A Treatise on the Divine Trinity
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A
TREATISE
ON
THE DIVINE TRINITY,
TOGETHER WITH
AN ACCOUNT OF WONDERFUL THINGS
SEEN IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
EXTRACTED FROM
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION,
CONTAINING
THE UNIVERSAL THEOLOGY OF THE NEW CHURCH
BY EMANUEL SWEDENBORG,
SERVANT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED FOR WILLIAM SCHLATTER.
LYDIA B. BAILEY, PRINTER.
1817=61.
"Jesus said: Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Me." John v. 39.
"Verily verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life." John vi. 47.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." John xiv. 6.
"I and my Father are One." John x. 30.
EXTRACT
FROM
THE UNIVERSAL THEOLOGY OF THE NEW CHURCH,
BY THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.
Of the Divine Trinity.
I. That there is a divine trinity, consisting of father, son, and holy ghost.
That there is a divine trinity, consisting of father, son, and holy ghost, is manifestly declared in the word, and particularly in these passages, The angel said unto Mary, the holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, wherefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God, Luke i. 35. Here mention is made of three, viz. the highest, (who is God the father) the holy ghost, and the son of God; When Jesus was baptized, lo! the heavens were opened, and John saw the holy ghost descending like a dove, and lighting upon him, and lo! a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased, Matt. iii. 16, 17. Mark i. 10, 11. John i. 32. It is still more evidently declared in these words of the Lord to his disciples, Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost, Matt, xxviii. 19. And in these words of John, There are three that bear witness in heaven, the father, the word, and the holy ghost, 1st Epist. Chap. v. 7. To this may be added the farther evidence arising from the circumstance of our Lord's praying to his father, and speaking of him, and with him, and declaring that he would send the holy ghost, which also he did. The apostles also, in their epistles, make frequent mention of the father, the son, and the holy ghost. Hence then it is evident that there is a divine trinity, consisting of father, son, and holy ghost.
But in what sense this trinity is to be understood, whether as consisting of three Gods, who in essence, and consequently in name, are one God; or three[1] objects of one subject, and thus only the qualities, or attributes, of one God, which are so expressed; or whether it is to be understood in some other sense, human reason, if left to itself, can by no means discern. What then is man to do, or where is he to ask counsel in a point so intricate? There is no other possible help for him, but to go to the Lord God the Saviour, and read the word under his influence, inasmuch as he is the God of the word; and then his understanding will be enlightened, and he will see truths which his reason also will consent to. But in case, O man! thou dost not go to the Lord, although thou shouldest read the word a thousand times over, and shouldest discern therein both a divine trinity and unity, yet in vain wilt thou hope to see the trinity in any other light than as consisting of three divine persons, each whereof singly and by himself is God, and thus as containing three Gods. Such doctrine however is plainly repugnant to the common perception of all men throughout the universe, and therefore its advocates, to avoid the imputation of folly, take refuge in this device, viz. that although in reality there are three Gods, yet faith requires, that they should not be called three Gods, but one; and farther, to guard against the aspersions of censure, they give out, that the understanding, in this case particularly, should be put in chains, and kept bound under obedience to faith. The production of such a paralytic birth was a consequence of not reading the word under the Lord's influence; for whosoever doth not read it under his influence, readeth it under the influence of his own understanding, which is like a bird of night in relation to things that are in spiritual light, as are all the essentials of the church. When therefore a man, under the influence of his own understanding, readeth those passages in the word which relate to the trinity, and thence conceiveth, that notwithstanding there are three, yet still those three are one, this appeareth to him like one of those dark answers that were wont to be given by the oracles of old, which because he doth not understand, he mumbles it in his mouth, instead of placing it directly before his eyes; for if he should take such a direct view of it, it would be like a riddle, which the more he desires to unfold, so much the more it would puzzle and confuse him, till at last he would begin to think of it without understanding, which is the same thing as to pretend to see without an eye. In short, to read the word under the influence of our own understanding only, which is the case with all those who do not acknowledge the Lord to be the God of heaven and earth, and in consequeuce of such acknowledgment approach, and worship him alone, may be likened unto a common pastime amongst children, when they tie a handkerchief before their eyes, and attempt to walk in a straight line, and even fancy that, they do walk straight, and yet, notwithstanding, decline gradually either to the right, or left, and at length bend into a direction opposite to that in which they set out, till they stumble upon some stone, or other in the way, and fall to the ground. Such persons also may be compared with mariners sailing without a compass, the consequence of which is, that they let the vessel drive upon rocks and sands, and are shipwrecked. They are also like a man walking over a wide plain in the dark, who seeth a scorpion, and fancieth it to be a bird, and goeth to catch it, and take it up in his hand, and doth not discover his mistake till he is pierced with its deadly sting. They may likewise be compared with a cormorant, or a kite, spying a small part of a fish's back above the surface of the water, to which they instantly fly, and fix their beaks so fast therein, that they are pulled over head by the fish, and drowned. They are also like a person who enters into a labyrinth, without either a guide or a thread for his direction, the consequence of which is, that the farther he penetrates, the more he is at a loss to find his way out again. In fine, the man who readeth the word, not under the Lord's influence, but under the influence of his own understanding, fancieth himself to be as quick-sighted as a lynx, and to have more eyes than Argus, when yet interiorly he does not discern a single truth, but only what is false, and persuading himself that this is truth, it appears to him like the polar star, by which he steereth, and to which he directeth all the sails of thought and conception, till at length he hath no more discernment of truth than a mole, and what he doth discern he bendeth in favour of his own fancy, whereby he perverteth, and falsifieth the holy things of the word.
There are general, and also particular essentials of every one thing, which all together constitute one essence. The general essentials of every one man are his soul, body, and operation; and that these constitute one essence is evident from this circumstance, that one existeth by derivation from the other, and for the sake of the other, in a continued series; for man hath his beginning from the soul, which is the very essence of the seed, and which is not only the initiating, but also the producing cause of all the parts of the body in their respective order, and afterwards of all acts proceeding from the soul and body united, which are called operations; wherefore from this circumstance of the production of one from another, and their consequent insertion, and conjunction one with another, it is evident that these three are of one essence, and therefore they are called three essentials.
That these three essentials, viz. soul, body, and operation, did, and do exist in the Lord God the Saviour, is universally acknowledged. That his soul was from Jehovah the father can only be denied by antichrist, for in the word of both the new and old testament he is called the son of Jehovah, the son of the most high God, the only-begotten; wherefore the divinity of the father, answering to the soul in man, is his first essential. That the son, who was born of the mother Mary, is the body of that divine soul, is a consequence of that birth, inasmuch as nothing is provided in the womb of the mother except a body, conceived by, and derived from the soul; this therefore is a second essential. That operations constitute a third essential is a consequence of their proceeding from soul and body together; for the things that proceed are of the same essence with the things from whence they proceed. That the three essentials which are father, son, and holy ghost, are one in the Lord, like soul, body, and operation in man, is evident from the words of the Lord, declaring, that he and the father are one, and that the father is in him, and he in the father; and that in like manner he and the holy ghost are one, inasmuch as the holy ghost is the divine-proceeding out of the Lord from the father, as was shewn above, No. 153, 154, by so many quotations from the word, that to prove it again would be superfluous, and like loading a table with food, when men have satisfied their appetites.
When it is said that father, son, and holy ghost are three essentials of one God, it appears to human reason as if those three essentials were three distinct persons, which yet cannot possibly be true; but when it is understood that the divinity of the father, which constituteth the soul, and the divinity of the son, which constituteth the body, and the divinity of the holy ghost, or the divine-proceeding, which constituteth operation, are three essentials of one God, this the understanding can apprehend. For there is a peculiar divinity of nature in God the father, in the son derived from the father, and in the holy ghost proceeding from both, which being of the same essence, and the same mind, constitute together one God. But if those three divine natures are called persons, and have each of them their particular attributes allotted them, as when imputation is ascribed to the father, mediation to the son, and operation to the holy ghost, in this case the divine essence is divided, which yet is one, and individual, and thus none of the three is God in perfect fulness, but each in subtriplicate power, which is a conceit that every sober and sensible man must of necessity reject.
