9、仁之教义，就是生活的教义，在古代教会就是教义本身；关于这些教会，可参看《属天的奥秘》一书（1238，2385节）。该教义把所有教会都结合在一起，由此使多个教会成为一个教会。因为他们承认所有过着仁之良善的生活之人为教会成员，并称之为弟兄，无论他们在如今被称为信之事物的真理方面多么不同。他们在这些真理上互相教导，这种教导就是他们的仁爱行为之一；如果一个人不同意另一个人的观点，他们不会生气，因为他们知道，每个人对真理的接受只能到他处于良善的程度。
由于这就是古代教会的性质，所以其成员都是内在人；他们因是内在人，故智慧超群。因为那些处于爱与仁之良善的人，就内在人而言，身在天堂；在那里，就内在人而言，他们在一个处于相似良善的天使社群中。因此，他们享有心智朝向内在事物的一种提升，因而处于智慧；因为智慧只能来自天堂，不可能来自其它源头，也就是说，只能经由天堂来自主。天堂里有智慧，因为在那里，他们处于良善。智慧在于从真理之光看见真理，真理之光就是天堂里的光。
但随着时间推移，古代智慧衰退了；因为人类远离对主之爱和对邻之爱（这爱被称为仁）的良善到何等程度，就在何等程度上远离智慧，因为他们在同等程度上远离天堂。这就是为何人逐渐从内在变得外在；人变得外在后，也就变得世俗和物质化。当具有这种性质时，他对天堂事物没有什么兴趣，因为那时，尘世之爱的快乐，包括由于这些爱而吸引他的邪恶完全占据了他。在这种状态下，他所听到关于死后生命，天堂和地狱，简言之就是关于属灵事物的话可以说在他之外，不在他之内，尽管它们应该在他之内；或也可说，这些话对他来说是陌生的，而不是熟悉的，尽管他本应该熟悉它们。
这也是为何被古人高度推崇、钟爱的仁之教义，现在彻底失传了。因为如今谁知道何谓真正意义上的仁爱，何谓真正意义上的邻舍？然而，这教义不仅教导这一点，还教导其它无数的事；对于这些事，现在人所知道的，连千分之一都不到。整部圣经就是爱与仁的教义；主也教导了这一点，因为祂说：
你要尽心、尽性、尽意，爱主你的神。这是诫命中的第一，且是最大的。其次也相仿，就是要爱邻如己。一切律法和先知，都系於这两条诫命。（马太福音22:37，38，39，40）
“律法和先知”表示在整体和每个细节上的圣言。
9、仁爱的教义即生活的教义，它在古教会就是教义本身。关于这些教会请看《属天的奥秘》 （1238，2385）。那个教义联合了所有教会，因此它们构成了一个教会。因为他们承认所有过着仁爱生活的人都是教会成员，并称其为弟兄。尽管，就今天被称为信仰事物的真理而言，他们可能不同。一个人教导另一个人真理，这属于他们的善行之一。如果一个人不同意另一个人的意见，没有人愤愤不平，因为他们知道每个人都能接受真理，只要他是良善的。因为古教会是这样，所以他们是内在之人。因为他们是内在之人，所以他们更有智慧。由于那些具有爱和仁爱之良善的人，即内在之人，是在天堂里，因此照这样归属于具有相似良善的天使社区。
由于他们乐于提升思维朝向内在事物，所以他们拥有智慧。而智慧只能来自天堂，即来自主并流经天堂。天堂里有智慧，因为那里的天使有良善。智慧在于通过智慧之光看到真理。真理之光就是天堂里的光。但是古代的智慧随时间推移减少了。因为当人类离开爱主和爱人的良善时，爱人又被称为仁爱，他们就以相同程度远离了智慧，因为他们以相同程度远离了天堂。因此是这样，人由内在不断变得越来越外在。当他变得外在时，他也就变成世俗和物质的了。当这成为他的品性时，他对天堂事物就只有很少的关注度。因为尘世之爱的快乐，以及这些爱带来的罪恶让他感到快乐，然后完全占据他。于是当他听到关于死后生命的内容及天堂和地狱时，简而言之，就是关于属灵事物的内容时，它们好像是在他的身外，不在他里面，然而它们本应该在他里面。这也说明为什么仁爱的教义，即古人非常重视的事物，现今却成为被遗忘的事物之一。现在，有人明白良善的真正意思和邻居的真正意思吗？然而，那教义不仅教导这个，还另外教导无数事物，对于这无数事物，现代人所知道的不到千分之一。整本《圣经》就是爱和仁爱的教义，主也是这样教导，他说：
“你要尽心、尽性、尽意，爱主你的神。这是诫命中的第一，且是最大的。其次也相仿，就是要爱人如己。这两条诫命是律法和先知一切道理的总纲。”（马太福音22:37-39）
“律法和先知”的全部内容就是《圣经》。
9. The body of teaching focused on caring, which is a body of teaching about how to live our lives, was the primary focus in the ancient churches (on these churches, see Secrets of Heaven 1238, 2385). That body of teaching brought all the churches together and in this way made one church out of many. People at that time recognized as members of the church all those who lived a good and caring life. They called them family no matter how much they might differ with respect to the truths that we now call matters of faith. They taught each other in such matters, this being one of their acts of caring, and they felt no resentment if someone did not agree with them. They knew that we accept truth only to the extent that we are intent on doing what is good.
[2] Because this was the nature of the ancient churches, its members were individuals of inner depth; and because they had such depth, they were exceptionally wise. The explanation of this fact is that when we are devoted to doing good things that come from love and caring, our inner self 1is in heaven, in an angelic community there that is devoted to the same kind of goodness. Among the people of the ancient churches, this led to a raising of the mind into its higher reaches, 2which gave them wisdom. Wisdom cannot come from anywhere but heaven-that is, through heaven from the Lord; and there is wisdom in heaven because the people there are devoted to what is good. Wisdom is seeing what is true in the light of what is true, and the light of what is true is the light that is found in heaven.
[3] With the passage of time, though, that ancient wisdom declined. As the human race distanced itself from doing good things out of love for the Lord or out of love for one's neighbor (the love that is called "caring"), people distanced themselves from wisdom as well, because they distanced themselves from heaven. That is why step by step people became external instead of deep, and as they became external they became worldly and self-centered. 3Once we are like this, we have little interest in what is heavenly, because we are completely preoccupied with the pleasures of our earthly loves. This includes the evils that appeal to us because of these loves. So when we hear about life after death, about heaven and hell-about anything spiritual, that is-these seem foreign to us, and not familiar, as they should.
