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thy adversary at thy gate; for while thou art parleying thy foes increase. If thou permit a viper to nestle in thy bosom but for a short season, thou mayst expect a numerous family ere long. Close thy door, therefore, against single vices, or thou wilt find thy mind soon eaten up by many. Evil is the enemy under whose aggressions thy fortitude is to support thee; and shouldst thou knowingly admit it into thy mind, thy liberty and strength will be taken from thee without a struggle. Remember, there is no real strength but in righteousness; for the wicked fleeth, even when no man pursueth.

But take not care of thy life and of thy peace for thyself alone; for thou wast created for others as well as thyself. If God has strengthened thee, seek out thy weak brother, and give him the benefit of thy fortitude. In this thou wilt find an advantage to thyself; for thy strength will increase in proportion to the use that thou performest by it. In thy strength defend the oppressed, support the destitute, and protect all widows and orphans; and the God of mercy will abundantly reward thee for thy labours.

If thou wouldst be magnanimous under misfortune, thou must first know how to bear with prosperity; for he who suffers himself to be seduced by the smiles of fortune, will be destroyed by her frowns. Fortune is proverbially a fickle patron; and if thou shouldst place thy heart in her lap, when the wind changes she will turn thy blood into poison, and thy cup will be filled with the dregs of misery. Be wise, O man, and make thy happiness to consist in trusting to an all-wise Providence, and in performing uses to thy fellow-mortals with conscious rectitude. This will render thee independent of all outward good; and thou wilt never be dismayed when the dark tide of adversity rolls around thee. Therefore, "if riches increase, set not thy heart upon them," but consider them only as means whereby thou mayst advance the good of thy brethren. Examine well the difference between means and ends, that thou mayst never leave thy uses half performed. If thou thinkest thy work finished when thy implements only are prepared, thou shalt merit the contempt of thy fellows, and want bread for thy folly. Get all the means that thou art able, that thou mayst the more perfectly perform thy work; but waste no time in counting the number of thy tools, lest thou be called hence before thy business of life is begun. If thou canst thus look upon all earthly good, thou wilt never permit a flood of prosperity to elevate thee in thy own estimation above the rest of mortals.

To be strong thou must know thyself; look, then, candidly into thine

heart, and understand thyself thoroughly, that thou mayst know thy weaknesses and thy failings; and in the day of tribulation keep thy eye constantly fixed upon them, peradventure they should give way and involve thee in ruin. Self-ignorance is the most deplorable of all wants; but by self-knowledge thou mayst keep thy soul from evil; and if thou fall while it is present, thou wilt have nothing to blame but thyself. If thou knowest not thyself, how canst thou tell that the next wave will not destroy thy uncertain strength, and carry thee away into the sea of destruction? Be diligent, therefore, in thy researches into thyself, and let not vanity deceive thee; so shalt thou have light in thy dwelling, and the powers of darkness shall flee from thee.

Accustom thyself to calmness and steadiness of mind; for thereby wilt thou strengthen thyself against the hour of peril. Let not anger throw confusion into thy soul; for a confused soldier is half defeated ere the contest begins. Remember the advice of Moses to Israel in the hour of their extremity:- 'Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew you to-day." Let not, therefore, thy mental army be confused, but be calm, be still; so shall the Lord divide thy troubles before thee, and thou shalt pass through dry shod. Calmness will at all times alleviate thy distresses, and put thy mind into the best condition of obtaining a speedy issue out of all thy troubles. And if thou cultivate a uniform steadiness of purpose towards the dictates of thy conscience, thou wilt not easily be led astray from the plain path of duty. But, O man, however prudently thou mayst arrange thy mind, remember that strength is not of mortals, but of God. If thou goest to fight thy battles, and the Lord goeth not with thine armies, thou shalt surely fall, and thy heritage shall become a prey; thou shalt lose thy soul! Beware, then, lest in thy anxiety to arm thy house, thou forget thy God. He hath given His Word to be thy light and thy strength; and in it thou mayst find a weapon that will overcome every foe; make it, therefore, thine armory, and thou shalt be equipped with divine strength, and the Omnipotent Himself shall fight for thee in the battles of thy soul. Thus shalt thou live in this world of trouble, assisted by a divine Fortitude.

R. E.

TRUTH AND WATER.

THERE is nothing in the outer world, considered in connexion with the inner, that has so often delighted me as the nature and uses of water,

considered as to their correspondence with the nature and uses of truth. Often have I gazed upon the pure limpid stream, and seen perfectly reflected my outward self, as its crystal water smoothly teemed itself into the flowing river from some clear spring; and turning to my inner world, have likewise gazed upon the pure truth, and seen therein the true reflection of my inner self. Then it was that the true view of the character and uses of truth has been forcibly brought to mind. I have thought that the Divine Word should not only be regarded as the universal purifier of the mind, but also as the universal mirror, in which we may see the true expression of ourselves-our defects and attainments; that we should, therefore, regard the expression of every truth as a picture of ourselves, and especially of the Lord, who is the Truth; and every text as a Divine commentary upon our character and life.

