from heaven just as much as wealth does. There are many among the
poor who are not content with their lot, who strive after many
things, and believe riches to be blessings;{2} and when they do not
gain them are much provoked, and harbor ill thoughts about the Divine
providence; they also envy others the good things they possess, and
are as ready as any one to defraud others whenever they have
opportunity, and to indulge in filthy pleasures. But this is not true
of the poor who are content with their lot, and are careful and
diligent in their work, who love labor better than idleness, and act
sincerely and faithfully, and at the same time live a Christian life.
I have now and then talked with those belonging to the peasantry and
common people, who while living in the world believed in God and did
what was just and right in their occupations. Since they had an
affection for knowing truth they inquired about charity and about
faith, having heard in this world much about faith and in the other
life much about charity. They were therefore told that charity is
everything that pertains to life, and faith everything that pertains
to doctrine; consequently charity is willing and doing what is just
and right in every work, and faith is thinking justly and rightly;
and faith and charity are conjoined, the same as doctrine and a life
in accordance with it, or the same as thought and will; and faith
becomes charity when that which a man thinks justly and rightly he
also wills and does, and then they are not two but one. This they
well understood, and rejoiced, saying that in the world they did not
understand believing to be anything else but living.

{Footnote 1} There can be no mercy apart from means, but only
mercy through means, that is, to those who live in accordance
with the commandments of the Lord; such the Lord by His mercy
leads continually in the world, and afterwards to eternity (n.
8700, 10659).

{Footnote 2} Dignities and riches are not real blessings,
therefore they are granted both to the wicked and to the good
(n. 8939, 10775, 10776). The real blessing is reception of love
and faith from the Lord, and conjunction thereby, for this is
the source of eternal happiness (n. 1420, 1422, 2846, 3017,
3406, 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584, 4216, 4981, 8939, 10495).

365. All this makes clear that the rich and the poor alike come into
heaven, the one as easily as the other. The belief that the poor