[4] That is also why the body of teaching focused on caring that was so beloved by the ancients is now completely lost. Does anyone nowadays realize what "caring" really means or what "a neighbor" really is? Yet that body of teaching tells us not only this but countless other things as well. People nowadays do not know a thousandth of all this. Yet the entire Sacred Scripture is nothing but a body of teaching focused on love and caring. That is what the Lord is telling us when he says,
You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it: you are to love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments. " (Matthew 22:37, 38, 39, 40)
"The Law and the Prophets" are the Word in its entirety and in every detail. 4
Footnotes:
1. For extensive discussion of the inner and outer self, see New Jerusalem 36-53. In general, the inner self is engaged with spiritual realities, and the outer self is engaged with material realities. Compare the note in White Horse 10:5, on "the earthly self" as an outer self in relation to our inner self. [RS, LSW]
2. The Latin word here translated "higher reaches" is interiora, literally, "more inward [matters]. " The same word is translated "inner depth" in the first sentence of the current paragraph. Swedenborg sees the psychological makeup of a human being as having multiple levels. The terms "higher" and "inner" are equivalent descriptions of one level in his system; "lower" and "outer" are equivalent descriptions of another. For a detailed explanation of these equivalencies, see Divine Love and Wisdom 205-206. [JSR, SS]
3. The Latin word here translated "self-centered" is corporeus, literally, "bodily. " In Swedenborg's hierarchical view of a human being, the lowest level is "bodily," or physical and self-centered; it is preoccupied with one's own person and standing in society. The level one step above that is "worldly," or preoccupied with wealth. Each of these levels has its own driving motivation and values, or "love," and its own perspective on life. Elsewhere (for example, True Christianity 395) Swedenborg clarifies that when people choose to give heavenly values and perspectives precedence over bodily and worldly ones, the heavenly self, the worldly self, and the bodily self in each individual work in harmony for that person's betterment; only if people willfully disregard heavenly values and perspectives do the lower loves and perspectives become dominant and damaging. Swedenborg does not, then, share the view of some Christian theologies that the body and the world, or our enjoyment of them, are intrinsically evil; when he speaks pejoratively of worldly and bodily loves or perspectives, the wider context of his works shows that he means the state those loves and perspectives take on when they have left their post, so to speak, and have mutinied against what is higher. On the topic of worldly and bodily things, see also note 3 in Last Judgment 38. [JSR]
4. Generally, the phrase "the Law and the Prophets" as used in the New Testament refers to two main sections of the Hebrew Scriptures: the Law or Torah, comprising the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; and the Prophets or Nevi'im, including the "Former Prophets," namely, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings, and the "Latter Prophets," namely, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. These two sections contain most of the books included in Swedenborg's canon of the Old Testament (see note 7 in New Jerusalem 1, on "the Word" as used by Swedenborg). [JSR]
