g to heaven or to hell, and to all in the natural world; but is
received differently by every one, according to his quality and consequent
state of reception.

"6. That man, during his abode in the world, is, as to his spirit, in the
midst between heaven and hell, acted upon by influences from both, and
thus is kept in a state of spiritual equilibrium between good and evil; in
consequence of which he enjoys free will, or freedom of choice, in
spiritual things as well as in natural, and possesses the capacity of
either turning himself to the Lord and his kingdom, or turning himself
away from the Lord, and connecting himself with the kingdom of darkness:
And that, unless man had such freedom of choice, the Word would be of no
use, the church would be a mere name, man would possess nothing by virtue
of which he could be conjoined to the Lord, and the cause of evil would be
chargeable on GOD himself.

"7. That man at this day is born into evil of all kinds, or with
tendencies towards it: That, therefore, in order to his entering the
kingdom of heaven, he must be regenerated, or created anew; which great
work is effected in a progressive manner, by the Lord alone, by charity
and faith as mediums, during man's cooeperation: That, as all men are
redeemed, all are capable of being regenerated, and, consequently saved,
every one according to his state: And that the regenerate man is in
communion with the angels of heaven, and the unregenerate with the spirits
of hell: But that no one is condemned for hereditary evil, any further
than as he makes it his own by actual life; whence all who die in infancy
are saved, special means being provided by the Lord in the other life for
that purpose.

"8. That Repentance is the first beginning of the Church in man; and that
it consists in a man's examining himself, both in regard to his deeds and
his intentions, in knowing and acknowledging his sins, confessing them
before the Lord, supplicating him for aid, and beginning a new life: That,
to this end, all evils, whether of affection, of thought, or of life, are
to be abhorred and shunned as sins against GOD, and because they proceed
from infernal spirits, who in the aggregate are called the Devil and
Satan; and that good affections, good thoughts, and good actions, are to
be cherished and performed, because they are of GOD and from GOD: That
these things are to be done by man as of himself; nevertheless, under the
acknowledgment and belie