various members and organs of the human body; these bodily organs being, in their connection, nature, and functions, symbols or representative images of the societies of heaven with which they are in complete correspondence.
What, now, is the practical bearing of this teaching? What is its obvious and legitimate tendency? Plainly to enlarge and liberalize the mind that accepts it, and to impart to the affections something of that beautiful expansiveness which characterizes the Lord's all-encircling love. It shows us that there are innumerable kinds and degrees of good and truth in heaven, all derived from the infinity of the Divine Goodness; endless diversity of character and state even among the angels, and consequently a place somewhere in the abodes of the blessed for every one who has within him anything of the life of heaven, however humble in quality or limited in degree. It is opposed, therefore, to everything like narrowness, bigotry, sectarianism, or exclusiveness. It encourages us to look chiefly at the essential things of religion,—the spirit and life of heaven,—and to regard as of comparatively small consequence whatever does not lead to or in some way promote these. It rebukes the natural disposition, so common even among professing Christians, to make ourselves the standards of all excellence, and to judge the character of others by our own peculiar
