UNLESS A NEW CHURCH EXIST, WHICH SHALL ABOLISH THE FAITH OF THE OLD CHURCH, WHICH IS IN THREE GODS, AND INTRODUCE A NEW ONE WHICH IS A FAITH IN ONE GOD, THUS IN THE LORD GOD THE SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, NOT ANY FLESH CAN BE SAVED, ACCORDING TO THE LORD'S WORDS.

1. The Lord, when He spake with the disciples concerning the consummation of the age and His coming, that is, concerning the end of the church of the present day and then the beginning of the New Church, after describing the desolation and affliction, said:-

Unless those days were shortened no flesh could be saved (Matt. xxiv. 21, 22).

That is, would altogether perish in eternal death. 2. No flesh could be saved unless that affliction and the abomination of desolation were removed, is because through the faith of the church of the present day there is no conjunction with God, and thence no salvation; for this depends solely upon conjunction with God, yea, that conjunction is salvation. 3. Through the faith of the church of the present day there is no conjunction with God, because that faith is a faith in three Gods, and a faith unless it is in one God, does not conjoin; also because that faith is in God the Father, who is inaccessible; and also in the Son born from eternity, who is likewise inaccessible, since He is of the same essence with the Father, and likewise in the Holy Spirit; and because, there was no Son nor Holy Spirit from eternity, the faith in these two is [a faith] in no God. Add to this, that the faith of the present day cannot be united with charity, and faith not united with charity, thus alone, does not conjoin. Hence it follows that unless the New Church be established by the Lord, which shall abolish that faith and teach a new one, namely, a faith which is in one God, and which is at the same time united with charity, not any flesh could be preserved, that is, not any man could be saved. 4. The faith of the present day has destroyed the entire church and has falsified the whole Word has been shown above. Wherefore unless the New Church be established by the Lord, which shall restore both the church and the Word to its integrity, not any flesh can be preserved. 5. Those who are in the faith of the church of the present day are meant by the "dragon" and the "false prophet," and that faith itself by the "pit of the abyss" from which the locusts issued, as also by the "great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt," where the two witnesses were slain, is shown in the Apocalypse Revealed; likewise that by the "New Jerusalem" the New Church is meant. [See Apoc., Cap. ix., xi., xii., xx., xxi.] Since it is there said that after the dragon and the false prophet were cast into hell, the New Jerusalem descended from God out of heaven, it is evident that after the faith of the church of the present day is condemned, the New Church from the New Heaven will descend from the Lord and be established. 6. From these things it is evident that unless the New Church exist which shall abolish the faith in three Gods, and receive a faith in one God, thus in the Lord Jesus Christ, and which at the same time, conjoins this faith with charity into one form, not any flesh could be saved. 7. It may also be seen above (Chap. viii.) that redemption could not be effected, nor salvation thence be given, except by God incarnate, thus by no other than God, the Redeemer, Jesus Christ; for salvation is perpetual redemption. It was shown moreover that God, faith, and charity are three essentials of the church, and that upon them universal theology, and thus the church, depends. Wherefore when falsities are taught and imbibed in respect to these three essentials, man has no salvation. 7. Minor clause. No one can hereafter come into heaven unless he be in the doctrine of the New Church as to faith and life. The reason is, that the New Heaven which is now being established by the Lord, is in faith and life according to that doctrine.

CHAPTER XI.