Dialogues on the Nature, Design, and Evidence of the
Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
New York, 1821.

YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

DIALOGUES

NATURE* DESIGN, AND EVIDENCE

OF

THE THEOLOGICAL WRITINGS

THE HONOURABLE

EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

1821.

CATALOGUE
OF THE THEOLOGICAL WORKS OP EMANCEL SWEDENBORG.

WITH THEIR PKICES.

Arcana Ccelestia,,. 12 vols. $
octavo #30 00 ',
Index to ditto, 1 vol. - 2 50 J
Apocalypse Explained, 6 J
vols. 18 00 <
Apocalypse Revealed, 2 vols. 5 25 5
Index to ditto, 1 vol. 1 25 i
Co'njugial Love, 1 vol. 2 00 S
Divine Providence , 1 vol. 2 00 !
Divine Love and Wisdom, 1 \
vol. , 1 75 J
Heaven and Hell, 1 vol. 2 37
True Christian Religion, 2
¦vols. 4 25 ;
Do. 1 vol. quarto 4 75
Coronis to ditto, 1 vol. 87
Earths in the Universe, 1 vol.
duodecimo 75 *
Doctrine of the Lord, 1 vol. 37 {
Docti;ine of Life, J vol. 37}

Doctrine of the Sacred Scrip
tures, 1 vol. °«
Doctrine of Faith, 1 vol. ^*
Treatise on Influx, 1 vol. 3'
White Horse in the Revelation,
1 vol. «
Last Judgment, 1 vol. 62
Continuation of ditto, 1 vol. 31
Heavenly Doctrine of the-Kew
'' Jerusalem, 1 vol. 62
Do. with Extracts, 1 vol. 1 25
Internal Sense of Genesis, &c.
1 vol. . 75
Internal Sense of Prophets
and Psalms, 1 vol. 73
Internal Sense of Psalms, 1
vol. 62
Hieroglyphic Key, 1 vol. 37
Small Treatise on Divine Love
and Wisdom, 1 vol. 62

-NEW CHURCH PUBLICATIONS.

Nicholson's Dictionary of Cor- i
respondences, 1 vol. quarto #4 754
Clawes's Sermons, 2 vols. Svo. 2
Do. do. on Children of Israel,
1vol. ?
Do. do. on the Lord's Prayer,
1 vol. 2
Do. do. on the Marriage of
the King's Son, 1 vol. 1
Evangelical Religion Restored,
,1 vol.
Clowes on Mediums, 1 vol. 1
Seal on the Lips, 1 vol. 1
Clowes's Matthew, 1 vol. 2
Sibley's Sermons, 1 vol. 1
Regenerate Life, 1 vol. 12mo. 37 j
Religious Ipstruction for Youth,
,2 vols. J 00

Life of Swedenbbrg 25
Golden Wedding Ring 6 '.
Hymn*, Hindmarshs collection 25.

75 62
87 25.'62175 50 j
50

Hymns for Children
Letters to a Friend
Young Prince
Dialogues on Creation
Rich and Poor in Heaven
Infants in Heaven
Paradise Lost and Regained
Departing Spirits
Caterpillars and the Gooseberry
bush
Joys of Heaven
Jacob's Ladder
Spiritual Sun
Sermon on the Trinity
Parables Explained (nine parts)
Letters to a Unitarian Clergy
man
The Second Advent, a poem
Eulogium on Swedenborg
A Treatise on the Atonement
Birth of Immanuel 6
A Summary View of the Doc
trines of the New Jerusalem 37

JVo.

,* Tilt foregoing books may be had on application lo C, I. Doughty,
2, Law Buildings, Nassau-street, JVete York.

TO MY MUCH RESPECTED FRIEND

Sir, I had lately the happiness, on two several
occasions, of being present in company, where
the writings of Baron Skuedenborg were the sub
ject of conversation. The chief speakers were
a young man, whom, on account of his singular
itnodesty, candour, and good sense, I shall at
present call Sophron, and an elderly country
clergyman, whom I shall beg leave to intro
duce to you under the name of Phihdelphus, by
reason of his unbounded charity and benevo
lence. The company seemed attentive to the con
versation, arid were too much interested in it
to endeavour to divert it to any other subject j
and I, for my own part, was so fully satisfied
with what was said, and it made such an im
pression on my mind, that, when I came home,
I determined to write it down; and I here
with send you a copy of what I have written,
in the way of dialogue between the two speak
ers above mentioned, believing it to contain,
as nearly as possible, the substance of all that
was said on either side.
. That you may the better enter into the spirit
of the dialogue, it may be expedient to acquaint
you further with the characters of the speakers.
Sophron is a young student, just returned from

IV

the university, and preparing to enter into the
ministry, and had never seen the writings of
Baron Swedenborg till after his first conversa
tion with Philadelphus on the subject, but is
since become a great admirer and diligent
reader of them. Philadelphus?. on the others
hand, has been an assiduous reader of those,;
writings for many years, and, to a very clear
and comprehensive knowledge of their con
tents, has joined a suitable practice, his whole
life being under the regulation of a truly Chris-,.
tian spirit. He never sffeaks on Baron Swe
denborg, or the subject of his writings, but
with a degree of animation which warms and
delights his hearers, convincing them that he
is in earnest, and yet with a spirit of modera
tion, candour, and charity, which prevents theic
being captious or offended. He says, the ten
dency of those writings is so truly Christian;
they so exalt the Christian Redeemer; so open,
explain, and reconcile the Christian Scripture ;
so teach and enforce a truly Christian life;
that the piety they inculcate is so sublime? andr
the morality so pure ; the reasoning eontained
in them so solid, and the variety of heavenly
knowledge they unfold so extensive, that it is
impossible but every Christian, who has any
spark, of goodness in his heart, must sooner or
later greatly revere them, and find himself be
nefited by the instructive lessons therein pre
sented to him. Nevertheless, Philadelphus is
not hasty to press these writings upon any per
son, Unless he observes a previous good dispo
sition, likely to make a proper use of them : he
says that others would only read them in a vain
spirit of curiosity, for the sake of talking and

disputing about them, and would thus separate
themselves further from the genuine end of the
truths they contain, and the virtues they incul*
cate, which are humility, charity, the right wor
ship of God, and a truly pious life. Philadel
phus is, on this account, much afraid of these
writings being misconceived, arid thereby per
verted and abused, by those who read them in
the above mentioned spirit ; and therefore he
most earnestly cautions all, especially young
persons, to read them with humble minds, seek
ing rather to mend their hearts, than t&flUl their
heads with mere knowledge. He says that much
science, especially of holy things, if if be not
well qualified with humility and charity, pro
duces spiritual intoxication ; and that more real
mischief comes from such a heated, intempe
rate zeal in favour of what i& called truth, be
fore it is well tempered with charityr through
humility, submission, and obedience, than from
almost any other source. Hence, he has often
told me, he dates the birth of persecutions, he
resies, schisms, and sectaries of divers kinds,
with all that variety of external changes, re
jections of old forms of worship, and adoptions
of new ones, whieh, in all ages, under an ap
pearance of reforming the church, have left it
as unsanctified as before, only cbangecMn name
and rituals, but not in power and effect. Phi
ladelphus, therefore, most affectionately recom
mends it to all, who read the writings of Baron
Swedenborg, to be sure to understand them
aright, and to join to such understanding sound
charity, sobriety of mind, and, discreetness,
through obedience, before they go forth, either
publicly or privately, to make them known to
I*

VI

others, lest, their zeal for the truth being irithr
out knowledge, they should do more harm than
good. He advises also, rather to have respect
to the principle of good in others, than to their
particular sentiments and opinions ; for he con
tends, that all who are truly .good are right, or
soon will be so; and that, if they are not goo d,
or desirous to become so, it matters not what.
they believe, think, or know.
Philadelphus has the most consolatory, and
enlarged views ofthe New Jerusalem dispensa
tion, pointed at in the writings of Baron Swe
denborg. He says, he doubts not but, sooner
or later, it will become universal, extending to
and blessing all nations, people, and languages,
being unconfined to any particular forms or
rituals of external worship, and yet tending to
purify and exalt all, by directing them to their
proper end, the knowledge and the love of
JESUS CHRIST. "Whosoever," says he,
" in any part of the earth, or in external com
munion with any church, worships the Lord
God, the Redeemer, in spirit and in truth, keep
ing hjs commandments of love and charity, and
bringing forth the fruits thereof in his life and
actions, be belongs to the true church of Jesus
Christ, is a member of his body, and an heir
of his kingdom." It gives Philadelphus, there
fore, much concern, when he hears of any who
^contending for forms and external expressions
of worship-) are zealous and eager about changes
in such outward things. It is his common say*
ing on such occasions, " Tbe natural man will
be busy in his own element ;" to which he
sometimes adds, "A change of words and forms
of worship has a fine sound, and makes a fai?

vn

show before men, but God seeks and loves 'a
change of hearts and lives:" and therefore be
earnestly counsels all the readers of the wri
tings of Baron Swedenborg, in this respect,
rather to regard purity of heart and life, as the
essential worship in which God most delights,
telling them that to the pure all things are pure j
and pressing upon them the observance of those
words of the Lord, " Cleanse first that which is
within the cgp and platter, that the outside of
them may be clean also," Matt, xxiii. 25. Ne
vertheless, Philadelphus is of opinion, that,
sooner or later, as genuine truth becomes more
generally known and practised, it will exert its
salutary influence even upon the externals of
worship in every Christian church. But this,
he says, can only be effected gradually, accord
ing to order, and by persons who have autho
rity to change human ordinances, and, at all
events, must be done with singular prudence
and caution, otherwise it will be attended with
mischievous consequences; and therefore he
advises all, in this respect, to wait patiently
the Lord's own time, and the operations of his
providence, not running faster in their ' own
spirits than the will of God leads them, but
submitting to the ordinances of man for the
Lord's sake, under a full assurance, that, how
soever imperfect their present externals of wor
ship may be, they themselves are accepted in
the sight of Jesus Christ, provided only they
be sincere in the use of them,, having a true
respect therein to this Almighty Father and
Redeemer of men, and to his commandments.
Such are some of the leading sentiments of
Philadelphus ; and, as I conceived them to be

Vlll

agreeable to your own, I have therefore sent
you a copy of the dialogues, in which you will
see them further enlarged on, with an addition
of others, which may perhaps give you equal
pleasure. If it should appear to you, that these dia
logues may be any means either of recommend
ing, or of preventing the abuse of, the valuable
writings in question, you are at liberty to com
municate them to your private friends, or to
the public, in any way that you may judge most
expedient. I am, with all respect,
Yours, &c.
THE AUTHOR,

DIALOGUES, &c.

BETWEEN

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS.

Soph. YOU have read, then, all the writings of Baron
Swedenbprg ?
Phil. All his theological writings which have been pub
lished, and I believe the most material of his philosophical
works. Soph. Was the author, then, a philosopher as well as a
theologian ?
Phil. Natural philosophy appears to have been the fa
vourite pursuit of his early years, and he soon attracted the
attention of the learned world by his various publications
pn philosophical subjects.
. Soph. Pray, sir, may I ask, what were the titles of his
philosophical works ?
Phil. Of those which 1 have seen, one of the most im
portant and voluminous is entitled, Works Philosophical and
Mineral. It was printed under the. author's own inspec
tion, part at Leipsic, part at Dresden, in three volumes
folio, in the year 1734. Another work, equally impor
tant, though not so large, is entitled the (Economy of the
Animal Kingdom, in two parts, printed at Amsterdam, in the
years 1740 and 1741, in quarto. Another has for its titlev
The Animal Kingdom, in three parts, one part printed at
the Hague, and the other at London, in the years 1744 and
1 745, in quarto. The above works were written in Latin ;
and, besides these, several other philosophical pieces were
published by him, some in Latin, and some in the Swedish
language, which I never read. The titles, however, have
been communicated to me, and are as follow:
I. Daedalus Hyperhoreus.Stockhohnice, 1716, 1717, 1718,
in quarto, in six parts, consisting of Essays and Remarks
on some branches of Mathematics and Philosophy.

10 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
II. An Introduction to Algebra, under the title of the-
Art ofthe Rales, published in the year 17V7.
HI. An Attempt towards 'fixing, the Value of Money, and
finding a Standard for Measures, in such a manner as to>
suppress fractions, and thus facilitate calculation.
IV. On the Position and Motion of the Earth and the
other Planets, 1719.
V. Ofthe Height of the Tides, with proofs, drawn from-
facts in Sweden, to show that the flux aod reflux of the sea
was greater formerly than it is at present, 1719.
VI. An Essay on the Principles of Natural Things, or
the Way to' explain Experimental Philosophy by Geometry
and Chemistry.'
VII. New Observations and Discoveries on Fire and on
Iron, but more particularly on the Nature of elementary
Fire, together with a new Form for constructing Chim-
nies. VIII. A New Method of discovering the Longitude, whe
ther at sea or on land, by the Moon.
JX, Miscellaneous Observations, oT a Collection- of Ob
servations on different objects of Natural History, particd-;
larly on Minerals,' on Fire, on the Strata of Mountains, and
an Essay on Crystallization. There are, besides these,
some other small tracts of less importance.
Soph. If you would not think me too inquisitive, I should
be glad to be informed more particularly concerning the
nature of Baron Swedenborg's philosophy, and the sub
jects of the works which you have read, as I should wish
to be acquainted with every circumstance that might help
me to form a right judgment of so extraordinary a man ;
and it appears to me that, if his philosophy be sound and
consistent, and supported by solid principles, it will be a
strong argument in favour of his theology.
¦ Phil. If I may be allowed to form a judgment from what
I have read, you will find the philosophical works of Baron
Swedenborg full of solid reasoning and deep investigation ;
at the same time, you will admire the order and methodi
cal arrangement in which he has treated his several sub
jects. His genius was most penetrating and comprehen
sive ; he was not contented with a superficial view of na
ture's operations, but dived into her depths and inmost
recesses, whence he has brought up many pearls of natu
ral knowledge, for those who have the curiosity to search
for, and the judgment to discern their value. He -was not,
h»werer, a self-taught philosopher. He had enriched and

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 11
enlarged his understanding with the writings of the most
distinguished authors, on theif respective subjects, in the
several countries of Europe ; so that geometry,1 physics,
chemistry, anatomy, metallurgy, and the whole train ofthe
sciences, according to all, the improvements of modern dis
covery, served him as materials with which to erect the
well constructed fabric of his own systems. His philoso
phy, at the same time that it enlightens the understanding,
improves the heart. He did not think it the province of
science to darken the sublime truths of theology ; and you
will, therefore, always find him referring natural pbaeno-
mena to spiritual agency. He never loses sight of the close
connection between the two worlds of matter and spirit ;
and thus his system opens to the mind the most edifying
speculations, by teaching if to consider all the. visible jani-
verse, with every thing that it contains, as a theatre and
representation of that invisible world from which it first
derived its existence, and by connection with which it con
tinually subsists.
Soph. You mentioned having read his book entitled
Works Philosophical and Mineral ; pray, sir, what is the
particular subject and design of that book 1 ,
Phil. It contains, in the first volume, an inquiry into the
principles of natural things, beginning with an investigation
ofthe laws of action in what is called, by the author, the
first natural point, or the first and most individual limit of
spiritual agency iji the world of nature. The philosopher
then proceeds to what he calls the first finite of matter,
with its activities ; and hence he deduces the origin ofthe
elements, with their several motions., figures, qualities, and
modes of operation. This naturally leads him into a curi
ous and interesting inquiry into the existence and nature
of the sun and its vortex, the causes and laws of magnetic
powers, the original chaos, the formation ofthe earth, the
first state of paradise and man therein, with other specula
tions, alike entertaining and important; in all which, you
will be at a loss which tp admire most, the solid learning,
the deep investigation, .the mature judgment, or the unaf
fected piety of the philosopher. The two other volumes
of this extraordinary wor,k form a complete system of.me-
tallurgy, but with more particular reference to the chemi
cal' operations relating to iron and copper ; in. the perusal
pf which, the curious chemist and practical mechanic will
find their curiosity abundaptly,gratified,.and,their pains well
rewarded, \

12 DIALOGUES BETWEEN •
Soph. And pray, sir, what is the particular subject and
design of the two other philosophical works, which you
say' you have read," the one entitled the Animal Kingdom,
and the other the (Economy ofthe Animal Kingdom ?
Phil. They relate to tbe structure of the human body
and its several ' parts, with their respective uses; highly
worthy of the attention of every lover of science, for the
subject matter, the manner in which it is treated, and the
sublime conclusions thence deduced. . You will there see
collated the experiments and discoveries of the most cele
brated modern anatomists and naturalists, as Heister, Wins
low, Malpigius, Swammerdam, Boerhaave, Cowper, Ruys-
chius, Leeuwenhoek, and others ; and you will see those
experiments and discoveries examined with the most dis
criminating judgment, and tbe most sublime reasonings de
duced from them according to the laws ofthe most critical
analysis. You will, in short, find yourself led insensibly
from a just anatomy to a true and rational psychology, where
you will be surprised to see established the most impor- .
(ant and instructive truths relating to the human spirit,
with a degree of evidence and conviction which you would
imagine the subject incapable of. Every individual human
body, according to the discoveries of Baron Swedenborg,
consists of several orders of forms, distinguished from each
other according to degrees of purity, wherein the lowest
degree is the basis or receptacle of one still purer and more
interior, and this again of a higher degree, which is the
most pure and inmost In this highest degree the human
spirit has its residence, being a spiritual organized form,
corresponding to that of the body,, and communicating life
thereto, whilst the spirit itself receiveth life from the spi
ritual world. And here our philosopher arrives at a con
clusion ©f the highest consequence to he rightly considered
and understood, viz. that the cause and origin of the or
ganization, life, and action ofthe human body, is to be de-'
duced from the organization, life, and action of the human
spirit, received by continual influx from the Father of Be
ings, the source of all life, and the primary cause of all
action in all the creatures which he hath made.
Soph. I am much obliged to you for opening to me this
clear though concise view of the philosophy of Baron Swe
denborg; which, I must confess, appears much in 'his
favour, and inclines me to give more credit to his theolo
gical sentiments ; for though I believe a man may be a
good theologian without learning and philosophy, and that

