3122. Moreover in regard to this truth by which is signified charity, the case is this: The most ancient people, who were celestial, by mercy and truth from the Lord understood nothing else than the reception of the influx of love to the Lord, and of the derivative charity toward the neighbor. But the ancients, who were spiritual, by the mercy and truth from the Lord with themselves, understood charity and faith; the reason of which is, that the celestial never thought concerning those things which are of faith or truth, but concerning those which are of love or good, as may be seen from what has been said above concerning the celestial man (n. 202, 337, 2669, 2715). Moreover celestial men when being reformed and regenerated were introduced into love to the Lord through charity toward the neighbor. It is evident therefore that by “mercy from the Lord” nothing else is signified than a perception of the influx of love to Him; and by “truth,” a derivative influx of charity toward the neighbor.

[2] But it is otherwise with the spiritual; these think concerning the things of faith; and when being reformed and regenerated they are introduced by means of the things of faith into charity toward the neighbor. And therefore when the spiritual are treated of, by “mercy from the Lord” is meant an influx of charity toward the neighbor; and by “truth” is meant an influx of faith. But still this faith, when the spiritual man has been regenerated, becomes charity; for he then acts from charity; insomuch that one who does not act from charity is not regenerate, but he who acts from charity is regenerate; and in this case he is not solicitous about the things of faith or truth, for he lives from the good of faith, and no longer from its truth; for truth has so conjoined itself with good that it no longer appears, except merely as the form of good (forma boni), that is, faith is not otherwise than as the form of charity (forma charitatis).

[3] From what has been said we can see what the most ancient people, and what the ancients, understood by “mercy and truth,” so frequently mentioned in the Word. As in David:

The king shall dwell before God forever; O prepare mercy and truth, that they may preserve him (Psalms 61:7).

Again:

Mercy and truth shall meet together, righteousness and peace shall kiss each other (Psalms 85:10).

Again:

Thou O Lord art a God great in mercy and truth (Psalms 86:15).

Again:

My truth and My mercy shall be with Him (Psalms 89:24).

Again:

Jehovah hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel (Psalms 98:3).

Again:

O Jehovah, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth’s sake (Psalms 115:1).

In Micah:

Jehovah God will give the truth to Jacob, the mercy to Abraham, which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old (Micah 7:20); where “Jacob” denotes the Lord’s external man, and “Abraham” the internal, as to the Human.

In Hosea:

Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, and no mercy, and no knowledge of God (Hos. 4:1).

“No truth” denotes no reception of the influx of charity; “no mercy,” no reception of the influx of love; “no knowledge of God,” no reception of the influx of the truth of faith.

875. But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot. That this signifies that nothing of the good and truth of faith could yet take root, is evident from the signification of a “dove” as being the truth of faith, and from the signification of “rest for the sole of the foot” as being to take root. The reason that it could not take root is told in what follows, namely, that falsities were still overflowing. But how this is cannot be understood unless it be known how the regeneration of the spiritual man is effected.

[2] With this man the knowledges of faith are to be implanted in his memory from the Word of the Lord, or from doctrinal things therefrom (which the Ancient Church had from what was revealed to the Most Ancient Church), and thereby his intellectual mind is to be instructed. But as long as falsities overflow therein, the truths of faith, howsoever sown, cannot take root. They remain on the surface only, that is, in the memory; nor does the ground become fit for them until the falsities have been shaken off so as not to appear, as before said.

[3] The real “ground” with this man is prepared in his intellectual mind, and when it has been prepared the good of charity is insinuated by the Lord, and from this, conscience, from which he afterwards acts, that is, through which the Lord works the good and truth of faith. Thus the Lord makes the intellectual things of this man distinct from those of his will so that they are never united; for if they should be united, he could not but perish eternally.

[4] With the man of the Most Ancient Church the things of the will were united to those of the understanding, as they also are with the celestial angels. But with the man of this Ancient Church they were not united, nor are they with any spiritual man. It appears indeed as if the good of charity which he does were of his will, but this is only an appearance and fallacy. All the good of charity that he does is of the Lord alone, not through the will, but through conscience. If the Lord should let go ever so little and suffer the man to act from his own will, instead of good he would do evil from hatred, revenge, and cruelty.

[5] The case is the same with the truth that the spiritual man thinks and speaks: unless he were to think and speak from conscience, and thus from the good that is of the Lord, he could never think and speak truth otherwise than as do the devils of hell when they feign themselves angels of light. All this is clearly manifest in the other life. From these things it is evident in what manner regeneration is effected, and what the regeneration of the spiritual man is: that in fact it is the separation of his intellectual part from the will part, by means of conscience, which is formed by the Lord in his intellectual part; and whatever is done from this appears as if done by the man’s will, but is really done by the Lord.