Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/178

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
174
EXTRACTS FROM THE

respecting a silk-worm, a bee, and a particle of dust. The internal of a silk-worm is that, by virtue whereof its external is impelled to spin its silken web, and afterwards to assume wings like a butterfly and fly abroad. The internal of a bee is that, by virtue whereof its external is impelled to suck honey out of flowers, and to construct waxen cells after a wonderful form. The internal of a particle of dust, whereby its external is impelled, is its tendency to make the seeds of plants vegetate, exhaling somewhat from its little bosom, which insinuates itself into the inmost [parts] of the seeds, and produceth this wonderful effect, whilst that internal attendeth the plant's vegetation even to the formation of new seeds. The case is the same in things of an opposite nature, as for instance, in a spider, which hath both an internal and an external, its internal, by which its external is impelled, is an inclination and a faculty thence derived, to weave a most curious web, in the centre whereof it may watch and lie in wait for intruding flies, which it suddenly seizeth upon for its food; the same is true with respect to every other noxious insect, and also with respect to every serpent, and wild beast of the forest; in like manner there is both an internal and an external in every wicked, cunning, and deceitful man.


That this second coming of the Lord is effected by a man, before whom he hath manifested himself in person, and whom he hath filled with his spirit, to teach the doctrines of the new church by the word from him.

Inasmuch as the Lord cannot manifest himself in person, as was shewn above, and yet he foretold that he should come, and establish a new church, which is New Jerusalem, it follows that he will effect this by a