woman, what are supposed to be the remains of the and of mar first dispersion under Nebuchadnez have I to do with thee ? (Theo- zar), saw in their possession an im riage, It is honorable in all.
be seen sitting as
"
"
phrastus,
12mo, pp. 168-170.) Now, although the libraries in which ancient copies of the sacred books may be found have been called upon to give
their testimony although the eluci dations given by the Fathers of all
; ;
mense
long,
roll,
composed of thirty-seven
and
state,
skins, tinged with red, forty-eight feet
twenty -two inches wide, which, in its originally perfect
must have had ninety English
feet of
The Holy Scriptures development. although the had been traced on it by different ages, have been studied Arabic, Syriac, Latin, Armenian, and hands. There remained one hundred and seventeen columns of beautiful Ethiopian versions have been collated although all the manuscripts, of all writing and there was wanting only countries and ages, have been collected Leviticus and part of Deuteronomy. and examined a thousand times over, Buchanan succeeded in having this
; ;
by countless
critics,
who have
eagerly
ancient and precious monument, which
OPINION Ob MICIIAELIS.
served for the worship of the syna
gogue, committed to his care, and he af terwards deposited it in the Cambridge
678
word, and sometimes even of a single letter" While the Com (76., p. 190).
"
The impossibility of sup Library. posing that this roll had been taken from a copy brought by European
edies of Terence alone have presented thirty thousand different readings, yet
these are only six in number, and they have been copied a thousand times less
Jews, was perceived from certain evi often than the New Testament" (/&., dent marks. Now, Mr. Yeates, lately p. 196). See Wiseman s Disc., vol. ii.,
submitted
late
it
to the
most attentive ex
letter
p. 189.
amination, and took the trouble to col

it,
word by word,
by
letter,
with
of
Hebrew
edition of
Van
On this subject it may be as well to quote five of the heads treated of by der the celebrated Michaelis. They are as
:
"
Hooght.
his
He
has published the results follows
the laws of criticism we are they been? Why, this: That there able to distinguish, in most cases, the do not exist, between the Text of In true reading from the false. dia and that of the West, above forty II. It is not denied that some few small differences, not one of which is of the various readings affect doctrines of sufficient importance to lead to even as well as words, and, without caution, a slight change in the meaning and might produce error but these are so interpretation of our ancient text and few that the generality of divines
researches.
I.
And what have
By
"
would be unable to recollect a single trenchments of an or a i, letters, instance, and these few are so easily the presence or absence of which, can distinguished by critical rules that not not alter the import of the word" one has been selected by the reformers
that these are but the additions or re
")
(See
Christian
170
dien
Homes
;
Observer, vol. xii., p. Inlrod. and App., p. 95,
of the present age as a basis of a

doctrine.
new
Examen rf tm Exemplaire In"III. On the other hand, the dis du Pentateuque, p. 8). Ib., pp. covery of the various readings has re moved many objections which had been 171, 172. much for the Old Testament, made to the New Testament. But let it not be thought that the Prov V. The most important readings, idence that watched over that sacred which make an alteration in the sense, Book, and which committed it to the relate in general to subjects that have care of the Jews (Rom. iii. 1, 2), has no connection with articles of faith. done less for the protection of the ora VI. By far the greatest number re cles of the New Testament, committed late to trifles, and make no alteration in by it to the new people of God. It has the sense." Int. Rep., I., N. S., p. 491.
ed. 1818
"So
"
"
not
left to
to gratitude
the latter less cogent motives and feelings of security"
Notwithstanding
all this care, as

"
the
will
transcribers were not inspired,
it
(Ib., p. 174).
In the four Gospels and be
the Apocalypse scarcely any "correc tions exist that have been introduced
Scholz, as the result of their
researches,
all.
asked," says Waterman, "have no errors crept into the writings thus de livered to us? Are there no various
by the new readings of Griesbach and readings ?
Have no words been added

transcribers of the original
immense or omitted ? Are no sentences obscure ?

at
which have any weight
Have no
[In the entire Testament very few], and in most intances these con sist but in the difference of a single
57
manuscript made mistakes?
Undoubt
edly, in all these respects, the answer must be given in the affirmative. Some
2S
674
APPENDIX.
have had no other concern in the mat than that of faithfully copying, and
ers.
mistakes have been made by transcrib Some sentences are obscure. Some
ter,
words have probably been added or of

omitted.
There
are
many
various
in."
late, collecting together, the variet; of materials which the Jews had pro
Errors have crept readings. Bible the Word of God, Lect. 8, p. 222.
vided to their hands
and further, tha
The above
it
concessions, therefore, be
the Jews do not possess any more cor rect copies than those known to Chris
tians.
remembered, apply to very few pas sages, and often to unimportant partic
That it is unquestionable advanced by E. Swedenborg ulars. The integrity of the Hebrew that the Jewish nation has been pre bu text of the Old Testament, as it exists served for the sake of the Word that this has been done, not because in the version of Von der Hooght, is admitted to be most miraculously pre without them, the text of the Old Tes served while, with the exception of a tament would have been corrupted ty few trifling differences, the Greek edi Christians, but because, without them tion of the New Testament by Gries- it would, in its original language, it being a certaii bacli, and that published by Taylor for perished altogether the students of the University of Lon fact, that, during hundreds of years the Hebrew Scriptures were never read don, are deserving of the greatest con fidence, in which the various readings nor a word of the Hebrew languag< are all mentioned at the foot of the page. understood, by a single Christian. IV It may be observed, as most remark That when E. S. observes, that tin Word has been preserved, especially able, that no doctrine of faith or pre cept of life is dependent on any doubtful the Word of the Old Testament, as passage and no errors in the lapse of every iota and apex, from the time ii ages, and by the errors of transcribers, which it was written, and this by labors of the Masorites; it is advancec exist, which in the slightest degree in validate the inspiration or impair the by him, not as an assertion of his own
III.
true, as
;
hav<
t<
th<
authority of the
Word
of God, as a
but as the
common opinion of the
learne<
plenarily inspired work.
This important subject is ably dis cussed in a series of papers on The In

tegrity of the
of his time, and not from his coinniu nication with the spiritual world, fron
which source he did not derive a knowl

facts, but only of spirit wherefore, we are as much at lib erty to exercise a rational judgmen
Word
of
God
in the Letter,
"
edge of natural
;
in the Intellectual Repository, vol. vi.

vol.
and ual
N. S., where it is shown, I. i., That Dr. Bentley s assertion, that the upon
real text of the sacred writers does not
now
all,
lie
edition, but
is
any single manuscript or dispersed through them highly reasonable and that such amined, we must conclude, that whei
:
in
is
if it still lay only in tin it, as writings of the critics, and had neve been noticed by him at all also, tha when the nature of the Masorah is ex
dispersion
equivalent to preservation, and affords the means, at the Lord s

is
time, of restoration.
II.
That whether
E. S. speaks of the integrity of tin Sacred Text through the labors of tin Masorites, he can only mean, that thej
our present Hebrew manuscripts and have been instrumental to that object, not that they have secured it from al printed copies of the Word are authen tic or not whether they all agree, or [blemish and] defect in the individua contain many variations; we have re copies, and that, with respect to thei ceived them all, bad, good, and indifler- numbering of the verses, words, am ent, from the Jews; that Christians letters, if we take this for an infallibL
;
THE RABBINICAL RULES.

guide,
675
we must imagine the Sacred written with pure black ink, prepared Volume to be corrupt to a degree far from materials and with ceremonies ac
tended.
beyond anything that was ever pre cording to an ancient Rabbinical re V. That the fact is, as might ceipt. The skins upon which the law hence naturally be expected, that the is to be transcribed, must be those of a
clean animal, carefully prepared for that express purpose, by an appointed
individual.
best Masoretic text, as now existing, does actually contain some indubitable errors, which are proved to be such, by
The
sheets or skins are to
other copies, by ancient versions, by evident reason, and by the spiritual

sense
is
"
be fastened together with strings of the sinews of a clean animal.
and that this view of the subject skin must contain a prescribed
;
made Each number
sanctioned and recognized by E. S. himself; of which instances are given.
of columns, of a limited length and breadth each column must contain a
Very
large portions of the

are,
Word
of the
regular
number of lines and words and

;
without doubt, cor all, except five, must begin with the The pens must be made rectly given in his works. To conclude same letter. this section, we will remark, that the of the quills of a clean bird, and the extreme caution which the Jews have Tetragrammeton," or ineffable name always observed in the transcription of of Jehovah, must be written with a new the Holy Writings, especially of the pen, devoted to that exclusive purpose Pentateuch, is not the least remarkable before writing it the scribe must bathe feature in the character of that remark his whole person, and in writing the
"
Old Testament
able people. The manuscript rolls in their synagogues were preserved with
names of God, he is required to solemnize his mind, by devotion and

sacred
uncommon and, when
care, in an ark or coffer, reverence; and, previously to writing the roll containing the law some of them, he must wash his pen. was exposed to the gaze of the congre He must not write a single word from Pie must attentively look gation, it formed a spectacle of unusual memory.
solemnity.
upon each individual word in his ex

rules relating to the transcription of the
e.,
The Rabbinical
preparation and
emplar, and orally pronounce

writing
it
it,
before
down.
The copy must be

after its
SP:PHER-TORAH,
for the use of
i.
Book
of the Law,
less
examined within thirty days
Synagogues, are no
than eighty-eight. They are excessively

strict
completion. Some authors say that the mistake of a single letter, even an im
perfectly formed
letter,
and these the greatest desire to secure textual accuracy. These copies are directed to be made by sacred scribes
;
much more a
the
is
superfluous one, vitiates codex others state that it

;
entire
alone, called Sephorim, who are set apart for this especial purpose. The tran
permitted to correct three errors in any one sheet, but if more are found, the copy is con
scriber must, at the commencement of his task, be in the full enjoyment of
demned
health, and, from time to time, must leave off before lassitude supervenes. He must prepare himself for his work
as profane, or unfit for religious purposes, and, as the case may be, is either cut to pieces with solemn curses, or preserved for private use.
In such a way did Divine Providence,

acting through an almost superstitious reverence for the very words of Holy
by submitting to a prescribed course of medicine, and by observing certain pe

culiar ceremonials.
roll
The Synagogue Writ (for it was little more than super must be copied from ancient and stition with the Jews), secure the au It must be approved manuscripts. thenticity of the text, and guard the
676
canon pure against
all
s
APPENDIX.
corruption.
Holy Ghost
teacheth,
1 Cor.
ii.
13, if that
what the Holy Ghost had Scott Porter s taught them out of the Old Testament. that it was not always so is evident, cism, book ii., caps i., ii. Bishop Marsh s Lectures on Criticism, p. 65 llartwdl both from the consideration that they
See also Professor Gaussen
Theopneustos; Principle of Textual Criti
;
relate not to
l>ut
Home s
"
Introduction
to
the
Holy Scrip
were hagiographers,
who
are supposed
tures, etc.
to be left to the use of their

trifling
own
words,
How
soever this scrupulous
exactness
may appear, yet it suggests to us one observation, that the Jews were religiously careful to preserve the literal
;
sense of Scripture and, consequently, notwithstanding their enmity and ob

stinate aversion to Christianity, they are not to be charged with the ad ditional crime of having corrupted the
Bible."
and from the variety of the style in which they write, and from their solecisms, which are sometimes visible in their compositions and more especially from their own words, which manifestly show that, in some cases, they had no such suggestion from the Holy Ghost, as doth imply that He had dictated hosewords unto them. For instance, when
;
Ch.appelon, cited by
Gill, pref.
St.
to
Disc, on Heb. Lang.
IX.
THE EPISTLES OF THE APOS

TLES.
Paul declares his will or purpose to do what he was hindered by the provi dence of God from doing, as when he
says to the Romans,
When I
Dr. Whitby, quoted with great appro bation by Dr. A. Clarke, thus writes re specting the inspiration of the apostles
Spain I will come / ivill come by you

:
to
you,
go into chap. xv. 24;
and
it
if
what
is
advanced be confined, as
into Spain v. 28. For though he might, after his enlargement, go into the West, where St. Clement (Ep. ad Cor. \ 6) says he preached, and even
ought most assuredly to be, to their Acts and apostolic Epistles, we are per
fectly agreed, differing
into Spain, as Cyril (Catechis. 17, p. 204,

c.),
with him, how
ever,
Mo ccelo, that the same opinions are applicable to the Gospels and the book of Revelation; for these, as we
have already proved, were penned un
der the highest degree of inspiration, and. containing a heavenly meaning within the letter, are divinely true in
every particular. for such I contend only," says he, an inspiration, or divine assistance of
" "
Epiphanius (Hser. 27, p. 107, c.), and Theodoret (in 2 Tim. iv. 17, and Pra?fat. in Psalm cxvi.), say he did yet it is certain he did not designedly go to
;
Rome, in order to an intended journey into Spain; and when he says to the Corinthians, I will come to you ivJtcn I
pass through Macedonia, 1 Cor. xvi.
5,
and yet confesses in his second epistle, 2 Cor. i. 15, 16, 17, that he did not
perform that journey; for it is not to be thought the Holy Ghost should in cite him to promise, or even to purpose,
the sacred writers of the
New
Testa
what he knew he would not perform, what they wrote, whether by inspiration This also we learn from all those placet of suggestion or direction only but not in which they do express their igno for such an inspiration as implies that rance or doubtfulness of that which
ment, as will assure us of the truth of
;
even their words were dictated, or their they are speaking of as when St. Paul phrases suggested to them by the Holy says, */ know not whether I baptized any Ghost. This, in some matters of great other, 1 Cor. i. 16. And again, Per moment, might be so, St. Paul declaring haps Twill abide, yea, and winter with you,
;
that they spake the things which were given tfwrn of God, in the words which the
1
(
Cor. xvi.
6.
And when
St. Peter saith,
Jly Sylvanus, a faithful brother as
I sup-
THE WRITINGS OF PAUL.

pose, have
677
I written
to
you,
Pet. v. 12.
For these words plainly show that in Gams; all these things they had no inspiration baptized
or divine assistance.
baptized none of you but Crispus and lest any should say that I had
in
my own
name"
(1 Cor.
i.
14,
is
This, lastly, may be gathered from all those places in which they only do express their hope,
this or
"
15).
Wlio then
is
Paul, and who
Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man" (1
and that conditionally, of doing

that, as in these words,
Cor.
"
"
iii.
51.
/ speak
this
"
by permission,
(1 Cor. vii. 6).
"
/ hope
will,
to see
in
to
my journey, Rom.
you quickly,
if the
xv. 24.
1 will
you and not of commandment To the rest speak I, not come

give
the
Lord."
Lord
1 Cor. iv.
my judgment
as one
that
hath ob
19.
the
hope
to
Lord permit, in the Lord Jesus
stay some time with you, if I hope 1 Cor. xvi. 7.

to
tained mercy of the Lord to be faithful." think also that I have the Spirit of God
"
"I
send Timothy shortly
(1
Cor. vii.
"
2, 25,
unto you [so soon as go with me], Phil.

trust that
v.
I shall
ii.
see
how
it
will
commandment ; but by
"
40). occasion of the for
/ speak
not by
19, 23.
shall
And I
hoping
to
I myself also
These things
come quickly,
wardness of others." (2 Cor. viii. 8.) When Peter was come to Antioch I with
stood
24.
write,
come
to thee quickly, but if
I should
to
tarry
blamed
left est,
that thou mayest

self
know how
behave thy
iii.
in the church of
God
(1
Tim.
14,
to the face because he was to be The cloak that 1 (Gal. ii. 11). at Troas with Carpus, when thou combring with thee, and the books, but es
" "
him
15).
to
you
to
hope by your prayers to be given (Philim. 22). This will we do, if

vi. 3).
pecially the parchments" (2
Tim.
iv. 13).
Language
from the
writer.
"
like this never could fall

lips of a plenarily inspired
the
Lord permit (Heb.

you
(2
come
Ep. John
v.
I hope to 12; 3 Ep.

nomen,
;
v. 14).
For, spes
est incertce rei
the word hope implies an uncertainty whereas the Holy Spirit cannot be un
certain of anything, nor can
That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting" (2 Cor. xi.
17).
we think
He
would inspire men
certainly.
sity,
And
speak so un there can be no neces

to
Ixxxvii.,
"
or even use, of a divine assistance to enable a man to express his hopes, seeing all men do, by natural reflection,
of Tracts for the Times, pertinently observes, that [there are] strong indications which all must have noticed throughout St.
The author
know
tary.
them."
Dr. A. Clarke
to
Commen
Introduction
New
Testament,
Paul s Epistles, that he discloses and withholds Christian knowledge and mysteries, according to the meetness of those to whom he was writing to re
ceive
them."
p. v.
P. 11.
this very conclusive reasoning of Dr. Whitby, on the character of the
To
Hence, the Apostle Paul, speaking

of the peculiar adaptation of his relig ious instructions to the varied charac
ters
Apostolic Epistles, from a consideration

of their internal evidence, very
much
more
added.
to
the same purport might be I will instance only a few ex
and circumstances of those whom he addressed, says in 1 Cor. ix. 20-22, Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I
"
amples, in which the vast difference
between plenary inspiration and what the Doctor would probably call in
spired direction, will be most evident
to every reflecting mind. Rpeak after the manner of
iv.
"Brethren,
might gain upon the Jews ; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I
might gain them that are under the law ; to them that are without law, as without law,
the
men
"
(Gal.
that
(being not without law to God, but under law to Christ,) that I might gain them
13;
Rom. 57*
"
vi. 9).
I thank God
that are without law.
To
the
weak became
678
I
as weak, that
all
APPENDIX.
1
might gain the weak :
I pear
evidently to any one
who
studies
New things to all men, tliat I these writings with attention." in if/ fit by all means save some, and this 1 Jerusalem Magazine, 1790, p. 140. "The letters he [the Apostle Paul] do for the GospePs sake." Thus teach ing us, that his preaching and writings wrote, were intended for those who
am made
are to be regarded as accommodations of were already Christians, whose relig the Gospel to the particular states and ious nature was already awakened, circumstances of both Jews and Gentiles. who had already enjoyed, in this awak
Dr. Beyer, Professor of Greek to the Consistory of Gottenburg, having asked Swedenborg the reason why, inex
ening, the revelations of Christianity.
His
not so
writings, therefore, were designed, much to be a revelation of truth,
plaining the
of the as a further explication of it. Based he never upon a revelation already made, they quoted from the Apostolic Epistles, he were adapted simply to bring the ideas and replied from Amsterdam, as follows, involved into a more explicit somewhat reflective form, and thus to under date of April 15, 1766 With regard to the writings of St. furnish us with an inspired authority Paul, and the other Apostles, I have for the value of systematic theology in MoreWs Philosophy of not given them a place in my Arcana the Church."
spiritual
sense
Word
in his
Arcana
Coelestia,
"
Crelestia,
because
they are dogmatic
Religion, p. 140.
[or doctrinal] writings merely, and not written in the style of the Word, as are
Dr. Orville Dewey, writing on the

original use of the Epistles, observes, that they were particularly called forth by the exigencies, the difficulties, the
"
those of the Prophets, of David, of the Evangelists, and the Revelation of St.
The style of the Word consists, trials, of the primitive Christians. throughout, in correspondences, and They took their form from circum thence effects an immediate communi stances and with those circumstances cation with heaven (see Doctrine of the we have, and can have, but a partial New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred acquaintance. Such, for instance, are the answers to questions, the solu Scripture, n. 113); but the style of
John.
.
these dogmatic writings is quite differ ent, having indeed a communication
tion of difficulties, the settlement of dis putes, which have long since passed
with heaven, but only mediately or in away. Such, too, is what relates to the The reason why the Apos use of prophetical and miraculous pow These tles wrote in this style was, that the ers, to meats offered to idols, etc. New Christian Church was then to be things do not now concern us because no miraculous powers, and gin through them consequently, the we have as is used in the Word there are no idols to solicit our offer same
directly.
;
style
would not have been proper for such ings. Paul adapted his religious in doctrinal tenets, which required plain structions to the men whom he ad and simple language, suited to the dressed, to their peculiar character, circumstances, difficulties, and specula capacities of all readers.
"Nevertheless, the writings of the Apostles are very good books for the church, inasmuch as they insist on the doctrine of charity and faith thence derived, as strongly as the Lord him
tions."
"
Works, p. 808.
of St.
Thus the form and character
Paul s Epistles are evidently derived from circumstances of his early life, his
country, his family, his occupation," etc. Dr. W. T. Powell s Discourses (xv.),
has done in the Gospels, and in the Revelation of St. John, as will ap
self
pub. by Dr. T. Balgny, 1776.
THE APOSTOLIC WRITINGS.

The following excellent remarks of the late Bishop of Durham, Dr. Maltby, on the writings of the Apostle Paul, ex
with a
critical authority
679
efficacy
traces in these epistles, concerning the and duration of the Mosaic
economy; the admission of Gentiles into the church of Christ the necessity must command the respect of all intel of combining the Jewish ritual with the and upon many subor ligent Christians, the estimate in which Christian faith
press,
which
we hold
from
I quote these compositions. a Sermon preached before the
dinate points, relative to the ceremonies and superstitions both of Jews and
University of Cambridge, March 31, "Even 1805, from 2 Peter iii. 15, 16. as our beloved brother Paul oho according
to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you ; as also in all his epistles, speak ing in them of these things; in which are
heathens. Moreover, as the Apostle wrote upon some topics, which, however clear at the time, are since become ob
scure ; so does he, at least, studiously
upon one occasion,* and even avowedly hold back a part of his meaning and some things hard to be understood, which upon others,t he refers his readers to they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, those oral communications, which had as they do also the other Scriptures, unto been previously made to them, and of their own destruction." which no distinct vestiges are preserved Most epistolary writings are obscure, to us in Holy Writ. We may indeed
;
"
we be perfectly acquainted with the situation of the parties, the design with which they wrote, and the circum
unless
venture to suppose, that the epistles
which he wrote to one set of converts, were not always, even in his own days,
"
stances to which they allude. It is in intelligible to another. deed of considerable use in the inter It appears, then, that these parts of pretation of a letter, or series of letters, the Sacred Volume from various causes when the chain of correspondence is are, in point of fact, obscure and that, preserved entire, and when the occasion according to the more obvious import which called forth the answer is pre of St. Peter s words, in the version served together with the reply. It is adopted by our church, the Apostle acwell known that many of St. Paul s knowledged their difficulty, in the very epistles were addressed to persons who age when the circumstances alluded to had solicited his advice upon peculiar, were recent and when the language in and sometimes local and temporary, which they were written, was the native emergencies. It is equally well known tongue of many, and well understood by that not one of the letters addressed to all, to whom they were addressed. Yet him are extant, nor is there any other to these epistles, which above all other method of ascertaining the occasions parts of the New Testament, have un upon which he wrote, than what is sup avoidably and invincibly become ob
:
I
plied by the letters themselves. Many of the epistles turn principally upon
controverted
points;
upon
questions,
scure in their phraseology, in their allusions, and in the peculiar direction of the reasoning which they contain, to
these epistles, which have so long exer cised the talents, and so often baffled the exertions of the most diligent, the
which, from changes in the external

condition of the Christian world, have ceased to be agitated and which, to us
;
(who are
not, like the
contemporaries
most judicious, and the most learned

expositors
* 2 Thess.
;
of St. Paul, proselytes from Judaism or heathenism) seem to be of little or no
I say, to these very epistles,
moment.
Such, for instance, are the
ii. 5, 6.
flCor.
1
disputes, of
which we have
so
many
Thess.
iii.
xi. 2; 2 Cor. xiii. 2; Gal. iv. 13; 4; 2 Tim. ii. 2; iii. 14.
680
APPENDIX.
ings, quite
ate,
the attention of men, altogether illiter or very scantily furnished with
(Tertullian,
independently of the Spirit Jerome)." Warrington s

"
literature, has been chiefly devoted. Inspiration of Scripture, p. 36. Dr. Arnold, when admitted by Arch Guided, not by the original language not bishop Howley to priest s orders, pro of Scripture, but by translations by the practices or notions of the Apos posed doubts, not merely on the author tolic times, but of our own not by care ship, but the canonicity of the Epistle to Hebrews." Dr. Stanley s Letter to the ful, sober, and unprejudiced comparison the of argumentative and critical exposi Bishop of London on Subscription, p. 27. On the Epistle to the Hebrews, the tions, but by their own zeal they have
;
"
drawn from them conclusions unwar

ranted by the general tenor of the Holy Writings, contrary in
greatest diversity of opinion prevails among critics as to its claims to canonical
many
instances
to our clearest perceptions of the Divine Attributes, and upon some occasions re
authority and Pauline origin. Some denying both of these, and some admit
ting the former whilst they repudiate
common sense, common jus to com tice, and common humanity mon sense, when they indiscriminately
volting to
:
the
latter.
... On no
subject, perhaps,
in the department of the higher criti cism of the New Testament, have opin
reject
and deride the usefulness of learn
ions been more divided,

discussed, than
and more keenly
ing
to
common
justice,
when they
as
on
this.
Of those who
sert that the Deity,
without any regard have rejected the claims of the Apostle to human actions, has selected some of Paul to the authorship of this Epistle, his creatures for final salvation, and some have advocated those of Barnabas,
others for final perdition
to common others those of Luke, others those of humanity, when they maintain that all Clement of Rome, others those of Silas, who are not the preachers and believers others those of Apollos, others those of of what they call vital Christianity, are some unknown Christian of Alexandria,
;
graceless,
Apostolic helpless, hopeless outcasts and others those of some from the favor of their Creator, their man/ whose name is no less unknown. That which ascribes this produc Redeemer, and their Sanctifier. habit of depreciating good tion to Apollos, was first suggested by "The works the disposition to depend upon Luther, and it has been in more recent
. .
faith alone
the opinion that grace
com
municated to the
elect supersedes the necessity of their endeavors to be vir
times adopted by Henmann, Bertholdt, De Wette, Bleek, and apparently also
by
"
Tholuck."
See Kitto
Cyclop,
of
tuous; the merciless exclusion of all other Christian individuals from the
Bib. Lit.
art.
acceptance with God these surely are peculiarities which neither reason nor revelation would
possibility
of
permit us to consider as favorable to innocence, or the spiritual improvement,

or the future happiness, of their advo
cates."
God appeased by a and remitting, in considera tion of it, his wrath against those who had offended him, this notion of God, the which science repels, was equally re
The
notion of
;
sacrifice,
Maltby s Sermons, 1819, vol. i., pp. 412-433. In the J^pistles there is perceptible
"
pelled, in spite of all that his nation, time, and training had in them to fa vor it, by the profound religious sense
of Paul.
In none of his Epistles,
is
a well
marked personal element, the writer speaking here and there solely in his own name, and from his own feel
the reconciling work of Christ really presented under this aspect. One great it epistle there is, which does prer Mit
under this aspect,
the Epistle to the
THE PAULINE EPISTLES.

