Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/253

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PLEASURES OF SENSE ALLOWABLE.
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also himself and the world, but only as means to the end are loved. The love of self with him has respect to the love of the Lord; for he loves himself as a means, to the end that he may serve the Lord. And the love of the world with him has respect to the love of his neighbor; for he loves the world as a means for the sake of the end, that he may serve his neighbor. When therefore the means is loved for the sake of the end, it is not the means that is loved, but the end.

Hence it may be seen that they who are in the glory of the world, that is, in distinguished eminence and opulence, can alike look above themselves to the Lord, as they who are not in eminence and opulence; for they then look above themselves when they regard eminence and opulence as means and not as the end. (A. C. 7814-7820.)


THE PLEASURES OF SENSE NOT FORBIDDEN.

Some suppose that whoever wishes to be happy in the other world, must in no wise enjoy the pleasures of the body or of sense, but refuse all such delights, urging in favor of this notion that corporeal and worldly pleasures abstract and detain the mind from spiritual and celestial life. They, however, who suppose so, and in consequence voluntarily give themselves up to wretchedness while living in the world, are not aware of the real truth.

It is by no means forbidden any one to enjoy cor-

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