"The small treatise entitled A Brief Exposition of the Doctrines of the New Church, I have sent only to Bishop Benzelstjerna, with strict injunctions not to lend it to anyone; for there are few in Sweden who penetrate with their understandings into any matter belonging to theology, and unless they do so, they cannot receive any enlightenment from God's Word. For instance, they cannot understand that in Romans 3:28, and in Galatians 2:16, an imputative faith in the merit of Christ is not meant, but the faith of Jesus, which is a faith from Jesus in Jesus; and, likewise, that the works of the law of the Decalogue are not there meant, but the works of the Mosaic law, which were simply for the Jews; and further, that in Romans 4 is not meant the imputation of the faith of the present church. Nor are they willing to be enlightened in such texts of the Scriptures as concern God's Son, that by the Son of God is not meant a Son of God from eternity, but the Son of God conceived in time from Jehovah God, and born of the Virgin Mary, according to the distinct words of Luke 1:32, 35; Matthew 3:17; John 20:31; 1 John 5:20, 21, and other places. This is likewise agreeable to the Apostles' Creed, where no other Son of God is mentioned, whence it follows that the primitive church knew of no other. A Son of God from eternity was adopted in the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, because they could find no other way by which to refute and expel the errors of Arius (compare the Apostles' Creed). I therefore adhere to the Apostolic church. "To worship God the Saviour cannot be prohibited throughout Christendom, and still less among the Lutherans (see the Augsburg Confession, p. 19, and also the Apology, p. 226); nor can it be denied that in Christ Man is God and God is Man, with many other things which I mentioned in a former letter. The Formula Concordiae explains also a Divine trinity in those who are reborn by faith (p. 695, Apology, p. 130); how much more then is a Divine trinity in God the Savior, etc., etc. (Col. 2:9). All this however and much more will be demonstrated in a work which will be published two years hence.** Brief Exposition is a forerunner of it, and is to prepare the way for its reception. This little preliminary treatise has been spread throughout the whole of Christendom, Sweden excepted, because theology is now in its wintry state, and here in the north the night lasts longer than in southern parts; wherefore they in their darkness may be supposed to kick against everything in the New Church which belongs to the understanding or to reason. Still there are those in the ecclesiastical order who are exceptions to this rule; I apply also to myself what the Lord has said to His disciples in Matt. 10:16." [I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.]

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"What you relate respecting your wife in her dying hours, was caused especially by the impression of two clergymen, who associated her in her thoughts with those spirits, from whom she then spoke; it happens sometimes with some in the hour of death that they are in the state of the spirit. Those spirits that first spoke through her belonged to the followers of the dragon, which was cast down from heaven (see Rev. 12), and who became then so filled with hatred against the Saviour, and consequently against God's Word, and against everything belonging to the New Church, that they cannot bear to hear Christ mentioned. When the sphere of our Lord descends upon them out of heaven, they become like raving maniacs, and seek to hide themselves in holes and caverns, and thus save themselves, according to Rev. 6:16. "Your deceased wife was yesterday with me, and informed me on many things which she had thought, and spoken to you, her husband, and with those who led her astray. Were I at this time near you, I might relate to you many things on this subject, but I am not permitted to write about them. I have no time at present to express myself about the boy concerning whom you write. "Stockholm, October 30, 1769."

["Stockholm, October 30, 1769."] * Documents Concerning Swedenborg, Vol. 2, pp. 307, 308. ** True Christian Religion