Hebrews
ing, this
681
evident from
1
If other proof were
want
served
Cor. v.
it
is
at least
alone would
make
it
impossi
9,
that a letter to the Corin
ble that the Epistle to the Hebrews thians has been lost; and from Col. should be Paul s; and indeed, of all iv. 16, it has been concluded that an the epistles which bear his name, it is other letter to the community of Laothe only one which may not, in spite dicea has likewise been lost." Cyc.
of the hesitation caused by some diffi him. culties, be finally attributed to

"
Bib. Lit., art. Epistles.
The
tradition
which
ascribes
to
"six
Archdeacon Paley has shown that of the subscriptions of Paul s

;
Apollos the Epistle to the Hebrews, derives corroboration from the one ac count of him which we have, that he
is,
that Epistles are false or impossible they are either absolutely contra
was an eloquent man, and mighty in or are The Epistle to the them; the Scriptures.
dicted by the contents of the epistle, difficult to be reconciled with

viz.,
;
Hebrews
is
just such a performance as
Thess.
2 1 Cor.; Gal.; 1 Thess. Tim., and Titus. I do not,"

;
"
might naturally have come from an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scrip tures, and in whom the intelligence,
and the power of combining, type-es tablishing, and expounding, somewhat dominated the religious perceptions." Matthew Arnold s St. Paul and Prot
estantism, Cornhill Mag., 1869, p. 616. Dr. Arnold asserts that the Apostle
"
he concludes,
to these
tions.
attribute
any authority
[or the other five] subscrip I believe them to have been
conjectures founded sometimes upon loose traditions, but more generally upon a consideration of some partic
Paul expected that the world would come to an end in the generation then only ancient scholia." Hor. PaulL, pp. Shall we say, then," he 87, 88. existing. In his Christian Theology and Modern adds, "that St. Paul entertained and
.
ular text, without sufficiently compar ing it with other parts of the Epistle, with different Epistles, or with history. They are to be considered as
. .
.
expressed a not verify?
belief,
which the event did
safely and for here he
safely say so, reverently, in this instance
We may
Duke of Somerset, speaking of the Pauline Epistles, says, they present to us a most interesting
Skepticism, 1872, the
"
ing as
it
was most certainly speak phase in the progress of religious a man, and not by revelation, as thought, they assist to elucidate an im
portant
ly
been providentially ordered that s express words on this point have been recorded." [Matt. xxiv. See Epistles to the Thessalo3(5.] nians. Sermons on the Christian Life,
lias
our Lord
Christianity
movement in the history of but when we are solemn

;
call these Epistles the of God, a feeling of religious reverence forces us to withhold our
asked to
Word
etc., p.
489.
"that
assent."
Kitto says
felt
the Pauline Epis
"That
Jerome
as
considered
Paul
tles offered great difficulties,
was already
epistles
And fur appeal s times." All the [general] Epistles of cisms and errors of grammar, alleging, the Apostle Paul, except the one to the that he spoke truly of himself when he Romans, were called forth by circum said he was rude of speech of course
in the earliest
"
of merely human origin, from his accusing Paul of sole
ther
stances
and peculiar occasions in the no good man would thus speak of books affairs of the communities to which which he believed to be written by they were addressed." And he adds, divine inspiration." Inf.. Rep., vol. v., that not all Paul s Epistles were pre p. 104.
"
682
APPENDIX.
troversy have always existed in the Christian church respecting the authen
ticity
Paul was brought up at Tarsus, amongst heathens. He quotes part of a verse from the Phoenomena of Aratus (a poet of Cilicia, the native coun try of Paul, lived 300 B. .), against
the Epicurean philosophers at Athens. For we his children are" (Acts xvii. 28), originally spoken of the heathen
"
writings, as will be seen ing sketch.
and genuineness of the Apostolic by the follow

vol. of his Krit-
Eichhorn, in the 7th

to
ische Schriften, affirms that
the Epistles
deity Jupiter, it to the true God.
Timothy and Titus were not written and dexterously applies by Paul, and that the superscription
In 1 Cor. xv. 33, and introduction are erroneous. he quotes a senary iambic which is Bauer has attacked the genuineness and supposed to be taken from Menander s of the three pastoral epistles lost comedy of Thais, rendered Evil Schleiermacher that of the 1st Ep. to communications corrupt good man Timothy. Kitto s Cyc. Bib. Lit, art.
;
"
ners."
And in his Epistle to Titus, EPISTLES. Jerome doubted whether the Epistle Bishop of Crete (Tit. i. 12), he makes an extract from Epimenides, a Cretan to Philemon was Paul s. Eusebius says the Epistle to the Hebrews was poet, whom he styles a prophet, and that whose writings, by the ancient hea not received by Lardner s Gospel The Hist., vol. v., p. 24. Origen affirms that thens, were regarded as oracles. no man can tell w ho was the author general import of the passage is, that Erasmus questioned its author The Cretans were a false people and of united in their character the ferocity and authority. Hypollitus writes that of the wild beast, with the luxury of this Epistle is not Paul Ib., vol. iii., the domesticated one." No one can p. 393. Irenams doubted its genuine regard this as of plenary inspiration. ness." Ib., vol. v., p. 88. It was not See Person s Works; Allex s Judgt., p. received by the Latin churches till the 288 Hartwell Hornds Introd., vol. ii., time of Jerome. Tertullian ascribes it to Barnabas Others have attributed it pt. 1, p. 347; vol. i., p. 172.
"
all."
"
"
it."
"
s."
"
Epistle to the Hebrews, so dif ferent in its conception of faith, and in

"
The
to
Timothy, to Alexander,
to
A polios
its
trine
Alexandrine rhythm, from the doc and language of St. Paul s known
has
its
(Monthly Mag., Mar., 1815), and by tra dition only is it attributed to Paul.
Several of the Fathers, and many learned moderns, agree in rejecting its Pauline origin. And F. W. Newman That this Epistle is not from the says,
"
epistles,
degree of discrepance
explained by ascribing it to some com panion of the Apostle; and minute reasons are found for fixing with prob
hand of Paul, had very long seemed
to
on A polios." Dr. R. Williams, Essays and Reviews, 9th ed., p. 84. "The second of the Petruic Epistles, having alike external and internal evi dence against its genuineness, is neces sarily surrendered as a whole
ability
me an
obvious certainty,
feeling of
as long as I
had any delicate
Greek style."
Erasmus Phases of Faith, p. 100. affirms that the Epistle of James does not
savor of an Apostolic gravity. Cajetan doubted of the author, and insists upon
The second chapter may

;
not improba
bly be a quotation but its quoter, and the author of the rest of the Epistle,
Luthei its being of less authority. stigmatized it as "Epistola Straminea" an Epistle of straw, or worthless be
;
need
not, therefore,
have been
St.
Pe
cause
it
corrected the mistakes of
Jew
ter."^., p. 85.
ish Christians
fication
In conclusion, much doubt and con-
by
faith
on the doctrine of justi alone, and enforces
JEWISH CANON OF OLD TESTAMENT.

good works and moral duties as essen
tial
683
to
salvation.
Perceiving,
after
in the
Prophets, and the Holy Writings, called Hebrew Chetubim, Cetubirn, or
wards, that this extreme censure, in Kethubim,* and in the Greek, Hagiosupport of a fond opinion, gave offence, grapha, that is, Holy Writings." See he is said to have retracted it. See Bishop Mark s Comparative View. p. 384. Wetstcin s New Test., vol. ii., p. 658; This triple division is regarded as of The Son of BlackwaWs Sacred Classics, vol. i.,p. 301. the highest antiquity.
Erasmus doubted the genuineness of the 2d Epistle of Peter Eusebius marked it as being, according to some, of doubt ful authority. Both Eusebius and Erasmus affirm that the 2d and 3d
;
Sirach
is
thought to allude to
it
in his
preface to the book of Ecclesiasticus, written and published about a hundred
Epistles of John were not written by that Apostle, but by some other writer, probably of the same name. Cajetan
also doubted of the
and thirty years before the Christian era (Wolf. Bib. Heb,, vol. i., p. 255), where he mentions "the Law, the
Prophets, and the other books of the other books of his Fathers," called also
"
authorship.
See
Bishop Hall s Peace of Rome, b. i., p. 31. A very sufficient reason for their early disputed authority, was the fact that
they were private Epistles, and did not,
become public till long after the Apostle s decease neither the 2d or the 3d John are to be found
in all probability,
;
Peschito Syriac version. See Testament of the London Univ. Cajeta doubted the authority of Jude. Michaelis agrees with several writers
in the
Greek
remaining books. This threefold division of the writings comprehended in the Jewish canon, is still retained, though some books in cluded by Josephus in the second class are now found in the third. The Jewish classification is known to have varied at different periods, but no record has enabled any one to ascertain either the causes of such alterations, or the times when they were made. In the Hagiocountry,"
"the
and
grapha, called by Josephus,

to
"Hymns
in the early ages of Christianity, in re jecting it as spurious, because the apoc ryphal books of Enoch and of the As
God, and Documents or Maxims of

Men"
ii.,
Life for the use of

lib.
i.,
(Cont. App.,
;
sec. viii., torn,
p. 441
Jennings
cension of Moses, were supposed to be quoted in it. See Dr. A. Clarke, Hartwell
"
Ant., p. 593), are placed, not only the
Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth,
Ecclesiastes, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles, but also, the Psalms, (Allen s teacher, exhibiting all the emotions and the Lamentations, and Daniel. Mod. Jud., pp. 3, 4.) The Law and the vicissitudes of human feeling, speak Prophets were regarded as written by ing, indeed, with authority, but hesi tating in different cases, and more than the highest degree of inspiration, called
St.
Home, Townsend and Dr. Benson.

Paul writes
like
a Christian
once correcting himself, corrected, too, the Holy Spirit, and, with the exception by the course of events in his expecta of the Psalms, Daniel, and the Lamen the Hagiographa was considered tion of the coming of Christ." Jewell, tations, Reyius Prof, of Greek in the Univ. of Ox as "written by men who had no public mission as prophets," and as composed ford, Essays and Reviews, pp. 345, 346.
X.
THE JEWISH CANON OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

"
first
The name Chetubim, or Kethubim, is met with in Epiphanius, for there was
;
It is well
known
that the
Jews di
vide the sacred books of the
Hebrew
strictly technical name belonging to it before the Christian era but it was variously called, and most generally, by the name of
no
Bible into three classes, the Law, the
writings.
684
APPENDIX.
The
[
under an inferior degree of inspira

tion.
"
reason which they give for

is,
it
in
On this subject Kitto observes The Rabbinical writers maintain that the authors of the Cetubim enjoyed only king of Israel, and Daniel in the palace the lowest degree of inspiration, as they of the king of Babylon, as one of the received no immediate communication chief counsellors and ministers in the
: ;
that they lived not the prophetic manner of life, but the courtly David in his own palace, a^
respect of both,
from the Deity, like that made to Moses, government of that empire." Com whom God spake face to face and ment., 8vo, vol. i., p. 206. Moreover, the Psalms were not completed till the that they did not receive their knowl edge through the medium of visions Babylonish captivity, and were not all and dreams, as was the case with the written by David. (See Ps. cxxxvii.) Walton suspects that the book of prophets of the second class but still they felt the Divine spirit resting on Daniel was not publicly read by the them, and inspiring them with sugges Jews, lest it should give offence to the This is the view maintained by princes to whom they were subject, tions. Abarbanel, Kimchi, Maimonides and since it contains in the letter such manBib. Cyc., art. HAGIO- ifest predictions of the change and ruin Elias Levita." of the greatest kingdoms under which GRAPHA.
to
;
Abarbanel maintains, however, that they lived so, many suspect the Apoc Daniel s spirit was that of true proph alypse, or book of Revelation, was not
i
ecy.
that
Jacchiades, another Rabbi, states, immediately published or received in attained to the highest the Christian church on this account, and the Talmud because many calamities to the Roman of prophecy, pitch ranks him with Zechariah and Malachi. empire were supposed to be predicted In Dan. i. in the literal sense. And that if there s Mod. Jud., 4-6.)
!
Daniel
(Allen
p.
he is described as a man skilful in Daniel was received as all wisdom. genuine from the earliest times, as ap pears from the books of Maccabees, and
"
4,
be any just ground of conclusion that the book of Daniel was not translated by the LXX., it was omitted lest it
according
to
Josephus,
who
bestows
upon it more commendation than upon 51. any other book of the Old Testament. grapha. Proleg. ix., sec. Theodoret and Jerome blame the It was ex (Stuart, Antiq., lib. x.) hibited to Alexander, within 200 years Jews for placing the Lamentations and
after the
xi.
should offend Ptolemy, and was after wards translated into Greek by some other hand, and included in the Hagio
prophet
decease (Ant. xx. 4
Daniel in the lowest division of the
and together with the other Scriptures, most evidently dividing Scriptures, was translated by the LXX. them into two classes, distinguished by many years before Antiochus Epi- a superior and inferior degree of inspi Josephus includes the Lamen plianes but what is of more authority ration.
8)
;
;
than
all,
is,
that Daniel
is
expressly
tations
called a prophet by our Lord, in Matt,
xxiv. 15; Mark xiii. 14." (See Lardner s Works, 8vo, vol. ii., p. 201, and WiiitWs Prelim. Dis. to Daniel.)
" "
with Jeremiah, as properly forming one book. The Psalms are not only mentioned by our Lord, in Luke
xxiv. 44, but are evidently separated
The Jews," says Prideaux, the prophecies of Daniel only among the Hagiographa: and they serve the
Psalms of David
after the
from the class of books with which they be place have so long been associated, and,
sides this, are constantly cited in the Gospels, as containing divine predic
tions, etc.
same
rate.
That the Psalms are
strictly
DIFFERENT STYLES OF SCRIPTURE.

prophetical of the Messiah, of whom David, the inspired writer of the greater
all
.
685
plenarily inspired Books, according to vSwedenborg, reckoning the Pentateuch
portion of them, was an eminent type, must allow. But on account of their
the two Books of Samuel, one book and the two Books of the Kings, as only
;
poetical form, and their use in worship, us also that some of them appeared to
two, agreeably to ancient usage and the Books of Jeremiah and Lamentations
;
have been written so
late as the
Baby
lonish captivity, the Jews inserted the whole book in the Hagiographa. The
last
one book, as Josephus did they make, in all, twenty-two, precisely the lumber required.
as
;
sufficient to
reason has been thought by some account for Daniel being
XI.
included in the same division. The Law of Moses, then, the Prophets, and
the
IN
THE FOUR DIFFERENT STYLES WHICH THE WORD OF GOD IS

are four different styles in
WRITTEN.
"There
which the Word of God is Avritten. The first was in use in the most ancient or Adamic] church whose method of it were, with his own divine signet, will include all those books, and those only, expressing themselves was such, that which Swederiborg enumerates, as truly when they mentioned earthly and
;
Psalms, which our Lord affirms (Luke xxiv. 44) treat especially of Himself, and which he thus stamps, as
constituting the
Word
;
of the Old Tes

s
tament.
ration,
See
also,
Noble
Plenary Inspi
spiritual
worldly things, they thought of the and celestial things which
Appendix ii. "An attempt to discriminate between the Books of Plenary Inspiration, contained in the Bible, and
those written by the Inspiration generally
they represented so that they not only expressed themselves by representa-" tives, but also, reduced their thoughts
;
assigned
rior
to the
whole."
ticulars,
into a kind of series of historical par in order to give them more

light,
found the great This style is meant when Hannah prophesied, saying, Speak ye ets comprising the books of Joshua, is ancient come Judges, the two books of Samuel, and what is high let what the two books of Kings, and were so forth from your mouth (1 Sam. ii. 3). called because they wrote by inspiration Such representatives are called by David
The prophets
and
are divided into ante
and in
this they
posterior.
The
anterior proph
est delight.
concerning those things which had hap
Dark sayings
4).
of old
(Ps. IxxviiL 2-
pened
terior
anterior to their time.
The
prophets,
comprising
pos the four
greater, and twelve lesser prophets, were so called, because they wrote by
the posterity of the mosf ancient church, Moses received what he wrote concerning the creation, the
From
Garden of Eden,
etc., till
the time of
second style
inspiration
concerning
to
which were
time.
happen
things posterior to their
those
Abram
is
[Gen.
xi. 27].
The
the historical, occurring in the books of Moses from the time of Abram, a id
The various arrangements of the afterwards in Joshua, Judges, Samuel, canon by the Jews were most probably and the Kings, in which the historical made under the fanciful notion, that facts actually occurred as they are lethe higher degree of inspiration in lated in the letter, although all and
cluded as
many books
of the Old Testa
ment as there are
letters in
the
Hebrew
like the alphabetical divi alphabet, It is a sions of Ps. cxix. and others.
each of them contains things altogether different in the internal sense.. The third style is prophetical, which took
its rise
|
somewhat singular coincidence that the

58
as highly in the
from that which was esteemed most ancient church

;
686
APPENDIX.
this style, however, is not connected, which was the Word published by the and in appearance historical, like that prophets amongst the children of Is of the most ancient church, but is broken rael. "That the ancients had a Word, is and interrupted, being scarcely ever in telligible except in the internal sense. evident from the writings of Moses, who In this are contained the greatest ar mentions it, and also gives quotations from it, Numb. xxi. 14, 15, 27-30 and cana, succeeding each other in a beauti ful and orderly connection, relating to that the historical parts of that Word the internal and external man, to the were called the Wars of Jehovah, and various states of the church, to heaven the prophetical parts, Enunciations. From the historical parts of that Word, itself, and in their inmost sense to the The fourth style is that of the Moses has given this quotation, Where Psalms of David, which is intermediate fore it is said in the book of the Wars between the prophetic style, and that of Jehovah, I marched into Suph, and of common speech here, under the the rivers of Arnon, and the channel person of David, as a King, the Lord of the rivers that turned aside where Ar dwelleth, and stopped at the border is treated of in the internal sense."
;
<_x>rd.
A. C. 66.
Jehovah mentioned in that Word, as in ours, the Lord s combats XII. THE ANCIENT WORD. with the hells are meant and described, That previous to the Word which and his victories over them, when he was given by Moses and the prophets should come into the world the same combats are also meant and described to the people of Israel, men were ac quainted with sacrificial worship, and in many passages in the historical part prophesied from the mouth of Jehovah, of our Word, as in the wars of Joshua may appear from what is recorded in with the inhabitants of the land of Ca the books of Moses: Ex. xxxiv. 13; naan, and in the wars of the judges, Dent. vii. 5 chap. xii. 3 Numb. xxv. and of the kings of Israel. From the 1, 2, 3 chap. xxii. 40; chap, xxiii. 1, prophetical parts of that Word, Moses this quotation Wherefore 2, 14, 29, 30; Numb. xxiv. 17; chap, has given
"
of Moab, wars of
Numb.
xxi. 14, 15: by the
xxii. 13, 18; chap, xxiii. 3, 5, 8, 16,26;
chap. xxiv.
Deut. xxxii. 7, 8 1, 13 chap. xiv. 14-20; Psalm ex. 4. The and strengthened; for there is a fire Word among the ancients was written gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the by mere correspondences. Tt was used city of Sihon ; it hath consumed Ar of
;
;
say the Enunciate re, Come into Ileshbon the city of Sihon shall be built
;
by the natives of the land of Canaan, Moab, arid the possessors of the high and its confines, as of Syria, Mesopo places of Arnon. Woe to thee, Moab of Chemosh tamia, Arabia, Chaldea, Assyria, Egypt, thou art undone, O people Zidon, Tyre, and Nineveh the inhabi Pie hath sent his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon tants of all which kingdoms were in we have shot itiated into representative worship, and king of the Amorites consequently were skilled in the science them with darts. Heshbon is perished of correspondences. When in process even unto Dibon,and we have laid waste of time that Word began to be generally even unto Nophah, which reach eth unto
! !
falsified, it
was removed by the divine Providence of the Lord, and at last was lost, and another Word, written by correspocdences less remote, was given,
Medeba/ Numb.
lators
xxi. 27-30 the trans render it, They that speak in proverbs, but they are more properly
:
called Enunciators,
and their compose
THE ANCIENT WORD.
687
tions, Prophetical Enunciations, as may these two sources, religious knowledge appear from the signification of the word was propagated through all parts of Mosludim in the Hebrew tongue, which India, with its islands through Egypt
;
and Ethiopia into the kingdoms of Af phetical Enunciations; as in Numb, rica; from the maritime parts of Asia it is xxiii. 7, 18 into Greece and from thence into Italy. chap. xxiv. 3, 15 there said that Balaam uttered his Enun But as the Word could not be written otherwise than by representatives,which ciation, which was also a prophecy con cerning the Lord his Enunciation is are such earthly existences as corre called Moskal, in the singular number: spond with heavenly ones, and are con
not only means proverbs, but also pro
;
: ;
;
were changed into idolatry, and in was divinely inspired, Greece were turned into fables and the is plain from a passage in Jeremiah, divine properties and attributes were where nearly the same expressions oc considered as so many separate gods, cur: A fire shall come forth out of governed by one supreme Deity, whom Heshbon, and a flame from the midst they called Jove, possibly from Jeho of Sihon, and shall devour the corner vah. That they had a knowledge of of Moab, and the crown of the head of Paradise, of the flood, of the sacred fire,
it may be further observed, that the pas sages thence quoted by Moses are not proverbs, but prophecies. That that
sequently significative of them, there fore the religious notions of the gentiles
Word,
like ours,
the sons of Shaon.
Woe
be unto thee,
of the four ages, beginning with that
O Moab
eth
;
the people of Chemosh perishfor thy sons are taken away cap
!
of gold, and ending with that of iron, T ord are signified the by which in the
tives,
and thy daughters
captives, chap,
is
xlviii. 45, 46.
Beside these, mention
four states of the church, as in Daniel, chap. ii. 31-35, is well known. That
also
made of a prophetical book, called, the Mahometan religion, which suc The Book of Jasher, or, the book of the ceeded and destroyed the former relig
Upright, by David and by Joshua
:
by David in the following passage David lamented over Saul, and over Jonathan also he bade them teach the children of Judah the bow behold it is written in the book of Jasher, 2 Sam. i. 17, 18; and by Joshua in this passage Joshua
; ; ; ;
ious persuasions of
taken from the

ments,
"
many nations, was Word of both Testa

known."
is
also well
S. S., n.
177. T. G. R., n. 275. In the writings of Moses, chiefly in the beginning of Genesis, where occur
said,
Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou moon, in the valley of Ajalon is not this written in the book of Jasher,
or the
12, 13.
documents of a much higher antiquity than Moses own time." Dr. J. Hernigas* Notes to Dr. Seller s Biblical Hermcncutics, trans, by Rev. Dr. p. 93.
"
W. Wright,
Book
of the
Upright."
Josh. x.
T. C.
R. 265.
"
S. S., n. 101, 102, 103. A. R. 21.
The prevalence of
religious
That the book of Genesis was, in composed or compiled from pre worship viously existing documents, or from
part,
from the most early ages of the world, true traditionary accounts existing in and the universal knowledge of a God the church at the time of its compo amongst the inhabitants of the globe, sition by Moses, is a point which is now with some notion of a life after death, very generally admitted among those are not to be ascribed to men, nor to who are conversant with Biblical crit This was also the opinion of their self-derived intelligence, but to icism." the ancient Word, and in succeeding Yitringa, Le Cane, Calmet, and Astruc. times to the Israelitish Word. From Seethe Introduction o/Horne, Eichhom,
688
Jahn, and Bei
thollet;
;
APPENDIX.
7)?-.
Pye Smith s After those
Cong. Lect., p. 207 and Stuart on the 0. T. Canon, p. 54; Dr. Henderson on Divine Inspiration, p. 312, and note, p.
485.
"
first ages of Christianity, there arose thick clouds of darkness, and overspread the whole Christian
world, in consequence of the establish ment of the Papal dominion. But after
That there was a Bible before our the Reformation, inasmuch as men be is indicated in the book before us gan to divide faith from charity, and to tltunxen s Egypt s Place in Universal worship God under three persons, con History ], rather than proved as it might sequently three Gods, whom they con Dr. It. Williams, Essays and lie- ceive to be one, therefore at that In IK:
Bible
be."
heavenly truths were concealed from for if they had been discovered would have been falsified, and they XIII. WAS NOT THE INTER confir NAL SENSE OF THE WORD RE would have been abused to the mation of faith alone, without being at VEALED BEFORE? all appMed to charity and love: thus Swedenborg says, that the spiritual also men would have closed heaven sense of the Word was not revealed against themselves." S. S., n. 24. before, because if it had been, the church would have profaned it, and
views,
9th
ed., p. 62.
them
WHY
"
thereby have profaned the sanctity of the Word itself: and the case would
XIV.
THE AUTHORIZED ENGLISH VERSION OF THE BIBLE.
have been according

says in
to
what the Lord
Matthew
thy whole body

;
If thine eye be evil, shall be full of dark
It must not be forgotten, what in deed might naturally be expected, and is now generally acknowledged among
ness if, therefore, the light that is in the learned, that in numerous instances thee be darkness, how great is that the common English translation of the darkness. vi. 23. By eye, in the spir Holy Word, incorrectly or imperfectly itual sense of the Word, is meant the conveys the meaning of the divine The translators were not I). P., n. 264. original. understanding."
And, again, on the same subject he plenarily inspired men.

says,
literal
and
is
another
"
reason
why
the science
is
faithful
translation
of
the
Word
of correspondences, which to the spiritual sense of the
the key
now a
Word, was
great desideratum in the For the want of it, Church.
New
the
not
disclosed to earlier ages, was, because the Christians of the prim itive church were men of such great
[fully]
science of correspondences,
when ap
plied, frequently fails to educe a just, It intelligible, and consecutive sense.
simplicity, that it was impossible to disclose it to them for had it been dis
;
will afford
closed, they
would have found no use nor would they have understood That 2d. it. [That the wise among them, how (exmp. Isa. i. 18; v. 1). the term where those in all had of its have some passages ever, perception from the numerous LORD is printed in the Old Testament existence, is
in
it,
some aid to the ordinary reader to know, 1st. That in many instances the marginal readings are more faithful renderings than the text
plain
extracts
ings.
it
we have made from their wjit- in capital letters, the original They moreover considered that vah (exmp. Isa. xliii. 10,
is
Jeho
12;
11,
And 3d. That was well to withhold their mysteries Ezek. xxxiii. 11). from men indiscriminately, and hence the words printed in italics have no their doctrine and duty of reserve.] corresponding expressions in the origi-
THE AUTHORIZED VERSION.

nal,
689
been
and in many places ought omitted (exmp. Psalm
to
ii.
have brew and Greek languages have been much 2 cultivated and far better understood, since
!
cxxxiii. 3).
|
the
J
year
WOO."
Remarks,
etc.,
1787,
Dr. A. Clarke affirms in his Preface to the Bible, that in the Common Version there are
the Italics,
"many
p. 6.
thousand errors in
\
The Rev. J. Oxlee, in a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 184-3, msserts that
to
"
which make
speak."
"
God
he never did
as follows
the Bible,
Vo ?.s
v,,
:
to speak what Dr. Trapp writes
Many
gross perversions, not
Our English translation of though in the main a good one,

intolerably
"
say mistranslations, of the sacred text, have been occasioned by dogmatical prejt,I
dices,
and
sectarian
zeal."
Pp.
137,
i?i
some
faulty"
138.
Blackwall
lation,
asserts, that
the former trans
A
that
needs
writer in the Biblioth. Lit. avows

"the
though amended by the present in
equal to it in very many, and superior in a considerable number:" and that "innumerable in
stances
several places, is yet
many
considerable faults,
common English version has and very much

review."
another
1723,
p.
72.
And
that
Pilkington emphatically observes

"
might be given of faulty transla

original."
Many
and
of the inconsistencies, impro

obscurities, are occasioned
tions of the divine

sics
"
iSee
Clas
prieties,
by
(1731), pref.
Dr. Waterland says,

is
our present translation

of very
Vindic.,
"
undoubtedly
capable
Script.
great
improvement"
misunderstanding the true import of the Hebrew words and phrases, showing the benefit and expediency of a
the translators
Wesley writes, common English

the
"
part iii., p. 64. J. / do not say that our
more
the
correct
and
intelligent translation of
Bible."
Remarks, 1759,
p. 77.
"
version is incapable of being brought, in several places, nearer to
Professor Selwyn observes, that the very fact of the Translators having often
original." Bishop Lowth calls it placed one interpretation in the text, a version of second-hand," and speaks and another in the margin, and their of a new translation as a necessary conscientious practice of distinguishing,
"
by a different type, the words introduced Whoever by themselves, as required by a differ examines our version in present use, will ence of idiom, sufficiently disclaims all
work."
Prelim. Dissert,
to
Isaiah, p. 69.
"
Professor Dr.
Symonds
says,
find that it is ambiguous and incorrect, even in matters of the highest importance" Observations on the Expediency of
assumption of infallibility, and invitef the endeavors of succeeding times to

the perfecting of this noble work. The importance of this work of impi ovement is enhanced a hundredfold, by the
. . .
Eevising the Present Version, 1789. Bishop Marsh says, We cannot pos
"
sibly
pretend that our authorized version

not
docs
require
amendment."
Durell
use in
circumstances of these latter times, la the wonderful extension of the English
aflirins,
that
"
the version
now in
language over the world, and by the in

creasing efforts
many
finite
places does not exhibit the sense of
made
to
multiply trans
the text,
and mistakes it, besides, in an in- lations of the Scriptures into the tongue?* number of instances." Cr it. on Job, of heathen nations and islands, for which
Dr. Blayney remarks, that our authorized version forms the general common version is far from what it basis. ... I will mention [among others] should be, and has mistaken the true sense one good result to be hoped for, from Pre the undertaking of an authorized re of the Hebrew in not a few places."
1772, pref.
the
"
lim. Disc, to
Jeremiah, 1789.
And
Dr.
vision.
It is
the quickening impulse
Kennicott suggests, that "great improve ments might now be made, because the Hc58
that will be given to sacred studies, both in criticism and interpretation. Let us
2T
690
APPENDIX.
XV. DEGREES.
no longer be deterred from this good work, by vague fears of unknown diffi Neither let us give way to the culties. ungrounded fear that the reverence and
love of the people for the English Bible, as a whole, will be Aveakened by the
correction of
;
clear understanding of the subject
f degrees, is of so
much importance
to
their reverence
some defective renderings and love rest on a far and

basis."
"
right comprehension of the Word of God, and the science of correspond ences, and has been so amply unfolded
so clearly illustrated
by Sweden
wider and deeper
Professor Noyes observes, that more may be done to make the Sacred Writ
ings understood and respected, by a re vised translation of them, than in any
borg, that I cannot refrain from pre senting to the intelligent and earnest
reader the following extracts That Degrees are of two kinds, Degrees
:
"
of Altitude,
and Degrees
of Latitude.
other single mode. ... It would do more for the cause of revealed religion
The knowledge
than
"
many an
elaborate argument in
its
of degrees is, as it were, the key to open the causes of thing?., and enter into them without it scarcely
:
anything of cause can be known, for Respectable and excellent, as our without it, the objects and subjects of common version is, considering the both worlds appear so general (univoca) time and circumstances under which it as to seem to have nothing in them but was made," remarks Dr. J. Pye Smith, what is seen with the eye when never no person will contend that it is in theless, this, respectively to the things capable of important amendment. A which lie interiorly concealed, is as one
defence."
;
"
temperate,
vision,
The in to thousands, yea to myriads. impartial, and careful re would be an invaluable benefit terior things which lie hid, can by no and the means be discovered, unless degrees be to the cause of Christianity very laudable exertions which are now understood for exterior things advance made to circulate the Bible, render such to interior things, and these to inmost,
; ;
a revision, at the present time, a matter by degrees not by continuous degrees, but by discrete degrees. Decrements of still more pressing necessity."
;
For additional opinions,

come s
Hist.,
etc.,
see
View of the Eng. Bib. Trans lations; An Essay for a New Translation of the Bible, London, 1727, by H. R., etc., etc. Throughout his voluminous works, Swedenborg has adopted a new, more
literal,
New- or decreasings from grosser to finer, or from denser to rarer, or rather incre ments and increasings from finer to like grosser, or from rarer to denser,
that of light to shade, or of heat to cold, are called continuous degrees. But discrete degrees are entirely differ
and more accurate rendering
into the Latin language, of those por tions of the Word which he explains or
quotes.
ent
they are in the relation of prior,
posterior,
and postreme, or of end,
cause,
sometimes translated into and effect. They are called discrete the Latin from the original, and at degrees, because the prior is by itself, others used the excellent, but literal the posterior by itself, and the postreme version of Schmidius. The translation by itself; but still, taken together, they The atmospheres which of his works into English, therefore, make a one. and air, from highest sether of called a more correct are rendering supplies numerous portions of the Word than to lowest, or from the sun to the earth, are discriminated into such degrees our authorized English version.
;
He
and are as simples, the congregates of these simples, and again the congregates
DISCRETE
AND CONTINUOUS DEGREES.
691
of these congregates, which taken to These gether, are called a composite. last degrees are discrete, because they
exi.st
part by an induction continuous with effects; when nevertheless causes do
not produce effects by continuity, but

discretely, for a cause is
distinctly
and they are under
one thing, and

is
stood by degrees of altitude; but the former degrees are continuous, because
an
as
effect
another; there
a difference
they continually increase; are understood by degrees of latitude.

"
between prior and posterior, or as and they between the thing forming and the
L. W., n. 184, 185. things which exist in the world, of which trinal dimension is predicated, or which are called com thing
formed."!).
"All
All and singular the things which exist in the spiritual and natural worlds,
coexist at once from discrete
and contin
uous degrees, or from degrees of altitude and degrees of latitude. That dimension
discrete degrees is called altitude, and that which consists of continuous degrees is called latitude
:
pound, consist of degrees of altitude or

discrete degrees.
But
to illustrate this
which
consists of
by example.
the
It is well
known by
oc
ular experience
that eac.h
muscle in
human body
fibres,
consists of very
mi
their situation relatively to sight does not change their denomination.

