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Matthew Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

THE INTERNAL SENSE.

  1. Judge not, that you be not judged.

That good and truth ought not to be thought ill of. Verse 1.

  1. For in what judgement you judge, you shall be judged; and in what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.

That man receives truth and good from the Lord, in proportion as he exercises them towards others. Verse 2.

  1. But why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in your own eye?

That no one ought to look at the intellectual errors of another, but rather at the evils which pervert his own understanding. Verse 3.

  1. But why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in your own eye?

That it is impossible to correct another's intellectual errors, until a man's own understanding be separated from evil. Verse 4.

  1. You hypocrite, cast out first the beam from your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote from your brother's eye.

That, therefore, every one ought first to remove evil from his own love and life, that he may be in a state to remove error from the understanding of another. Verse 5.

  1. Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turning, rend you.

That it is dangerous to communicate the knowledges of good and truth to those who are in evil cravings and filthy loves, because they reject, and treat with contumely, all the goods and truths of heaven. Verse 6.

  1. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.
  2. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

That they who desire good, shall have it, and also they who desire truth: and that thus communication with heaven and the lord will be opened. Verses 7, 8.

  1. Or what man is there of you, [of] whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
  2. And if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
  3. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father, that [is] in the heavens give good [things] to them that seek Him?

That natural affection is kind to its offspring, and provides all things necessary for their instruction and comfort; how much more the Divine love in regard to its offspring? Verses 9, 10, 11.

  1. Therefore all things whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

That hence is derived the law of charity, which requires that all should be kind to others, as they would have others be kind to them, which law is taught in the Word throughout. Verse 12.

  1. Enter you in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to the destruction, and many there be who go in thereat.
  2. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to the life, and few there be who find it.

That many are loves [or lovers] of self and of the world, and few are loves [or lovers] of god. Verses 13,14.

  1. But beware you of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

That therefore there is need of caution against those who make professions of truth, but inwardly are in the love of evil. Verse 15.

  1. By their fruits you shall know them. Do [men] gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

That they may be known by the goods of charity, which cannot possibly be derived, either internal or external, from the love of evil. Verse 16.

  1. So every good (agathon) tree brings forth good (kalous) fruits; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruits.

That the love of good produces goods of charity, but the love of evil things contrary to charity. Verse 17.

  1. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits; neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good (kalous) fruits.

That the love of good cannot act contrary to charity, nor the love of evil according to charity. Verse 18.

  1. Every tree that brings not forth good (kalon) fruit, is cut down, and cast into the fire.

That faith separate from the good of charity is damnable. Verse 19.

  1. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.

That therefore all are to be judged from the goods of charity. Verse 20.

  1. Not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he that does the will of My Eather that [is] in the heavens.

That external worship is of no avail, only so far as it proceeds from internal worship, which is of love and charity. Verse 21.

  1. Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in Your name, and in Your name have cast out demons, and in Your name done many wonderful works?
  2. And then will I profess to them, that I never knew you; Depart from Me you that work iniquity.

That there is iniquity in all external works, such as teaching others, rescuing them from false opinions, and even converting them, if they be done for the sake of self and the world, and not from pure love and charity. Verses 22, 23.

  1. Whosoever therefore hears these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock.
  2. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and fell upon that house, and it did not fall; for it was founded upon the rock.

That he who is in truths. grounded in the good of love and charity, is preserved in spiritual temptations. Verses 24, 25.

  1. And every one that hears these sayings of Mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
  2. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and the fall thereof was great.

But that he who is in truths alone, and not in the good of love and charity, yields in temptations. Verses 26, 27.

  1. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the multitudes were astonished at His doctrine.
  2. For He taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

That doctrine derived from the lord by the Word has in it a Divine power. Verses 28, 29.

Chapter VII.

