habitation and nourishment for themselves; they also do depart and collect into a swarm, and afterwards institute a similar order of things in a new hive: these and various other things, discovered and communicated in books by attentive observers, are not unlike the governments instituted and ordained in kingdoms and republics by human intelligence and wisdom, according to the laws of justice and judgment: it may also be observed, that, like men, these animals know the approach of winter, against which they make a provision of food, lest they should then perish with hunger who can deny that such things are from a spiritual origin, or suppose that they can exist from any other? All such things are to me convincing arguments and documents of a spiritual influx into the things of nature, and I have greatly wondered how they could be used as arguments and documents for the operation of nature alone, as they are with certain persons, who are infatuated from self-derived intelligence.

"No one can know what is the quality of the life of the beasts of the earth, of the birds of heaven, and the fishes of the sea, unless it be known what their soul is, and the quality thereof: that every animal hath a soul, is a well known thing, for they live, and life is a soul, wherefore also in the Word they are called living souls. That the soul in its ultimate form, which is corporeal, such as appeareth before the sight, is the animal, cannot be better known from any other source, than from the spiritual world : for in that world, in like manner as in the natural world, there are seen beasts of all kinds, and birds of all kinds, and fishes of all kinds, and so like in form, that they cannot be distinguished from those which are in our world; but the difference is, that in the spiritual world they exist apparently from the affections of angels and spirits, so that they are appearances of affections, wherefore also they vanish away as soon as the angel or spirit departeth, or his affection ceaseth; hence it is evident, that their soul is nothing else; consequently that there exist as many genera and species of animals, as there are genera and species of affections. That the affections, which in the spiritual world are represented by animals, are not interior spiritual affections, but that they are exterior spiritual, which are called natural, will be seen presently; likewise also that there is not a hair or thread of wool on any beast, not the smallest portion of a quill or feather upon any bird, nor of a fin or scale on any fish, which is not de

rived from the life of their soul, thus which is not from a spiritual [principle] clothed by the natural. But something shall first be said concerning the animals, which appear in heaven, in hell, and in the world of spirits, which is in the midst between heaven and hell.

"Inasmuch as the universal heaven is distinguished into societies, in like manner the universal hell, and also the universal world of spirits, and the societies are arranged according to the genera and species of affections, and inasmuch as the animals there are appearances of affections, as was just said above, therefore one kind of animal with its species appears in one society, and another in another, and all kinds of animals with their species in the whole together. In the societies of heaven appear the tame and clean animals, in the societies of hell, the savage and unclean beasts, and in the world of spirits, beasts of a mediate character. They have been often seen by me, and it has been given thereby to know the quality of the angels and spirits there; for all in the spiritual world are known from the appearances which are near and about them, and their affections from various things, and also from animals. In the heavens I have seen lambs, sheep, she-goats, so similar to those seen in the world that there is no difference; also turtle doves, pigeons, birds of paradise, and several others of a beautiful form and colour; I have seen likewise various kinds of fish in the waters, but these in the lowest parts of heaven. But in the hells are seen dogs, wolves, foxes, tigers, swine, mice, and several other kinds of savage and unclean beasts, besides venomous serpents of many species, likewise crows, owls and bats. But in the world of spirits are seen camels, elephants, horses, asses, oxen, stags, lions, leopards, bears, also eagles, kites, magpies, peacocks, and storks. I have also seen there compound animals, such as were seen by the prophets, and are described in the Word, as in the Apoc. xiii. 2, and elsewhere. Inasmuch as there is such a similitude between the animals appearing in that world and the animals in this world that no difference can be discerned, and the former derive their existence from the affections of the angels of heaven, and from the cupidities of the spirits of hell, it follows that natural affections and cupidities are their souls, and that these being clothed with a body, are, in effigy, animals."

ON THE BOOK OF JOB.