"
nute
and that these

those
constitute
Without a knowledge of these de

j
moving
fibres,
and
larger that
fasciculated, ones, called
bundles of
grees nothing can be known of the dif ference between the three heavens, or
of the difference between the love and
angels, or of the differ ence between the heat and light in which
these produce the compound which is called a muscle. It is the same with
the nerves; very small nervous fibres

are
into larger ones, like filaments, and by a collection of such filaments the nerve
wisdom of the
put
together
which appear
they are, or of the difference between the atmospheres which surround and
contain them.
"
Moreover, without a knowledge of
is produced. It is also the same in the other compaginations, confasciculations, and collections of which the or
these degrees, nothing can be known of the difference of the interior facul
ties of
gans and viscera consist
for these are
compounds of
fibres
and vessels va
the mind in men or, therefore, of their state as to reformation and re

: ;
The
riously fashioned by similar degrees. case is the same also with all and
generation
or of the difference of the
exterior faculties, which are of the body, as well of angels as of men and nothing
;
every thing of the vegetable kingdom, and with all and every thing of the mineral kingdom in wood there is a
:
between spiritual compagination of filaments in three aud natural, or therefore of correspond fold order in metals and stones there ence yea, of any difference of life be is a conglobation of parts also in three tween men and beasts, or of the differ fold order. These considerations show ence between the more perfect and the the nature of discrete degrees, namely, imperfect beasts; or of the differences that one is formed from another, and between the forms of the vegetable by means of the second, a third, or kingdom, and between the materials composite; and that each degree is which compose the mineral kingdom. discrete from another." I). L. W., n.
at all of the difference
; ;
Whence
it
may
appear, that those
who
190.
"
That in successive order the first degree constitutes the highest, and the only see effects, and judge of causes third the lowest but that in simulta from them, which is done for the most neous order, the first degree constitute**
are ignorant of these degrees, cannot from any judgment see causes they
; ;
692
APPENDIX.
and inferior signifies exterior and up wards and downwards and height and
;
the inmost, and the third the outmost. There is successive order, and simul taneous order: the successive order of
these degrees is from highest to lowest, or from top to bottom. The angelic
depth signify the same. In every ultimate there are dis crete degrees in simultaneous order:
"
heavens are in this order; the third the moving fibres in every muscle, the heaven is the highest, the second is fibres in every nerve, and the fibres the middle, and the first is the lowest; and vessels in every viscus and organ,
such
is
their
relative situations:
in
are in such order
in their inmost are
similar successive order are the states of love and wisdom there with the
angels, as also of heat and light, and likewise of the spiritual atmospheres; in similar order are all the perfections
the most simple
and perfect things,

is
whereof their outmost
composed,
similar order of those degrees is every seed, and in every fruit, and in
of forms
and powers there.
When
the
every metal and stone; the parts of them, of which the whole consists, are
;
in inmost, intermediate, and degrees of altitude, or discrete degrees, such are in successive order, they may be outmost principles of the parts, are in compared to columns divided into those degrees, for they are successive three degrees, by which there is an compositions, or confasciculations, and
ascent and descent
in the superior conglobations, from simples, which are which are the things the their first substances or materials. In a word, there are such degrees most perfect and most beautiful, in the middle the less perfect and less beau- in every ultimate, thus in every effect
;
of
"
and in the lowest the still less for every ultimate consists of prior But simul things, and these of their first; and perfect and less beautiful. taneous order, which consists of simi every effect consists of a cause, and this of au end and the end is the all of the lar degrees, has another appearance in this the highest things of successive cause, and the cause is the all of the order, which* as was said, are the most effect, and the end constitutes the in perfect and most beautiful, are in the most, the cause the middle, and the
tiful,
j
inmost, inferior things in the middle, and the lowest things in the circum ference. They are as in a solid sub
stance consisting of those three degrees, in the middle or centre of which are
effect the ultimate.
That the case
is
the same with the degrees of love and wisdom, of heat and light, and with the organic forms of the affections and
thoughts in
i
the most subtle parts, about it are parts less subtle, and in the extremes, which
constitute the circumference, there are
follows.
man will be seen in what The series of these degrees in
successive order
is
and simultaneous order, also treated of in the Doctrine of tin;

Jerusalem
concerning
the
;
parts
composed of
quently more gross:
these, and conse it is like that col
New
Sucred
Scriptures, n. 38,
and elsewhere where
umn, which was spoken of above, sub it is shown that there are similar de siding into a plane, whose highest part grees in all and every part of the Word." D. L. W., n. 205-208. constitutes the inmost, whose middle "That the ascending and descending part the middle, and its lowest the ex treme. degrees, which are called prior and pos Since the highest of successive or terior, and degrees of altitude or dis
"
der
is
and the lowest

in the
the inmost of simultaneous order, is the outmost, therefore
crete degrees, are in their
power
in thei
ultimate,
maybe
confirmed by
all
those
of
Word, superior
signifies interior,
things which were adduced by
way
DISCRETE DEGREES.
693
confirmation from sensible and percep known fact. These three do not act bt tible things in the preceding pages but continuity, but discretely and to act here I choose to confirm them only by discretely is to act by correspondences.
;
powers, and motions, in dead sub The interiors of the mind correspond and in living subjects. It is well to the interiors of the body, and the in known that endeavor of itself does noth teriors of the body to its exteriors, by which actions exist; wherefore the two ing, but that it acts by powers corre sponding to it, and by them produces former are in potency by means of the motion hence that endeavor is the all exteriors of the body. It may seem as in the powers, and through the powers if endeavor and powers in a man are in in the motion and motion being the some potency, although there is no ac ultimate degree of endeavor, that by tion, as in dreams and states of rest but this it produces its efficacy. Endeavor, in these cases the determination of en power, and motion, are not otherwise deavors and powers, fall on the common connected than according to degrees of moving principles of the body, which but when the altitude, conjunction by which is not are the heart and lungs
efforts,
jects
by continuity, for they are discrete, but action of these ceases, the powers also by correspondences for endeavor is not cease, and the endeavor with the pow D, L. W., n. 218, 219. power, nor power, motion but power is produced by endeavor, being en "The ancient Egyptians believed in deavor excited, and motion is produced the unity of the Godhead, and ex by power wherefore there is no potency pressed his attributes by Triads." It in endeavor alone, or in power alone, is remarkable that tl:3 ancient trinities
;
ers."
but in motion, which is their product. Tli at this is the case still appears doubt
ful,
of the Hindoos, as well as the

tians,
the
Egyp
emblematized
this
is
the
male principle,
the
offspring,
because
it
has not been illustrated

to things
;
female principle,
and
by application
such
"
sensible
and and that
identical
with the
According to Pythagoras, the sym Let us apply these principles to bol of all things, or fulness, was, the living endeavor, living power, and liv Monad, or active principle, or Father ing motion. The living endeavor in a the Duad, or passive principle, or
;
perceptible in nature but nevertheless is their progression into potency.
early Chinese philosophy.
man, who
is
a living subject,
is
his will
Mother; and the

of both united.
result,
or operation
asserts,
united to his understanding; the living powers in him are what constitute the
interiors of his body, in all of
The philosopher Damascius

that, "throughout
which
the world a Triad
place in the mythology of the ancients. See Pr if chard s Analysis of Egyptian body constitute the second, and the whole body, which Mythology, pp. 39-47. Numberless pantheistic superstitions is their complex, constitutes the third That the interiors of the mind and absurd cosmogonies, etc., were degree. have no potency but by powers in the founded on the corruptions of this bodv, and that powers have no potency philosophy, as it became more d& but by action of the body, is a well praved and sensual.
gree, the interiors of the
there are moving fibres variously inter woven; and living motion in him is action, which is produced through those powers by the will united to the under The interiors of the will and standing. understanding constitute the first de
shines forth, which resolves itself into a Monad." And also, that this doc trine was the fundamental principle of
the Orphic philosophv. Voscius ob serves that this idea holds a principal
694
The
tlie
etc.,
APPEND IX.
|
three degrees of initiation into ancient mysteries of Egypt, Greece,
tropical vehicle of doctrinal mysteries
and monastic professions, vows, charms,

etc., -ind
were, without doubt, derived from the above doctrine of discrete degrees. Among various nations the number
for the purposes of secret asso
three always conveys the idea of ful ness and perfection. take the present opportunity of I
observing, that the signs, symbols, and three degrees of Free-Masonry, are a few corre peculiar compound of a
and recognition. (See Glossary of Architecture, and Pugin s Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament and Costume.)
ciation
order
Vitruvius informs us that the Ionic of Grecian architecture was
formed on the model of woman, and the Doric on that of man. Architec ture is called by De Stael and Goethe
"
ancient spondences, adopted from the cavern mysteries, most probably from
those of the Sun-worship of Heliopolis,
frozen
"
music."
"is
said
ion."
"
Coleridge,
Gothic^ church," a petrified relig
and phrases and
figures
borrowed from
All styles of architecture are hiero
the symbolic sculpture, painting, etc., of more modern times, and incorpo rated into ceremonies which, on mere assumption, without the slightest evi
glyphics upon a large scale; exhibit ing to the heedful eye, forms of wor ship widely differing from each other
and proving, that in almost every re with have to said are ligion with which we are acquainted, originated dence, the building of Solomon s temple. (See the form of the temple was the hicrothe works of Ilutchinson, Preston, Capt. f/ram of its god, or of the peculiar opin Dr. A she, Dr. Oliver, etc., ions of its votaries." BardweWs Tem G.
Smith,
55. on Free- Masonry.) ples, p. In the most ancient monuments of The Christian symbols of the middle India and Egypt, as in those of the of some coin ages, with the exception were middle ages, architecture, statuary, and cidences, most likely accidental,
"
not correspondences at
all,
but only
j
enigmatical
obscure.
comparisons,
often
very of
painting, are the material expressions Portal s Des religious thought."

Coleurs Si/mboliques.
large proportion of
them
The science of Correspondences being were derived from heathen mytholo the abstract ethics of Christianity re The traditions. Jewish and lost, gies mainder were founded upon some were thus sought to be extensively im fanciful associations or resemblances, printed on the memory and conscience. In correspondence there is nothing which objects and their hab
itudes,
trary marks
or fanciful. The thing sig mystic words and signs, arbi arbitrary and combinations, the nified must be the proximate cause of forms and properties of the vestments, that to which it corresponds, and be connected recognized in its form and use. The utensils, and instruments with religious worship, and the various former must live, so to speak, within and trades, etc., were sup the latter, as the soul lives in the body,
professions
particular
moral rules or as thought enshrines itself in speech, posed to bear to certain and sentiments, regarded as necessary or as the intellect exists in the eye, or for the right direction and government as the affections of the heart animate act to all which This symbolism was the countenance of the conduct. further used to designate the presumed gether as cause and effect.
;
or admitted qualities of persons; or was applied to distinguish them from
"
Even
in the most remote periods of
each other.
It
was also employed as
was considered a mystic number, and regarded with reverence.

history, three
ANCIENT TRIADS.
The Assyrians had their triads. In ancient Kgypt every town and district
jores),
etc.
695
and 3X4 labors of Hercules," Lanvood and Hotten s History of
had its own triad, which it worshipped, Sign Boards, p. 269. and which was a union of certain attri "According to the theology of the ancient butes, the third member proceeding Chaldeans, Egyptians, and from the other two. Sir Gardiner Wil Greeks, in every order of things [or kinson, in his Ancient Egyptians, vol. degrees], a triad is the immediate prog And hence it is iv., ch. xii., p. 230, mentions a stone, eny of a monad with the words, one Bail, one Athor; said in one of the Chaldean oracles, In one Akovi hail Father of the World! every world a triad shines forth, of which a
;
hail triformous
Dissertation
says,
God
Thorns, in his
Chinese
Vases,
monad
"
on Ancient
preference for the

say,
The Chinese have a remarkable number three; they One produced two, two produced
and three produced
all things.
is the ruling See Tay principle. lor s lamblicus, pref., p. viii. Parmenides, in Plato, distinguishes
three divine unities subordinate; the which is perfectly and first, of that
three,
Buddhists, who are of Modern date in China, use the term The threefold
The
most properly one [perfect love or good ness] the second, of that which is called
;
by him one-many (a perfect

;
intellect),
The Taow sect have precious One. In the also their three pure ones.
Hindoo religion combinations of three are equally frequent. They have sev eral Trimasties or Tremastis, three
principal
[perfect wisdom or all truths] the third, of that which is thus expressed one and
many
worth
[or love and

all
wisdom
uses]."
in union,
operating
divine
See Cud-
s Intel. Sys., vol.
ii.,
p. 40.
deities, Brahma, Vishnu, Origen observes that the Holy Scrip and Mahadera; another triad is Brah tures contain a triple sense, analogous to ma, Vishnu, and Siva, including a mys the triple constitution of man. The tical union of three principal rivers, sentiments of the Holy Scriptures are the Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarawati. to be impressed upon our minds in a Siva has three eyes; the sun is called threefold manner, in order that whoso
three-bodied
the
triangle with
the
ever belongs to the simpler sort of per

sons, may receive edification from the flesh of the Scripture (this we call their obvious or literal meaning), but he who
a favorite type for the triune-coequality, hence the pentagram (a

is
Hindoos
composed of two equilateral tri with the apex of one is somewhat more advanced, from its towards the base of the other, and so soul; but whosoever is perfect, and forming six triangles by the intersec similar to those to whom the apostle tions of their sides),, is in great favor alludes, where he says, we speak wis with them from the spiritual law further, they use three dom mystic letters, to denote their deity which contains a shadow of good things
figure
angles, placed
and soul, so also the Holy Writ many other combinations of three. The which God has planned to be granted same preference for this number is ob for the salvation of mankind." De servable in the Greek and Roman myth the passage is trans Princip., iv., 108 ology, which mentions three theocracies, lated by Dr. Credner, article INTER
body,
;
(seven is also a mystic number with them and other ancient races), and
to
come
for as
man
consists of spirit,
three graces, three fates, three harpies, three syrens, three heads of Cerberus,
etc.
PRETATION, Kitto s Sib. Oyc. A faint and imperfect idea of

sublime doctrine
J/ore
s is
this
And, taking three
as a unit,
3X3
found in Dr. Il
muses,
3X4
principal gods (Dii nia-
Threefold Cabala.
696
1
APPENDIX.
JOHN
V. 7, 8.
The
long, learned, and frequent dis
a distinguished Unitarian There are three who utter testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit,
"
ter,
putations
respecting the
authenticity
and genuineness of the seventh verse, in no way affect the present argument. I may here observe, that it is now gen erally allowed to have been spuriously introduced into an ancient copy of the It exists, however, 1st Ep. of John. with some verbal differences, in the
"
in CHRIST JESUS they are one." See also Biblioth. Sussex ; Bishops March and Horsley ; Travis s Letter to Gibbon; Person s Letters, 1. iv., and Dr. II.
and
Ware s Works, p. 243 where the prin cipal arguments and opinions in favor of, and against, the authenticity of these
;
verses, etc.,
may
be seen.
Greek MS. known by the title of the XVI. DRUIDISM. Codex Montfortianus," in Trinity Col Druidism was the religion of the lege, Dublin supposed to be the Codex Britannicus, of Erasmus, which Martin Ancient Britons, and was considered by
of Utrecht considered to be as old as
the eleventh century, and Dr. A. Clarke regarded as a production of about the
thirteenth,
the Gauls as having originated with them. Julius Caesar gives some account
of the Druids in his
;
1
De
Bell. Gall
lib.
but which Person, Gries- vi., c. 1 but as his information was only, bach, and Bishop Marsh considered as or chiefly derived from hearsay evi written so late as the fifteenth or six dence, it cannot be altogether implicitly teenth it is also found in the Greek received.
,
;
MS.
entitled
"
Codex
Ottobonianus,"
in
Druidism appears
to
have existed
the Vatican Library, a MS. of the fif teenth century (collated by Scholz see The first Greek also Dr. Wiseman).
;
prior to the patriarchal history. In one form or other, it was the prevailing re
ligion
and philosophy of Europe, and
writer
to
who
have
cited the passage, appears been the translator of the Latin
possessed
religion
many
to
close affinities with the

at the
which was,
same
period,
acrs of the Council of Lateran, which was held A. D. 1215. It is also quoted
Egypt, Phoenicia, Syria, Persia, Babylonia, Nineveh, and all the The term Druid is considered to in the fourteenth century by Manuel East. be a compound of Deru, an oak, and It is in Calecas, a Dominican monk.
in several of the
common
Gwyddon, wise men. The worship was conducted in circular cient. It is cited by Vigilius, Bishop temples, often comprising a trine of of Thrapsus, in Africa, and also by a circles, and at altars in the open air, on mountains, contemporary African writer, Victor under trees, in groves, or in these respects it appears and or the Vandal in his hills, History of Vitensis, to have resembled the representative Persecution, A. D. 484, when four hun dred bishops of Africa were called upon worship of the Ancient Church. They
serted
MSS.
of the
Latin Vulgate, but not in the most an
to give to an
an account of the Christian faith Arian king and persecutor. Some of the Latin writers, as Virgilius, Ambrose, etc., according to Dr. A. There Clarke, insert the passage thus
"
had threp orders of priests or bards, who were also physicians. The chief ruling priest, or presiding bard, was clothed in a robe of cerulean blue, wore a garland of oak leaves, and a tiara of
gold
;
are three that bare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
the second, or oviate bard
class,
was clad in light green, a color which science and Spirit, and these three are one in CHRIST appears to have designated or as translated by Scott Por philosophy and the third was clad in JESUS
;"
DR UIDISM.
white linen, or with a purple border, fastened by a girdle in which appeared the crystal stone set in gold, in refer
ence to religion and morality, or the union of truth and charity, and their
bonfires
\
1
G97
and
fairs
of the 1st of May.
In the idolatrous observances of Moloch,
another
name
for the sun, the priests
and people leaped from the flames. In later and more degraded times, human purifying results in the mind and life. sacrifices were doubtless offered, and They regarded the oak, from which the children were cast into the fire, as pro garlands of the chief priests were pitiations for sin, as is evident from the gathered, with peculiar veneration. frequent testimony of the Old Testa The mistletoe, a parasite of the oak, was ment, and from ancient history. The Hebrew and oriental nations estimated, for iis medicinal virtues, at the highest value, and designated called the name of the supreme God, Healer of The three joys of the Baal (lord, in the sense of master, or bards of the Isle of Britain, are declared he that rules and subdues), a name afterwards superstitiously and blas to have been: the increase of knowl edges the reformation of manners and phemously attributed, in every variety
i j |
"
all."
the triumph of
peace."
The
original
of form, to the idols of those countries.
British harp was strung with hair, and consisted of twelve strings.
The Druids denominated him Bel

tic).
(Cel
From
ish
light.*
ancient
MSS.
relating to Brit
Druidism, and recently brought to
Much
of their ancient learn

unintelligible, like
Shaddai, or Saddenoting the Almighty, succoring, aiding, and assisting, had also its coun
dai,
The Hebrew word
ing, hitherto
deemed
much
of the mythology of the Greeks
terpart in the West for the word Seadah was one of the characteristic names
;
and Komans, may be reduced to some degree of order and sense and it then shows its original connection with the
;
of Bel.
The Druids also addressed God,
and spoke of
epithet of ent Being
;
Him under
is,
the expressive
self-exist
Hu, signifying the

he that
science of correspondences. Though the worship of the Ancient
Church had become idolatrous
so early
;
and the near re lation between this word and I am that I am," must strike the most careless.
"
as the Patriarchal age (Josh. xxiv. 2 Ex. xxxiv. 13), yet it retained, for many
generations,
more or
less of its original
The British Druids, among a multi tude of heterogeneous notions, super stitions, dogmas, absurd customs, and
inhuman ceremonies, introduced in the lapse of ages, and which ultimately degenerated into a system of abominable
cruelty
representative character. Druidism has been often misrepresented and misun

derstood, in consequence of confound
ing
its
pure with
its
They worshipped
corrupt era. the Sun, as the most
glorious representative image of God, and a remnant of these observances is

still
and licentiousness, appear, not withstanding, to have retained from ancient times, and preserved even to a
extant in Ireland, in the Beltein
late age, some ideas derived through the commercial intercourse of the Phoe
nicians.
From
these ancient sources
These MSS. have been printed under the title ofMyfyrian Archaiology ; they were care fully transcribed by the late Owen Jones, of London, a native of Denbighshire, and eventually published, in three volumes, at his sole expense. These volumes were pub lished in London, in the year 1801, under
the supervision of three editors,
their
philosophy,
which
combine
system of ethics and theology, under the cover of symbolic types, the human
mind had
circles,
to pass
through three
viz.,
degrees,
1.
regions,
;
or spheres;
;
In-
Owen Jones,
ch nation
2.
Edward Williams, and William Owen. 59
summation.
and 3. Con Progression In the 1st deirre* ran
698
collects
APPENDIX.
representing
knowledge, in order to be ac quainted with his duty in the 2d he acquires moral strength, to enable him
;
them under the forms

birds,
trees,
etc.
of
men,
beasts,
They
discharge it and in the 3d he at tains a state of perfection. They fur

to
;
taught that knowledge and virtue are the only qualifications which can dignify
and ennoble man, and that ignorance and vice inevitably overwhelm him with prior degree, man, by negligence and degradation and contempt, that right misconduct, might retrograde, and fall or wrong conduct depended on the in
ther taught that in passing through the
into the lowest states of existence.
The
fluence of these principles in the mind,
stages of degradation were described as The mediums of man s threefold.
and prepared them, on the one hand, for eternal felicity or, on the other,
;
progress in states of exaltation were likewise described as threefold, viz.,
for
never-ending
scribed
man
s life
misery. They de in the world to come,
Humility [or obedience of life] 2. Truth [or illumination of the intellect]

1.
;
;
as exactly corresponding with his state.
Their ancient and uncorrupted Triads

are most remarkable, and are often as true, and as philosophically just, as they
and, I). Mercy [or love influencing the affections of the will]. If man
all
fell
into states of degradation, it was taught that lie could only be renewed again by
are beautiful and interesting. many others are the following:
Among
passing through principles

ating
changes
and
knowledge, benevolence, represented as the trinal
"The three consummate and medi perfections and of God are: The one infinite life; in and power, were finite knowledge and infinite plenitude
;
gradations,
weapons with
of power.
which he was
to obtain the victory in his conflict with his passions and pro Man s future state of exist pensities.
Three things [or principles], which are the causes productive of living beings: The divine love, of which is
"
ence was taught to be an eternal pro gression towards the perfections of De With them, the animal life was ity. wholly evil the human life, a mixed
;
the all-perfect wisdom the divine wis dom, in the perception of all possible means and the divine power, which is
: ;
condition of being, and the future life, a state of unmingled and ever-increas
by the joint will [or union] of the vine love and wisdom.
"There
di
are three things of which

:
ing happiness. The changes from one state to another they denominated
"
God
life;
necessarily consists
The
greatest
transmigration."
the greatest knowledge; and the greatest power: and of what is greatest
there can be no
thing.
"
The
visible,
ancient Druids appear to have
more than one
of any
believed originally in one supreme, in
omnipotent, and omnipresent Deity, whose body or form, as defined by Pythagoras, was as the glorious light, but whose soul or essence was the eter
nal truth.
The
three grand powers of the soul
Affection; understanding; and [are]: will [or determination], or the conjunc

tion of the understanding
fection.
and the af
They held the
doctrine of
the true nature of the soul, and the
metempsychosis of mental condition; thus it was sym bolically and not literally understood, till their worship became idolatrous.
as indicating
changes
The three grand mind or man [are]

"
operations of the To think to

;
choose
"
and
to perform.
:
They described
mind,"
principles
to
"in
the
The three branches of wisdom [are] The wisdom which relates to God the wisdom which relates to mankind and
; ;
according
correspondence,
the wisdom which relates to oneself: the
J3ETIIYLLIA, OR
three
LIVING STONES.
699
knowledges which appertain to all nations, particularly the British [are] The knowledge of God Isles, where those monuments abound, the knowledge of mankind; and the were originally of a similar class. These became abused to idolatrous purposes knowledge of one s own heart." In the patriarchal history, we read thence, they were strongly prohibited. that Jacob tarried all night at a place See Lev. xxv. 1 Amos iii. 14. When called Luz, which means in English a consecrated they were supposed to be instinct with the power and energy of bending, and also a separation or depart And he took the stone he had some divinity. "The practice," says ure.
wisdom
used as a pillow, and set it up for a pil lar, and consecrated it hy pouring oil upon the top of it and called it Beth
;
Bishop Lowth,
different
"was
very
common
in
el,
which means
it
the house of
took
as the witness of a
(Gen. xxviii. 11-22.) the heap were constituted witnesses of a

:
God, and he solemn vow. spexiam lubricatum lapidem, et ex olivi The pillar and unguine, sorditatum; tanquam inessit
:
ages and places. Arnobius, lib. i., gives an account of his own prac tice in this respect Si quando con-
vis proesens, adulabar, affabar, et beneficia
covenant, and of a boundary, or separa tion and the place is called Mizpeh, or
poscebam nihilsentientedetrumes
(Isa. Ivii. 6).
Which may
If at
if
it,
be translated
I
Mizpah, a watch-tower, sentinel, etc. Dr. A. Clarke; Cassel s Lexicon.
See
as follows
any time
I
beheld an
obeis
From Bethel is derived Barthulia, Bethyllia, Baithylia, or living stones of the Phoenicians, which, consecrated by
being anointed with
oil,
anointed stone, as power inherent in
there had been a
made my
addressed myself unto it, and requested benefits from it, not at
it.
ance to
were the repre
sentative images of living truth, or truth alive in the natural degree. From this
signification
all considering it a stock. Such were the Baetylia, or living stones of the an cient Phoenicians. Hence the use of
the
apostle
Peter
calls
the image of the apostle
Peter."
the Lord Jesus Christ,
ANOINTED,
"a
living
stone."
who was THE And as
In accommodation to the prejudices of the mass of the people who idolatrously
the patriarch called the stone he set up and consecrated "God s house," so the
apostle exhorts those that "have puri fied their souls in obeying the truth,
worshipped
stone
pillars,
or
obelisks, the earlier Christians substi tuted crosses of various kinds, or cut
through the Spirit, and unfeigned love of the brethren (1 Pet. i. 22), to lay aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisv, and envies and all evil speak and as new-born babes, to desire ings," the sincere milk of the Word, that they
"
them upon the upper stones, or placed them upon the pillars or their bases,
as the symbols of redemption,
and
to
enforce the self-denying doctrine of the Christian religion. Hence the origin of boundary crosses, market crosses, se|
might grow
a
ii.
thereby;"
and
"that
com
i i
pulchral crosses, way-side crosses, and those erected as memorials of battles,
ing unto the Lord Jesus Christ as unto

living stone,
they
also, as lively stones,

house."
murders, or fatal events, and in remembrance of the dead. They appear to
are built
2-5.)
up a
spiritual
(1
Pet.
I
have been
first
cut on the top of single
upright stones (fir itton], and afterwards
anointed stones, so celebrated in an tiquity, and to which divine honors
ornamented by degrees, until finallv they were most elaborately finished. That, however, which began in pious were paid, especially by the Phoenicians, consideration to the weakness of man. who had commercial intercourse with ended in confirming that weakness
Baetylia, Bethyllia, or living or
!
The
"
700
APPENDIX.
Rollwright of Eollrich, in Oxfordshire, Arber-low in Derbyshire, and the Hurlers and Dance-Man in Cornwall: the sepulchral mounds known by the
and in substituting a superstition al most heathen for the spiritual doc

trines
of
Christianity."
Rev.
H. H.
Ml/man.
Legends are connected with most of

the druidical circles, implying that the stones were originally petrified men
name of cairns, carnes, or cardnedes (in Welsh carydd, and in French galgals),
that
is
a heap of stones
also
and women
a dance.
at
a wedding, a
called
festival,
or
cromlehs,
cromleichs, or cromlechs; Kist-vaens, or "stone-chests," called in
Stonehenge was
dance.
the giants
the Channel Islands, Antels or altars (Gen. xii. 7, 8 xxvi. 25), and Pequi;
have been a lays (that is, "heaps of stones"), but which Wright supposes are "sepulchral wedding party petrified. Dance Main implies the dance of chambers denuded of their mounds stones, once young women, who danced tolmen, or stones of passage, and in there on the Sabbath day. French dolmen, or stone tables, as Rollrieh, a band of marauding sol Kits-Coty House, in Kent, Chun-Quoit, diers turned into stones. in Cornwall, etc. and Druidical cir
Stan ton
is
Drew
said to
"
Similar legends exist also in other cles or orals of stone (Josh. iv. 5) the countries. They are connected with upright rude pillars, massive pyram fairies and demons. idal blocks of stone, and obelisks,
;
"The prohibition to worship stones which are found scattered all over the by the earlier Christian Ecclesiastical habitable globe, and on most of which laws and ordinances, and which with "no tool of man had been lifted" (P^x. out doubt relate to these monuments, xx. 25 Dent, xxvii. 4, 5), were raised
;
attest
the antiquity, and greatly con

destruction."
as
tributed to their
p. 63.
Wright,
affection as sepul chral monuments, both of honor and infamy (Gen. xxxv. 20 Josh. vii. 20)
; ;
;
memorials of
For many of the foregoing- extracts

I am greatly indebted to a series of able and excellent papers on Druidism,
as records of victories
and exploits
in
remembrance of
events;
special mercies and as witnesses of contracts and

;
by T. W., in the 1st vol. of the Anglo- covenants (Gen. xxxi. 51, 52) or us American New Church Repository, to attestations of faithfulness those knoAvn which I refer the reader. See also in North Wales by the name of men TolantFs Hist, of the Druids ; Williams s pillars;" those set up for boundaries,
;
"
Druopnedia; Davies
Celtic
and Mythology
Hulbert
s
of the
Researches, British Druids;
land marks, or
way marks
(Jer. xxxi.
Hist, of the Tsleof
Religion of Britain ; Robei ts s Man; Bowlaise s Hist,
31); called in England hoar-stones, or by some dialectic name, such as harestones,
war-stones,
wor-stones,
boor-
of Cornwall; Rose s Tech. Anglic.; Weav er s Mon. Ant.; Identity of the Relig ions called, Druidical and Ilebretv ; and
stones,
her-stones, etc.; together with the March-stones, held sacred by the
James
Manual
of British Druidism.
The pyramids of Egypt, India, and Mexico, the Druidical remains of Stonehenge, and at a distance of twenty miles from them, those of Abury in Wiltshire, Stanton Drew, or the stone town of the Druids in Somersetshire,
without doubt, their the correspondence of stones, though so early used for idol See atrous and impious purposes.
all,
Romans; had
real origin
in
Grose
ton s
Antiq., vol.
i.,
p.
Collect,
part
iii.,
x.,
p.
;
135; Pinker2G1 Smith *

;
Michaelis, vol.
p.
ligions of Britain, p.
374 Hulbert s Re 22 Weaver H Mon.

;
REMAINS OF DRUID WORSHIP.

Ant.
of
;
701
Hamper s
s
Observations on Pillars
in
loc. ;
Memorial ;
Dr. A. Clarke,
Wright
s
years afterwards, Joshua pitched twelve stones in Gilgal, as a memorial of the
Camden
flritannia;
Stukeleifs
Celt.
Stone\
henye; and Sajc. Ant.

