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A M E M O I R.
OF THE LATE /40% REv. JoHN CLowes, A.M., RECTOR OF ST. JoHN'S CHURCH, MANCHESTER,
AND FORMERLY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE,
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF :
TOGETHER WITH A HISTORY OF THE COMMENCEMENT IN GREAT BRITAIN OF THE
NEW CHURCH,
CAL LED THE NEW J E R U SALEM,
WHICH WAS
Foretold by the LORD, in DANIEL, chap. vii. 13, 14; and in the Rev ELATION, xxi. 1, 2; the Doctrines of which Church are delivered in the
Th E o Lo GICAL W R iT IN Gs of ‘r H. E.
HONOURABLE EMANUEL SWEDEN BORG.
To which Is A DD ED,
A SELECTION OF LETTERS,
oN VARIoUs suBJECTs of cHRISTIAN LIFE AND DocTRINE, ADDREssED BY THE VENERABLE AUTHOR OF THE ABOVE MEMOIR TO SEVERAL PIOUS AND INTELLIGENT FRIENDS.
MANCHESTER :
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. GLEAVE: SOLD ALSO BY MESSRS. CLARKE, MARKET PLACE ; BAYLIS, ST. ANNE'S STREET: AND IN LONDON, BY J. s. HoDsoN, CRoss STREET, HATTON GARDEN ; AND BY SIMPKIN AND MARSHALL, STATIONERS’ HALL COURT. 1834.
--- P R TE F A C E.
IN publishing the following autographical memoir of the late Rev. John Clowes, who, during the long period of sixty-two years, was the highly venerated Rector of St. John's Church, Manchester, toge ther with some of his valuable and edify ing correspondence with several pious and intelligent individuals, on subjects of vital importance to Christian life and practice, we consider that we are performing a most solemn duty to the public at large, and especially to all those whose chief iv PR E FA C E.
end consists in cultivating that spirit of humility, meekness, and mutual love, which constitutes the kingdom of heaven. in the soul, and which so highly adorned the life and character of the late excellent Rector. We therefore presume that there can be no need of any apology—no neces sity for any elaborate argument, to justify our presenting the following memoir and correspondence to the Christian public.
No individual has, probably, been more extensively known, by his various enlightened and practical publications on every subject tending to promote the inte rests of vital Christianity in the minds of his fellow-creatures, than the late esteemed author of the following memoir. His numerous works for promoting the cause of real religion, and consequent salvation, may be considered as so many pure and * unsophisticated channels, through which f s \ P R. E. F. A C E. V the genuine truths of God's Holy Word have been conveyed to numbers of pious minds, who have “hungered and thirsted after righteousness.” It may, therefore, be reasonably expected that the perusal of the following memoir, which was writ ten by himself, will be highly delightful to the numerous readers of his instructive and edifying works.
When we have received any essential and solid benefit through the agency of any individual, we naturally feel desirous of knowing something of our benefactor: thus, in respect to the late venerated Clowes, through whose instrumentality thousands have been essentially benefit ed, we naturally wish to become ac quainted with his character in all its bearings, and to know in what manner he had acquired a knowledge of those sublime doctrines of heavenly truth, which vi P R E FA C E. are derived from the Word of God, when properly understood, and which had en lightened his understanding to an extra ordinary degree, and actuated his heart by the most noble ends and motives that can exalt and dignify our nature: these ends and motives refer to the glory of God, and the salvation of His intelligent creatures. The human heart is so consti tuted, when influenced by proper prin ciples,—the principles of genuine Chris tianity, as to feel a strong and almost irresistible impulse to reciprocate in mu tual love with all from whom we derive essential and lasting benefits; and if there be no other means of testifying our reci procal and mutual regard, we must, if actuated by a proper influence, show it in the spirit of sincere acknowledgment and gratitude. Hence, we have no doubt that many readers of the edifying writings of the late venerable Clowes, have fre PR EFA C E. - Vii quently experienced a strong desire to know something of the leading features and important events of his long and use ful career.
It is generally acknowledged that man is created for the enjoyment of a happy immortality; and from this acknowledg ment it may almost be intuitively seen, that the human race is the seminary of heaven, and that generations of mankind are continually arising, in endless succes sion, in order to furnish continual and increasing supplies for the enlargement and population of the heavenly kingdom. The establishment, therefore, of this glo rious kingdom, is a work truly worthy of the Divine Love, Wisdom, and Power, and to accomplish which, all the divine ener gies and operations, in the infinite variety of their manifestation, are continually di rected. But the chief means made use
b viii P REFA C E. of by the Divine Mercy and Power, for the accomplishment of this glorious end, is the revelation of the Divine Word. This revelation is the essential Divine Truth, which, considered as to its “spirit and its life,” is, according to the declara tion of the Evangelist, the “Lord Him self.” It is that light which, irradiating His gloriously Divine Person, forms the “Sun of Righteousness,”f and which the Lord identifies with Himself, when He says, “I am the Light of the world.” To receive, therefore, the divine truth of the Lord's Word into the mind, and to incor porate it into our affections, by loving and doing it, is to receive the Lord Himself, according to His own merciful declaration, “Behold, I stand at the door and hnock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
, *. John i. 1. + Mal. iv. 2. # John ix. 5. PR E FA C E. ix. and he with Me.” But we cannot receive the Divine Truth, unless it be understood; hence the Lord says, “whoso readeth, let him understand;”f nor can we understand it, unless we are guided by the light of a genuine doctrine; henge when Philip asked the eunuch “whether he understood what he was reading, he said, How can I, except some man should guide me”! Now in the character of a most able guide to the proper understanding of the truth of God's Holy Word must we consider the esteemed subject of the following memoir; and numbers of individuals are ready to acknowledge that their minds have been enabled, through his instrumentality, to understand the divine Oracles of Truth in a most satisfactory and edifying man ner, so as to experience that power and efficacy upon their hearts, which should
* Rev. iii. 20. Matt. xxiv. 15. Aets viii. 30, 31. X P R. E. F. A C E. always accompany the proper understand ing of the Sacred Scriptures; and in the memoir which we now present to the Christian public, it cannot but be most interesting, to see in what way the res pected author was led to see those prin ciples of scriptural interpretation, which enabled him to be so extensively useful to his Christian brethren.
The chief object of the following me moir, the brevity of which we regret, ap pears to have been accomplished, which was that of giving an historical account of the first establishment and progress of those Heavenly Doctrines, which are de rived from the Holy Word, on new and exalted principles of scriptural interpre tation, and which the author, after the enlightened Swedenborg, was one of the first to advocate in this country; and as the adoption of these exalted principles— PR E FA C E. xi the laws of correspondence between things natural and things spiritual—by which the Scriptures may be expounded in a most luminous and edifying manner, so as entirely to obviate all the objections, and to frustrate all the attacks, of deism and infidelity, is intended to lead to the esta blishment of a new Christian church, in which the Lord Jesus Christ will be ac knowledged and worshipped as the only God of heaven and earth, and thus to form a new and glorious era in the Chris tian world, the Rev. J. Clowes, at the same time, intended to give an historical sketch of the rise and progress of that New Church, called the New J erusalem, which is now being gradually and perma nently established in the world.
As the memoir is deficient in many things which might truly be said of that excellent man,—a circumstance, indeed, xii PR E FA C E. which we must naturally expect, when we consider that it was written by himself, we have deemed it proper to append to it some interesting information concerning him, which was published soon after his decease. The extracts which we have made are from a variety of pens, and from different parts of the kingdom. Hence it will be seen, how high he stood in the estimation of all who knew him from his extensive and useful publications, and also how much he was venerated by all who had the happiness of being personally acquainted with him, as an example of Christian humility, intelligence, and love.
With respect to the selection of let ters, which the Rev. J. Clowes addressed to several intelligent and pious persons, on subjects of edifying importance, which follow the memoir, we have only to ob serve that it is our candid conviction that PR EFA CE. xiii they cannot be read without yielding con siderable profit to every individual who peruses them with a humble and inquir ing mind.
The generality of works on religious subjects are written in a formal and sys tematic manner; and, indeed, this is the proper didactic method of conveying in struction to the mind; but the style of mutual correspondence, by an interchange of letters, has something peculiar to itself, something which is especially adapted to the heart, and more calculated than any other style of composition to awaken and engage its affections. When we commu nicate with a friend on subjects of vital importance, our ideas are generally fraught with so great a degree of simplicity, clear ness, and energy, that they immediately strike home to the heart; and thus the seeds of salutary instruction may proba xiv PR EFA C E. * bly be sown, so as to take a deeper and more effective root, than can possibly be accomplished by any other method. Hence we are inclined to suppose, that the letters contained in this volume will be frequently resorted to by the pious Christian, as a delightful means of spi ritual refreshment on his journey through the wilderness of this world, when the formal sermon, and the systematic treatise would not present any thing inviting to the wearied spirit, and consequently be left undisturbed in their recess. *
That the following pages may be con ducive to the spiritual and eternal welfare of the reader, is the devout prayer of the
5 * EDITORs. INTRODUCTION.
THE ALMIGHTY, in His adorable mercy, having been pleased, in these latter days, to accomplish His own divine predictions, by revealing to mankind the interior things of His most holy Word and Kingdom, through the instrumentality of His chosen and enlightened servant, Emanuel Swedenborg, and by thus manifesting Himself in His Divine Humanity, as the ONE ONLY GoD of heaven and earth, it is strongly impressed on the mind of the writer of the following pages, that some record of this most interesting and important event ought to be written for the use of succeeding generations.
He, accordingly, has been induced to take up his pen, for the purpose of making known to millions yet unborn, the mercies and providences
A. ii INTRODUCTION. of the Most High, from a full conviction that such knowledge will, sooner or later, be held in the highest estimation amongst men, and be productive of the most happy effects, by leading them to a purer adoration of the LoRD, in his divine operations.
Moreover, it hath pleased the ALMIGHTY not only to open the eyes of the writer to see, in his own mind, the unspeakable glory of His promised second advent here on earth, but also to continue him, during a period of nearly forty years," to be an eye witness of the progress and unfolding of that glory in the minds of others; and, therefore, what he has to declare on this occasion may be considered as a transcript of his own experience, and a faithful
narrative of what his own eyes have seen. - * * c Before, however, he enters upon a history of the commencement of the Church in general, he conceives it may be useful to give a brief account of himself in particular, and especially of the extraordinary manner in which he was first led to
* : * ...
* This was written in the year 1814; but the author lived until 1831, INTRODUCTION. iii peruse and to receive the doctrines of the New Church. For in reading a history, every one naturally wishes to know something of the historian, since the credibility of the history, it is generally acknowledged, is always affected, in a greater or less degree, by the life and character of him who writes it. Let it not, then, be thought to be the effect of vanity or ostentation, that the author prefaces his history of the New Church with a compendium of his own history; for, when a man has already one foot in the grave, and perceives clearly that the other must soon follow, it is hardly to be supposed that vanity and ostenta tion can have any sway, under circumstances so humiliating.
But, granting that the author's mind is not yet completely purified from these defilements of self-love, and that he imposes upon himself by fancying he is less fond of human applause than he really is, let him at least obtain credit, when he asserts solemnly, and in the presence of GoD, that it is the sincere and governing desire of his heart to be imposed upon no longer, but rather to fix his inward eye on the glory of GoD alone, and iv. INTRODUCTION. the good of His church, as the grand objects which he has in view in writing about himself. And believing in the sincerity of this declaration, let the reader proceed to peruse the following auto graphical memoir of the author. *
* i MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR.
He was born at Manchester, on the 31st day of October, in the year 1743. His father was a barrister at law, and continued the practice of his professional duties at Manchester, and in the neighbourhood, during his life. His mother was the daughter of a pious and learned clergyman in Wales,the Rector of Llanbedar, near Ruthin, and inherited all her father's virtues. She died, however, when the author was only seven years old, so that he did not derive so much advantage, as he might otherwise have done, from her piety and her example. All that he recollects concerning her is, that she was very assiduous about the attendance of her children at church, and also about their private devotions, every morning and evening. For this purpose, as soon as they could read, she supplied each of them with a book of Common Prayer, and also with Bishop Kenn's Manual of Prayers, for the use of the Winchester scholars. From this latter book the author after 2 MEMOIR OF THE wards derived the greatest benefit, insomuch that he has often since been led to regard it as an especial instrument, under God, of inseminating into his mind the principles of Christian life and duty. And here he is constrained earnestly to recommend to all parents, a zealous attention to the education of their children in Christian principles, since the tender mind, at that age, is in a fitter state than at any future period, to receive the seed of the eternal truth; and if that seed-time be neglected, there is too much reason to fear, that the ground may afterwards be so over-run with thorns and thistles, as to admit, with difficulty, the insemination and growth of heavenly principles. Besides, the evil propensities of children, it is well known, begin to manifest themselves, and their pernicious operation, in the very dawn and spring-time of life, and, consequently, if no barrier of piety and virtue be then opposed to their opera tion, they reign uncontrolled, and confirm and extend every day, more and more, their baneful dominion over the whole mind and life of the neglected and untutored subject. - But to return: it was not only to his mother, but to his father also, that the author was indebted for his Christian education, since it was a constant rule with the latter, not only to be accompanied by his children, every returning Sabbath, to the house of God, both morning and evening, but also to call his family together in the evening of that holy day, REV, JOHN CLOWES. 3 to hear a sermon, and to join in the more private duty of family devotion. On these occasions the master of the family was constantly the priest; and whether it was owing to this circumstance, or to the time of the day when the service was performed, and when the hurry and impetuosity of youthful spirits might be supposed to have subsided, that a more powerful effect was produced, the author will not pretend to determine; but certain it is, that impressions of the deepest nature were then made on his juvenile mind, insomuch that he has since been led most humbly and devoutly to adore that Divine Mercy, which was pleased, at so early a period, to manifest its divine operations, by exciting so lively a sense of the being, the kingdom, the providence, the love, and the omnipotence of the Father of the Universe. He has reason also to believe, that from the united exertions of his parents in thus opening his young mind towards heaven, he derived, under God, that religious bias and inclination, which never afterwards entirely forsook him, howsoever it might at times be overshadowed and obscured, by the pursuit of inferior interests and gratifications. And here he feels himself led to mention an instance of the power which religion had acquired over him, when he was yet but a boy, about six or seven years old. His mother had always accustomed him to say his prayers, every morning and evening, and in order to make this duty more agreeable and 4 MEMOIR OF THE
interesting, she had explained to him its nature and effects, by informing him particularly, how pleasing it was in the sight of God, and how God never failed to grant the petitions of those who prayed with sincerity. Accordingly, he was regu larly found on his knees, both at the beginning of the day, and at the close of it, imploring the divine favour, protection, and forgiveness. But this was not all; for one day, when it was very wet, so that he was obliged to stay within doors, having dis covered in his Prayer Book, a form of supplication for fair weather, he immediately went up stairs into his chamber, and falling down on his knees, repeated the words of the supplication before God, in the most devout manner. It happened that the day following was particularly fine, which he interpreted into a sign that the Almighty had heard his prayers, and from that period he remarked, that all his devotions were attended with a fuller persuasion of the divine presence and omnipotence, imposing a more fixed belief, that he was sure to receive whatsoever he asked in true faith and sincerity, because all things are possible with God. Thus it is that the Almighty, in His adorable and condescending mercy, operates on the minds of His children, in the very infancy of their existence, and by convincing them of His omnipotence, lays the foundation of that blessed faith in their hearts and lives, which is to be their future qualification to admit Him and all the blessings of His kingdom. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 5
It was about this time that the author was sent to a grammar school, in Salford, the master of which was a pious and devout clergyman of the Church of England, who did not think it sufficient to instruct his scholars in Latin and Greek, but ex tended his instructions also to religious knowledge. The duties of the school were accordingly always preceded by prayer, and the morning of every Saturday was appropriated exclusively to an expla nation of the Church Catechism. The author has since looked back, with unfeigned gratitude to the Divine Providence, upon this instance of its paternal care, in placing him at a school where Christianity was taught, together with classical learning, and where the young mind, being instructed in the doc trines of the Gospel, was less exposed to the danger resulting from the perusal of Heathen literature, and from the perplexities and impurities of Heathen
mythology. - In reflecting, too, on this period of his life, he has frequently been led to prostrate himself in devout thankfulness before the Father of his being, for these three especial proofs of His loving kindness at that time experienced; first, that he was always enabled to pursue his studies with affection and diligence; secondly, that in learning his lessons, and composing his school exercises, he was ever led to depend on his own exertions, more than on the aid of others, and thus acquired a habit of application to business; and, thirdly, that he had B 6 MEMOIR OF THE always a strong relish for juvenile sports and pas times, which relish, he has since been convinced, is communicated from heaven, for the double purpose of recreating and promoting the growth both of
mind and body. - - After remaining at school, until he had acquired what was thought a competent knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages, he was removed, at the age of eighteen, to the University of Cambridge, where he was admitted, in the year 1761, a pen sioner of Trinity College. And here he is constrained again to adore that Divine Mercy and Providence, which placed him in a situation so accordant with his wishes, and for which he had so frequently and earnestly suppli cated the divine interference. Indeed, such was his partiality for a university education, as a previous qualification to being admitted into the Christian ministry, that he verily believes, had his father not consented to this plan, it would have been attended with the most serious consequences to his bodily health. Yet his father, having already one son (his elder) at the university, frequently hesitated about the profession of the younger, and at one time intended him for the study of the law. But who shall oppose the counsels of the Eternal P or who shall frustrate divine purposes? Let parents then learn, from this circumstance, this important lesson respecting the determination of their offspring to any particular profession or REV, JOHN CLOWES. 7 employment, viz., always to consult the bias or ruling inclination of the party concerned, and to regard such bias or inclination as a dictate from heaven, intended for the accomplishment of the designs of that Being, who alone knows, either the proper character, or the suitable station and office of all His children, as connected with such
accomplishment. - - It is not the intention of the author to detain the reader with a particular account of the progress of his studies, during his stay at the university. One thing, however, he thinks it his duty to remark, because it may possibly lead to the correction, in future, of an evil, which he conceives to be of the first magnitude in a seminary of education, where, it is to be supposed, so many young men are pre paring for the exercise of the Christian ministry. His remark is, that during the whole period of his residence in college, he was never once called upon to attend a single lecture on theological or religious subjects, not even so far as related to the evidences of the Christian dispensation. The sad consequence was, as might be expected, that the serious impressions which he had brought along with him from school, instead of being more con firmed and extended, as they might have been, were in the utmost danger of being weakened and entirely effaced. * Whilst, however, he has frequently been since led to deplore a neglect, from which the most fatal 8 MEMOIR OF THE
results were to have been apprehended, he has nevertheless seen abundant occasion to adore, at the same time, that Divine Mercy and Providence, which had sown the seed of religious instruction so deeply in his mind, as to enable him both to note that neglect, and to guard against its mischiefs. The carelessness, therefore, of his superiors, in this instance, only tended to redouble his own watchfulness, and he seemed to learn instruction even from that supineness in others, which would have shut the door of instruction. Thus doth the Almighty occasionally bring good out of evil, and converts apparent obstacles into the means of ex tending the boundaries of His own kingdom. Yet the author doth not pretend to say, that during his residence in the university, he was so watchful and circumspect as he might have been ; for it has often since occurred to him, though he was not aware of it at the time, that vanity and the love of worldly reputation had mixed themselves, as motives, both with his literary pursuits, and with his associations, and had gained a powerful ascendency in his mind. Still there were moments when he was made very sensible, in his own mind, that the love of science was a more prevailing principle than the love of fame, and that the delights of friendship were far sweeter than the credit of great con nexions. At those moments he had the sense to reflect, that both the affection of science, and the genuine delights of friendship are imparted from REV. JOHN CLOWES. 9 above; and one day, in particular, he recollects being so powerfully struck with this sentiment, that he was compelled to fall down on his knees before the Father of Mercies, in devout adoration of His divine bounty; first, for having communicated to His children the love of knowledge, and for opening to their view that new world of wonders which knowledge discovers; and, secondly, for having inspired the delights of disinterested friendship, which appeared to him, at that time, the purest and highest joys which the human mind is capable of tasting. He can never forget the impression made on his mind on this occasion, when he was acknowledging with gratitude the effects of the love of knowledge, and contemplating that new world of scientific wonder, which seemed to him so glorious and enchanting. “Thou doest well,” said an internal dictate, “to wonder and to adore; but wait patiently, and thou shalt see greater things than these.” It was not, however, made known to him, what these greater things were, until he began, several years afterwards, to apply his mind more earnestly to the contemplation and pursuit of religious knowledge, at which time the dictate was brought again to his recollection. After having kept the stated number of terms, the author was admitted to his first degree in arts, in the year 1766, and had the pleasure of finding his attention to his studies distinguished and re warded by the insertion of his name in the first list 10 MEMOIR OF THE of candidates for university honours. From this period he commenced a new career, being appointed private tutor to several young gentlemen, and determined to devote himself to the labours of his new occupation. He had also very flattering and advantageous offers made him from another college, which seemed to open a way to the first dignities and highest emoluments both in the university, and in the church. But how fallacious are all human prospects, and in many cases, how contrary to divine purposes! The providence of the Almighty had other designs in view, and the time was now arrived, when those designs were to be developed and accomplished. Little, however, did the author conceive, or perhaps at that period was capable of conceiving, in what manner his own will was to be bent in conformity to the divine will, and what a process of bitter suffering was necessary for this end. He thought, indeed, that he was then serving God acceptably ; and comparing himself with others, he fancied that he stood rather high in the scale of the divine favour. But he was soon to be convinced of the error of his own calculations, by the views which were to be opened in his mind, both of the imperfection, or rather defilement, of his leading motives of conduct, and also of the purity of that law of life which is to conduct man to the regions of bliss. REV. JOHN CLOWES, 11
He had now passed about three years in the superintendence of the studies of his private pupils, during which time the natural pride and vanity of his heart were considerably increased and cherished, by his being twice a successful candidate for a prize, given by the University's Representatives in Par liament, to the two middle and two senior bachelors, who composed the best Latin Essay, on a proposed subject. At the expiration of this period, it pleased the Divine Providence to visit him with a terrible scourge, which, by checking the career of his . worldly purposes, at once dashed out of his hand the cup of happiness of which he had been drinking; overturned all his plans and projects of human greatness; confounded his ambition; laid him low in the dust of contrition and self-abasement; and thus prepared his mind to receive all those lessons of heavenly wisdom and life, which the Almighty is ever desirous to impart to all His creatures, but which He cannot impart safely and to advantage, until His creatures are taught the want of them by a feeling sense of their own natural blindness and corruption. The scourge here alluded to was a severe attack in the stomach, which destroyed all the powers of digestion, and, of course, rendered the unhappy subject of it utterly unable either to prosecute his own studies, or to superintend those of others. The consequence was, that he was obliged to give up the care of his private pupils, 12 MEMOIR OF THE
and to think of retiring from a situation, , where he could be no longer useful, and where he had the daily mortification of beholding himself as a kind of bankrupt of all his hopes and expectations. At the same time many serious thoughts crowded upon his mind, and added to his sorrows. On one occasion, he recollects, he was led to examine himself respecting his scientific pursuits, and to ask himself the interesting question,-What advantage he had derived from them? “They have destroyed my bodily health,” said he to himself, “and inca pacitated me for the enjoyment of this world's goods. But what have they done for my soul, or what capacity have they imparted of future bliss?” The answers, which conscience was compelled to give to these questions, were not of a very conso latory nature, but quite the reverse, being often attended with the most distressing reflections. And here he feels himself induced to mention a singular circumstance, which has since struck him, as being one of those providential occurrences, by which the Father of Mercies is pleased, at times, to operate on the minds of His children, in order to awaken them to a true sense of duty, and of their connexion with Him and with His kingdom. He was invited, one evening, to a supper party, and went to his friend's room at an earlier hour than the rest of the company, in consequence of the complaint in his stomach, which made him glad of every opportunity of quitting his own room. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 13
On entering his friend's apartment, he found him engaged in writing a letter, and, therefore, begged to go into his study, and there amuse himself till supper. He accordingly retired, and took down a book, not for the purpose of reading it, for his A infirmity did not allow him to read, but merely to cast his eye over its contents. What the title of the book was, he does not recollect, nor is it of any consequence for the reader to know it; but this he recollects well, and can never forget, that in turning over the leaves, the word eternity met his eye, and instantly, like a flash of lightning, darted into the inmost recesses of his spirit. It is impossible for him to describe, or for any one else to conceive, the effect produced by this one single word, in the way of awful judgment and severe rebuke. Suffice it, therefore, to observe, that in a moment it called all his former sins to remembrance, passed sentence upon them, rent the wail of sepa ration between him and the eternal world, and seemed to place him in the immediate presence, and under the scrutinizing inspection of the Father of the Universe. He has since, however, been enlightened to see, that it was not merely the sight of the word eternity, which produced such effects, for he had frequently read the word before, without being moved by it, but that it was the divine power and spirit of the Most High, which operated at that time in and by that word. And he is led to record C 14 MEMOIR OF THE this circumstance as a convincing proof, amongst many others, that man is the continual subject of such divine operation; and that though, by his thoughtlessness and impenitence, he may frustrate its blessed purposes, and be hardened against its salutary reproofs, yet whensoever his heart is in a due state of preparation, he is then made sensible that he is not left alone, but that all the host of heaven, under the influence and direction of their God, are his ministering spirits, to convince him of his sins, to soften and subdue his obduracy, to excite to repentance, and thus to open the gates of everlasting life and salvation. But to return: the author was too much affected by the emotions which the above circumstance excited, to remain long, that evening, in company; accordingly, he made an excuse for leaving it, at an early hour, and retired to bed, but alas! not to rest; his mind being agitated, during the whole of the night, by the remembrance of what had passed, and by the new discoveries of an eternal world, which were opened to his view. Many painful recollections also were recalled, with their attendant fears; at the same time that many pious resolutions were made, which invited hopes. Thus the night was spent between alarm and consolation, between the dread of eternal death, and the bright prospect presented of endless bliss, through repentance and sincere conversion to the Father of Mercies. R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 15
From this period commenced a new aera in the author's life, the principal feature of which seemed to consist in a full conviction of the comparative vanity of all earthly gain and glory, and at the same time of the substantial reality of those invisible and eternal goods announced in the gospel. He was struck with astonishment at the reflection, that this conviction had not met him sooner, and that he had so long acted under the delusion of contrary persuasions. Yet he felt thankful to the Almighty, that though called to work in His wineyard at so late an hour, it was not yet too late to work effectually. Accordingly he determined, through divine assistance, from this moment to dedicate the remainder of his days, which he then concluded to be but few, to the more immediate service of his Maker, by applying himself to the sacred duties of that holy profession into which he had been initiated by the then Bishop of London, Dr. Terrick, for more than two years. And here a singular occurrence presented itself, which has since struck him as a signal interference of the Divine Providence, and which, on that account, he is led to record. The church of the Parish of St. John, in Manchester, of which he has been the rector about forty-five years," was at that time within
* Mr. Clowes continued to be the rector seventeen years after this was written. 16 MEMOIR OF THE three or four months of being finished, and ready for consecration. About a year previously to this period, the church had been offered to him by its worthy founder, the late Edward Byrom, Esq.; but the offer was then rejected with a degree of indignation, at the idea that he could be expected to accept an appointment, so unequal both to his prospects and his wishes. Little did the author think at that time, either of the will of heaven, which he was opposing, or of the perverse temper of mind in which he opposed it; but least of all did he foresee that the will of heaven was to be accomplished, and that for this purpose his own perverse temper was to be changed, and this by the overthrow of all his worldly plans, projects, and expectations. Indeed, according to all human Judgment, nothing could be more improbable, than that an offer like the above, when it had been once rejected, should be again made. Yet this improbability vanished before the designs of Providence, and to the author's utter astonishment, the church was tendered again to his acceptance, within three months of its consecration ; it was tendered too at the time when affliction had broken his heart, and laid him low in the dust of humi liation and repentance before his God; and when, the kingdom of sin and folly having been thus weakened, he saw things with new eyes, and made his calculations accordingly. He was now, therefore, led to accept what he had before in R. E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 17 haughtiness refused, and to accept it with thank fulness, as a boon of Providence, intended for the improvement and security of his eternal good.— How unsearchable are the counsels of the Almighty, and His ways past finding out ! Perhaps no Christian minister ever entered upon the sacred duties of his calling under cir cumstances more singular, and, in some respects, more apparently unpropitious, than the author, when he took his final leave of the university, and commenced his ministerial labours at his church in Manchester. His theological researches had been very limited, and his religious views were accordingly obscure and imperfect. He had, indeed, read the thirty-nine articles, which form the code of , doctrine peculiar to the Established Church, and he had perused some of the more distinguished authors who endeavour to explain and confirm that code of doctrine. But this was all : he had no clear and distinct views of the eternal truth in his own mind, and his ideas on the subject were rather those of others, than his own. He believed, indeed, in the Sacred Scriptures; at least, he fancied he believed in them, because, from childhood, he had been taught to acknowledge their divine authority, as inspired of God; but he discerned nothing of their own internal evidence, and still less of that deep and instructive wisdom, which he afterwards discovered to lie concealed, as a hidden treasure, in the sacred volume. Thus, in beginning to teach 18 MEMOIR OF THE others, he soon found that he wanted a teacher himself; and he has since been exceedingly shocked to think that he should ever have had the pre sumption, under such disqualifications, to ascend his pulpit. Yet some things, it must be confessed, were in his favour, since, whatsoever might be the obscurity and imperfection of his religious know ledge, he certainly had a zeal for the salvation of souls. For divine rebuke, as hath been already shown, had broken his heart. The powers of the world to come were thus manifested to his mind, in all their nearness and great reality. He saw death and judgment, and heaven and hell, immediately before his eyes. He was besides convinced, by a terrible testimony in his own conscience, of the tremendous effects of sin; and by a testimony, on the other hand, alike consolatory, of the peaceable fruits of righteousness. His discourses from the pulpit were accordingly more addressed to the wills and affections of his congregation, than to their understandings, because he felt more anxious to convert them to God, and make them sensible of His love, than to build them up in any particular form of speculative doctrine and opinion. If his congregation, then, were not enlightened by his preaching, with the bright light of the eternal truth, they were at least warned against sin, and encouraged to depart out of the land of spiritual Egypt, and the house of bondage, to seek an asylum of peace, of innocence, and of protection REV. JOHN CLOWES. 19
in the heavenly Canaan of the love of God, and the kingdom of His righteousness. But the time was fast approaching, when the understanding of the author was to be better informed, and especially when the glory of the Lord was to be revealed to him by the bright light of the eternal truth, at that time beginning to dawn upon a benighted world, through the instrumentality of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem. This light, however, was too full and dazzling, to be admitted at once into his dark mind, and, therefore, it was necessary that he should be gradually prepared for its reception, by the previous admission of an order of intermediate truth, which, like the preaching of John the Baptist, might be preparatory to the appearing and manifestation of the purer wisdom taught by the Incarnate God. On this occasion, he hath since been enabled clearly to discern the manifest interference and leading of the Divine Providence, since he has every reason to con clude, that had the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem been presented to him, without the above preparation, he should instantly have rejected them. What that order of intermediate truth was, which constituted this necessary pre paration; in what manner it was first discovered; and how it was finally supplanted by the brighter and clearer light flowing from the countenance 20 MEMOIR OF THE of the Great Saviour, at His glorious second advent, shall now be communicated to the reader. And here the author has to record a circum stance, which befel him about this time, and which, trifling as it may appear to others, has since excited in his own mind a devout thankfulness to the Almighty, attended with a secret inward sense of His providential regard to the concerns of . His creatures. The circumstance was this: not many months after his settling in Manchester, he retired, one morning, to his father's study, not so much for the purpose of reading, because the complaint in his stomach, which still remained, would not allow him to read, but to adjust, and especially to draw up a catalogue of the books, which was much wanted. In the course of this occupation, his eye was forcibly struck with the title of one of the octavos, which enkindled in his mind the most ardent desire to examine its contents, and which led him more and more to deplore the infirmity by which he was disabled from accomplishing his wishes. The title of the book was, Christian Perfection, by William Law; and he thought within himself, what can be the
meaning of Christian perfection? - At the same time, his eagerness to become acquainted with the subject increased to such a degree, as to be almost irresistible, so that he determined, at least, to make an attempt, to give the volume a thorough perusal. But what was his R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 21.
