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REVIEW.

A REVIEW OF THE PRINCIPLES OF APOCALYPTICAL INTERPRETATION, in 3 vols. BY THE REV. A. CLISSOLD, M. A.

EVERY thing in theology depends upon the proper understanding of the Scriptures, and the church itself is built upon that foundation. Divine Truth is revealed in the Word according to that Divine order and style, by which Truth can descend from its infinite source, and be presented to the human mind. God can only speak to man in his own Divine language, the true nature of which must be seen before it can be properly understood. So long as it is not seen in what respect the language of God differs from the language of man, it is impossible to see wherein the "Life and Spirit" of the former consist. All know how greatly the works of God differ in their nature and structure from the works of man. The former are characterised by interior wonders of wisdom and beauty, which the keenest analysis cannot fully penetrate and evolve; the latter are merely superficial, and when the external is seen the whole is manifest. It is precisely so with the Word of God as compared with the works and composition of man. It is one of the great blessings vouchsafed to the New Church, to be enabled to see the true nature of the Divine Word, and to behold in what its divinity consists. The "Science of Correspondences," by which the relation between things natural and things spiritual and divine is explained, enables the devout mind to see 66 with a spiritual discernment," (1 Cor. ii. 14.) the true meaning of the Scriptures. From the want of this golden key,--this guide, (Acts viii. 31.) to enable us to understand the Word, so as to see that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," &c. (2 Tim. iii. 16.) the divine Word, especially in its prophetical parts, has never been rightly understood in the church. The work before us is the fullest testimony that can be required as to this fact. For here we behold the most learned divines of one age standing in direct opposition to the divines of another, and all thinking differently as to the proper mode of interpreting the divine prophecies! What greater proof can be required than this, that the proper mode of interpreting Scripture was not known? But is Scripture to remain an obscure and dead letter for ever? By no means. He who gave the Word must give the understanding of the Word; and as, at His first coming, "He opened the understanding of his disciples that they might understand the Scriptures," (Luke xxiv. 45.) so at His second advent He has mercifully vouchsafed the means by which the prophecies, and especially the Apocalyptic prophecies, relating to the Christian Church at its consum

mation, and to the establishment of a New Church represented by the descent of the New Jerusalem, can be understood. In a former work,* the author has shewn the "confusion of tongues" existing in the church on the most essential subjects of doctrine,-the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Atonement, and the Mediation,-demonstrating that as to doctrine, the church is utterly consummated. In this work the same learned author has shewn how utterly futile all attempts at prophetical interpretation are, even though conducted by the most learned divines of every age, without a proper system of interpretation. These two works of Mr. Clissold evince the most indefatigable labour and patience in toiling through the authors of nearly every age, in order to prove, from facts and declarations, that nothing is decidedly known, either as to the genuine doctrines of Christianity, or as to the proper meaning of the apocalyptic prophecies, and that a new system of Scripture interpretation is absolutely required, in order that the church may be enlightened and established on the divine truths of God's Word received in the understanding, loved in the heart, and practised in the life. These two works serve the purpose of a cyclopædia on the subjects of which they treat, and he who possesses them has a library at his command. They are extremely valuable to all ministers, missionaries, teachers, and writers in the New Church, who, as they have to contend against the falses and darkness of the Old, should certainly know the authentic statements and declarations of their opponents, especially of those who have been regarded as possessing weight and authority in the church. These works are likewise eminently useful to all students in divinity, and should be in the library of every theological institution.

That the remarks we have here made are not one-sided and partial, arising from our conviction that Swedenborg's system of interpreting Scripture is the only true one, we will adduce a notice respecting this work from the Athenæum of Dec. 13, p. 1196, which, although from groundless prejudices, is angry at the bare mention of Swedenborg's name, and even at the Apocalypse itself, the canonicity of which it doubts, gives a correct result of the two first volumes of this work which have as yet appeared :

"If any reader (says the Reviewer in the Athenæum) wishes to know into what vagaries the human mind can run in attempting to explain the Book of Revelations, let him take up the two published volumes of this work (the third has not yet appeared), and he will be sufficiently gratified. In some respects the world does not seem to have improved by age. Fanciful as were the interpretations of many fathers and doctors of the church, and falsifled as many of them have been by the event, those of modern writers are at least equally exceptionable, and will sometime, we

