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229. The beginning of the creation of God. That this signifies faith from Him, which is the primary of the church as to appearance, is evident from the signification of beginning, as being what is primary; and from the signification of the creation of God, as being the church, of which we shall speak presently. The reason why faith is meant by the beginning of the creation of God is, that this is the subject treated of in what is written to the angel of this church; but that faith is the beginning of the creation of God, that is, the primary thing of the church as to appearance, shall now be explained. By faith is here meant faith from the Lord; for faith which is not from the Lord is not the faith of the church, and faith from the Lord is the faith of charity. This faith is the first principle of the church as to appearance, because it appears first to the man of the church; nevertheless, charity itself is actually the first principle of the church, because it constitutes the church with man.
[2] There are two things that constitute the church, namely, charity and faith, charity pertains to affection, and faith to thought therefrom. The very essence of thought is affection; for without affection no one can think, the all of the life, which is in thought, being from affection. It is therefore evident, that the first principle of the church is the affection which is of charity, or love. But the reason why faith is called the first principle of the church is, that it is the first to appear; for what a man believes, that he thinks, and sees in thought; whereas that with which man is spiritually affected, he does not think, nor, therefore, does he see it in thought, but he perceives it in a certain sense which has no reference to sight, but to another sensitive, which is called that of delight. And because this delight is spiritual, and above the feeling of natural delight, a man does not perceive it, until he becomes spiritual, that is, when he is regenerated by the Lord. This is why the things of faith, thus those of sight, are believed to be the primary things of the church, although they are so only in appearance. This therefore is called the beginning of the creation of God, because the Word in the letter is according to appearance; for the appearance in the letter is for the simple; but spiritual men, like the angels, are raised above appearances, and perceive the Word as it is in its internal sense, consequently they perceive that charity is the first principle of the church, and that faith is therefrom; for, as was said above, faith which is not from charity, and which does not pertain to charity, is not faith (concerning this, see what is said in the small work, The Last Judgment 33-39).
[3] What is the first principle of the church, whether faith or charity, has been a matter of controversy, even from ancient times; and those who were unacquainted with the nature of charity have said that faith is the first principle; but those who were acquainted with the nature of charity have affirmed that charity is the first, and that faith is charity as to appearance, because the affection of charity, which appears to the sight in thought, is faith; for the delight of affection, when it passes from the will into the thought, forms itself, and in various forms renders itself visible. This was unknown to the simple; therefore they took that to be the first principle of the church which appeared before the sight of their thought; and because the Word in the letter is written according to appearances, therefore this is there called the first, the beginning, and the first-born. For this reason, Peter, by whom was represented the faith of the church, is said to be the first of the apostles; whereas John was the first, because John represented the good of charity. That John, and not Peter, was the first of the apostles, is evident from the fact that John leaned on the breast of the Lord, and that he, and not Peter, followed the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397; that by Peter was represented faith, n. 4738, 6000, 6073, 6344, 10087, 10580; and that by John was represented the good of charity, n. 3934, 10087.)
[4] For the same reason also, Reuben (because he was the first-born of Jacob) represented faith, and it was believed that the tribe which had its name from him was the first; but that tribe was not the first, but the tribe of Levi, because Levi represented the good of charity; therefore also this tribe was appointed to the priesthood, and the priesthood is the first thing of the church. (That by the twelve sons of Jacob, or the twelve tribes named from them, were represented all the truths and goods of the church, may be seen, in Arcana Coelestia 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335, 7836, 7891, 7996; that by Reuben was represented faith, n. 3861, 3866, 4605, 4731, 4734, 4761, 6342-6345; and that by Levi was represented the good of charity, n. 3875, 4497, 4502, 4503.) It is also for the same reason, that, in the first chapter of Genesis, which, in the sense of the letter, treats of the creation of heaven and earth, but, in the internal sense, of the new creation, or regeneration, of the man of the church at that time, it is there said that light was first made, and afterwards the sun and the moon, as may be seen, verses 3-5, and 14-19 in that chapter, although the sun is first, and light from it. The reason why light was said to be the first of creation was, that by light is signified the truth of faith, and by the sun and moon the good of love and charity. (That by the creation of heaven and earth, in the first chapter of Genesis, in the spiritual sense, is meant and described the new creation of the man of the celestial church, or his regeneration, may be seen in the explanation of that chapter in Arcana Coelestia, and also, n. 8891, 9942, 10545. That light signifies truth from good, thus also the truth of faith, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140; and that the sun signifies the good of love, and the moon the good of charity, both from the Lord, may be seen in the same work, n. 116-125, 146.) From these considerations it is evident that the beginning of the creation of God signifies faith from the Lord, which is the first principle of the church as to appearance.
