imagination, and I observed that I held my breath living above the air above the natural anias if it were silent." mus (aveuos) of the race, require answerable but peculiar endowments. The diver and the seer are inverse correspondences. 189. Respecting this peculiarity of breathing, it is truly remarked by Wilkinson, that "As we breathe, so we are. Inward thoughts 192. "To show how intelligent Swedenborg have inward breaths, and purer spiritual was of these deep things, we have only to exthoughts have spiritual breaths hardly mixed amine his anatomical works and manuscripts, with material. Death is breathlessness. Fully which present a regular progress of ideas on to breathe the external atmosphere, is equiva- the subject of respiration. If we carefully lent cæteris paribus, to living in plenary en- attend to profound thoughts,' say she, 'we joyment of the senses and the muscular pow- shall find that when we draw breath, a host of ers. On the other hand, the condition of ideas rush from beneath as through an opened trance or death-life, is the persistence of the door into the sphere of thought; whereas inner breath of thought, or the soul's sensation, when we hold the breath, and slowly let it out, while the breath of the body is annulled. It we deeply keep the while in the tenor of our is only those in whom this can have place, thought, and communicate as it were with the that may still live in this world, and yet be higher faculty of the soul; as I have observed consciously associated with the persons and in my own person times out of number. Reevents in the other. Hybernation and other taining or holding back the breath is equivaphenomena come in support of these remarks. lent to having intercourse with the soul: atThus we have common experience on our side, tracting or drawing it amounts to intercourse in asserting that the capacities of the inward with the body.' life, whether thought, meditation, contempla193. "This indeed is a fact so common that tion, or trance, depend upon those of the respi- we never think about it: so near to natural ration. life, that its axioms are almost too substantial 190. "Some analogous power over the breath for knowledge. Not to go so profound as to a power to live and think without respiring, the intellectual sphere, we may remark that for it is the bodily respiration that draws down all fineness of bodily work-all that in art the mind at the same time that it draws up which comes out of the infinite delicacy of the air, and thus causes mankind to be com- manhood as contrasted with animality pound, or spiritual and material beingsquires a corresponding breathlessness and exsome analogous power to the above, we say, piring. To listen attentively to the finest and has lain at the basis of the gifts of many other least obtrusive sounds, as with the stethoscope seers besides Swedenborg. It is quite ap- to the murmurs in the breast, or with mouth parent that the Hindoo Yogi were capable of and ear to distant music, needs a hush that a similar state, and in our own day the phe- breathing disturbs; the common ear has to nomena of hypnotism have taught us much die, and be born again, to exercise these deliin a scientific manner of these ancient con-cate attentions. To take an aim at a rapidditions and sempiternal laws. Take away or flying or minute object, requires in like mansuspend that which draws you to this world, ner a breathless time and a steady act: the and the spirit, by its own lightness, floats up- very pulse must receive from the stopped lungs wards into the other. There is however a a pressure of calm. To adjust the exquisite difference between Swedenborg's state, as he machinery of watches, or other instruments, reports it, and the modern instances, inasmuch compels in the manipulater a motionless hover as the latter are artificial, and induced by ex- of his own central springs. Even to see and ternal effort, whereas Swedenborg's was natu- observe with an eye like the mind itself, neral also and we may say congenital, was the cessitates a radiant pause. Again, for the combined regime of his aspirations and respira-negative proof, we see that the first actions tions, did not engender sleep, but was accompa- and attempts of children are unsuccessful, nied by full waking and open eyes, and was not being too quick, and full moreover of confusing courted in the first instance for the trances or visions that it brought. Other cases moreover are occasional, whereas Swedenborg's appears to have been uninterrupted, or nearly so, for twenty-seven years. 191. "We have now therefore accounted in some measure for one part of Swedenborg's preparation, and what we have said comports with experience, which shows that those amphibious conditions with which we are more familiar, hinge upon certain peculiarities of bodily structure or endowment; and we have thereby prepared the reader to admit, that if living below the air or under water, requires a peculiar habit or organism, so also does re breaths: the life has not fixed aerial space to play the game, but the scene itself flaps and flutters with alien wishes and thoughts. In short, the whole reverence of remark and deed depends upon the above conditions, and we lay it down as a general truth, that every man requires to educate his breath for his business. Bodily strength, mental strength, even wisdom, all lean upon our respirations; and Swedenborg's case is but a striking instance raising to a very visible size a fact which like the air is felt and wanted, but for the most part not perceived. 