FREEDOM (pt. 4)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
• Doctrinal Series •
FREEDOM
(pt. 4)

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The freedom of doing good, and the freedom of doing evil, though they appear alike in the external form, are as different and distant from each other as heaven and hell are:

• the freedom of doing good also is from heaven, and is called heavenly freedom
• but the freedom of doing evil is from hell, and is called infernal freedom

so far, also, as man is in the one, so far he is not in the other, for no one can serve two lords (Matt. 6:24)

which also appears from hence -

• that they who are in infernal freedom believe that it is slavery and compulsion not to be allowed to will evil and think falsity at their pleasure
• but they who are in heavenly freedom abhor willing evil and thinking falsity, and would be tormented if they were compelled to do so.

(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 144)

• In the manuscript, the author, Emanuel Swedenborg, annexed to each section of the doctrine extracts from the  Arcana Coelestia, because in the  Arcana Coelestia the same things are more fully explained.  Arcana Coelestia is available in print or online.