Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/229

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XVII.

THE NEW CHURCH SIGNIFIED BY THE APOCALYPTIC NEW JERUSALEM.

THERE have been several churches on this earth, and in the course of time they have all been consummated; and after their consummation new churches have arisen; and so on up to the present time.


CONSUMMATION OF THE CHURCH.

The consummation of the church takes place when there remains no Divine truth except what is falsified or rejected; and when there is no genuine truth, genuine good is impossible, since all the quality of good is formed by means of truths; for good is the essence of truth, and truth is the form of good. Good and truth can no more be separated than will and understanding. Consequently when truth is consummated in the church, good is also consummated there; and when this is done, the church comes to an end, that is, it is consummated.

The church is consummated by various means, especially by such things as cause the false to appear as the true. And when falsity appears to be truth, then the good that is essentially good and is called spiritual

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