astonishment when he found that his disability to read, which had troubled him now about twelve months, was instantly removed, insomuch that in a few days, he had perused every page of the book which had excited his curiosity, and not only so, but within a few weeks he was enabled to go through most of the other volumes written by the same authorl From that period too, he recovered perfectly his power of reading, of which he was never afterwards deprived. Without insisting here on the point of provi dential design and interference in regard to the above circumstance, the author feels desirous of remarking, that it brought him acquainted with a writer, whose piety at once warmed and elevated his affections, and whose sentiments at the same time, tended to open his under standing to new and clearer views of the grand designs of the Christian Dispensation, and of that purity of life on the part of man, which is necessary to make him a partaker of its blessings. Hitherto he had regarded Christianity, not so much as a life, but as a law; not so much as tending to communicate to man divine power from above, for his inward purification and rege neration, but only as supplying him with a new creed, and bringing him acquainted with new. precepts. But he was now enlightened to see clearly, that the grand design of the Gospel is to make man a new creature, by supplying him D 22 MEMOIR OF THE with a renovating spirit from above; by opening a continual intercourse of communication between him and heaven; by teaching him the necessity of the great duties of repentance and self-denial, in order to become a subject of that intercourse; and, finally, by making him a child of God, through a gradual process of regeneration, or a new birth of the divine spirit and life of the Most High. Yet, with all these excellencies, he thought that he afterwards discovered some defects, not to say radical errors, in the writer under con sideration. For to say nothing of the preference manifestly given by Law, to a contemplative life above an active one, and to a single life above a married one, a preference grounded evidently in the dangerous errors of the Romish Church, it must not be concealed, that the ideas of Christian duties, which he suggests, particu larly in his Treatise on Christian Perfection, are such, as not only to give to religion a frightful and forbidding aspect, but also to render her wisdom impracticable by the generality of Christians. His ideas, too, on the Trinity, appear not to be altogether just, whilst he regards the Trinity as a Trinity of fire, light, and spirit, without ever fixing the attention of his reader on the divine humanity of Jesus Christ, in whom, and in whom alone, that Trinity of fire, light, and spirit, or as it might perhaps be better R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. - 23
expressed, of divine love, wisdom, and operation exists. In like manner his views of the Sacred Scriptures seem not to be in perfect accord with the truth; for he regards them more as a testimony of the truth, than as the truth itself, and thus separates them from connexion and conjunction with their divine source, not aware that the Sacred Scriptures are that Word of the living God, by which the heavens and the earths were originally made, and consequently that they contain, in their interior bosom, all the fulness of the divine will, wisdom, and operation, brought near to man, and accommodated in the letter to his capacity of reception. Nor is he more correct in his sentiments about the human soul, which he considers as possessing life in itself, rather than as being a mere recipient of dife from God; nor yet in his sentiments about the first state of man in paradise, which he regards as an angelic state of perfection, into which man was introduced by the Almighty at the instant of his creation, when yet it is evident that man, at his first creation, must have been merely a natural man, agreeably to that declaration of the apostle, That was not first which was spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual, yet with the capacity of becoming spiritual by regeneration. But to return :—Through the writings of Law the author became acquainted with several of the 24 MEMOIR OF THE mystics, as they are commonly called, particularly Fenelon, Madame Guion, Peter Poiret, John Engelbrecht, Hiel, Thomas a Kempis, Rusbro chius, Taulerus, and Jacob Behmen, amongst the devout writers of other countries; and with Dr. Henry More, Bishop Patrick, Bishop Hall, Dr. Cudworth, Peter Sterry, Norris Smith, (the author of Select Discourses,) Bromley, and Mrs. Jane Lead, amongst those of our own country. In all the works of these writers, he found much to love and admire, because it must be evident to every one who gives their writings a serious and candid perusal, that the grand design which they had in View, is to make man sensible of his own nothingness before God, and of his absolute dependance on God for every temporal blessing which he enjoys, as well as for every spiritual grace and excellence whereby he can hope to become a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. The doctrine, therefore, which forms the basis of all their teaching, is that of humility, meekness, patience, and self-renunciation, by the devout practice of which virtues, it is urged, man is delivered from the defilements of selfish, worldly, and corporeal love, and being renewed in the spirit of heavenly love and charity, is finally made that new creature, of which it is written, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. He is desirous also to remark, (what appeared to himself at the time to be a singular operation of REV. JOHN CLOWES. 25 the Divine Providence,) that during his perusal of the above writers, he seemed to himself to have lost all recollection of his former academical knowledge, both classical, mathematical, and philosophical, so that he felt himself reduced, as it were, to a second infancy, in which he had every thing to learn afresh. It was not a little extra ordinary also, that, during this period, his mind was kept in the external innocence of a little child; all his natural evils appeared to be quiescent, no trouble or trial was suffered to approach him, and thus he was wonderfully preserved in a state capable of admitting those pure truths, which, were to be instrumental in introducing him afterwards to real internal innocence, by enabling him to bear the troubles and trials necessary for his purification. But the full time was now arrived, when, having passed through the several stages of initiatory or introductory truth, the author's mind was to be opened to the reception of a brighter and more genuine light, as displayed in the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem. The twinkling of the stars was thus to be supplanted by the splendour of the rising sun. In what manner, and by what mercies this interesting event was to be accomplished, shall now, in as few words as possible, be presented to the reader. It happened, in the spring of the year 1773, that the author was invited by a lady to take a seat 26 MEMOIR OF THE with her in her carriage, whilst she went to consult her father's executor, Richard Houghton, Esq., of Liverpool, on some business respecting her father's will. The author had never seen Mr. Houghton, but had heard much of his piety and learning, and he was inclined afterwards to believe that the principal motive for the lady's invitation was, that she might have an opportunity of introducing him to an acquaintance with a person, from whom he was sure to derive both delight and edification. Mr. Houghton had enjoyed the advantages of a university education, but, in consequence of inheriting a large paternal estate, had never de termined himself to any profession. His favourite study was theology, and in pursuit of this object, he had spared no expense, to supply his library with all that had been written on the subject, both in his own and other countries. But his theology was not that dry and barren science of mere speculation, which reaches no farther than the intellect, and is concerned only about the orthodoxy of a creed. It was the theology of the heart, deeply affected with the things of God, thoroughly sensible of its own wants and weaknesses, and studious only to gain the victory over sin, that it might be restored to the order of heaven, and regain a living conjunction with its God. This ruling disposition of his interior mind was strongly marked in his looks, his gestures, and the tone of his voice, all of which bespoke him to have been a man of sorrows, REV, JOHN CLOWES. 27
and acquainted with grief in his former combats against his corruptions, whilst they as evidently declared that he had seen of the travail of his soul, and was satisfied in his present possession of that peace which the world cannot give. From conversation with this excellent man, it soon appeared, that for a few years past, he had been an affectionate reader of the theological writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg, in the original Latin, having been introduced to the knowledge of them by the translation of the Treatise on Influx, which he first met with at Bath. He was also in the habit of corresponding with the Rev. T. Hartley, Rector of Winwick, in Northamp tonshire, the venerable translator of that treatise. This gentleman read to the author several interesting and edifying letters from that first and eminent apostle of the New Jerusalem Dispensation here in England. The result was, that he recommended
4%. to the author, in the strongest terms, the perusal of the above writings, advising him to begin with the work entitled Vera Christiana Religio, which at that time was not translated into English. The author was too much affected both with the earnestness and the tenderness which accom panied the above recommendation, not to comply willingly with the tenor of it on his return home. Accordingly he lost no time in sending to London for a copy of the Vera Christiana Religio, and had the satisfaction, in about ten days, to find himself 28 MEMOIR OF THE
in possession of the desired treasure. But how was he surprised to find, that notwithstanding all the partiality excited by his friend in favour of the book, he felt not the slightest inclination to read it, when it was in his power to do so ! On the contrary, he was rather repelled, by the size of the volume, and especially by observing that it treated principally on points of doctrine, which required a patient exercise of the powers of intellect, in order to comprehend them. “I am satisfied,” said he to himself, “with my present spiritual attainments, and with that heaven of innocence, purity, and peace in God, to which they have introduced me. What need I then to trouble or concern myself about speculative investigations, which cannot add either to my sanctity or bliss.” Thus did he discard all thoughts of looking into his new purchase, and it lay on the shelf during the whole of the summer, neglected and almost forgotten. Alas! he was not aware, at the time, either of the pearls of wisdom which he was overlooking, or of his own want of them, both for ornament and for use ! He was deceiving himself, (as is the case, it is to be feared, with many Christians) by supposing that he had attained the highest point of Christian purification and perfection, and was already in full possession of the supreme good and the supreme truth, without considering that the Christian life is a continually progressive life, and that to stand still, therefore, under any REV, JOHN CLOWES. 29 present attainments, whether of goodness or wis dom, is to change its character from progressive to stagnant. The period, however, was not far distant, when neither the size of the volume, nor its doctrinal contents, nor yet the self-complacency arising from former spiritual attainments, were to be any hin derances with the author to his diligent perusal of the neglected pages of the Vera Christiana Religio. But how shall he relate the history of the overthrow of his reluctances ! Will the reader, too, be disposed to believe the history, when it is related ? Supernatural occurrences have, in all ages, excited doubts, which have rather verged towards denial than affirmation. Such is the effect of that incredulity, which has successively multiplied its votaries here on earth, since the memorable con version of the apostle of the Gentiles, in his journey to Damascus, down to that of the late Colonel Gardiner, whilst he was impatiently forestalling the hour of criminal pleasure, in his lodgings at Paris.” But shall the truth be suppressed, because a sinful and unbelieving world is unwilling to admit it? Rather, is not this an additional reason why the truth should be told, since it is impossible to conceive how infidelity can be successfully com bated, but by the testimony of a divine revelation,
* See the well written life of Colonel Gardiner, by Dr. Doddridge. E 30 MEMOIR OF THE and the certainty of those supernatural facts, which the providence of God has vouchsafed, in all ages, for its overthrow. Emboldened by these considerations, and con sulting rather the edification of the pious reader, than fearing the scoffs of the infidel, the author feels free to relate the following extraordinary occurrence, by which he was first led to a serious perusal of the theological writings of that enlight ened servant of the Lord, Emanuel Swedenborg. In the month of October, immediately succeeding the spring, when the True Christian Religion was recommended to him, by his friend at Liverpool, the author went, according to annual custom, to visit an old college pupil of his, the late Right Honourable John Smyth, of Heath, in the county of York. On the evening before he set out, he opened the long neglected volume, not with a view to read it, but merely to get a better idea of the general nature of its contents, when, in turning over the pages, he happened to cast his eye upon the term Divinum Humanum. The term appeared new and strange, but still it did not affect his mind in a manner to produce any lasting impression, and accordingly, on shutting up the book, it seemed to be forgotten and gone. Probably, too, it would never again have been recalled to his remembrance, had it not been for the following memorable cir cumstance. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 31
On awaking early one morning, not many days after his arrival at his friend's house, his mind was suddenly and powerfully drawn into a state of inward recollection, attended with an inexpressible calm and composure, into which was instilled a tranquillity of peace and heavenly joy, such as he had never before experienced. Whilst he lay musing on this strange, and to him most delightful harmony in the interiors of his mind, instantly there was made manifest, in the same recesses of his spirit, what he can call by no other name than a divine glory, surpassing all description, and exciting the most profound adoration. But what seemed to him the most singular circumstance on this occasion was, that he was strongly impressed at the time, by a kind of internal dictate, that the glory was in close connexion with that Divinum Humanum, or Divine Humanity above mentioned, and proceeded from it as from its proper divine Source. The glory continued during a full hour, allowing the author sufficient time both to view and analyze it. Sometimes he closed his bodily eyes, and then opened them again, but the glory remained the same. It is well, however, to be understood, that there was no appearance presented of any visible form, but only a strong persuasion that the glory proceeded from a visible form, and that this form was no other than the Divine Humanity of Jesus Christ. When the glory disappeared, as it did by degrees, the author quitted his bed, but the recol 32 MEMOIR OF THE
lection of what had happened attended him during the whole of the day, whether he was in company or alone; and what is still more remarkable, the next morning, on his first awaking, the glory was again manifested, but, if possible, with increased splen dour. Now, too, a singular effect was produced by it on the author's mind, convincing him of the spiritual and providential origin of what he had seen, by the important end to which it pointed, and was designed to conduct him. The effect was no other than the excitement of a strong and almost irresistible desire to return home immediately, in order to enter upon a serious and attentive perusal of the neglected volume, which he had left behind him. And such was the powerful impulse of this desire, that although he had intended to remain with his friend a week or a fortnight longer, yet he made some excuse for quitting his house the next day, and hastened back to Manchester, rather with the impetuosity of a lover, than with the sedateness of a man, who had no other object of pursuit but to consult the pages of an unknown, and heretofore slighted book. It is obvious what a variety of sentiment will be excited in the minds of different readers by the above relation, and what a diversity of opinions will be accordingly formed respecting it. The author has little inclination, and still less ability, to attempt to settle these differences, neither indeed is this the proper place to discuss REV. JOHN CLOWES. 33 so intricate a subject. Yet he thinks it right to observe, on the persent occasion, that the singular change produced in his mind, in regard to the volume which he had left behind him, ought to have its proper influence, in enabling the reader to form a just judgment. For whence, it may be asked, could such a change come? The author, from the time of his leaving home to the second morning when the glory appeared, had never once thought about the neglected book. But now on a sudden, without any apparent reason, or motive, the book is forced on his attention, and forced in a manner, which rendered it even more interesting than any other book. What, therefore, had been before either totally disregarded, or regarded with indifference, is now, in an instant, and without any previous consideration on the part of the author, rendered an object of moment and high concern to his happiness, infinitely exceeding every other. But how is all this to be accounted for, upon any mere natural principles whatsoever? Granting for a moment (which yet the author is by no means disposed to grant,) that the glory, which appeared, was the mere effect of fancy and imagination, the difficulty still remains with respect to the alteration wrought in his affections. For how could fancy or imagination produce such an alteration ? The affections, it is possible, may operate to excite what is both fanciful and *
34 MEMOIR OF THE
imaginary, but the converse of the proposition neither accords with sound reason nor common experience, especially where the affections excited are supposed to be spiritual, heavenly, and conducive to eternal life. As well, therefore, and with equal propriety, may it be asserted, that fancy or imagination can change the will of man from evil to good, so as to render him suddenly a lover of God and of his neighbour, when he had before been only a lover of himself and the world, as that it can change instanta neously the affection of man, so as to infuse into him suddenly an ardent desire to peruse a book, which he had before regarded with the utmost indifference. Until the author, then, be convinced that there is a fallacy in this reasoning, which renders it unsafe to be depended on, he will continue to believe, as he has done since the memorable period of the above extraordinary event, that the transcendent glory, which was then manifested, together with its effect in enkind ling an ardent desire to peruse the Vera Christiana Religio, were the blessed results, not of fancy or imagination, but rather of the divine presence and operation of the Lord God, the Saviour Jesus Christ, in His Divine Humanity, inclining and preparing him to read diligently, and receive affectionately the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and thus to bear his glad testimony to the second glorious advent of his God. REV. JOHN CLOWES, 35
But to return from this digression :-The first object which fixed the author's attention, on alighting at his father's house, (for his father was then living) was the long neglected, but now much requested volume, which he had left behind him, and which, when he had found, he pressed to his bosom with an ardour of piety not to be accounted for, but from the recollection of the glory which he had seen, and especially of the change wrought by it in the state of his affections. Nor could he separate these things from the conviction, that they contained in them a loud call from above, to peruse and digest well the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, as delivered in the above book. Accordingly, he was not unfaithful to the divine call, but dedicated every morning to the attentive study of the True Christian Religion. It is im possible, however, for any language to express the full effect wrought in his mind by the perusal of this wonderful book. Suffice it, therefore, to observe, that in proceeding from the chapter on the Creator and on Creation, to the succeeding chapters on the Redeemer and Redemption, on the Divine Trinity, on the Sacred Scriptures, or Word of God, on the Decalogue, on Faith, on Charity, on Free-will, on Repentance, on Reformation and Regeneration, on Imputation, on Baptism, on the Holy Supper, and on the Consummation of the Age, the Advent of the Lord, and the New Heaven and the New Church; it seemed as if a continually 36 MEMOIR OF THE increasing blaze of new and recreating light was poured forth on the delighted understanding, opening it to the contemplation of the most sublime mysteries of wisdom, and convincing it of the being of a God, of the existence of an eternal world, of the interior sanctities of the Holy Scriptures, of the true nature of creation, redemption, and regeneration, in a manner and degree, and with a force of satisfactory evidence, in which those interesting subjects had never been viewed before. The mind, therefore, was no longer perplexed about the proper object of its worship, because it was enlightened to see clearly, as by the light of a meridian sun, that Jesus Christ, in His Divine Humanity, is that object, He being the Creator from eternity, the Redeemer in time, and the Regenerator to eternity, thus containing in His one Divine Person, the sacred Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Father being his hidden essence, the Son His manifested existence, and the Holy Spirit His proceeding operation. In like manner all difficulties and doubts were removed respecting the Sacred Scriptures, or Word of God, through the bright and heretofore unseen mani festation of their spiritual and interior contents, by virtue of which discovery apparent inconsistences vanished, apparent contradictions were reconciled; and what before seemed trivial and nugatory, assumed a new and interesting aspect, whilst the whole volume of revelation was seen to be full of
• *- : * * REV. JOHN CLOWES. 37 sanctity, of wisdom, and of love, from its Divine Author, and also to be in perpetual connexion with that Author, who is its inmost soul,—its essential spirit and life. Nor was less satisfaction and gratifi cation derived from a view of that simple doctrine of life, which was declared to be saving, and which was shown to consist, first, in repentance, or shunning all evils as sins against God; and secondly, in faith, or a fixed belief in, and steady approach to, the Incarnate God, or Jesus Christ in His Divine Humanity, as the only Saviour, because the only deliverer from the powers of darkness, or hell, and the only opener of heaven, and giver of eternal life, peace, and rest amongst the blessed. On this Doctrine of Life, it is further insisted, in the volume under consideration, how necessary it is for man to observe and keep all the precepts of the Decalogue, not only in their obvious or literal sense, but also in that more remote or spiritual meaning, in which they are shown to be the great laws of heaven, and the essential means of forming heaven and its life in the soul of man. Hence is pointed out the great danger of man's resting in any mere speculative principles of faith or persuasion, whether it be by depending on the merits and blood of Christ for his salvation, or on any formulary of a creed or worship, separate from real renovation and regeneration of heart and life, through repentance and keeping the com mandments of God. For it is proved, with all F 38 MEMOIR OF THE the power of demonstration, that so long as mani continues to love sin and to live in it, no knowledge, howsoever heavenly, no faith, howsoever persuasive, no merits and blood of Christ, howsoever sacred, and howsoever applied, can possibly save him from everlasting perdition, since every man's salvation or destruction will depend altogether on the state and quality of his ruling love, and not at all on any convictions of his understanding, separate from that love. Accordingly it is further shown, and confirmed by the testimony of the Sacred Scriptures throughout, that Jesus Christ came into the world, not for the purpose of offering Himself as a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of the world, or, as some express it, to satisfy the offended justice of the Father, (for Jesus Christ, as to His divine nature, was Himself the Father, and required no satis faction, except the salvation of His children,) but He came into the world to make His children wise, and good, and happy, by turning them from the power of sin and Satan unto Himself. With this blessed view He entered into combat against the powers of darkness, and by subduing them, diminished the ascendency they had gained over the minds of men; at the same time He was pleased to glorify His human nature, or make it divine, by uniting it fully with His divine nature, that so lost man might have continual access to Him in His glorified humanity, and through this visible manifestation of the hidden Deity, might approach
£ REV, JOHN CLOWES. 39 and attain conjunction with the invisible, which otherwise would have been impossible. This, therefore, was the atonement which He made for sin, and this the satisfaction which His justice required, that every thing should be done, which infinite love could do, and infinite wisdom devise, for the purpose of rescuing fallen men from the powers of evil and of destruction, and supplying them with power to become the sons of God, by reformation and regeneration. In addition to all this purity of doctrine, the enlightening volume was found to present to the author's delighted view, new and most interesting prospects of another world, convincing him thus, not only of its certainties and vast realities, but also of its nearness, and of its continual influence upon this lower world of nature and its inhabitants. Before the perusal of this astonishing book, he had believed, indeed, or at least fancied he believed, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that each kingdom has its respective inhabitants, but this belief (if it may be called belief) was so faint and obscure, so shadowy and unsubstantial, so little calculated to affect the mind with any thing like a just and real idea, that it made no manner of impression on the life's love, and, consequently, in regard to any saving purpose, was altogether vain and nugatory. But no sooner did the light of the New Jerusalem begin to dawn, and exhibit the other world to view in all its distinct 40 MEMOIR OF THE
particularities; in the grandeur and variety of its objects; in the forms, the clothing, the habitations, the enjoyments of its inhabitants; in its fields, its gardens, its forests, its rivers, and living creatures; in short, in all those varied realities, which are necessary to constitute a world either of happiness or of misery; than every vital affection of the soul became instantly moved, awakened, and interested. The obscurity of former ideas was lost in the brightness and certainty of present perceptions. A new world, as it were, became visible, and what was still more advantageous, its intimate connexion with this world was seen to be such, that like a soul in its body, it was discovered to be the living source, and energetic cause of all the wonderful effects produced here below, whilst those effects again, on their part, were perceived to be the representative forms, and outward manifestations of the interior realities, from which they perpetually spring. It can scarcely be wondered at, that a volume, containing information of the above description, so sacred and so important, should rivet the author's attention, and occupy and fill every recess of the inmost affections of his soul or spirit. Nor can it further appear surprising, that, encouraged by the stores of heavenly wisdom which he had discovered in this volume, he should feel eager in extending his discoveries, by perusing REV, JOHN CLOWES. 41 all the other theological works, written and published by the same enlightened author. For such is the temper and disposition of the human mind, when it has once found, and made a right estimate of the value of a single pearl of pure and genuine truth, it cannot rest satisfied until it has explored the deep abyss, which conceals the precious treasure. Accordingly, no sooner had the author finished the perusal of the True Christian Religion, than the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, the Arcana Caelestia, the Apocalypsis Revelata, the Angelic Wisdom, concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom, and also concerning the Divine Providence, the Delights of Wisdom, concerning Conjugal Love, &c., with other minor tracts, by the same author, were successively read, or rather devoured, and as constantly excited wonder, delight, and edification. At the same time, a strong and ardent desire was enkindled to put others in pos session of the same sources of heavenly intelligence, and this desire frequently, yet tacitly expressed itself in those words of the great Saviour, where He prays, “Father, that they may be with Me, to behold Thy glory,” John xvii. 24. For the whole testimony, as delivered by the messenger of the New Jerusalem Verities in his theological writings, appeared to the author's mind like a radiant glory from the face of Jesus Christ, and repeatedly called to his recollection the words of that Incarnate God, where, speaking of His second advent, He says, 42 MEMOIR OF THE
“Then shall ye see the sign of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory,” Matt. xxiv. 30. But the difficulty was, how to make known this glory to the rest of the world, since it was at that time involved in a dead language not generally understood, and scat tered through voluminous writings, which would require many years to translate into any of the modern languages read and spoken in Europe. But that which is difficult, and even impossible with man, is possible with God; for impelled by the strong desire above mentioned, of making known to others the glory of the New Jerusalem, which desire, doubtless, was inspired of God, the author completed, in about two years, the transla tion of the Vera Christiana Religio into the English language, and in about eighteen years afterwards, the translation of the Arcana Caelestia, the Amor Conjugialis, of the Tellures in Universo, and of the Doctrina Vitae pro Nova Hierosolyma, into the same language. It was hardly to be expected that the author's partiality for the writings of the Swedish Theolo gian, which he had now for some years manifested, not only by translating and publishing them, but also by his public preaching and private instruc tions, should pass unnoticed and uncensured. Ac cordingly, the spirit of opposition and persecution began soon to show itself, assuming its usual form of malignity and of cunning, and supported by the REV, JOHN CLOWES. 43 authority of three clergymen, who held regular meetings every week, for the purpose of crushing what they were pleased to call, the growing heresy, in its infancy. From this source, rumours the most unfounded, and invectives the most scurrilous and abusive, issued daily. Nor were the perse cutors contented with employing only their tongues on the occasion, they had recourse also to their pens, attempting, insidiously, to prove in a small pamphlet, that the author could not possibly be supposed to favour the sentiments of the Swedish Scribe, because the former was a man of acknow ledged learning and piety, whereas the writings of the latter were in direct opposition both to religion and common sense. This pamphlet was imme diately replied to by the author. In the mean time the persecution assumed a more formidable aspect, by a direct appeal to the Bishop of the Diocese, the Right Rev. Dr. Porteus, who was afterwards translated to the See of London. In this appeal, four distinct charges were urged against the author; the first was, that he denied a Trinity; the second, that he denied the Atonement; the third, that he went about the country, endeavouring to propagate the New Doctrines; the fourth, that he had private meetings at his own house for the same purpose. The bishop also himself was severely reprimanded, because, at a visitation held in the preceding sum mer, he had passed no public censure on the accused. On this occasion, the bishop, to his eternal credit, 44 MEMOIR OF THE
manifested his usual candour, moderation, good sense, and enlightened piety. He wrote immediately to the anthor, requesting an interview ; and when the author waited upon him at his palace in Chester, he read to him the several charges, heard patiently his reply to each, made his remarks, which dis covered plainly that he was by no means dissatisfied with, or displeased at, the author's opinions, and in conclusion dismissed him with a friendly caution to be upon his guard against his adversaries, who seemed disposed to do him mischief." The bishop's unwillingness to exercise any degree of severity, or even of censure, on the occasion, tended to damp the ardour of the per secutors, who began to suspect that the bishop himself favoured the new opinions. How far their suspicion was well or ill grounded, doth not appear, but this is certain, that from that time the spirit of persecution began to cool, and the author was permitted, without further molestation, both to preach and publish his own sentiments. It is remarkable also, that two of the above clergymen were laid in their graves within a few months after this period, and the third was removed out of the neighbourhood. During the above persecution, the author was made sensible of divine protection, by the tran
* A more particular account of the bishop's conduct on the occasion, and of the author's defence of himself, may be found in a work entitled, Pure Evangelical Religion Restored, &c, &c., since published by the author. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 45 quillity and composure in which his mind was preserved. He experienced also a degree of the blessing announced in those words of the Eternal Truth, where it is written, “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.” Matt. v. 11. For the violence of the opposition made to his sentiments only tended the more to confirm them, by rooting them deeper in his mind, and connecting them the more closely with their divine original, through purity and humiliation of heart and life. Thus the truth was no longer embraced as a matter of opinion or speculation only, floating in the memory, or even exalted into intel lectual light in the understanding, but it became incorporated into the very life's love, being seen in its everlasting conjunction with Jesus Christ, and in its tendency to communicate from that great and only God all the graces and blessings of His eternal love, power, benediction, and salvation. Such is the happy effect resulting from all that opposition and outrage, which the Father of Mer cies permits to be exercised on. His children by wicked men and infernal spirits, in order to lead them to a fuller dependence upon Himself, and, at the same time, to a deeper sense and feeling of their own sinfulness, defilement, and infirmity. Some years previously to this period of perse cution, much curiosity had been excited, and much inquiry made, concerning the doctrines of the New G 46 MEMOIR OF THE
Jerusalem, promulgated by the Swedish Theolo gian, and the consequence was that the author's house was crowded almost every evening, by Chris tians of various denominations, to inquire after the new opinions. The labour of answering these inquiries became at last so great a tax upon the author's time and strength, that he thought it pru dent to fix upon two evenings in the week to listen to them, viz., every Monday and Thursday, and, accordingly, gave public notice, that on those evenings, and on no other, he should always be at home to give every satisfaction in his power to all who wished to consult him. He was not, however, aware at the time, nor could he possibly foresee, that, by this arrangement, he was entailing upon himself a more serious labour than that, from which he meant to extricate himself. It is true, he was a gainer in regard to time, but it is equally true, that he was a loser, in regard to the strength and exertion which now became necessary. For one of the effects resulting from the above plan was, to collect together a larger assembly of people, on each appointed evening, than could be engaged in conversation, and the consequence of this enlarged congregation was soon found to be this, that instead of holding conversation, in the way of answering questions, the author was compelled to give a lecture on some theological subject or other, relative to the New Doctrines. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 47
But the author's labour was not confined to his own house; for in a short time after the first promulgation of the heavenly doctrines, or about the year 1780, societies began to be formed in the neighbouring towns and villages, for the purpose of bringing the truth into fuller circulation, and, at the same time, conducting the receivers of it to all that purity and sincerity of life, to which the truth pointed. The author, as may be supposed, was invited to attend these meetings, and he imme diately saw it to be his duty to accept the invitation. But what was at first a duty, presently became a delight, and he can truly say, that some of the hap piest hours of his life have been passed on these occasions. He may, perhaps, also with truth add, that edification, as well as happiness, was the result of these heavenly assemblies, consisting of simple and sincere minds, anxious at once to know the measure of their duty, and to practise it; all looking up to the same Incarnate God; all venerating the revealed Word of that God, by the acknowledgment of its internal spiritual meaning; and thus all pos sessing both the qualifications and the privileges announced in those words of Jesus Christ, Where two or three are gathered together in My name,
there am I in the midst of them. - The author had the gratification of attending these meetings for more than thirty years, until infirmity in the organs of speech and of hearing, compelled him to decline them; and he trusts he 48 MEMOIR OF THE shall ever be penetrated with a sense of real grati tude to the Almighty, for allowing him the blessed opportunity of witnessing, in a manner so convinc ing and so consolatory, the descent of the New Jerusalem, and thus that establishment of the tabernacle of God in human minds, which had been so long before predicted in the Apocalyptic pages. See Rev. xxi. 1 to 5. But at nearly the same period with the com mencement of the above meeting, a still more extend ed field was opened for the exercise of the author's zeal in support of the above heavenly doctrines. For soon after the publication of the English trans lations of the Treatise on Heaven and Hell, and of the True Christian Religion, societies began to be formed in some of the principal cities and towns of the kingdom, to take into consideration the sublime and interesting truths contained in those treatises. It was the author's happiness to make repeated annual visits to these societies, both in their infancy, and when they had attained a state of maturer growth; and he can never forget the delight which he experienced on those occasions amongst the friends in London, Bath, Bristol, Stroud, Birming ham, Liverpool, Hull, &c. &c. where societies had been formed. In London the society held their first weekly meetings at the Temple, in a spacious room which they had hired for the purpose, and which was occasionally crowded with visitors, eager to become acquainted with the New Doctrines. It was at one REW, JOHN CLOWES. 49 of these meetings that the author had the happiness of being first introduced to the late Mr. Gomm, brother-in-law to the late Lord Malmsbury, and his private secretary during his embassy at the Hague, a gentleman of most conciliating manners, and alike distinguished by his unfeigned piety and zealous attachment to the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem. This gentleman afterwards published, at the Hague, a French translation of the Dialogues between Sophron and Philadelphus, on the Nature and Tendency of the Theological Writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg. It was also at one of these meetings that the author was intro duced to two other excellent and zealous advocates of the New Doctrines, Mr. Provo, and Mr. George Adams, the former of whom afterwards published the work entitled, Wisdom's Dictates, a most pious and edifying treatise; and the latter became equally distinguished by the publication of several inter esting and instructive works on philosophy. These meetings at the Temple were continued with much harmony amongst the members, for several years, until, at length, it was thought expedient to open a place for the celebration of divine worship, accord ing to a form in agreement with the tenets of the New Church, on which occasion the members were divided, one part favouring this separation from all external worship in the Old Church, and the other part maintaining a contrary opinion. From that period the meetings in the Temple ceased. 50 MEMOIR OF THE
The author had now, 1818, at the advanced age of seventy-four years, the inexpressible satisfaction of witnessing the circulation of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, in the English language, through most parts of Great Britain and America, and both in the French and German languages, through various parts of Europe. The seed of divine truth was thus sown in every direc tion; and wheresoever it fell into the ground of an honest and good heart, it never failed to produce its proper and genuine fruit of glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good-will towards %2672. The Printing Society, which was established at Manchester about the year 1780, for the express purpose of printing and publishing the theological writings of Swedenborg, and other writings which inculcate the true Christian life and doctrine, had circulated up to the year 1818,” more than two hundred and sixty thousand of their books and tracts. Hence, it may easily be supposed what must have been the immense increase of readers, when it is considered, too, that this increase was the growth only of about forty years, since the first promulgation of the doctrines in the English tongue, it affords at once a pleasing and a positive evidence of the power of heavenly truth in its operation on the human mind, and that whatever might be
* Since which period the circulation of the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem has been considerably increased. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 5 I the general corruption of sentiments and morals amongst men, there was yet a remnant which had escaped infection, and by whom the voice of wis dom was regarded as that pearl of great price, for which the spiritual merchant-man is willing to sell
all that he hath and buy it. - The author cannot conclude his narrative, with out offering up to the Father of Mercies his most devout and grateful acknowledgments for the extraordinary privilege, and inestimable blessing vouchsafed him, in having been admitted to the knowledge and acknowledgment of the truth and importance of the above Heavenly Doctrines. For what worldly glory, gain, or happiness, can stand in competition with this,—to know Jesus Christ to be the only true God, and to be allowed to approach and worship Him in His Divine Humanity; to be delivered thus from all perplexity as to the proper object of worship; to see, at the same time, the divine volume of Revelation opened; its interior treasures displayed; its evidence and authority thus confirmed by its divine contents; its apparent con tradictions reconciled; whilst all that is divine and holy, all that is good and true, all that is calculated to excite the veneration of intelligent beings, and the affection of penitent ones; all, in short, that has a tendency either to enlighten the human un derstanding, or to purify the human will ; either to edify, by the bright and profound lessons of divine truth, or to soften and console by the sweet and 52 MEMOIR OF THE tender influences of the divine love, is perceived to proceed from this Divine Fountain, as its only source! Yet such is the transcendent glory, gain, and happiness imparted to every penitent and devout receiver of the above Heavenly Doctrines. Add to this, the nearness and connexion between this world and another, demonstrated by such a weight of irresistible evidence; the great evangelical doctrines of Faith, of Charity, of Repentance and Remission of Sins, of Temptation, Reformation, Regeneration, the Freedom of the will opened, explained, and en forced, according to their edifying and important meaning; the nature, also, and effect of the Last Judgment, the Lord's second advent, and the descent of the New Jerusalem, presented to view in all the brightness and fulness of truth, and confirmed by the testimony of the sure Word of prophecy; and some faint idea may then be formed of the immense debt of gratitude, owing at this day from all the families of the earth to their heavenly Father. For who, except that Father, whose tender mercies are over all His works, could thus cause His light to shine in darkness, for the deliverance of His people from evil, from error, and from de struction, and, at the same time, for the guidance of their feet into the ways of righteousness, truth, and salvation ? To his praises, and most unfeigned thankfulness on this occasion, the author is lastly urgent to add his ardent prayers, that the above glorious light may shine in every corner of the REv. JoHN CLow Es. 53 habitable globe, until the whole earth becomes that blessed tabernacle of God, which was announced to be with men, in which “God will dwell and be with them their God, and wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Rev. xxi. 3, 4. Nor can he entertain a doubt, but that, sooner or later, this prayer will be fulfilled, inasmuch as the Almighty pledged Himself for its fulfilment, when the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and
ever.” Rev. xi. 15. - In the full persuasion, then, that all these glorious things are coming to pass, and, indeed, in some degree are already come to pass, the author cannot express the state of his mind in language more appropriate than that of the devout man of old, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation; which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” Luke ii. 29 to 33. AMEN.
GLORY BE To GoD IN THE HIGHEST |
Manchester, Feb. 28, 1818.
M E M O I R.
OF
T H E R E.W. J. C. L.O W E S
CONTINUED.
Thus far had the Rev. J. Clowes proceeded, when he thought proper to conclude his very interesting memoir concerning the manner, in which he was led to a knowledge of the heavenly doctrines of the New Church. The reader will, no doubt, have observed, that he considered the period when he first became acquainted with those doctrines, as the new and glorious era in his immortal and spiritual career, from which he dated the acquisition of every thing that was calculated to make him useful to his brethren. From that period his veneration for the Word of God, that only source of all spiritual and religious knowledge, became more sincere and exalted, and the immense treasures of truth and goodness which it contains, were gradually, and in a manner sublimely rational, unfolded to his view. He experienced the realization of the divine asser tion of our blessed Lord to His disciples, that to them is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, in a manner which the superior doctrines 56 MEMOIR OF THE he espoused and taught were calculated to effect. For it is only by a genuine doctrine, as by a key, that we are admitted into the treasury of the divine Word, and thus enabled to perceive and behold the truths and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and in this light, namely, as an invaluable key, so mer cifully granted by the Lord to his church, did he consider the writings of the enlightened Sweden borg. And hence, no doubt, it was, that he was enabled to derive such heavenly food for the spiri tual support of his flock, which endeared them to him in so peculiar a manner, and which also enabled him to secure their increased attachment and regard for the uncommonly protracted period, during which he lived and laboured amongst them. He finished writing the memoir, according to the date he has given, in the year 1818; but, as he con tinued to be an inhabitant of this natural world until the year 1831, the reader will, no doubt, be desirous of knowing something of the latter part of his career, and of the feelings and sentiments of regard, which were so universally expressed for his memory at the time of his decease. We will, therefore, subjoin some brief notices concerning the remaining years of his earthly pilgrimage. Owing to bodily infirmities Mr. Clowes was obliged to discontinue performing the duties of his office, in so far as the pulpit was concerned, in the Summer of 1815, about which time he set out on a journey to Birmingham, Stroud, and Bristol, which REV, JOHN CLOWES. 57 places he had been in the habit of visiting for many years, partly for the sake of recruiting his health, which was always delicate, and, partly, for the purpose of seeing his numerous friends, who were rejoiced and edified by his spiritual and intelligent conversation. On this journey he had proceeded as far as Lichfield, when he was seized with a violent cold, which occasioned his immediate return to Manchester. When he had arrived at his own house, he sent for a physician, who informed him, that he had an attack of inflammation on the lungs. for a considerable time his life was thought to be in great danger; but through the divine blessing, with the aid of proper medicines, together with his serene temper and heavenly frame of mind, he was restored to a tolerably good state of health. His physician stated, more than once, that it was owing, in a greater degree, to his happy and peaceful state of mind, that his recovery was effected, than to any medicines or directions that he had given him. His weakness, however, in speaking, disqualified him, afterwards, from undertaking the duties of
the pulpit. - The following summer he went, accompanied by a friend, to Hawkstone, where he had been accus tomed, at the beginning of the month of July, since the year 1806, to meet a number of ladies and gentlemen, admirers and receivers of the theological writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg. These meetings he continued to attend, until the 58 MEMOIR OF THE year 1823, where he was the principal attraction, his company and intelligent conversation never failing to delight, and to edify every one present. The resolutions adopted in those assemblies were almost exclusively of his own preparation; and it is scarcely possible for any serious person to read them, without perceiving their excellence, both in regard to genuine doctrine and Christian life. They bear evident marks of a truly pious and enlightened mind. But what most delighted those with whom he associated, was, his unaffected piety, his Christian charity, his humility and innocence of character, together with his amiable and gentlemanly deport ment; these excellencies, combined with his great abilities and acquirements as a scholar and divine, rendered him one of those exalted characters, which are, at this day, rarely to be met with. After the meeting at Hawkstone, in 1816, he proceeded to Birmingham, Stroud, Bristol, Bath, and London, at each of which places he saw many of the receivers of the heavenly doctrines of the New Church, in the society of whom he always felt a peculiar satisfaction. This was his final visit to the four last mentioned places. But, notwithstanding his inability to perform any public duty in the church, he was by no means unoccupied with his pen. His great delight was to be employed for the edification and benefit of the Lord's church on earth. Subsequently to the year 1815, when he discontinued preaching, he wrote REV. JoHN CLow Es. 59 the three volumes of Scripture Histories, explained according to their spiritual meaning. He also trans lated the Gospel according to John, from the original Greek, as well as the Gospel according to Luke, illustrating the same by extracts from the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, with notes and observations of his own. He also published two Letters to the Rev. W. Roby, and wrote the beau tiful Treatise on Opposites, and the works entitled, Christian Temper, and the Twelve Hours of the
Day. - In the year 1818, Mr. Clowes having entered upon the fiftieth year of his incumbency, as Rector of St. John's Church, his congregation, being desirous to testify their affectionate respect and esteem for his public and private worth, and anxious to commemorate an event so gratifying and remark able, by some suitable and permanent memorial, it was unanimously resolved, at a meeting held in the vestry, on Friday, the 24th of July, in the same year, “That a Marble Tablet, with an appropriate inscription, be placed in a conspicuous part of the church; and that the rector be requested to sit for his portrait, in order that it may be put up in the
vestry.” - That a subscription be entered into, for the accomplishment of the object of this meeting.” In consequence of the above resolutions, an admirable portrait of the rector, by J. Allen, Esq., was placed in the vestry, and a beautiful piece of 60 MEMOIR OF THE sculpture, designed and executed by John Flaxman, Esq., R.A.," was erected at the east end of the church, immediately above the rector's seat. It consists of a tablet of white marble, containing no less than ten figures, in basso relievo. The venerable rector is represented in the act of instructing a most interesting group of children, who are accompanied by their parents and grandsire, to signify the three generations who had attended Mr. Clowes's minis try. Behind the rector stands a guardian angel, bearing a palm branch, expressive of the divine protection.—In a word, whilst the sculpture itself forms a striking embellishment to the interior of this church,-yet, associated as it is with such a spontaneous and universal feeling of veneration and respect from the congregation, and with the virtues that had so eminently adorned the Chris tian minister, during his long and valuable life, —such a memorial as this is, perhaps, without a
parallel. - On Sunday morning, October the 22nd, 1820, immediately after divine service, the committee, under whose management the tablet had been erected, waited upon the rector, in the vestry, and accompanied him to the rector's seat, over which the tablet had recently been placed, when Robert Chadwick, Esq., the senior churchwarden, addressed him to the following effect:
* A particular and esteemed friend of the author’s. REv. JoHN CLow Es. 61
“Reverend sir,—Having the honour of being treasurer to the committee, for erecting this tablet, it becomes my duty to address you on the subject. In showing you this tribute of our vene ration and regard, permit me, sir, to offer you, on behalf of this committee, our united wishes for the continuance of your health and happiness, with our humble and devout hopes that it may please Divine Providence to prolong your valuable life for many years to come. And though we must not, I fear, again have the high gratification of hearing your energetic and heavenly eloquence from the pulpit, yet, we trust that we shall still have the benefit of your amiable and truly pious life before our eyes, for our imitation; and we pray that it may be long preserved to us, as it has hitherto always been, a bright example of every Christian grace and virtue.” To this affecting address the venerable rector returned the following beautiful and impressive reply: “Gentlemen,—It would be both foolish and fas tidious in me to attempt to conceal the high gratifi cation, which I have received from the costly and elegant memorial which your kindness and gene rosity have been pleased to erect, in commemoration of the fiftieth year of my ministry in this church. But whilst I feast with delight on this striking proof of your approbation of my past conduct, I cannot help feeling solicitous to convince you, that the delight is not grounded in mere selfishness, but that I 62 MEMOIR OF THE it originates in far higher and purer considerations. You have, indeed, in the inscription which you have thought proper to annex to the tablet, of your goodness, paid me many flattering compliments, sufficient to excite all the vanity of a fond, but defiled self-love; and I will not answer for myself that I should not have been betrayed into that vanity, had I not read in your language of com mendation a most serious and solemn reproof, arising from the heartfelt and humiliating con sciousness how far I have failed to attain that yirtuous eminence, to which your partiality has exalted me. It is not, then, I am persuaded, the voice of compliment, which forms a principal part in the composition of my present joy, though I will not pretend to say that it forms no part. But there is another more glad and welcome voice which I hear on this occasion, and which resounds in all the harmony of grateful music to my mind, from the above inscription. Do you ask what this voice is? —It is the voice which assures me that the flock committed to my care have imbibed the genuine spirit of Christianity, since by their forbearance they have covered the imperfections of their minister, by their charity have put the most favourable construc tions on his feeble attempts to serve them, and by their liberality have transmitted to posterity the most edifying example of disinterested respect, and regard for the spiritual teacher, whom the Divine Providence had set over them. It is the voice, REV, JOHN CLOWES. 63 therefore, which tells me that the memorial which you have now erected, is to be regarded, not only as to its present purposes and tendencies, whether they relate to your reputation or to mine, but in its prospective bearings, thus as affecting the welfare of people yet unborn, as fulfilling the divine pro mise, “This shall be written for the generations to come.” For what will be the sentiments excited in the generations to come, on reading the inscrip tion on your tablet? Will they not be led by it to venerate that holy religion of the Gospel, which knits hearts to hearts in Christian sympathy and love; which makes man forget himself, that he may pay the tribute of commendation to what he sees, or fancies he sees, amiable in another; and above all, which, by uniting a Christian teacher and his flock in the endearing bonds of mutual affection and respect, brings down upon earth the Spirit of heaven, and thus at once elevates and extends the tone of the angelic song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men /’’ Accept, then, gentlemen, the most grateful acknowledgments of your unworthy pastor, for the solid joy which you have imparted to him, by a memorial, fraught with so many instructive, extended, and consolatory lessons.” Who that reads the above reply, can be insensible to the sweet spirit of genuine piety and humility which it breathes! It was eminently calculated to 64 MEMOIR OF THE tie more closely together the bonds of mutual love and harmony which had existed between the worthy pastor and his flock; for the end which he had invariably kept in view throughout the whole course of his ministry, and in every transaction of his public and private life, is clearly manifest in his excellent address. That end was to propagate the principles, and to inculcate the spirit of genuine Christianity; and, on this occasion, as on every other, we find him directing the attention of his congregation to the purity of those doctrines, which, from a highly enlightened understanding of the Word of God, he had taught and diffused amongst them, as the only principles, that can produce and establish every thing excellent and heavenly in the character of man. The reader is here presented with an etching of the Tablet, together with the inscription.
|v - ~ *\, --> ~\ S.Z." ~ ( ~
"- -
|
* | % *
- - - *
42 "Ay-se *
@o (Tommemorate
The FIFTIETH YEAR OF THE MINIsTRY
OF THE REVEREND JOHN CLOWES, M. A.
THE FIRs T AND THE PREs ENT RECToR of this CHURch ;
AND To TESTIFY Th EIR
AFFECTIONATE ESTEEM AND VENERATION For THE PIETY, LEARNING, AND BENEvolENck of THEIR AMIABLE PAstor ; with FRELINGs of Devout GRATITUDE To ALMIGHTY God
Who HATH h IT HERTO PRESERVED
AND WITH THEIR UNITED PRAYERS That his GooD PRovidence will LoNG contin Ur
To PRESERVE AMoMGST THEM
so EMIN ENT AND ENGAGING AN EXAMPLE of CHR1st IAN MEEKNEss, PURITY, AND LovE. THE con GREGATIon of ST. JoHN’s CHURCH, * MANch EstER, ERect THIs TABLET
Mocccx1x.
REV. JOHN CLOWES. 65
According to Mr. Clowes's usual custom, he regularly went, every year, from home, for the benefit of his health, which was generally much im proved by change of air. He most frequently went, in the first instance, to Hawkstone, after the esta blishment of the meetings at that delightful spot; but in the year 1823, he previously took a journey into Wales, whither he set out, on the 29th of May: he, however, joined his friends at Hawkstone on the first Tuesday in July following. After the meeting was concluded, he proceeded to Birming ham, where he remained a few days, and then went to Leamington. It was at this place, that his local complaints were first discovered by his medical attendants, to be of so serious a nature as to render it impossible for him to return to Manchester, without incurring such risks as might place his life in imminent danger : his infirmities increased, and he was compelled to keep his bed for a considerable period. During the remainder of his life he was frequently subject to severe and dangerous attacks, arising from bodily infirmities and old age. When he had recovered, in some degree, his former state of health, he was often employed in writing on some useful subject. His treatises on Delights, ‘on the Human Body, and on the Human Soul, were written by him, during his residence in War wickshire; and he also published two volumes of sermons, whilst residing in that county, viz., one on the Beatitudes, &c., and the other on the 66 MEMOIR OF THE
Parable of the Ten Virgins, &c. He also completed the translation of the Gospel according to Mark, upon the same plan as that of Matthew, Luke, and John. In addition to these various useful labours, he had likewise proceeded with a new translation of the Psalms, from the original Hebrew, as far as the one hundred and thirty-third. The accomplish ment of this latter work lay very near his heart, but from increased infirmities, attendant upon an extreme old age, he became quite incapable of proceeding farther, and was, therefore, reluctantly compelled to give up all studies and exertions of every kind, in the eighty-eighth year of his age. “His corporeal frame,” to speak in the language of a respected friend, “had become altogether unfit to be the organ of the vigorous spirit which had tenanted it so long : that spirit, indeed, had seemed, for a considerable time, abstracted far above the sphere of its decaying earthly tenement ; often, however, would its affections descend and array the bodily visage with angelic smiles, and breathe the language of blessing on those around: well did he know whither he was going! At length the shell dropt into its native earth, which occurred on the 29th of May, 1831, and the happy spirit, which is the real man, glad to be released from his fetters of clay, soared up to his eternal home,—the blest abodes of love, of peace, and joy. If, then, on parting for ever in this world from such a friend, it is impossible to avoid feeling some natural regrets, REV, JOHN CLOWES. 67 it is, indeed, impossible to sorrow as those who have no hope. If he was an eminent instrument of use below, we know that he cannot be less so above. Having long beheld the bright, the spotless example of his life here, we well know how blessed must be our friend's state in the life everlasting. O that his mantle, as he soared on high, may have dropt on those who are left ! O that a portion of his spirit may descend into us who remain It will, if we faithfully follow his example I “May we die the death of the righteous, and may our last end be like his.” “The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.” Psalm cKii. 6. Amen.
e
FUNERAL OF THE REV. JOHN CLOWES.
“THE mortal remains of this highly respected and deeply lamented clergyman were deposited in a vault, in St. John's churchyard, on Thursday, the 9th of June, 1831. The body, on its way from Warwick, was met near St. Peter's Church, by the personal friends and the congregation of the deceased, in number upwards of two hundred, all voluntarily provided with funeral badges. At St. John's Church the Sunday-school children were ranged in line, from the door to the gates. Precisely at eleven o’clock the body was borne into the church, preceded by most of the clergy of the district, and was followed by the teachers 68 MEMOIR OF THE and children of the schools connected with the church, also by a great number of respectable individuals, the friends and admirers of the late reverend and venerable gentleman. The service was read by the Rev. William Huntington, and a hymn, adapted to the occasion, was sung by the children. This part of the ceremony was particu larly interesting, as the venerable rector, through his life, had directed particular care to the younger branches of his congregation, and to those of the schools most especially. The body was afterwards carried out to the churchyard in the same order in which it entered, when it was lowered into a vault communicating with the church, and the remainder of the impressive funeral service was read. The church was filled with respectable individuals, and the churchyard crowded with spectators, some of whom had come many miles to witness the cere mony.” The number of the clergy who took a share in the proceedings was twenty-three. The gentleman who officiated, the Rev. Mr. Huntington, was Mr. Clowes's curate. The whole number of per sons assembled to witness the solemn scene was immense. Among these were numerous individuals of middle and advanced age, who had been brought up in the Sunday-schools, and had there been benefited by Mr. Clowes's paternal and pastoral instructions. Many were deeply affected.
