Arcana Cœlestia

BX8712A 8 1870 v. 9

Published by THE AMERICAN SWEDENBORG PRINTING AND PUBLISHING SOCIETY, organized for the purpose of Stereotyping, Printing, and Publishing Uniform Editions of the Theological Writings of EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, and incorporated in the State of New York A. D. 1850.

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9112. It shall now be told what conscience is. Conscience is formed with man from the religious principle in which he is, according to its reception inwardly in himself.

9113. Conscience, with the man of the Church, is formed by the truths of faith from the Word, or from doctrine out of the Word, according to the reception thereof in the heart: for when man knows the truths of faith, and apprehends them in his measure, and then wills them, and does them, in this case he has conscience. Reception in the heart denotes in the will, for the will of man is what is called the heart.

9114. Hence it is that they who have conscience speak from the heart the things which they speak, and do from the heart the things which they do. They have also a mind not divided; for according to what they believe to be true and good, they do, and also according to what they understand. Hence a more perfect conscience may be given with those who are illustrated in the truths of faith above others, and who are in a clear perception above others, than with those who are less illustrated, and who are in obscure perception.

9115. They have conscience, who have received a new will from the Lord, that will itself being conscience; wherefore to act contrary to conscience is to act contrary to that will; and whereas the good of charity makes the new will, the good of charity also makes conscience.

9116. Inasmuch as conscience, as was said above, n. 9113, is formed by the truths of faith, as also the new will and charity, hence also it is, that 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, hence also it is, that to act contrary to conscience, is to act contrary to that life.

9118. Inasmuch now as to act contrary to conscience is to act contrary to the new will, contrary to charity, and contrary to the truths of faith, consequently contrary to the life which

man has from the Lord, it is hence evident, 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 it; 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; a conscience of what is good is the conscience of the internal man, and a conscience of what is just is the conscience of the external man. A conscience of what is good consists in acting according to the precepts of faith from internal affection; but a conscience of what is just consists in acting according to civil and moral laws from external affection. They who have a conscience of what is good, have also a conscience of what is just; but they who have only a conscience of what is just, are in a faculty of receiving a conscience of what is good, and also receive it when instructed.

9120. The nature and meaning of conscience may be illus trated also by examples. If a man is in possession of another's property, whilst the other is ignorant of it, and thus can retain it without fear of the law, or of the loss of honor and reputation, and still restores it to another, because it is his, he has conscience, for he does what is good for the sake of what is good, and what is just for the sake of what is just. Again; if a person has it in his power to attain a place of dignity, but sees that another, who is a candidate for the same place, has talents to make him more useful to his country, and gives up the place to the other for the good of his country, he has conscience. So in all other cases.

9121. From these considerations it may be concluded what is the quality of those who have not conscience; they are known from the opposite. Such amongst them as for the sake of any gain would make what is unjust to appear as just, and what is evil to appear as good, and vice versa, they have not conscience Such amongst them as know that they are doing what is unjust and evil when they act so and so, and yet do it, they do not know what conscience is, and if they are instructed what it is, they are not willing to know. Such are they who in all their actions have respect only to themselves and the world.

9122. They who have not received conscience in the world, cannot receive it in the other life; thus they cannot be saved, because they have not a plane into which heaven may flow in, and by which it may operate, that is, the Lord by [or through] heaven, and bring 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 a thief be caught, and smitten, and he die, bloods shall not be [shed] for him.

2. If the sun shall be risen upon him, bloods [shall be shed] for him; repaying he shall repay; if he hath nothing, 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 [vir] shall desolate a field or a vineyard, and shall send in his beast of burden, and shall desolate in the field of another, of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, he shall repay.

5. When fire shall go forth, and shall catch hold of thorns, and a heap be consumed, or standing corn, or a field, he that kindled the kindling, repaying shall repay.

6. When a man [vir] shall give to his companion silver or vessels to keep, and by theft it be taken away out of the house of the man, if the thief be caught, he shall repay twofold.

7. If the thief be not caught, the lord of the house shall be brought to GOD, whether or no he hath put his hand into the work of his companion.

8. Upon every word of transgression, upon an ox, upon an ass, upon cattle, upon a garment, upon every thing that is destroyed, which he shall say that this is it; even to GoD shall come the word of them both, [and] whom GoD shall condemn, he shall repay twofold to his companion.

9. When a man [vir] shall give to his companion an ass, or an ox, or cattle, and every beast to keep, and it die or be broken, or be led away captive, no one seeing,

10. An oath of JEHOVAH shall be between them both, whether or no he hath put his hand into the work of his companion, and the lord thereof hath taken, and he shall not repay.

11. And if by thieving theft it hath been taken away from him, he shall repay to the lord thereof.

12. If by tearing it hath been torn in pieces, he shall bring a witness for it, he shall not repay what hath been torn in pieces. 13. And when a man [vir] shall borrow from a companion, and it be broken or die, the lord thereof not being with it, repaying he shall repay.

14. If the lord thereof be with it, he shall not repay; if he be a hireling, he shall come in his hire.

15. And when a man [vir] shall persuade a virgin, who was not betrothed and shall lie with her, endowing he shall endow her to himself for a woman.

16. If her father in refusing shall refuse to give her to him, he shall pay silver according to the dower of virgins.

17. A witch thou shalt not vivify.

18. Every one that lieth with a beast, dying shall die.

19. He that sacrificeth to gods shall be devoted; except to

JEHOVAH alone.

20. And a sojourner thou shalt not afflict, and shalt not op-

press, because ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

21. Any widow and orphan ye shall not afflict.

22. If in afflicting thou shalt afflict him, so that crying he

cry to me, hearing I will hear his cry.