Page:A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion.djvu/55

Rh as good loves to be united with truth, and truth with good, so evil desires to be united with falsehood, and falsehood with evil. Lastly, as all wisdom and understanding arise from the union of good and truth, so all insanity and folly arise from the union of evil and falsehood. This union is called the infernal marriage, but the former is called the celestial marriage.

MAN possesses two faculties, which constitute his life; one is called will, the other understanding. They are indeed distinct from each other, but yet so formed that they may become one; and when they are united, they are called the mind. The human mind, therefore, consists of these two faculties; and in it resides all the life of man.

As all things in the universe, which exist according to divine order, have relation to good and truth, so all things in man have relation to his will and understanding. Whatever is good in him, belongs to, or is received by, his will; and whatever is true in him, belongs to, or is received by, his understanding. In like manner love and wisdom, charity and faith, have their proper residence in the will and understanding: for love and charity have relation to good, and wisdom and faith have relation to truth. All affections likewise belong to the will, and all thoughts to the understanding. The union of the will and the understanding is like that of good and truth; they being joined together in a similar kind of marriage. As therefore good constitutes the interior essence of a thing, and truth it's exterior form, so the will in man may be considered as the very essence of his life, and his understanding