angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon." Now, who that is unacquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word, can derive from these passages an idea at once intelligible and rational? For, without a knowledge of correspondences, what can be understood by horses coming out of a book, or by the key of the bottomless pit being given to a star? And how much there is in the Word, which, without a spiritual sense, must forever remain as it is, wholly unintelligible! "Without the spiritual sense," says Swedenborg, "it is impossible for any one to know why the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to buy himself a girdle, and not to draw it through the waters, but to go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock (Jer. xiii.' 1-7); or why Isaiah the prophet was commanded to loose the sackcloth from off his loins, and to put off his shoe from off his foot, and to go naked and barefoot three years (Isaiah xx. 2, 3); or why Ezekiel the prophet was commanded to make a razor pass upon his head and upon his beard, and afterwards to divide them, and to burn a third part in the midst of the city, and to smite a third part with the sword, and to scatter a third part in the wind, and to bind a little of them in his skirts, and at last to cast them into the midst of the fire (Ezek. v. 1-4); or why the same prophet was commanded to lie upon his left side three hundred and ninety days, and upon his right side forty days, and to make himself a cake of wheat, and barley, and millet, and fitches, with cow's dung, and eat it; and in the mean time to raise a rampart and a mound against Jerusalem, and besiege it (Ezek. iv. 1--15); or why Hosea was twice commanded to take to himself a harlot to wife (Hosea i. 2-9; iii. 2, 3); with several other things of a like nature. Moreover, who can know, without the spiritual sense, what is signified by all things appertaining to the tabernacle; as by the ark, the mercy-seat, the cherubim, the candlestick, the altar of incense, the shew-bread on the table, and the veils and curtains? Or who would know, without the spiritual sense, what is signified by Aaron's holy garments; as by his coat, his cloak, the ephod, the urim and thummim, the mitre, and several things besides? Or, without the spiritual sense, who would know what is signified by all those particulars which were enjoined concerning burnt-offerings, sacrifices, meat-offerings, and drink-offerings; and also concerning sabbaths and feasts? truth is, that nothing was enjoined, be it ever so minute, but what was significative of something appertaining to the Lord, to heaven, and to the church. From these few instances then it may be plainly seen, that there is a spiritual sense in all and every part of the Word.”—(D. S. S. n. 16.) The found only by long seeking. Nor can it be said that passages like those above cited are to be They occur frequently in almost every part of the Sacred Volume. And it is well known that there are no principles of interpretation commonly known and acknowledged, by a fair application of which we are able to elicit from these and other similar portions of the Word, a clear, consistent, and rational meaning. Almost every one is ready to acknowledge, that, if such passages have any meaning, it is concealed under a thick cloud. But, says one, "There is enough of Scripture plain and simple that we can understand; why then should we be troubled about portions which are cloudy or obscure?" Suppose a man could see just well enough to enable him to walk the street tolerably well without stumbling; should we consider him wise in refusing the gift of more light or better eyesight, which would enable him not only to walk more securely, but also to read and write? By no means. Then, certainly, we are not wise in refusing the gift-the precious gift-of a revelation which unfolds higher and purer truth even in the simplest portions of God's Word, at the same time that it renders the darkest parts luminous and beautiful. Still, if there be those who are perfectly satisfied with their present attainments in spiritual knowledge- who have no desire for a better understanding of the Word than they already possess -who see therein all the truth that they desire to know, I have only to say, that this New Revelation is not for them. -- I trust no more need be added to prove the necessity of either admitting an internal sense to the Word, or of utterly rejecting a large portion of it at least, as the offspring of uninspired, erratic, and even distempered minds. Nor need it here be intimated which alternative a wise man will choose. The sum of what has been said is this: There are to be found in the Sacred Scripture some statements which appear to contradict others; some which appear to contradict the truths of science; some which appear contrary to the principles of pure morality; some which appear unimportant and trivial; and many, which, in the sense of the letter, are altogether irrational or unintelligible. In consequence of such appearances in the letter of the Word, modern commentators, who are in the acknowledgment of no other than the apparent or literal sense, have en adopted such loose notions in regard to the inspiration of the Scripture, as do virtually deny that it is really the Word of God. But this title the Scripture claims for itself in many places; and, moreover, was frequently applied to the Old Testament by the Lord himself when on earth. And not only so, but He has declared that its authority is unquestionable — that it cannot be brokthat not even the smallest part of it is