From Swedenborg's Works

 

An Invitation to the New Church #0

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INVITATION TO THE NEW CHURCH 1

THERE is no Church truly such, unless God is One, and He, Jehovah God, under a human form. - And thus God is Man, and Man God.

The doctrinals contained in THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION agree with the doctrinals of those of the Roman Catholic Church, and with the doctrinals of those among the Protestants, who acknowledge a personal union in Christ, and approach Christ, and take the Eucharist in two kinds.

Various causes why now, for the first time, and not before, those truths of the Church [have been revealed]; among which is this, that a new Church is not instituted before the former Church is being consummated.

The Divine Providence in these matters:

From the heresies spread abroad after the time of the Apostles.

Why the Romish Church was permitted.

Why the separation from it took place, and the causes why it was an unworthy mother.

Why the Greek Church separated from the Romish.

Various things concerning miracles; that they have destroyed the Church,- also from the Lord's words in Matthew 24.

All things tended to the invocation of men who were called saints.

This Church is not instituted and established through miracles, but through the revelation of the spiritual sense [of the Word], and through the introduction of my spirit, and at the same time of my body, into the spiritual world, so that I might there know what heaven and hell are, and that I might imbibe from the Lord immediately in light the truths of faith, whereby man is led to eternal life.

The Advent of the Lord-from the Word and the creeds.

Invitation to the New Church that men should go to meet the Lord-from Rev. 21, 22; and also from Chap. i., etc., etc.

Hereafter men are not to be styled Evangelicals, Reformed, and still less Lutherans and Calvinists, but Christians.

Many things concerning miracles.

Footnotes:

1. Latin text in Volume recently returned from Upsala to The Swedenborg Society and entitled Opuscula Varia Swedenborgii, Vol. II. Aug. Nordenskold. Also in Immanuel Tafel's Diarium Spirituale, App. vii, pp. 142-160.

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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Revelation 22

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1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.