But

for the luxuriant growth of irreligion and infidelity. Like former churches, therefore, it is permitted to hasten its own desolation, to produce the means for its own dissolution, that a truly spiritual church may be raised up, and by an increasing extension lead to the universal dominion of its Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The liberty of thinking which was given by the Reformation not only led men away from confiding in Papal authority, but likewise, to an increasing extent, removed them from an implicit faith in every other human authority. They turned away from other men's versions of truth, and trusted to find it in themselves. it is not within the province of human faculties to dig up the precious treasures of truth from within their own recesses, unless first received from its right source. Men looked at false doctrines, and condemned them; but having no true doctrines made known, they either fell into other false notions, or religion itself was rejected, and infidelity openly and covertly spread its destructive influence. For although the Bible really contains all spiritual truth, no unaided mind is capable of rightly understanding it. Some of its instructions can be easily seen; but its most obvious lessons will be perverted by the man who trusts alone in his own unassisted powers of discernment. Neither is it less than presumption to trust in divine assistance, while neglecting the aids which Providence brings to us through the instrumentality of our fellow-men. The divine wisdom knows best when to withhold and when to communicate the treasures of spiritual truth which must be contained in the sacred volume of divine inspiration. Where doctrines are false, their fallacy may, how"ever, be seen, even though the true doctrines may not be discovered. But truth must be communicated, to be seen. The disposition which was awakened to exercise the reasoning powers about religious doctrines, could not give the knowledge of spiritual truth, and hence failed in producing a satisfactory doctrinal code. It gave, however, a new impulse to the intellect,―aroused the energies of thought,—and extended the capacities of the human understanding.

This accession of mental power, while it failed to give admission into the regions of spiritual intelligence, found a field for its gratification in the wonders of natural science and the capabilities of art. The history of the last fifty years testifies the velocity with which the human mind has proceeded among the truths-or, at any rate, the facts-of nature, making its discoveries and investigations, and multiplying its inventions. Nor has it been merely the knowledge of nature and the utilities of art that have been regarded; the refinements of taste have been cultivated to an extent as astonishing as it is new. Neither has human philosophy left untouched the more hidden wonders that lie within the outward

forms and results of life. It has ventured its speculations upon the nature of the mind of man, though its gropings here have been neither satisfactory in their results, nor happily expressed. The discoveries of science have shewn the necessity of some more satisfactory way of interpreting Scripture. This leads some to look for spiritual instruction, and others make it a reason for turning to infidelity. In both respects, the end of the fallen church is accelerated, and something is effected preparatory to a new church.

In all the mental progress that has been made, the natural mind would regard its own unaided power as the discoverer and inventor, not perceiving the source of its own energies, nor the strong tide of spiritual influence that is thus moving the world onwards towards an era almost unseen, yet not so much unfelt, in the undeveloped future.

This onward stride in intellect, though accompanied by the fearful march of infidelity, has also been attended with as wonderful a progress in the distribution of the Bible itself. This sacred book has been translated into most of the languages of the world, and the means are ready for diffusing it through all lands. We see in this an important provision made, by the wise and merciful Governor of all things, for the spreading forth of that light and power which belong to the Lord's new dispensation, which has now commenced, for the salvation of the world.

Had no other great phenomenon, in the condition of mankind, appeared in the present age to excite our wondering attention, we should be left without any adequate means of accounting for these things, or of answering the question, "To what do they all tend?" But there is another wonder existing, immensely great, and of unspeakable benefit,the explainer of all these, aud the interpreter of its own purpose. By it the future, in connexion with the present, lifts up the veil and discovers its glory. This wonder does not obtrude itself upon the world's gaze, for its object is not to obtain applause, but to confer blessing. It does not, however, hide itself, but seeks to be seen by all whom it can bless. It appeals not to the outward senses to draw attention, but to the heart and understanding. It cannot be rightly seen or known without the proper exercise of these faculties. It is beginning to effect that which will be ultimately accomplished, and it tells how the changes, agitations, and commotions among men, can subserve the future establishment of righteousness and peace.

(To be concluded in our next.)

THAT TO DO GOOD AND NOT TO COMBAT AGAINST EVIL, IS TO DO GOOD FROM ONE'S SELF AND NOT FROM THE LORD.

(From Swedenborg's Spiritual Diary. Appendix, p. 109.)

Ir is believed by many that they shall be saved because they have done good deeds; thus, because they have given to the poor, have benefitted their neighbour, have acted sincerely and justly in their office and calling, and yet have never combated and fought against the evils opposed to the good deeds they have done, believing that evils have thus been removed. It appears also as though good deeds remove evils; for a man who thus acts, says in his heart, If I do good, I then shun evil." The fact however is, that a man may indeed do good from obedience to the Lord's precepts, nevertheless he may not do the good from the Lord, but from himself; thus not from a spiritual law, except only from appearance, but in reality from merely a moral and civil law; in which case his evils remain; and although he may not openly do them, still he does not hold them in aversion. Wherefore when the love of evil, with its delight, returns, he does not resist it; but he either excuses or indulges it, or he does not do it for the sake of himself and the world, in which case he does not even think or know that it is evil. It is, however, altogether otherwise when, from a spiritual law, he fights against evil in himself; for in proportion as he thus fights, he accuses and condemns the evil against which he fights; and then he loves the opposite good and its truth; and in the degree he does this, he does good from the Lord, and not from himself, and in the same degree the Lord, by the good and truth which he does, removes evil.

