Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/260

 —Love of the Lord, and neighbourly love. Man is the Lord's tabernacle, when he is in the sphere of heavenly love and charity; and he abides in the Divine goodness and truth, and may be said to be a celestial man, being nearest to the Lord, and in the sphere of the Divine love and glory.

By the Holy Hill, or by Jerusalem, a state next in degree is implied, and refers to the spiritual man, or to that holy principle ot charity which comprehends the several degrees of neighbourly love; and it is called a, because it has relation to an interior elevation of soul. It is denominated the Holy Hill of the Lord, because, as in the former instance, the tabernacle denoted the celestial state and degree; so in this is denoted the spiritual state and degree; these two states or degrees being inseparable in the Divine nature, and all love and wisdom, charity and faith, in man, have their origin in the Lord.

To abide in the Lord's tabernacle is to stand in the celestial state of pure love to the Lord, which is the life of that state. To abide in the holy hill is to dwell in the principle of charity or pure love to each other. If we are among the persons who abide in the Lord's tabernacle, whose inward life is love to the Lord and goodness, then, although we have to pass through trials and intense temptations, proportioned to the elevation of state to be attained, still the Lord's presence will never fail us, and when we pass through the fire the flame shall not kindle upon us. And if we are persons who abide in the holy hill, or in a state of neighbourly love and charity, we shall be careful "to do unto all men as we would they should do unto us."

In the angelic state of the Lord's spiritual kingdom,