XIX. The Church

HD 241. That which constitutes heaven with man, also constitutes the church; for as love and faith constitute heaven, so they also constitute the church; thus, from what has been already said concerning heaven, it is evident what the church is.

HD 242. The church is said to be where the Lord is acknowledged and where the Word is, for the essentials of the church are love and faith in the Lord from the Lord; and the Word teaches how man must live that he may receive love and faith from the Lord.

HD 243. That there may be a church, there must be doctrine from the Word, since without doctrine the Word is not understood. Doctrine alone, however, does not constitute the church with man, but a life according to it. Hence it follows that faith alone does not constitute the church with man, but the life of faith, which is charity. Genuine doctrine is the doctrine of charity and faith together, and not the doctrine of faith separate from charity; for the doctrine of charity and faith together is the doctrine of life; but not the doctrine of faith without the doctrine of charity.

HD 244. They who are out of the church and acknowledge one God, and live according to their religious principle, and in some charity towards the neighbor, are in communion with those who are of the church; for no man who believes in God and lives well, is condemned. Hence it is evident, that the church of the Lord is in the whole world, although specifically, where the Lord is acknowledged, and where the Word is.

HD 245. Every one with whom the church exists, is saved; but everyone in whom it is not, is condemned.

HD 246. The church exists specifically where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known, and thus where Divine truths are repealed (AC 3857, 10761). Still they who are born where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known, are not of the church, but they who are regenerated by the Lord by the truths of the Word, that is, they who live the life of charity (AC 6637, 10143, 10153, 10578, 10645, 10829). They who are of the church, or in whom the church is, are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, that is, they love truth because it is truth; and they examine from the Word whether the doctrinals of the church in which they were born are true (AC 5432, 6047). Otherwise the truth possessed by everyone would be derived from another, and from his native soil (AC 6047). The church of the Lord is with all in the whole world who live in good according to their religious principles (AC 3263, 6637, 10765). All who live in good wherever they are, and acknowledge one God, are accepted by the Lord and come into heaven; since all who are in good acknowledge the Lord, because good is from the Lord, and the Lord is in good (AC 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263, 4190, 4197, 6700, 9256). The universal church on earth before the Lord is as one man (AC 7396, 9276). As heaven is, because the church is heaven or the kingdom of the Lord on earth (AC 2853, 2996, 2998, 3624-3629, 3636-3643, 3741-3745, 4625). But the church, where the Lord is known and where the Word is, is like the heart and lungs in man in respect to the other parts of the body, which live from the heart and lungs as from the fountains of their life (AC 637, 931, 2054, 2853). Hence it is, that unless there were a church where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known, the human race could not be saved (AC 468, 637, 931, 4545, 10452). The church is the foundation of heaven (AC 4060). The church is internal and external (AC 1242, 6587, 9375, 9680, 10762). The internal of the church is love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor. Thence they who are in the affection of good and truth from love to the Lord and from charity towards the neighbor, constitute the internal church; and they who are in external worship from obedience and faith, constitute the external church (AC 1083, 1098, 4288, 6380, 6587, 7840, 8762). To know truth and good, and to act from thence, is the external of the church, but to will and love truth and good, and to act from thence, is the internal of the church (AC 4899, 6775). The internal of the church is in the worship of those who are of the external church, although in obscurity (AC 6775). The internal and external church make one church (AC 409, 10762). Man has an internal and an external, an internal after the image of heaven, and an external after the image of the world; and therefore, in order that the man may be a church, his external must act in unity with his internal (AC 3628, 4523, 4524, 6057, 6314, 9706, 10472). The church is in the internal of man and at the same time in the external, but not in the external without the internal (AC 1795, 6580, 10691). The internal of the church is according to truths and their quality, and according to their implantation in good by life (AC 1238). The church like heaven is in man, and thus the church in general consists of the men in whom the church is (AC 3884). In order that a church may exist, there must be the doctrine of life, that is, the doctrine of charity (AC 3445, 10763, 10764). Charity makes the church, and not faith separated from charity (AC 916). Consequently, not the doctrine of faith separated from charity, but the doctrine of faith conjoined therewith, and a life comfortable to it (AC 809, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 4468, 4672, 4689, 4766, 5826, 6637). The church is not with man, unless the truths of doctrine are implanted in the good of charity with him, thus in the life (AC 3310, 3963, 5826). There is no church with man, if he is only in the truths, which are called the truths of faith (AC 5826). How much good would be in the church, if charity were in the first place and faith in the second (AC 6269). And how much evil, if faith is in the first place (AC 6272). In the ancient churches charity was the principal and essential of the church (AC 4680). The church would be like heaven, if all had charity (AC 2385, 2853). If good were the characteristic of the church, and not truth without good, thus if charity were its characteristic, and not faith separate, the church would be one, and differences with respect to the doctrinals of faith, and external worship, would be accounted as nothing (AC 1285, 1316, 2982, 3267, 3445, 3451). Every church begins from charity, but declines therefrom in process of time (AC 494, 501, 1327, 3773, 4689). Thus to falsities from evil, and at length to evils (AC 1834, 1835, 2910, 4683, 4689). A comparison of the church at its beginning and decline with the infancy and old age of man (AC 10134). And also with the rising and the setting of the sun (AC 1837). Concerning the successive states of the Christian Church even to its last state; wherein are explained the particulars which the Lord foretold concerning "the consummation of the age," and His "coming," in Matthew chapter 24 from the beginning to the end (AC 3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3571-3757, 3897-3901, 4057-4060, 4229-4231, 4332-4335, 4422-4424, 4635-4638, 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071). The Christian church is at this day in its last states, there being no faith therein because there is no charity (AC 3489, 4689). The Last Judgment is the last time of the church (AC 2118, 3353, 4057, 4333, 4535). Of the vastation of the church (AC 407-411). The consummation of the age and the coming of the Lord is the last time of the old church and the beginning of the new (AC 2243, 4535, 10622). When the old church is vastated, interior truths are revealed for the service of the new church which is then established (AC 3398, 3786). Concerning the establishment of the church with the Gentiles (AC 1366, 2986, 4747, 9256).

