Letters (Tafel) n. 1

1. Letter to Count Gustavius Bonde,* August 11, 1760

"You will express to him (Baron Hatzel) also my pleasure at his having derived satisfaction and light from the perusal of these writings, which is a sign of his having been in a state of enlightenment from heaven; for the matters which are there treated of cannot be comprehended without enlightenment, since they do not belong to the external but to the internal understanding. With respect to some verses in the books of Moses, which possess the property and power of introducing man to communication with spirits or enabling him to speak with them; I do not know of any verses in Scripture which have this property more than others; I only know that the Word of God is everywhere written in such a style, that when man reads it with affection and attention, spirits and angels have a part in it, and adjoin themselves to him; for the Word of God is so written that it forms a bond of union between heaven and earth (see what is written on this subject in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 303 to 310).
The Lord, nevertheless, so disposes it, that spirits and men are seldom brought together so closely as to converse with one another;** for by communication with spirits men are brought into such a condition as to their souls, that they are speedily in danger of their life;*** wherefore I would dissuade all from cherishing such desires. The Lord Himself has been pleased to introduce me into converse and communication with spirits and angels for the reasons which have been explained in my writings; wherefore I am protected by the Lord Himself from the many desperate attempts and attacks of evil spirits. The way in which spirits and men are kept apart is this; spirits are kept in spiritual and men in natural thought and speech; whereby they are separated so as to make one only by correspondences; the nature of which has likewise been treated of. As long therefore as spirits are in a spiritual, and men in a natural state, they are not brought together so as to converse with one another, although they are together in affection; but when spirits converse with men they are out of their spiritual state, and in a natural state like men, and then they may bring them into danger of soul and life, as has been stated above. For this reason they have to be kept apart, so that the spirits do not know anything of man, nor man of them, although they are always together; for man cannot live unless he be associated with spirits, through whom he is connected with heaven and hell, and thereby receives his life.

["Stockholm, August 11, 1760."]
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 232-233.
** In the original draft the following words are added here: "for this is more dangerous than men suppose."
*** The following words are added in the original draft: "Unless the Lord Himself bring them into this condition, and take them under His care, and protect them specially, as is the case with me."

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6. Letter to F. C. Oetinger,* November 11, 1766

"1. Query: Is a sign required to show that I have been sent by the Lord to do what I am doing? Answer: Signs and wonders do not take place at the present day, because they compel externally, and internally do not convince.
"What effect did the miracles in Egypt and Jehovah's descent on Mount Sinai have upon the Israelitish people, who, notwithstanding, after the lapse of a month made for themselves a golden calf, and worshipped it in place of Jehovah? And what effect did the Lord's miracles have upon the Jewish nation, by whom He was notwithstanding crucified? The same would be the case now, should the Lord appear in the clouds with the angels and trumpets; as described in (Luke 14:16, 29-31). The sign, given at this day, will be enlightenment, and thence an acknowledgment and a reception of the truths of the New Church; with some also there will be an enlightenment which speaks [illustratio loquens], which is more than a sign. But some sign will perhaps still be given.

"2. Query: Whether I have conversed with the apostles? Answer: I have conversed with Paul for an entire year, and also on the subject of what he wrote in his Epistle to the Romans (3:28). Three times I spoke with John, once with Moses, a hundred times with Luther, who confessed to me that, contrary to an admonition received from an angel, he accepted the doctrine of faith alone solely for the purpose of separating from the Papists. With the angels, however, I have now conversed for twenty-two years, and I am still conversing with them daily; these the Lord has associated with me.
"There was no use in my mentioning this in my writings; for who would have believed it? And who would not have said, 'Show me a sign that I may believe'? And this everyone would say who did not see it.

"3. Query: Why from being a philosopher I have been chosen? Answer: The cause of this has been, that the spiritual things which are being revealed at the present day may be taught and understood naturally and rationally: for spiritual truths have a correspondence with natural truths, because in these they terminate, and upon these they rest. That there is a correspondence of all spiritual things with all things of man, as well as with all things of the earth, may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell (n. 87-102, and n. 103-115). For this reason I was introduced by the Lord first into the natural sciences, and thus prepared; and, indeed, from the year 1710 to 1744, when heaven was opened to me. Everyone also is led by means of natural things to spiritual things; for man is born natural; by education he is made moral, and afterwards by regeneration from the Lord he becomes spiritual. The Lord has granted to me besides to love truths in a spiritual manner, i. e., to love them, not for the sake of honor, nor for the sake of gain, but for the sake of the truths themselves; for he who loves truths for the sake of the truth, sees them from the Lord, because the Lord is the Way and the Truth (John 14:6); but he who loves them for the sake of honor or gain, sees them from himself; and seeing from oneself is equivalent to seeing falsities. Falsities that have been confirmed close the church, wherefore truths rationally understood have to open it. How else can spiritual things which transcend the understanding, be understood, acknowledged, and received? The dogma which has been handed down by the Papists, and accepted by the Protestants, namely, that the understanding is to be held in bondage under obedience to faith, has a second time closed the church, and what else is to open it again, except an understanding enlightened by the Lord; but on this subject see the Apocalypse Revealed (n. 914).

"4. I am very sorry that you should have had to suffer for the translation of the book on Heaven and Hell; but what suffers more at the present day than the truth itself? How few there are who see it, yea, who are willing to see it! Do not allow yourself to be discouraged thereby, but be a defender of the truth.

"I remain your most obedient,
"Em. Swedenborg.
"Stockholm, November 11, 1766."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 255-257.

Letters (Tafel) n. 7

Letters (Tafel) n. 7

7. From the sixth letter of Emanuel Swedenborg to Dr. Beyer.*

Memorandum.

"Several questions have been propounded to me by your friend, to which you will please to receive the following as an answer: "1. My opinion concerning the writings of Bohme and L. . . . I have never read either; I was forbidden to read writers on dogmatic and systematic theology, before heaven was opened to me; because unfounded opinions and inventions might thereby have easily insinuated themselves, which afterwards could only have been removed with difficulty; wherefore, when heaven was opened to me, I had first to learn the Hebrew language, as well as the correspondences according to which the whole Bible is composed, which led me to read the Word of God over many times; and as God's Word is the source whence all theology must be derived, I was enabled thereby to receive instruction from the Lord, who is the Word.

