stood, that the interior perceptions of truth, which had been communicated, should be interiorly cherished and obeyed, and likewise that they should be kept separate from the influence and operation of former persuasions and opinions.

Q. What then is the general instruction which you learn from the above miracle?

A. From the letter or literal sense of this history, I am again taught to adore the divine omnipotence of my GOD and SAVIOUR, exerted in the cure of a man blind from his birth; and from the spiritual sense, I am taught several weighty lessons of instruction relative to spiritual blindness, and to its cure by the same omnipotence. For respecting spiritual blindness, I am taught by the above history, that there is a blindness arising from the want of early instruction, such as is that of the Gentiles, who are out of the church, and consequently receive no instruction from the HOLY WORD, and who on this account are sensual men, and believe nothing but what is in agreement with the evidence of the senses. And in regard to the cure of this blindness, I am taught that it is provided in the HOLY WORD, and is there to be found in the letter, under the form of sensual truth, which is the clay made of spittle in the above history, and is accommodated to the apprehension of sensual minds, leading them finally to the acknowledgment and worship of the INCARNATE GOD in His divine HUMANITY. I am resolved, therefore, from henceforth to attend

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carefully to all the sources and consequent qualities of spiritual blindness in my own mind, and to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, whensoever I find that the sensual mind prevails, so as to darken in me the light of the eternal truth. Thus may I humbly hope, like the blind man in the above history, to come seeing; and finally, like him, to be enabled to say, LORD, I believe, and by believing become a true worshipper of the LIVING GOD in His DIVINE HUMANITY. AMEN.

LAZARUS RAISED FROM

THE DEAD.

JOHN xi. 1 to 45.

THE particulars related in this chapter concerning Lazarus, previous to his being raised from the dead, are so numerous and likewise so important, that it would require a volume to give a full and satisfactory explanation of their spiritual meaning. We must, therefore, be content to pass them by, and proceed immediately to the interpretation of the several circumstances recorded, when the BLESSED JESUS took His station at the grave of the deceased, and prepared directly for the exercise of His divine omnipotence. Nevertheless it may be proper to remark, as a clue to the elucidation of the introductory parts of the history, that by Lazarus are here represented the Gentiles, as also in the parable, (Luke xvi. 20,) and by his being raised from the dead, is further figured the establishment of a new church amongst the Gentiles, and in every individual; for the establishment of a church, in all cases, implies the communication of spiritual life by the removal of evils and

errors; thus it implies also resurrection from the dead, since wheresoever evil and error prevail, there is death. This being premised, the reader will now consider himself as standing at the grave of Lazarus, and will there ask,

Q. How are the following words to be understood, where it is written, JESUS again therefore groaning in Himself, cometh to the grave: it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it? ·

A. It had been before said, on this occasion, that JESUS groaned in spirit, (ver. 38,) therefore when it is now said that He groaned in Himself, it implies a two-fold groaning, and since by groaning, when spoken of the DIVINE BEING, is meant a vehement emotion of divine principles, by a two-fold groaning, or what is here called again groaning, is to be understood a vehement emotion both of the divine love and di vine wisdom occasioned by the circumstances which presented themselves, when viewed both literally and representatively. By His coming to the grave, under this emotion, is further to be understood, not only His divine presence at the tomb of Lazarus, but also at what is here figured by a tomb, viz. the principles of unregenerate life; in other words, the principles of selfish and worldly love, which entomb the mind of man in its natural state, and prevent its arising to the sense and enjoyment of its proper life in the love of GOD and its neighbour. It is said of this tomb or grave, that it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it, because by a cave, according to the spi ritual idea involved in this history, is denoted an