THE NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE is issued monthly. Terms. three dollars per annum, in advance. All business letters should be directed to RICHARD WARD, Agent, No. 2 Hamilton Place, Boston, Mass. Contributions to the pages of the Magazine are solicited from all friends of the New Church. They should be addressed to " The Editor of the New Jerusalem Magazine, No. 2 Hamilton Place, Boston, Mass." THE NEW JERUSALEM MESSENGER. A WEEKLY NEW CHURCH NEWSPAPER. Published by the General Convention of the New Jerusalem Church in the United States, at the Publishing House, No. 20 Cooper Union, New York. Terms, three dollars per annum, in advance. AGENTS FOR THE NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE, AND FOR THE NEW CHURCH MAGAZINE FOR CHILDREN. THE NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE. No. DXXIII. VOL. XLIV.-SEPTEMBER, 1871.- No. 3. THE NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. IV. (Continued from page 12.) LET us now look at the circumstances treated of in the preceding part, from a little different point of view. The doctrines of the New Church teach us, that the internal mind, that is, the internal of the natural, is first regenerated, and afterwards, by means of it, the external mind. We may therefore understand that the regeneration of the internal mind, or at least its commencement, is described and represented by the effects of the two heavenly influxes which have been treated of: that the conception of John by Elizabeth, signifies the reception of truth in the internal mind, and the conception of Jesus by Mary, the reception of good there. But the births of John and Jesus signify the bringing down of the principles of good and truth, which have been inwardly received, into the outward life, and the reformation of the external man by their means. "39. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judea. "40. And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth." Mary arose," signifies an elevation of state in the man whose regeneration is treated of. This elevation takes place VOL. XLIV. 5 in consequence of the reception of the affection of good, which is denoted by Mary's conception. For when good begins to be received, or rather when man begins to be affected by it, he is elevated, as to his interiors, nearer to heaven, whence it comes, and begins to be brought into conjunction with the angels. "And went into the hill country," (which might be more correctly translated mountain country,) signifies the state of the interiors as to the good of love, which good is signified by mountains. "With haste," signifies a joyful state, on account of the reception of the affection of good. "Into a city of Judea," signifies application to doctrine, because a city signifies doctrine. When a man begins to receive the affection of good, or, in other words, to have some desire for spiritual good, he acquires, also, a new interest in the doctrine of good and truth, and applies to it, in order to be instructed how he can obtain, or come into possession of, the good for which he has conceived a desire. "And entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth." This signifies an influx of the affection denoted by Mary, into that denoted by Elizabeth. It has already been observed, that the affection of truth alone, without some degree of desire for good within it, is a merely natural affection, and of no avail towards spiritual life. Here, therefore, the influx of such an affection into the affection of truth, signified by Elizabeth, is treated of in the internal sense. "41. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost." This effect of the salutation of Mary, signifies the excitement and vivification of the good of innocence, which lies concealed within the affection of truth, or in the internal mind of the man who possesses this affection. This good of innocence is the good of remains implanted in infancy, which lies in a concealed and dormant state in the unregenerate man, but which is awakened and vivified, and brought |