Page:The Doctrines of the New Church Briefly Explained.djvu/159

Rh consisting in the desire to save all eternally, if possible. They who have not the Lord's love, that is, who do not love their neighbor as themselves, have not his life. Consequently they are in no respect born of Him, and therefore they cannot be heirs of his kingdom." A. C. 1803.

According to the belief and teaching of the New Church, these three cardinal doctrines of Christianity are so intimately connected, that it is impossible for either to exist in its genuine form without the other two; as impossible as it is for the heart, lungs and their joint activity to exist in the human body, except in vital union with each other. The heart could not perform its functions, and therefore could not exist as a heart, without the lungs, nor the lungs without the heart; nor could there be any operation or resultant activity without the union of these two. Hence these three doctrines, though they may be thought of separately, are really one, because incapable of a separate and vital existence.

At the time Swedenborg wrote, the doctrine of salvation and justification by faith alone was held