* From the Manchester Courier, June 11th, 1831. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 69
From the following obituary notices and me moirs of Mr. Clowes, it will be seen how much he was esteemed and venerated by his friends and the public:— “The solemn event, which has for some time been seen to be at hand, and which we prepared our readers, ere long, to expect, by a notice in the miscellaneous article of our last number but one; and again, in an extract from the late report of the Manchester Printing Society, in our last, has taken place; the beloved friend, fosterer, advocate, yea, we may say, father, of the New Church in this land, has for ever quitted this sublunary scene. He has rested from his labours, and his works do follow him. They follow him, it is most true, to testify to his pure and exalted character, and to form a basis for that life of love, and wisdom, and blessedness, which will eternally be poured into his bosom, and fill to running over his now expanded, fully developed, capacities of reception, from his Saviour God. But not less truly do his works remain behind, and testify concerning him, through, almost, the whole wide extent of the earth's surface: for where is the member of the New Church, the receiver of its divine verities, in any clime, who is not prepared to tell of what he hath done, as a memorial of him? How many of them may most truly say, We bear in ourselves his “epistles of commendation,” written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but
K. 70 MEMOIR OF THE
in fleshly tables of the heart. 2 Cor. iii. 1, 3. Accordingly, though his removal has been long expected, it has, now that it has arrived, pro foundly affected every mind that has been made, in any degree, receptive of the truths which he lived and taught. The conviction which all have long had, that, at the great age to which he had attained, his longer continuance among us was not to be expected; the knowledge which has been circulated of his having been, for many months, in a rapidly declining state, had prepared all for the stroke. A tender sorrow is unavoidably felt, but chastened and subdued by the feeling, that the loan of his inestimable services has been continued by the Lord to the church for a far longer period than could have been reasonably hoped, and has, at least, been withdrawn in the most gentle and almost imper ceptible manner: yet the dispensation has excited deep and solemn feelings in the breast of all. No event has ever yet occurred in the annals of the New Church, which produced so general a sensation. It pervades every circle, and moves alike all classes of the receivers. Nothing else has been talked or thought of, since the dispensation has been known; and all seem actuated by one desire—to express, in the fullest manner, their grateful veneration for his
memory. - Participating most entirely in the general sentiment, we cannot more properly give expression to our feelings, or more fully, we are satisfied, REV. JOHN CLOWES. 7 | meet the wishes of our readers, than by devoting the principal and most conspicuous part of the present number, to the recording of the various tributes which have been paid to the memory of this exalted person, our admired and venerated friend. This will be more satisfactory than any thing that we should be able to draw up ourselves: not having access to any manuscript documents, we could add nothing new to the statements which have already been given by others. We should be enabled, indeed, to furnish many particulars respecting the excellent departed, from oral statements which we have, at various times, heard from himself, or which we have learned through others of his friends: but whatever we should be able to state of this kind, will be found amply detailed in the various notices and addresses which we are empowered to commu nicate. The sentiments of respect and admiration which we entertain for Mr. Clowes's character and usefulness, will be found fully delineated, often most ably and beautifully, by the various writers whose language we are about to record. Every thing which appears on such an occasion, respecting such a man, possesses interest; we therefore give every article that has come to our knowledge. Some repetitions will hence, indeed, result; but these only relate to the most general particulars, and occupy little space. Though the tendency of all the various documents is the same-to do justice 72 MEMOIR OF THE to the eminent attainments and Christian excel lencies of Mr. Clowes, there is among them an extraordinary variety, resulting from the variety of the estimable qualities which they aim to celebrate; among which, some are naturally more dwelt upon by one writer, and some by another.” The first two of the following articles appeared in newspapers, as common obituary notices; the third was inserted in the same paper, and at the same time as the second, but in a more conspicuous situation, and headed, “From a Correspondent.”
OBITUARY NOTICES AND MEMOIRS. “Died, on the 29th ult., at Warwick, in his 88th year, the Rev. John Clowes, formerly Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Rector of St. John's Church, Manchester, to which he was appointed upon its consecration, and which he continued to hold during the long period of sixty two years. Having been incapacitated, during the latter period of his life, by some of the infirmities attendant upon old age, from the public performance of his professional duties, the powers of his mind, | which continued clear and vigorous, were almost to the last devoted to the study and elucidation of the Holy Scriptures; and his affectionate and anxious thoughts were still peculiarly excited toward those who had constituted his own flock, to whom he
* From the Intellectual Repository and New Jerusalem Magazine, for July, 1831, published in London, by J. S. Hodson, Cross Street, Hatton Garden. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 73 had been an indefatigable and beloved pastor, and whom he hoped to recognize again hereafter. His affections, however, were ever alive towards all who came within the sphere of his usefulness; and it would have been difficult for any one to resist the influence of that goodness which showed itself in all he did, or said, or looked ; and to have been with him, even for a little while, without being impressed with a sense of the loveliness of Christian principle, as it was exemplified in him. He was a scholar—an elegant and a sound one; but he felt that the highest triumph of human learning or wisdom, is when they are subservient to the esta blishment of those everlasting truths, by which man lives for ever. In simplicity of heart, in unity of purpose, in the abandonment of every selfish consideration, in the unclouded and playful cheer fulness of a pure and benevolent mind, in the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, in the beauty and happiness of genuine holiness, he truly adorned the doctrine of God, his Saviour, in all things; and, being tried by long suffering, he found that that in which he trusted was sufficient for him, in all circumstances, and unto the end. Those who did not know him, may believe this tribute to be the offspring of partial friendship and affection; but the many who did, will feel how inefficient must be the attempt rightly to commemorate his admi rable and truly Christian excellencies.* * From the London Times, of Saturday, June 4th, 1831, 74 MEMOIR OF THE
“Died, on the 29th ultimo, at his house at Warwick, where he had resided some years, on account of his health, after a tedious illness, in the 88th year of his age, the Rev. John Clowes, M. A., Rector of St. John's Church, in this town, and formerly Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, —As a scholar, his abilities and attainments were of the highest order; and these were rendered sub servient to the advancement of every object of Christian benevolence. For upwards of sixty years he perseveringly laboured in the pulpit, and by his writings, to promote the best interests of the congre gation committed to his care; and, during the whole of that period, his life and conversation exhibited the beauty of holiness, and adorned the doctrine of God, his Saviour, in all things.” “Died at Warwick, where he had resided some years, on account of his health, in the night of Saturday, May the 28th, in the 88th year of his age, the Rev. John Clowes, Rector of St. John's Church, Manchester, and formerly Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. * In zeal, in tenderness, in piety, in wisdom, in activity, in usefulness;—as a friend, a counsellor, a pastor, a spiritual father, and an exemplary pattern of all holy life, his superior was not to be found; it would be difficult to name his equal. He was a scholar, a philosopher, a finished gen tleman, a luminous writer, an impressive preacher, a practical Christian divine. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 75
. In him the elements of an originally happy nature were sweetly blended; tempered and richly adorned by an abundant portion of the spirit of divine grace: holiness had attained great heights, first principles had gone on unto perfection. It is not the object of this brief notice to dwell on the details of a combination, rich in varied graces; but in recording the excellence of this venerable man and truly apostolic minister, it may be allowed to mark, as prominent features of a character in which all was lovely, his child-like simplicity, his singleness of heart, the elevation of his devotion, the cheerfulness of his piety, the beauty of his holi ness, the charity of his zeal, his bright imagination, his lively fancy, the ease of his seriousness, the innocence of his mirth, the purity of his exuberant
joy. - He was admirable in all the faculties and powers of an enlightened mind; but the charm by which he won and ruled the hearts of all, was that grace in man, which is the nearest image on earth of a holy and merciful God, the boundless benevo lence of a truly Catholic spirit. Of Mr. Clowes, it may be justly said, “his wisdom was a loving spirit; of his ‘virtue the memorial is immortal, because it is known with God and with men: when it was present, men took example at it; and when it was gone, they desire it: it weareth a crown, and triumpheth for ever, ºf
76 MEMOIR OF THE having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards.” This admirable person enjoyed, in a singular degree, through life, the respect and affection of all by whom he was known; but in an especial man ner the veneration of his own flock; over which (and it was his first and only cure of souls) he was, by God's providence, the shepherd, for the very unusual term of nearly sixty-two years.” The apparent discrepancy among the above arti cles in the date of Mr. Clowes's departure, arises from the circumstance, that it took place soon after midnight. The last writer regards this as the night of Saturday, May 28th; the others, more properly, according to the usual mode of computation, as the
morning of Sunday, May 29th. -
THE REV. JOHN CLOWES.
SOCIETY FOR PRINTING AND PUBLISHING THE WRITINGS
OF THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDEN BORG.
Committee Room, Featherstone Buildings, London,
- - June 2nd, 1831. The decease of the Rev. John Clowes, M.A., Rector of St. John’s, Manchester, and late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, which took place at Warwick, on the 29th of May last, in the 88th year
* From the Manchester Courier of June the 4th, 1831. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 77
of his age, having been communicated to the com mittee of the above society, it was resolved:— “That this committee cannot hear of this dis pensation of the Lord's all-merciful providence, without recording their feelings upon the afflictive event. Yet why should an event be denominated afflictive, which, to the highly prepared subject of it, is only a deliverance from the prison-house of a material frame, no longer suited to be the organ of the active and heavenly-minded spirit which tenanted it so long, and a removal to that hea venly world, which will be felt by him as his native sphere; where those principles of love, intelligence, and use, which constituted his life here, will expand into all the fulness which even he can desire, and will be the source of eternal blessedness and joy! Yet the members of this society, even beyond multitudes of others who will deeply feel the loss, cannot but experience in his removal a sense of bereavement; for peculiarly might they regard him as a father. This society is established for printing and publishing the writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg: and their venerable friend was almost the first who laboured, with effect, to bring those writings into notice,—was the translator, into English, of the greater part of them,-and was the unwearied pro moter, through a period of fifty-eight years, of every effort for conveying the salutary principles, which they develope into the understandings and the L 78 MEMOIR OF THE hearts of his fellow-creatures. When the members of this society reflect on the intuitive perception with which, on those writings being brought, by a peculiar providence, under his observation, he at once appreciated the inestimable value of the di vine truths which they contain;—when they reflect that, in the reception of those truths, he then, in this country, stood almost alone;—when they consider the zeal and self-devotedness with which he set himself to make them accessible to others, notwithstanding the opposition which was soon arrayed against him;—when they think of the eminent usefulness he exercised in procuring the formation of a society at Manchester, having that object in view, which still perseveres in its valu able labours, and to which this society has since associated itself in the same work;—when they remember the engaging manner in which, in his Affectionate Address to the Clergy, he invited his brethren of the Establishment to examine those writings,-the power of argument and force of evidence with which, in his Letters to a Member of Parliament, he refuted the calumnies against them of the Abbé Barruel,—the commanding ability and convincing clearness with which he replied to the objections of Churchmen, Calvinists, and Unitarians, in his Answers to the Editors of the Christian Observer, to the Rev. W. Roby, and to the Rev. J. Grundy;--when they add to this the amiable light in which he placed the principles Rev. JoHN CLöwes. 79 of the true Christian life and doctrine in his other writings, whether they were his treatises On Mediums and On Opposites, his Two Heavenly Memorialists, his Letters on the Human Soul, and . On the Human Body, his many volumes of admirable Sermons, his charming little works for children, or his various other excellent publica tions;—when, turning from the abundant displays of superior intellect, they contemplate the still more admirable qualities of his heart—the truly Christian humility, piety, love, and beneficence, and the undeviating purity of character which marked his whole life;—when they call to mind how he turned from the attractions of the academic and scientific distinction which attended his early career, to discharge the simple but important duties of a minister of the Gospel;—when they remember that, at a period somewhat later, on having received views of truth which were too generally unpopular, he never shrunk from the most open and public avowal of them, and relinquished, for their sake, the most flattering prospects of preferment, dignity, and wealth ;—and when they know that, though for a while the object of persecution, he actually lived down all opposition, and, by the exalted excellence of his character and conduct, secured the universal esteem, testified by a permanent me morial,” of the populous parish of which he was
* The Tablet erected in St. John’s Church, - 80 MEMOIR OF THE
Rector for more than sixty years;—when the mem bers of this society reflect on these, and numerous similar features in the life and conduct of their venerated friend, they cannot but feel how exalted was the character with whom they have been asso ciated, (in which sentiment they know they shall be joined by some of the most respectable and ele wated characters in the land :) and they cannot but regard it as their duty to acknowledge, in the most public manner, the privilege they have enjoyed. Whilst, then, they are deeply sensible of their loss, in the removal of such a friend and coadjutor, they feel truly grateful to the mercy of the Lord, that spared him to them so long. They are conscious that they can only worthily show their gratitude, by striving, with increased zeal, to follow in the path in which he walked before them; and, especially, by continuing their efforts to promote the know ledge of those truths, of the effects of which, when received in the heart, he was so irreproachable and so bright an example."
The following is extracted from the minutes of the proceedings of the Manchester Printing Society, at a general meeting, held on the 8th August, 1831, at which it was resolved:
* From the Intellectual Repository and New Jerusalem Magazine, for July, 1831. - REV. JOHN CLOWES, 81
“That, in consequence of the decease of the Rev. John Clowes, President of the Society, which took place at Warwick, on the 29th May, 1831, they place on record in their Minute-book, the sentiments they entertain of that distinguished clergyman. It is not, however, intended on this occasion to give a history of the life of that excellent man, inasmuch as a biographical sketch, written by him self, will be published on some future occasion; neither do they wish, in what they have to say, to speak only of the personal qualities of their deceased friend, but to view him as an instrument raised up of Divine Providence, to make known to the world the doctrines of the New Church, as set forth in the writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg. The Lord, from the earliest times, in making known Divine Truth to the sons of men, has uni formly effected His gracious designs through the medium of persons especially appointed for the purpose. During the life-time of Swedenborg, several learned and pious men, who had seen the writings, as published by himself in the Latin lan guage, became convinced that he was commissioned by the Lord, to make known to men the doctrines of that church, which is signified by the Holy City New Jerusalem, in the book of Revelations. The Rev. Thomas Hartley, a clergyman of the Church of England, and co-temporary with the author, was the first, in order of time, who saw - 82 MEMOIR OF THE the expediency of having the writings of Sweden borg translated into English. But it was reserved for Mr. Clowes, who had been educated in the University of Cambridge, to continue and carry on the work of translating the writings of the illustrious author. In about four years after Mr. Clowes had been appointed to the rectory of St. John's Church, Manchester, he providentially met with a volume of that author's works, entitled, Vera Christiana Re ligio; and though the learned in general consider these writings as scarcely worthy of their attention, yet, the moment Mr. Clowes saw the doctrine which Emanuel Swedenborg maintains, concerning the Divine Humanity of the Lord, it produced so deep an impression upon him, as to excite an ardent desire to peruse, without delay, a volume which promised to supply him with such an abundant store of rational and heavenly instruction. The account, given by himself, of the effect which the first perusal of this extraordinary work produced on Mr. Clowes, every page of which contains sentiments which are in opposition to those in which he had been educated, proves that his mind had been wonderfully preserved from the confirmation of what is false, by the Divine Pro vidence of the Lord, in order, no doubt, that he might become an instrument in the performance of uses, of which, up to that period, he was altogether Ul Il COInSCIOuS. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 83
The theological writings of Swedenborg being written in the Latin language, must have remained, in a great measure, unknown in this country, unless some one could have been found, who was able and willing to undertake the task of translating them. In the Rev. John Clowes the requisite qualifications were all united; he possessed a clear understanding, a sincere heart, and a sound judgment; he was industrious, disinterested, and truly pious ; where fore, enriched with these endowments, and under the guidance of Divine Providence, this Reverend Gentleman, when about thirty years of age, com menced this important work; and, to give a more speedy effect to his valuable labours, he formed a society, to assist him in the publication of his trans lations, as soon as he was able to prepare them for the press; to the funds of which society he was also himself a liberal contributer. Thus, in the year 1782, was the Manchester Printing Society first formed, and subsequently established with a handsome capital, for the purpose above mentioned, and also for publishing the various works which were written by Mr. Clowes. While he was engaged in translating the writings, he continued to preach the doctrines of the New Church from his pulpit, at St. John's, in a most able, convincing, and solemn manner, and also to deliver private exhortations to such pious persons as might be desirous to under stand more clearly the doctrines, which he preached from the pulpit. By these various means this zea 84 MEMOIR OF THE
lous and pious clergyman laid the foundation of the New Church in Manchester, and in the surrounding neighbourhood; and also, by his translations of the writings, and his own publications, became the instrumental means of extending the knowledge of the heavenly doctrines of the New Church, and of conveying the glad tidings of the New Jerusalem to distant parts of the earth. But however high Mr. Clowes might stand in the estimation of his friends, as a man of education and as an able preacher, he stood still higher in their esteem as a good man, and as a practical Christian ; for the doctrines which he so much admired, and which he so earnestly maintained, had taught him, that however pious he might appear in the sight of man, however much he might be honoured on account of his sacred office, or on account of the duties he performed, or the talents he possessed, all these things would be of little value, unless they were accompanied with a state of mind, which, above all others, is necessary to qualify man for admission into the kingdom of heaven: that essential qualification is called, in the Word, being born again, and in the writings of Swedenborg, regeneration. And such of the members of the Printing Society as had frequent intercourse with Mr. Clowes, know, that the ac quirement of that state of mind was, with him, a chief or primary object, as, indeed, appears from all the sermons he composed, from his private exhortations, from his various publications, and REV, JOHN CLOWES. 85
from the whole tenor of his life, both public and private; and hence he uniformly maintained that the two means which are most conducive to that ‘end are, an acknowledgment of the sole divinity of the Lord, and a life according to the divine commandments. Wherefore, the Printing Society, in speaking thus of the exalted character of their departed friend, wish to be understood as doing so, chiefly in reference to those heavenly qualities of goodness and truth, which he had received by regeneration from the Lord, thus, more on account of his mental than on account of his personal qualifications, esteeming and honouring the latter principally on account of the former. . . . It is, therefore, with unfeigned satisfaction and sincerity that the society now record this last tribute of respect to the memory of their departed friend; and they are, at the same time, desirous to raise their thoughts and affections, in a devout manner, to the only Lord God of heaven and earth, whose name is Jesus Christ, gratefully and humbly adoring Him for having so often, and in such various ways, provided, in mercy, so many instrumental agents and messengers of truth, to instruct and enlighten
the understandings of men. , - ... But with respect to their worthy friend, th -society are well convinced, that if he could be acquainted with their present sentiments, and could know that they were now assembled to record this tribute of respect to his memory, he would address M 86 MEMOIR, &c. them in language such as the following :-‘My dear and well-beloved friends, if in the various duties I have performed, I have been thought worthy of your esteem, or entitled, on account of any services I have rendered to your society, to this token of your approbation, I claim no merit to myself, but desire to ascribe all the merit to Him who, out of His abundant mercy, enabled me first to see, and afterwards to become an humble, though unworthy instrument, in making known to others, that in these latter days the Lord has opened and unfolded the true meaning of His Holy Word, through the instrumentality of His servant, Emanuel
Swedenborg.' - - The society have now to state that their late departed friend, by his last Will and Testament, bequeathed to it all the Latin works of the Ho nourable Emanuel Swedenborg, in his possession, all his own manuscripts, and his valuable gold cup. For these, but more especially for his long and able services in the cause of the New Church, the society feel truly grateful, and rejoice sincerely, in the full assurance that their worthy friend, in being removed from the society of men, has been introduced into the society of angels, to become a partaker of those blessed realities, which will be the happy portion of all who believe on the Lord, and keep His com mandments.” M O N U M E N T,
To The MEMORY of
THE REV. JOHN CLOWEs, A.M.,
RECTOR OF ST. JoHN’s CHURCH,
f{{anchester,
AND FORMERLY FELLow of TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
At a meeting, held in the vestry 9f St. John's Church, on the 3rd of November, 1831, consisting of the members of the congregation, and other friends of the late Rev. John Clowes, desirous to show their veneration and regard for his memory, and by some permanent and lasting memorial to commemorate the many virtues which he possessed, in so eminent a degree, and which he exemplified in a life of piety, purity, and benevolence, as the faithful and zealous pastor of his flock, for a period of nearly sixty-two years, -the Rev. W. Huntington, A. M., Rector, in the chair,—it was unanimously resolved : FIRST-‘‘That a handsome Marble Monument be erected in this church, and placed over the churchwardens' pew, with an appropriate inscrip
tion thereon. - 88 1MEMOIR OF THE
SEcon D–That a subscription be now entered into, for the purpose of raising the necessary funds, for the accomplishment of this object. THIRD–That the following gentlemen (any five of whom shall be competent to act,) be ap pointed a committee, to carry these resolutions into effect :—viz., the Reverend the Rector, the Churchwardens and Sidesmen, Mr. Ollivant, Mr. Tate, Mr. Shelmerdine, Mr. Mallalieu, and Mr. Chadwick, with power to add to their number. FourTH-That Mr. J. Woollam be requested to accept the office of treasurer to the committee, for the erection of the intended monument.” W. HUNTING Ton, CHAIRMAN.
In agreement with the foregoing resolutions, the monument was designed and executed by Richard Westmacott, Junr., Esq., R. A., and placed at the east end of the church, above the churchwardens' seat. The following is an etching of the monument, with the inscription.
* *
-*-iyeroxx…"
$acret to the #lemorp of
• T H E R E V E R E N D J O H N C L O W E S M. A.
RECToR of THE PARfs H church of ST. JoHN's, (H1s FIRST AND on LY cuRE of souls)
-f Du RING THE EXTRAORDINARY TERM
of SIXTY TWO YEARs.
HE was Born 31st ocT. 1743, AND DIED 29TH MAY, 1831.
------
HE WAS A SAINT
IN WHOM THE WORK OF RIGHTEou SNESS WAS EXPRESSED “BY PURENEss, BY KNow LED GE, BY LoNG suffPRING, BY KINDN Ess, BY THE Holy GHosT, BY LovE UNFEIGNED.” - -
As A LEARNED schol, AR, A FINIs HED GENTLEMAN, A LUMINous wait ER, AN 1MPREssive PREACHER, A v1GILANT PASToR, A SPIRITUAL MoRAL1st, AND A PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN DIVINE, RE GAv E REAL Ev1DEN cR THAT * GoDLINEss HATH THE PRoM1s E of THE LIFE THAT Now 1s, AND or THAT which Is To come.”
HE PAssED THRoug H THIs EARTH IN Joy AND THANKSGIVING,
ExPERIENCING, To HIs GREAT BLEssEDNEss, Even To THE END, THAT “THE PATH of THE JUsT 1s As sh in ING LIGHT, which sH1NETH MoRE AND MoRE UNTo THE PERFECT DAY.”
•la---
THE ABOVE MONUMENT WAS ERECTED
A r THE ExPENs E of H1's PAR1s HIon ERs AND FRIENDs, To TEs.TIFY THEIR LovE of THE MAN, AND To REcoRD IN THIs church THE FAITH FULNEss of his MINIsrRY. THE
FOLLOWING IS THE DESCRIPTION
O F T H E M O N U M E N T,
As GIVEN BY THE ARTIST,
RICHARD WEST MACOTT, JUNR., Esq., R.A.
Mr. Westmacott has continued the idea origi nated by Mr. Flaxman ; and as in the first work the minister appears in the active duties of his calling, the last illustrates the closing scene of his long, useful, and well-spent life, the venerable subject being represented on his death-bed, pre paring to visit that “bourn from which no traveller returns.” The advanced age and physical infir mities, consequent upon the long sickness of Mr. Clowes, are indicated by the spare and somewhat emaciated forms of the head and hands; but the moral strength derived from the hope that fails not, is attempted to be expressed by the mild and contented character of the countenance, which is directed to the emblem of the religion he professed In MEMOIR OF THE
—a cross," in the midst of rays of glory, and to which he stretches one hand, while the other rests upon the inspired volume, which lies open on the bed. At the foot and at the sides of the couch are figures, variously affected by the scene before them. A male figure, of middle age, contemplates the closing scene of his spiritual guide with calm and subdued attention; a female, near him, looks on also, with an expression in which grief is
* The reader will perceive, from the following extract, from one of Mr. Clowes's Sermons, on Luke xiv. 27, preached at St. John’s Church, Manchester, what his views were on the true doctrine of the cross. “The cross of Christ, it is to be observed, was not that cross of wood only, on which He suffered, but it was the daily cross which He bare, in combating against the powers of darkness, and all evils and false maxims of this world and the flesh. In like manner, the cross which we are called to take up, is not a cross of wood, but it is the cross of opposition to our natural corruptions, and the pain which such opposition must cost us; and therefore the heavenly lesson of instruction which Jesus Christ intended to teach us, by calling us to take up this cross, was this, that if we would regain paradise and the bosom of God—if we would recover all that heavenly life which He came to open and restore in us and for us, we must also follow Him on this cross; we must also suffer with Him, according to our measure, in fighting against the same foes to that heavenly and eternal life; and therefore it is written, “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.” Beloved, let us not deceive ourselves, or suffer others to deceive us, in a point of so much real consequence to our eternal interests. If we would be Christians indeed, we ought seriously to consider and determine within ourselves, whether we are trusting to the cross which Christ bare, or are bearing the same cross ourselves; whether we are resting our salvation on Christ's sufferings only, or are following him in the same spirit of suffering;—for infinite is the difference between these two kinds of Christians,—the former are sitting in the darkness and death of sin, without knowing or tasting of the power of Christ in its removal; whilst the latter, through the all-conquering power of the cross, are daily rising out of the kingdom of Satan, and translating into the blessed kingdom of the life, and love, and peace of Jesus Christ. REV. JOHN CLOWES. mingled with a feeling of awe; a younger female, overcome by her sorrow, has thrown herself at the side of the bed; while on the other side a still younger girl, excited by the holy fervour of the dying, has raised her hands in an attitude of prayer, and looks towards the holy emblem, to which the departing minister appears to be directing their attention. At the pillow, which supports the sink ing figure of Mr. Clowes, an angel is introduced,
Jesus Christ, it is certain, came to destroy in the human nature the power of sin, of self, and the inordinate love of this world, and thereby to open in man the heavenly blessed life, which had been nearly lost, of divine love, and holy charity, and pure wisdom from above; for this purpose He appeared in our humanity; and in that humanity He fought against all the powers of the carnal, ungodly, and false life, and thereby made Himself a Redeemer, by making salvation possible to all, inasmuch as through the grace which He now supplieth, we may all, if it be not our own fault, attain unto that heavenly, blessed, and righteous life, in Christ our Saviour. But who now are they that will attain unto this heavenly life which Jesus Christ came to restore? they who trust to the cross which Christ endured, or they who follow Him in enduring the same cross, according to their measure? Let the words of Jesus Christ Himself determine the question, —“JWhosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.” Observe, He doth not say, Whosoever doth not depend on the cross which I endured,—whosoever doth not plead My sufferings, cannot be My disciple ; but He says, “Whosoever doth not bear himself the cross, whosoever doth not come after Me ;” that is, follow Me in My steps of suffering, of self denial, of opposition to the carnal ungodly life of this world and the flesh, “he cannot be My disciple.” Behold here then at one view, the adorable mystery of the cross opened to our eyes, and the eternal plain reason why we must of necessity bear it, if we ever hope to be the disciples of the great Saviour. It is by the cross alone we gain dominion over ourselves and our passions, and are made sensible of the divine efficacy of that power from above, which is given us continually for our purification. It is by the cross alone we escape the snares of those alluring temptations which beset us in our way to the kingdom MEMOIR OF THE holding the branch of peace, as if waiting to usher a kindred spirit into the mansions of the blessed. The chief object of the artist will be under stood by this general description of the design. Near the pillow is placed the chalice and paten; and, in the absence of other accessaries, the sur plice and bands are thrown carelessly on the side of the couch, to indicate the clerical profession of
the deceased. -
of heaven, and are ever threatening our destruction. It is by the cross alone we are enabled to obtain the final victory over all sin, and to enter in triumph into the gates of the New Jerusalem; it is by the cross alone that we are put into possession of all the riches and graces promised in the Gospel covenant; for in the crucifixion of our own folly, we find the eternal wisdom; in the control of our own evil propensities, we are gifted with the purities of the eternal righteousness; in mortifying the inordinate love of this world and of ourselves, we are made partakers of the inestimable treasures of the love of God, and of the love of our neighbour. The cross, therefore, is our best friend, our safest guide, and our most powerful preserver. Would we then secure to ourselves the blessings promised to us by the cross? Let us then write on our heart in indelible characters, these words of our Redeemer, “Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.” Let us learn from these words, that to find the comforts of the cross, we must bear it; and that we might as reasonably expect to experience the benefit of food without eating it, or of medicine without taking it, as to experience the benefit of the cross without bearing it. And if we want any further encouragement to take up our cross patiently and thankfully, let us seek for it in this conviction, that if we do not bear the easy yoke and light burden which the Gospel thus imposes upon us, we must submit to bear a yoke and a burden ten thousand times heavier and more intolerable, even the yoke and burden of our passions, the tyranny of evil spirits, our tormentors, and the mortification arising from all those worldly
remedy.” REV. JOHN CLOWES. 89
Mr. Clowes, in addition to his translation of the principal part of the theological writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg from the original Latin, wrote the following works :
An Affectionate Address to the Clergy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, on the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. Dialogues, on the Nature, Design, and Evi dence of the Writings of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg; with a Brief Account of some of his
Philosophical Works. - Letters to a Member of Parliament, on the character and writings of Baron Swedenborg, containing a full Refutation of all the Abbe Barruel's Calumnies against the Hon. Author. The Gospel according to Matthew, translated from the original Greek, and illustrated by Extracts from the Theological Writings of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg; together with Notes and
Observations of the Translator. - The Gospel according to Mark, on the same
plan as that of Matthew. - The Gospel according to Luke, on the same
plan as the preceding. - The Gospel according to John, on the same plan as the preceding. Sermons, preached at St. John's Church, Man chester, two volumes. 90 MEMOIR OF THE
Sermons, on the Call and Deliverance of the Children of Israel out of Egypt; and on several of the more important circumstances attending their Journey through, the Wilderness, to their final Settlement in the Land of Canaan. A Sermon, on the Sacred Doctrine of the Divine
Trinity. - . . . . r * Two Sermons, on the impossibility of doing any saving Good, or believing any saving Truth, until evil be renounced by sincere Repentance and real Conversion to Jesus Christ. A Sermon, on the Divine Victory over Death
and the Grave. . - A Sermon, on Elijah's Mantle; or the Double
Portion of the Divine Spirit. - - The Sole Evclusive Divinity of Jesus Christ, proved from His appellation of Saviour, in a
Sermon, preached on Christmas-day. - * The Laws of Divine Order, &c., a Fast-day
Sermon. * * * Sermons, on the Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son. Sermons, on the Lord's Prayer and Ten Com
mandments. - - Sermons, on the Beatitudes, and on several other important subjects of Christian Life and Doctrine. Sermons, on the Parable of the Ten Virgins, and on several other important subjects of Christian
Life and Doctrine. - - REV, JOHN CLOWES. 91
On Mediums, their Divine Origin and Impor tant Uses, especially in their instrumentality to promote the regeneration and salvation of Mankind. On Science, its Divine Origin, Operation, Use, and End; together with its various interesting Properties, Qualities, and Characters. The True End and Design of the Holy Sacra ment of the Lord's Supper; together with the Nature of the Preparation necessary for a right and profitable reception thereof. Opened and ex plained in two Dialogues, between a father and his
SOIl. A Dialogue between a Churchman and a Methodist, on the writings and opinions of Baron Swedenborg. : A Few Plain Answers to the Question, ‘Why do you receive the testimony of Baron Swedenborg?” Addressed from a Minister to his Congregation. On the Two Worlds, the Visible and Invisible, their Nearness to, Connexion with, and Operation on, each other; elucidated from reason, and con
firmed from Scripture. - - : Pure Evangelical Religion Restored; or Charity, Faith, and Good Works re-united: a true history. . The Spiritual Sun, its Existence and Operation proved incontestably, from Scripture and from IreaSO11. The Two Heavenly Memorialists; or Love and Truth, stating to the Christian World their present peculiar Distresses, and imploring Relief. 92 MEMOIR OF THE
... The Parables of Jesus Christ Explained, in the way of Question and Answer, in twelve parts; separate, at different prices: the whole may be had
in one pocket volume, in boards. - The Miracles of Jesus Christ, on the same plan
as the parables. . . . . • * Scripture Histories, selected from the Old Tes tament, and explained according to their Internal or Spiritual Meaning, in the way of Question and Answer, in parts; or in three pocket volumes,
in boards. - . Letters to a Friend, on the Divine Person and
Character of Jesus Christ. - Letter to the Rev. John Grundy, on the
Unitarian Controversy. . - * * * * * Short Dialogues, on Creation and Redemption. A Letter to the Rev. W. Roby, containing strictures on some passages in his Lectures, in which he speaks of the Honourable Emanuel Swedenborg, and his Disciples. A Second Letter to the Rev. W. Roby, in repl to his late Pamphlet, entitled Anti-Swedenbor gianism. : A Treatise on Opposites, their Nature, Origin, and Uses, as affecting both the Natural and Spiri
tual Life of Man. c - Christian Temper; or a View of the Blessed Change gradually wrought in the Natural Dis position of Man, by the admission of Christian Principles into his Understanding and Life.
*
* REV. JOHN CLOWES. 93
The Twelve Hours of the Day; or a Summary View of some of the principal stages or processes of Regenerate Life. On Delights; their Origin, Variety, Uses, and End; together with the important Duties to which
they point. - Letters to a Friend, on the Human Soul, its Immateriality and Immortality; and more especially on its peculiar Characteristic, as being a Form and Substance, deriving its life continually from God. Letters on the Human Body, principally de signed to prove that the Body is a Mere Effect, derived from the Soul, as its Instrumental Cause, and thus from God, as its Primary Cause; and that, consequently, in every Human Body may be seen a Demonstration of the Continual Presence and Operation of the Causes, both Primary and Instru mental, of which it is the Effect.
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE.
An Explanation of the Church Catechism. The Caterpillars and the Gooseberry Bush; or a True Figure of the Bad Passions, and their Mischievous Effects; together with a brief account of their Origin and Cure : in three Dialogues, between a Father and his Son.
N 94 - MEMOIR, &c.
A Picture of the Broad and Narrow Way; intended for the instruction of all Young People who wish to discover and walk in the right road to Eternal Happiness. An Account of a Young Prince, showing how he set out to return to his Father's Kingdom, and of the mischiefs which befel him in the way; being 'an awful warning to all young people. The Rainbow; or the Token of God's Covenant with his People : in two Dialogues, between a a Father and his Son. The Mysterious Ladder; or Jacob's Dream Interpreted and Explained : in two Dialogues, between a Father and his Son. Paradise Lost and Regained; with a brief account of its two Trees, its Serpent, its Serpent Bruiser, its Laws; also of the Tempers, Manners, and Customs of its Inhabitants: in two Dialogues, between a Father and his Son. The Golden Wedding Ring; or Thoughts on
Marriage. - -
& The whole of the above little Tracts may be had in two neat pocket volumes. EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS,
WRITTEN BY THE LATE
R E.V. J O H N C L O W E S, A.M.,
To
SEVERAL PHOUS AND INTELLIGENT
I NADI VI D UAzs,
ON SEBJECTS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO GENUINE CHRISTIANITY.
February 16th, 18– THE necessary preparations for the discharge of the duties of Friday last, must be my apology for not returning an earlier answer to your last favour. It gives me the highest satisfaction to find, that your mind is still intent on serious things, and that the one thing needful occupies your chief concern; and I trust, that under these circumstances, you will experience less inconvenience from being deprived, for the present, of the study of your favourite author. For we ought never to forget, that it is not knowledge, but obedience; it is not spe culation, but practice, which renders us acceptable to the Almighty, and makes us His children. From what you have heretofore imbibed of the doctrines 96 LETTERS OF THE of the New Jerusalem, you appear clearly to appre hend who is the supreme object of your adoration and love, and also in what temper and spirit you ought to live, in order to fulfil His blessed inten tions, and thereby become receptive of His life. It may possibly, then, be of the Divine Providence, that under existing circumstances you are precluded from the further investigation of the doctrines above mentioned, to the intent that you may apply with greater energy to what is far more excellent and important, viz., the end of all doctrine, or its conjunction with the living principles of heavenly innocence, love, and charity, through a radical puri fication from all contrary principles. It is long, very long, (I speak from painful experience) before we make the proper distinction between knowing and doing, between the true and the good, so as to give each its right place, by exalting the doing above the knowing, and the good above the true; and yet till we attain unto this order of life, we cannot be said, according to the testimony of our enlightened author, Emanuel Swedenborg, to have attained the regeneration. You need not, therefore, it seems to me, complain of your temporary deprivation, because it extends only to the intellectual, and not to the will-principle, and, therefore, you are still at the most perfect liberty to exercise the latter, by attaching yourself to the God with whom you are acquainted; by rejecting, from your heart, those disorderly loves, which you know to be opposite REV. JOHN CLOWES. 97
to His love; and by thus cherishing His innocent and merciful life, in every power and principle of your own life. Besides, you are not excluded from the blessed privilege of reading and meditating upon the Holy Word; and from the explications which you have already received of this divine Book, it must needs be, in some degree, opened to you, whilst you read and look up to its Divine Author, so as to nourish at once both your under standing and your will. As to the temptation to which both yourself and your friend find yourselves exposed, I have only to observe, that it appears to me, that much of the temptation arises from a want of the order above spoken of, whilst truth is regarded more than good, and the things of the intellect are exalted above those of the will: let this state be reversed, and I will venture to say, that the temptation will instantly cease; because, where heavenly good is admitted and exalted, it never fails to communicate heavenly peace, whereas truth, separated from good, is a restless and un quiet spirit, uneasy, alike, with what it knows, and what it doth not know, and disposed to quar rel with every thing which is not in agreement
with its own apprehensions. - Permit me further to observe, that I have long been persuaded that it is a weighty duty, imposed upon the members of the Lord's New Church, to endeavour to guard each other, as much as possible, 98. LETTERs of THE against the greatest of all dangers and delusions, the exaltation of speculative opinions, or articles of faith, above the real saving good of life, which is the good of heavenly love and charity, to which those opinions and articles were intended to con duct us. Nothing can be conceived more full and express, than the testimony of our enlightened author upon this subject, who, in every page of his writings, teaches us that it is not doctrine, but the life of doctrine, which effects conjunction with the Most High, and, that of consequence the evan gelical graces of humility, meekness, innocence, love, charity, obedience, &c. &c., ought, at all times, to be exalted to pre-eminence above every scientific and intellectual attainment whatsoever, be it ever so bright and brilliant. It is greatly to be lamented, that this testimony has not in gene ral been attended to as it ought to have been; but the case is, we commonly estimate both ourselves and others, more from the intellect, than from the will, forgetting that God’s estimate is the very reverse, who judges all solely from what they love, that is to say, from the will and life. It is ac cordingly written, “Man looketh on the eyes, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Sam. xvi. 7. I have seen the dictionary" you speak of, and regard it as a very useful and excellent index to the writings in question.
* Nicholson’s Dictionary of Correspondences. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 99
I have no thoughts, at present, of publishing - another volume of sermons; but if, at a future time, it should appear expedient, and I should be led to adopt the measure, you may depend on receiving a copy. I shall also remember you, if the intended translation of the Gospels, with notes, ever comes to be published ; but I cannot, at present, say when that will be the case, as it is a work which will require both labour and time. With sincere prayers to the Almighty, that you may, in all things, be under His peculiar govern ment and guidance, I remain, Yours, &c.
August 29th, 18– Immediately on the receipt of your last favour, dated May 25th, I was seized with a violent epidemic cold, which, for several weeks, deprived me of all power of exertion, insomuch that I was under the necessity of suspending all professional duties, and had scarcely strength to write a common letter. I was then ordered by my physicians to Matlock, and afterwards to the sea, from whence I returned only a few days ago, having had continual occasion to lament my inability to reply to the contents of your letter. 100 LETTERS OF THE
Being now, through the divine blessing, res tored to my former health, I take the earliest opportunity of thus explaining the cause of my
long silence. - - * - The variety of internal exercises with which your mind appears to have been agitated, in the pursuit of truth, convinces me, more and more, of the necessity of such purifying means, in order to the acquirement and full establishment of the blessing we are in quest of. The measure must, as our Lord describes it, be not only pressed down, but also shaken together, before it can be running over, and, therefore, we have no reason to dread the agitation, by which we become such considerable gainers, but rather to dread that state of lukewarm ness and indifference about the truth, which, leaving us at ease in our follies, exposes us to a danger a thousand times more terrible, than any we have to fear from temporary trials and persecutions. I have lately been much struck with the vision of the figs, recorded in the 24th chapter of Jere miah, by which it appears that the good figs are figures of those who go into captivity; and the bad figs, of those who do not go into captivity; conse quently, that the figs in us can never become good, but so far as we enter into, and pass through spi ritual captivity, that is to say, spiritual temptations. In the sincere prayer that your figs, and all your other fruits may be well ripened, and that, for this purpose, you may cleave continually unto Him REW. JOHN CLOWES. 101 who can alone supply light and heat for that blessed end, and thus advance, from one degree of purification to another, through the support of His divine patience and strength. I remain, Yours, &c.
