Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

The chief object of this treatise is, to exhibit the testimony of the Sacred Scripture concerning the LORD JESUS CHRIST; and thence to prove, that in Him there is a Divine Trinity, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, united in one adorable Person, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and that He alone is the proper object of all religious worship, God over all, blessed forever.

CONTENTS.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

IV. That when the word Spirit is used concerning the Lord, his
Divine Life is meant, thus the Lord himself,

V. That by the word Spirit, when used concerning the Lord, is

specifically meant the Life of his Wisdom, which is the

Divine Truth,

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

DOCTRINE

OF

THE NEW JERUSALEM

CONCERNING

THE LORD.

THAT THE WHOLE SACRED SCRIPTURE IS CONCERNING THE LORD AND THAT THE LORD IS THE WORD.

[ocr errors]

1. Ir is read in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not." Moreover, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Onlybegotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." i. 1, 2, 3, 4,5. 14. In the same; Light is come into the world, but men loved darkness more than light; for their works were evil." iii. 19. And again in the same; 66 While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of light. I have come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me may not abide in darkness." xii. 36. 46. From these it is manifest, that the Lord is from eternity God, and that He is that Lord, who was born in the world; for it is said, The Word was with God, and God was the Word; as alsc, that without Him was nothing made that was made; and afterwards, that the Word became flesh, and they saw Him. That the Lord is called the Word, is little understood in the church; but He is called the Word, because the Word signifies divine truth, or divine wisdom; and the Lord is divine Truth itself, or divine Wisdom itself; wherefore also He is called Light, concerning which also it is said, that it came into the world. Because divine wisdom and divine love make one, and in the

Lord were one from eternity, therefore also it is said, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." Life is divine love, and light is divine wisdom. This one is what is meant by, "In the beginning the Word was with God, and God was the Word." With God is in God, for wisdom is in love, and love in wisdom. Likewise in another place in John; "Glorify Thou Me, Father, with Thyself, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." xvii. 5. With Thyself is in Thyself. Wherefore also it is said, that God was the Word; and elsewhere, that the Lord is in the Father, and the Father in Him; as also, that the Father and He are one. Now, because the Word is the divine Wisdom of divine Love, it follows that it is Jehovah himself, thus the Lord, by whom all things were made that are made; for all things were created by divine Wisdom, from divine Love.

2. That it is the same Word, that was manifested by Moses and the Prophets, and by the Evangelists, which is here specifically meant, may appear manifest from this, that that is the divine truth itself, from which is all the wisdom of angels, and all the spiritual intelligence of men; for this same Word, which is with men in the world, is also with the angels in the heavens, but in the world with men it is natural, whereas in the heavens it is spiritual. And because it is the divine truth, it is also the Divine proceeding, and this is not only from the Lord, but it is also the Lord himself. Because that is the Lord himself, therefore each and every thing of the Word is written concerning Him alone; from Isaiah even to Malachi, there is not any thing which is not concerning the Lord, or which, in the opposite sense, is not contrary to the Lord. That it is so, no one as yet had seen, but still every one can see it, provided he knows it, and thinks of it whilst he is reading; and knows, moreover, that in the Word there is not only a natural sense, but also a spiritual sense; and that in this sense, by the names of persons and places, is signified something of the Lord, and thence something of heaven and the church from Him, or something opposite. Since each and every thing of the Word is concerning the Lord, and the Word is the Lord, because it is livine truth, it is manifest why it is said, that "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory;" and also why it is said, "While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of light. I have come a light into the world; he that believeth in Me doth

« ZurückWeiter »