128. * were written; for I could in no way be freed as yet from spirits who wished to force me into writing them. Therefore, they brought on darkness when I was trying to grasp them in thought, and thus arouse love for the goal, that of serving the public and having regard for uses. I felt this state come upon me, as I could write nothing else with clarity but those words which were quietly dictated to me, so to speak, and yet I did not know with any conviction whether it was true and good, or not true and good - not with any conviction, still less feeling. I found out that truths had been mixed with non-truths. This was the reason for the prayer indicated below by the sign 11 [see SEWE 81]. [Good; Ignorance; Use; Truth] mThe words here said about "a servant" also regard what is within a person, that is, the earthly or servile part, and the spiritual or free part, whence also the origin of these laws could be learned, as is evident from verses 20 and 21.n [For the sake of context, see also WE 4478, concluding the explanation of Exod. 21:5-6.] 4479. As for the punishment now spoken of, that is, for preferring anything above that freedom - that is, if one loves anything above God the Messiah, Who is Freedom Itself, as was said above [WE 4442] - one is punished by becoming a servant forever, but not in the service of God the Messiah Himself, which is called servitude, but is Freedom, for to serve God the Messiah Alone is to be most free; for then one is moved by what is best, and so is led by feeling, as if on one's own or as a free agent. That this is