5855. About Conscience
I have often become aware and also heard about these now in the other life, that they knew nothing about what conscience is, to such an extent that scarcely one in a thousand knew. The angels wondered what the source of such ignorance is. But it was found to be that the people of the Church make doing good, and thus works, insignificant. And those who make these insignificant can never know what conscience is, for conscience is pain that one has acted against the Divine precepts and that one has thought in opposition to them. From this it is clear what the Christian world is like today: there is almost nothing of religion, because whoever has religion and loves Divine things, has a conscience. For he is sad if he has thought, intended, and still more if he has done anything against the Divine. A person who not does have the way he lives as the goal never knows what conscience is, because he has faith alone. He asks what conscience is, and yet does not comprehend, for it is a matter of his faith that a good work does nothing for salvation, when nevertheless these are matters of life; however, the matters of higher knowledge pertaining to faith that are thought to be believed are only in the memory if they are not implanted in life by willing and doing them.
5855. CONSCIENCE.
I have often perceived, and also heard, respecting those who are in the other life, that they are unaware what conscience is; thus, scarcely one in a thousand knew. The angels wondered whence such ignorance was; but the reason was disclosed - that the man of the Church makes good, and thence works, of no moment, and he who makes these things of no account, cannot by any means know what conscience is; for conscience is grief that one has acted contrary to the Divine Commandments, also that one has thought contrary to them. Hence is manifest the quality of the Christian world at this day, that it is almost destitute of religion; for, he who possesses religion, and loves Divine things, has conscience, for he experiences pain if he had thought, intended, and still more if he had done, anything opposed to the Divine. He who has not life for an end, never knows what conscience is, because he has for an end faith only: he inquires what conscience is, and nevertheless he does not comprehend; for his belief is, that a good work contributes nothing to salvation, when, yet, these things are of the life; and the knowledges of faith which are supposed to be believed, are, if not implanted in the life by willing and doing them, only in the memory.
5855. De Conscientia
Percepi saepius, et quoque audivi de illis qui in altera vita sunt, quod nescirent quid conscientia, ita vix unus scivit ex mille, angeli mirati sunt, unde talis ignorantia, sed causa detecta est, quod homo Ecclesiae nihili faciat bonum et inde opera, et qui illa nihili facit, nequaquam scire potest quid conscientia, nam conscientia est dolor quod fecerit contra praecepta Divina, et quod cogitaverit contra illa, inde patuit qualis hodie Christianus orbis est, quod paene nullius religionis, nam qui religionem habet, et amat Divina, is conscientiam habet, dolet enim ei si aliquid contra Divinum, cogitaverat, intenderat, et magis si fecerat. Qui non pro fine habet vitam, nusquam scit quid conscientia, quia pro fine solam habet fidem, is quaerit quid conscientia, et tamen non comprehendit, nam fides ejus est, quod bonum opus nihil faciat ad salutem, cum tamen haec sunt vitae, at cognitiones fidei, quae putantur credi, solum in memoria sunt, si non implantatae sunt vitae per velle et facere illa.