"2. Query: How soon a New Church may be expected? Answer: The Lord is preparing at this time a New Heaven of those who believe in Him, acknowledge Him as the true God of heaven and earth, and look to Him in their lives, which means to shun evil and do good; for from that heaven the New Jerusalem is to come down (see Rev. 21:2). I daily see spirits and angels, from ten to twenty thousand, descending and ascending, and being set in order. By degrees, as that heaven is being formed, the New Church likewise begins and increases. The universities in Christendom are now first being instructed, whence will come new ministers; for the New Heaven has no influence over the old [clergy] who deem themselves too learned in the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

"3. About the promised treatise on infinity, omnipotence, and omnipresence.** Answer: There are many things on these subjects interspersed throughout Divine Providence (n. 46-54 and 157); also in Divine Love and Wisdom, (n. 4, 17, 19, 21, 44, 69, 72, 76, 106, 156, 318), and in Apocalypse Revealed (n. 961); these subjects will be further treated of in the arcana of Conjugial Love; for to write a separate treatise on these Divine attributes, without the assistance of something to support them, would cause too great an elevation of the thoughts; wherefore these subjects have been treated in a series with other things which fall within the understanding." (Dated Stockholm, February, 1767.)
"I have with pleasure perused your 'New Essays on the Gospels' (Nya Forsok ofwer Evangelierne); fine interpretations are given in respect to the First Coming of the Lord. I wish to give here the signification of a manger, of the baptism of John, and of Elias. A manger signifies instruction from the Word, because mules and horses signify the understanding of the Word (see Apocalypse Revealed, n. 298); and a manger contains their food; there being no room in the inn, signifies that there was no place of instruction in Jerusalem; wherefore it is said to the shepherds, who signify the church to come, 'This shall be the sign unto you; ye shall find the babe lying in a manger' (Luke 2:12). The baptism of John prepared the heavens, so that the Jewish people might subsist, when God Himself should come down among them. John signified all the prophecies in the Old Testament respecting the Lord and His advent; likewise Elias, because he was the chief of the prophets.
"As here [in Stockholm] they now begin to think more of charity than before, asserting that faith and charity cannot be separated, therefore faith alone begins also to be called Moravian faith.

["Em. Swedenborg.]
"Stockholm, February, 1767."

* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 260-261.
** This work was promised by Swedenborg, in 1763, in the preface to the Doctrine Concerning the Lord.

Letters (Tafel) n. 8

Letters (Tafel) n. 8

8. Appended to letter to F. C. Oetinger, November 8, 1768

The Natural and Spiritual Sense of the Word.*

"That in the Word there is an internal or spiritual sense, in its external or natural sense, as a precious stone in its matrix, or as a beautiful infant in its swaddling clothes, is a truth which has heretofore been altogether unknown in the Christian world, and hence also it is altogether unknown what is meant by the consummation of the age, the Coming of the Lord, the Last Judgment, and the New Jerusalem, on which subjects many things are spoken and predicted in the Word of each Testament, both Old and New. Without the unfolding and opening out of the literal sense of the Word by its spiritual sense, how can anyone know intellectually what is signified by the things which the Lord predicted (in Matthew 24), and also in the Book of Revelation, and in like manner in Daniel, and in the Prophets, in many passages? Make the experiment yourself, if you be so disposed, and read those passages of the prophetic Word which treat sometimes of wild beasts and cattle, sometimes of pools and swamps, sometimes of forests and brakes, sometimes of valleys and mountains, sometimes of screech owls, of ochim, tziim, satyrs, etc., etc.; try whether you can perceive anything Divine therein, unless you believe it to lie concealed interiorly, on account of its being inspired by God, just as a precious stone lies concealed in its matrix, as was said above. That the precious stones, or treasures, which lie concealed within are those things which the internal sense contains, is fully demonstrated in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 5 to 26); and in the same Doctrine it is further proved that the literal sense is the basis, containant, and firmament of its spiritual sense (n. 27 to 36); also that Divine Truth in the literal sense of the Word is in its fullness, in its sanctity, and in its power (n. 37 to 40); and likewise, that the doctrine of the church is to be drawn from the literal sense of the Word, and to be confirmed thereby (n. 50 to 61); and, finally, that by the literal sense, through the medium of the spiritual sense, there is effected conjunction with the Lord, and consociation with the angels (n. 62 to 69).
"To the above I will add something new from the spiritual world: The rulers of the church who flock into that world after death, are first taught concerning the Sacred Scripture, that it contains a spiritual sense, which in the world was unknown to them; and they are also told, that the angels of heaven are in that sense, whilst man is in the sense of the letter; and further, that a translation or change of the latter sense into the former is effected with man, while he reads the Word in a state of holiness; that there is then a kind of unfolding or unswathing, like the breaking of the shell enclosing an almond, whereupon the shell is dispersed and the naked almond passes into heaven, and is received by the angels; and that it is also like the casting of a seed into the ground, where it is stripped of its coverings, and the germ is put forth.
"The seed in this case is the Word in the sense of the letter, and the germ which is put forth thence is the spiritual sense; the latter passes to the angels, and the former remains with man. The seed, nevertheless, remains with man in his mind as in its soil, and in time produces its germ and fructifies it, provided man by the seeds of life which are the truths of faith and the goods of charity, is conjoined to the Lord, and consociated with the angels. The above rulers are further admonished to receive thoroughly this belief, that the Word in its bosom is spiritual, because Divine; and that unless they receive this belief, they may be seduced by satans, so that they even deny the sanctity of the Word; in which case the church with them is dissipated. This further argument is also urged upon them, that if they do not believe the internal sense of the Word, the Word may finally appear to them as some unpolished and unconnected writing, or even as a book of all heresies, because from the literal sense, as from a kind of lake, heresies of every sort may be drawn forth and confirmed. Those who believe the internal sense of the Word, are afterwards received into companies of angelic spirits, who in process of time are elevated into heaven and become angels; but those who do not believe, are removed into companies of spirits, who in course of time are cast into hell, and become satans. Those are called satans there, who in the world had falsified every truth of the Word, and who in consequence thereof had imbibed falsities, so that at last they could no longer see anything of truth."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 269-271. Dated Amsterdam, November 8, 1768.

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13. Postscript to the ninth letter to Dr. Beyer,* April 23, 1769

"P. S. In the short treatise [Brief Exposition], which I have sent you, as well as in all my former writings, I do not mean a Son of God born from eternity, but the Son of God conceived and born in the world, in whom is the Divine Trinity. In the Apostles' Creed, which was the confession of faith of the Apostolic church, no other Son of God is mentioned, nor is any other meant in the Gospels (Luke 1:32, 35; Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 20:31; 1 John 5:20, 21). The reason, however, why the Nicene Council afterwards adopted a Son of God from eternity, and added still another Divine person, was this, that it could not discover any other expedient for expelling the erroneous doctrine of Arius; and for this reason, especially, the present church insists that reason shall be bound, and placed under obedience to a blind faith. But, that this does not transcend man's faculty of comprehension, and that he is able to see and thus to believe, may be seen in (n. 117), and afterwards in (n. 44)."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, p 276. Dated Amsterdam, April 23, 1769. The same statement is made in Swedenborg's letter to Count Hopken, Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, p. 281.

