THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 94)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 94)
NO ONE CAN SHUN EVILS AS SINS
SO AS TO BE INWARDLY AVERSE TO THEM
EXCEPT BY MEANS OF COMBATS AGAINST THEM

. . . this root is not removed and a new one set in its place unless the man regards the evils that constitute the root as injurious to his soul, and on this account desires to rid himself of them.  But as these evils belong to man's Own*, and are therefore delightful to him, he cannot do this except against his will, with a struggle, and therefore with battling.

Everyone does this battling who believes in the existence of hell and of heaven:— that heaven is eternal happiness, and hell eternal unhappiness; and that those who do evils go to hell, and those who do goods to heaven.

And one who thus fights acts from within, and against the concupiscence [strong desire] itself which constitutes the root of the evil, for one who fights against anything does not will it, and to desire is to will. This shows that the root of evil is not removed except by means of combat.

(LIFE 94)

* The Latin word proprium is the term used in the original text that in this and other places has been rendered by the expression "Own." The dictionary meaning of proprius, as an adjective, is "one's own," "proper," "belonging to one's self alone," "special," "particular," "peculiar." The neuter of this which is the word proprium, when used as a noun means "possession," "property;" also "a peculiarity," "characteristic mark," "distinguishing sign," "characteristic." The English adjective "own" is defined by Webster to mean "belonging to," "belonging exclusively or especially to," "peculiar;" so that our word "own" is a very exact equivalent of proprius, and if we make it a noun by writing it "Own," in order to answer to the Latin proprium, we effect a very close translation. [TR.]