The nature of the Book of Job, and the character of Joв himself, have long been a subject of inquiry. It is admitted, on all hands, to be a production of very great antiquity; and generally believed to be more ancient than the Jewish Dispensation. By the New Church, it is declared to be a work of the Ancient Church. As to the subject of it, the general opinion among Christians is, that it contains an account of a man of perfect justice, whom Divine Providence, in its wisdom, has afflicted with the most grievous distresses and sufferings, which are borne with the most continued and unyielding patience. Job is of course exhibited as a pattern to all the distressed, by which their endurance of affliction may be strengthened, and their faith confirmed. Yet, if we turn to the Book itself, we shall not be a little surprised at the difficulty which we at once meet with to find those instances of patience, which, from the common observations made on the character of Job, we would be induced to expect. I remember, not long since, in conversation upon some religious topics with a clergyman, he told me he had intended to have preached a sermon on the patience of Job; but that, on turning to the Book, with a view of examining the particulars, he really met with great difficulty to discover those traits of patience which he had supposed to mark the features of his character. After the recital of many afflictions, deeply trying to be sure, we find Job, in the third chapter, breaking out into this extraordinary language: "After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day, and he spake and said, Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, there is a man child conceived:" and he proceeds in a strain of the most impassioned language, giving full vent to the strongest and most unrestrained feelings of anguish. And in vi. 8. "Oh that I might have my request, and that God would grant me the thing I long for; even that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off." If a friend of our own, under the deepest affliction, should burst out in such expressions as these, would we speak of him to another as an example of uncommon patience? Yet the apostle James says, v. 11. "Behold we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord." What then are we to say to this difficulty? Shall we doubt the universal opinion, and even that of the apos

tle? or shall we still contend for the patience of Job? I am for this latter course. But to discover the patience of Job, I think we must look deeper than has generally been done. This book of the Sacred Scriptures has long been considered by me as of a nature very different from that which has generally been supposed. I shall therefore take the liberty, in a succeeding number, of presenting to your readers the thoughts which have occurred to me on this subject.

(To be continued.)

Y.

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

The Intellectual Repository for January, 1818, was received a few weeks ago, and although it conveys us but little information as to the progress of the doctrines in England, it contains a number of excellent original pieces, which are highly worthy of the perusal of the readers in America, and show that our English friends are by no means relaxing in their exertions to impart to others the light which they have themselves received. This number contains a plan, by that zealous and indefatigable friend and advocate of the Truth, Mr. Hindmarsh, for the establishment of a seminary for the education of youth in general, and particularly for the qualification of young men as ministers of the New Jerusalem. In the remarks on this plan it is stated, that there is a prospect of raising several large sums of money for the purpose of commencing the establishment. The system embraces all the branches of education, from the lowest to the highest, and if carried into execution will, without doubt, be of incalculable benefit in the propagation of the doctrines.

We have to regret, that but few communications have arrived this season from our friends in England. An interesting letter, however, has been received from the reverend Mr. Madely, of Derby, (Eng.) under date of April 8, 1818=62, of which the following is an extract.

"I am happy to state, that the blessed cause of Truth is prosperous in England. The plan, adopted by our worthy committee of the missionary institution, is to place ministers in large towns: accordingly, they have placed one in Leeds, another in Sheffield, and I doubt not but they will soon be able to extend their operations to many others. Bristol is now soliciting the aid of a mi

nister, and offering to build a Temple. I have received, with great pleasure, your Repository, in which you give us a print of your Temple, and I have the pleasure to say, that I have purchased land for a Temple and burial ground, in Derby, and intend to begin very soon. The reverend J. Proud will lay our first stone. I intend to build it as a private property, and of very handsome stone, with galleries, and then make it over to the society, to be paid for by little and little. I preached 'last Sabbath day at Burton on Trent. A Mr. -, minister of a Baptist society, has embraced the doctrines there, and is preaching them to his people, who are much delighted with them. I relate this circumstance to you, as knowing you will be delighted to hear that we are actively engaged in the performance of those uses for which we were born, and for which we are continued in the world."

In our own very extensive country, the doctrines are gradually spreading in various quarters, and some late information, from several sources, gives great hopes of important acquisitions to the society of educated and enlightened members. We have also heard, through a medium by no means partial to the New Church, that the effect of Mr. Schlatter's distributing, throughout the Western country, of the various books, printed by him, is really extraordinary, and that the number of converts and readers throughout that immense region is astonishing. Being without the establishments so strongly rooted in older countries, and possessing a marked independence of thinking, they are open to receive the light of Truth in perfect freedom. We cannot but think, that this once almost impervious wilderness will become the principal seat of the New Church.

In addition to the books stated, in page 28 of this Repository, to have been published by Mr. Schlatter, he has since printed, for gratuitous distribution, five hundred copies of the Treatise on the Regenerate Life, with the Life of E. Swedenborg prefixed; eight hundred copies of Mr. Hindmarsh's Compendium, with the Treatise on the Trinity, and Five Memorable Relations, from the Universal Theology; one thousand copies of Mr. Clowes's Sacred Histories, to which are added, Four of the Parables Explained, the Articles of Faith of the New Church, a Daily Prayer for the use of a Family, being a Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer, and the Recommendation of the Writings of Ema