Letters (Tafel) n. 14

Letters (Tafel) n. 14

14. ANSWER TO A LETTER WRITTEN TO ME BY A FRIEND.
A LETTER FROM EMANUEL SWEDENBORG TO THE REV. THOMAS HARTLEY.*

I rejoice at the friendship which you manifest in your letter; and I thank you sincerely for both, but especially for your friendship. The praises with which you overwhelm me, I receive simply as expressions of your love for the truths contained in my writings; and I refer them, as their source, to the Lord, our Savior, from whom is everything true, because He is the Truth Itself (John 4:6). I have considered chiefly the remarks you make at the close of your letter, where you express yourself as follows: "If, perchance, after your departure from England, your writings should be the subject of discussion, and occasion should arise for defending you, their author, against some malignant slanderer, who may wish to injure your reputation by a web of falsehoods - as those are in the habit of doing who hate the truth - would it not be well for you, in order to repel such slanderers, to leave with me some particulars respecting yourself, your degrees in the University, the public offices you have filled, your friends and relations, the honors which, I am told, have been conferred upon you, and anything else that might be useful in establishing your good name, so that ill-conceived prejudices may be removed; for it is our duty to use all lawful means lest the cause of truth should suffer injury." After reflecting on this, I have been led to yield to your friendly advice, and will now communicate to you some particulars of my life, which are briefly as follows:

I was born at Stockholm on the 29th of January in the year 1689.** My father's name was Jesper Swedberg, who was bishop of West Gothland, and a man of celebrity in his time. He was also elected and enrolled as a member of the English Society, for the Propagation of the Gospel; for he had been appointed by King Charles XII Bishop over the Swedish churches in Pennsylvania, and also over the church in London. In the year 1710 I went abroad. I proceeded first to England, and afterwards to Holland, France, and Germany, and returned home in the year 1714.*** In the year 1716, and also afterwards, I had many conversations with Charles XII, King of Sweden, who greatly favored me, and in the same year appointed me to the office of Assessor in the College of Mines, which office I filled until the year 1747, when I resigned it, retaining, however, the salary of the office during my life. My sole object in resigning was that I might have more leisure to devote to the new office enjoined on me by the Lord. A higher post of honor was then offered me, which I positively declined, lest my mind should be inspired with pride. In the year 1719, I was ennobled by Queen Ulrica Eleanora, and named Swedenborg; and from that time I have taken my seat among the nobles of the rank of knighthood, in the triennial sessions of the Diet. I am a Fellow and member, by invitation, of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm; but I have never sought admission into any literary society in any other place, because I am in an angelic society, where such things as relate to heaven and the soul are the only subjects of discourse; while in literary societies the world and the body form the only subjects of discussion. In the year 1734, I published, at Leipsic, Regnum Minerale, in three volumes, folio. In the year 1738 I made a journey to Italy, and stayed a year at Venice and Rome.

With respect to my family connections, I had four sisters. One of them was married to Eric Benzelius, who subsequently became the archbishop of Upsala, and through him I became related to the two succeeding archbishops, who both belonged to the family of Benzelius, and were younger brothers of Eric. My second sister was married to Lars Benzelstierna, who became a provincial governor; but these two are dead. Two bishops, however, who are related to me, are still living; one of them, whose name is Filenius, and who is bishop of East Gothland, officiates now as president of the House of the Clergy in the Diet of Stockholm, in place of the archbishop, who is an invalid; he married my sister's daughter; the other, named Benzelstierna, is bishop of Westmanland and Dalecarlia; he is the son of my second sister. Not to mention others of my relations who occupy stations of honor. Moreover, all the bishops of my native country, who are ten in number, and also the sixteen senators, and the rest of those highest in office, entertain feelings of affection for me; from their affection they honor me, and I live with them on terms of familiarity, as a friend among friends; the reason of which is, that they know I am in company with angels. Even the king and the queen, and the three princes, their sons, show me great favor; I was also invited once by the king and queen to dine with them at their own table, which honor is generally accorded only to those who are highest in office; subsequently the crown prince granted me the same favor. They all desire me to return home; wherefore, I am far from apprehending, in my own country, that persecution, which you fear, and against which in your letter you desire in so friendly a manner to provide; and if they persecute me elsewhere, it can do me no harm.

But all that I have thus far related, I consider of comparatively little importance; for it is far exceeded by the circumstance, that I have been called to a holy office by the Lord Himself, who most mercifully appeared before me, his servant, in the year 1743; when he opened my sight into the spiritual world, and granted me to speak with spirits and angels, in which state I have continued up to the present day. From that time I began to print and publish the various arcana that were seen by me and revealed to me, as the arcana concerning Heaven and Hell, the state of man after death, the true worship of God, the spiritual sense of the Word, besides many other most important matters conducive to salvation and wisdom. The only reason of my journeys abroad has been the desire of making myself useful, and of making known the arcana that were entrusted to me. Moreover, I have as much of this world's wealth as I need, and I neither seek nor wish for more.
Your letter has induced me to write all these particulars, in order that as you say "ill-conceived prejudices may be removed." Farewell; and from my heart I wish you all the happiness both in this world, and the next; which I have not the least doubt you will attain, if you look and pray to our Lord.

Eman. Swedenborg

* Rev. Thomas Hartley, A.M., a friend of Swedenborg, and one of the first receivers of his doctrines, was a clergyman of the Church of England, and rector of Winwick, Northamptonshire. The letter asking for particulars respecting Swedenborg's life, to which the above is a reply, was written August 2, 1769. (See Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 1, pp. 3-5, 6-9.) [-Translator]
** The original edition has "1689," which is probably a printer's error. Swedenborg was born January 29, 1688.-TR.
*** The original edition has "1714," but Swedenborg did not return to Sweden until after April, 1715.--TR.

