Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

By reason of this internal sense, Swedenborg observes again,— "The Word is like a garden, which may be called a heavenly paradise, containing delicacies and delights of every kind; delicacies of fruits and delights of flowers, in the midst of which are trees of life, and beside them fountains of living water, and forest trees round about the garden. Whosoever, being instructed by doctrine, is principled in divine truth, is in the midst of the garden amongst the trees of life, and in the actual enjoyment of its delicacies and delights.”—(96.)

So constant, so copious, so minute, and so full, are Swedenborg's unfoldings of the internal sense of the Word, that when any one attempts to instruct us respecting his views and principles, and yet at the same time informs us, as Mr. Grant does, that it is difficult to state precisely what is meant by the internal sense which is founded on what is called the "science of correspondences,"-we can only say, with all due respect, It is perfectly manifest that you are unacquainted with the first principles of the system in question, and therefore entirely incompetent to form a just judgment.

Here we might fairly rest, but we pass on to further illustrations of the same view of this critique afforded by the paper itself. The reviewer, in relation to one of the reasons given by Swedenborg why the spiritual sense of the Word was not revealed before, namely, that the Church would have profaned it, remarks--" But do not the churches even now profane these illuminations?" from which it is clear that he is not aware of the meaning of profanation as used by Swedenborg, which signifies, not opposing and rejecting, as Mr. Grant's remarks imply, but first receiving and then applying it to the confirmation of some evil or error.

"No man thus profanes things holy who doth not know them; for he who doth not know them, cannot acknowledge them and afterwards deny them. But they profane things holy, by mixing them with what is profane, who first receive and acknowledge them and afterwards depart from them and deny them."—(D.P. 228.) It is in this sense, of which Mr. Grant was manifestly unaware, that Swedenborg observes concerning the period since the Reformation"Men began to divide faith from charity, and to worship God under three persons, consequently three Gods, whom they yet conceive to be one; therefore at that time, heavenly truths were concealed from them, for if they had been discovered, they would have been falsified, and would have been abused, to the confirmation of faith alone, without being applied to charity and love; and thus men would have closed heaven against themselves."-(S. S. 24.)

In equal error is the reviewer, when he declares

"There is a difference of opinion as to which books are blessed with a double sense the plenary inspired books of the Old Testament, as given by Mr. Madeley, are those included in the enumeration of our Lord, the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, as the fully inspired books of the Old Testament; whereas

Swedenborg, as quoted in the Appendix of the same book, enumerates also the Book of Joshua, of Judges, the two Books of Samuel, and the two Books of Kings. Mr. Madeley assuredly was not aware of any such difference of opinion between himself and Swedenborg, else he would not have enumerated and remarked upon the books in the Protestant Canonical Bible which have only a secondary degree of inspiration, leaving for the plenarily inspired exactly the same books as Swedenborg enumerates."-(See Appendix, 3.)

He was aware, no doubt, that under the head "prophets" were included by the Jews those historical books which were compiled by the prophets, as the two books of Samuel, the two books of Kings, the book of Joshua, and of Judges; and he was further aware by actual experience, that they do contain an internal sense in a series, and therefore are of right acknowledged by Swedenborg himself, and by the Jewish canon, to be the Word of God.

It is far from proved, then, that there is any difference of opinion in the New Church respecting which books are really those of the Divine Word; it is only proved that the reviewer came to a hasty and incorrect conclusion. The Science of Correspondences enables the New Churchman to perceive certainly which books are written in the divine style, which have a spiritual sense in an orderly and connected series, and which have not. We can therefore repeat with calm sincerity the observation offered sarcastically by the reviewer,-"This surely is a most infallible science of interpretation, which decides both what the Word means, and also, which is the Word."

In the Old Church, where no certain rule exists, and where no certain reason exists for the uncertain rule acknowledged by some and doubted by others, no universally received canon of Scripture has been admitted, or can be admitted. But in the New Church, the privilege of perceiving and feeling assured that the Word of God has a distinct and peculiar divine glory above all other compositions, is one of the many blessings vouchsafed by Infinite Mercy. "It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes."

There is a painful impression received by reading Mr. Grant's paper, that in any real sense of the expression he does not acknowledge

the Old Testament to be the Word of God at all.

He remarks,

"We are nowhere told that the Scriptures in any part are inspired to the very letter, much less, that other parts are inspired in an inferior degree; nor is it likely that the historical parts of the books of Moses, are, as a whole, from divine dictation to the letter, since Moses would want no inspiration to write his own history; though he required and had divine guidance for his conduct and administration."