194. "We have dwelt upon the physical part of inspiration and aspiration, because with the subject of this memoir, body was always con- also in the same work he notifies that he is nected with, and fundamental to, spirit; and commanded to write what he is penning. At therefore it is biographically true to him, to p. 194 he mentions that he saw a representation support his seership by its physical counterpart. of a certain golden key that he was to carry, Moreover it is important for all men to know to open the door to spiritual things. At p. how much lies in calm, and to counsel them 202 he remarks at the end of a paragraph, (whether by biography, or science, it matters that on account of what is there written not,) to look to the balance of their life-breath, there happened to him wonderful things on and to let it sometimes incline, as it ought, the night between the first and second of towards the immortal and expiring side. July; and he adds in the margin, that the matter set down was 'foretold to him in a wonderful manner on that occasion.' Still farther on (p. 215) he again refers to his extraordinary dream of the above date. this great intellectual subject we shall have to recur in the sequel, but for the present it suffices to observe, that it imports that bodies are the generation and expression of souls; that the frame of the natural world works, moves and rests obediently to the living spiritual world, as a man's face to the mind or spirit within. Now this plainly makes all things into signs as well as powers; the events of nature and the world become divine, angelic, or demoniac messages, and the smallest things, as well as the greatest, are omens, instructions, warnings, or hopes.". Wilkinson's Biography, pp. 77–86. 195. "But if Swedenborg was expressly constructed and prepared for spirit-seeing, the end developed itself in a measure side by side with the means, which is also a law of things. We have seen that in his boyhood his parents 197. "Lastly, there is one doctrine that used to declare that angels spoke through his Swedenborg held, and which constitutes an immouth, which again calls to mind the en- mediate link between intellect and reality, tranced breaths of prayer that he commemo- possession with which would contribute to prerates at this period. Much later on, but dispose to spiritual experience; we mean the before his theological mission commenced, we doctrine of Universal Correspondency. To find him intellectually aware that heaven might be entered by the sons of earth, and, as he then thought, by the analytic method of science, which having arrived on some of the peaks of truth, would introduce us to those who are at home in that region, and enable us to revert with a kind of spiritual sight to the world from which we had ascended. He says on this head, that knowledge unless derived from first principles is but a beggarly and palliative science, sensual in its nature, not derived from the world of causes, but animal, and without reason; that to explore causes, we must ascend into infinity, and then and thence we may descend to effects, when we 198. We have now mentioned all that we have first ascended from effects by the analyt- know of the most remarkable presages of Sweic way. Furthermore, that by this means we denborg's illumination. Though this knowlmay become rational beings, men, angels, and edge is not very extensive, yet it is sufficient may be among the latter, when we shall have to indicate a very long and gradual course explored truths, and when we are in them: that this is the way to heaven, to the primeval state of man, to perfection.' This is doubtless a bold interpretation of induction and deduction, but no one knew better than Swedenborg in his day, whither real methods would conduct us. It only concerns us however now to show, that he was conscious of a possible entrance for the understanding into the atmospheres of the higher world, and that he conceived it to lie in true ladders of doctrine framed by good men out of true sciences. of preparation, from infancy to full maturity, for the great privileges and important duties which were to devolve upon him. 199. Of the circumstances attending the an nouncement to him of his heavenly mission. we have no account in the works which he himself published. In these indeed, he alludes to himself as seldom as possible. Opening of Swedenborg's spiritual Sight. 200. We are now prepared to contemplate the full transition of this remarkable man, 196. "Some of the phenomena connected from the greatest of philosophers to the sublime with this period of Swedenborg's life, which go height of spiritual vision which he ultimately further to show his previous and gradual prep- attained. Throughout his life, as we have aration for his high mission, we find thus at- hitherto detailed it, we have seen a continua! tested by him at the very time they were tendency from the natural to the spiritual, and happening. The Fourth Part of the Animal it is by no means the least interesting part of Kingdom (a MS. written, for the most part, his experience, to see how gradually and sys as it would appear, during 1744) affords the tematically he was prepared by Divine Provi following proofs. At p. 82 of this work he dence for his wonderful work. There would has the following Observandum: According seem to be, in the very ascent itself, step by to admonition heard, I must refer to my philo- step, up the high ladder of Truta, with its foot sophical Principia .. and it has been resting on the solid foundations of material told me that by that means I shall be enabled nature, and those too in the deep mines and to direct my flight whithersoever I will.' Twice rudiments of the Mineral Kingdom, passing The only reason of my gradually upwards through the mysteries of | to this day.. organic nature, to the human soul itself; later journeys to foreign countries, has been there would seem to be, in such an ascent, a the desire of being useful, by making known testimony of that God who formed, fitted and the secrets intrusted to me." called him, to his truthful and glorious mission. 