Substance and Shadow

the Dependence of Morality. 45 that our conduct should be visibly self-moved, or date from ourselves exclusively, to the denial of all outward constraint. But then the surface aspect of thills is precisely what the philoso* pher disregards, being above all things careful to seize their substantial or spiritual import, which alone is conformable to absolute truth. At all events it is just this surface aspect of the case which Swedenborg proves to be eminently fallacious, in showing us that the apparent self- hood or freedom we have from nature, is nothing but an appearance, vouchsafed to us in the inr terest of a higher or spiritual evolution, and contingent upon a certain strict equilibrium which the Divine Providence maintains in our nature between the opposing poles of good and evil. Let me briefly illustrate the practical differ- ence on this point between Swedenborg and the popular theologians, by a familiar example.