92. BRIEF ANALYSIS

By shortening those days is meant putting an end to the present Church and establishing a new one; for, as was said above, the 24th chapter of Matthew treats of the successive periods of decline and perversion of the Christian Church, even to its consummation and end, and of the advent of the Lord at that time. The reason no flesh could be saved unless those days were shortened is that the faith of the present Church is founded on the idea of three Gods, and no one having this idea can enter heaven; so neither can they with that faith, for that idea is in every single part of it. Moreover, in that faith there is no life from works of charity. That this faith cannot be united with charity and produce any fruits which are good works, was shown above, 47-50.

There are two things which establish heaven in man, the truths of faith and the goods of charity. Truths of faith bring about the presence of the Lord and show the way to heaven, whilst goods of charity effect conjunction with the Lord and introduce into heaven; and everyone who is introduced is in light there according to his affection for truth, and in heat according to his affection for good. That the affection for truth is faith in its own essence, and the affection for good is charity in its own essence, and that the marriage of these constitutes the Church, may be seen above,48. The Church and heaven make one. That these three are not in the Churches at this day, which are built upon faith alone, has been fully shown in the preceding pages.