Of divine Influx into Man - 108 109 110 Swedenborg's Commentaries on Genesis State of Man after Death-The Spiritual World, &c. An Angel cast down from Heaven Angels descendents of the human race Explanation of our Saviour's praying to the Father God's Power of Redemption circumscribed PSALM Xi. 3. IF THE FOUNDATIONS BE DESTROYED, WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO. At the time of writing this psalm, David appears to have been harassed by his treacherous and malignant master, Saul. Previous to this period he had spared Saul's life when fairly in his power;* in consequence of which, Saul had made a covenant of peace and amity with him; and David, at the request of Saul, confirmed his part of the covenant with an oath. But in a short time Saul repented of his repentance, and relapsed into his former malignity. Now David knowing that truth, justice, sincerity, and integrity, the exercise of all which are comprehended in covenants, are among the foundation principles of all society, civil and religious; and these fundamental or *See I. Sam. chap. xxiv. xxv. B foundation principles being all violated by the conduct of Saul, he exclaims in the language of our text, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" But there are others who give the words of our text, or more strictly speaking, the words of our motto, a more general scope, and make their signification to be, according to this construction, "If the foundations," i. e. the leading doctrines of religion, "be destroyed," i. e. denied, subverted, abandoned, or explained away, "what can the righteous do?" or, in other words, where is the dependence of good men? Being thus circumstanced, they are left to the wide world of uncertainty, they are upon the broad ocean of the universe without either helm or compass. We shall take the words of our motto according to the latter construction. Now it is against many of the doctrines taught in the writings of Baron Emanuel Swedenborg, that this essay is levelled. What the doctrines alluded to are, will be seen in the sequel. They are such as, in my humble opinion, impugn most of the leading doctrines of Christianity, unsettle the faith of some, even of those who had previously embraced the faith once delivered to the saints, and mislead and beguile many simple, unwary, and ill-informed souls. There may be those who embrace these doctrines because of their novelty, for novelty alone is with too many a sufficient recommendation to any thing. And I am afraid that the laxity of some of the Swedenborgian precepts have at least some influence in making proselytes to that system. For a Swedenborgian, according to an indulgence warranted by his great leader, may "go to a play", may "sing a song", besides some other little indulgences which it is needless here to mention. In addition to which, one of his chapters is headed in the following words: "That it is not so difficult a thing to live for heaven as some suppose." In the puritanical days which obtained in this nation about one hundred and fifty years ago or thereabout, this kind of teaching would have been esteemed unorthodox; neither do I think that the last quoted sentence which makes heaven so easy of access, will very well accord with some passages in the New Testament, as for instance, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling""Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure."-"If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? (I Pet. iv. 18.) And mark our Lord's words, for they are awfully emphatical; "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. vii. 13, 14.) "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (Luke xiii. 24.) And likewise we have in the parable of the sower and the seed, four kinds of hearers of the word described, and yet only one of the four kinds finally attain salvation. (Matt. xiii. 3-9.) Now, there being naturally too much inclination in our constitution both of body and mind towards laxity and indolence in spiritual duties, there appears no necessity that we should have the sanction of written prescription for dealing with a slack hand, and for being at ease in Zion! Those who teach men to break one of the least of God's commandments, are to be reckoned amongst the least in the kingdom of heaven; which, I apprehend, signifies that they shall not be there at all. I do not charge Baron Swedenborg with an ill design in his writings, much less that he had a direct intention to induce men to break any of God's commandments. There are but few men in the world of whom I could believe this. But admit |