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Genesis 4:3

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3 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #365

Studere hoc loco

  
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365. In the third place it is said, “Unto thee is his desire, and thou rulest over him” by which is signified that charity is desirous to abide with faith, but cannot do so because faith wishes to rule over it, which is contrary to order. So long as faith seeks to have the dominion, it is not faith, and only becomes faith when charity rules; for charity is the principal of faith, as was shown above. Charity may be compared to flame, which is the essential of heat and light, for heat and light are from it; and faith in a state of separation may be compared to light that is without the heat of flame, when indeed there is light, but it is the light of winter in which everything becomes torpid and dies.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.