and write for the good and information of others, even to the latest posterity. "It does not exceed my own belief, and I hope it will not stagger yours, to call him the Apostle and Messenger of the New-Jerusalem Church. When I compare his writings with the written WORD of God, I find them opening the sense of it, far beyond any other. When I read them under Divine Influence, and not in my own proprium, or spirit, I read to great advantage. When I advert to their use, see them in their own light, and as connected together, and what effect they will have on the single-eyed, and the simple-hearted, and where no evil propensity is indulged, I must pronounce them of a pure and holy tendency; and without this, the Holy Scripture itself will become unholy. "When I look at the state of all Churches; at the false fire, and selfconfidence, of all parties; and consider the expectation that all seem under of a New Church, state and revolution; I cannot but think it will be found truly described in these writings; although, as to its external, the form be not particularly pointed out by the author; the Church herself being left to appoint her own mode of worship, agreeable to her perceptions of Divine Truth. "Before I gave due attention to these valuable and instructive writings of SWEDENBORG, the doctrine of universal salvation attracted my notice, and engaged my inquiries: I even collected my thoughts on that subject, and bore a public and written testimony in favor of it. Here, perhaps, I should have stayed, imagining myself on the summit and top-stone of all truth, if I had not met with this holy Seer of the New Church, and perceived a force, and a depth in his reasoning on this point, which no other writer had conveyed. "At first indeed, and from a slight and superficial reading of certain passages, I almost concluded, he favored this view, and was himself an advocate for universal restoration; at least believed, that the miseries and torments of the wicked in Hell would one day, totally cease, and never return again upon those evil and wretched beings; though Hell itself would continue, as a perpetual receptacle for new inhabitants, and be as endless as the creation, and never come to a period. This seemed to be remotely hinted at in n. 696, 699. and also in 967, of the Arcana Cœlestia, as well as in other passages that might be mentioned. But attending to them more closely, and taking them in connection with the whole tenor of his writings, and with many other particular parts of them, (besides what is specified in this letter) I find myself obliged to believe, he was no such universalist; but all along contends, that the evils and delights, the wicked live and die in, will constitute their life to endless ages; and thus, that they themselves being the forms of their own evil loves, can no more be converted into angelic forms of goodness, than evil itself can be changed into good. "Persuaded now of this, and fully satisfied of his Divine Commission, from the simplicity, the consistency, and internal evidence of his writings, with what externally hath transpired concerning him; and inpressed also with the rationality of what he says, and his true scripture arguings on this head; my former views give way to superior light, and to the more full discoveries of genuine truth in this new dispensation. I enter no further, now, on this matter. A wiser, and a better man, who had more communicated to him, on this, and on all points, than I have, or perhaps ever may, has settled this matter to my own mind: suffice it to refer to some parts of his writings, where the subject is expressly treated of. (See below.*) 66 Though I see not perfectly, and with the fullest sight, into the excellency and beauties of this great man's writings, any more than I do into the fulness and excellency of Holy Scripture itself; yet I see enough, to say they are important; enough to recommend them to the attention of all men, as highly conducive to their present and future happiness. All other views, as far as they have any truth in them, are very inferior to the light I see these in. But let all men, who are capable, judge for themselves. None indeed should judge till they have carefully examined; and then, to their own Master, they stand, or fall. "Truth is what I aim at; vital, doctrinal, practical truth. If I attain this, I am hereby made free and happy; if I obstinately miss of it, pen and ink would be exhausted, and worn out, in relating the fearful consequences. I shall always be ready, I trust, to communicate what little light I have in the things pertaining to this new kingdom; to any who may condescend to inquire of me, from good and right motives. I would be the servant of all; and the lowest, and least of all. "As to any public service, and ministration, I may yet be capable of, it seems proper it should be where I can most usefully and conscientiously perform them. I can have no objection to preach, and declare my present faith and sentiments, whenever it is permitted in the ears of the Established Church, in which I was bred and born, and for some time faithfully served. But as it appears evident to