ART. II.-SWEDENBORG ON THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER OF THE APOCALYPSE.*

We need hardly say that Swedenborg was no Millennarian. "The theories," says his interpreter, Mr Clissold, "which have been advanced concerning Millennarianism and the two resurrections, are without foundation."† In him we see the figurative system of interpretation carried fully out, and learn that there is hardly one truth of Scripture which is not subverted by it. He completed what Origen, and Dionysius, and Jerome began. In them we see men who, in denying the literal and adopting the figurative system, had undermined the foundations of divine truth; and in Swedenborg we see one who carried out what they commenced; who not only undermined, but destroyed all the cherished doctrines of the Bible.

Swedenborg's principle seems to be not only that everything in the Apocalypse is figurative or symbolical, but that everything is figurative or symbolical of principles, not persons; of abstractions, not facts; of spiritual ideas, not of events or actual beings. All that it predicts takes place "in the spiritual world." Satan is a figure; his restraint is a figure; the thousand years are a figure; the resurrection is a figure. In short, the whole of the Apocalypse (and specially of the twentieth chapter, to which we are referring) is a series of spiritual scenes, declarations of principles, without the intervention of persons at all. In one place good principles triumph, in other they are overthrown; in another place evil principles rise up, and then again disappear. Literality of every kind, and in every shape, is discarded by this interpreter, as involving all that is carnal and evil. In no sense, and to no extent, will he tolerate it: he considers it destructive of all spirituality, and subversive of the whole truth of God. A literal Satan, a literal first resurrection, a literal kingdom, are things wholly inadmissible! The individual holding these he would consider as given over to error of the most carnal kind.

It is plain that literalists have nothing congenial with Swedenborg. He and they are in hopeless antagonism on every point great and small. Pre-millennialists and he have not one single interpretation in common.

On the other hand, post-millennialists have much in common.

*The Spiritual Exposition of the Apocalypse, as derived from the Writings of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg, &c. By the Rev. A. Clissold, M.A. 4 vols. London 1851.

+ Vol. iv. p. 341.

with him in his Apocalyptic interpretations. Though doubtless they differ widely from him on essential points of doctrine, yet in regard to several points of prophetical exposition they are at one with him. We do not say this with aught of unkindly feeling towards our post-millennial brethren, or as if seeking to make them or their theory responsible for the errors of Swedenborg. But we point out the resemblance, in order that they may see the exceeding danger of "spiritualising " the Word of God. In what instance has adherence to the system of literal interpretation injured the truth, or fostered heresy, or led men to deny the fundamentals of Christianity? But in how many-nay, in what innumerable instances-from the days of Origen downwards, has departure from this led men astray? In no age has the Church suffered loss at the hands of literalists. In almost every age has she been injured and disturbed by the wild theories of spiritualists.

Let us now hear what Swedenborg has to say in exposition of the chapter before us. Our readers will find, in the quotations we make, a full illustration of the preceding remarks. He thus expounds the first verse:

"And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain on his hand,' signifies, the Lord's divine operation upon lower principles, in consequence of his divine power of shutting and opening, and of binding and loosing."

The reader will notice here that it is of "principles" that the prophet is supposed to be speaking. The " abyss" is the "lower principles."

Then as to verse second, he thus writes:-

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And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan,' signifies, that they were withheld who are meant by the dragon, and who, because they think sensually and not spiritually on matters of faith, are called the old serpent, and because they are in evils as to life, are called the devil, and because they are in falses as to doctrine, are called Satan."

Thus Satan is transformed into the holders of false doctrine. Then as to the thousand years, we are told :

"And bound him a thousand years,' signifies, that they who are here meant by the dragon, were withdrawn and separated from the others in the world of spirits, that for a season there might be no communication with them."

Then as to the shutting up of Satan in the third verse, we thus read :—

"And cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him that he should seduce the nations no more,' signifies, that the Lord entirely removed those who were in faith alone, and put a stop to all communication VOL. V.

