330.我们说过，人越避开恶事，就越意愿善行。原因在于，邪恶与良善是对立面。邪恶来自地狱，良善来自天堂。因此，地狱，也就是邪恶，越被移除，天堂就越近，人就越专注于良善。当关注十诫中的八条诫命时，这一事实就变得非常明显了，如人：
⑴越不敬拜别神，就越敬拜真神。
⑵越不妄称神之名，就越爱出自神之物。
⑶越不想杀人、出于仇恨或报复行事，就越祝福邻人。
⑷越不想奸淫，就越想与妻子过贞洁的生活。
⑸越不想偷盗，就越追求诚实。
⑹越不想作假见证，就越思想并谈论真理。
⑺⑻越不贪恋邻人的一切，就越愿邻人享受他自己的东西。
由此明显可知，十诫包含爱神爱邻的一切。故保罗说：
爱人的就完全了律法。像不可奸淫，不可杀人，不可偷盗，不可作假见证，不可贪婪这些诫命，或有别的诫命，都包在爱邻如己这一句话之内了。爱是不加害与邻人的，所以爱就完全了律法。（罗马书13:8，9，10）
对此，必须加上两条原则为新教会所用：
⑴凭自己，没有人能避恶如罪、行出在神眼里为良善的善行来；但人越避恶如罪，就越通过主，而非凭自己行出善行。
⑵当避恶如罪，貌似凭自己与它们争战。若不是因为它们是罪，而是为了其它因素而避开邪恶，就不是在避恶，只是防止它们显现在全世界面前而已。
330. 之前說過, 我們越是避免作惡, 就越願意行善, 因為善惡完全對立。惡來自地獄, 善源于天國。因此地獄(也就是邪惡)被移除, 我們越是接近天國,越是專注於良善。
按此理, 我們讀十誡之前八誡時, 越發清楚確實如此。例如:(1)我們越是不敬奉其它神明, 越是敬奉真正的上帝。(2)我們越是不妄稱上帝之名, 就越發熱愛源自上帝的事物。(3)我們越是不想著去殺人,以及出於仇恨或報復而作出的行為, 就越期願我們的鄰舍過得好。(4)我們越是不想犯姦淫, 與妻子的生活就越是貞潔。⑸我們越是不想偷盜, 行事就越發真誠。⑹我們越是不願作假見證, 就越思想並說出事實。⑺⑻我們越是不貪求鄰舍所擁有的, 就越願鄰舍能享用其所有。
由此可見, 十誡包含著如何愛上帝和愛我們鄰舍的全部。因此保羅說:因為愛別人的就完全了律法。像那不可姦淫, 不可殺人, 不可偷盜, 不可貪婪, 或有別的誡命, 都包在"愛我們的鄰舍如同自己"這一句話之內了。愛是不加害於人的, 所以家就完全了律法(羅馬書13:8-10)。
關於這些, 需要加上兩個規則, 為新教會所用:(1)對我們而言, 沒有人能靠自己避惡如罪, 行出上帝眼中的良善行為來。然而, 我們越是視惡如罪而避免作惡, 就越行出良善的行為來; 這不是出自自己, 乃是源自於主。(2)我們當如同避免犯罪一般來避開惡, 並與它們作鬥爭, 仿佛憑著自己。倘若我們避開邪惡, 是因為其它緣故,而非因為作惡就是犯罪, 我們並未避開邪惡, 只是讓惡不顯明出來而已。
330. I have stated that the more we abstain from what is evil, the more we will and intend what is good, because evil and good are opposites. Evil comes from hell and good comes from heaven. Therefore the more hell - that is, evil - is removed, the closer we get to heaven and the more we focus on good.
