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HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. OETINGER. 151
nion with the invisible world, that pure and unspotted life, in which we see he
was trained and educated, was necessary. The first promise that Jesus gave to
His disciples, was •
Tkat they should see heaven open’ (John i.) ; and this, we might
reasonably expect, would be tlie first thing announced at His second commg."
*’ Since these are abominable times, when from excessive self-love, discord
and hatred prevail, God has, in the most important matter respecting the state
after death, and the nature of tfie inner man, raised up Swedenborg to assist us.
Jacob Behmen appeared also some time ago, but as he was not informed, as he
himself states, in the sciences, therefore God has raised up Swedenborg, who is
mightily conversant with the sciences, and who, from his youth up, has led a
pious innocent life, and who, in his labors of love, has had no eye to honor,
rank, or wealth. This man God has prepared and chosen like Daniel, in order
to set up, through him, an extraordinary light to this sceptical and unbelieving
world. I believe, according to what he himself states in a letter to a friend,* that
the Lord has appeared to him, and that his interior senses have been opened to
see and to hear things, which we cannot see and hear. But as no manifestations
or revelations from God can take place, but in strict agreement with the laws of
order, by which God necessarily regulates all his operations, so in respect to
Swedenborg; what he makes known to us, is done according to those laws of
order, by which the relation between the visible and invisible worlds is governed.
Now, as Swedenborg had great experience in the sciences of algebra and the
higher mathematics, especially in cosmology, and in all these respects must be
considered equal to Leibnitz,f he has been chosen as a suitable instrument,
having been prepared from his youth, to make known these things to man-
kind."
" God may have appeared to Swedenborg in a way which we may not fully
understand; but he is certainly a phenomenon, such as the world never saw be-
i
fore."
" Concerning the Jure talionis, the Scripture has said but little, but Swedenborg
I has spoken abundantly and beautifully about it."
’
•’ No example of divine influences can be found so brilliant as in Sweden*
i
borg."
We might continue these extracts from the writings of Oetinger respecting the works
1
and character of Swedenborg, but we will conclude with one from his book entitled
j
The High Priesthood of Christ, published in 1772. At p. 47, he says, *’
Swedenborg
j
was from youth innocent, pious, and exemplary, and by no means addicted to imagi-
I
nary pursuits. Geometry, algebra, and mechanics, had guarded him against everything
I like phantastic studies. Diotrephes barked loudly against John, the beloved disciple of
(
Jesus ; and why should we wonder that Swedenborg is so misrepresented and calum-
j
niated 1 Satan has his greatest delight, and his most delicious feast, when he can set
i theologians by the ears, and excite strife and animosity amongst them. But the Lord
1 will bring to light that which has been concealed in darkness."
* To Mr. Hartley. See above p. 36.
t This assertion, coming from Oetinger, is highly important, since few were better
acquainted with the philosophy of Leibnitz than he, as is evident from his work entitled
Earthly and Heavenly Philosophy, in which he gives an analysis of the system of Leib-
nitz, between whom and Swedenborg, he well knew the comparitive merits. Leibnitz
enjoys nearly the same celebrity in Germany as Newton does in England.
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