Nov. 28th, 18–
In your last letter you imposed a task, the exe cution of which, especially in the compass of a letter, appears so difficult, not to say impossible, that I must confess I feel myself altogether un equal to it, and, therefore, cannot pretend to do any thing more than to communicate a few hints on the subject. Indeed, a volume would be, perhaps, insufficient for a full discussion, and after all I have a doubt whether a volume would remove doubts, and whether the duty of prayer is not a thing rather to be learnt by practice than by rule. I entirely agree with you in respect to your obser vations on the book which has been put into your hands, viz., The Life of Madame de Guion, that it contains the history of an enthusiastic devotee, warm, indeed, with piety, but with a piety unqualified, unenlightened, and unrestrained by its proper wis dom: yet the subject of it appears to me to deserve O 102 LETTERS OF THE pity rather than blame, as her errors are grounded more in ignorance and weakness of judgment, than in any defect of good intention, and sincere purpose to learn and discharge her duty. The wonder with me is, considering all the circumstances, not that she failed in prudence, and the exact knowledge of the measures of duty, but that she attained to so much perfection in the practice of many Christian virtues. And in reading her writings, and the wri tings of others of the same class, I think it is well to draw all the good we can from what is excellent in point of conduct, at the same time that we weigh, with scrupulous caution, every singularity either of opinion or practice. On the subject of prayer, for instance, it seems to me impossible for a well disposed mind, not to receive benefit from Madam Guion's Short and Easy Method, because it is grounded in the all of God, and the nothingness of the creature, and is written with a warmth of heavenly love and life, which edifies more than a thousand maxims. But then, when the good lady represents prayer as having a tendency not only to elevate the soul to God, and to lead it to conjunc tion with God, but also to absorb it in God, in such a manner that there shall be no longer any distinction between God and the soul,—here it is necessary to be upon our guard, how we admit an idea, which appears to confound the Creator and the creature with each other, so that we no longer see the limits by which they are kept distinct. I REV. JOHN CLOWES. 103 would say, therefore, to this writer, and to others of the same character, I will warm myself at your fire, but I will not make use of your candle; I will eat of your bread, but I will not drink of your wine. But to return to the more immediate considera tion of the inquiries contained in your letter. You ask, first, speaking of consolation in prayer, How, in seeking after this most delightful of all resources, are we to distinguish between the influ ence of the Holy Spirit, and the agency of enthusiastic spirits?—I answer, by attending to the distinction pointed out in the Gospel, and also in the doctrines of the New Jerusalem, between a life of piety, and a life of charity, and by exalting the latter above the former. For all enthusiasm, properly so called, appears to be grounded in a piety which is either separated from, or exalted above, the life of charity, in either of which cases, piety will want its proper life, both to sanctify and guide it, and will thus expose its deluded votaries to all the errors of a heated and blind imagination; whereas, a piety enlivened, and at the same time enlightened by charity, and the wisdom of charity, is out of the reach of delusion and enthusiasm, because, being under the govern ment and guidance of the Divine Spirit, it is operative only according to the laws of the divine order, and kept thereby within a circle of well 104 LETTERS OF THE arranged affections and thoughts, which no enthu siastic spirits can or dare approach. The great and the only danger, therefore, to which we are exposed in prayer is, lest our addresses to our heavenly Father, or our inter course with Him and His kingdom, should not be regulated by charity and its wisdom, and thus not be directed towards the life of charity, as their proper and only true end. For if, in my prayers, I approach the Almighty, as it were, at random, with out any fixed steady purpose, which is grounded in the laws of the eternal order; or if I approach Him in the spirit of selfishness, to obtain a greater share of His divine favour for myself, than for others; or, lastly, if I pray, merely to indulge my imagination in high flights of fancied sanctity; in all these several cases it is more than probable, that enthusiastic and disorderly spirits of various de scriptions will join themselves with my prayers. But, on the other hand, if I pray in the spirit of a sincere repentance, seeking deliverance from all my natural evils, and restoration to the life and wisdom of heaven-born charity;—if I approach the Father of mercies, with a sincere desire to please Him, by becoming His humble, loving, and dutiful child;—if, before I pray, I enter into a sincere examination of myself, and my disorders, and at the same time, endeavour to study, and compre hend, and practise the laws of that eternal order, for the fulfilment of which I was created, praying REV, JOHN CLOWES. 105 for others as well as myself; in this case, it appears to me impossible that any enthusiastic spirits should. join themselves with my prayers, any more than they can join themselves with that life of heavenly order, for which, and according to which, I pray. And here, you may be enabled to see, how you may safely admit the affections to be sharers in your devotion, without having any danger to appre hend from their operation, and their joy. Only place them under the control of a prudent and enlightened charity, and they will then do no injury, either to themselves, or to you. For the affections are only then mischievous, when they enlist them selves under the banner of self-love, and acknow ledge no other leader or sovereign; whereas, in subordination to the wisdom of heavenly love, they have their important uses, and by the delights, of which they are recipient and communicative, they tend, at once, to strengthen and nourish the parent life. You may, therefore, securely drink and feed upon the joy which is infused into your cup by a well regulated affection, administering to your devotion: you may eat the “honey as well as the butter,” and need fear no ill consequences, only so far as you prefer the honey to the butter, or exter nal delights to internal, and indulge in the sweets of the former, separate from the vital nourishment
of the latter. - r
* Isaiah vii. 15, 22. 106 LETTERS OF THE
I believe it to be the general practice in prayer, to look up to the Deity, rather as a Lord and Sovereign, than to approach Him under any other character. But I can see no reason why we may not approach Him under those other more amiable and affectionate characters, in which He has been pleased to make Himself known to us, namely, as a Friend and Father, or even as a Bridegroom and Husband. If we are influenced solely by the pure motive of loving and exalting Him and His life, it is certainly allowable, yea, it is more than allowable, it is our duty, to place Him before our eyes in every view that is most likely to engage both our veneration and affections; neither is there any danger to be apprehended, whilst we are careful to exalt charity and its wisdom as the end of our
devotion. - • Another doubt and difficulty you appear to labour under is, respecting the object of your wor ship, namely, whether you ought to regard Him as within you or without you? And on this subject I wish to observe, that if you would receive the full benefit of devotion, the object of it ought then to be respected in a double view, that is to say, both within and without. For thus we learn that the angels themselves respect the Lord, beholding Him in themselves as the perpetual Fountain of their life, and beholding Him out of themselves in the Sun of the angelic heaven, whereby He manifests Himself and His glory to their external senses,
* REV, JOHN CLOWES. 107
corresponding to the manifestation within ; now as we men consist, like the angels, both of an internal and external man, (I am speaking of our spirits,) it appears both right and reasonable that, in the exercise of our devotion, we should allow to each man his share of operation, and, whilst we regard the Deity as the supreme Fountain of life and all its faculties within us, and bow down our souls before Him, in a grateful acknowledgment of this His internal presence and abode in us, we should also regard Him as the Sun of the angelic heaven without us, and worship and adore Him under this His external manifestation and operation. . Accordingly, in the prayer which our Lord hath taught us, we are instructed to approach Him as our Father in the heavens, that by viewing Him in conjunction with His kingdom, our minds might be more impressed with a sense of His majesty and glory, than if we viewed Him alone, or in a state of separation from the heavens. To the same purpose, Emanuel Swedenborg teaches that the regenerate man is the subject of a twofold influx, the one mediate, the other immediate; or what amounts to the same, the one through the angelic heaven, the other directly from the Lord Himself, and that in the regeneration these two influences are brought into the most perfect harmony and
agreement. ------I cannot conclude my letter without calling to your remembrance that our Lord exalts the life of 108 LETTERS OF THE charity above the practice of piety, where he says, speaking of external worship, “First be reconciled to thy brother:” and in another place, “When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any.”f I wish, therefore, most earnestly to recommend to your consideration the preference here given, from a full persuasion in my own mind, that it will tend, above all other considerations, to guard you against all the delusions of enthusiasm, and to build your devotion on a rock both stable and permanent. Your prayers will thus become at once spiritual, rational, and natural, and will be effectual to con join those several principles in yourself, according to the order intended by the great Creator. You will pray with the will, and with the understanding also: nor will you be afraid of admitting the com bined operation of the affections and thoughts, because you will perceive plainly, that in subor dination to the life of wisdom and charity, they were designed to be the handmaids of devotion, and to administer to her life and comforts. In short, the only delusion to be apprehended in devotion is, when she would exalt herself above the laws of the eternal order, which are the laws of charity, and which require that before we approach the Holy God, we should wash our hands clean of all selfish and worldly love, that is contrary to the love of God and of our neighbour, and should
* Matt. v. 23, 24. + Mark xi, 25. REV. JOHN CLOWES, 109 labour to fulfil all the requirements of this latter love, both by studying and practising its spiritual, moral, civil, and domestic precepts. In the sincere and fervent prayer that your devotion may be free from all delusion, and may become effectual to conjoin you with the Eternal, by promoting the descent of His love and wisdom into every vital principle of mind and body, . I remain, Yours, &c.
September 27th, 18
I hasten to acknowledge the favour of your last acceptable letter, and to return you my grateful thanks for the genuine satisfaction which its con tents afforded me. You observe, very justly, that you have com menced a new career, and, from the account you give of the present state of your mind, I am fully convinced that it is so, and that, through the divine mercy, you have, at length, passed that perilous gulf, in which, the speculations of the under standing being exalted above the affections of the will, the soul is tossed to and fro, in a miserable fluctuation of doubt and uncertainty. P 1 10 LETTERS OF THE
Whilst I was reading your interesting descrip tion, it is very remarkable that the whole history of Jacob and Esau was presented to my view, and it appeared strongly impressed on my mind, that the prophecy of Isaac was at length fulfilled, and that Esau had “gained the dominion, and had broken his brother's yoke from off his neck.” From the internal sense of this singularly instructive history, it seems manifest, that the temporary pre-eminence of Jacob is a necessary state, and is, therefore, per mitted by the Almighty; in other words, it is necessary that truth, with its rod of iron, should, for a time, bear sway, to the intent that the cor ruptions of the heart may be both seen and subdued, which would never be effected, but by the hard hand of such a terrible power. Permit me to con gratulate you, that you have, at length, escaped out of the territories of this man of war, and arrived at the happy and tranquil land of the Prince of Peace, where the sword of iron is converted into a sceptre of gold, and where dominion is no longer of compulsion, but of choice, it being the supreme will and wish of the subject in that land, to be a subject; so that, from the happiness he enjoys, he is led to say, “I will extol Thee, my God, O King; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.”f I remain, Yours, &c.
* Gen. xxvii. 40. + Psalm crly. 1. - . REv. John CLow Es. 1 11
January 7th, 18–
It has been a mortification to me not to have had time to reply to your last interesting letter, so soon as its importance required, and as yourself had a right to expect; but when I tell you I was hurried out of , in October, to supply the printer with more manuscript copy, to complete a volume of sermons, intended for publication; and that it was necessary, besides, to write a long intro duction, in the execution of which I was limited in time, lest the press should be kept waiting; when I add further, that as soon as I had done with the volume of sermons, I was compelled to write a little £reatise, in the way of dialogue, on Jacob's ladder, ; for the use of the Sunday-school children, to whom I had pledged myself for that purpose; also to draw up the report of the proceedings of our Print ing Society, a copy of which you will receive with this, I trust that you will be fully persuaded, that my long silence has not been the effect of any want of attention and respect, but of those multiplied engagements, which did not leave me at leisure
sooner to reply. - And, first, in regard to the state of your own mind. I am delighted with the manner in which you represent to yourself the perceptive state of your mind, which you compare to a chrystal plane, that seems to receive the rays of the heavenly 112 LETTERS OF THE
Sun; and I doubt not, that this representation has been suggested to your mind by angelic spirits, for the purpose of exciting a clearer perception of the divine agency, which, there is reason to sup pose, can be more clearly discerned by the aid of some such natural images and representations. I am of opinion, therefore, that there is no danger to be apprehended from such representations, pro vided they are not rested in, and made essentials, by being exalted above innocence, charity, humility, and the other substantial graces of the Christian life. Indeed, I seem to be convinced, by much experience, that in the process of the regenerate life, the principle of perception in the mind, which is properly its sight, is opened and formed by such angelic imagery, and that this imagery is in a perpetual progress, from appearances less genuine, to such as are more so, during our abode in this world, and, probably, after an entrance into another, to all eternity. For several years past, these repre sentatives and their variations have been noted, and it has been given to see, that, without something of the kind, our spiritual perceptions cannot be rendered so clear and impressive. The representation, at present uppermost in the mind, and from which the perception is derived, is grounded in the human body, and especially in the inspiration and respira tion of the lungs, and what anatomists call the systole and diastole of the heart, which are two terms, to denote its contracting and dilating powers, REV. JOHN CLOWES, 113
by which the blood is first thrown off towards the extremities, and is next recalled thence, back to the heart. In these striking images is seen, what there is every reason to suppose they were origi nally intended to exhibit, the nature of the reception and operation of heavenly life, not only in regard to the necessity of co-operation, on the part of man, but also to the necessity of a reflux to the foun tain, whence the life originally flows. And here I am enabled to discern, as in a glass, the importance of the duty of thanksgiving, in giving back the heavenly life, under a devout acknowledgment of the mercy which dispenses it, since otherwise the circulation cannot be continued. For when there is reception only, and no return, there can be no circulation: just as in the body, if the blood were to be conveyed from the heart, and never to flow back again to that organ, its circle must cease, and of course there must be a cessation of bodily life. I mention this instance, only to show how fhe spiritual perception is grounded in the natural imagery, or in the representation of spiritual things in natural, which is a science, of all others, the most edifying and instructive, because grounded in the eternal connexion between spiritual causes and natural effects. And this brings to my mind a perception with which a friend of mine was gifted, and which continued with him for a considerable time, by which, as I have frequently heard him say, it appeared to him as if his mind were as a 114 LETTERS OF THE garden, full of fruits and flowers, and as if, in all states of recollection, he saw the spiritual Sun, and felt its reviving warmth shining upon the plants of his garden, and both ripening the fruits, and opening the flowers. I am clearly, therefore, of opinion, that where perception is grounded in this sort of imagery, and is made subservient to the great purposes of assisting in the regeneration, by rendering us more humble, more thankful, more . devoted to our heavenly Father, and more kind, compassionate, and forbearing, one towards ano ther, so far from being attended with any danger, it is of the highest benefit and importance, and is, therefore, communicated by our heavenly associates, being at once a demonstration of their presence,
and the fruit of their agency. - Having thus made such observations as seem necessary, in reply to that part of your letter which relates to yourself, I proceed to the account you give of your dear and much respected friend. It is, assuredly, possible that the activity of the natural life, not brought into right subordination to the spiritual, may be attended with mischief, and that, in our eagerness to do much, we may ineglect to do well, which certainly cannot be right, since it is an undeniable truth, that the well, in all cases, ought to be preferred to the much. How far our excellent friend is under a mistake in this point, I cannot pretend to say; but from your account of the state of her mind, I think I may REV, JOHN CLOWES, 115 venture to assert, that if she be under a mistake, it is only a mistake, and not any effect of voluntary error or evil. For, had this been the case, she would not have been brought into any uneasiness of mind on the occasion, or into any suspicion of being wrong; and, therefore, her suspicion and uneasiness are full proofs that her purpose is pure, howsoever she may have suffered herself to be called forth into more exertion, and a greater multiplicity of operation, than she is yet able to fill and qualify with spiritual life. What, therefore, I would particularly recommend to her attention, is to weigh carefully the above distinction, between the well and the much, and to be more earnest in fulfilling the duties of humiliation and sub mission, patience and resignation to God, required by the former, than eager in obeying the different distracting calls of the latter, howsoever specious, and even right, they may appear. It may also be of use to remember, that a tree may bear so much fruit, as to endanger its own life, and that it is not the quantity, but the quality of the fruit which determines the value of the tree. The important point of consideration, therefore, appears to be, not how much fruit our tree bears, but what its flavour is, and whether it be well ripened, and, of course, whether it have been properly exposed to the Sun's light and heat. But a word to the wise is sufficient, and, therefore, I will indulge the happiness of believing that our I 16 * LETTERS OF THE
much valued friend will henceforth so check her natural activities, if they require checking, that they may become submissive to the divine activity, which may always be distinguished from the activity of our nature, principally by this characteristic, that its operation is calm, peaceable, and free, alike, from impetuosity and anxiety, whereas the activity of our nature, in its separation from the divine, is quite the reverse. I cannot quit this subject without noting, that our blessed Lord's commendation of the good and faithful servant is expressed by the significant term, “Well done,” and it is added “thou hast been faithful in a few things,” to teach us all the edifying lesson, that what renders man acceptable in his Maker's eyes, is not the number of the things in which he is employed, be they many or few, but it is the spirit and temper, that is to say, the love and the life from God to which he is faithful in his employments. Before I close this letter, I must add a word or two, in answer to the request of your other corres pondent and valuable friend, by assuring her, that I always feel a happiness in remembering her before the throne of grace, for my own sake, as well as for hers; and I most sincerely congratulate her on the blessed temper and spirit of humility and submis sion before the Lord, which she appears to have attained, since this temper, and spirit seem to involve in them every thing that is most wise and REV, JOHN CLOWES. 117 excellent, most worthy of God to give, and most happy for man to receive. I wish, at the same time, to assure her, that it is upon this ground, that the writings, which she has lately begun to peruse, recommend themselves to my regard, principally, as having a tendency to conduct the human mind to a deeper humiliation, and a more absolute surrender of itself into the hands of its Maker, than could otherwise be effected. For it is a truth which experience testifies, and which reason confirms, that we can only become truly humble, in propor tion as we see and acknowledge a something higher and greater than ourselves, and, therefore, our humi liation must always keep pace with our acquaintance with the greatness and height of the Divine Being. But what writings, excepting the Sacred Scrip tures, do so magnify the Divine Being, as the writings of the enlightened Emanuel Swedenborg 1 I have frequently had a strong conviction in my own bosom, that nothing could possibly have ever humbled my intellectual mind, puffed up, alas ! with human science, but an acquaintance with these heavenly writings; and that the wonderful views which they exhibit, of the inexhaustible and unsearchable treasures of wisdom, deposited in the Holy Word, and of the astonishingly conde scending love and mercy of the Father of the Universe, together with the inconceivable wisdom and power which attend His operations, and con stitute His providence, are more effectual to produce Q 1 18 LETTERS OF THE in the mind a real and unreserved self-abasement, and grateful thankfulness, than all other consi derations whatsoever. Two wonders, therefore, have, for some time past, been presented to my view ; the first is, that such blessed and edifying writings are communi cated to mankind; the second is, that, as yet, they are so little known, and so much misrepresented. And yet, perhaps, neither of these considerations ought so much to surprise us, for this reason, be cause it ought not to appear strange, that the Almighty has gifted one of His creatures with superior wisdom, and enabled him to communicate it to others; neither ought it to appear strange, that the heavenly wisdom is held in little request, and is vilified, since this appears to have been the case under every dispensation of Holy Truth, communi cated from heaven to man, since the foundation of the world. And now, having exhausted my own time, and I fear your patience also, I must bid you, for the present, adieu, as to communication by words, and retire into that not less real, or less blessed commu nication of the spirit, which is not subject to the interruptions of time and space, and in which, I trust, we shall be ever near to each other, and by mutual devout prayer to the Almighty for each other's everlasting good, shall maintain perpetual intercourse of heavenly affection in Him, whose divine will to all His children is, that they may thus be one. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 119
In the spirit of this prayer, and with kindest regards to dear —, and to your other unknown friend, I remain, Yours, &c.
May 24th, 18—
Accept my best thanks, for the favour of your last packet, in which you propose the interesting question, “How far interference in worldly mat ters is consistent with perfect submission to the will of the Lord?” In answering this question, I feel no hesitation in saying, that the consistency, in this case, will entirely depend upon the end or object proposed, insomuch, that if the end or object be of a mere worldly nature, there must then be an inconsistency in the interference; but if the end or object be con nected with eternal considerations, the interference will then acquire a consistency in proportion to such connexion. Nor does it at all affect this conclusion, whether the interference in question be supposed to relate to others or to ourselves; for as an interference in my own worldly concerns cannot be inconsistent with my submission to the divine I 20 LETTERS OF THE . will, provided I regard an eternal end in that inter ference, neither can an interference in the concerns of those with whom I stand connected, provided the same eternal end be kept in view. And further: as I feel myself bound, by divine obligations, in many cases, to interfere with my own worldly concerns, (for it is a divine obligation that a man should pro vide for the well-being of his body, so far as it may be expedient to render it instrumental in serving his soul) in like manner I am bound, by the same obli gations, in many cases, to interfere with the worldly concerns of others, whensoever those concerns ap pear to affect their higher, or eternal interests. The case may be illustrated by a common obligation of interference, imposed upon any man; I mean the obligation of exercising judgment, or of giving an opinion concerning worldly things and characters. I call this an obligation, because it has a tendency to maintain the great law of repu tation, which is absolutely necessary to the order and well-being of society; and, therefore, every con scientious person, notwithstanding his own private reluctances, which would lead him, perhaps, to avoid the trouble of forming an opinion, is bound, in many cases, to submit to that trouble, for the general good of society: thus, a judge must submit to that trouble, in order to make up his mind on the case which is brought before him; and a parent, in like manner, will feel it expedient, on many occasions, to be at the pains of forming right REV. JOHN CLOWES. 121
opinions of things and characters, for the sake of his children. These interferences, however, it is plain, are perfectly consistent with the most abso lute submission to the will of God, provided the good of society be kept in view, rather than the gratification of our own self-love; yea, we may go further, and say, that they arise out of, and are grounded in, the will of God, since that will requires that the concerns of this world should be attended to, so far as they administer to the higher concerns of another. I am, nevertheless, perfectly sensible, that in all the above interferences, the spiritual mind is exposed both to difficulty and danger; to diffi culty, because it is no easy matter to bring them into subjection to the divine will, by connecting them with an eternal end; and to danger, because, if they are not so submitted and connected, they then have a tendency to separate the mind from the bosom of its proper rest and peace. But here arises another question, Is the difficulty and dan ger attending such interferences, a sufficient reason for our suspending them 2 I apprehend not, but is rather a reason, on the other hand, why they should be engaged in, since all the difficulty and danger in the case, relate to submission to the divine will, and to the connexion of temporal things with eternal, in our own minds; and, con sequently, the more we endeavour to overcome that difficulty, and to guard against that danger, the 122 LETTERS OF THE more perfect is our submission rendered, and the closer the connexion between temporal and eternal things, in our own minds. This reasoning reminds me of an observation of the late Dr. Johnson, which you must often have heard: “It is an easy thing,” says he, “for a man to drink too much wine, and it is as easy to drink no wine at all; but the difficulty is, to drink a little wine;” in other words, to drink what is exactly suited to our strength and constitution. I leave it to yourself to make the application, and shall only observe further on the subject, (for I have already sufficiently wearied you with the argument) that to ascertain the exact measure of the interference in question, which is required from us, and to dis charge it faithfully, by submitting it to the divine will, and connecting it with an eternal end, is one of those processes in the regenerate life, which will require the utmost prudence and circumspection, as well as the most powerful aid of the Divine Life and Spirit. It is, at the same time, one of those processes, which appears to be absolutely neces sary to complete our regeneration, since, agreeably to the testimony of the enlightened Swedenborg, we are only so far regenerated, as natural things in us are submitted to spiritual things; in other words, as temporal things are connected with eternal. “Joseph, therefore, must go down into Egypt,” and
* Psalm cv. 17. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 123
“Israel must be the third with Egypt and Assyria, before the land can be fully blessed.” Happy are they who have learnt to descend, with Joseph, without molestation, and thus to ex perience the promised blessing, “The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in;”f or, as it is otherwise expressed, “He shall go in and out,
and find pasture.”: - * It was both kind and considerate to enclose your friend's letter, for, as you could not easily have communicated a higher gratification, than by presenting such a portrait of her mind, so you could not have taken a more effectual method of introducing me to an acquaintance with your friend's real character and excellences. I am, however, of opinion that she has no need to be alarmed, as she expresses herself, with what she calls a strong feature in her character, since it appears to be a feature common to every well disposed and enlightened mind, which, in its valua tion of others, cannot help but be determined, either by worthiness, or by intellect, or by both. The only danger, I apprehend, to which we are exposed on the occasion is, lest we should make our estimation from intellect, more than from wor thiness; in other words, lest we should rate the qualifications of the understanding above those of the will and affections. If we are careful to guard
* Isaiah xix, 24. + Psalm crxi. 8, # John x. 9. 124. LETTERS OF THE against this perversion of judgment, we shall be: out of the reach of mischief, since our respect to others will then always be under the guidance and control of that charity, which cannot but endeavour to find in others what is congenial with itself; and, whilst it delights in making the discovery, it is equally ready to shed the tear of pity and compassion, where it doth not find it. I am happy to discover that your friend has derived some benefit from the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg; and I have no doubt, that if she con tinues her researches, she will experience that full satisfaction which she is in quest of Has she yet perused the Arcana Caelestia 2 If she has not, I am of opinion she should be advised to lose no time in consulting that wonderful work, which differs from the other works of the author in this respect, that it enters into, and developes more minutely, the states and processes of man's regeneration, which is a subject that must needs be both interesting and edi fying to the serious mind. When you see her, or write to her, I must request you to present her with my most affectionate regards, and most earnest request to be remembered by her in all her ap proaches to the sanctuary, as she may rest assured that she will, in like manner, be remembered by me. Hoping soon to hear that your mind is restored to its former tranquillity, and that your late agita tions, as is no uncommon case, have been rendered instrumental, through a kind Providence, in opening REV. JOHN CLOWES. 125
a door of new joys, I remain, in the spirit of devout prayer for your temporal and eternal welfare, Your sincere friend, &c.
Nov. 23rd, 18–
My letter to — would explain to you the cause of my long silence. I will proceed now to the consideration of the important contents of your last letter. You still dwell on the subject of “Interference in worldly matters,” and again state the question, “How far is it consistent with perfect submission to the will of God?” You seem also to be perplexed both about the manner and measure in which such interference is allowable. Permit me, then, to endea vour further to remove your difficulties by observing, that the interference in question is a thing of neces sity, which, in many cases, does not at all depend upon our own choice, being forced upon us fre quently against our inclinations. We are compelled, for instance, to think about and provide for our bodies; we must eat and drink, and put on our clothes, and build and furnish our houses. In the course of every day, too, a thousand occasions befall us, and those of Providence, in which we are obliged R 126 LETTERS OF THE .
to give our attention to the concerns of this world, unless, which is certainly no duty, we will abso lutely quit it for a cloister or a cell. A friend pays us a visit, and expects us to join in conversation with him, or perhaps proposes a question of the utmost importance to his own hap piness. In this case we are not at liberty to dis claim interference, because the great law of charity binds us both to be affable with our friend, and to satisfy his inquiries, as far as we are able. It is not, then, interference in worldly matters which in itself is blameable, or inconsistent with the most perfect submission to the will of God, for we needs must so interfere; and I would add, it is impossible we should exercise perfect submission to the divine will in any other way than of, such interference. For what is it that we are required to submit to God? Is it not the whole of our own natural affec tion, thought, energy, and activity? But how can ... this be submitted to God, except in the occasions of its operation; and what are these occasions but the interferences above adverted to? It appears, to my view of the subject, -that all interferences in worldly matters, to which we are any of us called, in the course of our daily duties, are so many provi dential calls, to perfect our submission before the Most High, and that our submission can only be rendered perfect, by submitting ourselves in those interferences. For it is an easy matter to submit ourselves to God, when we are not employed in any REV. JOHN CLOWES. 127
worldly exertions; and it is an easy thing to be employed in worldly exertions, without submitting ourselves to God; but the difficulty is, to submit our worldly exertions to God, and yet till this is done, our submission can hardly be said to be
complete. - But after all, I agree with you, that it will require a clear light, and discerning judgment to discover, in all cases, the extent of the interference which is required of us, also, to decide upon the motives of our conduct on the occasion, so as to acquire a distinct perception of the ruling end by which we are influenced. But, taking this for granted, it is no reason at all why we should shun the interference; on the contrary, it is a very pres sing motive to engage in it, as a means, perhaps the only means, of bringing our principles into exercise, and, by such exercise, of conducting us to a clearer discernment of our ruling ends than we could otherwise have acquired. The Psalmist prays, “Lord, make me to know mine end:” and he could not have uttered a more important prayer, because, to know our end, and that that end is God, involves in it all that is happy and excellent. Yet, it is a question, whether this blessed knowledge can be fully attained in any other way than of those interferences above spoken of, which, by exposing us to difficulties, and even to dangers, are the means of agitating, and thereby of purifying our mental principles, and thus, through divine 128 LETTERS OF THE mercy and providence, of opening our minds to a clearer light, both of God and of ourselves, than we could have attained without them. May we not, then, rest in this sure conclusion on the subject, that in proportion as we enter into states of the regenerate life, by labouring to become sincere and simple before God, and studying to please Him above all others, yet not in separation from others, in the same proportion He will afford us a clearer light, whereby we may discern at all times, both what worldly interferences are required of us, and what the motives also are which influence us in engaging in them?—Thus, as we advance in the regeneration, it will be given us to perceive, not only what we ought to do, but what we ought not to do, in the way of engagement with the world; and, thus we shall be enabled, in our measure, to say with the great Redeemer, I know that “my judgment is just,” and for a similar reason too, “Because I seek not mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.” Let this, then, be our grand endeavour, to consult, at all times, the divine will, in preference to our own, and then we may humbly hope, sooner or later, to be delivered from all our perplexities, and to find a light aris ing even in darkness, whereby we shall be conti nually kept within the circle, or the girdle, of the divine mercy, truth, and peace. I remain, &c.
* John V. 30. > -
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Feb. 24th, 18–
You will not blame me, for my long silence, when you are informed, that not many days after I had sent off my last packet, I was seized with a violent cold, the effects of which have remained with me, in a greater or less degree, ever since, and occasioned such a debility, that I was scarce able to discharge the necessary duties of my profession. The bodily infirmity, as is usual in my case, was attended with severe spiritual exercises, the nature and operation of which I cannot better describe than in the words of the prophet Jonah : “Thou hast cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas, and the floods compassed me about : all Thy billows and Thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of Thy sight, yet will I look towards Thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul. The depth closed me round about. The weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the cuttings-off of the mountains. The earth, with her bars, was about me for ever; yet hast Thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord, my God.” It is impossible for any words to express more emphatically, or more exactly, the alter nations of state, which have been experienced, whilst my mind was at one time compelled to cry out, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto 130 LETTERS OF THE death; and, at another, to sing Allelujah / for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth : true and righteous are His judgments. One peculiarity I cannot help remarking, because it was new, at least to myself, and that was a blessed heavenly influence, exciting a deep sense of my own unworthiness before the Almighty; but then it was a sensation not attended with any disturbance, or even a wish for its removal, but, on the contrary, was communicative of the sweetest consolation, and the most ardent desire of its continuance and increase. Indeed the per ception remains to this moment, so that I am still ready to exclaim, how much cause is there for sinful, ignorant, and infirm men to be humbled and abased, even in their best state of love and life, before an infinitely holy, wise, and powerful God! At present I have cause to be abundantly thank ful, that the effects of the cold upon the bodily health are yeilding to the dominion of returning health and spirits, at the same time that the state of mind is restored again to composure and rest. ' But I am wasting both my time and yours, with an account of my infirmities, when I ought, rather, to be returning my grateful thanks for your last consolatory letter. It affords me great delight to find that you are perusing the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and, by their means, drawing from the Word the water of life. It is devoutly to be wished, that mankind may be induced to open their eyes, to behold the asto REV, JOHN CLOWES. 131 nishing brightness of heavenly light, discoverable in the inestimable works of our illuminated author, that so they may attain unto the ever blessed life to which that light would conduct them, and thereby be introduced to the heavenly “marriage,” announced as the eternal recompense of spiritual
labour and combat. - What you observe concerning the “spiritual region of the mind being opened by the divine in Jluence, and that in the same degree is the progress which the rational and natural principles make in the knowledge of persons and things, &c.,” is in perfect agreement with my own experience on the subject; and I have frequently been surprised at the effects of that happy mixture of discerning light and compassionate charity, communicated on the occasion, which has repeatedly called to my recol lection those words of our Lord to His disciples, where He says, “Ye shall sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” For, in this case, the mind is truly exalted to a throne, not of an ambitious or vain self-love, but grounded in the deepest humility, from which it judges all inferior things and principles, after the example of the supreme Judge, according to that righteous judg ment which he recommends, and thus exercises a power delegated to it for its bliss, since it is an unspeakable happiness to exercise that power ac “. .
* Rev. xix. 7, 9. 132 LETTERS OF THE cording to the eternal laws of justice and judgment, for which it is given. There cannot, therefore, be any danger in judging of others, provided we do not interfere with their eternal state, which is, in all cases, hid from our eyes, and provided, also, that we are careful to suffer all our judgments to be influenced by charity, for then the result of the judgment to ourselves, will always be an increase of the principle from which it proceeds, and thus, the more we judge, the greater abundance we shall. experience of that heavenly justice, and the love of it, in which our judgment is grounded. I know many well-disposed people who are afraid to exercise the privilege of which I am speaking, because Jesus Christ hath said, “judge not, and ge shall not be judged:” but they forget that, they are compelled to judge, whether they will or not; and that Jesus Christ never meant to deprive them of the use of a faculty which He Himself has given, but only to regulate it, by leading them to judge the righteous judgment, of which He speaks in another place; in other words, to judge at all times from an enlightened charity. The truth of the point, there fore, appears to be this ;—we are compelled, as men, to exercise judgment, because we are com pelled, as men, to think, and to form an opinion, and it remains with us, to convert this necessity into a blessing or a curse. If we judge, therefore, without the light of charity from Jesus Christ, we separate our thoughts from that light, and, thereby REV. JoHN CLow Es. 133 ourselves from its divine source, and thus condemn ourselves; whereas, if we are wise to form our judgments from, and according to, that heavenly light, we thereby attach our thoughts and affections to it, in every act of decision and determination, and, thus, conjoining ourselves more and more with its divine source, we find that every exercise of judgment leads to a closer connexion and con junction of life and salvation with the divine source, from which it proceeds. I remain, &c.
* • *
June 23rd, 18–
It is surely an extraordinary privilege granted us by our heavenly Father, that, in the first place, we can, at any time, when we are so disposed, place ourselves in the immediate presence of one another, notwithstanding any distance of space ; and, in the next place, by means of a few impres sions, made on a bit of paper, can communicate thoughts, (I do not say either so easily or agreeably as by speech, but certainly as intelligibly.) which implies a double wonder, namely, first, that the writer can direct his hand to make the requisite S 134 LETTERS OF THE
impressions, and, thereby, bring a thought out of his mind, and through his finger-ends, to be em bodied in a few arbitrary marks, made by pen and ink; and, secondly, that the reader can direct his eye in such a manner, that it shall convey those marks to the interior recesses of his mind or spirit, where they shall all be divested, in an instant, of their external covering or form, and shall present an exact spiritual image, answering to a spiritual resurrection of that same thought, which had been before conceived in the mind of the writer, and is thus translated from one mind to another, through mediums the most improbable, and, if experience had not familiarized them, the most inconceivable. I am aware that this reflection is not altogether new ; but it is not, on that account, less worthy of attention; and I am inclined to think that few amongst us are affected by it as we ought. To my own mind, I confess, it continually suggests a lesson of united wonder and instruction, especially when viewed in reference to the still more wonderful translation of the divine thought and purpose, by similar mediums, from the mind of the Most High, to the minds of the lowest of His creatures, whereby
similar communication is effected. - But to return to the subject of your letter. I am charmed at the account you give of the Arcana Caelestia, and of the effect which the perusal of that wonderful work has upon your mind; but as to your inquiry respecting enthusiasm, I am of opinion REV, JOHN CLOWES. 135 you have little reason to be alarmed on that account, since the danger arising from that source appears to result, in all cases, not so much from the admission of what is supernatural, whether in the way of sight, of sound, or of bodily sensation, as from a disposition to rest in such communications, by regarding them as the sure tests of spiritual advancement, and thus exalting them above the higher and more substantial graces of the regenerate life. So long, then, as you esteem humility, charity, thankfulness, and the rest of the grand evangelical virtues, as things more to be depended upon than any other, you have no need to be afraid of super natural communications, which a merciful Provi dence may vouchsafe, with a view to the improving and confirming of those Christian graces. For cer tain it is, that the experience of which you speak, has its important uses, in the way of strengthening and extending the interior principles of the mind; and I am inclined to think it would be much more common, if mankind were in a less disposition to abuse and pervert it. But the misfortune is, this external evidence, when brought down to the senses, is regarded by the generality as the greatest evidence, and not only so, but as the purest virtue likewise, and, therefore, the Almighty, seeing the mischief of such mistaken ideas, refuses to com municate favours, which he is aware will be misap plied. So true is it at this day, as in the days of old, that the “Lord can do no mighty works 136 LETTERS OF THE amongst us, because of unbelief,” for He cannot do that which He wills not to do; and He never wills to do that which His wisdom teaches will administer rather to the condemnation of His creatures, than to their piety and salvation. I remain, Yours, &c.
March 18th, 18—
Being now left more at liberty, I hasten to perform the promise which I made in my last, of replying to the particular inquiries proposed in welcome the 6th your very letter of instant. * * And first, in regard to your alarm about a state of trial and suffering hereafter. I would earnestly advise you to keep your mind submissive and resigned to the divine will, respecting all the means and mediums of purification, which may yet be necessary for a full introduction to the heavenly kingdom. Possibly, after death, it may be found that we have already filled up the full measure of our sorrows, and have nothing to do but to enter upon the enjoyment of all the eternal blessings to which they have administered; be this as it may, it is enough for us to know that we are in the hands REV. JOHN CLOWES. 137 of a most kind and merciful Father, who sees better than we see what we want, to complete our bliss, and who, in permitting the requisite pang, compels it to administer to His own most gracious purposes, and to exalt the joy of which it is the basis. Let us, then, be content to know, that what we seek above every thing else is, purification from our corruptions, and communication and conjunction with the supreme good; and let us leave every other consideration to the adorable fountain of that good, saying, as He taught us to say, in the days of His flesh, “It is enough for the disciple to be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord,” and feeding, to satiety, on this enough, whether it be in the pastures of comfort, or in the wilderness of desolation. I confess, in regard to myself, I had much rather feel in myself a disposition to be thus conformable to the divine example, than to be assured, by an angel from heaven, that immedi ately after death I should be received, without a struggle, into the angelic kingdom: and in respect to confidence at the hour of death, I find it impos sible to wish for any other, than what arises from this total surrender of every concern, and of every thought, to the divine disposal. . As to your other puzzle, about the celestial and the spiritual, in the New Church, it appears to me, from the testimony of Swedenborg, that there can be no doubt of such a distinction having place under every dispensation of heavenly truth, and that, 138 LETTERS OF THE therefore, it is to be expected, at the descent of the New Jerusalem, which is now accomplishing, that some will receive the blessed Doctrine, more in the love of good, some, again, more in the love of truth, and lastly, some more in the principle of obedience. Agreeably to this difference of reception will be the distinction of character or quality, into celestial, spiritual, and spiritual-natural, answering to the reception of the prophet, of the righteous man, and to the “giving to drink a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple,” and also the distinction of reward; whence we are to conclude, that all will be gathered into the Lord's new church, or kingdom, who can be brought to act either from the love of good, which is love to the Lord Himself; or from the love of truth, which is the same thing as charity towards the neighbour; or from the prin ciple of obedience, which is giving to drink a cup of cold water; nevertheless, I am strongly inclined to think, that the celestial, under the New Dispen sation, will be collected, principally, from amongst the Gentiles, and, according to the testimony of Swedenborg, more especially from the Africans. At the same time I cannot hesitate to believe, that in Europe, and particularly in Great Britain, there will be found several of this blessed character and quality ; and that there are several at this day, whose hearts are warmed with the purest flame of
* Matthew x. 41, 42. REV. JOHN CLOWES.. " 139
celestial life, and who respect what is called truth and doctrine, merely as it serves to cherish, to pro tect, and to extend that holy flame. May it be our lot, my dear friend, to be of this happy number 1 Having thus replied to your inquiries, as briefly as I was able, I shall at present trespass no longer on your time and patience, than to assure Mrs. of my tenderest interest in every thing that concerns her eternal welfare, and, that in this view, I should feel a peculiar happiness in being able to remove her doubts and difficulties. Yet why should I be anxious, on the occasion, when it is a certain thing, that all her obstacles to the full reception of the eternal truth, will finally be over-ruled, so as to administer to a more plenary admission of its meridian brightness? Let her only keep her inward eye directed to the Incarnate God, in His glorified humanity, and her heart closed against selfish pride and worldly covetousness, and she will certainly be found in the golden streets of the New Jerusalem. In devout prayer that we may continue in spirit united, though absent in body, I remain, Yours, &c. 140 - LETTERS OF THE
April 5th, 18–
I now avail myself of a little leisure, for which I trust I am grateful, to fulfil my promise of replying to your last favour, and especially to the interesting questions which you propose towards the conclusion of it. You first ask, “What is Ameant in its most extensive, as well as in its more respective sense, by natural love, separate from spi ritual? and how does this affect, or act upon, natural affinities and consanguinities 2 and when may the latter loves be said to be elevated to spiritual? when also may we be supposed to co-operate with the divine mercy, in this most important work?” I wish, in all humility, to answer, that natural love may be said to be separated from spiritual, in its most ex tensive sense, whenever it refuses to acknowledge spiritual love as its parent or source, and would thus live to itself, without such acknowledgment, and, consequently, without the submission which such acknowledgment involves. Thus the love of self, and the love of the world, are natural loves in man, and these separate themselves from spiritual loves, which are the love of God and the love of our neighbour, whensoever they are unwilling to allow that they derive their being and their delight from these latter loves, and would thus live to REv. JoHN CLow Es. 141
themselves, without submitting to the rule of those higher loves, in which they originate. Natural affinities and consanguinities are also grounded in mere natural, and, consequently, subject to the law of those loves, and, therefore, may be separated, and are separated, from spiritual affinities and con sanguinities, so long as the natural love, in which they are grounded, is separated from spiritual love; as, on the other hand, they are rendered spiritual in the same degree that the natural love submits itself to the dominion of its spiritual original. It is not, however, to be supposed, that the natural love, in any case, when rendered spiritual, changes its former essence, so as to require a spiritual essence, for this is a thing impossible; therefore it still remains a natural love, and retains its former natural essence; but then it is said to be rendered spiritual, or, rather, spiritual-natural, when it submits itself to the guidance and govern ment of spiritual love, and acknowledges, in such submission, the spiritual love to be its source and parent. On this occasion, too, it is remarkable, that the natural love retains all its former natural opposition to spiritual love, and acts according to that opposition; but then it is the opposition of subjection, not of predominance; and the oppo sition of subjection always tends to exalt the principle of the life, to which it is opposed, agree ably to the maxim laid down by our enlightened author, in his treatise on the Divine Providence,
T 142 , LETTERS OF THE
No. 24, where he says, “every opposite takes away, and also evalts, perceptions and sensations; it takes away when it commixes itself, and exalts when it. doth not commix itself.” Here, therefore, my dear friend, you will find the best answer to your ques tion respecting co-operation with the Divine Mercy, in this most important work; for all that we can do on the occasion, is to prevent the natural love from commixing, at any time, with the spiritual love, or the natural affinity and consanguinity with the spiritual affinity and consanguinity; and this pre vention can only be effected by viewing them, first, in their perpetual distinctness, and, secondly, by keeping the natural love and the natural affinity in subjection to the spiritual. If you ask how the natural love and affinity is to be kept in subjection to the spiritual, I answer, by having respect to the Great Saviour, so as to exalt, at all times, His divine love and wisdom, together with all the goods and truths of His Word and kingdom, above every other love and wisdom, and above all other goods and truths. For when we thus live, and are willing to live in the blessed order of that great Incarnate God, then He restores the due order of His kingdom to all the lower principles of our minds, “appointing to each its bounds, which it cannot pass,” and discriminating each, by its own hedge of separation, from the rest, so that each remains what it was, and acts according to its nature, even if it be an opposite: but then all the REV. JOHN CLOWES. 143 opposition, in this case, tends, ultimately, to exalt the perceptions and sensations of heavenly life and joy, in the principle opposed. Thus the kingdom of darkness itself, there is every reason to believe, in its perpetual opposition to the kingdom of light, is most subservient to the purpose of heightening the delights of the latter; and thus, too, in the individual, the hell, if we may so term it, of na tural love is never annihilated, neither is its oppo sition to heaven destroyed, but it is suffered to remain, with all its opposing tendencies, as a subjugated instrument, to exalt the joys of spiritual
love or heaven. - Let us, then, dear friend, learn to be content that our natural loves, together with our natural affinities and consanguinities, should keep their proper places, and even retain their natural essences and oppositions to spiritual love, and spiritual affinity and consanguinity. Our concern is not so much about such opposition, as about its subjec tion; not so much about the love and affinity itself, as about its predominance. Let us labour, there fore, to exalt in ourselves the divine love and wisdom, and then we have nothing to fear, but every thing to hope, from all the lower things of nature, because, then, all the lower things of nature will, by their very contrarieties, render, at once, more manifest and more valuable, the higher things
of spirit and of life. - 144 LETTERS OF THE
1. As to your other question, “In what consists the profanation of the good of love?” I have only time to observe, at present, that it appears to consist in having acknowledged, at one time, the supreme excellence of such a good, and in de parting, at a future time, from that acknowledg ment; in other words, in saying, at one time, that the love of God is the greatest good, and at another time, that some other love hath the pre-eminence. I should be glad to be more particular on this subject; but, foreseeing interruption, I shall take my leave of it and yourself at present, only requesting my kindest remembrances to dear Mrs. —, and that you will believe me, Yours, &c.