me, that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the One God of Heaven and Earth, is not the sole object of her worship, it being directed to one person for the sake of another, I cannot in conscience conform to any human institutions that I believe contrary to the genuine sense of Holy Scripture: it therefore becomes me to worship, where I can do it agreeable to the persuasion and dictates of my own mind, (for nothing else is * Passages in different parts of SWEDENBORG's writings, in direct opposition to the doctrine of universal restitution. Arcana Calestia, n. 7541, 8700, 8765, 10749. True Christ. Religion, n. 58, 79, 720. Heaven and Hell, n. 477, 480, 524, 527, 595. Ang. Wisd..on Div. Love, n. 262, 268. Divine Providence, n. 17, 99, 277, 278, 294, 319, 326, 329, 338. Last Judgment, n. 25. Brief Exposition, n. 110. Apocalypsis Revelata, n. 864. Apocalypsis Explicata, n. 383, 745, 837, 791, 1164, 1220. true worship) and there to publish, and make known, what now, for some time, has appeared to me the excellency and fulness of the gospel of Christ.My views, I hope, are far from being sectarian, or confined to a party. The dispensation I see into, is catholic and general; and so, I trust, will my spirit and conduct be. It is with regret I retire from a church, which I have much reason to respect, and speak well of, for her candor, moderation, and tolerating spirit; but who can, or will, justly blame (at least in the other world, if they do in this) an honest person, for acting honestly, and consistently with the best light and conviction of his own mind, in submission to the revealed WORD, and just judgment of God? "Let me now commend you to the care and keeping of the only wise God, our Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom I am, faithfully and affectionately, yours, FRANCIS LEICESTER. "London, Dec. 1790." THE PROGRESS OF TRUTH. It is the presumption of many an ignorant mind, not well affected to goodness, that the majority of the receivers of theological doctrine is a considerable test of its truth; but the reverse of this is self-evidently true. It is generally agreed, that truth, as well as goodness, is a divine thing-a pearl of inestimable value. It is equally atlowed, that we are naturally averse to every thing spiritual, truth and good, and that this therefore is the reason why it is so commonly and truly said, The whole world lieth in wickedness, there is none that doeth good, etc. for narrow is the way that leadeth unto heaven, and comparatively few there be who find it; and men love the darkness of error rather than the divine light of truth, because their deeds are evil. This also is the very reason why the New Jerusalem doctrine is not so much attended to, even as the heresies and blasphemies of Arians, Deists, and Socinians. The true religion is overlooked, nay, wilfully despised, because there be comparatively few who receive it for its own sake. It is totally foreign to the purpose, to object with a sneer, Are the members of your New Church good men, or better men than others? That is not the argument in question. Let the greatest enemies to the truth read our doctrines, which are summarily comprised in a very small compass, and we now challenge them to gainsay what some of them have already conceded, that the tendency of our divine religion is plainly to inculcate the simple unity of God our Saviour, and a life of obedience to his commandments. These are the two foundation principles, which it is our unspeakable honor to assume and establish, as the very soul which enters into all our theology. But even those who seem earnest and sincere in practical religion, amongst the numerous men in the Old Church, even these shut their eyes, and harden their hearts, lest they shall be converted to the truth of Christ. In consequence of my assurance that no Christian could fairly examine the credentials and doctrines of SWEDENBORG without receiving him, etc. one of them immediately said, with glorious zeal and ignorance, Ah, then, if they are such dangerous books, I would never VOL. II. No. 3. 66 16 read them!" Though this is a particular anecdote, I fear the sentiment is but too general, even among so many professed, candid, impartial, and learned inquirers in the Old Church, as we now have. On these important considerations, let me sacredly and solemnly persuade those well-meaning men in the Old Church, (for without a good disposition of mind, they will never comprehend our views, or be able to receive our doctrines) let those, I say, who inconsistently think that the criterion of such a divine thing as truth lies in the majority of recipients among those, who are all, according to their own notious, naturally prone to evil and error, and opposite to God and goodness; let them once prevail upon their prejudices to subside, while they examine this new, this unheard-of religion, which so few receive, but which, by-the-way, is as old as the creation, and is embraced by every angel in the innumerable societies of heaven, as well as by thousands of good and unprejudiced men on earth. In a word, let all be ready to suspect their own uprightness of intention, the more because of their natural opposition to this