counter loss or destruction, to complain that a more brilliant illumination is not poured upon the thoroughfares which they forsake. They who love darkness will find it, though they burrow for it in the earth. Even Christianity does not make men good in spite of themselves.

Not only the principle of a progressive instruction for the race, but the actual history of that principle, as it is recorded in the Bible, illustrates the Divine Wisdom. The special interrupted the course of the ordinary at the right moment. The supernatural came when the natural had proved itself inadequate for the guidance or help of man in the midst of the difficulties which he had accumulated about himself, and when the world was in the best state of preparation to receive a messenger from Heaven. Christianity was not an accident, nor the fruit of an arbitrary decision; but the accomplishment, in the fulness of time, of the beneficent purpose which the Creator entertained when he made "the first man Adam a living soul," of leading the race along the path of experience till they should welcome that "Son of Man" who should be "a quickening spirit" to their depressed and toilworn energies. The Mosaic economy was not an episode in the history of religion, but an essential and necessary part. Judaism finds its explanation in Christianity. It was needed as a passage along which the human mind should advance from the delusions of Paganism to the convictions of Christian faith. Judaism without Christianity would be an inexplicable phenomenon. Christianity without Judaism is hardly conceivable. Moses and the Prophets came to prepare the way for Christ. Christ came when the preparation which they had made was complete. To regard the history of the Old Testament as having an interest only for the people whom it describes, seems to me not less irrational than it is foreign from the associations of the Christian Church. As a part of Divine Revelation Judaism belongs to Christianity as much as a suitable entrance belongs to a building intended for common use. Among the monuments of former periods of violence and insecurity, the traveller in Europe sometimes comes upon a lonely tower, the only access to which is by a most difficult and somewhat dangerous ascent along its perpendicular walls, by means of crevices left at intervals of painful length, till they terminate at a passage leading into the interior of the building many feet from the ground. May not this afford a not unapt illustration of the manner

in which the world must have penetrated the citadel of Christian truth, if a previous revelation had not facilitated their entrance? By difficult and almost impracticable steps must they have toiled up to the point at which they could obtain the protection that it offered from doubt and despair. How few would ever have accomplished, how few have attempted such an undertaking. Behold in the Divine instruction and supernatural facts of the Old Testament the steps by which an easy ascent was secured to the open door of Gospel salvation.

But I am tempted to wander from my subject. Yet have I not lost sight of the purpose to which I have thought this discussion should be made finally available. Its effect, if it have been properly conducted, must be to establish a tranquil and grateful faith in religion, as it extends from the fundamental truths which Nature proclaims to the closing strains of the Christian Revelation. The whole is needed. The whole should be accepted. Let no one lay rash hands on any part of the structure whose strength lies in the symmetrical adjustment of its several portions. Natural Religion cannot bring its eternal principles to bear upon human affairs without the aid of Revelation. Revelation cannot address a single appeal to the human being without adopting as its own the principles of Natural Religion. Through twenty-five centuries of the world's experience was the teaching of Nature tried, and it was found insufficient for tempted, struggling, sinful man. Through fifteen centuries more were the two great characteristics of the Jewish Law and history, to wit, the republication in a positive form of the doctrines of Natural Religion, and the introduction of a supernatural proof in favor of religion-through fifteen centuries were these, the essential points of Judaism, which constitute its permanent value, while all else that belonged to it was transitory in its nature and subsidiary in its designthrough fifteen centuries were these preparing the way for Him who should complete the instruction which it was necessary for man to receive on his way to heaven. Through eighteen centuries has Christianity, concluding and comprising all other instruction, been in the world, and though that law of the Divine Providence which rebukes human impatience by what we are apt to account the slow realization of the Divine purposes has been in force here, yet what conclusive and abundant proof has it yielded of its sufficiency for those practical ends in respect to which Natural Religion had proved its own incompleteness.

