and must needs have their lot with those. who are in hell. But the case is different with those, who restrain the concupiscence of murder, of adultery, of theft, and of false witness, because to commit such evils is contrary to the law of God; these, after enduring some combat against the forbidden evil, lose at length all inclination, consequently all concupiscence leading to the commission of it, saying in their hearts that it is sin, in its essence infernal and diabolical: these, after death, when the external [part or principle] which they had in the world is taken away, are one with heaven in act, and being in the Lord, they are admitted into heaven.

64. It is a common maxim in every religion, that man ought to examine himself, to do the work of repentance, and to desist from sins, and that in case he does not this, he is in a state of damnation; that this is a general maxim taught by all religion, may be seen above, n. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. It is also a universal maxim prevailing throughout the Christian world, that the decalogue ought to be taught, and that children should be initiated thereby into the Christian religion, for the deca

logue is put into the hands of all young children; they are also taught by their parents and masters, that to do the evils forbidden in the decalogue is to sin against God; yea, the parents and masters are convinced thereof, whilst they are instructing their children. How surprising then is it, that these same parents and masters, and also their children when they grow up, should conceive that they are not under that law of the decalogue, and that they cannot do the things prescribed in that law! and can there be any other ground or reason for such a conceit, but that they love the forbidden evils, and in consequence love the falses which favour them? These therefore are they, who do not make the precepts of the decalogue precepts of religion. That the same persons live without religion, will be seen in the DOCTRINE CONCERNING

FAITH.

65. All nations on the face of the earth, who have any religion, are in possession of precepts similar to those contained in the decalogue; and all they who live according thereto, from a religious principle, are saved; but all, who do not live according thereto from a religious principle

are damned. They who live according thereto from a religious principle, being instructed after death by angels, receive truths, and acknowledge the Lord; the reason is, because they shun evils as sins, and hence are principled in good, and good loves truth, and receives it from a love-desire, as was shewn above, n. 32 to 41. This is meant by the Lord's words to the Jews, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and be given to a nation bringing forth fruits," Matt. xxi. 43; and also by these words, "When the Lord of the vineyard cometh, he shall destroy the wicked, and shall let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their season,' Matt. xxi. 40, 41; and by these, "I say

unto you that many shall come from the

east and the west, and from the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God; but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness." Matt. viii. 11, 12. Luke xiii. 29.

66. We read in Mark, that " a certain rich person came to Jesus, and asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life ?" To whom Jesus replied, "Thou knowest the commandment, thou shalt not commit

adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not steal, honour thy father and mother :" he answering said, "All these things I have kept from my youth:" Jesus looked at him and loved him: he said nevertheless, "One thing thou lackest, go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, thus thou shalt have treasure in the heavens, and come, take up the cross, and follow me." x. 17 to 22. It is said that Jesus loved him, and this because he said he had kept those commandments from his youth; but whereas he lacked three things, viz. that he had not removed his heart from riches, that he had not fought against concupiscences, and that he had not as yet acknowledged the Lord to be God, therefore the Lord said unto him, that he should sell all that he had, whereby is meant, that he should remove his heart from riches; that he should take up the cross, whereby is meant, that he should fight against concupiscences; and that he should follow Him, by which is meant, that he should acknowledge the Lord to be God. The Lord here spake, as in all other cases, by correspondences; see the Doctrine concerning the Sacred Scrip

ture, n. 17. For no one can shun evils as sins, unless he acknowledges the Lord, and approaches him, and unless he fights against evils, and thus removes concupiscences. But more will be said on this subject in the article concerning combats against evils.

That so far as any one shuns murders of every kind as sins, so far he has love towards his neighbour.

67. By murders of every kind are understood also enmities, hatreds, and revenges of every kind, which breathe a murderous purpose; for therein murder lies hid, as fire under embers; the infernal fire is nothing else but such a murderous spirit, and it is from this ground that men are said to burn with hatred and revenge; these are murders in a natural sense; but by murders in a spiritual sense are meant all the methods of killing and destroying the souls of men, which are various and manifold: but by murder in a supreme sense is meant to hate the Lord. These three kinds of murder make one, and cohere together, for who