204. Another account of the same event 201. "Although, however, this opening of has been related by M. Robsahm, who inquired the spiritual was Swedenborg's tendency from of Swedenborg where and how his revelations the first, yet plainly he never anticipated began. "I was in London," said Swedenborg, either the manner or the extent of it. It" and dined late at my usual quarters, where I would seem that he expected the kingdom of had engaged a room, in which at pleasure to God to come upon him in the shape of clear prosecute my studies in natural philosophy. principles deduced from all human knowledge; I was hungry, and ate with great appetite. a scientific religion resting upon nature and Towards the end of the meal I remarked that revelation, interpreted by analysis and synthe-a kind of mist spread before my eyes, and I sis, from the ground of a pure habit and a saw the floor of my room covered with hideous holy life. His expectations were fulfilled, not reptiles, such as serpents, toads and the like. simply, but marvellously. He was himself I was astonished, having all my wits about astonished at his condition, and often ex-me, and being perfectly conscious. The darkpressed as much. I never thought,' said he, ness attained its height and then passed away. 'I should have come into the spiritual state in I now saw a man sitting in a corner of the which I am, but the Lord had prepared me chamber. As I had thought myself entirely for it, in order to reveal the spiritual sense of alone, I was greatly frightened when he said the Word, which He had promised in the to me, 'Eat not so much!' My sight again Prophets and the Revelations.' What he became dim, but when I recovered it I found thenceforth claimed to have received and to myself alone in my room. The unexpected be in possession of, was spiritual sight, spiritu- alarm hastened my return home. I did not al illumination, and spiritual powers of reason. suffer my landlord to perceive that any thing And certainly in turning from his foregone had happened; but thought it over attentively, life to that which now occupies us, we seem and was not able to attribute it to chance, or to be treating of another person, of one on any physical cause. I went home, but the whom the great change has passed, who has following night the same man appeared to me tasted the blessings of death, and disburdened again. I was this time not at all alarmed. his spiritual part, of mundane cares, sciences The man said: "I am God, the Lord, the and philosophies. The spring of his lofty Creator and Redeemer of the world. I have flights in nature sleeps in the dust beneath his chosen thee to unfold to men the spiritual feet. The liberal charm of his rhetoric is put sense of the Holy Scripture. I will myself off, never to be resumed. His splendid but dictate to thee what thou shalt write.' The unfinished organon is never to be used again, same night the world of spirits, hell and heavbut its wheel and essence are transferred for en, were convincingly opened to me, where I other applications. It is a clear instance found many persons of my acquaintance of all of disembodiment of emancipation from a conditions. From that day forth I gave up worldly lifetime; and we have now to con- all worldly learning, and labored only in spirtemplate Swedenborg, still a mortal, as he rose itual things, according to what the Lord cominto the other world. From that elevation he manded me to write. Thereafter the Lord as little recurred to his scientific life, though daily opened the eyes of my spirit, to see in he had its spirit with him, as a freed soul to perfect wakefulness what was going on in the the body in the tomb: he only possessed it in other world, and to converse, broad awake, a certain high memory, which offered its re- with angels and spirits." sult to his new pursuits." Wilkinson's Biography, pp. 73, 74. -- I re 205. Dr. Beyer gives a third narrative of the transaction. "The report," says he, "of 202. We give the particulars which now the Lord's personally appearing before the follow, precisely as we find them, leaving to Assessor, who saw Him sitting in purple and the reader perfect freedom to interpret them in majestic splendor near his bed, whilst He by their own evidence. The simple statement gave him commission what to do, I have heard which our author made to his friend Hartley from his own mouth, whilst dining with him respecting his new and "holy office," is the one which he was accustomed to make through life. 203. "I have been called," says he, in a letter to Dr. Hartley, dated 1769, "to a holy office by the Lord himself, who has most graciously manifested himself in person to me, his servant, in the year 1743; when He opened my sight to the view of the spiritual world, and granted me the privilege of conversing with spirits and angels, which I enjoy at the house of Dr. Rosen, where I saw, for so as to enable him to see into the other world, | apostles of Christ. But may not the occasion I must observe that this opening did not occur of these doubts be greatly, if not entirely reat once, but by degrees." 