2. Letter to Beyer, April 15, 1766 1
With reference to the writings of the Apostles and Paul I have not included these in ARCANA COELESTIA, and this for the reason that they are doctrinal writings, and so are not written in the style of the Word as are the Prophets, David, the Gospels, and the Revelation. The style of the Word wholly consists of correspondences, on which account it effects an immediate communication with heaven. In the doctrinal writings, however, there is another style which indeed communicates with heaven, but mediately. That they were so written by the Apostles was in order that the new Christian Church might commence through these, on which account doctrinal matters could not be written in the very style of the Word, but in a manner that might be more clearly and more directly understood. Nonetheless, the writings of the Apostles are good books for the Church, maintaining the doctrine of charity and its faith as strongly as ever did the Lord Himself in the Gospels and in the Revelation, as can be clearly seen and observed if one attends to the matter while reading those writings.
That the words of Paul concerning justification by faith, Rom. 3:28, have been completely misunderstood, is shown in the APOCALYPSE REVEALED n. 417, as may be seen. It follows that the doctrine concerning faith alone as justifying, which constitutes the theology of our day in the Churches of the Reformed, is built on an entirely false foundation. My most respectful greetings to you and to my friends.
I remain, etc.
Em. Swedenborg
Amsterdam
15 April 1766
Notes de bas de page:
1. While travelling from Stockholm to Amsterdam where he was about to publish APOCALYPSIS REVELATA Swedenborg was delayed in Goteborg for about a week in July 1765. Here he met the Principal Lecturer in Theology, Dr. Gabriel Andersson Beyer (TD i pp. 623-6), who was immediately impressed by what Swedenborg had to say and who despite persecution became a firm advocate of the new teachings until his death in 1779.
During the winter of 1765-6 Beyer had obtained and read a number of Swedenborg's works, as he himself declared in the letter written from Goteborg on 18 March 1766. In this same letter Beyer questioned Swedenborg about the inspiration of the writings of the Apostles as follows: 'It has troubled me for some time that you nowhere cite the writings of the Apostles as the Divine Word. They likewise had immediate inspiration from God's spirit (theopneuma). In no less degree than the prophets. It has also seemed as if you do not wish to consider their writings and utterances as in every way correct. As to this, several things have occurred to me as some solution, and I respectfully submit them.
Should it be understood that, according to Your thought, the Apostles were certainly moved by God's spirit, even so far that words also were instilled, and this by virtue of the Lord's clear promise; but that a difference should be made as to doctrine, and the Word from which doctrine is drawn; thus the doctrine which they carried was fitted to the comprehension and the received manner of thought in the Churches of that time, so that their words and doctrine could not have a correspondence in spiritual and celestial manners of thought as does the rest of God's Word which we have, but that the Apostles' doctrine was yet pure, correct and divine? So far as I can see, Paul is not at variance with you in the doctrine of faith, works, imputation, etc. And in Hebrews 5:11-13 he seems also to confirm my humble thought previously uttered.'
The first two paragraphs of Swedenborg's reply, the original of which is now in the British Museum, have been omitted here.