SOPHKON AND PHILADELPHUS. 13
heavenly truth is <jf such simplicity as to admit of being
both clearly understood and communicated without the aids
of earthly sciences, yet, where old, opinions are contro
verted, and new ones adopted, as I am told is the case in
the theological writings of Baron Swedenborg, it should
seem as if all qualifications and assistances would be neces
sary on the part of the writer, to oppose the prejudices of,
others, and recommend his own sentiments.
¦ Phil. Such qualifications and assistances were not want
ing to Baron Swedenborg ; and, whether we regard his
natural genius and acquired learning, his family connections,
his purity of life and character, or the employments and
dignities to which he was exalted in consequence of these
qualifications, I think we need not scruple to assert, that
Be was a person admirably fitted, bothio discover the truth
himself, and to recommend it to others.
Soph. You have given me sufficient proof of his genius
and learning : I should be glad, to know something of his
family connections and his private character, together with
his employments and dignities.
Phil. As to his family connections, lie was the son of
Jesper Swedborg, who was bishop of West Gothia, and of
celebrated character in his time. He had four sisters, one
of whom was married to Eric Benzelius, afterwards made
archbishop of Upsal : another was married to Lars Benzel-
stierna, who was promoted to a provincial government.
In regard to his private character, it appears to have been
altogether iweproachable, or rather altogether most com
mendable, being formed, in every respect, according to the
excellent spirit of the four rules which he prescribed for
the regulation of his daily conduct, and which were found
among his manuscripts after his decease, viz. 1. To read
frequently the Word of God, and meditate much upon it.
2. To be always resigned to, and content under, the care
of Providence. 3. To' observe a decency and propriety
of conduct, and to keep a conscience pure and withput of
fence. 4. To be obediept to what is ordained ; faithful in
the discharge of the duties of his station, and to do all in
his ptfwer to Tender himself useful to all without exception.
As to his employment and dignities, they were such as
might justify the expectations which his extraordinary qua
lities had given. birth to ; for, at a very early age, he be
came an bbject'of royal attention and favour, being admit
ted to frequent converse with Charles XII, then king of
Sweden, and appointed, by him, to the office of assessor of

14 DIALOGUES, BETWEEN
the metallic college, a place of great public trust and emol
ument He was also ehohled, in the year 1719, by Queen
Ulrica Eleanora, and named Swedenborg. from which time
he took his seat, with the nobles of the equestrian order,
in the triennial assemblies of the states. He was mad? a
felloW (by invitation) of the Royal Academy of Sciences at
Stockholm, and had a like honour conferred on him by, fo
reign societies. He livetTin much esteem with the. bishops
and nobles of his own country, and his acquaintance, was
also sought after by the most distinguished persons in, vari
ous parts of Europe, with many of whom he contihuedto
correspond till his death.
Soph. Sir, I must acknowledge that,, according to your
account^ the character of Baro'p Swedenborg claims re
spect, and promises to add all the authority to his doctrines
that can be derived from such a source, But still, sir, you
will excuse me if I have yet my doubts,. Great philoso
phers, we know, and men of the most extensive learning,
and of the finest talents, (whether natural or acquired,)
have not always been most distinguished for their know-'
ledge of divine truths. Baron Swedenborg, therefore,
might be an excellent scholar, and a good metallurgist, and
yet "but an indifferent theologian. Pardon me then, if, for
fuller satisfaction on a subject of such importance, I trou
ble you with some further inquiries.
Phil. I shall not account it any trouble to answer all
your questions, according to the best light that I myself have
received ; and it will be a particular pleasure to me, if
either your questions or my answers may conduce to the
distovery ofthe real truth, which, I trust, is the principal
object we both have at heart, and are in pursuit of.
Soph, I feel myself happy in the liberty you allow me
of seeking information ; and trusting, with you, that truth
is the only ground of my inquiry, and not curiosity or bar
ren speculations, and still less the petulence of controversy,
I shall herein ground my first question, wishing you to ex
plain a principal difficulty, which I confess perplexes me, in
regard to the theological writings of Baron Swedenborg, and
which is this — If the truth be contained in those writings,
wily' does it not strike... all men alike with the force of its
evidence ?- I have always conceived truth to be somewhat
so clear and convincing in itself, that it carried its own tes
timony along with it ; but,.in regard to the theological wri
tings of Baron Swedenborg, the opinions of men are much
divided ; some insist (hey contain the most unequivocal

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. IS
characters of truth, whilst others assert the direct contra
ry. How, then, can these writings contain the truth ? •
Phil. Your difficulty herein, toy dear sir, is grounded
solely in your wrong conception concerning the evidence
of truth. It is certain, nothing is in itself so clear and 'con
vincing as truth ; but then it is equally certain, that all
minds are not in a state to be so affected by its clearness,
as to receive conviction. I fancy we are both agreed, that
nothing is more true than the Word of God, this being the
very essential truth; and yet, how plain is it to see that the
Word of God itself does not carry conviction with it to all
minds. The reason whereof is plainly pointed out by the,
Lord, where he says, " He that is of God heareth God's
words : ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of
-God," John viii. 47. Your argument, therefore, will ap
ply equally against the truth of the Holy Scriptures, as
against the writings of Baron Swedenborg.
. Soph. But might not the writings of Baron Swedenborg,
supposing them to contain the truth, have been more clear
and satisfactory ? I am told there are many things con
tained therein of a deep and mysterious nature, which few,
if any, can comprehend ; many things, also, especially in
his meriioraMe relations, which are matter of stumbling and
offence, even to well-disposed minds. Now, supposing
these writings to contain the truth, how is it that they con
tain such deep mysteries, which can be profitable to very
few, and such offensive passages as may prove a Stumbling-
blbck to many ?
Phil. You do not surely consider, sir, that this argument
also will hold equally good against the Holy Scriptures, as
against the writings of Baron Swedenborg. (Do riot mis
conceive me, however, as if 1 meant hereby to put the Ho
ly Scriptures and the writings of Baron Swedenborg on a
level, and to consider them alike inspired.) I only wish to
observe, that, in the Holy Scriptures, there are many things
Of a deep, rriysterious nature, which few, if any, compre
hend ; and there are many things, also, which have given,
and do still give, great offence, and prove a stumbling-block
to several ; arid yet no wise man considers such things as ar
guments against their high reasonableness and truth. Num
berless weighty and solid reasons might be assigned in justi
fication of the Divine Wisdom, in dispensing truths to man
kind under mysterious, and, in some instances, offensive
forms i I shall beg leave to mention only one, which strikes
my own mind more particularly, and which is this : it ap-

Id DIALOGUES BETWEEN
pears to me much better for some persons, that they should
meet with offence respecting the truth, and be thereby pre
vented from seeing, acknowledging, and receiving it, since
the truth itself, if seen, acknowledged, and received, woujd
but hurt them the more, by increasing their condemnation. ,
Soph. How, sir! the truth hurt any one by increasing;
his condemnatiqn ! I confess I do not understand your
meaning. Phil. My meaning, my dear sir, is neither more nor less
than what is contained in these few but weighty words of
the Lord on the same subject, where, speaking to the Pha
risees, he says, " If ye were blind, ye should have no sin ;
but now ye say,- We see, therefore your sin remaineth,
John, ix. 14 ; from which words it should appear, that it
would have been better for the Pharisees, and they would
have been less sinful, had they been totally blind as to the
light of truth, than seeing as they fancied they saw; and
therefore, as I observed, it may be perfectly consistent
with the counsels of the Divine Mercy and Wisdom, to'
hide such light from some men's eyes, either by envelop
ing it in mystery and obscurity, or by presenting it under
such an offensive external form, as may prevent them from"
seeing, acknowledging, and receiving it : and thus God is
exceeding merciful, in some cases, even where he seems
to us most cruel, as where it is written, " He hath blinded
their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not
see with their eyes, nor understand with; their heart, and
be converted, and I should heal them," John, xii. 40y
Matt xiii. 14, Isaiah, vi. 9.
Soph. What you say, sir, appears to have some founda
tion, but I confess I cannot, at present, clearly comprehend
the ground and reasonableness of it.
Phil. Cannot you comprehend, sir, that the sole- end
and design of all knowledge and instruction, which we call'
truth, is to amend the heart and life, by purifying the will,'
¦by regulating the affections, and reforming the whole man
from earthly to heavenly dispositions. . Now, if you can.
comprehend this end and design of truth, you will at once
discover the ground and reason, why the Divine Wisdom
is so scrupulously exact, both as to the mode and measure
of dispensing heavenly truths to man. For, if a man's will
and affections be in so corrupt a state, as not to fulfil the
end of truth, by yielding an entire obedience to its dictates,
and thus coming into reformation and purification, it is very
evident that truth, to such a person,' would not only be a

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. If
very unprofitable, but a very hurtful gift, as it would be
the means of his sinning against a greater light than before.,
and Would thus bring upon him a greater condemnation,
according to those other words of the Lord to the same
purport, " That servant which knew his Lord's will, and
prepared'not himself, neither. did according to. his will,
shall be beaten with many stripes," Luke, xii. 47.
Soph. I think, sir, I begin to understand you. You ar
gue that the great end of truth is charity, or a good life ;
and, therefore, that truth is only st) far dispensed to man,
and is useful to him, as he is in a disposition to be led there
by to charity, and, by charity, to newness of life. I admit
the force of your argument, and trust that what you have
said, will be a useful lesson to me for the future as to the
evidence I may seek of truth, as well as in regard to thfe
use I shall make of it. I thank you, also, for Opening to
me a new and most satisfactory view of the Divine Wisdom,
in dispensing truth, or, knowledge, to every one, according
to the use they will make of it in applying it to life ; and,
consequently, in withholding it from those who would not
be faithful in such application of it. And methinks 1 see
how an additional force and beauty in those words of the
Psalmist, " Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment,
and such as are gentle, them shall he learn his Way," Psalm
xxv. 8.
Phil. It gives me much pleasure to find that your eyes
are opened to see into a matter of so much real impor
tance-; and I trust that, for the future, you Will ever live
under this conviction, that truth may be. truth, and yet
be full of mysteries, yea, even of offences and apparent
contradictions, when viewed by persons of a certain cha
racter, wht) are not in a state to profit by it in their hearts
and lives ; whilst to the meek, and gentle, and well-prepared
mind, it will be found perfectly clear, convincing, and sa
tisfactory in all respects ; because, being applied to thfe
regulation ofthe life, which is its sole end, it Will manifest
iU certainty in its tendency to produce all the salutary
effects of a pure love towards God, and a pure charity to
wards man, in which tbe true regulation ofthe life consists.
Soph. I believe it is possible that this may be the case,
and I hope I shall be enabled so to profit by your observa
tions, both in reading the Holy Scriptures, and other' books,.
Written by persons of acknowledged piety, as not to be of
fended at those passages which may appear either myste
rious or contradictory. But still, sir, Von Will excuse jnd,
2*

18 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
if I cannot help thinking that the testimony of. Baron Swe
denborg would have been rendered more effectual and con-
vincing^'had it been supported by some miraculous evi
dence ; and I am of opinion, that, in a matter of such im
portance, as the subject of his writings seems to be, (so
far as I can learn from others, for I have not yet read them
myself,) it was necessary it should have been recommend
ed and enforced in a manner so extraordinary, and by signs
so indisputable, that none could have been able to gainsay
or resist *it.' For my own part, I must confess, had the
author been enabled to confirm his doctrines by miracles,
I should have, made no scruple to admit, instantly, their
high authority, and have paid them an implicit obedience.
Phil. You conceive miracles then, sir, to be propef
tests of truth ?
Soph. I do.
Phil. And to be convincing tests also 1
Soph. Yes. .
Phil. And to be required as necessary confirmations- of
every dispensation of truth ?
Soph. So I conceive.
Phil. Will you answer me, then, these few plain ques
tions ? Why were not all alike convinced by our Lord's
miracles, and by those which Moses wrought in the pre- pJ
sence ofthe children of Israel ? Why does our Lord re-"
prove the Jews for laying so much stress upon this super
natural evidence, as where he says, " An evil and adulte
rous generation seeketh after a sign" ? Matt. xii. 39, xvi.
4 ; and, in another place, " Except ye see signs and won
ders, ye will not believe" ? John, iv. 48. Why were the
magicians of Egypt permitted to imitate the miracles
Wrought by Moses and Aaron? (See Exod. vii. 11, 22,
chap. viii. 7.) Why are false Christs, and false prophets,
the dragon, the beast, and antichrist described as showing:
great signs and wonders ? (See Matt xxiv. 24, Rev. xiii.
13, chap. xvi. 14, 2 Thess. ii. 9.) Why is it written, " If
they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they
be persuaded though one rose from the dead" ? Luke, xvi.
31. Why did not John thp Baptist work miracles, when
yet he bare a faithful witness to the truth ? And, lastly,
why doth not the Almighty still work miracles for'the con
viction and conversion of Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Hea
thens? — Do npt misconceive me, as if I meant, by these
questions, to invalidate, in any respect, the. divine autho
rity of miracles, or to'infer>frQm hence that they are of no

SOPHRON AN© PHILADELPHUS. 19
use in the confirmation of truth : I thank God, I feel my
mind penetrated with a deep and lively sense of that divine
power, which hath, in all ages, thus-discovered itself unto
man, and confirmed the dictate of. his own heavenly wis
dom by such weighty proofs ; and I am willing to allow the
force of luch evidence as far as it goes : all I would con
tend' for, respecting miracles, is, thatthey are not the only
proper, convincing, or necessary tests of truth, and thaft truth
may be truth without such tests.
Soph. But may I ask, then, To what end did our Lord
and his apostles work miracles ?
'Phil, The miracles wrought by our Lord, and by.his
apostles, in his name, had surely a further end than the
mere confirmation of the truth of what they taught, being
intended as so many outward, natural signs, to signify and
make known unto man the nature ofthe divine power in its
inward and spiritual operations. Every miracle, therefore,
was an important lesson of heavenly truth and instruction to
sdch as could view it in a spiritual light, inasmuch as it bore
a most faithful testimony to that redeeming virtue communi
cated from the incarnate God to the soul inwardly, which it
was then seen to do to the body outwardly. I am. always,
therefore, much grieved to hear it asserted, that the sole
design of miracles is to confirm the truth of doctrine, when
it must be very plain, to every considerate mind, that true
divine miracles, if rightly regarded, themselves teach and
declare the truth, as well as confirm it : it is well, however,
to observe, that they neither teach nor confirm the truth,
except to such as are in a state to receive the proper and
genuine evidence of truth itself; and I will venture to add,
further, that the evidence arising fjom miracles may be dan
gerous and hurtful to others not in that state.
Soph. In what respects 1
Phil. In compelling belief, -where the heart is not in a
state to profit by it ; in which case, as was hinted before
concerning knowledge, it would be better not to believe.
For the great end of faith, or belief, like that of knowledge,
being to reform and amend the life, — if the heart be notjn
a state to be reformed and amended, faith or belief is not
only useless, but even prejudicial, in increajing condem
nation, by causing i»an to sin against a greater evidence
than he would otherwise do. ,
Soph.. You believe 'hen> sir, that the<evidence arising
from m\vas\*°-*~ ""ty accessary, as Ui-were,, to the gehuine
^51 truth,- and that itwgehwte evidence of'truth

^30 BIALOGUES BETWEEN
itself, as eontained in itself, and communicated by and from
itself, is its most proper and convincing evidence 1
Phil. I believe so ; and this in conformity to the Lord %
own declaration, where he says, " If any man will do his
will, he shall know ofthe doctrine whether it be of God,
John, vii. 17 ; and, in another place* " Why, even of your
selves, judge ye not what is right ?" Luke xii. 57. Our
Lord here points out the proper' and convincing evidence
of truth, as arising from the doctrine of truth itself, and in
agreement with that principle in man Which is capable of
judging respecting it ; and he points out also the proper
qualification for judging right, and being rightly convinced,
viz. a sincere desire to do the will of God.
Soph. I think, sir, I begin W apprehend the force of your
reasoning ; but hdw shall I apply it so as to remove my
difficulties in regard to the Writings of Baron Swedenborg !
Do they contain such internat,' proper, and convincing evi
dence as you conceive to be the characteristic of truth !
If so, be kind enough to point out to me this evidence in
a few instances ; for, from the love I trust I bear towards
the truth, I am persuaded it will give me pleasure to ac
knowledge it wheresoever I find it.
Phil. I shall be happy to give you eve*y satisfaction in
my power on this subject : nevertheless* there are some
things to be premised, Respecting the measure and kind of
evidence to be looked for on this occasion, and also respecting
the persons to whom such evidence is proposed, in order to
the forming a right judgment. In respect to the measure
and kind of evidence to be looked for, I should wish, first,
to observe, that we are not to expect, either in the Writings)
of Baron Swedenborg, o* in any other human Writings, the
real truth itself.
Soph. How, sir! not expect the real troth itself ! What
are we to expect then ? I confess I do not understand
yon. Phil. Have a little patience, sir, and you will see clearly
what 1 mean. All that human writings- can do, or are in
tended to do, is, like St John the Baptist, to bear witness
to the truth ; they are not properly themselves the truth, but
are attestcUotQ of tjiett-uth-t-l-aashere speaking to you ad
a Christian and a.philoSdpheif, and therefore shall not scru
ple to declare, that truth, properly so called, is nor of hu
man origin ; itis -a thing purely <11*i«e_jand, of conse
quence, as there is fioaeffood but one, amrtnW^^^Go^
so, prypei>ly speaking, there ie^none trm, or the <r^^D„*

