faith thence derived; also, out of the external man, the science of good and evil (which, is the same with faith, derived from the sensuous principle); 10. And out of the love of the celestial man, there flowed forth wisdom, which imparted intelligence, &c., as follows: 11. First (Pison), the intelligence of faith originating in love. This is that which flows into the mind (i. e. in respect of the will), where there is goodness and truth; 12. And the good of that mind, is the good of love, and of faith originating in love. 13 Secondly (Gihon), the knowledge of all things relating to goodness and truth. This is that which flows into the mind, as it respects the understanding. 14. Thirdly (Hiddekel), a clearness and perspicuity of reason which comes from the Lord, through the internal man, into the rational mind of the external man. Fourthly, science (Euphrates), which is the ultimate of wisdom, being in the external man; 15. And Jehovah God took the man and introduced him into the things of celestial wisdom, that he might enjoy them, but not possess them as his own, because they are the Lord's. 16. And Jehovah God commanded the celestial man, saying, Thou mayest know and acknowledge what is true and good through every perception derived from love to the Lord. 17. But it is not allowable to inquire into the mysteries of faith from proprium (i. e., from self and the world), or from sense and science, because, in this way, the celestial principle dies, (Second State of the Most Ancient Church.) 18. (But as man began to covet proprium) Jehovah God said, It is not good that man should be without the proprium which he covets. I will provide one which shall be as with him (i. e., in the new state into which he is declining), and shall be as a help in attaining to the knowledge and acknowledgment of what is true and good proper to that state (which is now tending from the celestial to the spiritual, and in which he is not satisfied with help as from the Lord alone). 19. Now it was out of the external man that Jehovah God formed the celestial things appertaining to the will, and the spiritual things appertaining to the understanding. 20. And He gave the man a spiritual-celestial knowledge of their natures and qualities (for the man was now declining from the celestial to the spiritual, therefore his proprium was spiritual-celestial), and he had now, therefore, of celestial things a spiritual knowledge, which was the knowledge proper to this state. 21. But, notwithstanding his thus knowing the nature and qualities of the affections of good, and also the nature and qualities of truths, he still further inclined to proprium, viz., to that of the external man. 22. And Jehovah God permitted the man to fall into an external state in which he seemed to himself to have proprium, or to live, think, speak, and act of himself, and the truths of the external man which were dear to this proprium, but in which there was little life, He nevertheless vivified by love from Himself, and formed into things of the will, and thus gave them to man to constitute a vivified proprium in his newly-acquired external state. 23. And in this state, the rational man saw that proprium is now not of the internal, but of the external man; and is as a wife to the internal, because, it is now formed out of the internal, as a wife is from the husband (so that, the state of man was now changed); 24. Therefore, that the external man should leave the internal as a parent, and that the internal should be as a husband, conjoined with the proprium of the external as a wife, so that the internal should no longer appear to be distinct from the external, but to be one and the same with it; 25. And, into the proprium of the external man, in which the internal and external thus appeared as one, the Lord insinuated innocence (as in the case of little children), that so it might not be unacceptable to him. (To be continued.) THOUGHTS IN CONNEXION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE WILL. The will being the habitation of either good or evil, it becomes of serious moment to consider to which of the two principles is given a preference. The term habitation is employed to denote its abiding quality in either one or the other. If, for instance, the will is to evil, there are the free volitions of the mind in exercise to make that evil its own, and to this end every faculty is made subservient to the attaining of the end proposed and desired. We may see, then, how intense becomes the predominant disposition when the powers of the intellect are brought in to concur with the dominant power of the will. The whole man is involved in the issue of so intense a combat; for it is not to be supposed a supre THOUGHTS IN CONNEXION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE WILL. 79 macy can be obtained in any one department of the human conduct without a contest of the opposite principles. Scarcely a human being is so alienated from all good, as not to feel some compunction in the commission of evil; but from a succession of quelling the monitions of conscience, the struggle terminates in surrendering the whole man to the controlling power of evil, the thing the will appropriates and desires as its ultimate good. But it is more to the insinuating and disguised character of evil, marring the happiness of the individual, to which I more particularly advert. The reigning power of evil, in this case, does not prevail; but its incipient and deceitful characteristics are felt. Not infrequently does the Christian have to lament the impotency of his own efforts to keep off the thought that would defile. A concurring bias of his nature at once takes up the entrance of the unwelcome guest, yea, and bids it welcome, were it not for the constant impression "Thou God seest me," and recognising at once this great truth. The language is uttered, though tremblingly, yet in faith, "Satan, get thee behind me." So clear becomes the perceptive faculty of the good man, that even the touch of what is unclean in the imagination, becomes a heart grief, and he cries for deliverance. In the ordinary occupations of life, blending themselves with the higher duties of religion, much will arise for salutary fear, lest we should allow the former to displace or stultify the latter. This may be very conceivable we have only to suppose something to be presented to the cupidity of the will, either of gain, or pleasure; an allowable impulse is given to the attaining the forbidden good, and unless summarily checked, the