observance in the worship of the Israelitish Church. From that union also
there is a marriage of good and truth in the Word and in each and all
things of it (on this see _Doctrine of the New Jerusalem about Sacred
Scripture,_ nn. 80-90). The marriage of good and truth is from the
marriage of the Lord with the church, and this in turn from the marriage
of love and wisdom in Him, for good is of love, and truth of wisdom. It
is plain, then, that it is the constant aim of divine providence to unite
good to truth and truth to good in a man, for so he is united to the
Lord.

22. But many have severed and do sever this marriage, especially by
separating faith from charity (for faith is of truth and truth is of
faith, and charity is of good and good is of charity), and in so doing
they conjoin evil and falsity in themselves and thus come into and
continue in the opposite to good and truth. The Lord therefore provides
that they shall nevertheless serve for uniting good and truth in others,
through equilibrium, contrast and purification.

23. Conjunction of good and truth in others is provided by the Lord
through _equilibrium_ between heaven and hell. From hell evil and at the
same time falsity constantly exhale, and from heaven good and at the same
time truth. In equilibrium between them, and so in freedom to think,
will, speak and act in which he can be reformed, every man is kept while
he lives in the world. On the spiritual equilibrium from which the human
being has freedom, see the work _Heaven and Hell,_ nn. 589-596, 597-603.

24. Conjunction of good and truth is provided by the Lord through
_contrast._ For the nature of good is not known except by contrast with
what is less good and by its contrariety to evil. All perceptiveness and
sensitivity arise so; their quality is thence. All pleasantness is
perceived and felt over against the less pleasant and the unpleasant; all
the beautiful by reference to the less beautiful and the unbeautiful;
similarly all good of love by reference to lesser good and to evil; all
truth of wisdom by a sense of lesser truth and of falsity. Everything
inevitably varies from greatest to least, and with the same variation in
its opposite and with equilibrium between them, there is contrast degree
by degree, and the perception and sensation of a thing increase or
diminish. But be it known that an opposite may either lower or exalt
perceptions and sensitivities. It lowers them when it mingles in a