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Bible in the same way in which men on earth read it, but also in the way in which it is read by the angels in heaven.

But it would be better for you to be in ignorance of the whole science of correspondence, than for you not to know, or not to remember, that the spiritual sense of the Bible does not make the literal sense of it feeble or useless; but adds infinitely to its authority and power.

Never forget, that the Bible, in its literal sense, is most holy; that it contains the words of God; that it is the Word of God; and that, in its letter and in its words, Divine Wisdom and Infinite Truth are dwelling, as the soul within the body.

The knowledge of the correspondence and signification of the things of nature does not make those things less real or less valuable. You will not love the light less, nor the warmth of the sun, nor will you be less nourished by your food, because you have learnt what these things mean. Do not, therefore, think less, but infinitely more, of the Bible in its literal sense; think of it with

more reverence, and obey it more carefully and constantly, because you now know something of the spiritual sense that is within the literal.

In former lessons I said something of the passing away of a church, and the establishment of another in its stead. I would add now, that every church, however liable to corruption and perversion by the evils and falsities of men, has, of necessity, an improving influence upon the character and condition of mankind, and so makes it possible for mankind to receive and profit by higher and greater truth than before. You may see this in relation to the Bible. The Jews looked upon the Old Testament as containing a law relating to things of the earth, and so given, that they were bound to obey it by the fear of the earthly sufferings which would punish disobedience. Christians have the New Testament; and they are also taught that the precepts and instructions of the Old Testament are intended to make men better, and fitter for heavenly happiness. The New Church, which the Lord is now establishing, and of which you will, we hope, be

members, knows also that the Bible is the Word of God truly;-a Word, which continually and forever teaches the angels to be more and more heavenly in their character; a Word, which comes down from heaven to earth, to lead men up to heaven; and a Word, which forever, in heaven and upon earth, teaches the way in which we may go to Him who is Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

LESSON

TWENTIETH.

There is one thing about the science of correspondence, which I have said once or twice already, but say again now, because it is very important for you to remember. And this is, that correspondence exists only between internal things and external things. This is true of the whole universe of creation, natural as well as spiritual, for this is the order in which the whole universe is created.

Now, one truth comes from this, which can never cease from instructing us, and I have already spoken of it; I mean the truth, that the science of correspondence gives to all nature and to all the things of nature, the continual power of teaching us concerning our own souls, our own duties, and our own dangers. This is a principal use of the world we live in; and therefore I speak of it often. It is a very low and poor idea, that this great and beautiful world, beautiful from the stars above us to the flowers at our feet, and even to the glittering grains of sand, which we can hardly take up

with our fingers,—it is a very low and narrow thought, which sees in this world, only a home for our bodies, and fields to give our bodies food. But without the science of correspondence, we can have very little thought beyond this. That this science is now given to us, we cannot therefore be too grateful.

If one came from God, this day, and proclaimed among men, that he had power and authority to create for us a new world, of far greater beauty and far more perfect order than that we live in, how glad we should be. Yet this is little more than is done by the science of correspondence. The world, in the light of this science, shines with new beauty, because we see that all its beauty comes from the truth which it expresses. And the order we saw before in the world, becomes now far more perfect, because it is seen to be in agreement with the order in which things of the soul are that are eternal. And now we look on the earth, not only as a place where we may work and live, and from which we may gather fruits to keep our bodies alive, but as a hom

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