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25. The Reafon why the Spiritual Senfe of the Word is at this Day made manifeft by the Lord is, because the Doctrine of genuine Truth is now revealed; and this Doctrine, but no other, agreeth with the fpiritual Sense of the Word. This Senfe is likewife fignified by the Lord's Appearing in the Clouds with Glory and Power, [or Virtue,] Matt. xxiv. 30, 31; which Chapter treateth of the Confummation of the Age, by which is meant the laft Time of the Church. The Opening of the Word as to it's fpiritual Sense was also promifed in the Revelation, and that Senfe is there meant by the white Horfe, and by the great Supper to which all are invited, Chap. xix. II to 18. That the spiritual Sense for a long Time will not be acknowledged, by Reason of those who are principled in Falfes of Doctrine, particularly concerning the Lord, and therefore do not admit Truths, is meant in the Revelations by the Beast, and by the Kings of the Earth, who were about to make War with Him that fat on the white Horfe, Chap. xix. 19; by the Beast are meant the Roman Catholics, as Chap. xvii. 3; and by the Kings of the Earth are meant the Reformed, who are principled in Falfes of Doctrine.

26. V. That from henceforth the fpiritual Senfe of the Word will be opened to none but thofe, who are principled in genuine Truths from the Lord. The Reafon whereof is, because no one can see the spiritual Senfe, except by Influence from the Lord Alone, and except he be principled in genuine Truths from Him; for the fpiritual Senfe of the Word treateth of the Lord Alone, and of His Kingdom, and it is this Senfe in which His Angels in Heaven are principled, inafmuch as His Divine Truth is contained therein, which Divine Truth Man may violate, if he be principled in the Science of Correfpondencies, and is thereby defirous to explore the fpiritual Senfe of the Word under the Influence of his own Understanding; for by Means of fome Correfpondencies with which he is acquainted, it is poffible he may pervert the fpiritual Senfe, and even mifapply it to the Confirmation of what is Falfe, in which Cafe he violateth Divine Truth and alfo Heaven; wherefore if any one is defirous to open that Senfe of Himself, and not by Influence from the Lord, Heaven is closed

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against him, in which Cafe he either feeth Nothing, or is a Prey to fpiritual Infanity. A further Reason is, because the Lord teacheth every one by Means of the Word, and according to thofe Truths which are with Man, not immediately infufing new Truths; wherefore unless Man be principled in Divine Truths, or if he be principled in only a few Truths and at the fame Time in Falfes, it is poffible he may falfify Truths by thofe Falfes, as is well known to be the Cafe with every Heretic in Regard to the literal Senfe of the Word; to prevent therefore any one's entering into the spiritual Senfe of the Word, and perverting the genuine Truth which belongeth to that Senfe, Guards are placed by the Lord, which in the Word are underftood by Cherubs. This was fignified to me by the following Representation: "It was given me to fee great "Purfes which had the Appearance of Bags, in which was flored up Silver in great Abundance, and whereas they were open, it feemed as if any one might take out, yea fteal away, the Silver therein depofited: But near those Purses fat two Angels, as Guards: The Place σε where they were laid appeared like a Manger in a Sta"ble: In a neighbouring Apartment were feen modeft Virgins with a chafte Wife; and near that Apartment "ftood two Infants, and Information was given, that they were to be treated in their Sports, not in a childish Way, "but according to Wisdom: Afterwards there appeared

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a Strumpet, and laftly a Horse lying dead. On feeing "thefe Things I was inftructed, that thereby was repre"fented the literal Senfe of the Word, in which is con"tained the fpiritual Sense: Those large Purses full of "Silver fignified the Knowledges of Truth in great "Abundance: Their being open, and yet guarded by

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Angels, fignified, that any one might take thence the Knowledges of Truth, but that there was Need of "Caution left he should falfify the fpiritual Senfe in which are mere Truths: The Manger in the Stable, in which "the Purfes lay, fignified fpiritual Inftruction for the "Understanding; this is the Signification of a Manger, "inafmuch as a Horfe that feedeth therein fignifieth Un"derstanding: The modeft Virgins, who were feen in a "neighbouring Apartment, fignified the Affections of "Truth; and a chafte Wife fignified the Conjunction of

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"Goodness and Truth: The Infants fignified the Inno"cence of Wisdom therein; they were Angels from the "Third Heaven, who all appear as Infants: The Strum"pet with a dead Horfe fignified the Falfification of the "Word by many at this Day, whereby all Understanding "of the Word is deftroyed; a Strumpet fignifies Falfifi"cation, and a dead Horfe fignifies the Non-understand"of Truth."

That the literal Senfe of the Word is the Bafis, Continent, and Firmament* of it's Spiritual and celeftial Senfe.

27. IN every Divine Work there is a First, a Middle, and a Laft, and the Firft paffes through the Middle to the Laft, and thereby exifteth and fubfiffeth; hence the Laft is the BASIS. The First alfo is in the Middle, and by the Middle in the Laft, thus the Laft is the CONTINENT. And whereas the Laft is the Continent and Bafis, it is also the FIRMAMENT.

