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268 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
Word of God, which is the divine fountain and foun
dation of all religion. Much wonderful, and hitherto
hidden information, respecting religion, is brought to
light in them ; various religious errors are detected and
exposed ; various religious truths, too, are manifested,
recommended, and confirmed. The ministers of religion,
therefore, must needs feel themselves particularly in
terested in, and in duty bound to, a careful and candid
examination of these writings, and of the ground and
reasonableness of those high titles by which they are
announced to the public.
"And as such examination implies, at least, perusal,
serious attention, candour, and impartiality of judgment,
the exercise of these virtues will also be expected from
you. To condemn, therefore, or to approve blindly; to
suffer your judgment to be influenced by popular pre
judice, or to be determined by the sentiments of others
rather than by your own ; to be deterred from engaging
in a deliberate and equitable inquiry, because you have
heard the author vilified, and his works stigmatized by
those who perhaps never read them, or who have an
interest in condemning them ; all this would be criminal
in you, and expose you to the censure of all wise and
discerning men, and especially of your own consciences,
at that hour, when you appear in private before the
Maker of hearts and the Inspector of secret purposes.
"Let it be supposed, for a moment, that you had lived
in Judea at the time when the incarnate Word appeared
there, to give light to them who sat in darkness ; and
that your names at this interesting period had been
enrolled in the Jewish priesthood : it is very plain, that
under these circumstances, your duty would have called
you to form a judgment of that wonderful Person, His
pretensions, and His doctrine. But in forming this judg
ment, would you have thought it sufficient to hearken only
to the voice of the multitude ? ’Some said He is a good
man, and that man never spake like Him : others said,
Nay; but He deceiveth the people: he hath a devil,
and is mad ; why hear ye Him?’ The voice of the
multitude therefore was divided, and might lead you
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