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 dispensation, such a thing being contrary to the genius of the New Christian Church, and utterly repugnant to its spirit—he proceeds to unfold the doctrine of charity as it existed in the ancient churches, and which is to be resuscitated and to live again in the New Jerusalem in something like its primeval vigor. And he says:—

"The doctrine of charity, which is the doctrine of life, was "the essential doctrine in the ancient churches. And this doctrine conjoined all churches, and thereby formed one church out of many. For they acknowledged all those as members of the church who lived in the good of charity, and called them brethren, however much they might differ respecting truths which at this day are called matters of faith. In these they instructed one another,. . . nor were they offended if one did not accede to the opinion of another, knowing that every one receives truth according to the degree of good in which he is." And he closes this Introductory Chapter, and at the same time signalizes the rank or value of this ancient doctrine, and the supreme place which properly belongs to it, and which it will occupy in the New Church, by saying, as the crowning evidence of its importance as well as of its truth: "The whole Sacred Scripture is nothing else than the doctrine of love or charity, which the Lord also teaches [quoting here the two great commandments in Matt. xxii, 37—39 and adding]: