AC 2515 - Thoughts

 AC 2515

Thoughts from perception exist only with the celestial,
that is, with those who are in love to the Lord;
such thought is the most internal that exists with man;
and it exists with the celestial angels in heaven,
for it is perception from the Lord
by which and from which their thought exists;
and to think contrary to perception is impossible.
Thoughts from conscience are lower,
and exist with the spiritual, that is,
with those who are in the good of charity and faith
as to life and as to doctrine.
Moreover with these persons
to think contrary to conscience is impossible;
for this would be to think against the good and truth
which are dictated to them
from the Lord through conscience.

But thoughts from no conscience exist with those
who do not suffer themselves to be inwardly directed
by what is good and true,
but only by what is evil and false;
that is, not by the Lord,
but by themselves.
Such persons believe
that they inwardly think just as do those
who think from conscience and perception,
for the reason that
they do not know what conscience is,
still less perception;
but the difference is as great as is
that between hell and heaven.
They who think without conscience think
from any cupidities (greeds) and fantasies whatever;
thus from hell;
and when it seems otherwise,
it is from external decorum for the sake of reputation.
But they who think from conscience
think from the affections of good and truth;
thus from heaven.
But as regards the Lord's thought,
it transcended all human understanding,
for it was immediately from the Divine.