  1. Judge not, that you be not judged.
  2. For in what judgement you judge, you shall be judged; and in what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
  3. But why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in your own eye?
  4. But why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in your own eye?
  5. You hypocrite, cast out first the beam from your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote from your brother's eye.
  6. Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turning, rend you.
  7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.
  8. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds ; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.
  9. Or what man is there of you, [of] whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
  10. And if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
  11. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father, that [is] in the heavens give good [things] to them that seek Him?
  12. Therefore all things whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
  13. Enter you in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to the destruction, and many there be who go in thereat.
  14. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to the life, and few there be who find it.
  15. But beware you of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
  16. By their fruits you shall know them. Do [men] gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
  17. So every good (agathon) tree brings forth good (kalous) fruits; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruits.
  18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits; neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good (kalous) fruits.
  19. Every tree that brings not forth good (kalon) fruit, is cut down, and cast into the fire.
  20. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
  21. Not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he that does the will of My Eather that [is] in the heavens.
  22. Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in Your name, and in Your name have cast out demons, and in Your name done many wonderful works?
  23. And then will I profess to them, that I never knew you; Depart from Me you that work iniquity.
  24. Whosoever therefore hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock.
  25. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and fell upon that house, and it did not fall; for it was founded upon the rock.
  26. And every one that hears these sayings of Mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
  27. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and the fall thereof was great.
  28. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the multitudes were astonished at His doctrine.
  29. For He taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

EXPOSITION.

Chapter VII.

verses 1, 2. Judge not, that you be not judged, &c. - Charity towards the neighbour, or the spiritual affection of truth and good, is thus described, namely, so far and in such quality as any one is in that charity, or in that affection in the world, so far he comes into it after death; that good and truth ought not to be thought ill of, is meant by judge not, that you be not judged, and condemn not, that you be not condemned; it is allowed every one to think ill concerning what is evil, and concerning what is false, but not concerning good and truth, for these, in the spiritual sense, are the neighbour; inasmuch as charity towards the neighbour is what is meant, therefore it is also said, remit and it shall be remitted to you, give and it shall be given to you; that the spiritual affection, which is called charity, will remain after death according to its quantity and quality, is meant by, "In what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again." AE 629. See Luke exposition 6:38.

Judge not, &c. - Without doctrine, a person might here be led to this conclusion, that he ought not to judge in respect to an evil man, that he is evil; whereas from doctrine it appears that it is lawful to judge, if it be done righteously; for the Lord says, "Judge righteous judgement." John 7:24. SS 51.

I have met with several in the spiritual world, who, during their life in this world, had lived like others in things external, wearing rich apparel, feasting daintily, trading like others with money borrowed upon interest, frequenting stage exhibitions, conversing jocosely on love affairs as from a libidinous principle, besides other things of a like nature, and yet the angels charged those things upon some as evils of sin, and upon some as not evils, and declared the latter guiltless, but the former guilty; and being questioned why they did so, when yet the deeds were alike, they replied, that they regard all from purpose, intention, or end, and distinguish accordingly; and that on this account they excuse and condemn whom the end excuses and condemns, inasmuch as all in heaven are influenced by an end of good, and all in hell by an end of evil; and that this, and nothing else is meant by the Lord's words, "Judge not, that you be not judged." C.S.L. 453.

The Lord says, judge not, that you be not judged, by which words cannot in any wise be meant judgement respecting any one's moral and civil life in the world, but judgement respecting any one's spiritual and celestial life: who does not see that unless it was allowed a man to judge respecting the moral life of those who cohabit with him in the world, society would perish? What would society be, if there was no public judicature, and if every one did not exercise his judgment respecting another? But to judge what is the quality of the interior mind or soul, thus what the quality of any one's spiritual state is, and thence what his lot is after death, is not allowed, inasmuch as it is known to the Lord alone; neither does the Lord reveal this till after the person's decease, to the intent that every one may act from a free principle in all that he does, and that, by so acting, good or evil may be from him, and thus be in him, and thence that he may live, According to the good or evil that belongs to himself, and which is his own life, to eternity. A common judgement, as this for instance, "If you are such in internals as you appear to be in externals, you will be saved or condemned," is allowed; but a particular judgment, as this for instance, "You are such in internals, therefore you will be saved or condemned," is not allowed. C.S.L. 523. See also AR 495. AC 2284.

Verses 3, 4, 5. But why behold you the mote, &c. - In this passage, inasmuch as the subject treated of is concerning charity, therefore the term brother is used, for by casting out the mote from the eye of a brother, is signified to inform concerning what is false and evil, and to reform: the reason why mention is made by the Lord of a mote in the eye of a brother, and of a beam in your own eye, is on account of the spiritual sense contained in singular the things which the Lord spoke, for without that sense what could it signify to see a mote in the eye of another, and not to observe the beam in his own eye, also to cast out the beam from his own eye, before he cast out the mote from the eye of another ? for by a mote is signified the trifling false of evil, and by a beam, the great false of evil, and by eye is signified the understanding and also faith; the reason why by a mote and by a beam is signified the false of evil is, because by wood is signified good, and hence by a beam the truth of good, and in the opposite sense the false of evil, and by eye the understanding and faith; hence it is evident what is signified by seeing a mote and a beam, and by casting them out of the eye. AE 746.