HD 247. Of the Ancient Churches. The first and Most Ancient Church on this earth, which is described in the first chapters of Genesis, was a celestial church, and the chief of all the rest (AC 607, 895, 920, 1121-1124, 2896, 4493, 8891, 9942, 10545). Of the quality of those in heaven who belonged to it (AC 1114-1125). They are in the highest degree of light (AC 1116, 1117). There were various churches after the flood, called in one word, the Ancient Church, concerning which (AC 1125-1127, 1327, 10355). Through how many kingdoms of Asia the Ancient Church was extended (AC 1238, 2385). The quality of the men of the Ancient Church (AC 609, 895). The Ancient Church was a representative church, and its representatives were collected into one by certain men of the Most Ancient Church (AC 519, 521, 2896). The Ancient Church had a Word, but it was lost (AC 2897). The quality of the Ancient Church when it began to decline (AC 1128). The difference between the Most Ancient and the Ancient Churches (AC 597, 607, 640, 641, 765, 784, 895, 4493). The Most Ancient Church and the Ancient were also in the land of Canaan, and hence came the representatives of the places therein (AC 3686, 4447, 4454). Of the church that began from Eber, which was called the Hebrew Church (AC 1238, 1241, 1343, 4516, 4517). The difference between the Ancient and the Hebrew Churches (AC 1343, 4874). Eber instituted sacrifices which were wholly unknown in the Ancient Churches (AC 1343). The Ancient Churches agreed with the Christian Church as to internals, but not as to externals (AC 3478, 4489, 4772, 4904, 10149). In the Most Ancient Church there was immediate revelation; in the Ancient Church, revelation by correspondences; in the Jewish Church, by a living voice; and in the Christian Church, by the Word (AC 10355). The Lord was the God of the Most Ancient Church, and was called Jehovah (AC 1343, 6846). The Lord is heaven, and He is the church (AC 4766, 10125, 10151, 10157). The Divine of the Lord makes heaven, (HH 7-12, 78-86); and thus also the church, since what constitutes heaven with man, constitutes also the church.