"Illustrations of the End of the Church," &c.

have no doubt, be found equally wrong. There is no common ground on which two interpreters (at least two Protestant interpreters, who are allowed the exercise of private judgment), can meet, no two passages on which they can agree. All the prophecies in the Revelations, says one, have been long fulfilled; not one of them has, says another; while a third contends that they are in course of fulfilment. Then as to the application of any particular prophecy. Who was Antichrist? Julian the Apostate! cries one. Mahomet! exclaims another. The Pope! exclaims a third. To what period do the Seven Vials of wrath refer? To the destruction of Jerusalem! cries one. No, says another, that cannot be, for Jerusalem was already destroyed when St. John wrote: it refers to the persecution of the Christians by the Heathen emperors. Later writers applied the terms of the predictions to later periods; while the majority seem to refer them to the end of the world. What can we infer from such a mass of contradictions as Mr. Clissold has collected with untiring diligence, with the view of proving all of them to be wrong? We have monuments enough of human vanity, without, every year, and almost every month, adding to the number. Ten thousand volumes have been written on Apocalyptical Interpretations, and though every writer believed his own hypothesis the best, time has shown all that do not refer to the judgment day to be equally nonsensical. Mr. Clissold, in the two volumes, does not give us his own system, or rather that of his sect (the Swedenborgian), but he intends to do so in the third. It will doubtless be different from those which have preceded it, and so far, therefore, a curiosity; but that it will be equally useless, will be acknowledged by all men but himself, and his brother followers of the Swedish prophet. Suppose, after all, the Book of Revelations has no right to be included in the canon of Scripture? It was rejected by many of the wisest and best men of the first three centuries of Christianity; and we are at a loss to conceive what new light has been thrown since then on the question of its canonicity."

Poetry.

LINES WRITTEN FOR NEW-YEAR'S DAY, 1846.

Borne on the wings of Time, another year
Hath op'd its unstained volume to our gaze;—
Its pages yet unmarked with good, or ill,
Or purpose of amendment unperformed.
Shall the fair tablet bear the stamp of Vice,
Impressing poison, with corroding power,
And tainting the pure life-springs of the soul?
Or Virtue, with a golden pen, shall there,
Inscribe in lasting characters our deeds?
Oh! may each day of the advancing year
Bear record of our progress unto heaven !——
Of evil vanquished, and of sin subdued,-
Of goodness cherished, and of truth displayed!
Let firm resolve and steadiness of mind,

In actions good, and useful purposes, Mark our appropriation of the time Allowed by the Creator upon earth! And may the blessing of Almighty Love Rest on His children,-guide them unto Him, And lead their minds to emulate His own! Chorley.

MARY.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

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LECTURES AT CHATHAM.-On Sunday the 18th August last, the Rev. J. H. Smithson visited, under the auspices of the London Missionary and Tract Society, the New Church brethren at Chatham, and preached in the afternoon from Deut. viii. 4; and in the evening of the same day delivered a lecture on the "Nature of the Life after Death." The attendance in the evening was very good, the room being entirely filled, and much interest appeared to be felt in the subject, and in the manner in which it was treated. On the following day two more lectures were advertised, by bills, to be delivered at the large room in the Mitre Hotel, on

At the

the Tuesday and Wednesday evenings following. On Tuesday the subject was "On the Sole Divinity of the Lord and the Divine Trinity, as concentrated in his Glorious Body ;" and on the Wednesday "On the Means of Salvation and the Forgiveness of Sins." A considerable degree of interest was excited in respect to these lectures, and the attendance was, in consequence, very good. This interest had been awakened by the previous visit in April of the Rev. J. Bayley, whose exertions had produced an impression which was not yet forgotten. conclusion many strangers thronged around the lecturer, and entreated him either to continue the lectures, or to visit them again very soon. Many tracts were distributed after each lecture. small band of brethren who have received the doctrines of the New Church, have organized themselves into a society, assembling every Sabbath in rather a spacious school-room, for the public worship of the Lord. The services of Mr. Brooksbank, and other friends, as missionaries from London, have been very beneficial, and are gratefully acknowledged. This small society is full of zeal for the spread of the heavenly doctrines in that locality, and they employ every means in their power for that purpose. May the Lord bless their exertions, and establish the work of their hands!

