Reply to the Opinion of the Reverend Doctor and Dean Olof Ekebom presented in the Consistory in Gothenburg on March 22, 1769:

There has been communicated to me the Opinion of the Doctor and Dean presented in the Consistory concerning the doctrine of the New Church which, by Jesus Christ our Savior, has been given forth to the world by me His servant, in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae and the Apocalypsis Revelata. And as I find that the Dean's Opinion is full of accusations, and also here and there of untruths, I deem it too prolix to answer it in detail, especially as I see that it is written as by one who does not have a bridle on his tongue, nor eyes in front to see that what is found therein is in accordance with the Word of God and with enlightened understanding. Such are they whom the Lord Himself describes in Matthew, chapter 13:13, 14, 15.*

I shall take up from the Opinion only the words, that that Doctrine is in the highest degree heretical, in the most essential points Socinian. That doctrine cannot be called heretical because therein is acknowledged and confirmed:

I. The Divine Trinity; see Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord, no. 55 seq., and Apocalypse Revealed, nos. 961-62.

II. The holiness of the Sacred Scripture, especially as to the sense of the letter; see Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, no. 7 seq., no. 37, no. 50 seq., and Apocalypse Revealed, nos. 200, 898, 911.

III. The Christian life; see the Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem from the Precepts of the Decalogue, from beginning to end.

IV. The Conjunction between Faith and Charity; see Apocalypse Revealed in many places.

V. That Faith in God ought to be founded upon our Savior, according to His own words, John 3:15-16; 6:40; 11:25-26; chap. 20, the last verse, and especially John 3:35-36 and Coloss. 2:9.

It is seen also from the Formula Concordiae** that in Jesus Christ Man is God and God Man, pp. 607, 762, 763, 765, 840 seq. That His Human Nature was exalted to Divine Majesty and Power, pp. 337*** seq., 607, 608 seq., 774, 834 [?843] seq., 844, 847, 852, 861, 863, 869. That Jesus Christ has all power in heaven and on earth, pp. 775, 776, 790, 833. That as to His Human Nature He rules all things, being most closely present, pp. [?] 337, 375,**** 600, 608, 611, [?] 738, 768, 783, 784, 785, 786. Appendix pp. 149, 150, besides much else; see the edition printed in Leipzig 1756.*****

On the strength of all this, and from obedience to that which the Lord Himself teaches (John 14:6-11), faith in God, according to the Doctrine of the New Church, is based upon the Savior Himself. From this alone it can be seen that that Doctrine is undeservedly and shamelessly attacked with abusive words, and that by no sound soul can it be said to be full of the most intolerable fundamental errors, corrupting, heretical, offensive, and in the highest degree to be rejected. These invectives are poured out, although in his Declaration, Art. 2, the Dean admits in the following words that he has not read my writings: I am not acquainted with Assessor Swedenborg's religious system, neither is it likely that I shall trouble myself to become acquainted with it. It has been told me that it must be gathered mainly from his published works The New Jerusalem, Charity and Faith, The Lord, etc., works which I have neither possessed, read, nor seen.

Is this not being blind in front and having eyes in the back, and these covered over with a veil, and in this way seeing and judging a man's writings? Can any civil and spiritual judge regard an outburst in such terms otherwise than as criminal?

The Doctrine of which the Dean makes mention is to be found in Gothenburg, and had he chosen he could have seen it. The Dean likewise blasphemes the spiritual sense of the Word which our Savior has now caused to be revealed, as if this spiritual sense would prevent the Sacred Scripture from becoming the source for the learning of faith, religion and revealed theology, according to his own words; and yet in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, it is fully proved and demonstrated:

I. That the sense of the letter of the Word is the basis, containant, and firmament of its spiritual sense, nos. 27-36;

II. That in the sense of the letter of the Word, the Divine Truth is in its fullness, its holiness, and its power, nos. 37-49;

III. That the doctrine of the Church is to be drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word, and to be confirmed thereby, nos. 50-61;

IV. That by the sense of the letter of the Word is conjunction with the Lord and consociation with angels, nos. 62-68, etc.; concerning the spiritual sense of the Word and its inestimable use, nos. 5-26 ibid.; see also Apocalypse Revealed, nos. 200, 898, 911, and a thousand other places.

With regard to the second point, the calling of that Doctrine Socinian is an accursed blasphemy and lie, for Socinianism means the denial of the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and yet it is His Divinity that is principally affirmed and proved in this New Church Doctrine, and that the Savior has wholly made satisfaction for men and redeemed them, yea, has so wrought, that without His coming, no one would have been saved; see Apocalypse Revealed, no. 67, and many other passages. Wherefore, I regard the word Socinian as a mockery and devilish contumely.

This, together with all else in the Opinion, one may take as being what is meant by the flood, which the dragon cast out of its mouth on the woman, to drown her when she was yet in the wilderness, Apoc. 12:15; and it may be that what follows immediately afterwards may also come to pass-that the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, verse 17. That the New Jerusalem signifies the New Church which will be the bride and wife of the Lamb, see Apocalypse Revealed, nos. 880-81; and that it will surely come, because the Lord Himself has predicted it, Apocalypse, chapter 21:21 (see also Zechar. 14:7, 8, 9) ; and in the last chapter, these words: I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And the spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely, Apoc. 22:16, 17.

Amsterdam, April 15, 1769 by

Eman. Swedenborg

I request that this be laid before the Venerable Consistory, as also that a copy of it be sent to the Reverend Doctor and Bishop. * "Therefore they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not," etc. ** The quotations from the Formula Concordiae are in Latin. *** Later corrected to 737. **** Later corrected to 775. ***** Swedenborg erroneously wrote 1765.