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184 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Majesty graciously gives permission, even to the meanest
of your subjects, to substantiate his opinions on the best
ground he is able. Our Lord’s own words are : ’ But be
not ye called Rabbi : for one is your master (teacher)
even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no
man your father upon the earth : for one is yourfather
which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters
(teachers) for one is your master (teacher) , even
Christ.’ (Matt. xxiii. 8, 9, 10. )
6
"Accordingly, the compilers of the Articles of Faith
received in the Swedish Church say, We believe, ac
knowledge, and teach, that the only rules and guides by
which all doctrines and all teachers of doctrines must be
viewed and judged are, and can be no other than, the
writings ofthe prophets and apostles, both in the Old and
New Testament. Holy Writ alone is acknowledged as a
measure, rule, and judge ; by which, as by a touchstone,
all doctrines must be accurately investigated and decided
upon as to whether they be true or false.’
"As, therefore, doctrine is deemed pure so far only as
it flows from the Word of God, and is proved thereby,
and as the privilege of avowing it, when in conformity
with the law of God, is allowed, I venture in my weak
ness, yet with humble confidence, to pour forth the
deepest sentiments of my heart, respecting the theolo
gical writings of Assessor Swedenborg.
"Convinced by experience, I must in the first place
observe, that no man is competent to give a just and
suitable judgment of those writings, who has not read
them, or who has read them only superficially, or with
a determination in his heart to reject them, after having
perused, without examination, some detached parts only :
neither is he competent who rejects them as soon as he
finds any thing that militates against those doctrines,
which he has long cherished and acknowledged as true,
and of which perhaps he is but too blindly enamoured :
nor is he competent, who is an ardent, yet indiscrimi
nating Biblical scholar, that, in explaining the meaning
of the Scriptures, confines his ideas to the literal expres
sion or signification only : and lastly, neither is he com
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