Monday, August 06, 2012

SDm 4547 - Conscience, and can we know we are in charity?

SDm 4547 (Spiritual Diary Minor)
Conscience is not given without charity towards the neighbor.
A person is in so obscure a perception and idea,
that be is unable to know whether he has charity,
because he is not much sensible of affection;
nor, if he has it, does he reflect upon it;
but it is known from his zeal towards good and truth,
and towards justice and right.
He then has charity, if he is in zeal,
namely, in the zeal of punishing the evil
for the end that they may become good
and that the good may not be hurt,
and that the community or public might be freed from such;
for then he has charity,
although it does not so appear;
nor is he himself able to know this.

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