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 21
one, and that is God and' his Word ; therefore, our Lord,
as being God, calleth himself, by way of eminence, the
Truth, (John, xiv. 6.) and giveth the same holy appella
tion also to his Word, (John, viii. 40, 45, 46, chap. xvii.
17, and in other places.)
Soph. What would you infer from hence ?.
Phil. That, properly speaking, we are not to look, either
in the writings of Baron Swedenborg, or in any other hu
man writings, for the real truth itself, but only for a witness
to the truth ; and it will, therefore, be a.sufficient evidence
in favour ofthe writings of Baron Swedenborg, if they can
be proved to bear a faithful witness, to the truth. '
Soph. You conceive then, sir,, this to be the true dis
tinction between the Word of God and the words of man,
that the Word of God is the real truth itself, and the words
of man are only so far true, as they bear a faithful witness
to.theWordofGod? Phil. That is my meaning : for as, in natural philosophy*
the" real truth of that science is the wisdom of the Deity
manifested in the various works of creation, so the true
philosopher cannot so properly be said to speak that wis
dom, as to bear witness to it, by opening and explaining its
marvellous operations ; in like manner, in theology, the
real truth of this divine science is the wisdom of the Deity
manifested in his word, and the true theologian cannot sp
properly be said to' speak this wisdom, as to bear witness
to it, by opening and explaining its true senses and signifi
cations. Soph. You would have the theological writings of Baron
Swedenborg regarded, then, as bearing testimony or witness
to the truth, and would establish anevidencein their fa
vour according to this view of them ?
Phil. I would*; and, considered in this view, and accord
ing to the distinction, here pointed out, between the real
truth itself, and a witness to the truth* it appears to me that
the evidence in favour of the Writings of Baron Sweden
borg is such, as no serious Christian can possibly oppose,
or reject. I say no serious Christian, because, notwith
standing the weight of evidence in thepresent case, much
will still depend pn the persons to whom such evidence is
proposed. &¦-
Soph. But perhaps the qualifications required to admit
this evidence may be such as fall to the share of very few
, persons ?
Phil. No, sir ; I require only those qualifications which

22 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
ought to be common to all Christians, viz. an acknowledge
ment of the divinity and spirituality ofthe Holy Scriptures,
or Word of God, attended with a sincere desire to under
stand the genuine truth thereof, for the purpose of living
a life conformable thereto. Where these qualifications are
found to exist together, I have no doubt but the evidence
in favour of the writings of Baron Swedenborg, as bearing a
faithful witness to the truth, will bethought most convincing.
But if all, or either of these qualifications be wanting ; ift
the mind, for instance, be in so disordered a state, as not to
be willing to allow the divinity and spirituality ofthe HoIjP
Scriptures ; or, allowing this, if it be more contentious for
systems of established opinions and the traditions of men,
than for the discoveries of genuine truth from the Word of
God ; or, supposing it even an advocate for the truth, if it
be yet careless respecting a conformity of life to the hea
venly and purifying dictates thereof; in all these cases, the
writings of Baron Swedenborg will carry with them no
conviction, and, therefore, it cannot be expected they will
find any reception.
Soph. Well, sir, taking it for granted that persons thus
unqualified cannot discern any evidence in favour of the
writings in question, will you be pleased to inform me, what
ground or reason you have to suppose that their evidence"!
will be admitted, as conclusive and convincing, by those
who possess the qualifications you mention ?
Phil. The answer to your present inquiry is not so easy
as to several of your former questions ; for, in reading a
book, (ofthe truth of'which we are fully convinced ourselves
whilst we are reading,) it is not always an easy matter to
recollect all the particular arguments, reasonings, and mo
tives, which operated at that sirae to produce conviction in
the reader's mind. This I have found, by experience, to
be singularly the case in regard to the theological writings^
of Baron Swedenborg, every page whereof brought with
it to my own mind, whilst reading, some additional confirm
ation of some preceding truths, not before fully admitted or
thoroughly understood, and which it is impossible either
fully to recollect or explain to any other person. Neverthe
less, there are a few general points of doctrine, contained
and explained in those writings, which have left a more
than ordinary impression on my mind, and which I cannot
help thinking must appear satisfactory and convincing to
every sober, serious Christian, ofthe character above de
scribed.

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. £3
. Soph. -What are they ?
Phil,. The, doctrine concerning the Christian Lord, con
cerning the Sacred Scriptures, and concerning a truly Chris
tian lift".
Soph, Pray, sir, may, I ask, wbaj; is the particular doc-.
trine' contained in the writings concerning the Christian
Lord? Phil. You, are not ignorant of the divided sentiments of
the Christian world, at this day, on, this subject ; how some
believe Jesus Christ to be God„ but then not the,oj%,God,
making him only a second person in the divine trinity, and;
acknowledging, at the same time, two other persons-, the Fa
ther and the Holy Ghosit, whom they conceive and speak, pf
as distinct from Jesus Christ. Thus, according to their
c^eed, the Christian Lord, and, Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is
only a kind of mediatory or intercessory God, whilst Go4
tjie Father is regarded as the God with whom he mediates
apd intercedes, and God the Holy Ghost as the God, who
operates in consequence of such mediation and intercession.
Others, again, will not allow to the Christian Lord and
Redeemer the character and attributes of divinity : such.
are the Arians and Socinians.; the former assign him, a
place, indeed, infinitely above all other created beings,
but yet far below the Creator ; thus they refuse him, di
vine honours, and address all their worship and adoration
to God, the Father, regarding Jesus Christ only as his great
vicegerent in heaven and earth, invested with a temporary
auth-prity, for executing the purposes of his divine admi
nistration : the latter, viz, the Socinians, degrade the Chris
tian Redeemer stijl lower than the Arians, by divesting him,
npt only of his divinity, but of all power and authority su
perior to that of other holy and inspired men ; they allow -
hima indeed, to have been an extraordinary prophet, and
to have been endowed with miraculous powers,, as they al
low to have been the. case. with Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and.,
others, but then they do not believe him to have differed
from other men in any other respects, than these. The
faith of almost all Christians at this day may be compre
hended, I believe, under one or other of the thre,e formu
las above mentioned. But, in the writings of Baron Swe
denborg, we are presented with a Christian creed differing ,
essentially from all these : you will there find, iq opposi
tion to the Arians and Socinians, the divinity of the Lord •
and Saviour Jesus Christ, asserted, and 'proved from a deep
scriptural ground ; and, in contradiction to the first men-

24 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
tioned opinion, you will see the divinity ofthe same Lord
maintained in its undivided unity, whilst it is clearly de
monstrated, fram an endless variety of texts, both in the
Old and New Testaments, that the Jesus ofthe Christians
is the Jehovah of the Jews, or, in other words, that,, the
Lord Jesus Christ is the manifested Jehovah Father. .«
Soph. But how will you reconcile this doctrine with the
doctrine of a trinity, as generally taught and received.
throughout the Christian world ?
Phil. With (he doctrine of a trinity as generally appre4
hended,- it is not reconcileable ; but with the Scripture doc
trine of tire trinity, it is perfectly so. - Whilst, for instance,
you suppose tbe trinity in the Godhead to consist of three
distinct persons, each whereof is a self-subsisting God, hav
ing separate offices, and exercising separate operations,^
is not possible to reconcile this with the idea of Jesus
being Jehovah, any more than it is reconcileable with the
divine unity : but if, instead of this idea, you adopt the
genuine scriptural idea of a trinity, viz. that of Father^
Son, and Holy Ghost, nothing is more easy than to recon
cile this idea with that of the Christian Redeemer as stated
in the writings of Baron Swedenborg, whilst, by Father
is understood the essential divine principle in the Lqrd Je
sus, by Son the human principle Iberewith essentially and
intimately united, and by Holy Ghost the divine proceeding
principle, or operation, as resulting from the union, of the
other two principles, all forming together one God-Man,
just as soul, body, and operation form one human man.
This is perfectly agreeable to the doctrine generally re
ceived in the Christian church, where it is asserted, that,.
" although the Lord Jesus Christ be God and man, yet be
is not two but one Christ ; one altogether, not by. confu
sion of substance, but by unity of person ; for as the rea
sonable soul and. flesh is one man, so God and man is one
Christ:"* and, in this case, you have a full and complete
trinity in the one divine person of the Lord Jesus Christ,
thereby both the unity and trinity of the Godhead are pre
served inviolable, and, at the same time, the divinity and
humanity of tbe Christian Lord are acknowledged. Num
berless' difficulties urged against the doctrine of a trinity
by modern Unitarians, and numberless perplexities result
ing frpm the same doctrine as explained by modern, Trini
tarians, are hereby removed ; whilst, af'the same time, the
Scriptures, both ofthe Old and New Testaments, are shown
* See the Athanasian creed.

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. "25
to harmonize herein with each other, and to bear joint
witness to this great and eternal Gospel truth, that' the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh,
the Jehovah of the Jews, the Creator of all worlds, and the
Father of all creatures, made man, according to these his
own dictions: " I and' my Father are one," John, x. 30.
" Believe me that 1 am in the Father, and the Father in
me," John, xiv.. 11. " He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father," John, xiv. 9, xii. 45. " Father, all mine are
thine, and all thine are mine," John, xvii. 10. &c.*&c. &c.
Soph. A trinity of persons, then, is rejected in the wri
tings of Baron Swedenborg?
Phil. Yes; if by a trinity of persons you understand
three distinct beings,,of distinct offices, powers, and ope
rations; but if, by a trinity of persons, you understand" three
distinct essences, principles, or characters, as existing to
gether in the one person ofthe Lord Jesus Christ, viz. the
divine-essence, principle, or character, in and by virtue of
Which he is called Father or Creator ; and the human es
sence, principle, or character, in and by virtue of which
he is called Son and Redeemer ; and, lastly, the proceed
ing essence, character, or principle, in and by virtue of
'Which, he is called the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, and Re
generator : according to this sense of the word person,
(which, "by the way, appears to be its genuine primitive
sense,) a trinity of persons is not rejected in the writings
of Baron Swedenborg, but, on the contrary, is proved to
be a scriptural and rational-idea.
Soph. But does not this idea of the Christian Redeemer
and" of the Divine Trinity militate against the commonly
received doctrine of atonement?
Phil. May I ask what is the commonly received, "doc
trine of atonement to which you allude 1 -
Soph. I mean the satisfaction of Christ's merits, til con
sequence of his bitter sufferings and death, whereby, it is
asserted, the wrath of God towards sinful man was ap
peased ; the price of redemption paid' ; the debt, which
man had contracted through transgression, "discharged ;
and man, who was before regarded as a condemned crimi
nal, was thus reconciled- unto an offended and heretofore
angry, but now reconciled, God.
Phil. This idea of atonement, in the writings of Baron
Swedenborg, is shown, to be altogether unscriptural and un
reasonable, neither reconcileable with the attributes ofthe
Deity, nor with the nature of that sin on man's part which
3

26 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
made such atonement necessary. Understand, however,
that an atonement is not denied in the writings of Baron
Swedenborg, but, on the contrary, is asserted in all its full
ness and reality. It is only this unscriptural and unrea
sonable idea of an atonement which is set aside, whilst, in
the place thereof, you will see adopted the following truly
scriptural, edifying, and rational idea, viz. that there was
an infinite merit, virtue, and efficacy in the sufferings and
death of Christ, but that the merit, virtue, and efficacy
thereof consisted, not in changing the disposition of God
towards man, from wrath to love and mercy, because that
ever was, and ever must needs be, unchangeably the same
divine desire of blessing his creatures ; but in changing;.
the state of man, by removing from him the powers of hell-*
and darkness, wherewith he was infested, in consequence
of transgression, and by bringing near to him the divine
and heavenly powers of goodness and truth, in the person
and spirit ofthe blessed Jesus, the manifested God and Sa
viour, whereby the infirmities and corruptions of human
nature might be approached, reached, and wrought upon,
and every penitent believer might be thus placed in a state
and capacity of arising out of all the evils which sin had
given birth to, and of becoming thus again a child of God,
through a real renewal and regeneration of all the parts,
powers, and principles of his life, both in soul and body.
Soph. I wish, sir, you would be kind enough to explain
yourself further on this subject, for I fear I do not rightly
comprehend your meaning. »
Phil. According to the generally received doctrine of
atonement, which you have just now stated, it must be plain
to see, if you will attentively examine it, that the nature
of sin, wherein that doctrine is grounded, is most unhap
pily mistaken, being considered only as somewhat of guilt
and offence on the part of the creature, removable by an
arbitrary act of divine mercy and forgiveness, like what we
see takes place at a human tribunal, where an arbitrary
prince absolveth from penalty and punishment whomsoever
he pleaseth. You will discover, further, if you examine the
doctrine still more attentively, that it originates likewise in
a mistaken idea of the nature of God, as if he imputed tres
pass or guilt to any one, was wrathful towards any, or
needed satisfaction to make him propitious, and incline him
to be merciful, when yet he is, and declares himself to be,
the most essential love and mercy. Need I add, that the
.doctrine, as commonly received and understood, is big also

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 27
\ylth this absurdity, that it supposes it necessary for one
God to have suffered and died in order to appease another
God ? for thus it is argued by the asserters Of that doctrine,
thatGod the Son, the second person in the blessed Trinity,,
came into the world, and suffered and died, that, by the
merits of his sufferings and death, he might satisfy the of
fended justice of his Father, and incline him thus to be
merciful^ to his guilty creatures. 1 should be very sorry
to put an uncharitable or mistaken construction either upon
the grounds or nature of the doctrine as above stated ; but
these are the great objections which arise in my own mind
from ah impartial view of it, and which have arisen also in
the minds of many others, so as to excite an utter repug
nance to its reception : and hence, too, many, alas.! have
been led to conceive prejudices against Christianity itself,
as if that pure and holy religion was founded on sentiments
so very contradictory to sound reason and the common
sense of mankind. Herein, therefore, I confess, for my
self, I can never be thankful enough to the Divine Mercy
for the light thrown on this important subject in the wri
tings of Baron Swedenborg, whereby all the difficulties and
errors of these mistaken ideas are removed, and the doc
trine of atonement is presented in a point of view/ at once
most scriptural,, rational, simple, and edifying, and altoge
ther consisrtnt with the truth and purity of a religion ori
ginating in the God of infinite mercy and wisdom : for thus
it is argued in those writings, and the argument is enforced
both by Scripture and reason — The sin of mankind was
what alone made atonement necessary ; but the sin of man- .
kind consisted in a departure from God and his laws of
order and uprightness, and a consequent fall into disorder
and unrighteousness, whence came disease or death to the
human soul or spirit : nothing, therefore, could possibly
prove or constitute an atonement for sin, but what had a
tendency to lead man out of the disease and disorder there
by occasioned, and restore bim to health, order, and up
rightness, through a return to, and a conjunction again with,
his God. ,This was all the atonement or satisfaction the
God of mercy required, because it was all that was neces-. .
sary for the eternal well-being of his creatures. But how,
now, was this satisfaction to be obtained ? the creatures had
immersed themselves in innumerable evils, through sin,
and had thereby joined themselves in confederacy with the
infernal powers of darkness, who have their abodes in all
man's evils, and whose empire was thereby become so

28 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
powerful on earth, as to threaten a total destruction ofthe
human race. The creatures, again, had, by sin, so sepa
rated themselves from the God of purity, that they could
no longer see him, approach unto, or have any internal
communication with him, and yet, without internal com
munication with God, it was impossible they could be re
stored to spiritual health, order, and uprightness. On
both these accounts, therefore, it was become absolutely
necessary that God himself should come down amongst
men, by taking upon him the human nature, and thus pro
cure for himself the satisfaction be required of saving his
otherwise lost creatures ; first, by fighting against and re
moving the powers of darkness from man, and this was to
be done according to divine order; second, by glorifying,:
or essentially uniting himself with, the human nature which.
he assumed, in, by, and through which, bis'repentiog and
returning creatures might for ever see, approach unto,
and have conjunction with him, and he with them. This
satisfaction, and the process of obtaining it, is thus de
scribed in the writings of Baron Swedenborg : " The
Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world,
that he might subdue the hells, and glorify his humanity;
and without him no flesh could have been saved ; and all
will be saved who believe in him, and live aJife conform
able to his commandments. Inasmuch as this %ould only
be effected by means ofthe temptations wherewith he suf^
fered his humanity to be assaulted, even to the last and
most extreme of all, which was bis passion on the cross,
therefore he endured that process of suffering."* The
same is still more particularly described in the following
words, " Jehovah God is essential love, and essential wis
dom ; or he is essential good and essential truth ; and as
to his Divine, Truth, which is the Word, and which was
God with God, he came down and took upon him human
nature, for the purpose of restoring to order all things
which were in heaven, and which were in hell, and which
were in the church ; inasmuch as, at that time, the power
of hell prevailed over the power of heaven, and on earth
the power of evil prevailed over the power of good ; in
consequence whereof, a total destruction and damnation
were at hand, and threatened every creature. This im
pending destruction and damnation Jehovah God removed
by his humanity, which was divine truth, and thus he re
deemed both angels and men ; and, afterwards, he united
* See True Christian Religion, No. 2.