9. The perspective on kindness, a philosophy about life, was the central concept in the ancient religions. This perspective united all the religions: though there were many of them, they all worked together, since they considered all people who spent their lives doing good things through kindness to be religious people. They called them brothers even if they disagreed about what was true (what we call “faith” today).
One of their acts of kindness was to teach each other what was true. But they were not offended if someone did not agree with their opinion. They knew that the more people are involved in doing good things, the more they accept true ideas.
Since the people in the ancient religions were like this, they had more depth as human beings than we do now. They were also wiser than we are. When we are doing good things out of love and kindness, our inner self is in heaven, in a community of angels who do the same kind of good things as we do. Our minds are led into deeper things, and we become wise. Wisdom can only come from heaven, which means it comes to us through heaven from the Lord. There is wisdom in heaven because the people there do things that are good. Wisdom is seeing truth in its own light — and the light of truth is the light that exists in heaven.
But with the passing of time, that ancient wisdom faded away. As the human race moved away from the good qualities that come from loving the Lord and loving other people (the love called kindness) it also moved away from wisdom, since it was moving away from heaven. This is how we lost our original depth, becoming more and more superficial as time went on.
When we become superficial, we also become materialistic and physical-minded. Then we do not care about anything that has to do with heaven. We are completely engrossed in the pleasures of material loves and the trouble we get into by loving those pleasures. When we hear anything about life after death, heaven and hell, or anything spiritual, it seems extraneous to us, and not as if it is a part of our inner being, as it should be. That is why the perspective on kindness, which was so precious to the ancient people, has been lost in our era. These days, who knows what kindness and friendship really mean? Yet this perspective on kindness explains not only these things, but countless others that we do not know a thousandth of now.
Everything in the Holy Book relates to the philosophy of love and kindness. The Lord was explaining this when he said:
You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest rule. The second is similar: You will love other people as much as you love yourself. The Law and Prophets depend on these two rules. (Matthew 22:37-39)
The Law and Prophets means the whole Bible.
9. The teaching about charity, that is, how to live, was the chief teaching in the ancient churches. That teaching united all churches and so made one out of many. For they recognised as members of the church all those whose lives showed the good of charity and called them brothers, however much otherwise they differed in truths, what are to-day called matters of faith. One taught another about truths, and this was one of their charitable deeds. Also they did not take it amiss, if one failed to accept another's point of view, knowing that each person accepts truth only to the extent that he is in a state of good. Since the ancient churches were of this kind their members were therefore 'interior' people; and for this reason they were wiser. For those who possess the good of love and charity are in heaven, so far as their internal man is concerned; and in this manner belong to a community of angels there which enjoys a like good. This has the effect of raising their minds to more inward matters, and this consequently gives them wisdom. Wisdom can come from nowhere except out of heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord. Wisdom exists in heaven, because people there are in a state of good. Wisdom is seeing the truth by the light of truth, and the light of truth is the light heaven enjoys.
