a vacuum, or a nothing, nothing can possibly be predicated,-nothing that relates to an agent or a reagent, a recipient or an attractive principle, thus to the life of wisdom and love, in which there are infinite affections, with their variations, perceptions, and sensations, because nothing is nothing, and of nothing nothing can be predicated.

When Newton heard these things he said, that he had already desisted from that idea, and that he would in future desist from it, knowing that. he is now in the spiritual world, in which, nevertheless, according to his former idea, his vacuum, if it exist at all, ought to be. He also knows that he is still a man, and that he there thinks, feels, and acts, yea, respires, all which things he could not possibly do in a vacuum, which is considered to be as a nothing; but that these things can only be done in something which is, and which exists and subsists from an Esse. Neither can it be supposed, that there is an interstitial, [or an intermediate] vacuum or nothing, because that would be destructive of something, that is, of essences and substances, which are something. For something and nothing are altogether opposites,-so much so, that a man should experience a sense of horror at the idea of nothing, and that he should guard himself against it, lest his mind should, as it were, fall into a swoon.

Concerning colours Newton said, that in the world he had believed that they arose from substances, which are, as it were, diversely coloured matters, continually emanating from the solar ocean, and continually aggregating themselves to similar matters in objects in the world, and this when they pass through transparent [media], following the way of light, according to its infractions and refractions, and continuing to add themselves to what is analogous, thus red to red, blue to blue, yellow to yellow, and so forth, as in prisms, crystalline globes, vapors, &c., whence arise rainbows. But the angels said, that they did not acknowledge this to be the cause of colours, observing that there are colours in the spiritual world as well as in the natural world, and that in the spiritual world they are more vivid, more splendid, and more variegated than in the natural world, and that they know that they are the variegation of their light, corresponding to their love or goodness, and to their wisdom or truth; and that the Sun, from which their light proceeds, is the Lord Himself, whose Divine Love around Him presents the appearance of a Sun, and whose Divine Wisdom hence presents the appearance of Light; and that from that Sun, which, as was said, is pure love, no such substances or matters flow out, but that that pure light presents variegations of colours in objects according to the reception of wisdom by the angels, thus the colour red as much as their wisdom is derived from,

or partakers of, Good, and the white shining colour as much as their wisdom is derived from, or partakers of, Truth; and the other colours arise as they partake of the defect and absence (which in the world correspond to shades) of those two primary colours. Moreover the angels, by their spiritual ideas, by which they can exhibit the causes of things to the life, and to the full conviction of those with whom they converse, demonstrated that colours are nothing else than the variegations of ruddy flaming light, and of white shining light in objects according to their forms, and that colours are not material, as the light is not material, because it corresponds to the love and wisdom of the angels from which, by the Divine operation, they proceed, as their love and wisdom are not material but spiritual. Heat and light in the world are also not material but natural, and they flow into matters in which they modify themselves according to the forms of the parts; wherefore colours are not material, as would be the case if they existed from diversely coloured atoms. At length, from a certain species of indignation they said, who does not see that the Newtonian cause of colours is paradoxical, yea, absurd? and they departed, saying that they would return if he would think spiritually, or even naturally on [the true cause of] colours, and not thus materially and sensually. A certain spirit then approached him and said;―Think, I beseech thee, concerning colours, not from any little prism, or from any wall, but from the colour green of all the forests, and of all the grassy plains of the universal earth, in which thou hast been, whether thou canst conceive of the continual efflux of the colour green alone from the sun, and at the same time of the influx, and of its constant renewal; and likewise whether thou canst conceive of the continual influx of a greyish, or of a stony colour into the rocky and mountainous parts of the entire earth, and so forth. In such a case wouldst thou not think of a continual ocean of green and of stony colour? Tell me, whither would these colours go-where would they stop? Would they not go into the universe, or fall somewhere below, or ascend somewhere above? It is probable that new earths might exist therefrom, which indeed, as they constantly proceed in such abundance, and as they are, according to your idea, material, might be possible. After Newton had thought more deeply upon this subject he said,-Now I know that colours are modifications of light in objects, in the forms of which they constitute common planes, upon which the light, according to the forms of the parts, is variegated, whence colours arise. These are Newton's own words, which he desired me to communicate.

22

ON THE NECESSITY OF OUR YOUNG MEN QUALIFYING THEMSELVES FOR THE MINISTRY.

(Concluded from page 457.)