206. In the Diary, the same event appears to be related as follows: Vision by Day, concerning those who are devoted to the Table, and who thus indulge the Flesh. moved, by a correct understanding of what Swedenborg may here mean? He says indeed, in several places, both in his letters and in his published works, that the Lord appeared to him in person. But it will be noted that in his Diary, above quoted, it is said, "In the In the middle of the day, at dinner, an angel middle of the day, at dinner, an angel spoke who was with me conversed, saying, that I should to me," &c. It is indeed said, by Mr. not indulge the belly too much at table. Whilst Robsahm, who professes to have had the ache was with me, there clearly appeared to me, as count from Swedenborg's own mouth, that it were, a vapor, exuding from the pores of the this same man, or angel, appeared again the body, like a watery vapor (a mist], extremely visible, which fell towards the earth where the carpet was, following night, and announced himself as upon which the vapor being collected, was changed God, the Lord, the Creator and Redeemer into various little worms, which being collected of the world." And Dr. Beyer, also another under the table, burnt [or flashed] off in a moment like witness from Swedenborg himself, conwith a noise or sound. Seeing a fiery light in firms the account that the Lord in person apthis vapor, and hearing a sound, I thought that peared to him. But "whether," (says Hobart thus all the worms which could be generated from in his Life of Swedenborg,) "Robsahm is an immoderate appetite, were ejected from my body, and thus burnt, and that I was then purified correct in saying that this was the same from them. Hence it could be concluded [from Man, and on the following night,' we doubt these representatives] what luxuries and similar for this reason, among others, that in the things carry in their bosom.-S. D. 397. Diary, the Man is called in one case 'a spirit,' and in the other an angel.'” "There is 207. "If this indeed was the first occasion of Swedenborg's open intercourse with beings 209. Barrett, in his Life of Swedenborg, of the other world, it would strike us at first as makes the following observations. unworthy of the great object in view. And an account given of Swedenborg's first illumiyet when we consider that Swedenborg must nation or introduction into the spiritual world, have been at this time in a state all but fully which has been attached to the prefaces of prepared for the favor which was to be grant- some of the early translations of his work. ed him - that his mind must have very near- In this account it is represented that his illy attained the necessary expansion, purifica-lumination took place at an inn, in London, tion, and elevation that he had already felt while at dinner. But there is no mention and perceived many signs of the spiritual made of this circumstance in any of his world around him, and yet had no conception writings, and it has been ascertained that there of the actual presence and influence of spirits never was any account of the affair printed near his spirit-it would seem that what until it first appeared in the preface to a chiefly remained to be done, was to show him translation in French of the treatise on Heaven the existence of his spiritual senses, as distinct and Hell, which was printed many years after from and superior to those of the body. And Swedenborg's death. Other circumstances relin what other way could this so well be done, ative to Swedenborg are told in the same as by allowing the bodily senses to replete preface, which are distinctly ascertained to be themselves even to gross satiety, and by thus untrue. This, together with the fact that the enabling the spiritual mind, moved by Heav-statement first appeared in France, where litenly influence, to revolt from them, to see tle was known at that time of Swedenborg them in their grossness with their downward and his writings, is sufficient to weaken its tendencies, and to open its unscaled eyes up- credibility. But there is a general impresward to the real spiritual influences around it? sion among the receivers of the doctrines of The first voice, the first lesson would then in- the New Church, that the narrative, as there deed be to restrain the bodily appetites within given, is in itself improbable, and that although their proper bounds; but the knowledge of it may be in some respects true, it is nevertheir subordinate station would not be forgot-theless in its detail incorrectly stated.”. Barten, and thereafter there would be a readiness to perceive and understand the influence of spirits whenever it was allowed." - Hobart's Life, p. 69. 208. With regard to this circumstance of the personal appearance of the Lord to Swedenborg, some doubt may be felt in the natural mind, and indeed, in many minds of a superior Christian order, from the supposed inconsistency of such an appearance to any mortal, except perhaps to the patriarchs and prophets, and to the immediate disciples and rett's Life, pp. 39, 40. 210. From the whole, whether it was a spirit, an angel, or the Lord himself, who first appeared to Swedenborg, there can be no doubt of his meaning in after and repeated asseverations, that the Lord himself appeared to him, and called him to his holy office. His testimony on this head is as follows: "Since the Lord cannot manifest Himself in person, as has been shown just above, and yet He has foretold that He would come and establish a New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, it fol lows, that he is to do it by means of a man, who is | tioned in the Word, and every where, when in a good able not only to receive the doctrines of this sense, represents and signifies some essential apchurch with his understanding, but also to publish pertaining to the Lord, and proceeding from him; them by the press. That the Lord has manifested but what is represented and signified may appear Himself before me, his servant, and sent me on from the series. There were angels who were this office, and that, after this, he opened the sight sent to men, and who also spake by the prophets, of my spirit, and thus let me into the spiritual but what they spake was not from the angels, but world, and gave me to see