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between them and others, lest they should inspire into those who were to be taken up into heaven anything of their heresy.'

"Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap. xx. p. 770:

"By the tongue of the devil we understand false doctrine; therefore when our angel approaches and descends, that is, our Christ from heaven, this tongue is bound, that is, the teaching of the dragon and his power is bound,' &c. "Patrick Forbes, Apocalypse, p. 211 :—

"The dragon is here described by these same names and property of seducing nations, which are given him in the 12th chapter, in the first degree of this his first foil, towards this first captivity: when by Michael his valour he was cast from heaven. Which the Holy Ghost doth of purpose, to lead us to know that this first binding is from that rage. So wisely and plainly the Spirit teacheth us to couple together the parts of this prophecy. Now Christ is he properly, who treadeth down the head of that serpent: who only is that stronger than the strong one, coming in, binding him, and spoiling his house: as who only hath come to loose the works of Satan, and only hath the keys of hell and death. But, according as he giveth gifts to men and worketh by his ministers of whatsoever calling, who, in his light and strength advance the kingdom of light and bring down that of darkness; his ministers, thus instructed by him and to this end, are also binders of the dragon. Of whom this angel is the general type.'"

The loosing of Satan which follows the thousand years is thus dissipated into spiritualism:

"Until a thousand years should be fulfilled, and after that he must be loosed for a season,' signifies, this only for a season, or for some time, until they are taken up by the Lord into heaven who were in truths originating in good; after which they who are meant by the dragon, were for a season to be loosed, and a communication opened between them and others: and I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them,' signifies, that the truths of the Word, according to which all are judged, were opened, and that then they were taken up from the earth beneath, who had been concealed by the Lord, that they might not be seduced by the dragon and his beasts."

"By thrones, says Gaspar a Melo, may be signified judiciary power. The first step in the release of the saints was to withdraw the power of the dragon over them, that he should not seduce them by false teaching; the second is to impart to them a judiciary power; in virtue of which they become spiritually kings and judges over their enemies; and are made superior to the force of temptation."

The beheading of the martyrs must of course be purely figurative. The "souls" spoken of by the prophet in verse fourth were only "spiritually killed:"_

"And the souls of them who were smitten with the axe for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God,' signifies, that they were rejected by those who are principled in falses originating in self-derived intelligence, because they worshipped the Lord, and lived according to the truths of his Word: 'and who did not worship the beast, nor his image, neither received his mark upon their forehead and upon their hand,' signifies, who did not acknowledge and receive the doctrine of faith alone: and have lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years,' signifies, who have been already for some time in conjunction with the Lord and in his kingdom."

"Lauretus, art. Securis, says that

"An axe may signify in a good sense the preaching of the Gospel, by which

heresies are cut asunder (B. Gregory); in an evil sense the devil, or a heretic, or concupiscence.' Jerome.

In Poole's Synopsis on Matt. iii. 10, it is said, p. 86— "The axe is here either the Word of God, his Gospel, and the preaching of it, or,' &c. . . .

66 According to Rabanus Maurus, an axe may also signify rebuke; or, severe persecution. According to Cardinal Hugo, it may signify severe temptation.

"As therefore in a good sense the axe signifies Divine truth, so in an evil one it signifies Divine truth falsified, or falsity and heresy. Whence being smitten by the axe signifies the temptation, trial, or persecution arising from the hatred and aversion produced by those false principles of life and conduct which the dragonists entertained; in fine, the souls were spiritually killed."

As to the non-living of the rest of the dead, and the first resurrection, they admit of being spiritualised as follows:

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"And the rest of the dead revived not, until the thousand years were consummated,' signifies, that besides these, now spoken of, not any were taken up into heaven till after the dragon was loosed, and that such were then proved and explored what sort of persons they were: this is the first resurrection,' signifies, that salvation and life eternal primarily consist in worshipping the Lord, and living according to his commandments in the Word, because thereby conjunction with the Lord is effected and consociation with angels of heaven: blessed and holy is he who hath part in the first resurrection,' signifies, that they who go to heaven, enjoy the felicity of life eternal, and illustration in consequence of conjunction with the Lord: 'over these the second death hath no power,' signifies, that they are not damned: 'but they shall be priests of God and of Christ,' signifies, because they are kept by the Lord in the good of love and thence in truths of wisdom and shall reign with him a thousand years,' signifies, that they were already in heaven, when the rest, who were not revived, that is, who have not yet received heavenly life, were in the world of spirits.