How plain therefore is it to discern a trinity in the Lord by a trinity discernible in every individual man! For in every individual man there is a soul, a body, and operation; and so it is also with respect to the Lord, inasmuch as in him, as Paul saith, dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily, Coloss. ii. 9. Wherefore the trinity in the Lord is divine, but in man it is human. How plain also is it to see, that in this mystery, representing three divine persons, and yet but one God, and this one God not as one person; reason hath nothing to do, but is lulled to sleep, still compelling the mouth to speak like a parrot without meaning! And when reason is laid asleep, what are the words of the mouth but lifeless and inanimate things? Or when the mouth speaketh what the reason contradicteth, what are such words but the offspring of folly and infatuation? At this day, with respect to the divine trinity, human reason is bound, like a man tied hand and foot in a prison, and may be compared to a vestal virgin buried alive, for letting out the sacred fire; when nevertheless a divine trinity ought to shine like a lamp in the mind of every member of the church, since God in his trinity, and in his unity, is all in all in every thing that is holy either in heaven or the church. But to make one God of the soul, another of the body, and a third of the operation, what is this but like forming three distinct parts out of the three essentials of one man, which is to behead, and murder him?
In the Christian church, at this day, a divine trinity is acknowledged as existing before the creation of the world, according to which acknowledgment it is supposed, that Jehovah God begat a son from eternity, and that at the same time the holy ghost proceeded from both, and that each of these three singly, or by himself, is God, inasmuch as each is one person subsisting of himself. But this belief, being incomprehensible to reason, is called a mystery, to which there is no other key save this, that those three partake of one divine essence, by which is understood eternity, immensity, omnipotence, and in consequence thereof an equality of divinity, glory, and majesty. That this trinity however is a trinity of three Gods, and therefore not a divine trinity, will be proved hereafter; but that a trinity, consisting of father, son, and holy ghost, which was provided, and made, after God's incarnation, consequently after the creation of the world, is a divine trinity, inasmuch as it existeth in one God, is evident from all that hath been said above. The reason why this divine trinity existeth in the Lord God, the redeemer and saviour Jesus Christ, is, because the three essentials, of one God, which constitute one essence, are in him. That in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead, according to Paul, is evident also from the Lord's own words, where he saith, that all that the father hath is his, and that the holy ghost doth not speak of himself, but from him; and also from this circumstance, that at his resurrection he took with him from the sepulchre his whole human body entire, both as to flesh and bones, Matt, xxviii. 1, to 8. Mark, xvi. 5, 6. Luke xxiv. 1, 2, 3, John xx. 11, to 15, contrary to the manner of other men; which also he testified openly to his disciples, saying, Behold my hands and feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have, Luke xxiv. 39. From hence every man may be convinced, if he be so disposed, that the humanity of the Lord is divine, and consequently that in him God is man, and man is God.
The trinity which the present Christian church embraceth, and admitteth into its articles of faith, is, that God the father begat a son from eternity, and that then the holy ghost proceeded from both, and that each by himself is God. Of this trinity no other possible conception can be formed in the minds of men, than as of a triarchy, or as of the government of three kings in one kingdom, or three generals over one army, or three masters in one house, each of whom hath equal power; the certain consequence of which must be ruin and destruction. And should any one be desirous to sketch out the form or figure of such a triarchy in his imagination, he must be obliged to represent it to his fancy like a man with three heads upon one body, or with three bodies under one head; which monstrous image is nevertheless formed in the imagination of those, who believe in three divine persons, and that each by himself is God, and join these together as one God, and yet deny that God, notwithstanding his unity, is one person. This notion concerning the birth of the son of God from eternity, and that this son descended, and assumed the humanity, may be compared with the fabulous stories amongst the ancients, concerning the creation of human souls at the beginning of the world, and their entering into bodies, and becoming men; and likewise with those ridiculous conceits, that the soul of one person passeth into another, as many in the Jewish church believed, fancying that the soul of Elias had passed into the body of John the Baptist, and that David would return into his own body, or that of some other person, and reign over Israel and Judah, because it is said in Ezekiel, I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David, and he shall be their shepherd, and I Jehovah will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them, Chap, xxxiv. 23, 24. And in other places; not discerning that by David there is meant the Lord.
That a trinity of divine persons existing from eternity is a trinity of Gods, appears evidently from these passages in the Athanasian creed, There is one person of the father, another of the son, and another of the holy ghost; the father is God and Lord, the son is God and Lord, and the holy ghost is God and Lord; nevertheless there are not three Gods, or three Lords, but one God, and one Lord; for as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords. This creed is received as œcumenical, or universal, by the whole Christian church, and from it is derived all that at this day is known and acknowledged concerning God. Every one who readeth this creed with his eyes open may perceive, that a trinity of Gods was the only trinity thought of by those who composed the council of Nice, whence this creed, as a posthumous birth, was first introduced into the church. That a trinity of Gods was not only thought of by the members of the Nicene council, but that the same trinity is still received throughout all Christendom, is a necessary consequence of making that creed the standard of knowledge respecting God, to which every one pays an implicit obedience. I appeal to every one, both layman and clergyman, both learned masters and doctors, and also consecrated bishops and archbishops, nay, even to purple cardinals, and the Roman pontiff himself, whether any other trinity than a trinity of Gods be at this day received throughout Christendom: let each examine himself, and then profess his sentiments openly according to the ideas of his own mind; for from the words of this generally received doctrine concerning God, it is as clear and transparent to the sight, as water in a cup of chrystal, that there are three persons, each whereof is Lord and God; and also, that according to Christian verity men ought to confess, or acknowledge, each person singly to be God, and Lord. but that religion, or the catholic, or christian faith forbids to say, and make mention of three Gods, and three Lords; and thus that verity, and religion, or truth, and faith, are not one and the same thing, but two different things in a state of contrariety to each other. It is asserted indeed that there are not three Gods, and three Lords, but one God, and one Lord; but this assertion was plainly added to obviate the censures of mankind, and to prevent their being exposed to the derision of the whole world; for who can forbear derision on hearing of three Gods? And who doth not see a manifest contradiction in this palliating assertion, that although there are three Lords, and three Gods, yet there are not three, but one? Whereas, had they said, that divine essence belongeth to the father, and to the son, and to the holy ghost, and yet there are not three divine essences, but only one individual essence, the mystery in this case would have been easily explained, whilst by the father men had understood the all-begetting divinity, (divinum a quo) by the son the divine humanity thence originating, and by the holy ghost the divine-proceeding, which three are constituent of one God; or if the divinity of the father had been considered as the soul in man, the divine humanity as the body of that soul, and the holy ghost as the operation proceeding from both; in this case three essences are understood as belonging to one and the same person, and therefore as constituting together one single individual essence.
The reason why the idea of three Gods cannot be extirpated by the oral confession of one God is, because that idea is implanted in the memory, in the early part of life, and what is implanted in the memory is the subject of all a man's future thoughts. For the memory in man is like the ruminatory stomach in those birds, and beasts, that chew the cud; in this stomach they store up a supply of food, to serve for their future nourishment, which by turns they disgorge, and chewing it a second time they swallow it down into that stomach wherein the food is digested, and prepared for all the purposes of bodily nourishment; the human understanding answers to the latter stomach, as the memory doth to the former. Every one may see that the idea of three divine persons existing from eternity, which is the same as the idea of three Gods, cannot be extirpated by an oral confession of one God, if he only considers this circumstance, that it hath never as yet been extirpated, and that there are many persons of note and distinction in the church, who are unwilling that it should be extirpated, contending that three divine persons are one God, and obstinately denying God to be one person, although they allow him to be one God. What man of sense however doth not think with himself, that by the word person, a real person cannot be understood, but only the prædication of some particular quality, which yet remaineth unascertained, and because it is unascertained, it continueth implanted in the memory as it was received in the early part of life, and like the root of a tree in the ground, although it be cut down, yet it puts forth fresh shoots at a future period. But you, my friend, be advised not only to cut down that tree, but also to extirpate its very roots, and then implant in your garden such trees as may yield good fruits; for this purpose take heed lest the idea of three Gods should abide in your mind, whilst your mouth, without any idea to influence it, should make confession of one God; for in such a case, what is the understanding which is above the memory, and conceiveth three Gods, and the understanding which is below the memory, and by which the mouth confesseth one God, but like an actor on a stage, who can assume two characters, by crossing from one side of the stage to the other, and can assert one thing on the one side, and contradict it on the other, and by such altercation call himself a wise man on this side, and a fool on that? And what is the consequence of such ambiguity of character, but that whilst he stands in the middle, and looketh towards each side, he beginneth to imagine that there is nothing real in either, and thus perhaps, that there is neither one God nor three, and consequently no God? For this is the true source and origin of the naturalism that so much prevaileth at present throughout the world. No one in heaven can pronounce such an expression as a trinity of persons, each whereof singly is God; for the heavenly atmosphere, which is the medium for the conveyance and propagation of angelic thoughts, as our air is of natural sounds, is in opposition to such an expression. An hypocrite indeed can utter something like it, but then the tongue of his voice, in the heavenly atmosphere, soundeth like the gnashing of teeth, or croaketh like a raven that attempteth to imitate the note of a nightingale. I have been informed also from heaven, that it is as impossible to extirpate a belief, confirmed and rooted in the mind, in favour of a trinity of Gods, by an oral confession of one God, as it would be to draw a full grown tree through its seed, or a man's whole chin through a single hair of his beard.
