THE LAWS OF PERMISSION
ARE ALSO
LAWS OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE
(CONTINUATION)
nos.265&274

Selection from
ANGELIC WISDOM
CONCERNING
THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE

Translated from the Latin of
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

• A doubt may arise in opposition to Divine providence from the fact that hitherto men have not known that to shun evils as sins is the Christian religion itself. That this is the Christian religion itself has been shown in the Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem, from beginning to end; and because faith separate from charity is the only obstacle to its reception, that also is treated of. It is said that it is unknown that to shun evils as sins is the Christian religion itself. For it is unknown to almost every one, and yet is known to every one, as may be seen above (n. 258). It is unknown to almost every one because it has been blotted out by faith separated; for that faith affirms that faith alone saves, and not any good work or good of charity; also that they are no longer under the yoke of the law, but free. Those who have often heard such things no longer give any thought to any evil of life or to any good of life. Moreover, every man from his own nature inclines to embrace this faith, and when he has once embraced it he gives no further thought to the state of his life. This is why this truth is unknown.

That it is unknown has been disclosed to me in the spiritual world. I have asked more than a thousand newcomers from the world whether they know that to shun evils as sins is religion itself; and they said that they did not know, and that this was something new, not heard of before; although they had heard that they cannot do good of themselves, and that they are not under the yoke of the law. When I asked whether they did not know that a man must examine himself, see his sins, repent, and then begin a new life, and that otherwise sins are not remitted, and if sins are not remitted men are not saved, and reminded them that this had been read to them in a loud voice as often as they went to the Holy Supper, they replied that they gave no attention to these things, but only to this, that they have remission of sins by means of the sacrament of the Supper, and that faith does the rest without their knowledge.

Again I asked, Why have you taught your children the Decalogue? Is it not that they might know what evils are sins to be shunned; or is it only that they might know these things and believe, And not do? Why, then, do you say that this is new? To this they have only been able to reply that they know and yet do not know; and that they never thought about the sixth commandment when committing adultery, or about the seventh commandment when stealing or defrauding covertly, and so on; still less that such things are contrary to the Divine law, thus against God.

When I have mentioned many things from the doctrines of the churches and from the Word to prove that shunning and turning away from evils as sins is the Christian religion itself, and that every one has faith as he does this, they were silent. But they were convinced that this is true when they saw that all were examined in regard to their life, and were judged according to their deeds, and no one was judged according to faith separate from life, because every one has faith according to his life.

That this has been for the most part unknown to the Christian world is from the law of the Divine providence that every one is left to act from freedom in accordance with reason (see above, DP 71-99, and n. 100-128); also from the law that no one is taught immediately from heaven, but mediately through the Word and doctrine and preaching from it (DP 154-174); also from all the laws of permission, which are likewise laws of the Divine providence. (More on this above, n. 258).

• A doubt may arise in opposition to Divine providence from the fact, that it has not hitherto been known that man lives as a man after death; also that this has not been disclosed before. This has not been known before for the reason that in those who do not shun evils as sins there is concealed interiorly a belief that man does not live after death; and therefore it is a matter of no consequence to them whether it is said that man lives as a man after death or whether it is said that he is to rise again at the day of the last judgment; and if by any chance a belief in the resurrection occurs to him he says to himself, "It will be no worse for me than for others; if I go to hell I shall have plenty of company, and the same is true if I go to heaven." And yet in all that have any religion there is implanted a knowledge that after death they live as men; while the idea that they will then live as souls and not as men exists only with those that have been infatuated by their own intelligence, and with no others.

That in every one that has any religion there is implanted a knowledge that after death he will live as a man can be seen from the following considerations:-

(1) Does any one when dying think otherwise?

(2) What eulogist, when lamenting the dead, does not exalt them to heaven, and place them among angels as talking with them and enjoying their happiness? Some, moreover, are deified.

(3) Who among the common people does not believe that when he dies, if he has lived well, he will go to a heavenly paradise, be clothed in white raiment, and enjoy eternal life?

(4) What clergyman is there who does not say the same or like things to one about to die? And when he says it he also believes it, unless he is at the same time thinking about the last judgment.

(5) Who does not believe that his little children are in heaven, and that after death he will see his wife whom he has loved? Who thinks that they are ghosts, still less that they are souls or minds flitting about the universe?

(6) Who objects when anything is said about the lot or state of those who have passed from time into the eternal life? I have said to many that such is the state and lot of these and of those, and I have never heard any one say that they have not yet had their lot, but will have it at the time of the judgment.

(7)  When one sees angels painted or sculptured does he not recognize them to be such? Who thinks at such a time that they are spirits without bodies, or are air or clouds, as some of the learned do?

(8) The papists believe that their saints are human beings in heaven, and that the rest are somewhere else; the Mohammedans believe the same of their dead; the Africans believe this more than others, and many other nations believe it; - why do not Reformed Christians who know it from the Word?

(9) From this knowledge implanted in every one there are some that aspire to immortality of fame; for this knowledge is turned into such an aspiration with some, and makes them heroes or brave in war.

(10) Inquiry was made in the spiritual world whether this knowledge is implanted in all, and it was found to be implanted in all, not however in the natural ideas belonging to their external thought, but in the spiritual ideas belonging to their internal thought.

(The Divine Providence 265 & 274)