108. VII. FAITH.

No one can know what faith is in its essence, unless he knows what charity is, because where there is no charity there is no faith, for charity makes one with faith as good does with truth. For what man loves or holds dear, this to him is good, and what man believes, this to him is truth; whence it is plain that there is a like union of charity and faith, as there is of good and truth; the quality of which union may appear from what has been said above concerning Good and Truth.

9253. 'And you shall not show partiality towards a poor man in his dispute' means that no favour must be shown towards the falsities that exist with those who have no knowledge of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a poor man' as those who possess few truths, and also possess falsities owing to lack of knowledge. But those among them who are governed by good wish to be taught truths, whereas those who are ruled by evil have no wish to be taught them. For the falsities with those governed by good can be bent towards truths and at length be dispelled, but the falsities with those ruled by evil cannot be bent towards truths and so cannot be dispelled. Regarding such poor persons it says that 'you shall not show partiality towards them in their dispute', that is, you shall show no favour towards their falsities; for 'showing partiality towards' means showing favour towards, and 'dispute' means truth contending with falsity, and falsity with truth.

'The poor' are those who possess few truths, also falsities owing to lack of knowledge, see 9209. Falsities with those who are governed by good are soft and bendable, but with those who are ruled by evil are not soft or bendable, 4736, 6359, 8051, 8149, 8298, 8311, 8318 (end).