extent, are practised in simplicity and ignorance. These interior idolatries are chiefly those of the will, and they who are in them are said to be "born of the will of the flesh," and they cannot possibly receive the Lord, because" they are not born of God."

There are also “graven images,” which are idols of the understanding. All false doctrines, fabricated by the understanding, under the government of self-love, and confirmed by appearances of truth in the letter of the Word, and by the fallacies of the senses in external nature, are so many graven images "which have eyes but see not, mouths but speak not, hands but handle not, neither is there any life in them;" that is, they have no power to gift man with genuine intelligence and wisdom. These "graven images" are also vastly multiplied at the present period, even by those who little suspect that the sin lieth at their own door. The prevailing teachers of religion are actively employed in the manufacture of these "graven images" of erroneous doctrines. “They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith, and he maketh it a god; and they fall down and worship it." (Isa. xlvi. 6.) The almost universally prevailing dogma of three divine persons-in the trinity, is a graven image as unsightly as any to be met with in the temple of Vishnu; and the almost equally prevalent tenet of salvation by faith only, is, viewed in the light of truth, as hideous as the idol Dagon in the temple at Ashdod. These idols of false doctrines are extremely numerous at the present day, and they who are confirmed in them are born "not of God, but of the will of man,” they are the offspring not of genuine truth, but of intelligence selfderived, fallacious, and false.

Another class of idols are external emblems, which, considered apart from their "inward spiritual grace," have been the sources of much perversion and evil in the Christian world. Such emblems are, principally, the cross, the bread in the Holy Supper, and, in general, the external ordinances of religion. The cross, which our Lord so often enjoins us to take up, as the emblem of self-denial, of forbearance, and of patience in temptations, the only means by which we can follow Him and become His true disciples, has been perverted from its original meaning, and employed as a mere external badge of religion. During the age of the apostles it was employed as the emblem of Christianity, which was designated the religion of the cross, because the Lord had so often said, "that unless a man take up his cross daily and follow him, he cannot be his disciple," and because the Lord Himself took up His cross, and by crucifixion, as His last and most grievous temptation, glorified His Humanity, accomplished the work of redemp

tion, and prepared the way for the establishment of the Christian religion. Had the professors of the religion of the cross practised the salutary doctrine of the cross, as taught by the Lord and His apostles, how different would have been the state of things as recorded in the annals of the Christian Church! But, alas, the doctrine of the cross has been most miserably perverted, and the perversion still adheres to the minds of nearly all, both in the Romish and Protestant Churches. But the members of the New Church, in the proportion they are faithful to their high calling, will experience the blessed effects of this doctrine in their life and conduct, and jealously guard against its perversion. All externals of worship, separated from internal vital principles of love and charity, are idolatrous. The perfection of man is advanced in proportion as he cultivates internals, and as the interiors of his mind are opened to the reception of the spiritual things of heaven. All external ordinances of religion are intended to be subservient to this great end, this one thing needful, the establishment of the life of heaven in the soul. If any who profess the doctrines of the New Church remain sensual and corporeal in their delights and pursuits, they only impede its progress in the world, and are the greatest" enemies of the cross of Christ," (Phil. iii. 18.) that is, of the true Christian religion. For the increase and preservation of which let us unite in this "O that the individual members of every community prayer: may be led to see and know that all evils and distresses arising from outward disorder, are but the sad effects and natural consequences of internal disorder prevailing in the hearts of men! May all consider that there is no other foundation for the permanent establishment of peace and order, than the attainment of a blessed conjunction of life with thee, O Lord, through the keeping of thy commandments.”* ALEPH.

LETTERS OF THE REV. JOHN CLOWES, TO THE REV. JOHN HARGROVE, OF BALTIMORE.†

THESE letters, seven in number, are extracted from an American periodical, called "The Newchurchman," and will, we think, be perused with much interest by our readers.

"The following letters (says the editor of The Newchurchman,) were addressed to the Rev. John Hargrove, late of Baltimore; but were

* See a golden little book, entitled "A Manual of Piety," by the late Mr. Hill, edited by Mr. Mason.

