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rejoice wherever we find them, even though they take another name. The New Church is the true universal Church. Her principles will diffuse themselves everywhere. The winds of heaven will carry first one and then another, and plant them wherever receptive minds are found. Truth and error will probably be seen in the same field; but as the ground improves the truth will increase, and finally extinguish error. In our estimates of the Church we should therefore judge of her as a universal Church, and not as a sect.

The progress of the New Church is under the especial providence of God; and it is in accordance with that providence that the Church should at first be confined to a few, and that its numbers should successively increase. (A. R. 547.) The Old Church seemed to be firmly entrenched when judgment was performed upon it. It had been growing up and engrafting itself in the minds of men for seventeen hundred years. Its forces were backed by antiquity, prejudice, wealth, power, and all the influence of the world. It had powerful and specious defenders. Things were contrived so that temporal interest should lead many to support the old system-and what was more than all-the Old Church had so thoroughly taught that men should not think on subjects of religion that few were found who were able to give theology a serious and rational investigation. There were thus no means of placing the Old and New Churches before the rational mind. Under these circumstances the wonder is, not that the New Church has progressed so little, but that she has progressed so much. If God had not been with her and fought for her, she never could have maintained her existence. The dragon would have devoured the man-child as soon as it was born.

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The New Church on earth can only exist in proportion as the New Church exists in heaven. The Church above is the internal, the Church below is the external, and there can be no living external without an internal, as there can be no living body without a soul. It is the internal that forms the genuine external; and hence the Church in heaven forms the Church on earth. The Revelator saw a new heaven, and afterwards he saw the Holy City New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from the Lord, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev. xxi.) The New Church thus comes through the new heaven; and in proportion as that heaven increases, in the same proportion the New Jerusalem will descend on earth. The New Church in heaven was first composed of "the souls of the slain seen under the altar,"—that is, of those Christians who had lived since the Lord was in the world, and who had worshipped him as the only God, and lived according to his precepts. (A. R. 612.) How many such have been

found, or how many are added from the world now, it is impossible to say. But whether many or few, the existence of the new heaven has produced such changes in this lower world as to fill its inhabitants with astonishment. A continuous and ever increasing flood of light has been poured upon mankind. Its influence has already shaken the Old

Church to its foundations. The human mind has been set free, and men have again begun to think for themselves. Judging of the New Church from this point of view, we cannot doubt her future success; for how is it possible for her to fail on earth when she triumphs in heaven?

How interesting and how beautiful is the thought that all who have worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ on earth, will also worship him with greater fulness in heaven! With such associates in heaven, and the blessing of God and our own exertions on earth, the New Jerusalem must increase and become the glory of all lands.

If the New Church had not been the true Church, it is more than probable that she would have had more open adherents. The New Church for the most part is above this iron age; our doctrines are too heavenly, too true, too intellectual, for the present times. The waters of the flood still cover the earth. The dove finds no rest for the sole of her foot. But be not discouraged. God will not forget his Church. His wind is now passing over the earth, and already the waters have begun to abate. Man is improving, and beginning to think more deeply, more rationally, and more candidly. We must bide our time. Ere long man must perceive the glory of the New Jerusalem.

We ought not to expect that the New Church will increase like the various bodies of the Old Church; for they differ from each other on few points, and these are often non essential; but we differ from them on almost every subject. There are many persons who agree with some of our views; and if these were all that separated us from the old communion, they would probably join us; but as there are others which they do not receive, they remain and rank with others. Many preachers also are modifying their sentiments continually, and the changes are generally approaches towards the New Church. As the difference becomes less, the accession of numbers from the Old Church to the New will doubtless become greater.

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In the meantime let us walk worthy of the vocation whereto we are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. iv.) "And if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye; and above all

rejoice wherever we find them, even though they take another name. The New Church is the true universal Church. Her principles will diffuse themselves everywhere. The winds of heaven will carry first one and then another, and plant them wherever receptive minds are found. Truth and error will probably be seen in the same field; but as the ground improves the truth will increase, and finally extinguish error. In our estimates of the Church we should therefore judge of her as a universal Church, and not as a sect.

The progress of the New Church is under the especial providence of God; and it is in accordance with that providence that the Church should at first be confined to a few, and that its numbers should successively increase. (A. R. 547.) The Old Church seemed to be firmly entrenched when judgment was performed upon it. It had been growing up and engrafting itself in the minds of men for seventeen hundred years. Its forces were backed by antiquity, prejudice, wealth, power, and all the influence of the world. It had powerful and specious defenders. Things were contrived so that temporal interest should lead many to support the old system-and what was more than all-the Old Church had so thoroughly taught that men should not think on subjects of religion that few were found who were able to give theology a serious and rational investigation. There were thus no means of placing the Old and New Churches before the rational mind. Under these circumstances the wonder is, not that the New Church has progressed so little, but that she has progressed so much. If God had not been with her and fought for her, she never could have maintained her existence. The dragon would have devoured the man-child as soon as it was born.

