NOTE. In this Volume, the numbers referring to passages have been revised and corrected; but where the correct number could not be discovered the erroneous one is retained, and distinguished by an asterisk. WONDERFUL THINGS SEEN IN THE WORLD OF SPIRITS Translated from the Latin of EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, VOL. X. NEW YORK: AMERICAN SWEDENBORG PRINTING AND PUBLISHING SOCIETY. 1857. hirom Published by THE AMERICAN SWEDENBORG PRINTING AND PUBLISHING SOCIETY, organized for the purpose of Stereotyping, Printing, ana Publishing Uniform Editions of the Theological Writings of EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, and incorporated in the State of New York, A. D. 1850. EXODUS. CHAPTER THE TWENTY-NINTH. 1 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY AND OF FAITH. 9974. THOSE who believe, that by the goods which they do they merit heaven, do good from themselves, and not from the Lord. 9975. The goods which men do from themselves, are all of them not good, because they are done for the sake of self, since for the sake of reward, thus in them they primarily respect themselves; but the goods which men do from the Lord are all of them good, since they are done for the sake of the Lord and for the sake of the neighbor; thus in them the doers primarily respect the Lord and the neighbor. 9976. Wherefore those who place merit in works, love themselves, and those who love themselves despise the neighbor, yea they are angry with God Himself, if they do not receive the hoped-for recompense, for what they do is for the sake of the recompense. 9977. Hence it is evident, that their works are not from celestial love, thus neither from a true faith, for the faith which regards good as derived from self, and not from God, is not true faith. Such persons cannot receive heaven in themselves, for heaven with man is from celestial love and from true faith. 9978. Those who place merit in works, cannot fight against the evils which are from the hells, for no one can do this from himself; but in the case of those who do not place merit in works, the Lord fights for them and conquers. 9979. The Lord alone has merit, because He alone from Himself conquered the hells, and subdued them; hence the Lord alone is merit and justice. 9980. Moreover man of himself is nothing but evil, therefore to do good from himself is to do it from evil. 9981. That good ought not to be done for the sake of recompense, the Lord Himself teaches in Luke," If ye love those who love you, what favor have ye? if ye do good to those who do good to you, what favor have ye? for sinners do the same: rather love your enemies, and do good, and lend hoping for nothing, then shall your recompense be great, and ye shall be the sons of the Highest," vi. 32-35. That neither can man do good from himself which is real good, but from the Lord, the Lord also teaches in John, "A man cannot take any thing unless it be given him from heaven," iii. 27: and in another place, "Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches; he who abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing," xv. 5. 9982. To believe that they are rewarded if they do good, is not hurtful with those who are in innocence-as with infants and with the simple; but to confirm themselves therein when they become adults, is hurtful; for man is initiated into good by respecting reward, and he is deterred from evil by respecting punishment; but so far as he comes into the good of love and of faith, so far he is removed from respecting merit in the goods which he does. The 9983. To do good, which is good, must be from the love of good, thus for the sake of good; those who are in that love abhor merit, for they love to do, and hence they perceive satisfaction; and vice versa, they are sorrowful, if it be believed that what they do is for the sake of any thing of themselves. case herein is nearly as with those who do good to friends for the sake of friendship, to a brother for the sake of brotherhood, to a wife and children for the sake of the wife and children, to their country for the sake of their country,-thus from friendship and from love; those who think well, also say and insist, that they do no good for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of others. 9984. The delight itself, which is in the love of doing good without reward as an end, is the recompense which remains to eternity, for every affection of love is permanent, being inscribed on the life;-into that love is insinuated heaven and eternal happiness from the Lord. CHAPTER XXIX. 1. AND this is the word which thou shalt do to them, to sanctify them, to perform the office of the priesthood to Me; take one bullock, a son of the herd, and two rams entire. 2. And bread of what is unleavened, and cakes of what is unleavened, mixed with oil, and wafers of what is unleavened anointed with oil; with fine flour of wheat thou shalt make them. 3. And thou shalt give them upon one basket, and thou shalt cause them to approach in the basket; and the bullock and the two rams. |