Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 615

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615. Described here in general is the nature of the member of this Church, not what he still in fact was but what he was capable of becoming, for what follows concerns the forming of such a man; that is to say, he was one on whom it was possible to confer charity through cognitions of faith, so that he could act from charity, and from the good which stems from charity recognize what truth is. This is why the good of charity, or being 'a righteous person', comes first, and the truth of charity, or being 'a blameless person', follows. As already stated, charity is love towards the neighbour, and mercy, and is a lower grade of the love found in the Most Ancient Church which was love to the Lord. In this way love assumed a lower position and became more external, and must be referred to as charity.


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