The truth of this becomes obvious when we see eight of the Ten Commandments in this way. For example: (1) The less we worship other gods, the more we worship the true God. (2) The less we take the name of God in vain, the more we love the things that come from God. (3) The less we want to kill and to act on the basis of hatred and revenge, the more we want what is good for our neighbor. (4) The less we want to commit adultery, the more we want to live faithfully with our spouse. (5) The less we want to steal, the more we aim to be honest. (6) The less we want to testify falsely, the more we want to think and speak what is true. (7) and (8) The less we covet what our neighbors have, the more we want our neighbors to be doing well with what they have. From this it becomes clear that the Ten Commandments contain everything about how to love God and our neighbor. Therefore Paul says,
Those who love others have fulfilled the law. "You are not to commit adultery, you are not to kill, you are not to steal, you are not to be a false witness, you are not to covet things," and if anything else is commanded, it is included in this saying: "You are to love your neighbor as yourself. " Goodwill does no evil to our neighbor. Therefore the fulfillment of the law is goodwill. (Romans 13:8-10)
To the above list, two principles need to be added that will benefit the new church: (1) On our own, none of us can abstain from evils because they are sins or do good things that are good before God. The more we abstain from evils because they are sins, the more we do good things from the Lord instead of from ourselves. (2) We need to abstain from evils and fight against them as if we were acting on our own. If we abstain from evils for any other reason than because they are sins, we are not abstaining from them, but merely making them invisible to the world.
330. We said that in so far as a person shuns evils, so far does he will good actions. The reason is that evil and good are opposites; for evils come from hell, and what is good from heaven. So to the extent that hell, that is, evil, is removed, to that extent does heaven approach and so far does a person have good in view. The truth of this is made quite plain by eight of the Ten Commandments considered in the light of this. Thus (i) in so far as anyone does not worship other gods, so far does he worship the true God. (ii) In so far as anyone does not take the name of God in vain, so far does he love what comes from God. (iii) In so far as anyone does not wish to commit murder and act out of hatred or revenge, so far does he wish his neighbour well. (iv) In so far as anyone does not wish to commit adultery, so far does he wish to live chastely with his wife. (v) In so far as anyone does not wish to steal, so far does he practise honest conduct. (vi) In so far as anyone does not wish to bear false witness, so far does he wish to think the truth and speak it. (vii and viii) In so far as anyone does not covet what is his neighbour's, so far does he wish his neighbour the enjoyment of what is his.
This proves that the Ten Commandments contain everything to do with love for God and love towards the neighbour. This is why Paul says:
He who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, You are not to commit adultery, you are not to commit murder, you are not to steal, you are not to bear false witness, you are not to covet, and any other commandment there may be, these are all summed up in this phrase, You are to love your neighbour as yourself. Charity does not do evil to the neighbour; therefore charity is the fulfilment of the law, Romans 13:8-10.
To these must be added two rules intended for the new church: (i) No one can of himself shun evils as sins, and do good actions which are good in God's sight; but in so far as anyone shuns evils as sins, so far does he do good actions, not of himself, but from the Lord. (ii) A person should shun evils as sins, and fight against them as if of himself. If anyone shuns evils for any other reason than because they are sins, he is not shunning them, but merely ensuring that they are not visible to the eyes of the world.
330. It has been said that so far as man shuns what is evil he wills what is good. This is so because evils and goods are opposites; for evils are from hell and goods from heaven; therefore so far as hell, that is, evil, is removed, so far heaven approaches and man looks to good. That this is so is very manifest from the eight commandments of the Decalogue when so viewed; thus,
(1) So far as one refrains from worshiping other gods, so far he worships the true God.
(2) So far as one refrains from taking the name of God in vain, so far he loves what is from God.
(3) So far as one refrains from the wish to commit murder, or to act from hatred and revenge, so far he wishes well to his neighbor.
(4) So far as one refrains from a wish to commit adultery, so far he wishes to live chastely with a wife.
(5) So far as one refrains from a wish to steal, so far he pursues sincerity.
(6) So far as one refrains from a wish to bear false witness, so far he wishes to think and say what is true.
(7) So far as one refrains from coveting what belongs to the neighbor, so far he wishes the neighbor to enjoy his own. From all this it is evident that the commandments of the Decalogue contain all things of love to God and love towards the neighbor. Therefore Paul says:
He that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to the neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8-10).
