The Doctrine of Life, by Emanuel Swedenborg

from Emanuel Swedenborg,, The Doctrine of  Life for the New Jerusalem
From the Ten Commandments
(New York:  Swedenborg Foundation, 1946)

 

The Doctrine of  Life for the New Jerusalem
From the Ten Commandments

By Emanuel Swedenborg 
(First published, in Latin, 1763)
 

CONTENTS

I. All religion is of the life, and the life of religion is to that which is good (n. 1-8)

II. No one can from himself do good that is really good (n. 9-17)

 III. In proportion as a man shuns evils as sins, in the same proportion he does good, not form himself, but from the Lord (n. 18-31)

  1. If a man wills and does goods before he shuns evils as sins, the goods are not good (n. 24).

  2. If a man thinks and speaks pious things while not shunning evils as sins, the pious things are not pious (n. 25).

  3. If a man knows and is wise about many things, and does not shun evils as sins, he is nevertheless not wise (n. 27)

IV. In proportion as anyone shuns evils as sins, in the same proportion he loves truths (n. 32-41)

V. In proportion as anyone shuns evils as sins, in the same proportion he has faith, and is spiritual (n. 42-52).

VI. The Decalogue teaches what evils are sins (n. 53-61).

VII. Murders, adulteries, thefts, false witness, together with all concupiscence for these things, are the evils which must be shunned as sins (n. 62-66).

VIII. In proportion as any one shuns murders of every kind as sins, in the same proportion he has love toward the neighbor (n. 67-73) 

IX. In proportion as any one shuns adulteries of every kind as sins, in the same proportion he loves chastity (n. 74-79).

X. In proportion as anyone shuns thefts of every kind as sins, in the same proportion he loves sincerity (n. 80-86).

XI. In proportion as anyone shuns false witness of every kind as sin, in the same proportion he loves he truth (n. 87-91).

XII. No one can shun evils as sins so as to be inwardly averse to them except by means of combats against them (n. 92-100).

XIII. A man ought to shun evils as sins and fight against them as of himself (n. 101-107).

XIV. If anyone shuns evils for any other reason than because they are sins, he does not shun them, but merely prevents them from appearing before the world (n. 108-114).  

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