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134 DOCUMENTS CONCERNING SWEDENBORG.
world ; and, to a certain extent, it also contains the theology, which shall be
that of the New Church. What is therein contained will, with difficulty, be un-
derstood by any in Gottenburg, except by yourself. This small work has been
sent to all the professors and divines in Holland, and has already come to the
principal German universities, and it is now being translated into English at
London : it will also be published at Paris. On which account we must first
wait for the opinions and judgment concerning it out of Sweden, before it is
made publicly known in Sweden. I therefore request that you will, till then,
keep it for yourself.
*’
On the 26th April I shall set off for Paris. I remain, with all friendly wishes,
&c., yours, &c.,
"Ei\IANUEL SvfEDENBORG,
**
Amsterdam, April 23, 1769."
LETTER xni.
To Dr. Beyer.
" Only two days ago I received your letter of the last month (March), and was
surprised, as I read it through, at the reports, which, it appears, have come
from Stockholm to Gottenburg, to the effect that yourself, together with Dr.
Rosen, shall be deposed, and banished the country, which I certainly cannot be-
lieve, since it contradicts ray reason to suppose, that any person can be deposed
from his office, and banished from the country, from his mere allegation that he
is a heretic in the highest degree, without even an inquiry being made into the
principal state of the question. In the printed protocols I nowhere find that the
parties have even gone into the subject, but that they have only endeavored to
make an attack [upon my writings] with unworthy reproaches and insults,
whereas the subject itself, and the state of the question is this : whether it be
permitted to address ourselves immediately to the Redeemer and Saviour Jesus,
Christ, or whether we be obliged to go a round-about 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 should go the other way, which is the straight
way, namely, to the Redeemer Jesus Christ, is in accordance both with the
Augsburg Confession, and the Formula Concordice, and also with our own prayers
and psalms ; and it entirely agrees with the Word of God.
" In the Augsburg Confession are the following words :
—’ For [the Scripture]
sets before us Christ alone as Mediator, Propitiator, High Priest, and 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, namely,
that he should be invoked, or addressed, in all afflictions’ (1 John ii. 1).
" In the Formvia Concordice are the following v/ords :
* We have a command,
that we should call mpon Christ according to that saying, ’
Come unto me all ye
who labor,’ &c., which is certainly said to us ; and Isaiah says, ch. xi. *
In that
day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people.
On him shall the nations call.’ And in Psalm xlv. ’ The rich among the people
shall entreat thy countenance.’ And in Psalm Ixxii. ’
And all kings of the earth
shall fall down before him,’ And in another verse, * They shall pray before him
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