Page:The Doctrines of the New Church Briefly Explained.djvu/242

236 "agree as to essentials," of which the most essential is the Divine Humanity of the Lord, and are "suited to the perception of the angels in each heaven;" but the preaching is more replete with wisdom in the superior or inmost heaven, than in the others. The truths taught there, "all regard life as their end," and are at once perceived and acknowledged by the hearers to be true. And the truths which they perceive, they also love; and by living according to them, they incorporate them into their lives. To live according to truths, they say, is to love the Lord."

"But real divine worship in heaven does not consist in frequenting temples and listening to sermons, but in a life of love, charity and faith according to doctrine. Sermons in the temples serve only as a means of instruction in the conduct of life. I have talked with the angels on this subject; and they said that going to church, hearing sermons, attending the sacrament of the holy supper, etc., are externals which ought to be observed, but are of no avail unless there be an internal from which they proceed; and that this internal is a life according to the precepts which doctrine teaches." (H. H. 222.)

It is not uncommon nowadays to meet with even professed Calvinists who do not know, and will stoutly deny, that their church ever believed a doctrine so revolting as that of infant