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282 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
still more, that now the truth is discovered in its bright
ness, all mankind do not immediately assent to, and rejoice
in it. You will see, likewise, the sanctity of the Holy
Scriptures taught and explained, and the hidden wisdom
thereof opened and brought to light, by the doctrine of
correspondences,* with such a fulness of conviction, as
will at the same time both greatly astonish and edify you,
whilst it supplies an internal evidence of the divinity of
the Sacred Word, and particularly of the Apocalyptic+
part of it, infinitely surpassing, yet not overturning, but
confirming, all its external evidence.
" You will see, further, the purest, plainest, and most
consistent doctrine of life presented to your view, and
contrasted with those impure, dark, and inconsistent tenets,
which are at this day so frequently taught and circulated
under the venerable name of Christian precepts. And
* The Doctrine of Correspondence between things Spiritual and
Natural, according to our author’s testimony, is the only key by
which the genuine internal sense of the Holy Scriptures can be
opened and discovered ; and this circumstance is remarkable in
favour of his testimony, that by the help of this same key he was
enabled to open the books of Genesis and Exodus, as well as the
Revelations. Grotius, Mede, More, and others, who have laboured
to explain this latter book, all saw the necessity of some such key
to effect their purpose ; and More’s treatise on Iconisms is nothing
but an imperfect sketch of the doctrine of correspondence. How
far the interpretations of these expositors, for want of this key,
fall short of our author’s, both in point of clearness and fulness,
must appear manifest to every intelligent and attentive reader.
+ It is well known that for some centuries in the earlier ages of
the church, the authenticity ofthe Apocalypse, which book is now
received as canonical, was by some doubted and disputed. It will
be the happiness of succeeding Christians, who receive the tes
timony ofour anthor, to be convinced of the divine origin of this
extraordinary volume, by such unequivocal characters of au
thenticity, arising from its internal sense, now opened and
explained, as will leave in the believing mind no longer room
for doubt or disputation, but will, on the contrary, excite the
most devout thanksgiving to the Father of Mercies, for having
been graciously pleased to preserve in the church a code of
prophecies, the remarkable accomplishment whereof, if duly
attended to, will be found to supply an evidence in favour of
Divine Revelation, equal at least, if not superior to, the most
signal and best attested miraculous interposition.
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