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the composition of the soul, and likewise in some of my interpretations, I hope, Theophila, I have given you sufficient room to apprehend that by the Scriptural heaven and heavens I understand not particular kingdoms, existing any where; nor by the sun, moon, and stars, any celestial bodies of the same nature as those that are visible to us, but that I am inclined to take the heaven for the superior matter or substance that has been gifted by the Creator of all things with spirituality or morality, with the spiritual knowledge, or mind, or power, and which was a part of the spirit which God did form within man. I have represented it as being endued with the knowledge of God and faith in Him: which seem to me to constitute within a creature, in a variety degrees, the spiritual or the moral system, the system that can make him happy. The heaven, I mean the heaven of heavens, being mentioned in the Holy Writ as the throne of God, I believe that it means the perfect spirit on which rests the Spirit of God; such as the spirit of the man after God's own heart, and Christ's sanctified spirit, in whom dwelleth and speaketh the Most High and Holy Spirit, uttering His word through him, to reconcile the world unto Himself. Taking the heavens to proceed from the heaven, and to partake of its virtues and lights, I consider them as spirits of the heaven, as spiritual knowledges of different degrees, as higher systems than any of those that belong to the wisdom of the world; and by which those who receive them in their heart, and in whom they prevail above the human and philosophical notions, over the opinion of oneself which is the spirit of the earth, may become the spiritual or heavenly creatures, whom I suppose to be called in

some parts of the Sacred History, the heavens that praise God (Ps. 148. 4), the Stars and the Sons of God (Job, 38. 7). The word heavens may mean also fortunate states of the soul, the happy states of angels and immortal beings, according to their degrees of sanctity: the same as the different parts of the Scriptural world represent, in my opinion, the more or less difficult states of mortals, during the process of their regeneration.

(The parts of immensity wherein appear and range our material sun, moon, and stars, are commonly called among us the heavens; but as those skies hear not the word of the Lord, nor declare the glory of God, neither seem to refer to our soul, I cannot look upon them but as instructive figures or emblems of the spiritual heavens that are spoken of in the inspired Writings).

But though I think it would be, in our present condition, more beneficial to us to admit that in speaking of heaven, the Scripture may allude to a part of the soul, to the moral and religious substance or matter which God created in men, perhaps as a counterpoise and a light, at the same time that he set the world or mundane matter and darkness in their heart; in other words, to the spirit or spiritual part which He gave to men, to counteract in them the flesh or the human mind; more beneficial, I say, than to believe that it relates to a celestial abode where we are not, and of which we know nothing, I request most earnestly that you will not infer from it, that I deny that there may be in immensity a place allotted to the regenerate and righteous souls, where they meet and commune together in good instructions, in spiritual love and charity; and where they enjoy the degree of felicity which Divine Justice and Mercy have

decreed and provided for them, according to their previous deeds and perfections.

The firmament of the heaven, I take likewise to be a superior spirit or knowledge which God created within man, as a second day or light, to strengthen or to confirm in him the spirit of the heaven, to expand in him the first light, or to expand the spiritual knowledge, and to divide his higher knowledges from the inferior that have a similarity with them, so that they should not be confounded together (Gen. 1. 6.); and in which it pleases the Almighty to create the virtues or perfect spirits that have for object to enlighten the human mind (16). It has been explained that the sun represents righteousness, and the stars wisdom. I have not heard the signification of the moon; but I have some reasons to believe that she represents the spiritual humanity, or the opinion of oneself enlightened and spiritualized, a luminous system or knowledge far superior to the philosophical or to the worldly; an instructive and consoling virtue, partaking of both the spiritual and the human knowledges and qualities: which, increasing in the heart, gives more and more light to the mind; and, by degrees, shows less and less of the spirit of the earth, in proportion as she advances in the spirit of the heaven, or in the knowledge of God and faith in Him. The Scripture speaking of the wisdom of God, and of the wisdom of the world, I am disposed to believe that there is likewise righteousness according to God, and righteousness according to the world, and that in some places the sun ought to be understood as referring to the spiritual righteousness, and in others to the human. There may be also a distinction to be observed in the

spiritual humanity, according as it is humanity or spirituality that prevails in her. I invite you to examine whether there can be any appearance of truth in those notions; and how far I am right or wrong, in the application I am going to attempt to a number of verses.

Genesis, 1. 1. In the knowledge with which the Omnipo

tent gifted the matter or substance that was the first act of His creation, concerning the soul, and which was the beginning of her power, and is also the agent of her regeneration, God created the moral or spiritual part, and the physical or human part; or the spirit of the heaven, and the spirit of the earth or of the world; or the spiritual system, and the human system; or the belief of the immortal beings, and the opinion of mortals; or the substance of the heaven that is life, and the substance of the earth that is death, or that is the mortal part of the soul. 8. And God called the spirit Firmament moral. 14. And God said, let there be enlightening knowledges in the spirit, or in the moral knowledge, that is the firmament of the spiritual part, or the expansion of the spiritual knowledge (in the creature).

16. And God made two great luminous knowledges: the greater light to rule the spiritual knowledge, and the lesser light to rule the human mind. His word made the knowledges of wisdom also.

17. And God set them in the superior and moral

Genesis, 2.

knowledge that is the expansion or extension of the light, or the firmament of faith in God, to give light upon the human mind.

1. Thus the spiritual knowledges or substances, and the human knowledge and substance were finished (within the inward man or the soul), and all the virtues and qualities that adorn them, or that are their powers. 4. These are the generations of the moral knowledges and of the human philosophy, when they were created, in the enlightening knowledge or science wherein the Word of the Lord God made the spirit or substance of the earth and the spirits or substances of the heaven (in His creature).

11. 4. Let us build (within our souls) a philosophical system and a strong knowledge, the

highest degree thereof may reach unto the moral knowledge.

14. 19. And He blessed his soul, and said, blessed be the soul Abram of the Word of the Most High God, possessor of the spiritual and of the human knowledge, or of the heavenly and earthly substance.

15. 12. And when the spirit of righteousness was going down or declining (in the soul Abram), a deep sleep fell upon her, and lo, an horror of great mental darkness fell upon her. 17. And it came to pass, that, when the knowledge of righteousness decreased, and it was dark (in his soul).

19. 23. The spirit of righteousness was risen upon

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