"
Rom. and which, in
passage of the Israelites through Jordan, after ages, became a place of

idolatrous worship.
Stonehenge, an Anglo-Saxon, word
English, a circle.
|
When
Gilgal means, in the covenant
and built of was ratified between Laban and Jacob arranged in triliths, the (Gen. xxxi. 44-49), Jacob set up astone most stupendous remains of Druid wor- as a pillar of witness, and commanded ship, the grand national temple, was his brethren to gather stones, and make a heap," and they did eat there doubtless, at first, representative, in
meaning
hanging-stones,"
hewn
stones,
"
Laban called it Jegar sahadutha, on. arrangements and particulars, though that worship was soon after which is a pure Chaldee word; but wards greatly corrupted, and the knowl Jacob called it Galeed, which is a pure edge of representatives became lost in Hebrew word of the same meaning, With the translated by Calmet, the circle of wit superstition and idolatry. serpentine temple at A bury, it appears ness," and by Dr. Oliver and Dr. A. to have combined the adoration of the Clarke, "heap or round heap of wit sun, moon, and stars, and the worship ness." Camden informs us that it is
all its
;
"
of the serpent. In all probability, their religious maxims, rites, and ceremonies, which also comprehended their laws and
the custom,
!
"
in several places, to cast
heaps of stones on the graves of

factors
male
thence
and
self-murderers
"
"
customs, were derived from the Phoe

nicians,
he supposes it was that the worst of were called Karn-hhadron," 2 Sam. called in the Word, ON (Gen. xli. 45; a earn thief (Josh. viii. 29 xlvi. 20). Stonehenge was called by xvii.). The term cromleh has been derived the ancient Britons Choir Ghaur, that Others have considered from the Amoric word crum, crooked or is (jreat church. it to mean "The circular plan of assem bowing, and leh, stone, in supposed allu This and the other Druid circles sion to the reverence which persons bly." or ovals were used not only as places paid to them by bowing. Toland says
and originated in Heliopolis,
traitors
for for worship, sacrifices, and augury the celebration of festivals and other
;
Druidical rites; but
is
also
hat cromleh means a bowing-stone but Rowland derives the name from the u supposed Hebrew words signifying a devoted or
t
;
j
that they were used for forums for the inauguration of priests and kings for
;
consecrated
j
"
stone."
"
It
was
usual,"
re
marks Bryant,
i
the use of general assemblies
for the
;
to place
among the Egyptians, with much labor one vast stone
meeting of councils, local and national for the promulgation of laws and for
;
elections
and as seats of judgment. In Gaelic they are denominated clactans, which means places of worship." Dr.
"
for a religious memorial. stones they thus placed, they some times poised so equally, that they were affected with the least external force
upon another,
The
Jamieson, in his Historical account of the Culdees, says, "that at this day,
nay, a breath of wind would sometimes make them vibrate." Anal. Mythol., vol.
iii.,
in Moore, p. 30.
These rocking-
going to and from church/ and going stones and rock basins, as the Cheseto and from the stones, are phrases Wring, in Cornwall, etc., which wert Moses formerly regarded as Druidical, are used synonymously" (b. 25). erected twelve pillars of stones at the now concluded by geologists not to be
j
foot of
Mount 59*
Siuai
and, about forty
artificial,
but the result of natural causes,-
702
APPENDIX.
redeemed and happy one.
they nevertheless received superstitious veneration.
Now
this
The Druid
cable to Gaul.
religion
It
is
equally appli
j
doctrine was tauirht very earnestly by Pythagoras; a man whom we can sneer
at only
was unlawful to com mit their maxims, doctrines, and mys teries, to writing. At the time of Julius CD sir s invasion of Britain, he found the Druid religion most corrupt and idolatrous, and mixed with Pagan my
thology.
fices;
when we can forget the vast influence he exerted in his own day and
tli rough such men as Plato ever since, and the golden truths still discernible in the fragmentary remnants of his doctrines, and the fact that the system
They
offered
human
sacri
though modern discoveries have made it extremely likely that the cus tom was far from ancient. Many of their traditions, maxims, and doctrines,
point to a
as recorded by various ancient writers, much higher state of civiliza
of the universe established by Coperni cus was but a revival of his own, and
the
many other indications of the extent
tion and philosophy than we find re corded by the Roman emperor, and it
is difficult
and accuracy of his knowledge. How, then, could he have taught such a folly ! But are we sure that it was all folly, that it contains no certain, no valuable Let us ask if the science of truth? correspondence can explain it. Man,
the microcosm, or little world, as Pyth agoras and Plato and so many of the ancients called him, represents the uni
verse.
to reconcile their existence,
much
less their origin, to so
low and
degraded a condition. Knough has been said to show the

true origin not only of their doctrines, but also of those records, which forages
to
Thus,
all
animals that ever were
or can exist, live by virtue of the fact that they severally represent some of
come will show that the science of the elements, faculties, correspondences was once widely dif the human character. fused, and we can trace the operations not consist so much in of Divine Providence in preserving any of these, as in the
j
or qualities Goodness does

<>[
the absence of presence of all
those
memorials, which throw,
when and
rightly viewed, so powerful a light on the Holv Word.
their due subordination, and their harmonious performance of their sev

"
eral functions.
[When]
man
begins to reform
XVII.
THE PYTHAGOREAN DOC TRINE OF METEMPSYCHOSIS.

doctrine of
[his character, he] is penetrated with a profound sense of evil. He becomes
"The
metempsy
ortransmigration, is found almost evervIn Greece, and Home, and where.

Kirypt.
form>
aware, perhaps, that he is lost and buried in foul and gross gluttony, and in his remorse he feels that he is not a
and the more or
Kast.
it is
seen,
and
in
man, that sin has transformed him, that he is no better than a hog! Ibwith the
i
le>.-
di-uiiNed, traces of
P>almi.-t.
am
a>
bea>t
U--
it
a iv discernible in
nearly
all
the re-
fore thee
ca>tr-
And he
>in
repents and reforms
this which we know anything dis and away. Then he dis somewhat in detail, covers that his ferocity makes him a it was alwa\> .substantially as follows. tiger, and the same process again re He who is not panel at death lieves him; and then it may be he sees into the form of some kindred animal, in himself the cunning of the fox, or and thence into anothei and another, other and yet other faults which dis until the circle of expiation being com figure and conceal his human nature. he goes on, until humility, self-aopleted, he becomes again a man, and a
liirions of
tinctly.
Differing
go<xl.
S>
DOCTRINE OF METEMPSYCHOSIS.
703
knowledgment, repentance, and reform, an inner law may be heard. So, too, have cast out the devils and restored there are applications of the science of
him
to the
power, the consciousnes-s,
correspondences to the ancient classical

nificant.
mythology, which often makes it sig Sysiphus and Tantalus, and the like, are no longer the wild and meaningless creations of fantasy, and we can understand their permanence, of secresy. Is it too much to suppose and charm, and power, amid the beau that these two doctrines, the inner and tiful cultivation of the Greek mind. the outer, had some relation to each Pegasus, the winged horse, again alights
oilier? What would he have gained Inteaching the doctrine as we have stated it above, to the gross and grovelling world about him? What better thing could he do than to teach them the same
truth in the
and the happiness of manhood. Now, we know that Pvtliagoras had an inner and secret doctrine never published, and taught only in private to the initi ated under the most solemn obligation
crene,
upon Helicon, and opens a new llippoand again Minerva tames his fire, and gives him to the warrior who is called to do battle with the monster
Chimera."
Parsons? Essays,
Am.
ed.,
lower form of the
metem
pp. 91-96.
"
psychosis, as he gave it to the public ? It is to be noticed that this doctrine, in
Xo
doubt was ever entertained that
the Pythagorean doctrine was purely
lower and grosser form, is adapted for the lower and grosser classes of minds, the very same good which
its
Egyptian.
to
do
in their mysteries,
j
Pythagoras was initiated and is reported to
in its higher form is able to confer upon minds in a con-
the same
doeHne
have been the disciple of Souchedes, an Egyptian chief, prophet, or highClem. Stromata., lib. i., cited priest."
"
and be subject to its by Pr ifchard. influence. In the ancient dialect of Astrono They who would not resist gluttony, or ferocity, or low cunning, my, the earth was said to enter succes
dition to receive
it
|
because they disfigured their spiritual
sively
to pass
into
the constellations of the
humanity, might do so, if they were persuaded that they must expiate these sins in the bestial forms and life of the In this hog, the tiger, and the fox. lower form, its influence upon minds to which it was then fitted, would elevate those which were capable of improve ment into a capacity of hearing and This would profiting by the higher. be in exact conformity with the law which prevails over the relation between
internal
the goat, etc., and thus from one animal into another, until she had gone through all the
ram, the
bull,
signs of the zodiac. Now, as deceased souls remain for some time in the
sphere of the earth, thus travelling the

I
constellations, they were said, in a lan guage that has been completely misun
derstood, to transmigrate into aniimt/.-*, particularly into such a vs predominated at the time of their deeea-e." See
and external
truth.
On
simi
Abbe PlmJtSts Hint,

p. 242.
of the Hear., vol.
i.,
lar grounds, I account for the universal
chosis,
prevalence of the doctrine of metempsy which Pythagoras himself de
Plato asserted,
like
the
Brahmins
rived from Egypt. Apply this law to the Bible, and we shall come to this
result, that
of the present dav, not only the trans migration of men and beasts, but even
vegetables;
and the tire-philosophers
observance of the precepts of the sixteenth centurv gave credit to of the literal sense is precisely the wax- the same doctrine. "Both Ficinus in which we may be elevated into the and Darwin ascribe materialism to
purer atmosphere, where the voice of
Plato,
asserting
that
his doctrine of
704
conscious
spiritual
APPENDIX.
existence,
after
XVIII.
change of matter, was merely allegori cal, and that the degradation of men
into brutes, alluded to the brutalization Maid of Penmore, of the passions."
note, p. 161.
"
THE HIEROGLYPHICS, HIEROGLYPH8, Oil SACRED WRIT INGS AND ENGRAVINGS, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE IMAGES OF THE EGYPTIANS.
I shall preface this section
The Druids were

:
believers in the
with a
metempsychosis, or transmigration of
souls,
brief account
of the remarkable cir
In primis hoc cumstances which led to an acquaint as Ceesar says volunt permudere, non interire aninias, ance with some of the principles sed ab aliis post mortem transire ad of alphabetical hieroglyphics, always The Druids, like other priests, mixed up, however, with ideographical alios. had two doctrines, a sacred and a or symbolic signs. Of the most ancient and sacred hieroglyphics, it will be shown vulgar. No doubt Csesar s account of the metempsychosis belonged to the that the science of correspondences
vulgar religion, while the true mean ing involved some mystic knowledge of the natural [and mental] history of man. Serranus, the French trans
lator
will alone furnish
an explanation,
of
which, indeed, they were remains. While the French troops were car
rying on the war in Egypt, and a com mission of learned men, associated with
expedition, were exploring this ancient country, with a view to ad vance the arts and sciences, one divi
of Plato, supposes the doctrine of the metempsychosis to be mythic, and to have some allusion to future
resurrection.
allegorical,
the
Ficinus asserts that
it is
and must be understood sion of the army occupied the village of Raschid, or Reschid, which we call of the manners, affections, and tem and the engineers were em pers of men. That it was allegorical Rosetta, there can be very little doubt. Py ployed, in August, 1798, upon some
and
thagoras learnt this doctrine in Egypt all the world is witness how the
;
military works. As they were digging the foundations of Fort St. Julian, on
Egyptians concealed the most impos ing doctrines under the cloak of fa
bles
Identity of the [or allegories]." Religions called Druidical and Hebrew,
p. 56.
"
the eastern
Rosetta,
mouth of the Nile, near M. Boussard discovered a large,
mutilated, oblong block of black gran ite, which was covered with a consid
erable portion of a trigrammatical in Apullius was not truly turned into scription, in different characters, and an ass or Ulysses fellows into swine which, according to the late researches of Harris, was originally placed in a or Lycon into a wolf; or Nebuchad nezzar into an ox, but only in their temple of Turn, or Tomos, the setting minds into beastly qualities they de sun, erected to that god by Pharaoh It was generated from the use of reason, not Necho (see Birch s Hieroglyphs). having all that while either lost the subsequently surrendered to General it to George shape of human bodies, or the essence Hutchinson, who presented Rose s Mysta- III. it is now in the British Museum. of reasonable souls." The upper portion of this block is or Muse s
;
;
"
gogus
Poeticus, 1675, p. 245.

"Though
Interpreter,
there are
not
in
men s
bodies the souls of beasts, yet there are too many qualities of beasts, and best
ial dispositions."
inscribed with fourteen lines of hiero glyphics, all mutilated by the fracture of the stone. Immediately below them are thirty-two lines in the demotic, or
Ib., p. 157.
euchorial character, but
little
injured
EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS.
nately, this portion
perfect,
The Greek inscription suggested the by fracture or defacement. Unfortu is at once the most idea which was soon confirmed, that the
same decree was the subject of the two other inscriptions, which were written in two distinct kinds of Egyptian char which the first twenty-seven are perfect acters, the sacred or hieroglyphic, and and uninjured the remainder are all, the euchorial, Coptic, or native char more or less, mutilated at the end of the acter of the country. The Egyptian writing has been di lines, by an oblique fracture inclining
least important, of the lowest portion of the block contains fifty-four lines of Greek, of
and the
three.
The
inwards, so that the extent of mutila

tion regularly increases, as the inscrip tion approaches its termination, and the
last line is
all."
Osburn
p. 14.
the most imperfect of Monumental Hist, of Egypt, Alexandria informs us that the Egyp
tians
vided into various kinds, as, the pure, or picture the linear, or emblematic the phonetic, or writing by sound and the demotic, or epistolary. Clement of
; ; ;
made
use of three sorts of char

also
The Greek portion of the inscription *
acters.
But among these they had
was in a great measure perfected by the many secret systems of communication. conjectural emendations, and translated Bin Washih affirms, that there existed
by the
critical skill of the celebrated
Professor Person, and, some years after his decease, was published in vol. xvi.,
Trans, of the Soc. Ant. copy of the original was
a great number of hieroglyphic alpha In the ancient Book of Job, writ bets.
ten in great part according to the science of correspondences (not in a connected
series like the inspired somewhat similar to the
fac-simile
circulated
in Europe,
j
Word
of God),
among
to
its
all
the learned
men
Egyptian hiero-
glyphics, mention is expressly made of completion and interpretation. the primitive species of idolatry prev This inscription is a statute of the alent in the East, viz., the adoration of Egyptian priests, setting forth the the sun and moon (xxxi. 26, 27), and services rendered to his country by also of the most ancient mode of writing
Dr. Ileyne, also, and others, contributed
The writ Ptolemy V., or Ptolemy Epiphanes,f by sculpture (xix. 28, 24). and decreeing, in the name of the ing in use, among the ancient Egyptians, assembled at Memphis, his was called by the Greeks hieroglyphics, priests apotheosis, and the various honors to that is sacred engravings or reliefs, be be paid to him. Ptolemy Epiphanes cause they saw the temples of Egypt was the fifth successor of Sagus, or covered with inscriptions in that writ Sotor, the Macedonian general, to whom ing, and because the scribes of it be Egypt was assigned, in the partition of longed to an order of the priesthood." the empire of Alexander the Great. Osbur. Man. Hist. Eg., vol. i., p. 22. The only other instance which appears The antiquity of Egypt is proverbial to be known of a king of P^gypt being among all nations. Lucian in lib. De
"
made a God
in his lifetime,
is
in the
j
case of his remote predecessor. Horus, the last Pharaoh of the XVIII. dynasty.
"
that the Egyptians Syria Dea, writes, are said to be the first among men that
"
had a conception of God, and a knowledge of sacred concerns. They were * The Greek translation is a loose para- also the first that had a knowledge of phrase, aiming at nothing more than the sacre d names." Conformably to this, general scope and import cf the original." A n * j v. f A P llo q uoted b7 als an Oracle / -Oitom, Mem. If10.0 Fâ*. pp. 50, that the Eusebms, asserts, Egyptians t Epiphanes means thing forth, as a deity were the first that disclosed, by infinite a God confessed.
I J |
-,
>
"
2U
706
actions, the
APPENDIX.
path that leads to the
Gods."
Jamblicus on the Mysteries of the Egyp
pollion le Jeune calls phonetic. 2. Hi eratic, a cursive way of writing, called

also sacerdotal,
The by Taylor, note, p. 295. Egyptians have always been acknowl edged as the most ancient people from whom laws, arts, sciences, and cere monies, were first derived to other coun Murefs Rites of Funeral, An tries." cient and Modern, trans, by Lorrain,
"
tians,
etc.,
from being in general use by the priests or sacred scribes, and which is identical with that of the
hieroglyphics from which it has de scended (Clem. Alex.). All the MSS. in this character exhibit a tachygraph y,
or short-hand of
writing,
the hieroglyph ical appeal s to have been Bunsen the oldest monumental nation chiefly employed in the transcription in the world." Egypt s Place in Univ. of texts and inscriptions, connected with
1683,
p.
1.
Egypt
is
also called by
and
it
"
Hist., pref., p. xxiv.
He
adds:
"We
sacred subjects.
3.
Enchorial (Rosetta
have no hesitation in asserting at once, Stone), called by the Greek authors, that there exist Egyptian monuments, demotic (demode), or popular (Diod.), the date of which can be accurately because it was the common writing of this was also denominated fixed, of a higher antiquity than those the country
;
of any other nation

viz.,
known
in history,
Ib.,
above
five
thousand
years."
p. xxviii. It was, doubtless, in that early age, that hieroglyphics had their origin for
or epistolary (Clem. Alex.), and was derived from the hie ratic, as the hieratic was derived from
epistolographic,
correspondences, of a still more remote date, which were succeeded by the pho
netic, hieratic,
the hieroglyphic, and has been divided into the mimic, the tropic, and the It admits of enigmatic (Goulianol).
symbolic, figurative, and alphabetic and demotic alphabets, characters. The alphabetic occurs most the oldest of which does not carry us frequently, the figurative is the least back further than about 1500 years used, and the symbolic is chiefly con
B. C.
From
this period hieroglyphics
fined to express ideas connected with
and correspondences became corrupted, Egyptian theology. (See Pettigrew s and their true significance was finally Hist. Egyp. Mummies, p. 144 Osburn s Mon. Hist, of Eg., vol. i., p. 22 Chamlost, or perverted to idolatrous super de I Ecriture Hie. d Anc. Egypt; stitions, and fanciful cosmogonies and pollion,
;
;
worship.
A not-,
"
We
Bryant, therefore, in his of Ancient MythoL, truly says, that must make a material distinction
I
between the hieroglyphics of old, when Egypt was under her own kings, and glyphics, or sacred writings, the signi
i
Hieroglyphics, p. 1.) this entire subject is at pres ent involved in considerable obscurity, yet it is certain that the true hiero-
Birch
Though
those of later date, when that country was under the government of the
fication of
which was
for ages confined
Greeks; at which time their learning was greatly impaired, and their ancient the science of correspondences
to the priesthood, appear to be those, and those only, the arcana of which
is
des
tined to unfold. Zoega, a learned Dane, mythology ruined." i., 332. Egyptian writing has been arranged was the first person who suggested that as follows: 1. Hieroglyphic (Herod), or the elliptic ovals, now termed cartouches, hierographic (the writing of the gods, contain proper names ; and he first em Manetho, the learned priest), sculptured ployed the word phonetic, from the
characters,
figuratively,
expressed alphabetically, The or symbolically.
Greek, expressive of sound. See his book 07i Obelisk*, 1797 and also Glid;
largest proportion
by far
is
what Cham- don
Ancient Egypt, pp.
3, 5.
But the
HIER GL YPIIICS.
707
Chambers Inf. for the group of proper names in the demotic desideratum." text of the Rosetta Stone, was discovered People, art. AECHÔL. While the labors of learned men by De Lacy. The inscription on the stone we have stated is trilinguar, or have thus thrown considerable light on rather trigrammatic the first or upper the hieroglyphic and phonetic alphabets, portion containing one of the numerous and have thence illustrated the later hieroglyphic alphabets; the second, or antiquities, and the comparatively mod
:
middle one,
rial,
is
that
known
as the euchoj
ern history of Egypt,

signs
effected, as yet,
when symbolic
or the popular character, which it is asserted was the Coptic, as yet free from the admixture of Greek words
(see
had become phonetic, they have
but little in decipher ing the most ancient and pure hiero
"
Bunsen s Egypt s Place in History, glyphics. "Everywhere, I conceive," and the third is Greek, but, as says Salt, the real hieroglyphics and we have remarked, a mere loose para- phonetic characters will be found to be The event recorded of this mingled together and this, of course, phrase. Salt s stone took place at Memphis, and the will require a double study." Even the stone appears to have been engraved in Phonetic System of Hiero. the ninth year of the reign of the be- sacred symbols were used, not as the
\
p.
314)
forementioned Ptolemy, or 1 96 years representatives of things, but also of before the Christian era, and belongs, sounds (see the marvellous discoveries of Dr. Young and Champollion, and the says Bunsen, in the work just cited, the time of the lowest decline, as regards critical researches of Lepsius), so that even the phonetics bear a double mean language, character, and hieroglyphic "The "The language," says Osstructure." ideographic signs," adds ing.
j
"to
in Egyptian le Hieroglyphic characters," graded; the arrangement is vile, and according to Bunsen, "were adopted So that, in phonetic writing at a very early pe the arrangement clumsy." The new empire, that is the 18th after all, it affords but little information riod. on the subject of the true ancient hiero- dynasty of the Egyptians, commenced The most learned and pro a little before Moses, and on the mon gliiphics.
burn, was rapidly undergoing changes the hieroglyphic art had become de
"
Gliddon,
"abound
"
gends."
uments of that age, the Egyptian writ classic, Coptic, and Arabic schol and the most eminent arclueologists ing continued phonetic, with figurative and Egyptologists, have employed the signs." See Eg. pi. in Hist., pp. 4, 8. most extensive learning, the most acute "All the Greek annalists," says he, penetration, and persevering industry, "belong to the latest times of Egypt; in the investigation of these inscriptions, most of them to an age when the old and have ascertained the meaning of so myths were multiplied and adulter^ many of the letters, syllables, and ated." Ib., p. 414. It must also b
found
ars,
which the signs represented," as to give the greatest interest and im portance to many other historical docu
"
words,
remembered that only a very smaU proportion of the existing monuments

and inscriptions of Egypt have, as yet, been examined. What has been done,
however, with any degree of certainty, only serves to confirm what Sweden> borg has advanced on this perplexing,
yet
ments of Egypt, and the papyri MSS.,

containing biographical records, legal contracts, funeral ceremonies, and va
rious customs.
has
of
now been
But, though the stone familiar to the scholars

"
deeply
is
Europe
for half a century,
a,
complete
which
"It
interesting as follows:
subject,
and
in
translation of its
symbols
still
remains a
is
commonly known,
that
708
APPENDIX.
Egypt there were hieroglyphics, and corresponded, or which they repre sented, and thence signified." "They they were inscribed on the col unins and walls of the temples and placed similar things in the vicinity, other buildings; it is acknowledged, and at the entrance, and within their however, that at this day, no one is temples, that they might recall to their able to determine their signification. memories the holy things which they In process of time, when Those hieroglyphics were no other signified. than the correspondences between the the science of correspondences was lost, spiritual and the natural, to which their posterity began to worship the science the Egyptians, more than any images themselves as sacred, not know people of Asia, applied themselves, ing that their ancestors saw nothing and according to which the very early sacred in them, and that they were nations of Greece formed their fables only so according to the correspond for this, and this only, was the most ences they represented, and thence
that
;
ancient
"
style
of
composition."
App.
signified.
Thus
its
arose the idolatries

\\ell
W. H., n. 4. The science

which
is
which
of
rica
filled
the whole earth, as

adjacent islands, as
correspondences, likewise the science of repre
Asia, with
Af
and
Europe."
T. C. R., n. 833;
sentatives,
cients the science of sciences,
was accounted by the an D. P., n. 255. and was "The Egyptians carved pieces of wood and stone into representative particularly cultivated by the Egyp tians, being the origin of their hiero configurations of various moral virtues and of spiritual truths; and whereas glyphics." It was the peculiar science of their every man, beast, bird, and fish, corre wise men, by which they knew what sponds to some quality therefore each
"
j
was signified by animals of all kinds, particular thing carved represents par what by trees of all kinds, and what by tially somewhat of virtue, or truth, and mountains, hills, rivers, and fountains; several together represent virtue itself, what also of the sun, moon, and stars." or truth itself, in a common extended By the same science they attained be form." C. S. L., n. 76. "The Egyptians from ancient time sides to the knowledge of spiritual sub
"
jects, for the things represented being such as belong to spiritual wisdom among the angels in heaven, were themselves
knew Jehovah, by reason
that even in
Egypt there had been an ancient church, as may manifestly appear from this the origin of the representatives." consideration, that they had amongst Now as all their divine worship was them the representatives and signiiicathe Egyptian tives of that church; representative, consisting of mere cor
"
!
respondences, therefore they celebrated

it
hieroglyphics are
nothing else
[but
upon mountains and hills, also in such representatives and significatives], were signified things spirit groves and gardens for the same rea for by them
;
son they consecrated fountains, turned their faces toward the east in their
;
they knew also that they actually and inasmuch as they corresponded adoration of God and also made them began to apply such things in their sa selves carved images of horses, oxen, cred worship, and to worship them, and turn them into things calves, lambs, nay, even of birds, fishes, at length also to and serpents, and placed them in their magical, and thereby to be associated houses and other places, arranged in a to the diabolical even in hell, therefore certain order, according to the spiritual they altogether destroyed the ancient
ual,
;
principles of the church to
which they
churchamongstthemselves."-yl. (7.7097.
iskEDENBORQ AND THE EGYPTOLOGISTS.

"
709
The Egyptians made an
evil use of
[these correspondences],
therefore to
them they were not

scientific falsities
;
scientific truths, but
of pure symbols. That is the opinion of Swedenborg, you will say. But it is equally the opinion of Champollion and of the learned Lepsius.
Champollion According to all appearance, the truths, inasmuch as they applied them Egyptians at first made use of figurative A. C. 6917. and symbolic characters. (Precis, du rightly to divine worship." In the British Magazine, for Dec. Systeme Hieroglyphique, 2d edit., p. 358.)
in
yet the same things
the ancient church were scientific
says,
1841,
vol.
xx., p.
639, the following
am of opinion,
says
M.
Lepsius,
that
was considered: "Are the the P^gyptians had originally a system facts announced by Swedenborg, on the of writing entirely ideographic. If we cannot arrive at a time when phonetic subject of hieroglyphics, in perfect har mony with, or in opposition to, the mod signs were not yet introduced among
question
ern discoveries of Science
?"
writer
the
Egyptians,
we
at
least
find, at
under the signature of H. endeavored a later period, entire formulae and to prove the latter. An admirable and phrases still in use, composed solely of learned reply, from the pen of M. Fred symbolic characters. (Annali dele In eric Portal, Member of the Asiatic So stitute di Corrispondenza Archeologica,
ciety of Paris, periodical for
was inserted in the same
vol. ix.,prim. fas. p.
May,
1842, vol. xxi., p.
From this paper I make the fol labic or phonetic, the symbolic system lowing conclusive extracts According to Swedenborg, as cited did not cease to prevail. So says M. We find, at first, he ob above, the hieroglyphics of the Egyp Lepsius tians, and the fabulous fictions of an serves, a multitude of words, which, tiquity, were founded on the same sci having formerly been expressed by S. S., n. 20 ence. (T. 0. R., n. 201 ideographic signs alone, and transcribed
520.
"
24 Roma, 1837.) Even at the time when the Egyptian method of writing became, in part, syl
:
"
6692, 6917, 7097, 7926, 9011.) When he speaks of hieroglyphics, he particularly applies this word to the
A.
C., n.
at a later period into
phonetic
letters,
have nevertheless preserved

first
for the
phonetic
itself.
representations of statuary or sculpture, and to the paintings of anaglyphs. In

all
sign
p. 48.)
letter, the ideographic (Annali dele Institute, ibid., Let us turn to the dissertation
the passages in which he speaks of hieroglyphics, he refers to their origin
of M. Lepsius, and consider this sen tence of the learned Egyptologue

:
he says that at the epoch of the Pharaohs and of Moses, this system, in a religious point of view, was already corrupted, and he adds, that the Israel itish nation was elected in order to restore and preserve these representative
for
-
spoken repeatedly of this primitive and con tinual tendency not to forego the use of symbolic signs. In effect, this symbolic system of writing, propagated from one generation to another from so many
he,
We
have already, says
symbols of the church. (A. C., n. 6692.) Swedenborg, then, establishes a com plete conformity between hieroglyphics, as they existed in their origin, and the correspondences of the Bible. Let
"
ages back, had too much identified itself with the religion, the mythic traditions,
to
and the customs of the Egyptians, ever be capable of being displaced by the uniform system, destitute of attractions
us examine what hieroglyphics at their

origin were, and a later period.
"
what they became

first,
at
either for the eye or the fancy, of a purely phonetic method of writing.
Hieroglyphics were, at 60
a series
effect,
(Annali dele? Institute, ibid., p. 58.) In the symbolic system of writing
710
was so inherent in the Egyptian
ion and the royal
APPENDIX.
relig-
acter
from
it,
that,
power that flowed bolic according to the remark prove

i
by being always written with sym The names of the gods signs.
this
in the
most
irrefragable
of Champollion, in inscriptions, the ab stract ideas which belonged to the re-
manner.
"
i
From the preceding facts, we con in departments, were clude, that Swedenborg was justified ligious affirming that the hieroglyphics were specially represented by symbolic char But did our author really acters as is the case on the Rosetta symbols.
and royal
;
stone with the ideas God, immortality, divine life, power, good, benefit, law or dewee, superior region, inferior region, pane
gyric,
etc.
mean
to say, that all the hieroglyphics,
temple,
(Champollion; Precis.,
without exception, were symbolic ? On this subject he has said nothing; and the rules of induction alone may serve
as our guides in this inquiry.
p. 403.)
Sweden
Finally, the phonetic system of writ ing itself still preserved the symbolic character. The letters pronounced by
"
borg formally lays it down, that the Bible, from one end to the other, is symbolic not only in every phrase,
but in every word, and in every letter, even to the least iota. Nevertheless, on turning to his explications, whether of
mouth were still, to the eye and the understanding, true symbols. Such is and he the opinion of Champollion
the
;
number of Genesis, of Exodus, or of the Apoca first verses, signs which represent the same letter, lypse, we perceive, from the and which they name homophones. that Swedenborg ranges the words under Thus the phonetic three perfectly distinct categories; 1st, ( Champ., ibid., 370.)
explains by
it
that great
system of writing was, at its origin, that of symbolic words; 2d, that of 3d, that of words symbolic, and always preserved this figurative words are not, however, igno taken in their proper and natural sense, character. con rant, that homophones were employed, as adverbs, prepositions, pronouns, The Egyptian system at a later period, for the artist-like ar junctions, etc. rangement of inscriptions; that sym of writing, according to the discoveries of Champollion, literally traces its out bolism was neglected, to please the eye
;
We
and that at the decline of the system lines on this svstem of symbolic, figura under the domination of the Greeks and tive, and phonetic words." British Mag., Romans, the hierogrammatists delight vol. xxi., p. 520. M. Portal then produces numerous ed to make a parade of empty skill in va coincidences between the signifi without of words the perfect orthography rying
end.
terializing
vari Symbolism was continually ma cation which Swedenborg gives to an ous terms and things, and the significa itself, as Swedenborg nounces and science evinces but it is tion supposed by modern writers to have not the less true, that the phonetic words been anciently assigned by the Egyp consecrated by religion, and which tians to the same terms and things. thence were no longer liable to varia From among others I cite the follow
;
tion,
preserved their primitive char-
ing
Recent Discoveries in the Egyptian

