Died, on the 10th January, 1851, Mrs. Grace Collins, of Birmingham, formerly of Bath, in the 71st year of her age. She had been a widow about eight years, and a recipient of the doctrines of the New Church about sixteen years. Previously to receiving the truths of the New Dispensation, she regarded herself as a member of the Church of England, but doubts respecting the existence of a tripersonal Deity, occasioned by a sermon preached on that subject in one of the Bath churches, first induced her to accompany a kind and dear friend to the New Jerusalem Church in Bath. She was edified and delighted with what she heard advanced by the minister, (the Rev. J. W. Barnes) and from that period became a regular attendant, and afterwards a sincere member. Two of her children also became affectionate recipients, one of whom has entered into the spiritual world. On account of her reception of the doctrines she had the bitterest trials of opposition to endure from her husband, and some portion of her family, and which in one form or other extended even to her latest days. These were passed in the house of a son, a Roman Catholic convert, who, finding all other means of forcing his mother into the absurdities, mummeries, and superstitions of Romanism of no avail, forbade all visits of New Church friends, except those of the minister, and had he dared, she would have been deprived of these. In these fiery trials, however, her charity never forsook her, and her faith was a firm support. For several years, by reason of severe bodily affliction, which confined her in a great measure to her room and bed, she was unable to avail herself of the consolation of public worship. Still her convictions of the truth of the heaven-descended doctrines of the New Jerusalem, were not only unbroken, but to the last received new accessions of spiritual strength. Towards the close of her temporal existence she frequently received the Lord's Supper, in token of her unwavering faith, her devoted love, and her humble gratitude to the Lord, and found an ever-present consolation to sustain her through her bitter tribulations. In her domestic conduct throughout her life, she was irreproachable, an example of Christian affection, and unbending integrity. And in the Lord's own good time, whose providence overrules all events for the eternal good of his faithful children, the heart-broken mourner was relieved from all her afflictions, and now enjoys that true freedom, unmixed joy, and undisturbed peace, which belong to the kingdom of God. Birmingham. E. MADELEY. ERRATUM.-In former number, at p. 177, first line, for nature read native. Cave and Sever, Printers, Palatine Buildings, Hunt's Bank, Manchester. PHYSIOLOGY AND THEOLOGY, OR THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HUMAN BODY AND ITS PARTS TO THINGS SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE. (Absalom and his extraordinary Hair.) IN a former paper (in the last number) on this subject, we considered the general system and economy of the human body as being the microcosm, or the temple of all the sciences both physical and philosophical, and especially as being the epitome of the operation of Divine Order in the universe at large, both of matter and of mind. Heaven itself, we have seen, as being called "Christ's mystical body," must also, both as to its form and its order, be thought of from the functions, uses, order, and form of the human body. Physiology, therefore, is the high road to the intelligence of interior and spiritual things, and by correspondence, to the right understanding of the Word of God, which, as we have seen in our last paper, so frequently makes mention of the body and its parts, to convey to our minds spiritual ideas and divine Truths. Having spoken on the head and the hair, and having shewn from Scripture the spiritual signification of these parts of the body, in numerous passages, where every thoughtful reader can at once see that the merely natural idea is not the idea intended, but that a spiritual idea is involved, the perception of which is the "spiritual discernment" (1 Cor. ii. 14.) of the Word of God, and of its Divine Truths, we will now proceed to consider what is said of Absalom, especially in relation to his extraordinary hair, as being, at last, one of the causes of his death. We read of Absalom, that "in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him; and when he polled his head (for it was at every year's end that he polled it; because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight." (2 Sam. xv. 25, 26.) Commentators have been not a little perplexed in ascertaining the real weight of Absalom's hair. It is, however, agreed that there were two kinds of shekel, the common shekel and the king's shekel. According to the former the weight would be twelve pounds and a half; but according to the latter it would only be fifty, or as some calculate, forty ounces, or about three pounds and a half troy weight.* But whatever might have been the weight of Absalom's hair, we know that, as in the case of Samson, his hair was a type, and that it represented the ultimates of the Word, of the Church, of Worship, and of the Lord Himself when clothed with Humanity. On this account, and for this purpose, the hair of Absalom is mentioned in the Divine Scriptures. The apostle declares, "that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.) Now as ALL Scripture is divinely given for this purpose, we may readily conclude that this portion is also given for our instruction in righteousness, &c. But how can we gather that "profitable instruction," except from the spiritual sense of this Divine Record? From the merely literal sense but little can be gathered which is profitable for our instruction in righteousness, from this account of Absalom. When, however, seen as to its spiritual meaning and application, the instruction becomes profitable and important indeed. That David, the father of Absalom, was a type of the Lord, every Christian will readily admit, so that no proof of this point is requisite here. All the patriarchs, prophets, and kings, mentioned in the Word, are indeed types of the Lord; but each represents Him as to some peculiar characteristic of His Divine Nature, and as to some peculiar office of His redeeming and saving love. David, as a prophet and a king, represented the Lord as to His Divine Truth prior to the incarnation; Solomon symbolized Him as to His Divine Truth after the incarnation, as glorified in His Humanity, of which the temple, built * As to this subject, Winer's Biblisches Realwörterbuch, or Taylor's learned edition of Calmet, or Kitto's Biblical Cyclopædia, may be consulted. + See Swedenborg's Spiritual Diary, 2658. 