By the apostolic church is meant, not only the church which existed in various places, whilst the apostles lived, but for two or three ages after their decease. It was then men first began to pluck the door of the temple off its hinges, and rush like thieves and robbers into the holy of holies; by the temple is meant the church, by the door the Lord God the redeemer, and by the holy of holies his divinity; for Jesus saith, Verily I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber; I am the door, by me if any man enter in he shall be saved. This horrid deed was done by Arus and his adherents; on which account a council was assembled by Constantine the great, at Nice, a city of Bithynia, and it was by the members of this council devised, concluded, and determined, with a view to stop the progress of Arius's damnable heresy, that three divine persons, father, son, and holy ghost, have existed from eternity, each whereof hath a distinct and independent personality, existence and subsistence; and farther, that the second person, or the son, descended, and assumed the humanity, and accomplished the work of redemption, and that in consequence thereof his humanity was made partaker of divinity by an hypostatic union, and that by virtue of this union he had a close relationship with God the father. From that time an incredible number of dreadful heresies, respecting God, and the person of Christ, began to be propagated throughout the earth, whereby the head of antichrist was exalted, and God divided into three persons, and the Lord the saviour into two; and thus the temple, which the Lord had built by his apostles, was destroyed, and that so effectually, that there was not one stone left on another which was not thrown down, according to his own words, Matt. xxiv. 2. where by the temple is not meant the temple at Jerusalem only, but the church also, of whose consummation, or end, that chapter treateth throughout. But what else could be expected from that council, and from the others that succeeded it, which divided the divinity in like manner into three persons, and placed an incarnate God, in subordination to them, on their footstool? For they removed the head of the church from its body, in consequence of climbing up some other way, that is, they passed by Jesus Christ, and climbed up to God the father, as to a distinct person, with only the mention of Christ's merits in their mouths, as an inducement for the father to have mercy on them, believing that by this means they should receive instantaneous justification with all it's attendant graces, as the remission of sins, renovation, sanctification, regeneration, and salvation, and all this without any medium of reception on the part of man.
That the apostolic church had no idea of a trinity of persons, or of three persons existing from eternity, is evident from the creed of that church, which is called the apostles' creed, where it is said, I believe in God the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord, who was conceived by the holy ghost, born of the virgin Mary, &c. and I believe in the holy ghost. Here is no mention made of any son born from eternity, but of a son conceived by the holy ghost, and born of the virgin Mary; the composers of that creed having learnt from the apostles, that Jesus Christ was the true God, 1 John v. 21. and that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily. Coloss. ii. 9, and that the apostles preached faith in him, Acts xx. 21, and that He hath all power in heaven and in earth, Matt, xxviii. 18.
What dependence is to be placed on councils, whilst they do not immediately approach the God of the church? Is not the church the Lord's body, and he its head? And what is a body without a head, or a body on which are set three heads, each forming purposes, and making decrees? Doth not illumination, which is of a spiritual nature, as it descendeth from the Lord alone, who is the God of heaven and of the church, and also the God of the word, become in such a case more and more natural, and at last sensual? And when this happens, not a single genuine theological truth preserveth its true fragrance in its internal form, but is instantly cast out from the comprehension of the rational understanding, and dispersed into the air like chaff by the winnower's fan; in which case fallacies enter, and take place of truths, and darkness reigneth instead of light; and then men stand as in a dark cave, with spectacles before their eyes, and a candle in their hands, and close their eyelids against all spiritual truths which are in the light of heaven, but open them for the reception of sensual truths, which are in the false light of the bodily senses; and afterwards when they hear the word read to them, their minds in like manner are asleep to the perception of truths, and awake to the perception of falses, and become like the beast that rose out of the sea, which had a mouth like a lion, and a body like a leopard, and feet like a bear, Rev. xiii. 2. It is said in heaven, that at the conclusion of the council at Nice, there was a fulfilling of these prophecies which the Lord declared to his disciples, The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, Matt. xxiv. 29, and in truth, the apostolic church was like a new star appearing amongst the heavenly constellations, but after the second council of Nice it became like the same star, when it is darkened, and disappeared, as hath sometimes also been the case in the natural world according to the observations of astronomers. It is written in the word that Jehovah God dwelleth in the light which no man can approach; who then could approach him, unless he had come to dwell in approachable light, that is unless he had descended, and assumed the humanity, and in this made himself the light of the world? John i. 9. Chap. xii. 46. Who cannot see, that to approach Jehovah the father, in his light, is as impossible, as to take the wings of the morning, and fly thereby to the sun? or to feed on the sun's rays instead of elementary food? or for a bird to fly in tether, and a stag to run in air?
That both the Nicene and Athanasian doctrine concerning the trinity, asserteth a trinity of Gods was shewn above, No. 172. Hence sprang the faith of the present church, which is directed towards God the father, God the son, and God the holy ghost; towards God the father, as he that imputeth the righteousness of the saviour his son, and ascribeth it to man; towards God the son, as he that intercedeth, and is the mediator of a covenant; and towards God the holy ghost, as he who actually inscribeth on the heart the imputed righteousness of the son, and secureth it with the seal of justification, sanctification, and regeneration; this is the faith of the present church, which alone is sufficient to prove, that a trinity of Gods is acknowledged and worshipped. From the faith of every particular church, not only the whole of its worship, but also of its doctrine is derived; wherefore it may truly be said, that as its faith is, so is its doctrine; hence it follows that this faith, inasmuch as it is directed towards three Gods, hath overturned all things belonging to the church, for faith may be considered as a principal, and doctrinals as its derivatives, and derivatives take their essence from their principal. And if any one be disposed to examine the particulars of doctrine in relation to God, the person of Christ, charity, repentance, free-will, election, the use of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, he will see clearly that a trinity of Gods enttreth into every particular, and although it may not actually appear therein, yet that is the fountain from whence it floweth. But since it is not convenient in this place to enter upon such an examination, and yet for the sake of opening men's eyes, it might be expedient to do so, therefore we shall give it in an appendix to this work. The faith of the church, in relation to God, is like the soul which animateth the body, and points of doctrine are like the members of that body; faith towards God also is like a queen, and points of doctrine are like the officers and servants that attend her palace, and as such officers and servants are in subjection to, and dependent on the queen's authority, so are points of doctrine on the injunctions of faith. From the nature of this faith too may be seen, in what manner the word, or holy scripture, is understood in the church; for faith bendeth and draweth towards itself, with all its might, whatsoever it can; so that if it be a false faith, it playeth the harlot with every truth that the word contains, and putteth a false interpretation upon it, and thereby falsifieth it; but if it be a true faith, then the whole word is on its side, and the God of the word, who is the Lord God the Saviour, infuseth light, and giveth the testimony of his divine assent, with a continual increase of wisdom to the true believer. That the present faith of the church, which in its internal form is a faith in three Gods, but in its external form in one God, hath extinguished the light of the word, and removed the Lord from his church, and thus turned its morning into midnight darkness, will be seen also in the appendix. This was effected by the heretics who lived before the council of Nice, and afterwards by those who succeeded that council, and derived their heretical opinions from it. But what dependence, as we said, is to be placed on councils, which do not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climb up some other way, according to the words of the Lord in John, Chap. x. 1, 9? Their deliberations may be compared with the steps of a blind man walking in the day, or of a man who hath good eyes walking in the night, neither of which can see the pit, before he falls headlong into it. Have not there been councils, for instance, which have established the pope's vicarship, the canonization of the dead, the invocation of saints, the worship of their images, the authority of indulgencies, and the division of the eucharist, with many other things of a similar nature? And what dependence then Is to be placed on such councils? Hath there not also been a council which hath established the horrid doctrine of predestination, and hung it up before the doors of the temple as the palladium of religion? What dependence then is to be placed on such a council? But do you, my friend, go to the God of the Word, and thereby to the word itself, and enter by the door into the sheepfold, and you will be enlightened; and then you will see, as from a high mountain, not only the errors of many others, but also your own former bewildered wanderings in the dark wood at the foot of the mountain.
