Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/127

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LIP-PROFESSION OF NO AVAIL.
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profession of truths from the Word, or from the doctrinals of their church, they suppose that they are in the belief of those truths. It also appears to them as if they were; but still they are not, if the life be evil; for they either make a lip-profession of what disagrees with their thoughts, or they think that it is so from a persuasive faith which is for the sake of gain or honor. Therefore when honor and gain are no longer the objects of pursuit, that faith falls; and then they seize eagerly upon the falsities which are in agreement with the evils of lusts.

Falsities agreeing with the evils of lusts have place interiorly with those who live wickedly, however they may believe that they have not. That this is so, is manifested clearly in the other life, when externals are there taken away and such persons are left to their interiors; then falsities burst forth, as well those which they had thought in the world, as those which they had not manifestly thought; for they burst forth from the evils which had been of their life, inasmuch as falsities are nothing else than evils reasoning and patronizing themselves. From these things it may be manifest what is the nature of their state in the other life, namely, that they have appertaining to them persuasions of the false together with the lusts of evil. (A. C. 7577.)


TRUTH VARIOUSLY RECEIVED.

That truths which in themselves are truths, with one person are more true, with another less true, with some

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