3451. And they said, Seeing we have seen that Jehovah was with thee. That this signifies that they knew the Divine was therein, is evident from the signification of “seeing to see,” as being to observe and thus know for certain; and from the signification of “Jehovah being with thee,” as being that the Divine was therein. The subject here, as before said (n. 3447), is the agreement of the literal sense of the Word with the internal sense; consequently the agreement therewith of the doctrinal things of faith, which are signified by “Abimelech, Ahuzzath, and Phicol,” insofar as they are from the literal sense of the Word; thus also the conjunction of the Lord’s kingdom on earth with His kingdom in the heavens and consequently with the Lord, by the Word. For the Word as to the supreme sense is the Lord Himself; and as to the internal sense it is the Lord’s kingdom itself in the heavens; and as to the literal sense it is the Lord’s kingdom itself on earth, as also before said.

[2] But as regards the Lord’s kingdom on earth, that is, His church, the case is that inasmuch as it has its doctrinal things from the literal sense of the Word, it cannot but be various and diverse in respect to these doctrinal things; that is to say, one society will profess one thing to be a truth of faith, because it is so said in the Word, and another society will profess another thing, also because it is so said; and so on. Consequently, as the Lord’s church has its doctrinal things from the literal sense of the Word, it will everywhere differ, and this not only as to societies, but sometimes as to the individuals in a society. Nevertheless a difference in the doctrinal things of faith does not prevent the church from being one, provided there is unanimity as to willing well and doing well.

[3] For example, if anyone should acknowledge as a matter of doctrine that charity is from faith, and at the same time lives in charity toward the neighbor, then indeed he is not in truth as to doctrine, but still he is in truth as to life; consequently there is in him the Lord’s church or kingdom. And again, if anyone should say that good works ought to be done in order that he may have recompense in heaven, according to the literal sense of the Word in Matthew 10:41-42; 25:34-46; and in other places; and yet in doing good works never thinks of merit, he in like manner is in the Lord’s kingdom, because as to life he is in the truth; and because he is such as to life, he readily suffers himself to be instructed that no one can merit heaven, and that works wherein merit is placed are not good. And so in other cases. For the literal sense is such that in many passages it appears opposed to itself; but the reason is that in this sense there are appearances of truth accommodated to those who are in externals, consequently to those who are also in worldly and even in bodily loves.

[4] Here therefore by “Abimelech” those are treated of who are in the doctrinal things of faith, and who as before said are such as make faith that which is essential to salvation; and there is also treated of the agreement of their, doctrinal things with the internal sense; with whom also it is evident that conjunction is effected, but only with those who are in good, that is, with those who, although they make faith essential as to doctrine, still make charity essential as to life; for when with such there is confidence or trust in the Lord, which they call faith itself, then they are in the affection of love to the Lord, consequently as to life they are in good. But see what was said and shown above on this subject, namely: That what is doctrinal does not make the church, but charity (n. 809, 916, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844): That doctrinal things are of no account unless men live according to them (n. 1515): That the church is various as to truths, but is one through charity (n. 3267): That there is a parallelism between the Lord and man as to celestial things which are of good, but not as to spiritual things which are of truth (n. 1831, 1832): That there is one only doctrine, namely, that of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor (n. 3445): That the church would be one if all had charity, although they differed as to worship and doctrinal things (n. 809, 1285, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2982): That the church would be like the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, if all had charity (n. 2385): That in heaven there are innumerable varieties of good and truth, but that by harmony they nevertheless make a one, like the organs and members of the body (n. 684, 690, 3241).

916. That “every wild animal and every creeping thing” signify the goods of the man of the church; “wild animal” the goods of the internal man; “creeping thing” those of the external man; and that “every fowl and everything that creepeth upon the earth” signify truths; “fowl” the truths of the internal man; and “thing that creepeth upon the earth” those of the external man, is evident from what was said and shown under the preceding verse in regard to wild animal, fowl, and creeping thing, where it is said “creeping thing that creepeth” because both good and truth of the external man were signified. Inasmuch as what is here said is the conclusion to what goes before, these things which are of the church are added, namely, its goods and truths; and by them is indicated the quality of the church, that it is spiritual, and that it became such that charity or good was the principal thing; and therefore “wild animal and creeping thing” are here first mentioned, and afterwards “fowl and thing that creepeth.”

[2] The church is called spiritual when it acts from charity, or from the good of charity-never when it says that it has faith without charity, for then it is not even a church. For what is the doctrine of faith but the doctrine of charity? And to what purpose is the doctrine of faith, but that men should do what it teaches? It cannot be merely to know and think what it teaches, but only that what it teaches should be done. The spiritual church is therefore first called a church when it acts from charity, which is the very doctrine of faith. Or, what is the same thing, the man of the church is then first a church. Just in the same way, what is a commandment for? not that a man may know, but that he may live according to the commandment. For then he has in himself the kingdom of the Lord, since the kingdom of the Lord consists solely in mutual love and its happiness.

[3] Those who separate faith from charity, and make salvation consist in faith without the good works of charity, are Cainites who slay the brother Abel, that is, charity. And they are like birds which hover about a carcass; for such faith is a bird, and a man without charity is a carcass. Thus they also form for themselves a spurious conscience, so that they may live like devils, hold the neighbor in hatred and persecute him, pass their whole life in adulteries, and yet be saved, as is well known in the Christian world. What can be more agreeable to a man than to hear and be persuaded that he may be saved, even if he live like a wild beast? The very Gentiles perceive that this is false, many of whom abhor the doctrine of Christians because they see their life. The real quality of such a faith is evident also from the fact that nowhere is there found a life more detestable than in the Christian world.