To discern a mote in the eye of a brother, denotes something erroneous as to the understanding of truth, the beam which is in your own eye, denotes the great evil of the false, for wood in the internal sense denotes good, and in the opposite sense evil; good also is represented in the other life by a beam, wherefore they who devise good with themselves seem to carry a beam, and thus to go safely; without such signification of an eye and a beam, what could be meant by seeing a beam in the eye. AC 9051. "Brother." See Exposition, chap. 5:24. Verse 6. Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, &c. - By dogs are signified cravings and appetites; by pearls are signified the knowledges of good and truth; by swine are signified filthy loves, such as prevail in the hells of adulterers; these [adulterers], inasmuch as they are in the infernal marriage, which is that of the false and evil, on this account altogether reject truths and goods and the knowledges thereof, and moreover treat them with ignominy and contumely; therefore it is said, cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and burning, rend you; to trample under feet is altogether to reject as mire, and turning to rend denotes to treat with ignominy and contumely. AE 1044.

By swine are signified they who only love worldly riches, and not spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of good and truth derived from the Word. AE 727. By dogs are signified the lowest or meanest of all in the church, also those who are without the church, also those who babble or prate much about the things of the church and understand but little; and in an opposite sense those who are altogether without the faith of the church, and treat the things belonging to faith with reproaches. AC 7784. See also AE 952.

Verse 7. Ask and it shall be given you, &c. - By these words is described the power of those who are in the Lord: such do not will any thing, and thus do not seek any thing, but from the Lord, and whatsoever they will and seek from the Lord, this is done, for the Lord saith, "Without Me you cannot do any thing: abide in Me, and I in you." John 15:5,7. Such power the angels in heaven have, that if they only will any thing, they obtain it; nevertheless they do not will any thing but what is of use, and this they will as from themselves, but still from the Lord. AR 951.

Without doctrine it might he supposed from these words, that every one would certainly receive what he requests; but doctrine teaches that whatever a man asks of the Lord, and under His influence, that is granted him; for thus the Lord explains Himself, "If you abide in me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. John 15:7. TCR 226.

Verse 8. They who ask from the faith of charity, do not ask from themselves but from the Lord, and whatever any one asks from the Lord and not from himself, he receives. AE 411.See also TCR 226.

Verse 11. How much more shall your Father which is in heaven, &c.-The Lord, who is Divine Love, cannot act otherwise with men, than as a father on earth with his children, and infinitely more so, because Divine Love is infinite: therefore He cannot recede from any one, because the life of every one is from Him; it appears, indeed as if He recedes from the evil, but the evil recede from Him, yet He still leads them from love: it is also known in the church that the Lord wills the salvation of all, and the death of none. DP 330.

Divine good is understood by the Father in the heavens. That the Lord is the sun of heaven, and that the light and heat thence proceeding are the Divine truth united with the Divine good, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, HH 116 to 125; also HH 126 to 140; and that heaven is heaven from the Divine [principle] which proceedeth from the Lord, HH 7 to 12; hence it may appear what is understood by the Father in the heavens, and by the Heavenly Father, as in Matthew 5:48, 7:11. AE 254.

Verse 12. Whatsoever you would, that men should do to you, &c.-From this law, which in the spiritual world is constant and perpetual, the laws of retaliation, which were enacted in the representative church, derived their origin. With this law, in the other life, the case is this: the like, or retaliation, when there is evil, is brought in by the evil, and in no case by the good, or it comes from the hells, and in no case from the heavens; for the hells, or the evil ones who are there, are in the continual lust of doing evil to others, inasmuch as it is the very delight of their lives, wherefore, as soon as it is permitted, they do evil: this is done by the evil who are in the hells, never by the good who are in the heavens, for these latter are in the continual desire of doing good to others, inasmuch as it is the delight of their life, wherefore, as soon as an opportunity is given they do good, as well to foes as to friends. AC 8223. See also AC 8214, and TCR 411, 444. D. Life. 73.

