Heaven and Hell (Harley) n. 390

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

390. From this it may be inferred what subordinations in the heavens are, namely, that as anyone loves, esteems, and honours a use, he also loves, esteems, and honours a person with whom the use is connected; also that the person is loved, esteemed and honoured in the measure in which he ascribes the use to the Lord and not to himself; for to that extent he is wise, and the uses he performs, he performs from good. Spiritual love, esteem, and honour are nothing else than the love, esteem, and honour of the use in the person, together with the honour to the person because of the use, and not honour to the use because of the person. Moreover, one who regards men from spiritual truth, regards them in no other way, for he sees one man to be like another, whether in great or in little dignity, the only perceptible difference being a difference in wisdom; and wisdom is loving use, that is, loving the good of a fellow citizen, of society, of one's country, and of the Church. It is in this that love to the Lord takes up its abode because every good that is a good of use is from the Lord; and so also does love towards the neighbour, because the neighbour is the good that is to be loved in a fellow citizen, in society, in one's country, and in the Church, and that is to be placed before them.# # Loving the neighbour is not loving the person, but loving that which is in him and which constitutes him (n. 5025, 10336). Those who love the person, and not that which is in him, and which constitutes him, love equally an evil man and a good man (n. 3820); and do good alike to the evil and to the good; and yet to do good to the evil is to do evil to the good and that is not loving the neighbour (n. 3820, 6703, 8120). The judge who punishes the evil that they may be reformed, and may not contaminate or injure the good, loves his neighbour (n. 3820, 8520, 8121). Every individual and every community, also one's country and the Church, and in the most general sense the kingdom of the Lord, are the neighbour, and to do good to these from a love of good in accord with the quality of their state, is loving the neighbour; that is, the neighbour is their good, which is to be consuited (n. 6818-6824, 8123).


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church