Mr. Grant here denies that the Scriptures are inspired to the letter, and he repeats this denial, especially in relation to the historical books of Moses; and as he denies the existence of any spiritual sense, I do not well see how Mr. Grant can be understood otherwise than as denying the inspiration of the books of Moses altogether. To say, as Mr. Grant does, that Moses had divine guidance in his administration, is no improvement in the case; the question is, not whether Moses was inspired, but, whether the Scriptures are inspired, and especially, are those parts of Scripture which were written by the instrumentality of Moses, the inspired Word of God or not? Mr. Grant evidently says, Not. 'Moses (he declares) would want no inspiration to record his own history." If this be the true version of the matter, infidels need not dispute with Mr. Grant as to the five books of Moses; at least, he confesses what infidels contend for! There was no inspiration in their composition. They are, therefore, not the Word of God.

[ocr errors]

(To be concluded in our next.)

REVIEW.

THE CHURCHES FOR THE TIMES, AND THE PREACHERS FOR THE PEOPLE; or, The Bible, the Churches as they were, as they are, and as they ought to be." By the Rev. W. FERGUSON, Bicester, Oxon. pp. 308. Green, Paternoster Row; Freeman, Fleet-street. WE have in this bold, manly, and candidly written work, another of those evidences we are continually meeting with, of the truth so ably contended for by the Rev. A. Clissold, that the End of the Church has arrived. A minister of the Independent connection comes forward in a Christian, kindly spirit, and fearless of consequences, condemns the whole system of "the Churches as they are," enters largely and minutely into his subject, and points out the way to what he conceives to be "the Churches as they ought to be."

His remarks bear principally upon the deadness of true religious feelings-upon the carelessness of both pastor and people to active exertions in church duties—and he finds great fault with the whole machinery of church government. But although he does not see so clearly as we should wish that the external faults of the "Churches as they are" must arise from deep-seated internals, yet we think we can discover several instances of his having been imbued with superior views than those generally possessed by congregational ministers. And we cannot be far out in our opinion that the source of these glimpses of latter day glory" are the New Church writings, as, after enumerating the principal sections of the Christian Church, including his own, for the avowed purpose of shewing where their defects lie, which he does in a masterly manner, he comes lastly to the New Church, and contents himself with this simple critique:-"The Swedenborgians are, in general, an intelligent people, and anxious to live in charity with all Christian N. S. No. 164.-VOL. XIV.

66

2 s

denominations." Our friends will take it as no mean compliment, that after being arraigned with the other delinquents, we are dismissed in such a complimentary manner.

The work is interspersed with a vast number of passages interesting to our readers, but space will not allow us to give more than a few :

:

"We are fully persuaded in our own mind that the time has fully come when all religious parties, both in Europe and America, should stand and enquire for the good old way of primitive Christianity, and walk in it, that they may find rest to their souls. Apparent religious prosperity is not always a proof of real and natural prosperity. The churches, as a whole, are now a valley of dry bones. They now resemble a widow, dressed in melancholy mourning weeds, allied with false philosophy, and dark and degrading dogmas; and present an appearance very unlike their radiant, cheerful, and joyful expression in the Apostolic age."—p. 66.

* * *

"O that all sects and parties would return, in the spirit of the early Christians, to Apostolic doctrines and church government; and practice that form of Christianity which leads its possessors to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God. To be in harmony with all that is celestial, and in sympathy with universal humanity, in her longings after freedom and happiness, is the privilege of every New Testament Christian.”—p. 110.

"It is a significant fact, that the various religious denominations of this country are neither respected nor followed by the great bulk of the population. An educated ministry, and the other subordinate agents at work, have failed in their efforts to lead society in any great numbers to Christ through the medium of divine truth."-p. 125.

"Many of the hymns sung in congregational and other places of worship are certainly out of date, and ought not to be used as mediums of singing God's praises. Vengeance and damnation lie

On rebels who refuse the grace,'

are not fit words to be employed in praising God. 'Sprinkling the flaming throne,' and 'turning wrath to grace,' and such like expressions, are not true either in poetry or prose. But while such language is unfit for the praises of God, its continued use is calculated to give ignorant persons a very erroneous idea of the character of the Divine Being."-p. 165.