BUT the acquisition of a commanding possession of language is the lowest talent which I would urge upon young men. Lord Bacon said that speaking makes a ready man, writing a correct man, and reading a full man. Young men, to be effective as ministers, must read much. They must familiarize themselves with Swedenborg as a matter of course. The Arcana should be their common book. If they have read it and the Apocalypse Explained once through with attention, and then an occasional volume as they felt inclined, and make references for every discourse, they will be well furnished with material for thought. They should also be pretty familiar with the literature of the day, but especially with history, and most of all with the history of the church. He who knows church history well, will know how little he needs be deterred from the unbiassed use of his own intellect, by deference either to the intelligence or the piety of past ages. He will know that the great of bygone days, with very few exceptions, were great only because they were surrounded by masses of ignorance and vice. That an abject superstition, combined with a persecuting spirit, has ruled mankind since very early ages, and with a slight exception after the days of the apostles, in the Christian Church so called; and therefore to advance the world he must look up and look forwards, not backwards. He may learn from history what to avoid, but comparatively little of what to do. Yet so much does our duty consist in avoiding evils and errors, that history is, and will probably always be, an invaluable portion of study. A minister also should be generally acquainted with the sciences, and if there be one or two which he selects for his hours of relaxation, it will be a source of both gratification and improvement. He needs never fear a discovery of any truth opposed to his theology. The New Church light is the soul, and science is the body of the great system of Truth. The more he progresses in both, the more he will behold of harmony, wisdom, and beauty. Let him cherish all science, then, and above all, that which bears upon the letter of the Divine Word. And this brings me to the necessity of reading the Word in the original languages. The Lord has for wise purposes given his revelation in Hebrew and Greek, and he occupies but an inferior position who cannot read them as they have been given. Such is the beautiful adaptation of the letter to the spirit in the original, that nothing can be displaced or altered without

obscuring the truth. The translators of the Word have not been aware of this, and consequently have often unintentionally done injury by giving something as a translation which they deemed equivalent to the idea presented in Greek or Hebrew. A preacher, therefore, who cannot refer to the originals, will sometimes find a difficulty in applying the science of correspondence, which may baffle him, but which may only exist in the translation. In the 22nd verse of the 3rd chapter of Genesis, it is said by the Lord, after the fall,-" The man is become as one of us;" which seems strange to the intelligent reader, but in the original it is," The man was as one of us," alluding to his state before the fall. In the 35th verse of the 32nd of Jeremiah the Lord says, that “it came not into his mind that they should do this abomination to cause Judah to sin." That things should come to pass which have not been in Jehovah's mind that they would be done, is an astounding declaration, but all the difficulty vanishes when it is known that mind is used instead of heart. In Matthew, chap. 27th, ver. 44, it is said of our Lord upon the cross,-"The thieves did cast the same into his teeth;" where an unlearned person might be considering the correspondence of teeth to get at the spiritual meaning. There is, however, nothing of the kind in the original. It is simply,-" They upbraided him." In doctrinal matters also he by no means enjoys the fullest sible advantage who cannot wield the very weapons of heaven. An obscurity in the translation may induce difficulty of mind, and weaken the power of an otherwise skilful champion. In Isaiah, chap. 53rd, ver. 6, it is said,—"The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all," which, though not stating what it is commonly supposed to state, that the Lord laid on him the punishment of us all, yet falls far short of the Hebrew for force, clearness, and precision-"Jehovah hath met in him the iniquities of us all." Again, in Hebrews, chap. 1, ver. 3, the Son is said to be the express image of the Father's person, attributing a distinct personality to the Father separate from that of the Son. While in the original it is, that he is the express form of his substance;" thus the very Person of the Father himself. We see, therefore, the necessity of the ministry being learned and talented, as well as pious. Besides, this age is preeminently progressive in all things, and as diffusive as it is progressive. Children now possess more scientific knowledge than the majority of men twenty years ago ever knew. The ministry that does not keep in the van in such matters, will fall into contempt and inefficiency. Like the forsaken banks of a river that has changed its current, they will be left high, dry, and useless. The New

66

pos

Church ministry, then, must know the original languages, and be generally learned. And there is no great difficulty in this. A few months' steady application will do great things in these matters. Let them be cheerfully given. Do not let us be disheartened, but gird up our loins, and labour like men bent upon procuring the greater glory of God, and wider blessings for mankind.

This brings us to notice the third need of society now,—a laborious ministry;-men who will work. We have already pointed out the talents to be acquired, which will demand diligence in their attainment; and that diligence will be given by a successful minister. But not only must this be borne in mind, but it must be considered that each minister in the New Church at present is a missionary. He has to proclaim the Word, and the doctrines, to the neighbourhood around. He must seize every opportunity of doing this. In his own congregation he must strive to urge on the indolent; to enlighten the ignorant; to reclaim the erring; to feed and comfort the whole. But beyond this he has a general duty, that of making the New Church prosper. He is a general messenger of mercy to mankind. He must strive to dispel darkness wherever he can, and he must aim at doing it. A minister, to be successful, must determine, with the Divine help, that he will be successful. He must not say to himself, nor tacitly think and act upon the thought, that he will do so much; that he will do as much as ministers are accustomed to do; and with that leave matters to take their course; but be should think he will do whatever is necessary to the extension of the church; that he will work late and early, at home and abroad, and that the cause shall prosper. In this respect ministers would do well to take the course that energetic tradesmen do. They are never satisfied, and spare no labour, until they find their business successful. No pains are withheld which are essential to success. They work early and late. They travel far; they set their goods out in the most attractive manner. They do not abide by antiquated modes and rules of business, but adapt themselves to the necessities and requirements of the public. So must a minister do in all things which do not require him to violate his conscience. He should labour for his imperishable objects at least as hard as others do for the things of earth. If sectarians, with a few scanty elements of truth, preach and pray, and visit and meet, to increase their numbers, surely we should be as zealous for the great cause of the New Kingdom of the Lord, as they are for theirs. We should feel the power of the divine words, Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." With all the causes of gratitude