Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 3.djvu/255

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CHARITY IN USES.
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edged by those who constituted the Most Ancient Church; for the delight arising from adulteries, and felt by adulterers, was to them so abominable that they expressed horror at the very thought of it. And hence may be discovered the nature of delight which does not descend from the true fountain of life, or from the Lord.

That the pleasures above mentioned are by no means denied to man, yea, that so far from being denied, they first become real pleasures when connected with their true source, may further appear from this consideration, that very many who have lived in the world in power, dignity and opulence, and enjoyed abundantly all the pleasures both of the body and of sense, are among the blessed and happy in heaven; for with them interior delights and happiness are now alive, because they originated in the goods of charity and the truths of faith toward the Lord. All their pleasures being thus derived, were regarded by them with a view to use, this being their end in the enjoyment of them; for use itself was to them most delightful, and hence came the delight of their pleasures. (A. C. 995.)


ENDS AND USES.

In reference to use, it may be observed that they who are in charity, that is, in love toward the neighbor which imparts a living delight to their pleasure, look for the fruition of no pleasure except in the performance of uses. For charity is nothing unless it manifest itself