Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine WisdomSwedenborg, Emanuel
Religion
Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom
Swedenborg, Emanuel
God (Christianity) -- Love; God (Christianity) -- Wisdom
335. These things are called uses, because through man they have relation
to the Lord; nevertheless, they must not be said to be uses from man for
the Lord's sake, but from the Lord for man's sake, inasmuch as in the
Lord all uses are infinitely one, but in man there are no uses except
from the Lord; for man cannot do good from himself, but only from the
Lord, and good is what is called use. The essence of spiritual love is
doing good to others, not for the sake of self but for the sake of others;
infinitely more is this the essence of Divine Love. It is like the love
of parents for their children, in that parents do good to their children
from love, not for their own sake but for their children's sake. This is
especially manifest in a mothers love for her offspring. Because the Lord
is to be adored, worshiped and glorified, He is supposed to love adoration,
worship, and glory for His own sake; but He loves these for man's sake,
because by means of them man comes into a state in which the Divine can
flow in and be perceived; since by means of them man puts away that which
is his own, which hinders influx and reception, for what is man's own,
which is self-love, hardens the heart and shuts it up. This is removed by
man's acknowledging that from himself comes nothing but evil and from the
Lord nothing but good; from this acknowledgment there is a softening of
the heart and humiliation, out of which flow forth adoration and worship.
From all this it follows, that the use which the Lord performs for Himself
through man is that Man may be able to do good from love, and since this
is the Lord's love, its reception is the enjoyment of His love. Therefore,
let no one believe that the Lord is with those who merely worship Him, He
is with those who do His commandments, thus who perform uses; with such
He has His abode, but not with the former. (See what was said above on
this subject, n. 47-49.)
336. EVIL USES WERE NOT CREATED BY THE LORD, BUT ORIGINATED TOGETHER
WITH HELL.
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