The faith of every church is as the seed from which all its doctrines spring, and may be compared to the seed of a tree from which all its parts, even to the fruit, successively derive their birth; and also to the human seed from which are produced children, and families to many generations; wherefore when we are acquainted with the primary faith of any church, which by the reason of its predominancy is called saving faith, we may know from thence, the state and quality of that church. This may be illustrated by the following example; suppose it to be a predominant faith that nature is the creator of the universe; the consequence of such a faith is a belief that the universe is what is generally called God; that nature is the essence; that æther is the supreme God, whom the ancients called Jupiter; that air is a goodness, whom the ancients called Juno, and made the wife of Jupiter; that the ocean is an inferior deity, who according to the ancients is named Neptune; and since the divinity of nature extendeth even to the centre of the earth, that there also is a God who, in conformity to the ancients, may be called Pluto; that the sun is the palace of all the Gods, wherein they assemble when Jupiter calleth a council; and moreover that fire is life issuing from God; and thus that birds fly in God, beasts walk in God, and fishes swim in God; and further that thoughts are only different modifications of æther, as expressions of thought are only modulations of air; and that love-affections are mere occasional changes of state, owing to the influx of the sun's rays; and with respect to a life after death, and a heaven and hell, that these things are mere fictions, invented by the clergy with a view to aggrandize their own honour and wealth, but that notwithstanding their being fictions, they are still useful, and ought not to be publicly despised, inasmuch as they may be serviceable to keep the minds of the vulgar under the yoke of obedience to the civil magistrate; that those however, who are caught with the bait of religion, are recluse men, whose thoughts are mere phantasms, whose actions are ridiculous, and who, living in servile subjection to priests, believe what they do not see, and see what is above the sphere of their comprehension. These, and manv other such consequent notions, are contained in the predominant faith, that nature is the creator of the universe, and they issue from it, as soon as ever it is opened to give them vent. This example then may serve to shew, that in the faith of the present church, which in its internal form is directed towards three Gods, but in its external towards one, there are contained legions of falsities, ready to burst into birth, like so many young spiders from the womb of a single mother. How plain must this appear to those whose minds have acquired true rationality by light from the Lord! but how dark and unintelligible to those, who have barred up the door to that faith, and its consequences, by a persuasion that it is not allowable for reason to look into its mysteries!
It is written in Daniel, And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate, Dan. ix. 27. In Matthew the Evangelist the Lord saith, Many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many; when therefore ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, whoso readeth let him understand, Matt. xxiv. 11, 15, and afterwards in the same chapter, Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be, ver. 21. This affliction and abomination are spoken of in seven chapters of the Revelation, and are signified by the black horse, and the pale horse, coming out of the book whose seals the lamb opened, Chap. vi. 5 to 8. Also by the beast rising out of the bottomless pit, which made war with the two witnesses and slew them, Chap. xi. 7, and likewise by the dragon which stood before the woman that was about to be delivered, to devour her child, and pursued her into the wilderness, and there cast out from his mouth water as a flood after her, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood, Chap. xii. and likewise by the beasts of the dragon, one rising out of the sea, and another rising out of the earth, Chap. xiii. Also by the three spirits like frogs which came forth from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet, Chap, xvi. 13, and farther by this, that after the seven angels had poured out the vials of the wrath of God, in which were the seven last plagues, upon the earth, upon the sea, upon the fountains and rivers, upon the sun, upon the throne of the beast, upon the river Euphrates, and lastly upon the air, there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, Chap, xvi. An earthquake signifieth the overthrow of the church, which is effected by falses and the falsifications of truth, and which is signified also by the great tribulation such as was not from the beginning of the world, Matt. xxiv. 21. The same is understood also by these words, And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God, and the wine-press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine-press even to the horses' bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs, Rev. xiv. 19, 20, where blood signifieth truth falsified; not to mention other passages in those seven chapters.
In the Evangelists, Matt, xxiv, Mark xiii, and Luke xxi, are described the successive declensions and corruptions of the Christian church; and in those chapters by great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, neither shall be, is signified, as in other passages throughout the word, the infestation of truth by falses, to such a degree, that not a single truth remaineth which is not falsified, and brought to its consummation; this is understood also by the abomination of desolation in the same passages, and also by the overspreading of desolation, and by the consummation in Daniel, and in the Revelation, by the circumstances described above. All this was a consequence of men's not acknowledging the unity of God in trinity, and his trinity in unity, in one person, but in three, and thence founding a church on the idea of three Gods in the mind, and the confession of one God with the lips, whereby they have separated themselves from the Lord, and that to such a degree, that they have no idea left of the divinity in his human nature, when nevertheless he is God the Father in the Humanity, on which account he is called the everlasting father, Isaiah ix. 5, and saith to Philip, He that seeeth me seeth the father, John xiv. 7, 9.
But it will be asked, what is the source or fountain, from whence such abomination of desolation as is described in Daniel, Chap. ix. 27, and such tribulation as never was, nor shall be, Matt. xxiv. 1, 2, hath sprung? I answer, The faith which universally prevails throughout the Christian world, with its influx, operation, and imputation, according to traditions. It is a wonderful thing, that the doctrine of justification by this faith alone, although it be no faith, but a mere chimera, is received in all Christian churches as the main-spring of divinity, that is, is taught by the clergy as the first and ruling doctrine of true theology. It is this faith which all young students in divinity eagerly learn, and imbibe in the universities, and which afterwards, as if under the influence of heavenly wisdom, they teach in their churches, publish in their writings, and make the ground of all the literary fame and reputation that they ever hope to acquire, as it is the way to all the rewards, donatives and preferments that they can ever expect to be presented with; and this, notwithstanding that in consequence of such faith alone, at this day, the sun is darkened, the moon doth not give her light, the stars are fallen from heaven, and the powers of the heavens are shaken, according to the words of the Lord's prophecy in Matthew, Chap. xxiv. 29. That the doctrine of this faith hath now blinded men's minds to such a degree, that they are unwilling, and therefore seemingly unable, to see any divine truth interiorly, either in the light of the sun, or in the light of the moon, but only exteriorly, rudely, and superficially, as by the light of a fire, hath been proved to me by the clearest evidence; so that I can venture to affirm, that should the divine truths which relate to the conjunction of charity and faith, to heaven and hell, to the Lord, to a life after death, and to eternal happiness, be dropped down from heaven, written in letters of silver, they would be rejected, as not worth the reading, by those that maintain the doctrine of justification, and sanctification, by faith alone; whereas on the other hand should a paper containing the doctrines of justification by faith alone, be sent from hell, this they would receive, embrace, and carry home with them in their bosoms.
It is written in Matthew, Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world unto this time, neither shall be; and except those days shall be shortened, no flesh could be saved, Chap. xxiv. 21, 22. The Lord, in this chapter, is speaking of the consummation of the age, by which is signified the end of the present church; wherefore by shortening those days is signified to put a period to this church, and to lay the foundation of a new one. Who doth not know that except the Lord had come into the world, and accomplished the work of redemption, no flesh could have been saved? And to accomplish the work of redemption is to establish a new heaven, and a new church. That the Lord will come again into the world, he himself hath prophetically declared in the Evangelists, Matt. xxiv. 30, 31. Mark xiii. 26. Luke xii. 40 Chap. xxi. 27, and in the Revelation, particularly in the last chapter. That he is also at this day accomplishing a redemption, by establishing a new heaven, and laying the foundation of a new church, with a view to make salvation possible to mankind, was shewn above in the lemma concerning redemption. The great arcanum respecting the impossibility of any flesh being saved, except a new church be founded by the Lord, is this, that as long as the dragon, with his diabolical crew, continueth in the world of spirits, into which he was cast, so long it is impossible for any divine truth, united with divine good, to pass through unto men on earth, but it is either perverted, or falsified, or destroyed; this is what is signified in the Revelation by these words, The dragon was cast down upon the earth, and his angels were cast out with him; wo to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, Rev. Chap. xii. 9, 12, 13. But when the dragon was cast into hell, Chap, xx. 10, then John saw the new heaven, and new earth, and the new Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven, Chap. xxi. 1, 2. By the dragon are signified all those who are influenced by the faith of the present church.
I have at times conversed in the spiritual world with those who maintain the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and have told them, that their doctrine is erroneous, and absurd, and that it occasioneth a false security, blindness, sleep, and darkness, with respect to spiritual things, and thereby bringeth death to the soul; exhorting them at the same time to desist from it; but the answer I have commonly received was, How desist? Doth not the superior excellence of clerical erudition over that of the laity depend solely on this doctrine? Then I represented to them that, according to this way of reasoning, they do not so much regard the salvation of souls as the aggrandizement of their own reputation, and that in consequence of applying the truths of the word to their own false principles, and thereby adulterating them, they are angels of the bottomless pit, called Abaddons and Apollyons, Rev. ix. 11, by which are signified the destroyers of the church by the total falsification of the word; but they replied, What is that to the purpose? By our knowledge of the mysteries of this faith we are oracles, and from this faith, as from an oracular temple, we give our answers to all that ask us, wherefore we are not Apollyons, but Apollos; to this I replied with some warmth of indignation, If ye are Apollos, ye are also Leviathans, the chief amongst you crooked Leviathans, and the inferior amongst you oblong Leviathans, whom God will visit with his strong and great sword, Isaiah xxvii. 1; but at this they smiled, and departed.
