XXXV. The Church.
THAT which constitutes heaven in man, constitutes also the church: and as it is love and faith, or good and truth, which constitute heaven, so the same also constitute the church, whether it be with an individual, a society, or a multitude of societies. Wheresoever the Lord is truly acknowledged, and his Word received as divine, there is the church: for the essentials of the church are love and faith directed to the Lord; and the Word teaches how man must live, in order to obtain such love and faith from the Lord. But since the Word, as a regular system of divine truths, is in many respects unintelligible without doctrine, it is therefore necessary, that genuine doctrine be drawn from the Word, and so applied as to form a true church. Yet doctrine alone does not constitute the church with man, but a life according to doctrine. Hence it follows, that the church is not formed by faith alone, but by the life of faith, which is charity. Genuine doctrine is the doctrine of charity and faith united, and this is properly the doctrine of life.
They, who are out of the pale of the church, as the gentile nations are, and who yet acknowledge one God, and live in charity towards their neighbour, according to the precepts of their various religions, that is to say, according to the best light they have received, are in spiritual communion with the members of the true church, and will finally be saved: for the Lord is merciful to all, and requires no more of man, than to use or improve the talent committed to his care, however inconsiderable it may be. Hence we conclude, that the Lord's church universal is planted in every part of the globe, although in a more particular sense it is only to be found among those,
