AE 716 - man and the mercy of the Lord

AE 716 [2]
...at the end of the church every one wishes to live for himself, for the world,
and according to his own bent,
and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life;
and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity,
favors the former life,
and like the current of a river draws in and carries away
all to thus believing and living.

[3]
The Lord by His Divine truth
might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man,
but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell;
for these falsities must first be removed,
and so far as they are removed,
so far there is a place of implanting truths from good,
and man is reformed.