Doctrine of Faith #15

Da Emanuel Swedenborg

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15. The progression of these elements is like the progression of all that the will intends, operating through the intellect, into physical actions.

The will produces nothing of itself apart from the intellect, nor does the intellect produce anything of itself apart from the will. They have to function in union to produce any result.

Or to put it another way: An affection, which is a property of the will, produces nothing of itself, but does so only through thought, which is a property of the intellect. And conversely. They have to function in union to produce any result.

Consider: If from thought you eliminate any affection which is the property of some love, can you entertain any thought? Or if from affection you eliminate any thought, can you be affected by anything? Or to say the equivalent, if from thought you eliminate affection, would you be able to speak? Or if from affection you eliminate thought or the intellect, would you be able to do anything?

It is the same with charity and faith.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.