This law in heaven is the law of mutual love or charity, whence there exists what is opposite in hell, in that there happens to every one that which he would do to another, not that they who are in heaven do it, but they who are in hell do it to themselves, for the retribution of retaliation exists from the opposition to that law of life in heaven, as an inherent thing in their evils. AR 762. It is a universal law that no one should do to another but what he would wish another to do to him. AC 1011.

Inasmuch as this is the law in heaven, and from heaven in the church, hence also every evil has with itself a corresponding punishment, which is called the punishment of evil, being in the evil, and as it were conjoined with it, and from this flows the punishment of retaliation, which was dictated to the sons of Israel, because they were external men and not internal: internal men, such as are the angels of heaven, do not desire retaliation of evil for evil, but from celestial charity forgive freely, for they know that the Lord defends all who are in good against the evil, and that He defends according to the good appertaining to them, and that He would not defend if, on account of the evil done to them, they should suffer enmity, hatred, and revenge to be enkindled, for these things avert protection. AE 556.

This is the law and the prophets. - For what is meant by "the law and the prophets," see D. Lord. 9, 10.

Verses 13, 14. - Broad is the way that leads to destruction, &c. - There was once represented to me the way which leads to heaven and which leads to hell; it was a broad way tending to the left or towards the north; there appeared many spirits who were going in it, but at a distance there was seen a stone of a considerable size, where the broad way terminated; from that stone there went afterwards two ways, one to the left, and one in a contrary direction to the right ; the way which tended to the left was narrow or straight, leading through the west to the south, and thereby into the light of heaven; the way which tended to the right was broad and spacious, leading obliquely downwards towards hell. All at first seemed to go the same way, even to the great stone at the entrance on the two ways; but when they came thither, they were separated, the good turned to the left, and entered into the straight way which led to heaven, but the evil did not see the stone at the entrance into the two ways, and fell upon it and were hurt, and when they got up again they ran in great haste in the broad way to the right, which tended to hell. It was afterwards explained to me what those things signified, namely, that by the first way, which was broad, wherein many both good and evil went together, and discoursed with each other as friends, because there appeared no visible difference between them, were represented those who in externals live alike sincerely and justly, and who are not distinguishable at sight: by the stone at the entrance of the two ways, or the corner, upon which the evil fell, and from which they afterwards ran with haste in the way leading to hell, was represented the Divine Truth, which is denied by those who look towards hell; in the supreme sense, by the same stone was signified the Divine Humanity of the Lord: but they who acknowledge the Divine Truth, and, at the same time, the Divine of the Lord, were carried by [or through] the way which led to heaven. From these considerations, it was further manifest that the evil act the same life as the good in externals, or go the same way, thus one as easily as the other, and yet that they who acknowledge the divine from the heart, especially they within the church who acknowledge the divine of the Lord,, are led to heaven: and they who do not acknowledge, are carried to hell. The thoughts of man, which proceed from intention or will, are represented in the other life by ways; ways are also presented there, to appearance, altogether according to the thoughts of intention, and also every one walks according to his thoughts which proceed from intention; hence it is that spirits are known as to their quality, and the quality of their thoughts, from their respective ways; hence also it is evident what is meant by the Lord's words, "Enter you in through the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat; because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be who find it;" the reason wiry the way is narrow which leads to life is, not because it is difficult, but because there are few who find it, as it is said. HH 534. See also AE 206; and AC 3477.

The gate of heaven is where the angels are with man; that is, where the influx of good and truth from the Lord is; consequently, that there are two gates, as was said; concerning these two gates, the Lord speaks in Matthew 7:13, 14. AC 2851.

To make alive and life, manifestly denotes spiritual life, which is the life in heaven, which also is simply called life, as in Matthew 7:14. AC 5890.

That many are loves [or lovers] of self and of the world, and few are loves [or lovers] of God, the Lord also teaches in these words: "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leads to destruction, and many there are who enter therein; but straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be who find it." DP 250.

Verse 15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, &c. - False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravenous wolves, are they who teach falses as if they were truths, and lead a moral life to appearance, but when left to themselves to act from their own spirits, they think of nothing but of themselves and the world, and study to deprive all of truths. AE 195. See also L.J. 59.