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16. Letter to Dr. Beyer,* October 30, 1769

"The small treatise entitled A Brief Exposition of the Doctrines of the New Church, I have sent only to Bishop Benzelstjerna, with strict injunctions not to lend it to anyone; for there are few in Sweden who penetrate with their understandings into any matter belonging to theology, and unless they do so, they cannot receive any enlightenment from God's Word. For instance, they cannot understand that in Romans 3:28, and in Galatians 2:16, an imputative faith in the merit of Christ is not meant, but the faith of Jesus, which is a faith from Jesus in Jesus; and, likewise, that the works of the law of the Decalogue are not there meant, but the works of the Mosaic law, which were simply for the Jews; and further, that in Romans 4 is not meant the imputation of the faith of the present church. Nor are they willing to be enlightened in such texts of the Scriptures as concern God's Son, that by the Son of God is not meant a Son of God from eternity, but the Son of God conceived in time from Jehovah God, and born of the Virgin Mary, according to the distinct words of Luke 1:32, 35; Matthew 3:17; John 20:31; 1 John 5:20, 21, and other places. This is likewise agreeable to the Apostles' Creed, where no other Son of God is mentioned, whence it follows that the primitive church knew of no other. A Son of God from eternity was adopted in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, because they could find no other way by which to refute and expel the errors of Arius (compare the Apostles' Creed). I therefore adhere to the Apostolic church.
"To worship God the Saviour cannot be prohibited throughout Christendom, and still less among the Lutherans (see the Augsburg Confession, p. 19, and also the Apology, p. 226); nor can it be denied that in Christ Man is God and God is Man, with many other things which I mentioned in a former letter. The Formula Concordiae explains also a Divine trinity in those who are reborn by faith (p. 695, Apology, p. 130); how much more then is a Divine trinity in God the Savior, etc., etc. (Col. 2:9). All this however and much more will be demonstrated in a work which will be published two years hence.** Brief Exposition is a forerunner of it, and is to prepare the way for its reception. This little preliminary treatise has been spread throughout the whole of Christendom, Sweden excepted, because theology is now in its wintry state, and here in the north the night lasts longer than in southern parts; wherefore they in their darkness may be supposed to kick against everything in the New Church which belongs to the understanding or to reason. Still there are those in the ecclesiastical order who are exceptions to this rule; I apply also to myself what the Lord has said to His disciples in Matt. 10:16." [I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.]

[Missing Material]

"What you relate respecting your wife in her dying hours, was caused especially by the impression of two clergymen, who associated her in her thoughts with those spirits, from whom she then spoke; it happens sometimes with some in the hour of death that they are in the state of the spirit. Those spirits that first spoke through her belonged to the followers of the dragon, which was cast down from heaven (see Rev. 12), and who became then so filled with hatred against the Saviour, and consequently against God's Word, and against everything belonging to the New Church, that they cannot bear to hear Christ mentioned. When the sphere of our Lord descends upon them out of heaven, they become like raving maniacs, and seek to hide themselves in holes and caverns, and thus save themselves, according to Rev. 6:16.
"Your deceased wife was yesterday with me, and informed me on many things which she had thought, and spoken to you, her husband, and with those who led her astray. Were I at this time near you, I might relate to you many things on this subject, but I am not permitted to write about them. I have no time at present to express myself about the boy concerning whom you write.
"Stockholm, October 30, 1769."

["Stockholm, October 30, 1769."]
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 307, 308.
** True Christian Religion

Letters (Tafel) n. 17

Letters (Tafel) n. 17

17. Letter to Dr. Beyer,* November 14, 1769

"Reverend Doctor and Dear Friend,
"Shortness of time would not permit me in my last letter to answer the point about the boy from Skara. If the account about him is true, it proves the communication of spirits with man. A genteel and rich family here in Stockholm are desirous of taking the boy into their house, and of educating him in whatever branch he may wish to learn. Should this arrangement be acceptable to the boy, and an opportunity present itself of his being brought here in company with a person traveling this way, the family would be pleased; in that case thirty dalers in silver might be furnished him to cover his traveling expenses, and if on his arrival he address himself to me, he will be taken to the family.
"I pass by his vision of white serpents, as this took place in his tender infancy; for which reason I do not enter into its explanation; besides, it may be explained either negatively or affirmatively. But his knowing the use of herbs and [the cure of] certain diseases, if really the case, is not on account of such diseases and cures existing in the other life among spirits and angels. There are, however, spiritual diseases [and cures] corresponding to natural diseases and cures in this world; wherefore when such effects take place, they are due to correspondences. As there are no natural diseases among spirits in the spiritual world, neither are there any hospitals; but instead of these there are spiritual madhouses, in which are those who theoretically denied God, and in others such as denied Him practically. Those who in the world were idiots, on their arrival in the other world are likewise foolish and idiotic; but when their externals are removed and their internals opened, as is the case with all, then they are endowed with an understanding in accordance with their genius and their previous life; for real madness and insanity reside in the external or natural, and not in the internal or spiritual man.

[Missing paragraph]

I will now give you an account of my first youth: From my fourth to my tenth year I was constantly engaged in thought upon God, salvation, and the spiritual affections [passiones spirituales] of men; and several times I revealed things at which my father and mother wondered, saying that angels must be speaking through me. From my sixth to my twelfth year I used to delight in conversing with clergymen about faith, saying that the life of faith is love, and that the love which imparts life is love to the neighbor; also that God gives faith to everyone, but that those only receive it who practice that love. I knew of no other faith at that time, than that God is the Creator and Preserver of nature, that He imparts understanding and a good disposition to men, and several other things that follow thence. I knew nothing at that time of that learned faith which teaches that God the Father imputes the righteousness of His Son to whomsoever, and at such times, as He chooses even to those who have not repented and have not reformed their lives. And had I heard of such a faith, it would have been then, as it is now, above my comprehension.

I remain, with all affection and friendship,
Your most obedient servant and friend,
EMAN. SWEDENBORG
STOCKHOLM, November 14, 1769

* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 278-280

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21. Letter to Dr. Beyer,* April 12, 1770

"Reverend Doctor and Lector:
"Only two days ago I received your favor of the 21st of last March, and on reading it through I was surprised at the reports which are said to have reached Gottenburg from Stockholm to the effect that you and Dr. Rosen are to be deposed, deprived of office, and banished from the country, a report to which certainly I can give no credence; for it contradicts my reason in the highest degree to believe that a person may be deprived of office and banished from the country, on the mere allegation of his being heretical, without the principal point of accusation against him being investigated. In the printed minutes I cannot find that they have taken a single step in regard to the question itself, but that they have simply busied themselves in making attacks in abusive and unseemly language, when yet the real point of issue is this, whether it is allowable to approach immediately our Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ, or whether we must go a circuitous way, namely, to God the Father, that He may impute to us the merit and righteousness of His Son, and send the Holy Spirit. But that we may go to the other, which is the direct way, namely, to our Savior Jesus Christ, is in accordance both with the Augsburg Confession, and the Formula Concordiae and also with our own prayers and hymns; and it entirely agrees with God's Word.
"In the Augsburg Confession are the following words: 'For [the Scripture] sets before us Christ alone as the Mediator, the Propitiator, the High Priest, and the Intercessor; He is to be invoked, or addressed; and He has promised that He will hear our prayers; and the Sacred Scripture very greatly approves of this worship, viz., that He should be invoked in all afflictions.' (1 John 2:1)
"In the Formula Concordiae are these words: 'We have a command that we should call upon Christ according to this saying, "Come unto me all ye that labor,"' etc., which is certainly addressed to us; and Isaiah says (Chap. 11), 'In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people. On Him shall nations call.' And in (Psalm 45), 'The rich among the people shall entreat Thy countenance.' And in (Psalm 72), 'And all kings of the earth shall fall down before Him.' And in another verse, 'They shall pray before Him continually.' And in (John 5:23), Christ says, 'All shall honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.' See also Paul in (1 Thess. 2). These are the identical words quoted from the work.
"In our Hymn-book are prayers and hymns addressed to Jesus Christ alone; as Hymn 266, of which I will quote only what follows:

