NOTE The marginal figures in this edition indicate the subdivisions of the paragraphs arranged for the "Concordance to the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg by the Rev. John Faulkner Potts." EXODUS. CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND. THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY. 9112. What conscience is shall now be told. Conscience is formed in man from the religion in which he is, according to its reception inwardly in himself. 9113. Conscience in the man of the church is formed by means of truths of faith from the Word, or from doctrine drawn from the Word, according to their reception in his heart. For when man knows the truths of faith and in his measure apprehends them, and afterward wills them and does them, then he has conscience. Reception in the heart is reception in the will, inasmuch as the will of man is what is called his heart. 9114. Therefore they who have conscience speak from the heart what they speak, and do from the heart what they do. Such also have an undivided mind, for according to what they believe to be true and good, and according to what they understand, they do. Hence a more perfect conscience can be given with those who are enlightened in the truths of faith above others and who are in clear perception above others, than can be given with those who are less enlightened and who are in obscure perception. 9115. They have conscience who have received a new will from the Lord. That will itself is conscience. Wherefore to act in opposition to conscience is to act in opposition to that will. And since good of charity makes the new will, good of charity also makes conscience. 9116. Because conscience, as said above (n. 9113), is formed by truths of faith, as also is the new will and charity, therefore indeed to act contrary to the truths of faith is to act contrary to conscience. 9117. Inasmuch as faith and charity, which are from the Lord, constitute the spiritual life of man, therefore to act contrary to conscience is to act contrary to that life. 9118. Since to act contrary to conscience is to act contrary to the new will, contrary to charity, and contrary to the truths of faith, and therefore contrary to the life which man has from the Lord, it is thus plain that man is in the tranquillity of peace and in internal blessedness when he acts according to conscience, and that he is in intranquillity and also in pain when he acts contrary to conscience. This pain is what is called the sting of conscience. 9119. Man has a conscience of what is good and a conscience of what is just. The conscience of what is good is the conscience of the internal man, and the conscience of what is just is the conscience of the external man. The conscience of what is good consists in acting according to the precepts of faith from internal affection, while the conscience of what is just consists in acting according to civil and moral laws from external affection. They who have the conscience of what is good have also the conscience of what is just, but they who have only the conscience of what is just have the capacity of receiving the conscience. of what is good, and indeed do receive it when they are instructed. 9120. What conscience is may be further illustrated by examples. If one is in possession of the property of another, while the other is unaware of it, and may retain it therefore without fear of the law or of the loss of honor and reputation, and yet restores it to the other because it is not his own, he has conscience, for he does good for the sake of good and does what is just for the sake of what is just. Again, if one has an opportunity to attain a place of dignity, but sees that another, who is also a candidate, may be more useful to his country, and yields place to this other for the sake of the good of his country, he has conscience. So in other cases. 9121. From this may be concluded what is the character of those who have not conscience. They are known from the opposite. Such among them as for some gain would make what is unjust to appear as just and what is evil to appear as good, and the reverse, have not conscience. Such of them as know that they are doing what is unjust and evil when they act in a certain way, and yet do it, do not know what conscience is, and if they are instructed what it is, they do not wish to know. Such are they who in all they do have regard only to themselves and the world. 9122. They who have not received conscience in the world cannot receive conscience in the other life. Thus they cannot be saved, because they have no plane into which heaven may flow and by which it may operate, that is, the Lord through heaven, and lead them to Himself. For conscience is the plane and receptacle of the influx of heaven. Wherefore such in the other life are consociated with those who love themselves and the world above all things, who are in hell. CHAPTER XXII. 1.* If in digging through, a thief shall have been caught and smitten, and he die, there shall be no blood for him. *The verses are numbered as in the Hebrew, the first being in our English version the second. 2. If the sun shall have risen upon him, there shall be blood for him: in repaying he shall repay; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 3. If in finding, the theft be found in his hand, from an ox even to an ass, even to cattle, living ; he shall repay twofold. 4. When a man shall have caused his field or vineyard to be devoured, and shall have let his beast loose, and it shall have devoured in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he repay. 5. When a fire shall have broken out, and caught in thorns, and a stack be consumed, or the standing corn, or the field; he that kindled the fire in repaying shall repay. 6. When a man shall have delivered unto his companion silver or vessels to keep, and they have been taken by theft out of the man's house, if the thief be caught, he shall repay twofold. 7. If the thief be not caught, the master of the house shall be brought unto God, whether he have not put his hand unto his companion's goods. 8. Upon every matter of trespass, upon ox, upon ass, upon cattle, upon raiment, upon every lost thing, whereof one shall say that this is it, the word of both of them shall come to God; he whom God shall condemn shall repay twofold unto his companion. 9. When a man shall have delivered unto his companion an ass, or an ox, or cattle, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or be led away captive, no one seeing it: 10. The oath of Jehovah shall be between them both, whether he hath not put his hand unto his companion's goods; and the owner thereof shall accept; and he shall not repay. II. And if by stealing with theft it shall have been taken from him, he shall repay unto the owner thereof. 12. If by tearing it shall have been torn, he shall bring witness for it; he shall not repay that which was torn. |