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The New Church on earth can only exist in proportion as the New Church exists in heaven. The Church above is the internal, the Church below is the external, and there can be no living external without an internal, as there can be no living body without a soul. is the internal that forms the genuine external; and hence the Church in heaven forms the Church on earth. The Revelator "saw a new heaven, and afterwards he saw the Holy City New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from the Lord, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev. xxi.) The New Church thus comes through the new heaven; and in proportion as that heaven increases, in the same proportion the New Jerusalem will descend on earth. The New Church in heaven was first composed of "the souls of the slain seen under the altar,"—that is, of those Christians who had lived since the Lord was in the world, and who had worshipped him as the only God, and lived according to his precepts. (A. R. 612.) How many such have been

found, or how many are added from the world now, it is impossible to say. But whether many or few, the existence of the new heaven has produced such changes in this lower world as to fill its inhabitants with astonishment. A continuous and ever increasing flood of light has been poured upon mankind. Its influence has already shaken the Old Church to its foundations. The human mind has been set free, and men have again begun to think for themselves. Judging of the New Church from this point of view, we cannot doubt her future success; for how is it possible for her to fail on earth when she triumphs in heaven?

How interesting and how beautiful is the thought that all who have worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ on earth, will also worship him with greater fulness in heaven! With such associates in heaven, and the blessing of God and our own exertions on earth, the New Jerusalem must increase and become the glory of all lands.

If the New Church had not been the true Church, it is more than probable that she would have had more open adherents. The New Church for the most part is above this iron age; our doctrines are too heavenly, too true, too intellectual, for the present times. The waters of the flood still cover the earth. The dove finds no rest for the sole of her foot. But be not discouraged. God will not forget his Church. His wind is now passing over the earth, and already the waters have begun to abate. Man is improving, and beginning to think more deeply, more rationally, and more candidly. We must bide our time. Ere long man must perceive the glory of the New Jerusalem.

We ought not to expect that the New Church will increase like the various bodies of the Old Church; for they differ from each other on few points, and these are often non essential; but we differ from them on almost every subject. There are many persons who agree with some of our views; and if these were all that separated us from the old communion, they would probably join us; but as there are others which they do not receive, they remain and rank with others. Many preachers also are modifying their sentiments continually, and the changes are generally approaches towards the New Church. As the difference becomes less, the accession of numbers from the Old Church to the New will doubtless become greater.

In the meantime let us "walk worthy of the vocation whereto we are called, with all lowliness, and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. iv.) "And if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye; and above all

things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts;" "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;" and "whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." "May the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God;"—and may he go before you in all your doings with his most gracious favor, and further you with his continual help, that in all your works begun, continued, and ended in Him, you may glorify his holy name, and finally, by his mercy obtain everlasting life. Amen. I am, dear Brethren, Yours affectionately,

Leeds, August, 1852.

R. EDLESTON.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE TRUTH OF THE SCRIPTURE STATEMENTS OF THE MIRACULOUS CONCEPTION OF JESUS, BY THE UNITARIANS OF BOSTON, U. S.

To the Editor.

SIR, Judging that such an important change as that just indicated, in the sentiments of the Unitarians in any quarter, must be gratifying to your readers, I beg to present the following extract from an editorial article in the ably conducted Unitarian periodical, The Christian Register, published at Boston, in June of the present year, and headed "THE NATURE OF CHRIST. THE MIRACULOUS CONCEPTION.-THE COMFORTER."-In bringing forward this statement of the editor of the Register, (the successor of Dr. Channing's sons,) I assume that his readers sympathise with his sentiments. It does not appear likely that the statement would be made if it found no acceptance with the body of which the journal containing it is the organ:

"Christ was not born as other men are, neither like Adam was he merely created and endowed with a human soul. We accept in full the statements comprised in the first chapters of Matthew and Luke; or, what we understand to be the same in variant form, the statement in the first chapter of John's Gospel. And we accept them because, to our understanding, the entire phenomenon of the life of Christ proves and illustrates their truth, demands them in order to an harmonious completeness, and is inexplicable without them. We could name no portion of the Bible of whose truth the internal evidence, to our mind, is more plenary and triumphant.

"The human race had fallen away from God, and moral darkness covered the earth like a pall. Then, in order to save man, God would

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