Lo! Jesus is my might;
He is my heart's delight.
O Jesus, hear my voice.

If I of Christ make sure,
I'll ever feel secure,
And freed from all my sins.

As Jesus is my shield,
I'll ne'er to Satan yield
Tho' he against me rage.

My cares and all my woe
On Him alone I'll throw,
Who is my strength and guard.

By day and night I rest
Safely on Jesus' breast,
In whom alone I trust. (Verses 1, 3, 8)

"Besides all this, two of my letters, which have been inserted and printed in the Gottenburg Minutes, contain numerous proofs, adduced from the whole of the 'Formula Concordiae,' that our Saviour, even as to His Human, is God, which Luther and the Formula Concordiae corroborate with all their power, and which is also in agreement with the entire Word of God. In proof of this I refer you only to (Col. 2:9; 1 John 5:20, 21). More to the same purport has also been adduced from one of my works, an extract from which may be found in the printed Minutes of the Gottenburg Consistory [Document 245, C. p. 291 et seq.]. This doctrine they there call 'Swedenborgianism'; but for my part I call Genuine Christianity.
"This is the question now at issue, which the members of the Consistory have, on their part, not touched upon at all, but respecting which they have simply burst forth into abusive language, which affects not simply my person and honor, but our Redeemer and His holiness. How they will answer for this after death, I will not here consider.
"As to the Son of God from eternity, which is likewise a controverted point, I have proved, that in the Apostles' Creed, which is received throughout the whole of Christendom, and which contains the doctrine of the Apostles themselves, no other Son of God is mentioned than the Son of God born in time, who is our Redeemer Himself, to whom every man can address himself, and to whom, by virtue of what is stated in the Augsburg Confession and the Formula Concordiae, he must address himself, that he may obtain salvation. And if our freedom be interfered with in this respect, I would rather live in Tartary than among Christians. If any other be willing to go further-to a Son of God from eternity-he is at liberty to do so.
"Your letter, and your fear of harsh treatment, have induced me to develop and explain the point of issue in this manner, since theological subjects are of such a nature, that a person may easily wander about in darkness in respect to them, particularly if accusers, with a pretense of learning, try to blacken them by such coarse expressions, and seek to kill the 'man child' with murderous words. However, I presume, and I believe it as a certainty, that His Royal Majesty with the enlightened members of the Council will judge of this matter in its true light, and not according to the glosses of the Dean and others. For if you should be removed from office and exiled, what could the present as well as the future generations say, but that this had happened to you for no other reason than that you had approached immediately our Lord and Saviour, and that you had, notwithstanding, not denied the Trinity. What astonishment and indignation must not this cause in everyone!
"This subject, in its whole extent, will soon be placed before the whole of Christendom,** and the judgment passed upon it. I will hereafter submit to the King, and to the Honorable Houses of the Realm in general: for during a session of the Diet, the House of the Clergy is not at liberty to submit to His Royal Majesty its own separate or independent opinion, which shall afterwards have the force of law. Theological matters belong to the other Houses also.
"With respect to your journey here, I do not think that your presence in Stockholm would greatly benefit your cause. I will only ask you to be kind enough to copy this letter, and send a copy to His Excellency Senator Stockenstrom, and another to His Excellency Senator R. Hermanson, informing them that it is done at my request. I intend to send a copy myself to the Chancellor of Justice, and one to His Excellency Count Ekeblad.

"Your obedient servant,
"Em. Swedenborg.
"Stockholm, April 12, 1770."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg. Vol. II., pp. 352-356.
** In the True Christian Religion, published in 1770.

Letters (Tafel) n. 22

Letters (Tafel) n. 22

22. Letter to Dr. Beyer,* April 30, 1770

"Reverend Doctor:
"I received your letter dated March 18, together with a copy of the one which you submitted to His Royal Majesty [Document 245, O]. You mention also that information had reached Gottenburg of a resolution which had been projected in the Privy Council; the subject, however, was reconsidered, after a copy of the letter which I had written to you [Document 245, R] was sent to Senator Ekeblad and the Chancellor of Justice, and the final result is contained in the letter addressed by the Chancellor to the Consistory of Gottenburg [Document 245, T], of which you will kindly let me have a copy.
Had they retained the first project, according to which Swedenborgianism was not to be talked of or mentioned in conversation, when yet it signifies the worship of the Lord, what would have been the result, but a fear in the Clergy to speak about Christ and His care of humanity; for by so doing they would in this case have run the risk of a public admonition, for supporting 'Swedenborgianism,' and in consequence thereof Christianity would have declined in Sweden, and the country would have lapsed into Socinianism, and finally into heathenism, as may be concluded from Matt. 12:30, and Mark 9:40. Such an offspring would have been born from the first project. For this reason also, when certain clergymen of this town, who are animated by a genuine zeal, first heard of this report, they were astonished, thinking that thus Christianity would die out in our country. I have heard that the bishop and many members of the venerable House of the Clergy expressed themselves handsomely at the Diet upon the doctrines, discussed there.
"Nothing of what the Consistory submitted against my writings has been communicated to me, so that I am totally ignorant of what passed in the Privy Council.
"Next June I will travel to Amsterdam, where I intend to publish the 'Universal Theology of the New Church.' The worship of the Lord is the foundation therein, and if upon that foundation the true house or temple be not built, others will erect upon it lupanaria or brothels.
"With respect to the dragonist spirits, they are all removed far away to the south, where certain places are assigned to the learned, to each his own cell, where they may confirm themselves in justification by faith alone, and those who confirm themselves therein by the Word of God, depart thence into a desert, and so on farther; and the rest, after making their escape, receive no homes; whither they direct their way, I do not yet know; in heaven there is no place for them. Their fate will be, as described in Apocalypse Revealed (n. 421). But the abyss which is described there is now removed farther towards the south, as has been observed.

