4263. About charity and conscience
A discussion took place with spirits and angels about charity and conscience, and I realized the fact that those who have charity and true conscience practice all the precepts of the decalogue as if from their own power, and know them as if from themselves, as if all of them down to the least details had been imprinted upon them, to the point that they have no need to learn them, and that they know all the precepts of civil kingdoms, so that they are citizens wherever they go - for all their precepts are against hatred, revenge, adulteries, thefts.
I further realized that those who have charity and conscience know as if from their own power all the higher knowledge of faith, whether they contain truth and goodness, or what is true and good. Then they are able as if from themselves to write whole books, and formulate without masters entire doctrines; that they are able to preach, and all the words are true and good, while those who do not have charity owe every word to their memory and to principles they have adopted, which are nevertheless false and evil.
These matters I have discussed two or three times with spirits, and it was realized and acknowledged by them entirely that all things are embraced in charity, whence it follows that they are also contained in true conscience. 1749, 7 May. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of the sun, meaning Sunday.
4263. CONCERNING CHARITY AND CONSCIENCE.
Speaking with spirits and angels concerning charity and conscience, it was perceived that the case is thus: that whoever is in charity and in true conscience may obey all the precepts of the Decalogue and know them, as it were, from himself as being in all their particulars impressed upon him, so that he has no need to learn them; that he may also know all the precepts pertaining to civil kingdoms, and how to be a good citizen wherever he is, for all such precepts are contrary to hatreds, revenges, adulteries, thefts; moreover that those who are in charity and conscience possess, as it were, from themselves all the knowledges of faith, whether goodness and truth pertains to them, or what the true and the good is; again, that they are able, as it were, from themselves to write whole books, and without masters to frame entire systems of doctrine; that they can preach, and their preaching be in accordance with whatever is true and good. Those, on the other hand, who are not in charity, owe everything to memory and to preconceived principles, and yet what they bring forth is false and evil. These things I have conversed upon twice or thrice with spirits, and it was perceived and acknowledged by them that all things are embraced in charity, whence it follows that the same holds good of true conscience. - 1749, May 7.
4263. De charitate et conscientia
Loquutum cum spiritibus et angelis, de charitate et conscientia, et perceptum quod ita sit, qui in charitate et in vera conscientia, quod omnia praecepta decalogi faciat sicut ex se, et sciat sicut ex se, quasi sibi omnia et singula impressa, adeo ut non opus habeat ea discere, tum quod omnia praecepta regnorum sciat, sic ut sit civis ubivis, nam omnia eorum praecepta sunt contra odia, vindictas, adulteria, furta; tum quod ii qui in charitate et conscientia sciant quasi ex se omnes cognitiones fidei, num iis veritas et bonitas, seu quid verum et bonum; tum possunt quasi ex se conscribere integros libros, et concinnare integras doctrinas, absque magistro; quod praedicare possint, et omnia vera et bona, cum illi qui non in charitate, omnia debeant eorum memoriae, et captis principiis, et usque sunt falsa et mala: haec bis et ter cum spiritibus, et perceptum, et agnitum ab iis prorsus quod in charitate sint omnia: inde sequitur quod etiam in vera conscientia. 1749, 7 Maj.