"All parties would do well to bear in mind, that society is rapidly advancing, and leaving, not only the Established Church, but also the Dissenting parties, who have for many years been the leaders of the Non-conformists, behind them; and it is self-evident to us, that those whose religious polity will not be found in harmony with the demands of the coming age, and in sympathy with the struggling and alienated masses, will be rejected as religious leaders, and practically pronounced as nothing better than cumberers of the ground."-p. 193. "It would require a course of study to understand the technology in which some ministers conceal the gospel from their hearers. The sad consequence is, that the form of godliness has been substituted for its all-transforming power, and the necessity of good works, as the visible manifestation of the healthy state of the inner life, has been lost sight of in the crowd of creeds. Faith without works is, at this moment, the popular creed of tens of thousands of professing Protestants."-p. 260.

We think the above are sufficient evidences that the leaven is at work; and the appearance of this appeal should be a cause for rejoicing that, whilst the Lord's New Church is apparently confined to a few, yet the real truth is, it is spreading rapidly through society. May our intelligent Brother be spared to drink more deeply still from the spring of Divine Truth, and live to see mighty effects follow his candid and bold exposure of "the Churches as they are."

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE SWEDENBORG

PRINTING SOCIETY.

On the 21st of June last, the Fortyfourth Annual General Meeting of the Society for Printing and Publishing the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, was held at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen street

The meeting, which generally brings together some of the oldest living members of the Church, who appear on few other occasions, was tolerably well attended, and the greatest cordiality prevailed. After the routine business of the day, and the reading of a very interesting report by Mr. W. Wilkinson, the Secretary of the Society, thirtythree gentlemen sat down to dinner, at which Dr. Spurgin presided as chairman, with his usual warm-hearted urbanity of manner, so well calculated to give an appropriate tone to such an occasion. After grace had been said before and after meat, by Messrs. Shaw and Bruce, the chairman addressed the meeting at considerable length and in an excellent spirit, on the "cause they had met to promote," and in considering the prospects of the church, turned the attention of the meeting to the labours of our brethren in the cause in foreign countries and more particularly to those of Dr. Tafel in Germany, and M. Le Boys des Guays in France, whereupon Mr. J. G. Wilkinson gave an interesting account of the New Church in some of its foreign relations at the present day-more particularly in Sweden. At the conclusion of his remarks, M. Bayot rose, and the appearance of this gentleman amongst us, who was formerly a Roman Catholic priest, as well as his description of the present state of the Romish Church in France, constituted a feature of peculiar interest in the proceedings of the evening. M. Bayot addressed the meeting in English, and as the representative of his countrymen, commenced by thanking the members of the New Church in England, through those present, for the liberal subscription given in aid of the labours of M. Le Boys de Guays, and predicted the most important consequences to the French people as its probable result in after-times. His narration of the causes which have alien

ated the mass of the French people from the church now politically dominant, contained information probably so new to the bulk of the New Church members in this country, that it has been thought useful to send it for the general perusal of the readers of the Repository. In its usual course, the subject of the Ministers and Missionaries of the New Church came before the meeting, upon which Mr. Shaw, in an able and emphatic speech, took a review of the discouragements in and out of the church, which attended their labours, viewing all things nevertheless as part and parcel of that necessary stage of preparation through which the Lord's providence was working ever more manifestly, to usher in the glorious church of the future. Mr. Finch then addressed the meeting; and, apparently with feelings of increased confidence in the divine providence, their cause, and each other, the members at a little after ten o'clock concluded a very agreeable evening.

ADDRESS OF M. BAYOT, FORMERLY ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, AT THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE SWEDENBORG PRINTING SOCIETY.

I have much pleasure in believing that your committee has rightly inter preted your feelings in deciding to invite a foreigner like myself, known to you only by his attachment to the heavenly doctrines of our Lord's New Church, that he might be a partaker in those pure sentiments of happiness with which you may well be animated when celebrating the foundation of this society.

As far as I can read my own heart, am doubly gratified by this invitation; feeling it a proof of the fraternal regard with which you have honoured me. But the honour you have done me, Gentlemen, brings with it a duty which I should ill fulfil were I to treat your kindness simply as a personal favour. If I do not deceive myself, you have desired to see me among you because I represent those brethren of the New Church in my own country, in whom you have lately manifested so great an interest, to whom you have extended so substantial a proof of your sympathy, and concerning whose actual state and

« AnteriorContinuar »