MERIT (pt. 5)

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine
Emanuel Swedenborg
• Doctrinal Series •
MERIT
(pt. 5)

---

That good is not to be done for the sake of reward, the Lord Himself teaches in Luke:

If ye love those who love you, what grace have you? for sinners do the same; rather love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing; then shall your reward be great, and ye shall be the sons of the Most High (6:32-35).

That man cannot do good that is good from himself, the Lord also teaches in John:

A man cannot take anything unless it be given Him from heaven (3:27).

And in another place:

Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches: as the branch cannot bear fruit from itself, unless it shall abide in the vine, so neither can ye unless ye shall abide in Me: He who abideth in Me and I in him, he beareth much fruit, for except from Me ye cannot do anything (15:4-8).

(The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 154)

• 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.