Spiritual hypocrites, or they who go in sheep's clothing, and inwardly are ravenous wolves, appear before the angels as soothsayers walking upon the palms of their hands, and praying, who with the mouth from the heart cry to demons, and kiss them, but make a noise with their shoes in the air, and thereby send up a sound to God; but when they stand on their feet, they appear as to the eyes like leopards, as to the gait like wolves, as to the mouth like foxes, as to the teeth like crocodiles, and as to faith like vultures. TCR 381. Compare also AC 3469, 3900.

Verse 16. You shall know them by their fruits, &c. - Inasmuch as by fruit is signified the good of life, and the good of life is external good from internal, or natural good from spiritual; and whereas man is known from this good, therefore the Lord says, "You shall know them by their fruits: do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Fig, here denotes the good of the external or natural man, and grape denotes the good of the internal or spiritual man; thorns and thistles are the evils opposite thereto." AE 403.

Inasmuch as the subject here treated of, is concerning charity towards the neighbour, it is said that they shall be known from fruits, which are the goods of charity; the internal goods of charity are meant by grapes, and the external by figs. AC 5117.

Verse 16. Do men gather grapes of thorns? - To gather grapes of thorns, denotes the good of faith and charity from the falses of cravings. AC 9144.

Verse 18. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. - To will evil and to do good, are in their nature opposite to each other, for evil is grounded in hatred towards our neighbour, and good in love towards him; or in other words, evil is our neighbour's enemy, and good is his friend, which two cannot possibly exist together in one and the same mind, that is, evil in the internal man, and good in the external; for in such case, good in the external man would be like a wound superficially healed, but inwardly full of putrid matter. Man, in such circumstances, is like a tree whose root is decayed through age, but which yet produces fruit, that appears outwardly like fruit of a good flavour and fit for use, but inwardly is unsavoury and useless. Let it be observed, that the good which a man does in the body proceeds from his spirit, or from the internal man, for this is his spirit that lives after death, and of consequence, when man casteth off his body, which constituted his external man, he is then wholly immersed in the evils of his life, and takes delight in them, while good is held in aversion, as being offensive to his life. That man cannot do good, which in itself is good, until evil is removed, the Lord teaches in these words, "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit." TCR 435.

Verse 19. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is cut down, &c. - In this passage are described those who are in faith and in charity; they who are in faith grounded in charity, are meant by the tree that brings forth good fruits; but they who are in faith separate from charity are meant by the tree which brings not forth good fruits. AE 212.

Verse 21. Not every one that says to me, &c. - Inasmuch as the will of man is his love, and the will of God is His Divine love, it may appear what is understood in the spiritual sense by doing the will of God and the will of this Father, namely, that it is to love God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves; and inasmuch as to love is to will, so likewise it is to do, for what a man loves that he willeth, and what he wills he also does; hence by doing the will of God, or of the Father, is understood to do the precepts, or to live according to them from the affection of love or charity; this is what is understood by the will of God and of the Father in John 9:31, and Matt 7:21. AE 295.

Spirits who are only skilled in the doctrinals of faith,without love are in such a coldness of life and obscurity of light, that they cannot even approach to the first limit of the entrance into the heavens, but they fly back with all speed; some of them profess to have believed in the Lord, but they have not lived according to his precepts; and it was of such that the Lord spoke in Matt 7:21, 22. AC 34.

Verses 22, 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, &c. - The subject here treated of is concerning salvation, namely, that no one is saved by knowing the Word and teaching it, but by doing it; for in what goes before it is said, that they only shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens, who do the will of God, verse 21; and in what follows it is said, that he who hears the words of the Lord and does them, is a prudent man, but he who hears and does not, is a foolish man, verses 21-27; hence, it is evident, what is understood by the words of the Lord in the above passage; namely, by many shall say to me Lord, Lord, is understood the worship of the Lord by prayers and by the words of the mouth only; by, have we not prophesied in Your name, is understood to teach the Word and doctrinals from the Word, to prophesy denoting to teach, and the name of the Lord denoting according to doctrine from the Word; by casting out demons is signified to liberate from the falses of religion, demons denoting the falses of religion; by doing many virtues is signified the converting of several; but whereas they did these things not for the sake of the Lord, nor for the sake of truth and good, and for the sake of the salvation of souls, but for the sake of themselves and the world, thus only in the external form that they might appear, therefore in respect to themselves they did not do good but evil; this is meant by what the Lord says, I know you not, you that work iniquity; it seems as if they had not worked iniquity when they did such things; nevertheless, all that is iniquity which a man doeth only for the sake of himself and the world., inasmuch as there is not any love of the Lord and the neighbour, but only the love of self and the world in them, and afterdeath every one's own love remains with him. AE 624. See also AE 1187, and C.D.L. 17.