From the doctrine of three divine persons existing from eternity, which is the chief of all doctrines that are taught in Christian churches, have arisen many unbecoming notions concerning God, unworthy of the Christian world, which ought to be, and which might be, a bright luminary to all people and nations, in the four quarters of the globe, respecting God, and his unity. All who are out of the pale of the Christian church, whether they be Mahometans, or Jews, or Gentiles, or whatsoever religion they profess, have conceived an aversion to Christianity singly on this account, viz. that Christians believe in three Gods: this the missionaries, sent abroad to propagate Christianity, are aware of, and therefore they are particularly cautious how they make mention of a trinity of persons, according to the Nicene and Athanasian doctrine, because they know, in such a case, that their converts would leave them, and laugh them to scorn. The absurd, ludicrous, and frivolous ideas which have arisen from the doctrine of three divine persons existing from eternity, and which do still arise in every one that continueth in a belief of the words of that doctrine, are these, that God the father sitteth above on a high throne, with the son at his right hand, and the holy ghost before them, attending to what they say, who instantly, as he is ordered, runneth through the whole world, and according to their determination dispenseth the gifts of justification, and inscribeth them in the hearts of men, and thus maketh them sons of grace, and the elect, who were before children of wrath and the reprobate. I appeal to the learned, both clergy and laity, whether they entertain in their minds any other conception of the trinity but this, inasmuch as the doctrine they embrace occasioneth a spontaneous influx of this conception, as may be seen in the Memorable Relation above, No. 16. It is attended also with a curiosity of conjecture, what was the subject of their conversation together before the world was created; whether they discoursed about the creation intended, or about those that were to be predestinated, and justified, according to the opinion of the Supralapsarians, or about the work of redemption; and also, what is the subject of their conversation since the world was made;[2] what the father saith, by virtue of his authority, and power of imputation, and what the son saith, by virtue of his power of mediation; supposing thus, that imputation, which is election, is a consequence of the son interceding in mercy for all mankind in general, and for individuals in particular; and that the father is moved to shew favour out of love towards his son, and by reason of the sufferings which he endured on the cross. But who cannot see that all such notions are founded in a delirium of the mind concerning God? And yet these are the notions which are held to be most holy in every Christian church, which however are only to be kissed with the lips, but not to be examined with the eye of the understanding, because being supposed to be above the sphere and comprehension of reason, if they should be raised up from the memory into the higher regions of the understanding, they would occasion madness. Nevertheless the idea of three Gods is not thereby removed, but only a heavy and stupid faith begotten, under the influence whereof men think of God, like people fast asleep in a dream, or like those that walk in midnight darkness, or as persons born blind, who cannot see even at noon-day.
That a trinity of Gods abideth in the minds of Christians, though they are ashamed to acknowledge it, is very evident from the ingenuity of many in demonstrating three are one, and one three, by geometrical and stereometrical figures, and various applications of arithmetic and physics to the same purpose; and also by the foldings of a piece of cloth or paper; thus they trifle with the divine trinity, like so many diviners or calculators of nativities. This sort of divination or calculation may be compared with the sight of the eye, when people are in a fever, who looking at any single object, as a man, a table, or a candle, fancy it to be three, and on the other hand fancy three to be one. It may be compared also with the ludicrous representation sometimes exhibited with a piece of soft wax, which a man takes in his fingers, and moulds into various forms, at one time into a triangular form, to represent the trinity, at another time into a spherical form, to represent the unity, asserting it still to be one and the same substance. Thus do men trifle with the divine trinity, which nevertheless, in its undivided state, is like a pearl of the highest price, but, when divided into persons, is like a pearl divided into three parts, which, it is well known, in such a case, entirely loseth its value.
****** To the above I shall add the following Memorable Relations.[3] First. In the spiritual world there are climates, and zones, as well as in the natural world, there being nothing in the latter world, but what existeth also in the former, although the origin of their existence is different. In the natural world the varieties of climates depend on the sun's distances from the equator, but in the spiritual world they depend on the distances of the affections of the will, and the thoughts of the understanding, from a true love, and a true faith; for all things in the spiritual world exist according to such correspondence. In the frigid zones, in the spiritual world, there are the same appearances as in the frigid zones in the natural world; the ground seems frozen hard as stone, the water seems covered with ice, and the whole face of the country appears white with snow. These cold regions are the resort and habitation of those, who, during their abode in the natural world, have brought a lethargy on their understandings, in consequence of an indolent indisposition to think on spiritual subjects, attended with a laziness in the execution of good and useful purposes; they go by the name of Northern spirits (spiritus boreales) On a certain time I was seized with a strong desire to see some country in the frigid zone, where those northern spirits dwell; and accordingly I was carried in the spirit towards the north, to a region which appeared covered with snow, and where the water was frozen to a solid ice. It was the sabbath day, and I saw a number of men, that is, spirits, of the same size and stature with men in the natural world, who had their heads covered with lions' skins, by reason of the cold, and their bodies, both before and behind, down to the loins, covered with the skins of leopards, and their legs and feet with the skins of bears; I also observed several riding in chariots, and some of the chariots made in the shape of a dragon with horns, stretching out before; they were drawn by small horses without tails, which ran with the impetuosity of terrible fierce beasts, whilst the driver, with the reins in his hand, was continually whipping them to hasten their speed. I found afterwards that they were all flocking towards a church, which was invisible, by reason of the snow which covered it; some, however, who had the care of the church, melted the snow, and by its removal made way for the people to enter, who accordingly descended, and took their places. I was then, permitted to take a view of the inside of the church: it was enlightened with lamps, and candles, in great abundance; the altar was of hewn stone, behind which hung a tablet with this inscription, A divine trinity, consisting of father, son, and holy ghost, who are in essence one God, but in person three. Presently the priest standing at the altar, after he had three times kneeled down before the sacred tablet, with a book in his hand, ascended the pulpit, and begun a sermon on the divine trinity, crying out in a loud voice, "O what a grand mystery! that the most high God should beget a son from eternity, and by him produce the holy ghost, and that they three should be joined in essence, but yet be separate in their properties, which are imputation, redemption and operation! If however we set reason to look into this mystery, her eye is blinded, and is overspread with darkness, as when one attempteth to look at the naked sun with the bodily eye; wherefore, my brethren, it is my advice that, in a subject of this nature, we keep our understandings in obedience to faith." After this he again lifted up his voice, and said, "0 what a grand mystery is our holy faith! that God the father imputeth the righteousness of his son, and sendeth the holy ghost, who, in consequence of that imputation, giveth the pledges of justification, which are remission of sins, renovation, regeneration, and salvation; of whose influx, or operation, man is as ignorant as the statue of salt into which Lot's wife was turned, and with whose indwelling, or state, he is as little acquainted as a fish in the sea! But, my friends, there is a treasure hid in this faith, so deep, however, and so covered up, that no part of it can appear; wherefore it is my advice that in this case also we keep our understandings in obedience to faith." After he had sighed for some time, he again raised his voice, and said, "Oh, how grand a mystery is election! He is an elect person, to whom God imputeth this faith, which of his free pleasure, and pure grace, he poureth out on whomsoever he pleaseth, and at whatsoever time it seemeth good unto him; and during the act of such infusion from God, man is like a stock or a stone, but, when this faith is infused, he becometh like a living and fruitful tree; the fruits however, which are good works, hang indeed from that tree, which in a representative sense is our faith, but still they do not cohere with it: wherefore the price of that tree doth not arise from its fruit; but as this may appear like heterodoxy, and yet is a great mystical truth, therefore, my brethren, it is my advice that on this subject also we keep our understandings in obedience to faith." Then, after a short pause, seeming as if he wanted to recollect something which he had stored up in his memory, he continued his discourse, saying, "From my store of mysteries I will yet produce one other, which is this, that man hath not a single grain of freewill, with respect to spiritual things; for the chiefs and rulers of our order assert, in their theological canons, that in regard to what concerns faith, and salvation, or the things particularly called spiritual, man hath no power to will, to think, to understand, no, nor even to accommodate, and apply himself to the reception of them; wherefore I do positively insist that man of himself hath no more power to think rationally, or talk sensibly, on such subjects, than a parrot, a jackdaw, or a raven, and that, of consequence, with respect to spiritual things he is a true and real ass, and only a man with respect to natural things; but, my beloved friends, lest this subject should be troublesome to our reason, let me advise that in this also we keep our understandings obedient to faith; for our theology is like a bottomless abyss, into which, if we suffer our understandings to look down, we shall instantly sink over head, and perish as in a shipwreck; yet hear what I have to say; We are nevertheless in the true light of the gospel, which shineth aloft over our heads, but the misfortune is, that the hair of our heads, and the bones of our skulls prevent it from penetrating into the inner chambers of our understandings." When he had spoken these words he descended from the pulpit, and after he had offered up a prayer at the altar, and the service was ended, I joined some of the congregation, who were in discourse together, and had formed themselves in a circle round the priest, to whom they paid their compliments, saying, We are ever bound to thank thee for thy most excellent discourse, so full of majesty and wisdom. Then I addressed myself to them, and said, Did ye understand at all what the priest was preaching about? and they replied, We took all in with open ears; but why dost thou ask whether we understood it? Is not the understanding too much astonished with such subjects to have any clear comprehension of them? Then the priest interposed, and said, Blessed are ye, because ye have heard, and have not understood, for hereby are ye saved. I had some conversation afterwards with the priest, and asked him, whether he had taken his degrees regularly? He answered in the affirmative, and that he was a master of arts; then addressing him by his title, I said,—Thou hast been preaching about great mysteries, but if thou only knowest their names, without knowing what they contain, thou knowest nothing; for they are like caskets locked with a triple lock, which unless thou openest and lookest in, (and this is only to be done by the understanding) thou canst not tell whether they contain things of value, or things of no value, or even things hurtful, as cockatrice eggs, and spiders webs, according to the description in Isaiah, Chap. lix. 5. As I spoke these words, the priest eyed me with a stern countenance; and the congregation departed, and got into their chariots, intoxicated with paradoxes, infatuated with empty speculations, and overspread with darkness in all things relating to faith, and the means of salvation.
