1016. Such as was not since there were men on the earth. That this signifies that it was manifestly more inverted than ever before in the countries where the church is, is evident from the signification of the earthquake being such, as denoting the state of the church changed more than hitherto, thus manifestly inverted; and from the signification of the men who were upon the earth, as denoting with those who belong to the church, thus who are in the countries where the church is. The subject here treated of is especially the state of the church with the Reformed, not with the Babylonians, these being treated of afterwards. That the state of the church has been turned into its contrary, is evident from this, that at this day it is not known what good and truth are, nor, indeed, what love and faith are; for love they call faith; works they call faith; good they call faith; truth they call faith; and yet they do not at all see whether the received faith, in which everything of the church is included, is the faith of truth, because it consists of mere incomprehensibilities.
Continuation concerning the Seventh Precept:-
[2] Because hatred is infernal fire, it is clear that it must be removed before love, which is heavenly fire, can flow in, and by the light from itself give life to a man; and that infernal fire cannot possibly be removed, unless he knows the origin of hatred, and what it is, and afterwards turns away from it and shuns it. Hatred of the neighbour is hereditarily in every man, for every one is born into the love of self and of the world. Wherefore, he conceives hatred, and from it he is inflamed against all those who do not make one with him, and favour him, especially against those who oppose his lusts. For no one can love himself above all things, and, at the same time, love the Lord; and no one can love the world above all things, and, at the same time, love his neighbour, because no one can serve two masters at the same time; he is bound to despise and hate the one, while he honours and loves the other. Hatred especially prevails with those who are in the love of ruling over all; with the rest it is enmity. [3] What hatred is shall also be stated. Hatred has in itself a fire, which is the endeavour to kill men; that fire is shown by anger. There is, as it were, a hatred and an anger thence prevalent with the good against evil. This, however, is not hatred but aversion to evil. Nor is it anger, but a zeal from good, in which heavenly fire inwardly lies concealed. For they turn away from evil, and are as if they were angry at their neighbour, in order that they may remove the evil, and thereby consult for the good of their neighbour.
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