Correspondences from Swedenborg.
eroglyphics.
Hi
To create signifies A. C., n. 472.
to
regenerate.
To
of
The sign create signifies to save. the hieroglyphic for Saviour
upon the monuments being the same as that for Creator. Salvolini, Campagne de Rhamses, p. 101.
CONFIRMED BY EGYPTOLOGISTS.
The A.
earth signifies the external C., n. 90.
711
man. The scarabaeus represents the earth and the extei nal man. Horopollon et
les
The face signifies the interiors of the mind, or the spiritual and celestial things existing interiorly with man. A. C., n. 2219, 5571.
Clay, or red earth, is a
life
In the Egyptian
Symboles des Eyyptiens, p. 98. Grammar of Champollion, the face is the symbolic sign of that which is interior within. Les Symboles des Egyptians com-
symbol of the of love of the external man, or the lowest natural good. A. C., n. 95, 1300, 1301, 3104; A. E., n. 487.
paress a ceux des Hebreux, p. 55. Vessel of day in the balance of judg ment symbolized the actions of the
his moral life, his love, deceased, and his piety. Inscription of the
The number eight signifies the com The month mencement of a new period of Egyptian
temptation, of reformation, of re generation, and corresponds to pu rification. O., n. 2044, 2633.
Manuscript of TENTAMOUN. Thoth was the first of the year, and eight was one of the symbols of the god Thoth, the reformer and regenerator, who pours the waters of purification on Les the head of the initiated.
Symboles,
etc., p.
93.
It
added, as a further illus tration, that in the Christian sym bolism of the middle ages, the oc
may be
tagonal form of fonts, pillars, etc appears to have been regarded as emblematical of regeneration, or entrance on a new state. See also
,
Hand-Book
p.
of English Ecclesiology,
130
et
seq.
Stones signify natural truths, and precious stones the truths of intel A. R., ligence, or spiritual truths. n. 90 G. L. L., n. 76.
;
The monuments
of Egypt call pre cious stones hard stones of truth. Champ. Gram. Egypt., p. 100.
In addition to the above, I will add a few more examples
Swedenborg says that by the mice, According to Horopollen (lib. i., cap. with which the land of Philistia 47), total destruction was repre sented in Egyptian hieroglyphics, was overrun, when the Philistines took the ark of God (1 Sam. v., by the symbol of a mouse or rat, from its constant gnawing. Hist, vi.), were signified the devastation and that of the church the five of the Jews, Family Library, vol. i., or mice of rats which golden images note, p. 313. were made, represented that, by means of good, signified by gold, the devastation of the church is
;
removed.!/
. C. JR., n. 203. breastplate signifies divine truth shining forth from divine good in
"
The Egyptian judges wore a

plate, on which were cut figures on a blue ground.
breast
symbolic
was filled ultimates; twelve precious stones, and worn, the by representative high-priest among the Jews, over the region of the heart. It was called a breast plate of Judgment and Urim and Thummim which are plurals, meaning a shining fire and brill iancy, or perfections and splendors,
for
it
with
The
blue
was typical of the sapphire, a precious*stone of a blue color, and both

signified truth
ly,
"
and, consequent that the judges would preside Gliddon. in the love of truth.
;
712
and denoting integrity and
in
APPENDIX.
justice
The ultimates (Ex. xxviii.)precious stones signify all heavenly principles in their order, thus, the love of truth, charity, mercy, judg ment, and justice and, in a spirit ual sense, instruction and responses from the literal sense of the Word for by the breastplate divine re sponses were given by a tacit per ception, or inaudible voice, and
;
judgment was executed accordingly (Num. xxyii. 18-21). Blue was a
color admitted into the breastplate, and, being derived from the deep azure of the oriental sky, signified the celestial love of truth, or the good of charity. A. C., n. 3862, 9823-73; A. E., n. 1063: T. C.R.,
n. 218.
The Lion
signifies, in a good sense, divine truth in power; and in a contrary sense, the false principle destroying truth. A. R., n. 241, To denote his om 471, 573, 574. nipotence, the Lord is called by the expressive appellation of the Lion of the tribe of Judah." (Rev. v. 5.) A fox in the word signifies one who
"
A lion was the principal hieroglyphic,

and always denoted
taWs Arch. Diet.
strength.
Nut*
fox or jackal (for
it
is
uncertain
principled in self-derived pru D. P. 311. dence, thus, craftiness. See Lukexiii. 32; Ps. iii. 10; Sam. v. 18
is
which animal
is
meant
in
Hebrew,
probably both), says Champollion, was always used to express knowl edge, hierogrammateus, or sacred scribe, or a wise and cunning man, because that class of animals are See Birch s Hieroglyph*, p. crafty.
220.
Swedenborg writes as follows hath life in itself, because it

from which which makes alive,
fire,
is
Good The same hieroglyphic character, from which, according to Birch and Osburn, stands, when alone, as a sym bol for life, also represents the idea See Mon. Hist. Eg., of goodness.
p. 30.
the Lord, who is life itself. A. C., Good is actually spiritual n. 5070.
spiritual
is
heat,
derived.
A.
C., n.
4906.
Swedenborg
a bad says, the Nile, in as sense, represents sensual things to what is false, or false scientifics,
fish,
with a sharp muzzle,
common
which pervert the word.

51 96, 6693, 5113.
A.
C.,
sense fishes
And in the same denote those who think

"
in the Nile, syrnboli/ed, in the earliest and best periods of the mon Osburn s Mon. archy, uncleanncss. Hist. Eg., p. 37.
sensually, and then confide in scien tifics only, and thence conceive The adul A. C., n. 991. falses. teration of the good of the word, and the falsification of its truth, is defilement or unclcanness, and im A R., n. 924. Men purity itself."
"
of learning and erudition,
who have
TEACHING OF EGYPTIAN SYMBOLS.

confirmed
713
themselves
-4.
deeply in
false principles, are
more sensual
424; A.
Belzoni found a vast tomb in Egypt, cut in the rocks, where, 3000 years ago, a king of Egypt was entombed. Among a great variety of paintings, of which he took copies, and ex hibited them in a model of the tomb, in London, was a representa
single
tion of three companies of men, in the first file, in succession company standing erect with the right foot extended on a long ser pent, the neck of it under the first
;
than
others."
R., n.
C,
n. 6316.
The
serpent signifies the sensual prin ciple of man s mind and life. Hence the Lord says he would give his to tread upon ser disciples power and to "take up serpents," pents," denoting power to subdue or depress
"
the sensual principle, and elevate it defiled, grovelling condition to a state of purity and blessedness, and these changes take place by progressive steps, and by threefold
from a
A. C., n. 258 A. E., n. degrees. 455. Treading the serpent under

;
foot,
denotes the complete subjuga

;
tion of the sensual principle grasp ing the serpent in the right hand, denotes its elevation as the purified instrument of spiritual and moral
and lifting up the serpent on the shoulder, has the same mean The ing, but in a higher sense.
power
the
man denotes the power of wisdom from Divine Truth and denotes all shoulder right
right hand of
;
foot, and the tail under the the second company followed standing on the ground, and grasp ing a long serpent, which passed horizontally through the right hand of each man in succession, as it hung down by his side; and the third, lifting up a long serpent on their right shoulders,and holding it there
man s
last
;
power.
(Isa. ix. 6.)
with their right hands, through which it passed horizontally from one man to the other, so that with the two latter companies, the first man of each grasped the neck of the serpent close to the head, and the last man grasped the tail. For this illustration I was indebted to the Rev. W. Mason, of Melbourne, who saw the model.
The Eev.
S.
Noble, in his Plenary ments of
knowledge.
What
can be
Inspiration of the Scriptures Asserted, re fers to this very remarkable tomb, and
to
"
more
evident, than that her celebrated hieroglyphics, which have so long con
other
Egyptian
all
symbols,
thus:
founded the
skill of
the learned, are
and traditionary built on this analogy, and are expres learning be extirpated from the earth, sions of it, and that if ever they are Egypt would still present her imper deciphered, it must be by its means?
Could
written
ishable monuments, silently but irre futably proclaiming, that there, indeed,
the relation of analogy between the various kingdoms of nature, with their
Who could inspect that extraordinary exhibition, a year or two since open in London, representing the tomb of an
zoni,
individual
and
objects, and each other between all of these, again, and
Egyptian king, explored by Mr. Bel and behold the multitude of rep
resentations of natural objects, evident

ly designed to convey a mystical mean ing, without feeling satisfied that the
things
stood
ter
it
moral,
was once
;
spiritual, yea, for ages,

it
and
divine;
well under
that there
all
stamped a charac
elevated science, and that regulated there even the first ele-
upon
arrangement of them must be governed by some rule, and that it assumed for
its
basis a
known analogy ?
Who
can
60*
714
APPENDIX.
have
escape the same impressions on view ing the Egyptian antiquities in the
something very excellent and So that it supplied the it.* British Museum? To particularize place of two letters in their symbolic only one palpable emblem, the mean alphabet, and served them as a hiero ing of which requires no discussion to glyphic of various significations more establish it: Who can behold those particularly as on emblem of subtlety and monstrous fists, carved out of the hard cunning, as well as of lust and sensual Dr. Spencer, explaining est of rocks, without being convinced pleasure.^ that they are designed to symbolize the customs of the Egyptians, of deliv that irresistible power that would crush ering all the sublime parts of knowl opposers into annihilation? that their edge under the cover of symbols, types, meaning is similar to that stone men and emblems, observes, that "when God tioned in the Gospel, of which it is called out Moses to his prophetical office, said, that on whomsoever it shall fall, he considered kirn as one who had been trained in that kind of learning, and it is it will grind him to powder ? (Matt, So it is evident, that in the consonant therefore to the character and xxi. 44.)
divine in
;
history of Moses, to imagine that God de contrived by this singular people, the signed that he should write and treat of natural objects depicted were put to all the sublimer things committed to him, in
wonderful scheme of symbolic writing
convey ideas quite distinct from any that mystical and hieroglyphical way of thing belonging to the objects them literature, in which he had been edu selves: they delineated one thing to cated." $ An endeavor to explain a sacred in they evidently were express another guided by some analogy which they scription according to the science of saw between the two: and it is much correspondences, will be read with in more reasonable to conclude that they terest. "On a temple of Minerva, at
;
followed a principle known by them to exist in the nature of things, than that
the whole of so complicated a system
hiero Sais, are inscribed the following an infant, an old man, a glyphics hawk, a fish, and a river horse, which,
:
was merely founded on arbitrary
as
Pp. 216-218. sumption." Dr. Conyers Middleton, in a letter to Dr. Waterland, writes as follows on the hieroglyphic of the serpent:
"Moses,
by a writer on the subject, have been translated to mean, All ye who come into and go out of the world, know that Now this the gods hate impudence.
translation
far
may
possibly be correct, so
we
read, was learned in all the
as
regards their hieroglyphic [or
wit!,im of the Egyptians (Acts vii. 22), and their learning, especially in things
and divine, was wholly mystical cnd symbolical: proposed always under the figures of men, beasts, and birds, ters also as a sacred inscription, having which were called hieroglyphics, or been put there by the priests, who were sacred characters, invented and used * Kinder, ib. 1. iv Ideoc. Hierogl., p. 347. by them, as Kircher has shown Obelis. So also Tacitus The Egyp Primi, Pumph., I, 2; de Institu et Fabrica tians were the first, who, by the forms of s animals, figured the senses of the mind." Hierogl., c. 2, p. 102), before Moses
sacred
;
external] meaning [designed to meet the public eye], a hawk always bearing reference to the attributes or persons of the gods; but viewing these charac
"
"
etc."
time.
Among
authors inform
these the serpent, as all us, was of more com
Annul,
f Hit
t
xi., 14.
Ib., 1. ii., c. 6, p.
n>t)f.,
131; Item Pieni Valerian

etc.,
1. i.,
1.
xiv.
c. 15, p.
mon use with them than any other animal, whose nature they imagined to
De Legg. Heb.
211
se
also text of this
work.
acquainted with the
715
wisdom of the form of creeping things and abominable Egyptians/ will they not also bear the beasts were called mystic cells, and in Those who them were represented, by the animals, following signification? worship God, shall receive innocence, etc., the secret mysteries sacred to, or
;
j
natural truth, [vir~\ intelligence, science, and divine understanding. The inscription bearing reference to
to be
what
is
I
hieroglyphical of, Isis and Osiris." Causes were no longer investigated effects only were regarded. Even the
priests
found by those who enter into the temple, and entering in signifying conjunction by worship, admits of the
italics being intro Egyptians generally wrote from left to right, Those who wor and seem to have been connected with ship the Lord, shall receive divine under- the science of Astronomy, as far as was then known. They acknowledged no standing, then all scientifics, all ele vated intelligence, rational truth, and other deities than the sun, moon, and then perfect innocence. It must be planets. From their apparent and real borne in mind, that the Minerva of the motions and positions, together with Egyptians was different from that of the asterisms of the Zodiac, borrowed the Greeks, the former people not only from the Greeks," they drew horoscopes, investing that deity with wisdom, but and prognosticated events; they fore
words printed in
duced.
Or
as the
gave to their my thology a merely physical explanation, and the people became infatuated and ignorant idolaters. The pretended secrets of the priest hood were of the grossest description,
"
attributes. Al told their genial or baneful influences periods the Egyptians on the labors of agriculture, and in the worshiped numberless deities, with the cure of diseases, and attributed to them Jews they originally worshiped but the meteorological changes of the atmos one. According to Plutarch, they held phere, and the Sowings and recessions
all
with
good
late
though in
evil.
only two principles, one good, the other of the river Nile ; thus binding all Osiris, the good genius, was, things in the indissoluble chain of ne strictly speaking, synonymous with cessity or fate. (See Epist. Porphyrii REASON and Syphon, or the passions, prcemis. Jamblich. De Myster, Êr/ypt, etc.,
;
WITHOUT REASON.
with the
this, I
closer analogy
cited in Prichard sAnal. of Egypt. Mythol.,
New Church
doctrines than
think, can scarcely be and similar instances are very

J.
found,
numer
iv., p.
pp. 30-35. Euseb. Evan. Prcep., lib. iii., cap. iv. ix.) Dr. Cudworth, in his Intellectual Sys
tem, vol.
i.
ous."
D. in N.
J.
Mag., vol.
(new
ed.), insists,
but with
235.
Eor many centuries before the Chris

tian era, the science of correspondences
out sufficient data, that the recondite and esoteric sense of the Egyptian my
thology was maintained to a much later was rapidly on the decline, and we may age: and cites and translates the fol affirm that from the period of the Per lowing remarkable passage from Porsian conquest, about 525 B. C., nearly phyrius Epistle concerning Chocremon: 11 all idea of the spirituality which But Chferemon, and those others who origi nally pervaded the Egyptian hiero pretend to write of the first causes of glyphics, appears to have been lost. In the world, declare only the last and
the eighth chapter of Ezekiel, 7-10, we lowest principles, as likewise they who have a literal description of the preva- treat of the planets, the zodiac, the lent idolatry of Egypt, about this very pe- dreams, the horoscopes, and the robust
j
and mysterious recesses/ princes. And these things that are in says Maurice, ornamented with every the Egyptian almanac (or ephemerriod.
"Dark
I
"
716
ides), contain
APPENDIX.
the least part of Hermionnamely, the phases and
two vases, one of them full of wateT and the other of blazing fire under his occupations of the stars, the increase and right foot a ball, with a crab painted on decrease of the moon, and the like as it and under his left a deep pot full of trological matters; which things have serpents, scorpions, and different rep the lowest place in the Egyptian oetiol- tiles, the covering of which had the lb., vol. L, p. 539." shape of an eagle s head." ogy." In reference to a corrupt system of According to the science of corre religion, M. Portal justly observes, that spondences, this hieroglyphic would ap the older it becomes, the more it ma pear to have been composed by one who terializes itself: it becomes gradually was well acquainted with the nature and worse, until it arrives at fetichism the process of regeneration, and its corre religion of the negroes is the last ex spondent images; as illustrations I have pression of the dogmas of Ethiopia and added a few passages from the H. W. A man perfect in wisdom and under Egypt. Already in the times of Moses
ieal institutions,
:
;
"
"
the Egyptian religion showed all the elements of decay and dissolution the
;
standing, accomplished in all his ways, and without the least blame," can only
symbol had become God the truth, for gotten by the people, was banished into the sanctuaries, and soon the priests themselves were to lose the signification These princi of the sacred language. ples may be applied to India and its de generate Brahmins, to China and its
;
be a description of one who is regen erated, of which the ceremonies of

initiation
47
Luke
i.
were representative (John i. He was painted with 6).

"
a beautiful
face,"
to represent the in
a good life, made visibly manifest in the outward countenance
ward
states of
disgraceful priests, to all the various kinds of perverted worship, and to those
(Acts
vi.
15; Judges
xiii.
6).
"He
Jews who
strange
sacrificed
to
the idols of
represented with wings like an to denote the powers or ability of angel,"
was
gods."
elevating his perceptions and thoughts

Oliver, in his
into an angelic sphere: "holding a and Symbols book in his hands, in which he was of Free-Masonry, cites from Aben looking," to denote that this power was Washih s Hieroglyphics, the following from the reception of divine wisdom, description of a perfect, or regenerated and his steady application thereto, that man. The representation has descended he might become intelligent, and wise from a very remote age and is full of unto salvation" (Rev. x. 2). The sword interest, as elucidating the fact that was a symbol of active warfare against sculptured forms and pictured images all that opposed his progress (Luke were employed by the Egyptians in xxii. 36 Ps. cxlix. C) and the balance was significative of the estimation in their hieroglyphics, to represent ab stract qualities and spiritual states of which he held all that was good and the mind, but of which Oliver offers no true, and the just judgment he con
The Kev. G.
Twelve
Lectures on the Signs
"
explanation. A man of perfect wisdom and un

"
scientiously passed upon all the ac tivities of his mind and life: the
vessels
derstanding,
accomplished
in
all
his
wavs, and without the least blame, was painted with a beautiful face; with
;
water,
*
behind him, one filled with and the other with blazing fire,*
Lord
"Behold I, saith the Jesus, girc wings like an angel holding in his yon power to tread on serpents aixl hands a book, in which he looked; a a ml all the power of the enemy, and (Luku Word, and u balance; and behind him x. 19) nntliimj Khitll by any rnam.s hurt
,,1
i t-
you."
EG YPTIA N
11IER G L YFIIICS.
Ill
represent his understanding and his will, their purification from falsity and
evil
evidence of cotemporary monuments.

(Osburne, pp. 203, 201, 341.)
He was regarded as having invented and their reception of wisdom and goodness, or truth and the ancient Hieroglyphic system in the love under his right foot was placed city of HeliopoHs. The great antiquity
passions,
;
a ball with a crab painted upon it, to denote the natural mind, and its con
state
of the sun,
of worship at On Heliopolis, the city is attested by the monuments.
stant inclination to revert to its original under the left foot was placed a
;
(Henystenberg, Egypt and Moses,
\ ii.)
deep pot
full of serpents, scorpions,
and
though the pure hie roglyphics of Egypt were thus sculp

:
In conclusion
various reptiles, to denote that carnal passions and propensities were all held
in due subjection and the power to ac complish this final work, was indicated by the covering, which bore the shape of an eagle s head, to signify the om
;
tured, engraved, or depicted, according

to the science of correspondences, yet
an
must not be forgotten, that there is infinite difference between them and the plenarily inspired Word of God. In the hieroglyphics, like as in the book
it
nipotence of wisdom.* One of the leading modes of framing these ancient signs appears to merologists to be this, that the
effect is
of Job, is enshrined the human wisdom of successive ages, combined with tra
put for
ditionary remains of divine truth, de rived from the most ancient dispensa
the supposed cause.

the principle of of Swedenborg.
all
"
This
is
precisely
the correspondences He says that the reason
by cor responding symbols, was thus preserved but in the Holy for the use of ages
;
tions of religion, which, veiled
a given physical object is said to correspond to a certain idea, is, because
why
it
has flowed from that idea as

cause."
its
ef
Word, the pure truths of heaven are revealed by the Lord Himself in one grand, dependent, and harmonious se
ficient
Hayden. "The black and white ibis or crane was, from the very earliest period, of which we have any record, accounted a symbol of speech, and of reason, whereof speech is the natural vehicle. The Coptic words hap, judgment, and
to hide, to conceal ( all wisdom in early times being occult), are palpably derived from the name of the ibis."
The hieroglyphics are, at best, ries. but a checkered mosaic of human ar

rangement; while the
Word
of
exhibits the perfect order of Him created the heavens and the earth.
God who The
former
lifeless
are, as it were,
;
the dead and

"
resemblances the latter contains

;
hop,
For living and life-giving realities by every word proceeding out of the
mouth
of
God doth man
live."
The
The name
of this beautiful bird
is
hippep, the cry of the black and white ibis consists of the syllables ep-ep.
hieroglyphics of Egypt are, notwith standing, a most important evidence to the existence and prevalence of the
god of letters and science of correspondences in the earli had an ibis for his sacred est period of which we have any au animal, and was represented with the thentic history. head of that bird. That Thoth was is an observation of Maimonworshipped in Egypt from a very re mote period, we have the inconteslible ides, That he Avho would understand all that the prophets have said, must
Thoth or
Tat, the
intelligence,
"It
They (hat wait upon the Lord shall mount wings as eagles ; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint," Isa. xl.
"
up
irith
31.
particularly apply himself to the study of the parabolic, metaphorical, and enigmatical parts of Scripture.
"
718
"
APPENDIX.
to
The Egyptians appear
the earliest cultivators of this species of composition, and in this the Jews
have been of his Power, the model or plan by which he produced everything, or the
archetype of the world. We shall see hereafter whether it be reasonable to think that the Pagans had ever any knowledge of a trinity of distinct per
sons in the indivisible Unity of the 1 vine Nature. Thus much at least
plain, that the
>i-
were
That
imitators than originals. this was a part of the wisdom of

ratjier
Egypt, in which Moses excelled, is sug gested by Philo, in his Life of Moses, by Clemens of Alexandria, in his Stromata, and by
use of
see
is
many
others.
That the
Chaldeans also were addicted to the emblems and allegories, appears from some ancient writers, for whom,
Stanley
s
History of Philosophy. Phoenicians are af firmed to have prosecuted the same
The Syrians and
Chaldeans and Egyptians believed all the attributes of the Deity might be reduced to three, Power, Understanding, and Love. In reality, whenever we disengage ourselves from matter, impose silence on the senses and imagination, and raise our thoughts to
the contemplation of the infinite Being, we find that the eternal Essence pre
study, according to Jerome, Josephus,

Eusebius,"
etc.
Wemysst
Key
to
the
5.
Symbolical Lanyuaye, of Scripture, p.
mind under the three forms of Power, Wisdom, and Good

sents itself to our
ness.
Mr. S. Sharpe, whose eminence as an Egyptologist entitles him to speak with authority, has no doubt that the Egyp
tians,
These three attributes compre hend the totality of his nature, and whatever we can conceive of Him. Not
speak, therefore, of the primitive which might possibly be the
many
centuries
before
Moses,
to
were acquainted with the use of alpha

betical characters.
traditions
source of these three ideas concerning
Eichhorn maintains that convenient the divine Nature, it is nothing extraor implements and materials for writing dinary if the Egyptians and Orientals, existed in the age of Moses (Einleitung, who had very refining metaphysical A. T., 1823, 405), while Ewald argues heads, should of themselves have dis that a very ancient Semitic tribe had covered them. The Greeks and Romans acquired the use of the art before the were fonder of the sciences which de historical age, and not from the Egyp pend on sense and imagination, and for
tians.
seq.
Gesch. des Volkes
Y.sr., i.,
p. 60,
this
reason
we
find their
Mythology
seldom turns upon anything but the Plutarch, in his treatise of Isis and external operations of the Deity in the Osiris, tells us (Plut. de Ixid and O.s/r., productions of nature; whereas that of the former chiefly regards his inter that the theology of the Egyp p. the one holy nal operations and attributes. By the tians had two meanings and symbolical, the other vulgar and help of these principles the theology and consequently that the fig of the Pagans may be reduced to three literal ures of animals which they had in their principal divinities, without doing vio and without temples, and which they seem to adore, lence to original authors,
"
3-">4),
were only so many hieroglyphics to racking one s brains to digest their ideas. All these names, nevertheless, denote represent the Divine attributes. Pur suant to this distinction, he says, that but one and the same power, but man Osiris signifies the active Principle, or kind have confounded the work with the most holy Being (Ibid., pp. 373, the artificer, the image with the origi Isis the Wisdom or Rule of nal, the shadow with the substance; 374, 375) his operation Orus the first production they have forgotten the ancient doc|
719
trine, they have lost the meaning of Akhom, represented the letter A, and our allegories, and stop at the outward was always employed in preference to symbols without entering into the spirit any other signs, in spelling the names of them: this is the source of those and the titles of all the Koman emper numberless errors which prevail at ors in which it occurred, because that
present throughout all Greece, degrade
and render Moreover I find that

religion
it
it
contemptible. is a steadfast
bird [signified exalted and far seeing intelligence], and was taken as the
symbol of the
"In
Roman empire
itself."
maxim
what
in all nations, that men are not they were in the golden age, that
these instances, and others of

sort,
the same
which might be adduced,

like
they are debased and degraded, and that religion is the only means to re
store the soul to its original grandeur, to make her wings grow again, and to
raise her to the ethereal regions from whence she is fallen. It is necessary
first to
we perceive something
which directed the Egyptians

acters,
a rule, in the
selection of their hierpglyphical char
choosing those objects the names
of which began with the sound of that
very
letter."
become man by civil and social This, in point of fact, is "[And] virtues, and then to resemble the gods something like the rule followed by by that love of the sovereign Beauty, the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Syriac al Order, and Perfection which makes us phabets in which languages each let
;
love virtue for itself: this

this
is
the only
ter
worship worthy of the immortals, and

is
all
my
doctrine."
Ramsay s
stands for a name, expressing a particular substance, or a particular object; and that the very first letter,
be it a vowel, be it a consonant, with In order to illustrate the symbolic which this name began, had and pre language properly, a very extensive served the very same sound which it acquaintance with ancient literature is had in its own respective alphabet.
"
Travels of Cyrus, pp. 18 to 22.
requisite.
The
short,
subject involves in
all
it
One
mythology, hieroglyphics, oriental cus

toms,
the
p. 4.
"The
in
the
learning of
Egypt and the
Wemyss Key to Symbolical Language of Scripture, invariable; but in the Egyptian alpha
East."
great difference, however, exists between them. In the Hebrew, Syriac, and Chaldaic alphabets, we find only one sign for each letter, and this sign
bet there are

lion,
many
hieroglyphics, or
which in Egyptian or images, to represent and express the Coptic, was called labo, or labor, that same letter, which images they used, now the one and now the other, always is, valde hirsutus, stood for the letter L, in the Hieroglyphic alphabet; and selecting the character which had some though this letter was represented by correspondence, some relation, some
several other signs, yet the Egyptians, in writing the name of Ptolemy, and
of all the Roman emperors, always employed the figure of the lion,
indeed
analogy, with the idea, with the ob ject, or with the person, they wished to record, or to express." Spinetd s
Lectures on the Elements of Hieroglyph
ics,
"
in preference to any other, no doubt, as a mark of the strength and courage of these sovereigns, as the lion is, and
Lect. iii.,*pp. 89, 90, 94.
who
Clement, a priest of Alexandria, lived about the end of the second
has always been, the symbol of these

qualities."
"
century of our era, a
man
of great
eagle,
For the same reason, no doubt, the which in Egyptian was called
learning, and who had paid a great deal of attention to the study of an
tiquity,
asserted
that
the Egyptian?
720
had three
or, in
APPENDIX
different
modes of
writing,
their successors, the
teachers of
He
other words, three different sorts These were, the epistoloof characters. in yraphic, or common characters, used
all
rodotus and Plato, were but the pas sive echoes of their predecessors, and
scarcely
could
the
the
common
transactions
of
liie
served
first
be said to have pre rudiments and the
hieratic, or sacerdotal, employed general outlines of so much learning." Spinet 6* s Elements of Hieroglyphics, merely in the writing of books by the Lect. 10th, pp. 362, 363. priesthood and the hieroglyphics, des tined to religious usw, and generally on public monuments. Of the former sets of characters, Clement does no more than mention the names, but he XIX. HOW WAS IT THAT THE
the
correctly divides all hieroglyphics into first ele curioloyic, which employ the
SPIRITUAL METHOD OF INTER
PRETATION PRACTICED BY THE
ments of letters and symbolical, which he subdivides into imitative, tropical, and enigmatical"
;
"
EARLY CHRISTIAN FATHERS, CEASED IN THE CHURCH, OR WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF
ITS
Something of the same
sort,
but
DECLINE
not quite so clear, has also been re corded by Porphyry in the Life of
[After perusing the interesting notes
Pythagoras, in which he says, that the Egyptians had three different kinds
of letters, epistolographic, hierogli/phical,
Spineto s Elements of symbolical" 233. Hieroglyphics, Led. 7, pp. 231, When Herodotus visited Memphis,
and
"
from the Fathers, especially from Origen, to be found in the text and notes of this volume, and bearing in mind the ad mission of Mosheim, himself an oppo nent of such system of interpretation
"
that the spiritual method of interpre he saw the Egyptians, so renowned for tation was the rule and not the excep their wisdom and their knowledge, in tion in the early church," a question the utmost dejection, their temples naturally arises, and may be fairly their cities destroyed and the asked, How was it that this method
ruined, high idea which
even then he con
ceived of Egypt, allows us to imagine
what his impression would have been if he had been permitted to visit this
celebrated country during the period From this of its highest splendor.
of interpreting Holy Scripture ceased in the church, or what were the causes of its decline ?
In attempting to answer this ques we would first observe that the primitive Christian church held a three
tion,
time the Greeks never failed to go to fold relation to the world. In the first to the Jewish church and dispen Egypt for the sake of instruction, and place
it
was in the schools of the Egyptian sation

world
priests that the philosophers, the legis
and
in the second, to the Gentile thirdly, to the baptized but
and the wise men of Greece ac quired a great portion of their knowl edge; and yet what a difference be tween the priests of this period and those who lived under the Pharaohs! The priests of the Pharaonic ages were
lators,
ill-instructed proselytes from both. To a great extent this relationship would
enter into and modify all the teachings ex cathedra; and it would therefore
necessarily interfere not only to control the style of teaching, but also to intro
duce other styles of reasoning of a class in and widely different from that which would chemistry, ometry, mechanics, be useful among those who were realty short, in most of the sciences; while
well versed in astronomy, physics, ge
SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION.
believers in Christian doctrine.
Even
in the times of the apostles this was felt to be the case hence Paul s writings,
;
use. The apostles therefore followed the plan adopted by our Lord himself. In no case does He even assume that
though so frequently misunderstood, had reference chiefly to the great con troversy between Jewish converts and Gentile converts, the former insisting that the law of Moses should be united with the faith of Christ, and the latter claiming to be free from that law. But
as a matter of fact three distinct styles
his hearers are unacquainted with the

fact of the existence of a spiritual sense,
assertion,
but simply expounds that sense by the This is that which was
"
written by the prophet." And this very absence of any dogmatic reference to a spiritual sense by our Lord, and
subsequently by his apostles, affords a would be necessary, and strong presumptive evidence of the three distinct kinds of evidence would character of the Jewish belief with re be required by these different classes of gard to the Old Testament. Certain it minds, and it is evident that that which is that so far as the New Testament is would be most cogent with one class concerned, no protest against the spirit would, in consequence of a different ual method of interpretation is to be found. standpoint, be almost useless with an And even with regard to the second other. This, we think, will account the converts from the Gentile for the various modes of reasoning, not class
of teaching
only among the Fathers, but also even in the Epistles of the apostles them
selves.
world, or those to
whom
Christianity
was preached, they were as commonly aware that the mythological literation
The Jews, having the word of the of the past had frequently attached to Old Testament among them, and being, it something which, if not a spiritual therefore, supposed to be acquainted sense, was at least allegorical in its na with its contents, and more especially ture, a fact which would but place the its prophetical contents, as well as the Old Testament on the same ground as
mode
of interpretation
common among
their myths, but with the addition of a
themselves, would at once be prepared to receive the spiritual expositions of the apostles and early teachers.
Such
divine authority, and the apostles and their followers on the same plane as their own philosophers, but with the
addition of a divine commission.
teaching would be, to them, no new thing all that would be new would be
;
Ac
customed as they must have been to

the idea of a twofold signification to an esoteric and exoteric doctrine even
the authoritative exposition of certain

passages,
and their application
to their
own circumstances, to the doctrines if ignorant of what such interpretations taught by the apostles, and to the events were, there would still be a groundwork in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. or base for the reception of a spiritual We should expect to find, therefore, as system of exposition both of the law in fact we do, an entire absence of any and the prophets an affirmative ground dogmatic statement as to the spiritual work, because it would excite none of
;
sense either of history or prophecy. Both parties stood on common ground.
that opposition
to arise if the
which would be likely methods of interpretation
So far from regarding proofs thus de were new, or if it violated the ordinary duced from the Old Testament with habits of thought and investigation. suspicion or distrust, the Jews would With this class, therefore, no apology
naturally accept
them
as being of the
for the introduction of a style of spiritual
eame character they would themselves interpretation would be necessary, and

