Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Sidor ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
328 [Doc. 245.
TRIAL AT GOTTENBURG.
1727, contain similar words : and whenever the Symbolical
books, on such occasions, are added in order after God’s Word
or the Sacred Scripture, it is in all humility and without
pretence clear to me, that the meaning of the Royal Orders
in respect to them is such as the first foundation and chief
basis of the Symbolical books themselves, viz. that which be
fore has been pointed out in all humility, yields without being
forced.
"But above all Your Royal Majesty’s most gracious decree
about the freedom of the press, dated December 2, 1766,
proclaims for all the inhabitants of Sweden a fundamental
law, viz. all freedom in matters of religion which are not
opposed to our genuine confession of faith and pure evangelical
doctrine.
"And now, as, in accordance with what precedes, a doctrine
is pure, when it is derived from and proved by the Word,
and a confession is genuine when it agrees with such a doctrine;
it is fortunate, that no one is charged with a transgression of
the law in this respect, who confesses and teaches what is
found and most clearly proved to be God’s teaching in the
Sacred Scripture.
"On such incontestable grounds I venture in my weakness,
with confidence, and yet humbly, to utter the sentiments of
my heart in respect to the theological writings of Assessor
Swedenborg, and afterwards to do my humble duty in honestly
defending myself against those charges which concern me indi
vidually.
"Convinced by experience, I must in the first place observe,
one is competent to pass a judgment about these
writings, who has not read them, or has not been willing to
read them ; nor is he who has read them only superficially,
or who with a determination at heart to condemn them, has
read a passage here and there without making a critical
examination of them ; nor again is he who rejects them as
soon as he meets with some things which conflict with principles
that he has long entertained and acknowledged as correct,
and of which he is blindly enamoured. Again, all those are
incompetent to pass a judgment in respect to these writings
who are zealous dogmatists and but slightly acquainted with
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