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. „ 29
in his humanity divine truth with divine good, or divine
wisdom with divine love, and thus returned. into his divi
nity, in which he existed from eternity, together with and
in his glorified humanity,"* / i
Soph. The idea, then, of atonement and satisfaction sug
gested in the writings of Baron Swedenborg is, that God
satisfied himself, and himself made atonement for the sin
of man, by taking upon him the infirmities of 'human na
ture, and suffering thus in the flesh, -in order to remove
evils and the powers of darkness from man; and, at the
same time, and by the same process, .making himself visi
ble, known, and for ever approachable to and by his crea
tures, in the humanity which he' assumed and made divine '?
Phil. This is the idea, suggested in those writings, and
it is according to this sense that all those passages are un
derstood which speak of the merits of Christ's sufferings
and blood-shedding, as where it is said, " By his stripes
we are-healed," &c. &c. not implying any change wrought
thereby in the nature of God himself, only so far as he
was -brought nearer, as it were, unto his creatures, in the
human nature which he assumed and glorified : but imply
ing a very extraordinary change wrought in the state and
condition ofthe creatures, in that they were, by this pro-,.
cess of Christ's suffering in his human nature, put into a
capacity of being delivered from the bondage and death
of sin, and obtaining conjunction with their incarnate God,
and thus of rising, out of disease and disorder, into the re
gions of spiritual health, order, peace, and eternal blessed
ness. Soph. Well, sir, I think I begin now to apprehend your
meaning ; and the subject of atonement and satisfaction
(which, I confess, always appeared, heretofore, perplex
ing and unsatisfactory to my mind) now assumes a new
form, which I can look upon with much delight,- as exhibit
ing clearer views of the unchangeable nature ofthe divine
mercy on God's part, and of sin on the part of man ; and
it will i be my own fault if I do not profit by it'in my life
.and conversation ; for surely the doctrine, thus opened and
explained, becomes most edifying. But, my dear sir, you
must still bear with me a little further, and excuse the
dullness of my apprehension, whilst new doubts arise in
my mind from what you have told me ; I have always been
taught to look upon Jesus Christ, not only as making an
atonement j)r satisfaction for sin, according to the idea I just
* See True Christian Religion, No. 3.
3*

30 *DIALOGUES BETWEEN
now mentioned to you, but likewise as being the sinner's
advocate, mediator, and intercessor with the Father, for so
he is called in Holy Scripture; and is accordingly repre
sented as sitting on the right hand of God; and, agreeable
to this representation, I have always, in my prayers, been
accustomed to approach the Father in the name of Jesus
Christ, believing that my addresses were accepted only
through his mediation and intercession, as an advocate on
the right hand of his Father : how, now, shall 1 reconcile
these notions and practices with what you have taught me
to believe, from the writings of Baron Swedenborg, con
cerning the Lord Jesus Christ, as being the one only God ?
Phil. You have been accustomed, then, to regard Jesus
Christ as an advocate, mediator, and intercessor, and as
sitting on God's right hand, according to the commonly
received sense of those words, when applied to men here
below, and to human transactions between one man aHd
another ?
Soph. I have ; for I find those words applied t5 him in
Holy Scripture.
Phil. But you find Jesus called also, in Holy Scripture,
•a vine, a door, a-lion, and a lamb, and see him described
as sitting on a throne in the midst of seven golden candle- ¦
sticks ; and do you therefore regard him as a vine, a door,
a lion, and a lamb, and as sitting thus on a throne in the
midst of seven golden candlesticks, according to the com
mon and literal acceptation of those words 1
Soph. No ; I suppose that those names and. figures are
applied to him only in a figurative sense, to denote divine
" qualities, properties, and states respecting him, of which
the literal names and figures are expressive signs.
Phil. You are certainly right ; and why, then, cannot
you conceive, as consistently and agreeably to the truth, in
regard to those other names and characters of advocate,
mediator and intercessor, sitting at the right hand of God,'
which are no more applicable "to the Lord Jesus Christ,
according to the literal sense in which they are generally
understood, than the names of vine, door, lion, and lamb,
or the sitting on a throne in the midst of seven golden can
dlesticks ; but, which yet, are most strictly and properly
applicable to him in a figurative sense.
Soph. As how ?
Phil. As applied to denote what Jesus Christ himself
hath taught respecting himself, when he saith^ " No man
Cometh unto the Father but by me," John, xiv.*6. " By,

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 31
me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in
and out and find pasture," John, x. 9.
Soph. Pray explain yourself.
Phil. Have you not already seen, how the eternal Fa
ther, Jehovah, in tbe person of Jesus Christ, took upon
him the human nature, in order, therein and thereby, to
make himself known to, and approachable by, his sinful
creatures, who could not otherwise have approached him,
or been approached by him, whilst he remained in his pure,
divine, unmanifested essence ?
Soph. I have.
Phil. You have seen, also, how the divine essence, or
Jehovah, is now eternally and essentially united with the
human essence, and the human with the divine, according
to the Lord's own declarations, " I and my Father are one,"
John, x. 30; "Father, all mine are thine, and thine are
mine," John, xvii. 10; and according to the declaration of
St. Paul, " In him (Jesus Christ) dwellath all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily," Coloss. ii. 9; and, also, according
to what is expressed in the Athanasian creed, " As the rea
sonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one
Christ ?"
Soph. True. . *
Phil. Cannot- you then clearly hence perceive, why
Jesus Christ is called an advocate, a mediator, and an in
tercessor, and described as sitting on the right hand of God;
and is not only so called anddescribed, but really is so, in
the full and true signification of those expressions, deno
ting, that henceforth none can approach unto, or have com
munication with, the divine essence, or Jehovah the Father,- ,
but in, through, and by the human essence, in which he,
the Father, dwells bodily, and which he hath made one
with himself; just as, in a human way of speaking, none
, can approach unto, or have communication with, the soul
of man, but in, by, and through the body, wherein the soul
dwelleth, and by which it is made manifest. As, therefore,
the human body is, properly speaking, the medium, or in
terceding principle, whereby the soul is approached, and
whereby also it approaches and operates, scr~|he glorified
body, or humanity of Jesus Christ, is now the medium or
interceding principle, whereby the Divinity, is approached,
and whereby also it approaches and operates upon sinful
man, to restore him to order, uprightness, and happiness.
And in this sense, the humanity may properly be said to be
an advocate with the Father, inasmuch as, having passed

32 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
to such divine union through suffering and trial, the sin
ner, who approaches thereto, receives hereby confidence
of help, acceptance, and mercy, according to the tenor of
those words of the apostle, " In that he himself hath suf
fered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are-
tempted," Heb. ii. 18. And in this sense, also, the Son of
Man is truly seated on the right hand of" the Father ; for
the humanity of Jesus Christ, being exalted to a full and
perfect union with the-Divinity, hath thereby acquired om
nipotence, Which is indeed the right hand of God, accord
ing to the Lord's own declaration after his resurrection,
"All power is given to me in heaven and in earth," Matt.
xxviii. 18.
Soph. I sincerely thank you for the full satisfaction you
have afforded me on this very important and edifying sub-,
ject, and I trust that henceforth I shall trouble you with
no further doubts and difficulties on this head, but shall re
gard it as an extraordinary testimony in favour of the wri-i
tings in question, that the name, nature, office, and cha
racter of the Christian Lord and Redeemer are therein
thus exalted, and explained in a manner so very worthy of
the Divine Wisdom, and so very consistently with the Sa
cred Scriptures, and, at the same time, set in a point of
view likely to operate so very profitably on the lives of
Christians, by leading them to right scriptural notions of1
the great object and end of their faith and worship.-— May
I now entreat you to proceed to the other doctrine you
mentioned, viz. concerning the Holy Scriptures, wbich you
said had left an extraordinary impression on your mind,
and which you thought must needs appear satisfactory to
every sober and serious Christian, and a convincing testi
mony concerning the writings of Baron Swedenborg, as
bearing a faithful witness to the truth. How am I to re
gard this testimony ?
Phil. You yourself, and all other serious Christians, ac
knowledge the Holy Scriptures to be divinely inspired, and
you reverence the holy record accordingly 1
Soph. We" do.
Phil. Should any one attempt to prove that they were
not divinely inspired, and that you ought not to reverence
them, what- judgment would you, or any other serious
Christian, form of such a person ?
Soph. We should certainly say that he was an enemy to >
tbe truth, and that he bare a false witness against it.
Pikl. And supposing he should proceed further, to vilify

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 33
and profane the holy books, accounting them not only not
divinely inspired, but teaching that they were full of ab
surdities, inconsistencies, and contradictions ; what would
you think in this case ?
Soph. We should surely think still worse ofthe person,
and account him a still greater enemy to the truth, and a
false witness in a still greater degree.
Phil. But if another Was to confirm your own just and
pious sentiments concerning the Holy Scriptures, as being
divinely inspired, and. lead you. to a higher reveTence for
them than you entertained before, what would you, or any
other serious Christian, say of such a person?
Soph. Certainly that he was a friend to the truth, and
that he bare a true witness concerning it.
Phil. And supposing that he should proceed further, to
exalt and venerate the holy books, accounting them not
only divinely inspired, but also pointing out the nature of,
such divine inspiration, and showing wherein it consisted,
and where it resided ; and supposing, further, that, in so
doing, he should be enabled to reconcile many apparent
absurdities, inconsistencies, and contradictions ; bring to
light an infinity of precious and profitable truths which had
before been concealed ; make the whole to harmonize with
eac% part, and each part with the whole ; convince you
that the fulness of the divine will and wisdom was contained
therein, and, consequently, that every page, line, word,
. arid letter, not only originated with God, but also was full
of God, in conjunction with God, bar© witness of God, and
led to God ; what sentiments would you, and other serious
Christians, entertain in this case ?
Soph. We should most assuredly greatly love and re
spect such a person, call him a greater friend to the truth,
and have a higher opinion of his testimony.
Phil. Then, it seems, you, and all other serious Chris
tians, estimate a'person's credit as a witness to the truth,
according to the reverence he expresses for the Holy
Scriptures, as being divinely inspired, together with the
views he has of the nature of such inspiration,' and of the-
contents of the sacred books ?
Soph. It seems reasonable so to do.
Phil. Give me leave then to observe, from your own
confession,' that you, and all other serious Christians, must
needs highly estimate the testimony of Baron Swedenborg,
in this respect, as being a most faithful witness to the truth.
For sorely no other person did ever express a higher re-

34 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
verence for the sacred writings, or point out so clearly
their divine original, and the nature of their divine inspi
ration, or open and elucidate their heavenly contents, with
so much perspicuity, harmony, and consistence, all tending
so immediately and powerfully to the reader's edification.
He not only venerates their divine authority on all occa
sions, therein grounding, and thereby confirming every doc
trine which he delivers ; he, was not only well read in the
sacred oracles, almost above the example of any other per
son, in the present or former times ; but he likewise as
serts, and proves indisputably, that there is contained in
the holy books an internal, spiritual sense, heretofore little
known, to which the outward, literal sense serves as a ba
sis, or receptacle, answering or corresponding thereto in
a figurative, allegorical, or symbolical way, as a type an
swers to its archetype, or as a representative to the thing
represented. He shews that in this internal sense con
sists the spirituality and divinity of the sacred writings,
whereby they essentially differ from all other books what
soever, and that, by virtue of this sense, they are adapted,
not only to the use of men on earth, but of angels in hea
ven, containing the great eternal laws or that order, where
by the heavens are formed, preserved, and governed, and
whereby man is reformed, regenerated, and restored to
heavenly order ; being thus accommodated to the instruc- ¦l
tion and perfecting of all intelligences, from the highest to
the lowest. And, that the importance of his testimony on this
subject might not rest on mere assertion only, he was gifted1,
with the extraordinary faculty of opening and unfolding
this internal or spiritual sense of the whole of the books of
Genesis, Exodus, and the Revelations, and, occasionally,'
of various passages both of the Old and N%w Testament^
which he hath done in a manner so edifying and convincing,1
particularly in his work entitled Arcana Caelestia, that, I
am persuaded, every well-disposed Christian, who acknow
ledges the divine inspiration ofthe Holy Word, must needs
be at once astonished, delighted, and instructed by it.
Soph. Pray, sir, have not other writers, both ancient
and modern, maintained, in like manner, the existence of
a spiritual or internal sense in the Sacred Scriptures ? If
I recollect right, I have been told that some ofthe ancient
fathers were of this opinion.
Phil. They were ; particularly Origen, who abounds
much in allegorical interpretations ofthe letteral or histo
rical parts of the Bible. There have not been wantin*

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 35
also, spiritual writers in modern times, who have had ex
traordinary views of the same nature, and have been en
abled to open the sacred books in the way of much edifica
tion and comfort, according to this their hidden or mystical
signification.* But I will venture to say there is no one,
either ancient or modern, >who was ever so wonderfully
gifted with a talent of this sort as Baron Swedenborg, and
I only wish you to read his interpretation of the books. of
Genesis, Exodus, and the Revelations, to judge for your
self in this matter. In regard to my own particular case, I
am bound to acknowledge, my Infinite obligations to the Di
vine Providence, for having brought me acquainted with wri
tings, which have taught me such a veneration for my Bible
as I confess I never felt before, and have besides opened
its holy and hidden contents in a manner so entirely satisfac
tory and edifying ; and though you know 1 am not naturally
of a warm temper, yet, when I reflect on the ideas suggested
in the writings of Baron Swedenborg concerning the Holy
Word, what it is, and what it cpntains ; especially when I
am enabled to see, in some degree, into the heavenly con
tents, and am made sensible of their divine sanctity ; I can
never think or speak on the subject but with a pleasing,
and, I trust, profitable mixture of warmth and delight ; and
I consider it such an argument in favour of the testimony
of Baron Swedenborg, as no miracles whatever could sup-
Soph. Sir, you have touched a tender string, and inspired
me with a most ardent longing to look into the writings in
question ; for it has ever been my own private opinion,
though I scarce knew whence it came, or in what it was
grounded, that there was a hidden mystery contained in the
letter of Scripture, which few, if any, were acquainted with;
and I always thought that the Psalmist meant something of
this when he says, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may see
the wondrous things of thy law ;" Psalm cxix. 18 ; for
* See particularly Dr. Henry More's Cabbala, containing a spiritual,
moral, and philosophical explication of the three first chapters of Gene
sis. See, also, Bishop Haul's' Contemplations, and Bromley's Journeys
pf the Children of Israel through the Wilderness; and, in our times, Dr.
Home's Commentary on the Psalms, and the Reverend Mr Jones's
Lectures on the figurative language of the Scriptures; all which works
are earnestly recommended to the reader's perusal, as tending to open
and form the mind to edifying conceptions of the hidden .wisdom and
sanctities of the Holy Word. To these might be added a long list of
German and French divines, all of them persons Of acknowledged piety
and learning, wbo bear the sane testimony.

36 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
surely, if the divine law had contained no wondrous things, i
but what were visible in the letter,- there would have been
no occasion to pray unto God for illumination to discover
and see them.
Phil. You are certainly right; and the same thing is
made equally manifest by what is written of our Lord after
his resurrection, where it is said, " Then opened he their
understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures,"
Luke, xxiv. 45 ; for the disciples, before this time, had,^
doubtless, frequently read and understood the letter ofthe
Scriptures, but, for want of having their understandings
opened, they had not seen into or understood the spirit
thereof, that is, the spiritual things contained under the
letter, which had all of them relation to our Lord and to '
his kingdom, as he himself plainly declares in the preced
ing verse : it is clear also, from St. Paul's allegorical inter
pretation of some passages in the Old Testament, (see par
ticularly Gal. iv. 24 to 31,) that he had his eyes opened
to see into an internal sense of the sacred history, which
he therefore calls the wisdom of God in a mystery, even
the hidden wisdom, 1 Cor. ii. 7 : and,' therefore, there is
nothing of novelty in the sentiment ; the only wonder is,
that the holy writings have not been more generally attend
ed to and regarded in this view, as being the real Word of
God ; for surely common sense and reason must see, that,
if they are the Word of God, they must needs contain the
whole will and wisdom of God, and yet it is equally plaia
that this divine will and wisdom are not manifest in the
mere letter and history, of consequence they must reside
in the internal or spiritual sense.
Soph. Well, sir, I believe I shall lose no time in making
myself acquainted with the writings of Baron Swedenborg,
which promise such a rich source of edification and enter
tainment as you speak of; and, at present, I shall be glad
if you will acquaint me with the doctrine of life recom-J
mended in these writings, wbich you mentioned as a fur-'
ther testimony in the author's favour. And first, what am
I to understand by your expression, the doctrine of life ?
Phil. I mean by it a description or exposition of a truly
Christian life, or .such a life as leads to the kipgdom of
heaven. Soph. Are not all agreed that a truly Christian life con
sists in keeping the commandments of Jesus Christ, and
that this is the only way which leads to heaven ? can there
be any other doctrine of life besides this ?