66 by Solomon, was an especial type. (John ii. 21.) Absalom, another son of David, represented also the Lord, but as to the Divine Truth ultimated in the literal sense of the Word. For the Divine Truth thus ultimated is as a most perfect and handsome man. It is therefore said, that "in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him." Hence, in proportion as we become receptive of Divine Truth from the Lord, through His Word, and by faith, love, and practice, have it ultimated in our thoughts, words, and deeds, we become beautiful, and from the sole of our feet even to the crown of our head there is no blemish in us;" for the Lord is then the all in all of our life, and where He is, there is no blemish, but perfection and beauty. When, however, the Divine Truth is not reccived, so as to be ultimated in our life and conduct, there is no soundness in us, but "from the sole of the foot even to the head there is nothing but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;" (Isaiah i. 6.) that is, nothing but evils of all kinds, and hideous deformity and weakness, instead of strength and beauty; and in the place of well-set hair, like Absalom's when it was polled, there is only baldness and infirmity. (Isa. iii. 24.) Now, that Absalom, with his extraordinary hair, represented the Divine Truth ultimated in the literal sense of the Word, will, we think, be evident to the spiritual discernment of the mind, by considering some of the remarkable particulars related of Absalom, and of David's attachment to him, although he, by insidious and by open rebellion, endeavoured to deprive his father of the kingdom. The first account that we read of Absalom is that relating to his determination to be avenged upon Amnon, his brother, for having violated his sister Tamar. (2 Sam. xiii.) On the occasion of the festival of sheep-shearing, this purpose of Absalom was accomplished. (See verses 23 to 30.) For sheep-shearing was a kind of festival among the Jews, and the honourable of the land were invited to the entertainments then enjoyed. (See Gen. xxxviii. 12; A. C. 4110.) Sheep-shearing, from which wool for eminent uses is derived, has also, when mentioned in God's Word, its spiritual signification. For wool is to the sheep what hair is to the man, and is an ultimate representing the truths of heavenly goodness and charity brought out through faith and love, and ultimated in the life of Thus, on account of its correspondence in the church of types and shadows, sheep-shearing was a kind of festival to which kings and their sons were invited. Now, truth in its ultimate, or in its literal sense, may be either united with truth in its interior or spiritual sense, or it may be separated therefrom. When united with its interior prin man. ciple, it has " spirit and life;" (John vi. 63.) but, when separated, it is “profitable for nothing”—(John vi. 63.)—it is as a body deprived of its soul, or of its living principle, and which consequently becomes the source and seat of innumerable corruptions,-of innumerable evils and heresies in the church. The guilt of Amnon violating his sister is a type of truth falsified and profaned by the man of the church, who receives it, but who subjects it to merely selfish and worldly purposes, either for the purpose of honour or of gain. By thus employing the truth of God, he violates and destroys the proper spiritual affection with which truth can alone exist. This affection was denoted by Tamar, the sister of Absalom. The consequence must be, that all such as violate the proper affection with which the truths of the Word can alone consist, will inevitably perish, being condemned and destroyed by the Truth which they themselves have separated from its proper Goodness. For Truth united with Goodness saves; but Truth separated from Goodness condemns and destroys. All in heaven are governed of the Lord by Truth united with Goodness, or Love; but all in hell are governed by Truth separated from Goodness or Love. In proportion as we now receive of love and goodness from the Lord through the love and practice of His Divine Truth, we shall be brought under the dominion of His Divine Love; and, on the contrary, if we now, by a life of merely selfish and worldly love, reject His love and goodness, and refuse to become regenerate and spiritual, we must needs have a "cruel lord to reign over us." (Isaiah xix. 4.) This cruel lord is the falsity of our own evil, which we ourselves have chosen in the place of Truth from Goodness, which is the Lord Himself. This fact is clearly declared by the apostle when he says Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. vi. 16.) Absalom's slaying Amnon at the sheep-shearing at Bahal-hazor (see 2 Sam. xiii. 23 to 20.) involves the great and awful fact that all who thus violate the proper affection of truth, destroy all charity in themselves, and all heavenly usefulness and peace, denoted by the festival of sheep-shearing, and are consequently condemned and destroyed by the Divine Word separated by them from its spirit and its life. For the Lord says,- "I judge, or condemn, no man, but the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John xvi. 47, 48.) 66 We shall now, we apprehend, be enabled to see that Absalom represented the Word as to its literal sense, in both cases; that is, when the letter is united with its spirit, or its internal life and light, and when it is |