May 10th, 18–
I trust that I most devoutly join in your hea venly intercession for all those favoured ones, who have been allowed to taste the cup of the divine consolations, that they may no longer be intoxi cated by the unhallowed draughts of sensual gratifications, but compel every inferior joy to bow down to and acknowledge its Divine Parent. This appears to me to be the “one thing needful” for our * REV. JOHN CLOWES. 145
purification, to conjoin the natural delight with the spiritual, and both with the divine. I seem every day to be more and more persuaded, that it never was the intention of our heavenly Father to anni hilate a single pleasure, even of sense, but only to purge and to consecrate it by filling it with life from Himself, agreeably to His own declaration, where He says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” Thus He comes not to kill, but to make alive those gratifications which would otherwise destroy themselves, by separating them selves from the fountain of life. Oh ! when will mankind learn this secret of immortal bliss, that happiness is not happiness until it be enjoyed by derivation from heaven and its Lord; but that when it is so enjoyed, then every sensation of delight is holy, and becomes the happy means of effecting and confirming our conjunction with the supreme! I have, therefore, frequently said to myself, from an inward perception in my own mind, that every such sensation of purified joy, is an angelic kiss, bespeaking, at once, the presence, the affection, and the touch of a heavenly inhabi tant; as, on the other hand, every sensation of polluted or separated joy is an infernal kiss, testi fying in like manner the presence, the affection, and the touch of an infernal being. You are perfectly right in your comment on the history of the Queen of Sheba, as being a 146 LETTERS OF THE representative figure of the church, as to the affec tion of heavenly wisdom. Every thing, therefore, related of her, even to the most minute particular, is, in like manner, significative of the progress of that affection in the regenerate mind, until it attaches itself to, and incorporates itself with, the divine truth of the divine good of the true Solo mon. She comes, therefore, to “Jerusalem, with a very great train,” &c., &c., to denote the surrender of the regenerate mind unto God, under the acknowledgment that all its faculties and posses sions are divine gifts. She “communes, too, with Solomon, and he tells her all her words,” &c., to denote the opening of the regenerate mind to divine influence, which is the source of all wisdom. She next “sees all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,” &c., to denote the effect of the divine influence in opening the interior perception of the things of heaven and of the Lord. On this occasion it is said, that there was “no more spirit in her,” to denote the cessation of the mere scientific principle of the natural mind in its views of hea venly truth, whilst it now beholds every truth conjoined with its proper good, and thus in con nexion with its divine source. She then makes the confession contained in verses 6 and 7, to teach us that what we know of the things of God, in the way of mere natural science, though it be just and true, falls infinitely short of the knowledge afterwards attained, when we connect that science with the . REV. JOHN CLOWES. 147 life of love or charity from whence it springs, and to which it conducts, and thus suffer it to open our minds to a perception of the infinities of thé divine wisdom and intelligence, which are incom prehensible. She lastly pronounces the Beatitudes contained in verses 8 and 9, to instruct us yet fur ther in the progress of the regenerate life, the end of which is to put us in possession of the supreme good, by conjoining us with the angelic heaven, and thereby with its Divine Father, and thus intro ducing us into consociation and fellowship with the heavenly inhabitants and their Lord. Here I was interrupted by visiters, at the very time I was indulging in the hope of being able to finish my packet, so as to send it off by last night's post. But oh! what a gainer have I been by the interruption, being taught a lesson, which I fancied I had learnt perfectly before, to bend beneath events and what we call contingencies, which are nothing else but the daily disposals of our heavenly Father, to try our faithfulness and submission to His will ! Yes; it appears to me that I was more intent upon pleasing myself than Him, and I am humbled under the acknowledgment that it really was so; but in that acknowledgment find forgive ness and peace, from an intimate perception that the willingness to be convicted of an offence, is its remission; and that freely and gladly to confess a fault before heaven, converts the fault into a favour, and makes us rather gainers than losers by it. 148 LETTERS OF THE
May the choicest blessings of the Almighty be upon you and our excellent friend, to whom I beg "every affectionate remembrance. Yours, &c.
May 20th, 18–
Having unexpectedly a few minutes at my com mand, I devote them to the purpose of making some remarks upon"the observations contained in your last letter. - In regard to the case you mention, how shall I sufficiently acknowledge my obligations to a divine power, which, leaving the sigh in its full force, takes nothing away but its sting, by infusing the balm of tender compassion in the place of torture, and thus compelling the groan to administer to the divine purpose of melting an obdurate heart into all the softness of angelic pity! Nor is the effect of the Divine Mercy confined to the instance under consi deration, but extends itself, by an indescribably blessed operation, to every other trouble, depri vation, infirmity, and even corruption, to which the natural man is exposed, whether appertaining properly to itself, or resulting from his connexion REV. JoHN CLow Es. 149.
with others. For the time is still in remembrance, when the vices and miseries of my fellow-creatures were felt as an oppressive burthen, almost impos sible to be borne; but such is now their changed tendency, that they excite no feeling but that of commiseration, and thus seem to draw down the spirit of heaven, which converts the fretfulness and disturbance of nature into tranquillity and peace. Let us then learn, my dear friend, under all the reluctances and repinings of the natural man, to regard the blessed end which our heavenly Father has in view, by their permission, which is to soften and to melt the heart, that so the spirit of His divine compassion may enter in, and expel the intolerable anguish of, our own discontent. One passage in your letter particularly affects me, where you write, “What, then, is this sacrifice we vaunt ourselves in making,-the consent to be blessed ?” Yes; there cannot be an instance of more unaccountable arrogance, than to pique ourselves on the merit of doing what is our interest to do, which is like a beggar taking pride to himself in the act of asking alms, or like a captive vainly boasting of the liberty his prince pleases to bestow upon him. Alas! when shall we learn the wisdom to be humbled by the exercise of our best affections, in the discharge of the duties to which they prompt us, under a sensible conviction that both the affec tions and their exercise, are alike gifts, and that , is :
* * . - U 150 LETTERS OF THE we cannot stir a finger in virtuous operation, but we become greater debtors to that Divine Mercy, which enables us to stir it. . I am now reluctantly called away by other duties, and have only time to commend yourself, with our much valued friend, to the care of our heavenly Father, beseeching Him to bless you both, even beyond the limits of my prayers. : I remain, Yours, &c.
May 29th, 18–
I have considered and re-considered the con tents of your last letter, and am more and more convinced that the two friends, whose situation you so pathetically describe, could not have acted otherwise than they have done, without offering violence to those interior principles of life, which
are from God, and lead to God. - s You recollect where it is said of the Lord, by our enlightened author, that in all His sufferings as to His human nature, He represented and figured the state of the church, or what is the same thing, the manner in which the Word was treated by the church. Now it has frequently occurred to my REV, JOHN CLOWES. 151
own mind, that what the Lord experienced in the days of His flesh, His children are, in their mea sure, to experience at present. I mention this only as a hint for consideration, since I am persuaded, that if the principle be admitted, it would tend, above every other reflection, to reconcile the true Christian to those conflicts which await him, whilst he regards himself as following the Lord's example, and feeling in his sufferings what it is requisite should be felt, viz., the perverse and disorderly state of his unregenerate mind, especially in regard to con junction with its heavenly Lord, in true love and life. Wherefore, let me conjure your friend to learn, from the above consideration, a lesson of the most enduring patience, under all her severe trials. Let her be submissive and resigned, under the rod of the divine dispensations. Let not a word of repin ing escape her lips, recollecting that her future reward will be proportioned to her present suffer ings, and to the temper in which she endures them. Let her remember, at the same time, that she plants a thorn in the bosom of her best friends, whenso ever she expresses the slightest reluctance to bear the whole weight of her cross; as on the other hand, she converts their wilderness into a paradise, when they observe her dumb, and opening not her mouth, to complain of its most grievous oppressions, I am concerned to find that you do not recover your strength, as might be wished; but the Divine 152 LETTERS OF THE
Providence has, perhaps, designs in the continua tion of your infirmity, which you are not aware of any more than myself. Let us commit ourselves, then, into the hands of Him, who knows, better than ourselves, what we stand in need of, and who always has a divine end in what He does, and suffers to be done. May His divine blessing be with you and our highly-valued friend. Yours, &c.
August 1st, 18–
I regret to learn what you tell me concerning your health: and yet why should concern be felt about things, which, I am so firmly persuaded, are 'under the continual government and control of a Providence so benignant in its purposes, and so efficient in its operations? To the care and super intendence of this Providence let us learn to refer all our interests, and whatsoever may be our suffer ings, either of mind or body, either arising from the deprivation of a good, which we feel the want of, or from the assaults of an evil, which we dread; let us believe that all is alike permitted for an end,
and that end is salvation and eternal bliss. - R1E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 153
In regard to your aspirations after the happiness of a future state, I am not at all surprised that you feel them in their fullest extent; and though I do not apprehend them to be prophetic of any impend ing event, as you seem to think it possible they may be, yet I conceive it right that they should be cherished only so far as is consistent with the most unlimited submission to the divine will. For how little, alas! do we know, even in our very best states, what is most conducive to our welfare! And how contracted are our most extensive views of the means requisite for our final purification and bliss | 'What a folly, then, is it to think of being our own guides and governors, and what continual need have we to have recourse to the Divine Wisdom, which teaches, and to the Divine Mercy, which or dains, that our highest happiness results, in all cases, from our most unreserved dependence on the guid -ance and government of that Being, who loves us better than we love ourselves, and who is also infinitely better acquainted with our wants, and infinitely more able to supply them ! Again, then, I repeat, let us learn to refer all our concerns to the care and superintendence of the Divine Provi wdence, and then, whatsoever may be the appearance, we may be confident that all is secure, and that sooner or later, in a manner the least expected, at ca time the most unlooked for, and by ways and means to us the most improbable, every desire shall be fulfilled, every affection gratified, every hope 154 LETTERS OF THE
realized, and we shall only wonder that we could ever be guilty of distrusting a power, so mighty in its operations, and so prudent in its counsels. . .
- I remain, Yours, &c. . . .
August 19th, 18–
I avail myself of an opportunity to reply to your last very interesting favour, which communicated peculiar satisfaction, notwithstanding what you say concerning your late combats and distresses. Those trials are, I trust, now abated, and have left you to reap all the blessings, which they have been the means, under the Divine Providence, of pro curing for you, by bruising the oil of every celestial good, and thus rendering it more admissible into the life, because more distinct, minute, and discern ible to the understanding. If I may judge from my own experience, this is the constant appointed tendency of every suffering, and has been peculiarly exemplified in the late severe exercises through which I have been providentially led. I am persuaded it will give you pleasure to hear, that a new state has lately been opened to my delighted perception, transcending in wonder and REV, JOHN CLOWES. 155 blessedness every thing that had ever before entered into the mind's idea. The ground of this opening was from these words, in the Lord's last prayer to the Father, “All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine,” which words were seen to apply, in the supreme sense, to the Lord Himself, in His union with the Father, or the essential Divine Good; and, in a subordinate sense, to every regenerate person, in his mutual conjunction with the Lord's Divine Humanity; and, also, to every conjunction of good ness and truth, in the human mind. It is absolutely impossible for human language to convey any ade quate conception of the solid and sublime joy, resulting distinctly from every one of these views, whilst the all of the human proprium, or selfhood, appeared to be totally put off, and in its place nothing was perceived but a delightful receptivity of what is divinely celestial, forming every degree of the life to an image and likeness of itself, and in every degree communicating the transporting sensa tion, that the great Creator wills to introduce all His creatures to an eternal participation, with Him self, of all His own property, on this single and simple condition, that they acknowledge, humbly and thankfully, that all their property is His, and that in reality they only begin to be something, by virtue of such acknowledgment. And is this, then, I exclaimed to myself, the privilege with
* John xvii. 10. 156 LETTERS OF THE which man is gifted, that he can perceive himself, as it were, living in others, and they in him, by a mutual communication of property, extending the idea even to the Divine Source of life, and from Him to His angelic kingdom, and to every order of goodness and truth? Can he thus cease to be his own, only so far as he is connected with others; and can he divest himself of all his own property, under the animating conviction, that in so doing he be comes invested with property infinite, eternal, and unalienable? Grant, then, O most merciful Lord, to Thy children, the grace to make a right compu tation of this inestimable privilege, and so to live in humble, dutiful obedience to Thy most holy will, that referring all to Thee, and receiving all from Thee, they may enjoy full conjunction with Thee, in every degree of their life, and may thus complete
the circulation of Thy joys | - , - It now only remains for me to commend you to the divine blessing and protection, And I remain, Yours, &c. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 157
September 16th, 18
I take the earliest opportunity of replying to your last interesting favour, for which I desire to return you.my best thanks. The memorandums from your common-place book affect me with interior delight, and I feel truly grateful for their communication. Allow me, however, to remark concerning the first, that all the petitions in the Lord's Prayer appear to be in a regular successive scale of descent, and not of ascent, as you seem to suppose. Thus the summit is the Lord Himself, our adorable Father, in the . heavens; the next step of descent is His holy name, or every thing by and from which He is worshipped; the next is His kingdom, or the mani festation and reception of His divine truth ; the next the fulfilment of His will, or that truth brought into effect in external principles; and so on to deliverance from evil, which is the last and lowest step in the divine scale. I should apprehend, therefore, that when we pray, “Hallowed be. Thy name,” this petition was intended to affect the will principle with all pure affections of love and charity; and when we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” the petition applies to our understanding, that we may be enlightened with the knowledge of the truth; and
X * 158 LETTERS OF THE
when, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” our external man was meant to be operated upon, by being brought into correspondence or conformity with the heavenly principles of love and its attend ant wisdom in the internal man; and so on, through the remaining petitions, the three last of which appear to apply to the principles of disorder, and to their separation in the suppliant and penitent mind. •
I have only time to add my most devout and earnest prayers for your guidance and support, and to request that you will continue to commit your self, and all your concerns, into the hands of that best of Beings, who brings the greatest possible good out of the greatest apparent evil, and who has graciously promised, “There shall not a hair of your head perish.” Wherefore, my friend, “commit your way unto the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass.” “He shall make your righte ousness as clear as the light, and your just dealing as the noon-day.” Farewell ! and may the Most High keep you “under the shadow of His wings!”
- - Yours, &c. - . . ."
* - * - • * * ! REV. JOHN CLOWES. 1.59
*
-- - September 30th, 18–
I again resume my pen, to endeavour to console my valued friend, under accumulated distresses, which have caused me great concern. Yet why should we suffer these distresses, or indeed any other, to distract us with anxieties, when we are so well assured, or, at least, have so much reason to be so, that all our concerns are in the hands of a merciful Parent, who has pledged Himself to manage them for us to the greatest possible advan tage? At this moment I feel the full force of this consolatory sentiment, being under the strongest conviction, that the Almighty will not suffer “a single hair of your head” to be injured by your present troubles, which He has mercifully permitt ed to try, to purify, and to strengthen, but, in no respect, to hurt you. Be then, my friend, of good courage; take refuge under the shadow of those extended wings of the divine mercy and protec tion, which are ever stretched out to the afflicted and infirm, who renounce themselves, and place their whole confidence in the Most High. Above all, be calm, be still, and give not the adversary an advantage, by restlessness and solicitude. Re member, also, the divine admonition, “If thine enemy smite thee on the one cheek, offer to him the 160 . . . , LETTERS OF THE other also,” by a willingness to endure the utmost extent of his infernal malice, which is permitted only to show and make manifest the greatest extent of the divine mercy, wisdom, and power. Recol lect, also, that all your friends are in the same divine hands with yourself, and under the guid ance and guardianship of the same wisdom and omnipotence, ...... * .* **** … Your gratifying favour of the 29th, is this mo ment received; and I feel disposed, with yourself, to bow down in the deepest humiliation before the Almighty, under the acknowledgment of His adorable mercies, in having relieved you from your late perplexities and troubles. May this blessed consideration lead us, on all future occasions of disquietude, to put our whole trust and confidence in our Divine Father and Friend. I remain, Yours, &c.
October 7th, 18– 1 fully and freely subscribe to the propriety and excellence of all the judicious observations at the beginning of your last letter, respecting sensi REV, JOHN CLOWES, 161 bility under affliction, being fully convinced that the Almighty never meant to reduce us to a state of apathy and indifference, and, when He lays the cross upon our shoulders, to deprive us of that feeling which is absolutely necessary, to make it a cross. The only difficulty is to separate that feeling from fretfulness; and this, I apprehend, can only be effected by the absolute surrender of ourselves to the Divine Providence and disposal, in all the minutiae of our concerns, from an inward spiritual persuasion that they are more His concern than ours. This surrender, however, be it ever so absolute, doth not preclude the sensation of distress, since, as you justly observe, concerning the Lord Himself. He felt trouble ; and yet we must be forced to allow that He was always in a state of submission to the Father, who dwelt in Him. Let us not, then, think of attempting the impossi bility of annihilating the sensibilities, which God hath implanted in our very existence, but rather labour to connect them with the divine will, and render them subservient to the divine operation, and then we may humbly hope that they will all be converted into means of our purification, and be made the grounds of reflecting, in a higher and fuller tone, the praises of their great Creator. I am persuaded you will give me full credit, when I say, how deeply I am interested in the temporal concerns of the family you allude to, under their present very distressing embarrassments. 162 LETTERS OF THE .
But the sentiment uppermost in my mind upon this subject is, that what has come to pass will, through the operation of the Lord's most adorable providence, be converted into an incalculable bless ing to the children, by exciting virtuous energies, which could not otherwise have been called forth, and by giving birth to virtuous and heavenly purposes, which, without this apparently severe interference of the Almighty, could never have been formed, still less eternally fixed. It is true, their rank, in what is commonly called life, may suffer, and, in the eyes of mistaken and sinful men, they may seem fallen and degraded; but what if this apparent degradation be found introductory to real exaltation, by raising them in the scale of heavenly estimation, by opening their minds to solid wisdom, and replenishing them with eternal graces and blessings? What if they should be found thus to attain rank in what alone deserves the name of life, namely, the favour of God, and of all wise and good men I am persuaded their own good sense, in this case, will teach them that they are no longer losers, but gainers, by their distress, and that what the world commonly calls calamity, deserves, and in the language of
heaven is called by, another name. - - How delightful is the reflection, that these young persons are now in the school of the Saviour of the world, learning the lessons of angels, and being introduced, through the door of what com REV., JOHN CLOWES. 163 monly passes for adversity, into the temple of wis dom, the abode of everlasting prosperity, because the habitation of that divine mercy, truth, and blessing, separate from which, all the wealth of this world is dross, and, in connexion with which, poverty is a treasure, and disgrace a glory. I remain, Yours, &c.
October 15th, 18–
This morning's post has put into my hands your second letter, at the very instant that I was about to reply to your first, yesterday received, which had introduced my mind into a happy frame of calm composure and serenity. But the com munication of to-day presents a lowering atmos phere, a portentous mixture of sunshine and of tempest, which at once consoles and alarms, paci fies and disturbs, whilst it pourtrays the delightful image of celestial innocence, secure in the bosom of its God, yet assailed and harassed by the malice and machinations of the spirits of darkness; nevertheless, beyond these appearances, there is opened to the enlightened eye another, and still more extended and unmixed view, resulting from 164 - LETTERS OF THE the display and manifest operations of a Divine Providence, directing the storm, controlling all the covert designs and stratagems of mischief, and compelling the most cunning and the most daring adversaries of innocence to administer to its justi fication, and multiply the trophies of its victories. Such is the consolatory prospect at this instant presented to my mind, whilst I behold my friend exposed to apparent mischiefs, encompassed by threatening foes, shaken by external alarms, yet at peace, and in the full enjoyment of celestial tranquillity and security, in the arms of the Father of all mercies. I then raise up both my eyes and my heart to heaven, and say, in the divine language of the Psalm, fortuitously opened this morning, “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach * shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name for ever ? O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked; forget not the congre gation of Thy poor for ever; have respect unto the covenant, for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. O let not the oppress ed return ashamed; let the poor and needy praise Thy name. Arise, O God, plead Thine own cause.” And let us not doubt, my tried friend, but that this, our supplication, for I am persuaded it is yours as well as mine, is heard by the Father of mercies, and that when the tempest, by fully
* Psalm lxxiv. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 1.65 discharging itself, has effected all its purifying purposes, it will then be found to give way to the calm serenity of a delightful sunshine, rendered inconceiveably more gratifying by the uproar which preceded it. It would afford me particular gratification, to be enabled to direct you, under your present embarrassments, and to remove from your weak shoulders some part of that heavy burthen which oppresses you, but this, I am made fully sensible, is not in my power, only so far as I may be instru mental in leading you to consult, and to put your whole trust in, the guidance of your heavenly Father. On a former occasion, you may recollect, I admonished you, in a case of perplexity, to act, or not to act, according to the state of freedom, otherwise, in your own mind; and this rule, it appears to me, will be of essential service, in direct ing your path through all the perplexities which at present encompass you ; for I am persuaded by much experience, that ministering angels have continual access to the principle of spiritual liberty in the human mind, so as to infuse an inclination or disinclination, to particular things, as may best suit the interest of the party concerned, and this, in all instances, even the most minute. The only difficulty, therefore, is to keep the mind in such a state of submission to superior influence and direction, and so completely weaned from its own selfishness, that it may continually attend to, so Y 166 LETTERS OF THE as to discover and obey, the leading of its divine Father, and its heavenly associates, in the hidden recesses of its free decisions and determinations. This difficulty, however, I am convinced, has been, in some degree, surmounted, in respect to yourself, and, therefore, I have no hesitation in referring you to the merciful guidance of your heavenly Father, and in assuring you that I conceive such direction is more to be depended on than any other. Let me, therefore, my friend, seriously advise you to keep your mind calm, tranquil, and dependent on divine aid, and you may then reasonably hope, that light will be administered for guidance and determination of thought, and you will thus find that your best counsellor is ever at hand, to advise, and your most able advocate, to defend and protect you. Your despatch of the 15th is this moment put into my hands; and you conclude it with asking, “What do the different claims of various duties require at my hands !” Not being sufficiently conversant with charac ters and circumstances, I might be instrumental in misleading, instead of guiding you right, and might thus precipitate you into further embarrassments, when I was intending to extricate you from those in which you are at present involved. Perhaps your present state of distress and perplexity, is one in which you have no other dependence but the divine aid and counsel. Be content, then, my friend, to think that this is the case, and that the REW. JOHN CLOWES. 167
Almighty, in thus weaning you from other reli ances, would teach you the edifying lesson of the most absolute and unqualified submission, at the same time that he would inspire a confidence, in the highest degree, of His fatherly regard, since it is eternally true, “that whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” Let it, therefore, be your great consolation, that all your affairs are in the hands of that Being, who best loves you, and who is best able to relieve you. To His divine protection, therefore, I com mend you, and remain, Yours, &c.
August 3rd, 18–
Why will you suppose it possible, that brethren and fellow-christians should cease to love and esteem each other, especially when love and esteem have been cemented by the affection and intercourse of friendship? Let me never hear a word from you again, which can be so interpreted, but ever believe that the ties of Christian regard and union are indissoluble. I trust that my heart will ever be united in sincere affection towards all those, who 168 LETTERS OF THE
in sincerity, love and obey the one Lord ; and as I believe you to be one of this number, it is not possible for you to remove yourself from my regard, whilst we each of us continue to cleave in love to our common Father. But I hasten to advert to the account you give of your own state in your last letter but one, in which you speak of certain manifestations of evil, which had been opened in your mind. Be not surprised, my dear sir, at such manifestations; for depend upon it, that sooner or later, they must be opened in all who are made meet for the hea venly kingdom. Nor does there seem to be a possibility of abiding in that kingdom, any further than as the creature is thus made acquainted with the ground of its own nature, and I seem to have a clear perception in my own mind, that every real advancement in the heavenly state, which is that of fixed conjunction with the one Father, must of necessity be attended with the above manifestations; and that the greater the advancement, the clearer and more painful will be the discovery of the oppo site principle. Wherefore, my dear sir, I sincerely congratulate you on the discoveries which have been made to you, regarding them as a happy prelude to your final deliverance from all that evil, which gives you pain to behold, and being fully assured, that howsoever distressing the sight may be at the time, it will, through the divine mercy, and kind providence of the Lord, be made a ground REV, JOHN CLOWES. 169 hereafter for the more manifest display of His unutterable glories. In the comfort of this con viction, and a sincere prayer for your increase in
every good, - I remain, Yours, &c.
January 11th, 18–
The account which you give of yourself, espe cially in regard to the indetermination of your future plans, has been a means of leading my mind into much reflection on the nature of the guidance of the Divine Providence in certain cases, and the result of such reflection appears to be a con viction, that it may be in the order of Providence, for the purification of particular minds, that they should be kept wavering, for a time, in their purposes of external determination. I say external determination, because the case cannot be sup posed to extend to internal, or that which respects the choice of the supreme good; but this choice being once fixed, and fixed aright, I apprehend that the fluctuation in regard to other things most commonly arises from an extreme delicacy, or perhaps, more properly speaking, jealousy of sen timent and of judgment, lest the determinations of 170 LETTERS OF THE the lower loves should not be in perfect concord with the wisdom and will of the superior. I do not make these observations, my dear friend, with a view of flattering your irresolution, or cherishing your inexertion, but I make them, in order to guard you against that intemperance of your own judg ment, which would lead you to condemn yourself, whilst you are, perhaps, only acting in the order of Providence, and which might precipitate you into hasty and rash exertions, from the hope of extri cating yourself out of difficulties, the very existence of which is probably grounded in the counsels of the Eternal, for your purification: but a word to the wise is enough. I cannot help indulging the com fortable hope and firm belief, that the woman,” though manifestly at present in the wilderness, is acquiring interior strength in the place there pre pared for her, and that both her concealment and her trials are of divine appointment, to effect con jointly her security and her increase. May all the children of wisdom, under the New Dispensation, be wise to note this, that they may be enabled to see, that their strength and growth are not to be found so much in the noise and tumult of the city, as in the more still and retired, though apparently deso late state of affliction, perplexity, and darkness, in the desert / Yours, &c.
* Rev. xii. 6. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 171
December 9th, 18–
Your kind letter was received with all that satis faction which the communications of disinterested friendship usually inspire, and I was agreeably surprised at perceiving how suddenly the distance which divides us vanished, and I could take you to my bosom. The account you give of your temporal concerns could not fail to be pleasing to one who must ever feel himself interested in whatever befalls you; and I doubt not but the same gracious Provi dence, which watches over externals, will extend its divine benediction also to the weightier matters of the immortal spirit, fulfilling, in both cases, the blessed promise, “There shall not a hair of your heads perish.” In this view I cannot help regarding your perplexity, concerning the ministerial office, as under the control of a superior agency, for your good; and whilst it continues to be the ruling maxim of your conduct, to take counsel, not of men, or of yourself, but of the Most High, you may rest secure in the confidence, that you will finally be directed to the path, which will not only conduct you to the highest bliss, but to the great est general usefulness in the establishment of the Lord’s new church and kingdom. I am happy to find that you have met with a colleague in opinion, whose talents are likely both
- 172 LETTERS OF THE to aid and adorn the cause which he espouses; and though his zeal, at present, may not have acquired its proper temperament, yet, from the manner in which you express yourself concerning him, I cannot help indulging the hope, that he may be rendered a useful instrument, in the hands of the Divine Providence, of propagating the truth, and extending its blessed empire. I trust I shall hear in your next, that the bonds of brotherly love continue to knit you, every day, closer and closer to each other, and that, by a reciprocity of attach ment, you enter into each other's talents and labours, and thus increase each other's strength and useful ness, by conjunction of hearts and of hands. How much is it to be lamented, that this has not always been the case in the New Church. But, alas ! instead of fastening together the stones of the temple, by the strong cement of a holy charity, we have, in too many instances, only daubed them over with the untempered mortar of mere opinion and speculation, which, producing no order and consistency, must, of course, tend to the downfall, instead of adding to the strength of the building. May we be wise, to learn instruction from past errors, and never think of laying the foundation of the house of God, but in doing, as well as knowing, His precepts 1 May we remember that the street of the new city is pure gold ! As to myself, I have lately been led much in the way of the cross,—“the sun has frequently been REv. JoHN CLow Es. 173
darkened, and the moon hath withdrawn her shining, and I have forgotten to eat my bread,” nevertheless, the words of the prophet have been found true: “Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy, in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. He will swallow up death in victory.” Your other friends appear much as usual, and, I trust, are
walking in the King's highway. - - - - . Sincerely wishing and praying, my dear friend, that your head may be fully anointed with all the blessings of the Lord's kingdom, and that, going forth in the divine strength, you may be made instrumental in disseminating those blessings,
. . . - - - I remain,
* - Yours, &c.
* , May 18th, 18
: Your letter, of the 9th of July last, announces the birth of a son, and that of the 20th of the same month, his decease: so rapidly do the pos session and deprivation of joy succeed each other,
s - " … .
* * *** - - Z 174 LETTERs of THE in this state of temporal probation. Nevertheless, it is the Christian's consolation, that nothing is ever absolutely lost, and that, if a good be removed, it is only with the view that it may be restored again, and enjoyed more interiorly than before. I believe it to be the case, that under the first com munication of every blessing from heaven, yea, even of the blessing of the divine favour itself, our enjoyment of it is of a very external nature, comparatively, and, therefore, the operation of the Divine Providence is most adorable, which, by removing it for a time out of our sight, leads us afterwards to possess it, both in a greater fulness and purity than we did before. How strange it is, that in consequence of our natural corruption, the highest possible goods, unless rightly held, become no goods to us, and that it is necessary, therefore, that we be initiated into the wisdom of enjoyment, to prevent our very joys from proving our destroyers' How satisfactory, at the same time, is the consideration, that if we submit ourselves to the guidance and government of the divine providence of our most merciful Lord, He never fails to initiate us into that wisdom, and, finally, puts us in possession of every good, even of Him 'self, when He has taught us how to possess it. … Now I am upon the subject of spiritual property, J feel myself led to communicate to you some thoughts, which have lately occupied my mind, respecting it. It has appeared to me, that it is
- REV. JOHN CLOWES. 175
the will of our heavenly Father to communicate to all His children a universal property, in other words, to put them in possession of Himself. Such is the nature of the divine love, that it is desirous to give all it has to another; and such is the nature of the reception of that love, on the part of the creature, that it appropriates to itself what is so freely given. . Every orderly recipient, therefore, is, as it were, a centre of all possession; but then the law of recipiency is this, that he shall be willing that every other shall possess, at least, as much, or more than himself, and shall acknow ledge, in the most profound humiliation, that God is properly the sole proprietor, and that others are proprietors merely through mercy. In this way, I apprehend it to be the intention of the Almighty, not only that we should appropriate to ourselves what is from Him, but also the virtues, graces, Knowledges, and excellences of each other, so that each shall see and feel himself, as it were, the proprietor of all, which would certainly be the case, if we rejoiced in a virtue, &c., not because it is our own, but because it is a virtue, &c. I do not know whether I express myself in a way to be clearly understood; but I feel fully convinced, in my own mind, that from the moment we renounce property, possessed merely as our own, we enter into the possession of all property; and from the moment we renounce excellence, merely as our own, we enter into possession of all excellence;
\* f76 IETTERS OF THE and this in the degree of self-renunciation, and the acknowledgment that all is of God, and that a good itself is greater than the reputation of a good. But the misfortune is, that, in general, we set the reputation of a thing above the thing itself, and thus confining our views to ourselves, instead of extending them to God and our neighbour, we abridge ourselves of true property, and seeking rather to be beloved, than to love, to be respected, than to give respect, when yet, certainly, it is a much greater thing to love and honour another, ithan to be beloved and honoured by him, we never enter into possession of another's excellences, as God intended, and, thereby, lose even the enjoy ment of our own. I trust, my dear sir, and firmly believe, that under the New Dispensation, all these evils and misconceptions will find their proper remedy, and men will be enabled to come into the entire renunciation of self, and, thereby, into the most enlarged state of possession, because they will be taught, in a more convincing manner than heretofore, the absolute necessity of active repen stance, and will, thereby, be led into a purer regard to a universal good. They will be led also into more of spiritual trial and combat, because they will be enabled to endure more, and, thus passing on to spiritual purification and victory, they will ex ‘perimentally apprehend the fulness of the promised "blessing, “He that overcometh, shall inherit all : things.” May it be our wisdom, and the wisdom REV. JOHN CLOWES, 177 of all who receive, in their understandings, the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, thus to proceed to reception of life in the will, and thus, finally, to enter upon the inheritance of all. . .
-: I remain,
* Yours, &c.
*:::.. " - - January 9th, 18–
I am sorry to find your letter to me miscarried, in which you sought for consolation under your ilate severe trial, but perhaps there might be a Divine Providence at work in the event, to conduct £you to a better source of comfort and protection. The loss of such a partner, as you had the happi ‘ness of possessing, must needs have been felt as 'a severe shock; but why do I call it a loss, when we are assured that nothing truly good can possibly Abe lost, and that whatsoever has conjunction with sheaven and its God, must needs endure for ever? I ‘will add, (because the Sacred Scriptures give the intimation) that the spirits of our dear departed friends must needs be nearer to us, when divested 178 LETTERS OF THE of their material covering, than before, and proba bly in a greater capacity of aiding us, and promoting our benefit. For what the Redeemer says to His disciples, respecting the expediency of His leaving them, is applicable, in some measure, to the departure of every other friend, out of this world of sorrow and suffering—“If I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” Thus, as the disciples of old received their heavenly Lord back again, to be their everlasting Comforter, Guide, and Protector, how can we tell but that our departed friends are, in like manner, providentially appointed to console, to succour, and assist us in their departed state, and this even in a more perfect manner than could have been effected by their bodily presence? That some provision of this kind has place in the divine economy, was made manifest to me from experience in the very instance under consideration: for when I first read the account of the decease of your dear husband, he appeared to my mind at the moment, so really present, infusing at the same time such a sweet and holy joy, that I could no longer consider him as a departed friend, but rather as brought nearer, and endowed with higher powers of consoling and refreshing. With much reason, therefore, might he observe to you, that it is a great happiness to have a partner in heaven; and
* John xvi. 71.
- REv. JoHN CLOWEs. 179
I devoutly hope and pray, my dear madam, that you may ever be made sensible of that bliss. I shall be most happy to receive the copy of the translation of the Apocalypsis Explicata, when it is finished; and I have little doubt but our society will be at the expense of publishing it, as we have now completed the publication of the Arcana Caelestia, in twelve octavo volumes, and there are no other works of Swedenborg, of any
importance, which remain unpublished. * It affords me particular gratification to hear of your society of readers of the New Doctrines at Philadelphia, and I devoutly pray the Almighty to encrease their numbers. In your next please to be particular respecting the society, their meetings, and modes of proceeding...... I have the pleasure to inform you, that the New Doctrines spread much in this neighbourhood, and tindeed, throughout the kingdom, and begin, at 'length, to be read by many of the clergy. ; * : " " ' " I remain, Yours, &c. 189 LETTERS OF THE -
January 4th, 18–
... "You are pleased to ask my sentiments on the delight with which you anticipate the joys of a future state, in being again permitted to enjoy the society of those whom we have loved on earth; and on this subject I have only to observe, that there can be no danger in such anticipation, provided the preconceived joy be seen in connexion with its divine source, and be not separated from it. For man was evidently created to be a subject of joys, varying both in kind and in degree; and to anni hilate those joys, and their sensibilities, would be to destroy him, or at least to make him a being of a different order. The law, therefore, respecting all human delights, appears to be this, not to discard them, but to bring them into subjection; not to refuse tasting them, but to acknowledge, in the tasting, that they have a divine origin, and that that origin is the Lord God, the Saviour Jesus Christ. Every joy becomes thus pure and holy, being rendered the pure and holy receptacle of the divine joy, agreeably to the testimony of Jesus Christ, where He says to His disciples, “ These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full;”
* John xv. 11. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 181 from which words it is observable, that what our Lord calls His joy, was not intended to supersede, but to fill man's joy, and thus to communicate to it at once both plenitude and permanency. Hence, then, we may safely conclude, that we are neither forbidden to eat of the tree of human joys in this world, nor to anticipate their increased flavour and abundance in the world to come, if we are only wise to exalt the divine joy, in all cases, above them, so as to allow the latter, at all times, to enter into, to fill, and thus to sanctify the former, by connecting
them with itself. - - . . . It affords me unspeakable satisfaction to find that the New Doctrines are making their way on your side of the water, and that the list of readers in Philadelphia is as respectable as you represent it. You will be pleased, in your turn, to hear that in this country their progress becomes every day more and more extended, and that yesterday's post brought me the names of two respectable clergy men of the Establishment, who are likely to become pillars in the New Temple. Agreeably to your request I wrote to Lady B–, and have since received two very interesting letters from her; in the first of which she solicits copies of my late publications, and in the second is very urgent to have the leading doctrines of the New Jerusalem circulated in a short and cheap form, for the purpose of accommodation to the lower ranks of people. She appears to be in a charming frame of 2 A 281 LETTERS OF THE mind, and peculiarly interested in the New Doctrine concerning the Lord as the only God. I ought to inform you, that she made me a remittance for the payment of the books which I sent her, and for the purpose of aiding the publication of your dear husband's translation of the Apocalypsis Explicata. It gives me pleasure to find that you are at present situated so much to your satisfaction; and I devoutly pray that your happiness may every day increase, of which I make no doubt, whilst you continue to put your trust in the Incarnate God, to keep your mind open to His blessed Spirit and Word, and to suffer Him thus to govern, to guide, and to guard you, as His beloved child, by the divine influence of His most adorable love and wisdom. I remain, Yours, &c.
June 5th, 18–
Permit me to condole with you on the loss, if I may call it so, of your excellent friend Lady B–, of whose departure out of this transitory life of time and sorrow, you must, doubtless, have heard, before this time. Perhaps some particulars of her decease have been communicated to you, REV. JOHN CLOWES. 183 from some of her intimate acquaintance; if so, need I say what a gratification it would be to me, to be favoured with an account of them. I cannot quit the affecting subject, without calling to your recollection the sentiment which we have long ago established on such occasions, namely, that a departed friend, on entering into the other life is probably placed in a situation to promote the well being and comfort of those he loved here, far more effectually than he could possibly do during his abode upon earth ; and if this be the case, what aid and what consolation have we not reason to expect from the dear angelic friend, who has been brought nearer to us, by the removal of the shackles of mortality, which before tended to divide and separate us! You will be glad to hear that the New Doc trines are making their way, silently and secretly, amongst all ranks and descriptions of people in this country; yet not by outward observation, or by a cry of, lo here ! or, lo there ! but by the power of renewed life, manifesting and demon strating the divine truth, that “the kingdom of God is within us.” I have finished the translation of the Latin Index of the Arcana Calestia, drawn up by the enlightened Swedenborg, which, when print ed, will extend to the bulk of one of the largest volumes of the work to which it refers. The original is an astonishing labour, containing the cream of the Arcana Caelestia, and will, I doubt 184 - LETTERS OF THE not, be found highly edifying, by feeding and strengthening every devout lover of truth with its salutary nourishment. Our society have lately published their Seventh Report, which I would send you, together with some other tracts, if I knew how ; and amongst them a little piece, just sent to the press, entitled, “Paradise Lost and Regained: twith a brief account of its two Trees, its Serpent, its Serpent-bruiser, its Laws: also, of the Tempers, Manners, and Customs, of its Inhabitant: in two Dialogues, between a Father and Son: designed for the instruction of Youth.” I remain, Yours, &c.