28. The learned Reader will be able to comprehend the Propriety of calling thefe Three, End, Caufe, and Effect, and alfo Effe, Fieri, and Existere; and that End answers to Effe, Cause to Fieri, and Effect to Exiftere; confequently that in every Thing complete there is a Trine, which is called Firft, Middle, and Laft; alfo End, Cause, and Effect: and likewife Effe, Fieri, and Exiftere. He who comprehendeth this Reasoning will alfo comprehend, that every Divine Work is complete and perfect in the Laft, and likewife that in the Laft is contained All, because prior Things are together therein.

29. From

It may be expedient to inform the unlearned Reader, that the Word Continent is here used to fignify that which containeth any Thing, being derived from the Latin Word contineo, fignifying to contain; and the Word Firmament is ufed to fignify that which fupporteth or fecureth any Thing, from the Latin Word firmo, fignifying to fupport or fecure.

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29. From this Ground it is, that by THREE in the fpiritual Senfe of the Word is meant what is complete and perfect, and likewise the All or Whole of a Thing together: And whereas this is the Signification of that Number, therefore it is fo frequently applied in the Word, when that Signification is intended to be expreffed, as in the following Paffages, where it is written, "That "Ifaiah fhould go naked and barefoot Three Years," Ifa. xx. 3. "That Jehovah called Samuel Three Times, and "Samuel ran Three Times to Eli, and Eli understood him the Third Time," I Sam. iii. 1 to 8. "That David faid to Jonathan, that he would hide himself in the "Field Three Days; and that Jonathan afterwards fhot "Three Arrows at the Stone; and that afterwards David "bowed himself Three Times before Jonathan," I Sam. XX. 5, 12, to 42. "That Elijah ftretched himself on "the Widow's Son Three Times," 1 Kings xvii. 20. "That Elijah commanded to pour Water on the Burntoffering Three Times," 1 Kings xviii. 34. "That

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Jefus faid, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto Leaven, "which a Woman took and hid in Three Measures of "Meal, till the Whole was leavened," Matt. xiii. 33. "That Jefus faid to Peter, that he fhould deny him "Thrice," Matt. xxvi. 34. "That the Lord faid Thrice

to Peter, Loveft thou Me," John xxi. 15, 16, 17. "That Jonah was in the Whale's Belly Three Days and "Three Nights," Jonah ii. 1. "That Jefus faid, Def66 troy this Temple, and I will build it up in Three Days," Matt. xxvi. 31. "That Jefus prayed in Gethsemane "Three Times," Matt. xxvi. 39 to 44. "That Jefus "rofe again on the Third Day," Matt. xxviii. 1; not to mention many other Paffages where the Number Three is named, being applied to denote a finifhed and perfect Work, because fuch a Work is fignified by that Num

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30. These Obfervations are premised with a View to the Conclufions which follow, in Order that they may be intellectually comprehended, particularly at prefent with a View to this Conclufion, that the natural Senfe of the Word, which is the Senfe of the Letter thereof, is the Bafis, Continent, and Firmament of it's fpiritual and celeftial Senfe.

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31. That in the Word there are three Senfes, was fhewn above, n. 6, 19; alfo that the celeftial Senfe is it's First Senfe, the fpiritual Senfe it's Middle Sense, and the natural Senfe it's Laft Senfe: Hence the rational Man may conclude, that the First [Senfe or Principle] of the Word, which is celeftial, paffeth through it's Middle [Sense or Principle,] which is fpiritual, to it's Laft, which is natural; and that thus it's Laft is the BASIS; also that it's First [Senfe or Principle], which is celeftial, is in it's Middle, which is fpiritual, and thereby in it's Laft, which is natural, and that hence it's Laft, which is natural, and is the literal Sense of the Word, is the CONTINENT, and whereas it is the Continent and Basis, that it is also the FIRMAMENT.

32. But how thefe Things are, would require many Pages to explain fully, inafmuch as they are the Arcana of Heaven, and the Subjects of Angelic Contemplation; nevertheless they will be elucidated as far as poffible, when we come to treat on the Angelic Wisdom concerning the DIVINE PROVIDENCE, OMNIPOTENCE, OMNIPRESENCE, OMNISCIENCE, concerning the DIVINE LOVE and DIVINE WISDOM, and also concerning LIFE. Suffice it at present to be enabled to conclude from what hath been faid above, that the Word, which is a real Divine Work for the Salvation of Mankind, as to it's ultimate Senfe, which is natural, and is called the Sense of the Letter, is the Bafis, Continent, and Firmament of two interior Senses.

33. Hence it follows, that the Word, without the Senfe of it's Letter, would be like a Palace without a Foundation, confequently like a Palace in the Air, and not on the Earth, which would only be a Shadow of a Palace, and would vanish away: Alfo that the Word, without the Sense of it's Letter, would be like a Temple, in which are several Holy Things, and in the Midft thereof the Holy of Holies, without a Roof and Walls which are the Continents thereof, in which Cafe it's Holy Things would be p'undered by Thieves, or would be violated by the Beats of the Earth, and the Birds of Heaven, and would thus be diffipated. In like Manner it would be as a Tabernacle, in the inmoft Place whereof is the Ark of the Covenant, and in the middle Part the Golden Candleftick,

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