plied. All these things plainly shew that an immense machinery is being prepared for the cultivation of the mental faculties, as a preliminary to the reception of the new ideas on the Truths of the Word, and of the spiritual life after death, which are so abundantly supplied in the writings and doctrines of the New Church. Nor should it be forgotten that since this Periodical was commenced, the strongholds of false doctrines and of dark metaphysical creeds have been shaken to their very foundation. The face of the earth, or of the church, and the state of human minds, as demonstrated in our Papers on the Last Judgment in this Periodical during the first months of 1857, is being entirely changed. Old things are passing away, and all things are becoming new. Thus every reflecting New Churchman has abundant reason for encouragement, and every ground of hope that the new heavens and the new earth" of a glorious state of things, both as to internals and externals, for the human race, are being gradually formed. 66 It is the great mission of the church of the New Jerusalem to come and minister to this new order of things, as Melchizedeck, the king of Salem, came and ministered bread and wine to Abraham after his battles and his victories. It is the mission of the New Church to supply its truths to the new state of things as necessary for its enlightenment, and its guidance in the path of peace; and it is the especial object of this Magazine to labour in this important field of eternal usefulness to mankind. The object is, consequently, to instruct and to edify the members of the church in the doctrines and principles which it advocates; and the treasures of science and the stores of ancient and of modern literature are welcome to its pages, as the means of elucidating and of confirming those Truths. With these prospects arising out of the new developments and tendencies of the age, which are the result of a new and powerful influence from on High, the Editor, during the last twenty years, has had his encouragements and enjoyments, as well as his difficulties and his anxieties, in conducting this Magazine. He has had the satisfaction to see its sale, up to a recent period, gradually increased from 600 as a bi-monthly in 1837,* to 1,300 copies per month, and to exceed in its circulation several of the religious Periodicals of the day. In 1854 it was considerably enlarged, at an expense of £30. per annum, arising from the profits of its sale, which was an additional ground of encouragement for further exertions on the part of the Editor. If these encouraging conditions and prospects had not existed, the See Minutes of Conference for that year. Editor would long ago have resigned his office, and withdrawn from Periodical literature. The time, however, has now come when it is necessary that this Magazine should meet with a still more liberal support, especially as the Conference has been at an additional expense in the endeavour to render it more instructive and interesting to the readers. The miscellaneous department is greatly enriched by a variety of information respecting the efforts made by the church in the propagation of its doctrines, and by intelligence respecting its progress in different parts of the world. The able services of the Rev. W. Woodman, as assistant Editor, have contributed to this result, and at this juncture in the history of this Magazine it was not to be expected that its sale should, as appears from the Minutes of the last Conference, be diminished. This may have arisen partly from the depressed state of business during the past year, and partly from an apathy and lethargy as to spiritual improvement, which in states of depression and trial are apt to come over us. We trust that with the beginning of a New Year this lethargy will be dispersed, and that we may put forth new energies in support of the righteous cause. We sincerely thank our correspondents for the contributions they have kindly sent to us, and for the interest they have manifested in the usefulness and prosperity of this Magazine. The first thing, we admit, that ought to be expected from every member of the church is that of a good life, according to the principles he professes. The next is probably that of promoting the knowledge of truth, as the means of leading others to the same most desirable end, for the sake of happiness in this life, and of eternal blessedness hereafter. The least, therefore, that can be expected of every New Churchman is, the support of the literature of the church in so far as he considers it to be oonducive to the promotion of the Good and the True, which should be at the root of every publication, and form its spirit and its life. Our encouragement to do so is, as we have seen, abundantly ample. "The harvest, truly, is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." Every one of us, in whatever station of life he may be, or with whatever capacity he may be gifted, is thus mercifully entreated to come and to labour in this glorious harvest of eternal Truth, and to gather in the fruits thereof for eternal life. I am, beloved brethren, Yours faithfully and affectionately, 5 LUKE xiii. 6-9. He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard: and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he, answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I dig about it, and dung it and if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." It is a wise ordination by our great Creator, that the outward works of His hands should have a fixed relation to the mind of man. In this way they are full of use: they call forth good states, and help them forward, or they give admonition and reproof. The changing seasons, as they mirror forth man's regeneration, either help him into harmony therewith, or they reprove him for his backward state. The changes themselves are to plead with him against continuing in evil, and urge him to proceed in the heavenward way. They tell him that this world is not his resting-place. Such thoughts as these arise in our minds at our entrance on a new year. We see their truth at such a time. The close of one year and the commencement of another, is an important period in life. It rouses man up, calls home his thoughts, and disposes them to seriousness. It turns him to serious