6390. 'Lying down between burdens' means life among works. This is clear from the meaning of 'lying down' as life, but life with little light; and from the meaning of 'burdens' as works. The reason why such works are meant by 'burdens' is that the people described here are not motivated, when they perform good deeds, by an affection that goes with love towards the neighbour but by an affection that goes with love towards themselves. Works motivated by the second affection are like the burdens carried by lowly asses, for such people are among the most menial servants. All servitude arises out of an affection that goes with self-love and love of the world, and all freedom arises out of an affection that goes with love to the Lord and love towards the neighbour. The reason for this is that the first affection enters in from hell, which is violently domineering, whereas the second comes from the Lord, who is not domineering but one who leads. This again shows that those who do good for the sake of recompense are the lowest-ranking servants, and that their works are 'burdens'. 'Burdens' has a similar meaning in the Book of Judges,

Princes in Issachar were with Deborah; and as was Issachar, so was Barak; in the valley he will be sent under his feet ¹ - in the divisions of Reuben, great as to decrees of the heart. Why should you sit between burdens, to hear the hissings of the flocks? Judges 5:15-16.

Here also 'Issachar' stands for those who wish to receive recompense for their works. 'In the valley being sent under his feet' stands for serving in the lowest ways. 'The divisions of Reuben' stands for those who have a knowledge of matters that constitute the truth of faith, among whom - yet placed beneath whom - there are those represented by 'Issachar'. 'Hearing the hissings of the flock' stands for contempt on the part of those with whom the good of charity is present, who are meant by 'the flocks'. 'Sitting between burdens' stands for among merit-seeking works.

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