The Lord's Commands to Emanuel Swedenborg


​​"Now, by command of the Lor​d, who has been revealed to me, the following are to be published..."
PREFACE TO ...
THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD
(Published in Latin in 1763 by Emanuel Swedenborg)

Some years ago there were published the following five little works:

   1. Concerning Heaven and Hell.
   2. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem.
   3. Concerning the Last Judgment.
   4. Concerning the White Horse.
   5. Concerning the Planets and other Earths in the Universe.

In these works many things were set forth that have hitherto been unknown.

Now, by command of the Lord, who has been revealed to me, the following are to be published:
It is said "the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem," and this means the Doctrine for the New Church which is at this day to be set up by the Lord; for the old church has come to its end, as is evident from what has been said in the little work on the Last Judgment (n. 33 to n. 39); and also from what is to be further said in the little works just mentioned, which are to follow. That a New Church is meant by the "New Jerusalem," foretold in the twenty-first chapter of the Revelation as to come after the Judgment, may be seen below, in the last chapter.

*Although the treatise here named was never published as a separate work, the subjects of it are specially treated of in the first chapter of the True Christian Religion. See also references to the same subjects in this present work (in. 65), in the Doctrine of the Holy Scripture (n. 32), and in the Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom (n. 9). [Translator – John Potts]

** This proposed treatise seems to have been included in the one mentioned immediately before it, which begins with an exposition of the subject of Life. The reason this treatise and the one on the Divine Omnipotence, etc., were not published as separate works, is explained in a letter of Swedenborg to Dr. Beyer, dated February, 1767. See Documents concerning Swedenborg, by R. L. Tafel, vol. ii. p. 261. [Ta.]
"In the spiritual world there was inscribed on all these books:
"The Lord's Advent." 

"The same I also wrote by command on two copies
["Brief Exposition"] in Holland."*

" Hic Liber Est Adventus Domini, Scriptum Ex Mandato. "
" This book is the Lord's Advent, written by command. "
---------------
SKETCH OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF THE NEW CHURCH
(Written in Latin in 1771 by Emanuel Swedenborg)
  1. A new Ecclesiastical History must be written, because now is the Lord's Advent predicted in Matthew 24.
  2. The church was different before the Council of Nice, as long as the Apostles Creed was in force. It became changed after the Council of Nice, and still more after the Athanasian Creed was composed. The cardinal point of doctrine respecting the Triune God and the Lord was subverted in the church, especially by the dogma of three [Divine] persons from eternity.
  3. The books are to be enumerated which were written, from the beginning to the present day, by the Lord through me [a Domino per me].
  4. The writing there is such that it shines brightly before those who believe in the Lord and in the new revelation; but it appears dark and of no consequence to those who deny them, and who are not in favor of them on account of various external reasons. Experimental proofs that their style of writing is such:
    • From the Dutch censors of books who were called together in the world of spirits; one of whom upon reading these books said, that they were preferable to all other books, except the Word; and another said that he saw nothing in them except vain, novel, and fantastical things, and that therefore they were to be rejected as of no account.
    • The same thing happened in England, where they were sent to the universities, because the ecclesiastical order had rejected them.
    • About those in Gottenberg; Beyer, Rosen, and the others; although some see the greatness of God in them, others see nothing except what is utterly worthless.
    • In Sweden [they are looked upon in one way] by Filenius, and in a different way altogether by others, who may perhaps be named.
    • When I read to myself the writings which I had printed, they appeared to me vain, as long as a certain cunning and sinister one was present, but it was different in the presence of others.
    • The same thing took place in Sweden with him, who is writing a literary history. Besides other instances.
  5. About Oetinger, in Wurtemberg, from his letter.
  6. About Gottingen.
  7. When the "Brief Exposition" was published, the angelic heaven from the east to the west, and from the south to the north, appeared of a deep scarlet color with the most beautiful flowers. This took place before myself, and before the kings of Denmark and others. At another time it appeared flamy, most beautiful.
  8. In the spiritual world there was inscribed on all these books: "The Lord's Advent." The same I also wrote by command on two copies in Holland.*

* One of these copies has been found. On the inside page of the wrapper which is bound up with the volume there is the following inscription in Swedenborg's own handwriting:
(2513) HIC LIBER EST ADVENTUS DOMINI, {4535} SCRIPTUM EX MANDATO {6895} (8427, p. 19) 

Hic Liber Est Adventus Domini, Scriptum Ex Mandato.
[This book is the Lord's Advent, written by command.]

In another hand is inserted Apocalypse Revealed n. 626. See Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, Pt. 2, pages 756-757. [-Translator]
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