229. The beginning of the working of God signifies faith from Him, which in appearance is the first thing of the church. This is evident from the signification of "beginning," as being the first; and from the signification of "the working of God," as being the church (of which presently). Faith is what is meant by "the beginning of the working of God," for this is the subject treated of in what is written to the angel of this church; but that faith is "the beginning of the working of God," that is, in appearance the first thing of the church, shall now be explained. By faith here is meant faith from the Lord, for faith not from the Lord is not the faith of the church; but faith from the Lord is the faith of charity. This faith is in appearance the first thing of the church, because it is the first to appear to the man of the church. But charity itself is actually the first thing of the church, because this is what makes the church with man.
[2] There are two things that make the church, charity and faith. Charity is of affection, and faith is of thought therefrom. Affection is the very essence of thought, for apart from affection no one can think; everything of life that is in thought is from affection. From this it is clear that the first thing of the church is the affection that is of charity or love. But faith is called the first thing of the church because it is the first to appear; for what a man believes, that he thinks, and by thought sees; but that whereby he is spiritually affected he does not think, and therefore does not see in thought, but he perceives it by a certain sensation that has no relation to sight, but to another feeling called the feeling of enjoyment. This enjoyment, as it is spiritual and is above the sense of natural enjoyment, man does not perceive, except when he has become spiritual, that is, when he has been regenerated by the Lord. For this reason the things that are of faith, and thus of sight, are believed to be the first things of the church, although they are not first except in appearance. This therefore is called "the beginning of the working of God," because the Word in the letter is according to appearance, since it is for the simple. But spiritual men, like the angels, are lifted above appearances, and perceive the Word as it is in its internal sense; consequently they perceive that charity is the first thing of the church, and that faith is therefrom; for as was said above, the faith that is not from charity and that is not of charity, is not faith (about which, see also in the small work on The Last Judgment 33-39).
[3] Even from ancient times, what the first thing of the church is, whether faith or charity, has been a disputed point; and those who have not known what charity is have declared that faith is the first things; but those who have known what charity is have declared that charity is the first thing, and that faith is charity in its manifestation, since the affection of charity made manifest to sight in thought, is faith; for when the delight of affection passes from the will into the thought it takes form, and presents itself to view in a variety of forms. This the simple have not apprehended, consequently they have taken that which appeared before the sight of their thought to be the first thing of the church; and because the Word in the letter is according to appearances, this therefore is there called "the first," "the beginning," and "the firstborn." For the same reason, Peter, by whom the faith of the church was represented, was called the first of the apostles; when yet John was the first, because by "John" the good of charity was represented. That John, not Peter, was the first of the apostles, is clear from this, that it was John who leaned on the breast of the Lord, and that he, and not Peter, followed the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397; that Peter represented faith, n. 4738, 6000, 6073, 6344, 10087, 10580; and that John represented the good of charity, n. 3934, 6073, 10087).
[4] For the same reason, by Reuben also, because he was the firstborn of the sons of Jacob, faith was represented, and it was believed that the tribe that had its name from him was the first; but yet that tribe was not the first, but the tribe of Levi, since by Levi the good of charity was represented; and for this reason the tribe of Levi was appointed to the priesthood, and the priesthood is the first of the church. (That the twelve sons of Jacob, or the twelve tribes named from them, represented all the truths and goods of the church, see, n. 8891, 9942, 10545. That "light" signifies truth from good, thus also the truth of faith, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140; and that "the sun" signifies the good of love, and "the moon" the good of charity, both from the Lord, in the same work, n. 116-125, 146.) From this it can now be seen what "the beginning of the working of God" signifies, namely, faith from the Lord, which in appearance is the first thing of the church.
229. "Principium opificii De" - Quod significet fidem ab Ipso, quae primum ecclesiae quoad apparentiam, constat significatione "principii", quod sit primum; et ex significatione "opificii Dei", quod sit ecclesia (de qua sequitur). Quod fides sit quae intelligitur per "principium opificii Dei", est quia de illa in scriptis ad hujus Ecclesiae Angelum agitur; quod autem fides sit "principium opificii Dei", hoc est, primum ecclesiae ad apparentiam, nunc dicetur. Per fidem hic intelligitur fides a Domino, nam fides non a Domino non est fides ecclesiae; ac fides a Domino est fides charitatis: haec fides est primum ecclesiae quoad apparentiam, quia primum apparet homini ecclesiae, at lpsa charitas est actualiter primum ecclesiae, quia haec facit ecclesiam apud hominem.