But this wisdom of the ancients declined with the passage of time; for the more the human race withdrew from the good of love to the Lord and of love towards the neighbour, the love called charity, the more it also withdrew from wisdom, because it withdrew further from heaven. Thus it is that man from internal became successively more and more external. And when he became external, he also became worldly and concerned with the body. When a person is like that, he pays little heed to the matters which have to do with heaven, for he is then totally in the grip of the pleasures of earthly loves, as well as of the evils which are rendered attractive by those loves. Then what he hears about life after death, about heaven and hell, in short about spiritual matters, are as it were outside him, and not inside as they ought to be. This too is the reason why the teaching about charity, which was so highly prized by the ancients, is to-day one of the things which have been lost to view. Is there anyone to-day who knows what is the real meaning of charity, and what the real meaning of the neighbour? Yet that teaching not only teaches this, but countless things in addition, of which people to-day know less than a thousandth part. The whole of the Sacred Scripture is nothing but teaching about love and charity. The Lord too teaches this when He says:
You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it. You are to love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments the Law and the Prophets depend. Matthew 22:37-40.
The Law and the Prophets are the Word in all its details.
9. The Doctrine of Charity, which is the Doctrine of Life, in the Ancient Churches was doctrine itself; (concerning these Churches see Arcana Coelestia 1238, 2385) and that doctrine conjoined all Churches, and so made out of many one. For they acknowledged as men of the Church all those who lived in the good of charity, and called them brethren, however else they might differ as to those truths, which at this day are called truths of faith. One instructed another in these truths, which instruction was among their works of charity - nor did they become indignant if one did not accede to the opinion of another for they knew that every one receives as much of truth as he is in good. The members of the Ancient Churches, being such, they were interior men; and being interior men, they were so much the wiser. For those who are in the good of love and charity are, as to their internal man, in heaven; and they are there, as to their internal man, in an angelic society which is in a like good. From this came their elevation of mind to interiors; and, consequently, their wisdom; for wisdom cannot come from any other source than from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; and in heaven there is wisdom, because there they are in good. Wisdom is seeing truth from the light of truth; and the light of truth is the light which is in heaven. In process of time, however, that ancient wisdom declined; for in proportion is the human race declined from the good of love to the Lord, and of love to the neighbour, which love is called charity, they also declined from wisdom, because by so much they declined from heaven. This is the reason that man, from being internal, became external, and indeed successively; and after man had become external, he became also worldly and corporeal. When he is of such a quality, he cares little for the things of heaven; for then the delights of earthly loves wholly occupy him, and, together with these, the evils which, from such loves, are delightful to man. In this state, the things which he hears about the life after death, about heaven and hell, and in short about spiritual things, are then as it were outside of him, and not within him, as they nevertheless ought to be. This is the reason also that the Doctrine of Charity, which was so highly esteemed among the Ancients, at the present day is among the things lost. For who, at this day, knows what, in the genuine sense, is meant by charity, and what in the genuine sense is meant by a neighbour? when yet this doctrine not only teaches that, but innumerable things besides, of which, at the present time, not the thousandth part is known.
The whole Sacred Scripture is nothing else than the Doctrine of Love and Charity; which is also taught by the Lord, when He says (Matthew 22:37-39), "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment: the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang the Law, and the Prophets." By the Law and the Prophets is meant the Word, in each and all of its things.