ever to be abrogated : "Till heaven and earth pass, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." And inasmuch as the literal sense of many portions of Scripture cannot be reconciled with the repeated declarations of the Lord, that it is the Word of God, and hence the very Divine Truth, we must either admit that it contains a spiritual sense within the letter, or else accuse the Lord of false affirmations, or a most heedless use of language. In the course of my remarks I have not forborne to state frankly and fully the difficulties to be encountered, according to the usual mode of interpreting the Scripture. They are difficulties upon which the infidel grounds his objections to the Bible as a special revelation from God. And candor forces us to acknowledge, that, if there be no other sense to the Scripture above that which is obvious and apparent, these difficulties are insuperable. But let no one be alarmed for the Sacred Oracles, on account of the difficulties that have been stated in this lecture. Let each rather turn his eyes towards the Son of Man, who is now lifted up in the wilderness. Let him come to the glorious truths of the New Dispensation, before whose brilliant light these difficulties will all vanish, and the clouds round about God's Word will gradually melt away and disappear, like mists before the morning sun. Let him rest assured, that, while multitudes are rendering void the law by their low and false notions of inspiration-making the Word of God of none effect by their traditions—the doctrines of the New Church, like the Lord at His first advent, have come, not to destroy one tittle of the law, but to fill it all out in the most eminent degree. They have come to reveal the divine fulness, order, and perfection of God's Word-breathing spirit and life into all its minutest parts — and raising it from that powerless and deathlike state, wherein the ignorance and wickedness of men have entombed it. No one who looks around upon the present aspect of the world, can fail to perceive that a spirit of inquiry is abroad-of inquiry upon all subjects-searching as the light of day, independent and free as the mountain wind. This spirit is at once the offspring and the harbinger of the new heavens and the new earth, which the Lord is even now creating. Will this spirit stop at the boundaries of science and art? Will it satiate itself with the investigation of natural phenomena alone? No: never. This spirit will look nay, is even now looking-above and beyond nature, and is asking to know the laws of the spiritual world, and the principles according to which the Sacred Scripture is composed. From the great heart of Christendom there cometh a voice, which ere long will be heard louder than seven thunders, inquiring: What does the Word of God really teach? In what sense is it inspired ? Wherein does its divinity consist? How are its apparent contradictions, discrepancies, trivialities, &c., to be reconciled with the idea that it is God's Word and not man's? What are the true principles of interpretation to be applied to the unfolding of its spirit and life? Are there any laws in its composition as fixed and orderly as those according to which the grass grows or the planets move? Such are the inquiries which the Christian world has already begun to make-inquiries which the old theology in vain essays to answer. Multitudes, who have never expressed such interrogatories in any form of words, are yet making them deep in their hearts, though they may scarcely know it. And has the gracious Lord left the world to hear in these inquiries nought but the sad echo of its own voice? No. He has answered, and more than answered them all in anticipation in the truths now revealed for the use of His New Church. Here He no longer speaketh in parables, but shows us plainly of the Father. May the Lord Jesus Christ open all our eyes, that we may “behold wondrous things out of His law." THE SACRED SCRIPTURE LECTURE V. -PROOFS OF THE EXISTENCE OF A SPIR- "The words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life.”—John VI. 63. upon the sub go directly It is a common thing, when people are addressed ject of the New Dispensation, to hear them say: "We care nothing about doctrines; much less do we wish to be any man's disciples. We think it far the safer course to adhere to the Bible alone. This, we believe, is the Word of God, and therefore an infallible guide to heaven. But as for Swedenborg, we know not with regard to his writings whether they be true or false — from heaven or from hell. Hence we prefer to let them alone, and to the Word itself." Did not men seek to excuse themselves for rejecting the Messiah at His first advent, by a similar process of reasoning? When on one occasion the Lord had performed a notable miracle of healing upon one who had been blind from his birth, the Jews were urgent that the man who had been healed should tell how his eyes had been opened. "One thing," says the man, "I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." And upon their reiterating the inquiry, He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear. Wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: [as for this fellow,] we know not from whence he is." (John ix. 27—29.) On another occasion the Lord says to them; "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life and these are they which testify of me." (John v. 39.) And He further tells them that even Moses, in whom they trusted, was their accuser: "For had ye believed Moses," says He " ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" (v. 46, 47.) 6. |