[2] Sunt duo quae faciunt ecclesiam, charitas et fides. Charitas est affectionis, et fides est cogitationis inde; ipsa essentia cogitationis est affectio, nam absque affectione nemo cogitare potest; omne vitae quod inest cogitationi est ex affectione: inde patet quod primum ecclesiae sit affectio quae est charitatis seu amoris. At quod fides dicatur primum ecclesiae, est quia primum apparet; quod enim homo credit, hoc cogitat et cogitatione videt; at id quo homo spiritualiter afficitur, non cogitat, quare nec cogitatione videt, verum percipit sensu quodam qui non se refert ad visum sed ad sensitivum aliud quod vocatur sensitivum jucundi: hoc jucundum, quia est spirituale ac supra sensum jucundi naturalis, homo non percipit, nisi dum spiritualis factus est, hoc est, cum regeneratus est a Domino. Inde est quod illa quae fidei sunt, ita quae visus, credantur esse prima ecclesiae, tametsi non prima sunt nisi quoad apparentiam; hoc ergo vocatur "principium opificii Dei", quia Verbum in littera est secundum apparentiam; est enim pro simplicibus: at spirituales homines, sicut angeli, elevantur supra apparentias, ac percipiunt Verbum quale est in suo sensu interno, consequenter quod charitas sit primum ecclesiae ac fides inde; nam, ut supra dictum est, fides quae non est ex charitate, et quae non est charitatis, non est fides. (De qua re etiam videatur in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 33-39.)
[3] Ab antiquis usque temporibus controversum est quid primum ecclesiae est, num fides vel num charitas; et illi qui nesciverunt quid charitas dixerunt esse fidem, at qui sciverunt quid charitas dixerunt esse charitatem, ac fidem esse charitatem quoad apparentiam, quoniam affectio charitatis apparens ad visum in cogitatione est fides; jucundum enim affectionis cum transit a voluntate in cogitationem se format, ac in variis formis se sistit videndum. Hoc non sciverunt simplices; quare arripuerunt pro primo ecclesiae quod coram visu cogitationis eorum apparuit; et quia Verbum in littera est secundum apparentias, ideo hoc vocatur ibi "primum", "principium" et "primogenitum." Ob hanc causam Petrus, per quem repraesentata est fides ecclesiae, dictus est primus Apostolorum, cum tamen Johannes erat primus, quoniam per Johannem repraesentatum est bonum charitatis. Quod non Petrus sed Johannes esset primus Apostolorum, patet ex eo, quod Johannes accubuerit ad pectus Domini, et quod secutus sit Dominum, et non Petrus (Johannes 21:20-22). (Quod per duodecim Discipulos Domini repraesentata fuerint omnia vera et bona ecclesiae, videatur n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397; quod per Petrum repraesentata sit fides, n. 4738, 6000, 6073, 6344, 10087, 10580; et quod per Johannem repraesentatum sit bonum charitatis. n. 3934, 1
[4] Ob eandem etiam causam per Rubenem, quia primogenitus filiorum Jacobi fuit, repraesentata est fides, et creditum quod tribus ab illo nominata esset prima; sed usque non illa tribus erat prima, verum tribus Levi, quoniam per Levi repraesentatum est bonum charitatis; quare etiam haec tribus facta est sacerdotium, ac sacerdotium est primum ecclesiae. (Quod per duodecim filios Jacobi seu per duodecim tribus ab illis nominatas repraesentata fuerint omnia vera et bona ecclesiae, videatur n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335, 7836, 7891, 7996; quod per Rubenem repraesentata sit fides, n. 3861, 3866, 4605, 4731, 4734, 4761, 6342-6345; et quod per Levi repraesentatum sit bonum charitatis, n. 3875, 4497, 4502, 4503.) Ob eandem causam etiam est, quod in primo capite Geneseos, ubi agitur in sensu litterae de creatione caeli et terrae, sed in sensu interno de nova creatione seu regeneratione hominis ecclesiae tunc, dicatur quod primum facta sit lux, ac postea sol et luna (videatur ibi vers. 3-5 et 14-19), cum tamen sol est primum et lux est inde: quod lux primum creationis dicta fuerit, erat quia per "lucem" significatur verum fidei, ac per "solem" et "lunam" bonum amoris et charitatis. (Quod per creationem caeli et terrae in primo capite Geneseos in sensu spirituali intelligatur et describatur nova creatio hominis ecclesiae caelestis, seu regeneratio ejus videatur in explicatione illius capitis in Arcanis Caelestibus, tum n. 8891, 9942, 10545; quod "lux" significet verum ex bono, ita quoque verum fidei, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 126-130; ac quod "sol" significet bonum amoris, et "luna" bonum charitatis, utrumque a Domino, in eodem opere, n. 116-125, 146.) Ex his nunc constare potest quid significat "principium opificii Dei", quod nempe fidem a Domino quae primum ecclesiae quoad apparentiam.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.