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. ' 37
,vJPhil. It may seem as if all were agreed in this point, .
and as if it were impossible they could disagree ; and yet
so unhappily it has come to pass, that there is among Chris
tian teachers, at this day, a total disagreement on this sub
ject. Thus you will find some insisting on charity alone
as a preparative for heaven, some on faith alone, and others
on good works. alone; Some, you will-observe, recommend
a moral life separate from a spiritual life ; others fall into
the contrary extreme, and exalt a spiritual life separate
from a moral life. Some, again, maintain that man is fitted
»for heaven merely through the operations of divine grace,
without any regard to his own exertions ; whilst others lay
all the stress upon human exertions, withouttany regard to
divine grace and supernatural aids; not to mention a va
riety of other sentiments, in which the ChrigtUw world, at
this day, is most miserably divided, so that it is become .dif
ficult fog a simple mind to discover the truth, and still more
difficult" to' adaerfe to it when it is discovered.
Soph. And pray, sir, what new light is thrown upon this
subject in the writings of Baron Swedenborg ?
-- Phil. No new light at all, but only that which was from
the beginning, unleps it may be called new to expose the
errors which had crept into the church through #i depart-'
-ure from the old commandment. In the writings, 1 there
fore, of Baron Swedenborg, you Will see a clear and full
refutation of all that doctrine which would teach, that man-
may be saved either by charity alone, or by faith alone, or by
good works alone ^ or by a moral life separate from a spi- ¦
ritual life, or by a spiritual life separate from a moral life ;
or by divine- grace without regard to his own free exer
tions, or by bis own free exertions without rega'rd to di
vine grace. Having thus taught what a Christian life is
not, the author next proceeds to show, and demonstrate
from the Holy Scriptures, what it really is,; and his doc
trine on the interesting subject may be reduced to the fol
lowing summary.. A truly Christian life is a life which leads
to heaven, and to be led to heaven is the same thing as to
be formed in the image, likeness, and spirit of heaven, ac
cording ttf our Lord's own declaration, "The kingdom of
heaven is within- you." A truly Christian life, therefore,
is that which tends most perfectly to open and form in man
the image, likeness, and spirit of heaven;: but'whereas
man consists pf different parts' or principles, each of them
eapable, in its degree, of receiving this heavenly image,
likeness, and spirit, therefor* this heavenlylmage, likeness,
" , 4

3& DIALOGUES BETWEEN
s and spirit cannot be fully opened and formed, unless itsbe
openediind formed in each part or principle.-- These psyts
or principles are, in general; the will, the understanding,
and the act or operation thence proceeding. A truly Chris
tian life, therefore, hath respect to thes-e three several parts
or principles of man, to open and form each of them accord
ing to the image, likeness, and spirit of heaven : the will
is thus opened and formed by charity, with all its heavenly
attendant graces and virtues : the understanding is thus
opened and formed by faith, with all tbe bright know
ledges and perceptions of holy truth thereto appertaining':-
and lastly, the act of operationjs so formed by good works,
or an obedient practice of the things which charity .and
faith dictate.* A truly Christian life, therefore, or a life.
which leads, to heaven, is a life of charity, of faith, and of
good works conjointly. If the heart and lungs are separa;
ted, all bodily action ceases ; in like manner, if you separate
anyone of these three constituents of a Christian life from
the other two, they all perish ; but, being joined together,
they tend to each other's stability and perfection, and there
by to the stability and perfection of all the parts and prin--
ciples of man, and this in the degree in which each is cuIt
tivated,, and brought into due subordination.
.Sopjj. Pray, sir, in what sense do you here use the
terras charity and faith ? It seems to me that the signing
.pation you annex to these terms is somewhat differentfroni
what is generally received.
Phil. Charity, according to the sense in which it is un
derstood and applied in-the writings of Baron Swedenborg,
is the divine life of holy love, proceeding" from the Lord
God the Saviour, Jesus Christ, and his Holy Word, opera
tive in man's will, whereby he is led earnestly to forsake
all evil, and to love God and goodness above all things, and
his neighbour as himself, and to live a life according to
such love, fulfilling faithfully, uprightly, and conscien--
tiously, all the relative duties of his rank, station, and call-*
ing ,f and faith, according to the sense in which it is under
stood and applied in the same writings, js the divine life of
holy and pure wisdom, or truth, from the same Lord God'
and Saviour and his Holy Word, opened and operative in
man's understanding, whereby he is led to reject all per
suasions, which are contrary toTieavenly truth, and fo con-!
firm such as are agreeable thereto, and thereby to attain a*
clear and distinct knowledge and perception in his mind of
the nature of good and evil, with their several degrees and

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 39
-qualities, and also the natures, measures, and orders ofthe
several duties thence resulting : so that, as charity is the
essential life of faith, faith,, on its part, is the essential light
of charity,' and each is necessary for the other's existence^
preservation, qualification^ and operation.' It is proper,
however, to be observed, that, in the writings of Baron
Swedenborg, charity is always considered as having the
pre-eminence over faith, that is, purity of will and life is
considered as infinitely surpassing all speculative know
ledge, and mere contemplatipn of holy things : neverthe
less, such speculative knowledge, when grounded in the
genuine truth of God's Holy Word, is shown to-'have^its
-great aixd manifold uses, both as leading to the discovery
of genuine charity, and as tending to confirm,, qualify, e'x-
alt, and perfect it when discovered.
Soph. In what sense, then, is a moral life^considered by
Baron Swedenborg?
Phil. As originating in genuine charity and faith, and
being charity and faith in operation ; or, in other words,
as consisting in good works, proceeding, from good motives,
and beingibereby tb-e basis and foundation of spiritual life
in man, and therefore absolutely necessary to the existence
of his spiritual life, just as it is necessary for the existence
of a house, to have a foundation to stand upon. This kind
of morality is the outward form of charity and faith ; a liv
ing form, if it be joined with, and grounded in, charity and
faith, but a dead form, if it be separated irom, and hath
uot respect unto, those heavenly principles. It is further
to be noted, that, bythe c-pnjunction of charity, faith, and
good works, man's spiritual and moral life are joined toge
ther in one, and the whole man is formed according to the
image, likeness; and spirit of heaven.
Soph. But you were speakingjconcerning the operations
of divine grace, and the exertions of man, as being con
founded together by some. writers : pray, how are these
operations and exertions reconciled in the writings of Ba
ron Swedenborg ?
Phil. The charity and faith, of which we have been
speaking", as to their origin, are shown to be not of man
but OfeGod, inasmuch as every good and perfect gift is from
above ; they are, therefore, God's continual gift to man,
but, then, they are given to man to exercise freely as his
own ;.- and, whilst he so exerciseth them, and at the same
time acknowledged, in'humiliation and self-abasement, that
they are fromtabove, that is, from the Lord God the Sa-

40 ' DIALOGUES BETWEEN
viour, they are then imputed and appropriated to him, and
become his, for salvation and eternal life ; so that he liv-
eth.freely the life of charfty and faith, as if it was his own
proper life, self-derived, and yet confessing it, at the same
time, to be a life derived from another, that is, from God ;
thus he acknowledged all salvation to be purely the effect
ofthe divine grace and mercy, yet not without the concur
rence of his own free exertions, for it is by his own free
exertions that such divine grace and mercy are implanted,
and acquire life, formation, stability, and operation in him ;
otherwise they must remain, things foreign to him, and can
have no place in him, not being received and exercised in
bis free will. *
Soph. Is the doctrine of free will, then, maintained in
these writings ?
Phil. Yes, 'sir, in all its purity, and its fullest extent ;
~nnd nothing can be more edifying than what is said on this
subject, and the manner of reconciling the free will ofthe
creature, with the free grace and operation of God.
Soph. I have been told, that Baron Swedenborg held
some peculiar sentiments respecting the fall of man.
Phil. His sentiments are only particular in this, that he
considers the present fallen state of man not as an effect of
the transgression of one single person alone, but of many
persons progressively through successive generations ; he
shows that it consists in a departure from the love of the
Creator and mutual love, into tbe love of self, ofthe world,
"and ofthe flesh, and ofthe various concupiscences therein
originating, and this, successively, with accumulation fronts
parents to their posterity, each adding his own acquired, to
his hereditary, evils, and transmitting them so increased to
bis progeny, so that man's natural life, at this day, "which
he derives hereditarily from his parents, is become altoge
ther evil'and infernal : and herein is grounded the neces-,
sity of deep repentance, faith in an incarnate God, and real
regeneration and renovation in all the several human pro
perties .and principles, before man can be meet for^admis-
sion into the kingdom of heaven, which is a kingdom of
pure, disinterested love and charity. •
Soph. Is it not asserted in these writings, that the rich
may enter into heaven as easily as the poor ?
Phil. Yes, sir ; the mere possession of riches, as there
shown, will preclude none from the kingdom of heaven.
lt is the love of wealth, and not the mere possession there
of, which is a hindrance to man's salvation. These wri-jr

S0PHR6N AND PHILADELPHUS. 41
tings clearly prove that it is self-love and the love of the
world, that opposes and obstructs man's entrance into hea
ven ; because these two kinds of love are principally op
posite to the pure love of -God and of our neighbour, in
wbich the life of heaven consists, and by which it is opened
and formed in man. In living, therefore, a life which leads
to heaven, the chief difficulty is, according to the testimo
ny of Baron Swedenborg, ^remove self-love and the love
ofthe world, with their vgious attendant concupiscences,
so that the love of Godftd neighbourly love may have
free admission into the heart, and formation in the life. It
' is, therefore, of no consequence, in this respect, whether
a man be rich or poor, as to his outward circumstances, be
cause in either case he may remain in self-love and the love
of the world, or he may purify himself from those unclean
affections. Soph. There is no call, then, in these writings, to any
peculiarities of life.
- Phil. Only the peculiarities of forsaking all inordinate,
selfish, and worldly love, and striving to become perfect in
heavenly love and charity, by a faithful, sincere, and up
right discharge of all the relative duties, to which every
one is called by Providence, in his respective character;
station, office, and employment, whether as a king or a
Subject, a priest or a layman, a statesman or a soldier, a
merchant or a mechanic: no austerities are insisted on,
but this sacrifice of self-love ; and no renunciation of the
World, but this renunciation of the inordinate love pf it:
nay, it is much insisted on, that a life in the wo-rld is abso
lutely necessary to fit man for heaven, because, otherwise,
he can have no opportunities for the exercise of charity,
and, consequently, no opportunities for renouncing and ex
pelling self-love. But you must read for yourself on these
important subjects, for I find it impossible for me to ac
quaint you with a thousandth part of all the particulars,
relating to a good life, which are declared in the writings
of Baron Swedenborg, and which have made me so fre
quently bless the day, when I first set eyes upon them.
'Soph.. Well, sir, from the information you have been so
kind as to favour me with, 1 think 1 shall hardly be content
to remain much longer a stranger to the writings in ques*
tion : for, surely, to recommend such purity of life, to ex
press such veneration for the Holy Scriptures, and to ex
alt so highly the person, office, and character of the Chris
tian Redeemer, are weighty arguments in their favour.
4*

4f2. DIALOGUES BETWEEN
Phil; Sir, they appear to me such arguments as no so
ber, serious, and unprejudiced Christian can possibly with- '
stand; and sure I am, that nothing but prejudice, arising
either from tbe evil of life, or from misinformation respect
ing the honourable author's character and his works, could
induce any one to forego all that variety of curious inves-
tigationiand profitable instruction with which they -abound..
Soph. I am much obliged tow ou for the satisfaction you
have afforded me in your answgrs to my several inquiries.
Being called away by particulsnpusiness at present, I must
take my leave of you ; but I hope, at some future time, to
have an opportunity of renewing my conversation with you
on this very interesting subject. Farewell.

-»«*«

DIALOGUE IF.
Soph. BCY dear Philadelphus, I am glad to take yoa
again by the hand, and have long wished for this pleasure :
since our last interview, I have been led, in consequence
, of the encouragement you had given me, to look into some
of the theological writings of Baron Swedenborg, and -1
think I have reason to thank the Divine Providence for
what I have found therein ; for, surely, never was the way
to heaven pointed out more plainly. The doctrines yon
mentioned, concerning the Christian Lord, concerning the
Holy Scriptures, and concerning a truly Christian life, are
indeed most comfortable, animating, edifying, and convin
cing ; and, though I was highly pleased with what you re
lated in regard to each of those doctrines, I am infinitely bet
ter satisfied since 1 have read and judged for myself, drink
ing at the fountain head. There are, also, several other
doctrines, which have afforded me extraordinary delight, '
and which appear to me strong collateral evidences, .at
least, in favour of the author's testimony : such are the
¦ doctrine of correspondence between things spiritual and
things natural, the doctrine of influx,' the doctrine of de
grees, the doctrine of Providence, of imputation, of rege
neration, of baptism, and of the holy supper, with many"
others that do not immediately -recur to' my remembrance,
till tending to deliver the mind from perverted ideas of the

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 43.
truth, and to establish it on solid principles, both as to per
suasion and practice. But, sir, 1 find the author declares
himself to the world, not only as a teacher of doctrines, but
also in the superior character of a seer, one that had his
spiritual senses open so as to hold communication with the
in visiWe_ world of spirits and angejs ; and that he makes,
known, in his writings, several extraordinary particulars in
relation to that world, and to the state of man after deatbr
when he enters tlferein. 'Now, sir, though-what be says
gives no offence to my own mind, but quite the contrary,
serving to confirm my belief in a future life and its "great
realities, yet, as I am aware many will object to this, part
of his character, I should be glad to know your sentiments
on the subject, both forthe fuller satisfaction of my otvo
mind, and also for removing the scruples of others.
Phil. This subject is so fully treated of in two excel
lent prefaces, written by a pious and learned"cJergyman of
the church of England, and prefixed, one to the treatise
on Heaven and Hell, and the other to the treatise on In
flux, translated by him from tbe Latin of Baron Sweden
borg, that I think no* candid person can wish for any fur
ther satisfaction in regard to. this past of the Baron's cha
racter ; the perusal of which I beg leave to recommend,
not only to you, but to every other person who feels dis
posed to read the Baron's- writings. It is not, however,
to be expected, that a carnal and careless World will be
persuaded, by any arguments of man, to believe what is so
contrary to their own gross and earthly apprehensions.
The spirit of scepticism and sadducism, ia regard to all
communication between the visible and invisible worlds, is
L at this, day so prevalent, that there is room to question,
whether1 the report even of an angel from heaven, if such
a being weTe to appear amongst us, would be able to over
come it. «' If 1 have told you earthly things and ye believe
not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things_,"
(John, iii. 12,) is a rebuke, which was surely never more
applicable than to the incredulous temper of the present
times : and, what is most extraordinary, and seems most
to be lamented, is, that this temper hath taken deeper root
amongst the learned than the unlearned, insomuch that it
is even considered as a reflection oh the character of a
philosopher and a man of letters, and a proof of a little,,
narrotw, or superstitious mind, to admit of any supernatu
ral agency, either in the way of voice or vision. Never
theless, the simple and the sincere, who believe in a hea-

4jt DIALOGUES BETWEEN
ven and hell, and in a life after death ; and who are per
suaded, on the authority of their Bibles, that men like them
selves,* even during their abode in the body, have, been
admitted to see and hear what passes in another world, wil|
not, it is to be hoped, so easily become the dupes of such:
unhappy incredulity. They will be convinced, at least;
that it is possible for the Almighty to effect at this day what
he has done in days of old, and where the particular pur
poses pf his providence require it, to open both the eyes
and ears of his chosen servants to a more immediate inter
course with himself and his invisible kingdom. They wilj|
see, also, if they be at all acquainted with ecclesiastical
history, that something of this sort of spiritual communica
tion has been vouchsafed in all ages and periods of 'the
church ; and though, it is not to be denied that many false?
and groundless relations of this kind have been and are
still circulated, yet they will be enabled to distinguish be
tween the true and the false, the real. and the pretendedjj
and will not reject what is genuine on account of what is
spurious, any more than -they would reject sterling coin
because there. are counterfeits.
Soph. You think, then, that the testimony of Baron Swe
denborg, in regard to his supernatural communications, ii
well grounded 1
Phil. As to myself, I candidly confess, I do not enter
tain the smallest doubt concerning it, whatsoever imputa
tion, of weakness, credulity, superstition, or ignorance, this.
confession may expose me to.- In regard to others, I do.
not expect, or even wish, them to believe merely on the
authority of my sentiments, nor shall I quarrel or dispute
with any one, who is not disposed to think with me on this ,
matter. But, this I will be bold to assert, that it is the duty
of every Christian, at this day, to think well for himself
on tbe subject, without restifig. too much on the opinions
of fallible-men ; and not to be hasty in rejecting an autho
rity like that of Baron Swedenborg, merely, because he says
he has seen and heard, what the prophets and saints of old
declared they had seen and heard ; remembering the sobe*
and solid advice formerly given on a similar occasion, '¦ If
a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight;
against God," Acts, xxiii. 9. And, in order to form a just
judgment, it appears to me, that every candid person is
* See the various visions of the prophets, as described in then- wri
tings throughout. ' See, also, St. Paul's relation of* himself. 2 Cor, sift
1 to 5, aud the whole of the fieyelatjgns of St. John.

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 45
bound to consider further the nature and tendency of that
information which Baron SWedenborg brings concerning
another world, for this ought surely to, have its proper
weight aild influence. As to myself, when I reflect on the
uniform serious asseverations of a pious and learned man,
like Baron Sjwedenhorg, during a cpurse of more than
twenty-five years, that he was favoured with such super- -
natural intercourse ; when I consider that he'was as secure
from the delusions of enthusiasm, or an overheated imagi
nation, as sound sense and sobriety of understanding could
render any mortal ; when I weigh, further, the particular
and interesting relations, which, in consequence of his ex
traordinary communications, he has published, concerning
the other world, — their harmony, consistence,. variety, im
portance, and edifying tendency ; and.when I see all this
at the same time supported and confirmed by, a' purity and
consistence of life and doctrine agreeable thereto and cor
responding ] therewith, I must confess I feel a weight of
evidence respecting the author and his writings which I
cannot withstand ; and, if such evidence is not to be admit
ted as valid, it will be difficult to say what evidence, in such
a 'base, is admissable. But, in this, as in all other things,
people must be left'to judge for themselves, for it is one
of the maxims inculcated by our author, that no person's
free will should be forced.
Soph.' Sir, I entirely agree with you in this, that it is best
to, leave such things.to every one's own private conscience;
for it appears, to me that each will be determined in his
judgment herein, not so much by the arguments and rea
soning of others, as by the bias of his own particular. dis*
position. If his mind be set towards tha things of heaven^
he will be disposed to credit thqse who bring him a rela
tion of such things, .especially .if he finds such relation
agreeable to the obvipus sense ofthe Holy* Scriptures, and
tending to purity of life ; but, ifMiis mind be towards the
things of this world only, it is not then to be expected that
the relations of heavenly messengers, howsoever well .au
thenticated, will find acceptance, according to that striking
testimony of our Lord, " If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose
from the dead," Luke xvi. 31. Leaving, therefore, this
matter for the present, I must now trouble you on another
sbbject, which somewhat perplexes me, and which is fre
quently spoken of ia the writings of Baron Swedenborg,