May 28th, 18–
I might, with some justice, upbraid you for your silence, in not replying to a long letter which I wrote to you since my severe illness, in the summer of the year 1815; but not being assured that you ever received that letter, and being aware, at the same time, how many of your favours were unnoticed, during my long indisposition, I feel more inclined to balance the account between us, rather than provoke a scrutiny, which may turn R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 185 out to my disadvantage. Will you, then, have the goodness to accept these few lines, as a proof of my willingness to overlook all either apparent or real neglect on your part, and will your answer to them convince me that you are equally disposed to forgiveness? I am more and more convinced, every day, that this is the blessed temper which imparts its continual sweets to the children of the New Dispensation. They, therefore, cherish no resentments, except against themselves; and not even against themselves, if conscious that their failings are neither voluntary nor deliberate. Thus they endeavour to imitate that Divine Mercy, which never takes offence where no offence is meant, and which, even if offence be meant, waits patiently for the offender's contrition, by which it is excited to a more tender compassion than could otherwise have been either excited or communicated. Is not this the delightful picture of our heavenly Father, as presented to our view in that holy Book, which was designed for a bright mirror, in which we may behold the image of all His divine perfections ? “ Her sins, , which are many, are forgiven her, for she loved much;” such is the language of a love, which seeks only a return of its own tenderness, as the qualification to receive all its favours, and which permits the possibility
* Luke vii. 47. 186 LETTERS OF THE.
of offending with no other view, and for no other purpose, than to display itself in bright colours of reconciliation, forbearance, and the final removal
of opposing evil...... i But with what a numerous breed of interesting reflections is this consideration pregnant ' How doth every Christian hope revive, and plume its wings, under the blessed perception, that even the principles of opposition to the divine will, which so frequently alarm our fears, and excite our ab horrence, are rendered subservient to our purifi. cation and our bliss, whensoever we are wise to bind them with the chains of that love which alone has power to restrain them, and which, in restraining, converts the lion of mischief and de vastation into the lamb of innocence and salvation | I could write to you for ever on this delightful subject, but my time and strength, as well as pro priety, remind me that I am writing a letter, and not a sermon, and, therefore, that I must not say all that I wish, but all that I ought. In this latter view, then, allow me to congratulate you, as I do, with my whole heart, on the powerful influence of the New Jerusalem, which has lately manifested itself in your society, as in a bright and burning focus, from whence its rays of reviving heat and light may be dispensed throughout the earth. For how may you discover, in this extraordinary opera tion of the Divine Providence, the manifestation of the Lord's mercy, and the accomplishment of REV, JOHN CLOWES. 187 all that your devout prayers could desire; and what abundant cause of rejoicing must it be to the whole Christian church, to observe the descent of the New Jerusalem, on an eminence which seems to overlook the surrounding world, and from which the “pure river of water of life” may flow in every direction. May that almighty over-ruling power, which prompts to every generous exertion, and at the same time gives it direction and efficacy, bless all the efforts of your society, in the glorious cause which they have taken in hand, until “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever
and ever?” Amen. - - I remain,
* * * * Yours, &c. y
July 13th, 18
... I have long looked to the retirement which I enjoy at this place, [Barmouth,] for an oppor tunity of replying to your very kind and welcome favour, of the 19th of October last, and 188 LETTERS OF THE of expressing, at the same time, the mingled joy and gratitude, which it was so well calculated to excite. Yet one passage was not of this descrip tion, and, therefore, I must entreat you never to repeat it, because it is impossible that your letters can “encroach,” as you would insinuate, “on my time.” For what is my time, or, indeed, what is any one's time, but an opportunity, granted by the divine providence of the Most High, of doing all the good in our power, both generally and indi vidually How, then, can I employ this time better, or in a way more agreeable to the intention of Him who gives it, than in discharging the im portant obligations of friendship, and especially of a friendship so deservedly dear to me, and in which I can discover so many proofs of a divine mercy and loving kindness? Remember, therefore, from henceforth, that my time is your time; or rather, properly speaking, that it is neither yours nor mine, but only something lent us, for the pur pose of reciprocal benefit, and, consequently, that you have an equal claim with myself to the use of it, but under this condition, that the end of using it be always the glory of the Divine Proprietor,
and the good of His creatures. - I am delighted to hear of the progress which your church is making, in what you call “the external of its form and beauty;” and it will be my devout prayer that the internal may advance pro portionably in all the heavenly graces of innocence, REV. JOHN CLOWES. 189
purity, and wisdom. You call your temple a little one, and so possibly it is, and will be, so long as its members continue in the rudiments of intel lectual truth and doctrine, by exalting knowledge above the life of knowledge; for nothing is pro perly great but love and charity, thus nothing is great but what is good, or in proportion as it is conjoined with the only good, that is, the Lord, and therefore it remains with the congregation to add to the size of their temple, by conjoining speculation with practice, knowledge with its life, and all with the divine source of life, or with the Divine Humanity of Jesus Christ. I am well aware that this idea of greatness is not at all in agreement with the views of the merely natural man, who, under the first reception of heavenly truth, is led to suppose that nothing can be greater than truth, and that innocence, love, and charity, are small things, when compared with his gigantic specu lations, lifting up their heads above the heavens, and in this exaltation, not only regarding celestial goods as so many “grasshoppers,” but also pre senting to those who are principled in such goods, an appearance as if they were “grasshoppers.” I am aware too, that these views of the natural man are for a time permitted, to the intent that he may be induced the more eagerly to seek the knowledges necessary for the building of his future
* Numbers xiii. 33. 2 B 190 LETTERS OF THE :
spiritual house, which, without such knowledges, could neither have foundation nor walls. But, alas ! how little is the natural man capable of com prehending, on this occasion, that a foundation and walls do not, of themselves, constitute a house, and that, to complete the house, it must be both furnished and inhabited; how little, too, is he aware what the furniture and inhabitants are, which are necessary for such completion, and that under the article of furniture are included all things con ducive to use and ornament, whilst by inhabitants are to be understood the Lord Himself, attended. with His angelic host, and imparting all that life of divine love and charity, which makes the grand. distinction between a house and a den, between a temple and a cemetery, thus between what is human and what is bestial, what is alive and what is dead. May your temple, then, my dear friend, corres pond with the above idea of a house both furnished and inhabited; and for this purpose may the worshippers who frequent it be careful to exalt life above knowledge, genuine goods and truths above apparent ones, the harmlessness of the dove. above the wisdom of the serpent, thus brotherly. love above self-love, and the Lord above all. So shall what is little become great, and you will see the walls of your temple gradually extended, until at length they include every thing blessed, because where the Lord and His angels are, there is all. I remain, Yours, &c. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 191
April 24th, 18–
I feel most sensibly the delicacy and distress of your situation, in regard to your friend and his children, and it will give me unfeigned pleasure to hear that you have been so directed in your movements respecting them, as to promote, at once, their benefit and the satisfaction of your own mind. Nevertheless, I cannot help entertaining appre hensions that you will find difficulties, and these, perhaps, in proportion to the benevolence of your exertions, since such appears to be the law of the Divine Providence operative here below, that every human energy shall meet with opposition, accord ing to the degree of pure and disinterested love, in which it originates. Let not, however, this consideration discourage you, but rather let it be your consolation and support, inasmuch as oppo sition, by forcing us to take refuge in the divine arms, always supplies an increase of strength, at the same time that it convinces us that what is impossible with man is possible with God. And, now we are on this subject, I wish to reply to a question which you propose in your last' letter, concerning the sensual principle and its' regeneration, because I conceive the two cases are: in connexion with each other. For the sensual principle, as an opposite, manifestly adds to the 192 LETTERS OF THE difficulties of the Christian life, and even to its dangers, whilst it lifts up its serpentine head with its envenomed teeth, to poison our best affections, and thus infect the very blood and marrow of celestial life, and love, and peace. But have we any reason, I might add, any right, to complain of all this ? Rather, have we not reason, and is it not, therefore, right to be thankful, that the above difficulties and dangers, the above poison and infection, are permitted, and permitted too for an end, which end is, that the Great Saviour may be the more glorified, and ourselves the more blessed by our deliverance from such mischiefs, than could possibly be the case, if no such mischiefs existed? Jesus Christ, for instance, says to His disciples, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” But how, now, I would ask, could we ever experience the value of the high privilege here granted, if we were never made sensible of the bite of the serpent and scorpion, and of that power of the enemy, to which the promised protection extends? How, too, could we taste the blessedness involved in the words, nothing shall by any means hurt you, unless we had previously felt the pang of being hurt? I conclude, therefore, that the sensual principle is no further an enemy than as we make it so,
* Luke x. 19. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 193 by not turning from it to its Divine Controller, and, therefore, it will have but little influence over us, provided we look above it to that Omni potence which permits it, and in permitting, makes its power more manifest, by the subjugation of all its mischievous tendencies. I remain, Yours, &c.
February 25th, 18–
By the heavenly doctrine of the New Jerusalem, we are taught to believe, that every opposition made to the powers of infernal evil and darkness in our own minds, in case it be made under divine influence, is attended with a proportionable removal of those powers from ourselves, and consequently with a diminution of their ascendency in the church at large. Every such opposition, too, must have a tendency to increase in ourselves the quantity, and to improve the quality, of heavenly good, since it is impossible to combat the powers of evil success fully, only so far as we look up to, and depend on, the aid of Omnipotence, and of course Omnipo 194 | LETTERS OF THE tence, with all its divine blessings, is brought nearer to us, and rendered more productive of graces and yirtues. The true Christian, therefore, by thus sepa rating the powers of hell from himself, and bringing near the powers of heaven, confers an inestimable blessing on the church to which he belongs, because . his internal spiritual exercises being directed to the restoration of heavenly order in his own mind, are real acts in the world of spirits, producing there both a diminution of evil, and an increase of good, which diminution and increase must of necessity be felt by the church below. On this account, it is a wrong idea to suppose that uses in the church are promoted only by external acts, and are more abundant in the degree that such acts are more numerous and more splendid; for, if the above reasoning be just, it would appear that there is a meal use performed to the church, in every secret inward act of repentance and faith, howsoever trivial such an act may seem, either in the eyes of him who performs it, or in the estimation of others. It is not meant by this remark to diminish the motives to external exertions of charity and benevo lence, but only to prove that every one has it in his power to do the most essential service to the ohurch, beeause every one has it in his power to: imitate his redeeming Lord by the subjugation of evil, and the consequent purification of his mind, by which conjunction is effected with the love and wisdom of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. REV, JOHN CLOWES, 195
Let us learn, then, to set the crown of immortal glory on the head of the sincere penitent, whose only instruments of use in the church are, his peni tence and his prayers, and let us believe that the most brilliant eternal efforts of use are of little real worth or value in themselves, only so far as they are grounded in those sacred and important
duties. - - - - - I remain, Yours, &c.
October 29th, 18–
What can be more beautiful and instructive than your friend Mrs. P's remarks on submission, except it be the confession of your other friend, Miss C., where she says, “I desire to be nothing, that my blessed Lord may be all in all?” If we may form our calculations, then, of the state of the New Church in America, from the tempers and dispositions of these two excellent ladies, we shall be led to a most transporting view of its growth in all divine graces; since submission and a deep sense of human nothingness evidently involve in them the perfection of Christian life, and at the same time 196 LETTERS OF THE
announce the possession of all those combined excellences, which are necessary to constitute such perfection. At all events, whether the church in general be disposed, or otherwise, to form itself on the above models, it is highly gratifying to think that such models exist, because it is impossible to suppose that they can be altogether useless, or that two such “mothers in Israel” shall have no chil dren to admire and imitate their example. It may be, indeed, that some, being elated in their under standings by the bright and superior lustre of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, may suffer the light of the eternal truth to stop in that threshold, without allowing its further progress into the interiors of the will, to accomplish therein its salutary purposes of purification, separation, and regeneration, by casting out impure loves, and introducing pure ones. But I am willing to hope that such instances will not be numerous, and that consequently a considerable number of our Ame rican brethren, seeing the utter impossibility of truth existing alone, or in a state of separation from charity; and seeing, also, that charity is not attainable, but by the removal of self-love, will be led to press forward to the perfection of their high calling, consisting in the exaltation of love and charity, and thus of the Lord Himself, above all the principles of mere faith and doctrine. To such persons, therefore, how precious and how edifying will be the examples of your two excellent REV. JOHN CLOWES. 197 friends, bearing witness by their lives and loves, as well as by their opinions and notions, that the grand end. and purpose of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, is to convert men into little children by teaching them to exalt innocence, simplicity, submission, and brotherly love, in their minds and practices, as the sole graces and virtues by which they can hope for conjunction with heaven, and thus for admittance to the “marriage supper of the
Lamb /* - You are very kind in your inquiries about my health, and I am happy and grateful in being able to inform you, that through the divine blessing, it is better than I have any reason to expect at my time of life. In the month of July last, I had a terrible attack, but it ended, as all other terrible things usually do, when patiently endured, in making more manifest the adorable mercy and gracious providence of Him, who permits sorrow for the purpose of turning it into joy, and who thus compels all our troubles, not only to be our instructors, but our comforters, by bringing nearer to us Himself, consequently the source of all
consolation. - -
- I remain, Yours, &c.
2 C 198 LETTERS OF THE .
*
- August 15th, 18–
It gave me particular satisfaction to find that yourself and your friend Mr. P. are so fully con vinced of the truth and importance of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and especially that you refer all the praise and glory of their mani festation to that all-merciful and gracious Lord, who is ever watching over the necessities of His church, to heal its breaches, to correct its disor ders, to strengthen its foundations, and to enlarge its borders. Yet you complain of the prejudices, which at present operate in the minds of the bulk of mankind, to oppose the truth intended for their salvation, and to frustrate all the purposes of the Divine Providence, in presenting to their view the bright light of the eternal wisdom for their guid ance and consolation. But, my dear sir, such prejudices are rather to be expected than com plained of, since they tend to manifest the present state of the Christian world in its departure from, conjunction with its God, and are thus so many standing proofs of the necessity of that dispen sation which they oppose, and which is designed for their overthrow. For every principle, even the most perverse and erroneous, naturally strives to defend itself, and therefore if the professing Chris
* 2 a. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 199. tian church be in error and perverseness, it must of necessity come to pass, that it will strain every nerve in the endeavour to secure its own kingdom, even though for this purpose it should wage an unequal war with the Omnipotent Himself, and with all the angelic powers of His own mercy, goodness, and truth. Let us not then be discou raged, though “the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing; though the kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against Jehovah and against His anointed; ” but, recollecting that the enemies of God and His kingdom are the same in all ages, impelled by the same bad passions, and misled by the same unrea sonable prejudices, “let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us, and let us kiss the Son,” the divine humanity of Jesus Christ, now so marvellously revealed to us as the God of our salvation, because the sole medium of communica tion and conjunction between us and the hidden
Divinity, or the Father. - - - You ask my advice about the best and fittest methods of making the Heavenly Doctrines known. to others, and I wish to say in reply, that what appears to me to be the principal method is, first : to incorporate those doctrines well into our own wills, understandings, and lives, by shunning all such evils as are contrary to their purity, and then, from a renewed will and an enlightened understand ing, to endeavour to communicate the knowledge 200 LETTERS OF THE
of them to all around us. Such communication may be effected in some measure by conversation, but principally, as I apprehend, by the dispersion of such writings as tend either to explain or enforce those doctrines, , ...... I remain, Yours, &c.
- * *
Movember 2nd, 18
In regard to the subject of prayer, I wish to observe, that in the Arcana Caelestia, it is frequently treated of both as to its nature and necessity, and much important instruction given respecting it. Nevertheless, it is always regarded as a subordinate. thing, whilst the life of love and charity is exalted above it, and considered as the end, to conduct to which, prayer is merely an instrument. My own sentiments on the subject are grounded in the ideas of our enlightened author Swedenborg, and accord ingly I believe that the members of the New Church ought to be regular and serious in their devotions, both public and private, but at the same time to See and acknowledge, that the life of love and , R.E.W. JOHN GLOWES, 201 charity is the great end which ought to be regarded in every act of pious worship. In regard to my mode of instructing children, which you are desirous to be acquainted with, it is very simple, in the way of question and answer, this appearing to me to be the best mode for fixing the attention, and exciting the spirit of inquiry after truth. I begin about the end of October with the Church Catechism,” every Sunday evening; and when the Catechism is finished, proceed to our Lord's Parables, concluding the course of lectures about the end of April, so that in the space of about six months, the children may learn every Christian doctrine necessary to salvation. I entirely agree with you in your plan of com bining temporal and natural knowledge with that which is eternal and spiritual; and some years ago we established a small library, in agreement with that plan. Your objection to making the Bible a book for the instruction of children in reading, has often struck myself, and I confess I think it advisable that children should have learned to read before the Bible is put into their hands, and that, in . the mean time, it should be held forth to them, as an encouragement to learn, that when they have learned, they shall be allowed the great privilege
* See the Church Catechism, explained by Mr. Clowes. 202 - LETTERS OF THE and happiness of reading that best and most inte resting of books, the Word of God. I remain, - Yours, &c.
June 25th, 18—
It gives me unfeigned gratification to hear of the exertions of your society at Philadelphia, in favour of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jeru salem, and I cannot for a moment doubt but the divine blessing will attend them. Your weekly meetings also delight me, being well aware of the advantages attending spiritual associations, not only in regard to the illustration of the under standing, but also to the purification of the will, by cherishing and confirming mutual love and charity, and thus, by leading to a closer conjunc tion with the divine source of those living graces. On such occasions, however, every thing will depend on the end proposed, since this, we are taught in all cases, determines both the causes and the effects to which it gives birth, and there fore every member of the Lord's New Church will be led most zealously to explore in himself, on all - REV, JOHN CLOWES. 203 occasions, this determining principle, from which all other things derive their quality. And here it is happy for us, that we are not left to the darkness and perplexity of our own natural understandings, to conduct us into the hidden recesses of our minds or spirits; but we are furnished with a clear, simple, and steady light, by which we may at all times discover, if we are so disposed, what we intend, and, consequently, what we are. For the single question is, do we love what is good, because it is good, and what is true, because it is true, separate from and above all other considerations? —But I find I am beginning to preach, when I ought to be writing a letter, and am telling you what you know, as well as myself, when I ought to be supplying you with intelligence from this country, which probably, as yet, you are not ac quainted with. I will then change my sermon into a newspaper, by informing you that all seems to be going on prosperously in this part of the globe, with respect to the circulation of the New Doctrines, if we may judge from that most unequi vocal of all signs, a demand for the writings of our enlightened author, which certainly increases every year. New publications also frequently make their appearance, from the pens of those who are versed in the wisdom of the New Doctrine.
* * I remain, Yours, &c. 204 LETTERS OF THE
May 26th, 18–
... I am much pleased with your interesting remarks respecting America, which, in general, I conceive to be just, and sufficiently well grounded to authorise us in the indulgence of the most flat tering hopes, concerning the establishment of the New Church in that country, and its propagation thence into every corner of the habitable globe. But what an importance is thus attached to the exertions of the present infant societies, and what. an obligation at the same time imposed, to take heed that those exertions may be, at once, well derived and well directed ! Is it asked how such derivation and direction may be best secured? I should not scruple to answer this question by saying, as our enlightened author continually tes tifies, that the Church cannot fail to flourish and do well, provided charity be exalted above faith, or what amounts to the same, provided the purities of heavenly love and life be exalted and consulted, in preference to any system of mere speculative opinions and doctrines; or, what still amounts to the same, provided every member of the Church be more concerned about the motions and tenden cies of his will, than about the illumination of his understanding. I do not, however, mean to insi * REV. JOHN CLOWEs. 205 nuate that faith, with its speculative opinions and doctrines, is of no account, or that the illumination of the understanding is to be neglected, for this would be falling into another extreme, and incur ring the censure passed on the church of Smyrna, whilst we were endeavouring to shun the error of the church of Ephesus. All I mean to insist upon is, that “the life is more than meat, and the body than raiment;” in other words, that the will has the pre-eminence over the understanding, the affections over the thoughts, the love and life over the notions and ideas to which they give birth, and that con sequently order can never be restored, either in the general or individual church, only so far as such pre-eminence is seen and acted on. It appears thus to me, that there are three fundamental errors against which the members of the New Church have to guard: the first is that of supposing that they can be saved by truth, without good; the second, that they can be saved by good, without truth; and the third, that either good or truth can save them, unless the former be exalted above the latter. For before the precious ointment of the divine benediction can be of any avail to man, in the great concern of salvation, it must be imparted alike and conjointly to “the head, the beard, and the skirts of the clothing,” in other words, to the will, the understanding, and the lower principles
* Psalm cxxxiii. 2 D 206 LETTERS OF THE of the natural mind; but before it can reach the beard, and the skirts of the clothing, it must first be on the head, thus inculcating the instructive lesson, that the good of love must be first exalted in the interiors of the human mind, otherwise the truth of faith can never be received, inasmuch as the truth of faith is a vital principle, ever in con nexion with its parent good, and thus distinguished from that principle of mere science and speculation, which may be a dead principle, and will be so, in case it doth not acknowledge and bow down to its Divine Parent. It is, I am aware, an idea cherished in some minds, and even in minds of a celestial class, that when they are on the house top, there may be a danger in descending, to “take any thing out of the house:” and they call it descending, when they con sult the doctrines of faith. But this is manifestly a wrong notion of descent, inasmuch as man doth not quit the house top merely by consulting doctrines, but by regarding them as an end, and thus exalting them above that good of love and charity, to which they are intended to conduct. I conceive, therefore, that the higher we advance in the principle of celestial love and life, the more ardently we shall pursue, because we shall feel it a duty and advan tage to pursue, those knowledges, which may still be necessary for our further advancement, since no man can say that he hath yet attained a house top,
* Matt. xxiv, 17. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 207
so elevated as to preclude further ascent. Yet how is this further ascent to be accomplished, but by new knowledges, or as our enlightened author expresses it, by new spiritual marriages; whilst the good, to which we have attained, attaches itself to some new, and hitherto undiscovered, order of truth, superior to itself, and thus produces a new and higher order of good, which, in its turn, seeks again its celestial bride, and is fruitful in generation after generation, without end, each succeeding generation attaining to a house top more elevated than the former, and thus becoming qualified to enter into marriage with a bride of a more elevated order. I conclude, therefore, that every man, in every state of regenerate life, is bound to cultivate the knowledges of truth, as the only means of improving that state; as on the other hand, in the cultivation of knowledges, he is bound by, at least, an equal obligation, to cherish the principles of heavenly love and life, as the great end of know ledges, or the goal towards which their course
ought always to be directed. - I remain, Yours, &c. 208 LETTERS OF THE
August 6th, 18–
I am delighted with your remarks on the com munion of graces and blessings, enjoyed by the mem bers of the New Church, as I conceive that no subject can be more interesting, and at the same time more edifying. Indeed, it appears to me that every advance in the regeneration, is an advance in such communion. For in what doth regeneration properly consist, but in putting off what we call our own, and in putting on what, in such case, we receive from others. By regeneration, then, we are gradually initiated into the possession, not only of all things of the church, consisting of the virtues, the talents, the excellences, and joys of its several members, but likewise of all things of heaven, or of all the perfections of the heavenly inhabitants. Nor is this the limit of our property, since, in proportion as we ascend into the regions of celestial love and life, it is granted us of an adorable mercy, to appropriate to ourselves even divine things, by applying the use of them to our selves, whilst we ascribe the glory to the Divine Proprietor. Thus, in the regeneration, is fulfilled the blessed promise, “He that overcometh shall inherit all things,” since the possession of the REV. JOHN CLOWES. 209 supreme good must of necessity involve in it the possession, at least virtually, of all inferior goods. And thus too we are enabled to address ourselves to the Lord, in the same words in which He, in the days of His flesh, addressed Himself to the Father, when He said, “All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine;” for in whatsoever case, and in what soever degree, the mine is renounced and ascribed to the thine, in the same case, and in the same degree, the thine is imparted and appropriated to the mine. But, oh! what submission is necessary on the part of man, before he can be made partaker of all this blessedness I speak not of general submission, but of particular and singular f sub mission, of which all general submission, properly so called, consists, and without which it cannot be any thing. For as a particular and singular pro vidence is necessary to constitute a general provi dence, and as a particular and singular gratitude is, in like manner, necessary to constitute general gratitude, so also a particular and singular-sub mission is necessary to constitute what we call general submission. Of this we have a memorable instance in the history of Joseph, to whom the Egyptians were submitted, first, by giving their money; secondly, by giving their cattle; and thirdly,
* John xvii. 10.
+ By the term singular the author means what is most minute, in reference to the subject treated of. 210 LETTERS OF THE by giving their bodies and their lands.” Yet, alas ! how unwilling are we to make this total sacrifice, and with what reluctance do we bring to the altar of the Most High, the gifts which are to be re stored to us a hundred fold, when conjoined with Him, from whose bounty they were received, and when filled with His life. We make an offering perhaps of our money, but we keep back our cattle; or we make an offering of our cattle, but keep back our bodies, and our lands; and thus, by a foolish and fatal reserve, we retain what tends to our destruction, and never experience the blessing of salvation, because we think its price too high, and its purchase too costly. But whence is it that we are thus mistaken in our calculations respecting the true value of things about us? Can it be from any other cause than the influence of our self-love, which keeps us hood-winked and blind, as to the true nature of good and of evil, and so completely closes our eyes, that we mistake the one for the other, calling good evil, and evil good? I trust, my dear sir, that I am not speaking a strange language; indeed, I feel assured of it, because I am persuaded you will agree with me, that we cannot be “faithful in that which is much,” until we are “faithful in that which is least,” and that to attempt to pay our debt to the Divine Mercy by pounds, and not by pence, is inverting the old proverb, and being pound wise and penny foolish.
* Gen. xlvii. 13-20. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 211
I have dwelt the longer on this subject of sub mission, because it appears to my aged eyes that in this country, (possibly in all countries) novitiates in the doctrines of the New Jerusalem have very faint, if any, ideas of its vast importance and abso lute necessity. Imbibing early the notion of the benefits accruing from uses, they conceive that these uses result solely from external activity, and the consequence too often is, that they separate both the use and the activity, and of course them selves, from their divine source. They forget also that there are two kinds and degrees of activity, the one external, and the other internal; in other words, the one of the external man, and the other of the internal man; and that the activity of the internal man, properly speaking, is submission to the divine will, counsel, and providence of the Most High; whereas, the activity of the external man, when disjoined from the internal, is the operation of self, or rather the submission of self to the guidance and rule of infernal activity. In like manner they make a fatal mistake concerning uses, forgetting that the great use of all uses consists in the renunciation of self, or selfish love, that so man may become an instrument in the divine hands, of freely effecting divine purposes, by giving free circulation in himself to the divine love and its wisdom, thus to divine use. Let it not be supposed that I am here arguing at all in favour of what is commonly called Quietism, or of that abject
* 212 - LETTERS OF THE and irrational submission to the divine will, which leads man to hang down his hands and wait for divine influence, without exerting the powers of reciprocal agency, which God has given him, for this I conceive to be another extreme, or the other pole, opposed to that of a mere external activity. All I mean to say is, that it is the great duty of every member of the Church, because it is the great end of his creation and recreation, to conjoin ex ternal activity with internal ; his own operation (if it may be called his own) with divine operation; the uses which he performs amongst men with divine uses; thus to submit his own activities at all times, and on all occasions, to the divine activity. And as this is every one's highest duty, so, it appears to me, it constitutes his most severe trial and difficulty in the course of his regeneration; For it is an easy thing to hang down our hands and do nothing ; it is also easy to exert our own external activities; but the labour is, to submit our exertions in such a manner to divine exertion, that every effort of our own may bring us nearer to, and conjoin us more fully with, its divine and living Fountain. According to this view, I con ceive every human mind to be a pendulum, oscil lating in its natural state between human activity and divine, but never finding rest but in the centre, in which both unite, which centre is nothing else but the total, yet free, submission of the human
to the divine. - REV. JOHN CLOWES. 213
. It is then by the blessed virtue of submission that the member of the Church is delivered from a state of restlessness, and entering into the regions of true peace, at once “remembers the Sabbath-day, and keeps it holy.” But the effect of this heavenly virtue is not confined to himself, for in tranquillising his own bosom, it enables him to contribute to the tranquillity of others, by giving him a greater ascendency over their passions and their preju dices, as well as over his own. Thus the Church becomes an immense gainer, in proportion as each member becomes more submitted; in other words, as he compels truth and its knowledges to acknow ledge the supremacy of good, and to do nothing but under its influences; for truth, we know, when unsubmitted to good, is harsh and repulsive, unaccommodating in its manners, severe in its judgment, and utterly destitute of that gentleness, which is so absolutely necessary to effect its own purposes, by drawing strangers within the sphere of its brightness. On the other hand, when submitted to good, it acquires an attractive power which few are able to withstand, and thus proves itself to be a follower of Him who said, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me.” For the sake of others then, as well as of ourselves, we are bound to exercise the heavenly duty of submission, that so the pointed quills of the porcupine may be converted into the soft wool of the lamb, and we may no longer repel, but invite; no longer alarm, 2 E 214 LETTERS OF THE but encourage; no longer set up the hostile banners of contentious opinion, but display the peaceful flag of truce, announcing the meekness and mild ness of our purposes, grounded in a warmth of heavenly affection, which regards the happiness of others as our own. I remain,
- - Yours, &c.
March 9th, 18—-
I entirely accord with you in the sentiments you express, respecting the external interruption of our. associations in the present life, and its causes, being fully persuaded, that it is under the immediate control of the divine providence of our adorable Lord, and that howsoever painful and perplexing it may occasionally appear to ourselves, it is adjusted and arranged by a law of general benefit, which, in most instances, is out of the reach of our limited capacities to explore. For alas! sir, how bounded is the horizon of our most extended thoughts and perceptions, and what a vast and incredible number REV, JOHN CLOWES. 215 of objects lie concealed beyond that horizon | I do not mean by this reflection to insinuate that our short-sightedness is either our fault or our misfor tune, for on the contrary, I am rather disposed to think it a blessing, and that the fault is, when we are not content with it, and even thankful for it. It is surely enough for us to know, that God sees, and that we see from Him just as much as is good for us, and no more, and consequently that the telescope is in the best hands, because it is in His, who looks through it from good, and for good; whereas were it in ours, we might possibly abuse it to our own hurt, and that also of others. What principally con cerns us then is, not sight, but will, that so our love may always be in a right direction, and may thus keep ever turned to its proper centre of gravity in the divine love, in which case all other things are sure to go well with us, howsoever it may appear to us that they go otherwise. I am delighted to hear that yourself and your. associates are so well employed in disseminating the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and that you have chosen new ground for your new seed, because I am persuaded that the youthful mind, which I call new ground, is the soil best adapted to receive the truth. You will find, too, a continual recompense for all your labours in the sweet affec tions of your young pupils, which will tend to excite in you both new strength and new ideas. On the subject of giving and receiving instruction, 216 LETTERS OF THE it has long been evident to me, that in all cases it is a greater thing to hear well, than to speak well; and perhaps our blessed Lord meant to teach us this lesson, when He said to His disciples, “Whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth ? Is not he that sitteth at meat 2” And the reason to me is plain, because to hear well, implies the exercise of the will and affections, whereas to speak well implies only the exercise of the understanding and its thoughts; and we are compelled to allow that the former exercise is superior to the latter. Is it not therefore much to be lamented, that this truth is not more generally acknowledged? And may not its non-acknowledgment be regarded as a melancholy sign and symptom of the times, in which truth is exalted above good, and understand ing above will?
I remain, - Yours, &c.
* Luke xxii, 27. R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 217
December 9th, 18–
It is highly gratifying to me to learn, that you are pleased with my late treatise On Delights, because the approbation of every well-disposed mind is to me an additional ground of hope, that there may be something in the work calculated to be of general use. You express a wish to know my sentiments on a point, which you regard as most essential towards the growth and formation of the New Church; and I have the pleasure to inform you on the occasion, that I entirely agree with you in the opinion, that “to shun evil as sin against God,” is the sine qua non of the Church's increase and prosperity. For what shall we say is the Church, properly speaking, but the conjunction of good and truth; thus, not good alone, nor truth alone, but both united. Yet, until evil be shunned as sin against God, it is impossible that the principle of good can manifest itself, either generally or individually, consequently there can be no Church. For the same reason it is impossible for the principle of truth to manifest itself, except as a speculative dogma, which has no place but in the memory, and which therefore cannot be called truth, until it be elevated into the will, and brought into conjunction with its conjugial partner, the 218 LETTERS OF THE principle of good. Still, as in the building of a large house, or temple, the first requisite is to col lect the materials, such as wood, stone, mortar, &c. so it may be of the Divine Providence, in the con struction of that spiritual house, or temple, called the New Church, that the raw materials of doc trinals and knowledges shall be first prepared, by the instrumentality both of the pulpit and the press, as the first necessary means for completing the building. For until men be made acquainted with their duty, it is impossible for them to prac tise it ; thus, until they be instructed, that to shun evil as sin against God is an essential of Christian life and salvation, it is impossible they can be brought into the practice of the heavenly precept. We must hope, then, that all the efforts which are made in the dissemination of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, whether from the pulpit or the press; whether by Printing Societies, or Mis sionary Societies; by private meetings, or by general conferences, are all of divine permission, by reason of their tendency to put mankind in possession of the knowledge of divine truth, without which evil cannot be known to be evil, still less can it be shunned as sin; without which, therefore, one stone cannot be laid upon another, for the erecting of that holy structure, which “hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Yet, in the indulgence of this delightful R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. - 219 hope, we ought never to forget that scientifics or truths, merely in the memory, are but stones, and that stones can never be properly joined together but by a cement or mortar, and that this cement or mortar is nothing else but the good of heavenly love and charity, which good can only be procured by the removal of opposing evils, when regarded in their proper character, as destructive of all con junction of life with the Divine Fountain of all
good. - I remain, Yours, &c.
April 30th, 18–
Were I not well assured in my own mind that bodily infirmities are equally as instrumental as bodily strength, to promote our purification, and thus, finally, to increase our bliss, I should feel disposed to condole with you on your late severe sufferings, as described in your affecting favour of the 17th. But how is condolence supplanted by congratulation, when it is clearly seen, and fully 220 LETTERS OF THE apprehended, that all bodily pain and sickness are under the control of a divine hand, and are never permitted but for an end, which end is the opening of the interiors of the mind to a more abundant admission of heavenly graces and joys, in conse quence of a nearer approach to the divine source, in which they originate. An additional motive to congratulation, in the present instance, is to be found in your own admirable observations on the subject of corporeal sufferings, to which I implicitly subscribe, and to which I would only beg leave to add, that we seldom, if ever, are made sensible of the real value of any blessing, and consequently are seldom, if ever, so grateful for it as we ought to be, until we are threatened with the loss of it. This is remarkably the case in regard to bodily health, its activities, and its delights, all which are undoubtedly intended of the Divine Giver to increase our bliss, by exciting the spirit of gratitude, and thus leading us to a fuller and more continual acknowledgment of the debt we owe to our Divine Benefactor. But how rarely doth it happen that this gratitude is excited, and this debt acknow ledged, whilst we are in undisturbed possession of the blessings, which call at once for a distinct acknowledgment and a grateful return For the truth is, not only bodily health, with its activities and delights, but also the means by which they are daily preserved, such as our daily food, sleep, clothing, &c., are usually regarded as things of R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 221
course, or as common things, which are attached to our being by a kind of necessity, and which are, consequently, not seen as the perpetual gifts of a divine bounty, and still less as the perpetual proofs how much we are indebted to that bounty. How salutary, then, is that dispensation of bodily suf fering, which has a tendency to disturb us in this state of criminal thoughtlessness, and thus to awaken us to a sense both of the blessings we enjoy, and of that divine bounty from which they flow. I remain, Yours, &c.
October 30th, 18–
I am not surprised at your having been led to inquire so frequently and earnestly on the subject of the atonement, because it is a Christian doctrine of great importance to be well understood, and formed into the life, and yet, perhaps, is more misunderstood and perverted than any other. 2 F 222 IETTERS OF THE
In considering the doctrine of atonement, the question first to be decided on is, What is the proper and definite idea of the term, as it is used in the Sacred Scriptures? In answering this question, it may be expedient to observe, that the term atonement occurs only once in the book of the New Testament, viz., in the Epistle to the Romans, chap. v. 11, where it is said of Jesus Christ, “By whom we have received the atonement.” It deserves also to be remarked, that the original Greek term, which is here rendered the atonement, is caraway", which occurs only in two other passages of the New Testament, viz., in verse 18 and verse 19 of chap. v. of the second Epistle to the Corinthians, in both which passages it is rendered by the translators reconciliation.” It appears, therefore, that the translators of the New Testament conceived the English terms atonement and reconciliation to be synonimous, or to have precisely the same force and meaning; and accord ingly, in their translation of a passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where it is written eic ro Aáakeoffat rac apiapriac re Mae,f which literally means to propitiate,
* It may be proper to remark, that the radical meaning of the Greek term kara)\\ayn, which the translators of the New Testament render reconciliation and atonement, is exchange, which word will perhaps lead to the true genuine idea of reconciliation or atonement, since nothing is wanting to effect such reconciliation but an exchange, on the part of man, of all his natural defile ments, follies, infirmities, and miseries, for the purity, wisdom, power, and peace, which are from God.
* + Chap. ii. 17. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 223 or atone for, the sins of the people, they render it to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. In the New Testament then it is evident, that the idea intended to be suggested by the term atone ment, is that of reconciliation, the proper meaning of which will be considered presently. In the Old Testament we find the term atone ment occurring more frequently than in the New, particularly in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, where it is repeated on more than forty different occasions, being generally applied to the sacrifices which were appointed to be offered, but in some cases to other things, as to money;" also to particular days;t also to jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, ear-rings, and tablets. The original Hebrew term, which, in all the above passages, is rendered atonement, is B 2, the proper radical meaning of which is to cover, when used as a verb, and a covering, when used as a noun. It appears then, that by the term atonement, when applied in the Old Testament, is to be understood a covering; and since every natural expression in the Holy Word must be supposed to involve some spiritual idea, therefore the spiritual idea intended to be conveyed by the Hebrew , p 3, and by the English atonement, is that of a spiritual covering. Thus all the sacrifices were intended to operate in the way of spiritual coverings, because they were
* Exod. xxx. 16. f Levit, xxiii. 27, 28. ; Numbers, xxxi. 50. 224 , LETTERS OF THE intended to figure, or represent to man the sacrifice of himself, that is to say, the offering up of all his affections, thoughts, words, and works, on the altar of the divine love and mercy, that so re nouncing whatsoever was opposite to God in him self, he might thus put on what was pleasing to God, viz., His pure, righteous, and holy spirit of love and of wisdom, to be his eternal covering, and at the same time protection from all the guilt, pol lution, and condemnation of his own sinful nature. The same is true of the Sabbath-day, of money [or silver] of jewels of gold, chains and bracelets, rings, ear-rings, and tablets, because all these things were figurative or representative of those spiritual, pure, holy, and eternal principles of life and love from God, which man is required to put on, as his only safe covering and sure defence against the polluting and condemning principles of his own natural life
and love. - - Hence, then, it is plain, that the proper mean ing of the term atonement, as applied in the New Testament, is reconciliation, or exchange, and, as applied in the Old, is a covering. But since the terms reconciliation, or exchange, and covering, have respect to God and His church, or people, and are therefore to be interpreted and understood according to such spiritual reference, it will hence further appear, that by the term atonement is meant every thing that tends to effect reconciliation and covering, in regard to God and His people : and REV, JOHN CLOWES, 225 since God and His people can never be reconciled, until His people are made holy, pure, wise, and good; and since holiness, purity, wisdom, and goodness are from God alone, and constitute the only spiritual covering for man, in and by which he can safely approach his Maker, hence it is lastly evident, that by the term atonement is to be understood every thing which has a tendency to make mankind holy, pure, wise, and good, and thus to invest them with that spiritual covering, which may render them acceptable in the sight of their Creator, and meet to be admitted into His divine presence, and to be made partakers of His divine mercy. For it is a known thing, that a sin ner always regards God, and cannot but regard Him, as an angry, avenging, implacable, unpro pitious Being, not because the real nature of God is such, but because his own mind, being in a prin ciple of love and life opposed to God, represents Him as such. On the other hand, a truly penitent and regenerate person always regards God as a merciful, compassionate, tender, and placable Being, because, having communication with His divine love and wisdom, and being covered with this divine spirit, he sees God from God, thus as He really is, and not from himself, and thereby according to appearance. Thus it is plain that the holy spirit of God, which is the spirit of His divine love and wisdom, whensoever it is received by man, makes the atonement, or reconciliation, or covering, 226 LETTERS OF THE not by changing the nature of God, but by chang ing and covering the nature of man. Keeping now in view this scriptural and radical meaning of the term atonement, let us proceed to apply it to the different ideas on the subject which at present prevail in the Christian world, by which application it will be evident to you, that the generally received idea is an external and natural one, derived only from the appearances of truth, as presented in the Sacred Scriptures; whereas the idea suggested in the doctrines of the New Jerusalem is an eternal and spiritual idea, grounded in the internal genuine truth of the inspired pages. To begin with the generally received idea: Every one knows, or may know, that the doc trine of atonement which is generally taught at this day throughout the Christian world, is this, that God the Father sent His Son into the world, that by the passion of the cross He might make propitiation or satisfaction for the sins of mankind, and that thus, all who believed in that propitiation or satisfaction, were received into the divine favour, delivered from the wrath of God, and admitted into the kingdom of heaven. This doctrine, therefore, implies further, that the almighty and merciful Father of angels and of men, required satisfaction for His anger, or, as some express it, for His justice, before He would admit sinful men again into His favour; and that when this satisfaction was made, by the blood of His dear Son, shed on the cross, REV. JOHN CLOWES. 227
He then became disposed to show clemency to all those who believed in this propitiatory sacrifice, and pleaded the merit of the Son's blood, shed for the remission of sins. The doctrine, of course, implies still further, that the Divine Being who required this sacrifice, and the other Divine Being who made it, were two distinct and separate Beings, and that the former was excited to clemency, mercy, and compassion, by the sufferings and death of the latter. Thus it implies, that these two Divine Beings were of different, not to say opposite, cha racters and qualities, since the former is represented as being angry with mankind on account of their rebellions against His supreme authority, whilst the latter is represented as still cherishing so tender a love for the human race, even in their sins and defilements, that He was willing to lay down His life, and endure the most cruel tortures, with a view to their salvation. It is also to be remarked, as a necessary consequence of the above doctrine, that every Christian who devoutly receives it, is bound to address his prayers and adorations to two separate and distinct Divine Beings; to one, called the Father, to have mercy upon him; and to another, called the Son, to intercede for him with the Father, by pleading the infinite merit and efficacy of His blood-shedding, sufferings, and death. This doctrine, too, as it respects the nature of sin, regards its defilements rather as spots and filth, 228 LETTERS OF THE
which may be wiped away by another's innocence, than as a deep and radical infection, which can never be removed but by the sincere repentance and consequent change of mind and life, on the part of the offender. For such is the view presented in the Sacred Scriptures, concerning human defilement, as where it is written, “When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.” Moreover, the connexion of the sinner with the powers of darkness is, by the above idea, kept entirely out of sight, when yet the atonement made by the great Saviour evidently implies the emancipation of the human race from the tremendous tyranny resulting from such con
nexion.f - The generally prevailing idea on this subject is likewise at variance with the true end and design of the sufferings and death of the great Saviour, since it supposes that those sufferings and that death were merely vicarious; in other words, that they were endured, not only for man, but in man's stead, and that thus their high merit consisted in paying a debt for man, which man was unable to pay for himself; whereas it is most evident from the divine testimony of the Sacred Scriptures throughout, that the suf
* Ezekiel xviii. 27; see also verses 21, 22; chap. xxxiii. 15, 16; Matt. iii. 2; iv. 17; Luke xiii. 3, 5; xxiv. 47; besides numberless other passages.
f Matt. xii. 29; Luke x, 19; xi. 21, 22; John xii. 31, 32.