The Second Memorable Relation. I was once engaged in contemplation concerning what region of the human mind things of a theological nature have their residence in, and I at first conceived, that as such things are of a spiritual and celestial origin, therefore they must of course reside in the highest region. For the human mind is divided into three distinct regions, as a house is into three stories, and as the abodes of the angels are into three heavens. Then an angel presented himself before me, and said, Things relating to theology, in those who love truth for truth's sake, emerge even to the highest region, because in that region is their heaven, and they enjoy there the same light as do the angels; and things relating to Morality, if they have been attentively examined, and contemplated, have their abode beneath the former, in the second region, because they have communication with what is spiritual; and under these, in the first region, are things of a political, or civil nature; but scientifics, or matters of science, which are of sundry kinds, and may be classed into their respective genera, and species, form the door that leadeth to those higher regions. They in whom spiritual, moral, political and scientific things are in this subordination, have all their thoughts and actions influenced by justice and judgment, because the light of truth, which is also the light of heaven, from the highest region, enlighteneth what is below, just as the light of the sun, passing through the atmospheres, and air, progressively, enlighteneth the eyes of men and of beasts and fishes. But the case is altered with those who do not love truth for truth's sake, but with a view to their own glory and reputation; things of a theological nature, in such, reside in the last region where scientifics have their abode, and in some instances mix with the scientifics, but in other instances cannot mix; under these, in the same region, is the residence of political things, and under them of moral; for in such persons the two higher regions are not opened on the right side, so that they have no interior discernment of true judgment, nor any affection for justice, but only a certain ingenuity, whereby they can converse on every subject with seeming intelligence, and confirm whatever they please with an appearance of reason; but the objects of reason, which they are most enamoured of, are falses, because these cohere, and unite with, the fallacies of the senses. Hence it is that there are so many people in the world, who no more see the truths of doctrine derived from the word, than men born blind can see the objects of nature, and when they hear such truths they close their nostrils, lest the odour thereof should offend them, and create aversion; whereas to the reception of falses they open all their senses, and drink them in with the same greediness that a whale swalloweth water.
The Third Memorable Relation. I was once meditating about the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet mentioned in the Revelation, when an angelic spirit appeared before me, and asked, what was the subject of my meditation? I answered, concerning the false prophet; then he said, Come with me, and I will lead thee to the place of their abode, who are signified by the false prophet, and who are the same that are understood in the xiiith chapter of the Revelation by the beast rising out of the earth, which had two horns like a lamb, and spake like a dragon. I followed him, and lo! I saw a great multitude of people, and in the midst of them several persons of note and distinction in the church, who had taught, that man is saved only by faith in the merits of Christ, and that works are good and profitable, but not in regard to salvation, and that nevertheless they are to be insisted on as agreeable to the word of God, and as a means of keeping the laity, particularly the more simple amongst them, in stricter obedience to the civil magistrate, whilst they are instigated to the exercise of moral duties by the interior obligations arising from religion. Then one of them, observing me, said, Hast thou any desire to see our place of worship, wherein is an image representative of our faith? I answered in the affirmative; so. he conducted me to the building, which was very magnificent, and lo! in the midst of it there was the image of a woman, clothed in a scarlet vest, and holding in her right hand a piece of gold coin, and in her left a chain of pearls; but both the image and the place of worship were the effect of phantasy; for thereby infernal spirits have the power to represent very magnificent objects, by closing the interiors of the mind, and opening only its exteriors. When I perceived however that all this was a mere trick and delusion, I prayed to the Lord, and suddenly the interiors of my mind were open, and then I beheld, instead of the magnificent dome, a poor house, full of clefts and chinks from top to bottom, without any order or regularity about it; and I saw within the house, instead of the woman, a pendent image, with a head like a dragon, a body like a leopard, feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion, in every respect as the beast is described rising out of the sea, Rev. xiii. 2. Moreover, instead of firm ground, there was a bog, containing a great multitude of frogs, and I was informed that beneath the bog was a large hewn stone, under which the word lay entirely hid. On seeing these things I said to the enchanter, Is this your place of worship? And he replied, It is; but suddenly, at that very instant, his interior sight was opened, whereby he saw the same appearances that I did; where-upon he cried out with a loud voice, What and whence is all this! And I said, This is in consequence of light from heaven, which discovereth the quality of every form, and thus hath discovered the quality of your faith separate from the spiritual principle of charity; then immediately an east wind blew and removed the place of worship, together with the image, and likewise dried up the bog, and thereby exposed the stone, under which lay the word: This was succeeded by a vernal warmth exhaling from heaven, and lo! then in the very same place there appeared a tabernacle, as to its outward form plain, and simple; and the angels who were with me said, Behold the tabernacle of Abraham, such as it was when the three angels came to him, and announced the future birth of Isaac; it appeareth indeed plain and simple to the eye, but nevertheless, in proportion to the influx of light from heaven, it becometh more and more magnificent; and immediately they were permitted to open the heaven which is the abode of the spiritual angels, who excel in wisdom, and suddenly, by virtue of the influx of light from thence, the tabernacle appeared as a temple, resembling that at Jerusalem; and on looking into it, I saw the stone in the floor, under which the void lay concealed, beset with precious stones, from, which there issued forth bright rays, as of lightning, that shone upon the walls, and caused beautiful variegations of colours on certain cherubic forms that were painted thereon. As I was wondering at these prodigies, the angels said, Thou shalt yet see something more surprizing; then they were permitted to open the third heaven, which is the abode of the celestial angels, who excel in love, and suddenly, by virtue of the influx of flaming light from thence, the whole temple disappeared, and instead thereof was seen the Lord alone, standing on the stone below, which was the word, in the same form and figure, that he appeared in before John, Rev. Chap. i. But whereas a divine sanctity instantly filled the interiors of the angels minds, whereby they felt a strong propensity to fall prostrate on their faces, suddenly the passage of light from the third heaven was closed by the Lord, and that from the second heaven opened again, in consequence whereof the former appearance of the temple returned, and also of the tabernacle, but this was in the midst of the temple. Hereby was illustrated the meaning of these words in the Revelation, Chap, xxi. Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, ver. 5. and also of these, I saw no temple in the new Jerusalem, for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the temple of it, ver. 22.
