The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem, Founded on the Precepts of the Decalogue. ¹

by Emanuel Swedenborg

(First published 1763)

Translator’s Table of Contents:

- Every Religion Is a Way of Life, and Its Life Is the Doing of Good, 1

- No One Can of Himself Do Good That Is Good, 9

- Insofar as a Person Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Does Good, Not of Himself, but from the Lord, 18

1. If a person wills and does good before he refrains from evils as being sins, the good that he does is not good. 24

2. If a person thinks and speaks piously, and does not refrain from evils as being sins, his pious thoughts and words are not pious. 25

3. If a person gains much knowledge and wisdom, and does not refrain from evils as being sins, he is still not wise. 27

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Loves Truths, 32

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Evils as Being Sins, So Far He Has Faith and Is Spiritual, 42

- The Ten Commandments Tell Us What Evils Are Sins, 53

- Every Form of Murder, Adultery, Theft, or False Witness, Including Every Urge to Commit Them, Is an Evil Which Must Be Refrained from as Being a Sin, 62

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of Murder as a Sin, So Far He Has Love for the Neighbor, 67

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of Adultery as Being a Sin, So Far He Loves Chastity, 74

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of Stealing as Being a Sin, So Far He Loves Honesty, 80

- Insofar as Someone Refrains from Every Form of False Witness as Being a Sin, So Far He Loves Truth, 87

- No One Can Refrain from Evils as Being Sins So as to Turn Away from Them Inwardly Except by Battles Against Them, 92

- A Person Must Refrain from Evils as Being Sins and Fight Against Them as Though of Himself, 101

- If Someone Refrains from Evils for Any Other Reason Than That They Are Sins, He Does Not Really Refrain from Them, but Only Keeps Them from Being Seen by the World, 108

სქოლიოები:

25. 2. If a person thinks and speaks piously, and does not refrain from evils as being sins, his pious thoughts and words are not pious. That is because he is not in the Lord. For example, if he goes to church often, listens devoutly to the sermons, reads the Word and books of piety, takes the sacrament of Holy Supper, pours out prayers daily — even if he thinks a lot about God and salvation — and yet makes light of evils that are sins, such as instances of fraud, adultery, hatred, blasphemy, and the like, then he cannot help but entertain pious thoughts and speak pious words that inwardly are not pious, as the person himself is present in them with his evils. He is, indeed, not aware of this at the time, but still those evils are within, hidden from his sight. For the case is like a spring, whose water is contaminated from its source.

His exercises of piety are either no more than the customary ones observed out of habit, or they are merit-seeking, or they are hypocritical. They rise, indeed, toward heaven, but turn around along the way and sink, like puffs of smoke in the air.