"I remain with all friendship and trust,
"Your most obedient servant,
"Em. Swedenborg"
"Stockholm, April 30, 1770."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 369-370

Letters (Tafel) n. 23

Letters (Tafel) n. 23

23. Letter to the king of Sweden,* May 10, 1770

"Most Powerful and Most Gracious King:
"I feel compelled at this juncture to have recourse to Your Majesty's protection; for I have been treated as no one has ever been treated before in Sweden since the introduction of Christianity, and still less since the establishment of freedom here. I will first give you a brief account of things as they have happened. Upon my return from abroad the last time, I was informed that Bishop Filenius had confiscated my work entitled De Amore Conjugiali, which had appeared in Holland and had been sent to Norrkoping. I therefore immediately inquired of some bishops whether this had been authorized by the House of the Clergy; they answered that they were aware of the confiscation, but that no general action had been taken, and that not a word about it had been entered upon the Minutes. Immediately afterwards the clergy from Gottenburg made a noise in their House about my books, and pushed matters so far, that the House appointed a committee de Swedenborgianismo [on Swedenborgianism], which consisted of bishops and professors. This committee sat for several months, and at last reported handsomely and reasonably on that subject, and thereby suppressed completely the disturbance which had been made; but to put an end to it still more effectually, it was resolved that a humble memorial should be addressed to Your Royal Majesty, requesting that the Chancellor of Justice should inquire about the disturbances which had arisen in Gottenburg. When the Bishop and the Dean of that place, who are the torch and trumpet [fax et tuba] in this affair, discovered that they made no progress in the reverend House of the Clergy, they, to stir up and kindle the flame anew, commenced a publication of twenty sheets or more about 'Swedenborgianism,' which is filled with invectives; and after this had been sent to Stockholm, the matter was taken up and settled by Your Majesty in the Privy Council, in consequence of which the Chancellor of Justice dispatched to the Consistory of Gottenburg an official letter, wherein, I have reason to think, he assented to the opinion expressed by the Consistory.
"I received no more intimation than a child in the cradle of all that took place, of the committee in the reverend House of the Clergy, of the memorial they submitted to Your Royal Majesty, of the publication in Gottenburg on 'Swedenborgianism,' of the resolution which was passed by Your Royal Majesty in the Privy Council, and of the letter embodying it which was dispatched to the Consistory in Gottenburg. Of all this, from beginning to end, I received not the least intimation: all was done without my receiving a hearing; when yet the whole matter was about 'Swedenborgianism,' and the papers printed in Gottenburg are filled with coarse and reprehensible language without touching materially on the subject of 'Swedenborgianism,' which is the worship of the Lord our Saviour. Of these printed papers I had no other knowledge than what I received from a general commissary of war at Elsinore, and afterwards from a friend here in Stockholm who lent them to me for a day. Wherefore I still insist that everything that has taken place since my return home, has from beginning to end, been done without giving me a hearing.
"From a rumor which has spread here in town I have learned that from the office of the Chancellor of Justice a communication has been made to the Consistory of Gottenburg, to the effect that my books have been entirely forbidden to be imported into this country, and, further, that the same office has stigmatized my revelations as untrue and false. In reply to this I humbly beg to make the following statement: That our Saviour visibly revealed Himself before me, and commanded me to do what I have done, and what I have still to do; and that thereupon He permitted me to have communication with angels and spirits, I have declared before the whole of Christendom, as well in England, Holland, Germany, and Denmark, as in France and Spain, and also on various occasions in this country before their Royal Majesties, and especially when I enjoyed the grace to eat at their table, in the presence of the whole royal family, and also of five senators and others; at which time my mission constituted the sole topic of conversation.
Subsequently, also, I have revealed this before many senators; and among these Count Tessin, Count Bonde, and Count Hopken have found it in truth to be so, and Count Hopken, a gentleman of enlightened understanding, still continues to believe so; without mentioning many others, as well at home as abroad, among whom are both kings and princes. All this, however, the office of the Chancellor of Justice, if the rumor is correctly stated, declares to be false; when yet it is the truth. Should they reply that the thing is inconceivable to them, I have nothing to gainsay, since I am unable to put the state of my sight and speech into their heads, in order to convince them; nor am I able to cause angels and spirits to converse with them; nor do miracles happen now; but their very reason will enable them to see this, when they thoughtfully read my writings, wherein much may be found which has never before been discovered, and which cannot be discovered except by real vision, and communication with those who are in the spiritual world. In order that reason may see and acknowledge this, I beg that one of your Excellencies may peruse what has been said on this subject in my book, De Amore Conjugiali, in a memorable relation on pages 314 to 316; his Excellency Count Ekeblad and his Excellency Count Bjelke possess the book. If any doubt should still remain, I am ready to testify with the most solemn oath that may be prescribed to me, that this is the whole truth and a reality, without the least fallacy. That our Saviour permits me to experience this, is not on my own account, but for the sake of a sublime interest which concerns the eternal welfare of all Christians. Since such is the real state of things, it is wrong to declare it to be untruth and falsity; although it may be pronounced to be something that cannot be comprehended.
"If now the rumor which has been spread is correct, namely, that such things are contained in the letter which was sent from the office of the Chancellor of Justice to the Consistory of Gottenburg, it follows hence that my books are declared to be heretical, and that I am declared to speak untruths and falsehoods in matters of revelation, and further, that from beginning to end, all this has been determined upon without giving me a hearing. What else results from this, but that in agreement with the resolution any severe treatment may be brought forward by the Consistory of Gottenburg and Bishop Filenius, and my sentence may be pronounced upon me, without my being heard in the affair at all; for of what use is a declaration or a defense after the sentence has been pronounced?
"This is the reason why, as I said above, 'I am compelled to have recourse to Your Majesty, since I have been treated as no one has ever been treated before in Sweden since the introduction of Christianity, and still less since the establishment of freedom;' by being treated as I have been, without a hearing being granted me.
"As this, however, concerns not only my writings, but as a natural consequence my person also, I make a humble request, that the memorial should be communicated to me which was addressed to Your Royal Majesty in this matter by the House of the Clergy, likewise the minutes of the Privy Council, and the letter which was dispatched from the office of the Chancellor of Justice to the Consistory of Gottenburg, in order that I may at once be heard, and may show forth the whole of my treatment before the public at large.
"In respect to Doctors Beyer and Rosen of Gottenburg, I have given them no other advice than that they should approach our Savior, Jesus Christ, to whom all power has been given in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18), and should strive after their salvation; and as far as I have been able to learn, they have affirmed and insisted on this one point, which is also in conformity with the Augsburg Confession, the Formula Concordiae, and the whole Word of God; nevertheless for this acknowledgment alone they have become to a certain extent martyrs, at least so far as regards the cruel persecutions of the Bishop and the Dean of that town. The same expression also I apply to my books, which I regard as my own self, when, nevertheless, all that the Dean of Gottenburg has poured out against them, consists of sheer invectives, which do not contain a particle of truth.