The Fourth Memorable Relation. Inasmuch as the Lord hath favoured me with a sight of the wonderful things that are in the heavens, and under the heavens, it is therefore my duty, in obedience to his command, to relate what I have seen. There was shewn me a magnificent palace, with a temple in its inner courts, and in the midst of the temple was a table of gold, on which lay the word, and two angelsstood beside it. About the table were three rows of seats; the seats of the first row were covered with silk damask, of a purple colour; the seats of the second row with silk damask, of a blue colour; and the seats of the third row with white cloth. Below the roof, high above the table, there was seen, a spreading curtain, which shone with precious stones, from whose lustre there issued forth abright appearance as of a rainbow, when the firmament is clear and serene after a shower. Suddenly there appeared a number of clergy sitting on the seats, all clothed in the garments of their sacerdotal office. On one side was a vestry, where an angel, who had the care of it, attended, and within lay rich vestments in most beautiful and exact order. It was a council convened bt the Lord; and I heard a voice from heaven. saying, Deliberate; but they said, On what? It was said, concerning the Lord the saviour, and concerning the holy ghost; but when they began to think on these subjects they were without illumination; wherefore they made supplication, and immediately light issued down out of heaven,which first enlightened the hinder part of their heads, and afterwards their temples, and last of all their faces; and then they began their deliberation, and as they were commanded, First, concerning the Lord the saviour; the first proposition, and matter of inquiry was, Who assumed the humanity in the virgin Mary; and an angel standing at the table, on which the word lay, read before them these words in Luke, The angel said unto Mary, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus; he shall be great, and shall be called The son of the highest. And Mary said to the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answering said, The holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, wherefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called The son of God, Chap. i. 31, 32, 34, 35. Then he read also these words in Matthew, The angel said to Joseph in a dream, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is born in her is of the holy ghost, and Joseph knew her not, till she had brought forth her first born son, and she called his name Jesus, Chap. i. 20, 25. And besides these passages he read many more out of the Evangelists, as Matt. iii. 17. Chap, xxvii. 5. John i. 18. Chap. iii. 16. Chap. xx. 31, and several other places, where the Lord, as to his humanity, is called The son of God, and where he, from his humanity, calleth Jehovah his father; and also out of the prophets, where it is foretold that Jehovah should come into the world; particularly these two passages in Isaiah, It shall be said in that day, lo! this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us, this is Jehovah, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation, Chap. xxv. 9. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert an highway for our God; for the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed; and all flesh shall see it together; behold, the Lord Jehovah will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him; he shall feed his flock like a shepherd, xl. 3, 5, 10, 11. And the angel said, inasmuch as Jehovah himself came into the world, and assumed the humanity, therefore he is called by the prophets, The saviour, and the redeemer; and then he read before them the following passages, Surely God is in thee, and there is none else; verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel the saviour, Isaiah xlv. 14, 15. Am not I Jehovah? and there is no God else beside me; a just God, and a saviour, there is none beside me, Chap. xlv. 21. I am Jehovah, and beside me there is no saviour, Chap, xliii. 11. I Jehovah am thy God, and thou shalt know no God beside me, for there is no saviour beside me, Hosea xiii. 4. And all flesh shall know that I Jehovah am thy saviour and redeemer, Isaiah xlix. 26. Chap. lx. 16. As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, Chap, xlvii. 4. Their redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name, Jerem. 1. 34. Jehovah is my strength and my redeemer, Psalm xix. 14. Thus saith Jehovah thy redeemer, the holy one of Israel, I Jehovah am thy God, Isaiah xlviii. 17. xlix. 7. liv. 8. Thou Jehovah art our father, our redeemer, thy name is from everlasting, Chap, lxiii. 16. Thus saith Jehovah thy redeemer, I am the Lord that maketh all things, Chap. xliv. 24. Thus saith Jehovah the king of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God, Chap. xliv. 6. The Lord of hosts is his name, and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called, Chap. liv. 5. Behold the days come that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and this is his name, Jehovah our righteousness, Jeremiah xxiii. 5. Chap, xxxiii. 15, 16. And Jehovah shall be king over all the earth, in that day shall there be one Jehovah, and his name one, Zech. xiv. 9. From all these passages collected, they that sat on the seats were unanimously confirmed in this opinion, viz. that Jehovah himself assumed the humanity, for the purpose of redeeming and saving mankind. But instantly a voice was heard from some Roman Catholics, who had hid themselves behind the altar, saying, How was it possible for Jehovah God to become a man? Is not he the creator of the universe? And one of those who sat on the second row of seats turned himself towards the voice, and said, Who was it then? And he who had been concealed behind the altar, standing then near the altar, replied, The son begotten from eternity; but answer was returned, Is not the son begotten from eternity, according to your confession, the creator also of the universe? and what is a son, and a God, born from eternity? And how is it possible for the divine essence, which is one, and individual, to be separated, so that one part can descend without the whole? Another matter of inquiry concerning the Lord was, whether or no, according to this reasoning, the father and he are one, as the soul and body are one? and they said, That this must follow of consequence, inasmuch as the soul is from the father. Then one of those who sat on the third row of seats read, out of the Confession of Faith, called the Athanasian creed, the following passage, Although our Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, is God and man, yet he is not two, but one Christ, one altogether, by unity of person; for as the soul and body make one man, so God and man are one Christ. He added that the creed, containing these words, is received throughout the whole Christian world, even by the Roman Catholics; then they said. What need have we of farther proof? The father and he are one, as the soul and body are one; and since this is the case, we perceive that the humanity of the Lord is divine, because it is the humanity of Jehovah; and also that the Lord ought to be approached as to his divine humanity, because this is the only possible way to come at the divinity which is called the father. This conclusion the angel confirmed by several passages out of the word; amongst which were these, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Isaiah ix. 5. Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not; thou Jehovah art our Father, our Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting, Chap, lxiii. 16. Jesus said, He that believeth on me, believeth on him that sent me, and he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me, John xii. 44, 45. Philip said unto Jesus, shew us the father; Jesus saith unto him, He that seeth me seeth the father; how then sayest thou, shew us the father; believest thou not that I am in the father, and the father in me, John xiv. 8, 9. Jesus said, I and the father are one, Chap. x. 30, and again, All things that the father hath are mine, and all mine are the father's, Chap. xvi. 15. Chap. xvii. 10. Lastly, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the father but by me, Chap. xiv. 6. To this the angel added, that the same things which are here spoken by the Lord of himself, and his father, may also be spoken by man with respect to himself, and to his soul. When the angel ended, they all declared with one mouth, and one heart, that the humanity of the Lord is divine, and that it ought to be approached in order to come at the father; inasmuch as Jehovah God, by it, sent himself into the world, and made himself visible to mankind, and thereby gave them access unto him: in like manner he made himself visible to men of old time, in an human form, and so gave them access unto him; but that was by means of an angel; and as this form was representative of the Lord, who was about to come into the world, therefore all things in the church at that time were representatives.