+ Mr. Hargrove died in 1840, at a very advanced age.

found among the papers of Judge Young, recently deceased. A member of Judge Young's family has very kindly furnished them to us for publication. Parts of them have, probably, been published before; but the time seems now come to publish them entire. The portions of them that refer to church government, are very interesting and instructive just now. The last is a copy, the others are autographs. And most are in so mutilated a condition, that a few days more would have made it impossible to print them. As it is, some parts cannot be made out, and are supplied by the words in brackets. They are arranged in the order of their dates."

"Manchester, December 29, 1802.

"My dear Sir,-Ill health, added to a variety of engagements, which at times exhaust all the strength of my infirm constitution, must be my apology for not returning an earlier answer to your favor, dated the 17th of June last; and I trust you will accept it in the spirit of that charity, which is ever disposed to make all favorable allowances for involuntary failings.

"Your name was not strange to me, nor is it less dear because we differ in sentiment about external things; for the question about true spiritual union of minds has little or nothing to do with opinions, especially where those opinions do not relate to the essentials of Christian life and worship. If the Lord Jesus Christ be acknowledged as the Only God in heart and in life, true Christian charity must needs prevail in that mind; and where true Christian charity is, there is the very cement of all spiritual conjunction; and in such case, whatsoever variety there may be in points of outward speculation, (as varieties there will be,) it will only be like the variety in the shapes, and forms, and uses of the bodily members and organs, which so far from destroying unity, tends rather to establish and perfect it.

"If I have judged it right to continue in the ministry of the old church, I trust it has been solely from a conviction in my own mind, that a sudden separation from, and violent opposition to, the externals of that church, would have tended to excite unnecessary prejudices in the minds of many against the new doctrines, and that therefore the wisdom of heavenly love required rather a temporary toleration of some abuses and corruptions, than such a hasty rejection as might have given birth to an idea, that the New Church was intent more on outward than inward reformation; and that she was besides sectarian in her practices, and intolerant in her principles. On the other hand, if you, Sir, have thought it right to pursue a different line of conduct, I am ready and willing to indulge the same hope, that you also have acted in agreement with the conviction of your own mind, and from the best intention of promoting the prosperity of those doctrines which your understanding approved. It is possible, therefore, (and I humbly trust, probable,) that we may both have acted right, and in a manner the best calculated, in our respective stations, to recommend and disseminate the truths which we each of us most ardently loved. The divine providence of the Lord, we know, has in all ages permitted the children of wisdom to be influenced by a variety and even diversity of sentiment, and has even rendered that variety and diversity subservient to its own blessed purposes of making known to mankind the counsels of its own mercy. And who can say but that some procedure of this kind has been in operation under the new dispen

sation, and that the descent of the New Jerusalem has been accomplished by those very means which, (to judge only from human appearances,) seemed likely to retard it? At all events, I am persuaded you will agree with me in the opinion, that the surest and most effectual method of recommending and establishing the truths of the Lord's new kingdom is, first to form them well into our own lives, so that we may be enabled to press them upon others, not so much from intellectual light, as from voluntary life, and may thus convince mankind, that, in making them converts to the New Jerusalem verities, we are not eager to change their persuasions only, but their principles, by calling them out of all disorderly love, to become happy and undefiled in the love of God and their neighbour. Is not this what is meant by casting the net on the RIGHT side of the ship?

"I have mentioned to our society here your want of the writings of our enlighteued author, and they have generously commissioned me to send to you, at their expense, and for the use of your society, such of the works as they have been engaged in publishing, particularly the volumes of the A.C. in which your set is deficient, Letters to a Member of Parliament, and some smaller tracts, all which I hope you will receive safe. The Apoc. Exp. is not yet printed in the English language; nor do I hear of any probability of its publication at present, although our good friend Mr. Hill, I am informed, has completed the translation some time ago. But the work on the Mineral Kingdom, which you advert to, is not yet even translated; nor do I find that any person is likely, at present, to engage in so arduous a task.

