to be the relation subsisting between internal and external things, and the representation of the former in the latter, which he illustrates by the ideas of the thought and the affections of the will of man, as spiritual things, manifesting themselves in the eye and countenance, as natural things; so that the doctrine of correspondences, is understood to consist in natural things or effects, being divinely expressed in the Word, so as to represent and signify their moral and spiritual causes, as derived from their Infinite First Cause.

Now, the general doctrine that the Word of God contains a spiritual sense of some kind, does not appear to have been entirely lost, at any time, in the church; notions concerning it, more or less obscure, certainly prevailed among the Jews; while the idea is very marked in much of the theological literature of the early ages of the Christian world; and even in the latter days of that dispensation, it is frequently admitted by its pious and sensible writers. It is the knowledge of correspondences which doctrinally shews what that sense is, and how it is that the Scriptures have such a sense; which knowledge has been lost, and that too from a period of remote antiquity. The idea that the Word has a spiritual sense, has not entirely perished; but the precise law on which that sense is founded, or, indeed, that the Word is written according to any law, is altogether unknown.

The New Church, then, to whom this doctrine has been revealed, and which Church came into existence by means of that very revelation, may, most reasonably, be asked for some clear information on this point. But to what extent can an enquiry of this kind be replied to? Is the Church in possession of such minute knowledge, concerning the connexion subsisting between natural and spiritual things, as to be capable of shewing, on rational and scientific grounds, why a certain natural thing corresponds to a certain spiritual thing? I do not think it is; Swedenborg has not bequeathed to the Church any lengthened treatise on this most important subject: the most consecutive statement of his doctrines on it, is recorded in his works on Heaven and Hell, and True Christian Religion; what he has said about it elsewhere, is scattered throughout his other very voluminous writings. Passages, containing magnificent truths, with brilliant illustrations, frequently appear; and the whole shews, most convincingly, that there is a correspondence subsisting between things natural and spiritual; and they exhibit, most rationally, that the Word of God is a work of God; and that, therefore, it must be written according to the law of such correspondence; but the additional recognition of the particular evidences of this law, he appears to have left, not to the ratiocination, but to the perception of the Church.

It is true that, in assigning a precise signification to certain words, Swedenborg confirms his statements by the citation of numerous passages from the Scriptures, in which the same words occur in a connexion, in which no other sense than that which he assigns them, would afford a satisfactory or intelligible idea. Take, as an example, the meaning of the "white horse," mentioned in the Revelation, as shewn in his small treatise on that subject. But still the ground on which that signification rests, originates in correspondence. The Scriptural citations are in conformity with his rule, that all doctrine must be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, and confirmed thereby; and they exhibit and illustrate the reasonableness of the view, as well as unfold the correspondence as the interior ground of it: it is similar in other cases.

Swedenborg sometimes gives a reason why a certain natural thing denotes a certain spiritual thing; for instance, he says, "Honey denotes delight, because it is sweet;" (A.C. 5620.) and "Skin signifies things external, because skins are the outermost principles of the animal, in which its interior things are terminated." (A.C. 3540.) But such reasons do not fully disclose the cause of the correspondence, they rather present us with au external general similitude, by which the idea expressed is intended to be familiarized: the mind, from such comparisons, does not see from any interior ground, how or why it is that such things correspond; this can only be known by an act of perception!

The Scriptural evidence and natural reasons which are offered in the New Church writings, for the signification assigned to the language of Revelation, are exceedingly important, nor will they fail to affect the intelligent and pious mind with their authority and weight. They appear to be the only resources for testimony and illustration that are attainable in the present external state of man. A great general truth concerning the construction of the Word has been revealed, and as the Church thereby begun is peculiarly spiritual and progressive in its character, it is plain that it will get to know more of the interior things of the Word from a superior state of perception, than from the inferior and defective conditions of reason.

The most perfect knowledge of correspondences can only be obtained by the Church as the ability of perception is restored to its members. The ordinary, or natural rational faculty, appertains to the external man, and, therefore, it is not a power adequate to discover them. Reason is now but an obscure principle, such as came into activity after the fall of man. The condition in which "Yea, yea, and nay, nay," become the distinguished feature of human existence, is the right position for obtaining the spiritual knowledge of theological truths.

The Lord said, "Whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil;" now, as all reasonings imply more than these, it is plain that they have come of evil, and that, therefore, of themselves, and in reference to spiritual things, they are liable to delusions and defects.

Many of the correspondences mentioned in the Word, are derived from representation which exist in the spiritual world, and the knowledge of them constitutes the intelligence of angels, and, therefore, it is certain that neither the reasonings, nor the science of the world, is capable of grasping them. Their province is to illustrate and confirm, from external evidence, those internal truths which have been discovered to a higher state of intellect, concerning spiritual realities. The knowledge of correspondences began to disappear from the world just in proportion as the sensualities of reason and of science made their advent into it. The superior wisdom, coeval with a highly-developed state of internal vision, was not reducible to the cognizance of a depraved condition of the intellect. We cannot discover at the foot of the mountain the good and excellent things which can only be manifested on the top. It is not my intention here to undervalue the powers of reason, or to speak disparagingly of science; they are of the utmost importance to man as a natural being, and will contribute very largely to the expansion of his intellect, and the promotion of his welfare. They are also serviceable to religion in the way of defending, explaining, and eliciting the true ideas contained in the literal statement of revelation. But what is meant by the above remarks, is to shew that neither reason nor science, as now understood, is adequate to unfold "correspondences;" for these, constituting the wisdom of angels, belong to a department of knowledge beyond their reach. Hence Swedenborg says, "As to those spiritual things in heaven to which natural things in this world correspond, no one now can understand them but by a particular illumination from above." (H. H. 104.)