HD 248. Of the Jewish Church and of the Jews. The statutes, judgments, and laws, which were commanded in the Jewish Church, were in part like those in the Ancient Church (AC 4449, 4835). In what respect the representative rites of the Jewish Church differed from those of the Ancient Church (AC 4288, 10149). A representative church was instituted with that nation, but there was no church in that nation itself (AC 4899, 4912, 6304). Therefore as to that nation itself, it was the representative of a church, but not a church (AC 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 6304, 7048, 9320, 10396, 10526, 10535, 10698). The Israelitish and Jewish nation was not elected, but only received, in order that it might represent a church, on account of the obstinacy with which their fathers and Moses insisted (AC 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439, 10430, 10535, 10632). Their worship was merely external, without any internal worship (AC 1200, 3147, 3479, 8871). They were entirely unacquainted with the internals of worship, and were not willing to know them (AC 301-303, 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10694, 10701, 10707). In what manner they consider the internals of worship, of the church, and the Word (AC 4865). Their interiors were filthy, full of the loves of self and of the world, and of avarice (AC 3480, 9962, 10454-10457, 10462-10466, 10575). On this account the internals of the church were not disclosed to them, because they would have profaned them (AC 2520, 3398, 3480, 4289). The Word is wholly shut to them (AC 3769). They see the Word from without and not from within (AC 10549-10551). Therefore their internal, when in worship, was shut (AC 8788, 8806, 9320, 9377, 9380, 9962, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10575, 10629, 10694). That nation was of such a quality, that they could be in a holy external, when the internal was shut, more than others (AC 4293, 4311, 4903, 9373, 9377, 9380). Their state at that time (AC 4311). They are therefore preserved to this day (AC 3479). Their holy external was miraculously elevated by the Lord into heaven, and the interior things of worship, of the church, and the Word perceived there (AC 3480, 4307, 4311, 6304, 8588, 10492, 10500, 10602). For this purpose they were forced by external means strictly to observe their rites in their external form (AC 3147, 4281, 10149). Because they could be in a holy external without an internal, they could represent the holy things of the church and heaven (AC 3479, 3881, 4208, 6306, 8588, 9377, 10430, 10500, 10570). Still those holy things did not affect them (AC 3479). The quality of the person who represents is of no importance, because the representation regards the thing represented, and not the person (AC 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806). That nation was worse than other nations, their quality also described from the Word of both Testaments (AC 4314, 4316, 4317, 4444, 4503, 4750, 4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 5998, 7248, 8819, 9320, 10454-10547, 10462-10466). The tribe of Judah departed into worse things than the other tribes (AC 4815). How cruelly they treated the Gentiles, from delight (AC 5057, 7248, 9320). That nation was idolatrous in heart; and more than other nations worshiped other gods (AC 3732, 4208, 4444, 4825, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8871, 8882). Even their worship was idolatrous when considered as to that nation itself, because it was external without internal (AC 4281, 4825, 8871, 8882). They worshiped Jehovah only in name (AC 6877, 10559-10561, 10566). And only on account of miracles (AC 4299). They who believe that the Jews will be converted at the end of the church, and brought again into the land of Canaan, think erroneously (AC 4847, 7051, 8301). Many passages adduced from the Word concerning this matter, but which are to be understood according to the internal sense, and differently from the sense of the letter (AC 7051). The Word was changed on account of that nation, as to its external sense, but not as to its internal sense (AC 10453, 10461, 10603, 10604). Jehovah appeared to them on Mount Sinai, according to their quality, in a consuming fire, a thick cloud, and smoke as of a furnace (AC 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434). The Lord appears to everyone according to his quality, as a vivifying and recreating fire to those who are in good, and as a consuming fire to those who are in evil (AC 934, 1861, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434, 10551). One origin of that nation was from a Canaanitess and the two others from whoredom with a daughter-in-law (AC 1167, 4818, 4820, 4874, 4899, 4913). These origins signify the nature of their conjunction with the church, as being like conjunction with the Canaanitess, and whoredom with a daughter-in-law (AC 4868, 4874, 4899, 4911, 4913). Of the state of the Jews in the other life (AC 939, 940, 5057). Since this nation, although of such a quality, represented the church; and since the Word was written among them and concerning them; therefore Divine celestial things were signified by their names, as by "Reuben," "Simeon," "Levi," "Judah," "Ephraim," "Joseph," and the rest. That "Judah," in the internal sense, signifies the Lord as to celestial love, and His celestial kingdom (AC 3654, 3881, 5583, 5603, 5782, 6363). The prophecy of Israel concerning Judah, in which the Lord is treated of, explained, (Gen 49:8-12); (AC 6362-6381). "The tribe of Judah" and "Judea" signify the celestial church (AC 3654, 6364). The twelve tribes represented, and thence signified all things of love and faith in the complex (AC 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335); thus also heaven and the church (AC 6337, 6637, 7836, 7891). They signify according to the order in which they are named (AC 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603, 6337, 6640). The twelve tribes were divided into two kingdoms, in order that the Jews might represent the celestial kingdom, and the Israelites the spiritual kingdom (AC 8770, 9320). "The seed of Abraham," of "Isaac," and of "Jacob," signifies the goods and truths of the church (AC 3373, 10445).