"Your Royal Majesty's most humble and most dutiful servant and subject,
"Emanuel Swedenborg.
["Stockholm, May 10, 1770.]

"I enclose two letters I have addressed to Dr. Beyer; the first of these concerns the worship of the Lord which is shown to be in agreement with the Augsburg Confession, the Formula Concordiae, and the whole Word of God."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 373-377

Letters (Tafel) n. 24

Letters (Tafel) n. 24

24. Letter to Augustus Alstr�mer,* July 19, 1770

"Well-born Sir,
"As I shall leave next week for Amsterdam, and as I understand that the religious trial of Drs. Beyer and Rosen has been settled by the Privy Council in an unexpected manner [cf. Document 245, T], and as this will probably be talked about for a long time in Gottenburg, I have the honor to communicate to you what I submitted on this subject to His Majesty, so as to break the force of the malicious comments, which will no doubt issue from the mouths of certain persons, originating in their interior stupidity and perversity.
"Two gentlemen of the Supreme Court of Appeals [Justitiae Revisionen] told me that the Privy Council was the pontifex maximus in religious matters. At the time I did not make any reply; if, however, they should repeat this statement to me, I should say that, far from being the pontifex maximus, they are simply the vicarius vicarii pontificis maximi, since Christ, our Saviour is alone pontifex maximus; that the Houses of the Diet are His vicarius, and therefore are responsible to Him; and that the Privy Council is the vicarius of the Houses of the Diet, and only as such has plenipotentiary power; and, consequently, it is the vicarius vicarii pontificis maximi. Nor am I able to see in what their pontifical power consists, as they have simply assented to the opinion expressed by the Consistory of Gottenburg; and, without examining any of the religious subjects in my books, have nevertheless prohibited them. The Roman Pope's styling himself pontifex maximus is due to arrogance; for he claims and takes upon himself all the power of Christ, our Savior, making the people believe that he is Christ upon earth.
"I have not yet received any answer from the Privy Council; and when the subject was before them last week, it was resolved that it should be postponed, until those members who had gone into the country returned. I am well aware that they strike me upon my right cheek, but how they will be able to wipe off what the other cheek is anointed with, I cannot tell.
"Please give my kindest regards to Doctors Beyer and Rosen, and to all the rest who believe in our Saviour. I remain, with all respect and affection,

"Your most obedient servant,
"Em. Swedenborg."
"Stockholm, July 19, 1770."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 378-379.
[The same sentiments, only in a rather more extended form, Swedenborg communicated to the Chancellor of Justice and the three Swedish Universities of Upsala, Lund, and Abo in a letter wherein was enclosed a copy of that which he had addressed to the King. A copy of this letter, which constitutes Document 245, AA, he also enclosed to Dr. Beyer.]

Letters (Tafel) n. 25

Letters (Tafel) n. 25

25. [Not included.]

Letters (Tafel) n. 26

Letters (Tafel) n. 26

26. Letter to Beyer, July 23, 1770

[Copy of a letter to the Universities of Uppsala, Lund, and Abo]

"In a few days I shall depart for Amsterdam in order to publish there a Universal Theology of the New Church, the foundation of which is the worship of the Lord, our Savior; on which foundation if no temple be now built, lupanaria [brothels] will be erected. And now, as I understand that the religious trial of Drs. Beyer and Rosen has been taken up by the Privy Council and settled in an unexpected manner, and as this will probably be talked about here and there during my absence, therefore, in order to break the force of the malicious comments, which will probably issue from the mouths of certain persons, prompted by their stupidity and interior perverseness, it becomes my duty in the interest of this matter to make known to you what I have in the enclosed document [Swedenborg's letter to the King, see letter of May 10, 1770] submitted to his Royal Majesty.
"Two gentlemen of the Supreme Court of Appeals [Justiciae Revisionen] told me that the Privy Council was the pontifex maximus in religious matters. At the time I did not make any reply; if, however, they should repeat this statement to me, I should say that far from being the pontifex maximus, they are simply the vicarius vicarii pontificis maximi, since Christ, our Savior, is alone pontifex maximus; that the Houses of the Diet are His vicarius, and therefore are responsible to Him, and that the Privy Council is the vicarius of the Houses of the Diet, and only as such has plenipotentiary power; and consequently it is the vicarius vicarii pontificis maximi. The Roman Pope's styling himself pontifex maximus is due to arrogance; for he claims and takes upon himself all the power of Christ our Savior, making the people believe that he is Christ on earth.
"Every lesser pontifex or every vicarius pontificis maximi ought to have his consistory. The Houses of the Diet have theirs in the reverend House of the Clergy; the Privy Council has its especially in the universities; but in the settlement of the present matter it has made the Consistory of Gottenburg its consistory, to whose opinions it is said to have adhered verbatim; without being aware of the fact that this trial has been the most important and the most solemn that has been before any council during the last 1700 years, since it concerns the New Church which is predicted by the Lord in Daniel and in Revelation, and agrees with what the Lord says in Matt. 24:22.
"I have not yet received any answer from the Privy Council; this matter has been before it once, when it was resolved to postpone it until those members of the council, who had previously examined it, should return.

"Em. Swedenborg.
"Stockholm, July 23, 1770."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 380-381. See also pp. 378-389.

Letters (Tafel) n. 27

Letters (Tafel) n. 27

27. [Not included.]

Letters (Tafel) n. 28

Letters (Tafel) n. 28

28. Letter to Dr. Beyer,* April 30, 1771

"Reverend Doctor:
"I received yesterday your last letter together with one from Dr. Rosen. Previously I had received one from Assessor Queckfelt, from which I was led to infer, that the case would take a new turn, if I presented myself before the Privy Council as a tertius interveniens, yet to do so would do no good, as I distinctly did so a short time before my departure [see close of Document 245, X, p. 376], and supported with weighty arguments the cause itself, as well as your case. I wonder that they keep stirring up this affair at Gottenburg; I will complain of them at the next Diet, when I send over my Universa Theologia Novi Coeli et Nova Ecclesiae,** which will leave the press towards the close of June. I will send two copies of this work to each House, and request them to appoint for its consideration a general committee from all the Houses, in order to put an end to the affair in this way. I am certain of this, that after the appearance of the book referred to, the Lord our Saviour will operate both mediately and immediately towards the establishment throughout the whole of Christendom of a New Church based upon this 'Theology.' The new heaven, out of which the New Jerusalem will descend, will very soon be completed (Rev. 21:1-3). When our adversaries enter the other life, they will have their places assigned to them. I pity them. With my kindest remembrance to Doctor Rosen, I remain, with all affection,

"Your most obedient servant and friend,
"Em. Swedenborg."
"Amsterdam, April 30, 1771."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 382-383.
** The True Christian Religion.