reflections as to his state of mind, his progress in newness of life, or to the sad truth that he is still at ease in Zion, and wedded to his evils. Happy are such reflections if they make a salutary impression; if they produce a real change; if they melt the heart by thoughts of the Divine goodness to man, in prolonging his stay on the earth from year to year, in spite of his barren state of heart and mind, and his want of gratitude. Happy are such solemn thoughts when they lead to a change of purpose and a better state. At this time we, my brethren, are called to such reflections as these. We have now entered on a new year. We are called to think upon our present position as candidates for eternal life. We are to consider the use we have made and are making of our time on the earth; of the means we possess for good; of our progress heavenward, and our fitness, even now, for the bliss which awaits us hereafter. Let us, then, consider these things. Let us think on them in connection with the Divine goodness towards us in seeking so much and at all times to promote our best interests, and with the Divine forbearance towards us in not dealing with us according to our sins, but according to his mercy. Let us consider them from a passage in the Divine Word, appropriate to the subject. A passage which seems suitable is that respecting the fig-tree in the vineyard, which cumbered the ground. It has been already given as a text. This passage is a parable. It is like each of the other parables, a factitious history, embodying matter which relates to the Lord and his church. It is a pleasing mode of conveying instruction. Coming thus to our senses through natural images, it has a reality and fixedness not found in a language of abstract and common terms, and it is easy of apprehension. Another use in this mode of instruction is, that while it conveys doctrine in an obvious way to those who are disposed for its reception, still it hides it from the minds of those who would only profane it if they saw it clearly. Hence, our Lord, when asked the reason why He taught the people in parables, replied-" Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." (Luke viii. 10; Matt. xiii. 15.) Here He means, lest the people should commit profanation. But He was willing, when alone with His disciples, to explain to them His parables. "A certain man," saith our text, "had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard." This certain man is evidently the Lord Himself, and the vineyard is His church. He uses a vineyard in various places to represent His church. For instance, we read in Isaiah, that the Lord had a vineyard, which the prophet describes, and describes what He did to it; and he adds-" The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel," (v. 7.) which house is a type of His church. By the vineyard let out to husbandmen, which the Lord describes in the Gospel, he evidently means His church. By the fig-tree in the vineyard the men of the church are meant, who should bring forth the fruit of righteous living. Often we find men described as trees in the Word, and good men to fruit-bearing trees; for instance, the Lord saith to His disciples, Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." (John xv. 8.) The Lord saith by the prophet-" All the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish." (Ezek. xvii. 24.) The trees here evidently mean men. The fig-tree of our text, therefore, images a man or men of the church. Fruit on such a tree means goodness in man, or 66 the good of life, especially what we call natural good. The Lord requires man to become good, or live a good life, as much as the owner of a vineyard wishes his trees to bring forth fruit. He required it of Israel's people, and always requires it of the men of His church. He comes to the fig-tree seeking fruit thereon. He came hungering to a fig-tree which he saw in the way, and on finding only leaves thereon, he cursed it, and it withered away, in which act we are to see an image of the mere professional Christian,—one in mere doctrine or faith only, and learn how he cannot stand in judgment before the Son of Man. This coming to the fig-tree in our text has reference, first, to the Lord visiting the Jewish people, and next, in the spiritual sense, to his visiting the church at all times. He visited his typical church by sending to it messengers and prophets, who were rejected, and at last he came Himself, and was rejected and crucified. Then, when every means had failed, He abolished that dispensation, and established a spiritual church among the Gentiles. He visits this church also, or comes to the men of it, seeking fruit on every fig-tree; in other words, His Divine Eye inspects every heart and mind, requiring every one to "yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness." : The text goes on to shew us how the Lord acts with those who are but as barren trees in the vineyard "Then said he to the dresser of the vineyard, Behold, these three years I come, seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none." We now come to consider the Lord in two characters, one as the owner, and the other as the dresser of the vineyard. In the former He is as a king, and in the latter as a priest ; the two set forth His Divine Essentials of truth and good. The vinedresser here must mean the same as the husbandman in the parable of the vine and its branches, in which the Lord saith-" My Father is the husbandman." We know that the term Father refers to the Lord as Divine Love or Good, and the term Son to the Divine Wisdom or Truth. We know that the Lord calls Himself Son of Man as to the Word, or as to Truth in the Humanity, and that as the Son of Man he judges the world. The Son of Man, or Truth apart from Good, would judge to còndemnation; but Jesus saith—“If I judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me," (John viii. 16.) implying that true or righteous judgment is not done from Truth alone, but from Truth with Good, which Good is meant by Father. This Good would save and be merciful, and do everything possible for the good of man. Our text sets this beautifully forth. The owner of the vineyard would cut the fig-tree down; but no, the vine-dresser would not consent. Lord," said he, let it alone this year also, till I dig 66 66 |