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The feeling of delight to which I have alluded, must have forcibly operated upon every mind which, in its contemplations, has ever turned its attention to the fact, that water corresponds to truth. In the writings of Swedenborg this fact is seen in all its beauty and detail. And, by candid and intellectual minds, these writings must ever be respected for what they teach man by means of that heavenly science the science of correspondences. One striking instance of the respect which they command has just come under my notice. I have recently read Mrs. Butler's "Year of Consolation," and, in the chapter of compensations, there are penned the following beautiful sentiments :"As we went round the house we came upon another stone basin, of beautiful form and proportions, into which another gush of living water was falling in the bright sunshine; farther on, again, beneath a sombre avenue of ilex, another of these precious reservoirs sparkled and gleamed. I cannot describe my delight in living water; these perpetually-running fountains are a perpetual baptism of refreshment to my mind and senses. The Swedenborgians consider water, when the mention of it occurs in the Bible, as typical of truth. I love to think of that when I look at it, so bright, so pure, so transparent, so temperate, so fit an emblem for that spiritual element in which our souls should bathe and be strengthened, at which they should drink and be refreshed! Fire purifies, but destroys; water cleanses and revives. Christ was himself baptized in water, and also washed his disciples' feet in the regenerating element. He promised living waters to all those who, thirsty, drew near to him, and spoke of that well of everlasting life which those to whom he gave to drink possessed for ever in their souls."

S. B.

(THAT EVIL SPIRITS ARE [THEMSELVES] TO BLAME FOR WHATEVER EVIL BEFALS THEM.)

(From Swedenborg's Spiritual Diary.)

3037. Discoursing with spirits concerning this subject, [I showed] that they do themselves a mischief as often as they attempt any [evil] against another; so that this is of just retribution; to wit, that the like is recompensed to them again. For when they were in the endeavour to inflict evil upon some one, and the same recoiled upon themselves, they maintained, according to the appearance, that it proceeded from me and others; whereas [in reality] it was from themselves, or, self-inflicted. Wherefore, because they would not be persuaded concerning this [truth], it was stated to them in a demonstrative way; [as,] that in case one were to dash his head against a wall, it could not be of the wall, but such one's own [act]. It was, moreover, illustrated by many [examples] that throughout the body there must be a similar equilibration [or, even-balancing of forces], consequently in the smallest membranes, fibres, [yea] in the least particle of animal spirit, so that for every action there is a correspondent re-action; and that, failing such reaction, there could nothing [well] subsist, but flaccidity and disease must supervene; wherefore [all] is one continued equilibrium. So likewise in all other things.

5038. As also, amongst mankind, according as any one acts (est) in relation to another, even so does that other answer [the same], if not in outward act, yet within his own mind (animo). Hence, persons are so well aware of this, that they do not [often] go beyond what men can bear [of aggression], fearing the result from them of evil [for evil]. And such [result] obtains, with indefinite variety, according to the state and nature of each individual. So entirely is this [law] inscribed upon nature, that [even] young birds, yea, the smallest insects resist, according to the aggression, and their own courage. Hence now it is evident that the retributive evil, which such [as design evil against others] suppose to be from another, is self-inflicted; since universally such reciprocity obtains. But if it be so in all, even the minutest things of nature, what must it not be in the grand body! However, in every sphere (in mundo) of evil spirits the like [result of evil] obtains, as amongst mankind. In the heavens a different reaction exists, inasmuch as there nothing of evil is inflicted upon any one; but [every thing] is turned into good.-Sept. 2, 1748. The same was demonstrated after an experimental manner.

3039. Such is the nature of evil spirits, that they desire that the good may never resist, but yield, so that they may be thus enabled to inflict all manner of evil upon them; but it was stated to them in reply, that they could not but resist, and that if they were not resisted, they would entirely abuse their kindness, and endeavour to destroy all in heaven and on earth; wherefore they must be resisted. The world of spirits, however, is so constituted that evil is inflicted upon those who do evil, by evil spirits, and not by the good; although the good appear [so long as they are in the world of spirits] to be together with them.

THE INSTRUCTION AND THE LIFE INDISPENSABLE TO SALVATION.

(From Swedenborg.)

Ir is a known thing, that faith grounded in love is an essential medium of salvation, and that hence it is a principle of the doctrine of the church; but inasmuch as it is of importance to know how man may be in illustration, so as to learn the truths which must constitute his faith, and in affection to do the goods which must constitute his love, and thus may know whether his faith be the faith of truth, and his love the love of good, this shall be shewn in order, as follows:

I. Let him read the Word every day, either one or two chapters, and learn from a master and from preachings the doctrines of his religion; and especially let him learn that God is one,-that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, (John iii. 35; chap. xvii. 2; Matt. xi. 27; chap. xxviii. 18.) that the Word is holy,—that there is a heaven and a hell,and that there is a life after death.

II. Let him learn from the Word, from a master, and from preachings, what works are sins, and that they are especially adulteries, thefts, murders, false testimonies, and several others mentioned in the Decalogue; likewise that lascivious and obscene thoughts also are adulteries,—that frauds and illicit gains also are thefts.—that hatred and revenges also are murders, and that lies and blasphemations also are false testimonies ; and so on. Let him learn all these things as he advanceth from infancy to the age of adolescence.

III. When man begins to think from himself, which is the case after the age of adolescence, it must then be the first and primary principle with him to desist from doing evils, because they are sins against the Word, thus against God; and that if he doeth them, he cannot go into N. S. No. 93.-VOL. VIII.

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