Letters (Tafel) n. 29

Letters (Tafel) n. 29

29. Letter to the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt,* June 18, 1771

"In your gracious letter you ask how I came to have communication with angels and spirits, and whether this state could be imparted by one to another. Deign to receive favorably the following reply:

"The Lord our Saviour foretold that He would come again into the world, and institute a New Church; He predicted this (in Rev. 21, 22), and also in several places in the Gospels. But as He cannot come again into the world in Person, it was necessary that He should do it by means of a man, who should not only receive the doctrine of that church by his understanding, but also publish it by means of the press; and as the Lord had prepared me for this from my childhood, He manifested Himself in Person before me, His servant, and sent me to do this work. This took place in the year 1743; and afterwards He opened the sight of my spirit, and thus introduced me into the spiritual world, granting me to see the heavens and many of the wonderful things there, and also the hells, and to speak with angels and spirits, and this continually for twenty-seven years. I declare in truth, that this is so. This took place with me on account of the Church, which I mention above, the doctrine of which is contained in my books. The gift of conversing with spirits and angels cannot be transferred from one person to another, unless the Lord Himself, as has been the case with me, opens the sight of the spirit of that person. It is sometimes granted to a spirit to enter and to communicate some truth to a man; but still leave is not given to the man to speak with him mouth to mouth. This is also most dangerous, because the spirit enters into the affection of man's own love, which does not agree with the affection of heavenly love.
"With respect to the man who is infested by spirits, I have heard from heaven, that this was caused by a state of meditation in which he indulged; but that no danger is to be apprehended from them, because he is protected by the Lord. The only means by which he can be cured, is conversion, and supplication to the Lord our Saviour Jesus Christ. I remain with profound respect, most serene Duke and Landgrave,

"Your most humble servant,
"E. S.
["Amsterdam, 1771."]
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 387-388.

Letters (Tafel) n. 30

Letters (Tafel) n. 30

30. [Not included.]

Letters (Tafel) n. 31

Letters (Tafel) n. 31

31. Letter to the Landgrave of Hesse-darmstadt,* July 13, 1771

"Most Serene Duke,
"I have received and read with pleasure the letter which you addressed to me. I hope that the work which has just been printed under the title True Christian Religion, has reached you during the last few days. If you see fit, I should like you to instruct the learned among the clergy in your duchy to report concerning it; but I pray that such among the learned of your clergy be selected as love the truth and are delighted with it. If they are not in the way of truth, they will not see light in that work, but only shade. What is related of the daughter of the Prince Margrave has no foundation, but has been invented by some gossiping newsmonger; I never heard of it before; but what is reported concerning the brother of the Queen of Sweden is true; yet it should not be regarded as a miracle, but only as a memorable occurrence of the kind related in the above work concerning Luther, Melancthon, and Calvin. For all these are simple testimonies, that I have been introduced by the Lord as to my spirit into the spiritual world, and that I converse with angels and spirits. It is further true that I conversed with the person whose name is mentioned in the journal in question, and six months ago with Stanislaus, King of Poland, which took place in a certain congregation or company in which he was, where no one knew who he was. The delight of his life consisted in desiring to be present incognito in assemblies of spirits and angels, as if he were one of them, and to converse familiarly with them.
"Afterwards I saw him transferred into the northern quarter, and I heard that he was placed over some section of Roman Catholicism, whose chief moderator he is. He has also conversed frequently with the Pope who died lately, with whom he dwelt after his death, and to whom he succeeded; he descended also to a congregation or company consisting of Jesuits, over whom he ruled for a month; and afterwards I saw him ascending from them, when it was granted me to speak with him several times. But about the course and state of his life I am not allowed to divulge anything. Concerning the Pope who reigned some thirty or forty years ago, you may see what has been written in my latest work.
"I pray you to favor all those things which belong to the honor of God, and I remain, with a mind full of veneration,

"Yours, and c.
["Em. Swedenborg.]
["Amsterdam,] July 13, 1771."
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 388-389.

Letters (Tafel) n. 32

Letters (Tafel) n. 32

32. Letter to Venator,* July 13, 1771

"I hope that the work, entitled The True Christian Religion, which has recently left the press, is now in your hands, and also that the two copies which I sent at the same time to his Serene Highness the Duke and Landgrave have reached him; for I greatly desire to have your opinion concerning the things contained therein, knowing as I do that by enlightenment from the Lord you will more than others see in light the truths which are manifested there from the Word. Today I send also my reply to the letter which his Serene Highness the Duke wrote to me lately; and in compliance with his orders I speak to him of several conversations I had with, among others, the Queen of Sweden and her brother. But these must by no means be regarded as miracles; for they are simply testimonies that I have been introduced by the Lord into the spiritual world, and have communication and converse there with angels and spirits; in order that the church, which has hitherto remained in ignorance concerning that world, may know that heaven and hell really exist, and that man lives after death a man, as before; and that thus no more doubts may flow into his mind in respect to his immortality.
Please, deign to satisfy the Duke, your prince, on this score, that these things are not miracles, but merely testimonies that I converse with angels and spirits. The fact and the reason that there are no miracles at the present day, may be seen in the above mentioned work. The Lord says . . . Wherefore those who do not believe unless they see miracles, are very easily led into fanaticism. I have seen two volumes full of miracles wrought by a certain Paris, which are nevertheless nothing but pure falsehoods, being in part fantastical and in part magical doings. The same is the case with the other miracles among the Roman Catholics. Examine also, if you please, those things that have been related by me on this subject in the above work. At this day faith will be established and confirmed in the New Church only by the Word itself, and the truths which are derived thence; if these shine in a certain light before the eyes of those who read my last work, it is a sign that the Lord is present and enlightens; because He is the Word itself, and also the truths that are derived thence.

Farewell in the Lord.
["Em. Swedenborg.]
["Amsterdam, July 13, 1771."]
* Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 390-391.

Letters (Tafel) n. 33

Letters (Tafel) n. 33

33. [Not included.]

Letters (Tafel) n. 34

Letters (Tafel) n. 34

34. [Not included.]