To this must be added two canons for the service of the New Church: (i.) That no one can of himself shun evils as sins and do good that is good in the sight of God; but that so far as anyone shuns evils as sins, so far he does good, not of himself, but from the Lord. (ii.) That man ought to shun evils as sins and to fight against them as if of himself; but if one shuns evils for any other reason than because they are sins he does not shun them, but only prevents their appearance before the world.
330. It has been stated that so far as a man shuns evils he wills good, because evil and good are opposites; for evil is from hell, and good from heaven; therefore, so far as hell, that is, evil, is removed, heaven is approached, and man looks towards what is good. That this is so is plainly evident when the eight commandments are regarded from this point of view. Thus:
1. So far as any one does not worship other gods, he worships the true God.
2. So far as any one does not take the name of God in vain, he loves what is from God.
3. So far as any one has no desire to commit murder, and to act from hatred and revenge, he wishes well to the neighbor.
4. So far as any one has no desire to commit adultery, he desires to live chastely with his wife.
5. So far as any one has no desire to steal, he practices sincerity.
6. So far as any one has no desire to bear false witness, he wishes to think and speak the truth.
7. and 8. So far as any one does not covet what is his neighbor's, he wishes well to his neighbor in the enjoyment of his possessions.
It is therefore clear that the commandments of the Decalogue contain all that relates to love to God and love towards the neighbor; and so Paul says,
"He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" Romans 13:8-10.
To these must be added two Canons for the use of the New Church:
1. No one of himself can shun evils as sins, and do good that is good in the sight of God; but so far as anyone shuns evils as sins, he does good, not of himself, but from the Lord.
2. A man ought to shun evils as sins, and fight against them as of himself; and if he shuns evils for any other reason than that they are sins, he does not really shun them, but only prevents them from appearing before the world.
330. Dictum est, quod quantum homo fugit mala, tantum velit bona; causa est, quia mala et bona sunt opposita, mala enim sunt ex Inferno, et bona e Coelo, quare quantum removetur Infernum, hoc est, malum, tantum appropinquatur coelum, et homo spectat bonum; quod ita sit, manifeste patet ab octo praeceptis Decalogi ita visis; quemadmodum. I. Quantum quis non colit deos alios, tantum colit Deum verum. II. Quantum quis non sumit Nomen Dei in vanum, tantum amat illa quae a Deo sunt. III. Quantum quis non vult occidere, et ex odio et vindicta 1 agere, tantum vult bene proximo. IV. Quantum quis non vult moechari, tantum vult caste cum uxore vivere. V. Quantum quis non vult furari, tantum sinceritatem sectatur. VI. Quantum quis non vult false testari, tantum vult vera cogitare et loqui, 2 7 et 8. 3 Quantum quis non concupiscit illa quae proximi sunt, tantum vult ut proximo ex suis bene sit. Ex his constat, quod praecepta Decalogi contineant omnia quae amoris in Deum et amoris erga proximum sunt: quare dicit Paulus, Qui amat alterum, legem implevit, nam illud non moechaberis, non occides, non furaberis, non falsus testis eris, non concupisces, et si quod aliud mandatum, in hoc verbo comprehenditur, amabis proximum tuum sicut teipsum: Charitas proximo non malum operatur; plenitudo ergo Legis est Charitas, Romanos 13:8-10. His addendi sunt duo Canones Novae Ecclesiae inservituri, I. Quod nemo possit mala ut peccata fugere, et bona facere quae bona sint coram Deo, a se; sed quod quantum quis fugit mala ut peccata, tantum faciat bona non a se, sed a Domino. II. Quod homo debeat fugere mala ut peccata, et pugnare contra illa sicut a se, et quod si quis fugit mala ex quacunque alia causa, quam quia peccata sunt, non fugiat illa, sed modo faciat ut non appareant coram Mundo.
Footnotes:
1. Sic Errores Typographici.
2. Prima editio: loqui (absque interpunctione).
3. Prima editio: VII et [symbol] VIII.