DOCTRINES OF THE NEW CHURCH. 2. Such life of goodness, originating in charity, is the essential means of salvation and justification--yet it is never alone-always producing and accompanying a faith interiorly suitably to its nature and quality.† [See Note GG.] †Micah vi, 8; James'ii, 17, 26. 1 Cor. xiii, 5, 6. See Proof 2, 3, Question 46. Of Faith. 1. The principal acts of saving faith are, the acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ as God, having confi. dence that he will save; refraining from evils, because they are sins, and a life of active virtue and usefulness, which are keeping the commandments.* 2. This faith and life justifies and saves sinners, because such good works and active virtues (the essence of all true faith) prepare the sinner for the reception of that divine grace which floweth unto all men; therefore these good and virtuous acts of the creature, are imputed to him, and are instruments by which he receiveth and applieth the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation. [See Note BB and RR.] * John xi, 25, 26; Heb. xi, 6; See Proof 1, Question 40, & 1, Question 41. † 1Cor. xiii. 3; Col. iii, 17; Gal. v, 6; Psalms xv, 1, 2; Eccles.xii, 13. See Proof 1, Question 49. Of Repentance. 1. Repentance, (which is an acknowledgment of, and refraining from all evils because they are sins against God, and leading a new life accord. ing to his commandments) is the only means of making satisfaction for sin, and the only cause of the pardon thereof; and it is of such necessity to all sinners that none may expect pardon without it.* Man however is wholly unable to perform such repentance of himself; it is an operation of the Holy spirit, with which man's free.will (the * Ps. xxxii, 5, 6; Luke xiii, 3; 2 Cor. vii, 10. See Proof 1, Question 51. DOCTRINES OF THE OLD CHURCH. Of Infants. DOCTRINES OF THE NEW CHURCH. continual gift of God) is to co-operate; and all merit in consequence thereof is to be discarded, and ascribed to the Lord alone. † [Note HH and SS.] ↑ John xv, 4, 5. See Proof 1, Question 34. Of Infants. All Infants dying in infancy are re 1. Elect Infants, dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christceived into heaven at death, and eduthrough the spirit, who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth.* Of the Resurrection. 1. At the last day, all the dead shall be raised up with the self same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever. Of Angels. 1. God created all the angels spirits, immortal, holy, excelling in knowledge, mighty in power, to execute his commandments, and praise his name, yet subject to change. *By consulting the writings of the early Protestant reformers, it will be seen that many of them, particularly those belonging to the Calvinistic school, believed that all infants were not of the elect, and that consequently all would not be saved; it is delightful however to the benevolent mind, to learn that a majority of the modern clergy, including some of the Calvinists, are adopting the doctrine of the New Church on this subject, contrary to the opinion of those who composed and promulgated this Article of Faith. cated by the angels under the auspices of the Lord; for no one is condemned for his hereditary evils, but only for the actual evils which he commits. †-[Note DD.] * Luke xviii, 16; Matthew xviii, 10. See Proof 2, Question 44. † Deut. xxiv, 16; Jas. i, 14, 15. See Proof 2, Question 44. Of the Resurrection. 1. Immediately on the death of the material body (which will never be reunited to the soul) man rises in the spiritual world, in a spiritual or substantial body; and there continues to exist in a perfect human form, and thus death is only a continuation of life.[Note KK.] * Luke xvi, 22 to 24; 1 Cor. xv, 44 to 50; 2 Cor. v, 1, 2, &c; Luke xxiii, 43; ix, 30; xxiv, 4, 5; Acts i, 10, 11; Rev. xxii, 8, 9. See Proof 1, Qu. 55. DOCTRINES OF THE OLD CHURCH. 2. God, by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully, and irrevocably, to fall into sin and damnation; limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory; and establishing the rest in holiness and happiness; employing them all, at his pleasure, in the administration of his power, mercy and justice. Larger Catechism, Qu. 16, 19. Of the Perseverance of the 1. The perseverance of the Saints depends, not upon their own free-will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which ariseth the certainty and infallibility thereof. Conf. of Faith, ch. xvii. Sec. 2. DOCTRINES OF THE NEW CHURCH. 2. God, by his divine providence has so constituted heaven; that evil cannot enter there: Angels, therefore, altho' not perfect in the sight of God, are not permitted to fall into actual sin, and consequent misery; but, dwelling under his immediate auspices, they are continually perfecting in love, wisdom and happiness, to eternity.‡ [Note TT.] Psalms xx, 6; 2 Cor. v, 1; Matth. xxv, 46. Of the Perseverance of the 1. The perseverance of the Saints, depends upon their own free-will; cooperating with the divine influences flowing continually from the free and unchangeable love of the Lord Jesus Christ; upon the efficacy of this redeeming love, and their co-operation; the abiding of his holy Spirit within them; and the nature of the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, by means of his Humanity: From all which ariseth the certainty and infallibility thereof, if, by faith in his divine assistance, they continue to keep his commandments.* [Notes PP&QQ.] * Matth. xix, 7; John xiv, 15,21; 1 John iii, 24; John i, 12. It is thought unnecessary to continue the Contrast between the doctrines of the two Churches, any further, as the remaining articles are chiefly derivations from those already stated. The intelligent reader, however, will perceive, that the comparison might be made throughout, as the radical differences which exist between the more fundamental doctrines of the two Churches, are carried through the whole of each system, although they may not be so strikingly evi-. dent as in those articles which have been above contrasted. To those who are anxious to trace and compare these differences, the author would recommend a careful perusal not only of the following Catechism, and the Notes and Illustrations thereto Appended, but also, more especially, a sober examination of the Theological writings of the highly illuminated EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, from which the doctrines of the New Jerusalem, contained in this work, have been chiefly drawn." In making this examination, however, it will be necessary that they should be read, not in the spirit of prejudice, but with patient attention, and with candour and impartiality. This attention implies that they should be read regularly, deliberately and extensively, until an adequate idea of the general scope and meaning of the honorable author is obtained;-forming a judgment of his works, not from detached and garbled sentences, but from the combined result of his reasonings, his proofs, and his authorities.' "If these extraordinary works should be thus examined, and the readers be patient to scrutinize, attentive to discover, and deliberate to comprehend what is read, it is sincerely believed, they will find their full reward in the solidi. ty of the author's principles, in the harmony of his ideas, in the sublimity and simplicity of his doctrines, and above all, in their perfect and full agreement with the genuine uncorrupted sense of the Sacred Scriptures." |