46 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
and that is, a new church. Pray, sir, what am I to under
stand concerning this new church 1
Phil. May 1 first ask what is the idea which you annex
to' the term church ?
Soph. In my opinion, sir, the term is of a very vague,
indefinite signification, as used in our language: for instance,
we call a building of brick and stone a church, when it is
consecrated to sacred purposes ; we talk, also, ofthe church
of England, the church of Scotland, the' church of Rome,
&c. meaning thereby, as I should suppose, certain distinct
congregations of persons, united together by some particu
lar tenets of faith and doctrine, or particular modes of
worship; we profess to believe, also, in the holy catholic
church, by which, as 1 have always been taught to con
ceive, is meant the real church of Christ, or the congre
gation of his true children throughout the whole world, by
whatever particular names they are called, or by whatever
particular doctrines and modes of worship they are distin
guished, who worship him in spirit and in truth, that is,
according to his holy will and commandment.
' Phil. And pray, sir, according to your opinion, in which
of these several senses is the term church most properly
to be understood ?
Soph. I should think the latter.
Phil. Why do you think so ?
Soph. Because it is very plain, from the general use of
the term in the Sacred Scriptures, as where our Lord saith,.
" Upon this rock will I build my church," Matt. xvi. 18,"
and where tbe apostle calleth the church the body ofChristT
(Coloss. i. 18, 24,) that it does not signify a building ofj
brick or stone only ; for the same reason, neither can it
"dignity any particular congregation of people united toge
ther by particular modes of worship and tenets of faith, -
because it is possible that such, congregation, notwithstand-"
ing their modes of worshyfeand tenets of faith and doctrine,
may be very unchristian and wicked people, and conse
quently cannot constitute that body of Christ, the church,
which must needs be pure and clean, both in heart and
life : the term church, therefore, properly and scripturally
speaking, as it appears to me, is to be conceived in a uni
versal sense, as comprehending all true believers, who
worship the Lord Jesus Christ, in spirit and in truth.
Phil. You. distinguish, then, between the term church*
when spoken of a building of brick aud stone, of a particu-

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 47
'lar congregajtijn of Christians, and ofthe universal body of
sincere believers throughout the world ?
* Soph. ldo.
Phil. And, according to thisjast sense, "you think-, it is
properly and scripturally denominated the church of Christ?
Soph. Yes. -1"
Phil. And'that particular congregations of people may,
or may not, make a part of the universal church, or church
of Christ, or body of Christ, according as their lives are
formed, or not formed, in agreement with, and obedience
to, the spirit of a right faith and love towards Christ ?
Soph. That is. my meaning.
Phil. May I ask you further, then, what do you conceive
fo be the real, genuine constituent principles necessary to
form what is properly called the body or church of Christ ?
Soph. I should apprehend such principles to be a genu
ine faith and love towards Chr.ist, operating in the heart
and life, producing all the varieties of Christian graces,
virtues, and fruits, "and tending thus to man's purification,
a renewal in a heavenly nature and image, and consequent
ly a conjunction with heaven.
Phil. No modes of worship, then, no tenets or doctrines
•of faitb, no particular code of articles or canons, according
to your opinion, can constitute a church, properly and
scrfpturall'y so called, if they be separated from the puri
ties of a genuine Christian faith and love, operating as you
bave just now described ?
Soph. That is, my opinion : all such things, as I conceive,
when in a state of separation from true Christian faith, and
love, productive of newness of life, may rather he consi
dered as" the sepulchre or skeleton of a church, than the
church itself.
Phil. Your opinion is certainly right ; keep close to this
just idea of a church, and you will readily and clearly ap
prehend all that Baron Swedenborg has said in regard to a
new church. His doctrine on the subject is simply this :
the present Christian church, through an, unhappy depart
ure from genuine faith and love, is come to its decline, and
become no church, for, where genuine faitb and love are
wanting, inhere can be no church, according to your own
principles. Not that it is to be supposed, that, at this day,
there are no good people in the Christian world, who fear
and love God, but that the number of such is so small, in
respect to the whole body of Christians, so called, at large,
,that they may comparatively be called none,, answering fo

48 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
that description in the prophet, " Yet gleaning grapes shall
be left in it as the shaking of an olive-tree, two or three
berries jn the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in
the, outmost fruitful branches thereof," Isaiah, xvii. 6.
Nevertheless, the divine mercy and wisdom requires, that
there should be a church on earth, wherein the LORD
may be known, loved, and obeyed, and thus man may have
conjunction with God, and God with man, otherwise man--
kind must perish everlastingly : it hath therefore pleased
the Lord, at this time, to lay the foundations of a new
church ; or, in other words, to make such new discoveries
of himself, his heavenly will and wisdom, and the eternal
laws of his kingdom and government, derived from the
genuine spirit and uncorrupted sense of his Holy Word,
as may operate to the restoration of genuine faith, love,
and charity again amongst men, and to the re-production,
thereby of all Christian graces and virtues, and thus to the
heavenly order, happiness, and final salvation of the hu
man race, by restoring them to conjunction with heaven
and the God of heaven, in the love, the knowledge, and;,
the practice ofthe laws of heaven. v
Soph. But why should this church be called' a newchurch?
are not all churches one and the same, from the beginning
of the world, as constituting the Lord's body, and consist
ing ofthe same spiritual principles ?
Phil. Consider, sir, and apprehend this well. In re
gard to life and essence, there never was, or can be, more
than, one real and true church, as there never was, or can'
be, more than one will and law of God, one way of salva
tion, and one body of Jesus Christ ; for life eternal, or
spiritual life, in its essence, ever was,, and ever'must be,]
one and the same, just as life temporal, or natural life,;asj
to its essence, ever was, and must be, one and the same:*
nevertheless, as temporal or natural life, at different time|/
and in different places, and by different means, has been
¦variously modified, and assumed different forms and ap
pearances amongst men, so it has been, also, with spiritual
or eternal life ; it has been, at various times, and in vari
ous places, and by divers means of new openings of the
genuine truth of God's Word, variously modified, and as
sumed various forms and appearances here on earth, under
all which it was called, at the time, a new church : never
theless, each new church was, in fact, nothing else but a
renewal or re-production, and thereby continuation ofthe
essential life and spirit of the preceding church, opened

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. ,49
under some new form, dispensation, or appearance, accom
modated to the peculiar circumstances of time, place, and
people, and calculated to exhibit to mankind the divine
mercy, love, wisdom, and power, in all their infinite varie
ties, and ever new glories, lt is, therefore, an unspeakable
satisfaction to my own mind, to think that Abraham, Isaac, -
and Jacob,, and every .other spiritual member ofthe church
existing at that time, and since, were, in heart, Christians,
as all true Christians are," in heart, the children of Abra
ham, and thus that the Patriarchal, Jewish, and Christian
churches,, were, in essence and life, one and the same ; and,
by parity of reasoning, the new church, now about to be
established, will, in essence and life, be one and the same
with all preceding churches, and so constituted, in the uni
versal body of Jesus Christ, that the good membe.rs of all
preceding churches will perceive a blessing from it, as its
own members will perceive a blessing from, and enter into,
the labours of all preceding churches, according to what is
intimated in those words ofthe apostle,- "These all having
obtained a good report through faith, received, not the pro
mise ; God having provided some better thing for us, that
they without us should not be made perfect," Heb. xi. ,39,40^
- Soph. By a new church doctrine, then, as spoken of in
the writings of Baron Swedenborg, am I to understand a
new revelation ? ,
Phil. If by a new' revelation you- mean a new law, ,a
new commandment, or a new divine word, promulged im
mediately from God, to supersede the old law, command
ment, and word,ihis you are not in any wisfrto understand : "
but if, by a new. revelation, you, mean a republication and
further opening of the old law, commandment, and Word,
in order to its being more clearly apprehended,, according
to its proper and genuine sense and meaning, and that all
the perversions thereof,- arising froni false or mere exter
nal interpretations^ may be rectified, and it may thus have
a fuller admittance to, and operation upon, the hearts and
lives of mankind, according to its heavenly spirit and inten
tion ; tly> you are to understand.
Sopji^ But some. may possibly ask, why.are not the.Holy
, Scriptures themselves sufficient for all these purposes of
instruction and righteousness, without the aid of Baron •
Swedenborg's writings ?
Phil. The Holy Scriptures would, doubtless, themselves
be sufficient to answer all the purposes of heavenly instruc
tion and consequent reformation of mankind, provided they
5

50 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
were well understood and practised, according to their
genuine sense and signification. But it should be consi
dered, that they may be misunderstood, and that, without
sound doctrine derived from the Word of God, by such as
are enlightened, the Word of God itself is obscure, and,
to some, totally dark, or else it is falsified and perverted,
every one interpreting and understanding the Scriptures
according to the doctrine which he has imbibed from in
fancy. Thus the Jews, by the false doctrine of their tra
ditions, had totally obscured and perverted the Word of
God, making it of none effect, according to our Lord's tes
timony ; and thus it may have happened at the present
time, and, according to the testimony of Baron Sweden
borg, has really happened ; in consequence whereof, the
pure fountain of living water has become so. polluted and
adulterated, as to be insufficient for the purpose of sus
taining spiritual life ; and hence he shows the necessity
of a pure and sound form of doctrine being again opened
and published to mankind, in order to lead them to a right;
understanding again of tbe Holy Word, th.it they may thus
drink of the pure water of life, for instruction and conse
quent renovation in righteousness. How far the present
times required such a new form of doctrine, and how fax
the doctrine opened in his writings is calculated to answer
the above great end and purpose, must be left to the de
cision of serious and intelligent readers.
Soph. But Baron Swedenborg calls the doctrines, which
he has delivered in his writings, by the name and title of
the doctrines ofthe New Jerusalem, or new church ; how
am I to conceive of this ?
Phil. You find, sir, throughout the prophets, particu
larly in Isaiah, passages, too numerous to be here recount-"
ed, wherein mention is made of a glorious state of the
Lord's church, and particularly, " that the light of the
moon should be as the light ofthe sun, and the light ofthe
sun seven-fold, as the light of seven days," Isaiah, xxx. 26 ;
" that instead ofthe thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and
instead ofthe brier shall come up the myrtle-tree," Isaiah.
Iv. 13 ; " that for brass there should be gold, and for iron
silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron," Isaiah, Is.
17 ; denoting a manifestation of different degrees of hea
venly truth and goodness, as superior to what had been
heretofore known, as the light ofthe sun Is superior to the
light of the moon ; or, as the fir-tree and myrtle-tree are
frupsrior to the thorn and brier ; or, as silver and gold are

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 51
to the baser metals here spoken .of. These, and many
other prophetic scriptures of a like nature, have, in gene
ral, been applied to the first Christian churcb, established
at our Cord's coming in the flesh, to denote the blessings
thereby communicated to mankind. But, that many of these
blessed prophecies remain yet unfulfilled, "and have rela
tion to some future happy states ofthe church of God, there
is every reason to suppose. The book ofthe Revelations
puts this matter out of.all doubt, there being express men
tion made in this book of a glorious state of the church
posterior to the Lord's first coming, and described under
the name and character of the New Jerusalem, by which,
according to the testimony of Baron Swedenborg, is signi
fied a new churcb, or a new dispensation of heavenly truth
and doctrine, to be opened from the pure Word of God
amongst men, in the last ages ofthe world, to restore again
pure love and charity ; to remove all iniquity, error, and
disorder ; and to put man in possession of all the blessed
ness described, " when tbe tabernacle of God shall'be with
men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God ; and God shall wipe away all tears fronrtheir eyes ;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor cry
ing, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former
things shall be passed away," Rev. xxi. 3, 4. Baron Swe
denborg further testifies, that the doctrines of truth con
tained in his. writings have all of them respect to this new
and glorious state of the church, or New Jerusalem, and
were intended to conduct mankind into it ; the Lord having
chosen him expressly for this purpose, to unfold the spi
ritual, internal sense ofthe Holy Scriptures, and, thereby,
to make known again to mankind the great eternal laws of
order, truth, and righteousness, which, through corrupt
traditions, had been niiserably perverted1;* that so, walking
according to these laws, they might come out of all false
and evil principles, both of life and. doctrine, and regain
their primitive paradisiacal state of innocence, love, and
charity, through a blessed conjunction with God and his
kingdom. '*
Soph. 1 am to conceive, then, ofthe New Jerusalem, or
new church, that it is a dispensation of tbe purest goodr
ness, truth, righteousness, peace, and order, revealed to
man from the genuine sense of the Word of God ; and that
the doctrines of this new dispensation are npw at this tintfe

§2 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
Opened and published to the world in the writings of Baron
Swedenboxg ?
Phil. This is the true meaning of the new church as
spoken of by Baron Swedenborg. But let me caution you
to distinguish carefully herein between the New Jerusalem,
Or new cburch, and its doctrines as delivered in the writings
of Baron Swedenborg ; for, if this distinction be not well
attended to, much mistake and misapprehension may be the
consequence. Remerrfber, therefore, that the doctrines.of
the church, and the church itself, are very differentthings.
The doctrines are merely principles of truth introductory
to the church ; but the church itself consists of those prin
ciples brought into life amongst men, and incorporated with
the spirit of charity, and conjoined thereby with heaven,
and thus rendered living, operative, and fruitful from the
God of heaven. It-is possible, therefore, man may be
principled in the doctrine of the new churcb, -and yet not
be a member of, or belong to, the neW church.
Soph.' You would insinuate then, if 1 understand you
right, that it is not sufficient -merely to read and understand
the writings; of Baron Swedenborg, in order, to become, a
member ofthe new church, but that man must be obedient
to the doctrine of that church therein set forth, joining
therewith all pure love and charity ,^by the practice of vir
tue, before he can be said to have a part in the blessings
ofthe New Jerusalem.
Phil. That is my meaning : the writings of Baron Swe
denborg contain merely the principles of the heavenly sci
ence, needful to open and form the new church on earth,
either generally or individually ; and, as such, they will be?
found most highly profitable to all who wish to attain unto*
true church-membership ; but, to attain unto church-mem
bership, it is necessary that those principles should be
brought into practice by a sincere obedience, according to
what our Lord said respecting the doctrines he taught, " If
ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them," John,
xiii. 17. Then, and in that proportion only, the new church
will be opened and formed both individually and generally,
which new church, sir, I conceive to be a state ofthe most
exalted love, charity, and consequent operative virtues and
graces from, heaven, that was ever yet manifested here on
earth ; consisting in an entire eradication of all the inordi-'
nate, false, and evil principles of self-love and the love oj*
the world, with all the proud, envious, wrathful, and covet
ous affections therein originating ; and, at the same time.

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 53
a renewal or regeneration, wrought by the purest princi
ples of heavenly goodness and truth, through obedience,
in all the several forms and- degrees of human life, whe
ther social, civil, moral, intellectual, or spiritual, accord*
ing to what I lately 'signified to you, in speaking of the doc
trine of life, as taught io the writings of Baron Sweden
borg-. Thus, and in no other way, as it appears to me^ and
as those writings abundantly testify, " can the tabernacle
of God be with men, and he dwell with them, and they be
come his people." And, of this, it would be well that all
the readers of these writings should be mindful, lest they
should fai»cy themselves members of this church, merely
because they are acquainted and delighted with its doc
trines ; whereas, according to the testimony of those wri
tings, the new church can only be implanted in man through
obedience, and passing through the several states of repen
tance and regeneration, and the temptations or trials pro
per to each, till his whole life, in all its principles, persuar
sions, and priictices, is brought into an entire conformity
to the -will and the wisdom of God, by an absolute humili
ation and submission thereto.
Soph. Well, sir, my ftiind is much satisfied and delighted
with this idea of a new church, as tending to renew, bless,
and perfect all the principles of corrupt human nature
throughout the earth, by restoring them to conjunction
• with God and heaven. I find myself extremely anxious for
the propagation of a system so benevolent and sublime,
and already rejoice in the salutary effects, which it must
assuredly produce. Excuse me, therefore, if I trouble
you further in asking, whether you think that many ofthe
present clergy are likely to accede to the doctrine ?
Phil. I can see no reasonable cause why they should
not, inasmuch as they will find nothing in those writings,
but what they might find in their Bibles, .and what is war
ranted by the pure spirit of that mostholy book. • It ap
pears to me, however, as if the matter would rest simply
here: if asclergyman be of a worldly spirit, and be more
eager after gaini preferment, or vain glory, than the salva
tion of souls from a love of truth and goodness, he may
then probably reject the testimony of Baron Swedenborg,
and not believe his writings ; and for this plain reason, be
cause he may, from the same cause, doubt even his Bible :
but if, on the other hand, he be a sincefe seeker after truth
for truth's sake, and be so far removed from a worldly and
selfish spirit of pride, of pro-rmincnce, :-.::.! cf Use :-;!or<,'.