The persuasive principle of truth, when man is in a life of evil, is such, that he persuades himself that truth is truth, not for the sake of an end of good, but for the sake of an end of evil, namely, that he may gain thereby honours, reputation, and wealth; the very worst of men may be in such a persuasive principle, and even in apparent zeal, insomuch that they will damn to hell all who are not in the truth, howsoever they may be in good: such in the beginning, when they come into the other life, believe themselves angels, but they are not able to approach to any angelic society, being as it were suffocated there, by their own persuasion; these are they of whom the Lord spoke in Matthew, "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord," &c. AC 3895.

Hence it is evident, that they who place worship in a name, as the Jews in the name of Jehovah, and Christians in the name of the Lord, are not more worthy on that account, because a name is of no consequence, but that they become such as He commanded, which is meant by believing in His name: and that which they say, That there is salvation in no other name than in the name of the Lord, denotes that there is salvation in no other doctrine, that is, in no other than that of mutual love, which is the true doctrine of faith, thus in no other than in the Lord, because from Him alone is all love, and thence all faith AC 2009. See also AC 2027, 2533, 2724, 3820, 7778. TCR 567.

Verse 24. Whosoever therefore hears these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a prudent man, who built his house upon a rock, &c. - By a house founded upon a rock is meant the church, and the man of the church who has founded his doctrine and life upon the Divine Truth which is from the Lord, thus upon those things which are in the Word, consequently, who is in truths grounded in good from the Lord; it is said who is in truths grounded in good, inasmuch as Divine Truth is received by none but those who are in good; to be in good is to be in the good of life, which is charity, wherefore it is said, whoever hears My words and does them; to do the words of the Lord is the good of life; for truth, when a man does it, becomes good, inasmuch as it enters the will and the love, and what has a place in the will and the love, this is called good; the temptations, in which such a man of the church does not yield but conquers, are signified by the rain descending, the floods coming, the winds blowing, and falling upon that house, and yet it fell not, because it was founded on a rock, for by a rock is meant Divine Truth from the Lord, and the Lord Himself, and by inundations of waters and rains in the Word are signified temptations, and also by storms of wind; it is indeed a comparison, but let it be known that all comparisons in the Word are alike grounded in correspondences as the things not said in the way of comparison. AE 411.See also AC 9239.

That the church and heaven is not formed in man by knowing, and understanding Divine Truths, but by knowing, understanding and doing, the Lord teaches openly in several passages, as in Matthew, "Whosoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them," &c. AE 108. See also AC 9311. TCR 375. DLife 91.

Verse 25. The rain descended and the floods came, &c. - By the rain and by the floods are here meant temptations, in which man conquers, and in which he yields; by waters are signified the falses which usually flow in, in temptations, and by floods, which are here inundations of water from rain, are signified temptations; by the winds which also blow and rush in, are signified the thoughts thence emerging, for temptations exist by the irruption of falses injected from evil spirits into the thoughts; by the house, into which they rush in, is signified man, properly his mind, which consists of understanding or thought, and of will or affection; he who receives the words of the Lord, that is, Divine Truths, with only one part of the mind, which is that of the thought or understanding, and not at the same time with the other part, which is that of the affection or will, he yields in temptations, and falls into grievous falses, which are the falses of evil, wherefore it is said, the fall thereof was great: but, whosoever receives Divine Truths in each part, namely, in both the understanding and the will, he conquers in temptations: by the rock, upon which that house is founded, is signified the Lord as to Divine Truth, or the Divine Truth received in the soul and in the heart, that is, with faith and love, which is with the understanding and the will; but by sand is signified Divine Truth received only in the memory, and hence in some measure in the thought, and thereby scattered and unconnected, because interpolated by falses, and falsified by ideas: from these considerations therefore it is evident, what is meant by hearing the Lord's words and not doing them. AE 644.

