BARON SWEDENBORG'S CANONICAL BOOKS.

The Baron was a man of more than common courage; for having regulated the mediatorshipthe day of judgment-the resurrection, and the angelic world, besides several other trifling matters, he then turns his attention to the sacred scriptures, and out of sixty-six books which the bible contains, he very modestly excludes thirtytwo! Had one more been thrown out, then just half would have been gone! The books excluded are charged with having "no internal sense!"

Now, if the Baron be allowed to expel thirtytwo books out of the bible, may not some other courageous man be allowed the same liberty of conscience, and suffered to dismiss at least half a score more? Then surely, as we all wish for equal laws and equal rights, another man finding that several of the books yet remaining both annoy his practice and bother his conscience, must needs think himself entitled to the very moderate privilege of dismissing half a dozen more! And as the world is said by some Ready Reckoners to contain a thousand million of inhabitants, it is easy to see that even a lusty quarto bible would be reduced to the thickness of an old coin sixpence-long

long before all objectors and Swedenborgians had exercised their imprescriptible rights, and their elective franchise!

It may, however, be worth while to consider seriously, whether it would not be much the safer way to admit the whole bible in its present form, than either to abridge or suffer it to be abridged, for the accommodation of our own whims, or the gratification of other men's capricious humours. Nor should we ever forget what a dreadful penalty attaches to those who have the desperate courage either to add to, or take from, the word of God. Rev. xxii. 18, 19.

"EXTRACT:-Which are the books of the word. That the books of the Word are all they which have the internal sense but that those books, which have not the internal sense, are not the Word. That the books of the Word in the Old Testament are the Five Books of Moses, the Book of Joshua, the Book of Judges, the two Books of Samuel, the two Books of Kings, the Psalms of David, the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; and in the New Testament, the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; and the Revelation. The

rest have not the internal sense.' Treatise concerning the New Jerusalem, No. 266.

Catalogue of books in the Old and New Testament, rejected by Baron Swedenborg.

In the Old Testament.

Ruth, I. Chronicles, II. Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.

In the New Testament.

The Acts of the Apostles, Romans, I. Corinthians, II. Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I.Thessalonians, II.Thessalonians, I. Timothy, II. Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I. Peter, II. Peter, I. John, II. John, III. John, Jude.

10 Books of the Old Testament rejected. 22 Books of the New Testament rejected.

A SAMPLE OF SWEDENBORGIAN CHARITY.

In the Baron's writings the word charity is a very prominent word: of course we have a fair claim upon him, not only for the manifestation of much candour of expression, but also for a great share of benevolent feeling and brotherly love. How far he has satisfied our claims or gratified

our expectations, will be seen in the following Extracts from a small tract published "By the Members of the New Jerusalem Church, who assemble in Great East Cheap, London, 1788, entitled, "REASONS FOR SEPARATING FROM THE OLD CHURCH, &c." For the accuracy of these extracts, the author does not vouch, but he will vouch for it that they are exactly copied from the tract in question.

It may be necessary to remind the reader, that in perusing these extracts, he bear it in mind, that by the "Old Church" so often mentioned, is to be understood both the Roman Catholics, and Protestants of every denomination!

EXTRACTS:-"Some passages from Emanuel Swedenborg, whereon the expediency, and even necessity, of a complete separation from the Old Church, is founded."

"That all prayers directed to a trinity of persons are henceforth not attended to, but rejected in heaven as ill-scented odours." True Christ. Rel. n. 108.

"That there is nothing spiritual remaining in the Old Church, but that it is full of blasphemy * against the Lord." True Christ. Rel. n. 132, 133. Apoc. Rev. n. 692, 715.

H

"That the christian church is at this day entirely overturned." True Christ. Rel. n. 177.

"That a faith in a trinity of persons playeth the harlot with every truth of the Word." True Christ. Rel. n. 177.

"That the Lord is departed from the Old Church." True Christ. Rel. n. 177.

"That all who abide by the faith of the Old Church do not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climb up some other way." True Christ. Rel n. 177.

"That there is not a single truth remaining in the Old Church, which is not falsified, and brought to its consummation: and that this is signified by the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel." True Christ. Rel. n. 174, 177, 180, 758.

"That so long as men adhere to, and are influenced by the faith of the Old Church, so long the new heaven cannot descend to them, and consequently so long the New Church cannot be established among them." True Christ. Rel. n. 182.

"That the faith of the Old Church is the dragon which obstructs and prevents the reception of divine truth from the Lord." True Christ. Rel.

n. 182.

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"That by the faith of the Old Church no flesh