THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 75)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 75)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS
ADULTERIES OF EVERY KIND AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES CHASTITY.

In proportion as anyone shuns adultery, in the same proportion he loves marriage; or what is the same, in proportion as anyone shuns the lasciviousness of adultery, in the same proportion he loves the chastity of marriage, is because the lasciviousness of adultery and the chastity of marriage are two opposite things, and therefore in proportion as anyone is not in the one, he is in the other.

(LIFE 75)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 74)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 74)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE SHUNS
ADULTERIES OF EVERY KIND AS SINS,
IN THE SAME PROPORTION HE LOVES CHASTITY.

To "commit adultery," as mentioned in the sixth (or as it is usually called, the seventh) commandment, means—

• In the natural sense, not only to commit whoredom, but also to do obscene things, to speak lascivious things, and to think about filthy things
• In the spiritual sense to "commit adultery" means to adulterate the goods of the Word, and to falsify its truths
• In the highest sense to "commit adultery" means to deny the divinity of the Lord, and to profane the Word.

These are the "adulteries of every kind."

The natural man is able to know from rational light that to "commit adultery" includes in its meaning the doing of things obscene, the speaking of things lascivious, and the thinking of things that are filthy; but he does not know that to commit adultery means also to adulterate the goods of the Word and to falsify its truths, and still less that it means to deny the divinity of the Lord and to profane the Word. Consequently neither does he know that adultery is so great an evil that it may be called diabolism itself, for he who is in natural adultery is also in spiritual adultery, and the converse. That this is so will be shown in a separate little work entitled Conjugial Love.* But those who from their faith and their life do not regard adulteries as sins, are in adulteries of every kind at once.

(LIFE 74)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE (pt. 73)

THE DOCTRINE OF LIFE
for the
NEW JERUSALEM
FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Series —
(pt. 73)
IN PROPORTION AS ANYONE
SHUNS MURDERS OF EVERY KIND AS SINS
IN THE SAME PROPORTION
HE HAS LOVE TOWARD THE NEIGHBOR.

The Lord teaches the good of love in many places in the Word. He teaches it in Matthew by what He says about reconciliation with the neighbor:

If thou art offering thy gift upon the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Be well-minded to thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing (Matt. 5:23-26).

To be "reconciled to one's brother" is to shun enmity, hatred, and revenge; that it is to shun them as sin is evident. The Lord also teaches in Matthew:

All thing whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets (7:12);

thus that we should not do evil. He teaches the same in many other places. The Lord also teaches that to be angry with one's brother or the neighbor rashly, and to hold him as an enemy, is also to commit murder (Matt. 5:21-22).

(LIFE 73)