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416 TESTIMONY OF CONTEMPORARIES. [Doc. 252.
not having had any spiritual intercourse myself, by which to
judge of his assertions either approvingly or disapprovingly,
but they cannot appear more extraordinary than the Apoca
lypse of John, and other similar relations contained in the
Bible: the second is his Tenets of Doctrine; of these I can
judge : they are excellent, irrefutable, and the best that ever
were taught, promoting the happiest social life. I know that
Swedenborg has related his memorabilia bonâ fide. I asked
him once, why he wrote and published those memorable re
lations, which seemed to throw so much ridicule on his doctrine,
otherwise so rational; and whether it would not be best for
him to keep them to himself, and not to publish them to the
world? But he answered, that he had orders from the Lord
to publish them; and that those who might ridicule him on that
account would do him injustice ; for, said he, why should I, who
am a man in years, render myself ridiculous for fantasies and
falsehoods. I have sometimes told the King, that, if ever a
new colony were to be formed, no religion could be better,
as the prevailing and established one, than that developed by
Swedenborg from the Sacred Scriptures, and this for the two
following reasons : 1. This religion, in preference to, and in a
higher degree than, any other, must produce the most honest
and industrious subjects ; for this religion properly places the
worship of God in uses: 2. It causes least fear of death, as
this religion regards death merely as a transition from one
state to another, from a worse to a better situation ; nay, upon
his principles, I look upon death as being of hardly any greater
moment than drinking a glass of water. I have been convinced
of the truth of Swedenborg’s doctrine from these arguments
in particular, viz.: That One is the author of every thing, and
that a separate person is not the Creator, and another the
Author of religion; that there are degrees in every thing, and
these subsisting to eternity the history of creation is un
accountable, unless explained in the spiritual sense.
say of the religion which Swedenborg has developed in his
writings from the Word of God, with Gamaliel : ’If it be of
God, it cannot be overthrown ; but if it be of man, it will come
to nought.
"HÖPKEN."
―――
We may
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