5740. MEN DO NOT KNOW WHAT REGENERATION IS. Many were explored, even those who in the world were more learned than others, as to whether they knew what regeneration is, since that is the essential of salvation; for the Lord says, that he who is not born anew cannot enter into truths, and elsewhere it is said, those who are born of God. But all said that it is Baptism, because it is said by water and the Spirit, and that they do not know any other regeneration. But I marveled that they did not know what regeneration is, when, nevertheless, writers and preachers so often state that the old man must be slain in order that the new may exist and concupiscences in like manner, that man may have new life - and the like; which involve regeneration. Hence, also, I believed that they understood what regeneration is; but, inasmuch as they did not understand what regeneration is, they therefore invented justification, about which they say similar things, but with all kinds of differences; for example: that evils are not imputed to him who is justified; thus, that he lives sinlessly, though he live in evils like any other man. The reason they did not know, is, because they insisted that man is regenerated by the truths of faith, consequently by faith alone, and not by the life of faith, which is charity; and, since they did not wish to know what the life of faith, which is charity, is, and did not make it a means of salvation; since, also, they did not know what spiritual love and affection are, nor, therefore, what it is to be led by the Lord; therefore, they were in such ignorance about the very essential of salvation, and for this reason devised justification, and cherished such an opinion about it, as, that, when a man is justified evils are not imputed. From this the quality of the Church is manifest. What regeneration is may be seen in the Heavenly Doctrine.* * See the chapter on "Regeneration" in The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 173-186. -TR.