The

QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE LIVERPOOL SOCIETY.-The quarterly meeting of the New Church Society, Russell-street, was held on the 4th of December, 1845; and notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, the rain falling for several hours without cessation, yet, neither distances, nor the unfavourable state of the

weather, were allowed to operate as impediments in the way of those who seemed desirous to strengthen by their presence the unity of minds, and to add to, as well as partake of, the mutual enjoyment:-so that about seventy persons assembled on the occasion. The meeting was opened by our minister in the usual way; and after tea some general remarks were made by him on the portion of the Holy Word selected for the occasion, viz., Psalm xix.-In addition to some interesting remarks upon the psalm, addressed to the meeting by several of our friends, we were highly gratified and interested by several essays which were read during the evening. Two were written on the psalm above named. Three of the essays were the production of young men who belong to the Sunday afternoon class, who meet with our minister for the purpose of reading the writings, conversation, and consequent mutual instruction. These first fruits of the little happy band, were as "the gleaning grapes," and " as the shaking of an olive tree; two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough:"-and, we may reasonably hope, an earnest and foretaste of good things yet to come. On the whole I may add, that never at any former meeting did greater unanimity prevail. All appeared to be highly delighted, edified, and abundantly satisfied with this "feast of reason," and this "flow of soul."

December 16th, 1845.

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*

NEW CHURCH NEWS FROM AMERICA.As many of the readers of the Intellectual Repository have expressed their delight on reading the extracts from the American publications which I transmitted for insertion in the last number, they will not, I think, feel less gratified on the perusal of the following, which has since appeared, and which, by means of that useful vehicle of conveyance, the press, are wafted from pole to pole. In the "New York Evening Express," we read as follows:

"PROFESSOR BUSH'S LAST LECTURE. "The Society Library was crowded last evening to hear Professor Bush's closing

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lecture on The Theology of Swedenborg. His subject was confined to The Spiritual Sense of the Sacred Scriptures,' and the argument from nature and reason in confirmation of this doctrine. He contended that man was constituted with three degrees of life,-the natural, the spiritual and the celestial;-that he is born in the natural degree, and the higher degrees of his life exist potentially within him, and are opened or developed according to his progress in regeneration ;-that while in only the natural degree, he can understand only the natural or external, literal sense of the Word,-but when by a good life, the spiritual degree of his life opens, he may then understand its spiritual sense. So also as regards the celestial sense. In order, however, to rightly understand the interior sense of the Word, the Professor said it was necessary to have some knowledge of the lost science of correspondences, which has been brought to light by means of Swedenborg. This science teaches the absolute connection between natural and spiritual things, that is, the true relation of cause and effect,— all causes being spiritual, and all effects natural. He explained the distinction between ordinary metaphorical language, which is arbitrary, and is based upon a fanciful resemblance among external things, and that real connection which is exemplified in the affections of our thoughts, and the expression of them in the human face.

The Professor remarked that all theologians admitted the difficulty of reconciling the first chapter of Genesis with the admitted facts of geology; but that according to the principles taught by Swedenborg, all this difficulty vanished, for in the internal sense of that chapter, we find an account of the different stages of man's regeneration, and that the mere letter of that chapter is not to be understood according to common apprehension. In closing this course of lectures on Swedenborg, he observed, that he had only touched on the borders of the great truths contained in his writings, for they opened the evident field for the mind of man, and explained THOUSANDS of facts utterly unintelligible without their assistance.” Liverpool, Dec. 19, 1845.

Obituary.

On the 28th Sept. last, at Liverpool, aged 54 years, Mr. J. A. Capstick. He had been a local preacher amongst the

J. C.

Wesleyan Methodists from early life, and was much beloved and respected by the brethren while with them. He had been

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