Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 15

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15. There are two distinct loves in heaven, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour. In the inmost or third heaven is love to the Lord and in the second or middle heaven is love towards the neighbour. Each proceeds from the Lord and each makes heaven. What the distinction is between these two loves and how they are conjoined appears in heaven in clear light, but in the world only obscurely. In heaven, by loving the Lord is not meant loving Him in respect of His person but loving the good which is from Him, and loving good is willing good and doing it from love; and loving the neighbour does not mean loving a companion in respect of his person but loving the truth which is from the Word, and loving truth is willing and doing it. From this it is clear that there is a distinction between these two loves as there is between good and truth and that they are conjoined as good is conjoined with truth.# But these things can scarcely be comprehended by a man who does not know what love is, what good is, and what the neighbour is.## # To love the Lord and the neighbour is to live according to the Lord's commandments (n. 10143, 10153, 10310, 10578, 10648). ## To love the neighbour is not to love the person, but to love that with him from which he is what he is, that is, his truth and good (n. 5028, 10336). Those who love the person, and not that with him from which he is what he is, love evil and good alike (n. 3820). Charity is willing truths and being affected by truths for the sake of truths (n. 3876, 3877). Charity towards the neighbour is doing what is good, just, and right, in every work and every function (n. 8120-8122).


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