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are also so kindly solicitous to provide against; and should any thing of that kind befal me elsewhere, it will give me no concern.

Whatever of worldly honour and advantage may appear to be in the things before-mentioned, I hold them as matters of low estimation, when compared to the honour of that sacred office to which the Lord himself hath called me, who was graciously pleased to manifest himself to me his unworthy servant, in a personal appearance in the year 1743; to open in me a sight of the spiritual world, and to enable me to converse with spirits and angels; and this privilege has been continued to me to this day. From that time I began to print and publish various unknown Arcana, that have been either seen by me, or revealed to me, concerning HEAVEN and HELL; the state of men after death; the true worship of God; the spiritual sense of the Scriptures; and many other important truths tending to salvation and true wisdom and that mankind might receive benefit from these communications, was the only motive which has induced me at different times to leave my home to visit other countries. As to this world's wealth, I have sufficient, and more I neither seek nor wish for.

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Your letter has drawn the mention of these things. from me, in case, as you say, they may be a means to prevent or remove any false judgment or wrong prejudices with regard to my personal circumstances.

Farewel; and I heartily wish you prosperity both in things spiritual and temporal, of which I make no doubt, if so be you go on to pray to our Lord, and to set him always before you.

"London, 1769."

EMAN. SWEDENBORG.

This singular and truly original account may throw some light on THE GOOD BARON's writings.

JOHNSONIANS.

THE Johnsonians are so called from the late Mr. J. Johnson, many years a respectable dissenting minister in Liverpool, and the author of various publications which contain his peculiar opinions. They do not call themselves Johnsonians, but the name is applied to them by Christians of other denominations, on account of the authority and influence which Mr. Johnson's writings have among them, and their adherence to his opinions. They must be regarded as a distinct denomination, as they will have no religious fellowship with those who dissent from their views of the gospel, which are sufficiently dis criminating, and have sometimes applied to themselves the words of Balaam, respecting the children of Israel, "The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations."

The following is a summary of their religious opinions. They deny the pre-existence of Christ, and at the same time believe that he is properly God; because all the fulness of the godhead dwells in him: consequently may be said to maintain the indwelling scheme. They assert that God cannot be divided into distinct persons: so far they agree with the Unitarians. They deny the doctrine of original sin; yet assert that no man will savingly believe the gospel, unless brought by the special influence of the spirit to receive it. They deny the natural immortality of the soul, and contend that the whole of man is at present mortal; yet maintain the separate existence of the soul between death and the resurrection. They believe that God elected Christ, and his people in him, from everlasting; that for Christ and his church all things were created; that Christ would have been manifested, his people born again and exalted to glory, though sin had never existed; that in that case the rest of mankind would all have been happy in an inferior capacity, as the servants of Christ, and his bride the church. Against the decree of sin and reprobation they are zealous. Faith they suppose to be a divine commu◄ nication, the life of God in the soul. They contend that it is impossible for a real Christian to have any doubts or fears respecting his interest in Christ, or acceptance with God. Respecting the atonement and perseverance of the saints they agree with the Calvinists, and with other Baptists as to the mode and

subject of baptism. Those passages of scripture which relate to the future restoration of the Jews, they suppose to have a spiritual meaning, and deny that propheey authorises our expectation of their being restored to their own land. Those who die in infancy they say will be raised to life in a pure state, not to inherit the heavenly kingdom, but to inhabit the new earth, which will be formed after the conflagration, on which, they say, Christ and his church will reign a thousand years, and then be removed to some more glorious region. They contend for the restitution of all the animal creation; but believe that the wicked will be endlessly miserable. Positive punishment, as inflicted by God, they deny, and hold the language of scripture respecting the future punishment of the wicked to be figurative, and that their torment will naturally arise from their state, and exist in their minds. Such are the opinions of the Johnsonians.

They have churches in Liverpool, Norwich, Wisbeach, Newark, and the neighbourhood of Halifax, and individuals of their party in many other places. Though they have no men of much learning among them, they are many of them persons of respectable character, and much in the habit of conversing toge ther on religious subjects. Their greatest fault is their bigotry, which leads them to speak disrespectfully of Christian Charity.*

*The gentleman who sent the above article holds himself responsible for its accuracy,

THE HALDANITES.

NEW sects in religion have been always and every where spoken against; and the name of their leader has been contemptuously fixed upon them. What was at first reproachful often continues after reproach has ceased, and is found convenient as a term of distinction; though perhaps no man was ever 50 averse to such names as the person to whom the term Haldanite refers. We know not of any proper distinctive appellation for those we mean to give some account of, else it would have been substituted for that which is so objectionable to themselves.

In giving some account of those called Haldanites it is necessary to take notice of the gentleman whose name has been applied to them. About fifteen years ago, Robert Haldane, esq. then of Aithrie, near Stirling, and his brother, Mr. James Haldane, both received serious impressions of the importance of religion; and soon after resolved upon going to the East Indies to plant a Christian colony. With this view Mr. Robert Haldane, the elder brother, sold his beautiful family estate of Aithrie, and procured the consent of the Rev. Greville Ewing, then one of the ministers of Lady Glenorchy's chapel, Edinburgh of the Rev. William Innes, then one of the ministers of Stirling; and of the Rev. David Bogue,

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