Page:The Doctrines of the New Church Briefly Explained.djvu/126

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The Doctrines of the New Church.

Apocalypse) the Holy City New Jerusalem is spoken of as "coming down from God out of heaven", probably not many Christians nowadays think of the descent through actual space of any such city as is described in the literal sense. Most persons perceive that something spiritual and heavenly is there referred to, though they may not see precisely what it is.

All, therefore, have a pretty clear perception of the correspondence of some things, and consequently have some perception of the spiritual sense of God's Word. And the measure of that perception with each one will depend on the purity of his heart and the innocence of his life, or on the sincerity and strength of his desire to know, and his purpose to do, the will of the Heavenly Father.[1]

XIII.—Apparent and Real Truths of Scripture.

The Volume of Revelation, like the volume of nature, abounds in the mere appearances of truth.


  1. For evidence, both rational and Scriptural, of the truth of the New Church doctrine, briefly outlined here, the reader is referred to an exhaustive treatise on "The Science of Correspondences elucidated," by Rev. Edward Madeley; also to "The Plenary Inspiration of the Scriptures," by Rev. S. Noble: "The Bible: its true character and spiritual meaning," by Rev. L. P. Mercer (being No. 4 of this series); and to Lectures iv., v., vi. and vii. of Barrett's "Lectures on the New Dispensation."