4762. He was told that the Word, even as to the letter, is holy, but from the fact that it contains in itself holy things which are perceived in heaven, and which treat of the Lord and His kingdom; and that nobody ought to remain in the literal sense of the Word blindly, but seemingly, namely, he ought to form for himself true doctrine from the Word, and, so, apply the Word. If he does otherwise, he falls into errors, as many as he wishes to fashion for himself, and also applies the Word; in every case, to his own pleasure, thus wrongly and perversely - which is to profane it. He who forms for himself true doctrine thence, can see why the Word speaks as it does in the letter, to wit, that it may enter as a general basis into minds, and give a handle for thinking truly about these things. For instance, he who has formed for himself the doctrinal that the Lord is pure love, thus pure mercy, and from pure love and pure mercy evil can never be intended, still less produced, knows, at once, why, in the letter of the Word, it is said that there is no evil in the city, save from God,* that the wrath of God burns even to the lowest hell, and that He will be delighted in that they perish; he knows, namely, that it is man whose wrath thus burns against God, and that it appears then, as if from God; and, so, that it is according to appearance that it is thus said. * Amos 3:6. - "Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?"