61
2V
722
it
A IT KM) IX.
need excite no surprise that we find for with the early Christians, and es none in the apostolic writings. pecially the converts from Gentilism, But, further, the grand doctrine which the mere statement would assume an the apostles had to bring before the entirely different aspect from that which world was the actual fulfilment of proph it has assumed in later ages, when it ecy in the incarnation of our blessed has become a foregone conclusion, from Lord. This was in fact the central the very fact that it has been superseded point of all their teachings, for upon by Christianity. A glance will show this doctrine Christianity itself was the different ground on which the founded and all those teachings have church stood in primitive and later a more or less direct bearing upon the ages, and enable us to see that a widely doctrine, or upon those which describe different method of reasoning would be the effects resulting from that divine absolutely indispensable. This method, work. It needs but a slight acquaint we take it, is to be found in the com
;
ance with the Epistles to perceive that they are for the most part argumenta tive treatises rather than expositions, and that as a consequence, an extensive
mentaries of the
Christian
Fathers
rather than in their polemic works. But the stage into which the church
introduction of the spiritual sense of the Word and its teachings, even if the
when she was sur rounded by foes both within and with out, must have rendered a very different laws thereof were perfectly known, style of teaching and preaching neces would be out of place the most simple sary, from that which was prevalent in the first and purer times. And this soon statements would be the most forcible while the other or more recondite became, in fact, essential to its very ex meanings would as naturally fall into istence. This displayed itself in two the background and this without in directions: 1st, in a gradual narrowing
rapidly passed,
;
;
any way settling the question as to the down of the doctrines of Christianity importance attached by the writers to within certain limits, and in the effort to define these by symbols or creeds; the one or the other system of interpre tation. and, 2d, in the relation which the Word Doubtless the Epistles of the Apostles of God occupied on the one hand with were to some extent answers to ques reference to the church itself, and on
propounded by the early Chris on which they desired some authoritative opinion. Indeed this is generally admitted. But Ihey would thus assume a different character from the ordinary preaching of those early days, which must neces sarily have been directed to the eluci
tions
tians as to points of doctrine
the other with reference to

nents.
its oppo This evidently was not the result of real growth in the church, for such growth would have been in the direc tion of increased instead of diminished spirituality. It clearly sprang from the
necessity of meeting false teaching, and of preserving something like uni dation of the question how is the Law formity of doctrine in the church and to be understood in Christianity, or to as the attacks were varied, so would the the rehearsal of that which the Apos front of the opposing church be altered tles had heard from our Lord s own to meet the attack. The very imporlips. They were plainly told that the tance of the work would necessarily law was a schoolmaster or type to lead dwarf every other and, to a great ex them to Christ but the principal efforts tent, such writings only would be pre of those early teachers must have been served as bore upon the great contro directed to the method of the how ? versies of the day. But this direction
;
j
!
"
"
DECLINE OF THE SPIRITUAL METHOD.

of the thought and reasoning of the church was forced upon it in her mili
tant condition.
723
"abolished
Mosaic law which was

Christ."
in
Doctrinal statements
must of very necessity be based upon and enforced by literal expressions in the Word. It would have been alike impolitic and foolish to attempt to up hold and defend the creeds by any argu ments drawn from the figurative expo
sition of the
not, as is generally supposed, the result of
The
evil,
however, was
the practice of spiritual exposition,
from of specific laws by which that interpretation could be governed and directed. One interpretation, thereto the or lore, was, ignorant licentious,
as
it
arose
the
want
hnd
unless both parties at/reed to some common mode of inter
Word
pretation
& thing which in that state
good as another, while the debased would naturally choose that one which was most in harmony with its
will
was impossible. For each expositor was left to himself to work out his convictions as best he Ji light, keeing in view as a plan the method adopted by our Lord, and ac
cepted in the canonical epistles. The increased spread of semi-infidel
ity in the
of the church
pious of the church revolted at the licen tiousness introduced, it was necessary to get rid altogether of the restrictions
own predilections. But other ditions arose, and when the more
con
which might be supposed to be exer upon some minds by the moral law, and at the same time to counter
cised
act all those plain literal expressions
j
church
led,
however, to some
other results.
The
heresies
which
be-
of the
came prevalent soon changed their character. At first they might have
been, to a great extent, merely intel lectual in their nature; but this dis
tinctive
sity of righteousness
this
tics,
Word, which taught the neces and truth. And was speciously done by the Gnos
and error and taught that the literal expressions legitimate of Scripture were to be expounded by Not evil out of, but the spiritual, and the simple and plain evil in the church, practices of the ones by those which were obscure, a vilest kinds, brought from the idola method of reasoning which would rentries of Gentilism, which were incor der even an approach to truth in any porated into a corrupted Christianity, science impossible. It was like reasonand which were apparently confirmed ing from the unknown to the known. by some of the teachings of that Chris But it sufficed for the purpose. In the It was made tianity. things to hand of evil men we may readily un all men." It is true that the moral derstand how the Word of God might, law would, by its teachings, have pre by such a system, be made the minister served the church from any serious of evil. No wonder that the church
ceased,
character
who, while recognizing a spiritual sense, reversed the position of the two,
rapidly led on to conclusion evil.
its
own
"all
evil,
but in the
first
place the very
method of teaching and expounding

the law led the
of
licentious
way
to the introduction
doctrines,
which were
based on a supposed figurative teaching of the law, which obtained all the more force in the church from the universal
found herself compelled, under these fearful circumstances, to once more change her front, and abandon, at least in her polemic life, every trace of be
a spiritual sense, seeing that the had been changed into the most fearful weapon she had ever had to encounter. Not that the existence of a spiritual sense was denied. On the
lief in
principle
prevalence of that system of interpre tation; and secondly in part from the doctrine then beginning to be taught other hand, it was that the moral law was included in the But it was felt that
fully
admitted.
to its
an appeal
724
APPENDIX.
account in Genesis
is
teachings would at once be fatal to any argument in which it was introduced.
founded on twa
And
gan
as a consequence the
to feel
church be
it
more and more that
could
principal documents. That of Elohim is considered as being closely counted in all its parts, and forming a complete
history
j
be built and safely rest upon a literal foundation in the Word, a position but which in perfectly true in itself,
while that of Jehovah,
is
re
the then condition of the church, was untenable on any other ground than the abandonment of the spiritual sense. She could exist only by confining all
|
her attention to the
letter of the
Word,
letter
and by teaching that in that

only Revelation existed in
ity,
all its
pur
and in
all its
power.
ED.]
XX.
THE DOCUMENT THEORY, AND THE ASSYRIAN TABLETS.

[When
speaking of the early chap author states that borg, who not only points to a previ Swedenborg affirms that they are parts ously existing document or documents, of a previous revelation. This state but specifically states that those parts ment of doctrine was derived from the are portions of the most ancient Word,
ters of Genesis, the
garded as a supplementary document supplying details where the Elohistic is either abrupt or deficient. Hengstenberg, Ranke, and others, however, con sider the book as the work of one hand, and the use of the names as being in tentional on his part, and depending upon the view of the subject presented. The former theory, however, appears to be far more generally received, and certainly appears to be based on a greater amount of probability than the latter and especially from the state ment made on this subject by Sweden
spiritual world, and it does not appear that he was at all acquainted with the
results of Biblical criticism, or followed
though we are left in doubt was the form in which that
as to
what
Word was
the progress of modern thought in re gard to the letter of the Word. Indeed
it is
preserved to the time of Moses. This view in no way interferes with his state
only in comparatively very recent times that criticism can be said to have
ment that every part of the Word is divinely inspired because in this case not only the dictation, but the selection
were the work of the Divine Mind. So long as men were satisfied with this chronology of Usher, the chro nology of Genesis was a matter of slight importance because it was easy to af
also
held a high position in Biblical studies. But so long ago as the middle of the last
century a French writer, named Austruc, called attention to the fact that on ex
amining the two accounts of the crea tion in Genesis, he found that in each firm
account a different
that
the
name
is
used for the
nations, if inconsistent,
chronology of other was necessarily
Divine Being
styled Jehovistic,
one of which parts he
and the other
Elohistic,
mythical. But the researches of mod ern days have made it impossible to ac
cept
from the name used.
He
also traced
Usher s statements, and have com
the same circumstance as occurring in other parts of the early chapters of

Genesis, and came to the conclusion that those chapters were copies of two
the learned to admit that the long calendar of names in Gen. iv. and
pelled
v.
must have been names of kingdoms and dynasties, extending over long earlier documents, interwoven together ranges of time, and not of necessity The leading features of actually united together. This view by Moses. modern thought upon this subject, may has become necessary from the dis be thus generalized. Stabelin, DeWette, coveries of recent times, which it is Ewald, and others, consider that the impossible now to ignore. The geo-
HIGH ANTIQUITY OF THE RACE.

logical proofs of the antiquity of the
725
Abraham was
a
fore
his birth
that
earth,
and of man, and of the impossi

such a flood as
led the
is
bility of
described in
native of one, and an honored visitor at the other; and that it was hardly
Gen.
vii.,
way
to a fresh
exami
nation of those accounts of the creation
and deluge
to
be found in the mythic
Side by literature of ancient peoples. side with the Biblical account of the
and deluge, we have the Mexi Hindoo, the account of Berosses, that of Abydenus, cited by But the Eusebius, and many others. one which has caused the greatest sen sation, was that on the Assyrian tablets discovered by the late Mr. Smith, of the Sir H. British Museum, in Babylonia. Rawlinson affirmed, at the meeting at which the tablets were first read, that the legend dated at least 5000 years be fore the Christian era, or 2500 years This astounding before the deluge.
creation
can, the
he would have been unaffected by the culture in which he was born, or the rival civilization of those two empires. They consider that it must modify the view which regards Abrarn as a wandering Bedouin Sheikh. Cer tainly it proves not only a high an tiquity of the race, but also that there
likely
existed in those days a method of writ ing, which would be as easily read now as in the days of Nabonides.
There may be said, then, to be fouf great accounts of the deluge extant, the Assyrian, the Bhagavat, that of Berosas, and that of the Bible, and there can be
doubt that the two former are more ancient than the Biblical account,
little
evidencing the fact of a widely spread

tradition, long before the time of Moses. If, however, as is now generally believed
statement has very recently received a strange confirmation. At a meeting of

the Biblical Archaeological Society, held Nov., 1882, a paper was read on the Chaldean cylinders, discovered by Mr.
by Biblical
philologists, the first eleven
chapters of Genesis were merely repro ductions by Moses of existing docu
Rassam, in his excavations in Baby ments, parts of a more ancient Word lonia. They date from the time of and revelation, it may still be, that the Nabonides, and record among other two older accounts are but inflections things, that this sovereign, digging of that, and traditionary records of under the foundations of the Sun-God events, in which the real actors had
temple at Sipara, forty-five years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, came upon a cylinder of Naramsin, the son of Sargon, which no one had seen for 3200 years. This gives us the date of
ancient sovereign 3750 B. C., or within 50 years of the creation, accord
that
passed from the historical to the unhistorical or mythical form of existence in

the lapse of ages.
It
has been already
shown by the author
that the science of
ing to Usher.
out, that there
Professor Oppert pointed was in those early days
correspondences was widely known not only in the most ancient and ancient churches, but also as a knowledge or sci ence, among the most ancient Egyptians,
etc. and it needs but a small acquaintance with the subject to trace the existence of that science in all the
the Druids,
between Chaldea and Egypt." The Jewish World con siders that these tablets prove the ex istence more than 5500 years ago of two highly civilized and highly cultured empires in Egypt and Chaldea: and that constant intercourse between them passed through Southern Palestine, the home of Abraham, but 1800 years be"
lively intercourse
ancient productions of India, Mexico, and Scandinavia, and in all the myths
spread over the nations of antiquity. It is only by means of this science that such accounts can be rationally under
stood
;
but read by
it,
they form the
strongest evidences of the principle
we
Gl *
726
have
laid
APPENDIX.
down,
that this science was
widely
known among
the ancients, and
point therefore to a time
when
it
from the light which they made to throw on was the early moral and religious history
teresting
may
ultimately be
common among
different nations,
who
of our race.
must, therefore, have had one common believe that that spiritual origin.
The author intended
to
have treated
We
origin
is
to
be looked for in the ancient
the history of Creation, the Garden of Eden, Babel, and the subsequent events
;
and most ancient churches, whose wis connected with the rainbow but the dom has been transmitted to us in this materials were left, at the time of his mythical form interesting indeed even death, in an unfinished and incomplete
for their antiquity
but far more in
state.
ED.]
[XXI
THE THREE TERMS, CORRESPONDENCES, REPRESENTA TIVES, AND SIGNIFICATIVES.
of the
IN dealing with the spiritual sense they are in the language itself. Each Word of God, and in unfolding conveys its own idea. its splendors, it is obvious that we must Correspondence is derived from three
Latin words,
cor, re,
use the ordinary language of our race; but, as the ideas to be conveyed are
distinct
spondeo, and literally
from any which have before

it
existed,
will also follow that
many
of the terms employed will have new and peculiar meanings attached to them,
means to answer again from the heart. The word is employed in common language to imply that epistolary com munications have passed between two or more persons; and this is only
considered complete when the second person, the one addressed, has replied to the communication of the addressor,
or, literally,
which, indeed, we find to be the case in the writings of the church. To obtain, exactly, the ideas intended to be con
veyed, we must first obtain, exactly, the ideas contained in the mere words themselves.
has spoken
is
to
him again from
New-Church we were to attempt to study phraseology to imply the relationship Euclid before we had mastered the which exists between two things united, axioms and definitions, and before we as cause and effect, when a discrete had a clear notion of the forms described degree subsists between them we say by the terms used, we should find that when a discrete degree subsists between we should be led only into a state of them, because it is necessary to guard The problem is against supposing that correspondence absolute confusion. only clear when its terms are clearly exists wherever there is a relation of
his
heart.
It
used in
If
understood.
case before us,
It is precisely so in the and with reference to
cause and effect between any two ma terial subjects, or subjects on the same
the terms, correspondence, representa Each has a distinct tive, significative.

lessness, the
plane of existence. The material cause sec is, in all such instances, a merely
meaning; and though, through care ondary one, acting from another hidden words are sometimes used within itself or operating through it. We will endeavor to make this im as though they w ere synonymous, we
r
shall readily see the loss of spiritual ideas which results by such careless use
portant word, so frequently used in the
foregoing pages, more clearly under

stood, as, not only does much depend upon a clear appreciation of its moaning, hut the very
of words.
The
mous
in
three words are no more synonyNew-Church theology than
word
will then,
when
used,
CORRESPONDENCES.
to the inquiring mind fields of investigation, which will repay the
727
life,
open up
the essential
of which
power, and energy

;
we have spoken
its
and from
student, yet will ever surpass the powers he can bring to bear on the work.
himself
He
created the glorious world

spiritual reali
of heaven, with all
Every created object may be said to ties. But here let us digress a moment be composed of two parts a life, power, and take an illustration. No man, as a or energy, and a form capable of bring mediate cause, produces anything but a ing that life, power, or energy into form of that which existed previously effect. The more we study the Divine in his own mind. This is true of the works in nature, the more we find this artist, every stroke of whose pencil, true, and the more exact the analogy every idea of whose form of beauty, we perceive between these two prin existed and was made in his imagina This, at once, opens to tion before it was transferred to his ciples or parts.
can see that it us a most important fact, that there canvass or marble. must be here a union of two forms, one is equally true of the poet, architect, or the mechanic. The idea, as separate from spiritual and the other natural it spiritual form being the life, power, and the object, exists prior to the object energy, and the material, the one pre self, and the outward work is but the
;
We
sented to the senses, being the form by which these are brought into act and
;
material form, as
it is
the
effect,
of the
the relationship existing between the two will show that they must necessarily
be the same, not necessarily as to shape, but as to use. that which is true
spiritual idea or spiritual form. But in a higher sense is this the case with the
Lord. His love and his wisdom are the
Now
of the part
is
true also of the whole
and, therefore, the entire universe must be a form capable of bringing into effect
and only realities, and as compared with these all other things are only appearances. But they were also the creating principles, and the first things
first
life,
energy, or power, with which
it is
replete,
and which
acts
through
it
and
there must be the same relationship between these two. But what are these
created by them would necessarily have impressed upon them that same law to which we have already referred these must and would be the most perfect
;
two?
forms, most perfectly adapted for the reception and use of the life, power,
We
reply, all creation
is first
derived
from the suns of the material universe, and the various worlds are but forms, capable of receiving and bringing forth But ma their life, power, and energy. terial suns are themselves only effects, and behind or within them, as a grand cause, shines the Sun of heaven itself
the glorious effulgence of the life, power, and energy of the Lord himself; and
these material suns are but forms ca
and energy of the Divine Creator. But they would also, as such forms, in ac cordance with the law laid down, be not only the embodiment but also the man
ifestation of those principles, bringing them forth to view, they being seen in
the uses such forms are capable of ac In the highest sense, complishing. therefore, the things of heaven are as
effects,
embodiments, and shadowings
pable of bringing these things into out ward and material effects.
forth of the divine principles exist in them and which are

causes.
which
their
into the
and enters But, 2dly, the same law may be ap Let us trace this idea a plied to man and to the world of nature All these little further. The Lord himself is the bv which he is surrounded. grand and glorious Cause of all things proceed from the same grand Gauge,
But
the cause both precedes

effect.
723
APPENDIX.
the things by which we are surrounded ; and a knowledge thereof leads us, in
to
and exist under the same divine law \ve have been considering. Passing through
the
spiritual world
forms,
and its spiritual deed, "through Nature up which are the forms of thought God." It enables us also
truth of that oldest
Nature
to see the
maxim the world knows, old and associated with a mythi cal personage, even when Moses studied energy, coming down with material the secrets of Egyptian lore, all things forms through the suns of the spiritual that exist in earth exist in heaven, but and material universes, created and in a heavenly form and all things
and
affection, the forms of the princi ples of the human soul which belongs to that world, the same life, power, and
"
formed all things in perfect harmony with themselves, rendering nature a material form exactly imaging forth the spiritual form within and the in most Divine form for nature is but a form created most perfectly to receive and bring into ultimate effect the life, power, and energy of God. This truth was seen by the Apostle when he wrote the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even his eternal power and
;
"
heaven exist in earth, but in an earthly form." And, carrying this idea from the revelation of God s works to tlie revelation of God s will
exist in
which
his Holy Word following out the re lationship of cause and effect, we shall be enabled to read in that Word the
glorious things of
I
Him who is its inmost

human
soul,
life,
the possibilities of the
the glorious states it was designed to reach, the wondrous conditions through
which it passes, and the merciful means by which man s advancement to heaven
is
Godhead"
(Horn.
i.
20).
is spiritual
secured.
and the The second term used in the foregoing other material, yet one is the effect and work is representative. This word, com the other the cause one life, power, pounded of re and presentio, literally and energy, the other the form proceed means to show or present again, or in ing therefrom, most perfectly adapted another form. Correspondence, we have to bring them into outward manifesta seen, is the relation of cause and effect, tion. There is, therefore, not only as and depends on the nature and use of
But one of these
regards mere form, but also as regards use, a perfect and complete analogy between the two a perfect adaptation of one to the other and this analogy,
;
the things spoken

!
of. Representation, recognizes and springs from correspondence, belongs not to the
while
it
this adaptation, this relation of cause
nature of things, but to their actions, or the things which spring from them.
and effect, is what the New Church means by Correspondence. The ma terial form, the external character, and the uses of all outward substances, being the outcome of the spiritual principles dwelling in them, become to the outward world of matter precisely what the in ward causes are to the world of mind. They answer thought to thought and
"
An
illustration will best

is.
show what
this
difference
The kingly government,
apart from the king, is the correspondent form of the divine government, and
springs from
i
it
as an effect from a cause.
But
the person
of the king, with the
government connected with it, and the actions of government, do not correspond
1
to,
|
but represent the divine government
heart to
is
heart."
Correspondence, then,
no arbitrary relationship, like meta phor or figure, but one founded alike apparent cause and effect may enter. on the inward and outward nature of This possible introduction of appear;
of the Lord. Into correspondence, cause and effect only enter into representation
SIGNIFICATIVES.
ances and the laws which govern
will, therefore,
729
them a sign not only of good but of evil, be show how wide a dis cause the true correspondence was bent
between the two words. and distorted by the miserable states of those whose sins of life hindered heav life alone, the other of the admixture enly causes from producing hcavenl) of the Divine and human. Thus, iron effects in the world, and compelled them corresponds to the divine truth in a to flow into opposite and disorderly chan natural form and degree; but smelted nels. and hammered and shaped and sharp To summarize, then Correspondence ened into the sword or spear, that is, is the relation between spiritual and with the results of human labor added natural things representation is the to the Divine work, it becomes the action of things which are correspond representative, not the correspondent, ences in themselves and significatives of that degree of truth existing and used are the words and appearances resulting in the human soul. Again, the whole from the actions of either one or the of the things used in the sacrificial other. service of the temple were correspond Each of these became necessary in ences but their use, and the worship, the great work of Revelation. They of which they formed a part, were repre became necessary because of the condi
tinction obtains
is
One, indeed,
the result of the Divine
tion of man himself. The divine lan Word guage must ever be infinitely above the are also representatives, derived in part comprehension of human thought, and from the correspondence of the position infinitely above the capacity of human
sentatives.
The
places mentioned in the
in reference to certain other places in the land of Canaan, or to the land it in part from the surrounding self;
The one can no more re language. ceive it than the other can convey it.
For the divine wisdom to reach and scenery or some particular object, as a affect the human soul, it was necessary that a process should be gone through, mountain, valley, river, and the like in part from the tribe of the people imaged and represented to us by the
;
it; and in part from the actions and uses of the atmosphere sur meaning of the name of the place, hence rounding the world in which we live. The rays of heat and light from the frequently changed the whole depend ent, however, on the fixed laws of cor sun, were they received without any modification, would be destructive of respondence described. The third word, signify, is derived all life in the objects upon which they from the Latin siynum, a sign, and refers fell. Yet they are the sources of all entirely to the actions spoken of or the animal, vegetable, and mineral life to words uttered, and is governed by the all things, but only so after being re same laws of appearances which apply ceived into and modified by the motions to representation, to which indeed it is inherent in the particles composing the more nearly allied than to correspond atmosphere. Just in the same way the laws of correspondence form a spiritual ence, though of course the laws of cor
occupying
respondence enter so largely into it that in reality it becomes only a modification of those laws. The word is indeed fre
atmosphere, enabling the divine light and love to flow into the soul and ani
mate
all its principles.
It is true, in
quently used in this very form in the deed, that the Scriptures are the Word prophetic portions of the WoVd, the of God to us, whether we acknowledge actions of the prophets and kings being the existence of correspondence or not ;
declared to be
"
a sign
"
to the people,
but our ignorance of
its
existence would
730
APPENDIX.
no more interfere with this fact than finitely above what man would be with would onr ignorance of the laws, con out revelation, as the cloudy day is above this knowl stitution, and uses of the atmosphere midnight darkness. But with debar us from its beneficent effects. edge Nature and the Holy Word become Enough may be seen by every reader one grand Revelation, making known to to enable the divine life to act, even us our Father s will and purpose, and though the symbols known be few, and leading us on to the perfect and eternal
the light, like that of the sun seen through densest clouds but still as in
;
day of his presence.
ED.]
[The following hymn, translated from the Greek by the Rev. I. M. the Neale, D.D., and inserted in "Hymns, Ancient and Modern a affords of used the Church most England widely by hymn-book
"
specimen of the early method of treating the w ars of should have been appended as a note to Chapter IX.
r
"
Israel.
It
WHOM
RESIST, STEADFAST TO
THE FAITH.
"
Christian, dost thou see
them
"
On
How
the holy ground, the troops of Midian
Christian, dost thou hear them, they speak thee fair?
How
Christian,
Prowl and prowl around ? up and smite them,

;
Always fast and vigil ? Always watch and prayer?

Christian, answer boldly,
Counting gain but loss Smite them by the merit
Of the holy
"
cross.
"
While I breathe I pray Peace shall follow battle, Night shall end in day.
Well
I
Christian, dost thou feel them,
know thy
trouble,
;
they work within, Striving, tempting, luring,
How
my
Thou
servant true
art
very weary,
;
Goading into sin?

Christian, never tremble
;
Never be downcast Smite them by the virtue Of the Lenten fast.
1 was weary too But that toil shall make thee Some day all mine own, And the end of sorrow
Shall be near
my
throne
I"
ED.]
INDEX.
Aaron,
542.
breastplate
of, 174,
529
answer by,
ings, 188 n.
on
creation, 24S n.
on
fall of
man,
of,
248 n.
of,
Ablutions, antiquity
Lord,
ib.
Townley, 98 n.;
Babel, a symbol, Vaughan, tower

522.
263
n.
Bacon, Lord, on mythologies, Accommodation of letter of Word, 118. Adam, 247; sig. of name, Darwin, 217 n. ; Bald-head, 81 n.
Morell,
Brien, 248 n.; Baruel, *.; Vitringa, ib.; ib. ; Philo-Judeeus, ib. ; Von Behlen,
ft.; sig of, 339.
Agate, 540. Allegory, ancients spoke
Beryl, 542. Bible, a record of earthly events, Duke of Argyll, 18 n. ; Bishop Thirl wall, 19 n. ; not the Word of God, 35 n. ; admitted by Chris
tians to be a divine revelation, 303.
in,
a universal
language, Voltaire, 50 n. ; Warburton, ib. ; Hutchinson, ib.; Clemens Alexandrinus, 70 ib.; Marsh, GO n. ; Home, ib. ; Origen, n.; Augustine,*.; More, 86 n.; Law, ib.;
Jones, 108 n.
Blindness,
of, 359.
spiritual, 384;
miracle of cure
Body,
of,
cor. of, 78; illustrations of,

n.
;
symbol
Alms,
sig. of,
3")5.
Roberts, 81 n. ; Moore, ib. ; cor. of motions and parts of, 157 Bronze age (Ec.), 246 n. ; cor. of mo
Howard, 80
;
Serle, ib
Amalek,
battle of Israel with, 127; battle with, Origen, 129 n.
tions
of, 368.
Bramble,
Brass, 253
;
cor. of, 219.
Ametliyst, 541. Analogy between sexes, Grindon, Good, 130 n.; Cory,*.; Davis, ib.; Milton, ib.; Croker, 135 n. ; Townley, ib. Ancient Word, the, 504; first chapters of
serpent
of, ib.
Bronze Age
(ED.), 246 n.
Builders, wise and
foolish, 234.
Bush, Prof., definition of Scripture, 33 n.,170 Butter and honey, cor. of, 595, 597.
Cana,
in Galilee, miracle at, 285. of, 69; sig. of, 363; journey
68 n.
Animal Kingdom,
;
Genesis taken from, 565. correspondence of, 149, 190 birds, fishes, and reptiles, 190 the lion, 192; the horse, 188, 193; horses of fire, 198;
;
Canaan, land
colored horses, 199

logical horses, 203.
Pegasus, 202
of, 191 n.
mytho
Animals, symbolism
Apostles, testimony of, to spiritual sense, 65. Apparent and genuine truths, 112; har monized by true doctrine, 121 false princi ples confirmed by apparent truths,how,122. Architecture, symbolic, 148 n. Ark, 256; insufficiency of accommodation, ib.; Dr. Pyc Smith on, ib.; traditions of,
;
from Egypt to, 366. Canaanites, early idea of, sig. of, Carbuncle, 573. Cardinal points, sig. of, 163. Celestial sense of the Word, 144.
Cherubim,
296 n.
letter of Scrip
CnotMiix, 494.
Christian Examiner on the

ture, 22 n.
Christian symbolism of middle

;
ages, 148 n.
258; difficulties in the literal sense, 259; a figure of the human mind, 261 resting on
;
Chroiiologists, contradictory views of, as to date of creation, 307 Chrysophrasus, 538. Circumcision, a rep. ceremonial, 66 n.
Ararat, 262.
Clouds and darkness,

Colors,
n.
;
cor. of, 327.

