*Only two days ago I received your letter of March 21, and in reading it I was astounded by the reports which I understand have arrived in Goteborg from Stockholm, to the effect that you and also Doctor Rosen were to be deposed and exiled. To this I can by no means give any credence, for to condemn someone by depriving him of his position and sending him into exile on a charge of high degree heresy without an examination into the main question, I find contrary to reason.

In the printed Minutes I find no evidence that they have gone into the matter itself, but they have only adopted the means of attacking by intolerable words of abuse; when yet the real matter and the case in question is this: whether it be permitted to go directly to our Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ, or whether one is bound to go the roundabout way, namely to God the Father, in order that He may impute the merit and righteousness of His Son and send the Holy Spirit. But that one may also go the other way, which is the short way, namely to our Saviour Jesus Christ, is according to both the Augsburg Confession and the Formula Concordiae, and also according to our prayers and hymns, and is in entire agreement with the Word of God.

In the Augsburg Confession p. 19, there are the following words: 'Since [the Sacred Scripture] places before us one Christ, Mediator, Atoner, High Priest, and Intercessor, He is to be invoked, and He has promised that He will hear our prayers; and the Sacred Scripture highly approves this worship, namely that He be invoked in all affliction, 1 John ii.' In the Formula Concordiae, p. 226, there are the following words: 'We have a command that we are to invoke Christ, according to this: Come unto Me, all who labour, etc., which is certainly said to us also; and Isaiah says in chap. xi [10]: In that day the Root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples, on Him shall the nations call; and Psalm xlv [12, 13]: All the rich among the People shall entreat Thy face; and Psalm lxxii [11]: All the kings of the earth shall fall down before Him; and a little later [verse 19]: They shall pray before Him continually; and in John v [23]: Christ says that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father; so also Paul, 2 These. ii [16, 17].' These are the actual words from the Formula Concordiae.

In our Hymnbook there are prayers and hymns which are addressed to Jesus Christ alone, such as Hymn 266, from which I will include only the following: 'Jesus is my protection and my heart's delight. O Jesus, hear my voice. In Christ I find my support, therefore I am safe, and free from sin. Satan I do not fear, however he may rage: Jesus stands by my side. Now I throw all sorrow that weighs upon my heart upon the back of my Jesus He cares well for me, when day begins. I now live secure.' Verses 1, 3, 8.

In addition to all this there are in my two letters, which are inserted in the Goteborg Minutes and printed, very many proofs adduced from the whole of the Formula Concordiae, showing that our Saviour is equally God as to His Human Nature, which both Luther and the Formula Concordiae confirm with all their might, and which is in agreement with the whole of the Word of God. As proof only Col. ii 9 and 1 John v 20, 21, may now be referred to. More passages of the same content are adduced from one of my books, extracts of which are to be found in the printed Minutes of the Goteborg Consistory. All this they there call Swedenborgianism, but I for my part call it true Christianity.

This is the state of the question now in dispute, which however the members of the Consistory on their side have not in the least touched upon, but have merely gone forth with abusive language such as concerns not only my person and honour, but also our Saviour Himself and His Holiness. As to how they will be able to account for such conduct after death, I leave unanswered.

With reference to the Son of God from eternity which also has become a subject of dispute, it has also been proved by me that in the Apostles' Creed, which is received in the whole of Christendom, and which contains the doctrine of the Apostles themselves, no other Son of God is mentioned than the Son of God born in time, who is our Redeemer Himself, to whom every man can go, and to whom also, as confirmed in the Augsburg Confession or Formula Concordiae, he is permitted to go, and thus to seek his salvation. Were this to be taken away I would choose to live in Tartary rather than in Christendom. If another wishes to rise up and go over to a Son of God from eternity, he is free to do so.

It is by reason of your letter and your fear of harsh treatment that I have been induced to examine this matter and throw light upon it. For theological questions are of such a nature that one may easily grope around in darkness in respect to them, if supposedly learned accusers obscure them with coarse language and seek to kill the child with murderous words.

But I am assuming, and feel assured, that His Royal Majesty and his enlightened Councillors will bring this matter to a conclusion according to its true nature, and not in the manner of the Dean and others' glossary. Therefore, should you be deposed and exiled, what else would the present and coming generations say than that it was because he went directly to our Lord the Saviour, and yet did not deny the Trinity. What astonishment and commotion would not this cause in every individual! This matter in all its scope is soon to be laid before the whole of Christianity, and later I will submit its judgment to His Royal Majesty and thus further to the most excellent Estates of the Realm in general; for when the Diet is in session the estate of the Clergy is not allowed separately to submit the kind of recommendation to the King that would have legal force. Theological matters belong also to the other estates.

With reference to your coming here I do not see that your presence would greatly contribute to your defence. If it please you it would be enough to make copies of this letter and to send one of them to Privy Councillor Stockenstrom and one to Privy C. Hermanson with the statement that this is done at my request. I myself intend to send a copy to the Chancellor of Justice and one to Count Ekeblad.

I remain, etc. Em. Swedenborg

Stockholm 12 April 1770

* On 21 March and again on 18 April, Beyer wrote of rumours that he and Dr. Rosen were about to be dismissed on account of their Swedenborgian sympathies, to which Swedenborg replied on 12 April and 30 April respectively. Both TD ii p. 369 and LM p. 714 declare that the original letter of 30 April is at the Royal Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, but in November 1970 the editor did not find it there. Photo-copies of this original that has gone astray are however available.