5'4 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
as to desire earnestly the salvation of mankind from a real
love of goodness, he will then, most assuredly, not only
receive, but greatly delight in, the writings of BaronSwe-
denborg, because he will find them most perfectly accord,
both with the spirit of his own mind.'and with the spirit
of his Bible. 1 would, however, be understood to make
this^atter assertion only in regard to those, whose minds
have^ not been warped by prejudices and misrepresenta
tions, for these things, we know, sometimes have an in
fluence on the best disposed minds, to make them reject,
for a time, what afterwards, when those prejudices are
removed, and they ceme to be better informed, they re
ceive most cordially.
Soph. You do not then apprehend, sir, that by the term
new church is meant a mere new sect, or particular deno
mination of Christians, as Quakers, Moravians, Methodists,
and the like, but that it denotes a dispensation of universal
grace, mercy j and truth, to the whole human race, without
exception, or limitation of time, place, or sect ? :
Phil. So I apprehend ; and according to this universal]
sense the term new church is adopted by Baron Sweden-'
borg, and shown to correspond herein with the concur
rent declarations of holy scripture, both in the Old and
New Testaments, wheresoever that dispensation is pointed
at; as where it is written in the prophets, " The Lord
bath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our
God," Isaiah, Hi. 10. Again, " The Gentiles shall come to
thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising ; thy
sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed •
at thy" side : then thou shalt see and flow together, and
thine heart shall fear and be enlarged, because the abun
dance of the sea shall be converted iroto thee, the forces
of the Gentiles shall come unto thee," Isaiah, lx. 3, 4, 5.
Again, " In this mpuntain shall the Lord of Hosts make
unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the
lees ; and he will destroy in this mountain the face of the
covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread
over all nations," Isaiah, xxv. 6, 7. Again, " Fear not,
for I am with thee ; I will bring thy seed from the east,
and gather thee from the west ; I will say to the north,
give np ; and to the south, keep not back ; bring my sons
from, far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth,"
Isaiah, xliii. 5, 6. Again, " I saw in the night visions, and
behold, one hke the Son of Man came with the clouds of

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. &§
heaven ; and there was given him dominion, and glory,
and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages,
should serve* him," Dan. vii. 13, 14. Again, " It shall
come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out my spirit upon
all flesh," Joel, ii. 28. Again, " The earth shall be filled
with the knowledge -of the glory of ihe Lord, as the waters
cover the sea," Hab. ii. 14. Again, " It shall come to pass
in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem,
half of them towards the former sea? and half of them to
wards the hinder sea ; and the Lord shall be king over all
the earth. In that day shall there be one Lord, and his
name one," Zech. xiv. 8, 9. But this is declared still mor*
manifestly, in the Revelations, in the following passages,
" After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people,
and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,"
Rev. vii. 9. Again, " The seventh angel sounded ; and
there were great voices in heaven; saying, the kingdoms
of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of
his Christ," Rev. xi. IS. Again, . I saw another angel fly-
in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell'on the earth, and to every na
tion, and kindred,, and tongue, and people," Rev. xiv. 6.
Again, speaking of the New Jerusalem, ".The, nations of
them which are saved shall walk in the light of it ; and the
kings ofthe earth do bring their gloryand honour into it ;
and they shall bring the glory .and honour of the nations
into it," Rev. xxi. 24, 26. Nothing, therefore; can be
plainer, than that the New Jerusalem dispensation is to be
universal, and to extend to all people, nations, and languages
on the-face of the earth, to be a blessing unto such as are
meet to receive a blessing : sects and sectarians, as such,
can find no place in this general assembly ofthe ransomed
of the^Lord : all tbe little distinctions of modes, forms, and
particular expressions of devotion and worship, will be
swallowed up and lost in the unlimited effusions of hea
venly love, charity, and benevolence,. With which the heart
of every member of this glorious new church and body of
Jesus Christ will overflow, one towards another. Men
will no longer-judge one another as to the mere externals
of church-communion, be they perfect, or be they imper
fect, for th*ey will be taught, that whosoever acknowledges
the incarnate Jehovah, in heart arid life, departing from
all evil, and doing what is right and good according to the
commandment, he is a member of the New Jerusalem, a

56 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
living stone in the Lord's new temple, and a part of that
great family in heaven and earth, whose common father
and head is Jesus Christ. Every one, therefore, will call
his neighbour brother, in whom he observes this spirit of
pure charity, and he will ask no questions concerning the
form of words which compose his cree'd, but will be satis
fied withjobserving in him the purity and power of a hea^
vehly life. Such, it appears to me, will be the blessed
temper influencing mankind, under a reception of the pure
dispensation of universal grace and mercy now going forth j1
and it is my firm persuasion, and a source of unutterably
consolation to my mind, that there is not a single person
throughout the earth, who is principled in any degree, of
goodness, but who will sooner or later be benefited by this
dispensation, and gathered within the happy pale of this
glorious new church. Nay, I can never behold a single
spark of genuine love and charity, mercy and benevolence;
in any person whatsoever, whether he hath ever heard of
the name of Baron Swedenborg and his writings, or no|y
but ITancy to myself that it belongs to this new kingdom
dr body of the Great Redeemer, and as it descends fijbm
this Almighty Lord, so will it be gathered, sooner or later,
to him, in the blessed acknowledgment that tie is its Fa
ther, Preserver, SaviOur, and God. But, as every human
being, who is principled in any sort or degree of good, will
find a blessing under this new manifestation of heaveidj
truth, so I believe, on the other hand, according to what
is abundantly declared, both in the prophetic writings of
the Old Testament and also the Revelations, that all who
are not so principled, but live in evil of life, confirmed and
unrepented of, will find their misery and confusion hereby"'
increased, being brought into severer judgment and condem
nation, according to the great eternal laws 6y which every
new opening and discovery of the divine Word of God is
regulated in its operations. For, as it was at the Lord's
first coming into the world, to open his word anew amongst
men, that this his appearing was for joy, peace, gathering
together, and salvation to the good, but for trouble, disturb
ance, separation, and destruction to the wicked, so it ap
pears to me, fiom the general testimony ofthe Holy Scrip
tures, it will be at this his second coming.
Soph. This his second coming, sir! What is it you
mean ? would you insinuate that the establishment of this
new church is the Lord's second coming 2

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS, 57
Phil. Nay, sir, be not so hasty '. let me ask you, what
it is you mean by the Lprd's second coming ?
Soph. I have always been taught to conceive, that the
Lord's second coming would be in the clouds of lieaven,
with all his holy angels, to execute judgment on the un»
godly, and to gather' the righteous into his kingdom, at
which.time the present visible, heavens and earth are to
be destroyed with fire, and the whole material creation
perish and be dissolved. »
Phil. And you conceive this to be a just and scriptural
idea of the Lord's' second coming ?
• Soph. I do.
Phil. But are you sure that you do not put a wrong con
struction herein on the words of Scripture ; for instance,
taking that in a mere literal sense, which was intended to
be taken in a spiritual sense ? You know that the Jews of
old, by thns abiding in the letter of Scripture only, mis
conceived the nature of the Lord's first coming, imagining
that be was to appear in some. extraordinary outward pomp,
as a temporal prince and deliverer, and, on this account,
they were unable to discern and 'acknowledge him, in his
internal glory, as a spiritual prince and deliverer. Are
you sure now, that, by this idea whieh you have conceived,
you are not imposing on yourself as the Jews of old did 1
Soph. Nay, sir, I only declare to you wJiat my idea is on
this subject, and I believe it to be the idea which generally
prevails amongst Christians, even the most learned.
Phil. I believe sp too ; but is" it more to be depended
upon on that account ? The idea of a temporal prince and
deliverer was what generally prevailed amongst the Jews,
even the most learned, at the time of our Lord's first ad
vent, but experience showed what a vain and groundless
.idea that was.
' Soph. In what other sense -then, pray sir, am I to con
ceive of the Lord's second coming ?
Phil. Why not ip a spiritual sense ?
Soph., How do you mean in a Spiritual sense ?
Phil. As a restorer of righteousness in the earth, by
opening anew, and republishing to mankind, the pure laws
of his kingdom, from his own Holy Word ; by making him
self herein known again to his people, who, through evil
of life and unbelief, had lost the true knowledge of him ;
by inspiring them thus anew with the love of himself and
of virtue ; by checking the powers of ungodliness and infi
delity, which are at this day risen to so alarming a height ;

58 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
and, finally, by replenishing the world with all the hea
venly graces, vir-tues, and blessings of love, purity, and
peace, according to all the happy descriptions, given by
his prophets, concerning bis future church or kingdom, to
be established here on earth. Would not yourself, and
every other serious person, call this a real coining of the
Lord, full as real as if he.should appear in person in the
clouds of the visible heavens ? Nay, when rightly consi
dered,, would it not also be found to be a real coming and
appearance in the clouds ? .
Soph. How do you mean ?
Phil. What, sir, if those clouds spoken of in the Holy
Scriptures, wherein we are taught the Son of Man is to
appear, should no more mean natural clouds, than the moun
tain of the Lord of Hosts means a natural mountain, or than
the river of God means a natural river, or than the holy
city, New Jerusalem, means a natural city 1 Jehovah, you
know, is represented in Scripture as riding upon the clouds,
and making them his chariots ; and his worship and strength '
are declared to be in the clouds, (Psalm, lxviii. 34) ; his
faithfulness and truth are also said to reach unto the clouds,
(Psalm, xxxvi. 5, lvii. 10) : now can you, or can any con
siderate person, suppose, that these clouds, on which Je
hovah rideth, which are his chariots, in which bis worship
and strength are, and to which his righteousness and truth
reach, mean the natural, material clouds of the visible hea
vens ? Would it not be more agreeable to wisdom and
truth to say, that by these clouds are rather meant, accord
ing to the interpretation given in the writings of Baron
Swedenborg, the literal sense of his Holy Word, which is
as a veil or cloud, hiding and overshadowing the spiritual
sense ? Many serious Christians have long complained,
that the book.of God's word is become, at this day, a sealed
book, according to that description in the prophet, " The
vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that
is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, 1
read this, 1 pray thee ; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed: •
and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, say
ing, read this, 'I pray thee ; and he saith. I am not learned,"
Isaiah, xxix. 11,12. What now if this sealed book, through
the divine providence, should be opened ? . What if the
mysteries of divine wisdom and truth, so long hidden under
the letter thereof, should at this day be manifested, and
made plain to man's apprehension and understanding?
What if the power and glory of the divine truth should

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 59
.thus appear shining .through the clouds of darkness and ob
scurity, which had before covered and concealed it ? What
if man should hereby be renewed in righteoiisness, re-
tanghfthe knowledge of Jesus Christ, made, as the apoStlfr
expresseth it, to behold in this Holy Word, as in a glass, the
glory ofthe Lord, wnd to be Changed into the same image;
from glory to glory, (2 Cor. iii. 18,) being replenished with
all heavenly graces and virtues of a regenerate life ? Might
not this be truly called the sign' of the Son of Man coming
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory ?
Soph. But how may 1 be assured that this is #he true
scripture idea ofthe Lord's second coming?
Phil. Read only 4he twenty-first chapter of the Reve-
-lations,. and you will there find it plainly declared, that a
most extraordinary, blessed work remains still to be ac
complished on this earth, in the way of,renovation of its
inhabitants in righteousness. For it is written', " I, John,
saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her hus
band," Rev. yxi. 2. Here it is expressly said, that' the.
holy city came down from God out of heaven ; and it im
mediately follows, " Behold the tabernacle of God is with
men, and. he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God," Rev. xxi. 3. This scripture, therefore, must needs
relate to some blessed dispensation, which was to be Opened
of God, and to have place, here below amongst mankind, in
an age posterior" to that when this prophesy was written,
Soph. So it should seem.
Phil. And what then can you, or any other serious per
son, possibly understand by tflR holy city, New Jerusalem,
. coming down out of heaven, and this tabernacle of God,
which is to be with men, but some fresh openings or dis
coveries of heavenly truth from the Word of God, made
known to mankind, whereby they might become his tem
ples, tabernacles, or places of abode ? For where can God
have his temple, tabernacle, or place of abode, but in up
right and pure hearts, formed by, and according to, his oWn
holy wdl, word, or wisdom ?
Soph. But what has al I this to do with the Lord's coming ?
i Phil. Rather say, my dear sir, what is this but the
¦ Lord's coming, and his coming in the utmost reality of
power and glory ? For can the Holy Word of the Lord
be opened and made ¦ manifest ? can its hidden wisdom be
discovered and brought down, to man's apprehension? can

60 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
its heavenly contents be inseminated in the human heart ?
can righteousness and truth thus be made to flourish in the
earth, for its renewal and renovation, without the Lord^s
coming ? was not the Lord's first coming to open thus his
Holy Word anew in men's minds, and thereby to purify to
himself a peculiar people, or, in oth«r words, to form a
new church of true spiritual worshippers ? and can a pe
culiar people be again purified unto him, through a fresh
publication of the genuine sense of his word, without his
coining again ? What I would, therefore, here insist upon
is this, in conformity both to what is declared in the Holy
Scriptures, and also in the writings of Baron Swedenborg,
that whenever and wheresoever any fresh openings ofthe
divine truth, of the Word of God are made unto mankind,
whereby a new church of sincere spiritual worshippers is
established in the earth, then and in that place the Lord
must needs-come; just as, in regard to an individual man,
whensoever the light of divine truth is opened in his un
derstanding, and his mind is renewed in righteousness
through obedience thereto, and he is thus made what may
be called an individual church, the Lord must needs spirit
ually come to, and dwell with, such a man, according to his
own words, " If a man love me, he will keep my words,
and my father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him," John, xiv. 23. And, as we
have already seen, that by the New Jerusalem coming down
from God out of heaven, and the tabernacle of God being
with men, is meant such a new dispensation of heavenly
righteousness and truth, or, in other words, a republication
of thedivine will and wisdom from the Word of God opened
anew, in order for the formation of a new church amongst
men, this must needs signify, and be the same thing with,
the Lord's second coming.
Soph. Sir, 1 think I begin to apprehend your meaning.
You allow, with myself and other Christians, that the Lord
is to come again upon earth, but you understand this to be,
meant spiritually, as denoting, not the destruction of the
earth, but its renovation, by purging it from sin, and puri
fying the hearts, the understandings, and the lives of man
kind, through the operation of genuine truth, opened anew
from his own Holy Word. i
Phil. This is my meaning : for it is plain the Lord^
second coming cannot be to destroy tbe earth, inasmuch
as he himself says, speaking on the subject, " When tb*j
Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ?" Luke,]

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 61
xviii. 8. And, in another place, " Then shall two be in
the field ; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two
women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken
and the other left," Matt. xxiv. 40, 41 ; which words can
have no meaning, when applied to his coming to destroy
the earth, but have a most instructive meaning, when ap
plied to his coming for the purpose of purging and renew
ing it in the sense above described.
Soph. You conceive, then, this renewal ofthe earth to
.be signified by 4he New Jerusalem, or the new earth spoken
of in the prophets and the Revelations ?
Phil. So I conceive ; and this renewed state ofthe earth,
or ofthe hearts and lives of mankind, is what Baron Swe
denborg calls the new church, the doctrines whereof are
contained in his writings ; and the establishment of this
church, through the opening and formation of the genuine
truth ofthe Holy Word of Godin human minds, he declares
and clearly proves "to be the true sense and full substance
ofthe Lord's second coming. ' -
Soph. Well, sir, I find no objection at all in my mind fo
.this idea, as you have explained it, but it seems to me both
consistent with the true sense ofthe Holy Scriptures, and,
at the same time, vesy satisfactory, animating, and edifying ;
and I promise you I shall take it into serious consideration.
At present I shall bee leave only to trouble you with another
question or two in regard to the writings of Baron Swe
denborg ; and first, is there any reason to apprehend, that
tbe readers of these writings will be exposed to persecu
tion ?
Phil. Not so much, I should conceive, to outward per
secution, but to inward in a high degree.
Soph. I cannot say' I understand clearly your distinction.
Phil. By outward persecution I mean what may arise
outwardly from men ; but by inward, what may arise from
the opposition of contending persuasions and principles, in
the minds of those who may embrace the doctrines, and
live accordingly. In regard to the first, there is little rea
son- to be alarmed about it, especially here in England,
where a universal toleration is allowed to all religious sen
timents and opinions, which have not a tendency to create
disorder in the state. Opposition, indeed, may be excited
in the way of contradiction and dispute, both public and
private, which may be called a species of persecution, es
pecially when attended with a base and censorious judg
ment ; but this will little affect those who cordially receive
6

62 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
the doctrines 'of the New Jerusalem, since they will be
taught by those doctrines, that the cavils and raillery of
men are of small account, provided their own consciences
be upright before God ; and they will have this further
security against dispute and contradiction, that they will
never, on any account, promote it, either by a fondness to
enter into controversy, or by returning railing for railing,
with such as are petulant and froward ; knowing that the
servant of the Lord must not strive, and that true charity
is never contentious about matters of opinion, but will bear
all things, suffer all things, and endure all things, rather
than kindle the fierce fire of debate and animosity, having
respect to what is good in all, and judging every one rather
from, and according to, the spirit of goodness, than the zeal
ous and sharp spirit of truth separate from goodness.
Nevertheless, they will be bold and prudent to defend the
truth, as proper occasions present themselves, and where
it can be done to edification.
Soph. You think, then, that inward persecution is what
may chiefly be expected from a reception of the writings(
of Baron Swedenborg? pray explain to me what you mean
by inward persecution.
Phil. I conceive it, sir, in a double, sense ; first, in re
gard to doctrine, and secondly, in regard to life ; first, in
regard to doctrine, it will be found no easy matter for any
one, at this day, to bring his understanding out of false per
suasions and preconceived opinions, or those external ap
pearances and apprehensions of truth, which are at pre
sent circulating so plentifully in the Christian world, and
which are all of them ready to oppose with violence the
admission of genuine truth, as manifested from the genuine
sense ofthe Holy Scriptures, cleared from the false glosses
and partial interpretation of mere human wisdom and learn
ing. This will be particularly the case with such, as, in re
ligious matters, have heretofore thought much for them
selves, and confirmed their minds in any false or wild per
suasions, whether arising from a spirit of enthusiasm, fanati
cism, or any other misguided and blind devotion. And in the
second place, in regard to life, it will be found a still more
difficult thing to bring this into conformity to pure doctrine,
by constantly having respect to the chief end of such doc-4
trine, which is charity, through humiliation and obedience;
by regarding speculative opinions no further than as they
are directed to this end ; by exalting the spirit of mercy,
love, and meekness, above that of curious knowledge in

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 63
cleep mysteries, and the sciences of holy things; by judg
ing no longer, either ourselves or others, fronrand accord
ing to the latter spirit, but the former ; by not resting in
the mere illumination ofthe understanding, but proceeding
to the thorough purgation of the will and affections, ac
cording to such illumination ; in short, by joining together-
the principles of pure gospel charity and gospel faith, so
that both may become operative in the Kfe, and the whole
man- thus, with all his- vital powers and activities, being
humble, submissive, and yielding to heavenly influences,
may be formed and fixed in the heavenly life and order of
the kingdom of God, and bring forth the heavenly fruits
thereof to God's glory, and the common good. This, as it
appears to me, is truly to receive the doctrines of the New
Jerusalem, and, in the accomplishment of this work, all,
who so receive those doctrines, must expect. to meet with
much inward persecution of opposing spirits and principles:
nevertheless, if they continue patient and faithful, they will
experience, sooner or later, the truth of those consplatpry
words, " Blessed are they who are persecuted for righte
ousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matt.
v. 10.
Soph. In what manner, then, do you suppose the doc
trines of the new church here on earth can be most effec-
tually propagated, and the new church established ?
Phil. As to the. propagation of the doctrines, I think it
may most effectually be promoted by the press ; that is, by
printing and circulating the writings of Baron Swedenborg,
wherein those doctrines are contained. The clergy also,
when they become acquainted with, and receivers of, those
doctrines, may be a means of circulating them amongst
their respective flocks, by preaching them from the pulpit.
Soph. Would you think it right in a layman, who re
ceived those doctrines, to set himself up for a public teach
er and preacher of them in the streets, or in private con
venticles ? ,
Phil. No, sir, I should think it would be confounding
tbe order of clergy and laity, which, according to the tes
timony of those doctrines, ought not to be confounded by
any means ; it would also tend, according to their further
testimony, to introduce disturbance, heresy, and confusion,
into the church, for it is expressly declared, in the wri
tings of Baron Swedenborg, as was observed above, that
" None ought to teach truths but ministers appointed to
teach ; for if otherwise, then the church is disturbed with