* REV, JOHN CLOWES. 229
ferings and death of the great Saviour, though endured for the sake of man, were not endured in the stead of man. Such is the idea of the atonement made by the great Saviour, as derived from the doctrine of faith generally received at this day throughout what is called the Christian world. But who can dwell at all on this idea, without being painfully affected by its terrific and frightful aspect? For what can be more tremendous than a belief in two Divine Beings, except it be the notion that one of these beings is an angry and avenging Being, who can only be pacified by blood, and this the blood of another Divine Being, called His Son, who was content, on this account, to suffer death, even the death of the cross? What again can be more tremendous than the thought, that there is no mercy and no compassion in the Father of the Universe, but what is excited by another, and that He would infallibly deliver up His offending children to everlasting punishment and misery, unless He was withheld every moment by the mediation and intercession of that other, and thus inclined to pardon and overlook their offences? And what, lastly, can be more tremendous, than the perplexity of doubt and of darkness, in which the mind of every sincere seeker and worshipper of God must thus, of necessity, be involved, whilst two separate Divine Beings are presented to his distracted view, as objects of his adoration, one 2 G 230 LETTERS OF THE
requiring honour as his Creator, and the other requiring equal honour as his Redeemer and Inter cessor, and each claiming equal authority and dignity, since each is supposed to be divine, con sequently to be infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent? But let us now turn from this disgusting and alarming picture, to recreate and delight ourselves with the contemplation of the beauty and brightness of that celestial portrait, presented to our view in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, on the subject
of the atonement. - This doctrine supposes that there never was, and never can be, more than one God, and that this one God is at once the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Regenerator of mankind. It supposes, further, that mankind, by the abuse of their free will, have departed or fallen from the original blessed order of their creation, into a contrary state of disorder and its miseries, and that when this disorder, through the successive corruptions and declensions of many generations of men, came to its height, and threatened the universal destruction of the human race, the Almighty, out of His infinite mercy and desire to save and to bless His crea tures, assumed the human nature here on earth, and made Himself manifest as a Man, and under that manifestation took to Himself a new name, being called the Lord God, the Saviour Jesus REV. JOHN CLOWES. 231
Christ.” This assumption of the human nature, according to the above doctrine, was effected for a double purpose; first, that in that nature God might combat and subdue the powers of darkness, or of hell, which at that time had gained an undue and dangerous ascendency over the minds, and even the bodies of men, and that thus He might deliver men from that ascendency;f and secondly, that He might glorify the humanity thus assumed, by uniting it to His essential divinity, and might thus keep the powers of darkness, or of hell, in subjection to eternity, and at the same time might afford to His penitent creatures perpetual access to Himself, and perpetual protection from evil, in that glorified humanity. For such had been the miserable effect of the disorder, that mankind had nearly lost all knowledge of their God, and of the manner in which they ought to approach and worship Him, and, consequently, unless God, by assuming a Humanity, had made Himself again known, visible, and approachable, no flesh could have been saved.S. But the assumed humanity
* Matt. i. 20, 21, 23; Luke i. 26–36; John i. 1-15.
+ Luke i. 74; Matt. xii. 25–31 ; Luke x. 17, 18; chap. xi. 16–23; John Kii. 31. # Luke xiii. 32; John xii. 23, 28; chap. xiii. 31, 32; chap. xvi. 28; chap. xvii. 5, 19.
§ That the Eternal Father, or Jehovah, made Himself known, visible, and approachable in the humanity of Jesus Christ, is manifest from the following passages: Matt. xi. 27; John xiv. 6, 8; chap. x. 1-10.
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could not be glorified, neither could the powers of darkness be subdued, except by temptations admit ted into that humanity, even to the last, which was the passion of the cross,” and therefore the incarnate God submitted to endure those tempta tions, and thus fulfilled what was written of Him, where it is said “He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”t For by the great Saviour “bearing our griefs, and carrying our sorrows;” by His being “wounded for our trans gressions, and bruised for our iniquities,” is evidently meant, that in His human nature He was pleased to submit, for our sakes, to every species of suffering, of trial, and of temptation; and this for the blessed purpose, that by “His stripes we might be healed,” since all His sufferings, trials, and temptations tended to the double effect of subduing the powers of darkness, and of glorifying His humanity, thus of providing the means of our healing, by removing from us the tyranny of those infernal powers, and giving us access at the same time, in His glorified or Divine Humanity, to all the fulness of the di vine presence, mercy, and protection, in agreement
* John xii. 24; Luke xxiv. 26. f Isaiah liii. 4, 5; Matt, viii. 17. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 233 with His own words, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory.” Here then may be seen the consolatory idea of the atonement, reconciliation, or covering, wrought by the great Saviour, as presented to our delighted view in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem. For by this doctrine we are taught that the eternal Jehovah, out of His infinite mercy and desire to save mankind, was pleased to assume a humanity; to appear here on earth; to combat and overcome the powers of darkness; to admit temptations in His humanity, even unto death; and afterwards to raise His humanity from the grave, to an everlasting union with Himself. Thus He does all that can be done to restore His lost creatures. He calls, He invites, He presses them to come unto Him, in the assumed humanity.f. In and through that Divine Humanity, also, He gives them power to come, because, in and through that Divine Hu manity, He gives them access, and draws them to Himself. He supplies them likewise with divine strength to subdue their corruptions, and the in fernal powers which are in connexion with them, thus to become wise, holy, just, and righteous.' By the same humanity, too, He keeps the doors of heaven for ever open, so that the humble and the
* Luke xxiv. 26.
t Matt. xi. 28–30; John xv. 4. # John xiv. 6; chap. xii. 32.
§ Luke x, 19; John i. 12, 13. 243 LETTERS OF THE penitent, who are desirous to forsake their sins, and to return unto their God, and to enter into a state of reconciliation, and to put off the “filthy rags of their own righteousness,” and to put on the “mar riage garment,” the “garment of salvation,” and thus to be covered with the divine spirit of the eternal love and wisdom of the most high God, never fail to find acceptance, and to be received and admitted as the ransomed, the redeemed, the atoned and reconciled children of their heavenly Father, to whom they give all praise, glory, and thanksgiving, for this His atoning and saving mercy. Here, therefore, we see how “God was in Christ,” as the apostle expresseth it, “reconciling the world unto Himself,” in other words, making atonement. For God was in Christ, rendering Himself known and accessible to His lost creatures as a divine Man. God was in Christ, combating, subduing, and removing from man, the powers of hell and darkness. God was in Christ, calling, inviting, pressing all men to come unto Him, that they might receive remission of sins, deliverance from their ascendency, and be saved. God was thus in Christ, Jnediating, interceding, and propitiating, by the assumed humanity, between Himself and His creatures, because all men who approached Him in that humanity, and were willing to forsake their sins, became gradually wise, holy, and rege
* 2 Cor. v. 19. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 235 nerate, being covered with a covering of His holy, wise, and righteous spirit. In this idea, therefore, of the atonement, we see nothing to perplex, nothing to distract or terrify us; no division of the Godhead into two Godheads; no angry, no avenging God, who cannot be reconciled without blood. On the contrary, we see every thing to encourage, to console, to lead us to repentance, and through repentance, to reconciliation; because we behold a God of unutterable, unchangeable love, the tender Father of the Universe, descending from heaven, to seek and to save that which was lost, by assuming a humanity, that in it He might the better combat and overcome our spiritual enemies; by glorifying that humanity, that He might give us perpetual access to Himself; thus, by willing, devising, and doing, every thing that infinite love and wisdom could will, devise, and do, to recall His sinful and ignorant children to the bosom of His mercy, that He might for ever make them happy, by an eternal reconciliation and conjunction with Himself.
I remain, - Yours, &c. 236 LETTERS OF THE
May 10th, 18–
To enumerate all the causes, which have tended to delay my reply to your last kind letter, would only be a greater waste of time, and therefore I shall proceed immediately to tell you how much I felt interested in your views of the Decalogue, and of that heavenly marriage of goodness and truth in the mind, to which it never fails to conduct the real lover and observer of the divine law. I say, lover and observer, because a man must be both, before he can properly be said to be either; in other words, he must delight, and delight supremely, in the coun sels of the Eternal Truth, before he can note tho roughly, so as to comprehend what they mean, and he must note thoroughly, so as to comprehend what they mean, before he can fully and properly delight in them. It is accordingly written, “Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever,” where to observe, has manifest relation to the understanding, in its attention to the divine precept; whilst to hear, has relation to the will or love, in its desire or delight, to obey. It is on this ground, I conceive, we can never be
* Deut. xii. 28. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 237 sufficiently thankful to that Divine Mercy, which in these latter days of tremendous darkness, has been pleased to unfold to our view the internal or spirituff sense of His most holy commandments. For the word of God, before it is unfolded or explained, may be compared to a large loaf of bread, whilst it is unbroken or unseparated into small pieces; and a loaf of bread, in such a state, it is well known, cannot be admitted into man, so as to be incorporated into his life. In like manner, the word of God cannot be admitted and incorporated into the life, until it also be broken; and it cannot be broken, according to the spiritual idea, until it be explained, in such a manner, that its particular component parts may be clearly seen and distinguished. Something of this sort appears to me to have been signified by what is written con cerning our Lord and His two disciples, at the village Emmaus, where it is said, “how He was known of them, by breaking of bread;” and it seems to me impossible that He can make Himself known in any other way. For by the bread here spoken of is to be understood His word, and His word is Himself, and consequently as His word cannot be known, until it be explored and ex pounded as to its interior contents, in like manner neither can He be known by any other means or process. What the Lord then did at the village
* Luke xxiv. 35. 2 H 238 LETTERS OF THE
Emmaus, He is now doing for His Church, or people, by unfolding to their delighted view the blessed particulars stored up in His own most '' and by thus making Himself known to "them in all the fulness and splendour of His divine cha racter, as their Creator, Redeemer, Regenerator, and Saviour ! I conceive, therefore, that it is of the first importance for the receivers of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, to digest those doctrines well in their understandings, since their wills or loves can never be elevated and purified, but according to the degree in which the intellec tual mind is first enlightened; and the intellectual mind cannot be enlightened, only so far as the truths of doctrine are particularized, and thus seen minutely and distinctly, and no longer only generally and confusedly. We frequently use the term good, but how various are the meanings annexed to this term, and what different ideas doth it excite in different minds ! How few like wise cherish the right idea ! But what is the reason of this; or rather what can it be, but that the term is not anatomized, as it were, by being intellectually explored and well defined? And how can it be so explored and defined, but by the discriminating light, of the eternal truth? It seems impossible therefore to admit into our minds what may be called genuine and pure good, until we analyze it ; and we cannot so analyze it, but by the light of truth in our understandings. And what is REV, JOHN CLOWES, 289
thus true concerning good, and its reception into the life's love, appears to be true also concerning evil, and its rejection from the life's love, viz., that evil cannot be so rejected, until it be attentively ex plored and examined as to its particular component parts. Accordingly we are taught by our enligh tened author Swedenborg, that a general confession of sin is of no avail, unless it be attended with a particular confession; and for the same reason per haps it is written, speaking of evils, or of spiritual enemies, the powers of darkness, “Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind,” since they cannot be ejected, until they are so beaten small. Excuse me, my dear friend, for letting my pen run on thus freely and without check; and if you blame any one for it, blame yourself, since the sweet and edifying contents of your last letter have led me into my present train of thought. I ought, however, perhaps to have recollected to whom I am addressing myself, and that fewer words would have been sufficient ; but the agreement is, that our correspondence be free, and therefore, whilst I am conscious to myself, that with my whole heart and soul I am desirous of promoting your eternal interests, I will no longer be anxious, about either my sentiments or expressions. God ever bless you! Believe me to remain ever, Yours, &c.
* Psalm xviii. 42. 240 LETTERS OF THE .
March 14th" 18—
You are perfectly right in your imagery, when you speak of “diamonds of the first water,” because such are the bright and precious truths, derived from the internal sense of the Word, which are now imparted to the receivers of the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, and which they communicate one to another, for mutual edification and benefit. The Scripture is thus again fulfilled, which was written of Tyre, where it is said, “Every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the car Duncle.” But oh ! what need there is of caution, lest we take these treasures to ourselves as our own, without acknowledging that Divine Mercy in which they originate, and that Divine Wisdom with which they are continually connected ! How ought we to tremble, lest the judgment denounced against Tyre of old should fall likewise on our heads, with that overwhelming sentence, “Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that
* Ezekiel xxviii,
- Rev. JoHN CLowes. 241
they may behold thee.” I do not mean, however, to insinuate by this caution, that there is any harm in speaking of our treasures, in taking account of them, or even in discriminating what particular precious stone belongs more peculiarly to one per son, and what to another. The only danger is, lest we should, at any time, lose sight of the Divine Giver and only true Proprietor, and in so doing should nourish our natural pride and Vanity with what was intended to humble us, by leading us to the knowledge and perception of our own vileness, and, at the same time, to the knowledge and perception of a purity, a magnificence, and a liberality, so infinitely exceeding all our natural ideas, yet so necessary to be seen and rightly appreciated by us. You are at liberty, therefore, still to talk of my diamonds; and if you will allow me, I will talk, in my turn, of your rubies, without any apprehension of mischief in either case, pro vided only that both the diamonds and rubies are acknowledged to be gifts, and gifts for this single purpose, to make manifest the manifold, stupendous, and incomparable glories and excellences of their Divine Original, and thus to conduct us to a clearer and fuller sense of His divine mercies and loving kindnesses, and of our want of them. , I am delighted with your remarks on the resto ration of the spiritual “birth-right,”f and on the
* Ezekiel xxviii. + See Gen. xxvii. explained in the Arcana Coelestia. 242 LETTERs of THE
necessity of the inversion of the first state of the reception of truth, that so the good of heavenly love and charity may be exalted to dominion, because this proves to me, better than a thousand arguments, that the internal sense of the Word, which some account so deep and mysterious as to be almost unintelligible, is still level to human capacity, and that the principal reason why it is not more generally received and cherished, is because it is not loved; in other words, because the ruling affection is immersed in other objects. But what object can be of so much importance for man to comprehend and secure to himself, as the order of heaven and its God? Two striking wonders, therefore, are continually presented to my notice; the first is, that it hath pleased the Almighty, at this day, to reveal to His creatures the bright knowledge of Himself, of His Word, of His kingdom, and of His mode of operation; and the second is, that His creatures make so light of this knowledge, as in many instances even to ridicule, to despise, and to reject it. Thus the Father of mercies still “cometh to His own, and His own receive Him not; but,” adored be His holy name! “as many as do receive Him, to them giveth He still power to become the sons of God,” &c. But who shall we say are those blessed ones who receive Him? or to whom doth He give power to become His sons ? He hath been pleased to inform us in that divine song, the song of the true virgin Church, in which the REV. JOHN CLOWES. 243 effects of His reception and consequent commu nicated power are thus so beautifully described: “He hath showed strength with His arm, He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek : He hath filled the hungry with good, and the rich He hath sent empty away.” Oh most divine and con solatory words to all those who have witnessed, in their own hearts, the “scattering of the proud, the putting down of the mighty, the exaltation of the humble and meek, and the filling of the hungry with good " For surely we may say of all such, that they have re-entered paradise; that they eat Jreely of every tree of the blessed garden, and of the “tree of life, which is in the midst;” and what is still more, that they are guarded against the seductions both of the proprium, or selfhood, and of the ser pent, by having no longer any inclination to eat of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil.” I am now nearly at the end of my paper, with out saying half of what I wish to say to you, or expressing half the gratitude which I feel for your very interesting communications. Alas! how little can the pen express of those myriads of ideas and affections which open on the human mind, in its approach to, and conjunction with, the Infinite and Eternal ! Be pleased, however, to accept the little which I have said, as a token of my desire to say more; and let that little soon become productive of 244 LETTERS OF THE
much, by bringing me a speedy reply. With devout prayer for your temporal and eternal welfare, I remain, Yours, &c.
April 30th, 18–
I read your last much esteemed favour with all that delight, which never fails to be communicated from the view of an elevated mind, soaring above all the clouds and mist of mere natural speculation, and exploring the bright regions of intellectual truth and celestial good; for such is the order of the communion of all excellence appointed by the great Creator, that the exalted powers of one mind affect another, and this in such a manner, and to such a degree, that the mind which is affected enters into the property of that which affects it, and not only so, but attends it in its elevations, enjoying the same prospects, beholding the same glories, and what is still more, acknowledging with gratitude the immense debt which it owes to another, for being allowed to participate in its riches and researches. You will then excuse me if I have REV. JOHN CLOWES. 245 taken the liberty of accompanying you in your sub lime views concerning the world of realities, because I am compelled to believe, that what you have seen respecting that world will not be less gratifying to you, when you are told that you have been instrumental in opening the delightful prospect to another, and thus increasing his thankfulness to the Father of mercies. You propose an interesting question, when you ask “whether a man can be a complete man, unless there be in him celestial good, spiritual good, and natural good?” To this question I wish to reply, that all those orders of good are necessary to form a man; and that to form a complete man, it is neces sary that they be arranged according to legitimate order, viz., that celestial good shall be exalted above spiritual, and spiritual above natural. But I apprehend that this arrangement is not necessary to form a human being, or even an angelic being, since there is reason to believe that there are many good men in the Lord's church on earth, and many angels in His kingdom in heaven, who have not attained to it, and still are capable of enjoying heavenly happiness. This appears manifest from the distinction between the three heavens, and also from the similar distinction which the Lord makes between “receiving a just one in the name of a just one, and receiving a prophet in the name of a pro phet, and giving a cup of cold water to a little one 2 I 246 LETTERS OF THE
in the name of a disciple," for from these distinc tions it would appear, that man may be admitted into heaven, and partake of its blessedness in a cer tain degree, although he has never yet attained celestial good, so as to exalt it above other goods. Yet I perfectly agree with you that a complete man can never be formed, consequently a complete bliss can never be tasted, until an arrangement of goods, according to legitimate order, is effected, thus until celestial good is exalted above spiritual, and spiritual above natural. It will consequently be the continual endeavour of a wise man to attain this arrangement. But oh ! how many spiritual erucifixionst are necessary for this purpose! how many deaths are to be endured ! how many resur rections are to be experienced ! It appears to me to be a great error to suppose, that because we have been nailed to one cross, have passed through the gate of one death, have been raised into the glory of one resurrection, that therefore all our work is accomplished. For this is like supposing, that our entire submission to the government of the divine love and wisdom of our heavenly Father can be effected by a single act, whereas the truth is, that it requires repeated acts, and that such repetition takes place during the whole period of our residence here below. For who can pretend to say, that as yet he hath attained to a complete sub
* Matt. x. 41, 42. + Luke ix. 23. REV, JOHN CLOWES. 247 mission? It may be, that like Jacob, on meeting his brother Esau, he has submitted, first, the hand maids and their children; secondly, Leah and her children; and thirdly, Rachel and her son; yet how plain is it to see, that both the handmaids and the two sisters, Leah and Rachel, are continually pro ducing a new offspring, which will require a new submission I It appears therefore to me that the duty of submission is of perpetual obligation, and that every new state of life calls for its exercise; of course no one can ever say, during his abode in this world, that his work on the cross is finished, and that he has no more deaths to die, and no more resurrections to live; and though he may find, and will find, that “in the place where he is crucified, as in the place where his Redeemer was crucified, there is a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid;" and though he may have entered from and by the cross into the garden, and in the garden have passed into the glory of the resurrection, signified by the new sepulchre, yet he will find also that the cross, the garden, and the sepulchre are in successive, as well as simultaneous order, and thus that his whole life is a complex of their successions, as a period of natural years is a complex of the successions of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Excuse me, dear friend, for dwelling so long on this subject, which has of late occupied much
* John xix. 41. 248 LETTERS OF THE of my attention, and which, I think, demands the attention of every sincere Christian. For we are all of us but too apt to imagine that our work is done, at a period, perhaps, when it is but just com mencing. A prosperous wind possibly blows for the moment, and we forget to calculate on its change. But surely wisdom should teach us another lesson, by convincing us that a change is not only to be expected, but is necessary. For in a natural view, if the wind always blew from the same quarter, what would become of the earth's fruit fulness In like manner, what could be the fruitfulness of mind, if its wind was not in a con stant vicissitude? We should learn, then, to note all the changes in our spiritual atmosphere, and to perceive that they are all under the control of the divine providence of our heavenly Father, who can bring blessing out of a west and north wind, as well as out of an east and south wind ; thus should we no longer incur the terrible censure, “O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times,” but setting our spiritual vanes at the tops of our houses and temples, we should know at all times in what direction the wind blows, and what is of more importance, we should rest assured that it is always in the right direction. In devout prayer that every wind may blow you a new blessing, I remain, Yours, &c. REV.- JOHN CLOWES. 249
June 24th, 18–
In reply to your last communication, I am very happy to have an opportunity of presenting the doctrine of the New Church, on that primary sub ject, which must always be considered as the foun dation of the true Christian religion, viz., the doctrine of the true object of all worship, or of the exclusive divinity of the Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ. As this, my dear friend, is the first and the last of all doctrine, it will readily be seen that an infinite deal depends on the proper and genuine idea we entertain of God, as this idea must needs influence our minds as to every other point of theology. I have long been convinced, that the doctrines of the New Church most clearly establish, from the Sacred Scriptures, the sole divinity of the Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and thus by pre senting to view one single and undivided object of divine worship, they have a direct tendency to rescue the Christian church from the mischievous and mistaken practice of worshipping a plurality of Divine Persons, which cannot be distinguished in idea from a plurality of Gods. The exclusive claim to divine honour on the part of the great Redeemer is proved, in the theological writings 250 LETTERS OF THE
of Swedenborg, to be in the most perfect har mony with the testimony of the Sacred Scriptures throughout, which uniformly teach, that “He is God, manifest in the flesh;” that “all things were made by Him;”f that “He has all power both in heaven and earth;"; that “He is in the Father, and the Father in Him;”$ that “He and the Father are one;” that “He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, which is, which was, and which is to come, the Almighty;” that “whoso seeth Him, seeth the Father;tt to which may be added the declaration of St. Paul, that “ in Him duelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;”; and of St. John, “This is the true God and eternal life;”$$ and of St. Jude, “To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, Amen;”| with which also may be compared such ‘passages of the Old Testament as the following in 'Isaiah, “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace;” Thus saith Jehovah, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts, I am the First, and I am the Last, and beside me there is no God;”fff “There is no God
* John i. 14; 1 Tim. iii. 16. # John i. 3. # Matt. xviii. 18. § John xiv. 10. Il John x. 30. ** Rev. xxii. 13, and i. 8. tt John xiv. 9; # Col. ii. 9, §§ 1 John v. 20. All Jude, 25, *** Isaiah ix. 6. fitt Isaiah xliv, 6. REW, JOHN CLOWES. 251 else beside me, a just God and a Saviour, there is none beside me. Look unto Me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else;” “All flesh shall know that I Jehovah am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob;”f “Thy Maker is thine Husband; Jehovah of Hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel: the God of the whole earth shall He be called;”: “I am Jehovah thy God, from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me; for there is no Saviour beside Me.”$ Not to mention numberless other passages to the same effect; all tending to prove that Divinity and Hu manity are made One in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus that there is no divinity but what is incorpo rated in His divine and blessed person. The same holy and scripture doctrine is in per fect agreement also with the best reason of man, since if the Divinity of Jesus Christ can be proved from the Sacred Scriptures, as is manifest from the above testimony, it then follows as a necessary consequence, that His sole divinity is proved also, otherwise the divine unity is denied, and a plurality of Gods is established in the church, in contradic tion to all the deductions of a sound and enlightened reason. For to assert that Jesus Christ is God,
.* Isaiah xlv. 21, 22. t Isaiah xlix. 26. # Isaiah liv. 5. § Hosea xiii. 4. See also chap. xliii. 3, 10, 11, 14, 15; xliv, 24; xlv. 14, 15; xlviii. 17; lx, 16; lxiii. 16. 252 LETTERS OF THE and yet to say that He is not the only God, what is this but to assert that there may be more than one God in the church, or that the church may be a body with two or more heads, each of which is to be acknowledged as the divine source of all spiri tual life, blessing, power, and protection? Yet what rational mind can for a moment cherish so gross and groundless an idea? What rational mind there fore doth not intuitively perceive, that to acknow ledge Jesus Christ to be the divine source of all spiritual life, blessing, power, and protection, and at the same time to deny that He is the only source, is the extreme of all mental delusion, error, and
peryerse judgment? - But it may perhaps be objected to the above reasoning, that it is in contradiction to the scripture doctrine of a divine trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as taught by Jesus Christ Himself, when He gave commandment to His apostles to “go and teach all nations, baptizing them in (or into) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and that it thus militates against the divinity of the Father, and the Holy Ghost, by setting the crown of divine glory and dominion on the head of Jesus Christ alone, to the exclusion of the great Creator and Regenerator To this objection it may be replied, that in acknow ledging the sole divinity of Jesus Christ, it is not intended to deny the divinity either of the Father or the Holy Ghost, but to confirm it, by teaching REV. JOHN CLOWES. 253
that the divine trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is not (according to the common idea) a trinity of Three Divine Persons, consisting of a Creator, who is one person, of a Redeemer, who is another person, and of a Regenerator, who is a third person, (which in reality is a trinity of three Gods,) but is a trinity of Three Divine Essentials, all united and making One in the divine person of Jesus Christ, comparatively as the trinity of soul, body, and operation in every individual man, constitutes together one man. For that the Father is One with Jesus Christ, and not a Divine Being, separate from Him, is manifest from the express words of Jesus Christ, where He says, “I and the Father are One;” “Believe Me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me.”f And that the Holy Ghost, in like manner, is not a Divine Being, separate from Jesus Christ, is manifest from the express words of Jesus Christ, where He says, (speaking of the coming of the Holy Ghost,) “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you;” and also from His significative act, after His resurrection, on which occasion it is written, “He breathed on the disciples, and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost,”$ from which significant act, and from which express words it is evident, that the Holy Ghost is not a Divine Person, separate from Jesus Christ, but is rather a Divine Influence or Operation,
* John X. 30. + John.xiv, 11. # John xiv. 18. § John xx, 22. 2 K 254 LETTERS OF THE proceeding from Him, and thus constituting what may properly be called, Himself Operative, accord ing to His own divine promise, “I will not leave gon comfortless, I will come unto you.” But it may perhaps be further objected to the acknowledgment of the sole divinity of Jesus Christ, that such acknowledgment is utterly irre concilable with the doctrine of mediation and intercession, which are two offices peculiarly cha racteristic of the great Saviour, both of which imply two distinct Divine Persons, or Beings, one who mediates and intercedes, and another to whom medi ation and intercession are offered.—To this objection it may again be replied, that according to the com mon and natural idea of mediation and intercession, the objection is in full force, since the common and natural idea supposes that one Being mediates and intercedes, and that another Being receives mediation and intercession. But the question is, whether this common and natural idea be, in the present instance, the proper and spiritual idea of divine mediation and intercession. If the common idea plainly involves the supposition that there are more Divine Beings than one, would it not become us to give the subject the most serious and profound consideration? and if we find that the Humanity of Jesus Christ, now glorified by His complete union with the Divinity, is our only medium of approach to, and conjunction with, the Divinity dwelling in it, and thus intercedes between the invisible Father and REV, JOHN CLOWES, 255
ourselves, then to adopt this scriptural and spiri tual idea of divine mediation and intercession, in preference to every other, drawing nigh unto the Glorified Humanity of Jesus Christ, not only as our only God, but as the only interceding medium between the otherwise unapproachable Godhead
and ourselves? - - If any further confirmation of the above im portant doctrine be required, it may be abundantly found in the numberless testimonies of Jesus Christ, respecting Himself, which, though not expressly declarative of the same sublime idea, yet involve and imply it as fully as the most direct and positive assertions. Such, for instance, are the following brief precepts of affectionate invitation, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest;” Abide in me, and I in you, for without [or separate from] Me ye can do nothing;”f I am the bread of life; he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me;”: “I am the resur rection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and he that liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.”$ Would it not be the extreme of presumption in any one, except the Most High God, to utter the above words respecting Himself? Can it be supposed that any one, except the Most High God, can call mankind to come to Him, and promise them rest as a reward for their
* Matt. xi. 28, f John xv. 4, 5, # John vi. 35, 57. § John xi. 25, 26. 256 LETTERS OF THE coming 2 Can it be supposed that any one, except the Most High God, could invite mankind to abide in Him, and assign this as a reason for such an invitation, “For without Me ye can do nothing ?” Who also, except the Most High God, shall dare to assume to himself the highly significant titles of the “Bread of Life,” and of the “Resurrection and the Life;” and to say of the one, “He that eateth of it shall live for ever,” and of the other, “He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall He live, and he that liveth and believeth in Me shall never die?” The conclusion then is indisputable, that Jesus Christ, who uttered the above words, is the Most High God, and consequently the only God, (unless we have the folly to believe that there is some other God besides the Most High God,) and that the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem, which bear testimony to this grand truth, are entitled to the highest degree of attention and respect from the Christian world. Excuse me adding any more for the present, than the devout prayer that you may fully enjoy all the blessed consolation of this divine doctrine. I remain, Yours, &c.
-* REV. JOHN CLOWES. 257
January 29th, 18–
In reply to your very interesting and edifying letter of the 3rd of this month, I take the liberty of referring you to my lately published work on Opposites. If it can be proved, as I trust it is, that the propositions contained in that work are true, then we have no longer any reason to com plain of opposites, whatsoever power they may exercise, or howsoever they may be increased by the accumulation of hereditary evil, provided that a counteracting power is given, and within our reach, to maintain the equilibrium, and thus to place us in the capacity of exercising those two most blessed gifts of the Most High, free-will and rationality. Yet that such a counteracting power is both given and within our reach, is manifest from every page of revelation ; and that by it a complete and perfect remedy is supplied against the operation of its contrary, is alike evident from the testimony to which the Lord appeals, of His being the Messiah, where He says, “Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see : the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deqf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them; and 258 LETTERS OF THE blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.” It appears, therefore, from these words, not only that an effectual antidote is provided against the operation of evil, but also that the evil is rendered instrumental in making the antidote manifest, by bringing it into a greater fulness of agency. It is granted that in the present state of the world, evil has increased beyond its usual bounds, and that spiritual diseases and distempers have, in conse quence, prevailed in the human race, which were before unknown, and which are, at the same time, of the most malignant and dangerous quality. But are we not compelled to allow that the powers of divine and heavenly good are operative in the same proportion, and that therefore the increase of evil, with all its diseases and distempers, is in some sort accessory to such operation? Are we not compelled also to allow, yet further, that if there be an increase in the operation of both opposites, then, in the case of conversion from evil to good, this increase in the operation of good will be felt and enjoyed proportionably. In the divine person of our Saviour are brought near to man a mercy and an omnipotence fully competent to the relief of all his wants, and that consequently nothing is necessary for man, but to apply to that mercy and omnipotence for deliverance. The grand con cern, then, of every human being, is to turn to this
* Matt. xi. 4, 5, 6. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 259
manifested good, or manifested God, under a sense of every evil by which he is oppressed, be it great or small, hereditary or actual. He will then be made sensible that evil has its controller, and that in that controller alone is to be found a real good, and under the perception of this good he will be enabled to bear the further gradual discovery of various interior evils, which were before unknown, until he is at length willing to acknowledge, that of himself he is nothing but evil, and that all real, vital, and substantial saving good, is from God. Thus abominating himself, and loving and cleaving to God with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, he will be made sensible that “all things (even evils) work together for good, to them who love God.” Excuse, my friend, the freedom with which I write, because, in addressing you, I am not afraid to open my whole mind, because I feel assured that you are ever ready to make apologies for the faults of others. I remain, Yours, &c. 260 LETTERS OF THE
April 10th, 18–
Though I have formerly disclaimed all apologies, yet I think it necessary at present to observe, that the preparation of our Annual Report, together with the supply of a fresh article for the Intellectual Repository, and the publication of the volume of miracles explained, to which may be added, the necessity of replying to a large cargo of letters from America, have been the causes of my long silence, which it is impossible for you to regret so much as I do myself. Let this apology then suf fice, to guard you against any suspicion that I have either overlooked or slighted the valuable and highly interesting contents of your last very acceptable letter, for this is far from being the case. Rather, those contents have been the means of conducting me, as the counsel of the little Maid of Israel, to whom you refer, conducted Naaman to the true prophet, to receive from Him that puri fication of will and illumination of understanding, without which it is absolutely impossible to com prehend, and still more so to discuss the sublime truths of which you treat. For what subject can be more sublime than that of opposites? Doth not this subject involve almost every other, inas much as the contemplation of opposites leads to REV. JOHN CLOWES. 261 the consideration of all that is wise, and good, and happy in the heavenly world, and likewise of all that is foolish, evil, and miserable in the infernal world ! Yet I entirely agree with you, that the foolish, the evil, and the miserable, was never intended by the great Creator, to come into mani festation, but was rather designed, like the “dark substance in the mirror,” with which you beauti fully compare it, to reflect the Divine Image to greater advantage, and thus in its concealment to exhibit, not its own form, but the form of another. For such originally appears to have been the case with the proprium of man, which was therefore given him as a reflecting power, in which and from which he might continually discover the bright countenance of his heavenly Father, or the tree of life in his paradisiacal garden, but without eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which though planted in his proprium, was not meant to yield him nourishment, but only to make more manifest, and communicate a higher flavour to the nourishment derived from the other tree. In this respect, the proprium of the spirit of man may be compared, not unaptly, with the bones of his body, which are not visible, and which can not become visible, without injury to the body, but which, nevertheless, when hidden under the cover ings of flesh and skin, perform important uses in the body, so important, that without their aid no bodily operation could be performed. Hence then, 2 L 262 LETTERS OF THE
I am of opinion, may be discovered several inter esting duties respecting the proprium, which demand particular attention, because connected with our eternal well-being. The first is, that it should never show itself, because the sight of bones is in all cases unseemly: the second is, that it should not be allowed to operate of itself, because this would be like bones starting out of their places, and setting up a government of their own, instead of submitting to be governed : a third is, that it should be submissive, acknowledging the control and authority, and also the blessing and life of a principle superior to itself, and thus yielding itself as an instrument of that principle, and a recipient of its blessing and its life; for in this case it becomes like a bone, which fulfils its appointed uses, and which receives its appointed nourishment and support, but without either showing itself, or disturbing the order of those higher principles, for the service of which it was created. But here arises a question of no small moment, and which appears to deserve a satisfactory answer.—What rule of conduct is to be pursued, and how ought we to be affected, in case these bones are seized with a desire of showing themselves, and thus of magnifying their own importance, instead of bowing down before the sovereignty which they were intended to serve? Supposing, too, that something of this desire is operative in ourselves, and that thus we feel our selves exposed to the imminent danger of admitting REW, JOHN CLOWES. 263 into the kingdom of our minds the misrule of anarchy and confusion, to the entire overthrow of the blessed dominion of order and good govern ment—What is the wisdom which ought to direct us on the occasion? It will perhaps be replied that, in both cases, we are bound to oppose the evil desire with all our might, as we would oppose hell and the powers of darkness. But may I be allowed to ask, What is meant by opposing evil with all our might? For if by all our might is understood any strength of our own merely, 1 fear that in such case our very opposition to evil would only bind its chains faster upon us. By all our might then we must understand some principle above ourselves, with which we are gifted, thus that Divine Power which is imparted to every man for his salvation. But this divine power is of two kinds, viz. the power of truth and the power of good; and evil cannot be resisted effectually but by their combined force; and their force cannot be combined until the power of good is exalted above the power of truth. What I would then insist upon, and inculcate as a most important duty is, that we ought to oppose evil in all cases, whether we see it operative in others, or feel its operation in ourselves, from no other principle than that of a divine compassionate tenderness, pity, forbearance, and patience, and thus endeavour to cover it, as the two sons of Noah covered the nakedness of their father. For by the exercise of such wisdom we should, in the 264 LETTERS OF THE
Jirst place, imitate our heavenly Father, who suffers no disturbance from evil, but on the contrary is moved by it to a fuller exercise of His own divine mercy and compassion; and in the second place, we should convert all evil into good, to our selves, because all its manifestations and assaults would then only tend to excite in us the same feeling which it excites in God, viz. compassion, with all its attendant graces of gentleness, forbearance, patience, and submission. Thus ceasing any lon ger to fret and disquiet ourselves about evil, we should be resigned and calm under all its infest ations, and covering its bones with the flesh and blood of the Divine Mercy and Truth, should find that our power over it is full and complete, be cause derived from the omnipotence of the great Redeemer, who saith, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” I remain, Yours, &c.
* Luke x. 19. REV, JO HN CLOWES. 265
December 21st, 1 8—
I should think it necessary to make an apology for my long silence, if I was not well aware that it often happens to you, as to myself, that you are unable to execute the purposes on which you are most intent, in consequence of a variety of opposing circumstances, which you could neither foresee nor control. Prefacing my reply to your last kind and welcome favour with this remark, and acknow ledging, at the same time, how much I am your debtor, for all the interesting and edifying observa tions which your letter contains, I shall proceed, without more loss of time, to comply with your request, by entering more minutely into the con sideration of the subject of preservation from the assaults and infestations of the powers of darkness. I believe that when I last wrote to you, I called this preservation a signal mercy, for which I had cause to be thankful to the Most High ; but let it not be inferred from that expression, that I conceive the permission of assault and infestation not to be a mercy; for really, if I were asked the question, which I think the greater mercy, permission of, or preservation from, such assaults, I should be at a loss how to decide. Perhaps it may be said that each, in its turn or rotation, is the same mercy, 266 LETTERS OF THE
since without the former, the latter could not be known, and therefore the former appears necessary, to make manifest the latter. For if we are never made sensible of evil, how can we be made sen sible of deliverance from it? And if we are never made sensible of deliverance from evil, how can we be made sensible of the good by which we are delivered, or of the mercy of that heavenly Father, from whom alone such good is communi cated ? It is therefore written, “The Lord is known by the judgment which He executeth," because the Lord is the Supreme Good, or Supreme Love; and this can only be known experimentally, in proportion as the opposite evil is judged, and thus removed by it. But at what a solemn and interesting conclusion are we here arrived ! For how awful is it to think that opposites to the Divine Mercy are necessary, in order to make that mercy sensibly felt and enjoyed; and how interesting is it to reflect on the nature and number of those opposites, and in what manner they may be em ployed to the greatest advantage. By opposites, however, I would not be understood to mean the offences which we call sins; for such offences are opposites deliberately cherished and indulged, which can never be conceived necessary for the manifes tation of the Divine Mercy. But by opposites, 1 would be understood to mean the evil natural pro pensities, tempting us to sin, such as are all the
Psalm ix, 16. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 267 propensities of the proprium. These propensities, however, are not in themselves sinful, nor do they become so, only in the degree in which we do not endeavour to control them, by submitting them to divine guidance and government ; for from the moment we so submit them, they are no longer our enemies, but our friends. We are, therefore, to distinguish well between evil and sin; for although all sin be evil, yet all evil is not sin, nor doth it become sin, but by our wilful choice of it, in pre ferring it to heavenly good, and in not submitting it to the control of that good. We have, then, in reality, nothing to complain of, because there is nothing that can hurt us, but the determination of our own wills in regard to evil, whether we will deliberately assent to, and cherish it, or deliberately dissent from, and reject it, by looking to, and ex alting in ourselves that good of the Divine Mercy and Love, which is ever waiting and present in every human bosom, to establish its blessed empire on the necessary basis of subdued evil. But on what an endless subject have I entered, and how insen sibly am I come to the close of my paper, without telling you any thing but what you before knew ! Perhaps, however, if my thoughts are not novel, you will please to accept them, as intended to justify all the ways and works of our heavenly Father, by proving that His permission of evil is for good, as an end, and that there is no evil whatsoever, whether affecting the bodies or the 268 LETTERS OF THE souls of men, but what He is both willing and able to turn into a good. Glory be to His holy name. Amen. I remain, Yours, &c.
July 11th, 18–
Since the receipt of your very acceptable favour, I have been so unsettled, as to my place of abode, in consequence of visiting a variety of friends, and of joining at last the Hawkstone Meeting, that it has been absolutely out of my power to command a leisure hour of such quiet and composure as I always wish to command, when I address myself to you. I have at length, however, through the Divine Mercy, attained a more tranquil residence, and accordingly I avail myself of the opportunity to thank you for all the excellent and edifying remarks contained in your letter; and at the same time, I beg to propose a new subject of correspon dence, which has of late engrossed much of my attention, and on which I should wish to be ac quainted with your sentiments. I do not, however, mention it as a mere speculation, or as a point REV. JOHN CLOWES. 269 altogether and abstractedly intellectual, for if this were its only character, I would instantly discard it from my thoughts; but I mention it as connected with that process of regenerate life, which demands our principal regard, and in the prosecution of which we are bound to employ every effort, whether intellectual or voluntary, which our heavenly Fa ther gives us the ability to exert. The subject I allude to is that of the circle of truth in the human mind, as illustrated by the circle of its corresponding element, water, in the outward world of matter. Now it is well known that the sea is the grand reservoir of this element, and that by the instrumentality of the sun's heat and light, the element is continually extracted thence, in the form of vapour, and ele vated into the higher regions of the atmosphere, where it appears, and is carried about in the form of clouds, from which it again descends upon the earth, producing fountains, wells, lakes, and rivers, and thus, after watering and fructifying the ground, returns to the reservoir from which it came forth. Exactly similar to this appears to be the circle of truth, with this only difference, that the grand reservoir of truth is the memory, and that the atmosphere into which it is elevated, is the inter nal of the human mind, and that the sun, by which it is elevated, is the spiritual Sun, or Sun of Heaven, and that the fountains, wells, lakes, and rivers, which it produces, are the various forms of its manifestation in human minds, some receiving 2 M 270 LETTERS OF THE
it under one form, and some under another. Thus it appears that truth, which in its origin is divine, proceeding from the Lord Himself, in His Divine Humanity, and descending to man as the Word, when first received and stored up in the memory, is merely natural, and only becomes spiritual, or what amounts to the same, is only spiritually ap prehended by man, so far as it is elevated out of the memory into the higher region of intellect, and from thence into the still higher region of will. It appears, further, that this elevation is not the result of any power proper to man, but of the Lord's love alone, so far as man is willing to co-operate with that love, by giving eternal things the pre-eminence in his mind and life over all temporal concerns whatsoever. But what an operation of divine mercy and omnipotence is here manifested, and how are we bound to confess and to adore a power which is thus continually at work within us, to form its own kingdom, and to perpetuate the circle of its own benedictions! For without this process of constant elevation, how could the eternal truth ever gain admission into the interiors of our minds; and if it never gained admission there, of what benefit could it be to us, any more than the water of the sea, which is its emblem, could be to the earth, if not elevated in the form of vapour. It deserves further to be considered, that truth, thus elevated, differs very essentially from truth which remains merely in the memory, and which, consequently, REV, JOHN CLOWES, 271 is unelevated, in like manner as water, when eva porated from the sea, differs essentially from water in the sea, being deprived of its natural saltness, and thus rendered meet to nourish the bodily life of man, and to fructify the earth. For truth elevated, is separated from the natural affection (its natural saltness) with which it was first admit ted into the memory, and becomes united, through the Divine Mercy, with a spiritual affection, (or spiritual salt) by virtue of which it is capable of nourishing man's spiritual life, and of fructifying his spiritual earth, or his external man. But I fear 1 shall weary you with the length of these observa tions, and, therefore, I will now give you time for rest and repose, only requesting to hear from you again very soon, and that you will believe me to
remain, - - Yours, &c.
