§ 3. Relations to the Orthodox and Latitudinarian Views.

Swedenborg's critical relations to the so-called orthodox or commonly-received view next demand our attention. These also are not unimportant, or few in number, though our space will not allow us to notice more than one or two points. And the first of these of which we shall speak has reference to the historical character of the sacred narrative,—his views respecting which we have partly presented in our last section, but they deserve a more particular statement here.

1. On this subject then, we observe that with the twelfth chapter of Genesis, or with the account of the calling of Abram, the true history of the Israelitish nation according to the teaching of Swedenborg begins, and, accordingly, everything that follows, from that point onwards, is substantially true and matter-of-fact. "These

and the subsequent circumstances," he writes at the commencement of his exposition of the first verse of that chapter, "historically occurred as they are written." "The case is the same," he adds, "with all the historical relations of the Word, not only in the books of Moses, but also those in the books of Joshua, of Judges, of Samuel and of the Kings."2 But even in the two chapters which precede the twelfth, our author recognizes most important historical elements, and those of our readers, especially, who are interested in ethnological studies, may be curious to know how he regards in particular the "Toldoth Beni Noah,” or “Genealogy of the Sons of Noah,” in the tenth chapter, which Sir H. Rawlinson, a celebrated ethnologist and scholar of the present day, pronounces 1 See Adversaria, Pars III. vol. i. 2 A. C. n. 1408.

ne amiation or nations, ́ ́ and "a document or the highest antiquity." Respecting this chapter Sweorg makes the following observations in the Preface = explanation of it in the Arcana: "In this chapter

n the following," he says, "to the account of Heber, most ancient (i. e. the prophetical or mystical) style tinued; but such as is mediate between the factihistorical style, and the true historical style. For ah and his sons, Shem, Ham, Japheth and Canaan, ng else was or is understood, than, abstractedly, the ent [or Post-diluvian] Church as to its worship. persons never existed."-"Wherefore by Noah ng else was meant but the Ancient Church in gencomprehending, as a parent, all the rest. But by ames in this chapter (he adds) exclusive of Heber, is posterity, are meant so many nations; and there lly were so many nations that constituted the Ancient ch; which Church was spread far and wide over the of Canaan."2

h is our Author's general statement with regard to Joachian Genealogies, but in the chapter which fol. he enters, in several places, into more detailed nts of these nations, into which we have not space to follow him. His remarks concerning Heber are, ver, worthy of being quoted in this place. "By r," he observes, "is signified also a nation whose was Heber, a person so named, by whom is signiin the spiritual sense] a second Ancient Church, sepafrom the former."3 "They who have been named rto," he remarks further upon this subject, were ns among whom the Ancient Church was, all which

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e his brother's Historical Evidences, frequently referred to above, i. p. 72. 2 A. C. n. 1140. 3 A. C. n. 1235.

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worship prevaning ш ՆԵ AԵԵՈՆ] Church: there never existed such persons as Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth and Canaan.” "This first Ancient Church, signified by Noah and his sons," he continues, “was not confined to a few, but was extended over several kingdoms, as appears from the nations mentioned; viz.: over Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Lybia, Egypt, Philisthea, even to Tyre and Zidon, through the whole land of Canaan, on each side of Jordan. But afterwards a certain kind of external worship began in Syria, which afterwards spread itself far and wide, and indeed through several countries, particularly through Canaan, and which was different from the worship of the Ancient Church; and as there thus arose something of a Church which was separate from the Ancient Church, hence a sort of new Church was established, which may therefore be called the Second Ancient Church. Of this Church," he adds, "Heber was the first institutor; and therefore it is called Heber from him. All at that time were distinguished into houses, families, and nations, as was shown above, each nation acknowledging one father, from whom also it was named, as appears from the Word throughout; thus the nation which ackowledged Heber as their father, was called the Hebrew nation."'1

2. Thus far as respects the historical character of this portion of the Old Testament. We shall now cite a few passages illustrative of the general position, announced in one of the extracts above given, as to the whole narrative from the beginning of the twelfth chapter being true history, the events of which all occurred substantially as they are related, more especially as it relates to certain par

1 A. C. n. 1238.

tins description which we snan nere adduce is the rогing respecting the circumstances recorded of Abram in › fifteenth chapter of Genesis. "The things contained this chapter," says Swedenborg, "are historical truths ; nely, that Jehovah thus discoursed with Abram, and t the land of Canaan was promised to him for an initance; that he was commanded to take a young fer, a she-goat, a ram, a turtle-dove, and a young eon, and do with them as is here described; that fowls cended upon the carcasses s; that a deep sleep fell upon î, and in his sleep a terror of darkness; that when the i was set, there appeared to him as it were a furnace of oke, with a torch of fire between the pieces; besides › other circumstances. These are historical facts; but 1, both in general and singly," adds our author, "to › minutest circumstance, they are representative, and › very words in which they are described, even to the allest tittle, are significative; that is, in all and singular ngs, there is an internal sense.' Again, in reference the story of Joseph and his brethren, and his being d into Egypt, he observes, "The historical circumnces there related are representative events, although ey really occurred as they are described;"2 while respectthe number of the Israelites who came out of Egypt h Moses, which has for a few years past been such a puted question, in consequence of the cavils of Bishop lenso and others, he says, "From these things [which d been shown respecting the spiritual signification of mbers] it may now be seen, that the number of six ndred thousand men going forth out of Egypt, signifies o such things. That this number has such a signifiion," he adds, "scarcely any one can believe, by rea

Ibid. n. 1783. 2 Ibid. n. 755.

3. These examples, then, will perhaps suffice for the Old Testament. We will next subjoin a few in reference to the historical truthfulness of the facts contained in the Four Gospels of the New, as well as in the Acts of the Apostles. That the entire account of our Lord's life, as recorded by the Four Evangelists, is acknowledged by Swedenborg to be historically and indubitably true, is a fact which might be proved from almost every page of his theological writings; and in the little Treatise entitled the "Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord," alone, we have a reference to all the important facts in the life of our Saviour, and this with the fullest and most undoubting acknowledgment of their historical character. Thus, in regard to the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus Christ, we find in this little work the following among other testimonies: "The Human Nature of our Lord conceived by Jehovah the Father, and born of the Virgin Mary, is what is called the Son of God, as manifestly appears from the following passages; 112 then follow numerous quotations, among which are Luke i. 26, 32-35; Matt. i. 22, 23; Jno. i. 18; &c. Again, as to the facts relating to our Lord's baptism, we read, in the same connection as above, "Hence, too, it follows, that the Human Nature was what was meant when Jesus, at His baptism, was called by Jehovah, in a voice from heaven, his son: This is MY BELOVED SON, in whom I am well pleased' (Matt. iii. 17; Mk. i. 11; Luke iii. 22);" and in the following sentence we have a testimony to the fact of our Lord's Transfiguration, in these words, "The same appellation was given him when he was transfigured:

1 Ibid. n. 7973. 2 Doct. concerning the Lord, n. 19.