Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/452

 presented, inasmucli as all places and all boundaries there were representative from ancient times. (A. C. n. 4289.)

That from being idolatrous the church became representative no one can know unless he knows what a representative is. The things which were represented in the Jewish church, and in the Word, are the Lord and His kingdom; consequently the celestial things of love, and the spiritual things of faith. These are what are represented, besides many things which pertain to them; as for instance all things belonging to the church. The things representing are either persons or things, in the world or on earth; in a word, all things which are objects of sense,—insomuch that there is scarcely any object that may not be a representative. But it is a general law of representation that nothing turns upon the person or upon the thing which represents, but upon that itself which is represented. As for example: Every king, whoever he was, in Judah and Israel, yea, in Egypt and elsewhere, could represent the Lord; the regal function of kings itself is representative. So could the worst of all kings,—as Pharaoh, who exalted Joseph over the land of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Dan. ii. 37, 38), Saul, and the other kings of Judah and Israel, of whatever character they were. The anointing itself involved this; whence they were called the anointed of Jehovah. In like manner all priests, how many soever they were, represented the Lord; the priestly function itself is representative. Priests likewise who were evil and impure; because in representatives nothing turns upon the character of the person. Nor did men only represent, but also beasts: As all those which were offered in sacrifice; lambs and sheep represented things celestial; doves and turtles things spiritual; likewise rams, goats, bullocks, and oxen,—but lower celestial and spiritual things. Nor, as was said, did things animate alone represent, but also inanimate things: As the altar, yea, the stones of the altar; and the ark and tabernacle, with all that was in them; and also the temple, with all things therein, as every one may know,—thus the lamps, the bread, and Aaron's garments. Nor were these only representative, but all the rites too that were observed in the Jewish church. In the Ancient churches representatives extended to all objects of the senses; as to mountains and hills; valleys, plains, rivers, brooks, fountains, and pools; to groves, and to trees in general, and each species of tree in particular,—insomuch that every tree had some