them only when suggested by others, or during public worship, or on stated occasions, if it be not an indication of merely nominal Christianity, is certainly a proof of a great want of true piety. LXXXII. A sense of obligation to yield what is due from man to man, on natural grounds, should always precede a sense of obligation to yield what is due to God, on spiritual grounds. Thus the duties of children to parents are preparatory to the discharge of duties to God; and the same order of precedence should be cultivated through life until we are "perfected in love." Thus only can religious faith stand firmly on a broad and sound moral basis. LXXXIII. The moral teaching of children is chiefly,-what to do; of adults,what to be. Grown people who are still children in mind-and there are many such, particularly in rural parishes-do, indeed, require specific moral instruction; but those who have profitably passed through the first period, require more especially instruction suitable for the formation of the rational principle, and for the firm establishment of a vigorous, yet tender, and enlightened conscience therein, and thus, consequently, instruction as to what they ought to be: and this they require to the end that from truths, rationally seen and individually appropriated in the life, they may act independently, as if from themselves, according as circumstances reveal the duties they impose. This it is, to possess within us the water which the Lord gives ;-a well of water springing up in us into everlasting life. (John iv. 14.) LXXXIV. having both a It is our spiri We are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made," in spiritual and a natural part in our mental constitution. tual part that makes the natural part of any value to us; and it is the natural part which makes the spiritual possible to us; and the perfection of humanity consists in the perfect union of the two. In the natural is placed our finite essence, which gives us an individuality distinct from the Author of life; and in our spiritual part is implanted, by regeneration, that likeness of God which, when inscribed on the natural by regeneration, gives us conjunction with Him, and makes us eternal partakers of his nature, and his joys. "What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." LXXXV. It is a law sadly too much overlooked, that like qualities in us, act upon their like in others. In order to draw out another's good qualities, N. S. No. 148.-VOL. XIII. S our own corresponding good ones must be put in requisition. This being admitted, if we suffer our bad qualities to act upon another, we virtually become to him, for the time, like the satanic tempters to evil—infernal spirits incarnate LXXXVI. Women, as such, are perfected by cultivating intelligence; and men, as such, by cultivating affection for thus the peculiar natural endowment of each sex is perfected by adding to it that which is naturally and relatively deficient. Such is the effect of those true marriages by which the female mind is rendered more vigorously intelligent, and the male mind more tenderly affectionate. But young people should cultivate before marriage the states which, according to Divine order, are therein to be brought forth and perfected. It is thus that each sex, by means of rational intercourse, refines and exalts the other. LXXXVII. In social intercourse, the action of an uninformed single female upon a single man, acts upon his animal nature, by fixing his thought upon the distinction of sex; but the action of one that is intelligent upon him, draws out his higher qualities. In such associations as the latter, the idea of sex is lost in the perception of a common rational nature, and the spiritual relation of a reciprocal human sympathy. Of how great importance, then, it is to society, that females should receive a sound moral and religious education! LXXXVIII. The amount of spiritual injury from yielding to the evil by which we are tempted, is in proportion to the greatness or malignity of the evil; but the ability to overcome so grievous a temptation with zeal and facility, depends upon our previously acquired habit of watching against. and resisting, the inclination to small sins. LXXXIX. Conscience perfects moral actions and habits, at the same time that, as to its impulsive power, it is perfected by them. And equally does conscience perfect our intellectual judgment (for only is judgment wise when it is conscientious), at the same time that, as to its perceptive power, it is perfected by our growth in wisdom and intelligence. (To be continued.) 139 SWEDENBORG AND THE JESUITS. As many theological students at Oxford and Cambridge, and, generally, most of that numerous class called Puseyites, as well as all the students of Roman Catholic theology throughout Europe, study the two celebrated works of Mohler* and Perrone, which, at the present time, are of the greatest standard authority, it is a subject of essential importance to know what these high authorities have said of Swedenborg, and in what manner their misrepresentations and perversions can be met and refuted. Some of the perversions of Moehler may be seen by referring to our review of his work in this periodical for 1844, p. 135, 181. Dr. Tafel refuted long ago these mis-statements and perversions of Dr. Mohler, but in detached parts of his publications, as opportunity served his purpose. Owing, however, to the wide-spread influence of Mæhler's work, it having already passed through six editions, and has been translated into French and English, Dr. Tafel has been induced, from the importance of the case, to publish a refutation of Mohler's work in a consecutive form, in order that his mis-statements and perversions, and their confutation, may be seen at once, and that thus a counteractive to this wide-spread pernicious influence may be brought into activity as speedily as possible. It is, however, obvious that this refutation will not be extensively read at Oxford and Cambridge, and in other parts where the English language is spoken, so long as it exists only in German. A translation of it must be accomplished as soon as possible, in order to meet and counteract the mischief which Dr Moehler's work is