"By a letter received lately from Paris, I find that your friend Mr. Mather is at present settled in that city, where there is a small society of readers, amounting to ten or twelve, who meet every week at his house.

"It will give me pleasure to hear again from you, whensoever you are at leisure, and to know that you are well, and that your society continues to increase and grow, not only in the science, but in the love, of the best things. I shall be glad also to learn that the packet of books sent by our society is safely arrived.

"Commending you and yours to the Divine Mercy and Protection, I remain, dear Sir, with sincere prayer for your eternal welfare, your sincere friend and brother, "J. CLOWES."

To this letter there is a postscript, which is very much torn, and cannot be made out without supplying some words, which are put in · brackets.

"P. S. The tenth vol. of the A. C., I trust, will be ready for publication towards midsummer. In the mean time I am proceeding in the translation of [this] important [work,] and also in a new translation of the Gospels, intending to publish each Gospel separately, with all the interpretations and elucidations of our enlightened [author], collected from all his works, [together] with observations of my own on those passages on which our author is silent."

"Manchester, September 20, 1803.

"My dear Sir,-Since the beginning of July last, I have received two letters from you, and also a packet containing three copies of a printed sermon, for all which I desire to return my most grateful acknowledgments. Your first letter found me at Bristol, whither it had been sent after me from this place; and I met with your

packet of sermons at Birmingham, on my return home; and with your second letter at home. It would have given me satisfaction if I could have returned an earlier answer to your first letter; but, as I found myself much engaged amongst the several societies of the members of the Lord's New Church, which I visited in my journey, both at Bristol, Bath, Stroud, Gloucester, and Birmingham, and as, on my return a few weeks ago, a variety of business met me, which required immediate despatch, I have found impossible to take up my pen till the present moment. I will not, however, lose more time in making apologies, and therefore will proceed immediately to the consideration of the varied contents of your letters, beginning with the first.

"It gives me particular satisfaction to hear of the progress of the Lord's New Church and kingdom amongst you, and it is my daily and devout prayer that it may continue to increase and grow, as I doubt not it will, from its mustard-seed state, until it becomes a great tree, so that the fowls of the heavens may lodge in its branches. The divine prediction was, that the woman should flee into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days; (Rev. xii. 6.) and therefore we ought to be prepared to expect this wilderness state, and to regard it as an accomplishment of the divine prediction, and also as a preparation for further growth, until the Church shall be enabled successfully to wage war against her enemies, the devil and his angels, which she cannot do until she attains a full state of life, or a conjunction of the good and the true. For the two witnesses, we find, (Rev. xi. 11.) before such conjunction was effected, were overcome, by the beast, and slain, nor did they receive strength unto victory, until the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them. (verse 11.) Therefore, my dear Sir, let us not despise the day of small things, seeing it is the order of the Divine Providence, that his church, like every thing else, should commence from small beginnings, and proceed thence in a regular and gradual progression, through successive and various states of growth, to the attainment of its full size, and strength, and just proportions of beauty and excellence, which (let us not doubt) will be accomplished in due time.

"In regard to the attack which you mention meditated by the young Methodist against the new doctrines, I would advise you not to be under the slightest alarm about it, because there is every reason to conclude that it will revert upon himself, by tending to a fuller display and confirmation of the truth. It would afford me real satisfaction to be at all instrumental in assisting to repel the attack, by supplying you with my own observations (agreeable to your request) on the points at issue; but, as it is impossible for me to suggest any hints on the subject but what are to be found in the writings of our illuminated author, I am of opinion it will be by far your surest mode of combat, to select your arguments from that inexhaustible store of spiritual weapons, both of attack and of defence. Besides, it is impossible as yet to conceive in what manner your adversary intends to conduct his assault, and until this is known, it is alike impossible to devise the means of repelling him, which it is probable, may consist rather in exposing his weakness, than in putting forth your own strength. At all events, I think it will be best to wait until his book appears, before you give yourself any further concern about it.

"You are desirous to know the number of preachers of the new doctrines in England, with their names, &c., and also whether any more clergymen of the established N.S. NO. 56.-VOL. v.

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