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104. (Verse 4) Nevertheless I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity. That this signifies that they do not make such a life as pertains to those who live in the beginning of the church the essential of knowledges (cognitiones), is evident from the signification of first charity, as being a life according to the knowledges of good and truth, such as pertains to those who are in the beginning of the church (concerning which we shall speak presently), and from the signification of leaving that charity, as being that it is not made the essential of knowledges. For those who study the knowledges of truth and good, and believe that they shall be saved by means of them, make knowledges and not life the essential, although a life according to knowledges is the essential. But as this essential of the church and of salvation is treated of in what now follows, more shall be said concerning it. The reason why charity denotes life, is, because all life according to the precepts of the Lord in the Word is called charity; wherefore to exercise charity is to live according to those precepts. (That this is the case may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, in the article concerning, love towards the neighbour, or charity, n. 84-106; and in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39.) The life of the church in its commencement is here meant by first charity, for every church begins from charity, and declines successively from it to faith alone, or to merit-seeking works. (Concerning this matter, and concerning charity, see what is said in Arcana Coelestia, namely, that every church commences from charity, but that in process of time it declines from it, n. 494, 501, 1327, 3773, 4689; and thus to falsities from evil, and at length to evils, n. 1834, 1835, 2910, 4683, 4689; commonly to faith alone, n. 1834, 1835, 2231, 4683, 8094. A comparison of the beginning and the decline of the church with the rising and setting of the sun, n. 1837; and with the infancy and old age of man, n. 10134. That the church is not in man until the knowledges of good and truth are implanted in the life, n. 3310; that charity constitutes the church, n. 809, 916, 1798, 1799, 1844, 1894; that the internal of the church is charity, n. 4766, 5826; that the church would be one, and not many as at this day, if all were regarded from charity, although the may differ as to doctrinals of faith, and as to rituals of worship, n. 1286, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2385, 2982, 3267, 3451; that the worship of the Lord consists in a life of charity, n. 8254, 8256: that the quality of worship is according to the quality of charity, n. 2190.)
104. Verse 4. But I have against thee that thou hast left thy first charity, signifies that they do not make such a life as those lived who were in the church at its beginning, the essential of knowledges. This is evident from the signification of "first charity," as being a life according to the knowledges of good and truth, such as those lived who were in the church at its beginning (of which presently); and from the signification of "leaving that charity," as being not to make it the essential of knowledges; for those who are eager for the knowledges of truth and good, and who believe that they are saved thereby, make knowledges essential, and not life, when yet a life according to knowledges is the essential. But as this essential of the church and of salvation is treated of in what follows, more will there be said about it. Charity is life, because all life in accordance with the precepts of the Lord in the Word is called "charity;" therefore to exercise charity is to live according to those precepts. (That this is so, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, in the chapter on Love to the Neighbor or Charity 84-106; and in the small work on The Last Judgment 33-39.) The life of the church at its beginning is here meant by "first charity;" for every church begins from charity, and successively turns away from it to faith alone or to meritorious works. (On which subject, and on charity, see what is shown in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that every church begins from charity, but in process of time turns away from it, n. 494, 501, 1327, 3773, 4689; thus to falsities from evil, and at length to evils, n. 1834, 1835, 2910, 4683, 4689; commonly to faith alone, n. 1834, 1835, 2231, 4683, 8094. A comparison of the church in its beginning and in its decline, with the rising and setting of the sun, n. 1837; and with the infancy and old age of man, n. Arcana Coelestia 10134; that the church is not with man until the knowledges of good and truth have been implanted in the life, n. 3310; that charity constitutes the church, n. 809, 916, 1798, 1799, 1844, 1894; that the internal of the church is charity, n. 4766, 5826; that there would be one church, and not many, as at this day, if all were regarded from charity, although they might differ in respect to doctrinals of faith and rituals of worship, n. 1286, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2385, 2982, 3267, 3451; that worship of the Lord consists in a life of charity, n. 8254, 8256; that the quality of worship is according to the quality of charity, n. 2190.)
104. (Vers. 4.) "Sed habeo adversus te, quod charitatem tuam primam reliqueris." - Quod significet quod non vitam, qualis illis qui in incohante ecclesia, essentiale cognitionum faciant, constat ex significatione "charitatis primae", quod sit vita secundum cognitiones boni et veri, qualis illis qui in incohante ecclesia, de qua sequitur; et ex significatione "relinquere charitatem illam", quod sit eam non essentiale cognitionum facere; nam qui cognitionibus veri et boni student, et per eas salvari se credunt, illi faciunt cognitiones essentiale, et non vitam, cum tamen vita secundum cognitiones est essentiale. Sed quia in nunc sequentibus de hoc essentiali ecclesiae et salutis agitur, plura de eo ibi dicentur. Quod charitas sit vita, est quia omnis vita secundum praecepta Domini in Verbo vocatur charitas; quapropter charitatem exercere est secundum praecepta illa vivere. (Quod ita sit, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, in articulo De Amore erga Proximum seu Charitate, n. De 84-106; et in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 33-39.) Vita incohantis ecclesiae hic intelligitur per "charitatem primam"; nam omnis ecclesia incipit a charitate, et deflectit successive ab illa ad solam fidem, vel ad opera meritoria.
(De qua re, et de charitate, videantur quae in Arcanis Caelestibus ostensa sunt, nempe, Quod omnis ecclesia incohet a charitate, sed quod temporis tractu ab illa deflectat, n. 494, 501, 1327, 3773, 1
4689:
et sic ad falsa ex malo et tandem ad mala, n. 1834, 1835, 2910, 4683, 4689:
communiter ad solam fidem, n. 1834, 1835, 2231, 4683, 8094,
Comparatio ecclesiae incohantis et decrescentis cum ortu et occasu solis, n. 1837;
et cum hominis infantia at senectute, n. 10134.
Quod non prius ecclesia sit apud hominem, quam cum cognitiones veri et boni implantatae sunt vice, n. 3310.
Quod charitas faciat ecclesiam, n. 809, 916, 1798, 1799, 1844, 1894.
Quod internum ecclesiae sit charitas, n. 4766, 5826.
Quod una ecclesia foret, et non plures ut hodie, si omnes spectarentur ex charitate, tametsi quoad doctrinalia fidei et quoad ritualia cultus differrent, n. 1286, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2385, 2982, 3267, 3451.
Quod cultus Domini consistat in vita charitatis, n. 8254, 8256.
Quod quale cultus sit secundum quale charitatis, n. 2190.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.