I have heard spirits say, that they know not otherwise than that to do good is to shun evil; but reply was made that, in that case, they no otherwise shun evil than that they do not perpetrate it; when at the same time, they do not hate evil and condemn it as sin, except so far as they fight against it, in which case it is removed, and good is introduced into its place; thus, by combat, the devil is removed, and the Lord enters. To do good, and not to combat against evils, is only to be in externals, and not in internals. No man can become spiritual except by combat. Those who were [externally] sincere, just, chaste, &c., and had not fought against the opposite evils, namely, insincerity, injustice, impurity, &c., are let into combats after death, and then it clearly appears in what degree they had acted justly, sincerely, purely, &c. from themselves, or for the sake of themselves and the world, or from the

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Lord, and for the sake of His kingdom;-they are thus reformed by combats.

Before they are thus reformed by combats, they do not come into the affection of truth, nor do their hearts come into a perception and enjoy. ment of that affection. Moreover, they are thereby truly taught what is good and what is evil, for before this they are in ignorance.

Man can do good from obedience and from affection. He does good from obedience before he combats against evils, and this is his first state, and may be called a state of reformation, and those who are in this state, and who do not indulge and practise evils, are regenerated in the other life by combats against them, or by temptations. But to do good from affection, is to do it after evils have been fought against and removed; this state is a state of regeneration with man, and is the inverse of the former.

To do good from obedience merely, is not to do it from full liberty, because not from affection, for he who acts merely from obedience still thinks of remuneration and also of merit in what he does. [But not so with him who does good from affection.]

No one can do good from himself, but the Lord does good with or by man, and no one can come to the Lord except he remove evils from himself by combats against them. Hence it is, that in proportion as a man removes evils, he does good from the Lord, and this good appears as though it were done by man; nevertheless he always thinks and believes that it is from the Lord, and the angels have a lively perception that is from the Lord.

In proportion, therefore, as a man shuns evils as sins, he does good not from himself, but from the Lord; and further,

In proportion as a man shuns evil as sin, all his works become works of genuine charity.

[Every one who is in the habit of reading the Scriptures will at once see how they abundantly confirm the necessity, as shewn in the above paper, of combating against evils in order that they may be removed from man. Thus when the Lord commands us to " Strive," (Luke xiii. 24.) to "Labour," (John vi. 26.) to " Overcome," (Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 26; iii. 5, 12, 21.) and when the apostles enjoin us to "Fight the good fight,” (1 Tim. vi. 12.) “to resist the devil that he may flee from us,” (James iv. 7.) we are taught the same great truth. Moreover, it is quite evident, that without this great condition of salvation being complied with, there can be no faith, no love, no holiness, and consequently no heaven for man.]-EDITOR.

SYMBOLS AND CORRESPONDENCES IN NATURE, AND THEIR PERCEPTION BY THE HUMAN MIND.

ONE of the most singular and mysterious parts of our mental nature is that perception we have of resemblances and correspondences between things and circumstances, which yet to our reasoning faculty shew no connection but that which is given by imagination. Thus a high mountain gives to the beholder à sense of majesty, sublimity, and endless duration; but why it should do so, can by no reasoning be accounted for. In battles between soldiers of two different nations, the standards of the two armies form the points of fiercest contest;-the blood of men is poured out like water, to save or take these standards; and this arises from the feeling that, by some unaccountable means, the honour and safety of the nation are closely connected with, and represented by, the standard borne by its army. It is never attempted to be shewn to the soldiers how this arbitrary sign does thus represent the national character, but yet every one of them feels that it does so, and if one of them failed to perceive it intuitively, it would be considered hopeless to attempt to inculcate the notion. This shews that the perception is given by nature; that it is one of the radical principles of the human mind; and no instruction can make good the deficiency. The absence of such perception makes an idiot.

It is the same interior perception which makes the poet, and constitutes the charm of poetry. Each natural object which affects the senses, calls up in the mind some interior emotion, in some men more vividly than in others, but in all men in a greater or less degree. The expression in words of the emotions thus excited, is called poetry. In some the emotions are so powerful, that, acting on a faculty peculiarly fitted for their expression, the subject of them becomes as it were spontaneously moved to poetry, and breaks forth in rhapsodic utterances, as though impelled by some spiritual necessity of his nature. In all such cases, the words themselves are made subservient to the emotive prompting. They convey in their sound, and in the structure of the sentences, as well as in the meaning itself, the feeling which gives the impulse. If harmonious and beautiful, the sentence itself is flowing, smooth, and delightful. If the feeling be one of terror, the structure will be broken, harsh, and will impress in its effect on the ear the same meaning. Poetry is thus the interpretation, in human language, of the symbolic meaning of nature, and of all the phenomena of life. But this symbolic or spiritual signification of all natural things, has a much deeper influence upon