THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 90)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 90)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS FALSE
WITNESS OF EVERY KIND AS SIN,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES THE TRUTH

It is the truth that is meant by the "seed in the field," of which the Lord said:
A sower went forth to sow, and as he sowed some fell upon the way, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of heaven devoured it; and some fell upon stony places, and as soon as it was sprung up, because it had no root it withered away; and some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up with it and choked it; and other fell into the good ground, and sprung up, and bare fruit manifold (Luke 8:5-8; Matt. 13:3-8; Mark 4:3-8).

• The "sower" is the Lord
• The "seed" is His Word, thus the truth
• The "seed upon the way" exists with those who do not care for the truth
• The "seed upon stony places" exists with those who do care for the truth, but not for its own sake, thus not interiorly
• The "seed in the midst of thorns" exists with those who are in the concupiscences of evil
• BUT the "seed in good ground" exists with those who love the truths that are in the Word from the Lord, and do them from Him, thus who bear fruit.

That these things are meant is evident from the explication of the parable by the Lord (Matt. 13:19-23, 37; Mark 4:14-20; Luke 8:11-15).

From all this it is evident that the truth of the Word cannot take root in those who do not care for the truth, nor in those who love the truth outwardly and not inwardly, nor in those who are in the concupiscences of evil, but in those in whom the concupiscences of evil have been dispersed by the Lord. In these the "seed" - that is, the truth - takes root in their spiritual mind (concerning which above, n. 86 at the end).

(LIFE 90)