individual becomes committed to a false and unsafe course, if he pursue it ;-the will exercising a perverting influence on the affections, and enlisting them on behalf of the ill-acquired gain. Pleasure again will cast her soft folds around her votary, and employ the language of music, of poetry, or love, to ensnare the guileless purpose and imperceptibly lead to that enchanted ground where the principle falters, and the man plays dalliance with the gilded bauble; it expands before the ardent gaze, and at last bursts with a note of warning and self reproof. Be wise from the evidence of experience, and let not a repetition of forbidden pleasure involve thee in all the calamities of unavailing regret. The observant mind will often take occasion to analyse its own feelings, and shutting the door of trifling intrusion, enter into the private recesses of its actings, and mark the intuitions of the spirit, when chastened by the discipline of the Almighty, and softened by the consideration of the mercy received. The quiet state induced of calm serenity, will appreciate 80 THOUGHTS IN CONNEXION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE WILL. the privelege thus conferred, and immensely prize these moments of silent converse with the Deity. This self scrutiny has a twofold advantage; it informs the judgment and rectifies the will; the intellect and affections coalesce to produce stability of character. What more distressing than to see a professor vacillating betwixt that which ensures a present gratification, and that which points to the goal of our wishes, the supreme good? Belief in the future life, if active, must produce corresponding effort; every faculty becomes baptized with a new life, and is impressed with living energy. We see this in the entire oneness of effort in a worldly man, to obtain the good for which he lives and acts. We reason not upon his folly, for we know he is in earnest; his deliberate choice is fixed, and with him the die may be said to be cast. As in the one, so in the other; the zeal of the true disciple does not die out, when the world, the flesh, and the devil are arrayed against him. His will is impressed with spiritual power, and he fights manfully the battles of the Lord; and to him the language is at last applicable, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." Victory becomes certain through the Lord, who hath redeemed him. The New Churchman has abundant reason for thankfulness for the possession of such information as accurately marks the distinctive features of the two faculties of man,--Will and Intellect, and how they are shown to exhibit the goodness of Him who hath so ordered their operation, that the assent of the understanding may be yielded where the will is uninfluenced, that the state of man foreseen by His omniscience may be so far mitigated, that the profanation of truth may be prevented, by not commixing it with a depraved love. “Truths are not conjoined until man is affected with them for the sake of use respecting life, or until they are loved for the sake of life; in this case, good is united with them, whereby they are conjoined with the rational principle, consequently, with the internal man." A. C. 3824. Dartford. R. S. REVIEW. THE AGED MINISTER'S LAST LEGACY TO THE NEW CHURCH, SIGNIFIED BY THE NEW JERUSALEM IN THE APOCALYPSE. By the Rev. J. Proud. Second Edition (abridged and adapted to the present time). To which is prefixed a Memoir of the Author, by the Rev. E. Madeley, of Birmingham. London: James S. Hodson, 22, Portugal-street, Lincoln's Inn. THE appearance of this welcome work was announced, in a brief but pithy notice, in our periodical for December. The last words of a de parted friend ever linger longest on the memory, and appeal to the feelings with an interest peculiarly solemn and touching; and the power they exert on the affections is great, in proportion as they contain some special request, or convey some momentous truth; whilst an additional weight attaches to them, when they had fallen from the lips of one whose memory is embalmed in our love and esteem. Similar are the sanctions with which the book before us was addressed to the members of the New Church. Besides those of a long-tried, well-known experience in the ministry and doctrines of our church, is added the interest attaching to the parting counsels of a valued friend, and the weight of the message he has bequeathed. It is the "Last Legacy of an aged Minister," grown grey in the advocacy of the doctrines and life of the New Church, open to all, and offering treasures of the highest value to such as are willing to avail themselves of the boon Since the work first appeared nearly forty years have elapsed, and it was almost forgotten in the church, when Mr. Hodson, at the suggestion of a friend, brought out the present edition, and, in our opinion, he has thereby laid the church under large obligations by resuscitating so valuable a portion of New Church literature, than which there is no other work of the kind among us. Its first appearance was in troublous times. Many vexed questions were then rife in the church, which have since received their solution through her enlarged practical experience. Some few allusions to these matters, which occurred in the original edition, prevented the excellencies of the book from being appreciated to their full extent, although it was generally felt and admitted that much valuable practical instruction was contained within its pages. In the present edition all matters of mere temporary interest have been expunged, and the sterling qualities of the book shine out with so much the greater brilliancy. Some few verbal redundancies, and mannerisms, besides some forms of expression now become obsolete, also occurred, which have been subjected to the same process, whereby the style has also been greatly improved. To accomplish this was a task involving no ordinary judgment and delicacy, to say nothing of the labour; and from a careful comparison of the two editions, it is only justice to give expression to the opinion that this delicate duty of the editor has been performed both with discriminating judgment and a scrupulous regard to what was due to the author. In comparing the two, preparatory to giving the expression of an opinion, the extent of the improvement compared with the relatively small amount of alteration, has frequently been a matter of surprise. In a few cases brief additions have been made; but the important thoughts [Enl. Series.-No. 14, vol. ii.] L |