The Doctrine of Charity - Swedenborg Foundation

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CHARITY 262done, they are economical, sober, and vigilant. At home with theirfamilies they act justly; abroad, among others, with sincerity. Theyregard the civil laws of justice, like those of the Decalogue, asDivine, and obey them. They love their fields and their vineyards,because of their produce; and love the fruits of them because theyare blessings, and render thanks to the Lord, and so look to theLord continually.170. (11) Charity in shipmasters. Shipmasters to whom ships andmerchandise are entrusted, or who own them, also become charitiesif they look to the Lord and shun evils as sins, and conduct theirbusiness sincerely, justly, and faithfully. Their occupation is agreater good of use than many others, because by means of it thereis communication, and, as it were, conjunction of the whole worldwith its parts, and of its parts with the whole. And this excellentwork is a good of use, that is, a good of charity, in them, whenfrom their knowledge they act prudently; when they perform theirduties with vigilance and sobriety, that the voyage may besuccessful; when they do not rashly expose themselves to danger,nor lose their courage when in the midst of dangers unforeseen, andbeing saved from them render praise and thanks to the Lord; whenthey deal justly and sincerely by their seamen, faithfully with theowners of their vessels, and justly with the foreigners to whom theirvessel comes.They hold no share with pirates and are content with their payand their legitimate gains beyond it. Men that traverse the sea, whoare charities, and who look to the Lord and shun evils as sins, anddo their duty sincerely, justly, and faithfully, are more devout intheir morning and evening prayers and songs than landsmen,because they trust more to the Divine providence. I counselseafarers hereafter to pray to the Lord, for He and none other isGod of heaven and earth and sea (John 3:35; 17:12; Matt. 11:27).171. (12) Charity in sailors. Sailors also become charities, if,while they perform their duty sincerely, justly, and faithfully, theylook to the Lord and shun evils as sins. For when they shun evils assins they shun the devil, for the devil is evil itself; and then they are
CHARITY 263accepted by the Lord, and the goods that they then do they dofrom the Lord. And they do good in no other way, continuously,than in the performance of their own work that is enjoined uponthem, which is that of a seaman. That work is a good work, becauseit is a good of use; and to have love towards the neighbor, orcharity, is nothing else than to do the good of use. And when theyshun the devil and are accepted by the Lord they do not committhe evils described in the Decalogue; that is, they do not kill, theydo not commit adultery, they do not steal, they do not bear falsewitness. For no one does these things who loves the neighbor.He does not love the neighbor who bears such hatred to him thathe would kill him; he does not love the neighbor who wouldcommit adultery with another’s wife; he does not love the neighborwho would steal and rob him of his goods; he does not love theneighbor who would testify falsely against him, and so on. Theseare the evils which those that look to the Lord especially shun. Andthen they have no fear of death, for if they die they die in the Lord,and go to heaven; and there all love each other as brothers andcompanions, and render mutual good services.And I exhort sailors also, as I have just done shipmasters, to go tothe Lord and pray to him; for there is no other God of heaven,earth, and sea.172. (13) Charity in servants. Servants, as well as masters,become charities, that is, angels, when they look to the Lord andshun evils as sins, and perform the duties of a servant sincerely,justly, and faithfully. Their duties, which are special and continualgoods of charity, are to attend on their masters, to wish well tothem, to speak no ill of them, to act as uprightly in their absence asin their presence, and not to scorn to serve. For everyone, inwhatever degree of dignity, ought to serve. Even a king should servethe Lord. And so far as anyone serves faithfully he is loved and ledof the Lord. And so far as anyone looks to the Lord and shuns evilsas sins, he serves freely, and not by compulsion.
Page 1 and 2: The DoctrineofCharity1766
Page 3 and 4: ContentsTranslator’s Note1. The f
Page 5 and 6: CHARITY 221Translator’s NoteThis
Page 7 and 8: CHARITY 223is to shun them as diabo
Page 9 and 10: CHARITY 225the man is within it, as
Page 11 and 12: CHARITY 22713. (1) Not to will to d
Page 13 and 14: CHARITY 229eternal life, and yet do
Page 15 and 16: CHARITY 23131. So in a thousand oth
Page 17 and 18: CHARITY 233(5) The good of the inte
Page 19 and 20: CHARITY 23554. Genuine charity itse
Page 21 and 22: CHARITY 237an essence. Therefore wh
Page 24: CHARITY 240laws, are enacted as for
Page 27 and 28: CHARITY 24392. It is known that suc
Page 29 and 30: CHARITY 245receptacle. So with the
Page 31 and 32: CHARITY 247114. (5) Whatever procee
Page 33 and 34: CHARITY 249123. But this is so with
Page 35 and 36: CHARITY 251130. The general good co
Page 37 and 38: CHARITY 253this, that everyone ther
Page 39 and 40: CHARITY 255151. When therefore a ma
Page 41 and 42: CHARITY 257the Lord as the “door
Page 43 and 44: CHARITY 259continually loves peace.
Page 45: CHARITY 261He loves the general goo
Page 49 and 50: CHARITY 265177. That such things ar
Page 51 and 52: CHARITY 267within him; and everyone
Page 53 and 54: CHARITY 26911There are diversions o
Page 55 and 56: CHARITY 271diversions vary accordin
Page 57 and 58: CHARITY 273diversions are the only
Page 59 and 60: CHARITY 275(2) No one can have char
Page 61 and 62: CHARITY 277the Lord, he would not d
Page 63 and 64: CHARITY 279far he does good from Go
Page 65 and 66: CHARITY 281himself. And because the
Page 67 and 68: CHARITY 283206. (6) As far as anyon
Page 69 and 70: CHARITY 285neighbor does not love h
Page 71 and 72: CHARITY 287evils in oneself, and re
Page 73 and 74: CHARITY 289213. But that these thin
Page 75: CHARITY 2915. The signs of charity

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