23.
sig.
Assyria, signification
of, 168.
Colenso, the Bible a human book,
Assyria and Egypt, state of, 167; why spoken of (E. S.), 169 n. Augustine, St., on want of rule of inter pretation, 40 n.; on veil of Moses, 63 n. ; on allegory, 76 n.; on origin of idolatry, 51 n. ; on letter and spirit, 105 n.; spiritual
truths easily seen, 113 n.
;
cor. of, 170; Portal on, 170??.;
of,*.; writers of Light (Temple Bar), 172

St.
Pierre, 173 n.
572, 5S9
Swedenborg,
effected
ib.
Conjunction with heaven

Word,
;
effects resulting
by the from read

576.
ing the Word, 573; with children,
opposite
mean
Continuous
degrees, 146.
731
732
Copper, cor. of, 253. Correspondence;
71
;
INDEX.
illustrations
;
of,
from
of, 39,
various authors, 40 note

cor.
definition
;
and metaphor,
;
definitions of. 73; cor. why, 75 originates in the nature of angels
Swedenborg s of soul and body,
71
and of the Lord,
ib.; of the heart, 75, 81; the eye, 75; the face, 77; of the body and of flesh, 81 of the its motions, 78, 80, 157 veins or kidneys, 82; of the hand, ib. ; of the foot, ib.; of the ear, 83; not a specula tion, 85; the only forms by which spiritual truth from the Lord can be revealed, 85;
; ;
the Fathers on this subject, ib. ; contradi^ tory views of chronologists, ib. ; harmony of geology with Scripture, 308; creation out of nothing not a doctrine of revela tion, 310; creation according to divine order, ib. ; the sun the instrumental cause of creation, 311; the Lord the first great cause, 312 the sun a concentration of the creative rays of the divine Sun, 313; Sir connection be H. Davy s opinion of, ib. tween the Creator and his works, 314 an image of God, 315; the invisible things of
; , ;
God
in creation, 316.
495, 497. 540.
cor. representatives and significatives de fined, 87 the key of knowledge, ib. ; cor.
;
Cubit,
Cyanus,
of mountains and hills, 90 of light and heat, 91 of treasures, ib. ; of darkness, 92 of fire, 93 of water, 95 of baptism, 98 of water-floods, 100; of Ezekiel s vision, 102; between earth and heaven, 106 n. ; of war, 124 of eating and drinking, 135 of the passover, 136 of the holy supper, 137; of the animal world. 149, 190 of the vegetable world, ib., 206; of incense, 149; of perfumes, 160 of the cardinal points, of weights and meas 163 of colors, 170 ures, 176, 180 of musical instruments, 170, 182 of stringed instruments, 184 of the harp, 185 Swedenborgon, 186 of the horn, 188; of ancient instruments, ib.; of singing and dancing, 189 of birds, fishes, and rep tiles, 192 of the lion, 192; of the horse, 188, 193; of serpents, 204; of flowers, 208; of medicinal plants, 209 of the oak, 210 of the olive, 211 ; of the vine, 213; of the figof fruit and leaves, ib. ; of the tree, 215 bramble, 219 of the hyssop, 224 of the cedar, ib. ; of the palm-tree, 225 of ever greens, 226 of leprosy, 230 ; of wood, ib. ; of earths and minerals, 233 of stones, ib. ; of sulphur and pitch, 237; of salt, ib.; of sun, moon, and stars, 239; of tree of life,
; ; ;
Dancing, cor. of, 189. Darkness, cor. of, 92.
Darkness and
clouds, cor.
557.
of, 327.
Day spring, n. Day and night,

ib.;
Decalogue, two
tables of, 515
writing on,
epitome of whole duty of man, ib.; written on both sides, 516; how written, 517; first pair broken, why, 518; tables of the ancients respecting, 521; second pair of tables, 525; distinction between the tables and the writing of them, 526.
Degrees,
crete,
discrete, 144; continuous, 146; dis

of, 630.
nature
Deluge, a
parable, 260.
539.
Diamond,
Word,
113.
Doctrine must be drawn from

Drinking,
cor. of 135. nature of all things,
letter of
Dual
132.
Ear, cor. of, 83. Earths and minerals, Eating, cor. of, 135.
cor. of, 233.
Eden,
n.;
ib.
;
;
247
its
Rabbi Bar Abraham,*.

Sherwin,
ib. ;
;
position, etc., Sir W. Jones, 247 ; Dr. A. Clarke,
295;
ib.;
a universal language, 321; defined, anciently known, 322; origin of, 325; proofs of, ib. ; descent of divine truth by, 326; bowing the heavens and coming down, ib. ; opinions of writers on subject.
(See OPINIONS.)
Newman, ib. ; Bonn, ib. ;

its
339
its trees, ib.
situation, 340.
of, 242; and first chapters of Genesis, Celsus, 242 n. ; Lyell.ib. ; Philo, 243 n. ; Bodinus, 243 n.; Augustine, ib.; Middleton, Origen, ib. ; Westminster Review, ib. ; Nott and Glyddon, ib. ; Bunsen, 244 n. ; Honert, ib. ; Kitto, ib. ; Bloomfield, ib. ; Jones, ib. ; Sewell, ib. ; St. Cyril, 245 .; Philosophical Dictionary, ib.; Heringa, 246 n. ; Home, ib. ; Ferguson, ib. ; Eadie, ib. ; Warburton, ib.; Kentish, ib. Creation of the world, 305; God present in his works, ib. ; no difficulty in attributing creation to God, 306; the account in Gen esis not a literal history, 307 opinions of
Creation, history
sig. of, 167; and Assyria, ancient state of, 167 n.; why spoken of, Swedenborg, 169 n. ; idolatry of, 571 and n. ; jour ney from to Canaan, 366. Elisha, miracle of at Gilgal, 378 spiritual
Egypt,
death,
what
it is,
379.
Ephah,
;
494, 495, 496.

of,
Epistles, testimony
65 difference
spirit as
to spiritual sense,
between and the Gospels, 585. Error of reading the Word in the same
other books, 331.
Essenes, their belief in outward letter and inward spirit, 28 n. Evangelists, four, ancient use of in ordi
nation, 18 oaths administered on, ib. ; held over the head in ordination of bishops, ib. ; use of in communion service of Church of
;
England,
ib. ;
Tatian
harmony
of, 17 n-
INDEX.
Evergreens,
226.
733
J.
Rev.
Evidence
required to prove divinity of
definition
Williams on, 283 Swedenborg of, 283; Hindrnarsh on, 284.

;
Word, 14. Eye, cor. of, 75. Eyes, cor. of, 356.
Grand man,
Groves,
position of inhabitants of this earth in, 589.

sig. of, 511.
EzekiePs
vision of holy waters, 369.
Hailstones,
cor. of, 329.
Face, cor of, 77. Fall of Man, Tucker,
Hand, cor. of, 75. Hands, cor. of, 355. Augustine,*. ; Heylin, ib. ; Home, 249 n. ; Heat and light, cor. of, 91. More, ib. ; Bridge, ib, ; Diderot, ib. ; Lamb, Heavens and earth, cor. of,
248 n.
;
Origen, ib.;
332.
254 n.
effects of, 563.

114, 123.
sig. of, 379.
;
Fallacies of the senses,
and is, and is to come." Heraldry, symbolism of, Lord Lindsay.

"
He
that was,
Famine,
170 n.
Feet, cor. of, 356 washing of, 357. Fig-tree, cor. of, 215; the barren, Origen, 216 n.; French, ib. ; Owen Feltham, ib.;
Serle, ib.
Hin,
494, 495.
(letter
Holloway
where in
and
spirit)
Christ every
Fire, cor. of, 93 perpetual fire, 93 n. ; a sym bol, Bloomfield, ib.; Lauretus, ib. ; sin of kindling sacred. Zoroaster, 95 n. ; Euse;
Scripture, 27 n.; on origin of idolatry, 51 n. ; on rituals of the law, 64 n. ; on creation. 245 n.
Bray,*.; Vaux, ib.; Channing, ib. and end in all things, Flesh, cor. of, 81.
bius, ib.;
ib. ;
Holy supper, sig. of, 137. Holy waters, Ezekiel s vision of, 369. Morheim, Homer, 494, 499. Honey, the Word compared to, 333; cor.
143.
of,
First, middle,
595, 597.
Home, on
of,
ib.
Flood,
255;
to,
referring
not universal, 256; traditions 258; a parable, 260.

of,
Flowers,
n.
cor.
208
language
Human
;
Foot, cor. of, 82. Forty, sig. of, 82.
the spiritual sense of the Psalms, 37 ?i. ; liable to abuse, 88 n. ; on the Psalms and history of David, 264 body, cor. of motions of, 368 cor. of, 635 physiology of, 636 the head and hair, ib.; Nazariteship, 638; Samson, his rep.
.
; ;
Foursquare, sig. of, 501. Frankincense, cor. of, 646. Freemasonry, symbols of, 148 Furlong, sig. of, 495.
Gates of holy
Genesis,
242.
Human
n.
character, 639.
Human
Hyssop,
gin
of,
race, mythological 150 n.

n.
account of ori
style of writers of the

cor. of, 224.
Word
pre
pared by God, 109
city,
164; cor. of, 555; the
Lord, the true gate, 556.
Ideas flow
Idolatry, origin
truths, 112.
Genuine and apparent
Geology, harmony of with

Gerali, 493. Giants, 245 Glorification of the Lord
.
Scripture, 308.
into expressions, 34. of, L Abb< Bazin, 50 n.; Voltaire, 51 n. ; Holloway, ib. ; Grote, ib. ; Taylor s lamblichus, ib.; St. Austin, ib.;
52 n.; Ellis, 51 n.; Pemble, 52 n. ib., 239 origin of, 323.
;
Warburton.ib.; Servius,ib; Cudworth.ib., ; Orange,

72.
human, 154 rep

;
resented by the sacrifices in the Israelitish worship, 274. God, ancient opinions respecting, in Egypt, Serle, 141 n. ; Plato, ib. ; Heraclitns, ib. names of, Hermes, 161 n. Jones, 442 n.
;
Imagery,
Holloway, 162 n. ; Jerome, ib.; St. Ignatius, ; Swedenborg, ib. ; cor of, 554, 644. God, speaking to man s will and intellect,
ib.
Influx defined, 78. Inspiration of two kinds, plenary and sec ondary, 15 comparison of orthodox and true estimates of, 16 low estimate of, by Dr. Palfrey, 19; McLellan, ib. ; Dr. David son, ib. ; Bp. Thirlwall, ib. note Dewey, 20
; ; ;
Prof.
Andrews Norton,
ib. ;
24
Newman,
22 n.
332.
Swains on,
of,
Gold, color
170 n.
cor. of, 236, 554, 644.
Instruments
Golden
18
71.
age, 235.
lights carried before
ib. ;
Gospels, position of at council of Ephesus,

;
Internal and external of the Word tute one series, 39.
Colenso, 23. of music, ancient, 184 n. consti
them
in East
ern churches,
literally true,
but rep
resentative in every particular, 279; para bles and miracles of, 62, 279 Clowes on parables, 280 frequently in a series, ib. ; miracles, 281 Origen s opinion of, 282 n. ;
; ; ;
Israelites, deliverance of, a spiritual nar rative, 61,64 71.; inconsistencies in num bers of, 175.
James,
Jasher,
sig. of, 166, 286.
542.
734
Jehovah, on name
Serle,
ib. ;
INDEX.
of,
Maimonidcs, 142
ib.;
n.
son, 159 n.;
Cudworth,
Borlase,
ib.;
;
Polycarp,
ib.;
Druidical triad,
ib.;
D. H. H.
ib. ;
Origen,
ib. ;
ib.
(Am. N.J. Mag.),

tonelle,
ib.
Cudworth,
Fon-
Moore,
160 n.
;
ib.
Swedenborg,
ib.
Porphyry, ib.; Herodotus, ;
ib. ; Dr. A. Clarke, ; apostolic translation of, 268. Jerome, on purity of the word, 25 n. Jerusalem, a symbol of Christian Church, Sherlock, 08 n. ; sig. of, 550; destruction of,
ib. ;
Pythagoras,
and
ib.
31 ali o; net u n
their offerings, 642. ism, 570; its truth for the
Word,
Man a microcosm, 332. Man born blind, miraculous cure of, 383.
Marah,
waters
of, 231.
;
fiii J.
John,
sig. of, 166, 286.
on origin of idolatry, 523. Jones (Rev. W., Nayland), on the hidden Jones, Rev.
V.,
Marriage, origin of, 232 sig. of, Martineau, Miss H., rejection
by, 23
?i.
551.
of gospels
wisdom
of Scripture, 25 n. ; the world a parable, 41 n.,4.2 n. ; on correspondence, 108 n. ; on Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 142 n. ; on creation, 244 n.
to
Measures and weights, 176, 189. Measuring line, sig. of, 499. Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin," 500. Metaphor and correspondence, Hindmarsh
"
Jade, reference
ancient mythology,
87, 593.
524.
on,
72.
Key of knowledge,
Keys
of heaven and hell, 590. Kidneys, or reins, 82. Kings representative of the Lord s regal
principle, 270.
Microcosm, 41. Mineral kingdom, cor. of, 149. Mingled seed, fabrics, etc., 139.
Miracles, 279; Clowes on, 281; Sweden borg on, 283 nature and design of, 377. Miracles of our Lord, on, Origen, 282 n., 288 n.; Hilary, 282 n. ; John of Jerusalem, 282 n. ; Hind, ib., 288 n., 291 n.; Irenaeus,
;
Knowledge, three degrees

strengthen each other,
of, 330
mutually
331.
Knowledge,
tree
of, 248.
283 n. ; Williams, for Times, 289 n.
ib. ;
Heber,
ib. ;
Tracts
Lameness, cure of, 359. Lead (a weight), 493. Leprosy and its cure, 230.
Letter and
nings,
105 n.
10-1
Miraculous
ity. 357.
evidences of the Lord

in, Clarke, 117 n.
;
divin
Mirror, seeing
on, Jen Origen,
ides, ib.
MaimonBrown,
spirit, ancient opinions n. ; the Therapeutrc, ib. ;
Augustine, ib. ; Neale, ib. ; Berk, ib. ; More, ib ; Hurwit, ib. ; Wake, 274 n. ; opinions of a Jewish sect in Poland,
; St.
Misery the consequence of 119.; Wilson, ib.
sin,
Moon,
More,
cor. of, 239.
101
71.
Letter of the Word, a dead body containing a living soul, 28 n. : truth in, 112; doc trine must be drawn from, 113; compared
to skin of body, Noble, 113 n.; use of, 116. Life Hows from the soul to the body three
;
H., the law of Moses a living crea ture, 31 n.; the world a macrocosm, 41 n.; on history of David, 61 n. ; on symbols, 86 n.
sense of ; on Adam, 88 n. ; mystical names, 105 n. ; on numbers, 176 n.; on the 250 n. fall, 294 7i. ; on the serpent, Moses; the veil upon his face, 63; law of,
sig. of,
decrees of, 141. Life, tree of, 22-5,
295.
;
Most ancient church,
Light and
ib.
;
Light, a symbol of truth,

Roberts,
ib.
;
heat, cor. of, 91 trinity of, 172 n. 91 n. ; lamblichus,
explained, 345. possessed no outward Word, 563; character of its people, 567; the origin of mythology, 568; had imme
268
;
prayer
of,
tensity of (Temple Bar),

557.
full
diate revelation, 564.
\?1 n.
Light of the world.
lateral sense of Word indefensible and
Mountains and hills, cor. of, 90, 332. Mount Zion, why mentioned, Jerome, 90 it. Musical instruments, sig. of, 170; descrip
tion of, 182; stringed, 184; ancient, list of, 184 w. ; harp, 185; Swedenborg on. UK; horn, 188; ancient instruments, INS.
of diilicnltics, 24; passages in reference to incarnation not explainable in, 28; com
pared to man.
"
:!2.
r>l
Living oracles," Lord, birth and life

287
;
n.
of,
285; his temptations,

291.
Myrrh, cor. of, 647. Mythology, origin of,

522.
552;
Lord Bacon
on,
the chief prophet,

s prayer,
Lord
development in
(En.), 116 n.
Lots, casting,
sig. of, 353.
Names symbolical,
;
Love, wisdom, and life, a trinity in God and man, 350.
Nativity of the Lord,
More, 105 n. 643; nature
of, 644.
Macrocosm and microcosm, Magi and their gifts, 159; on
323, 330.
Natural forms outbirths from spiritual causes. 54, 72 from the Lord, 89. Nal ui-al good, its relation to spiritual good,
645.
the,
Hutchin-
INDEX.
Nature, an effect from a higher cause, 304 three kingdoms of, 348 animal kingdom, ib. ; vegetable kingdom, 349 fertile ground
;
735
and
ib.,
288 n. ; on triple sense of Scripture triple constitution of man, 347.
Ox and ass, why forbidden to plow with, 139.

Pagan
50 n.
and barrenness,
ib.
Nazariteship, its sig., 638. New heavens and new earth,
mysteries derived from holy sources,
New
549; cor. of, ib. Jerusalem, 550 the bride, the Lamb s the glory of God, 552; wife, 551; having
;
Painted windows, 171 n. Palm-tree, cor. of, 225.

Parables, why used,
frequently in series,
sig. of, 136.
measured with a golden reed,

pure gold, 554
: ;
553;
city
62, 279
ib.
Clowes on, 280
four-square, ib. ; its foun dations, walls, and gates, 555; its temple, 556 the Lamb its light, ib. ; no night there, 557 sovereignty of its citizens, 559 qual
; ;
Passover, Patriarchs, the three, 161. Paul, definition of inspiration,
Newman
citizenship, 560. (Phases of Faith) on Scripture and 22 n. reason, Night, cor. of, 557, 611; flight in, 610. Noah a rep. character, 260; saved by the
ities for
33; a ter of the spirit of the law, 64 n.

160.
minis
Perfumes,
Persons, why named in the word, Peter, sig. of, 165, 286.
Peter,
; ;
165.
same waters which destroyed the ungodly,

262.
Noble, Rev.
of God,
ib.
S.,
on what constitutes the Word

;
St., reference to ancient mythology, 524 sig. of, 591 why keys of heaven were said to be given him, 592. Plagues visited on them who fight against
36.
Jerusalem,
363.
Numbers,
n.
;
sig. of. 170, 176

ill.,
simple numbers,
seven,
170 n.; on,
Swedenborg,
ib.;
176 n.;
More,
ib.;
Colman,
ib. ;
Sabbath
ib. ;
Plants, symb. of, Potter, 206 n. ; Ridley, ib. ; Bulwer, ib.; Dublin Review, 208 n. ; Courcelles,209 n. ; Owens, ib. ; Carpenter, 211 n.;
Harris,
ib. ; ib.
,
Leisure, ib.;
Dehon,
Von Bohlen,
253 n.
Hewlett, 221 n. ;
222 n.
;
St. Basil,
Cahen, ib.; three, 178; forty, 179; relative numbers, 178; why changed in literal
sense, 175 general sig. of, 399 multiplica tion of, 401 numbering, sig. of, ib. ; one,
; ;
Montgomery Martin,
ib. ;
Dr.
Chan;
403; two, 411; three, 419; four, 420; five, 434; six, 445; seven, 451; eight, 450 nine,
;
Bryant, 227 n. ; Serle. ib. Precious stones, Aaron s breastplate, 529 different order of stones and tribes, 530 first position of stones and names, 532
ning,
;
ten,
169;
pound numbers,
eleven, 475; twelve, 478; com rules for ascertaining,
sig. of, 487, 666, 391.
Oak, cor. of, 210. Obedience the gate of admission into heav
en and the Church, 560. Old Testament, books in, not plenarily in
spired, 486.
Olive,
Omer,
cor. of, 211. 494, 495.
ruby, 536 sardius, ib. ; topaz, 537 second row, 538 Chrysophrasus, ib. ; sapphire, 539; diamond, ib. ; third row, 540 Cyanus, ib. ; agate, ib. ; amethyst, 541; fourth row, ib. ; tarshish, ib. ; onyx, 542 beryl, 542 method of answer by, ib. ; in walls of holy Jerusalem, 555. Preservation, continual creation, 619. Prophecy a miracle, Collins, 14 n. Prophetic style of Word, Warburton, 104 n. Prophets, state of, while speaking or writ
row, 535
;
ing, 15.
Onyx, 542. Opinions
Psalms,
of ancient
;
spiritual sense of, 37 n.
Bp.
Home
and modern authors as to the Word, 337 Origen on the trans ib. Parkhurst on (Jen. ii. 8, ; figuration, ib.; Rabbi Simon Bar Abraham on the Garden of Eden, 338 n. ; Parkhurst on the word "Testimony," 341; Lowth on
Isa.
on, 265 n.
Rainbow,
sig. of, 172.
Reed, cor. of, 553. Regeneration of man a

155.
threefold work,
xxvii. 1,312; on Ps. viii., Pascal, 318; S. P. C. K. tracts, /&. ; Rev.
Home
Religion not intuitive,
570.
W.
;
Rephidim,
from man,
battle of, 127.
Jones (Nayland) on correspondences, 311 Swains on, ib. ; other writers in confirma tion of correspondence, 345.
Representatives,
significatives, 87;
58.
correspondences, and not originally derived

literal
Opposites, law of, 81. Origen on the moral sense of Scripture, 30 n. ; on the spirit of the law. 68 n. ; on allegory, 70 n. ; on letter and spirit. 105 n. ; on war with Amalek, 129 n. ; on the bar ren fig-tree, 216 n. ; on the fall. 248 on the gospels, 282 on the miracles of our Lord,
;
Responses from heaven, by

Word, how made, Revelation, book
of, ib. ;
sense of
547.
of,
292
predictions, us
contents,
ib.
Ruby,
536.
Sabbatarians,
104 n.
736
Sabbath
271 n.
INDEX
tween, 627
;
day, flight on, 610, 614. Sacrifices, not by divine precept, Outram,
;
f>8
spiritual
and natural body
of
man,
628; spiritual substances, 629; spirit
ual forms,
how
in nature. 631.
Sacrificial worship, 266 Origen on, n.; origin of external worship,266 clean beasts
;
and
fowls, sig. of, 267 institution of, ib. ; burnt offerings, ib., 275 sacrifices in Jewish
; ;
church, 267; Mosaic ritual, 268; sin and trespass offerings not expiations of moral turpitude, 269; result of Jews falling into this error, 270 of Christians, 276 sacrifices,
; ;
Spiritual life, three degrees of, 158; sense, evidence of existence of, 60 truths easily seen, Augustine, 113 n. ; Swedenborg, 114 n. ; Pascal, ib. ; Gregory, ib. ; Addison, ib.; Gaussen, ib. Spring, season of, rep. of regeneration, 222.
;
Stone
Stones,
;
selected, 273; opinions of Barnabas and Eusebius, 273 n.; called a "cove bread and meat of God." also, nant," 274
why
ib.
"
or imperfect offerings, ib. ; ; polluted domesticated animals, 275; worship from love signified by Abel s offering, ib. ; wor
weight), 494. corner-stone, 234 pre cious and common, examples of uses of, 504 use of in altars, memorials, etc., 507 the decalogue, 515; breastplate of Aaron, 529; stones of Jerusalem, 608. (See also
(n
cor. of, 223
PRECIOUS STONES.)
ship from faith sig. by Cain s offering, ib., 275 the Lord s perfect sacrifice, 278. Salt, cor. of, 237, 599 why offered with sac
;
;
Stringed instruments, 184. Substances, spiritual and divine, 633. Sulphur and pitch, cor. of, 237. Sun, an image of the Lord, laws on, 202
prismatic rays of, 239 worship 239 n. ; Nature Delineated, ib.
;
n.;
rifices,
238
pillar of,
;
ib. ;
to
be offered with
of,
Bunsen,
;
its opposite, ib. ; its pre all sacrifices, 600 servative power, 601 its fructifying power, s miracle at Jericho. 603; its Elisha 602;
;
Sun, moon, and

; ;
stars, 239
worship
of, ib. n.
conjoining principle, 604

606.
use with food,

of, 639.
cor. of, 360 called 361 darkened, 362

ib. ;
Samson, his history, Sandals or shoes, on

Science and
389.
80; rep.
311
Lord, woman clothed with, an instrumental cause of creation, a concentration of the rays of the
; ;
on
to praise the
loosing
of,
25 n.
spiritual sun, 313
trinity in, 347.
religion, connection between,

for
Swedenborg, on
n.
;
the style of the Word, 23 twofold sense of Word, like soul and
Scriptural imagery not to be accounted by ordinary criticism, 109 n.
Seasons of year, cor. of, 612. Seeing and seeing not, 63 n.

Serpent, cor. of, 250; serpent worship, ib. n. ; symbol of, More, 250 n. ; Philo, ib. ;
Bellamy,
ib.,
body, 28 n. ; on origin of idolatry, 50 n. ; on the expressions of the Word, 104 n.; spiritual truths easily seen in the letter,
114 n.
;
on angelic
esse
on
celestial sense of the

;
cor. of animals, 149 n.
and existere, 141 n. ; Word, 144 n. ; on on the Magi, 159 n. ;
250, 251 n.;

;
Middleton, 250 n.;
Schlegel, 251 Gene, ib.; Teller, ib. ; Roberts, ib.; Coleridge, 252 n.; Davidson, ib.; ser pent of brass, 253 cor. of, 616 venomous and non-venomous, 618; in Eden, ib.; its
; ;
that the patriarchs represented states of the church, 162 m. ; on Egypt and Assyria,
169 n.
Dan a serpent in the path, rod of Moses changed to, ib.; serpent of brass, 623 its poison, 624 power given to tread on, 625 mythological use of, ib. Sexual system in nature, 130 n. Shekel, 493, 4%. Significatives, what they are, 87.
subtilty, 620
;
on numbers, 176 n. ; ; on colors, 173 scientifics of the ancients, 202 n.; on on the cedar, 226 n. ; worship in most an cient church, 266 n. ; on the cherubim,
;
on
622
296 n. ; versions of
Word used
by, 320
61 n.
not
inspired but illumined, 584.
Symbolism, Chippendale on, Symbols, often duplex, 86 n.

Talent, or pound.
493, 499.
Siloam, pool
Singing,
Sins,
277.
of, 385.
Tatian
harmony
sig. of, 189.

is
Temple,
of the gospels, 17 the living, 556.
n.
what
meant by the Lord bearing,
resulting from affection, Sherlock, Public Opinion, ib. and time, 632; their analogues, 633. Space Spirit of the law, Locke, 64 n.; Jerome, ib.; Holloway. ib. ; Fisk, ib. ; Dr. Luntz, ib.;
Sound,
182 n.
Theopiieustos, 33. Therapeuta?, 104 n. Three, symbol of, Thornton,

Davis, 143 n.
;
143 n.. 151 n.
Conybeare, ib.; Levis, ib.; Pythagoras, 150 n.; Channing, ib.; Pinkerton, 151 n.
Threefold nature
all things, 150.
of
God and man,
132; of
Serle,
68* n.,
ib.
Middleton,
;
ib. ;
Clement,
;
ib. ; St.
Cyril, 67 n. Tracts for the Times, ib. 139 n., 274 n. ; Townley, 139 n.
Origen, Pascal,
; Hutchinson, 276 n. Spiritual and natural worlds, relation be

;
268 n.
Gresweil, 274 n.
Tomline, Bp., definition of inspiration, 18. Transfiguration of the Lord, 286, 332. Treasure, 91 hid in field, 25 n. Trees, cor. of, 206 tree of knowledge, 248
;
;
INDEX.
tre%
737
life, 225,
295;
anatomy
king. 218.
of,
207
worship of, 206 n.; going forth to choose a
Tribute money, sig. of, 387. Triual distinctions in nature,
necessity of inquiring what constitutes, 25; Swedenborg s definition of, 26; purpose for which given, 27 the letter and the spirit, ib. note the spiritual sense pervades and
;
;
149
in
mind,
Two
150, in understanding, 167. Trinity, divine, 141 and n.; in God and Nature Marcus, 150 n. Triunity, or trinity, of God exhibited in creation, 347 in the sun, ib.
;
divinity of, consists in spiritual sense,*.; meaning of term, 33; not designed to teach man such things as
letter, 32;
fills
the
he can acquire by outward means, 35 but the things of genuine religion, ib.; without the Word man could know nothing of God
;
opposite meanings in Scripture,

n.
;
St.
ib.
or of eternal
Augustine. 88
More,
ib. ;
Maclean,
life, ib.; what constitutes the difference between the plenarily inspired and other books (Noble), 36; contains true
Understanding and
will, cor. of, 131.

