Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/90

WHAT RESULTS WHEN DOCTRINE IS REGARDED MORE THAN LIFE.

That faith is at this day separated from charity, is evident. For churches separate themselves according to dogmas; and he who believes otherwise than as the dogma teaches, is cast out from their communion, and is also defamed. But he who is guilty of theft, who without mercy deprives others of their goods, (if so be he does it not openly,) who devises treacherous purposes against his neighbor, who brings disgrace upon works of charity, and is guilty of adultery, such an one is still called a Christian, provided he only attends sacred worship and speaks from doctrine.

Hence it is evident, that at this day it is doctrine which makes the church, but not life; and that the fruits which they adjoin to faith, are only in doctrine and not at all in their minds. (A. C. 4689.)

There are two things which conjoin the men of the church, viz., life and doctrine. When life conjoins, doctrine does not separate. But if only doctrine conjoins, as at this day is the case within the church, then they mutually separate, and make as many churches as there are doctrines; when yet doctrine is for the sake of life, and life is from doctrine.

That they separate if only doctrine conjoins, is evident from this : that he who is of one doctrine condemns another who holds a different one sometimes to hell. But that doctrine does not separate if life conjoins, is