not worth entertaining, There is a very simple process of reasoning, by which we may know whether the mind be organized or not. It is generally admitted that the mind alone thinks. Now, we know there can be no thought without a brain; for it is through the medium of the brain that all thoughts are produced; hence, then, if mind thinks it must have a brain. The existence of a brain supposes other organization, as the head and nerves, &c.; and these again of the body, arms, and legs. Thus, by the first admission, that mind thinks, a train of conclusions is arrived at, which shows it to possess organization; and, consequently, is a multitude of forms capable of receiving life from God; and of eternally existing in its own peculiar sphere-the spiritual world—as a spiritual

man.

It is sometimes objected, that organization supposes space, and inasmuch as space is not predicable of mind, they consider it self-evident that mind is unorganized! There is one objection to this conclusion, and it is a fatal one. Mind is not material, but spiritual, and therefore space cannot be predicated of it, whether it is organized or unorganized. Mind is above nature, and altogether uncontrolled by time and space. The whole of their objection is based upon the supposition, that mind is material (a fallacy often tacitly believed, but not so frequently professed). For if they supposed mind to be spiritual, they would have seen it to be above space; for what is spiritual is spaceless; and surely they would never suppose that what was spaceless when unorganized, would become spacious when organized; for there is nothing in the act of organization to cause such a supposition. It does not depend upon the form or organization, but upon the nature of the thing, whether it occupies space or not. If unorganized, it is spaceless; it is the same when organized; and if unorganized, it is spacious;—it remains the same, to a greater or lesser extent, when organized. Therefore, if they believe mind to be material, they must also acknowledge it to occupy space, whether it is organized or not; and, consequently, their objection is fatal to their own supposition.

If such individuals could perceive, that there are spiritual substances which are capable of being organized in the same way, but in a higher degree, as those of matter, they would have little difficulty in seeing the spiritually organized nature of mind. The chief difficulty they have, is their want of knowledge of the eternal world. If they could but see that there is another world, superior to, and distinct from, this; composed of different, but equally substantial substances; capable of being organized in a more refined manner than matter; governed by laws peculiar to itself, and not in any way amenable to the laws of this world; in fine, a totally distinct, but much more glorious world, of

which this is but a type and a shadow; but though distinct, yet united much in the same way as soul and body;-when once these simple ideas are seen, there is no difficulty whatever in supposing the organization of these spiritual substances, and forming what we call mind. Mind is an organized form expressly adapted to that world, in the same way as the body is expressly adapted to this; and even while clothed with the body, is an unconscious inhabitant of it; but when the mortal covering is put off by death, it will find itself a man "in lighter habit clad," living consciously in that higher state of existence.

But we may not only perceive that mind is organized, but, also, humanly organized; or, in other words, is endowed with all the capabilities of man, as well in form as in affections and thoughts. Many are astonished when they hear that the "mind is the man," in every sense of the word. They can tolerate, and even admire, the expression as a sentiment; but when they are examined and questioned somewhat closely, they do not really mean it. They evidently give a preference to the body, and consider the mind of very little importance abstractedly from it; and hence their idea of the necessity of the resurrection of the body. Really and truly speaking, almost the whole world is wrapped in the grossest materialism; for they make every thing to depend upon it. Life here and life hereafter, heaven and hell, and even their very ideas, are considered to be either entirely made up of, or in some way depending upon, matter. It is scarcely to be expected, therefore, that they can see the true nature of mind. But yet, there are a few simple and beautiful trains of reasoning, which one would suppose capable of convincing any man possessed of rationality and spiritual perception. For instance, what can be more convincing than this, that mind is in the human form? Mind thinks rationally; thought supposes a brain, and man is the only rational thinker; therefore, rational thought supposes a human brain; a human brain supposes a human head; a human head supposes a human body; and a human body supposes a human form. I do not know whether this reasoning is correct, but I can perceive no flaw in it. To me it appears beautifully clear and conclusive, and would induce me to assent to the truth of the proposition. There is another to prove the same truth. Mind is something, and if some thing, a substance; for whatever exists, is a substance; all substance is in some form; mind is an intellectual something or substance, and hence must have an intellectual form, and the only intellectual form is the buman, therefore mind is in the human form !

Mind, then, is a spiritual substance, spiritually organized, and in the human form. It is absolutely man himself—the immortal man; being,

in fact, his affections and thoughts in form. This view leads to very important considerations, which are capable of being eminently useful and eminently practical. For every man is what his affections and thoughts make him; and such as these are, such is the form of his mind. If they be pure and undefiled, it will appear in the eternal world beautiful and angelic; but, if they be impure and defiled, it will be monstrous and infernal. This is the reason why there are beings angelic and beings infernal. The former have acquired angelic dispositions and ideas, and hence their forms are heavenly and glorious; the latter have acquired infernal dispositions and ideas, and hence their forms are diabolical and dreadful. So we shall be in the life to come, just what we love and think, both in essence and form; and it is as impossible for a man to become an angel whose dispositions and thoughts are diabolical, as it is for a leopard to change his spots, or the Ethiopian his skin; and vice versa. What a subject for serious reflection is this! and how remarkably calculated to cause us to pause before we give way to the baser passions that we are prone to! Every love we indulge, and every idea we rationally confirm, will cause us either to rejoice and say with the Apostle, "We have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens;" or to lament and say with the Prophet, "Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised Jehovah, is burnt up with fire, and all our pleasant things are laid waste!" "O that men were wise, that they understood this, and considered their latter end!"