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By the rest of the dead are signified the rest of those who were spiritually slain by the dragonists (see ver. 4).

"This is the first resurrection.'

"Cruden observes, among other significations of the word First, that it

means:

"That which is chief or most excellent. Rom. iii. 2, 'Chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God.' Chiefly, in the original, is first, and shews the quality and excellence of the privilege here mentioned. So also in Luke xv. 22, Bring forth the best,' in Greek, the first robe.'"

"So again in Matt. xxii. 36, 38: Master, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. This is the first and great commandment.' So Mark xii. 28: Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the com. mandments is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. This is the first commandment.' So again, 1 Cor. xv. 3: 'I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins,' &c. In all which cases it is admitted, that first has not so much an arithmetical, as rather a moral relation; such as to importance, excellency, dignity, &c. By the first resurrection is in like manner here implied, not that there is a second after this, but that of two or more kinds of resurrection this is the first in excellency, dignity, importance, &c. For that it is a spiritual resurrection of the soul which is here meant, is affirmed by Haymo, Gaspar a Melo, Alexander de Hales, Da Sylveira, &c.

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Religious Tract Commentary, p. 619 :—

"Those who suffer with Christ, shall reign with Christ; they shall reign

with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, in glorious conformity to him in his wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, beyond what had been known before in the world; this is called the first resurrection, with which none but those who serve Christ, and suffer for him, shall be favoured. The wicked shall not be restored to their power again, till Satan is let loose. This may be called a resurrection, as the conversion of the Jews is said to be life from the dead. The happiness of these servants of God is declared. None can be blessed but they that are holy; and all that are holy shall be blessed. These were holy as a sort of first-fruits to God, in this spiritual resurrection, and as such blessed by him. They are secured from the power of the second death. We know something of what the first death is, and it is very awful; but we know not what this second death is; it must be much more dreadful; it is the death of the soul, eternal separation from God. May we never know what it is by experience; those who have experienced a spiritual resurrection, are saved from the power of the second death.'"*

Such are a few specimens of figurative exposition carried to an extreme! Swedenborg's axiom is, that the literal cannot be the true, and that we must always seek the non-literal or figurative. By this means he makes void the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. In his exposition, we see the exceeding danger of departing from the literal sense save for a definite and satisfactory reason. The literal must ever be the basis of the figurative, whether in the department of prophecy or history. We do not insist on all being literal even in history; we can discover figures in Genesis or Exodus, as well as in Isaiah or Ezekiel. But in all cases there must be a reason for departing from the literal. This is all we ask.

From the days of Origen downward, the departure from the literal has been the starting-point of heresy. With the simple literality of the Word, heresy has never stood, and can never stand. And in no instance in history can we detect heresy springing out of literality. On the contrary, licence of interpretation has been the bane of the Church in many ages. In Origen we see it systematised, and in Jerome we see it fully carried out. According to them, the literal sense is not the true-it is not even the basis of the figurative! Scripture has many senses, and the skill of the interpreter is shewn in his extracting, or rather in his inserting, as many meanings as possible! Thus, God's simple Word was made void by these early Anti-chiliasts; for the true sense of Scripture must be one, not many; and to thrust four or five figurative meanings into a passage, is in effect to take out of it all meaning whatsoever.

If the binding of Satan be merely the restraint of evil principles, and if the reigning of the saints with Christ be merely the prevalence of good principles in the earth, then Origen and Jerome may, after all, be right.

* It is singular to find Swedenborg, or rather his editor, Mr Clissold, thus quoting the Religious Tract Society's Commentary as at one with him.