64 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
heresies, and rent asunder:" (see Arcana Ccelestia,. No.
6822.) It would likewise be a means of bringing, the wri
tings themselves into much discredit and reproach, by en
couraging disorder in the church, and tending to throw
down all distinction of persons and characters, which is by
no means the design of those writings. I am further of
opinion, that the utmost prudence and discretion will be
required, in speaking of these doctrines, whether publicly
or privately, lest, being too hastily pressed upon any one,
they should be misconceived, misunderstood, or perverted,
for want of due preparation in the hearer to receive them
aright ; for all, we know, are not capable of receiving the
same truths, and, therefore, truths themselves ought, in
charity, to be withheld from some persons, lest the pearls
should be cast before swine. Our Lord's example, on this
occasion, is a lesson we should never forget ; " And with
many such -parables spake he the word unto them, as they
were able to hear it," Mark, iv. 33.
Soph. You conceive, then, that the new church will be
most effectually established by means of the press and the
pulpit? Phil. No, sir ; do not misunderstand me. I said only
that the doctrines of tbe new church would be most effect
ually propagated by this means : but, as I hinted to you
before, there is a very great difference between the pro
pagation of the doctrines, and the establishment of the
church. The church can only be established by living in
conformity to the doctrines r if the doctrines, therefore,.
be only read or heard, and are not brought into life through^
obedience, there can be no new church, even supposing
the writings of Baron Swedenborg were circulated through
out the whole earth, and understood perfectly by every
inhabitant thereof.
Soph. Do you suppose, then, that the doctrines con
tained in the writings of Baron Swedenborg may be per
verted and rendered useless ?
Phil. Tell me, pray sir, what is there so good, and so
pure, which is not capable of being perverted and abused!
may not the purest atmosphere be contaminated ? may not
the most wholesome waters be rendered putrid ? may not
the most generous wines be adulterated ? what has be«n
more perverted and abused than the pure and holy Word
of Truth itself, whilst, as the Lord testifieth, " It hath been
made of none effect by the traditions of men," (see Math;
xv. 6); and as the apostle testifieth, " They that are un-

Sophron and philadelphus. 65
stable and unlearned have Wrested it to their own destruc
tion" ? (see 2 Pet. iii. 16.) And there is no reason to ex
pect that the doctrines of the New Jerusalem will be ex
empt, in this respect, from the general condition of all other
things. It must needs be that offences come, and to pre
vent our being offended or discouraged hereat, the- Lord
permitted a Judas to have place in the apostleship. Had
I, therefore, a thousand tongues, 1 should think I never
could use them enough in repeating, again and again, to all
the readers and receivers of the heavenly doctrines con
tained in the writings of Baron Swedenborg, that, if they
should fall short in the practice of them, — if they should
fancy they are ofthe Lord's new church, merely because
they accede to those doctrines, — if they should be satisfied
with an illumination of their understandings thereby, With--
out labauring to make pure their wills and affections, — if
they should thus" become wise in their own conceits, whilst
their unrenewed tempers and dispositions declare them to
be unwise, — if they should think light of the great duties
of repentance, humiliation, self-denial, charity, me§lyress,
moderation, and obedience, being puffed up with know
ledge, — if they should judge -and- censure others, who can
not think as they do, and despise former dispensations of
wisdom and holiness, — if they should leave the sure way
of the cross, and choose for themselves another way to
heaven, — if they should lose sight of the great essential ends'
ofthe doctrines they embrace, and begin to contend about
formalities, — if they should confound the appointed dis
tinctions of order in society, and intrude into stations to
which they are not called, — if, in short, they do not take
heed to advance in charity and purity of life, as they ad
vance in science, and to become more humble and more
holy, according to their more perfect knowledge of the na
ture and measures of holiness ; in this case, they will per
vert and render useless the pure and edifying doctrines of
the new church, and will proportionably retard its esta
blishment, and they may be compared lo that " foolish man
who built his house upon the sand ; and the rain descend
ed, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat up
on that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (See
Matt. vii. 26, 27.) But if, on tbe contrary, they are wise
to live as they have been taught', and to bring all their
knowledges, doctrines, and opinions, into humble obedience
to the spirit of charity ,~if to the wisdom of a serpent they
join the harmlessness of the dove, and to the understand--
6*

t)Q DIALOGUES BETWEEN
ing of men, the simplicity and innOcence of little children^
— if they labour thus to become newly formed, quickened,
enlivened, and sanctified, entirely of the Lord, by and
through his spirit, in all the parts and principles both of
soul and body, — if they are careful, according to the great
law of charity, opened and explained in the doctrines of
the New Jerusalem, each to act uprightly and faithfully in
his own station and calling, and not intrude into the stations
and callings of others, — if they account charity a greater
thing than knowledge, and seek rather to be humbled in
obedience, than to be exalted in science, — if .they are wise
to bring forth the fruits of holiness -in their lives, in the
same proportion that they multiply truths in their under
standings ; in this case the heavenly doctrines of the new
church will be preserved pure from all perversion, and
will be found to be most salutary and efficacious in the re
storation of man's spiritual principles, and thereby to the
establishment of the New Jerusalem here on earth ; and
all who thus receive and practise those doctrines, may be
likened unto that " wise man, Who built his house upon a
rock ; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and
the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not;
for it was founded upon a rock." (See Matt. vii. 24, 25.)
Soph. And pray, sir, what do you suppose will be the
effects of such a right, unperverted reception of these doc
trines amongst men ?
Phil. It appears to me that mankind will be enabled
thereby to attain unto a more exalted spirit of love and
charity ; unto a purer and more distinct illumination of
wisdom and truth ; unto a greater freedom in the exercise
of spiritual powers and faculties ; unto a fuller and more
extensive operation of spiritual life in all its several de
grees, and thus unto a purer intercourse and closer con
junction with heaven and the Lord of heaven, than was
heretofore attainable.
Soph. Do you mean, by an intercourse and conjunction
with heaven, that the readers of the writings of Baron
Swedenborg are to expect and Jook for the same heavenly
communications, in the way of open vision and voice, that
Baron Swedenborg himself enjoyed ?
Phil. No, sir ; that is not my meaning : such open com-
,-wunications were indeed vouchsafed to Baron Swedenborg,
for wise purposes of the divine providence, but he never
leads his readers, in any part of his writings, to expect the
same. He leads them, however, to expect and look for

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 67
what amounts to the same ; yea, what is even greater and
more excellent.
Soph. As how ?
Phil. In the way of invisible communication and asso
ciation with heaven and its inhabitants.
Spph. I do not comprehend yob.
Phil. Know then, sir, and understand, that, according to
the testimony of the sacred writings, as opened by Baron
Swedenborg, every man hath communication and associa
tion with the invisible world of spirits, whether, he knows
it or not, according to the nature, quality, and measure of
his love, and the nature, quality, and extent of his wisdom,
as grounded in, and derived from, that love. If, therefore,
the ruling principle of man's will be formed according to
heavenly love, which is love towards the Lord-, and love
towardSfhis neighbour, and the ruling persuasions of his
understanding be formed according'to the wisdom of such
love, which is the genuine truth ofthe holy commandment
or word of. God, he then lives, wills, thinks, speaks, and
acts proportionably from heaven, and in conjunction there
with, and is in invisible association continually with the
blessed inhabitants thereof, being internally, as to his spi
rit, united to, and one with them. And such invisible com
munication I hold to be greater and more excellent than
any which is open and manifest, agreeable to the import of
our Lord's words to Thomas, " Thomas, because thou hast
seen me, thou hast believed ; blessed are they that have
not seen, and yet have believed," John, xx. 29.
Soph. But, sir, I had always conceived it to be a mark
of extraordinary purity and holiness in any one to be fa
voured with spiritual visions and manifestations, and was
led to think very highly of Baron Swedenborg on this ac
count. Phil. This is the case with the generality of mankind.
They are apt to be caught with appearances, and to exalt
them above the substance and reality of things. Many, for
instance, would think it a great thing to see the Lord face
to face, to converse with angels and spirits, and to be caught
up with St. Paul into the third heaven, who yet esteem it
but a small thing to become humble, meek, charitable, and
obedient Christians ; when, nevertheless, a rightly humble,
meek, charitable, and obedient mind ever sees God, ever
converses with angels, and is ever in the third heaven, ac
cording to the truest and fullest sense of those expressions,,
and attains thus unto a higher state of purification and ac-

68 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
ceplation with God', than could possibly be effected by any
mere outward visions and revelations.
Soph. Ought not I then to think highly .of Baron Swe
denborg by reason of his spiritual communications.
Phil. Yes, sir, assuredly ; but not more highly of him,
on this account, than of any other humble, sincere, and
charitable Christian, who truly fears God and keeps his
commandments : for Baron Swedenborg had no particular
merit by reason of his high illuminations and spiritual in"
tercourses, and if you could ask himself, I am persuaded
he would tell you so, and that all his real merit and
greatness consisted in greatly exalting God and his Holy
Word, in making himself very little, in thinking vilely of
himself as himself, and in endeavouring continually to
amend himself by a more sincere repentance and obedi
ence to God's holy will and commandments, according as
all other Christians are called to do,- and in the doing of
which they are as highly favoured of God, have as near
intercourse with his kingdom, and are as acceptable to him,
as the most illuminated of his saints and seers.
Soph. You think then, that, in proportion as the doc
trines ofthe New Jerusalem are received and formed into
life, mankind will be enabled to attain unto a purer inter'
course and closer conjunction with heaven, and thereby
with the Lord of heaven, in the way of invisible commu
nication of righteousness, truth, and peace, than hereto
fore ?
Phil. I think so ; and for this reason ; because, by the
doctrines ofthe New Jerusalem, mankind will be supplied
with purer and sounder principles of truth For the forma
tion and regulation of the life in all its several degrees ;
and every one knows, or may know, that man's connection
with heaven must depend altogether upon the pureness
and soundness of those principles. For heaven, it must be
allowed, is a form of the purest and most perfect order,
derived from the Word of God, according as it is written,
" By the Word ofthe Lord were the heavens made," Psalm
xxxiii. 6 * and, in consequence of being such a form, hea
ven is capable of receiving the purest and most perfect life
from God, which is the life of love and charity, every tiling
receiving life according to its form : in proportion, there
fore, as mankind suffer their minds to be made forms of
pure and perfect order from the Word of God, in the same
proportion they come into the form of heaven, and conse
quently are receptive of the pure and perfect life of hea-

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 69
Ven j and, being of the same form, and partaking of the
same common life, they must of necessity be one, and in
close conjunction with each other, according to the words
of the Lord concerning those who rec#ived, his- doctrine,
" Tbe glory which thou gavest me I have given them ;
that they may be one, even as we are one ; I in them and
thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one," John,
xvii. 22, 23.
Soph. You suppose then, sir, that, -by the reception of
the doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and their formation ra
the life, there will be effected some renewal ofthe internal
spiritual forms of man's mind or spirit, whereby those forms
will be rendered capable of receiving the purer influences
Of the life of heaven, Which is love and "charity, and man
will thus be closer joined with heaven and its inhabitants'
in spiritual, though invisible, intercourse and association,
tending to improve the blessedness both of his temporal
and eternal life ?
Phil. That is my meaning ; for it appears to' me that the?
present fallen, degraded, miserable, and sinful state of man,
in which he is so far separated- from communication with
heaven and its blessed life, is owing solely to the perver
sion of the internal spiritual forms of his- soul or spirit, oc
casioned by evil of life, and a depauture thereby from an
obedience to the genuine truth of God's Holy Word ; but,
as he returns to the truth, in obedience, and the good of
life, all those perverted forms of his spirit will be restored
to their primitive order, and he will thus be renewed in
primitive beauty and integrity of form, whereby he will be
capable of near communication and blessed intercourse
again with God and heaven.
Soph. But you were speaking of the renewal of these
spiritual forms in all the several degrees of life ; how am
I to understand this ?
Phil. Consider and understand, sir, that man's life con
sists of several degrees, as the natural, the rational, and
the spiritual degrees, and,, in the present corruption, dis
order, or perversion of human spirits through sin, all these
several degrees have suffered injury, being disfigured as to
form, and degraded as to life ; but, in the renovation under
the New Jerusalem dispensation, there is good reason to
hope, that all these several degrees of human life, whether
natural, rational, or spiritual, will be restored each to new
ness of form and order, and thereby fitted to receive new
ness of life and blessedness. And deny me not, sir, the

70 DIALOGUES BETWEEN
delightful indulgence of this hope, who have long been a
mourner in Zion, weeping over her desolations, and lament
ing the perversion and destruction of her beautiful and
heavenly forms : fjjr surely the promises of God must have
their accomplishment. Hath he said, and shall he not do
it ? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good ?
Was the New Jerusalem foreseen descending from God out
of heaven, and shall it not descend 1 Heaven and earth may
pass away, but his word shall not pass away. And charge
me not, sir, with the spirit of enthusiasm, when I assure
you, that it is not only my fond hope, but also my firm be
lief, that the holy city is already, beginning to descend, to>
the rectifying and regulating all the fallen, disordered pow
ers, principles, and forms of the human spirit and body.
Mankind, surely, will henceforth love God and one another
more heartily, cordially, and effectually, than they have
heretofore done. The corruptions of selfisn, worldly,
fleshly, and corporeal love will be removed. All the spi
ritual powers and affections will be purified, and restored
to their proper order and subordination, in the acknow
ledgment of, 'and submission to, their divine original, the
manifested JEHOVAH. In the mean time, the rational
powers of the mind will partake of the heavenly benedic
tion, by the right formation and use whereof man will be
enabled to discover solid principles of truth, and to con
firm himself therein, to the exaltation, regulation, purifica
tion, and security of his spiritual life. The distinctions
between good and evil, truth and error, will thus be more
fully ascertained, the laws of eternal order better under
stood, and the several duties of man, in his several rela
tionships, as an inhabitant both of this world and of another,
more clearly discerned and perceived. Enthusiasm, fana
ticism, and all the errors of a wild and disordered imagina
tion, arising from a blind zeal, will be hereby supplanted,
and will give place to a clear, calm, and steady illumina
tion ofthe intellect, from the genuine sense of God's Word,-
well formed in the life, and well digested in the rational,
mind. Nor will tbe natural powers be left unblest : all
the natural affections, which are agreeable to the divine
goodness, will be preserved alive, being traced up to, and
joined with, their correspondent spiritual loves, wherein
they originate. Every natural knowledge will be called
in to adorn the New Jerusalem temple, and will lend its aid
to sing the eternal praises of him who sitteth on the throne,
and of the Lamb, for ever and ever. Every useful art ami

SOPHRON AND PHILADELPHUS. 71
science also, and whatever else may contribute to man's
natural comforts and conveniences here below, will be re
stored to their proper place and order, become sanctified
in the divine subordination, and called holy unto the Lord ;
whilst all vicious, vain, and frivolous arts, and all science,
falsely so called, will flee away, like the shades of night
before the rising sun. And as man's corporeal part hath
partook ofthe general corruption through sin, and become
thereby deformed, infirm, and diseased, so, in the renova
tion of his internal, spiritual forms through righteousness,
why may not we reasonably suppose, that this corporeal
part will partake also of the blessing, and that even the
bodies of mankind will, in process Of time, recover their
pristine health, soundness, and beauty ? In short, sir, I
believe every human principle and power will, by this dis
pensation, be so restored and renovated, as tp unite all
mankind in one general confession and adoration of a Cre
ator, Redeemer, and Saviour, in the glorious person of our
Lord Jesus Christ, one God, blessed for evermore.
Soph. Is it to be supposed, that, under this dispensation,
any change will take place in the external state of civil so
ciety, so as to overthrow the distinctions of rank and order
amongst mankind ?
Phil. No, sir; it is to be supposed, that the present
distinctions of rank and order will continue, and that no
thing will be changed but the state of mind in which those
distinctions will be held and exercised ; there will, there
fore, still continue to be a difference of station, of office,
and of character amongst men, but the pride and vanity
arising from that difference will be removed and lost, for
every member of the New Jerusalem, from the highest to
the lowest, will consider himself as a servant of the public,
in the station appointed for him by an all-wise Providence,
to promote the common good, under the influence of the
same common spirit of good will and charity ; and thus,
though there be a difference of office, employment, and
character, yet all being influenced by one and the same
spirit, " The first will be last, and the last first.'! Kings,
(therefore, and those who are in authority, will execute
judgment and justice in the earth ; priests, and thos&who
have spiritual administration, will wait on their jriinlstry,
publishing the pure laws of spiritual order and tftth from
. the pure love thereof; soldiers will be courageous from
principle, and will be valiant in defence ofthe just laws of
nations, but without violence, injustice, or cruelty ; mer-

72 DIALOGUES.
chants will pursue commerce, not in the spirit of covetous-
ness, but of universal good-will, to open the doors of com
munication between distant people, in the way of mutual
comfort, convenience, and benevolence ; mechanics will
be skilful and industrious, each in his several occupation,
but without vice and artifice ; scholars will study the sci
ences, not in the pride thereof, but in the pure affection
of truth, to adorn the heavenly bride, the Lamb's wife,
with raiment of needle-work ; all orders and ranks of men,
in short, will be upright, faithful, content, and diligent, in
their several callings, from a sincere principle of 'glory to
God and good*will towards men. Such, it appears to me,
will be some of the blessed effects arising from a right re
ception of the. doctrines ofthe new church, and application
of them to the life ; and I am sure, sir, that both you, and
every sincere Christian, must be ready to join us in ear
nest prayer, that the kingdoms of this world may thus be
come the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.
FAREWELL.

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