It has solved the problems whose unexplained magnitude embittered life. It has led multitudes to an elevation of character overtopping what was reached in ancient times, as much as the Andes of the Western continent the heights of Parnassus or the mountains of Lebanon. It has still kept in advance of the loftiest attainments of the wisest and best of them who have submitted to its discipline, and has shown its ability to conduct the race to a state of intellectual and moral development inferior only to our conceptions of angelic life. Such have been its effects. How much wider and deeper an action it is suited to exert upon society and humanity, it is not difficult to foresee; yet who shall be bold enough to describe? Nature and Revelation, the mightiest influences that can reach the soul of man or affect the destiny of the world, are made one in Christianity. "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

E. S. G.

LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THE HON. EMANUEL
SWEDENBORG.

It must be obvious to every reflecting mind, that the writings of an intelligent and philosophical author, must always be the bodying forth, in visible and tangible language, of his original and individual character. Hence, in estimating the character of a man, we examine and classify the acts of his life, and the result of this classification we declare to be his intellectual and moral worth. Sometimes, however, the process is reversed. Having previously ascertained the character of a man, we apply this knowledge, thus ascertained, to the explanation of some portion of his actions, which, without such a clue, might seem enigmatical, or lead us unjustly to ascribe to one cause an action that belongs manifestly to another. Thus, interpreters rely much on what they call the historical sense, that is, that meaning of a passage which is derived from a consideration of the character of an author, and the circumstances under which he lived. Who does not see, for example, how much light would be thrown upon the Iliad and the Odyssey, if there were to be discovered among the rubbish of some old library, or in the tomb of some contemporary Egyptian, a minute and authentic biography of Homer, or still more, a full and copious narrative of his personal history, with an analysis of his poems written by the author himself! What a mighty revolution would such a discovery effect in the republic of letters! How many a voluminous commentator, now culminating in the zenith of exegetical glory, would descend quietly below the horizon! How many a learned Theban, in sorrow if not in anger, would bid a mournful adieu to the results of a life of profound and sagacious research! The whole work of interpretation would be to be gone over again, and a new form of knowledge would be established on the basis of unchangeable truth. How much we need a knowledge of the character of an author, in order to interpret his writings, is then evident. And how much such a knowledge, properly applied, would facilitate progress, needs no illustration.*

* Wayland's "Dependence of Science upon Religion."

Now no one who has examined them will doubt, that the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, both his philosophical and theological, are as truly an exemplification of his character, as the Iliad is of the character of Homer. If a knowledge of the character of the author of the one would assist us to interpret his meaning, the same must be at least as true of a knowledge of the character of the other. Now a knowledge of Swedenborg's character is contained in his writings. We there have a perfect transcript of his mind, his mental and moral powers, the rules by which he governed his life, so that nothing is wanting to enable every honest and fair-minded inquirer to arrive at a just estimate of his character. Does not reason teach us, then, that the study of the works of this author should first commence with the study of the character of the author himself? And may we not anticipate, that, when this shall have been done, as great a change will take place in the progress of opinion in reference to his character, as we supposed above in the progress of interpretation, by a knowledge of the character of the author of the Iliad?

It is to enable the reader to form a just and enlightened opinion of the character of this truly most extraordinary man, that we propose to act the part of an impartial historian, and furnish an outline of his history and writings. Everything in philosophy, in science, and in religion is brought before the severe ordeal of human reason, and is received or rejected according to its correspondence with, or opposition to, the great fundamental truths of nature and of God. Old opinions, old institutions, old habits of thought, are fast going into oblivion, before the triumphant spirit of free inquiry, which has extended itself over the whole face of the Christian world. This spirit is acquiring an astonishing strength in the minds of men, and is closely interweaving itself with the constitution of states and kingdoms, and gaining an ascendency over the civil and ecclesiastical powers of the world. The human mind, restless, feverish, and unsatisfied, is turning itself upon the past, and stretching its eager gaze into the future, in the hope of obtaining a clearer information on spiritual subjects than has yet been known. Nor does this hope involve anything which is inconsistent. Of this the pious and enlightened Dr. Watts seems convinced; for in his excellent little treatise on the Improvement of the Mind, after remarking "that the