Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 154

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154. (v. 19) I know thy works and charity. That this signifies the internal of those who belong to the church is evident from the signification of works, as being the things of the will, or of celestial love (concerning which see above, n. 98), and from the signification of charity, as being the things of spiritual love. The reason why by works and charity is signified the internal of the church is, that the things of the will or love constitute its internal, but the things of the understanding and of faith constitute its external. There are two loves which constitute heaven and the church, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour, or charity; love to the Lord is called celestial love, and love towards the neighbour, which is charity, is called spiritual love. These are so called from the fact that heaven is divided into two kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, the other the spiritual kingdom, hence also the loves which reign in them are so called (as may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell, n. 13-19 and 20-28; also in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 54- 62 and 84-100, where it is also shown what celestial love is, and what spiritual love, namely, that celestial love is to do the precepts of the Lord from the affection of the will, and that spiritual love is to do the same, from the affection of the understanding). There are two things with man that constitute heaven or the church with him-love and faith. Love dwells in man's will, for what a man loves that he also wills; but faith resides in the understanding, for what a man believes that he also thinks; and thought belongs to the understanding. The internal of the celestial church therefore is to do the precepts of the Lord from the affection of the will, consequently, from the love of good; but the internal of the spiritual church is to do the precepts of the Lord from the affection of the understanding, consequently, from the love of truth; for to do the precepts of the Lord is to love Him; this He himself teaches in John xiv. 21, 23. The internal of the celestial church is meant by works, and the internal of the spiritual church is meant by charity. (But as these things cannot be expounded in a few words, so as to be clearly perceived, see what is said concerning them in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, namely, concerning the will and the understanding, n. 28-36; concerning the internal and the external man, n. 36-53; concerning love in general, n. 54-64; concerning love towards the neighbour or charity, n. 84-107; and concerning faith, n. 108-122; and in the work, Heaven and Hell, where celestial and spiritual love are treated of, n. 13-19.)


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