Swedenborg's Works (Volume 4) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1907. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER NINETEENTH. 2310. The Internal Sense of the Word has already been many times treated of; but I know that few can believe that there is such a sense in everything of the Word, not only in the prophetical, but also in the historical parts. That there is such a sense in the prophecies can more easily be believed, because in them there is not such a series of things as in the histories, and at the same time there are strange expressions in them; hence every one may conjecture that they involve some hidden meaning. But that there is also such a sense in the histories, does not so easily appear; both because it has hitherto come into no one's mind, and because the historical parts are such as to hold the attention to themselves, and so to draw away the mind from thinking that anything deeper is there stored up; and also because the history is really true as 2 related. But still, that there is in them interiorly what is heavenly and Divine, which does not shine forth, every one may conclude, firstly, from the fact that the Word is sent down from the Lord through heaven to man, and is thus a different thing in its origin. What the nature of this origin is, and that it is so different and distant from the literal sense as not even to be seen, and consequently not acknowledged by those who are merely worldly, will be shown by many things in what follows. Secondly, from the fact that the Word, because Divine, was not written for man only, but also for the angels with man, that it might be serviceable not only for use to the human race, but for use also to heaven; and that the Word is thus a medium uniting heaven and earth. The union is by means of the church, and indeed by means of the Word in the church, which is for that reason such as it is, and disting...