9. The doctrine of charity, which is the doctrine of life, was the doctrine itself in the ancient churches. Concerning these churches see in Arcana Coelestia (n. 1238, 2385). And that doctrine conjoined all churches, and thereby formed one church out of many. For they acknowledged all those as men of the church who lived in the good of charity, and called them brethren, however they might differ respecting truths, which at this day are called matters of faith. In these they instructed one another, which was among their works of charity; nor were they indignant if one did not accede to the opinion of another, knowing that everyone receives truth so far as he is in good. Because the ancient churches were such, therefore they were interior men; and because they were interior men they excelled in wisdom. For they who are in the good of love and charity, as to the internal man, are in heaven, and as to that are in an angelic society which is in similar good. Hence they enjoy an elevation of mind towards interior things, and, consequently, they are in wisdom; for wisdom can come from no other source than from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; and in heaven there is wisdom, because there they are in good. Wisdom consists in seeing truth from the light of truth; and the light of truth is the light which is in heaven. But in process of time that ancient wisdom decreased; for as mankind removed themselves from the good of love to the Lord, and of love towards the neighbor, which love is called charity, they removed themselves in the same proportion from wisdom because, in the same proportion, they removed themselves from heaven. Hence it was that man, from being internal, became external, and this successively; and when he became external, he became also worldly and corporeal. When such is his quality, he cares but little for the things of heaven; for the delights of earthly loves, and the evils which, from those loves, are delightful to him, then possess him entirely. And then the things which he hears concerning the life after death, concerning heaven and hell, in a word, concerning spiritual things, are as it were out of him, and not within him, as nevertheless they ought to be. Hence also it is, that the doctrine of charity, which with the ancients was held in such high estimation, is at this day among the things that are lost. For who, at this day, knows what charity is, in the genuine sense of the term, and what, in the same sense, is meant by our neighbor? whereas, that doctrine not only teaches this, but innumerable things besides, of which not a thousandth part is known at this day. The whole Sacred Scripture is nothing else than the doctrine of love and charity, which the Lord also teaches, when He says:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment; the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-3822:39).
"The law and the prophets" in each and all things are the Word.
9. Doctrina charitatis, quae est doctrina vitae, fuit ipsa doctrina in Antiquis Ecclesiis (de quibus ecclesiis videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, 1238, 2385); et illa doctrina conjunxit omnes ecclesias, ac ita ex pluribus unam fecit: pro hominibus enim ecclesiae agnoverunt omnes illos qui in bono charitatis vixerunt, et vocaverunt fratres, utcunque praeterea in veris, quae hodie fidei dicuntur, discreparent; in his unus alterum instruxit, quod erat inter opera eorum charitatis; et quoque non indignati sunt si unus ad alterius sententiam non accederet, scientes quod quisque tantum veri recipiat quantum in bono est. Quia tales fuerunt Antiquae Ecclesiae, idcirco interiores homines fuerunt; et quia interiores, fuerunt sapientiores: nam qui in bono amoris et charitatis sunt, illi quoad internum hominem in caelo sunt, et ibi quoad illum in societate angelica quae in simili bono; inde elevatio mentis eorum ad interiora, et consequenter illis sapientia; aliunde enim sapientia non venire potest quam e caelo, hoc est, per caelum a Domino; ac in caelo est sapientia, quia ibi in bono sunt: sapientia est videre verum ex luce veri, et lux veri est lux quae in caelo est. Sed sapientia illa antiqua successu temporis decrevit; quantum enim genus humanum a bono amoris in Dominum, et amoris erga proximum, qui amor vocatur charitas, se removit, tantum etiam a sapientia, quia tantum se removit a caelo: inde est quod homo ab interno factus sit externus, et hoc successive; et cum homo factus est externus, etiam factus est mundanus et corporeus: et cum talis est, parum curat quae caeli sunt, nam tunc occupant illum totum jucunda amorum terrestrium, et cum illis mala, quae homini ex amoribus illis jucunda sunt: et tunc illa quae audit de vita post mortem, de caelo et inferno, verbo de spiritualibus, sunt quasi extra illum et non intra illum, ut tamen oportet esse. Inde quoque est quod doctrina charitatis, quae tanti pretii fuerat apud antiquos, hodie inter res deperditas sit: quis enim hodie novit quid in genuino sensu est charitas, et quid in genuino sensu est proximus? cum tamen illa doctrina non modo id docet, sed insuper innumera, quorum non millesima pars hodie scitur. Tota Scriptura Sacra non aliud est quam Doctrina Amoris et Charitatis; quod etiam Dominus docet, dicendo,
"Amabis Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua, et in tota mente tua; hoc est primarium et magnum mandatum:..secundum simile est illi, Amabis proximum tuum sicut te ipsum: ex his duobus mandatis..Lex et Prophetae pendent" (Matthaeus 22:37-38).
"Lex et Prophetae" sunt Verbum in omnibus et singulis.