Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/453

 certain signification; all which afterwards, when the significative church ceased, became representative. From all this it may be seen what is meant by representatives. And as things celestial and spiritual, that is the things of the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and of the Lord's kingdom on earth, could be represented not only by men, whoever and whatever they were, but also by beasts and even by things inanimate, it is evident what a representative church is. The representatives had this effect: That all the things that were done according to the rites commanded appeared holy before the sight of spirits and angels; as when the high priest washed himself with water; when he ministered, clothed in his pontifical garments; when he stood before the lighted candles;—whatever he was, even though most impure and in his heart an idolater. So also the other priests. For, as was said, in representatives nothing turned upon the person, but upon that itself which was represented, quite apart from the person,—just as it was apart from the oxen, bullocks, and lambs that were sacrificed; or from the blood which was poured out around the altar; as also apart from the altar itself, and so on. After all internal worship was lost, and when worship had become not only merely external but also idolatrous, this representative church was instituted; in order that there might be some conjunction of heaven with earth, or of the Lord through heaven with man, even after the conjunction by the internals of worship had ceased. (A. C. n. 1361.)

That the representative of a church might exist among them, such statutes and such laws were given them as were entirely representative, by manifest revelation. So long therefore as they were in them and strictly observed them so long they could represent; but when they turned away from them,—as to the statutes and laws of other nations, and especially to the worship of another god,—they deprived themselves of the capability of representing. For this reason they were driven to laws and to statutes truly representative by external means,—which were captivities, scourges, threats, and miracles,—and were not brought to them by internal means, as they are who have internal worship in the external, (ib. n. 4281.)

No one who thinks soundly can believe that the different animals which were sacrificed had no other signification than sacrifices; or that an ox and young bullock or calf signified the same as a sheep, a kid, and a she-goat; and these the same as a lamb; and that the same was signified by turtle-doves and young pigeons. In truth each animal had its special signification; as may sufficiently appear from the fact that one was never offered in the place of another; and that those were expressly named which should be offered in the daily burnt-offerings and sacrifices,