And when we speak of the knowledge of correspondence, we do not mean such information concerning it as may be furnished to the memory upon the authority of Swedenborg; but a knowledge founded on an absolute discernment of their reality, by an intellectual sight of the connexion subsisting between the spiritual cause and the natural effect of specific existences: so long as we are deficient in these evidences, our faith in correspondences must be limited and obscure. What we, in such a state, believe concerning them, rests upon the testimony of the New Church writings: and what are we compelled to say of such a faith? Why, what Swedenborg has himself declared concerning it, viz., that, "As being the dictate of one person abiding in the mind N.S. NO. 56.-VOL. V.

PP

of another, it is an historical faith, or a faith that depends on the authority of the relation." (D. F. 1.) It is not spiritual, because it has not yet passed into the spiritual perception of the Church.

The science of correspondences once constituted the chief of all knowledge, and it was regarded as "the most exalted of all sciences;" but it never was a philosophical scientific, and therefore it is not amenable to its laws, or discoverable by its efforts. It was looked upon as the "science of sciences," because it led to an acquaintance with heavenly things; and those to whom that acquaintance was given, were spiritual and celestial men.

In the True Christian Religion, No. 202, it is said, “That the men of the most ancient Church, which was before the flood, were of so heavenly a genius, that they conversed with angels, and that they had the power of holding such converse by means of correspondences: hence the state of their wisdom became such, that in viewing any of the objects of the world, they not only thought of them naturally, but also spiritually; thus in conjunction with the angels." It was, then, the people of the most ancient Church, to whom correspondences were best known; by means of this knowledge they were enabled to converse with angels! But how was this knowledge procured? Certainly by perception! this was, then, "particular illumination from above :" it was their peculiar mental inheritance, and consisted in a certain internal sensation imparted by the Lord, whereby its subject was endowed with the capacity of discovering what goodness and truth are in reference to the things of love and faith. This power continued only so long as love towards the Lord was a ruling principle, manifesting itself in active charity towards mankind. As this love and charity diminished, perception gradually passed away, and at length it entirely perished; and hereupon the knowledge of heavenly things was only preserved and taught by means of doctrine. Prior to this, men acquired their knowledges of truth by an internal way of communication; and, therefore, they had no need of instructions by means of established doctrines, which only promote the instruction of man by an external way. The difference in the state of knowledge in the two cases, is like that between light and obscurity: that of perception extends to the most minute and particular things, according to all the variety of their conditions and circumstances; while that which is learnt by doctrine is confined to very general things, the particulars of which are surrounded with considerable obscurity.

Moreover, the particular knowledges which enter into the intelligence of angels, are not revealed to man as general ideas are, because they cannot be described; and they cannot be described, because the ideas of

them are not cognizable by the merely natural powers of the mind. This appears to be confirmed by the apostle, who intimates "That he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible for man to utter." (2 Cor. xii. 4.) Swedenborg, also, frequently speaks of similar experience.

From these considerations, it appears that the knowledge of correspondences is not so obtained as a philosophical scientific, and that the information which even doctrine can communicate, is of a very general and external kind; and, that, although the evidence is very full and complete, which shews that the Word of God is written according to correspondences as a Divine law, yet the true way of procuring interior and extensive information concerning the minutiae of this law, is to cultivate the love of God above all things, and our neighbour as ourselves. This will finally effect the restoration of the perceptive faculty to its most ancient use, and then the knowledge of correspondences, as the most eminent of sciences, will again fully appear. If the world had displayed one half of the solicitude to experience what is good, which it has evinced in looking after what is true, truth would not have been so great a stranger to mankind. Goodness is the orderly state through which the interior truths of heaven are to be procured. There are no theories or speculations in heaven. The angels know truth from the experience and love of what is good. It is evident that a similar state, though inferior in degree, may be obtained by man under the Christian dispensations, because its Divine Author has taught us to pray "that his will may be done on earth as it is done in heaven." R***.

Preston, July 9th, 1844.

SIR,

THE LAST JUDGMENT.

To the Editor of the Intellectual Repository.

It has appeared to be a cause of difficulty to inquirers into our doctrines, that we tell them first, that every man on his entrance into the spiritual world is judged either to heaven, or to hell,-and then we proceed to tell them that general judgments have taken place in the world of spirits on myriads of departed souls at one time, who have been there collecting for a long period, and who have not previously been adjudged either to heaven or hell, although they may have departed this life even centuries previously to that general judgment by which their final state is determined.