Page:Heaven Revealed.djvu/291

 ferred to, feel some repugnance toward the new doctrine—a repugnance all the stronger, too, in proportion to their reverence for the Scripture—is not surprising. And when opposition to any of the great Swede's revealings springs from such pious ground—from a belief that they are contrary to the Word of the Lord—we confess to a profound respect for it. We blame no one for his opposition to the doctrines promulgated by Swedenborg, while he honestly believes that they contradict the Bible. We would not have a person accept a word he teaches—nay, would counsel him not to accept it—so long as it seems to him contrary to the teachings of the Divine Word.

Yet we would urge all to remember this: that the Lord reveals Himself in his Works as well as in his Word; that both these Volumes are alike his, and therefore alike sacred; and that his laws, from whichever of these sources ascertained, are equally divine, and equally entitled to our reverence. We would beg them further to bear in mind, that men are just as liable to misunderstand and misinterpret one of these Volumes as the other. There is nothing to secure us absolutely against misunderstanding either; and the proofs are abundant that both have often been misinterpreted. Whenever these two Volumes, therefore, Nature and Revelation, seem in conflict, we may be sure that the conflict is only apparent, and arises from our misunderstanding one or the other; and it is the part of wisdom to endeavor to ascertain which it is that we have misunderstood. As God's Word may help us to see and understand Him in his works, so the revelation of