R. E.

MATERIALS FOR MORAL CULTURE.

[Continued from page 460, last volume.]

"Keep the channel open."-No. CCL.

CCCLII.

In heaven, the highest bliss is described by Swedenborg as-peace-a bliss too pure to be tasted on earth, its nearest resemblance being that "rest unto the soul" which is enjoyed by those who are “content in God." (H. H. 284.) What, then, is the origin of raptures and ecstasies in religion, even when most sincere, but an admixture of natural heat and excitement; an effervescence of the natural feelings, exciting the spiritual sentiments to the assumption of an extravagant form? If, then, any one find his religious feelings tending to a rapturous or exaggerated state, let him, suspect that this is owing merely to the N. S. No. 86.-VOL. VIII.

E

incidental strength of his natural spirits, and let him, therefore, restrain them, that the more equable and lasting principle within them may shew itself in a calm serenity of state. But if he must give vent to his feelings, he may remember the words of James, "Is any merry, let him sing psalms." Thus will he bring them under the moderating power of Truth.

CCCLIII.

If you are acting right, all is right; for God is doing the best for you that Omnipotence can do.

CCCLIV.

How sweet is the fragrance of that happiness which, through Divine Grace, your own hand has (mediately) created in another; and how does this fragrance intensify itself, while your grateful heart joyfully ascribes that happiness, and the power of producing it, to the Only Fountain of good!

CCCLV.

66

It is much to be lamented that a bad temper should be estimated, even by religious characters, rather as an infirmity than a fault; for is it not obvious, that such persons are to be classed with those who are angry with their brother without a cause"?-persons who, we are instructed by Swedenborg, are void of charity in the first degree? (Matt. v. 22, explained in Ap. Ex. 746.)

CCCLVI.

Whenever we thank God for natural enjoyments with particular fervour, inasmuch as the thought is then detained in the sensual extremes, near the proprium, the idea is liable to be suggested by the proprium, that we are more favoured than others. So the Jews, who doated only on external things, attributed their possession of them to the partiality of Divine favour. So, also, when the regenerate mind is full of joy and light of a more external and exciting kind, there being then an approach to the new proprium, formed above the old, an idea may arise that those who are comparatively unreceptive of Divine blessings, are comparatively not objects of Divine favour. Only the celestial are finally delivered from the idea that they are objects of grace, or partial, or personal favour; and hence they supplicate only for mercy, while the spiritual pray for grace. It is remarkable that those do most violate the true doctrine of grace who talk most about it, namely, the holders of the Calvanistic views of election, who bless God that they are favoured beyond others.

CCCLVII.

Every possible change in our natural and social position and circumstances, must be intended by Providence to afford us a fuller opportunity of advancing in the regenerate life. Surely this ought to content us; even although it be a change from wealth to poverty; from health to sickness; from joy to sorrow; or from possession to privation, of any kind.

CCCLVIII.

There are two kinds of self-teaching which resist legitimate instruction, namely, the sceptical and the superstitious. Both are equally grounded in the self-will of man; but while the former is the wolf in his own skin, the latter is the same in a sheep-skin. An unteachable disposition is the attribute of both.

CCCLIX.

What does superstition, viewed essentially, consist in? Does it not imply the tendency, and thence the attempt, to build religious conclusions on an unsolid foundation? If this be a proper definition, even a professed member of the New Church may become justly chargeable with superstition, whenever he strains a passage of Swedenborg to make agree with some favourite hypothesis, which probably never entered his author's mind, and which he thus attempts to plant on a basis that cannot legitimately support it. Such a proceeding appears to be perfectly analogous to the foisting of the papal superstitions on certain sayings of the Lord, which were uttered with a totally different intention.

it

CCCLX.

No two things can be more opposed to each other, than legitimately drawing a conclusion believed to have been carefully formed and intended by an author; and hunting him through for something that may be made to favour an idea that he never meant to convey, and which, probably, never entered his mind. It is the difference between honesty and dishonesty.

CCCLXI.

The interpretation of the Word is fundamental to the whole theory and practice of religion; but the spirit of the interpreter is fundamental to the interpretation itself. Every thing depends upon his eye being single,-upon the spirit or intention of his mind being pure and right. If the mental eye be evil, the very light of the sacred page will become to it as darkness. A similar rule applies to the interpretation of the writings of Swedenborg.