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LETTER FROM DR. BEYER TO DR. OETINGER. 223
inasmuch as they insist on the two essential articles of
charity and faith, in the same manner as the Lord Him
self has done in the gospels, and in the Revelation of
John ; as will appear evidently to any one who studies
those writings with attention. In my Apocalypse Re
vealed, I have pointed out that passage, (Romans iii. 28.)
which has been so misunderstood, and so imperfectly
explained, as to have given rise to that erroneous doctrine
of justifying faith, so fatally introduced into the reformed
churches.’ Let us now judge of this charge alleged
against him. In truth, I could more readily and speedily
do away with many of the errors with which he is re
proached, and from which he must be freed, if you,
reverend Sir, would allow me to introduce, instead of
my own arguments, Swedenborg’s own defence, as exhi
bited in his writings, for surely there never was a man
who wrote in such agreement with Scripture and reason.
" VIII. Miracles and prophecies carry no proofs of an
enlightening conviction ; besides we dare not look for
them at this period of the world To satisfy ourselves
upon this point, let us examine Matt. xii. 32, 39, xvi. 4 ;
Mark viii. 11 , 12 ; Luke xii. 5,7 ; John xx. 29, and
what Swedenborg himself says in his Angelic Wisdom
concerning the Divine Providence, 129, 135, and Con
jugial Love, 535. To me it appears that the most divine
seal, and the one most suitable to the state of all men,
respecting Swedenborg’s case, is this, that his principles
harmonise with sound reason, and that a lover of his
writings will find his way cleared by their means from so
many doubts, so many contradictions, and so many doc
trines revolting to sound reason. Truth, as far as it
deserves this name, cannot but be comprehensible and in
agreement with itself, if we are disposed to view and con
sider it in its own ground, and in its own order ; but who
can reach those higher truths,—I mean those divine, and,
consequently, hidden ones,-without a revelation from
God ? These Swedenborg has brought to light, and by
no means ascribes them to his own researches, as several
passages in his writings clearly prove ; for example,
Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence,
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