;
histories
it
and prophecies which have been

these not sufficient to
;
Uriin and thummim, 174 n. ; 529 ansAver by, 542. (See also PRECIOUS STONES.) Uses in the animal and vegetable world,
232.
fulfilled, ib. ;
make
and
divine, ib. ; from God, 38 the external internal sense make one series, 39;
style of, a divine style (Swedenborg), 36

cor. of, 149, 206.
St.
;
Vegetable kingdom,
Boyle, ib. Vessel of clay, 180 n.
man has life byand through (Swedenborg),

Augustine, 63
n.
;
Veil on face of Moses,
ib.; in heaven, 64 not weakened b. spirit ual sense, Hilary, 102 n.; Cyril, ib.; Christian
Witness, ib.;
why
written &
we haê
it,
Virgins, parable of, 213. Visible world a picture of heaven, Browne, 40 n. ; Milton, ib. ; Barrow, ib. ; Leighton, ib. ; Prescott, ib. ; Jones, ib. ; More, 16. ; Kingsley.*.; Serle, ib.; Clowes, ib.; Neale
ib.; Tertullian, 42 n.; Julian, ib.; Schlegel, ib.; Plato, ib. ; Cudworth, ib. ; Platinus, ib. ; Empedocles, ib. ; Van Mildert, ib. ; Burgon, ib. ; Tucker,
to.
107; language and human style of writ ers of, specially prepared by God, 109 n.;
why the literal sense was given, 110; truth in the letter of, 112 uses of the letter of,
;
116; twofold expressions in, reason for, 133 its celestial sense, 144 threefold char
; ;
and Webb,*.; Richer,
acter
bush, 295;
;
of, 152; its letter rep. by the burning its spirit by Jacob s vision of a
War,
sig. of, 124.
Wars of Jehovah, book of, Washing feet, sig. of, 357.

Wa*er,
;
Theopneuscorrespondence the sure rule of interpretation, 321 universal presence of

;
ladder, ib.; its literal sense by a cloud, 296 plenary inspiration of, 317 produced in same order as creation, 318
;
tos, ib.;
565.
cor, ,^f, 95 symbol of, Trench, 98 n.; the Lord at Jacob s well, 99; baptism 99 , 98, b; waterfloods, 100 defect of, ib. ;
; ;
the Lord in, 328; literal and spiritual senses compared, 353; the letter rep. by the Lord s garments on which lots were the spiritual sense by his vest cast, ib.
;
woven without seam,

Christ
"the
ib. ;
Ezekiel
vision of holy waters, 102

176, 180
:
the
of,
Rock,"
354;
flood, 255;
body,
table
why mentioned
;
in, 355;
Weights and measures,

490
;
kept entire, ib.; organs of the conjunc

;
;
sig. of, 496.
Wicked men and

how,
263.
nations, rep. of good,
Wilderness and
Will
rep.
tion with heaven effected by, 572, 589 in heaven, 577 character of, 578 how written, 579; direct inspiration, 580; its histories, 581 effects of reading, ib. ; verbal and
;
solitary place, sig. of, 330.

76.
by heart,
Will and understanding, cor. of, 131. Williams, Rev. I., on spiritual sense of Word, 30 n. ; on the miracles of our Lord,
283 n.
plenary inspiration, 583; uninspired parts in Bible, 586 ; why written on this earth
588.
Words symbols of ideas, 34; contain human thoughts,

God contain divine
35;
words of men words of

ib.
Winter,
thoughts,
flight in, 610.
Word
Worship
266
;
of God, character of the letter, 24; effects of thinking only of the letter, ib. ;
internal only in see also SACRIFICIAL
Adamic churtn,
WORSHIP.
Written Word, why
given, 107.
62*
738
INDEX.
INDEX TO APPENDIX.
Ancient Word, account of, 686
;
;
where men
tioned,*.; Swedenborg on, ib. ; Hernigas, 687 other authorities, ib. ; that there was a previous word, Williams, 688. Apocrypha, contents of, 666; position of,
Burnett,
ib.
Assyrian tablets, 724. Authorized version
(English), 688; the translators not inspired, ib. ; its errors, Dr. A. Clarke, 689; Bishop Marsh, ib. ; Oxlee, ib. ; Pilkington, ib. ; Noyes, 690; Dr. Pye
Swedenborg on, 678; Morell, ib. Dewey, ib.; Powell, ib.; Maltby, 679 Warrington, 680 Stanley, ib. ; Kitto on Epistle to Hebrews, ib.; Matthew Arnold, 681; Dr. Arnold, ib. ; Kitto on the Pauline Epistles, ib.; Paley on the inscriptions to Paul s Epis tles, ib. ; Duke of Somerset, ib. ; Jerome s opinion, ib. ; Paul s quotations from hea then writers, 682; Williams on the He brews, ib. ; Williams on the Epistles of
ib.;
; ;
Smith,
ib. ;
Newcome,
ib.
Peter,*.; doubts as to authorship, Eichhorn, ib. ; Kitto, ib.
Books of Word
not plenarily inspired, 656 sketch of those of Old Testament, 657; Philo-Judeeus, ib. ; Norton, ib. ; Theodore, of Mopsuesta, ib.
;
;
Esther, opinion as to origin of book of, 660 Greek and Romish versions contain more than A. V.,ib.; Luther s opinion of, ib. ; Gilfillan, ib. ; divine Being not mentioned
;
in
it, ib.
Chronicles, books of, Gray and Percy, 657 Taylor, ib. ; Ewald, ib. ; Morey, ib. ; Bunsen, 658; use and value
ib. ;
Ezra and Nehemiah, opinions as to, Calmet,

659
ib.
;
contents,
anciently reckoned as one book, ib. : ib. not included in Ezra s canon,
;
of,
ib.;
Stuart,
Newman,
ib.
Correspondences,
Significatives, 726.
;
Representatives,
and Freemasonry, degrees
of, 694.
Gemara. (See RABBINICAL LITERATURE.) Degrees, 690 discrete and continuous, ib. ; Swedenborg on, ib. ; necessity of knowl Hieroglyphics, Egyptian, 704; the Rosetta stone, ib. ; its inscription and style of edge of, 691 ascending and descending
:
degrees, 692 ancient Egyptian triads, 693 Pritchard, ib. ; Egyptian and Grecian mys teries, 694; freemasonry, ib. ; Ionic and Grecian architecture, ib. ; Indian do., ib. ; Assyrian triads, Larwood and Hotten, 695
;
writing, 705 antiquity of Egypt, Osborne, ib. ; origin of hieroglyphics and different styles of writing, ib. ; phonetic signs, ib. ; Swedenborg, on, ib.; Portal s defence of Swedenborg, 709 correspondences and
; ;
Taylor, ib.;
Cud worth,
724.
ib.;
Origen, ib.;
More,
ib.
Document theory,
Druidism,
696;
ib. ;
Caesar s account of, not extent of, ib. ; worship and reliable, a corrup rites of, ib. ; the mistletoe, 697 tion of worship of ancient Church, ib. ; Baal, ib./ Shaddai, ib.; doctrines of, ib.; monotheists. ib. ; triads of, ib. ; Dr. A. Clarke on, 699; Bethel, ib.; stone pillars, ib. ; Milman on, ib. ; legends respecting,
;
700
authorities,
list of,
700
pyramids and
;
other ancient remains, cairns, cromlechs, kist vaens, etc., ib. ; Stonehenge, 701 druidism in Gaul, ib.
hieroglyphics compared, 710; examples, ib.; Belzoni s tomb, Mason, 713; Noble, on, ib. ; hieroglyphic of the serpent, Middleton, 714 inscription on the Temple of Minerva, ib. ; decline of hieroglyphics, 715; Cudworth on esoteric hieroglyphics, ib. ; in time of Moses, Portal, 716; hieroglyphic description of a perfect man, Oliver, ib. ; the effect put for the supposed cause, Hayden, ib.; difference between hiero glyphics and the Word of God, ib. ; doc trines of Egypt and Assyria, Ramsay, 718; Wemyss, 719 the lion, ib. ; the eagle, ib. ; difference between Hebrew and the alpha
; ;
Ecclesiastes, attributed to Solomon, 662; not referred to in New Testament, 663 supposed date of, Zirkel, ib.; Maltby on, ib.; Dr. A. Clarke, ib.; Jahn, ib.; Critical
;
Human race, high antiquity of, 725.

Jewish canon
ib. ;
;
bets and Egyptian hieroglyphics, Clement, on, ib. ; Spineto, ib.
ib. ;
of Scripture, 683; Chetubim,
History and Defence of 0. T. Canon, ib.; said by some to be written in old age of Solo mon, ib. Egypt, triads, 693 mysteries of, 694 hiero
; ;
hagiographa, ib. ; Kitto on, 684 Jewish ib. ; Prideaux, ib. ; Walton, ib. ; Theodoret and Jerome on the position given to Lamentation and Daniel in, ib.;
writers,
glyphics, see HIEROGLYPHICS. Epistles of Apostles, inspiration of, Dr. A. Clarke, 676 Dr. Whitby, ib. ; illustrations
;
anterior and posterior prophets, 685 ori gin of various Jewish arrangements of, ib.
;
Job, book
dleton,
erts,
of uninspired parts, 677; Tracts for Times,
history of, Noble, ib. ; Gliddon, 662 ib.; Heb,Rev.,ib.

;
of, contents, 661
ib. ;
Mid Rob
INDEX.
John,
1, v. 7, 8,
739
;
authenticity
of,
6%.
Masorah. (See RABBINICAL LITERATURE.) Metempsychosis, doctrine of, 702.

IMidiiin,
war with, ancient Greek hymn

730.
ib. ; Grit. Bib., ib. ; Dr. A. Clarke, *. Wharton, ib. ; Lowth, ib. ; supposed not to be written by Solomon, Pye Smith, 665; Rosenmuller, ib. ; Theodore of Mopsuesta. ib. ; structure of, Davidson, ib. ; Edectit
ture,
founded on,
Review,
ib. ;
Michaelis,
ib. ;
Mishna.
(See
RABBINICAL LITERATURE.)
of.
Spiritual sense of Word,

revealed, 688.
why
Stuart, 666. not earlier
Nehemiah, book
(See EZRA.)
Targums.
Plenarily inspired books, inquiry as to which are, 651; Swedenborg on. ib.; Prof. Bush, *.; Philo, ib. ; Tatian, *.; Origen,
Rev. Text for Lond. Univ., ib. Proverbs, book of, contents, 662;
ib. ;
(See
RABBINICAL LITERATURE:.)
668.
Versions used by Swedenborg,
Word,
many
tion
parts very ancient, and founded on cor respondence, ib. ; Nicholls, ib. ; Von Bohlen,
ib.
integrity of, 670; Oldhausen,*.; various-read ings in, ib.; Conybeare, ib. ; its wonderful accuracy, Gaussen, 671; Eichhorn, ib.; Wiseman, ib. ; copies in ancient libra
ries,
and miraculous preserva
Pythagorean
doctrine of metempsychosis, account of, 702 Parsons,*.; Clement,*.; ancient supposed motion of earth, Abbe" Planche, ib.; Plato s doctrine, ib. ; a be
;
672;
Home,*.;
Michaelis,
ib. ;
Van
der Hooght s edition, 674; no doctrine af fected by various readings, ib. ; Int. Rep., ib. ; Rabbinical rules for transcribing, 675
;
lief of the Druids, 704
Rose,
ib.
Rabbinical literature, 666; targums, ib.; oral and traditionary law, ib. ; Mishna, ib. ; Gemara, ib. ; Masorah, ib. ; Rabbin
ical rules, 675.
Ruth, contents
of, 659.
Chappelon, 676. of God, its four different styles, 685. Word, spiritual sense of, cause of decline of in Christian Church, 720; relation of Church to the world,*.; the controversies in the Christian Church, *.; Jewish prep aration for Christian teaching, 721 prepa ration of heathens, *.; the position of
"Word
;
Scripture, canon of Stuart, 653 Milner, ib. ; Wordsworth, ib. ; Newman, ib. ; want of,
;
illustrated,
ib. ;
Eclectic Review, ib. ; Noble,

;
655; Hindmarsh, 656 Knight,*. Septuagint, history of, 667. Song of Solomon, {.supposed epithalamium,
63; contents of, 664; not cited in Scrip
doctrine of incarnation, 722; origin of apostolic epistles, ib. ; condition of war fare in Church,*.; its results,*.; doc trinal statements based on literal expres sions, 723; the law abolished, *.; early fall of heresies, t 6. ; Gnosticism, *. ; Church, ib. ; used for evil purposes, *.
INDEX OF PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE

WHOLLY OR PARTLY EXPLAINED.
740
INDEX.
INDEX.
741
742
INDEX.
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ôlurne of 318 pages, 12ino, containing the testimony of more than a hundred ministers to the great enlightenment and spiritual help which they have received from the writings of Swedenborg. These witnesses represent no less than ten of the leading denominations, and some of them are among the most emi nent writers on theology but none of them were ever identi fied with the organization known as the New Church. Copious quotations are made from the writings of a few of them, showing the character of their beliefs and teachings on every important point of Christian Theology and in addition to, and perfect agreement with, these quotations, are given extracts from more than a hundred letters from ministers. Whoever reads this work cannot fail to see that the Chris
; ;
tianity
commended by
is
these distinguished divines
is
eminently
rational, spiritual, inspiring
The book
and Scriptural. pronounced by many competent judges the best
work ever published to dissipate the prevailing prejudice against, and incite thoughtful minds to an earnest inquiry
into,
the new reyealings through Swedenborg. The growing interest in these revealings among the most
independent and spiritually-minded people within the past few years, is also shown by the increasing circulation of Swedenborg s works, especially ainoing the clergy. Price $1.00, post-paid; and 25 per cent, discount to any one ordering three or more copies.
copy
logical student,
will
be sent free to any minister or theo on the receipt of 10 cents (cost of post
age), by the
SWEDENBORG PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION,
Germantown, P
THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY.

COMPILED AND EDITED
BY
12 volumes
cloth.
;
B. F.
BARRETT.
6 inches ; neat, ir averaging 250 pp. each, 4J Price, 40 cts. single vol., postage (5 cts.) extra $4.50 the set, postage (50 cts.) extra.
;
A new and cheap edition, cloth-bound, but in 6
volumes.
$3.25, post-paid; sold only in sets. To ministers theological students $2.50 when ordered the from publishers.
Price,
and
This series consists of the choicest selections from Sweden borg s writings, topically arranged, with a full Table of Con and gives a clear and complete view of all the author s religious and ethical teachings in a neat and extremely cheap form. Vol. 12 contains 320 pages, and a beautiful portrait of the author. A pamphlet of 90 pages, giving the Contents of each volume, will be sent gratis on application.
tents
;
THEIR TITLES ARE:

I.
Death, Resurrection and the Judgment. II. Heaven. III. Freedom nationality and Catholicity. IV. Divine Providence and its Laws V. Charity, Faith and Works. VI. Free-Will, Repentance, Reforma tion, Regeneration. VII. Holy Scripture and the Key to its Spiritual Sense. VIII. Creation, Incarnation, Redemption, and the Divine Trinity. IX. Marriage and the Sexes in Both Worlds. X. The Au thor s Memorabilia. XI. The Heavenly Doctrine of the Lord XII Swedenborg; with a Compeud of his Teachings.
A FEW OF ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.

It gives the substance of Swedenborg s teachings in a compact form, and in his own words with refer
1st.
ences to the particular works whence the extracts are taken. 2d. It classifies the subjects in a way to render it easy for the reader to find whatever spiritual instruction he may be seeking. 3d. The volumes are of such a convenient size, that one of them may be easily carried in the coat-pocket. 4th. Any volume of the series makes a cheap and beautiful gift-book to a friend, or to any seeker of the highest truths. 5th. Each volume being complete in itself, may be purchased separately when so desired.
6th. The work is gotten up in very tasteful making a beautiful as well as valuable addition
style,
(translated),
the series
library.
to
any
Address
THE SWEDENBORG PUBLISHING
ASSOCIATION,
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa.
THEOLOGICAL WORKS OF EMANUEL 8WEDENBORG.

Arcana Coelestia. 10 vols. Postage, 20 cents each volume 18 Apocalypse Revealed. 2 vols. True Christian Religion, 32 Divine Love and Wisdom, 12 Divine Providence, . 14 18 . Conjugial Love, Heaven and Hell, . 16 . Four Leading Doctrines, 12 Miscellaneous Theological Works, 20 Doctrine of Charity, Paper, Doctrine of Faith, . Doctrine of Life, . Doctrine of the Lord, Doctrine of the Sacred Scriptures, Intercourse between the Soul and Body, Last Judgment,
$5.00
.80 .60
.30
.30 .40 .40
...*.>.
.30 .40 10 cents.
"
"
"
"
..."
"
"
White Horse, Heavenly Doctrines,
"
The Divine
Earths in the Universe, Trinity, Divine Providence, and Related

Subjects,
"
10 10 20 10 5 30 10 10 35
"
25 Exposition of the Internal Sense of the Pro 40 and Psalms, phets (These are the cheaper editions. There are finer and more costly editions, English and American, catalogues and prices of which will be furnished. Address as below.) Life of Swedenborg, $1.00 A compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Sweden borg, by Samuel M. Warren, with a Biographical Introduction,
"
Athanasian Creed,
Summary
......."
by Hon. John Bigelow.
764 Pages.
Any
of these books will be sent
by mail on
receipt of
p<-ice.
Address
NEW-CHURCH BOOK BOOM, NEW-CHURCH BOOK ROOM, NEW-CHURCH BOOK ROOM,
2129 Chestnut St., PHILAD A, PA. 16 Arlington St., BOSTON, MASS. 3 West 29th St., NEW YORK CITY.
A Cloud of Independent Witnesses to the Truth, Value, Need, and Spiritual Helpfulness of Swedenborg s Teachings."
By
B. F.
BARRETT.
Containing the Testimony of more than a hundred Ministers, not one of whom was ever connected with the New-Church organiza Price $1.00, postpaid to ministers 10 cents. Address tion.
;
Swedenborg Publishing Association, Germantown. Pa
THE QUESTION, Whal are
the Doctrines
of
the
New
Church? ANSWERED.
BY
256 pp., 4
B. F.
BARRETT.
;
6 inches.
Price, 30 cts., cloth
15
cts.,
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Sixth Edition.
The views of the New Church on all the principal points of Christian Theology are clearly stated and explained in this work. Among others, on the following
:
The Character of God The Divine Personality The Incarnation of the Divine God Accommodated to our Needs The Divine Trinity its Nature Humanity Glorified The New-Church Doctrine of Atone
Nature Remission of Sins Redemption Salvation The Blood of Christ What it SvmlMjJizcs of the World" The Second Coming of the L*ord The Sacred Scriptures The Key that Opens the Scriptures The True Religion Free-will Repentance Regeneration Charity, Faith and Works Prayer Divine Providence Spiritual Spheres CatholicityMarriage and the Sexes The Resurrection The Rationale of SpiritSeeing Heaven its Nature, Phenomena, Laws, Societies, OccupaHell: its Nature, Duration, Deviltries, Mis tions, Happiness, Etc. The Connection of the Natural with the Spiritual World. eries, Etc.
:
mentSin
"The
Its
The Doctrine of the Cross
End
age, 2 cts., to
This volume, in paper covers, will be sent for the price of post any minister or theological student who has not
already received one, or to any

purposes.
who
desire it for missionary
FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.

BENJAMIN FISKE BARRETT,
PREACHER, WRITER, THEOLOGIAN, PHILOSOPHER.
A STUDY.
By
the author of
"The
Republic,"
"Homo
et
Canis,"
etc.
With Personal
211 pp., 5j
Recollections
by
his Children
and Extracts
from Letters from
Men
of Different Creeds.
X 7 inches.
Large type.
Fine
cloth, price,
50
cts.
SWEDENBORG PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION,

GERMANTOWN, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
THE GOLDEN
BY
311 pp
,
CITY.
Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged.

B. F.
BARRETT.
5J
X 7 inches
To
severs.
; price, 50 cts., cloth ; 25 cts., stiff pape* ministers and theological students, 35 cts., cloth ; and 20 cts., paper covers.
believe this is the most important book concerning the Its extensive Ciiurch which has been written for years. circulation in and out of the New-Church organization, would do very great good. It would tend to rescue us from the sec tarian feeling which there is but too great reason to fear has been growing upon us within a few years ; and . . would bring back our minds to clearer, more exalted and truthful con ceptions of the real nature and object of the New Dispensation." New- Church Magazine (Boston) in notice of 1st edition.
"We
New
The work will commend itself to liberal minds of every denomination for its spirit is catholic, its views comprehensive, and its temper sweet." Boston Daily Advertiser. "The work is from the real New Church stand-point, able in The Living Way. execution and catholic in spirit." This treatise is thoroughly liberal, and will undoubtedly contribute to popularizing and expanding a form of faith that The North has grown quietly without such a valuable help." American and United States Gazette (Phila.). The volume is pervaded by a large, free, and truly catholic to all who are spirit, which is likely to render it acceptable striving for unity without uniformity among Christian be
"
"
"
lievers."
"
Evening Transcript (Boston).
Mr. Barrett has written and published numerous works of great value and interest, but none, we think, of more value and The reader will rise The Golden City. service than from its perusal with a broader, more catholic, more charitable,
. .
more Christian
spirit.
.
"In a supplementary chapter Mr. Barrett has cited largelj from . from the writings of the Hon. Theophilus Parsons; which it appears that Mr. Parsons and Mr. Barrett are in com A. D. R. in New- Church Inde plete accord in their views."
pendent.
Address
SWEDENBORQ PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION,

Publications of
t/ie
Swedenborg Pub. Association.
LECTURES ON THE
unfold and
NEW
B. F.
;
elucidate the leading doctrines
DISPENSATION; designed to of the New
Church.
BY
328 pp., 5
BARRETT.
cloth-bound
;
X 7 inches
price, 60 cts.
Eleventh Edition.
CONTENTS.
I
Sketcn of the
of the
Writings and Character of Swedenborg. II. "The what it means. III. The Second Coniiug of the End Lord where and how. IV. The Sacred Scripture veiled, and the veil lifted. V. The Existence of a Spiritual Sense proved. VI. The Key to this Sense Exhibited, and its Nature Explained. VII. The Key Applied, and its Importance Exemplified. VIII. The Divine Trinity, and True Object of Worship. IX. The True Doctrine of Atonement, and Regeneration. X. The Resurrection, its Time and Nature with a Brief View of the Spiritual World. XI. Swedenborg s Intromission into the Spiritual World Explained. XII. His Intercourse with that World, and his Memorabilia.
Life,
World"
"An admirable work," says The Intellectual Repository (London), "for making one acquainted with the doctrines of the New Church [as taught by Emanuel Swedenborg]." Your book, Lectures on the New Dispensation, has awakened in me an intense interest in the revised study of the In a private letter from a minister (a stranger) to the Word."
"
author, 1886. Barrett s Lectures on the New Dispensation is a goou and useful book, which has probably led and helped more new receivers of the Heavenly Doctrines in this country than any Noble s Appeal. other single volume, except, perhaps, Report of a Committee of three Intelligent Neiochurchmen, 1867.
1
"
THE DIVINE WORD OPENED

trait
Memorial Edition, with Por
of
the Author.
J.
BY REV.
658 pp., 5J
BAYLEY.
;
X 7 inches
cloth-bound
price, $1.00
for sale
by
THE SWEDENBORQ PUBLICATION ASSOCIATION,

Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa
LETTERS ON SPIRITUAL SUBJECTS:

quiring Souls.
In
Answer
to In
BY DR. WM. H. HOLCOMBE.

405 pp., 5 \
"
X 7 inches
cloth-bound
price, 75 cts.
or three ministers in whom the new life is working death to the old forms, have been deeply moved by Dr. Hoicombe s last article; and one of them, whose name is familiar throughout this country and England, begged me to get the I have been strangely quickened, he whole series for him. said, by Dr. Holcombe s words. The only real spiritual pab This man is a leader ulum I get, comes from this direction. in a great denominational body, and the centre of one of the From a Private Letter widest movements of the present day."
Two
?ty
permission.
An
intelligent Newchurchman says : "After a careful reading of these Letters, I cannot resist the conviction that they make one of the most instructive, practical, and soul-searching volumes that has ever been given to the They exhibit with a clearness and fulness, religious world. rarely if ever equalled, the real nature of the Second Advent, and the nature of that new and higher life which the regenerate receive from the Lord."
LETTERS ON THE DIVINE TRINITY: addressed to Henry Ward Beecher. BY B. F. BARRETT. A New and Enlarged Edition. 160 pp., 4| X 7 inches large
;
_
;
type
cloth-bound
price, 50 cts.
CONTENTS.
I.
Tri-personalism and its Logical Consequences. II. Where to Look for an Image of the Divine Trinity. III. TheTriuity in Man Explained. IV. Further Evidence and Illustrations. V. Practical Bearings of the New Doctrine. VI. Scripture Confirmation Meaning of Father and Son. VII. More Scripture Testimony Meaning of the Holy SpiritConclusion. ADDENDUM. I. Historical View of Tri-personalism. II The Popular Doctrine" A Trinity that Mocks Our Ileason."
trenchant but friendly criticism of the popular doctrine of three Persons in the one true God and pre senting with clearness and force the doctrine of the Divine Trinity as now revealed, together with the Scrip tural and rational evidence in its support. SWEDENBORG PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, Address
;
THE TRUE CATHOLICISM.

Comprehensiveness of the
Revealing the Breadth and New Christian Church.
BY
177 pp., 4
B. F.
BARRETT,
Price, 30
cts.
6 inches.
CONTENTS.
I.
Different Phases of Divine Truth.
II. Basis of Christian Union. III. Ancient Ground of Church Fellowship. IV. Believers in Tripersoualism. V. Believers in Salvation by Faith Alone. VI. Further Illus
trations.
its
VII. Believers in
Modern Unitarinnism.
VIII.
Conclusion.
Drink Deadly Things with Impunity. IX. Truth not Truth with all Receivers. X. The Gentiles. XI. Unity with Diversity. XII. Catholicism of the Gospel. XIII. Truth a Means, not an End. XIV.
Some may
An
"
intelligent
its spirit,
New-Church minister
writes
Whoever has been
led to think that the real
New
Church
is
bigoted in its character, or wanting in liv ing soul-experience, has but to read attentively this little vol ume to learn how great is his mistake. . All Christendom should read the book."
. .
narrow in
vein
Other New-Church ministers have written in a similar and a probate Judge in a western district writes
;
:
have just read your True Catholicism, and consider it the crowning work of your life. There is no foundation left for my little pet notions of sectarianism. The great broad principle of charity fills the heart to overflowing, and we can and recognize fellowship the sincere believer in every land and in every denomination. Everybody should read this book. An Episcopal minister writes : have this moment finished your True Catholicism, and I wish it was in the hands of every minister of both the Old and the New Church, and of every member also. ... I ex pect to write some sermons in which I shall largely use your book. ... I am going to ask my brother of the Presbyterian I am confident it is a work he will ministry to read it. enjoy." minister in the Church of the Disciples writes I have read every word of your True Catholicism with great pleasure, and can think of no more forcible expression of the effect produced by the reading, than this I feel lifted up. I wish it could be put in the hand and heart of every preacher in the land. Could it be distributed as widely as its charity reaches, I doubt not the next Congress of Churches would urg a movement all along the line.
"I
.
"I
"
"
To
the Clergy of America:

PHILADELPHIA, August, 1900.
REV. AND DEAR SIR

fact that three of
also
The undersigned would respectfully call your attention to the Emanuel Swedenborg s most important works, White s "Life of Swedenborg," are offered free of cost,
except for postage, to the clergy of America and Theological stu dents who are studying for the ministry. Two of these books, "THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION" and
by MR. L. C. IUNGERICH, HEAVEN AND ITS WONDERS, AND of Philadelphia, and the others, AND "DIVINE LOVE AND HELL," "THE LIFE OF SWEDENBORG" TRACT AND PUBLICA CHURCH WISDOM," by "THE AMERICAN NEW Pa. TION SOCIETY," of Philadelphia, Arrangements have been of these volumes made for the distribution through the large and B. LIPPINCOTT of J. house well-known publishing COMPANY, 624 for the books Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, to whom all orders
"
THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED,
"are
"
offered
must be sent, accompanied by the postage, as follows, viz* s 20 Postage on "The True Christian Religion," 18 "The on Revealed," Apocalypse Postage Postage on "Heaven and its Wonders, and Hell," 13 10 . Postage on Life of Swedenborg," in and Divine on Love Wisdom," Postage
.
cts.
cts.
cts.
cts.
"
"
cts.
It is
works was
"Heaven
now twenty-seven years since the offer of Swedenborg s first made to the clergy of America, and already about
"The
38,587 copies of
and
its
True Christian Religion," 35,940 copies of Wonders, and Hell," 31,055 copies of "The
19,042 copies of
Apocalypse
Sweden "The Life of and Love and 532 copies of "Divine Wisdom," making borg," a total of over 125, 156 volumes which have been asked for and sent.
Revealed,"
Again respectfully asking your attention

great concern to
to
a matter of such
human
souls,
We
are,
yours most respectfully,
JULIEN SHOEMAKER, WM. McGEORGE, JR.,

Committee of Distribution.
KOUR CHURCHES.
On this earth, there have been many Churches, one after another for where the human race is given, there a church is given for heaven, which is the end of the creation, is from the human race, and no one can come into heaven unless he is in the two uuiversals of the Church, which are to acknowledge a God and to live well hence it follows, that there have been Churches on this earth from the most ancient time, down to the present. These Churches as
;
;
_o
lar ones,
sen several particu

still
which although they have receded, have
retained the
name from
the general one, as the heresies in the Christian. But the successive vastation of the Christian Church, even to its end, is described by the Lord in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, and other places ; and the consummation
itself is
described in the Apocalypse.
From
the Writings of
Emanuei Sweden-
borg.

Edward Madeley and Benjamin F Barrett THE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES ELUCIDATED The Swedenborg Publishing Association Germantown 1888

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Edward Madeley and Benjamin F Barrett THE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES ELUCIDATED The Swedenborg Publishing Association Germantown 1888

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THE

SCIENCE O~, CORRESPONDE.NOES

R.Ev. EDWARD :\JADELEY,

Por aa the han-cns are hlgher tban the

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TWE> VTY-SECOlm A.lIERICAN

GERJIIANTOWN, PA.: TITF. RWF.OENBORG

The Connecticut New Church Association,

TIIB FA!Tll OF THE XEW CffCRCJI.

"Tht> Hihle is written Crom Appenrances and C'orrcspondenccs. .

TllE SWEDENBOUO PUBL!SBIN'l ASSOCl.lTlllll.

ldolatry and Sqperstltlon

CHAPTER XIX. CHAPTER XX.

CHAPTER XIII . CHAPTF.R XI V.

of the Serpent, wlth

;Examplcg from Serlpture

667 &68 670

SCIENC E OF C ORRESPO N D ENCE&

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TilE KEY TO TlfE REA VENLY MYSTERIES.

1'BE SCIENCE OF CORRESPONDENCES.

T/IN KEY TII,t T OPE.VS TllE SCRIPTl'RE.<;.

THE SOIE.NOE OF OORIU:Sl'ONOJ.'NOES.

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REVEALS Tllf<J DIVINITY OF THE SCR/PTURES.

i almo.t, If not <1uite. Apostolic, rcads For

TIIR SCIENCE OF CORRESI'ONDRNCES.

REV.EALS Tl/F: J)/VINITY OF Tl/E SCRI,-TURES.

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