likely to produce, and which, indeed, it has already produced. We are, therefore, glad to state that a translation has already been commenced, and we trust that the refutation in English will be published at a very early period. As to Perrone, although the most learned Roman Catholic theologian of the present day, yet he evidently knows nothing of the writings of Swedenborg; who has certainly written more on theology than any other writer whatever. Perrone, however, in his extensive * "Symbolism, or an Exposition of the Doctrinal Differences between Catholics and Protestants," &c.; translated by Robertson. + Perrone's work is in Latin; it is of great extent, comprising every point of theology, professing to state the arguments pro and con as to every doctrine, and to solve the difficulties which stand in the way of its reception on Roman Catholic principles. The title of the work is "Prælectiones Theologicæ, quas in Collegio Romano, S. J. habebat Joannes Perone, e Societate Jesu in eod, Coll. Theol, Prof. ed Lovan. Lovanii, Moguntiæ, 1843." work, has mentioned Swedenborg, but in a manner which shows, if of design, the most deadly hatred against the New Church, and its description of Babylon destroyed; or, if not of design, it evinces such ignorance as cannot, on any principle or plea, be excused in a learned professor. Perone has evidently derived what he knows of Swedenborg's writings from Mohler, and our readers will be surprised to see how these two Jesuits have endeavoured, at one stroke, like a Pharoah or a Herod, to destroy the infant Church of the New Jerusalem. In that section of Moehler's chapter on Swedenborg, in which he treats on the canon of Scripture, he charges Swedenborg with rejecting many books of the Old, together with the Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles from the New Testament. But this supposed rejection of Swedenborg only amounts to a distinction which he makes between the books which have a spiritual sense, and which are thus plenarally inspired, and those which have not the spiritual sense, and which are consequently not plenarally inspired. And this distinction, as to the Old Testament, is made by the Lord Himself when He designates the divine code as consisting of "Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms;" (Luke xxiv. 44.) and which distinction is made by the Jews, and also by Roman Catholics and Protestants themselves, although not so clearly marked as by Swedenborg. Now, adverting to Moehler's mis-statement on this subject, Perrone, without any investigation as to what Swedenborg really says upon the question, proceeds to pervert not only Swedenborg, but even the perversion of Mohler, whose work was before him, and thus renders his perversion doubly perverse. Perrone's words are as follow, professedly taken from Mæhler's work : "The Anabaptists fully rejected the Scripture, because it could not be reconciled with their errors, as apocryphal. On the same plan Swedenborg proceeded, and admitted no other sacred books except the Gospels and the Apocalypse, and he called the kingdom of Christ the kingdom of darkness.”* The first perversion of Perrone, the Jesuit, is the assertion that "Swedenborg admitted no other sacred books except the Gospels and the Apocalypse," giving his numerous readers to suppose that Swedenborg rejected the Old Testament entirely. Mohler, however, does not deal in this wide-sweeping perversion, so that Perrone is guilty of a * Perrone's own words are here subjoined :-Sane anabaptistæ rejecerunt Scripturam, quæ nempe cum erroribus eorum conciliari non poterat velut apocrypham. Eadem ratione se gessit Swedenborgius, qui non alios libros sacros admisit præter Evangelia et Apocalypsim, vocavitque regnum Christi regnum tenebrarum. double perversion. The second perversion is, that "Swedenborg calls the kingdom of Christ the kingdom of darkness;" this utterly groundless and horrible perversion lies solely at the door of Perrone, the Jesuit, for Mohler says no such thing. How, then, can such perversions be accounted for? They are, as stated above, either the result of design or of negligence. If of design, they demonstrate the most malignant cunning and malice that infernal spirits can practice; if of negligence, they shew that Perrone is totally unworthy of any trust or confidence, for on the same principle his lectures, wherever he treats of the principles and doctrines of those opposed to the Romish Church, may be full of mis-statements and perversions. The truth, however, is, as Dr. Tafel justly remarks, that "Swedenborg has shewn that the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of the most burning and shining light, and that the kingdom of Antichrist is a kingdom of the thickest darkness." The reader will readily see that those who deal in such perversions belong to the latter and not to the former. Dr. Tafel further remarks:-"The poisonous plant of perversion which we here behold certainly leads us to the following conclusion in respect to traditions, on which the Romish Church grounds many of its dogmas and statements;-namely, if the written letter of a document can, when being copied, be so perverted and changed into its opposite, what perversions may not have happened to the unwritten traditions of the church, as they were transferred from hand to hand, or from mouth to mouth? We would, if possible, gladly believe that Perrone has not, of design, dealt in these perversions; but that he has too cursorily and negligently read the Symbolism of Mohler. We had, however, every reason to expect, that in a work so extensive as Perrone's, he would have been more correct, thorough, and precise, when treating on the principles of such a man as Swedenborg, and when making statements which affect an entire religious body of people." THE AVOWED SPIRIT OF CATHOLICISM. A RESPECTED Correspondent has kindly forwarded to us the following extract, which shows, from its own confessions and statements, the true spirit and genius of Romanism. It forms a suitable appendage to our previous article on Swedenborg and the Jesuits : "We have more than once called attention to the dangers which threaten the principles of civil and mental freedom, from the pertinacious |