person would mainly seek a change of his circumstances. He knows not what to do with himself. But now it is that the Lord's spirit is doing its work with him. It is spiritual conviction which is causing all this disturbance. And he must not expect a too hasty deliverance from the windy storm and tempest, but be content to remain in the wilderness for a while, if he is only travelling with all possible speed through it.

But there is, we say, a rest;— -a holy Sabbath of the soul;and this is indicated by the seven days which the dove remained in the ark, after the waters abated, when she was again sent forth, and "returned not again any more." By this is represented a state of liberty from all the lusts and fallacies of the natural man; when the true rest is found, and the true peace secured.

It is also indicated by the rest of the seventh day, after the six days of creation. That these days or periods are spiritually to be understood of states of the soul, in that spiritual creation which is called regeneration, we cannot stop here to explain. We would only remark upon the insufficiency and unsatisfactoriness of every other interpretation of this much tortured portion of the Word. Only in the spirit will these absurdities of the letter disappear; and the geology of the soul-its strata of experience, and its fossil remains, and high antiquity, will yet be found in scientific harmony with the utmost particularity of Genesis.

The truth in question is also indicated by the rest of the seventh day, after the six days' labor of man. "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." Thus it ever is with the regenerate life. There is first a labor to be performed, then a rest. It is during the labor states-the states of combat and strife with one's own evils, that the aspiration so frequently escapes from the soul, to fly away from its burdens. But the rest is only partial that is obtained at such times; the soul may wander far off towards

the rest, but it will remain in the wilderness. The perfect rest -perfect Sabbath of the soul, is only at the seventh day. And this is the origin and correspondence of our Sunday. How beautiful it becomes when seen in its true light! What a divine significance in all this cessation from bodily labor, every seventh day, the wheels of industry all still,-the strife and noise of the world all hushed,-when seen as emblematic of this hallowed rest of the soul!

In that day, it is said, "Thou shalt not do any work." Here also is a sense of the spirit. It is not alone taught that the body shall not labor, that worldly business shall cease, but that on the attainment of the seventh state of regeneration, all combat ceases in the soul. Evils become extirpated, and there is henceforth nothing of proprium-nothing of the evil that properly belongs to one's self, suffered to work and labor against the Lord's own operation. All is submissive stillness. Not inaction, but passive activity. No murmuring, no rebellion. The Great Spirit circulates at ease and in harmony through the perfected soul, and there is the repose of action. At the completion of the sixth day evil spirits also retire, for there is now no more to attract them, and good spirits and angels succeed to their place.

There is indeed a difference between the rest of the celestial man, and the rest of the spiritual man, or him who is in love predominantly, and him who is in truth; but both have their seventh period; and so particular is the Divine Word, that this distinction is especially referred to. The rest of the celestial man is expressed in the original by a word which means the Sabbath, while that of the spiritual man is expressed by another word, from which the name Noah, which means rest, is derived. But both, after enduring temptations and combats, have a rest of the Lord, and also become a seventh: the celestial man the seventh day, and the spiritual man the seventh month. Hence it is said. "The ark rested on the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ara

rat; "— signifying the holy light from the elevated divine good in the soul.

There are many who will read this for the first time, and doubt the particularity of any such sense in the Divine Word. But we can only say to all such, we know whereof we affirm; we know that the Word is thus particular, and that, from beginning to end, it contains beneath its letter a systematic reference to the regeneration of man. Would that we could more fully expatiate upon it. But let the present suffice, if for nothing more, as a kindly hint, a providential introduction, which may be the means of further inquiry at the proper sources.* And be assured, in the language of John Robinson to the pilgrim fathers, "the Lord has more truth yet to break out from his Holy Word."

By such unmistakable teachings of the inspired Records, we are enabled to see in a more conspicuous light, and by the aid of a divine science, the sublime capacities of the human soul. We can hence appreciate that genuine repose which has been the dream of artists and the theme of genius in all ages of the world, but which the Spirit of God can only effect in the regeneration. How greatly has the world mistaken it! And in its discontents, its despondencies, its ten thousand troubles and annoyances, how has it wandered from the true sources, to external bewilderments and internal misery! How little has it exerted itself in the true direction, to rise above the fogs and damps, the darkness and terror, of its own evil and false nature, to the heavenly mountains of sunshine and joy! It is not mere poetry that is here used. There is a sunshine of the soul. The sublime orb that hangs in glory and effulgence in the spiritual heavens, sending its light and heat through all the regions, may shine into our hearts, and impart to us of its warming beams. It may elevate the whole man to the holy moun

*See, for a good exposition of the interior sense of the first eleven chapters of Genesis, Rendell's "Antediluvian History:" or, the first volume of Swedenborg's Arcana.

stances.

tains of Ararat. There a man may stand above his circumThere, upon that holy height, may he feel the refreshing breezes of heaven playing through his restored and healthy mind, and with all the world beneath his feet, may realize his victory over it and his superiority to it. In silent thankfulness may he raise his eyes to the blue deep above, in calm and humble emotion for its divine beauty, reflected only from his sun-bright soul. It is the Repose of heaven. It is Peace and Rest such as "the world cannot give, neither can it take away." It will fit us for all earth's trials that remain, which will now be only of the body and of worldly necessities, which we shall meet with welcome, and adopt as friendly to the consummating Perfection.

The fruits of such a life are more than can be enumerated. Then a thousand delights, of which the previous states know nothing, take up their abode in the mind; the internal and external parts of it being now harmonized, conduce to that true action in which the very essence of happiness consisteth; instead of tiresomeness and discontent, a serene and joyful sense of life flowing continually from the Lord, and a constant recognition of his providence in all things; instead of melancholy, cheerfulness of spirit; instead of the restless aims of ambition, gratitude and thanks for the smallest favors, which are all that can be most safely bestowed; and the lapse of time continually filling us with new delights, as it bears us perceptibly onward to an immortal existence.

CHAPTER XII.

RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT.

"When Providence intends to accomplish any thing, it does not do it by halves, but entirely.”—Stilling.

Ir is of the utmost importance, in travelling to a new country, not only to have a general acquaintance with the way, but to be furnished, if possible, with such guides and directions as shall lead somewhat into the particulars of the journey. We not only want to know the end and object of it, but the chief points of use and attraction, and the things most necessary to be provided with. It is so in the great spiritual journey. If I know not what the Great Leader aims to do with me, and the chief means which He will seek to use in my furtherance to everlasting possessions, in vain do I try to obtain a correct idea of the course and experience of the work. To appreciate what Divine Providence is, we must know something of the extent and nature of its aims. Before we can submit ourselves most readily to the discipline, we must understand what is to be done. It is for this purpose that we have gone over the ground of the few preceding chapters. If the great object is a heaven from the human race; if the ground of it is in so substantial a nature as the eternal forms and memories of the soul; if the necessity of regeneration is so urgent, and its nature and operation so radical and thorough; if the warfare is so formidable, and the temptations so great, and the fluctuations so mighty, and the way so winding and labyrinthic, and the view from some of its highest points so untrustful and deceptive; and after all, the final rest so glorious; if this is the