glorious dispensation. Taking their bible and prayers to God for direction, let them compel themselves to examine the credentials of our inspired SWEDENBORG if it were only because he is so much derided by a corrupt and dege nerate world. N. J. J. DIVINE BLESSINGS. We have lately met with a sermon which has peculiarly arrestedour attention for its correctness of thought, and beautiful simplicity of style. It was preached by Mr. SIBLY, minister of the New-Jerusalem Church, in Fryars-street Chapel, Black Fryars, London, from the following words, in the twenty-fourth verse of the sixth chapter of Numbers: "The Lord bless thee." After proving that the good things of this life are not blessings, except to those who exercise them to the good of their neighbor, he proceeds to describe what may be denominated real and substantial blessings, as the primary of which he first mentions the riches of spiritual and heavenly good. After dwelling with some considerable emphasis upon this point, he thus proceeds: "Another, and second particular of real blessedness, which the Lord bestows only on his faithful sons and daughters, is the causing them to become fruitful from the spiritual affection of truth. "With respect to the attainment of the affection of truth, it cannot be accomplished without a re-action on the part of man, as well as action on the part of the Lord; but the fructification flowing from and consequent upon the affection of truth, is of the Lord alone. "The affection of truth is qualified according to the motive whence it is received; if truths are only received from a natural motive which springs from the loves of self and the world, and they are made use of for the same ends, then the mind is only inspired with a natu, ral affection: but if truth is received from a spiritual and heavenly motive-from a desire of knowing and possessing the knowledge and understanding of the real and genuine truths and facts, relating to a heavenly state and a spiritual world, and when known, the life is bended according to the illumination of the mind into truth, then the man attains to and is gifted with a spiritual affection of truth. In the attainment of this spiritual affection of truth, the Lord acts by means of the inspirations of the good angels and spirits who are with man; the man, at the same time, re-acting from the Lord, in putting the knowledges of the truths, (into which he has become illuminated from the Lord, by means of the WORD) into practice; in proportion as we persevere in this course, endeavoring, with our present faculties, to know, to understand, to will, and to act, agreeably to our light received from the holy WORD, which is from the Lord himself, (the holy Scriptures being the Lord himself in his divine proceeding with men)-as we persevere in this circle of life, the Lord causes to fructify in the goods of love and charity-of love into himself, and of charity towards our neighbor, in a continual increase, and herewith, in the pure joys and unfading felicities of HIS Heaven. "If we may so represent it, this circle of life, with the Lord's faithful, is ever continued in a spiral form, and in every round of the circle we advance and become more elevated towards the Lord, whence the fructification first commences, by whom it continues, and from whom alone is all its increase; consequently, the nearer we approach the Lord, the greater portion of his divine love is enjoyed, and the greater is the fulness of heavenly felicity, agreeably to those words of the psalmist, "In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures forevermore." "In the third place, to be blessed by the Lord, is, to be disposed into Heavenly order. This is a work in and with men, of the Lord alone, therefore a real blessing; a blessing which includes in it the work of regeneration, and of reducing the man to an image and likeness of himself. "Man, as naturally born into the world, is opposed to the order of Heaven; for those loves, which are altogether opposite to the order of Heaven, form his head and his body, whilst all things of a Heavenly and spiritual nature are at his feet, or placed beneath them. With the natural and unregenerate man, the loves of self form the head, because he is supremely captivated with himself; self is the charming idol he adores. The love of the world constitutes the body, and the love of his neighbor and the Lord, the legs and the feet. Hence, the natural man, in this inverted order, instead of being an image and likeness of the Lord, is an image and likeness of hell. We must be inverted from this order to receive the blessings we have before enumerated-to be enriched from the Lord with spiritual and Heavenly good, and to become fruitful from the affection of spiritual truth. To invert this order, and to cause that those things which now form the feet, should be elevated to, and form the head of the spiritual frame, is of the Lord alone; but it is absolutely necessary while we so teach, (that this inversion of our state, thus the regeneration of our nature, is of the Lord alone,) we also inculcate and declare the necessary work be done on man's part, without which the Lord can in no wise ac÷ |