Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/91

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LOVE UNITES DIFFERENT CHURCHES.
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evident from this: that he who is in the good of life, does not condemn another who is of another opinion, but leaves it to his faith and conscience, and extends this rule even to those who are out of the church; for he says in his heart that ignorance cannot condemn any, if they live in innocence and mutual love, as infants who also are in ignorance when they die. (A. C. 4468.)


LOVE MAKES ONE CHURCH OF MANY.

They who have not begun to be regenerated, say absolutely that faith is in the first place, that is, that it is the essential of the church, because then they can live as they please, and still say that they have hope of salvation. Hence also at this day charity has so disappeared, that it is scarcely known by any one what it is; consequently faith also has disappeared, for one cannot exist without the other.

If charity was in the first place and faith in the second, the church would have another face; for then none would be called Christians, but they who lived according to the truth of faith, that is, lived the life of charity; and it would then be known also what charity is. Then, too, there would not be made more churches than one, by distinguishing between them according to opinions concerning the truths of faith; but the church would be called one, containing all who are in the good of life, not only who are within the region where the church is, but also who are out of it.