January 29th, 18—
From what you say in your last letter, if I do not mistake your meaning, your intention is to prove the necessity of the purification of the natural, or 272 LETTERS OF THE lower principles of the mind, before a truly rational principle can be formed, or any celestial good can be either seen, acknowledged, or tasted. In this I entirely agree with you, since as our enlightened author abundantly testifies, influx in all cases is according to the recipient vessels, and consequently if those vessels are contaminated with evils and falses, the influx will be affected accordingly. Hence comes the necessity of “ceasing to do evil,' before we can learn to do well,” because to do well, is to act from the Lord, and not from ourselves; and this cannot be effected, until we see, and delight in seeing, that the Lord alone is the all of good, and that we ourselves are, of ourselves, nothing but evil. Yet this blessed light and this pure delight cannot be imparted, unless evil be first seen, acknowledged, and hated, sincé all evil opposes or suffocates, the light of the Eternal Truth, and thus darkens all the blessed views which the truth would otherwise open and make manifest in the regenerate mind. But here arises a question, and to me a most important one, viz. What continues to be the effect of evil thus seen, acknowledged, and hated? We cannot say that it is annihilated; for our enlightened author testifies, and I fully believe his testimony, that no evil, whether here ditary or actual, is ever annihilated, or ever entirely separated from the most sincere penitent, but that it still remains, and remains also at hand, ever ready to raise its defiled and destructive head again, in REV. JOHN CLOWES. 273 case man was left unprotected from above, never theless that it is in such a state of subjection, and bound with so strong a chain, that man has nothing to fear, either from its force or its cunning. Evil, then, in its state of rejection, as being in con nexion with the powers of darkness, must still be conceived to be operative; and I would ask, What is the nature of that operation? That it cannot do any violence or injury to the principles of love and wisdom in the regenerate mind, is plain, for the Divine Omnipotence restrains it, and the regenerate mind also hates, abominates, and rejects it. Its operation, therefore, as it appears to me, must be that of an opposite, agreeably to what our author teaches, in the Divine Providence, No. 23, 24, 25, 26, and agreeably also to what the Word teaches, where it is written, “Thou breakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, Thou givest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness;” and again, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;”f and again, “Neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread for us;”; from all which evidence, I think, we may safely con clude, that whensoever evil is once seen, acknow ledged, and sincerely rejected, it then becomes, in the regenerate mind, a ground for the fuller mani festation of the divine mercy, truth, and power, and thus, like dung on the face of the earth, (which
* Psalm lxxiv. 12. f Psalm xxiii, 5. # Numb. xiv. 9. 274 LETTERS OF THE is the exact figure of all rejected evil) by a won derful ordination of the Divine Providence, con tributes to the earth's fruitfulness. I do not know whether you will assent to the above conclusion; but to me, I confess, it is a source of unutterable consolation, to think that there is no one possible evil, whether hereditary or actual, which the Father of Mercies is not thus willing to turn to our advantage, whensoever we are wise, according to His wisdom, to note, to abo minate, and thus to reject it. We have nothing therefore really to complain of, on the score of evil, since, if it be not our own fault, we may not only escape its defilement, but may also convert it into that principle of which the Lord speaks, where He says, “Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing Jrom without entereth into the māh, it cannot defile him, because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats.” I am much obliged by the extract from Mrs. H.’s letter, which speaks in such beautiful language the purity of the writer's mind. About three weeks ago, I had a long letter from her myself, expressive of similar sentiments, part of which I should be glad to transcribe, would my paper allow, but at present I have only room to say how truly I remain, Yours, &c.
* Mark vii. 18, 19. R. E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 275
November 16th, 18–
I have every reason to be convinced that you have the spiritual and eternal interests of your flock at heart; and when this is the case, I believe it rarely happens that a minister of the Gospel fails in imparting gratification to the people committed to his care. Go on then, my dear sir, in cherishing, by devout prayer and meditation, a deep sense of those interests, and then you will at once secure your own satisfaction, and that of your flock, in the discharge of your ministerial duties; for then you will not fail to preach, what every rational being must be delighted to hear, the nearness of the kingdom of God, in the divine person, providence, and government of the great Saviour, whose high and holy name is Jesus Christ, and at the same time the necessity, on the part of man, of removing, by sincere repentance, those disorderly affections, thoughts, purposes, and works, which have a ten dency to obstruct the descent and full admission of the blessings of that kingdom into the human mind and life. But why do I dwell on these topics, in writing to one who is so well aware of the grand design of the everlasting Gospel, in announcing to sinful men the purpose of their heavenly Father 276 LETTERS OF THE to come and make His eternal abode in those purified bosoms, which by repentance and faith are prepared to receive Him, with all the blessings of His presence. I remain, Yours, &c.
December 16th, 18–
I avail myself of the earliest opportunity of thanking you for your very acceptable favour of the 7th, which gave me particular satisfaction, by the information it contained, “that you do not find gour Sunday duty more difficult than you had anti cipated,” and that “the important truths of the Gospel seem to acquire fresh weight and value from being more closely contemplated.” Gratifying, how ever, as this information is, it is only what I expected, since where the mind is interested in any occupation, it generally imparts to the body proportionate strength to execute its purposes; and, if its interest be grounded in eternal concerns, it cannot fail to find delight in those important truths, which reveal more distinctly, and confirm REV, JOHN CLOWES. 277 more fully the reality of those concerns. It gives me pleasure, also, to learn that you have already found friends with whom you can comfortably associate, and especially who, by the eagerness with which they receive your advice from the pulpit, will tend to stimulate you to greater zeal and earnestness in giving it. I am glad also to hear your favourable account of the Sunday-school, belonging to your church, because I cannot help regarding it as a nursery, for the supply of new members to the church, and thus of new candidates for eternal glory in that heavenly kingdom, to which the church points and leads. Allow me now to congratulate you on the high dignity, which I trust will have been conferred upon you before this letter reaches you ; I mean the dignity of being inaugurated into the Christian priesthood, a dignity, not indeed in any high esti mation amongst those who are not accustomed to extend their views beyond the limits of worldly honour and distinction, but yet assuredly of the first rank in the eyes of every rational being, who is wise to acknowledge, and happy in the assurance, that the concerns of eternity are of infinitely higher moment than those of time. For what can be con ceived more honourable, according to the true and proper sense of the term, than to be consecrated to the high and holy office of announcing to a sinful world the infallible remedy for sin, and thus of taking part with the Almighty, in proclaiming the 2 N 278 LETTERS OF THE way to heaven, opened through repentance and faith in the manifested Saviour. I remain, Yours, &c.
November 30th, 18–
Much as I am always gratified by the receipt of a letter from you, I should be very sorry to think that my satisfaction was purchased at the expense of the duties which you owe to your congregation, and therefore I must entreat the favour, that in future you will always regard your correspondence with me as an object of secondary consideration, when compared with the superior claims of those over whom you are appointed as a guide to heaven. For how trifling and insignificant do all other en gagements appear, when contrasted with the sacred obligations imposed on a minister of the Gospel, to whose care is committed the eternal interest of souls, and who is therefore accountable before God for a charge, which involves in it the ever lasting happiness or misery of thousands of intel R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 279 ligent beings I do not, however, mean to say that such a minister ought to be always on his knees, in supplication for his flock, or always in his study, providing for their spiritual nourishment, because there are several subordinate concerns, which at times demand his attention ; I only mean to say that his regard for his flock ought to be his chief concern, so as to be exalted to pre-eminence, and thus to be as a kind of polar star for his direction how to conduct himself in regard to all others. For it is generally allowed by philoso phers, and it ought to be allowed by theologians, that the sphere of every man's duty is a complex sphere, and that this sphere includes in it a variety of duties, some of which may be considered as more central, and some more circumferential, whilst others hold, as it were, a middle place, both of im portance and of sanctity. It appears to me, there fore, that every man, and especially every clergyman, is bound to view his duties according to this their congregate form, and to pay an attention to each accordingly; nor has he any thing to fear on the occasion, provided he be always careful not to confound the central with the circumferential, or the middle with either. Let the clergyman, then, be only on his guard to exalt the love of his flock, and his labours, for their salvation, to the highest place in his mind and life, and to keep his other loves and labours in their proper place of subordi nation, and I will then yenture to say, that in this 280 LETTERS OF THE altitude the Sun of Righteousness will be seen, shedding forth a bright and consolatory light, for guidance in all the lower degrees both of spiritual, rational, and even natural obligation. But I forget that I am not writing a lecture, but a letter, and that l ought, therefore, to have told you before this, how much I was gratified by the contents of your last communication, particularly in regard to the progress of your Sunday-school, which, I trust, will now be soon completed, to the glory of Him who has been pleased to excite in the minds of so many of the congregation, the benevolent desire to promote the welfare of their fellow-creatures. I heard some time ago of your laudable endeavours to the same purpose, and especially of the elo quence which you displayed on the occasion of laying the first stone, when, as I am told, you won the hearts of all your hearers. Happy shall I be to find that this labour of love is crowned with success, by being rendered instrumental in ex tending the boundaries of the heavenly kingdom of “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men.” I remain, Yours, &c. -
REV., JOHN CLOWES. 281
June 5th, 18–
Though I have already availed myself of the communication of a friend, to convey to you my congratulations on the subject of your late marriage, yet I feel as if I could not be quite content to let another speak for me on this occasion, without confirming the testimony of that friend's pen by my own. Allow me then to say, that my whole heart pours forth its most devout prayers and best wishes for your happiness, in the new state of life on which you have entered. I have always been a friend to marriage, and that for this reason, because I think it has an advantage over single life, both in respect to the present world, and to the future. Many writers, I am aware, and those of most respectable character, differ from me on this subject ; and though they allow to the present world, the superior blessings it derives from the conjugal state, still they are of opinion that, in regard to a future world, the advantage lies on the side of those who are content with a state of single blessedness. I do not wish to enter into controversy on this specu lative opinion; but I am persuaded you will agree with me, in thinking that all will depend on the conduct of the parties concerned, more than on the state. If the parties, then, are agreed alike in 282 LETTERs oF THE
fulfilling their duty to God, and in consulting their happiness accordingly, I cannot see how their union, in such case, can have any effect to dimi nish their future blessedness; rather, may we not hope, that it will tend to increase it, by increasing their affection and energy in the pursuit of all that is wise and good. Whilst then I congratulate you, my dear sir, on having, by your new engagement, acquired a new stimulant to every Christian grace and virtue; and whilst I equally congratulate your conjugal partner, on a similar addition made to the energy of her good purposes, may I be allowed to con gratulate your congregation, on the benefits which may be expected to flow, on this occasion, from your ministerial labours? For in your prayers and your preaching, will you not find also a partner, who will add to the piety of the one, and to the power of the other? Rejoicing then, as I do sin cerely, both with yourself and your lady, on your prospects of present and future joy, opened by your late union, and with devout prayer for the perpetual increase of your peace and blessedness, I remain, Yours, &c. AN
AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS
TO ALL THE MINISTERS OF THE GO SPEL
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IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND,
ON THE THEOLOGICAL WRITING's
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HONOURABLE EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.
Rev. BRETHREN, Deeply impressed with veneration for your sacred character, as Ministers of the Truth, and with as real a concern for the interests of that truth of which you are the ministers, I feel myself in duced, by many powerful and pressing motives, to call your attention, for a moment, to a few consi derations, respecting the theological writings of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg, so far as the con tents of those writings appear to me more imme diately to affect the duties imposed on you by your holy functions and high station. You are, in a peculiar sense, the ministers of God, intrusted with the oracles of His Word, and 284 LETTERS OF THE
commissioned to read, to meditate upon, to under stand, to preach and explain the laws of the Eternal Wisdom therein contained. From you the people receive the interpretation of those laws, and their understanding of them must needs, in a great measure, depend upon yours. If the light which is in you be darkness, the light which is in the people will most probably be darkness also; but if your bodies be full of light, it may then be reason ably expected, those of the people will be likewise Jull of light. The state, therefore, of religious knowledge in the land will ever take its standard from you, and of consequence, whatsoever is con nected with religious knowledge, has a peculiar claim upon your attention, and you must necessarily feel yourselves bound, by every motive of duty and good conscience, to take cognizance thereof in the fear of God, and out of due regard to the interests of that truth with which you are more especially intrusted. It is from this view of the importance of your sacred character, and of the duties thence result ing, that I am principally led to address you on the present occasion; and this, let it be believed, not in the spirit of petulance, or any inclination to dictate authoritatively, still less in the spirit of bigotry or any sectarian prejudices, but, if I know my own heart, in a spirit of the most extended charity, grounded in a sincere regard to the general interests of religion, and particularly affected with REV. JOHN CLOWES. 285
veneration for your sacred character and station, and a sense of the weighty obligations thereby laid upon you. The theological writings in question are con fessedly of a religious kind, treating on religious subjects, and containing various and interesting explications of the Word of God, which is the divine fountain and foundation of all religion. Much wonderful, and hitherto hidden information, respecting religion, is brought to light in them; various religious errors are detected and exposed; various religious truths, too, are manifested, recom mended, and confirmed. The ministers of religion, therefore, must needs feel themselves particularly interested in, and in duty bound to, a careful and candid examination of these writings, and of the ground and reasonableness of those high titles by which they are announced to the public. And as such examination implies, at least, peru sal, serious attention, candour, and impartiality of judgment, the exercise of these virtues will also be expected from you. To condemn, therefore, or to approve blindly; to suffer your judgment to be influenced by popular prejudice, or to be deter mined by the sentiments of others rather than by your own; to be deterred from engaging in a deli berate and equitable inquiry, because you have heard the author vilified, and his works stigmatized by those who perhaps never read them, or who have an interest in condemning them; all this would 2 O 286 LETTERS OF THE be criminal in you, and expose you to the censure of all wise and discerning men, and especially of your own consciences, at that hour, when you appear in private before the Maker of hearts and the Inspector of secret purposes. Let it be supposed, for a moment, that you had lived in Judea at the time when the incarnate Word appeared there, to “give light to them who sat in darkness;” and that your names at this interesting period had been enrolled in the Jewish priesthood: it is very plain, that under these circumstances, your duty would have called you to form a judgment of that wonderful person, his pretensions, and his doctrine. But in forming this judgment, would you have thought it sufficient to hearken only to the voice of the multitude? “Some said He is a good man, and that man never spake like Him; others said may, but He deceiveth the people; he has a devil and is mad, why hear ye Him?” The voice of the multitude therefore was divided, and might lead you right, or lead you wrong, according as you received your report from this or that quarter. But would you have thought it safe, or prudent, or conscientious, or becoming your characters as mem bers of the Sanhedrim, intrusted with the oracles of God, and the interpretation of prophecy, and the instruction of the people, and peculiarly called at that period of time to discover the marks of Messiahship, to detect false pretenders, and to point out the true Christ—would you, I say, have thought REV. JOHN CLOWES. 287 it safe and equitable, under these circumstances, to see with another's eyes, and hear with another's ears, instead of using your own? Would you not rather have thought it your duty, and have made it your business, to see and hear the wonderful Man yourselves? to examine His doctrines and preten sions impartially? to acquaint yourselves with the tenor of His life and conversation? to remove from your own hearts every unreasonable suspicion, jea lousy, or prejudice, which might pervert your judgment? in short, so to consult, by sincerity and purity of intention, the divine will and wisdom in yourselves, that you might know of the doctrine whether it were of God, or whether the Speaker spake of Himself? But you will say, perhaps, there is no similarity at all between the two cases, and therefore no rule of conduct can be deduced from the parallel. To this I beg leave to reply, that in this respect, at least, the cases are similar; the voice of the mul titude is divided now, as it was formerly, some as serting of the writer in question, as was once said of the Saviour of the world, “He is a good man, and never man spake like Him;” whilst others, on the contrary say, “nay, but He deceiveth the people; He hath a devil and is mad, why hear ye Him?” There is also a further ground of similarity, at least, according to the honourable author's own testimony, who in all his theological writings asserts, in the plainest terms, and endeavours to support his 288 LETTERS OF THE assertion on the evidence of the Holy Scriptures, and the testimony of prophecy, that as the Son of Man once came in the flesh, to be a Redeemer and Saviour of men, by subduing the powers of dark ness, and opening anew to mankind in His Divine Word and Person, the blessed powers of heavenly light and life, so he is at this day effecting similar blessed purposes, by opening anew His Holy Word, which has been heretofore unhappily closed, and by supplying thence to mankind such solid and eternal principles of justice and judgment, goodness and truth, as may tend to remove from them all con trary infernal principles of iniquity and error, and reinstate them thus in that blessed communication with heaven, of order, harmony, righteousness, and peace, for which they were created: and this, it is further insisted, is the real sense, import, and perfect fulfilment, of many of the prophetic de clarations in Holy Scripture concerning the Lord's second coming, and the New Jerusalem. I am well aware that at the very first hearing, many amongst you will be disposed to reject the whole of this testimony. But be it so: let us sup pose it, for a moment, as false and fabulous as you conceive it to be : the obligations of duty, resulting from your sacred character, as ministers of the truth, are not at all affected by such a supposition: nay, the more of fable and falsehood there is in the above testimony, the more incumbent it is upon you to examine carefully, and with serious deli REv. JoHN CLow Es. 289 beration, the writings which contain it, in order to discover where the error and deceit lie, that so you may guard your respective flocks against the specious and spreading delusion. For whatever may be your sentiments on the subject, this is a notorious fact, that the delusion (if you will call it a delusion) is both specious and spreading. Thousands, in this and in other king doms, have already yielded their unfeigned assent to the testimony which you conceive to be false and fabulous. There are few towns of any consequence in this island, but what contain in the body of their inhabitants, readers, and zealous patrons of the writings of Baron Swedenborg. I speak from knowledge and experience when I make this asser tion, and when I moreover add, that several of your own order, also, begin to be convinced that something more than fable or falsehood is contained in the honourable author's testimony, and think it their duty to declare the same to their respective congregations from the pulpit. It is impossible for you to tell how soon this same conviction may reach your own parishes, and therefore the con cern which you ought to have for the salvation of the people committed to your care, calls loudly upon you to exert your utmost talents and abilities in detecting yourselves, and discovering to others, the false principles and reasonings contained in these writings, (if such principles and reasonings are contained therein) that so the error may be 290 LETTERS OF THE checked in its growth, and you may thus stand acquitted to your own consciences, by a faithful
discharge of your ministerial duty. - And here need I suggest, that in case you should think it your duty, after a serious and impartial examination, to oppose the above testimony, some thing more will be expected from you than that idle declamation, indiscriminate censure, and illiberal invective, which heretofore have been the only weapons employed by his adversaries against our author and his writings? Whensoever you come deliberately to examine the doctrines in question, you will find them supported by solid reasoning, grounded in the most extensive knowledge, both human and divine. You will see a sublime and well-founded philosophy, called in to illustrate and confirm the conclusions of theological disquisition. Order, method, arrangement, cool and sober inves tigation, the most extensive and minute acquaint ance with the Word and the works of God, a sound and discriminating judgment, a most unaffected, yet convincing argumentation, a simple, yet manly and intelligible diction,” you will soon discover to be leading and distinguishing characters in these wonderful volumes. In opposing all these powers
* This observation is particularly just in regard to the original Latin, in which language the author published all his theological writings; and it is much to be recommended to every reader, acquainted with the Latin tongue, to read them in the original, as it hath been found impossible to preserve all the simplicity and beauty of the author's style in an English translation. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 291 of persuasion, or of what you may possibly call seduction, it will hardly be enough, you may well imagine, to employ the above-mentioned weapons, which others have heretofore employed with so little success. You will leave to the Memorialist of Jacobinism,” and to others, the vain expectation of battering down the strong fortress of truth and order, by the weak and illegal engines of unfair and partial quotations, forced misconstructions, and abusive appellations; and perceiving that men of understanding are too enlightened to be con vinced by mere railing, declamation, and subter fuge, you will abandon all dependence on such vain artifices, and will apply to methods of refu tation more becoming the dignity of your sacred character and station, and better adapted to answer the purposes you have in view. You will perceive that I am here arguing on the supposition that the testimony of Baron Sweden borg is groundless, and that his doctrines are defi cient, both in point of authority and of truth. But what if the contrary should be found to be the case? What if the honourable author should prove to be a “Scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven,” and his doctrines to be those “new and old things which the householder bringeth out of his treasure?”f What if the days should now be fulfilled for the descent of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, an
* The Abbe Barruel. + Matt. xiii. 52. 292 LETTERS OF THE nounced by a sure prophecy, which must needs be accomplished ? And what if that pure order of heavenly truth, signified thereby, should be con tained and published to mankind in the writings of the Swedish Scribe What if the God of Infinite Mercy should hereby intend to check the growing powers of ungodliness and infidelity in the earth ; to dissipate the clouds of error; to open human minds anew to the reception of goodness, truth, and order, from Himself and His Holy Word; and to build, thus, His tabernacle again amongst men, that He may be “their God, and they may be His people?” Your duty, on this supposition, is surely too plain to need pointing out; and you will spare me the pain of supposing that Christian ministers, with the examples of the blind Scribes and Pharisees of old before their eyes, should “neither go into the kingdom themselves, nor suffer them who were entering to go in, thus drawing down again the terrible reprehension of shedding the blood of the prophets, whilst they build their tombs, and garnish their sepulchres, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.”f But you will say, perhaps, it is the height of folly and credulity to suppose what, in its very na ture, is altogether so improbable and impossible.— How ! Improbable or impossible that the God of
* Rev. xxi. 3. f Matt. xxiii. 13, 29, 30. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 293 heaven should discover holy truth to a chosen servant, and that the same God should ordain this servant to instruct His people, by making known to them those pure laws of truth, derived from His Holy Word, which had been heretofore overlooked or perverted ! In what Christian creed have you been taught to believe this? Or in what general council, modern or ancient, was it ever established as an article of faith, that Omniscience and Omnipotence would no more interfere in the instruction of mankind? That no further aids would ever be supplied from heaven, to enlighten and restore fallen creatures 2 That evil and darkness might increase upon earth, and reign unmolested, but that the Father of Mercies would remain an indifferent spectator, and would make no further exertions to regain His lost empire of light and goodness? That the Almighty did indeed speak in times past unto the prophets, and in latter days by His Son, but that henceforth He will be altogether silent, and speak neither by prophet, apostle, seer, teacher, or any other instrument, to make Himself known, and to reveal again the heavenly truths of His kingdom? In what council, I say, was such an incredible creed as this ever established, or even conceived? And yet such is the creed to which all must of necessity subscribe, who reject the tes timony of Baron Swedenborg as improbable and impossible. 2 P 294 LETTERS OF THE
But possibly you will reject this testimony as unnecessary, urging the sufficiency of the written Scriptures, which you possess, and that therefore you need not trouble yourselves about any novel doctrines.–It is granted, you have the written Scriptures of eternal life and truth, and they are amply sufficient to make you and all others wise unto salvation, provided they be rightly understood, and not perverted and falsified by misconstruction and misinterpretation. But what if these Scriptures should be misconstrued and misinterpreted? What if false doctrines should be derived from them instead of true? What if they should be made to say things which they do not say, yea, which they expressly contradict 2 What if the state of the church should have become such, that different, and even contrary doctrines are every day deduced from those sacred records, so that the simple do not know what or whom to believe? What if the Word of God is thus made of none effect, by the traditions and corrupt glosses of mistaken men, as was the case amongst the Jews, when our Lord came into the world, answering herein to that de scription in the prophet, “The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am REV, JOHN CLOWES. 295
not learned ?” Surely, under these circumstances, you will be disposed to allow of the necessity of some newt interpretation of the Holy Book, in order that its genuine sense and meaning may be known and understood, and it may thus answer the salutary and saving purposes for which it was written. And surely you must allow, further, that such are the circumstances which at this day unhappily attend the interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, whilst you observe that the most learned and able critics of the times are at perpetual war with each other, concerning such interpretation, insomuch that they cannot even agree amongst themselves touching the two essentials of Christian faith and life, viz. the Divinity of the Christian Redeemer, and the Neces sity of Good Works. But you will say, perhaps, we would give im mediate assent to the doctrines delivered by Baron Swedenborg, provided their authority had been supported by miracles; and we are of opinion, that in a matter of so much importance, there was an
* Isaiah xxix. 11, 12.
+ It is well to be noted, that all the doctrinal parts of Baron Swedenborg's theological writings are grounded in the Holy Scripture, and are nothing but expositions of the genuine sense and meaning of those Sacred Records. He asserts, therefore, nothing properly new in the way of doctrine, but only, according to the talent with which he was gifted, and the light with which he was favoured, points out the errors of many prevailing opinions, arising from false and perverted interpretations of the Sacred Volumes, and at the same time makes known the real truth, as discoverable from the Holy Word, and in agreement with its pure and unperverted signification. 296 LETTERS OF THE expediency, and even a necessity, that some such preternatural testimony should have been super added, in aid of that which is to be collected from the mere verbal declarations of the writer, and the apparent truth of his doctrines. But let me ask in reply, What kind of miraculous testimony would you have required on this occasion ? The Jews required of our Lord a sign from heaven; and not content with the wonderful miracles He had wrought for their conviction, in healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, feet to the lame, and ears to the deaf, they were urgent for some other still more extraordinary token of the truth of His mission. This, you will allow, was a criminal perverseness and obstinacy amongst the Jews; but do not you offend in like manner on the present occasion, respecting the credentials of the Swedish Scribe? Do not you overlook the real great signs and miracles, which have been wrought for your conviction, whilst you require such other signs and miracles, as perhaps, if granted, would not produce conviction; or, if they did produce conviction, would possibly but increase thereby your condemnation?–1 could wish this matter to be well considered and understood by you, being well aware, that such as object to Baron Swedenborg the want of miraculous testimony, have never yet given the nature of that testimony a pro per degree of serious attention. For let me ask, Hath not a miraculous testimony, and this of a most REV. JOHN CLOWES. 297 extraordinary nature, such as was never yet vouch safed to mankind, since the foundation of the world, been vouchsafed in the present instance? What could be a greater miracle than that a man, like ourselves, for the space of twenty-seven years con tinually should enjoy open communication with the spiritual world, so as to be enabled to discourse with spirits and angels, and to see the things of that world, which, according to the general laws of nature, are totally concealed from mortal eyes? What again could be a greater miracle, than that by means of this same man, the internal spiritual sense of the Holy Scriptures is now opened and made manifest, which hath been heretofore deeply hid and concealed from the most enlightened persons of former ages? Lastly, what could be a greater miracle than the fulfilment hereby of ancient pro phecies, in “raising up again the tabernacle of David which had fallen down,” and building up a new spiritual temple of pure worshippers of the great Jehovah, signified and predicted in the Revelations, under the figure of the “Bride, the Lamb's wife?” Yet you reject all this most extraordinary miracu lous evidence, which is enough to convince every serious and well-disposed mind, and in the mean while, what is the evidence you require in its place? Why, like the dissatisfied Jews of old, a sign from heaven, a miracle of your own choosing and not of God's, an imaginary testimony which, I will be bold to say, would not produce conviction, if granted; 298 LETTERS OF THE
or, if it did produce conviction, would not tend at all to forward your salvation, but possibly would have a direct contrary tendency. For, alas ! in these days of infidelity and scepticism, how few would have believed in the kind of miracles which you require, and what endless doubts and suspicions would have been excited respecting their authen ticity and credibility How many would have im puted them to an infernal, instead of a divine agency? How many would have made them even a ground and reason for refusing their assent to our author's doctrines, urging them as marks of Antichrist, and of the false prophet, rather than of the true, and sheltering themselves herein under the declaration of Christ Himself, who hath said, that “false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect /* Besides, who cannot see plainly, that all such miraculous testimony as you require may be dan gerous, even where it is received and acknowledged, by compelling belief, and thus forcing a stronger conviction on the understanding than is in agree ment with the life's love, in which case a more terrible condemnation may be the consequence? Who cannot therefore see, that the cry for some other more convincing miraculous testimony than
* Mark xiii. 22. See also the Revelations, chap. xiii. 14, where the beast is described as deceiving by miracles. REV. JoHN CLOWEs. 299 is already vouchsafed, under the marvellous dis pensation of grace and truth now offered unto men is, in the nature of it, most unreasonable, to say no worse of it, and will be found to deserve that severe reprehension which the God of truth and reason gave, on a similar occasion of old, when He said, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.” But methinks I hear you urge, as a final un answerable argument against acceding to the testi mony of Baron Swedenborg, that the dispensation of grace and truth in Jesus Christ, when He became incarnate here on earth, is the last and crowning dispensation which God hath to offer unto mankind; that it is all-complete and all-suffi cient for every purpose of salvation, being the end of the law and the prophets, and containing so full and perfect a revelation of the will of the Creator to His creatures, as to supersede the necessity of any further dispensation; consequently, no further dispensation is to be expected, and nothing is re quired of the ministers of the Gospel, but to believe in and preach Jesus Christ, and obedience to His commandments, which will be abundantly com petent to secure every possible blessing, both to themselves and the people committed to their care. --It is granted : the dispensation of grace and
* Matt, xii. 39. 300 LETTERS OF THE truth in Jesus is, as you represent it, all-complete and all-sufficient ; and it will assuredly be well with you and with your people, and you can want no other dispensation to secure your eternal hap piness, if Jesus Christ be preached, and His commandments obeyed. But let me ask, is this the case ? In the first place, is Jesus Christ preached ? Do you believe on Him yourselves, as the one only Lord and God of heaven and earth, and do you teach your people so to believe on Him? Do you acknowledge the Father and the Son to be one in Him, as He Himself hath taught, and that of consequence He is the manifested Jehovah, the sole Creator, Redeemer, and Rege nerator of man? Or rather, have not some amongst you entirely rejected this your God, by denying His divinity? And have not others divided this one only Lord and God into three, making one God of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost P Do not you regard Jesus Christ either as a mere creature, or as a Divine Person, separate from, and subordinate to, the Father? Do not you regard the Holy Ghost as a Person separate from both, assigning to each sepa rately distinct attributes and offices? Is not your idea of God become thus altogether confused and perplexed, so that you know not to what, or to whom, to direct your worship, sometimes addressing yourselves to the Father, sometimes to the Son, and sometimes to the Holy Ghost, but never to REV, JOHN CLOWES. 301
Jesus Christ alone, as the one only God, in whose Divine Person the sacred Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is contained ? And let me ask further, Is not this confusion and perplexity in your ideas of Jesus Christ manifested by want of power in your public preaching and ministry? Are not your people left hereby unconverted, unre formed, and unedified, not being directed to that one redeeming Lord God, who can alone truly convert, reform, and edify them 2 Is not Jesus Christ therefore, in reality, disbelieved in, and are not His commandments of consequence disobeyed ; and is not this too generally evidenced in the lives of your people, by the want of those signs ever attendant on a true faith and obedience, viz., re pentance, deliverance from the power of evil, and renovation of life, according to the law and order of heaven, grounded in the pure love of God and man I should be exceedingly sorry to judge herein an unrighteous judgment, or to lead others to do so; but surely the growing iniquity of the times is a pressing reason to suspect that all is not right herein, and as pressing a motive for all, but especially the ministers of the Gospel, to inquire seriously whence all this evil and error come, what is its real cause, and what may be its effectual cure. And if from such inquiry it shall appear that the knowledge of the Christian God and Re deemer, and of the nature of salvation by Him, 2 Q 302 LETTERS OF THE
is now almost totally lost in the Christian world, in consequence whereof neither is Jesus Christ preached, nor His commandments obeyed, and that thus the dispensation of grace and truth, opened by this incarnate God, under His first. manifestation in the flesh, is, in a great measure, become of none effect, being rendered insufficient to answer the saving purposes intended by it; in this case, surely must appear, at the same time, the expediency and necessity of some new dispen sation of heavenly doctrine, not for the purpose of revealing a new will of God, a new command ment, a new Saviour, or a new mode of salvation, but only of making known again to mankind, that old will of God, that old commandment, that old Saviour, and old mode of salvation, which in these latter days, through the overflowings of iniquity and error, had been nearly lost sight of and made ineffectual. That such a dispensation is now opened in the writings of the Swedish Scribe, will be manifest to every candid and serious reader, it being the one only end and object of those writings, to call men back again to Jesus Christ, and to point out the true nature and manner of salvation by Him. I repeat it therefore again, be these writings true or false; be their authority well or ill-founded; be they from the Father of lights, or from the Jather of lies; it is your office and duty, as mi REV, JOHN CLOWES, 303 nisters of the truth, to examine well into the nature of their evidence, and the degree of credibility which is due to them. You cannot possibly excuse yourselves from the discharge of this duty; a re gard to truth and the interest of religion demands it of you ; and you are bound to greater caution herein, inasmuch as the judgment you form will not affect yourselves only, but will affect also the people committed to your care, so that the salva tion of thousands may possibly depend upon your decision in this interesting case. If Baron Swe denborg therefore be a heaven-taught scribe, your own consciences will dictate to you, in a more powerful language than that of any human words, how you ought to hear what he teaches, and not only hear him yourselves, but also make his doc trines known to others, as far as ability is given. And if he be a false teacher and deceiver, you are still equally bound to discover and make known the fallacy and deceitfulness, by which he hath already begun to impose upon thousands, that so the error may be checked. Many prejudices, it must be acknowledged, arising from a variety of sources, at present stand in the way, to oppose in your minds the testimony of the honourable author here presented before you. But let me ask, what teacher of truth, whether ancient or modern, religious or philoso phical, hath not prejudice opposed ? The prophets
- 304 LETTERS OF THE of old, you well know, were each of them, in their turn, violently assaulted by prejudice. The God of Truth Himself, when manifested in the flesh, did not escape prejudice. His most venerable followers in all ages, after the example of their Divine Master, have had to combat with the same unreasonable adversary—prejudice. Prejudice too hath had the boldness to oppose the conclusions of a sound philosophy, as well as of a sound theo logy; and you need not be informed, that had the voice of prejudice prevailed, the brightest dis coveries of the most able philosopher that ever contemplated the works of the God of nature, had still laid buried in obscurity.” But it was always deemed a characteristic of true wisdom, to overcome prejudice. The lover of truth is taught to believe this, and to be persuaded that truth is not less truth because it is vilified and opposed; neither is error less error because it hath numbers on its side, and is exalted to honour and pre-eminence. Your candour will keep this obser vation ever in view, and feeling the force of it, you will not be deterred from endeavouring to dis cover and develope the fair and heavenly form of
* It is well known how the philosophical principles of Sir Isaac Newton were opposed and controverted in his own country, at their first publication; nor was the prejudice against them removed until they had received the sanction of approbation from the learned in other parts of Europe, and were sent back again into England, embellished and enforced by the annotations of the French commentators. /
REV. JOHN CLOWES. 305
wisdom, even though disguised by the mantle with which an unreasonable aversion may have veiled it. You will be bold to strip off this mantle, not inti midated by equivocal appellations, such as mystic, visionary, enthusiast, gnostic, sabellian," and the like, which you may find written upon it by igno rant or ill-designing men, who seek thus to depre ciate the useful labours of an enlightened teacher, and then, for your reward, you may hope to recog nise and embrace as your own, the simple but beautiful body of everlasting truth and order. I wish only further to observe on the subject, that it is impossible for you to read many pages of the writings in question, seriously, and in a Chris tian spirit, without discovering some things of importance, which must needs affect every well disposed mind. You will see, for example, the divinity of the Christian Redeemer, and His one ness with the Father, principally insisted upon, and demonstrated with such a power of solid proof, deduced from the Sacred Scriptures in general, as will supply the most effectual antidote against the
* Mystic, visionary, and enthusiast, are names importing at this day that a writer on spiritual subjects sees somewhat deeper than the generality of his readers. In regard to the appellations of gnostic and sabellian, which have been bestowed occasionally on our author, it is hard to say in what they have originated, unless in this, that every theologian who makes any pretensions to philosophical knowledge, is to be called a gnostic, and every writer who maintains the union of the Father and Son in the person of Jesus Christ, is to be called a sabellian. 306 LETTERS OF THE
poisonous tenets of modern Arianism and Soci nianism. You will see, also, the sacred doctrine of the Holy Trinity explained and elucidated, in a manner so simple, and yet sublime, so agreeable to the Word of God, and at the same time so con sonant to sound reason, so satisfactory to the under standing, and so edifying to the life, that you will wonder how so much darkness could ever prevail in the world, respecting so bright and clear a truth, but will wonder still more, that now the truth is discovered in its brightness, 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 doc trine of correspondences," with such a fulness of conviction, as will at the same time both greatly astonish and edify you, whilst it supplies an inter nal evidence of the divinity of the Sacred Word,
* 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 interpretation of these expositors, for want of this key, fall short of our author's, both in point of clearness 2nd fulness, must appear manifest to every intelligent and attentive reader. R.E.W. JOHN CLOWES, 307 and particularly of the Apocalyptic" part of it, infinitely surpassing, yet not overturning, but con firming, 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 fre quently taught and circulated under the venerable name of Christian precepts. And here you will be surprised to find every evil of life, and every error of doctrine, detected and described, which in these latter times threaten the very existence of religion in the kingdom of the earth, and cause so much serious alarm in the minds of many Christians, who look further than the mere skin and complexion of the church, to form a judgment of the soundness of its constitution. You will see also pointed out the root whence such anti-christian evils and errors have sprung, how they have all originated in mis
+ It is well known that for some centuries in the earlier ages of the church, the authenticity of the 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 testimony of our author, to be convinced of the divine origin of this extraordinary volume, by such unequivocal characters of authenticity, 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. 308 LETTERS OF THE taken ideas of the Divine Being, His nature, and mode of existence and operation, and in the conse quent separation of the three essentials of Christian life and salvation, viz., charity, faith, and good works. And whilst you lament the unhappy causes and consequences of such an unscriptural and irrational theology, which you will here see figu ratively depicted under the significative images of dragon, beast, false prophet, and the great whore, mentioned in the Revelations, you will not fail to rejoice in the prospect of an order of pure truth and doctrine about to be manifested from heaven to mankind, signified and represented by the “Holy City New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven,” whereby all false perverted principles of faith and life will be dissipated in such pure minds as are meet for its reception ; and the understanding being enlightened, the will purified, and the life restored to the order of heaven, a near and blessed conjunction will again take place between the Creator and His creatures, pre dicted and described in these words, “The taber nacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Him self shall be with them their God.” How far the author's interpretation of the Apocalyptic prophecies, relating to the present
* Rev. xxi, 3. REV. JOHN CLOWES. 309 corruptions of Christendom, and the expectation of a blessed revival of the pure law and order of heaven amongst men, is agreeable to experience and fact, as manifested in the circumstances of the times, and in the external state of the Christian world at this day, I leave to the determination of your own private and unprejudiced judgment. But surely the great overflowings of iniquity amongst all ranks and degrees of men; the general disregard shown to things of a serious and eternal nature; the small remains left of the fear of God, and a reverence for His laws in the minds of mankind; the various and violent disputings amongst different sects and parties respecting truth; “nation thus rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;” the growing denial of that most important and essen tial article of Christian Faith, the Divinity of the Christian Redeemer, whose very name it is become an offence to mention in most of our genteel circles; the difficulty of discovering where and what truth is; and the greater difficulty of holding fast to it, when it is discovered; the accumulated pressure of human miseries, in their different forms and degrees, and especially the inward troubles and exercises which good men experience; not to mention the general apprehension prevailing in the minds of many serious persons, that some extra ordinary operation of the Divine Providence is now in agitation; all these, with divers other circum 2 R 310 LETTERS OF THE stances of a similar kind, which might be adduced, are certainly strong collateral testimonies in favour of his interpretation, and must needs have pro portionable weight with candid and unprejudiced minds, to incline them to believe it. But after all, it is not the testimony of fact and experience uniting its evidence with that of our author's interpretation of prophecy; neither is it the brightness and power of Divine Truth, discover able in such interpretation; nor yet the consistency, the harmony, the clearness, the edifying tendency of every page of his theological writings, which will of themselves lead to conviction, and beget a full persuasion of the author's faithful testimony in your minds, or in the minds of others: to produce this happy effect, it is necessary that the reader's understanding be previously prepared, by a meet disposition for the reception of truth, without which preparation the truth itself, let it be ever so much confirmed, must needs appear untrue, and the more so, in proportion to the unprepared state of the mind and temper, agreeably to the declaration of the Truth itself, “He who doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” If this consideration is permitted to have its due influence, it will, doubtless, lead you and every
* John iii. 20. R E.W. JOHN CLOWES. 3.11 reader of the writings in question, to attend well to the spirit and disposition in which you read, from a prudent and profitable suspicion that some thing may be wrong in the state of the person's mind who reads, as well as in the matter of the book which he reads, and that it is not always the fault of an author that his works are not generally received and approved. You will therefore begin like pure lovers of the truth, before you read to remove from your hearts all those unreasonable prejudices and partialities, which might tend to blind your eyes, and pervert your judgments. You will recollect your Lord's words, where He saith, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes;” and with these words in your remembrance, you will see the expediency of putting away from you all that mere worldly wisdom and prudence which they condemn, as tending to hide the things of God, and the equal necessity of cherishing that child-like and simple temper of mind, to which alone the things of God ever have been, and ever will be made manifest. You will be taught also by the same divine words, in your examination of truth, not to place an ill-grounded dependence on any attainments of mere human science, or on any natural talents or intellectual abilities you may pos
* Matt. xi. 25. 3-12 LETTERS OF THE
sess, knowing that such advantages, unless under the guidance of a humble and teachable spirit, have in all ages of the church excited the bitterest persecution against the truth of God, insomuch that when this Truth appeared on earth in Person, the cry of “crucify Him, crucify Him,” was prin cipally at the instigation of learned critics, deep read scholars, admired orators, inquisitive philoso phers, and especially of what were deemed at the time, able expositors of the divine oracles. You will be further cautioned by the above words, in your examination of truth, against that servile attachment to great names, and the influence of human authorities, which is ever suggesting the old question, “Have any of the rulers believed on Him?” And remembering that the rulers may be deceived, and have been deceived, as well as other people, yea, and are frequently more exposed to deception, as being more exposed to the tempta tions arising from an over-weening conceit of their own wisdom and prudence, you will assert the freedom of thinking and judging for yourselves, in that which so essentially concerns yourselves, and will be bold in the pursuit of truth, not only to oppose all motives of worldly interest and honour, but even the most respectable powers and authorities amongst men, whensoever they stand in competition with the higher power and authority of that “wisdom which is from above.” REV. JOHN CLOWES. 3.13
Commending you to the guidance of this wis dom in all things, and sincerely wishing you in possession of all its comforts, I remain, with all possible veneration for your sacred office and character,
Your affectionate Brother and Fellow-labourer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion in all ages,
J O H N C L O.W.E.S.
PRINTED BY J. GLEAVE, MARKET STREET AND DEANSGATE, MANCHESTER.