know and believe more of Him and his gospel, still they would not be regarded, popularly or doctrinally speaking, as Christians; for they do not acknowledge Christianity as a new Dispensation, or in any proper sense as a new Revelation.
So, popularly speaking, those are not of the New Christian Dispensation (they may belong to it really but not nominally) who do not see or acknowledge that any such dispensation has commenced, or that the writings of Swedenborg are, indeed, a new and divinely authorized revelation of heavenly truth—though they may have in their hearts more of the spirit and life of the New Church than some who accept its doctrines.
But many persons—and these inhabiting the most enlightened portions of Christendom—are beginning to admit that Swedenborg's claim is well founded. They believe that he wrote under a special divine illumination, and that his writings are or contain a new revelation. And what is implied by this admission? That no mistake, however trivial, is anywhere to be found in his writings? That in every sentence and word he penned after his illumination, he was immediately directed by the Lord? That every word he wrote is as certainly true as if it had been written by the finger of God himself? Nothing of this sort is involved in the fullest and most cordial admission of his claim. We may admit his divine illumination; we may believe that he was enlightened and taught
