Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —
When Good and Truth proceed from the Lord they are completely united, and so united as to be not two, but one. Consequently they are one in heaven; and because they are one in heaven, heaven is an image of the Lord. It would be the same with the church if charity and faith therein were a one.
An idea of the good which is of charity and of the truth which is of faith may be formed from the sun and its light — when the light which proceeds from the sun is conjoined with heat, as is the case in spring and summer, then all things of the earth sprout forth and live, but when there is no heat in the light, as in winter time, then all things of the earth become torpid and die.
Moreover, in the Word the Lord is compared to the "sun;" and truth conjoined with good, which proceeds from Him, is compared to "light;" and also in the Word the truth of faith is called "light," and the good of love is called "fire." Moreover, love is the fire of life, and faith is the light of life.
From all this an idea can also be formed about the man of the church, as to what he is when with him faith is conjoined with charity, namely, that he is like a garden and a paradise; and what he is when with him faith is not conjoined with charity, namely, that he is like a desert and a land covered with snow.
From the mere light of his natural man everyone can see that Truth and Good are in agreement, and also that they can be conjoined together; and that truth and evil are in disagreement, and that they cannot be conjoined together; and in like manner faith and charity. Experience itself testifies the same; that he who is in evil as to life is either in falsity as to faith, or is in no faith, or is quite opposed to faith. And (what is a secret) he who is in evil as to life is in the falsity of his evil, although he believes that he is in truth. That he so believes is because he is in persuasive faith.
(Arcana Coelestia 7623-7627)
(series to be continued)