Doc. of Faith (Dick) n. 20

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20. Since charity is love towards the neighbour it will now be stated what is meant by the neighbour. The neighbour in the natural sense is man, collectively and individually. Man collectively is the Church, one's country, and society; and man individually is a fellow-citizen, who in the Word is called a brother and a companion. But the neighbour in the spiritual sense is good; and as good consists in use, the neighbour in the spiritual sense is use. Every one will acknowledge that use is the spiritual neighbour. For who loves a man merely as a person? He surely loves him because of something in him by virtue of which he is what he is, and therefore because of his character, for that is the man. This character or quality which is loved is his use, and is called good; therefore, this is the neighbour. As the Word in its inmost being is spiritual, therefore, in its spiritual sense loving good is what is meant by loving the neighbour.


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