Page:The Life and Mission of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/33

 the King. "Did the parson confirm his sermon by God's Word?" asked the King in reply. The complainant could not say nay, and the King dismissed him thus royally: "If the parson has God's Word, the King has nothing to say against it."

Naturally, in gaining the favor of the King, the plain preacher gained the enmity of many at Court, whose sins he did not spare, and by whom he was often near losing his place and life. But his honest boldness, not without a degree of shrewdness, always saved him. Having a daughter born while royal chaplain, he was unwilling to have the baptism at his house, as was then the fashion, though contrary to the law of the Church. Going to the King, he asked whether he should have his child baptized according to the fashion of Stockholm, or according to the law of the Church. The King could not but say, "According to the law of the Church." "Yes, but I cannot do so, because in that case I shall get neither a priest nor godparents." The King was pleased with the bold challenge, and engaged to be present, by his royal marshal, as godfather, and the Queen as godmother. The baptism took place in church, though not without the exercise of royal authority to secure a priest. In short, Charles XI, had so much confidence in Swedberg that he would refuse him nothing. "Ask of me what you will," said he one day, "and you shall have it" "From that day," says Swedberg, "I became more serious and more earnest in everything I spoke, and in everything I represented; so that I never asked for anything either for myself or for my family, not even a half-farthing's worth. . . . I prayed to God fervently that I might not exalt myself in consequence, nor abuse this favor, but that I might make use of it for the honor of God's name, for the service of His Church, and for the sake of the common welfare." Thus in Church matters, especially in appointments, Swedberg became a frequent adviser to the King. Simple-hearted, earnest men found themselves promoted, they knew not how; while many a vain man found himself disappointed.