the heavens and the by them: for their state then was, that they knew hells, and also to speak with angels and spirits, no otherwise than that they were Jehovah, that is, and this now continually for many years, I testify the Lord: nevertheless, when they had done speakin truth, and also that, from the first day of that ing, they presently returned into their former call, I have not received any thing which pertains state, and spake as from themselves. This was to the doctrines of that church from any angel, the case with the angels who spake the Word of but from the Lord alone, while I read the Word. the Lord; which has been given me to know by much experience of a similar kind at this day in the other life; concerning which, by the divine mercy of the Lord, we shall speak hereafter. This is the reason that the angels were sometimes called Jehovah; as was evidently the case with the angel who appeared to Moses in the bush, of whom it is thus written, The angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush. God said unto Moses, I am that I am. - And God said moreover unto "To the end that the Lord might be constantly present, he has disclosed to me the spiritual sense of his Word, in which divine truth is in its light, and in this He is continually present.". T. C. R., 779, 780. midst of the bush. And when Jehovah saw that 211. Again, in his letter to Dr. Oettinger, "I can sacredly and solemnly declare, that the Lord himself has been seen of me, and that he has sent me to do what I do, and for such purpose has he opened and enlightened the interior part of my soul, which is my spirit, so that I can see what is in the spiritual world, and those that are there- Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of in; and this privilege has now been continued to Israel, Jehovah God of your fathers hath sent me me for twenty-two years. But in the present state of infidelity, can the most solemn oath make such a words it is evident, that it was an angel who apunto you' (Exod. iii. 2, 4, 14, 15); from which thing credible, or to be believed by any? Yet such as have received true Christian light and un- he spake as Jehovah, because the Lord, or Jehopeared to Moses as a flame in the bush, and that derstanding, will be convinced of the truth con- vah spake by him. For, in order that man may be tained in my writings, which are particularly evi- spoken to by vocal expressions, which are articu dent in the book of the Apocalypse Revealed. late sounds, in the ultimates of nature, the Lord Who, indeed, has hitherto known any thing of uses the ministry of angels, by filling them with consideration of the true spiritual sense and mean- the divine, and by laying asleep what is of their ing of the Word of God, the spiritual world, or of heaven and hell; the nature of the life of man, that they are Jehovah: thus the divine of Jehovah, own proprium, so that they know no otherwise than and the state of souls after the decease of the which is in the supremes, descends into the lowest body? Is it to be supposed, that these and other of nature, in which man is as to sight and hearthings of a like consequence are to be eternally ing. Hence it may appear how the angels spake hidden from Christians?"-Documents concerning the Life and Character of Swedenborg, p. 152. although by angels, and that the angels did not by the prophets, viz., that the Lord himself spake, 212. But suppose that at first this appear-speak at all from themselves. That the Word is ance was that of an angel. And indeed, sup- from the Lord, appears from many passages; as in pose that ever afterwards, it was the Lord in an angel. This is the reflection which we wish to make and it is here that the first and all the subsequent accounts of such appearance may possibly be reconciled together. Swedenborg may not have known, at first, nor thought, any thing to the contrary that it was a spirit or angel who appeared to him: for it does not appear that he was yet made aware of his mission. But whether he did or not, 214. Such is Swedenborg's invariable teachand whether it was or not, we are not at all ing with regard to the appearance of the Lord strenuous to make out. Let him tell his own before the Incarnation. Now, whether or story. He says, in his letter to Dr. Hartley, not, after the Incarnation, He had power, and "the Lord himself manifested himself in per- did really exercise it, in a personal appearson to him in 1743;" and in his Diary, which ance to Swedenborg, out of an angel, is a appears to have reference to the same event, question we do not care to settle. It is he says an angel" and "a spirit" spake to well known that the particulars of His first him. Now suppose that in each and every manifestation to him, are somewhat involved instance it was an angelic appearance. Then in obscurity. We only make these suggesthe accounts may be perfectly consistent, for tions as to the manner of the Lord's appearSwedenborg invariably says that this is the ance, both for the purpose of reconciling what way the Lord appeared to the Patriarchs and may otherwise appear as somewhat discrepant Prophets. Take, for instance, the following and to remove any doubts which may be felt passage from the Arcana Calestia: as to the consistency and rationality of our 213. "The Angel of Jehovah is sometimes men- author's claim. We have seen, according to 66 Matthew: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall bear in the womb, and shall bring forth a son' (i. 22, 23); besides other passages. Because the Lord speaks by angels when he speaks with man, it is hence that he is throughout the Word called an angel; and then by an angel is signified, as was said, some essential appertaining to the Lord, and proceeding from the Lord.” — A. C. 1925. |