By the rain descending and the winds blowing are signified temptations, and thence also falses rushing in, for spiritual temptations are nothing else but infestations of the mind by falses and evils, wherefore by winds here also are signified falses. The rest may be seen explained above, AE 411. - In the spiritual world, as in the natural world, there exist strong winds and storms; but the storms in the spiritual world exist from the influx of the Divine [principle] into the lower parts of that world, where they are who are in evils and falses; that influx as it descends out of the heavens towards the earths which are below, becomes more dense, and appears as clouds, and with the evil dense and opaque according to the quantity and quality of their evil; these clouds are appearances of the false and evil, arising from the sphere of their life, every angel and spirit being encompassed by such a sphere. When, therefore, the Divine [principle] is sent forth powerfully from the Lord as a sun, and flows in into these dense and opaque clouds, there arises a storm, which is perceived by the spirits there in like manner as storms are perceived by men on earth. AE 419.

Inasmuch as all spiritual temptations are occasioned by falses breaking in into the thoughts, and infesting the interior mind, thus by reasonings from them, hence also temptations are signified by inundations of waters. AE 518.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter VII.

verse 7. Ask, and it shall be given you, &c. - In this verse we find another striking instance of our Lord's manner of speaking, both with regard to the heavenly marriage of good and truth, and of the will and understanding, and also in regard to the connection of ideas in the internal sense, although in the sense of the letter, the expressions appear scattered and unconnected. Thus to ask has relation to the desire of heavenly good in the will, to seek has relation to the desire of heavenly truth in the understanding, and to knock has relation to the joint effect of such desires in opening communication with the Lord and His kingdom. In like manner in the succeeding verse 8, to receive has relation to the appropriation and possession of heavenly good, to find has relation to the appropriation and possession of Heavenly truth, and to have it opened has relation to the communication thereby effected with the Lord's kingdom and the Lord Himself.

Verses 9, 10. If he ask bread, and if he ask a fish, &c. - Here another instance occurs of the heavenly marriage above spoken of, and of the Lord's continual respect to it, for to ask bread, at verse 9, is to desire good, and to ask a fish, at verse 10, is to desire truth.

Verses 13, 14. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, &c. - The Lord here describes the passage both to destruction and to life by a gate and a way, to remind us again of the infernal and heavenly marriages, a gate having reference more to the things of the will, and a way more to things of the understanding, for it is by the love of good influencing the will that we enter into life, or heaven, and by the love of evil that we enter into destruction or hell: and as love is thus the gate to introduce, so truth or knowledge in the understanding is the way that conducts to that gate, to the gate of life, if it be obeyed, to destruction, if it be not obeyed.

Verse 17. Every good (agadon) tree brings forth good (kalons)fruits,&c. - There are two expressions in the original Greek, agathos and kalos which are usually rendered by the same English term good, when yet they are manifestly intended to convey distinct ideas, the proper meaning of the former being what is properly called good, and that of the latter what is properly called beautiful. Agathos, therefore, is a term, which has more respect to the good of heavenly love, or the supreme good, and kalos has more respect to the truth of heavenly wisdom, or the supreme beauty, for all genuine beauty is the form of good by truth.

Verse 22. Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and in Your Name have cast out demons, and in Your Name done many wonderful works? - In this passage another remarkable instance occurs of the connection which prevails in the Lord's words, when interpreted according to their internal sense, howsoever in the sense of the letter they may appear unconnected, for to prophesy in His Name in the internal idea, is to teach truth, to cast out demons is to liberate from the falses of religion, and to do many wonderful works is thereby to convert several.

Verse 25. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, &c. - The same connection is here again observable, as at verse 22, for by the rain descending, are signified falses, by the floods coming, the temptation thereby occasioned, and by the winds blowing, the thoughts thence emerging, thus in the internal sense, the three distinct expressions convey a combined meaning.

Verse 27. And beat upon that house.-It is remarkable that the Lord, in describing the effects of the rain, the floods, and the wind upon this house which was built on the sand, applies the expression prosekapsa from proskoptom, which signifies to beat or dash against; whereas in describing the same effects on a house built on a rock, verse 25, He applies the expression prosepeson, which is rendered and properly signifies fell upon, to instruct us that temptations produce different effects according to the state and quality of those who are under their exercise, and whilst they merely fall upon the good for the purpose of purification and confirmation, they beat or dash violently on the evil, to the utter separation and destruction in them of every principle of faith and love.

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