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

hope of new discoveries, as well as the satisfaction of known truths, should animate our daily industry," and "that we should never despair finding out that which has never yet been found," in the natural sciences, he makes the following observation: "Nor should a student in divinity imagine that our age is arrived at a full understanding of everything which can be known by the Scriptures. Every age since the Reformation hath thrown some further light on difficult texts and paragraphs of the Bible, which have been long obscured by the early rise of Antichrist; and since there are at present many difficulties and darknesses hanging about certain truths of the Christian religion; and since several of these relate to important doctrines, which do still embarrass the minds of honest and inquiring readers, and which make work for noisy controversy; it is certain there are several things in the Bible yet unknown, and not sufficiently explained; and it is certain there is some way to solve these difficulties, and to reconcile these seeming contradictions. And why may not a sincere searcher of truth, in the present age, by labor, diligence, study, and prayer, with the best use of his reasoning powers, find out the proper solution of these knots and perplexities, which have hitherto been unsolved, and which have afforded matter for angry quarrelling? Happy is the man who shall be favored of heaven to give a helping hand towards the introduction of the blessed age of light and love."

Such, then, being the condition of the human mind, let us see whether there is anything in the character and writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, to give him credibility, as a philosopher and theologian, in the estimation of mankind, and to encourage and justify them in directing their attention to his works, with the expectation of obtaining therefrom any new light on the hitherto dark and insolvable mysteries of nature and of revela

tion.

Emanuel Swedenborg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, Jan. 29, 1688. His grandfather was a Miner at Fahlun. His father, Jesper Swedberg, was born in 1653; was bishop of Skara, in West Gothland; a member of the Society for the propagation of the Gospel, formed on the plan of that in England; and president of the Swedish churches in England and America. He is represented as a man of learning and abilities, and of an amiable private character. He was ennobled in 1719,