After this they proceeded to deliberate about the Holy Ghost, and previous thereto, they laid open the idea generally received concerning God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which is, that God the father is seated on high, with the son at his right hand, and that by them is sent forth the holy ghost, to enlighten, instruct, justify and sanctify mankind. But instantly a voice was heard from heaven, saying, We cannot endure an idea formed on such a conception; who doth not know that Jehovah God is omnipresent? And whosoever knoweth and acknowledged this truth, may also acknowledge that it is he who enlighteneth, instructeth, sanctifieth, and justifieth, and not a mediating God distinct from him; much less is it a third God proceeding from two others, as a person from a person; wherefore let the former idea, which is vain and frivolous, be removed, and let this, which is just and right, be received, and then you will see clearly. But immediately a voice was heard from the Roman catholics, who stood near the altar, saying, What then is the holy ghost, mentioned in the writings of the Evangelists, and Paul, by whom so many learned men amongst the clergy, and particularly of our own church, profess themselves to be guided? What person in Christendom at this day denieth the holy ghost, and his operations? Upon this, one who sat on the second row of seats, turned towards the altar, and said, Ye insist that the holy ghost is a distinct person of himself, and a distinct God of himself; but what is a person coming forth, and proceeding from a person, except the operation which cometh forth, and proceedeth? One person cannot come forth and proceed from another, but operation can; or what is a God, coming forth, and proceeding from a God, but the divine which cometh forth, and proceedeth? One God cannot come forth and proceed from another, and by another, but what is divine may come forth, and proceed from one God. On hearing these words they that sat on the seats unanimously agreed in this conclusion, that the holy ghost is not a distinct person of himself, consequently not a distinct God of himself, but that by the holy ghost is meant the holy divine, coming forth, and proceeding, from the one only omnipresent God, who is the Lord. To this the angels, who stood at the golden table, whereon the word was placed, said, Well; it is not written in any part of the old testament that the prophets spake the word from the holy ghost, but from Jehovah; and wherever the holy ghost is mentioned in the new testament, it signifies the divine-proceeding, which is the divine that enlighteneth, instructeth, vivifieth, reformeth, and regenerateth. After this came on another subject of inquiry respecting the holy ghost, viz. From whom proceedeth the divine which is signified by the holy ghost; from the father, or from the Lord? And whilst they were engaged in this inquiry, there shone a light from heaven, whereby they saw, that the holy divine, which is signified by the holy ghost, doth not proceed from the father through the Lord, but of the Lord from the father, comparatively as in the case of every individual man, whose activity doth not proceed from the soul through the body, but of the body from the soul. This the angel who stood at the table confirmed by these passages from the word, He whom the father hath sent speaketh the word of God; for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him, the father loveth the son, and hath given alll things into his hand, John iii. 34, 35. There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse; the spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, Isaiah, xi. 1, 2. That the spirit of Jehovah was put upon him, and was in him, Chap, xlii. 1. lix. 19. 21. Chap. lxi. 1. Luke iv. 18. When the holy ghost shall come, whom I will send unto you from the father, John xv. 26. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you; all things that the father hath are mine, wherefore I said, that he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you, John xvi. 14, 15. If I depart, I will send the comforter unto you, John xvi. 7. That the comforter is the holy ghost, John xiv. 26. The holy ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified, John vii. 39. But after his glorification, Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, Receive ye the holy ghost, John xx. 22. and in the Revelation, Who shall not glorify thy name, O Lord, because thou only art holy, xv. 4. Inasmuch as the divine operation of the Lord, by virtue of his divine omnipresence, is signified by the holy ghost, therefore when the Lord spake to his disciples concerning the holy ghost, whom he would send from the father, he also said, I will not leave you comfortless, I go away, and come again unto you, and in that day ye shall know that I am in my father, and ye in me, and I in you, John xiv. 18. 20. 28. And just before his departure out of the world he said, Lo! I am with you always even to the end of the world, Matt, xxviii. 20. Having read these words in their presence, the angel said, From these, and many other passages in the Word, it is evident, that the divine, which is called the holy ghost, proceedeth of the Lord from the father. Whereupon they that sat on the seats all confessed, This is divine truth.
Lastly, This decree was passed, that from what hath been deliberated in this council, we see clearly, and of consequence acknowledge as holy truth, that in the Lord God the Saviour Jesus Christ there is a divine trinity, consisting of the all-begetting divinity, which is called father, the divine humanity, which is called the son, and the divine proceeding, which is called the holy ghost; then they lifted up their voices together, saying, In Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily, Coloss. ii. 9. Thus there is one God in the church.
When these conclusions were determined in that magnificent council, they rose up to depart; and the angel, the keeper of the vestry, presented to each of them, who sat on the seats, rich shining garments, interwoven here and there with threads of gold, and said, Receive ye these wedding garments. And they were conducted in a glorious manner to the new Christian heaven, with which the Church of the Lord on earth, which is the New Jerusalem, is to be joined.
See No. 163.
The fifth Memorable Relation. On a certain day there appeared before me a magnificent temple of a square form, whose roof was like a crown, arched above, and elevated round about; its walls were continued windows of crystals, and its gate of a pearly substance; within on the south side, verging towards the west, was a pulpit, on which towards the right lay the Word open, and encompassed with a sphere of light, whose brightness surrounded and illuminated the whole pulpit; in the midst of the temple was a sacred place with a veil to cover it, which at that time was removed, and therein stood a cherub of gold, with a sword in his hand that turned every way. Whilst I was taking a view of all these things, and thinking what they meant, their signification was pointed out to me by an influx from above; hence I saw that the temple signified the New Church; the gate of a pearly substance, the entrance into it; the windows of crystals, the truths which enlightened it; the pulpit, the priesthood, and preaching; the Word upon it, which was open, and enlightened the higher part of the pulpit, the revelation of its internal sense, which is spiritual; the sacred place in the midst of the temple, the conjunction of that church with the angelic heaven; the cherub of gold within, the Word in its literal sense; the sword vibrating in his hand signified, that this sense of the letter is capable of being turned every way, supposing only that it be applied to favour any particular truth: the removal of the veil before the cherub signified, that now the Word is laid open. Afterwards as I approached nearer, I saw written over the gate these words, Now it is allowable, which signified, that now it is allowable to enter intellectually into the mysteries of faith. On seeing this writing, it occurred to my thoughts how dangerous it is to enter intellectually into tenets of faith, formed out of man's own intelligence, and consequently consisting of falses, and how much more so to confirm them by passages from the Word, whereby the understanding is closed above, and in a short time below, and that to such a degree, that matters of a theological nature not only become disagreeable, but are also obliterated and effaced, like writing on paper devoured with moths, whilst the understanding abideth only in political concerns, such as regard a man's life in the state to which he belongeth, and in civil concerns relating to his own particular function, and in domestic concerns, or the business of his own family, in all which he attacheth himself closely to nature, and loveth her by reason of her enchanting pleasures, as an idolater doth the golden image which he carrieth in his bosom. Now whereas the tenets maintained at this day, in all Christian
churches, are not derived from the Word, but from man's own intelligence, and consequently consist of falses, and yet are confirmed by some passages out of the Word, therefore amongst the Roman Catholics, by the Lord's divine providence, the Word was taken out of the hands of the laity, and opened amongst the Protestants, but still in a degree kept closed up, in consequence of a ruling maxim amongst them, that the understanding is to be kept bound under obedieitce to faith. The case however is totally reversed in the New Church, wherein it is allowed to enter with the understanding, and to penetrate into all its secrets, and likewise to confirm them by the Word; and the reason is, because its doctrinals are a chain of truths revealed from the Lord by the Word, and the rational confirmation thereof causeth the understanding to be opened more and more upwards, and thereby to be elevated into the light which the angels of heaven enjoy, which light in it's essence is truth, wherein the acknowledgment of the Lord as God of heaven and earth shineth with resplendent glory. This is understood by the writing over the gate of the temple, Now it is allowable, and also by the veil removed from before the cherub in the sacred place, for it is an established law of the New Church that falsities close the understanding, and that truths open it. After this I saw as it were an infant over my head, holding a paper in his hand, who as he approached me grew up to the stature of a middle-sized man; he was an angel from the third heaven, where all appear at a distance like infants; when he was come near, he held forth the paper to me, which being written with circumflex letters, such as are used in that heaven, I returned it back, and desired him to explain the meaning of its contents in words adapted to my ideas; then he replied, "The contents are these; Enter from henceforth into the mysteries of the Word which hath heretofore been closed up, for all the truths contained therein are so many mirrors of the Lord."See No. 508.
THE END.
- ↑ The terms object, and subject, are here used according to the sense of the school-philosophers; in which sense by object is meant some particular quality, or property, resulting from any subject; and by subject, the body, or thing, in which such quality, or property, is inherent; thus colour, in respect to body, may be called the object, and body, in respect to its colour, may be called subject.
- ↑ That such is really the case, may be seen most clearly from many publications of this age, and particularly Milton's Paradise Lost, (a book with which most people are acquainted) in which frequent discourses between the father and the son, who are there represented as two single persons, are to be met with.
- ↑ lt may be necessary here to remark, for the information and satisfaction of such as may not be already previously acquainted with our author's works, wherein he treats more particularly on the nature of these his spiritual communications, that all things which exist in the spiritual world have their origin and existence from the affections and thoughts of the inhabitants there, and thus the things that there exist, are to be considered as strictly in agreement with, or representative of the state of their minds, according to the subjects meditated upon, or conversed about. The appearances therefore which our author here describes, are all to be considered in that light, and that they are nothing more than the mere representatives of the states of mind of the spirits and angels with whom he was at those times in spiritual association, and which representatives, or appearances, can only be understood according to the science of correspondences, as explained by our author throughout his various theological writings.
It is on this same principle of correspondence between things represented, and the things themselves, that we are to understand the wonderful things seen by the apostle John, as described in the Revelations, and so of all that was seen by prophets and others, as related in the Sacred Scripture. It is further to be observed, that the particular part of the spiritual world wherein our author beheld the scenes he here describes, was what he distinguishes by the name of the world of spirits, that is, an intermediate state between heaven and hell, into which the spirit of man first enters, on leaving the body, and there continues for a shorter or longer period, until it is prepared for its final place of destination, either in heaven or hell, according to the kind of life, whether good or evil, which the person has lived in the body, but as to the particular purpose of the spirit being detained for a time in this intermediate state, the reader is referred to the writings themselves, for further information, which, to give a full and satisfactory description of here, would much exceed the limits of the present undertaking.